Here's the email that Betsy read on the show:

Subject: The Volvo and Being 40
Message: Hey Kris and Betsy,

I love your show and die laughing every time I listen to the two of you. But I've got to say, Kris, would you ease up on the forty-something-boring-old-mommy spiel? My goodness, you're giving me a complex! I, like you, will be celebrating a birthday on November 12. And yes, as you've guessed, I've had a few more birthdays than you have. This year marks my 40th such event, and up until listening to you this morning, I was pretty cool with the whole idea of leaving my 30's behind. But crap! Now I feel OLD! Thanks to you and your obvious age-ist attitude. Let me just say, that despite my current ride, a 2000 Olds minivan, I am still quite youthful. I listen to my teenager's music with him (and even enjoy some of it), I go to school with a bunch of twenty-somethings (who always tell me I don't look "that old" at all), and have managed to get back down to within 10 lbs of my high school weight (so that I can fit into my $16 KMart jeans - mid-rise, thank you very much). Have some mercy on this old lady, and rethink your stand on what constitutes "old" - please! Because before you know it, 40 will be tapping you on the shoulder, whilst your teenage son towers over you, and you're thinking to yourself, "How the hell did I get old enough to be his parent?"

Just had to put in my two cents - all in good humor of course. Keep doing what you're doing, because your podcast is sometimes my only motivation for getting out and walking in the rain!

Oh, yeah...why not call the Volvo "Red"? I always think of "Red" as a fiesty little red-head...

Have a great weekend,
J.S.

hey kris,

i would love to see an animated version of the story betsy told about taking baby maggie to the speech therapist. i could only imagine the look the ladies had on their face when baby maggie would just look in their direction. it would be funny as hell. don't you know some people who could make that happen? just thought:)

kerrin

You guys are so fantastic! As a N'ville gal myself, I can't believe you survived passing over the Plainfield/Joliet border... you are a brave mama.

Betsy, it was great to hear about your 'former' life.

And, I am happily awaiting more photos, especially those from QVC :)

Tara

Hey Kris,

Did Betsy set you guys up on a swank hotel in Boulder using a coupon like she did in Denver. I am not talking about the nasty Red Lion that you guys stayed at.

hey kris, you're step mom-in-law is 42. i think i look pretty good. can still read low riders and am 4 lbs from high school weight. doing pretty good @ 40. take care and we all have to have lunch. pull yourself away from the computer some time. come up for air, blow the stink off and lets have lunch
judy

Kris - you're mom sounds like my ex-boyfrind's mom. She treated him like a boil on her butt and he never has forgiven her. He's 40 now, and still runs from her phone calls. last Xmas she sent him a box with a black old man sweater (she got the color right), a little girly mirror she must have picked up in a garge sale, a check for $100 and a fuzzy-headed troll. He ripped up the check and threw everything out.

Dear Kris and Betsy, Love the show. I found you through Tony Kahn's Morning Stories, and you guys are my favorite podcast. I hesitated writing, but felt you were tough enough to know the awful truth. You know all the listeners in their 40's who wrote in to illustrate that your audience is older than you thought? Well, I'm 57 and listen all the time. We sent a donation, too. Hope that doesn't make you think you're broadcasting exclusively to the wrinkly set, but I felt you should know the scary truth.

And here's a quick note for Betsy. Hon, my husband of 34 years is an ultra-, uber-geek, for his job and just for fun. We are awash in computers, working and cannibalized, and have cables and outlet strips all over the house. The one non-profane phrase I hear more than any other is "You go ahead and eat, I'll get this fixed in five minutes."

I am speaking from experience when I say that your real, bred in the bone geek will never change. He might move the equipment from the basement to an upstairs room one day, but he'll still be a charming troglodyte at heart. Good luck dragging Kris into the sunlight from time to time. After the age of 40 or so, they turn a delicate shade of green if you don't. Ask me how I know.

Thanks for all you do.

Betsy rocks!

Like saying you are in Aurora????

Grrrrrrrr

I love love love that you said "your life is a talking heads song." My friend Greg and I say that all the time. We literally stop, look around and say, "This is not my beautiful house. This is not my beautiful wife."
You made my day.
I'll make it to Chicago with Abbi next time. And I want cookies. ;-)