Our Intern’s Turn: Amanda Mourelatos Navigates New Media and Big Dreams

[00:04:07] Amanda’s Media Journey: How It All Began

• Amanda reflects on her start in journalism during high school, how she fell in love with storytelling, and why she decided to pursue it at the University of Arizona.

[00:05:43] Joining Life Along the Streetcar

• Amanda explains the serendipitous path that brought her to the podcast, from a canceled internship class to connecting with Tom through her professor.

[00:08:46] Looking Ahead: Amanda’s Career Aspirations

• Amanda shares her thoughts on the future, balancing her passion for podcasting with the realities of post-college life, and her goal to turn her side projects into something more.

[00:10:15] Amanda’s Archives: From Music Blog to Holistic Podcast

• Hear how Amanda transitioned her blog about music into a diverse podcast covering topics like tattoos, weddings, mental health, and more.

[00:12:01] Favorite Role in Podcasting: Hosting

• Amanda discusses her love for hosting, how it gives her control over the conversation, and the skills she’s developed to guide interviews effectively.

[00:14:48] The Future of Media: Amanda’s Take on Podcasting

• Amanda reflects on the evolution of media, her peers’ lack of interest in podcasting, and why she believes this medium has unique potential for storytelling.

[00:15:58] Navigating Challenges: College Stress and Mental Health

• Amanda opens up about managing the pressures of college, balancing her many roles, and the self-care practices that have helped her stay grounded.

[00:17:12] Mental Health in Focus: Upcoming Podcast Episodes

• A preview of Amanda’s next episodes, which will feature a psychology student, an intimacy coach, and a family friend who overcame addiction through spirituality.

[00:21:02] Family Spotlight: Interviewing Her Dad

• Amanda shares her experience interviewing her father for her podcast, gaining a new perspective on his life and career.

[00:23:04] The Beauty of Storytelling: Why It Matters

• Tom and Amanda discuss the importance of preserving stories, connecting with others through shared narratives, and documenting meaningful conversations.

In this week’s episode of Life Along the Streetcar, we turn the spotlight on someone who has been instrumental behind the scenes—our talented intern, Amanda Mourelatos. From editing and hosting to production work, Amanda has worn many hats during her time with us, and now she steps into the guest seat to share her inspiring journey.

Amanda’s path has been anything but conventional, blending her passion for storytelling with an insatiable curiosity for exploring new media formats. With roots in journalism and a budding love for podcasting, Amanda embodies the spirit of adaptability and growth that defines modern media professionals. In this conversation, she opens up about her early days in high school journalism, her transformative experiences at the University of Arizona, and her aspirations for a future filled with creative exploration.

Whether you’re a fan of podcasts, an aspiring journalist, or someone looking for inspiration in navigating life’s uncertainties, Amanda’s story is one you won’t want to miss. Let’s dive into her incredible journey.

From High School Newsroom to Podcasting Pioneer: Amanda’s Journey of Growth

Amanda’s love for storytelling began unexpectedly during her freshman year of high school. A hole in her schedule led her to join the school’s newspaper class, and what started as an experiment quickly became a passion. Over four years, Amanda rose through the ranks from desk editor to editor-in-chief, falling in love with the process of uncovering stories and sharing them with the world.

“I liked being able to talk to people, interview them, and tell their stories,” Amanda recalls. This early experience not only honed her writing skills but also instilled a sense of purpose in her work—a drive to use her talents to inform and connect people.

Her decision to pursue journalism at the University of Arizona was a natural progression, but Amanda wanted more than just traditional print experience. Enter Life Along the Streetcar. Through a serendipitous connection with her professor, Amanda found herself interning with us, where she’s explored the dynamic world of podcasting.

During her time here, Amanda has tried her hand at everything: editing audio, managing production, hosting episodes, and even crafting interviews. “I’ve been able to see all sides of podcasting, and I really enjoy hosting the most,” she shares. Her time with Life Along the Streetcar has given her a newfound appreciation for the medium’s ability to reach audiences in personal and meaningful ways.

