02 May 2020 - Plague Journal Day 51

We all are still sheltering in place, but I'm here to keep you sane and entertained.
One could hardly ask for much more than that, now could one?

You know what bothers me? You know what drives me crazy?
Am I the only one who's embarrassed by these "stand up to cancer" commercials?
I mean, addressing a non-personal "opponent" as evil and a bad guy and we're all standing up to you? Good grief, it just sounds so stupid.
"Hey, Gravity; just because you're strong doesn't mean you're always going to be able to hold us down! We're a team! We're Team Floating-Away-From-The-Planet, and we will defeat your evil tractor beams!"

Well, now that I have that off my chest, how about something to celebrate?

Today is National Play Your Ukulele Day! (I'm happy to recall that the ukulele was the official instrument of the Vinyl Café - one of the finest radio programmes ever presented by CBC Radio.)

Not only that - today is also Astronomy Day! (Don't let the stars get in your eyes!)

Here's your challenge: I want to hear a ukulele cover of Pink Floyd's Astronomy Domine.
Go! (#PinkFloydUkulele)


Keep Calm and Stay Away.
I'll be back tomorrow.

R.I.P. Stuart McLean

I completely understand the sentiment others have expressed at past passings:
"I don't have to believe it if I don't want to."

I don't want to believe it, but I do have to acknowledge the passing of a wonderful, positive, loving man who was part of my Saturdays since 1994. Stuart McLean was a consummate radio host, storyteller, and (virtual) friend.

Hearing him tell his stories encouraged me to go ahead and tell some of my own. I will sorely miss him, along with Dave and Morley, Sam and Stephanie, and the whole cast of characters who made those stories as real as the essays he also presented.

My condolences to his friends and family. Stuart was a gem and will be greatly missed.

Rats.

RIP Jurgen Gothe

I don't even remember if it was Radio Two yet, but weekday afternoons nearly always found me listening to Disc Drive on CBC where Jurgen Gothe managed to move us all from the classical world to jazz and pop with a great mixture of banter and information.

We just got the news this morning on Radio Two that he had died, and I didn't want the day to pass without acknowledging his influence on my musical taste and knowledge, as well as on my taste and knowledge of wine. He was a gem on the radio and will be well and truly missed.