February 2023 Update

It’s been a long time since I’ve written on my blog. I’ve checked in on my website every now and then over the last few years, adding content and adjusting things here and there. 

I’ll take this opportunity to give a full recap of everything that’s happened since my last blog post. There’s been a lot, but I’ll try to be brief. 

My last post was April 1st, 2020. Nearly one month into the coronavirus global pandemic that shook everyone to their core. Reflecting now on the pandemic and the aftermath, nearly one million Americans died from Covid-19. It’s still a serious flu virus that can have very adverse, deadly effects and should be taken very seriously. But it has benefited in a way; more people are much more self aware of their health, their surroundings, spreading germs and recognizing symptoms when falling ill. It also caused a lot of mayhem. It remains a large political topic to this day. Mask mandates are hot topics all over. Where I’m currently living in Portland, Oregon there is no mask mandate and I’ve been fine for the last year. I did get Covid-19 once before, January 2022 when the Omicron variant was sweeping the country. I remember it being very nasty and not feeling good, but it faded as time went on and I cared for myself. I haven’t gotten sick since, nobody I know has gotten sick and most folks around me are fine. Most workplaces have special paid time off plans now in case you get sick, which is nice! 

I was living in Los Angeles at the start of the pandemic. It eventually became too expensive for me to live there, being unemployed and practically living off savings. I packed up my things and moved home to Portland, Oregon in July of 2020 and moved into my parent’s basement. I had stayed here before for a summer or two, and wasn’t planning on staying there for long. I was very wrong. 

I ended up living with my family for about two years, eventually getting a job at Starbucks to support myself and save money while living at home. I chose Starbucks with the intention of not working with any assholes. Instead it was an excruciatingly painful experience and crucial learning opportunity. I met some amazing people and some not so-amazing people. Even some horribly abusive, manipulative people. I learned that the workplace is for one thing: work. You don’t have to like everyone to work well with everyone or be a good employee. 

In the midst of all this chaos around me, a close friend of mine committed suicide. I was living with them in Los Angeles and during the start of the pandemic. Their absence still affects me to this day, but I’ve had time to grieve. Loss affects everyone differently, and it look me a long time to fully grieve. 

The abuse from my Starbucks job, the fallout from the pandemic, the loss of a friend and the stress of living at home sent me into a very intense depression. Lucky for me, I was in a position to quit Starbucks and focus on myself for a brief amount of time. I started going to therapy, working towards moving out, getting a new job and practicing self-care. I had to take a step back and focus on what I really wanted. Things like independence, stability and good health. The chance to live how I want in a space that I can thrive in and regain control of my life when, seemingly, so much control had been taken away from me. 

Now I’m living on my own with two wonderful roommates who I know and love very much. I pay my own bills, feed myself and my cat. I have a steady job that pays my bills. I’m still going to therapy and practicing self care as routinely as I can. Everything in moderation. 

I’m glad to return to the blog now and give an update after such a long time. I don’t know when I’ll return to write more again, but when I do I’m certain I’ll have something interesting to say. 

morgan