2024 really was something

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How much is 100% out of 0?

So a friend of mine called me up yesterday. He’s currently working on a well-paying job in Macau and called to frantically and impatiently make a case that we should bid and purchase a plot of land in Saaremaa, nearby his abode, to start a seasonal italian pizza place and a bar. In any other circumstance I would have jumped on that opportunity. But I was less than enthusiastic. I tried to explain to him as vaguely as possible about my current financial predicaments. He insisted he did not need money, just my time and support. And I struggled to explain to him neither one of those was an option for me. That I needed those same hours to be exchanged into cold, hard currency. That I had outstanding debts to pay and bills to cover. That I couldn’t afford to give up my time, since it was the only transferable currency I had at the moment.

Something about that call made my current situation feel so much more real. I’d been hitting snooze on self pity for months, but having flunked my driving lesson the same day that call came made it so much more real. I suppose things have been a bit shitty for a while, but I’d done my best not to let it get to me too much. Keep up and grinding. And yesterday it felt as if it all came to a screeching halt. 

It’s one thing to be out of a job for a moment, out of free will and wanderlust. It’s a completely different matter to be out of a decent gig for two years in a row, with at least 200 other decent and competent applicants for every position you’re eyeing. Even with getting to the last round on many of those positions, there’s always been someone a bit younger and just a tad more talented. Despite really broadening my skills I still keep coming up a bit short. The harsh reality is the job market is simply in a shitty place, with few opportunities available for my skillset, and with the increasing obsession with bottom lines and profit margins in various industries, the job pools have become really shallow. That thin branch of escitalopram is not meant for such heavy lifting. 

I jokingly say that I only write here when things are bad. But when things are good, you’re simply going through the motions, experiencing them. There’s less room and need for contemplation. Yet when things aren’t great, you need to make space for reflection. 

I guess this is one of those? 

Strap on your job helmet

 

That’s pretty much accurate. In the past two years, I’ve had a couple of really solid leads for a position that I haven’t managed to secure for whatever reason. In a couple of cases, it was due to my own high level of self-criticism; in others, it was due to very rough competition or other plans that conflicted directly with the position. But now, after sending what feels like dozens of applications and not even getting an automated response back, it’s starting to feel a little scary. I am in a position where I have the luxury of holding out for a great offer, yet it starts to feel as if there might not be any of those any time soon.

Anyways, I’ve been so bored that I’ve done a few different courses in business and computer graphics. It hasn’t actually helped me land a job, but it’s kept me busy. And in the end, isn’t that the most important thing? To just keep busy?

A whole lot of problems

Täna oli veits sitt päev. Elukaaslasel oli tööga seoses sitt tuju, mul oli intensiivne koolituspäev raamatupidamise teemal. Selgus, et üks ettevõte oli saatnud mulle proovitöö ning ma polnud seda meili lihtsalt märganud. Lisaks selgus, et tasuta Figma koolitusele registreerimine lõppes 02.06, kolm päeva tagasi, ning oli välja kuulutatud juba kuu tagasi. Mida ma polnud märganud, kuna nende koduleht oli kipakas ja ma ei leidnud seda infot sealt üles. Tagatipuks on mu firma koduleht (mis, iroonilisel kombel, on mu firma üks suurematest kuluartiklitest) hetkel maas, kuna soovisin selle uuele hostingupaketile üle kolida, aga selleks, et seda teha, peavad mul mõlemad paketid korraga aktiivsed olema. Ning mu eelmine pakett aegus… 02.06. Ehk juhhei. 

Lisaks pole mul aega olnud käia ämma lekkivat bideed parandamas ning rõdu oleks vaja veel tänase jooksul üle lakkida.

A whole lot of problems ühesõnaga. 

okay, let's go

2023 was a very interesting and relaxing year. It was a year of travelling and letting go of prior inhibitions, of zoning out of relationships and obligations that brought you no enjoyment or evolution, small relapses, more adventures, some drama, arguments and fights, make-ups, shake-ups and a newly found sense of calm. Mostly due to medications. Thanks, Ecitalopram.

1. Social life. Dead. This year saw a big regression in my social life. Despite having more free time than ever, the desire to socialize and mingle was at my lowest. I tried to keep in touch with the loved ones, but due to my hermit life at home, some financial pressures, sudden health issues and reduced social standing due to unemployment made me a little… socially avoidant. That being said, I did spend an obscene amount of time at my mother-in-law’s this year. For the next year… If I’m being honest I don’t want to give any false promises or fake goals. We’ll see. 

