I stumbled across that quote and have been driving everyone crazy with it for the past 24 hours.  I LOVE IT!  Hope you do, too.

Welcome to Friday and, as I've been doing every Friday since 2010 began, except for last week's abbreviated version, I thought I'd share a few e-mails that have come my way.  Tons about jeans.  But first...this one was in response to my lament about how easily we get paper cuts at this time of year.  Thanks to Anna for this tip:

Hi there...a little tip for "dry skin cuts/paper cuts" Buy a couple of Dollar Store Chap Stick and just dab a small chunk in that small area and rub in just that small area. It gives a quick feel good and works. Creaming all hands all day is not easy. Now not to be funny but do not use the same tube for your lips!!!

Bye Bye, stay warm...Anna

Most of all Avatar reminded me of Dances With Wolves in many ways.

I liked Avatar quite a bit, liked the new movie-making concepts, haven't found a best picture for me yet. Personally, I thought Slumdog was predictable, but then again I think Goodfellas is a classic (if you like Scorsese...and I do). To each their own!

Love Hxo

Avatar is the most amazing movie I've ever seen. Twice now and going for #3 - trying to get my husband to see it before it goes off big screen. I though it 'fantastical' (magical and fantastic). I got to sleep visualizing the flying scenes, the singing and movement of the people, etc. Very soothing movie - can't wait for the sequel.  Have a great day! Anna

Greetings from Kuala Lumpur. Now here on a long term assignment with Peter. Had to tell you when he was here just before Christmas, he was stopped by a street vendor on Dec. 19. This man was carrying a sports bag and asked him if he wanted to buy a movie, any movie, just name it. As Avatar had just premiered in Hollywood, Peter said Avatar, the guy reached into his bag and pulled out the DVD. THREE days after being released in Hollywood, these pirated version were being sold on the street. For the equivalent of C$2. Cheers Barbara

Boy, I'd rather watch a movie projected on the back of a screaming baby's head than a pirated version of anything.  Especially something as visually spectacular as Avatar.

Now, to the Sisterhood of the Unravelling Pants.  (Okay, I tried).  I wrote on Wednesday about jeans that fit when you buy them and then they loosen up immediately.  Or the fact that I was sucked into buying a pair of jeans a few weeks back that I thought were okay until I saw they were a size 8.  Then I loved them.  (Yes, it would appear that I am that shallow.)  Here's what you had to say, starting with Sari:

I am TOTALLY there with you about the jeans.  I once bought a pair at the GAP, ONLY because they said size 6 and fit - I certainly didn't need another pair!!  I've had them for years and worn them so much that the knees now have "rips" in them, just like what they are selling now. Still fashionable after all these years!!

Oh Erin, I know just how you feel. I finally bit my lip and bought a pair of "skinny " jeans the other day. My normal size range depending on the designer is 8-10. The skinny jeans I bought were a size 6! The waist size was a 26! I read somewhere that the designers are making the size 8 really a size 10, etc etc. just to make us feel good. Works for me. I know I'm not a size 6, never have been, nor is my waist really 26. But I bought those jeans, a clingly top and a big wide belt and I look great! My husband's eyes nearly popped out of his head! That in itself was worth it. We've been together 29 years and I'm 51. Cheers! Cindy

Erin, A few weeks ago, I found a black plastic bag of clothes in our basement. The clothes must be circa mid-90s when the heavy shoulder pads were in. I tried a couple of size-10 pants from the bag, and couldn't zip it up; yet, I am a perfect size 6 in today's clothes.

Definitely, standard sizing for women has changed. They make us feel good!

Your blog today on 'jeans & sizes' reminded me of a story I thought I'd share.

Years ago I worked at a high-end womens clothing store. We had one regular client that was a bit on the 'larger' side, but always insisted that she was a size 14, though sometimes we were able to blame it on the 'manufacturer' and that a 16 would work.

On quite a few occasions, the seamstresses were asked to remove the true size tag and replace it with the 'new & improved' size tag to appease the customer and have her agree to purchase the garment. It kept her happy, convinced that she was indeed a size 14 (and heaven help any new sales associates that worked in the store and had her as a client without a heads up warning them to never mention or dispute the clients 'size') and the store happy that they could make the sale.

[Sue later wrote to tell me that that client had eventually BOUGHT the store!  Wonder if she found out about the fancy footwork where tagging was concerned?  ed.]

And yes, I too hate how these 'new' jeans stretch out. I sometimes bring along an extra belt, just to keep my pants up after a few hours. But at the same time, they feel and look great at the beginning...have a great day, Sue

Good Morning Erin...I just read today's journal and had to smile broadly. I could so relate to your elation on the size 8 pants.

I clearly recall a day, shopping with my sister, who is a size 6, when I found a skirt that I liked. I grabbed it and headed for the dressing room based only on holding it up and looking at what I thought had to be the wrong size on the label because it looked like it would fit me. Sure enough, I put it on and it fit beautifully! I was then certain that it had been mis-sized....size 2!

At that time I usually found that I wore an 8 or 9 in most styles. Well the sales lady smiled at my delight but explained that, no, it hadn't been mis-labelled at all...I was wearing it wrong! Wearing it wrong? hmmmm, how does one wear a skirt wrong, I inquired. She said that it was meant to be worn quite a bit lower on the hip (for a younger person style) and that a size 2 would be right if worn 'correctly'.

Well, with a laugh, I let my sister try on the skirt and pull it down, let it rest at her hip line and sure enough, it fit her too. I could wear it on my waist and she could wear it on her hip. Ingenious...a skirt that made both of us happy.

But, I have to tell you, I did buy that skirt and bragged about the fact that I was wearing a size 2...no need to explain my style faux pas. I sure felt good.

Erin; Love the journal of Jeans. I have just lost 50 lbs and have been battling with having to replace my clothing. Especially the pants. I had the same problem with the Jeans being good at the store and in a few days they were a little too big. However I am now a size 2 and they are pretty hard to find mid season, even on the sale racks. (I just had to brag a bit too) I haven't seen that size on me since I had hit menopause and gained weight against my will. (early meno for me at 39) You, however, inspired me into getting into shape, so I set up my own diet plan which was healthy and took to some serious consistent excercise.

The reason I was actually writing you was re: the pedestrian deaths and what can be done, besides telling people they have to watch the cars when crossing and make eye contact. If you don't have the eye contact with the driver don't start out. I think the no turn on red is good, however, like was said just before I got out of my car to come into the office, the cars try to beat it and the pedestrians aren't watching for this. I think that maybe right turn signals. That means pedestrians can't cross during this signal.

Pedestrians should have a scarf or something that is very bright as I see so many in all black and you can't spot them. Maybe someone should make a glow in the dark scarf and this would let them be seen before the last second (which could prove to be a fatal last second.) Have a really great day.

Hope all is well with everyone....it's been a while!

I wanted to share some happy news from Jamaica with you.  Thanks in part to the generous donation from you and your amazing CHFI prizewinners, young Anjay McKenzie (the little boy with the rapidly disappearing eye sight) had his eye surgery last week in Kingston.   According to Lyndsay Isaacs, it was successful and he's recovering nicely.

Thank you again for your role in changing this little boy's life and helping to give him the gift of sight.

Kind regards,
Tracy McCann

Tons of feedback on yesterday's "jeans" journal, so you will enjoy the responses tomorrow here in my Friday Feedback.  But for today...

Well, Avatar has done it.  It has surpassed Titanic for highest-grossing movie on the planet.  The numbers came out on Tuesday morning; Mike, Debbie, Rob and I went to see it the night before.  Coincidence?  Of course.  But it's fun to think we were right there making history, sitting in the tenth row in our slightly goofy Buddy Holly 3D glasses.

A few thoughts today on Avatar.

First, it's a good movie - a very good movie - with a dumb name.  When I think of an avatar, I think of the creatures people use in parallel universes online, and it immediately turned me off the movie.  I didn't want to see a movie about computer characters, I want to see a movie about people, or characters I could believe or to which I could relate.  Okay, so I was wrong there.  This movie's Na'vi (the natives of planet Pandora) had plenty of character.  But I still think the movie could be better named.

Meantime, here's an e-mail I got from a listener who heard me say that on the air Tuesday.  I thought this note from Stephen O. was pretty cool:

Hi Erin, Heard you mention that you did not like the movie name Avatar and it sounded like a computer word. I feel based on the story it is a fitting name.

In Hinduism, Avatar or Avatâra (Devanagari, Sanskrit for "descent" [viz., from heaven to earth]) refers to a deliberate descent of a deity from heaven to earth, and is mostly translated into English as "incarnation", but more accurately as "appearance" or "manifestation".

The term is most often associated with Vishnu, though it has also come to be associated with other deities.

Thankyou to you and the full CHFI team for a wonderful show that keeps the sun shining day and night.

God Bless, Stephen.

Will I see it again?  Probably not.  But am I glad I saw it?  Yes.  As far as a big screen spectacle goes, this is it.  It's an incredible treat for the senses.  You have to see it in a theatre (regardless of how big your basement screen is) and you should see it in 3D.  Even go IMAX, if you're not overly prone to motion sickness and don't mind spending even more money.  After all, how often does a movie "event" come along, anyway?  Buy a ticket, see it in a theatre.  Enjoy the communal experience and the big bag of popcorn.  Sometimes life's too short to wait and rent.

Does Avatar live up to its hype?  Yes.  And no.  Nothing is ever as good as months' worth of build-up and one shattered record after another.  No matter what it is, nothing can ever live up to the lofty expectations that we build in our imaginations.  But it is an amazing feat in movie-making, has a pretty good story, contains many of the elements that people look for in a blockbuster (action, drama, fantasy, romance, heroes and villains) and it never lags.  I didn't for a moment come through a scene and think, "That could have been way shorter."  There was no excess; it was all good.  All 2:40 of it.

