July 8, 2010: Matthew Amos Philographer Extrordinaire!

A Philographer is a person who collects autographs. Matthew is hard working, charming and sincere philographer.

If he likes someone, he writes to them and asks for their autograph. He writes people by mail, and email and then he waits to see if he'll hear back from them.

He's been collecting autographs for 10 years, and has collected over 1300 of them.

Recently his over 1300 autographs were on display at Ed Video, 40 Baker St. in Guelph From July 9 - July 23, 2010.

My favorite part of the inteview is when Matthew Amos pretends I'm famous and asks for my interview. I love this part of the interview for the generosity in his voice that is overwhelmingly admirable. Listen to this interview to see what I mean.

July 1, 2010: Re-play of an Interview with Jeff Miller of Ghost Pine

Jeff Miller just released a book, All Stories True through Invisible Publishing. Its a compilation of his zine work written over the last ten years. This interview with Jeff Miller originally aired on These Things That People Make on May 20, 2010.


Jeff Miller and Dave Roche read at the first ever These Things that People Make public event on July 5, 2010. It was a lovely time! I so enjoyed hosting them.

Please check out Jeff's work, at http://ghostpine.wordpress.com/

Thanks to Richard Laviolette for guest hosting this episode of These Things That People Make.

June 24, 2010: Re-airing Dave Roche's Interview!`

Dave Roche is the author of About My Diappearance and On Subbing. I re-played this interview (which orignally aired in March - see older blog posts for full details) in preparation for his reading with Jeff Miller on July 4, 2010 in Guelph.

Find Dave's work at microcosm.com!

June 17, 2010: The Torrington Gopher Hole Museum. An Interview with the museum's director Diane Curta

The Torrington Gopher Hole Museum, is a handmade museum representing different parts of Torrington Alberta through homemade scenes featuring taxidermied Gophers wearing homemade outfits, in handpainted scenes. A group of people in Torrington wanted to create a museum that would put Torrington on the map. They employ a local Taxidermist, local women in the town sew the clothes and a local artist paints the backgrounds (while the displays are mounted on the walls).

The museum is now 14 year old, attracting international attention after they upset animal rights activists who were disturbed about the killing of Gophers.

Argueably, killing gophers in rural Canada is like killing rats or mice in urban settings. But you can decide for yourself. (and go see the museum!)

If you know about other creative museums, set up in peoples homes, or other amazing places, let me know. I want to interview them!

No more predictable museums! more creative ideas abound!

Check out images from the museum at: www.jky.net/albums/gopher-museum_index.html

Thank you to Diane Curta, for taking the time to do this interview!

June 10, 2010: Mike Boldt's Gophers in Farmer Burrow's Fields

Mike Boldt grew up in rural Alberta. He knows about Gophers (Richardson Ground Squirrels, Prairiedogs).

Gophers dig holes. Cows step in those holes and break their legs. Gophers need somewhere to live. Cows need healthy legs. Farmers need their cows to be healthy.

Mike Boldt made an illustrated kids book about Gophers in rural Alberta making farm art, called The Gophers in Farmer Burrows Field.

I started the interview by asking Mike Boldt to read me the story. Mike Boldt tells a good story. He reads slowly with influence. Like playful mollases. You can tell in his voice that he loves his work, its lovely.

The illustrations convey silly, colourful renderings. His slow lovely voice is such a great compliment to the style of the book. Joy in his work. His pictures are live animation you hold in your hands.

For real, gophers are a nusance to farmers. Mike Boldt's books is a playful book, but its also discussing a real life, day to day challenge for farmers. I like it when people write about politics and challenges of the people who live around them. These are meaningful, or at least relevant stories.

Mike Boldt talking about thinking creatively about solving problems, expanding the way we think about "the gopher problem" and other problems in general.

Creating contemporary folklore.

Check out Mike Boldt's work: http://www.boldtmanstudios.com/

Musicians played during this show: Rae Spoon, Duzheknew, Wax Mannequin