Michelle Reilly finds herself homeless in 10th grade in a challenge that begins a lifetime of challenges. After earning a PhD despite her alcohol use disorder, she struggles to overcome addiction and finds unexpected hope in an online ad. Sensitive listeners, please note that Michelle’s story contains mentions of suicidal thoughts and the her father contemplating suicide, which may be distressing for some listeners. Please take care of yourselves. Michelle calls her story “Heroic Measures”.

📷 Donal Lakatua

Michelle Reilly is a wilderness specialist and wildlife ecologist who has lived in Missoula for 8 years. She is a wildcrafter, avid backpacker, and devoted mother. If she isn’t deep in the mountains or paddling the rivers, you can find her in her yard tending her gourmet mushroom gardens. She also runs a Missoula Ladies’ Dinner Club and enjoys entertaining in her backyard.

In our next story, Zeke Cork returns to Missoula after many failed escapes to face his demons, find love, and embrace his true self. Please take care of yourselves. Zeke calls his story “Ezekiel Cried”.

 

📷 Donal Lakatua

Zeke Cork is a writer, train dispatcher and board member of the Western Montana LGBTQ+ Center. He runs and hikes the local trails. He lives in Missoula with his wife and two rescue mutts. He loves tacos and trucker hats.

Ashley Brittner Wells is a self described tomboy in the 1980s who finds courage in the Montana Lady Griz games. It took years to find her own place in the stands and be the inspiration for girls who are like she was then. Ashley calls her story “Made In Montana”.

📷 Donal Lakatua

Ashley Brittner Wells is from East Missoula, Montana. She is a business owner, public servant, and cackler. She is best known as Mel’s wife. She is a lifelong women’s sports fan.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Going Home”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on June 11, 2024, as part of the opening Missoula Pride events.

In our first story, Kiki Hubbard, her mother and her grandmother are on a plane returning back to the United States from former Yugoslavia after a trip tracing their ancestry. The grandmother, a strong immigrant who fled war and violence, is frustrated because customs won’t let her bring bacon into the US. Kiki calls her story “What Bacon?”

Kiki Hubbard graduated from the University of Montana’s Environmental Studies program and now works remotely for the University of Wisconsin-Madison as an academic collaborator with the U.S. Department of Agriculture. Kiki lives in Missoula, by way of Wisconsin and Washington D.C., and is a national expert in policy issues that affect our nation’s seed supply. She’s passionate about protecting family farms and community food systems from unfair and destructive corporate practices.

Next up is Adria Jwort, who, as a trans woman, wrestles with Montana’s anti-LGBTQ climate and complex relationship with her dad. The Club Q shooting prompts her to return home, prioritizing family despite ongoing struggles. We call her story “From Vegas to Montana — A Father’s Call”.

Adria L. Jawort is a Northern Cheyenne fiction writer and transgender/2 Spirit journalist based in Billings, Montana. Her writing has appeared in the Los Angeles Review of Books, Electric Literature, and Indian Country Today, among other publications. She is the Executive Director of the nonprofit Indigenous Transilience. You can also find her on Instagram.

In our next story, Teri Wing leaves Butte, MT for convent life before leaving and finding love and family. Her journey home was a wild ride. Teri calls her story “Going home: The Long Way Around”.

Teri Wing is a born and raised Montananan. The mother of two and a grandmother of three boys, Teri is a retired educator who loves dogs and other living things. She hasn’t yet climbed tall mountains, run a marathon, or jumped out of a plane, though she says she may put those on her bucket list.

Our final storyteller in this episode, Chloe Williams, searches for happiness in love, places, & self-expression before finally figuring out what love is and where to find it. Chloe calls her story “The Rusty Screeching Turn Toward Home”.

Chloe Williams is many things. She is a seeker, a painter, a middle school teacher, a mother, a partner, and a friend.

Hailing from the West Coast, Chloe was born in Steamboat Springs, Colorado and raised in San Francisco. She spent some summers on a farm in Illinois. Eventually, she spent seventeen years in Portland, Oregon and ten years ago moved to Missoula. Chloe has lived at approximately forty addresses in her life, though she really has lost count.

Storytelling was passed down from her mom in the many long car rides of her childhood and is her favorite thing her mother gave her. Only in the last few years has she been called to try storytelling herself, and it feels like something her spirit needs to do.

Our first story comes to us from Stephen Tucker. Stephen Tucker accidentally learns who his favorite cat is when his apartment complex catches fire. Stephen calls his story Midnight Mayhem. Thanks for listening.

Stephen Tucker is a third-grade teacher in the Bitterroot Valley with ten years of experience. As a teacher, he has a passion for science, technology, and coaching Lego Robotics. He is a lover of the outdoors and enjoys hiking and spending his days on the lake with his paddleboard. When he is not teaching or enjoying the outdoors, he spends his time watching way too much Youtube and indulging his unhealthy obsession with Taco Bell. 

Our next storyteller is Sandy Sheppard, who details her ordeal of becoming the 1st woman optometrist in Montana in the 1980s. Sandy calls her story “I Will Rise Up, or It Takes a Little Time.”

Sandy Sheppard was a Navy brat. She lived in oceans, bays, and islands. She is thrilled to now be living on the Clark Fork River! Who would have guessed that she would have landed in Missoula, Montana & would have stayed for 41 years! She believes that in her 1st 3 years, she may have been happier landing on the moon!!!

Jolyne O’Brien shares her story about what people never told her about the 4th trimester. Jolyne calls her story “No One Told Me, or, the Fourth Trimester.”

 

Jolyne O’Brien is a wife of one husband, a mom of two daughters and two sons, and a teacher of hundreds of children. Jolyne is a woman, a daughter, a granddaughter, a sister, an aunt, and a close friend. She is an artist, a portrait photographer, and an incredibly creative writer. She is a human and simply cannot be summed up in five sentences.

Closing out this episode of the podcast is Candace Haster. Candace shares her story of deciding to have a baby and the process by which she did so with a kind sperm donor. Candace calls her story “Well, that’ll be interesting”.  Thanks for listening.

Candice grew up in Kansas City, MO, and moved to and fell in love with Missoula in the 90s. You can find her small-scale ceramic and paper artwork tucked into nooks and crannies around town, in the woods, and possibly in your neighbor’s pocket. She is a parent, a Scorpio, an avid cyclist, and way into tigers. Ask her questions, she loves questions.

Our first story comes to us from Devin Carpenter, who shares a verbal love letter to his grandmother, who taught him to be a good neighbor and to be bold. He calls his story “Mimi on my Shoulder”.

📷kmr studio

Devin Carpenter is a Cali-Rado-Tanan who has lived in Pennsylvania and New York and is joined tonight by his Mom, Patty, and his Dad, Jeff…who do not know he is about to tell this story. Growing up on a military base and moving throughout his life has greatly influenced the way Devin sees the world and how he approaches relationships with others. Devin calls Missoula home and has been deeply involved in building communities through activism and social engagement since he first arrived here to start college at the University of Montana in 2008. Devin left Montana in 2015 to pursue a Master’s Degree in Higher Education at Penn State and found his way right back two years later to take on his current role as the Director of New Student Success at UM, where he serves as an advisor to the UM Advocates and mentors and transitions incoming students through a successful start of their college journey. In his free time, Devin is likely listening to his record collection, cooking a from-scratch meal in his kitchen, drinking a Shady at the (former) Kettlehouse Southside with his friends, dancing in the dark, or some combination of all four.

Sarah Black leaves her husband for another love and another life. Her parents hear the news with a lot of questions and a lot of grace. Though she isn’t as graceful when her spouse brings unexpected news to her, when she leads with love, she knows she’s hearing the news the best way that she can. Sarah calls her story “Lead with Love”.

📷kmr studio

Sarah grew up in Helena, MT. After high school, she moved around several times and is happy to reside in Missoula and live closer to family. She is fascinated by wellness, art, the outdoors, social justice, storytelling, and all the ways they intersect.

Whitney Peper and his partner make compassionate choices to the news that there is a strange man under his mother-in-law’s bed. Whitney calls his story “The Right House”.

📷kmr studio

Barron Whitney Peper is an award-winning architect based in Missoula who helps homeowners create new spaces and transform old ones in a way that welcomes nature, community, and health into our lives. He is also co-facilitating an emerging coalition of community members to support the city in reimagining how we can together address housing affordability, and he would love to talk to you about it.//
Barron Whitney Peper

📷kmr studio

Cathy Scholtens hikes to Hope Lake in Montana with her best friend, where they work out their complex feelings for one another. Cathy calls her story “Friendship, Hope, and Wisdom.” Thanks for listening.

Living her best life amidst the beauty of the Bitterroot Valley, Cathy is an out-of-shape adventure enthusiast. She loves the mountains, waterways, back roads, and MOST people of Montana. When she first came to Montana in 1976, she saw the Milky Way in all its glory for the first time. The wonder and magnificence of the night sky continue to knock her socks off.

Cathy’s heart also lies with a ragbag group of friends and family — her “Family of Choice”. She remains forever grateful for the craziness, the love, and the laughter they bring into her life

Our First story comes to us from  Katie Condon. Katie shares her story about an unlikely neighborly friendship. It’s an ode to neighbors, to Fran the dog, and to the community.

Katie calls her story “The Bologna House”.

Katie Condon
📷kmr studio

Katie Condon is a humanitarian at heart. She believes in the connection of all things. Katie is a lover of art and the simple beautiful things this life has to offer.

Our next story comes to us from Reid Reimers. Reid Reimers is recognized for his Montana accent during a trip to Vietnam and is then invited to a neighborhood family wedding.

Reid calls his story “Crashing a Wedding in Vietnam”.

Reid Reimers
📷kmr studio

Reid Reimers was born and raised in Missoula and has a Master’s in Theatre from The University of Montana.  You’ve probably seen him hosting numerous events around town, running trivia nights, or strutting his stuff on the stage in local theatre productions, including The Rocky Horror Show. He has a deep love for other cultures and climes, which has taken him to almost 50 different countries.  Because he travels on a tight budget, he has to get creative on those trips, which often leads to unexpected adventures. He also teaches theatre to local kiddos, tends to his plethora of house plants, and recently became a puppy papa to an adorable sociopath named Dewey.

Pascaline Piquard
📷kmr studio

Pascaline Piquard is the French Fulbright Grantee 2023 who is currently an EFL teacher in a public junior high school in Besançon in the east of France. Apart from teaching from Grade 6 to Grade 9, she is a mentor for English teachers-in-training and she is quite involved at her school (gardening club, choir, anti-bullying group, German promotion).

