Be More Well Podcast

I'm still not comfortable with referencing things from my youth as 'nostalgia.' But here we are. I'm taking us on a trip down memory lane to a magical time called 'The 90's.' With me today is educator, and author, Veronica Litt. She's penned a new book about the classic pop culture gem Clueless. The book is called, 'Ugh! As If?' Can you even think of a better title? Despite on its face looking like a teen rom-com set in wealthy Los Angeles in the mid-90's, Clueless has stood the test of time because it is much deeper than most people think. And I'm not just talking about it's roots being based on the Jane Austen classic 'Emma.' I hope you enjoy this conversation, and I hope you check out the book when it comes out on June 3rd, 2025.

I've been trying for a long time to find an excuse to have this guest back on the show. I'm excited to welcome back singer and podcaster Ray Harkins. He's the host of the '100 Words Or Less' podcast and he's the frontman of the new hardcore band Bloodguilt. Bloodguilt kind of popped up out of nowhere. I just started seeing Ray posting about it on social media one day and I was shocked. But the music is great. It has a sense of urgency and it feels like it needs to be heard. In this conversation, Ray and I discuss how Bloodguilt came together, what it's like to grow up in the hardcore scene, and how important the recommendations your friends make on social media are.

Like millions of other people during the pandemic, I discovered the Netflix series 'Drive To Survive' and became obsessed. I knew almost nothing about Formula One besides the content that I'd occasionally see covered on Sports Center back in the day. But DTS brought me back in. It's not even the racing that really revs my engine. I'm more interested in the behind the scenes drama. Who is going to drive with who, and which teams are in trouble. All of that is covered in DTS and immediately made me a Formula One fan.This week's conversation is with Luke Smith, the senior Formula One correspondent for Formula One. He just published a book filled with his own personal stories called 'On The Grid: Live Behind The Scenes Of Formula One.' We had a great chat about the sport, it's growing popularity, Smith's own driving record and why he thinks DTS is responsible for him still having a job.To find more from Luke, you can check out his posts HERE

If I had to give you a few topics that I'm always down to discuss, Taylor Swift would come in near the top of the list. There are so many aspects to her unbelievable career that we could dive into. Today we're stepping into the business of Taylor Swift. Kevin Evers, editor at the Harvard Business Review, has put together a fascinating book about the behind the scenes of Taylor's career. It's called 'There's Nothing Like This: The Strategic Genius Of Taylor Swift.' If you're a Taylor fan, or you know one, this book will be a glimpse into some of the themes from her career that you probably didn't know about.

I can't tell you how many days and hours I spent in dusty, or paved, parking lots in various cities watching the Warped Tour. It was a part of my summer every year for about a decade. I wouldn't miss it. As much joy as I found at the Warped Tour, it never would've happened without Lollapalooza.First launched in 1991 as a farewell tour for Janes Addiction, Lollapalooza ended up launching a series of touring festivals, and even helped to shape the festival scene that we have now. Authors Richard Bienstock and Tom Beaujour have put together what I think is a remarkable oral history of Lollapalooza. They spoke with everyone to create this book called 'Lollapalooza: The Uncensored Story Of Alternative Rock's Wildest Festival.'

Do you remember that old SNL skit with Chris Farley where he would interview famous people? It was so uncomfortable, but yet funny. He would act like a nervous fan. For example, he interviewed Paul McCartney once and said, "You remember when you were with the Beatles? That was awesome."I was very concerned that this interview might go down the same path. I'm such a fan of the guests on this episode. Their song Point Your Finger changed the way I hear music. I'm not even exaggerating. The three part harmonies that come out of their mouths are unmatched.This week I had the pleasure of speaking with Trousdale. They have a new album coming out on April 11th, and a tour kicking off on April 30th. Both of which I'm very excited about. Hopefully I didn't fanboy too hard during this conversation and you enjoy it. If you haven't heard their stuff yet, please check it out. I promise you won't be disappointed.

