This week’s guest is Jazeen Hollings, She is a writer, artist and as she puts it, future ghost, from Toronto, Canada. She is also a professional video editor by trade.

After starting out as a Philosophy major and then moving into graphic design as an undergraduate, Jazeen fell in to video editing. 

Now, she has taken a big step and decided to pursue writing as a career. Jazeen is entering the University of British Columbia’s MFA program for writing full-time in the Fall.

We chat quite a lot about making the choice to pursue a creative career and how sometimes it isn’t even a choice but necessary! For anyone who has been wondering if they should take the plunge and do the thing, Jazeen might who you need to listen to today (whatever day that is)!

Note from Rabiah (Host): 

I had a lot of fun speaking with Jazeen. I got a little self-conscious that we talked a bit more about comedy than I would with a guest normally but she was interested and asked me questions when I asked her questions. It was a real conversation. That’s what I wanted the podcast to be but I’ve forgotten that from time to time and go from chat mode to interview mode when I’m nervous. And yes, I do get nervous at these recordings. This week, enjoy the chat! 

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Find Jazeen

Website: https://www.jazeen.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jazeen_____/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/jazeenhollings

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Mentioned in this episode:

Margaret Atwood: http://margaretatwood.ca/ 

Alex Garland: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0307497/ 

Stephen King: https://stephenking.com/ 

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More than Work Facebook, Instagram, Twitter: @morethanworkpod Please review and follow anywhere you get podcasts. Thank you for listening. Have feedback? Email morethanworkpod(at)gmail.com!

Mentioned in this episode:

Tragic SCOTUS Ruling on Roe v Wade

Help those impacted by the overturning of Roe v. Wade. https://www.podvoices.help/speak-up

This is More Than Work, the podcast reminding

you that your self worth is made up of more than your job title.

Each week, I'll talk to a guest about how they discovered that for themselves.

You'll hear about what they did, what they're doing and who they are.

I'm your host, Rabiah.

I work in IT perform standup comedy, write, volunteer, and of course, podcast.

Thank you for listening.

Hey, everyone.

Thanks for joining More Than Work this week, I'm really excited because

today I'm actually heading to a podcast festival here in London.

I'm going to see my friend, Claire, who runs the Creativity Found podcast.

And you'll hear an episode that she and I did together of her podcast coming up.

We're going to do a, my first feed drop here.

I'm also going to get to see Rich Wilson from Insane in the Man Brain and

Rosie Wilby from Breakup Monologues, plus a bunch of other things.

So it's going to be a fun day.

Uh, this week, I have a person who started out studying

philosophy actually in college.

And then she is now going back to school to get her master's in writing.

And she's going to talk about how she got to that decision after spending time

doing graphic design and video editing.

But it's another great episode just around someone finding

their calling and pursuing it.

And I hope it inspires you.

Um, lately I've been kind of wrapping my game in comedy really, and also on

the podcast, because I'm doing some things differently in the backend

that you won't notice because they're really around marketing and stuff.

But, um, with comedy I'm writing more and trying to enjoy every performance I do.

And that's something that happened recently where I wasn't

enjoying what I was doing.

And I'm trying to find a way to do that because otherwise, why do that?

But I think it shows too that we can be pursuing our dreams and

then realize maybe our dreams have shifted a little bit in that time.

So anyway, there's just a lot to think about, I guess, or maybe I'm just thinking

about a lot, but I hope you enjoy this episode when you get to know the guests

Jazeen and let me know what you think.

Of course, I would love for you to rate and review and follow the

podcast as well, but you know that.

Let's go!

Hey everyone.

So my guest is Jazeen Hollings, and she is a writer, artist, and future ghost.

How are you doing?

I'm good.

Thank you so much for having me on

I'm just reassured that you are a future

ghost and not like a present

not a present ghost.

yeah, I would definitely insist that

this was video then, because you wouldn't even show up probably.

So that'd be amazing,

There's proof that there's life from the beyond.

Exactly.

I would just see your microphone floating around and

Yeah.

I mean, that would be sweet.

I feel like that'd be a much better podcast.

it'd be really fun to be honest, but we don't have that.

So, so anyway, where am I talking to you from?

Just outside of Toronto, Canada.

Oh, cool.

Yeah.

Is there another Toronto?

I think there's one in the States.

I didn't even know that.

