Alternate Career Option?

In a quartet rehearsal, my fellow musicians and I found ourselves swapping a few "horror stories" of previous chamber music experiences. I mentioned (not by name of course) a person I played with who had tragically made it to adulthood still under the impression that personal life difficulties made one exempt from having to show up for rehearsals or classes, come prepared, and be responsible.

I expressed my belief that sometimes life is difficult for everyone, but we're all adults now, and professors and teachers and peers alike need to stop enabling individuals like this and tell them to suck it up - sometimes life is rough, and you still have to be responsible, get your act together, show up to your obligations, and do a good job. Having a personal problem is not an excuse to stay in your pajamas for a semester and bail out on everyone and everything.

[I know... my empathy is astounding.]

Said Miriam, a violist, "Wow, Sarah, you should be a life coach."

Well, if violin doesn't work out for me, now I have a fallback plan.

[Really, it's not that I don't care. I just don't think getting a free pass to sit around feeling sorry for oneself actually helps anyone in the long run. Getting squared away and getting stuff accomplished is part of moving on, and that's life. I do have a heart... I think.]