Back when the scare started, I was let go from a gig where there was a tiff between me and the new manager over an expectation that I falsify information about the quality of the software. Right after that I find myself getting over $1100 per week in benefits to go on road trips and applying remotely for dream jobs that I was barely qualified for. This whole time, Mexico never enforced the border closure to those crossing on foot. When I did get gigs, it was for more money than I ever earned. Pricing myself out of the Texas market was a good strategy since no one was expected to work in the office. That meant getting gigs on the West coast at West coast pay rates while staying here in Texas. It has been like being semi-retired except with no reduction in income. I couldn't dream of a better outcome.