Revel Revel

Play with passion!! My guest is high school friend Keith Rodriguez. We didn't know each other really in HS but what we did know about each other back in the day was our impeccible musical taste. It was fun to reconnect with Keith and get to know him. Classical guitarist Keith Rodriguez received his Bachelor's degree in Music from UCSD and his MBA in guitar performance from San Diego State University, both under the instruction of Celín Romero.  During this time, he had the privilege of receiving several lessons from the Romero quartet´s founder, Celedonio Romero.  He continued to perfect his craft by doing post-graduate studies at the Conservatorio Superior Real de Madrid under the instruction of José Luis Rodrigo.  In 1996, he was awarded a scholarship to attend the renowned masterclasses “Música en Compostela”, focusing on Spanish guitar music and technique.  He has attended masterclasses under the instruction of Pepe Romero, David Russel, Piero Bonaguri and Gabriel Estarellas amongst others.  He has performed as soloist with recitals in México, USA, Spain and Portugal.  The Spanish periodical El Mundo has said after one of his performances “perfect intonation, impeccable interpretation and a diverse program were a delight for all those who attended a glimpse of what was sure to be a brilliant career”.  He has performed extensively both as a soloist as well as forming part of various chamber music ensembles, combining guitar  with cello, violin, and voice, etc.   Beginning in 2009, he discovered a passion for choir conducting through the J.H. Newman Colegio Internacional, where he has been teaching music history, choir and guitar since 2005. This choir has been awarded numerous first prizes in the Comunidad de Madrid school choir competitions, as well as receiving a silver medal at the 2018 Spanish national youth choir competition.    In addition to performing classical music, he has performed jazz with the Keith Andrews Quartet, as well as blues with his previous group The Blue Roosters. He has also composed music for diverse theater performances and is active as both a performer and music educator.   Originally from San Diego, he moved to Madrid in 1995 to pursue his musical studies, where he has been living since with his wife and four children.   Keith has truly blessed us with lots to listen to. Here's the full performance of the song I played a brief part of during the interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-8hLHVrBIiIHere's the Under Pressure performance by him and his students: https://s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com/life.revelrevel/public/Under%20Pressure%20jhnewman%20video%20final_2.mp4Here's his newest video: https://youtu.be/-8hLHVrBIiI I had never heard of Celin Romero--here's his info too: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celin_Romero   Other topics covered:No books to mention-SHOCK AND AWE! IKR? but these other items might interest you. The Netflix show I mentioned with Pope Francis is called Stories of a Generation https://www.netflix.com/title/81306329(And don't forget: my bookshop.org list of recommended books is always available. If you want a personally curated list of banned books too, please let me know.) The creator of this School of Community: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luigi_Giussani NOTE on Spotify: On the ep I talk about the Spotify situation. Here I'd like to address that if things haven't changed by my next episode, I'll be pulling my podcast off of the platform. As you can see from my stats below, this is purely a principle stance as my numbers on spotify don't hurt them at all. I apologize to these listeners though. Please use your voice to be heard that you won't stand for misinformation (and Rogan is still on all the other podcast apps, so, please support your musicians! My Spotify Stats: All time starts 160 streams 99 listeners 52  

Tatum Tricarico (she/her/hers) is a 23 year old Disability rights advocate. She is attending Duke Divinity school in hopes to become a progressive pastor and create space in the Church for Disabled people and other marginalized groups. She enjoys reading, writing, advocacy work, and board game nights with friends. You can follow her on instagram @blind_Person_in_area .    I am part of @yoDisabledAndProud which is a youth organizing network for Disabled youth ages 16-28.   Tatum recommends: "If you’re interested in more Disability Theology, I recommend reading The Disabled God by Nancy Eiseland or Spirit, A Healing Homeletic by Kathy Black, or  the Politics of Disabledment by Sharon Betcher. Or you can read my senior honors project here: https://pointloma.whdl.org/sites/default/files/Tricarico%2C%20Tatum%20HP.pdf   If you are interested in Disability Justice more broadly, I would recommend reading Being Heumann by Judith Heumann (@theHeumannPerspective on instagram) or listening to her podcast, reading Care Work by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha (@leahlakshmiwrites on instagram), reading Haben by Haben Girma (@habengirma on instagram), or following @crutches_and_spice and @the.autisticats on instagram." https://www.instagram.com/blind_person_in_area/ https://lomabeat.com/drc-to-eac-a-disappointing-change/     other topics: Ugly Laws: https://eugenicsarchive.ca/discover/tree/54d39e27f8a0ea4706000009#! The music artist she mentioned was Semler (Grace Baldridge) @gracebaldridge on instagram. Tatum recommend listening to Jesus From Texas, but her entire preachers kid album and late bloomer albums are amazing.Sub-Minimum Wage:MUCH to read about here! https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/wages/subminimumwage https://www.disabilityscoop.com/2021/04/16/new-push-underway-to-eliminate-subminimum-wage/29295/ https://www.yesmagazine.org/issue/what-the-rest-of-the-world-knows/2020/11/03/disability-justice-advocates-blazing-trails?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=YESDaily_20210821&utm_content=YESDaily_20210821+CID_eaed244ce66b4522360be855d4f452d4&utm_source=CM&utm_term=Read%20the%20full%20story Additionally, from the SPL Center:   Book mentioned: James Cone's The Cross and the Lynching Tree: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781626980051

  Karen Auvinen is an award-winning poet, mountain woman, life-long westerner, writer, and the author of the critically acclaimed memoir Rough Beauty, a finalist for the Colorado Book Award and the Willa Award. Her work has appeared most recently in The New York Times, High Desert Journal, LitHub, Ascent, and The Colorado Sun and a collection of short stories about outliers in the West is forthcoming. Karen teaches at the University of Colorado – Boulder and lives at 8600 feet within the Roosevelt National Forest with the artist Greg Marquez, their dog, River, and Dottie the Cat. More at https://www.karenauvinen.com/ Karen Auvinen Author of Rough Beauty: Forty Seasons of Mountain Living Colorado Book Award and Willa Award Finalist   Twitter:  @karenjamestown Instagram: @awomansplaceisinthewild Facebook:  Karen Auvinen Author     Topics: Learning to live through our relationship with our pets! It was an amazing discussion, even beyond what I could have imagined considering how wonderfully she wrote about her dog in her book. Order of the Good Death: https://www.orderofthegooddeath.com/ Sisu: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sisu Labor Union history in Philadelphia: https://jacobinmag.com/2019/09/a-labor-day-history-of-philadelphia-home-of-americas-first-general-strike Generational Trauma: which is a big topic and if you don't know much about it, here's an interesting article on it:https://www.pbs.org/newshour/extra/daily-videos/can-trauma-be-passed-to-next-generation-through-dna/ And of course life in the mountains and what community here means!

People banter about the words and concept of "attitude of gratitude" but Eiam LIVES it. Eiam's pronouns are they/them and I will be using those here. Their use of gratitude is no joke and not trite at all. In fact, they'll make you realize how shallow your thoughts of gratitude for your life may have been at times. If you are reading this before hearing the episode, grab a tissue, cause you are gonna be touched as well as pissed off.   Eiam O'Brien is 35 year old and lives in Sacramento, CA with their rescue animals. They identify as non-binary and Queer. Eiam is a professional caregiver, an empath & neuro-diverse. Eiam has a spouse who is wrongfully convicted and has been incarcerated for over 18 years. Eiam and Sean's blog is: www.innocentat16.com and you can also follow them on Facebook or Instagram. The petition is also on the website.   If you are reading this after hearing the episode, you know that Eiam does NOT ask for funds, but actually makes a plea for you to help the kids who have a parent in prison. This episode could and was almost called Follow Your Heart. So, if you are following your heart and are so inclined, here are a few organizations who help in that way: https://prisonfamiliesalliance.org/donate/ https://photopatch.org/about-us/ https://www.childwelfare.gov/topics/supporting/support-services/incarceration/   Grow the Love group on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growthelove   A book both Eiam and Sean recommend: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780307950475  

Another new person! Aaron and I met on the pod. How I found him is serendipitous as well as topical.  Who's Aaron? Just my new travel buddy. I might never stop saying "Brian May! Brian May!"   Here's what he says in his own words: "Host Aaron Millar is an award-winning travel writer, journalist and author. He contributes regularly to The Times of London, National Geographic Traveller (UK), and many other national and international publications. He has presented travel documentaries for National Geographic TV, written two books for London publisher Icon - 50 Greatest Wonders of the World & 50 Greatest National Parks of the World - and is the 2014 and 2017 British Guild of Travel Writers Travel Writer of the Year.  Aaron grew up in Brighton, England but is currently hiding out in the Rocky Mountains of Louisville, Colorado. He hates rom-coms, shellfish and gin; he loves sci-fi, sushi and tequila. Like travel? We'll get on well. The Armchair Explorer podcast is adventure storytelling set to music and cinematic effects. Each episode one of the world's greatest adventurers tell their best story from the road." www.Armchair-Explorer.com   Aaron inspired me to add my first ever sound effect to a podcast. It might not be my last cause Simon Drabble did such a great job. Thanks Hun!!! (To those not clear, it is the record scratch/ the world abruptly stopping sound.)   FYI the London Times Galactic article is behind a paywall. Sorry! But you can read another article by Aaron on the matter here: https://www.thebluedotperspective.com/connection/tenerife-stargazing/   Again, if you can't travel the world, bring the world to you via an international foreign student. EF:  https://www.ef.edu/   UK rules: https://www.gov.uk/topic/outdoor-access-recreation/rights-of-way-open-accessWay the world should be: https://visitsweden.com/what-to-do/nature-outdoors/nature/sustainable-and-rural-tourism/the-right-of-public-access/   Books mentioned on pod: Art of Hearing Heartbeats: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781590514634 Little Paris Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780553418798 Signs of Life: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781643131955 Four Fifths A Grizzly: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781952338014 Fighting Monks and Burning Mountains: https://www.allbookstores.com/Fighting-Monks-Burning-Mountains-Misadventures/9780990930402 Into the Wild: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780385486804 Into Thin Air: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780385494786 Notes from a Small Island: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780380727506 At Home: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780767919395 Geography of Bliss: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780446698894 A Short History of Nearly Everything: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780767908184   I'm ashamed I couldn't think of Chris McCandless' name during the episode so here's one of his fave quotes and the final photo of him.          