Is it the best picture ever (as its box office would suggest)?  Not for me.  But then again, if everyone liked the same thing, there'd be long lineups for everything (thank you Bob Magee for that nugget of wisdom).

You may spit out your Timmies as you read this, but to me, last year's Best Picture at the Academy Awards was the near-perfect movie.  It was a joyous little film called Slumdog Millionaire.  One of my co-workers - who thought Avatar was the best movie he'd ever seen - didn't even watch past the 20-minute mark of Slumdog (too bad!), but to me, it was everything I want in a movie.  Heroes, villains, a love-conquers-all storyline, triumph over adversity and even a chance to go some place I'd never been before.  Okay, I've never been to Pandora, either, but…you know what I mean.  It was a completely and utterly joyful movie-going experience.

For my money, Slumdog Millionaire is a better film than Avatar.  But then again, I'm comparing mangoes and blueberries.  Totally different and vastly pleasing on separate levels.

Oscar nominations come next Tuesday and they're sure to hail Avatar (and well they should) as the cinematic pinnacle that it is.  But to me, what pleases the eye and thrills the brain is not nearly as important as what touches the heart.

"Jai Ho!" indeed.

Talk to you here tomorrow (and on 98.1 CHFI of course) and don't forget, another 7 night cruise on the Disney Magic will be awarded after the 7:30 am news.  Don't miss it.

Erin

What were the lines to that Fleetwood Mac song?  "Tell me lies, tell me sweet little lies..." and in some places, I couldn't agree more.  Like, in my pants.

Just before heading off for the Disney cruise, I bought a few pieces of clothing.  Most of my pants are feeling kinda baggy these days, which is not so much a product of diet or exercise, but the fact that any jeans you buy with the least bit of stretch tend to fit great when you try them on, and then within a few days are about a size too big.  Do you find that?

So there I am at the Bay, Bloor Street (where I got the lady behind the counter to turn the radio to 98.1 CHFI - you can ask, too) trying on pants.  Over in the Ralph Lauren section there's a pair of side button navy-style jeans that I really liked, they were on sale and, for a change, they were long enough for me - something RL pants rarely are.  The day was going well!

Then I went over to the Jones New York and Anne Klein section.  Completely forgetting that the jeans at home that have gotten baggy were also AK, I tried on a few pairs of jeans that seemed to fit really well.  Then, another pair - these ones black - that fit a little more tightly and even gave me a bit of a muffin top. I bent and stretched, they moved with me, and I figured that me and the muffin would work things out.

As I did my change room contortions, I debated whether to buy "tighter" in the knowledge that they'd loosen up.  Then I looked at the price.  Yep, they were on sale.  That's a good thing.  Then I looked at the size.  And more than anything - more than the fit, the price, the colour or the style - it sold me.  For there it was, a size I've not seen since it matched my age: 8.

Okay, okay.  I'm not bragging here - I'm really not, even though I was double that size less than 2 years ago.  But truthfully, I know I'm no more a size 8 today than I am a circus performer, a bowling pin or a cast member on The Simpsons.  Let's be honest.

But I bought those "size 8" jeans for three reasons:
1)    I knew they'd stretch (and they have) and fit me.
2)    Fitting into a "size 8" made me feel good, and finally...
3)    Fitting into a "size 8" made me feel awesome.

Yes, I know the next time I go to try on a top in some boutique and their "One Size" refers to any woman who can fit comfortably through a doggie door, my deflation that day will match the elation I felt the day I found those Crazy 8's.  But alas, I'll only be deflated in spirit, not in actual bum size.  That's not how it works.  ~ sigh ~

For now - just for now - I shall revel in my fictitious Size Eightness.  Perhaps I should search out opportunities to "drop trou" so that others may see that little tag.

Hmm...I wonder if I'm completely up on my shots?

Have a great day!  If I stay away from badly lit bathing suit changing rooms and clothing designed for sizes 1 through 2, I know I will.

Now that the panic seems to have subsided (or at least they've lightened up on the illusion of increased security in airports), we're back to some semblance of normalcy in terms of what we can and cannot take as carry-on into the US.  That's good news for when Mike and I next head to Florida for shows from Disney World.

On our most recent trip, we had to pack away everything except what I could put in a purse and a laptop case (as long as it didn't have wheels).  But then, due to a change in someone's horoscope, a drop/rise in the barometric pressure in Antarctica or a friendly fortune cookie at a restaurant in Queens, the rules relaxed and it was back to pre-Christmas business as usual.

But it was not the arbitrarily eliminated rules that had us shaking our heads with incredulity and frustration at Orlando airport as we headed home last Thursday.

After we checked in, we headed toward the security scanners.  Once there, we showed our boarding passes and passports to an attendant at a podium.  With a glance over glasses frames and the flick of a pen, we were each sent on to line up for the scanners and conveyor belts.

Now, here's where it got confusing.  Two long lines snaked their way toward one opening, a gateway if you will to the security scanners.  And because the two lines had to merge (and we do tend to live in a "me first" society, unless merging is mandated) sometimes the line didn't move for minutes at a go (or stop).

While we stood there, it occurred to me: like a diner who struggles with chopsticks although a fork sits inches from his plate, the Orlando airport has, at its figurative fingertips, the most organized corporation in the world.  Why on earth wouldn't Orlando contact and contract someone from Walt Disney World - just down the road - to come and organize their lineups?

Nobody does queues like Disney!  You could be in for a one hour wait at a ride (something Fastpasses have eliminated for the most part) and still stand there smiling foolishly, thinking, "We're just about there!  Yes, we're just about there!  Doot-de-doo.  Not long now kiddies, we'll be on that ride in a matter of minutes!"

Of course, you end up passing the same smiley-faced families over and over in your maze-like line, but through that hour of standing and waiting, you have the illusion of actually getting somewhere.

Instead of pretending we're more secure, I'd be happy if we could pretend the lines are moving.

After all, it's all about making travellers feel a little happier.  And in the end, it all makes about as much sense.

Welcome to Monday - and it's so good to be back in the familiar confines of our studios at Bloor and Jarvis.  We still have a bit of a glow (or in Mike's case, a cold) as a reminder of the amazing week we shared with you from the Disney Wonder, and I wanted to include some more pictures from the final night of our cruise.  Don't forget we're giving away two more family trips (for 7 nights) this Friday and next.  Daily qualifying continues this week just after 7:30 am.

First of all, after a day of flawless sunshine, we were treated to a sunset that our cabin attendant Chris assured us was really not just an everyday thing.  As is so often the case, pictures can hardly do it justice, but I tried.  And notice how calm the seas are.  It was a perfect day - all week the weather was sunny and warm - and just the right note on which to end our week of shows.

We did our final ship broadcast on Thursday from outside the majestic Walt Disney Theater.  It was in that very auditorium that an unknown singer named Jennifer Hudson (now an Oscar winner for her show-stopping performance in Dreamgirls) played one of Hercules' muses in a show on board the ship.  Yes, there's that calibre of talent in every Disney cruise show.

As for ours, well, you can be the judge there!

On Wednesday night we enjoyed a dinner that can only - and perfectly - be summed up in one word: spectacular.  The hallway to the Animator's Palate lets you know you're in for something special.

This is our Disney host, Jonathan Frontado.  He held our hands all week and made sure we saw as much of the ship and as many of its shows and restaurants as our schedules would allow.  A nicer host you will never meet.  He was the Honourary Wise Guy who spoke Spanish on Thursday - perhaps you remember?

Notice the background in that shot with me and Jonathan, because things are going to change, and I'll show you.  In the meantime, look at the paintbrush designs on the tops of the restaurant's pillars.  Gorgeous!

When you first sit down in the Animator's Palate, you can't help admiring the striking black and white scenes from all of your favourite Disney movies.  In this picture near our table, Captain Hook is going toe to toe (nose to nose?) with Peter Pan.

But as the evening goes on and one delicious course follows another, you notice something special happening on the walls near your table - and all around the massive dining room.  See it?  Colour.  They're changing from black and white to colour!

The colours gradually become more vivid until you have this!

Want to see it again?  Here's Pocahontas and John Smith.

And then, as dinner wraps up, there they are in full colour - and look at the walls - even they have come to life!

But the imagination doesn't end with the walls and animation.  Our server Januar (yes, like the month but without the "y" at the end) started the evening dressed like this...

Here the waiters all paraded in, while delighted guests like us waved our napkins over our heads.  Then they all joined hands and took one big bow to the thunderous applause of their most appreciative patrons.

And so, my friend, ends our Disney adventure - for now.  We have more surprises up our sleeves than Mickey Mouse in the Sorcerer's Apprentice, so you can expect a whole lot more excitement in the weeks to come.

And as the sun sets on this adventure, we're looking forward to the next one and sharing it with you - both on the radio and, for some lucky CHFI listeners, in person.

Have a good Monday, stay dry, and we'll talk to you here tomorrow.

(See what happens when I let the wind dry my hair after a shower?  I couldn't resist sharing the shot with you anyway!)

Hey there - welcome to Friday.  While we're not exactly enjoying a summer day, we are taking this opportunity to recharge after a week that saw a lot less sleep and a lot more excitement (and yes, work) than usual.  Plus, Mike's down with a pretty bad cold, and has to host the "Saturday Night Oldies" show from the Old Mill tomorrow.  So he's got to try and get better.

