repetition
The woman on the podcast referred to her father’s friend as “magical.” A lovely description. The second time she used the word describing somebody else, I thought “that’s sweet.” By the fourth and fifth time, everybody became “magical.” The word lost its energy and passion, its magic. On the cusp of the 90s when I lived in England, everything was “brilliant.” In North America, “awesome.” These days, “amazing.” All three are great words when used sparingly and purposefully. The rule, when writing, is not to repeat words. I’m not usually a fan of writing regulations but I like this one. This rule can and should be broken, but sparingly.
blue shadows
I met the late Billy Cowsill in a small Calgary night club. We talked about the influence that country music had on the Beatles. I also asked him about his band that I loved, The Blue Shadows. “I wish we could play again,” he said, “but Jeff left the business.” The Blue Shadows were ahead of their time. Driven by the Everly harmonies of Billy, the oldest Cowsills kid, and Jeffrey Hatcher, they were alt-country before it was a thing. Their debut On the Floor of Heaven remains a roots rock classic. They won a Juno and were influential but should have been more famous.
Watch The Blue Shadows video Deliver Me. Their CDs are hard to come by but you can start with Heritage Music in Calgary.
lawn signs
Some of the signs in my ‘hood, S.W. Calgary, Alberta, Canada
We have a lawn sign in our yard – “Defend Alberta Parks.” It calls out the province’s plan to close 180 provincial parks and possibly sell them. It’s a campaign by environmental groups. Signs are popping up around Calgary. Each one is a middle finger to Premier Jason Kenney’s government. I was born and grew up here and I’ve never seen a non-election campaign like this. This is not business as usual. As a former journalist, I know it likely won’t sway the next election, but it is a serious warning to the United Conservative government. They better take notice.
my evening walk
Four years ago, I decided to get back in shape. There was a gym at work where I started pulling daily elliptical and treadmill duty. I lost about fifty pounds. Thanks to COVID, the gym closed in the spring. Then my job ended. What to do? My neighbourhood is now my gym. I walk three km every morning with the dogs. Another five in the evening. The same route, mostly. I am a creature of habit. I watch houses being demolished and new ones built. I’m getting to know neighbours and their dogs but it’s astonishing how few people are out and about. Winter snow and cold are coming. Pray for me.
my grandmother's electric guitar
My grandmother’s antique twin beds were gathering dust in my garage. Pity because the richly dark wooden frames were beautiful. We have some of her furniture in the house, but the beds were impractical. Maybe a dump run? Then an idea. My friend Kevin builds electric guitars from reclaimed and new wood with new and vintage parts. At first he was skeptical. “I’m not sure about this.” He took the beds and then sent me excited texts. “It’s maple with mahogany veneer. Great!” He made some guitar bodies and necks and, as a thank you, he made me a beautiful custom instrument in my grandmother’s memory.
You can find Kevin’s creations on his website The New Vintage.
no year
“Back to work, back to school; it feels like a new year.” I hear that every autumn. As I remind my non-Jewish friends, fall is indeed the new year, according to the Hebrew calendar. Since we are living in the time of COVID, it was not the usual High Holidays. No family lunches or breaking the fast with a potluck. No pilgrimage to temple. Just hanging with my 90-year-old mum in her condo, attending services via my laptop. I commend religious leaders who adapted with streaming technology, but there was none of the usual mingling and visiting after services. Hard to replicate that virtually. Let’s hope 5781 is better than 5780.
dog jealousy
My dog hates walks. They’re supposed to like walks right? Their instinct is to hunt. Our trainer says a walk is the hunt with food as the reward. Not according to our chihuahua cross BB. She’d rather lay on a satin pillow with food brought to her on a tray. Every morning when the leash is readied, BB hightails it. Under a table, she looks forlorn. Getting out of the house is a struggle. I drag or carry her to the sidewalk. More tugs to get her moving. Our other dog Toby is impatient. I look at other walkers and their eager dogs with jealousy.
golden age
History shows that media do not die, they adapt and occupy new and different spaces for consumers. That’s what happened to radio. Many predicted the medium was a goner, with a possibility that digital streaming might save it. Digital delivery did not rescue broadcast radio. Instead, podcasting happened; bite sized slices of radio, streamed or downloaded on demand. Some are rambling conversations. Others are tight, sound-designed journalism, much like the features I produced for CBC Radio. The best are stories well told. The result is a new golden era. Here are links to some podcasts I love.
magpies
“Those black and white birds are beautiful,” says my cousin visiting from LA. “What are they?” “Magpies.” Beautiful? Magpies? Here in Alberta, Canada, they’re as common as sparrows. Ignored by most, hated by some, they’re scavengers and bullies. I call them biker birds. About as big as your forearm, they prey on smaller birds, squirrels and harass rabbits. What I think is common, visitors find exotic, similar to when I visit Texas and see armadillos. Lately I have been appreciating magpies. My cousin is right. They are attractive, coloured like penguins except they’re fighter jets, not chubby submarines. And they’re fearless. They don’t care what you think.