#65. Carol Lang’s Creative Legacy: How Humboldt’s Theater and Film Scene Sparked Community Magic

Scott Hammond: Ladies and gentlemen, friends and neighbors, it's Scott Hammond and the 100% Humboldt Podcast with my new very best friend, Carol Lang.

Scott Hammond: Hi, Carol.

Carol Lang: Well, hello, Scott Hammond. How are you today?

Scott Hammond: I am awesome. It's great to see you.

Carol Lang: Oh, it's excellent to be seen by you, and really a nice pleasure to be here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Thanks for asking me.

Scott Hammond: And you got to meet Nick?

Carol Lang: I did meet Nick. Go Nick.

Scott Hammond: Go, go, go Nick. So tell us the Carol story. I'd love to hear kinda where you started, where you were born, and, and how you got, how you got here today.

Carol Lang: Mm. So I'm pretty much as local as they get. So the only, uh, distinction about my locality, my, my, my being local-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … is I wasn't actually born here.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: But I claim the local card because my great-grandfather was born in Ferndale-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Carol Lang: … and my family's been in the Ferndale, Loleta area since the 1870s.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: So I just tell people I'm from here. I was raised in Arcata, and, uh, what happened, though, I, I know you're gonna wanna know. Like, why wasn't she born here?

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: What is that story all about, Carol?

Scott Hammond: What's that, that's- What's that story?

Carol Lang: So, you know, for anybody who has been here for a long time, they, they know that back in the '40s, '50s, whatever, um-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … CR did not exist. It was just Humboldt-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: In fact, it was Humboldt College, right?

Carol Lang: Wasn't it?

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: I think it was just Humboldt College at the time. So my mom grew up in Fortuna, graduated as a Husky. Go Huskies. And she went down to Santa Rosa JC to further her education after she graduated high school.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh.

Carol Lang: And that's where she met my father.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: They got married. They stayed down there for about 16 years.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: She had four kids, well, her and my dad, and then they moved back up here. So I, I've been here since I was seven, but I just tell people I'm from here

Carol Lang: because my-

Scott Hammond: Both my-

Carol Lang: … family's history is from here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Now, that, this wouldn't fly in Ferndale, by the way. You'd have to be 17 generations to be local.

Carol Lang: You know what does fly in Ferndale? Oh, I play my, my relative card there every time I'm down there.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: So one day I was down there. We were, like, done with a theater show down in Ferndale. This is years ago. You know, you trek on down to The Palace for your af- you know, your after-the-show

Carol Lang: cocktail.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: And every single photograph in that bar was my great-grandfather's.

Scott Hammond: That's funny.

Carol Lang: So my great-grandfather was a photographer, and a lot of the photos that you'll see of, like, the building of the Fernbridge and such-

Scott Hammond: Wow, he shot those

Carol Lang: … are my great-grandfather's shots.

Scott Hammond: What was his name?

Carol Lang: Uh, James McCloskey.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And he shot all that. I know those photos.

Carol Lang: Well, I, I know there were several photographers-

Scott Hammond: They're iconic

Carol Lang: … photographers up here.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But, uh, his work is in the museum down in Ferndale.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: They have a whole bunch of his old glass negatives that were, like, about the size of an eight-and-a-half by 11.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: They were those huge glass negatives.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: And so I know that my mom took a lot of pride in, um, bringing a lot of his stuff down to the, uh, Fe- Ferndale Museum, which I feel very strongly about donating stuff out there to the museums and stuff, if we have stuff that, that is a local part of our history-

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh

Carol Lang: … because everybody's gonna see it that way.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: It's just hanging out in your attic upstairs, gathering dust.

Scott Hammond: Donate today

Carol Lang: Nobody knows about it, so.

Scott Hammond: Where's the-

Carol Lang: But, yeah

Scott Hammond: … museum in Ferndale? I should know this.

Carol Lang: It's just, if you were to turn right before you get to the red front

Carol Lang: store-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … in town, when you're at that stop sign, the museum's right there.

Scott Hammond: Oh, it's right there.

Carol Lang: Like, just half a block up, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Gosh, I've seen a lot of Ferndale. I've never seen that part.

Carol Lang: There is a museum in Ferndale.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Carol Lang: And you will see some of my great-grandfather's work.

Scott Hammond: How about that? So you went to Arcata High?

Carol Lang: You know, I went to Arcata High my freshman year, and then I went to St. Bernard sophomore, soon- sophomore, junior, and senior, and I graduated-

Scott Hammond: Ah

Carol Lang: … from there. But my claim to fame in the schooling system in Humboldt County is, aaah, I was the last graduating class from Stewart Junior High. Do you remember Stewart?

Scott Hammond: I do.

Carol Lang: Across the street from Arcata High.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: A lotta people don't realize that was a, um, junior high school-

Scott Hammond: That was a, that was a middle school

Carol Lang: … seventh and eighth. It was just seventh and eighth. It was a strict junior high school. So we went to kindergarten through, um-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … sixth at-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … Sunny Brae.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: And then we went to, uh, Stewart Junior High, and then we would go across the street

Carol Lang: to Arcata.

Scott Hammond: And then St. Ber- St. Bernard's.

Carol Lang: Yeah, I got shipped off at St. Bernard's my sophomore, junior, senior.

Scott Hammond: Shipped.

Carol Lang: I think they were a little concerned about me.

Scott Hammond: No, it's not that far away.

Carol Lang: What is that Carol gonna do in her high school years? Maybe she needs to be around more nuns.

Scott Hammond: More Cath- more Catholics. That'll fix her.

Carol Lang: That didn't weird my brain out at all, no. No, I was raised very strictly Catholic, and, uh, that was a big part of my life until, um, I was able to become an adult and, and-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … not have to go to church anymore.

Carol Lang: So-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … I started working very early.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh.

Carol Lang: So that got me out of the church, uh, Sunday routine and got me to working on Sundays.

Scott Hammond: Wow, okay.

Carol Lang: So I've been working since I was 14.

Scott Hammond: That's a good excuse to not go to church. Gotta work, sorry.

Carol Lang: It was the only excuse my-

Scott Hammond: Gotta work

Carol Lang: … parents would allow.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And I'm like, job, church, I'm gonna go with the job.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: Plus, I get spending money.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: So, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Right. And work is sort of religion for some.

Carol Lang: You know what? It, uh, I gotta tell you, I have a work ethic that, uh, I would never have had if my parents hadn't started me early. Uh, my very first job, I know you're gonna ask, so I'm gonna tell you-

Scott Hammond: What was your first job?

Carol Lang: Thank you. Uh, I was a page at the Humboldt County Library.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's cool.

Scott Hammond: What is a- What is a… I'm curious, what does a page do?

Carol Lang: Page puts away books, cleans. Back then you would clean the records.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: You would restock the bookshelves.

Scott Hammond: That's a page.

Carol Lang: It was exciting when they allowed me to check out books.

Scott Hammond: Ah.

Carol Lang: That was pretty exciting 'cause they were just getting the electric wands back then and barcodes.

Scott Hammond: Ooh.

Carol Lang: Yeah, this was a while ago.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, that's the old, older tech. That was new old tech back then.

Carol Lang: This was when the library was downstairs in the courthouse.

Scott Hammond: I remember.

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And then they built the fancy library-

Scott Hammond: Super fancy

Carol Lang: … which is beautiful.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I mean, that's a beautiful building.

Scott Hammond: It's so interesting, that part of town, because it's the prostitution part of town.

Scott Hammond: Uh-

Carol Lang: I gotta tell you-

Scott Hammond: It's-

Carol Lang: … prostitutes are readers, too.

Scott Hammond: Yep, that's- Some read more than others.

Carol Lang: Well, maybe they are.

Scott Hammond: S-

Carol Lang: Maybe it's just a lot of books with pictures. I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Some, some are well read. That, I'm sure that's true. Do you know that I w- used to teach at St. Mary's in, uh, Arcata?

Carol Lang: Yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: I was a PE teacher for my rec degree and went over and replaced James Washington, who was legendary, and, uh, they ate my lunch. I was a, just a horrible teacher, and it was a horrible

Scott Hammond: experience.

Carol Lang: I can't imagine you being a bad teacher. You seem to really-

Scott Hammond: I was nice

Carol Lang: … enjoy peop- people.

Scott Hammond: I do. But I was nice, but I just lost, uh, respect, and it was just God's way to train Joni and me specifically for nine kids later.

Carol Lang: There you go.

Scott Hammond: And, uh, had to learn all the lessons, and, um, yeah, the, the, one of the lessons is don't be nice for a little while. Just, like, hold off on the nice guy. I'm your buddy. That's a bad idea

Carol Lang: Well, I think it's an amazing, uh, balance that teachers have to walk, is being friends and being, uh, acceptable and-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … and approachable and, and, you know, accessible to your students, but still having the authority and-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … you know, what I say goes.

Scott Hammond: That professional distance.

Carol Lang: Yeah. That's gotta be tough.

Scott Hammond: So St. Bernard's directly to Humboldt State?

Carol Lang: You know, uh, so I didn't go to college.

Scott Hammond: Oh, I thought you s- okay. Sorry. You're not college-educated.

Carol Lang: Okay. I, I went for, like, a year. So the only time I've, uh, not lived in Humboldt County, um, and I, you know, I do consider myself just to have lived here my whole life, which, you know, we know is not exactly true, but I do a lot of theater, so-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … there might be some room for exaggeration in my life story.

Carol Lang: Um, I, um…

Scott Hammond: And mine.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And h- his.

Carol Lang: So I did get out, uh, for about a year and a half, and I l- lived in-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Carol Lang: … the Salinas Valley for about a year and a half.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: And I went to a junior college there called Hartnell.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And that is where I just… I started out taking all sorts of classes, and by the end of that year, all I was doing was theater, and all I was doing was living in the theater building and just wanted to be-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … around the theater folks. And so that really started me, um, in my theater career.

Scott Hammond: Found your passion.

Carol Lang: Yeah, absolutely, 'cause it has been a passion.

Scott Hammond: Why Salinas?

Carol Lang: Um, so I was- … married at a very early age.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: Uh, I mean, I was legal. Don't get me wrong. It was fine, everyone. Don't get excited.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But because I was-

Scott Hammond: You were 18.

