Franklin Matters: lifelong

Showing posts with label lifelong. Show all posts

Thursday, March 26, 2026

Talkin’ TC Podcast on expansion of lifelong learning (video)

Join us for a new episode of the Talkin’ TC Podcast as we sit down with Bob Foley, Director of Post‑Secondary, Adult, and Continuing Education. We dive into the opportunities available to students and community members, the future of career pathways, and how Tri‑County is expanding access to lifelong learning.

Tune in to hear how post‑secondary and adult education programs are shaping the next generation of skilled professionals.

Watch here: https://youtu.be/VytLxZxgc04

Shared from - https://www.facebook.com/share/p/18NLUUZEBn/

Wednesday, November 27, 2024

Talking fitness training for life with MC Alexander of Timeless Crossfit (audio)

FM #1325 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1325 in the series.

This session shares my conversation with MC Alexander, Owner & Head Coach at Timeless Crossfit Franklin and Pete Murray, one of her longtime fitness customers. We had our discussion in person at the Timeless Crossfit facility on Friday, November 22, 2024.

MC Alexander

We talk about

MC’s approach with Crossfit, training for life
Pete’s story of success from physical challenges

The show notes include links to the Timeless website with hours, contact info, etc. Feel free to reach out to MC to schedule and try a class or session.

The recording runs about 31 minutes, so let’s listen in.

Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1325-timeless-crossfit-11-22-24/

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Timeless Crossfit Franklin -> https://www.timelesscrossfit.com/

Location -> 90 Hayward St, Franklin, MA 02038

MC’s email -> MC@TIMELESSCROSSFIT.COM

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like something here, please let me know
And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

The music for the intro and exit was provided by Michael Clark and the group "East of Shirley". The piece is titled "Ernesto, manana" c. Michael Clark & Tintype Tunes, 2008 and used with their permission.

I hope you enjoy!

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You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Sunday, October 27, 2024

My conversation with Drew Bogner ranged wide around his book "Letters to Students" (audio)

FM #1296 = This is the Franklin Matters radio show, number 1296 in the series.

“Letters to Students”

This session shares my conversation with Franklin resident Drew Bogner. We had our conversation in the Franklin TV Studio on Tuesday, September 17, 2024.

In our wide ranging conversation we cover

Drew’s short version of his road to Franklin
The idea for his book “Letters to Students” co-authored with Robert Allyn Scott
Journey vs destination
Nature and poetry

The recording runs about 1 hour 5 minutes, so let’s listen in. Audio link -> https://franklin-ma-matters.captivate.fm/episode/fm-1296-conversation-with-drew-bogner-09-17-24/

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Link to book “Letters to Students” -> https://rowman.com/ISBN/9781475873726/Letters-to-Students-What-It-Means-to-Be-a-College-Graduate

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We are now producing this in collaboration with Franklin.TV and Franklin Public Radio (wfpr.fm) or 102.9 on the Franklin area radio dial.

This podcast is my public service effort for Franklin but we can't do it alone. We can always use your help.

How can you help?

If you can use the information that you find here, please tell your friends and neighbors
If you don't like something here, please let me know
And if you have interest in reporting on meetings or events, please reach. We’ll share and show you what and how we do what we do

Through this feedback loop we can continue to make improvements. I thank you for listening.

For additional information, please visit Franklinmatters.org/ or www.franklin.news

If you have questions or comments you can reach me directly at shersteve @ gmail dot com

I hope you enjoy!

------------------

You can also subscribe and listen to Franklin Matters audio on iTunes or your favorite podcast app; search in "podcasts" for "Franklin Matters"

Thursday, October 15, 2020

Sharing: TIME GOES BY "Choosing a Life - Or Letting It Happen"

I recall sharing one of Ronni's posts here previously. This one is particularly poignant.

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Choosing a Life – Or Letting It Happen

Reflecting on the life I have lived is not something I have much dwelled upon during these several years of living with terminal cancer and COPD. I've always been more of a now person than a then one.

Not that I don't remember things or that they don't come to mind or up for discussion. But mostly, now is more compelling for me.

Perhaps it was true for you, too – that in school, there were two or three or four or so classmates who from a young age knew exactly what they wanted to be when they grew up and lo - they actually did that, doctor, lawyer, auto mechanic, whatever they fancied.

But not me. I had no earthly idea what I would do when I grew up – even when I grew up.

All I knew from my lower middle-class family was that it was up to me. Maybe it was not said quite out loud but the idea instilled was that my parents had gotten me to working age and now I had to follow through to support myself.

Looking back, my mother was right about insisting I take typing class in high school and that kept me employed for the several years it took until a career trajectory began to come into view. (An overview of my career is recounted here.)

Even though at the time I believed I was choosing this job, rejecting that one, making a lateral change for better pay, location, whatever, sometimes it has felt like someone or something else was making the decision.

It is rather amazing the number of interesting jobs that dropped into my lap over the years from unexpected telephone calls, even from strangers once or twice who had heard of me from someone and thought we should talk about working together.

Not to go all woo-woo on you but now and then I have wondered if I really chose the men or the friends and others in my life. Did someone or something direct all this? There are people who believe such things.

Without going down the free will rabbit hole, so speaking of this in the most prosaic sense, I have felt at times over the years that I have had nothing to do with my life, that it was written down before I got here and I'm just following the script.

At nearly 80 years into my life now, it is still kind of fun to ponder such notions, but there is a growing sense inside me, too, that I have arrived somewhere – that one way or another I am coming to enough. No more striving, just accepting.

But that imperative to survive I mentioned the other day is still deep and strong. My god, it does hang on; illness doesn't affect that. And there is still a great joy in living each day – well, each good one. And here is how part of that goes:

Many years ago, I worked for a woman I didn't like much. She didn't like me either. But we were both smart, good at our jobs and respected one another so it worked out.

One day I was surprised to learn that she was a boxing fan, that her father had taken her to all the matches he attended in their town when she was a kid and it had stuck with her.

Me? I blurted out rudely that I couldn't think of any more boring way to spend an evening. And then she said to me, "Ronni, everything is interesting if you pay attention."

Since then, that piece of news has never failed me. Choosing my life? Pre-ordained life? That I am right on script during this final chapter? Or am I just getting weird in the late days of my predicament?

What matters is that all of it is just as interesting as everything else has been since JoAnn explained it to me.