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.
Whether it is the Covid-19 pandemic or the murder of George Floyd, while in some cases this episode seems to be commenting on current affairs, the interviews here were recorded a few years ago.
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Links
Edgar Dean “Ed” Mitchell (September 17, 1930 – February 4, 2016) Was the sixth person to walk on the moon.
Thank you to Jules Evans for permission to use his interview with Edgar Mitchell. I found it on his YouTube channel. Evans is the author of the book, Philosophy for Life and Other Dangerous Situations. You can find out more on his website at PhilosophyForLife.org
The Overview Effect — Space Exploration and Human Evolution, by Frank White
Brian and I discover a memorial for Blacks who have been killed by police. The sign said, #SayTheirNames. So we did.
Brian and I took a walk and discovered a pop-up memorial for Blacks who have been killed by police or – in one case that I noticed – not by active police officers but by racism itself. This would be Ahmaud Arbery, who was chased down by two men who didn’t like that he was jogging in their neighborhood. The memorial was simple: A name on a handwritten sign and taped to a tree. Many of them included #BLM or #SayTheirNames. So we headed home and came back with a microphone and a camera.
Jemel Robinson, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Black Lives Matter Memorial, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Black Lives Matter Memorial, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Botham Jean, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Philando Castile, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Bettie Jones, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)De Juan Guillory, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Freddie Gray, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Jamar Clark, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Jamarion Robinson, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Jordan Edwards, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)Manuel Loggins, Summit Avenue, Saint Paul, MN (June 7, 2020)
We took a picture of all of the names that we read for this podcast episode, though I didn’t include all of them here. If you’re interested in seeing something that isn’t posted, or if you would like a high resolution copy of any of these, let me know.
Not too far away, there were even more names posted at the library.
George Floyd poster at the Merriam Park Library, Saint Paul, MN (June 2020)#SayTheirNames poster and a list of Black victims of police brutality and excessive use of force at the Merriam Park Library, Saint Paul, MN (June 2020)
Say His Name, The Later Birds – I came across The Later Birds YouTube channel when I was looking for sources for pronouncing certain names. I appreciate the permission to use their work in version two of this episode.
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Talking to people who were gathering for a Bernie Sanders rally reminds me of the 2004 Dennis Kucinich presidential campaign.
The night before Super Tuesday, I went to the Saint Paul RiverCentre where I talked to people who were gathering for a Bernie Sanders rally. There were 8,000+ people there. The conversations reminded me of the 2004 Dennis Kucinich presidential campaign.
Various voices from the Bernie Sanders Rally, March 2, 2020
Cassette tapes recorded at the door of the House of Balls. Thank you to Allen Christian for loaning the tapes to me and to Mary Jane LaVigne for making the suggestion in the first place.
Rain Taxi – “Rain Taxi champions aesthetically adventurous literature through publications, events, and service to the literary community.”
826 MSP – “826 MSP’s mission is to empower underserved K–12 students to think creatively, write effectively, and succeed academically alongside a community of caring volunteers. “
Minneapolis Writers Guild – Find them on Facebook – “The Minneapolis Writers Guild is a group of a dozen or more active writers, all of whom are writing long-form fiction or short stories. We meet every Wednesday for two hours (6:30 – 8:30) in the Longfellow neighborhood of South Minneapolis. If you are interested in joining us or have questions, send a note to: gotuit5243@gmail.com.”
The Stolen Kingdom, Bethany Atazadeh – An Aladdin retelling for young adults.
MN Writes MN Reads – “For writers interested in easy-to-use, free resources for publishing and sharing ebooks, and for readers interested in discovering books by local writers.”
Ebooks Minnesota – Books available for free to Minnesotans from Minnesota publishers.
Minnesota Self-Published Books – “Enjoy books from local authors in the Indie Minnesota collection, as well as indie published titles selected as some of the best by Library Journal in the Indie Author Project Select collections.”
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?
