Shows
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 332: Mark JohnsonMark Johnson grew up in Sutton, Massachusetts which was rural at the time and his family can trace their roots back to the folks that landed at Plymouth Rock. Mark and his family have been in Virginia for over 15 years and told Paul they had to make some changes when it came to the difference in pace between New England and the South. They talked about Mark’s brushes with the music industry. He made it clear to Paul that it was not due to musical talent, but to the work he did and a house that he owned in...2025-06-231h 41
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 330: COL Bryan KirkBryan Kirk is a very good friend of Brett McCreight (Episode 323) and he joins Paul on the podcast. Bryan and Paul first talked about his wife Kristin, their three kids and about being a grandfather. He told Paul he grew up outside of Charlotte and that his parents had two sets of twins. They all attended a small Christian school which was a part of their church and he and his twin sister made up half of their graduating class of four! He then attended Campbell University which is where he met Brett. Bryan commissioned at Campbell and spent...2025-06-091h 17
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 329: Barry ToddBarry Todd grew up in a military family and he spoke about his mom’s military service, her time working for the FBI and the fact that she spoke five languages. Barry grew up in many different places and enlisted in the United States Army in 1980. They discussed how he was very blessed during his twenty-one years in the U.S. Army, attending Ranger school and he told Paul about a very important lesson he learned about from his Ranger brothers. Barry and Paul then spoke about an experience he had that changed his life and one that has le...2025-06-021h 07
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 327: John StreitmatterJohn Streitmatter and Paul worked together a while back and they have reconnected to have a chat. They first discussed leadership, the journey of making changes to improve the workplace and the relationships between management and their employees. They discussed John growing up in Illinois, playing sports and becoming an Eagle Scout. John attended Indiana University, played a lot of pick up basketball and they talked about the culture of basketball in Indiana and what it means to the state and the people that live there. John had an incredible mentor after college and he told Paul how the...2025-05-261h 23
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 326: Kerri Cobb HarrisonIt’s couples week on Stories as Kerri Cobb Harrison joins the podcast. Her husband Tommy Harrison just talked to Paul the other day and Paul started by commenting that he has not met a couple so compatible as Kerri and Tommy. Kerri grew up in New Kent, Virginia and told Paul that she had a great childhood playing sports and spending time on the James River with her grandparents. Kerri was a two sport athlete in college where she played basketball and softball at Lynchburg University and Christopher Newport University. Kerri had been teaching softball since her senior ye...2025-05-221h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 324: Gary MarxGary Marx joins Paul through a connection with recent guest and friend Bret McCreight. Even though he has family ties to Germany from the 1800s, he told Paul he was no relation to Karl! Gary grew up in a military family and married his wife whom he met while they were in high school in Germany. After high school, his family moved back to the states and Gary went to James Madison and majored in Political Science. His work is in Public Policy/Public Affairs and he told Paul how he has worked on six presidential campaigns and has...2025-05-1957 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 325: Tommy HarrisonIn this episode, Paul talks to Tommy Harrison who is from Ohio and had a ten year career in professional baseball. The first thing they discussed is how Tommy is an Ohio State fan and how he lives in a “house divided” because he married a fan of their rival school. They talked about growing up in an area that Tommy described as the country, but they still lived in a neighborhood. It was a whole lot of sports for Tommy growing up as he played football and wrestled, but it was baseball that became his favorite. Tommy became a pi...2025-05-191h 10
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 323: Brett McCreightBrett McCreight and Paul know each other from their time in the Virginia Army National Guard. Brett’s Dad was in the military as well and Brett told Paul he has lived in eighteen different houses throughout his life. They talked about his time on active duty and in the national guard. They discussed his many experiences throughout and they discussed the differences between the two as well as some of his fondest memories in each. They discussed many bases they know and talked about the best and their least favorite. Brett was stationed in Korea when 9/11 happened and he...2025-05-051h 33
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 322: Gray LaneGray Lane (Episode 41) returns to Stories and to say he has had some dramatic changes in his life since the last time he and Paul spoke is an understatement. Gray discussed with Paul his beginnings with consuming alcohol. He soon recognized that he was different from most in that he drank more and longer than most of his friends. He told Paul how his drinking continued at VMI and how it surprisingly fostered his habits. He discussed moving on to narcotics and that started with prescription stimulants such as Adderall and Ritalin. Gray always knew there would be a...2025-04-281h 19
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 321: Tom SaundersTom Saunders and Paul used to work together at the “Bakery.” Tom was already there when Paul arrived and Paul recalled getting two pieces of sage advice from Tom about working in “Corporate America.” They reminisced and talked a lot about the people they worked with and how some were real characters! Tom has great memories of growing up in South Hill, Virginia where his dad was a doctor and he told Paul how he used to go on house calls with him. His dad had gone to the University of Richmond and Tom followed in his footsteps where he major...2025-04-211h 30
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 319: John MorganJohn Morgan is a teacher, writer and musician and comes to the podcast via a couple of mutual friends of his and Paul’s. John grew up in a small house where his Dad worked for the local utility company and his mom was a teacher. His dad went to St. Christopher’s and John’s parents decided to send him there as well. John and Paul talked about his experiences at St. Christopher’s and John told Paul a powerful story about his best friend in middle school. As a result, music became very important and a big part of...2025-03-311h 54
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 318: Dave LohrDave Lohr comes to the podcast via a round about connection to Bobby Malone (Episode 150). Dave is a VaTech graduate and his major and career was in Chemical Engineering. Paul first thanked Dave for talking to his son Zach who is also a Chemical Engineering major and a soon to be VT Alum! They then talked about The Indianapolis 500 which Dave will attend for the twenty-eighth straight time in May of 2025. This started Paul and Dave on the main theme of the podcast which was talking about sports and the many amazing sporting events that Dave has attended with...2025-03-241h 22
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpidode 317: Jim O'FarrellJim's next gig is Saturday, March 22 at the Eastwood Farm & Winery at 2531 Scottsville Rd, Charlottesville from 12:30 to 3:30pm.