Enjoy the show with Tish & Darren today, including the Grand Prize winner of a 7 night cruise on the Disney Magic.  We'll do it again next Friday and the Friday after that and then...well, let's just say, we have a lot more magic up our sleeves.

Take care and have a great weekend.  I'll have lots of pictures of one of the most astounding restaurants you will ever see (you can't quite believe your eyes) on Monday.  'Til then, thanks for coming by and we'll talk to you then.

You're not going to believe what I did yesterday and it's more Dizzy World than Disney World, believe me.  I sat on my small deck for a few hours after the show and I think the sun must have fried my brain.  I went inside, set the alarm for 2:50, all ready to fire up the computer and put on Lauren's college radio station at 3:00 to hear her very first news cast.  3:00 rolls around (and I'm as nervous as a proud mom can be) and some guy comes on!  That's not my Little Dee!

Then I went back through her tweets to me.  Yep, there it was: "2 o'clock on Wednesday...".  I can't believe I messed that up.  Here I thought I'd get a good two hour nap and then turn it on.  As it happens, in my dream I awoke at 7:30 pm, had missed our final dinner with our Disney hosts on board the ship plus the big finale "Disney Dreams" show, and worst of all, had missed Lauren's news cast.

I'm sure she didn't want me listening anyway.  Makes her even more nervous, she says...yes, that's what I'll tell myself.  Next Wednesday, for sure.

I spent a teary evening last night at a magical dinner followed by a very special show (more on that Monday) and missed our little girl so much.  Ah, but they do grow so quickly....

Yesterday was smooth sailing.  Honestly, the ocean as we sailed back towards Florida was calmer than most lakes.  It was a gorgeous note on which to end a truly spectacular week.

Now, to your pictures!  Today we did our show from outside the gorgeous Walt Disney Theater on board the Wonder.  Here's something I found fascinating: the ship was built around this theatre which takes up five decks in this enormous vessel.

And because the theatre came first (as did entertainment for the man for whom it's named) there are no poles, no pillars to block anyone's view.  Pretty astounding, huh?

Rules prohibit us shooting the stage, but the house is still pretty spectacular.  Here's one of the boxes at the side.  It's in keeping with the whole art nouveau decor that adorns the ship.  It was in this theatre that we enjoyed the big finale Disney Dreams last night. 

It's also where the all-encompassing "Golden Mickeys" show took place the first night we arrived.  Here's the award itself.

And while Mike (seated at our broadcast site yesterday) didn't exactly win one, you could tell he liked it!  He really liked it!

Here I am with Dallas newsman David Rancken from KVIL, as he "presents" me with my award.  Want some eggs with that ham?

While we had fun meeting the two other morning radio teams from Dallas and LA, the real characters of course, were the ones that Walt Disney's team created.  Like Chip 'n Dale!

And while he may not have been Johnny Depp, who graces next month's GQ, Captain Jack Sparrow was looking pretty hot (for a guy who wore more makeup than I do, of course).

Mike, using a magic wand, is "hoisted on his own petard" as the saying goes.  Or, he's just trying to leave a strange scar.  Another one.

Here's what I got to look at all yesterday morning: Rogers broadcasting (and former Canadian Navy man) Brian Wheatley, "The General" and Mike Cooper.  Behind them, the gorgeous art that adorns the ceiling.  It's made by the same man who created the breathtaking glass art in the Bellagio in Vegas.  But this one is fibreglass, for weight (and wave) reasons.

On a sea day, there's always plenty to do on the ship.  One of yesterday's activities was learning how to fold towels into animal shapes.  That's quite a stingray there!

Mike, meantime, found this monkey hanging around the broadcast site.  When I saw that in my cabin last night it made me jump in fright (towel monkey, not Mike).

Now that I look at it, it kind of resembles a duck hanging in a window on Dundas Street downtown.  Frozen duck.  That's it.

Here's a man who can fold towels, which is remarkable whether they're animals or not.  His name - first I've ever encountered - is Goodluck.  I'm not kidding.  I asked if his name had brought him any, and he said, "mostly".  (The rest of the answer was probably, "except for all the dumb questions from curious cruisers".)  I'm kidding.  You will never meet a more relentlessly cheerful, patient and helpful group than the cast and crew of a Disney Cruise.

Well, my friend, that's it from here.  Our bags were at our doors at 11 pm (always an organizational challenge for morning) and today we're hanging on to our carry-on until we can put our equipment back into our suitcases.  We fly in around supper time which makes for a hugely long day.  That's why Tish and Darren will be with you tomorrow morning.

This tired little journalist will give it a rest on Friday, too.  (*there is one shot I'll share Friday just for fun...)

But on Monday I will post a journal with some shots that didn't make it into this week's journals, so I hope you'll come back.  In the meantime, be listening for your name tomorrow at 7:30 am and then for the Grand Prize draw (with two more weeks of winning to come): a 7 night cruise on the Disney Magic for your family.

Erin
 

Where is this week going?  It's amazing how much you can cram into 24 hours (if you're not worried about, er, sleep...).
We did yesterday's show as we pulled into Castaway Cay, the 1,000 acre island owned by Disney at which its two ships the Wonder and Magic stop during their cruises.  Soon the next big thing (literally), the Dream will be making a stop at the Cay, too, but that's in 2011.  Right now, they're making room for this ship, which will house 4,000 guests, compared with Wonder and Magic's 2,700.  Can you imagine?

Here's the sunrise that greeted us...

...and we couldn't wait to get to Disney's own island.  So, after a quick breakfast, followed by a backstage tour of the Walt Disney Theatre (I'll share those pictures with you later in the week), we put on our beach attire and headed off the Deck 1 gangway and got set to explore.  Of course, I should have had Mike on a small leash, as he is prone to wandering...

I couldn't resist turning back and taking another shot of this majestic vessel we've called "home" since Sunday.  I hate to think we have to disembark tomorrow.  It's gone so quickly!

Here is the Flying Dutchman, which is the actual fibreglass prop used in Pirates of the Caribbean II.  The details are incredible!  And that is one scary ghost ship, yes?

You have to love the art on these markers!  See anyone you recognize?  I thought you might.

We stopped off for barbecue at the restaurant on the island.  Mike enjoyed his best hamburger of the trip; I had one rib and a piece of chicken.  Just heavenly.

Of course there are beaches for families with children, but we headed for the adults-only section of the Cay.  Quite the plane in the background, isn't it?

Serenity Beach certainly lived up to its name.  It was a pleasant little place to set up a chair and beach towel and watch the waves and pelicans.

Oh, and there was other wildlife that you couldn't help noticing, too.  Here, Mike and Ian "The General" MacArthur remind us that a crucial part of being outdoors in warm weather (and it's been 24 or so every day) is hydration!

They tried to persuade me to join them; even brought out a little chair for me.  "C'mon," they cried, "the water's great!"

And so, I did.  One of the Disney folks was kind enough to capture the moment.  Oh, and just to be perfectly clear, Ian happens to talk with his hands.  There was neither hanky, nor panky, going on there on Serenity Beach (or trust me, it wouldn't have been very serene)!

Here's one of the fun areas for families.  Lots of aqua bikes, inflatable tubes and stuff for fun in the sun.  Off beach, you can rent bicycles or even personal watercrafts.

At 4:30 sharp, they sound the ship's horn to tell everybody to get back to the ship!  On our way, I took one last shot of the movie ship.  It's really something to see.

Last night's dinner was themed "Pirates In the Caribbean", and as usual, Ian MacArrrrrrrthur had a great time - having a pirate name and all!  Fireworks were held on the top deck at 10:15 pm - too late for the early risers among us (a real regret, I must say) but we'll just have to do this again.  And so, off we go into another day and more adventures, Disney style.

Today is a sea day, which for us translates to "sleep day", as we make our way back to Port Canaveral for disembarkation tomorrow and our return to Toronto.  I really hope you're enjoying these pictures and, most importantly, our shows from the Disney Wonder.  In every way, it lives up to its name.  Talk to you tomorrow.

Welcome into Day Two of our Disney Wonder Cruise (the Sea-quel...ha ha).  Here's our beautiful ship, whose sister ship the Magic will host lucky CHFI winners.  Go to www.chfi.com if you're not already entered and good luck!  I shot this one of our ship in port in Nassau yesterday.

So, where were we?  After a beautiful dinner Sunday evening in the adults-only dining room Palo (or "pole" in Italian, after the poles in Venice, of course) we returned what seemed like only a few hours later to do our show from the very same spot.  Yes, it was dark (they brought us little lamps to help us read our stuff) but a lovely setting in which to do a show.  Here are Mike and our engineer Brian, who was there with The General setting up at (gulp) 3 am.  Mike and I arrived at 4:30 am.  (It's a little dark, but I've fixed the camera setting, so the shots will get better after these few, I promise!)

There's our set-up, complete with boxes to boost our mics up to mouth level (sometimes the magic is not so magical at all!) and our notes, markers, clock and scattered papers...all of the elements of a live radio show, right before your eyes.

The restaurant's chef set up a table to illustrate the Champagne Brunch that the Wonder offers grown-up guests.  Don't worry about kids feeling left out; there are play groups and activities for children of all ages.  Disney has them covered.  And no, tempting as it looks, I didn't partake!

Notice the stripes?  I always feel I should dress like a sailor in case I'm asked to help out on the bridge.  Hasn't happened yet but, hey, it could!

As daylight began to peek through the darkness, you can see why they chose Palo with its many windows for us to do our show.  At about 8:30 we started to pull up into Nassau.  You'll be able to see Brian's pics on www.chfi.com - I was a bit busy.  Doing this, I guess...

