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00:00You all ready? Where do you want me? Right there?
00:07Hello. Hi, Jack. Hi, hi. I'm so happy to be here. Thank you.
00:13I'm so glad you're here. Beautiful day. You guys made a good choice with all this natural light in here.
00:19I see lots of people who have holes covering their knees.
00:23They charge extra for the holes.
00:27Nice to meet you. Nice to meet you, Lucas. Hi, Juliana. Pleasure to meet you.
00:33Hi, my name's Lyle Lexier. Nice to meet you as well. Such a pleasure.
00:37I really studied your song, Mother. One of my favorite hits.
00:42That's a good one to study.
00:44I remember ever since I was a preteen or younger, I would always listen to your songs like I Know You and Insensitive.
00:53Yeah. And now here you are.
00:56No one's more surprised than me of where music has taken me in my life.
01:02I play the flutes myself. Wonderful.
01:05Well, I think we're ready to start the show. Oh.
01:09All right.
01:14Jen, can you open the show for us?
01:17All righty. Jen.
01:19So, welcome to the assembly, a collective of autistic and neurodivergent interviewers.
01:32And the rules are, no subjects are out of bounds, no questions are off the table, and all might happen.
01:41Could you please tell us your name and a little bit about yourself?
01:45My name is Jan Arden. I am a musician, an author, a podcaster, and a very nice person.
01:55You definitely seem nice.
01:58I am from Calgary, Alberta. I live just outside of Calgary. And I have a little dog named Poppy.
02:04Aw.
02:05Aw.
02:06That's so cute.
02:07Aw.
02:08All right. Well, our first question is from Juliana.
02:11Let's go!
02:13Hello.
02:16Hello.
02:17Hello.
02:18I am so excited.
02:19I'm excited that you're excited.
02:21I feel like it's been 10 years since I last saw you.
02:24Oh, wow.
02:25Yay!
02:26So you've been to my shows before.
02:27Two of them.
02:30Yeah, so...
02:31My favourite song of yours is Good Mother.
02:35And your music is very well known for being emotionally deep and so honest.
02:41And when you're in that space of writing, what does that look like for you, the process?
02:51It is a magical, mysterious thing to do.
02:57And I should preface this by telling all of you that I don't read music.
03:03I don't know what I'm playing on guitar. I don't know the notes on the piano.
03:08I have no theoretical understanding of what a piece of sheet music looks like.
03:14Having said that, I just instinctively follow my heart.
03:23In the instance of Good Mother, my dear friend Bob Foster had given me a cassette.
03:28Remember cassettes?
03:29Yes.
03:30Yes.
03:31And it had a chord progression.
03:33So it had four chords in a rotation and that's what Good Mother is based on.
03:40Wow.
03:41That's about as far as I can tell you about music.
03:43I also know, too, you have the lyrics on the cigarette packs that you've kept over all these years.
03:49That's very interesting that you bring that up and I did.
03:52I was writing the lyric to Good Mother.
03:55I was sitting in my car.
03:56This was many, many years ago, over 30 years ago.
03:59I didn't have a pen and I didn't have paper and I smoked at the time.
04:03So I opened up my cigarette package and I had a little blank space of cardboard and I had eyeliner.
04:10So I wrote the lyrics down with eyeliner to Good Mother and I still have that cigarette package.
04:18Wow.
04:19I think being a creator is a very selfish undertaking.
04:23I would be too stressed out to try and think about pleasing other people.
04:29So I just please myself.
04:30I just do things for myself.
04:32Well, thank you so much for the question.
04:35Thank you, Juliana.
04:37Next is Nick.
04:39Good afternoon.
04:43I hope you're enjoying your temporary amount of time here.
04:45I'm loving it.
04:46Now, this is a question more regarding some music, especially in your past.
04:50In the second verse of Ordinary Day by Great Big Sea, they said they were inspired by an incident involving you getting jumped.
04:58How did you feel when you heard about that particular experience being referenced in that song for the very first time?
05:05I can't believe that you know this.
05:11I didn't know about the verse in Ordinary Day.
05:14Alan Doyle and Great Big Sea had written the song and they spoke about a girl named Janie, which was Jan, me.
05:23But I was actually busking in 1985.
05:28This particular day I only had about $4 of change in my purse and I was just singing cover songs.
05:34And somebody punched me.
05:36Oh.
05:37Oh, yeah.
05:38It kind of just startled me and dazed me and just took the money out of my case and just kind of left me there.
05:46And obviously I stopped busking.
05:48I didn't do it again after that.
05:51But yeah, I was very touched when Alan said, I don't know if you know this, but I wrote you into a song.
05:57And I was blown away.
06:00I wrote you into a song, but it's about you getting beat up.
