Season 2: Episode 3: Talking with Writer David Russell about trying out different careers in your life

D.Russell


Sun, Aug 28, 2022 . 11:49 PM

37:36

Owner: Lynne Thompson
SUMMARY KEYWORDS
people, college, call, play, life, interview, piano, living, growing, story, work, write, thinking, writing, hear, find, writer, career, disability, impaired
SPEAKERS
Speaker 1 (42%),
Speaker 2 (34%)
0:27
Hello, and welcome to The Storied human. This is Lynne Thompson, I have a great interview today with my friend David Russell. I met him through another friend on I think it was LinkedIn. And we just got friendly and started trading writing. He writes beautiful stories, and he has a great life story to to share. And when we realized it, I scheduled this interview. He's semi-retired, he lives in Michigan.
0:56
And he is an author, as I said, of fiction and, and he's visually impaired, which I didn't realize, which is such a testament to the support that social media and programs can give us when we can get on there. And I didn't have a clue. So he's got a really interesting story. He also plays piano, which I just found out, which, you know, just makes it all the more all the more interesting. So welcome David Russell, this is your life.
1
Speaker 1
1:28
Why don't you start us out with the piano because that's fascinating.
2
Speaker 2
1:32
And I have been a part of my life since I was three years old. At the time, we were living on a farm in rural Michigan. And my second cousin was a farmer and also had a music store in life and he would come over and put me on his lap. I don't have any memory of this but this is a story I've heard 100 Times put me on his lap and if you need to play my Peter Peter pumpkin eater. And then as I learned how to play by ear, in the play TPP school fights or whatever was popular that day. I can remember when I was about nine or 10 I do every week with the top 10 songs were for that given week. And they didn't have a clue and I say to them you're so even on the top I don't know I have regressed in some way I guess. Anyway. In college, I did have through school but like every other kid I didn't like to practice that much. And I always preferred learning new songs by ear and a system called Braille music really never quite caught on or gravitated to it. So in college I got myself playing a couple different routes with Kent State and Wayne State and also a pallet rescue couch very viable. put myself in a different loss. And I've done that off and on since I was 20 years old in that I just turned 70 In February
2
Speaker 2
3:56
Thursday through Sunday at a restaurant called I've been there for three years because it doesn't have the greatest public transportation Natalie doing in person to piano has been a big part of my life the most requested for the
1
Speaker 1
4:27
people I love it. You know what strikes me about this is that cousin gave you such a gift for your whole life.
4:32
Yeah, he did. We did this isn't going very well like a lot of people need to remember that. He played accordion in his adult life, subsidized housing income, playing for dances and that type of thing. So we wait. I've never been a farmer I think somebody told me that those are pretty tough tweets so it didn't require a lot of attention dairy farmer in my I grew I was born in Sandusky and a little town called basically farming so that you can study electricity and we believe two or three school try to keep it simple. And the county where we move to program for over 600 students who play 30 mile radius goodness schools was and we serve it out together pretty much in the classroom every day with our peers.
1
Speaker 1
6:27
So that's good. Yeah, I didn't know if they did that everywhere. But that's really good wow, I know it's tough to give up a farm it's it's more of a calling in a total lifestyle than a job. Yeah.
2
Speaker 2
6:44
And he did well in business will take my brother's running the business has never been
1
Speaker 1
6:52
what a great start. That's what I'm hearing. And I'm also hearing that your family sticks with things, you know, I mean, your father changed careers, but look at what happened he stuck with it. And now your brothers are running it. That's not everybody's story. It's a wonderful story actually, that there's such continuity and, and such persistence in your family. And it sounds like you were really supported as a child you know, struggling with a disability your parents made sure they found that school for you and and you got integrated now what was it like going to school in fifth grade, like joining that world, like with sighted people, that must not have been easy.
7:31
It wasn't easy.
1
Speaker 1
7:39
So we lost David's audio for a brief period on this part of the interview. And he talked about re entering or entering for the first time regular school with sighted students and how it worked out. But it was difficult at first because the games that were popular back then were games he really couldn't participate in. And he got around that by doing other things that he could do, including entertaining people with the piano. So once again, the piano came in handy
1
Speaker 1
8:14
yeah that's, that's really interesting. Also, fifth graders, especially back then, because I'm only six years younger than you. We were not taught you know, we were not taught about children who have disabilities. It just wasn't we weren't told about how to treat somebody or how to be you know, a little more flexible with someone. So there was a real it was in its infancy I think integrating people into the regular classroom. So also none of us are very nice when we're 10. So I'm just wondering how that went. But I'm I'm just really struck by how supportive your parents were and and the experiences that you had and ended up at college what now what was going to college like Oh, so sorry.
