4/20 Edition
In this “special” 4/20 broadcast, Mike reflects on transitioning from a disastrous termination in Portland to a happy limbo with a choice of distinct career paths ahead.
Good afternoon, this is Mike George coming at you live for a very special edition of Open Mike LIVE - 4/20 realness! Now, most of you know I’m a big giant pothead, but it’s the kind of habit that keeps me balanced and helps me feel a little less guilty about my other vices. It’s April 20th, 2021, and there is magic in the air because 4/20 is one of those great holidays that hasn’t been cheaply commercialized yet—unlike Amazon Prime Day or some other made-up corporate nonsense.
Mike George: I wish I was important enough to make up my own holidays. Usually, we only have special days to remember "some bitch that passed away," like the inevitable Betty White Day we’ll eventually have. But today, I’m just being reflective. I want to be thankful—first to my weed dealer, and second for the connections and "bridges" we’ve built during these tumultuous times.
Mike George: (Technical interlude) Hang on, I need to charge my phone. Just bear with my ridiculous hair for a second. Happy 4/20, Jake! Honestly, I’ve smoked a surprisingly small amount of weed today. I thought about not smoking at all, but that would just defeat the spirit of camaraderie and togetherness.
Mike George: For those of you following the Mike George show, life is okay—I’m still in Columbus, hanging out in my old hood in Oldtown East. I’ve been on a job hunt that feels like an annoyingly broken record. I’m looking for resilience this time; I want a job where I don’t get tired of the inevitable "job drudgery". I’ve been unemployed for several months after a "disastrous termination" in Portland that was just random and fucked up.
Mike George: (Reconnecting after technical issues) Okay, we’re back for Part Two! It’s still 4:20 somewhere. Back to the job situation: I lost a dream job in Portland and I’m still bitter, but I’m finding a direction forward.
Door Number One is a potential move to Pineville, Louisiana. It’s a return to the electric power sector and grid operations—the same stuff I did in Portland. The downside? It’s a 25% pay cut and, well, it’s rural Louisiana. Does anyone in the "Facebook hive" know what the fuck is actually going on in Pineville?.
Door Number Two (my favorite) is staying right here in Columbus. I just interviewed with COTA (the transit authority) for a Product Manager position. I love the utility space, but I’ve been itching to get into transportation and transit. I can go on a total diatribe about why transit matters. It’s 2021—where are our flying cars? The least we can do is keep the buses funded and reliable. My interview felt like chumming around with a "transit comrade," so I’m feeling optimistic.
Door Number Three (and a million others) is Austin, Texas. After the Texas grid blackouts, there are jobs opening up in transmission reliability and battery companies. It’s actually an exciting time to be an engineer.
Mike George: Honestly, it’s strange to feel optimistic again. After 2020—the wildfires, COVID, and losing faith in humanity—it feels like an accomplishment just to have made it out of a global pandemic alive. Sometimes a crisis like this "wets everybody’s pants" enough to make them escape their bubbles and take ownership of the world.
Mike George: (Answering audience questions) Jake, I’ve applied to several positions at AEP, but they won't even look at me for business roles because I don’t have an MBA. It’s ridiculous, but every company has its biases.
Mike George: Shout out to James, who’s a nurse—thank you for your service. And shout out to the transit employees. When I was "broke and homeless" in Portland, the bus was a literal lifeline and a warm shelter from -15 degree days.
Mike George: I’m rambling now, as stoners do, so I’ll wrap this up. We’re all climbing out of our own personal 2020 shit storms at different speeds. Take care of your mental health, stoner or not. Remember, 4/20 is Earth Day, but it's also Hitler's birthday—two very different ways to look at humanity. Let’s choose to celebrate what we have in common. Onward hoe!.
