Page 78 – Wisconsin Life

Casting is the first and perhaps most important part of a production. It’s not – as you might imagine – without its hurt feelings and anger. But Jane Jeffries reminds us of the importance of every role – large and small – to the story. Auditions were over.

Dark Winter Light
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Dark Winter Light

Science & Nature

Dark Winter Light

There’s something about winter light that isn’t like any other. Mike Paulus tells us about the things hidden and revealed in the winter. It’s so bright outside. In the middle of the night.

High School Phenom Exceeds Expectation On Stage And Off
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High School Phenom Exceeds Expectation On Stage And Off

The Arts

High School Phenom Exceeds Expectation On Stage And Off

In many ways Zaria Roller is a typical Wisconsin teenager who enjoys her friends, a good laugh and checking out social media. But that is where the typical teenager title ends.

Every Drop Counts For Family Living Off The Grid
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Every Drop Counts For Family Living Off The Grid

Culture & History

Every Drop Counts For Family Living Off The Grid

Carol Dunbar and her family live off the grid in northern Wisconsin. It has its challenges, but those challenges have provided important lessons, too, about the preciousness of certain resources. We stand guard at our stations: me at the kitchen sink, my son by the front door, and my husband outside by the electrical box with the dog.

The Astronomy Behind The Fabled Star Of Bethlehem
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The Astronomy Behind The Fabled Star Of Bethlehem

The Arts

The Astronomy Behind The Fabled Star Of Bethlehem

One of the most fabled stars in human history, the Star of Bethlehem, is also one of the biggest mysteries. What was the Star of Bethlehem? Meg Jones tells us the story of a Wisconsin man who found one possible answer in his coin collection.

Cliff The DJ Brings His Passion To Local Radio
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Cliff The DJ Brings His Passion To Local Radio

The Arts

Cliff The DJ Brings His Passion To Local Radio

Two years ago, a neighborhood center in Madison landed a hard-to-come-by license to its own low-power FM radio frequency. Now the fledgling station is becoming a proving ground for aspiring DJs of all ages, including Cliff Wilford.

A New Year’s Baby
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A New Year’s Baby

Culture & History

A New Year’s Baby

Every new year comes with a New Year’s baby. It’s a big job to be a newly birthed minor celebrity. Mike Paulus shares his story. Somewhere in my parent’s house, deep in a box in the basement, there’s a newspaper clipping.

Finding Her Authentic Self
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Finding Her Authentic Self

Culture & History

Finding Her Authentic Self

Recognizing who you are and deciding to take steps to live that life takes a lot of reflection and time. There’s no one way. Natalie Miller first knew that something was different about her as a kid but she didn’t know what.

Bah Humbug! Christmases Past In Milwaukee
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Bah Humbug! Christmases Past In Milwaukee

Culture & History

Bah Humbug! Christmases Past In Milwaukee

It seems like the back to school sales are barely over when the Christmas trees start to appear. The commercial drive of the holidays may seem like a modern problem but historian John Gurda tells us about the spending frenzy that gripped 19th century Milwaukee.

Memory And Voicemails
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Memory And Voicemails

Culture & History

Memory And Voicemails

I listened to the voice recording wishing I had been more persuasive. “You know, Mom,” I crooned over the phone days earlier, “if his bride bought a plane ticket and invited him to join her, he’d fly instead of drive.”

One Man’s Love Affair With Ice Boating And Lake Mendota
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One Man’s Love Affair With Ice Boating And Lake Mendota

Culture & History

One Man’s Love Affair With Ice Boating And Lake Mendota

Don Sanford feels a deep connection to water, from sailing to ice boating. His summers spent as a child on a lake in upstate New York left a deep impression on him that followed him to Madison and Lake Mendota.

Wisconsin 101: Yerkes Telescope And The Birthplace Of Astrophysics
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Wisconsin 101: Yerkes Telescope And The Birthplace Of Astrophysics

Culture & History

Wisconsin 101: Yerkes Telescope And The Birthplace Of Astrophysics

The 40-inch refracting telescope at Yerkes Observatory in Williams Bay, Wisconsin, contains the world’s largest refracting lenses. Built in 1895, the telescope and observatory are owned by the University of Chicago.

Career Change Leads To Passion For Carpentry
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Career Change Leads To Passion For Carpentry

The Arts

Career Change Leads To Passion For Carpentry

Construction trades are extraordinarily male – less than 2 percent of carpenters are women. But Madison College is hoping to change that. Three of their four instructors are women. Allie Berenyi went to MIT and majored in chemistry.

Pay It Forward
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Pay It Forward

Culture & History

Pay It Forward

There’s tremendous power in giving. When writer Crystal Chan was the beneficiary of kindness in an unlikely place – Chicago traffic – she found a way to repay that kindness by giving to someone else.

Yoga Brings Sense Of Calm In A New City
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Yoga Brings Sense Of Calm In A New City

Culture & History

Yoga Brings Sense Of Calm In A New City

People do yoga for many reasons. For Ellery Lawry, yoga provided the grounding she needed in a new town. Breathe in. Close your eyes. Set an intention for your practice. Keep this intention in mind as you flow through your poses.