After a twenty-eight year career, Jim O’Farrell retired from the Army about sixteen years ago. Jim has been playing a guitar since childhood and now between being in a band and singing solo, a lot of his retirement is filled with writing and playing music. He told Paul what types of venues he plays, the type of music he plays solo as well as with the band and his method for writing songs. They then had a discussion ab...2025-03-101h 47
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 313: Pai is backPai Charasika returns to the podcast to chat with Paul about a few different things. Pai first told Paul about his first hand experience dealing with Hurricane Helene. Pai is a high school football coach in Asheville, NC., an area that was hit very hard by the hurricane in late September 2024. Pai talked about the team having to miss games, but how the boys used that time to help the community which ended up winning them an award from the Army National Guard. It was life lesson they will never forget and when they got back to playing football...2025-02-101h 04
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 312: Courtney KimbleCourtney Kimble used to work with Paul and they reconnected after Paul met Courtney’s dad Anthony last week. Courtney is from Middlesex County, Virginia and Paul and a couple of friends went to eat lunch at Something Different (https://somediff.com) in Urbanna which Anthony and his wife Sarah own. They talked about where Courtney grew up, what Urbanna and Middlesex County are known for and how her best friend is a cousin of another guest that has been on the podcast. Courtney has been laid off for about the last five months. They discussed some great advice sh...2025-02-041h 09
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 311: COL Jeremy BowlingCOL Jeremy Bowling makes a return to the podcast when he was last on Episode 309 with John Hollis and Chuck Casey. They discussed their efforts to honor Sgt. Rodney Davis as well as their overall goal of helping veterans. Jeremy told Paul that their 501(c)(3), The Longest Climb Foundation has become official, is growing and how it will help them meet their goal. Jeremy and Paul first talked about how Jeremy got involved and how the idea of helping Vietnam vets came from being a part of and witnessing the power of a D-Day commemoration. This led to the...2025-01-201h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 310: Lindsay Gilman turns 21In Episode 181, Paul interviewed his son Zach after he had turned 21 and now it is daughter Lindsay’s turn! The whole family was together to talk to Lindsay and Lisa started by telling us about the day that Lindsay was born. It involved a trip to Target, Lisa’s Mom telling her something when she got home and then a decision to go to the hospital. Lindsay being born that day (at 8:47pm) meant she had the same birthday as Lisa’s grandmother. Paul and Lisa talked about some early memories of Lindsay and a common theme was her ability...2024-12-2344 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 308 - Teresa OfoiaTeresa Ofoia comes to the podcast via her Mom and Paul meeting at a networking event. Teresa is a professional dancer and has made that her career for about the last eight years. Teresa was born in Hawaii and raised in Virginia, first moving to northern Virginia and then moving to the Chesterfield/Richmond area. They discussed some of the changes she went through when she moved of which wearing shoes all the time was one of the big ones! Teresa and Paul talked at length about her dancing career including getting her dream job early on as well...2024-11-251h 03
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 307: Robyn D'OnofrioSilent Rob met Robyn D’Onofrio and suggested that she come on the podcast … Paul reached out and here she is! Robyn grew up in rural New Jersey where there were lots of kids around and there was always something to do. She attended high school and told Paul she was an “athletic goof-off” who wasn’t concerned with academics that much. That changed in college where she was a captain of the basketball team, worked very hard academically and was the president of the student senate. She continued her schooling and also received her law degree. She and her family...2024-11-181h 08
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 305 - Jamesetta ClevelandJamesetta Cleveland comes on the podcast to talk about her company Sports Mom University Consulting. Jamesetta and Paul talked about the company on a high level and how and why she founded it. Jamesetta will be joining Paul and Kevin on the Virginia is for Sports Podcast to talk more about her company and on the subject of NIL in particular. In this episode, Paul talked to Jamesetta about a variety of things. They talked about her growing up as a military brat and where her favorite places were to live and visit. This led to discussions about some...2024-11-041h 13
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 304 (SB5): Woody HoggLocal real estate legend Woody Hogg joins Paul on the podcast. Woody and Paul talked about his many business ventures in banking, insurance, real estate and jobs he had when he was getting started such as being a taxi driver. They talked about the sports he played in high school and also during his time at East Carolina University. Woody told Paul the main three things that effect a house sale and he even added the fourth key ingredient for good measure! He also gave advice to young people that either want to sell real estate, buy real estate...2024-10-281h 16
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 302: James HaglerJames Hagler joins Paul and the first subject they covered was to talk about his relationship with his dad, Marvelous Marvin Hagler. They discussed James growing up with his dad, their differences in adulthood and how they reconciled before his dad passed away in 2021. James talked about going to the gym in his youth and the influence his uncle Robbie had on him. James told Paul about his family and they discussed the path that his son James Jr. has taken and while they get along and talk, they don’t talk about boxing. Paul asked James about his pe...2024-10-141h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 301: Paidemoyo CharasikaPaidemoyo Charasika joins Paul courtesy of a connection with Chris Gaskell (Episode 262) as they played football together at Wake Forest. Pai was born in Nashville, but grew up in Louisville. Education was very important to Pai’s parents … especially his Mom! Pai attended Kentucky Country Day, a prep high school in Louisville and then looked at several really good academic colleges. He fell in love with Wake Forest and went there for the education, but also was a walk on for the football team. Pai is proud of the fact that he lettered three out of four years as a wa...2024-10-071h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 300: Brent ScopelBrent Scopel joins the podcast and is the guest for Episode 300! Brent has listened to almost every episode and he brought Paul some “brown water” to celebrate this momentous occasion. Brent grew up in Ohio and was adopted by his parents who raised him and his two brothers who were 14 & 16 years older than Brent . Growing up, Brent was drawn to music and started playing the drums when he was about 15 years old. Paul and Brent explored the role that music has played in his life by discussing types of music, his opinion on the best drummers of all time, Bren...2024-09-301h 46
