Simulation Initiated

Thinking about spring 2020 now, it almost feels like ages ago. It still baffles me how everything occurred.

I remember exactly when everything turned upside down. I was working my ski instructor job in Vermont. I emailed a manager there to see if we would still have training for the next day. His response was "As of now, training is still on". A couple hours later, maybe not even, I got an email that all mountain operations were suspended and the season was over. March 13th 2020 the mountain and all functions were closed till who knows when.

At that point, I realized we were in for some major life changes. Then we had the first lock down. To be honest it was kind of nice. I got to travel around to beautiful nature spots with my best friend.

We went and explored water falls, hiking trails, and saw beautiful spring blooms. However, there was also this looming eeriness. When would things go back to normal? What about work? Well, I like many was on unemployment. It did not feel great, but I am glad that we do have this in place, just in case.

Coincidences seems to happen when you least expect. Many people were starting to work from home or being furloughed and at that point I was getting calls about quite a few jobs. You would not believe how many jobs I applied to. As much as I wanted to continue working in x-ray, it was hard enough for me to GET my first job in the field. It never felt good to prove why you were worthy. It didn't feel good to stop my medicine just to pass a drug test at a facility with who knows how many employees are on narcotics...

Someone dear to me said something that really resonated. "Why are you banging on these doors? There are two doors before you. One you can keep banging on and try to push through. And even if you get through there may still be pushing and shoving back out. The second door is wide open. Inside, it is inviting and welcoming. The people there are ready for you." It has stuck with me since. Myself and many beat on these closed doors just trying to get our foot in the door. WHY?! Why do we work so hard to prove what is already on a resume, to prove the skills and ability we have for a JOB. This is what society has built. Generations of people who don't feel they are good enough till they are bloody after pushing and shoving through a door that doesn't want to open willingly.

I stopped trying. I looked to the other door and I landed a job I loved.

Cannabis is a big and booming new industry. It is agriculture, but it is not. It is retail, but it is not. The cannabis industry can be what we make it to be. My career at this time was at a dispensary preparing to open its doors. Now my cannabis knowledge was decent due to listening and talking with Madison, aka @happytokes on Instagram. Lord was training at this job a wake up call. Within the first 2 week my cannabis knowledge doubled. I learned about Massachusetts laws and compliancy to how edibles work in the body to strains in the state. While stickering products, I was around like minded peers talking about the ECS and terpenes.

It felt so good!! I excelled in learning about strain, I mean CULTIVAR, lineages. Terpenes became one of my favorite things to talk about. I remember once my manager asked me about a process and I knew right away what he was talking about. He was shocked at my concentrate and extraction knowledge. I was giddy that, I being a petite female, could school these guys in cannabis facts!

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Then the store opened and I worked crazy hours that week. It was exciting to talk to customers about weed and doing it for work. I even was on the news showing customers some of our bud!! Things were very busy when we opened. The summer of 2020 not as many recreational cannabis stores were open. This helped our business immensely and my mindset. I thrive off the busy hustle and bustle. Not only did I enjoy my job, but I enjoyed most of the people around me.

Since this was still early on in the pandemic, Summer 2020, practices were always evolving. It was tough to keep up with the management changes and that's when this career lost its excitement. Like any other job there was some drama and conflict. Our schedules were constantly changing, benefits weren't as good as when we started, people were leaving, etc. I stayed at this job for a little over a year. I worked my way up to being a supervisor and I started my official budtender guide. Leaving this job was not my choice. Heck i wonder if Id still be there if not for how horrible my peers treated me. Be ready for the next blog where i go into detail as to why I was FORCED to resign from my job.

Remember guys... everyone sees your social media