This was a terrific week! Sunday's Empty Bowls Dinner set new records and raised over $45,000 to help Just Harvest and Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank fight hunger. It's a real pleasure to emcee this event every year. Rikki and I saw alot of old and new friends and enjoyed the day.
Tuesday include by monthly Trustee meeting at Manchester Academic Charter School (MACS), an organization I grow more fond of every day. This is an incredible school with teachers, administrators, parents and children working together to create excellence. This is not to take anything away from other schools we work with -- including traditional public schools, parochial schools, private schools and home schools. It's simply still new to me to be on a school board and very rewarding to see how the pieces come together. I also spent some time with MACS this morning helping them prepare for a pageant on Black History that will run this coming Tuesday. We're providing the microphones, music, and speakers.
Wednesday night, we attended a meeting about the Charm Bracelet project, a vision to link North Side community assets -- such as the Aviary, Warhol, Carnegie Library, schools, etc. -- to create a more cohesive district for youth and families. This meeting included teachers from most of the schools that are so close to our studios -- MACS, Manchester Elementary, Martin Luther King, Jr., Elementary, Allegheny Traditional Academy and a few others. This was an inspiring evening of brainstorming. Coincidentally, we also set up a meeting with the staff at ATA for next week to evaluate how we can work more closely together.
On Thursday, we headed out to Miller African Centered Academy for another session with our after school radio class. We also spent quite a bit of time on Thursday (and today) preparing for tomorrow's Pittsburgh Center for the Arts remote.
And...we have The Bugler in final layout (finally), received a number of new cables and other small pieces of gear that have been "missing links" in our various kits, and received a very generous donation from a major equipment supplier.
I'm sure I'm leaving a few things out ;). But it's wonderful to have had such a happy and rewarding week!
I hope we'll see you at tomorrow's remote from Pittsburgh Center for the Arts, Fifth and Shady Avenues, 9 to noon, www.pittsburgharts.org for details.
Friday, March 14, 2008
Tuesday, March 4, 2008
A Visit to Lincoln Elementary School...
Today began with some additional work on the Bugler, return of a number of phone calls, and some more financial-related work. Rikki spent alot of time straightening the office, which seems to be a never-ending task. We also recorded David Jaye's "Jazzin' Around", a program airing on WNJR and via Podcast that we provide assistance on.
We ended the day with a trip to Lincoln-Lemington (where a tragic fire claimed the life of a 6-year old boy last night) for a scheduled workshop at Lincoln Elementary School. The boy was a kindergartner there and, while not one of our "workshop kids", we felt a profound sense of loss. We've grown very attached to and comfortable with the kids at Lincoln (and our other EWS schools) and this family and community loss made us stop to be thankful for our own health and safety as well as for the opportunities we have been given to work to improve the lives of children.
We used a new tool during today's workshop -- a portable multitrack recorder. It exceeded our already high expectations and helped the kids learn new things, express themselves, and have a carefree afternoon.
We ended the day with a trip to Lincoln-Lemington (where a tragic fire claimed the life of a 6-year old boy last night) for a scheduled workshop at Lincoln Elementary School. The boy was a kindergartner there and, while not one of our "workshop kids", we felt a profound sense of loss. We've grown very attached to and comfortable with the kids at Lincoln (and our other EWS schools) and this family and community loss made us stop to be thankful for our own health and safety as well as for the opportunities we have been given to work to improve the lives of children.
We used a new tool during today's workshop -- a portable multitrack recorder. It exceeded our already high expectations and helped the kids learn new things, express themselves, and have a carefree afternoon.
Monday, March 3, 2008
Happy to Be Back Online
It's been hard for me to post over the past few weeks. In part, I've been overwhelmed with the number of emails and notes about Bill. I'll be sharing some more memories of him in this blog as it becomes appropriate. As I've said on the air, via email, and possibly to you personally, Bill's family is very appreciative of the outpouring of love and memories.
This morning at 9 a.m., I had the pleasure of working with BBC World Service. They contacted us from London last week to see if we could provide local support for interviewing Cynthia Cryder (a Carnegie Mellon grad student) about her work correlating buying patterns with moods. It was fun to work with the BBC and I was very proud that we took the time to build facilities at SLB that meet international standards. Cynthia's work is fascinating, too; you can read more about it at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=898080.
After this session was over, I turned to finalizing the next edition of The Bugler. I feel very strongly about our printed newsletter. Adults and kids enjoy the news and puzzles and it helps document our history. I get the opportunity to see people "using" The Bugler at the Children's Museum, too. There's nothing like watching a family solve the puzzles together while eating lunch in the museum cafe' or taking a break in the lobby.
I also made arrangements to send some of our wireless equipment out for servicing, take care of some financial data, and continue evaluation of a new benefits plan we hope to implement for SLB employees later this year.
I have some pretty well-developed feelings about employee relations after having worked as an editor, engineer, project manager and program manager for 25 years. One basic principle I hold is that most everyone *wants* to do a good job and for their work to matter. In my opinion, many employers do not realize this and unwittingly undermine the performance of their staff through micromanagement or outright re-doing of the work. Years ago, I worked for a very bright man who, unfortunately, had the habit of re-writing reports given to him for final review rather than provide general feedback or coaching. While in the office together one Sunday, he lamented to me that the reports that came to him for review kept getting worse and worse. My response to him was "Do you think people are even trying anymore, knowing that you're simply going to re-do it?". The fact is that his staff wanted to do a good job, but he had given them reason to lose hope, let alone even try anymore. As a result, when possible, I've always tried hard to encourage people to accomplish their work their way -- and independently -- with coaching rather than explicit directions.
I also think that it makes sense to hire people rather than "job descriptions", especially in a small entrepreneurial organization. For SLB, finding someone who "gets" what we do and who has the heart, mind and temperament for our work and atmosphere is far more important that finding someone that simply meets a skills checklist. We can always teach skills if a few are absent. But we stand little chances for success -- for us or the employee -- if we think we can change a person's temperament or basic sense of values. This is not to say that our temperament is "right" and another's is "wrong". It's just important that our sense of values and proportion are compatible.
