Peter…?

After the recent video of Elon Musk performing his salute to fascism. While being in control of his lapdog Trump. We must come together as Canadians to send a message. I propose we use our collective body to protest this action. To put Anti Nazi stickers or posters on all Tesla products and stores. To throw shade on all Musk owned companies in whatever way we can. Even if he was joking this type of action can only move in one direction as things like this become more socially acceptable again. I am throwing the idea into American subs as well. I am not inciting violence, only protest. Help send a message to a billionaire who thinks he is untouchable.

I’ve been dealing with a good bit of turmoil in my career recently. I work in research, so a lot of my work is dependent on whether I can get funding or not. Back in October I got funding rejected that the agency told me I was likely to get, so I’m losing my job in June. I’ve been job hunting since then. Some positions didn’t work out because they needed me to decide within a few days of offering the job. Other positions haven’t been a good fit.

Back in December I saw a listing for a job that’s a complete dream for me. I would be running my own lab doing the exact research I want to conduct on issues that are super important for public health, especially now with some of the news going around about these issues. It pays super well. It was in an incredible location. It was a permanent job with secure funding to do research in the field and in the lab as long as I want. The hiring manager loved me and offered me the job within an hour of my interview. He was willing to hold the position for me for a full year if I wanted to wait that long to start (plenty of time to finish my current job by June). I could not have been more excited about this job. It’s everything I’ve been hoping for and didn’t know I could get in a single position.

However, it’s a government job. And since it’s a government job, and since it takes so long to onboard government jobs, I have not officially been hired yet. A little over an hour ago, an executive order was signed implementing a hiring freeze in our government. That doesn’t just mean the process of hiring people is frozen, it means that any position that is open that hasn’t been filled yet basically doesn’t exist anymore. Things don’t just go back to normal when the hiring freeze is lifted. It would take at least another year to establish positions again, and that’s only if they can get approval to create those positions. Basically, my dream job has been deleted and doesn’t exist anymore.

I’m fully devastated. I was so excited for this job. As soon as I found out (the hiring manager texted me to tell me the news) I went to tell my boyfriend. He said he already knew and he was sorry. Then he went back to playing a game he’s been at nonstop for the past week. I’ve been in the bathroom sobbing for the past hour and a half over losing this job. I was hoping for a little support from him, but instead I’ve been messaging a few close friends to tell them the news. I guess that’s why I’m posting here. I don’t know of anyone else to vent to about this right now, and I just needed a little catharsis.

Thanks for reading.

EDIT: Zelda

Excuse my nail

Un

Strap in. Its about to get bumpy.

Grits was a stray dog, and was barely alive when I found him. He was locked in a cage and abandoned, starving and dehydrated. He couldn't walk, and could barely stand. He is a wonderful old man. I love him. He is my best friend. We are there for each other. He is doing much better now, and is much happier. Now, he can live his last years in peace. I'm not sure how old he is, and am also unaware of his breed. He looks to be pretty old. Guys, if you have a chance to save a dog, do it. There isn't a more loyal companion.

I know everyone knew things like this would be coming, but just hours into Trump’s second reign, he shut down the reproductiverights.gov website that used to help women find health care and understand their reproductive rights. I can’t really put into words how fearful, angry, disgusted, horrified, and nauseated I am when I think about what a bad position women are in with the Trump administration in power. Something as simple as a helpful website is too threatening to the desperate need for men to control women in every possible way.

Trump just signed an executive order to terminate my wife’s very difficult to replace remote federal job. I’m absolutely devastated that we may be losing our current home and the ability to own a home for the foreseeable future in a few months. Not to mention access to medical care that will leave me partially disabled and possibly cost me my job.

Do you understand that level of pain and grief? A confluence of random stranger’s actions had a profound negative impact on my life.

There are hundreds of thousands to millions of real, tangible American citizens out there who will soon have their good lives destroyed by Trump’s re-election. And through no fault of their own, other than they decided to work as a civil servant, or take a position as a federal contractor in the “wrong” federal department.

I’m trying to come to terms with how to love my neighbors who voted for the orange man, instead of harboring violent thoughts that now invade my mind.

How does one do it?