(Sample image from my Freya Domestica RedBubble shop - featuring my Early Autumn Sunrise created with AI.)
Some of you will remember me...
I've been around Hive/Steem for quite awhile now - posting my photography, artwork, recipes and stories, but as most of you know, life happens.
Personal issues
Two years ago, I left a relationship. Although I had been able to stay at home doing what was most important to me (then and now) - raising my daughters and pursuing my writing - I was unhappy. My relationship was toxic and not worth the luxury of being able to be a full-time writer (I still suck at marketing, after all!) So, I left that life in Wyoming and moved to the Upper Midwest - which was the place that I most loved during my early adulthood.
At first, I was hindered in posting anything personal because my ex was following me on Hive and making snide comments about the romance I was serializing... saying he knew what would happen next because of what had happened to him... and I was, like, this story is much older than our relationship was! It had nothing to do with him! Though it is true, that he will affect future writing - as does anyone I meet or encounter. It's simple human nature. A writer portrays what a writer can imagine - which is based on what a writer experiences. Simple.
Full-time work
I hadn't had a paying job since I had kids in the mid-90s! So, it was a bit of a change for me.
Job 1 - supermarket in Northern Wisconsin.
I started off as a cashier and quickly moved to working the liquor department, the service desk and supervising the front end - a task that I thoroughly enjoyed for the most part.
The crazy schedule was a bit manic, but I was still able to do some side work - working on the sleep videos I put on my YouTube channel (picking up some skills along the way)... work on some of the artwork - which features in this post... and a few other things.
But the work there got depressing as the situation there became toxic in its own way - as the supermarket strove to grow and grow... expanding to more stores and forgetting to pay more attention to the flagship that started the whole thing.
I wasn't the only one to leave during this exodus... a number of people who had been there a lot longer than me also left. The manager of the produce department was a notable who left just before I did... After I left, my own supervisor also left and one of my favorite coworkers retired. (Another coworker lost her battle with cancer during the months that followed. RIP Sarah.)
Job 2 - a national agricultural supply chain.
At first I loved my job. I was resetting the displays, fixing signage (something I couldn't do at the supermarket - which drove me crazy when I found errors,) helping customers find things... even got to help sell the chicks. I loved the four-day week (10-hour days) and three-day weekends. I used my first four-day weekend (due to holidays) to explore the Upper Peninsula of Michigan - a place I'd identified as where I wanted to live a full 15 years ago!
(The disadvantage with 10-hour days is that there's no time at the end for anything like writing or working on Hive.)
Shortly after coming back from that trip, I was able to find a place to live up there and transfer with my job. I was happy about that, for sure - and I still love the U.P. (as we call it.)
I worked at two stores - one half an hour from me, the other a full hour (but my extra time/mileage was reimbursed.) And the resets kept coming until a lull in December. That was quiet, but turned out to be the calm before the storm.
Spring reset came and had all of my team overworked for three months solid... and still, it only lightened a little to be slammed again for several weeks at a stretch. My three-day weekends were no longer able to be spent doing what I needed to do for my girls, rather they were spent recovering from the week (unsuccessfully) and preparing for the next week. Chores didn't get done (teens only do so much when they're not constantly reminded) and my physical state was in decline. I hurt all the time and had toxic situations at both of my stores from certain management who didn't understand my role/limitations and my need for help from the store staff at times.
But job-hunting was difficult when I was competing with students who were out for the summer (I live near a university) who didn't demand competitive wages and set schedules. I looked for something that I felt I could afford to take and that wouldn't beat the crap out of me.
Job 3 - a national seafood restaurant chain.
So, last week, I began a new job. I had given myself a single day off after leaving my previous job and literally worked 8 days out of 7 - about 55 hours that week. But despite that, I feel more alive than I have for months.
I work later in the day, which means I have some time in the mornings to get chores done - and consider writing again.
I'll talk about it more in the future, but so far I love it. I'm still training, but yesterday, I was able to do a little of everything... from coursework when I got there, to hosting, serving tables, garnishing dishes, doing takeout, even helping at the bar. The only thing I didn't do was cook! (And, who knows, maybe I'll do some of that at some point.
My only worry is that, in this part of the country, things mostly close down in the winter - only snow tourism... Which is one of the reasons I want to be as versatile as possible, so I can still command the hours (and tips) that I can get now.
Tough times
This has been a financially-difficult year.
My car has had $5k of repairs since the beginning of the year. I've already made the decision that nothing else major is going to be done to it... I could have paid off half a (used) car loan for what I've paid in repairs this year!
I've had to take a lot of my money out of Hive and am currently undergoing a major powerdown so that I can make ends meet for the moment. I'm so grateful that I had this backup, though I wish HIVE was still worth what it was in the peak of Nov 2021 - when I wasn't able to get money out - even though I knew it would have been a good idea.
Anyway, I'm back to build up some of what I've taken out - to put aside more for the future. I hope you'll be here to assist me!
Image created in NightCafé AI generator and available to purchase in my Freya Domestica RedBubble shop.
Past issues...
2022
May 31, 2022 - Work, work and more work!
Jun 6, 2022 - Work Hard to Play Hard - Going Fishing
July 7, 2022 - Gnats, Crowds and Change of Plans
October 16, 2022 - Winter is Coming
2021
Happy 2021 to Everyone! (New Year's Day)
June 6, 2021 - Fish, Farming and the Future - including feature photo of Paul R Tregurtha
July 25, 2021 - Heartache, Health and Healing
Aug 1, 2021 - Thunder, Traits and Travel
Aug 8, 2021 - Following Freedom and the Flexibility to Change
Aug 15, 2021 - Timing is Key
Aug 25, 2021 - Circles Within Circles
Aug 29, 2021 - Sunset and Changes
Aug 30, 2021 - Last Morning - Wondrous Wyoming
Sept 25, 2021 - Making Lemonade - also featuring Edgar B Speer
2020
Feb 2, 2020 - Flu Sucks!
Feb 9, 2020 - Planning 2020
Feb 16, 2020 - Skating and Eating and Writing, Oh My!
Feb 23, 2020 - Chicken Scratchings and Graphics
Mar 1, 2020 - Inspections R Us
Mar 8, 2020 - New Chicks
Mar 15, 2020 - Pandemic Hits Writing
Apr 5, 2020 - Fools in April?
Jun 14, 2020 - Of Gardens and Vibes
Oct 6, 2020 - Drawing the Line - When it is time to quit (Not Sunday)
Dec 15, 2020 - Winter, Writing and Winging It (Not Sunday)
Lori Svensen
author/designer at A'mara Books
photographer/graphic artist for Viking Visual
(Buy my work at RedBubble, TeePublic, PicFair and DeviantArt.)
verified author on Goodreads
(Buy my books at Books2Read and at LBRY)
find me on Twitter
Join The Best Natural Health Community on Hive
Welcome back, I have been pretty absent as well. 😐
Thanks. Good to see you.
Hope you find your feet soon, welcome back!
Thank you!
Glad to see you're still around Hive!
Some of us are still here 😌
Wow, those are major changes. Good luck to you!
!discovery 31
Thanks! Yeah, it's been a bit of a challenging time.
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Have a !PIZZA, Lori. 🍕😋😋
Thank you!
$PIZZA slices delivered:
@qwerrie(4/5) tipped @viking-ventures
That is a pretty decent elaboration of what you have gone through for the last two years. I hope this gig you have going now works out solid in your favor and you become really content doing it.
And true, one must plan for the winter months there.
Thanks.
Most places in the snow belt have to think about winter, but it's a bit more extreme here. My plan is to be awesome at everything. :)
So far,so good!
Thank you!