Visit Imo Imeh’s studio for a look at the creation of “in his name,” a new series reflecting on the Jan. 6th Attacks. Explore the UMass art galleries upcoming programming and exhibitions. Holyoke native Nicole Ortiz’s Crave Food Truck serves up tasty Caribbean-inspired food. Learn about the Northampton premiere of locally produced short film “A Mother’s Bond.”
Divided
Divided: Scenes from Inauguration 2021
JANUARY 19, 2021
A Photo and Interview Series by Barry Goldstein
In America, the inauguration of a Commander In Chief is traditionally a time of celebration. Politicians, special guests, and everyday Americans converge on the National Mall in front of the U.S. Capitol building to mark the swearing in of the next President of the United States. Full of pomp and circumstance, inaugurations are an important democratic ritual and a symbol of the peaceful transfer of power.
Take the Mic Helps Girls Master Public Speaking Skills
Take the Mic Helps Girls Master Public Speaking Skills
January 26, 2023
After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set would benefit other young girls as well. Soon after, Crawford founded Take the Mic, a program that helps children build their confidence and self-esteem by learning the art of public speaking. Crawford joined Zydalis Bauer to share more about the program and its impact. This interview originally aired on August 11, 2023. R
After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set would benefit other young girls as well. Soon after, Crawford founded Take the Mic, a program that helps
After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set would benefit other young girls as well. Soon after, Crawford founded Take the Mic, a program that helps children build their confidence and self-esteem by learning the art of public speaking. Crawford joined Zydalis Bauer to share more about the program and its impact. This interview originally aired on August 11, 2023. R
After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set would benefit other young girls as well.
Soon after, Crawford founded Take the Mic, a program that helps children build their confidence and self-esteem by learning the art of public speaking.
Crawford joined Zydalis Bauer to share more about the program and its impact.
This interview originally aired on August 11, 2023.
Read the full transcript:
Zydalis Bauer, Connecting Point: After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set may be something that other young girls needed, as well.
Soon after, Crawford founded the Take the Mic program, which offers sessions for children to build their confidence and self-esteem by learning the art of public speaking.
Crawford joined me to share more about the program and its impact.
Ayanna Crawford, Take the Mic: When my daughter was in third grade, she'd come home, you know, nervous -- sort of crying almost -- about the fact that she wasn't ready to present her project because there was a portion of her project that she had to present with her peers. And so, I said, "Oh, no! We can't have that."
So, I just sat her down. We talked a little bit, you know, about public speaking. We talked a little bit about, you know, her fear and then ways that she could use in order to do this presentation.
So, with that being said, I knew that there is probably other students that might have needed some help. So, we actually formed a little group, and we got a couple of her friends, and we did a couple of like mock presentations just to kind of help them.
And she soared. Now she's going to be a senior in high school, and she not only speaks in public, but she's confident.
Zydalis Bauer: And so since 2014, this program has helped so many children and young adults build on their public speaking skill set.
Why is this such an important skill set to acquire and then foster?
Ayanna Crawford: We know in business and school and all types of work that we do, you know, the fear of public speaking, right? The fear of speaking to people that you might not know, the fear that you might not say the right words, right? The fear of not coming across clear and concise. And so, we all have that fear.
And so, it's important that we start early in schools and in, you know, early childhood centers talking about public speaking, because it's it affects every walk of life that we get involved in -- whether you work at the grocery store, whether you work in a college, whether you are a teacher, a professor, you know, working with what you do as a -- as a host of a TV show. You know, everything that we do has to do with speaking.
And so, we want to make sure that we are helping not only young people, but those that might need some understanding on how do you have those tools, how do you have great ways of sort of, you know, pausing, taking a moment and breathing and saying, "You know what? Let me reevaluate or let me take a moment and figure out what I want to say."
Zydalis Bauer: You touched on that really nicely, you know, kind of bringing the point that it doesn't matter what career you choose, public speaking is important.