Julie part deux. Get it?   Julie goes more in depth about community, her students, time vs. money, traveling to learn, more about cultural exchange, pen pals still exist!, medical marvels (are in this ep-not part 1) Thanksgiving, giving to others, Buy Nothing groups, and of course more on both The Horse and His Boy andthe Count of Monte Cristo! And we give some reading and other life hacks! Some will be shocking!   Full transparency: I have not even started reading Count yet and it is 1312 pages long. So, making the English person do math here, if I started reading it today, which I can't because I don't have a copy, but today, Sept 1st, I'd have to read about 11 pages a day to finish it by the end of the year. :(   Another mention of the art of making beauty out of broken things. It really seemed to encapsulate Julie's ethos as well as what she appreciates about Christianity. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi   And for the record: I am part of 2 awesome Buy Nothing groups in my area. They truly are great, giving people. But no one has to get creative to get the items. ;-)   CALLS TO ACTION: If you are a regular Reveler, you know about the books fundraiser we did for another teacher this August. Well, Julie has been working with her Buy Nothing group and her French Club and she's gotten 2 carloads of book donations to her students! She is looking for more donations of $, gift cards, or books. Most need now is for: *books in Spanish--particularly popular titles/series such as Harry Potter in Spanish*infant board books *graphic novels *adolescent/YA booksand USED books are totally fine! Address to Julie's school is below but you can also buy gift cards or books at her local Booksmart in Morgan Hill CA. https://mybooksmart.indielite.org/ Julie Hoefling Everett Alvarez High School 1900 Independence Blvd. Salinas, CA 93906 Since we're talking about children in need and her brother Mark was at a children's hospital https://www.uhhospitals.org/locations/uh-rainbow-babies let me point out that St. Jude's always needs money but especially now that they can't do big fundraisers during covid to give here: https://www.stjude.org/ And don't forget, I'm a coordinator for EF so if you have a student who wants to study abroad or if you want an international student to come to you, please check this out and then contact me: https://www.ef.edu/

Julie, Julie, Julie...I loved her in HS and was so glad to reconnect. This was not planned as a two-parter. You'll have to listen to both to hear why. Julie Malinowski, now Hoefling, and I recorded this over Christmas break 2020, so please forgive any holiday references. In this, we'll talk about her journey, travel, language, French and France, why you should study abroad (or if you can't, I'll add that you should get a foreign exchange student here! talk to me about it, or see the link below--this is another thing I do) trauma, meeting people where they are at, the good C word--community, the value of the theatre, and teaching during covid. To help you get back into the swing of things, this school year, I'm bringing these episodes out now, as well as to go back in time to school year 2020 where everyone was talking about helping out teachers and giving them raises. Can we go back to that? Please?!   She's our second Teacher of the Year award recipient here on Revel Revel. Julie really stresses the importance of teachers investing their lives into the students and how much it means long term and it will warm your heart. Thanks to all of the MCHS teacher!   Julie went here and now I want to too! https://www.middlebury.edu/institute/   National Sexual Assault hotline: https://www.rainn.org/resources   I am a foreign exchange coordinator for EF: https://www.ef.edu/     And boy! Did we talk about books!! Books we discussed:Count of Monte Cristo https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780140449266 Narnia series, particularly The Horse and His Boy https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780064471060 Elegance of the Hedgehog https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781933372600 Bringing up Bebe https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780143122968 Me Talk Pretty One Day https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780316776967 Almost French https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781592400829 Burnout: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781984818324 The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780385341004 Plus a ton of books from her Classics bookgroup with her daughter.  

Amanda Skenandore is a local 'to my neck of the woods' Colorado girl, now in Vegas. She's a historical novelist. And a nurse! And I didn't know that until our discussion. I guess I should have picked up on it when reading her newest book, coming out THIS WEEK! Tomorrow, July 27th actually, The Second Life of Mirielle West. It is set in the 1930s in the U.S. leper colony in Louisiana. Yes, you read that right! I didn't know the U.S. had a leper colony and didn't know that folks in the U.S. still have leprosy today till I read her book. You'll learn a lot by reading it and listening to this discussion. It was amazing to discuss leprosy and covid with an infection disease prevention nurse. You'll definitely be thinking about what our covid historical fiction will be like, thus history has its eyes on you. Thanks Hamilton!   Amanda Skenandore is the award-winning author of three historical novels, The Second Life of Mirielle West, The Undertaker’s Assistant, and Between Earth & Sky. She’s also a registered nurse and certified infection preventionist. When she’s not writing or chasing germs, Amanda spends her time curled up on the couch with a book and cup of tea, or propagating her many houseplants. She lives in Las Vegas with her husband and their pet turtle Lenore. https://www.amandaskenandore.com/   At the time of our discussion in May, events were iffy, but now she has a bunch lined up: https://www.amandaskenandore.com/events/ Here's her 3 novels, listed with the most recent first. Remember, if you buy from these links, you support Amanda, ME and independent bookstores: The Second Life of Mirielle West: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781496726513 The Undertaker's Assistant: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781496713681 Between Earth and Sky: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781496713667This novel is about the schools for Native Americans that have been so much in the news recently. If I had realized that at the time I certainly would have brought it up.   Other things discussed: Coney Island Boardwalk in Bailey: https://www.facebook.com/ConeyBailey/ Up with People:https://upwithpeople.org/

What does Forte Volontà mean? It means Strong Willed in Italian and is Torrey's tattoo and mantra. "Who’s Torrey Andre Grimaldi?  (Formerly called Terry Hunt--this is his dead name.)Assigned female at birth. Just a boy screaming to brake free vessel in a girls body!!  Proud Trans Advocate today!! Started  Hormone Therapy (HRT) December 22,2020 and my life completely changed on March 2,2021 when I was blessed to get some things “OFF MY CHEST!“ Youngest of four siblings. Italian raised. Mom was an Italian Immigrant and became an American citizen in 1969. I was born and raised in San Diego. Torrey (like Torrey Pines in San Diego) lives to enjoy anything outdoors!! Did u say Beach? That is my medicine when I’m in a funk!!Photography and cooking are also a passion. I love dogs more than people!! I started my own business TGpetsitting when I came back to live in California after a near death stay at St. John’s Medical in Tulsa OK.  After surviving certain disabilities I started DOGTHERAPY/TGpetsitting to teach their owners how to bond with their furry friends during any recovery or disabilities!  TRANS MODEL BIG BRO FOR TRANS TEENS !!  Now I am living my most authentic and true life! Never be afraid to come out!" To contact him about dog therapy, petsitting or trans-activism you can find him here:@ tgpetsitting@gmail.com and Torrey Andreon Facebook.For trans support and information, here's a comprehensive resource: https://transresources.org/ If you are interested in counseling, please check out https://www.betterhelp.com/ and use the code Revel Revel to get my discount and see if counseling is right for you.   This photo of Torrey is just 5 days postop and you can still see bandages:

Books, death, food, quaranTINIES, coming out, living your authentic life, Maya Angelou, buying lamps, Attitus Fitch, meeting your soul mate later in life, gay weddings, work-life balance, cheese drawers, being a great dad, the 80s, and getting your first born married. What a ride this episode is, as well as Brian's life. Brian is a dear friend of mine and has always been. Or at least as long as we can remember anyway. He and his late wife were always great hosts and I have fond memories of scooting around San Francisco with them and man could Diane drive a stick in that hilly city! I've yet to meet his husband, but it is something to look forward to, with cheese, of course. Brian is one of the most wise people I know. Brian Knirk had a career running restaurants in the San Francisco Bay area in the 1990's. The birth of his children changed his priorities and searching for work/life balance began teaching. Brian is department chair for Culinary Arts & Hospitality Management at American River College in Sacramento. In 2013, after the unexpected death of his wife and with two kids in high school, Brian began deep self-reflection that led to living authentically. Brian believes that if you listen and allow it, the universe will guide you. The result has been a joyful journey. And he's another Doctor, PhD, but doesn't talk about that much. Books: The celestine prophecy: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781538730263 Ray bradbury: the butterfly effect: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780060785697 Go Set a Watchman and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780062409867 Anna Karenina by Tolstoy https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780199536061 Picture of Dorian Gray by Wilde https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781545216941 Treasure Island by Stevenson https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780141321004 Michael Pollan and his books about food: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780147514899 Infinite Game: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780735213500 TheoryU: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781626567986  

First time ever, I've let a guest name their own episode!  I'm really hoping you buy her book! ;-) It will help you--I'm sure. I know it. Do the hard things. Do what scares you. Be strong. Fight for yourself. Fight for what you need. Be a proud, boss-bitch who gets things done. Like Holly! A true SHERO! Holly Tarry is a writer, coach and activist specializing in helping women dismantle the patriarchy in their own lives and minds. Through a very intense period of personal change, she confronted a childhood full of gender roles and polite racism, joined a grueling public fight to have an elected official expelled from office for sexual harassment, remodeled her marriage, and built a totally new relationship with herself. She lives in Fort Collins, Colorado, with her husband, son and 4 adopted pets. She is very reachable:   https://www.instagram.com/hollytarryauthor/ https://www.facebook.com/HollyTarryAuthor   Holly Tarry (she/her/hers) Author & Coach  HollyTarry.com | Own Your Power   Power Boundaries: Book | Bootcamp | Coaching It’s time to feel seen and understood as your true self.   Her book via my link: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781951692087 And check out her resources in the back of her book. Holly invested the time to list all of the important books to her as well as music she's citing. I respect that!   Things we talked about: Amazon vs NYT:https://www.wsj.com/articles/amazon-changed-search-algorithm-in-ways-that-boost-its-own-products-11568645345https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_York_Times_Best_Seller_list   https://www.npr.org/2019/12/03/784553266/what-bestseller-lists-really-tell-us-about-a-books-popularity https://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/media/gop-book-deals/2021/04/15/154f3820-9ca5-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html   Ineta's Facebook group Grow the Love: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growthelove   Things we recommended to each other:https://www.craftedleadership.com/Doing the work: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780063012097Leaving isn't the Hardest Part by Lauren Hough: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780593080764Yellow House: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780802149039 Adam Grant, AGAIN!! This particular article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/19/well/mind/covid-mental-health-languishing.html      

If there has ever been a more "Instagram Perfect" place than San Diego, I don't know what is. But Shannon Thompson opens our eyes to what it is like when you don't fit in to this perfect collective image and the recovery you need when you aren't living your authentic life. Fish out of water is nothing to what she went through, but, as I've mentioned before, the Japanese art of making beautiful, strong things out of broken items, Kintsugi, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kintsugi Shannon has brought real healing and transformation to the world.  Shannon has this Gaia Mother aspect so this is coming out on Mother's Day! Shannon is the Founder and Visionary Director of the non-profit, Shakti Rising, a social change organization transforming the lives of women, girls, and the larger community. Shannon is a truth-teller, life-long learner, organizational consultant and leadership coach pulling from her certifications as a yoga instructor, massage therapist, flower essence practitioner, ordained minister; and training in herbalism, nutrition, energy psychology, aromatherapy and expressive arts therapy.  She lives life with a juicy, fierce, tender fiery passion. Her superpowers are loving the unlovable, and using her powers for Good. Shakti Rising is her destiny, her dharma and her daily choice.   Links: Website Instagram Mighty Networks For our Holistic Emotional First Aid workshops   Link to register Overview: Do you wish there were emotional emergency rooms in your community? A place where you can find wellbeing in the midst of uncertainty, duress, loss, grief and overwhelm? You can go beyond coping and just getting by (also known as hanging on to your ass in some circles).  Holistic Emotional First Aid Workshops (STILL TWO REMAINING!): Somatic based/body focused Simple, easy ways to go from stress to rest (nervous system resets) Real time applicable & effective tools for you, your family & work Putting mental health back in the hands of the community   Books mentioned: Circle of Stones: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781880913635 When Women Were Birds: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781250024114Marian Woodman: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781570623134 Clarissa Pinkola Estes: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780345409874 https://books.google.com/books/about/The_Myles_Horton_Reader.html?id=jcOWnPYmjxQC https://www.google.com/books/edition/Pedagogy_of_the_Oppressed/x0IWvgAACAAJ?hl=enMartin Shaw: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781603589505Sharon Blackie: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781912836017 Sera Beak: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781622034307Calvin and Hobbes: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781449433253Midnight Library: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780525559474   Other things mentioned:Emergent Design: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Emergent_Design Grow the Love Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/449162732593975 Movie The Village: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0368447/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0 Move Stardust https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0486655/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0I haven't seen it but the book is FAB! Anytime you can get Gaiman to read to you is time well spent: https://libro.fm/audiobooks/9780061336225-stardust?bookstore=bookshoporgRemember, if you sign up for BetterHelp.com or buy books via my Bookshop links, you are supporting the pod! If you don't want to support that way, please follow, share and give me a great review!