2
Speaker 2
9:15
Ben recommends back to understand how people call him the best years of your
2
Speaker 2
9:27
life for whatever you want to call it that was you've probably heard this too. In other words, a disciplinarian. When you're growing up you can do that every year. Yes, I did.
9:56
free flowing Are you playing the sax, but when you get to be an adult in college sort of being like that to be popular with the girls. I played piano you know, I was I had, I think they probably were some of the best years of my life back living. They felt like just I'm going to share a lot of experience growing up, sense of freedom. Right?
1
Speaker 1
10:52
It's a tough age it is. I mean, even if you enjoy your college years, it's just it's difficult to be in your, you know, 18 to 22 It's just a difficult time you're growing. It's now they call it the second adolescence. They didn't call it that when we were young. I mean, literally, psychologists literally say you changed so much from 18 to 22. It's like the second adolescence. And so it makes it a little crazy that we have a college and and some people get married right out of college and you're barely grown up. Now we understand you're barely grown up. But yeah, I remember it being very tumultuous. You know, people were still sort of some people let out of their homes. We're just not ready. So did you meet? Did you meet your wife in college or was that after
2
Speaker 2
11:47
is a few years younger than this and we're talking out of 1995. I was living in Washington DC at the time. I lived there for 11 years. There actually this time. That's okay. I was living in Washington and she came out afterwards. And you're a nurse. She's a nurse practitioner now that infuse. She was also 13. She came to Washington DC for conference and they sent her in leaned over dinner stayed in Washington for the weekend because back then it was cheaper to fly home on a Sunday or Monday. Right? So she stayed over we were driving on Saturday. She called me the next Thursday because first of all here and as we
1
Speaker 1
13:36
get oh my gosh. Sometimes it does happen like that, doesn't it? It happens right away. Yeah. That's a wonderful story. I love that.
2
Speaker 2
13:54
Yeah. I found a little interesting statistic recently from Perkins law for the blind. They're based in Massachusetts, but they have this they have this back facts about money. And this ties in large people who are blind percent of Americans are live in 16.5
14:42
Isn't that lovely?
14:44
Yeah. You know,
14:46
and why do you think that is?
2
Speaker 2
14:50
Mary You said you're marrying a woman with a psychology that I think we need it before things become successful
1
Speaker 1
15:15
and I just I just hear that you're a great match but I was also wondering why so many visually impaired people are lucky in love and I'm thinking it might have something to do with when you have to deal with something like a disability. I think that you I don't know you have more depth you show who you really are, you're just different you know, you did the work so she saw that she saw somebody who was real and somebody who had some some depth to him. I'm so interested in in how that happens. You know that those things shape us so much. Those those those supposed negatives they shape us into these they polish us, you know, like a gem. So yeah, you you have a great marriage now you adopted two children
16:00
they're adults now. That's so cool. Dude we probably get together we do three times in about a month for the first time. They both charming little boys.
1
Speaker 1
16:29
That's wonderful. Now there's your there's your wife, still work
2
Speaker 2
16:36
practice counselor, or psychotherapist
16:41
etc. Now as for 20 years, hopefully nice funny people
16:54
I was 34 35 years old. So tell us because I'm not that familiar with what music therapy involves and who you who you work with. Could you just tell us a little more about it? Yes, I can. I can see.
2
Speaker 2
17:10
Actually therapy. There was a Christian singer who was also blind can be went to Michigan State within his first therapy job was not there who? Oh, yeah, I believe. Yep. And a friend had given me his record. And I thought, Oh, that's cool.
17:38
music too, to me. It wasn't easy getting there. When I was wandering in Canada, because I was sick and tired of being being the inaccuracy. And I remember like, I flunked my voice my dad voice Oh, don't have to finish early, I live back to piano
18:32
it's hard to know when you're young, right? Yeah, yeah.
18:37
Instructors have to wait.
1
Speaker 1
18:43
When you've played as long as you have like, from the time you were a really young child, it's easy to just say and take it for granted. But because you've played that long, you know, you got a jump on everybody. It's not like you picked it up in adulthood. I mean, you been playing your whole life.
2
Speaker 2
19:00
Back and music therapy. Music therapy is a means where you're designing a program of people for somebody. But diagnosis is 14 years I would have preferred conferences and illnesses and that professions So anyhow, I work with severe and profound every weekend. They were adults basically with 33 year old bones.
2
Speaker 2
19:45
