Radio Shows, Comedies, the Gym, and Stillness of Mind

I'm on record quite clearly as loving old time radio shows. Jack Benny being my hands-down favorite. So much so, in fact, that when I went to load the 1950 'season' of Jack Benny on my iPod, I freaked out a little when I realized I only had three seasons left of the show.

So? What's the big deal? It's my favorite radio show, sure. But there is a ton of radio show material available to me through my membership with RUSC.com. So much that I can move on to something else for my gym time on the treadmill. Not only that, but there's my newfound love of podcasts to consider as well. So what's the problem?

Most people have to listen to music when running or doing their cardio. For Lorie, it's the beat that helps her maintain a pace. I completely understand that, as I feel running is much easier with music. It's just that I love the radio shows so much and my commute isn't long enough to support everything I want to listen to. So the cardio machines are where I do the radio shows.

Years ago when I first started going to the gym, I would rotate through several different radio shows. Jack Benny, George and Gracie, the Great Gildersleeves, Inner Sanctum, the Shadow, Blackstone the Magician, Superman, Flash Gordon, and Tarzan. Something quickly became apparent to me. I'm just not paying attention to the story! When I'm on the elliptical or treadmill or stationary bike, I'm having difficulty keeping my attention focused on the radio show and not letting my mind wander to the thousands of things that clamor for it's attention all day long.

The comedy shows are quick, funny, interactive, and don't rely on a complete plot. It's easier to listen to them than it is the Shadow or Superman. I was shocked at this information. If you had asked me then what my favorite show was, I would have said the Shadow without hesitation. But when I'm sweating through thirty minutes of movement on a machine, I just don't pay attention to the story.

So Jack and his crew work their show in such a way as that you feel you're hanging out with friends. And if your attention wanders for a few minutes, you can snap back without really having missed anything important.

I wonder if this is an increasing problem in our culture or just for me in my age. I much prefer sitcoms right now, because I feel I have too much to do to sit in front of the TV for an hour long drama. I've got writing, reading, collection tinkering, and dozens of projects I would rather be working on then sitting in front of the TV forcing myself to watch an hour of anything. It's a new problem. I think my mind has become busy to the point of being unable to sit still.

I've been implementing a plan for this at the gym, coincidentally enough. If you're running, you start out with a slow, short pace and work your way from there. So I'm taking the same tact with mind exercises.

After thirty minutes on the treadmill, I usually move to fifteen minutes on the elliptical or stationary bike. So I've loaded the iPod with the Superman radio show. It's a short show, only about ten minutes per episode. And I challenge myself to stay focused on the show while maintaining my pace. I try to keep my eyes on a blank spot on the wall, and I start the exercise with a pace-setting piece of music and then move into the radio show. I mentally 'table' any thought that comes along that tries to vie for my attention. It's been working so far. I've followed through ten episodes with only minor incidents of mind-wandering.

What I really need to do is work out a system for relaxing at home. The days are starting to slide by too quickly. I'm not reading enough, writing enough, or not spending enough time sitting in the yard in Spring doing nothing. And there are some good shows out there that I want to watch. I just need to implement a process to 'still' my mind.

Maybe alcohol is the answer!!!

Thanks,
DCD