Jessy and Ed
We met, in Calgary, through a mutual friend and soon became quite inseparable. We were married almost two years later. We are attracted to cohousing as we understand and have witnessed the effects of community on health and wellness. Soon after we were married we had a steady stream of people living with us including family, godchildren and university students living away from their families. We love movies, walks and travelling together.
Ed
I was born in Ottawa. But at six months of age I was placed in a cardboard box, by parents, and brought back to Vancouver by train. The family moved about eleven times before I finished grade twelve. My father was a salesman. So by the time the family returned to Vancouver again I was quite keen to stay planted on the coast. I completed all three of my degrees at UBC. The coast was in my heart.
However a job offer as a professor took me to the University of Calgary and there I stayed for 37 years, teaching and researching in the field of entrepreneurship. I’ve published over 70 articles and 2 books. I am most proud of my work linking creativity with entrepreneurial success.
While teaching at the university I founded a New Venture program that connected students with practicing entrepreneurs in Calgary. Soon after I tried my own hand at a high tech venture.
At present, in retirement, I do aspire to remain healthy and intellectually active. My marriage of 25 years to Jessy is at the center of my well-being. My 96 year old mother and my 41 year old son, from a previous marriage, also occupy my concerns. Finally, our nephew and I are trying to launch a business to clean up the toxic remains from the Alberta oil sands using technology being developed by an engineering friend from my days as a student at UBC in the 60’s.
Jessy
I was born in Singapore but have always felt I was raised in three countries: Singapore, Malaysia and Canada. My mother was a social welfare officer who started me, on a long career of volunteerism, at the age of six, feeding and holding little abandoned babies. I loved singing them to sleep. As one of the youngest in a very large extended family, I witnessed both the drama and the delights that accompany such a blessing.
After I finished my ‘O’ and ‘A’ level education, I tried my hand at teaching at a local school in Singapore which eventually inspired me to study Sociology in Canada. While completing my education, I decided to take a job, teaching ESL, in Japan. What was to be a three- month assignment extended to a year. The immersion into the southern Japanese culture was a great opportunity to observe the interrelation of generations in community. While at university I also ran a talk/music radio show on culture and music. After completing my education, I was presented an opportunity to be a partner in a audio-video-animation production house, where I was writer/producer for mostly industrial films. Simultaneously, I got involved in a band, where we co-wrote original music, where I wrote the lyrics, and co-organized our concerts.
Currently, I am a jazz improvisational singer-musician. I am currently experimenting with a swing duo, while I engage in professional development (mostly in the area of improvisation.)
I am deeply into meditation and jump rope, LOVE art films, driving, dancing and Terraforming Mars:)