Apparently, being a guitarist is a "desirable man job." The Art of Manliness just published this interview with Dan Skidmore, a weekend warrior, part-time professional guitarist in upstate New York. He's a college research director and single father of two by day.

An excerpt:

According to Music Trades magazine, about three-million guitars are sold in the US every year. You can’t swing a Stratocaster in any decent-sized town without hitting a few guitar players. What this means is, as a guitarist, you are the single most dispensable musician on the planet. Keep this in mind every single time you pick up the instrument to practice. Focus on practicing what you need to be able to play to get and keep the job. Remember, there are guys lined up behind you for every gig. I might be one of them, and, I guarantee you, if I want that gig then I have practiced my ass off for it. If you don’t have it together, that job will be mine before I take my guitar out of the case.

That strikes me as good advice. Refreshing too. The guitar world is full of too much "just have fun" and not enough "quit screwing off and get your work done."