My guest, Kate Clifford Larson, is my first scholar! Dr. Kate Clifford Larson is a New York Times and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of three critically acclaimed biographies including Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero. A specialist in 19th and 20th century U.S. Women’s and African American History, Larson has consulted on feature film scripts – most recently Focus Features’ Harriet starring Cynthia Erivo - documentaries, museum exhibits, animation and augmented reality productions, public history initiatives, curriculum materials, tour and audio maps and guides, and numerous print and digital publications. Her award-winning consulting work includes Maryland’s Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad State and National Historical Park, the Harriet Tubman Underground Railroad Byway and All-American Road, and the Harriet Tubman Home and National Park in Auburn, NY. Dr. Larson is currently writing a biography of Civil Rights icon Fannie Lou Hamer entitled Walk With Me, due out from Oxford University Press in September 2021. Her website: http://katecliffordlarson.com/index.html   I mention Girl Trek and reference the Vanessa Garrison episode (#23)...if you haven't heard that you need to and then join Girl Trek! https://www.girltrek.org/ Roots: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roots_(1977_miniseries) Which means I was 8 years old!!! Places to watch Harriet: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/harriet Places to watch On the Basis of Sex: https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/on-the-basis-of-sex   Books we mentioned (and all of Kate's books) Roots: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780306824852 Diary of a Midwife: https://bookshop.org/books/a-midwife-s-tale-the-life-of-martha-ballard-based-on-her-diary-1785-1812/9780679733768 Kate's books including the Fannie Lou Hamer preorder: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=kate+clifford+larsonPreorder the companion book about Fannie Lou Kate mentions that her friend Keisha Blain has coming out:https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780807061503 Diary of Anne Frank: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780881035414400 Souls: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780593134047 In the Heart of the Sea: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780141001821 Alias Grace: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780385490443Ruth Bader Ginsberg biography: https://bookshop.org/books/ruth-bader-ginsburg-a-life/9781984897831Again I rave about Sapiens and Jesmyn Ward: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780062316110https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=jesmyn+wardPlenty of pics and videos of Kate on the interwebs and her website but look at this cool one of Kate with the star of Harriet Cynthia Erivo at the premier of the movie: 

  Guests Abe and Elaine Romero are here to share love and funny stories. It is almost like the movie Serendipity! So join us for this very theraputic couples therapy discussion. I hope that if you are interested in listening to a cute relationship or know someone who's in a long distance relationship, you'll listen and share their podcast. Did you know that there are 4 million American couples in commuter marriages?! I did not!Books we discussed:7 Principles for Making Marriage Work: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780553447712 Attached: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781585429134 Wired for Love: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781608820580 Love Warrior: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781250075734         Podcast- Love is in the Air  Spotify https://open.spotify.com/show/2GbAZtk3CbC7NoU7MWJAHM?si=LOZoesSVSBCbGWt4yVf7xg   Instagram support page: @commutermarriagesupport Facebook support page: Love is in the Air    Love is in the Air is a podcast dedicated to supporting commuter marriages and long-distance relationships. Elaine Romero, LMFT, Licensed Marriage, and Family Therapist, and her husband Abe Romero discuss the challenges and rewards of their own commuter marriage while supporting others!     Elaine’s practice- Safe Harbor Counseling Center: Elaine M. Romero, LMFT Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist Owner/Clinical Director  Safe Harbor Counseling Center elaine.romero@shcounseling.org shcounseling.org  (951) 252-8411 #3001  

Don't ever let anyone tell you you will have no future or job if you major in the Humanities. My guest Vincent Atchity, the President and CEO of Mental Health Colorado, is here to dispel that myth. How did a Classics Major end up working in mental health? How does literature speak to and help create positive mental health? Listen in to hear this and more. It is THE WORLD WIDE issue in 2020-2021 and I'm sure well beyond. For those of you lucky enough to be in a state like Colorado which really cares about mental health, you have tons of resources. If you do not have a bevy of resources in your area, please check out the links Mental Health Colorado has provided for the nation and outside the US.   (You'll notice you can click on this bio and it takes you to Facebook's page for Mental Health Colorado.)   President & CEO Bio Dr. Vincent Atchity is President & CEO of Mental Health Colorado, the state’s leading advocacy organization working to achieve healthier minds across the lifespan for all Coloradans by promoting mental wellness, increasing access to supports and services, and ending shame and discrimination. Dr. Atchity previously served as Executive Director of The Equitas Project, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization working nationally to disentangle mental health and criminal justice. Dr. Atchity served on Governor Hickenlooper’s Mental Health Holds Task Force and the Colorado Opioid Epidemic Symposia Steering Committee and currently serves on the Colorado Public Defender Commission, Governor Polis’s Behavioral Health Task Force, the Denver District Attorney Advisory Council on Mental Health, the Colorado School of Public Health Behavioral Health Initiative Advisory Board, as well as on the board of STRIDE Community Health, a federally qualified health center serving Metro Denver. Dr. Atchity has held positions with the North Colorado Health Alliance, the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus, Fordham University, and the University of California Berkeley School of Public Health. He earned his Ph.D. and M.A. degrees in comparative literature at the University of Southern California, and his undergraduate degree in classics at Georgetown University.   For people not in the US, check out our Care Not Cuffs work at www.carenotcuffs.org   Our mental health screenings are also available on our website www.mentalhealthcolorado.org For Colorado, we have our Legislative Education & Advocacy Day (LEAD) coming up on March 19 – register for free here - https://www.mentalhealthcolorado.org/event/lead-2021/Join me! I'm attending!Books and other things we discussed Zen Mind, Beginners Mind: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781611808414 Nordic Theory of Everything: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780062316554 Mozart's Starling: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780316370905 H is for Hawk: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780802124739Know why an atom is called an atom? I didn't realize the depth of the story, but it is very cool an applicable to mental health! https://masterconceptsinchemistry.com/index.php/2017/08/06/whats-an-atom/   And Vincent mentions the Incarceration Nation. If you haven't seen it, I highly recommend 13th. https://www.netflix.com/title/80091741    

Gino, Gino, Gino! If you haven't listened to the Phil Factor episode, you'll want to hear that one first to truly appreciate Gene's episode. Here it is: Phil Factor Gino is the biggest Madonna fan, thus the title, but he truly does live to make others happy and beautiful. As I'm writing this now, it is Gino's birthday and he did a fundraiser for it on Facebook for the  National Suicide Prevention Lifeline '1-800-273-TALK (8255) Learn about HALT! And you can get more info and donate here: https://www.facebook.com/donate/790045678249341/ Gino's bio in his own words: "Gino was born and raised in San Diego by a doting and effervescent, loving mother who was born in Italy. Gino’s father was a gold star World War II vet, who met his mother while stationed in Italy. Gino has one sibling, a supportive and loving sister Sistiana. Both Sistiana and Gino graduated from Mount Carmel High School in San Diego, class of 1982 and 1987 respectively. Gino suffers from severe dyslexia and ADHD but has never let that hold him back. He has been a flamboyant, creative, openly gay man since his teens.   After graduating from high school, he enrolled in beauty school and has been excelling in coloring, cutting, and styling ever since. His skill has been highlighted in in fashion shows and photo shoots and his work has also appeared in professional salon magazines. Gino continues to excel at his craft and in light of the current pandemic he has arranged to provide hair care services in his private salon in Poway, California, where all County Health requirements are maintained. Wear a mask and be prepared to have your temperature taken, after which you will be treated like the god or goddess you are, and your hair will thank you for the treatment.   Like many creative people, Gino has struggled with his fair share of emotional and addiction issues, but he has persevered. He has become a master at the art of reinventing himself and pulling himself up from the dark into the light; learning to turn the negative voice in his head into one that reassures him he is good and loved.   Gino has worked creatively for Macy’s, Disneyland, and a high-end beauty store in West Hollywood. Gino began toying with wigs as a hobby but has honed his skill to the point where he has styled princess wigs while working at Disneyland and he continues to create exceptional wigs for local repertory theaters and school productions. Gino can turn any wig into a thing of beauty enhancing the joy and appearance of the wearer.   Today, Gino is clean and sober and enjoys working at the World-Famous San Diego Zoo when he is not doing hair. Aside from relishing being in the outdoors with wild animals and fresh air, Gino is surrounded by amazing smart young coworkers and great bosses who love him.   Gino’s most important role is that to his family and friends. He is a doting uncle to his niece Charlotte, a supportive brother to Sistiana, and is well loved and respected by his many friends."   If you'd like to make an appointment to be treated like a deity, here's how you contact him: 310-560-0211   Books Gino recommends: Less than Zero Rock Hudson's biography Paul Newman's biography and we discussed Robin Williams. In light of his suicide, you may be interested in watching this: https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/medical/new-documentary-looks-at-robin-williams-struggle-with-lewy-body-dementia/ar-BB18zjHU   Recorded 12/28/2020

Rome calls himself a futurist. I call him a visionary. This episode is all about the beauty of the mystery. But to know the future we have to go back to the beginning. Let us take you back to the dawning age of the internet and revel in how revolutionary it was (and is!) to these Gen-Xers! Rome Viharo is an entrepreneur, inventor, designer, multi-media madman, non-expert and father. In that order :) Topics: 9/11, life before and after it, the beginning of the internet, the numbers 0 1 2, Aikido https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aikido Buddhism, specifically Tibetan Buddhism for Rome. Here in Conifer we have: http://www.compassionatedharmacloudmonastery.org/ And Rome gives the best definition of the difference between coincidence and serendipity!He has created an 11 part youtube series about Aiki Wiki just for us! Please follow the videos to walk through how Aiki Wiki is the place to learn and have drama free, unifying conversations about topics that seem diametrically opposed. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jDBPEGHzJ8&list=PL8XDZg0sLOWXQf6MaqHetsltj5BHZXMRR Mentioned: Rome's hero is Buckminster Fuller. I'm sure you will be interested to know more after listening to this episode: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buckminster_Fuller Robert Thurman and his podcast: https://fyminc.typepad.com/bob_thurman_podcast/ I've never read anything by either of them, but they've both written. I just heard a great podcast with a Tibetan Nun on 10% Happier: https://radiopublic.com/ten-percent-happier-with-dan-harr-WwE9m8/s1!57ea8     Recorded late November 2020.