I was actually really shy growing up and so, when I first decided to pick this career, I remember, you know, having to do public speaking, being like, "Why am I putting myself in this position?" But not really realizing that this is a good skill no matter which pathway you take.
So, can you talk about how the confidence of public speaking helps build self-esteem? Why do they go hand in hand?
Ayanna Crawford: That's a great question! And I think for our program in particular, what we found was that, when girls have confidence in what they are saying, when girls have a message to say that they're passionate about, that builds their self- esteem. That makes them feel that not only what they're saying that they believe in it, but they convey it to -- to whomever they're speaking to.
And so, in anything that anyone does, if you're passionate about something and you understand the idiosyncrasies of what you're saying, and you yourself are very commanding of that message, then it comes across that way.
Zydalis Bauer: So, Ayanna, you currently are working as the state rep for Orlando Ramos, and you've also had a very successful teaching career in the city of Springfield, as well as being very involved in the community.
So, tell me, how were you able to build your confidence and grow your skillset in public speaking?
Ayanna Crawford: That's a great question! And I kind of think about that in terms of my mother, my father, my aunts, my uncles, my grandmother, and the works that they did.
My mother was a nurse for 40 years. You know, she had to convey messages. She had to talk to people. Whenever we would go to the grocery store, I thought my mother knew everybody in the world because everybody in the world would always stop my mother in the grocery store and she would stop her grocery shopping and have a conversation and talk to whomever she talked to. And she would always -- for me as a child, she would be warm, she would be smiling, she would have eye contact, and she would always pause and listen to the other speaker.
And so, that was sort of my interaction. How do you interact, for one, in terms of when you're talking to people? But my mother was always caring when she talked and so, I saw that early on. It was it was a warm feeling that I recall growing up and wanting to have that for myself and then wanting to be able to teach that to others.
Because I think there's an art to public speaking, there's an art to conversations, and there's an art to listening, because I think we often don't do enough of that, right? We don't listen enough.
And so, if we listen more than we'll be able to share a message of hope to others because of what we hear from them.
Zydalis Bauer: And Take the Mic is -- has after school sessions as well as summer sessions, and you describe it as a fun and interactive environment.
So, can you walk us through what a session looks like and how are you able to really encourage these young adults and students to open up and be themselves during these programs?
Ayanna Crawford: In the beginning, it's sort of a little tricky, but we get them engaged. So, what we do is we allow them to do icebreakers. We know that icebreakers are a way to let your hair down a bit, get engaged, and get really sort of active.
And once we do that, then we sort of start off with our initial class, which is our introductory to public speaking. We do a PowerPoint presentation, we have the girls do interactive activities, role playing, and also, we give them some additional activities to do to showcase their public speaking. We might have them read a poem; we might have them read a tongue twister. We might have the read a short essay, you know, something to engage them and get them excited.
And then also within the program, we have a creative writing class, we have a computer class, we have a nutrition class that we do with the girls. We also have what to wear, what not to wear, health and beauty, because we believe that all those components, with your presentation and what you're saying, also conveys a message, too. You know, and how you take care of yourself is also going to exude some of that positivity and that -- that understanding in terms of your presentation.
And so, we also have guest speakers at each of the days that we are scheduled. So, we have professional women speakers that come and share not only their careers, but also how public speaking has impacted their lives and their careers. And so, it's a wonderful thing to hear from other women in other perspectives and how public speaking has come about for themselves.
And then we have a ceremony at the end, where each girl will be able to present a topic of their choice on community service project, and they present it to their peers. And we all get to listen to the skills and their presentation at the end.
Zydalis Bauer: I can only imagine how powerful that presentation at the end must be, seeing the transition and the transformation of these children.
What has been maybe one moment from an individual or a group that you've worked with that has really stuck with you in a moment of transformation that you've seen?
Ayanna Crawford: You know, it goes back to my first initial program, and my first initial program was what we called a seminar. It was a one day Take the Mic seminar. We had about 45 girls.
