COVID-19 Journal #2 Happy Apocalypse

All this COVID-19 chaos happened so fast, we all have whiplash. Someone asked me how I’m dealing with it, and the truth is, there’s just so many moments of mini-panic, hope, weirdness, frustration, and silly things happening all the time. Quarantine life is weird, and makes for bizarre dreams. A week ago I was doom-spiraling, but for now I’m kind of enjoying my #coronalifestyle, especially since my partner is no longer sick. She’s officially out of quarantine (in the bedroom, that is). We’re still self-quarantined in our home, I disinfect the door knobs and sink handles a couple times a day, and today I wiped down a bag of chips with a bleach solution I made in a spray bottle. That’s just life now.

King County is a scary place to live. As of yesterday we have 1,359 confirmed cases and 94 deaths due to coronavirus. That’s just in my county. In Washington state, the current numbers are 2,580 people who tested positive, and 132 deaths. I’m worried about the people I know who were laid off from their jobs, suddenly without income, and with rent coming up. There are also so many amazing people stepping up and helping right now. Follow @covid19mutualaid on Instagram to see how this community is coming together. What really excites me is all the people talking about prison abolition, rent strikes, and universal income. If this is the end times, let’s go. What a great opportunity for change.

I started selling goofy stickers that pretty much sum up how I feel right now.

Happy Apocalypse COVID-19 Seattle 2020

I mean, what a time to be alive. Why not commemorate the occasion? Buy one to send to a friend.

Check out @happyapocalypsecompany on Instagram for more info.

COVID-19 Journal #1

Every day for the last two weeks I’ve been asking myself, ‘How did we get to be the epicenter of a pandemic?’

Yep, I live in Seattle, the epicenter of coronavirus in the United States.

Last week I was watching the news, and my Twitter feed, obsessively. Like so many other Seattleites, I was just trying to figure out what was going on. Was I was experiencing allergies or COVID-19 symptoms? Were we going to be on lockdown or what? Should my partner and I go out and stock our home to the brim with non perishables and water? (Probably.) And then my partner got really sick.

She woke up one morning with a wicked sore throat, fatigue, runny nose, and body aches. Since she didn’t have a fever, she technically didn’t check all the boxes for COVID-19, but with lack of access to test kits, overcrowded hospitals, and healthcare hotlines that take hours to get through, there was no way of knowing either way. I’ve read accounts of younger people who tested positive for the virus even without having all of the typical symptoms. We quarantined her in the bedroom, I disinfected door knobs and other surfaces diligently, and washed my hands so often they became chapped and cracked.

Most of the time when one of us gets a cold or flu, we’ll be out one or two days max, but she was out for about five days, and couldn’t do much except sleep, watch Hulu, drink water and take all the zinc and vitamin C she possibly could. She recovered, thankfully, and the last two days she’s been pretty much back to normal. We are taking care to self-quarantine ourselves. Staying at home and social distancing is effective in slowing the spread of COVID-19, and allows hospitals more time to keep up. I jut learned that King County is building a temporary field hospital on a Shoreline soccer field that will provide an extra 200 beds for people with the virus.

I reported on the effects of coronavirus on Seattle cafes that were still open for Fresh Cup Magazine on March 11. Then on March 15th, Washington Governor Jay Inslee issued a proclamation that shutdown all restaurants, bars, cafes, and other establishments for at least two weeks. Many of my friends work for restaurants and cafes, live check-to-check, and this news, while essential to flattening the curve, is devastating to many employees and owners.

My mission in the coming months is to write as many articles as I can that bring attention to issues faced by working people during this crisis. If you have a story idea, or experience you’d like to share for an article, don’t hesitate to reach out.

What I Do / Who I Am

I thought it’d be a good time to refresh my intro on the kind of writing I do, and what I’m about. If you’re new to following me on social media, or reading my online articles, thank you!

I’m Mark, a freelance writer and social media manager. I typically write about specialty coffee, Seattle news, LGBTQ+ topics, and workers rights. Recently I’ve had the honor of interviewing nonbinary coffee workers for a three-part online series about nonbinary identities in coffee. I’ve covered Kshama Sawant’s inauguration, and interviewed “the grandfather of gay country music.” I’m working on some upcoming articles tentatively titled “How Did Cafes Get So Broey?” and “How Can Cafes Be More Accessible?”