Through her work on her personal podcast, Amanda’s Archives, Amanda has expanded her creative horizons even further. What began as a music-focused blog has evolved into a platform where she explores topics ranging from tattoos and weddings to mental health and personal growth. For Amanda, podcasting represents a future filled with possibilities—one where she can blend her passions with her unique voice.

Navigating Challenges and Seeking Balance: A Holistic Approach to Life

Like many young creatives, Amanda faces the universal challenge of balancing her ambitions with the realities of day-to-day life. As a full-time college student, an intern, and a part-time server at Texas Roadhouse, Amanda knows the meaning of “survival mode.”

“College has been one of the most stressful times of my life,” she admits, candidly sharing the pressures of looming graduation and uncertain career prospects. Yet, Amanda has found ways to maintain her mental and emotional well-being, and her journey offers valuable lessons for anyone feeling overwhelmed by life’s demands.

Over the years, Amanda has embraced practices like journaling, yoga, and meditation to help her stay grounded. “It’s about taking a step back from the big picture and focusing on what I need to do to get through,” she explains. This focus on mindfulness and self-care has not only helped Amanda cope with stress but has also inspired her to explore mental health as a theme in her podcast.

Her upcoming episodes of Amanda’s Archives feature guests who bring diverse perspectives on mental health, including a psychology student, a professor who is an intimacy coach, and a family friend who overcame addiction through spirituality. “I want to highlight different approaches to mental health because it’s something we all need to talk about more,” Amanda says.

Her openness about her struggles and the tools she uses to overcome them make Amanda’s story all the more relatable. She reminds us that it’s okay to not have all the answers and that taking time to focus on yourself is not only acceptable but necessary.

Exploring New Media: The Future of Storytelling Through Amanda’s Eyes

Amanda’s journey reflects a larger shift happening in the world of media. While traditional journalism faces challenges, platforms like podcasting are thriving, offering creators the flexibility to tell stories in innovative and engaging ways. Amanda sees podcasting as a medium with immense potential, both for her own career and for the future of storytelling.

In our conversation, Amanda shares her excitement about podcasting’s accessibility and creativity. With Amanda’s Archives, she’s crafting a space where she can explore any topic that sparks her curiosity, from local music scenes to deeply personal reflections. “I love the freedom to talk about anything I’m passionate about,” she says.

Amanda also offers valuable advice for those considering a leap into podcasting: “Start small, focus on what excites you, and don’t be afraid to learn as you go.” Her own journey—from experimenting with audio editing to becoming a confident host—proves that passion and persistence can lead to incredible growth.

Looking ahead, Amanda envisions a career where podcasting plays a central role, whether as a full-time pursuit or a side project that allows her to keep exploring her interests. “There’s so much potential in this medium, and I’m excited to see where it takes me,” she says.

Follow Amanda’s Journey and Explore Her Archives

Amanda Mourelatos’s story is one of courage, creativity, and relentless curiosity. Her journey from a high school newsroom to a multi-talented podcaster reminds us of the power of storytelling and the beauty of exploring new paths.

If you’re inspired by Amanda’s journey, don’t stop here! Dive deeper into her work by visiting her podcast, Amanda’s Archives, available now on SoundCloud. There, you’ll find an eclectic mix of topics that reflect Amanda’s passions and her commitment to meaningful storytelling.

Follow Amanda’s incredible journey and support her work by tuning in to Amanda’s Archives and following her on social media. Let her story remind you that it’s never too late—or too early—to chase your dreams.

Tom Heath
Good morning. It’s a beautiful Sunday in the Old Pueblo. And you’re listening to Katy. Tucson. Thank you for spending a part of your brunch hour with us on your downtown Tucson community. Sponsored, all volunteer powered rock and roll radio station. This week we speak with our fabulous intern, Amanda Mourelatos. She’s been in production. She’s been in editing, she’s a host, and today she’s completing the cycle as a guest on Life Along the Streetcar.

