How do you know when you’ve heard a sincere apology?
We apologize to stay connected with the people we love. We feel connected to each other because we understand the context in which we live.
Say Their Names
Brian and I discover a memorial for Blacks who have been killed by police. The sign said, #SayTheirNames. So we did.
Why Bernie Sanders?
Talking to people who were gathering for a Bernie Sanders rally reminds me of the 2004 Dennis Kucinich presidential campaign.
Why is it hard to get rid of stuff that you really don’t need?
What do you really need to survive? Old bike tires? A copy of “Moby Dick”? A toaster? Someone to love? Can you live without the box of computer parts?
Winning the Lottery
A compilation of a podcast series Brian and I did for the Minnesota Fringe Festival, this episode looks at why we tell stories and how they can be elevated in a live performance.
How did they persist in the face of that kind of adversity?
These are stories of persistence: A single mother who is trying to get some help. Campaigners who don’t know when to quit. A fight against segregation. Cafeteria workers who are trying to get the attention of management. A student who won’t take no for an answer. A Senator who won’t say yes.
What was your first car?
If you ask someone about their first car, they’ll probably tell you a story. Cars can tell a family history, teach us to deal with adversity and embed themselves into our fondest memories.
What is your earliest childhood memory?
100 people answer the question, “Going back as far as you can go, what is your very earliest memory?” The ages associated with memories range from being a baby to 12 years old.
What have you learned from watching a YouTube video?
I was charmed by the way people often laughed as they responded to this question. What’s so funny about using salt to clean a cast iron skillet? You also hear pride in some voices. Saving money on a dryer repair or fixing a bicycle is a real accomplishment.
A Story about a Mystery Painting
We make up a story about how a painting of a fireplace ended up in our living room.
What’s going on here in Chicago?
Can we recognize a city by its sound, sort of like recognizing the sound of a mother’s voice? This is one day in Chicago after the 2016 Podcast Movement conference.
What does it mean to be grounded?
What are the barriers to being grounded in a culture filled with distractions and how can we separate the signal from the noise to get grounded?