Tentative, Huge, Life-Altering Author News! (Patreon)

Was this title dramatic enough for attention? LOL

Now that I’ve had some time to think and digest some things, I wanted to share some personal-life stuff with you that will impact my projects.

Before you fret — it’s good news, but it’s also scary news (for me).

If you don’t have time or don’t want to read the ramblings while I shake my cane at the sky, there’s a TLDR at the end! I go into a bunch of background stuff that led to this, so hang on if you wanna read it all.

You may or may not have noticed that I’ve been a little more withdrawn for a while. Truth is, I haven’t felt much like myself for a bit. I think I was hanging on to Chapter 7 of GC really hard, and the excitement and love for it were the only things keeping me upright for a time. I needed a good break after that, and during it, I had a lot of time to think. I also have some other things going on that I believe are compounding into a sort of physical and mental malaise. I’m awaiting some blood test results for a theory I have about some of my issues.

Also, if you’ve been around here for a while, you may recall a post from around one year ago. My employer was getting into shenanigans, and I was experiencing a number of upheavals in my day job. I can’t tell you specifics about my employer, but we don’t exactly get along. I’ve been there for over 12 years and have put up with a LOT of their shit. They have little integrity or care for what we do (not a good thing when you’re in social services). I still do wonder if my job will be axed in the coming years, given the significant cuts to Medicaid.

I’ve worked my way up a very small ladder at this place, and I actually have a position that I don’t find that taxing in and of itself. After 12 years, I’m pretty damn good at the job, and I will toot my horn about that because it was very fucking hard to get to this level. My role itself is pretty good — I can help lots of people with it. The team I work with - I’m not going to say this with much grace - is hot garbage.

Anyway, I’m just bitching, so let’s get to the main stuff.

For many years, I’ve wanted to get out of this employer and out of this field altogether. I’ve put feelers out for other things I would like to get into. I’ve looked into editing, coding, data analytics, and even copywriting. I’ve dabbled in all of them so far, and I’ve found resources to learn them, but I don’t have the time. And — I’m tired. I’m always tired (this is an issue that dates back to my childhood, mind you).

At the same time, my spouse and I would also like to move out of our state. We’ve looked for jobs and avenues out, but nothing is sticking. Our current careers are in very specialized, niche fields, and both of us kinda hate them anyway.

All of this combined has led us to one conclusion. The only way out, the only way to make the changes we need to live better lives, is for one of us to quit our day job and obtain the education we need to switch up careers. And my main stipulation was that I would not put my writing on hiatus while all this was going on. I’m not willing to part with this, and my spouse was very supportive of that. He’s seen a positive change in my whole life since I began doing this.

Initially, I thought my spouse was a better fit for this because, thanks to the American (lack of) Healthcare System, if I quit my job, I won’t have health insurance. I’m nearing 40; I can’t be without insurance in the USA. One healthcare emergency could tank us. My husband has a plan he can hop on to, but I don’t. I won’t get into all my spouse’s personal things, but this wasn’t going to work for him either. Of the two of us, his job is actually more secure and is contracted until at least mid-2028, and I’m more motivated to learn something completely new.

So, here we are.

I spent most of June so far doing a shitload of research to see what I could do. Now, I said at the start that this is still technically tentative. The reason is that I need to see what the ACA subsidies will look like next year. I’ve done research because, as you may or may not know, most of those were cut. Health insurance may simply be unaffordable next year; I’m honestly not sure. According to my research (if it tracks through the end of the year), with just my husband’s income, I would likely qualify for an affordable health plan. If that doesn’t work, I think I’m willing to take a chance on a health-share plan, as long as I can get on one that isn't faith-based.

I love this idea, and I am hoping so hard that I can make this work. This would mean I could put even more time into my IF projects as well and, overall, pursue a better quality of life. I would rely heavily on continued support through Patreon and Ko-fi, and would provide more offerings for subscribers.

I think I am to the point mentally and emotionally where I need to make this change, make something move, even if it feels scary and risky. This has been years of waking up in the morning feeling like I can’t do this much longer (and then 12 years fly by).

Now, if you’re wondering about the timeline… I am riding out my day job until the start of next year, so that gives me time to prepare, stash savings, and see what the healthcare market does and what ridiculous things pop up over the next 6 months. I’ll likely also need at least one surgery for carpal tunnel before I part ways with my employer. This is an issue I’ve put off for too long, and I may not be able to address it easily for a couple of years otherwise. My guess is that such a surgery, if I need it, will not take place until the start of next year. My hope is to break free next February or March at the latest after using my insurance and sick leave to recover and make sure I’m healed up and good to keep going.

This is very scary for me, but also exciting. I’ve been working a regular job with very few gaps since I was 16 — through much of high school and all of college. I grew up with a lot of insecurity with housing, healthcare, and food, and it’s left me with a fair bit of anxiety when it comes to financial stability. So, this is very hard for me, and let’s face it — probably not a great time with the state of the world to be doing this.

If anyone has health insurance tips or could recommend a health share with great integrity, I welcome any and all recommendations.

So, thanks for reading. I’m excited to share this with you because I see all the possibilities and not just the scary parts. I’m dreaming of getting GC done quicker than I ever thought I could, making solid headway on Lab Rat, and maybe even sneaking in a third project. I see myself waking up and looking forward to my to-do list. I see myself with time and energy to take a mental health walk with my spouse.

I will keep you all updated on any changes! Wish me luck!

~Lunan ^_^

TLDR:  Due to several compounding reasons, I need to retrain for a new career to prepare for an eventual move out of my current state. I plan to quit my day job in early 2027, after a possible surgery, to get the education I need to do this. I will also be focusing more time on writing if I am able to accomplish this. As long as I can find healthcare through the ACA Market or a non-religious health share, this should be possible with continued support from my Patrons and Ko-fi members.