I've had time to process my job loss, and the reality still stings. My performance wasn't stellar, and the crushing stress made it unbearable. I've started to feel better, waking up with a new perspective, picking up the pieces. I've got some savings to get by, but this life in Kansas has nothing left for me. The job market is dreadful. Living in a garage with little privacy while dealing with my family's antics—it's suffocating, despite my gratitude for their support.

Life is a series of give and takes, and it's time for me to take my leave. I'm searching for a new job, a new place to call home, a blank chapter waiting to be written.