Here we are, the proverbial calm ducks with our feet paddling as fast as they can below the surface.  There's a whole different kind of "excitement" (shall we say) to doing a live broadcast from a ship, but we wouldn't miss the experience for anything.  After all, it's all about sharing some warmth with you on a January morning and, of course, bringing you all of these Disney family cruises!

Here I am trying to keep up with Facebook, still just stunned at CHFI Big Bag of Cash contestant Gary going all the way to $2500 and continuing...then hitting the wall.  He still wins $98 as a CHFI Loyalty Club member, though.

At the end of a four-hour marathon, we finally unplugged our equipment and cleared out of Palo.  The Dallas radio station just down from us broadcast from 7 'til 11 am Toronto time, while the LA station just next to us didn't start 'til 8 am, lucky ducks.  But we were done sooner!

On our way out of Palo, Jenny from the gorgeous Wonder spa had a chair set up just for us, and I was treated to a shoulder and neck rub.  Jenny's fingers will never be the same after massaging the knots and blocks that make up my muscles in that region.  She recommended about three treatments to help me relax.  And vodka. (Okay, that last one, not so much.  But I'm sure she was thinking it!)

Mommy wants more hands-on, please.

Further relaxation was not in the cards, however: we had a galley tour to take in!  Now, this is really exciting.  A few months ago I saw a show about how ships work behind the scenes and I have to say that the galley (or kitchen to you and me) was one of the most fascinating parts of the show.  I know - me in a kitchen?  But it's pretty neat.  Especially when somebody else is doing all the work.

First, we met the top chef of the Wonder, whose name is Patrick and who hails from - where else? - France.  He took time out of a tremendously busy day to show us around.

How do you keep food hot for thousands of hungry diners?  With ssssssssteam heat, of course.

Okay, now we're coming to my favourite part of the kitchen: where the desserts are made.  Mike and Chef Patrick had to physically restrain me.  (I think the ship is now in the process of either banning tours or installing some kind of electric fence.)

Petit fours, anyone?  These plates are delivered to the staterooms of some guests.  (I got cookies.  Trust me, they were great.)

This next picture is for our producer Gord.  Awesome job back home yesterday keeping us on the air (and you, too, engineer Anthony!) and spinning all of those plates.  Gord: it's the biggest vat of bacon we've ever seen.  This time it was Mike who had to be restrained.  It was a little embarrassing when he just broke down and cried.

A short trip into Nassau was followed by a one-hour nap, then dinner and journalling.  The days go by so quickly - and we can't wait to wake you up today as we sail into Castaway Cay.  Lots more pictures tomorrow.  Here's the Wonder as she arrives at Disney's own island!

Thanks for sharing this journey with me and, of course, with CHFI every morning.  Good luck on today's CHFI Big Bag of Cash with Pizza Pizza.  We were dying when our contestant kept pushing his luck yesterday, and wonder just how blue he is from kicking himself all day.  But that's what the game is all about: how far can you go?  Yesterday at 5:05 Darren's winner stopped at $700.  What will you do?

Take care and have a gentle Tuesday.  Oh, last night as Mike and I sat on my balcony after dinner, I saw a shooting star - my second in less than a month.  I'm hoping it's a good sign and the rest of the week will be crazy fun for you to listen to.  Bye for now!

Erin

Welcome in, and thank you for sharing this adventure with us aboard the Disney Wonder.  Truly "wonder" is the right word; I can't begin to imagine how we're doing a Toronto radio show from a moving ship in the Caribbean.  Here's hoping it all goes smoothly (by the time you read this, you'll know if it is going as well as we hope) and that our efforts to share the experience with you are successful.

This'll be a long one today - lots of pictures and the description of tightened security at the airport that I promised.  So grab a coffee and get comfy.  Here we go!

Here's the ship that Mike, "The General", Brian Wheatley (our engineer) and I boarded yesterday in Port Canaveral, Florida.

Isn't she gorgeous?  Now, before you think, "Hey, she actually learned how to flip a picture length-wise," I have to say this is a picture from the web - but all the rest you can blame on me.  See the painting of Mickey Mouse at the wheel, up there on the bow?  Pretty cool.  In fact that's a bit of the fun of being anywhere "Disney": finding the hidden Mickeys.  There's even a book to help you!

She's a magnificent vessel, luxuriously appointed and loaded up with enough fun to blow your mind - no matter what your age.  By the way, check out CHFI's Facebook page to see more pictures.  The General is shooting here, too, so there are lots to enjoy.  After all, we're here to share this experience with you - both vicariously, through the airwaves and, of course, in person if you win one of the trips we're giving away!

We shared an afternoon and evening in at Walt Disney World Epcot Center on Saturday night, then got to bed and prepared for this cruise adventure.

An hourlong bus ride yesterday brought to us Port Canaveral.  We're pretty excited, as if you couldn't tell!  There's our ship in the background.

Nobody does "organization" like Disney, and the cruise ship terminal was not only immaculate, but speedy, too.

Mike and Ian met the lovely Ariel (from Disney's The Little Mermaid) in the stunning Art Nouveau decorated ship's lobby.  Looks like she's favouring Mike, General.

Sometimes Mike makes my hair stand on end, too.

Just a railing with a cool backdrop, but a nice chance to squeeze between my two buddies.

Behind my back, they're caressing each other's arms.  They didn't think I'd notice.

After lunch and a tour of the ship, we got to unpack.  This is my stateroom.  Mike's, Ian's and Brian's are the same, however mine will be the one without the Jockeys on the floor.

Now, while my cabin is certainly comfortable (first time I've had one with a bathtub, I might add), for sheer opulence you have to see the Vice Presidential Suites and the Roy O. Disney Suites.  The woodwork alone could make you cry.

If the woodwork doesn't, the cost will: the Roy O. or Walt Disney suites run $15,000 for 4 nights.  Seriously.  The Vice Presidential Suite is $10,000.  (Does not include Joe Biden).

If people with that much money actually used the bathroom like the rest of us, well, here's where they'd go.  And they have Jacuzzi tubs, too!

The Disney Wonder is a decorator's dream, as you can imagine.  But some of the most beautiful sights can be seen only by looking up. That is the case with these delicate Murano glass birds that gracefully flutter above the beauty salon.

Since we boarded before the rest of the Wonder's passengers, I had room to lie on my back in the lobby to shoot upwards.  Gorgeous glass (Murano again) that resembled jellyfish, don't you think?

Then I got run over by a Samsonite.  Felt rather flat for the rest of the day.

After a lovely dinner in the "adults only" restaurant Palo, we stretched out on my bed (and pull out) to watch the Golden Globe Awards.  Sure we're on a cruise ship, but we couldn't miss the rascally Ricky Gervais in such a loose and boozy atmosphere.  It's the relatively carefree yin to the Oscars' stuffy yang and as much as we knew we'd be challenged in a lot of ways this morning if we stayed up, we couldn't miss seeing the show to talk about it for you today.

Speaking of things we promised to talk about, here is our security experience as we departed Pearson Saturday for the US.

We arrived at the airport at 8:00 am for a 10:15 am flight.  We checked in, grabbed a coffee and then at 9:15 headed for our gate.

WAIT!  I have to tell you something I tweeted and posted on Facebook on Saturday morning.  In case you missed it: Mike came to my door at the condo and left a Tim Hortons coffee for me.  He phoned and told me it was outside the door (we live in the same building) waiting for me...was that not the sweetest thing?  What a nice way to start a trip together!

Okay...where was I?  On the way to the gate, a security checkpoint was set up.  There was a lineup for women and a lineup for men.  And here's a news flash: it was the first time any gender specific line was SHORTER for women!  But once again, I digress.

A security agent came and guided me to her table, then went through my purse and remove my camera.  I was then to turn it on.  Well, talk about heart failure: it wouldn't turn on.  Then I realized I'd forgotten to put the newly charged battery back in the camera.  NO!  After learning how to post and resize pictures so that I could do this journal on my own this week, I didn't have a working camera!

My computer case was opened and I turned on my laptop.  That was fine.  Then I leaned against a table and had to take turns lifting each foot (not unlike a horse does when you're cleaning its hoof), and my feet were checked.  Then - as Mike watched in surprise - I got quite a thorough patting down: hands following the contours of my bra, then down the sides, up the legs, etc..  Honestly, the pat-down didn't phase me in the least; I was too busy mentally kicking myself for possibly forgetting the damned camera battery.

When the businesslike but not unfriendly agent was assured that I was not a risk, we went to a different station and my camera was swabbed for explosives residue (I assume).  Turns out the only thing about to go off was me, and that was fine.

As for Mike, he had no bag or laptop so he went to a much quicker, shorter line.  He had to put his hands in his pockets, remove his hands and then was swabbed for residue.  His pat-down was not quite as intimate (at least that's what he said, in comparison to mine) and he was done well before I was.

We were glad that we'd allowed ourselves extra time to get to our gate and I had a feeling that traffic was a little lighter than usual.  So just keep things simple: one smallish purse, one laptop case or carry-on but absolutely nothing on wheels unless you've checked it.  Okay?

-- Today we're docking in Nassau and after Mike, Ian, Brian and I check out the galley (or kitchen), I think Mike and I are going to wander around the city a bit, if we still have any gas in the tank.  We'll be back tomorrow morning at 5 with more stories, music and, of course, the Big Bag of Cash at 8:15 am and another Disney cruise qualifier at 7:30.

Oh, and the camera battery?  I'd packed it in my suitcase, firmly clipped into its charger, in the camera bag.  Thankfully, I didn't have to learn a $100 lesson.  I sure do miss Rob keeping all of this stuff straight for me.  Miss you, honey!