She has studied English Language and Literature, German, Italian, and French as a Second Language at the University of Franche-Comté and at Knox College, Galesburg (Illinois). She also has a master’s degree in International Education and Cultural Project Management (University of Lyon 2). She has worked as an EFL teacher in France in public high schools and at Besançon public hospital (hematology cancer and behavioral problems departments). Besides she has taught FSL and FFL in Canada at the University of Guelph (Ontario), at Fairview CBE school (Alberta), and in Jordan at the University of Amman.

She loves being outdoors, taking pictures, experiencing new adventures, traveling, and learning languages to meet people. She also enjoys having fun with friends, especially doing improvisational theater, dancing, singing, and cooking.

Of course, she loves her two sons, Gaspard and Guillaume, with whom she shared her story first.

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Kaegan Bonstein, a short king makes friends with a Native Hawaiian family on the beach and feels safe and comfortable in his skin.

Kaegan calls his story “Short King”  or “Out of the Head and into the Heart”.

Kaegan Bonstein
📷kmr studio

Kaegan Bonstein is a lifelong performer excited to take a hand at storytelling tonight. He has twenty-five years of performance experience ranging from musicals to environmental theater to political demonstration. He is also a lifelong food service worker and energy practitioner. He’s very grateful to call Missoula home and for this opportunity.

Our first storyteller is Jim Harte.  Jim has always loved film, ever since he was a boy. When the distributors forget to send the second reel of “Wild in the Streets”. Jim gets creative in the way that he avoids giving refunds. Jim calls his story “More Than a Movie”

📷 kmr studios

Jim Harte has worked in the film business for 45 years. He was raised in New Jersey and majored in Drama at Ithaca College in Ithaca NY before moving to Manhattan where he received a BFA in Film and Television at New York University. He lived in Manhattan in the 1970s and 80s before moving to Rochester NY where he was a film editor for Eastman Kodak Company and an Archival Projectionist at George Eastman Museum. Since moving to Missoula Montana in 2021 he has acted in several films produced in Montana. His favorite storyteller is Jean Shepherd.

Abigail Gilbert has to borrow a car when she is traveling for her job in a super small town in Nebraska. She ends up accidentally stealing a car in the process. Abigail calls her story “The Keys to Success”.

📷 kmr studios

Abigail Gilbert is a professional actor, educator and director who originally hails from Duluth, Minnesota. She is proud to work at the Missoula Children’s Theatre as the Tour Marketing Associate and Social Media Specialist and at Studio M as a teacher and vocal instructor. On stage, she was most recently seen as Columbia in The Rocky Horror Picture Show Live right here at the Wilma and as Little Red Riding Hood in Into the Woods at the Missoula Community Theatre. She was recently voted Missoula’s Best Actor in the Missoulian’s “Best of Missoula 2022” contest. She would like to thank her mom, Lisa, and Miles for their support!

Next up is Regina O’Brien. Regina was unable to afford housing and was living in a tipi in the desert. Living in a tipi causes one to notice so many little things that others might miss. Regina calls her story “Little Things Aren’t Little.”

📷 kmr studios

Regina O’Brien put herself through college, working a montage of odd jobs for eleven years.  She graduated with two bachelor’s degrees, and eventually got a career with the federal government. After years of seeing people staying in positions they hated so they could have a secure retirement, having that security bled out by illness, death, or catastrophe, and feeling stressed out and ineffective in her own job, she quit. She got rid of everything that did not fit into her midsize pickup and started driving. Regina has been living around the edges of mainstream society ever since. Regina is a relative newcomer to Montana, and currently lives in Potomac and works in Missoula as a massage therapist.

Closing out this episode of the podcast, Jeremy N. Smith, in 7th grade,  walks around his teacher’s desk all day. The lessons he learned that day has lasted 30+ years. Jeremy calls his story “One Thousand Times”.

📷 kmr studios

Jeremy N. Smith is a journalist, podcaster, and author. He has written for The Atlantic, Discover, Slate, and the New York Times, among other outlets, and he and his work have been featured by CNN, NPR, NBC Nightly News, The Today Show, and Wired.

Jeremy is from Evanston, Illinois, but has lived the last 20 years in Missoula—except for last year, when he spent a family year abroad with his wife Crissie and daughter Rasa in Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca, Mexico.

His latest interest is skateboarding, and he is looking for someone to help teach him how to ollie.

Learn more and make contact at jeremynsmith.com.

 

Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “It’s the Little Things”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of a sold-out crowd on December 15, 2022 at The Wilma in Missoula, MT.

Our first story comes to us from Ean Kessler. Ean wrestles with himself and his relationship to his father, whom he barely knows. Ean calls his story “Shaken Ground”.

📷 kmr studios

Ean Miles Kessler is a playwright, theater artist, and storyteller, originally hailing from the East Coast.  A recent transplant to Montana, Ean relocated to Missoula to enroll in Wild-2-Ride Academy, a mustang ranch and equine program, where he learned the process of gentling wild horses.  He’s proud to be a level 6 graduate of that program and thrilled to be sharing his story tonight.  Currently, Ean is working on a debut novel.

Our next storyteller is Hannah Harvey. Hannah finds herself with more than she bargained for when she moved in with her then-boyfriend and the rest of his family ends up moving in with them. A big storm washes an injured frog into the yard and everything begins to change. Hannah calls her story “Frog Rescue”.

📷 kmr studios

Hannah Harvey is an artist and person living in Missoula. Originally from Helena, she is a University of Montana graduate. If you’ve ever visited the Missoula Art Museum, you may recognize her as the face behind the front desk. When she’s not at work, she can be found painting, drinking hot cocoa at Break, and looking for creepy crawlies.

In our next story, Lori Chase wins the housing lottery when she is selected as someone who can place an offer on a house. Now she has to navigate all of the twists and turns involved in financing a house in Missoula, MT. Lori calls her story “Adventures in Home Buying”.

📷 kmr studios

Lori Chase has two almost-adult children, two cats, and two jobs. She teaches yoga and works for GatherBoard, AKA MissoulaEvents.net (the best community event calendar in Missoula, and also a long-time sponsor of Tell Us Something). In her free time, she likes to do all the outdoor things, and dance the Argentine tango.

The final story comes to us from Tell Us Something Executive Director Marc Moss recounts his journey growing Tell Us Something and making the big leap and becoming a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. He calls his story “Journey”.

📷 kmr studios

Marc Moss has been cultivating personal storytelling in Missoula since 2011 with the 501(c)3 non-profit organization Tell Us Something. He brings his expertise in storytelling to recruiting storytellers and to the story coaching workshops that he requires of each storyteller before each Tell Us Something event. He lives on Missoula’s Historic Northside with his wife Joyce and their perpetual kitten Ziggy.

This episode of the podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on July 8, 2010 at The PEAS Farm in Missoula, MT at an event that predates Tell Us Something.  Missoula residents Jeremy N. Smith and Josh Slotnick hosted the event, which they called “Eat our Words”. 5 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Leaving Home”. 

Jeremy Smith recently reached out to me because one of those storytellers recently passed away.

John Engen has graced the Tell Us Something stage twice, and Jeremy suggested that it would be a nice way to honor him to share this story too. John recounts all of the addresses he called home during his time in Missoula and what he learned at each place.

John Engen was born October 27, 1964 in Missoula, MT. During his 57 years on this planet, John touched the lives of many people as a journalist, friend, businessman, Mayor, and all-around great human. He died August 15, 2022 after a battle with pancreatic cancer. 

Listen to more of John’s stories here.

Click here to read John Engen’s obituary.

Thank you to Jeremy N. Smith and Josh Slotnick for providing the audio for this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast. Thanks too, John, wherever you are now.

I remember this “Eat our Words” event as the first time that I experienced true personal storytelling live in-person as a performance. The evening was special, held outdoors at Missoula’s beautiful PEAS Farm on a warm July evening among an intimate crowd sitting on haybales and engaging with each other as community. I am grateful to Jeremy and Josh for the opportunity to share this story from Eat Our Words.

 

This episode of the podcast was recorded in front of a live audience on August 31, 2022 in Black Rock City at Center Camp at the Burning Man event. 5 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Waking Dreams”. Today we hear from three of those storytellers.

Jack Butler was raised in Kentucky, and found the outdoors and forests to be a great playground. He developed a love of reading at an early age and would lose himself in the adventures and stories. Jack spent 6 years in the military after high school and then another 25 years bouncing around the world as a merchant marine on ships. Jack’s first burn was in 2016, and it began a process of opening his eyes to another world, a different life. 

Jack Butler is the author of two books, Into the Dust – The Virgin – A Burning Man Story and Racing to the Dawn. You can find jack at his website, jacklyonsauthor.com.

Click here to listen to an excerpt from his book.

In our next story, after a long overnight shift patrolling Black Rock City, Ranger Sasquatch is tasked with delivering an exciting message. In the days before cell service on the Playa, Ranger Sasquatch must find his intended recipient the old fashioned way – by interacting with his fellow citizens in a story that we call “Special Delivery”.

Ranger Sasquatch has been a ranger since 2000 and has seen and experienced so many singular things, events and people in his life, which , he thinks, is the point of it all.  Sasquatch is also one of the DJs at Radio Electra, 89.5 on your dusty FM dial.

Rounding out this edition of the Tell Us Something podcast, Missoula resident Katie Condon shares her psychic journey of love with us in a story that we call “Discovery”.

Katie Condon is a humanitarian at heart. She believes in the connection of all things. Katie is a lover of art and the simple beautiful things this life has to offer. 2022 was her first visit to Black Rock City.

Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT.

Our first story comes to us from Kate Wilburn. Kate loves wood and woodworking. She learned the craft of timber framing 40 years ago, collected materials for a timber frame house, hauled them around for 30 years, and is now ready to let them go. Kate calls her story “Dovetail: A Love Story”.

 

Kate Wilburn cherishes wild land and is keenly aware of legacy across generations. Her life’s terrain is diverse: from engineering and carpentry to single parenting, permaculture design and teaching. She’s found in Missoula a place to show the beauty and practicality of living simply, of creating an urban yard that is a vibrant ecosystem of perennial food for people, birds, bees and other wild things all at the same time. She seeks green wildness and a neighborhood like a village, even in the city! Kate continues, “In her late 20’s, Kate turned away from the corporate-career-hearth of her time to “Renaissance engineering”– problem-solving grounded on the land– demonstrating and seeking sustainable human life & livelihood.

