AUMA11: communication and the social media universe

I spent yesterday in a room with mayors, councillors, aldermen, and CAOs from communities across Alberta.  We were there to talk and learn about communication plans, which we did talk about, along with a host of other realities and challenges that make me truly grateful.

Representing communities of several hundred to small cities of thousands, the range of leaders was vast.

If you had walked into the space from off the street could you have extrapolated that this was a group of politicians and bureaucrats?  No chance.  This could have been a gathering of insurance adjusters or ag producers, as far as you could tell.  Honestly, based on advice I had received about the AUMA (Alberta Urban Municipalities Association) convention, there were going to be a whole lot of suits.  Let's just say I was over dressed and ditched the suit jacket two minutes after finding my seat.

I knew the discussions were going to be fun when the guy behind me asked the facilitators, Wendy Heshka and Michelle Gurney, "What do we do about the cave people?"

Cave people, I said to myself, who the heck are they?

The flummoxed look on my face must have given me away as a nice fellow next to me leaned over and whispered "Citizens Against Virtually Anything."

"Ohhh," I said, grabbing my BlackBerry so I could tweet about the acronym I had just learned.

It became clear very quickly that some of my political colleagues are dealing with split councils that makes their lives miserable and progress painfully slow.  In one situation that shall remain nameless, errant councillors on the opposing side of an issue are spreading misinformation to try to sway the sentiments of the electorate.  In another locale, the publisher of the local paper has such a strong bias and penchant for stretching the facts that the primary means of information distribution in that community has actually become a detriment to governing.

I spent the day wrapping my brain around the question of how to integrate new or social media into the communication mix.  We live in a 24-7-365 region, but we tend to communicate in the 9 to 5, Monday to Friday, traditional media model.  Or, at least that's what we used to do.  I'm so pleased to say that we're making the transition, and many of us, including some excellent communication staff at the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, are making adjustments on the fly.

There were some in the room dead set against ever participating in social media, people surprisingly young to be so reticent about this exciting form of connecting with our citizens.  Many had already taken the plunge and were swimming around trying to find the current that would carry them in the right direction down the river of progress.

"Over two million Albertans are on Facebook," said one of the hosts.  "And 1.5 million of those are of voting age."

The line that former Energy Minister Murray Smith repeated several times during our visit a few weeks ago kept rattling through my brain.

"If you want to go duck hunting, go where the ducks are."

In the radio business they talk about hours tuned.  I wonder if you were to compare the average hours tuned of particular channels across the media landscape, what channel or channels would float to the top?  My kids and I, for example, spend far more time on social media than anything else, radio, television or newspaper, in fact, more time than the last three combined together.  Yet, traditional communication philosophy and practice has organizations spending the bulk of their human resource time and marketing dollars focusing on the same stuff that they were focusing on ten and twenty years ago.  This is a new world, and the sooner we realign our priorities, the sooner we'll find the sweet spot in the communication racket.

We talked about micro-blogging (Twitter), social networking (Facebook), photo and video sharing (Flickr and YouTube) and mobile apps.  We talked about the benefits and we looked at the risks associated with making the leap into the social media universe.  I can promise you that there are myriad control issues at play and giving over control of the conversations and comments that are inherent to new media is going to take time and a fair bit of convincing in some cases.

Ideal Protein, Week Four

The weight and the inches are dropping off gradually, yet steadily, that without fanfare and very little notice I look (and feel) trim.  I had Ben snap a picture yesterday morning and posted it on Facebook and the words of congratulations and encouragement starting pouring in.  Thank you!

This was a crazy busy week with the opening of our Fort Chipewyan Campus and a full day in our province's oldest continuously inhabited settlement.  Standing out in the parking lot feeling the pulse of the drummers and their song as the sound waves bounced off the new building was amazing.  The acoustics and the moment were perfect as Chair Margo Vermillion welcomed everyone, reflecting the wonderful spirit and energy of the day.

I especially enjoyed talking with several local residents, hearing their stories, concerns and unbridled passion for their community.  The work that Tanya Dashcavich is doing with the Aurora Spirit Dancers is so important, giving young people a tangible connection to their wonderful traditions.  It was great to soak in the wisdom and warmth of elder Janet Voyageur, to chat with Lori Powder and Kevin Martin, and to meet some of our municipal staff.  It was a delight to have an engaging conversation with Darren Mercredi about his Northern Wolves drum group, featured in the above photo.

