Look & listen as my guest shares part of her life story through her collection of Beatles albums & other memorabilia.
Gloria spoke of her childhood in western New York, under the stern gaze of a Mennonite community where dancing was just a distant dream, yet the scaffold for her future vocation was set in those silent prayers and reflections. The thread of her narration spun from past to present, unveiling the foundation of “Reel to Reel,” her labor of love dedicated to capturing personal stories in the richest medium she knew—audio.
I chuckled softly as Gloria recounted the makeshift Beatles fan club she pioneered in her youth, convened in an old chicken coop behind her house, of all places! What a vivid contrast to her conservative upbringing, I thought. Her passion for The Beatles didn’t just linger—it danced in the light of her eyes as she described her vast collection of memorabilia, from precious albums to a treasured Beatles purse, each item pulsating with melodies and memories.
The conversation shifted seamlessly from Fab Four to digital files as Gloria detailed her work’s evolution with technology, from cassettes to the modern ease of flash drives and cloud storage. It was a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling, adapting through the ages yet always preserving the essence of our human voice & experience.
Two & a half years ago, while I was in Portland, OR for the World Domination Summit, as part of my 5-month roadtrip, I met up with Gloria at a Capital One Café, where the buzz of modern life seemed to fade away as she began to weave the tapestry of her life’s tale into the air between us.
We parted ways with gratitude, but it wasn’t just a farewell; it was an exchange of dedication to our craft. As Gloria left, I envisioned her voice carrying on, perpetuating her legacy, and those of countless others, into eternity. After all, in the world of personal historians, each story penned—or in Gloria’s case, recorded—is another heartbeat etched into the annals of time.
To learn more about Gloria & her important “life” saving work in the world visit her website: https://real-to-reel.org/
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
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