If you burned out a long time ago, but you're still dancin'.
That is all.
Printable View
If you burned out a long time ago, but you're still dancin'.
That is all.
HEYYYYY GIRL HEYY!!!!
...*drags tired ass to work*.....
*raises hand*
Would rather have a shitty career that pays well rather than one that doesn't, is how I justify it.
i burned out so bad i got fired, then decided to just sit the summer out, and i'm gonna start again soon. i'm sooooo nervous. i really hope time off and a new club will make me like dancing again. but i'm afraid that if i have to deal with a pompous ass manager and a bunch of nasty hos, i'll just be working to pay bills.
do i count?
^Yes, you count!
This is the point at which I am as well. I'm on my last semester, and I'm planning on continuing to dance after I'm done (or until I find a job worth doing). I'll be volunteering/interning to keep my resume up. But seriously, it's like, Yeah, I could be working 5 days a week at a shitty job that pays me nothing, or I could suck it up for 8 hours a week, get through it, and not have to think about work again for a week.
Raises hand half way ( 'cause I really need the money right now and it's the only " instant " thing I can do to get it ). I still have a 4k balance on my credit card from being just ... out if it I guess in 2009. My ex didn't want me dancing so I just sat around fucking around and kept coming up $400ish a month short on bills and stuff ..... popping out the ol' credit card and now it's been driving me CRAZY even though my interest rate isn't that bad to pay ANY interest. I just want it paid off so badly. Every time I look and see that I am giving that company money ... my stomach turns. I am generally smart with money and can't believe I did it ! I dumped his ass about a year ago and went back to dancing.
I generally dance 8 days a month, but in Oct. I'll probably do 13-14 shifts and just get this stupid thing done already ( plus my ridiculous driving time ) . I cut back my day job hours already to DO THIS and get it DONE.
I've already met a few other goals thanks to dancing and this is the next big one.
So ... yes .... I'm burnt out and I sometimes hate it but I'm still plowing forward since this is my own fuck up and I'm determined to fix it.
;(
I've done a good job of saving up money (a LOT) of money, but I refuse to spend any of it. So right now I'm dancing for current expenses. Still hating it though. I imagine I'd be hating it even more if I needed the money.
^ Good for you! I can't wait to get to the point where I'm just saving it . I will be at that point after I get this stupid 4k paid off. I contribute to an IRA and everything so I have saved as well ( the excellent tax break for retirement contribution was a better benefit than paying off the card in 2009 so I contributed) . I'm also a home owner ( about 25% of my mortgage is paid off ) . So I'm not totally irresponsible - I just was with this card!
I'm not sure if you want to post details, but are you saving for a home ? Trying to build a nest egg that will generate income ? It's really awesome that you have such a good savings!
Same here. I have very few bills since everything is paid, but since dancers don't get benefits or a 401k, I feel like I'll be doing this forever. If I made a million, I would still have to be at it since that's not even a lot of money anymore. I think 500k is barely enough to retire on considering the unpredictability of social security in the future. In case I'm around longer than predicted, I don't know what I'll do when I run out of money at 80-90 and dancing won't be an option then.
^ You do get a tax break ( a generous one ) when you contribute. I contributed 2k last year and payed 1k less in taxes because of this.
funny thread.. lol
I want to use it for something substantial. I've saved more than enough to live off of for 2-3 years, in case I ever have to do that for whatever reason. But yeah, I'd like to use it for something substantial like a home. I also have a Roth-IRA with a substantial amount in there. I'm definitely thanking myself these days for saving up before the recession really got started... Good for you for doing the same!
But enough with all of this positive talk.
I haven't talked to even one dancer (who started dancing pre-recession) who still enjoys this job.
I should probably also clarify that this is intended to be a negative thread for the sake of negativity. There are many upsides and downsides to this business, all of which I am aware. And I don't hate stripping all of the time. I started the thread after somewhat of a rough night, and I'm just trying to empathize with others who occasionally or often feel this way.
Saturday was horrible for me. I hustled my ass off and made $80 bucks....Not even worth it. I'm dreading going to work again on Monday becasue I'm thinking it's going to be hella slow.
I totally empathize Charlie.
My biggest issue with stripping these days is that you never know if you're going to show up to work and meet a bunch of people with horrible energy (that sucks the life out of me) or show up to work and be generally fine. It's the not knowing that I hate.
^ Yeah .... I wasn't trying to go all positive on the thread either. I'm starting a day of driving tomorrow then a dancer trip lasting 4 shifts in a row and I KNOW it's going to be lonely and I've actually been progressively feeling shittier about it as the day goes on. I mean ... I know why I'm doing it but it also seems just silly in a way to have to pack up all this crap, drive half the day away , and then stay in this town by myself for 4 days. And ... you know...dancing being dancing ...I hope it doesn't suck. My last night did.
