Friday, September 22, 2023

Self Help Radio 092123: Get Out

(original image here)

We got out! We're free! After years of being trapped in a dumb radio show we are liberated! All it took was a show that enabled us to get out!

The record of our escape is two hours long. Perhaps it will educate or edify others in similar radio predicaments. You are encouraged to learn what you can so perhaps listen more than once.

The program waits for you at the Self Help Radio website. Please use the username SHR & the password selfhelp to access. Details of the program are below.

Sadly, we were so unaccustomed to freedom that we returned to the radio. We simply couldn't live in the outside world. Alas!

Self Help Radio Get Out Show

"Get Out (& Let Me Cry)" Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes _The Jamie/Guyden Story_
"Get Out Of My Life" Marva Whitney _It's My Thing_
"Get Out Of My Life Woman" Lee Dorsey _Cracking The Cosimo Code (60s New Orleans R&B & Soul)_

introduction & definitions

"We Gotta Get Out Of This Place" The Animals _Animal Tracks_
"Get Out" The Popguns _Love Junky_
"Get Up & Get Out" Iggy Pop _Soldier_
"Get Out Of My House" Kate Bush _The Dreaming_

interview with inventor Harrison Baines

"Get Out Of My Dream" The Clouds _The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 4_
"Get Out Of The City" Ivy _Apartment Life_
"Get Out Of My Mirror" Felt _Me & A Monkey On The Moon_
"Let's Get Out Of This Country" Camera Obscura _Let's Get Out Of This Country_
"Get Out!" The Blue Aeroplanes _Broken & Mended_

interview with screenwriter Braydon Peele

"I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive" Rosie Flores _The Executioner's Last Songs Volume 1_
"Can't Get Out Of Bed" The Charlatans _Up To Our Hips_
"Get Outta Town!" Lucky Soul _The Great Unwanted_
"Get Out" Dave Okumu & The 7 Generations _I Came From Love_

actor Horace Bentley interrupts!

"Get In Get Out" The Angry Orts _The Angry Orts_
"Get Out" The Goon Sax _We're Not Talking_
"Get Out Of The Way (So I Can Get Back To My Life)" Diplomats Of Solid Sound _What Goes Around Comes Around_
"Get Out Of That Rut" The Satyrs _Don't Be Surprised_

interview with self-help writer Hector Bridges

"Get Out Of The Way" The Uncalled For _Mindrocker_
"Get Out" Maddy Prior & The Girls _Under The Covers_
"Get Up Get Out" Rosebuds _Night Of The Furies_
"Get Out" Kitbuilders _The Sound Of Cologne Vol. 1_

conclusion & goodbye

"Get Out & Get Under The Moon" Helen Kane _Helen Kane Great Original Performances_
"Get Out Of Town" Anita O'Day with Billy May _Swings Cole Porter_
"Get Out Of My House" Miya Folick _Roach_

Thursday, September 21, 2023

Whither Get Out?

(image from here)

The phrase "get out" - an imperative sentence - is mostly considered a warning. Whether trying to keep you from possible harm in an emergency situation - "Get out of here! The place is on fire!" - or said in anger that might result in physical altercation - "Get out of my room & leave me alone!" - the phrase is hardly ever said in situations that are friendly, jovial, amicable.

Unless of course it's said in disbelief, like "No way!" An example might be: "I met the stars of Barbie today." "Get out!" One supposes it's short for "get out of here!" which is said in the sense of "I think you are lying & if you are lying you probably should leave." But in a more exaggerated, friendly way.

It's mainly the first use you'll hear on today's Self Help Radio. It's not really meant to be an instruction; for example, if you are listening in your house, you're not really supposed to get out of your house & cease listening. The same for in your car. It's best if you don't think of the phrase as said to you - it's probably never a good idea to think a song is actually directing you to do something. The songwriters & performers didn't have you in particular in mind at the time of composition & recording. Sorry if this is the first time you've heard this.

This show is especially good, in fact, for those who never get out at all. As is most of radio. If you're always listening to the radio, you're mainly getting out of other obligations, such as work, family, friendship. I'm not encouraging that but I appreciate it.