Carol Lang: Yeah, I was actually, and, uh, I was actually almost, uh, 19. Uh, but what happened was, because of my strict Catholic upbringing, I wasn't brought up in an environment where I could just shack up with somebody. I couldn't have moved in with him, and that would have not-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … have been a very, uh, calming effect on my f- my mom and dad's life.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: So-

Scott Hammond: Nicely said

Carol Lang: … you know, so I think we got married, you know?

Scott Hammond: Uh.

Carol Lang: I mean, I loved the guy. Uh, he's still a great friend of mine. It was a really positive experience.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: But, um, he went down there for a job opportunity, and so because I was married, I went with him.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: And, uh, then I came back by myself.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: I said, "Married life is not for me, and I think I wanna go home now."

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So I'm back to Humboldt County, and I've never left since.

Scott Hammond: So what did you do when you got back?

Scott Hammond: Theater.

Carol Lang: Uh, you know, I did start doing theater, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Uh, Ferndale. Um, why I actually came back was that year, um, during the summer, Hartnell has a program called the Western Stage.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: And it's basically a rep program.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: They do about nine shows through three months. It's very, um, true to, um, rep theater. And there were so many people that came down there that year from

Carol Lang: Humboldt.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: And I just got to know all those people, and I was like-

Scott Hammond: Huh

Carol Lang: … "Oh, man, I really miss it back up there." But people came from all over the country. It's one of those summer stock programs.

Scott Hammond: Wow, okay.

Carol Lang: So you had actors from all over the country, costumers, makeup to… You know, everybody just came in from-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … out of the area. They do three months summer program, put on all these great

Carol Lang: shows-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … and then they all go back to find their other job. So when that summer was over, I decided that it was time to come back home. And one of the directors down there was, uh, directing a show at Ferndale, which was One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And so I started, uh, stage managing, and I stage managed for 10

Carol Lang: years.

Scott Hammond: Wow. So you've done it all. You-

Carol Lang: I have literally done every single thing you can possibly do in the theater world except design lights.

Scott Hammond: Design lights.

Carol Lang: Because I refuse to carry a large ladder across the set ever since I dropped a ladder on a house set-

Scott Hammond: Huh

Carol Lang: … once in Salinas. It was as beau- And, I mean, it just, oh my God, the whole thing went down, and it just right in front of the s- the set. It was like it just missed the whole set, and I was like-

Scott Hammond: Crushing

Carol Lang: … "I am done moving very large ladders-"

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … "that I can't quite handle on my own." And, uh-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … that's the only thing I've never done, is design light. I've done costumes, sound.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: Everything as a, a… Because I've now been directing for over 30 years-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … um, I really feel it's important that I know a little bit about how every job

Carol Lang: is done.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: So when I'm asking you for something, I know what I'm asking you for.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I know if it can realistically be done. I know if it might take a little longer.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I know if it might take a little, you know, be a little shorter than what you're, what you're working on is, Scott.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: Like, that project should only take a day, and it took you three days.

Scott Hammond: Why? Yeah.

Carol Lang: Because you're slow. I'm sorry, but I know-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … these things.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So I think it's really important that we understand-

Scott Hammond: Good

Carol Lang: … and have an expectation-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … what we're asking people for, so.

Scott Hammond: I think it's-

Carol Lang: So I've tried to do it all

Scott Hammond: … transferable skill.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, imagine that. So you've done it all. What are you proud of in terms of some of the productions over the years? And we'll talk about film in a minute, your, your latest films.

Carol Lang: So I am proud of productions that I feel could stand on their own outside of this

Carol Lang: area.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And I have, uh, been involved in several shows now that I thought, "I don't think we could see this any better in San Francisco or Seattle." I'm happy.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: That's what makes me happy-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … is when I think that Humboldt County audiences are gonna walk into that theater and see just as good of a quality show as they would if they paid a lot more money to see it in a big city area.

Scott Hammond: And didn't have to travel and-

Carol Lang: Yes

Scott Hammond: … pay gas and hotel.

Carol Lang: Our theater is so, so affordable here. People don't realize, 'cause $20 for a ticket is, is a lot of money for some people.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: But they don't realize that, you know, to see it in the city-

Scott Hammond: It's about-

Carol Lang: I mean, you'd be paying for parking.

Scott Hammond: Hundred, $120.

Carol Lang: You'd be da, da, da. I mean, yeah, it would be a few-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … hundred dollars for that evening-

Scott Hammond: Easily

Carol Lang: … which I think is worth it. M- m- my husband and I go down once a year still and try-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … to see something in San Francisco, or-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … we go up to Ashland. I'm totally, totally, um, just absolutely on fire when I go see Ashland stuff.

Carol Lang: It's, it's-

Scott Hammond: You love Ashland.

Carol Lang: I love it. It's like our Broadway.

Scott Hammond: Ashland's cool.

Carol Lang: Broadway is, you know-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … I, I don't, you're not gonna see anything better on Broadway than you can see in

Carol Lang: Ashland.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: There might be some higher production values, but acting-wise and just the spirit of it all, oh my gosh, it's so good.

Scott Hammond: And its musical cousin in, in Jacksonville, the Brit Festival.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Which is-

Carol Lang: Yeah, and it's-

Scott Hammond: … 50 years of amazing

Carol Lang: … such a short drive. You know, four hours, and you do a little shopping with no-

Scott Hammond: It's fun

Carol Lang: … sales tax. You're good. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's all good.

Carol Lang: Yeah, it's good to go to.

Scott Hammond: Well.

Carol Lang: Well, it's just good to be inspired.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So there was one show that I, um, saw in Ashland. It was called The Tenth Muse, and that's the only show that I've ever, like… I went to their, their little guild shop, and I bought the script, and I brought it back, and I said- I would really like to do this.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: And so I talked to NCRT, um, Calder Johnson over there, and a few years ago we did it, and it was, like, one of the most, uh, uh, one of the proudest shows I've ever done.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: But I've done some pretty good ones. Spamalot was a good one.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh.

Carol Lang: I mean, I had people telling me that they liked it better than the one that the traveling company that came through HSU at the time.

Scott Hammond: Wow. Wow.

Carol Lang: Um, so every once in a while you get everything to align just right.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Everybody working together, gets along.

Carol Lang: Yay.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. How about Scott Q. Marcus? Has he been in some of your stuff?

Carol Lang: Scott Q. Marcus, what a pain in the butt that guy is, huh?

Scott Hammond: Oh, that's Q, you mean. Hate, hate that guy. No, we love him.

Carol Lang: He is the nicest guy-

Scott Hammond: He's amazing

Carol Lang: … you will ever work with, and he is the hardest worker.

Scott Hammond: Smart boy.

Carol Lang: He is really coming into his own now. He's starting to direct.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: He's starting to produce. He's, um… I, I'm just here to tell you you're never too old to get involved in something that you love to do. And the theaters, we all work on a voluntary

Carol Lang: basis.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: It's, it's really unfortunate that the arts are so alive and well up here, but there's not a lot of living to be made out of the arts up here.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So, you know, if someone like me, I've just done it because I, I love it. This is really what I'm meant to do.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And I never wanted to leave the area and go pursue this as a career.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I, I don't know if I even would qualify for that kind of thing. I would have to go to school and learn all about the-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … you know, the appropriate term. I mean, I would just have to really get a little bit more educated on-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … the theater world if I wanted to go outside of this area.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: 'Cause the difference between movies and theaters, it's just all in the language that we speak, and it drives me nuts that the movies have their own language.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I'm like, "But this is called this in theater. Why do I have to call it that?"

Scott Hammond: No.

Carol Lang: And it's like, "Uh, so everybody making the movie understands what you're saying, Carol?" I'm like, "Oh my God, I have to learn a foreign language."

Scott Hammond: Yeah, new vocabulary.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's true.

Carol Lang: So, you know, that's what I'm working on now is-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … switching over to some film talk.

Scott Hammond: I like your, I like your, uh, your inference with Scott Q., 'cause I think it applies to all of us. A lot of people, uh, don't peak out till they're a little older.

Carol Lang: Absolutely.

Scott Hammond: And they have a good case of advanced maturity. And by then, uh, he's become a good actor and a good… He's always a good guy.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: He's a great public speaker.

Scott Hammond: He-

Carol Lang: Oh, he's amazing

Scott Hammond: … could go national. He'd do it for money, and he was big in my life in terms of training me to be a,

Scott Hammond: uh, a-

Carol Lang: Are you Toastmasters?

Scott Hammond: Oh, yes.

Carol Lang: I know he's a big Toastmaster.

Scott Hammond: Well, he was. He was. He was big in it.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And then he, and then he went, then he went pro really.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And he, he did it for money, and, um, but he got me involved in NSA, National Speakers Association.

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: Um, and a whole lot of other stuff. And so at, at, at a certain point he shifted though, and now he's t- doing pastoral work, which they call, uh, Church of Religious Science, they have a whole nother vocabulary. It's not praying, it's treating.

Carol Lang: Right.

Scott Hammond: It's not the church building, it's the other thing. And it's, and we just sit there and laugh 'cause I go, "Are you talking about God? Are you talk- What are we talking about?" Like, so we have to kind of, like, do this, uh, translation business, which is fun.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And it's all the same stuff.

Carol Lang: Yeah. But I mean, it's, it's, it's true. It's like you're never too old. I mean, the, the theaters completely depend on volunteerism.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: Even just getting on their website and signing up to be an usher-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … oh my gosh. I, I, I… This is my thing that I go out into the world and spew over everybody whether you wanna hear it or not. You can see all of the shows that you want to see in Humboldt County for free if you just sign up to help them usher.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: You might sell concessions or hand out programs. It's a great gig. You get to see the show for free. You get to meet people.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Carol Lang: You get to be a little bit more involved. But it just gets you out of the house, and then you decide if, whether you're not,

Carol Lang: you like it.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Not everybody has to be on stage. I don't wanna be on stage anymore. I've been on stage. I've done that.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I have no desire ever again to memorize lines.

Scott Hammond: Good. Yeah, you've done enough lines.

Carol Lang: I don't need that pressure anymore.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I'll take a little small part with a couple of lines if you wanna give me one, but I'm like mm-mm, those days are gone for me.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I just, I really enjoy just directing. Boom, opening night I'm done, and I will see you in four weeks when you

Carol Lang: close.