Take care and thanks again for coming by.  More pictures - lots of them, including our broadcast site - tomorrow...at-sea internet willing.

Erin 

Welcome to Friday!  While Gord mans the board, Mike, The General and I head off tomorrow on another adventure, and one in which you're participating next week.  We fly to Orlando and then Sunday a bus takes us to the Disney Wonder.  We'll do our shows live from a moving ship all next week, and in return, Disney is providing us with family cruises to give away to CHFI listeners!  How amazing is that?  We're the only radio station in Canada that Disney is partnering with to give away cruises, so we're very proud of that and can't wait to do some exploring on the high seas.  It's actually the Caribbean and now that I'm up to speed on getting shots from our camera to my computer to the journal, I'll be sharing lots of great pictures with you here next week.  Don't miss a day!

Oh, and by the time you read this, you'll probably have heard: the Big Bag of Cash returns to CHFI Monday morning at around 8:15.  $10,000 - this is going to be great.

Last week's Friday Feedback journal seemed to go over well, so I thought I'd share a few e-mails with you again here today.  This one came from Diane:

When you guys are broadcasting from the cruise, can you please tell us how beautiful the weather is...when I'm waking up it would be delightful to hear someone say 'the sun is shining, the ocean breezes are warm....' - the cruel reality of an Ontario winter is never far away - but we can fantasize if you help us!

The dog boot suspenders just broke me up this morning. Thanks for my morning hee haw. Rob better get these patented, because I'm just betting that before long, you will be able to buy something like this - they make so much sense!  Ellen

I think Rob should get a patent for the suspender idea... Larry King eat your heart out!!

Rob should patent that suspender invention for the dog booties. It's brilliant. And, before you know it, something like that will be on the shelf at all pet stores!! Just like the baby pacifiers that now have pretty ribbons attached. If only I would have had the wherewithal to market that idea 30 years ago.....

We're not cut out for the cutthroat world of inventions, financial backing and marketing.  So if somebody wants it, they can just take it.  Fill your boots, as it were.

Lots of notes after Wednesday's journal on travel restrictions.  Thank you to Jodi, my sister Cindy, Linda, Lorraine, Dianne and everyone else whose great e-mails I saved through the week to share here.  Then yesterday we talked to an agent for US Airways who called us and reminded us of a terrific link to CATSA that answers nearly every question about what we can, and cannot bring aboard.

And to Ross, who sent this note:

Hi Erin,

Listened to you this morning talk about the things that travellers to the US can/can't take onboard. It is such a mess right now. The airlines and Canadian security people are really confused.

But I flew to Chicago on Sunday afternoon and this is what I can tell you: no carry on really means nothing with wheels - basically if you have a briefcase with your laptop, it is okay and you can have the usual stuff in it - they prefer that you carry as little as possible because they are doing full pat down body searches for EVERYONE flying to the US and they also do a full bag search (RCMP officers are doing it) - so leave a lot of extra time at the airport - about a full hour to stand in line waiting to get your pat down and bag search.

This happens as a "secondary" security measure just for US flights and doesn't affect the other domestic or international flights - although on the way back to Toronto, the security is just the same as before - nothing different.

Hope this helps! And thanks for a fun way to wake up in the morning. It never seems the same when I'm away and don't hear your show.  Best regards, Ross

Just before we head off, I thought I'd give it one more photo try to make sure I've got this right.  I got a few requests for jewellery pics I promised.  They're just fun pieces.  For a (now former) radio gal who really does some amazing jewellery, you should see what Terri Michael does.  She's so talented.

And to my little jewellery project from last weekend...I made a bunch of chunky bracelets (each on one curly memory wire) and a necklace.

You'll see that I had one bump in my photography transfer efforts.  Not in this one...

But oops - shot this next one length-wise. Rob told me I would have troubles if I did that.  I'd get him to flip it and fix it (or advise me) but he's up north getting some work done.  Rob, honey, you were right.  Everybody else: turn your damned computer or use your imagination :) It's a necklace.  Pretend I'm lying down in it or something, would you?

Anyway, thanks for navigating the curves with me and I hope you'll join us next week as we take on the seas and live shows from the Caribbean.  I'm hoping that if we run into pirates (err, highly unlikely) they all look like Johnny Depp.  As long as he doesn't talk, I'll go peaceably.

And just so you know - Producer Gord goes on the next trip with us.  We want to keep both our boys happy!

Ciao for now - talk to you Monday from the Disney Wonder.

I feel like I should start this with another note about Haiti.  You've seen the news, you've heard the reports.  If you're going to give, you're going to.  Rogers is now making it easy to text and give $5, while www.redcross.ca is simple - I gave in literally 90 seconds yesterday.  That's all.

What a cluster this whole NBC thing is turning out to be.  I linked to a great op-ed piece in yesterday's New York Times by Maureen Dowd, a writer whose work I admire in Vanity Fair.  If you didn't catch it on Twitter it's here.

Love him or leave him - and he's not for everyone's taste, that's for sure - Conan O'Brien has a lot of jam.  To stand up to NBC and say that he won't let the network hurt or damage the Tonight Show legacy by moving it from 11:35 after the nightly news, to 12:05 am, took a lot of nerve.  So what happens now?  Your guess is as good as mine.  I said early on that I hoped Conan would take his dolls and dishes (and Andy) and move to FOX.  Much as I despise what that network's "news" division does with facts, it's a good source for laughs and entertainment and would be a fine fit for Conan's quirky brand of humour.

But what about his staff?  All of those people who moved their families and their lives from NY to LA less than a year ago?  It will take any network at least a year to get a show up and running for Conan.  What happens to all of those people in the meantime?  So many questions.  So few answers.

Can you ever imagine anything happening like this in Canada?  I mean, we're all so cautious.  I can't picture Rick Mercer, whose Mercer Report runs at 8 pm on Tuesdays opposite American Idol on CTV, making a joke about Simon Cowell leaving Idol...why would he?  He'd be loathe to remind people that there's another show on at the same time, fearing that a chronically attention-deprived audience will reach for its collective remote.  A logical concern.

But turn on your TV late nights and Letterman is talking about Leno, Conan's talking about Leno, CBS is poking fun at NBC and NBC hosts are poking fun at themselves.  If this isn't unprecedented, it's certainly unusual - at least to this degree.  And whether or not you stay up late to watch any of these guys,  it's an unusual little bit of drama playing out.  (Strangely - but not surprisingly - Daily Show's Jon Stewart isn't saying a word about it all.  Doesn't want people to change channels, I'm guessing.)

This, my friend, is literally "reality TV".  It's a cruddy, dog-eat-dog business, and the buck doesn't ever really stop anywhere.  Promises are made and broken all the time.

There is no business like show business.  Every aspect of it - even radio - has wonderful perks but awfully nasty elements to it, too.  You watch these hopefuls on shows like American Idol who would kill their grandmothers to get that coveted pass for the next round of auditions.  But it's so much a case of "careful what you wish for".  There's nothing new about it, and you can go back to silent films to see the first bunch of stars who were shoved aside when talkies came in and they were no longer a fit.

But this latest snitstorm coming out of late night television has illustrated once again just how rotten this glamorous entertainment business can be.  Good luck to all of them.  May the best/most resilient/funniest man win.  Or, failing that, the one with the cleverest lawyer.

Oh, I bet Ricky Gervais will have some fun with this on Sunday's Golden Globe Awards.

From dog-eat-dog to dog-sweet-dog...(oh blech, I know that was clunky)...in my ongoing efforts to make sure I've learned this procedure, I took two new pictures, resized them and here they are for today's journal.  Not the most adorable shots we've taken of our little friends, but at least they're in focus!  This, of course, is Molly.  She turns 5 this year.

And this little fellow below is Pepper, who this month turns 12.  He's as spry as ever and I'm happy to say that whatever got between them when they were at "camp" over Christmas seems to have blown over.  Molly and Pep are friends again, thankfully.

Pepper has that sad face on, by the way, 'cause his dad just left for hockey.  He sure is a mellow fellow, though, isn't he?

Have a good day.  Tomorrow we'll be here with some Friday Feedback and a few of your e-mails.  Take care and thanks for coming by.

Erin

We are posting links at www.chfi.com to ways you can help the people in the troubled island nation of Haiti, which was devastated yesterday by a huge earthquake and several strong aftershocks.  All we can do is believe that the help will get where it's needed - and fast.  Please give if you can.

Like many Canadians trying to escape the frigid winter weather, we're heading that way - but for work - in the next few days.  Our travels won't take us close to Haiti (or even the neighbouring Dominican Republic) but some areas that we will be in were warned yesterday about possible tsunamis.  They didn't materialize, but it does make you think, "Hmmmm...I will be on those seas in less than a week."  Anyway, we'll be fine.  It's the people of Haiti we need to think of today.  Now, the journal I penned yesterday, prior to the earthquake news.

Welcome to Wednesday. Just a few more days 'til we get set to fly to Orlando, sleep one night at Disney and then bus it to the cruise ship Disney Wonder.  Next week, Mike, Ian "The General" and I will be broadcasting live from the ship as we sail the Caribbean.  This is going to be so cool!  And as I mentioned, no other station in Canada has been asked to do this with Disney, so it's a big honour.  Best of all, we're sharing the seas with you (as listeners and winners)...more details to come.

