Getting Back To It

KristenDec 19, 2023

Yes, it has been a while. A very long while! But it’s time to get back into the workforce. Into the fray again…

I’ve been on a hiatus of sorts. In 2009, I had my son. A beautiful baby boy who is my pride and joy, my heart and soul! He is also a special needs kid. He is on the Autism Spectrum (Level 1), has Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome that he, unfortunately, inherited from me, dysautonomia, apraxia that has caused a speech impairment, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, and a slew of other things that go along with those. We decided to homeschool him because, let’s be honest, the American educational system is not the best in the world and their ability to take adequate care of my son is something that I just never had trust in. Kids shouldn’t go to school and get shot. Period.

My son needs more repetition than most to learn even simple tasks. He is incredibly bright, it just takes him a while longer than most to learn some things and some skills. Needless to say, being his primary caregiver and educator took every minute of every day for several years. Over the last few years, we have had a big focus on him becoming more self-sufficient on a day-to-day basis. There’s still work to do in that area but we’re getting there.

While I was out of the workforce, I tried to keep my personal website(s) going and up to date. I failed. My old website was hacked and I didn’t even notice for months! I was just too busy with my other obligations. So I finally just said goodbye to years of data (the site was started in 2002) and wiped it from the server. Completely. All files and databases are gone. It was a little emotional, I must admit, but it was necessary. I’ve always been a “crafty person” so I decided to rebuild the site with a dual focus on the blog and sales of my crafts.

Now, the decision to re-enter the workforce after so long is a different story but they go hand-in-hand. Up until recently, our family was able to survive comfortably on only my husband’s income. But, the company he was working for decided to terminate his position in November 2023. He didn’t get fired per se, they just totally removed his position. Right before his birthday and Yule/Christmas! How thoughtful, right? Can you taste that thick sarcasm? Several things build up at this point: his severance package is enough for us to live on for a little while, but not long; John is a programmer and almost no one is hiring for tech positions at the turn of the year; and insurance is a real issue. So, the best solution we can come to is that I throw my card into the ring, too. I’m fine with that, I love the work and finally have our son to the point that I could actually work, albeit remote work from home.

So now to the next issues: updating a resume for someone who hasn’t had a job in 15 years, and a portfolio for someone who hasn’t had clients for 15 years. Those are a bit harder to overcome but not impossible. So, I’ll be working on my two personal sites and my son’s site so I can at least have those in my portfolio.

Wish me luck! BTW, listening to Sabaton’s Livestream the entire time!