My Summer Self

我的夏日自我

This American Life

2025-07-07

1 小时 0 分钟
PDF

单集简介 ...

Summer is a time when change seems more possible than ever. But is that really how it happens? Can people actually reinvent themselves in the warmer months? This week, we present stories — and some comedy — about people and their summer selves. Visit thisamericanlife.org/lifepartners to sign up for our premium subscription. Prologue: Host Ira Glass reflects on his feelings about going to the beach. (3 minutes)Act One: Producer Dana Chivvis explores the case of a 66-year-old working lifeguard who is suing New York State for age discrimination after refusing to wear a Speedo on the job. (16 minutes)Act Two: A troupe of comedians tells personal stories about summer experiences and improvises scenes based on them. (23 minutes)Act Three: Producer Neil Drumming tells the story of his dad and his family’s timeshare in Orlando, Florida. (14 minutes)Transcripts are available at thisamericanlife.org This American Life privacy policy. Learn more about sponsor message choices.
更多

单集文稿 ...

  • Me, I'm not crazy about the beach.

  • Going in the waves, totally fun for a little bit, but like all day.

  • And like many people over 40,

  • I have no desire to ever be seen in a bathing suit by anyone ever for the rest of my life.

  • But you know where I'm heading just hours from now after I leave the studio today?

  • The beach for a week.

  • And why?

  • Because it's summer.

  • Hating the beach during summer,

  • and I believe I can say this with authority from personal experience,

  • hating the beach in summer is like being a Jew at Christmas.

  • You can try to sit it out, but it's just too big.

  • At some point, you're going to drink some eggnog.

  • And you know what?

  • When I go to the beach, I try, I really try to get into it, to have a nice time.

  • to appreciate the waves and the sand and the heat.

  • And I think about how many hundreds and thousands of years that families have brought their kids to the water's edge to play pretty much exactly the same dumb way that we play in the sand and waves today.

  • How many ways are there to do that anyway?

  • It's just nice to be part of something that's been happening forever.

  • And, you know, some people really love it so much.