S3E2 "Ain't Nobody Got Time For That"-Special Guest Marty Beene

0:03 Good afternoon. Where the hell is he? Is he late? I can't tell? How are you? I'm I've been waiting. I'm here. Well, don't get indignant with me. I want to be doing the whole recording from this side because I feel like this is my better side. What do you think? I know they're all good. Well, they are all good, but try the other just for kicks. Oh god, you're right. You should never face that way ever again, and I never will. You're pulling a Mariah and a Barbera. You know when they go on a a few times they go on a interview chat show, they all have to sit like a certain side.

0:43 Oh sure, sure, and you're becoming a diba. Well, no, becoming how funny? You know what? It brought me back to when we were trying to get that abbathing going back in. Sarrancises over the weekends. How did that work? See how that goes? Yeah, I'll get back. I don't want to criticize, but look who took the photos? Who took the photos? Not to mention anyone, Jamie Litzy. No, no, it wasn't Jamie. Who was Shirley? Oh surely, Oh. Don't be me, that's right, don't be me, but I don't know.

1:24 I didn't see the photos. They were on your phone. I never saw them. I don't know what how they I. Did see them, and luckily I have some incriminating video of Shirley sitting on the sofa patting her stomach playing the bongos. So well, you know, whatever it takes. Again, speaking of I had such a good time. That was so much fun seeing everybody. Yeah, So don came back to the Bay Area for another visit a friend of ours from high school, a previous guest on this very podcast, Jamie Lizzy. She and her husband were visiting family from they live on the East Coast, visiting family here in California. So mixed into their visit was a stay in San Francisco. So we gathered about fifteen of us or so too U for an afternoon and evening of frivolity and food and fun and yes, but yes, I'm glad you came.

2:15 It was so much fun and a huge thank you to Todd for hosting and Toddy for hosting. They're very good about how they always do. Yes, and boy did he cook a lot of food, Oh my. God, And you know, and then you left and then he made the bread pudding. Oh I know that's why I left, because if I ate the bread pudding, I would look like a bread pudding out. Surely, and I were the only one to stay. And yea, it was a nice gathering, Yes it was. And like I said, I'm glad you were able to make the time to come up because I know you're very busy with work and everything else. And the kids esn't well that too, But the kids, one of them asleep at my feet right now. He refuses to He has a name.

2:55 Only when I make money off of it. So unless you're on camera, talk Rock executive producer, Rocket High, no signature, no deal, sorry anyway, So go back to sleep. Sorry. So yeah, so I guess we could just jump in. What are we talking about? So we have a guest, big surprise from high school. Let me tell you we knew and know a lot of people. We are very poor and we keep in touch with a lot a lot of our guests. Marty is graduated the year ahead of us, and he'll be joining us and telling us where he is career career, career wise. I can't talk right now.

3:38 Use your words sounded out phonetically slowly work. Wise, okay, and all that that entails. But let me tell you last week was a big week for me because first five day work week in five years. Wasn't it kind of nice to have a four day work we. You know, so it's like the half of one six and one half a dozen another. Yeah, when I was working four days, but then over the period of a year, that's a big chunk of money that I wasn't getting right, so, like living in the Bay Area on my own, that chunk of money could have been helpful. But it also served as kind of a mental health day because I picked it in the middle of the week, so I'd work two days, have a day off, work two days, and a weekend. So Tuesday night, when I was wrapping things up at work, it was like, great, I can sleep in tomorrow. What am I going to do? Do I have plans? If I don't have plants? So what So it's very laissez faire. But now Tuesday night, I'm like, I gotta get up in the morning.

4:43 So so I mean, when do you not have plans? I mean I think. There's always a meeting and you know thing that I'm going to and so there are certain weeks that are busier than others. But it's just nice to be able to like have a whole day where I can just if it's a beautiful day, can go out out to the park, or go for a drive and go to the coast or something, right, just something again, just kind of a mental health day. Oh, I just need to try to be more disciplined. I'm also speaking disciplined after my doctors is trying to be more diligent about going to the gym where I work, where I live, and I keep a little calendar of you know what I'm doing. So yeah, I'm doing better about that. So yeah, so that's what's on my mind right now. What about you.

5:26 Yeah, well, I kind of speaking of the gym, I kind of fell off my proverbial rower, which is literally I'm looking at right next to me. Which is gathered dust code racks. Okay, well, here's the thing. It sits upright when I'm storing it away, so it could very well be a code wreck. But I have been very non diligent about using it because work has been getting in the way. And I hate to use that excuse, but right when I want to get into a routine. I'm actually going to a project in Passages starting Sundays. Actually i'm going tomorrow. I didn't want to go, but I'm supposed. I'm helping him out tomorrow and then I'm going down on the Sunday to work for the next two weeks. Wow. Yeah, So so when you do that, do.

6:08 You stay down there? Did you just drive back and forth? No? I have a hotel and everything. How long? How far way is it? Well? Pasadena from here's probably about an hour drive, but you know, depending on traffic. Right. Yeah, So, I mean it's it's beautiful over there. It's going to be an interesting project. I don't want to do it. So I'm one of those points where you know, I'm at a certain age where I want to pick and choose my project. But I was kind of coerced into this project where they really needed my expertise because it is so you know, it's hard to find this so this anyway, So. I've got something to remind you of that we spoke of, and the something I want to a little story I want to repeat. So the reminder is, oh, I'm sorry, Yes.

6:52 Don't forget. We need to take a little break and let's do the. Break and I'll tease with I'm going to remind you of something. I'm gonna repeat a funny story that I was shared. When are you ever going to get this routine down? We're doing this for five hundred years now, you should know how it works. All right, Fine, I'm kissing. So we are don and Gary? No, no, no, no, no yet, I have to take a break. We have to take a. Break, take a break and come back. I'll be right. I'm gonna take a just fine, hold on myself. It's hot an ear.

7:58 Oh sorry, welcome back to Donn and Gary doing sixty. You can find us on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Facebook, Instagram, Blue did I. Say Blue Guy? No? But you will right now Blue s Guy. And of course you want to see all of this and all of that come into our YouTube channel at the five for pod We're here to navigate the world at this age. Anyway. Sorry, that's okay, don't forget pod page, our pots our lash site. It can we do it together? Do it at pod page. Okay, close enough. We'll put the graphics and sound effect.

8:40 Thank you for remembering that, of course. Anyway, so sorry you were leaving off with something you wanted to do. Okay, Well, something I mentioned the other day that I when I texted you, I saw it, and I said, I am devastated that they cancel that horrible show mid Modern on. Granted I never saw the whole thing because I don't have Hulu, but I saw clips. You saw enough. I saw enough to say that's too much. It was just wasn't On paper it's a great idea, you know, It's like the male version of Golden Girls in Palm Springs. I think I had a lot of potential and the great cast, but the writing was just horrible. But I don't know if you delved into the comments on social media.

