A Camgirl's Perspective on a Periodic Slow Time Camming

[HarmlessSquirrel]

There have been several posts from models who are frustrated, having a tough time lately, etc. I read this Tumblr post today, and I thought it was pretty well thought out and might be helpful for some of the models feeling like this. It was publicly posted, so I think the writer will be okay with it being shared here.

This is by PrincessZoe from MFC:

http://zoetumbls.tumblr.com/post/98410318580/cam-girl-rantings-september-edition

 

[Kickaz]

Thank you for sharing that and thank you Zoe for writing it (I don't know if she's on the forum or not).
It was something I really needed to be reminded tonight.

 

[SoTxBob]

I think this is a good thread to Zoes post. I will share something I saw today so it doesn't vanish to the back pages just yet.
While I was tweeting with some friends earlier, I saw a ragetweet from a gal I'm sure some of you know. She went on to say how no one in her room spoke and those that did seemed to leave pretty quick. She went on to say how she has something like 3000 followers and a nice portion of those were also cammers. She got no "hi's" or help from them either. --> I will assume <-- her tips pretty much sucked today and are what fired off this rage. I know her only slightly but shes a stunning woman. I was composing a tweet to send and when I hit the button, got "server error." I checked back in some minutes and her account is completely gone. Her MFC account also seems to be gone. I hope she stopped there and didn't trash anything in the house.

I know times are tough for a good percentage of us all, members as well as you girls. I want to commend all you ladies that have the fortitude to ride it out and try again another day. If you have fellow coworkers that you know are having a shit few days, perhaps it would do some good just to pop in and say hi, if for no other reason than to let them know they aren't alone.

:twocents-02cents: :hello2:

 

[DariejXO]

This post resonates with how I've been feeling this week. I've been logging on more often lately and it's difficult to not expect a respectful and energetic crowd when the last night was a hoot. What Zoe wrote is so encouraging.. It's super comforting to be reminded that we do have the strength inside us to push through the slow days/days filled with jerks from someone who shares similar struggles.
I haven't been very active reaching out to other models on MFC and saying hi, so I thought now is a better time than never! I look forward to future conversations and interactions with you all.
:hello1:

 

[mutantdonut]

I agree with what she’s conveying in the overall message
There’s just one blurb i’d like to challenge

Just like every other working professional, you deserve time off. (Didn’t we just celebrate labor day?) This should go without saying but remember, sitting in a cubicle at a desk for 8 hours picking your butt is a lot less emotionally and mentally draining than it is to actively entertain 100+ people on the daily, even if that part of your job is only 3 or 4 hours. I’m obviously leaving out the offline work that you do for how many hours it takes. I’m also not mentioning the underlying stress of knowing that you don’t get paid by the hour like butt picker cubicle guy, you know you will have terrible nights and great nights. It’s important to remember that that shit can wear you down real quick.

Sorry, but i couldn’t help take a bit of an exception because it sure sounds like she diminished other jobs

When i was still doing social work, it was both physically and mentally draining dealing with clientele along with bullshit bureaucracy. Two of my old roommates were in tech support constantly getting yelled at by customers, sometimes upwards of 12 hour days (and higher volume of dick’ish customers during Xmas). I knew of a guy in sales having to deal with the extreme pressure of meeting quotas. He can tell you how stressful that was. I could go on but you catch my drift….

If she ideally would like us, the members, to not assume camgirls just sit there looking pretty to earn a paycheck, that she, herself, not assume other jobs entail “sitting around butt-picking,” implying that other jobs are cakewalks by comparison. I cringed a little at the double standard. However, I’m gonna try to operate on good faith that maybe she didn’t think it thoroughly, or maybe she doesn’t truly believe all that was written in that paragraph. If we can all agree different lines of work have their challenges, including that of a cam model. Her overall message is otherwise strong.

Apologies for sounding like the defensive dick

 

[DeezNA]

If she ideally would like us, the members, to not assume camgirls just sit there looking pretty to earn a paycheck, that she, herself, not assume other jobs entail “sitting around butt-picking,” implying that other jobs are cakewalks by comparison. I cringed a little at the double standard. However, I’m gonna try to operate on good faith that maybe she didn’t think it thoroughly, or maybe she doesn’t truly believe all that was written in that paragraph. If we can all agree different lines of work have their challenges, including that of a cam model. Her overall message is otherwise strong.

I am sure that she was not implying that your friends or yourself are not hard workers. Work ethic and compensation are rarely equivalent and unfortunately there are many people in well paying positions that are well overcompensated for their contributions and vice versa.