Most of Wednesday was spent attending a workshop hosted by the Wood Buffalo Business Development Initiative featuring David Saxby called Marketing in the New Millennium.  It was a great reminder of how much the world of marketing and communication has changed, integrating social media into the mix.  I got the sense that the 50+ participants got a lot out of the full day of learning.  There were more than a few light bulb moments in the room as the day proceeded.  You'll likely see increased activity in the social media world in the coming days.

On Thursday, the Fort McMurray Public School Division opened their new junior high school, École McTavish.  As I came in the building the energy coming from inside was thunderous.  The student body, parents and community members were gathered in the gymnasium, cheering as the gaggle of dignitaries streamed in to officially open this incredible new learning facility.

This picture, taken by Paula Ogonoski, captures the excitement of the student body.  It was an honour to be there, thinking of the McTavish's, who founded our first public school 100 years ago, as they looked down from heaven with pride.

Our President, Dr. Kevin Nagel, shared the new strategic and sustainable direction of Keyano College to members of the Chamber of Commerce on Thursday during a luncheon.  The concept of moving to a zero-waste reality was shared, as the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and Keyano College plan to work together to turn our waste into electricity and heat.  It's exciting to imagine the potential of being a region that becomes a sustainability champion that others can follow.  It's even more exciting to be a college that is leading the way in terms of helping to shape the future of the region we serve.

As the Clearwater River valley turns into the painted forest and we dive into what promises to be a beautiful weekend, I just got back from my weekly weigh-in and measuring session.

"You are an anomaly," she declared, as I had dropped 5.2 pounds in a week when weight loss normally slows down.

I've been called worse, I thought myself as I packed up my groceries and walked out the door, smiling.

Culture, oil sand and the markers of change

We live in one of the fastest growing regions in the country. The growth the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo (RMWB) has gone through in the past decade is almost impossible to quantify. The growth that the oil sands region is about to go through again will be “unlike anything we have seen before,” according to Jeff Fitzner, President of the Casman Group of Companies, also the recently appointed Chair of the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games organizing committee.

The question of how culture helps define and understand change in this place that just over 100,000 of us call home is interesting. One would think that in a community that has expanded by over 100 percent in the past decade (2000 – 2010), cultural facilities and activities would have followed a similar exponential growth path. That is not the case according to homegrown actor and playwright Jeff Hoffman, who won three awards at this year’s ADFA Provincial One-Act Play Festival for his original creation of One Man Macbeth.

“The world of theatre has grown and shrunk over the course of my years in Fort McMurray,” he said. “Many brilliant artists come and go. Since there is a lack of professional opportunities for them, artists have a hard time developing roots here, so their stay tends to be notoriously brief.”

So interestingly, the inflow and outflow of artists mirrors the transiency inherent to Wood Buffalo.

According to Alan Roberts, Director of the Theatre & Arts Centre at Keyano College and a leader in the cultural sector since he arrived in Fort McMurray in 1988, growth and development in the arts has waxed and waned over the years.

“When I first arrived I was embraced right away by an active, thriving local theatre community,” said Roberts. “As a newcomer I was amazed at what Fort McMurray had to offer.”

Roberts has seen the vibrancy of the arts scene go up and down, related somewhat to tumultuous economic changes, but also to the human dynamics that define the scene.

“We made some choices to move into the direction of being more of a professional theatre a number of years ago,” shares Alan. “That may not have been the best choice as we lost a lot of strength in our community theatre base. I think this is changing, that we’re heading down a better path now that will allow our theatre community, as an example, to grow.”

Part of the challenge in developing a community and indie theatre scene is the high cost and low availability of space. The lack of places to practice your craft and share it with others is a consistent theme across all artistic disciplines.

As the infrastructure catch-up game continues across the region, attempting to close the gap created during the lean and mean Klein years, improvements are coming into focus just beyond the horizon. Keyano College has struggled to manage increased demand on its cultural and performance venues, often apologizing for a lack of available space and resources to meet the need. Only this month, a new facility has opened as part of the Holy Trinity Catholic High School.

