Feel Free to Deviate

Am I the guest? Is Oppie the guest? Is Pi the guest? Are all of us simultaneously both the guest and the host? These questions may never be answered, but in this episode I chat with Pi Ai about Christopher Nolan's 2023 summer blockbuster film, Oppenheimer. In case you are unaware, Oppenheimer is a film about the scientist who lead the team that developed the atomic bombs used at the end of World War II. It's a biopic, cautionary tale, and fine piece of filmmaking all wrapped up in one. To be clear, this is not a review, and I don't move through the film step by step. Maybe I should have, but I felt like that would be a waste of time. Am I wrong about that? Let me know your thoughts and feelings on the matter if you get a chance. I'm telling you this because the episode probably won't make sense if you haven't watched the film. So, if you haven't already, watch the film, and then listen to this. If you boldly listen without watching the film, I must note that there are spoilers, though I seriously doubt anything said in the episode will ruin your enjoyment of the film. In fact, it may enrich it, much like the plutonium and uranium used in the bombs. Topics include: Toxic masculinity The cost of being exceptionally brilliant What motivates you? Revenge is probably a waste of time. The government has its own agenda, and it's not likely that the advancement of science for the sake of science is high on its list. Stuff like that! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Despite long breaks and periods of doubt and despair, I finally made it to episode 50. This is a weird one. The guest, or guests are two different AI bots. The first is one I've named Max, and the second is the chat bot provided by Bing. We talk about a few articles about satisfaction in workplace, and I receive some decent feedback from a computer who has never actually had a job before, and I'm pretty sure it gets reset after each use. It's pretty fun, except for all my human grumpitude. Topics include: Work satisfaction What is happiness? Helpful suggestions Luxury decisions Am I projecting, or missing the point, or attaching my own meaning and interpretation to everything that I read? How much can one old white guy whine? So much more! The articles discussed are: https://hbr.org/2019/07/why-you-should-stop-trying-to-be-happy-at-work https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/career-development/unraveling-work-self-worth Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com.

Episode 49 of Feel Free to Deviate features musician and educator Eric Miller. Eric and I were in a band together when we were in high school and were later roommates during my early years in Boston. Since then, Eric has been a serially self-employed music creator, educator, and proprietor of Miller Music in Farmington, CT. He is a pillar of the community and an over all great guy who can shred with the best of them.   Topics include: Teaching music Being in bands Homeschooling Evolving with the times Shredding for the Lord / Faith music Quail eggs Beatles enthusiasts So much more!   Some Eric related links: https://www.millermusiclessons.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/72RfGsy0V8oDUZwviOhdUX?si=peLXyvhVQ1uERKyXxuqTIA https://www.youtube.com/user/MillerMusicllc https://millermusic.co/masterclass/ https://linktr.ee/millermusicllc   Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 0048 of Feel Free to Deviate features nobody… It's a quick explanation of why Jim has recently strayed from the release schedule, and an outline of what you might expect in the future.  Topics include: Excuses are like… Dead grass is not awesome Job search An awkward job interview Bathroom renovations So much more! - really, not much more. A little more, but whatever. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 47 of Feel Free to Deviate features singing, songwriting, guitar playing creative person, Tom Sturm. Our paths originally crossed in the late 90s when he moved into a house with a bunch of my friends. He's a musician, but as many parents of musicians have noted over the years, making money as a musician can be… challenging. Because of that, he currently works as a content creator at Cooley Dickinson Hospital in Northampton, MA, but he always seems to have some sort of project for himself and anyone who will listen. He's been making stuff since he was a kid, and as far as I can tell he doesn't plan to stop. Tom is all in. Topics include: Cooley Dickinson Content creation The curse of the artist musical development The art of the pop song Vagus Nerve Reset Being an experienced elder, and what that means to a 20 year old So much more!!! A bunch of juicy Tom Sturm links: Search for “Vagus Nerve Reset” Bandcamp : https://vagusnervereset.bandcamp.com/album/vagus-nerve-reset Apple Music/iTunes : http://itunes.apple.com/album/id/1674327276 Amazon Music : https://amazon.com/music/player/albums/B0BWTZQYW4?marketplaceId=ATVPDKIKX0DER&musicTerritory=US&ref=dm_sh_E4kAT363o48p8nYQtDvQqwbA0 Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5nn14resUvLwHI8wCY2E3C A nice Snackbeard showcase! https://valleyadvocate.com/2019/11/01/snackbeard-on-the-valley-advocate-sessions-stage/ Soundcloud - https://soundcloud.com/tom-sturm SsasS - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nb199OJ88lo https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgvXqNdwiz0gpsMGac6WHMw Big Ugly Wrench / Darth Mordor : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IDwpaM9HT0 There's more. Maybe I'll add more later. Maybe you can search yourself. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://www.buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way!Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 46 of Feel Free to Deviate features architectural power couple Valentina Fantini and Giulio Margheri. Both of them work for notable Dutch architecture firms and have their own career trajectories. They share their experiences of how they ended up working for their current firms, and how their relationship evolved with their careers over the years. The conversation provides insight into the world of architecture and what it's like to work for well-known firms like MVRDV and OMA without sacrificing personal relationships. Also, we have a fun little chat about architects and buildings near the end, so make sure you listen to the whole thing!!! Topics include: OMA MVRDV Architecture Architects Rotterdam Pasta compromise - sacrifice - cooperation “It's a man's world” Women in male dominated workspaces Networking at the biennale! working for large firms So much more!!! Look these up / Voor de liefhebber… Ludwig Mies van der Rohe Frank Gehry Le Corbusier Renzo Piano Frank Lloyd Wright Alvar Aalto Louis Kahn Tadao Ando Zaha Hadid Philip Johnson Antoni Gaudi Robert Venturi I.M. Pei Rem Koolhaas https://www.mvrdv.nl/ https://www.oma.com/ That should keep you busy for awhile… Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way!Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 45 of Feel Free to Deviate features Evonne Wetzner, Senior Global Marketing Communications Strategist at Oracle, the gigantic software company. Sounds kinda nerdy, but she's worked in a variety of industries, and she even founded one of the greatest video stores of all time: The Video Underground! This episode is brimming with pivots and real business experience, and it's super fun. Perhaps most importantly, it's an example of how one person was able to harness the power of their skills to thrive in a variety of industries. Topics include: Tech industry VHS cassettes and the setting sun of the video rental business Wine and spirits Cat nanny cams Oracle, databases, Triumph of the Nerds Optimizing your job interview tactics So much more!!! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way!Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