There was two girls that weren't sure if they wanted to come. They were very, very shy. Even in their peer groups with their friends, they didn't really talk at all, nothing. And after our program, the parent and the friend said, "Oh my goodness, my friend is talking. She loved your program! It was almost as if you cured her from being shy. She loved it!"
And so, from that day on, she gradually gained more confidence in her own public speaking. She became a better speaker with her friends and her school and her parents. And for that reason alone, I knew that I needed to continue to do that. And that was in 2014.
Zydalis Bauer: And so now, eight years later, here we are still talking about this program.
How would you like to see it grow and what is the future of take the mic?
Ayanna Crawford: I think that we need to have a public speaking course in our schools. I believe that public speaking should be started at a very young age, whether it be first grade, second grade, but embedded in the curriculum.
I believe every child and every school around the country should have and offer a public speaking course. And I would love for Take the Mic to be in every school, in every district around the country. The skills that they gain as a public speaker is going to be so beneficial for them in the future.
After helping her young daughter build on her public speaking skills, Ayanna Crawford realized that learning this skill set would benefit other young girls as well. Soon after, Crawford founded Take the Mic, a program that helps children build their confidence and self-esteem by learning the art of public speaking. Crawford joined Zydalis Bauer to share more about the program and its impact. This interview originally aired on August 11, 2023. R
Visit the Easthampton Studio of Fine Jewelry Maker Heather Beck
Visit the Easthampton Studio of Fine Jewelry Maker Heather Beck
January 26, 2023
Heather Beck got the bug for working with her hands from her father. After falling in love with the alchemical magic that is metal smithing, Beck launched her own fine jewelry business, Heather Beck Designs. Along with creating custom pieces of jewelry for her clients, Beck also teaches beginner and advanced metal classes at her studio in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Producer Dave Fraser shares her story. Read the full transcript:Heather Beck, M
Heather Beck got the bug for working with her hands from her father. After falling in love with the alchemical magic that is metal smithing, Beck launched her own fine jewelry business, Heather Beck Designs. Along with creating c
Heather Beck got the bug for working with her hands from her father. After falling in love with the alchemical magic that is metal smithing, Beck launched her own fine jewelry business, Heather Beck Designs. Along with creating custom pieces of jewelry for her clients, Beck also teaches beginner and advanced metal classes at her studio in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Producer Dave Fraser shares her story. Read the full transcript:Heather Beck, M
Heather Beck got the bug for working with her hands from her father. After falling in love with the alchemical magic that is metal smithing, Beck launched her own fine jewelry business, Heather Beck Designs.
Along with creating custom pieces of jewelry for her clients, Beck also teaches beginner and advanced metal classes at her studio in Easthampton, Massachusetts.
Producer Dave Fraser shares her story.
Read the full transcript:
Heather Beck, Metalsmith/Educator: The amount of trust that my clients have with me is -- it's incredible.
Dave Fraser, Connecting Point: Working primarily in copper, silver, and gold, metalsmith Heather Beck, spends her days creating high-end custom jewelry, from hand textured collections inspired by the natural world that she loves to explore.
Heather Beck: You can't even see all of the detail in nature unless you're like right up on it and I think walking has that magic effect of just being able to take everything in -- like having a higher perspective.
Dave Fraser: She says she's always been good working with her hands, but it was a metal class that she took in college that changed her life.
Heather Beck: My roommate actually had taken a Metals I class her first semester and came home with this, like, oak leaf lamp that shone with like orange light under it. And I'm like, 'What class was that?'
And so, I was hooked immediately; I took metals the next semester, fell madly in love with it, and then it's cool that I get to keep doing that for a living because a lot of people go to college for something and then that's not what they end up doing, but I still really love it a lot.
Dave Fraser: She creates her custom pieces in her workshop, studio number 47 in the Eastworks building in Easthampton.
It's physical work using pliers, cutters, torches, and hammers -- lots of hammers.
Heather Beck: I have more hammers than I know what to do with, but really, I've got a hammer problem.