Scott Hammond: Nice.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I like the sound of that. What theaters do you like here?

Carol Lang: I, I love them all.

Scott Hammond: Phys- physical spaces.

Carol Lang: Um, I really thought Redwood Curtain was a unique, um, setup.

Scott Hammond: Was that the one in Ferst Street?

Carol Lang: When they had the 80 seat.

Scott Hammond: The little, yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah, and it was, it was in, in a curve.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: So that was really challenging.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: Uh, and I really enjoyed directing there because you're really, uh, directing for almost a theater in the round a little bit.

Scott Hammond: Is it still there?

Carol Lang: No. They, uh, lost their theater about a year ago, and they have now joined forces with the North Coast Rep.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And I believe they're both now under the same building as North Coast Rep-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Carol Lang: … under the, uh, title of, I believe it's Fifth and D Theater.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So the Fifth and D Theater now houses North Coast Rep and Redwood Curtain.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: So they've joined forces, which is great. I have a real soft spot for Ferndale.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: 'Cause that was just… I mean, I did so many shows down there in the '80s and '90s.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah?

Carol Lang: And it was just a magical place for me. There's something really magical about the Ferndale Theater.

Scott Hammond: What's the theater in Scotia?

Carol Lang: That is the, uh, is it the Winnememah?

Scott Hammond: Winnememah.

Carol Lang: It's something like that. It is gorgeous.

Scott Hammond: It's dripping.

Carol Lang: Have you ever been in there?

Scott Hammond: Yeah, so.

Carol Lang: It's all redwood. I mean, the columns are, like, just redwood trees. You're like, "Well, dang, they couldn't build that anymore." But, um, it's fantastic looking.

Scott Hammond: Oh, it's really different.

Carol Lang: I would love to see them utilize that theater more because-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … it is beautiful, yeah.

Scott Hammond: And then there's Eureka Theater, which they're trying to conserve and preserve and

Scott Hammond: convert and-

Carol Lang: Mostly for the movies, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That wouldn't be theater though

Scott Hammond: probably.

Carol Lang: Well, you know, there's the two different spellings of theater, so I don't know that we wanna get into that.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But theater, theater E-R is a movie theater.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: And I believe that's, like, just the building itself, where theater R-E is

Carol Lang: the actual-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … act of the-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … the company. Could get that one wrong.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But I was like, "Why is it sometimes R-E and the other times E-R?" So I looked it

Carol Lang: up.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, but, you know, the brain, so.

Scott Hammond: The brain.

Carol Lang: You might have to look that up. Let's all Google that, shall we? What are the differences between-

Scott Hammond: The brain

Carol Lang: … theater R-E and theater E-R?

Scott Hammond: So let's go back to Humboldt for a minute. Why do you, why do you like Humboldt?

Carol Lang: I love Humboldt County. You know-

Scott Hammond: Why do you love Humboldt?

Carol Lang: Why do you love it, Scott?

Scott Hammond: Why do I love Humboldt? Uh, fresh air is a good start.

Carol Lang: It's beautiful.

Scott Hammond: I like it 'cause there's people like you who are fun and interesting-

Carol Lang: Aw

Scott Hammond: … and different and eclectic and might say iconoclastic. Been waiting all day to use that word.

Carol Lang: And what does that mean, Scott?

Scott Hammond: It means, uh, one of a kind.

Carol Lang: He knew the definition, so we're gonna give him that.

Carol Lang: Okay. So you know, there is not, there is not one day, not one day of my life that I don't spend where at some point in the day I look around and I just think what a beautiful place we live.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I just, driving back and forth to Arcata and Eureka by the bay-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … it doesn't matter where I am.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And I live out in Cutten, so there's nice redwood trees, you know-

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow

Carol Lang: … a block over, and there is not one day that goes by that I do not give thanks for this beautiful, uh-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … land that we live in-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … that we are, you know, privileged to live in.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: It's just gorgeous.

Scott Hammond: Even a foggy, kind of rotten day, I'm going-

Carol Lang: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … "This is ama- It's not snowing."

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: You know, it's beautiful here, and, and the people are, and the people are really interestingly beautiful and wonderful, so.

Carol Lang: Yeah. I gotta say, uh, the diversity of people. 'Cause you know, so I grew up here, and um-

Scott Hammond: More water?

Carol Lang: No, I'm good, thank you.

Scott Hammond: My friend calls it warter. They're from-

Carol Lang: War- warter? Where are they from?

Scott Hammond: Western PA.

Carol Lang: Yeah, well.

Scott Hammond: Warter.

Carol Lang: They don't really know their vowels that well, do they?

Scott Hammond: Well, that's better than saying Cutten. I'm from Cutten.

Carol Lang: Did I say Cutten?

Scott Hammond: What happened to your Ts, man?

Carol Lang: Cutten?

Scott Hammond: Makes me so mad, these people.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: These kids.

Carol Lang: So get this. So I'm in a, uh… So one thing that I do love about living in Humboldt County is I like to get out once in a while, right? So you know, I've been working my whole life since I was 14.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: So I, you know, I save my money and I travel. So I got to go to Australia in 2019.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Carol Lang: Turned out to be a good time to go to Australia, because we went in April. That summer, the country burned.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And then a couple months later, if you remember, there was that weird little thing called the pandemic.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So that was, it was like, okay, thank God we went to Australia when we did.

Scott Hammond: We got it in, yeah.

Carol Lang: So I'm at this little gift shop, 'cause I, I am a, I love being a tourist. I love going to the gift shops. And, and I'm, I'm talking to this guy about getting a little frame for a picture I did, and he's like, "Pacific Northwest." And I went, "What?"

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And he goes, "You're from the Pacific Northwest, aren't you?" And I went, "Well, kind of. What?"

Scott Hammond: How'd you pick up on that?

Carol Lang: And I'm like, so I guess we do have a weird accent to people other places, right?

Scott Hammond: I-

Carol Lang: That's the only reason I'm saying that.

Scott Hammond: He pulled that out, though. That's-

Carol Lang: I'm like, I'm, that's pretty darn close. I'm gonna give you that. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I think other people might consider us to be kind of on the cusp of Pacific

Carol Lang: Northwest.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: But I want you to know I did just get to go to the Pacific Northwest for a visit, see some family. They have taken over Bigfoot up there. Did you know that?

Scott Hammond: No way.

Carol Lang: Seattle, Washington, it's all Bigfoot.

Scott Hammond: They, they co-opted Bigfoot.

Carol Lang: Yeah, I thought Bigfoot was ours.

Scott Hammond: He's Willow Creek, man.

Carol Lang: That, thank you. That's what I'm thinking too.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So yeah, so. Anyhow, I'm just saying, Seattle.

Scott Hammond: Oh, those guys.

Carol Lang: Mushrooms, mushrooms and Bigfoot were really the big, uh-

Scott Hammond: Up there?

Carol Lang: … things, yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Not Starbucks.

Carol Lang: A lot, a lot of cartoony mushrooms and stuff.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Well, Starbucks is just a given, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, that's-

Carol Lang: That's where they're from, so.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Well-

Carol Lang: But I didn't know about Big- Bigfoot going all the way up there.

Scott Hammond: We have another coffee place we really like. It's called, uh, Black Rock.

Carol Lang: Ooh.

Scott Hammond: And they're all Northwest started-

Carol Lang: I never heard that.

Scott Hammond: I think they started in Portland, but they're, there's one in Medford. It's quite good. They're, uh… We don't even do to-go coffee, but with, for that we make the exception.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's delicious. What else do you like about Humboldt?

Carol Lang: Uh, well, so one of the things is I love getting, I love traveling, but I love coming back here.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, what don't I love about Humboldt? So, so growing up here, I grew up in Arcata, and it was early '70s, and I don't know, just everybody you would pass in the street you would smile and say hello to.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: It was just the norm.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: It doesn't happen up there too much anymore, I've noticed.

Scott Hammond: Less so.

Carol Lang: Less so.

Scott Hammond: Probably-

Carol Lang: We need to get back to where you can smile and just say-

Scott Hammond: Hey

Carol Lang: … "Good day" to the person you're passing by.

Scott Hammond: "Hey, Nick, how you doing over there?"

Carol Lang: Yeah. "Hi, Nick. How are you?"

Scott Hammond: Yeah, I see his hat moving.

Carol Lang: So I, I, I'm very much, um, I will stop you on the street and tell you that I like your outfit.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I don't know, I just think it's fun to do. It's like if you're, if-

Scott Hammond: You guys are walking by my office, I'll yell, "Hey."

Carol Lang: Yeah, absolutely.

Scott Hammond: "Scott, what are you doing?"

Carol Lang: "Hey, Scott."

Scott Hammond: I don't know.

Carol Lang: "What are, what shoes are you wearing today?"

Scott Hammond: My khaki shoes.

Carol Lang: But you know, um, there is an amazing amount of things going on up here to do.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So you just pick up the North Coast Journal.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And most of it, if not free-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … is extremely affordable, and you don't pay for parking.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, yeah, you know, you go, you go to see a show in the city, I mean, parking alone could be 50 bucks for the night, you know?

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Carol Lang: So, um, feel like there's, there's just so many things to choose from. Like, you can't just decide at 2:00 in the morning I wanna go hear jazz. You know, you're not gonna be able to find a club that you can maybe just go hear jazz or, you know, have a, a plethora of choices for jazz.

Scott Hammond: There's a word.

Carol Lang: Did you notice that word that I just pulled out?

Scott Hammond: Got the word in, yeah.

Carol Lang: I was like, God, I gotta use a word for Scott.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Gotta get another one here before it's over.

Carol Lang: Yeah, uh-huh, uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: Um-

Scott Hammond: It's one, one to one.

Carol Lang: Yeah. And so I mean, just things like, look at what we do, like Arts Alive.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: It's a free event-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … like once a month where you just walk around the shops and see people you know and look at art and-

Scott Hammond: And now the Friday night thing.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: It's all, and it's all free.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: It's, it's amazing. Like, people that will move up here for the fi- They're like, "Oh, there's not a lot to do." I'm like, "Are you kidding me?"

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: You gotta j- you gotta plan it, but I have some weekends where it's like, poof-

Scott Hammond: Just too-

Carol Lang: … I'm booked from morning till night with things to do.