Parenting in her 40’s made personal her inquiry: how to come through to a kinder & sweeter future than the one we seem aimed for? Teaching middle school then too, Kate saw how physical examples with hands-on learning make the most impact.

Kate arrived in Missoula in 2022, keenly aware of legacy across generations. Kate is committed to standing as an elder deepening into service, alongside and behind all the younger ones. Kate endeavors to stand as an Earth-protector and as a settler-ally to her Indigenous neighbors.

Kate wants regenerative community for each of us. Kate aims to embody simplicity, sustainability and the safeguarding of precious resources. Kate teaches, paints, writes & remains in inquiry. Kate advocates for political & cultural leaders, energy policies and technologies that support social equity, the health of the planet, all species, and future generations. You can find Kate on Instagram.

Working 3rd shift at a late-night copy shop, Marc Moss met all kinds of people. He generally made a connection with most of them, until a regular customer, very grumpy, presented a challenge for him. Marc Calls his story “3rd Shift”.

 

Marc Moss and Ruby – Face Copy at 3AM

Marc Moss the Executive Director of the non-profit organization Tell Us Something. He recently hosted a Tell Us Something event at Burning Man, where he’s  literally walked through fire with his life-partner Joyce. They live together on Missoula’s historic Northside with their perpetual kitten Ziggy.

In our next story, Amy McAllister’s dad dies 2 weeks after her mother dies. Amy visits his body in the funeral home and the funeral director assures her that the body he has prepared for her is indeed her father’s in a story that we call, “That’s Not My Dad!”

 

Bill McAllister – photo courtesy of Amy McAllister

Amy McAllister comes from a strong and loving family and has lived  in Missoula for 45 years. Amy loves the variety of events offered in Missoula. She was a schoolteacher for 32 years.

 

Bringing us home in  this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Rachel Goo-en, on a trip to New York City with her family and some of their international friends, visits a fancy ballet at The Met after eating pizza.

 

Rachel calls her story “When Letting Go Stops the Show”.

Rachel Gooen hails from the gorgeous lush state of NJ in a county where there were more cows than people. This is perhaps why it took her so long to learn the art of being cultured. She’s lived in Missoula for 25 years and loves playing in the mountains and rivers of Montana with her partner Jeremy and their pups, along with all of her dear friends in Missoula. She socializes for a living, because she is a “social” worker. You can find Rachel on Instagram.

 

 

 

Four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Letting Go”. Their stories were recorded live in-person in front of over 900 listeners on September 27, 2022 at The Dennison in Missoula, MT.

Our first story comes to us from Susan Shenker. A chance meeting with a stranger in a car wash waiting room leads to a (consensual) ogling of breasts, a feeling up, and much-needed information for Susan on her journey of deciding about breast reconstruction after surviving breast cancer. Susan calls her story “Deconstruction.”

Susan Shenker is originally from Houston and is a retired educator.  She and her husband Mark, have three adult children, one grandson, and one very spoiled puppy. Now living happily ever after in Missoula, Susan enjoys hiking, trail running, yoga, and (surprisingly) long winter evenings.

Our next storyteller is Margi Cates. Margi, in her own words, tells us that her story is “…about the transition between burning with ambition and discovering that the thing you needed has always been inside you. No flames required. Maybe some tears?”

Margi calls her story, “The Body Keeps the Score, and Boy, is She Pissed!”

Missoula born and raised, Margi Cates is a singer, writer and comedian. She has appeared on stages all over Missoula as well as in New Orleans, where she lived and worked for five years. You can find her riding her bike around town, practicing Whitney Houston riffs.

Find Margi on Instagram.

You can also see her on the YouTubes.

In our next story, Michael LaPointe lets go of his daughter’s bike when he’s teaching her to ride. He figures out that this is a metaphor for allowing his daughter Penny to grow up and become her own individual person. He in turn, begins letting go of his ego and embracing his daughter’s humanity in a new light with a story that he calls “I *GOT* This, Dad!”

 

Michael LaPointe is a regular guy trying to make it in an increasingly complicated world. He finds himself at 40 with dogs, kids, a wife, and a mortgage, not exactly sure how he arrived here or where he’s going next.  He believes that wherever you go, whatever you do, whenever you leave, leave it better than you found it.

 

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, is Hazel Wright. Along with her brother, Hazel builds an awesome sledding jump and proceeds to unintentionally flip a 180 after landing, leading to a confused recovery. Hazel calls her story, “Sledding Catastrophe”.

Hazel is a twelve year old who lives in Missoula. She has a younger brother and a dog. She enjoys mountain biking, skateboarding and playing ice hockey. She is attending Washington Middle School as a seventh grader. In her free time she is curled up with a good book, or watching Grey’s Anatomy with her mom. (with permission) Hazel on IG.

 

 

 

Joseph Grady talks about Native spaces, acting, art and storytelling.

Thanks to Sierra Tai-Brownlee for sharing her podcast Impactful Experiences with Sierra Tai-Brownlee.

What happens when the things we hold dear start to crumble?  Join us as our first storyteller faces a heartbreaking choice: let go of her family legacy or fight for a piece of the past while making a discovery about nonperminance in herself. And facing loss isn’t just about places, our next storyteller defies death itself, a therapist grapples with a hidden truth while our final storyteller navigates an unlikely love friendship running out on the trails.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Close to the Edge”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on March 26, 2024, at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre.

Our first storyteller is Kathleen Kennedy. Kathleen’s cherished family cabin, a symbol of precious memories, faces the relentless grip of time and erosion. A cancer diagnosis adds another layer of urgency, forcing a confrontation with impermanence. We call her story “Lessons in Letting Go”.

Kathleen Kennedy grew up in Oakland, CA, and is a science teacher at Big Sky High School, with 24 years teaching experience. She has won a variety of prestigious teaching awards. She won the EcoDaredevil award in 2009, and in 2011 she was a Fulbright Japan-US Teacher in the Exchange Program for Education for Sustainable Development. She was an Adult Participant in American Youth Leadership Program’s Trip to Thailand in 2015 and continues to be passionate about her students and teaching. When she’s not busy saving the world and working towards a sustainable future, you might find her enjoying the beauty Missoula has to offer, rocking out to Pearl Jam, or dancing along to her favorite Dave Matthews song.

In our next story, Susan Waters’ peaceful bike ride takes a horrifying turn. A brutal crash leaves her fighting for life. A mysterious voice asks a question her answer and the resulting outcomes will leave you breathless in a story Susan calls “Fade to White”.

While growing up in Kansas City, Missouri, Susan Waters longed for the days her family would camp and hike in the mountains and swoosh down the slopes of Colorado. She played keyboards in a rock band, worked her way through university as a metal sculptor, then spent 15 years as a film and video writer, producer and director.

In 1997, Susan chucked a successful career and beautiful home, packed her two dogs, two cats, and all her worldly belongings into a U-Haul and followed the call of the mountains to Missoula, Montana, where she knew not a soul and had nowhere to live. She quickly settled in and started Northern Lights Communications, where she continues to write, produce and consult.

Inspired by the alternative health modalities that helped her heal from a near fatal accident, Susan formally studied, trained, then started Water Wellness, where she is a holistic bodyworker and Reiki Master, individual wellness coach, and group instructor.

Susan volunteers in the community and takes full advantage of the outdoors with her human and animal tribe, explores the arts, and thrives in the wonderfully progressive and laid-back vibe of Missoula.

Learn more at SusanWatersWellness.com.

In our next story, Annabelle Winnie, a successful therapist and mother, grapples with a lifelong sense of dissonance. Despite outward competence, she’s navigated years of therapy, seeking answers for a struggle she couldn’t quite grasp. Annabelle calls her story “Belonging.” Or…”Another Way to See.” Or “Another Way to Be.”

Annabelle Winnie has lived in Missoula since 2011. You might find her walking or biking around town, acting as chauffeur for one of her 2 kids, or taming the wild raspberry patch in her backyard.

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast is Amanda Taylor, who learns that the path to love isn’t always smooth, and Amanda and Heather learn that the most powerful relationships can exist outside the box. Amanda calls her story “Heather”.

Thanks, Amanda. Amanda Taylor is a lover of laughter and of love. After sharing a story at Tell Us Something one year ago, she finally followed her dream of trying stand-up comedy. Now she is a local stand-up comedian, even though she feels like an imposter saying that. Amanda is on a lifelong journey of living in alignment with herself and is forever grateful to each person who has loved and continues to love her along the way.

 

Rachel Bemis shares her impactful experience of finally deciding to become a teacher after a fulfilling career in other sectors. Sierra Tai-Brownlee, former Tell Us Something Board member, interviews Rachel for her podcast ”

https://www.tellussomething.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/09/0TUS012-014-Meet-the-Board-Rachel-Bemis.mp3

.

Tell Us Something Board Secretary Sarah FitzGerald reflects on the impactful experience of volunteering for a Jesuit organization in St. Louis, Missouri.

Tell Us Something Board member Jason Sloat sits down with former Board member Sierra Tai-Brownlee on her podcast Impactful Experiences with Sierra Tai-Brownlee. Jason recalls his impactful experience of visiting Missoula with a buddy and calling an old professor from a payphone – a phone call that changed his life trajectory.

 

Jason Forges talks about listening to himself, the disconnect that an urban dweller feels from nature and creativity.

This episode of the Tell Us Something podcast was recorded live in person, in front of a sold-out crowd on June 27, 2022, in Bonner Park, in Missoula, MT. Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Didn’t See That Coming”.

Our first story comes to us from Katie Garding. Some bad decisions on a New Years Even lead to a wrongful conviction and 10 years in prison for Katie Garding. Katie calls her story “The Paths We Take”. 

Thanks, Katie. Katie Garding is a humanitarian at heart. She believes in the connection of all things. Katie is a lover of art and the simple beautiful things, that this life has to offer. View more info about Katie’s case here.  Listen to Katie talk about life on parole and her experience with wrongful conviction.

Visit here to learn more about the Montana Innocence Project.

UPDATE! Katie’s conviction was overturned on March 23, 2023.

Next up is Linda Grinde. Linda joins a cabaret show in Hamburg, Germany, and must escape once she learns that she may be working for the Nazis. Linda calls her story “Last Can-Can in Hamburg”.

Linda Grinde is an amateur philosopher and a professional garden beautifier. She leads nature rituals and wild women camping retreats. Linda learned to swim this winter and just last week she competed in the backstroke event at the Senior Olympics. She also competed in the putting and cornhole events. Her team won the gold, in the cornhole event. She will be playing Maureen for the Missoula Backyard Theater production of “Rent or Die” this September. To learn more about rent or die and to get tickets, visit Missoula Backyard Theatre. 

