Self-Dedication

This isn't going to be about radio. Everyone else is writing columns about radio's response to the coronavirus crisis. I already wrote mine last time. You don't need another one. You know what to do.

At least, you know what to do on the air. Right now, my concern is more about taking care of ourselves.

The first draft of this column went into some detail about when things hit me hardest and about what we're facing, and I had to trash the whole thing because it only increased my anxiety to see all of it in print. It's hard to think about that, and it's harder when a lot of my daily responsibilities for work involves sorting through all the news to come up with radio and podcast show prep material. It's been a few weeks, and right now, there are practically no stories about anything other than COVID-19 and Tom Brady. Some people can turn it off at least for the duration of a Netflix binge. I can't. And I admit it's getting to me. It got to me so much that I've chosen to put my podcast, which is designed to be a lighter and humorous commentary on the news, on hiatus for now. Every story's about the pandemic, and I don't feel all that funny about that right now. (Please do listen to the archives, though, and I hope to post occasional episodes soon and return to daily shows whenever this is all over.)

Which brings me to taking care of ourselves, and I'll stipulate that I'm not an expert and I'm not a great example of what to do. I'm as stressed and anxious and freaked out about things as anyone, even though being under California's "stay-at-home" order is not wildly different from my usual routine: We work at home already, we're doing the same things we normally do, I can even get out of the house and do my daily neighborhood run. But it's also the inability to just pop out and get food and supplies, it's the knowledge that most businesses are closed, it's the increasingly intense drumbeat of job losses and insecurity and economic freefall and, yes, death, and the knowledge that our leaders failed when we needed them to lead and are playing catchup now that it might be too late. It's the knowledge that for all the talk that "we're all in this together," some of our neighbors are hoarding and selfish. It's social media. It's a lot of things, but you know that.

We don't have control over much of that. We still need to make sure we can keep it together enough to make it through the pandemic. You need to be strong for yourself and for your family and friends. That's easier said than done, of course, but there are a few things you can do that might help. One thing is to talk about it, whether it's with a professional (there are online options for psychiatric consultation) or with a friend or family member who can just listen. Another is to make it a rule that you turn off social media and web surfing and TV and radio news for at least a large portion of each day -- that's hard when you're in radio and you have to keep up with what's going on to relay it on the air, but you need to reduce the exposure to things that cause you stress. Get out of the house in whatever ways still permissible during the pandemic, like taking a walk or run and keeping your social distancing in effect; clearing your head with some changed scenery and fresh air is critical, lest cabin fever set in. And try to keep your health as strong as possible, eating well and exercising, and avoiding contact with anyone or anything that might expose you to COVID-19 or the flu.

All of that is a long-winded way of saying "take care of yourself." Your family and friends need you to do that. YOU need you to do that. So do I, and I'll be trying. "We're all in this together" is a nice thought, but you need to be able to rely on yourself, too. Now, put the phone down, close your computer, and take a walk. Anxiety can wait.

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I'm still posting a lot of stories at Talk Topics, the show prep column at All Access News-Talk-Sports, and I hope they'll help you keep your shows interesting and diverse while everyone else is talking about the same things. Just click here and/or follow the Talk Topics Twitter feed at @talktopics with every story individually linked to the appropriate item. And there's a new "10 Questions With..." KCSP (610 Sports Radio)/Kansas City afternoon host and CBS Sports Radio weekender Carrington "CDot" Harrison, with insight about sports talk and his experience creating a viral sensation on social media.

Make sure you're subscribed to Today's Talk, the daily email newsletter with the top news stories in News, Talk, and Sports radio and podcasting. You can check off the appropriate boxes in your All Access account profile's Format Preferences and Email Preferences sections if you're not already getting it.

Archives of my podcast "The Evening Bulletin with Perry Michael Simon" are here and on Spotify and all the usual podcast places, and on Amazon Alexa-enabled devices by saying "Alexa, play the Evening Bulletin podcast." It's on pause for now, but it'll be back, so subscribe to get it when it's back in business

You can follow my personal Twitter account at @pmsimon, and my Instagram account (same handle, @pmsimon) as well. And you can find me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pmsimon, and at pmsimon.com.

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Sorry for getting all serious this week, but this isn't a great time for comedy. I'll try to be in a better mood next week.

Perry Michael Simon
Vice President/Editor, News-Talk-Sports and Podcast
AllAccess.com
psimon@allaccess.com
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Twitter @pmsimon
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