Preface To Surface: You Can Drive Forever

Something I might have mentioned before - I like taking pictures. I got my hands on a digital camera sometime in 2014 or so & I have been snapping shots when the spirit takes me since then.

But why not seek out opportunities to take pictures? I have done it a few times. The image above - from 2017 - is one of those times. On an afternoon with nothing to do, I went on a drive & took some pictures.

Oh how I hesitate to say that I keep a journal because it's really just an accounting of my day but I checked back to see what I might have been doing when I took this picture - it was on December 3, 2017 - & here's what I think was happening:

We bought some dog treats for our beagles which we discovered were too large for them. We offered to donate them to an animal rescue group. I drove there & had to wander through what I described then as a "shabby office park" to give them away. That all went successfully - I have the strangest feeling I returned there years later but will forgo that at the moment & just say I decided to take the long way home in order to take some pictures. Did I? I wrote this: "took a few but not many."

Not the makings of a bona fide photographer to be sure!

The surface of the road is obvious here tho. & truly there are roads like this everywhere. & even if they don't go on forever, they might as well - they certainly feel like they do.

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: International Tongue Twister Day

(original image here)

It is common news that singing sailors sail the sea swiftly. After all, melodic murmurs make music meaningful. Which is why vocal virtuosos voice various volumes, harmony hums harmoniously, & ten tenors tenderly tune their tones. But what you might not know is that November 9 is International Tongue Twister Day. Which is what we'll be reporting on on The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM.

Tune in Sunday, November 9, from noon to 1pm to listen to Dick Dickenbock expertly enunciate these tricky tongue twister & more! Only on XRAY - 91.1+107.1fm in Portland, xray dot fm everywhere.

This Week In Self Help: November 2 + 4

That is a picture of Stuart, who is a new addition to our household. I wrote about him here but since no one reads this blog I understand if you missed it. I am sharing it mainly because I have nothing related to this week's shows to share otherwise. You understand.

November 2: XRAY The Dickenbock Report.

It was Look For Circles Day. I found a few. Listen at XRAY. Listen at Self Help Radio.

November 4: KBOO Self Help Radio.
A show with the theme "next time." Listen at KBOO. Listen at Self Help Radio.

November 4: KBOO Corporate Standardized Programming.

A show featuring artists we lost in April 2025. Listen at KBOO (after Self Help Radio) Listen at Self Help Radio.

At Self Help Radio - username SHR password selfhelp.

Stuart is a sweet old fellow with issues related to years of neglect. We will make sure the last years of his life are happy ones. I am quite in love with him. He is handsome & affectionate. More later I am sure.

Self Help Radio 110425: Next Time

This is the first time I've done a show with the theme "next time." Next time I'll probably expand the theme so I won't have to play the same songs. But there may not be a next time! This may be the last time I'll explore the theme "next time." & I think I've already done a show with the theme "last time"! Enjoy this next time as like the show with the theme "last time" it won't be back a second time.

How can you enjoy it? You can listen to it on the KBOO web page (& presumably the app). You can download it & listen at the Self Help Radio web page. You may need the username SHR & password selfhelp. But it'll be where you left if if you want to listen to it again next time. Most everything that happens on the show is listed below.

See you next time!