I think the main point she was trying to make is that as models, we can't just sit on our asses and wait out the work day if we're having a shitty day and still get a pay check: we leave with NOTHING. We do NOT get paid by the hour, we do NOT get paid by how well we do our job. We get paid ONLY by the generosity of those who appreciate the work we do and their perception of how well we do our job.

I guarantee if your friends who were working tech support were ONLY paid by tips from their *super-generous* rage-face clients, they would have tapped out day one, I know I would have.

I have worked 9-5's, graveyard shifts, social work, volunteer work, you name it. My other current jobs are a part-time live-in nanny, a commission-based artist and a financial consultant. The ONLY job that pays me fairly and consistently for the work I put in (including cam work) is the nanny job. It has nothing to do with my performance, my strength and determination to get through the rough patches, it's just how the jobs function.



It's a harsh reality of cam work but these rough patches happen and I'm sure we're all feeling it in one way or another. The best we can do is be there to support each other (be it model-to-model or fan-to-model) and keep on pushing through this rough patch to the other side.

 

[AmberCutie]

If she ideally would like us, the members, to not assume camgirls just sit there looking pretty to earn a paycheck, that she, herself, not assume other jobs entail “sitting around butt-picking,” implying that other jobs are cakewalks by comparison. I cringed a little at the double standard. However, I’m gonna try to operate on good faith that maybe she didn’t think it thoroughly, or maybe she doesn’t truly believe all that was written in that paragraph. If we can all agree different lines of work have their challenges, including that of a cam model. Her overall message is otherwise strong.

I am sure that she was not implying that your friends or yourself are not hard workers. Work ethic and compensation are rarely equivalent and unfortunately there are many people in well paying positions that are well overcompensated for their contributions and vice versa.

I think the main point she was trying to make is that as models, we can't just sit on our asses and wait out the work day if we're having a shitty day and still get a pay check: we leave with NOTHING. We do NOT get paid by the hour, we do NOT get paid by how well we do our job. We get paid ONLY by the generosity of those who appreciate the work we do and their perception of how well we do our job.

That's the way I read it, too. The "butt picking" may not so much be a reference to "doing nothing" but moreso that when you sit in a cubicle and get paid by the hour, you can sit there and look completely unappealing, pick your nose/ass/whatever, and not lose customers and money over it.

I've had some pretty stressful office jobs that left me drained after a long day. But it's true, in those jobs, if I was feeling absolutely shitty, I could still go clock in and do just enough to get by for the day and still get paid, regardless. There were also days I was pretty unmotivated to do actual work, sat there browsing the web for hours at a time without anyone noticing... still got paid for the day. I didn't have to put "my game face on" and hustle for my paycheck those days. And of course there were paid sick and vacation days in those jobs.

Jobs where you are paid based on your wit, charm and personality, strictly on a commission basis, can take a mental and physical toll on you in different ways than a 9-5 job can.

 

[KudosKids]

If she ideally would like us, the members, to not assume camgirls just sit there looking pretty to earn a paycheck, that she, herself, not assume other jobs entail “sitting around butt-picking,” implying that other jobs are cakewalks by comparison. I cringed a little at the double standard. However, I’m gonna try to operate on good faith that maybe she didn’t think it thoroughly, or maybe she doesn’t truly believe all that was written in that paragraph. If we can all agree different lines of work have their challenges, including that of a cam model. Her overall message is otherwise strong.

I am sure that she was not implying that your friends or yourself are not hard workers. Work ethic and compensation are rarely equivalent and unfortunately there are many people in well paying positions that are well overcompensated for their contributions and vice versa.

I think the main point she was trying to make is that as models, we can't just sit on our asses and wait out the work day if we're having a shitty day and still get a pay check: we leave with NOTHING. We do NOT get paid by the hour, we do NOT get paid by how well we do our job. We get paid ONLY by the generosity of those who appreciate the work we do and their perception of how well we do our job.

That's the way I read it, too. The "butt picking" may not so much be a reference to "doing nothing" but moreso that when you sit in a cubicle and get paid by the hour, you can sit there and look completely unappealing, pick your nose/ass/whatever, and not lose customers and money over it.

I've had some pretty stressful office jobs that left me drained after a long day. But it's true, in those jobs, if I was feeling absolutely shitty, I could still go clock in and do just enough to get by for the day and still get paid, regardless. There were also days I was pretty unmotivated to do actual work, sat there browsing the web for hours at a time without anyone noticing... still got paid for the day. I didn't have to put "my game face on" and hustle for my paycheck those days. And of course there were paid sick and vacation days in those jobs.

Jobs where you are paid based on your wit, charm and personality, strictly on a commission basis, can take a mental and physical toll on you in different ways than a 9-5 job can.

