Where to begin?
I'm not quite sure. Normally, I tend to think of myself as a fairly straightforward person, but other people don't seem to see it that way. Apparently, I'm much more complex than I realise, so explaining myself could prove difficult.
Let's start with some simple facts.
My name is Edgar, as you know, though people tend to settle on addressing me as one of Ed, Eddy, or Edgar, regardless of how I initially introduce myself to them. No, I was not named after Edgar Allan Poe.
I was born and raised here in Winnipeg, a wonderful city despite the inclement weather, and I attended Kelvin High School, where for some reason beyond my comprehension, I enrolled in the International Baccalaureate program.
I have various and sundry interests, if that wasn't obvious enough already, and I tend to want to put my two cents in about all of them, much to the chagrin of many people I know who are caught unawares when I begin a rant.
As far as personal philosophy is concerned, I consider myself an equalist. It is my firm belief that all humans are fundamentally similar, and I do my best to help people see that the differences between them are ultimately negligible. The most fulfilling thing I can accomplish is to successfully challenge people to re-evaluate their assumptions.
The principal means by which I hope to do that is through my writing. I am an avid writer, which perhaps explains my fondness for the Internet. No matter what I'm typing, the clicking of the keyboard feels safe and reassuring. As it is, though, I am still that most common of entities, the aspiring writer, hoping to be published officially in the near future. My own frustration at the inadequacies of language occasionally prompts me to create new words and phrases, which further serve to befuddle people who know me.
Some time ago, I read Writing Home, an anthology of short stories by Canadians written on behalf of PEN International, a human rights organisation committed to countering censorship and advocating Poets, Essayists, Novelists, and other writers who have been imprisoned for their work. This made me more grateful than ever that I live in a country that allows freedom of expression. For more information, you should take a look at the website for PEN Canada.
More recently, I've also appreciated the insights offered by Canada: A People's History, by Don Gillmor and Pierre Turgeon, which actually manages to make Canadian history seem interesting--no mean feat in itself. (Both Volume One and Volume Two in the book series are widely available, as are episodes of the television series on DVD.) You can also visit the television series' official website.
For several years, a typical day for me (during the school year, at least) began with classes--specifically, the study of English at the University of Manitoba. Although I love intellectual pursuits, and I will probably pursue graduate and even postgraduate work at some point in the future, I find myself afraid at times that I will end up trapped in the soul-numbing depths of academia. Certain professors who seem to have lost all the passion they may once have had for their chosen field do not help me feel any better about this....
Struck by a sense of wanderlust, I've also done a fair bit of travelling over the past several years, giving me the chance to see wonderful sights and meet many diverse people, which pleases me greatly. Nothing is so pleasing, however, as the time I spend with my friends.
Speaking of friends, I spent a lot of my university time outside of class socialising with the Cool Theatre People (despite the fact that I wasn't a Theatre student), becoming increasingly involved with the local Model United Nations Association, and hanging out with a group of friends that has simply been dubbed The Table, referring to the table we all sat around in a certain lounge at University College on campus. There are honestly too many of them to list here, and they come from many different backgrounds and fields of interest, but I already have any number of wonderful memories associated with them. I value my friendships with all of them, and I look forward to continuing those friendships in the years to come.
Over Victoria Day weekend in May, I usually attend Keycon, a local science-fiction convention. It always proves quite interesting, which is what I expect from it. I've been able to meet and have some memorable bits of conversation with author guests such as the late Roger Zelazny, Guy Gavriel Kay, Larry Niven, Tanya Huff (a very friendly woman, incidentally), Kevin J. Anderson, Jennifer Roberson, Charles de Lint, and the writing team of Dean Wesley Smith & Kristine Kathryn Rusch. Attending Keycon also led to my first film appearance, as an extra in the independent short Starwatchers, and the con as a whole usually leaves me with a few stories to tell the curious.
Some people (mostly those who've never been to one) think of sci-fi conventions as a haven for geeks and other lonely losers, but that couldn't be further from the truth. I associate cons with everything from general lack of sleep (and finding creative locations to get some) to stimulating conversations, from late-night parties to suggestive innuendo, but not to the stereotypical group of nerdy teenage boys trying to decide whether the Defiant could defeat the Millenium Falcon in a firefight. If you're into science-fiction and/or fantasy, cons are simply a great place to meet people like yourself, and if you're one of those "closet fans" who's bought into the mainstream stereotype, I suggest you actually attend a con, then draw your own conclusions.
Each July, I volunteer at the Winnipeg Fringe Festival, which never fails to be the highlight of my summer. It provides me with exposure to all sorts of entertainment and culture, as well as the chance to meet and talk to creative people from around the world--not to mention fellow Winnipeggers, some of whom have become my friends as a result. I love the Fringe so much, in fact, that I feel it prudent to explain my own experiences with it, along with giving a general introduction to what fringe theatre festivals are all about. I promise to do so soon.
Something else which I enjoyed volunteering at were the XIII Pan-American Games, which Winnipeg hosted from July 23 to August 8, 1999--only the Los Angeles and Atlanta Olympics have been larger sporting events in North America, and I had a lot of fun being a part of it. On a somewhat related note, I also had the opportunity whilst I was Down Under to volunteer at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, so if you caught a glimpse of someone in the crowd who seemed to look an awful lot like me...well, it probably was.
Does that help, at least a little? I hope so. There is so much more I can say here, though for the life of me, I can't put words to it all. Those that know me have probably noticed gaps already, and no doubt they will let me know what I've missed.
That said, as time goes on, I will continue to expand my writings on all aspects of my person, since life is dynamic and many things change. I hope you will be here to watch the story unfold.
Smack Dab