Do you have a SIDE GIG?

I saw this subway ad just this past week and decided to take a quick photo of it. (I do this now and then, and it's usually awkward when someone's sitting in front of the ad.) My wife and I keep a storage unit just one local subway stop away from our place in Brooklyn. I was just there today to get our air conditioner as the hot summer months are again upon us. I'm sure people along my route on 4th Avenue notice me carefully rolling the A/C one way when the temperatures begin to rise in the summer and the other way in the fall when temperatures start to drop. We also visit our storage unit before and after traveling to pick up and drop off luggage and bags and stuff.

• NOW AND THEN - sometimes, once in a while
• DROP - decrease

Is keeping a storage unit common where you live? It's actually quite ubiquitous here in NYC as apartment sizes are often short on space. I would venture to guess though that most of us who keep storage units really need to get over our hoarding tendencies and get rid of stuff that we really don't need. Some people, however, really do need to store stuff. If you have a side gig, as this ad suggests, and need a place to store some equipment, then a storage place is a great option.

• UBIQUITOUS - commonly seen
• SHORT ON something - not enough of something
• GET OVER something - stop doing, practicing, or thinking about something
• HOARD - keep stuff, instead of getting rid of stuff you don't need
• GET RID OF - throw away; eliminate
• SIDE GIG - work on the side; additional work besides your full-time job

The word "gig" is usually used to talk about work that is not permanent. Actors, musicians, freelancers of all kinds use the word "gig" a lot. When a band is playing at your favorite bar, that's their gig. However, the word "gig" can also be used to refer to a permanent position when you're referring to your job in an informal manner. A doctor, for example, might say to his friends, "I love being a doctor; it's a nice gig." However, if the doctor were making a speech at a convention, he would probably say, "I love being a doctor; it's a challenging but fulfilling profession." Some doctor's though actually do act or belong to a band on the side! If they live in New York City, there's a good chance they are keeping their equipment for their side gigs at a storage place.

So, do you or anyone you know have a side gig?

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