Lisanne Lewis takes us to the top of Mt. Kilimanjaro!

I have huge respect for people who follow their dreams, put it all on the line, and accomplish great things. 

One friend who has just returned from an amazing trip to Kilimanjaro, Lisanne Lewis, is the Director, Business & Community Development for the Shaw Conference Centre.

She is one dynamic human being and shared the intimate details of her dream trip with me for my Edmonton Sun Page 6 column.

Due to the length of the column I felt it best to post the 'full response' to my questions so that you could enjoy the full impact for 'following her dream' to the top of this legendary mountain.

The idea got started…

I turned 50 in July this year and about two years ago started looking around for something big to mark the milestone. I had a chance dinner conversation with Bunny Ferguson at the Harvest Gala Celebration that year where she described how she and John Ferguson trekked Kilimanjaro, the good parts and the challenges – and I thought hey, I think I could do that. 

Much research followed, including the realization that, as a complete non-outdoorsy, non-athlete, I was going to need to train hard and ideally find someone to go with me who was much better at this hiking stuff than I was. 

Carrie Doll, always my muse and inspiration was my original partner in all this but she had just retired from TV to pursue her own business adventures. So during a Sunday river valley walk with my favourite group of wise women I jokingly asked if “anyone wants to climb Kilimanjaro with me” and the lovely Carmelle Boston, VP of Communications at the Alberta Cancer Foundation put up her hand.  

Carmelle and I were new friends, liked and knew each other socially but that was about the extent of our knowledge of each other. 

What followed next was essentially a year of speed dating to get to know each other.

The preparation…

I needed a major physical overhaul to get ready and began training HARD twice a week with a trainer, Luke Logan at Body By Bennett for 18 months leading up to the climb.  

They have a photo of Bunny and John Ferguson’s climbing group posted on the wall in the gym so I thought this was a good sign. Lots of lunges, squats, weights, lifting, high intensity workouts that included a lot of boxing gradually started turning a skinny tall girl into strong tall girl. 

Sunday’s became long hike days carrying a 10lb pack and Carmelle and I would escape when we could (together and alone) to get some altitude climbs in around Banff, Lake Louise and Canmore.

For the last few months I basically hurt all the time from workouts.  

My eating habits also changed, dropping most sugars and glutens and they even lined me up with a nutritionist for coaching and to monitor my body composition. 

Two months before the climb the goal shifted to putting ON weight and building lean muscle – which was way harder than you would think. 

The other part of preparation was gathering gear. As someone who doesn’t normally venture outside I had a lot of gear to buy and borrow. 

It takes a village to get a girl up a mountain and so many very kind friends loaned me everything from hiking poles, to sleeping bags, to headlamps and polar sleeping bags.

Time frame and flight path…

I was away for 19 days, including a couple of days to sleep off the 9 hour difference jet lag. This took place right in the middle of busy, high-event season for us. 

EEDC was very supportive of my time off, Brad Ferguson in particular. 

There was a Ferguson theme throughout my climb it seems. Looove the new LMN direct flight to Amsterdam. They partner with Kenya air and the local hopper flights so I was able to check my kit bag all the way from Edmonton to Kilimanjaro, Tanzania.

When we arrived…

Two 8-hour flights, and a 9-hour time difference leaves you feeling bevy shell shocked when you arrive to a beautiful hot world of colourful sights and sounds. 

I was amazed at how soft and beautiful the Swahili language is and how respectful and helpful the traditional Maaisai locals are of trekking tourists. 

We were part of a tour group, joining three other people  on the climb. Our tour guide Jackson picked us up at the first tented hotel we stayed at in Arusha, then we picked up the other three (all Brits) who had flown in separately, and the five of us embarked on a 2-day safari that also helped us acclimatize.  

We quickly learned that Jackson would be glued to us day and night. He told us when to sleep, when to wake, when to wash, when to eat, what to eat, what to wear, when to walk, when to rest, when to walk again and would monitor us closely for the rest of the trip for any signs of injury or altitude sickness. 

After the safari we left our non-mountain gear at another beautiful hotel, re-packed our kit bags and met our 25-person crew that would get us and all stuff up the mountain. 

We each had our own porter to carry our bag and set up our tent plus we had a chef/ mess tent and the luxury of a private, tented portable “biffy.” Yes, a porter was assigned to carry our “biffy” up the mountain every day – and he made great jokes and songs out of it. God luv him. 

Being looked after by this massive crew quickly got rid of any apprehension; it was their job to get us to the summit in a safe and healthy way and we knew we were in good hands.

The trek…

It was hard, very hard, the hardest thing I’ve ever done in my life, physically and mentally. It was 6 days to get up the mountain and one day to get down. You are walking uphill every day for hours, over very rough terrain, climbing 1,000 meters each day, very slowly in order to acclimatize. 

We only had to carry our day packs and water (10-15 lbs) since the porters carried EVERYTHING ELSE ON THEIR HEADS up the mountain, passing us to scamper ahead and make camp and dinner for us. God luv them. 

Once we get to camp every day we drop our bags, snack,  then go on a 1-2 hour higher hike up and back down to acclimatize. “Sleep lower than you climb” is the standard.  At this point your legs and back are beyond sore every day. 

Yes, we were all popping Advil like crazy. No “impressions” from past treks, except for the inukshuks past hikers have left at major milestone areas, which are oddly comforting if you are having a tough day. 

Worst part was summit night: after climbing all day we get to Kibo camp, exhausted, we were all suffering from mild altitude symptoms at this point (nausea, fatigue, headaches), then get taken on yet another mini-acclimatization hike, forced to eat, sleep and woken up at 11 pm to start the summit climb in the pitch dark. 

