HyperLocal(s)

Most teachers don't get a unanimous vote of AWESOME from all their students. This one, however, does. Mrs. Pritchard appreciates that all kids learn differently, all kids ARE different, school should be fun and experienced through projects.   Listen as this Chicago suburb transplants to our town of CU with her townie husband and young son. This mom found little outreach for NICU moms locally,...

These two absolute shining stars taught me a lot. When they left Kitchen Table Studios, I was in a better mood than when we started. Wise beyond their years, these brothers should be so proud of their accomplishments. I'm excited to see them soar in the upcoming years.  Listen as these Urbana brothers explain their parent's journey from the African Congo to the great state of Illinois, w...

Disordered eating and eating disorders have changed in terms of language, scope and target demographic. What used to be a common topic in library books and after school specials is now talked about less as other mental health topics take center stage. However, more than ever with social media, weight loss drugs and misinformation, disordered eating needs to be a trending topic.   Listen as this to...

Insurance is supposed to be dry. Not a lot of flair, color and charisma involved. Austin bucks that stereotype. His education in communications and creative outlets bring a fresh perspective to the industry, and sales, in general.   Listen as this Southern Illinois boy meets even more southern girl and builds a family and a business here in C-U. By day he is a desk jockey selling insurance plans w...

This pod is an oldie but a goodie. We pushed this episode back to release the Boston ep for timeliness reasons. When we have nothing left to talk about, we play a game. Art imitating life. We do this sometimes when walking or waiting impatiently for something.  Listen as my husband and "Tales From Two Townies" segment star talk "bringing the funk, upping the energy and being a basic...

Another That's What She Said cohort visits Kitchen Table Studios. She is smart, powerful, commanding and confident in her abilities and talents. Jen is no stranger to business, grief and going after what she wants.   Listen as this Arizona born, Champaign raised, fixture in our community shares her opinion of our little-big community, her love of animals, losing her husband unexpectedly while...

Unfiltered. He warned me. This sweet guy isn't afraid to speak his mind, speak the truth and raise a little hell once in a while. Please excuse the MIC sounds, we did our best with the remote location.   Listen as this proud Villa Grove born-and-raised seasonal farmer, horseman and new business owner talks about his family farm, "Team Block," assisting horses when they give birth, l...

Authentic, sweet, vulnerable and warm. She is everything you'd want in a teacher, her first vocation. She is everything you'd want in a realtor, her career now.   Listen as this townie talks about switching careers, her ultimate purpose of helping people, building the life that you want, low level anxiety and spells of sadness turning into debilitating anxiety and depression, admitting y...

Because of sound quality and the irreplaceable connection that comes with face-to-face interviews, I avoid Zoom and phone interviews at all costs. However, if something or someone’s message trumps those variables, I make an exception. That’s the case for Patrick Stokes and his son, Seán.   Listen to a recall of May 17, 2024 when Patrick got a call no parent ever wants to get. His son, Seán, had be...

I met SoeYun during the 2024 That's What She Said (TWSS) rehearsals. She was well spoken and full of good advice and thoughtful observations. Then came the humor. Her storytelling was second-to-none, sandwiched with takeaways and pearls of wisdom.  Listen as this now midwesterner explains how she went from Seoul, Korea to the tiny town of Tolono! She retells what is was like for her family to...

I met Emily D. when I was an eager mom who has since peaked at parenthood. Sign up for all the things. Take all the notes. Fill up the calendar. She was president of our pre-k board and patient with my onslaught of questions. At this time, Emily was laid up and recovering from one of MANY surgeries to repair and reconstruct the bones that keep failing her.   Listen as this Florida native, 4th gene...

What a pleasure it was to sit across from a professional in communications. I had a lot more in common than I expected with this old soul, wise-beyond-her-years, grounded girl.   Listen as this Champaign native talks purity before marriage, leaving the popular ciLiving local lifestyle show, maintaining uncompromisable roots while being flexible enough to travel for her husband's professional...

Big personality. Red hair. Red lip. Huge heart. Her life ballooned beyond blue collar expectations into a higher education in performance. A built-in family and a special needs child lead her to a life of nurturing, advocating and creating a new normal.  Listen to this Pontiac, Illinois transplant talk operatic music, singing as a learned skill, big age gap in sibling dynamics, her stage partner b...

