Geo’s Media Blog (Happy Happy Birthday Miracle Baby.) New for 7/15/20

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The sweetest and kindest person that I’ve ever been around is my niece, Christina Johns, and what better time is there to tell you about her than on her birthday? Happy Birthday, “STEENS.”

Christina was always referred to as the miracle baby because when my brother Reg and his wife Savvy made the decision to become parents, things didn’t go as planned. Even with help from medical experts, still nothing, and at this point, they almost gave up but decided to give the experts one more shot.
However, as the specialist was examining the hopeful Mom before beginning the new program, he shocked her by saying, “Well, this is certainly a waste of time, you’re already pregnant.”

Christina, as you can see in some of the photos above, has somewhat of an exotic look about her. (Top picture, a very hungry Christina, next, 4 of the 5 Cee-Jays, Christina, Curt, Candis, and Carmel, cousin Cami was still a few years away. Next, having a bath with cousin Cami and then hanging with Grandma Betty and Cami in BC. Next, Cami, Candis, and Christina, at Candis’ wedding and then underneath that, Cami, Christina, and me, at “Steens” graduation time. Finally, Christina, striking “The Pose” with my Grandson Nathaniel, and my daughter Cami)

If you ever get to see Christina with her Mother, you’ll better understand her unique look. Like me, My Brother Reg is English and Scotch, so when you put that together with her Mother who is Italian and Korean, you get the beautiful young lady pictured at the bottom of this piece.

I’ll never forget shortly after her birth, dining out at with her and her folks at the Lowes Anatole on Coronado Island. When she began to fuss, I asked if it would be ok for me to walk her? 

As I walked and made soothing noises, she quieted down, and that’s when our unbreakable bond began. As my pal, Reid Reker said about her birth, “Congratulations, you’re an Uncle.” However, when I told him that I’ve been an uncle many times over, he said, “Yeah, but this one’s blood, Man!”

Christina and I have had many fun adventures over the years, but I think my proudest moment was when I attended her soccer team’s wind up banquet where she made her coach cry.

Reg was reorganizing his company at the time and had moved his family into the house we’d purchased in BC to be close to our Mom. She didn’t have much room at her place so no matter how many of the family was visiting there was plenty of room. (see above)

Christina, who is smart as a whip adjusted quickly to the very different Canadian education system and lifestyle. Once in Canada, she finally met some folks who were almost as polite as her. Not only is she very smart, but she’s also very athletic, so upon arrival in Canada, she immediately joined the local soccer team.

When the team had its wind up banquet at the end of the season, her coach with tears in his eyes, made the announcement that Christina wouldn’t be returning to the team next year because her family was moving back to San Diego.
When asked how he managed to go from worst to first in just one season, he replied, “Well, when Christina Johns showed up, I knew right away that my job was to just get the hell out of her way.”
GEO’S LIFE-LINERS

Action erases all doubt. 

These days a lot of people no longer respect the badge, but everybody still respects the gun that comes with it. 

The only good thing about being old is you can do anything you want to those who hurt someone you love. What the hell are they gonna do about it? 

If you’re stuck in the past, you’ll miss tomorrow. 

Creation + Persistance = Recognition. 

There are too many Yokos in the world and too few John Lennon’s. 

The only way you make dreams come true is by pursuing them. Dreams usually don’t deliver. 

Ideas aren’t worth much because everybody has them. Now good ideas, well, that’s a different story. 

Radio like the rest of showbusiness is built on talent. Without talent, what’ve you got to sell?

How is it that some people with high IQs are stupid? 

Truth Cures. 

When I mentioned to my daughter Cami that I get these notices all the time that say I can get a concealed weapon permit online, she said, “Daddy, you’re the last person who should ever carry a gun.” 

How come Amazon can deliver everything within a couple of days, but it takes everybody else forever? 

Follow a man’s money, and you’ll find his heart. 

The thing about running is, take a day off once a week and you’ll get faster, but if you take two days off, you’ll be four days behind. 

