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Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Struggling with technology, Big Brother is watching, Archie Dempster’s party and a couple of gigs…..

Tuesday, September 22, 2009

These days, I’m wrestling with new technology almost every waking moment of the day……new computer and trying to figure out how to do video stuff. Today I’m thinking, what the heck am I doing, trying to create videos and podcasts and all this other junk…I’m a writer, plain and simple. It’s what I do….it’s what I am. But now I’m trying to do all this other stuff and I really don’t like it too much. I’ll figure it out because I generally seem to be able to figure stuff like this out. But it doesn’t mean I have to like it. I don’t mind using the new technology to write, the way I am right now. And I think producing a community newspaper on the internet is a really good thing. But I’m a print guy and I’m a little worried that I’m getting in over my head doing podcasts and now video. Everything is just getting too weird for me. In fact, I could produce the paper these days without doing any actual writing….I could get a program where you just talk and the machine does the writing for you….this is great time saving technology, but not for someone like me….I’m a writer….not a “talker”. The new technology is really something….no doubt about that. But I think you’ve gotta pick and choose the parts of it that suit you and that work for you…..and that’s sort of what I’m trying to do.

Speaking of the modern technology, I was in a discussion with a good friend of mine who’s an accountant and he was telling me how great it’s gonna be when everybody finally switches to on-line banking. I really don’t get it people…..do you really want “Big Brother” knowing every aspect of your life? Is that okay with you? Because that’s what’s happening on the planet these days. Through the use of the modern technology, someone, somewhere can track every single tiny thing you do in your life. And it’s getting worse. Our sportsmen are worried about the national gun registry, but no one’s concerned about an enormously larger intrusion into our lives. Why is that? I mean I’ve heard people say that as long as you’re not doing anything wrong or illegal, why do you care if “Big Brother” knows what you’re up to all the time? Well, depends who you trust, I guess. And right now, we’ve got some sort of trustworthy people running the system, although as I write this, I’m not sure it’s really true. But if you put all that personal information out there, there’s no telling how it could be used…In fact, Facebook was already using the information in people’s profiles on its site to target customized advertising at specific people…..they had to back down, but you should get my point. Also, if you visit an internet site, how long is it usually before you get spam related to the site. And I don’t know, maybe I’m overreacting, but I think this is really scary stuff. But not too many other folks seem worried in the least. Everybody uses GPS systems, cell phones and lots of other stuff that’s easily trackable and don’t give it a second thought. Me, I’m thinking about trying to move off the grid somehow. They’ll never take me alive……

Had a wonderful time out by Rondeau Park on Saturday night when one of my bands, Southwest Blues Review, played a set for the Ridgetown Rotary’s battle against polio. Chatham-Kent Mountaineers shared the stage with us and it was a really good event, organized by Ridgetown Rotarian and music promoter Archie Dempster. There was a good crowd on hand and the band played really well and we’re always glad to try to help out for a good cause like this. I’m ‘way too old to ever be a rock star these days, but it’s still a good time getting to play the old guitar from time to time. I play the guitar like I do pretty well everything in life – with all the passion and energy I can muster. Glad to be playing with the folks in the Blues Review…..everybody works hard to give us a pretty darned good overall sound. It’s ‘way better than I ever thought it would be back when I pieced the band together four years ago. Can’t say enough about how hard everyone works…..Making music, like writing, makes my soul soar up and out of the drab ordinariness of life….it is a beautiful thing…..

Anyway, speaking of the Southwest Blues Review, band is playing a “house” concert out Florence way this Friday evening…..should be a fun event, starts at 7:00 p.m. – for tickets call Lawrene Denkers at 519-692-5260….then Saturday check us out at the Glasstown Blues Jam right in downtown Wallaceburg starting at 2:00 p.m. Following us will be Darren Wrightman and True Blue Hoodoo, the Tim Woodcock Band and the Chris Murphy Band….should be a good day of music. Hope to see you there…

Well, out of time for another week…..great paper this week….get ready to the change in the seasons….and remember…”Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may.”

Below please find a youtube link to Southwest Blues Review at a cancer benefit at Blenheim community Golf course on the Labour Day weekend….



John Gardiner is a 25-year-veteran of the community newspaper business, but he is also a prolific writer of moralistic short fiction he refers to as "emotional thoughtscapes" or "adult fables". Samples of his fiction can be found at:

He has also produced a noteworthy piece of humanist philosophy which can be found at: http://www.xs4all.nl/~aboiten/ad502.htm He welcomes comments on his work.