Tom Heath
It’s going to be a fun conversation with an up and coming star. Today is December 15th, 2024. My name is Tom Heath and you’re listening to Life Along the Streetcar. Each and every Sunday, our focus on social, cultural and economic impacts on Tucson’s urban core, and we shed light on hidden gems. Everyone should know about. From a mountain to the University of Arizona and all stops in between, you get the inside track right here.

Tom Heath
19.1 FM streaming on downtown radio.org. We’re also available on your iPhone or Android if you download our very own Downtown Radio Tucson app. And if you want to interact with us on the show, we recommend you do that through social media, Facebook and Instagram, for example. And if you want information about us, how to purchase our book, or a little bit about our bio, you can head over to life Along the Street car.org.

Tom Heath
And of course, we always invite you to listen to the podcast version. If you missed the live show here on Sundays. The podcast is available on Spotify, iTunes, iHeartRadio, all kinds of other fabulous places. Well, it is the season of giving and receiving, and I think there’s a quote somewhere that says it’s better to give than to receive.

Tom Heath
You know, some people might disagree with you on that, but here’s an opportunity. Maybe you can do both. So if you happen to get in a lot of, nice, new winter clothing and you want to donate some of your unneeded and gently used winter clothing, you can donate that through, the school here in downtown Imago day, which is, if you listen to the show, it’s no secret.

Tom Heath
I’m a big fan of of what they do to Margo Day. It’s right there on Sixth Avenue next to the Ronstadt Center, across the street there for the Ronstadt Center. We feature them a couple of times on the show. They’re in the book. They do amazing things in our community. And now their leadership program, made up of seventh and eighth graders, is, putting on this this donation drive, looking for sweaters, jackets, socks, clothes, gloves, things that are gently worn and can be used here in the winter.

Tom Heath
And they’re going to, get those over to the team at Casa Maria Soup Kitchen to disperse to those in need. So we’re low on time. If you want to donate, you could go buy their school, which is a 55 North Sixth Avenue. They’re open weekdays from 830 to 330, but you need to do it by the 17th.

Tom Heath
Just a couple of days from now. But you can maybe hop on Facebook or Instagram, find Imago day like and share their post to get the word out to others. And a reminder, and this is for, a leadership program. It is all being coordinated, my understanding and run by the seventh and eighth grades at Imago day.

Tom Heath
So if you’ve got that unneeded and, gently worn winter clothing, you can head over to 55 North Sixth Avenue. We’ll post more information on our Facebook page. And of course, you can, find Imago Day and, learn more about them as well as this, drive that they have underway. I always get to do fun interviews.

Tom Heath
And this one was, was a particularly unique for me because it’s with Amanda, who has been an intern with us for several weeks. We, have had her doing editing. She’s done some, engineering production. She was even a host last week. If you didn’t listen to that, you definitely have to check out our interview with Tony Starch.

Tom Heath
The extreme ironing man. Really fun interview. She’s doing a great job. And today we put her on the hot seat and wanted to know more about what it means to be an intern, what the future looks like for journalism. With, with her perspective. This is my, interview tape just a few days ago with Amanda Walters in the show.

Tom Heath
So our studios interesting interview. Today. We have Amanda merlot toast, and I understand Merlot toast. Is it Greek? Yes. It’s Greek. It it means does everything. Because that’s been Amanda’s role since she joined, our team here not not too long ago. So welcome to the the guest side of the show.

Amanda Mourelatos
Thank you for having me.

Tom Heath
Absolutely. If you’ve been paying attention, a couple of weeks ago, Amanda was our, interviewer. You got to interview ironing. Man, that was pretty fun.

Amanda Mourelatos
It was a lot of fun.

Tom Heath
Yeah. Did you, to do prep for that interview.

Amanda Mourelatos
A little bit? I looked up the definition of extreme ironing.

Tom Heath
So that’s that’s probably a good start.

Amanda Mourelatos
That was about all I could really do.

Tom Heath
Yeah, well, he’s, he was a dynamic interview. But before that, you’ve been doing some editing and, some production work here. So literally have been doing everything on life. Lifelong streetcar.

Amanda Mourelatos
Yeah.

