Fort McMurray is My Chosen Home

I know there will be those who dispute this, but I actually am not all that comfortable in front of a camera. I prefer to be behind a radio microphone, or better yet hidden behind a monitor and keyboard. Somehow though it seems I often end up in front of a camera, and while my hands are shaking I hope I represent myself well on those occasions.

This time, though, I hope it is not myself I represent well but the entire Wood Buffalo region. A few months ago I was approached about appearing in some recruitment videos for the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo, and I said yes. I often waver on these things, saying yes and then thinking I'm nuts, and then thinking yes again, and then just overthinking the entire thing to death until I finally get there, get it done, and think "well, that wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be" (someone once said they will put that epitaph on my headstone one day). This time, however, it wasn't bad at all as the film crew was terrific, and put me at ease quickly (even when we realized I would need to be duct taped into the microphone set as I had foolishly worn clothing without anything to attach it to). It was a great experience from start to finish - and I think the end product(s) are pretty great, too.

There are three videos in total, and I appear in two of them. In all three of them you are likely to see some familiar faces, and I think everyone did a stellar job. I think we all spoke from the heart about this community, and this region. As I say on the video this is indeed the most interesting place I have ever lived - never a dull moment, really - and quite truly this place simply "gets into you", just as it did to me.

This past weekend I was introducing myself and we were asked to say where we are from. I am "from" many different places, having grown up in Saskatoon and lived in Toronto and northwestern Ontario - but when I introduced myself I said "Fort McMurray is my chosen home", and that is the truth. One day I will write about why, and how, I came to choose to stay in Fort McMurray recently, when I could have easily chosen to move away, but for today I will leave you with these videos to enjoy. These are about my chosen home of Fort McMurray - and it seems I am not the only one who has chosen to come and stay in this place that just gets into you - and stays.