Joe Leaves No Regret

Joe is taking a trip. He is packing up and taking a three and a half month Cruise. So, why do you care? Well, I don't know if you should, but here is some quick background.

Joe Kita is an author of books, writer of magazine articles, editor, fitness buff, and a friend of the Spartanburg County Public Libraries. Joe has been with Rodale Press for 23 years. The last time I saw Joe he was some sort of VP of international market development or some fancy title. In other words, he helped expand Men's Health Magazine's international market.

As a reader of Men's Health Magazine for the last 15 years I have read Joe's articles and books on men's issues including fitness, fears, religion, relationships, fatherhood, and a host of related topics. Basically, Joe is a "guy's guy". He takes what we as guy's are thinking and he writes about it. He is funny, insightful and has a knack for boiling down the issue.

This past year, the Libraries hosted Joe for National Men's Health Week. He stayed in Spartanburg for two days, and we took advantage of the poor fella. He visited community gardens, he cycled through Duncan Park and on the rail trail, he toured a proposed outdoor leadership institute, he had lunches and dinners with folks from the community, and yes, he visited with JC at the Beacon Drive-In. In fact, he received a complimentary cup of sweet tea. I noticed that Joe did not jump on the opportunity for a hash a plenty (piled high with hash, onion rings and french fries).

When he wasn't pulled from here to there he conducted two sessions in the Library's Barrett Community Room. His first talk was 45 of the Best Health Tips for Men and his second was Another Shot: How to Live a Regret Free Life. Both were based on books that he either edited or written.

Now to the trip. Before Christmas I sent Joe an e-mail. Nothing special - I was commenting on the Santa Gets a Physical article I saw on www.menshealth.com (see previous post). He responded, but added that he was leaving Rodale to take a three and a half month cruise around the world. I quickly picked up the phone and gave him a call.

I found out that it's not exactly a pleasure cruise. On the cruise Joe will teach folks how to write their life story/memoir. Sounds like tough work...really. Sure the trip is nice, but serving as the personal writing coach to thirty or so folks sounds just a little trying.

The cool thing for us is that Joe may just come back to Spartanburg. After his tour of duty he may be available to come and speak on his experience and share tips for folks who are interested in writing a book.

I'm sure he may be interested in coming back, because the hash a plenty is too much to resist!

Here are three links of interest:
http://mhlife.menshealth.com/2006/12/joes_last_run.html (Peter Moore's blog. Peter is a MH Editor. Peter writes about, far better than me, Joe and Joe's new adventure.)
http://wheres-claire.blogspot.com (Joe's daughter, Claire, is going, too. As a school project she has to keep a blog on her experience.)
http://www.joekita.com/ (Joe's personal website)

Photo: Joe speaking in the Barrett Community Room on June 15.