Hospitals & Howard

October 13/11.

A hospital-a-day keeps the doctor away. (not!)

The "new norm" for me is to visit at least one hospital per day, in every way! (Not that I WANT to, but seems it's my calling). NO ESCAPE.

To boost my spirits bigtime, I take my SIRIUS radio contraption with me in the car for a daily dose of Howard Stern - and Robin Quivers, of course. (NewsTalk 1010 in Toronto has SIRIUS competition)! - but don't worry Mike Bullard and Jim Richards - love you always! Still listen - every day. I constantly go back & forth between 1010 and SIRIUS.
(obsessed with radio much??? - YES!)

Plug in SIRIUS, & a mundane drive across town turns into crazy times. Howard and Robin rule!

Don't leave home WITHOUT IT!!!

When I listen, it feels like Howard is right there WITH me. He's brilliant, up on everything, quick-witted, rude, crude, lewd, out there, over-the-top, hilarious and ever-entertaining. Makes me laugh out loud and forget my troubles. (and forget hospitals).

NO ONE can beat the man. Don't think I can go without SIRIUS again, (or at least, until he retires!)

In fact, Kate & I are going to watch Private Parts tonight!

(Kate ordered a VHS copy on Amazon and it's arrived).
Looks like the right night.

Take me AWAY Howard. Make me laugh!
Lord knows I need it.

I Hear Voices! - (SIRIUSLY!!)

September 16/11.

In a galaxy, long, long ago, I started to hear voices. (Yep! Out to lunch from Day ONE!) - Radio voices. The first I remember was my DAD's. Rex Loring. I was almost four years old.

This is my Dad, at CHEX in Peterborough, (where my parents first met), around 1948. (cute, eh??) - No WONDER Mum fell for him!
Ai Carumba!

Everyone has told me the famous story, time & time again, about him having a British accent, and then, working hard to LOSE that crisp, upper crust sound, to "Canadianize" his voice so he could get a job as a CBC Toronto radio announcer. He did it and remained there on the air, both radio and TV, for decades. - (FYI - He is now 85, living in Oakville and still has a fabulous speaking voice)!

Here's a sample of my Dad's voice-over narration from old CBC archives.

A shot of Dad with my sister, Carrie, taken on September 3rd.

And another fun one, also from September 3rd, at his grandson, Lee's baseball tournament. High five!!

Yes, Dad left our household when I was just three weeks shy of turning 4, but I still remember that phenomenal voice! Affected me for life.

After he departed, I recall hearing stories about some of his "pals", like,
Lorne Greene (best known as "Ben Cartwright" on TV's Bonanza - 1959-1973),

but also dubbed "The Voice of Canada," after he was assigned as principal newsreader on the CBC National News. Dad often spoke of Lorne, telling me about how he had founded Toronto's Academy of Radio Arts - (originally called the Lorne Greene School of Broadcasting).

I also heard a lot about William Shatner ("Captain Kirk" on Star Trek). Dad knew him well. Bill was trained as a classical Shakespearean actor and performed at the Stratford Festival.

Shatner's voice is legendary. No matter what he does - radio, theatre, TV, film, (or even reciting Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds!) - his speech pattern is so distinctive.


And the late great Leslie Nielsen.

I recall both my parents telling me stories about his incredible talent and fab voice. According to legend, he appeared in almost 50 live programs in 1950 alone!

After my Mum found herself alone, she got a job as a copy writer at CFRB radio in Toronto for 26 years (1960-1986). She worked with so many talented and memorable announcers including Wally Crouter, Gordon Sinclair, Bill Deegan, Earl Warren, Fred Napoli, Phil MacKellar, and on and on. As a kid, I used to drop by the station frequently to see Mum and often met the announcers and newsmen, all with golden voices. The same thing happened when I'd visit Dad at CBC or the good old Celebrity Club and run into the likes of Bruce Marsh (who did all those gooey Kraft commercials!), and became friends with our family for years.

Is it any wonder, I decided I wanted to enter the world of radio myself?
After a year at Seneca College in the radio/TV course, I landed a summer job as a Good News reporter at CFRB and got training from all the experienced news folks there.

What a job that was! (This old ad really makes me laugh and brings back memories of the Good News team!!)

