Changes..(not of the Bowie kind)..(a not so) short update-ish..about sorta weird & crazy (should be close) encounters of the missing birthday kind..

Well..
It's been an interesting bit of a run as of late here..

And I can see that there's been a bunch of traffic coming to the blog lately, so figured I should do a "not-so-brief-ish" ;) update-ish now to explain things going on..
..but there are also a few more posts on related topics..& others, that are on the (back) burner..


First off (some background/reminders)..

I stopped posting to this blog specifically for a couple of reasons (and I never said a proper "goodbye" due to reason #2 below):

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
1. I used to the be the ONLY one that posted/shared the playlists of The Strombo Show (they seem to have conveniently forgotten THAT fact)
..but then George got an Intern, & then Staff that do that/those tasks (& get PAID for it)..
& they post them over on the CBC Music site (brutal changes to that website in the recent months tho..but more on that later)..

..AND..I'll *try* post a link to where that stuff is..later..
IF I can find it/figure out the wacky things they've done to that website.
It's complicated..when, where it used to be simple & straightforward.

2. I then moved from Vancouver back to Calgary in ~late 2012/early 2013 (but didn't have much time prior w/move planning to post, or to even put a "we're on hold, be back..later" message up here).

And then when I got to Calgary, I didn't have the time to blog here on Strombo Show topics, as well as focus on the things I needed to do be doing in other parts of my life.

So, with the intern --> staff now doing the playlists, I backed off doing & posting to the blog on any #StromboShow topics
(I do have ~50+ Drafts tho..& that doesn't count the archive playlists that have never been posted anywhere else - more on that later)
..or even music related topics, as that was always intended to be the longer term focus & goal of this blog as well
..to continue to collaborate (with The Strombo Show of course) & maybe other CBC Radio 2 shows (b/c they are cool & unique & the best)..
..and also share other great MUSIC info.

B/c..as much as I'm pissed at George right now (see below), the phrase #WeLoveMusic is as much something that belongs here,
& while it belongs to the show, & the "fans" & supporters of the show
..just as much as it also does speak to just a LOVE of ALL music in general
AND..
..therefore it also belongs to music lovers & fans, everywhere, regardless of The Strombo Show connection!

I also since in early 2014 & until just recently had/have been dealing w/some serious, unexpected health issues, including a major "emergency" surgery in late 2014. And then, over the past few years since, have been working to focus on getting my health back to former levels..& also on getting my business(es) going again & re-established here in Calgary.

That become my priority, getting my health back to a good, preferably great place, FIRST & foremost, before ANYthing else..
..hopefully understandably so.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


So..on to the partial reason for this post, & changes/updates/limbo that the @StromboShowChat & ultimately this blog as well..
..are going through..
..might be going through..
Involve the following:


It was time to just call George..Strombo (if you call him that..I don't..I can't..I don't know why..but it just doesn't feel right to me)..out on some BULLSHIT.

However..he REALLY does NOT like that..(being "called out")
..altho..in truth..
It is what you say to people G, what ask them to do..
..to ask questions, be curious, challenge everything
(YES darlin'..EVEN YOU)..
AND hold you accountable (to the standards, the things that you have stated, & set out for the show..& for yourself).

So why the heck are you mad when I do just that?


Well..the truth is..that isn't the truth, or the case.

IF you challenge George, IF you ask him to BE accountable..
..he gets PISSED off.
(..at least at me.. :/ )

Usually, the REALLY SUPER 
(like has lashed out in anger at me..in Twitter DM, or FB PM 
- those are private messages tho, so you'll just have to take my word on it, as I won't share ANY private, confidential exchanges - 
Sorry. Privacy is paramount to me (& I know to George as well).
..or like unfollows you on Twitter, or does some other passive aggressive, indirect things..the list is TOO long, etc)
..kind of PISSED off.


But..
Despite that risk, that he'd/he'll be angry at me..
(maybe forever, who knows..he IS stubborn)!
But..so am I, I suppose. ;)

..I STILL and ALWAYS will challenge him, and continue to ask him smart, intelligent, thoughtful, thought-out, exploring..
and..yes, challenging questions..

..AND, yes..hold him accountable.


That's who I am, that is what my ethics & integrity & my own "punk rock" beliefs stand for..


SO..
You'd think he'd respect that?
(instead of kinda being an ass about it)
..based on his own assertions, statements..

..and especially..the ethos of The Strombo Show
(& also George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight & back to  The Hour),
and the years of "his brand" development, etc..

But who knows what's going on there..
Maybe one day he'll explain himself.
To me.
<shrug>.
You'll notice, I'm not holding my breath tho. ;)


So..you might be wondering..
WHAT ON EARTH did you (I/me) do to piss George off THAT much?

Well..
All I pointed out (and asked), that after 9-10+ YEARS..of yes..THAT LONG
..of support & having his back (in countless, endless ways I can't EVEN begin to list & share here),
& then ALL The Strombo Show (Chat) Blog work (done for FREE!)..& lots of it behind the scenes, so this blog & the Twitter, etc, etc..don't even begin to encapsulate it..

