This past week felt a lot different than the one before it.
Last week was chaotic, overwhelming, and filled with constant phone calls, decisions, and things that needed to be handled immediately. This week was more about dealing with everything that comes after—and figuring out what life looks like now that things have settled down.
Wrapping Things Up
A big part of this week was finishing up everything that needed to be handled.
There were still trips to the funeral home, paperwork to sign, and final arrangements to take care of. What I thought would be quick and straightforward ended up being more chaotic than expected, especially with confusion around family plots and coordinating everything with my grandparents.
At one point, what should have taken about an hour turned into more than two and a half hours.
Despite all of that, I was able to get everything handled. At this point, most of the major tasks are done, and there are only a few small things left like picking up death certificates and closing out accounts.
A Strange Sense of Normalcy
One of the biggest changes this week has been the shift in routine.
For years, my weekends had a built-in structure centered around visiting my mom at the nursing home. Even though it often felt like an obligation, it still gave my weekends a sense of purpose and made them feel different from weekdays.
Now, that structure is gone.
Saturday and Sunday mornings feel… off. There’s nothing I have to do, nowhere I need to be, and no real plan. It’s a strange mix of freedom and emptiness.
I’ve been trying to keep parts of my routine where I can—going out for breakfast, watching my usual shows—but it’s clear that I’ll need to find something new to fill that space.
Mixed Emotions
Emotionally, this week has been a bit complicated.
In some ways, it still doesn’t feel entirely real. The pace of everything over the last couple of weeks has made it hard to fully process.
At the same time, there’s also a sense of relief.
Being a caretaker had been a major part of my life for a long time. Even after my mom went into the nursing home, there were still responsibilities, expectations, and a constant mental load that came with it.
Now, that’s gone.
And while that brings some relief, it also leaves a bit of a void. It’s one less thing tying structure and meaning to my days, and I’m still figuring out what replaces it.
Small Wins
Even with everything going on, there were still some positives this week.
I had a promising call with a recruiter that led to a technical interview scheduled for next week. After months of applying and hearing nothing back, it finally feels like there might be some movement on the job front.
I also made the decision to shut down SideQuestDeals for now. With no users and a cloud bill that got way out of hand, it didn’t make sense to keep it running. It wasn’t the outcome I wanted, but it was the right decision.
And I made an effort to get out of the house a few times, including going to a concert and a board game event. Neither one turned into anything major socially, but it was still good to get out and do something different.
Looking Ahead
Now that most of the major responsibilities are behind me, things are starting to open up again.
There’s less chaos, fewer urgent tasks, and more unstructured time. That’s both a good thing and something I’ll need to adjust to.
For now, the focus is on:
- Preparing for the upcoming technical interview
- Continuing the job search
- Finding new routines, especially on weekends
- And figuring out what I want this next phase to look like
Final Thoughts
This week was about transition.
Not as intense as last week, but in some ways just as important. It marked the shift from reacting to everything that was happening to starting to move forward again.
I don’t have everything figured out yet, but I’m getting there.
And for now, that’s enough.
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