WIP: "Cocktail time is a state of mind" - J. Schmidt

One of my favourite times of day to work in my tiny studio is the mid to late afternoon.  CBC Radio1 hosts a "drive home" program from 3:00 pm until 6:00 pm on week days. I like to listen to it, traffic and weather updates and all, and be very pleased that the drive-home traffic no longer has any impact on my life.

I enjoy the time to work on a project, catch up with the day's news, and sample some of what is going on in my city. In many ways, I think of the time as my cocktail hours. And, sometimes I'll have a glass of wine or something else fitting (and season appropriate) while I stitch and listen to "Up to Speed".

When my regular host, Ismaila Alfa (or "Smiley Alfa" as one adorable girl has called him) is away or covering for another employee, I get a sampling of other CBC employees. My favourite (so far) substitute hosts are Trevor Dineen and Joff Schmidt (there are too many options to link to Joff; you can Google him and see). 

Trevor normally does the traffic updates and is wonderfully witty, creative, and quite funny. I'm still getting to know him, but so far, I like him.

Joff normally produces CBC (and perhaps other, I have no way of knowing) shows and does the theatre reviews. We hear a lot from Joff during the Winnipeg Fringe Festival. 

Other than what he tells me and any other listener, I know nothing about the man. Saying that, whenever I hear Joff on air (which is rare, because he is a producer!), filling in for someone else, I feel like I know him. He is wonderful with words and I often find reasons to quote him. 

Recently, during a Twitter exchange, Joff suggested that "cocktail time is a state of mind" and I have tried to take that concept to heart. Life is way too short and sometimes pretty ugly to not take every opportunity to celebrate what and who is good in life. I am fortunate to have the opportunity to sit in my tiny studio in the afternoons and listen to the wheels go round and round (I digress; I'm a Lennon fan, click here for the video link). And I absolutely love it. I think about the important people in my life and am able to create some treasure while remembering them. 

I appreciate every fat quarter, jelly roll, flimsy, vintage pattern, jar of buttons, string of beads, old tie, handed "down" party dress, Snoopy pillow, hand knitted dress ( I could go on)... that enters my tiny little studio.

Life is good.