After graduating from Seneca, I found myself hired at age 20 at CFTR radio (now 680 News) as the City Hall reporter. There, I had the chance to work with so many talented young newscasters/reporters including Larry Silver, Ben Steinfeld, Jeff Ansell, Arlene Bynon, Rayfield White, Robert Holiday ("The Chief"), Mike Katrycz, Terry Scott, Mike Robbins, Roger Ward, Marvin Piuti, (aka J. Michael Phillips - be still my heart!), Cory Galbraith, John Wilson, Clint Nickerson, Ted Bird, John Hinnen, Dana Lewis, Randy Stevens, Austin Delaney, Rob Davidson (at 'FI), and countless others. Loved every minute working there with this talented team.

Not to mention all those incredible jocks! - Jim Brady, Bobby Day, Dan Williamson, Bill Hayes, Paul Godfrey, Gerry Forbes, Gary Bell ("The Space Cowboy!"), Mike Marshall, Mike Cooper, Tom Rivers, John "Records" Landecker, Bob Saint - (world's greatest hugger), and George Hamberger (boy, did I ever have a crush on HIM!!) - I thought I'd died and gone to heaven being surrounded by this wide array of fantastic voices. Every day was exciting! I always wanted to sound like Evelyn Macko with her deep, husky tone. Never DID manage it, but I tried!

I ended up marrying a newsman - Sam Bornstein of CKEY. He was the City Hall reporter there and later became Queen's Park Bureau Chief. To this day, he has a great voice!

A few weeks ago, Sam brought home a surprise for me! SIRIUS radio! Hey Now! For years, I used to love to listen to Howard Stern, but when he joined SIRIUS, I couldn't hear him anymore. Now, after five years or so, Howard is back in my life, and boy do I need him!

At a time when I've been through so much heavy emotional upheaval, Howard and his whack pack sure help sweep it away, at least for a while. I adore his voice, but mostly I just like the laughter he brings my way. I listen at home, and often bring the SIRIUS contraption into my car so I can also hear him while driving.

SIRIUS offers The Official Howard Stern channel, as well as the Stern Show West Coast Replay channel. They boast that the Stern show shuffle searches over 25,000 hours of airtime and brings old shows to the audience, randomly. It's amazing the stuff you can hear!

More recently, I became addicted to Newstalk 1010 (CFRB). My faves are Mike Bullard and Jim Richards.

Mike Bullard - Beyond the Mic

Mike has an edge to his voice and he is just so damn funny. His promos say, "All we ask is that you put up with him for an hour!" Wish it could be longer! He's great.

As for Jim,

Jim Richards (1-4 p.m. weekdays) Whether it's "The Showgram", "The Daytime Friendly", "The Feel-Good Edition" "The Three Hours of Love," - I don't care - it's all good!!

there's just something about his voice! It's fast-paced, down-to-earth, hints of sarcasm flying all over the place, so much humour, and when he laughs, wow. But I think I like it best when he sings! (which he does often). SOOOOOOOO funny. And "The Crossover" he does with Bullard every day just can't be beat! Hysterical.

And finally, let's see. Who is my favourite newscaster of all time? That's easy. Dave Agar. (NEWSTALK 1010). From the moment I first heard him on the air in 1975, I knew he was brilliant. Later, I got to work with him when I was a Good News reporter, watch him in action, and for a time, was his girlfriend. (So ya, I guess I'm a little biased), but not really. Not only is he a gifted writer, but his delivery is pure perfection and in my opinion, he can't be matched by anyone. Check him out weekday mornings at 6, 7, 8 and 9. He's won every award imaginable, his voice is smooth, authoritative and infinitely listenable. His colleague, Mike Stafford, wrote of him in 2008, "He's the best guy in this country - with mad skillz!" That is for sure.

It also happens to be his birthday today. Happy Birthday Dave! Hope it's a great year for you. I'll be listening!

6 down!

July 19/11.

Treatment #6 today. Ten more to go.
There was a delay in radiation. Got there a couple of minutes late, but they weren't ready for me yet, (first time that's happened). So, went off to Druxy's for tea and, ya, some other sweet treat. (I'd better lay off Druxy's for a while!)

Used the delay time to go outside and find someone to take the "number six" pic! Today's unsuspecting photographer? A nice man named Ivan, who was having a smoke outside the hospital with a few friends. (I'm actually really stunned at the number of people I see smoking there every day...at a cancer hospital. Do they not GET it???) Anyway, Ivan took the pic. I told him about the blog and he asked me, "What's a blog?"

