There are mornings when I walk into the “99.9 The Bay” radio studio, flip on the lights, and before I even touch the mic, I just stop and look out the window. It doesn’t matter how many years I’ve been doing this — that view still hits me. The city waking up, the sky shifting colours, the quiet before the chaos of the day. It’s a reminder that I get to start my morning in a place that feels bigger than the job itself. It’s a privilege I never take for granted.

And then there’s the Sleeping Giant — Thunder Bay’s crown, our constant. No matter the season, no matter the weather, he’s always there. Some days he’s sharp and clear against a bright sky; other days he’s just a silhouette through the cold haze. But he’s always watching over us. I’ve seen that view thousands of times, and somehow it still feels new. It still makes me pause. It still makes me grateful to call this place home.

Even on those brutal mornings — the ones where it’s -30 and the air hurts your face — there’s something about Thunder Bay that makes you appreciate the start of the day. Maybe it’s the resilience built into this place. Maybe it’s the beauty we get to wake up to. Or maybe it’s just knowing that no matter how cold it gets, or the snow storm – the view from this studio window and the Sleeping Giant in the distance will always warm me up a little.

And that’s something I’ll never get tired of.