I’ve never been a big fan of big business, which is mostly what the Republican Party is made up of. On the other hand, the Democrats are mostly lawyers, and as Shakespeare said, “Ya gotta kill all the lawyers.” What’s a guy to do?

The difference between a song and a novel is that you can listen to a tune more than once. But then again, a book costs more, and sometimes they make movies out of them.

The gifted usually end up working for the creative.

COMMENTS

Bruce Walker: Whew, it’s a good thing that the stock market is only a graph of rich people’s feelings, and not the economy, or many could be in big trouble. (Another Fking Day In Paradise)
Geo: The stock market is much like Vegas, Bruce, unless of course you’re a politician and have inside information.

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.


 

 

 

Geo’s Media Blog. (Happy Fathers Day Dad) A rewrite for 6/21/20

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The other day while on Facebook, I noticed that Olympian Jeff Galloway was giving out some running advice which reminded me about the time I beat him in in a race.
When I first took up running, I did it as an form of exercise but being obsessive and very competitive, before long, I was racing, almost every weekend.

However, after hearing that unless you can run a 10K, (6.2 miles) in under 40 minutes, you’re just a  jogger and that my 50th birthday was fast approaching, I hired Thom Hunt, a world-class runner, to coach me.
With Thom’s excellent coaching and a little work on my part, just before my 50th birthday, I ran my first under 40 10K. It was at a race along Mission Bay in San Diego which I did in 38:20 and a 38:40 on a hilly course in Santa Rosa California on my birthday.

Now feeling like a real runner, I decided to go back to my hometown and run in Winnipeg’s Father’s Day half marathon. (13.1 miles)Not only would it be fun to see family and friends, but I’d also get to run the big race with my nephew Jamie Boychuk. Jamie, who now lives in Jacksonville and is the executive vice president of GSX Railway was only in high school back then and was running track, not a railroad. (pictured on top with me at his home in Jacksonville and just below it at “the race” some 25 years earlier in Winnipeg)
In fact, as I’m finishing up writing, I’m actually on a train to spend Father’s Day with him, his beautiful wife, Empress Lindsay, (pictured right above with Jamie), and their five precious daughters. (pictured below with me)

Meanwhile, back in Winnipeg, now, some 25 years ago, Jamie and I were doing our warmup routine when I happened to notice that Olympian Jeff Galloway (pictured below) was lining up in the front row with all the rest of the elite runners. How f**king cool was that? Hey, having read all of Jeff’s books on running, you can only imagine how excited I was to be actually in a race with him.

When the gun went off to start the race, I quickly lost sight of both Jeff and Jamie, and I was praying that coach Thom was right when he claimed that the young always go out a way too fast.
Sure enough, at about the 2-mile marker, I spotted Jamie, and as I slowly went by, we nodded at each other, but I, of course, thought that he was setting me up. As I went by, I thought that he probably tucked in right behind me but there was no way that I was going to flinch by looking back, so I just picked up my pace instead.
I ran the entire race out of my comfort zone, and as we entered the University of Manitoba’s track for one lap to the finish line, I was exhausted. (pictured above) However, expecting Jamie to blow by me any second, I hit it.
As I finally crossed the finish line and looked around, no Jamie, but a few minutes later, I spotted Jeff Galloway finishing.
Later when I called Thom to give him my time, 1:31, which was good enough for a third-place medal, (see below) I also mentioned that I’d finished in front of my nephew and surprisingly Jeff Galloway, However when I added, “He was probably dogging it,” Thom replied, “Well, that’s Jeff’s story, yours is you beat him.”
GEO’S LIFE-LINERS

A line in the old song Summertime explains how it all still works.“Your Daddy’s rich and your Mama’s good lookin’, so hush little baby don’t you cry.”

I understand that back in my homeland, baby Trudeau who was handing out free money all over the world like Halloween candy trying to get a seat on the Security Council at the UN, didn’t get ‘er done Eh?

I was just reading that if you want to rent a two-bedroom house in California, you need to make at least $30.92 an hour. In Florida, it takes $20.68 an hour, but if you consider living in Alabama, you can slide by on $13.72 an hour. Go Tide!