Self Help Radio Next Time Show

"Next Time" Richard Berry _R&B Confidential No. 1: The Flair Label_

"Next Time" Johnnie Taylor _Complete Stax-Volt Singles 1959-1968_

"Next Time" Ann Margret _Ann Margret 1961-1966_

introduction & definitions

"Next Time" Builders _Pyx (1985-1988)_

"Next Time" Little Wings _Light Green Leaves_

"The Next Time" Momus _JoeMus_

"Next Time" Dirt Bike Annie _Show Us Your Demons_

"Next Time" Mudhoney _The Lucky Ones_

interview with developers of Nexttime, Dr. Gail Michaels & Ray Powell

"Next Time" Curtis Harding _Soul Power_

"Next Time" A Projection _Framework_

"Next Time" Bacchae _Next Time_

"Next Time" Warren Dunes _Aquamarine_

"Next Time" Laura Marling _Semper Femina_

interview with Better Luck Next Time! host Carson Pierce

"Better Luck Next Time" Jo Stafford _Yes Indeed!_

"Better Luck Next Time" Quasi _The Sword Of God_

"Better Luck Next Time" King Khan & The Shrines _Idle No More_

"Next Time Round" Elvis Costello & The Attractions _Blood & Chocolate_

"Next Time Around" Abacus Rings _Spout_

interview with life coach Richard Jester

"Until The Next Time" Dramarama _Vinyl_

"Next Time You Fall" Love As Laughter _The Greks Bring Gifts_

"Next Time It's Gonna Be Different" The Haywains _Desperately Seeking Something_

"Next Year, Next Time" The Staves _Good Woman_

"No More Next Time" Melys _Second Wind_

conclusion & goodbye

"Next Time (Maybe)" Tapeworms _Funtastic_

"What About Next Time?" Milburn _Well Well Well_

"The Next Time We Wed" The Fratellis _In Your Own Sweet Time_ 

"Where You Gonna Land (Next Time You Fall Off Of Your Mountain)?" Nova Mob _The Last Days Of Pompeii_

"No Next Time" The Walking Floors _Messthetics Greatest Hits_

Whither Next Time?

(original image found here)

This is one of those shows not about a thing but about a phrase. That phrase is "next time." Repeated in songs. In songs that I like. So really not much more to say about it than that.

Except! There won't be a next time for this show so listen this time!

Midnight to 2am on KBOO - 90.7fm in town, kboo dot fm everywhere.

Because I miss you last time.

Preface To Next Time: Stuart

(This has nothing to do with this week's Self Help Radio.)

We are fostering-to-adopt the handsome hound pictured above. He is a nine-year-old beagle - who we've been told is purebred but who because of his girth has a basset-hound-ishness about him - whose previous owner could no longer take care of him. As I mentioned, he's a little large - we estimate sixty pounds. Our other two beagles together don't weight that much. He's quite friendly, & has a great disposition, but is somewhat out of shape - he pants on long walks - & he's not used to being loved on. & doubtless he is hungry all the time.

It has been a somewhat tough three days, us getting to know him & vice versa. His previous owner had health issues that may have led to some neglect. He was passed on to a non-family-member because no one else wanted him. That sweet person met us in Olympia on Thursday - it was halfway between his home & Portland - & cried when he gave him to us. We did not know Stuart would be so large, & we thought he was a tad younger. But - as you can see - he's a beautiful dog & like I said he's very easy to be around. Except when he's about to be fed. Then he yells at you with a hoarse, throaty bark.

The foster-to-adopt program gives us a chance to get to know him to see if he'll fit in with our household. He's got a beagley indifference to things that are not good smells or food that has made him get along with the other beagles (though our youngest wishes he would play with him - the truth is Stuart may never have ever played with another dog). He has shown very little interest in the cats, though they are very suspicious of him - since he has shown interest in their food. I can only speak for myself when I say I would like him to stay. But my wife wants to know his general health - he has a vet visit on Tuesday - before she commits. Already though I see her heart softening toward him. But I can't predict the future.

Stuart by the way is the name we have given him & he already answers to it. With a beagle you can teach most anything if there's a treat involved.

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Look For Circles Day

Where can one look for circles tomorrow, November 2, on Look For Circles Day? Might I suggest The Dickenbock Report on XRAY FM? We'll be reporting on Look For Circles Day & maybe explaining how one can look for circles by listening to the radio.

That's Sunday noon to 1pm on 91.1 & 107.1fm here in Portland, & online everywhere at xray dot fm. See you in the circle!

This Week In Self Help: October 26 + 28

(image from here)

Happy Halloween! I made a Halloween show this week - well, two, really, but the Dickenbock Report episode was sort of recycled from a 2019 Self Help Rado episode (don't tell anyone) although it had a new fake news report in it. Anyway since the main thing today is Halloween here first is this week's Self Help Radio! A show about wizards.

