A page-one story in my local paper Sunday enlightened me to a growing movement of so-called musicians who, instead of shooting solely for music stardom, are going to college to pursue “real” jobs too. Wanna-be musicians with day jobs? Never heard of this before.

You see, not every budding musician becomes an overnight millionaire. It’s not like the old days. Today you might need a college degree as something to fall back on.

This is the same newspaper that runs stories every week on how difficult it is for new college grads to find jobs. The world doesn’t place you in a comfortable, middle-income position in your field once you leave school? What?

I found particularly amusing the story of one young man profiled in the piece who realized, of course, that not everyone who plays in a band becomes a megastar. He’s gone so far as to have not one but two college majors.

Philosophy and religious studies.

Why have one worthless career path when you can have three?

Here’s the lesson for the day. Find something to do in this world that other people will pay you to do. Doesn’t matter whether it’s playing the guitar, fixing refrigerators, or leading expeditions of Mt. Everest. If somebody pays you to do it it’s a real job, no how many years you spent in college.

Or how many philosophy courses your parents paid for.