I like Ike. And Mike. And links. (Lots of links.)

Here's an exchange from a December, 1958 interview Edward R. Murrow conducted with the handsome, charming Gene Kelly on Murrow's hit television show Person to Person.

Murrow: "Well, from what you say, I gather that you'd agree with the people who say that we Americans are just plain getting too soft. right?"

Kelly: "Yes. Yes, I do. I think that we should have done more about the physical fitness program of President Eisenhower. A couple of years ago, he had great talks about going ahead with something nationally. We never did. Over 30, men don't take enough care of themselves--including myself--we all let ourselves go."

Murrow: "Too true, unfortunately!"

Oh, dear. Those two legends had no idea that so many Americans, including Yours Truly, would be so out of shape 51 years later! In fact, the doctor fussed at me about my weight on Monday, and so it's time to get back on the wagon. The brittle, dry, Wasa fiber-cracker, Sugar Buster wagon.

(Actually, I'm kinda' looking forward to the challenge...it's going to be harder to lose the weight now that I'm in my forties, but if I did it in 2002, I can do it again! As my college roomie Linda used to say, "I'm the boss of what I put in my mouth and am solely responsible for my own weight!" )

And though I'm still pretty weak from strep throat and have no plans to exercise today, I'm gonna' hit the track AND gym hard this weekend! (May Bee & Dolly will be so happy!) Plus, you all know how much I love Mike Huckabee (who lost 110 pounds after being diagnosed with diabetes, y'all!); he and Chuck Norris are always preaching physical fitness so we'll do an extra lap for our boys, Mike and Chuck.

Hey, Damon, HOPE's preacher, put his sermon online so I didn't miss it, after all! (We're in the middle of a series on prayer.) Canton was fun, but it's a bummer to miss church. (Lauren & Curtis recently announced that they're leaving HOPE for grad school, and it makes me so sad.) That's the bad part about becoming friends with all of these ACU and Dyess folks...they keep leaving! The Thompsons, the Pattersons, the Driskells, Kadie, the Harmons, the Masseys, and tons of others...it's getting to the point where I'm almost afraid to like anyone!

Like Marsha in Season Two of Spaced...these young people keep breaking my heart!! (And if you haven't put both seasons of Spaced in your NetFlix queue, you are robbing only yourself. Overlook their horrible language, please, because the show is wonderful, and THANK YOU to Falisha to sharing it with me!!)

And finally, HOPE finally won a church league softball game! Go, Wildcats!!! Lauren (the one I'm going to miss) emailed me this picture of the team prayer after the game, noting that if you look really closely, you can see their win on the scoreboard. :-)