I always welcome opportunities to write about Seattle news and events, queer and trans issues, and workplace organizing.

A little about me: My first freelance job was writing articles about high school sports for my small town’s local newspaper. At 17, my second job was at McDonald’s. First of all, working there made me vegetarian, and secondly, I witnessed one of the worst food service experiences of my life: In the middle of a busy lunch rush, a lady approached the counter and demanded to speak to someone because her burger wasn’t made as she requested. The first person to help was a primarily Spanish-speaking worker. The customer yelled about how disappointed she was, and finally threw her burger at my coworker before storming out. What stayed with me wasn’t the customer’s fit, it was the image of my coworker using a paper towel to clean ketchup and diced onions from her uniform.

That memory has a lot to do with why and how I write about the food service industry.

My Favorite Articles of 2019

This year I’m proud to have written about barista-led activism, LGBTQ+ topics, specialty coffee, and Seattle issues. I love my niches, but writing about subjects I’m less familiar with can lead to some of my favorite articles.

One of my favorite early stories and interviews was with Jenn Callender of Seattle’s La Marzocco Cafe. I interviewed her for an article in Barista Magazine about cafes and social media, and Callender was kind and helpful, even offering vital tips for my own burgeoning social media marketing business.

Other interviews I especially enjoyed were with Abby Posner, a multi-instrumentalist and singer with whom I shared a similar background of growing up some stripe of LGBTQ+ in the 90s, and coffee roaster Rob Rodriguez, whose vulnerability was a gift.

A difficult piece for me was writing about Kim Petras. While I am here for trans folks getting paid and celebrated for their work, her choice to continue working with Dr. Luke was something I couldn’t support, but conversely—I get it.

Two articles I am most proud of are Women, Queers, and Trans Folks Taking Over Skate Culture, and Guayaba Shapeshifts Through An Orphean Nightmare In Fantasmagoria. It was heart-warming to write about Skate Like A Girl’s inclusive classes and community, and attempting to describe Guayaba’s terrifying, twisted, and otherworldy opus was an honor.

In 2020, I’m going to be more ambitious than ever with my submissions.

Here’s to challenging my own abilities, and growing as a writer.

Mark Chills Out

For the last few days I’ve been in a state I can only describe as blessedly stress-free.

On first thought, I have no idea how this has happened. A carry-over from my former line cook and barista days, being stressed out was my modus operandi. I bragged about my Eye Of The Tiger hustle, but the fever-pitch level of anxiety it engendered was unsustainable, physically and mentally. I strong-armed my way through waves upon waves of burnout in the food service industry. Stepping out into freelance writing, I was confident I could shake the anxiety snake for good. I was surprised that it followed me even here.

Stress and anxiety are no joke. For me it feels like a gnarled ball of cold and wet in the pit of my stomach. It feels like shallow breathing, and waking up at six already stressed about how little time I have to do ALL the things.

But recently, even though I have four big articles due by the end of the month (I’m shooting to get them all done before my birthday), I’ve been in such a calm state of mind. Yes, I have these big articles due. Also, it’s nothing I haven’t done before. I already know what the outcome is: I’m going to finish them.

It’s safe to say I’ve unlocked another level.

I also attribute my current mental and emotional state to meditation, Magnesium, and Holy Basil tea.

Most days of the week I start my day by putting on some hella woo music in my headphones, close my eyes and think about nothing for six minutes, pulling my mind to ground zero. I repeat as needed throughout the day. The effects are cumulative, but it works.

Natural Vitality’s Natural Calm, A Relaxing Magnesium Supplement, and Tulsi, or Holy Basil, tea have done wonders for reducing stress. I take the Magnesium supplement once a day, and Tulsi tea once or twice a day. Meditation, magnesium, and Tulsi tea are my new indispensable tools. With these three combined, I’m able to approach my assignments calmly. My focused hustle is still there, but the stress-pangs are gone.

Fingers crossed, this mood holds.

Have you tried any of these supplements?

What’s in your anxiety-busting toolkit?

Persistence

You’ve made it, but it’s hard to know when you can congratulate yourself—was the sentiment me and another self-employed friend recently expressed. We are both in that slow-moving stage where we’ve made the leap, put our all into our current businesses, started with a bang, and are waiting for the next breakthrough.