We climbed by headlamps, in the cold for 6 hours, then summited at sunrise.  The lead guide sang beautiful Swahili songs all night to keep our spirits up. I was shocked at how much the altitude can affect you: at one point I was taking only 5 steps before stopping to catch my breath, with 50% less oxygen in the air at 5,600 metres your body begins panting trying to get enough air. 

One member of our team began to see phantom animals passing us. I couldn’t stop my nose from bleeding and freezing on my face. 

The guides would put chocolate in our mouths for energy,  pat our cheeks for reaction, adjust our water hoses and headlamps and actually shove us up the next step so that muscle memory would kick in and we would start walking again … for another 5 steps … then repeat entire process.

The summit ….

By 3 am we had split into two groups: three of us, including Carmelle were feeling well enough to try the extra 2 hours to another summit called Uhuru. 

Along with Jody, a tough little nurse from England, I was happy to continue to the original summit goal of Gilman’s point since Jody and I were moving much slower due to altitude effects. 

Carmelle and I had pre-agreed we would split up if needed so we hugged it out and continued towards our separate summits. 

Our guides wouldn’t let us look up while we were climbing that night because we tended to get off balance and fall easily. But on one of our many (many) breaks, just before sunrise, when we were feeling our coldest and our most fatigued, we paused to look up and there was Venus, Mars and Jupiter clustered together right there, looking huge and bright and feeling so close that you could reach out and touch them. 

Then the sun began to rise, we got over that last rock, and poof, we were at the top! 

I finally snapped out of robo-walk mode and whooped it up, hugged Jody and we both had a little cry but had to stop because the tears were freezing to our faces. 

We snapped the obligatory photo and shared a celebratory flask of fireball whisky I had brought with me with our guides.

Aftermath…

We “skied” down 1,000 meters of scree, shredding our pants but feeling better with every metre we descended. After a one-hour nap we descended to Horombo, and the next day walked 6hours out of the park, all in about a 35 km walk off the mountain. 

We flew to Zanzibar and baked on a beach for two days, then began the long flights home.

(FYI you can rent beautiful private shower rooms in the Amsterdam airport, just sayin’) 

I’m sunburnt, my face is still marked up from the ice, I’ve damaged my right ankle, lost a toe nail or two and may actually have malaria. It was all worth it.  

The fulfilling part of this journey turned out to be in the months leading up to the actual climb: the commitment to the physical preparation, the research, learning to hike, finding the right gear, the generous support of friends and colleagues, and the partnership and now close friendship with Carmelle. 

We are planning a “Kili Didn’t Kill Us” event for November.

The adventure has changed how I feel about moving through the world. 

We were told repeatedly by well-meaning folks that two “girls” should be scared about going to Africa to do something so physical but instead we listened to our strong community of dauntless friends, family and workmates who said we could do it.

They were right.

Favourite stories….

- The uniting power of football. Turns out our entire crew of porters and guides are huge football fans, Team Arsenal specifically. So was one of the Brits travelling with us, a nice fellow named Terry who looked like a Navy Marine but was actually a Barclays banker. He would put on his parka and gather around the radio on game night, with the porters translating the Swahili play-by-play for him for their beloved Arsenals, who are currently no. 2 in the standings. I know this now because we all became oddly focused on the team’s success.

- Tanzania’s national elections took place the Sunday of our climb. The porters had a large flagpole placed at the centre of camp every night for the favorite political party’s flag. We learned a lot about the election process, the hopes and fears of the locals, celebrated with them when the results came in and grieved with them when the long-time sitting current party refused to acknowledge the results that would have ousted them. There was a strong army presence in Zanzibar because of the demonstrations so tourists were discouraged from going into town.  

Our federal election took place that same week and no matter what you think about the outcome, we had new-found  appreciation for Canada’s transparent, democratic and peaceful election process.

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Lisanne thanks for sharing your trip with my readers - and we are all glad that you and Carmelle are safely home - but more so that you followed through on a once in a lifetime pledge that took courage, physically demanding work, and dedication to 'reaching the top' of this legendary mountain.

So...simple question to end this...

                                          

                                                 Whats next?  You go girl(s)!   

Handing the keys over to the kids in radio....

My long time friend and colleague Pat Holiday is writing some pretty spectactular blogs these days and his successful history in radio makes these blogs 100% relevant and respected.

One recent one covered, and I'll paraphrase the topic, with all the changes in media, distribution, ownership, and technical advances affecting tuning and programming maybe the 'old school guys' (like me/him) may not be as relevant in this new environment as we once were.

For reference the complete blog is here:  http://www.fyimusicnews.ca/articles/2015/11/02/pat-holiday-talent-timeless

I was thinking about an analogy for this and it reminded me of when I first asked my father for the keys to his classic Corvette.  Dad 'hesitatingly' knew I was ready to take his 454 horse power Stingray rocket on the street when I asked for the keys at age 18 BUT before he handed them over he provided some sage advice so that we 'both' felt comfortable with this paradigm shift in our relationship.

That being said I think it's time to do as Pat says - but not without some of "Dad's sage advice before we do!"

I fully 'agree' with Pat's premise but fired back a short retort to him along with a few other thoughts that I think are important before the new kids put the throttle to the floor in the ever changing world of radio.

Here they are:

Another excellent column Pat - and I can certainly identify with your thoughts on 'next gen' broadcasters.  

I too think it's time for new ideas and concepts and they're likely not going to come from 'old guard' programming concepts.

My only concern is that, with the massive layoffs and centralized programming departments, these younger broadcasters still need guidance on WHY and HOW radio works - because if the basics aren't there the rest simply won't matter.

