May 16, 2022

As a fan of Alan Alda through the hit TV shows M*A*S*H and The West Wing, as well as his efforts to help scientists communicate with more gravitas, I was eager to hear his recent interview with Jesse Thorn on the NPR podcast Bullseye.

Thorn asked Alda what it was like to be so consumed daily, and for years ( 256 episodes!) on M*A*S*H and suddenly, it is over. Alda responded that when you are doing something for this long, starting the day and ending the day embedded in the work of it, the end is like jumping off a speeding train. He recommends for anyone who has had such a focused endeavor and is approaching the end of it (such as with retirement), to ensure you have something to jump onto. A new possibility, project, or engagement, so the landing is not so hard.

Empty nesters, retirement anticipators, those leaving any long-term intensive schedule of responsibility…does this speak to you?

Note: The Uncommon Candor Monday Musings, blogs, and newsletter (publishing since 2013) are taking a summer vacation. We will be on hiatus from Memorial Day through Labor Day, and will resume in early September.

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