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 299: Dwight VickDwight Vick joined Paul on Episode 122 and is back with Paul and Kevin for a combination episode with the Virginia is for Sports Podcast. Dwight filled in Paul and Kevin on what’s been going on with his family and life since they last spoke. He spoke about his company Victory Life and how he relied on a very important person to come up with the company motto, “Leave a Legacy”. Kevin and Paul then discovered what an incredible amount of knowledge Dwight has when it comes to Virginia High School Football. They discussed possible 2024 state champions, the talent of pla...2024-09-231h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 294 (SB3): John Finn & United Real EstateJohn Finn joins Paul on the podcast to discuss growing up in Richmond, sports memorabilia and his family lineage to name a few. John grew up in different parts of Richmond and he and Paul discussed going to different schools and his experience with school integration. They talked about the bad, but mostly good experiences and how his first year was very formative. Paul learned about John’s collection of sports memorabilia and some of the incredible athletes that were represented in his collection. John spoke to Paul about his family lineage and the types of businesses his father all...2024-08-191h 07
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 291: Kiara RobinsonKiara Robinson and Paul met in a unique way and discovered they had both been in the military. Kiara was active duty in the United States Marine Corps for five and a half years and had many different jobs/duties while in the USMC. She is from Long Beach, CA, but went to high school in Phoenix, AZ where she played a lot of sports and ultimately made the decision to enlist. They talked about her experiences in the military and how she had to get used to being a civilian again when she left the military in 2018. Kiara...2024-08-051h 16
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 289: Chris GorresPaul asked Chris Gorres what he says when people ask him what he does for a living. He told Paul he is a Coach. We’ll come back to that. Chris moved to the United States from the Philippines when he was four years old. He grew up in Maryland and played all the sports growing up. That’s what he wanted to do and his Mom let him do it as long as he got the grades. The hard work on the field and in the classroom paid off when he attended Cornell University and played football for the...2024-07-221h 13
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 287: Rich BrentRich Brent is the Executive Director of The Big House Museum in Macon, Georgia. The Big House Museum is dedicated to the lives and memories of the Allman Brothers Band. Stu Brown (Episode 257) connected us to Rich. They grew up together in Hurt, Virginia and are great friends. Paul and Rich talked about growing up in Hurt, playing football and basketball and riding BMX style bikes. Rich talked about his professional life and how he was living in Macon, Ga. where he began volunteering at The Big House which led to him becoming an employee. He told Paul that...2024-07-151h 04
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 286: Stewart VerderyStewart Verdery joins Paul via a connection with John Hollis (Episodes 277 & 282). His family moved to the Richmond area when he was five and settled in Hanover on a fourteen acre farm that had had a long history. Paul learned of some very unique things that the Verdery family built on the farm in those early years. Stewart went to a couple of schools in the Richmond area before finishing his last three years at Woodberry Forest. He talked about his great experiences while there and his involvement with the school since he graduated to present. For college he went...2024-07-081h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 285: Ray HedrickPaul told Ray Hedrick that he completed the trifecta for him. Ray, as the Head Baseball Coach at Randolph Macon College, now joins Pedro Arruza (Episode 99) and Josh Merkel (Episode 154) of being on the podcast and representing the three major sports at RMC. They discussed RMC and the athletic success they have been and are currently enjoying. He told Paul that it is not just three major sports, but he mentioned softball, women’s volleyball, and both lacrosse teams amongst others. Paul asked Ray about growing up and discovered that Ray is from northern Virginia and was raised by hi...2024-07-011h 12
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 284: Bravo Bakeshop - Liz DillonLiz Dillon joins Paul for Series 4, Part 2 of the Downtown Ashland Association and we are so happy to have her on the podcast! Liz is a native of Florida and grew up on a farm in a small community so it is no wonder that she told Paul that she loves Ashland. Liz and her husband have settled in Hanover and when doing so, Liz saw an opportunity to live out her dream and follow a true passion that she has had since she was a little girl and that was to have a bakery business. Along with her...2024-06-2750 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 278: Rick JeffreyRick Jeffrey and Paul met just three weeks ago when Rick was inducted into the Virginia Sports Hall of Fame. Rick was inducted primarily due to his work with the Virginia Special Olympics. Rick is from the Richmond area and played many sports at Douglas Freeman High School. He went on to play basketball at Hampden Sydney College and then did some coaching and was a referee after college. He then told Paul the story of how he got involved with the Special Olympics and how that has led to a piece of advice that he gives to young...2024-05-201h 37
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 277: John HollisPictured: John Hollis (R), The Nature Boy Ric Flair (L)
John Hollis joins the podcast via a mutual friend he has with Paul … Mike Woods. John is from Fredericksburg, Va. and grew up with two brothers and his Mom. He talked about his family especially his Mom who raised all three of her boys by herself. She ran a tight ship and John and his brothers were expected to excel in school or their extracurricular sports lives would suffer! John went to Woodberry Forest for high school and then went on to UVA. John told Paul about hi...2024-05-131h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 275: Rayne and Rasheed WrightRayne Wright and her dad/coach Rasheed join Paul to talk high school basketball. Rayne is a player on and Rasheed is the coach of the current Class 6 Virginia State Champions, Manchester High School. Paul talked to Rayne about her basketball journey from the beginning as well as what the future may hold for her on the hard court. They discussed what she loves about the game and Paul learned about what kind of leader Rayne is for her team. Paul discussed with both of them what the dad/daughter/coach/player dynamic is between the two of them...2024-04-2933 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 273: Marlee and Chris GaskellMarlee and Chris Gaskell join Paul for both the SCOTU and the VA is for Sports podcasts. Marlee is the first high school athlete to be on the podcasts as well as the youngest person Paul has interviewed. Marlee is a junior at Midlothian HS and is a left handed pitcher for their Varsity Softball team.
