Last Monday night, when I got back from Berlin, I found out that I was laid off from the Peeq along with my four coworkers. The company, they say, is out of cash – though it’s still marching forward with a redesign of the site and they are planning on doing some rehiring when they have money. Essentially, the plan is to let the site sit live but un-updated until the new version is up and at ‘em, and then renew efforts at promotion when the re-design and cash flow allow.
For lots of reasons, this is less than ideal. I was, for example, getting really into the idea of having a consistent pay check. I was also pretty excited about having a new and dynamic platform for doing the kind of new media sex-centric culture stuff that I think is good, important, valuable and fun. And, as I just said in an email to a friend, I was really excited about being able to do good stuff for my community, and now I have to go around and explain to everyone that it’s not happening.
When I signed on to the project, I knew that having the bottom drop out from underneath me was a good possibility (as with pretty much everything I work on, especially internet stuff), but of course I like to take weird risks with my career, so it didn’t phase me too much. And it still doesn’t phase me all that much, but it’s just irritating and disappointing to have only gotten 6 weeks of job-ness out of the company and to not be able to follow through with some projects I’ve started up in association with the site.
10:45 pm
Don’t sweat it. Even those of us in more mundane professions have to deal with this issue. Learn to think like a locust, moving from field to field.
6:50 am
[...] Blogger, writer and porn director Audacia Ray reports on her blog Waking Vixen that she and four of her coworkers had been laid off from newly-minted social networking site The Peeq. Says Dacia: The company, they say, is out of cash—though it’s still marching forward with a redesign of the site and they are planning on doing some rehiring when they have money. Essentially, the plan is to let the site sit live but un-updated until the new version is up and at ‘em, and then renew efforts at promotion when the re-design and cash flow allow. [...]
8:23 am
Sorry to hear that. I checked out Peeq and thought it was cool! But, such is the way of the Internet  hopefully it’ll get back up and rollin’ soon.
M
3:24 pm
Take what you get.
MM
7:24 pm
It seems like at least they have hopes of it getting back to where they were (worker wise), so I’ll keep my fingers crossed for you. You’ve done so much already in such a short period of time!
9:12 pm
You’re so intelligent! There are many opportunities for a woman like you to forge her future in the adult industry and beyond. Of course, do what you always do, but also keep an eye out for that distant goal. You can and will make another career, when it is appropriate.
Your future is greater than you have ever dreamed. I’ve been there, and then gotten my B.A., become a professional writer, poet, and business owner. I worked in the adult industry. Be the difference. I know you can do it.
12:03 am
Sorry to hear it, Dacia- you seemed so excited about this project.
1:05 am
Success will always manage to find you, Dacia, so worry not. Missing you in LA!
Ian and Alicia (and Kealii, Stumpy, and Whiskers)
4:23 pm
damn! i’m sorry for both of us! when i read on your blog that a sex-positive site was looking for an art director, it was like a GODsend…i thought, “i’m talented, kinky, involved in a number of alt sex communities…i’m the perfect fit!”
if, in your travels, you hear of anyone else looking for an art director / illustrator / designer (or if thepeeq gets funded) let me know!
thanx.
TRUE
TRUE@TRUEart.biz