..you'd think someone like that (ahem..ME)..
could actually get Happy Birthday mention
(or heck, EVEN a private message)
..or a song request played on the show..
or SOMETHING.

AND..
..this year (2016)..the radio show even fell on my birthday/Oct 23rd, so you'd think maybe, hey..that should be..like a given.
Right?

No.
Not even that.
#notEVENaHBD
Not once.
NOT ONCE in 9-10+years..?!?

As, when you really think about, it's a simple thing to do.
A kind, sweet, generous thing.
A tiny, simple, easy way to demonstrate some gratitude.
The thoughtful, nice, caring thing to do.

AND..YET..
..he couldn't even do that?


They did (I assume The Strombo Show staff)
(..BUT ONLY after I pt'd this glaring, brutal, & basically NOT very thoughtful "issue" of years of "neglect" out..)

--> Posted the following message,. sent to the @StromboShowChat Twitter account, so, NOT even actually directed to ME personally
(@ me..to my personal account: @DolphinsDancer).

The Stromboo Show ‏@TheStromboShow Oct 24
"@StromboShowChat Happy birthday! Love from The Strombo Show family! #WeLoveMusic"

Here's a screencap (just in case he decides to be an additional asshole..)..& delete it..
..as well..
..since that's just been happening A LOT on Twitter lately ;):

FYI.
This message is/was also a day late..
(AGAIN, ONLY after I pt'd out how rude this exclusion has been, over the many, MANY YEARS),
..as I said..my birthday was actually Oct 23rd..on the same day as the Sunday Strombo Show that night.


(Or heck, even a quick, thoughtful Facebook PM from George - as we've chatted there over the MANY years - would've been fine too..)


So..the fact IS..
..that in like 9-10+ years of being a pretty serious supporter of the radio show (& in many way..George himself..)
(..and in a way that NO one else has done):
~ George has NEVER once played a song request for me, 
~ OR mentioned the Strombo Show Chat on the show, 
~ & has (until the above basically a total "PR backpedal message") 
--> NEVER wished me (even indirectly) a Happy Birthday..
..(Ok..maybe once, ONLY after I brought it up in a FB msg, like a couple of years ago..
BUT it's REALLY just NOT the same when you HAVE to mention it, or remind, or blatantly point it out to someone..)


I don't know..
..but how I was raised, that IS called just damn rude, disrespectful, thoughtless, & ungrateful 
..for the YEARS of "street team" support that I have shown & offered the show..including doing the work (this blog) for FREE..that is now done by paid staff.

(..and I haven't even gotten into the years of harassment from crazy Strombo stalkers, etc that I endured.. 
Yah. You read that right.
Years of totally nutty, crazy, beyond awful online harassment.

Honestly, I think largely b/c George wouldn't just come out & acknowledge me & the work..being done..
..is a large part of the reason(s) it occurred..but that IS another story, I'm probably never telling..as it just sucks too much).


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

AND..just some additional background/history..

NOTE: The Strombo Show (<-- this is the more recent FB page)
has been around for ~11 years now.

As I was in the process of moving from Edmonton to Vancouver in 2005-2006 & going back to university, I didn't actually discover the show until ~late 2006-early 2007, when it was still on a previous radio station.

I started blogging & managing the "fan" chat (in a few different forms & formats), after the show moved from that other radio station, to CBC Radio 2..on November 8, 2009 and you can check out the first post..
..& the first playlist from then, when the first The Strombo Show was now at it's home on CBC Radio 2!
..and then I finally created this blog for the playlists that weren't being documented ANYwhere else.

I actually have TONS of previous playlists as well, in raw text files, for previous shows, from before I started this blog & BEFORE the show moved to CBC Radio 2..
..that aren't even up here, the goal was to..
eventually..
..after I moved back to Calgary..to back-date & archive ALL those old playlists here as well..

Obviously due to my move, then health issues, & other stuff that came up, I never got back onto that archive project.

So, who knows if I EVER will now, or if those playlists & that aspect of history of The Strombo Show, will remain hidden on my hard-drive. ;)


So..on that note..and as it seems like there's no good place to end this post..as there is SO much info still missing..
and like MOST of the posts on this blog..it's ridiculously LONG
..but I'm pretty much done with writing about this stuff for the night..


And despite how much this recent situation has pissed off
(clearly both of us, in different ways)..
..I am still listening (& posting on social media), about how much I *LOVE* The Strombo Show..

I'm just REALLY irked at George specifically..at the moment (grantedly, & quite understandably, & rightly so..)

But..a simple apology can solve that..(hint, HINT..)


However, I'm dancing & listening, & writing..here..
while listening to The Strombo Show tonight, for the Halloween, or rather..
#Stromboween..
..It IS my FAVE holiday of the year..

So in the spirit [ pun INTENDED ;) ] of radio, music & celebration of this beautiful holiday:
The Celtic New Year, Samhain, All Soul's Eve, Day/Eve of All Hallows, Hallowmas, Allhallowtide, Commemoration of All Faithful Departed, Solemnity/Feast of All Saints, Feast of All Souls, Day for All Souls, Devil's Day/Night..
..and so on..whatever name you name it by....

