In the late 90s, I wrote a book about my Dad’s upbringing in the small, port town of St. Helen’s, Oregon. As research, we did a couple of driving tours through “modern” St. Helens, with a tape recorder running, as he regaled me with loads of stories I had never heard before. There was something about that one-on-one time, with every turn along the roads unlocking a new memory, that was beyond special.
When he passed in 2012, I remembered that I had kept the tapes from that day, and after buying a used cassette player that I could hook up to my studio console and computer interface, I transferred them all to digital, and later shared them with the entire family. After all of this time, I still listen a couple of times a year, when I just want to hear his voice, as well as the love that comes through our mutual banter.
Knowing that TSTO is going to “die” on the 24th…the need/urge/panic to capture my town, which has given me so much pleasure through a very insane part of my life, is now “Job Number One” for the time we have remaining.
Here are three ways you can do the same.
