The Torch

I must admit, the Olympics don't interest me a whole lot. When the Olympics are on TV, and even though they're in Canada, I probably won't watch any. Unless there's road biking of course!

I guess the Torch Run is a promotional thing to create interest and hype and I'm good with that.

My wife came running into the house this morning at 8 o'clock. I was still in bed and she says "the torch is coming down the street right now - get up!"

So, I pulled on the clothes lying on the floor, jumped into my winter boots and went out to the road - and about one minute later, a young girl, doing a slow jog, was carrying the torch.

I thought there would be hundreds of people in a crazy fanfare but it was very calm.

I'm glad I saw it. When the Torch comes to your town, it's sort of like bringing a piece of the Olympics to you. And there's a sense of Canadian pride in the whole revelry.

Hmmm. Maybe I'll spend ten bucks and buy some red mittens.

Wasting My Day

Yesterrday Pastor Wayne talked about the trapeze artist, who jumps into the air, with his feet wrapped around the bar as he swings to the other side of the tent, waiting for the catcher to catch him. The "flyer" needs "the catcher". He trusts the catcher.

God gives us gifts and talents or whatever you wanna call them to get the job done. But Wayne says, "if we go beyond our gifts and talents, we're in a place where we're the "flyer" and we trust the "catcher" to catch us.

The time it takes for the jumper to jump until he is caught is mere seconds, but the mental wait could be much longer.

It's like waiting for God. It's so hard to wait. Wait for our diseases to be healed or the relationship to be restored or the money to come in. We do what we can do in our power and trust God to do the rest.

I found myself in church thinking three things.

Depression - when is he gonna heal me. I have no motivation to do something new, or even get out of bed.

Faith - The more I learn the more questions I have. I ask my Christian friends for their answers, which are seldom satisfying. Leaving me with more questions and feeling alone in my faith.

What's next? At LIFE? In my life? Is God going to ask me to jump and I'll be afraid he won't catch me?

I feel unsettled. I wonder, wait and waste my days - waiting. Today, I feel useless. Today sucks.

Chocolates For The Dog

We got our silver Christmas Tree up and decorated but I think this is the last year - it's on it's last legs.

When I was a kid, my parents put up the Christmas tree and each day there would be a couple more presents added around the base. I mean there were hundreds of presents. By Christian eve there was close to a million! Sure seemed that way - I was just a kid!

Now, my wife is "Christmas crazy". She plays Christmas CDs at home and in the car. I have to pull out the cd and turn the "radio" back on quite frequently! Everything in our house is Christmas-related. All the nicknacks are in the spare room to make room for Santa and wreathes.

I recall one Christmas, many years ago, with our dog Moffat. My wife thoughtfully wrapped a box of maraschino cherry chocolates for me and put the wrapped gift under the tree. Mmmm my favourite! Well apparently they were Moffat's favourite too because when we got home from work that day, the wrapping was all over the living room and the box was devoured - there were chocolates were all over the floor- along with a lot of dog vomit.

Lesson to all: don't leave food gifts under the tree if you have pets!

Wall-To-Wall Christmas Music

LIFE 100.3 is wall-to-wall Christmas all week so we'll hear lots of chimes and sleigh bells to remind us of this season that focuses on the birth of the Lord, family and friends, turkey and presents.

"I Wish It Could Be Christmas Everyday" by All Star United came out a compilation CD "Happy CHristmas Volume 2". There's also a killer version of "I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus" that you gotta hear to believe! Here's a reason to not judge a record by its chessy cover!

One of my favourite Christmas carols is by Relient K - "The 12 Days Of Christmas". The same carol we all know off by heart but Relient K has recharged it with exciting power chords in just the right places!

Admittedly some Christmas songs are just plain cheesy. I think that's only because they're out of date. Probably in their day, they were full of life. But, many artists have put their own personality into those Christmas standards, and that makes the old carols sound fresh.

"Christmas, Baby Please Come Home" either by Anberlin or U2 would be near the top of my list. "Hot Christmas" came out in 1992 by Eric Champion. You won't find it in the stores, not even in the discount bin, but you can still order it on line. I think he named it "Hot Christmas" because he lives in Florida. Eric's probably never seen snow!

This year To Tell released "Here Comes Christmas" - no album, just the single release you can get thru iTunes.

