MY RIFLE, MY PONY & ME
Originally recorded by Dean Martin and emerging talent Ricky Nelson, My Pony was released in 1959. Together with Nelson’s success as a teen idol on the pop charts, the song is recognized as one of the first country/pop crossover recordings. In the sixties, My Pony was recognized as one of the Top 100 country songs by the Western Writers of America.
 
The recording tells the story of the solitary life of a cowboy. The use of whistling and harmonica, traditional country instruments, reinforce the loneliness of the cowboy life.
 
On the album, Matt partners with Barney Bentall to great effect. Their collaboration makes the song familiar for a contemporary audience, while still maintaining its Western flavour. I felt an intimate connection with the song’s harmonies as the musicians weaved their voices together.
 
SOMEDAY SOON
Originally recorded by Ian Tyson, the song tells the story of a woman who is contemplating forsaking her parents’ wishes to follow the cowboy she loves. He loves the rodeo, and she wants to come along for the ride.
 
Harmonizing with Jill Barber, Matt’s arrangement of the song is more upbeat than the original. This creates the sense that the main character has the freedom to follow her love. She is not afraid to go.
 
HE’LL HAVE TO GO
He’ll Have to Go is a country classic by Jim Reeves. Recorded in 1959, the song is about a man asking his sweetheart to tell him if she feels the same way. While the lyrics suggest that he is prepared to end the relationship (“Do you want me? Answer yes or no, darling I will understand”), he is desperate for her to stay. The original version is slow, melodic and dramatic.
 
Matt’s version is lighter, faster, more upbeat. The man is no longer desperate for her to stay, but instead wants to know where he stands. The change in tempo reflects societal changes in the relationship. The new version leaves the possibility that he is free to choose if he wants to leave. A simple question, but the answer is more complex.
                                                                                         
CONCLUSION
Country music is a unique genre. Matt has challenged the traditional rhythm of country songs. In Walk a Mile in My Shoes Matt’s vocal treatment makes the song more contemporary. It is Matt’s powerful voice which enables him to generate a variety of interpretations. In conclusion, the listener will find a new appreciation for cover songs.
 

SONG LIST
 
WALK A MILE IN MY SHOES
SOME DAY SOON*
FUNNY HOW TIMES SLIPS AWAY
EVERYBODY LOVES A WINNER
PAPA WAS A RODEO
HE’LL HAVE TO GO*
MY RIFLE, MY PONY AND ME*
THEN YOU CAN TELL ME GOODBYE
 

Robin Williams and the likes of Johnny Carson and Charlie Rose. Downloads of Mork and Mindy, and his Oscar-winning performance in Good Will Hunting, have had millions of hits. He was very entertaining, and he will be missed.

With such a large following, I wonder what could have triggered such a horrendous decision. Perhaps knowing he was a gifted actor and an exceptionally talented comedian, made his recent diagnosis of Parkinson’s unbearable.

He was not unfamiliar with depression, having experienced failed marriages, and addiction issues. His diagnosis of early stages of the disease was recent, and he had yet to make public his new reality.

I can only imagine that as he became more familiar with the unique progression of the disease and how it would compromise his voice - his exceptional, gifted, voice - he gave up hope. How sad. 

Medical research may find a cure, and medication and treatment may manage symptoms, but how do you cope with the parallel track of depression that can leave you so vulnerable?

If you are depressed because of Parkinson’s, how do you maintain the active lifestyle so essential to the treatment of the disease? How do you emotionally adjust to the way people look at you? How do you adjust to the way you see yourself? There is a fine line between being sympathetic and feeling sorry for someone, between having compassion and feeling pity. Crossing that fine line can trigger depression.

I waited six months before I told my family that I had Parkinson’s. I wasn’t in denial. It was a conscious decision not to swallow it whole. Not to let the worst-case scenario become the norm.

Robin Williams had gone public with his alcoholism, and managed to achieve sobriety. He was close to his children. So what happened once he was diagnosed? Were there any signals that went unnoticed? Did he mask his depression? Emotionally, had he fallen into quicksand, which silently claims you limb by limb, making it impossible to reach out for help?

I recently moved to Dundas, Ontario, a small community bordering on the city of Hamilton. Recently, while browsing through Amarettos, an eclectic boutique, I shared my book with Debby, an associate of the store. I wondered out loud to her, if the standard course of treatment for Parkinson’s would ever include mental health assessments. If blood tests could diagnose depression, could they go further and determine one’s capacity to cope? 

She told me that while he was in Dundas filming Man of the Year, Robin Williams had been in the store. That she had met him and shared a few hugs. He was so genuine. His death was a tragedy and for her a personal loss.

Suicide wasn’t the way his life story should have ended. Unlike in the movies, this ending can’t be rewritten.

Mike would kiss my hand, and tell me I was beautiful and that he loved me. His smile was as enthusiastic as his grip. You read about politicians getting perks - these greetings from Mike were definitely perks!

(Note to Ethics Commissioner: Value: Priceless)

In 1993 I was the newly elected MLA for the riding of Calgary Currie. Six years earlier Mike had survived a severe traumatic brain injury as a result of a car accident. Consequently, Mike was enrolled in a variety of programs at ARBI, the Association for the Rehabilitation of the Brain Injured.

Mike is also the son of my friend Judy Stawnychko. Judy is retiring this month after serving 21 years as executive director of ARBI.

I learned about community, and the importance of advocacy, though my association with ARBI. Professional, compassionate, and dedicated, Judy turned a life-altering experience into purpose, taking inspiration from others, while dispensing wisdom in equal measures of reality and hope.

