For me, I worked. Starting out once a week and then going to twice a week, I worked. The Edmonton Journal gave me the opportunity to experience working in a newsroom on a regular, weekly basis. Going to press conferences, doing write ups for the Edmonton Journal website and so on. It kept me busy. Though, that was only part of what I did this summer.

I also prepared for going to university. Buying school supplies and a bag to carry them in, and various other things such as pens, paper and mechanical pencils. Now I am in school and enjoying it thoroughly.

So what were your holidays like? What did YOU do over the summer?

I’m nervous as I don’t know what to really expect university to be like. I’m excited for the challenges that undoubtedly lay before me. Finally, I’m curious. Curious to know; what sorts of assignments will I be asked to do? If and when it comes time to go out in search of stories, where will that search take me? How will I do?

And ultimately, in my third year……Where would my placement be? Are students told where to go or do we get any say?

So, I’ve gone to the orientation now and met some of my classmates. Also, I have the song Come Some Away stuck in my head. Bridget Ryan was the keynote speaker for orientation. I can still recall the cabaret I went to see about a month or two ago. Bridget was singing lead vocals and it was an all 80s cabaret.

Seeing Ms. Ryan take to the stage at Grant MacEwan, as keynote speaker, was a great surprise. She showed herself to be just as lively and animated as she is when doing her cabaret shows or when on location for Breakfast Television (weekdays from 5:30 a.m to 9:00 a.m). Also, hearing her speak about her experiences being a student at Grant MacEwan (in 199____) gave insight to what lays ahead in the next four to five years.

I’m still nervous but, considering Ms. Ryan’s words, as well as the encouragement from friends and acquaintances alike, I’m ready for what’s to come. (I think!?)…..

Rendering her completely helpless to her own body’s will, that’s what she detested most about these damn seizures. She could scarcely even ride a city bus without wondering if she’d be incapacitated by a seizure. So far she hadn’t had that problem arise in daily life. Yet it was always a possibility.

Now as she made her way towards the triage nurse’s station, the woman sighed resoundingly. This was her life after all. All she could do about the situation was sit and wait. Soon the doctor would come call for her. They’d take her into an examination room and check her out from top to bottom. Then they’d give her medication if need be and send her on her way. Home. To await the next time when she would have to return.

With only a handful of Trouble Shooter positions available throughout Canadian news outlets the Trouble Shooter is in popular demand. There are up to a hundred calls and emails daily to the Trouble Shooter with problems that range from issues with moving companies to online romance scams.

Matthews got her start in journalism working at the CBC station in Lloydminster, Alberta as a radio and television reporter and anchor. After Lloydminster, she worked at a TV station in Lethbridge and then travelled to Kelowna, B.C to work at a station there.

When the Trouble Shooter position became available at Global Edmonton, Matthews seized the opportunity. She wanted to be closer to her family and fiancé so packed up and returned to Alberta.

Growing up in Bruderheim, Matthews always possessed an interest in public speaking and newspaper print journalism. Matthews was unaware there were courses available to enter into television news. It was a high school guidance counsellor that told Matthews about the Radio and Television Arts program at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology in Edmonton.

When asked about her job as a consumer advocate on Global and her past jobs as a journalist, Matthews said that with most of her past jobs, there was investigative journalism work she got to work on. When it comes to being a consumer advocate Matthews has said what she enjoys most is getting to meet new people every day and hear them tell their stories. “It’s the results that I can get for people, that is most important to me.”

Matthews approaches her job with diplomacy in mind. “There are two sides to every story. Quite often I end up being a mediator for some situations as they turn out to be misunderstandings.”

Matthews has said that she enjoys doing a variety of consumer stories. She works on everything from consumer education to hard hitting news stories. Her focus however, is on helping people. “If I can do that best with a hard hitting, investigative piece, then I do.”  Yet Matthews also has said that often the everyday problems and frustrations of consumers are best served by news stories that showcase their problem and educate others. “I love the education element.”

With sixteen years of experience in journalism, the thirty-five year old journalist has been with Global Edmonton for seven and a half years. Matthews has no plans currently to leave her job.

Matthews has won a number of awards for her reporting. Most recently were two Alberta Consumer Champion Awards from Service Alberta for stories on protecting car buyers and educating consumers on the processes involved with civil court. When she was working in Kelowna at Global’s sister station CHBC, she earned herself a regional Radio-Television News Directors Association award for a story she did into life on the front lines with a forest fire attack crew.

Matthews has said one of the things she enjoys about her job is getting to see things through. Being a consumer advocate Matthews has the chance to see situations come to resolution. At times she can also get to see any follow up that needs to be made, to a story she has worked on.

“I have fallen in love with my job as a trouble shooter. I can’t really see myself in any other job.”

Matthews includes her reporting on internet romance scams and the Taber school shooting as some of the more memorable stories she has covered as a reporter.

Matthews grew up watching Global Edmonton, then ITV. During her time away from her work at Global, her family operates its own business. Matthews also has two young sons that keep her busy.

Helping others is what motivates Matthews to continue her work as Global Edmonton’s Trouble Shooter.

“For every unpleasant person I have to deal with, there are many more wonderful and thankful consumers who are very happy that I do the work that I do.  I do this job for them.”

So the floor is open to you all. Have any questions for me? Big or small, I’ll try my best to answer them all.

Put your questions down in the comments section of this blog post. I look forward to reading and answering your questions!

1. What made you decide to become a journalist?

As a teenager I was always interested in current events and was a bit of a news junkie.

I liked watching election nights. In school I was on student’s council and I really liked being able to see things for myself and tell others about it.

