What happens when you stop trying to prove that you already know the answer?

That’s one of the questions at the heart of this week’s North of Normal conversation. Amanda McKeen sits down with Meghan McPhaul, editor of Northern Woodlands Magazine, to talk about curiosity, storytelling, journalism, and the unexpected places a good question can lead. Meghan shares stories from her years as a local reporter, her adventures in Colorado and Ireland, her connection to Cannon Mountain, and the journey that led her to write a book about its history.

But this conversation goes well beyond writing. Amanda and Meghan talk about what it means to listen without deciding ahead of time what someone is going to say, how our own assumptions can shape the stories we tell, and why sometimes the best stories begin with simply wondering, “Why?” There’s plenty of laughter along the way, a few wonderfully awkward North Country moments, and a reminder that being willing to admit we don’t know might be one of the most valuable things we can do.