By the time I got back and checked in again, I was called immediately. Today's treatment room Muzak was a piano version of Dolly Parton's I Will Always Love You. Had ALL kinds of wild & crazy thoughts racing thru my head. It's bizarre what happens to your brain in the treatment room. Kinda fun, actually. Wish it lasted longer! (not the zapping part!) So far, so good. NO major side effects from radiation yet. Likely soon though. Was told by the radiation oncologist to buy Lubriderm to rub on the affected skin, which I have, and will! (for now though, am addicted to vanilla everything! Soap, body cream, scented spray....you name it. I've bought out the store on vanilla!)

One of the common radiation side effects is fatigue. So far, being zapped hasn't zapped my energy, and for that, I'm grateful. In fact, I continue to be SO energized I hardly know what to do with it at all!!

Then again, I'm not even HALF WAY thru the 16 sessions, so things could change, (but hope not!) It WOULD be nice NOT to be super-energized when I'm trying to SLEEP - (would LOVE to SLEEP!), but, that's really the last of my worries. What I call "Intensity Entity", who has lived within me since early May, the Docs like to call STRESS. They could be right, I guess. - I'VE said I have several theories on this crazy electricity within. ONE of them is the positive thoughts and constant energy and laughs being sent my way by many friends, relatives and FB pals, which is keeping me jazzed. Could ALSO be something from "on high" - Mum & Uncle Ev letting THEIR raw energy flow towards me. (Never know!!) - Or, could be something else ALTOGETHER!!

Let's see. What OTHER explanation could there be?? - MIKE BULLARD??

Yes! It's ALLLLLLLLLLL me Lain!!

Love the man, (even though I've never MET him!), and there is definitely SOME kind of intensity flying in my direction from the radio, whenever he is on, weekdays from noon to one on BEYOND THE MIC - (NEWSTALK 1010)! He DRIVES me to tune in EVERY DAY to laugh. I just HAVE to hear him! The other day I sent him a Twitter message. (he loves Twitter) and he wrote back! It was about the hysterical rant he did about how to keep cool on hot, humid summer nights when you don't have air conditioning. Just hilarious. Wish I could hear it all OVER again right NOW! Nobody does it like Mike!

One way to keep cool is to wear only a hospital gown. Woo Hoo! LOL. In my attempt to add some pizzazz, today's addition is a stretchy red belt which I owned in the '80s, while at Global. Somehow, my daughter Kate, "inherited" it and really likes it! I borrowed it back today to cinch in the waist. - Doesn't help much, but, whatever. (What shall I do tomorrow)?? Suggestions would be most welcome.

Meanwhile, my fantastic son, Max, was ALSO into red yesterday! I asked if I could take his pic, sporting his bright red shirt for a date with his beautiful girlfriend, Robyn!

Max is the cutest!!

OK gang. Onward to treatment #7 tomorrow!

Hugs!

ITTTTTTTTTTTTTT's FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!!

July 8/11.

My whole life, Friday has always been my favourite day of the week. (I
date it back to my obsession with the old "Friday Night Fright Night"
horror flicks, featuring my fave Accuweatherman Tom Jolls on WKBW TV (Buffalo) when I was 11, as the starting point for my never-ending love affair with Fridays!)

Even if it's a sad or bad day, there's just something about the word FRIDAY. (Right Mike Bullard? I'll be listening after the NEWSTALK 1010 noon news today to hear you yell it. - Make it REALLY loud, OK!?)

**Newsflash!! - 12:15 p.m. - Mike not only did it really loud, but he did it THREE times! (You reading the blog and taking requests now Mike?) Thanks!

Today is a particularly good one. Carrie & I survived closing down the Hidey Hole yesterday/saying goodbye to Glengarry, all of the hard work, stress and emotion. Together, we did it. Pulled it off!

Also survived lugging the last remnants of Mum's house back to MY place.

Quite a mess of stuff! Got most of it put away, but still trying to make room for the rest! And tons of junk is packed away into the garage! Carrie and I are making a summer project out of sorting through it all.

Received a call from our lawyer this morning, saying any of the glitches we heard about yesterday regarding the house, seem to be OK now. Looks like the final paperwork will be filed today, all should be well and the deal finally closed. Another reason it's a good Friday!

