MS. GILLIE'S STORY OF HER STRUGGLE WITH MENTAL ILLNESS

With National Mental Health Day coming up I would like to share with you a time of my life when all seemed impossibly dark. When I was a teenager I was bullied, and really didn't have friends. I figured the best solution to my lonliness and dispair was to take my own life. I went to the kitchen of my parents farmhouse, and found one of my dad's steak knives, I was just about to place it in to my chest, at the spot where my heart has a defect when my then 13-year-old sister stopped me. At first I was angry with her for suggesting that my parents needed to know this particular thing, but now I realize that sometimes God puts people in our situations to smooth them out.

Recently I had a dark spell where I did not feel much worth to anyone, I attended church Saturday as I often do, but was so down that I could not focus. I then heard of a leadership comference sponsored by my church, but due to the sad fog I did not see the point in going. The enemy sometimes puts these dark thoughts and questions in our minds to keep the darkness thick. Sunday morning when I woke up I was still feeling bad, but a friend helped me realize that I could be a leader, and that God's plan is the only plan.

If I could go talk to 15-year-old me I would tell her that God is in control, God loves you, and things will get better. I would also tell her to thank her little praying grandma, because she always kept a prayer in her he

RADIO-RELATED STUFF: LYNN MACKENZEE FOUND; MJ STILL MISSING

Lynn MacKenzie is now working for a station in Smithers, BC; I assume remotely since Smithers is not listed under her current city on Facebook.

Also what happened to former Mix 97 mid-day host MJ?

Was picking up a lot of AM stations this afternoon at about 3:00, among them several sports stations and CKPC Brantford.

PHONEY CANADA REVENUE AGENCY EMAIL

Don't know for sure, but I'm reasonably certain that, much like the IRS, the CRA will never contact you by email:

Dear alexhorton@bell.net

(You're the government but you don't have my name on file?)


You have received this notification because we have determined that you are eigible to receive a tax refund of 372.99 CAD.
(You can't spell, plus it's the end of January. Normally tax returns aren't out for another several months.)
What happens next?
You have to click here and complete the required formwith your personal information.
(If you're the Canada Revenue Agency, then you already have my personal information.)
After submitting the refund form , please allow us up to 5 business days in order to verify and process your request.
(As if the government could get anything done that quickly.)
Multiple refund requests will be ignored and a delay may appear.

Thank you
https://www.canada.ca/
(That's the wrong address. If it were really the CRA, gc.ca would be in the URL.)




Canada Revenue Agency Copyright
© Bell Canada, 2019. All rights reserved.

FROM RED ROVER TO "HEATHER HAS TWO MOMMIES"

What were you thinking about when you were six, seven, or eight years old? Maybe your main thing was getting out and playing with your friends, or maybe you were from a large family where there was something always going on. Depending also on when you grew up you might have still been allowed to have traditional fun E.G. tag, dodgeball, or red rover. This was in the time period before the fun police came, and not only ruined playground fun time, but traditional values also.

I was lucky enough to grow up in an area and era unmolested by moral decay. When I was eight years old I spent many happy hours at a local day camp singing songs, making crafts, and playing those fun games I mentioned above.

What Went Wrong?

Sometime around the early 1990's things began to change. No longer could you read Peter Rabbit; you had to slam the door on children's childhood and moral compass. In that era a book called "Heather Has Two Mommies" came out {of the children's literature closet} presenting first graders with this idea of what the future normal would look like.

That Was Then, What Now?

Not only is this agenda in our schools, on our TVs, and in music, but it is promoted as an acceptable norm. Is there hope? I believe there is, we just must trust in the one who paid the ultimate price on Calvary's Cross.

In The End

Take away "Heather Has Two Mommies", bring back dodgeball, and please pray for the generation coming up.

