Bridge To Better

Rebekkah is back to kick of 2022!  We talk religion, sex work, lefty circles and much more.IG: bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.coMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Emmanuel sees truth slipping away as politics becomes more tribal.  To him, this is a symptom of our democracy failing.  In this episode we talk about the difficulty of being honest, the political climate, the failure of the news media, and the power of divisiveness. IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

T.R.I believes we should be de-escalating, not escalating, when it comes to our relationships with the not-so-united nations.  In this episode we talk about war, the covid situation in India, segregation in Mississippi, the police, healthcare, and much more.  I thoroughly enjoyed our conversation.IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Simon Ballister is a freelance writer for the Korea times.  Last year, at the start the pandemic,Simon spent time in a Korean prison for marijuana related charges.  He's currently writing a book about his time in Korea.In this episode we talk about Simon's experiences, the state of American journalism, the politicization of masks, the toilet paper rush, and much more.  Simon is also a top-level official of the bean kingdom and serious about bean life.IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Lila believes that the power of personal responsibility paired with a desire to make a difference in your community is a KILLER combo.  As the mainstream news churns out more and more clickbait, Lila feels that there is more value focusing on direct action at the local level than getting caught up with the polarization.In this episode we talk about the line between the government's responsibility and personal responsibility.  We also explore the ways one can stay true to their goals and minimize regrets, despite the many outside pressures.IG:@bridgetobettermusic by @klrblndsiddylinktr.ee/bridgetobetterPersonal Note:  I've created a new substack - gearsofwar.substack.com - which will reporting on the Military Industrial Complex.  If you are interested, go ahead and subscribe.  Its free! I'll be dropping articles bi-weekly.Peace and love!

Brannon is a Junior in Highschool with aspirations of playing football and/or baseball at the collegiate level.  When schools were shutdown, Brannon had to adjust to virtual learning and figure out how to spend the 5-6 hours of structured training he used to have through the schools athletic program.If Brannon is an accurate representation of the next generation, humanity is going to be alright.  He is someone who believes in respect, hard work, and giving people the benefit of the doubt until they give you a reason not to.IG:@bridgetobettermusic by @klrblndsiddylinktr.ee/bridgetobetter

Raine Becker is a proud mother who has faced a great deal of adversity in her life.  For 25 years she was homeless, navigating between shelters and the streets.  Her experiences during this time have given her a unique perspective on why our current approach to fighting homelessness is not working and what needs to change. Raine is now focused on parenting and helping people. She is an incredible human and exemplifies what this podcast is all about.https://www.clickorlando.com/news/2012/09/22/homeless-man-gets-25-years-in-brick-attack-on-woman/"What defines you is not what happens, but how you react to what happens." - Raine BeckerYou can contact Raine at stormingraine@gmail.comMy email: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comlinktr.ee/bridgetobetterIG: bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Sidd is a student, musician, and one hell of a human being! You might know him for making the music on this podcast. In this episode we talk the similarities and differences between Singapore and America's approach to the pandemic. We also talk about the news media apparatus, censorship, disinformation, and mental health.You can find Sidd on Instagram: @klrblndsiddySpotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/4LkAIcwDK0xFihz3WcZhZL?si=dGlUNORBTKOxRzhLVfwYUAIG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Loren was a restaurant worker who lost their job due to COVID lockdowns; one study has shown over 110,000 restaurants closing permanently or long-term (https://spectrumlocalnews.com/nys/rochester/news/2020/12/10/nra-restaurants-closed-during-covid-19-congress-). As a result, Loren filed for unemployment and is now job searching in a completely different industry. Throughout this pandemic, Loren has learned many new things about herself and her mindset has shifted in terms of her day to day life, finances, and how she approaches finding long term stability. It was a pleasure to talk to her and highlight her story.IG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comMusic by (IG): @klrblndsiddy

