My Bags Are Packed - I'm ready to go

Well Almost... I leave Wednesday, so I still have some time

This last week has really left me realizing the need for more frequent postings, to avoid the boring list of forgotten milestones that follows;

I finished cleaning up my work and put in my last day at my job

I had my first TV interview - I'll post the link once it's up!

I spent the weekend volunteering for a conference on deliberative democracy related to climate change (http://albertaclimate.ning.com/)

I packed up and moved my stuff into storage

And I finalized my housing arrangements for Cincinnati.

"Wait; did he say Cincinnati!?"

"He definitely just said Cincinnati"

"where does Cincinnati fit into all of this?"

Well though side projects focused on organizational efficiency, community leadership and the dissemination of decision making knowledge I have realized that I have a passion for democracy.

Democracy as the respect for others opinions and ideas and the value that is added through divergent positions. This passion for democracy led me to think - hey, there is a US election going on... I'll be in the US for the final month leading up to the election!... How can I learn about the US Presidential System?

The answer was obvious - Get Involved! and somehow this desire to get involved let me to Cincinnati...

Until October 7 I will be volunteering for Vote Today Ohio! as we take advantage of Golden Week (look it up;)

J~

YES!! - Some more time to up date...

Although I only have a few minute before I rush off to my cousins for dinner:) I wanted to provide a short update on the past couple of weeks;

They have included a lot of travel - In this last week I made my last trip up to Fort McMurray

And I made my way to my first JCI conference in Kelowna

These were both wonderful experiences for growth!!

Fort McMurray - an unexpected oppurtunity to reflect on what I have accomplished - on my journey up to this point.

Kelowna - A wonderful oppurtunity to meet people from all accros the country who are striving to reach their personal best - and spend time developing those lasting personal relationships over a little bit of wine.

Have Fun,

James

Why I Write

I have started this blog to record my upcoming adventures as I leave my, very secure, job in construction management to volunteer my engineering and project management services to the non-profit organizations that have been set up in the wake of Hurricane Katrina.

How can I be so crazy? (your question not mine;) - this blog is a result of the many people that have asked me to start one and maybe it will help us all find out.

It all started three years ago on a plane when the pilot made an announcement - "if you look out the left side windows you can see Katrina" as it was making it's way through the Gulf of Mexico - I have had an attachment, to New Orleans, ever since.

I have felt great respect and admiration for the doctors and other emergency response professionals that dropped everything to lend a helping hand, for all the people that were still in the area and stepped up to help their fellow citizens and for the courageous people who have returned to make it their mission to breathe life back into this great city.

I never felt like I could make a difference, that I had valuable skills to offer, until June 2008 when I was having lunch with a friend (at a local Cajun restaurant - come to think of it;) and it came up again. I don't know how and I don't know why, I had never talked of it before, I found myself telling her about it was at this moment that I looked back on the past three years and realized that I have been working in construction, on projects ranging from $5 to $500 million since I completed my engineering degree and this combination has probably given me some valuable skills to offer a city on the mend - I am but one man and will do the best I can.

I have had numerous side projects, over my short career, ranging from organizational efficiency projects and corporate knowledge sharing programs to volunteering on a committee, http://www.intervivos.ca/, started to help young professionals become community leaders.

I see this trip as the culmination of my various interests and a chance to give back.

This blog will share my trials, triumphs and thoughts as I exlpore the bigger questions about how we have orgainized ourselves as a society.

Enjoy!

James