To Read or Not To Read....

[Apollonia]

I tend to reside more in the "Suck it up and do it anyway" camp. I feel that as readers, it is desirable to live up to a certain standard of service, whether or not we are professionals.

If you are doing it sheerly for fun, rather than as a professional, you can probably get away with reading or not as the mood strikes you. But if you do decide that as a general rule you don't want to do it when you're not in the mood, I would certainly warn people up front that the time and date might need to be changed at the last minute, so they don't get all excited and then find they aren't going to get a reading. (But realize that you will be disappointing people anyway, because many of them will be looking forward to their reading with great anticipation from the very moment you set it up.)

If you are planning to go professional at some point, it's probably good practice to stick with the times and dates you set, so that you can get used to reading when you don't really feel up to it. I've been reading nearly every Saturday and Sunday afternoon for the past four and a half years, and over that period of course there have been times when I didn't feel good, or times when I just thought, "Oh crud, I have to go in and read all afternoon, when what I really want to do is _______." But you go in and start to read and somehow the mojo comes back, and it's fine. (And often when I felt I didn't want to do it, that person would come in who desperately needed a reading that very day, and I was so glad I had made the effort.)

 

[Grizabella]

Yeah, what Apollonia said.

Even if you don't think you're good enough and you don't think you're ready for a pro career, if you get the reputation of being shifting sands about reading dates, it's going to haunt you later on when you do decide to go pro.

 

[memries]

I hate it when I go to a party and all revved up and having a good time and a drink and someone asks me to read for them.
I don't want to be a bad sport about it but then I have to get all serious and do my best. It kind of puts one on the spot.

I guess my life is kind of compartmentalized. If I am reading ok. If I am partying ok. If I am drinking ok. but mixing them up for me is not easy.
I make sure now I don't have my cards with me now.

I think if I were kind of down and read for someone it would get me out of it because I would be caring about them. In fact a good way to handle depression is to go and do something for someone else.

 

[Sulis]

I guess my life is kind of compartmentalized. If I am reading ok. If I am partying ok. If I am drinking ok. but mixing them up for me is not easy.
I make sure now I don't have my cards with me now.

This is what I do too.
If I don't want to read then I make sure I don't have my cards with me.

If I've arranged to read then don't really feel like it when someone shows up though, that's not their fault so I read anyway (unless I'm ill - I can't read if I have a headache and I have a lot of headaches). I warn people when I arrange for them to come for a reading though; I usually suggest that folks phone first just to make sure I'm not in bed with a migraine.

 

[morticia monroe]

To be honest, I have not yet encountered a situation when someone has asked me to read for them and I haven't been more than glad to do it.

I don't have friends in the town I live in, and my life is spent in this house, and out running errands, taking care of my family, with little time for socialization and no one to socialize with anyway....so when fate brings me someone who would like to be read for, I'm more than happy for the chance.

 

[214red]

my best readings are done half cut, my mouth gets to run off and not have my mind stop it!

 

[Morwenna]

Most of my reading has been done at renfairs, so if I'm feeling rather off-center I simply don't sit down at my table till I feel better. Fortunately under those circumstances there are usually several "soothsayers" working neighboring tables, so the customers have other options.

But I did discover ages ago that I'm most focused if I'm properly nourished: protein and veggies that morning and probably the previous night as well. (Renfairs can be grueling if the weather holds and there's a good turnout! Everyone loves the soothsayers!)

 

[SunChariot]

No, when I read when I am not up for it emotionally my readings suffer. So I will not do it. If a friend comes to me and sincerely wants help I will give them my best, not a half-hearted attempt. And I am not shy to tell him/her just that, that I am too tired emotionally at the moment to do their question justice and I will get back to it and do it for them as soon as I can.

When I read professionally, I am careful to give a date of completion that will take this into consideration. Because the quality of my work means a lot to me.

If someone gives me a reading that I think will take me one day to complete (I have a full time job elsewhere so I can just work on it evenings/weekends), I tell them I will have it completed in two days. As it is unprofessional to hand things in late. That way, if I am fine that first night, I complete the reading then and send it a day early and the client is pleasantly surprised. IF I don't feel well that first night, or feel up for it, it gives me leeway. I can always do it the next night when I feel better.

Babs