Ted Lasso was a brilliant show that came into the world at the time that we all needed it. It launched in 2020 during the height of the pandemic. Everyone was trapped at home feeling helpless, having anxiety and in need of some cheering up. Welcome Ted Lasso. This show was the unlikely success story during a wild time. I loved it from day one and still rewatch the series from time to time when I need some happiness in my life (which is often due to the current status of the world). Journalist and author Jeremy Egner got behind the scenes to share the stories with us about how the show was created, how everyone came together and some of the great stories from the cast that we didn't get a chance to see. He puts it all in his new book 'Believe: The Untold Story Behind Ted Lasso, the Show That Kicked Its Way Into Our Hearts.' I loved this conversation. If you were a Ted Lasso fan, this is a book you need to read.

I had such a fun time with this week's guest, author B.K. Borison. I came across her latest novel, First Time Caller, kinda by accident. It was sitting in my radio station and caught my eye. I tell the full story in the podcast so I won't share all the details here. But I found out that Borison is from Baltimore, where I live, and the book is about a radio dj, which is my full time job. I just had to check it out and talk to her.Thankfully, B.K. Borison is up for a good time and we had a great chat. Romance novels aren't usually in my wheelhouse, but I really enjoyed this one. Maybe it's because it pays respect to one of my all time favorite movies. Maybe it's because it takes place in my city. Or maybe it's just because it's a heartwarming story, which is something I need in this crazy world right now. I hope you check out her new book, and that you enjoy this week's podcast.

We've all heard all the stories about work. We've been told since we were kids that if we work hard that we'll see success, and if we don't, it's because we did something wrong. Or, that we're not working hard enough. We've heard tales from older generations about how they came to this country with nothing but the clothes on their back and turned that into millions.What if I told you that stories is all they are. It's the tales that have been passed down for centuries that have developed this hard working impression, but none of it is true. Sure, there are people who have worked hard and found success. But even many of them, whether they admit it or not, had some help along the way. Adam Chandler joins me this week to discuss his new book '99% Perspiration: A New Working History Of The American Way Of Life.' Chandler goes all the way back to the days of Columbus and the Pilgrims to show how this fallacy of hard work has been a lie right from the beginning. We really dive into it and I had a lot of fun. I wish I had more time to talk with Adam because this was great. Arguably one of my favorite episodes of this show.

In my first episode back in quite some time, I figured I'd take you on a journey to the literal ends of the earth. Today I'm speaking with scientist, educator and author Neil Shubin. He's spent much of his life doing research in the Arctic and Antarctica. These are some of the last remaining untouched areas in this world. In his latest book, titled 'Ends of the Earth: Journeys to the Polar Regions In Search Of Life, The Cosmos, and Our Future', Shubin discusses a place that he saw his footprints still intact after 6 years. His descriptions of his time in Antarctica sound almost like fiction, but they are in fact real. I was blown away by so much in this book and it was a true pleasure to speak with Neil. I hope you enjoy our conversation.For more from Neil Shubin's book - Ends Of The EarthNeil on social media - BlueSky - Instagram

Hey everyone! I know it's been a while (almost 10 months) but I'm back. I did some soul searching and research into the show and realized it's time to dive back into some fun and interesting conversations. It's time for new topics and brand new episodes! They'll start launching the first week of February!

I'm excited to share today's episode with author Emily Ballesteros. She's published a book about burnout called 'The Cure For Burnout: How To Find Balance And Reclaim Your Life.' For some reason people tend to wear their stress, business and burnout like a badge of honor. But why? Why do we feel more special because we're burnt out? Emily Ballesteros has spent the last few years studying the subject of burnout. She's basically the expert. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Emily and that you check out her book.