Scott Hammond: Just too many things.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And some weekends, spring and s- and fall sometimes are just, like there's 17 things I wanna go to, and I can only pick two.

Carol Lang: So you really should look into cloning.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: 'Cause I have looked into that, and-

Scott Hammond: Really? How's that going for you?

Carol Lang: Is this Carol, or is this her clone?

Scott Hammond: I don't know.

Carol Lang: I'm telling you what.

Scott Hammond: I think you're the real deal.

Carol Lang: Okay, I am.

Scott Hammond: I'm pretty sure.

Carol Lang: No, I, I… There's just nothing to not love for me up here. Uh, you know, and every once in a while I run into somebody who I went to high

Carol Lang: school with.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And I mean, there were, we're talking there were 54 people that g- I think that graduated in our class. It was a very small class.

Scott Hammond: That's small.

Carol Lang: So there aren't that many of us that-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … stayed up here, but there are a few, so that's always fun to run-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … into somebody that you knew in high school. And, um, yeah, just the ocean. I mean, a- it's funny though how seldom we go to the ocean, right?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: We drive to work, and we go home-

Scott Hammond: It's sad

Carol Lang: … and we watch our little streaming, and the next thing you know, it's like, wow, when was the last time we went to the ocean? 'Cause it's right there.

Scott Hammond: Live right by it. So Jodi and I go. We have a, a Dick-

Carol Lang: Oh, good

Scott Hammond: … a Dick Taylor date. Oh, wait. We have something for you here.

Carol Lang: Oh my gosh.

Scott Hammond: But you have to pass the quiz yet.

Carol Lang: Ooh.

Scott Hammond: So we'll get one of these guys.

Carol Lang: Oh, I get a quiz.

Scott Hammond: Yes, you do.

Carol Lang: Oh, no pressure.

Scott Hammond: We'll get a Dick Taylor bar and a bottle of red wine, and we'll go up to, um- Uh, Huda Point or, uh-

Carol Lang: Nice

Scott Hammond: … Lo- Loffenholtz. And now they have a new little, uh, it's called Timpona Point. They've redone the little park in there. And we'll just kind of park and throw open the van doors and pull out the chairs, and it's magic. To watch the sun set and then hit-

Carol Lang: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … the Pacific, and it becomes 70 degrees for about 20 minutes. And then it sets, and it's back down to 42.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: But it's, uh, close.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's inexpensive.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's fresh air. All the, all the boxes that you were checking.

Carol Lang: Well, I mean, it's, it's unfortunate that it's expensive just to, you know, for the rent and just your utilities, those kind of living expenses.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But as far as finding entertainment and stuff-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … you can … I mean, gosh, just go to the plaza on Saturdays and-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … go to the farmers market, and there's music and characters and just all sorts of just life happening.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And it's just such a diversity of people. It's, it's really wonderful to see.

Scott Hammond: I wanna go to the theaters. Scott-

Carol Lang: Oh

Scott Hammond: … Hughes begged Joni and I fore- begged me forever to go, and, oh, it's, I'm too busy. I'm grinding. I'm working. I'm raising nine kids. And now I, without excuse because I know what it's like to see live music locally and know what a deal it is to go see Pink Martini at the Van Duzen.

Carol Lang: Oh, did you go see them?

Scott Hammond: Yeah, they're great.

Carol Lang: They are so good.

Scott Hammond: Oh, they're very good.

Carol Lang: And that's what I'm talking about. So the Center Arts program, for instance-

Scott Hammond: It wasn't crazy money. It was fine.

Scott Hammond: It was local

Carol Lang: … Yeah. I mean, it might be 45, 50 bucks a ticket for a group that you would have to travel out of the area, you know, have … You know, you also might want a weekend away, so that's, that's not the point.

Scott Hammond: There's that.

Carol Lang: But, but even, even at whatever they charge for a ticket-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … is such a great deal, and the fact that such high-quality entertainment comes through.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: I mean, uh, so I'm a Center Arts usher.

Scott Hammond: Oh, of course you are.

Carol Lang: So-

Scott Hammond: That's right. That's where I saw you, yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah. So what people don't realize-

Scott Hammond: Were you at, were you at Pink Martini?

Carol Lang: No, because I wa- I'm a house manager now at another theater.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: I know. I took my retirement job a year early because I'm getting ready to retire from the job force, and so I, I was invited to basically, uh, come and do my dream job. And I said, "Well, I'm not gonna turn that down."

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: So I just recently became, well, last year I became the house manager at the Arkley Theater or the Arkley Performance Arts Center.

Scott Hammond: Did not know that. Let's talk about that-

Carol Lang: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … after we talk about your day job that you're retiring from.

Carol Lang: Oh, yay. Okay.

Scott Hammond: Totally.

Carol Lang: I'm retiring, everybody. Everybody at work knows.

Scott Hammond: It's, uh, she's out, folks. It's gonna … It's, it's happening.

Scott Hammond: So when, when do you have a, a, when is your retirement date, and what's your day job? And you said job force?

Carol Lang: So I've only had, uh, in my adult … So I, I worked a lot of jobs up until I got my kinda career

Carol Lang: going.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So I mean, you name it, and I probably worked there. I mean, gosh, I worked at Daly's Department Store.

Scott Hammond: Daly's.

Carol Lang: Remember Daly's?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Bistrons.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Carol Lang: Worked at the Red Lion Inn.

Scott Hammond: Did you work for, did you work for Randy at the Bistron, at Bistrons in Arcata?

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Remember Randy Tallfry?

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah, absolutely, yeah.

Scott Hammond: And Harry and, what was, the two Bistrons.

Carol Lang: Char- Charlie was my, uh, manager.

Carol Lang: She w-

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: Yeah, but, um, I d- I started with sidewalk sales 'cause they just needed somebody who could be reliable-

Scott Hammond: Huh

Carol Lang: … and work for them on the weekends. And then I graduated into inside the store during the holidays when they needed extra help.

Scott Hammond: Whoa.

Carol Lang: And yeah. I worked at Bim's for a long time. Do you remember Bim's? Was a, Stanton's restaurant. It was a hamburger-

Scott Hammond: Kinda

Carol Lang: … joint up in Arcata.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Across from Wildberry's.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: It's now a-

Scott Hammond: Of course

Carol Lang: … I think a Mexican restaurant.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Of course.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: It's Carmella's now or something.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So I, I worked at a lot of places, but my, my main career, I spent almost 25 years, ended up in corporate management here in Eureka. I worked at Kinko's, and then I worked at Starbucks for many years. But I, uh, will have been at the county now for 12 years,

Carol Lang: and I'm-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … retiring April 25th.

Scott Hammond: Congrats.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: What's a job force?

Carol Lang: What do you mean what is the job force?

Scott Hammond: What, what is … You said job force. Did you s- say those words?

Carol Lang: N- I don't know. I could have.

Scott Hammond: What'd you do for the … What'd you …

Carol Lang: What do I do now for the county?

Scott Hammond: What did you … Yeah. You're in some program for the county.

Carol Lang: She's in a special program. She's not allowed to talk about it.

Scott Hammond: It's, it's, if we told you, we'd have to kill you.

Carol Lang: Yeah. I work, uh, I work at DHHS, and I work in employee services. And we support, uh, public health, social services, and behavioral health. All three of those got put under the umbrella of DHHS in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: And we were one of the first counties in California-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … to roll up those three branches-

Scott Hammond: Okay

Carol Lang: … into one branch, and now it makes sense 'cause everybody can communicate and everybody can, you know, relate-

Scott Hammond: It all works

Carol Lang: … and everybody can work together, so.

Scott Hammond: Makes sense, yeah.

Carol Lang: Some places you'll find social services is a completely different department.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And only social services is what they deal with, behavioral health all by itself, public health all by itself.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: We, uh, rolled them up all into one, which is something Humboldt County should be very proud of. Yeah, they've-

Scott Hammond: Was that your idea?

Carol Lang: You know, no. I'm not even, I'm not even gonna say-

Scott Hammond: You know-

Carol Lang: Nope, it happened before I got there.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But I think it's a really an amazing thing.

Scott Hammond: So you were at Kinko's before Starbucks?

Carol Lang: Yeah, I was at Kinko's for 17 years.

Scott Hammond: Arcata?

Scott Hammond: Eureka.

Carol Lang: Eureka. Liz managed the Arcata store.

Scott Hammond: Liz is amazing.

Carol Lang: Liz is one of those amazing human beings.

Scott Hammond: She's still around.

Carol Lang: She is crazy as ever, and I love her to death.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: I like Liz.

Carol Lang: We became lifelong, basically, uh, family.

Scott Hammond: I was a student when she was young go-getter and helpful-

Carol Lang: Yeah

Scott Hammond: … and-

Carol Lang: She's awesome

Scott Hammond: … very sweet.

Carol Lang: And a very good musician. She plays the fiddle.

Scott Hammond: Really?

Carol Lang: Yep, her and her sister Janet used to be in, um, a Celtic band.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: I don't know the name of it though, so. But I'm just saying, you know, a lot of us are holding 9:00 to 5:00 type

Carol Lang: jobs-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … and doing creative, artistic things-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … with our own time after work and on the weekends.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: And for some of us, that's just what we've decided to do, but I'm getting to the point now where it'd be nice just to do the stuff I love-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … and not have to go to work every day.

Scott Hammond: And that's where I met you, at Starbucks, 'cause you were an amazing Starbucks

Scott Hammond: manager.

Carol Lang: Probably.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Uh, not that I was amazing Starbucks manager, but that we met there.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Or the other way around.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And you're giving people caffeine. There's, there's not much to not like about that job.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: No, I real- I actually really enjoyed working for that company. They were a very good company to work for.

Scott Hammond: How long were you there?

Carol Lang: I was there almost seven years.

Scott Hammond: Store manager or DM?

Carol Lang: Uh, no, store manager, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Downtown?

Carol Lang: Uh, yep, and then the one at Myrtletown, and then I went down to Fortuna.

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: Um, I demoted for my last couple years and was a shift supervisor, and I used to go down to Fortuna all the time.

Scott Hammond: Whoa.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: We loved Myrtle Town. We called it 3:00 PM therapy

Carol Lang: Well, I can't believe they closed it. I, I think it was just because-

Scott Hammond: It's dumb

Carol Lang: … it was off the beaten track.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But now they've opened a couple more.

