I made the crazy decision of staying in Peterborough for the summer. Although I have been writing multiple checklists of the things I want to pursue throughout the glorious months of sun and warmth, I know that my brain cannot accurately perceive the amount of time between May and September, nor can it predict how motivated I will actually be to pursue them. This inability will create gaps in my days that will most probably be filled by solitude. These short moments will accumulate, making them relevant. A tumbleweed of solitude.

On unexpected quiet moments, I’ll turn on the radio. To avoid them, I’ll keep it on, rather. White-noise, white-noise, solitude, white-noise, 92.7 CFFF FM Trent Radio at Peterborough, relief… I hear my own voice saying, word-by-word, things I had said a couple of weeks ago. My backup show is playing and I am in bed. Slacker. It’s June 13th.

On April 8th, I had run to Trent Radio House with a programme proposal in my hands. I was already looking forward to Studio A training taking place on the first week of May. Oh, being on the air! Oh, the crowd! The applause! The fame!

On April 9th at noon, I had run to Trent Radio House to attend the volunteer meeting for becoming Executive Producer. Oh, the prestige! The name! The face of my future employer when reading my resume!!! An Executive Producer, will take the role and responsibilities of an Operator-monitor what goes on air, make sure programmers are ready, and maintain a friendly yet respectful environment at the Trent Radio house. The shift will span from 5pm to 10pm.

My summer would be so full and busy.

I feel you, all of you Peterborough-summer-stayers. We fear waking up to figurative tumbleweeds, to plan-less afternoons, to unmotivated 4pms. But Trent Radio will be your oasis. To apply for a show, you can either visit the Trent Radio house on the corner of Parkhill and George to find a Programme Proposal form, or you can go to our website: www.trentradio.ca, and click on the link that says, “Summer Programme Proposal form.” You will have to provide a general description of your show and come up with a quick outline of the first three.

To turn it in once done, you must do as my future self did: run down to Trent Radio House before April 9th and say, “Hey! I’m here to turn in a programme proposal!” With the exclamation marks and all.

Tell a friend to host a show with you, say yes to your friend who is asking you to host a show with them. It can be scary to host a show on your own, and it is a lot more fun to host a show with someone to bounce off of, sources say.

And if you are interested in becoming an Executive Producer, with the capital ‘E’ and ‘P’, do as my future self did: run down to Trent Radio House at noon on April 9th and say, “Hey! I’m interested in becoming an Executive Producer!” With the exclamation marks and all. Bring in some bakery to share if that’s cool. On this date you will get more information on what being an Executive Producer encompasses.

But yes, on June 13th I stayed in, I forgot. Shame on me, because now the sun is low and the mood matches. The solitude exacerbates. Should I keep the radio on, while my own voice reminds me that I stayed in for no legitimate reason? Should I ignore that it is my voice, ignore that I stayed in, and enjoy the company (of my own seLF???!!) provided by that smooth voice on the radio? Or should I keep forgetting and turn it off, hide from the tumbleweeds, shut the blinds to obscure the 4pm sun, and continue sleeping my summer away?