Live and Lern

Well, well, well... look who it is... your ol' pal... the voice you haven't heard in the podcasting realm since December 2020... yes, you may think that I have been a major slacker but please allow me to explain. Welcome to my 'wasted time free thoughts' Disclaimer: There is no agenda here. I had some extra time and a recorder in front of me... so I hit 'record' and let my brain whizz out. Enjoy.

For this final episode of 2020, Lern takes to the mean streets of SOCIAL MEDIA to gather questions from her audience. In maybe the most narcissistic episode yet, Lern answers those questions with honesty, curse words and last-week-of-work efforts! Enjoy this very random episode and let's hope to Lemmy that she will be able to have guests come 2021... "Merry Christmas Ya Filthy Animals!" :) xo

Favazz and Lern have worked together since 2008 at KSHE 95. At the start of 2020, they swapped dayparts – Favazz went to morning drive, while Lern went to afternoons. In this episode, you go deep into their dynamics in the friendship. Old times are discussed including some rock star encounters, and how Favazz was the first jock at KSHE to allow Lern inside the studio to meet one of her faves of all time. Their friendship is fun and their career highlights together are even more enjoyable. Have fun listening to these two pals ‘tell all’ in the hour they allotted. This episode pairs well with getting your ears pierced a couple more times and then telling your enemies to ‘Go F*ck Themselves.’

Supporting local businesses has never been more important – especially the ones that are dear to your heart! One of the many local loves in Lern’s life is MAVEN in Maplewood, MO. This shop has locally made soaps, candles, face mists, shampoo, lotions and so much more. And it was all created from the genuine interest Kate Bethel had when her previous career wasn’t necessarily sparking her in the ways she would have hoped. Kate’s story is a beautiful one – some would call it ‘The American Dream’. Hopefully during this episode you will be equally inspired to shop local more often and maybe even start working on your own ideas to make something that everyone can enjoy, too. Learn More: https://www.mavenstl.com/ Enter promo code ‘Lern20’ for a discount until November 1st, 2020 #LocalLove

We couldn’t fit everything into just one episode when it comes to Donny Fandango and rightfully so. This is ‘the meat’ of his career – interview highlights! What is it like being in a press tent at Lollapalooza? What makes Trent Reznor laugh? What do you do when you see Maynard James Keenan with boobs? All of these very important questions are answered in this episode. Enjoy for a second helping – Donny Fandango!

Nutrition and healthy habits: two things we probably all could be better at, am I right? (You’re nodding, I assume) Enter my friend: Kelsie Eversmeyer – A Shame-Free Nutritionist and Healthy Habits Coach! In this episode, we dive into education, action and reaction to what the world is telling us about ‘what we should be doing’ and what we already know about taking care of ourselves. As you will hear through this entire episode, really KNOWING what your goals are and reading up on how to get there is completely important… and sometimes it helps to have someone to guide you every step of the way. That’s what Kelsie does for her clients. If you have been falling back into bad habits – unhealthy ones – during this pandemic, this may be a great resource for you. This episode pairs well with listening in headphones and laughing through the completely awful sound quality (Lern is MORTIFIED..haha!) But we couldn’t scrap the conversation… it was so good. Also, I hate Chainsaws. Actually, this episode pairs well with NOT cutting down your trees early in the morning.

Donny Fandango is one last of a dying breed of radio hosts. It is rare to find a jock who actually cares about the music they play and who has the authenticity to just ‘be themselves’ in this wild online age we are living in. As we will discuss: Donny is ‘layered like an onion’ and this episode only touches on maybe HALF of who Donny is, completely. It was a real treat to sit back and have a very genuine conversation with someone in the radio business about the professional lines we all walk, online hate vs online awesomeness, parenting, the joys of finding music and how to completely screw up interviewing Marilyn Manson. This episode pairs nicely with listening to some Millencolin, while muting your enemies online and allowing yourself to surrender to being completely who you are. Enjoy.

In this day and age, it’s really hard to relax. It’s almost like you have to work really hard to relax because there’s so much going on – and then, it’s like, ‘where do I begin on this relaxing journey?’ Well guess what: this episode can serve as somewhat of a launching pad for you. Inside this episode, Lern speaks with Mandy Griffin, who is the owner of Remedy Massage in South City. She is someone who Lern looks up to for how calming her spirit is and how much she has educated herself with the art of massage, energy healing and meditation. This episode does include some options for a start with your journey into the relaxing realm… so hopefully you can find what is right for you! This episode pairs well with a dark space to listen to and plenty of room for imagination.