Such a pleasure to have the return of Lisa Gardner to the Adult Education Podcast. I've fallen in love with her latest character, Frankie Elkin, and her series of books. The first one came out in 2021, and was followed up in 2022 with book two. But then 2023 came and went without a new book. I started to get worried that the Frankie series may be over and done with.Turns out, it almost was. In fact, Lisa almost stepped away from writing. We talk about that in the conversation. Thankfully Frankie is back in a new book called 'Still See You Everywhere.' Lisa's imagery in this book is amazing. I genuinely felt like I was in the story because of her beautiful ability to share her vision.I hope you like our chat, and that you check out the new book!

Today's guest is the amazingly talented Hannah Ellis. I first met her a couple of years ago and was immediately impressed with her poise and attitude. Her music is a true reflection of who she is. Fast forward to 2024 and she dropped her debut album titled 'That Girl.' It's definitely a contender for album of the year in my opinion. There are so many layers to this record and so and a lot of passion. It was a real pleasure to be able to chat with Hannah and learn more about her life before moving to Nashville, her audition for the Voice that kind of changed the path of her life and so much more.

I loved speaking with this week's guest because I've been following her on Instagram for quite some time now. In this episode I catch up with Nichole Dandrea-Russert. You may know her better by her online persona through Instagram @purley__planted. Nichole is a dietician and nutritionist that specializes in plant-based nutrition. She's been plant-based herself for about a decade and has seen the positive impact that it can have on a person's body.Since starting this podcast back in 2020 I've spoken with many people who discuss the good things that come from eating a plant-based diet. I've definitely worked more plants into my diet in the last few years and I've given up things like dairy in the process. It's amazing what some simple diet changes can do to your overall health.In this conversation we primarily discuss her new book titled 'The Vegan Athlete's Nutrition Handbook: The Essential Guide For Plant-Based Performance.' We also discuss our mutual admiration for Dotsie Bausch, the death threats I received when I told people about the negatives of dairy, how important magnesium is and other things. I hope you enjoy our conversation and that you check out her book!

Joining me this week is investigative journalist, and author, Gary Taubes. You may have seen him on TV or heard him on other podcasts. He's got quite a history with hist latest books coming in the world of nutrition. Taubes is the author of books like The Case Against Sugar, The Case For Keto and now his latest is 'Rethinking Diabetes: What Science Reveals About Diet, Insulin, and Successful Treatments.'One thing that I found interesting, and that I appreciate about Gary, is that he's open to the idea that there are many options when it comes to nutrition. He has his own beliefs, which he says he's backed up with research. But he acknowledges that it can be hard to prove things, and sometimes research can be biased. What I really loved learning from his book, 'Rethinking Diabetes,' was the history of diabetes in America. Gary really went all the way back to the beginning to show how the disease has grown and also how our understanding an perception of it has changed. A hundred years ago diabetes was almost unheard of in the population. Now about 10% of our population has been diagnosed. And that's just the people that have been diagnosed. It's estimated that another 3% has diabetes but doesn't realize it. That's wild.I hope you enjoy our conversation.

I've been trying to get Dana Bollen on the show for about a year now. If you're not familiar with @danafuggenb then I'm happy to make the introduction. Dana is the tour manager and cowbell player for one of my favorite bands, Piebald. He's also on the road a lot doing merch for many other artists, and he hosts the 'Two Week Notice' podcast.I've fallen in love with his podcast. Dana invites guests from the punk/emo/hardcore scene on. Many of them are artists that I've been listening to for decades at this point. I love learning more about the people behind the music.This episode kind of jumps all over the place as Dana and I keep falling into nostalgic rabbit holes. But I hope you find his story as fascinating as I do.