I live in England now and so I see a lot of names that are also in

the States for sure, but I know why that happened obviously, but yeah.

Well, cool.

Well, I'm glad to have you here.

So, first of all, you're a writer and artist, but that's not your full-time gig.

So maybe let's talk about your full-time gig is, and then go into what you're

doing that's more than work as it is.

Sure.

Yeah.

So I'm a video editor.

I do a lot of like commercial/ corporate.

Was lucky enough to do some short films.

Recently cut like a trailer, which was really fun.

So I do get to do some fun stuff in my, in my money job, but most of it is corporate.

So it's kind of just, you know, cutting real estate

commercials and stuff like that.

Not as creative as I'd like, but it's fun.

Yeah.

Well, so the trailer you did, was it a trailer for a feature?

A trailer for a web series.

It's like a period piece kind of like Peaky Blinders or Bridgerton,

but it's like an indie, Toronto Canadian version of that.

But it was still fun.

Trailers are fun to cut.

Yeah.

That seems fun.

Cause you're telling this story very quickly, but not giving too much

away so you have to really decide.

And how'd you get into video editing?

At school, I was taking graphic design and then I took

like a motion design class so it was like a like kinetic typography and

like animation and after effects stuff.

And I really liked that.

And then after doing that for a little bit, I started doing

more video editing stuff cause that's what people asked me to do.

So I was like, oh, cool.

Okay.

Let's, let's learn Premiere.

Let's learn, you know, how to do that.

And just kept doing it cause I didn't really know what I wanted to do.

And I love film, like definitely one of my passions.

But yeah.

I just didn't have too much direction.

So I was like, oh, this is cool.

I can like set my own rate, which is nice, you know?

And.

Just kept doing it until uh, fell in love with screenwriting.

And that's when I was like, okay, I want to write, I don't

want to do this any more.

Yeah.

That kind of brings you to now, I mean, I guess you had some big

news relatively recently about what you're going to do with writing.

Yeah, so I applied for my MFA in creative writing because

I just wanted to transition full time into writing and have some

real guidance, I think, because being self-taught at something You get to

a point where you're just like, Yeah.

I would love like some intensive, like hardcore guidance and feedback and just

to kind of take it to the next level.

So yeah, I applied to a bunch of MFA programs in Canada.

And I got into the University of British Columbia MFA program,

which I should not have.

I just want to say that because one, yeah, one, my grades were not as good as

they should have been from the school.

And the other reason being, I had totally like messed up on my application

and didn't send them a transcript when I should have, and I had to like

frantically email them and be like, "I'm so sorry, but I messed up."

So I definitely thought that there was like no chance.

So, but you never know, so you might as well try it.

Yeah.

And if you make a mistake, just kind of own up to it, right.

And just try to

yeah.

say, this is what happened.

That's easier to understand then.

"Oh no, I did attach it and you didn't get it" or something

weird,

you can't.

really lie through a computer that way it's either there or you didn't do it.

Yeah.

And sometimes it's like, you just forgot and cause sometimes I've

been late with something before and I've just said, well, I forgot.

So can I still do it or not?

And then it's like, no, it wouldn't be fair to everyone else, okay.

Or, yeah, go ahead.

So.

Yeah.

People are actually really like, receptive to the truth when you just tell them.

Yeah, I've totally just forgot.

And they're like, oh Yeah.

Okay.

I'm like, oh, okay.

Yeah.

All right.

So I don't have to do my creative writing for this basically.

Yeah.

Yeah.

So Yeah.

That's some big news.

Yeah.

That's very cool.

And congratulations.

So you'll be going full time to school?

Yeah, I'm so excited.

When you did your undergrad, what did you study?

So I did graphic design at okay.

I do university.

And then I did two years before that at UFT, University of Toronto for philosophy,

which, you know, super useful degree.

yeah, yeah.

That and art history both really make parents happy about student

loans and stuff like that,

Oh, yeah.

Very worth it.

yeah.

Okay.

And so you didn't finish the philosophy degree.

No, I transferred.

Yeah.

Okay.

But that's good.

It's good to know you don't want to do something and just to stop doing it.

If you can really

. Jazeen Hollings: Yeah.

Like I liked philosophy.

It was just very clear that it's a little bit depressing to study it full time.

And then at the end of the day it's like, well, what can I do with this?

And at the end of the day, I just wasn't like passionate about it.

Like I wasn't going to get my PhD in it.

