I hope that you had a lovely Thanksgiving weekend. Ours was spent with friends and extended family and it was boisterous and spirited and wonderful. We couldn’t ask for more. We even got to take home leftovers!
 
After a joyously social weekend, this work week begins on a busy note: provided snow in Calgary (where I’m catching a connecting flight) doesn’t get in the way, I’m on my way to Winnipeg this morning for another in the Canadian Real Estate Association series of talks.
 
I get to emcee when marketing gurus Terry O’Reilly (CBC podcast Under the Influence) and Michele Romanow (CBC’s Dragon’s Den and youngest-ever “dragon” in the show franchise) take to the stage to share their wisdom with realtors. It’s always inspiring and I’m going to be so sorry when this series wraps up next month in Halifax!
 
This is my dream moving into the future: to keep doing what I do – be the glue that holds an event together, the lubricant that lets all of the pieces slide into and out of place again and the person who provides just the right levity at the right time, solemnity when the occasion demands it and never (as I just learned recently) commenting on the hopes of a local team. Do you think I’ll be talking about the Blue Bombers tonight? No, indeed I will not! I learned my lesson in Regina, thanks.
 
My problem is in getting myself representation. I have/had an agent in Toronto who takes care of (blessedly) repeat bookings like the one I have annually with the Canada Awards for Excellence, which is coming up next month. But what I need is someone or some company that will represent me for national work. The problem? I don’t know how to pitch myself. That may come as a surprise to you, but it’s true.
 
Terry kindly gave me the name of a firm in Vancouver that had approached him and he suggested I get in touch. But what do I say? That I love to emcee (I’m pretty good at it, I’m told) and that I’ve been fortunate enough to do it for 30 years in Toronto and that you’ll just have to trust that I can do it for your event, too? Or that I have a keynote speech that I love to give which has dozens of accompanying pictures and video, but that I don’t have an actual video of my keynote speech?
 
You see, Rob was going to record the one I did in Kelowna last spring, but when all hell broke loose with the missing iPad, those plans fell apart. And then, at the last minute when I had the chance to deliver it to the CREA folks at their gathering in Ottawa in April, no one was running tape from the booth. And then there’s this question: how do I convey to companies and event planners that my speech is not a downer; that it’s hopefully one of inspiration and proof that there’s life after loss? And just what company wants that? 
 
I mean, if Oprah was coming to town and wanted an opening act, SURE, my message would be on target, but it’s not like that’s going to happen – like the skies are going to open up and Oprah Freaking Winfrey is going to say, “Hey, Erin, I hear you have a pretty good message and a book coming out in February. Why don’t you come and talk at one of my gatherings some time?” Ha ha ha ha. I amuse myself. Putting my hopes and dreams down in writing?!?
 
Then I remember that quote from Jane Fonda that I shared with you a while back. That it’s never too late to become the person that you were meant to be. And I remember that I would be some kind of hypocrite if I just put inspirational quotes out there and didn’t follow them myself.
 
So, what to do? 
 
I’ll meditate on it. Maybe while I’m in the air today. Flying to do something I really want to do and cherishing every moment. Back with you here tomorrow with a review of the smash hit A Star is Born. Never was a title more appropriate for a film.