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast is Raymond Ansotegui. 

Raymond learns an important life lesson when he’s in 3rd grade from an inmate in the Montana State Prison. Raymond calls his story “Fruit for Vegetables. (A Fair Trade)”.  

 

Thanks, Raymond. Raymond Ansotegui was born and raised in Montana. He is a reclamation scientist and spent a decade as a rodeo bullfighter. His wife is a world-renowned artist that shares her life with him on their piece of paradise overlooking the Yellowstone River and the Crazy Mountains. He loves people and the bond of storytelling that holds us all together.

Check out Raymond’s TedX talk about being a bullfighter here.

This episode of the Tell Us Something podcast was recorded live in person, in front of a sold-out crowd on June 27, 2022, in Bonner Park, in Missoula, MT. Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Didn’t See That Coming”.

Our first story comes to us from Rae Scott Rae takes us on a hike up Waterworks Hill in Missoula, MT, where they finally find the mother they’ve always wanted. Rae calls their story “Good Mom Hunting”.

Rae Scott is a theatre nerd through and through. They enjoy animals, and music, and is pretty sure that gingers will ruin their life. With an incredibly large family who puts the “fun” in “dysfunctional”, Rae has a lot of love to give. Rae looks life, directly in the eye — and observes, before responding, with ferocious truth. Rae is an old soul, ready to share their truth on the stage, and in a variety of other to-be-discovered art forms. 

Our next story comes to us from Ann Peacock. Ann is loaded into a cargo plane for a life flight to Seattle, to get a new liver. Ann calls her story  “An Unexpected Plane Ride”.

Ann Peacock escaped the enticement of Madame LaVoux in New Orleans and honored her calling of embodying truth via the alleged fiction of theatre. Ann has been a resident of Missoula since the late 80’s ( which she swears, was just three weeks ago) She now calls Polson, MT her home, and is gradually adjusting to life outside of the big city of Missoula.

Our next storyteller is Ablamvi Agboyibo. Ablamvi sees a cute girl across campus and is persistent in his pursuit of her. Ablamvi calls his story “Love Concretes Everything. Never Give Up”. 

Ablamvi Agboyibo is an English Teacher at Blitta High School in Blitta, Togo, which is in Western Africa. Ablamvi is one of the participants of the  Study of the U.S. Institutes for Global Scholars, or SUSI, which, is a United States Department of State sponsored program for mid-career foreign scholars and educators, designed to improve the teaching, about the United States in academic institutions abroad. SUSI is a program of the Mansfield Center, part of The University of Montana.

Our final story in this episode comes to us from Cathy Scholtens. Cathy goes on a hike with her best friend, to Hope Lake, in Montana. They work out their complicated feelings for each other overnight, and are now celebrating 25 years married! Cathy calls her story “Friendship, Hope and Wisdom”.

Break’s Over!

You know the importance of storytelling. You know the importance of sharing stories. And some of you have already stepped up to help keep Tell Us Something going. Missoula Gives has been extended through May 13.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Missoula Community Foundation (@missoulacommunityfoundation)

So far 62 donors have given $6,327 to support Tell Us Something. Every dollar helps. Donating as little as $10 enters you into a raffle to win season tickets for the remainder of 2022.

The giving portal is still open.

For this week’s podcast, we’re exploring why Tell Us Something is important to the storytellers themselves. Let’s hear from the storytellers what they love about Tell Us Something, what they love about their experience sharing their stories.

Storytellers, in order of appearance: (you can click the links to hear their stories)

Dick King

Katrina Farnum

Jeremy N. Smith

Laura King

Melody Rice

Wendy Wollett

Neil McMahon

Travis Doria

Shelby Humphreys

Becca Kelly

Greg Johnson

Ric Parnell

 You subscribe to the podcast. You bought tickets to the live in-person shows. Did you donate to the live-streamed shows that we did in 2020? Because the very first live-streamed show that we did had over 700 attendees watching live. Tell Us Something paid all of the storytellers. Tell Us Something paid the American Sign Language interpreters. The event was donation-based. Did you donate? Because I can tell you that less than 100 people donated for that initial show that we live streamed.

You “like” Tell Us Something on social media. You subscribe to the podcast. Sometimes you are able to attend the in-person events. Sometimes you share your story. Now is the time to help keep Tell Us Something going. We need your help to make up the losses that the pandemic caused. 

Thank you for supporting Tell Us Something during the Missoula Gives event!

DONATE TO TELL US SOMETHING NOW

 

Thanks!

 

 

This week on the podcast, I sit down with Melody Rice to talk about the story she shared live on stage at The Covellite Theater in Butte, America

The theme that night was “Work”.

We also talk about inequality in the workforce, life in Butte, Montana, and what things were like in regards to COVID in Butte at that time.

 

It was a 60-degree-below-zero cold snap in Butte that convinced Melody Rice’s Mom to pack up her 3-year-old daughter and head to the warm shores of southern CA. Most summers Melody returned to Montana to fish, camp, and help her granddad build stuff, which created a special place in her heart for crabby old guys. She worked as a barber for 18 years until a shoulder injury required her to find a new profession.  Melody is now a licensed clinical professional counselor and art therapist in private practice in Butte.

 

 

Neil McMahon shared his story in front of a live audience at The Wilma Missoula, MT in September of 2016. Neil is working as a carpenter on a construction site in a remote part of Montana when the call comes from his New York City publisher. Neil calls his story “Deus ex Buick”.

Stay tuned after his story to listen to our conversation. I caught up with Neil in July of 2020.

Neil McMahon grew up in Chicago and moved to Montana in 1971. He is the author of a dozen thrillers, his favorite is “Lone Creek”, set near Helena. He’s married to Kim Anderson, who has been deeply involved with the Montana Book Festival since the beginning. Learn more about Neil and his work here.

 

Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Stone Soup”. A young woman visits New York City with her Papa, a Polish track athlete reflects on defecting from Poland in the 1980s, A woman runs out of gas in front of Costco on a busy Missoula street and an adventure guide with a dying cell phone, no water, and only a thin poncho is charged by a wild boar and end up drinking his own urine before his dramatic rescue.

Our podcast today was recorded in front of a sold-out crowd at The Wilma in Missoula, MT on March 30, 2022. 8 storytellers shared their true personal stories on the theme “Stone Soup”. Today we hear from 4 of those storytellers.

Our first story comes to us from Rachel Bemis. Rachel Bemis visits New York City with her Papa, who sleeps through much of the trip. She sees her Top Chef favorite and yells out the tour bus window, “I’m not your b*tch, b*tch!” at him and no one reacts. Rachel calls her story Sleepy New York” or “An Adventure with Papa”.

Rachel Bemis marks her 20th year in Montana! She is a 4th-grade teacher in the Bitterroot Valley where 1/3 of her students tower over her. She shares her home with her best friend of 21 years and 5-year-old St Bernard Lorelai. She spends her free time binging Gilmore Girls, The Great British Baking Show, 90-Day Fiancé, or any trashy reality show she can stomach. You can find her getting Biga pizza takeout, walking with friends, at the library, or at her favorite consignment shop. She loves Discussing any book except science fiction with her monthly book club.

Our next storyteller is Darius Janczewski. Darius reflects on defecting from Poland in the 1980s and realizes that most things we remember are about departures. Darius calls his story “Departures”.

Darius Janczewski is an author, graphic designer, runner, and refugee who arrived in the United States in 1984 and in Missoula in 1999. Darius deserted from the Polish communist army in 1984 when he represented his country as a runner in Italy. He was preparing for the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics when he decided to defect, not knowing that the Olympiad would be boycotted by most of the communist countries, including Poland. Darius is a published author and is currently working on his collection of short stories titled Minotaur or the Art of Running. Learn more about Darius and see examples of his work at dariuszjanczewski.com.

In our next story, Katrina Farnum runs out of gas in front of Costco on a busy Missoula street and is helped by strangers. She pays it forward when she sees a fellow human in need. Katrina calls her story “When Push Comes To Shove”.

Katrina Farnum is a local dirt-loving herbalist, mother, and educator. She is the developer and owner of Garden Mother, a holistic herb shop and dispensary with locations in Missoula and Kalispell. 

Katrina is passionate about healthy food, community, and continual self-improvement. She spends much of her time creating and engineering things to help others live better lives.

Her spirit animal is the Incredible Hulk and her alter ego is a mixture of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Butch Cassidy (played by Paul Newman). Katrina leads a team of herbalists and educators over at Garden Mother – a dispensary and organic herbal store founded in 2009. Garden Mother’s mission is to bring holistic mind and body care to the local and greater community. Learn more about her work at gardenmother.com

Bringing us home in this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Jeff Ducklow finds himself with a dying cell phone, no water, and only a thin poncho, He is charged by a wild boar and more before his dramatic rescue.- Jeff calls his story “Lost in Kauai”.

Jeff Duck-low is no stranger to adventure. With Portuguese blood coursing through his veins, he inherited all of the wanderlust of his Mediterranean forebears, however, unfortunately, without the accompanying and essential navigational acumen. Simply put, Jeff was born without a sense of direction, so naturally, he chose to become a professional Adventure Guide, guiding men, women, and children oblivious to his affliction, on hikes over mountain passes, rafting down raging rivers, and leading sea kayaking adventures in Alaska in whale infested waters, at times in heavy fog.  He is often quoted as saying, “Is it really an adventure if getting back is a certainty?”Having almost died unnecessarily on numerous occasions, Jeff is now a full-time massage therapist in Missoula who rides his unicycle to work in order to keep an element of danger in his day.  He still loves the outdoors and enjoys recounting his exploits to anyone willing to listen.

A mother and daughter in Belize work together to navigate the challenges of entering the country with an expired passport, a determined diver confronts the depths of the ocean swimming against sudden swells and learns some harrowing news the next day when she returns to the water. An artist wrestles with self-doubt and the meaning of success. And a woman on a wilderness adventure faces a grizzly bear encounter, wolves and swarming bees on her ordeal to get out and help with a family emergency.

In this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, four storytellers share their true personal story on the theme “Close to the Edge”. Our stories today were recorded live in person in front of a packed house on March 26, 2024 at The George and Jane Dennison Theatre.

An expired passport throws mother-daughter vacation into chaos! Listen to their dramatic encounter with immigration and how they turned a mishap into an unforgettable experience. We call her story “The Trip of a Lifetime”.