Very well explained. Working in a office is not easy, as easy as it may look. Especially one where you have to deal with multiple customers a day, we all know people can be very cruel and demanding. But she is correct, jobs like that you get paid regardless and your rewarded for your work ethic. I can only imagine what being a cam model would do to someone mentally if they were not strong minded. Watching the competition everyday. Trying to figure out why this girl is making so much when your doing the exact same thing. Going days or weeks without any paying clients. Being a cam model is a reflection of yourself, you are selling your personality. Some models don't have to do anything and get paid thousands and others have to invest money and time outside of camming just to be successful. I can see how stressful that would be when your comparing yourself to others. I'm sure every cam model has gone through a point in there career wondering maybe there not pretty enough, maybe there not good enough, maybe I'm just a failure and I will never make it. If you don't have confidence in yourself, a job like this would possibly tear you apart.

 

[mynameisbob84]

I always try to look at these things with a degree of pragmatism and consider both sides before drawing conclusions. I didn't get the vibe that Zoey was looking down on office workers (though I can see why some would read it that way), but was rather just trying to boost morale amongst friends and co-workers during a stressful period of the year (as far as tipping goes).

That said, I don't think it's ever a good idea for a cam girl to publically use a profession that many of her potential customers will no doubt be a part of, to illustrate the ways in which her job is more stressful than theirs. I think most rational members know that camming is harder than it looks, that with very few exceptions, the idea that a pretty girl (or guy) can hope to make a living simply by sitting in front of a webcam waiting for the money to roll in, is more than a little delusional. And there are obviously parts of camming that make it potentially more stressful than the average office job (just as there are parts of office jobs, or nursing jobs, or teaching jobs, or retail jobs, or whatever, that make that particular aspect of the job more stressful than camming). But the flipside of that is there are many perks of being a camgirl (or boy) that make it worthwhile. If a cam girl is to stand there listing the reasons why her job is more stressful than that of the butt-picking office worker, then the obvious question becomes "then why do you choose to be a cam girl and not an office worker?". And the obvious answer to that question is "camming offers greater pay, greater flexibility with hours, fewer working hours, artistic and creative freedom, the ability to work from home, and so on and so forth".

So yeah... I don't think Zoey meant to offend any office workers, but it was probably a little counter-productive to use office workers to make her point :twocents-02cents:

 

[mutantdonut]

As i reread the paragraph about a dozen times, i see a larger point supported by subpoints

Larger point: Office jobs are easy by comparison to a cam model (the point i was challenging)
Subpoint 1: Camming offline work is unpaid (a point i agree with)
Subpoint 2: Office jobs get paid regardless of a shitty day, unlike camming (a point i agree with)

What everyone seemed to have done is take her second subpoint as the overarching thesis, only that choice of wording suggests as it as just a subpoint. #Semantics. I question what she truly meant by butt picking in a cubicle, the basis of my challenge.

It’s worth noting that message sent is not always the same as message received, thus i haven’t ruled out the possibility i’m misinterpreting her, nor possibly everyone else misinterpreting her. Unless she further explains herself, especially the butt picking metaphor, i don’t have much to go on other than what i make of it. Until then, I stand firm in my original post.

agree-2-disagree

Edit & PS... thank you Bob

 

[DeezNA]

All jobs are hard in their own ways. No one is doubting that working in a cubicle and climbing the corporate ladder is difficult, that's probably a primary reason why a lot of us are not in that line of work. This is not a competition over who works harder or which job is more difficult. Working at a garbage dump or cleaning septic tanks or as a mortician is likely MUCH more demanding in many ways than working at a convenience store, selling shoes or crunching numbers all day, that does not make anyone's contribution to society any more or less meaningful or mean that there is any difference in how "hard" their job is.

The reality is that commission-based jobs are much less reliable as far as income goes. There are days, weeks, even months that you will go without making ANYTHING. This is a choice we all made when we started these jobs; a reality that is harsh but ever-present. Anyone who has put in weeks of full days and come out with nearly nothing would feel the same level of frustration regardless of what the profession is.

I honestly don't think the intent here is for us to compete over whether salary-based work is more or less difficult than commission-based work, but rather to rally morale for all of us who are having a very difficult time right now. Splitting hairs over who has it worse really doesn't solve anything.

 

[mutantdonut]

All jobs are hard in their own ways. No one is doubting that working in a cubicle and climbing the corporate ladder is difficult, that's probably a primary reason why a lot of us are not in that line of work. This is not a competition over who works harder or which job is more difficult. Working at a garbage dump or cleaning septic tanks or as a mortician is likely MUCH more demanding in many ways than working at a convenience store, selling shoes or crunching numbers all day, that does not make anyone's contribution to society any more or less meaningful or mean that there is any difference in how "hard" their job is.