Scott Hammond: That's their-

Carol Lang: So, uh-

Scott Hammond: … model now. They open the giant-

Carol Lang: I don't know what's going on

Scott Hammond: … box, the box thing on either side.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: The Starbucks box.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So tell me about your interview, uh, skills with, uh, Access Humboldt and-

Carol Lang: Ah.

Scott Hammond: Do you have any interview skills?

Carol Lang: So, you know, people are probably wondering, 'cause I'm sure everybody who's watching this now is just wondering about my life right now. How did that Carol get so much experience without going to

Carol Lang: college? So I decided to learn while I was doing.

Carol Lang: I knew it-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Carol Lang: … right away. I, you know, uh, it was before I left Salinas for that year and a

Carol Lang: half-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … I was there to come back home, I went, "I really, really, really wanna learn how to do theater, but I know I don't wanna learn it in a school setting. I wanna just go and work in theater and learn."

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: So that's what I did for 10 years.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: I learned how to be a really good stage manager, and after that, the next progression was just, you know, you know, you start working with directors and you're like, "Yeah, you know, I could probably do that," or you get asked to kinda co-direct 'cause you're there all the time.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And, um, so I learned a lot by doing.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: So that has always been my preferred method. Um, throughout the years I've taken the odd class here and there. I've taken a class up at Humboldt or, you know, just w- kinda audited some

Carol Lang: stuff.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: And, but that just wasn't, it wasn't the way that I wanted to go

Carol Lang: about-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … learning and, uh, developing that craft.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: I just wanted to be right in the middle of it and just work and work-

Scott Hammond: Got it

Carol Lang: … with the actors and work with the designers and the directors.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And so once I found that, I knew that there was no… Yeah, that was what I meant to do.

Scott Hammond: Kinetic learning.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. So you had a show on Access-

Carol Lang: I did. I had-

Scott Hammond: … TV, right?

Carol Lang: I had a talk show, The Carol Escobar Show, for about, gosh-

Scott Hammond: Te- tell us more

Carol Lang: … almost, like, six years.

Scott Hammond: Is that a maiden name?

Carol Lang: That was my married name.

Scott Hammond: Married name.

Carol Lang: My maiden name is Heinle.

Scott Hammond: Heinle?

Carol Lang: Heinle, yeah. My name is Carol Heinle Escobar Lang, but I go by Carol Lang now.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: My husband Howard. Hello, Howard.

Scott Hammond: Hey, Howard.

Carol Lang: Um, who is… It's just amazing to have your partner in life-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … be so supportive of you. He's an amazing, um, audio guy.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And so he, uh, for many, many years has designed all my sound and, uh, done all that sorta stuff for me.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: So, but-

Scott Hammond: And he's a dentist by trade, right?

Carol Lang: Well, he's actually retired. He's a retired orthodontist.

Scott Hammond: Orthodontist.

Carol Lang: Yeah. So he's been retired for a few years, and every day you come home, and I'm like, "Hey, how'd the day go?" He's like, "I didn't get through my list." And I'm like, "I don't think it matters."

Scott Hammond: No.

Carol Lang: It's okay.

Scott Hammond: Your boss said it's okay.

Carol Lang: You can start that list again tomorrow.

Scott Hammond: Promise. Get some sleep.

Carol Lang: But everybody that's retired, uh, keeps saying that. It's like, "Yeah, you're gonna be so busy." And I'm like, "I'm already busy." Like, I've already started my next project, and I kinda had to retire in order to fulfill my obligation of what we're about to do this September, so we're getting ready to make another movie.

Scott Hammond: Wanna hear about that. Uh, before you do that, you're right. People in my business retire. Um, people that we insure, the, "Hey, I'm retired." "Hey, are you busy?" "Oh, you wouldn't believe it, but I'm busy with the things that I wanna do."

Carol Lang: Right. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And I think that's, that's the magic.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: That's the key.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: So you're retiring from the county-

Carol Lang: Correct

Scott Hammond: … and you're gonna go take a job with the, uh, with the art- with the Arkley Theater.

Carol Lang: Right, which I've already done. I started last year.

Scott Hammond: You're starting that.

Carol Lang: Because it's what I do anyway, so.

Scott Hammond: So you're part of the Nutcracker this-

Carol Lang: Absolutely

Scott Hammond: … winter.

Carol Lang: Yeah, yeah. See, I, I work all day-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … and I've been doing this for, for, you know, forever, is you know, I work all day at my regular job, and then I go and I rehearse at night and on weekends-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … we make theater. So I just think I'm getting to the point now where, um, I'd like just to be able to do the theater or, you know, the stuff-

Scott Hammond: Is that mean more shows coming? 'Cause it seems like such an underutilized resource.

Carol Lang: As far as?

Scott Hammond: Perceptively, that there would be more music and productions and I, I just don't… I, I always think it'd be booked every weekend.

Carol Lang: For, uh-

Scott Hammond: For the Arkley.

Carol Lang: For the Arkley?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: You know, it is probably, in my opinion, it's one of the most beautiful theaters that we have here.

Scott Hammond: Oh, it's magic.

Carol Lang: And I think they did an amazing job-

Scott Hammond: The sound is good

Carol Lang: … of redecorating and re- bringing that back to life.

Scott Hammond: It's lovely.

Carol Lang: It's, I just think it's a beautiful theater.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I wish that that would happen with more of our older buildings.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Because you can't build them like that anymore, so why not preserve them?

Scott Hammond: Right. Right, right.

Carol Lang: But, um, but yeah, so the Arkley, um, the house managing gig was what I would do anyway with my off time.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And since they asked me and I said yes-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … that's actually my dream job.

Scott Hammond: That's cool.

Carol Lang: So it'll be just five hours here, five hours there, so.

Scott Hammond: Who's the sound guy is? Is it- Is there, is there one sound guy who's the, um-

Carol Lang: There is

Scott Hammond: … um, I think I know who it is.

Scott Hammond: He does the-

Carol Lang: Chris?

Scott Hammond: Chris, the dark hair guy.

Carol Lang: He's awesome.

Scott Hammond: He did the Bob Dylan birthday party at Blue Lake, um, Mad River Brewery one year.

Carol Lang: Yeah. See, that's-

Scott Hammond: Well, he does a lot of stuff up there

Carol Lang: … that's the thing in the theater. I don't know what it is. You just meet the most wonderful people.

Scott Hammond: He's a good sound guy.

Carol Lang: He's a great sound guy, and he's a great guy to work with-

Scott Hammond: Seems like a nice man

Carol Lang: … 'cause he's just so nice, and he just, he's a problem solver.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And he never, he loses his cool.

Scott Hammond: Ah, big trait-

Carol Lang: So-

Scott Hammond: … for a sound guy.

Carol Lang: Yeah. Well, especially in the theater. I mean, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Probably anybody in the thea- in the theater is probably good at it.

Carol Lang: I don't know how they do it, 'cause they, they have shows that come in, and, like, within two days they're just running it like they were part of the crew the whole time, and I'm like, "You guys are good. You guys are good."

Scott Hammond: That is, that's amazing.

Carol Lang: But I would love to see more things at the Arkley-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … just because it's such a beautiful theater, and people really like to go there,

Carol Lang: so.

Scott Hammond: So is it rented out, or is, is it a house, uh, production unit which would bring, you know, um, Judy Collins here? I mean, is there-

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm

Scott Hammond: … or, or is that other people that do that for the Arkley?

Carol Lang: So, uh, right now, um, how they're set up is anybody can rent the theater.

Scott Hammond: Gotcha.

Carol Lang: They contact them. They go over a contract. This is how much it's gonna cost. This is what you get for your, you know, this is what you get for the fees.

Scott Hammond: So The Rolling Stones could call in-

Carol Lang: Absolutely

Scott Hammond: … and go, "Hey, we're doing some shows."

Carol Lang: Uh, in fact, I'm pretty sure they have.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But, you know.

Scott Hammond: Not recently.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Pretty sure.

Carol Lang: And they used a lot– Center Arts used to do a lot of stuff over there too.

Carol Lang: Like we saw-

Scott Hammond: Correct. Yeah

Carol Lang: … uh, Judy Collins there, I think. Was it Kris Kristofferson we saw there recently?

Scott Hammond: Yeah, he was.

Carol Lang: I mean, a couple years ago.

Scott Hammond: He– Yeah, before he died, he was there.

Carol Lang: Yeah, I didn't see him after he died.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Yeah. He hasn't been seen much.

Carol Lang: And if I had, I wouldn't tell you.

Scott Hammond: Love you, Kris. And–

Carol Lang: Amazing songwriter, right?

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: I mean, just an amazing songwriter.

Scott Hammond: We see Tommy Emmanuel there. It's– So some of the Center Arts stuff-

Carol Lang: Oh, Tommy Emmanuel. Yeah, that's Howard's favorite.

Scott Hammond: Oh, he's, he's amazing.

Carol Lang: Probably one of the best guitar players in the world, right?

Scott Hammond: He's, he's magical.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Um, so I think Center Arts is all finished. I'm sorry. The Van Duzen Theater at Humboldt, at Cal Poly Humboldt. We always have to correct that.

Carol Lang: Harder– CPH.

Scott Hammond: CPH, whatever. Um. Sigh. Um, they– So Cal Poly is all finished, so they're having– they're producing all their own shows there, I think. Most, most everyone.

Carol Lang: I think they are, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah. And you know, I, I, I highly encourage people once again to get on, uh, with places like that as far as ushering and stuff.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: That actually became part of my retirement plan.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Is how can I afford to go see shows-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Carol Lang: … uh, if I'm no longer working? So I, I thought about that, and a few years ago, I went, "You know what I need to do? I need to get on that ushering staff at Center Arts."

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Carol Lang: 'Cause they see world-class entertainment.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: I just have to stand there, show people to their seats-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … be ready for an emergency, you know, be, you know, have my little flashlight

Carol Lang: out.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: It's a really easy, wonderful gig, and I've seen some amazing shows.

Scott Hammond: Who have you seen?

Carol Lang: Oh my God, Bonnie Raitt was great.

Scott Hammond: Bonnie's good.

Carol Lang: She was one of my only two that I had to stand 'cause there were so many people

Carol Lang: there.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: And, um-

Scott Hammond: She's good

Carol Lang: … Ziggy Marley.