Jeni Davis Rayle is an advocate for education reform where we keep the children first, not the institutions or the test scores. She's fighting everyday for this and for equity for all special education children especially within this flawed system. So she's railing or "Rayle-ing" for change. I'm not big on puns but it was there, so I took it. Hear her personal evolution to listen to herself, her voice, her gut and experience and trust herself, as well as the evolution of education in the past 25-30 years.  Jeni uses a past episode with Phil Factor and hints at an upcoming episode with Gino Gebhart for how pervasive dyslexia is in all of our lives.Jeni is soooo passionate about this and had so many stories as examples of mistakes schools are making and how she's learned, grown and fought to empower kids that the raw recording was over 2 hours! I hated cutting out such powerful examples of what not to do in the school system, so, if you ever want to hear all of that, I can send out the original, unedited sound file. Or just call Jeni! She'll tell you everything you need to know about this issue. You'll definitely want her on your side and fighting for your child. If you'd like to hire her for your student: https://sdeducationalservices.com/ Other advocate resources she mentioned: https://www.copaa.org/ https://www.wrightslaw.com/ Person mentioned to follow is Tatum and she'll be on a future episode! https://www.instagram.com/blind_person_in_area/   Books mentioned:https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781849057370 https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780465036585   Other ways to get involved: https://gigisplayhouse.org/sandiego/ https://bandingtogethersd.org/   http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-jennifer-rayle-san-diego-educational-services-central-san-diego/   such a fun family! a bit of MCHS love

Jeni Davis Rayle is an advocate for education reform where we keep the children first, not the institutions or the test scores. She's fighting everyday for this and for equity for all special education children especially within this flawed system. So she's railing or "Rayle-ing" for change. I'm not big on puns but it was there, so I took it. Hear her personal evolution to listen to herself, her voice, her gut and experience and trust herself, as well as the evolution of education in the past 25-30 years.  Jeni uses a past episode with Phil Factor and hints at an upcoming episode with Gino Gebhart for how pervasive dyslexia is in all of our lives.Jeni is soooo passionate about this and had so many stories as examples of mistakes schools are making and how she's learned, grown and fought to empower kids that the raw recording was over 2 hours! I hated cutting out such powerful examples of what not to do in the school system, so, if you ever want to hear all of that, I can send out the original, unedited sound file. Or just call Jeni! She'll tell you everything you need to know about this issue. You'll definitely want her on your side and fighting for your child. If you'd like to hire her for your student: https://sdeducationalservices.com/ Other advocate resources she mentioned: https://www.copaa.org/ https://www.wrightslaw.com/ Person mentioned to follow is Tatum and she'll be on a future episode! https://www.instagram.com/blind_person_in_area/   Books mentioned:https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9781849057370 https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780465036585   Other ways to get involved: https://gigisplayhouse.org/sandiego/ https://bandingtogethersd.org/   http://sdvoyager.com/interview/meet-jennifer-rayle-san-diego-educational-services-central-san-diego/   such a fun family! a bit of MCHS love

Interview with Kergan Edwards-Stout I don't know Kergan! LOL Even though he lives about 15 mins from me. Thanks to a mutual friend called Lisa Colorado, we met to discuss his book and his life. Kergan Edwards-Stout's new "fictional" memoir, Never Turn Your Back on the Tide (Or, How I Married a Lying, Psychopathic Wannabe Murderer and Kinda Lived to Tell), won the IndieReader Discovery Award and is a finalist for the Next Generation Indie Book Awards.  Gifts Not Yet Given, a collection of 14 short stories, was named on multiple "Best Book" lists and is available now in paperback and e-book.  His debut novel, Songs for the New Depression, won the 2012 Indie Book Award, was shortlisted for the Independent Literary Awards, and was named one of the Top Books for 2012 by Out in Print.We discussed many things about his life and his past, and you'll hear a lot, but not everything, so check out his book to know all the juicy details! Kergan Edwards-Stouthttp://kerganedwards-stout.com   Discussed: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lyndon_LaRouche https://bookshop.org/books/giovanni-s-room-9780792796107/9780345806567 https://bookshop.org/books/city-of-night-9780802121530/9780802121530 https://bookshop.org/books/tales-of-the-city/9780061358302 https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=Felice+Picano+ https://bookshop.org/books/mrs-stevens-hears-the-mermaids-singing/9780393309294   https://bookshop.org/books/a-little-life/9780804172707     Here is a charity Kergan supports and hopes that we will too: One Colorado https://one-colorado.org/about/    

I didn't know Dr. Sheldon Jacobs when we started this, but since we had to scrap the original recording from 11/2 and redo in January, and all the subsequent emails, etc., I now have spent a good amount of time with him. He's got the kind of heart and presence you want to be around, especially for those in need. Here's what he says: "My name is Dr. Sheldon A. Jacobs, a licensed marriage and family therapist. I am currently employed with a local government agency. I have worked extensively with individuals experiencing difficulties with various life transitions, juvenile probationers, severely emotionally disturbed children, chemical dependency populations, professional athletes (most recently the Las Vegas Raiders), and individuals suffering from mild to severe mental illness. Made me think of: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qt2mbGP6vFI and this amazing book that everyone should read:  https://bookshop.org/books/evicted-poverty-and-profit-in-the-american-city/9780553447453 With the subsequent follow up info and org after he wrote Evicted: https://justshelter.org/     Sheldon A. Jacobs, PsyD, LMFT Vice President NAMI-Southern Nevada  State of Nevada Board of Examiners MFTs & CPCs Drsheldonjacobs.com His book: 48: https://bookshop.org/books/48-an-experiential-memoir-on-homelessness-9781480896246/9781480896239 Resources: https://nationalhomeless.org/ https://wellbeings.org   AVERY BURTON FOUNDATION averyburtonfoundation.org info@averyburtonfoundation.org 702-558-9202 Providing culturally competent mental health first aid tips and educational resources to youth and adults in crisis.   CARE COALITION carecoalitionnv.org info@carecoalitionnv.org 702-463-1415 Increasing public awareness of the effects of drug and alcohol abuse by educating and supporting youth, adults, the community at large and drug pre- vention agencies in Clark County.   CRISIS SUPPORT SERVICES OF NEVADA cssnv.org 800-273-8255 | info@cssnv.org Providing 24/7 free, confidential and caring support to people in crisis.   WORK2BEWELL Work2BeWell.org The #Work2BeWell digital wellness and empowerment program focuses on positively impacting the emotional well-being of teens and promoting mental health. Here you will find free curriculum, programs, and assets that can be used to help educate teens about mental health and wellness.   THIS IS MY BRAVE https://thisismybrave.org This Is My Brave enables high-school and college-aged students to use storytelling to combat stigma around mental health. This Is My Brave brings stories of mental illness and addiction out of the shadows and into the spotlight.   THE YOUTH MENTAL HEALTH PROJECT The Parent Support NetworkTM ymhproject.org/parent-support-network #youthmentalhealthproject parentsupportnetwork@ymhproject.org 773-501-9548 The Parent Support NetworkTM, a program of The Youth Mental Health ProjectTM, offers free and confidential support meetings run by and for parents who are concerned about the mental health of their children, teens, and young adults.   NAMI - THE NATIONAL ALLIANCE ON MENTAL ILLNESS www.nami.org #NotAlone Call the NAMI Helpline at 800-950-6264 M-F, 10 am-6pm, ET Or in a crisis text “NAMI” to 741741 for 24/7, confidential free counseling The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) is the nation’s largest grassroots mental health organization dedicated to improving the lives of individuals and families affected by mental illness. Join the conversation at nami.org | facebook.com/nami instagram.com/namicommunicate twitter.com/namicommunicate NAMI Basics OnDemand NAMI Basics is a 6-session education program for parents, caregivers and other family who provide care for youth (ages 22 and younger) who are experiencing mental health symptoms. This program is free to participants, 99% of whom say they would recommend the program to others. NAMI Basics is available both in person and online through NAMI Basics OnDemand. The OnDemand program is also guided by parents and family members with lived experience but is self-paced and available 24/7. OnDemand offers the flexibility of participating in the course on your schedule. Both formats provide identical information, strategies and the opportunity to connect with other parents and caregivers.   NAMI Frontline Wellness NAMI has developed a suite of no- cost digital resources for frontline professionals, which are available now at www.NAMI.org/FrontlineWellness. These custom-made resources were developed based on the findings from a comprehensive needs assessment and include: techniques to build resilience, access to confidential and professional services, peer support groups, support for family members, how to identify signs of a potential mental health emergency and suicide prevention information. #FirstRespondersFirst  

Vanessa says many cool things such as: "in the mindset to receive the message of the book" ... "take the time to learn yourself"... "one divine order of things"... "the universe has lined my life up in a beautiful way" ... "this is so much bigger than the politics of the United States" ... "you cannot heal what you cannot feel" that made it hard to pick one title for this episode. But since it was recorded a week after the 2020 election and I'm publishing at the beginning of 2021...here's another: "we can't move forward as a country until we have these discussions". It made the naming of this ep very difficult but wow! If this isn't the 'perfect ending 2020, figuring out how to make 2021 a better year and world't type of message for us all!!!   Vanessa Garrison: Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Garrison is a passionate advocate of social justice issues and has focused her workon improving health outcomes and quality of life for Black women and girls.Prior to co-founding GirlTrek, Vanessa worked as a Program Coordinator for Our Place DC, anonprofit organization that provides services to currently and formerly incarcerated women.Vanessa began her career working in digital media with Turner Broadcasting System. Inc. inAtlanta, GA. where she managed digital media projects for some the world’s most recognizable news and entertainment brands,including, CNN, TNT and Sports Illustrated.With GirlTrek, Vanessa has been a featured on CNN, in The Washington Post,The New York Times and named a "Health Hero" by Essence Magazine.Vanessa has received social innovations fellowships from Teach For America(2012), Echoing Green (2013), and the Aspen Institute (2015). Vanessa earned aBachelor of Arts in World Arts and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles. https://www.girltrek.org/ and here's the 2020 recap for Girl Trek: https://wakelet.com/wake/jUZZ5HvtNQZ8u-yQiXSBJ     Stuff we mention: (note we did a good job of promoting black female authors ;-) ) https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Nikki Giovanni. https://bookshop.org/contributors/nikki-giovanni-83c47496-43e8-4dce-b144-ad21d50446b1 Colin Kaepernick: https://www.usresistnews.org/civil-rights/ Zora Neal Hurston: https://www.azquotes.com/author/7096-Zora_Neale_HurstonShirley Chisholm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Chisholmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Lou_Hamerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Garveyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokely_Carmichael https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells https://bookshop.org/books/song-of-solomon/9781400033423 Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie https://bookshop.org/books/an-american-marriage-oprah-s-book-club-9781616208684/9781616208684 Jesmyn Ward https://bookshop.org/contributors/jesmyn-ward   and her essay on losing her husband's death in 2020: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/jesmyn-ward-on-husbands-death-and-grief-during-covid(this article has a link inside so you can hear Jesmyn read the article too) https://bookshop.org/contributors/yaa-gyasi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Clifton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL2qsU2_-00 and while this did not explicitly come up, since we focus on mental health issues in general and what Girl Trek is doing specifically, I think it needs to be added to this list: http://www.forharriet.com/2012/05/mules-of-world-on-black-womens-mental.html  

