Advertise on podcast: 7 Minute Stories w/ Aaron Calafato

One afternoon, Aaron and his wife Cori drive to their favorite café… and it’s gone. No sign. No trace. Just a completely different place where it used to be. But days later, they return and everything has changed again. The café is back. The sign is there. As if nothing ever happened. This is a true story about a moment that didn’t make sense, a shared memory Aaron and Cori can’t explain, and the unsettling possibility that, for a brief second, they may have slipped into another version of their lives. *In Northeast Ohio? Stop by Kelly's Cafe, It's 100% open and part of this Universe! 👇 *Dive deeper into the 7MS Universe and connect with Aaron on... ⁠Instagram⁠ ⁠Facebook ⁠ ⁠YouTube⁠ ⁠IG Threads⁠ 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

On a routine trip to a Northeast Ohio institution, a simple checkout line becomes something more... In this story, Aaron reflects on the quiet shift from living transactionally to truly seeing the people around us, sparked by his daughter’s instinct to imagine a life behind a stranger’s eyes. What begins as a quick stop at Discount Drug Mart turns into a meditation on dignity, attention, and the small stories we almost miss. *Dive deeper into the 7MS Universe and connect with Aaron on... Instagram Facebook YouTube IG Threads 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

In this bonus episode of 7 Minute Stories Presents: Storytelling University, Aaron Calafato sits down with David Moulton to explore the unexpected intersection of storytelling and cybersecurity. At first glance, cybersecurity feels purely technical. But underneath it? It is a story as old as time. As Senior Director of Content and Thought Leadership at Palo Alto Networks and host of the Threat Vector podcast, David works at the center of how complex cybersecurity ideas are translated into stories that leaders, teams, and organizations can actually understand and act on. He breaks down how storytelling transforms invisible threats into something tangible, helping influence decisions from the SOC to the C suite. From product strategy to executive communication, this conversation reveals how narrative becomes the bridge between technical reality and human behavior. You will hear: Why cybersecurity is fundamentally a human story, not just a technical one How storytelling helps organizations make better decisions under pressure The difference between facts that inform and stories that move people A powerful framework for telling effective stories in business Special Guest: David Moulton | https://www.davidrmoulton.com/ Team: *Audio Engineer: Ken Wendt *The Storytelling University is part of the 7 Minute Stories Universe Created, Produced and Edited by Aaron Calafato & Brooks Borden Love 7MS & TSU? Here's how to support: *Follow the pod wherever you're listening *Tap 5 Stars *Text one person you love a link to your favorite episode.

What if the words you never said still have somewhere to go? In this episode, Aaron revisits one of the most powerful monologues in film and turns it into something unexpected, a way to process the moments in life where we stayed silent but wish we hadn’t. Excerpt from Scent of a Woman (1992)Produced and distributed by Universal PicturesDirected by Martin BrestScreenplay by Bo GoldmanBased on the novel Il buio e il miele by Giovanni ArpinoColonel Frank Slade portrayed by Al Pacino 👇 * Aaron on Instagram 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

A strange package shows up at Aaron’s door, filled with Taco Bell hot sauce and a message that didn’t quite survive the journey. But what starts as a bizarre delivery turns into something else entirely: a reflection on memory, connection, and the unexpected ways we measure success. Want to hear the story that inspired Taco Bell Sauce - Gate? LISTEN HERE 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

In this 7 Minute Stories, Aaron shares a story that was passed down to him about a boy who grows up believing his mother chose work over him. Years later, a quiet Thanksgiving visit reveals the truth behind those early mornings, and what she was holding onto all along. 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

A meteor explodes over Medina, Ohio—shaking homes, lighting up the sky, and turning an ordinary morning into something unforgettable. As Aaron retraces the moment and the story behind it, a deeper question begins to surface about the systems we trust and the assumptions we carry. In this episode of 7 Minute Stories, a once-in-a-lifetime event points toward a realization you might not expect. 👇 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

In this episode of 7MS Presents: The Storytelling University, Aaron sits down with writer, activist, and Grammy-certified songwriter Ani Zonneveld, founder of Muslims for Progressive Values, an international human rights organization advocating for equality, freedom of expression, and inclusive interpretations of Islam. Ani shares the remarkable story of a moment that changed someone’s heart at a music festival, revealing how storytelling, music, and human connection can dissolve fear and misunderstanding. The conversation explores Ani’s global upbringing as the daughter of a Malaysian ambassador, the spiritual power of music, and how storytelling can create empathy across cultures, religions, and political divides. Along the way, Ani reflects on how narrative shapes faith, identity, and social change, and why stories often reach people in ways arguments never can. Ani is also the author of the memoir An Unlikely Social Justice Warrior: Making My Life Count as a Muslim Feminist. *The Storytelling University is part of the 7 Minute Stories Universe Created & Produced by Aaron Calafato & Brooks Borden Love 7MS & TSU? Here's how to support: *Follow the pod wherever you're listening *Tap 5 Stars *Text one person you love a link to your favorite episode.