Traci Sylte shares her story “The Trip of a Lifetime” 📷kmr studios

Traci Sylte is a civil engineer and hydrologist who has worked for the U.S. Forest Service for nearly 34 years and is currently the watershed program manager for the Lolo National Forest. She has a passion to maintain healthy watersheds, valley bottoms, rivers, streams, and wetlands. Traci is the product of two very loving parents. Her father taught her to operate a chainsaw and her mother facilitated dresses and piano lessons for her. The love of her life is her daughter, Becca, who is currently in her first year at the University of Washington. Traci continues to grow deeper in love with Missoula each year, because if one wants to learn to weave a basket with pink polka dots on a Tuesday, there’s someone probably doing it here. When Traci is not working, she is grounded by spending time with beloved family and friends, all things water, fly fishing, hiking, playing hockey with amazing Missoula women, fireside guitar serenades, sunrises, sunsets, all things music, and leaving things better than she found them.

Ren Parker embarks on what was supposed to be a relaxing dive off Catalina Island that takes a terrifying turn. After fighting for survival in a desperate ascent, Ren knows that she must get back into the water the next day, and is met with devastating news upon surfacing. Ren calls her story “Deep Blue”.

Ren Parker shares her story “Deep Blue” 📷kmr studios

Ren Parker is passionate about fostering a sense of community and brings that enthusiasm to all of her endeavors. Ren grew up in Hawaii and lived on sailboats that she restored on the Pacific Ocean for seven years. She gave up her nomadic ways and moved back to Missoula to be close to family and has been growing roots here ever since. Ren loves to dance and hike with her faithful dog, Poet, and spend time with her remarkable Missoula friends. She is a regular storyteller at the weekly storytelling event Word Dog, and hosts a weekly storytelling radio show on KFGM Community Radio where she is station manager. Her show is called Once Upon a Radio Wave.

Our next storyteller is Mark Matthews. Mark’s life takes a dramatic turn on a snowy night. He’s a struggling sculptor with seemingly nowhere to go. Listen to Mark’s story of passion, resilience, and rediscovery of the thing that he loves. Mark calls history “Thanks for This Wonderful Gift”.

Mark Matthews shares his story Thanks for This Wonderful Gift” 📷kmr studios

After earning a BA in literature in 1974 Mark began his artistic career as an aspiring writer and completed his first novel (unpublished) by 1981. During that period, Mark also became interested in sculpting and by that same year was devoting most of his time to making large wooden sculptures, mostly depicting dancers and musicians of all types. From 1982 to 1992 Mark exhibited his work in galleries in Maine, Washington, Montana, California and New Mexico.

In 1992 he stopped making art to concentrate on writing. After earning a Master’s degree in Journalism and an MFA in Creative Writing at the University of Montana, he worked as a freelance writer for scores of publications including The Washington Post, High Country News and Newsweek. He also wrote three nonfiction books published by the University of Oklahoma Press during that period.

In 2012 Mark returned to art full-time. Turning once again to sculpture he expanded his interest to include carving in stone, manipulating found metal objects as well as animal antlers. He also experimented with many different styles and techniques. Mark currently exhibits his newer work at the Roosevelt Arts Center in Red Lodge, MT and the Manifestations Gallery in Eureka, MT. Before moving from Missoula to Hysham in 2016 (because of high rents in western Montana) he regularly participated in showings at the E-3 Convergence Gallery on W. Main Street, and he also set up a sculpture walk at Shy Bear Farm in Arlee.

Mark returned to Missoula in 2022.

In 2018 he began to paint. His oil paintings are also currently on display at the aforementioned institutions in Red Lodge and Eureka. Being a creative writer and journalist, he tends to tell stories in his paintings, whether it be a memory of dancing in the past, a place where he has lived, an adventure he had experienced or of people he has known. Mark tends to work with vibrant colors in a representational style.

In the fall of 2023, he enrolled in the Golden College at the University of Montana to study painting with Kevin Bell and metal sculpture with Trey Hill. His first metal sculpture was displayed in front of the Art Building on the UM campus in April. He was also part of a student exhibit in the student gallery in the Art Building that same month. Next year Mark will be a volunteer worker for the Art Department and has been assigned a private studio on campus.

Although Mark has been living on the edge most of his life, he has continued to devote most of his time to making some kind of art. Even while experiencing two bouts of extended homelessness, he continued to make art. His motto has always been: “Artist make art; they don’t wait on tables.”

Mark also loves to dance. He has been a contra dance caller for the Missoula Folklore Society since 1991 and has traveled to schools across the state since 2009 introducing the magic of dancing to children of all ages as a presenter for Humanities Montana.

Listen to the epilogue of Mark’s story here:

https://www.tellussomething.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/03-Mark-Matthews-Epilogue.wav

Watch a short film showcasing some of Mark’s sculptures displayed in nature here:

In our final story, Kat Werner is stranded in Alaska, grizzly bears on one side, a father in crisis on the other. In the face of fear, and with the help of her hiking crew, a community rallied and shared burdens. Kat calls her story “The Arctic Pain Cave” Sensitive listeners be aware that Kat’s story discusses someone who has suicidal ideations. Please take care of yourselves.

Kat Werner shares her story “Arctic Pain Cave”.📷kmr studios

Kat Werner was a German high school exchange student in South Dakota — some of you might remember her last Tell Us Something story about that experience and meeting her husband there. She has called Missoula home for almost 15 years. Kat is a licensed clinical social worker and faculty member at the University of Montana School of Social Work. Things that fill her soul are: any outdoor or wilderness activity, traveling the world, genuine human connection, cooking and eating good food, and creating and checking off a good to-do list.

 

Four storytellers share their true personal stories live without notes on the theme “Stone Soup”. A dramatic river rescue, bullets confiscated at TSA, a middle-aged woman cookin’ up an incredible stew and a man, a porcupine, a jar of pickles, and a little birdie.

Our podcast today was recorded in front of a live audience on March 30, 2022, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT. 8 storytellers shared their true personal stories on the theme “Stone Soup”. Today we hear from 4 of those storytellers.

Our first story comes to us from Tess Sneeringer.

After her friend falls down a hill on rock scree, Tess Sneeringer puts her training to work. She, along with several of her friends, paddle through the night to bring their injured friend to safety.

Tess calls her story “All Aboard the River Ambulance ”.

Tess Sneeringer grew up escaping the suits and the stress of Washington, DC by following her older brother down the current of the Potomac River every summer. She is now settled in Missoula and works for Parks and Recreation.

Our next storyteller is a Tell Us Something storyteller alumni. You can listen to all of the stories that she’s shared right here. Joyce Gibbs has some very special hunting bullets confiscated at TSA, she resolves to get them back.

Joyce calls her story “Only in Missoula. Only on Christmas.” or “If You Don’t Ask, You Can’t Hear Yes.” (Hat tip to Chris LaTray)

Joyce Gibbs is a resilient, creative, and adventurous woman who was raised in Missoula. After a brief stint in New York City and then in New Orleans, she bought a dilapidated railroad house on Missoula’s Northside and spent the next 15 years remodeling it and making it her own. Joyce loves being in nature on Montana’s abundant rivers, and hiking and hunting in the woods. When she is not busy building beautiful spaces with her tile installation at Joyce of Tile, you can find her riding her motorcycle, gardening, going for neighborhood walks with her husband of 12 years, Marc (that’s me!), and their kitten Ziggy.

In our next story, Lizzie Juda finds awakening after middle age in a story that she calls “Something’s Cookin’ in My Pot”.

Lizzi Juda has been a proud resident of the westside of Missoula for nearly 33 years. She is the founder and co-director of Turning the Wheel Missoula and has over 25 years of experience teaching improvisational movement classes, expressive arts groups, and ceremonial rituals. She is passionate about providing opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to play, move and connect deeply with themselves and express their creative spark. She is an absolutely avid advocate for accordion and alliteration artistry and is a wannabe beat poet. She considers movement and touch her first languages and is finding her way with words. She identifies most with being a mojo sprinkling pixie

Rounding out this episode of the Tell Us Something podcast, Brent Ruby buys a jar of pickles for a gathering with friends. No one ever opens the jar of pickles, so he brings it home. The hitchhiker he picks up along the way is very happy to learn about this magic pickle jar.”Paws, Claws, Pickles and a Little Birdie”

Brent Ruby is a research professor at the University of Montana and has been on a nearly 30-year quest to do good science. He also is committed to writing his own brand of ornery poetry during his relentless study of applied human physiology. One of Brent’s research goals is to effectively share his research findings to improve the health and performance of wildland firefighters. Brent spends time outside of his research in the great outdoors of Montana with his wife Jo and their border collies, Wrango and Banjo. Brent also enjoys building hollow wood stand-up paddleboards, woodwork, art, and writing children’s books. Check out his books, download free coloring book pages, and more at wrangoandbanjo.com.

Laura King, a 32 year old married to her high school sweetheart, becomes pregnant and has to juggle that with the stress of being in law school. Her first ultrasound is an internal ultrasound at five weeks and goes well. She returns home and has to go back to the hospital after complications arise.

`

As the mom of an 8-year-old boy and his four-year-old brother, Laura King gets the chance to tell two or three stories a day, mostly about spiders, fairies, and superheroes. She was, at the time she shared her story, also a lawyer with the Western Environmental Law Center in Helena. There she told stories about arbitrary and capricious government action (and weaves in spiders, fairies, and superheroes where possible). She has since moved to California to focus on a story that will take a long time for her to tell. We’ll get into that more during our conversation.

I caught up with Laura in June of 2020.

In this episode of the podcast, Brian Upton sits down with Tell Us Something Executive Director Marc Moss to talk about his story “Parting Ways with Henry Miller in Egypt”, which he told live onstage at The Top Hat Lounge in Missoula, MT in June 2015. The theme that night was “Oops! I Changed my Mind!”.

His story was recorded in front of a live audience was recorded on June 9th, 2015 at the Top Hat Lounge in Missoula, MT.

They also talk about his extended family in Egypt, about Henry Miller and separating the art from the artist, and about the atmosphere at a Tell Us Something live in-person event.

Brian Upton buys Henry Miller’s Tropic of Capricorn at Shakespeare and Company in Paris, France. He begins reading the book in Alexandria and discovers that the book is considered pornography in Egypt.

Brian is originally from the Great Lakes country and came to Missoula from Indonesia in the mid-90s to go to the University of Montana.  He has since discovered that Butte is the more interesting place, but is settling for Missoula anyway.

 

On a mission to buy an Indian sidecar during the Sturgis bike rally. Jim Beyer borrows Greg’s truck to go pick up the sidecar. He is followed several times along the way by police officers. Jim’s story is called “A Mission from God”.