The need for cultural investment is not lost on the municipal government, which has recently added a culture branch to its operations.

“The expression of wants and needs from the community itself led to much of the growth in the RMWB culture portfolio,” said Leigh Agozzino-Organ, Culture Supervisor. “The Municipality’s commitment and support has bolstered a sense of optimism amongst the arts community. This increased capacity has enabled the amplification of voices from within the cultural sector.”

Cultural activities and diverse styles of artistic expression have brilliantly marked the change from being a relatively homogenous region to being one that is incredibly multi-cultural. In step with the influx of new Canadians from countries like Pakistan, India, Philippines, Venezuela, and Somalia, new-to-us forms of dance, music, visual art and theatre have been popping up more frequently.

An excellent example of this is the one-act play Rubbish that became a runaway sensation at the annual interPLAY Festival. According to director Michael Beamish, a trained theatre artist working as a student recruiter for Keyano College, new Canadians provide amazing collaboration opportunities.

“With Rubbish I was able to work with Francis Mennigke, a physical theatre artist from South Africa,” he said. “We were able to combine our different cultural experiences to make an award winning show. He was able to expose me to a completely new type of theatre that could only have happened in a culturally diverse place such as Fort McMurray.”

As a theatre patron I was completely blown away by Rubbish. I would stack it up against any production I’ve seen here in Fort McMurray or anywhere else in the world for that matter. An actor and writer from the southern tip of Africa, an Aboriginal actor whose family has lived in Wood Buffalo for generations, and a director who grew up on an Alberta farm created a theatre piece that was completely compelling and unique, with only the clothes on their backs and two pools of light.

The problem remains though as to how to engender a sense of artistic permanency to a community that is so isolated, transitory, and constantly in a state of perpetual motion and flux.

“I see huge potential in Fort McMurray for artistic growth,” said Beamish. “That’s why I moved up here."

This sense of optimism pervades through the hallways at the RMWB.

“There is so much potential in our community to build capacity in the cultural sector,” said Agozzino. “The creation of formalized cultural foundations, such as arts councils, policies and stable cultural funding structures, are imperative to continuing the energy and growth in the arts.”

Much like the bold dream of the oil sands and the economic promise it provides containing the second largest supply of recoverable oil on the planet, culture in the north stands ready to evolve, explode and explore the far reaches of creative possibility.

Fort Chipewyan Campus

I had traveled up to Fort Chipewyan a couple of weeks ago, in the midst of that early September heat wave, to get a sneak preview of Keyano College's new campus. Going up today for the official grand opening, there won't be a lot of surprises for me, but it will be something special to see the halls crowded with community, government and industry leaders.

Previously, we had rented space in the Multi-Plex, but the time had come to go out on our own.  Thanks to land made available by the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo and a couple years of design and construction, students are hard at work on semester one in the new facility.  The community also has access to the beautiful Jeanne MacIntyre Library, contemporary, airy, welcoming, in the heart of the campus.

It has great energy.  Every room has natural light, the hallways are nice and wide, and the student lounge cradled in the inner curve of the Keyano College icon has windows that reach to the ceiling and colours that are sure to warm the soul in the cold dark days of winter.

"Students are loving it," said Maxine Bourke, the longtime Keyano employee who greets you as you enter the building.  "They are actually hanging out till the end of the day."

Technology is in abundance in this state-of-the-art learning facility, with hi-speed Internet connectivity, lots of computers, and SMART Boards.

"Technology provides students a wide variety of course opportunities without having to leave Fort Chip," said Cathy Davis-Herbert, Dean, Lifelong Learning.  "This new campus allows us to deliver more options and strengthens the community."

As with most major construction projects, there were a few bumps along the road to completion.  The winter road closed exceptionally early a couple of years ago, before a lot of the construction material could make its way north on trucks.  And once we got building, the opening date became a moving target.  But the wait was worth it, as over 40 students are in the classrooms with a visibly renewed interest in what Keyano College has to offer.

Minister of Advanced Education and Technology, Greg Weadick will join us to add the government's feather to the dreamcatcher that will stand watch over the student lounge, as will Deputy Mayor Dave Kirschner, President & CEO Dr. Kevin Nagel, leaders from the Mikisew Cree First Nation, Athabasca Chipewyan First Nation and the Metis Local No. 125.  Elders, staff, students and leaders of the industrial partners who contributed to the project will gather together around noon today to officially open the facility.  We will break bread, give tours of the campus, and bask in the glorious northern sun promised by the weather forecasters.

