The First Freelance Friday
The question I’ve been asked most often this week is, how long will it take you to sleep past 3 am? …
Working
The Way We Were
There’s no question about it, I’m going to miss Ken Eastwood. He’s a great on air partner, a good guy and a hell of a baker and cook. Stephanie Vivier starts with him tomorrow on CJBK. Today, for me, it’s about looking back. …
Pulling Up Stakes
When we last left our intrepid broadcaster, she had purchased a home in Wallaceburg and put her London house up for sale. Her husband and cat have been clearing out and packing. (Husband more than cat.) We learned that the new home isn’t commuting distance to the current job. And now, with apologies to Paul Harvey, here’s…the rest…of the story.
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Our News
In the deepest recesses of my heart, I’ve been longing for a change. Something big, radical, totally different. I wrestled with the idea and it pinned me and held me down. I tried to talk myself out of it but I found it was a better debater. My husband was on board from the start. But how would that change look? What would it take to make it happen? …
Gimme A Break
Thank you, regular blog reader, for returning to my little corner of the Internet and reading my musings. I’m sorry to disappoint you this week, but I need to take a short sabbatical. …
My Limit of F***s
When Donald Trump made fun of sexual assault victim Christine Blasey-Ford, I knew I was close. When he walked up the steps of Air Force One with toilet-paper stuck to his shoe, and no one told him, my laughter created a little bit of room for more. But the confirmation of undoubtedly biased Brett Kavanaugh to the US Supreme Court nailed it. I’m out of f***s. …
Required Reading (If I May Say So Myself!)
In the past week, several instances have arisen that made me want to make in-your-face recommendations for my book about media and PR. I resisted, of course, but the reasons why I wrote it keep piling up and people working in media keep sending me more examples. I don’t even have to try to prove that it’s needed! The proof comes to me.
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Throwback Thursday: Not My Finest Hour (But I’m A Good One Nonetheless)
We read stories about people quitting work by doing something outlandish and think, OMG, I could NEVER. Around the time I quit MIX/CFRB there were much bigger and bolder exits from broadcasting. One used their airtime to lambaste their boss and company owner. Another tossed his headphones and walked out. One of my exits became a bit of a folk-tale and over the years it has come back to me with the details all wrong. …
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Bad Text Reading
Journalism is about truth and truth is about authenticity. And that’s what was in my head last Friday morning when I basically stopped the show in its tracks and asked, “What is wrong with people today? Is every texter in a foul mood?!” …
The Ultimutt Radio Show
Meet Pickles. Pickles is about to become a famous dog. He’s not just a performer, he’s a bit of a miraculous survivor. …
Working for the Weekend
For most people, when the weekend arrives, work-time is over for two full days. It probably depends on what you do for a living, but it’s supposed to hold true. To that end, more countries are considering a ban on work emails outside of work hours. People are literally getting worked to death. There are health consequences to blurry lines between work and non-work hours. …
Bucket List Interview
Some people want to interview the Pope. Others want to spend time with Paul McCartney. I just want to talk to a flat-earther! …
Perfect Imperfection
Not long ago, I found a bunch of old letters I’d written to my parents. They dated to the early-and-mid-80s when I was striking out on my own. They were full of confidence and professed a knowledge about work and the world that I don’t know I’d feel comfortable espousing now, so many years later. The older I get, the less I know for sure. …
Virtual Grocery Shopping Review
I’d noticed the special parking spaces at Loblaws across from those set aside for people with disabilities. No one ever seemed to be parked in them but they were a sign that the food giant expects online grocery shopping to grow. I knew I’d give it a try one day. …
Throwback Thursday – Eraser Heads
Yes kids, in addition to playing actual records on the radio, long-time radio pros also became intimately acquainted with a piece of technology known as the Bulk Eraser. …
The Secret to Eternal Life
The title of today’s post reads like a clickbait solicitation for a cult, I know. Now you’re afraid that I’ve shaved my head (except for one thin patch down the middle) and quit my job so I can sell flowers at the airport. But that’s not what this story is about. …
Treading Water and Diving In
I’m taking off my water wings now. Last week was so busy, I didn’t have time to wave my own arms to stay afloat. Busy is good. …
Throwback Thursday – Countryfied
For a few years, alternating them with my then-husband, I went to Country Music Fan Fair in Nashville as a working journalist. It was always held during the hottest week of the summer, roughly 105F in the shade. I got to interview country’s up-and-coming stars while freelancing for the now defunct Country Wave Magazine. …