Stories from the Center of the Universe

Episode 53: Anna Auguste Wolf

When she was just a child, Anne Loeb and her family had to flee Nazi Germany, first to France, then to New York City in 1939 via the SS De Grasse.  This conversation, Anne shared her experience of Germany in the 30s, her flight, including the elation of reaching American waters, and the adventures she and her family have had in the States ever since. She now lives in the Washington, DC area.

 

We also have Senior Podcast Advisor Katy De Koning in on this one to interview Anne. 

Episode 52: Steve Dunfee

Steve Dunfee is a Green Beret, a 33-year Army Veteran, and now a law enforcement officer of 20+ years. This conversation, we discuss his Ashland origins, his path to the Army, and his journey through some of the most intense training the US Military has to offer. As a disclaimer, the stories Steve shares about Special Forces Assessment, Selection, and Q-Course are from decades ago, and should not be interpreted as an accurate representation of the current process.

Episode 51: A Creative Life

Courtney Ferrell is a speaker, writer, poet, (and as of this podcast, a singer) with boundless energy, infectious positivity, and an inspiring willingness to not take life too seriously. This conversation, we talked about many things, among them being her TED Talks on coming of age, motherhood, spontaneity, how to get out of a speeding ticket, the miracle of existence, and more.

 

She is also starting a podcast with former guest Mason New (see his episode here) that will be focused on joy. Joy is certainly a good word to describe Courtney, and to describe this conversation, and we are excited to share it with you.

Episode 50: Zen and the Art of Lawn Care

John Watts is an Australian-born veteran of both the Australian Army and Virginia Army National Guard, and he now works as a national security analyst and business consultant in Washington, DC. John joined us for an episode on to tell us about his life's journey so far in four poetically themed sections: "Horizons," "Serendipity," "Transitions," and finally "Wizards and Curtains". 

Episode 49: Shawn Peterson

Shawn Peterson is a native of Hanover, VA, now residing in Atlanta. This conversation, we talked about Shawn's hobby of composing and producing music, his career development and progress, reflections on leadership, and the joys of being a dad. 

Episode 48: A Different Point of View

Davis Burnett knew early on that he wanted to be a police officer. He decided to leave his native California and join the Marine Corps just after high school, and eventually ended up joining the Montgomery Police Department as a police officer for 7 years. Davis shares his personal experience during that time and since, and the way his views on race and policing have evolved throughout the years. 

Episode 47: Superfan

Roger Lee is Pod So 1's #1 super fan. He's the only listener we know of to have listened through every minute of our podcast, an undertaking which Paul and I would hesitate to wish on anyone. We brought Roger on to tell us his story - A 2nd generation Korean American, he grew up in Colonial Heights, son to a dedicated entrepreneurial mother who owned and ran Won's Wig Shop in Petersburg, VA. In our conversation, he tells us about his mother's inspiring story, what it was like to be one of the only Korean families in the entire town, adventures meeting his wife and her family, and his love of all things football.  

Episode 46: I ❤️ Ashland

Brenda Gilman, AKA Paul's mother, is a lifelong educator, first of Kindergarteners, then of college students (though what's the difference really). No stranger to hard work, she earned both her Master's and Ph.D. in education through night classes while raising her two kids. Brenda is also a natural creative, and has consistently practiced expression across a variety of visual arts her whole life. This episode, she tells us about all the above, as well as her love for her native Ashland Virginia. 

 

Pictured: Brenda Gilman, Larry Gilman

Episode 45: One Tough School

Mason New is a writer, teacher, business owner, and US Marine Corps veteran. As a kid, Mason was afforded an excellent education, attending a private boarding school and later studying at Washington and Lee University. However, feeling the call of service and yearning for more life experience, he made the unexpected decision of enlisting in the Marines in his senior year of college. His father, a major figure in his life, was diagnosed with liver cancer just after his enlistment, and made it to Mason's Parris Island graduation before passing away just a few weeks later. 

A lover of language, Mason earned his Master's in Liberal Arts from St. John's College, and went on to a 15 year teaching career before deciding to start his own e-learning focused company, NewVia. He writes excellent poems and blogs, and is hoping to write a novel someday. To tell us about all the above and quite a few things in between, here's Mason. 

Episode 44: Mama Lantz

This special episode we have Amelia Lantz (AKA Daniel's mother) on to tell us about her Galveston, TX origins, meeting Daniel's dad, and her adventures in being an expat wife. Moving is hard; moving a family of six from Bolivia to England to Houston to Kuwait to Cairo is extremely hard, and it took a Herculean effort on her part to deal with the boxes and time zones and culture shock, all the while providing the Lantzes a stable home.