The guest on episode 44 is Joost van der Spek. Joost is a storyteller who mostly writes “stories that translate factual knowledge into an experience that museum visitors will remember.” Basically, he writes the scripts and stories that accompany those elaborate exhibitions you see in museums, and sometimes other places. We talk about how he approaches doing that as well as how he got into the field in the first place. Topics include: The museum world Creating experiences “The End of History” and other bullshit Financial security Suit guys So much more! You can see examples of Joost's work at his brand new website,  https://www.story-matters.nl/   Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  Also check out https://feelfreetodeviate.com if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 43 of Feel Free to Deviate features Eric Mead. He's qualified to do many things, but he is currently teaching young people the ins and outs of rigging for 3d animation. As cool as that is, it's not the only reason I asked him to be on the show. Eric is the pivot master. Whether learning a new language or piloting helicopters, he ONLY does things that he enjoys or finds interesting. I believe that's a good policy if you can swing it, and he can. We talk about some of his pursuits and the combination of qualities and circumstances that make his full life possible. I deeply admire his attitude about self-enrichment, and regardless of whether you can relate to him or not, we could all take a page from his book, even if only on a micro-level. Topics include: Being a jack of all trades Liking homework and school in general Being unaware of the haters 3d rigging  Languages Working in the prison system Glass blowing Financial independence Supportive parents So much more! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

The guest on episode 42 of Feel Free to Deviate is Rachel Carey. She's an artist. I'll let her fill you in on what that means, but it's fairly important to note that she has a “regular” job doing financial stuff, because the bills aren't going to pay themselves. It's a fun and lively episode, and it is my observation that her combined experiences have brought her a pleasing and tasteful level of self-awareness, and I'm glad she shared it here and also in her art. We could all benefit from having a deeper understanding of why we do some of the things we do. I know I could.  Topics include: Personal identity and becoming what you do for a living. Who you think you are vs. who the job market thinks you are. The cycle of borrowing money for school so you can get a good job to pay off the money that you borrowed for school. Maintaining the proper balance of art and traditional employment. Master's degrees, the MFA in particular. “What kind of art do you do?” Film Economics Art in general So much more! For more Rachel, visit https://rachelcarey.hotglue.me/ and https://vimeo.com/charlesrenard. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening.  Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 41 of Feel Free to Deviate is the follow up, or sequel to episode 40, which was a re-visitation of a month long blog I wrote during the final 26 days of my twenties, back in 2005. That's why it's called 26 Days. Clever, right? If you haven't listened to episode 40 yet, you should do that first. If you don't, this episode won't make much sense. It's all about context. Frequent Feel Free to Deviate collaborator Ed Mubarek joins me, and we discuss the blog posts and how points of view may or may not change over time. There are also a few deviations along the way. It was fun, and I hope you agree.   Topics include: The never ending quest for recognition Money concerns Personal development Bono and pomposity The most American pie: pumpkin vs. apple Starting over Artistic endeavors and motivations Dirty Three So much more! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Today is my birthday, and I recently rediscovered a blog I wrote in December 2005 about the last days of my 20s. Episode 40 of Feel Free to Deviate is a recitation of that snippet of my life. It's a fun (for me, at least…) look into the mindset of myself at 30. I think I'll follow up with thoughts and feelings about this at a later date. I guess I'll do a part 2 in a few weeks. Right now I'm going to bed. I hope you are still feeling merry. Have a great day. The actual blog can be found here - https://twentysixdays.blogspot.com/ Topics include: Vacation frustration Parking related fear and loathing Job title frustration Feeling small So much more! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

High school begins at 12 years old in the Netherlands, and the first year is what they call a bridge year. My daughter and her classmates are in the midst of choosing which high school they will attend next year. She and her classmates are rushing off to different schools for open days, information evenings, and trial classes hoping to figure out which Rotterdam school will cater to their needs after 8 formative years together. Most of these young minds will break away and go off to make new friends and forge new paths on their own, and there is a lot of stress and expectation that goes along with that. I'm not positive, but I think most of the stress is coming from the parents, but I didn't talk to any of them. I did, however, talk to my own kid about how she feels about it, and that is what this episode is. We had a chat this afternoon before visiting a(nother!) school. I'm not sure if this is interesting or insightful for you, or if it's just self-indulgent nonsense, but hey, isn't that what podcasts are? It's a quick one. Give it a shot Topics include: Nice buildings High school Cupcakes Puppies Things kids like So much more! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way!