One night, Chad Baxter heard a knock at the door and saw his mother standing in the hallway. In this listener-submitted 7 Minute Stories episode, Chad reflects on the man who raised him: early mornings riding home from the midnight shift, the smell of coffee and coveralls, lessons in the garage, and the complicated love between a father and son. A deeply personal story about memory, loss, and the quiet ways fathers live on through the lives of their children. *Story by Chad Baxter 👇 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

In this month’s 7MS Presents: Stories of Hope, Aaron Calafato tells the true story of a six year old boy taken during a church gathering in a small village in southern Sudan. Torn from his mother and thrown into the chaos of civil war, the boy would eventually escape and spend years growing up in a refugee camp far from home. But through everything, he kept running. Years later, that same boy would walk into the Olympic Stadium carrying the flag of the United States. Sometimes hope is something we find. Sometimes it is something we run toward. *Read the story form the man himself: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/running-for-my-life-lopez-lomong/1110791822

In this episode of 7 Minute Stories, Aaron has a strange ritual he’s a little embarrassed to admit. It happens quietly at the end of every season. A small moment that most people would overlook, but one he’s come to treat with surprising care. At first it seems odd. Maybe even a little obsessive. But the deeper you go, the more it begins to feel familiar. Because beneath the surface is something deeply human... 👇 📬⁠⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

After Barack Obama recently clarified his comments about aliens, UFOs, UAPs, and Area 51, the question resurfaced: Are we alone in the universe? In this episode replay, Aaron shares a strange midnight encounter under the stars that, for a moment, felt like a UFO. Or maybe a UAP? What he and his wife saw in the sky sparked thoughts of alien life, pop culture fascination, and the mathematics of the cosmos before revealing what it actually was. 👇 📬⁠⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠

Brad Roberts, lead singer and songwriter of Crash Test Dummies, sits down with Aaron for a wide-ranging conversation about songwriting, philosophy, and the unexpected afterlife of a hit song. From the improvisational process behind “Mmm Mmm Mmm Mmm” to the outsider themes that shaped his lyrics, Brad shares how studying philosophy and English literature influenced the questions embedded in his music. This bonus episode of 7MS Presents: The Storytelling University explores 90s alternative rock, lyrical storytelling, and the deeply personal stories fans have carried with them for decades. *The Storytelling University is part of the 7 Minute Stories Universe Created & Produced by Aaron Calafato & Brooks Borden Love 7MS & TSU? Here's how to support: *Follow the pod wherever you're listening *Tap 5 Stars *Text one person you love a link to your favorite episode.

This week on 7 Minute Stories, Aaron reflects on loss, legacy, and the fragile weight of being human. From the passing of cultural icons like James Van Der Beek and Robert Duvall to the deeply personal grief of losing his uncle and cousin—both Cleveland firefighters who ran toward danger for a living—this episode explores the difference between distant loss and the kind that reshapes you. Recorded on Ash Wednesday, “Ashes to Ashes, Dust to Dust” wrestles with mortality, memory, and a question Aaron first asked at age 12: When the body stops, does everything stop? Or are we more like radios—receivers of something that continues beyond us? 👇 📬⁠⁠ Join the 7 Minute Stories Newsletter⁠⁠ Each month, Aaron shares a select edition of Stories in a Snap — a written short story adapted from this 7 Minute Stories podcast and thoughtfully reimagined for the page. Subscribers also receive storytelling insights, behind-the-scenes reflections, and exclusive bonus content. All delivered straight to their inbox. 📰 ⁠Stories in a Snap (Weekly Edition)⁠ is the weekly written adaptation of 7 Minute Stories. A distilled short story you can read in just a few quiet minutes, delivered straight to your inbox every week. 📻 If you like 7 Minute Stories, you’ll love⁠⁠⁠ 7 Minute Stories Radio⁠⁠⁠ — a 24/7 stream of Aaron’s stories you can tune into anytime. Let it run in the background while you walk, work, cook, or wind down. It’s not an episode feed. It’s a digital storytelling radio companion with an analog feel, built to keep you company. 🌙 If you like 7MS, make sure you follow ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Night Stories LIVE! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠— Aaron’s late-night radio show where he shares stories and talks with special guests in real time. Streamed live Thursdays at 9:30PM EST on ⁠⁠⁠⁠YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠ and delivered as ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠a podcast on-demand⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠! The 7MS Team: Story created & performed by: Aaron Calafato Senior Audio Engineer:⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Ken Wendt ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Additional vocals: Cori Calafato Artist in Residence: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Pete Whitehead ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Original Theme Music: thomas j. duke Additional Soundscape Design:⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Isaac Gehring & Story Sounds Media LLC ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ *Image: "Fleeing a dust storm". Farmer Arthur Coble and sons walking in the face of a dust storm, Cimmaron County, Oklahoma. Arthur Rothstein, photographer, April, 1936. (Library of Congress) *Music: Scotland the Brave Roie Shpigler, Ziggy Used under paid license via Artlist.io. Special Thanks: Shannon Baker Rob Montague Jr Kyle McCarthy Dania Khalife

In a remote community along the Amazon River, a man lives for two years in quiet, crippling pain. The nearest hospital is not down the road. It is a journey away. Then one day, something white appears on the water. In this episode of 7MS Presents: Short Stories of Hope, Aaron tells the true story of a floating hospital that docks where roads do not reach, and of one Brazilian farmer whose life changed the morning he stood upright again. This is a story about dignity, skilled hands arriving by water, and the kind of hope that does not announce itself. It simply docks. *Look more about the Pope Francis Hospital Boat HERE