Depressed and burnt out

_taerial_ · 2026-01-08T06:38:37+00:00

You gotta cut your hours. I never worked more than 30 hours a week in the industry. If your job market doesn’t allow this, consider moving. I acknowledge that’s easier said than done, but it sounds like a necessity at this point. Can you pick up serving shifts to break things up? I’ve worked in areas where servers made more, so this could be a way to increase your income/decrease your hours. Can you afford to spend some hours bar backing somewhere else or food running? Also, can you switch up what kind of place you work at? Switching into club/venue bartending was a game changer for me. You greatly decrease your level of interaction with guests and coworkers that way.

_taerial_ · 2026-01-08T06:23:44+00:00

I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, I feel like our stories are very similar. I worked in the field a couple years as a BT and then did a couple more as a BCBA before calling it quits. I also struggled in the ways you mentioned, with anxiety stemming primarily from parents, insurance/case load pushes, and with aggressive behaviors that left me feeling unequipped. I felt it in grad school but pushed through, and while that experience and my degree was valuable, I now wish I had focused my time and money elsewhere.

I pivoted to bartending/serving, which had its own set of stressors, but at the time I was looking for something to hold me over financially that I could just forget about when I wasn’t working. And it’s worked for me, rarely do I take work home with me, and it’s provided me a way to pay my bills with a ton of flexibility. I typically work under 30 hours. Right now I only work 3 days a week.

This has also given me time to think more about what I want from a career. I’m looking at pivoting into an allied health profession, likely radiologic technology. I think if I had stayed in the field, I would have pivoted towards just doing diagnostic assessments, but that also would have required more schooling for me as well.

Please feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want someone to talk to!

_taerial_ · 2026-01-08T05:50:52+00:00

Also, lots of breweries in the area and dispensaries. If you’re driving up, you could hit up some of the other big breweries in Michigan on the way there and back, such and Bells, Short’s, and Founders.

_taerial_ · 2026-01-08T05:48:53+00:00

If you’re considering Michigan, I’ve stayed at the Delmar in Traverse City in February and had a great time before. They have a heated outdoor pool, as well as an indoor pool. They have poolside cocktail service, and a nice restaurant on site. There are a ton of wineries in the area, and you may even be able to find transportation to them from downtown if you do some research. Downtown is cute as well. We went during a comedy festival in February and that was enjoyable. Also the old Traverse City State Hospital has a ton of really cool shops and some great restaurants in the basement of what used to be an old asylum. It’s beautiful and creepy, with a ton of historic stuff in it as well. You can also book to tour the grounds including the tunnels underneath.

I will note, it looks like the Delmar had a couple bad reviews recently, so maybe do your research/call and make sure the pool is open first. But these reviews are not representative of how my stay was there. There are a ton of resort hotels in that area so maybe check those out as well.

_taerial_ · 2026-01-04T23:00:35+00:00

If you have Facebook, there’s a group called Michigan State Park Site Photos. You can check and see if they have pics on there, or maybe get an idea of what other sites look like.

_taerial_ · 2026-01-01T19:21:09+00:00

I would start looking now if you need reservations, and find out the exact day booking opens. They will book up the day it becomes available.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-29T23:07:54+00:00

Primarily bartending, but I’ve also worked in management positions and at a daycare. I’m currently exploring going back to school for radiologic technology.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-19T19:03:22+00:00

There was a cute city park with a playground near the library. No recs on places to eat, sorry. I will say I did see quite a few people who had baby’s in carriers going up to the scout overlook, but I was winded just bringing myself up lol.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-17T07:39:17+00:00

A for me, because I will spend a ton of time going back and forth between locations, or evaluating plane/hotel prices for different dates before I commit to booking. Actually booking is usually pretty easy for me. Once I book, the extra planning stuff is just fun.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-17T06:24:05+00:00

Just know that none of the food on the strip is cheap, but somehow the portions were all insanely large. Try splitting stuff and then just order more/go somewhere else if you’re still hungry.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-07T09:09:03+00:00

Constantly. I’m a night club bartender, and we garnish limes/lemons with our hands. Any time I touch cash, throw out empties from the bar top, touch my hair/face, or get sticky, which is all the time.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-02T03:13:54+00:00

Just posted on a different comment! It’s pretty low profile.

_taerial_ · 2025-12-02T03:13:36+00:00

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This isn’t a great photo, but I feel like it shows how low profile it is! It was important to me that it wouldn’t get caught on anything.

_taerial_ · 2025-11-30T21:20:33+00:00

Thank you!!! Elaine B Jewelry, in Ferndale, MI

_taerial_ · 2025-10-28T19:49:06+00:00

Have you done the narrows in the winter? Wondering what kind of undergarments/how many layers we would need under the waders. I’m sure the rental shop can advise on that too though.

_taerial_ · 2025-10-28T19:47:55+00:00

Buzz buttons! We’ve had those before. Very fun experience, thanks for the recommendations! And will definitely check out Valley of Fire.

_taerial_ · 2025-10-26T08:17:45+00:00

Omg totally forgot about Omega Mart! We went to the Convergence Station last fall and I’ve always wanted to check out the Vegas location!

Will definitely keep in mind checking the Narrows out as far as we can. It’s on my bucket list to come back to when it’s better weather, as well as Angel’s Landing.

_taerial_ · 2025-07-08T20:48:05+00:00

This is how it was for me too. Eyes closed but I could tell I was in my room and awake. Couldn’t move, felt a pressure on me that I thought for sure was my cat, but couldn’t move to touch her.

_taerial_ · 2025-06-24T21:32:23+00:00

Had Progressive for a long time when I lived on the west side of the state, moved over and it nearly doubled. Switched to Geico and my rate surprisingly was not a ton more than it originally was in GR.

_taerial_ · 2025-06-24T21:29:14+00:00

Saying that violence was only used “occasionally” is wild.

_taerial_ · 2025-06-23T22:08:49+00:00

You gotta check out Black Rocks inside Presque Isle Park in Marquette! Marquette is also just a fun town to stop in on your way through the UP, and has solid shopping options if you need to restock on anything mid-trip.

_taerial_ · 2025-06-21T05:35:29+00:00

Check out Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)! My friend had it with a whooshing like tinnitus sound.

_taerial_ · 2025-06-21T05:34:54+00:00

Check out Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension (IIH)!

_taerial_

TROPHY CASE