YOU, Mr. Keillor, are at least one of God's blessings to America.
You are going to be in my hometown tonight, Friday the 20th of September. I returned to my hometown (or at least as close as I can afford the rent in Bridgeport just to the east) after 37 years of living and working in California.
I will not be attending your show because I am an agoraphobic but I am dearly hoping WSHU will be broadcasting you at 8 p.m.
After reading this, I was curious as to what defined "middle age." Seeing the high end of the number, I will now return to bed, pull the sheets up, and wonder where the years went.
I love how you sprinkle helpful education and common sense into your tales of humor. Or perhaps, sprinkle humor into the education. It leaves an impression that is of genuine help to all of us fortunate enough to be a part of the process.
Thank you for the reminder to keep moving our bodies, retaining those skills rather than letting them slip away beyond the point of reclamation. Your encouragement is perhaps better received with the sprinkles than say, on a dry list of bullet points from the orthopedic OT/PT discharge instructions from the hospital.
Thank you for this particularly memorable sprinkle:
“ …with my wife on very rare occasions such as my 70th and 80th birthdays, the Feast Day of the Assumption in August and on October 27, the day on which Jack Morris pitched the Minnesota Twins to a 1-0 victory in the 7th game of the 1991 World Series.”
As usual I agree with and “relate to” everything you say this morning. I chuckle as I read your description of what is my life too. Except the daily exercise. I wish I could bring myself to do what I know would make me feel good too. What is your routine?
Find four or five things to put your body through every morning that are fun and easy. Stretching is good. Maybe a few seconds of planks (google it). Some easy stomach exercises (google again). Do some leg and arm exercises. Do them all to music you love.
And start easy, just enough to get the blood flowing. Don’t you dare do anything that hurts. As the weeks go by, add a bit. You’ll get there!
Take care of your body, there is no getting a replacement.
and down stairs all day, doing carpentry and little repairs around the house, walking to do errands etc. I have just never enjoyed exercise for exercise’s sake. I’ll keep trying!
Nothing wrong at all with functional exercise. I painted my garage door today, yay.
Movement is key. Just be sure to fit in something now and then to get your heart rate up, something to get ya huffing and puffing. Something to burn out the gunk in the coronaries.
That’s cycling for me, either at the gym or, gulp, up our local mountain, wearing yellow with a yellow helmet and blinky lights, natch. My wife doesn’t like me doing it much, but it sure is fun to get outdoors.
This is wonderful; thank you. I, too, despised high school gym class for all the reasons you mention. Then, at age 40, I started running so that someday I could dance at my daughter's wedding. I did some time later and now run to dance at my grandsons wedding, although my dance may be a mere shuffle by then.
I’m now grinning (can’t chuckle because teenage son is curled up sleeping near me and one does not wake up a sleeping teenager) because it says you ‘did some time later’, which of course made me think that we likely did NOT have a lavish banquet to celebrate your return. 😂 Saved us all from gout.
I’ve gotten really bad about exercise which 1) for reasons I won’t bother you with, I really need to do; and 2) as you describe, I’ve begun feeling the ability to do so slipping away.
But that ends today.
(And thanks to Audible —and my iPod— you’ll be there with me on my daily walks.)
Baseball fan that you are- I need a baseball Goat for a dog's Halloween costume. Don't ask, but I promise a picture if you would like one. Who would you choose?
I am not old enough to properly appreciate you, but I do very much! And so does my 85-year-old mama. Thank you!
One of your best, GK. Long ago, as a young intern, I hurt my back moving a heavy patient. Tingles down my right leg. Numbness. I saw an elderly ortho doc, thinking I needed surgery for sure. Instead, he gave me a list of stomach exercises.
“The key to the back is the front,” he said. “Get your belly in shape, and your back will be fine.”
I did what he said, got better, and began doing all kinds of exercises, easy ones at first, and never stopped. At 72 I try to work out, swim, surf, or ride my bike every day. And I work my brain, too, reading, writing, and playing music.
Music, like exercising, has now been shown to make your body crank out endorphins, otherwise known as “feel good” hormones. Of course this is why your sing-along shows, GK, are so wonderful to attend, and, I presume, to lead.
All this helps with my despair at the millions still voting for the deranged former president. More and more Republicans, though, are jumping the tRump ship, planning to vote for Harris/Walz in the sober realization their party needs to rebuild. I tip my hat to them, and hope their ranks swell.
In the meantime, I work my brain and body hard, donate, donate, donate, and await November with angst and trepidation subdued, at least partially, by exercise and melodic endorphins.
Fabulous advice for old, young, and in between! Regarding the gym classes, it was frightful for girls too. In the mid-20th century when we were taught that nudity was an abhorrence, we had gang showers and horrifying bathing suits. Ugh. Hoping there is more kindness to school kids nowadays.
You cracked me up mentioning your solo showering and special shower days with your wife. So, you either have to wait for the special shower for 8 more years, or... How are the Twins looking this season? Now I have another team I'll root for along with my poor Cubbies!
YOU, Mr. Keillor, are at least one of God's blessings to America.
You are going to be in my hometown tonight, Friday the 20th of September. I returned to my hometown (or at least as close as I can afford the rent in Bridgeport just to the east) after 37 years of living and working in California.
I will not be attending your show because I am an agoraphobic but I am dearly hoping WSHU will be broadcasting you at 8 p.m.
After reading this, I was curious as to what defined "middle age." Seeing the high end of the number, I will now return to bed, pull the sheets up, and wonder where the years went.
Another beautifully written post.
Many laughs this a.m. and each one much appreciated.