Jenna was able to turn her hobby of making candles and her love of San Diego into a small business. She started Scents San Diego (https://www.scentssandiego.com/) before the holidays and has been tackling selling aromatic candles since then. In this episode we talking about the challenges, knowledge gained, and excitement that have come with starting @scentssandiego as well as the support network inside the small business community. It is more important than ever to support small business during this time when the Coronavirus and our government's policy decisions have decimated nearly 100,000 establishments (https://fortune.com/2020/09/28/covid-buisnesses-shut-down-closed/).Scents San Diego website: https://www.scentssandiego.com/Scents San Diego IG: @scentssandiegoIG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Elijah is a teacher that caught COVID last March. While taking a shower one day, Elijah was overwhelmed with many symptoms and rushed to the emergency room. He was eventually diagnosed with Long Haul COVID. For months, Elijah fought the virus and sometimes had little to no sleep. During this time he entered what he describes as a meditative state.The experiences that Elijah had fighting the virus changed his outlook on life. They have led him to become more spiritual as well as think more about his purpose. This has reaffirmed his love for teaching and refocused him in a new way.Music by @klrblndsiddy

As many companies made covid-related cuts, Red, as a contractor, was let go. After taking a few days to decompress, Red immediately started applying for new positions in his field. In this episode, we talk about the ups and downs Red experienced interviewing during a pandemic and how it has changed his outlook on life. More generally, we talk about how there are less career opportunities which check all the boxes nowadays and how finding the balance between work and life is becoming more difficult.

Rebekkah describes herself as a left leaning Christian who found Christianity after previously practicing Wicca, a Pagan religion. Now a devout Christian, she has frustrations with how the Republican party has used Christianity in order to exploit good people and push their agenda. As someone who once fell into the alt-right world, Rebekkah also has first hand insight into ideological cults and why many people are drawn to them. More generally, we talk about how people in dire situations can sometimes turn to the first place that offers them a sense of community. Even if that place is filled with hateful dogmas. Being non-religious myself, I was thoroughly fascinated with how we have many shared beliefs, even if they are derived from different places.*In this podcast I mention an article where the federal reserve lent 1 trillion dollars a day to banks. This actually happened in March: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-repo-daily/new-york-fed-pledges-to-offer-1-trillion-a-day-in-overnight-repo-loans-idUSKBN2143QSRebekkah's Youtube Channel: https://youtube.com/user/bekkahboodlesIG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddy

Happy new year everybody! Here's to a better 2021.

Meet Lauren, who recently moved to Phoenix, Arizona. Lauren and many of her coworkers lost their jobs in the concert staging industry when COVID hit. Social distancing requirements decimated many of the events that Lauren used to rely on for money. Many of those who worked in this industry feel forgotten.With the help of some loved ones, Lauren was able to move to Phoenix to restart. Her story is the story that many Americans can relate to during these tough times. And she also has a great story of how she once almost knocked over Bezos!Podcast IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by @klrblndsiddy

Meet Andres from Flagstaff, Arizona. Andres cofounded an organization called the Green Collective which focuses on sustainability through veganism. In America, 30-40% of food is wasted, something Andres learned first hand while dumpster diving. Due to "ad-gag" laws, factory farming is one of our country's best kept secrets. It is also one of the biggest atrocities. We explore what is currently considered the "humane" way to treat animals and what we think it should be. Green Collective IG: @greencollectivecommunityPodcast IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by @klrblndsiddy

Meet Buji from Houston. Buji has been living with his grandma during the pandemic and has adjusted to a different way of life. He has picked up meditation, a practice he once used to make fun of, in order to get better at staying present. Buji appreciates the wonderful green leaf commonly known as marijuana. On one occasion, he experienced ego dissolution, a powerful experience in which your ego dissolves in front of you.IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddyEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Daisy, a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu instructor in San Diego. The academy Daisy works at had to quickly adjust, like many other small businesses, to the ever-changing covid19 restrictions. Initially this resulted in virtual sessions as well as a loss of students. Now the school has brought back limited in person training as well as keeping zoom classes.In this episode we talk about how Daisy got into Jiu Jitsu and started teaching it, how she's adapted to the pandemic, and how it has all changed her life. We also talk about her childhood, specifically growing up as a Mexican-American, and dealing with the pressure of proving her American-ness.IG: @bridgetobetterMusic: @klrblndsiddyEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Jonathan from Phoenix! Jonathan works as a flight attendant translator/language aficionado (he speaks Spanish and Portuguese). In this episode we talk about the adjustment that airline workers have had to make as well as the risks they are taking during the pandemic. Jonathan is also a proponent of what he calls "extreme listening" which can be described as the willingness to sit down with anybody to hear them out. We talk about this philosophy, how he does it , how people react to it, and the idea (which we both disagree with) that some people should not be talked to. This podcast is based on "extreme listening" and I'm trying to channel the same energy he is. Our shared goal is to inspire more listening in the world. IG: @bridgetobetterMusic by: @klrblndsiddyEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comNew Substack: swampcreatures.substack.com - written content coming soon in addition to audio versions on this podcast!