More than ever, we as people are probably day-dreaming about traveling in a worry-free existence. With so much uncertainty in our world, it’s hard to imagine when that will actually become a reality again. Luckily, we have beautiful photos to ease our minds and continue to inspire us on where we will go explore next, once we can. On this episode, Lern sits down with Josh Rowan who is a photographer, graphic designer and artist from Saint Louis, to chat about his travels and what he captured both on film but also in his heart. Traveling can do that to you, after all. You can find more info on Josh and see many of the experiences they get into here: www.joshuarowan.com This episode pairs well with getting lost in some photos.

When you think about legends, you probably go straight to their success stories, or the reason you know of them in the first place. Rarely, do we focus on where the legend comes from but after you know that story, you never forget it. In some ways, it adds hope for all of us once we do find out how hard someone worked or the adversity they were met with, and still managed to succeed. This is true with the legend of Mark Klose – a man who has been in the St. Louis radio business for almost 50 years and got his start digging ditches behind the flagship radio station that would eventually ‘make him.’ With humor, wit, wisdom, sarcasm and self-deprecation, he has charmed our city in so many ways. Lern has worked with Mark for 12+ years and she thinks he’s one of a kind. This episode pairs well with checking in on your dreams and your work ethic and seeing how much more you have to go before you make it all happen for yourself – because you can!

Who wants to talk about GRIEF! Let's be real -- no one. Which is really strange because we all grieve on varying levels through our lives and it's completely true that we will all experience loss in life. There's world grief right now with a pandemic, national grief with injustice and unrest in our communities and of course the ever-so-heavy: Personal Grief, which we all have to deal with individually. For this episode, Lern sits down to discuss what it can be like losing a parent. She is joined by her colleague and friend, Courtney Diamond, as they chat about what it was like losing their dads. There are interesting similarities and yet unique differences in each of their stories. That is the thing about grief: it's yours. It is unique to your experience and everything that leads up to the moment it hits. Sometimes having a road map, or someone to talk to can help immensely. So sit back, open your hearts and prepare for the grief wave. This episode pairs well with calling your dads (if you still can) but if you can't -- call someone you love very much.

If you asked Lern who the most famous person in St. Louis is, she would answer with: “John Ulett.” He’s a city treasure. He has been with KSHE since the late 70s, and he’s been the PA announcer for the St. Louis Cardinals since the 80s. The tone of St. Louis in the audible-form has been those velvety vocal chords of John Ulett. Lern was lucky enough to work alongside him for eight years on the first edition of the KSHE Morning Rock Show. She considers him one of her best friends and an extension of her family. As you will hear in this episode, not much has changed since they have been behind the mics together. The humor is there, the sensitivity is there, the awkward is there. As it shall ever be! This episode pairs well with calling an old friend and seeing how they’re doing.

What we all need is a good ol’ fashioned, from the heart pep talk in these wild times. Mixed in with a bunch of realism about why the hell this episode is two days LATE. In this belated episode, Lern apologizes to you all and gets honest about what happened this week. Sometimes you just can’t ‘show up and produce’ when you hope to… In this 25 minute talk, Lern will open her mind and give you a ‘free-think’ about what she is…uh, thinking. Maybe you will gather something from this to relate to, or maybe you will hate this. Maybe you are unsubscribing as you read this. (Does anyone REALLY read the descriptions?) Anyway. Enjoy this pep talk. This episode pairs well with listening while in the bath tub, and maybe having a good cry. But then also having a sigh of relief that we are going to make it.

Another quarantined edition of the podcast! For this episode, Lern’s husband, Tim joins her to discuss their favorite memories of being around people during Meet & Greets! Yes, famous humans, all who they were privileged enough to meet because of their radio careers. So if you like stories about well-known people, you will maybe like this episode… or you will hate Lern and Tim for their fun experiences. Either way, you have nothing better to do, so saddle up and listen! Stay safe out there, hopefully this burns 45 minutes of your isolation and maybe brings some joy to your world. This episode pairs well with taking a shower while listening and having a ‘shower beer’ or a ‘shower juice’ of some kind. Enjoy!

