1.9: Innocence by association

Tonight ha been the night I hoped I would eventually get after last night's near meltdown. Things have started to clear up.

As with so many other mornings lately, I was reluctant to get out of bed. I've found myself more and more dissatisfied with John Derringer's morning show on Q107. It's hard to put my finger on but I'm starting to get really frustrated with listening to that show in the morning. The easiest way to put it is that I'm not a fan of Derringer. One morning recently, I was barely conscious, but I caught some sarcastic remark about the liberals in this country. I know he hates the Libs for Adscam, but fucking get over it already! The Conservatives are giving hundreds of dollars to parents to use on whatever, but I haven't heard him sound off on that matter. It's not even his politics, though, that have whittled me down to this. I'm just finding it difficult to deal with the idea of a morning radio show. They're so much banter. It reminds me of the way you make awkward conversation over lunch with family friends, except because he's on the radio, he's making awkward conversation with the whole city, and they aren't speaking. I don't know. Could I do a better job? Doubtful. Print is my medium; my halfway-through-squeaky vocal styling isn't exactly the best for radio. Then again, that doesn't stop Ryan ("The Kid") from his over-the-top Miss Cleo impression. That's right. Miss Cleo. That woman who conned the nation with her "fortune telling" scam some years back -- when I was in Grade 10, hosting the "Scott Williams Show," we did a Cleo spoof as one of the commercials, with Gurak. And back then, in 2002, I thought, "Hm, isn't this a bit out of date?" Four years ago that was! And it was funny, because it was funny to watch Gurak be a fortune teller. And sing. I still break out into "Curry and Rice" when I'm alone. They're still doing Miss Cleo jokes. I think I called Miss Cleo when I was in Grade 5.

So there's that. I love Q107 - I'm a huge Classic Rock junkie - but morning shows are so grating. There is, however, some good in Maureen Holloway's segment. The banter with Derringer is sometimes forced but she keeps up her end. She's a super lady.

And I'd be remiss to not point out that Derringer does a lot of great charity work. I've done some charity work myself, but nothing that would set the world on fire. Anyway, maybe this rant will get discovered and get me a slot as John's "Tool of the Day." Haha, nah, I would hope they have something better to do than scan the internet for mentions of their show, and then arrive at this little corner. I know this is the most popular site on the internet, but it's no big. I'm just tired and cranky in the morning.

I ran into Rosser a while ago, before the long weekend. It seems insignificant to mention now, but I'd forgotten how sometimes he could just be a really good guy. The thing I liked about him, that I got from very few other teachers (I'm thinking, Mr. Zehr,) was that when it comes to the students who do their part in class, he has such a strong rapport with them. He was able to relate, somehow. Not as an equal, of course, but not as someone who was coming in with the idea that "it's my job to keep these kids in line." That's no way to run a drama class. He could get irritated, and I'm not saying I was the most pleasant, but it's good to know I can still have a good-natured conversation with him now and again.

I'm happy for Weird Al Yankovic. In case you weren't aware, he's hit success once again with he latest parody, "White and Nerdy" (a parody of a hip hop track I was admittedly only vaguely aware of, by an artist whose name I never knew,) garnering him his highest-charting single since "Eat It," and his first top-30 album ever. Or something. And it's a funny song. What I've heard off the album (that, and "Don't Download this Song,") are both really funny, too, which is the point. His best tracks don't go back to the old "Food and TV/movie" material that's gotten so lame and repetetive. "White and Nerdy" is a great example of a song being used as parody to match its style. "Don't Download This Song" is possibly his finest original ever.

All my woes from yesterday seem to be melting. We got the internet fixed, and Xena seems to have settled for the night. Do I still have a few hang-ups? Yeah, but who doesn't, especially in such a precarious point of their lives as this? There are worse plces to be though, both literally and figuratively.

I got an e-mail from the NaNoWriMo people. As you may recall, last year I accepted the challenge to write 50,000 words in 30 days of November. Despite having school work, a job at the bowling alley, and a life, I accepted (two days late,) and succeeded. That was because at the time I had a project I was itching to start on, and would've hated myself if I hadn't. These days, I'm about halfway through a project, and not interested in starting a new one (as NaNo stipulates you must begin the project on November 1, no sooner.) I've got a lot to work on, and I think that's a damn fine reason not to NaNo again this year, as great of an experience as it was last year. Even though it left me with throbbing knuckles for like a month.

Oh yeah, and Robyn, good news: I got the call. I can feel those "good luck" waves radiating. Interview monday.

Friday the 13th has no power over me. This is a place to keep on rockin'
-Scott