We also look for unique fringe benefits. While exciting and rewarding, work in the nonprofit sector can be grueling. We try to compensate as best we can, but we also try to provide accommodations that work for those we hire. Some people prefer to work early in the morning, others later in the day. Some are happiest working over a long stretch (when they're "hot") and taking a few days for a break afterwards. At SLB, we have some unique demands -- being available Saturdays for example. The very least we can do is accommodate the unique needs of others, too.
I guess I'm thinking about these things as we look through our benefits and because this is expected to be another strong year of growth for SLB. Creating employment as we grow -- good employment -- is something we've been proud of and I'm hoping we'll continue.
The rest of this long day will be spent responding to emails (I'm getting behind again) and learning about a new multitrack mixer we acquired for in-school workshops (the huge manual is sitting beside me).
This morning at 9 a.m., I had the pleasure of working with BBC World Service. They contacted us from London last week to see if we could provide local support for interviewing Cynthia Cryder (a Carnegie Mellon grad student) about her work correlating buying patterns with moods. It was fun to work with the BBC and I was very proud that we took the time to build facilities at SLB that meet international standards. Cynthia's work is fascinating, too; you can read more about it at http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=898080.
After this session was over, I turned to finalizing the next edition of The Bugler. I feel very strongly about our printed newsletter. Adults and kids enjoy the news and puzzles and it helps document our history. I get the opportunity to see people "using" The Bugler at the Children's Museum, too. There's nothing like watching a family solve the puzzles together while eating lunch in the museum cafe' or taking a break in the lobby.
I also made arrangements to send some of our wireless equipment out for servicing, take care of some financial data, and continue evaluation of a new benefits plan we hope to implement for SLB employees later this year.
I have some pretty well-developed feelings about employee relations after having worked as an editor, engineer, project manager and program manager for 25 years. One basic principle I hold is that most everyone *wants* to do a good job and for their work to matter. In my opinion, many employers do not realize this and unwittingly undermine the performance of their staff through micromanagement or outright re-doing of the work. Years ago, I worked for a very bright man who, unfortunately, had the habit of re-writing reports given to him for final review rather than provide general feedback or coaching. While in the office together one Sunday, he lamented to me that the reports that came to him for review kept getting worse and worse. My response to him was "Do you think people are even trying anymore, knowing that you're simply going to re-do it?". The fact is that his staff wanted to do a good job, but he had given them reason to lose hope, let alone even try anymore. As a result, when possible, I've always tried hard to encourage people to accomplish their work their way -- and independently -- with coaching rather than explicit directions.
I also think that it makes sense to hire people rather than "job descriptions", especially in a small entrepreneurial organization. For SLB, finding someone who "gets" what we do and who has the heart, mind and temperament for our work and atmosphere is far more important that finding someone that simply meets a skills checklist. We can always teach skills if a few are absent. But we stand little chances for success -- for us or the employee -- if we think we can change a person's temperament or basic sense of values. This is not to say that our temperament is "right" and another's is "wrong". It's just important that our sense of values and proportion are compatible.
We also look for unique fringe benefits. While exciting and rewarding, work in the nonprofit sector can be grueling. We try to compensate as best we can, but we also try to provide accommodations that work for those we hire. Some people prefer to work early in the morning, others later in the day. Some are happiest working over a long stretch (when they're "hot") and taking a few days for a break afterwards. At SLB, we have some unique demands -- being available Saturdays for example. The very least we can do is accommodate the unique needs of others, too.
I guess I'm thinking about these things as we look through our benefits and because this is expected to be another strong year of growth for SLB. Creating employment as we grow -- good employment -- is something we've been proud of and I'm hoping we'll continue.
The rest of this long day will be spent responding to emails (I'm getting behind again) and learning about a new multitrack mixer we acquired for in-school workshops (the huge manual is sitting beside me).
Saturday, February 23, 2008
Thanks, Buss. I'm especially glad you enjoyed "Lydia, The Tattooed Lady". Bill loved the Marx Brothers (as do I). Over the years, we did three or four 4-hour Marx Brothers specials combining music, radio program appearances, trivia and listener memories.
Today's program was very hard for us. Mourning the loss of a friend is one aspect, but this is one we had some opportunity to adjust to when his condition worsened. The harder part was striking a balance among reminiscing, mourning without being too sad, celebrating without being irreverent, mentioning Bill's death without listeners feeling we were talking about it too much (or, to the contrary, hearing it for the first time and potentially being shocked). We also had so many emails and calls. We're glad with the way everything came together. Bill would have loved Four Shillings Short, too!
Today's program was very hard for us. Mourning the loss of a friend is one aspect, but this is one we had some opportunity to adjust to when his condition worsened. The harder part was striking a balance among reminiscing, mourning without being too sad, celebrating without being irreverent, mentioning Bill's death without listeners feeling we were talking about it too much (or, to the contrary, hearing it for the first time and potentially being shocked). We also had so many emails and calls. We're glad with the way everything came together. Bill would have loved Four Shillings Short, too!
More to come...
With Bill Lucker passing away this week (2/20), it's been hard for me to find time to write. Please expect more general inside information to come as well as some additional thoughts about Bill. For a link that will describe our lifelong friend, the best man at our wedding, longtime producer/co-host and Advisory Board member, please see our FAQ as well as this Post-Gazette article and guest book.
Here's a picture of Huck the Kitten, the 10 a.m. guest on today's program. Feel free to post your thoughts on today's program here.Friday, February 15, 2008
This week's show...
This was another busy week. Monday and Tuesday, I had the pleasure of meeting (by phone) Buss Cravener of the Back Street Diner (Clarion, PA). Buss is a kindred spirit with a rich background, including working as a TV weatherman in Parkersburg, WV and holding multiple degrees from Clarion University of Pennsylvania. In part due to a referral by our mutual friend Steve Obenreder, Buss tuned into our maiden voyage aboard 91.7 WCUC Clarion. He's since become an SLB underwriter, supporter, and SLB Bugler distribution point.