2. Career. Dead. This year has been really humbling in terms of career prospects. Mostly filled with procrastination and rejection letters. Getting rejected repeatedly and feeling frustrated for a lack of progression in both my work and my skills. I did take a couple of 3D courses to extend my skills and capabilities, but even there has been very progress since. The travel and everything associated with organizing it took most of the time. So the next years goal? Get a job. A paying job. Consistent office job. No fluff. Just have a sustained income and build up some finances. 

3. Family. Alive. Read point 1. They are still there. Sister is raising her newborn, mother is still working in that dungeon and my partner’s uncle still has cancer. We meet rarely but try to make the most of it. Next year? Mostly the same, I’m afraid. 

4. Investments/finances. Not great. The markets were harsh this year. It would have taken a lot of effort to make good investments this year, especially considering my precarious financial position (you know, being unemployed). But investments don’t have to be purely financial. I went through two introductory courses on 3D graphics and focused mostly on bettering my mental state and five-year relationship. But I wasn’t a complete dummy - I managed to get all the compensations from previous employer, have a full year of financial support and courses from unemployment office and still have most of my savings left. That is… until the fifth item on this list. Next year I expect to advance my skills in UX/UI, develop a skills framework to allow me to work from anywhere in the world, figure out some form of passive or steady income or find a well-paying full-time position to build up some funds to either invest in a down payment or do round 2 of travelling. I am open to all options. I just don’t want to stay still. 

5. Travel. Venice, Florence, Rome, Stockholm, Helsinki, Kutaisi, Grigoleti, Tbilisi, Kathmandu, Nagarkot, Pokhara, Bangkok, Ao Nang, Khao Sok, Surat Thani, Nong Khai, Vientiane, Vang Vieng, Luang Prabang, Chiang Mai, Koh Phangan, Manchester, Huddersfield, Liverpool, Riga. Or something like that. The big trip finally happened. 90 days of relentless adventure. I expected to be exhausted by this, longing to get back. But being back has been anything but pleasure. Even though I would love nothing more than to turn around and do a second round, at the moment I need to focus on my career and finances. Build up some buffer. 

kes pudelit ei korja, see krooni ei saa

Kui ma mõned nädalad tagasi avaldasin soovi aega ja võimalust asju läbi mõelda, ei olnud ma võib-olla päris kirglikult valmis variandiks, et see võimalus nii kiirelt tuleb. Ent kui reede pärastlõunal mu ülemused mind kõnesse tõmbasid, ei kulunud just üleliia kaua aru saamiseks, millest jutt hakkab olema. Paar bürokraatlikku pisiasja, mõned kasinad viisakused ja läksin rahulikult oma lauda ja kappi puhastama. 

But here's the thing - I HAD been planning for this. Juba enne eelmiselt kohalt lahkumist olin valmis variandiks, et uuel kohal ei pruugi kõik lilleline olla ning võib-olla olen pannud oma panused valele hobusele. Seega olin rohkelt puhverdanud oma sääste, planeerinud nii kodukontori võimalusi, soetanud uue arvuti ning muid tehnilisi vahendeid ning valmistanud end igakülgselt ette olukorraks, kus ma ühel päeval end igapäevaselt enam kella peale kontorisse ei pea jooksutama.

Mitte ainult - suuresti tänu elukaaslasele olin ka põhjalikult kaardistanud töötukassa poolt pakutavaid lahendusi ning teadlik, et kui kõik tähed peaks sirgel mu ette riita langema ja mu töösuhe peaks mingil põhjusel lõppema katseajal, võin kõigi eelduste kohaselt kuni järgmised 100 päeva saada 60% oma eelmise aasta keskmisest töötasust (ning peale seda 40%). Saada pool kuupalka absoluutselt mitte kui millegi tegemise eest (eeldusel, et kasutan siis seda aega reaalselt enese täiendamiseks ning tegemaks asju, mida pikalt olin soovinud) ei ole just halb tehing. Eriti, kui olen sellesse maksude näol juba aastaid investeerinud. 