We begin with writer Michael Kleber-Diggs who contemplates whether he would ever be chosen for a survival team and end up at the doorstep of Mary Jane LaVigne and Allen Christian’s House of Balls, an art studio on the West Bank in Minneapolis. In between, there is a memorial service and everything you need to survive the apocalypse.
Michael Kleber-Diggs
We first heard Michael Kleber-Diggs at Story Club Minneapolis (find them on Facebook) at the Bryant Lake Bowl in Minneapolis. At the time I was working on an episode about “stuff” and thought the essay he presented – “Disaster Plan” – would fit nicely with what I was doing. So I was thrilled when Michael was able to join us for our storytelling event in February. If you would like an invitation to the next event, sign up for the newsletter.
On Halloween 2018 I was invited to a duel memorial service under the Tenth Avenue Bridge in Minneapolis. I did not know the deceased, but my friend who did asked me to come to see if I could record the service. It was an honor to be there and an honor to hear stories about the couple from people who knew them. Tape from this day is included in this episode, although that wasn’t the original plan. It just turned out that way.
What is something that you have that you should take to the Goodwill but for some reason can’t let it go?
The theme for our storytelling event this time around was “things you should let go but for some reason can’t.” Brian and I were sitting at the bar at Pizza Luce when the idea came to me. However it was Brian who jumped on it. He was right. Our “stuff” is a great source for stories that take us to some interesting places. In Patrick’s case, we end up in an old grain elevator.
Playing Bridge with the Roosevelts by Mary Jane LaVigne
Writer Mary Jane LaVigne reads “Playing Bridge with the Roosevelts”, which was published in the Chicago-based Slag Glass City that focuses on livable cities with a special interest in post-industrial greening of urban spaces “from rooftop gardens to elevated bike trails to vertical farms.” On the Slag site there’s a really nice picture of the House of Balls, Elmer and that big bear. Check it out!
Thank you…
Of course, thanks to everyone who came out to our storytelling event. Also, thanks to everyone who helped me with some recordings, Megumi, Michael, G.W., some cool people who attended the Design Lecture Series at the Walker Art Center and a very nice couple at Como Park. You all make doing this podcast a lot of fun!
This event has been rescheduled due to weather. It will now be held on Wednesday, March 20.
Panel Discussion, February 20, (New Date: Wednesday, March 20) Urban Forage Winery & Cider House
Tomorrow is the day! I’m really looking forward to this panel discussion about how to start a craft brewery business . More broadly, I just love hearing about how people go about pursuing their dreams. I’m always looking for that moment when something goes from being a fantasy to a first step (Note to self: find that Maria Bamford clip!)
Panel Discussion – Starting a Craft Beverage Business Wednesday, February 20 at 6:30 p.m. Rescheduled: Wednesday, March 20 Urban Forage Winery & Cider House 3016 East Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55406
Last summer I interviewed Michael Gill at Lake Monster Brewing for the Minnesota FringeCast, which was a podcast series I did for the Minnesota Fringe Festival. We were talking about being a judge of what’s good, whether we’re talking about beer or musical theater. When I asked him why we were seeing so many breweries pop up, he didn’t hesitate: The Surly Bill.
By the time a bill gets a legislative committee hearing, the discussion is essentially over. The votes have been counted and the outcome is typically known. It would be more interesting to hear the debate before the various stakeholders have ironed out the details. Nonetheless, the beer-wine-spirits enthusiasts might enjoy this bit of history. It’s a recording from the Commerce and Regulatory Reform Committee of the Minnesota House of Representatives (April 13, 2011) where they are discussing the so-called Surly Bill.
In my notes, I had a question about how the Surly Bill happened. Did it just happen because some guy wanted to sell beer directly from his brewery? Or was there a campaign behind it? From what I heard from listening to the Commerce Committee hearing (see recording above), it sounds like if you make good beer, your customers will flood the Capitol to support you.
The reflection in the window at Du Nord Craft Spirits is so pretty!