06:03Yeah.
06:04I mean, it was an unfortunate thing and not something I'd want to do again, but I think things like that build your character.
06:12Yeah, I understand personally.
06:15I've gone through a lot of bad things and they've been turning into good things.
06:18Exactly.
06:19Well, thank you so much.
06:20Not a problem.
06:25Imogen is next.
06:30So my question is if you could shape shift into any animal, what would it be and why?
06:37I know what my answer is immediately.
06:40I would shape shift into a great horned owl.
06:43Oh, cool.
06:44I think I would love to fly and I would love to be very stealth like and very quiet.
06:51And I would like to be able to see at night.
06:54I have great horned owls on my property from time to time.
06:59And sometimes I'll have a sense of being watched.
07:02And I've turned to see a great horned owl sitting on the edge of my railing.
07:08And it is very freaky.
07:11Yeah.
07:12Somebody's watching me.
07:14Somebody's watching me.
07:17Next is Lyle.
07:23So I welcome to our group today there.
07:32Jan, how do you feel about your older brother being incarcerated for murder?
07:38Do you think he did that?
07:43Obviously very heartbreaking to have a sibling that spent 28 years in prison for first degree murder.
07:53It was like a wrecking ball that went through our family.
07:57I don't believe I can make any kind of a judgment on what did or did not happen.
08:05I think I'd be foolish to try.
08:07Probably for a murder that he didn't commit.
08:09Well, he's always maintained his innocence.
08:12The evidence is not there.
08:17Actually, the RCMP destroyed all the evidence that they had.
08:22So we weren't even really able to appeal the case properly.
08:27But my brother had committed a lot of assaults.
08:31Like he had a rap sheet that was as long as these windows.
08:37When they realized he was in the area when the murder occurred, they gathered him up and he never saw the light of day again.
08:45He's in a halfway house now.
08:47Oh, so he's out the...
08:49That's good.
08:50That's a good start.
08:51He's not really amongst the people.
08:52Like he's in a controlled environment.
08:54But he's halfway there and I hope that he can salvage part of his life and go on to experience some happiness.
09:03I don't speak to him that much now, but I...
09:06Hopefully he gets rehabilitated and is able to turn his life around.
09:12That would be my hope.
09:13I think he is.
09:14I think he is turning his life around.
09:16Thank you, Lyle.
09:19Thank you very much.
09:22Yeah, thank you.
09:24Next is Nicole.
09:29I'm on a walker because I do have seizures sometimes.
09:34Well, we'll make sure that you've got something to hang on to there.
09:37Yeah.
09:38So, yeah, my husband has been in prison before.
09:43So, can sympathize with your brother.
09:45And you helped your brother get released from prison in 2020, right?
09:51Now, you did mention that you haven't been seeing him as much.
09:56And why are you not talking to him as much?
10:03That's a very good question.
10:05So, my brother started being arrested when he was 14 or 15 years old.
10:11With my dad's alcoholism, my brother suffered horribly from my dad's behavior.
10:21And I recognize now that he had a disease.
10:24But my dad was so looking for a fight all the time.
10:33And my older brother got caught in the crosshairs.
10:37And, you know, my dad took it out on him.
10:41And his life suffered.
10:44My brother, I think he left home at 15, so I never really knew him.
10:49I got to know him when he went to prison.
10:52Because I visited him constantly with my parents.
10:56When he got out, I had a lot to do with, you know, supporting him and getting him set up in the halfway house and helping him.
11:03And then we kind of had strained relations because any help he wanted from me was money.
11:13Oh.
11:14He just, it was always about, you know, I need money.
11:20He just had so many issues from being incarcerated for that long.
11:25And I think it'll take him a long time to find his feet again.
11:29Part of your question was, why aren't you speaking to him?
11:33And I think for my own well-being and for my own peace of mind,
11:40I'm just taking a step back.
11:45I love him.
11:47I don't always like him.
11:49But I love my brother.
11:52Good for you.
11:53You'll be blessed for the ways you support him.
11:55Thank you, Nicole.
12:06Those look like mountain climbing shoes.
12:08It's the same brand as your shoes.
12:10And they're really comfortable and they're very spongy.
12:13All right.
12:15Jen, you are next.
12:16Me?
12:17Yep.
12:18Oh.
12:19I heard you had a very strong bond and relationship with your dog.
12:28And I had a cat named Shadow.
12:31And he and I, we were very close, had a huge bond.
12:36And I always called him my husband, even in public.
12:43Yeah, I know some people might find that really crazy.
12:47So, yeah, to me, a lot of people see their pets as more than just pets.
12:53Were you the same with your dog?
12:55Absolutely.
12:56My dog that I had for almost 12 years passed away just over four years ago.