Marlee started playing at a young age and says it’s the competition from both the individual and team perspectives that has fueled her passion for the sport of softball. They discussed her schedule which includes travel ball, going to camps, of...2024-04-1536 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 269: Frank ShamrockFrank Shamrock, the former UFC Champion and #1 ranked pound for pound fighter in the world joins Paul on the podcast. Frank told Paul about his tumultuous upbringing regarding family, being in foster homes and spending time in juvenile detention. Things turned around when he was emancipated then married at 17 and when his son arrived. That fell apart and Frank fell backwards and ended up in Folsom Prison. He told Paul about his time in prison and Paul learned of two famous inmates who were in prison when Frank was there. Frank has been a voracious reader from a young a...2024-03-281h 27
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 267: Eddie WebbEddie Webb and Paul first met in September of 2023 when Eddie was inducted as part of the inaugural class of the Patrick Henry HS Hall of Fame. Eddie moved to Ashland when he was three because his Dad, Paul Webb got the head coaching job for basketball at Randolph Macon College. They discussed growing up in Ashland and how he played all sports, but how basketball became the focus for Eddie. He went on to play for four years for his Dad at RMC and then he started a twenty year college coaching career. Paul learned about some of...2024-03-181h 10
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 265: Dustin IngleDustin Ingle was born in Arkansas, but grew up in Texas. Dustin and Paul spoke about growing up in the Fort Worth area of Texas and playing all the sports growing up, but settling on soccer in high school. After a couple of jobs, Dustin decided to go into the U.S. Army. Paul and Dustin spoke about his early training and then his first three deployments to Iraq and Paul learned just how different those three deployments were for Dustin. They talked about his progression and attending a specialized school that led to an interesting first six months...2024-03-111h 19
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 264: Debra and Steve HallDebra & Steve Hall join Paul on the podcast because Bobby Malone (Episode 150) has the pleasure of being Debra’s brother! Steve and Debra talked to Paul about their first date, Debra not liking Steve, Steve being in love with Debra and how he finally won her over which has led to forty-six years of marriage. They talked about Steve’s time in the U.S. Army and how after getting out and a few jobs, he landed at Phillip Morris for thirty years. Debra was an educator in the Richmond School system and taught literacy and she told Paul how...2024-03-071h 12
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 262: Chris GaskellChris Gaskell joins Paul on Stories via knowing Stu Brown (Episode #257). Chris is from the Hampton, VA area and grew up playing sports and working with his step-dad for a couple of summers in the shipyard. Chris learned a valuable life lesson from those summers and ended up attending Wake Forest University where he played offensive line on the football team. He got a masters in Education and put it to use at Varina HS, but we would learn he was just biding his time for his long term career choice. Paul and Chris discussed his job in the...2024-02-291h 17
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 261: Tyler Owens Pt 2In Part Two of a now Three Part Series, Paul talks to Tyler Owens. They began Part Two by discussing what changed his mind to enter the military and joining ARMY ROTC at VMI his senior year. Tyler told Paul about the start of his military journey, a move to San Diego and how some blamed that move for his failed Army Physical Fitness Test (the last requirement needed to be commissioned as an Officer in the US Army). As you'll learn in this episode, there was a very good and scary reason Tyler didn't pass the test. He...2024-02-261h 07
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 259: Rabbi Sherry GrinsteinerRabbi Sherry Grinsteiner joins Paul via a connection through Ben Ipson (Episode 252). They first spoke about how Rabbi Sherry recently delivered the convocation at the Virginia House of Delegates. She told Paul about her parents being from Yemen and how she was born in Israel. She told Paul she had a wonderful childhood even though she lived through and amongst wars … “it was just life”. They talked about her service as an officer in the Israeli Army and the culture change when she moved to the United States. She told Paul how she met and married a tall handsome U.S. M...2024-02-121h 28
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 257: Stu BrownStu Brown joins the podcast courtesy of knowing the former Occasional Co-Host, Kevin Flippen who also joined the podcast. Stu was born in Hurt, Virginia and ended up settling in Henrico County, Va., specifically the Varina area. They talked about his time in Hurt and playing football, basketball and baseball growing up. Football was his favorite, but he went on to play baseball in college @ Concord University. Stu is retired from coaching now, but was a long time coach in the area and talked about well known coaches he would talk to and some of his best players that...2024-02-011h 05
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 248: Jim MalaughJim Malaugh is Jamie Malaugh’s (Episode 59) dad and is visiting Richmond from Alabama. Jim was born in Northern Ireland. He also lived in England and Scotland and then moved to Alabama in 1992. Paul and Jim talked about growing up in Northern Ireland, how to pronounce Irish names and a couple of his family’s traditions. They discussed the history of Ireland and how he and his family experienced some of the conflict firsthand. He told Paul about his education and how he ended up in a very unlikely place for college. They discussed his career, culture shock for he a...2023-12-111h 27
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 247: Chris HarperChris Harper joins Paul via a connection with Andrew Mauck (Episode 11). Chris and Paul talked about his early life which included two separate incidents where Chris’s had to be medivac’d by helicopter by the time he was 15 years old. The first was a jet ski encounter and the other was when he was in an off road vehicle. Chris discussed how these two incidents have shaped his life and how he still went on to play football at VMI. He discussed with Paul how he moved to Australia for a year after college and what he now does...2023-12-041h 22
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 239: Mark JenkinsMark Jenkins comes on the podcast at an opportune time, but we’ll come back to that. Mark, who grew up in the Richmond area, is a pastor at Berea Baptist Church in Rockville, Va. Mark spoke to Paul about having a huge family and being in two very different school systems growing up. They talked about him switching his major while attending Chowan College, discussed his various careers and how he was able to combine them over time and find a certain niche for one of them. Then Mark decided to pursue church work full time and that le...2023-10-262h 08
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 237: Nick WisnerNick Wisner and Paul work together and Paul opened up about how Nick had an impact on him recently. They discussed Nick being born in Chesterfield, but going to high school in Hanover and being involved with a lot of different groups. Nick went to Virginia Tech and he told Paul about his experience there, an internship that led to him taking a semester off as well as why he stayed in Blacksburg for some extra time after graduating. He talked about what he does in his spare time that helps him recharge and then finding church through a...2023-10-161h 42
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 235: Michael ReynoldsMichael Reynolds joins the podcast via a connection with Andrew Ting (Episode 40.) Michael was born in Nebraska and grew up in Sioux Falls, South Dakota which he said was a great place to grow up. He got into drama and singing in high school and that led in part to him attending Northwestern for college. After trying that for a couple years, he switched to Political Science and then went to law school at UCLA. They spoke about his time as a lawyer and then Paul and Michael talked about a connection of theirs which is the nation of...2023-10-021h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 234: Chris KarpesChris Karpes lives in New Orleans and he and Paul met about six weeks ago. Chris was born in Tacoma, Washington, but grew up in Canada and was about thirty when he moved back to the states full time. Chris told Paul about the decisions he made and then the road those decisions took him down. For Chris, that meant he has had to battle addiction with alcohol and various drugs for a lot of his life. They discussed this in length including time behind bars, bouncing around the U.S. and Canada and the epiphany that has seen...2023-09-251h 14
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 228: Bill Gatewood - DAABill Gatewood joins Paul for a Downtown Ashland Association episode. Bill and Paul talked about how he got involved with the organization which led a discussion about Train Day in Ashland. They also discussed what brought Bill to Ashland originally and then how he served the town as a police officer for almost thirty-five years. Bill continues to volunteer in the Center of the Universe and told Paul how interested folks can volunteer with the Downtown Ashland Association.
