The Katmah Experience

Can we just talk about this weather MB is getting for a second?

IT. IS. SO. AWESOME.

Not even being sarcastic. It’s like an early Christmas, except in sweater weather form, so maybe more like an early Thanksgiving? The smell outside is perfection, and yes, it’s a little cold for early August- but c’mon guys, how can you complain about that crisp feeling in the air! Ah! It’s just so nice!

Anyway.

I thought I’d write a little diddy of an update for you guys now. As the next week or so of my life is going to be absolutely crazy, even for my standards, and I’m positive I won’t find time to write. Packed into the next week I’m working three 14 hr work days, riding my horse in there a few times (I hope), helping out with Mom’s wedding, attending the wedding, and finishing one of my jobs to start another job. So yeah, not a lot of free time. Which is becoming super common for me.

So, where to start. Last week right before Heart of the Continent started I got confirmation from an internship I’ve been offered for the fall, working with a high school football team as the assistant athletic therapist. The original hours they stated me way back in June were mostly late afternoons and evenings, which would have meant switching to half days at my full-time day job. Those hours changed, and through August practices are running during the day- which means in order to do this I would have to leave my day job a few weeks earlier than planned. Over the course of the weekend, in between classes, I gave it some thought and talked it over with a few people. As much as that extra pay cheque would be really nice, the experience I’m gaining from this other opportunity seems like it’s more worth it long term- especially in relation to some plans I have for next spring (more on that later). My boss at my full-time job was very understanding and agreed that the experience I’ll hopefully be getting out of this opportunity is worth it and valuable to my studies. It will be very much a learning as I go experience, as I’m starting my work with the team before I do the courses to go along side field work. If I know one thing, though, it’s that I seem to learn best by actually doing- and after a few discussions with supervisors in my department, and those I look up to in the profession, they agree that this is one of the best ways to gain amazing experience and learn valuable skills- making the classroom side of things that much easier. I’m a lot of excited mixed with a lot of terrified. Hopefully that’s a good combination..

This time of year always gets bittersweet for me. The bitter being show season is coming to an end with the final MHJA competition, Fall Harvest, fast approaching. Which means that soon (unless he sells) my horse will be taken home and my riding stuff packed for the school year. To keep him at M&C’s for the winter would be a dream but between my other time commitments and expenses, it just isn’t practical. Luckily, I don’t think he minds winters off- and it doesn’t take much to get him back into training in the spring. Another part of the bitter, closely related, is getting to spend less time at the barn. This summer I’ve really started to feel like I belong there, Will had a name plate installed on his stall, I got one put on my locker- all little things, but for me to have those symbols at that place is a dream come true- and while I know stepping away for a time doesn’t mean I belong any less, it’s always so hard to step away and put that dream and those goals on pause while I work towards some other big dreams and goals. Plus our barn group has gotten so close over the summer, and winter always means less time spent gossiping and life planning in the tack room.

On the sweeter side, while I’m pressing pause on a few goals, I’m kick starting a few more back into motion. In the same time period that my horse moves home, classes begin. As I’ve mentioned before, my course load for this year is full of all of the challenges and I am really looking forward to it. I’ll be continuing with this football team as much as I can throughout their season, and attending majority of their games through September and October. The practical experience I gain with them should compliment my course load quite well. This fall I’m registered in my First Responder, Massage, Taping and Splinting, Pathology and Orthopedic Assessment courses. Doesn’t that sound exciting?! No? Just me? Okay. Besides the fun courses, school means I get to see some of the people I don’t get to see as much through the summer season. People tend to scatter during the summer, but come fall everyone comes back to the same area and settles for the winter months. There has to be some bonuses to the school year!

I was sitting downstairs at the AT clinic on campus this morning (may have reinjured my back on the weekend, luckily I have a very talented AT on my side), where there is a poster on the wall, that I’ve stared at many, many times over the past few years (I spend so much time in that clinic…). The poster reads: “Effort: Some people dream of worthy accomplishments. Others stay awake and achieve them”. Looking at it today, thinking about the first time I looked at it almost 3 years ago was kind of a realization of how many personal goals/accomplishments I’ve made happen over that time period. And how much my goals have changed since then. It’s pretty exciting to see those things happen, and put more goals into action. I’m interested to see what I think when I look at that poster a few more years from now (guaranteed I’ll still be a frequent in the clinic, one way or another).

What will have changed by the? Where will my goals take me next?

Right now though, my life revolves around getting through the next crazy couple weeks. One day at a time!