10/28 Self Help Radio Wizard Halloween: listen at KBOO | listen at Self Help Radio

The show I do after Self Help Radio - Corporate Standardized Programming - featured more wizard songs but was all instrumental.

10/28 Corporate Standardized Programming Wizard Halloween: listen at KBOO (after Self Help Radio) | listen at Self Help Radio

& to the recycled show - The Dickenbock Report reported on Frankenstein.

10/26 Dickenbock Report Frankenstein Halloween: listen at XRAY | listen at Self Help Radio

In you are so inclined I've archived most of my Halloween shows at the Self Help Radio Halloween page.

& remember - username SHR, password selfhelp. Just in case.

Self Help Radio 102825: Wizards! (Halloween 2025)

A public service announcement: Wizards! Don't leave you hats lying around! They are important for some spells! Many wizards keep creatures & other things in their hat! This hat could have been found by children - or witches!

Here is the 2025 Self Help Radio Halloween show - just in time for the holiday - all about wizards. In addition to lots of tunes about wizards, I speak to three wizards - & one witch. Plus! There are some spells discussed. & listening to show puts a hex on you. Not a bad hex - just one that makes you want to support community radio instead of buying Harry Potter merchandise.

You can experience the magic (so to speak) at either the KBOO web site or at the Self Help Radio web site. At the latter you may need the username SHR & password selfhelp to listen. Nearly everything that happens on the show is listed below.

Presto! A wizard's show!

Self Help Radio Halloween 2025 Wizards Show

"The Wizard" Jimmie Rodgers _The Best Of Jimmie Rodgers_

"Sorcerer's Apprentice" The Del-Vikings _Come Go With Me: The Best Of The Del-Vikings - The Dot/ABC Recordings_

"My Friend The Wizzard" The Others _Mindrocker_

introduction & definitions

"Sorcerella" Jefferson Lee _Poppies: Assorted Finery From The First Psychedelic Age_

"The Wizard" Cats Eyes _The Electric Asylum Volume 2 - British Psychedelic Freakrock Rarities_

"Wizard Of Gobsolod" Velvett Fogg _Velvett Fogg_

"Witches & Wizzards" Louise Huebner _Louise Huebner's Seduction Through Witchcraft_

"Wizard Shep" The Sun Also Rises _Dust On The Nettles (A Journey Through The British Underground Folk Scene 1967-1972)_

interview with wizard Barton Terellian

"Abracadabra" Bruce Haack _Listen Compute Rock Home (The Best Of Dimension 5)_

"Abracadabra Alakazam" Daddy Dewdrop _Daddy Dewdrop_

"The Wizard" Rowan Brothers _Rowan Brothers_

"Good Wizard Meets Naughty Wizard" Twink _Think Pink_

"Mr. Wizard" Stone The Crows _Teenage Licks_

interview with Cassandra The Witch & her wizard apprentice Junior

"We're Off To See The Wizard (The Wonderful Wizard Of Oz)" Meco _The Wizard Of Oz_

"The Wizard & The Lizard" Gorky's Zygotic Mynci _Barafundle_

"The Wizard" Bat For Lashes _Fur & Gold_

"It's Only Sorcery" Outrageous Cherry _The Book Of Spectral Projections_

"Sorcerer" The Mekons _The Curse Of The Mekons_

interview with wizard Limin The Eldritch

"Pinball Wizard" Binghamton Crosbys _Songs In The Key Of Nishole_

"Synth Wizard" Go-Kart Mozart _On The Hot Dog Streets_

"Dark Sorcerer" Frankie & The Witch Fingers _Zam_

"Sadie Sorceress" King Gizzard & The Lizard Wizard _Omnium Gatherum_

"Clemency For The Wizard King" The Mountain Goats _In League With Dragons_

conclusion & goodbye

"The Wizard" T. Rex _T. Rex_

Whither Wizards? (Halloween 2025!)