Lisaks, kui ma ei eksi, võiks see lükata ka mu selle aasta sissetulekud alla mingi lävendi, mis võimaldaks järgmisel aastal rohkem maksutagastust taodelda. I think. Not sure. Whatever. Squeeze every penny my man. 

900 miljonit sekundit

15 miljonit minutit. 250 000 tundi. 10 000 päeva. 1500 nädalat. 342 kuud. 28,5 aastat. 

Umbes nii palju on mul veel pensionini aega. Absoluutselt viimane hetk kodulaenu peale mõelda. 

maybe that ain't quite it

Umbes poolteist kuud tagasi tegin oma eelmise tööga mõneks ajaks lõpparve. Tekkis võimalus proovida edu uues keskkonnas ning kuna olin eelmises täpselt viie aasta vältel hea palga ja rahuliku töö peal jube paksuks ja laisaks läinud, siis tundsin, et oleks õige hetk teha see drastiline liigutus ning end maast lahti rebida, et uutesse kõrgustesse tõusta.  

 Esimesed paar nädalat olid ekstaatilised. Juba esimesest päevast istusin de facto kõigil koosolekutel ning olin hõlmatud kõikmõeldavate projektidega. Spontaanselt sain ülesandeid ja väljakutseid paremalt ja vasakult, mis panid igakülgselt mu oskusi proovile ning võimaldasid haarata ka sabast kinni asjadel, mida ma justkui peaks oskama, ent mille ise aastateks soiku olin jätnud. Teiseks nädalaks tegin pilti, katsetasin uusi rakendusi, liigutasin motionit ja lõikasin videot. LrC, Ps, Ai, Ae, Pr ja Xd huugasid täiega. Tagatipuks haarati mind veel kaasa ühte grafitiprojekti nii foto kui teostuse osas, kuna kolleegil polnud võimalik ise osaleda. Raske, väljakutseid täis, ent põnev.  

Ja siis eelmisel nädalal tõmmati mind ootamatult ühe suure kliendi tööde pealt maha, millesse ma end justkui olin just jõudnud sisse elada. Tulin esmaspäeval tööle ja sain teada, et on otsustatud teisiti ja nüüd oleks ühel teisel tiimil vaja hoopis 130 kahepoolset kaelakaarti. Ja lootuses, et nädal veidi leevendust toob, siis nädala lõpuks sain enda kaela terve posu mingi kolmanda kliendi bännereid. Neidsamu, mida ma käsi südamel olin vandunud, et ma mitte kui kunagi kellegi heaks teha ei kavatse.  

Ja siis see nädal leiab mind ägamas nende bännerite all. Kõik vähegi põnevad asjad, millega ma end eelnevatel nädalatel sain siduda on kadunud kui tina tuhka. Kõik fotoprojektid, igasugu liikuvad jullad ja ägedad värvilised sotsiaalmeediajubinad.  

Ma seadsin töölt lahkumisega endale eesmärgiks, et tähtis pole niivõrd uues kohas sisse sulanduda ja ellu jääda, kuivõrd leida endale see õige uus koht. Koht, kus ma ise sisse sulanduks. Koht, kuhu ma sobiks. Kui ma olin valmis loobuma oma mugavast pehmest laisast kontoritööst, siis seda eesmärgil, et teha mõtestatumat tegevust, mis võimaldaks mul rohkem end loominguliselt teostada. Hetke seisuga tunnen end taaskord kui sibi kellegi teise unistuste tarbeks. 

Äkki reklaam pole ikka päris see? Või olen ma taaskord lihtsalt valel aasal?  

I need a damn vacation to think things through.

I'm all out of me

For the past few weeks, I feel like I've worn myself thin between different people. Like there is no more myself to give. I'm all out of me. And I've come to realize It's not me who's lacking with emotional output - it's the excessive emotional dependencies of other people that are draining me. And I don't know what the best course of action is. Obviously, those people need me, but a complete lack of boundaries on all of their part makes them feel entitled to subjugate me to each of their emotional whims.

Bad Investments

Kannustatuna suurest hurraast, et ma jaanuari lõpus nii riccas olin, otsustasin sukelduda pea ees investeeringutesse. Enam pole ma see vaene proletariaat, kelle kaelal rikkad pursuid saavad ratsutada. Nüüdsest on tulevik mu enese kätes!

