My name is Tanis Reid. I may not be one of the boys, but I am definitely back in town.

I have lived in Red Deer for a good chunk of my life and am excited to be returning home after living in Calgary for the past two years.

It was 2010 when I moved from Red Deer to Calgary so that I could attend school at SAIT and graduate from its Journalism Arts program. I am currently completing my education while working and living in Red Deer. I still have three major projects to complete before I can graduate in May.

I cannot believe how quickly the past two years have flown by. School is almost over for me — it is so close that I can almost taste it and it tastes sweet.

I have mixed feelings about closing this chapter of my life. SAIT was a wonderful experience and I will miss both my studies and my fellow classmates. Parting is such sweet sorrow but I have to say that I am excited about the work I will be doing here in town.

I have lived in Red Deer on and off since 1997 so I feel like I know the City but my new position with the Red Deer Express is introducing me to a whole other side of Red Deer that I have never witnessed before.

Red Deer seems to have bloomed and become more intriguing since I left. These changes may be due to City growth and expansion or it may be from the changes in my point of view; either way it is exciting. I am glad to become a part of the changes happening here.

Red Deer has held a lot of firsts for me. This was where I attended my first grad, where I had my first kiss, drove my first car and now it is where I am firstly starting my career.

I have always loved to write and take photos.

My first ‘job shadow’ day in elementary school I shadowed a journalist and wrote my first published article. It was about a lady who made Canada’s tiniest teddy bears. Who would have guessed that almost 20 years later I would be back working at a local paper full-time and loving it as much as I loved that day?

Photography tends to run in my genes. My father was always so talented behind the lens and I am glad to see that I have inherited at least some of his talent. It is wonderful to use some of my skills in a new career that I love.

People say that if you love what you do you will never work a day in your life. I have been with the Red Deer Express for almost a month now and while I put in a great effort everyday, it still feels like I am just out in the community having fun and meeting great people. I am doing what I love and I love what I am doing.

It is important to me to be a part of a community, and there is nowhere I would rather be than here. I have lived in larger cities and enjoyed the experience but Red Deer feels like home. Red Deer is close to all amenities and at the same time is able to maintain some small town charms. For me it is really the best of both worlds.

I am glad to be back in Red Deer and am thankful to be on the Red Deer Express team. I look forward to getting to be a part of this community and seeing all of what this City has to offer.

treid@reddeerexpress.com