Stream of Consciousness with Dan: Stories from the Midwest
Stream of Consciousness is a Midwest-rooted podcast where honest, inspiring conversations take center stage. Hosted by Dan in Omaha, Nebraska, each episode explores the stories, values, and voices that shape our communities - from athletes and creatives to local business owners who bring heart and hustle to the region.
Whether it's legendary NFL nose tackle or the soul behind a beloved neighborhood kitchen, Stream of Consciousness invites guests to share their journeys, challenges, and reflections in a space built on authenticity and connection.
Stream of Consciousness with Dan: Stories from the Midwest
Friday's w/ Dan #12
Use Left/Right to seek, Home/End to jump to start or end. Hold shift to jump forward or backward.
This week on Friday’s w/ Dan, I share an update on Chuck Bigler, who recently suffered a serious stroke but has now been moved out of the ICU and is receiving good care at St. Mary’s in Madison. If you’d like to send prayers or a card, his family welcomes them at PO Box 508, New Glarus, WI. I also talk about learning the Our Father in Swahili, celebrate Brian Voltaggio’s first-ever individual competition win, and give a shoutout to my Great Aunt Joan for a small kindness that meant a lot. It’s an episode about fragility, grace, and the quiet ways goodness still finds us.
https://open.spotify.com/show/2ZHWgVJf5Dadq6c1jHFrNC?si=212e91d37814477a
https://youtube.com/@danbackes-omaha?si=UbryrO4Mo2xNMHXN
https://podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/1768323039635344d43bab5cf
Hey everybody, welcome back to Fridays with Dan. This week, again, has been a lot. I apologize, but uh there's been a mix of heaviness, but also hope, fragility, and grace. And I want to start right where my mind has been all week. I heard some really tough news. Chuck Bigler from Pimples in New Glarus, Wisconsin, who many of you heard on the podcast just a couple of weeks ago, suffered a very serious stroke. And that's been sitting heavy with me this week. There's some good news though. Chuck has been moved out of the ICU and is in good care at St. Mary's in Madison, Wisconsin. He's stable, he's looked after, and he's surrounded by people who know what they're doing. It's just so strange how life works. How someone can be laughing with you over a Zoom call one week and fighting for their life the next. If you're the praying type, please keep chucking your prayers. If you or your family ever hear this, we're thinking of you. We're holding you. And we're not walking through this alone. And if you feel moved to send a card or a note of encouragement, you can send it to P.O.Box 508 New Glaris, Wisconsin. And maybe because of all that, I've been leaning into prayer this week even more than usual. I've actually been learning the Our Father in Swahili. I'm not great yet, far from it. But there's something grounding about speaking a language that isn't your own. It slows you down, makes you listen. So I want to start today with the full prayer, but just with the opening line in Swahili, and I will do my best, and I'll give you yeah, I'll just give you my best shot. So Baba Yetu Oli Mibin Guni, our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. Amen. So on a totally different, brighter note, I've got to talk about this. Uh Brian Voltagio won Tournament of Champions on Food Network over the weekend. His first individual win in a culinary competition. And if you've watched him cook, you know how wild that is. The guy is so creative, so precise, so calm under pressure. We love watching him in our home. There's just something about the way he plates food. It's like he's composing music, and to finally see him get that moment after all the seasons of coming close, it felt earned. And honestly, in a week that's been a little heavy, seeing someone finally get their moment, it hits different. It was a reminder that good things still break through. And before we wrap up today, I've got to give a shout out to my great Aunt Joan. She read my published prose poem, and she's sending me a congratulations package. And I'm like, really, Aunt Joan, that is not necessary. But it's the simple things in life that make you feel good. There's something about being seen by someone who's known you your whole life, someone who doesn't have to do anything, but chooses to anyway. It's small, but it lands big. So if there's a theme for this week, I would call it fragility and grace. Um, life is fragile, but grace keeps showing up anyway. In the heavy moments, in the prayers we stumble through, in a chef finally getting his big win, and even just a simple package from Aunt Joan. Grace finds us. So the verse that's been sitting with me this week is from Psalms chapter 34, verse 18. The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. A reminder that even in the fragile moments, we are not alone. So I'm simply going to end this episode with a closing prayer. God, thank you for being close to us in the fragile moments. Be with Chuck and his family. Be with anyone listening who's carrying something heavy. Teach us to notice the small graces. A prayer in a new language. A chef finally getting his moment. An unexpected package from someone who loves us. Help us stay grounded, grateful, and present. Amen. So, as usual, thank you everyone for spending a little time of your Friday with me. Um, take care of yourselves, take care of each other. See the light in the world when it may seem when it may seem heavy. And I'll see you next week on Fridays with Dan.