As I sit here in Project writing this. Yes yes I live here now, it’s all gone a bit “No Exit”. Anyway as I sit here and wait for email responses to questions and phone messages to be returned and a box office report from below, I’m left wondering about all the roads not taken.

In the early years I know I varied from wanting to be a ballerina to actor until I found I liked rescuing stray animals and then wanted to be a vet. Fast forward a decade or so and I remember sitting with my guidance councellor while he patiently explained that drama is a hobby and could I please get serious and pick either psychology or law. 7 years of third level education later I found myself with The Performance Corporation and along the way to them I have studied everything from fine art to psycoanalysis, drama in education to philosophy. I have had such illustrious jobs as secret shopper for a vodka company (imagine how popular I was when I had that job) to waitress, club rep to hospitality assistant in a VIP area!, and one brief stint with Irish Psychics Live.

None of it, not a thesis looming or any job, even the ones with mental hours and physical labour is as hard as the one I do now. This is not a reflection on the job, more me! We spend months creating something, nurturing it and protecting it and then suddenly it’s out there and all we can do is try and keep up with the rollercoaster like ride that we find ourselves on.

So in answer to a lovely actor that posed a question to me last night, I work this hard not because I have to. I know I don’t have to be here every night. I work this hard because I’m so exceptionally proud that this is what we do. That we create something, we don’t just talk about it. It’s not always easy and sometimes the it seems that the rewards don’t outnumber the costs. But I swear to sweet babby jesus I wouldn’t be doing anything else.