"View drafts"....

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Oh man is that one a weird collection of unfinished ramblings and aged thought processes. It's been awhile since I've had any time to myself, and upon visiting the "drafts" I see a couple thousand words of nonsense under this title; and after a quick skim I thought to myself, "wow, this is terrible". And whiney.

The average of a few hours a sleep per 24 hour period probably isn't helping. I say period, because, well, what with my work and hobbies I don't really "sleep" at any specific time. I'm just constantly ready to pass out and take the opportunities as they come.

Quarantine Cave

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Recently, both my room mates tested positive for COVID within a 24-hour period. One of which I directly share a room with. I did have COVID roughly 3 months ago or so, and received my booster, so that probably contributed to my negative test. However, I don't want to be anywhere near them or the house in general at the moment, and whilst I was awaiting my PCR results my coworkers/neighbors set me up with a mattress in the basement; tucked in between two giant water heaters, heaps of fireworks, old bikes(of all sorts), about 13 engine clutches, a broken stairmaster, weird abandoned boxes of goodies; the list goes on and on....

DISCLAIMER: please do not comment about your opinions on how "real" you may or may not think COVID is. Everyone's entitled to their opinion. However, some of us have lost loved ones due to this pandemic and I don't need to dislike anyone else because they feel the need to undermine people's losses(without hesitation) in preference of personal comfort. Do you; but keep it to yourself if that's your attitude :)

So, after a day or two of hiding in a dark corner, and going home to use the bathroom or get water or anything of that nature, I was very relieved to receive the test results on New Year's Eve. To make things better, as we all are pretty much zombies that work 7 nights a week, and therefore do not really get to socialize much during the brief-yet-intense snowmaking season; the weather had warmed up just in time for NYE, we shut down, and for the first time all winter we were all able to hang out.

This almost never happens; this is the snowmaking house, and there are equal members of day and night shift employees living here. I think there are about 14ish people in the house in total- yet you might only be awake with 0-2 other people at a time.

The Home Stretch

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I love snowmaking. It's one of my favorite jobs I've ever had. Unfortunately, however, it overlaps with my actual favorite job... and as they are both seasonal and shortlived, this stretch is a rough one.

Yesterday our main terrain park opened. We usually try to have it done by Christmas, but weather hasn't exactly been good to us this year. So, a bit late, but the team did an absolutely incredible job.

Building terrain parks is one of my biggest passions; I don't mean from a career standpoint whatsoever but rather just personal. To be able to be a part of a place that has meant so much to me, shaped me, given me a home, provided me with therapy; it means a lot. So, every year, as soon as it gets to be this time of year(transitioning from the shitty little spaces they give us for early season park to our big build), I start to get really over snowmaking. The priority begins to be; make sure I'm at the park every day, slightly awake, and snowmaking really gets in the way of it. I sit and hope every day the managers will finally approach me with that question.. "hey, what do you want to do? Want to switch over soon?"

Unfortunately, I'm not sure if that's gonna happen anytime soon this year. We are as shortstaffed as ever. The time I missed due to close contact and without results was apparently really difficult on everyone, as we were missing another employee as well. But, it can't be too long now..

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For all I know they could be asking me that question right this moment. I wouldn't know; I somehow managed to break my phone about 4 days ago. And I'm not really sure if I need another shitbox; so I might wait another pay period so I can buy an actually decent phone that won't die in six months. So, it's been a funny limbo of no-phone, can't go home, living in my coworkers basement, all centered around a time where I really SHOULD be available to contact 24 hours a day, but here we are...

I'm not complaining. Honestly I'm kinda loving it. Leave me alone; I'm working and snowboarding :)

And, what's more, is basement life provides me with a LOT more opportunity to write. I hope I can actually keep up with it this time. If not, well, it's only a matter of time before this night time snowmaking craziness ends and I go back to normal life.

Love you all <3

oh yeah and considering the whole "no phone" thing enjoy these pixabay filler images hahhaha