Listen to Self Help Radio's "Get Out" show today on Freeform Portland, which is on the air from noon to 2pm on 90.3+98.3fm in Portland, & online at the Freeform Portland website. At the very least, if someone asks you what you did today, you can say, "Oh I did get out for a while this afternoon."

Wednesday, September 20, 2023

Preface To Get Out: It's Not About That Movie

(image from IMDb)

Don't me wrong, I liked the movie. & in fact we'll mention the movie once or twice, how could we not? But the show won't be about the movie. It would be kind of weird if it was, wouldn't it? I'm not even sure where I'd start. I won't brainstorm here because I don't want to spoil the movie. It's one of those movies with a surprise ending of a sort.

Anyway, I would imagine anyone hearing that the theme is "get out" might be reminded of the movie. I mean, I was reminded of the movie. So I figured it's important to clear my throat & say, "It's not about that movie." Without leaving the impression that if it were about the movie, that would be a bad thing. It wouldn't be. In fact, if it were about the movie, it would probably be way more creative that my show could ever possibly be.

Not to overexplain or anything. The movie was a huge hit, see, & groundbreaking - I believe Jordan Peele was the first African-American to win an Academy Award for Best Original Screenplay. It made him an instant star & it grossed a quarter million dollars. In contrast, I have few listeners on a community radio station that is run by volunteers & has very little money. Maybe I should do a radio show about the movie, encouraging its fans & fans of Jordan Peele in general to throw some of their horror movie dollars our way.

Alas, that's not the case. It's not about the movie. It's in a tiny corner of the shadow of the movie because of the movie's towering presence. Apparently blocking the sun in this metaphor. But you know. I just wanted to make that clear.

This blog post, though. It's very obviously about the movie.

Tuesday, September 19, 2023

Three Memories Of September 19

Looking through my old pictures, I discovered that September 19 appears to be a day when, at least in three of the past nine years, I've done something. Like, on this day in 2014, I went to Cincinnati to watch dachshunds race:


It was for Oktoberfest. I had the most fun walking around downtown Cincinnati taking pictures.

Or a year later - my dog Pauline got skunked right before we traveled to Fort Wayne, Indiana:


She's getting a bath here.

It's a little embarrassing now to mention why we went to Fort Wayne - we went to see Bill Maher - a person who's now so obviously odious that it's a wonder it took me so long to notice - but I do remember that he had no opener, he did about forty-five minutes, & at times he was so very unfunny that he fell back on his schtick of pretending that we were too sensitive for his bad jokes. As we left, we saw this guy:


& I remember thinking it would probably have been more fun to watch him instead of Maher.

(We brought the dogs & got lucky because the hotel had windows we could open - Pauline was still very skunky.)

Three years ago on this date, we didn't go anywhere -  it was the height of the pandemic - but I did notice two things happening in our neighborhood:


One neighbor was celebrating breakfast day - we weren't invited.


& Jill was having her bridal shower outside. It was a lovely day & Jill seemed fine. They said hello to the dogs.

On this September 19, I made food & two friends came over. One of them brought wine from their mother's vineyard - it was very sweet & very strong. I don't think I took any pictures though.

Monday, September 18, 2023

Thinking Better Of Old Disappointments

(image by Luc Fuller, found here)

There's always so much forgiving to do. It can be exhausting, both forgiving & being forgiven, Like watering the bushes in the front of the house, you know it's probably necessary but sometimes it feels like a waste of time.

There's always so much disappointment. That's almost certainly related to expectation. I'm hardly ever disappointed by anything that I have no expectations about. Expectations of? Expectations for?

Is that the basis of Buddhism? I wish my friend Russell were here, he'd laugh at that question & then talk thoughtfully about it. I don't even know what I'd do with a thoughtful discussion at this moment.

On the dog walk tonight it got cold, & it's always interesting when it gets cold again in Portland because you kind of expect it but it's still a bit startling. Maybe I spend too much time in the past. It's not safer there but at least I know what's going to happen. What always happens. What has already happened.

We walked several blocks to our car without incident & some friends of ours told us someone threw a bicycle at them as they existed a restaurant. We love this city, they can't wait to leave. How much is bad fortune do you ever wonder?