He finishes his song and starts on the long road home.
Guitar teacher Bruce Canafax has a second job as a performer on the weekends, and he is not alone. Lots of teachers have second jobs, whether during the school year, the weekend, or the summer.
“I have a second job because one job does not pay the bills enough to do what I like to do financially,” Canafax said. “I like the second job because it keeps me busy, keeps me active.”
Some jobs can be tiring like biology teacher Robert Novak’s job as a licensed irrigator. He installs and repairs sprinkler systems.
“Just think about it, I’m up here at 7 o’clock to 4,” Novak said. “On days where I have to do a call, which is not very often but when I do, I normally get home after dark. That’s 14-hour day and sometimes I have to go home and do school work, so sometimes I’ll put in 16 to 17 hours a day so that is pretty darn tiring.”
Canafax agrees that takes a lot of energy to have two jobs.
“It depends on the length of the job,” Canafax said. “Most are an hour or two. The most I’ve ever played out of town would be a 3 hour job, and if starts at 7 o’clock in the evening especially in Dallas/ Fort Worth, I’m through at 10. I’m on the road by 10:30, that puts me home around 12:30 at night, 1 in the morning”
Novak says family support helps.
“Fortunately I have a pretty understanding wife,” Novak said. “But if I didn’t, it would be pretty hard. My children are grown and out of the house, and it was hard when they were there because I had to do things for them. Now it is not as much of an issue because my wife understands that if your husband is going to make the money, he is going to have to put in the time.”