Being digitally integrated is huge - I agree - but if you don't take your eyes up off your smartphone or laptop to 'talk' to listeners; to be in the public eye; to get involved in LOCAL community efforts then these broadcasters aren't utilizing the full magnitude of the elements that make 'good' programming become 'great.'

We've all watched people gravitate to the 'legendary' morning guys at events - people like Terry Dimonte, Gerry Forbes (brother plug), Brother Jake, Humble and Fred, Rob Christie, (and many other highly successful broadcasters) whereas today most of the morning shows on radio have almost faceless single name hosts who never seem to step out of their homes or the station after hours.  Community engagement still works yet it's slipping away from some operations.   

Nothing bothers me more nowadays watching radio station promo booths 'shoved to the corners' at key events and being manned by street team people who are too busy playing Angry Birds or Words with Friends instead of actually chatting with listeners about the radio stations they are there to represent.

Plus, ALL great performers need one thing - 'coaching' - and the greatest losses (in my opinion) are in the mid to upper levels of Programming - so that daily interaction just isn't there anymore.  

You and I got to our positions by working with and for some of the finest minds in broadcasting - a list too lengthy to mention but I'm sure you'd agree that having those people guide us along through the various formats, ownership changes, rule changes, and competitive situations we faced was the key to US ending up in the corner office of Standard Radio of which we both were so fortunate to have done.

As you mentioned in the column a great deal has changed for guys like you and me in the industry over the past few years....some of it obviously good, some of it bad....but witnessing the reaction to your columns with comments on Facebook it's clear that  'mentoring' and 'teaching' is still badly needed in the industry.  

I still love chatting with the 'talent' in the various radio stations I visit constantly - and I hope they don't think of me as just an "old grey haired bugger who used to be in the radio business."

When I offer a comment most of them say "hey - thanks for listening" or "I havent had an aircheck in months (or ever)" - damn simple.   If the very basics of radio are not done well or even done 'at all' some of the new found creativity will simply not be successful and that would be a pity.     One other thing....there's nothing better than 'reverse' mentoring too.  I really love sitting down with young folks in the business, or speaking at things like the Broadcast Educators Association of Canada conventions, to learn from the folks in the business today so that I get a better understanding of the current situation.  It's win/win.

Plus...I love being the 'oldest guy in next gen' - and as you know "I teach Twitter."   

There you have it.  I think most of us in the industry are waiting for the 'next big thing' - something exciting, new, innovative, fun, game changing - kinda like what Netflix did to Blockbuster - and some day somebody will make that breakthrough - I hope.

If nothing else keep reading Pat's blogs - on FYI Music - and follow him on Twitter @patholiday - because I know you will learn lots from a man who accomplished much in his career.

Snowbird season is here - stuff you should know!

It's been awhile since my last Snowbird blog update.  Much has changed.

First off, the Canadian dollar is definitely killing both tourism and real estate in the United States currently and it’s hard to guess when this situation might improve.   

Methinks it won’t be ‘soon.'

However the fact is when it's 30 below in Alberta it's likely 25-30 above in Arizona - so you can sit and freeze your butt off during the winter OR budget accordingly and come enjoy one of America's finest playgrounds in Arizona or California.

In the Phoenix area alone there are over 270 golf courses in and around the city of 4.5 million; with a wide variety of prices and skill levels.   

If you hunt carefully you can find special deals and they DO appreciate their Canadian visitors so don't hesitate to tell them you're playing on a 'reduced' dollar and see what they come up with.

For entertainment there's a world class music or arts facility in each of the cities that make up Phoenix - including the surrounding suburbs.

From 'soft seaters' like the beautiful Scottsdale Performing Centre or Mesa Arts Centre - to downtown Phoenix’s one hundred year old beautiful Orpheum Theatre to the outdoor covered Ak Chin Theatre that holds about 25,000 people.

In a city as large as Phoenix stars from all genres visit 'weekly' - and concerts down there are often priced at about 'half' of what we generally pay here at Canadian venues.   Most of the casinos have small intimate venues where you can see 'classic' bands for a very reasonable ticket price too.

For music lovers the Musical Instruments Museum in Scottsdale is a must...an extremely interesting venue with musical instruments from the beginning of time - and a beautiful intimate theatre were world class musicans play jazz, classical, folk, blues, etc..

Sports lovers can enjoy all the biggies - the Arizona Coyotes (NHL), the Phoenix Suns (NBA), the Arizona Diamondbacks (Baseball); NASCAR races; and of course college teams that draw large crowds too.

Whichever direction you drive in, around, or just outside the city you'll find rich history sites and highlights include stunningly beautiful Sedona, interesting ghost towns and some deep deep copper mines east of Gilbert.

If you're considering buying a condo or home in the area you'd be wise to talk to somebody who specializes in Canadian buyers and I highly recommend Gary Peruzinni who is the contact person who has assisted me and more than a dozen of my friends in their purchases in Arizona.

I asked Gary a few key questions including:

1.  What's the current situation with Phoenix and area real estate?  Has it 'recovered' from the post 2008 dip.

"The Phoenix Metro area has rebounded nicely from the initial down turn.. The correction high has not been attained. In other words we have not recovered completely as of yet however the volume of foreclosures and short sales have been absorbed.

During this correction many groups and hedge funds purchased much of the available inventory. 

These properties have been entered into the rental pool. The expectation was that much of this rental property would be held until the market recovered. Conversely to the strategy expectations these properties are yielding higher rents causing very little motivation to kill the "golden goose". 

The thinking goes something like this. Why sell and lose the cash flow while properties continue to appreciate?

Due to this and a few other conditions the availability of entry level property is down hence rising prices."

