Judging Ms. Missouri Senior Contest Again Is Always Eye-Opening

By Randy Gardner

I had an eye opening experience again this year as I emceed the annual Ms. Missouri Senior America Pageant this past Sunday at the Florissant Civic Center. As I’ve said before, I really think it’s important to stay active and healthy. I don’t always follow my own advice, however, as I often get on a roller coaster of fitness.

Back to the pageant, though…I got up early and jogged the morning of rehearsals and was feeling pretty good about myself at age 47 until I got there. Then I saw at least 30 women who could run me up one side of the hill and down the other.

I was ashamed that I had let myself get to the point where I have become less active. I know that as we get older we have all kinds of excuses, some legitimate and some are just laziness. Luckily, mine fall into the lazy category and, honestly, there is no excuse for that. The only way to stay healthy is to eat right and exercise. It’s been proven time and again. My main source of laziness is that I am too busy. But I’m not too busy to sit on the couch and watch my favorite TV show. Let’s face it, excuses are everywhere. Get up earlier, go to bed later. Exercise while you watch that TV show. There’s really no excuse. The sad thing is that my kids told my wife why I should exercise, but complained that dad doesn’t do it. I can hear those words over and over again in my head. Being a role model for my kids should be enough incentive to get me moving. I can’t think of anything worse that having deteriorating health as I age.

Most of the women I talked with at the pageant were loving life because they were mobile and still in good heath in their 70s, 80s and 90s. They inspired me to kick up my game a notch. Life is beautiful and we should all enjoy it. We want to be able to enjoy our grandchildren. I always tell my kids that I will still be stronger than they are when I am 90. Now I have to keep my promise.

Carpenter is Cards MVP

You don’t realize the value of someone or a player of a team till they are gone. That’s the case with Matt Carpenter. He is one of those guys who are underpaid and taken for granted much of the time. You just expect him to be in the lineup everyday continuing to do the great things he does. It is not until he is hurt and unavailable that you miss him or truly give him the recognition he deserves.

Well, he is out now and the fans and team miss him. You look around the league and through the teams history, who has been more valuable to the lineup than Carpenter. He plays all over the field and bats consistently in the tops of the league in several categories. The players love him, the fans love him, and now we’ll miss him, hopefully not too long.

As far as money goes, I don’t know the exact figures on Matt but he is no where close to where some players make in this league that do far less for their team and franchise.

It is a long season as I always say and their is time for him to recover and come back healthy. It is not a comfortable thing to talk about with fans about the Cards being behind the Cubs now by 7games, but their still is a way to go Stay hopeful. Who would you root for if the Cards were out all together or do you just quit watching baseball all together? For me, it’s the Cards or no team. Enjoy the rest of the summer, get out and get healthy. Its a lifestyle, one step at a time.

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