Sunday Post with Berls | COVID Quarantine Week 12

News at Home: COVID Quarantine Week 12

Holy wow what a week! Like I feel like I lived a couple months this week, which is fairly par for the course this year (which feels like it’s at least a decade). So I’ll start with the good and then you can skim lol.

First, with the GREAT news. I got a job!!! **happy dance** Now for the week-that-was-a-few-months blow-by-blow.

So if you recall (because of course you’re keeping track of my life lol), I received an email regarding a job that wasn’t even posted last week on Tuesday and had the first interview on Friday. We scheduled a second interview for Tuesday at 10 a.m. Well the other position that I had already had a second interview with emailed Monday asking if I could hop on for a quick video chat on Tuesday at 10 a.m. because in the previous interview no one turned on their webcams. Eek! Sorry, no I can’t I have a prior commitment. Okay, how about Wednesday at 11? Eek! Sorry no, Dante had a doctor’s appointment (more about that later). So we finally scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday.

A couple challenges about these interviews:

1. They are video interviews, so I need to get dressed, do my hair, makeup, etc. while watching Dante.
2. My husband, who thankfully works for our apartment complex, has to take a break to come watch Dante during the interview. He shows up 10 minutes before the interview so I can throw my clothes on (I’ve done hair and makeup ahead of time, but no clothes because babies make messes!), lock myself in the bedroom, fix the lighting, and setup my computer for the interview. As soon as I hit disconnect, I’m cleaning up the setup and changing my clothes so that Kiko can get back to work.

Point being, it is no small thing to do these interviews. Anyway.

Monday was also full of stress regarding Dante’s Doctor appointment Wednesday. See, Dante was born with 1 undescended testicle. In many cases, it finishes coming down by time the boy is 4 months, but Dante’s did not (which is also fairly common). We were supposed to take him to a urologist in April but it was canceled because of COVID and rescheduled for this week. My husband didn’t want me to take him because in his mind Dante is happy, so why mess with it? In my mind, we need to make sure he’s still going to be okay. So there was some arguing and lots of stress. Like, I actually thought I might have to tell him I was doing what I thought was right for Dante and if he didn’t like it he could leave. Thankfully it did not come to that. But yeah, STRESSFUL.

Tuesday I had my second interview for the second position and it went GREAT. I was pretty confident that I nailed it, but I still needed to do a third interview with the main doctor I would be supporting. And my salary sounded like it might be a challenge for them due to budget cuts. But it also sounded like they wanted me, so I was very hopeful.

Wednesday morning went by in a blur. I was taking care of Dante, packing his diaper bag for the Dr’s appointment, doing hair and makeup for the interview, laying his clothes out for Kiko to dress him while I was in my interview (because we would have to leave right after), making his breakfast (the boy pretty much demands eggs for breakfast every day now lol), and just as I was getting him in his hair chair to eat it was 9:50 and Kiko was walking in to watch him while I did my interview. A total blur. The interview was fast and great. They really just wanted me to see them. I had thought that maybe it was that they had more questions for me, but no. We talked for like 10 minutes (I asked a couple questions about work hours and upcoming duties) and they asked me if I still wanted to work with them now that I’d seen them. I almost laughed. How awkward if I was like, “well actually no, now that I’ve seen you, I’ll pass” LOL! Of course I wanted to work with them still.

Then it was time for the doctor. Sure enough, it was as I expected and feared. Dante needs surgery to bring the testicle down. Kiko has been like 100% against surgery (and I don’t particularly love the idea), so I asked tons of questions about waiting, other options, etc. End of story: waiting enhances the chance for complications, health problems (including testicular cancer), and pain for Dante. So yeah, we won’t be waiting. They gave me four dates and I came home and dreaded telling Kiko (only 1 parent was allowed at the appointment because of COVID). Thankfully I have not only a good referral, but a close friend who used this surgeon for her son. So I feel as confident as possible and the surgery is low risk. Kiko threw a mini temper tantrum when I told him. Seriously y’all, I’m the logical one and he’s so emotional. He kicked a table and hurt his foot (LOL, Karma!) and then later when he was holding Dante it was like he was ready to cry. This is why he also sucks at sleep training (something else we’ve been doing this week). So Dante’s surgery is scheduled for June 22nd, which is before I get laid off (because at this point I did not know for sure I’d get a job and I wanted this done while I have my good health insurance).

Thursday… oh right, Thursday is when I got the offer for the first position (the one that I had the third interview on Wednesday just so I could see them). There was no salary negotiation to do because it’s a lateral transfer within the company and since that was the only thing that could potentially make me really favor one position over the other, I accepted immediately. And then we  (the company recruiter and I, because they use internal recruiters for all positions) started talking start date.