So the activities we did with putting your heart together I might have them A lot rhythm type activity, but the premise behind it is, is you do something with music, building yourself, your self esteem, your ability. In fact, I've had a funny story to tell you a group of people that I want to sign on because back then they wanted there was a big push for promoting normalization in AWS. I had one the first I guess, team on stage piano recital
1
Speaker 1
21:04
so, I, you know, I'm looking at your life right now. And I'm thinking it's like a quilt. You know, it's like a quilt so many different pieces. Now, how did you get into writing? Did you always like to write or was that later?
2
Speaker 2
21:22
I had worked, worked and lived in Washington, DC for 12 years and I never once I
2
Speaker 2
21:37
got hired as a Washington Post actuary thinking and moving to where I grew up, even before I do suggest in medical transcription, or art recording in medical transcription at magnate
22:07
when work does activity, a nursing home and their grades right for their doctor. They had a full time job during the time who would take care of their residents.
2
Speaker 2
22:25
In his transcription notes, there was I did that 2013 And then in 2013, I retired from that plane, this isn't the first time since I was diagnosed 24 hours a day.
1
Speaker 1
22:51
It is it is a challenge I would imagine and
22:56
still be waiting. But there was a group outline. Writer 750 is still on. And there was no theme write a story. Select a theme for that month. And it hasn't been at least seven. So we're talking flagship. And as a result it was it was somebody
1
Speaker 1
23:48
that's so cool. That is, you know, it's harder to write something short. It's really hard to write a good short piece.
23:57
Yeah, yeah.
24:09
And you got there. Yeah.
24:12
That's the beginning of them. Yeah.
1
Speaker 1
24:19
So, I think of you as a writer, you're definitely a writer and I'm so encouraged for our listeners to hear that you can find you can have different careers, and you can find the thing that really resonates with you one of the things right, I feel like writing really resonates with you. You can find it a little bit later in your career. So I think it's encouraging you know
2
Speaker 2
24:51
it's a way for me to be involved with other people who there's other people are going on.
1
Speaker 1
24:59
Out All right, right? I mean, right? Well, when I write, then somebody was just asking this on one of the sites I read. And it said, Do you write for yourself? Or do you write for others? Or do and I think that real writer, or do you write to be published, whatever real writers write? Primarily for themselves, and, but not just for themselves, because you're always looking to connect. I think that's what's so beautiful about it. And when I don't need a lot of people to read my writing, I'm on medium. You know, and I put a lot of stuff up there. And as long as I have one or two people who say, Yeah, this really hit me. I mean, personally, it's great if people want to be published and go crazy. And you know, that's all great. And I might do that someday. But for me, the essence of writing is that communication that connecting, and for someone to say to me, this just hit me, I know this feeling. To me, that's everything. And that's what we're seeking. And, you know, believe it or not, I live in New Jersey, but I'm in a very rural area. I'm really, really close to the Delaware River, and we have farms all around us, like I can relate to so much of your story. And yeah, we are a little isolated. You know, even though New York is really close. Our day to day life is kind of country ish. And so to have that big, wide world that social media gives you, it's pretty special. And I love that you're finding that, you know, because we don't need to be isolated. And also, I feel like everybody needs to use the gifts that God gave them. You know, it's it's almost an obligation. You know, you it's not up to you to set it aside. That's how I feel like, I just feel like if I'm not moving forward and growing and using the gifts that God gave me, then I'm not like, why am I alive? So to me, I hear you using those gifts that makes me really happy.
27:10
Kong, the restaurant cannot wait on a table. Are you finding that there's people that claim to have double sided?
1
Speaker 1
27:26
Yeah, I do see that more. Although I'm still in the corporate world. You know, I work for Verizon, as a tech writer, and I'm a consultant. So I've worked all over the place, kind of having gigs. But I've been at Verizon for a while now. And so that's a different atmosphere. But you know, when I talk to people from my podcasting class, they're all doing several things. You know, like, one of them is a therapist, and she's got this podcast, and she has plans to be a coach, like that kind of thing. And to me, I like hanging out with those kinds of people. Because even though I've enjoyed my career, and I get a lot of fulfillment out of it, as I'm older, now I see that I need to, again, pay attention to what, you know, God gave me which is this creative side, and it's time to, to let that flower. And I think when you when you move towards creative sides, you don't tend to work full time, you tend to patch something together. And so that's definitely something I relate to. And I do see it in this new crop of people. I mean, I have so many more friends now from the podcasting class. And that's like a side effect. I didn't know I would have this group to go through it with. And it's lovely. And, you know, I pulled Robin into it, because, you know, I met you through Robin ryebeck. And she was my very first interview and it was so great. She we went to college together and she agreed to do that. And I just, she was nervous about it and stuff. And I'm like