Scott Hammond: Oh, really?

Carol Lang: Blew me away. And so he's somebody like, eh, you know, reggae music and s- I like a little bit and stuff, but I didn't know too much about him. I mean, I know a little bit about Bob Marley and stuff.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But, so it's a great way, too, to see shows that you don't really know a lot about.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So you're not investing a big chunk of, you know, a little chunk of your money to go

Carol Lang: see 'em.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: You can decide. I have never been disappointed with the stuff I've seen at

Carol Lang: Center Arts.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But Ziggy blew me away.

Scott Hammond: Really?

Carol Lang: I can't even tell you how entertaining he was.

Scott Hammond: That's cool.

Carol Lang: It's just, he was just electric on stage. It was fantastic.

Scott Hammond: How about what's his name? Um…

Carol Lang: Oh, what's his name? I haven't seen what's his name in a while.

Scott Hammond: He's quite good. I'll think of his name. Michael De- uh, Michael Defron- Defrante?

Scott Hammond: Lafron-

Carol Lang: Hmm.

Scott Hammond: Uh, I'll think of it in a minute.

Scott Hammond: Um-

Carol Lang: Michael Buble?

Scott Hammond: Buble's been there.

Carol Lang: I've not seen him at Center Arts.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Um, what about BB King when he was there?

Carol Lang: I did not see BB King. Uh, that was a little bit before my time.

Scott Hammond: James Brown?

Carol Lang: Nope. Mm-mm. I just started Center Arts ushering probably about, I don't know, six, seven, eight years ago.

Scott Hammond: Oh, you're sorta newer, yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Robert Cray Band has been there a lot.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: He's good.

Carol Lang: Yeah. There's some really amazing– I, I really love the dance.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Carol Lang: The dance is, is something I make a point to go to, and any comedy or, like, the Peking Acrobats.

Scott Hammond: Peking Acrobats are good, right?

Carol Lang: Fantastic. So I'm just here to spread the, you know, the theater love and just remind people how much stuff there is out there for us to do.

Scott Hammond: Michael Franti is his name.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: He's kinda– It, it's– He's sorta funk and, and, and a little bit of-

Carol Lang: Okay

Scott Hammond: … reggae influence, but-

Carol Lang: Oh

Scott Hammond: … he plays a lot up here.

Carol Lang: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Quite good.

Carol Lang: There's a lot of good stuff going on.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, a lot of kind of a– not unlike theater, a lot of little venues in Arcata.

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: And the, um, the, uh, what's the Creamery District?

Scott Hammond: The Creamery Theater and the-

Carol Lang: So that used to be where the old Pacific Arts Center was.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: Remember that?

Scott Hammond: I do.

Carol Lang: PAC used to be in the Creamery building, yeah.

Scott Hammond: And there was plays there?

Carol Lang: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: That's how far I go back. I go back so far that I was stage managing for directors that now I direct.

Scott Hammond: Oh. That makes sense.

Carol Lang: If that makes sense.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: So people that were directing back in the '80s, m- not all of them are still directing, but every once in a while they'll pop up and wanna be in a show, and so I get to– Uh, Tootie Dodgen is the one that comes to mind 'cause she's just a fantastic actress, and I stage managed for her when she was directing, and now the last couple shows I've done, she's been in my shows.

Scott Hammond: Tootie Dodgen. Is her dad Jim?

Carol Lang: I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Oh. All right.

Carol Lang: Don't know about that.

Scott Hammond: I knew that name. Well, cool. Hey, how about the film thing?

Scott Hammond: Tell, uh-

Carol Lang: Oh, the film thing.

Scott Hammond: Hey, I heard you're doing some film thing.

Carol Lang: All right.

Scott Hammond: With Matt St. Charles.

Carol Lang: So, you know, I think life is too short, uh, just to talk about doing stuff, and I think every once in a while you just gotta get out there and do it. And I don't care how it comes out. The fact that you did it, that, that's, that's the journey, right? The journey is just the doing it.

Scott Hammond: Amen.

Carol Lang: So, um, back in 2020, we were, uh, going to be filming our first, our first filt- uh, film, which is a, you know, feature length. Um, it's very specifically written to be filmed in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: It's a, it's a, it's a play that was written by Sue Bigelow and Janice Goldberg, and I don't know if you remember Sue Bigelow, but she used to have the theater up above the brewery called Plays in Progress. Do you remember that theater?

Scott Hammond: Above Lost Coast?

Carol Lang: Yeah. And all she would do was, uh, produce original scripts.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: So anything that was happening there, you've never seen it before.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: So there would be nights where we would get two people in the audience, and that was exciting, right? It's like, "Oh my gosh." Like, if you had more people in your audience than actors in the cast, you were excited. Because people really wanna go see shows they've heard about, which-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … is a little sad for me because how are you gonna, you know, it–

Scott Hammond: How are you gonna-

Carol Lang: You know, how are you gonna get exposed to the new works and stuff-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … that might be something that you really like?

Carol Lang: So, um, they, uh, Sue has since passed away, but before she did, we were talking a long time ago. I wa- I was very involved in Humboldt Access.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Uh, that's where I learned how to do film editing.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: How to actually shoot things. Uh, we were involved with Access Humboldt for a long, long time.

Scott Hammond: With Sean?

Carol Lang: Yeah, absolutely.

Scott Hammond: When they were at Eureka High?

Carol Lang: Yeah, absolutely.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: And so we would go in, and we would, you know– Oh, it, it, it's a great opportunity to learn about film, and it's all free, once again, to people in Humboldt County. They will air anything, as you know. Right? You could, like, film your dog's birthday party-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … and they would put that on if, if you were good with it.

Scott Hammond: Oh, I've seen some real wild stuff.

Carol Lang: Yeah. So I thought I would go ahead and do the Carol Escobar Show because I know a lot of people in theater.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: We'd have people to talk to.

Scott Hammond: Is it mostly theater?

Carol Lang: Yeah, and we would talk about the upcoming shows, and I would go film-

Scott Hammond: I don't remember

Carol Lang: … little clips, and we'd have little, you know-

Scott Hammond: 12 years?

Carol Lang: I didn't do it for 12 years.

Scott Hammond: I said-

Carol Lang: But it was a while ago.

Scott Hammond: It was a little while.

Carol Lang: It was a little while ago, yeah.

Carol Lang: So-

Scott Hammond: Who, did you have a co-host or just you and-

Carol Lang: Nope, just me

Scott Hammond: … a guest?

Carol Lang: Yeah, and I used to write little monologues and stuff, and-

Scott Hammond: And it was at their studio?

Carol Lang: Yeah, we would film at their studio. And then as it got going on, I took over the editing because Nick, a, a good editor is really hard to find.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Especially one that will work for no money.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: So I thought, you know what? I have to learn how to edit, 'cause I can't keep asking

Carol Lang: people.

Scott Hammond: You did your own edits.

Carol Lang: So I learned how to edit, which was really nice.

Scott Hammond: What'd you like about doing the show?

Carol Lang: I really just enjoyed meeting and talking to people.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Yeah, it was fun.

Scott Hammond: That's cool.

Carol Lang: Yeah. I mean, what's not to like about meeting new people and talking to them?

Scott Hammond: S- well, it depends on the people.

Carol Lang: It's true.

Carol Lang: It's true.

Scott Hammond: Most- and mostly you're, it's correct. You're right.

Carol Lang: Yeah. No.

Scott Hammond: What's wrong? Nothing wrong.

Carol Lang: And just, just to have people get excited, like actors don't usually get an opportunity to sit down for an interview on TV, you know? I mean, it's, it's all-

Scott Hammond: And maybe be themselves.

Carol Lang: Yeah, it's all local, but it's, it's still, it's fun.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: You know? And, uh, so, so-

Scott Hammond: Well, Access is fun

Carol Lang: … I really spent many years at Access Humboldt learning how to do

Carol Lang: stuff.

Scott Hammond: Do you know their one guy? The guy that has the, uh, archive. It's Ch- is it John Hauser? Not the actor.

Carol Lang: Oh, I don't know.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, he has a, um… He's one of my next guests. It's gonna be cool.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: You'll like it.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: He's part of their cadre down at CR.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: And he houses a, uh, an internet archive that has a jillion gigawatts of data on everything that's of, every Grateful Dead show.

Carol Lang: Wow.

Scott Hammond: Every Bruce Springsteen bootleg music p- I, just crazy.

Carol Lang: Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: Speeches, books. I, I can't… It's, it, anyway. I digress. Tell me about the f- We digress. Tell me about the film.

Carol Lang: Okay. So, so the first film we did, um, we're all set to go in

Carol Lang: 2020. Um, if we all remember what happened, uh, about April of that year, uh, the whole country shut down for the pandemic.

Scott Hammond: I do remember that now.

Carol Lang: It was just that little weird thing.

Scott Hammond: Try to forget that.

Carol Lang: It's funny, though, how easily and how quickly we forget how kinda horrible that time was, right?

Scott Hammond: It was really weird.

Carol Lang: It wa- it really was weird.

Scott Hammond: So strange.

Carol Lang: So then there's this big thing about, well, can we still do the movie or not? And, um, so I decided, yes, we can.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: I spoke to, like, a public, public health nurses. I mean, I, I, I, I did everything. So we rehearsed it like a play.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And we, we had an office building that was donated to us for our rehearsal space and stuff, and every night I would spritz that whole place down and wipe it down and clean it down and da, da, da, da. And we only rehearsed with the actors wearing masks, so I never saw their faces, which was really weird.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: Um, but because we were, uh, we were gifted the show from Sue Bigelow and Janice Goldberg because it took place in Humboldt County and it only had four main characters.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And it takes place in a cabin on the river in Humboldt County.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: So Sue was thinking, you know, for your first one, this would be pretty doable.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So we rented the Matree, uh, Matil, um, Retreat, uh, Center, uh, down by Petrolia.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And we booked that for about 16 days, and the whole crew and the whole cast-

Scott Hammond: Just lived there

Carol Lang: … we took over the entire camp for that el- amount of time.

Scott Hammond: Huh.

Carol Lang: And so we were basically in quarantine together.

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: And not one person ever got COVID.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Carol Lang: Uh, we made a really nice movie. For our first one, I think it's beautifully filmed. Matt St. Charles is amazing.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: And we, uh, got it out there.

