A visit from Jenna and Dan, the creators of CBC Radio's Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids

Loki greets Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids' host Dan Misener and producer Jenna Zuschlag-Misener

Earlier this afternoon, before hosting tonight's show at The Rondo in Windsor, Jenna and Dan from Grownups Read Things They Wrote as Kids stopped by the Woodbridge Farm. Their "always sold out reading series" (Torontoist) plays in theaters and event spaces across the country. Over the past three years, it’s also developed into a popular podcast, with mentions in USA Today, The Globe and Mail, and The Guardian, and syndication on CBC radio. Like the Moth Radio Hour, the show's recorded live on stage. Introduced and narrated by Meisner, it features audience members—usually in their 20s and 30s—who volunteer to read embarrassing stories from adolescence: journal entries, letters to celebrities, school essays, etc.

Huge numbers have seen the show, but few know that its concept originated here in Kingsville, where Jenna was raised. On a trip down from Toronto to visit her parents, Jenna read to Dan from her teenage diary. The entries were so naive and funny and awkward that, after hours spent laughing, the couple thought others might enjoy hearing them—and sharing their own juvenilia. So they found a venue, gathered friends, and threw their first reading. It's been going strong ever since.

Shout-out to Dalson Chen, who wrote about their story in this weekend's Windsor Star.

If you're interested in listening to their podcast, you can check it out here.

Site Launched + Author Announcements Soon

Exciting day. After almost a year since the retreat was founded, we now have a home online. There's something strangely official about this, as if everything that came before carried less weight—though, of course, that's not true. I suppose it's more a matter of documentation, of firming what was previously in motion. Either way, it feels great to be settled.

Several thanks are in order.

The first goes to Alexandra Sellick, whose taste is unmatched. She advised on the look of the site, provided several photos (including the wintry scene with Loki above), and offered moral support.

Next is my friend Robert Earl Stewart, the first local author to participate in our reading series, and an accomplished photographer. Several of his photos are included among the banners, including the black and white photo of the record player. The excellence of his work stands out so clearly.

Many, many thanks go to our friend Kim Fahner, the retreat's second resident, who wrote lovely words about her stay here last August. I'm so proud that she recently chose to submit her poem "A Week at Woodbridge Farm" to a prestigious national award. For more on Kim, her poetry, and her work at the Poet Laureate of Sudbury, visit her frequently updated website here.

Summer Block, Dawn Kresan, Carl Shura, and many others offered advice about hosting services, design, and other important matters, which was greatly appreciated.

Finally, thank you to Marty Gervais and Cathy Masterson for their unwavering support, enthusiasm, and council. We're looking forward to working with both in the year ahead.

Stay tuned for exciting announcements very soon.