The guest on episode 0038 of Feel Free to Deviate is techno artist/producer/musician/and DJ extraordinaire, Joris Voorn. He made a name for himself in the early 2000s, and he's been going strong since. His job and lifestyle have always been interesting to me, partially because I once harbored a desire to be an indie-rockstar. Of course, I didn't have the talent, drive, focus, or diligence to make that happen, but clearly Joris does. His story illustrates the difference between childish dreams and hobbies and an actual career in music. It's a job, and he puts the work in. We talk about his musical roots and foundations and move through his education and the blossoming of his career. I'm not sure the key to DJ superstardom is revealed in this episode, but it's a good place to start if that is something you are interested in learning about.    Topics include: Classic rock Indie rock Techno and many of its genres Getting a gig in Rotterdam Architecture firms Getting into the scene via perseverance Imposter syndrome Work satisfaction The stew of success Photography  Focus Obsession So much more! Joris's website is https://JorisVoorn.com or you can search for him in most  music streaming apps. Google works too! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

The Guest on episode 37 of Feel Free to Deviate is Holly Adams. She's a performer, voice actor, educator, and several adjacent things. She's even a clown, but she doesn't clown around. She is completely embedded and focused on being a legit working actor, and she's been doing that for her entire adult life. It's remarkable, and she'll tell you all about it. Fun fact: I was in a play called Godspell my sophomore year of high school. I played Judas, and she was the director! How crazy is that? I decided to look her up, and this is the result. Doing Godspell was a good experience, as was our chat, and I hope that you agree.  Topics include: Godspell Theater Voice over Audio books Red Nose! Clown stuff. Being a lifelong working actor Creating jobs for yourself and having a diversified base So much more! You can find Holly on the internet. Her website is https://shearwaterproductions.com You can also go to Audible and search “Holly Adams” to find examples of her work. I just did it, and there are TONS of titles. Here's a link - https://tinyurl.com/yeym7exj You can also check her out on Instagram @hol.adams Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening.  Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

***Apologies - If you were among the first downloaders you will notice a technical problem around 25 minutes in. I have fixed it. Please download the file again. You're gonna love it.  The guest on episode 36 of Feel Free to Deviate is photographer, educator, and photography book author Sarah Malakoff. She is a professor at University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth and also a bonafide fine art photographer. What does that mean? Why don't you take a few moments to familiarize yourself with her work before listening. Her website is https://sarahmalakoff.com, but make sure you come back!  Are you back?  Pretty good stuff, right? If you have ever wondered about the experiences of university level art teachers, this is your chance to hear all about it. Even if you never wondered about that particular segment, it's a great episode. I think both of us had a good time, and I hope some of that rubs off on you, dear listener.  Topics include: Hard pants Fine art photography Higher education Camera dorkery Photography books The mental state of students during covid The adjunct professor farm system Using spite as a tool to achieve your goals Master of Fine Arts degrees So much more! As I mentioned before, you can check out  Sarah's work on her website https://sarahmalakoff.com. There's a page on the site that showcases her book “Second Nature.” https://sarahmalakoff.com/books Also, she's represented by the Howard Yezerski gallery in Boston. Drop in there and buy a photograph, or go to the site and look around. The link for that is https://www.howardyezerski.com/sarah-malakoff Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram, Facebook, Tiktok, and Youtube @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQLJzv4nxrpfn7FNedgwI2A https://www.tiktok.com/@feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening.  Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 35 of Feel Free to Deviate is an outtake episode that has almost nothing to do with careers. Is that weird? Now that I'm writing this, I think it is. Anyway, first up is an extension of episode 34, featuring Justin Baum. We talked a bit about music and bikes and audio equipment. After the Justin segment is a clip from my conversation with esteemed educator, film lover, and comic book guy, Michael Switek from episode 21. We talk about our feelings for Marvel films, and it's fun! If you've ever used physical media, it's sort of like bonus material on a DVD or BluRay. You're gonna love it.   Topics include: VW GTI Bicylces Experimental techno Music and stereo equipment Spotify playlists Marvel movies The kitchen sink That pretty much sums it up… Check out "Feel Free to Listen," an ever-growing playlist of all the music mentioned on Feel Free to Deviate. You'll probably hate some of it, so put it on shuffle and skip the ones you don't like!  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening.  Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

