Stories from Everyday

[http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/JotNot_01-15-2018-page-1-e1516086110183-300x225.jpg]Jimmie Kanaya with his awards & decorations.Jimmie Kanaya epitomizes the phrase “selfless service.” While his parents were locked away in a Japanese internment camp, Jimmie served his country as a medic in Europe, eventually being captured by the Nazis. After months of captivity in harsh conditions, Jimmie was liberated. After a time, he found himself serving in occupied Japan before going to Korea. Despite these difficult experiences, Jimmie made the Army a career, serving over 30 years and retiring as a Colonel. To me, Colonel (ret) Kanaya is a hero. He and his wife invited me over to their house for a conversation earlier this year. After a warm greeting, Jimmie invited me into his office where awards, decorations, and memorabilia hang on the wall, testaments to a lifetime of service. We spent quite a bit of time talking about his experiences with his mementos as a guide. He showed me how to work his German mess kit, the very one he carried every day as a prisoner of war. “If you didn’t have one, you couldn’t eat,” he told me in a matter of fact tone. Although incredibly proud of his service, Jimmie is very humble. He always gives credit for his success to those around him. I realized very quickly how much Jimmie loves the military and how proud he is to have been a part of its history. [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/IMG_0442-e1516086494517-298x300.jpg]The German mess kit that Jimmie Kanaya carried with him during his time as a prisoner of war.Jimmie served in the 442nd Infantry Regiment, a unit comprised of mostly Japanese American service members. Their story is amazing. Frequently ordered to undertake very dangerous missions, the 442nd was the most decorated unit for its size and length of service in the United States Army. They received numerous citations. Twenty-one members were awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Many members enlisted from inside internment camps, choosing to serve the country that had locked them up. I’ve been fortunate enough to meet a few surviving members of the 442nd or their families during my time in the Pacific Northwest and feel humbled every time. For our conversation, we sat at Jimmie’s kitchen table, leaning over in front of our microphones. The first part of our conversation spanned the better part of an hour. We covered numerous topics, including Jimmie’s service in France, his capture, Korea, and a trip to visit his parents in a camp while he was serving. Eventually, Lynn sat down with us and we talked for a while longer. I consider myself incredibly lucky to have met Jimmie and Lynn. I’ll be forever grateful for the experience. The post Episode 7: Prisoner of War [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/episode-7-prisoner-of-war/] appeared first on Stories from Everyday [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com].

Kathleen is one of my favorite people. I see her every week at our local flea market where Kathleen has a [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/20171012_1-3-1-e1515140729720-212x300.jpg]beautifully curated booth. I don’t remember how we first met – perhaps it was when my wife bought an elegant dress from her for Halloween. In any case, I’ve visited the flea market on numerous occasions just to visit her. I was pleased when she jumped at the chance to be on the podcast. When I asked her what she wanted to talk about, she was eager to mention a group she volunteers with called Elder Wisdom Circle [http://www.elderwisdomcircle.org/], a wonderful resource for individuals seeking advice on almost any issue. We also agreed that it would be fun to talk about her psychic abilities and how she first discovered that she had this gift. At one point, she jokingly mentioned that if I wanted some really interesting stories, I should ask her about online dating! When we finished with these topics, Kathleen volunteered one last story from her childhood that I found very moving. I admire Kathleen for many reasons but most of all because she’s made a choice to use her gifts, knowledge, and talents to help those around her. Whether it’s giving advice to those in need or using her psychic gifts for good, she wants to make a difference in the world and I really admire that. I want to close with an excerpt from a letter Kathleen wrote to someone on Elder Wisdom Circle that she was kind enough to share with me following our interview. “I live my life fully each day because I know that anyone I touch, each encouraging word I give, every heart I help, is changed by my life. Knowing that gives me the energy, the spirit, the love to continue to move forward until it is my time.” Amen. The post Episode 6: Wisdom and Clairsentience [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/episode-6-wisdom-clairsentience/] appeared first on Stories from Everyday [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com].

