After growing up in Chicago and attending Northern Illinois University for art, the promise of surfing and warm Januarys gave Alex Rennie all the inspiration he needed to trade the frigid-howling-wind winters of the Windy City for San Diego, California palm trees and beaches.  Once there, he continued his work in graphic design and branding, mastered video production and editing, and nurtured his passion for cartooning.  He also engineered Project ABLE: Anti-Bullying Leadership Experience; an interactive empowerment workshop for kids.  Alex had found his place.  He had found his people.  He was settled and happy.  That is until a new friend whom Alex met at a premiere networking event invited him to attend a workshop…

And his plans quite suddenly changed.  

You see, Alex discovered that he was not only passionate about the content of that workshop but WHO he met there.  Love was in the air.  He had found his person and soon was hearing wedding bells.  There was only one catch to this exceedingly romantic story…this amazing woman didn’t live in San Diego, where Alex felt so at home, nor did she even live in the same state.  She lived a bit north, well actually more than a bit… She lived in a whole different country north.  In two words, she lived in Calgary, Canada.

And so, as only love would allow it, Alex traded the ocean for the mountains.  Instead of surfing, he delights in horseback rides these days, often with his wife, the love of his life, at his side.  In Canada, he embraced cartooning full on, partnering with Frank Hildebrandt to create “Abnormalville,”a series of super funny one panel cartoons. 

Alex’s story reminds me that just because life changes doesn’t mean we have to pine after the past, we can embrace fresh adventures and learn to let our heart be our guide.

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**Video broadcast available** on YouTube @imperfectbest

**Learn more about Jason Freeman** at AwkwardlyAwesome.com