9:27 Oh, I do read them, and it was very mixed, wasn't it. It slanted towards people loved it, couldn't wait for a second season, best thing ever, never laughed so hard, And I'm like, what am I missing? Because okay, okay, here's the thing. Talented actors. I think all of them A lot of the show pulled together with Linda Lavin, I believe, because she was really a polarizing figure in their story. But I have to say, I mean, I agree with a lot of the comments saying like it was kind of stereotypical. It's a little bit like contrived. I mean, Matt Bohmer was to look at and everything, and Nathan Lane is a great actor. I didn't know the name of the other actor who is.

10:07 Right, I don't. I mean maybe some more stage and other things. I don't. Yeah, I mean I think some of them were just too big for TV. They're not used to working on TV. And again, you know, who am I to say? But it just seemed like overacted and it wasn't really well written. So I know we might be in the minority of people that didn't love it. But also it's not really people are looking for a much more accurate representation of the lifestyle than what I think you were seeing. It was a little bit contrived. I don't know. That was just me and I'm sorry. I just didn't dig it at all. No same here, all right, So real quick, before I guess, joins us. Sure, you know you're on the phone and you're either playing a game or in social media, and then an AD comes up and interrupts your viewing. Yes, and an AD came up for Narcolepsi, and it reminded me of a story that I shared on our other podcast repeat about my coworker, So anyone who hadn't listened to that episode, it was that my cowork at the time shared with me that she'd always talk about her buddy Paul, and she said, well, I have something to tell you about my buddy Paul, but you can't tell anyone said, all right, She said they took his driver's license away. I said why. He said, because he's a necrophiliac.

11:30 And I knew she didn't mean that, so I questioned her, and I said, they took Away's license because what because he's a necrophiliac. And I thought about it, and that clearly she meant because he's an arcaleptic, which means you, you know, randomly, just fall asleep at the wheel. Right, So for that reason, for that illness or that affliction, you cannot drive. It's unsafe, right. So what she should have said was took aways license because he is a narcoleptic. But she didn't know what necrophiliac was. So I told her It's like, well, that's like a fascination with dead people, dead bodies, and she's like, oh no, no, that's not what I'm in at all. So when I saw the little ad pop up, it just reminded you of that story, because when I shared it on three p's I could not tell it as clearly as I did right now because I was laughing too hard. And then you guys are like what what? And it was just it's one of the clips I'll go back to and listen to again and again because it's one of my favorites.

12:35 So do you have do you know remember which episode it was? It was one of where the title was something about crazy coworkers and oh yeah, no, I'll tell you. I'll tell you exactly what episode it is when we're done here. Give me the time stamp if you can remember, and. I will try and cut it up and bring it out to it. Okay, it's worth repeating. Oh yeah, no, it's a good okay. So yeah, I just want to check because it just made me laugh. That's very fun, and Lord knows I need to. Laugh, so we all need to laugh. Yeah, so is our guest in the waiting room? Yet he's not knocking on the door just yet. So I just want to also give the audience and you fair warning. I do have two runners jokes, just so you know.

13:23 Oh, okay, and you're going to spring them on Marty. I'm going to I'm the spring them on Marty because they're really good and I've gotten much better at my delivery. I've written them down with no. Care, say if your post it's ready. Well, I've got on a big piece of paper right here. Oh okay. They're big jokes. Then, so I might edit this out or I might keep it in. But what'll Yeah, it's not twice three forty five. I bet he's one of those very what do you call someone that's very on time? Unpunctual? Punctualcual? Thank you? There he is, he's now so wow. See so he listens. So here's somebody knocking. So I think we're gonna let him in. Let's see if we can do that. Let's see if he comes in.

14:06 Hey are you good? How are you doing? Nice to see you, Yes, good to see you too. Yeah. We were just talking about you. We were talking about you and seeing wondering if you were going to be a punctual person or not. And you are literally right on time. Yes, that's that's my thing. I'm always on time. Was it was a runner? Timing? Is everything right? It is? Yes, yes, so I'll introduce you ladies and gentlemen. As I was telling daughter, there's like, we know a lot of people from high school, and you're another person in that group. Marty bean Uh went to our same high school, graduate year ahead of us, from the area, originally from the Barrier. Yes, have you always been in the Barrier?

14:52 Born in San Francisca the bio yes, yes, again. Allowing him to talk so I don't have to say everything. Yes, And obviously you're here because you're a member of the group, the Client. It's a great group to be part of, isn't it. And even though you've stayed in the Barrier the whole time, it's only in these last several years that our little group of people has just been getting together more often. We've gone together several times in the East Bay. I know you were invited to this past event that Don came up for, but you had other plans. But yeah, I think everyone's making more of an effort to kind of keep in touch, which is really nice.

15:33 Yeah, it's great. Well, you know, I think I think we, at least speaking for myself, and I think it's a common thing. I think we realized that we're all really fun people and nice people. So why wouldn't you, why would you not want to hang out with each other? You know, we should charge people to hang out with us. Yeah, there's a that's a business. That's a business opportunity, is. It or is it called being a hooker? Well yeah, well no don because we're all keeping our clothes on. We are, but I well that's the other podcast, right right, Yeah, we're not going there. I'm the Patreon. But anyway, so welcome, thank you. So we will kind of maybe take a little look back and then look at where you're now and where you're going, because you, like some of other guests, have had either a switch in live you you were in a career and then you made a slight left turn. So we kind of want to go over that. So your backgrounds went to our high school, and out of high school, you did what?

16:39 So I went to I studied engineering down to Stanford, and I got a job there on the campus. Worked there for a number of years, and I worked for a couple of small consulting firms in mostly traffic engineering, and then got tired of that, which is we could spend an hour talking about why and how I got tired of that. But can we talk about how you were responsible for or were responsible for traffic lights and traffic going through the city or what city were you working. For a lot of different cities, so all around the Bay Area. Actually I did some work for San Mateo, which was fun, but yeah, really all around the Bay Area. A lot of this stuff on freeways also, so we can that's right. So, and one of my one of my claims to fame is if you're going to the San Francisco Airport, say you're coming from San Francisco, when they redid that whole interchange, this is like twenty twenty five years ago or something like that. Yeah, yeah, the way that they had it. We're trying to we're all looking at the way they had it, and it's like, wow, this is going to be really hard to make the traffic work because there's so much traffic there. And I said, well, why don't you make the exit like two miles further back and you just and you kind of go along beside the freeway and have all these little connections with the ramps along there instead of taking off right before the ramp that goes into the airport and everybody's like, oh, okay, let's do that, and so it actually it works, It works,

18:09 It works quite well. So so that was you, Yeah, that was your idea. No way, So we're talking about the one to one approach. Yeah, right, southbound southbound. From South City from South City or from Berlin. Game from San Francisco coming from the city, all the way down. Yeah, and because you like get off the freeway before San Bruno app before San Bruno App, I think, and you kind of go under that and everything. Yeah, yeah, right with a three eighty turn off as you keep going straight and you're following. Yeah. Yeah, Well, now every time I. Do that, every time you do that when the traffic is working, then. Huge rays for that. I take everything my back said about taking it all back saying that you were responsible for all the problems in the city.