Wednesday was a long and successful work day with Darren Morton, station manager at WCUC and all-around incredible human being. Darren designed and installed wiring to make it simpler to broadcast from anywhere in the museum and also helped us tackle a list of small technical issues. He'll be back tomorrow to finish up.
Kimberly, our Washington & Jefferson College intern, was here today. Hosting a high school or college intern is something we take very seriously -- we want to be sure we can provide good mentoring and significant experiences. Although she's been to SLB a few times prior to today, those visits were more like field trips. Her first working day was today and she did an outstanding job. As has often been the case with interns I've had the pleasure to work with, Kim finished what I thought would be about 4 hours worth of work in less than half the time I had estimated.
We have a great program planned for 2/16. Please feel free to add any comments here.
Wednesday was a long and successful work day with Darren Morton, station manager at WCUC and all-around incredible human being. Darren designed and installed wiring to make it simpler to broadcast from anywhere in the museum and also helped us tackle a list of small technical issues. He'll be back tomorrow to finish up.
Kimberly, our Washington & Jefferson College intern, was here today. Hosting a high school or college intern is something we take very seriously -- we want to be sure we can provide good mentoring and significant experiences. Although she's been to SLB a few times prior to today, those visits were more like field trips. Her first working day was today and she did an outstanding job. As has often been the case with interns I've had the pleasure to work with, Kim finished what I thought would be about 4 hours worth of work in less than half the time I had estimated.
We have a great program planned for 2/16. Please feel free to add any comments here.
Friday, February 8, 2008
I just realized I have not posted anything since Monday. Our "behind-the-scenes" work this week included filling out an incredibly detailed census form for the U.S. government, meeting with two good attorney friends who are going to help SLB with some routine business issues, interviewing an employment candidate, providing sound for a panel discussion, conducting three after-school workshops and...I'm sure there's more!
We have a great program planned for tomorrow. Please feel free to post comments on the program or anything else you'd like.
We have a great program planned for tomorrow. Please feel free to post comments on the program or anything else you'd like.
Monday, February 4, 2008
A favorite toy; online Sears catalogs
Do you perhaps remember this toy? Here it is as shown in the 1964 Sears catalog. I believe it was made for Sears by a Newark, NJ company called Remco, who, per my online research, made a very similar-looking model sold as a kit that also had a transmitter and took two extra batteries. Remco made a few similar products, too, as well as many other toys of the 1950s and 1960s.The reason I ask is because this was one of my favorite toys when I was about 5 years old! I used to pretend to do radio programs using the push-to-talk microphone and loved looking at the electronics in the open back. The image of this toy has been in my mind for a few years and I wanted to see if my memory was correct. It took a long time to find a picture, but I'm sure this is the item. I can see my parents buying this at Sears, too, since the store on William Penn Highway (still there) was the closest store to our house in Churchill.
Did this toy have anything to do with my eventual (or perhaps then-existing) love of radio? Surely! I also recall building Heathkits, "repairing" my dad's old high-fidelity tube gear and Garrard changer, making radio programs and comedy skits on reel-to-reel and cassette tape in 5th through 8th grades, a pretend 6th grade radio classroom station my friend Matt Shaffer and I operated, and a few other apparent foreshadowing events.
This toy really mesmerizes me, though, as it was undoubtedly my first foray into radio play/pretend -- at age 5. I did not remember this toy clearly until three or four years ago (as I get older, I'm finding that different memories "bubble up" from time to time). It clearly had an impact on me, though. I hope to ask my parents how they came to choose it for me (did I ask for it?) and will report back what I learn.
By the way, here's a cool website that helped me find this picture -- http://www.wishbookweb.com. This contains complete Sears catalog scans from the 1940s to 1980s (and some from other stores) and may help you find some lost memories, too.
Congrats to Robert Morris University
I attended the grad opening of www.rmuradio.com in Moon Township today. Michael DiLauro and Joe Hale of RMU contacted me about this project almost a year ago. We shared alot of information and ideas from SLB's experience in studio design, and it was rewarding to see that RMU had followed alot of our suggestions. Michael and Joe are great people and it was a pleasure to attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony they held today. The university community has some noble ideas for the facility, too, from public affairs to live music and more. It's nice to see emphasis on radio. The fact that the project stemmed from the desire of students to have an on-campus broadcast facility is inspiring, too.
I otherwise spent most of the day at home as I've generally been taking Mondays off. All in all, I'd like to go into our offices on Mondays but I'm trying to make Monday an "SLB is closed day" lately to be sure we all pace ourselves, especially given how buys the weekends can be.
I otherwise spent most of the day at home as I've generally been taking Mondays off. All in all, I'd like to go into our offices on Mondays but I'm trying to make Monday an "SLB is closed day" lately to be sure we all pace ourselves, especially given how buys the weekends can be.
Saturday, February 2, 2008
Today's radio program...
A few thoughts on today's program...
1. As is sometimes the case, I wish I had arrived just a little bit earlier! The SLB studios spoil us. We do all of our preparation in advance and stage things in the studio on Friday. In the old days, I always had to arrive at least 90 minutes before the start of the program. These days, we can roll in at 5:50 a.m. or so if we feel we need a little extra time at home for a little more sleep, another cup of coffee, etc. Because I did not leave the museum until after 8 p.m. last night and knew today would be a long day, we chose to arrive a little later. But the way this forces us to rush start-up (and the fear that traffic could delay us, etc.) really makes me conclude that we would be best to always arrive by at least 5:30 a.m. After 4 years, we still have not convinced our bodies to comply, though :).
2. Our Historiddle drew some very nice calls. It was fun to hear Ted from Squirrel Hill talk about having heard Ayn Rand lecture several times. Tom from McCandless and Dr. Beth added great insights, too. Other early callers this morning included Maxine in Oakland (who talked about her grandfathers lumbering activities, in which the crew would build a raft from their harvest and use it to float the wood through the Tigris valley. Shirley from Avalon Heights shared her experience with "Laughing Yoga" which, just as it sounds, involves yoga along with ad hoc laughing. It reminded me of a story I once heard about walking into a roomful of people laughing (or crying) and how a person who does so usually picks up either emotion. This is a good reminder to be cheerful and positive; and to try to surround yourself with people who also are.
