. . . and then there was pickle.

Well. I did it. I am fairly certain that I will never sit in a purely academic classroom in the pursuit of a degree ever again. It only took me until the age of 32 to finally get it, but that’s right - I’m done. . . you may now call me master.

I have to say that I now have a different perspective and relationship to education and knowledge than I did when I started attending institutions of higher learning, when I enrolled at Berklee College of Music at age 15 for a ‘summer session’ all those years ago. I’ve learned a lot about learning.

When I began my education I had decided that I wanted to be a composer and teach music theory and history at the university level. My parents did not have any money, so I began my collegiate career at a local community college where I knocked out my Associates Degree on proper course. It is when I transferred to our major state university that my plans began to show flaws. I quickly learned that I detested university politics: especially in a conservatory setting. This is not to say that I was not in the loop. I performed at Carnegie Hall with the Cleveland Orchestra, and had a concerto of mine performed by the Cleveland Chamber Symphony. I even sang back-ups for Kenny Rogers and Andy Williams.

After 3 more years of study, and what was supposed to be my senior year I auditioned for a joint production between the music and theatre programs – The Three Penny Opera. Now, I went to school on a vocal performance scholarship – so I knew I could sing, but I had not been a true thespian, despite my winning best supporting actor my senior year of high school. Much to my surprise – I was cast in the lead. I was Macheath – never having taken a single acting lesson in my life.

I was hooked. I began to essentially live in the theatre. I soon realized that I had only been “acting” like a composer, and found my true calling.

This is the part that completely embittered me to academia. When I put my request into the university to apply for a double major – the head of the music department dropped me as a major. This was to prove some power-trip point as to the relationship and quality of students between the music and theatre programs.

Yeah.

I was no longer eligible to receive my bachelor’s in music which I had invested 5 years in. I was now going to have to put in another two years to get a bachelors degree because of politics. I did a year and a half before I started to get professional work and decided to ride the wave. Because as an actor if you’re getting work – you’re doing better that most MA holding waiters.

So I went to work, and did well, and started my own professional production company and it did well. In 2004 my old school invited me back to direct a show there as a guest artist in exchange for paid tuition for the remaining 4 classes I needed to take to get my degree.

I did it, and directed a truly unique version of Rosecrantz and Guildenstern are Dead. I enjoyed it, and finally got my BA. This is about the same time I was burning out as Artistic Director of my company. I jumped ship to our local amusement park where I ran the entertainment department for 1 season (after working as an actor there for 3 years).

In this process I realized if I was to ever to get to where I eventually realized I want to end up, as director of a large arts organization, I needed to get a degree in business management. I found a local program that has an 11 month intensive MBA program. So at age thirty-one with a baby on the way I went back to school to learn about business.

I had successfully run a company so I was fairly familiar with the basic principles – bring in more money than you spend, and do bigger and better things for more people.

My degree is a Master of Management, which is essentially an MBA with a focus on Organizational Development and Human Resource Management.

A lot happened since I started the program. I became a father, and am no longer sold on having to work in the arts. I have learned that management is management and if I am going to essentially be doing the same tasks - I may as well get paid to do it.

As life continues to meander onward - I never cease to be amazed at how my goals and ideals transform to fit the needs that I find most important. I can now think of nothing more important than being able to provide a stable environment for my daughter - especially now that I have the skills and education to be able to provide for her.

I think my ego would now be better served by vacations and a college fund than the self-serving aspects that I have always chased as an artist. They say that your life no longer becomes about you when you have children, but I disagree. I do not think that I am any less selfish. I am just trying to build my ego by making her love me instead of the hundreds of thousands of strangers that I wanted to have love me throughout the years on stage.

This week I gave one of the most important performances I have ever given when I presented my paper. It was the same night as the reunion of our ‘birthing class’ – and my professor let me go first so that I could leave right after my defense. What that meant is that The Pickle and the Wife were in the room while I rambled about Six Sigma applications and streamlining a value chain.

The Pickle was absolutely silent, and I was brilliant. This professor fails 40% of Capstones, and I got an 88% - and did it with my motivation in the back of the room.

The other sad aspect of this is that it is the beginning of the end of my time as a SAHD. I now need to begin the process of looking for a job. I will always appreciate this period that I have had as a student and father, and I guess it just proves that it’s never too late to start being a grown-up.

I only hope that she some day recognizes how hard the wife and I have worked to try to do the best by her. I love her so much.

Pickle’s Papa AA, BA, MMG