In regard to the bad energy you described ....I have felt EXHAUSTED all day. Like ... barely able to move tired... and I think it's this trip and my body playing games. ;(
Haha, positivity is bound to leak into the thread here and there. :)
Good to know I'm not alone on the energy thing. People suck the life out of me in SC's. Then again, I'm naturally antisocial and not a 'born entertainer,' (just a learned one!), so I'm sure that has a lot to do with it. You'd never guess it by how I seem when I'm working though. If I don't have the energy for it, I don't go in to work.
People like Kylea are natural entertainers, so they're invigorated by performing. I saw a girl dancing the other night who really fit into this category, and she seemed so happy and amazingly energetic on stage. (So I guess Kylea is the second chick I've talked to who likes the job still. :) )
I enjoy this job when I can have a good conversation with a respectful man, he spends money on me, and I get to do my job without feeling like he wants me to blow him. I know, I know...these days, that's a lot to ask.
I do love dancing... it's a perfect fit for me. However, its just like everything else... there are good nights & bad nights.
Last Saturday was a bad night for me... PapillionLuvr witnessed it. Literally EVERY customer I approached wanted extras or to waste my time.
Guy #1 came up to me while I was on stage & said he wanted a dance... I approached him 6 times after that stage & he kept telling me "later".
Guy #2 wanted to know if we could have some really good fun in the back - I told him he'd have to cut the games, & he said he wanted a handjob... I told him no & walked away.
Guy #3 wanted me to spend time with he & his wife, but when I went over he said "I don't buy dances & I don't pay for pussy". I don't recall exactly how I said it but I set it up so that he said "Maybe I'm cocky", I said "Yes, you are!" & walked away.
Guy #4 Waves me over right after the stage & does the "I wanna get to know you better"... While I have a dance waiting! I tell him I'm not interested, tried to walk away & he keeps trying to grab at my arm to get me to stay & talk to him. I had ZERO intention of giving this guy more than a few seconds of my time.
Guy #5 signals me over & asks "How much for you?". I responded "I'm priceless" ;). He responds "How much to be inside you?", I said "I don't offer that, just dances". "$150?" He asks. "No" I say, then he tries to bargain "DOWN" to $100, then to $50 for a blow... I re-iterate that I'm not that type & storm into the managers office to get the guy tossed out... which SHE (the manager) promptly does.
Guy #6 I tell EIGHT times that he has to keep his hands off me in a SINGLE DANCE. After the dance I look him straight in the eye & said "I'm ending this here. I travel down here & pay my expenses to come here out of pocket. I'll be damned if I get fired from this place because you don't know how to follow the rules!"... & I walked away
Guy #7 recognized me from the pageants & wanted me to autograph a one dollar bill for him. I ask him if he'd give me a dollar for the autograph & he said no. I offered to autograph a napkin instead if he would give me the dollar & then all of a sudden he tries acting like he doesn't understand me.
Guy #8 & #9 - I was taking a break at the bar... already in a bad mood. They approach me & I totally chum it up, put on a big smile, make jokes, etc. When it comes down to it they are BROKE. Literally they don't even have money to tip at the stages. In my head I was thinking: "Seriously, you came all the way across the room to bother me & you don't even have any money?!".
Guys #10 & #11 caught me at the VERY end of the night. Again, no money... not even $5 for a lap dance. They tried staying until the very end of the night hoping that girls would go out to breakfast with them. Sorry dude... I already have "friends".
My saving grace that night? A group of women celebrating a bachelorette party. Above & beyond the fact that I was in a different state, we still knew some of the same people (it's that theory of 6 degrees of separation). These were really cool chicks! Between them, a few random people asking for dances while I was at stage, & my stage money I STILL walked out with good money! It wasn't my best night, but I know it was more than other girls...
The days before & following were GREAT. Minus the guy that kept trying to eat the dancer's hair... yeah - he was creepy.
MORAL OF THE STORY:
We all have our bad days. Even if you stay home & do nothing there will be days that are bad - it rains, the internet/electric goes out, the phone rings with bad news. There are just going to be those days.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8v9yUVgrmPY
Just roll with it though & don't let it get you too far down. What matters though is that YOU are influencing your own destiny enough so the good days outnumber the bad.
girl. i am going back to work in december (i think i will be okay to work by then. we'll see what the surgeon says).
and the very thought makes me realize that i need to schedule a massage for wednesday.
Mmmm...I sooo need to schedule a massage. I always have problems buying them just b/c it seems like such an unnecessary expense. But it is totally necessary!!
Perfect timing with this thread. I broke down last night. I can deal with a negative money night with good energy or a great money night with a TOTAL asshole energy but when the planets align and give me both horrible energy and a bad $$ night... I just can't. Im too old for this shit. I have until May before I give it up for good but I don't know of I can make it that long. The stripper part of my identity is dying and that's mostly a good thing, I just get frusterated knowing the end is near and not BANKING the way I used to. More effort for less money= the end
^Damn, girl... :hug:
It's like getting paid to endure emotional abuse. And when it doesn't pay, well, then it's just abuse.