Scott Hammond: I've se- seen clips, yeah.

Carol Lang: Yeah, to a couple film festivals, and we won a couple of awards and stuff.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: So if anybody's interested, you can just go to autumnrunmovie.com.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And that is our website, and you can watch the trailer, and there's like-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … a half-hour how did we make the movie during the pandemic.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And I just, it's-

Scott Hammond: It's called Autumn Run.

Carol Lang: Yeah, Autumn Run.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So it's appropriate for all ages, but there, there are some swear words, um, just because I think some people talk that way sometimes, you know?

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: When they're, you know.

Scott Hammond: Shucks.

Carol Lang: But, um, it was, uh, I w- I was watching it. We, we had our premiere at the Minor Theatre 'cause I really wanted to do that-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … 'cause that's where I grew up going to movies, right?

Scott Hammond: Cool movie theater.

Carol Lang: And I thought, ooh, I wanna, I wanna, like, premiere-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … the movie at the Minor Theatre.

Scott Hammond: $2 for two movies.

Carol Lang: Right?

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: They always had, they always had double features on the weekends.

Scott Hammond: Harold and Maude.

Carol Lang: 99 cents. Remember they did the 99 cents?

Scott Hammond: I do.

Carol Lang: Harold and Maude is a great movie.

Scott Hammond: Have you ever seen Brother Sun, Sister Moon?

Carol Lang: Yep. I watched all those.

Scott Hammond: Zeffirelli.

Carol Lang: All those.

Scott Hammond: With a soundtrack by Donovan.

Carol Lang: Yep.

Scott Hammond: Which up to this point you couldn't find.

Carol Lang: Call me mellow yellow.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: That's right, slick. I don't know if that mo- that song's from there, but, um-

Scott Hammond: It's, it's actually-

Carol Lang: … I love Donovan.

Scott Hammond: That song is not in that movie.

Carol Lang: Well, it could be.

Scott Hammond: However, that could, it could be.

Carol Lang: Brother Sun, Sister Moon. They call it mellow yellow. See the theme there?

Scott Hammond: It is. I see. Yeah.

Carol Lang: Could be singing about the sun.

Scott Hammond: That's true, yeah.

Carol Lang: Uh-huh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Oh, I get it. Okay.

Carol Lang: So just get over the swear word. Uh, they do use the F word a lot. Even I was watching it at the premiere, and I'm like, "Dang, there's a lot of F word in there," but oh well, it's too bad, so sad. But I'm super, super proud of it for the budget we had, the fact that we did it all.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: Um, it got out of the area. We got to show it in, in a film festival in New

Carol Lang: York.

Scott Hammond: It did what it's supposed to do.

Carol Lang: Yeah, so we had a lot of fun.

Scott Hammond: Who are the four actors?

Carol Lang: Uh, the four actors are AJ Hempstead.

Scott Hammond: Local?

Carol Lang: Yep, they're all, yes, it was very important every single thing about that film was

Carol Lang: local.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Queena Delaney, uh, James Gad, and, um, Jesse, uh, oh my God, I'm spacing on his last name.

Scott Hammond: Queena Delaney. The, I know one Queena.

Carol Lang: Yeah, it's Queena.

Scott Hammond: He's really nice.

Carol Lang: No, it's she.

Scott Hammond: No, she.

Carol Lang: She. She's very nice.

Scott Hammond: Dark hair.

Carol Lang: Yeah. I love Queena. I like to work with Queena.

Carol Lang: So, um-

Scott Hammond: Is this Queena that works at the Carson?

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Really?

Carol Lang: She's a really good actress.

Scott Hammond: She's a really good person.

Carol Lang: She, she's starred in, in several of my plays.

Scott Hammond: She always calls me Mr. Hammond. It makes me feel special.

Carol Lang: Yeah. Well, hey.

Scott Hammond: No, she's actually-

Carol Lang: Aren't you that lady on Autumn Run?

Scott Hammond: I'm gonna do that. Could I… And by the way, could I have an autograph?

Carol Lang: Yeah, yeah.

Scott Hammond: I have the script right here. It's the original.

Carol Lang: So I also like just working with really nice people, and-

Scott Hammond: Huh

Carol Lang: … there was nothing negative about our experience down at the camp.

Scott Hammond: So cool.

Carol Lang: And, uh, we got the whole thing filmed in under 16 days.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: We brought it in under budget. Nobody got COVID, and, uh, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Win, a win, win, win.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Win.

Carol Lang: So we got it out in 2021.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And, uh, now we're ready for our next one.

Scott Hammond: Tell us about that one. What's it called? Is it all the same thing, local, local everything?

Carol Lang: Well, so my goal is to start making films locally-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … because I think, look at the amount of Hollywood that comes here to make films.

Scott Hammond: Good point.

Carol Lang: And I, I know we have the talent here.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So, you know, it's gonna be trying to get the talent all in one spot, and you know, how much will people work for? We can pay them something, but we're working on a really micro budget here.

Scott Hammond: Hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, and so, um, every, uh, everything will be done locally-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … except its three lead actresses, and we are thinking about, uh, bringing in actresses from, um, New York.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: I know.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I'm excited.

Scott Hammond: Wow. That will-

Carol Lang: Because we really, uh, we really want to elevate our-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … you know, every time we do something, I like to just get to another level-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … above what we just last did.

Scott Hammond: Right. Level up.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Absolutely.

Carol Lang: And so, uh, we're gonna try to bring in a couple of pros-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … but every single other part will be cast locally, all of the, um, supporting roles, um, costumer, uh, the cinematographer, musician, every, every, as much as we possibly can. That is the point, is to make it with as much local talent as we can.

Scott Hammond: And you have a script and everything. You're ready to go.

Carol Lang: Yeah, it's called Rose-Colored Glass. It's a beautiful story. It's once again, um, from the same two playwrights

Carol Lang: that-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … uh, gave us Autumn Run.

Scott Hammond: Cool.

Carol Lang: And if anybody remembers seeing this show, it's, uh, it's a play. It's set in 1938 in Chicago-

Scott Hammond: Hmm

Carol Lang: … and it's about a Jewish lady and an Irish Catholic lady whose businesses butt each other up in, in the alley.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But they're not friends because they come from two different worlds.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: But they start this friendship, um, because the Jewish-

Scott Hammond: Right

Carol Lang: … lady is, uh, trying to get her nephew out of war-torn Europe.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: And so she starts opening up to this other lady, and together they start building, um, a friendship and building an alliance in trying to get the nephew, uh, from Europe. He's only, like, 12 years old, and-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … they know things are about to explode in Europe.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: And so they're trying to get the boy to the United States.

Scott Hammond: Go figure.

Carol Lang: Yeah. It's a beautiful story. It's the story that out of… Uh, I really wanted to do it, but I knew I wasn't ready.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Now we know we're ready.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, so the only thing we're not gonna do is we're not even gonna mention Chicago as the city in the script-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … because we're gonna film it all here.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: That's our point, is to film things here. There's tons of brick buildings in, in-

Scott Hammond: Sure

Carol Lang: … Old Town. There's whole Ferndale. I mean, we've been for months now going around to businesses and really looking. And, um, this weekend, in fact, we're taking all the pictures of all the buildings we want, and we're building the, the neighborhood block that these ladies' businesses are on.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: So it's like, uh, uh, y- when you go to her deli, you will always pass by these certain

Carol Lang: businesses.

Scott Hammond: Interesting.

Carol Lang: One might be, um, the Morris Graves.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: One might be, you know, a, a building over here. So we're gonna piece it together. It's gonna come in the editing, obviously.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: Nick, great editing, um, is very important

Carol Lang: because-

Scott Hammond: Yeah

Carol Lang: … you'd be surprised how oftentimes you're watching a movie and you think, "Oh, that house is just there by itself, surrounded by nothing," and then you go and you see the house in real life, and it's, like, in the middle of a neighborhood.

Scott Hammond: Right.

Carol Lang: It's movie magic how they do it.

Scott Hammond: They do that.

Carol Lang: So we're ready for that. Yeah, we're gonna up our level. The main thing is we need to get old cars, and we know those are here.

Scott Hammond: Those are here.

Carol Lang: So we're gonna depend a lot on our community and the kindness-

Scott Hammond: Costuming? Costuming?

Carol Lang: Costuming is actually the least thing I'm worried about because all of the theaters, we work with all of the theaters, and I know that they have tons of clothing from the 1930s.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: So all of the extras, when we do a street scene, we're gonna have, like, 100 people. We're just gonna invite all of our theater friends-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … whoever else wants to come, s- friends and family, and we'll have racks set up for that season, whatever, you know, whatever the month is that we're doing the walking scene.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Everybody just go, find your costumes. Great. Everybody fits. We're gonna run through it a couple times, tell you what we're doing, and, uh-

Scott Hammond: Wow

Carol Lang: … I think it's gonna be incredible.

Scott Hammond: That's fun.

Carol Lang: It's gonna be a lot of work, but it's gonna be fun.

Scott Hammond: Is there a website or any way we could fund you or get ahold of you or?

Carol Lang: There is a, a Rose-Colored Glass website, um, that Howard has put up for us, but we are not looking for funding right now-

Scott Hammond: Mm

Carol Lang: … although we probably should.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: It's gonna be s- uh, we have the funding for it.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Um, it's the next movie that we make we will not have any funding for.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: This is all we can do, Autumn Run and Rose-Colored Glass, with the funding sources we have.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And then we hope that through those two movies to make the next one, which will be in five years or so down the road-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … that we will have two movies to show people this is the quality that we are capable of.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: This is what we're doing. It's now time to ask, you know, "Would you guys like to invest in, in a film?" You know?

Scott Hammond: Sure.

Carol Lang: 50 bucks here, 100 bucks there. You, 10,000, I will take your 10,000.

Scott Hammond: Absolutely.

Carol Lang: We will spend it wisely.

Scott Hammond: Yep. Sure.

Carol Lang: It, it costs a lot of m- money to do a movie.

Scott Hammond: You're our new best friend.

Carol Lang: Because I want to be able to pay people something.

Scott Hammond: Speaking of-

Carol Lang: It's very important to me

Scott Hammond: … speaking of them paying something.

Carol Lang: Are we done?