The reality is that commission-based jobs are much less reliable as far as income goes. There are days, weeks, even months that you will go without making ANYTHING. This is a choice we all made when we started these jobs; a reality that is harsh but ever-present. Anyone who has put in weeks of full days and come out with nearly nothing would feel the same level of frustration regardless of what the profession is.

I honestly don't think the intent here is for us to compete over whether salary-based work is more or less difficult than commission-based work, but rather to rally morale for all of us who are having a very difficult time right now. Splitting hairs over who has it worse really doesn't solve anything.

Yes i would agree
Except the part of this being a competition of who has it tougher. What i'm saying is, don't diminish the other side.
Please don't get it twisted

 

[mynameisbob84]

All jobs are hard in their own ways. No one is doubting that working in a cubicle and climbing the corporate ladder is difficult, that's probably a primary reason why a lot of us are not in that line of work. This is not a competition over who works harder or which job is more difficult. Working at a garbage dump or cleaning septic tanks or as a mortician is likely MUCH more demanding in many ways than working at a convenience store, selling shoes or crunching numbers all day, that does not make anyone's contribution to society any more or less meaningful or mean that there is any difference in how "hard" their job is.

The reality is that commission-based jobs are much less reliable as far as income goes. There are days, weeks, even months that you will go without making ANYTHING. This is a choice we all made when we started these jobs; a reality that is harsh but ever-present. Anyone who has put in weeks of full days and come out with nearly nothing would feel the same level of frustration regardless of what the profession is.

I honestly don't think the intent here is for us to compete over whether salary-based work is more or less difficult than commission-based work, but rather to rally morale for all of us who are having a very difficult time right now. Splitting hairs over who has it worse really doesn't solve anything.

Aye, very much this :thumbleft:

 

[DeezNA]

Yes i would agree
Except the part of this being a competition of who has it tougher. What i'm saying is, don't diminish the other side.
Please don't get it twisted

The entire premise of my post was that some jobs have it tougher in some respects and easier in others, not that one is better than the other. The observation being made in the Tumblr post, if I interpret correctly, was referring to the point AmberCutie elaborated on... and I'm kinda paraphrasing here... that at an office job you have the *option* to sit on your ass, slack off and still get paid hourly. Commission-based work does not have that option.

There is no diminution taking place here as far as I can see, simply an expression of the pitfalls that come with a commission-based job. Like I said, one of my jobs is a consultant with an office, I know very well the hard work that goes in on that side and I have the utmost respect for those that choose that line of work and put their all into it.

Work hard. Play hard. We're all good. =)

 

[HiGirlsRHot]

I always try to look at these things with a degree of pragmatism and consider both sides before drawing conclusions. I didn't get the vibe that Zoey was looking down on office workers (though I can see why some would read it that way), but was rather just trying to boost morale amongst friends and co-workers during a stressful period of the year (as far as tipping goes).

That said, I don't think it's ever a good idea for a cam girl to publically use a profession that many of her potential customers will no doubt be a part of, to illustrate the ways in which her job is more stressful than theirs. I think most rational members know that camming is harder than it looks, that with very few exceptions, the idea that a pretty girl (or guy) can hope to make a living simply by sitting in front of a webcam waiting for the money to roll in, is more than a little delusional. And there are obviously parts of camming that make it potentially more stressful than the average office job (just as there are parts of office jobs, or nursing jobs, or teaching jobs, or retail jobs, or whatever, that make that particular aspect of the job more stressful than camming). But the flipside of that is there are many perks of being a camgirl (or boy) that make it worthwhile. If a cam girl is to stand there listing the reasons why her job is more stressful than that of the butt-picking office worker, then the obvious question becomes "then why do you choose to be a cam girl and not an office worker?". And the obvious answer to that question is "camming offers greater pay, greater flexibility with hours, fewer working hours, artistic and creative freedom, the ability to work from home, and so on and so forth".

So yeah... I don't think Zoey meant to offend any office workers, but it was probably a little counter-productive to use office workers to make her point :twocents-02cents:

I think it was very counterproductive. I suspect that Zoe has rather narrow view of cubicle job. She is pretty young. First of all there plenty of jobs that look like cubicle jobs which are commissioned based. "First prize is a Cadillac, second prize is set of steak knifes, 3rd prize is you are fired." Same thing is true for many service jobs, salary is below minimum wage, tips make the bulk of their income. They don't hustle they don't eat.