But here's the real headache of it all: what to pack, and how.  Usually I'd bring my computer in a small carry-on suitcase, but I don't think the suitcase will be allowed.  However, there's no way in h*ll I'm going to pack my laptop, and because I've already lost one camera from a locked suitcase somewhere behind the scenes at Pearson, I simply have to carry it with me, too.  I'm not even bothering with jewelry that I can't or don't want to replace.  Usually I'd tote a small jewelry bag with me - don't want that stolen like my camera - but that adds to the bulk in my purse.  And besides, I'm not even sure what I'm allowed to bring...or what sized purse.

This is all BS.  Just because one idiot with fireworks in his drawers made it through too many levels of security, wasn't flagged by what may be several intelligence bodies who knew he was a risk, and thinks that somewhere a bunch of virgins are waiting for a guy with no testicles (had his explosive undies worked), we're all going through the motions of extra security.

The Israeli security expert we talked with on the show last week had it right: start with communication.  Know who's a risk before they set foot on airport property.  Use biometrics like finger prints and facial imaging and keep them in an updated data base (which is already being done in Israel) and then start running your airports like Ben Gurion in Tel Aviv, which is security breach-free since 1972.  Get people through security efficiently, quickly and above all, thoroughly.  Train screeners to ask the right questions then look for signs: ticks and tells that give more answers than words ever could.  And stop with the worrying about the fears of having our naughty bits seen on a scanner.  Because the right we should really be concerned about is not whether someone in a distant room will see what's under our clothes, but the right to fly without fear, and that should come first.  Get the bad guys.

Here's the link, by the way, on the latest flight restrictions.  Hope it's of help to you if you have some US destinations in your future.

In the meantime, I promised to post another picture here today, in my continuing efforts to learn to shoot, resize and post so I can do it without Rob's help next week on the cruise.  Let's see...what can I find...

There!  Right outside my bedroom window.  That's a little bit of Mother Nature's handiwork on a cold January morning, so I thought I might share her gentle icy scrawls with you today.  And yes, we do need better windows.  These frosty culprits are why we keep our blinds down most of the winter in efforts to conserve heat.

Thanks for coming by - and for your caring e-mails yesterday.  I'm lucky I didn't hurt my tailbone - just my "sit bones" as we call them in yoga.  It's slowed me down a bit but nothing too worrisome.  Tell you what does worry me: this morning I awoke at about 2:00 and noticed my night guard thingie (to keep me from clenching) wasn't where it should be.  Instead of in my mouth, it was under my back.  Sometime in the night I am removing it from my teeth.  Rob's threatening to tape my mouth shut.

I'll pause while you say what I did: "What took you so long?"

Have a great day and I'll be back with you here tomorrow.  Thanks for sharing the ride.

Erin

Well, that was a good Monday.  After what seemed like a super short weekend (just two days after some nice holiday time off...that must be why) we got right into the swing of things and had a great time yesterday talking with Ed and Tyler from the ever popular Canadian band Barenaked Ladies.  Apparently they're on other radio stations today, but the fellas stopped by CHFI first, which was good of them to do.  See the entire nine minute interview with two great guys, at www.chfi.com.

I headed to the chiropractor right after the show and got some adjustment after the hard hit I took yesterday morning on a slippery cottage step.  In fact, as I write this, there's an ice pack in my jeans.  (Reminds me of the old joke about the ballet dancer who was wearing his cup wrong: "No, Cyril, the potato goes in the front!")  As expected, the fall knocked my neck out of alignment.  Today it's a whole different world of ouchy as the rest of me reverberates.  Ah, well.  I'll live.  Going to have to miss both a workout and yoga today, though.

So, I told you that I was learning some new tricks on the weekend, that involve taking pictures, transferring shots from the camera to my computer and then resizing them (or they'd be too big for many journal readers to download) and publishing them.

Today's my first day at putting those alleged skills to use.  Rather than show you a shot of where I hurt (we're gonna need a bigger screen!) I took pictures of two of the bracelets I made on the weekend, and did what I think Rob taught me to do.  So here they are, and if you're seeing these bracelets, my lesson was a success!

I made five bracelets in total (plus a big necklace starring some turquoise I picked up last week).  They're just fun, and something I used to really enjoy doing.  It was easy to get back into the groove again, but now I can't wait to go north and pick up where I left off.  In a few weeks, I'll do just that.

You take care and have a great day.  I'll be back with you here tomorrow (and I'll be practising on a few more pictures to publish, too).  Hope you'll stop by then.

Good morning (or whenever you may be reading this) and thanks for taking a few minutes to stop by.  I'm tapping away at the keyboard as we make our way down to the city on clear, empty roads at 3:30 am.  And oh, is my backside sore!

I went flying off the second-to-last step at the cottage this morning and landed on my butt with such force that I was winded - and hurt.  Strangely enough, I started to cry.  Loudly.  Rob ran from the house, where he was about to set the alarm and grab our travel mugs for the trip to the city, to try to help me up, but it took a minute for me to stop shaking.

Seat heaters and Advil are helping on the drive, but I'm going to see Dr. Barb today and get a chiropractic adjustment pronto before anything settles into the wrong place.  I have some airplane time - quite a bit of it - to log over the next month or so, so we'll get this fixed up.  Hoping it's not tailbone (I hit that on icy steps about 20 years ago and I don't think it is) but we'll see.  Maybe it'll go away on its own.  Yeah, that's it!

It's one of those stupid things - as accidents so often are - that was totally preventable.  My footwear was not winter boots per se, but ankle boots that have absolutely no tread at all. I wear them in the city for short commutes and they're just fine for indoors at this time of year.  I inadvertently wore them north on Friday and today I paid the price.  Also, the steps were snow packed and I had both hands full and wasn't holding the railing.  Call in the Tumbling Trifecta: bad footwear, slippery steps and no support.  I guess I had it coming.

But you know what?  My travel mug landed upright in the snow.  No matter what happens - Don't Lose the Coffee.

Despite its rather rude wrap up, the weekend was fabulous.  Restful, productive (got my beads out and made some bracelets) and just lovely.  Even cooked a turkey!  But I also learned how to move pictures from our camera into the computer and onto the internet for this website.  I'm learning it for the remote broadcast Mike and I are doing next week (more details for you in the next couple of days).  Rob's not accompanying me, so I have to figure out how to get photos to you here.  Wish me luck.  I'm going to practise this week with a few pictures I'll take and share with you, just for fun.

In the meantime, a woman wrote last week wanting to see Rob's dog boot suspender invention.  Because our little guys don't seem to have the right ankles to hold up doggie boots and we were losing the odd boot every few weeks, Rob used black elastic and a needle and thread to make what amounts to the mittens on string we used to have as kids.

Oh, and despite the evidence to the contrary, Molly really doesn't mind the boots!

Have a gentle Monday and I'll be back with you here tomorrow.  Don't miss Tyler Stewart and Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies live on our show today at 8:35.  They'll be talking about the band's split with founding member Steven Page, Robertson's 2008 plane crash and, of course, their new CD which comes out in March.  Join us for that, or watch for the video at www.chfi.com.

New year, new idea: how about Friday Feedback?  I'll share (anonymously - unless otherwise specified) a few e-mails that I've received during the week.  Now, cutting, pasting and editing may end up being more work than I should take on, but let's see how this goes.

I got a tremendous amount of feedback from women who have also experienced the "second class/second best" treatment, not only in foreign countries, but here on Canadian soil.  I read of examples having to do with bankers, real estate agents, wine sommeliers, fellow followers of various religions and servers who ignore female/female couples.

Lynn wrote about a salesman who told her to go home and discuss an expensive appliance purchase with her husband and come back with his decision.  The woman left the store in anger, but not before telling him that, since she was the one using the appliances, she'd be making the decision - and had just made it: not to buy from him or that store, ever!  Boy, It seems everybody's been there and had that done to them.  I appreciate the notes and ran out of time after going to a movie yesterday with Rob, or I'd have included some of those e-mails here today.

To other correspondences this week.  First, from the Reverend Deb, who wrote to me way back on Christmas Eve.  I couldn't wait to share this with you and it's part of the reason I'm giving this Friday Feedback a try:

Hi Erin,

Just getting in and wanted to write you about tonight's adventure.  I am babysitting a little church near Smithville and had a lovely Christmas Eve service with them.

It is a bit of a journey from there to here and I was enjoying listening to the show.  On the way back I took a route through Ridgeville and Fonthill and chose to do the back roads rather than the highway and you guys were keeping me company.  I was so enjoying this beautiful night with all the lights displayed everywhere.

Driving by the canal in Thorold, something funny was going on with the car.  It soon became apparent that I had a flat front tire and the way it was complaining, I was growing more nervous by the minute.  It is a desolate place at night, and there wasn't a good place to stop, so I continued on till I was near the bridge and in a well lit space.

Luckily, I have a roadside assistance plan, but it is Christmas Eve, and I was looking at a 40 minute wait in an unpopulated area....

You guys kept me company and laughing until the tow truck came.  I am so grateful to you all and wanted to let you know that while I was "whistling in the dark," I felt as though friends were with me.

The tire is toast, but the spare was put on by the very nice tow guy and now I am home ready to continue with Christmas Eve.

Thanks, Erin.  I love your Christmas Eve show, and this night, you really helped to lighten my spirit!

Every blessing to you and your family.  Merry Christmas!

Deb Vaughan

Another Deb wrote in response to my little rant Wed. about winter.  I knew somebody would, and she's so right:

LOL....It's winter and we are loving it!! We ski every single weekend; sometimes the season is too short! And yes, we were out in the -21 temperatures on Sunday and loved the feeling that no germs were trying to take over us.  It was exhilarating and refreshing!!  Just think of all the calories we were burning keeping warm!  But, my Christmas present of boot heaters made it all just right!!  Bundle up, suck it up and enjoy these beautiful crisp days.  It will be all over by March :o(

Sometimes I get a good movie review.  Barb, who I know from her e-mails has a great sense of humour, had this to say:

Erin:  I heard you talking about movies this morning and you didn't know whether you were going to see It's Complicated.   You must see this movie.

