Dying to be here!

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Trip Start Mar 04, 2007 Previous
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  Fort McMurray, Alberta, Canada
Thursday, April 26, 2007

I was going to make a note the other day about some math I have done. Simple math.
I have been up at this job for seven weeks now. Coincidentally, there have been atleast 7 deaths that I know of (four on the highway). Until yesterday....

It seems at a plant up the road, another two people died yesterday. That means nine deaths in seven weeks! Again, that is only what I know of; could be more.
People go on and on about the global implications of how we use our resources and how it hurts the earth. This is good, but it seems there needs to be more awareness that the earth is not the only victim. Lives are lost in this business. Some directly, some indirectly. Why is highway 63 still not twinned! The cost of paving it is high, to be sure. About the cost of sending out the last round of prosperity cheques actually. The cost of not twinning the highway seems much higher. I know I have only accounted for six out of the nine lives lost so far. The remaining three have a little more mystery surrounding them. Still, they are undoubtedly a result of being up here.

I know this entry has little to do with my personal experience up here, but it does reveal what's been on my mind the last little bit. I hope it atleast adds another brushstroke to the painting if what life entails when going up north to work. When I told a friend I was working up here, he asked, "isn't that dangerous?" What can I tell you?

The isolation of camp life tends to subdue some of my social instincts. As a result, I don't make so many phone calls these days. All the news of death lately, I thought I should make an entry today, if for no other reason than to let my family know I am still well.
Our team at work has merged with another cable pulling crew. Three of them and eight of us make up our new team. We are still 'Team Ramrod'. I have begun to enjoy it more again in the last day. I remain hopeful.

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