Episode 79: Sometimes You Have to Laugh with Author Pete Springer

Posted on by Victoria

Wynne and I were thrilled this week to sit down with one of our favorite guests, the talented Pete Springer. Without a doubt, Pete’s earned the title of “storyteller supreme” as he regales us with tales from his life as a teacher, a volunteer, a student of human behavior.

In this episode, Pete gets us giggling about an unlikely crime report…which began innocently enough when he was a volunteer reader of local news stories in partnership with his friends Joan and Brenda. Joan secured a grant to support the on-air reading of news for those with low vision. A wonderful philanthropic effort, with some unintended smiles along the way.

But wait…there’s more! Pete’s recent travel adventures when he and his wife made their way cross country for a family reunion was a tale in perseverance – with planes. And almost a bus…nearly a rental car…until a ‘safe looking guy in a van’ came to their rescue. Crisis averted. Family reunion saved!

I loved that Pete said his post, “Sometimes You Have to Laugh” was inspired by something I’d written. A chuckle-worthy tale about an unfortunate use of Bette Midler’s famous “Wind Beneath My Wings”. Humor is like that. One thing leads to another…which leads to another…and before we know it, our bellies hurt from all the guffawing and giggling.

You’ll see. Just give this delightful episode a listen. Enjoy the sneak peek below and let us know what tickles your funny bone. If you’re like us, the best laughs come when we can see beyond the stress, shrug and keep moving. Maybe with a smirk. Definitely with a smile.

Please join us for the scenic and beautiful places we go when we share the power of story.

Vicki and Wynne 😉

Search (and subscribe!) for Sharing the Heart of the Matter on Apple, Amazon, Spotify or Pocket Casts OR Listen to it from your computer on Anchor: Episode 79: Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh with Pete Springer

AND subscribe to our YouTube channel to see a video clip of each story: @SharingtheHeartoftheMatter.

Transcript for this episode: Episode 79 transcript

Links for this Episode:

Pete Springer – Passionate Teacher and Future Children’s Author (wordpress.com)

Sometimes You Just Have to Laugh – Pete Springer (wordpress.com)

When You Crack Yourself Up: “Wind Beneath My Wings” – Victoria Ponders

Other Episodes with Pete:

Episode 68: The Circle of Life with Pete Springer

Episode 36: They Call Me Mom with Pete Springer

From the Hosts:

Vicki’s recently released book: Surviving Sue

Wynne’s book about her beloved father: Finding My Father’s Faith

44 thoughts on “Episode 79: Sometimes You Have to Laugh with Author Pete Springer”

    2. Right back at you, Beth. I’ve gotten to know you through your blog and know we would have hit it off as educators because we share similar philosophies about education. It’s all about the kids, learning, and creating a safe and fun environment for them with rich experiences.

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    2. I’m not sure if you watch it, but the show Seinfeld is my favorite sitcom of all time because of the humor surrounding human nature. Life gives us so many opportunities to laugh. While I certainly get annoyed and ticked off from time to time, laughter ALWAYS reduces my stress and lowers the temperature in the room.

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      4. You should see my Seinfeld T-shirt, Brian. It says, “Seinfeld & Costanza 2024—A Campaign About Nothing.” Only Seinfeld fans get the reference. 🤣

        Liked by 1 person

    2. I appreciate your blog too, Stevie, because you have found that nice balance between promoting your books while also letting your readers get to know the personal side of life with you and Sam.

      Hey, and I love that you are a fan of rock music. I’m still that guy—my wife accuses me of still being a teenager.

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      2. It puts a smile on my face every time when my wife walks by the computer as I’m typing and listening to some rock music and she shakes her head and shuts the door. I can almost read her mind—I’m married to a teenager. 🤣🤣🤣

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  7. Pete made me laugh with his radio and travel stories. His selfless volunteering commitments are wonderful acts of kindness. He noted that when one gives back, you’re looking out for one another thus making the world a better place. Inspiring! Thank you, Victoria and Pete! 🙂

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    2. Don’t you think humor can come in the most unexpected places and ways? I find myself laughing far more at things that happen in our daily lives than I do listening to a stand-up comedian’s act.

      One terrific change they’ve made in our local high schools is a requirement for seniors to perform a certain amount of hours of community service. One day I showed up to read at assisted living, and a high school teacher had brought her class over to have lunch with the residents. It was a one-on-one situation where they each had a lunch buddy. When they came up to listen to me reading afterward, my listeners wanted to tell me about their new friends. It was a real feel good moment.

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      1. It seems like unexpected problems, crazy accidents, and frustrating delays are more likely to be wildly funny in hindsight than anything that worked out as planned. You’re so right about the benefits of kids visiting nursing homes. I think it mutually benefits both youth and seniors. It’s a great program schools can have their students partake in. Thanks, Pete. 🙂

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    2. I can hear your granddaughter now, Sheila. “What’s so funny?”😊 I taught third grade the last eight years of my teaching career, so your granddaughter’s level was right in my wheelhouse. At PE time, I was out there running around with the kids playing tag. That made them laugh so much because teachers didn’t do that, but it was one of my ways of bonding with them. Since PE was the last period of our day, I showed up to a few IEPs (Individualized Education Plans) meetings drenched in sweat. 🤣

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      2. Confident teachers appreciate having the help of parents and grandparents in their rooms. I had regular volunteers. The most frequent comment from them when they left was, “I don’t know how you do this each day.” I just laughed. It’s easy when you love what you do.

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  9. Thanks so much, Wynne and Vicki, for the wonderful opportunity to connect with you through stories and laughter. You always have relatable topics, which makes your podcasts a pleasure to listen to. How many other people would host a podcast while they’re on vacation? I sure enjoyed meeting your delightful children before we started, Wynne. Thanks for hanging with us through your technical woes, Vicki.

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