The Year of Magical Thinking

It's great to be here, buddy.

I don't usually do this, but I just have to show the Daggers by Cal book that you signed for me.

And this podcast is kind of about legacy.

You know, we think about it a lot.

And I just couldn't help as I'm going through this book.

You were the cartoonist of The Economist started in 1978.

So you're just looking through this book.

Feeling how much time has passed and how long you have been doing this.

Thanks so much, and now it's time for this week's concert and events calendar.

On Wednesday, October 21st, you can catch Sean McCullough at the Coven at 5, enjoy Brownman's Halloween Thriller at the RCHA starting at 7, or catch The Year in Magical Thinking again at the Grand at 7.30, or enjoy Karaoke at the Royal Tavern 2.0 starting at 9.

On Thursday, October 22nd, you can head to the Kingston Public Market at Springer Market Square from 8.30 to 5.

Add to your music collection at the Kingston Symphony Vinyl Record Sale Day 1 at their warehouse located at 785 Sir Johnny MacDonald Boulevard starting at 4.

And Jimmy Carr Laughs Funny at Slush Puppy Place at 8.

That evening, you can also catch Gerald McGrath at the Co-Van at 5, The New Hires Monarch, Futura Free, Better Luck, and Neon Ghosts at Broom Factory starting at 6.30, The Weather Station at The Spire at 7.30, Tom Savage and the Millwrights album release celebration at the RCHA at 8, Trevor Walsh at Time Out at 8, The Ride at Tierna Dog at 9, and Three Pistols at The Merchant starting at 10.30. And on Sunday, October 25th, you can catch the Kingston Symphony Orchestra with Frederic-Alexandre Michaud at the Isabel at 2.30 p.m., Kent Nicholson at Time Out at 3, the Gertrudes with Hollow Body at the Toucan starting at 5, and there's an open mic at Time Out at 7.

You can also enjoy The Year in Magical Thinking at Kingston Grand Theatre again at 2 p.m., or later that night, check out some karaoke at either the Mansion or the Toucan starting at 9.

And that's a wrap for this week's concert and events listings.

Thanks so much, and now it's time for this week's concert and events calendar.

On Tuesday, October 20th, the Kingston Public Market is open for the day at Springer Market Square, and you can enjoy The Year in Magical Thinking at Kingston Grand Theatre at 7.30, Quirks of Human Nature Poetry and Storytelling at Time Out at 7.30, and Student Night at Something in the Water at 8.00. Tom's Toonsday Afternoon Happy Hour Jam takes place weekly at the RCHA starting at 4.

Eric Urin and Megan Bala will perform at the Coven at 5.

And you can take the stage yourself at Musiki's Open Mic starting at 7.

On Wednesday, October 21st, you can catch Sean McCullough at the Coven at 5, enjoy Brownman's Halloween Thriller at the RCHA starting at 7, or catch the Urin Magical Thinking Again at the Grand at 7.30, or enjoy karaoke at the Royal Tavern 2.0 starting at 9.

On Thursday, October 22nd, you can head to the Kingston Public Market at Springer Market Square from 8.30 to 5.00. Add to your music collection at the Kingston Symphony Vinyl Record Sale Day 1 at their warehouse located at 785 Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard starting at 4.00. Take in some drag bingo at Daft Brewing at 7.00 or compete for Trivia Glory at Something in the Water Riverhead or Spearhead starting at 7.00. That evening, Mark Christenger takes the stage at the RCHA at 7.00 or you can see Nolan Hubbard out at the Stonewater Pub in Gannon-Ockway.

or enjoy Open Stage Jam Night at Time Out at 7, Chaos, Danny Miles, and Doing Okay at Broom Factory at 7.30, and enjoy The Hidden Meetings with David Hale at The Merchant starting at 10.30. On Friday, October 23rd, the Kingston Symphony vinyl record sale continues at 785 Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard from 10 to 6, and you can join Sophia Cornejo's talk Unraveling Domestic Violence as a World at Work Issue, a feminist analysis of Canada's employment laws and policies at the Law Building at 1 p.m. Friday evening, you can see the Smokin' Roosters at the RCHA at 4, the Complete Unknowns at NF Unit 377 at 5, Jonathan Jones and Gan at the Stonewater Pub, or the Brothers Rebell at Time Out at 7.

The Sittin' Ducks take the stage at the RCHA at 8, while you can also check out Carol Pope at 7.30. at Hotel Wolf Island at 8, Bon Evans at Tiernanog at 9, or the Ice Gods at The Merchant at 10.30. On Saturday, October 24th, the public market runs from 8.30 to 5 in Springer Market Square.

