Hello, My name is Paul. I believe that there are moments in our life and experiences we have that shape who we are and the type of parent we’d like to be/become. In order to to tell you my story, and why I feel juggling is an important life skill to pass on to my children it is necessary to take you on a journey into my past.

Way back in the land before time…

It is 1993 and I’m attending Red Deer College.

Instructor Larry Reese walks into Studio A and says to us,

“Today, you will learn how to juggle”.

 
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At one point, I knew I was the smartest person in the world. I knew more than anyone else, especially my parents. I was about 14. It was at that time that I also decided I never wanted kids.

It’s funny to see how much I’ve learned since then. My kids – Abigail, 8, Amalie, 4 and Andon, 1 – have taught me much of it.

The chemical and spiritual change that occurred in my life the second I met my first child brought about a different perspective altogether.

But living amidst their honest and innocent simplicity has taught me new lessons as well.

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Ever wonder…

What it’s like to run a food truck?

Forage for wild mushrooms and local fruits?

Write about Edmonton’s culinary hot spots?

Let’s talk. | DIYalogue Talks Food

After two successful pilot events in 2011, Edmonton’s NextGen presents DIYalogue Talks Food, a cultural mix-and-mingle in the style of NextGen’s popular Candi{date} series, 6:30 PM – 8:30 PM on Wednesday, July 4, 2012 at the Wooftop of the Blackdog Freehouse, 10425 Whyte Avenue.

Looking for a collaborative space to chew the fat with Edmonton’s local food luminaries? DIYalogue Talks Food connects Edmonton’s established culinary entrepreneurs with local foodies, aspiring chefs, and backyard gardeners in 15-minute small group mini-dates.

Confirmed speed mentors include:

• Mary Bailey, The Tomato - http://thetomato.ca/
• Nate Box, Elm Cafe – http://www.elmcafe.ca
• Mack Male, What the Truck?! – http://www.whatthetruck.ca/
• Amy Beaith, Operation Fruit Rescue – http://operationfruitrescue.org/
• Sharon Yeo, Only Here for the Food – http://www.onlyhereforthefood.ca/
• Kirsta Franke,  - http://124grandmarket.com
• And many more!

DIYalogue Talks Foodwill also feature a custom sampling menu catered by Filistix. Tickets are $10 plus service fee, and available through YEGlive.ca

DIYalogue convenes communities of interest and explores the potential for individual success in the creative industries through unique partnerships and community support.

Edmonton’s NextGen presents MEÆT 3.0 | MICRO-FUNDING TOGETHER | Mystery MEÆT Edition on June 28, 2012, at 6:00 PM at a mystery location! A project of ENGAGE, producers of the popular DIYalouge and Candi{date} forums, MEÆT brings local creatives and Edmontonians together for an evening of short pitches followed by a shared meal. At the end of the meal, all diners (each of whom put $10 to the pot, no charge for the food) vote on which proposal receives the pot of funds to move forward with their project: immediate funding for awesome ideas! For more information on MEÆT, to register as diner, or to pitch an idea, visit www.meaet.com.   All diners and presenters are to meet at Century Park Bus Terminal at 6:00 PM sharp to be whisked away by ETS to the top-secret MEÆT 3.0 location.

“MEÆT 3.0 brings us together for a meal and to fund home-grown projects. By getting together and pooling our wealth we can avoid bureaucracy, get right down to the meat of an idea and make it happen. We’re thrilled to partner with ETS and the City of Edmonton to offer our Mystery MEÆT edition. We hope you’ll join us on this adventure; stay tuned to the NextGen Twitter and Facebook pages for  updates and more information,” says Carol Neuman, Engage Working Group Co-Chair.

Edmonton NextGen is looking for MEÆTing participants – limited space is available:

1. Presenters: Apply to have a project funded, present your project & come enjoy dinner;
2. Diners: Come enjoy dinner, experience the presentations, vote for your favorite, and donate $10 to fund something awesome;
3. Less than 30 spots remain; register as a Presenter or Diner at www.meaet.com.

