The idea of Nutmeg Chatter has always been to capture the stories of Northwest Connecticut that have fascinated me. When it’s possible I write about individuals and events in the arts and culture community because art at its best is the creation of something new for even when a troupe performs an established play or a singer records a cover song, the expression can result in something novel and exceptional.  Through Nutmeg Chatter I’ve been afforded enormously enjoyable opportunities. I’ve met with artists, gallery owners, actors and directors, dancers and choreographers, seen and reviewed dance performances, plays and theatrical productions, and I’ve interviewed musicians and enjoyed their concerts. I’ve also acted in a few things and my art (through The Crayon Diary) gets out there as the occasion presents itself.  Through Nutmeg Chatter I’ve been published in the newspapers often and been on the radio in many formats and I’ve been grateful for every opportunity.

The problem, and a great problem to have for any community, is that there’s such a plethora of stories in Northwest Connecticut that it has been impossible, for me at least, to cover it all or even the majority of it because labors of love must sometimes give way to realities of time and resources especially when both are tapped by the rigors of daily life. There are more stories unwritten and plans unrealized when the bills to pay meet the hours in the day but when the math doesn’t go your way, it’s time to change the equation.

The one thing that stays true is the realization that every day we are walking through history. At some point in the not too distant future people will look back to this time and place and say that these were halcyon days of artistic opportunity.  There are stories to tell and limited time to capture them all.

Now I have the wonderful opportunity on the Black Tie Lunchbox radio program on KBJB internet radio to have uncensored conversations with creators and comics about a variety of topics.  The audience is not particularly Connecticut specific. If you haven’t heard the program, check it out! It will return in March.

Now, however a new opportunity has presented itself and it is an excellent use of the Nutmeg Chatter name and vision.

The one thing that stays true is the realization that every day we are walking through history. At some point in the not too distant future people will look back to this time and place and say that these were halcyon days of artistic opportunity.  There are stories to tell and limited time to capture them all.

In this year on WAPJ radio (89.9 and 105.1 FM and on the listen live on the www.wapj.org site (also on tunein and other platforms) at 3pm on Mondays there will be a season of capturing stories for a listener, a record not necessarily about immediate events to come but rather a record of the history of people who are in the process of creating. Nutmeg Chatter captures the defining stories of people in the community whose passion, talent and hard work translate into actions that make a difference in Northwest Connecticut. With an emphasis on communicators, every half hour program shines a spotlight on an interesting and fascinating journey that serves to inspire the new visionaries who will have their own legacies to share.

The first episode of Nutmeg Chatter: The Radio show is February 6th 2017 and the guest will be John Ramsey, station manager of WAPJ. John Ramsey was recently inducted into the Connecticut Broadcasters Association Hall of Fame in 2016, one of only 12 individuals so honored as of this date. We will discuss the history of WAPJ and John Ramsey’s personal history in radio.

Each Nutmeg Chatter story will air, then it will be archived and preserved.

So this is the future of Nutmeg Chatter for 2017.

If you like Nutmeg Chatter and this idea, please LIKE Nutmeg Chatter on Facebook and share it. Your friends and neighbors may wish to enjoy the same information and programming.

If you have an idea for a guest, please email me at nutmegchatter AT gmail DOT com.

– J. Timothy Quirk