Meet Lee Zwak, the Water Follower. Lee decided seven years ago that he wanted to hit the road and he's found a lifestyle that he loves through living in his car, pursuing photography, and exploring the country.Lee's only destination is good weather which keeps him on the move as the seasons change. While he initially set off to find love, he ended up falling in love with the journey and now feels the freest he's ever been. Facebook: Lee Zwak@waterfollower Leezwak@gmail.com @bridgetobetter Music by a groovy dude @klrblndsiddy

Meet Rachel from Palm Springs, California. Rachel is in college on a volleyball scholarship and studying psychology. Rachel found her passion in psych when her father had a traumatic brain injury and suffered from PTSD. Currently, Rachel is at home, taking her classes online and also working both as a nanny as well as training dogs for the family business. In this episode we talk about psychology, doom-scrolling, human nature, how evil has fueled great (positive and destructive) things, dogs, and a whole lot more!Music by the great @klrblndsiddyIG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Jimmy the Kid, a rapper based in Phoenix. The covid-19 lockdowns have caused many venues to close, some permanently. As a result, independent musicians, like Jimmy, who generate income from performing have taken a hit. In this episode, I talk to Jimmy about venues closing down, the life of an independent artist, measuring success, the moment when you bomb, the election, and much, much more!Jimmy has such a positive outlook on life and loves making music. You can find him at:ww.soundcloud.com/jimmythekid617Twitter/instagram @jimmythekid617Merchandise store Www.jimmythekid617.bigcartel.comIf you are interested in supporting local venues, you can do that here: www.saveourstages.com As usual, this episodes music is produced by @klrblndsiddyMy IG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Bennett who just moved to San Diego! Bennett found himself depressed in Michigan, running on the corporate hamster wheel, and decided it was time for a life change. He packed up a suitcase and bought a one way plane ticket to San Diego without a job lined up. Now, Bennett is figuring it out. He's worked through multiple jobs and even got exposed to the same Amway pyramid scheme that I did. One thing is for certain though, Bennett is chasing his passions and following his heart and finds himself the happiest he's ever been.“The meaning of life is just to be alive" - Alan WattsMusic by @klrblndsiddyIG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Chanel from sunny San Diego. Chanel tackles healing trauma through a spiritual lens. Due to the pandemic, her clientele has increased as more and more people are under lockdown related mental duress. In this episode, we talk about the sort of issues people are dealing with including relationship problems, stress from taking care of compromised friends/family, loneliness, depression and anxiety, having loved ones with depression/anxiety, and a lack of normalcy.I found myself taking mental notes since I have dealt with many of these circumstances myself.You can contact Chanel via:www.orihealing.comFacebook: OriHealing1IG: @ori_healingPhone: 619-431-2950Music by @klrblndsiddyMy IG: @bridgetobetteremail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Julian from Phoenix. Julian suffered from intense emotional trauma as a child, including being shot point blank at 15 years old. He coped with his trauma through social drinking (among other things), which turned into alcoholism. Today, he has performed a 180 flip and has made his life into something extemely positive, being sober and providing outreach for at-risk youth and the homeless. Julian is the definition of growth and self-improvement and has an incredibly inspirational story. Julian's recovery story: http://streetlightspaper.com/julians-recovery-storyMusic by @klrblndsiddyIG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

Meet Emily! She's an artist in San Diego who, like me, is trying to plug out of the matrix. We talk about a wide range of things from our spirituality, difference in politics, conspiracies, the illuminati, and much more. While we might disagree politically, our Venn diagram intersects when it comes to our connection with the metaphysical world.Music by @klrblndsiddyEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comIG: @bridgetobetter

