Amanda Shaw Responds
to a Proust Questionnaire
1. W
hat do you appreciate most in
your friends?
My friends are, for the most part, at the same
stage of life as I am, so I appreciate their ability
to pick up as if no time has left off when we
haven’t seen each other in a while due to busy
schedules. I have a core group of best friends
from university. The year we graduated, we
formed a dinner club where once a month we
would try a new restaurant and catch up. Our
group of five has expanded to fifteen with the
addition of spouses and children, and ten years
later, we’re still going strong.
2. W
hat is your idea of happiness?
While the physical aspect of travel is daunting
with two little boys, and we have to choose
simpler itineraries, visiting somewhere new or a
favourite place again with my family is my idea
of happiness. My husband and I hiked Machu
Picchu and then attended World Cup games in
Brazil for our honeymoon, and we backpacked
through Europe with our first son when he was
nine months old. Our youngest son had his first
trip to the Dominican Republic when he was just
six weeks old! We always enjoy the challenge of
travelling, meeting new people, trying new foods
or activities, and learning about other cultures.
I believe it teaches flexibility and resilience, and
getting to witness the joy of the people I love
most in the world doing something for the first
time is magical — I’ll never forget the laughter
from first steps in the Atlantic Ocean, the smiles
on the faces of commuters because of a child’s
excitement over using an umbrella in Vancouver,
or simply sitting around a campfire mesmerized
by the flames.
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3. Which talent would you most like to have?
I wish I could sing in a voice that did not make
people cover their ears and ask me to stop!
4. What is your principal defect?
I have many, though the one I am actively
working on is my reliance on my smartphone.
Too often, I reach for it out of habit or find
myself mindlessly scrolling on social media
rather than focusing on the people in front of
me. I’m getting better, but there is definitely still
room for improvement!
5. What is your favourite place in Canada?
This is a very hard question to answer — I’ve
been lucky enough to travel to almost every
province and territory in Canada (Nunavut and
Newfoundland are the last I need to visit), and
we are truly blessed to live in such a spectacular
country. While Edmonton will always be home,
I spent almost five years living in Yellowknife
and that isolated little town at the end of the
road won me over. The people are incredibly
welcoming and the landscape is beautiful. It’s
also where my eldest son was born, so it will
always be extra special for that reason. ●
Amanda Shaw is ARTA’s Director of Marketing.