Harvest of Hope 2011

Ashley Crewe, Julio Florez and Jon Tupper doing the dance

According to Head Waiter Jason Blair, after the dust settled on the annual Harvest of Hope last night, over $270,000 was raised for the Canadian Cancer Society.

This benevolence bash has become a fixture of the fall social calendar in Fort McMurray along with marqee events like the Keyano College Foundation Gala, the Northern Lights Health Foundation's Festival of Trees, and the Kids Forever banquet, which unfortunately also occurred last night, preventing many of us from being two places at once (with the exception of auctioneer extraordinaire Ross Jacobs, who, decked out in his Nacho Libre wrestling mask, managed to weave his magic for both).

"There are so many of these things now," said longtime Regional Councillor Phil Meagher.  "When I first started on Council in the 90's we had a couple of banquets on our social calender before Christmas, but that was pretty much it.  Now, we have multiple events every weekend."

Multiple events, lots of fancy gowns and expensive tuxedos, and more generosity and bravado than you can throw a stick at, Fort McMurray has really grown up.

In the interest of total transparency, I'm not the best celebrity waiter in the world.  It's not that I don't like to serve, I like that part a lot, it's more that I don't have an iota of the amount of fun, creativity and drive required to inspire people to part with their money for this great cause.  That said, I was surrounded by some extraordinary waiters who raised thousands and thousands of dollars.

Marty Giles from Northstar Ford had a compelling creation draped around his neck all night, including ten $100 bills and several coveted hockey tickets.  He roved the large room and sold tickets and raised a pile of money.

Fiona Deeney-Paradis from The Blind Spot (www.blindsfortmcmurray.com), sporting a beautiful head of hair, offered to sacrifice her coiffure if the gathered masses would donate $7,000.  It took about 20 minutes to coax the dollars out, but the grand work of emcees Ben McCully and Jerry Neville from Country 93.3 made it happen.  Fiona looked perfectly elegant and sheik as her locks fell to the dance floor, surrounded by admirers and paparazzi, earning a well-deserved standing ovation.

Country 93.3's Ben McCully with beautiful Fiona

Julio and Stefan emulate Julio Iglesias and Willie Neslon

From Ali Sayed slipping from his tux into tacky 1970s garb (for lots of $$$), to Julio Florez performing a duet with Stefan of the song "To All the Girls I've Loved Before", to Ruth Francoeur being bribed to carry a baby doll on her back all night long, you just never know what's going to happen at the Harvest of Hope.

For Councillor Don Scott and I, this event is a personal marker of sorts.  We participated last year, sporting fabulous pink coloured vests, not knowing what our political futures would bring.  At that time we were in the throws of a municipal election campaign.  Things turned out well for the both of us, and in the process I'm honoured to say that we've grown into great friends.

While we were bringing out the brilliant dishes prepared by Chef Clarence and his team at the Sawridge Inn and Conference Centre, politicians at a different level were glued to their computer monitors watching the results of the first ballot in the Alberta PC Leadership Race.

"Mar is trending very strongly in the first polls coming in," I said zipping by Don, wearing his long flowing judges wig bouncing from table to table.

A little later the message changed slightly as scattered reports were coming in that it was turning into a horse race.

"Doug and Alison are starting to come up," I shared.

In the end, late into the evening, long after I had gone home, Gary Mar landed exactly where most of the pundits had placed him, at the top with 40.8% of the disappointing number of votes that were cast.  Alison Redford came in a solid second with 18.7% with Doug Horner bringing up the rear of those that will appear on the second ballot with 14.5%.  Ted Morton, Rick Orman and Doug Griffiths were left to console their campaign teams and release the over 15,000 votes to be dispersed among the other candidates on October 1st.

Admittedly, I spent time between serving courses harvesting information from Twitter and passing them along to my table, who were eager to get the inside track while enjoying their food and fun.

Congratulations and thanks to everyone who made the 2011 Harvest of Hope a bountiful experience for the Canadian Cancer Society, proving once again that Wood Buffalo is the most generous community in the country.

