Finding My Quiet Place

After a 2-hour, 100-mile, early morning motorcycle ride, I sat with Cristina Romagnoli at a pavilion by Lake Apopka and talk with her about how she quiets her mind, and finds mental stillness. Cristina works in the health care industry as a physical therapist for cancer patients, this year has been particularly difficult and challenging. She was transferred from the work she loves, to working exhausting 12-hour shifts in the Acute Respiratory Unit, working with Covid-19 patients. One of the ways she finds mental focus is by getting on her 1984 Honda Nighthawk motorcycle (named “Frank”), and going for a long solitary ride in the countryside… “moving meditation” is what she calls it. Photos taken with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera on Kodak Tri-X b/w film. Podcast drops on Saturday morning at 6 a.m.  Hope you'll join us.  Available wherever you get your podcasts, or at www.FindingMyQuietPlace.com Recorded on October 18, 2020 Mentioned in this episode, an app for iPhone called Calimoto.  Finds the most twisty roads between two points, or creates a round-trip route from scratch. Five stars!

Melissa's son Cannon was 20 months old when he was diagnosed with Stage 4 cancer, at the time she was 38 weeks pregnant with twin boys. Melissa took me for a drive in her minivan — her quiet place — and told me the story of getting through this challenging time, healing her son, and how it led to the start of the non-profit organization that now funds pediatric cancer research worldwide. She also told me the story of the recent adoption of her little girl, Charlie, from Colombia, and the medical treatments she required. We discuss how she manages being a mother, a business woman, and wife, and to give the best of herself to each of these parts of her life. Recommended reading / listening:  - Shonda Rimes  - Rachel Hollis  - Brandon Burchard See photos of Melissa in her quiet place on Instagram at @FindingMyQuietPlace, taken with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera on Kodak Tri-X b/w film. 

Actor, musician, public speaker and creator of Orlando's "Immerse" festival, Cole NeSmith brings his usual calming perspective to Finding My Quiet Place.  We talk about what creates stress in his life, and how he deals with that, both in the gym and in the company of good friends, who don't ask anything of him. See photos of Cole in his quiet place on Instagram at @FindingMyQuietPlace, taken with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera on Kodak Tri-X b/w film. 

Christie Miga is a teacher and artist in Orlando. She is trained in experiential learning, and is happy to be instructing middle-school students.  She calls herself an introverted extrovert, and finds interacting with people in general exhausting.  Her quiet place is loud. Blasting Dolly Parton. Her studio is a small room at the back of her home, but it's all hers.  She blasted Dolly Parton while painting while I was photographing her.  Listen to find out how this dynamic artist finds peace, while making big artwork.   

Get to know Phil Hoffman, and hear how he settles himself down when he's 'agitated'. We spend time in his quiet place, which is his media room at home. On the wall, he has framed his favorite albums of all time.  On this episode, we talk (among other things) about the difference between dropping the needle on a vinyl record and streaming songs on your phone. In addition to audio quality, there's something about taking in the songs sequentially, as the artist chose to organize them. He tells us what is for him the Greatest Rock And Roll Song of all time, as well as which albums he can listen to start-to-finish. He also recommends his favorite stores to buy vinyl in Central Florida. Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera, on Kodak Tri-X 120 film.  

Meet Evan Miga, lover of robots. A self-described tinkerer, Evan spends his spare time building things — mostly robots — in his garage workshop. We talk about the importance of giving yourself permission to play, create and make things that serve no purpose other than to be. He shares his secrets for keeping a childlike curiosity about how things work, and how you probably have all the ingredients to build a robot in your home right now. You can meet Evan at Orlando Maker Faire, Nov 9 & 10, at the Central Florida Fairgrounds, where he will be launching his new brand: Miga Made.   Evan recommends:  Tested, by Adam Savage https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCiDJtJKMICpb9B1qf7qjEOA

This week, we sit down with Brendan L Byrne, space reporter for 90.7 WMFE in Orlando, and talk about why his quiet place is in the back of his house, making craft beer. He talks about how mental focus and detailed planning are required to follow all the steps to make a tasty brew, and the fact that he's in control of all the variables gives him a sense of peace and calm. Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin lens camera, on Kodak Tri-X 120 film.  

Patty Sheehan, the first openly-gay City Commissioner in Central Florida, takes time out of her busy re-election campaign to talk about the importance of quiet time. Her "garden of chaos" is a beautiful sanctuary of fruit trees, art, statues, wind machines, and of course, a chicken coop.  There are several places to sit and contemplate. It's surprisingly serene, in spite of the fact that she's across the street from Octopus Car Wash.  We discuss the day-to-day challenges of being an elected official, and the importance of choosing how you will react to situations beyond your control.  Her home is filled with artwork, mostly from local artists, and when she's not campaigning, she creates a lot of art herself. We learn the origin story of "Bad Kitty," and get some insight into her difficult childhood. Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera, using Kodak Tri-X 120 film. 

In this week's episode, we get to know self-described serial volunteer and self-taught musician Adam Scheinberg. He talks about how he quiets his mind, and the importance of arts and music education.  One of his volunteer efforts is for OrlandoRep.com We learn about 'resolving notes' and Adam gets philosophical about how they might be a metaphor for how to live a fulfilled life (if you listen all the way to the end, you'll hear an example played by Adam on his keyboard). "Music and art are really just fancy math." -- Adam Scheinberg Gödel Escher Bach: The Eternal Golden Braid https://smile.amazon.com/G%C3%B6del-Escher-Bach-Eternal-Golden/dp/0465026567/ Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera on Kodak Tri-X 120 film.

