About Us
Paul Menzel
Jim Conlan
The Old Dogs ramble about aging with a friend.
The Old Dogs Conversation
MICHAEL SCHAFER's career was in plastic surgery. His favorite patients were children in need of facial reconstruction. After retirement at around the turn of the century, Michael made trips to many countries around the world, donating his services to kids who needed them. One day by chance, Michael took a walk on a beach and discovered a plentiful resource of driftwood, which gave him the idea to create fantastical structures of horses - animals whose majesty and strength had captivated his imagination since boyhood.
The Old Dogs ramble about dealing with trash.
The Old Dogs Conversation
EVA ARCHER-SMITH has always been interested in how people behave when they are part of a group. This curiosity led her to a successful career in coaching company employees to work better together. But just when many women think about retiring, Eva found new energy in turning her attention to coaching individuals within corporations. She has found so much enjoyment and success in this work that she's still at it in her seventies
The Old Dogs ramble about dealing with trash.
The Old Dogs Conversation
Two episodes ago we interviewed MICHAEL SCHAFER about his career as a surgeon and his current focus on wood sculpture. During that conversation, he told us a story about a tragic accident that affected his community as he was growing up. The story captured small-town life so well, we decided to feature it in this episode. We set up the story by asking Michael and Paul to share their memories of growing up in a small town.
The Old Dogs ramble about AI - is it intelligent at all?
The Old Dogs Conversation
RODNEY VACCARO is the opposite of a one-trick pony. The Emmy award winning Screenwriter and Producer has worked extensively as a Screenwriter, Actor, Playwright and Stage Director since the 80's. He has written screenplays featuring Matthew Perry, Dylan McDermott, Oliver Platt, Neve Campbell, John Corbett, Sean Astin, Patricia Heaton, Mary Tyler Moore and William H. Macy, among many Hollywood stars. Rodney has been a go-to script doctor there for decades. In this conversation he describes the Hollywood scene then and now.
The Old Dogs ramble about sneaky supermarket switches.
The Old Dogs Conversation
GARY AND GABY KELLER are Swiss Nationals in their 60's who have spent a good part of their lives elsewhere than Switzerland, following Gary's jobs around the world. They experienced a number of different cultures, including a few in this country. Now Switzerland is calling them home, and they reflect on their past - and their busy future.
The Old Dogs ramble about phones: what's good and what isn't?
The Old Dogs Conversation
JIM CONLAN didn’t always live in Texas. No, in fact, he grew up in Michigan, living first in Birmingham and then in Ann Arbor. Recently Jim and his wife took a sentimental trip back to Ann Arbor to see if it might be in their future. Paul Menzel does his best to find the answers.
The Old Dogs ramble about misinformation and how hard it is to correct.
The Old Dogs Conversation
BRIDGETTE MONGEON is something of a polymath. She has pursued her muse as an artist and musician since kindergarten, despite developing some serious conditions that would slow or stop a less dedicated woman. You may have seen some of her bigger-than-lifesize sculptures, such as the Mad Hatter’s Tea Party. Bridgette talks about what she’s up to in her mid-70’s and what keeps her going.
The Old Dogs ramble about the stuff in your fridge.
The Old Dogs Conversation
DOUG MILLER had a very public career in news reporting. He started in radio but also had stints in newspaper before landing his long standing gig as senior reporter with a major CBS affiliate. Doug reminisces about the reporting business - the work ethic, the demands of the job - then turns to thoughts of leaving it all, whatever that might hold.
The Old Dogs ramble about living aboard a ship year-round.
The Old Dogs Conversation
MY GRANDSON is a young man who has so many interests he doesn't have time for important stuff like playing video games. We wanted to get his perspective on what's important to kids of his generation, how he relates to old people, like us, and what we can do to be better persons.
The Old Dogs ramble about a time when watching TV programs was an event.
The Old Dogs Conversation
SHELLEY CALENE-BLACK is an actress with stage, film, television, commercial and animation credits. She's also one of the most effective and respected acting coaches in Houston. Her most recent film credits include The Purge, Thunder Road and The Iron Orchard. She has appeared in hundreds of Japanese Anime features, including the voice of Cortana in Halo Legends and Kalifa in One Piece and One Piece Red. She is active as a drama coach at Next Level Acting Studios.
The Old Dogs ramble about snooping in other people's homes.
The Old Dogs Conversation
RODNEY GEORGE was a successful financial consultant who got bored when he retired. A lifelong traveler, he decided he could start a business to help people get the most out of their vacation adventures. Specializing in the opulent and the unusual, Rodney has helped hundreds of travelers experience unforgettable trips.
The Old Dogs ramble about opening a lemonade stand.
The Old Dogs Conversation
JOE KILGORE was a 35-year veteran of the advertising business, ultimately rising to Executive Creative Director at Ogilvy and Mather. Realizing he couldn't do that forever, he turned his attention to the detective novels he'd been reading for years and decided, heck, he could write those. So he did. The result is a series that has been building acclaim from mystery fans around the country.
The Old Dogs ramble about opening a lemonade stand.
The Old Dogs Conversation
KIM SAWYER has over twenty years of diverse business experience. After starting and running businesses and becoming familiar with the way successful people work, he founded The Wealth Source. His idea is that wealth comes in many forms and it's up to each of us to discover what our true wealth can be.
The Old Dogs ramble about home sales parties for guys
The Old Dogs Conversation
JERRY ZIMMERER is the presiding judge on the Texas fourteenth court of appeals. He is the only lawyer in the state with three law degrees. But that's not his whole history. He has made a name for himself as a legal counsel specializing in technology for some worldwide companies and he's credentialed in domestic and international commercial arbitration.