Worth Reading

I got an early Christmas present from a co-worker - "Notes from the Tilt-A-Whirl" by N.D. Wilson. I’m not sure what this is about but the person who gave it to me, knows me well, so I trust there is some meat in here that I need to hear.

Another book I just bought for myself - "Comeback 2.0" - of course it is about Lance Armstrong. It’s more of a pictoral hardcover with detailed captions. The photos are amazing. And once again I see that Lance is more than a bike rider and a survivor of cancer - he is a superstar. He lives in a different world than I. Which will make this book part fantasy, except for the bike!

Happy reading!

Scott Jackson - The Weapon

Well, I’m up for something new.

LIFE’s producer Tim Van Dyk, invited me to his workout gym that specializes in self-defense. For months he’s been nagging me, shadow boxing in the hall of LIFE, pretending to knee people in places that you wouldn’t want to be kneed.

Appealing huh? Obviously Tim is a Krav disciple.

It’s called Krav Maga. Their website says "You may be human, but are you - a weapon"? Haha! A weapon...me?

Well I checked in, waiting to see how many punks would be there half my age, getting a kick out of me. Get it - kick out of me? Ya, well we did a short floor workout of running and crunches and push-ups, then got into the actual self-defense fighting system for the Israeli Defense Forces.

The instructor said, "this is not boxing, or MMA, or UFC. This is street fighting. It’s not about courtesy and there are no rules." Huh, no rules?

My partner was Shane - a 20-year old tank of a kid who works with the OPP.

For one routine, I held a pad against my chest while Shane pelted me with jabs for a minute, absorbed by the pad. Then I held the pad down, a little lower than my crotch, and with brutal force Shane brought a kick up toward the pad. (Very blessed to have the pad in position.) The last technique taught us how to remove an attacker who grabs you by the throat.

An hour of sweat, a sore neck and thankfully no broken bones. But ya, I think I’d go back.

Brett Baird Soon To Produce Relient K

I thrilled to hear that my son Brett has graduated from his course in Nashville. Whoo Hoo!

He has been attending SAE in the audio engineering course. What that means is - he’ll be producing CDs and giving Mark Lee Townsend a run for his money! Haha!

According to Brett’s wife Gretyl, "people at the school apparently think he's going to make it because as you can see in the pic he won the award, "Most likely to be like Alan Shacklock". Alan was one of his teachers. He's a producer, composer, musician, has received three grammy nominations, and has produced at Abbey Rd. Pretty cool. The teacher always told the class that he wants them to exceed his success. For the class to give him this award I feel like it really shows that he wants this."

I gotta be a proud Dad. Brett told me that Alan would tell the class some classic recording stories like the time he set up mics and cables at Abbey Road for the Beatles. Gasp! I like those stories.

Congrats Brett!

I miss Nashvegas.

I miss the Gulch! I wanna call the Icon home!

Musical Chairs - Great Day!

Saturday, the LIFE 100.3 contestants met at the Bayfield Mall for a massive game of musical chairs. You know how it works - everyone walks around the rows of chairs, we have less chairs than people - the person on the last chair is the winner. Our winner won a trip to Jamaica, all inclusive - mmmm. Sounds good.

As the Station Manager, it’s so cool to stand in the audience and watch the Mighty LIFE team in action, doing their parts. Everyone knows them so well.

The "Jet To Jamaica". Great contest!

But wait til you see what we do next!

Thursday

A snowy Thursday.

Thinking About - God giving me new vision; first Christmas without Mom and Brett
Listening To - "Halfway Gone" by Lifehouse and "Rain" by Creed
Reading - Nothing. Too bored. Can’t focus.
Praying about - My Dad’s life without my Mom

Wishing the sun would come out.

The Blind Side

Saw another good movie - "The Blind Side" - starring Sandra Bullock. She plays a Christian woman who takes in a street kid, feeds and clothes him and inspires him to become a talented high school football player.

I love sports movies that motivate character. But it’s not really a movie about sports - it’s about bad situations that turn positive through Godly characters. And as the reviewer from "Focus On The Family" said, you’ll leave the theatre smiling.

I think the last Sandra Bullock movie that I liked was "Speed" and that was years ago. She really climbs into this character.

I’m not sure if this would be "Pastor approved" but I’m sure it’s close. Check it out.

Dare You To Move (part 2)

I had six amazing days back-to-back! And then...Sunday.

