When is "too much work" too much

burn em · Post by **burn em** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:13 am

So far today/night I have working for 12 hours and have atleast another 5 hours to go. It's been like this for at least the last 2 weeks solid. My questions are...

At what point does the brain actually turn to avocado?

When is it OK to yell at random strangers?

How many espresso coffees a day is unhealthy?

Is there an option to permanently shut down DP for 12 hours a day to force me to go home and sleep?

Are the people out in the hall actually talking about me?

Do the kick n snare need to be louder?

Dwetmaster · Post by **Dwetmaster** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:47 am

A few years back there was a new about a korean kids who played WoW for 72 hours straight without eating, drinking...
HE DIED

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 11:28 am

ha ha ha - funny questions.

burn em · Post by **burn em** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:46 pm

Luckily my girlfriend who lives around the corner from the studio is an amazing healthy cook. Great idea having a beer near the end of the day/night. Might have to try that some time

Not joking, haven't had time to think of anything like that lately.

Is it Ok to sleep on the studio couch more than once a week?

Is it OK to not check if the bounce has finished while on this forum?

YouTube · Post by **James Steele** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 12:55 pm

MIDI Life Crisis wrote:ha ha ha - funny questions.

Seriously, it (obviously?) depends on the person doing the work. Personally, my longest period without a break of more than about 10 minutes was 36 hours. Started a score at 9AM on a Friday morning, finished 9PM Saturday. Slept a few hours and recorded to picture Sunday afternoon (hence the crush). Of those who know my work they consider it my best score to date.

But when I'm in a project I tend to work 14-18 hours a day and never really feel stressed about it. Stimulants? Start with good, strong coffee in the AM; move to something softer in the afternoon (ice tea, soda), beer at about 6PM; wine about 8PM; brandy about 11PM; tea about 2AM; back to coffee at 6AM. Lather. Repeat.

Good quality food is essential. No fast food, pizza, etc. Also NO DRUGS! NO POT! Cigarettes optional.

Geez... I couldn't do that on a daily basis. That's just me I guess. My longest without sleep stint was years ago when I used to do programming in Macromedia Director and I was on some project working with a guy that could NEVER say "no" to a client and impossible deadlines. Over the course of 54 hours, I took in 3 client meetings, designed an interface for some multimedia presentation for some bigshot CEO guy, set up the presentation (which went fine) and then went home and collapsed and slept for an entire day. Not a single catnap in that time.

Worse, this guy we were working for-- my bud's client-- was a total horses a**-- one of those guys who's tone of voice and manner of speaking to EVERYONE who worked for him was like you were lower than dirt. To this day I remember his name. One of the client meetings, after we had given him EXACTLY what he asked for and he decided he wanted something else so he blamed us and expected us to start over (which my gutless associate agreed to), I came close as I ever have to blowing up at someone. This guy was a real piece of work. However it was my *friend's* client and I wasn't going to blow up his gig.

The last few hours I got through it with lots of caffeinated drinks and eating chocolate M&M's. Stupid. I was younger then, so I could handle it, but today I will not abuse my body that way for anybody. I have no problem telling people that "it can't be done." Will the guy who agrees to kill himself get the gig. Sure. Do I care? Hell, if he wants to die 20 years early, that's his business.

KarlSutton · Post by **KarlSutton** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:29 pm

peanut butter captain crunch works well around 1am . . .

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 1:50 pm

Well, I started to answer this post seriously until I realized it was a joke. It is a joke, isn't it?

Then I deleted my initial post but that Steeley Santa whet and re-gifted it! AAARRRGGGG!

36 h was my max and I don't think I could do that again unless the pay scale was outrageously large. One of the things about being a full time musician/composer (or a business owner for that matter) that people don't "get" is you will sometimes work endlessly but love it. No time off. No real breaks. But also, no boss over your head except maybe an occasional hyper client and a bunch of dead presidents. The main differences between full time artists (yeah, painters, writers and the like as well) and "regular" business owners is that sometimes artist will get a few months off. That's great. Not always by choice and not always welcome, but always great to have ALL your time to do what you please. Like today...

And why do we do it. We love it, of course. And then there is this:

Phil O · Post by **Phil O** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 2:35 pm

burn em wrote:So far today/night I have working for 12 hours and have atleast another 5 hours to go. It's been like this for at least the last 2 weeks solid. My questions are...

At what point does the brain actually turn to avocado?

11.5 hours.

burn em · Post by **burn em** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 8:44 pm

Still going, all the difficult stuff done. MMM... I can almost taste the guacamole!

Its going to get pretty close to 36 hrs, though I do have the opportunity to have a nap soon on the couch during a long bounce.

Never again... Hmmm, where have I heard that before?

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:01 pm

burn em wrote: Never again... Hmmm, where have I heard that before?

Not sure. Were you ever married?

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:10 pm

It wasn't work, but after I stayed awake for 9 weeks back in 2004 leading up to the death of my best friend, I enjoyed a greatly-enhanced respect for what lack of sleep can do to one's body. It took years to "mostly" recover from this, even as a 34-or-so-year insomniac.

The thing that frustrates me most about all this is the fact that I can no longer get onto a roll and go with it as I've a house and property to maintain and have to clean, cook, shop and eat. Bugger. I know. I need a gal in my life.

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:19 pm

Damn, you're 38?! A mere child... How you get so crotchety at 38? I waited until I was in my late 40's for that.

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:24 pm

Incorrect, Magilla. Read the statement more carefully - I was saying that I'd had insomia for 34+ years.

Guess again, big boy. LOL

EDIT: Crotchety, quivery or semi-brief, it's my tune and I'll corrupt it if I want to, corrupt it if I want to, corrupt it if I want to... LOL

MIDI Life Crisis · Post by **MIDI Life Crisis** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:29 pm

monkey man wrote:Incorrect, Magilla. Read the statement more carefully - I was saying that I'd had insomia for 34+ years.

Guess again, big boy. LOL

OK. Resume the crank...

(not THAT crank!!!)

monkey man · Post by **monkey man** » Thu Dec 18, 2008 9:33 pm

Fun, as always, to tangle tentacles with you, Magilla.

Gotta run now and tackle the real world.

MOTUnation.com

When is "too much work" too much

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