Crude Conversations

EP 068 with Louie Vito

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with professional snowboarder Louie Vito. Louie grew up in Ohio, where winter is short and there wasn’t much of a snowboard scene. So if he wanted to pursue snowboarding at a professional level, he had to travel. At that point, his dad was his mentor and his coach. He would bring Louie to events, competitions and snowboard camp. Louie eventually enrolled in Stratton Mountain School, a boarding school in Vermont that specializes in training winter sports athletes. There, he was around likeminded peers, all focused on the same goal. Today, Louie is a top tier competition rider who has expanded his professional repertoire with charities and a televised dance competition.
To ensure a stable of future professional riders, snowboard companies promote amateur riders who show the most promise. That support helps boost their exposure and helps solidify their place in the industry. Louie says he never had that support as an amateur, so he had to find his own way in. He did that by proving himself, competition after competition. Forcing his name into the conversation. Looking back on it now, he’s happy it turned out that way. He’s glad he was brought up to persevere. He remembers something his dad would tell him in those moments of frustration. He said, “If you’re good enough, then they can’t ignore you.”
Note: This episode was recorded before the COVID-19 quarantine.

EP 067 with Emma Hill

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with musician Emma Hill. Emma is a prolific Alaska folksinger and songwriter. She released her first album when she was 19. Since then, she’s released seven full-length albums, a live album, and two EPs. The focus of her music has always been introspective, focusing on healing, recovery and more recently mental health. She says that she’s always been a heart-on-her-sleeve songwriter and that a lot of her music focuses on heartache in one form or another.
 
Emma’s worked as a traveling musician since 2006, so it makes sense that her live performance has evolved. When she was younger, her set was more planned—she got onstage and sang her songs. Nowadays, her performances are mostly spontaneous. As an example, she points to the Spenard Song Circle, a monthly event Emma hosts. She says that it’s more than just a concert, it’s a safe space to talk about the feelings and experiences behind songwriting.
 
Photo by Lauren Parker Photography

EP 066 with Jimmy Settle

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with retired pararescueman Jimmy Settle. Jimmy details his arduous journey to becoming a pararescueman, or PJ, in his book “Never Quit.” He talks about the endless hours of training and everything it took to become a PJ. All of that training ultimately led him to a heavy firefight in the Watapur Valley in Afghanistan in 2010. He was part of a military operation called “Bulldog Bite 2 Charlie,” and while on his way to provide medical aid he was shot in the head. Fortunately, the bullet didn’t penetrate his skull. And after he received medical attention, he got back out there and continued his duties as a PJ.
When Jimmy got back home from war, he felt broken. His career as a PJ had ended long before he had planned. On top of that, he was experiencing serious physical pain and PTSD. And he couldn’t find any help. As a result, he went through a period of suicidal depression and homelessness. Since then, Jimmy has found help in therapy, family and college. He says that “Life’s funny like that. You don’t always see the spot you’re gonna land when you let go of the thing you’re holding onto.”

Special Conversation: High School Senior Jerico Masangay on COVID19

In this Special Conversation, Cody talks with Jerico Masangay about the effects COVID19 is having on high school seniors. Jerico is a senior at West High School in Anchorage, Alaska. 

Special Conversation: Bean's Cafe Executive Director Lisa Sauder on COVID-19

In this special conversation, Cody talks with Lisa Sauder about the effects COVID-19 is having on Anchorage's homeless population, and how Bean's Cafe is reacting to it. Lisa is the Executive Director of Bean's Cafe, a soup kitchen in Anchorage, Alaska.
 
If you'd like to donate to Bean's Cafe, Lisa says that "whatever you can do will be spent right here in our community to feed those who need it the most. The best way to do that is to go to beanscafe.org or drop a check in the mail to 1020 E 4th Ave."

Special Conversation: Teacher Abby O'Neill on COVID-19

In this special conversation, Cody talks with teacher Abby O'Neill about the Anchorage School District shutdown as a result of COVID-19. Abby is a kindergarten teacher in Eagle River, Alaska. 