Ideal Protein, Week Three

It took me four full months of hard work to get below 190 lbs, the last time I battled my middle age proclivity to rotundness.  I ran, walked, did crunches and lifted weights.  I drank lots of water, avoided as much sugar as I could, and carefully watched what I ate.  This morning, I have gone below the previous low-weight mark after only three weeks on the Ideal Protein program.

Normally, I do my weekly update on Sunday morning.  But I know I'll be wanting to write about what is going to happen tonight at the Harvest of Hope Celebrity Waiter fundraiser for the Canadian Cancer Society.  So, I'll break with tradition and share my reflections before my official weigh-in at BACK on TRACK with BARB.

This was such a great week as I felt totally in sync with the plan.  Drinking copious amounts of water has become second-nature.  The raw veggies and protein shake at lunch no longer feels awkward, rather, completely normal and actually, desired.

Yesterday was the first day that I started to get spontaneous reaction in the office to my weight loss.

"I can really see it now," said one person, patting me encouragingly on the shoulder.

The markers of progress are popping up everywhere.  I was at Bob Barrett's Mens' Apparel the other day getting fitted for my tux when I was told that I had dropped from a size 44 suit jacket to a size 42.  I'd been a 44 for as long as I can remember, certainly going back to the mid-1990's.

I can honestly say that not even in my most creative dreams did I imagine that I'd need to consider dropping a pant size.  Three weeks ago, my inventory of 36" waist pantaloons were getting hard to button up.  Today, there are becoming rather loose, to the point where cinching up the belt is beginning to look odd.  With over 10 lbs yet to go, I'm preparing myself to invest in a whole bunch of alterations.

I still get strangled trying to button my 17" neck size dress shirts, but I can see the day, not too far down the road, when I'll be able to comfortably do up that button and make use of shirts that have been hanging dormant for quite a number of years.

The energy I'm feeling is remarkable.  I no longer suffer through those horrible post-lunch bouts of exhaustion.  I'm more comfortable in my body than I've felt in decades.

I was inspired to hear the weight loss story of my friend Paul McWilliams, Director of Advancement at MacDonald Island Park, at the 5th anniversary celebration of Primary Care Network (PCN) Wood Buffalo yesterday.  I never knew the overweight Paul.  He came into my universe in the last leg of his program, so hearing his story was amazing.

With the encouragement, guidance and consistent support of the incredible staff of the PCN, Paul dropped over 114 lbs.  Post-program he has managed to maintain 90 percent of the weight loss.  For anyone who struggles with obesity, this is a wonderful ray of hope that all things are possible.

End of Week #3: - 14.4 lbs, -12 inches

Drunk with Sound...again

At some point last fall I had a terrible cold and during a particularly powerful sneeze, the tube that had been planted in my ear in March 2010 went flying out.  Over the next couple of weeks, my middle ear flooded with fluid pushing up against my eardrum rendering it immovable.  As the fluid built up, my hearing became worse and worse.  So, for the past 10 months or so, if you were whispering on my left side, I probably didn't hear a thing.

Yesterday, my EN&T, Dr. Kudryk, once again poked my eardrum, sucked everything out and reinserted a Donaldson tube.

Instantly, the hearing that had been gone for so long, returned.  Once again, I was drunk with sound, though the effect was not as pronounced as the first go around.

As audio data is now coming in my left side, my brain has had to re-calibrate itself.  For months, it had automatically compensated for the loss on the one side to give some semblance of audio orientation.  All of a sudden I didn't know where the sounds were coming from, there was just too much data coming in much too quickly.

The volume had to be turned down on the devices in my world: the office phone, the BlackBerry, the television.  It almost stopped my heart, when the cordless phone sitting to my left in my home study rang last night.  I became temporarily paralyzed, not knowing how to react.  It's so hard to describe.

Does this ever happen to you?  You take an amazing digital picture, the composition is perfect, the expression on your subject's face - priceless, but the colours are dull and everything is a little dark.  So, you bring the photo into your friendly neighborhood photo editor, add a little brightness, bump up the contrast and VOILA! You have a completely new and wonderful picture.  That's what getting my hearing back feels like, my hearing has been audioshopped.