Ms. Gillie

SEVERAL MORE BLASTS FROM THE PAST

CBC Radio One “The Current” with Ron James rant then into Country 96 Kingston from December 8, 2002 from 12:20-1:55 p.m. with commercials for DogWatch Fence Systems, Township Tire, Stone Mills Food Town, and promo for “The E Break” with Jim Elliot. Anncr Greg Moulton taking requests during “Sunday in the Country.” Weather forecast. Commercials for Bitters & Grapes, real estate agent Bob McKeen, KFC, Tommy Hunter coming to the Grand Theatre January 31, Norton Electronics, promo for spiritofkingston.com. Commercials for Flower Market, real estate agents Greg Enright and Mary Churchill, Internet Kingston, Ben Moss Jewelers, Kingston Spring Muffler, and psa for the 2002 Clothes For Kids campaign. Phone requests. Commercials for Potter’s Appliance Repairs, StarChoice, Kingston Kia, Kingston Community Credit Union, Leon’s. Weather forecast. Commercials for Whisky Willy’s, Bush beer, The Pond Place, Boyer’s GM, Operation Red Nose psa. Phone request going out to couple welcoming new baby. Commercials for National Will Kit, Fielding’s Tire, Kingston Diesel Services, Morch Marine. More song requests. Commercials for Doug’s Antenna Sales and Service, The Door Doctor, Holiday Inn Kingston Waterfront, Shoppers Drug Mart, 401 Auto Mall, promo for Corus Blurt contest. Child requesting “Daddy’s Hands” for his father. Psa for Al-Anon, commercials for Staples Business Depot, George Lyon’s Chrysler, First Choice. Then a request from a sibling in the same family.

93.7 CKOL-FM Campbellford Audrey finishing bluegrass show, then into rock and roll show with Dave Lockwood.

CBC Radio One March 12, 2003 “The Roundup” rebroadcasting an episode of “Madly Off in All Directions" followed by Bill Richardson telling the listeners about a live show taking place at CBC Vancouver headquarters a week from then.

91.3  CJLX-FM from early December 2006. “Big Band Saturday” with Andy Sparling memorializing Jackie Ray, then into “Journey” with John Henderson. Commercials for Huff Estates Winery, Bob Kloot GM and Copperfield’s Fitness. Psas for VON Community Care of Quinte West and the Alzheimers Society. Promos for “The Art of the Musical Theatre” with Dave Sovereign and “Sunday Coffee House” with Greg Schatzmann.

CBC Radio One November 16, 2002 “DNTO” Sook-Yin Lee interviewing expert on music from James Bond films. Then into Country 96 Kingston from the following day with “Sunday In The Country” Hosted by Greg Moulton. Commercials for Herbal One, GM Goodrench, Gateway Toyota, Dodge Caravan, Ace Rent-a-car, McDonald’s. Promos for contest to win Tim McGraw’s “The Dancehall Doctors” and for “Live and Kickin in Kingston” feature.

98.3 CFLY-FM Kingston, anncr promoting “Discovery” feature that afternoon. Then into “Finkleman’s 45s” on CBC Radio, then back to CFLY. ID “FM 98.3 CFLY, Kingston’s easy listening favourites from the sixties, seventies and eighties.”

CBC Radio One February 23, 2007, “Dispatches” with story about Fijian troops fighting in Iraq, then host Rick McInnes Ray conducted interview about military contractors, followed by a guest essay about the same issue. Then promo for “The Current” guest hosted by Elizabeth Gray, then into news with Martina Fitzgerald. On the other side of the tape, a documentary hosted by Lloyd Robertson about a Canadian soldier and the soldier’s relationship with the German town he helped liberate during World War II. Promos for “Ancestors in the Attic”, “CSI: New York” and “Columbia: The Final Hours.” Commercials included Newfoundland and Labrador tourism, Irish tourism, Nissan Altima, Olay, Best Western, Polaris ATVs, Cialis, Saab.

CBC Radio One spring 2006 “The Vinyl Café” featuring a couple different folk bands, then into “Madly Off in All Directions” hosted by Bette McDonald and featuring Jessica Holmes and singing duo Tracey Brown and Randall Prescott. Then into “The Inside Track” with host Robin Brown talking about older golfers in the LPGA.

