Welcome to the Marriage and Martinis’ Friday Five!
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5) Let’s Record More Stories!
Podcasting is such a magical platform because it gives millions of people a chance to document their stories. I cannot tell you the gratitude I feel for all of the messages about how much you loved listening to the first episode with my parents telling theirs. Thank you for embracing them. One of my hopes when doing this episode was that it might inspire other people to sit down with older relatives to hear about growing up in their era and what lessons they all have to pass down. Of course, I know not everyone owns podcasting equipment. Luckily The New York Times has done some extensive research on the best voice recorders for interviewing, and they recommend the Sony UX560 ($88 on Amazon) which recharges via USB and lets you easily transfer files to a computer. Scroll down to see the list of questions I used to interview my parents, and use it as a guide to interview anyone whose stories you don’t want forgotten. WE NEED TO STOP WAITING AND JUST HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE!
4) The Best Little Whore House In Texas and Other Parenting Tools
If you enjoyed last week’s podcast with my parents, I really think that you are going to get a kick out of this Monday’s. Ron and Linda (AKA my parents) delve more deeply into what it’s like when two opposite personalities parent together, a time in their marriage when they faced the most hardship, and how being a grandparent is completely different (in a good way) from being a parent. Plus, do they still have sex, even after 55 years of marriage (yes, we went there)? Make sure you’re subscribed to the podcast to be among the first to hear this fun and heartfelt episode!
3) Storycorps….A Project In Preservation
One of the greatest projects in preserving stories has been Storycorps, which started in 2003 as a “storybooth”in Grand Central Terminal in NYC. Since then, it has grown tremendously, received tons of awards and grants, and there have been thousands and thousands of people interviewed about experiences concerning race, religion, marriage, parenting, war, disabilities, and so much more. "Their mission is to preserve and share humanity’s stories in order to build connections between people and create a more just and compassionate world." They have fought to cherish impactful stories, maintaining a relentless focus on serving a wide diversity of participants. Plus, now you can download the Storycorps app to record an interview with someone you know. Questions are built into the app to guide a conversation with someone in your life you may want to get to know better.
2) Favorite Memes From The Week….
1) Date Night Questions:
**This week, in hopes of inspiring some people to sit down with older relatives and record some stories, I’m sharing some of the questions I asked my parents during our recording session. Of course not all of these will be applicable to whomever you choose to interview, but you can pick and choose the ones that are, and then incorporate your own into the mix. Sidenote: If you’re interviewing a set of parents of grandparents, maybe have your kids add some of their own questions and even be there during the conversation.
What is your earliest memory?
Do you know any stories about when you were born?
What are some big ways technology has changed since you were younger? Do you remember what types of TVs and phones you had?
What was it like to go to the movies? Who were the big celebrities and personalities?
What is one thing you think was easier about life back then?
What is one thing you think is easier about life nowadays?
If you could pass on one lesson to this generation and the next, what would it be?
What do you remember about dating life? Do you wish you had more platforms to meet people like we do today, or did you like the simplicity of it?
Where were you when you heard JFK was shot?
What do you remember about the time of Civil Rights?
What do you remember about Vietnam?
What do you hope people will remember most about you?
What is one thing people would be surprised to learn about you?
What is one thing you want people to know about your parents and grandparents?
For more prompts and questions for open and honest communication, plus bonding challenges and strategies for discussion, get our Date Night Questions Experience ebook.