The radio in my car is tuned exclusively to Public Radio. I bounce back and forth between WHYY and XPN. On the weekends, I try to time my errands with the This American Life. It's a total driveway show. Meaning if I get home before it's over, I end up sitting in the driveway throught the end of the segment. I have my iTunes set to automatically download the show. If I'm making a long trip, like down to the shore, I listend to an episode or two that I missed.
Ira Glass is the host of the show. He introduces the segments and conducts a brief interview at the beginning to set up the theme. His radio voice is kind of the Anti-Limbaugh. Meek, gentle, unassuming and the essence of geek-chic.
He seems like an old friend. I briefly subscribed to Showtime in what seemed like a personal favor. He's high on the list of famous persons I'd like to invite to my home for diner. And he almost makes me wish my vision would start to go so I could start wearing a pair of glasses like his. In a nutshell, Ira is smart people cool. And as a gentleman, he's beyond exemplary. He borders on cliche. To me, a slim, bookish, hipster gentleman is better defined as an Ira Glass type.
He turns 50 today. On the surface, I find it hard to believe. For some reason I can't really imagine that he's a day over 30. But it goes to show you that there's hope out there for people getting old gracefully that aren't classicaly handsome movie stars. At the very least you should be an literati radio star.
JPG,
ReplyDeleteNice post. I like reading commentary about real life men gracefully confronting the world, and aging well.
As I approach 50, I notice my girlfriends are getting younger. Starting to feel like a dirty old man...! Maybe one could summarize aging like this:
1. no more jeans (except when chopping wood)
2. wear a suit as often as you possibly can during the week, and a sports coat or country clothes on the weekend (that way you're always spotted well-dressed)
3.Stay in shape (or get into it) Nice running post BTW
4. Be well-mannered, always..even when you have to rip someone a new one!
5. Glasses help, but a tan is better
6. Smile as often as you, especially when you're down
7. Never stop building yourself.Read, study, listen, make new acquaintances every chance you get
Just some ideas to look good while aging.
Well put.
ReplyDeleteLet me know when your birthday is, I'll do a profile on you.
Sadly, I am of Irish descent so I don't so much tan as oscillate between bright white and in flames. So I'll have to lean towards the glasses. And with 20/20 vision, I'm stuck with a beard to look distinguished.