I think I’m experiencing the dry time in freelancing, and it’s easy to feel discouraged. I got off to such a great start, carved out a solid foundation, and I’m aching to really take off. These dry times are facts, like cycling, there are uphills and downhills and they’ll just keep coming.

I’m eager to cut to the next chapter.

The only solution is to keep pedaling, of course. I’m here for the long game.

My partner, herself a business owner and entrepreneur, is an invaluable source of support and inspiration to me. It feels so good to be with someone who intimately knows the emotional ups and downs of self-employment.

Recently I dusted off my Spookytooth query and started pitching again. I’m proud of that book, and am in the process of carving out a smaller version of it, while building out the rest for a trilogy. Following other writers and agents on Twitter inspired me to participate in #pitchwars. And a publisher liked my pitch! For those unfamiliar with #pitchwars, it’s a Twitter thing where you tweet a condensed version of your book pitch. If an agent or publisher likes your pitch, that’s an invitation to send them your query or synopsis. I’m so grateful for the like on my tweet, even though I don’t think I’m a good fit with the publisher, it inspired me to dig into Spookytooth again, and get those pitches out!

Accepting New Clients!

As of right now, going on my third month of full-time freelancing, I am Making It.

I’m incredibly honored and indebted to the help I’ve received from Nicole Dieker’s Freelance Class through the Hugo House, insights from Paulette Perhach , local writer and teacher extraordinaire, and my amazing peers and friends (I see you https://www.dgmdgm.com). Not to mention the endless support of my partner, herself a business owner.

I’ve got something like a schedule that works, and two clients I couldn’t be more happy to work with. Indeed, financial compensation speaks for itself, but when your clients tell you on the regular how stoked they are to work with you, it feels just as good.

Having established the fundamentals of a business I’m proud of, I’m ready to take on new clients!

I have been thrilled to create online articles, Instagram and Facebook content, interviews, and blogs for coffee, queer and trans, and food-related publications.

Some of the projects I’ve been most excited to write are the “Women, Queers, and Trans Folks Taking Over Skate Culture” piece for Queerspace Magazine, an article about trans pop star Kim Petras, and coverage of a Coffee At Large event for Barista Magazine Online. You can read more on my Writing Samples page.

Let’s connect and see what I can do for your business!

Slow Walker

Life has slowed considerably for me in my post-surgery recovery. My pace is so much slower than I’m used to. BUT—I have been going out the last few days, including a quest to one of my new favorite cafes. That was a jaunt that took two buses and a fair amount of steady, slow walking. It was hard, I didn’t know if I would make it or get too exhausted and have to call someone to pick me up, but I got there and did what I hadn’t done at a cafe for a long time: I wrote. Like the pen-on-paper kind. It was amazing.

I left when I started feeling sore all over again, making my way at a snail’s pace downtown between bus transfers. I realized I normally walk really fast. The goal is to move from point A to point B as swiftly as possible. Why though? Being a slow walker these days is an unexpected benefit. Quitting my day job and being my own boss means going slower and actually liking it. I don’t have to be anywhere at a certain time to work. This is so new and wild to me.

I’ll never be late for the bus, just early for the next one.

An article I wrote about post-op surgery recovery tips is up on the Transguy Supply Blog. Read it here: https://transguysupply.com/blogs/news/ftm-surgery-tips

The Leap

Undergoing a major surgery, breaking up with my last JOB and accepting a position with people I’m excited to work with is basically what I’ve been doing for the last month. Sitting down and actually tallying up these developments is overwhelming in all the best ways. My first feelings are of awe and thankfulness. I’m honored and grateful to be here, reveling in the freelance life, making steps to solidify my business and marveling at the fact that I’m doing it. I’m really doing it.

I’ve accepted a position at Barista Magazine Online for Social Media Content Director. Barista Magazine has been so great to work with and I’m thrilled to continue growing with them.

Being a week post-op has firmly anchored me in my body during this time of accelerated growth. Going slow (like, snail-slow), taking lots of rest breaks and asking for help is certainly something I’m not used to. As I continue working from home (from the couch, from my bed), I’m reminded over and over that progress doesn’t have to look like my adrenaline-fueled line cook hustle from a previous life. It can be slow but inevitable, like recovery, or the millions of growing and budding spring things outside my window.