Vähemalt nii ma arvasin. Ilma viitsimata vähimalgi määral süveneda (peale ühe 4lk pikkuse blogipostituse) suunasin kiirelt sadakond eurot LHV Kasvukontole. Nähes, et juba päevadega portfelli väärtus euro võrra oli kasvanud, suunasin sinna sadakond eurot lisaks. Kuid kuna hetkel on turud üsnagi volatiilses seisus ning juba viimased kümme aastat kõva bull peal, siis on oodata peatset investeeringute väärtuse kahanemist. Juba kuu viimastel päevadel sain tunda, kuidas mu neljast eurost kasumist oli saanud kuus eurot kahjumit. (9nda märtsi seisuga rohkem nagu -50€).

Samuti tegin lõpuks esimesed isiklikud ostud Funderbeamis. Ostsin väriseva käega osakuid idufirmadesse, millesse olin olnud piisavalt tahumatu ja vaene paar aastat tagasi investeerimaks. Suure hurraaga ostsin veel poole lisaks. Ning hetke seisuga on mu osakud punases (loe: tasuks tegelikult juurde osta). Aga eks ma panustan ka nende puhul pikemale kasvule. Et kuskil kümmekonna aasta pärast oleks hea neid kõrgema väärtusega edasi lükata.

Kogu selle pullitamise ning pillamise tõttu on mu lootused sel kuul 50% palgast kõrvale panna korralikult tümaks tehtud. Eks peab mõnesaja euroga palgapäevani (ülehomme) välja vedama. Õnneks peagi laekuv ülemakstud tulumaks veidi aitab.

trivial pursuits

Umbes kuskil eelmisel nädalal sõitis mul korraks katus ära.

Enne eelmisi jõule olin kindel, et pean rahaliselt peale seda veel tükk aega käppa imema. Kuid kui peale pikki pühi ning nii 400+ eest kingituste ostmist jäi mul veel üle raha igakuiseks säästmiseks, sõitis mul korraks katus ära.

Tegin suure hurraaga ära ka paar pisemat ostu, mida kuid kuni aastaid olin edasi lükanud. Ja peale seda oli järsku... Mis siis nüüd? Põhivajadused on justkui kaetud, soe korter ja kõik eluks vajalik. Lappasin oma pikaajaliste ostude nimekirja, ning kõik tundus nii tühine ning materjalistlik. On mul vaja uut amoled nutikella? Uut kohvimasinat? Tagavaraläpakat? Robottolmuimejat? Need kõik olid vaid asjad. Esemed. Tarbetu tavaar. Consumerist garbage. Eriti, kuna paljude asjade puhul oli nende jahtimine just see põnevaim osa asjast. Peale ostu sooritust seisis suur osa neist asjadest nukralt nurgas.

Aga millega asendada tarbimisest saadava endorfiinipuhangu puudumist? Umbes peale nädalast värisemist sõitis lõpuks lahendus justkui kaubarong mu kolbast sisse. Nii elegantne, nii glamuurne, nii närvekõditav lahendus.

Ma hakkan fucking aktsiaid ostma.

the beauty of settling

2019 was a hard one for all of us. More than we would have guessed. But it was also time for healing. For laying the foundations for the future. Playing it safe and gaining control over my life. And for the most part, it kind-of worked. 

1. Social life. I The beginning of the year was interesting. Since I was semi-homeless, I was definitely depending more on the kindness of strangers. And friends. And it was good to know there are people who still care. But it also outlined the futility of fighting the future - we are all getting older. We have lives of our own. Getting wasted on a tuesday no longer fits in the schedule. But since some of my friends are reluctantly back from their travels, I have high hopes for next year. Let's just keep each other in mind, okay? 

2. Career. No clue. 2019 was a stagnant year. The most fun I had was when I was slacking off, and there was nowhere near enough of that. My personal projects stalled and my freelance dried up. But I have built the foundations to have better options in 2020. 

3. Family. I had presumed I'd have more time for family this year. That turned out to be not the case. Not meeting my mom for two months in a row was probably the low point. At least I've kept in touch online. But efforts were made to meet more often and maybe 2020 will make time for those arrangements. 