CBC Radio One from around Christmastime 2003, special program about winter with a story about snowshoeing. Then into “Ontario Morning” from early 2004, Erica Ritter talking about Ron James special airing that night on CBC television. Then into “Sounds Like Canada” with Shelah Rogers playing jazz tune. Then into “Northern Lights”, Andrea Ratuski playing a variety of music; included promo for “Tapestry” and news with Raphi Vigod. Then into “Cross-country Checkup” from February 17, 2004 with Rex Murphy interviewing Prime Minister Paul Martin about sponsorship scandal. Then into “Fresh Air” from February 22, 2004 with Jeff Goodes interviewing Ron James, followed by programming announcements from Lorna Jackson and news with Martina Fitzgerald.

RADIO-RELATED STUFF

Robin Scott is doing a good job hosting "Classic Country Sunday" on CJBQ. I loved "The Acoustic Sit-in."

Always good to hear Michael Kramer on Classical FM Toronto.

Picked up WCMF Rochester this morning.

THE MUSIC OF MY LIFE

Music is one of the most powerful memory triggers out there and here’s a program of songs that bring back a lot of memories for me.

The Clash – London Calling: A great song to kick off any set. Fell in love with this song the first time I heard it on the radio.

The Beatles – Across the Universe: What should have been the last track on their last album, this song, which I first heard in grade 9, makes me feel wistful and optimistic at the same time.

Theme from “Barney Miller”: I first encountered “Barney Miller” on Canadian cable channel Prime, which has since flipped formats a couple times. A TV theme you can truly rock out to!

Green Day – Hitchin a Ride: I first heard this on-air at my college radio station. My producer cranked it up. It just so happened one of the teachers was leading a group of prospective students on a tour of the radio broadcasting department and entered at that moment to show them the studio. It was serendipitous.

Here’s a sweep of more songs from my ignominious on-air radio career: Franz Ferdinand – The Dark of the Matinee; Limp Bizkit – Crushed; Relient K – Be My Escape; and Beasty Boys – Right Right Now Now.

Brand New – Glory Fades: This came out earlier. A well-written song with a great riff and unique perspective.

Billy Joel – Captain Jack: First heard this song on a short-lived WBCQ program whose name I can’t remember. This song really gives a snapshot of the time in which it was written. Also, as someone who had just finished college, I related to a lot of the lyrics.

Hal Kemp – The Gold Digger’s Song (We’re In the Money): Reminds me of standing outside in the November weather at the school for the blind listening to “Uncle Ed’s Musical Memories” on WBCQ and developing my obsession with the music of the twenties.

Buck 65 – Wicked and Weird: Reminds me of listening to CBC Radio Two’s Saturday night shows during my high school years.

The Beatles – All Together Now: First heard this song on “Allan Weiner Worldwide.”

Limp Bizkit – Almost Over: Reminds me of listening to 95.1 The Nerve Rochester the summer before I went to college.

Ozomatlei – Saturday Night: I first heard this on Blind Paul’s “Pan Global Wireless” on WBCQ during the NHL playoffs in 2004.

DJ Serious featuring D-Sisive – Popped: This song reminds me of “The Breaks” on CJLX.

Tom Waites – In the Neighborhood: One of the first Tom Waites songs I ever heard. I was hooked.

Moby – Honey: One morning when I was in grade 10, I turned on the radio and came across WBER Rochester. I heard this and a couple other songs and my love of alternative rock began.

Nervous Norvus – Transfusion: Brings back memories of listening to “Finkleman’s 45s” with my parents as a child. This would never be allowed on the radio if written today.

Impending Doom – There Will be Violence: A terrific song musically and with a message many need to heed.

Wilf Carter – The Smoke Went Up the Chimney Just the Same: I remember this from the show Andrew Younghusband (of “Canada’s Worst Drivers” and “Handymen” fame) had on CBC in summer 2004. You can really picture this taking place.

The Black Keys – Next Girl: I’d heard the band’s other hits on the radio but I found this one through a blog.

Citizen Cope – Pablo Picasso: This song was played in the late evenings on CBC during the strike in 2005. One of the most wonderfully bizarre songs I’ve ever heard. The other thing that was special about the time I first heard this song was for the first time in 19 years that September, I didn’t have to go back to school after Labour Day!

Kings of Leon – The Bucket: Back in 2005, before all the garbage, Kings of Leon were good.

