Xanna's Thoughts On The Transfer Of Power

Xanna's Thoughts On The Transfer Of Power

This was the election which got the youth of North America interested. Yes, that includes Canada too. Just after the events in front of the capitol wrapped up, I got this email from my 30 year old daughter Xanna who is, like me, a dual citizen of the USA and Canada. I’m delighted that she is emotional about it. I am too; I cried my way through the Star Bangled Banner at the end of the inaugural swearing-in ceremony. If we can’t get excited about the future of our country, what hope have we. Read what "Xanna Says".



Well, that is certainly the most attention I have ever paid a presidential inauguration, except Clinton's because I was there, but even then, too young, I think, to grasp the political importance.

I was moved by the whole tradition — the speeches, the cheering. I had goose bumps thinking what it must be like for Obama, or any president, standing up there thinking 'holy cow! I'm the leader of all this!!' It must be quite emotional.

I even felt a lot for Bush because he really had to hold his head up high in front of a ton of people who generally don’t like him. I thought he handled the day very well. After that darn W movie, I feel a little for the guy now! I didn't think he did a very good job as a president, true, but I hate to see anyone feeling sad.... I hope he's going fishing this weekend, somewhere nice!

It was very cool to watch... I think I'll stay tuned the rest of the day as well. The coverage is really great, actually. I am feeling quite proud to be an America today. It is a big day isn't it?! Very ,very exciting.

I hope the Obama's run straight to their rooms and jump on the beds!!

Xanna-the-occasional-American

Update on It Figures' LORI SHYBA

Update on It Figures' LORI SHYBA

Lori was a regular cast member for the It Figures tv show for many years. She taped the last series 18 with us out on the ridge above the Kananaskis River in the Alberta Rockies. There were some very cool mornings, and I remember her freezing before one show because we put her in shorts to show off her wonderful legs! For viewers who've been writing to ask what ever happened to her, here's an update on this lovely woman who was such an important part of the tv workout we all loved.

Can you tell us about how you keep fit nowadays? What is your current favorite exercise format?
I love to snowshoe and downhill ski in the winter. I hike and horseback ride all year round. I still love group exercise classes for fun and camaraderie and enjoy pressing free weights, especially with some good tunes on my iPod.

Is there any exercise you can no longer enjoy and really miss?
Like almost all my It Figures friends, I have given up on sprinting but still like to run from place to place when I have to get somewhere fast.

What research are you doing now in the field of performance and multimedia?
I have created a number of serious videogames which respond to social issues. One deals with world energy production and consumption and another, called The Booze Cruise, is a deterrent against drinking and driving. The Booze Cruise was recently licensed to the US Army to help troops returning from Iraq become acquainted with the danger and hazards of driving under the influence of alcohol (DUI).

What kinds of classes are you teaching?
Currently I am teaching classes in History and Philosophy of Computing, Digital Rhetoric, Digital Imaging, and Human-Computer Interaction. I know it sounds pretty lofty, but we have fun making projects ranging from videogames to short films and interactive cinema. My students write research papers too, and maybe they don’t think that’s too much fun, but it’s par for the course at a top university.

What is your proudest accomplishment of the last decade?
I have raised my two boys Austin and Warwick to become fine talented young men. Austin is a photographer and filmmaker, and Warwick is a snowboard coach, training to become a helicopter pilot.

What is your greatest pleasure these days?
Like Renee, I travel quite a lot with my work to international research conferences. In the past few years I have traveled to Australia, Japan, Toronto, Vancouver, London U.K., Michigan, California and many other destinations.

What makes you happiest about our world today?
I’m tremendously optimistic about the morals and values of young people and their overall concern for environmentalism and love of the planet.

Have any advice you’d like to give other baby boomers?
From my experiences as a university professor, I’d like to say that we can share our memories in ways that do not make us seem like know-it-alls. Let the younger generations learn from their own experiments and successes.