We’ve been back, doing Outlook in studio for the fourth quarter of the year, with our final official live episode rounding out these twelve months, second year with COVID-19 in our lives. This one was a musical themed episode to finish off 2021 in style and in creative expression, after recently Brian having Kerry on his music show Chin Music, from music to advocacy with songs from Ski Patrol and recent guest Heather Hutchison.

We review some of what Outlook got up to in 2021, (year of the vaccine rollout) including the first attempt at live music to begin the year, last January, with Sky Mundell playing his soothing piano sounds to help us celebrate 100 episodes of this show which we officially marked back in March with our 100 Episode Spectacular and marking the podcast that preceded this one, Ketchup On Pancakes which turned five back during the summer. We had family time with our older siblings, on Family Day, going on to celebrate all April long with other blind sibling pairs like us, the month of National Siblings Day. And we were the hosts of the first all virtual national Canadian Federation of the Blind Convention, an event months in the prepping and then we gathered all the highlights into a two part convention special.

This year was the year of There Plant Eyes on Outlook, a book released on June 1 and led to Kerry doing an interview with the author, M. Leona Godin, which was published in print on The Rumpus literary journal back from August. (Find multiple episodes of Outlook involving There Plant Eyes discussions.)

This year we spoke about deaf-blindness, about Indigenous disability issues with the CEO of the British Columbia Aboriginal Network On Disability Society (BCANDS), and we spoke with friends, both new and old, to share their outlooks too. What a year, from book reviews to the special accessible Christmas card Kerry received from her yoga teacher to cap it all off.

Outlook in 2021 meant exploring tough topics, strongly needing attention, such as the CNIB’s 100 year monopoly here in Canada, sexual and emotional abuse and misconduct in blindness orgs and at related events and training centres, and mental health and suicide. (More hard but necessary subject explorations to come next year.)

With 45 new episodes this year and 39 guest interviews, we finish 2021 on episode 140 as we produce our wrap up show before a much needed break and we’re tying up loose ends, with a great big Christmas beau.

Outlook wishing for loads of peace and joy for our listeners, over the holidays and into the new year. See you again, for all new shows, in 2022.

Music played in this episode includes “Reason To Stay” by Heather Hutchison who you can listen to and support here:

https://heatherhutchison.bandcamp.com

“Lighting Up A Dark Season” by Ski Patrol available here:

http://soundcloud.com/skipatrolmusic/ski-patrol-lighting-up-a-dark-season

And listen to Kerry's recent appearance on Brian's show Chin Music:

https://www.mixcloud.com/chrwchinmusic/chin-music-2021-12-17-guest-request-sets-kerry-kijewski/