18:51 So okay, you've DoD yourself. But on a related matter, could you press a button and just mess up downtown samont tail traffic? Now? Oh bad? Do you know anyone who can? I don't you know. Actually it's funny because you see in movies sometimes right there's like some some terror plot and they like there's some guy on a computer and he like types something in and all the traffic signals go haywire and that's slightly unrealistic, but. So real quick. Marco Bio also said that you snuck in a master's degree in transportation engineering. Was this prior to or post? No, this is this is while I was while I was working full time. They have a great program at CAL for transportation engineering, and I went there. It's usually a two semester program, and I was able to stretch it into three because I wanted to keep working full time.

19:44 And it was actually delightful because I was able to because my office was in Oakland. So on the days when I had to go up to the campus to go to to go to class, I just walked over to the BART station. I went up, and I as as stressful as it was to try to work full time and go to school in a master's program full time, I knew that I had, you know, this block of time that took me to get on BART, go to the campus, walk up through the lovely campus, and get to my class. It was you know, a half hour forty five minutes of just quiet time that I didn't have to stress out about anything, and it was fun I mean I was older than most of the students there because that was ten years after a call after undergrad and but it was great. It was really fun.

20:27 So does this mean that you have a mind for wanting to figure things out and fix them or make them more efficient? Is that where this is all come? Yeah? Yeah, yeah, sure, yeah, yeah. Okay, because I mean sneaking in a master's degree, it's like that, you don't sneak that takes a lot of time, effort, you know, commitments, Yeah, letting like prioritizing. There's so many things that are in there too. But it sounds like you were really passionate about maybe fixing things or is it passionate about figuring things out or is it kind of. Both of those both of those things. But also I felt like a lot of the people that I worked with had master's degrees that were either from cal like I did, or from some other place, and I just felt like they had a better just sense of what was going on than I did. So, you know, they'd be presumed with the problem. They'd say, oh, you just have to do this to fix it, whereas I would have to like do a bunch of stuff to figure that out. And I kind of wanted to be on that same level of just wanting to know because of experience and knowledge and of that kind of thing.

21:28 Sure, so sure, wow, okay. And so engineering led you to what year, because at some point you transition, right, so to another. Twenty thirteen I left engineering field. So and part of that was So my son entered high school in two thousand and nine. And it's funny because you know, I was a runner. I've been a runner of my whole life. But I definitely wanted to not push him into anything that I like to do. I wanted him to sort of make his own choices. Like a month before school started as a freshman, he says, hey, Dad, guess what. I'm going to join cross country? And I'm like, what, you like to play soccer? And so he says yeah, you know. And so actually it was kind of cool.

22:12 The guy that was coaching at the school at the time was able to send out a postcard to every single incoming freshman saying, hey, join cross country. It's really fun. It's a healthy activity. Nobody gets cut. You have an instant group of friends spanning from freshmen to senior, and we just we just have fun. And it's a great activity. And so he's like, oh, that sounds good. So he joined. And then so I told the coach, hey, I'm available to help out. I can be the helpful parent for you and hold the clipboard or whatever. So after a year of doing that, he said, hey, why don't you join the coaching staff, and so I did. So I joined the coaching staff. I started with cross country, and then I also added track to that, and I just liked coaching so much. And at the same time, I was growing very disillusioned with the whole engineering thing. So I'm like, maybe I could turn this into a business.

23:05 And so I my vision was that I would be coaching individual people who, you know, oh I want to run a half marathon, I want to you know, run a five k for the first time, all this kind of thing. And it actually didn't quite go that way. It ended up being Kaiser was my main client, and which was also really fun. I can go on and on about what a great client they've done over the years. But and then so finally, and then there was a time where my wife got changed jobs and got a huge increase in pay and it's like, oh, hey, this is the moment that we can afford for me to leave the engineering job and start a business, and so I did. Wow, So it was more And it's as you said, this was always a running was always a passionate. Right, Yeah, But I didn't know coaching would be until then.

23:48 Until yeah, I was coaching high school. I ended up coaching high school for nine years. Really, yeah, it was. It was really fun. The kids are just so much fun. I mean, we're blasting atom me to become. The whole community is is really good. They're really supportive of kids, and you know, the kids have it. Most of the kids have it pretty easy as far as family life, and I know that. In fact, I know coaches who you know, one of my friends coaches in in a in a very sort of inner city type situation, and it's really hard because the kids just have nothing. I mean, kids show up to run and crocs, you know that kind of thing, and there they can't run off campus because it's too dangerous because they might get shot, you know, stuff like that. So I mean, we don't we didn't have anything like that in Alameda. So it was it was really it was great and the kids and the families were great.

24:42 So also because you have such a passion for running being a coach, it seems just like an easy fit. Yeah, yeah, because of something you already have passion for. Yeah, you're not not coaching something that you know that you don't have that you. Yourself, right, Yeah, And so you know you remember you remember Bill Dascarolas. Yes, So he was still coaching when I was coaching, and I would bump into him. We'd be at these big track meets, across country meets, and I'd bump into him and everything. So he was a great mentor. Actually there were a number of times able to ask him things and and he was able to give me great advice and everything. You know, what a great guy. And so that was so that was really cool too. And I wanted to and I wanted I always tried to tell bad jokes like he would tell in practice.

25:29 Speaking of speaking of jokes from nice that was just. I might have one too. We didn't have to coach them into an audience, just so you know, we didn't have to coach them, because I have a thing about telling really horrible jokes and telling them or telling them really poorly. Also, so here's my first one since you warmed us up. Okay, then you can give us one. Yet, what path do early morning runners take? I don't know. The psychopath? Where's your knee? Slap your knee? One? Yeah? Okay, Gary, you can laugh too. It's okay. I got one more. All right. I knew you were worried, Gary, so I've got enough.

26:09 I'm very worried right now. But go ahead. Did you hear about the runner who likes bridges in Paris? They're insane? Oh? Yeah? Yeah? Oh oh stop stop please. I know another joke with that same punch line. So, okay, go ahead, you got one? Yeah? So oh, actually that reminds me. Did you did you hear about the news about the the actress that got stabbed? Her name's Reese. Did you hear about this Reese? What is her name? I can't think of her last name? And someone says Witherspoon, yes. And I said no with a knife. Okay, I heard that from a guy a bar in Nashville. Bartender told me.

