It’s time to put my money where my mouth is. Admittedly, it’s a bit nerve-wracking being coaxed into a spotlight where every word and idea is subject to merciless scrutiny. But, those are the same circumstances that gave me a voice in the first place. Frustrated by packaged campaign speeches and slogans, I took to the web and lost my blogging virginity.

Relying on my public relations experience, my objective was to breakdown the meaningless phrases of “accountability,” “transparency,” and “fiscal responsibility.” What does that all really mean anyway? All I want to know is: what are you going to deliver, when can I expect it, and how much is it going to cost?

I got to thinking about why I suddenly cared. It occurred to me that Calgary is at a real turning point and with that comes opportunity. It mirrored my life and what brought me to this city in the first place. Like most, I came to make something of myself. And like most, for the past few years, I’ve had my head in the sand, working 60 – 80 hour weeks. When I have a moment to breathe, you can bet that I’m not looking up political agendas; I’m on a patio with friends, catching up with family, or doing my laundry. Seriously.

Up until a few days ago, I didn’t even know what Ward I lived in. So what the heck am I doing contributing to calgarypolitics.com?

Well, I’m representing a good chunk of the 70 per cent of Calgarians who didn’t get out and vote last election. I’m a face for all the young professionals who have a curiosity about city hall but don’t know where to start looking for information to base their Election Day decision. I’m the voice that one vote makes a difference.

So, from time-to-time, you’ll hear my very candid, tongue-in-cheek opinions on mayoral candidates. And, I’ve taken it upon myself to learn more about my community, so I’ll be covering developments in Ward 11 as well. You can catch me on Twitter too: mediamindjen

Let the games begin!