2.  What is the biggest thing a Canadian should know about US real estate vs Can real estate?

"Because the US is tied to the development of Real Estate and all of the associated industries as a huge portion of the GDP. There is political capital available to support the market through things like:

A. Low down payments, FHA is 3% down, VA can be a  Zero (zed) down payment
B. Owners of primary residences which are financed have the opportunity to deduct from there federal taxes the interest paid for the year. That calculation is total annual interest times the effective income tax rate of the home owner.

C. There also exists a capital gain free sales window for those that have resided in the home (as their primary residence) for 2 of the last 5 years. The maximum window varies if you are married $500,000 or single $250,000. Currently there is no limit to this exemption. It can be utilized as often as one might qualify for it. If timed correctly a person could live in a home for two years lease it for two years and then sell it without tax. The property owner could have 2-3 homes in play with this strategy."

3.  Any other tips or information you’d like to convey?

"Seasonal use of a property in Arizona provides so many intangibles. What to do with the time in Arizona never seems to be an issue. The cost of living and the property taxes provide for a cost effective way to enjoy some or all of the winter in Arizona. Canadians seem to have a budget for winter escape. When doing the math it very cost effective."

A few other important things you should be aware of if you’re considering visiting or buying over the winter you’d wise to know includes:

1.  Know the 'legal' aspects of buying and visiting the United States.  The most current up-to-date book I recommend is The Border Guide - by Robert Keats.  It's updated often and you can find information on it at theborderguide.com

2.  You are only allowed to be in the United States for 181 days annually - but it's a complicated formula of what counts and what doesn't when you go back and forth.  Both borders are now 'sharing' information so you're wise to set up a formal system tracking your visits.  

It’s not a ‘calendar’ allotment but an annual tally and it resets after you have been out of the US for 30 days.

3.  The Health Care coverage you receive when leaving Canada is different in EACH Province for how many months you are allowed to be out of the country and it does NOT align with the 181 day rules so 'know you're particular rules.'

4.  I highly suggest you join the Canadian Snowbird Association - snowbirds.org - it's very inexpensive and they provide constantly updated information about the US situation.  They provide Health Coverage; organize special events that you can attend for updates (and meet other Snowbirds); and have been lobbying the US Government for a modification to the Days Allowed in the US - attempting to get us 240 days.

5.  Get a HOME CHECKER if you buy a place down there.  Mine goes in 'weekly' - brings my mail in; picks up anything that is left at the front door (menus, etc) that would be left there for months showing that I'm likely not at home; he checks various things around the place - and makes sure the water gets turned on to circulate during the 115F summer days so that pipes and toilets (seals) don't go dry and cause problems.

6.  Get an A/C-Heat deal from one of the local providers.  They come twice a year to make sure that your units are working properly.  I also have an ADT deal that allows me to turn both on - via an iPad app - so that I know they're both working prior to my visits - and to cool the place down prior to my arrival.  These past two suggestions are 'plus' items for your Insurance provider too - don't leave a home empty.

7.  Finally check your cell phone 'roaming' policy and costs as you can get a huge surprise when you head home if you have used your phone extensively down there.  Usually you have a roaming charge and a separate charge for 'text' usage - so again have your provider explain their costs to you - and 'each one in Canada is different.'  ie. Bell, Rogers, Telus, etc.

Be aware that many laws are very different as is the culture.  A sun destination is a wonderful place to wait out winter - but it’s imperative that you remember that you are in another country and their ways and laws can be dramatically different than what ours - so do your homework just in case.

Radio managed by remote control....

I proudly worked with the finest ownership groups in Canadian radio over 4 decades.

They were all great radio stations owned by great radio broadcast groups - plain and simple.

From 'day one' in my career these companies hired the very best General Managers in the business that they could find and/or 'develop' in their systems.

I learned 'everything' from these people - including my late Father who ran 630 CHED when it had a 55 share of listening in the Edmonton market in the 1970's.

Can you imagine that share today :)

A 'great' General Manager does many things to make a radio station highly successful.

He/She "manages by walking around" first and foremost.  Not just in the morning but throughout the day to touch everybody they possibly can regardless of shift or responsabilities.

He/She greeted people in the hallways - at their desks - at the coffee machine and asked about 'their families' - how'd junior do at his first hockey game? - how'd the daughter do in the dance competition? - how your folks health situation was - you know, the things that 'weigh' on somebody's minds while they're at the office doing their job or trying to inform/entertain an audience.

Find me a morning show - your highest paid employees generally - who doesn't enjoy knowing the GM drove in to the station actually 'listening' to their show - popping his/her head in to the control room to say "great show guys" or "thanks for showing up to the station event last night!"

My bro Ger has done mornings for 35 plus years in Toronto, Edmonton, and Calgary and I can assure you he still enjoys a pat on the back or a kick in the ass comment about his show.

OK maybe the kick part isn't accurate but I can tell you that he still loves to learn and adjusts his show to what Management wants to hear with positive input to his show.

A great GM 'manages' the community.

Attending those 'must attend' functions.  Giving back to 'key needs' in the local market.  Putting a face to a name.  Getting out of the corner office and 'learning' what the hot spots are in the city.  Donating time or cash or both to various important causes - like children's hospitals - somebodys wheelchair that was just stolen - chatting with parents, Doctors, Nurses, kids and grandparents that all need a little 'love' or support from their local radio station.

He/She worked on committees - like the United Way for example - where 35 or so 'business leaders' OR their extended family (spouses/kids) are part of important committees 'building' the city.

At those committee meetings 'more than once' I remember discussions by business leaders asking us which companies in town (locally or nationally owned)  'gave back' to the City of Edmonton in which they were receiving 'profits' from their business.

More than once when somebody said a certain non locally based company informed us that they were not going to contribute to the United Way this year - the call went out to us with the message  - 'and which of us are going to use THEIR services from now on?"

