JB: Not such a rosy prognosis, I see. Let's move in a different direction. You were quite ill not that long ago. During that time, your creativity came out in an unexpected way. Can you talk about that a bit?
MJ: I am not a creative writer on a regular basis (assuming I ever am) but about 25 years ago, I was downsized after working for a company for over 15 years. I was very upset and wrote a couple of short essays, a poem, and different lyrics to "Yellow Submarine". That was it but my anger at the time sparked my creative juices. I did have lymphoma, which produced a lot more new lyrics for better-known songs but I think I started writing articles because National Louis LLI (Lifelong Learning Institute) has an annual review magazine and some of my LLI friends are contributors and encouraged me.
JB: I'd like to concentrate on your musical endeavors right now. You ended up with quite a collection. What role did this activity have in your healing process?
MJ: I took popular songs like "Battle Hymn* of the Republic", "Penny Lane", "This Land is Your Land", and "Jingle Bells", and changed the words to deal with hope, the cure from lymphoma, IV and chemo. They gave me hope and three years later, I sometimes sing them to myself. I think putting these hopes, fears and hospital experiences into song lyrics made them easier to deal with. It made a dark and fearful place more of an open reality to live with. I have sent the song collection to a few people with lymphoma or other cancers.
JB: Did you get any feedback yet? I found the song lyrics very clever. It was a side of you I wasn't familiar with. And how are you doing now, health-wise?
MJ: Some people liked them but I did not distribute them too widely. Perhaps I'm lucky - I don't know that many people who have had cancer. I see my oncologist every six months and sometimes have a scan. It all seems fine now. I like to think of it as a long-distant past and don't think about it that much.
JB: You've been spending a large amount of your time since retiring involved with LLI. Once everything shut down because of the pandemic, you and your cohorts have found a lovely way to keep us all smiling. Can you talk about that a bit?
MJ: Two of my pals in the retirement program suggested we do a humor blog. I am not very proficient at internet development but I managed to use Google documents on a personal website to be a one-stop shop for jokes, cartoons, puns, word-play and humorous video clips. A few others besides my two pals and I have been contributors. I mainly accept any contributions which keeps the material varied. Although most readers are left-leaning, I try to keep it not too political, although there is definitely some anti-Trump material. I have a mailing list of about a hundred, including non-retirees. I think it is useful to some of us in times of COVID.
Not taking himself too seriously with digital help from granddaughter Atara
(Image by courtesy of Mick Jackson) Details DMCA
JB: I love it! Care to give us an example or two so we can get our daily chuckle?
MJ: Here are a few shorties:
If money doesn't grow on trees, how come banks have branches?
If a vegetarian eats vegetables, what does a humanitarian eat?
How do you get off a non-stop flight?
CHILDREN TELL TALES FROM THE BIBLE
- The Egyptians were all drowned in the dessert. After, Moses went up to Mount Cyanide to get the Ten Commandments.
- Moses died before he ever reached Canada. Then, Joshua led the Hebrews in the Battle of Geritol.
- The great miracle in the bible is when Joshua told his son to stand still and he obeyed him.
Others:
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