Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/908098
38 "It is no secret what a difficult business we have chosen. It can be challenging enough just to find suitable and sustain- able employment; then, when you get the gig, be careful what you wish for! Long and irregular hours, travel, weather conditions, challenging locations, nasty commute, job security and every kind of work-related stress can take its toll on your health, relationships, mental and spiritual health. Despite the heroic efforts of our dearly departed Haskel Wexler, just getting home from work can be quite hazardous. As a long-term survivor in production sound—thirty-six years since I bought my first Nagra (that's a little scary when I see it in writing!)—I am very happy to be asked to contribute some ideas about stress management. "Love what you do, but not to the exclusion of all else; given the crazy number of hours we work, it is hard but important to seek balance in your life. The job can be incredibly frustrating, learn to not go home bitter. That makes showing up the next day a lot easier. On the other hand, sometimes the best thing you can see is that job in your rear-view mirror. Know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. There are more jobs than one and sometimes the one you have is not really the one for you. "Our work is in many ways, so very hard. Even if you're not hauling cable or setting c-stands or building sets or swing- ing a boom with a wind-screened shotgun at full extension, the work is physically demanding. Even if you're not direct- ing the movie or doing a budget or a schedule or mixing a scene with nine mics and playback, our work is mentally demanding. "Here's what I do to keep myself prepared to meet the challenges of our workplace that are maybe a bit different than others: I ride my bicycle. I mean, I really ride my bike(s). On weekends I do long rides, often with a group, including gran fondos or century-type rides. Most days at work, when lunch is called, I get to my sound trailer, do a quick Superman change into my cycling togs, jump on my "at-work" bike, and pedal away from the set as fast as I can for 30-50 minutes, 8 to 15 miles. It's not much, but when I've been stuck at my cart all morning on a dark stage, or I've had some frustrating moments, or whatever, it allows me to get my heart pumping, muscles working, my eyes can focus on infinity, my senses sharpen and I can play in the traffic where the phrase "thrown under the bus" is not a metaphor! It is amazing how this breaks up the day and revitalizes me for the second half. It's amazing how many little lunch routes I know around LA. Almost wherever I find myself shooting, I'm rarely too far from somewhere I've already been and have ridden—the city is smaller and more connected than you think. Downtown? MacArthur Park to Griffith Park by way of Chinatown and Elysian Park is a great ride! Universal/Disney/Warners? Griffith Park is right there. Hollywood? Get to the hills. Santa Clarita? So many ways if it's not too hot. The Culver Studios? The Ballona Creek Bike Path is just around the corner, also some good climbing at the Overlook Park on Jefferson. With smartphones and laptops, it is so much easier to figure out than when all I had was the Thomas Guide! "I also know there are cyclists among us who appreciate beneficial effects of exercise-induced endorphins and the stress- reducing power of doing something you love. I encourage you to make it a part of your work life! How about a Local 695 cycling club, road and dirt? Who's in? "I would like to emphasize that when the pressures of work and life get to the point where no amount of bike riding can help, we are fortunate to have an excellent health plan that includes a strong mental health component. I urge you to take advantage." –Steve Nelson CAS, Sound Mixer, husband, father & cyclist —Follow me on Strava The Young Workers Committee thanks everyone who participated in this article and hopes this piece serves as a reminder to take good care of your team and yourself as we enter the homestretch of 2017 and many years to come.