(comic by Tom Gauld)

Halloween is a holiday I celebrate every year on the show. But I don't like to play the same Halloween songs every year so instead I select a single theme - an aspect of Halloween, or a monster, something like that, & let that be the focus od my Halloween show. & I have not repeated Halloween themes in my many years on Self Help Radio which means I must find a new theme each year. That means I can never again on Self Help Radio have Halloween shows about ghosts & vampires, about zombies & werewolves, about witches & mummies & monsters in general & Frankenstein in particular.  Scary places weren't neglected, either - there have been shows about haunted houses, graveyards, ghost towns, even hell.  Are you afraid or black cats or spiders or clowns or scarecrows or all kinds of horrible things attacking - becayse there have been Halloween shows about those terrible creatures too! Some terrifying concepts, too, have come under the show's scrutiny: voodoo & nightmares & death have been nervously explored.

(If you're like me & counted the themes & said "Hey those are only 20 themes! Hasn't the show been on from like 23 years?" The answer is I didn't do a Halloween show one year, & the first show was a general Halloween show, & this will be the Halloween episode of the show's 23rd year.)

All of these shows can be listened to by clicking the link above or simply visiting the Self Help Radio Halloween show page. It looks like I do need to add shows for the last two years though eep!

Do I despair of running out of Halloween themes? Oh indeed. But this year I fear the show might not be too scary - but I think it will capture some of the magic of Halloween. It's a show about wizards. In addition to songs about wizards, I'll be speaking to some wizards too - all night long!

That's at the Witching Hour - midnight to 2am tonight - on 90.7fm in Portland & online at kboo dot fm. I don't mind if you don't listen but some of the wizards I'll talk to might so - maybe listen or get turned into a frog?

Preface To Wizards (Halloween 2025): Portland Halloween

Portland loves Halloween. I'm tempted to say the city loves Halloween more than any other holiday but I don't really celebrate many other holidays - there are lots of Christmas decorations during Christmas but that doesn't charm me as much as displays of things that frighten you.

Although really I don't celebrate Halloween much either. I don't dress up & I don't decorate the house. As a result, very few children make it by the house - & they don't tend to like the vegan treats we serve. But I've always made Halloween shows - every Halloween since the beginning of the show. & while I feel like I am likely to run out of Halloween themes fairly soon, I've scraped by each year - this year with a theme that's not exactly scary but is a common Halloween costume - wizards.

Above is a picture of a yard in my neighborhood which shows some of the cleverness on display by the people who are really, really into Halloween. This particular yard makes my wife laugh every time we pass - it's on our dog walk route you see.

There is I suppose no real explanation for why the theme is what it is this week but I'll take a crack at it tomorrow anyway.

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Frankenstein!

(found here)

Portland loves Halloween. Dick Dickenbock loves Halloween. Next Friday is Halloween. Tomorrow there will be a special report on Halloween. This year Dick Dickenbock wanted to explore one of his favorite monsters from his childhood - Frankenstein's monster!

That's tomorrow, Sunday, October 26, from noon to 1pm on XRAY FM, 107.1fm & xray dot fm. If we're lucky, we'll get to hear for four thousandth time Dick Dickenbock's Boris Karloff story. Yay,

This Week In Self Help: October 17 19 + 21

(statue by Iván Argote, image from here)

Another week, another radio. I know that doesn't make any sense but I do these recaps every week & I feel like I should say something new instead of "here's another week of dumb radio I made." But - anyway.

Friday October 17 on The Songcircle on KBOO I played lots of new releases.
Listen at KBOO dot fm | Listen at Self Help Radio dot net

Sunday October 19 on The Dickenbock Report on XRAY I celebrated Marjorie Tallchief's birthday by playing songs about ballet.

Listen at XRAY dot fm | Listen at Self Help Radio dot net

Tuesday October 21 on Self Help Radio I made a radio show about pigeons.

Listen at KBOO dot fm | Listen at Self Help Radio dot net

Tuesday October 21 on Corporate Standardized Programming I played a lot of new releases.

