3.28.21 Newsletter

Hello friends. Two interesting interviews/conversations are worth a listen, and I wanted to share them. It’s been a little while since I checked in, but I’ve been very busy with my day job and, to be honest, somewhat lacking in motivation in the New Year. I have plenty of ideas for SecondFifty but don’t seem to find the impetus to develop them. Is it from a year of pandemic stress? Is it anxiety around the prospect of the pandemic finally ending? Uncertainty about how to re-enter and re-connect with the outside world? I suspect it’s a little of each. But it’s difficult to know how to address it, which only adds to the general malaise we’re all feeling. Last Sunday, I happened to listen to Krista Tippett’s radio show, “On Being," while I was making early morning coffee. Between what's become an overly complicated breakfast routine of grinding coffee beans and preparing an elaborate bowl of oatmeal, I found myself very intrigued by her interview with clinical psychologist Christine Runyan about the effect the pandemic has had on our lives. So much so that I sought out the show online later that day and listened to it again with more focus. The topic addressed directly the uneasiness I’ve been feeling, and it was very reassuring. Lori and I have sent the link to several friends, and they have all found it helpful. I hope you do too. It’s under an hour in length. Here’s the link to the On Being Website with the show. Just click and listen. Super easy! I highly recommend it. Here's the summary from the show notes:The light at the end of the COVID tunnel is tenuously appearing — yet many of us feel as exhausted as at any time in the past year. Memory problems; short fuses; fractured productivity; sudden drops into despair. We’re at once excited and unnerved by the prospect of life opening up again. Clinical psychologist Christine Runyan explains the physiological effects of a year of pandemic and social isolation — what’s happened at the level of stress response and nervous system, the literal mind-body connection. And she offers simple strategies to regain our fullest capacities for the world ahead. (Krista Tippett)

Renegades

Since the whole world has gone podcast crazy, we are overwhelmed with options…too many. But I think this one is worth checking out. It’s an eight-part series on the Pandora Music Streaming Service featuring a conversation between Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen.  Bruce and Barack discuss various topics, mainly about the American Experience, each from his unique perspective and background. They touch on racism, fatherhood, what it means to be an American, the current divisions in the united states, and how their experiences growing up shaped their views on all of these topics. I found it full of fresh perspectives on family, identity, and culture in America. Bruce injects stories from his life as a musician to illustrate his points, which I found to be very interesting. Obama opens up about his youth in Hawaii. It’s all quite personal, and as baby boomers, you will appreciate the context and references.

Of course, you might find the whole thing a little too precious and saccharine - and parts of it may well be. If you’re a Springsteen fan, you’ll like it. If you’re an Obama fan, you’ll like it. If you are neutral or less than, you may not like it at all…There you go.

Here’s the link, you can see for yourself! 

Renegades, Barack Obama and Bruce Springsteen

Thank you for reading, and welcome, as always, to new subscribers!

George.

Stay Strong. Age Well.

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I'm George Harrop, founder of

SecondFifty.Blog

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