Vanessa says many cool things such as: "in the mindset to receive the message of the book" ... "take the time to learn yourself"... "one divine order of things"... "the universe has lined my life up in a beautiful way" ... "this is so much bigger than the politics of the United States" ... "you cannot heal what you cannot feel" that made it hard to pick one title for this episode. But since it was recorded a week after the 2020 election and I'm publishing at the beginning of 2021...here's another: "we can't move forward as a country until we have these discussions". It made the naming of this ep very difficult but wow! If this isn't the 'perfect ending 2020, figuring out how to make 2021 a better year and world't type of message for us all!!!   Vanessa Garrison: Co-Founder & Chief Operating Officer Vanessa Garrison is a passionate advocate of social justice issues and has focused her workon improving health outcomes and quality of life for Black women and girls.Prior to co-founding GirlTrek, Vanessa worked as a Program Coordinator for Our Place DC, anonprofit organization that provides services to currently and formerly incarcerated women.Vanessa began her career working in digital media with Turner Broadcasting System. Inc. inAtlanta, GA. where she managed digital media projects for some the world’s most recognizable news and entertainment brands,including, CNN, TNT and Sports Illustrated.With GirlTrek, Vanessa has been a featured on CNN, in The Washington Post,The New York Times and named a "Health Hero" by Essence Magazine.Vanessa has received social innovations fellowships from Teach For America(2012), Echoing Green (2013), and the Aspen Institute (2015). Vanessa earned aBachelor of Arts in World Arts and Cultures from the University of California, Los Angeles. https://www.girltrek.org/ and here's the 2020 recap for Girl Trek: https://wakelet.com/wake/jUZZ5HvtNQZ8u-yQiXSBJ     Stuff we mention: (note we did a good job of promoting black female authors ;-) ) https://blacklivesmatter.com/ Nikki Giovanni. https://bookshop.org/contributors/nikki-giovanni-83c47496-43e8-4dce-b144-ad21d50446b1 Colin Kaepernick: https://www.usresistnews.org/civil-rights/ Zora Neal Hurston: https://www.azquotes.com/author/7096-Zora_Neale_HurstonShirley Chisholm: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shirley_Chisholmhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fannie_Lou_Hamerhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcus_Garveyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stokely_Carmichael https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Harriet_Tubman https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ida_B._Wells https://bookshop.org/books/song-of-solomon/9781400033423 Half of a Yellow Sun and Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie https://bookshop.org/books/an-american-marriage-oprah-s-book-club-9781616208684/9781616208684 Jesmyn Ward https://bookshop.org/contributors/jesmyn-ward   and her essay on losing her husband's death in 2020: https://www.vanityfair.com/culture/2020/08/jesmyn-ward-on-husbands-death-and-grief-during-covid(this article has a link inside so you can hear Jesmyn read the article too) https://bookshop.org/contributors/yaa-gyasi https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucille_Clifton https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angela_Davis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cL2qsU2_-00 and while this did not explicitly come up, since we focus on mental health issues in general and what Girl Trek is doing specifically, I think it needs to be added to this list: http://www.forharriet.com/2012/05/mules-of-world-on-black-womens-mental.html  

Listen to Dianne, 2 Ns, and I reconnect after 20+ years. You won't believe how she's pivotal in my life and how we reconnected. TOTAL small world story! As they say in German: glücklicher Zufall!  We discuss her life and how everything just keeps falling into place for her. She's not on social media, so this is where you can find her online. Dianne is so down to earth sees things that others may not see. She's picked up a German accent after all this time, and brings another worldly outlook to our little pod. This is the second person I've had on who now lives overseas. She's extremely well-read on international lit so check out her recs below. Before I get to her bio etc. you'll definitely want to learn the history of the word serendipity (and I just learned it has an opposite and no, it isn't German! I thought the Germans had words for everything even if it is just 3 words put together. ;-) Anyway, I like this so much, I'm putting this link on the landing page for Revel Revel too. https://interestingliterature.com/2015/01/a-short-history-of-the-word-serendipity/   Dianne's bio: "Originally from MI and studied in TN – now living in Germany for more over 20 years. I met Lauren doing my second year of National Service in Americorps and the idea of service to your community is one I still value. I enjoy trying new recipes and I promote having a plant based diet and have been vegetarian/vegan since 1988. Do yourself and the planet a favour and simply eat less meat! I have a passion for travel and enjoy getting to know other cultures and histories of the people around the world. I love reading and getting book recommendations (which your pod cast is great for!) and only wish I had more time to read them all. I am married to a wonderful man and proud mom of a lovely 11 year old daughter." Here is a short list of books that I have either influenced me or I have simply enjoyed reading:   The China Study by T.Colin Campbell, PD and Thomas M. Campbell II, MD. https://bookshop.org/books/the-china-study-the-most-comprehensive-study-of-nutrition-ever-conducted-and-the-startling-implications-for-diet-weight-loss-and-lon-9781941631560/9781941631560 My Year in Meats by Ruth Ozeki https://bookshop.org/books/my-year-of-meats/9780140280463 The Sympathizer by Viet Thang Nguyen https://bookshop.org/books/the-sympathizer-a-novel-pulitzer-prize-for-fiction/9780802124944 Sacred Games by Vikram Chandra https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=sacred+games The Sellout by Paul Beatty https://bookshop.org/books/the-sellout-9781522634676/9781250083258 There There by Tommy Orange https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=there+there The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand https://bookshop.org/books/the-fountainhead/9780451191151 The Forty Rules of Love by Elif Shafak. https://bookshop.org/books/the-forty-rules-of-love-a-novel-of-rumi/9780143118527 The Luminaries by Eleanor Catton. https://bookshop.org/books/the-luminaries/9780316074292 Other topics that we covered: Americorps, and YES, it is still around! (national) https://americorps.gov/ Though our focus on water quality has evolved to just environmental issues: (our team) https://cacamericorps.org/program-environmental/ Urban Waterways and why we worked on them/why they are important: https://www.epa.gov/urbanwaters/why-urban-waters And, as always, my sponsor is BetterHelp.com   Left to right wedding photo: My Dad, my mom, Simon's mom, Simon's dad, our son Josh, me, Simon, Sean Krause, Helen Krause, Paul Vachon(where are you dude?) and the guest Dianne Holbrook Kohler   Such a European photo Red Rocks on the day it all happened...maybe Dianne is somewhere in the background. Maybe. It isn't often that we have pix of such fateful days. Maybe that will change as we all live with our phones and document everything. Why we didn't take a photo of the reunion I don't know!

Remy (also Remedios or Ding!) Meraz is a fighter! She's a searcher, a student, a hero, a mom, an entrepeneur, and a woman who cannot be stopped.  This episode could also be called Manifest Destiny.  If you don't typically listen to the end...please do on this one. Special Thanksgiving ending! She has done the work on herself and come out the other side to make the world a better place. Come alone with us and hear how she's connected the dots in her life which might help you connect yours.  She's my Taurus sistah and sometimes it feels like we are almost the same person. Our paths have crossed and crossed over each other and back and forth and zig zagged. Remy is a powerhouse but in a way she embodies Mr. Rogers motto of "find the helpers".  There is always someone there to help. Sometimes they actually say "I'm here to help you." There is always someone in your life or who wants to be in your life to help you. Remy is the second person to mention being part of the Latina Business Women's Association. Remy Meraz an alchemist and change agent living a life on purpose is the founder and CEO of Me Tyme. http://metyme.io a wellness platform to help you think, feel, and work better.    The concept for Me Tyme was born from life-altering incidents she encountered while growing up and throughout her career where she witnessed challenges plaguing companies and communities of color surrounding mental health. She credits a mental health disorder diagnosis, Oprah, and her daughter as the driving forces behind her life work to remove cost and stigma as primary roadblocks for those seeking professional help and access to personal development training.    In her spare time, you can find her eating her way through the city one restaurant at a time or running the streets, beaches, and trails of Southern California.  Get on board MeTyme! You won't regret it! After we make MeTyme the success it so deserves to be, I'll have Remy back to talk more about it and also give you closure on her reconciliation with her dad.Contact Remy: M  619.977.9626  E remy@metymenetwork.com  W http://metyme.ioSkype Ms.Remy   Other topics we covered: Cognitive Behavioral Therapy: https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/basics/cognitive-behavioral-therapy Remy mentions Shakti and that reminded me of our alumnus Shannon Thompson's non-profit called Shakti Rising. https://www.shaktirising.org/ Learn about High Vibrations with this episode and this supplemental info:   Books: Celestine Prophecy https://bookshop.org/books/the-celestine-prophecy-9781594831959/9781538730263 four agreements https://bookshop.org/books/the-four-agreements-a-practical-guide-to-personal-freedom-9781878424310/9781878424310 purpose driven life https://bookshop.org/books/the-purpose-driven-life-what-on-earth-am-i-here-for-9780762416844/9780762416844 The alchemist https://bookshop.org/books/the-alchemist-9780062315007/9780062315007 Conversations with God https://bookshop.org/books/conversations-with-god-an-uncommon-dialogue-book-1/9780399142789 The Secret https://bookshop.org/books/the-secret-9781582701707/9781582701707 Upstream by Dan Heath https://bookshop.org/books/upstream-the-quest-to-solve-problems-before-they-happen/9781982134723 The Voice of Knowledge https://bookshop.org/books/the-voice-of-knowledge-a-practical-guide-to-inner-peace/9781878424549 Shakti Leadership: Embracing Feminine and Masculine Energy in Business https://bookshop.org/books/shakti-leadership-embracing-feminine-and-masculine-power-in-business/9781626564657     Other media info from Remy: "The book I mentioned that my therapist asked me to read to address trauma was centered around the Chowchilla Kidnappings that was made into a TV movie. The book is called Too Scared To Cry: Psychic Trauma in Childhood by Lenore Terr I found the TV movie under two titles: They've Taken Our Children - The Chowchilla Kidnapping and  Vanished Without a Trace.