Dave Fraser: The process starts with a lump of jeweler's wax that she files down into the desired shape, like a sculptor working with stone.
Heather Beck: So, I carve it like an exact replica of what the metal is going to be, and then I'll mark out what the design is and the size, and then I continue to mark it with my calipers, and also my dividers, and make sure that it's getting thin in an even way so that I can make sure that the ring is not too heavy when it is in metal -- because it might not weigh anything in wax, but once this turns into metal, that would like weigh your whole hand down.
So, I'm melting all of the 14-karat yellow gold in this crucible.
Dave Fraser: A highlight of Beck's business is something she calls legacy jewelry, made from family heirlooms that are repurposed into new pieces, allowing her clients to carry the memory of their loved ones with them, while also helping to positively contribute to the environment through ethically sourced recycled jewelry.
Heather Beck: To be able to transform jewelry that has already been mined, it's already up here, it's on this level of the planet.
We're not impacting the Earth in a negative way. We're reusing what is already up here.
So, impact-wise, with like my carbon footprint, it feels really good to be able to do this work.
Dave Fraser: Beck is also an educator and has been teaching metalsmithing and jewelry making since 2006 at various craft schools around the East Coast.
Heather Beck: To watch my students, either at library workshops or even in here when I do the wedding band classes, just, like, watching people's growth edge really blossom is just such a joy.
Dave Fraser: Whatever story brings someone to Heather Beck's studio, she feels honored to listen to it, and be part of manifesting the next chapter of their lives.
Heather Beck: It's pretty cool to watch my work be in the world.
On most days if I go out into Easthampton and I bump into a friend -- I've made a lot of friends’ wedding bands, and I just get to see the jewelry around, and they're wearing it every day, and, like, for someone to wear something I made them every day is like, it's incredible.
I can't even describe the feeling. It's -- it's otherworldly.
Heather Beck got the bug for working with her hands from her father. After falling in love with the alchemical magic that is metal smithing, Beck launched her own fine jewelry business, Heather Beck Designs. Along with creating custom pieces of jewelry for her clients, Beck also teaches beginner and advanced metal classes at her studio in Easthampton, Massachusetts. Producer Dave Fraser shares her story. Read the full transcript:Heather Beck, M
Author Michael Tougias Reads an Excerpt of “Extreme Survival” (Digital Exclusive)
Author Michael Tougias Reads an Excerpt of “Extreme Survival” (Digital Exclusive)
January 26, 2023
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow Native, Michael Tougias’ latest release is “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” In this digital exclusive, Tougias talks about the perils of letting your guard down while on vacation and shares a cautionary tale included in his book. Learn more about the book three decades in the making in our full interview with author Michael Tougias. Read the full transcript:Micha
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow Native, Michael Tougias’ latest release is “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” In this digital exclusive, Tougias talks about the perils of letting
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow Native, Michael Tougias’ latest release is “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” In this digital exclusive, Tougias talks about the perils of letting your guard down while on vacation and shares a cautionary tale included in his book. Learn more about the book three decades in the making in our full interview with author Michael Tougias. Read the full transcript:Micha
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow Native, Michael Tougias’ latest release is “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.”
In this digital exclusive, Tougias talks about the perils of letting your guard down while on vacation and shares a cautionary tale included in his book.
Learn more about the book three decades in the making in our full interview with author Michael Tougias.
Read the full transcript:
Michael Tougias, NY Times Bestselling Author: So in "Extreme Survival" Chapter six is labeled, "Question the experts, especially on vacation."
And I think we all let our guard down on vacation so we're so pumped to see a new area and do all these things -- and I interviewed a man who let his normal questions or precautions go because he was so excited to go bonefishing off the Bahamas.
And -- so they're coming back in the little boat with the guide, it's the two, the two tourists and the guide, and "each man was lost in his own thoughts as they gripped a seat or a gunwale so as not to be tossed about in the boat."
They were hitting some bad weather.