Due to the mother-effing COVID-19, this episode will be a solo experience with Lern. A first in the podcast. Good thing she talks to herself for a living, otherwise this may not be ‘as entertaining’. All silliness aside, this quarantine existence we are all living through right now has thrown off the guest-having for this episode (and if we are being real, possibly for many future episodes of this podcast). Lern is definitely going to look into the options with recording from afar with guests – she just wants to make sure it doesn’t sound bad. For this episode, Lern sits down with herself to tell you some stories about her radio career. Mainly, the story of why she isn’t a forensic psychologist and how she works in radio. It’s a pretty normal story with some surprises waiting inside. This episode pairs nicely with: taking a shower since you probably haven’t yet, as well as maybe wearing some pants…and sippin’ on your favorite homemade isolation cocktail. Please drink responsibly and please keep isolating until it’s safe to go out, so we don’t ruin this. BE WELL!

Due to the mother-effing COVID-19, this episode will be a solo experience with Lern. A first in the podcast. Good thing she talks to herself for a living, otherwise this may not be ‘as entertaining’. All silliness aside, this quarantine existence we are all living through right now has thrown off the guest-having for this episode (and if we are being real, possibly for many future episodes of this podcast). Lern is definitely going to look into the options with recording from afar with guests – she just wants to make sure it doesn’t sound bad. For this episode, Lern sits down with herself to tell you some stories about her radio career. Mainly, the story of why she isn’t a forensic psychologist and how she works in radio. It’s a pretty normal story with some surprises waiting inside. This episode pairs nicely with: taking a shower since you probably haven’t yet, as well as maybe wearing some pants…and sippin’ on your favorite homemade isolation cocktail. Please drink responsibly and please keep isolating until it’s safe to go out, so we don’t ruin this. BE WELL!

As March comes to a screaming bizarre, why not find some comic relief in this episode. Lern invites her sister, Emily over to her hour for some wine, honesty and major laughs like never before. One common theme to their sisterhood is the fact that 13 years separate them. They have the same mom but #differentdads (you will get that reference soon). Topics range from growing up in totally different situations with their mom, music tastes, aging parents, personality differences, the tales of vicarious embarrassments and so much more. This episode pairs well with calling your siblings afterward and possibly opening up a bottle of red AND white because that’s what Lern did, so you might as well, too. Please drink and laugh responsibly.

If you ever find yourself wondering what type of environment Lern grew up in or maybe what her parental influences were like – this is the episode for YOU! As Lern will describe: it may be the most uncomfortable episode so far. Mainly because the person she is interviewing used to ground her and give her allowance money, and has been the constant rock in her whole lifetime – yes, it’s her mom. The mother and daughter duo go in depth on certain things from the past but avoid other topics that maybe could have organically come up. Mainly, Lern was walking a thin line to take care of her mom in the uncomfortable world of being interviewed. Nonetheless, you get to know Lern’s mom in a capacity that maybe you never knew before and there are parts that even surprised Lern. This episode pairs well with calling your parents or people in your life that you have cherished for a lifetime and then some. Shout out to everyone's mom.

Tom Huck has been ‘disgusting the masses since 1995’ with his satirical woodcuts and his incredible art as an American printmaker. Huck is the owner of Evil Prints in St. Louis, a regular contributor to BLAB! of Fantagraphics Books and a personal comrade of Lern. The two met in 2008ish through a mutual friend and have been friends ever since. As you will hear in this interview – Huck has a vast appreciation for music and has created art for Motorhead, The Roots and A Perfect Circle. This episode pairs well with whisky and loud speakers turned all the way to eleven.

Imagine knowing what you’re going to be doing for the rest of your life, career-wise, at age 12. In a nutshell, that perfectly describes Scott Griffin. Scott knew very early on that there was something connecting him to cars – especially classic cars. For this episode, Lern sits down with Scott to discuss passion and how one can know and formulate that love of something into a career. His story is interesting because it shows little by little how each step of the way matters to get to the ultimate goal of doing what you love. For transparency purposes: Griffin Automotive Design is a sponsor of Lern’s radio show – however, this was not a paid episode. Lern thought this story about how Scott’s business was built was inspiring and could be of interest to many people who wish to bring their gifts, passion and experience to the forefront of what they do for a living. Go get your dream.

