Jen Sullivan
Bio
I am a gamer, a geek, a writer, an entrepreneur, and a gardener, among many things. I have a lot of knowledge and opinions to share with the world, along with creations from my chaotic mind.
Stories (55/0)
Ghosted by Subway
My ongoing struggle with finding work seems to have reached an impasse. I gave in and finally applied to the Subway near my house, expecting to hear back quickly from them after months of seeing a handwritten sign in their window that they were urgently hiring and offering flexible hours. I heard nothing, sealing the idea that I am simply un-hirable.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Psyche
Ophelia's Revenge: Six Years in the Making
In 2016, I published my first novella through Kindle Direct Publishing and a company called Createspace (now owned by Amazon). Titled Pirate Ophelia, it is an adventure story about a woman and her desire to become a pirate, giving a fictional, almost feminist twist to a story sprung from bits of the real history of the Caribbean. Looking back, it isn’t the greatest of my writing, but it served its purpose: to help me work through some mental health issues and move on from post-traumatic stress. My increase in nightmares went back to normal and I was able to recover, both mentally and physically, from a semi-abusive work environment.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Psyche
Lament of the 2020 Election
I always like to see my Facebook memories every day to see what I was doing in previous years. Sometimes it’s a picture that brings back memories, and sometimes it’s just random memes that make me laugh. Every once in a while, I find a gem — a well-thought essay from before I started publishing online for the world to see. The following is one of those gems. This was a post I wrote on November 4, 2020, just as the presidential election results were still pouring in. A few lines were omitted because they were only intended for my friends to see. I feel that the rest is still relevant to this day.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in The Swamp
Anxiety: Getting Worse with Age
I cannot keep a regular job. I left my last actual job after toxic fumes from a leaking product were causing me respiratory problems, forcing me to use my rescue inhaler regularly. Since my asthma diagnosis over 30 years ago, I’ve rarely had to use my inhaler more than once a week, if even that often. I was using it almost every day I worked. That ended when I left that job after exhausting all options to create a safer work environment. OSHA was no help, and, as far as I know, the issue remains to this day.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Psyche
Rejected Again
I had worked for TJ Maxx briefly in 2020, right in between working for a local bank and working for Michaels. The job was not the greatest, and I knew that going in, but I liked the manager. I left on good terms, taking a higher-paying position at Michaels in the same shopping center.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Journal
Our Precious Democracy
Over the past few days, I’ve been reading the book I Alone Can Fix It: Donald J. Trump’s Catastrophic Final Year by Carol Leonnig and Philip Rucker. Well, I’ve been having Alexa read it to me while I play Minecraft or work on other projects in an attempt to finally tackle my ever-growing “books to read” list. Though I do read plenty, it seems the combo of audiobooks and Minecraft is excellent for calming the anxiety within this mildly dyslexic individual.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in The Swamp
Why Cats Matter
“Cats do not give us too many chances. Abuse a cat’s trust twice and you could be history, for cats are much less forgiving than dogs and will often lose their trust in you should you behave badly. A dog gives you infinite slack; not so a cat.” Jeffrey Moussaieff Masson
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Petlife
A Gamer Wife
One of the questions many women get asked (and I’m sure men do as well) is how or where did they meet their spouse. It took me years to get to the point that I felt I was ready for a significant other. By then, online dating was normal, and that’s how I met my husband--on a site called OKCupid.
By Jen Sullivan10 months ago in Gamers
A Tribute to Luigi
Ever have someone ask, “what drives you?” Whether in a job interview, in some sort of mental health consultation, or anywhere else that question might be appropriate. I find that it often pops up in job interviews, and I wonder each time what exact answer they are seeking. Are they hoping you will say the desire to work for the company drives you? Or the desire to make money? There does not seem to be an appropriate answer to the question. Either you are driven by greed, the desire to please a corporate machine, or by a desire unrelated to the job in question. The likely answer for most individuals is family or love.
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Psyche