I wasn't gonna, you know, devote my life to the meaning of existence so

I called it quits and I was like, all right, let's go make stuff instead.

of.

Yeah.

So did you do art or any kind of art before you went to the graphic design

degree or was that your first time really creating, I guess visual art.

I had always been into like drawing and painting as a kid

and like through high school for sure.

I was always doing that even when I was really young as well.

Like just always making something I think.

And, yeah, I just think that I got a little bit derailed and in high school,

like everyone was going to traditional universities and degrees, and they were

kind of like planning out their future their third, whatever 10 year plan

when you're like 17, which is insane.

And I just felt like pressure to do the same thing, I think.

Then I definitely didn't listen to myself at all because if I had, I probably

would've just been writing and making art since a teen, but I just, didn't.

Wasn't strong enough, I guess.

I just didn't.

So, that's the reason why I went to university pretty much.

Yeah.

Well, it's the acceptable path.

It's the accepted path, right?

For everyone, I think, I mean, Either that, or you don't.

But I mean, like for me, I didn't have much pressure from my family just because

no one had gone to school prior to me, but it still, I wanted to be a lawyer because

I thought you need to be a doctor or a lawyer and I was not going to be a doctor.

So I was going to be a lawyer and I studied political science.

And then around my second year of some things happened.

In my life, that changed some perspective for me.

But also I just took a writing class that wasn't in my major or anything.

I took sociology too, which sounds weird.

But like, there was this, it was social deviance.

So it was

Oh, nice.

So yeah.

like weird social stuff.

Yeah.

And so then I ended up not doing my major for over a year and I was just focused

on writing and that kind of thing.

And I'm just saying this to tell you that, and I'm probably 20 years older

than you, it was the same thing for me.

Like I just didn't do it and I should have done it because

that's what I wanted to do.

And I will tell you though, it took me and tell us about 40 to realize

that that's what I should be doing.

And so I'm doing more writing now, but I really am proud of you.

I don't know you but I'm really proud of you for making that decision.

Really.

I'm proud of you too.

Yes.

Follow your dreams.

Go.

it is crazy that at 17 or 18 we're suppo as, as people and

now, well beyond that, but even kids now, like a parents are listening like that

planning your entire life when you're that age is such a ridiculous thing.

Cause you have no idea who you are.

I know it's a joke.

Like, I mean, there's the odd person who's just like, yes,

I'm going to be X, Y, or Zed.

And they've had like, they have that conviction and that kind of

attitude of like, I don't care.

Like nobody's gonna stop met but l ike, I don't know about you, but

I had like zero confidence at 17.

Like I don't, I don't, I didn't think I ever was going to get it.

No.

So Yeah.

it is.

It's kind of insane how much pressure we put on children because

you're still a child at that point.

So as far as screenwriting, you mentioned that that's

something you realized you wanted to do and now you're going to do your MFA.

Have you written screenplays already a full one or parts of them or?

Yeah.

I have a feature which is great.

It took me so long.

It was a nightmarish process, cause I'd never written one before and

I didn't know what I was doing.

And I had like, like eight or nine drafts until it made sense.

I finished that about a month ago and then I had just had like maybe three or four,

like short screenplays finished as well.

So just testing the waters and like seeing what kind of stuff I want to

make and like, you know, what, what's the process like and what are the

pitfalls and all that kind of stuff.

And you definitely don't, you don't figure it out until you

figure it out until you just do it.

So.

But really great experience though, really rewarding and maybe one day

we'll get made into something or it will just be a script forever.

Did you have an idea before you sat

down to write the whole thing?

Or what was your process like?

Or was it just building the story as you went and how was that for you?

Yeah.

For this one, I just had like an opening image in my head

and a song to go with the image.

You can't really promise a specific song in a script cause of like rights

and money and all that kind of stuff.

But this one started with just like an opening image and and

like a doo-wop song to go over it.

And just the story kind of unfolded from there of how did

we get to this point essentially?

But they all kind of start different ways.

It's usually an image though, for sure.

Where it's like, oh, like That's freaky.

Let's investigate that.

Hmm.

Yeah.

cool.

And then in your, in your MFA, are you going to focus on screen writing

or just writing in general or?

Yeah.

So they have like a bunch of different courses.

It's divided into like a thesis project, so a major project and then coursework.

So there's lots of different genres that they offer, which is great because,

you know, I've, I love writing fiction as well, and I love doing poetry.