(Husband) Kerry and I went Christmas Day and thought it was hilarious.  I heard someone say they didn't want to see it because Meryl Streep in a love scene would turn them off.  Let me tell you - she was fine.  It was the hairy beast Alec Baldwin that was hard to watch!  I bet that man has a hairy ass.  Yikes.

I thought it was better than Jack (Nicholson) and Diane (Keaton) in Something's Got To Give.  Actually I get that one and the Helen Hunt movie mixed up.  [As Good As It Gets? ed.]

I do nothing but watch movies through Christmas and New Years until I'm movied out.  I also went to see Nine even though someone at work told me it was weird and there was no story.  I, on the other hand, did think there was a story to it but it was a different kind of movie for sure.

Please go see It's Complicated though.  I laughed so hard and I actually had competition from the woman sitting in front of me.  I will definitely see this one again once it's out for rental.

Barb

What I really liked about this movie is that - unlike most romcoms - it kept you guessing through the whole film as to who was going to end up with whom - if anyone.  It treated the effects of a divorce on grown children with great empathy and tenderness and was a love letter to the sexiness and allure of the over-40 (and over-50) crowd.  It's Complicated is without angst and brimming with enjoyment, and as a bonus it has a plot that I suspect will leave you satisfied.  Even if the ending isn't what you'd hoped for (and I won't say any more than that) you may be glad they chose to go in that direction.  I hope you'll go.  It's a nice date movie, too; my date (Rob) laughed aloud several times and we enjoyed it together.

One thing drove me absolutely bonkers, though: the boom mic showed up in literally half of the shots in the movie.  Rob and I discussed it later and have theorized that somehow a copy of the film that should have been letterboxed (some cut off the top and bottom) and wasn't, made it to the theatre.  I mean, it has to have been some oversight.  You do not put Meryl Streep in the movie and then allow the careless hanging microphone to share her scenes over and over and over.  Once, maybe.  If it's the take of a lifetime, you let it go.  But repeatedly?  In about half of the movie's scenes?  I don't think so!  If you did, you might as well hang some flying saucers from sticks and dangle them in the foreground, too.  That would have been equally distracting (and annoying)!

Have a terrific weekend, whether you're going to movies like Barb, out enjoying what winter has to offer like Deborah, or just driving around and letting CHFI keep you company like Deb.  Thanks for sharing some time with me here this week and we'll be back with you on Monday.

Welcome in and here we are at Thursday.  First work week of 2010 and we're getting through it.  Wish I had some of those fleecy PJs from the www.postcity.com interview (and video); I'd be planning to wear them from tomorrow afternoon until Monday morning.  Only problem is that the ones I liked best either had popcorn or ice cream sundaes on them, and all I'd do is think of them.  Then again, Michelle Butterly gave me a pair I always wear that have wine bottles, corks and pretzels on them, and I don't indulge in any of those, so perhaps I could survive the sundaes and popcorn!  Do I dare try?

So I was writing yesterday about having to brave some tough temps if you're going to live in Canada.  But last week while we were enjoying the warmth of Mexico, I was reminded of another reason I love this country.  The men.  Or at least our place next to them.

Let me elaborate.  Mexico is, for the most part (or at least the areas I've encountered) made up of a paternalistic, male-dominated society.  Although there's a wonderful saying that I quoted above, that the house rests upon the woman, I can tell you that when it comes to service, the eyes rest upon the man.

Now, don't get me wrong, it's nothing like, say, Egypt, where as the woman of the couple, you are pretty much invisible when it comes to people addressing you.  Those in the service industry - except for some hotels where staffmembers have been trained in more "western" ways - speak directly and only to the male in the couple.  As Rob often whispered to me, "If they only knew..." referring not to any particular male attributes I might have, but to whose credit card the purchases, dinners and accommodations were actually going on.  It happens here in Canada when merchants joke about me persuading my husband to buy me something.  Rob and I don't correct anyone, of course, but it still makes us smile at each other.

What doesn't make us smile is something that used to happen with great frequency: car sales people who welcomed Rob, ignored me, and spoke only to him during any transactions.  Of course, those conversations never led to sales; we made a point of high-tailing it if ever we were treated as less than equals in a purchasing situation.  I kind of wish now that, on our way out, we had made a point of informing the sales guy as to the mistake he was making, perhaps in hopes of changing his perspective a bit for future customers.  On the other hand, perhaps his neanderthal ways cost him more than our sale and he had to learn a tough lesson the hard way.  That's all right, too.  Evolution takes time.

But back to travels.  In Mexico, the service at our resort was flawless.  And I do maintain that it's a cultural thing, and not a matter of ignorance or malice that made much of the staff talk directly to Rob instead of to me.

"Good morning, sir.  Checking in?" or "Welcome.  How many for dinner, sir?" were commonplace.  It made Rob uncomfortable, and I got to the point where I wondered if I was wrong to be expecting to be treated as an equal.  Of course, I wasn't.  But sooner or later you start to question your place.  Is it "pushy" to say hello first, and then have the Maitre d' welcome your husband?  Did I speak out of turn - or was I just being friendly?

The only time I experience this inequity in Toronto nowadays is when I get into a cab.  Often the driver only wants to, or seems to want to, speak to my husband.  Again, if the cabbie thinks Rob's the keeper of the cash, that's natural.  But if it's because he's the man, that's not.

I can complain about Canada's cold, and I do.  Are there more temperate places on earth?  Sure.  But when it comes to many parts of the world, we are certainly among those blessed with a warmer, fairer climate where women and men and equality are concerned.

Just another blessing to count today, in case you needed one.

Welcome to a white and windy wintry Wednesday.  Have you noticed how nearly everything at this time of year is an ordeal?  Everything takes longer and needs a lot more effort.  Like dressing the children to go out, getting the car cleared off and warmed up, just everything.

Poor Rob is taking an extra 10 minutes (that we don't really have) before we head off to work, putting boots on the dogs - boots they don't want, and try hard to remove throughout their walk - so that their feet aren't stung by sharp chunks of salt, ice and snow.  Rob has even invented suspenders that help keep them on, so that he gets home with eight little boots.  (Okay, ten if you count his own.)

Winter is just a pain and, in some ways, literally: my hands are covered in tiny cuts simply from coming into contact with paper.  I moisturize constantly, we have humidifiers and fountains in the condo and I just can't prevent these cuts.  We keep our blinds down to stop the cold air from getting in through the "windows" the builder chose.  I sleep with socks on.  Blankets are piled high, sheets are flannel or fleece, the pups are curled up with us and bed is harder to get out of at 4 am in January and February than in any other months of the year.

We're not meant to live in cold like this, you and me - cold that makes your face ache when you step outdoors and penetrates your gloves and mitts so fast that your fingers turn yellow, then white in minutes, at a speed matched only by that in which your toes crystallize into piercingly painful piggies.

Nope, humans aren't meant for this or we'd still all have hair everywhere instead of in places we have to mow before a date.  Oh, God, I miss sunshine, warm temperatures and sandals.  I'd even put up with a few mosquitoes right now.

It's a good thing Canada is such a great country in every other way...with "more square feet of awesomeness per person than any other country on earth" (according to a beer ad during last night's hockey game).  I just don't know how people who come here from other, warmer lands make the adjustment.  If I wasn't afraid my ears would freeze, I'd take my hat off to them.  You made a good choice and a brave one, coming to Canada, my friend.

Speaking of the spirit of Canada, it was a terrific, gutsy showing in last night's loss to the US in the World Junior Hockey Championships.  The comeback with just a few minutes left in the 3rd to tie the US (after being down 5-3) was Hollywood perfect, but it wasn't to be a happy ending for the boys in red.  4 minutes into the extra period, a three on one proved fatal for gold medal dreams.  Ah, well.  It was a great ride and well worth staying up 'til 11 pm for.  It was fun to Tweet during the whole game too; had some fun correspondences going on.  To Jordan Eberle: thanks for all of the late game heroics.  And next year we'll take gold on their ice.  Buffalo ice.  Going to be great.

Need a smile today?  Go to www.postcity.com and enjoy a 5 minute video that was shot the day we went in to "model" and comment on some pajamas.  Perhaps you've seen this month's Post City Magazine?  Mike and I are in it, and perhaps it's in your neighbourhood box or has been delivered to your home this week - hope you check it out.  Lots of fun.

It was a great way for us to start 2010 professionally, Mike and me.  I hope you're going to be along for what should be an exciting ride over the next year: lots of amazing trips (I have mentioned tons of Disney coming, haven't I?) and, of course, luxury getaways daily to a beautiful, newly renovated resort in St. Lucia.

Oceans the colours of Australian opals and skies so blue you can't believe your eyes.  Pools and palm trees.  Coconuts and sunscreen.

Now, I shall wipe the tears from my keyboard and get on with the business of keeping warm!  Have a great day and thanks for coming by.  Next time, bring hot chocolate, won't you?

Welcome in.  Hope yesterday wasn't too much of a jolt - all of those e-mails to answer at work, routines to get back into, etc..  I knew it was going to be crazy busy at the gym, so I decided to eschew my Monday workout and let the "newbies" get acquainted with the machines.  I know - it's just give, give, give, right?  (I came home and organized my closet instead.  I wasn't a total slug - and I'll go today, tomorrow and Thursday this week.  No, really!)