"They just had to hang on, try to ignore the discomfort and in Donald's case, say a prayer. He knew the situation was serious, but he had no idea of just how dangerous the voyage would become. About 5 minutes later, Donald said his silent prayer, then the drone of the engine suddenly ceased. The vessel had run out of gas. 'Where's the spare tank, Travis?' Donald shouted. 'I don't have one' said Travis. 'What? You've got to be kidding me.' 'No, man.' Donald held his temper in check. Now is not the time to argue. The boat was drifting and taking on more water."
And what happens is they get into the night and a big wave comes in and sinks the boat.
All because Donald, who is a very safe boater, was so excited on vacation, he didn't ask the guide a few questions like, "Are there life jackets in the boat? Do you have extra gas? When will we be coming back? Do people know when will be coming back?
And that's a little tip for all of us about leaving an itinerary with someone trusted if we're going to do a difficult hike.
So in case we don't come back, they know where we were and when we had planned to return.
So the mistakes Donald made, boy, I've - I've made them.
And I'll just say one funny story.
I got hired to speak, I do these inspirational talks, and I got hired to speak to the Coast Guard in Puerto Rico.
And before the talk, I had a couple extra days, so I went to one of the beaches and said, "Oh, this snorkeling is great. I'm going to go way out by the rocks."
Well, I didn't ask anybody, how safe is it out there? What's the current like? The next thing I know, the current had been -- had to be so far out. I was like, "I can't believe I'm here to talk to the Coast Guard about safety and I'm going to die."
I'm being dragged out to sea. And it was a surfer who helped rescue me -- I swam part of the way, I shouldn't have fought the rip current, but I got so anxious I did. And a surfer helped me a little more.
But there's a perfect example of on vacation, all alone, didn't ask a single question, just went charging right in.
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow Native, Michael Tougias’ latest release is “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” In this digital exclusive, Tougias talks about the perils of letting your guard down while on vacation and shares a cautionary tale included in his book. Learn more about the book three decades in the making in our full interview with author Michael Tougias. Read the full transcript:Micha
Michael Tougias Explores Surviving Against the Odds in “Extreme Survival”
Michael Tougias Explores Surviving Against the Odds in “Extreme Survival”
January 26, 2023
When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor? New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow native Michael Tougias answers this question in his new book, “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” The book is the culmination of three decades of interviews with people who have survived when faced with impossible situations. Zydalis Bauer spoke with Tougias to learn more about the collection, the unim
When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor? New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow native Michael Tougias answers this question in his new book, “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Again
When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor? New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow native Michael Tougias answers this question in his new book, “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” The book is the culmination of three decades of interviews with people who have survived when faced with impossible situations. Zydalis Bauer spoke with Tougias to learn more about the collection, the unim
When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor?
New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow native Michael Tougias answers this question in his new book, “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” The book is the culmination of three decades of interviews with people who have survived when faced with impossible situations.
Zydalis Bauer spoke with Tougias to learn more about the collection, the unimaginable circumstances his subjects faced, and what he hopes readers can take away from their stories.
You can hear the survivors’ tales in their own words on the author’s website.
Hear Michael Tougias read from “Extreme Survival” in a digital exclusive clip.
CORRECTION: The host misidentified the name of the book as "Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Survived Against All Odds." The title of the book is ""Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds." We regret the error.
Read the full transcript:
Zydalis Bauer, Connecting Point: When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor?
New York Times best seller and Longmeadow native, Michael Tougias, answers this question in his new book, "Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Survived Against All Odds," which is the culmination of three decades of interviews with people who have persevered through impossible situations.
I spoke with Tougias to learn more about the collection, the unimaginable circumstances his subjects faced, and what he hopes readers can take away from their stories.
Michael Tougias, NY Times Bestselling Author: For many years I've been writing true survival stories, where people might be out at sea for three days after they fell out of a boat, or trapped on a mountaintop, or in a crevasse. And as I was writing those and I would interview these people, I started to see some common mindsets that they use to get through the ordeal.
