technical writing | delicious juice dot com

I’m a drain on society!

I was laid off from Shopify on Tuesday. It was unexpected, although the writing had been on the wall for a while. Management kept saying layoffs weren’t happening, but the stock didn’t bounce back after the split and the questions were starting to get pointed. I’m not gonna lie – I was very upset when it happened and I cried for hours. Losing your job sucks. Our team went from around 24 people to 8, so most of us got cut and I feel terrible for everyone – those who lost their jobs, and those who have to pick up the slack of 16 people. I don’t think this is over, as we were drowning with work before they cut the team by two thirds. Fewer people does not equate to fewer work.

However, now that I’ve slept on it and did some math, I’m much better. I’ve been given a paid summer off! I will enjoy it for as long as my brain will allow (I get very very antsy when I don’t have income coming in), and I’ve got some interesting leads to follow. I’m sort of stalling on the resume update because it is probably my very least favourite thing to do in the whole universe and is impossibly hindered by my inability to sell myself seriously, but that’s my goal for today. Yesterday I mailed out tincture, returned something I panic-bought, and bought mushrooms for tonight’s dinner. Today, I will do laundry, make cannasugar, and update my stupid resume. One day at a time. How do you be a Lady of Leisure? I feel like this might require some fluffy mules.

I’m not all that torn up about leaving Shopify. They’re no longer the tech darling in Canada, and the mission was starting to get messy. I definitely miss my former co-workers, as I worked with some truly amazing people that I never got to meet in person (something I’m going to be sore about for a long time). The whole team was supposed to come out to Vancouver at the end of August for our long-overdue in person meeting, and I was really looking forward to it (albeit terrified at the whole “meeting new people” part) – if they still come out with the tiny team, I’m gonna crash the meeting to say hi. It won’t be the same, but it’s as close as I can get. I’ll have to stalk the others online.

I am sad, but not broken.

I will eat the cannasugar until I am less sad (and way more broken).

Anyone need a technical writer? I know where you can get 16 or so. I’m the shiny!

first you get the sugar, then you add the weed, then nothing else matters

I’ve been to conferences before (usually in a costume), but this is the first time I’ve ever been to a conference that is just for me. I mean, not me personally – KimliCon would be a terrifying yet hilarious experience – but a conference for people who are crazy into technical writing, documentation, punctuation, grammar, content-appropriate tone, and the Oxford Comma. I’m in love.

Last night was the Write the Docs party, and even though I was convinced that I would end up skipping it because neon anxiety, my feet had other plans and I found myself attending. Naturally, I ended up having an amazing time and meeting a ton of really cool people, all of whom do awesome things. Today is the second day of the conference, and I’ve learned a lot so far – I have a huge pile of notes to go through and turn into content to share back home. I absolutely want to attend next year, and will be working on the people with the money to bring some fellow owls with me, as I think a few people in particular would get a ton out of it.

During my down time, I’ve gone to Powell’s twice and explored the Dr. Martens store thoroughly. When things wrap up tonight, I’m going to head to the waterfront and relive some GTA (sorry in advance). I fly home tomorrow, and while I wish I had thought of extending my trip so I could have more Portland time, I miss my cats and Ed. Only solution: another Portland trip later this summer! I love this place. I could easily live here, actually – wandering through Portland feels natural. I usually feel out of place in Vancouver what with my lack of yoga pants/small dog/wads of cash, but here I’m not weird. I haven’t decided if that’s a good thing yet – I kind of love standing out – but there’s a lot to be said for fitting in, too. I could fit in here.

If nothing else (and there is so much else), attending Write the Docs has reaffirmed that I am absolutely doing the right thing – I was meant to be a technical writer, and I will continue to be the best I can be until such a time information is shared by hive mind and I am obsolete.