And to top this special Friday off, also got word early this morning from Princess Margaret Hospital that my first radiation treatment will happen on Tuesday July 12th at 5:20 p.m. I find it incredible that the treatments were miraculously held off until right after we finished work at Mum's place! Perfect timing. Can't quite imagine the thought of running from radiation to the Hidey Hole for work. Too much stress!

But now, the house is done and I can devote my time to going to the hospital every day for the next three weeks or so and getting well for good. I will need 16 treatments - one every day except weekends.

Will receive my weekly schedule of appointments on Tuesday. I've asked for afternoon treatments (between 2 & 3) and have been told I'll get those most of the time. (I'm not great at rushing around in the morning)!

Haven't even read the brochures about radiation and what to expect. I already know it involves fatigue and burning, so do I really need to hear more? Did I ever mention that I don't LIKE fatigue? OR burning?

But I DO like LIVING, so, see you Tuesday at 5:20!! It's a date. (shall I bring the champagne and the baby doll pjs? - Might as well spice it up a bit for myself - and for the blog readers, right gang??)

With the Hidey House experience in the past, I'm embarking on a whole new chapter. Hot new adventure, sizzling new drama. (radiation joke)
Bring it on!!

Have a great Friday!

Running out of days!

June 24/11

Tried to get an extension on the closing date for Mum's house to give us more time, but the buyer won't give. So, it's time to really kick butt. Just 13 more days to go. No time for a new photo shoot, so will use this pic. (I don't REALLY wear this shirt every day!) And also, I won't look this calm for the next 13 days!

Will check in later with any news flashes! And pics, if possible. Wish us luck. Gotta arrange a piano mover, among many other things. Have a good Friday everyone! No matter where I am after the NEWSTALK 1010 noon news today, I'll be listening for Mike Bullard to yell at me, "ITTTTTTTTTTTTTTTT's FRIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIDAY!!" Then I'll truly believe the weekend is here. Thanks Mike. Bring it on!!

Dead Air

June 10/11

While awaiting things to unfold with the house sale, thought I'd sit down and write about dead air. It's a subject I feel really passionate about. I know exactly why, when and how that passion began.

When I joined CFTR radio in 1976 - (now 680 news), it was a high flying, loud rock station with brief newscasts weaved around the music. We were always instructed there could be NO dead air. EVER. The poor ops were paranoid of not hitting a cart on time or a song coming to an end before someone made it into the news booth or anyone forgetting to turn the mic on! OUR job was to FILL that air with sound, music or voice at ALL times. It was drummed into us by the news director, Robert Holiday and by the station manager and program director. NO DEAD AIR - EVER!!!!!!!!!!! - Got that??

I just loved the concept. Action central. (the same motto I've lived by my whole life - NEVER a dull moment!)

Years ago, I was invited to make a speech to a small group of students in my son, Max's class. I think the kids were about 12. I chose to talk about dead air and the art of filling it - not just on the radio, but in life. We talked about the ebb and flow of conversation and how to keep it going at all times, when speaking to a friend or anyone!

For years, I was paid to interview people, ask questions, obtain information and I always tried to do it in a natural, conversational way. The research part took most of the time and hard work, but the interview itself was always fun. Having a natural curiousity - and a gift for gab, usually made it easy for me, and there was never any dead air. (when you're given only five minutes for an interview, you learn to talk fast!) Plus, I pretty much NEVER run out of topics to chat about!

I'm not saying there isn't a time for silence, peace or quiet, but just not on the radio - or when you're having an intense, one-on-one conversation! Yakking with a person who has this same respect for and love of communicating, is a blast.

I still listen to 680, but now prefer NEWSTALK 1010, for this very reason. Everyone on that station SATURATES the space and time with informative, interesting, funny, amusing, shocking, sensational, controversial, conversational info. Best newscasters, (especially Dave - which may confound you, since almost all the newscasters they HAVE are named Dave! - but if you know ANYTHING about news at ALL, you'll know who I mean! - he's the best in the country). Hint, he's up for a big national RTNDA award in two weeks, and I KNOW he will win! - News you can use, take in, learn from, think over.

As I mentioned once before, I'm addicted to the antics of Mike Bullard (I actually waited in my car in a parking lot today, to be SURE to hear him yell, "Itttttttttttttttt's FRIDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDAAAAAY!" LOVE the way he does that and it kicks off/launches/revs up my weekend!

