Diary of a Nation

E36: The Correctional Officer

Correctional officers are exposed to violence, injury and death by virtue of their roles inside the prison system. They confront some of the same challenges that police officers, firefighters and combat military personnel face.…

E35: The Witness

Be advised. This interview contains graphic descriptions of war and death and violence and may not be suitable for all audiences.  New Hampshire-based photographer Patrick Patterson documents human rights and conflict. He …

E34: The Nurse

As a nurse practitioner, Karin Chen focuses on women’s health care. As a labor and delivery nurse, she has assisted children giving birth to children and women giving birth to babies they had to turn around and bury. Today, she practices in …

E33: Sled Dogs to Ultra Runs

Can you run a mile? How about 200 miles? Ed Clifford can. He's a second-generation musher who transitioned to ultra running when he turned 50. When he isn't running, he's busy building a log cabin in southern New Hampshire with his …

E32: The Flight Attendants

Ever since I read the book Working by Studs Terkel, I've been interested in what people do for a living. The book is a collection of interviews with people who talk about their jobs. Some of my podcast episodes …

E31: Criminals & Animal Cruelty

Over the course of his careers as a police detective and an animal cruelty investigator, Steve Sprowl has seen the worst of humanity. He's a retired detective from the Rochester, NH, police department, where Sprowl spent 25 years. T…

E30: Slava Ukraine

War causes so much needless suffering, and Russia’s war with Ukraine is one distressing illustration. New Hampshire resident Marianna Lundberg grew up in Ukraine, in the port city of Odessa. Today, her mother and grandmother remain in Ukrain…

E29: I Quit Teaching

The New Hampshire high school teacher I interviewed for this episode did something quite rare in his profession. He quit during the school year. After 17 years in the classroom. His story is one experience, but I imagine his challenges mirro…

E28: What's So Funny?

Carolyn Plummer has worked as a comic for nearly 25 years, and she's in the process of filming a sitcom pilot, "Finding the Funny". Later this year, she's slated to perform in Boston at "Comics Come Home", the longest-running comedy fundrais…

E27: Frost Heaves, NH

Fred Marple is to New Hampshire what Garrison Keillor is to Minnesota. That is to say, Fred has a vivid imagination. Fred is an author, playwright, humorist, cartoonist, singer and songwriter. His most important role is serving…