Tom Heath
So how how did you, how did this happen that you wandered into our life like this?

Amanda Mourelatos
Well, it all happened because of a class that I was in that got canceled. I was enrolled in this class, and it was supposed to be, like, setting you up to do an internship. And that was the whole basis of the class. Okay. And so my professor, I don’t know, I can’t even remember why I got canceled.

Amanda Mourelatos
It got canceled for whatever reason. Something to do with, like, the structure of the class, I think. But my professors still wanted to set us up with internships because a lot of us were still interested. And so I told her I wanted to do something a little different. Not really interested in broadcast. I’ve been doing a lot of writing and editing with the Daily Wildcat at the U of A, so I wanted to try something a little bit different, and she was like, oh, well, I know this guy that has a podcast.

Amanda Mourelatos
Is that something you’d be interested?

Tom Heath
And I and I, this guy.

Amanda Mourelatos
You are that guy.

Tom Heath
I’ve never been I, I’m so excited to be referred to as this guy.

Amanda Mourelatos
And here we are.

Tom Heath
I’m the guy. Everybody’s got a guy for something. And finally, I’m finally the guy. Guy. And so you through the school of journalism?

Amanda Mourelatos
Yes.

Tom Heath
What? Let’s take some steps back, though. What? What, what prompted you to head in that direction?

Amanda Mourelatos
So my freshman year of high school, I had a hole in my schedule, and I was like, well, you know, I’ve always been good at writing, I like writing. Let me try this newspaper class. I was I loved it right off the bat. I liked being able to talk to people, interview people, tell their stories. And so from there, I stayed in that class all four years.

Amanda Mourelatos
In high school, I moved up the food chain. I was a desk editor then associate EIC and EIC for my last two.

Tom Heath
Years, EIC being editor in charge and chief editor in chief. Okay, sorry, I’m very special.

Amanda Mourelatos
But yeah, I just I fell in love with it, and I liked being able to, like, do something that felt natural to me but still have, like, a purpose that was good for people. Okay, that makes sense.

Tom Heath
Where did you go to high school?

Amanda Mourelatos
So.

Tom Heath
All right. Well thank you, sir. Great class. And you know, every high school offers something like that. Or is that unique to. So.

Amanda Mourelatos
Not a lot of high schools offer it. We were one of the few that actually had like a, an online newspaper. We didn’t do print just because it’s expensive. Gotcha. But we did do online newspaper, okay. And it was a great opportunity. I loved it.

Tom Heath
So then, it did you know immediately that when you went to the U of A that journalism was, was where are you going to focus. Yeah.

Amanda Mourelatos
Yeah. Okay. I knew that was what I wanted to do. And I did it.

Tom Heath
I’m almost.

Amanda Mourelatos
Done.

Tom Heath
Oh, almost almost done, almost almost done. As we’re recording this, I think we just finished finals week. Is that. Are you finishing finals? Yes. Little, little relief of stress from you there at the moment. Yeah, yeah. So then what what does the future hold? You know what? What are your thoughts and where are you going to go?

Amanda Mourelatos
That is a great question.

Tom Heath
That’s right.

Amanda Mourelatos
I mean, I could definitely see a future in podcasting. Right now I’m just you’re good old Texas Roadhouse server for work. So I’m wanting to kind of see if I can get into podcasting, maybe make some money that way, or at least have it as like a side project for sure.

Tom Heath
Maybe. Wait, wait, wait, there’s there’s money in podcasting. I don’t know, maybe. Oh, I think you’re interning at the wrong place. I didn’t know you could make money doing this.

Amanda Mourelatos
If I can find a way, how I will.

Tom Heath
So on podcasting. So you have your own podcast. You’ve had something in place for a while. It was a writing. It was like a writing process. First, that became a podcast. Yes. Amanda’s archives. Yes. All right. So let’s let’s talk about that. What is that all about?

