September 30, 2020
Wow! Here we are! The final day of the ninth month! A year that’s moving so quickly and yet it feels like we’ve not moved an inch with Covid-19, politics, protests and the invisible fear of the bottom falling out of the economy. A lot of people under a lot of pressure. At least with a highly pressurized Hot Pot dinner’s ready in thirty minutes. Not out here in the realms of authentic behavior lacking a connection with accountability! On this podcast episode the goal is to create a positive and not burden your experience with more Debbie Downer news. I had to set it up. Season the opening. Stir the veggies in the pan. I stood beneath the falling moon this morning at five. I stared into the illuminated clouds physically feeling the presence of something in my forest. The nearby stars painted their own greeting while the animal kingdom seemed to pause. It was if the owls, wandering deer, hopping rabbits and shivering copperhead snakes were allowing the universe to have a voice. I walk in the forest every morning long before the sun pulls itself out of bed. There’s enormous peace inside the collection of trees. When I write these itty bitty bits each day it’s meant to be nothing more than a conversation. A reflection. Two neighbors standing in their yard talking about the actions and reactions without having to wade in the waters of judgement and betrayal. Our minds have been overtaken by conflict and confusion. Something as simple as the moon setting allowed my early morning moment to locate just enough space to deflate without injury. We’ve entered this age of free speech where having something to say is probably going to fire up the emotions of a passerby not interested in religion, politics, local sports and or the price of rice. This journey we’re presently trekking through feels more like the Lewis and Clark expedition rather than a Michael Jordan Chicago Bulls celebration. CBS Sunday Morning reported this past weekend that 63% of those polled no longer have faith in the hardworking men and women of the newsroom. I was there when Walter Cronkite was named the most trusted man in America. Look at all the masters that have moved in and out of those anchoring positions without ever seeing a headline that says we’ve lost our faith in you. A question came to me while daily writing. Where do the masses turn when there’s no longer any trust in those who once led the way? Where are you getting your news? It’s a human need to be kept up to date. Our systems of choice demand the latest word. So many times the word on the street has always been linked to a story laid out on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. I’m extremely guilty of getting my news from the BBC. Because I’m part of that 63%. Are we too far along the way to go back to the beginning? Local television, radio and newspaper. You don’t need me to tell you what’s happened on that front. Local! Kevin’s Barber Shop is now owned by some guy named Jim. Local! Stacy got married over the weekend to that long haired kid she’s known since the third grade. Local. The grocery store has that new box of macaroni and cheese everybody’s screaming for but it’s never on the shelf. Local! I did read a pretty cool story last week about where broadcasting is growing. These tiny little stations in very little America, the ones owned by passion driven broadcasters and not corporate bankers. They’ve taken note of how the local folk are leaning on them for not just music but local stuff. The article reports that our communities are evolving into the true definition. Which is a seed for other podcasters to hold. It feels unbelievable when your analytics showcase some brilliant listening habits from people in the UK, India and Canada but what if you took a chance on local? Cuz Old Hank over there at the hardware store just got in the nifty cool sleds for the winter of 2021. Man! You’ve got to help get the word out! Local…