2. Are there any moments, either when you were anchoring or reporting, that stand out for you in your career?

The election of President Obama stands out to me as historic and unlikely. I’ve met Nelson Mandella who is a gracious man.

Covering wars and conflicts has made me appreciate life and my country even more deeply.

3. Why the decision to leave Global National?

I was becoming interested in digital media and felt I had to leave my job at Global National to pursue that interest.

4. What will you be doing now in your new job at CTV?

I will have two part time jobs. I’ll be hosting a political show for CTV (Question Period) and also I will be engaging myself in digital media.

5. Any advice for aspiring journalists or journalists that are just entering the industry?

Know how to do as many forms of journalism and storytelling as possible.

Think of yourself more as tradespeople, learn a little of everything.

6. What is one part of the job that you love?

Meeting people and helping them share their stories.

7. What is one part of the job you dislike?

It takes time away from my family and can be really stressful working to a deadline every day.

8. Anything about yourself that people might not know about you, that you’d like to share? (I.e.  You have a Standard poodle).

I was an assistant manager at a McDonald’s before university.

What a way to impress eh? So not cool…. I’m still grateful no one saw, except the reporter I was with from the Edmonton Journal.

Now I have journalism school coming up in a few weeks and dealing with a cartilage tear, which I’ve been told takes three months to heal. So I’ve taken to only walking when I have to, as per doctor’s orders. As a result, I am bored.

Don’t get me wrong, it’s not all bad. I’ve found episodes of an old TV sitcom I watched as a child, on YouTube (Blossom) and that was great. Though, I have grown really tired of playing Civilization 3. Once or twice is okay but umpteen times? No thanks.

I have been able to do some school shopping (supplies, new bag on wheels – the usual stuff). I just now wonder how I’m going to get around the campus. To be fair, I’m going to be carpooling for this first term to minimize the time spent walking on my bad foot. Plus I’ll be going to the campus on the West end of the city which is great.

I’m just not sure about getting around mostly because this whole injured foot type scenario is totally new to me. I guess I’ll have to see how I do when the time comes for classes to start in September. I’m still excited though…. nothing could change that!

About a month ago I went on the streetcar in Edmonton, for my first time. Sitting at the station waiting for the streetcar to come, an elderly man asked to sit on the bench my brother and I were seated on. My brother got up, the man sat down. And thus began his story….

A World War two veteran, he had fought and been wounded during the Blitz in England. After being discharged from service shortly after being wounded, he then made the move to Leduc. He had heard of a good job there digging oil wells.  He was there when Leduc struck oil.

After that, he told us of meeting his wife. He was sitting in a bar, drinking a beer when she came walking in. The rest, as they say is history.

Now I would love it if I could meet with that gentleman again, learn his name and more about his life. His hopes for himself as a young man newly enlisted, dreams for a wonderful life together with a woman he loved and did he have any regrets. I guess I will never know the answers to those questions.

His after, is the story that came unexpectedly, but also got away from me.

Imagine having to go on stage in front of a crowd of people, you do not know; it’s not easy. I’ve been on stages before. I played piano in recitals for years when I was growing up. I’ve also sang in music festivals, school concerts and recitals. Looking back on that, those experiences being on stage instilled in me a confidence I might not have otherwise been given.

Though, it can be taken too far. Being told “You’re the prettiest” and “You’ll beat all the other girls (and boys)” must take its toll. Sure young children can naturally have tantrums and be otherwise unruly at times. Yet, when I watch Toddlers and Tiaras I cannot help but wonder if growing up in pageantry is making for some really big egos. I’ve literally seen girls crying on the show, when they didn’t win the big Grand Supreme title. Sure, it is a learning curve to know how to be a good sport. For those girls who are said to have done a whole boatload of pageants, surely they did not win them all? Kids will be kids but come on, learn to lose graciously. Do NOT whine, cry, stomp your feet or pout. It just looks downright silly.

Though in the end, I’m sure pageants will go on. Children will continue to put on the big dresses with way too many rhinestones, and makeup and their fake tans and flippers. Undoubtedly I will keep watching Toddlers and Tiaras. If for no other reason, than I am curious who will win.

I started at the Journal on April 12 this year. Wide-eyed naive; I had never been given an opportunity like this before. Heck, I still don’t think I have any real experience worth celebrating. I am still wide-eyed and naive. Yet, I have grown. I have grown as a journalist (or journalist in the making rather).

I have learned so much from my mentors; first Karen Unland and then a combination of Barb Wilkinson and Lucinda Chodan. (Wilkinson is the newspapers’ deputy editor and Chodan is the editor in chief). From how to conduct interviews efficiently and effectively, writing profiles that are engaging and entertaining and then there’s the absolute addiction (for me) of going to press conferences and working on reporting on them.

My experiences at the Journal didn’t end with what I learned about journalism. I experienced acceptance; not just from one person, but from a whole team of great people. I experienced inclusion. Being offered coffee from Tim Horton’s when a colleague was going on a coffee run left a great impression on me.

I experienced so much during the past four months. I am grateful for all the lessons I have been taught during this time. Also, I am thankful for the gifts I have been given. Being encouraged, having people tell me they have confidence in me and my abilities, means such a great deal to me.

I have had a whirlwind of a time while at the Edmonton Journal. I have been busier than a queen bee in her hive. I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I enjoyed every moment I was at the newspaper and look forward to September when I have been allowed to come back for the Raise a Reader campaign. I can’t wait!

Thanks you go out to – Lucinda Chodan, Barbara Wilkinson, Karen Unland, Kerry Powell, Paula Simons, Elise Stolte, Candace Elliott, Jana Pruden, Shelley Bindon, Dave Cooper, Dave Howell, and the list goes on. I look forward to keeping in touch!