I love how you sprinkle helpful education and common sense into your tales of humor. Or perhaps, sprinkle humor into the education. It leaves an impression that is of genuine help to all of us fortunate enough to be a part of the process.
Thank you for the reminder to keep moving our bodies, retaining those skills rather than letting them slip away beyond the point of reclamation. Your encouragement is perhaps better received with the sprinkles than say, on a dry list of bullet points from the orthopedic OT/PT discharge instructions from the hospital.
Thank you for this particularly memorable sprinkle:
“ …with my wife on very rare occasions such as my 70th and 80th birthdays, the Feast Day of the Assumption in August and on October 27, the day on which Jack Morris pitched the Minnesota Twins to a 1-0 victory in the 7th game of the 1991 World Series.”
💜
As usual I agree with and “relate to”
As usual I agree with and “relate to” everything you say this morning. I chuckle as I read your description of what is my life too. Except the daily exercise. I wish I could bring myself to do what I know would make me feel good too. What is your routine?
If I may make a suggestion as a retired MD:
Find four or five things to put your body through every morning that are fun and easy. Stretching is good. Maybe a few seconds of planks (google it). Some easy stomach exercises (google again). Do some leg and arm exercises. Do them all to music you love.
And start easy, just enough to get the blood flowing. Don’t you dare do anything that hurts. As the weeks go by, add a bit. You’ll get there!
Take care of your body, there is no getting a replacement.
Thank you! I’m active at 76, going up
and down stairs all day, doing carpentry and little repairs around the house, walking to do errands etc. I have just never enjoyed exercise for exercise’s sake. I’ll keep trying!
Nothing wrong at all with functional exercise. I painted my garage door today, yay.
Movement is key. Just be sure to fit in something now and then to get your heart rate up, something to get ya huffing and puffing. Something to burn out the gunk in the coronaries.
That’s cycling for me, either at the gym or, gulp, up our local mountain, wearing yellow with a yellow helmet and blinky lights, natch. My wife doesn’t like me doing it much, but it sure is fun to get outdoors.
Amen.
This is wonderful; thank you. I, too, despised high school gym class for all the reasons you mention. Then, at age 40, I started running so that someday I could dance at my daughter's wedding. I did some time later and now run to dance at my grandsons wedding, although my dance may be a mere shuffle by then.
I’m now grinning (can’t chuckle because teenage son is curled up sleeping near me and one does not wake up a sleeping teenager) because it says you ‘did some time later’, which of course made me think that we likely did NOT have a lavish banquet to celebrate your return. 😂 Saved us all from gout.
Oof. Bad grammar, I suppose. No, I did not "do time!" 😂 But I did dance.
Not bad grammar at all — just one of the amusing quirks of English language.
Good morning, Garrison. Our morning is now full after consuming these words, thanks. RR
Thank you Garrison. I (really) needed that.
I’ve gotten really bad about exercise which 1) for reasons I won’t bother you with, I really need to do; and 2) as you describe, I’ve begun feeling the ability to do so slipping away.
But that ends today.
(And thanks to Audible —and my iPod— you’ll be there with me on my daily walks.)
Be well, ol’ radio buddy.
Baseball fan that you are- I need a baseball Goat for a dog's Halloween costume. Don't ask, but I promise a picture if you would like one. Who would you choose?
I am not old enough to properly appreciate you, but I do very much! And so does my 85-year-old mama. Thank you!
One of your best, GK. Long ago, as a young intern, I hurt my back moving a heavy patient. Tingles down my right leg. Numbness. I saw an elderly ortho doc, thinking I needed surgery for sure. Instead, he gave me a list of stomach exercises.
“The key to the back is the front,” he said. “Get your belly in shape, and your back will be fine.”
I did what he said, got better, and began doing all kinds of exercises, easy ones at first, and never stopped. At 72 I try to work out, swim, surf, or ride my bike every day. And I work my brain, too, reading, writing, and playing music.
Music, like exercising, has now been shown to make your body crank out endorphins, otherwise known as “feel good” hormones. Of course this is why your sing-along shows, GK, are so wonderful to attend, and, I presume, to lead.
All this helps with my despair at the millions still voting for the deranged former president. More and more Republicans, though, are jumping the tRump ship, planning to vote for Harris/Walz in the sober realization their party needs to rebuild. I tip my hat to them, and hope their ranks swell.
In the meantime, I work my brain and body hard, donate, donate, donate, and await November with angst and trepidation subdued, at least partially, by exercise and melodic endorphins.
Fabulous advice for old, young, and in between! Regarding the gym classes, it was frightful for girls too. In the mid-20th century when we were taught that nudity was an abhorrence, we had gang showers and horrifying bathing suits. Ugh. Hoping there is more kindness to school kids nowadays.
Thanks or your "brilliant immigrants" wrap-up, Garrison. So true, and fighting. against the stupidest political campaigns of all time.
You cracked me up mentioning your solo showering and special shower days with your wife. So, you either have to wait for the special shower for 8 more years, or... How are the Twins looking this season? Now I have another team I'll root for along with my poor Cubbies!
The Lady standing tall
In the harbor says,
“Give me your poor,”
Horace Greely said,
“Go west young man.”
Francis Scott Key said,
“The flag is still there,”
We say,
“This is our land.”
Abraham Lincoln,
Freed the slaves,
U.S. Grant
Preserved the Union,
Teddy Roosevelt
Built a canal joining
Two great Oceans.
We stand by
Our land.
Times are not easy,
Freedom stands challenged,
But we will gather together.
Stand tall, united,
This is
Our land, Our country,
We will prevail.