9/11 Remembered

It was 10 years ago today that the twin towers came tumbling down in lower Manhattan.  Attacked, brutalized, terrified, America and the world was turned upside down by a small band of Al Qaeda terrorists.

That morning is still crystal clear in my mind, the refusal to believe what I was being told coming into work, that the World Trade Center towers were on fire.  I'm not sure if we knew clearly and completely that they had been hit by planes at that point.  But as word spread that not only had two planes careened into each of the towers, a third had made a direct hit on the Pentagon, and a fourth seemed to be making a dash for the White House. We were under attack.

In those moments, we didn't have the luxury of knowing that the worst was behind us.  I remember feeling that I needed to grab my family and hold them close, that in an instant life as we knew it was no longer assured.

Experiencing the Fire Fighter Memorial Ceremony today,  I pondered what our local responders were thinking and feeling as they watched their IAFF (International Association of Fire Fighters) brothers and sisters from afar on their television sets, pouring into the lobbies of those iconic structures.  They put themselves in harms way by the hundreds, running up the concrete stairwells as petrified citizens were running down, scrambling for their lives.

I think of the fire fighters, police and paramedics who were lost that day, every time I find myself in a concrete stairwell.  I'm sure this is a common response.  What was going through their minds as they raced up, loaded with gear, becoming more and more exhausted with each step?  Did they sense that that moment or the next might be their last?  Were images of their loved ones going through their minds like a slideshow of memories?  Perhaps they were silently praying, and having an inner dialogue to calm their nerves.  Perhaps they were so much in the moment that fear fell off of them, as if carried away on a breeze.

As the Last Post gave way to Reveille we remembered, in silence, in gratitude.

Ideal Protein, Week Two

When I started the Middle Age Bulge blog in late December of 2009, I concurrently began a self-created program to lose weight.  I had stepped on a scale on Boxing Day and almost lost my mind when I saw 210 lbs on the display.   It took me almost 4-months, based on my notes from this period, to get to 189 lbs, a loss of just over 20 lbs.  I walked, I ran, I ate better, and  I drank lots of water.  But over time, the trips to the gym declined, bad foods started to trickle back into my diet, and water became an after-thought.

Based on my early morning weigh-in today - early morning seems to produce the lowest measurement - I'm down to 193.8 lbs, or a total weight loss of 13.2 lbs in two weeks.  To be fair and completely transparent, my weigh-in at BACK on TRACK with BARB yesterday afternoon was less auspicious (by several lbs).  But I'll go with the early morning lower number any day of the week; it's far more motivating.

I'm proud to say that I have not cheated in the first 14 days of this program.  I fear that if I slip, even once, I may start to slide, and ultimately, plummet down this mountain I'm climbing. So, I stick to the script.  The only "cheating" I do is slipping in an additional restricted food, usually the BBQ Chips while we watch Weeds in the evening.  Being able to munch on this $4 morsel of monstrous goodness feels decadent, delightful, perfectly sinful.

This week's hot weather has been hard for me and I believe contributed greatly to my less prodigious results.  We don't have central air-conditioning, or any other kind of air-conditioning for that matter, and the temperature in our room at bedtime was north of 28-degrees Celsius the entire week.  The ceiling fan helped a little as did the floor fan that we put out in the hallway, but I had a helluva time sleeping and invariably drifted out of bed to the fridge for a program-approved dill pickle or some raw cucumbers.  So, with the heat I slept less and ate more.  I'm sure glad the weather has cooled off today.

As I type this I'm enjoying only my third cup of coffee in 14 days.  The last one, enjoyed earlier this week at the office, had me completely buzzed.  My body seemed to have forgotten how to manage and respond to caffeine.  I didn't like the feeling and will reserve my java treat for lollygagging Sunday mornings when a coffee-high will be the most enjoyable and the least destructive.

The weight is going down and the inches are disappearing to the point that I'm beginning to see the difference.  I saw it first in my face and next in my middle age bulge area.  More importantly, I feel so much better, lighter, healthier, more energized, sharper.

"What are you going to do when this is over?" asked my wife at dinner last night.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you see yourself going back to the way you were eating before?"

