jbeez

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1 year 7 weeks

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IL

Bio

I've worked in higher education for most of my professional career, except for the obligatory high school and college stints at fast food restaurants and spending summers in NC working on my grandfather's farm. Oh yeah, and of course the welcome to the real world, post college job that had nothing to do with my major. I'm originally from Virginia. I spent a few years in California before I relocated to Chicago. I moved here 5 yrs ago primarily to experience city life, and thus far living here has been enjoyable. In my current job I do a lot of listening and asking thought provoking questions. That’s what I enjoy to do. It’s sort of like being NPR host without the audience. In my spare time I enjoy getting together with friends, checking out concerts and events in the city, watching sports and real estate shows on HGTV, and exercising by the lake.

What's your favorite public radio show?

I enjoy a number of shows on NPR…”Car Talk,” “What Do You Know,” “Stories on Stage,” but by far “Wait Wait Don’t Tell Me” is my favorite. I just love the way they put a humorous spin on the news. I think what resonates with me the most is the camaraderie between the panelists, the host Peter Sagal and Karl Kasell. I had the opportunity to attend a taping last year. I witnessed first-hand the rapport that exists between the crew, and how they bring wit and imagination to an array of political and social issues. After the taping I spoke with Peter Sagal, Karl Kasell and my favorite panelist, Paula Poundstone. I admire the staff of “Wait Wait” for bringing humor to the lives of others.

What's your secret talent?

Actually, I don't think I have a secret talent. You pretty much know what I’m about from the start. I would say however, that people who met me are often surprised to later discover my perceptiveness and degree of insight into situations. Some of it is innate, and some of it has to do with my training in counseling. I enjoy studying human behavior and developing hypotheses for why we do what we do.

What song is stuck in your head right now, you know, a music wedgie?

Eryka Badu's "Back in the Day." It's one of my summertime jams. I think about it when the weather is warm and the sun is out. The song is just about mellowing out and reminiscing about the good times. That’s what I’m about, having a good time and enjoy myself. Life is too precious to do otherwise.

What sound is most characteristic of where you live?

Cars…I hear them frequently. The main windows to my condo face out onto the boulevard. I hear the roar of car engines, squeaky wheel bearings, the bang from bad exhausts, the revving of motors, high pitch accelerations, the lull of a steady deceleration, harsh stops and sometimes just a nice subtle hum as a car idles by a stop sign. It’s a cacophony of sounds. It’s strange, because at first the noises bothered me. I was spoiled by the idyllic surroundings of my previous homestead in Evanston, but now I have a greater appreciation for the unorthodox musical tapestry.

What's your favorite sound memory?

I can think of a number of memorable sounds, like cicadas on a humid summer night in the south, or how the wind howls in Chicago throughout the corridors of the city, but the sound that has had the most indelible impression on me is hearing the waves of the Pacific Ocean breaking against each other. There’s a therapeutic quality to the experience. When I lived in California I often drove to the coast and parked my truck on the beach, so I could listen to the waves clash as I watched the sun recede in the distance. I think metaphorically being in the ocean’s presence created a sense of inner cleansing.

Which station do you listen to most?

91.5 Chicago Public Radio

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