If losing a few pounds or inches is your intention in 2010, you're not alone.  Every year it tops our lists of things to do; some of us do manage to succeed.  I'll tell you that looking at some weight charts on the weekend (yes, I do keep 'em) I was 35 lb. heavier 3 years ago at this time than I am today.  So you can win!  Even me, someone with a poorly functioning thyroid, who's perpetually sleep-deprived and whose body clock hasn't been fully wound in about two decades, is managing to pull it off (and keep it off) for real this time.  How, you ask?

Oh, I'm glad you did!

There are two things to which I attribute his long sought, hard fought success: healthier eating choices and committing to the gym at least twice (and ideally three) times a week.  [Please don't tell me I've lost your interest already; there's more to come that you just might find helpful - ed.]  There isn't a magic pill or a "diet" that is going to keep the weight off, unless you're using it as a jump start and plan to accompany or replace those programs with a solid fitness regimen when they're done.  Because - unless it's a lifestyle change - those programs do end, and then it's back to real life, real temptations and real challenges.

Trust me, I've been there, spent thousands and thousands of dollars on programs and pills and injections and even lipo.  Nothing works like a workout; nothing succeeds like less excess food, and making sure that what you do eat is good for you.  That, my friend, is the formula.

Am I the weight or size I'd like to be?  At 165-170 and a size 10, I could stand to lose another 10 pounds for sure.  I can tell you, though, that at 5'10" tall, I'm in my healthy range (or so my doctor and Wii Fit tell me).  And because I've been here now for about 16 months, I know that for the first time in my life, I have found a winning combination and am sticking to it: staying active and keeping unhealthy snacks and yummy garbage to a minimum.

I'd be lying if I told you that the coconut ice cream (with chocolate sauce...ohhh....) on our recent vacation wasn't a true high point.  But despite enjoying it almost daily, we made up for it by not drinking alcohol, having just two meals a day instead of three, and by working out in the hotel gym.  See, we don't have to suffer all of the time to lose a few pounds a month on our way to where we want to be.  It's all about compromise, commitment and making the changes fit your life so that you can live a longer, healthier, pain-free and happier existence.

Oh, and keeping a graph works hugely well.  You can track your weight, stop upward climbs before they go too far and, most of all, you see with your own eyes the downward trajectory of your weight.  It is so gratifying!

Keep a food diary.  I've done that as part of other diet programs and found that - especially when you're starting out - keeping a detailed, honest list of everything you eat (and when) can give you a very clear picture of habits that need changing or perhaps just improving.

Drink all the water you can during the day, cutting off just after supper time so you're not up five times in the night.  Drinking water (try it with a bit of lemon juice in it) makes you feel full and it is just plain good for you.  Count those ounces on your food chart.

Don't eat past 7 pm. Yes, you've probably heard of that one and it's true.  Find a nicely flavoured tea that you like and can sweeten with a natural sweetener like stevia (available at health food stores; I like the brand Krisda best).  A nice, hot drink can be soothing and satisfying.  And if all else fails, one flavoured rice cake is a great treat.  We keep cinnamon or green tea flavoured cakes in the house for when I'm craving something crunchy and a little sweet.

Speaking of sweet snacks, if you don't have fruit (berries, apples, pomegranates, grapes and citrus fruit are highly recommended) a handful - just a handful - of nuts (walnuts, brazil nuts, hazelnuts, cashews and peanuts) is a great source of protein, fibre and Omega 3's.  I find that sometimes if I'm a little hungry during the day and supper's a while off, just a handful of nuts or seeds will tide me over nicely.

Go on the buddy system.  Find someone to whom you have to answer if you procrastinate/slip up or cheat - even if it's someone online!  Not for nothing does AA have sponsors; we all work best when there's someone else cheering for us or who'll need to be answered to.  That person's admonishment (or disappointment) might just be the motivation you need to hang in there and "just say no".

Praise yourself for what you're doing.  Changing your eating and exercise habits isn't just good for our hearts and bums, but it's an act of love for ourselves and for those who love us.  This body - no matter how we lament its lumps and rolls, sags and random hairs - is the only one we get.  Hips and knees and backs function better and with far less pain when they're not asked to carry more weight than they were designed for.  Organs and joints work better when we are fueling them properly.  I remember when, as parents, we explained to Lauren why we called fast foods "poison" and steered her away from anything with a drive-thru and we used the analogy of eating fast food to putting dirty gasoline into our cars.  We want to feed our machines the best possible fuel.

Remember Super Size Me?  Morgan Spurlock got physically ill from eating garbage disguised as food.  Lauren's finding now as a grocery shopper that produce is way more expensive than filler crap, but she's decided to try to go the healthy route this year.  And we're behind her 100%.  Even passing up processed and packaged grocery store foods in favour of fresh - that's another decision that's hard and often costly, but it's one she's making now.

I've gotten off on a bit of a tangent here, but I think you know me well enough to also know that this is something about which I feel pretty passionate.  It's not anything we talk about much on the air, because people can become offended pretty easily where weight is concerned.  Oprah lost a lot of viewers in 2009 when she made obesity a focus in her programs.

Believe me, I know where those emotions surrounding weight come from; remember that I've weighed close to 200 pounds. But obesity in this country is at an epidemic rate: one out of four Canadians is obese.  And look what we're doing to our kids: one in ten Canadian children is obese.  We are digging our early graves with forks and spoons.

But we can change that.  We can become more active, we can make smarter dietary choices.  We can parent better and set good examples by not bringing foods into the house that have no nutritive values but are easy or just taste sweet/salty/great!  We can bypass the drive thru before we need a bypass.  We can just walk - anywhere.  Park farther away from the mall entrance.  Take stairs.  Get off the subway one stop from where we want to be (if we can do so without freezing to death).

There are small changes that can be made that will show big results, given time.  We weren't born overweight - it took time for us to put it all on.  And it takes time to get it off, too.  But it can be done - I know.

I wish with all my heart that I'd begun this program, made this life change 20 years ago.  But first I had to make some other alterations in my life and my head to be ready to do this.  So I'll settle for now, instead of ten years from now.  That's okay!

The Lao-tzu saying goes: "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step."  So does does the rest of our lives.  We only get one life and one body; why not do what we can to feel good and live longer?

If change is in your future, good luck!  We all need it.  I'm here if you want some encouragement or tips (I also have a friend, Jill Duff, who's a great nutritionist and trainer, in whose direction I'll point you in if you have questions or concerns).

I should add that a number of us have thyroids that aren't working properly and in 2009 I also got that under control.  Get tested for your thyroid levels - a very simple blood test will do it - and make sure this precious little butterfly-shaped gland is working to keep you running.  Otherwise you could be trying to heat a house with a Bic lighter.

Hope I've been of a bit of help to you and thank you for coming by today.  Now, if you'll excuse me, all this water means I have to make a trip down the hall now....

Hey there - Happy 2010!  I hope you had a wonderful, restful holiday, and are ready for whatever this new year brings.

Okay, this is kind of silly; I had a moment of tears yesterday as I briefly lamented the season's passing.  Honestly, I know better.  I am always reminding myself not to be sad that it's over, but glad that it happened.  But to see the end of something so sweet is never easy.  This Christmas and its ensuant time of rest and rejuvenation had everything we could have hoped for: the warmth of family and of sunshine, and just oodles of love.

We shared our annual Christmas Eve at Erin's show, spent a day in London with Rob's mother and big sister prior to the holiday and enjoyed a reunion with a first cousin of Lauren's who has moved from BC to Etobicoke.

But the highlight was Lauren's visit.  Having her home from Ottawa all to ourselves for five wonderful days was the best Christmas gift of all.  Of course, we love her boyfriend (who also came home from Ottawa eventually) but to have our little girl back with us, just laughing and talking, shopping and wrapping and sharing so much that's in all our hearts, meant the world to Rob and me - and she didn't seem to mind it either!  With her life sure to get busier when her career gets rolling, we realize that each Christmas we spend together could be our last.  But we'll make do; we'll move days around or travel or Skype or do whatever it takes to share such special time.

The tree's still lit and not coming down for a few more days.  Or maybe weeks.  We'll see.  We've been a little busy...

Listening to the bitter winter winds blow outside our condo windows, it's almost impossible to believe that Rob and I were lying in the sun just 48 hours ago.  But it's true.  It's a small miracle of the modern age to be shivering while wearing the remnants of a sun tan, but that's exactly what we were doing yesterday.

We unpacked, we did laundry, we sorted through gifts and remembered the excitement with which we opened them just a week-and-a-half ago.

And now, it's on with 2010.  I hope you're imbued with a little more optimism than you were at this time last year.  Because I have to confess that the excitement I'm feeling both personally and professionally is at a level I don't think I've noticed before.  (Maybe because 2010 is "my" Tiger year, in Chinese astrology?)

On the "personal" front, while we were in Mexico Rob and I did some work (and yes, it was a workshop sort of four day format) on reconnecting as a loving couple.  We were reminded to breathe, to take the time just to look into each other's eyes, and to bestow upon each other the gifts of time, attention and love.  So we have some wonderful homework to do over the next several years!

Professionally?  Well, the radio landscape in Toronto is shifting and at CHFI we find ourselves welcoming - with gratitude and joy - every person who chooses to call us their new "home".  This month brings some fresher sounds and more of the trips you've been hoping we'd deliver - many of the Disney variety - so there are going to be even more reasons to listen, to play along with us and to let us share your day.

Welcome to 2010.  May it be gentler to us than its predecessor, and may it be filled with good health and with endless bounty and kindness.

Take care, and thank you for coming by.  I promise to make every day we share here worth your time as well.