🏚 The Furlough Edition

Well I started this newsletter like a year ago, wrote four issues, only actually publishing three... and here we are again. The fears I wrote about in issue #3 (The Whys) came true, at a completely different time and for completely different reasons, but here we are nonetheless, without a job. 

Me and about 600 others were furloughed by my employer. It’s understandable and I’m not really too upset about it. My employer is still providing health insurance, as well as covering the part that usually comes out of my paycheck, I’ve filed a claim for unemployment, and was given the date of July 6th as the earliest I’ll be brought back, provided my employer and my position still exist at the end of all of this. I’m confident I’ll be okay. Essentials will be covered, it’s the extras that’ll need to be cut back on, Hulu, The New Yorker, nice deodorant, etc. 

I’m planning on treating this as an opportunity to do the things I always said I never had time for (well the things one can do under quarantine) such as read more, write more on the blog, try to watch films I haven’t been able to get my significant other to watch with me, take some free online classes, and maybe try to explore my creative side with fiction, design, and crappy art. Hopefully I come out the other side of this improved and maybe with a new, better job. 

I’ve been with my current employer for over nine years now, I’ve moved my way up the ladder, grown, and learned quite a bit there, but while I’m turning 28 on Sunday (the same day my unemployment claim becomes effective) things have started to stagnate a bit. This might be the motivation I needed to stop being lazy and put in the effort to see what else is out there. Although, given the economy at the moment, I’m planning on taking these first two weeks to myself and then start looking. Cant imagine I’ll miss anything. 

With all that said, I’m planning on writing a newsletter at least twice a week since I’ve got all the time in the world now. It’ll be about what I’m reading (thank the lord for digital libraries and a kindle), what I’m watching (I’m going to abuse every streaming trial imaginable), and explore the world of being a furloughed individual under quarantine, from the peaceful bliss of quiet to the deep dark thoughts that come out at night. 

To wrap things up in this edition (I’m purposely burying this at the end so only people actually interested get this far), I am planning on adding a $5 tier here on Substack. I don’t actually imagine anyone will subscribe to that and I’ll probably publish mostly everything to the free tier anyways, putting only the most experimental stuff behind the paywall that nobody will see anyways. If a few people do sign up, I’ll make sure it’s worth it for the three of you, but I imagine it’ll be mostly treated as a tip jar if you want to buy me a beer or a month to the Criterion Channel. And if you are going through tough times, are in an industry that may be going through tough times, or just don’t have the savings in case tough times unexpectedly hit you in these turbulent times, don’t even think about subscribing, shoot me a note at humdrumlife@protonmail.com and I’ll be more than happy to send you whatever lies behind the paywall. I’ll be fine. Alternatively, if you want to buy me a coffee or beer, and don’t want to go through Substack I’ve got the cash app ($kordumb) and Venmo (kordumb), but I want to reiterate that I’ll be okay and will get through this. 

Here’s to good fortune for all. And I’ll see you in a couple days.