So those are definitely genres that I would love to do as, as

well included with screenwriting.

So, I definitely like writing all things, not necessarily screenplays.

And that's just because I feel like certain stories need different formats.

A lot of the times I think very visually and I think in terms of

films, So those stories just go right into the screenplay idea pile, and

then other stories are like, you know what, I would love to have more than

120 pages to dedicate to this idea.

That goes in the fiction pile and so forth and so on.

Yeah.

That's really cool.

And then as far as your art and you being an artist, I mean, do you think,

what kind of art do you do first of all; the graphic design only?

Or do you do physical, painting and stuff like that now?

Yeah.

So, I paint, but I guess I call myself an artist more so in the fact of like

I do a variety of different things.

So not necessarily just visual art, but like, like I would consider like you an

artist as well, because you do comedy and that's an art, that's an art form.

I feel like anyone who does something that's, you know, really creative,

it doesn't necessarily have to mean it's a visual art thing.

It's like, it's more of an attitude or a lifestyle, or

just a way of being, I guess.

But I do paint for fun, but just for fun.

It's interesting that a lot of your ideas come

to you visually though, and

Yeah.

versus another.

I mean, I don't know how everyone's ideas come to them anyway.

I guess for me, because I'll write different things, but I like, I

love non-fiction for some reason and always have I guess ever since

I discovered the New Yorker, I don't know if you've read it.

Yeah.

There's just amazing, amazing, interesting

stories in there that almost read like fiction sometimes, because

they're just done beautifully, right?

So I'll just think of an idea though, but not necessarily a visual idea.

So I like to hear how you're, how you're doing it in that way.

It's pretty cool.

Yeah.

And so do you do you draw from like a lot of like real experiences?

Cause I know comedy is very much like that where it's like, you kind

of have to just draw on your own personal experiences and, and that's

interesting that you like nonfiction, cause maybe that's just like, you know,

real life is very inspiring to you,

Yeah, true.

And even films that I like and shows, and my mom, we were watching.

I mean, I don't know if you've seen This is Us, but you know, it's a

drama, like a family drama show.

And my mom was like, oh, it was almost too real.

Like just watching real people this one episode recently, and I investigated

more about it and I found the one actress has contributed to writing it.

It was mostly about her character and then Mandy Moore had directed it.

So it was a female director, but also her who's very invested in the show.

And so I thought, and it was a different episode than other ones.

You could see the difference.

But I liked that it seemed a real cause I always liked like that things feel

real, but to the point where they're almost too raw, but I think that's cool.

Right.

You know, I love that.

Yeah.

Yeah.

I'm definitely the same way.

I love maybe just like pushing it to a point where it is extremely

vulnerable and extremely raw because that's where all the good stuff is.

I don't know if you've seen Fleabag.

Yes.

Yeah.

But like her stuff, she just like.

Like takes, like the way she writes is like, she just takes a knife and like

stabs you and then like twists it.

Like every, I don't know, every beat or every half a show or have

like full, full episode or whatever.

And you can tell that that's like coming from a real place.

Yeah, it's rough because she'll say things and

it's like, well, maybe I've thought that I would never have said it.

Right?

Yeah.

you know, and I think too, some of the best comics and

people I admire and things I try to do, I don't do much shock or very vulgar or

anything as far as comedy but I've enjoyed working on things that like around mental

health, for example, is one subject I'm playing with just because I've had

experiences with difficulties there.

And then with chronic illness and things like that that are

hard to do in a five minute set.

I have to do like a longer set in a show in a way to get that out.

But it's fun to me because I do like, I don't like talking about it necessarily,

but I do think that there's an importance in sharing those things and and, you

know, I'll, I'll talk about them in the context of trying to help other

people or something, but then on stage there's, there's funny things about it.

There's funny things about certain stuff that maybe doesn't seem

funny on the surface, you know?

And so I think that's fun.

And I think that that's the part where people say, well, artists are dark

or comics or always have a dark side and I think it's true, but I think it

manifests in different ways, you know?

Totally.

And I think I've somewhat similar to you in that respect of like, I definitely

gravitate towards darker things just because I feel like they're more real

or they, they feel more real or they feel like there's these things that

people just don't want to talk about.

And I mean, comedy and, you know in regards to your stand-up is such a great

way to shove something in someone's face.