Sometimes those donations hit home hard - for example - The Bear once donated several 'heart monitors' to the neonatal section at the Royal Alec here in Edmonton.  At last count I believe THREE family members (or a friend/neighbor) had newborn children that used those monitors.

GM's 'meet and mingle' with leaders of industry. 

The General Manager attended NHL and CFL games - mingling with 'customers' in the concourse - listening to opinions about our various radio stations - our 'performers' - our 'newsrooms' - etc. etc. etc.

A General Manager works hand in hand with ownership centralized in another city to let them know what is "different" in this city and why a National roll out of a concept or idea just may need a little local 'tweaking' to make certain it worked in their own particular market.

And let me assure you Edmonton is different from Vancouver - from Calgary - from Toronto and from Halifax or Penticton.

Good companies listened and gave those General Managers the freedom to make those adjustments.

A Good General Manager 'fights' for his/her employees - his/her format - and his/her special needs in the budget so as not to simply take a carbon copy decision that is often made by an HR or Financial Department decision by these companies.

He/She is the cornerstone to everything that makes radio successful from a 'local' level.

He/She makes sure those 'little things don't become big things.'

The GM 'shows up' at events, remotes, and important functions.

He/She makes sure everybody is flying the station's flag - monitoring activities in each and every department.  Looking good in station clothing.  Showing up at a remote or event to see that the street team was engaging with the listeners and not just playing Words with Friends on their smart phone.

He/She keeps up to all 'trends' in the business - like Social Media - and stays 'active' with a learning curve in all new technologies to make sure that his/her radio station cluster remains competitive in an ever changing field.  

PS: "PLEASE" put a GM's full contact information on your website and send a bounce back message email that shows that the message was received and will be responded to by 'somebody' within 3 days like other businesses do.  

Social Media is the greatest free Focus Group you could ever have - and many stations often just put a recent broadcast school grad in the 'first point of contact' with the listeners without knowing what good or bad things these listeners are saying about their station or personnel unless it's something totally 'offensive' and they're looking for some guidance.

Most good GM's are actually 'on' Facebook or Twitter to see how it works and what their own employees are posting under their corporate banner.

Leadership is everything.

The Military got it right a thousand years ago making sure that the Five Star General leads - and that all thinking flows throughout the complete ranks from top to ground level.

Some of the best GM's I've worked with came from the 'content' side of the business - and with them totally in charge the Sales Department often knew they had a great product to sell.

They were also 'mentors' to up and coming Program Directors or Sales Managers who want to eventually make it to the corner office.

My entire dream about radio started as a 14 year old watching my Dad work.  I didn't want to just catch him - I wanted to beat him and it drove me until the day he died in 1981 when I changed my focus to making sure my 'daughters, wife, and family' were proud of my achievements in the radio business.

When I 'almost' retired from radio almost 7 years ago I sent a note - or an email - to every single former General Manager that I worked with during my career that I could find to send a personal 'thank you' to them for their sage guidance and advice that they provided to me during my time in radio.

I learned something from each and every one of them - sometimes what 'not' to do - but I simply would not have enjoyed the various successes I enjoyed in my career without them regardless of market size.

Most of the good stuff was actually learned 'in the minors.'

An empty GM's office speaks volumes.

For all the complaints and comments I've read over the past few years about what is "wrong" with radio I can safely say that about 99% of those problems could be fixed very quickly with a simple move by the corporate giants.......if they would just put "leadership back in the corner offices" and let these people run their radio stations with local knowledge and national support.

My favourite comment from friends/peers is "why do you still work so hard now Marty?"

I'm not working.

I still get invitations to all the best things in town - suites at football and hockey games; great seats at world class concerts (thanks record rep pals); conferences in the mountains, and great conventions and conferences around town.  

I do believe it's because I worked my ass off to make Edmonton a better place to live by utilizing the power of the radio stations that I was so blessed to run.

It's a whole new 'centralized media world!'

Look - I understand what has changed in the business - and yes it's easy to sit back and criticize the business now but very simply - having a radio station with an empty corner office has a 'huge' effect on how successful the business is for each and every employee, and owner.

No leadership - no results.

Or as another highly respected radio General Manager said to me last week...

..."maybe we're the dinosaurs?

God I hope not.

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About the blogger:   I was fortunate to have been in Management of radio stations for 38 of my 40 years in the business - Lethbridge, Calgary, Toronto, Vancouver and Edmonton.  Upon retirement in 2009 I was honored by being inducted in to the WAB Hall of Fame.  In 2012 I was bestowed with a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal for community Service.  

Since retiring I have proudly been part of organizations who have raised over $22 million dollars for charities across Canada. 

Random Thoughts on a summer Sunday afternoon....

I've always loved Larry King.  

His 'it's my two cents' piece ran in USA TODAY for several years and now his Twitter account is where he distributes those 'random thoughts' that often are simply just great head scratching deep reaching comments.

I don't pretend to be in his league but happy to 'borrow' his style.

Here we go.

Surely Donald Trump is a Democratic 'plant' - and the longer he continues his insane rants the better chance he will offend every single person who casts a vote.

Result may be Hillary becomes the first US 'female' President.

I absolutely love the new 100MENYEG and 100WOMENYEG concept.  Corporations support the big causes well in Edmonton - but 'people' are helping smaller groups with $10,000 (plus) donations make a huge difference to these groups.

Thank you to the 100 Women who care who 'gifted' The Graves Disease Foundation of Edmonton a cool $14k recently.

Thank you to LIGHT THE BRIDGE who will also be highlighting GDF on July 28th by lighting up the High Level Bridge in pink and purple in honour of GDF.