Also thoroughly enjoy the brilliance and humour of Jim Richards. SO glad the ratings on Friday showed they're doing great! My favourite part of Mike's show is "The Crossover" when Jim comes in and joins him for a few minutes of off-the-cuff banter. The two of them together? Dynamite. And definitely no dead air.

Earlier today, wasn't one of my better mornings. Feeling down. But things picked up considerably when I received two phone calls from old friends, (both of whom have never HEARD of dead air!)

The first call was from Randy Stevens. (actually Randy Maxwell, but he went by Stevens in his radio days). He was a reporter at CFTR - best they had. Ever-aggressive, so intelligent and never failed to get the story. He could talk up a storm. We dated for quite a while and it was never boring! I'm amazed either of us could get a word in edgewise, the way the conversation flowed with him!

Randy (my boyfriend at the time!) took this pic of me. I was about 21. Think I was trying to look sexy. Funny

Haven't seen Randy in a very long time, but he knew about my breast cancer and wanted to check in. He's still a hard working guy in a different business altogether now. He asked me lots of questions, (which reminded me of the old days!), and I felt SO much better after speaking with him.

This is something else I've learned during my current journey, (and that I'm going to remember for future reference). If you have a friend with cancer, check in with them once in a while. Email, phone call, Facebook pop-up, whatever. You never know if that person is in need of a little support/pick-me-up, and how much a call could lift their spirits! (note to self: call my friends more!)

It happened again a little later, when my old pal, Bruce Kirschbaum called from L.A. (he's the Emmy award winning TV script writer, married to my close friend, Joanne). Wrote on Seinfeld, Everybody Loves Raymond, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and on and on). Hysterically funny guy, as you can imagine from the credit list! He phones to check in every few weeks and the call is never shorter than an hour! The ground we can cover is mind-bending.

Bruce worked for years as a writer on Seinfeld. Here are some young pics of him on the set of the coffee shop (Monk's) and Jerry's living room! - Cool, eh?
He's the most articulate man you could ever converse with but he's also a great listener too. Best of both worlds. He really helped me (as he always does), with his interesting take on everything. I'm stunned that he reads the blog daily and loves it! Coming from him, what a compliment!

He told me that with everything I've been through in the past year, it's understandable I'd have days I feel I'm coming apart. He made me feel OK again about myself and stressed to me that I have to remember what I've ALREADY survived. He reminded me of my fears and anxiety over surgery, pain and everything else (during my "Cowardly Lion blog mascot days") and that I DID it anyway and I'm still here. He encouraged me, made me laugh (as always) and again, I hung up, feeling better.

So, what am I saying here? I guess that friends matter to me. They matter a LOT, and when they call or write or email or pop-up message, I see that I mean something to THEM too! It helps to hear from friends. And most especially the ones who really know how to fill dead air! Those conversations are always the best!

Thanks guys! Keep on talkin' at me!

Heading out again

May 25/11

I love listening to Mike Bullard's Beyond the Mic on NEWSTALK 1010.
He is simply hilarious. I try to catch his show from noon to one, every day, whether at home or out driving. He's really found his niche with his one hour show, (which he jokes, is about all anybody can't stand of him!) Never met the man, but have been addicted to Beyond the Mic since its debut last September. The way he puts words together - skewed, down-to-earth, punchy - pumps up the pizzazz in my day.

He's even got me revved for this afternoon's big appointment with the radiation oncologist. (and that's saying a lot for Mike's talent!) Keep it coming Mike. I need all the laughs I can get!

I HAVE to hear him say, "ITTTTTTTTTTT's FRIIIIIIIIIIDAY!" every week, or my Friday isn't complete!

Great. Now I want it to be FRIDAY. But it isn't. Oh well.

Heading off to Princess Margaret Hospital soon. Will listen to Jim Richards (also fantastically entertaining) on the way there. I'll admit, 1010 has turned me into a raging talk show junkie. (who knew?) I really miss the radio days and these guys make it seem like so much fun.

Jim Richards - cute shot

Will check in later with my results! (Ryan Seacrest, come on down. "We'll have those results for you - right AFTER the break"!!) - It'll be Scotty tonight, right?

A "full-length" version of the cropped denim pic I posted the other day