Jim Beyer has been a life-long motorcycle enthusiast since buying his first Harley-Davidson in 1972–which he still has and rides occasionally. Jim attended his first Sturgis Bike Rally in 1977 and rode his bike to Sturgis, South Dakota about a dozen times in the following quarter century. He has not been back since 2003.

 

Free from jail at 16, Stephanie faces a corrupt system and overcomes an inept foster parent. Stephanie calls her story “The Smartest Girl in the Jail”. Stephanie told her story live on stage at The Top Hat Lounge in Missoula, MT back in October of 2012. The theme that night was “Forgiveness”.

 

We also talk about her band, her podcasts, and how things in the system don’t seem to have changed much since she was 16.

Stephanie Hohn, raised by wolves, is an activist, artist, and traveler. 

I caught up with Stephanie in July of 2020.

 

Listen to Stephanie’s podcast Pasture Bedtime.

Listen to Stephanie’s podcast Spookytown.

Check out Stephanie’s ban Aggressive Pedestrian.

Jeremy N. Smith and I chat about his story “Always, Only, At Least”, which he told live onstage at The Top Hat Lounge in Missoula, MT back in October 2014. The theme that night was “The Things We Carry”. We also talk about podcasting, some of the podcasts that he hosts and co-hosts, storytelling, and being in service of others. I caught up with Jeremy in August of 2020.

Finally arriving in London to be with his girlfriend after a long-distance relationship, Jeremy instead takes the train to Amsterdam for an extravagant formal dinner. Over the course of the next year, he cooks all over the world, memorizing portions of Essentials of Classic Italian Cooking by Marcella Hazan. Jeremy calls his story “Always, Only, At Least”.

Jeremy N. Smith is a journalist, podcaster, and author of three acclaimed narrative non-fiction books: Breaking and Entering, Epic Measures, and Growing a Garden City.

Jeremy has written for many outlets including The Atlantic, Discover, Slate, and the New York Times.

He hosts the podcasts The Hacker Next Door, Stimulus & Response (with high-performance coach Damon Valentino), and You Must Know Everything (with his daughter Rasa). Jeremy speaks frequently before diverse national audiences

A graduate of Harvard College and the University of Montana, Jeremy lives in Missoula, Montana, with his wife and daughter.

 

 

Our podcast today was recorded in front of a live audience on August 24, 2021, at Bonner Park Bandshell in Missoula, MT. 7 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Forward to Better”. Today we hear from 2 of those storytellers.

Our story this episode comes to us from Rosie Ayers and Teresa Waldorf.

Teresa Waldorf and Rosie Ayers build a common story using their different experiences during the pandemic.

They call their story “March 22”.

 

Our podcast today was recorded in front of a live audience on August 24, 2021, at Bonner Park Bandshell in Missoula, MT. 7 storytellers shared their true personal story on the theme “Forward to Better”. Today we hear from 5 of those storytellers.

Our first story comes to us from Sasha Vermel.

When Sasha Vermel tells her husband that she isn’t ready to settle down and wants to travel, he takes her up on it and they learn how difficult being gluten intolerant can be while traveling in China.

Sasha calls her story “Pieces of Home in Far Off Lands”.

Sasha Vermel passionately believes that we all have a basic need to hear and tell stories. By day, she is a real estate agent with a sewing and design habit. Born and raised in Missoula, MT she earned a BFA from U of M. In her former life she worked in theater costume shops across the West and frequently performed on stage at Bona Fide and Bawdy Storytelling events in San Francisco. Learn more about Sasha at her website sashavermel.com.

Our next story comes to us from Sara Close.

Sara Close is feeling hopeless. She picks up the phone and the woman on the other end saves her life and reminds her of the magic in life.

Sensitive listeners, please be aware that Sara’s story mentions suicidal thoughts.

Remember, You are not alone. Reach out. | Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1.800.273.8255 | projecttomorrowmt.org | “text MT” to 741-741

Sara calls her story “A Lesson in Magic”

 

Sara Close is a strategist and convener of good ideas and good people. Director by day, a yoga teacher by night, but a mom all the time, she’s happiest on the water, on trails, or on the trampoline… but definitely not on snow and is still trying to figure out how to do winter in Montana right.

In our next story, Lauren Gonzalez navigates the complex feelings a new mother has when she brings a daughter into the world when hoping for a son. She calls her story “No Girls Allowed”.

Lauren Gonzalez is a Southern-born thirty-something who writes/edits, climbs, (pretends to learn the) drums, sings, homeschools, and mothers two plucky kids (alongside her partner of 10 years) in beautiful Missoula.

 

Our next storyteller, Paul Mwingwa, is a refugee from Congo by way of Rwanda. Paul earns that riding the bus is very different across cultures. He uses this knowledge to help other refugees as they navigate learning the bus system in Missoula, MT. We call Paul’s story “Riding the Bus”.

Paul Mwingwa is the Refugee Congress Delegate for Montana. He is a resettled refugee from the Democratic Republic of the Congo and came to the U.S. in November 2018. Mwingwa is studying Computer Network Design, Configuration and Administration Modules at Missoula College. Today, he works as a Swahili language instructor and private contractor at the Lifelong Learning Center and a food service worker at Providence St. Patrick Hospital. In his free time, he enjoys hiking and walking along the river.

Jen Certa originally shared this story in 2020 during one of the Tell Us Something live-streamed events. It is such an important story that we thought she deserved a live in-person audience to hear it. Jen agreed.

Jen Certa’s journey to fix a botched tattoo helps her answer Mary Oliver’s question about how to love this world.

Sensitive listeners be aware that Jen’s story mentions sexual assault.

Jen calls her story “How to Love This World”.

Jen Certa is originally from New York, but accidentally began a love affair with Montana in 2009 and is grateful to have called Missoula home since. Jen works as a mental health therapist at an elementary school, where she spends her days debating the finer points of making fart noises with your slime and playing “the floor is lava.” When not at work, Jen can most often be found hiking with her dogs and running late for something.

 

 

Bonnie Bishop talks about what it was like to be the first person in Tell Us Something history to share her story in a live-streamed setting. We talk about the pandemic, about collective grief, and about what it means to begin returning to life beyond quarantine. After our conversation, you can hear the story as Bonnie shared it on the Tell Us Something live-streamed stage.

 

Bonnie Bishop encounters a personality at work that has some interesting ideas about what constitutes professional attire. Bonnie calls her story “GREATER THAN MY PANTS”.

 

Bonnie Bishop is originally from Northern Virginia and moved to Missoula site unseen after working a few summers in Yellowstone National Park, where her love for wild things took hold. Since then Bonnie has gotten her Master’s degree in Public & Community Health from the University of Montana, which has fueled her passion for health equity and social justice. Bonnie values authenticity, laughter, empowerment, courage, and swears by blasting Evanescence in the bathtub as the remedy for a bad day.

 

 

Tell Us Something Podcast Trade with A Rhythm Runs Through It

 

 

Tell Us Something believes that everyone has a story. We believe that all stories matter. We believe that storytelling brings us together as a community. We believe that stories connect us as community members, open our hearts, change our minds, change our community and change the world for the better.

A Rhythm Runs Through It podcast helps Montana musicians tell their stories. You get the behind-the-scenes stories of the music, the bands, the musicians. They suggested to Tell Us Something that we have a podcast trade. So here we are!

Listen to this podcast and get ready to hear insights into the non-profit world, into local music, and hear some beautiful music from Maria Zepeda from Montana Area Music Association (MAMA).

Check out Maria playing as Emzee & Silas here.

Find them on Spotify.

You can subscribe to the A Rhythm Runs Through It podcast wherever you get your podcasts.

Learn more about the team behind A Rhythm Runs Through It over at Attack and Release Sound and listen to Maria’s music on her Bandcamp page.

You can learn more about MAMA at their website.

All the IGs:

@arhythmrunsthroughit
@mama4mt
@zealous.medicine

Remember to get your tickets to the live in-person Tell Us Something storytelling event on August 10. Get your tickets here.

Our first storyteller is Erin Scoles, a mother, who watches in shock as a terrifying avalanche buries her young son. Strangers and community come together in Missoula to save lives amid chaos. Erin calls her story “Found”.

Erin Scoles is grateful to have lived such a full life. She’s given birth to 5 children, hitchhiked across the country, lived in a school bus before it was cool, endured huge loss, and loved big. She’s most proud of her Irish heritage and how badass & compassionate her kids are. Erin looks forward to the day when she can focus on just one project at a time and for her kids to finally and truly admit she’s the funniest person that they know.

Jen Certa shares her story about how a simple act of kindness helped eventually house an unhoused person, led to closure for a family, and reaffirmed her hope in humanity. Jen calls her story “Life, Death, and Teaspoons of Water”. Thanks for listening.

Jen Certa is originally from New York and accidentally began a love affair with Montana in 2009. She is a  social worker and currently works as a therapist with kids and families, which basically means she’ll help you process your feelings after she beats you at Uno. When not at work, Jen can most often be found traversing the trails around Missoula with human and dog friends, guessing people’s Enneagram numbers, and/or running late for something.

Next up is Jennifer Robohm. Jennifer recounts her 9/11 experience, witnessing the tragedy, offering help, and cherishing acts of unity amidst chaos and despair in NYC. Jennifer calls her story “As the Dust Settled”.

 

Jennifer Robohm moved to Montana from the East Coast to be closer to her twin sister and to have an adventure. That adventure turned into a life! Jen is a clinical psychologist who’s been teaching at the University of Montana for close to 20 years. She lives in Missoula with her partner, Nadia; her son, Jack, is a UM senior. Jen loves the Missoula community and the Montana outdoors.

Closing out this episode of the Tell Us Something, podcast, Linds Sanders recounts a series of encounters in which strangers share their deep grief with her, painting profound connections amid loss, teaching empathy, and illuminating the beauty in life’s small, poignant details. Linds calls her story “Peanut Butter & Peonies”

Linds Sanders is a Montanan who has a habit of saying “yes” to experiences that scare her such as saving house spiders, learning to rock climb, working with preteens, and–most recently–sharing a story at Tell Us Something. It’s much easier for her to pursue the passions she loves such as poetry, art, traveling, and spending time with friends and strangers alike. Currently, she is in graduate school pursuing a degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an interest in grief work. She works as a counseling intern at Tamarack Grief Resource Center where she has the honor of holding close the stories of others.  Learn more about Linds on her website. You can also follow her on Instagram. Learn more about the Tamarack Grief Resource Center here. 

Tell Us Something believes that everyone has a story. We believe that all stories matter. We believe that storytelling brings us together as a community. We believe that stories connect us as community members, open our hearts, change our minds, change our community and change the world for the better.

PLEASE, IF YOU CAN, GIVE GENEROUSLY DURING THIS YEAR’S MISSOULA GIVES.

For the past 11 years, Tell Us Something has supported the community through the art of storytelling and reaches people through live events, storytelling workshops, podcasts, our YouTube channel, and now live streaming storytelling events.

This week on the podcast, we check in with Anna Haslund, the first Deaf storyteller to have shared a story on the Tell Us Something stage. We talk about her story and what it was like to share a story on the Tell Us Something stage. We also talk about her excitement to compete in the Miss America Pageant representing her state as Miss Montana. During our conversation, Anna also shares some of the unique challenges Deaf people face during the pandemic.

After the interview, stick around for the story that Anna calls “Joe + Balthazar”. Anna’s story takes us on a wild horse ride in which she performs a daring horse rescue on a forest service road in Montana.

Our first storyteller is Kellie Grandone, whose creative father fashions some homemade skis as a Christmas gift when times were tough at the Grandone household.

Kellie Grandone was born and raised in Polson, Montana, and now calls Great Falls home.  She is a mother to 4 wonderful, creative children, and has been married to her husband Ryan for 21 years.  Kellie teaches 7th-grade art in the Great Falls Public Schools and has been teaching art for the last 10 years.  In her spare time, Kellie loves to read, draw, paint, travel, and spend time with her family enjoying Montana’s outdoors. 

 

Our next storyteller is Jen Certa, who, after years of hating the tattoo on her foot, endeavors to have it covered up with a more meaningful piece of artwork. Sensitive listeners, please be aware that Jen’s story acknowledges sexual trauma.

Jen Certa is originally from New York but accidentally began a love affair with Montana in 2009. She is grateful to have called Missoula home now for the past decade. Jen earned her MSW from the University of Montana in 2016, and currently works as a school-based therapist at Hellgate Elementary School. When not at work, Jen can most often be found hiking with her dogs, listening to podcasts, and running late for something. 

Travis Doria shares his story of three different relationships that left him feeling betrayed, which, with the benefit of time, he was able to forgive and see the humanity in each of these folks who meant a great deal to him at one time. Sensitive listeners be aware that Travis’s story mentions drug use and suicide.

Travis Doria has signed an autograph, cried in public, crowd surfed, defecated in his pants while running in Pattee Canyon, lost a hot dog eating contest, and held a human brain. He currently lives in Missoula with his beautiful wife and daughter.

Willi Prince is the band director at Corvallis School District. She takes her students on a trip to Silverwood amusement park in Idaho, a place with over 70 rides, slides, shows and attractions, the perfect place for a student to get lost.

Willi Prince is the band director at Corvallis School District in the heart of the Bitterroot Valley.  She and her husband play saxophone duets in their spare time when not playing with their 5-year-old daughter, fishing or enjoying the outdoors.  

Reese Jacobson saves the day by donning a uniform when her little brother’s little league team will have to forfeit the big playoff game because they don’t have enough players.

Reese Jacobson teaches 5th grade at Target Range in Missoula.  She spends her non-working hours with her husband, their two boys, and their dog.  She loves playing in the water, hiking in the mountains, and catching fish.

Nerma Dobričanin has been teaching English for 14 years. She loves to play volleyball and is passionate about traveling. One of her childhood dreams was to visit the United States which finally came true when she arrived in the US to participate in the STUDY OF THE U.S. INSTITUTE ON SECONDARY EDUCATION through the Mansfield Center at the University of Montana.

Nerma spoke about her daughter Iskra during the conversation and requested that we share some photos of her daughter. They are below.

Nerma Dobričanin, fresh off the plane from Rožaje, Montenegro, is disoriented by her surroundings in Missoula. Feeling lonely and hungry, she finds a friend who helps her adapt. Nerma calls her story “Resident Evil Fairy Tale” or “Salvation in Missoula”.

Today we feature four storytellers who worked hard during a Tell Us Something corporate storytelling week-long workshop. Members of the Montana Economic Developers’ Association, or MEDA shared their true personal stories from their homes and offices during a corporate workshop hosted by Tell Us Something. The storytelling workshop helped people harness the power of personal storytelling to talk about the work that they do every day. Why is that work important to them, why that work is important to those that they serve and why that work is important to the communities where they live and work across the state of Montana.

The MEDA members who are sharing their stories with you today know that it is with our stories that we can reach people with our mission. They left the graphs and pie charts at the office. They saved the data points for later. Our storytellers today used their true personal stories to share the story of the important work that they do in communities across Montana.

Around 20 or so MEDA members joined me every day for a week. During our two hours every day, I taught them what I know about storytelling. We talked about techniques and structure and helped each other develop and improve our stories. I tailored the workshop specifically for the MEDA members. 

Usually, a Tell Us Something event is focused on a theme. We hadn’t discussed a theme for these stories, but, listening to them, a theme emerged. We can say that the theme is  “Why am I here?” or “Why I do this”. Call it “Passion.” Whatever you call it, you’ll see that these storytellers are personally bonded to the work that they do, and that their passion really comes through in the stories that they share.

Our first storyteller is Gloria O’Rourke. Gloria has been a MEDA member since 1995 and self-employed since 2003. She and her business partner, Mike, share an office and have been married for 44 years.  Mike and Gloria enjoy spoiling their four grandsons and then returning them with sugar highs to their parents. We call Gloria’s story “My Desk”.

To learn more about the Montana Economic Developers Association, visit medamembers.org

Our next storyteller is a world-traveler from a small town. Heather McCartney is a 5th generation Montanan. She works as an outreach and consumer education specialist with the non-profit child care resource and referral agency, Family Connections. Her passions include hunting for good decaf, long reads, and connecting people to great resources. She lives in Choteau with her conservation officer husband, her artistic and whimsical daughter, five freeloading chickens, three cats, and a dog named Bear. Green is her favorite color. We call Heather’s story “Family Connections”.

To learn more about Family Connections, visit familyconnectionsmt.org.

Russ Fletcher is an old retired guy who escaped from San Francisco 25 years ago to live in Missoula with his retired attorney wife, Alexis.  They have two children. His son lives in San Francisco and works for Google. His daughter has “Come Home” from L.A. and works for Hulu. Russ spends a lot of his day looking at a computer screen, drinking coffee, and pondering the future of Montana. Russ calls his story “How I Found My Last Best Job in a Missoula Dive Bar”.

To learn more about Russ’s passion project, Montana Associated Technology Roundtables, visit matr.net.

Teresa Schreiner is the Investment Director at the Great Falls Development Authority. She’s a former ‘Butte Rat’ who teases that she came ‘kicking and screaming’ to Great Falls with her husband, although loves to sell folks on the Electric City. Teresa just celebrated ten years with her larger than life husband, Casey, who equally challenges her efforts. Together they have three scrappy and smart little boys that love to give them a run for their money: Aiden, Liam, and Finn. Teresa calls her story “Nose Down Ass Up”.

You can learn more about the Great Falls Development Authority by visiting growgreatfallsmontana.org

photo by Jason Davis

Tabitha Martinez originally hails from Rawlins, Wyoming, and earned a degree in Creative Writing from the University of Montana. she has since dedicated herself to becoming a full-time artist.

Tabitha is a Teaching artist at SPARK Arts Ignite Learning. She lives in Missoula Montana where she rides her bike everywhere, paints on recycled wood materials, and regularly shows her work at Draughtworks Brewery on Missoula’s Westside. You can see the mural that she painted on the outside of the brewery while quaffing a pint or two.

Tabitha knows that art is for keeping wild children busy. Tabitha is still a wild, busy kid, making art under the name BMartinez. She works on wood salvaged locally from neighborhood alleys, Home Resource Center, and scrap bins from places like Superior Hardwoods, BlueDog Furniture…recycled, reclaimed and liberated woods and wood products. You can sometimes visit her at Upcycled on the Hip Strip in Missoula, where you can buy her beautiful custom artwork.

This week on the podcast, Tabitha Martinez chats about being car-free, project bikes, the idea behind her Tell Us Something poster, and more.

 

 

 

Since around July of 2020, I have been interviewing Tell Us Something storyteller alumni about their experience sharing a story on the Tell Us Something stage, why they chose to share a story and what they’ve been up to since having shared their story. I have a lot more of those interviews to share with you. This week, though, I am going to introduce you to one of the Tell Us Something poster artists.

Because storytelling is an art, I’ve always hired local artists to design a poster for each event. The posters of Tell Us Something are amazing in their own right, and I thought that it would be fun to sit down with some of the artists to chat about their process and see what makes them tick. What inspires them, how they work, and how they came to design the poster that they designed for Tell Us Something.

So, this week on the podcast, join me as we go behind the scenes with local artist Courtney Blazon. Courtney designed the poster for the June 2019 show. The theme that night was “What Are the Chances?”

Courtney Blazon is an artist and illustrator living and working in Missoula, MT. She graduated from Parsons School of Design, where she earned her BFA in Illustration. She’s shown her work in Missoula at the Brink Gallery, Dana Gallery Allez! Gallery and the Missoula Art Museum. Outside of Montana, she has shown work in Seattle, Portland, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, and most recently at the Center for the Arts Theater Gallery in Jackson, Wyoming.

Courtney’s work has been featured in New American Paintings (Western Edition), Studio Visit Magazine, and juxtapoz.com. She is a past recipient of a Montana Arts Council Artists Innovation Award. She is represented by Radius Gallery in Missoula, MT.

Courtney Blazon’s pen and marker drawings reference fields of science, history, cultural studies, myths, and fairy tales. Her images take us someplace between the known world and dreamscape, a surreal marriage of naturalism and fantasy. The results can be simultaneously whimsical and grotesque, witty as well as disturbing. The tension of these unions suggests our own struggle to achieve balance in a chaotic world.

I caught up with Courtney Blazon last summer. We chatted about the historical context much of her work references, life as a professional artist, and some of the large-scale works that she has done recently before finally talking about the poster that she made for the Tell Us Something show in June 2019.

I’ve also been thinking about these interviews as a record of a specific time in our collective pandemic history. They share glimpses into the moments of life during quarantine, how we’re coping, and how we are somehow continuing to go about our daily lives.

You can also see Courtney’s work in person at the Radius Gallery, and you can shop online there.

Until March 2021, you can check out the historical mural Courtney mentioned in the interview in the alley next to Radius called Allez! Gallery.

To see the detailed process Courtney undertook, head over to her website. While you’re there you can check out her huge body of work, as well as learn more about commission and illustration inquiries.

You can also purchase Courtney’s work at her Etsy shop.

You can also follow her on Instagram: @courtneyblazon .

 

 

 

In today’s show, Tell Us Something Director marc Moss explores the challenges, successes, and opportunities Tell Us Something faced in 2020. We’ll look at some of the things we tried that failed, things that worked, things we learned and opportunities for the future in 2021.

Tell Us Something director Marc Moss worked with the team at Gecko Designs to rethink the Tell Us Something website back in 2017 and they have been providing hosting and routine maintenance for the website ever since. Join head honcha Melissa Kaplan and Marc for an in-depth vist about Gecko Designs, the Tell Us Something experience, and telling a story on the Tell Us Something stage.

After the conversation, you can hear the story as she shared it with her husband and head honcho of Gecko Designs, Gabriel Silverman.

 

Melissa Kaplan Silverman & Gabriel Silverman met in Chicago in 2005. Gabriel grew up in Missoula and enjoys all forms of biking and skiing, building things with his hands and creating world-class websites. Melissa is a Detroit-born Missoulian-at-heart who enjoys running and baking. Melissa has been an organizational leader within Gecko Designs since 2005. In addition to her expertise in the customer service and project management arena, Melissa is always the last person to see a final project before it is sent to the client, allowing her to give a thorough and unbiased opinion. Together, Melissa and Gabriel run a graphic design and marketing firm. Tugboat, their Golden Retriever, can be seen sunbathing in the glass window of their office on Higgins when they are not working from home.

A stolen road bike leads Gabriel Silverman & his then-girlfriend Melissa Kaplan to embark on their own little episode of Cops to reclaim the goods.

Their story was recorded in front of a live audience on August 6, 2016, at The PEAS Farm in Missoula, MT. The theme that night was “That’s Not How it Happened”. They call their story “You Stole My Bike!”

 

For years, Ana Soulia won best physical therapist in the local paper’s Best of Missoula voting. She eventually split away from the office where she worked to form her own practice – Inertia Physiotherapy.

Inertia Physiotherapy helps Missoulians get to the root of their pain and heal their injuries so that they can live the active healthy lifestyle that they enjoy.

Ana sits down with Tell Us Something director Marc Moss to talk about some of her favorite Tell Us Something stories and how we can heal our bodies through movement on the next Tell Us Something podcast. After their conversation, you’ll be able to listen to a story that stood out for her.

The story that Ana selected was from Steven T! Millhouse.

Steven T! Millhouse was born in Bozeman and grew up in Missoula. He graduated from Sentinel Highschool, and the University of Montana. Steven’s story was recorded in front of a live audience on September 24, 2019 at The Wilma in Missoula, MT.

Steven takes us on a journey walking from Missoula, MT to Los Angeles, CA, regaining a lost hope in humanity along the way. He calls his story “Homage for the Homeless”.

In this episode of the podcast, a child, traveling alone, encounters hotel trouble, a young woman begins her healing journey thanks to a sexual assault victim’s advocate, a woman recovering from open heart surgery finds respite with a gruff nurse and post-avalanche, Missoula unites.

Four storytellers share their true personal stories on the theme “The Kindness of Strangers”. Their stories were recorded live in person in front of a sold-out crowd on December 06, 2023, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT.

Steve Rosbarsky journeys alone to the Junior Nationals tournament in Minneapolis. The absence of parental guidance sets the stage for a misadventure leading to trouble at a hotel. Stranded without a coach, an unexpected savior, Martin Martin, rescues the young athlete from a precarious situation. A series of escapades involving hotel ice baths, wheelchair races, and rooftop pool revelry culminate in a disciplinary showdown with the coaches. Steve calls his story “Three Days, Two Coaches, One Martin Martin“.

Steve Rosbarsky was born and raised in Missoula Montana. He has two beautiful children, Lydia and Eddie. He is so grateful to his partner Gwen and the joy that he feels being the long-term parental type figure to Evani and Cecelia. Steve is also proud of his beautiful granddaughter Ronnie. He owns and operates a Taekwondo School here in Missoula. Steve is a sustainable project coordinator for Missoula Habitat for Humanity. He holds gratitude for all the moments this life has provided. Learn more about Steve at Missoula Taekwondo Center.

Maria Merkley’s traumatic encounter, guided by her sexual assault victim’s advocate’s support, led to resilience and empowered her to begin her healing journey. Maria calls her story “The Advocate”.

Maria LaDonna Merkley is a proud full-time single mother to her beautiful 18-month-old daughter, Sophia- LaDonna Merkley. Maria was born in Whitefish, Montana, and grew up in Hamilton, Montana, and has had the pleasure of calling Oregon, Arizona, and Washington states home. She is a full-time student at the University of Montana, working on her Bachelor’s degree with a major in Psychology and a minor in History, with a Secondary Education licensure. She hopes to share her love for traveling with her daughter and travel to all 50 states before Sophia is ten years old. Her long-term goal is to move abroad to live and teach anywhere there is a mild winter!

In 2020, Mandy faced heart surgery complications, feeling alone in a hospital amid COVID restrictions. Mandy tries to put on a brave face for her family and friends and her emotions and feelings build inside her to a fever pitch. A gruff nurse, Keith, changed everything with empathy, teaching her to accept help and cherish human connection. Mandy calls her story “Open Heart”.

Mandy Northcott is a mom, wife, pet parent, and general outdoors-loving 47-year-old woman.  She left the flatlands of Iowa for the mountains of Montana 25 years ago and hasn’t looked back. Mandy has been a farmer, tree planter, grocery store clerk, stay-at-home mom, and non-traditional student, and now works as a medical coder and biller. She loves hot springs, African drumming, dog walks, deadheading flowers, gazing at trees, and the quiet time in the morning before everyone else is up. Currently, you will find her on the weekends cold dipping in the Clark Fork River and Rattlesnake Creek with like-minded souls. You can find Mandy on Facebook.

Katrina Angelina Schull recalls a community’s resilience that shines post-avalanche. Strangers become neighbors, uniting in kindness and help, showing for Missoula’s strength to endure hardships. Katrina calls her story “Extraordinary Neighbors”.

Katrina Angelina Shull is a born and raised Missoulian who initiated Amplify Film Group in 2009 after studying at the University of Montana. She later worked as a news reporter for KTMF ABC|FOX, focusing on crafting impactful narratives in positive media. Katrina embraces projects with enthusiasm and enjoys aviation, hiking, fishing, and Jiu-Jitsu outside of work. Katrina is committed to visual storytelling, extending her efforts to creative copywriting, and has initiated Be the Light International, supporting communities in need through her team’s work. You can learn more about Katrina and her work at Amplify Film Group.

 

 

 

When Molly decided to share her story at Tell Us Something, she also extended an offer of in-kind sponsorship to Tell Us Something. Molly is the CEO of Gatherboard.

The Gatherboard.com site tells us that Molly Bradford has been involved in sales and marketing in the greater-Missoula area for nearly 15 years, working with 500+ small businesses on successful marketing and advertising strategies. Through her roles at local businesses and on local volunteer boards, she has delicately guided customers, and even her employers, through grand openings, moves, promotional events, sales and closures. Since coming on board as co-owner of Gatherboard with Colin Hickey in 2009 Molly has co-created GatherBoard and upped the bottom line over 600%.

Molly offered Tell Us Something a great in-kind sponsorship opportunity: a month before each Tell Us Something live event, advertising on MissoulaEvents.net and indoor ads through the Missoula Indoor Ads company that is part of the Gatherboard family. Molly joins me today to chat about the exciting new service that Gatherboard is working on: CheddarBoard!

 

 

 

Dagny is a 2nd-year graduate student at Montana State University where she is the current coordinator for the Sleep and Development Lab. Dagny grew up in the small town of Salmon, Idaho where she has been a whitewater river guide for the past 12 years. Dagny guides on the Middlefork of the Salmon, which is Shoshone-Bannock tribal land. It is her favorite place in the entire world.

If you can’t find her on the Middlefork of the Salmon, expect to find her with her nose in a book, community building, or project managing somewhere. Dagny’s current research focus looks at the intersection of sleep and positive psychology constructs such as mindfulness and self-compassion. When Dagny isn’t working, you can be sure to find her with a paintbrush, on a dancefloor, or cooking good food for good friends.

In 2019, Dagney organized the Stories of Salmon and Steelhead project for the Idaho Conservation League.

Dagny’s story was recorded in front of a live audience on March 29th, 2016, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT. The theme that evening was“Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?”. Dagny calls her story “Gettin’ In The Groove”.

Dagney, guiding a river trip on the Salmon River, tries her best to be empathetic to Ken, a client who is having difficulty adapting to being outside in such an unfamiliar environment.

Born in Kalispell MT, Jennie Pak has deep Montana roots. A love of history and theater lead to her current stint as a living history presenter for Humanities MT. Jennie travels the state performing her one-hour programs at libraries, schools, assisted living facilities and museums. In her day job, she is a senior care provider for Home Instead Senior Care, where the biggest perk is listening to stories from her clients. In her spare time, Jennie helps as a volunteer organizer for Stories and Stones, an annual historical storytelling event at Missoula Cemetery.

Jenny Pak joins us this week as we talk about her visit to Hong Kong where her in-laws live.

Jenny’s story was recorded in front of a live audience on March 29th, 2016, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT.  The theme was “Why Didn’t Anyone Tell Me?”.

Visiting her brother-in-law in Hong Kong, Jennie had an adverse reaction to all of the walking she’s enduring. In an effort to help her heal, she undergoes a regimen of acupuncture, smudging and drinking a mysterious concoction whipped up by a Chinese Medicine Man.

Jenny calls her story “Drink This, it’s Good for You”.

We mention her story about The Labyrinth during our conversation. If you’d like to watch that story, you can watch it here.

Molly Bradford is the CEO and Co-founder at GatherBoard, the makers of MissoulaEvents.net. Molly takes community connection seriously, as an active member of the Missoula startup ecosystem in addition to her children’s scholastic and community endeavors. Molly is an avid yet amateur gardener, cook, skier, and hunter who likes to put up mass quantities of food for the winter, race her husband and kids down the slopes, and makes telecommuting from Mexico a family priority.

Molly’s story was recorded in front of a live audience on December 10, 2019, at The Wilma in Missoula, MT. The theme was“Tipping Point”.

Molly awakens on the day of the hunt to the sounds of her son coughing with the croup and has to decide if she should cancel the hunt. She calls her story “The Push and the Pull – or – Spilling Milk”