Even with all his enthusiasm, Mike couldn’t imagine his mother’s impact on his quality of life, and on the future care and treatment of the brain injured and stroke survivors. Judy knows, but would deflect the credit to others, like 2004 Order of Canada recipient, the late Audrey Morrice and ARBI co- founder Alice Laine.

Judy inspires me.

Okay, it’s not a real tiara and it certainly isn’t jewel encrusted. It’s a simple cordless head set, and whether I’m having a bad hair day, or just returning from the beauty salon, it is my go-to accessory. 

I use the telephone on a daily basis. Using my headset enables me to write, cook, or even exercise at the same time. It’s multi-tasking at its best.

It gets a bit more complex when you have to call businesses and/or government departments, as their telephones use voice-activated programs to enable access to services and information. The information seeker needs to follow a series of prompts  to complete the transaction or get the necessary details. While you don’t have to be a rocket scientist to navigate this kind of system - even when using an iphone - you do need to speak clearly, punch or type passwords, and enter sequential account numbers. 

When you have Parkinson’s, using the telephone can be like playing a bad game of “The Price is Right”:

Door Number One:
POOR VOICE QUALITY

Door Number Two: 
TREMORS

Door Number Three:
RIGIDITY

An operator may be standing by to take your call, but if you get disconnected, you need to go online to access the manual - which can present another set of challenges (see Doors Number Two and Number Three).





My headset doesn’t solve all my wireless connection problems, but it does free up my other hand and allow me a degree of accuracy when typing. It certainly helped a lot as I typed seemingly countless drafts of my new book of poetry and short prose, Naked Without My Coat (my book launch is coming up soon - Tuesday, June 10th!). I can also crank up the volume.

So go ahead, jazz up your ear, that headset is so YOU!

Pictures may say a thousand words. They can also save a thousand worries.

I was babysitting my granddaughter the other night. She was hungry, tired and didn’t want her daddy to go. I could see my son was reluctant to leave her – but I said go, we’ll be fine.

And we were.

Once she was settled I sent him a picture, knowing he would feel better.

Technology can never replace the human touch but the right photo or text at the right moment can calm the nerves, and dial down the anxiety switch.

Because of my Parkinson’s I am careful when cooking or cutting.  But when I mentioned to my daughter one day that I had purchased some watermelon for my dessert, I sensed the “OMG she’s not going to do that.”

Knowing my daughter would carry that concern I decided to make a preemptive strike.

I took a series of photographs, modeled after the presentations we use in Culinaire Magazine.  Once the final slice and dice was finished I sent them off.

Now I can enjoy my dessert and she can relax and focus on more important things.

Decidedly Jazz Danceworks has just completed an eight-month partnership with Parkinson Alberta and the University of Calgary's Dance program, hosting Dancing With Parkinson's: The Calgary Project.

I was able to participate in a few classes until I broke my toe... but that is another story for another time.  I didn’t know anyone, but like any fitness program there is a friendly banter throughout the room as people stake out their territory. The studio space is a long rectangular room. The chairs are arranged in rows facing the back wall of the studio. You begin sitting on a chair facing the instructor and once the piano man starts to play – it’s down to business.

For the first thirty minutes we work from a "sitting position" position. Tapping, slapping, stretching and a virtual free fall, not off your chair, but in your head. Mentally choreographing your own unique routine, everything is possible.

The second part of the class is choreographed dance steps. The chairs are put against the wall.  And we turn to face a mirrored wall.  It suddenly dawns on me that everyone has Parkinson’s.  I can see it in their faces. And I can see it in mine.

Rigidity is one of the symptoms in diagnosing the disease, which may affect your facial muscles.  If Parkinson’s had a face it would be a frown, and there is a disconnect between the cheerful voice and the unhappy face I see in the mirror.

The dance routine maybe choreographed, but I am in uncharted territory. 

For my worst fear with respect to Parkinson’s is that my grandchildren will not know my smile.

I sing the words to A Bicycle Built for Two.  The music reminds me of my mother’s piano playing. Step, step, slide, whoops, I go left instead of right, hold for two beats instead of four. I am such a klutz. I laugh.  I see my smile in the mirror.

Note to self - add laughing to exercise routine.

I can’t pose a profound question, or explain the rise and fall of the Roman Empire, so I’ll just introduce myself.  I am a Calgary based writer.  I’ve just published my first book, Naked Under My Coat – Writing Under the Influence of Parkinson’s, and yes I have Parkinson’s.

But to be clear, Parkinson’s doesn’t have me.

It has been almost 15 years since my formal diagnosis.  Like everyone else I have good days and better days.  My goal is to have more better days.  I can’t believe I’ve used “more better” in a sentence.

So how do I deal with Parkinson’s?  In my book I call it a gift.  It has given me a voice and a purpose.  So follow my blog if you need inspiration, and/or information.  

For the past two years I have been taking a yoga class once a week, and I do a Chi Gong routine in the morning.  But I need more activity, so I was interested in the Dancing with Parkinson’s program offered through Decidedly Jazz Danceworks.

I approached them with the idea of promoting the program in conjunction with my book launch.  I am certainly not a poster child for dance – but if I can help in some small way to raise awareness, and promote more research then count me in. My launch is happening at Loft 112 on the evening of Tuesday, June 10th. Details here. I'd love to see you there!

A lady at the dance class said to me, “I want Parkinson’s just like you have.”  Follow along.  It is not contagious but it is catching!