Increasingly jobs in this country are independent contractors. They may look like a cubicle job, got a friend that goes to the office regularly, the difference is if he doesn't deliver working code in a timely manner, he doesn't get paid. I also work with a lot of entrepreneurs not only don't they get any type of salary, in some case if they pick their butt all day they lose their house.

Another thing Zoe mentions is camgirls have a lot off line work. While this is true it hardly unique to camming. Contractors, lawyers, masseuse all spent a lot of unpaid time finding clients. Typically lawyers are required to generate 1800 billable hours a year, which takes them 3000-3500 hours (60-70 hours/week). The firms don't care how long it take them generate the billable hours.

I'd also point out that unlike almost any other profession, camgirls do make money when offline. My twitter feed today had 11 separate requests for off line love. Now in most cases it is to purchase content developed off line. But there is also the "I'm sick', 'my dog got sick', 'I need a pizza please send me a Dominos gift card'. I am not sure how putting a couple of tweet requesting offline tips, and then presumably writing a 2 line thank you note to the tippers, is significantly different that cubicle worker butt-picking while collecting their salary.

 

[DeezNA]

I'd also point out that unlike almost any other profession, camgirls do make money when offline. My twitter feed today had 11 separate requests for off line love. Now in most cases it is to purchase content developed off line. But there is also the "I'm sick', 'my dog got sick', 'I need a pizza please send me a Dominos gift card'. I am not sure how putting a couple of tweet requesting offline tips, and then presumably writing a 2 line thank you note to the tippers, is significantly different that cubicle worker butt-picking while collecting their salary.

I'm not even gonna touch how inappropriate some of the content of this comment is for a setting that is devoted to discussion of the cam-worker industry, so I will try to focus on the main points.

No one is saying that people who work in an office setting aren't hard workers. No one is saying that ALL office workers are on salary. It's a fucking analogy, one that EVERYONE understands otherwise you guys wouldn't be getting all bent out of shape about it. Cam workers do NOT get paid hourly wages. That's it. That's the end of the analogy. There's no sword being thrust into the professions of others, it's simply reality.

If you work hard, I applaud you. If you get paid to sit on your ass, congrats on getting away with it. It's really up to the individual how much work they want to put into it.

Focusing on the off-line tips, since that is what is quoted and something that I feel is highly controversial to prod at... Much of our work is offline. If I were to really go back and add up the hours of how much of my cam work over the past year and a half were actually in public chat, I'd have to say it's an optimistic 35%, if that much. Many patrons understand that and feel that this time should be compensated or simply feel like they want to help a model out. How/if a model chooses to ask for this is entirely their prerogative and they should in no way feel like they need to justify their income/work ratio simply because they are not actively on cam.

If you have a problem with models asking for offline tips that's a personal problem with them and their business model, not a problem with the concept of being tipped offline. While it may be annoying to you, that's a personal grievance that should not be reflected on the cam community as a whole. We're busting our asses and many of us need all the help we can get right now, downplaying any aspect of our income is simply detrimental.

 

[HiGirlsRHot]

I'd also point out that unlike almost any other profession, camgirls do make money when offline. My twitter feed today had 11 separate requests for off line love. Now in most cases it is to purchase content developed off line. But there is also the "I'm sick', 'my dog got sick', 'I need a pizza please send me a Dominos gift card'. I am not sure how putting a couple of tweet requesting offline tips, and then presumably writing a 2 line thank you note to the tippers, is significantly different that cubicle worker butt-picking while collecting their salary.

I'm not even gonna touch how inappropriate some of the content of this comment is for a setting that is devoted to discussion of the cam-worker industry, so I will try to focus on the main points.

No one is saying that people who work in an office setting aren't hard workers. No one is saying that ALL office workers are on salary. It's a fucking analogy, one that EVERYONE understands otherwise you guys wouldn't be getting all bent out of shape about it. Cam workers do NOT get paid hourly wages. That's it. That's the end of the analogy. There's no sword being thrust into the professions of others, it's simply reality.

If you work hard, I applaud you. If you get paid to sit on your ass, congrats on getting away with it. It's really up to the individual how much work they want to put into it.

Focusing on the off-line tips, since that is what is quoted and something that I feel is highly controversial to prod at... Much of our work is offline. If I were to really go back and add up the hours of how much of my cam work over the past year and a half were actually in public chat, I'd have to say it's an optimistic 35%, if that much. Many patrons understand that and feel that this time should be compensated or simply feel like they want to help a model out. How/if a model chooses to ask for this is entirely their prerogative and they should in no way feel like they need to justify their income/work ratio simply because they are not actively on cam.