For as long as I can recall the number 3 was my favourite number and any number with a 3 in it was always a close second. One day it clicked: three 3s are 9 and when written together they form 39. Perfection! From that point forward I chose the number “39″ as my so-called favourite number. It was the number I had on my back when playing competitive sports and has appeared in various combinations in my passwords and phone numbers over the years. 39 was, and is, “my number”! Sitting down to write this post is when I first recognized the personally significant fact I was 39 when our son was born. I’m shocked I didn’t notice it before now!

This little read isn’t about sports, it isn’t some off-the-wall numerology lesson, and it’s unlikely you’ll glean any keen insight on how to be a dad. It’s a few random thoughts on fears that have plagued me since becoming (what I would consider) an ‘older’ father three-years ago and my take on how, despite my irrational fears, I believe I am better equipped to be a dad in my forties than I could possibly have been in my 20s or 30s. It’s a brief reflection on what becoming a first-time father later in life has meant to me, to us, and to our son.
(more…)

I am romantic. I am luchadore. I am dad.

What does it means to be a dad? I mean uniquely a dad, as opposed to being a parent. In today’s modern society, moms and dads generally share parenting tasks equitably; but what makes dad distinct?

For me it comes down to two words:

wrestling and romance.

(more…)

June’s NextGen Speaks Out! theme will be Fatherhood

 
Last month we paid homage to our mom’s, but we didn’t want to leave out the other half of the equasion, so since June is here with Father’s day around the corner, this month we will be taking time to recognize and appreciate the father’s in our life. Our dad’s play a different role in our lives than our mothers, their influences nurturing our development in a often unexpected or unconventional ways. Don’t just celebrate them on Father’s Day (June 17th) but take the opportunity celebrate our father’s and thank them for all they do for us and our community all month long. This month we’ll be asking our bloggers (who are also all fathers themselves) to expand on the theme by sharing their stories and resources, and relating their experiences and opinons in a way that only a father can.

Whether you are a parent, an expecting parent, or still savoring the child-free way of life, we hope our bloggers will provide an interesting, humourous, and enlightening (or perhaps eye-opening) peek into their lives. They might expose you to new information that you hadn’t heard about before, provide comfort in the knowledge that you aren’t alone, inspire you to make a small change to your own routine or encourage you to suggest resources to others.

We also want you to engage in discussion. Come on nextgener’s we know you have opinions and thoughts on these themes too. We’d love for you to comment, start a discussion, and share these posts with your networks.

Check back weekly as we will be adding new NextGen Speaks Out! posts regularly. We’re looking forward to it and hope you do too!

Disclaimer
NextGen Speaks Out, our guest blogging series, is envisioned as a hub for information and discussion. NextGen is a non-political, non-denominational organization focused on giving all nextgeners a voice. NextGen does not represent the opinions expressed by the individual columnists.

NextGen’s PKN organizing committee presented Pecha Kucha Night 13 on June 6 at the Heritage Amphitheatre in the William Hawrelak Park with presentations ranging from cats to visual storytelling and lots in between.

PKN 13 featured a massive LED screen provided by Allstar Show Industries, which made presentations before nightfall possible. PKN 13 also featured music by Justin Foosh, photography by Michel Feist, and food trucks The Act and Molly’s Eats.

A big thank you to our sponsors:

• Capital Power Corporation 
• Allstar Show Industries
• Graphos
• Wild Rose Brewery
• Steam Whistle
• Sherbrook Liquor
  
• City of Edmonton

Thank you to all of our generous prize donors, the energetic organizing committee, the outstanding presenters, and the attentive audience of over 900!

All drink proceeds were donated to Solidarity Rock.

The next Pecha Kucha Night will be held in the Fall. Watch our newsletter for more information.

