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)
Healthcare in the United States
It always shocks me when so many people defend the healthcare system in the United States of America. The idea that one’s health insurance should be tied to one’s employer, thereby putting all decision-making in the hands of that employer, who is very rarely putting the needs of its employees over the company’s bottom line. This practice is defended by so many that I cannot help but wonder if they have ever had health insurance that their employer did not provide. Or can it be that all of those people work for companies that put their employees’ healthcare needs over profits?
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Journal
Corporate Retail Payroll Budgets
It never ceases to amaze me when I hear customers complaining that employees do not want to help them or saying “they need to hire more people.” Even before the labor shortage, employee assistance was often limited at many stores, especially in the craft industry. I have worked retail for most of my life, but it was eye-opening for me when I shifted from small businesses to working for a corporation. I went from managing a store where three employees per shift on the weekend was “short-staffed” to three employees on the weekend being a dream come true.
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Journal
- Top Story - May 2022
The Evolution of a Female GamerTop Story - May 2022
When I was a kid, I was one of the very few girls who played video games. It wasn’t something that girls did back in the 1980s. Little girls were supposed to play with Barbies and baby dolls. They were supposed to play dress up and pretend to be wives and mothers, I guess in preparation for their adult lives. While I did play with my Barbies on occasion, usually with my cousins, I didn’t pretend Barbie was dating Ken or was always dressing up for parties. Barbie had real issues to deal with in her life. My Ken was often a murderer and Barbie had to solve the crime before the other Barbies were victims. Sometimes Barbie’s life was normal, but most of the time I preferred to play with Star Wars action figures, Legos, and Hot Wheels because there was more action to them. As the gaming industry began to develop, I started to shift to more video games. I was unknowingly laying the foundations of becoming a gamer.
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Gamers
Why Aloy is the Character Female Gamers Need
Yes, I am an adult female gamer — a growing crowd over the last several years. I have been gaming since I was a little girl during the age of the ColecoVision and the Atari 2600. In a previous article titled “ The Evolution of a Female Gamer,” I shared my experiences as the gaming industry progressed, mainly playing online during the early days of Xbox Live. There is an area of gaming that has drawn the attention of the female gamer that I touched on a bit in that article: female lead characters.
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Gamers
"Everyone Is Hiring," but it's Still Hard to Find a Job
We have all heard the news about the ongoing labor shortage and that jobs are available everywhere. If you tell someone you are looking for a job, you will often receive the response that "everywhere is hiring right now." While it certainly seems that way, I can tell you this is not the case, or at least that employers are unwilling to hire just anyone, even if they are perfectly qualified.
By Jen Sullivan2 years ago in Journal
The Quilter
When I was younger, I was definitely an outdoor kid. Riding bikes, playing in the huge dirt pile my dad created, or just exploring the neighborhood. As I got older, I became a video gamer and tech geek, usually sitting at my computer playing a game or listening to music. Eventually I would learn the basics of computer repair and would often help out a friend with tech problems just for the challenge. I sold wine for twelve years, split between two different companies. After medical problems forced me to leave my job managing the wine shop at the Pennsylvania Renaissance Faire, I took the first job I could get: a part-time supervisor at a fabric store. That was when I learned I had an interest in quilting buried deep inside of me, like a genetic code hidden within, buried under my father’s genetic predisposition to tinker, build, and fix things. I could sew basic quilts, and I kind of enjoyed it.
By Jen Sullivan3 years ago in Lifehack
Women Without Children
For as long as I can remember, I always insisted I never wanted children. I didn’t like kids—I still do not, to some degree. People would often tell me I would change my mind when I got older. They would tell me that it’s different when it's your own kid. Clearly they never understood my issues with kids. It’s not that I hate them, it's that I want to be able to get away from them. I don’t want to listen to them cry or deal with their temper tantrums. I don’t want to smell their diapers or touch their sticky hands. I enjoy hanging out with them and playing with toys, I just like to be able to hand them back to their parents when it comes time for responsibility. Some people completely understand this point of view, but more often, us women who don’t want kids are looked down upon as if there is something wrong with us. It’s as if there are people out there who think our only job in life is to produce and raise children. I know there are women who felt obligated, even though they didn’t want kids, and that isn’t fair to anyone, especially the child. In today’s world, it is shocking that there are still women who are shamed for their life decisions regarding children, and it just isn’t right.
By Jen Sullivan3 years ago in Viva