It had been a long stretch of little productivity,barren thoughts,poor writing in general. I was ready to turn in my union card. Everything I wrote read like crap,everything I edited read like crap. It wasn’t as much writer’s block as writer’s inertia.
I tried writing new pieces. I tried looking at older stories. I tried reading classics,reading book reviews,reading anything of some inspirational import. (I didn’t try blogging —that was writer’s block). Nothing seemed to help me. I was spinning my wheels at 1,000 RPM.
Then I met Jack La Lanne.
Now,I say this with some embarrassment,but I have always admired Jack La Lanne,the man who brought physical fitness to America. I’m embarrassed because I remember watching his TV show,when I was a child.
Working up a sweat
Jack wore his trademark goofy jump suits and pointed to the camera while bouncing around the set,calling out to Betty Sue in Des Moines or Eloise in Dallas to get off her ass and start doing jumping jacks. Can’t say I would like it now. Completely hokey stuff,though innocent.
But what is not hokey (though contrived) have been his crazy stunts,feats of strength that he continued through his 70s,80s,and beyond. Probably the most famous was pulling a tugboat across San Francisco Bay with his teeth. The guy was 89 years old.
Later,I read a magazine interview about the guy. Call it obsessive,call it crazy,but he still works out 2 hours a day. Doesn’t eat meat,is a juice freak (he has his own line of juicers). He also is sexually active,though that was a detail I didn’t need to know.
A week a go,as I strolled through my health club after working out,sweaty and gross,a short but muscular man was walking towards me,in sunglasses,shuffling slightly. Jack La Lanne is all of 5 foot 4 inches —maybe —but he is still broad shouldered,thick chested,and remarkably wrinkle free. He walked slowly,and appeared to be hard of hearing,but he looked 25 years younger than 93.
Jack La Lanne was doing some promotional schtick at the health club. I said,“Mr. La Lanne,”but he passed me. One of his helpers turned and got his attention.
I stuck out my hand,and he grabbed it with a firm (what else) grip. Not knowing what else to say,I blurted out,“Mr. La Lanne,I just want to tell you that you’re a real inspiration.”
Jack didn’t miss a beat. “Inspiration —and perspiration!”he said. Grabbing my shoulder,he gave it a squeeze. “Keep up the good work!”
“Thank you,”I said,humbled.
Needless to say,after that run in a week ago,I’ve been on a tear. I’ve been working on my fiction at a rate not seen since grad school. I don’t hate my writing. I’m sending stuff out. If a guy in his 10th decade looks like that,I can get on my ass before a computer and type away.
I haven’t been working out much. Go figure.
hola and shit
i lOVE it! what an amazing man and how very cool that he inspired you to “keep up the good work!”ah! what a doll!
hola and shit
hola and shit
i lOVE it! what an amazing man and how very cool that he inspired you to “keep up the good work!”ah! what a doll!
i lOVE it! what an amazing man and how very cool that he inspired you to “keep up the good work!”ah! what a doll!
Jack La Lanne is 93??
Holy crap.
Glad that you have picked up the craft with a vigor.
ty:gracias and merde indeed.
bees:even in our cynical society,a guy like jack la lanne can inspire us. pretty damn cool.
glitz:mr. la lanne is 93,yes. and he really looks like he’s 65. i’m glad i’m writing,too. i think.
Jack La Lanne is 93??
Holy crap.
Glad that you have picked up the craft with a vigor.
Jack La Lanne is 93??
Holy crap.
Glad that you have picked up the craft with a vigor.
ty:gracias and merde indeed.
bees:even in our cynical society,a guy like jack la lanne can inspire us. pretty damn cool.
glitz:mr. la lanne is 93,yes. and he really looks like he’s 65. i’m glad i’m writing,too. i think.
ty:gracias and merde indeed.
bees:even in our cynical society,a guy like jack la lanne can inspire us. pretty damn cool.
glitz:mr. la lanne is 93,yes. and he really looks like he’s 65. i’m glad i’m writing,too. i think.
Hey…whatever it takes to get you back on track. Funny you mention Jack La Lane. When I was flipping through the channels a month or so ago,he was on one of the shopping channels with his wife and they were hawking some kind of juicer. The stuff they were making looked disgusting,but he was a little dynamo.
Hey…whatever it takes to get you back on track. Funny you mention Jack La Lane. When I was flipping through the channels a month or so ago,he was on one of the shopping channels with his wife and they were hawking some kind of juicer. The stuff they were making looked disgusting,but he was a little dynamo.
Hey…whatever it takes to get you back on track. Funny you mention Jack La Lane. When I was flipping through the channels a month or so ago,he was on one of the shopping channels with his wife and they were hawking some kind of juicer. The stuff they were making looked disgusting,but he was a little dynamo.
Wow,even here down under we were graced with his tv show! He really is unforgettable!
Wow,even here down under we were graced with his tv show! He really is unforgettable!
Wow,even here down under we were graced with his tv show! He really is unforgettable!
Well,as long as he inspired something!
“I haven’t been working out much. Go figure.”
Well,me either,but I didn’t just meet the healthiest man on the planet,either.
Coincidentally,I’ve finally started writing again,too.
Hmmmm…
Well,as long as he inspired something!
“I haven’t been working out much. Go figure.”
Well,me either,but I didn’t just meet the healthiest man on the planet,either.
Coincidentally,I’ve finally started writing again,too.
Hmmmm…
Well,as long as he inspired something!
“I haven’t been working out much. Go figure.”
Well,me either,but I didn’t just meet the healthiest man on the planet,either.
Coincidentally,I’ve finally started writing again,too.
Hmmmm…
Quite an interesting and unforgettable way to break “writer’s block!”Iron resolve worked to pump those words with vigor…
Quite an interesting and unforgettable way to break “writer’s block!”Iron resolve worked to pump those words with vigor…
Quite an interesting and unforgettable way to break “writer’s block!”Iron resolve worked to pump those words with vigor…
I own his juicer.
Juiced lemon and ginger will really open your everything.
I own his juicer.
Juiced lemon and ginger will really open your everything.
I own his juicer.
Juiced lemon and ginger will really open your everything.