What's happened to driving skills?

Tailgating with four car accidents is the norm.

Nobody does the speed limit anymore.  Police don't pull anybody over anymore either.  Nobody does 'stagger' entrances anymore and pretend they don't see you when you try to move into a line.

Cell phone/texting/distracted driving laws are obviously for 'somebody else.'

A real true friend whom I've known for over 35 years sent an absolutely wonderful email note to my daughter praising her 'courage' through Graves Disease the other day.  We seldom speak - we don't need to because actions are stronger than words - but that simple action made my day - week - and month.  That's why we're friends, forever.

Addiction is a terrible thing - especially for those who don't deal with it.  Many friends are 'struggling' with it - often losing their families, jobs and/or careers.

Get help!   You're only fooling one person!

The downtown Edmonton rebuild is grand on so many fronts.

Go see the ICE DISTRICT headquarters to see the complete package - Hotels, Theatres, Skating Rinks, Residential, Business.

World - Class!

BTW compliments to both the Edmonton Esks and Edmonton Oilers for their own particular 'rebuilds' too - it hasn't been this exciting in years.   #97.

What song 'instantly' stops you in your tracks the moment you hear it?  Regardless of era - Brook Benton's "Rainy Night in Georgia' is one of mine.

OK Andrea Bocelli's "Time to Say Goodbye" too.

Is there a sadder story than the Kristina Houston situation?

I was so fortunate to have met her mother in the mid 80's in Vancouver and this story touches deep with that simple introduction.

Thank you Ray Ramsey for finding this great picture.  

F__K Cancer my friends - and thank goodness for all the support that social media provides to these strong people.  It's nice knowing you don't fight this alone!

I 'heart' Europe.  Seeing how others live half way around the world is so eye opening.  I wish the 'complainers' over here got to see how truly lucky we are to live in our corner of the world.

Often what you complain about is simply 'meaningless' to what others have had to endure.

Travel is the best knowledge barometer possible.

Mixed feelings on the Canadian dollar.  Happy for our manufacturing sector.  Unhappy for my Snowbird friends.

If you don't have a retirement 'plan' you may be surprised when you get there.  And I don't mean financially.

I'm not getting OLDER - I'm 'maturing.'

Mentoring is everything - both ways.  Happy to teach.  Happy to learn.

Paying forward. Giving back.  Whatever you want to call it doing 'public service' brings me great joy.  There's nothing finer than working with the people in the Edmonton Singing Christmas Tree - and this year working with Cam Tait and the Edmonton Sun annual Christmas Auction is already a blast.

Best book I read this year?

This one.

The superstar is sitting.


Speaking of joy.  Lauren Forbes.  Rayanne Forbes.

I am so extremely proud of what my daughters have become in life.


Kind.  Thoughtful.  Considerate.  Fun.  Loving. Smart.  Both are so different - but both are so much the same.  I only wish Grandpa Forbes was around to spend time with my fabulous family.

PS:  My wife is pretty cool too.  We're heading for our 30th Anniversary next February and I would not have enjoyed 'any' of my success as a Father or a Media guy without Kim.




That's  the stuff that rambles around in my skull these days.

With apologies to Larry King once more - "it's my two cents!"

Love to hear yours.

Cheers

Marty

"F _ _ K Cancer!"

I have several friends and associates currently fighting cancer - and like many of us - have lost family and lifetime pals to this horrid disease in the past.

Some friends fight the disease in public and get great support from family and peers while others like to quietly fight cancer while under treatment.

Each is obviously a highly personal decision - and I respect each and every friend who is (or has) faced this condition.

My personal best wishes as you each "F_ _ K Cancer!"

This past month I was offered the opportunity to review a book by a dynamic young lady in the United States by the name of Nicole Dorman who has been through a very tough time with cancer herself.

Nicole wrote a book that very thoroughly chronicled her personal situation - and the title says it all.

(Review)

"I Fought Like a Girl and I Won"  

'A poignant story handled with class and dignity.  Nicole Dorman "I Fought Like a Girl and Won" has lessons for all of us.  

Women for the struggle to fight breast cancer.  

Men to understand the overwhelming effect of the horrible disease.

Nicole not only served her country proudly - but also is raising three children as a single Mother.  Not once in the book is the word 'pity' used - because she fights Breast cancer 'head on' - and wins.

Most helpful is a glossary of the many (insensitive) terms that the medical industry uses to describe the disease and the effects.

A short impactful read.  Best wishes Nicole.'

This book may be helpful for anybody going through the disease currently - or for family and friends who need a full understanding of the many decisions you have to make during the medical process.

I highly recommend it.

You will find "I Fought Like a Girl and I Won" via Amazon.com:

http://www.amazon.com/Fought-Like-Girl-Won/dp/1503551490

Thanks for sharing your story Nicole - and best wishes for a 'wonderful' life with your family.

Sincerely.

Marty

Thinking of visiting Arizona? Here are some suggestions for you...

"So...what are the best must see/must things to do in Phoenix?"  

Great question - and as a frequent traveller myself - I find that most of the best tips come from 'locals' and not necessarily websites or periodicals from places that you visit so most of this is what "I" believe are the best places to see during your stay in the "Valley of the Sun."

The obvious answer is GOLF.

The Phoenix area has more than 270 golf courses and 'any' level of golfer can find several courses that match his/her skill level and/or price point.

GOLF.NOW is the best website for you as you can dial in the area you wish to golf; the price point; whether you are single, double or a foresome; and the time you wish to golf.  They also have an APP as well as a loyalty plan so you can earn points for future golf benefits.

That's just the Phoenix area - if you want to go to Tucson or Sedona (more on this one shortly) then dial those locales in too.