The guest on episode 34 of Feel Free to Deviate is Justin Baum. He is the VP of Product at a software company called LeaseUp. He's also a designer and a user experience guru. He probably won't like that I called him a guru, but that's too bad…  He's a very knowledgeable guy who digs deep into the philosophy surrounding the tech industry. I have always admired his technical skills, but also his uncanny ability to find an actual career path at an early age. He's a sort of a wunderkind, who rocketed to early success, experienced some bumps along the way, and then reinvented himself on a different coast. We talk about the tech industry, image generation, and a bunch of other stuff. I'm hoping he'll come back sometime so we can follow up on some of the many topics we started talking about.  Topics include: The pleasures and pains of a rapid rise in the tech industry the tech industry in general Startup culture Web 2.0! Flat brim New Era The perils of constant growth/the effects of constant growth on innovation Toxic work environments Sociopathic tech bros What is “Product” AI generated art SO MUCH MORE! Check out Justin's company, LeaseUp if you have commercial real estate needs, or if you are curious - https://www.leaseup.co/ Some other related things you might want to check out: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stable_Diffusion https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DALL-E https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marshall_McLuhan C-level - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corporate_title#List_of_chief_officer_(CO)_titles https://hbr.org/2019/01/the-era-of-move-fast-and-break-things-is-over https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lean_startup That should keep you busy for a little while... Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviateAlso check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening.  Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Normally I say that Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success, but Episode 33 of Feel Free to Deviate is a sort of rambling and lightly focused discussion of a film that many people consider inspirational for career, success, life, liberty, the pursuit of happiness… In this episode I speak with my friend Florian Schroiff about the 2006 film The Pursuit of Happyness - that's happyness misspelled with a Y. The film stars Will and Jaden Smith and is directed by Gabriele Muccino. This isn't a full scale film review or an in depth discussion of the pros and cons of late-stage capitalism. I'm not equipped for that discussion. It's more like a conversation starter. I think… After a few searches I found scores of lists of inspirational success movies online, and The Pursuit of Happyness is on most of those lists, and it is #1 on many of them. Florian and I talk about the movie and its message, and how it could be viewed as a dystopian nightmare instead of a motivational masterwork.   Topics include: The Pursuit of Happyness You can do anything if you try. Unrealistic goals Filmmaking Bone densitometers Time machines Knock knock jokes Stock brokers Will Smith Charisma So much more! If you want to know more about Florian's thoughts and feelings about the films he watches, he's Flo, that's F-L-O on Letterboxd. https://letterboxd.com/flo/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Also check out https://buymeacoffee.com/feelfree if you'd like to buy me a coffee or slide a few units of fiat currency my way! Thanks for listening. Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 32 of Feel Free to Deviate features musician and sonic consultant Adam Brilla. Adam and his wife Jennifer run a company called Stompbox Sonic. What's a sonic consultant? You should listen and find out. Spoiler alert: It's super cool. He also works in the IT department of a Boston area college, and has had a string of jobby jobs along the way. This is a low-key episode sprinkled with bits of wisdom and whimsy. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.    Topics include: Being a musician with a jobby job Guitar effects Public perceptions of artists and creative people Positive artistic role models Staying in touch with your passions The arts and adaptability in the workplace UVM and missed connections The vibe mic Meeting one's sonic idols Meeting one's childhood goals Exceeding one's childhood goals Reassessing one's childhood goals Ice cream! FFtD loves ice cream and cookies. Doing stuff that your young self would think is cool So much more!   You should totally go to https://stompboxsonic.com to check out Adam's wares.    Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 31 of Feel Free to Deviate features Viva Butler. Viva is a teacher who spent many of her formative years traveling and working in cooperatives and food service, including an indie chocolate company!!! Now she's a teacher who lives at and maintains a retreat in the Berkshires with her partner and a tiny activist who happens to be her daughter. We talk about her circuitous journey towards uncertainty, but also how walking the proverbially walk has generally served her well over the course of her life.  Topics include: Food cooperatives and the surrounding culture Making chocolate Vagabonding Home schooling Teaching and the need to better serve kids in middle school Teaching and covid Living off the grid So much more! For more information about the retreat where Viva lives and works go to https://www.temenosretreatcenter.org/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 30 of Feel Free to Deviate features academic librarian and comics artist Dawn Wing. She's moved around and changed careers a few times, and recently self-published two comics about Chinese-American women under the banner of her publishing company WaterPigPress.com. She does a wonderful job of balancing her job and her artistic practice.  Topics include: Chinese-American feminist heroes! Tien Fu Wu Tye Leung Schulze Education No child left behind Library stuff Comics and Zines So much more! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com  

Episode 29 of Feel Free to Deviate features Chris Nelson. When he was a child he decided that he wanted to be a toy or game designer, and he proceeded to do everything he could to make that happen. Shortly after graduating from MassArt he mostly achieved his goal by landing a job working for a company that is synonymous with board games, and now he's working as an independent game designer/inventor. Side note: he also seems to live a happy and well balanced life. It's a fun episode.  Topics include: Board games and the board game industry Focus and determination Realizing childhood goals Sandwiches A magical ride in a Mini Cooper Marshfield, MA So much more! Check out Chris's portfolio website to see some of his work: https://cnillustration.myportfolio.com/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://facebook.com/feelfreetodeviate Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

Episode 28 of Feel Free to Deviate features Janelle Stone. Janelle is and Associate in Training at Orton-Gillingham Academy. As their website says, “The Orton-Gillingham Approach is a direct, explicit, multisensory, structured, sequential, diagnostic, and prescriptive way to teach literacy when reading, writing, and spelling does not come easily to individuals, such as those with dyslexia.” Janelle also tells me about how she started her career in the fashion industry working as a fabric specialist with music/fashion mogul/impresario Sean ”Puffy” Combes and also the founding fathers of fancy pants, Brooks Brothers. Big pivots from P-Diddy to reading kiddies. Good stuff.  You should go to https://ortonacademy.org for more information and resources. It sounds like they are doing good work. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. You can find me at https://feelfreetodeviate.com or on Instagram @feelfreetodeviate  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com

This is a very special episode of Feel Free to Deviate. Ed Mubarek from episode 5 is back to talk about the cumulative effect of little things becoming big problems and getting ghosted by potential collaborators. We also talk about the state of the podcast, the state of the Jim, and the state of my psyche on the eve of potential employment. You can find Ed and procure audio editing and post production services from him at https://boomkaas.com.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