Louis Armstrong and His Hot Five – Hotter Than That: I remember this from Ken Barryhill’s “Old Record Shop” on WWCR.

Barenaked Ladies – Lovers In a Dangerous Time: This song was playing on the radio as my parents drove me to the house where I would live on my own.

RADIO-RELATED STUFF

That Kingston Insulating Solutions commercial is funny.

That Circle K commercial is annoying.

Farewell Goddess Irena of WBCQ.

Farewell Mark Elliot.

Farewell Brian "Henny" Henderson.

Glad Corus Kingston lets Brian do sketches on his afternoon drive show.

SONGS I'VE BEEN GROOVING TO LATELY

Here are the tracks I've been going back to over and over again in the last year or so.

Death From Above 1979 - Caught Up: In an age where one could easily come to the conclusion that rock is dead, or at least highly watered down, this song demonstrates real rock is still being produced.

Father John Misty - Mr. Tillman: Great instrumentation, great vocals and wonderfully strange lyrics.

Josh Turner - Me and God: OK, this one goes back further than a year, but it's worth inclusion for its wonderful lyrics that really minister to me.

Luke Nicholson - All Your Dresses: Another one more than a year old, but has evocative lyrics that present a view of life not often sung about in today's popular music.

Queens Of The Stone Age - Feet Don't Fail Me: Another one from last summer that demonstrates bands can still make real rock is they want to.

Primus - Pudding Time: Primus has its detractors, but this song kicks butt.

Steely Dan - Janie Runaway: It was surely a sign of the approaching end of the world the day I liked a Steely Dan song, but this track gives the listener a real sense of place. The music isn't bad, either.

Sexwitch - Ha Howa Ha Howa: The almost mystical quality of the music and the singing and the comparatively innocent lyrics makes this song a winner..

GREAT INTERNET RADIO SITES

Accu Radio: Streaming service with a huge variety of genre-based and more specific stations.

Radio That Doesn't Suck: RTDS continues the free form spirit of seventies FM radio.

CFUZ-FM: Site of a terrestrial community station from British Columbia.

American Freedom Radio: Alternative media network primarily from the left-wing side of the conspiracy movement. Offers a variety of perspectives and lots of good information.

You Are Listening To Los Angeles: Stream of LA police scanners with ambient music in the background.

Radio Northern Star: Website of a shortwave radio station broadcasting from a ship in the North Sea. Radio Northern Star features music from the sixties, both the big hits and the forgotten classics, as well as Christian music and religious programs.

Ancient FM: Station broadcasting medieval and renaissance music.

MEDIA-RELATED STUFF

That Sleep Country commercial talking about mistakes you make when you haven't had enough sleep is funny.

Fly FM was off the air today around noon.

"Reality Cupcakes" is actually pretty cool. I also love the fact they keep it about the food and the business and don't fake a whole lot of drama.

BABY LED WEANING RESOURCES

Here's a video containing tips for beginners.

Here's a blog.https://littlegourmetbaby.com/baby-led-weaning-recipe-blog/

And finally, have some Instagram photos.

ALTERNATIVE PERSPECTIVES ON ABORTION

We need to listen to each other and broaden our perspectives. With that in mind, here are some perspectives on abortion the mainstream secular and Christian media will rarely, if ever, give you.

First, "The Feminist Case Against Abortion."

Next, a Christian woman tells you why she votes pro-choice.

Finally, you might be surprised at the atheists who are against, or at least have serious misgivings, about abortion.

MEDIA-RELATED STUFF: SUPER DAVE AND JOE STAPLETON WON'T SEE 2019

So sad to hear about the death of Super Dave Osborne.

Also sad to hear about the death of WBZ Boston's Joe Stapleton.

That interview WBZ Boston's Dean Johnson had last Sunday with Erling Kagge, that Norwegian man who'd completed the Three Poles Challenge was truly radio!

EXTREME MEAN: TROLLS, BULLIES AND PREDATORS ONLINE

By Paula Todd. Toronto: McClelland and Stewart, 2014.

Why Are We So Horrible to Each Other?

Human nature.

