Styx’ Tommy Shaw blogs about the Zen of washing dishes and the secret to staying in the flow.

A few months ago a friend of mine who is the artist rep for one of the companies whose support we count on for keeping our lovely machine rolling smoothly was visiting my home studio and we somehow got on to the subject of washing the dishes (chances are I had just washed ours) and he said “I love washing the dishes—it’s a job I can finish!” 

Like a lot of people who have been fortunate enough to hold on to theirs in this midst of whatever you call this current economic situation, his job definition has continued to morph to the point where he just goes with the flow and does the best he can to fulfill the ever expanding demands, knowing that the company is doing its best to remain competitive and hold on while they wait for things to turn around.  Whereas he used to have his hands full dealing with new products, getting them into the hands of endorsees, maintaining the balance between what products the artists receive and the value of the use of their name and likeness, looking into the future to how he was going to handle the next NAMM convention, and keeping the company’s name front and center, etc., he was now in charge of promotional video production.  Although he had lots of experience in the music business, HD video production was not in his wheelhouse.  Unless you’ve been trained in this field or have been a videophile since home video’s inception, I’d venture to guess it’s not in anybody’s wheelhouse. 

Now that we’ve all adapted to the idea that it’s wise to be flexible and adaptable in order to keep the lights on, how are we ever going to go back to the concept of the defined parameters of job description?

When our assistant tour manager came to work for STYX several years ago his job was to be an extension of our tour manager.  While our tour manager was on the phone always a week or so ahead of where we were that day, our assistant tour manager was hands-on, on the ground, in the lobby, on the loading dock, back stage, etc.  Never did it say in his job description, “You will learn to be a professional photographer and you must go bike riding with the guitar player from Alabama…” His daily routine is hard to define and generally unfinishable.  That’s the job.  With his great attitude he’s made quite a name for himself in concert venues all over.  Oh, and help with the dishes on the bus.  Fact is, he has become such a good photographer we recently used his photographs to flesh out a tour program, which we put on sale with the rest of our merch this spring and summer.  This attitude is typical any other member of our crew, who has a great reputation for being there for “all hands on deck” situations when it comes to putting the show up, running it and loading it out again.
But I suspect these are not just isolated cases.  In many ways the new employee has taken a more active part in keeping things working.  The old English saying, “…not my job’s worth” is not a very practical attitude when there are good people out there who want to work and are willing to step outside their job description every so often to keep things running smoothly.  It’s not a bad way to prove that you are indeed more valuable than you may have been initially perceived.  As long as you don’t feel taken advantage of when it comes time for bonuses or other any other type of recognition that your services are appreciated.  This is where the boss must show his stripes as well.

But back to the point.  Washing dishes.  I find this act as much of a metaphor for life as it is a way of having a clean plate for your next snack.  It’s a job that needs to be done! 

Jeanne and I have a dishwasher with so few hours on it that when we built our new house a couple of years ago, we salvaged it from our old kitchen before demolishing the old place to clear the building site.  It’s 14 years old and we figure it’s probably done no more than 25 loads of dishes. 

We like to hand wash.

I see doing dishes as an act of love, self-love and love for another. 

I arrived home last week after wrapping up the tour with Kansas and Foreigner.  I’d taken the first flight out of Dallas and arrived 20 minutes early on the 5 of July.  I was home at 8:00 AM, and managed to enter without waking Jeanne or the dogs.  I knew she’d cooked out with her friend Billie the night before and there were the dishes in the big sink.  I rolled up my sleeves and started my Zen work.  “Just do the one on the top.”  This is how I avoid the anxiety of “DOING A SINK FULL OF DIRTY DISHES.”  Before you know it, your mind goes to other places and this calm comes over you, you find you care for each utensil, getting is good and clean, and suddenly there’s the bottom of the sink.  Repeat this process with the drying towel.  And the big finish, “Look at what you’ve done!”  I did it for Jeanne, but I got the reward.  Job started and finished! 

Later when she came downstairs she mentioned that she was gonna do the dishes the night before but thought perhaps I’d see them and want to do them for the reason stated above.  Are we weird?  Debatable.  But there’s method to our weirdness.

While the world adjusts to this seismic economic and environmental reality check, sometimes the only thing we can do is get our own house in order. 

Get in there!