My guest this week is psychologist Dr. Mariel Buque. We're discussing intergenerational trauma. No, this isn't the trauma you feel when your parents ask you when you're going to give them a grandbaby. We're talking about things a little bit deeper than that.Honestly, I'd never heard the term intergenerational trauma before. It was a pleasure to speak with Dr. Buque and learn more about her work. She has a new book called 'Break The Cycle: A Guide To Healing Intergenerational Trauma.' It's really fascinating work. I hope you check it out. And I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Welcome to 2024. We're kicking off the year with a conversation with Dr. Michael Greger.He's the author of many books, most notably his book 'How Not To Die.' I've seen this book on so many reading lists, and I've seen Dr. Greger's name in the credits of so many books. He's definitely someone that the health community keeps tabs on.Dr. Greger recently published his latest book titled 'How Not To Age: The Scientific Approach to Getting healthier As You Get Older.' I've really been enjoying this book and the information inside. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Dr. Michael Greger.

I'm so excited for this conversation with Rob Harvilla. he's the host of my favorite podcast, '60 Songs That Explain The 90's'. I have looked forward to Wednesday's for the last three years simply because that's when new episodes come out. Looking up the latest episode is the first thing I do when I wake up on Wednesday morning. Rob is getting ready to wrap up the series with his 120th episode coming in a few weeks. Now he's taking his words to the page. He just dropped a book version of the podcast, also titled '60 Songs That Explain The 90's.' It's a lot of fun to go through, especially for a music nerd like myself. I hope you check out the book, and that you enjoy this conversation with Rob Harvilla!

My guest this week is Alex Hall. He's a rising star in country music, but don't let that fool you. This didn't happen overnight. Alex first started playing shows around age 14 and at one point was playing over 100 shows a year during high school. He's been working very hard to get to this point where he just released his debut album, 'Side Effects Of The Heart.'It was a pleasure catching up with Alex and learning more about his journey. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

This week I get the pleasure of chatting with an old friend. Morgan Evans is my guest. I've been lucky enough to see Morgan live many times over the last 6 or so years and we've developed a bit of a relationship. I'm not just a fan of his music, I'm also a fan of him as a human.So, it was great to catch up with him for this week's episode. We primarily talk about what it's like to be an international artist and how it feels to visit his home country of Australia. We also dive into a bit of his career at home before he started to break out in America. There's a whole treasure trove of uncovered stories there and I'm so glad that he shared some with me.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Morgan Evans!

Joining me today is the CEO and Founder of 'Deeper Than Money,' Chloe Elise. I always struggle with conversations about money. It's such a personal conversation that can lead to some awkward interactions. But, I came across Chloe's new book and knew we had to connect. The book is called 'Deeper Than Money: Ditch Money Shame, Build Wealth and Feel Confident AF.' The key word for me is 'Shame.' We always feel such shame when it comes to money mistakes, debt and other problems. And that shame gets compounded when we see other people doing the things that we want to do. Chloe and I dive into her past, how she found herself on this financial path and how we can ditch that shame in our lives. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

I had a chance to catch up with country artist Chris Lane for this week's episode. Chris was sitting on top of the country charts before the pandemic took hold of the world. Like so many other artists, the shut downs really slowed down his momentum. Between that, getting married, having kids and some label issues, Chris decided to take a step back for a time to reevaluate his situation and what he wanted from his career.Chris is back now with a new label, new music and a new outlook on life. We discuss what led to his slow down, the switch to Red Street Records and what's coming up.

This week I'm joined by Fandango managing editor Erik Davis. It's always fun to chat with someone who loves movies more than I do. I have so many fond memories of being at the theater with family and friends. I got to nerd out a little bit with Erik.But I really wanted to talk to him because I wanted to discuss how the box office is doing. The movie theater industry has certainly had a few big hits in the post-pandemic era, but it hasn't bounced back to what it was before the pandemic took over the world. People seem much more satisfied with their streaming service and staying home to watch a movie from the couch.Erik discusses what films need to be doing to bring people out for a night at the theater, we talk about recent successes, what he's excited for coming up and we'll dive into Taylor Swift's upcoming film.

