The Parky Conversations podcast provides excellent holiday party chit/chat material. Listen to even just one episode and you’ll be the most interesting person at every gathering.

************

We all know that challenging our brains and our bodies is important in maintaining plasticity – the ability to adapt and learn. But when faced with a challenge or even what sounds at first blush like an opportunity, we sometimes need to tell ourselves”just say no.”

Case in point: my recently concluded podcast, Parky Conversations. Initially, I was encouraged to just throw the raw footage out there, unedited, and let the material- and subjects – speak for themselves. I quickly realized that that approach would make for a pretty crummy show. Again, it was suggested to me that I learn to edit, and it wouldn’t be that difficult.

Now, I’m hardly technophobic. I’m reasonably adept at “computer stuff,” or at least I know pretty much what I need to in order to function in today’s world. That said, it’s far from my favorite thing, and I actually avoid some tech-type tasks if I can palm them off on someone else. Am I lazy? Sure, on occasion. A technology scaredy-cat? Absolutely. Which is why I could bear to spend only a very small amount of time having a friend show me basic audio editing. I felt a gurgling in my stomach and a muscle stiffness in my left leg which, in case you had any doubt, offers clear evidence that my feeble attempt to meet this new skill head on was going to bring upon me a Parkinsonian stress attack.

Reader, she hired an editor, even though it wasn’t in the budget.

I offer these observations in order to alleviate guilt or shame – yours and mine – about not trying our hardest to learn editing, weaving, pickleball. Maybe you give it some thought and decide that Parkinson’s ice skating, which sounds like a terrible idea, isn’t for you, despite your children’s encouragement to lace up those old blades you discovered while cleaning out the attic. “Come on, Mom, remember your doctor encouraged you to try new things.

Yeah, you think, not one that might result in a broken limb or three. You decide instead to join a short story writing group, knowing that you will need to get past your extreme shyness and anxiety around criticism in subjecting your work to the opinions of others, and publicly no less. (Just to be clear, and as you might have guessed, I am not talking about myself here. For better or worse, I’m kind of an open book.)

My symptoms having abated somewhat, largely due to medication. I retired without much of a plan.  All I knew was that I wanted to keep busy. And so began the blog, Moving and Shaking.  I’m a pretty fast and facile writer, so the blog didn’t take up too much time, and I really enjoyed the writing process, alongside the knowledge that I might be helping my fellow Parkies adjust to their new realities, as I’d been forced to adjust to mine. 

But I needed more activity to fill my days.  Why in the world I opted to create a podcast, Parky Conversations,  is truly beyond me.  I naively thought I could conduct a few interviews, hire an editor, and pouf!  I’d be on the air with a compelling story that might move, enlighten and entertain the Parkinson’s community and even beyond, every other week. 

Whoa!  Pulling together a podcast was, effectively, producing a radio show.  Some days I loved doing it, others not so much.  Still, I’m gladdened by the knowledge that I’ve done something that benefits what is, like it or not, my community.   

And yes, there’s more.  I’ve been invited by Parkinson’s support groups and senior residential communities to speak about my life as a PwP/Parky.  These talks energize me and seem to fascinate audiences.

One of the first “prescriptions” given me by my neurologist was exercise, which has been demonstrated to slow disease progression.  Every week I box, sing with a PD Chorus, dance, take a yoga class, and just yesterday i signed up for ping pong. I haven’t had much if any disease progression, so I swear by this “treatment,” augmented by medication.

My friends tell me I have a talent for turning lemons into lemonade.  Some days feel more like bitter coffee grounds, but I try to make the best of whatever challenges come my way, day to day and sometimes minute by minute.

I did in fact add some new skills to my repertoire in creating the podcast. I learned I could come up with topics and speakers for a show and, surprisingly, get them to agree to be interviewed. but I still had no interest in- or aptitude for – editing. And I’ve definitely taken to the interviewing, itself, not realizing beforehand how much I’d enjoy it. When is Terry gross retiring?

In other words, it’s great to tackle scary stuff, but perhaps only up to a point. You don’t need to make yourself miserable in order to placate or please others.

*********

Please don’t forget about the Parky Conversations podcast. Lots of interesting stuff, and not just for Parkies.