The Ides of January

I've got the wintertime ennui.
I think the recession has finally scared the olds into thinking twice about buying hearing aids, or I am a terrible sales person (which I admittedly am... I care too much about actually helping them to effectively rip their throats out for that sweet sweet retirement money). The issue with selling hearing aids is that it's not a sale that is over and done with the first time you meet them. The patient has 30 days to decide they want to return the aids, and the more expensive the aids are the more unrealistic expectations that patients have for the aids so they more likely they are to return them to me. So I tend to try to sell the patients a hearing aid that will actually work for the least amount of money. I find they keep the aids that way. However, when my stats are compared to my more competitive peers I end up the loser. It's an attitude, and an attitude I really lack. I also hate having to endure a day of patient complaints. I am rather sensitive and abhor enduring a day filled with anger. I understand the olds are frustrated with spending so much money, growing old and needing aids, and often spend their days in the nursing home complaining so when they come for an appointment they just lay into me. Generally when a person makes an appointment they are unhappy or frustrated. My happy patients don't need appointments, so I end up seeing an unhappy pool of people.
Yesterday this little old man about broke my heart. He started to tell me about his granddaughter, who is my age and shares the same name. He started the story with something like "My granddaughter has a big important job, nothing like what you do, selling hearing aids." I know he was bragging about his fancy granddaughter and her money making career and probably didn't mean to offend, but it really stung. I'd love a career that uses my artistic talents, but art just doesn't pay. I have to be realistic.
Anyway, I am going to visit my dad in a week and going to go skiing, so hopefully that will brighten my days enough to get through the rest of the winter.