The entire week I felt great! Amazing! I had a friend in Nashville pour into me spiritually. I went to the gym everyday and worked out with two different people - punks trying to crush me. I went to church Wednesday night. I changed my meds. Had an amazing Board Of Directors meeting yesterday.

Not to mention, last week on-air I've felt like 125%, everyday. (Very unusual)

Then came Sunday. Today. Our church dinner is tonight (Sunday). We had planned to skip the usual morning service because two trips to Alliston is a bit crazy so we prepared for the drive tonight for dinner and service.

But this morning I was lying in bed, feeling unmotivated. 9am. Didn't feel depressed but didn't feel like getting up. The sun was pouring through the window but it wasn't enough to lure me out of bed. I put my iPod on and listened to some soft Christian hits. Back to sleep and woke up and 11. Pushed repeat. I could hear Janice downstairs setting up the Christmas tree and I went back to slumber with "slumber Christian hits". Woke up 2 and as I contemplated blowing off the rest of the day, Switchfoot played in my ears.

"Where can you run to escape from yourself?
Where you gonna go? Salvation is here"

Then -

"I dare you to move
I dare you to move
I dare you to lift yourself up off the floor"

Enough!!! I got up. I felt great! Got dressed and ready for church Christmas dinner!

Hey "spirit of depression - you can bite me!"

Mom...I Miss You

Thinking about my Mom who passed away last month. It's weird to think of my Mom being dead. (I believe she's alive with Jesus, and only dead in my world.)

I visited my Dad last week at the retirement home. Mom, of course, wasn't there. He must be so lonely, seeing all the photos and nicknacks that remind him of her.

(I know this isn't the most flattering photo of my Mom, but it the one that reminds me of her most recent days.)

In the retirement home I swear I could hear Mom's voice say "Scott do you want a Coke?" She always had a cold coke ready for me. Imagining her voice I froze in my footsteps. I couldn't move. I started to cry. I looked over at the couch where she always sits - and she wasn't there. Just the space where she used to sit.

Mom always gave me a dog cookie to take home to Callie. No cookies today.

Dad and I went to play pool. Mom always watched the game from the side. The chair was empty.

No asking, "So how are Brett and Crystal doing?"

She's gone.

And while her passing was not a surprise, what is surprising me is the overwhelming feeling that .... she's gone ... and she's not coming back. Not even to say "good-bye".

I can't imagine how my Dad must feel.

I don't think I can write anymore right now.

Sore

Last night I went to the gym with a 20 year old punk. We were on "his routine". I nearly died. But - ahem - I kept up! Haha!

Today - a bit sore.

No pain, no gain, right? R i g h t ???

American Thanksgiving

Spent Thanksgiving in Nashville with our son Brett and his wife Gretyl. The "big American dinner" was held at Dianne's house - Dianne is a music publicist and she puts on mega- thanksgiving meals and I've come to believe that my American Christian friends express their gratitude in a bigger way that we do in Canada, where it is just a day off work. Dianne brought in a table for 20 people and a extraordinary buffet that went on for ever!

A couple of bands were dining across from me so as expected we all gabbed about the music business and getting songs on the radio - how very Nashville! It was very social and lots of business!

The singer of "Onset of Demise" is Leif Macaulay. Leif has some tasty tattoos - two sleeves. Here we are comparing my puny ink blotch to his dazzling exhibit. After dinner Leif and the boys drove back to Allentown, PA from Nashvegas.

Matt Rogers was another guest. Matt has started his own record label. Matt's all about business and he's absorbed a ton of industry connections since I last saw him in 1997. I believe he has 7 bands on his label, all funded by him. (He says his stocks paid off! Haha!)

Meanwhile back "In The Gulch" condo, Brett and I had some father/son time. Brett is taking an audio engineering course that teaches him how to record bands, select the right mic, add effects, mix and produce. Somewhere inside me is a passion for working with bands either directly as a manager or in-directly so I guess you could say that Brett really schooled me on audio techniques.

Later that night, Brett and I headed off the to the famed "Rocketown" - a Christian nightclub and skatepark owned by Michael W. Smith. This is "the place" to play if you're in a band. There's three stages of varying sizes. This night we were in the dark dungeon below the big stage where we discovered some really loud, young bands.

Ah Nashvegas. I miss you lots. Yes, I'm "ready to call Icon home".