The only way to be right is by not being afraid to be wrong.

When more folks were afraid of the police, fewer died.

My new dream is to become as attractive as all the African, Russian, and Filipino women who hit me up on Facebook already say I am.

I hear that Kim Jong Un wants the McDonald’s built right next to the Trump Tower in North Korea. 

We’re all racist and prejudiced about something. The f#cking liberals, f#cking conservatives, fucking socialists, f#cking gays, f#cking rich people, f#cking welfare people, f#cking mouthy athletes, f#cking musicians, f#cking politicians, f#cking salespeople, f#cking jocks, f#cking bosses, f#cking staff, f#cking women, f#cking men, f#cking cops, f#cking post office, f#cking bums, f#cking DMV, and oh yeah, the f#cking French.

Just guessing here, but I rather doubt that it was a standing president who decided that there should be a term limit for presidents but not for Congress?

White men may not know how to jump, but they sure know how to play soccer.

Have you ever heard of a radio market where the sales department led the station into battle?

I wonder what Chuck Berry spent all that money on that he didn’t pay the musicians?

Being boring on the radio has a longer shelf life than obnoxious does.

The real purpose of Billboards is to piss off the other radio stations in town and guarantee that the sales force doesn’t have to hear, “Never heard of ya.”

How come in movies, they always leave the car door open when they get out in a hurry; women fall while running, and folks trying to escape, always go up?

Who was it and when was it decided that it would be alright for employees to take a personal call while customers were waiting in line?

Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.

 

 

Geo’s Media Blog (Geo’s Bucket List Adventure) New for 9/28/20

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Because of the Coronavirus, my bucket list adventure, which was supposed to have taken place last month, begins this Friday instead when I fly into Burbank from West Palm Beach.

Initially, I intended to take the train across Canada, but the Coronavirus killed all that, and in fact, they’ve shut down all the passenger trains until November.
Hey, why would I want to travel across Canada in November, I’m from there, I know what goes on in November?
However, pushing my trip into October made my adventure even better because when I arrive in Burbank, it’ll be, “Birthday Time” for my daughter Candis and I.(pictured above)
I’m staying at the Burbank Marriott, so we’ll be having a birthday dinner together at their Daily Grille along with my son Curt, and my grandson Nathaniel. (pictured below)
The last time Candis and I dined at “The Grill,” Nathaniel was -1 day old. (Candis gave birth to him the next day)
The next morning, my son Curt and I (pictured below) will get the rental and head out to Sunland to pick Nathaniel up for a guy day.
Nathaniel wants to tour LA, but I rather doubt he’ll want to visit the places the Beach Boys were singing about that attracted me to California when I was his age.
However, it doesn’t get any better than doing the town with your Son and your Grandson and then ending up CPK in Burbank for dinner. Hell, I’m just happy to be their driver.
Come Sunday morning, my 5000 mile adventure begins as I board the train, find my room, and then settle in as we make our way to San Jose. (see my route in red below)
Once I arrive in San Jose, I’ll be spending a few days with my dood friends, Jim and Barbara Hilliard (pictured above) before moving onto Portland. 
While hanging out with Jim and Barb, there is no doubt that Jim will bring up, “The day I f**ked him,” as he does every time I talk to him.
He’ll be referring to Aug 03, 1981, which was when I left Fairbanks Broadcasting in Indy and moved to San Diego to start my own company.
Barbara, on the other hand, will probably point out once more that my choice of women over the years has been less than formable, and perhaps it was time for me to settle down with an age-appropriate lady. (I’m sure glad she didn’t meet ’em all)
After spending a couple of days with Jim and Barb, once again I’ll climb aboard my train and after finding my room, I’ll probably have a toddy or two before bedding down for the overnight ride to Portland. (see my accommodations above and my route in red below)

By the time I arrive in Portland, hopefully, the Coronavirus will have faded so I can dine with some old friends.
I’ll be reuniting with not only my old pal from Canada, Radio Hall of Famer, Chuck McCoy, and his lovely wife Kim, (Chuck and Kim pictured above) but also with John Erickson, and the legendary Craig Walker from my K103 days. (pictured below)