If you have a problem with models asking for offline tips that's a personal problem with them and their business model, not a problem with the concept of being tipped offline. While it may be annoying to you, that's a personal grievance that should not be reflected on the cam community as a whole. We're busting our asses and many of us need all the help we can get right now, downplaying any aspect of our income is simply detrimental.

First this forum is for both members and models, there is a (female) models only section. I completely understand why models liked the post (I mentioned in another thread that I agree with the her main point.) I also agree that nobody in this thread is saying bad things about office workers...

But I'm sorry I don't know how to read Zoe's statement any other way than denigrating office workers.

This should go without saying but remember, sitting in a cubicle at a desk for 8 hours picking your butt is a lot less emotionally and mentally draining than it is to actively entertain 100+ people on the daily, even if that part of your job is only 3 or 4 hours.... you don’t get paid by the hour like butt picker cubicle guy

The salaried cubicle worker is a minority in today's economy. It is gross generalization to say that is mentally more draining to entertain folks, than a cubicle job. It depends on both what the camgirl is doing, lots of camgirls just chat, and what the cubicle workers job is. Lots of workers are in the same boat as camgirls, they don't produce they don't eat.

I said nothing about being annoyed about offline tipping. The fact that camgirls have figured out how to make money offline in ways other than selling content, well more power to them. I've tipped plenty of models offline. My sister is an artist and nobody has ever sent her a dime for working on her website, or organizing a gallery showing. But don't pretend that doing work, when you aren't physically on the job, is even remotely unusual today.

What does annoy me is the attempts to make aspects of this job which are common for many jobs seem really unique . I remember, I was in a popular non-nude models room, and member said something that camming is super tough job. She stopped them and spent 10 minute explaining that no in most aspect camming was actually a much easier job than her vanilla job and of course paid a hell of a lot better. As Bob said if this job was really so awful than people wouldn't be doing it and the consensus seems to be among camgirls is that it is the best job they've ever had.

Now before I get screamed for being insensitive at let me say this.
The sexual aspect of camming is in fact very difficult, a big source of stress [e.g. child custody hearing] and IMO justify the good pay and other benefits
I guess if camgirls (and I guess camguys) would just stick to this basic fact, I'd be a lot more sympathetic. I'm happy this Zoe post was source of inspiration to many camgirls. If she had just left out the butt-picking part, I'd applaud her for it.

 

[weirdbr]

There is no diminution taking place here as far as I can see, simply an expression of the pitfalls that come with a commission-based job.

I'll have to disagree a bit here - there was an unnecessary tone to her comment that could had been left aside without affecting the message she wanted to convey.

From the post:

I’m also not mentioning the underlying stress of knowing that you don’t get paid by the hour like butt picker cubicle guy, you know you will have terrible nights and great nights.

This could easily had been written as something different; for example (difference marked in bold):

I’m also not mentioning the underlying stress of knowing that you don’t get paid by the hour like your traditional 9-to-5 job, where you will get paid regardless of it being a bad day at work or a great one.

This way it talks about the lack of guaranteed income without putting down other careers; it also helps steer the the reader towards remembering that camming is essentially being self-employed (a reality that a large part of the population knows either directly or indirectly).

I understand that this can be seen as nitpicking, but as you can see something this 'small' has triggered reactions that could had been avoided otherwise, helping focus on the key points of the message. And I am sure that trolls outside of this forum certainly will latch on to those details to try to detract from the message (which is what trolls love to do).

 

[PlayboyMegan]

I've worked both an office job (personal assistant to a minor celebrity) and Camming.
There are pros and cons to both. For me, Camming had more pros (mostly the $) which is why I prefer Camming to office work.
But I totally get the butt-picking comment. Probably should have been worded better, but there's truth to it.
In an office job, you can pick your nose, itch your butt, rest your eyes for a few seconds.
But with Camming, you are being watched by hundreds (sometimes thousands) EVERY second.
There is no pause button when you're streaming. Every movement you make is being critiqued.
It's stressful!!!
Edit: technically, yes, you can go on "away" to pick your ass, but usually if you're in the middle of a cumshow or game it's not good to do.

IMO, unless you've been on both sides of the fence, it's hard to make an accurate judgment on which job is emotionally more draining.
Many girls on here, including myself, HAVE been in both positions and the general consensus is that Camming is more emotionally draining.

So why cam? You might ask. Because even though it's emotionally harder, the pros still outweigh the cons when you bring in all of the other factors.

 

[DeezNA]

HiGirlsRHot - Tell ya what. Rather than take the low road and rub your face in the mud about the shit you do NOT have to deal with at your job that models have to deal with EVERY DAY (like this horseshit, for instance), not that it's really any of my fucking business, I'll just request you sign up for a camsite, turn your cam on and give it a shot as a legitimate business before talking about how goddamn easy it is, especially in a thread that's topic is models who are obviously having a LOT of difficulty right now.