Electric. Energetic. Magnetic. He doesn't even drink caffeine anymore. He is high on life. Brett feeds off people, hard work, momentum and passion. New to his schedule and routine, is the hard-to-achieve concept of BALANCE. This is the only podcast I didn't have to edit and the only podcast guest that brought a professional videographer/photographer with them!  Listen to this Champaign t...

A farming family gave Nicole the foundation for a degree in agriculture, a husband in agriculture and a first job in agriculture. Two kids later, Nicole has traded in corn and soybeans for color analysis. This home-run business has kept her calendar full beyond her wildest expectations.    Listen to this Ursa native, a town of 600 people, talk small town feelings at a big college like the Universi...

My husband, Andrew Harrington, and I podcast from our Boston hotel room. Our third guest, the hotel housekeeper, makes multiple off-MIC cameos. We are in Massachusetts in an effort to follow the Illini Basketball Team through March Madness. This obsession (of Andrews) leads to an achilleas injury from overuse of the gas pedal during these 14-hour up and back drives.  Listen as we discuss if the in...

I had the pleasure of meeting weekly with Airiel Sadler during the 2024 rehearsals of That's What She Said. She was shy, then sweet, then vulnerable, then funny then articulate. Each time I listened to her speak, her words became more dynamic and more meaningful. She got 7 minutes on stage. Here is the full story of her glorious mess.   Listen as this Champaign-born, Chicago-raised, Champaign...

It's not easy to follow your dream, to start something from scratch, to hustle and practice and hone your craft in the hopes that you are talented enough, or lucky enough, to one day be discovered for the gifts that you have to share.   Listen as this local talks about her background in dance. This background would create a craving for the stage. She's a star. A funny star. A comedienne...

How did this once cubicle dwelling-ad salesman turn into the modern-day ice cream man?   Listen as this local talks about his college days: the good, the bad and the ugly, how these days led to a need to prove himself, how my own good, bad and ugly days overlap with his, his full circle return to his fraternity house as a mentor to the younger guys, buying a literal fleet of Kona Ice Trucks and hi...

This professionally trained chef, with wife Stef, fell in love with cooking food when he saw his cousin's face light up while eating his first solo dish. This passion won out over his second love, basketball, and would lead him to the pursuit of higher education at Le Cordon Bleu in Atlanta. This militant environment would widdle a thousand students down to a few hundred by the end of the yea...

This retiree of the US Navy, changed his course entirely at the height of his military career. Move up or move out. He didn't opt for travel and noon naps, rather he chose steering a ship full of high school students.  Listen as this Brooklyn-born New Yorker talks about meeting the woman that will get him to Heaven, being the Chief Operating Officer of the high school your teenage son attends...

Once upon a time at a local baby pool, a talkative, pretty, friendly mom with a 100-watt smile struck up a conversation with me. Almost a decade later, this mom and I would end up living in parallel orbits as our sons traveled through summers, sports and school together.   Listen as this Chicago suburbanite talks about her life raising three boys into gentlemen, talking to kids about consent and s...

I finally meet the multi-talented, teacher, musician, YMCA Body Attack King and hair God, Ryan Groff. Ryan has been on my potential list since the beginning of the podcast as a male "gotta" interview.  Listen as this Southern Illinoisan talks about his crossover from jock to rock, teaching all musical abilities through tons of instruments over 60 lessons a week, the current status of the...

I catch up with a current LA (former Urbana) couple while they visited family during the holidays. A sweet email from Steve's biggest cheerleader, wife Megan, brought the potential interview to my attention and ultimately my kitchen table.   Listen as Steve talks about his former professional life in baseball, the current state of the sport, starting Steelo Sports,  twin life, West vs. Midwes...

My husband, Andrew Harrington, and I podcast from our honeymoon spot 13 years and a lot more literal baggage later. In Maui we touch on a WIDE range of topics and Andrew tries not to mock my voice.    Listen as these two townies talk about renovation PTSD, frozen poo in a bucket, our son calling incessantly from school, young love, my previous work bully and my current call out on social media fro...