Robin, I don't even have a podcast yet. It's gonna be great. You know, I really appreciate it. So she was brave, you know, she, but she's so funny. Oh my gosh, I liked being able to show people how funny she is. Because I remember laughing hysterically for my entire senior year. She's just one of those quick people, you know that it's very funny. Anyway, I'm getting off the track. But yes, I do see people piecing together their lives. And having more than one career, I think in general people have more than one career. I mean, I think you were, you know, early to do that people do that, you know, as far as doing it back then. But people do it. Nobody has one career now. Everybody has a bunch. Yeah. And, and things look different at different ages. You know, like in my 30s I got married and I was worried about saving money and we wanted to have kids and it's just different. You stick with one job and you you work it out. And then when you get older You're like, Hey, I never let this part of myself out. Maybe I should, you know. So I love that you found writing and I love that you're doing I mean, you're doing it, you're getting published and you're working on on, you know, major, longer than 750 words. It's great. So, I wanted to say something about, it was a little difficult setting this interview up for us. And do you want to tell our listeners why.
2
Speaker 2
30:32
So Facebook call most savvy person in the world is because we're moving as a society from falls apart or simply. Hey, how do I do? Any wrong in June doing yourself? Even cable TV? Yeah. Me so I'm sure. Comcast and my wife and I like to watch the NFL. And means words, man. We had no idea that the English solver football season watching old reruns, but it turned out that all we need to do is change the cable box. But getting to that delusion was like
31:49
that, Peter, for me is like that, because I mean visually impaired. There's something even like on their forums or something. Wanting people? Well, I think it's all about how to do that. We don't want to tell each other how we feel.
32:21
That's hard. Yeah, yeah.
32:26
So I discovered different accessibility groups, if you will. There's one in Australia called ability over foundation is one where we would take our posts
1
Speaker 1
33:03
Well, I felt bad because I didn't realize, like I said, it's kind of cool. It's not obvious that you're visually impaired. So that means the computers, you know, and social media does work to some degree for you to have a totally abled presence. But on the other hand, I noticed how hard it was for us to do this, and how these programs are not set up for you to easily find a way to use them. And what I'm concerned about, and you got me thinking about it, is that more and more interfaces are touchscreens, which totally sucks for you, it's just as bad as a mouse, you know. And so it made me more aware. And I hear this from another friend I have, where she, she finds that, you know, she's using a wheelchair more and more. And she reports, because she's a lawyer, so it's good. She reports more and more on places that, you know, maybe they've instituted something like a like a ramp, but they never tested it. You know, there might be like a lip at the beginning of the ramp that makes it really hard for people to get onto the ramp. And so I come from it, we're all we do is, you know, build software and test it and then I write about it. I don't understand why we don't have more user testing. And why. Also, by the way, why there's not more sharing, like you said they don't really share solutions. I'm not sure why that is. So you made me aware of this in a way that I wasn't before. So I'm grateful for that. And I'm sure you noticed, I'm like a dog with a bone. When somebody gives me a problem. I just keep I just keep banging on it until I figure it out. But that's really my, my IT training and working with computers. If you're not someone that can just keep banging on something, you'll never make it you know, like, you'll never figure it out. So I really appreciate your patience, your willingness to try different things. And it's been a delight talking to you. I'm so glad that we were able to make this work by And so definitely, and if you want to mention where we can find your stories, that would be great.
35:13
Earlier I mentioned that I wrote in 2018. It's homecoming, and designers and iPhones.
35:27
That's fantastic.
2
Speaker 2
35:30
That addresses. Period still works. That's one type of one word, VA review.
1
Speaker 1
35:51
That's great. And I'll, I'll put those. That's great. I'll put those in the show notes too. And if there's anything else you'd think of, we'll include that because I have the show notes after the, you know, accompanying the recording of this interview. So it'll tell people a little bit more about you, like we talked about, and I'll include these these things. So, way to go. It's, it's 1101. I know you have to go. Thank you again.
36:22
Bye, bye. You have a super day, you too.
1
Speaker 1
36:28
Bye bye. Hi, I wanted to add to the interview that you can find all of David's information about where to find his writing in the show notes that accompany this episode. The audio was a little sketchy at the end. Most of the interview was fine. So I just wanted to make sure we retained this audio and that if you need more information, you can look at the show notes. Thank you so much. And I'll see you on the story human
Rate transcript quality

Done

00:00
37:36


5




5
1x

Meeting Gems™
All notes, highlights, comments, and action items
Highlight important notes
or type a note below

All transcriptions completed