Whither Flowers?

I know, I know, I know. Most everyone who does some sort of radio show where they get to select the music (as opposed to those who have their music chosen for them by corporate computers who manipulate focus-group tests to favor artists they've poured pots of gold into) does some sort of theme show at least every once in a while. What separates Self Help Radio from the rest (I like to think) is that the show doesn't repeat itself with regularity, it doesn't usually tailor the theme to temporal situations (though there are exceptions), & it goes out of its way to avoid themes of a broad nature (like, I don't know, "love" or "cars") which anyone with an iPod & a couple of friends could do at a moment's notice. This is not to denigrate those sorts of shows, it's just not the way I want to do Self Help Radio. I want to explore themes that require a little bit of time, thought, crate-digging, finagling, desperation, tears.

So, um, why "flowers"? Isn't that one of the easy ones?

Ha ha! You misunderstand my love of arbitrary limitations! For this week on Self Help Radio, not only will the show not be a simply free-for-all about "flowers," but the songs I play will - must - have to simply be either songs called "flowers" or songs about a type of flower pluralized. So there'll be songs called "Roses" or "Daffodils" or "Violets." Them's the rules. There may be a very beautiful song called "Tiptoe Through The Tulips" but unless it's called "The Tulips," it can't be on this week's Self Help Radio.

You see? Saddling myself with preconditions that no one but me cares about - that's the Self Help Radio way.

By the way, my apologies to the nice bakery who wrote hoping I was doing a show about flour. One day, friends. One day.

Preface To Flowers: Really? Flowers? When Did You Become Like Every Other Lame "Theme" Radio Show Out There?

Wow, the title of this blog post is really hostile. It's making me defensive.

Can I answer tomorrow? I'm catching up on "Weeds" & "Nurse Jackie."

Weird. I think whoever titles these blog posts is really disappointed in me.

Successful Endeavor

This curlicue just arrived from the horn of plenty:

"Success! Last night's Self Help Radio contained very little in the way of offense nor mistaken, with the possibility of cheerleaders. Host did not embarrass self nor company except in usual ways, so let's consider upping dosage. Meanwhile, web-bots used smoke breaks to upload show to selfhelpradio.net - consider beginning smear campaign to encourage ne'er-do-well listeners. Kudos all around. Expect closer scrutiny in near future."

Imagine! Self Help Radio on the air & recorded for posterity. The corporation is happy. You'll be happy. Go listen!

Act Together

There are a couple things you should know (perhaps) about me.

One, at the moment, I am gainfully unemployed. This is not a matter of financial hardship - the wife is taking care of me in a kind of quid pro quo because I kept a roof over her head while she was getting her PhD. So I'm not looking for your sympathy. In fact, I kind of expect your envy - I hang out with my dogs & cats, listen to music, surf the internet & read all day. Occasionally I nap. It's been quite delicious.

Two, despite all that, or maybe because of that, I am woefully disorganized. I'm trying, but the time just gets away from me. Which is strange, because time seems to be moving much more slowly these days than when I had a job & looked forward to getting off work & getting stuff done before bedtime. Maybe there's a psychological explanation or condition to explain why. I dunno.

In any event, the two things I am sharing seem to work against one another, & one of the casualties is this damn blog. I need to just wake up every morning, snort some grapefruit juice, & write something here. But I put it off, I procrastinate, I put it at the bottom of my list of things to do. After nap, usually. & when I wake up, there's more pressing matters. But there aren't! I'm just lame.

I had stuff prepared for yesterday but blew it. Read a book about punk rock. Watched "True Blood." My busy life.

I want to be better. I'll try to be better. Meanwhile, enjoy the danger of Self Help Radio today, if you're in the Tri-State Area, at 8pm on 88.1 fm WMUL. Let's hope I get it recorded all properly. Sigh.