Chris Koentges
My high school sweetheart, who I dreamed of marrying, gave me a tattered blanket. It had been in her family for eight generations. She pulled the blanket to her chin. She whispered, "Take care of it, my love." Her body shuddered. She was gone. As they wheeled her away, I inhaled the blanket, it still had her vanilla custard body odour – as well as the family crest, a curious golden retriever with a single rose in its mouth. It represented the family's oppression through the Franco-Puppy wars of 1815, the famine that followed. This wretched blanket gave me the courage to fastidiously tell the tales of the world's plucky underdogs in the pages of magazines such as The Walrus, Maisonneuve and Reader's Digest. Godspeed Genevieve.

 
Scott Messenger
Once upon a time, I worked in a university laboratory studying the genetics of pea plant embryos. Then I worked at a greenhouse and grew bedding plants, never peas, and never gave a second thought to their genes. Since quitting that a year ago in pursuit of an hour-long lunch, I write full time, mostly for magazines like Alberta Venture and Avenue (Edmonton). Sometimes during my hour-long lunch I relax in the living room of my Edmonton apartment in a luxurious, purple recliner my parents gave me after they upgraded to a sleek leather model. Should I ever be able to part with it, I expect it will be the greatest thing I'll ever give to any child of my own.

 
Arnica Rowan
Although my husband often introduces me as a full-time volunteer, I actually scratch out a living as a college prof, dog cookie baker, business consultant and writer. I'm now based in Kelowna, B.C., after a recent move from eastern Alberta. My passions in life don't make me any money, but bring me as much wealth as my career: hosting international students, paddling my canoe, fundraising for charities, remodeling historic homes, and birdwatching with a steaming mug of mint tea. One of the best gifts I ever received was from my parents and the Rotary club, who sent me to live in different countries and opened a whole world of possibilities for me.

Colin Way
After four years of photography at the Alberta College of Art and Design, I figured out what my style wasn't: Sears portraiture. I'm a Calgary-based freelance photographer and I like to catch people when they're comfortable – it's what I call "unposed posing." My work has appeared in the Globe and Mail, Calgary Inc., Fashion Magazine and Avenue. For me, the best gifts are still mixed CDs with homemade covers (loaded with good music, of course). Here's a tip for mothers, girlfriends and grandmothers: never buy a grown man a blanket decorated with puppies. Especially not a golden retriever puppy with a rose in its mouth.

Jessica Fern Facette
Most people don't know that I was born in L.A. That's right: Leduc, Alberta. When I was nine years old, I rode my bike to Kavanagh, which is a long five kilometres south of Leduc on Highway 2A. My mom got really mad. Since then I have travelled many roads, often with camera in tow. The present road has me shooting for various magazines and photographing people in love. The most memorable gift I ever received was on my 16th birthday. My grandma gave me a hope(less) chest, a handmade cedar chest full to the hinges with household objects. Its treasures varied from her wedding veil to complimentary mugs from gas stations to oven mitts lined with rabbit fur.

Stefanie Moschuk, featured reader
Born in Ottawa and raised in Edmonton, I have the equivalent of a PhD in reinventing myself. I have travelled the world looking for purpose and somehow ended up, at age 23, as a nine-to-five payroll analyst. The best gift that I ever received was an introduction to flying, engaging a passion that is impossible to learn through a textbook. Flying keeps the world in perspective for me. I see how incredibly cartoonish everyone looks, and how small my issues actually are. I tried to find meaning on the ground and ended up finding it in the sky.

This could be you. In every issue, we'll feature one reader as a contributor. Promote yourself! Win prizes! Tell us why you should be featured here next by sending a note to drubinstein@unlimitedmagazine.com.

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