Life 2.0

I arrived at Coast Guard Air Station Chicago in June of 1980. After my 4 years were up, I returned to civilian life, but I always wondered what happened to the men and women I served with...Joltin'Joe, The Penguin, Doc, The Sheik, Metz, Brenda, DJ, Strolie...

Fast forward to 2019, when Coastie veteran Mike Phillips came across one of our helicopters, CG 1459, sitting outside in a parking lot. What followed has been a seven-year roller coaster ride to see how we could save and restore not just a military aircraft we all flew in, but as it turned out, ourselves in the process.

Disclaimer: the podcast is 1:50 minutes long, because the story of the 1459 and the band of brothers who are dedicated to its restoration has been nearly 50 years in the making.

In an age when most people get their news from a handheld device locked into the platform of their choice, which feeds their confirmation bias, Charlie Meyerson stands as a testament to old-school journalism and fact-based reporting. He's a winner of the prestigious Edward R. Murrow Award for his work, a relentless purveyor of truth at all costs, and add to that. a mighty fine flautist. Charlie is the very definition of journalistic integrity, and in this episode, we talk about the business of podcasting, reliable news sources, and why it's a really good idea to go visit a Farmer's Market as often as possible.

Photo credit: Steve Ewert

Let me be clear. There's nothing "happy" about Memorial Day. It was created as "Decoration Day" shortly after the Civil War to commemorate those who lost their lives. Somehow over the years, it's become a three-day weekend, and an excuse for retailers to sell more tires, mattresses, and televisions. It's the official start to summer. But for two fathers, Memorial Day is filled with the memories of their sons, Ryan and Nick, who gave their last full measure in service to our nation. 

Lest we forget.

It's a glorious morning in the outskirts of Chicago. A light rain is falling; the baby robins in the nest under the overhang of the house next door are looking for breakfast, and a slight rumble of thunder interrupts the early-morning silence. All of these things have me remembering my friend, the late, great Earl Hamner. This Saturday Rewind takes us back to November of 2001 and my conversation with Earl about "The Waltons" as well as life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness, and the book he had out at the time (that I still read on occasion), The Avocado Drive Zoo.

Music used by permission of the John Denver Estate.

Ah, nothing like a colonoscopy to bring a little perspective! It occurred to me as I went through the wonderful pre-procedure flush that sometimes getting totally cleaned out and starting all over again is a really good thing. Add to that a short preview of an upcoming podcast project with radio legend Garry Meier, a few hours digging in my sister's garage and finding evidence that at one time, I had really good handwriting, along with some incredible artifacts and the reminder comes that one man's trash is another man's treasure.

Music by Mark Cleveland used by permission.

On this overcast spring morning, I am reminded of a different place and time, when my whole life was encased in a massive two-story building that my family lived in until 1966. It was just this side of heaven to me, as every adventure was in our backyard, or just down the street with my best friend, Garry. 50 plus years later, so much has changed outside, but inside, where it counts, it remains the same.

Darcy's Guitar by Pete Huttlinger used by permission.

On this, the 56th anniversary of the first official Earth Day in 1970, I pulled a few of the "Earth Matters with Bill Kurtis" episodes that aired in national syndication on the radio for a decade. It was a great project that shed light on some of the darker environmental issues we face, as well as a few reminders that if you think globally and act locally, you can make a world of difference.

Music used by permission of the John Denver estate.

There are as many definitions of love as there are hearts in the world. But what about that which lies above and beyond the human experience? My guest, Glenn Aparicio Parry, writes, "What we are experiencing is tantamount to a shamanic dismemberment. We need to dismember to remember; we need to put ourselves back together again in ways that are healthy and whole. We are compelled to reconstruct the whole out of what has been torn apart; we are being called to dig deeper into our psyche." Get ready to take a deep dive into the source of love and how you can recognize, understand, and reconnect to that which binds all things together.

After 9 days and over 600,000 miles, the crew of Integrity has safely returned to Earth after taking a lap around the Moon. I couldn't wait to talk with Ashlee Nichols, the award-winning producer and content creator, who is currently working with NASA+ in telling the story of Artemis II. It's a listen behind the scenes about the massive amount of effort that goes into the media end of things, and the the amazing connection she has through her father, the late, great Roger "The Immortal" Nichols who always wanted to be an astronaut, but ended up being a GRAMMY Award winning sound engineer for everyone from Steely Dan to John Denver. 

It's been quite a week for your host. First, watching Artemis II break the surly bonds of Earth brought me back to being a 10-year-old boy as we rocketed to the moon in 1969. Then, I received a message from someone who used to listen to my show nearly 30 years ago, who took the information they heard and applied it to their own life, which led them to their own life's calling. It's the perfect segue to roll back the years to 2000 and my conversation with the brilliant Dan Millman, best known for "The Way of the Peaceful Warrior" book and many others. Finally, when I got a call from my son in the middle of the week so my twin granddaughters could say hi and warble out a few lyics from "Country Roads" in my ear, all was right with the world.

Music used by permission of the John Denver Estate.