Bookish and Black #28

As I previously shared, I’ve been staying home with my baby over the past 8 months since she was born. Recently I’ve been trying to find a job and if I’m honest, it’s been hard. I don’t know how other moms do it. It’s so hard to bring my best self to an interview when 30 seconds before logging on I was breastfeeding or ushering a crying baby out of the apartment. It’s hard to interview when I can hear said baby crying in the next room or I can see texts popping up asking if my interview is almost over because she needs me. How do others do it? It’s hard to apply to jobs when I am only alone 3 hours a day and during that time I need to do laundry. I need to put away the toys. I need to cook dinner. I need to relax. I need to go to sleep before it all starts again. How does everyone do it? It’s hard to apply to jobs because in order to work my baby will need to go to daycare. How do I choose the job worth leaving my baby all day? How can I do it?

I’m stuck and I don’t know how to get unstuck.  I want a job, I need a job for my sanity, not to mention for my finances. I’ve also developed complicated feelings towards work over the last few years. I want to work and be part of a company and have that camaraderie with coworkers but I also hate how wrapped up in identity work can be. I’m working through those feelings daily as I continue my search.

I don’t know how to leave this except to say that the struggle is real but I know I’ll find the right fit for myself professionally.

Since they say to tap your network, if anyone knows of a company hiring, preferably in communication/content marketing/social media, please let me know. I’m also open to research, project management, and social welfare/social work type jobs. Remote ideal, based in the DC area if in person necessary.

Books and more

Next week’s newsletter will focus on a reading update from July. It has the highest of highs but also some that fell pretty flat. I can’t wait to share and hopefully hear what you all have been reading. I’m currently reading Free Food for Millionaires, which I thought was a new release but was actually a re-release with a new cover. It follows Casey, a Korean American woman living in New York in the early 90s. As someone who was a kid in the 90s, I always love re-visiting it from the perspective of adults. I’m also listening to Empire of Pain on audio and it is SO fascinating.

I’m currently on vacation (or should I call it a trip since there’s no such thing as vacation with kids) in Cote d’Ivoire. It’s nice to escape the United States for a bit and be surrounded by family.

A bien tôt,
Sarah

---

If you enjoy finding this newsletter in your inbox, please encourage your friends to subscribe.

This email contains affiliate links. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link, I earn a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting Bookish and Black!