I know, I know, you're shocked. I was a little surprised myself. A co-worker gave me a whole speech about it one day, and I thought to myself, 'he likes baseball, he can't be that bad of a guy.' And so I'm going to vote.

Let's be honest - we're lucky to live in the best country in the world. And because we live in the best country in the world, we should probably do what we can to respect the democratic process. It just feels responsible.

The problem is the whole thing turns my stomach. I am supposed to put my good faith in one of these gentlemen. This, in and of itself, is not a problem. Yet from the moment someone shouts 'go', these guys start slinging mud at each other in an endless series of smear campaigns. I thought we could leave all that gossipy stuff in high school, but apparently we've saved for the leaders of our fine nation.

So what's a guy to do? I love Canada. I work hard, pay my taxes, play hockey and drink beer. I'm especially nice to people, even people I don't even like that much, AND I'm polite. It's quite clear there's only one Canadian tradition in which I don't partake, and that's politics.

So I'm researching these guys, trying to get a handle on things without being drilled by a clump of dirt in this he said-she said crossfire. And it gets me thinking; what do I want in a politician? What does leadership mean? I want Canadians to have a great life, I want Canada to be a great country. I am aware that becoming an elected official doesn't mean one can easily implement all the strategies and carry out of the promises made on the campaign trail. I get it.

One word came to mind: Integrity. I want an honest man, someone you can trust to do the right thing, at the right time. Someone who cares enough about others to tell the truth, even if it's difficult.

Maybe it's just me, but I don't see a lot of those qualities in politicians. It feels more like which guy can get away with playing the game the best. And if you're the best at calling names and pointing out the flaws in others, then you'll win the election.

But I don't think you'll make a great leader.

I have to make a point to do this now. I used to write every day without fail. Whether for school or for leisure, I didn't realize I was cultivating a skill that would erode without maintenance.

But that's what happened. I thought I'd write for a living; instead, I started a career in television. There is writing, but it's not writing. I got married, had a baby, bought a house and all of the sudden more than 2 and a half years went by. Without writing.

And you know what I realized? I stink at writing now. It shouldn't be a surprise, but I admit to being a little taken aback when it finally hit me. I was writing an e-mail to a friend, and as I re-read what I had put down, I found it made almost zero sense grammatically, as I'm sure you're realizing as you read what's above. Not only did it make no sense grammatically, it lacked flow, personality - it was like a robot was typing out my life. Things are good. Working a lot. How's the weather? Terrible. Just terrible.

And a little sad. I mean, writing was a part of my life, a part of me. And I want to get it back. That's where you come in, loyal reader. I need to bore you with my everyday thoughts, encounters, and stories. I am indebted to you, for your time, and especially for your patience. Was that a comma splice? Thus begins the long road home.

One day soon, I'll return to this page.

Promise.