 

 

 

 

 

Chuck and I started working in radio at CKY in Winnipeg around the same time and I’m hoping Kim will be able to tolerate the retelling of how Chuck got his name, and why to this day he still drives a convertible.
Craig, John, and I will probably reminisce about how it took a whole year to get Craig over to K103.
In fact, by the time Craig finally joined us at K103, the folks were so hungry to hear him that he went #1 the moment he hit the air with his news guy, John Erickson. (For the whole story, click on the links at the bottom of the page.)

Late the next afternoon, I board Amtrak for what I’m sure will be a magnificent ride through the mountains of Washington and Montana, where we hug the Canadian border almost to Chicago. (see photo on top of the page and red route below)
Hey, and when we get out of the mountains and into the plains of North Dakota, I’ll raise my glass of Canadian Club and Diet coke in a salute as we roll just a little south of my hometown of Transcona.

The other cool thing is shortly after that we’ll be going through some towns and cities in North Dakota and Minnesota where we played when I was with The Jury, those many years ago.
I arrive in Chicago around 4 pm but even though my train to Syracuse doesn’t depart until 9:30 I ain’t going nowhere, I’m staying safe and sound at the railway station.
Yes, it’s true, I did once own a radio station in Chicago for about 15 minutes, but Chicago just ain’t my kind of town. I’d recommend that the folks think real hard about defunding the police department because I’m not sure how they’re gonna defend themselves when the rioting and looting start up again. Anyway, when I arrive in Syracuse (see the train route in red below), my snowbird buddy from West Palm Beach, Bob Thomas, will be picking me up and taking me to his home in Northern Pennsylvania where I’ll spend a few days with him and his wife, Josie. (pictured above)
I’ll also get to reunite with some of the others who visit or like Bob and Josie, spend their winters in West Palm. I’m kinda thinkin’ that there’s gonna be some serious drinkin’ going on.
When the drinking’s done, Big Bob will drive me to Philly, where I’ll board the train for an overnight ride to Jacksonville. (see the route in red below)
Once in Jacksonville, I’ll spend a couple of days at the home of the Executive Vice President of CSX Railway, Jamie Boychuk, his beautiful wife Lindsay, and their gaggle of precious daughters. (see a photo of Jamie and Lindsay, and me with the girls below)

Oh, and why you ask would a honcho from CSX allow a scoundrel like me in his home? Well, Jamie like me is from Transcona and he also just happens to be my nephew.
Come Sunday morning; I’ll board the train for the final leg of my bucket list adventure as I head home to West Palm Beach, where I’ll scratch another experience off my bucket list. (see map below)
Hey, but maybe I should plan my next adventure while I still can.

Geo’s Media Blog. (The birth of K103 Part I)

https://georgejohns.com/the-blog/k103-part-ii-craig-walker-2/#.XyMLhIchP9E.gmail

 

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Geo’s Media Blog (Just Another Day In F**king Paradise) New 6/15/20

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Is it just our American arrogance that leads us to believe that even though our ancestors all came from different countries, we can all live together peacefully? Even today we speak different languages and live in separate communities like China Town, Harlam, Little Havana, Korea Town, Little India, Southie, etc. Hey maybe that’s why John Lennon called his song “Imagine” rather than “Reality,” because so far it ain’t working out.

We’ve spent three hundred years trying to fix the problem between blacks and whites but to no avail. In fact, as I write this, black people are marching all over America protesting police brutality which of course is attracting the rioters and looters. (see above)
How long will it be until the Irish point out that they were the first slaves in America so they need to be compensated, or the Chinese saying, “Hey America without our slave labor, you’d have no railroads?
 
When will the Jews remind us that they weren’t welcomed in America and are still discriminated against to this day? No doubt the Japanese will bring up the fact that they were held against their will in internment camps during WWII.
With all that’s going on, when do you suppose that the Mexican people, illegal or not, will become upset and begin their own protests?
 
