Familiar Strangers: The Class of 2006 Podcast

In this week's episode, we first hear about a special alumni event for BCCHS grads before diving into the life of this week's guest-- the one and only Conor Cote!   Conor was kind enough to walk us through is life in Seattle and why he thinks he might just be a city person at heart.  He also tells us what's inspired him to stay in touch with so many of our classmates over the decades. As always, a...

David and Drew discuss Halloween costume options their families are considering before diving into an extremely fun discussion with this week's guest: Tivonna Bonilla.   From her wise one-liners on personal philosophy, to her extensive sports injuries and her enjoyment of being a homebody and watching Dateline-- this one has a little bit of everything.    A special thanks goes out to James Evanson...

In this episode, we start with a heartfelt thank you for supporting the pod. We've now eclipsed 1,000 downloads! Then, after some friendly peer pressure, we dive into our guest: Nolan Lopez! The man was born for podcasting, what else is there to say? From college football to elk hunting, he keeps the stories coming and gets us pumped up to compete! In what, who knows? But we're ready!  As always,...

It's the pod logo creator himself!   After a silly intro where David and Drew lament a string of bad days they've recently had-- things start looking up as we transition to this week's guest: James Evanson. James shares about keeping his passion for art alive (regardless of the medium).    As always, thanks to the aforementioned Mr. Evanson for the logo work and to Steve Miller for the great intro...

For this episode, we went on summer break: literally. This thing was recorded back in July when we scheduled vacations at the same time and whiffed on our first opportunity to record together in person.  However, we make lemonade out of lemons! Drew, who was in Billings visiting his family, walked through our old high school and recorded this episode on site!  He was joined by Billings Central's p...

Scuba?! Scuba! In this episode, we 'dive' into a favorite hobby of the one and only Erin Gaertner! She also fills us in on her globetrotting and does a great job selling us on one of her favorite locales. From bad romance novels to stealing and exchanging white boards during lunchtime at Central, this one has it all!  A special thanks to Steve Miller for the tunes and James Evanson for the artwork...

In this episode, we talk to a classmate who has rubbed shoulders with celebrities at the Kentucky Derby... but still makes time to smack talk old ladies at the bowling alley! It's everyone's favorite landman Keenan Stanek! Rest assured, that'll all make sense by the end of the hour!   As always, thanks to Steve Miller and James Evanson for the beautiful music and logo!

In this episode, the podcast goes international! We get caught up with Benjamin Jensen, who is currently stationed in Germany! From travel recommendations to re-connecting with family roots, you'll get a kick out of hearing from the always wry and witty Ben.   We end this episode with a special tribute to a teacher who passed away recently.  As always, thanks to Steve Miller for the tunes and Jame...

In this episode, we go garden to table with a multi-talented classmate. From a career as an OR nurse to her garden hobby and cooking talents, Terese Murray kept us entertained!  We also hear about special relationships she has maintained with fellow '06ers and a Billings Catholic Schools legacy she's continuing today with her own son.  As always, thanks to James Evanson and Steve Miller for the lo...

Cowabunga! In this episode, we're catching up with one of the creative forces behind the latest Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie (and many other beloved animated features): the one and only Alger Tam. We also hear what it's like for him to live in LA and what he's enjoying about being a dad.  Enjoy this totally tubular hour!   As always, a special thanks to Steve Miller for the intro and outro t...

Get ready to hop into the fast-paced and dangerous world of a commercial kitchen! We also learn about the virtues of grocery shopping with co-workers and what it's like to be on the receiving end of calls for a tarot card hotline! Kit Ray provided some fun memories that made for a whirlwind and all too quick episode.    As always, thanks to Steve Miller for the tunes and James Evanson for the exce...

Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own a historic bar famous for historic brawls while enjoying the natural beauty and recreational opportunities of Montana's capital city? Well, that's oddly specific... but it's your lucky day! Everyone's favorite bowlegged member of the class of '06, Joe Schmechel, is here to tell you all you'd like to know!   As always, thanks to Steve Miller and J...

In this episode, we all get to go on an adventure alongside Chris Wilkins. From living in several different big cities and smaller communities in rural America to his travels back home, Chris is a guy on the move with an inspiring dedication to his family.  As always, thanks to Steve Miller and James Evanson for our music and logo! The check is in the mail, fellas (there is no check). :(

The episode starts out with a very special guest appearance and we just keep riding the momentum. This week, the ever-musical Steve Miller joins the pod to share about his journey over the past 20 years. Central connections abound in this entertaining hour! As always, thanks to the forementioned Mr. Miller for the music and James Evanson for our logo art! 

This week, we're getting into the nitty gritty of teaching English with the one and only Sarah Wendel. Her passion for the profession shines through in this entertaining chat that also covers her favorite high school activities!    We had a few audio issues with this one that took a toll on the quality during our banter at the beginning. The good news is it really evens out once we get a few minut...

For a guy doing his first podcast interview, Patrick had the whole thing figured out! We had a blast catching up with Las Cruces' most eligible bachelor.  It was a joy catching up with Patrick and we’re looking forward to our next chat— and we think you will be as well!  As always, a special thanks to Steve Miller and James Evanson for the music and logo! 

Rose Gumz joins the podcast to discuss life in the Twin Cities. From her perspective on launching startups to her experience as a D1 NCAA athlete, the time we spent with Rose flew by. We think that’s because Rose is as she always has been: world-class!  As always, special thanks to Steve Miller for the music and James Evanson for the logo! 

After a rather intensive search, the dynamic detective team at Leslie & Leslie Associates managed to track down the elusive Colin Cote. From his experience in Africa to his work on the art scene in Butte, you'll enjoy the ensuing conversation!  As always, special thanks to Steve Miller for the music and James Evanson for the logo! 

We're spending the better part of the hour catching up with Eric. He was kind enough to hang with us through a few technical difficulties. The audio on this one is a little less than ideal. We're working on it... it's a bit of trial and error. But Eric was great as always. Funny, thoughtful... everything you likely remember.  As always, special thanks to Steve Miller for the music and James Evanso...

In our first episode, we talk a little bit about why we're doing this podcast before getting into the interview with the one and only Shannon Haraden (you might remember her as Shannon Moore). Shannon walks us through an entertaining career and dare we say picturesque life in Wyoming! Special thanks to fellow '06 alumni Steve Miller and James Evanson. Steve contributed our intro and outro music an...

We know. Everyone has a podcast these days. But this one is different. It's just for you. Join us as we catch up with our fellow classmates with the goal of being a little more caught up with each other's stories by the time we hit the impending 20th reunion!