The price point that most Canadian golfers seem comfortable with is $65 with cart.  Many friends like to book at least 'one' luxury game during their visit - like at Troon North - but be prepared to pay in the $200's for the game.

And if you love GOLF try this place - TOP GOLF.  You'll find one in Gilbert and one in Scottsdale.   It's part driving range - part lounge/bar/restaurant - and it's digitized so you can track your progress at any level of expertise.     http://topgolf.com/us/

Sedona -   This is arguably one of the most beautiful places in the entire state, with the exception of the Grand Canyon.  It's about a two hour drive north of Phoenix, and the surrounding mountains are all a vibrant 'red' - and especially when the sun is shining directly on them.

If you combined the International flare of Banff - with the rugged quality of Jasper - you'd be close to what Sedona is in scope.  There are some stunning places to stay there - 5 star in quality - and you could bump into an entertainment giant walking the downtown streets as many stars have second homes in this beautiful area.

Suguaro Lake - This reservoir lake is about 45 minutes north of downtown Phoenix, and is ten miles long, and part of the water system that feeds Phoenix.  There are boat rentals right from a two seater up to a full riverboat - jet ski's - etc. - and the serenity is amazing floating on this beautiful lake.

On the way up you'll go through Fountain Hills so be sure to see their legendary fountain shooting several hundred feet in the air at the top of each hour.

Tortilla Flat -  This is another destination that is only about 45 minutes out of town.  You'll drive along the legendary Apache Trail and end up at a 100 year old Stage Coach stop.  For part of the year they open up the patio at the little cafe in town and have a live country band playing away while you dine on burgers and chilli made right in front of you.   The ride, on a motorcycle, is rated one of the best in the entire United States and you'll have to be a seasoned vet to take it at a decent speed as the drop off is 'significant' if you miss a turn while staring at a huge variety of cacti.

Westgate Centre - This is where the NFL and NHL stadiums are, surrounded by an 'entertainment' area.  Most weeknights there is either a car show, motorcycle show, or 'some' display going on.  If you are lucky enough to be there on 'game days' you won't believe the activity.   70,000 for a football game with amazing tailgating - and for NHL games the outside area is a bee hive of actifvity too with outdoor bars and patios all facing the action.   Jimmy Bufetts Margaritaville is always fun.

If you're with a group check out the Arizona Coyotes suites.  They are all different in size and you can book them for individual games.  Each has a full time waiter/waitress and 'menu' service.   Prices for games here will shock you (in a good way) - and I highly recommend the South Club for hockey fans.  It's like a bar 'inside' the stadium with a great view; premium food service; and you can wander around as well as sit in seats that have virtually double the leg room from other sections

Plenty of parking and just $10 per game.  You can get that rebated if you shop or dine at the Centre.

There are high end shops - a 24 hour movie theatre - and a large Outlet Mall featuring some of the top names in retail all in the same area.  Warning - there is little public transit in/out and you can be an hour or so getting out after a game if you don't plan your departure carefully.

Baseball - Spring training is everywhere and you will find each and every city hosting a team for over a month each spring.  The newest stadium is in Scottsdale, at Talking Stick (hotel/casino) and is shared by both the Arizona Diamondbacks - and the Colorado Rockies.  The amenities are amazing and the prices are cheap.    (FYI Phoenix is made up of several cities incl Mesa, Tempe, Chandler, Gilbert, Scottsdale, Glendale, etc)

If the Arizona Diamonbacks are playing the stadium is also a 'must see.'  Very cheap prices again for a game and check out the hot tub/pool in the suites where kids can swim during the baseball game.

You'll need a GPS to get around to the various ballparks as they literally are in each corner of the city.  Phoenix has a population of 4.6 million and one of the biggest land masses of any city I've ever been in however the highway system is tremendous with 'non stop' loops around 101, 202, 303, etc. but just avoid the 'downtown spill' at around 3 to 5 pm if possible.

NFL Football:  Played in Glendale and the tailgate parties alone are worth seeing so come early.

NBA Basketball - The Arizona Suns play downtown as well, plus the US AIRWAYS stadium often has good concerts.

Fish and Shark sighting:  In Scottsdale, a massive new Aqaurium named OdySea has just opened (Fall 2016)  http://www.odyseaaquarium.com

Music:  The Musical Instrament Museum in Scottsdale is a must.  Musical instraments and authentic costumes from virtually every country in the world.  You could spend a whole day there.

Motorcycle Riding:  I'm fortunate enough to have a motorcycle down here, and buddies to ride with, but there are lots of rental places with a great variety of bikes to choose from.  The best rides are the secondary highways and the best 'corners' are the south east and north east as you loop around some beautiful topography - and through some real ghost towns.

The mine area in the south is a must - as they have been digging down for close to 100 years (copper) - and there are great viewing areas.  The ride around Lake Roosevelt is also beautiful.  Lots of people ride from Phoenix to Las Vegas - about 5 hours - and Los Angeles is about a 6 hour jaunt as well.

The secondary highways are pristine - with not a pothole in the state to worry about - however they don't really honour that "pass in the left lane" philosophy we have in Canada, which can be quite frustrating.  The business truck highways are #10 south and #17 north - and I try to avoid them, when possible.

Here's a helpful link:

http://www.motorcycleroads.com/Routes/Arizona_78.html

Restaurants:  This is where the city shines.  There's a huge variety of totally great restaurants in all areas of town.  My favorites are PF Changs and BRIO (Tuscan) but there are a ton of great ones to enjoy and you will be pleased with the 'service industry' here (top notch) and the prices.

