Well, here we are, Edmonton. Time to shut off the lights and close down the joint.

Two or so years ago, if you had told either of us that we’d reach this point – 1500+ posts, a 6 part TV series, a variety of live webcasts, a fancy pants best blog award and the funniest, smartest, best-looking audience in the city – we’d have called you crazy. And not just because we lacked a basic understanding of the INTERNETS (the files are IN the computer?).

the edmontonian has come farther than we ever thought it could, and honest to God, no one is more surprised by that than we are. So we’d like to take this last minute to thank you guys, truly, and from the bottom of our hearts, for welcoming us into your lives for the last 2+ years. Whether you were writing or reading, talking or listening, commenting or contributing – every time you guys took a chance and got involved, trusting us with your stories, your submissions or your attention, we marveled. We marveled that for some reason, in this metal box full of lol cats and juggalos, you chose to talk to us.  There is no greater compliment, and we have been humbled by it every single day.

As you may know (we talked about this with our friends at the Unknown Studio), we didn’t start out as Edmonton enthusiasts. In fact, neither of us were particularly thrilled to find ourselves living in the City of Champions, but we decided to make the best of it and kill some time by starting a website. And two years later, here we are.

That is likely the biggest thing we’ve learned from the edmontonian: that when you stop trying desperately to get somewhere else, and you show up to what’s really happening right here, right now – magic happens. Every time, without fail.

You get one life, guys. Let’s make a joint agreement that we won’t spend it waiting for the perfect moment, the perfect bank balance, the perfect job opportunity, the perfect weight, the perfect education, the perfect someone. Figure out what matters to you and go get it – not as a means to get somewhere else, but for its own sake; because you love it so much it keeps you awake at night. That’s all we ever did, nothing more – and it turned out pretty well for us.

So let us dedicate the last two years to all of you guys – for your ideas, your kindness, your generosity, and more than anything, for giving us a reason to show up right here, every day. There are no words to ever sufficiently express our appreciation, our respect, our love. If the edmontonian was ever anything special, it was only because of you.

Until we meet again!

Your friends,

Jeff and Sally

We’re gone after this week, but Edmonton’s still hopping.

In Festivals…the Kaleido Family Arts Festival runs this weekend on 118 Avenue (part of Arts on the Ave)…down in Hawrelak Park there’s a peace concert this weekend, on September 11…Latitude 53′sVisualeyez is back next week…Community League Day is on Saturday, September 17…The Edmonton International Film Festival is back on September 23, and runs through October 1. That last day is Alberta Day, with plenty of homegrown films playing…For a little French flair, check out the Edmonton Chante music festival, September 23-October 1…Also beginning September 23 is the Edmonton Accordion Festival…the Edmonton Comedy Festival gives it a go, October 19-22…the same dates as Lit Fest…

The ESO, Alberta Ballet, Edmonton Opera, Citadel Theatre, and Roxy Theatre headline the arts season that runs through the spring of 2012.

In sports…The Capitals are hosting the North American Baseball League’s championship series right now…The Eskimos will wrap their (more…)

Good morning, Edmonton. This is indeed the last time you and I will discuss the news of the day here in Headlines at the edmontonian. Let’s hope there’s some juicy news to dig into.

It’s almost always funny, in a sad kind of way, that when governments announce they are going to tackle a problem or get tough on something, it’s a problem that’s had previous attempts to do just that. Edmonton’s recent worries over violent crime is just one of those issues. So, hopefully this is the time everyone follows through on plans and recommendations.

Meanwhile…Edmonton Police are teaming up with other agencies for a new kind of patrol…an action team!

On the tenth anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, an Edmonton firefighter who went to New York with the Red Cross is trying to remember the triumph of the human spirit he saw in the days after the Word Trade Centre towers fell.

The City of Edmonton is trying to entice filmmakers to shoot here. Though, not with a grant or tax break, or deals if they are locals or use local crews. I don’t think it’s a great idea to move $5-million from the financial stabilization fund when you’re running a deficit.

“Are people supposed to park on the next block? It’s insanity.” Really? Parking one block away is the end of the world?

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