Listen at KBOO dot fm (after Self Help Radio) | Listen at Self Help Radio dot net

At Self Help Radio dot net you might need the username SHR & password selfhelp to access.

Another week, another radio post. Okay, that makes more sense. Except all I post about is my radio shows!

Self Help Radio 102125: Pigeons

A nice program about a nice bird that is generally unloved & misunderstood. Boo! to those who dislike the pigeon! They are stout & cute & make neat sounds & you know what? We domesticated them. They traveled along with us. They're our responsibility! So there! (Read more about that here.)

Anyway, enjoy all these songs about pigeons. Plus the silly interviews. The show can be listened to at the KBOO web page & at the Self Help Radio web page. For the latter, remember the username SHR & password selfhelp. Everything that happened on the show is below.

A group of pigeons is of course a flock. A group of pigeon songs is this week's show!

Self Help Radio Pigeon Show

"It Ain't No Fun To Be A Pigeon" Homer & Jethro _There's Nothing Like An Old Hippie_

"My Pigeon's Gone" Charles Calhoun _The R&B Years 1956, Vol. 1_

"Little Pigeon" Chuck Sims _That'll Flat Git It! Vol. 9: Rockabilly From The Vaults Of Decca Records_

"Homin' Pigeon" The Rhythmettes _Doo-Wop Delights, Vol. 6_

introduction & definitions

"Carrier Pigeon" The Kingston Trio _Sold Out_

"Pigeon In The Park" The Gaslight Singers _The Gaslight Singers_

"Poisoning Pigeons In The Park" Tom Lehrer _The Remains Of Tom Lehrer_

"Les Deux Pigeons" Charles Aznavour _Qui ?_

"Mi Palomita" Yma Sumac _Fuego Del Ande_

interview with Chad Mapplethorpe of Pigeon Friends

"Pigeons" Laurie Styvers _Gemini Girl: The Complete Hush Recordings_

"Passenger Pigeons" Handsome Family _Twilight_

"Eight Clay Pigeons" Ella Jenkins _Counting Games & Rhythms For The Little Ones_

"Pigeon" Cannibal Ox _The Cold Vein_

"Pigeonometry" Aesop Rock _Integrated Tech Solutions_

interview with poetry teacher Rod Farmer

"Stool Pigeon" Vic Godard & Subway Sect _What's The Matter Boy?_

"The Pigeon" Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts _Manhattan_

"Pigeon Named Crow" Nicki Jaine _Live_

"Pigeons" National Lampoon _Radio Dinner_

"Pigeons" Bill Callahan _Pigeons_

a conversation with two pigeons

"Clay Pigeons" John Prine _Fair & Square_

"Pigeons" Weird Al Yankovic & Wendy Carlos _Peter & The Wolf/Carnival Of The Animals - Part II_

"Pigeons" The Hundred In The Hands _The Hundred In The Hands_

"Inner City Pigeon" Marching Church _Telling It Like It Is_

"Carrier Pigeon" Surfer Blood _Snowdonia_

conclusion & goodbyean angry caller calls in
then conclusion & goodbye

"Stop That Pigeon" Reverend Horton Heat _Saturday Morning (Cartoons' Greatest Hits)_

"Pigeon In Your Tongue" The Mommyheads _Coming Into Beauty_

"Pigeon" Cloth _Secret Measure_

Whither Pigeons?

It's always a lot of fun to a radio show about an animal. I feel like I could do it every week but for some reason I don't do it that often - the last animal I did a Self Help Radio episode about was the snail! That was back in March. I was feeling it was perhaps time for another show about an animal.

(Gosh I don't even wanna check back to see how long it's been since I've done an episode about a bird!)

During the summer I began to be regularly approached by bold crows to beg for dog treats from me. One of them seemed quite grizzled & was braving some kids playing soccer so when he returned a few times I started calling him David Peckham. David disappeared over time but many different crows now swoop past & land next to me & wait for me to crumble something to toss to them. (The dogs are usually led away by my wife or they will lunge for the treats - & scare the birds.)