I got to talk to Tris and blow her perception of herself. We expose how inappropriate the 80s were. I mention this classic video that you might want to check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lyNa-ReeZc8Anyway, I think we were awesome and just ahead of the times! Regardless, Tristan is an accomplished speaker, dj, attorney, and a long time friend and she's a joy to the world. If you have not listened to the RBG and Pam Martin episode first, you really should BEFORE listening to this one as we reference it a lot and is the foundation for this one.   Tristan E.H. Higgins is a highly trained and internationally recognized speaker on diversity and inclusion. She speaks with humor and sincerity, which allows her to reach audiences of any age, nationality, and profession. She founded Metaclusive LLC to help organizations shift their focus to belonging. “Metaclusive” means a sense of belonging that transcends diversity and inclusion where all are represented, valued, and accepted. Tristan has a Bachelor of Arts in Theater from the University of California, San Diego and went to California Western School of Law for her Juris Doctor. She began her career as a prosecutor for the San Diego City Attorney and went on to practice entertainment law for the Screen Actors Guild (SAG- AFTRA) in Los Angeles. After advising SAG-AFTRA in video game contract negotiations, she joined Sega of America in San Francisco, where she oversaw Sega’s legal needs for North America. She left Sega to join Sony Electronics in San Diego, where she helped establish the digital cinema business worldwide, and advised the component sales divisions in Silicon Valley, Novi, Tel Aviv, and Tokyo on high tech licensing and sales. Tristan lives with her wife, two kids, one dog, and three cats. In her pre-pandemic spare time, she served the community as a volunteer DJ for non-profit events and traveled the world as often as possible. Now, she is trying to make the world a better place from her home and hoping she doesn’t forget how to socialize.   Besides all the links below, this is the one to click on! YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Metaclusive   Things we mentioned:   Tom Shadyac did I Am and was the Jim Carrey director Tris mentioned. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/I_Am_(2010_American_documentary_film)   Isabella Wilkerson's books: Caste: https://bookshop.org/books/caste-oprah-s-book-club-the-origins-of-our-discontents-9780593230251/9780593230251 https://bookshop.org/books/the-warmth-of-other-suns-the-epic-story-of-america-s-great-migration/9780679763888   Kendi's books: https://bookshop.org/books/how-to-be-an-antiracist/9780525509288  and https://bookshop.org/books/stamped-from-the-beginning-the-definitive-history-of-racist-ideas-in-america-9781568585987/9781568585987   Robin Diangelo's White Fragility: https://bookshop.org/books/white-fragility-why-it-s-so-hard-for-white-people-to-talk-about-racism/9780807047415Ijeoma Oluo's So You Want to talk about Race: https://bookshop.org/books/so-you-want-to-talk-about-race/9781580058827   Octavia Butler in general but specifically Kindred and Parable of the Sower: https://bookshop.org/books/kindred-6268c8de-13c6-4936-b889-3432f8682d05/9780807083697. https://bookshop.org/books/parable-of-the-sower/9781538732182   Tristan's awesome Blog post to the universe:  https://butchontap.com/wanted-femme-for-butch/     LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/tristanehiggins   Metaclusive FB: https://www.facebook.com/metaclusive Twitter: https://twitter.com/metaclusive IG: https://www.instagram.com/metaclusive/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Metaclusive              

Whoa. BIG Autumn of 2020! How time has flown since I actually got to sit down in the same room with Ineta. Ineta is one of my first friends in Denver. I need more Coloradans to be on the pod! And immigrants! She's also the youngest person to be on the pod. I need young people too! (Any first time voters who want to be on...please let me know!) Ineta Lukosius is a women's empowerment coach, solo mom of a toddler, world traveler, book lover, and an unapologetic optimistic idealist. She was born and raised in a small town in Lithuania, and then immigrated to the US with her family in 2003. Since then she mostly lived in Colorado, and spent few years living in Vietnam recently, until becoming a mom.   She plans to move to Mexico with her son next year, and experiment with world schooling and a traveling lifestyle.  Being a mom and a coaching practice business owner is her happy place, and she feels aligned to the greater good and purpose with her work   You can join her women's empowerment Facebook group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/growthelove/   Or follow on Instagram @growwithineta   To learn more about the group course Self Growth 101 go here: https://mailchi.mp/554ce569fae8/self-growth-101     Books and other references of things we talked about: mom's etsy store https://www.etsy.com/shop/LLCraftingStoreAgain, Glennon Doyle's Untamed (might be neck and neck with Brene now!) Again, Stamped from the Beginning, the big full version: https://bookshop.org/books/stamped-from-the-beginning-the-definitive-history-of-racist-ideas-in-america-9781568585987/9781568585987   Trevor Noah's Born a Crime, again. ;-) https://bookshop.org/books/born-a-crime-stories-from-a-south-african-childhood/9780399588198   New to the pod:Jen Sincero's: You are a Badass: https://bookshop.org/books/you-are-a-badass-r-how-to-stop-doubting-your-greatness-and-start-living-an-awesome-life/9780762447695   Regena Thomashauer's Pussy: A Reclamation: https://bookshop.org/books/pussy-a-reclamation/9781401950262   Barack Obama's Dreams From My Father: https://bookshop.org/books/dreams-from-my-father-a-story-of-race-and-inheritance-9781400082773/9781400082773   (I have not read this:) https://bookshop.org/books/motherhood-so-white-a-memoir-of-race-gender-and-parenting-in-america/9781492679011     Sponsored by Better Help! Check out Better Help by using the url and discount code of Revel Revel https://betterhelp.com/revelrevel

Nettie is so good at including your name and in warm ways to include you. Her way makes you feel special. This quote from Maya Angelou came up but also embodies Nettie: “I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel."(To help you feel clued in, if you haven't listed to the Pam Martin episode, you'll want to go back and hear it first. Starting with Merrill on ep 1 we find out that we are all hurting and that no where, not even perfect San Diego is as idyllic as it seemed.)   Annette Gregg, CMM, MBA is Senior Vice President, Experience for Meeting Professionals International (MPI), leading its community engagement, events and education teams and delivering programs for its 16,000 members worldwide. She has an extensive background in the meeting and hospitality industry, serving in executive level positions for corporations, associations and non-profits. Her experience includes marketing and event leadership positions at LPL Financial, University of California Los Angeles, the Los Angeles Convention Center, San Diego and Monterey tourism bureaus, and several business event agencies. She regularly delivers keynotes on topics including diversity and unconscious bias, promoting women in the workplace, and a variety of professional development topics, Annette has taught at several universities including leading San Diego State University’s Meeting and Event Certificate Program. She was elected Instructor of the Year at SDSU, and inducted into the Center for Business Intelligence’s Circle of Excellence for her training and speaking. She is an honoree for Women in Tourism and Hospitality, and has won the Coach Award for the Association of Women in Events and Planner of the Year for MPI San Diego. Annette served on MPI’s Board of Directors, the board for the Kim Center for Gender Equity, and San Diego Commission for Women and Girls. She was named to the MeetingsNet Changemakers list for her work in women’s empowerment. Annette received her undergraduate degree in International Relations at the University of California, Berkeley and later received her MBA from California Miramar University in San Diego. When she's not busy playing volleyball with her husband and son at Moonlight Beach, Nettie still does speaking and consulting via her company Difference Makers Consulting, learn more at differencemakersconsulting.com Nettie mentions not being able to do yoga and being mindful is a struggle. I encourage any of you like this to go back and listen to the Because I knew you..." episode as there breath work is discussed to help you through that.   The juggling ball analogy comes up and I butcher it. Here's a link to the real deal: https://balancedworklife.com/are-you-juggling-with-your-life/   Resources of things we discussed: Brene Brown mentioned, again. Nettie specifically mentioned her book: https://bookshop.org/books/rising-strong-how-the-ability-to-reset-transforms-the-way-we-live-love-parent-and-lead/9780812985801And Glennon Doyle's Untamed, https://bookshop.org/books/untamed-9781984801258/9781984801258 was mentioned again. And just today I finished listening to Love Warrior by her too. https://bookshop.org/books/love-warrior-a-memoir-9781250075734/9781250075734. Powerful women of our times just keep resonating through many, many episodes.   We also discussed how beneficial failure is. That reminded me of this, which is why is is only a partial joke: https://shopscreenbid.com/products/prop66 Melinda Gates: https://bookshop.org/books/the-moment-of-lift-how-empowering-women-changes-the-world/9781250313577 The TV show The Good Place--now all done and on streaming things like Netflix to binge the whole thing! SOOO good! But I'm not going to link anything because you might see some spoilers--Avoid any info on it like the Covid! Much more music was discussed on this one. If you want to go here the music somewhere, I hope you do, but don't want to prescribe somewhere to listen. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folklore_(Taylor_Swift_album) Specifically the My Tears Ricochet song. Damien Rice, U2, Switchfoot, Need to Breathe, Paul Weller, the Style Council and the Jam, Everything But the Girl, the English Beat and Mumford and Sons And how one song can ruin an otherwise perfect album. Nettie is looking at you Mother on the Police's Synchronicity! Send all comments about this to either the facebook or twitter Revel Revel feed/page. ;-) Can't wait to hear it!   NEW SPONSOR AS OF 10/20/20 BETTER HELP! Because mental health is important to me and my listeners, I sought out and became an affiliate partner with Better Help. I hope if you are thinking of talking to a therapist you contact Better Help and if you use this link you get a discount!  https://betterhelp.com/revelrevel

Perfect to get you ready for Halloween and to support the arts year round! Crying at the sight of the white walker in GOT!? Who does that? Well, this guest does! She is truly moved by the power of the arts. What do creepy underground tours, blood and guts and prosthetics have to do with peaceful, easy feelings? Listen to Christina Tracey weave the story of her life into such a beautiful thing. Breathe along with us in this covid ugliness to find beauty. This episode could have been called many, many, other things. Circle of Life. My Theatre Heart, How Am I Going to Fly? I don't think that anyone typifies "Follow Your Bliss" more than Christina. But since she is such a light of pure joy and embraced all opportunities and like a sponge learned everything, which propelled her to the next thing, these lines from Wicked, just seemed to capture her life. Others taught her so much and then she in turn shares her joy with the world. (But of course Sara Bareilles' Brave or She Used To Be Mine could work too.)  Christina urges us to create and take the "HALF HOUR CALL" approach to solving the challenges of today. Her bio: Christina Tracey is a seeker of higher consciousness, deeper conversations and all things serendipitous and magical.  Student and teacher of yoga, meditation and breathwork. Currently giving time and devotion during these pandemic times to serve those in need of balance and tools to help manage stress, anxiety and fear, bringing in inner-peace, strength and wisdom. Wife, Mother, Daughter, Listener, Reader, constant Student and all around Lover of Humans, Animals, Hiking, Swimming, Paddleboarding and our Planet Earth.  Professional Makeup Artist with over 20 years of experience, working back stage and touring all over the USA, Canada and Mexico on productions of Wicked, The Lion King, The Los Angeles Opera, Mamma Mia, The Chorus Line and Into the Woods.   Email at Christina@Tracey.com to be added to her newsletter containing all her Meditation and Yoga offerings!   The actress/singer in Elphaba makeup is Dee Roscioli.     Topics and books we talked about: RBG's quote: "To make life a little better for people less fortunate than you, that's what I think a meaningful life is. One lives not just for oneself but for one's community."   Educating Alice: https://bookshop.org/books/educating-alice-adventures-of-a-curious-woman/9780812973600   Art of Hearing Heartbeats: https://bookshop.org/books/the-art-of-hearing-heartbeats/9781590514634   Book I meant to recommend on the show but forgot at the time Trevor Noah's Born a Crime: https://bookshop.org/books/born-a-crime-stories-from-a-south-african-childhood/9780399588198   Lion King https://www.lionking.com/Wicked https://wickedthemusical.com/   Waitress and the video that Christina said stuns the house: https://waitressthemusical.com/ https://youtu.be/Dlrfk4Uga9A   Heart Coherence: https://www.heartmath.com/hm-1/   Led Zepplin's Going to California: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PDIz4talyQk