Amanda Mourelatos
Yeah. So I started a blog back in like my freshman year of college and it’s called,

Amanda Mourelatos
Oh, oh, headbanging reviews. And because I’m a huge concert junkie, I love music. And I wanted a place like an outlet to express that. So I started doing like, interviews with local bands. I’d write, like reviews on different albums I like and concert reviews. And I was like, this is super cool, but it’s a little narrow. Like, I have a lot more interests than just music.

Amanda Mourelatos
Okay? And so that’s where Amanda’s archives came to be, because I wanted to place where I can put everything, anything that I’m interested in, whether it can be music still, but it can also be like I’m freshly engaged. So I’ve been doing some stuff about weddings. Tattoos. I love tattoos. I’m marrying a tattoo artist. I got a love them.

Amanda Mourelatos
So kind of just a mixture of anything that interests me. Okay.

Tom Heath
That’s that’s.

Amanda Mourelatos
Perfect. Yeah. And from there, it’s becoming a podcast.

Tom Heath
So it’s Amanda’s archives in Switzerland. Yeah, that’s what I want to know. So I’m going to share that. And honestly that’s what this lifelong streak has been for me. It’s the I find people like yourself that are interesting. I want to talk to you and if everyone else is interested, that’s great. But if not, it’s okay for me because I got what I wanted, which was that was the conversation.

Tom Heath
Exactly that a few people listen. Not enough to make money though. I make. Oh, you’re looking at I’m looking at James like, what’s going on?

Amanda Mourelatos
Oh. Maybe you just got to get into, like, true crime or something.

Tom Heath
Okay. Yeah, that’s a or, we should do, like, an Arizona, like old Arizona crimes. We could do that there. Yeah, we could do that. I’m over here looking at James, like, can I get enough projects? I got a I got enough project. I got another.

Amanda Mourelatos
One to the list.

Tom Heath
So working on your own podcast, obviously that’s what drew you into our world then. And you see like right now you’ve so you’ve now officially, I think, done everything, you’ve done editing, you’ve done the production side, you’ve been, the host now you’re the guest already. Where do you what do you want to do? What’s I know when you have a podcast and you have to do all of it at some point.

Tom Heath
But what what do you really want to do?

Amanda Mourelatos
I really like hosting. Yeah, I really like being able to control the conversation and.

Tom Heath
Does is driving you nuts a little bit.

Amanda Mourelatos
But it’s okay. But I like being able to control the conversation and like the one it’s going to sound a little weird, but one of my favorite aspects of journalism is being able to, like, manipulate people into asking the right questions to get them to say what I want them to say, if that makes sense.

Tom Heath
Yeah, I don’t think that’s journalism. No, I think the journalism supposed to just report what they say. I don’t know, you’re supposed to get them to say what you want them podcasting. That’s where you want to get them to say what you want to say.

Amanda Mourelatos
Well, it can go with journalism a little bit. Like if I’m writing a specific story and I want.

Tom Heath
Oh, I get it, I get it, you know, I try to I got it. You, I try to change what they say. You just want to make sure that they, they express something that’s relevant to the conversation that you’re putting out there. Okay. That’s better. We can we can stand.

Amanda Mourelatos
Down in that. Can.

Tom Heath
Yeah. My my my my apologies for for assuming the worst that you were trying to, Dirk direct conversations completely. Were interviewing with a man and were allowed to other intern from the other school of journalism and to talking about, her, her role so far and, as an intern and things she’s finding interesting in journalism.

Tom Heath
And we’ll be back to the second half of that interview in just a moment. But first, I want to remind you that you are listening to lifelong the Streetcar on Downtown Radio 99.1 FM and streaming on downtown radio.org.

James Portis
This podcast is sponsored by Tom Heath and the team and Nova Home Loans. If you’ve enjoyed this podcast, continue listening or head over to Left the Street. Kokomo for current events and information on what to do while visiting Tucson. Tom Heath and MLS number 182420 Nova and MLS number 3087, the UK number 0902429. Equal Housing Opportunity.

Tom Heath
All right. We are back talking with our intern Amanda. She has done production for us. She has done engineering and editing. She has been a host. Now she is our guest trying to show her all facets of the podcasting and radio show life. We’ve talked a bit about her history and, now we’re going to talk about her future and then kind of get a sense of where things might go for journalism, in general and for her.

