Yesterday was the first streamed edition of John Platt’s On Your Radar. I was the one that suggested streaming to John and so I feel somewhat responsible for it, which leads to anxiety and self-doubt. A great load was taken off me when Rob Hinkal agreed to run the tech end. He’s great at that and gave us a leg up on other streamed shows. John is always great and so were the guests, Grant Peeples, Pi Jacobs, and Corey Laitman. I do the social media and it’s up to me to publicize the show, and as the product was good any failure is due to marketing, which is me. I’m praying that we took in enough money to give the talent, which includes Rob, the money they deserve. I didn’t mean to go in this direction but I’m leaving it up. People often have self-doubts about having self-doubts. It helps to see that other people do the same.
I’m learning how to run the backend myself. The one thing that I can’t see myself getting good at any time soon is troubleshooting the sound like Rob can. I sat in on tech rehearsals and he could diagnose and fix problems I’d be clueless to deal with. I am capable of learning that. I already give advice to people doing streaming shows based on what I’ve learned from talking to others. If I ever grill you on tech details that’s why; I want to be able to help others. It’s the same reason I always carry a guitar pick and lip balm in my bag. I don’t use either but people around me often do. The way I make myself most useful to others is that I often know a guy that can help. I know Rob. Name an instrument and I’ll probably be able to recommend somebody great. Need a photographer go to River. River can even make me look good.
I’m delighted at how many people on Facebook love and commented on that photo. Not because it makes me look good, not that that isn’t nice, but because others can appreciate how great the photography is. I always want people to see what I see and love what I love. I was just talking to a friend that our friendship is based on our shared dislike of the same things. It’s even better to share a love of the same things. That’s so much of what I do when I blog, sing the praises of things in the hope that you’ll discover them for yourself.
I was talking to River right before On Your Radar started and we had to stop because I was needed there. We were about to discuss what it is that makes the photo great. What are we all seeing that makes it special? I can often, but not always, answer that for music, but in photography I flail and use words like composition and lighting, without know what makes it good or bad. I just feel it.
I misplanned my day. I decided that yesterday was Popeye’s day this week. They have a cheap special that I can order on the phone app that makes it affordable and easy. I don’t have to wait around for my order, so I minimize my exposure to other people. My thoughts were, On Your Radar is at seven and I’ll walk over after that. The problem was I was thinking of that as walking over there at 7, when OYR starts, not 9 when it was over. Oh well, I ate late. I’ve noticed that far fewer people ware masks in my immediate neighborhood than in the surrounding area. I think of the neighborhood as being bounded by Mosholu Parkway and Grand Concourse, which meat at a 45º angle. My neighborhood is the triangle between them. I passed 20 people in my neighborhood, 19 had no mask, and one had a mask that didn’t cover their nose. That counts as 0 masked and 20 unmasked. Once I crossed Grand Concourse the numbers switched to 14 masked and 12 unmasked. Why the huge disparity? I have no idea but it’s consistent.
Something very discouraging happened on the WFUV Question of the Day group. Corny has been dealing with the aftermath of the murder of George Floyd wonderfully. He has centered many of the questions on the questions raised during the protests and has been playing many black artists during the sets. Yesterdays was the most explicit,
Today WFUV joins radio stations nationwide in broadcasting Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” together in unison at 3pm. We do this in commemoration of George Floyd who will be laid to rest today. What other songs would you like us to share? We will put together a set after 9am for the Question of the Day.
People came up with some great songs. What was discouraging? One person complained about honoring George Floyd and posted a photo allegedly of his arrest record. When it was brought to my attention I took it down, I’m an admin on the group. The important thing for me to remember is that 100 people were respectful, only one was offensive.
Time for breakfast, eggs Horvendile on naan. It’s a beautiful day so perhaps I’ll go on an expedition to buy more coffee. I’m running low. I don’t get it at the supermarket, I go to Marie’s coffee on Arthur Ave. I’m a poor coffee snob and hers is great and relatively inexpensive. I need to start going out more for exercise and sunshine, but I still want to socially distance. It’s too early for life as usual.
Wise Madness 