I'm joined by director and producer Monica Medellin. She's the brain behind Amazon Prime Video's new series 'Surf Girls Hawaii.' I've been fascinated by this show and have already watched it twice all the way through. I've always had this rabid interest in surfing, despite the fact that I've never done it before. I went into Surf Girls Hawaii expecting to love the surfing and action of the sport. That was great, but I found the humanity of the show is really want kept me in. 'Surf Girls Hawaii' follows the lives a group of young women who were born and bred on the islands. Surfing is in their blood and DNA. Director and show creator Monica Medellin captures their lives on the islands, how surfing is ingrained in their daily lives, the struggles and the successes of their lives both on and off the water.I feel such a pleasure that I had an opportunity to speak with Monica and I hope we will be able to connect again. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Joining me today is singer/songwriter Leah Marie Mason. I was first introduced to her through seeing her work with Jason and Nelly Reeves. They're two of my favorite artists, so I figured I'd love Leah. I was right. Her music is so special to me on many different levels. Most of which I can't put into words. Her latest release is a song called 'Black Sheep.' It takes a look back at her time in high school. It was a tough time for Leah as she bounced around from group to group trying to find the place where she fit in. Ultimately she found that she didn't really fit in anywhere. I felt similarly when I was in school. This song struck a chord with me boy in the lyrics and its beautiful harmonies.I really enjoyed this conversation with Leah Marie Mason. It's quickly become my favorite episode of this podcast. She opened up with me more than she has before. I appreciate that she felt comfortable enough to share her story. I hope you enjoy the conversation.

Today's guest is illustrator and artist Nathan Pyle. I was first introduced to him through an Instagram post that was shared with me. It showed some real life pigeons walking around on the street, but Nathan had added captions and stickers to it to create a story. I don't remember exactly what was happening but I remember loving it. I followed him on Instagram and my life was forever changed. Nathan Pyle is the creator of the wildly popular comic strip 'Strange Planet.' It's turned into 3 different books and now into a TV series for Apple TV+. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Nathan where we discuss parenthood, how he transitioned from teaching Theology to art and watching his work being turned into a TV series.

This is a repost of an earlier episode that I shared in November of 2020. I've always thought it deserved a second chance at being heard since I posted it on the same day as the 2020 US presidential election. And we all know how that went. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Maria Ahlin. Below are the original show notes.If I'm being honest, I never thought I'd be talking about porn in one of my podcasts. But here we are.I was inspired to dive further into this topic after coming across a TEDx Talk done by today's guest, Maria Ahlin. It was titled 'Let's Talk Porn.' Ok, I thought, you have my interest. My eyes and mind were opened up to so many new things I had never really considered.With people finding porn at younger ages, it's showing a massive impact on how young people view sex. Young people are creating unrealistic expectations based on what they see. Porn ends up having negative affects on the mind that can lead to symptoms that are common with drug addiction.And some of those expectations lead to people doing things they don't feel comfortable with just because it's what they see in porn. Maria and I discuss how young women are thinking that they need to be choked and punished during sex because that's what men like. So many of these beliefs come from usage of porn.

I met Tyler Rich back in 2019. Have you ever had one of those moments where you meet someone and you feel this instant connection with them? That's how I felt about Tyler. We had a connection over our love of Huskies, our histories in rock music and our love of music in general. Since that meeting we've stayed in touch through social media. But I've always wanted to get him on the show. Thankfully I was finally able to make it happen. Tyler joins me for what I think was a really fun conversation. It's a little bit all over the place, but in a good way. You'll get to know a lot about Tyler from how he got into music, how country music came into play and about his crazy work ethic that led him to developing a very avid fan base.

Today I'm pleased to be joined by American Idol's HunterGirl. I'll admit that I didn't watch any of Season 20, where she was the runner up. But I've become a fan since learning more about her. Hunter has a killer voice and an incredible personality and stage presence. I have a feeling we'll all be hearing about her for many years to come.In our conversation we talk about where HunterGirl came from, both the name and the person, how her family helped push her to go for her dreams and what's going on now that Idol is in the rearview mirror. I really enjoyed catching up with Hunter and hope you enjoy the conversation as well!