Tom Heath
So. So you’ve got colleagues in the, school of journalism. People that you talk to are like, are there do people have similar thoughts as to where they’re headed? Or. I mean, I mean, it seems like a tough time for print journalists. Yeah. Podcasts seem to me, even though there’s everyone I know has a podcast, they still seem to be increasing in popularity.

Tom Heath
This is something more people are turning towards. Or what are they thinking?

Amanda Mourelatos
I don’t know, I mean, like in the classes that I have, I’m one of the few, if not only person interested in podcasts, which is weird. Yeah, okay. And I feel like I’m very behind in the game because I, like I went to my professor was like, hey, let’s meet at Ben’s on university for our last class and have a drink and just chat.

Amanda Mourelatos
Cool. And all of my and she was going around asking what they’re doing after they graduate. And they all had plans like, oh.

Tom Heath
Well, at work, what kind of plans they’re working for?

Amanda Mourelatos
Yeah. Like they’re already applying for jobs and they graduate in May and I’m like, whoa.

Tom Heath
Oh, I think that’s.

Amanda Mourelatos
Not on something.

Tom Heath
You know, or you’re finding your own path. And that when you’ve worked for we don’t have to mention it. But I mean, you work for a radio station here. Wasn’t the best fit for you, but you you know, you’ve had exposure to a professional corporate environment like that. And, you know, that’s from what I remember from talking to that during your interview with us.

Tom Heath
Part of the internship, that wasn’t a good fit for you. So, I mean, you got to find you, I don’t think is a rush on it. Yeah.

Amanda Mourelatos
It just it feels like there’s a rush. There’s so many, like, stereotypes around college and graduation. Like, oh, you need to graduate in the four years and you need to have a job outside of college, like, right after and be doing what you went to school for and, like, I don’t know how I’m going to make that happen.

Tom Heath
Well, that there is something to be said for the universe will provide. I know it’s not a comforting feeling, but as you get into an environment and you’re looking at options and opportunities, as your mind is more honed and focused on it, they will start to appear differently than you’re seeing right now. Me, right now, I think you just in in a certain mode.

Amanda Mourelatos
I’m in survival mode. Yeah.

Tom Heath
Plus you mentioned you’re getting married. Let’s try taking a little bit of your time and energy. Just just a little bit.

Amanda Mourelatos
Just a little bit. Yeah. My fiance is very hands off, which is fine because I like the control. I like being able to do what I want to do. So it’s okay.

Tom Heath
With with when you’re looking for stories for Amanda’s archives. What what is it right now that is, is is driving you know, you’ve had a wide range of topics, but what like are you planning out sort of. Here’s kind of the guests that I want to have in 2025.

Amanda Mourelatos
I have a little bit of a plan. Mental health has been a very like moving thing for me recently. So my next guest will be a psychology student. She’s going to school to be a therapist.

Tom Heath

Amanda Mourelatos
I also have a professor of mine from this semester who is an intimate coach.

Tom Heath
Okay.

Amanda Mourelatos
And I also have a family friend that she had a really rough go with addiction in her podcast, and she has since then found God and turned towards spirituality and really found herself and like, cured herself that way.

Tom Heath
Okay, so you have really three different perspectives on on one central topic that’s really interesting. Yeah. So you’ll you’ll be able to really kind of come at that from different angles of a practitioner, someone who is in and, and using the services and someone who’s studying to be. And I feel that’s really that’s such that’s smart. That’s that’s thinking.

Tom Heath
Thank you. That’s planning that’s planning. You know, I didn’t realize mental health was a focus of looking at kind of your, your past. It was more artistic in creativity. This seems not like a diversion, but just a little bit of a a slightly different path than I would have expected for Amanda’s archives.

Amanda Mourelatos
Yeah, I think it’s just because of, like, where I’m personally at in my life right now. Like, college has been one of the most. Obviously, I’m only 22. I just turned 20.