3. The Afterthoughts Puzzle and Wonder Word puzzle were fun. Dr. Dan (a dentist) gave a great interview regarding the importance of good dental care for children.
4. Our Saturday Stumper elicited some great callers as did our Crossword Puzzle of the Air. A 6-year old named Edgar was especially memorable. As we were talking about his interests, he mentioned chess. Edgar revealed his favorite chess piece is the rook (because it is the second-most powerful piece in his estimation). This was a great conversation; Edgar was with his father when he called and its the exact type of involvement we like to see (and hear) during SLB.
This is The Insider so here's something I don't talk about too much since we like it to be magical -- it is very hard to create an atmosphere that allows this kind of genuine and interesting conversation and togetherness to occur. This is at the core of what we do -- everything we do -- and moments like Edgar's call still nearly move me to tears. Partly, because it's good radio and mostly because it's an indication that our concepts and methods are working.
5. The Numbers Stumpers game -- an old chestnut we've featured every 18 months or so since 1978, but not-so-often in recent years -- was a big hit, drawing lots of calls and creativity. It was nice to have Jeff on the air for this hour.
6. What can I say about the Cowboy Poets at 10 a.m.? The poems were incredible and the Ross and 16-year-old Oscar were unlike anyone I've ever met. Real working cowboys who prepare packs for animals. And who also happen to write and recite wonderful cowboy-themed poetry, a genre I never knew existed. Distinctly interesting people accomplishing things we don't often encounter -- another hallmark of our mission at SLB.
7. During our Breakfast Brigade segment, Stage 62 did a great preview of "Bigger than Life" and Mark Weakland turned in a wonderful performance, including -- for the first time -- poems as well as contemporary and classic acoustic songs. Our audience was large enough and attentive enough to allow singing and clapping, and all had a good time. Although broadcast from the Grand Hall and the museum cafe presents a number of technical challenges, all went smoothly.
After the show, I had a ball showing our visiting Tiger Cubs our real studio and demonstrating equipment. By 2 p.m., Rikki and I were heading back home for lunch.
I guess that "just-in-time" arrival I described above worked out okay!
Your comments on today's program are always welcome by email, phone or right here.
1. As is sometimes the case, I wish I had arrived just a little bit earlier! The SLB studios spoil us. We do all of our preparation in advance and stage things in the studio on Friday. In the old days, I always had to arrive at least 90 minutes before the start of the program. These days, we can roll in at 5:50 a.m. or so if we feel we need a little extra time at home for a little more sleep, another cup of coffee, etc. Because I did not leave the museum until after 8 p.m. last night and knew today would be a long day, we chose to arrive a little later. But the way this forces us to rush start-up (and the fear that traffic could delay us, etc.) really makes me conclude that we would be best to always arrive by at least 5:30 a.m. After 4 years, we still have not convinced our bodies to comply, though :).
2. Our Historiddle drew some very nice calls. It was fun to hear Ted from Squirrel Hill talk about having heard Ayn Rand lecture several times. Tom from McCandless and Dr. Beth added great insights, too. Other early callers this morning included Maxine in Oakland (who talked about her grandfathers lumbering activities, in which the crew would build a raft from their harvest and use it to float the wood through the Tigris valley. Shirley from Avalon Heights shared her experience with "Laughing Yoga" which, just as it sounds, involves yoga along with ad hoc laughing. It reminded me of a story I once heard about walking into a roomful of people laughing (or crying) and how a person who does so usually picks up either emotion. This is a good reminder to be cheerful and positive; and to try to surround yourself with people who also are.
3. The Afterthoughts Puzzle and Wonder Word puzzle were fun. Dr. Dan (a dentist) gave a great interview regarding the importance of good dental care for children.
4. Our Saturday Stumper elicited some great callers as did our Crossword Puzzle of the Air. A 6-year old named Edgar was especially memorable. As we were talking about his interests, he mentioned chess. Edgar revealed his favorite chess piece is the rook (because it is the second-most powerful piece in his estimation). This was a great conversation; Edgar was with his father when he called and its the exact type of involvement we like to see (and hear) during SLB.
This is The Insider so here's something I don't talk about too much since we like it to be magical -- it is very hard to create an atmosphere that allows this kind of genuine and interesting conversation and togetherness to occur. This is at the core of what we do -- everything we do -- and moments like Edgar's call still nearly move me to tears. Partly, because it's good radio and mostly because it's an indication that our concepts and methods are working.
5. The Numbers Stumpers game -- an old chestnut we've featured every 18 months or so since 1978, but not-so-often in recent years -- was a big hit, drawing lots of calls and creativity. It was nice to have Jeff on the air for this hour.
6. What can I say about the Cowboy Poets at 10 a.m.? The poems were incredible and the Ross and 16-year-old Oscar were unlike anyone I've ever met. Real working cowboys who prepare packs for animals. And who also happen to write and recite wonderful cowboy-themed poetry, a genre I never knew existed. Distinctly interesting people accomplishing things we don't often encounter -- another hallmark of our mission at SLB.
7. During our Breakfast Brigade segment, Stage 62 did a great preview of "Bigger than Life" and Mark Weakland turned in a wonderful performance, including -- for the first time -- poems as well as contemporary and classic acoustic songs. Our audience was large enough and attentive enough to allow singing and clapping, and all had a good time. Although broadcast from the Grand Hall and the museum cafe presents a number of technical challenges, all went smoothly.
After the show, I had a ball showing our visiting Tiger Cubs our real studio and demonstrating equipment. By 2 p.m., Rikki and I were heading back home for lunch.
I guess that "just-in-time" arrival I described above worked out okay!
Your comments on today's program are always welcome by email, phone or right here.
Friday, February 1, 2008
Do we have a role in preventing youth violence?
At a Leadership Breakfast sponsored by the Bayer Center for Nonprofit Management this morning, United Way President and Chief Professional Officer Robert Nelkin made some opening remarks about the recent shootings of a teen on the North Side and another in Homewood, both traced to (likely inadvertent) neighborhood "turf violations" being "enforced" by gang members. A challenge was issued to the nonprofit community to think through how it could help address this problem.