Scott Hammond: If you've watched the show, you know that this part of the show is where we do a-

Carol Lang: Man, I thought we were done.

Scott Hammond: No. We're actually getting-

Carol Lang: Nick's going, "God dang, that girl can talk."

Scott Hammond: We're just getting started.

Carol Lang: Do not worry about me, Nick.

Scott Hammond: So this is the Humboldt County Quiz.

Scott Hammond: So, so-

Carol Lang: Excellent

Scott Hammond: … you get a day off to do anything you want, paid day off.

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm.

Scott Hammond: What do you do in Humboldt? Question number one, for 30 points.

Carol Lang: Oh, I go to the theater.

Scott Hammond: Which theater?

Carol Lang: That's all I do.

Scott Hammond: Just go to a theater.

Carol Lang: You know, um, it's gonna involve my dogs. I have two German, two German shepherds.

Scott Hammond: Oh, wow.

Carol Lang: And, um, I do have mother's guilt for when they're not, you

Carol Lang: know-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … out and about at parks too often, like, with the weather like it is.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I mean, they have access to the outdoors-

Scott Hammond: Oh, sure

Carol Lang: … and they've got their big yard and everything, but I definitely am gonna take my dogs, uh, someplace fun.

Scott Hammond: Okay. Question number two.

Carol Lang: Okay.

Scott Hammond: Dinner out with Howard, where do you go?

Carol Lang: Oh my gosh.

Scott Hammond: Anywhere you wanna go. It's on, it's on-

Carol Lang: Wow

Scott Hammond: … us. It's on Nick.

Carol Lang: Well, we actually only go to a couple places. So during the pandemic, we only ate at, like, two to-go places, and they-

Scott Hammond: Oh

Carol Lang: … were both Mexican.

Scott Hammond: Oh.

Carol Lang: So that will tell you that we really enjoy our Mexican food.

Scott Hammond: Uh-huh.

Carol Lang: And I like a little sushi.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: So I, I, sushi or Mexican and I'm good.

Scott Hammond: Are you gonna call out the names of these places?

Carol Lang: Do you want me to?

Scott Hammond: Of course.

Carol Lang: Oaxaca in Henderson Center.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: Go Yuri. I mean, it's family-run. They are amazing, amazing customer service in there.

Scott Hammond: Oaxaca. Okay.

Carol Lang: They are fantastic. Their food is awesome.

Scott Hammond: They're right there on Hair, Hender-

Carol Lang: They're right there on Henderson, yeah. And then, um, I, I really like, um, sushi. I can eat that anywhere.

Scott Hammond: Oh, yeah.

Carol Lang: So.

Scott Hammond: What sushi do you like here?

Carol Lang: Oh, Obento's very good.

Scott Hammond: Okay.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm. We have the one down the alley from us, um, AJ Ichiban.

Carol Lang: Ichiban, yeah.

Scott Hammond: Not, not too shabby.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: That's actually the one I was thinking and I said Obento 'cause I couldn't think of

Carol Lang: the-

Scott Hammond: Maybe it used to be-

Carol Lang: Is there even an Obento up here? Isn't that where they used to do-

Scott Hammond: There was

Carol Lang: … the chop? Chop, chop, chop, chop, chop.

Scott Hammond: Oh, that was Benihana.

Carol Lang: Yeah. No, I've never even-

Scott Hammond: That was the chain

Carol Lang: … I've never even been to a B- Benihana. But yeah, it's, it's the one by your office that I really like.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, it, it's really good. Yeah. Delicious. Okay.

Carol Lang: Well, that o-

Scott Hammond: Question-

Carol Lang: I mean, there are no wrong answers, right?

Scott Hammond: Question mark, how can-

Carol Lang: Mexican sushi?

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: Who's, who… Can't go wrong with that.

Scott Hammond: Or Mexican sushi.

Carol Lang: Mexican sushi?

Scott Hammond: They have Indian pizza now.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Tandoori Bites Pizza-

Carol Lang: Ooh

Scott Hammond: … in the old Angelo's.

Carol Lang: Okay. All right.

Scott Hammond: Heard today is pretty dang good.

Carol Lang: So let me ask you, what, what was your Christmas feast like?

Scott Hammond: It was good. We overpaid for prime rib. I usually don't do that, but the, uh, the adult kids requested that,

Scott Hammond: so I, I weathered Costco at 9:00 AM on Christmas Eve day.

Carol Lang: Brave.

Scott Hammond: It was so smart. I was out at 9:17, I'm looking at my watch going,

Scott Hammond: "Oh."

Carol Lang: I thought they didn't open till 10:00. Are you special?

Scott Hammond: Well-

Carol Lang: Do you have a business thing?

Scott Hammond: I am special, and no.

Carol Lang: Well, thank you for noticing-

Scott Hammond: Thank you, thank you for asking

Carol Lang: … Carol, my specialness.

Scott Hammond: Yeah, the, um- … no, they, they open early 'cause they close early.

Carol Lang: Oh, okay. Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And it's only on the phone, so you have to phone it in and go, "Oh, their hours are

Scott Hammond: different."

Carol Lang: Oh, man, see, I didn't go near a store at, at that time of the year.

Scott Hammond: No, my wife, my wife went the day before, and she s- she turned around and left.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: The lot was full. We had an insured person call with a branch that, from Costco, that hit their car.

Carol Lang: Oh, my word.

Scott Hammond: It was a, it was a dumpster fire.

Carol Lang: Wow.

Scott Hammond: It was really bad. And gosh, that morning was great. I went and got my pri- So we had prime rib.

Scott Hammond: It was good.

Carol Lang: Nice.

Scott Hammond: It ta- it came out really good. And I think I could go half price next year and get, like, a brisket.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: Or some sort of sirloin roast.

Carol Lang: See, that's the thing I'm learning, 'cause it's just me and Howard at home, and I am trying to learn how to cook for just for two people.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: But you could come over to my house anytime I cook, I'll have enough for, like, 10. I was taught how to cook by an Italian.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And let me tell you-

Scott Hammond: And talk, and talk

Carol Lang: … there is no, there is no shortage of food when I cook.

Scott Hammond: And talk like one.

Carol Lang: Hey.

Scott Hammond: Hey, that's right. Hey.

Carol Lang: Hey, mangia.

Scott Hammond: Hey, parting shots, 'cause I'm, I'm gonna give my, uh, my little, uh, spiel at the end, and we're running out of time, but I'm… That was a quick hour.

Carol Lang: Uh, that, it really, really was fast.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: And wow, it really was an hour. And-

Scott Hammond: Thank you

Carol Lang: … I, I, yeah, I have the gift of gab, so.

Scott Hammond: It's good.

Carol Lang: Any time, you, you know, you need somebody just to come and gab at you, let me know.

Scott Hammond: Thank you. Will do.

Carol Lang: But, but I do wanna spread the love of theater-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … and tell everybody out there that it is something that the theaters need your help.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: They thrive on volunteerism. I mean, if you have sewing skills or, you know? But it, it, you'd be surprised-

Scott Hammond: Mm.

Carol Lang: .. how many things they need to have done.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: And, um, I just think it's important that we keep our, um, local community theaters well and thriving, because they-

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm

Carol Lang: … change people's lives.

Scott Hammond: I love it.

Carol Lang: They change your life.

Scott Hammond: Thank you.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: No, that's huge. It, that's great.

Scott Hammond: I'm gonna, I'm gonna be going to theater, it t- turns out, here real soon.

Carol Lang: Where, what are you gonna go see?

Scott Hammond: I don't know. You're, you, I'm sure you'll coach me up. Coach approach.

Carol Lang: I will always tell you what's worth going to see.

Scott Hammond: Okay. And you'll, and you're in the know.

Carol Lang: Mm-hmm. Uh, I'm very honest about it, too.

Scott Hammond: I wanna see something with Scott Q. Marcus.

Carol Lang: Uh, he just directed a really fantastic show at North Coast Rep.

Scott Hammond: Mm-hmm.

Carol Lang: Uh, The Game's Afoot.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Told me about that.

Carol Lang: Did you go to see it?

Scott Hammond: Mm-mm.

Carol Lang: Well, your loss.

Scott Hammond: Yeah.

Carol Lang: I'm telling Scott you didn't go see it.

Scott Hammond: He'll know.

Carol Lang: Mm. Uh-huh.

Scott Hammond: He already knows.

Carol Lang: Yeah. No, it was-

Scott Hammond: He does. He knows

Carol Lang: … it was really delightful. It was very fun.

Scott Hammond: He did a good job. Okay.

Carol Lang: He did a very good job. Yeah. I was very pleased.

Scott Hammond: Well, Carol Lang, thank you.

Carol Lang: Thank you, Scott Hammond.

Scott Hammond: Appreciate you being here.

Carol Lang: Thank you, Nick.

Scott Hammond: Yeah. Happy New Year.

Carol Lang: Right?

Scott Hammond: Episode 65. I'll be 65 a week from today.

Carol Lang: And I turn 62, and I was born in 1962.

Scott Hammond: Wow.

Carol Lang: So that's pretty woo.

Scott Hammond: Happy birthday.

Carol Lang: Yeah, well, you know, I think I'm gonna stop counting after this one.

Scott Hammond: That's okay. You can do that.

Carol Lang: No, I, you know what? I say I'm fine getting older.

Scott Hammond: Hey, it's okay. I, I-

Carol Lang: I don't want, I don't wanna go backwards

Scott Hammond: … we call it advanced maturity. Hey, 100% Humboldt podcast can be found on, um, all the podcast platforms. Did you know?

Carol Lang: Uh, I am learning. I am learning all about-

Scott Hammond: Apple, Spotify, all that stuff.

Carol Lang: Yep.

Scott Hammond: We're on, uh, YouTube, uh, thanks to Nick, and we're on Access TV, Access Humboldt, so.

Carol Lang: Go Access Humboldt.

Scott Hammond: Go Access Humboldt.

Carol Lang: And don't forget, kids, great place to learn skills and a very, very, very low cost.

Scott Hammond: Really, really affordable.

Carol Lang: Yeah.

Scott Hammond: And, uh, don't forget to like us, subscribe, make comments, uh, that are positive, and and thanks again, Carol.

Carol Lang: My pleasure. I really appreciate you asking me. Thanks, Scott.

Scott Hammond: Happy New Year.

Carol Lang: You as well.