Tom Heath
I was going to we were going to surprise you at the end with a little birthday bash, but, we we knew we knew.

Amanda Mourelatos
But yeah, you know, I haven’t done a lot of living, but college is one of the most stressful times. And so since it is so stressful, I’ve had to really take a step back from the big picture of everything and focus on myself. Like, I know I need to get through this. How am I mentally going to get through it?

Amanda Mourelatos
So taking time, I’ve been doing some meditation, I do journaling, I’ve been doing yoga on and off throughout college. So I think that’s kind of what sparked that interest.

Tom Heath
But again, that’s the beauty of having the control over the podcast is it doesn’t necessarily have to fit within a specific formula if it sparks your interest. That is the formula. Yeah. We we chose geographically to limit the footprint of our show to things happening within that urban core, simply because there were so many topics we could just spiral out of control.

Tom Heath
And I like the yeah I like the confines of the geographical footprint. But within there there’s really, you know.

Amanda Mourelatos
So many things.

Tom Heath
Yeah. And we, I think we’ve done kind of the same sort of thought process as we’re selecting guest is does it spark our interest. Because again, if, if that’s the case, that’s ultimately what I’m looking for. I think other people will find it interesting if they don’t. I’m not too upset about that.

Amanda Mourelatos
As long as you do, that’s all that matters.

Tom Heath
That’s all that matters. That’s all that matters. And we get to attract, some people I know. We have at least one more listener now, so I think your dad’s probably listening to her. My dad.

Amanda Mourelatos
Is listening.

Tom Heath
Is he? He’s been paying attention. He was a guest on your show. How was that interview? Your dad?

Amanda Mourelatos
It was a little weird. The weirdest part was calling him John. That was.

Tom Heath
Weird.

Amanda Mourelatos
He thought it was weird to.

Tom Heath
Say.

Amanda Mourelatos
It was kind of cool because I’ve asked him. Obviously, I’ve asked him questions about, like, what got him into his business. He’s a child, installer. And but being able to like.

Tom Heath
Well, he’s installer with like 25 years of experience owns his own company and heavily involved within the community.

Amanda Mourelatos
So and he was on shows like.

Tom Heath
Oh, yeah, the the.

Amanda Mourelatos
Home remodel.

Tom Heath
Home makeover, straight Home Extreme Homemaker. Yeah. He mentioned that the I remember at the very end of the interview goes, oh yeah, it was an extreme home makeover. I’m like, that’s that’s kind of like the I was.

Amanda Mourelatos
Like, wow.

Tom Heath
The lead off.

Amanda Mourelatos
Couldn’t even go off of that. He left it towards the end.

Tom Heath
So you, you chatted with John? Yeah. And it was a.

Amanda Mourelatos
But it was really cool to be able to like, break it down from, like, the start of his journey to where he is right now, because I’ve always heard, like, little bits and pieces of it. And then I’ve heard him get off the phone angry because the customer is really stubborn. But it was cool to like, see it all laid out in front of me.

Amanda Mourelatos
And like how where he started took him to where he is now because like living it is a little bit different than hearing about it.

Tom Heath
Well, I love that story because, you know, James and I, as you know, are working on a project called Shows or Studios where we’re recording a lot of these videos and interviews now, and our goal with that is to help people and businesses and families tell stories, because I think it’s really interesting that you as a, you know, 22 years of your life now have been with this man.

Tom Heath
And as a daughter, you got an idea of what he does, but as a, as a show host or as a journalist or as an interviewer, you got a different perspective, in a very short amount of time. And I, I think that’s a great example of, of why places like we’re creating here are important so that you have an opportunity to, to share and learn in ways that you might not otherwise.

Tom Heath
And then it’s recorded and documented and, you know, other members of the family can enjoy that, because I’m sure there are other people. And you get a brother, right? Yes. I mean, he’s going to be interested at some point, maybe not right away. Yeah. Actually, anyway, well, I’m, I’m curious to find, more episodes of Amanda’s archives in the world.

Tom Heath
Where do we track those down right now?