Mayor Stephen Mandel proclaimed June as Next Gen Month in the City of Edmonton on June 6, 2012, at Pecha Kucha Night 13. Next Gen Month unites and celebrates a new wave of volunteer organizations dedicated to making Edmonton a place young people choose to live, learn and work now and in the future. With this proclamation, the City of Edmonton recognizes young, passionate, community-minded individuals volunteering on next gen community organizations and applauds their commitment to civic engagement.

At a variety of events throughout Next Gen Month, Edmontonians ages 18 – 40 can connect with Edmonton’s next gen community, get involved, share ideas and help shape the city’s future.

Next Gen Month Highlights

• June 6| Edmonton’s NextGen Pecha Kucha Night 13 & Next Gen Month Proclamation, ACE Cultivate
• SUPER SATURDAY | June 9 | Al Fresco Block Party, Edmonton’s NextGen at Pride, Startup Edmonton Party, TEDxEdmonton, What the Truck?!
• June 14 | Girl Geek Dinner
• June 16 | Edmonton’s NextGen Edmonton Community Challenge
• June 18 | Girl Geek Dinner – Ladies Night at Wizard Comics
• June 21 | The Works Opening Night Celebration featuring the Electric Pow Wow. Presented by The Works International Visual Arts Society, Progress Unlimited & Martyshuk Housing, in partnership with M.A.D.E. In Edmonton
• June 23 | M.A.D.E. In Edmonton 11^th Annual Street Furniture Competition,
• June 25 | interVivos Presents: Hangin’ with Mr. Carter – Stephen Carter on the Myth of Ideology
• June 26| Experience Junior Chamber – Be Better & Create Positive Change
• June 28 | Edmonton’s NextGen Meaet

Formed in 2006, Edmonton’s NextGen, an initiative of the City of Edmonton, is focused on creating a city that attracts and gives a voice to the next generation in the life and growth of Edmonton’s communities. NextGen is a hub for connecting people, places, community and ideas. Through events, leadership opportunities and professional development, NextGen fosters young leaders and supports initiatives of interest to the next generation. For more information & a full calendar of Next Gen Month events, visit edmontonnextgen.ca

Next Gen Month is proudly supported by next gen community organizations: ACE, artsScene edmonton, Edmonton’s Next Gen, Edmonton Youth Council, Girl Geek Dinners, JCI, interVivos,  M.A.D.E in Edmonton, Startup Edmonton, and What the Truck?!

If you would like to have an event added to the June calendar, please email details to .

Pecha Kucha Night 13 will share Hawrelak Park with runners & walkers participating in a Corporate Challenge event. Please keep an eye out for participants as you drive into the park. Limited parking is available in the main-surface lot of Hawrelak Park, with additional parking located near the front entrance to Hawrelak Park and across the road at Emily Murphy Park.

Avoid parking all together by taking the FREE PKN Shuttle Bus, running continuously from 6pm – 11pm, picking up at the Stadium Car Park, U of A Main Campus, on 89 Avenue and dropping off at Hawrelak Park every 15 min. Stadium Car Park rates are in effect: $5.00 per vehicle entry for the night.  NOTE: FULL PARK ROAD CLOSURE WILL BE IN EFFECT FROM 6:00 PM – 6:15 PM, PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY.

Attendees are encouraged to come prepared for the elements. A bright, massive LED screen, provided by Allstar Show Industries, makes presentations before nightfall possible. Music provided by Justin Foosh (All Out DJs). Two food trucks join PKN for the festivities; service begins at 6:30 pm: The Act and Molly’s Eats. Food trucks and ticket sales accept cash only; an ATM will be available on-site.

Tune in to a livestream of PKN13, on edmontonjournal.com, from 7:30 p.m. to 10:00 p.m., and join the conversation on Twitter, hashtag #PKN13.

Doors and bar open at 6:30 p.m.; with presentations beginning at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10 for students (with i.d.) and $12 for adults and are on-sale now at TIX on the Square.

Special thanks to prize sponsor: