Where were you at 7:30 am on Thursday, February 19? Or 4:50 pm that same day? I was listening to my StoryCorps interview on KPCC, 89.3. Yep, my interview.
Another huge goal accomplished for 2009!
This one actually exceeded my hopes and intentions—not only did I record an interview with StoryCorps, a short segement of the interview was selected to air on our Los Angeles NPR station! Talk about the icing on the cake.
I’ve been a big fan of StoryCorps for quite a while now. The Friday morning stories, aired nationally on NPR, are a highlight of my radio-listening week. They are all beautiful stories and several have even moved me to tears.
Not heard of StoryCorps? Here’s their mission, taken from their webpage: “The mission of StoryCorps is to honor and celebrate one another’s lives through listening. We accomplish this by providing access both to the StoryCorps interview experience and to the content that emerges from these interviews. StoryCorps reminds us of the importance of listening to and learning from those around us. It celebrates our shared humanity. It tells people that their lives matter and they won’t be forgotten. Through StoryCorps, we hope to create a kinder, more thoughtful and compassionate nation.”
Wow. This is powerful stuff.
My friend Laura is a huge fan as well. So when I learned that a StoryCorps mobile station was coming to east LA, there was no doubt in my mind I’d sign up and would ask Laura to be my partner. Laura agreed to participate immediately and enthusiastically and I made sure I was at my computer at 10 am sharp on the day reservations opened. The first appointment I wanted was swooped away (they booked super fast) but I got my second choice—Sunday, February 1 at 10: 30 am.
On the drive up to LA, Laura and I decided we’d talk about our friendship and that she would interview me. We borrowed several questions from the list of ideas published on the StoryCorps website and she added several she made up on her own (which remained secret to me until our interview.) Laura and I have a deep and complex relationship so I had no doubt we’d find plenty to talk about and that it would be real and honest.
I’d never been in a recording studio so the experience of recording our interview (40 minutes worth) was new. I thought for sure the huge microphones in front of us would be a distraction, as well as the girl sitting behind me manning the audio equipment. Both faded away within minutes and for 40 minutes (or what is just 10 minutes?), it was just me and Laura talking openly and honestly about our friendship.
A few weeks later, when KPCC called to get our permission to air a segment of our conversation, I about fell off my chair. This couldn’t be true! It was. Although it only aired in LA and not nationally, that was more than fine with me. I really didn’t care who heard it, if anyone. (Three colleagues at work heard it!) What I cared about what that the universe was giving me thumbs up for deciding to participate in a project that had great meaning for me. Rather than sit on the sidelines and think about what it would be like to participate, I took the initiative and made it happen. And the universe decided to affirm my decision by putting it on the air for anyone who wanted to listen. How cool is that?
If you want to hear or read our two-minute segment, here you go: http://www.scpr.org/news/stories/2009/02/19/08_storycorps_teer_0219.html. Oh, yeah, all StoryCorps stories will be permanently archived in the Library of Congress so if this link doesn’t work, you can check it out, all 40 minutes worth, the next time you’re in Washington, D.C.
