cktimes.ca Archives for Notes from a Garage


Notes from a Garage

With John Gardiner

Eating pasta with the Capitol Theatre crew

Tuesday, February 11, 2003

cktimes continues to roll along and, in fact, the number of visitors to the site saw a significant increase over the past month and we're now averaging about 13,500 visits each week. I'm a bit overwhelmed by this, but very pleased that you seem to be enjoying our community "e-zine" and the way I've been developing the site. I have been working hard to network out into the community and to meet as many community groups and organizations as possible. I have offered all of these groups the chance to get involved in cktimes and to use this new medium to try to help get their message out. I've worked in the community media for over 25 years, but I've also worked as part of many community groups – I've seen both sides of the equation. And while I always appreciate media coverage of an event I'm involved in, I appreciate advanced promotion of the event even more. That's because most charitable groups and organizations simply don't have the cash to pay for advertising to promote their event. They need the freebies that the media can offer and I'm extremely aware of this. I continue to enjoy reading my own columnists here in cktimes. These folks are really great writers and they're writing about some really relevant things. Check out Kris Lee's Ecowrappin' this week for a look at the issue of trucking Sydney tar ponds sludge into our part of the province – it's great stuff. Let me know what you're up to and I'll help let the rest of Chatham-Kent know.

Had a great time at the Capitol Theatre fundraiser over at the Moose Lodge last Friday evening. Great event put on by Penny Harper and the rest of the Capitol Theatre staff. Pasta dinner and auctions raised some good dollars for the Theatre and also provided an opportunity for some good fellowship. Had the good fortune to sit with community organizer John VanVeen and his good wife. I must admit that I had serious reservations about the whole Capitol Theatre project before getting involved with cktimes, but I can't help but be infected by the enthusiasm of the people surrounding the project. From Project Manager Bob Fox right on down the line, this is a great group of very dedicated people. I hope they realize their hopes and dreams and can persuade all of us to get on board.

Saturday night, I ended up at the Eight Ball Tavern in Chatham to check out some sound equipment. A newly discovered acquaintance, Rob Watson (the one from Ridgetown), is building some very impressive sound equipment, and, knowing I'm a bass guitar player from the old days, wanted me to check it out. Well, I'll tell you that that's one powerful, crisp and clean speaker system. I was impressed. Also a great band – featuring an old friend, Mike Goldhawk, on percussion – and a new friend, Andrew Tompsett, on vocals. I've met Andrew a few times at Jaycee functions and he seems like such a quiet, unassuming guy, so I was in for a real surprise. Man, has that guy got a set of pipes! He's great! I'm sorry but I didn't have my reporter's hat on Saturday night – I was introduced to the bass player who is among the best I've seen, but his name didn't stick with me. Absolutely phenomenol, though. Great night out at the Eight Ball even though I can only last so long. You've gotta love live music and the Eight Ball presents some of the best.

Really can't get my head around this "War with Iraq" stuff. I wrote away back after September 11 that we should be dropping flowers and food on the Middle East, not bombs. I continue to feel this way. Violence always begets violence – it's a simple truism. If we bomb them, they'll find some way to bomb us – it's inevitable. It's the way of the world. The only way to put a lid on this terrorism thing is to get the rest of the world to stop hating us so much – we aren't going to do that by bombing them into submission. A big part of the problem with this whole "war" situation is that the public doesn't trust anyone. We certainly don't believe Saddam, but we don't seem to believe George W. any more. It's a weird thing, but people don't basically trust anyone anymore. It's like a movie I saw back in the sixties called, "Wild in the Streets". The motto of the group of teens who were the main characters in the movie was: "Don't trust anyone over 30". The problem, of course, is that we're all over 30 these days, so we can't trust each other at all. Strange, but true.

Thanks for your support of cktimes. I have truly appreciated being accepted into your homes via your computer. Don't forget to let me know what you think of cktimes. I'm trying hard to make it an interesting and informative place to visit. I also want it to be a relaxing and comfortable place to spend some time.

Almost out of time for another week.....take care and remember...."Hew to the line; let the chips fall where they may."



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.