Purpose
This past summer has been one of the strangest, toughest, and best that I’ve ever experienced.
I lost my job
The summer started in June when I was let go from my job at a tech startup. It wasn’t a surprise, I knew it was coming based on conversations with the CEO and the performance of the company over the past year. I knew I was one of the highest paid non-developers at the company. If you’re not making money you have to make cuts somewhere.
My wife was thrilled! She was tired of seeing me work long hours, take on more responsibility, and end my work days drained and depleted.
I’ve posted about this before but I decided that I wouldn’t take another job in the tech industry. I had given enough and they had taken so, so much.
I Renovated a 50 year old house
The last thing anyone would describe myself as is “handy”. My hands are softer than a 2 year olds. Sitting in front of a laptop all day for over 20 years isn’t really conducive to developing a callus.
our kitchen after tearing everything apart.
Since my partner and I got married we’ve been looking for a home to purchase together. We’re both previously divorced and had our own homes when we met. I eventually sold my home and we moved into her place. I had always planned on taking that money from the sale of my home and investing it in a future home for the two of us. A home we own together.
My partner has over 25 years of experiences renovating homes. I have zero. I did the following for the first time:
- demoed an entire bathroom including removing the old bathtub.
- Cut ceramic tile with a wet saw.
- USED a wet saw.
- Re-tiled a fireplace using mastic. Also learned what mastic is. 😅
- Installed new light fixtures.
- Used a nail gun! Installed baseboards and kickboards with said nail gun.
- Measured and cut baseboards and kickboards.
- Painted a ceiling.
I’m sure there’s more. The point is I did a lot of shit for the first time. It took three months, more trips to Home Depot than I can count, and no air conditioning in 40+ degree heat but we got it done.
Attended a lot of Concerts
Well, a lot of concerts by my standards.
Purpose
Here I am in October and still am unemployed. It’s hard for me to separate my identity from what I do for a living. It’s usually one of the first things we ask someone when we first meet them. We measure, respect, and judge others primarily based on their vocation. It’s further exacerbated by being raised in a high-demand religion that views all men as bread winners in a relationship.
To aid in my career switch I’ve gone back to school to work towards a certification. I’m equal parts excited and terrified. I wouldn’t have been able to take this leap without the support of my amazing partner. She’s the bread winner in our family and I have no issues with that whatsoever.