Mikki Gray has experienced what so many hope to in their radio careers – working at a couple of really cool stations, launching a new technology through radio, getting let go and then eventually being asked to return again to one of those really cool radio stations and so on! It’s rare to come back to your roots in radio, but that luck is reserved for only those worth it and Mikki fits that mold! She is enriched with musical knowledge (thanks to her siblings at an early age), an Illinois-side/St. Louis native who grew up on KSHE 95 and is now rocking the Sunday afternoons once again! This interview serves as a nice introduction for Lern and Mikki, as they haven’t known each other as well as everyone else. So sit back, and listen to two CHICKS talk KSHE and get to know each other a little more. And don’t forget to tune into Mikki Gray Sundays, 1-4pm on KSHE.

For this episode, Lern invites her colleague, Lux (105.7 The Point) to sit down in her home and talk about all of the things after brunch. Among the topics included: astro-therapy, coal furnaces, style, adoption, parents and people at work confusing them for each other. The women dive into what is actually behind the lens of the ever-voyeuristic social media tools and how Lux has no shame in her game when it comes to letting people into her universe through her phone. She has the research to back it up, too. You will hear similarities in their stories but also contrasts from each other and underneath all of it, a friendship made out of timing, love for radio and shared interests. This episode pairs nicely with some coffee and a call to your astrologist afterward.

Dave Itzkoff is the Culture Reporter for the New York Times. He is also the author of Robin, a biography about the life and death of actor and comedian, Robin Williams. Dave was in town for the Jewish Book Festival at The J and Lern was lucky enough to meet him at Plaza Frontenac to discuss the book as well as his interesting career in journalism. If you are a fan of Robin Williams in any capacity, you must own a copy of Robin—the book is extensively researched and full of life moments that will captivate you. Dave has created a time capsule for Robin Williams’ life that will live on for generations just like the fantastic plethora of movies, stand up specials and TV shows that Robin has left to the world.

Lern is married to Tim Elwell. They have been married for five years, together for nine. In this episode, she will attempt to interview him while they sit fireside at their home in Missouri. There will be awkward pauses (some left in… many taken out, for your pleasure.) It gets awkward but guess what – that’s what it’s like living in their home. Tim is thoughtful with his words, where Lern is many times impulsive. Tim is reserved and cool about things, where Lern is outward like an octopus – wrapping the tension in her crazy octopus-human arms. You may wonder halfway through, ‘What exactly is happening here?’ – That is a good thing. That means you are exactly where they wanted you to be. There’s a bit of romance in this episode and after they get through some throwaway topics (social media), they get down to the personal honesty you maybe have been looking for. This was a holiday special for Lern, mostly, so she can listen back on this episode when she is 98 years old.

Since Kelly Wild was fifteen years old, she has been making music. Kelly started in a band called, ‘Boom’ that lead her to fronting one of St Louis’ best cover bands known today as ‘Trixie Delight.’ She has made plenty of cameos in El Monstero and Celebration Day productions and it does not matter who originally sang the song because Kelly’s range has no gender role – she can sing it all. Lern sits down with Kelly Wild in a studio so you can really get to know those vocal chords. She may sound soft spoken here but get her on stage and you will be blown away by her vocal capabilities. The topics range from being female in any entertainment industry to forming a band, creating a set list and reading the room. Consider this a short guide for anyone who may be interested in starting a band and recognizing what power it can take to look the audience in the eyes while connecting to the music we all love. Enjoy!

Jordan Hampton works with with ARCHway Institute, NCADA, and Recovery House in the St Louis area. Aside from being a peer counselor, Jordan is also a living, breathing example of how these organizations can help people recover from addiction. Jordan, himself, is in long-term recovery from his addictions. In this episode, Lern sits down for some coffee, informative conversation about the resources available and how those suffering with addiction have never had a better opportunity than the present day to get help. This topic is heavy but definitely a ‘must-hear’ for everyone, as the epidemic of drug addiction is something that affects us all. We are trying to break the stigma and give hope to people through the art of communicating, and Jordan’s story is definitely one to hear. Through this episode you may hear information you will want to write down, so please feel free to grab a pen and pass this information on. We also hope this conversation ignites people to talk with others about addiction and finding the strength to get the help they may need.