Special Conversation: Dr. Andy Elsberg on COVID-19

In this special conversation, Cody talks with Dr. Andy Elsberg about COVID-19. Andy is an emergency room doctor at Providence Hospital in Anchorage, Alaska. 
Andy would like to thank the Alaska Emergency Medicine Associates management team. Dan, Sami, and Ben, and all the folks in the back hall of the ED, Jaime, Brenda, Liana, Karen, Matt and everyone else who has put countless hours into making their team and facility as ready as it can be. Also, a shout out to the parallel teams at the other Alaska hospitals as well.

065 with Malcolm Harris

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with journalist and author Malcolm Harris. Malcolm writes essays and books that are analytical of the establishment and the status quo. His first book, “Kids These Days: Human Capital and the Making of Millennials,” deconstructs many myths associated with being a millennial. Including the idea that millennials are lazy and entitled. His second book, “Shit Is Fucked Up and Bullshit,” is a collection of essays that are critical of modern day North American society. In it, he examines, explains, and even demystifies cultural and political movements and events. Speaking about the millennial experience in this conversation, he says that we’re in a crisis moment and that is going to characterize more and more of our experience in this world.
Malcolm was born in 1988, so he’s part of the generation that he writes about. His work is probably best described as academic and contemplative. Malcolm is what Cody's friend Aurora Ford would call a patient thinker. He works from research, historical precedent and statistics to understand how the world is changing.
Although Malcolm isn’t from Alaska, his reporting and his perspective on millennials is universally important.

EP 064 with Peter Wallack

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with professional stuntman Peter Wallack. Peter jokes that he just kinda fell into being a stuntman. After pursuing a number of different majors in college, he eventually decided to focus on technical theatre at the University of Alaska Anchorage. There, a mentor suggested that he become a stuntman. Not giving it too much thought, Peter went on with his life. It wasn’t until he was almost hit by a truck while biking to work did he really start to consider it. He realized that despite falling face-first into a curb, he innately knew how to fall in a way that protected his body. Today, working as a professional stuntman, Peter believes that you have to fully commit to an action. He says that you can’t do half a flip, you can only do a whole flip, or no flip at all.
Peter grew up in a family of explorers who pushed the limits of what it means to adventure. His mom Tandy founded Circumpolar Expeditions, a business that curates and leads personalized adventures in the Arctic. Peter’s first tour was at 8 years old. He walked a group of Russian dancers all over downtown Anchorage and set them up with a Russian translator. A more recent adventure that Peter points to happened in 2016 and involved reuniting a family that had been separated since the Cold War.
Thank you to Carrie Hambach and Whitney Branshaw for help with questions.

EP 063 with Carrie Hambach

In this episode, Cody has a conversation with his wife, Carrie Hambach. This episode was Carrie’s idea. She’s an avid listener of the podcast, and she’s been telling Cody that he needs to put himself out there more, that he needs to reciprocate more with guests. For the record, Cody says the reason he doesn't usually put himself out there in these conversations, is because they aren’t about him, they’re about the guests and their stories and their experiences. At any rate, he was all for having a conversation with Carrie.
Carrie has been there since the beginning of Crude, and is just as much responsible for any of its success as Cody is. She has always been on the Crude masthead as Managing Editor, because, as they joke, she manages him, the editor. But realistically, she does so much more. She has always proofread and given feedback on his articles, she helps with business decisions, and she’s always there to suggest questions, and give praise and constructive criticism about the podcast. Everything she does adds more perspective and ultimately makes the content better. 
On October 25th, 2013, she packed Cody a lunch and wrote him a letter on the day he was quitting his job at the time, so that he could work on Crude full-time. In that letter, she said, “Happy Friday, Codeman. I know it’s a bit scary for both of us to be so financially unstable at the moment, but I know deep down this was the right thing for you to do. No matter what, we will get by, and we won’t have to look back and wonder, what if? I love you and trust in our futures. Love, Carrie. P.S. We’re out of zip lock bags.”