Erin's Journals

Here we are on the edge of the Easter weekend. It’s a holiday signifying a rebirth, a time of hope and renewal, a period when we’re reminded that life goes on and even begins again. I’d like to share with you a story that brought that home to me once again this week.
 
One month ago yesterday, Luisa lost her son; Anna lost her husband. Anthony succumbed to his mental illness after fighting many deep bouts of depression. Having grown up with a father who dealt with his own troubles, 41-year-old Anthony knew the toll this could take on his family and did everything he could think of to beat it.
 
Anthony, with whom we’d worked at Rogers and who was respected and well-liked, had been in therapy for many years and was working hard to get better, but it wasn’t enough. Here is the piece he wrote while trying to cope with his illness.

Pardon Me
 
Pardon me, for I am human.
Forgive me, for I have erred.
Help me, so that I may regain my stance.
Teach me, so that I may learn.
Support me, so that I may grow.
Love me, so that I may feel special.
Let me do all these for you,
So that I may know that I am not alone.

Right now I’m betting you’re wondering what this story has to do with life renewing itself, with hope and faith. I’ll tell you.
 
Last week Luisa reached out and asked if we could talk. When we spoke, she told me of her son’s deep pain and of his sweet and loving nature. I was able to tell her that her son often entered the studio with a furrowed brow, as when an engineer was called, it meant there was a problem. And his job was to find and solve it.
 
His passion for his job was evident, but he could laugh with us while troubleshooting. He warmed quickly to you once he knew he was in a safe space and we always appreciated seeing him come through the door, even if it meant something had gone wrong!
 
His coworkers were gutted at the news of Anthony’s death. He was a doting father, a devoted son and a talented musician. In fact, he wrote this song when he was in his teens, but just added the desperate, painful lyrics lately. Anthony sings/shouts backup and plays drums in this piece. His mother would love for you to share it if there’s anyone you think it might help.
 
As we were wrapping up our phone call last week and sent each other hugs, I asked Luisa if she’d seen any signs. She talked about spotting doves but said, “Anthony, I don’t want birds – I want you!” 
 
I asked if perhaps it meant the doves – a common sign for peace – were telling his beloved mother that her son’s soul was finally no longer in torment. That he’d been let out to play, as the lyrics of his song demand.
 
I told her about my heart-shaped dish of dimes (and a few quarters) that Rob and I have found when we’ve needed a message from Loo. Luisa said she hadn’t heard of that, and would keep an eye out. 
 
Just a few days ago, Luisa (often called “Lou”) wrote again to tell me that her granddaughters – Anthony’s beautiful trio of children – found a stuffed animal, a sloth, near a children’s swing just after their father’s passing.
 

 
Their Nonna took this filthy, long abandoned toy from their home to hers and washed it several times, heavy on the fabric softener (“it smells like poo” they had complained when they handed it over) and this is what Lou wrote: 

When I returned it to the girls, I explained that going forward to have an open mind and be aware of subtle things and connect the dots. The middle one said, dad would know that if they found a stuffed animal, the would surely bring it home! I told them this thing had a big belly like daddy and wide enough arms to hug them as if it was daddy and this ugly stuffed animal deserved a special place in the house where they can feel close to Dad. 

Luisa thanked me for helping to make a connection they could relate to on their level, but honestly, all it takes is having open eyes and – most of all – an open heart. And just believing that love never, ever dies.
 
Happy Easter. I’ll be back with you on Tuesday. May your heart be at peace.
 
And here is Anthony’s obituary if you want to know a little more about this sweet man.
 

I’m in a small boat now and I’m ready to rant.
  
If I could wave a magic wand, I’d do a lot of things. (Hmm – maybe I should’ve written this as a poem….) But somewhere on that list – probably way down – would be finding a way for companies to share their resources with other parts of the same body. I have a couple of good examples and, since this is my area of a lifetime of knowledge, I’ll focus on radio.
 
Since dipping my toes into the world of freelance voicework, I have had the opportunity to audition for jobs that were posted by media conglomerates and while I’ve leapt at the chance to make some extra cash, I’ve been puzzled at the sheer ridiculousness and redundancy of it all. You have a company filled with people who use their voices for a living – and you’re already paying them – and yet a job was farmed out to an agency (which would be paid) to hire someone else who would be paid as well.
 
