Monday Morning Musings

A blast from the past – Victoria 2015

“Life in the fast lane, surely make you lose your mind,

Life in the fast lane,

Life in the fast lane, everything all the time,

Life in the fast lane.”

Life in The Fast Lane – The Eagles

After going flat out for four months up north, I am trying to adjust to life in the slow lane. My last stint in Kangiqsujuaq might possibly have been the busiest I have ever been in a job. It was relentless. I was wearing many hats and every second of every day, I was doing something. It was satisfying, rewarding, demanding and exhausting. No regrets.

Now, I spend my days searching for things to keep me out of mischief and from allowing boredom to set in. With the spread of Omicron, this is feeling very much like another quarantine. I have watched way too much television and Netflix shows. It’s not all bad, though. I had the pleasure of Peter’s company for the better part of a month. Our bubble of two worked out well as we worked hard to produce ten podcasts.

It would appear that we’re hopefully reaching the peak of this wave of the pandemic, which means I need suggestions for Netflix shows. I’m currently watching Prison Break, Emily in Paris and yes, Grey’s Anatomy.

I’m also reading a terrific book called Shantaram by Gregory Roberts. It is a true story set in India. After reading the first 10 pages, I was completely hooked. I find it hard to believe that 5 years ago today, I was in southern India working with the poor. So many of the situations in the book, I have lived. I’ve been in slums. I worked and lived close to people afflicted with leprosy. I have experienced the crush of humanity in India’s largest cities and have been enthralled by all the sights, sounds, smells and colours. I miss the Indian people and especially Indian food. Coincidentally, I received a request recently from someone in Scotland for a copy of the book I wrote about my experience.

I am making steady progress with book #7. If I can keep my focus and discipline, I expect that I will have the first draft completed by the end of February. My great friend from Kangiqsujuaq, Mary Arngak, has graciously agreed to proofread my manuscript. She was a mentor and teacher during my time in the village. Sadly, but not surprisingly, Omicron has made its way into the village, and it is currently under lockdown.

I was in Halifax last week visiting a friend. Yes. I did a rapid test before going! We decided to go and see West Side Story on the big screen. The Cineplex Theatres in Bayer’s Lake were open for business with many restrictions in place. I’ve been to this complex long before Covid and it can be a zoo. Not this time. We had to arrive early and show proof of vaccination. The concessions were closed. The long hallway leading to the individual theatres was completely empty. It wasn’t difficult social distancing with a grand total of four people watching our screening. If you are a lover of music and dance, I highly recommend this movie. The dance scenes are incredible but don’t take my word for it. I have two left feet and left many an unsuspecting lass with permanent foot damage back in my teenage years.

Back to the podcasts. As most of you know, podcasts are meant to be an audio experience. They are passive in nature. People listen to podcasts while they are doing other things. Pete and I decided to add a few extra things for those who actually want to click on the link and stare at the screen. We have incorporated music clips and photos but make no mistake, the podcast is primarily designed for audio.

As mentioned last week, producing a good quality podcast has costs. We had to rent sound equipment to create a studio in my apartment. There’s recording of voice and music. There are photos to be arranged with the script. There is a lot of editing during the process and afterwards. I decided to do the first four podcasts at my own expense as an experiment. We produced the raw material for 10 podcasts for Season 1. The first four will run in the month of January. To continue producing and airing the last six podcasts, we are reaching out to folks like you. Somewhat like PBS broadcasts, we are looking for “friends and supporters” of episodes 5-10. Each episode costs $500 for a total of $3000. If you would like to become a supporter of the Week45 podcast, you can send me an e-transfer at lenpdmacdonald@gmail.com. You can remain anonymous, but we would be happy to tag your name on the podcast if you so choose.

I realize that this is a departure for my faithful readers. I have been producing content twice a week for 10 years at no cost. I mean, who in their right mind would pay to read 750 words of fluff?!

Have a great week.