In this weeks episode, I talk to Tony Baker, the owner and operator of Fit Group USA (www.fitgroupusa.com), a fitness company that contracts Instructors across the United States.First, we talk about how his business and other fitness businesses have dealt with the impact of COVID-19 and the resulting shutdowns.Next, we switch gears to talk about how the people are all pawns in a game being played by politicians and the different motives behind their decision making. In addition, we explore how certain people fall into a team-like, us vs them mentality when it comes to politics and defend their side to the max.Finally, we discuss how Tony adjusted to the reality of life and how changing his mindset from negative to positive drastically improved his life.Man I felt so inspired after this one and I hope you do as well!Music by @klrblndsiddyIG: @bridgetobetterEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

This weeks episode features Ruben or the Zen Master as I call him (move over Phil Jackson). We start off talking about checking out of the news cycle to maintain our sanity and why checking out is ok.In todays world where we find ourselves on our phone without even realizing how we got there, its important to understand how our psychology is being manipulated and effected. This is covered through our conversation when we talk about The Social Dilemma, a documentary on Netflix. Furthermore, topics in this episode include political advertisements, fact checking, censorship, emotion evoking "news," new independent online journalism, podcasting, and more.The most important part of this conversation is about why taking care of your mental health is vital and how we both approach achieving a peace of mind.Music by @klrblndsiddy - Check out his new single, Touchdown! https://open.spotify.com/album/2iuAzsrs2IFujTDBz74JGG?si=O8xoQrOjSyW_CjjRUlpwjQProud of you Cheddi!Follow @bridgetobetter on IGEmail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

This weeks episode features myself and my thoughts of the week including the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg and fallout of the Breonna Taylor case. We seem to be losing our sense of community over time and this loss has been greatly accelerated by our addiction to our phones (especially social media). Also why the hell can't congress pass one thing at a time? For example, why are the stimulus bills designed to bail out companies and (barely) help the people at the same time? Wouldn't it be beneficial to pass something like the UBI first so that people have a peace of mind and then focus on the next thing? My mind wandered during this one :)Music by @klrblndsiddyIG: @bridgetobetteremail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com

In this episode I talk to Eevee about how she made a lifestyle change to get ahead of her Hashimoto's Thyroid condition. We talk about her healthy detox, dealing with that familiar feeling of being hungry, the issue and reasons with eating too quickly, and fad dieting. In the world of quarantine, it has been really easy for me to fall into the trap of constant snacking and bad dieting. I definitely left this conversation thinking about changing my mindset about being more conscious of the food I eat and I hope you do too!Hashimotos: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hashimoto%27s_thyroiditisIG: @bridgetobeterMusic IG: The homie @klrblndsiddy Email: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comR.I.P RBG. Brace yourselves for even more political craziness and please take care of your own physical and mental health.

This week I talked to Baxter about LGBTQ rights and the progress (and lack of progress) associated with it. We talk about Homophobia, Transphobia, the documentary Valentine Road, Trans-Panic laws, the Justice system, and performative activism. I definitely learned a lot from this conversation!Valetine Road: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2577990/Trans/Gay Panic laws in each state: https://www.lgbtmap.org/img/maps/citations-panic-defense-bans.pdfPerformative activism: https://www.change.org/p/trader-joe-s-remove-racist-packaging-from-your-products (I'm still mad that the Indian one is "Trader Joe")IG: @bridgetobetteremail: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.comMusic this episode is by the wonderful K S

Red returns (call it the Red dead redemption) for an epic episode about conspiracies and truths that some would say are conspiratory (is that a word?). We cover the Flat Earth Movement (https://www.tfes.org/), the Death Industrial Complex, 9/11, the NSA spying on you, conscious energy (conveniences and Deja Vu), and Jeffrey Epstein's circle giving us a peek into the Illuminati. Episode of Jimmy Dore show interviewing NSA whistleblower Bill Binney: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7NfW9FsAtn4&ab_channel=TheJimmyDoreShow"We'll know our disinformation is complete when everything the American public believes is false" - Former CIA Director William Casey - February, 1981Instagrams: @bridgetobetter @klrblndsiddy (music)Email: bridgetobetterpodcast@gmail.com - Feel free to email me suggestions, conspiracies, or anything else!

