Winter Wishes | A Quick Update
In early November, I took some time off and away to celebrate my wedding anniversary. When I got back I had two job interviews waiting for me, one of which resulted in an offer from a local healthcare provider's office where I'd be working with a friend --which I gladly accepted.
My start date was smack in the middle of December, but Thanksgiving (U.S.) rushed in as I prepared my home, mind, and heart for a return to in-person work indefinitely. While I'm truly excited by this opportunity, my lifestyle has been remote-first oriented for several years now. So it's a significant shift that will require adaptation and flexibility from each member of my little family, especially these two.
Despite the complicated emotions surrounding this change, working with a crew that is largely composed of openly neurodiverse women has been lovely! (A serendipitous coincidence!)
Though saying "I have much to learn" feels like the understatement of the year, I have been welcomed and supported with a ferocity I don't remember experiencing at such an early stage in any other workplace. The timing couldn't have been more perfect and I'm unspeakably grateful to have landed in this place after one of the toughest years of my life.
To anyone caught in the grindstone of the job market
Here are some things I wish I had started saying sooner: I see you. I feel for you. Let me implore you to keep going, and remind you that your occupation is not a measure of your worth as a human being. Most people don't get to have their dream job, and many who do don't find it fulfilling anyway.
Fulfillment is intrinsic and fluid, while having a "day job" is something we have to do to survive in a world largely run by capitalists --for most of us, they are mutually exclusive.
Instead, I hope you lean on your community,
join clubs that meet up regularly about literally anything that interests you,
don't be afraid to make connections,
and be open to the promise of possibility.
The best way to get out of this flood in the current conditions is to be hoisted by the grasp of a familiar hand.
What does this mean for The Attentive Archive?
I'm happy to say it doesn't mean a ton in the grand scheme of things! This unintentional break has put a point on how meaningful and fulfilling my online research, writing, and community are to me. I've been missing it (even the parts that feel like work!) in a way that is difficult to describe, but stands in stark contrast to the relief I felt when letting go of past projects.
What it does mean is slowing down a bit while I find my feet and get up to speed at my day job. For skimmability and easy reference, I'll put the details of my plan in bullets:
- New articles will be posted monthly.
- Notes from The Grimoire will be posted quarterly.
- Social Media will be scheduled.
- I am not scrolling much these days, the best places to reach me with anything time-sensitive will be on Discord or via email.
These are general rules I have set for myself so that I'm not running around checking everything (and getting stuck in a scroll-hole) and can spend my limited time on what's most important.
Know that I feel a massive swell of gratitude at every email, like, clap, toast, and comment notification, and I read them all - I just don't always have the time or capacity to respond in the moment. That said, I am actively working to identify a regular window of time in which I can reasonably depend on having the available mental resources to get to each one (perhaps as part of an existing Review/Reset routine), but this is something I'm intentionally leaving in flux for now to see if it lands anywhere naturally.
I may be a little quieter for a time, but rest assured I am quietly researching, typing, scribbling, doodling, and noodling new articles, projects, and ways to continue to fortify this community. My wishes for us in 2026 include deeper connection and infinite grace, with ourselves and each other.
In order to continue moving forward, from just trying to survive to actually thriving, we'll have to let go of the things we can't control and reserve that precious energy for the things we can.
More soon!