With the Grain

Just listened to the Matt Eastvold episode. As a fellow 50 year old professional maker in Minnesota, it was such a great interview to hear. Pete is an earnest and relatable host and this is my new favorite podcast. I look forward to hearing the next.

Being only woodworking-adjacent, I wasn't expecting to relate much. Pleasantly surprised by the connection I felt with your first 3 guests. It turns out, "How do I pay my bills without selling my soul?" is a universal struggle. It was inspiring to hear stories from actual humans who seem to have conquered that dragon. I particularly enjoyed the emotion that came through as they described battle wounds…sounded almost like soldiers returning from war. Good work, Pete. So glad you took the time to make these episodes happen.

I’ve known Pete for a long time, and after listening to With the Grain, I’m convinced he found exactly what he was meant to do. It honestly sounds like he’s been podcasting for years, which is hard to believe since this was his very first episode. I’ve always thought Pete should have had his own cable access talk show. A podcast is an even better fit. He’s a natural interviewer and storyteller, and the conversations feel genuine and engaging. oh and the Sea Monster intro and outro is fantastic. It sets the tone perfectly. I’m looking forward to hearing where Pete takes this next. Great first episode!

Episode 2: J Rusten’s “Is it cake” rocking chair inspiration… haha. I love these episodes. It’s really cool to hear the back story on all the word workers I’ve followed for years. Also, it’s cool to hear the realities of working through the process. Thanks for these.