Mark Patten / Introduction

Hello. I manage a college store. Actually 5 stores in a university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. Land of the West Edmonton Mall, Hockey, snow, and oil workers. We’re hardy and a bit hip. I recently got my 10-year watch here at MacEwan. Which I wear ‘cus the battery on my other watch died and I’m too lazy to get it fixed. Before the watch, I worked at another college store in windy, “brokeback mountain” country. They never gave me a watch.

I love the world of retail. It wasn’t my plan, but the need for public policy consultants is slim and rarely rewarding.

I do fun things too.
- Avoiding my Mother’s advice to never trust an animal bigger than my head, I love my newfie / Lab, 80-pound canine. He is much bigger than my head but in a dufus, big-dog sorta way.
- I have two cats – One I picked up in a parking lot and another I have had for years that is curiously and dangerously closing in on the bigger than head rule.
- I love crap TV. – and really who doesn’t? Right now I am addicted to American Idol, always watch Survivor and Amazing Race and for a true train wreck you can’t miss the “Flavour of Love” dating show. For real fun I watch CNN and MSNBC and mutter to myself.
- My favorite music includes Miles Davis, Joni Mitchell, Bob Dylan, Mike Oldfield, Green Day, Pink Floyd, Scissor Sisters, Artic Monkeys, Rufus Wainwright, Franz Ferdinand, and on and on.
- My fav’ books include anything by Dave Eggers, “A Man” by Oriana Fallaci, and Don Quixote by Cervantes. I read all sorts of magazines for fun and profit.
- I’m available work days and most evenings if you know how to text message.
- Weekends I nap.

Enjoy the musings… .

Mark Patten
MacEwan Bookstores
pattenm@macewan.ca