Stories from the Center of the Universe

Episode 199: Margie Howell

The podcast went on the road (with a special guest) to Charlottesville, Va. this week to talk to Margie Howell. Margie grew up on a dairy and beef farm in Bedford County, Va. near the area that is now best known for Smith Mountain Lake. She had typhoid fever when she was 10 and admittedly said was lucky to have survived. She attended Mary Washington and UVA and received a Bachelor of Science in Nursing. She met husband Nat Howell at a conference and that would start them on an adventure neither expected. Nathaniel Howell would start a career with the Foreign Service that would eventually lead to a call from President Reagan to be the U.S. Ambassador to Kuwait from 1987- 1991. Nat was the ambassador during Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait in 1990. During Nat’s twenty-six year foreign service career, Margie raised their two boys Chip and Edward, completed a masters degree and was a college professor. Paul said at the end that Margie had lived a fascinating life! They finished by talking about her family and how she is working on establishing an endowment in Nat’s name at the University of Virginia where he taught for 22+ years.

Episode 198: Rob Owens

Rob Owens has known the occasional cohost Kevin Flippen for 30 years and also knows Paul from working together. Rob and Kevin met playing pick up basketball and now share a passion for the game of golf. Rob grew up in northern Virginia and played the three major sports. They discussed the positions he played in high school and how he almost tried out for the Hampton University basketball team. They talked about his dad who was a 20+ year veteran of the DC Metro Police Department and Rob’s love for travel. Rob also took voice classes and dabbled with the idea of using his voice to make a living. He described his love of jazz and told us how he met his wife, Darlene. They ended by Rob apologizing to Paul for an incident at the original wiffle golf tournament.

Episode 197: Skyler Allen

Skyler Allen joins the podcast via a connection with Kenny Wingle (Episode 79). Skyler grew up in Hanover County and said his Mom’s side of the family has deep roots in Hanover. He played lots of sports growing up, but he knew at an early age that football was his passion, his best sport and that he wanted to play in college. He went to Atlee his freshman year and then went to Fork Union Military Academy (FUMA) where he started for three years and earned multiple all state honors on both sides of the line. Paul and Skyler talked about his overall experience at FUMA especially one that he was afforded as an officer his senior year. They discussed where he wanted to play college football, why it didn’t work out and how he ended up playing at Ohio University. Despite a fluke injury he suffered while he was playing in the Independence Bowl, he became a priority free agent for the NFL’s Detroit Lions. After that, tryouts in the NFL, CFL and even a call from Italy, he was at peace with his football career coming to an end. They also talked about his favorite NFL team and his new obsession … golf. They finished by talking about Skyler’s wife, Abby, and their children, Cooper and Peyton.

Episode 196: George and James Monroe

Paul and Kevin welcome back George Monroe to the podcast. George (Episode 170) joined the first time to tell his story and returns to tell the story of his family history. Paul started with a question of when George started to understand and question his family’s history. George said he was young, but that the subject was not discussed very often amongst the adults. Over time, George has become the griot for his family and he will probably pass that on to one of his kids who has the same curiosity and interest as his dad. George, Paul and Kevin discussed interviews, articles and speeches that George has been a part of as well as what he hopes to accomplish in the next six to twelve months. They also talked about some modern day topics and they wrapped up with Paul inviting George back and George thanking Paul and Kevin for the platform to tell his family’s story.

Episode 195: Tim Lilly

Tim Lilly is a veteran, has a strong faith, loves his family and is in the first phase of retirement.

Tim grew up in rural southern West Virginia and then moved to the Huntington area for junior high and high school. He had a great and adventurous time as a kid leaving the house in the morning and coming home when it got dark. Tim told Paul that he decided to walk into a recruiters office one day. That started a 20+ year military career with ten in the United States Navy (followed in his dad’s footsteps) and twelve in the Army National Guard where he and Paul met. They chatted about serving together and about their mutual respect for each other. Tim told Paul about a couple other jobs he had after retiring from the military and how he just retired in December of 2022. Tim finished by telling Paul about his wife Cindy, their two sons Craig and Scott, their great wives and he and Cindy’s grandkids.