This week I'm discussing work culture with journalist and author Simone Stolzoff.It seems like work has gotten out of control. People introduce themselves at dinner parties with their job title, working long hours and having stress is a badge of honor to people and we're expected to drop everything when our boss calls.If you think it all sounds toxic, you're right. Yet, we all continue to operate this week. We are letting work take over our lives. What's the phrase? We are living to work instead of working to live. How did we get here? Is it making us happy? And how do we fix it? Those are some of the questions that I answer with Simone Stolzoff. He recently published a book called 'The Good Enough Job: Reclaiming Life From Work.' We discuss the book and other things as we tackle the subject of our wild work culture in America.For more from Simone Stolzoff: WEBSITE and INSTAGRAMFor more from Adult Education: @adulteducationpodcastFor more from host Jeff St. Pierre: @stpierreonair

This week I'm joined by the founder of running apparel company Outrun The Dark, Siggy. When I started becoming an active runner I used it to escape some of the hard times I was having in my personal life. Once my feet hit the pavement, or treadmill, I was lifted out of the darkness that was going on and I focused solely on my run and progress. I didn't realize at the time how many other people used running to outrun their own demons.Through social media I came across an apparel company called Outrun The Dark. After looking into it I realized it's so much more than shirts and sweatshirts. It was a community of people that used running to help battle through their own darkness.Outrun The Dark was founded by a Norwegian man named Siggy. He had the idea while he was running through some of his own darkness. What he's been able to build over the last decade has been nothing short of amazing. I was able to catch up with Siggy to learn more about his personal story, how Outrun the Dark came together and how the community great around it.For more on Outrun The Dark visit outrunthedark.com

I'm so pleased this week to be able to speak with astrophysicist Sarafina El-Badry Nance. I went to Villanova University as an Astronomy and Astrophysics major. I spent my first semester in the major before deciding that the path was not what I saw as my future.Despite choosing another avenue in life, I still have a fascination with the world above our heads, and I have so much appreciation for those who dedicate their lives to finding out the mysteries of the universe. Sarafina El-Badry Nance is an astrophysicist and she's just published a book that is half science book and half memoir. It's titled 'Starstruck: A Memoir of Astrophysics and Finding Light in the Dark.' The book is super interesting and I've found myself getting lost in how she bounces back and forth between stories about her life and information about the universe. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Sarafina. We discuss her inspiration to follow science, the struggles she had along the way, my crazy theories about the universe and more.

This conversation is some 20 years in the making. I've been such a fan of The Dollyrots over the years but have never had the chance to see or speak with them. I was so excited to finally have a chance to sit down and talk with Kelly Ogden.In this conversation we discuss a lot, but the topics include the band's new music, Kelly's time as a radio DJ and what life is like on the road now that there are kids in the family.I hope you enjoy my conversation with Kelly Ogden of The Dollyrots.Check out the latest single from The Dollyrots - Still Holding On

This week we are entering into the letter D. There was only one possible album to discuss here and that's 'Around The Fur' by The Deftones. This one spent years in my car and was in constant rotation. Even now I still find myself jamming out to these songs.In this episode I discuss the album as well as some of my favorite concert experiences featuring artists like Snapcase, Taylor Swift, Something Corporate, Mest and more!If you have any thoughts on 'Around The Fur' I'd love to hear from you. Please feel free to share them in the comments on instagram @adulteducationpodcast

My guest today is podcast host Joanne McNeil. I recently came across her show, 'Main Accounts: The Story Of MySpace.' I've been absolutely hooked and I anxiously await every new episode of the show.I reached out because I wanted to learn more about Joanne's background studying social media, and to take a deeper dive into some of the topics brought up in her show.I hope you enjoy our conversation. Please check out her podcast. I know you'll love it. Especially if you have a history with MySpace!

