If you listen, they will tell you the story of a lifetime

[DarkSkies]

If you listen, they will tell you the story of a lifetime


Wednesday, November 25, 2009 STAR-LEDGER STAFF

Weeks before her mother died in the winter of 2008, Jacqueline Poppalardo sat with her, tape recorder in hand, and asked questions.
Poppalardo yearned to hear stories about her mother growing up during the Depression and having to quit school to work. She wanted colorful details about her 70 years as a beautician and tales of customers and co-workers.



On tape are Marie Poppalardo's loving words regarding her husband, to whom she had been married for 66 years before he died the previous year.
"There's something about a person's voice that you can just feel their presence, like the touch of her skin," said Poppalardo, 66, who lives in Voorhees. "I can remember how she looked when we were talking."
On Friday, hundreds of people across the country have committed to interviewing loved ones for National Day of Listening, a project started last year by StoryCorps, a nonprofit group whose mission is to honor and celebrate one another's lives through listening.
Since 2003, StoryCorps has recorded more than 28,000 interviews with more than 50,000 participants, making it one of the largest oral history projects of its kind, said StoryCorps spokesperson Sacha Evans. On Friday mornings, a three-minute interview excerpt airs during Morning Edition on NPR.
The campaign is promoted on National Public Radio and on the website, nationaldayoflistening.org/pledges.
While StoryCorps encourages recordings throughout the year, it chose to highlight the day after Thanksgiving because families are more likely to be together, said Evans.
"It's also traditionally known as Black Friday, so we wanted to propose an alternative holiday. You don't have to just shop all day. It doesn't cost any money, and you can give it to a family member as a gift," Evans said.
Poppalardo said this time she plans to interview a younger family member on Friday.

http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/jersey...470.xml&coll=1

[DarkSkies]

I put that up because although it may sound corny or gay to some, there might come a time in your life when someone you value is no longer around.

Any one of us could be dead tomorrow. A video memory or even an interview of someone could be all you have left of them after they are gone.

So memories are important, at least to me they are.

I started adding stuff like this to our fishing forums a few weeks ago. Look for some cool video interviews I will be doing in the future.

NJ
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ead.php?t=5236

NY
http://stripersandanglers.com/Forum/...ead.php?t=5237

[CharlieTuna]

I had an uncle who was a great storyteller. We thought of doing that when he had his first heart attack, only we recorded him on a cassette recorder. He died 2 months later. Thanks for posting this.