The Writing and Photography Blog of Kevin J Sabo

The last couple of weeks have been a blur.

Lynn and I travelled home from Calgary on May 1 and I was back in the office on May 2. To say that heading into the office after a week off felt like walking into a meat grinder is almost an understatement.

I had quite a bit to catch up on once I got back.

Still, the time away was invigorating and succeeded in recharging me professionally and creatively.

Work has been somewhat challenging though. Our province is in the grip of severe dry weather which has led to the forest fire season starting with a bang. One of my sisters already had to evacuate due to the fires once, though she has since returned home.

In addition to the fires, our province is also in the middle of a provincial election. Our premier, Danielle Smith, dropped the writ on May 1, with election day to take place on May 29.

Given Alberta having a semi-fixed election date, and attack ads from the ruling United Conservative Party starting in mid-March, all the signs were there that the election was on the way.

Unfortunately, given how the election has been going so far on the part of the two major political parties, I’m not really wanting to support anyone in this election. The partisan attack ads have just been unreal, on both sides. They’ve been more akin to schoolyard bullying than groups vying for election.

Throw in some ongoing staff training which has been happening and the usual community news stuff, and I have been a busy guy as far as work goes.

On the home front, I’ve still been working on my two courses. I’m currently continuing to study Poetry and Plays as an English course, and Psychology as a Natural Science for some much-needed science credits.

My English course is due to be completed in a six-weeks, however with work continuing to get more busy, and not less, I am seriously considering applying for an extension, which will grant me an extra two months.

I have to make my decision in the next two weeks, so we shall see what I get done between now and then.

On one of my -many- psych admissions, one of the psych nurses told me that if I look at things and they seem insane, they probably are.

Looking at my schedule, and everything going on with work, school, and life, things do seem insane. The thing is, I feel as if I am thriving in the insanity. Honestly, I am currently dealing with a schedule that would have paralyzed me in the past, without a doubt.

A friend recently told me that the reason I did so well in EMS, and in this job, is that I am an adrenaline junkie. The fix may be different, but the outcome is the same. They aren’t wrong.

A major difference though, is I feel this job is a lot more sustainable for the long-term as far as my health goes. I’m putting some breaks into my work life to keep from getting burnt out. Unfortunately, I am missing things every so often but as a one-person newsroom that can’t be helped. I’m doing what I can.

I’m grateful for this second lease on life. There was quite a while when I didn’t expect to make 40. I was in a deep, dark hole that I never thought I would be able to crawl out of.

Yet, I did. It’s proof that perseverance pays off.

Kevin