While there are many factors here (economics, joblessness, family support, and more), one outside-of-the-box wrinkle I began thinking about was how someone who clings to and defends turf must otherwise feel very empty. I further thought about whether SLB could do anything to help change these feelings of emptiness. Encouraging kids to express their feelings (and frankly first identify them) and then explaining how these feelings are uniquely "owned" by the individual outright and forever could be a unique way of creating healthy personal turf. Imagine..."My voice...my turf..." It's just a thought, but one we'll look into more. And..on a more conventional level, we'll be looking into ways to get kids talking to each other and to adults about the root causes of violence.
I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman from Hill House during this meeting (which actually was about IRS issues, believe it or not) and we made some connections regarding oral history collection. I also re-located an old friend who now works in corporate philanthropy. Meetings like these are always a great way to catch up and stay active within the community.
On the way back, I learned that a grant request has advanced to board review by the foundation. On return to the studios, I put finishing touches on tomorrow's show, had the pleasure of showing our studios to a few visitors, and worked through technical issues for tomorrow's Breakfast Brigade.
While there are many factors here (economics, joblessness, family support, and more), one outside-of-the-box wrinkle I began thinking about was how someone who clings to and defends turf must otherwise feel very empty. I further thought about whether SLB could do anything to help change these feelings of emptiness. Encouraging kids to express their feelings (and frankly first identify them) and then explaining how these feelings are uniquely "owned" by the individual outright and forever could be a unique way of creating healthy personal turf. Imagine..."My voice...my turf..." It's just a thought, but one we'll look into more. And..on a more conventional level, we'll be looking into ways to get kids talking to each other and to adults about the root causes of violence.
I had the pleasure of meeting a gentleman from Hill House during this meeting (which actually was about IRS issues, believe it or not) and we made some connections regarding oral history collection. I also re-located an old friend who now works in corporate philanthropy. Meetings like these are always a great way to catch up and stay active within the community.
On the way back, I learned that a grant request has advanced to board review by the foundation. On return to the studios, I put finishing touches on tomorrow's show, had the pleasure of showing our studios to a few visitors, and worked through technical issues for tomorrow's Breakfast Brigade.
Thursday, January 31, 2008
Snapshot of today...
I wrote and mailed thank you letters to two donors today. I really believe in getting these out within a day or two we receive a check and in handling this personally. This was my first priority for today. As an aside, our donor support has been so encouraging over the past 4 months and is at the highest its been in our 30-year history.
I then turned to a conference call with Allegheny Land Trust in which we discussed some ways we'll be working to educate listeners about greenspace in Allegheny County.
Then, it was on to finalizing a mid-term progress report on our after school work with Pittsburgh Public Schools. I don 't think anyone really likes writing progress reports but they bring to mind one of my favorite sayings -- "I hate to write, but love to have written." While writing the report took a long time (we also prepared an accompanying set of CDs), it was satisfying to see how much we accomplished in 4 months. Another saying I like came to mind as well: "I'm sorry this letter is son long: I didn't have time to write a short one!" (Mark Twain). We managed to capture our work in three succinct pages but, as you may know if you write for a living, succinct writing is time consuming.
Along the way I took a few breaks to finalize a workshop with Northview Heights Elementary for tomorrow, arrange audio services for a meeting next week, interview a potential addition to our staff, be interviewed by an Allegheny College student for a radio drama project she's involved with, complete paperwork for our Washington & Jefferson intern, discuss a few operational issues with museum staffers, update Rounder Records on our growth and put the finishing touches on this week's edition of "Jazzin' Around", a separate public radio program we produce for Pittsburgh jazz radio legend David Jaye.
Believe it or not, I did leave a few things out but -- if I had to account for my time -- I think I hit the high points...although I did order toner for one of the printers, update our playlist...well, *most* of the high points ;).
BTW, the answer to the Haiku I posted yesterday is "hogan".
I then turned to a conference call with Allegheny Land Trust in which we discussed some ways we'll be working to educate listeners about greenspace in Allegheny County.
Then, it was on to finalizing a mid-term progress report on our after school work with Pittsburgh Public Schools. I don 't think anyone really likes writing progress reports but they bring to mind one of my favorite sayings -- "I hate to write, but love to have written." While writing the report took a long time (we also prepared an accompanying set of CDs), it was satisfying to see how much we accomplished in 4 months. Another saying I like came to mind as well: "I'm sorry this letter is son long: I didn't have time to write a short one!" (Mark Twain). We managed to capture our work in three succinct pages but, as you may know if you write for a living, succinct writing is time consuming.
Along the way I took a few breaks to finalize a workshop with Northview Heights Elementary for tomorrow, arrange audio services for a meeting next week, interview a potential addition to our staff, be interviewed by an Allegheny College student for a radio drama project she's involved with, complete paperwork for our Washington & Jefferson intern, discuss a few operational issues with museum staffers, update Rounder Records on our growth and put the finishing touches on this week's edition of "Jazzin' Around", a separate public radio program we produce for Pittsburgh jazz radio legend David Jaye.
Believe it or not, I did leave a few things out but -- if I had to account for my time -- I think I hit the high points...although I did order toner for one of the printers, update our playlist...well, *most* of the high points ;).
BTW, the answer to the Haiku I posted yesterday is "hogan".
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Cook Forest Trip
Rikki and I left for Cook Forest after I completed a Girl Scout workshop on Sunday. The workshop included 7 girls from Plum (6th graders) and we had a nice session covering the control board, various audio sources (demonstrating the phone patch by calling one of the moms' cell phones), digital recording and special effects. One nice surprise was seeing Barb Hall -- one of my closest friends in college -- in her role as a troop leader. Except for the yearly Christmas cards, Barb and I have not caught up in at least 10 years and it was great to see her.
We arrived at Cook Forest Sunday evening and were without television, cell phone, email or computer until Tuesday afternoon when we returned. Wintertime hiking can be fun and we managed to see some of great "high country" (with its dry, powdery snow and only a few footprints) as well as a few trails closer to river level. Rikki's pedometer showed that we hiked about 7.5 miles.
