I’d guess I’ve applied for somewhere around 80 jobs this year. My two main writing contracts ended in 2023, so I’ve been looking for a new day job to make up the difference. At first I looked for other writing jobs, which went nowhere relatively quickly; eventually I expanded into related fields and later not-so-related fields. I also began to feel anxious, as the year wore on, about relying on writing as my sole source of income, since that income varies significantly from year to year, and thought it might ease my anxiety (as well as my freelancer tax burden) to find a wholly-unrelated day job.
Dec 8, 2023·edited Dec 8, 2023Liked by Daniel Lavery
Today, on my (almost) 5 year anniversary of seeing anyone in my biological family, I officially resigned my academic position so that I could be home with my (MY!) family more often. Thank you for sharing your experiences with estrangement and rebuilding. It's been a real source of comfort and camaraderie. Godspeed in whatever comes next.
"Dripping chandeliers of freshly-ground sausages" is such an original and wonderful image, at once making me hungry and creeped out. You have a future as a quirky artisanal food store's social media manager. There must be something like that in New York City.
Dashing, daring, gallant Danny! On one hand, I wish you’d have a kid glove situation as a kept man to preserve all your energies for writing. On the other hand, (the real hand) you’re hale and whole and getting out there to intersect with other lives and that’s gotta be good for life and work.
Thanks for sharing your losses and gratitude. I’m much shored up by it. Sending my very best wishes and gratitude -ck
I didn’t mean that to be awkward. One of the main things I felt was surprise and mild outrage that the universe can be so careless as not to send fairies and wood sprites to bake your bread, darn your socks, and bring in logs & kindling
Much of my recent life has involved joblessness and uncertainty. I can't say it's easy to take the same tack as you do right now -- I think I'm too far in it to be especially rosy, but on my way out of the worst -- but reading this has warmed my heart and spoken to me, regardless.
I have been job-hunting a lot this year myself after getting laid off in May. Unfortunately, I've been a lot less successful; I've only gotten interviews for two positions, and zero since the end of August. I swear, the job market now is worse than it was when I looked for jobs during the Great Recession, even if the official jobs numbers don't reflect that. I'm glad you managed to find something. You aren't the only person I follow who has had to take a day job or look for one after years of surviving solely off of creative work.
I have also been on the look for steady day work for about half of this year. I have been feeling a bit discouraged, and this dropped in my inbox. I appreciate your insights, and I hope your new work is fulfilling for you in the ways that it needs to be, and allows for the space you need to write and do other things too.
without getting into the details, i have of late found myself very much in need of "a correspondingly-stronger sense of internal resilience, a belief that adjustment is not only possible but inevitable," which is very beautifully put, thank you
Thanks for this lovely piece. My artist adult daughter felt buoyed up by this story of your job search as she is in much the same place. She says, solidarity and onwards! Your next job is making its way towards you!
Today, on my (almost) 5 year anniversary of seeing anyone in my biological family, I officially resigned my academic position so that I could be home with my (MY!) family more often. Thank you for sharing your experiences with estrangement and rebuilding. It's been a real source of comfort and camaraderie. Godspeed in whatever comes next.
"Dripping chandeliers of freshly-ground sausages" is such an original and wonderful image, at once making me hungry and creeped out. You have a future as a quirky artisanal food store's social media manager. There must be something like that in New York City.
Dashing, daring, gallant Danny! On one hand, I wish you’d have a kid glove situation as a kept man to preserve all your energies for writing. On the other hand, (the real hand) you’re hale and whole and getting out there to intersect with other lives and that’s gotta be good for life and work.
Thanks for sharing your losses and gratitude. I’m much shored up by it. Sending my very best wishes and gratitude -ck
I didn’t mean that to be awkward. One of the main things I felt was surprise and mild outrage that the universe can be so careless as not to send fairies and wood sprites to bake your bread, darn your socks, and bring in logs & kindling
Much of my recent life has involved joblessness and uncertainty. I can't say it's easy to take the same tack as you do right now -- I think I'm too far in it to be especially rosy, but on my way out of the worst -- but reading this has warmed my heart and spoken to me, regardless.
Best of luck to you, Danny. I've always thought you would be a great coworker to have!
This was lovely, thank you.
I have been job-hunting a lot this year myself after getting laid off in May. Unfortunately, I've been a lot less successful; I've only gotten interviews for two positions, and zero since the end of August. I swear, the job market now is worse than it was when I looked for jobs during the Great Recession, even if the official jobs numbers don't reflect that. I'm glad you managed to find something. You aren't the only person I follow who has had to take a day job or look for one after years of surviving solely off of creative work.
maybe we can all get together and start a butcher shop
If i don't want to butcher things, can I provide moral support through humour? I'm told I tell offal jokes
I have also been on the look for steady day work for about half of this year. I have been feeling a bit discouraged, and this dropped in my inbox. I appreciate your insights, and I hope your new work is fulfilling for you in the ways that it needs to be, and allows for the space you need to write and do other things too.
without getting into the details, i have of late found myself very much in need of "a correspondingly-stronger sense of internal resilience, a belief that adjustment is not only possible but inevitable," which is very beautifully put, thank you
Thanks for this lovely piece. My artist adult daughter felt buoyed up by this story of your job search as she is in much the same place. She says, solidarity and onwards! Your next job is making its way towards you!
This resonated very deeply with me. Thank you.