Blocked.

I must admit gaining appreciation for Edmonton has thus far been a slow process, though I have enjoyed the new technologies that have been introduced to me. Sound maps, biomaps, walk scores, the highrise project; these are all projects that, despite my love for the urban, have entirely eluded me.

As much as I've enjoyed them, I still haven't managed to give Edmonton the proper credit that I'm sure it deserves. All of these maps, I'm sure you've noticed, are of cities far larger, far more cultural, or just far livelier than Edmonton. I'm not entirely convinced there there is a sound map that could truly set Edmonton apart from the sound maps of any other town.

However, Heather, don't fret. I'm not entirely a lost cause. I'm coming around, I swear. The incredibly humbling opportunity you've given me by inviting two established writer to class, has reversed a lot of the misconceptions that I've had about Edmonton, specifically with creative writing.

As somebody whose writing process is slooow slow slow, I've often attributed it to the seemingly bland city that I live in. In visiting Toronto for the first time this past year, I got a taste of what I thought was a writer's city. The infinite bustle of the several million occupants afford so much creativity to stream from my fingertips.

Minister Faust, with one simple thought, brought all of this creative potential to Edmonton. I'm sure it's well into the open that I am obsessed with the concept of what Edmonton could be, rather than what it is, and when he talked about writing about the Edmonton you want, and not the Edmonton you're stuck with, that figuratively exploded my brain.

So the point of all this is, the changes are occurring. Edmonton's potential has now suddenly stopped hiding from me. Or perhaps I've stopped hiding from it. Whatever has happened, I feel it's the beginning of something great.