Judy Cook's Family. [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/gillis080-218x300.jpg]It is easy to remember that our experiences and stories affect people that we interact with every day. It’s harder to grasp how experiences ripple through generations and affect those who will come after us. That’s an idea we explore this episode with Judy Cook. Judy’s mother left her an incredible gift – eight notebooks filled with stories from her life. These were not journals written day-to-day over a lifetime but reflections written by an eighty-year-old woman looking backward to find the moments that meant something, that stood out, that always stayed with her, and that likely helped to define who she was. Judy’s mother was an incredible person with the soul of an artist. Her stories manage to capture the emotion and perspective of the moment with the wisdom she had at the time of writing. Each one is fascinating. In this episode, we talk mostly about her childhood and adolescence which were both impacted by the Great Depression. Judy, like her mom, is an artist. I met her at an artist’s coop after she unveiled a textile piece inspired by one of her mother’s stories. As she read her mother’s words out loud, I was moved by the beauty of the story, the piece, and of the connection Judy had with her mother’s childhood. I am incredibly grateful to Judy for sharing her time and family history with me. I’ll never forget the image of her mother swimming on her back with pancake mix, of Haggador, or the doomsday prophesy that, luckily, didn’t come true. If you are interested in seeing more of Judy’s art (and you should), you can find her homepagehere [http://judycookart.com/home.html]. [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/judycook-Haggadore003-168x300.jpg]Haggadore as drawn by Judy Cook[http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/graduationday1934-138x300.jpg]Graduation Day (textile) by Judy Cook[http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/judycookendofworld-e1514850658720-225x300.jpeg]The End of the World (textile) – Judy CookThe post Episode 5: Haggadore and the End of the World [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/episode-5-haggadore-end-world/] appeared first on Stories from Everyday [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com].

[http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/3fc8ea9-300x300.jpg]I believe that stories create empathy. I believe that learning about others’ experiences makes us better able to understand their lives. When we go to other places either by listening to a story, reading a book, or watching a documentary, we strengthen our connections with other people and places. But what if we could, through virtual reality, literally (or virtually) put ourselves in someone else’s shoes? Is virtual reality the next evolution in storytelling? What are the impacts of removing the perspective of a storyteller from the experience? Zac Murphy has made it his life’s work to explore the power of film and virtual reality to create positive changes in the world. He inspires me. Rather than accept the way things are, Zac is constantly looking for ways to use his talents for good. From saving elephants from landmines to preventing cardiac arrest deaths, he is constantly trying to make a difference. His passion and creativity come across in our conversation. In this episode, we’re going to talk about some of Zac’s projects and about how he discovered his career. We’ll also talk about his transition from a commercial filmmaker to documentary filmmaker and VR enthusiast. It involves a terrifying experience in a National Park. I hope you enjoy the episode. Personally, Zac’s stories serve as an inspiration to use whatever gifts I have to make a difference and to never settle for the way things are. The post Episode 4: Empathy through Virtual Reality [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/episode-4-empathy-virtual-reality/] appeared first on Stories from Everyday [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com].

[http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/12/Cessna_O-1A_Bird_Dog_US_Army_in_flight-300x224.jpg]A Cessna (Bird Dog) in flight. By U.S. Army [Public domain], via Wikimedia CommonsSOMETIMES, THE MOST DIFFICULT PART OF THE WAR IS COMING HOME. In this episode, I finish my conversation with Mike, a Vietnam veteran. We’re going to start by hearing some more about Mike’s deployment to include his memories of serving as an observer on a Cessna, often referred to as a Bird Dog. Afterwards, Mike recalls how difficult it was returning home and reintegrating into American society. Mike gives us a window into what was a difficult time for service members. Returning to America after tough deployments, many veterans encountered cool receptions and were asked to deal with their experiences in private. With the support our military receives today, it’s sometimes hard to grasp just how hostile some people were to those who served in Vietnam. Hearing Mike’s story reminded me how much has changed. It also made me wonder how many Veterans have yet to share their stories. The post Episode 3: Bird Dogs in Vietnam (Part 2) [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com/episode-3-bird-dogs-vietnam-part-2/] appeared first on Stories from Everyday [http://www.storiesfromeveryday.com.php56-17.dfw3-1.websitetestlink.com].