Episode 194: Al Lester

This is Al Lester’s second time on the podcast. He was on Episode #32 with his friend and the Occasional Co-Host, Kevin Flippen. Al was born in Miami and grew up in a military household in Georgia. He had a unique experience through 8th grade while living on the base and then his family moved into town when his dad left the military. Al was a stand out athlete in all three sports, but football became his focus and colleges were recruiting him quickly after his junior season was complete. He decided to attend the Virginia Military Institute and he discussed his experiences at VMI. He told Paul and Kevin about his football career there as well as how he was treated as a “Rat” while being an athlete. The three went on to discuss his advice that he gives to his athletic daughters, the upcoming NFL playoffs and they finished by talking about his family. He’s been married to his wife Melanie for twenty years and they have two daughters, Ava and Maddie.

Episode 193: Robin Dreeke

U.S. Marine, Author, FBI Agent, Podcaster and Father … a few of the roles Robin Dreeke has had in his life.

Robin grew up as an only child in Carmel, NY. He told Paul that it was a home with low economic status and some addiction, but one that had a lot of love. Robin said he became self-reliant when he started working the summer before middle school. He had fun growing up and told Paul that he enjoyed the “adventure of it”. He discussed never thinking of himself as a victim and how he believes in the dichotomy of life. After high school, he attended a year of prep for the U.S. Naval Academy and then he went to the USNA. Robin then went in to the United States Marine Corps and he and Paul talked about how to become a better leader. After the USMC, Robin became an FBI Agent and was in NY when 9/11 occurred. They discussed podcasting as well as his three books, what he’s working on now and how being a father has been his biggest influence. Robin finished by talking about his wife of 30 years, his son who is a U.S. Marine and his daughter who is a nurse.

Episode 192: Matt Green

Matt Green has done a little bit of walking in his life …

Matt Green grew up just outside Ashland, VA and had fun growing up exploring, collecting baseball cards, putting lego sets together and playing wiffle ball. After graduating high school, Matt attended the University of Virginia and earned an engineering degree. Matt worked in northern Virginia and then moved to New York. Matt enjoyed walking and around 2008, he started thinking about walking a little further … across the United States! A couple of years later, Matt quit his job and did just that by starting in Rockaway Beach, NY and finishing in Rockaway Beach, Oregon. Matt has continued walking by covering approximately 98% of New York, New York and when he moved back to Virginia during the pandemic, he walked all of Ashland. Paul and Matt discussed some of the lessons he’s learned from walking, how he feels fortunate and lucky and that he has no regrets over the last thirteen years since he started this journey.

Episode 191: Erik Kleinsmith

Erik Kleinsmith is a former U.S. Army Intelligence Officer and private contractor who has testified in front of Congress.

Erik knows Pete A. Turner (Episode 185) and he and Paul started by talking about his career in the United States Army and serving overseas. Erik grew up in Plymouth, Michigan and said it was an idyllic setting for him and his two brothers to grow up in. He told Paul about his mom and dad and especially talked about how involved his Dad was and how they lost him way too early. Erik spoke about what his dad built in their backyard that attracted so many neighborhood kids for so long, his Mom would sometimes have to ask them to leave! Paul and Erik discussed his career in the private intelligence arena and how it led to him testifying in front of the U.S. Congress. They talked about 9/11 and how if certain intelligence hadn’t been quashed, it could have made a possible difference. Paul asked Erik about his involvement with Case Breakers and Erik told Paul how they work on and solve some of the most famous cold cases ever.

Episode 190: Guy Crittenden

Guy Crittenden is a nationally known artist and professional photographer who lives in Richmond, Virginia.

Guy grew up in Gloucester, VA on the Ware River. Growing up, the Ware River was the playground for Guy, his family and his friends. Guy said his grandfather was part of the folklore of Gloucester and taught him everything he ever learned about hunting and fishing. When Guy wasn’t in the outdoors, he was playing sports and he excelled at football. This led to Guy playing football at William & Mary for legendary coach Jimmy Laycock. Guy also knew at a young age that he had a passion for art and that he was good at it as well. After W&M, he attended the Art Institute of Atlanta and then worked in advertising until he opened his own business in 1994. Guy has since become a commissioned and award winning artist and relies a great deal on his life experiences for his artistic inspiration. Guy said he is a “Sportsman who chose to paint”. Guy finished by talking about his wife Melanie, their three daughters and being a grandfather.