yikes. i guess i was lying when i said this diary was was going to be updated "regularly" - oh well - i have a good excuse, which i shall write about later. and i don't think anyone is reading anyways. for those of you who are, i promise that "regularly" will mean "more than twice a month."
when you start getting nostalgic about stupid things, it means you must be getting old.
those of you who grew up in canada from the 60s to the 80s should remember hinterland who's who. for those who don't remember, it was a series of vignettes during commercial breaks that taught us about the various wild animals across the canadian landscape, many of which were endangered. there were 3 fantastic elements to these vignettes. first, it taught you about animals and got you interested in so-called common creatures like the woodchuck or the ruffed grouse. second, the narrator's voice was soothing and bassy, and it had that quality that you only hear in recordings from big tape reel from the 60s and 70s. third, and definitely most important, was the theme music. that flute line is so beautiful, and to hear it would instantly take me back to eating cinnimon toast in my jammies while watching inspector gadget. i wonder if they would sue me for using the flute in a song...
the other day i was laying on the couch and being lazy when i heard that familiar theme. i sat up quickly and was excited for about half a second. it didn't take me long to notice that something was wrong. the sound quality just wasn't the same. the flute sound was an obvious fake flute synth sound. then, before i knew it, a funky bassline and drumbeat kicked in, and my nostalgic moment was ruined in an instant. it only got worse from there. the narrator sounded not like a dignified older gentleman with a neat moustache, but a 15 year-old girl with a voice so shrill. but at least i was able to learn about my old friends, the peregrine falcon, the harlequin duck, and the piping plover, right? wrong. this clip, about the wonderfully enigmatic burrowing owl, hardly taught me anything at all about the burrowing owl! instead, there were a few shots of the owl, a brief description, then some lady telling me that in order to save animals like the burrowing owl, i had to recycle my plastics and ride by bike instead of drive my car. now, i don't have a problem with these messages. in fact, i think they're great. but the man with the syrupy voice never preached at me. why did you have to steal my hinterland who's who away from me? i am officially an old man. new things scare me.
i have good news, however. the hinterland who's who website (hww.ca) has the classic clips for us to enjoy. now i can hear that sweet tune and that smooth syrupy voice as i learn about the ptarmigan, the great blue heron, and the greater snow goose, once more.