And I said, "What if I combined a book that had these edge of your seat stories with what I learned of how you get through adversity, real tough adversity."
So while their adversity is life and death, I'm thinking we could all use these for everyday challenges when we're struggling.
Zydalis Bauer: And I wanted to talk about that because this is one of several books that you've written on survival, including your book "The Finest Hours," which was made into a Disney movie, so congratulations on that.
Tell me what intrigues you so much about this topic, when did this fascination start for you?
Michael Tougias: My first book of this kind was "Ten Hours until Dawn" and that took place off the coast of Massachusetts during the blizzard of 1978.
And I kept asking myself to the survivors, "How did you do it?" I would have burst out in tears and given up.
And that's what drove me, so over the years, I would go to these survivor's homes -- in one case, I spent a whole week with them. And every night we'd talk about what happened and I dig deeper. Ok - "What were you thinking? This. "How did you make that right decision without getting panicked there?" And pretty soon it was coming, coming together.
So that was my -- my impetus of I couldn't do it, I want to learn how they did it.
Zydalis Bauer: So that if you find yourself in these situations, you can get yourself out of it as well, right?
Michael Tougias: Well, I have I have used it when I've gone through personal struggles in my personal life.
So I have used -- you know, like the chapter one is the power of little steps that I learned from these extreme survivors. Don't just think, 'Oh my God, I'll never get there. It's so overwhelming. There's so much and it's so far fetched to ever make it.'
I'm thinking in my personal life, if I have a real problem, it's like: just focus on the next hour, do the right thing for as long as it takes and you're going to get there and give yourself pats on the back.
So I use -- I use those techniques.
Zydalis Bauer: So before we get into some of those stories, because I'd love to hear about some of your favorite ones, I want to hear about some of the patterns that you've noticed amongst the survivors. What traits make a survivor?
Michael Tougias: I would, if I had to sum it up in just a couple of words, it would be tough skinned individualists.
They march to their own drummer, the very best survivors, and I did notice when I questioned them about their childhood, all of them had done something unusual in their teens.
For example, one of them said, 'Oh, I, I rode a bike from Cali --, from Canada to Mexico. And I said, 'A motorcycle?' He said, 'No bicycle.' I go, 'Who do you go with?' He goes, 'Nobody.' I go, 'Where did you stay?' He said, 'By the side of the road.'
I mean, I would have never done that at age 18 or 19. So you could see why he made it when he's in the North Atlantic being tumbled in a life raft in November because he'd been doing some tough things on his own before.
So he was a real individualist.
Zydalis Bauer: And do you think if you aren't born with these natural traits that you mentioned, like being an individualist or tough skin, is this something that you think we can develop as as we go on?
Michael Tougias: Partially.
Zydalis Bauer: That's interesting, yeah, elaborate on that.
Michael Tougias: You know, for example, I would probably be okay with -- okay for as long as it takes, power of little steps, just focused on the next hour, not the big picture, but I wouldn't be very good at a lot of survivor's strength of solving technical problems.
They were good like that, say their water purification system if they're in the life raft, like Steve Callahan who drifted across the whole Atlantic Ocean in a life raft, he knew how to fix it. I would never have fixed it.
So, so some skills can be learned, you know, and others I think you're you're born with them.
Zydalis Bauer: No, that's a really good point.
We can't all be survivors. That's why we hear these stories and we learn from them.
So speaking of the stories, you spoke to over 100 different people that have gone through extreme circumstances, what are some of your favorite accounts that we will come across in this book?
Michael Tougias: Well, many of the accounts didn't make it into the book because they were too short, so I wouldn't term those as extreme.
So I'm looking for people that survived a multiday event. And I open up with one of the most powerful ones, if you like I can read you a paragraph.
His name is Brad Cavanagh from -- from Massachusetts, and he was in a life raft with five others, only two survived. And two of the men in the life raft, after a few days, were so dehydrated they started sipping seawater. That's not good, it dehydrates your brain.