This beautiful holiday is not a time to be angry.

..and while finishing up this post..I was listening to Georgie's mom (there MUST some kindness, & gratitude in his heart w/such a beautiful, funny lady in his life)..talking about him as a gentle, sensitive, kind, tender-hearted little boy..

....and listening to this utterly beyond gorgeous, lovely, beautiful version & request by George's Mom of:
The Sounds Of Silence by Disturbed [Official Music Video]

..forgiveness is possible.
Forgiveness is always possible.
So..maybe that gentle, sensitive, kind, tender-hearted little boy can show up here.

As well, who can be mad, or stay mad..for long with music THAT beautiful being played by a total badass favourite band of mine.

And..besides..staying mad is also not my way/style..
..altho..yes, an apology would certainly be good.

That is all.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

And to end off..

A couple of songs that came to mind, or I discovered..
(..while listening to CBC Radio 2 - pre-Strombo show - I usually have the radio on in my place on Sundays from ~5pm on..& usually after the show as well for some of NightStream..
--> Sunday's REALLY ARE KILLER on CBC Radio 2!),
..or I re-heard these songs, & felt it was a perfect summation of all of this CRAZY stuff.


La La Lie - Basia Bulat - (Live In Studio @ CBC Music)
Also.. (Recorded version w/Lyrics)

Day or night
Friendly or fire
Doesn't feel right to me
I can keep up
Even though I won't feel alright for weeks
Never mind, don't pretend we know the meaning
Don't look up
Try to keep not to notice I'm leaving

When I say that I don't need help
And I promise I will be fine
Oh, I la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to myself
Can you look me straight in the eye?
There's a story for every time
And you la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to yourself

Day and night
You need advice
Don't get caught up with me
Burden of proof
I'm not confused
I wasn't even here
Never mind, don't pretend we know the meaning
Don't look down
Try to not see that you're bleeding

You can say that you don't need help
Can you look me straight in the eye?
Can you la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to yourself

I can promise myself tonight
I rehearsed and I know my lines
I can lie, lie, lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie to myself
Oh, I la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie
Keep lying to myself
Can you la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie
Keep lying to yourself

No, I know that I don't need help
There's a story for every time
Oh, I la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to myself
Oh, la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie
Keep lying to myself
Can you lie, lie, lie, la-la-la-lie
Keep lying to yourself?

La-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to yourself
Oh, I la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to myself
I can I la-la-la-lie, la-la-la-lie, la-la-lie to myself

..and

Timothy Bloom - The Beginning (Work It Out) (Audio)

Timothy Bloom Releases Woozy Throwback Single, ‘Work It Out’

Lyrical Excerpt
(I wrote these out from listening to the YouTube audio..so may not be correct):

"You know when you love somebody,
you gotta treat them kind.

Yah.

If you out there..you got that good one.
Never let her go.

Let me tell you why.

I took her love for granted.
(yah)
I chased all my heart, left me stranded (???)

What I'd do..to get it all back.
My love, my love.

(Work it out)
(whooo, ooohhhh..)
(Work it out)
(whooo, ooohhhh..)
(Work it out)
(whooo, ooohhhh..)
(Work it out)
(whooo, ooohhhh..)

Yahhhhhaaah.

Last time we kissed.
Oh I treasure.
'cause I'm missing those lips..now forever.

Just to get that moment back, baby..
It's driving me crazy.

You got to work it out.

...

"

..and

Patsy Cline Singing Crazy "Live" on the Grand Ole Opry

Lyrics~Crazy-Patsy Cline

No lyrics needed.
Just Crazy.

..and
finally..

Don't Go

Hannah Georgas - Don't Go (Official Video)

I know you, you worry all the time
and now it’s because you want me to be all right
don’t know what I’d do if I lost you
don’t know what I’d do if I lost you

How I wish you didn’t take on everybody’s pain
Cause I know every night you’re saying prayers
don’t know what I’d do if I lost you
don’t know what I’d do if I lost you

So don’t go
don’t go on me now
don’t go
don’t cry on me now

Oh, Oh, god what the hell would I do
If you take her, I swear I’m coming too
Cause I don’t what I’d do
don’t know what I’d do if I lost you

So don’t go
don’t go on me now
don’t go
don’t cry on me now

Hold me like a child

Run fingers thru my hair
Lying on the couch
Watching tv in the basement
Hold me like a child
Run fingers thru my hair
Lying on the couch

don’t go
don’t go on me now
don’t go
don’t cry on me now

so don’t go
don’t go on my now
don’t go
don’t cry on me now

so don’t go
don’t go on my now
don’t go

don’t cry on me now

Just a real, genuine HBD (& an apology) will suffice.
That is all.

~Yours..
..always & forever.. in musical awesome-ness,
Michelle/Dolphin
(@DolphinsDancer / @StromboShowChat)