Shows
American BittersweetEpisode 11: Hey, do you have a banana?What follows is the final episode of American Bittersweet, one-sided conversation with myself where I reflect on Cather's eyes, appreciating my hometown, cultural exchange, core values, the humanities (again), #goalz, Cather as an ethnographer, people, and end with a Red Cloud plug. Thank you so much, whoever "you " are. Album art by beautiful soul Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-1047 min
American BittersweetEpisode 10: Very cordially yours,In this last interview, I sit down with Ashley, the executive director, at her desk and ask many, many questions. We talk about coming back to our hometowns, planning spring conference, growth mindsets, networking, and a town that is just beginning. Album art by the talented Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-1040 min
American BittersweetEpisode 9: Thank you, Nathan from Flint Hill DesignsListen along to my lengthy and entertaining conversation with Tracy and Thara up in the archival space where they work, somewhere above the bookstore, where I usually am. We follow tangents of typewriters, postcards, the black sheep of the family, context, grief, digital humanities, baths (again...), walking home alone at night, and Cather as a mythological Greek monster. Album art by the one and only Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-101h 00
American BittersweetEpisode 8: Take a bath for me!In this episode, Catherine and I over Zoom talk about working remotely, compartmentalizing, connection, marketing to a global audience, boundaries, and Willa Cather's instagram profile. Also, fun fact, "Cather" is in her name! Album art by the person who never ceases to blow my mind with her art, Cheyenne Knehans!2021-08-1048 min
American BittersweetEpisode 7: Every rooooose has its thornThis episode features an interview with Jim, Karin, and Jen, the facilities team here at the National Willa Cather Center. Our conversation covers historic preservation, endless to-do lists, air conditioners, ghosts, and Red Cloud in its heyday. Album art by the lovely human Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-1043 min
American BittersweetEpisode 6: How did she die?!In this episode, I talk to Rachel, the education coordinator, former (and current) tour guide, and my internship supervisor. We chat about being a woman in a small town, writing center pedagogy, the arts, the humanities, and Willa Cather as a child. Album art by the girl who doesn't stop: Cheyenne Knehans. 2021-08-0945 min
American BittersweetEpisode 5: A Crab and a BoarIn this episode, LauraLea and I talk about coffee orders, antiques, Crazy Horse, manilla envelopes, customer service mindset, and good omens. Sorry for the background noise of chatting, laughing, and coffee making! But as LauraLea says, busy is good! If you want to get her a late birthday gift, forward anything seahorse the NWCC. Album art by Cheyenne Knehans, an art queen. 2021-08-0932 min
American BittersweetEpisode 4: Moon MoonAlise, the program coordinator, and I talk about historical preservation, culture in a small town, sculptures that don't quit, badass mythologized women, the humanities, and of course, Beyoncé. Album art by graphic design goddess Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-0944 min
American BittersweetEpisode 3: Wiggle your thumbWhat follows is a conversation between myself and Red Cloud natives/tour guides Janet and Linda. We talk about the experience of growing up in Red Cloud, giving tours, being Dr. Wilbur Bennett's patient, not having a "photogenic memory," an appearance by Angela near the end, and people's perceptions of Cather. Album art by the brilliant Cheyenne Knehans!2021-08-0830 min
American BittersweetEpisode 2: Pigeons and Pete RickettsIn this episode, I talk with Jarrod and Cheyenne, two employees housed in the National Willa Cather Center who work on tourism, commerce, and other various developments surrounding Willa Cather and Red Cloud. We discuss symbiotic relationships, 19th century economics, murals, and creative energies. Album art by the featured Cheyenne! Hear about and see the artist's work!2021-08-0829 min
American BittersweetEpisode 1: First of all, just have funThis is an interview with Cheryl Wilson; she is a tour guide and former sites curator at the National Willa Cather Center. In this episode, we discuss changing hats, basements, and geographical and cultural landscapes of Red Cloud and the prairie. Album art by my friend and former coworker, Cheyenne Knehans! 2021-08-0818 min
American BittersweetWelcome to American BittersweetBuckle up for some context into this 11-part (the audio is slightly inaccurate) podcast series about the National Willa Cather Center, coming soon to theaters near you. Basically, I'm just a summer intern who loves it here, and I want to share it with everyone. The photo for this episode was taken in downtown Red Cloud on a humid July night before I hit On the Brix for a drink. Please accept my poor excuse of a warm welcome compared to the one I got in Red Cloud, Nebraska. 2021-08-0802 min