Phil and I cried and cried on the episode. Yay for catharsis! You may have noticed that I broke with tradition for the naming convention of this episode. After talking to Nettie while editing Factor, the only title that resonated with me was this line from Mumford and Sons. Instead of changing his first person write up of himself, I decided to c&p so you can hear his love and pride and hopefully it helps you decide to vote for him if you are in his county. "I, Phil Factor, came to Poway California in 1976 to teach, counsel, coach, and advise in the Poway Unified School District. I made up my mind that Poway was where I wanted raise my family, work, and provide community service. For 38 years I helped Poway become one best school districts in the United States. I taught with high powered enthusiasm and passion to empower my students  to become champions for life. I always claimed that students were our most important resources we have on earth. Each student has a gift; that of intelligence, personality, and abilities. I was able to motivate students to do their best, inside and outside of the classroom. I loved facilitating discussions and activities. Being a life long learner I learned from my  students. I retired in 2014.   My Family: In 1969, I was 16 years old, a junior at Granada Hills High School when I met Laurel. We went to school together. That was our first time we discussed politics. We married in 1974 and just celebrated our 46 wedding anniversary. We have two adult sons Josh and Lucas. Six grand children and a great grandson. One of greatest impacting challenges our family faced,  was when Laurel went back to school, University of Southern California,  to become a Physician Assistant. My parenting responsibility suddenly changed, and I lived the life as a single father with children. Although we made many sacrifices at time, it payed off. My sons and I bonded into a life time relationship of love and friendship.  Josh has been happily married for 16 years with two kids, Kaycee and Cody.  They are now grandparents. They all live in Missouri, where he teaches and coaches wrestling. Lucas is a fireman/inspector. He got married 4 years ago and became a  parent to three children, Ivan 16, and twin girls Lizzie and Robin are 11years old. Lucas and his family live with us on Iron Mountain. Laurel and I are getting the full grandparenting experience and loving it.Too many service and other awards to mention! I am a  HUMANIST. Currently I am running forPoway City Counsel District 2  FactorForPoway.com.         Books/Authors we discussed: The Little Engine That Could:  https://bookshop.org/books/the-little-engine-that-could-60th-anniversary-edition/9780448400419 https://bookshop.org/books/max-factor-the-man-who-changed-the-faces-of-the-world-9781628729429/9781611451351   https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=carl+rogershttps://bookshop.org/books?keywords=maslowhttps://bookshop.org/books?keywords=alfred+adler Phil regrets talking so much about Skinner.  He doesn't believe Skinner is on the right path. Phil instead wants to promote his favorite, Leo Buscaglia: https://bookshop.org/books/living-loving-and-learning-9780449901816/9780449901816     Two photos again. One for now for his counsel run and one of my faves from 1987! I love how many people in this photo I'm still in touch with. I wish I still had that sweatshirt!!!! :(      

Besides going to school with Pam Martin at MCHS, we worked together for years and years at the Rancho Bernardo Inn. In fact she trained me in my first position in the Food and Beverage Department. We still wonder why we didn't run away to Mexico with over 30K when we were 18! https://www.ranchobernardoinn.com/   Pamela is an accomplished interior designer with a diverse set of skills and experience. In addition to her career in design, Pamela worked for many years in the luxury hospitality industry.  This experience afforded her a strong foundation in high level service and an understanding of how to create comfortable, luxurious surroundings. Pamela graduated with honors from San Diego State’s FIDER accredited Interior Design Program, earning a BA in Applied Arts & Sciences with an emphasis in Interior Design.  She has worked in the design-build industry for over 15 years as a Senior Interior Designer, Director of Design, Project Manager and independent designer in the San Diego and surrounding areas specializing in high end custom home design. Pamela is well-versed in all aspects of residential design and construction, including architectural planning, energy-efficient design, kitchen and bath design, custom cabinetry, and project management.   Helping clients achieve a vision for their homes and bringing that vision to life is a passion for Pam, who has dedicated much of her career to extraordinary client care. Pam is committed to building strong relationships with clients, vendors, team members and her community. Pam’s abilities to guide, inspire and create help clients to imagine new creative and functional possibilities for their homes.   Outside of work, Pam enjoys a rich life full of family, friends, dogs, travel, laughter and great food and wine. She is highly involved in volunteer work on board a faith based non-profit team that strives to create community and a sense of belonging, Uncommon Good.   Serendipity Design Website:  https://www.serendipitydesign.co/ Instagram:  @serendipitydesign.co Email:  serendipitydesigner@gmail.com Phone: 858.776.6124   Uncommon Good website:  https://uncommongoodsd.com/ Instagram:  @uncommongoodsd   Books Discussed: Her fave childhood book which influenced her life and business because the moral of the story is "Knowing who you really are will bring you happiness."  Could that not be more perfect? However, it is out of print. You can find old copies in places like Thriftbooks so I'm linking that but the author has tons of books available on bookshop: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=stephen+cosgrove+https://www.thriftbooks.com/w/serendipity_stephen-cosgrove_robin-james/548091/#isbn=0843105623&idiq=873140 Here's the cover that means a lot to Pam   Elizabeth Gilbert's two books Committed and City of Girls: https://bookshop.org/books/committed-a-love-story/9780143118701https://bookshop.org/books/city-of-girls/9781594634741     Neither Pam nor I have read any of these by Nadia Bolz-Weber but they are on our lists! The Universe is pushing her towards me for sure: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=nadia+bolz+weber    

OK, Vanessa and I packed a LOT in! There are many, many topics and links here. LOTS of discussion about the THEATRE! Support your local theatre! Many/Most are struggling/dying due to covid so please contact your local theatres if you are in a position to donate. For example, Vanessa mentioned that she worked for a time at the Poway Center for the Arts. If you look them up it says Closed. But dig deeper and you'll find ways to give: https://www.powaycenter.com/ My local non-profit Bailey Theatre Company (BTC) has a night of readings coming up and tickets are available at eventbrite for October 17th: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/bailey-theatre-company-dinner-and-readings-fundraiser-tickets-116471652849   Vanessa Waters, also known to Lauren as Vanessa Wasylczenko, and on social media as Vanessa Waters Kassir lives in Topanga, California with her husband John and two dogs: Fig and Emmett.  Topanga is a wonderful canyon town just south of Malibu, six miles from the ocean, and surrounded by California oak trees and gorgeous mountain hiking.  And about a forty-minute drive from Los Angeles.  After living in West Hollywood for twenty years, Topanga is a dream come true.       Vanessa is an actor, director, voiceover artist, who makes most of her income as a substitute elementary school teacher.  She’s been fortunate to perform on stage in LA many, many times with great actors and directors.  She’s worked in film and television as well and finds that work challenging and exciting too.  However, theatre will always be her first love.  She loves to teach and has been with the Los Angeles Unified School District for twenty-one years.  She teaches improvisation and theater games to children when she gets the opportunity and did so with teenagers at a drop in center for homeless teens in LA called My Friend’s Place, for seven years.     Vanessa is a graduate of the Pacific Conservatory of Performing Arts (PCPA Theaterfest) and holds a B.F.A. in theater from Ithaca College.     You can find more specific actor credits on her IMDB page:  imdb.me/vanessawatersHowever, it is not complete. For example, this and other loopings are missing: Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)  You might want to check out John Kassir's imdb page too: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0440885/?ref_=nv_sr_srsg_0   PLAYS we mentioned:  Apologia by Alexi Kaye Campbell, August Osage County by Traci Letts, Angels in America parts 1 and 2 by Tony Kushner, Richard III by William Shakespeare. Vanessa directed:  Sister Cities by Colette Freedman and Bus Stop by William Inge   Books Discussed: Bruce Springsteen's Born to Run. (and the Netflix show comes up again but at the time I did not know it was the same show that Pacilio was talking about!) https://bookshop.org/books/born-to-run/9781501141522 Say Nothing: A True Story of Murder and Memory in Northern Ireland by Patrick Radden Keefe https://bookshop.org/books/say-nothing-a-true-story-of-murder-and-memory-in-northern-ireland/9780307279286 Natural Death and Burial movement and books by Caitlin Doughty:  http://caitlindoughty.com/ https://www.cnn.com/2017/05/03/world/eco-solutions-capsula-mundi/index.html Mama's Boy by Dustin Lance Black https://bookshop.org/books/mama-s-boy-a-story-from-our-americas/9781524733278 other stuff....like where we all used to work ranchobernardoinn.com        

For the first time ever, I'm doing 2 photos! Because this one can't be beat! And then need to do a grown up one too: Links : www.robertpacilio.net His published works on Medium; https://medium.com/@robertpacilio     Robert Pacilio was San Diego County’s Teacher of the Year in 1998 and has presented at California’s Association of Teachers of English, and the California Teachers Association (CTA). He has been recognized as San Diego Magazine's "Top Ten Teachers to Watch," and Disney's “Top 100 Teachers in America.” During his 32 year teaching career, he has traveled the West Coast to speak to about his novels. Mr. Pacilio’s work has won numerous awards and been published in Listen magazine and honored by Creative Communication’s as one of the ‘Top Ten Teacher Poets.’ His website is www.robertpacilio.net    Now you all know I do NOT support that evil Amazon and Bob is lucky I didn't edit that out. If you want to buy his books they are too available at Bookshop.org. Here's the link to all of his books: https://bookshop.org/books?keywords=robert+pacilio     Robert Pacilio, author of Meet Me at Moonlight Beach and The Restoration, and the young adult novels: Meetings at the Metaphor Café, and Midnight Comes to the Metaphor Café San Diego Union Tribune’s columnist Karla Peterson reviewed Mr. Pacilio’s latest novel Meet Me at Moonlight Beach praising it as “A love letter to Encinitas.” PBS producer BaBette Davidson proclaimed: “Just finished The Restoration and loved it! Happy to be part of your chorus of supporters!” Mr. Pacilio recently spoke about The Restoration to the Coronado Historical Society and Delta Kappa Gamma Society. Mr. Pacilio’s debut YA novel Meetings at the Metaphor Café (2009) was nominated for the California Young Reader Medal. His YA novels have been adopted in various school districts as part of their literary curriculum.   Books we discussed: Catcher in the Rye by Salinger https://bookshop.org/books/the-catcher-in-the-rye-9780316769174/9780316769488 To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee https://bookshop.org/books/to-kill-a-mockingbird/9780060935467 American Dirt by Jeanine Cummings. https://bookshop.org/books/american-dirt-oprah-s-book-club/9781250209764   If you want to know more about cultural appropriation, let me know.   Other media we discussed: Baz Luhman's and Franco Zefferelli's versions of Romeo and Juliet Bruce Springsteen's body of work and his Bruce on Broadway which is now on Netflix Alum CeCe Moore's show: https://abc.com/shows/the-genetic-detective Mt. Carmel info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mt._Carmel_High_School_(San_Diego)Mt. Carmel Hall of Fame https://www.powayusd.com/en-US/Schools/HS/MCHS/ATHLETICS/Hall-of-Fame/Hall-of-Fame-Induction-Ceremony  