I recall a decade or so ago, a former co-worker, who’d been let go for not playing well with others, showing up in a print ad for a brand of our company’s services. Really? You couldn’t have used someone who didn’t make a point of dissing the radio station and the company every time he got a chance? Okay then. Talk about the right and left hand not knowing what they’re doing! 
 
What brought this to mind was being on hold yesterday waiting for information about Blue Jays tickets. Eventually, a lovely young woman named Catherine proved extremely helpful, but before that happened, I was subjected to no less than ten minutes of really torturous and whiny Kenny G-like music that ran on a one minute loop again and again and again. Never mind waterboarding – I’m pretty sure that hearing that soprano sax on never-ending repeat would get even Donald Trump to tell the truth. 
 
Here’s my question. Rogers is owner to no fewer than four outstanding Toronto radio stations. Why not use that interminable waiting period (okay, it did terminate, but Lenny B or Kenny C or whoever they had blowing his horn through the tiny speaker on my phone made the time seem longer) to promote your own product?
 
Run a few minutes of prompts talking about your sports programming on radio or television! Tell me when Bob McCown’s show is on Sportsnet 590 The Fan or introduce me to the broadcast team for Blue Jays games this year. Let me hear the best of Roz and Mocha on KiSS or do some promotion for CHFI or 680 News. Why would you not? 
 
Any time I’ve talked with people from other companies or industries, I’ve heard similar stories. World-famous celebrities in one studio who aren’t even brought down the hall to be guests on a sister station: lost promotion opportunities because someone didn’t take one more mental step, couldn’t be bothered or just wouldn’t share. Shame on them.
 
A rising tide lifts all boats, and all that. Or would you rather be left with all of those boats just dug into the sludge and muck, never to set sail again? Plenty of stations are in just that predicament right now. It’s been a week of more firings and layoffs in radio (not Rogers) but as the workplace contracts and more jobs are on the line in almost every facet of every industry, it really is time more people started thinking outside the box – before they find themselves out on the street wondering: what happened? I was just listening to Kenny G….
 

Sitting here on a rainy, foggy, socked-in kind of day, you’ll forgive me for wanting the calendar to speed up a bit to get us to next April when Mike, Debbie, Rob and I will be your hosts and companions for a European river cruise. The single staterooms have all been booked, which is great news, and there are still some double staterooms available.
 
We’re thrilled at the rate at which these are selling and, in fact, I think Mike and I are going to be doing another webinar in the near future. I’ll keep you posted on day and time; we’re actually visiting the Coopers in early April, so that will be a perfect time to get online together and have some fun with you.
 
In case you’re just getting on board, here’s the Tulip Time trip in a nutshell: we depart April 5 (a year from next Thursday already!) from Amsterdam, truly one of the most charming cities Rob and I have had the opportunity to visit. Lauren even included it (and a houseboat) on her honeymoon back in 2013.
 
We’ll travel in luxury with AMA Waterways, stopping along the way to experience the sights, smells and tastes of the magical towns we pass through. Don’t forget that many of Europe’s cities and towns were built on waterways, so when you’re on a river cruise, you end up getting very close and personal with these beautiful spots. Sometimes on cruise ships you dock far from the featured attractions – as is the case with Civitavecchia and Rome, for example – and even have to take a tender or small boat to get to the dock!
 
This is not the case with river cruises. We’re most excited to get on bicycles and travel like locals on a stop or two. 
 
We’ll make our way through the chocolate, cheese and charm of Antwerp and Ghent in Belgium and then back to Amsterdam, all the while seeing sights but also enjoying our time on the boat as well. Drinks are complimentary with your tickets (a rarity on cruise ships, I can tell you) as are the excursions! It’s really a brilliant way to travel and the fact that we get to do it with you and spend time together in the evenings is just the real icing on this cake.
 
If you’re even considering joining us, I’d urge you to please move quickly as the interest in this trip has been strong (yay)!
 
I won’t continuously post about this, as I realize it’s not for everyone, for various reasons. I respect that, but hope you don’t mind me sharing the latest sales with you as it’s been a month and a half since we first announced this Erin & Mike Tulip Time cruise. Gerry Koolhof at New Wave just updated me yesterday and I wanted to pass this along.
 
In the meantime, here’s how to get more information – you’ll love Gerry; he’s low pressure with an extremely high level of service. That’s why Rob and I have travelled with his help for more than a decade now. You can get a more detailed itinerary here.
 

