A funny thing happened on my way to the future; I got a tad distracted. For, well... six and a half years. I thought I'd try the old "join your friends in a company" trope. It did not go well. But things end and, if I'm being honest, I did goof; I didn't prepare for this. I went all in and am paying the price now. By the end, I was in such a position that I had to abandon every piece of furniture I owned (nice furniture, too), and run, tail between my legs, back to the ghetto with a mountain of debt and no prospects.
2021 was not a fun time.
Though, it's worth mentioning, I've been assured all that is something that "just happens". Which is true enough, I guess (I still struggle with it though). And, they also say, it's not the end of the world. Thankfully, things have worked out insofar as my debt has been paid off and I own a couch and bed again!
Still though, my career has basically stalled, right where I left it. Six and a half years ago (at the time). On paper, I basically took a REAAAAALLLY low paying job and just rode it out. I mean, don't get me wrong, it was supposed to be a success. It was supposed to set me up. None of this was supposed to happen.
But that didn't work out. Not even close. So, what do you do then? Your world just blew up; where do you go with that? Well, me, the day after it ended, I opened up my contact list and started reaching out. Everyone got pinged. But, as is my luck at the moment, a lot of my contacts from back in the day promoted out/up/beyond. A lot more of them are just not coding any longer; which is a very bizarre thing to see, I have to admit. Not all, thankfully, but enough are out of the game where things looked pretty grim there for a minute. Thankfully, a friend had a friend who needed someone to help out on a consistent basis and that's provided a much needed level of stability and things have leveled out.
Small problem though; as mentioned, my career stalled. If a professional career were a ladder, I went up a bunch of rungs then fell down a bunch of rungs. And that just will not do. So, steps must be taken to remedy this situation. And, historically, what worked was putting myself out there. Which, as a natural introvert, I fucking hate; but them's the breaks in this industry. Good news is I've done this before so second time around should be easier.
I'm back to writing. Again. To prove I can play. Again.