Speaking of lobbying, I’ll be curious to know how Chris Montana’s background in politics and law helped prepare him for opening a distillery. And here’s Jeff Zeitler back in 2014 pushing for a bill that would put his urban winery on par with other wineries:
It would be one of many challenges on the way to officially opening a taproom:
Earlier this year, the Zietlers recruited the help of Representative Jim Davnie and Senator Patricia Torres Ray in order to pass new legislation to change that discrepancy. “But the farm wineries came out strong against it, and the bill died in committee,” stated Jeff. “I was kind of heart broken after that happened.”
As I recall, there turned out to be a twist in all of this. I’ll have to ask Jeff about it tomorrow.
Of course it was super fun to sample the fares of our esteemed panelists. We also included Lawless Distillery on the tour since it was originally slated to be part of the panel and it was in the neighborhood. Fun times! In addition to some very fine products, we just loved the spaces that people were making. I’m surprised there isn’t an HGTV series about it… or maybe there is?
The on-site emphasis fits into the couple’s drive to make Venn a neighborhood pillar. They envision it as an uber-family-friendly space that has absolutely zero barriers to entry. That means you can walk in on a Monday night and not be ambushed by drunken karaoke.
I’m curious about what makes one suited for opening a craft beverage business. There’s the thing you want to do, make beer or whatever. Then there are the zillion other things you have to do to do that thing. I thought it might be fun to keep track of the various hats that are mentioned during the discussion tomorrow night: marketer, bookkeeper, designer, tech support, manager and general DIYer who can do everything from refinish wood floors to installing signage. And of course there is the lobbying I already mentioned, so let’s add lawyer to the list.
Venn Brewing had an airy feel that was lovely. No drunken karaoke here!
I’m really looking forward to hearing about how one wakes up the owner of a craft beverage business. How do you stay in the game? And what’s the next challenge? Hopefully the weather will cooperate! (it did not!)
QuOTeD Social & Storytelling
It’s just a coincidence that the QuOTeD podcast will be at the Urban Forage Winery & Cider House two days after the panel discussion. We are hosting a storytelling event. It’s free and open to the public and for everyone. It’s going to be fun. Give it a whirl. Here’s more information.
When will the QuOTeD Podcast episode about this panel discussion be ready?
As I said, we’ll be making a podcast episode based on this panel discussion. The best way to learn about when that is ready is to subscribe to the podcast. You can also subscribe to the QuOTeD newsletter, which will be especially useful for those who aren’t super comfortable with navigating podcasts yet.
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.
You can’t win if you don’t enter.
The Minnesota Fringe Festival is a performing arts festival in Minneapolis and Saint Paul where you can see a crazy number of shows over eleven days in August. As an artist putting up a show, you’ll get to do your show five times with the support of Fringe staff, professional technicians and volunteers. For a chance to get spot in the 2019 Minnesota Fringe Festival, you’ll need to submit your application by February 14. If your number gets drawn on February 25, you’re in the festival! You can find more information on the Fringe website.
We would love to see you there.
We’re hosting a QuOTeD Social & Storytelling on Friday, February 22 at the Urban Forage Winery & Cider House in Minneapolis. More details are here. Or you can follow the event on Facebook.
Thank you
In the original FringeCast we talked to over 120 people and discovered different theater companies, businesses and blogs along the way. We were so grateful for the insights everyone shared. Here are some highlights:
QuOTeD Social Friday, February 22 at 7 p.m. Urban Forage Winery & Cider House 3016 East Lake Street Minneapolis, Minnesota 55406
It just takes one good question to spark an evening of stories and we want to include yours in a future episode of the podcast. Whether you’re moved to answer the question (revealed to those who show up) or would rather just soak up a good time, please come! Our guests have really enjoyed these gatherings in the past and it is our pleasure to host another one. For the latest information about this event including any special instructions (nothing too onerous, we promise), either let us know that you’re interested in coming or check back here for updates. You can also follow and share the event on Facebook. That said, RSVPs aren’t needed. Just show up! We’d love to see you!
