Time. My life revolves around it. As an electrician, my days are a relentless dance with the clock. It starts the moment I wake up, estimating traffic and figuring out when I need to leave. Every job is a new site, a different route, and often multiple modes of transportation. Some days, it’s the city—navigating tight streets and packed schedules. Other days, it’s off-grid islands, involving a patchwork of private boats, water taxis, and BC Ferries.
Once I get to the client’s location, the real challenge begins. Diagnosing the problem is only step one. Then comes crafting a plan, making a materials list, and heading to the wholesaler. If they don’t have the parts I need, it’s back to the drawing board to redesign the solution with what’s available. Sometimes, this process repeats for multiple jobs in a single day.
Even after all the planning, surprises pop up. Hidden issues in walls or outdated wiring throw unexpected challenges my way. My work truck, stocked with tools and parts, becomes my problem-solving arsenal. On island jobs, my packout units take on that role, carrying everything I could possibly need.
Then there’s the constant stream of calls. Clients ring me up with their emergencies, asking when I’ll be on-site. On Fridays, it’s even worse—everyone scrambling to get their issues solved before the weekend. The emails pile up too, streaming in with urgent requests and timeframes that threaten to upend my already packed schedule.
It doesn’t matter if it’s the weekend. The calls don’t stop. The questions keep coming. “Can you make it here today?” “Do you have time for this?” “When can you get this done?”
Add to this the personal calls. Friends and family want to know, “When are you done work? Can we meet for dinner?” By the end of the day, I’ve navigated more deadlines than I care to count.
So, what’s this vacation about? It’s not about going somewhere exotic or ticking off a bucket list. It’s about escaping the tyranny of time.
No alarms. No schedules. No logistics. No endless calls or urgent emails. Just waking up and deciding what to do on a whim. No estimating traffic, no ferry schedules, no redesigning plans based on what’s available. For once, I’m not planning every moment of the day. I’m simply going where I want, when I want.
This is a vacation from the constant need to be somewhere at a certain time. From the endless calls, the frantic emails, and the juggling of schedules. It’s a return to spontaneity, to moving through the world without a deadline hanging over my head.
And let me tell you—it feels pretty damn good.