Just a thought… Let us be thankful for the fools. But for them, the rest of us could not succeed. [Mark Twain]

As always, you can watch a video version of this journal on my Facebook page, or here on YouTube.

Well, here we are, the first day of April. No “April Fool’s Day” here; I have to read enough tweets from people who have absolutely no scientific knowledge and who probably couldn’t spell “scientific knowledge” if they were challenged to, expounding daily on a global pandemic. So, yeah, I’ll pass. And Mr. Twain: maybe those fools are the ones who are preventing us from succeeding? Hmmm….

Hey, if you listen to Toronto radio and woke up thinking you were dreaming when you heard Mike Cooper back on the morning show on CHFI, you know by now, since he’s been doing it for a week, that yes, my favourite radio guy is back in the saddle again. He’s filling in during Darren’s absence and just doing a fantastic job, having a great time and making life joyful again for Maureen, Ian, Gord and Christine. I mean, how great is it that after five years off mornings, Mike can just slide in and feel like he hasn’t missed a step? Talk about a natural. I’m just so happy for them all.

Mike isn’t one to look back or to dwell on the past and I’ve taken a page from him in terms of my career. Sure, there were lots of wonderful moments, but it’s the overall picture, the one that has been painted in bright colours of laughter and framed in a great big heart, that I cherish most.

So it was with a sense of dread that I was tasked with finding pictures from my early radio years. You see, after a year’s delay, this May, yours truly is being inducted into the Canadian Broadcast and Music Industry Hall of Fame. It’ll be virtual and I’ll be recording an acceptance, which is a bummer, but of course I’m still grateful. For one thing, I won’t have to find out if I can walk in heels. For another, I don’t need to get nervous about remembering people’s names or screwing up a speech.

But these last few weeks, I’ve been stuck in a time machine, going through piles of photos from our lives stacked and crammed carelessly into torn boxes that have moved from basements to garages in houses and cottages over the past 30-some years. Yes, there were a ton of family pictures (some of those felt like a gut punch), but I tried to hurry past them.

I was searching among the clippings and magazines, pictures preceding my time at CHFI, which began in 1988. But there just aren’t any of me at CFRA in Ottawa, CKLW in Windsor or CKO in Toronto, the stations whose people and experiences helped this chipmunk-cheeked newscaster grow into who I eventually became.

After hours of dusty delving, I finally found three pictures in – of all places – photo albums, whose plastic sleeves are yellow with age. Those three will have to do.

You see, like my friend Mike Cooper, these days, we’re more about making memories, instead of looking back. Of course, there’s a time for appreciation and reflection, but that’s for someone else to do. Me? I’m looking forward – to celebrating our son-in-law Phil’s birthday today and Rob’s birthday, which coincides with Easter Sunday, this weekend.

Whatever you’re doing, may the bunny be good to you, may your heart be full and may you make some memories of your own. Even if they’re just of the chocolate-covered variety this year. Happy Easter and I’ll have a new journal for you on Tuesday of next week after the holiday Monday.