 
Take care and I’ll return tomorrow and thank you, as always, for coming along for the ride – in more ways than one!
 

I don’t know if it’s my optimistic streak, but I’m always looking down. Not metaphorically, but literally: I am expecting to see a dime, a loonie or something to surprise me in my path, and sometimes I actually do.
 
But there’s something I’ve seen with alarming regularity and I’m wondering if you’ve noticed a lot of these too:
 

 
That’s right, individual tooth floss thingies.
 
Rob and I love these – unused ones, that is. They guarantee that even when we’re not near the bathroom, we can keep up with the hygiene that our dentists have tried to hammer into us since childhood: floss, floss, floss! We find them handy and effective. But have I ever taken one out of the house? 
 
Okay, I’m going to confess to always having one in my pocket when we’re at the movies when I know I’m going to be having popcorn. A husk or part of the popcorn kernel stuck in a tooth or gums can be pretty bothersome, and if I think that behind a cupped hand I can get away with clearing out something that hurts, I might just try it. If you find that uncouth or gross – and I understand if you do – I apologize. But I thought I should come clean, so to speak. In the rare event I have to use one of these little picks, I return it to my pocket or purse to dispose of when I get home. 
 
But why are we seeing these things all over the ground now? Do people walk along with them in parking lots or on sidewalks and then just pitch them when they’re done? I guess that must be what’s happening. I don’t understand it, but clearly we’ve crossed into just one more place where people who don’t give a darn are leaving behind evidence of their personal hygiene. 
 
I bet you start noticing them now, too. Sorry about that – it wasn’t me. Have a gentle Monday and I’ll be back here with you tomorrow.
 

There is something amazing happening tomorrow in the United States and a total of at least 844 communities around the world (including Victoria and Toronto, to name just two in Canada) as kids and families of March for our Lives “take to the streets to demand that their lives and safety become a priority, and that we end gun violence in our schools and communities.”
 
The event was put together by survivors of the Stoneman Douglas tragedy on February 14th, to make sure that the school shooting (now not even the most recent on US soil) provides a turning point in the discussion on gun ownership and the mad proliferation and possession of weapons of mass destruction.
 
There are a thousand NRA talking points and arguments defending gun ownership and the infuriatingly insane, God-given rights that people claim to have. If I started to list them, I’d lose my mind and a few readers here, but if you watch Fox “News” or read the comments directed at those trying to change minds and save lives, you know them all. Here’s something you have to see: the character Betty Bowers debates – with herself and with poise, humour and logic – every single viral NRA talking point. Here’s the link on youtube. It’s brilliant and takes every one of those arguments down calmly and with pearls on.
 
Will tomorrow’s march make a difference? Only if the people in US government who can do that grow spines and say “no” to the NRA and its enormous donations and coffers. While the recent Cambridge Analytica revelations (thanks to British journalists that Trump can’t say are against him) seemingly show that there are many politicians on whom those who pull the strings have some serious career-and-possible-freedom-ending dirt, surely there are people in power somewhere who can start limiting and then hopefully rescinding some of the NRA’s power. 
 
Last weekend, the Las Vegas Convention Center was host to a two-day gun show. We couldn’t stay far enough away. But seeing the billboards advertising it reminded me of the horrific events in that city just last year and how those weapons (that are ostensibly to make some people feel safer) have the opposite effect on those of us who don’t feel a need to pretend to be John Wayne or some Quentin Tarantino femme fatale. 
 
But there’s good news heading into tomorrow’s action: for the first time in nearly two decades, there are more Americans who view the NRA unfavourably than favourably. If that translates to a political shift, too – whether through a blue wave at the ballot boxes this November or through some unforeseen mass twinge of conscience – then the uprising in the wake of Parkland, Florida will not be forgotten by the next season’s change.
 
We can hope, at least. In the meantime, seeing the date March 24th in people’s media feeds and hearing it everywhere has often given me a reason to smile. You see, tomorrow is the day our daughter Lauren came into the world 27 years ago. And I know she’d think that such a special event as March for our Lives coinciding with her birthday is a pretty cool thing. I know Rob and I do.
 

 
Here’s to making a difference and turning tragedy into something positive. We know that it is a difficult thing to do, but nothing worthwhile is easy in this life, is it?
 
Have a gentle weekend and I’ll talk to you again here on Monday.