More specifically, with regard to Ellen Page coming out of the closet, there is a groundswell of people who have had quite enough of the lgbt agenda being shoved down their throats by mainstream media outlets, such as TV Ontario. Nature teaches, and people know in the back of their mind two roosters can’t make an egg, two tomcats can’t have kittens and two men or two women can’t make a baby, nor have the kind of truly intimate relationship that it is possible for a man and a woman to have.

Read similar in order to find an explanation for “racism”, “sexism” and “far right extremism.”

By the way, I suppose, from some of the examples of comments in defense of Page given in this chapter, that calling people names because they were calling someone else names is perfectly acceptable?

The Haunting of Amanda Todd

A question I have heard no one else ask about this case is: How did Amanda Todd not know not to expose her private parts to other people? Don’t kids learn that around three or whatever age it is when they like to pull down their pants or lift their dresses over their heads?

Also, Here is what I would do if my daughter requested to stay home from school after being up to all hours texting on her phone:

(Feels forehead)

Me: Hmmm, you aren’t sick. We weren’t on a long car trip yesterday from which we got back late. Nobody close to us is getting married or having their funeral today. Then, I guess, if the schoolboard says today’s date is one on which you have to be attending school, you’re going to school. Be more responsible getting yourself to bed on time.

Cyberstocking a Good Samaritan

What employers-and most other people don’t understand about the internet is everything is not contemporary. By this I mean just because you see something on there, even if it comes up on the first page of Google search results, that doesn’t necessarily mean it originated recently.

With most of the population being whacked out on legal or illegal drugs, it’s not surprising things like the horrible instances of extortion described in this chapter are going on.

Rebecca’s Black Friday

For one thing, we were so saturated with television and other media before the internet we lost the ability to distinguish between fantasy and reality. Society became unable to separate the public persona from the real person and the internet only made things several times worse.

I also think the hatred toward “Friday” stemmed from a groundswell of people who have had enough of having to swallow whatever Hollywood and the music industry tell them is cool. There is more of a movement these days to search out new bands, films, etc. for oneself.

Also, though I’m not a big believer in the “just let them be kids” ethos, what is a 13 year old doing recording a song? She should concentrate on being 13. If she wants to pursue a singing career, she should hone her craft at school and in competitions. Also, forget the Katie Perry, Lady Gaga and Justin Bieber garbage and start listening to people like Sarah Vaughn, Helen O’Connell, Bing Crosby, Dean Martin, and Frank Sinatra.

Kids Say The Most Despicable Things

From what I’ve seen lately, no one will do anything if a bunch of kids are cursing their heads off in public.

Also, who ever thought it was a good idea to create the show “Kids Say the Darnedest Things” in the first place? Fine brothers, think of those vicious comments as similar to the content of the letters Art Linkletter and Bill Cosby (remember that version?) would have received had communication been easier and society not been as genteel, which leads into my next point.

The Fine brothers are members of a certain tribe which has a not miniscule interest in popular media and American film production. For the past few decades, fellow tribe members to the Fines have brought us “The Simpsons”, “Family Guy”, “Beavis and Butt-head”, “South Park”, and we might as well add to that mix Tom Green, “The Trailer Park Boys”, and any number of films, TV shows and the like where people constantly insult each other and treat each other like dirt, many of which, I hasten to add, appeal to children. Then the Fine brothers have the nerve to despair over all the uncivil comments their videos receive?

One also has to ask at this point how many of these bullies, and even victims such as Amanda Todd and Rebecca Black, are growing up or grew up in homes consisting of two married, opposite sex parents who sat down to dinner every night with their children and asked them how their day went. Furthermore, did those dinners consist of actual food or some take-out, home delivered or processed, microwave-heated garbage.

Adults Say The Most Despicable Things, Too

Nowadays, everyone who is engaged with others online in any capacity is a media outlet. Media outlets require content and, on the internet where things are available forever, you can’t just re-run or reprint content. Thus, there is pressure to keep coming up with new content, every moment of every hour one spends on social media every day. Thus, is it any wonder people stoop to starting ugly baby forums or captioning photos from their workplace?

For further reading, I would recommend “Trust Me, I’m Lying: confessions of a media manipulator” by Ryan Holiday.