Episode 26 of Feel Free to Deviate features Shayne Flaherty. He is currently the CTO for an IT management company called IndyConn, but to say he's an IT guy would be selling him short. He's been a professor, an arborist, and he has a few degrees. The important thing isn't really what he does, but how he got to where he is, and how he acquired all of his knowledge. It's about his approach. He's disciplined, has strong views on education, and has never stopped learning, both inside and outside of the traditional education system. We probably could have talked for several more hours, and someday we will again. Topics include: Jim Turbert's job search IT Being an arborist Homeschooling The education system in general Whether or not college degrees are necessary Physical fitness and finding time to work out BMX bikes and 29 inch cruiser frames / wheelies! A little bit of ADHD So much more! Shayne's companies. https://independent-connections.com or IndyConn https://www.terranorthcorp.com - that's the tree one.  Some homeschooling resources are https://portal.ct.gov/SDE/Homeschooling/Homeschooling-in-Connecticut.   https://wildkinwandering.com/nature-homeschool-curriculum/ https://www.time4learning.com  https://www.homeschool.com/resources/ another great resource  You can can also find Shayne on Instagram @shayne54 -  https://www.instagram.com/shayne54/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 25 of Feel Free to Deviate features Arne Reimer. He's a photographer and music lover who teaches and makes books. Currently he's working as a researcher for an Austrian publisher. He's managed to make a living by merging his love of music and photography his entire adult life, and I think that's quite an accomplishment. It takes a lot of perseverance to do that, or maybe it's single-mindedness. It's a photo-centric episode, but don't go thinking that the episode isn't for you just because you don't work in photography. There are plenty of universal nuggets of wisdom for everyone. Topics include: Photography and photo nerd stuff Making photo books Self publishing Buying records at thrift stores Teaching art students Meeting Ornette Coleman Jazz and jazz legends Townes van Zandt Cycling in Boston, sometimes without shoes Being an exchange student Getting out of your comfort zone Very old roommates Self promotion Recognition is good So much more! Arne's website is https://arnereimer.de This is his book site - http://www.americanjazzheroes.de/ This is an exhibition that he recently co-curated - http://kunstraum-nestroyhof.at/aktuell/ausstellungsansichten-cover-art-33-1-3-144/ This is his monthly radio show - https://www.ndr.de/kultur/sendungen/Round-Midnight-Jazz-Heroes-auf-NDR-Kultur,jazzheroes130.html < most of the images on the site are not his. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 24 of Feel Free to Deviate features Solar Business Development Manager, Andrew Whitehead. He sells solar panels, but he got there by way of an arts education and a stint in the New York real estate market of the mid to late aughts. Listen to him verbally paint a detailed picture of how his career evolved, in an artful combination of deliberate and fortuitous moves to various jobs in various places.  Topics discussed: Sausage and old butchers Having triplets The solar industry Criticizing one's parents New York real estate Theater kids and arts education Guns and Nerf and Texas Other stuff too Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 23 of Feel Free to Deviate features Christina Willis. I met her when she was a physics major at Wellesley College. Now she is a laser scientist who works for a quantum computing company who is not afraid to learn new skills for big career pivots and intense hobbies.  Check out Christina's book, Sustainable Networking For Scientists and Engineers at https://sustainablenetworking.net or https://spie.org/christinawillisbook for a free direct download.  You can also find her on Twitter @willischristina And you can learn more about her company at https://coldquanta.com/  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

This is my favorite kind of episode... The guest on episode 22 of Feel Free to Deviate is an old friend named Todd Hennig. We were in a band together when we were in high school, and since then Todd has gone on to play with many bands like Great Collapse, Nations Afire, Death By Stereo, and Heckle, and he's toured all over the place. He's even gotten to play and tour with some of the heroes of his youth, which is a dream for many budding young (and old) musicians. That said, his path was not free of obstacles, and he still needs to work a normal job, but I look at him as someone who deftly balances his family, his passions, and his career. This episode is full of personal anecdotes and reminiscences. Despite many of them being rooted in the music world, I think the message and meaning can be applied universally.  Check out Todd's woodworking on his website: https://2020woodworks.com/, or look for him on Instagram @toddhennig. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app or visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com “Intro” music by Foam ©1994 Caleb Cutler, Eric Miller, Jim Turbert, and Todd Hennig

Episode 21 of Feel Free to Deviate features award winning high school English teacher Michael Switek. Michael is beloved by his students, and valued by his peers, some of whom were former students. How cool is that? The kids love him, and he loves his work. We talk about job satisfaction and school life during covid and take a peek behind the high school curtain to see how students and teachers seem to be dealing with the volatility of whatever normalcy in the education world has become. He also shares his observations about the state of the student psyche in the days of covid, and much more. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app or visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com  

Episode 20 of Feel Free to Deviate features Gretchen Licata. Gretchen is the facilities director of the Pioneer Valley Regional School District in western Massachusetts. She'll tell you exactly what that entails, but I will tell you that it's a big job with lots of responsibilities, and she is an unsung hero, working behind the scenes to make sure that everything works the way it should. She makes the things that most people take for granted happen.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 19 of Feel Free to Deviate Features Thomas Margolf. Some know him as chip music artist firestARTer, or as Frau Holle, but now he is mostly know as the owner and proprietor of XOR Electronics and maker of NerdSeq. What is that, you ask? As the XOR website says, it “is a tracker based cv and trigger sequencer module (32HP) for Eurorack systems.” It doesn't matter if you don't know what that means. All you need to know is that Thomas quit his day job to design and manufacture electronic music equipment, which is an act that requires a great deal of bravery and confidence. We talk about his early days experimenting with electronics, chip music, and what it's like to be the guy behind NerdSEQ. You can find Thomas's company and Nerdseq at the XOR Electronics website https://xor-electronics.com/. He's also on social media: https://www.instagram.com/thomasmargolf/
https://www.instagram.com/xorelectronics/ 
https://www.facebook.com/xorelectronics
 https://www.facebook.com/Nerdseq/ For the old school blippity chip music flavor check out http://www.firestarter-music.de/

 Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 18 of Feel Free to Deviate features Dr. Kei Otsuki. We met when I first moved to the Netherlands, and we were students in the same Dutch class. Her title is Associate Professor in International Development Studies at Utrecht University, but she tells me that she views her role as bringing awareness and trying to find a bridge for communication between interested parties. As an intermediary in social, economic, and ecological issues her approach is balanced and she attempts to spark incremental change, or at least understanding, without vilifying either party. Although it can be hard in practice, I think we could all use a little less vilification, and she trains eager young minds how to do this as well. Check out Kei's most recent project here - https://infront.sites.uu.nl/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 17 of Feel Free to Deviate features x-ray technologist Jason Kelley. He lives in Portland, Oregon and happens to be an old friend of mine. I think this episode is a fine example of a searcher finding what he was looking for. Jason worked with food, movies, music, and arts during his illustrious career, and he grew a lot along the way. Most importantly, he learned when, and when not to throw a desk. As an added bonus we also talk a bit about working in healthcare during Covid times. You can find examples of Jason's work at his “woefully ignored” Flickr account https://www.flickr.com/photos/photoboothprojects/ While you are online, pop over to Instagram to like, follow, and comment on my posts @feelfreetodeviate.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 16 of Feel Free to Deviate features Scott Patrick Wiener, but I usually call him Scott or Ween. He works for an organization called YouthBuild that focuses on teaching young people construction skills and facilitates the building of houses in their neighborhoods. It's pretty cool. Like many of the other guests on Feel Free to Deviate, Scott has an art background. He is a photographer/artist with a fancy degree, and he has a long history of continually making art, yet like most artists I know he relies on his job to pay the bills. His story is another take on how to reconcile one's passions with financial needs and obligations. It's also about how sometimes those things collide and result in something that is not just livable, but satisfying.   Instagram: @spwiener_studio Work website: https://youthbuild.org/ Portfolio website: https://scottpatrickwiener.com/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 15 of Feel Free to Deviate features Anna Wronsky. She is the Dean of Teaching and Learning at a school in Istanbul, but she's also been an art teacher and a costume designer for the opera. I met her when she was a student at the University of Massachusetts, and even as an undergraduate she had a confidence about her work that I am still amazed at when I think about it today. Also, she was super fun to hang around with! We talk about how she turned internships into meaningful employment, and how she decided to abandon costume design to get into education.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 14 of Feel Free to Deviate features Judith Black, but I call her Judy because I know her. Judy was the photography professor at Wellesley College for 25 years, including the 7 years that I worked there. She's a great photographer whose work centers around home and family life, and since Corona she's released two books, Pleasant Street and most recently Vacation, and has become one of the darlings of the photo book scene. She is associated with prestigious institutions of higher learning, has received one of the most competitive grants in the art world, and I bet she even has one of those “World's Best Mom” mugs. I describe her as a compulsive mentor, because she seems to thrive when teaching or guiding people, but she's humble enough to acknowledges the people who supported and encouraged her along the way. While we were talking, she attributed much of her success to luck. Yeah, she's had some luck, but luck is not the whole story. She also said, “You work hard to get lucky sometimes.” Sound Wizard Ed suggested that should be the subtitle of Feel Free to Deviate. Maybe they are both right.  You can find a bazillion Judy pictures on her website:
 https://www.judithblack.me Or buy her book Vacation on the Stanley Barker website. https://www.stanleybarker.co.uk/products/vacation
https://www.stanleybarker.co.uk/collections/books/products/pleasant-street And here are a ton of “press clippings” about how great she is. https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2020/sep/02/judith-black-best-photograph-family-fathers-day-1983#comments https://aperture.org/editorial/judith-black-all-american-summer-vacation/ https://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/gallery/2021/aug/18/judith-black-vacation-friends-family-american-road https://www.1854.photography/2021/07/a-mothers-record-of-road-tripping-with-her-children/https://an-tics.com/Collected-Tales-The-Journal-Of-Grievances  She's also on Instagram @judithblackphoto  https://www.instagram.com/judithblackphoto/   Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 13 of Feel Free to Deviate features Giuliana Funkhouser. Giuliana is a trans-disciplinary artist who “combines digital code and synthesized audio with field recordings to produce story-driven installations.” I met her long ago when I first started working at Wellesley College in 2001. She  was one of the students who worked for me, but since those days G has been busy working in the gaming industry, in advertising, making art, and continuing her education. She is constantly putting herself out there, and it's working for her. It's quite extraordinary. This is a fast paced episode, and it jumps around. That said, all the jumps call back to something pertinent eventually. We talk about leaving the corporate world for art, starting a B&B in Puerto Rico, and helping a deaf friend “hear” with a giant parabolic steel hearing aid. It's a fun episode, so strap in.  You can find Giuliana on Instagram @biodigitaljazzhands & @ctlt_sound Also on Twitter @oagatopargo  Her website has bio information and examples of her work. That's https://gfunkhouser.net. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Episode 12 of Feel Free to Deviate features Ben Licata. He's an old friend who currently makes his living as a tattoo artist. We talk about how his illustrious career began in the tobacco fields of Hadley Massachusetts, and how he's always found ways to grow and learn whether working in a sweltering plastic bag factory or making instructional videos with distinguished tattoo artists. He says that he's at a point in his life where he is content with what he has and where he is, and I admire that. He finds opportunities that are based on his interests, and isn't afraid to do whatever needs to be done to make a living. Also, he's a great bass player. You can see Ben's work at https://www.benlicata.com or https://www.oxbowtattoo.com. He's also on Instagram and Pinterest @burnbridge Search for his band Problem With Dragons on Spotify and Bandcamp.    https://www.instagram.com/burnbridge/ https://www.pinterest.com/burnbridge/ https://problemwithdragons.bandcamp.com