And be like, look like this thing actually exists.

It's real.

And by the way, it's also a joke because everything is a

joke on some level, I think.

But yeah, I love the dark stuff.

I think it's like very close to home

I think you can have both in the same thing, kind of like

what I guess where you're just saying about colony, but even in a screenplay or

something like You can have the characters that are depressed or that have some kind

of maybe personality flaw or something, but it can also be funny, but it's, it's

different when it's like, you're trying to make it, so they're all happy all the time

cause that's so unrealistic.

Even that person, you know, that it's always happy all the time.

And I think the biggest thing to me is like, almost thinking about people as

their Facebook profile versus real life,

yeah.

And it's like, my Facebook profile looks

very different than my life does.

And people will say, oh, I'm so jealous.

And I, someone said that to me recently.

I went on a trip and I'm so jealous.

And in my head I was going, you're jealous of what?

Because like that I'm there, but what about everything else?

And I know you, you wouldn't possibly even go alone, so you're not jealous.

So I'm here by myself for one thing, and I know that's not your

deal, but then I thought there's all this other stuff going on

they don't know about.

And I almost like how in a movie or jokes or whatever you can say.

"Yeah, here's this person who also has all this going on" and it's there

so they can be three-dimensional.

Yeah.

yeah,

The three dimensionality is, is I feel like where you get like the real stories.

I'm recently finished the show.

Barry.

I don't know if he, yeah.

Bill Hader show and, you know, he's a Hitman who is lost and doesn't

know what to do with his life and stumbles across like an acting class.

And he realizes that acting is what he wants to do with his life.

And It's just So exploratorave of, of like how we all kind of feel very unhappy

in a lot of ways until we kind of find the thing that brings our life purpose,

Yeah.

So thinking about just what we've learned about you is that you're pursuing this

Philosophy degree, then decided to go and get out of that and do the graphic design.

And then now you're, you've been doing this video editing

job, which you do enjoy.

You've expressed that you do enjoy it, but you have this passion writing.

So now you're getting out of that and going into the writing.

And so those are two kind of, I would say, pretty major pivots in your life.

How did you feel making those decisions and if you can talk about making those

changes to pursue what you want, because that's a really bold thing to do?

Yeah, I guess with video editing, it was just

like, oh, I'm doing this now.

And I actually didn't really think too much about it.

It was just like, oh, this is something that semi creative that,

you know, won't make me want to jump off a building essentially.

Cause I think that if I worked in an office over time,

that's what would happen.

And then when I fell in love with screenwriting, it was just like

this moment of like, holy shit, like this is what I'm supposed to do.

And, in a lot of ways, it was extremely terrifying because it

was like, well, I spent all this time, doing this other thing.

And obviously like the age thing comes into play where it's just like, oh, you're

not 16 and you're not really attractive.

So like how could you possibly live your dreams?

Which is insane.

Well, that's insane anyway, but yes.

I realize it's very untrue, so Yeah.

I mean, you could do whatever you want at any age.

I don't think it matters.

And but it was this really weird thing of I wanna live all of these different lives

and like be all these different people.

And experience all these different things.

And then writing is a perfect way to do that because you can

literally just make up any story that you want and, and craft it.

And you can be different people and explore different problems and

explore humanity and you know, you can make it funny or you make

it scary, just so many options.

But it wasn't until writing for two years, I think until I was

brave enough to actually be like, "Hey, I want to make money at this.

I want this to be my life."

And, and I mean, I don't, I don't need to get famous or make

millions of dollars or anything.

I just would like to support myself doing something that I love.

And that's my main goal.

It didn't feel like a choice when I decided to do it, to pursue it full-time

and to try to get really good at it.

It felt like I had to do it and it still feels like I have to do it.

If I don't write every morning, my whole day is messed up and I'm not happy.

So I, I don't know.

It doesn't feel like a choice.

It feels like I have to do it.

Yeah.

And so that's your writing, is that that's part of your writing

practice writing every morning?

Did you freewriting or?

I do.

So sometimes I journal like when I have to get some stuff out, but like

whatever piece I'm working on, I like to dedicate an hour every morning to it.

No matter what, because that's the only way that it will get done.

I think

Yeah.

with life, life around.

Well, I always felt like the mornings, the only

part of my day I can control.

Right.

Totally.

And, and in a way I get frustrated if someone,

if someone calls me or writes to me or something, I'm like, what?

