EMERGENCY UPDATE #2 (Patreon)

Let's get right to it.

My employer released a video and press release statement this morning. Due to insufficient hours of operation to maintain a normal work environment, several employees will need to be furloughed. Among that group is our entire part-time staff, and 20% of the full-time employees. I fall under the full-time group.

I got the call from my general manager today. I didn't know what I expected to hear, but the question he posed to me was definitely not it:

Would you be prepared to come back to work on Sunday, or would you rather take the furlough?

I didn't know I would be given a choice in this matter. My wife certainly didn't, getting the short end of the stick and being furloughed against her will. But, truth be told, I felt safer knowing my wife would be home with me, not having to put herself out there and risk her health.

That said, I also had peace of mind knowing that I was still healthy, not exposing myself to customers on a daily basis who may or may not be taking the proper precautions to stay safe. Having been self-isolating for going on four weeks now, it felt like returning to work could potentially undo the efforts I had made to slow this pandemic.

I made the difficult choice. I took the furlough.

My employer will continue to cover my benefits for up to three months, with the prediction that this will have passed by then, but as we all know, there's no guarantee of that. They have even said that there's an opportunity that I could be called back into work at any time if they feel it's safe to do so. Until then, I'll need to apply for unemployment, which I'll be doing first thing next week.

This was not a matter of financial stability. To me, it was a matter of common sense. I didn't want to run the risk of bringing this pandemic into my home, spreading it to my wife or my family. In fact, literally as I type this post, I got a text message from my mother, explaining that she had been sent home to quarantine after learning one of her coworkers tested positive. This hits frighteningly close-to-home. According to local reports, my region is about to see the peak of this pandemic, and I especially don't want to get out there when it's about to surge.

To my patrons: you have my most sincere thanks during all this. Your continued support has already helped me and my wife so very much, and now, with both of us currently unemployed, we need your help more than ever. I'll be using this time away from work to remain productive, working to complete the Memories of Arcadia comic and finish my stack of unfinished projects. When I feel I've made a good dent in that, I'll open commissions, and you guys will get top priority. Please stick around for as long as you're comfortable, and I'll do my best to make it worth your while.

If you're not yet a patron, please consider pledging your support to help me and my wife get through this mess. I can safely and confidently promise that I'll remain productive as I have been these last several weeks, so there's plenty more content on the way. There's also lots of exclusive looks at WIP's that I aim to tackle before year's end! Give it a look and get excited!!

Thank you for reading, and thank you for all the well-wishes, encouraging words, and generous donations. We'll continue to stay strong, and I'll continue drawing. Gotta do something to get through this! Might as well keep going!!