"...and your day will come."
"...and they will hear you."
-Dead Man Fall, "Bang Your Drum"
Kudos to Craig Ferguson and all of the guests, writers, and staff members who made "The Late Late Show" the refreshingly original program it was from 2005 through last night. The finale's opening, featuring Dead Man Fall's "Bang Your Drum," was particularly moving. The song's point of view about keeping at what you're doing in pursuit of success, however you define it, represents not only Ferguson's winding path to becoming the show's host and the program's sensibility but a commendable attitude to maintain throughout one's life.
When I started this blog on September 1, I could barely speak. Three days before I started writing, a doctor injected botox into my vocal cords to restore my voice. He'd cautioned me that I might have a false sense of security for a couple of days; he said my voice would improve temporarily and then all but disappear into a whisper within three days. In order to build the vocal cords back up, the injection weakens them first. His prediction was right on the money; I had the injections on a Friday afternoon, and by Sunday morning, I couldn't speak above a whisper. I was humbled further throughout September as I waited for my voice to stabilize. For over a month, I hit every octave while speaking that you can imagine, ranging from a grizzled, old prospector to Mickey Mouse. For someone who had made a living doing considerable talking on the phone, with supervisors and co-workers, and with radio and voice-over audiences, this was an adjustment, to say the least.
I thought to myself, "I can hardly speak. What would I really like to do that sparks my interest and doesn't involve speaking?" Hence, my equivalent of bangin' on the drum--this blog. I'd had the idea in the back of my mind for years to write a music and radio blog, using stories I'd told family members and friends along with other observations that came to mind. Not being able to speak made me decide, once and for all, "I'm starting this September 1. At least, this way, I know there'll be at least one bright spot in each day for me."
Fortunately, in October, my voice returned, allowing me to go to my high school class reunion and return to work. Although I wouldn't have wished to have dysphonia, it motivated me to start something I've wanted to pursue for a long time and keep at it. Ferguson's goal with his show was to, as he put it, "create something that wasn't here before." That's what I've tried to do with my blog.
"Keep bangin' on your drum," indeed. It's sound advice that I'm glad I heeded.