On Monday, October 19th, you can check out two talks at Queen's University by Dr. Susan Cahill on states of observance, contemporary art, and surveillance logic in Canada in the Law Building at 5.30 and navigating Kingston's rental market at Dunning Hall at 6 p.m. Trivia will be underway at 8 p.m. at Something in the Water, and music fans can see Dave Barton at the RCHA at 4.30, Kentucky at the Cove Inn at 5, or the Morning Doves at Musiki at 8.

On Tuesday, October 20th, the Kingston Public Market is open for the day at Springer Market Square, and you can enjoy The Year in Magical Thinking at Kingston Grand Theatre at 7.30, Quirks of Human Nature, Poetry and Storytelling at Time Out at 7.30, and Student Night at Something in the Water at 8.

Tom's Toonsday Afternoon Happy Hour Jam takes place weekly at the RCHA starting at 4, Eric Urin and Megan Bala will perform at the Coban at 5, and you can take the stage yourself at Musiki's Open Mic starting at 7.

On Wednesday, October 21st, you can catch Sean McCullough at the Cobin at 5, enjoy Brownman's Halloween Thriller at the RCHA starting at 7, or catch The Year in Magical Thinking again at the Grand at 7.30, or enjoy karaoke at the Royal Tavern 2.0 starting at 9.

On Thursday, October 22nd, you can head to the Kingston Public Market at Springer Market Square from 8.30 to 5.00. Add to your music collection at the Kingston Symphony Vinyl Record Sale Day 1 at their warehouse located at 785 Sir Johnny MacDonald Boulevard starting at 4.00. Take in some drag bingo at DAF Brewing at 7.00 or compete for Trivia Glory at Something in the Water Riverhead or Spearhead starting at 7.00. That evening, Mark Christenger takes the stage at the RCHA at 7, or you can see Nolan Hubbard out at the Stonewater Pub in Gannon-Ockway, or enjoy open stage jam night at Time Out at 7, Chaos, Danny Miles, and Doing Okay at Broom Factory at 7.30, and enjoy the hidden meetings with David Hale at The Merchant starting at 10.30. On Friday, October 23rd, the Kingston Symphony vinyl record sale continues at 785 Sir John A. Macdonald Boulevard from 10 to 6.

And you can join Sophia Cornejo's talk, Unraveling Domestic Violence as a World at Work Issue, a feminist analysis of Canada's employment laws and policies at the Law Building at 1 p.m. Friday evening, you can see the Smokin' Roosters at the RCHA at 4, the Complete Unknowns at NFU at 377 at 5, Jonathan Jones and Dan at the Stonewater Pub, or the Brothers Revell at Time Out at 7.

Or enjoy the Barn Bandits Halloween dance at the Legion at 7 and Jimmy Carr Laughs Funny at Slush Puppy Place at 8.

That evening, you can also catch Gerald McGrath at the Co-Van at 5pm, The New Hires Monarch, Futura Free, Better Luck and Neon Ghosts at Broom Factory starting at 6.30pm, The Weather Station at The Spire at 7.30pm, Tom Savage and the Millwrights album release celebration at the RCHA at 8pm, Trevor Walsh at Time Out at 8pm, The Ride at Tiernadog at 9pm and Three Pistols at The Merchant starting at 10.30pm. And on Sunday, October 25th, you can catch the Kingston Symphony Orchestra with Frederic-Alexandre Michaud at the Isabel at 2.30pm, Kent Nicholson at Time Out at 3pm, the Gertrudes with Hollow Body at the Toucan starting at 5pm, and there's an open mic at Time Out at 7pm.

So [laughs] this is gonna sound really bleak, but I promise it's not.

Um, I read, uh, Joan Didion's quite short memoir book, uh, it's called The Year of Magical Thinking, about her response to and struggle to cope with the very sudden death of her husband.

They'd been married and pretty much inseparable for, I think, 40 years.

Uh, it's published in 2005 or thereabouts, and it's a really elegant, thoughtful, and I'm not gonna say uplifting, but qui- it, it, it's kind of reassuring and comforting, uh, insightful account of what grief is, the difference between grief and mourning.

Oh, the grief memoir completely evolved.

Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking is a book that just changed everything.

She wrote it at age 70 in the year following the sudden death of her husband, John Gregory Dunne, while her daughter, Quintana Roo, was simultaneously in a coma.

It's an unimaginable amount of pain.

Of course, it's existential between two writers, but it a- it's also very intense and we understand that there's a, a fr- a, an, an ex- an existential intensity to, to it.

And I was wondering when I read your book that there are other books like Joan Didion's The Year of Magical Thinking, which was very important to me when I first read it.

Yes.

Uh, and then there's, I don't know if you're familiar with this book by Your Wild and Precious Life by Lis Jensen.