So, this post is for those of you who are still following me or expecting updates. I commend you. Personally, I usually stop following people on social media after a set amount of inactivity. Personally.
Why have I stopped: Well, it's not that I no longer have anything to say. I've just been saying it in shorter capacity, usually via Facebook or Twitter, especially when it comes to LGBTQ* politics. Not really worth getting into Blogger format, and frankly I forgot about it after awhile.
What I've been doing: This time last year, I did something rash. I called out my racist boss. In response, I lost my post. On paper, it was considered my request, but what would you do? Continue to sit around and wait to see what happens while you continue to face harassment at every turn? And going in at 11pm to 7am and killing yourself mentally for the privilege? No thanks.
A month later, I was reassigned to a daytime account for a few months. I would still be there if I hadn't collapsed from pain on the job in July. When I went to get it looked at, I was ultimately accused of faking it, and my Worker's Comp was denied, mostly because the doctors' official statements were that my taking of HRT was "a pre-existing condition." Because obviously I couldn't possibly be hurt by any other factor than gender dysphoria once it entered my record, right?
I spent the next 6 months in an odd place. I was constantly looking for new part time jobs while I started up my formal college education, entering Long Beach City College in Fall 2012 for my General Eds at age 25. While that gave me some mental satisfaction, the fact that I was unemployable even by the Lowest Common Denominator jobs like Target, Walmart, McDonald's, Burger King, and Taco Bell certainly hurt. I mean, I had been in the customer service workforce since 2005, and I can't get going anywhere? Even for 10 hours a week? Ridiculous. I know these places are hiring, just not me.
It was a blessing in disguise, I would later learn. You see, my wife Elizabeth (whom I should mention I married officially in April 2012 just weeks after losing my post) had a friend from high school days visit in December, and he told us about how he finally kicked off the sickness of corporate employment to follow his dream of becoming a craft beer brewmeister. It was inspiring to talk to him that day, and I decided to put my accumulated music skills on the bass to good use.
So I spent the next several months pressing every form of music classified I could find, and visiting countless stores to post my resume and business cards. Finally, these past few weeks, it's beginning to pan out. Tomorrow I go in for a jazz show on the Marina here in Long Beach, and if I play well, it could become a weekly Sunday Afternoon gig. And that is an amazing start.
I'm probably not going to be writing often on this blog. But I plan on keeping it alive as best I can, as I continue to hear it is a useful account for other people, especially my accounts of my surgery experience. So for that reason, it will remain alive. Kind of.
As a member of the American Federation of Musicians, I was given discount access to my own website, so I'm rebuilding www.serawohldmannmusic.com. I understand the requests I've made will be heavily based on WordPress, so expect to see me writing little snippets of musical promotion over there. If you want politics and LGBTQ* commentary, find me on Facebook by my name or on Twitter @SWohldmann. And if you used to follow my short lived Vlog on YouTube, sorry, but that probably isn't going anywhere, either. However, the channel will feature musical uploads as they happen. All of these are completely public, so help yourselves. If you're just going to troll me, I'll deal with you one at a time.
Take care,
~Sera Wohldmann
String Bass & Bass Guitar, Serving Long Beach and Southern California since 2012.
