To a crisp

[resolute]

I was an air traffic controller for 25 years.

I had undiagnosed autoimmune disorders for the last fifteen years of that career.

I shared homeschooing duties of our two children with my wife, who also worked at a job outside the home.

I coedited two Hugo-nominated anthologies, edited an SF/F magazine for a year, got on the Otherwise Award longlist with my only published short story, and had stories I edited and published in the magazine win multiple awards. Oh, and I spent three years writing and self-publishing personal comics.

In 2015 I lost the ability to read fiction or nonfiction. I didn't know why. In 2020 my trachea started growing closed, I didn't get surgery for it until 2021, at which point I had an emergency tracheostomy and nearly died in surgery. In 2022 I retired from my career, due to my health. In 2023 I got my autism diagnosis.

In 2024 I regained my ability to read books.

In January of 2025, with the help of my therapist, I realized I had had a severe case of burnout.

I told her, "but I haven't DONE anything that would cause burnout."

Comments

[yatima]

Oh, love.