Di-a-logue, An American Mosaic
By John Van Dyke
Di-a-logue, An American Mosaic Aug 08, 2018
Episode 018. BOOM! It's a Big Country for an Old Man
A book. BOOM! It's a Big Country for an Old Man, the true story of a remarkable septuagenarian who woke up on November 2016 and embarked on a pursuit to discover his country.
Episode 017. I grew up in a very polarized world
A Gen Z talks about being brought up to be either Republican or Democrat and you fit in that box, or that box. Red or Blue.
Episode 016. Are we paying attention?
The stakes are high in the year ahead. Staying informed will be difficult.
Episode 015. A book journey through America
It's a big country. Stories from the road, people and places coming in a book.
Episode 014. Are we listening to ourselves?
Most of what we hear is engineered to tell us who we are, what to do, and how to think about ourselves and our nation.
Episode 013. Disruption and AI, life goes on
Another wake up. Just when we think we know what happening, new shit happens.
Episode 012. Finding common ground.
A Purple grain of sand. Finding that common ground.
Video Episode 7. Storytelling
We all have a story. Stories are important to our understanding of places, people, and ourselves. That is the heart of An American Mosaic and project Di-a-logue.
Episode 011. Careful What You Say.
Individuals, corporations, churches, watch what you say. There might be reprisals depending on where you are, who you are, and how you are identified. We live in a divided country today, and not always by choice.
Episode 010. Future Wars, a new world order
Globalization is ending. How do we deal with that, do we stay divided or do we unite as a country. Living in a changed America.
Episode 009. Back in the USSR. Russia has just been canceled
Making war on Ukraine is not going well for Putin. Does he think he can go back in time to the USSR? The rest of the world is waking up and saying no.
Episode 008. Autocracy or Democracy?
We are being tested like never before. Most of the world stands with Ukraine as Putin wages war on them. This is a wake up for all who value democracy. We will have some important choices to make soon.
Episode 007. A wild crazy ride
Driving the backroads of America talking to strangers. America is changing, we are discarding the old, making room for the new. There are casualties along the way.
Episode 006. Starting a conversation.
We don't need to agree, but we can still have a conversation. Sometimes a conversation makes you feel good. That's how I feel when I listen to this conversation with Walt in Seattle. You never know what's on the other end of a conversation.
Video Episode 6. The Definition of Small Town... with a Newspaper.
I stopped in Elgin North Dakota looking for coffee and found the newspaper office. I went in and met Jill, the owner, editor and publisher. Ever wonder about life in the little places? The newspaper editor can tell you everything. Jill covers a couple of counties and three small towns in this mostly farming area in North Dakota.
Episode 005. What to do next?
So many people are leaving positions and not for a new one. It isn't retirement, so what's next? I am curious about what we do next and how we find a new passion or career path. I reposted a conversation from a year ago that I think is inspiring and breaks down one persons creative journey to a surprising new place.
Video Episode 5. The Mermaid Lady of Venice Beach
In this episode I am talking with Mary, the legendary Mermaid sand sculpture artist of Venice Beach California. Mary is part of the fabric in this mashup of humanity along the boardwalk of Venice. She's came to Venice as a young girl and fell in love with it. An interesting story in a truly unique place.
Episode 004. 2022, we get another shot at this.
It's a rap, last year is over. I'm optimistic about some things happening going forward. Setting aside the chaos of culture wars, politics, and the pandemic, there are some very interesting tech breakthroughs ahead. See you on the other side.
Episode 003. Every Picture Tells a Story
Creating a Portrait of America with pictures and conversations, many are shared with this podcast. An American Mosaic is ending another challenging year with these thoughts. Gen Z, Tech, Business, Elon Musk, Maria Ressa, and Living with Covid.
Video Episode 4. "Almost White" A Latino in Hollywood.
A conversation with Rick Najera, actor, director, comedian, writer, and author of the book "Almost White." I am at the Studios in Burbank CA and was fortunate to get this conversation. Rick has a lot of credits to his name, Broadway Play, TV, Film, and writing. He is one of "those Mexicans", just a couple of generations from those crossing the border that we never hear about. He had a lot to say when we sat down to talk. This is a video recast from a conversation in 2018.
Episode 002. GEN Z. A mind of their own.
In a changing America, we need to understand the shifts in generations and how they think about things. Gen Z is the demographic on the minds of anyone planning for the future. I am talking with Matt a 19 year old who is in his first year of college as a sophomore. He did head start in high school and is heavy into computer science and math. Tech is his interest. I was pleased he spent the time for a wide ranging conversation and I found it insightful.
Video Episode 3. Changing up... in America
A changed America. Has it impacted you? Listen to 10 people talking about this. This is from a short video highlighting some of my conversations around the country in the last 3 years.
Video Episode 2. We said OK... now tech runs us.
All that free stuff, services, turns out it wasn't. I'm in Seattle talking with Laura a product manager in leading edge tech. She breaks down how we gave away our personal information, and how we got to where we are today. "We are the product."
Video Episode 1. Mountains, Miners, & the Lord. A conversation in Coal Country
I am deep in Coal Country West Virginia talking with Sandi who runs a B&B. A coal miners daughter talks about growing up when it was a boom town, and life today.