26:52 So, I heard that one on social media. Okay I have since I was not prepared. I can't just come up with a joke yeah, on the spot, But can I segue for one moment? Absolutely? I want to ask Marty, because you said you've been running all your life, as in like from elementary school on middle school, from high school. I started our junior year in high school and I said a record while I was at Aragon. Did you know that I did? Not? I have the most last place finishes of anyone ever in Spama Telow. I'm pretty sure that that's I actually finished last place. I counted. I finished last place in various events nineteen times in two seasons of track and field.

27:36 You're the Susan Lucci of running. There you go. No, she was second night, right, she went nineteen. Times without ever she got nominatedineteen Yeah, didn't twenty times. Whatever. So behind you with all the medals and the and the banners and the whatever you call the you know the bib numbers, yes, the big numbers. Is there one for last place? No? But there were Let's see from this event here. This was the World Championships in Finland. And by the way, things like World Championships and national championships you don't have to qualify, which is cool because you can just go there and run as fast as you can and make lots of friends from all over the country. All over the world and that one. Actually I did four events at the World Championships. One of them was the fifteen hundred meters, which I was least trained for. I was more trained for the longer distances, but I wanted to do it especially well, partly because I would have had a big gap between events. It was like a twelve day track meet and it would have been too long between events. So I, oh, the fifteen hundred meters there, I'll sign up for that too. So I did that, and they had preliminary heats and then they had a final.

28:49 So in my preliminary heat, I was so far in last place that I got one of the best pictures ever of me running because the photographer had so much time to set up the show. I am not kidding you. And the guy is he's a photographer that everybody knows. He shoots, you know, all these meats all over the place and everything. And I remember, you know, he's out there shooting and he's trying to catch everybody as they're in the group, and then here I come. I'm in last place, and he's like, you know, getting the dialed in and it actually the photo turned out really well. So the a back. I could have had, I could have would, and I would have still finished in the same place.

29:29 Well, I don't want to brag, but I did a half marathon when I was forty eight years old. Brag about that, Denis Santase. I'd never done one before. Some friends like you and I'll do it. Didn't know what the hell I was doing. So I did not come in last okay. I came in second time. Okay. So I was you know, some people were running, some we were walking, but we did the whole thing. And you were cutting through a neighborhood where some people I saw were doing shortcuts. They were cutting across the on the path. I did not do that. I stayed on the path. And there's the truck that sometimes follows you that like for someone that gets injured, they can give your ride or maybe they've got you know, food or water. Yeah, if you're feeling malnoursed whatever, And they were behind me, you want to run, I no, no, I'm gonna go.

30:18 And I made it all the way across the finish line without cheating. That's great. Good for you. Met. That was your first half marathon, So when's the next one? My only one, and that was I was forty eight, So what's that like fifteen years ago? Years ago? Yeah? Okay, So anyway, so there's better for you, Marty. Let me ask you real quick, what is it about running? Because I know some people find it as a religion. And I've seen a book actually recently, I listened to a lot of weight Weight Don't tell me, Yeah, and the host there actually was a merit or a runner who actually wrote a book about running, and he's about. Our age too.

30:58 He had I had a lot of he's got a bible about running too. But what is it about running? That's so, you know, it's the reasons for are different, you know, for different people. For me, it's the races, and I love competing. I don't care if I win or lose. I've finished last place or first place. But it's just a thrill to go out. It's like you're a little kid and it's like, oh, let's race over to the tree. You see who gets there first. And you know a lot of people who are competitive minded like that, they're very unhappy if they don't win. And I couldn't give a shit, you know, I it's just fun. So that I was at you know, the National Championships in July. I was not fit because I'd been sick three times. And I'm in this race. It's a five thousand meter race, twelve and a half laps on the track, and one of my favorite races. And one of my friends who I've met at these you know, I know from these meets, is in the race and I've never I've never lost to him. So the race starts and he starts off fast. I know this guy starts off fast every time he fades and I'll catch him late.

32:00 So the race is going on lap after lap and I'm I'm like, I'm not catching him. I'm like, oh jeez, his name's Donnie. Actually, So I'm like, Donnie's having a pretty good race. But we're getting you know, six three, three laps to go, and I'm like, I think maybe I'm starting to catch him. I'm catching him, catching him. So it turns out I get like one hundred meters from the end and he's still fifty meters ahead of me, but I can see he's dying. And by the way, it's like eighty five degrees and eighty percent humidity because it's in Alabama, and so I just start from this mad sprint and I'm sprinting. Well, he hears me, he turns around, he hears me, and he starts sprinting. He ended up beating me by this much, seven hundreds of a second, and that was for the bronze medal. Oh my god, so wow.

32:42 When I realized he had beat me, I just started laughing and we just had a great time laughing about it. But that's the kind of thing I love. You know, you're out there and you're just trying as hard as you can, and sometimes you succeed, sometimes you don't. But it's just fun. Right then. The whole vibe every race I do afterwards, even beforehand, it's just like a big party. It's just it's just really fun. And actually, one of the things that's happened in the last twenty years is that races are not for fast, just for fast people anymore. It used to be you were expected that you're supposed to run fast. Now, like you know, your half marathon experience, you walked, and walkers are very much welcome at these events, and it's just a kick, you know, to have all these people out there just enjoying the outdoors. And you know, some people it's the first time they've ever done something like that.

33:33 Other people they've done it a million times whatever. So and I actually just looked recently I've now done and I've done a few triathlons, which I'm not good at because I can't swim very well. I'm met four hundred and ninety nine races now in my running career. Wow wow. And there's different types of you know, distance and so on, so specialize in certain ones or favor certain ones. Yeah, you know, I mean right now. I mean when I was a little bit younger, about a mile, so a mile fifteen hundred meters was my favorite distance and I don't really have the speed for that right now, so I still like that distance, but right now, I believe it or not, my favorite race is the ten thousand meter race on the track, which is twenty five laps.

34:19 And wow, yeah, and you know, everybody, even other runners, how could you do that? Isn't that boring? It's not boring at all, because especially the events that I run in, there's quite a range of ability. So I'll be running I'm getting lapped by the faster runners, but I'm also lapping the slower runners, so there's always something going on, and it's just it's it's fun and it's a great challenge to be able to focus for that long on a track. So it's it's good. It's andre are all ages encouraged to participate, Like is there there's no qualifying heats obviously, so you actually be there at any. Age that's right, And so like the you know, the National champion and World Championships, it's all five year age groups, and so we runners, we're among the only people who kind of celebrate every time we have a milestone birthday because that puts us into a new age group and now we're the youngest in that age group.