Reflecting on this, I thought, you know, I should do a show about crows. Sadly, I have already done one - way back in 2016. I was lamenting this on a dog walk - not through the park but in a neighborhood - & my wife pointed to some pigeons gathered on some wires & said, "Why not do a show about pigeons?"

That was the inspiration for this program - a show about pigeons inspired by crows.

We'll fly the coop tonight on KBOO from midnight to 2am. That's 90.7fm in town, & kboo dot fm everywhere. Dang it, I don't have a pigeon pun to end this - but I had a lot to crow about.

Preface To Pigeons: The Mystery Of The Disappering Radio Show

(I'm sorry, I don't remember where I found this)

As I get older, as I do more radio shows, it becomes far more likely I'll make a mistake & repeat a show. I try to make sure that doesn't happen but there's always the danger it will. This weekend as I was gathering songs for the upcoming pigeon show, I found a folder created in 2022 which was labelled "pigeons" & which had dozens of songs in it. I kinda panicked. Did I already do a pigeon show? If so, why wasn't it on my list of shows?

Of course I was grateful - I had done a lot of the work for the show three years ago! But I couldn't for the life of me figure out what the hell had happened. I do a lot of shows. I can't possibly remember all of them.

Luckily I keep a sort of journal & the files had all been gathered at a particular date. In 2022, closest to the date on the folder, was a Thursday - which was when I did The Dickenbock Report on Freeform Portland, I believe. The station was still closed, I was still recording the show the night before at home. I cannot for the life of me find any pigeon-related holidays or national days but apparently there was a reason for a show about pigeons on September 1, 2022.

But why didn't it happen? Because I went to see a show that night with my wife. & I wrote in my little journal that I was too tired to record & just didn't have enough time. But I did write, I might do a pigeon show one day though.

& that day will be tomorrow night! But what made me think of doing a pigeon show over three years later? I'll try to answer that tomorrow.

Coming Up Tomorrow On The Dickenbock Report: Marjorie Tallchief's Birthday

(image from here)

On October 19, 1926, Marjorie Tallchief was born. This extraordinary person was the first Native American to be named première danseuse étoile in the Paris Opera Ballet. The staff of the Report - including of course the head honcho Dick Dickenbock - are huge fans, so it was decided to report about her in particular, & ballet in general, tomorrow on The Dickenbock Report.

That's noon to 1pm pn 91.1+107.1fn in Portland, & online everywhere at xray dot fm.

It will be the second of two shows during XRAY's Fall Fund Drive, so we remind you, to help support the station that airs The Dickenbock Report, click here. If you'd like to donate to support the Dickenbock Report, click here. The money goes to XRAY, it's just to show Dick Dickenbock you care.

This Week In Self Help: October 12 + 14

Lotsa different curtain choices in this apartment building! Here is what I did on the radio this week.

The Dickenbock Report (October 12): Farmers Day. Listen at XRAY | Listen at Self Help Radio.
Self Help Radio (October 14): A show about curtains. Listen at KBOO | Listen at Self Help Radio.
Corporate Standardized Programming (Ocrtober 14): Music from artists we lost in March & April of this year. Listen at KBOO (after Self Help Radio) | Listen at Self Help Radio.

Two reminders:
1, you can support The Dickenbock Report during XRAY's Fall Fundraiser by donating here.
2, you might need the username SHR & the password selfhelp to access shows on the Self Help Radio website.

That's it! Curtains closed.

Self Help Radio 101425: Curtains

The curtains were up on the show this morning, but now they are down. Or were they open & are now closed? I feel like I'd be a terrible stage manager. I wouldn't know whether the curtains were supposed to be raised or lowered or whether the actors were to emerge from them.

My wife by the way is mad at me because I didn't tell this curtain story last night. In the summer of 1980 I adopted a little white kitten whom I named Beatrice. Beatrice was a wild child & one of the things she loved to do was run up the cheap curtains in my duplex. I mainly left them open because it was the one big window I had. Years later when I was to leave the duplex, we thought about closing the curtains in the hopes it might disguise any areas we couldn't entirely clean so we'd get the deposit back. We closed the curtains - & little pinpricks of light shone through the entire width of them. Beatrice's claws had left uncountable holes. We laughed - & left the curtains open.