All I know is that being a former Canadian, America has been very good to me but if I don’t come up with something to be pissed about soon, they’re gonna run out of free money.
 
GEO’S LIFE-LINERS
Why did they take down the signs reading, “Looters Will Be Shot?” They worked well.
 
When the voice inside you claims that you’re not capable of doing something, just do it if only to silence the voice.
 
Do you ever get the feeling that it’s the rich on the left doing battle with the rich on the right and we’re the ants in the middle?
 
You become the people you hang with.
 
Hey radio, there’s no money in narrowcasting, ya gotta figure out how to get it wider or die. 
 
I spent many hours coaching the gifted and creative on air people during my career, so I had little time for Dee-Jays. 
 
Do protesters and looters have to be politically correct or is that just us?
 
The good news is because of social media; we no longer have to wait on the networks to tell us what’s happening. However, the bad news is, most of it’s not true.
 
In movies, black folks and women are always smarter than all the white guys. In real life, not so much.

Those who hide in the past have no future.

Speaking of the past, as successful as KVIL in Dallas was, I don’t think she ever won an award. 
 
I remember when everybody had health benefits and some even had profit sharing. However, that was when the only people who worked part-time were high school students.
Then for some reason, the government, Republicans and Democrats alike thought that executives needed to make more money. Now, most of America works part-time and has no benefits.
 
Are you as tired as I am of receiving those, “This is not a check,” checks?
 
Not all cops are bad cops, but if the good ones continue to cover up those who are bad, we’ll be forced to treat them all badly.
 
If it’s only the rich who get richer, there will be some consequences. Oh, and we’ve got them outnumbered. 
 
I think what’s ruining America are the one-percenters and all the politicians they own. They buy up companies then send all the jobs overseas. Oh, and their profit never goes into circulation because it’s hidden in offshore accounts and tax-free bonds 
The only reason the government supposedly gives them tax breaks is so they’ll employ more people. However, what they do instead is to eliminate jobs. 
 
Do I have this right, there are no Chinese, Japanese, Indians, Arabs, Latinos, Blacks, Native Americans, or Women who are racist, just white males? 
 
No matter how many times you fail, you only have to succeed once to be a winner.
 
Sometimes what’s legal and what’s right ain’t the same. 
 
Debate often but decide once
 
My good friend, Tim Moore, wrote, “Failure isn’t final, but fear might be.”
 

It’s tough to measure “Almost.”

We only hear what we wanna hear and we only see what we expect to see.

All things made by hand are not better, sometimes it was just the only option.

I think Police Unions are done, somebody has to pay for what’s going on.

COMMENTS

Pixel Fairy: Oh, lord. Jack McSorley was one of the grouchiest curmudgeons I’ve ever met. Such a sourpuss. Doing business with him was hellish. (I Left My Heart In SFO)
Geo: Wow, Pixie, this is the first time I’ve heard a disparaging word about Jack. Are you sure you’re not confusing him with the Captain of the Edmund Fitzgerald?

Al Mair: I spelled Winestein wrong. This is the infamous Harvey of Hollywood fame. (Out Of The Box)
Geo: One wouldn’t want to be confused with him, Al.

Doug Thompson: Geo wrote: Speaking of arrogance, what the hell are the French so arrogant about, they haven’t done anything memorable for several hundred years.
Isn’t inventing the guillotine and French fries enough George? Course both were invented more than 200 years ago….so they have fallen down in the inventing things department. (Out Of The Box)
Geo: Hell they can’t even get that right, Dougie, they think they’re called, Pommes Frites. F**king French! 🙂

Jed Duvall: So would you classify Beethoven, Bach, Handel, and Mozart as Level Seven? (Hey Who Dat?)
Geo: Perhaps the Penthouse, Jed.

 
Geo’s Media Blog is an inside look at Radio, Music, Movies, and Life. For a sneak peek at some upcoming Blogs or to see some that you may have missed, go to Geo’s Media Blog @ GeorgeJohns.com. On Twitter @GeoOfTheRadio. Sharing and commenting is appreciated.