First of all, mad props to my colleague David Brancaccio for starting – and finishing – the 544-mile AIDS/Lifecycle ride this past week.
Second of all, more and bigger mad props for having the guts to put a picture of himself in full biking kit – spandex shorts, shirt, the whole deal – on his most recent post about the ride. I once did a photo shoot for Runners World magazine in the Marketplace studios, and let’s just say, I’m still hearing about it.
This is not, however, a gratuitous post about Marketplace hosts in fitness gear. It’s about the point David made more eloquently than I could, so I’m just going to piggyback on it here and add some observations. It’s important, he wrote, to unplug every now and then. To consciously unplug. And to take the time you get back to just… be.
Believe me when I tell you I’m not preaching at you here. I’m as guilty as the next guy of burying my nose in my phone; of tuning out my kid’s tennis match to check my Twitter feed (Yes, I’m that dad). Part of it is my personality, part of it is my line of work, and part of it is habit.
But seriously – how many different variations of the Hillary Clinton book-tour interview do we need to read to know she’s running for president (Yes, there, I said it. Come talk to me in a year, we’ll see who’s right)? How many times do you have to click on a link about Donald Sterling and whether he will or won’t sell the Clippers – I mean, fercryinoutloud – to know he’s an unsavory individual? And don’t even get me started on the damn missing plane.
Yes, there is real news out there every day. And yes we do have an obligation as citizens in a representative democracy to be informed. But c’mon. Just… be.
Okay, now I’m preaching. So that’s it. That’s all I got this week. That, and don’t ever, ever wear a short suit. As in shorts, but in a suit.
There’s a lot happening in the world. Through it all, Marketplace is here for you.
You rely on Marketplace to break down the world’s events and tell you how it affects you in a fact-based, approachable way. We rely on your financial support to keep making that possible.
Your donation today powers the independent journalism that you rely on. For just $5/month, you can help sustain Marketplace so we can keep reporting on the things that matter to you.