35:16 There were people you can beat. Well yeah, you know, it's like these old guys maybe yeah. Well, so I'm hoping to run in the World Championships next year in Korea. I've never never been to Korea, if it would be really fun to go there. And they i think they held this event several years ago in the same place, the same organized community, and everybody just raved about what a great event they put on. So I'd love to be able to do that, but I'll be one of the oldest people in my age group at that time. Because I won't have turned fifty five yet. All of this reinvention towards something you're very passionate about in love, which came from a love of what you were doing, changed. Your career path and took you into a new career.

35:58 But let me ask you quickly, Yeah, before you left and took on this new one, were there any signs of agism taking place with you because of your age or was there a difference that you felt or pressure that you felt. Probably, and you don't have to name the group, did you feel that coming on or was it a very apparent. No, I did not, and I you know, I thought about that because I know you've asked other guests that. And so in the engineering profession, you know, when you start out, you're kind of doing the technical stuff, and you're doing all these you know, computer calculations and all that kind of thing. And but by the time you know, I was, you know, later in my career, most of what I was doing was writing reports, and so you know, we would we would kind of organize what a particular study would be. You know, we have to study this interchange to see if we can make it better or whatever. Well, I wasn't really crunching the numbers, which you know, a younger person might be more skilled at that today because of you know, just the you know, new things that have come on board. But I ended up doing the writing and I would do the presenting at meetings and and that kind of thing, and that actually it's better if you're older and you know, certainly with experienced writing things and actually presenting in like a particularly like in a city council meeting or something like that.

37:13 So okay, so the transition wasn't horror. It wasn't It wasn't something that was being you weren't feeling forced out there. No, No, it was just I mean, yeah, I mean, to make a long story short, people got to be just colossal jerks. And I don't I would say, I don't know why, but I kind of know why. And it there was this weird thing that happened where all these traffic engineering people started thinking they could get rich by being a traffic engineer. So they started acting in ways and making decisions that they thought that they did this, they would make a bunch of more money. And when you know, money gets involved like that, people kind of go crazy. And I kept thinking to myself, I'm like, why are you doing that? Why are you saying do you actually think you're going to get rich being traffic engineer.

38:02 I'm sorry, but it's not going to happen. You're not going to get rich. If you want to get rich, to do something else but not a traffic or you're not going to get rich. Were these choices made because of bureaucracy and they felt that they made a decision that would lean them towards the favor of whoever's trying to get something accomplished. Okay, okay, I get it. So one of the questions we ask for people at our age is in terms of looking forward, do you have you thought about retirement at what age or what you're going to do after that? But you've moved into a field I mean to spend years, but you have this passion for it, so it doesn't seem like there is an end date. You can just keep doing what.

38:48 You're doing, right, Yeah, And so I mean I kind of tell people people ask me, you know, you know, what do you do? I say, well, I'm I describe myself as being most super tired, and because I'm actually not doing that much now my work has kind of like dwindled down to almost nothing, and so I have an individual client every now and then, and I teach a little strength class in the park three days a week and that's about it. That's all I'm doing. And so you know, anytime I want to do anything, like, oh, I'm going to go visit, you know, my son in November for Thanksgiving, I just tell everybody I'm gonna be I'm gonna be gone for a couple of weeks. And it's kind of like being retired. So well, plus you have these events, racist yes, that will take you to Finland or Korea, right, so you have that flexibility to fit that into your schedule. Have you done a lot of traveling outside the US for these events? No more?

39:40 No, that's that's so I just did that. I did that in Finland. I'm hoping to do that for Korea next year. Most of the time it's within the US. So you know, there was a meet up in Spokane, there was one in Iowa, there was one in North Carolina. In this latest one in Alabama. So that's all within the US, and you. Know, yeah, yeah, it's great. Is then you can you make your own schedule yeah, so that the Kaiser thing was that where it was that your choice that you didn't want to take on as many clients or did they just make some changes within their own organization. With I'm sorry what so? So it's funny how the Kaiser things. So I hadn't, like I said, I had envisioned finding all these individual clients. Oh, all these people they want to run a ten k or they want to run a ten k faster and I can coach them.

40:28 And I kind of found that people weren't interested in hiring a coach for running, which was kind of a bummer because that's what I wanted to do. But then I actually I bumped into a woman I know who is a parent of a couple of girls that Cameron danced with in I think in like middle school age, and she's a doctor at Kaiser. I bumped her into her on the street and she said, oh, what do you know. I said, well, I actually just dropped off a package of stuff to you know, my former doctor and telling him that hey, I'm a personal trainer, I'm a coach. If you have somebody that you want to get into fitness, you can send them my way if you want to, you know anyway. So I told her that and she said, we why don't you go right upstairs here in the Kaiser building and talk to so and so and because they have programs and you might be able to, you know, work with Kaiser. And so I did, and I went up there and I started off with their employee wellness program. They have a very robust employee wellness program. They have exercise classes all the time, and I started doing programs for that. So they had a program they wanted to let's train to run a five k or half marathon or whatever you want to do.

41:35 And so we did this weekly thing where we'd meet up somewhere in the East Bay and do a group walk or run together. And we were training for the Kaiser sponsored half marathon in San Francisco, or you could run the five k. And then from that actually kind of connected to the same thing was the program the way the medical weight management program that that actually ended up. I ended of doing a lot more with that than with the employee wellness program. And that was so their program is a thirty week long program with a medically monitor diet and like I said, thirty weeks of education. The people in the program, have to come to a meeting every single week, and they bring in experts and they talk about different topics, and they would bring me in twice to talk about different kinds of exercise. I did probably fifty different cohorts of that group, which was fine, but now that's really dwindling because of the availability of what was epic.

42:36 Really yeah okay, yeah, okay. So if you can so a lot of people. I mean, it's a very hard program. It's very very hard to commit to thirty weeks coming to you know, a meeting every every week, and you like, you're not allowed to miss the meetings. There's that, and it's very uncomfortable when you just start eating less without any sort of you know intervention, you know medical intervention, like a like a drug that you know helps you eat less. And so people would rather do, you know, the ozempic thing, because it's it's easier. What I hope and it hasn't been around long enough, but I really hope and I do hope this for you, Gary, that it actually turns out to be a very healthy option for the rest of your life. Because the hardest thing is when people do some sort of program and then the program stops and they go right back to some unhealthy habits. And I know people on both sides of that, so it's and so.

