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A New Chapter
🕑 Added 2024-07-02 00:46:51 +0000 UTCHey everyone,
I know the world is well overdue for an update on my life and the future of my content creation, so let me fill you in, wherever you are, with the whole story.
A Quick Recap
In 2019, I went full-time creating content. It was a tough decision, but one my partner and I discussed. With a few freelancing side gigs, we agreed we were in a place where I could make a go of it.
I still remember my first video as a full-time YouTuber; the video only did so-so, but I remember being filled with creative energy I had never enjoyed quite as much before. The channel began to pick up in the following months. As the pandemic took over our lives, it was a privilege to weather lockdown with a way to communicate and educate, my two favourite stings even when stuck inside.
Eventually, with my partner in a new all-remote job, we realized we couldn't make a small apartment in Toronto work anymore, so we left for London, where we live now. We were still in a good place, and things were modest but doable.
Then, everything tripled in price. Inflation in Canada has been especially bad because our country is run by cartels that regularly get busted for price fixing and monopolistic behaviour. Canadian businesses realized they could use inflation to massively increase prices across the board, making record profits and leaving everyone else SOL.
We also had some of the most aggressive interest rate increases the world had ever seen, leading to mass layoffs and rents launching completely off into space. I was used to a status quo of making just a bit more than I spent, but once this set in around 2022, my financials looked grim. Nebula picked me up in just the nick of time to keep things going. Still, it was becoming increasingly clear that I was on borrowed time, especially with my growing young son. I debated what I could do to even things out, taking part-time work, freelancing, whatever.
Then, my partner got laid off—on my birthday, no less. We were going to be in really tough financial straits come 2024. Unemployment was astonishingly high. Fights were breaking out nationwide for the chance to SUBMIT RESUMES. She eventually found another job, though at a significant pay cut. So, around February of 2024, we decided to return content creation to side hustle status. I focused on getting full-time employment. I had just a few sponsorships booked but needed to get on it.
And that brings us to today. I am thrilled to share that tomorrow marks the beginning of my new full-time job, a 9 to 5 Monday to Friday role. While I can't reveal too many details, I can tell you that it's a great opportunity to use the skills I've honed as a content creator for a meaningful cause. I'm looking forward to this new chapter, but I also feel a tinge of nostalgia as it marks the end of a significant phase in my life.
Future
I want to lay out what this means for you. As I said in a video I made a few months back, this isn't the end of me. Still, this means my content creation will be greatly diminished as it becomes a thing I fit into my now minimal free time. I have a video in the works right now that I just started scriptwriting on, another I am deep in research on, and we have a season of episodes of the podcast nearly finished recording. I also make no promises, but I will make shorter, vloggy videos exclusively for patrons and Nebula to ensure you aren't wasting your money on my work. However, I can understand if you cancel your membership at this rate, as my production schedule is vastly diminished. I might have a better idea after a few weeks of the new job. All I can promise now is what little I can do with my leftover energy after work, and the toddler take their fill on evenings and weekends.
There is a bit of a silver lining to this. Part of being a full-time creator put me in a spot where sponsorship deadlines made videos have to happen quickly to keep the bills paid. Now, with my ability to have food, mortgage payments, and daycare no longer relying on me yelling at the camera once a month, I have already gotten excited about being a little more ambitious about what I do. I can't wait to show you what I'm working on, and I might have some BTS stuff along the way. Your continued support will help with hiring an editor, getting props, and maintaining equipment to keep this channel going.
Before I sign off, I want to express my heartfelt gratitude for the unwavering support you've shown me over the years. Not everyone gets the chance to experience their '15 minutes of fame ', and I've been fortunate enough to enjoy a good few years of it. I hope to continue doing what I love: teaching and communicating. There are still many stories to share, and I hope we can continue to have a great time, or at the very least, an enlightening time together.
Now, excuse me, I gotta go figure out how to use Microsoft Teams...
Comments
Pim Coremans
I wish you the best in your new job. It sucks that things ended up like this but I am glad you managed to find a more stable source of income. I will be looking forward to the videos you can create in your limited capacity.
Sophie 🏳️⚧️
Hi Tristain, it's good to hear from you. I joined your patreon after you announced that video essays were going on the back burner. Your content has been instrumental in my process of unlearning and I am happy to be able to contribute in the small way I can, upload frequency be damned. Keep fighting the good fight comrade, and know your community will always be here for you.
