Who I Met Today

Everyone Has a Story

Gabriel Guzman – New York City Doorman

Over four decades ago, a retiring NYC doorman gave young Gabe Guzman some friendly advice.  “He shared a secret with me,” smiles Gabe.  “He told me if I could find work in a hospital or a job as a doorman, I’d have one of the best jobs in the city,” he recalls. Greeting me with his huge grin and a friendly wave, Gabe opens the door and welcomes me into

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Alexandra Kaspin – Travel Nurse

I’ve noticed today’s young couples don’t seem focused on accumulating stuff.  Rather than decorating the perfect home, they tend to seize their moments and their days and jump into experiences.  Deciding it was the ideal time in their lives to travel and explore, Alex Kaspin and her husband eagerly declared, “Let’s do this!” Shortly after their marriage, the newlyweds cleared out their Philadelphia apartment, stashed wedding gifts in storage, and

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Ryan Black – Tai Chi

A hard-nosed, young Navy diver, Ryan Black was assigned to deep sea salvage and rescue missions in southern Japan.  While stationed in the country, he set his sights on learning kendo, the sword fighting martial art.  However, when he went calling at the kendo temple, he was informed –  and not at all politely – the group did not care to have an outsider in their midst. Not one to

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Lindsay Mican Morgan – Chicago’s Thorne Miniature Rooms

I almost missed them. Tucked downstairs, beneath the main staircase and out of the way of the crowds, I stumbled upon an assortment of tiny creations. Playful, charming, interesting, evocative, fun, and, some even say, “cute.” “They are the most powerful form of educational cuteness there is,” their caretaker laughs. In the 1930’s, Chicago artist Mrs. James Ward Thorne, and her team of exacting artisans, constructed tiny, dollhouse-like rooms depicting

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Thomas Persinger – Salmon Fisherman

Thomas Persinger’s love affair with Alaska – its glaciers, volcanoes, captivating wildlife – began a dozen years ago.  Celebrating his dad’s 50th birthday, the family travelled to Anchorage and Seward and Port Alsworth, a tiny fishing village in the Alaskan bush. What was not to love? “We ate breakfast, hopped in a float plane, and caught fish all day,” Thomas remembers. And he was determined to return.  Studying at Auburn

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