Sometimes the talent leaves
We’re too close to the end of the season. People are losing their focus. How else to explain that sixty million votes were cast (that’s about twice the population of Canada, as if we counted) on American Idol this week, and still Melinda Doolittle went home. Not once, but twice, in the same broadcast. As we head into the final week, the program just earned a renaming, to American Idle, because that’s what the braintrust was on this one.
This is one of the finest performers I’ve seen in the five seasons I’ve been watching. Although I realize she is still firmly anchored in the career harbour, it seems to trivialize the whole contest, when the winner leaves early. Next week will serve only to enrich the sponsors; the gold is already gone.
Similarly, we said goodbye to a co-worker today, who is leaving us for the perilous lifestyle of southern California. Leaving this safe harbour for a place with wildfires, earthquakes, traffic, pollution, warmer weather. Wait; that might be a clue. This morning, some of the rain was white in colour and was moving almost horizontally when I walked down to the bus stop. I’m not supposed to claim it was snow, but there was accumulation in the Beauce yesterday. Summer was very short. But without digression, we went to lunch at a local restaurant, not to celebrate, but to simply mark that a competent programmer has come and gone. We’re back to trying to find our own way around the office.
For the next four days, I think I’ll just lay back and contemplate some majestic views; sky, growing lawn, a dog at play. This is the Queen’s Birthday weekend. It doesn’t really matter if it isn’t the current queen. Any excuse for a long weekend after this long winter. Besides, they’re promising to broadcast the Bob and Doug MacKenzie stuff this weekend. I’m a hoser at heart, so just take off, eh!