This week I'm joined by rising country star Erin Kinsey. For my money she's one of the best young voices coming out of Nashville. I had a chance to meet her about a year ago and since then I've wanted to share her story with everyone.In this conversation we discuss her love of music and decision to pursue it full time, her move to Nashville at just 17 years old and what it's like as an artist to try to keep up with the digital world.

As we get into the letter C, I dive into Cave In's legendary album 'Until Your Heart Stops'. This album has had such a major impact on me and my love of music. It changed the trajectory for the genre and may have even created a new genre. To this day Cave In are still one of the most revered artists in heavy music, and 'Until Your Heart Stops' is a big reason why.

I'm a dad now. I can't tell you how many times I've told my 2-year-old that she needs to eat her vegetables. I think it's a phrase that automatically enters your vocabulary once you become a parent.But it's true. You need to eat your vegetables. There are so many important vitamins and nutrients that come from vegetables. They benefit our health in so many different ways. Yet we always seem to forget them.Nutritionist and food blogger Marisa Moore is here to help. She's recently published a book called "The Plant Love Kitchen: An Easy Guide To Plant-Forward Eating With 75+ Recipes". The keyword here is 'Plant-Forward.' Moore points out the importance of vegetables while also mixing in options for those that still want to add some meat to their meals.Marisa Moore knows her stuff and I loved chatting with her. I've tried a few of these recipes since the conversation. They're fantastic and delicious.For more from the show: @adulteducationpodcast on InstagramFor more from the host: @stpierreonair on InstagramFor more from Marisa Moore: @marisamoore on instagram and marisamoore.com

Episode two of my Visor Library project takes us back to the 60's with the classic Beach Boys album 'Pet Sounds.' When you're a teenager, old stuff isn't cool. You always want to have the newest and shiniest of things. Loving The Beach Boys didn't do me any favors when it came to popularity. But I've always loved 'Pet Sounds.' It's an album that spent a significant amount of time in my visor organizer. That's the album I'm talking about this week.I'd love to hear your thoughts on 'Pet Sounds' or the Beach Boys in general. Feel free to comment on instagram @adulteducationpodcast.

I've been lucky enough to develop a relationship with author Sarah Knight. She's behind the mega-popular No Fucks Given Guides, which include books like 'The Life Changing Magic Of Not Giving A Fuck' and 'Get Your Shit Together'. She's now on to her 6th full length book in the series titled 'Grow The Fuck Up: How To Be An Adult And Get Treated Like One.'This book takes the reader on a slightly different ride than her previous works. Where the first few books in the series help people take back control of their lives, Grow The Fuck Up acts as more of a blueprint for adulting. I think you'll love it and I hope you enjoy our conversation.For more on Sarah: sarahknight.comFollow Adult Education: @adulteducationpodcast

You know the old phrase, 'You need to stop and smell the roses.' That's the basis for today's conversation. We get so wrapped up in our lives that we forget about those beautiful little things that surround us. Cyndie Spiegel is the author of the book 'Microjoys: Finding Hope (Especially) When Life Is Not Ok.' She's gone through a lot since the start of the pandemic from deaths to cancer diagnoses. There was a year long span that would've crushed anyone, and no one would've blamed Spiegel if she had curled into a ball and spent her days crying. But that's not what she did. Instead she turned her focus to 'microjoys.' Spiegel started to open her eyes to the world around her and it was those little things that often go unnoticed that helped keep her sane during the hardest time in her life.This is a very inspirational book and I think it can be helpful to anyone. I hope you enjoy my conversation with Cyndie Spiegel.

Investigative journalist and author Alexandra Robbins joins me this week to discuss her new book, 'The Teachers: A Year Inside America's Most Vulnerable, Important Profession.' This conversation hits close to home for me because my mother was a teacher and my wife is a teacher. I've been surrounded by them my whole life, and some of the people who shaped my career were teachers. I hate to see what politicians and impressionable parents are doing to our teachers right now.Alexandra's book is a fascinating look at a year in the life of three teachers from different grade levels and areas of the country. We get to see how their lives differ and how they are the same. I hope the right people read this and see it's time we give more love and support to our teachers.