2023-08-2132 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 200: Mary CrutchfieldMary Crutchfield has led a “varied” life.
Mary is from Trenton, New Jersey, but from about age eight until twenty-one, she was living all over the world. Her parents were missionaries and Mary and her family lived in Kenya, Tanzania and the Philippines. Paul and Mary discussed her life abroad including her education and the fact that she had Malaria seventeen times! Mary moved back to the United States when she was twenty-one and she talked with Paul about her re-integration to life back in the states. She told him how she was lucky to have so many...2023-03-061h 05
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 196: George and James MonroePaul 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 Ke...2023-02-0645 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 195: Tim LillyTim 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) an...2023-01-301h 22
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 193: Robin DreekeU.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 di...2023-01-161h 17
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 191: Erik KleinsmithErik 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...2023-01-021h 16
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 188: Rob Dull (aka Silent Rob)Rob Dull, aka “Silent Rob” & “the Scribe” is on the other side of the microphone for an entire episode.
Rob usually helps Paul with the Stories podcast, but he is the one getting interviewed by Paul and Kevin this time. Rob talked about living where Henry Clay was born and then moving to and growing up in Ashland. Paul and Rob talked about the guys they grew up with, some of the games and sports they played and they told Kevin what midnight football was. Rob talked about going to Collegiate and working at Kings Dominion during high sch...2022-12-121h 56
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 185: Pete A TurnerPete A. Turner joins Paul via a connection with Jeff Bloch, aka Speedy Cop (Episode 173). Pete is from and lives in California. He told Paul about his adoptive dad growing up as well as just finding his biological father which has led him to having a whole new family. Pete talked about his interest in a musical instrument he got while growing up and his time in high school. After going to college, Pete tried to get a job in radio and television and he just couldn’t get hired. At 24 years of age, he enlisted in the U.S...2022-11-211h 35
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 184: Audra BeckerAudra Becker and Paul used to work together and she admitted that for a while, she was 50/50 on doing the podcast and telling her story. She joins us from Arizona where she was born and raised though she has a lot of family in Pittsburgh. She and Paul discussed how she never knew about daylight savings time until she moved to the Midwest for a while and she also told him what it was like growing up in Arizona. When she was younger, she participated in synchronized swimming and she told Paul about the interesting concoction they put in...2022-11-141h 14
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 183: Stacie Straus and Acie WyattStacie Straus and Acie Wyatt are the first twins to be on the podcast. They are from Ashland and Stacie is still in the area. Acie lives in Charlotte, NC. Paul asked a couple of questions about being twins and then they discussed what sports they each played when they were kids. They then talked about playing sports at Patrick Henry High School (PHHS). Stacie played softball & volleyball and Acie played soccer and football. They talked to Paul about their fondest memories of growing up in Ashland and of playing sports at PHHS. They also discussed how their Mom...2022-11-071h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 182: Nikhil BrahmbhattNikhil Brahmbhatt and Paul know each other from working at the same company in the past and they talked about how they first met. Nikhil was born in Kalol, India and grew up in Ahmedabad and was the youngest of four children. Nikhil was a very good student and told Paul about a special skill that helped him a lot in school. While in school, he played cricket, attended cultural activities where he honed his dancing ability. Paul and Nikhil talked about cricket … the rules, the game, famous cricket players and the Cricket World Championships which started in 1975. Nikhil at...2022-10-311h 08
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 181: Zach Gilman Turns 21This episode is a celebration of Paul’s son Zach turning 21! Paul, his wife Lisa and their daughters, Lindsay and Melissa went to Blacksburg, Va. to visit Zach on his birthday weekend. Paul, Lisa and Zach started chatting and had lots of laughs about early and favorite memories from the time he was a toddler until his high school years. Lisa spoke about how being pregnant with Zach was pretty easy until the last 24 hours when he had a couple of surprises in store for his parents. Zach talked about his two younger sisters (Lindsay and Melissa) and he ta...2022-10-2442 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 177: Dave KliszDave Klisz met Silent Rob about twenty-five years ago and joins Paul and Rob on the podcast. Dave was born in California, but moved around quite a bit early on due to his dad’s job with General Electric. They settled in Virginia and Dave grew up in nearby Chesterfield and did BMX, skateboarding and played a lot of soccer growing up. Dave played travel soccer and his senior year in high school, he was captain for the soccer team as well as the place kicker for the football team at Manchester HS. Dave went to James Madison and to...2022-10-101h 27
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 172: Ross LuckPaul, Rob and Ross Luck have been friends since childhood. Ross grew up just outside the Ashland limits and growing up, he spent time going to Kings Dominion (later worked there) and the Hanover Country Club. He told Paul and Rob about playing a lot of sports growing up including a story about a little league baseball match up versus Paul. Ross said he had a couple hobbies growing up one which was a game he played with Rob when they were 10-11 years old. Ross played basketball and football in high school at Patrick Henry and he and...2022-09-191h 31
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 171: Kevin Mills, Part 2Kevin Mills is back for Part 2. Paul and Kevin finished the story about Kevin being diagnosed with a tumor. Kevin went into detail about finding out about the tumor, the surgery and the first thing he said when he woke up. They talked about him going to college at VCU, what he majored in, sitting for the LSAT, but having a change of heart about what he wanted to do for a career. He is twenty-three (23) years into his career as a Richmond City Police Officer. He has been in patrol, special drug and gun units and has been...2022-09-151h 07