13:03Her name was Mitty.
13:05I named her Mitty after Bette Midler.
13:07Oh.
13:08Wow.
13:09And I told Bette Midler that.
13:10I said, my dog is named after you.
13:12And she said, you might not want to be telling me that.
13:14Really?
13:15She didn't, she didn't think it was that funny.
13:19But anyway, when Mitty died, I was more upset about my dog than I was the passing of my elderly
13:30parents.
13:31And I cried harder about my dog than I did my mom and dad.
13:39There was just something about losing my dog that I just didn't think I would ever recover
13:43from.
13:44I feel the exact same way you feel.
13:45Yes.
13:46Yeah.
13:47I think pets prove themselves over and over again as the most loyal companions.
13:52When people around us fail us, our pets are unconditional.
13:57And they'll watch any movie that I want.
14:00Yes.
14:02That's a very good question.
14:04So thank you.
14:05Yeah.
14:07Heaven is next.
14:08Hi, Jean.
14:09Nice to meet you.
14:10My question is, are you married or do you want to be married?
14:23I'm not married.
14:26I have never been married.
14:28I've been asked if I would get married many years ago.
14:31And I said no.
14:34But I have a new girlfriend.
14:36Oh.
14:37Congratulations.
14:39So.
14:40Happy Pride.
14:41Happy Pride.
14:42Happy Pride.
14:44I have been single for 10 years.
14:46Oh.
14:47Wow.
14:48Yeah.
14:49But three months ago, I met a lovely woman.
14:52And I love her.
14:53Okay.
14:54And we'll see what happens.
14:56It's very new.
14:57So it's a little bit daunting, but.
14:59It takes time to find someone.
15:00Yeah, for sure.
15:01It does.
15:02Sometimes it takes 10 years.
15:04But my heart is very open.
15:07And I feel very happy.
15:09How did you meet your girlfriend?
15:12I met her at a writer's retreat.
15:16Oh.
15:17In Iceland.
15:18Oh.
15:19Nice.
15:20Wow.
15:21She's Icelandic.
15:22Oh.
15:23Oh.
15:24Yeah.
15:25My girlfriend's name in English translates to thunder.
15:30Oh.
15:31Yeah.
15:36I don't know how long you've been with your girlfriend,
15:38but what is the thing that you love most about her?
15:41Yeah.
15:42Oh, my gosh.
15:43If you've told her that you love her.
15:45One thing that I love most about her is her ability to walk
15:50into any room and speak easily with people and be able to be
15:56social and friendly with everyone.
16:00And, you know, she's very beautiful.
16:03I don't mind that either.
16:06Thank you for your answer.
16:07Thank you very much, Kevin.
16:09Thanks.
16:10Hello.
16:11Do you think that there are truly evil people in the world?
16:14And if so, how would you define what makes a person evil?
16:18I do think there are evil people in the world.
16:19I don't know if they're born that way.
16:20I doubt it very much.
16:21I don't know if they're born that way.
16:22I doubt it very much.
16:23I doubt it very much.
16:24I think sometimes people suffer such.
16:25I don't know if they're born that way.
16:26I doubt it very much.
16:27I think sometimes people suffer such severe trauma in their lives.
16:59the only way that they feel alive or worthwhile at all is to hurt other people.
17:09Having said that, I don't think anyone is beyond salvation or change or finding a new way forward.
17:20I do believe that.
17:21I think there is hope always, everywhere, in everything that we see and in every person
17:27that we pass.
17:28But it also, hope is something that requires action.
17:33It can't be passive.
17:35Amazing.
17:37All right.
17:40Our next question is Julia.
17:44I read in your book that one of the reasons that you drank was because you were scared of
17:54being successful.
17:56And sometimes when I'm going to do something that might make me successful or I've just
18:02achieved something, I get really anxious and scared.
18:06How did you become friends with that feeling?
18:09I am an alcoholic.
18:15I can say that without any question.
18:19I know for a fact beyond a shadow of a doubt that part of the problem that I had with alcohol
18:27was genetics.
18:30My father handed me a drinking problem like a $20 bill.
18:35It was already part of my DNA.
18:39I didn't drink all the time.
18:41But when I did drink, I was a binger.
18:44It was like all bets were off.
18:46I mean, I once lost my car for three weeks.
18:49I didn't know where it was.
18:52I've been sober now for 10 years.
18:55Next month.
18:57Congratulations.
19:03You talked about how do I reconcile myself with those feelings of being anxious or feeling
19:08not worthy.
19:09Yeah.
19:10Feeling like I don't deserve this piece of success to happen to me.
19:15I was desperate to become the person that I knew I could be.
19:20Like a person that was reliable, a person of their word and responsible and steadfast.
