Day #486: The 1,000 Days Podcast (Episode 1)
One of the silver linings of going through a terrible life event - such as getting diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease - is that truly remarkable people show up out of nowhere to help you out.
My friend Mark is one of these guys.
We met a couple of years ago when our kids started primary school together. He stood out from the start.
Whilst the rest of us white-collar types rushed about in crisp shirts and shiny shoes creating spreadsheets and PowerPoint slides, Mark was a chilled out, friendly rocker who played drums for a living and had in his own music studio in Bath. He'd hate me saying this, but he's always been the cool one of our Dads group.
Although we'd only met a couple of times, as soon as I was diagnosed with MND, Mark was in the trenches with me.
I'd wander over to his studio to drink coffee and talk about life, death, spirituality, hope, guitars and everything in-between. He helped me record my voice to create its digital replica.
"We've got to record these chats," he said to me one day, as I was poking around with one of his vintage drum kits. "I think your little lad would love to hear what you are like with your mates, once he grows up".
So, an idea was born. A podcast of good buddies chewing the fat. Another little slice of me to keep on record, for my son.
"Let's do my Desert Island Discs!" I texted, the day before we were due to record, having not prepared any of my favourite tracks or what I'd say about them. "Perfect." came the reply.
I rushed together a list of 10 songs (having completely forgotten it was meant to be 8) and rocked up to his studio last Friday to record our first ever Podcast.
Then of course, being who we are, we waffled on for far too long and didn't even get on to the music for over an hour.
So, the first Podcast is a prologue. An unintended aperitif. We did eventually record my Desert Island Discs - that will be episode number two.
It's a blessing that, during the edit, Mark gracefully faded us out at the end - halfway through a sentence. If you make it that far, I salute you.
PS - this is Mark's profile picture which I mention at the start! Not sure where I got the knee-high boots from. Vivid imagination - ha!
