FRIENDSHIP: Friends with Fur
After a brief hiatus (working for a client to pay the bills), we return to our popular series on Friendship.
This episode takes a unique
angle on Friendship. In
the words of New York Times Best-Selling Author Catherine Ryan Hyde, who makes a brief appearance, "Where is it written that a friend has to be human if you're a human?"
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For many of us, our connection with animals of all kinds are some of our deepest friendships.
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We talk with an old friend, Retired Veterinarian Pete Keesling, about the huge benefits human-animal friendships can have for our happiness and health.​
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Animals can also be an answer to a serious "epidemic of loneliness" that is silently sweeping through our generation.
The U.S. Surgeon General has sounded the alarm about this threat to our generation, saying "Loneliness and isolation represent profound threats to our health and well-being."
Animal friends can do a lot to cure that.
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Ifyou like what you hear, please rate us and SHARE OURGENPOD with family and friends.
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talkin' 'bout Our Generation
FRIENDSHIP!
We have an impressive backlog of comments on friendship from listeners, guests and experts. Apologies for the delay in getting them out there. We can always use more; we want to know what friendship means to you.
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You can send us a short audio comment by recording your voice using the microphone on your computer. If you don't like how it sounds, you can always delete and start over. When you're satisfied, just hit "send" and your voice is delivered directly to us. Don't worry; and we'll edit those "ums" and "uhs" out for you.
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We really want to hear what you want to hear on OURGENPOD. We listen to our listeners. You can comment on anything, and we'll try to get you into the podcast.
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A good example of that is our current series on friendship, which was the suggestion of a listener, Todd Taggart. Todd wrote a brilliant guest essay for the Blog that is really worth reading -- check it out on the Blog page:
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Speaking of Friendship... Please consider chipping in and helping us to keep this podcast going in 2024. Just click on the DONATE button, and help us cover the costs.
Thanks!
A few accolades from our Guests & Listeners ...
"Julian and Rob provide such a great service for the 55 Plus demographic. It is so under-served with good, cool, hip information and opportunities, and they do just that.”
Michael Shrieve
Musician, Drummer for Santana at Woodstock ‘69
Member of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame
Guest on Episode 9
"I love the last episode on friendship! I had been thinking about that very
topic after my mother passed recently; Who was there for me and who wasn’t and why.
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"The Woodstock episodes were also interesting. Brought me back to my teen years and how my mother wouldn’t let me go with my neighbor! Imagine that!
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"Best of luck with future podcasts!"
Silvia Gambardella
Subscriber
"I am so glad I had a chance to listen to your Thanksgiving episode - It was thoughtful and timely and personal - really nicely done, I thought. When have any of us really read the Mayflower Compact and reflected on its true meaning and what they wanted to achieve? Or considered the intolerable conditions on the voyage? Or that a woman's significance was simply as someone's spouse...? Or related their hope for their future with what they would think of the country today? Or what our ancestors would think of US?
"So much to think about."
Gail Zetter
Subscriber
“I just want to let you know that the most recent episode of the podcast really knocked it out of the park.Dr. Shrand’s cure for incivility is indeed an excellent prescription for some of what ails our society.
Julian’s interviewing skills are excellent. He truly LISTENS to his guests and responds with thoughtful examinations and questions. Your podcast is always enlightening and makes me stop and think about matters that underly the angst that many of us feel daily. Solutions to big problems are not easy to find. But episodes such as the one with Dr. Shrand and the earlier one with CATHERINE RYAN HYDE certainly gives us all food for thought. Keep up the good work, gentlemen. We, your audience is listening. And remember, kindness is contagious.”
Eric Seedman
Subscriber
The State of Civility in America Series
“Civility is a value I care about. It’s the heart and soul of the original “Pay It Forward” idea,and is a central theme in my other 43 novels as well. We hear a lot today about the decline of civility in America, but what I feel we need is a more positive approach. How can we do better?
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"So I was honored to be the first guest on talkin’ ‘bout Our Generation’s’ series on “The State of Civility in America.” My interview with Host Julian Simmons was positive, friendly and thought-provoking, and I look forward to hearing future episodes. I believe this podcast is serving a very valuable service, the kind I envisioned when “the Pay It Forward Movement” first took hold. I encourage everyone to listen and lend their support to this timely and important podcast.”
Catherine Ryan Hyde
Author of the NYTimes Best-Selling Book,
“Pay It Forward”
Guest on Episode 11
"My readers often tell me that my characters make them think more about how we treat others, and how they can be a better person. Of course I’m thrilled if I can nudge my readers toward a kinder, more caring way of treating one another.
"I just want to say in support of your podcast ... the fact that you guys are taking on civility in a historic and liminal moment that has allowed rampant incivility to take over so much, I think what you're bringing to the conversation is important. And just as importantly, I think the fact that you are finding ways and finding people to come on to talk about civility is something that is fresh, because we're swimming in so much of its opposite and people will hear this and, and hopefully it will stimulate a movement to create civil spaces in our society."
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Dr. Shepherd Siegel,
Author of "Tricking Power Into Performing Acts of Love"
and "Disruptive Play: The Trickster in Politics and Culture."
Guest on Episodes 14 & 16
“I just finished listening to podcasts three and four. Each podcast is getting better and better. It's great. Although not a hippie, my friends and I were all about the music in college. My kids cannot believe that I loved Hendrix and Santana as well as John Sebastian and Lovin’ Spoonful. There was a real sense of community and caring for one another, and caring for the earth as well. I clearly remember the very first Earth Day. Thank you for your efforts to promote community and a sense of camaraderie among us,Julian and Rob. This podcast reminds us how being gentle with each other is a good thing.
Thanks!”
Arlene Wong
Subscriber
Wow. I just finished the podcast with Carol Green and Richie Havens. I'm just leaving this message because I want the producers directors to understand how awesome it was for me to be taken back to that time. You know, peace, love, and freedom, which I hadn't thought about in so many years, it's kind of relevant to today. So, I'm feeling good. It reminded me that we can still hope and believe and have faith that it's all gonna turn out okay in the end. So, thanks. Looking forward to the next podcast!
Suzette Fowler
Subscriber
Join the Conversation!
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