Sometimes when you can’t get your thoughts together and you’re walking a hazy emotional path it can do you a world of good to reach out to a close friend. On this blog I share with you a transcript of a letter that I recently sent to my dear friend, Cher. Who better to be my guiding light in times of transition? She’s transitioned more than anyone else I know. If she can make it from bell-bottoms, to disco, to the modern day club scene, I can make it from KNOM volunteer hopeful to KNOM volunteer alum without too much strife.
…Right?
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Dear Cher,
Before I get started, let’s get real for a second. By the time you receive this letter I will be just one month away from completing my time as a KNOM Volunteer. One year in Nome! A year of DJing, music selection, Iditadogs, unfamiliar weather patterns, new friends, and so much more! It seems like it was just yesterday that I was writing you about my time spent learning how to input new music into the system and accurately “time-down” and hour of programming. My how far I have come!
Before I get too self-absorbed in my ramblings, how are you doing?! I saw you on the finale of The Voice the other week. You were really fantastic. I am so glad that you are back with new music. What’s it been? Twelve years? Craziness. I must say that adding your new single into KNOM’s current musical rotation was more than awesome. If I had a highlight reel of my Music Director experiences, me ripping a brand new Cher song into the catalog would be prominently featured. Maybe even with some slow motion action as I popped the cd into it’s tray as the footage immediately star-swipes into a close-up of a smile forming on my lips. I can almost see it!
It always thrills me when music veterans such as yourself not only come out with new music, but do so while maintaining such music that sounds so contemporary and relevant to today’s popular music scene. Just a few weeks ago I was adding new tunes from Petula Clark. You may remember her from the 1964 hit song, Downtown. Well she is back on the scene with a lead single that weaves her crystal clear voice with electronica elements and even a touch of auto-tune! I can only hope that I am so vibrant and hip when I am eighty-one years old.
Oh, and guess who dropped his twenty-first studio album? None other than the legendary Eric Clapton. Reggae, rock, folk – his new music has it all. He and Petula aren’t the only ones rocking it after retirement age either. Yoko Ono had a #1 Billboard Dance hit just a couple of months ago that I really enjoyed playing on my show at KNOM. I feel so lucky to be able to play such a wide variety of great music!
I must admit that sometimes I get a little sad when thoughts of me no longer being in the DJ booth cross my mind. Sure, I can always carve a path for myself dealing professionally in airwaves and mp3s, but no one does it quite like KNOM. Where else can you hear Prince back-to-back with the Savoonga Drum and Dance? Loretta Lynn handing it over to New Order? Madonna making way for an up-and-coming indie folk act?
Sorry, I know I shouldn’t mention Madonna. I know that makes you angry. My bad. I do wish you two would try harder to get along. But I digress.
I don’t really know what to do with myself as the weeks count down. I find myself going about my day to day life as if I’ll never leave Nome. I know that sooner or later I will have to pull the band-aid off in one quick yank. Until then I know I still have plenty of great music to seek out for Western Alaska. Until then, please take care of yourself and take the time to write me back. I worry about you traveling around so much. Be sure to drink plenty of water and rest when you can. And don’t you worry about me. I’ll be just fine.