As I start this journey through some of my favorite albums of all time, I'm proud to start with the legendary album 'Dirt' by Alice In Chains. This CD lived in my visor organizer for the better part of a decade. Please feel free to share any of your thoughts about this album through the instagram @adulteducationpodcast

When the pandemic hit we all had to take a step back. Many people kept saying all they wanted was to get back to 'normal.' But what would that normal look like?As vaccines became available and places started to reopen, the transition back to 'normal' wasn't easy for everyone. Some dove right back into old habits while a lot of people realized they didn't want their normal to return. They wanted a new normal. And for others, the transition back out into the world wasn't easy. Enter our guest for this week, Katherine May. She recently published her latest book titled 'Enchantment: Awakening Wonder In An Anxious Age.' This book is all about that transition. It's all about finding joy (enchantment) through those little things in life.

Inspired by a couple of my favorite podcasts, I'm taking you on a trip down memory lane to talk about some of my personal favorite albums. Introducing a new show to the Adult Education Podcast network. I'm calling it Adult Education: Visor Library. If you know anything about me then you know I'm a music fan. So many of my favorite memories in life are attached to music. I wanted a way to discuss music on my podcast without taking away from what I've already built with Adult Education. So, consider Visor Library as a companion podcast.Each week I'll discuss a different CD that spent a lot of time in my car's sun visor organizer. I'll start with the letter A and take you through to Z with a new episode each week. As I said, these are going to be some of my favorite albums. I hope to extend the conversation on social media to find out some of your favorites. Make sure you follow @adulteducationpodcast on Instagram.

Where does hate come from? We aren't born with it. It's not part of our genetic make up. Yet there is so much hate out there in the world. And it seems like we're surrounded by it on a daily basis. Professor and criminologist Matthew Williams has taken a deep dive into hate over the last couple decades. He has uncovered some fascinating research that he discusses in the book The Science Of Hate: How Prejudice Becomes Hate And What We Can Do To Stop It.I find the subject to be fascinating. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

How many of us have sat in our cubicles and thought this is not the life we wanted for ourselves. Yet we continue coming in day after day to do our work. That's not the life Kiki Andersen wanted.Comedian Kiki Andersen was once a rising star at a Baltimore, MD TV station. She was working the morning shift for a news program and even won herself an Emmy for her reporting work. But journalism is not what made her excited. Kiki decided to hang it up for a life in comedy. She followed her passion and it sent her across the country to Los Angeles.I've been a fan of Kiki's since she was on my TV in Baltimore, so it was a pleasure to finally be able to catch up with her and learn more about her journey to comedy. I hope you enjoy!

Don't let the episode title throw you off. What you know and love about Adult Education will not be changing. I'll still be doing my best to bring you compelling conversations with experts from all different fields.But I want to add some content to this show. I have a couple of ideas working through my brain that I plan to bring your way soon. Find out more in this bonus/update episode of Adult Education.

One of my favorite authors is Grady Hendrix. I first came across his work when he published 'The Final Girls Support Group'. We spoke about that book in a previous episode of Adult Education. I found him to be so fascinating that I went back through his catalog to look up other stories to read. I've fallen in love with his work.And so has Hollywood. His book 'My Best Friends Exorcism' was turned into a film for Amazon Prime Video. 'Final Girls' is being turned into a series for HBO, as is his book 'The Southern Book Club's Guide To Slaying Vampires.' You'll be hearing a lot about Grady over the next couple of years.He just published his latest work 'How To Sell A Haunted House.' We caught up and talked about the new book as well as his writing styles and habits. It was really interesting to learn more about his process of getting into a novel, and what he really enjoys writing about.I hope you enjoy this episode.