Special Assignment
Part 1
1-23-2019 – For past QuOTeD Socials we would suggest a pre-event special assignment for our guests to do and this time is no different. If you want to play, get a used envelope or any handy scrap of paper you can use to make a list. Write the heading: “QuOTeD Podcast – Feb. 22”. We suggest putting this on your fridge, bathroom mirror or some other place where you’ll see it every day. Stay tuned for further instructions. In the meantime, consider types of lists. What kind of list are we going to make? We’ll see.
Part 2: Make a List
1-30-2019 – Think of some things that you have that you “should” let go but you just can’t bring yourself to do it. Make a list of the first few things that come to mind. Add to the list as more things come to mind over the next week. You can write your list on the envelope in Part 1, but any paper will do.
Our History with Urban Forage Winery and Cider House
We have a history with Urban Forage and it is our pleasure to be making this place a part of our plans. The owner Jeff Zeitler and I met on a committee that was charged with starting a community garden. Then when Jeff and his wife Gita decided to pursue a dream and open a winery, they asked me to produce a video for their Kickstarter campaign. A few years later, it is so cool to see the business take form. They’ve managed to take a vacated pawnshop and create a very nice atmosphere for enjoying their offerings of various fruit wines and ciders.
Jeff and Gita Zeitler
Jeff and Gita on the Podcast
It’s true, Jeff and Gita as well as their two kids have appeared on an episode of QuOTeD. The family attended a QuOTeD social where we asked our guests to tell us about their first cars. It was a fun night! Jeff also shows up in our very first episode about what it means to be grounded. I really appreicated what he had to say about getting stuff done (like start a business): “I just did the work. I put my head down and did the work.” Later he played an art-collecting dentist in a story we made up about a painting. He did some really good improv work, which we actually recorded at the winery.
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.
Thanks for Listening!
Let me know what you think about this! You are always welcome to contact me here.
transcript
This episode called for a transcript because some of the oral history tapes I used might be a challenge to hear in some spots, although I don’t think it will be needed in most cases. So why use these tapes in the first place? It’s the kind of stuff that wouldn’t likely make it on most radio shows. Nor would some of these interviews ever make it into an exhibit at the Minnesota History Center, for example. So I just like the idea of using some of these “scraps” in an audio format by mixing them with other voices. They are voices worth hearing.
A Single Mother’s Pivotal Moment
I met Faith on the 2004 presidential campaign for Dennis Kucinich. We spoke on my porch earlier this fall. Or was it late summer? Whatever it was, it was warm enough to sit on the porch. I grabbed the microphone when Faith started to tell me the story about the time she applied for a government program that was supposed to help young single mothers get on their feet. The powers that be told her that she had little hope of ever being successful and that this was the reason she wouldn’t qualify for a housing certificate that she desperately needed. Faith did more than be persistent. She got a handle on her view of things and that changed everything.
1964 – Do Something
The piece I share here was adapted from the one I submitted to the 2018 Sonic South competition held by the Southern Oral History Program at the University Of North Carolina. The idea was to use interviews from their archives to talk about persistence. The language used in these interviews sounded like persistence to me: “We kept going back…” They were done as part of the 50th Anniversary of the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee:
Interview with Dunn, Arlene Wilgoren by Karlyn Forner, April 16, 2010 U-0447, in the Southern Oral History Program Collection #4007, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Interview with Stoller, Nancy Elaine by David Cline, April 16, 2010 U-0456, in the Southern Oral History Program Collection #4007, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
In addition to these, you might be interested in hearing other interviews about SNCC. Here’s a link to several of them:
There is also this article about the segregated cafeteria at the Arkansas State Capitol:
Kirk, John. A. (Summer 2013). Capitol Offenses: Desegregating the Seat of Arkansas Government, 1964-1965. The Arkansas Historical Quarterly, Vol. LXXXII, No. 2, pp. 95-119.