It was a sage question, one that I've thought of more than once in the past two weeks.  The fact is that I see food differently now.  Where this program resets the pancreas, I believe it also resets our understanding and relationship with food.  Walking through the grocery store, I now see the power displays at the end of the aisles for what they are - temptations.  Instead, I go straight for the produce section and my essential supply of approved vegetables.

The question of whether or not I return to my old ways will ultimately be answered down the road, long after I've reached my target weight of somewhere between 165 - 175 lbs (my inner thin person is still on the fence as to what it wants my ideal weight to be).  I can confidently say that "I see food differently now" when I'm in the middle of the program and totally focused.  The proof will be in the pudding, when I've weaned myself off of the protein packs and supplements and have successfully transitioned to eating in a way that is healthy for the long-term.  Wish me luck!

MacDonald Island expands again

"Tim, when will we know when we are finished adding things to the Island?"

"When it sinks," replies Tim.

It's an inside joke within the miTeam (MacDonald Island Team), as maintaining the status quo, or standing still, has no meaning nor value.

Chief Operating Officer Tim Reid clearly outlined the possibilities of what lies ahead for the Island in the coming years during a public announcement/media conference yesterday morning in the front foyer of the Suncor Community Leisure Centre, a sea of red as the morning would also include the kick-off of the United Way campaign.

The list of possible additions that will come before Council later this fall for approval includes an outdoor performance stadium, baseball/softball stadium, shared service non-profit facility, walking trails, and a series of ancillary items like tennis courts, climbing wall, splash park, outdoor youth park and a marina.

IMAGINE parking somewhere downtown and crossing an iconic pedestrian bridge across the Snye enjoying a startling view of the pristine Clearwater River Valley to the east and the majestic Athabasca River to the west.

IMAGINE following the plaza into the circular entrance to the state of the art non-profit centre, home to over over 30 organizations who strengthen and maintain the fabric of our community and region.

IMAGINE going up the the second level and on to the upper mezzanine, with a hard-hitting football game in progress to your right and a semi-professional baseball game happening to your left.

Imagination is a funny thing in Wood Buffalo.  If you can clearly see it in your mind chances are that it can be made reality.  The dream that is MacDonald Island Park started to form over 50 years ago, and through the work of many community builders like C. A. Knight has grown into what is currently the largest recreational facility in western Canada.  If this new expansion gets the nod later this year, we could be enjoying a hot dog and a semi-pro ball game as early as July 2013.  By the time we host the 2015 Western Canada Summer Games, this  expansion would be all built out and ready to host some of our nation's best athletes.

A home for non-profits in the heart of our dynamic downtown, facilities that will transform into special event spaces for up to 20,000, an all-weather pedway into the Suncor Community Leisure Centre, new vehicular access with an additional bridge, and a pedestrian bridge that would be an architectural wonder are all part of this incredible picture.

Dive into the details and provide your input by clicking here.

"We are the community that delivers," said Mayor Melissa Blake in her public remarks following the unveiling of the plans.  No truer words have ever been said.

Ideal Protein, Week One

I still shake my head when I think that just a couple of days ago I had never heard of Ideal Protein.  Now it seems that everywhere I turn there is someone with a connection to the program.  Perhaps it is a result of the theory that the energy you give is the energy you get?

How was the first week?  Overall, fantastic.  But I had one bad stretch on Day 3 when a dull headache settled in.  The timing wasn't the best as it was the day that Premier Ed Stelmach was in town for the Airport Expansion and Redevelopment Project ground breaking.

Premier Stelmach, Mayor Melissa Blake and a host of dignitaries break ground for the Fort McMurray Airport Expansion and Redevelopment Project, August 30, 2011

It was a day where I went from one public function to another, with no time to grab a soothing Tylenol.  All I could do was keep up with my water intake and suffer gladly.  After a nap, a good dinner and a second snooze, the throbbing subsided and all was well.

I like the regimentation of this program, that it's very laid out with specific do's and don'ts.  I like following instructions.  They keep me focused and on track.  My daily schedule sits out on the kitchen counter for me to consult throughout the day.  The daily journal gives me a place to track my meal choices, water intake and supplements that I take.

While my home scale was suggesting significant weight loss, I knew the true measure would come at my weekly check-in that happened yesterday.  That is where the true baseline was established.  A week ago it tagged me at 207-pounds.  I shed my accouterments (belt, BlackBerry, wallet) and stepped up and looked down.

