I'm officially unemployed, Part 2. Also, details to order your own mask in the description! #VOTE
Channel: Ari R pronouns she or they
Date: 2020-09-15

For consistency with Part 1, vertical video. Works better for me on this one because of the suggested thumbnail option. :D

At least for today, I am still a "free" person, unemployed though I may be. Trigger warning for the violence in my processing poem.

NOW 
if only 
I could find meaningful work 
that 
feels more like play, 
pays a living wage...
meaningful work 
within my skill and ability sets, 
within my range of interests, 
within my current level of 
(ha!) functionality 
that 
ideally (but not exclusively!) 
requires little to no - or highly structured and social justice goal-oriented - 
interaction with people... 
(unless -
I'd bet -
I'd make more than a living wage
killing off some superbaddies - 
would it be so bad 
to be a 
social justice hitcat? perish the thought!)
during a pandemic... 
occurring amidst socioeconomic and climate crises... 
with a job market 
flooded 
with people... 
with friendly and qualified people...
with people willing to 
who probably even come with references... 

:musical note emoji: That's all I'm askin' for! :musical note emoji:

You're welcome for the (shitty first draft of a) Cannibal the Musical-inspired piece. 

It's obviously not in the 10-second video... I wrote it trying to come up with a description for a video that I wish I didn't feel a need to post. I appreciate the Black Lives Matter folks I learned this kind of social media tactical posting from, and I advocate critically aware compassion over violence.  

The pragmatist in me recognizes we're not going to demilitarize the planet and eliminate contact sports and other social celebrations of violence within my lifetime, so I feel bound to acknowledge a just role for violence and a very, very conditional willingness to participate in it. I grew up in and surrounded by military culture and lore, and I wanted to serve when I was young. Not anymore, and certainly not under this disgusting administration. 

So when my rage levels are high, social interaction violates self-care needs.

Back to the subject. My task-based performance reviews for the job were mostly excellent with a couple notable exceptions. I enjoyed most of the work, and I was good at most of the work.

I still felt a huge weight lifted to receive notice of my termination, and I also acknowledge that my downtime performance was less-than-excellent, especially during long shifts or during days when colleagues made racist or homophobic comments or microaggressions towards people of no faith or non-Christian faiths (the three most common inappropriate behaviors I experienced in my workplace). More than a few times, I reactively became microaggressive, and during my last shift, I spent most of a 45-minute break pacing a hallway to stay out of auditory range of the combination break room/training room chatter. So while my termination feels retaliatory, that's not necessarily the case, and it would feel unjust to leave that unsaid.

Some of the work overwhelmed me. Most of the work that overwhelmed me (connected to a new role I accepted a month after being hired), I only accepted because I felt pressured from multiple sources to do so. While I was performing that overwhelming work under understandably poor working conditions and uniquely vulnerable working conditions, I was also witnessing discriminatory behaviors and practices by both several supervisors and several colleagues. 

If you want to learn more about the "uniquely vulnerable" working conditions I've been experiencing, you can start here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Simulated_patient

If it sounds like your cuppa, I'd recommend the job, just not my former employer. And, reciprocally, I will be seeking no recommendations from them.

Thank you again to the many people who serve as allies to the disadvantaged, and a(nother) special thank you to the allies who support me and have supported me.

... as I AM officially unemployed now, it feels irresponsible to not include my own support link. As I've mentioned in previous videos, I see many people in much greater need than me, and I would prefer you donate to them. You'll find a link below to donate to DFA, even. 

If, however, you've got your needs met, have donated to worthier causes already, have supported the disadvantaged within your own social circles and communities, and still have money to spare you'd like to throw my way, my Streamlabs account is still active, so you can tip me at: https://streamlabs.com/ladychris.

AND NOW - more about the mask and the awesome people who made it possible! Learn more about Democracy for America here: https://www.democracyforamerica.com/

Direct link to donate and rock your own mask: https://secure.actblue.com/donate/votemask2020?source=website

What the mask says:
VOTE
(within the letters:)
V1: KINDNESS IS EVERYTHING
V2: SCIENCE IS REAL
O: BLACK LIVES MATTER
T: NO HUMAN IS ILLEGAL
E1: Women's Rights ARE Human Rights
E2: :heart icon:
E3: LOVE IS LOVE

(below the letters)
:DFA Logo:

... LOVE IT!