Episode 001. Are you Voting?
What people are thinking about voting.
The 100th Episode, bits and pieces of us
Boom, and four years later we are still trying to figure out who we are. Part of the Mosaic. A journey of discovery.
Episode 99. Roads less traveled in Coal Country
I've had some great conversations and discoveries on the road. This is a favorite from Welch West Virginia. Who we are, part of the American Mosaic.
Episode 98. Exploring Oregon's Northeast, notes from the road.
Exploring roads less traveled in Oregon. And, learning to be flexible in a season of fires.
Family time Driving HWY 395 in California
Exploring the iconic Highway 395 in the high Sierras of California. There are some awesome places to discover off of this road. This was a post Covid father, son trip to catch up on some quality time that was sorely missed. It is also the first of a reset for An American Mosaic.
Episode 96. On the road, Discovering America
Americans are taking to the road. Some are taking the roads less travelled. American Mosaic is going on the road in the Camper Van discovering places and taking notes on what is cool and where to find that special spot to stay. Of course there will be conversations along the way.
Episode 95. A woman who broke barriers
I am talking with Florence who achieved several firsts in Philadelphia as the first woman owned broker dealer business in the country. She also was a real estate developer who renovated historic buildings.
Episode 94. Are we just a great experiment?
What if our great experiment fails? We are in a changing America. Democracy is fragile, and we seem to be questioning it. Listen to some people talking about change.
Episode 93. Soul Food, Detroit, Survival and Optimism
Looking across divides to understand who we are today. I am talking with Caprice, a restaurant owner in Detroit.
Episode 92. On the road in Austin. Addiction, Heartbreak and Travel.
A singer, song writer, talks with me about his life and view from the road. He lives in his van and travels year round performing. I met Justin "Reverend" Hylton in Austin Texas in a coffee place on South Congress Street.
Episode 91. Writing, your next chapter
A newly minted author, Dave Mason, talks to me about how he found writing, discovered he liked it and wrote his first novel. Dave has had a very successful career, a founding partner in a Chicago design firm, and a founder of a sports software company. This is really about what we do next.
Episode 90. Asian Americans, attacking our "Model Minority"
Asian Americans are under attack, why? They have long been silent. I wanted to put up this very good conversation from the past with Clarence, a Japanese American who is outspoken about the treatment of Japanese Americans and the Internment during WW2. This is part of the conversation.
Episode 89. Living simply and maybe on wheels
Choosing an alternative living style is something many are doing. Living on boats has long been a dream of many. Now RV's are gaining popularity for different reasons. In this episode, I am talking with Bill who has lived with his wife on a sailboat for over 30 years. They are now considering life in an RV.
Episode 88. Growing up in Coal. A Dentist on a Mission, in Appalachia
I'm deep in Coal Country, Southern West Virginia, talking with Sam a dentist who is doing good things there.
Episode 87. The New Nomads and #VanLife
I'm in Quartzsite Arizona surrounded by a few thousand vans, buses, and Rv's, talking with Shirley about life on the road. Living in vehicles is becoming a way of life for some. The new nomads.
Episode 86. Amanda Gorman recites her stunning poem
The star of the Presidential Inauguration had to be Amanda Gorman, the young poet reading "The Hill We Climb". Simply amazing.
Episode 85. A respectful conversation is so refreshing.
What do you hear? What do you see? A respectful conversation reveals a lot about who we are. I felt positive after this conversation. It's not all bad out there.
Episode 84. Our love hate Media Addiction
Is media controlling our brains? "It's all fake news." Eight people talking about media and social media in their lives today.
Episode 83. Good stories, Stuff of dreams, and real connections
A love of the sea, and the land. Listening to stories. Taking ideas from the past.. Growing up, choices, and what we connect with.
Episode 82. Free Ice Cream & the American Dream
A business model that worked. I talking with Levi a young Amish man, in Southern Iowa, who talks about building his business and other ideas.
Episode 81. An American Odyssey, my short story
It seemed urgent. My journey to discover my country and talk to people. How this project started.
Episode 80. "If everyone is asleep, it is easier to say yes"
Films tell us a lot about us and the world around us. In this episode I am talking with Tova, a film curator, and essayist, who watches a lot of films.
Episode 79. Cowboy culture, and Rodeo riders
Cowboys are as American as apple pie. Rodeo is their sport. I am in Montana at the Last Chance Stampede talking with Joe about his life as a cowboy. It is in his blood.
Episode 78. Are we burning down the house?
This is our America. Americans have just stood up and raised their voice in record setting numbers.
Episode 77. "Covid Covid Covid", a reminder from Bergamo Italy, it's still here
Covid fatigue has put us all on edge. The government has said it is no longer taking any preventative measures, yet 227,000 have died and the count is rising rapidly. We are on our own. In this episode, I am repeating a great conversation last March, from Bergamo Italy. A reminder, we are not done with this.
Episode 76. Design Talk, a life of design
The life of a designer, and how we see things as designers. I am talking with Amy Lam, who started asking me questions about my thoughts on design. Turning the tables and creating an interesting discussion on design.