19:27And I just didn't want to live being ashamed of myself all the time.
19:31And I just thought, I can do this.
19:33I leaned on my friends a lot.
19:35And I started talking about my problems instead of hiding them away.
19:40I'm very proud of myself.
19:43But I have to continually be vigilant and gentle with my soul.
19:48Like when I make mistakes, it's just like, that's okay.
19:51Just get up.
19:52Keep going.
19:53Just be kind to yourself.
19:54Be kind to yourself.
19:55I mean, easier said than done.
19:56But when you're easy on yourself, you're easier on other people.
20:00That's true.
20:01Yeah.
20:02Thank you so much for asking me.
20:04Thanks for sharing.
20:05I really appreciate that.
20:07Good job.
20:08Thanks, John.
20:09Thanks, John.
20:11Next is Damon.
20:26So we'll start with this one.
20:30Hello, Jan.
20:32I am so excited to be interviewing you and have been a fan since 2018.
20:38When I listen to you sing in a songwriter's circle in Vancouver.
20:42Ah.
20:56Got lots of time.
20:57Yeah.
21:08Jan, I have noticed you are very active on social media and are not afraid to stand up
21:17for what you believe in.
21:20You received intense, scathing backlash regarding your post criticizing Alberta separatists.
21:25Oh.
21:26Oh.
21:27Oh.
21:28Oh.
21:29So, do you regret your post?
21:31Oh, yeah.
21:32Oh, yeah.
21:33Oh, yeah.
21:34Oh, yeah.
21:35Oh, yeah.
21:36Oh.
21:37Always.
21:46Go ahead, Damon.
21:47So, what I did is I went on social media and I swore a lot about the separatists in Alberta.
21:54It's a very fringe group that wants to, you know, break up a brilliant country.
22:00Anyway, I came out and I swore like crazy.
22:01I was like, F this and F you guys and you're a bunch of turds, I think I said.
22:05Oh, yes.
22:06Oh, yeah.
22:07Oh, yeah.
22:08Oh, yeah.
22:09I had some low key kind of death threats and we know where you live and that kind of
22:19stuff that happened but I don't regret it to have but I board all their days like annual
22:27getting them out due to something but I were done.
22:33Like yeah.
22:34I don't regret that.
22:35I don't mind the hatred.
22:36It doesn't really bother me.
22:39I think you get to a certain age where you do have to stand up for what you believe in.
22:42I believe in Alberta.
22:43I believe in Alberta being much better as part of Canada, one of the best countries
22:48in the world to live in.
22:49You know, we have issues that we need to sort out, but we need to do that together.
22:54I will never, never stop expressing my opinion and advocating for Canada and Canadians.
23:02And that's what I believe in.
23:03I agree, loved your aunt and elbows up.
23:15You are brave and I thank you.
23:18Thank you very much.
23:25Thank you so much.
23:26That means the world.
23:32Jan, we actually have a special surprise for you next from one of our members of the
23:37Assembly.
23:39Okay.
23:42Oh my gosh.
23:47So Luke, when you're ready.
23:55What is going on?
23:56I know what this is.
23:57I know you do.
23:58I know you do.
24:02I know you do.
24:09I know you do.
24:11I know you do.
24:13And you do.
24:15I've got money in my pockets.
24:20I like the color of my hair.
24:27I've got a friend who loves me, I've got a house, I've got a car, I've got a good mother, and her voice is what keeps me hearing.
24:44Feet on ground, heart in hand, facing forward, be yourself.
24:54Heart in hand, feet on ground, facing forward, be yourself.
25:02Just be yourself.
25:07Just be yourself.
25:09Oh, man.
25:23Yes.
25:25Fantastic.
25:27I'm going to say that that is the most spectacular performance of that song that I've ever heard.
25:32Oh, wow.
25:34Thank you so much.
25:39You guys are like the Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
25:44That's more secular.
25:48Thank you so much from the bottom of my heart.
25:50This has been probably the best interview I've ever had, and I've done thousands and thousands of them.
25:56You guys just made me feel really special and very welcome, so thank you.
26:09Thank you so much for your honesty, your candle, and everything.
26:12Like, it's really beautiful.
26:14I appreciate it.
26:15You look kick-ass, man.
26:16Oh, thank you.
26:17You're so welcome.
26:18Have you been to Red Deer?
26:19Yes.
26:20Many times.
26:21Have you been to Okotok?
26:22Many times.
26:23And do you like gardens and plants?
26:26Love gardens.
26:27I have a garden.
26:28I have herbs on my deck.
26:29I have geraniums, I have peonies, I have lilacs.
26:33I have a huge garden.
26:35I have oceans like your life.
26:48I have refuge in the hall.
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