On returning to SLB today, there were quite a few phone calls and emails. We had a technical session today and established audio delivery to 91.7 WCUC Clarion as planned. Our debut there should occur this Saturday or next. Our colleagues at Clarion University of Pennsylvania have been great to work with and we are looking forward to extending our reach. I listened to WCUC quite a bit while in Cooksburg and enjoyed what I heard.
As positive as that development was, we finally updated our Antivirus software today -- only to discover that it causes a negative impact on our music playback system that manages nearly all of our 50,000-plus songs. Tomorrow likely will be an un-install, although I've learned to sleep on it. Perhaps it's simply a setting we missed.
While hiking, I thought of a new SLB puzzle in which we could describe an item by haiku. For example, can you name this word? Hint: We saw a model of one in the woods.
Quonset like structure
Giving shelter to natives
Starts with letter H
I'll give you the answer tomorrow.
We arrived at Cook Forest Sunday evening and were without television, cell phone, email or computer until Tuesday afternoon when we returned. Wintertime hiking can be fun and we managed to see some of great "high country" (with its dry, powdery snow and only a few footprints) as well as a few trails closer to river level. Rikki's pedometer showed that we hiked about 7.5 miles.
On returning to SLB today, there were quite a few phone calls and emails. We had a technical session today and established audio delivery to 91.7 WCUC Clarion as planned. Our debut there should occur this Saturday or next. Our colleagues at Clarion University of Pennsylvania have been great to work with and we are looking forward to extending our reach. I listened to WCUC quite a bit while in Cooksburg and enjoyed what I heard.
As positive as that development was, we finally updated our Antivirus software today -- only to discover that it causes a negative impact on our music playback system that manages nearly all of our 50,000-plus songs. Tomorrow likely will be an un-install, although I've learned to sleep on it. Perhaps it's simply a setting we missed.
While hiking, I thought of a new SLB puzzle in which we could describe an item by haiku. For example, can you name this word? Hint: We saw a model of one in the woods.
Quonset like structure
Giving shelter to natives
Starts with letter H
I'll give you the answer tomorrow.
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Today's Show
Aside from a few technical issues, we were very pleased with today's program. Some of the highlights that stand out for me:
1. One of the callers during our 8 a.m. Saturday Stumper was a father and two sons en route to a wrestling camp. We're always happy when families are participating together.
2. A delightful call from 11-year old McKenna solving a puzzle.
3. Short interviews with the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative, Modern Formations gallery and Carnegie Museum of Art.
4. The enthusiastic live interview with Lisa Miles (author of "Resurrecting Allegheny City"), which drew calls from many listeners and called attention to North Side history. Lisa also played violin. One adult male caller noted being moved to tears by a John McCutcheon song ("My Old Man") in which the lyric pays tribute to "(m)y old man (who) grew up on the North Side". I'm glad he was moved by the song; and that I spent 30 minutes or so earlier in the week making sure we had the song; and that I remembered to play it. I had wanted to open the 9 a.m. hour with it, but there was a technical issue; instead I aired it at 9:40 a.m.. Perhaps the caller would not have heard it if I and played it at 9 a.m.
5. A visit at 10 a.m. from Cashew, a beagle at Animal Friends awaiting adoption...and a subsequent 11:50 a.m. call from Animal Friends telling us that listeners subsequently adopted him!
8. The appearance of Billy (11) and Big Brother Jeff during our Big Brothers Big Sisters segment. Both were articulate and loving people. Jeff, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon explained how Billy helps him keep his life in balance. Billy, an incredible person with 7 siblings, explained why his relationship with Jeff is important to him.
9. The incredible harmonies and songs of Brewer's Row, our 11 a.m. live performers.
10. Hearing from online listeners in Maryland, Virginia and Florida.
Here's a secret...after all this is "The Insider" :)...
...it's our job to make SLB seem "easy". However, planning and executing the program is hard work. Achieving balance is critical, working 100% live can be a challenge, and mixing music with interviews and live performances requires alot of multitasking, thought and, frankly, risk.
Days like today make the effort worth it...nearly 30 years after beginning SLB, we wouldn't have it any other way.
1. One of the callers during our 8 a.m. Saturday Stumper was a father and two sons en route to a wrestling camp. We're always happy when families are participating together.
2. A delightful call from 11-year old McKenna solving a puzzle.
3. Short interviews with the Penn Avenue Arts Initiative, Modern Formations gallery and Carnegie Museum of Art.
4. The enthusiastic live interview with Lisa Miles (author of "Resurrecting Allegheny City"), which drew calls from many listeners and called attention to North Side history. Lisa also played violin. One adult male caller noted being moved to tears by a John McCutcheon song ("My Old Man") in which the lyric pays tribute to "(m)y old man (who) grew up on the North Side". I'm glad he was moved by the song; and that I spent 30 minutes or so earlier in the week making sure we had the song; and that I remembered to play it. I had wanted to open the 9 a.m. hour with it, but there was a technical issue; instead I aired it at 9:40 a.m.. Perhaps the caller would not have heard it if I and played it at 9 a.m.
5. A visit at 10 a.m. from Cashew, a beagle at Animal Friends awaiting adoption...and a subsequent 11:50 a.m. call from Animal Friends telling us that listeners subsequently adopted him!
8. The appearance of Billy (11) and Big Brother Jeff during our Big Brothers Big Sisters segment. Both were articulate and loving people. Jeff, a Ph.D. candidate in chemical engineering at Carnegie Mellon explained how Billy helps him keep his life in balance. Billy, an incredible person with 7 siblings, explained why his relationship with Jeff is important to him.
9. The incredible harmonies and songs of Brewer's Row, our 11 a.m. live performers.
10. Hearing from online listeners in Maryland, Virginia and Florida.
Here's a secret...after all this is "The Insider" :)...
...it's our job to make SLB seem "easy". However, planning and executing the program is hard work. Achieving balance is critical, working 100% live can be a challenge, and mixing music with interviews and live performances requires alot of multitasking, thought and, frankly, risk.
