Try-Hard Valley

In this episode of Try-Hard Valley, Yael and I meet Larry Bird, aspiring Livermore Area Recreation and Park District Board member… and no, he is not related to the former Boston Celtic.This Larry is an Oakland native, retired Hayward police officer, longtime Livermore resident, former softball coach, pickleball club founder, grandfather, and enthusiastic park explorer.We talk about:🏓 Pickleball and public service — including how helping build a nonprofit pickleball club prepared Larry for the possibility of serving on a public board.👮 28 years in law enforcement — and what Larry says that experience taught him about managing budgets, working with the community, making difficult decisions, and explaining unpopular ones.🥎 Coaching girls’ softball — including the story of the longtime Livermore coach who believed that spending time around younger people helped keep you young.🌳 The Tour du Livermore — Larry has visited nearly every park in town and there is an Instagram trail to prove it.🗳️ Trying hard to get elected — without losing sight of the fact that there’s a whole life outside the election. Get full access to Try-Hard Valley at carriegilbert3.substack.com/subscribe

Yael in front of ET’s house. (Thanks, AI!)No extraterrestrials were harmed in the making of this podcast.What do you get when you combine Spooky Season, anxiety, the weeks between Canadian and American Thanksgiving, and fun (and fun adjacent) facts?Episode 18 of Try-Hard Valley!Yael and I are counting our blessings—and because this is Episode 18, we have an auspicious number on our side. 18 is “chai” in Hebrew, meaning life. So basically, this episode is legally required to be life-affirming. L’chaim! And pass the sharp cheddar!🎸🇨🇦 Click the pic above to hear Rush’s Geddy Lee take off with the Great White North boys. Back to the Genius Bar! 😬 Get full access to Try-Hard Valley at carriegilbert3.substack.com/subscribe

Regina Stoops is a woman who knows how to handle a drunk heckler, a tight 12, and a friend who is systematically emptying the cancer center of its snack foods.Regina is also finishing her forthcoming book, The Road to Normal: Stories from a Life that Never Followed the Map, a collection of stories drawn from her blog, childhood memories, family life, and some of the rougher patches along the way.The book became more urgent after Regina received a recent cancer diagnosis. She talks candidly about treatment, staying present, focusing on her health, and finding humor wherever she can.Because when your friend starts stuffing Cheez-Its into her purse during your cancer treatment, there’s only one thing you can call it: Cancer Costco. Get full access to Try-Hard Valley at carriegilbert3.substack.com/subscribe

Chet Haase is a Chet all the way.Photo credit: Maddy Pisio.You know those people everyone seems to know and like?“Chet’s so funny.”“You gotta meet Chet.”“Chet’s great.”I heard variations of this from my fellow Fleet Feet runners for what felt like years. Naturally, I resisted. When someone or something is universally beloved, I assume it’s probably not for me.Then I met Chet. They were right. Chet Haase is, indeed, a big deal. He’s a classically trained improviser, writer, podcaster, longtime Android advocate, recovering software engineer, and runner. He’s also someone who has recently entered a particularly interesting phase of life: saying yes to a lot of things and waiting to see which one sticks.In this episode, we talk about his Try-Hard for the week and his Try-Hard for the year; why he’s currently saying yes to everything from improv to writing to running; and his larger Try-Hard for life: Enjoy. Have fun. Be passionate about the things you’re doing.Chet spent a long career in tech, including 14 years working on Android and co-hosting the podcast Android Developers Backstage. Now that he’s no longer working in tech, he’s rediscovering something he missed: getting in front of an audience.We talk about comedy, from his childhood introduction to Monty Python to improv and stand-up classes, comedy screenwriting at DePaul and Second City, and the attitude required to put your ideas out into the world.We also talk about running, how the pandemic turned a reluctant runner into a marathoner, why running appeals to someone who never considered himself a sports person, and why Chet refuses to call himself “Fast Eddie,” despite my attempt to make the nickname happen.And then there’s the Android podcast, where Chet describes one of his roles as being “the idiot in the room” willing to ask the question everyone else is too self-conscious to ask. It turns out that admitting you don’t understand something can actually make for a much better conversation. Honestly, there may be a lesson in that for all of us.Also in this episode: Game of Thrones, Chicago’s Old Town, my thwarted attempt to start a podcast feud with the hosts of Android Developers Backstage, and a sound effect inspired by Yael’s opposition to the Bell of Transition.So: meet Chet. You’ll see.Try-Hard of the Week: Saying yes to everything and ramping up the running miles.Try-Hard of the Year: Find a groove.Try-Hard of Life: Enjoy.You wouldn’t like Chet when he’s angry. Pic by Maddy PisioChet’s book is available at small indie booksellers such as Amazon.com. Buy it now!Also, check out this review, which was written by a psychopath with a dumb screen name.Boston Qualifier/Runner/Nickname Opposer Chet HaaseCome to Fleet Feet Pleasanton, where this pic is prominently displayed!Chet and his Name Pending cohorts after an improv face-offChet in the middle, taking a knee in an improv sceneChet in blue, taking a knee (again!?) among his fleet of feet fansChet’s book of donut poetry is also available on Amazon.Read this glowing review written by some random lunatic who still enjoys the very catchy St. Elsewhere theme song. Get full access to Try-Hard Valley at carriegilbert3.substack.com/subscribe

Welcome to a new episode of Try-Hard Valley! This week, we’re hanging out with the fabulous Faith Alpher, poet, author, performer, speaker, radio personality, and Livermore’s first female Poet Laureate of Color. Faith has spent decades finding her voice, and today she’s trying hard to put herself even more out into the world… while also remembering not to overwhelm herself in the process.We talk about the challenges of being a working artist, her spontaneous MLK Day walk that drew TENS of people, including Livermore’s mayor, and her Try-Hard for Life: uplifting people right where they are. Plus, Faith reads two pieces from her spoken-word collection, The Voice You Forgot You Had.Faith is a fiercely fabulous follow! All of “Carrie’s 16 cats” highly recommend Faith’s spoken word collection! Get full access to Try-Hard Valley at carriegilbert3.substack.com/subscribe