"All energy flows according to the whims of the great magnet."
Sorry all, for the long hiatus. Life's been a little topsy-turvy, for the last few months... I've barely been able to make heads or tails of it, at times. So, I guess a quick recap of the last couple of months is warranted. I've been shacked up pretty cozily in my little house in Calgary, for the most part, and working at the Best Western, which really has been a killer little job. Free food more often than not, an awesome crew, and free pints after work. Pay's pretty shitty, but it keeps the bills taken care of. Been working on my book, too. It's a big job: the first draft was quite shitty.
In the meantime I've been searching pretty hard for a job on the oil fields. A bit of bad luck, a bit of bad timing, and a liberal dash of lack of motivation pretty much put me out of contention for that, now. I've just about given up on the idea. The whole time I was involved in that infernal hunt it just felt like I was swimming upstream. A whole lot of flailing and splashing about, and all the while going backwards with the tide. I think I was in it for the wrong reasons, anyways.
I did go up to Edmonton to take another look, have one last real go at it; but things kept not happening. The peak season is coming to a close, and the majority of remaining job spots are going to people who are on rigs that are closing down for the thaw. I finally landed a chance at a drug test/physical, but I got hopelessly lost trying to find the place I was meant to take it at. I ended up just pulling the car over and thinking, "Fuck it, I've had it. I give up." No use fighting the universe.
Mikie came to Edmonton a couple of days later. We had ourselves a time, did some thinking, did some drinking, wandered for a few days; before deciding to pull up stumps on Edmonton. Mikie's in no rush to leave Canada, especially considering that he just got here and likes it here. He's got a work permit as well, so he might as well make good use of it. So our planned trip into the South is going to be off to a later start than previously imagined, but that's fine by me. Takes the pressure off a bit, anyway. I can stay in Calgary, where I'm happy, in a good home, and amongst good friends. Take my time, earn money doing something a little less perilous for my health and the Earth. Plus I get to hang around for spring, which is a bonus. Maybe take in the Stampede. 100th anniversary -- going to be wild, they say.
Anyhow, I've been back in Calgary for about 5 days now, and I'm on the search for a good labouring job. May as well face it, I'm a labourer. Some carpentry would be nice. Going to stay with Best Western, too. Few nights a week to pay the bills and feed myself, and a day job to stash and save. Anyway, the pressures off (a little), so I'm already feeling better. Maybe I'll go out to B.C. and plant some trees... come what may.