Like, this was my time and now you've intruded on it, you know?

And that's not fair to whoever does that, but it's just for me, it's

like, this is the time I have that no, one's supposed to be bothering me.

Of course I can put my phone down, but you know, that's another thing, right?

Like how dare you encroach on my boundary

Yeah.

Yeah.

That I, that I'm not that you don't know about that I'm not respecting.

right, exactly.

Yeah.

I've actually, I've thought about that a lot and I think

it's like a self-trust thing.

I feel like it actually has nothing to do with other people or the outside world.

Cause I would get really pissed off if someone was ruining

my writing time air quotes.

And it's just like, wait a second.

It's not them.

It's me being like, if I don't have this, I'm not going to make

something, but that's not true.

You know what I mean?

It's.

Yeah,

it just, I don't know.

I don't know why creative people get crazy

absolutely.

when people interrupt them.

So I definitely think it's more of an us thing.

Totally.

And it's just like, then just don't have my phone out or just

don't be on logged into something.

It's very simple.

Anyway, if I really don't want to be interrupted, I can

prevent that from happening.

I live alone.

I mean, if someone breaks into my flat, that's another issue, you know?

How dare you you ruin my creative morning time.

Just take what you want, but please be quiet.

I'm working.

Yeah.

So you do have some writing on your website

though, and some blogs and stuff.

So can you talk a little bit about what you choose to put out publicly?

It's whatever, whatever resonates, I think.

Yeah.

It's weird because for a long time, I was very much just like, Okay.

let's decide.

Let's make a plan and make topics and be very logical

about it and have a spreadsheet.

And now I'm just like, if I feel like writing about it,

that's what I write about.

And that's, that's my baseline for what gets out.

Yeah.

I do know someone who has spreadsheets for a lot of things, and I feel very

seen right now, but also very attacked.

Are you a spreadsheeter?

I was for a very long time.

I am.

I have I, I am and you filled in a Google form and,

I did,

then that goes into a spreadsheet, which is super fun, for me.

And then and I have a spreadsheet for my comedy, so I ,know exactly

how many gigs I've done and how long I've spent on stage.

And

I think for that, that makes sense.

Cause that's like a, I know you're keeping track of all the things, right?

But I feel like when you come up with a joke, you probably don't have

a spreadsheet of potential jokes.

It's more just like you're walking down the street and you're just

like, oh, that's hilarious.

Yeah.

And then that goes in Notes.

Yeah, exactly.

Let's write that down now

and itAndvery unorganized and there's like probably

200 notes that have weird thoughts.

Like if someone ever opened up my notes and saw what I've written down.

Most recently it's "plus sized nudists" question mark.

And I can't make it work.

I can't make it work.

I have not, but I know something there because that statement is

funny, but you can't just go on stage and say that and that's it.

Yeah, but the idea that like, you're like,

there's something there, somewhere.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

there's something there.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

So no, but that's, that's really cool that you've just kind of figured

Rabiah Coon (Host):

out over time what you want to do.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

Yeah.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

And are pursuing it.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

I think that's, that's so important.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

And I, I like how for you, it's not a, it hasn't, it's not a choice at some point.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

And I think that that's the mistake some people make is that they have

Rabiah Coon (Host):

this calling to do something, but then they somehow rationalize it like

Rabiah Coon (Host):

they can't possibly choose to do that.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

And I don't think you have to make a living at writing, even if you want to

Rabiah Coon (Host):

write, or if you want to do what I do, comedy, which you're talking way too

Rabiah Coon (Host):

much about on this episode, it's about you but if you want to do art, if you

Rabiah Coon (Host):

want to do whatever you don't, you have to find a way to do it in your life.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

I mean, do you agree that even if you're not doing it, full-time,

Rabiah Coon (Host):

there should be way you make space.

Rabiah Coon (Host):

Like you said, for an hour every morning, you write for example, right now?

Yeah.

I feel like you have to make space for the things that you love or else it's

like, what are we doing on this planet?

Our job is not to go work a nine to five for somebody else, so that we

can make money and have a crazy amount of things in a crazy amount of space.

For some people maybe that is what gets them excited every morning.

But just for me personally, it's just like, if I don't have something

that I'm working on that I can express myself with or investigate

something or, you know, work at then I just don't feel like I'm alive.

And I know that sounds insane.

But Yeah.

