WORK

I've been approached by a shit-hot software security company to potentially become a tech writer for them. It's early days, but they approached me because someone inside the company knows me, and they weigh internal referrals VERY highly.

California company. Remote work. Writing for a living, still. And a career path.

This is really interesting to me right now because my current job is totally stagnant. If schools don't re-open immediately, I see layoffs by Christmas. (Schools are a LARGE part of our government contracting business.) I've got less than 8 hours of real work to do each week, and am spending most of my time in my woodshop making things, rather than writing government contracts, because those people aren't working right now.

My boss knows about my workload, and he and I have plans to grow my role in the new year. But I'm not sure this is going to last that long. I've done 3 peoples' jobs at my company for four years now, and everyone is pretty happy with me getting a break while things are slow. "That's ok man! You've earned it!"

I'm also thinking the new role is going to get me into the salary range I should be in, for the type of work I do. I'm happy making $100k/year right now, because that's an ample amount of money for me and my wife to live on. But people doing a similar job are making $20k more than I am. And, once you settle for less-than-market-value, it is hard to regain that footing.

This new company - being an established Silicon Valley tech company, at the top of its game, in security - should be able to make up that difference pretty easily, and get me into the "commensurate wage" range.

Which, as I am looking towards retirement in the next 15 years or so, adds up.

Who knows? The world is kinda upside down, and I'm not sure how things work anymore, honestly.

PERSONAL

My niece is headed off to school in Florida, where her roommates tell her not to worry about the COVID test she needs to take... she can get a fake negative-COVID test for like $10. But she's 19 and invincible (as we all were at 19) and there just isn't a way to impress upon her what a lifetime of odd blood, lung, and liver problems would be like, even if she fully "recovers" from a bout of COVID. Especially for someone who wants to be a marine biologist and diver. (Some blood and lung conditions disqualify you from becoming a diver.)

She's a super smart kid. Top of her class, with honors. Going into science. Unfortunately, I think all of these factors cannot protect her from Florida, and she will lose the one thing she wants to do most in this world: work underwater. Just because she decided to start school this year, instead of taking some time to let the pandemic run its course.

... sigh ...

I'm gonna go out to my shop and stain the plant stands I made for my wife. They are 80 inches tall, 4 feet wide, and 22 inches deep. She has a LOT of plants.