3/29/24
that was the maybe the longest 2 months has ever felt.. i thought i would catch up here earlier but the happenings just kept happening, for the better though - because it felt like i spent 6 weeks just interviewing everyday nonstop.. i was reaching a point of losing my mind because over and over asking me variations of the same things and repeating my scripted persona over and over again but it finally paid off because i got a job :') anxiety is a bitch.. it didn't feel real or celebratory even when i signed my contract because i was afraid something would pull the rug from under me.. (i like to joke that, i stan loona of course i'm wary of contracts lol) but once those feelings settled down my self-confidence and general happiness seemed to slowly return on its own - capitalism is also a bitch because just knowing that i'm employable and that i'll have a steady paycheck soon like magically fixed a lot of the knawing screaming kicking voices in my brain.
i'm downplaying it but actually i'm very happy! i got the role that i liked the most, i like the team and the managers and the vibe of the workplace. i even negotiated even though i was terrified but i wasn't about to get wage-gapped lol and it worked! the past two weeks, after signing and before i actually start work, have felt like breaking the surface and taking a breath of fresh air (i slept in guilt-free and finally cleaned the depression mess in my room) but not necessarily relaxing, since i'm trying to maximize finishing up all my chores and todos while i have this time and this burst of energy and before i enter the unknown waters of my new 9-to-5 life. i only recently realized that most of my career has been remote i.e on my laptop in my room wearing pajama pants, plus now i've been away for almost a year, so to go into the office feels almost like uncharted - or, well, just forgotten - territory. it's terrifying but i'm also excited because slightly terrifying things are good for you and it means new plotlines to come. also excited to be making money again! thats a whole genre of anxieties magically disappeared away, off my shoulders. i start work next week so i'm making the most of my weekend writing this update, hanging out with friends, and sleeping in, nothing crazy. it feels so sweet to be proud of myself for once, to feel like i worked hard and it paid off and i deserve this little two weeks to myself.
surprisingly and thankfully i'm not too worried about the work, i'm sure i'll be able to pick it up quickly and if not like that's their problem for evaluating and hiring me to do it lol - i'm more nervous about having to meet people and socialize in a work setting because i haven't done that substantially in practically years and my social anxiety won't shut up.. it's a little silly but in preparation i've been thinking about what hobbies i have and generating new ones so that i would have something easy to talk about and relate to people because i don't really want to bring up my parasocial photocard collecting LOL a friend suggested i talk about my art and vending but i find it difficult to talk about my zines and fanart (coherently and without exposing my hyperfixations) and make it relatable.. i've been playing octopath traveler 2 and watching final fantasy playthroughs but that feels a little too niche but its an idea. lately i've been studying japanese! i know the bare minimum fundamentals but since its hard to get myself to focus and study properly, i've just been brute-force copying and translating passages from my favorite comic books and magazines. but i found that some people think this is crazy even though it's what works for my brain, and also i would have to explain myself as a jpop-obsessed weeb... so the most presentable hobby i've gotten into lately is streaming hollywood blockbuster action films. i'm the type to get concerningly invested in movies so watching a good thriller will get me in my head for days afterwards, but a good ol' die hard movie with flashy chase scenes and big explosions is generally a good time. also it's my cinephile dad's second favorite genre (after war films) so in a funny way it feels like a taste of home. some of these films are honestly awful and make me feel like i didn't miss much by not having watched them earlier, but that's actually perfect because i can stay detached and not get too emotionally invested. at its core this is also just another silly passing hyperfixation, but dare i say i'm a little proud of myself for overcoming a weird little fear i've always had of watching movies. i'm pretty sure i'll drop this for another hobby soon enough, as i've rotated through quite a few in this past year of funemployment, but it has been fun nonetheless and i'm ready for the next chapter of whatever~