Co-owner of Maxine's On Shine, a popular restaurant in the Colonialtown South neighborhood of downtown Orlando, Kirt Earhart makes the job look easy.  But the 40-hour weekends take a toll on mind and body, and Kirt has developed some methods to recharge, rebuild, and 'rejuicinate.' Listen as we discuss "Kirt Thursdays," as well as how this business owner does the weekly bookkeeping while enjoying his quiet place at the same time.  Also, from the "things we didn't know" file:  Kirt had a starring role in a film, and a small part as an extra in a popular 80's TV show.  Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex twin-lens camera on Kodak Tri-X 120 film.

Co-founder of Orlando City Soccer Club, English ex-pat Kay Rawlins leads a very busy life, with events, meetings and social obligations all the time. In this episode, we talk about how she manages to carve out quiet moments in her exciting and somewhat hectic life. In addition to yoga, massage, music and reading, Kay’s quiet place is working on a jigsaw puzzle. The one she was doing the day I sat down with her is particularly special to her.  Photos made with a 1950s Rolleiflex Twin Lens camera on Kodak Tri-X 120 film. Recommendations: “Acoustic Covers” Playlist on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/37i9dQZF1DWXmlLSKkfdAk?si=w0iBSM0USa6lPlA6zgKgyQ Author Harlan Coben: https://www.harlancoben.com/ “Let My People Go Surfing” by Yvon Chouinard https://www.patagonia.com/product/let-my-people-go-surfing-revised-paperback-book/BK067.html “The Virgin Way” by Richard Branson https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/books/the-virgin-way

Michelle Brady Palmer:  Episode 6, Aug 17, 2019 She learned about the importance of finding a quiet place during the time when her life burned down, at which point she says, “Gratitude became a discipline.” “I try not to take life for granted, and I try to celebrate the little victories along the way.” “When my children were little, my quiet place was my closet.” Michelle talks about the importance of reviewing the week’s events — replaying the tapes — and sitting with the feelings, whatever they are. “When you like yourself, you’re fine!” Michelle's advice for people who don't know how or where to find a quiet place:  “Put down the glass of wine, step away from the pantry, and turn off your cell phone.”  

This week's conversation is with Jamie Joyce, founder and CEO of the Society Library, and the Internet Government. Here's how she describes her mission on www.InternetGovernment.org:   "The Internet Government is a platform created to represent ideas themselves. We’re looking to create a better process for policy-making, and by better we mean more objective, more transparent, & more inclusive. We mean a more rigorous process in the pursuit of truth, for everyone’s benefit. It’s politics without the politics - and without the politicians." That's clearly a tall order, and she's decided that this will be her life's work. Benjamin Franklin is her idol / hero, and when I photographed her in her quiet place, she had a bust of him on her desk, which is what is in focus in the cover art for this podcast.  In this conversation, we talk about the power of making things — especially making things for others; and also, the importance of reading, and what an amazing object a book is, and how she's built this philosophy into her company culture.  She goes to Burning Man regularly, and makes art and other stuff using everything from 3D printers to particle accelerators (listen to the podcast for details). Her recommendations for new and interesting content... MeaningWave by Akira The Don: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCsoiSpBvkr4Y-78Pj3recUw    

In this episode, I speak with Danya Shea at a picnic table under a tree. She's the co-founder and CEO of FervorWorks.com, and mom to two cool kids.  She just spent the better part of a year traveling around the US in an RV with her two kids and one young bernese mountain dog, which grew to 120 lbs during the trip. Danya's quiet place is on a kayak drifting down the river at Wekiva State Park, and she took me along to experience the peace of being on the river.  Take a trip with Danya through the Wekiva river, as she discusses how she finds quiet, and why it's important "to learn to sit with the discomfort, before we take action." Danya's recommended reading: Eckhart Tolle, "The Power Of Now" https://www.eckharttolle.com  

One of the quiet places that @bobkodzis finds regularly is his art studio. It’s anything but ‘quiet’, as he plays music while he creates his fantastical drawings, but it’s how he focuses his mind and centers himself. His studio also contains guitars, in case he feels the need to create his own music. He’s carefully curated a life in which he does all the things he loves as his career. He provides details and insights into how he managed to live the dream, as well as his other quiet places, in this enlightening interview. Some of Bob's quotes from the interview: "I’ve learned that stress is something is I do to myself." "The only difference between stress and a bullet is the speed with which they kill you." "Karma will not be trifled with." "When people says nice things to you, receive it."

When Jenny Joy is finished with her day of running her residential cleaning company (which is a front for a women’s empowerment boot camp), she takes her mat to the dock a few blocks from her home, and practices yoga, meditation and mindfulness while the sun sets. Her quiet place is actually quiet, with the exception of the occasional “whizzzzz” as her fishing buddy casts his line, or the distant rumble of thunder. In this episode, Jenny explains how and why she finds peace and centers herself every day, the importance of rituals, and the way she thinks we "project" our fears and insecurities on to others.

The world seems to be getting louder. Not just louder in sound, but louder visually and mentally as well. Distractions abound. It’s almost impossible to carry on a conversation, concentrate on a single thought, or focus on an assignment or project for more than a few minutes without something or someone interrupting. Quiet time seems to be a distant memory. This is my podcast about finding where and how people find a place to quiet their minds, focus, and concentrate.