Annie D

I think I've asked this before, but I'll ask again before we run out of chances.

I know there's some folks here who've done it, so I want to ask: how do I get out of tech?
I don't think I want to be a developer anymore.

There's a chance my current employment might be ending very shortly, at which point I will need to find new work but ... I dunno where to start, what avenues might be open to someone with a technical background but increasingly little will to do dev work.

This job has been the most stressful of my entire career, and underpaid at that, and the industry itself seems to be spiraling a drain.

I have ten years of dev experience, I'm a damn good writer, a good speaker, OK game designer, even a trained actor, but I've struggled to find any way to turn any of these things into money besides cranking out code.

Thing is, I'm disabled and I've got a nasty case of long covid that shows no signs of improving, and physically I dunno how much longer I can do this work. I'm struggling as it is, and it feels like I'm spending all my spoons on the job, and so I end up with nothing left over for me.

I just don't know what to do with myself that'll keep the lights on, and the cost of living keeps going up.

As of this moment I am now unemployed.

If anyone has need of a functional web developer, a writer, podcaster, game designer, etc. etc., or know someone who does, let me know.

I can't fucking do this anymore.

If anyone is hiring for anything that isn't getting gaslit by tech assholes for a living, hit me up. I can write, I can talk good, I can make games, I can computer, I'm real smart.

There has got to be something else I can do with my life besides helping startups set fire to taxpayer money.

Alright folks, the time is past due to do a big sticky post 'cause I've got too many, and also, things are starting to look properly dire.

I've been out of work now for 7 months, and my savings are running out. If I start selling off some dead weight I'll be lucky to get another 3 months, but it's looking more like 2 before I'm homeless. I have been sending resume after resume but I guess for all this industry loves to complain about "people don't want to work anymore", they also don't want to hire the weird tranny with the eclectic resume. I'm taking steps to expand my horizons and try and make paid writing more of a thing for me again but it's going to take time and I don't have it.

So here's how you can help keep the lights on for your favorite panda girl:

• Buy @buttonhook, our awesome games zine full of short crit and commentary and even weird recipes from yours truly. It's a co-op zine so I get a little something from every sale, and it's one of the coolest gigs I've had as a writer so I hope to get to keep doing it
• Buy my games. Did you know I'm a tabletop RPG designer? You do now. Here's some cool games you can check out and give me money for.
  • The Bedroom Wall Press Collection is a complete digital set of my past published old-school RPGs, including the beloved SF dungeon crawler Hulks and Horrors. PWYW.
  • Battle Carrior Kharon is my latest, a micro RPG/wargame about trans mecha pilots fighting alien gods. $5 or more.
  • If you prefer print, you can get POD copies of Hulks & Horrors and Arcana Rising over on my DriveThruRPG page.
• Give me a job. I'm an 8 years' senior web developer with a strong history in functional programming, and as you can see I'm also a writer and game designer, and even a voice talent, and I'd love to have a chat about what I can do for you via email at annie AT redpanda DOT fun.
  • Need to see a resume first? No problem
  • I'm also on Github of course, though I don't do much FOSS work these days, but I designed a programming language, a game engine, and a web framework.
  • Need some more writing samples? How about my original SF fiction series pilot, my short fanfics, my Medium stories, or my former blog?
  • If you'd prefer to hear my vocal/acting/comedy skills, maybe check out my Youtube channel, my performance of All's Well That Ends Well with Abigail Thorne and Mia Mulder, or my comedic take on Elm programming from ClojuTRE 2018.
• If you just want to pitch in some cash 'cause you like my posts or just don't want to go through various middle men, I have a Ko-Fi and donations are welcome. I've even helpfully embedded it in this post to save you some time!
• Finally, if you're broke too, share my stuff! Play my stuff! Talk about my stuff! Tell me what you liked about it! I've been really struggling this past few years and it's always nice to hear some encouraging words.

Thanks so much for everyone's time and love on this site, it's the best place on the internet.

And that means bills.

I've got a possible job opportunity in the very last stages but still not at offer yet, and in the meantime I'm short on groceries and rent and summer heat-wave inflated power bill coming due.

I could really use all the help you can give.

Thanks.

Alright folks, the time is past due to do a big sticky post 'cause I've got too many, and also, things are starting to look properly dire.

I've been out of work now for 7 months, and my savings are running out. If I start selling off some dead weight I'll be lucky to get another 3 months, but it's looking more like 2 before I'm homeless. I have been sending resume after resume but I guess for all this industry loves to complain about "people don't want to work anymore", they also don't want to hire the weird tranny with the eclectic resume. I'm taking steps to expand my horizons and try and make paid writing more of a thing for me again but it's going to take time and I don't have it.

So here's how you can help keep the lights on for your favorite panda girl:

• Buy @buttonhook, our awesome games zine full of short crit and commentary and even weird recipes from yours truly. It's a co-op zine so I get a little something from every sale, and it's one of the coolest gigs I've had as a writer so I hope to get to keep doing it
• Buy my games. Did you know I'm a tabletop RPG designer? You do now. Here's some cool games you can check out and give me money for.
  • The Bedroom Wall Press Collection is a complete digital set of my past published old-school RPGs, including the beloved SF dungeon crawler Hulks and Horrors. PWYW.
  • Battle Carrior Kharon is my latest, a micro RPG/wargame about trans mecha pilots fighting alien gods. $5 or more.
  • If you prefer print, you can get POD copies of Hulks & Horrors and Arcana Rising over on my DriveThruRPG page.
• Give me a job. I'm an 8 years' senior web developer with a strong history in functional programming, and as you can see I'm also a writer and game designer, and even a voice talent, and I'd love to have a chat about what I can do for you via email at annie AT redpanda DOT fun.
  • Need to see a resume first? No problem
  • I'm also on Github of course, though I don't do much FOSS work these days, but I designed a programming language, a game engine, and a web framework.
  • Need some more writing samples? How about my original SF fiction series pilot, my short fanfics, my Medium stories, or my former blog?
  • If you'd prefer to hear my vocal/acting/comedy skills, maybe check out my Youtube channel, my performance of All's Well That Ends Well with Abigail Thorne and Mia Mulder, or my comedic take on Elm programming from ClojuTRE 2018.
• If you just want to pitch in some cash 'cause you like my posts or just don't want to go through various middle men, I have a Ko-Fi and donations are welcome. I've even helpfully embedded it in this post to save you some time!
• Finally, if you're broke too, share my stuff! Play my stuff! Talk about my stuff! Tell me what you liked about it! I've been really struggling this past few years and it's always nice to hear some encouraging words.

Thanks so much for everyone's time and love on this site, it's the best place on the internet.