Days like today make the effort worth it...nearly 30 years after beginning SLB, we wouldn't have it any other way.
Happy Saturday!
Our 1/26/08 program begins in in about 90 minutes. I'll comment on the program later today. Feel free to add your feedback whenever you'd like.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Museum's 25th Birthday, SLB's 30th...
Rikki and I just got home from the first of many 2008 birthday parties in honor of the Children's Museum's 25th. SLB's 30th birthday is this year, too, so its likely to be a year full of birthday cake and fun.
I was lucky enough to be able to focus on final show prep for a few hours today. Even after this many years, it is critical to carefully plan each program. While we have some specific principles we follow, the structure and preparation allows us to be creative -- and to enjoy the program more, too.
Other activities today included mastering some internal recordings for the museum and meeting with the likely lead sponsor for our annual Audio CD Mother's Day and Father's Day Card projects.
Bill Lucker, Rikki and I always have had a running joke we'd make on a rare Friday night out on the order of "If I go to sleep right *now*, I can get X hours of sleep...", the joke being that going to sleep "now" was certainly not possible and, worse yet, the number of hours was already too small! As I write this, X = 5 hours so its time to stop for now.
I was lucky enough to be able to focus on final show prep for a few hours today. Even after this many years, it is critical to carefully plan each program. While we have some specific principles we follow, the structure and preparation allows us to be creative -- and to enjoy the program more, too.
Other activities today included mastering some internal recordings for the museum and meeting with the likely lead sponsor for our annual Audio CD Mother's Day and Father's Day Card projects.
Bill Lucker, Rikki and I always have had a running joke we'd make on a rare Friday night out on the order of "If I go to sleep right *now*, I can get X hours of sleep...", the joke being that going to sleep "now" was certainly not possible and, worse yet, the number of hours was already too small! As I write this, X = 5 hours so its time to stop for now.
Thursday, January 24, 2008
GirlTalk, Miller Academy, Stumbling on Happiness
I started today with a great luxury -- I sat and quietly pondered and documented our lesson plans for GirlTalk 2008, a collaborative project SLB does with the Girls, Math & Science Partnership to expose 11-to-15 year-old girls about radio production, teamwork and role models. I've been thinking about the lesson plans for a few months and was especially glad to have a few hours to actually think through the details, organize them in an Excel table, and then revise them based on a careful review as well as reflection from how the project went last year. It's not often that I get a chance to focus on just one thing, let alone to engage in detailed planning and strategy for a project that will not start for another two months (March 29th)! Working through the plans was a pleasure, as was a subsequent meeting we had with the team that will carry this out. In addition to GMSP and SLB, our team this year will include YouthALIVE! (the after-school program involving Allegheny Traditional Academy) and an intern from Washington & Jefferson College (who should herself be a good role model for participants).
After our meeting, Jeff and I headed to Miller African-Centered Academy in the Hill District where we worked with five teenagers to record original rhythms and rap. Our time at Miller is always a pleasure and today was terrific. On entering the school, we were told how much the kids were looking forward to our weekly visit. Our session was outstanding -- we laughed together as the kids learned more about audio editing and production while creating original compositions that ranged from serious reflective pieces to hysterical rhyming descriptions of everyday life. The late Jake Milliones's sister-in-law was one of our adult helpers today and it was a pleasure to meet a relative of this well-regarded former Pittsburgh city councilman and school board president.
I returned to the office to review some guest bookings and bank statements, after which I edited this week's Jazzin' Around program. We've been helping longtime Pittsburgh radio host David Jaye with production and distribution of this jazz magazine program.
I finally arrived home around 8 p.m. to the delight of a package containing "Stumbling on Happiness", a book recommended by longtime listener Craig of Macon, Georgia. This looks like a great analysis of the human condition and I'm looking forward to jumping into it.
After our meeting, Jeff and I headed to Miller African-Centered Academy in the Hill District where we worked with five teenagers to record original rhythms and rap. Our time at Miller is always a pleasure and today was terrific. On entering the school, we were told how much the kids were looking forward to our weekly visit. Our session was outstanding -- we laughed together as the kids learned more about audio editing and production while creating original compositions that ranged from serious reflective pieces to hysterical rhyming descriptions of everyday life. The late Jake Milliones's sister-in-law was one of our adult helpers today and it was a pleasure to meet a relative of this well-regarded former Pittsburgh city councilman and school board president.
I returned to the office to review some guest bookings and bank statements, after which I edited this week's Jazzin' Around program. We've been helping longtime Pittsburgh radio host David Jaye with production and distribution of this jazz magazine program.
I finally arrived home around 8 p.m. to the delight of a package containing "Stumbling on Happiness", a book recommended by longtime listener Craig of Macon, Georgia. This looks like a great analysis of the human condition and I'm looking forward to jumping into it.
Wednesday, January 23, 2008
Another year with The Carnegies...
We spent part of our day today planning interviews and features spotlighting activities at Carnegie Museum of Art and Carnegie Museum of Natural History. We've worked with these organizations for over 10 years and deepened our relationship considerably when we relocated our studios in 2004.
Planned collaborations for the year ahead include on-air interviews and discussions on "The Scoop on Poop" exhibit (opening this Saturday), green design, the new dinosaur exhibit, the Carnegie Biennial, Mongolian calligraphy, Lowry Burgess and Powdermill Nature Reserve.
Afterwards, Jeff headed out to Greenfield Elementary School for an afterschool workshop. We tried something new today -- a radio drama -- and the kids had a great time. Jeff just headed home, as Rikki and I finish up providing music to a special event here at the Children's Museum (something we do to help our neighbors). Other accomplishments today included my answering about 25 emails (we really appreciate your patience if it takes us awhile to get back to you) and making arrangements for two cub scout troops to visit our studios next month.
The picture above is from a visit Jeff (right) and I made to the WNJR studios last week at Washington & Jefferson College. We'll try to add more pictures as we become better bloggers.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
A day in the life...
This is a new blog and in it we'll be talking alot about what happens behind the scenes. I hope that all of us at SLB will contribute -- Jeff, Rikki and me.