"You've lost 7.2-pounds this week," Barb declared.  "That's a great first week.  Now let's see if the inches match the pounds."

She grabbed the tape and checked everything from waist and hip sizes to my neck and thigh.  Each measurement indicated a slight decrease for a total loss of 5.75-inches.

Determined to carry on, I selected enough supplies for the next three or four weeks, the amount of time I think it will take to get near my target weight.  My counter is now filled with caramel pudding, vanilla drink, and tomato & basil soup mixes, not to mention the barbecue chips box, for those moments when I feel the compulsion to chomp on something snacky.

Ideal Protein's BBQ Chips

For me, there are a lot of good things about the first week:

• I lost a considerable amount of weight
• My energy has increased
• My digestive system feels way better
• I'm drinking lots and lots of water 
• The temptations to cheat have been few
• Cravings had not entered into the picture
• The program is manageable even with a busy public and work life (probably my biggest fear going in)
• Barb and the gang at BACK on TRACK with BARB are very supportive
• I am not alone, as many others around me either have been on this journey before or are on this journey now (support and encouragement are plentiful)
• I bought a bottle of the Walden Farms BBQ Sauce - it is heavenly!

My buddy back home was my inspiration for doing this, as going on a determined weight loss program was nowhere on my radar till he told me his Ideal Protein story.  So, a big thanks to him and the many others who followed in quick succession with their stories and successes.  I am grateful.

If any of this is ringing true to you, if you want to shed pounds, increase your energy and focus on your health, you can get started at BACK on TRACK with BARB at 780-750-1450, or visit her website at www.backontrackwithbarb.com.  They are located on the upper level of the River City Centre, or for the Fort McMurray old-timers that area reading, the Plaza II.

Fishing with Dierks

Performing on the Tonight Show (Cassady on bass, Steve on drums)

"Dierks wants to go fishing," they said.  "You're the first person who came to mind."

It's good to be known for something.  That request came in the day before yesterday as the Events Wood Buffalo crew were doing last minute advancing for Dierks Bentley and his entourage.  He was the headline performer on Day 2 of the SummersEND Country Music Jubilee in Fort McMurray, sponsored by my good friends at Royal LePage True North Realty.

I pulled up to the backstage area at the agreed upon time when I would pick up two, maybe three of the guys to give them a taste of fishing in the north.

"Hey Russell," called Krista Balsom, volunteering as a VIP driver for the event.  "Come here."

Krista was in the driver's seat of a big black suburban.  You know what I'm talking about, one of those big lumbering units you see in movies when they need to drive stars around.

"I'd like to introduce you to Dierks Bentley."

He was lounging in the back waiting to go out for a round of golf at Miskanaw.  Though he had opted not to go fishing in the end, he had a lot of questions about what angling is like in this part of the world.

"What do you know about Mikisew Sport Fishing," he asked.  "I was looking at them online."

Caught at Cornwall Lake with Mikisew Sport Fishing
www.mikisewsportfishing.com

I gave him the big pitch about some of our celebrated northern lakes and tried to describe where they were located.

"How much of a drive is it to get out there?"

"Oh, you can't drive, you have to take a float plane."

He was pretty impressed with that.  When you stop and think about it, there probably are not a lot of spots in the US where you have to take a float plane to a lake.

I said goodbye and wandered into the artists' hospitality area to meet the two members of the band that were going fishing, bass guitarist Cassady Feasby and drummer Steve Misamore.

Cassady Feasby - photo by Wes Aldridge
www.mindofthephotographer.blogspot.com

Steve Misamore on The Late Show

We went to Chow's Varieties to get them all licensed up before hitting my favourite spot along the south shore of the Clearwater River at Willow Point.

Over the next two hours they didn't catch anything, but I sense they both appreciated the opportunity to be near the water, with the hope that fish would rise.  I learned a little about life as a country music musician living in Nashville and working for one of the biggest in the business.  We talked fishing, family, and favourites - from Merle Haggard to Breaking Bad and Dexter.  It was time well spent for me, and for Steve and Cassidy, a chance to enjoy some refreshing down time watching the tip of a fishing rod along a heritage river in Fort McMurray, Wood Buffalo, Alberta, Canada.

Cassady and Dierks