This post is in a forum devoted to bringing cam models and cam site members together, it is in "General Camming Discussion". If you want to talk shit about an industry you are not working in, that is your prerogative but I guarantee you are severely outnumbered here. I have worked plenty of jobs before this one; I have worked in offices. I currently work as a model in addition to 3 other jobs. Until you understand what it's like having to completely re-work your life because you got a sudden pay cut for reasons that are completely and utterly beyond you, please let this one go. If you do understand this, I hope you can see past whatever stigmas are against cam models and try to be sympathetic.

No one is denigrating office workers, it was used as an analogy. No one is insulting your job, you are insulting ours. I don't think I am out of line in feeling that is inappropriate.

If you have any more grievances about stereotyping against office workers, take it up with Mike Judge first please.

 

[PlayboyMegan]

@Deez
Are you a male cam model or female cam model?
Your avi is throwing me off.
Either way,
I. Like. You.

 

[NoelleBright]

I'm actually surprised by the high amount of whining and nitpicking in this thread.

Like don't jump on this girls case for supposedly invalidating the struggles of office work and then do the same thing to her. GOOD GRIEF.

 

[DeezNA]

@Megan
I am a male cam model. Avatar is accurate, but I can understand your confusion. Apparently being a model with a dick and more than half a brain is not a common occurrence... I like to see that as a blessing. =P

 

[PlayboyMegan]

@Megan
I am a male cam model. Avatar is accurate, but I can understand your confusion. Apparently being a model with a dick and more than half a brain is not a common occurrence... I like to see that as a blessing. =P

Ah! Guess I should have checked your signature.
More coffee is needed!!!

 

[JubalCobb]

This post is in a forum devoted to bringing cam models and cam site members together, it is in "General Camming Discussion".

Please tell us more about this site, guy who signed up 5 minutes ago.

Before attacking frequent contributors as you have now done twice, perhaps you should get the feel of the place first.
No one appointed you CamLord, defender of all who cam.

 

[AmberCutie]

This post is in a forum devoted to bringing cam models and cam site members together, it is in "General Camming Discussion".

Please tell us more about this site, guy who signed up 5 minutes ago.

Before attacking frequent contributors as you have now done twice, perhaps you should get the feel of the place first.
No one appointed you CamLord, defender of all who cam.

He's been here nearly a full month and participated with some quality interaction.

Much more than I'd say about you, SirComesAlongJustToShitOnHim.

:naughty:

 

[AmberCutie]

I feel like there's just no winning when it comes to cam girls writing really honest blog posts like this. It was meant to be a morale boost and support rally for other cam girls, but she mis-worded one line and now it's as if she's a terrible person because she made an off-kilter joke about a different job. (Which was likely meant to be comic relief and a sort of metaphor in the first place, I believe.) Some people are taking that one line and turning her whole post into "she is trying to say being a cam girl is harder than any other job."

And I do still feel it has a deeper meaning than simply to trivialize cubicle workers and they are just butt pickers, more-so that they have different freedoms than cam girls. The whole post/point of her entry was that we have to govern and monitor ourselves to balance mental and physical health during those tough times, as there is no boss or HR to notice when we are running ourselves ragged and tell us to take the rest of the afternoon off to get some rest, and no simply "phoning it in" like someone at a cubicle job may have.

If it wasn't the butt picking line, it would have been another that members would tweeze out of it and over-analyze, then run their arguments about it into the ground. Sometimes I think that the resulting guffaws that come after blog entries like this has to do with some sort of resentment from non-camgirls. There's always an "us vs. them" mentality and it makes it hard to encourage other girls to post in-depth and honest experiences as a cam girl, knowing there's going to be some turmoil and fallout as a result.

 

[Yarrow]

Having had all sorts of jobs from mowing lawns and washing cars as a kid, to fast food, fine dinning, commission clothing sales, and office work, and then being self employed (camming, artist, and another profession), I feel like being self employed is much more emotionally fulfilling when it's "On" but very emotionally taxing and downright stressful when it's "Off".

I have been super stressed at 9-5's but it was never on my mind a good amount of my waking hours. I understand for many positions, especially in higher-up positions this could be just as bad- being on call, having your cell tethered to you thumb, etc. With camming I feel like most of the time you are somewhat always in cam mode unless you disconnect completely for a few days. This was the same with my other self employed job.

