319 Creates Episode 5: The Return

Can you believe it’s been over a year since our last episode?! 319 Creates is back by popular demand with new and previously unreleased episodes. Thank you to everyone who supports the show and encouraged me to get back into it.

You can listen below or find 319 Creates on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and Stitcher. You can also follow on Facebook and Instagram.

Podcast Transcription

Mike Weber: Welcome back to 319 Creates, I’m your host, Mike Weber. It has been well over a year since our last episode, and I’m glad to announce that 319 Creates will be returning with new and previously unreleased episodes. The return is thanks to a number of changes in my personal life and an outpouring of support for the show.

Most significantly, I have transitioned into being a full-time photographer. Unfortunately, this was not by choice. At the end of October, my wife and I took our first vacation together. This was meant to be both a time to recharge and a time to work on an overhaul of my website. The goal with the latter was to expand my reach and to make myself more hireable as a photographer.

Little did I know how important that would end up being. We rented a cabin out at Backbone State Park. This gave us a nice mix of natural landscapes and some creature comforts. The plan was to spend some of our time outside exploring and some working on the website rebuild. It seemed like a good lowkey vacation.

At least until I got an unexpected phone call. The first morning we were out there, I got a call from my boss. I was working as a Macintosh technician at the time, and I assumed it was about a repair. I was very wrong. I missed the call originally and had debated whether or not to return it. I told him that I would likely not have service, so what’s the harm right?

But for some reason I decided to call him back. The service out there was sketchy at best, so as soon as he answered the phone, I led with “My service might drop, but what’s up.” He sighed and said that the store would be closing in a week. In that moment, I had a rush of emotions. Briefly, I felt angry, but that quickly faded.

I knew that this would be coming, and if I’m honest, I’m surprised it took as long as it did. In a split second, I transitioned from anger to acceptance. I didn’t ask many questions at the time. I knew what was happening. Just like that, the purpose – the mission – of our vacation became more crucial. I decided to work on my photographic work instead of getting another day job.

The last few months have been a learning experience. With the extra time on my hands, I have been revisiting projects that had previously fallen off my radar, not least of which is 319 Creates. It’s not just the extra time though. I have received a lot of requests to revive this project. So here we are.

After a couple of months of planning, we’re coming back. For the next few months, episodes will be a mix of new and old recordings. I still have about four episodes that were recorded but never edited. Next week will be a conversation I had with Devin Alexander of Giallows in the summer of 2018. This episode was recorded in his basement studio before a Giallows show.

I hope you can join us.