Amanda Mourelatos
Currently? SoundCloud. I’m in the process of figuring out how to upload them all to, like, Spotify, Apple Music, all that stuff, but SoundCloud for sure.

Tom Heath
Okay, videos.

Amanda Mourelatos
Videos, eventually.

Tom Heath
Okay.

Amanda Mourelatos
Whenever I get to editing some.

Tom Heath
And I’ve seen some things on Facebook too, right? You do. You post on Facebook or Instagram? Yeah.

Amanda Mourelatos
I didn’t realize it, but I have my Instagram account linked to my Facebook account to where when I post on Instagram, it just goes to this look. So apparently Facebook.

Tom Heath
What are you what are your handles on Instagram and Facebook?

Amanda Mourelatos
Oh gosh, it’s for Instagram. It’s Amanda’s archives with some sort of under slash in there I can’t exactly remember man is archives on Instagram Facebook just Amanda Moore plateaus and I’m on Linktree. Amanda. And and you can find all of my work from college writing to writing for a title magazine to my podcast. All that good stuff.

Tom Heath
Good. All right. Well, it’s a man is archives. Amanda. More auto show. Probably hear more of you. As you as we work through more projects here. Life long street car. But I appreciate you spending a few minutes of your birthday with us here in the studio.

Amanda Mourelatos
Thank you so much for having me.

Tom Heath
That was Amanda Walters, our intern here at the, life along the Street car. Process. We do have a process. You know, we we we kind of do some work on the show. Get ready for the radio. Get ready for the podcast. Man, it’s doing a great job for us. And, it’s it’s fun to have her energy, as part of our project.

Tom Heath
My name is Tom Heath. You’re listening to lifelong the streetcar downtown radio 99.1 FM and streaming on downtown radio.org.

James Portis
Support for downtown radio is provided by the Tucson Gallery, located in downtown Tucson. Instead of the proper shops at Ballard East Condo Street, the Tucson Gallery offers original work, reproductions, and merchandise from Tucson artists like Joe Patrick, Just Curtains, Alice Ignacio Garcia, and many more. For information about other artists, including when they will be up at the gallery, head to the Tucson gallery.com or find them on Instagram and Facebook as Tucson Gallery.

Tom Heath
Welcome to the end of episode 318. Might be the final new show of the year. I’m excited for the next couple of weeks as we get into the, Christmas and New Year’s, sort of, year end, production. We tend, in the last couple of years to start looking at the things we’re thankful for and doing a, I would call it a medley or, a retrospective of the shows we have had on and the guests that have shared their time with us.

Tom Heath
So looking forward to putting something like that together over the next couple of weeks. And, starting off in the new year with a brand new show. I’ll be here, chatting with you and doing some introductions with the, the retrospective of, interviews. So I’m not going anywhere. Well, we might not have a new guest unless something really cool pops up between, now and then.

Tom Heath
You have great things lined up for 2025. And look forward to having you learn more about some of these fantastic hidden gems in our world. And also want to remind you to check out Amanda’s podcast, Amanda’s Archives. We’ll have more details as she gets it out. On the more platforms in more areas, we’ll make sure we always share that.

Tom Heath
And as a reminder, head over to our Facebook page to learn more about Imago Day. The school here in downtown. Their seventh and eighth grade leadership team, is putting together a gently used clothing dryer for winter clothes to support those over at the Casa Maria soup kitchen. And you can help them with that. That effort just for the next couple of days after everything wrapped up by the 17th.

Tom Heath
Well, we want to thank James Portis, who? The show doesn’t happen without him. He is our production specialist. Amanda is our intern. She is also our assistant. My name is Tom Heath. I’m the host and producer of lifelong The Street Car. We thank Ryan Hood each and every week for letting us use their music. Dillinger days to open the show, and today we’re going to leave you with a band called Shepherd from a 2021 album called Kaleidoscope Eyes.

Tom Heath
It’s a song that I really think it’s appropriate for Amanda’s visit here today. It’s called Learning to Fly. I hope you have a great week and tune in next Sunday for more life along the street.