The guest on episode 11 of Feel Free to Deviate is Melissa Woods. She runs Trued Apparel, which is a sustainably sourced fashion company that caters to goths. Well, not exclusively goths, but to anyone who likes to wear comfortable women's clothing that is predominantly available in black. Melissa was a student at Wellesley College when I worked there, and I think she's the first millennial guest on the show. Like many other guests on Feel Free to Deviate she has an art background, but she offers a fresh perspective as someone who is in an earlier stage of her career. We talk about graduating from college during the Great Recession, her day jobs, and how she views Trued Apparel as both a business and an artistic endeavor. We also talk about guitars, horror movies, sub-cultures, and music, so I hope you dig that stuff, too.  Melissa can be found at https://shoptrued.com  She's also on instagram and Facebook @trued.apparel https://www.facebook.com/trued.apparel https://www.instagram.com/trued.apparel Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

Esme Valk is the guest on this landmark tenth episode of Feel Free to Deviate. She is a Pikler Pedagog. You probably have no idea what that is, so I'll give a brief introduction, and Esme will clarify many of the finer points. Pikler Pedagogy is a child rearing philosophy developed by Dr. Emmi Pikler. The people who disseminate Pikler's ideas are known as Pikler Pedagogs, though some folks may be more familiar with the term RIE parenting, which is how it it mostly known in America. RIE was developed by Magda Gerber, who was a former student of Pikler's. We talk mostly about Pikler stuff during our conversation, but also about stress, burning out, and the joys and pitfalls of pursuing a career with and without kids. It was a nice talk, and many folks will relate to her story, even if they subscribe to a different child-rearing system. You can find Esme at https://intheirowntime.nl/ or https://intheirowntime.com/ and also on social media @intheirowntime.  https://www.instagram.com/intheirowntime/ https://www.facebook.com/intheirowntime https://nl.pinterest.com/intheirowntime/ Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.  Sound editing and post production by Ed Mubarek at https://boomkaas.com

You know how sometimes you hang out with someone who is super nice and positive, but you feel like they are trying to convince themselves that they are nice and positive? Well, that's not her. She is a genuinely light, happy, and curious person, and a joy to be around. Episode 9 of Feel Free to Deviate features Naomi de Kuiper. She owns and runs a children's clothing company called MingoKids which she built from scratch without any previous experience. It was really fun talking to her, and I think you can hear that in the recording. She approaches everything with great courage and conviction, and I think what I admire the most is her ability to put everything in perspective. She doesn't sweat the small stuff, and she fearlessly dives into whatever interests her. We talk about her business and about how having dyslexia can be a strength in that it forces you to think outside the box. We also talk a bit about her fascination with the possibilities of cryptocurrency and the blockchain, and its potential to impact the future of humanity. You can see her stuff at https://mingokids.com and she is @mingokids on Instagram.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure. 

This episode features Jonas Wulff: Doctor of Computer Vision! He's a super genius who wants to make computers see. I suppose that either sounds awesome or terrifying, but seeing as you are probably listening to this podcast on a tiny supercomputer with at least one giant electronic eye, you should probably check your paranoia at the door…  I invited Jonas not only because of his high level of academic achievement and cool name, but because he has balance. He's a super nice guy who is also an academic, who is also in demand in the commercial sector, and is also a family man. Perhaps best of all, he has options. To me, two of the most valuable things in the world are time and options, and he is certainly rich in options, which is the cornerstone of why I think of him as a successful person. I didn't ask him about time, but I'm guessing he has more options than time… Still, whenever I talk to him, it's hard for me to stop thinking, “This guy really has his $#!* together.”  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

Episode 7 of Feel Free to Deviate is a conversation with Robin Chase. She was a teacher for 20 years, some of which she was miserable due to a less than favorable work environment. After some soul searching and encouragement from her support network, she pivoted and became a food photographer. Sometimes I forget to ask the key question, “What is your definition of success,” and this is one of those times. I think we can infer from the conversation that she views success as making a living in a fun way while simultaneously finding time for herself and her family. She's excelling at this, and should probably do an online course… Robin and Jim discuss how she and her partner organically grew their food photography and styling business and how working for herself gives her the freedom and flexibility to do the things that bring her happiness. I'm inspired by her story, and deeply impressed. If you are interested in Robin's work you can go to https://robinandsue.com to see her portfolio. She's also on Instagram @robinmc. While you're there you may as well go over to @feelfreetodeviate to follow this show and like all my posts. Every single one. They are all gold, and I'm working on diversifying the types of posts. It's about to get good. Or, at least, better.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure. 