Our days at SLB are filled with variety. Because we're a small organization, we all pitch in as needed. Sometimes I feel a need to do something specific and tangible. The engineer in me often manifests itself when I feel this way, so I spent alot of time in the studio today.
First I re-configured our AKG WMS 4000 wireless systems. These systems allow us to place wireless microphones or mixers virtually anywhere in the 40,000 square-foot Children's Museum. The changes I made today simplify the use of this equipment so we can deploy it more quickly when the mood strikes.
Along the way, I sorted through some of our other technical equipment and made some strides in organizing our microphones, cables, adapters and the like. We keep an incredible variety of equipment onsite because we do so many different things. Panel discussions require certain types of mics and stands, live musicians require specific mics and cables in order to sound their best, and the workshops we do require a variety of digital recorders, mixers and other teaching aids. As a result, we have a remarkable inventory of gear. The cable alone is challenging -- we deal with balanced audio, unbalanced audio, mono audio, stereo audio, digital audio, composite video, computer, Ethernet and telephone cables daily, all of which have a myriad of potential plugs and jacks they may be connected to. I tried some new organization strategies -- we'll see how long they last this time around :).
Finally, I tested some theories about how our existing Klotz Digital studio control board could be used to make automatic "scoped airchecks" (recordings that focus on things that happen only when mics are live). While we'll continue to do full program recordings, these "scoped airchecks" will lead to new SLB services -- (1) providing short clips of memorable calls an interviews that are easier to navigate than our full shows and (2) allowing listener downloads of puzzles, games, calls and portions of the recorded music we play in a way that respects copyrights. I had some initial success and we hope to have this implemented soon.
While in the studio enjoying getting my hands dirty, I saw a curious face outside of the glass. Ty (about 4 years of age) and his brother Ian (2) were looking inside of the studio with their mom. I gladly took a break and opened the door. While Ian looked on with curiosity, Ty experimented with our alphabet-controlled sound-effects demonstrator and had a great time. I was delighted to learn that his family already listens to SLB regularly as well as Zombo's Record Party, a wonderful eclectic program heard Fridays on WRCT. Ty's mom expressed a great passion for radio that is creative, original and "human". While we have every confidence in our SLB mission (which indeed embodies these principles), it is always wonderful to have a member of our community validate and appreciate our work. Visiting with Ty's family reminded me of how important it is to me to make sure our studio is open for demonstrations whenever possible.
Jeff (who had been working on guest bookings and CD production) and I then headed out to do a workshop at Lincoln Elementary School, Pittsburgh Public Schools, during which we listened to a montage SLB produced based on recordings made last week in which these 4th Graders expressed "What Martin Luther King Means To Me". After discussing the montage, we made new recordings on the theme of "Someone I Love" and also recorded a rap about fast food and a few gospel songs.
I arrived back at our offices around 6:30 p.m., picked up Rikki (who had been doing some administrative work) and headed home. I promised myself I'd get our new blog started today and now will turn to finish reading "Resurrecting Allegheny City" by Lisa Miles, who joins us this Saturday at 9 a.m.
Our days at SLB are filled with variety. Because we're a small organization, we all pitch in as needed. Sometimes I feel a need to do something specific and tangible. The engineer in me often manifests itself when I feel this way, so I spent alot of time in the studio today.
First I re-configured our AKG WMS 4000 wireless systems. These systems allow us to place wireless microphones or mixers virtually anywhere in the 40,000 square-foot Children's Museum. The changes I made today simplify the use of this equipment so we can deploy it more quickly when the mood strikes.
Along the way, I sorted through some of our other technical equipment and made some strides in organizing our microphones, cables, adapters and the like. We keep an incredible variety of equipment onsite because we do so many different things. Panel discussions require certain types of mics and stands, live musicians require specific mics and cables in order to sound their best, and the workshops we do require a variety of digital recorders, mixers and other teaching aids. As a result, we have a remarkable inventory of gear. The cable alone is challenging -- we deal with balanced audio, unbalanced audio, mono audio, stereo audio, digital audio, composite video, computer, Ethernet and telephone cables daily, all of which have a myriad of potential plugs and jacks they may be connected to. I tried some new organization strategies -- we'll see how long they last this time around :).
Finally, I tested some theories about how our existing Klotz Digital studio control board could be used to make automatic "scoped airchecks" (recordings that focus on things that happen only when mics are live). While we'll continue to do full program recordings, these "scoped airchecks" will lead to new SLB services -- (1) providing short clips of memorable calls an interviews that are easier to navigate than our full shows and (2) allowing listener downloads of puzzles, games, calls and portions of the recorded music we play in a way that respects copyrights. I had some initial success and we hope to have this implemented soon.
While in the studio enjoying getting my hands dirty, I saw a curious face outside of the glass. Ty (about 4 years of age) and his brother Ian (2) were looking inside of the studio with their mom. I gladly took a break and opened the door. While Ian looked on with curiosity, Ty experimented with our alphabet-controlled sound-effects demonstrator and had a great time. I was delighted to learn that his family already listens to SLB regularly as well as Zombo's Record Party, a wonderful eclectic program heard Fridays on WRCT. Ty's mom expressed a great passion for radio that is creative, original and "human". While we have every confidence in our SLB mission (which indeed embodies these principles), it is always wonderful to have a member of our community validate and appreciate our work. Visiting with Ty's family reminded me of how important it is to me to make sure our studio is open for demonstrations whenever possible.
Jeff (who had been working on guest bookings and CD production) and I then headed out to do a workshop at Lincoln Elementary School, Pittsburgh Public Schools, during which we listened to a montage SLB produced based on recordings made last week in which these 4th Graders expressed "What Martin Luther King Means To Me". After discussing the montage, we made new recordings on the theme of "Someone I Love" and also recorded a rap about fast food and a few gospel songs.
I arrived back at our offices around 6:30 p.m., picked up Rikki (who had been doing some administrative work) and headed home. I promised myself I'd get our new blog started today and now will turn to finish reading "Resurrecting Allegheny City" by Lisa Miles, who joins us this Saturday at 9 a.m.
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