Ron & Jen’s Great Escape – Feb. 22, 2023 – Ron St. Pierre and Jen Brien

by Ron St. Pierre & Jen Brien, contributing writers, commentary

SNAIL MAIL and keeping it SIMPLE

Long ago, before everyone had an iPhone (A FIRST GEN 2007, BRAND NEW, UNOPENED, FACTORY SEALED, JUST SOLD FOR $63,000 at auction BTW) going to the mailbox everyday was a form of excitement for millions of people. Would the CHRISTMAS SEARS CATALOG be jammed in there? Did my pen pal from the “Big Blue Marble” pen pal group send me a letter? Would I hear from any friends from summer camp? Would my COLUMBIA HOUSE package of 20 cassettes for a penny show up on my doorstep? Did my “Orphan Annie Secret Society” decoder pin” arrive? ON AND ON. Sure, millions of others hated the mail. Bills, bills, and still more bills. Nevertheless, there was something special about mail delivery 30 years ago.

When I was sent overseas in the 90’s for about 3 years after I joined the Army, snail mail was particularly important. Don’t even get me started about Christmas mail. Every day I prayed I got a package filled with goodies from ANYONE. That happened once, and for that I’m grateful, but what I’m really grateful for are the letters my Nana and Gampy would send from North Smithfield RI, all the way to little ole me in Germany. Nana wrote me some of the sweetest and simple letters that I still have to this day. Those letters are all I have left of her and are just wonderful keepsakes. 

We have forgotten what a fun experience it is to receive a letter in the mail and not just bills or fliers. Email and facetime have changed the way we communicate, but as far as I’m concerned , nothing beats snail mail. If you would like to have some fun and write me a letter, I promise I’ll write back! Here’s where you can send a letter and get your feet wet again with old fashioned letter writing:

Jennifer Brien

C/O  920 WHJJ RADIO, 75 OXFORD ST, PROVIDENCE, RI, 02905

Send me some mail/letters to see how much fun the mail can be again!!!!

Till next week, my friends – Jen

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WHO’S NEXT?

With Congressman David Cicilline’s bombshell announcement he’s resigning to become CEO of the RI Foundation, it means the Ocean State will be represented by two of the most junior members of the house. Some names are already coming out of the woodwork as showing interest. One that jumps out is former CVS exec and Democratic gubernatorial candidate Helena Foulkes who not only kicked butt in primary debates but might have likely been in the general election had it not been for early mail-in ballots that kicked Dan McKee over the top. Those votes came in before a bunch of negative stories surrounding McKee hit the fan. Foulkes established serious name recognition in a heavily Democratic voting first congressional district. A spring special election is coming up.

As for why Cicilline would want to give up a DC job he likely could have kept for his lifetime, A  WPRI Ch 12 story claims the RI Foundation gig pays over a million annually according to 2019 IRS filings… other media outlets reported between $650K and a cool million. Nuff said.

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CHILL OUT

A RESCUE REMEDY poll (all together now…who?) has pinpointed the most stressful time of the day. Survey said…7:23 am is it and people have three dramas daily. For a woman, the first drams hits at 7:50 am, while men typically make it all the way to 8:50 am. The top stressors in the early going?

-Traffic

-Waking up late (just don’t hit the snooze button)

-Spilling stuff on clothing (really?)

-Tripping in public (huh?)

-Burning meals

What – NO KIDS??????

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ROVER, COME OVER

Does your pet have star quality? Cadbury is looking for its next “bunny”. For the 5^th straight  year, the company’s looking for its next star but this time there’s a hitch… a good hitch. It’s got to be a rescue pet. The company’s not limiting brands so it can be a dog, cat, pig, lama… you name it. Find out all the details at CadburyTryouts.come but hurry. You can vote for your fave until March 14^th.

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WE’RE ON THE MOVE

Ron and Jen’s Great Escape The Radio Show has moved to NewsRadio 920 and 104-7 FM,  starting this Saturday morning at 7am. It’s a look at yesterday, today, and tomorrow in hopes of putting a smile on your face to kick the weekend off right! Remember, a smile can go a long, long way! Tune in and escape with us!

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Ron St. Pierre is a veteran broadcaster whose career has spanned over four decades. Ron has programmed, performed on and managed WHJJ, WPRO, WWRX, 790 The Score in Providence, as well as WBZT and WKGR in West Palm Beach and WABC in New York City. Ron also anchored sports on WPRI Ch 12 in Providence. He is a member of both the Rhode Island Radio and Television and the City of Pawtucket Halls of Fame. He was born and raised in Pawtucket.

Jen Brien has over 20 years of radio broadcast experience having hosted shows on WPRO and WHJJ with Ron as well as her own shows on WRKO and WBZ in Boston, WXTK on Cape Cod and WHAM in Rochester, New York. Jen was born and raised in Woonsocket and served six years in the Army MP Canine Unit.

Hazel, Ron’s dog, makes regular appearances.

“Ron and Jen’s Great Escape” podcast, a more lighthearted look at the events happening around us, can be found on YouTube and wherever you get your podcasts, with new episodes premiering each Wednesday and listen to Ron and Jen’s Great Escape call in radio show Friday afternoons 2 til 4 on 101.1 FM, 1540 WADK and streaming everywhere on WADK.COM.