And one of them suddenly goes, 'Oh, I'm going to go to the store and get some beer.' And Brad goes, 'No, no, no, you're in a life raft.' And the guy steps out and boom, the sharks get them.
The sharks have been circling the life raft for 24 hours.
So I open the book, you know, on a kind of a dramatic note.
It says "The five shipwreck survivors clinging to the 11 foot inflatable zodiac were in the trough of a 30 foot swell and looked up into the green walls of water. That's when they saw the sharks. Brad Cavanagh, age 21, could clearly see three sharks, and one was larger than the Zodiac. Quote 'It was bad enough seeing how large the shark was, but even worse was that the shark could clearly see us.'"
So I open the book that way, they're in the life raft, and you're wondering who's going to make it and who doesn't.
And Brad was kind enough to answer my many questions of 'How did you keep it together and keep fighting?'
And he had just said from the very beginning, this is my new world and I'm going to take it as far as I can.
And I said, wow, that's -- that's like what Ernie Hazard said. He said, 'I'm going to go down fighting.'
So you began to see how their mindsets were really tough.
Zydalis Bauer: No, it's chilling just hearing the accounts.
And I think I'm with you, I don't know if I would be one of those survivors in those situations, but it's absolutely inspiring.
What has writing this book taught you about yourself? And beyond the book -- because you've been doing this for 35 years, collecting these stories.
Michael Tougias: I realize that we're probably all much stronger than we think we are.
Because again, in my personal life with an illness, I used a couple of lessons I learned and it was just don't set a deadline when you're going to get better, but just keep making little steps each day and pretty soon you'll string together a bunch of days and over time you're going to feel better.
But if you set a deadline and you're not better, then you're going to be crushed.
And I learned that from survivors, that they just had that mindset.
Like John McCain, I write about him in the book. He was a P.O.W. and he said, 'I would hear rumors about us being released.' It was seven years of captivity. But he said, 'I didn't get too high from those because it would be crushing when it didn't happen.'
Zydalis Bauer: And so what would be your key takeaway for readers when they read this book?
Michael Tougias: Well, they're going to be entertained because everybody loves a good survival story and learn.
But I have a feeling this is one book that people aren't going to lend out because they're going to say, I'm going to keep this for the day that I'm in a tough situation --and we all will be.
And then I want to go over some of those lessons learned.
So I'm like my other -- like "Ten hours Until Dawn" the one about the blizzard, once you get through it, you know what happened and you put it aside, you might give it to a friend. This one you're going to want to go back to it.
When faced with adversity, what does it take to be a survivor? New York Times Best Seller and Longmeadow native Michael Tougias answers this question in his new book, “Extreme Survival: Lessons from Those Who Have Triumphed Against All Odds.” The book is the culmination of three decades of interviews with people who have survived when faced with impossible situations. Zydalis Bauer spoke with Tougias to learn more about the collection, the unim
Artists of Indian Orchard Mills: Nancy Evans, the Happy Weaver Studio
Artists of Indian Orchard Mills: Nancy Evans, the Happy Weaver Studio
January 26, 2023
Not all art is meant to be displayed on a wall, sometimes it’s meant to be used as a functioning, everyday product. At the Happy Weaver Studio, artist Nancy Evans uses her looms and thread to craft stunning, handwoven tote bags, rugs, and even pet leashes that are meant to be used. Producer Brian Sullivan paid a visit to Evans in her “corner office” at the Indian Orchard Mills in his continuing look at the building’s creative community.Read the
Not all art is meant to be displayed on a wall, sometimes it’s meant to be used as a functioning, everyday product. At the Happy Weaver Studio, artist Nancy Evans uses her looms and thread to craft stunning, handwoven tote bags,
Not all art is meant to be displayed on a wall, sometimes it’s meant to be used as a functioning, everyday product. At the Happy Weaver Studio, artist Nancy Evans uses her looms and thread to craft stunning, handwoven tote bags, rugs, and even pet leashes that are meant to be used. Producer Brian Sullivan paid a visit to Evans in her “corner office” at the Indian Orchard Mills in his continuing look at the building’s creative community.Read the
Not all art is meant to be displayed on a wall, sometimes it’s meant to be used as a functioning, everyday product.