43:35 But anyway, so there's a lot less demand for this Kaiser thirty week program anymore. And so they they haven't called me in six months. Okay, and that's okay. I think there's a business and there's still somewhere because I think and also for people of our age group, where it's it's they, I think people need structure. I think they need someone to lead a group because it was previously. We spoke with an other person on our podcast. His name's Joe Andrews, and he actually got involved with a. What was it Gary a triathlon group. I heard that I was listening to, Yeah, and he. Was really and what was really amazing about that was that it created a lot of community. There was an offshoot that created and you mentioned that people are enjoying running and are very cordial and like to run.

44:23 So I still think there's a model in there some way. Yeah, yeah, you know. And I'm not trying to grow my business anymore at this point. I'm very comfortable being mostly retired. It does allow me to spend all the time that I want if you know, running, if I'm not injured like the way you or riding my bike or all those kind of things. So that's fine. Yeah, And did you have a wish list or a bucket list of things that you had set aside for one time allowed and maybe is that time? Yeah? Yeah, I mean it's and it wasn't specific things that I wasn't able to do before, but now I can do more of it. So for example, if I want to go for a bike ride, you know, a fairly long bike ride, it might take three or four hours, right, But and if I'm working, I can't. If I was working at it an in an office, I couldn't do that during the week, right, And now I can do that whenever I want to, And so I'll do that on the weekends with other people. But also, you know, I could just oh it's you know, you know, Wednesday afternoon, I'm not doing anything for the next few hours. I can hop on my bike and go for a ride.

45:28 And so that's I mean, that's really I really appreciate that. Or you know, I think about a year ago, I thought, you know what, nothing's happening this next week, I'm going to go over to the Eastern Sierra and look at the leaves changing. So I went over there for a week and just spent time hiking and riding my bike around over there and enjoying the lovely fall colors. So wow, yeah, yeah. A question, yes, sir? What you sound like? You sound like or you seem like you're pretty intelligent? Right to me? I know? What is your relationship with technology? And why I ask that is because when people have children, most times we find as boomers that our technology skills are not anywhere near the equivalent of our children.

46:17 So how is that for you? Pretty good? But here's here's my complaint about the world of technology. Okay, okay, all you read about every single day in the news is what AI? Right, the whole world of technology has moved into AI. But why can't I get my email on my phone to work right? Well? Why can't, you know, except for Netflix? Why can't Why doesn't the remote work very well? So I can just search for a particular show or something like that? Can we please just pause the AI solve these really easy There should be easy problems first and then move on to AI because that's just stupid.

47:00 Yeah, right, AI is very sexy. I have to say I was not a believer in it. I had no interest in it until I try to hit a couple of chat GBT things and like, holy crap, I can see the pitfall because it's going to be too easy to not think, or not be creative, or rely on some other entity to create your thoughts, which is a little scary. Yeah, my, my, My worry with the AI stuff is that, you know, kids that are supposed to be learning how to think critically and you know, write a summary of something, are not learning how to do it at all. But I did hear from somebody the other somebody was telling me that what teachers are doing now more is that they're having kids wright stuff in class. Yeah and so, and I think because I think, I mean, a lot of the world's problems can be traced back to people just don't know how to think critically. You know, they hear something and it doesn't occur to them to question, you.

48:00 Know, Yeah, but has your has your son ever schooled you in any technology like the remote or any of those things? Not really, He's not a tech kid, you know, And it was you know, he's he studied political science in college. He could have gone into tech. So so here's a great thing too. So when I was coaching at the high school, and of course I get kids that are, you know, thinking about their you know, their collegiate and then professional careers. And I swear I would ask these kids, so, you know, what are you going to study when you go to college? Oh, computers or you know, technology. I'm like, oh, really do you like that? Not really? And there was this mindset that they've been told over and over the only way to earn a living is in the tech field.

48:49 M hmm. And I'm like, it's actually not, you know. I mean, you know, my son studied political science and I literally had to move stuff out of his on campus dorm because he had to start work on the monday after graduation and he didn't have time to move his stuff out. And that was just because he was passionate about what he was interested in and he got a job right away, you know, and kids get this idea that it's you know, they're not going to be able to earn a living. They're going to be you know, they're going to be living in their mom's basement. You know, if they don't work inte even if they do work in techt But so I and I tried to really support the kids that were interested in other stuff. I had a couple of kids that went to school and studied art and and some of that combined with with technology. One of my kids that was on my that I coached, I just was what was the movie the Dragon movie? The animated Dragon movie?

49:46 What was that? How to Train Your Dragon? And his name was in the credits because because he worked on that, and he's been working on all these films. I want to go see the Fantastic Four Origin Story one. He worked on that one. His name's going to be up there. And it's just it's so cool that he he was so interested in art and he was skilled enough in technology, he went to school, studied that and now he's actually doing it, you know, which is I think it's really cool. Hum amazing. Yes, is there a question that you wish people would stop or start asking you? I wish people would stop asking me, Hey, would you like a beer? Because obviously the answer is so obvious.

50:30 Do you need to ask? Just bring me the beer? Running? Yeah, I mean that they run and runners like beer, so yeah, no, I'm just kidding. But no really, I mean, yeah, I don't know that kind of thing doesn't bug me. Yeah, okay, I mean the same thing came up with the questions about AI too, is like, you know, ye are so drawn to it right now, and I do worry about our future a little bit when I start hearing people just rely on it so heavily, right. So yeah, So Martin, I've always known you to be like very easy going, like one of those people say he's nice, you know, it's just like a nice person, guess on with everybody. I never hear him, you know, like like you and I bad mouth someone. So I don't think you talked about someone's back. In terms of how you take things in, do you kind of let things roll, you know, roll off, or do you stress about certain things or I mean, personality wise, you just seem very kind of easy going, direct, easy to get along with.

51:41 So yeah, I think, and I think in terms of interacting with people, you know, I think I've always been that way with with you know, a couple of exceptions, which I'll mention a minute, but I think the only thing I get, you know, uptight about is you know, hearing about crazy things going on in current events and I just get really frustrated sometimes with that and so but yeah, so but yeah, yeah, you know it's but in terms of you know, day to day stuff and meeting up with people, one thing that I think I've changed a lot, and maybe more so recently, is that socially, I've become much more outwardly social than I used to be.

52:28 And I don't know why that is. But so I'll go up so I you know, I'll run with some different social groups sometimes, and nowadays I am not afraid at all to just walk up to a complete stranger and introduce myself and just start a conversation with them. And I think, I don't know why exactly I started doing that, but I found that it's really fun and you meet some really fun people and really nice people. There's a there's a one running group in the East Base. So you know, I mentioned social running groups right now. I always say we're in a golden age of social running groups in the East Bay. You can find a different social run maybe more than one, every single day of the week. And how do you know they're you know, on there's like on meet up, Yeah, various social media things.