This episode features Tomasz Kaye. He makes anti-political propaganda films. You may be thinking, “What the hell does that mean, and how the hell does one get a job doing that?” Well, that's why I asked him to be a guest. We don't get too deep into the content of his work, so I recommend checking that out on your own. It may not be your cup of tea, but it also may open your eyes to viewpoints that never occurred to you before. The general theme of our talk is that if you spend more time working on the things that you want to do there is a greater likelihood of those activities bearing fruit. Tomasz's definition of success being “the degree to which you live intentionally” is now my definition of success, and I love the idea of one's “serendipity surface” increasing the likelihood of getting lucky.  If you want to check out Tomasz's work before listening to the episode you should go to https://georgeoughttohelp.com to see his animations.  Go to  https://sexandtaxes.georgeoughttohelp.com to learn about his current project, and maybe throw him some support.  He can also be found on twitter @mormo_music and examples of his writing can be found at https://blog.georgeoughttohelp.com. Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

Episode 5 features Ed Mubarek, who is an old friend of mine. We've know each other since high school, we've lived with each other, played in bands together, and stuff like that. He's a super smart guy, is very well read, and he is a great musician. Although we didn't really talk about it, I believe he has a degree in journalism and is trained as a recording engineer, but… He fails to meet most of the standard definitions of success. Like me, he is currently unemployed, and his last job was in a bagel shop, which is not something that most people aspire to, even if they love bagels. We talk at length about career and identity as well as the various shortcomings of “the system.” You may not agree with everything he has to say, but keep in mind that there are a lot of different points of view in the world. I'm not saying you have to agree with all of them, but it's a good idea to listen to them and even investigate where other people are coming from. As I mentioned, Ed is trained is an audio guy. If you live in the greater Los Angeles area and are in need of audio services look him up. He can do it, and he has an impeccable ear. Here are some “woefully out of date links” for you to check out. His words, not mine. He's not particularly good at promoting himself, which is something I can relate to. https://soundcloud.com/ed-mubarek https://darkharbor.bandcamp.com k.lastima@gmail.com The curse words flow in this episode. That's what happens sometimes. I edited out a million f-bombs and other bombs, but you would never know it. So yeah, keep that in mind.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

Episode 4 of Feel Free to Deviate features David Teng Olsen! Dave is an old friend, and he talks about how he found his way to being an artist and a professor despite never thinking of becoming a teacher and being certain that he didn't want to make art. I asked him to send me some Dave related links, but he went on vacation and sent nothing. If you search his name you'll find some gold. Most of this is about him: https://duckduckgo.com/?q=david+teng+olsen&t=iphone&iax=images&ia=images Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

This episode features Bjorn van Spengen. Bjorn was one of the founders of Fotomat, which is the company I used work for. He left the company around the same time as me, pivoted, and started working for a bigger company called Metrological in a management position. Bjorn is a good guy who does good work, and he makes it all look so easy, even though it's not. I think he has a lot of traits that make him a successful person. I guess I should have talked more about that during the episode. I guess we'll have to do a follow up! I'm not sure if any secrets to success are revealed in this episode. Maybe the secret is that you should be highly knowledgeable about something that people value. Also, make sure you enjoy it and are good at it. Is that a secret, or does it just make good sense? There may be a "bad" word or two in this episode, but it's mostly clean. I think a $%!t slips in once or twice, but it is in passing, and not particularly grievous. If that scares you, stay away! Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

This episode is a conversation with Rebecca Simons, whom I used to work with at Fotomat. I asked her to be on the show because she is adept at finding ways to get paid while working on things that she loves to do. It's a remarkable skill, and I was hoping that she would tell me how she does it. I think she actually revealed the secret, and it's rather obvious, but I'm not going to tell you what it is. You'll have to listen to the entire podcast to find out the answer, but I think it's worth it. Here are some Rebecca links for you to learn more about her: https://rebeccasimons.com https://lettersfromthepast.nl And here are a few links to things she mentioned in our conversation: https://www.fier.nl/ http://el-art.org Just a note: There are a few casual curse words in this one. It's mostly clean, but we are adults and sometimes the bad words work their way into the conversation. Also, we briefly discuss sexual abuse without graphic details. Basically, we speak of the existence of such a thing because it relates to one of Rebecca's projects. If you or someone in your vicinity are triggered by that sort of thing you should probably skip the episode, but as I mentioned, it's not a graphic discussion.  Feel Free to Deviate is the podcast about people, their careers, and their relationships with success. My name is Jim Turbert, and I am the host. Find Free to Deviate on your favorite podcast app, and new episodes are released every other Thursday. Visit https://feelfreetodeviate.com for more information. Feel Free to Deviate and host Jim Turbert can also be found on Instagram and Facebook @feelfreetodeviate.  https://instagram.com/feelfreetodeviate https://jtfanclub.com https://jimturbert.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/turbert/ Feel free to send inquiries to mail@feelfreetodeviate.com Also go to https://feelfreetodeviate.com/feel-free-to-donate if you are feeling generous and want to contribute to the production of Feel Free to Deviate. No pressure. Uh… Not much pressure.

My guest on this inaugural episode of Feel Free to Deviate is Dorona Alberti. In addition to being a friend she is a performer, perhaps best know as the singer of the band Gare du Nord. We talk about her unconventional upbringing, her education at a place called “The Rock Academy,” and the ups and downs of being a performing artist. It's long, but it was fun.  Just a note, the episode begins awkwardly and abruptly. That is not an attempt to be quirky or gimmicky. It was my first session, and I had the wrong track selected on the recorder, so I missed a minute or so at the very beginning. It was part of my journey as a podcaster, and your journey as a listener. We're all growing together. Don't worry, It won't happen again.