At the Happy Weaver Studio, artist Nancy Evans uses her looms and thread to craft stunning, handwoven tote bags, rugs, and even pet leashes that are meant to be used.
Producer Brian Sullivan paid a visit to Evans in her “corner office” at the Indian Orchard Mills in his continuing look at the building’s creative community.
Read the full transcript:
Brian Sullivan, Connecting Point: As the world continues to march forward with seemingly endless technological advances, sometimes it's nice to see that some of the most ancient methods and practices are still the most tried and true. There aren't too many more ancient than the practice of weaving, whose history is said to date back some 12,000 years.
Nancy Evans may not have been doing it for that long, but a passion and proclivity for working with her hands at a young age has led to a lifetime of spinning threads.
And the element that keeps the fire burning in her pursuit of this textile art form may not seem so surprising, upon finding out that she's a former math teacher.
Nancy Evans, The Happy Weaver Studio: I like all the arithmetic that's involved in setting it up. How many yards do you need to make a towel and how many threads are you going to need? And do you have enough yarn? I just…I like the arithmetic.
And then, it's just fun to see something develop right in front of your eyes and it gets compulsive after a while.
Brian Sullivan: One other development has been the friendship and working relationship between Evans and Joe Casey. The two originally met while Evans was volunteering at the New Leaf Workshop in East Longmeadow, and when that center closed, the two have worked together here at the Indian Orchard Mills for the past several years.
For Casey, it felt like a lot more than just good fortune.
Joseph Casey, The Happy Weaver Studio: I think...I think she's godly sent. Everything that I'm only goodness happened for -- for me here so...godly sent, yep.
Nancy Evans: We come in and we each have our own looms. I have several going at once. Joe likes his Union Special and he always has a rug going.
And we just...we're doing something to make a rug or make a towel. And whether it's the actual weaving or setting up tying knots. Just whatever needs to get done.
Brian Sullivan: And by several projects, this means several different looms throughout the room.
This Inca loom was her first purchase back in 1979. That was followed by these floor looms, which are the pieces people tend to associate with weaving.
Then there's the tablet weaving loom. This intriguing piece requires no footwork, but it does require extreme attention to detail. It also happens to be Evans' favorite.
Nancy Evans: I don't really know how I got into it, but it was...you can make very interesting patterns. You can make trees, you can make bunnies, just all kinds of different patterns. And it was just very interesting to me.
And the bands are useful. You can tie up boxes, you can make pet leashes, just a lot of different uses for them.
Brian Sullivan: The last time that we were here, we visited the building farther back from the main road from which many of the tenants can enjoy a view of the Chicopee River passing behind it. However, from the front building, the view of the power canal isn't too shabby either.
In general, most of the artists can be found next door in the building where the Dane Gallery is located. But Nancy Evans has her weaving operation in this building up on the third floor and a corner office with a view.
From this vantage point, the views cover not only both waterways, but much of this little section of town. But here in the mill buildings, it's about more than just the views. It's about the experience of being here.
Nancy Evans: Well, I think for a lot of the artists in the -- that have studios here, I've heard several people say it's their happy place. So, they come here and even though they're working at their art, it's still a nice, happy place. There's no telephone. You don't have to worry about vacuuming. Except for Open Studios, sometimes not even that.
Not all art is meant to be displayed on a wall, sometimes it’s meant to be used as a functioning, everyday product. At the Happy Weaver Studio, artist Nancy Evans uses her looms and thread to craft stunning, handwoven tote bags, rugs, and even pet leashes that are meant to be used. Producer Brian Sullivan paid a visit to Evans in her “corner office” at the Indian Orchard Mills in his continuing look at the building’s creative community.Read the