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 167: Kevin Mills, Part 1Kevin Mills and Paul know each other from their time in the National Guard together. Kevin grew up in Ashland (Paul did know his older brother) and he told Paul he did all the normal running around a kid would do, but also mixed in a lot of motorcycle riding. Kevin’s dad was former military and his brother was in the military when he graduated high school. Kevin decided he would do the same and he and Paul talked about his unique recruitment process, what he wanted to do and what he ended up doing. After his active du...2022-08-2253 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 166: Tony TranTony Tran comes to the podcast through Mike DiMaggio who he went to school with and Paul knows Mike via a family connection. Tony and Paul talked about many things, but started with an amazing survival story for Tony and his family. Tony is from Vietnam and he and his family had to escape during the fall of Saigon. They discussed the memories he had before they left and the amazing journey they went on to get to the United States. Tony gave deep reverence to his parents and the way he and his siblings were raised. He told...2022-08-151h 21
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 163: Dr. David JonesDr. David Jones and Paul haven’t talked in quite some time, but they went to St. Christopher’s together and graduated in 1987. David, who Paul said is one of the nicest guys he has known, grew up on the north side of Richmond and later in the Midlothian area. David, who is one of six siblings, played tennis at St. Christopher’s and was a captain his senior year. David knew early on that he wanted to be a doctor. His dad and other family members were doctors and he and two of his siblings became doctors. Paul and Da...2022-08-011h 13
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 160: Rob StilesRob Stiles, possibly the first guest with three first names, joins Paul and Silent (?) Rob on the podcast. Paul and the two Rob’s all grew up in Ashland and have known each other since they were kids. Rob lived a couple places in town, but spent most of his time on Caroline St. near the Randolph-Macon campus which became his “playground” growing up. Paul and Rob first talked about his dad. Rob described his dad as a great man, a simple man, a local fixture around town (especially as a runner) and one who taught Rob and his sister...2022-07-111h 21
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 157: Dave TribbleDave Tribble knows Paul’s dad Larry (Ep. #9) and he joins Paul on the podcast. Dave is from the Richmond area and after his U.S. Army service was completed, he and his wife settled in Hanover, Virginia. Dave talked about growing up, a long list of jobs he held as a young man and a car accident that changed his life. Dave is a United States Army Veteran and he and Paul talked extensively about his time in Vietnam. Dave came home in 1970 and had a hard time finding and keeping a job. His father-in-law got him an app...2022-06-201h 20
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 156: David ChappellDavid Chappell knows Paul’s parents Brenda (Ep. #46) and Larry (Ep. #9) and he joins Paul for this episode. David moved around a bit due to his Dad’s job as a Methodist minister, but his family settled in Ashland and that is where he grew up. David told Paul that he was just an okay student and about a series of events that changed his attitude towards school … which in turn changed his life. After graduating Patrick Henry HS, David said he couldn’t get in to any colleges and said it was only because of his dad’s new job as...2022-06-131h 43
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 155: Buzz AnthonyNational Champion and National Player of the Year Buzz Anthony joins Paul on the podcast. Paul first told Buzz a story about when he attended the NCAA Elite 8 game this year and Buzz in turn told Paul what his given name is and why he is called Buzz. Buzz is from Annapolis, Md., his parents (Belinda and Don - they have other names as well) were both athletes and his two main sports growing up were soccer and basketball. Paul gave Buzz some choices and asked him which was his favorite thing to do on the basketball court. Buzz a...2022-06-061h 14
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 154: Josh MerkelJosh Merkel is the head coach of the Men’s RMC Basketball team who are the current Division III National Champions. We connected with Josh through Pedro Arruza (Episode 99) and he joins us to talk about his journey and RMC basketball. Josh is from Walkersville, MD, is the oldest of nine kids and he grew up on a farm. He spoke about his mom and dad and learning about having a passion for life from his mom and hard work from his dad. Josh knew at about age 15 that he wanted to coach basketball. He played college basketball at D3...2022-05-301h 06
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 152: Matt WilliamsPaul has Matt Williams on this episode due to a connection Matt has with Boomer Muth (Episode 77). Matt and Boomer are in a band together (Acoustic Underground) and Paul and Matt talked about music and Matt being a bass guitarist. Matt was born in Delaware and grew up in Wilmington and Cincinnati, Ohio. He played baseball growing up, was a baseball fan and he got to attend many Phillies and Reds games in his youth. He made his way to Virginia when he attended the College of William and Mary. After college, Matt got a job in advertising in...2022-05-161h 24
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 150: Bobby MalonePaul takes the podcast mobile for Episode 150 and interviewed Bobby Malone at the Rivah. Bobby grew up in Chesterfield and rode motorbikes and played sports growing up. He said he wasn’t big on school, but it allowed him to play sports and he explained why football was his favorite. Bobby also told Paul about a crazy injury he suffered playing baseball. After high school, Bobby had a successful career at Reynolds Metals and then decided to leave and go into real estate. Bobby has been coming to the Rivah for almost thirty years. He and Paul talked about the...2022-05-051h 16
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 148: Jock JonesJock Jones joins the podcast through a friendship with Tim Sutton (Episode #130). Jock is from Hanover County and is a well known athlete in Hanover from his days playing at Mechanicsville High School. Jock told Paul about a very rough beginning to his life and how he got his unique first name and why. Jock talked to Paul about growing up playing sports, riding his bike quite a ways to school and playing in the rural areas of Hanover. Jock remembers telling people he would play in the NFL as early as eight or nine years old. Jock was...2022-04-251h 20