I guess, I guess it just, that's why for me, it's just not really a choice,

even if I don't make money at it.

Cause like I've been writing for two years.

I haven't seen a cent.

Yeah.

That should detour someone from not doing

something but that's the only thing that keeps me going.

Yeah.

So as far as we've talked quite a bit about what's worked for you, but is there

any advice or mantra that you just like to share with people or something that you've

come across as that's been helpful to you?

Yeah.

I guess like my mantra has been be afraid, but do it anyways.

That's my mantra.

And then and I think that, you know, I would tell that to anybody.

Yeah, Be scared because if you're not scared, then you're probably not doing

something that's, that's open and real but be scared and then just do it.

Just figure out a way to do it.

I talked to a lot of people about getting on

stage and get nervous every time.

Yeah, absolutely.

Because otherwise it doesn't mean anything and it's like, do you get

worried when you publish a piece?

Of course, because it's going to be seen and people might have an opinion

on it that's not great or it is great.

It's almost scary to do well sometimes.

I don't know.

Yeah.

Well, before the pandemic I had done like a Second City stand up course.

And I had, and I had done like maybe 10 shows.

Like I wouldn't call myself a standup person, but I did 10 shows and there

is nothing more nerve rattling than telling a joke and nobody laughing

and yeah, there's, I mean, It's like, it's a special skill to be able to put

yourself out there over and over and over again, hoping for a certain response

and getting a completely different one.

And that's the fear that I think a lot of artistic people have to push

through like every single time.

Maybe Yeah.

a lot of them probably not all of them.

I'm sure there are amazing, incredible people who are just like don't care.

Yeah.

And I envy those people, but.

Yeah.

Cause when you, when you share writing too, right?

I mean, it's not just performance, but it's when you share writing or you share

even, maybe even with your video editing, I mean, you send it to someone and they

might have feedback you don't like.

I mean, I know I've my, one of my best friends in the

world is a graphic designer.

Actually, and then I have other good friends who are too, and I don't know

how they do it because I mean, in the sense that they have to get negative

feedback constantly for good work.

And I don't know how someone does that.

I don't think I have the constitution to handle that because I'd be like

super annoyed all the time, you know?

I mean, you get to a point where you just like turn it off.

Like you just turn off like the, the, like I'm going to take this personally switch

in your brain, you just turn it off.

Some of them are so funny when you're working with like

business people who know nothing.

Absolutely nothing about how things should look and you'll give them

something and they'll pour hours into it.

And you're like, this looks sick and they'll come back and then just be like,

okay, here's something really funny.

Okay.

Here's something really cool that we should do.

We should make the font Comic Sans.

I don't know.

We'll just be like, okay, I don't, you could either get upset or you

can just be like, Yeah, totally.

By the way, I'm going to charge you an extra whatever for that.

I'm going to at least make money.

Yeah.

I feel like Comic Sans should just be called tragic or something

like this should rename it.

And be like, okay, this is not a funny font because too many

people have taken it seriously.

So it's no longer.

Yeah.

it's like your life is overflowing.

Like this is what you use when it's done.

It's gone.

It's horrible.

It's horrible font.

All right, so then I have a set of questions called the Fun Five

that I just like to ask everybody.

So the first one, what is the oldest?

T-shirt you have and still wear.

Uh, yes, um the oldest t-shirt I have and still wear

is a t-shirt from a Pixies concert.

From 11 years ago, I think.

And I'd like, the color is like deteriorating.

And I think like, I don't know the print on it is like, can't even tell that

it's a Pixies t-shirt, but I just love it so much and I'll never let it go.

Yeah, very cool.

Very cool.

So if everyday was really Groundhog's Day, like it's felt for a lot of

the last couple of years, because we were had to be in our homes.

What song would you have your alarm clock play every day?

So I think something that would be really funny for like

other people to witness, but maybe not for me to wake up to every morning.

would be beautiful day by U2, but just like just the chorus.

So it would start with like, it's a beautiful day, but

just for the rest of my life,

Rabiah Coon (Host):

that would get annoying

I think that, yeah, that would be horrible.

Yeah.

It could be worth it.

So, all right.

Coffee or tea or neither?

Coffee in the morning tea in the afternoon.

That's smart.

it was, it used to be coffee all day and it was not a good time.

yeah.

Do you like any specific kind of tea?

Chamomile.

Just like a chill.

Yeah.