There are better curtain stories on the show. Which you can listen to at either the KBOO web page or the Self Help Radio web page. If you choose the latter, remember - username SHR + password selfhelp. The stuff that happened on the show is listed below.

& now - the curtain falls.

Self Help Radio Curtains Show

"Behind Curtains" The Five Stairsteps _The Five Stairsteps_

"Water Curtain" Peter Ivers' Band with Yolande Bavan _Knight Of The Blue Communion_

"Curtain" Marden Hill _Amen (Last Sunshine Deserts Of Él Records)_

introduction & definitions

"Keeping The Curtains Closed" The Jazz Butcher _Fishcotheque_

"The Curtain Long" Bernthøler _Merry Lines In The Sky_

"Audrey's Curtains" The Days _The Sound Of Leamington Spa Volume 4_

"Curtains" Skating For Cover _Rituals_

"Internet Curtains" Denim _Novelty Rock_

interview with curtain inspectors Drew & Priscilla Carter

"When The Curtain Calls For You" Jonathan Fire*Eater _Wolf Songs For Lambs_

"Curtains" Exene Cervenka _Running Sacred_

"Hidden Curtain" Marbles _Pyramid Landing & Other Favorites_

"Curtains 1 & 2" Throwing Muses _Purgatory/Paradise_

"Through The Curtain" The Steinbecks _Kick To Kick With The Steinbecks_

interview with National Curtain Museum docent Cory Dwyer

"Like A Curtain Falling" The Strange Death Of Liberal England _Drown Your Heart Again_

"This Curtain Call" Kitty Kat Fan Club _Dreamy Little You_

"Curtains!?" Timber Timbre _Hot Dreams_

"Velvet Curtain" Anna Tivel _The Question_

"The Final Mrs. Curtain" Elvis Costello & The Imposters _Look Now_

interview with Neighborhood Association President Max Cowell

"Cowboy Curtains" Tobin Sprout _The Universe & Me_

"Curtains" Linda Smith & Nancy Andrews _A Passing Cloud_

"Blank Curtain" Cola _Deep In View_

"Black Curtains In The Bag" Billy Nomates _Cacti_

"Curtain" Horse Jumper Of Love _Disaster Trick_

conclusion & goodbye

"Torn Curtain" Television _Marquee Moon_

"The Curtain" Mary Ocher _Power & Exclusion From Power_

"The Curtain" Deer Tick _Negativity_

Whither Curtains?

Summer lingers in Portland, it's one of the things I love about the city & the season. This town is known for gloomy days, cold & rain, but we have bright summers that have long daylight hours that sadly don't last. I spent a lot of this past summer on a bike, riding places, sometimes with my wife, sometimes alone, going to get food, going to see shows, going to parks with the dogs. I haven't yet managed to ride my bikes to my radio shows - Self Help Radio is on at night & my wife thinks it might be unsafe (because of not being able to see hazards, not because of crime or anything) & The Dickenbock Report airs on a station too far away - I am an old feller & I am woefully out of shape.

There's a meditative quality to bike riding I am told but I am a terrible meditator so I tend to take in all the things I am cycling by & one day probably in June as the day was ending I decided to take a tally of the front windows of the homes I was riding past - did they have curtains or blinds? were they open or not? In my neighborhood I was saddened to see that blinds outnumbered curtains - & a little shocked that lots of people let you look into their homes as night falls!

With curtains appearing to be the unpopular choice, I thought I'd do my best to support them by making a radio show about them. & I'll do that tonight.

Self Help Radio is on from midnight to 2am on 90.7fm in Portland & kboo dot fm everywhere. KBOO doesn't have curtains so sadly I can't give you a glimpse behind the curtains of the show. It's just all there for everyone to see. Or at least hear.