This is one of my favourite tracks produced by Phil Ramone

Thank you Ray Cohen

Last Sunday (March 24) I was shocked and saddened to read the death of Raymond Cohen. He was the founder and CEO of the Canadian Abilities Foundation (CAF), the Abilities Arts Festival, and the publisher of Abilities magazine. He died of a sudden, undisclosed illness at the age of 64.

Cohen provided me with some of my earliest experiences writing and editing in a professional setting. I first met him during the summer of 1994, when I did a volunteer internship with Abilities magazine. It was while volunteering that summer that he published a short travel piece for the issue I helped prepare. I also assisted with updating the database and editing other submissions for the magazine. This led to other articles and volunteer opportunities with Abilities.

Cohen was also a regular presence at People in Motion, an annual exhibition showcasing products and services for people with disabilities held every June in Toronto. We usually spotted each other and say hi. In fact, he made a point of saying hello to every person he met.

It is through these experiences that I gained professional writing experience, and hands-on knowledge about the publishing industry. We even had at least one conversation on how to develop professionally, which I found extremely beneficial.

Another thing we had in common is that we both received the Diamond Jubilee Medal last February. Unfortunately we didn't cross paths during the gala. It would have been good to celebrate and share some of the evening with him.

Cohen was always friendly and hospitable, and deeply passionate about affirming the needs and rights of people with disabilities. This is what I will remember most about him. His support and admiration for the disability community is greatly remembered and missed.

Thank you Ray. You will never be forgotten.

Interesting facts about Pope Francis I

Pope Francis I

Habemus papam!

Last Wednesday (March 13), Jorge Mario Bergoglio, aka Pope Francis, became the new pontiff of the Catholic Church. He is the 266th pope. Yesterday I collected some facts about him, courtesy of CHFI 98.1 FM (Toronto):

He was the Archbishop of Buenos Aires.

He's the first pope of the Western world and the Americas (not the first non-European pope as some have reported).

The first Jesuit pope.

The first to take the name Francis - after St Francis of Assisi.

We also know that he's 76 and only has one lung. He lost a lung to severe fungal pneumonia when he was a teenager. Doctors say that should not interfere with his ability to do his job, or travel.

RIP Stompin' Tom Connors

A cartoonist remembers M*A*S*H, 30 years later

My new Pinterest page

On Saturday I started up my own page on Pinterest. This site has been gaining popularity over the past year or two. My page has photos of things that interest me. More items will be added over time. You can check it out at http://pinterest.com/donbarrie/.

My M*A*S*H Challenge, The Conclusion

Late last week, I achieved my goal of watching all 11 seasons and 251 episodes of M*A*S*H. I was able to do this in less than six months. The show that reminded us that war is hell, while making us laugh on occasion, has become one of my favourites.

Following from Part 2 of my blog series, here are my top episodes from the remaining six seasons:

Season 6: “Fade Out, Fade In” (1977)

The one-hour Season 6 opener introduces a new surgeon to the 4077, Maj. Charles E. Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers). The character was created for the series after Larry Linville, the actor who played Maj. Frank Burns, decided to leave following Season 5. It also signaled the series' transition from being a comedy-driven show to a serio-comical show, or dramedy.

Season 7: “Point of View” (1978)

One of the series’ most innovative episodes is seen from a wounded soldier’s point of view. What I also like about it is that it doesn’t contain an annoying laugh track!

Season 8: "Life Time" (1979)

Another innovate episode shows the surgical team frantically working to save the life of a severely injured soldier not far from the MASH unit. What makes this episode innovative is that most of the story is told in real time, with a clock ticking at the bottom right hand of the screen.

Season 9: "The Life You Save" (1981)

By Season 9, the series was starting to show its age. This season's finale is one of the stronger episodes from this late period. Winchester, who often appears self-centered and unapproachable, has a deep, spiritual experience when he is almost killed by a sniper. He then becomes obsessed with death, and starts talking to soldiers who have gone through near-death experiences.

Season 10: "Where There's a Will, There's a War" (1982)

Hawkeye (Alan Alda) is unable to leave an aid station due to heavy shelling. Fearing that he may not return alive, he starts making out his Last Will and Testament. Scenes with his co-workers and friends are shown as he makes his bequeaths.

Season 11: "Goodbye, Farewell and Amen" (1983)

The two-hour-plus series finale, directed and co-written by Alan Alda, is set in the final days of the Korean War. The main plot involves Hawkeye seeing psychiatrst Dr. Freedman (Allan Arbus) following a traumatic incident on a bus. Meanwhile, Klinger (Jamie Farr) helps a Korean woman look for her family, BJ (Mike Farrell) is discharged and an explosion gives Fr. Mulcahy (William Christopher) some hearing loss. There's also a story where Winchester teaches some North Korean musicians how to play classical music. The whole episode runs the gamut of emotions, and I'm satisfied with the series' conclusion. "Goodbye" still holds the record for being the most-watched TV show finale ever. (Coincidentally, the 30th anniversary of its initial broadcast is this Thursday, February 28.)

Honourable mentions include “The Merchant of Korea” (S6), “The Smell of Music” (S6), “The Party” (S7), “Rally 'Round the Flagg, Boys” (S7), "Inga" (S7), “Good-Bye Radar" (S8), "Dreams" (S8), "Blood Brothers" (S9), "Death Takes a Holiday" (S9), "Blood and Guts" (S10), "The Tooth Shall Set You Free" (S10) and "As Time Goes By" (S11).

My final M*A*S*H blog will focus on my thoughts on the series, along with the top 10 best episodes.