Last year’s update expressed cautious optimism about new directions at work. That caution was well founded and in July I left my job of 17 years. The work environment became ever more toxic and it became impossible for me to do any more meaningful work in the organization. I am sad about this loss, and angry at the actions of some former colleagues who made my departure the only acceptable option. But I probably will find a new job that will be more satisfying, so in the end I expect this to be a positive transition.
At the moment I’m effectively on a career break. I can afford up to a year off, so haven’t actively sought work much yet. I needed time for recovery from the work environment as well as time to evaluate goals and possibilities. I’ve posted some about that on the accessibility section of this site. To keep a finger in the industry, I have put volunteer time into a couple professional projects. That has also helped me to keep up some of the daily routine.
Beyond those projects, I’ve been spending time on up-skilling. In January I began to learn American Sign Language, and now have a modest ability to communicate. That’s been a fascinating experience, learning a visual language with limited visual memory due to aphantasia. Expanding my visual capacity interested me, so I’ve also been learning various aspects of 3D modeling and animation. I’ll never be a designer, but having knowledge of this is giving me great insight into upcoming technologies and what I think will be a whole new medium of personal expression. I also have a gaming console and a VR headset, though the gaming bug still hasn't bit and I use them more to learn about the tools than as games in themselves.
A lot of the rest of life has been like other peoples’ post-Covid year. I still run and climb a bit, but not very consistently this year. The above learning displaced hobby time, so there is a pile or two of unfinished projects. One hobby I was able to get back to though is glass blowing, as I’d been waiting a few years for class availability. The classes, beyond being interesting immersions into the process themselves, will also prepare me to access the hot shop as a co-op member, so I may be able to spend some time exploring this new skill!
Razzles and Pez are healthy 2-year-old cats who certainly help fill the space. Razzles still sucks her thumb when she cuddles, though mainly she likes to sit in a high spot and be the queen. Pez is starting to experiment with lap sitting and showing signs of getting addicted to it. The cats are both very gentle with me, and adorably fierce when they chase each other around. They have daily routines that mesh with mine, and do remind me to stay on top of it!
In all, 2023 has had more transition than I expected, with more to come in 2024, but I think it’s a good change as I steer into my 50s!
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