53:15 I don't know if you've heard of Strava, But Strava's kind of social media for athletes and ride bikes, and you know, it uploads a map of where you want, that kind of thing. But you know, people have a little conversations and they are groups that you can form whatever. But what so like one of the groups is it's called the East Bay Beer Runners or the Oakland Beer Runners, and every week they pick a different brewery in the East Bay and you go there and you run like three miles or five miles or something, and then you hang out afterwards and have a beer and socialize. And it's a big group. They'll have like one hundred people show up at these things. Wow. But the funny thing is when I go there, I'm the oldest person by like thirty years, and so you think, and so I kind of learned by you know, experience. Well, actually, so I do have a couple of friends who will go.

54:02 They're about the same age I am. So we're all like the old people. But that's one of these groups. I've just walked up to people and introduced myself and these people are the nicest people in the world, and they don't think like, oh, I don't want to talk to the old guy. They're like, you know, asking me, you know what what I what do I do? And with this, and I asked them, how are you doing? You know, did you grow up here? But you know, just normal conversation and people. I've just found over the years that people are way friendlier than you think they might be. And so I think of a situation like that, you already have a step up common is right because you're running, So that's like a baseline to start with as opposed to someone who you've never met, don't know anything about them.

54:43 It does, it kind of translates a little bit. Though. So even like if I'm at a brewery and if I'm there by myself and I'm like kind of bored, I was like, I'll go up where someone's sitting at the bar and I'll say, hey, what flavor beer did you get? You know, and we start talking about beer, and then it's like pretty soon it's like we're talking about and I just I can't think of a single time that I've done that and had a negative experience, not even once. And so I'm like, this is the way I've changed from my former self. And I'm like, it's the best thing. Ever. I think that's so important for us as we get older, too, because there sometimes this tendency to become a little more isolated or to not try or put yourself out there.

55:27 Because I think it's a very good rule of thumb for us all to continue to be able to be open to that. Yeah, one of the things I had done recently is like, I'm going to start saying hello to people more often even walking down the street, or acknowledge them, because during COVID there was a lot of that miss moving to the other side of the street. But it's a huge thing and actually people seem to be very open to, like you say, to being say you. Know, oh wow, Hi, how are you? Just a quick not a deep conversation, but it's just. Acknowledging another person, and I think that's a wonderful trait. I have a question, Yeah, can I learn to run at sixty three? Absolutely? There's no cutoff date, no cutoff date run Nope. And I know you know how to run, but the fact is I've never been a runner. There was one small period of time, was about maybe fifteen minutes where I actually got into it. I understood the whole endorphin thing about running and how it kicks in. It only happened once in my life, a long time ago, on a treadmill at twenty four hour fitness on vand.

56:26 Okay, there you go. It's never happened to me. By the way, I've never experienced this runners high that everybody talks about. Yeah, oh, okay, oh. But yeah, there's okay. There to answer your question, there's absolutely no maximum age that I'm too old to start running. That's not true at all. And that's one of the fun things about these meats that I go to is you meet people that have, you know, very different experiences. Some people started running as freshmen in high school and they've been running continuously ever since. Other people ran for a while and they stopped for twenty years and they picked it up again. One of my friends who I met in Finland, he's an American guy. He didn't start running until age fifty seven, and he had never done any endurance sports at all. He did sailing, which is more of a strength sport than an endurance sport. But he sort of accidentally discovered he could run pretty much all day long, really really fast, and by the time he was sixty one sixty two was the he was the fastest person of that age group in the world. Wow, and just running these crazy marathons and running short races fast and just a really neat guy. But he didn't start running on fifty seven. He didn't even start.

57:41 He didn't know. He didn't know yeh, skill or whatever. And there are plenty of other people who will start. They'll start in their seventies, you know. And I mean it's helpful to have have good running for him and to understand how you should go about buying shoes and some things like that that I know as a coach. But yeah, there's no reason that you can't, you know, start running unless you have some like physical disability, like you have a problem in your spine that doesn't allow you to do that or something like that, you know. But yeah, So what I hear is that Gary and I are going to start running next week. Okay, right, Gary, Well, I just want to tell Don how proud of proud I am of him, because he actually said on air, can a sixty three year old start running?

58:32 Well, I was actually referring to you. You're there because Don is still sixty two. But in four days and here will be turning. Here's the beauty of being the editor of this podcast. I can mouth it and I can turn myself into a thirty three year old if. I want to. Well, I'll tell you what. Since since you guys invited me onto the podcast, I can give you the friends and Family coaching discount, which is it's one hundred percent discount for special people. And I'd be happy to coach you and and kind of guide you in your running journey. I think that's an interesting thought. I'm I might take you up on that. Gary's definitely gonna take you a month because he's already sixty.

59:13 Three, and he's and he's right, yeah, he's here in the Bay Area. And it's that bad knees. I keep falling and I keep falling on my right knee. So something's going to give it this point. There's there's strength exercises you can do to help you with that. I've never been a runner, I guess. I've only done one half marathon and I walked to home. Yeah. Wait, wait, you've done to the Beta Breakers numerous times, Gary, right. Yes, but again just walking. Although as dress as a carrot one, excuse me as a pumpkin ones. I did race against a carrot okay, so I for sure I raced against some pretty fast naked guys time oh and there. So it's funny because you know, there's this thing about, you know, running naked, and a lot of the people, well it's almost all men who do the naked running, and but most of them are not really that great a runners whatever. But there was one year that I was this is a long time ago, and I was pretty damn fast. And I start the race and I look up and there's these two naked guys that are at the start, and I think one of them finished way in front of me, and the other guy was not only naked, he had painted his body red from head to toe. And so we get like two thirds of the way through the race, and we're in Golden Gate Park and I noticed that he's like either a little bit ahead of me or a little bit behind me, and I'm thinking, wow, this guy's really good and he's you know, and then I realized, oh, wait a minute, we're almost to the place where they take the picture.

1:00:37 And I don't know if I want to have a naked guy that's painted red from head to toe in my picture, like I better speed up. So I sped up and I moved way over to the other side, drive and stuff out like that, so he wasn't in my picture. But yeah, so fun times. So someone had referenced thirty three year old. So I want to ask you as a sixty four. Year old most almost almost next month? Yeah when next month? Okay, if you could go back and tell your younger self give yourself some advice and you can pick the age eighteen twenty five whatever. What advice would you give your younger self?

1:01:19 I think probably a couple of things. One just in general, just chill the f out. I think I stress out about, you know, various things more than I really needed to, and I think I learned about that. So I I was in therapy for eleven years, and that was It was funny because the reason I decided to do that was I was having trouble communicating with my mom and dad, and my wife had said, well, why don't you, you know, find a therapist. And so I found a therapist when you know, several times and we resolved that issue, and I thought, you know, this is I really like this. So I kept going to the therapist like every other week for eleven years. I went so long that she retired and she actually asked me. She said, dodn't know how long you've been you've been coming to see me.