Local favorites in the higher end area include Maestro's Ocean Club; City Hall; and Flemings.  If you ask to sit outside on the patio area, depending on the time of the year - like a cold day in the winter or an extremely hot day in the summer - they will know you are most likely Canadian.  (local joke!)  Most restaurants have 'misters' that they turn on when the temperatures peak and these provide some nice fresh comfort with scented water lightly spraying fron above.

Downtown - It's a normal downtown structure but mostly businesses and little residential meaning it is rather quiet during the evening hours unless there are baseball, basketball or concerts.  Some of the concert halls are simply stunning - including the Orpheum that was totalaly redone to its original state (about 100 years) and it's like visiting Grandma's house when you sit in the very comfy old seats.

http://www.cityscapephoenix.com

During the winter there's an outdoor skating rink right in the downtown core.  Skate in your shorts!

You'll be pleasantly surprized at the huge variety of musical entertainment 'weekly' in town and you'll note that many of these bands simply don't come north.  I'd say the 'average' ticket price is about half of what we pay in Canada.  Get the LIVE NATION app and or check their website for the full list.

Shopping - Again you'll be very pleased at the prices here in Phoenix - and the support you get when you walk into a store.  The two biggest Outlet Malls are in Anthem (north) and Arizona Mills (Highway 10 at Baseline Road) - and the best upper end malls are Scottsdale Fashion Mall and Chandler Fashion Mall.  There's a new outlet mall that recently opened in the Wild Horse Casino area - Highway 10 at 202.

You'll also find shopping 'villages' - like San Tan Village in Gilbert - which is designed like a small town where the bigger stores are on the outside whereas the smaller shops are inside, with great rest and strolling areas.  There's even a childrens wing for one stop shopping (Disney store types) for families.

Old Scottsdale is a pure tourist trap but a great visit.  Good restaurants, and if you walk a few blocks, some tremendous art.

Walk through the Scottsdale Performing Arts area across the street too - beautiful fountains and art work.

Case Grande - This is a State Park, about 35 minutes south of Chandler, that protects a native compound built nearly 700 years ago.  It's just $5 to visit and the tour is enlightening and educataional.  Look UP in the protective cover and you'll see Owls that have been mating there for the past 100 years.

Tombstone - If you don't mind a 2 hour drive south the town of Tombstone is frozen in time, with gunfights in the middle of the street.

Casinos - there are four or five in the Phoenix area and most are very high quality with excellent restaurants, clubs, pools and patios.

Jeep and Horse Back tours:  If you want to see the fringe areas of Phoenix check out the Pink Jeep Tours and Horseback Riding operators - but again remember the "heat" can be a big factor.

Hiking - This is a hikers paradise with many different trails, all at various levels of expertise, in the area.  Check out arizonahikingtrails.com for the ratings of each.  The biggest caution is to be prepared; don't hike over your level; take lots of water; rest alot; and watch out for snakes and poisonous insects.  Do NOT reach into rocks at any point as thats where most of the bites happen.  Ditto if you're golfing - don't retreive your ball in a thick covered area or you may get a big surprize.

Transportation - You can now take a direct SkyHarbour link from the airport to what they call the METRO (we call our Edmonton rapid transit the LRT) - where it connects to both Mesa in the east and Scottsdale in the North.  It's cheap - and they also have bike racks.

Tempe Town - Mill Avenue on the University site is also a great night spot with a variety of restaurants and shops.  Quite often they will shut the entire area down, and set up stages for LIVE entertainment including the likes of Heart; Gin Blossons; Jimmy Eat World; Doobie Brothers, etc - for a very nominal fee.  The Metro stops twice in this area as well.

Ostrich Days:  You'll find this in Chandler as well....a 'fair' dedicated to that goofy looking bird.  There are Ostrich races, great anthology bands, and even Ostrich Burgers (I'm guessing the losers of the race)

Canadian Picnic:  For the past 60 plus years this has been held on the first Saturday of February at South Mountain State Park.  It's directly under all the radio/tv transmitters that you simply can't miss at the highest point dead centre of town - south - that light up at night.  Arizona Tourism predicts more than 875,000 visitors here annually - and there are about 100,000 permanent Canadians living here currently so you will likely run in to somebody you know just wandering around town.

Road Trip:  The Military Airplane graveyard by Tucson is simply amazing.  Take the 'bus tour' given by the Vets to hear some amazing stories of the planes you see.

Plus the TITAN Missle Museum is nothing short of 'amazing' as you tour through a decommissioned Nuclear Bomb control centre.

Also the BIOSPHERE east of Tucson is worth the drive - now run by the University of Arizona.

Hotels - You'll find a complete range of hotels to fit any budget.  Some of the finest hotels include the Westin Kierland; Phoenician Hotel; and Boulders Resort.

Also in the Tucson area, about an hour and a bit south, the Karchner Caves - truly amazing and worth the drive.  There are two different caves to tour - and you book them individually.  They sell out so go on line to purchase your tickets before you head down.

Full information here:  http://azstateparks.com/Parks/KACA/

Five star accommodations....



http://kierlandresort.com

http://www.thephoenician.com

http://www.theboulders.com


Getting here - Westjet and US AIRWAYS both fly direct, and during most months twice a day.  Westjet will pull back during the summer months.  Best prices happen when you book one way at a time and are flexible for your travel days.  Sky Harbour Airport Terminal 4 is the usual terminal.  Scottsdale has a private jet airport and the Mesa Phoenix Airport has a 1.6 billion dollar expansion currently underway so look for flights directly into the east valley in the coming years.

So there you go - obviously I couldn't keep it to just 10.

I've been meaning to write this for a long time for the many people who ask so I hope this answers your question and that it has been helpful to you.

              I'm reachable at any time at mforbes07@shaw.ca - and on Twitter: @mjforbes