Recruiter: They want you 6/22.

Ummm you mean the day of Dante’s surgery? Crap.

Me: Can I start 6/24?

Recruiter: Should be fine.

later that day…

Recruiter: They’d like you earlier. How about 6/15?

shit… what about childcare? I called daycare to try and get Dante back in 6/29, but I don’t think we can do earlier. Will I still be working from home? And his surgery?

So at that point, I decided to just talk to my soon-to-be-boss directly and be straight with her. I figured, if we can’t talk through this and work it out, how will I ever work for her? It was a good move, as she was very understanding and had a great reason for wanting me to start earlier. And I’ll still be working from home. And I can take off whatever I need to for Dante’s surgery, she was completely understanding. Phew.

Friday I officially accepted the position and emailed the other position to let them know. I haven’t heard back from them. I was as professional as possible and wished them the best, because I didn’t want to burn any bridges. They knew I was interviewing elsewhere, but I hope they aren’t upset with me.

So yeah, I start my new job 6/15. Which means I have 1 more week in this position and tons of shit to get done. I basically worked all day Saturday trying to do close out tasks. But It’s an incredible relief. We need to figure out childcare for the week of the 15th, since I won’t be able to keep working the way I have been (my current position has been super flexible on the account of the lay off). I think my stepson Franky will be coming over to help me with Dante that week. The following week I’ll take 2-3 days for Dante’s surgery and Kiko will take the other 2-3 days. And then the following week he’ll go to daycare (assuming they have space – they told me to check with them on Monday).

On top of all that, there’s the way our world continues to implode this week. As a black woman, with a black brother, who actually has thought how thankful she is that her son turned out looking more Hispanic than Black because he’ll be slightly safer that way, it’s been a very emotional week. Friday my step son posted on instagram about the #blacklivesmatter movement and I teared up with pride. Let me share his post with you:

 

View this post on Instagram

 

(“There comes a time when silence is betrayal.” – Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.) I’m always heedful when it comes to approaching anything serious because most people know me as the “funny guy who posts pics of aliens and shiz” but this is a topic I don’t think anyone can stay silent on, I’m not even white I’m Mexican but since I look like the whitest mother fricker around I know the privilege and luxury that us people with white skin receive, I know all of this stuff going on has made many people uncomfortable but that’s a good thing no one should be comfortable with what’s going on right now, so many black people have to be on edge every single day with every little move they make because of the racist prejudice system of law enforcement we have today killing them for the most trivial of things that any white person could walk away from with having only received a warning, it’s so stupid and heartbreaking to watch not only cops but everyday people treat others like they are worthless just because of the color of their skin and now people are finally and rightfully so taking a stand against this treatment, take it into your own hands to wake up and see what’s going on, as a white person how often are you stopped by police officers while just jogging minding your own business? or how often are you just buying groceries and all of the sudden get followed around the store?, how often do you get called names or even attacked just because of the color of your skin, these small things that we don’t even realize we get to do without a problem are something other HUMAN beings have to worry about on the daily and it’s ridiculous, for everyone out there who does have to deal with this I am so sorry that it’s been this way for so long and I am sorry I will never understand myself what it is you are going through but I promise you’ve got me by your side and things will change, and for all the people who don’t have to deal with this don’t stay quiet just because you feel like it’s not your business IT IS your business to take a stand against injustice regardless of if you are part of the group receiving the abuse. thank you. ways to help: https://blacklivesmatters.carrd.co/

A post shared by Frank Mason (@frnkmsn) on Jun 4, 2020 at 12:23pm PDT

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So he’s a great kid (when did 20 year olds become kids in my mind?), who never seems to take anything seriously. And sometimes you wonder if the things you’ve taught him have every really sunk in. We have worked hard over the years to co-parent. And in this post I see all 4 of our influences and I just couldn’t be prouder. His mom has probably the most loving, inclusive home you could hope for. I have always challenged Franky to stay politically and socially informed. Kiko forces conversations, makes Franky talk about things. And Jose challenges him to do so respectfully and calmly. So it was a really proud moment as a parent. Like he gets it. He really gets it.

In fact, Gen Z… they get it y’all. I think they’re finally going to accomplish what so many of us have been fighting for all these years. They’re gonna change the world. Hell, I think 2020 might just change the world. We’re not even halfway and look at all that’s happened this year. I’m going to hope that all this struggle of 2020 means we’ll emerge in 2021 stronger, healthier, and more united.

And sorry for basically writing a book this week! I hope you’re staying safe and had a great week!

How was your week? What are you Reading?

Berls feels like she lived a year this week! Learn about her week in the Sunday Post with Berls. Share on X

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