That Damned Magical Weekend

• June 1, 2011

Some days are magic. I’m not talking about just a good day or a really fun day. I very much mean a magical day that surpasses all expectation, a day that defies explanation, a day that forever changes your world and leaves you a better person at the end of it. A day that revisits you over and over again to return even more gifts and blessings to you. I’m not talking about a day that defines me as a person, although I’ve certainly had those. Read More

Sadness and Joy

• May 28, 2011

Or as I like to subtitle this one, an insider’s blog on the Alberta Party Leadership Convention. This is the blog where I expose all the underhanded dealings, the backstabbing, the dirty mudslinging and the general nastiness we carefully hid from the public. Well.. A couple days ago Tammy asked if I would write and read an endorsement for her at the convention. It took me a little while to put together. Read More

A Parable, or Why I'm Not Sleeping.

• May 28, 2011

A soft knocking at the front door. I answer, warily. “Hello?“ “Hello, I represent..“ ”.. the Fuller Brush Company,” I mentally insert while no longer listening. Aloud I inquire, “And what are you selling me?“ She smiles half a smile and repeats herself. “I represent the part of you that’s been neglected. I’m offering you love.“ I laugh aloud. “Not interested.“ I know it’s untrue. She looks straight through me, continuing to smile. Read More

A Listening Leadership

• May 27, 2011

I’ve been wondering how to write this without being overly partisan or blatantly trumpeting one direction or another. Today the answer came to me. Write on my principles. Write on my values. Tonight I write from my heart and hopefully I’ll make my point clearly and openly, separate and apart from my leadership vote. We, the Alberta Party, are moving towards our next big decision this weekend. We collectively will be choosing a leader who will represent us, possibly define us, and must guide us through good stewardship of our energy, our focus, our efforts. Read More

Risk versus Reward

• May 23, 2011

When you watch curling on TV you get a pretty good sense of what the game is like. If you watch it and have never actually curled yourself, you have to keep in perspective that there is a major difference in what you’re seeing and what you’ll experience in club curling. I’m continually struggling to find the right speed coming out of the hack. I tend to push off too hard on my delivery and slide out too fast. Read More

I promised I'd go, I didn't promise to leave my snark at home.

• May 11, 2011

Sure, I haven’t been the most vocal about expressing my input into Calgary’s city budget. Frankly, I’m less of a financial wizard and more of a financial orc with a rusty battleaxe. The fact that I don’t feel qualified to make city wide decisions gets trumped by the fact that the city is actively seeking our input and I feel my voice is wasted if I don’t at least try to explain my viewpoint. Read More

That's my dad for ya..

• April 12, 2011

This one time, my Dad went to church in overalls. They were pretty dusty and he smelled of cattle feed and manure the entire time. Sure, it was a pretty small congregation and we all knew each other rather well. Granted he snuck in late and sat at the very back of the room. But he was there and everyone knew it. Everyone. Whether they saw him or not. So what could possibly cause an otherwise respectable church-going man to show up to worship in overalls instead of his Sunday Best? Read More

A recent conversation

• April 11, 2011

I have had some stunningly fantastic conversations recently. Deep, interesting and insightful conversations with some really fascinating people. Some of them are really short, and really amazing - don’t think they all have to be hour long epic stories. The single best conversation I had today was with my kids. As a parent, I’m pretty sensitive to different details around me. Time with my kids is precious and every second needs to count. Read More

Team Tammy Maloney

• April 4, 2011

I genuinely did not expect to write this entry. Let it serve as many lessons. Circumstances change. People change their minds. It’s important to help when you see an opportunity. Yesterday Tammy Maloney asked me to assist her with her campaign for the leadership of the Alberta Party. I have enthusiastically accepted the role. I think that Tammy saw enough ability in me to compliment her formidable abilities and help with her campaign. Read More

Writing Software vs. Building Political Parties

• April 2, 2011

I had a spectacular day with Jeff Blodgett talking with Alberta Party constituency Associations. It’s been driving me to finish the thoughts I’ve been germinating for a couple of weeks. Jeff had a useful conversation with us, I think we all benefited from the exchange. I feel a little more prepared and a lot more energized to change something for the better. I’ve worked longer than I should have to try to express my thoughts clearly and in a useful form. Read More