Aaron shares a special announcement, previews the next few weeks on 7MS & tells a mini-story that reveals a special guest.
Alternate Logo by Alex Collier
Listen Free: | Apple Podcasts | Pandora | Stitcher | Spotify |
Story performed by: Aaron Calafato
Audio Production: Ken Wendt
Music Contributor: thomas j. duke
Podcast Coordinator: Cori Birce
Production Assistant: Lennon Janovyak
Creative Consultant: Anthony Vorndran
Hey, everybody, it's Aaron, how you doing? Sorry, I'm going to tell you why I'm laughing here in a second. But first, I just wanted to say we don't really get to do these type of episodes very often. The update or announcement episodes. We're so busy churning out 7 Minute stories every week. I thought it was just a good time to hit the brakes. Connect with you .First I have like a personal PSA. It's a little embarrassing that I want to share with you.
Then momentarily, I want to tell you about a professional opportunity that's happening for me. So we'll talk about that. And then at the end of the segment, I tell a mini-story that I've never shared really with anybody. But you're not going to want to miss it because the story is going to help preview what to expect and the next few weeks on the podcast and reveal a special guest that we're going to feature. You're not going to want to miss it hang tight. First...
So I'm laughing because just the other day, Cori and I put a breakfast sandwich in the microwave. Now, just some context. A couple of months before that, our microwave broke down. It's not something you ever want to do, like let's buy a microwave. You just get a new one when the old one breaks down. So we got the new microwave, made the investment. It's like a spaceship. It's great. And the other day we put this breakfast sandwich in bacon, egg and cheese, wrapped it in the paper towel, and we meant to hit two minutes to defrost the thing that was our intention.
But then we walked away and unknowingly set the timer for 20 minutes on Defrost and both forgot about it simultaneously. It was the smoke that I could see wafting upstairs that drew my attention first. And then I go up there. Is smoke everywhere. A small fire. Don't worry, everything's OK. House is OK, Family is OK, I just got there in time threw the flaming sandwich into a bucket of water. So, here's the deal. I'm in my little studio space here in a closet surrounded by four walls and soundproofing material.
I didn't think it could get to me, but the smell of burnt bacon, egg and cheese and paper towel has permeated our home to a point that, as I'm speaking to you, I swear to God, my eyes are watering. So here's the PSA for anyone who needs it. Most of you don't. I could have used this. Be careful of microwaves and pay attention. Don't take them for granted. Remember what you're doing because they can be dangerous.
All right, so career stuff, many of you know, but many of you may not know that for the last two years, besides telling you 7 Minute Stories every week, I worked for a media company called Kaulig Media in Northeast Ohio, where I live and work. And it's been a great two year run. I've been doing content and story strategy with them and for them. I appreciate everybody that I worked with there and the opportunity. But at the end of the month, I accepted a position as a producer at a podcast agency called Lemonpie.
When I think about this, all I can think about is the desert slicing the pie or saying I'm going to only do this small slice, but then doing a bigger slice in the bright yellow color. Really awesome name, but I cannot wait to join Lemonpie as a producer and nothing's going to change here. I'm still going to tell you stories every week, but what a privilege it is, frankly, to be able to, on one hand, tell stories every week and then take the performative hat off and behind the scenes through story and producing, be able to help companies and brands grow through podcasting, which Lemonpie is doing so well.
Can't wait to be part of that team. If you want to hear more about Lemonpie or find out more about what they do, you can find them at Lemon.fm
All right, so here we go. This is the little mini-story. Stay tuned through it. You're going to hear about our special guest we have coming up. And also a little story that I never have told anybody before. Hope you enjoy.
It was 2017, and I'm sitting in my car at a Starbucks just west of Cleveland, and I had no intention of going in to get coffee.
I just wanted a place to sit and think. And it was one of the only places open where the parking lot wasn's pitch dark. And I'm looking through the windshield and I'm in a bad place. I'm trying to figure out what I'm going to do next in my life. I had just gotten out of a relationship it was really painful. Years prior to that, I had gotten divorced, I have my daughter, who I love more than anything in the world, and I'm trying to figure out how to carve out a life for her that I promised I would give her.
And I felt like I was failing tremendously. My career wasn't where I wanted it. I hadn't started seven minute stories yet. And to top it off, I was in a fight with my dad. I don't even remember what the disagreement was. We were just fighting about something. And it was one of those fights where you say to yourself, I'm not going to be the one to call and apologize, I'm going to go on strike. And so I'm sitting in this car dealing with all that.
And it's one of those moments. And it was the moment of my life where the gravity of adulthood really hit me for the first time. And you know that when the moment is over, whatever choice you make next, big or small, is going to define the trajectory of your life. And in the midst of this, I turn on the radio for some distraction or connection, one of the two. And all of a sudden this voice comes out of the radio and I sit there and listen intently for the next 20 minutes to this story.
This man tells the story about he and his father and the binding agent of sports, specifically baseball, Cleveland Indians, baseball, and the lesson it taught him in his life. And it was one of the most beautiful stories I have ever heard. And I turned off the radio and I immediately called my father and we reconciled. It felt like the first and best step I needed to take. And then after that one choice and step after another got me to where I'm at now.
Well, the person who was on that radio was hosting something called the Greater Cleveland Sports Awards that year. And his name is Jay Crawford. And Jay, if you don't know, has been at ESPN as an anchor for many, many years. And before that, he hosted a show on ESPN called Cold Pizza, which turned into ESPN's First Take. Bottom line, the guy's a sports journalist who's been on TV in millions of households around the country in the world.
And I was just thinking about this last few months, that moment, particularly what I just told you. And I decided that I wanted to see if I could share the story he told me, or I felt like he was telling me that I heard him tell on the radio that night, and share some of that with you. So I reached out to Jay and he sat down with me virtually for an interview. And in the next few weeks, you're going to hear part of that story.
And I can't wait to share it with you before you hear those episodes with Jay Crawford. You're going to hear next week one of our most popular stories called Field of Dreams about the movie The Love of Baseball. And one of my most memorable experiences is going to a baseball game with my dad. And then the following weeks, you'll get to hear Jay Crawford. Can't wait to share with you.
