blog-pos-bad

Welcome to the Positivity Project

Sun, 30 Dec 2018 04:39:14 +0100

I've decided to create this particular page to deal with all of the negativity you see on social media in the news,on television and, well let's face it everywhere.

I feel the best way to combat the negativity is to create a world where we can focus on positive and light. Here you will find a quiet sanctuary - from the outside world.

I hope to bring positive thoughts and encouragement to all of us who need it.

Enjoy!

10 Things you Might not have known about me

Tue, 27 Jan 2015 18:59:49 +0100

So there is this thing on Facebook where if you are tagged you have to come up with 7 interesting things to say about yourself. Well thanks to my wife and an English relative - I got tagged but off course 7 wasn't enough for me, so I made it 10.

I thought I'd post it here.

Enjoy

I've been caught by Tony Strange and Sharon Thurnell and now I have to share 10 things you may not know about me.

1. I started working in radio at the age of 16.
2. I wrote a classical music piece when I was 17.
3. I can play the sax.
4. I have a very large and extremely diverse music collection.
5. I've witnessed a number of paranormal activities.
6. I've met and interviewed some of the greatest musical artists of all time.
7. I write short stories and have been working on a novel for years.
8. I am very intuitive - I read people very well.
9. I can play a little guitar, bass and keyboards but all very badly. But I will get better.
10. This December will mark my 20th year teaching radio at Conestoga college.

Back to School - New Beginnings

Sat, 27 Aug 2016 16:22:46 +0100

When it comes to new starts most people tend to think of New Years Day but to me it's always been about the first day back in September.

As a kid I can remember being excited about going back to school and always hoping for a new start. I was not a great student, I promised I would be honest, so every September I'd go back to school with new hopes that this year I would do better, I'd get more involved, I'd join a sports team. It didn't always work out but at least there was a hope of starting something fresh every year.

Coming back to school also meant new clothes. My sister reminded me of coming back to school with your new clothes which were always way too hot, too tight and just too uncomfortable for the weather - which always seemed to be hot. I still associate school starts with blisters from the new shoes and heat rashes.

As I left school I still carried with me the thought of new starts would continue. I always tried to get something new - new agenda, new briefcase or new clothes (this time more comfortable). Coming back to the college almost 19 years ago I resurrected all of the back to school traditions and so once again I will be showing up with new clothes.

My wife posted a quote from Buddha on her Facebook that reminds us that no matter what has happened in the past - we can always start fresh. It's a good thought to carry on as we get back to "it" (whatever "it" is). This is a good time for new beginnings and Fresh starts.

To Write or not to write....what was the question again?

Mon, 01 Sep 2014 23:37:37 +0100

True Confession - when it comes to getting things done - tend to make lots of excuses.

I've been talking about writing for many years and while I've knocked off a page or two of ideas in terms of actually having something to show anyone - let alone post on the wall, well that hasn't happened.

Maybe I'm scared. Les Brown, one of my favourite inspirational speakers talks about fears and he says that people sometimes do fear success. Well I promise no more fears - at least in this area. I'm writing.

Part of my "doing" rather than "talking" involves this blog. While I don't plan on giving away any deep dark secrets, not that I have any but I do want to start recounting my day, my thoughts and whatever else crosses my mind.

I used to worry about what people would say about my writing, content quality, whatever. Then I realized that chances are no one is going to read this anyway - so I'm just writing for me.

Hopefully - this will be the beginning or restart at least of something good. So here we go!

Why there will never be another group like the BEATLES

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 14:50:45 +0100

I can hear the rumblings from the non-Beatles fans and anyone born after 1975 already but here me out.

The BEATLES made music history by smashing all kinds of previously held records and few would argue about the quality of the music but what I’m really getting at here is that no matter how talented future bands may be I doubt that the right conditions will ever exist for a challenge to the BEATLES records.

Here are some things to think about.

· The BEATLES were one of the few bands to appeal to fans from 2 to 92.

· The diversity of the music is unprecedented. From the classical influences of “Eleanor Rigby” to the intensity of Helter Skelter, from the innocent “Yellow Submarine” to the blues tune “I Want You:

· Few artists went or will go through the metamorphous of the BEATLES. Most artists will grow and develop with time and will experiment to some degree with different sounds but the transformation that the BEATLES went through from the innocent beginnings to albums like Revolver and Rubber Soul to the very experimental White Album is unprecedented.

· Although the BEATLES history as a group was relatively short –just about 10 years the fact that every year newer fans, some born years after the band broke up are discovering and loving the band says something.

Part of the BEATLES success also dealt with the time they lived in. While I it may be true that there are more talented artists out there, that’s a matter of opinion, the conditions were right for the BEATLES. Television in the 1964 was limited to only a handful of channel choices. So when they appeared on the Ed Sullivan show the vast majority of tv viewers would tune in to see the phenomina. No show on the air today could match that power over a diverse audience. Will those conditions ever be repeated? In this 500 plus channel universe, I doubt it.

If you are a fan of the BEATLES, I don’t have to sell you but even if you are not, you can’t dismiss the power that this group had and still has.

Great music is great music

Mon, 20 Jan 2014 04:47:24 +0100

Anyone who knows me knows that my tastes in music are rather diverse.

You'll find everything from Slipknot to Enya and One Direction to Pink Floyd on my mp3 player. It's one of the things I like about me - I kind of think it makes me unpredictable.

What really "grinds my gears" though are people who refuse to listen to anything more than one style of music. I don't get that - it would be like eating the same meal everyday and who wants that.

I know some people who believe that there hasn't been a good song released since 1975 and others who believe that anything before 2000 isn't worth listening to. In my mind both of these statements are ridiculous. Was there good music in the 60's , 70's, 80's ad 90's - absolutely. Was there bad music in the those decades - yes. Just like there is good music today and bad music too. Not every band releases a 5 star album (or single) every time - well there are some exceptions I guess but you get my point.

I must admit, I've caught myself doing the same thing. I'll admit I'm not a fan of the band Rush but even here I've caught my self cranking out the odd song from the band.

So keep an open mind, try something new - you must might like it.

Mike Thurnell
January 2014