1:02:07 And I'm like, I don't know, like six or seven years, she said, eleven years. I'm like, oh my god, but I I you know. Anyway, So that taught me a lot about just not taking things quite so seriously whatever. And I think to tell my younger self. The other thing is what I know now about socializing. It's like it's like, like, be comfortable just walking up to someone and introducing yourself and saying hi, and you can meet a lot of really cool people that way. I bet, I bet. Is that something I've never been comfortable doing, like going even at a party where you know, filled with people. Everyone assumes because I'm outgoing, I can talk to everyone. I am the quietest one there if I don't know anyone, I'm not comfortable.

1:02:49 I didn't used to be, and now I am. And it's fun. And you no, no, that's it. It's not you got there, not through the though. I got there on your own. Yeah yeah, okay, yeah, And I don't know what I don't really know what triggered that. I don't know why I suddenly, I mean suddenly, you know, probably gradually, but I don't know. I don't know what made me do that. But well, I mean we you know, as we get older. Yeah, there's a lot less things that we want to hold onto. Right, So one of them sounds like you were letting go of the worry about what the outcome was going to be. Yeah, I think you're right. Yeah, And I think you know, once you do it a couple of times and you realize you don't get rejected by doing that, then it's like, why not keep doing it? It's fun?

1:03:39 Right? Yeah? Yeah, I'm that way where I as I'm older, I'm less worried about, you know, approaching someone and what are they going to think? Right, what's that line from the movie I'm older and I have more insurance? Yeah, I don't care who won? Yeah, Yeah, that's right. Yeah, I don't care. So, Marty, who would play you in a movie or television? You know, I wanted to prep you on I know. So full disclosure for anyone listening is that that was one of the potential questions that you guys were going to ask, and number one. It's difficult because I never remember actors names, and so literally what I did to think about this, to prep for this question was I googled, you know, famous actors, and just got just a list of actors. So the ones I came up with were Jeremy Renner as long as he's not like, you know, you know, being run over by his own snowplow or something like that. Oh yeah, so that was that was that was that was very scary.

1:04:48 Yeah. And then let's see who was the so I have a I made a note here. U. One of them was Matthew McConaughey, okay, and I just I just love how he and you know, his his joke is like he's always saying all right, all right, all right. It just seems like a very laid back, cool guy, you know. Yeah. And actually the funny thing is is that, you know, I was thinking about, well, should I think of someone who kind of looks like me or is the same shape I am? And I couldn't think of anybody that looks like me, you know, unlike my dad, who was once described as looking like McLean Stephenson. Okay, And I'm like, I never thought about that, and I looked at picture of mcleans and it's like, oh my god, that looks just like my dad, which was funny.

1:05:45 But see I can see that in you. I can say I can see some resemblent. Yeah maybe, I guess. Yeah. Anyway, I can't find who the other person was. But but that's okay because it's mostly a question about who you believe it could be. It could be something because of the trait you had. It doesn't it doesn't mean physical at all. It means like a trait or something that you find that's something that you are aligned with. That's all. That's all that is. So mister f for any of the questions for I guess. We've ran the gamut. Yeah that one was for free, you guys, that was for free. But you know what, that was good the whole It's it's insane, No, but that just when I.

1:06:30 Write him down, they suck. When I come up with them with my brilliant comical timing, it's easy. It sucks a little less. Yeah. Well, anyway, so Marty, thank you very much. This was so much. It's great getting back in touch with you. And I think it's kind of cool because you had said before you know, a couple get together to go. It was really nice to run into you and I forgot what a great nice guy. Well, thank you and likewise, well because we hadn't literally seen each other and what thirty writers or something. Yeah, literally. Yeah, So it's a pleasure to be back in touch with you. I can't wait to run into you again. Yeah, I can't wait and run into. Gary with my car, but to you, I'd like to run into meeting.

1:07:13 And you know, one of these days, we keep threatening, you know, Frank, who also lives in Palm Springs, to come down. We're planning to just surprise him and just show up at his front door. But I know you're down there, and you guys live fairly close together. I think I am literally and figured this out when we spoke last, was that I'm literally one block away from nice. Wow. You never seen it before. I mean obviously I wasn't looking to see him, but now that we know this, it's like, yeah, we'll definitely do that. And he's down there full time, right, but you're there obviously you know he'd missed. So yeah, yeah, well thank you again. Oh it was great, Yeah, yeah, it was fun. It was great, fun, congratulations on everything.

1:07:55 Thank you. It sounds like you're really moving in a great direction and you seem very happy. So I think we're happy for you too. I know we're happy. Yes, happy too. So yeah, and it's it's been great reconnecting with you guys too. So it's been it's been super fun. And congratulations again. Can't wait to look forward to seeing you again when we get to the next get together. Gary, you need to plan something, apparently apparently. So it sounds like you guys are in a thread of communication to which keeps everybody in the know. Right. I do what I can with what you got left, with what I have left, yes at this age. Okay, Well, nice talking with you. Great talking to you. Let's schedule our coach running coaching sessions.

1:08:35 Yes, actually I might take you up. Okay for sure, Yeah, let's do it. Okay, all right, talk to you later. Take your guys. Thank you, we're back. That was so nice. He is such a nice person. He is a nice guy. I know I said that in the recording to but I forgot what a nice guy. And I really, I truly admire that what he shared with us about being more comfortable just going up and saying hi to think people right, And you know, I think that's a huge golden rule for all of us. I think you never know until you try and find out. But I get the hesitation about it, but I mean I have to I want to try and do that too. I'm trying to do this. But as you said, I mean, you know, it might be uncomfortable first couple of times, but once you start doing it, it becomes you know, you've become less affected by it, and you you know, like why not? And what's the worst they could do is like be rude? Like, oh, I fine, you're rude, Okay, get away from me.

1:09:29 Whatever exact so, and I say that to you all the time. I know. So you ready to close us out? I think we are, so don't worry. There's no script. Do it the way you carry. We have wrapped up another successful episode with another great guest. I know that in the can we have episodes that are coming up with more guests, either on your favorite podcast platform, which would be Apple and Spotify. There's also Blue Sky. There is YouTube in the flesh, as they say, where you can see here and judge for yourself. What's the judge? You can find us on our website at pod page, we get it. If you want to send us an email, that would be Don and Gary doing sixty at gmail dot com and of course Instagram, Facebook. Basically, you can't swing a dead cat without finding us somewhere. So until next time, I'm Gary.

1:10:33 And I'm done, and join us next time. Even though we're a few feathers short of a hole duck. You feel free to laugh or insert laughter track here. Yeah, you got to insert something because. Okay, well I'm not gonna tell any more joke anyway, take care of all right sounds. Good bye bye,