André Gagnon, Update

A Special treat!
Over the Yuletide season, 'Espace musique,' the Radio-Canada music station, presented a special program of Christmas music by André Gagnon, on their radio/TV series: "Studio 12."

For more than half a century, he has been quite busy composing, arranging and performing his distinctive music -- with the emphasis on how it sounds rather than on written notation.
And ... his products REALLY sell!

Nearly 20 years after he released his Christmas album, 'Noël' -- which sold more than 200,000 copies

The Seasons Change

Winter begins on December 22, at 1:30 a.m. -- Well, d'uh!
It is the shortest day, but the earth / sun reveal a few wrinkles:

-- The earliest sunset is TODAY, at 4:33 p.m.*
-- The latest sunrise is in 2 weeks' time, January 3, at 7:51 a.m.
Similarly, the swing days for Summer follow this pattern:
Summer arrives on June 20, 2012, at 8:09 p.m.
-- Earliest sunrise: June 15, 5:25 a.m.
-- Latest sunset: June 23, 9:04 p.m.
Spring equinox: March 20, 9:09 p.m.; Autumnal: September 22, 11:49 a.m.
Right now, you may (finally!) be asking yourself: How does he know all that?

Vive 'Movember'!

For the last three weeks, I have been sporting a moustache. There is nothing odd about that, because I had one for more than 28 years during my teaching career. (I probably started it so that I would look older that my high school students!)

I have a more important purpose this time, as I am joining the ''Movember' movement with my brothers from around the world. This organization is set up to promote awareness of men's health, and raise money for research, primarily into prostate cancer.
To learn more about this campaign, check out their website.
They state:
We want everyone to know that most cancers are highly curable if caught in the early stages - including prostate and testicular cancer.

Remembrance Day: 11 / 11 / 11

"Lest We Forget"

"The Ben Saga"

Our extended family -- and many other kind folks -- have been actively taking part in 'The Ben Saga' over the past ten days.
It all began when our grandson, Ben, age 21, music student in Columbus, Ohio, didn't feel well, was coughing a lot, and went to seek medical help. He was diagnosed with pneumonia, prescribed some antibiotics, and sent home. The next day, his cough worsened, and he lost all his energy, so he returned to hospital for tests.
The medical experts discovered right away he had lost the use of one lung, and the other was working at only 30% level! 

Three Obituaries

It has been a rough week; three people in my 'orbit' have passed away.
Judy was my cousin and classmate in elementary school. She was a beautiful singer. (I still remember singing some difficult parts of the Latin 'Mass of the Angels' with her during morning Mass. The Priest must have approved, as he never critiqued our duets!)
She loved serving as the 'life of the party,' and enjoyed the spotlight.
We'd all look forward to school concert season: the waiting, the hard work at rehearsals and performances, after which she would regale us with an expert performance of HER version of the show. Of course, she played ALL THE PARTS:

Radio … and Me – 20

Baseball on Radio, Two Nations
The 2011 Baseball regular season is starting its final series.
On Summer / Fall evenings, I am lucky enough to capture broadcasts of most Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees games on radio (after the Blue Jays game is over, of course!).
I spent a year in Boston (during the long 'drought' years between their winning a World Series), and travelled through many cities, towns and hamlets across New England. I've listened to Red Sox baseball almost everywhere: on my car radio, in homes and in restaurants, over outdoor loudspeakers at shopping areas, and even at Fenway Park itself.
You’ll find that members of 'Red Sox Nation' are always up to date on their beloved team’s record and stats, and able – nay, eager – to discuss them in great detail,