 Welcome to my blog—both personal and professional. Its purpose is to show you what I do—to share inspirations, interests, successes, and those things that encourage me to grow, in any direction I’m growing. It’s not the first blog I’ve written but it’s the first one to which I’ve attached my real name. Truth be told, I’ve been writing professionally since 1998, and I still cringe at the thought of writing anything that’s too revealing of myself. Apparently, that’s a common thing. For our own reasons, people often find it hard to communicate who we are and the things we’ve done—that’s why job interviews suck. I do know this: throughout my life, I’ve felt more comfortable writing articles about Apala music from Nigeria, the Big Mac index, or Canada’s distracted driver laws than I have about my own personal life. But this isn’t about any of those things, as interesting as they all were. So here’s a little about me.  My Whole Life I'm a coparenting dad. My two daughters and I live together in Edmonton, Alberta. We camp, we play, we grow, and we’ve explored every inch of off-leash park in the city with our rescue dog, Foxy. In March, 2020, we began online schooling as a response to the COVID-19 pandemic. And while the girls have since gone back to in-person learning, we’ve maintained an immersive approach to education at home. Online education was a necessary solution at the time but the girls missed their friends. I would too. Human beings are not built for screen time. But here we are, being adaptable, writing in our journals, learning to play the piano, measuring and baking, and asking questions, all while navigating the journey of reunion with our biological family. I’m sure you can understand how that could fill a parent’s day.  My partner, who's both brilliant and fine af, is an artist, designer, and videographer who keeps me whole, humble, and on my toes. You can check out her work and creative services at MargauxClaire.com.
Where I'm From My first blog was in 1995. I was 18 years old and living in a bachelor suite in an apartment above a nightclub in downtown Edmonton. I believe I'd written six entries before getting distracted by something shiny. I’d recently moved out of my adoptive family’s home, and even more recently graduated from Victoria School of the Performing Arts, where I mainly focussed on music and writing. On the weekends I volunteered as an overnight DJ on campus radio. I paid the bills by working at a variety of stores (convenience, liquor, and retail) during the week and playing music at private parties and nightclubs on the weekends. That didn’t leave a lot of time to write, but we find our own ways to recharge. Being around creatives and music-minded people presented quite a few opportunities. I began working in marketing and promotions roles in the music industry and writing local and syndicated interviews, reviews, and features in local culture magazines. Graduation & Beyond After graduating from the MacEwan Journalism program in 2003, I created content of all types for a number of industries:
I also continued writing columns and articles on everything from separation anxiety in dogs to the effects of astrological patterns on presidential elections (absolutely no lie; ask me about it). I’ve held a few titles that sound like the same thing, and that’s because they kinda were—content manager, content writer, managing editor, marketing manager, communications coordinator, social media manager ... I believe that communication is a web with interconnected parts, and I’ve worked to absorb as many of those parts as possible. Good Vibes Only Why am I telling you all of this? Because I don’t like giving or getting bad surprises. My words are all over this website and if you have any questions, my DMs are open. I believe in honesty and transparency, and I expect the same. I’m looking forward to sharing and learning more. Thanks for reading. ~ Shantu |
Shantu EllisShantu is a coparenting father of two daughters. He is a contract-based communications consultant, an SEO & content strategist, an avid reader, gamer, nature lover and an adoptee. ArchivesCategories |
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