In his episode I talk to Black Dragon about Facebook advertisements, dating apps, relationships, having differing opinions, happiness, the upcoming election, identity politics, and the state of the Democratic party in that order! Shout out to all the Heroes 3 Fans. Music by @klrblndsiddy. Follow @bridgetobetter if you are a fan. Side note: Jacob Blake was shot 8 times infront of his kids in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Organizations for police reform: Joincampaignzero.org, fundersforjustice.org, themarshallproject.org, and a lot more.

In this episode, I talk to the one and only KAREN about wrongful convictions (shout out to the Innocence Project), being spiritual but not religious, approaching life with more of an open minded, and being a love anarchist. Also, we had to sneak in some Karen jokes here and there :). Music by @klrblndsiddy. Follow @bridgetobetter on IG if you are a fan!

In this episode I talk to Lil Bean about her experience overcoming an eating disorder through switching to plant based diet. We talk about how the stereotypical angry vegans have hijacked the online conversation by making being vegan an "all or nothing" choice and how this type of person exists for ALL issues. Why is it that the vocal minority, with the most extreme views, has the power to take over a conversation by inaccurately representing the issue? We also explore how maintaining health through a level diet, exercise, and moderation is an underrated preventative for avoiding sickness and question why it isn't being stressed from a federal level.

In the Episode I talk to Mr. PBH about having difficult conversations by channeling empathy. We talk about how society has been pushed into an "us verses them" mentality even though there are many reasons why we should be on the same team. In addition, we cover rampant lobbying, morally compromise politicians, and how people are shaped by their environments since childhood. The central theme of this episode is that kindness and decency is an underrated power of change. Music by @klrblndsiddy (IG). Follow @bridgetobetter on IG if you are a fan!

In this episode I talk to Ole about challenges he faced throughout college, starting his career, and with drinking to cope with a feeling of failure. We also cover the problems that many Millenials face including the student loan crisis, drug dependency, depression, and figuring out life during this tough time. Music by @klrblndsiddy

In this episode I talk to Leo about how Covid-19 has changed our lives, dealing with the feeling of being unsure, modern day McCarthyism (cancel culture), and why having conversations in real life is waaay more important than having them online.

In this episode I talk to Ed about the aftermath of George Floyd's death. We start off talking about the Defund the Police movement and explore the question: "How do we, as a nation, spend our money?" Next, we talk about the ensuing culture war and whether we get too caught up in symbolic victories. We also investigate free speech, corporate interests influenced by China, tiktok, the NBA, and online SJW/cancel culture. Music by @klrblndsiddy

What does your anxiety sound like? This piece uses these sounds from freesound:11 water stream; water fountain; calming; soothing; near; peaceful; present.wav by juanlopz08 ( https://freesound.org/people/juanlopz08/ )Sound Design 2017 » Peaceful Drone.wav by mricken1 ( https://freesound.org/people/mricken1/ )

Let us venture into a make believe world where political parties do not exist. This piece uses these sounds from freesound:SFX » "CHARLIE BROWN" teacher wa-wa effect by JohnsonBrandEditing ( https://freesound.org/people/JohnsonBrandEditing/ )politicians » alfred.wav by vumseplutten1709 ( https://freesound.org/people/vumseplutten1709/ )Day of democracy in Kathmandu by OleTerbijn ( https://freesound.org/people/OleTerbijn/ )turkey » political-speech.wav by xserra ( https://freesound.org/people/xserra/ )

With the latest technology, scientists were able to examine a tweet under a 4K microscope.This piece uses these sounds from freesound:"Mystery" signals - electronic radiation » mysterious_signal_01_pickup_coil.wav by uair01 ( https://freesound.org/people/uair01/ )Medieval Village Characters » Mysterious Merchant by code_box ( https://freesound.org/people/code_box/ )

In this episode I talk to Red about navigating social media in today's climate. We start of by talking about the big corporations that run social media, how they profit, and how we, as consumers, feed into it. Throughout the episode, we explore the ideas of online justice, online looting, corporations saying the right thing in order to avoid taking the right actions, arguing online, the fear of being cancelled, and the future of social media. We even throw in some black mirror pitches that eerily might become our reality. Music by @klrblndsiddy