Taree McGee is retired now but for many years of her life taught English at various high schools in Illinois. McGee also happens to be Lern’s favorite teacher of all time for a multitude of reasons. First meeting in 1999, McGee noticed Lern in class as a student with the phrase, ‘I have issues’ written on the backside of her palm. Quickly with wit -- ‘Ms. McGee’ at the time – said to her, ‘Don’t we all?’ It was in this small moment that a student felt accepted and understood. This led to Lern looking forward to English class and then eventually, McGee’s journalism class, too. After high school, the two kept in touch and have transformed the student-teacher relationship to a family-like friendship in the 20 years of knowing each other. As you will hear in this episode, McGee is unapologetically herself and a fierce female lead in her own life. She is a mother, student, tour guide, former teacher, world traveler and empath. Taree McGee undoubtedly embodies what it means to live life to the fullest and never stop learning as you go. This episode captures the special way teachers can have profound effects on their students – some even lasting an entire lifetime. It will, hopefully, allow you to reflect on your favorite teachers – both in class, and of the world, who have influenced you greatly.

Dustin Row is the founder of Songs4Soldiers, an organization based in Columbia, Illinois which helps area combat veterans in a variety of ways. The annual benefit concert is growing each year and in its seventh year, will host names like Chris Shiflett (Foo Fighters) and .38 Special with supporting acts of the country and rock variety. This ever-growing event is all from the mind and heart of Dustin, who is a combat veteran himself. Lern and Dustin sit down to discuss how this all happened. From being a part of a war after 9/11 to what it’s like organizing a community and doing something far greater than yourself. Dustin is full of compassion, an optimist at heart and someone to look up to when it comes to the internal question we all ask ourselves, ‘What can I do to make a difference in the world?’ He is definitely doing it.

Katie May is a local business owner and curator of vintage goods at her shop, May’s Place. If you’ve been to St. Louis’ Grove neighborhood recently, maybe you’ve seen the new digs for this fabulous vintage store. Now, two stories and even MORE gorgeous. Find everything your heart desires – maybe a 1981 Alice Cooper tour shirt or possibly a locally made candle that smells of dreams… or at least that’s what their Egyptian Amber candle smells like to Lern. Katie is a fierce-woman-boss-lady as well as a mom and wife with a supportive husband who is her business partner. You will hear how she cares very much about the community she serves and even people not in this community – humanity at large! Listen in as Lern and Katie discuss Daryl Hannah sightings, medical marijuana and what it’s like to own your own local business in this fabulous city. Maybe you will be inspired to start your own!

Tyler B. Ruff is an artist from Waterloo, Illinois. His comic book, ‘The Unforgiven’ has made its rounds through the local comic convention circuit, some national conventions and has even made it into the hands of the late and legendary, Stan Lee. Lern sits down with Tyler in The Grove at Rise Coffee Shop to talk about how one actually creates a comic book series, where the inspiration is drawn from (no pun intended) and how nurturing the talents of people can help those talents grow into careers. They also discuss the need for authenticity while being human, how we should never stop learning new things and how the foundation we grow on can greatly tune who we are later in life. You will also notice that Lern is rudely eating avocado toast throughout some of this interview, so Misophoniacs beware! Hopefully this episode will energize you to draw or at least let out the creativity within you!

Michelle Smallmon is co-host of the Bernie Miklasz show on 101 ESPN in St. Louis. The lone female on her sports station sits down with Lern at Sasha’s on De Mun over a couple glasses of wine to discuss being a woman in this business, working with such prominent figures in St Louis media like Bernie, she tells the story of how she got to the station and the importance of sports relating to the human spirit. Lern comes clean about being a total novice about the sports world and the two connect on so many other fabulous traits they both share. Also, Lern apparently has a limit of two glasses of wine on a Friday. Take a gander, and maybe pour yourself a nice tall glass while you’re listening to this one.

Orlandez Lewis is the Marketing and Promotions Director of Vintage Vinyl Record Store in St. Louis. While hanging out at Kayak coffee, the two chat about how vinyl records have always been in the foreground of Orlandez’s life and how it lead to the existing career path he’s grown into over the last ten years. If you’ve ever inherited the love of music from someone else, Orlandez’s story will resonate deeply with you. And if you’re someone who has passion for something special and would like to translate it into a career, listen up, you’ll gain some insight.

Lzzy Hale is one of the most prominent female voices in metal/rock today as she has fronted the band Halestorm for two decades. Lern sits down for the inaugural episode of ‘Live & Lern’ with Lzzy from the bowels of the Stifel Theatre in St Louis, Missouri, as they dive into the can-be-hardships of getting started as a female musician, tour life, where their good self-esteem comes from and what Lzzy was like at slumber parties as a kid with Alice Cooper records.