Also, the differences between self employment and being employed by another employer is vast (USA only):

1. No health insurance unless you pay for it
2. No paid sick days (not just in reference to camming)
3. Work drys up for a few months you better be good at saving
4. Self employment taxes
5. Selling yourself and/or your product constantly so people know it is there and available
6. Showing up and doing the work even when shit totally hits the fan
7. Potentially having no coworkers to vent or brainstorm with

Sorry if this comes off as patronizing, but I feel like a lot of people forget these things when it comes to those who are self employed workers.

 

[PunkInDrublic]

As a guy who sits at a desk for about half of his job, didn't find it offensive or insulting. Wouldn't trade the stress I have to endure with the stress that comes with being a camgirl/boy, mostly because of the money. One thing about being a camgirl that would fuck with me is how hard it has to be to not take your work home with you, poor wording but you get what I mean. Not saying that it isn't hard with other jobs but camming can be a 24/7 job for some. Kinda off topic and I can see both sides here, just happy to not be the defensive dick for once.

 

[TacoBelle]

I'm going to throw my 2-cents out there.

If I had read the Tumblr post before camming, I would have definitely thought the same as some of these viewers. "WHA?! This model gets paid to look pretty and make us laugh, and she thinks she's got it harder than ME?! PUH!" (That line of thinking is exactly what made me start camming. "Oh, she's getting money thrown at her, and she's literally just sitting there. I can do that! I can sit there! And I can sit there EVEN BETTER so I'll make ALL THE MONEY!")

Needless to say, once I started camming, it wasn't like that. Oh, it was at first (for me). I treated it like a vacation. A vacation where guys would just buy me e-drinks all day long! But the thrill of it soon faded. I started to take it seriously as a career (however short-lived it might be). It stopped being, "Teehee... look at me, I'm so naughty." for an hour every few days to "Ok, I can actually quit my job and make this work if I put forth the effort." It stopped being a hobby (voyeuristic) to something I take very seriously.

I've worked in customer service my entire life. I've had to work 58+ hours a week just to keep food on the table. I know what it's like to DREAD going in to work. Hell, I hated my office job so much that I would literally drive to work, start bawling in the parking lot, and call in (from the parking lot). Knowing that you're going to have one customer after another complaining about anything and everything they can, just to get their way. Knowing that even after you kiss EVERY ONE of their asses, your supervisor is still going to find something to bitch at you about.

Yes, for me, camming is harder than that. Of course, I don't have a boss riding my ass about every little thing, and I don't have to work 60 hours a week. Hell, I can work TWO hours a week if I wanted.It is so much easier in MOST ways, but the emotional stress of camming is so much harder than ANY other job I've had. Yes, at my customer service jobs, the customers would piss me off. I could easily turn my back to them/walk away (while fillling their order at a restaurant) or could put them on an extra-long hold (for phone-related customers) just to roll my eyes and mutter under my breath. Yeah, it's childish. But most humans need a way to relax. We can't keep up the "The customer is always right" fake smile for an entire shift while someone is complaining about something stupid. On cam, we can't do that. We have to always be "ON." ESPECIALLY for models who struggle to get/keep people in their rooms. They only get one chance to make an impression on a viewer before he decides to click "Next Model." If we're not smiling, bouncing around, being overly excited about something, most new viewers will leave. Of course, the perks outweigh the negatives, and that's why we're still camming. If the perks weren't as good, we WOULD go back to a 9-5 job.

Now, it seems that MOST members on this forum are realistic about how difficult camming is. And I usually don't do this, but I think some finger-pointing is in order. HiGirls, you are INCESSANTLY talking about how easy camming is in one way or another. It's usually very passive-aggressive, and it's usually done in a "Just kidding!" fashion. On numerous occasions, you have messaged girls "joking" about how few hours they've been on cam/how they run their rooms. Like in a "Maybe you shouldn't take the night off since you've ONLY worked X amount of hours this month!(After looking at their mycamgirl stats)" or "Well, maybe if you hadn't changed XYZ about your physical appearance/games on cam/high tip rewards, your camscore wouldn't have dropped!" JUST STOP. Until you start an account, get on cam, and have a substantial knowledge of how things behind the scenes work, do not give unwarranted advice/opinions to camgirls. This is like if I went to a car dealership and told the salesman how to better sell cars. In reality, he's been doing it a LOT longer than me (since I have ZERO experience selling cars). So I think of you as a pre-camming me. The typical camsite-viewer. I know we're not going to change your mind about this. You are going to think that YOU work harder. Trust me, everyone always thinks their side of the fence is the hardest to mow. But until you've had to mow both sides, there's NO WAY to tell. All I can hope with posts like this is that it at least makes you consider the notion that you might be wrong.