The place I (proudly) call home

They will tell you this place is riddled with drugs. They will show you the scantily clad chicks raking their bodies across a baron stage at Showgirls. They will show you the hooker on the corner of the 7-11, across from the bus stop, thumbing cars as she waits for her next customer.

That's how the rest of the world sees Fort Mcmurray.

But, for those of us who have been here and seen the good of this city, those of us who have the sense and the ambition to look past the bad and see the opportunity, we think this is a great place to work. And, we think it's a great place to live.

Where else can you head to a gorgeous 18-hole golf course for your 6 p.m. tee time and play a full round? Where else can you play double-headers at the beginning of the softball season without having lights on the diamond? Where else do you jolt awake at 5 a.m. thinking you'd slept in well past your alarm clock because it's broad daylight outside? Where else do you go to work and within eight hours have meetings with people from South Africa, Pakistan, Venezuala and Australia? Where else would you possibly find such a large group of 20somethings who have more ambition, hefty savings accounts, charitable donations and beautiful homes? Nowhere.

This, my friends, is the Fort McMurray I know.

Have I seen drug deals outside of the local casino? Check. Have I seen homeless people with their dogs sitting outside the mall with their hats out? Check. Have I seen juice monkeys driving giant trucks? Double check.

But who hasn't? I can find every single one of those things in Kelowna, Vancouver, Toronto, and every small town and big city in between.

For once I want a reporter to come here and interview those who are up here for the career opportunities. For the great dinner parties we throw. For the post-baseball-game parties. For the evening golf games.

For once, I want people to see this city through a different pair of eyes.