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 147: Colin ThompsonColin Thompson is a professional football player and plays Tight End for the NFL’s Carolina Panthers. He comes to the podcast via Mike DiMaggio who is a friend of Colin’s and a relative of Paul’s. Paul and Colin discussed playing football in college where he played for Florida one year and then finished @ Temple. Colin said the best thing that came from his time at Florida was his then girlfriend, now wife, Sydney. They then talked about everything NFL from his training regimen through out the year to why he loves the game. Colin talked about player...2022-04-1846 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 146: COL(R) William CoffinBill Coffin and Paul served together in the Army National Guard. Bill is from Boston area and one of the first things they discussed was how big a fan Bill is of the Boston professional teams. They agreed that after some lean years, Bill and other Boston fans have had a great run the last twenty years! Bill and Paul talked about his Army journey which started when he enlisted right out of high school. He did very well on the ASVAB and that led to an unexpected and unique opportunity. From active duty, Bill went to the National...2022-04-111h 23
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 145: Jeff UerzJeff Uerz comes to the podcast via Paul’s father-in-law Al Draper. Jeff is from upstate New York and grew up hunting, fishing and trapping. Jeff told Paul that this led him to having a particular type of transportation before he even had a car. He also told Paul about a particular skill that he and his high school classmates were required to have before they were allowed to graduate. Jeff knew pretty early that he wanted to work as a state Game Warden. He looked for jobs across the United States and Virginia was the first agency to ca...2022-04-041h 18
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 141: Robert PrattRobert Pratt was born in NY, but moved to Richmond at a very young age. Robert played all sports growing up and he particularly loved baseball as a kid. He even had a future Supreme Court Justice as his little league baseball coach one year. He went to St. Christopher’s for high school where he excelled in football and went on to play college football at UNC. Paul and Robert reminisced about St. Christopher’s and he told Paul what it was like to play college football in the early 1970’s. Robert was drafted in 1974 by the Baltimore Colts a...2022-03-071h 20
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 138: Donnie MorrisPaul and Rob have known Donnie Morris since the early 1980’s. Donnie is a former Virginia State Football Player of the Year and he tells Paul and Kevin about his football journey with some great stories along the way. Paul told a story about an encounter he had with Donnie on the middle school football field and will be the first to admit that Donnie won the day. The three of them talked about Donnie’s four daughters and the early influence his elders had on him, especially his grandmother. They discussed his love for music whether it involves play...2022-02-141h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 135: Liz PhillipsLiz Phillips is a former colleague of Paul’s. Liz and Paul talked about her early years in South Bend, Indiana and Liz gave some insight into what South Bend is famous for besides Notre Dame. She talked about her big family, a move to Florida in the middle of high school and how she had to become an adult when she was a teenager due to her Mom getting sick. Liz and Paul had a great chat about her daughter Alina who is thirteen. Liz told Paul what her unusual craving was while she was pregnant and details ab...2022-01-311h 23
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 132: Ali Gustavson and Sidney Campbell - American Bald Eagle FoundationAli Gustavson and Sidney Campbell join the podcast via Paul knowing Ali’s dad, Gary. Ali and Sidney both work for the American Bald Eagle Foundation in Haines, Alaska. They discussed each of their backgrounds and how they found their way to the ABEF. Paul talked to Sidney and Ali about their roles at the ABEF and what a normal work day looks like for the two of them. They talked about the mission of the ABEF, what it’s like to live in Alaska and the effect the pandemic on them personally and on the ABEF. They finished by t...2022-01-101h 07
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 127: Coach Richard KemperCoach Dick Kemper joins the podcast and this episode is a trip down memory lane for Paul. Coach Kemper coached Paul in football and basketball in high School at St. Christopher’s in Richmond. Coach Kemper grew up in Alexandria, but came to St. Christopher’s soon after starting his career. He spent 40+ years as a coach, athletic director and an educator at St. Christopher’s. Paul and Coach Kemper reminisced about St. Chris sports and the Coach talked about his various philosophies when it comes to coaching and life. They talked about his three kids and five grandkids and how...2021-12-061h 34
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 119: Chuck Hawkins - US Coast GuardChuck Hawkins and Paul have known each other since they were kids and Chuck was even taught by Paul’s mom Brenda (Episode 46) in kindergarten. Chuck grew up in eastern Hanover, but went to Patrick Henry because his parents taught there. Chuck spoke of his admiration for his parents and also about his dad’s sports accomplishments. Paul and Chuck talked about his time in college and how after school and a few different jobs, he decided to enter military service with the United States Coast Guard. Chuck led a distinguished career that spanned twenty-six years. Paul and Chuck fini...2021-11-041h 15
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 117: Laura Colombell MarshallLaura Collombell Marshall knows Paul from being in school together at UVA. She talked to Paul about growing up in different places because of her dad’s job and she landed in Northern VA for high school. Laura attended UVA where she ran track and then went to the University of Richmond for law school. Paul and Laura discussed her professional career including one of her more memorable cases and it’s impact. Laura also talked about her parents, her four sisters and finished by talking about her husband Curtis and their five children.
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Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 105: Paul CormierPaul Cormier grew up all over Virginia, but he spent his teen years in the Center of the Universe. Paul and Kevin talked with Paul C. about his work life from high school into adulthood, his musical tastes past and present and his many, many tattoos. They also discussed with Paul C. the world of professional wrestling and how he’s been a fan since he was a boy. They finished by talking about what he’s doing now and his family.
2021-09-131h 12
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 100: The Top 10 according to the Superfan and the ScribeThe Superfan (Roger Lee), the Scribe (Rob Dull) and the Occasional Co-host (Kevin Flippen) look back at the first 100 episodes (Episode 0 + 1-99) with Host, Paul Gilman. If you're looking for a decently quick way to learn the top 10 episodes according to the Superfan and the Scribe, this is your episode.