Some of that will just wind me down.

Nice.

Alright.

Can you think of a time you laughed so hard you cried or something that just

makes you kind of crack up when you think of it or interact with someone?

Yeah, so, recently my boyfriend and I

have been watching storage wars.

I don't know if you've ever seen that show.

Yeah, I know

what you're talking about.

Yeah.

It's like people bid on storage lockers and they try to like outbid each

other and like, like try to figure out how much their wares are worth.

It's the stupidest, reality show I've ever seen.

But the theme song is this super American country, like

gritty bluesy, like yeah.

Like we are in America and the, the lyrics of it and the melody,

are like, money owns this town.

As I go throughout my day, like, I'll be sending an invoice and

I'll be like money owns this town.

And just, this is the stupidest thing ever, but that's what

makes me laugh right now.

Great.

Yeah.

That's I know it's like, Ugh.

I mean, I'm from America and some of the things we put on TV for

people to watch just amaze me.

And then we wonder why people think certain things about us, you know?

All right.

And then the last question.

Who inspires you right now?

So for me, people usually don't inspire me and I know that

sounds conceited and weird and horrible.

But it's actually mostly just everyday things or like situations or like things

that happen to me that maybe inspire a story or inspire me to write anything.

I would say that like some of my favorite authors are Margaret Atwood or Alex

Garland who writes a lot of scifi stuff.

He's a director as well.

He did Ex-Machina and Annihilation and all those sorts of things.

Stephen King I look, I actually really look up to his work.

I know a lot of people kind of dismiss him as just like a genre writer.

You know, he's like, ah, it's this horror and sci-fi and whatever.

But he's put a lot of himself in a lot of his work in really interesting ways.

Like The Shining for example, is actually about like his kind of his

his addiction to alcohol and also the fear of him pushing his family

away because it's getting in the way of his writing, like his work.

Obviously it's a very severe, severe metaphor for that.

But he puts a lot of his own fears into his work and I think

that's really, really brave.

So yeah, I think that's my answer.

Oh, that's great.

I didn't know that about Stephen King.

I have read some of his stuff a long time ago and yeah, just because

you're in a genre doesn't matter.

And I did I actually read Handmaid's Tale.

I didn't read the next book.

I think it's on my Kindle right now waiting, but that was incredible to read.

Yeah,

Yeah, she's amazing.

yeah.

And just, I read it after watching the show.

And so then it, it changed my view of the characters so much.

Even though it was a lot shorter.

It was just text.

That was a lot shorter and more concise than two, two or three seasons.

I don't know how many seasons I've been at the show, but it was really amazing how

in so few words, she got these characters to be so real, you know, it's amazing.

Yeah.

I, I mean, they're just making like so many incredible shows right now.

Like, like Handmaid's tale, for example, like the book is, is great.

And deals with a lot of kind of really scary themes.

But the show, in my opinion is maybe even more bleak and hits way home.

Like it hits home way more, I think.

So yeah.

but you know, she's great.

I love Margaret.

I would she's Canadian, which is great too.

All right, cool, so if people want to find

you, where do you want them to go?

Yeah, they can check out my poetry on Instagram at Jazeen

underscore underscore, underscore underscore (@jazeen____) it's just

like a long line after my name.

There's my website.

You can check out some of my art there.

That's jazeen dot com (jazeen.com).

Super.

Well, it's been it's been a lot of fun talking to you, so thanks

for being on More Than Work.

Yeah, well, thank you so much for having me.

It was awesome.

Talking about all this fun stuff and also hearing about your comedy.

I just have like, this really weird, obsession with comics cause I think

what you guys do is is so hard.

Yeah.

I feel like, yeah, I've talked to more about it than

I usually do, but that's okay.

People can

enjoy, enjoy that, right?

Yeah.

Thanks for listening.

You can learn more about the guest and what was talked about in the show notes.

Joe Maffia created the music you're listening to.

You can find him on Spotify at Joe M A F F I A, Rob Metke does all the

design for which I am so grateful.

You can find him online by searching Rob M E T K E.

Please leave review if you'd like to show and get in touch if you

have feedback or guest ideas.

The pod is on all the social channels at at more than word pod

(@morethanworkpod) or at Rabiah Comedy (@rabiahcomedy) on TikTok.

And the website is more than work pod dot com (morethanworkpod.com).

While being kind to others, don't forget to be kind to yourself.