Life's Learning Curve

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Ever been overwhelmed when trying to fall asleep? When this happened to Paul, he felt the old neighborhood was calling out to him. It wanted to be remembered. This type of personification seems odd, but truly happened. From some wonderful positive neighbors, to one possibly from Area 51, this episode centers around those neighbors with whom Paul and his family were blessed AAAAAAND cursed. The gruff ex-marine who was tattooed head to toe and worked on cars, the retired one who called the police on Paul six times. The one that told Paul’s mom he was ‘too oafish’ to walk in her yard. Add Tilley, the Bangs, the Johnsons and Walt and you have Paul’s environment growing up. Don’t miss the go cart story .  Paul gets INVITED BACK HOME to have a talk with his awkward, eccentric and quirky past.

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“What you’ve done is so bad I can’t even talk about it! I have 30 negative letters in my drawer about you! I am so angry at you!”   Imagine your supervisor exclaiming this to you, pushing at you, poking at you, or threatening you!   This happened to several of the best and most effective teachers at a small local school. Why? Paul shares an episode about a new administrator who bullied, lied and eventually seemed to lessen the confidence and effectiveness of his best teachers. Enter lawyers, unions and superintendents to help make sense of this administrators’ true intents. When you are physically and verbally falsely accused of something negative over and over, it can leave you speechless. This episode is not Paul’s story, but one retold to him a few years back. Retelling it as if it happened to him, Paul shares our conclusion of the two part episode’ “Left Me Speechless’ (conclusion).

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 Ever been so passively aggressed that you become JUST PLAIN SPEECHLESS?  There no words for some of life’s situations. In part one of this episode, Paul retells stories of being led down a path of stupidity where he learns exactly how NOT to treat other people. From a dull school leader conducting a disconnected interview -which was decided by what Chicago ball team Paul favored, to community leaders that made an effort to con and grift Paul, and an interview for a professional position where the interviewer was narcoleptic and fell asleep, It’s all in this episode. Stories which helped Paul decide who he should and shouldn’t become. Power from leadership doesn’t always corrupt, it just exposes who the leaders are.

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Ever played an instrument? Where did that instrument take you?   On this episode, Paul retells stories of where playing drums has taken him. Not every band worked out well. Managing talent, overbearing personalities and inflated egos were new to him. Add to that an angry orchestra teacher, a somewhat fuzzy-headed seller of drum set number 2, and a crying lead singer, and you've got episode 41. Dedicated to a life spent loving music.  -Sketchy Drum Stories: Some of them tragic, some of them magic!

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It doesn’t matter what you’ve done, there’s always forgiveness.  Guest Mary MacDowell, shares her fictional book based on real life memories of a young woman, Mary Wagner, who was forced to confront the sins of her past, the reckless behavior that almost killed her. And then there was Betsey, the young disabled child who refused to let her go – even after death. Energetic author Mary McDowell shares her process of writing and recalls her whirlwind life from 1967 – 1980.  She acknowledges life’s amazing mentors and connects her chapters to some great music to comfort the soul.  You don’t want to miss this episode of Life’s Learning Curve. Takeaway… Texas = flat as a tuna can. 

find Ms. MacDowell's book: 

https://www.amazon.com/Heavens-Betsey-Mary-MacDowell/dp/1796682306/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=heaven+to+betsey+mary+macdowell&qid=1612565476&sr=8-1

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Sometimes it’s NOT the journey that makes an adventure, it’s the people you meet along the way that might re-ignite your life’s passions. Paul retells experiential stories of the gruff and angry unsheltered homeless, stories of the dry wit and comedy of FBI Feds, to stories of an arrogant and self-absorbed west coaster. In 2000, Paul migrates from analog editing to digital editing by taking classes from coast to coast. These classes DID help him migrate to a digital world, but as time has passed, he recalls the diverse, funny, scary and creative people he met along the way that shaped that summer of the year 2000.  -Hey, have you ever been locked out of your hotel room all night in the dank, heavy, humid summer heat and been a meal for mosquitoes and no-see-ums??? Paul has!      Life’s Learning Curve begins SEASON THREE!

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Alternate title: BURNS MALTS…. Paul remembers being told:  ‘It’s a nice day outside. Why don’t you go out & enjoy it?” He heard this phrase throughout his years as a child from local pharmacist Milt Burns. Burns Drugstore made the world’s BEST MALTS and people of all ages flocked there to taste the thick, ice creamy goodness in a tin. Milt Burns seemed to not fully understand or appreciate the money-making power of his soda fountain within his own pharmacy. Also luring people inside were sundries, prescriptions filled, hot roasted peanuts, 10 cent candy bars and comic books, Yet Milt shuffled kids out of the store before they bought anything at all. Was it that Milt hated the soda fountain, kids, or something else? The answer is finally revealed in today’s episode. Also: Keep an eye out for a padlocked park named old Maroon Field as well… A kite flier’s paradise! SO, WHY WERE PAUL & HIS FRIENDS CONSTANTLY BEING SENT OUTSIDE OF THE LOCAL DRUGSTORE? Here at LLC podcast we like to take a look back on our lives and discover how we became the best version of ourselves

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In studio 502, join our guest Heidi Hardt and Paul as they weed thru some of the best parts, of arguably, one of the worst tramatic years in US history. From quarantining while working at home, to making creative uses of free time and blogging, Heidi maintains a strong sense of humor as she shares some highs and lows.        In our podcast's two year run so far, our purpose has been to use storytelling to help us find and pin down the best us we could be.
Today’s episode Found Value: 2020, is different. The past 10 months have left many of postponed, locked down, quarantined and id’ as non-essential or essential workers in our careers. That right there is a psychological evaluation in the making. Will she find value in this mess???

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On this episode:  Steve, Paul’s college friend, shares the accomplishment he and his family felt when taking a whitewater rafting excursion overnight in West Virginia. After Steve retells a few rafting adventure stories, Paul and Steve realize that the elements of the rafting trip might easily synthesize into a motivational video from the perspective of living your best life ever. Plans begin for Paul & Steve to return to West Virginia and shoot a video at the same place Steve had his unique experience. However, communication became hinky and, the motivational video remote began to appear unstable. Paul reflects on why MENTORS and like-kind people are essential for diversity and career advancement. Mentors can actually make your life ‘jump’ and move up to another staion in life. Did Paul actually use his mentors for advice? Once again THANKS to my current mentor Clay Greager!

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Same time each year it happens: Paul goes in search of his “other me.” The one from decades earlier that dreams, writes, produces, makes effective use of time, creative projects and self-evaluates. -Many years ago, Paul set a course for himself, his destiny and life goals, but something got in the way…Life. Day to day life happens to all of us and usually steers us off of our desired course. Unwilling to let go of his dreams from decades ago, this podcast shares Paul’s stories about the importance of stopping, stepping aside, stepping away and having that self-renewing chat with yourself. Find your other me.    season 2      episode 35

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