The end of 2019 & the start of 2020 brought a new reality for people all over the world. C19 was released and swooped across the globe.

2020 brought us our first of many new challenges, including restrictions against going out, closing of small business, and talk of “New World Order”. The world was about to enter a new reality, family as well as working relationships would be set on a rollercoaster ride of ups, downs & devastation. My working relationship with my long-time work partner would not escape that devastation.

The entries I detail in this portion of my blog will outline some of that turmoil that affected me, and what we have all encountered.

2019-2020 Psychedelics, C19, & Moving Into Video Podcasting

At the end of 2019, I had picked up a virus. “Unknown Respiratory Infection” they said at the hospital. I remember feeling like an elephant was sitting on my chest, making it difficult to take a deep or even a full breath in. It lasted about 2 weeks, with lingering effects taking hold for about 6 weeks (about 1 and a half months) before they diminished. I consumed elderberry extract 3 times a day, and my dabs hourly through it all. The vaping made me cough, and it would clear my lungs for several minutes allowing me to breathe freely. I never felt “sick” at all through the illness, it was all in my lungs.

Then in March 2020 the announcement broke, we were dealing with a new virus called the WUHAN Flu. Governments around the globe initiated “lockdown protocols,” everyone, everywhere was told to stay home. Social media sites exploded with new members, everyone clambered to get online to stay in touch with family, friends & the world around us.

Being on radio for many years, I wanted to do something to help the following that I had built stay in touch with one another, to try and help us all just get through this “2 weeks to flatten the curve.” I ventured into video podcasting on “Info With Kim,” a Facebook group based in cannabis I created and had been operating for about 7 years. The IWK 710 Daily Sesh was born, launched on Cannabis Information with Northern Ontario Kim on Facebook. I had always shied away from video. Being highly emotional, I didn't have to worry about facial expression or crying when I was on the air, radio had no cameras. This was unfamiliar territory for me, and I was more than a little nervous.

The 710 Daily Sesh was about staying connected, while putting away the onslaught of media bombarding our lives at every turn, predicting doom for the world dealing with this new virus. A place where we could forget about it all, even for just part of an hour every day, come together and smoke a joint. I mean, it was only 2 weeks right? I could do that.

Well as we all know, the new reality lasted much longer than 2 weeks, and during those first two weeks I received so many messages from people on social media thanking me, I couldn't just stop. I felt like I had to continue, people needed a place to go, a place to forget, just for a little while. So, I started putting out invitations to other members of the cannabis community to join me, taking a day each week on the daily sesh and dates started filling up. It didn't take long before I had 6 other like-minded individuals seshing with members every night at 7pm est. The little sesh gathering was growing, and some joint hosts wanted to have guests on, but we were all still in lockdown.

I did some research and learned about streaming sites I could connect with social media. After learning about several streaming sites I started using a platform called Streamyard, which came with added features like multiple guests during podcasts. The IWK 710 Daily Sesh was now live to 3 sites simultaneously, had 7 rotating joint hosts airing 7 nights a week just a few months after it launched.

I was still doing my radio podcasts at PACE as well, and growing our all new radio network shows as well as content. Things were ramping up at The PACE Radio Network, as I took on producing segments, creating new shows, and being a valued equal partner with Al Graham to plan, manage and advance the new network we were building together.

Through all the turmoil we faced in 2020, I had been gravitating towards another element in natural therapy. I had spent the last few years researching and experimenting with psilocybin mushrooms, as a medicine. I was learning about the medicinal effects of psychedelics on traumatic brain injury, depression, PTSD & more. I had my pain managed now with cannabinoid therapy and no longer took any prescribed medication, but I was still struggling greatly with lingering effects of CPTSD & brain fog.

I began micro dosing in 2019 to help me combat the remaining trauma I was dealing with from my past, coupled with the stresses of this new reality we were now living in I started doubling down on the research. We began growing psychedelic mushrooms and micro dosing was now a part of my treatment plan. I was still learning, and didn’t have myself on a schedule utilizing this med. It was all very sporadic at first, but I found it was helping.
I wasnt new to the world of psychedelics, although I had never utalized them medicinally before. I was expanding my knowledge on plant & now fungi for natural therapy.

There was a great division that was starting to become apparent in this new reality we were all living in. Division of opinions became issues in families, among co-workers, and friends. But we all still had hope that it would pass quickly with the start of a new year. I ended 2020 with advancement into video from radio, through social media podcasting.

Even though we spent the year in lockdown, I managed to grow intellectually, as well as spiritually and personally. I was looking forward to the future and returning to what we once referred to as normal life with the commencement of a new year. Looking ahead to planning PACE Network Live On Location coverage of events that would surely return in the spring. we took that time to build a solid foundation for our new radio network, through social media.

Onward, and into 2021!
Up next it's Podcasting and a future I didn’t see coming

Stay tuned!