While the piece I did about persistence was a quick sketch, this article takes you back to a moment that sparked protests and goes into a lot more detail about the legal arguments around segregation. You can access it here:
Interview with Mary Smith by Valerie Quinney, April 10, 1974 E-0079, in the Southern Oral History Program Collection #4007, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Interview with Ashley Davis by Russ Rymer, April 12, 1974 E-0062, in the Southern Oral History Program Collection #4007, Southern Historical Collection, Wilson Library, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.
There are tons more interviews on this topic, which you can find here:
This story about persistence has all of the ingredients of a Hollywood movie with the possible exception of the ending. It’s hard not to be inspired by Elizabeth Brooks. She had questions. Why were checks being shortened? Why was it impossible to get on permanent payroll? It’s funny that it should be considered to be brave to insist on answers to basic questions or to ask for basic fairness. But it was and I suspect it still can be. Can you think of a question that you keep to yourself because you don’t want to rock the boat? That’s what I mean. But even as the cafeteria workers stood up for themselves, Mary Smith worried about speaking poorly of management. As a woman, I identified with this. Maybe the guilt and co-dependency is based in something other than gender, but that’s how it feels to me.
Senator Paul Wellstone
Paul Wellstone comes up in this episode in a few different ways and is at the center of some great stories about persistence. It starts with a memorial we saw for him and his wife Sheila at the University of North Carolina where Brian and I attended the Sonic South listening event in May 2018. The memorial is near Lenoir Hall, where the cafeteria workers’ strike takes place. I wondered if Wellstone was a student there at the time and if he was, did he support the strike? Then I found this book that answered my question:
The podcast Press Record was the first place I had ever heard of Silent Sam, a confederate monument that until recently occupied a prominent spot at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. While the statue was still there when Brian and I attended the Sonic South event in May 2018, it was later removed by protesters. The fate of Silent Sam is yet to be determined.
Speaking of great history podcasts, also check out John Biewen’s Scene on Radio. Season 2, Seeing White, “deconstructs the meaning of whiteness”, while season 3, Men, looks at sexism/patriarchy/misogyny. Coincidentally, This American Life recently featured Biewen who talked about the history that was never mentioned when he was growing up in Minnesota.
Funky President Kucinich
The best I can tell, the original Funky President Kucinich was produced by Shannon Larratt. At least that’s where the website Muzabra points and I believe that’s where I first found it. In 2003, for another project I called Dissection: Bush Addresses the Nation I added Paul Wellstone’s voice to the work. I also added the voices of Geroge W. Bush – from the speech he did announcing his intentions to invade Iraq – as well as Winona LaDuke and Michael Moore, which came from a rally they held with Ralph Nader and Phil Donahue at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
Leave A Message Project (LAMP)
In 2003, supporters of Dennis Kucinich for President were invited to leave a message on my answering machine. I wanted to know how they would like Senator John Kerry to distinguish himself from George W. Bush. A slightly longer version of the piece was played for the platform committee at the 2004 National Democratic Convention.
Music & Sound
Scheming Weasel, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Showdown, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
Tenebrous Brothers Carnival, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
Faceoff, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0
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 was your first car?
Whenever I mentioned working on this episode, people often couldn’t resist telling me what their first car was. That’s when I know I have a decent question. I’m always looking for questions where an answer naturally comes to mind, as opposed to something that stumps people. And of course I’m looking for questions that spark stories and even tangents. Tangents are good. If you’re having the same response and want to tell me a story, please do!
Bringing people together to tell stories, as we did to gather some tape for this episode, is also useful. Because when you hear someone tell a story, it often triggers your own stories.
I was surprised that taxis came up as often as they did (you can also put that on your bingo card!). So this made me curious and I went down the Internet rabbit hole and found a gem of a story about a guy in Vermont who was on a quest to get his hands on an old New York Taxi. I was thrilled he said I could use it in this episode.
Thank You!
Militaire Electronic, Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/