We can't believe we've done 100 episodes. Thanks to Daniel, Katy, Rob, Kevin, Roger and our guests for doing their part to make this a fun and worthwhile endeavor.
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Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 99: Pedro ArruzaPedro Arruza is the Head Football Coach at Randolph-Macon College. Pedro was born in Spain and lived in England and Mexico before settling in West Palm Beach, Florida. He convinced his mom to let him play football in 7th grade and he was hooked. Paul asked Pedro why football became a career and Pedro stated it was the impact that his coaches had on him that paved his path to being an educator and a coach.
Coach Arruza was a stand out in high school and received many offers to play football at the college level. After vis...2021-08-091h 35
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 98: Lyndee CaboLyndee Cabo used to work with Paul and has wanted to be on the podcast since we first started. Lyndee stated she is from Virginia, but told Paul that she moved around a lot due to her dad being in the U.S. Navy. She moved around the states and also spent some time in Japan which she loved. Lyndee spent the most time in Virginia, went to high school in Chesapeake and said she was a handful for her parents. She talked about her dad and described him as a “bad ass” for what he did (EOD) in the Navy...2021-08-021h 13
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 97: Caroline StapletonCaroline joins Paul this evening. Paul and Caroline work together and she also works with Andrew Ting (Episode #40). Caroline was born in NC, but grew up in Beaufort, SC. She talked to Paul about all the things she and her friends did and how she now realizes how incredible her childhood/teen years were because of where she grew up.
Caroline talked about the first vehicle she had and how she went to Duke University where she met her husband, Alex. She spoke about her dad, Steve, and the interesting business he used to have. That interest ski...2021-07-2949 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 94: Downtown Ashland AssociationJoining the podcast is Maggie Longest who is the Director of the Downtown Ashland Association (DAA). Paul and Maggie discuss the role of the DAA and how the organization brings local businesses, citizens and the town government together. They talk about the history of Ashland, the present and future opportunities for businesses in Ashland and the relationships with major stake holders such as Randolph-Macon College. Maggie also spoke about the events they promote including Train Day which is attended by about 10,000 people.
Paul also had Maggie talk about her life. Maggie hails from Blacksburg, Va. and went to V...2021-07-1533 min
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 92: Jay StrathJay Strath joins the podcast thanks to a connection with guest host Kevin Flippen … they married into the same family! Paul, Kevin and Jay started off by talking about Jay growing up on a farm in eastern Henrico. Jay said he worked on the farm a lot with his dad. He said there was only one reason that his dad let him out of that work and that was sports.
Jay discussed with Paul and Kevin the change in culture in youth sports and how it has effected the kids, the coaches and the parents. Jay believes you c...2021-07-051h 33
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 91: Dave ThachDavid Thach (pronounced Tot) joins the podcast because of his relationship with Paul. Dave has been Paul’s barber for over a decade. Dave grew up in Maryland, but has called the Richmond area home for about fourteen years. Dave’s parents are Cambodian, but Dave considers himself Vietnamese. Dave spoke in Vietnamese and even taught Paul and Kevin a word or two in Vietnamese during the podcast.
Dave gave his parents a great deal of credit for his work ethic which he is in turn passing on to his sons. Dave has a barber shop in Hanov...2021-07-011h 31
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 89: Mila LiakhovitserMila Liakhovitser comes to the podcast by virtue of working together with Paul. Mila was born and raised in New York City, and though she was born on Long Island and lived for a brief time in Queens, she is a Bronx girl through and through! She is also a long suffering NY Jets fan.
From the beginning, Mila was recognized as very intelligent and gifted. She attended math camps after school for most of her childhood and then went to a math and science high school. She attended what she referred to as "nerd camps" and took...2021-06-211h 36
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 88: Andrew SlaterAndrew Slater joins us for the podcast today. Andrew is the Head Baseball Coach at The Collegiate School. Paul and Andrew have known each other since they were both at St. Christopher’s though Paul is a few years older. Andrew attended St. Christopher’s through 6th grade and then went to Collegiate where he graduated in 1996.
Andrew talks about getting a football scholarship to the University of Richmond where he also played baseball. He tells us how his life changed when he suffered a back injury at the end of his freshman year. He left UofR...2021-06-141h 00
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 87: Trip ChalkleyTrip Chalkley is the Commonwealth’s Attorney for Hanover County, Virginia. Trip has known Paul since he was a kid through Paul’s dad Larry. Both Larry and Trip went to the T.C. Williams School of Law at the University of Richmond and worked together in Hanover County.
Trip talks about growing up in Richmond, attending John Marshall High School and how he almost didn’t go back for his second year of law school. Trip talks about his father and how he and his sister learned later in life that he was a WW2 hero. Paul, gue...2021-06-071h 13
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 46: I ❤️ AshlandBrenda 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
2020-10-151h 29
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 33: My Sailor DadRoss H Mackenzie is a helicopter pilot, published author and a retired Navy man. He also happens to be Paul's brother-in-law. During his 20 year US Navy career, he interdicted drug shipments in the Caribbean and cruised in the Persian Gulf as a Seahawk (SH-60) helicopter pilot. His published works include Brief Points: An Almanac for Parents and Friends of U.S. Navy Midshipmen, My Sailor Dad, and My Soldier Dad. My Sailor Dad and My Soldier Dad are part of the Patriot Kids book series and the Hero Kids Project aimed at helping service-member families understand military service and...2020-08-031h 12
Stories from the Center of the UniverseEpisode 9: Three Generations Gilman
Brigadier General (Ret) Larry Gilman, father to Paul, is a US Army and Virginia Army National Guard combat veteran of the Vietnam War and Operation Desert Shield/Storm (Saudi Arabia/Iraq). He served with Regular Army engineer units and several national guard engineer units over his 35 year career (3 Active, 9 USAR and 23 VaARNG) with honor and distinction. As a civilian lawyer, he also served as a private practice attorney, the town attorney of Ashland, VA and retired as a Juvenile and Domestic Relations Judge. He currently enjoys traveling, spending time with his grandkids, and giving back to the community.
Also joining u...2020-03-142h 21