The Cormac MacSweeney Blog - 660News Calgary

Alright this is a little personal … not exactly work related, but something I wanted to write about.

This past weekend, I got engaged!

I proposed to my girlfriend at St. Patrick’s Parish in Medicine Hat, which is the city I was living in when we rekindled our relationship about three years ago.

Our time in Medicine Hat began with a beautiful lunch at a gorgeous restaurant called DeVine, followed by a walk through downtown.

With the sun shining down on us, I walked her across the bridge and towards the church.

I chose the church because it’s symbolic of when Melissa (my fiance) flew out for a visit after I moved to the Hat for a job. She loves that church and thinks it’s beautiful, so at the time we decided to take a picture on the steps.

Shortly before the flash … to make her blush … I swept her off her feet. As I was holding her in my arms I whispered in her ear, “It’s just like carrying you over the threshold.” It worked, she smiled and it was a great photo. So it’s in that exact spot I decided to actually pop the question.

Her first words were “is this a joke?” I replied while down on single knee and holding the ring out towards her … “does this look like a joke?”

She said yes and then we headed to our hotel … the Jacuzzi suite … and I grabbed the champagne I had hidden in the car.

That’s where I stop talking.

Just thought I’d share the good news with all of you.

Wow and Ow!

On Monday I took part in Cardel Homes’ Walk A Mile In Her Shoes at Olympic Plaza.

While many on the 660News Team threw on the cheetah print heels, I went with a nice pair of pink stilettos.

I was surprised with how many people … men … showed up for the walk, some even dressed up in dresses, wigs, and fishnets.

It was a lot of fun and I’ll be honest, I have a greater appreciation for women who can dance in heels. I nearly broke my ankle a few times and definitely had a tough time standing … let alone walking.

The worst idea I had was to challenge Eric Francis from Jack FM to a race. It was only five metres or so but it took like a minute for us to shuffle to the improvised finish line of a garbage can.

Many women had a good laugh at our expense.

By the end the front part of my feet felt like they had been crushed and my calves were seizing up.

Although I had a whack of fun, I’ll only throw on heels again for charity.

So yesterday I didn’t do my regular shift…as you may have heard. I was actually playing “chase the premier”!

First I was out the door at 8:30 a.m. to head to Banff for the Global Business Forum. Good ol’ Stelly was the man giving the opening address, and he focused mainly on the economy and what Alberta wants to do to stave off all the turmoil.

But of course that is not why I, or any other reporter, was there. We wanted him on crime.

Recently the mayor had said he would ask for another meeting with the premier after one recently that involved the two politicians, as well as our police chief and some detectives from the gang unit. In that meeting, the mayor asked for $25-million for 200 new officers for our city. After that meeting the Premier said he wouldn’t give the cash.

The two were to appear at the same groundbreaking ceremony in the southeast, at the Family Leisure Centre, and it was there that the Mayor was supposed to ask for another meeting.

After everything in Banff, the premier did a media scrum at 1:30 p.m. at the Banff Spring Hotel that didn’t wrap up until 1:50 p.m. After I scrambled to file a couple of pieces for the air, I had an hour-and-a-half to get my butt from the beautiful mountains to Anderson and Bonaventure…during the beginning of rush hour.

Let’s just say it didn’t happen. I showed up 25 minutes late and ran to the building from my parking spot. I was glad to see a bunch of reporters hanging out in front of the leisure centre because, like me, Monsieur Stelmach was late.

The whole “standoff” that was to happen, only ended up being a brief chat. The mayor didn’t get his money and the premier took only two questions before he jumped into the Stelmach Mobile and was driven away. Normally I’m done work at 12 p.m., but yesterday I got off work at 6:45 p.m. and had to be in for the morning show.

Of course, when I arrived I find that Ted Henley called in sick and I had to fill in. So at the last minute, I was thrown into the fire that is anchoring the morning show.

Yup, it’s tough being a reporter.

I must apologize for my lack of blogging over the last week, this election has been keeping me as busy as a beaver building a dam.

I have been putting calls out, brainstorming story ideas, doing interviews, meeting with politicians and simply doing my reports.

Don’t get me wrong I love elections, I’ve just been bogged down with work.

So far it’s been a lack lustre race, with the exception of the Puffin pooping incident, and I’m hoping it will get rolling this week as the leaders re-organize and basically re-launch their campaigns.

Since it seems most people don’t care what happens, here is what I’m hoping for in the next few weeks of this election campaign:

- Stephen Harper gets pied

- Stephane Dion chokes a protester

- Jack Layton shaves his moustache

- Gilles Duceppe separates himself from his party

Why do I want these changes? Well it would certainly get people interested in politics again now wouldn’t it?

Okay, maybe these changes are a tad extreme but I’m trying to prove a point here. I am one of the few who is wrapped up in this election and all the subjects around it. The majority of people I’ve been speaking with don’t seem interested and didn’t even want this election in the first place.

So I hope the leaders start taking bigger risks and try to draw some of the public into this battle we know as the campaign trail. That way people can get involved in the political process and as a result, more informed on the issues.

We need some hot gossip topics because lets face it, half of politics is showmanship and if you can’t entertain, you don’t get the ever important swing vote.

Well it’s true…your favourite radio reporter will be dawning a pair of heels.

I won’t be alone though, I will have Dave Will, Ted Henley and one of our promo guys Nick Taylor to join me in our manly walk around Olympic Plaza.

The event is sponsored by Cardel Homes and is in support the YWCA.

Not only can you meet your favourite 660 personalities there, but Andrew Schultz, Dave Kelly, and Jeb Fink from CityTV will be there as well.

Unfortunately the only girly thing I’ll be wearing is the heels…sorry, but if you’re into that kind of thing maybe Ted Henley will wear his mini-skirt.

The walk is on September 22 and you can give your support to some well-heeled guys by going to www.walkamile.ca and click on the support a walker link….then go to teams and click on Cormac Mac Sweeney under the 660News banner.

Thanks to you for your support of my cross-dressing and your support of the YWCA.