I don’t know (ᵕ—ᴗ—). I will look into picking up something from anywhere as long as it pays more than where I am now (which isn’t a low bar). I don’t intend on getting caught up in another hostile or exploitative workplace, and that’s where a lot of my anxiety over changing jobs comes from now, but I’m becoming more and more open to new experiences. The other issue, however, is that I carry a lot of “baggage” with me. I don’t like thinking about it like that but that’s how it will be perceived in companies that aren’t open-minded. The more I’ve learnt to value myself, the less I’m willing to make concessions.

When I unravel the stress and anxiety of all those concerns, I am left with a variety of paths that I could take. If the company is okay with me being trans, queer, neurodivergent and with a need for flexible leave for appointments etc., then the only other limiting factor is that I don’t drive.

What are the other things that I like to do besides write, design and read?

I love training and coaching people. I have trained either about or more than a dozen batches of new hires at my current job and I enjoy it. It’s fun and satisfying showing people how to do things and seeing them build up confidence and develop satisfaction in their work. I love being helpful and so training and coaching help feed my constant need to take responsibility and help people. Though those two aren’t inherently healthy for me (I’m working on that too (˵ ¬ᴗ¬˵)), it means that I find training and coaching others incredibly gratifying and fulfilling. I was even doing it in primary school and high school. There was little more that was enjoyable or felt good to do than to help others learn.

I love sorting things. Whether it’s mail or data or whatnot. Bringing order to chaos is always a good time. I like “factory belt” types of work. Of course, they can start to feel mundane after a while but anything that has a solid process I can follow to the point I can do it with my eyes closed has always been fun for me. Especially sorting paperwork and books. Data entry is often seen as boring and tedious (and it definitely can be) but I’ve always felt like I’m sorting information by managing the data and so have found it enjoyable. I love tables, documents, to-do lists and planners. 

I love planning things. I throw personal events from time and time and it’s always thrilling to plan them, from picking the theme to making the invitation to planning the menu and designing the space. I have always loved planning events, planning many fictional ones when I was younger. Now that I’m older, I throw themed dinners and lunches occasionally for my closest circle. I usually think of a theme first and then get carried away and design and make more than I need. Themes spark so much joy for me. You can see some of the invitations and menus on my portfolio blog. 

I love making things. Which is a bit too broad, but I can’t really think of how the things I make would translate to employment beyond self-employment. I’m not good enough at any of them to be a hired professional but I have enjoyed making a wide variety of items. Halloween heads, candles, ointments, scrubs, steamers, clay pieces etc. I’m also much better at designing something than I am finding the time and motivation and money to make it. 

I love plants. But I’m not great at caring for them (-‿-“). I feel like I put in the right effort but I don’t have that organic care that my partner has. I love learning about plants too, particularly herbs and flowers. I’ve always had a great interest in herbal medicine and how it’s played a part in developing the attributes many cultures now associate with those herbs/flowers. I love associations with a real-life thread to walk back to!

Things that I don’t like? I can’t imagine myself ever working at a call centre or as a person handing out flyers or trying to convince passers-by to sign up for something. Anything that I feel that forces me to invade someone’s personal space I just won’t do. They are jobs to be done but they are not for me. But that still leaves a lot for me to look at. The other pathway I really want to avoid is AI. So many of the writing jobs up for hire that sound appealing as a writer turn about to actually be jobs training the AI for the company. I’m already having a hard time training my replacement now and would rather not train one that would leave me with no position at all ╮(￣▽￣””)╭.

And so I still have a lot to think about but I think I have less to fret about, and that feels a lot better.