The Pants Quandary

Media, Politics, and Civil Society Research Consultant Susan Abbott is a community building WARRIOR.  Susan walks us through the wild and wooly world of the interwebs, AI, and human creativity.  Side quests include R&D budgets for midlife, awkwardness making a comeback, and gathering around music and storytelling. Go here for video: https://youtu.be/orArgpaL9P4 🎤🎧The Pants Quandary lives her...

Composer Jessica Mays brings us into her internal and external worlds of observation and creative flow.  Side quests include observing children as sages, seeking home in the body, trying not to try, and lots of plants and bird sounds.  Super gratitude to Mays for a great convo, for opening up about her adult development of synesthesia, and of course for writing such sweet and quirky TPQ theme musi...

Town Justice and Mediator Russ DeFonce guides us through making judgements and finding agreement in rural smaller population communities where communication skills and positive relationships are vital.  Side quests include reverence for the arts, teaching as a learning tool, and obviously the most important topic - cats. Go here for video:  https://youtu.be/Qe1diO_OMlk 🎤🎧The Pants Quandary lives...

Author Dave Maass and Illustrator Patrick Lay walk us through collaboration, compromise, and commitment to staying the course through the lens of their work adapting Peter Kien and Viktor Ullmann’s suppressed 1943 opera Der Kaiser von Atlantis into their acclaimed 2024 graphic novel Death Strikes: The Emperor of Atlantis.  Side quests include some pretty solid and totally worthy idol worship of Da...

Conductor and Music Director Kelly Kuo explains the difference between listening and hearing, and how trusting someone else’s ears is frequently a better plan.  Side quests include leading when you’re not really in charge, encountering unexpected compliments, dealing with bad reviews, and living by the golden rule. Go here for video: https://youtu.be/nYK7OT1c-r0 🎤🎧The Pants Quandary lives here:...

Paramedic Railey Zantop-Zimlinghaus is not having it with your fake shark attack but she is definitely going to thoroughly assess, prioritize, and delegate her way through both complex and mundane 911 situations.  Side quests include learning the ABC’s, the pros and cons of snacks for dinner, and professional level Grade A snooping. Go here for video: https://youtu.be/lC-frXjL3_U 🎤🎧The Pants Qua...

World class musician Josh Jones takes us on a journey through the wild and wooly world of percussion.  Spoiler alert, it’s not just about whacking on things!  Josh exercises a host of skills for planning, flexible thinking, and creative solution making in his leadership roles.  Side quests include a trash can disaster triumph, Bruce Lee, Animal’s triangle skills, and coping with stress/anxiety in...

Denver "Lucky" District 7 City Councilmember Flor Alvidrez nerds out on mentorship, representation, authenticity, and leadership, and delights in some deep cut symphony goss. Side quests include navigating difficult conversations about important issues of the day including - somehow - the height of grass at the park??  Go here for video!  https://youtu.be/OMOlafWgTYA 🎤🎧The Pants Quanda...

WELCOME!  You've found your way to The Pants Quandary – huzzah !  The Pants Quandary is a podcast about how people navigate life with curiosity and creativity hosted by musician/writer/educator/super-nerd Catherine Beeson , who takes you on podcastland field trips to meet these mostly totally normal people.  Whatever that means. Season 1 features conversations with a first time elected repres...