4. Investments. None. Nil. The beginning of the year started in a deep dark financial hole. The constant moving and homelessness did not help. However, as the year progressed my finances eventually improved. I was able to save up some money, build a basic home office, spend 400 on presents and still have some money left for living. So investments - no; savings - yes. This year I aim to save up at least 3 grand (harder than it sounds) 

5. Travel. Aside from a brief stint to Helsinki and Stockholm, not much. Spent a week in the middle of Finland, and it was all the vacation I could have ever hoped for. But travelling as a concept stresses me out these days. Home and bed is where my goals lie. Also, my female being busy with uni is not helping. But this year I aspire to have at least two reasonably sized trips (lofty goals, I know) without breaking the bank. At least that's the plan. 

And 2020 will be a complete unknown. And that's not a bad thing. I've played it safe, so I might be ready to take some risks soon. Only time will tell. 

never settle (the sequel)

2018 was pretty fucky year, we can all agree. The whole year delivered poorly, plans did not pan out, things failed to manifest and big enlightenments were few and far between. But it was also a year of liberty and a newfound sense of responsibility for your feelings and actions. Life gave me an abundance of options, but also made me work hard for any actual results.

1. Social life. It was a year of randomly running into old friends and relatives. It felt like there was a strong sense of clarity; why some people remained in your life and why many disappeared. I loathed being so dependant, but often found many of my fears and anxieties holding my relationships back were, in fact, not mutual. There was little resentment on the part of others. I did not know that. Maybe next year I manage to actually connect with some of them on a deeper and more meaningful level.

2. Career. More or less the same. I did manage to get more comfortable once my fear of getting fired subsided. I allowed myself to open up a little, took greater responsibility for my work and also started to respect my own time more. Overall, not quite there, but a whole lot better than the last time we met.

3. Family. I tried, man, I really did. Made sure to show up to family events, spend quality time with sis and mom whenever possible. That being said, it rarely was. Everyone was always overwhelmed, since 2018 was ruthless for our schedules. At least there was intent and desire. Maybe nex year, eh?

4. Investments. Haha. Nah. Nil. Moving four times and making short-sighted expenses guaranteed that I would end the year with my head barely above water. Still owe my mom like €560, so let's just meet in the middle and say I failed miserably.

5. Travel. My piss-poor resources and planning skills guaranteed this year I would not make it far. All my travels ended up being WAY more expensive than planned, flushing any hopes of saving down the drain. At the same time I never denied myself any experiences or comforts. Travelled like an adult, airport lattes and all. Can't say I have too many regrets. Maybe next year just try and make it further than Oslo and London.

And 2019 will definitely not be the year of marriages or children. Like, so very much not.

never settle

2017 was one fuck of a year. It was the year of settling, in every sense of the world. Accepting and embracing the relationship with all it's flaws and merits, letting go of unreal expectations and making some hard choices and decisions. Getting to stare your true market value in the face, understand where you fit in. I wanted to try some normal-ass comfortable middle-class life and that's exactly what I got. And in 2018 I want to do some things differently.

1. Social life. Man, have I fallen behind on this. Literally secluded myself from other people. 2018 I'm not gonna do that shit. I want to go out again. Do things. Feel things. Get hurt. Keep moving. Follow up with friends, many of whom might still not resent me. Go see how they are doing.

2. Career. I have no idea where my current job is going. If anything, it feels like it's not really going. Aside from the salary, it's not quite "goals" either, with me still feeling like a useless rabbit in the corner. The confidence I lost in 2016 and 2017 made sure I'll never shine there. So in 2018, I'mma do me. Whatever that means. Sacrificing a normal career for some random opportunities? Sure. I'm game.

3. Family. I don't have a lot of family left and the ones I have I don't spend nearly enough time with. In 2018 I want to spend more time with my mother, as long as I have her. I wanna help her move out or at least try to fix that awful dump she lives in. Cut some trees, take out some trash, rent or buy an apartment.

4. Investments. I've always felt I've never had enough to invest. The truth is the opposite. It's the pennies you piss down the drain that eventually adds up. I've spent a lot of money on absolutely nothing over the years, going bust before the payday. In 2018 I will start putting money aside, get some cryptocoin and maybe even think about getting some property.

5. Travel. I love to travel. Now that I'm old and comfortable I love to travel in comfort. If you play your cards right, travel does not have to be super expensive. In 2018 I'd love to get out of the country at least once in every 2-3 months. Iceland and US might still be some time away (May-June 2018), but weekend getaways to nearby places with cheap flights are a real thing.

In 2019 we can start thinking about marriage and other goals. But try and keep them off the map for this year, okay?