The Force is strong with this one! From Philly, to Florida, to Jersey, to Atlanta, Reshmi and her husband sure swarmed around each other. And, except for the Florida part (what is it with Florida and my guests??!!) I can say "I'm from there too!" (Reshmi and I were born 45 mins apart from each other. 45 mins and 7 years apart LOL.)Learn what a Corp Ethnic Sub-Group is, why you want to get an invite to an Indian party, and of course extra talking about books since you gotta take advantage when you've got a lit prof as your guest!   What's this whole synchronicity thing anyway?carl-jung-synchronicity   Reshmi Hebbar teaches literature at Oglethorpe University, where she is an Associate Professor of English. She first fell in love with books and stories as an elementary-school kid while under the influence of Beverly Cleary (Ramona the Pest). She was able to identify with this heroine from the Pacific Northwest despite the fact that she was living in Florida as the daughter of suburban Indian immigrants.  Her love of different kinds of narratives has continued to inform her work, inspiring her to design courses on television series and writing about them, and prodding her to keep looking for new ways to represent the South Asian American experience.     Though she has traveled to many places and studied abroad, she has always lived in the South. She has attempted to document what that’s like over the years with a few projects across different media like podcasts and nonfiction essays. She lives in suburban Atlanta with her husband and two daughters, whom she bribes with chocolate in order to get them to listen to her stories. (Recorded BEFORE the first Indian American was selected for the V.P. or we surely would have talked about that.)   Books mentioned besides Beverly Cleary: Americanah by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Abide with Me by  Elizabeth Strout The Woman Warrior by  Maxine Hong Kingston The Resisters by  Gish Jen          The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead The Hero with a Thousand Faces   by Joseph Campbell (The Power of Myth) Pippi Longstocking by Astrid Lingren Lion, Witch and the Wardrobe by C.S. Lewis Also mentioned on this episode is Dan Harris's podcast 10% Happier episode https://www.tenpercent.com/podcast #262: Why We're All Suffering from Racial Trauma (Even White People) with Resmaa Menakem  

Listen to me interview local legend and coffee entrepreneur Mark Overly. I've been a Kaladi ambassador and extreme Denver-area tour guide adding in Kaladi stops all over town for YEARS! As I've said and said, I will ONLY promote those I believe in. Mark Overly is President of Kaladi Coffee Roasters in Denver, Colorado an independent roaster of premium estate, shade grown, organic and Fair Trade Certified coffee. https://kaladicoffee.com/ He has over thirty years experience as a coffee buyer, beginning in Anchorage, Alaska where he grew a small roasting enterprise into the largest in the state. Mr. Overly was awarded the State of Alaska Small Business Person of the Year in 1993 by the Small Business Administration. He has been featured in numerous national publications including Nation’s Business and Entrepreneur Magazine. He was one of the first roasters in America to be Fair Trade Certified by Transfair USA. His coffee has been awarded “Best Coffee” and “Best Espresso” by the Rocky Mountain News and 5280 Magazine on multiple occasions. He has traveled extensively around the world assessing coffee producers for quality management and sustainability, and has lectured internationally on coffee quality. Everyone who orders any Kaladi Coffee because they heard this episode can get 20% off when you enter code revel20 at online checkout. This discount only for Revel Revel listeners is good till the end of Sept 2020 but at this time is not available in store. AND, Mark is kind enough to give us some inside info on the industry, which will save you money. Besides coffee we talk about business, circuitous routes of life, the band Heart, cars and racing, Mormons, pre-meme dorkiness, being unapologetic, why no one else will put up with me, and what Caterham Cars https://www.caterhamcars.com/us has to do with Anthony Bourdain, particularly this episode: https://www.travelchannel.com/shows/anthony-bourdain/episodes/pacific-nw WARNING! Coffeehouses are not known to be the quietest places, even during Covid. ;-) Sorry, but there are some "workplace noises" I just could not edit out. Book we referenced: Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780061537967 Instead of the typical photo, Mark wanted to promote a "flattering drawing of me" by Brad Click:  

For me this was a personally endearing conversation with my cousin Terry Kraft of the Boyle side of the family. We sure had a lot of catching up to do! (Basically we've only seen each other a handful of times once I moved from NJ to CA. Trauma of moving comes up again. To help keep it straight: I'm from Philly but moved to NJ around the same time that Terry, from NJ, moved to PA but in our family they moved "far away".)  We found out we are so similar and it was a bit surprising to us both. Terry Kraft is Founder and CEO of The Pivotal Group, a consulting firm based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania with a passion to empower individuals and organizations to embrace and ignite their potential. As a convener, Terry coaches executive leaders to create strategies that connect and inspire their communities. Immediately prior to starting her own company, Terry led the North Museum of Nature and Science by developing collaborative partnerships to promote learning through forward-thinking STEM education programs.Listening to her evolution impressed me and inspired me. I hope you  are moved by her story. Finally and most importantly, I learned I have a bonus cousin!   Things mentioned on the pod and ways to learn more: The documentary on the Democratic Republic of Congo (David's home country):   https://www.thisiscongo.com/   Here's an article about Lancaster and it's amazing support of refugee and immigrant initiatives:   https://cityoflancasterpa.com/blog/certified-welcoming/   To find out more about the work Terry is doing in the Lancaster Community around STEM and Esports: https://www.lancasterstem.org/   Terry's first (and still main) client for her company is the Emerald Foundation, where I serve as their Chief Esports Strategist:   https://emeralde.org/initiatives/esports/   Here's a link to a publication featuring key leaders in the Lancaster community where I was included (from 2017):   https://issuu.com/figindustries/docs/figstories_fl_2017     If you want to see what Myers-Briggs says about you: https://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/take-the-mbti-instrument/   Books mentioned: https://bookshop.org/books/americanah/9780307455925  and I highly recommend everything by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie Terry recommends Untamed as life changing (which I own and is in my TBR pile: https://bookshop.org/books/untamed-9781984801258/9781984801258 Personally, I have not read this but have read Sapiens and have watched EVERY video of Harari I can find. So, check out the book and/or go check out his vision and warnings for what's coming in the 21st Century https://bookshop.org/books/21-lessons-for-the-21st-century/9780525512196   For what it is worth, as I'm not sure what locals would think of this list: https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/series/world-library     Nice photo of Terry with current technology: Family photo from the 80s. Please forgive the technology but not our contribution to the ozone layer depletion.

In depth discussion with dedicated teacher and coach Andy Hochman. His community is lucky to have him! More links coming about his school and how to help soon. Also, listen and check back to get more info on the Jay Leno connection!https://www.adamsavenuebusiness.com/event-info/adams-avenue-street-fair/ This is the big grandaddy of First Friday: https://denversartdistrict.org/first-friday San Diego version of First Friday, called WalkAbout: https://www.facebook.com/walkaboutsouthpark/ https://themoth.org/podcast   Books we discussed: Turn Right at Machu Picchu https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780452297982 Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance: https://bookshop.org/a/8901/9780060839871  

Revel Revel goes INTERNATIONAL!  This is my first guest who lives abroad. JoAnne Longanilla talks to me from Spain about her life of wandering and watching the universe taking her places she'd never imagine.  Very few folks went to CSULB from Mt. Carmel but JoAnne, Alice and I did, (along with Kathleen Doyle and Jenny Starke.) Born and raised in San Diego, CA, JoAnne is the founder and executive director of the nonprofit, Shukuru, that helps young girls in Tanzania invest in their own education. She is also a yoga teacher and practitioner for over 20 years, as well as someone who continually immerses herself in the study of mindfulness. She currently brings her experience to others through teaching and coaching as a Mind & Body Therapist at the internationally renowned holistic spa, the SHA Wellness Clinic in Albir, Spain and was recently awarded the Most Valued Therapist of the Year for 2019. Here are the links to the things she talks about in case you want to go on your own journey Aarsha Yoga Vidya https://aarshayoga.yogaindiameditation.com/ (Her first Yoga Teacher Training course)    Ayurveda Yoga Villa Yoga Village | Ayurveda Resort Goa | Ayurveda Retreat India (This is where she did the Panchakarma treatment in India)  http://www.shawellnessclinic.com https://www.mydoterra.com/jolonganilla http://www.shukuru.org   Books mentioned: Mystery of the White Lion https://bookshop.org/books/mystery-of-the-white-lions Tales of a Female Nomad https://bookshop.org/books/tales-of-a-female-nomad and does Eat Pray Love even need a link? Wow! It's been around 10 years already! https://bookshop.org/books/eat-pray-love     Mt. Carmel class of 1987 25th year reunion. JoAnne is in the center next to me. Pictured Left to right is:Gail Pandes, Alice Siu, JoAnne, me, Christine Calustro and her sister Karen.

A conversation with my best friend from high school Monica (nee Bader) van Oudheusden.  Monica was a world traveller by the time I met her. BTW, not many people know the exact day that they met a person, but I know when I met Monica. I know that I started at Mt. Carmel on November 1st 1984. I met her at the bus stop that day. Monica is currently a stay at home mom but in the past has been many things, including a professional singer and a Child Advocate Volunteer at CASA of Northwest Arkansas, which she highly recommends as a fantastic program. https://nationalcasagal.org/If you'd like to hear her sing, hire her! Contact her here. We talk about coping mechanisms, the Terminator, moving to Arkansas, the value of not moving on kid's lives, becoming less judgmental, and we even cry a bit over past sins. We discuss how hard it is to be vulnerable and why that is such a work in progress.  The topic of finding a therapist comes up and I want to share this important website which may help you or someone you love: real convo Books mentioned: Mother Teresa's writings:  https://bookshop.org/books/mother-teresa Also mentioned is EVERYTHING by Brené Brown. EVERYTHING! Here's my favorite clip of her. I watch it regularly and I promise it will change your life: BrenéP.S. I have reached out to my friend who I harmed and asked her to listen to this podcast and we've scheduled a chat for afterwards. UPDATE/POSTSCRIPT: Monica wanted to post an update to all of her loved ones who have already or will hear this episode: "-I can be vulnerable. I’m just not good at it. -I’m grateful for my close group of friends, whom I love very much."Monica 6/17/20Thanks for listening and reading this info! Lauren  

In this "episode" I struggle to coherently explain and not cry too much about the Black Lives Matter movement and why it is important to me. I could have taken more time to redo and redo to not be so emotional but that seems silly. I want to get this info out there asap.There are many, many good and great lists of what to read out there to become more educated and empathetic. No list is complete though, including this one, but please do expand yourself by reading any of these. My personal recommendation is Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi, available here: https://bookshop.org/Here is a great list broken down by some interesting categories: https://twitter.com/victoriaalxndr/ Kid books here: talking-to-kids-about-protesting-5-things-i-want-my-kids-to-knowHere are some worthy organizations to contribute to if you can: (excluding any that use gofundme as I do not support how they capitalize on situations like this.) https://bailproject.org https://www.knowyourrightscamp.com/legalhttps://action.aclu.org/give/Southern Poverty Law CenterThe legal arm of the NAACP: https://www.naacpldf.org/and a complete list state by state via a Rolling Stone article: https://www.rollingstone.com/ #BLM#BLMprotests #BLMMovement #antifa #fighthepower#takeaknee #knowledgeispower#byanymeansnecessary#changethesystem#justiceforall      

Annette Aldridge could be called "Ms. 285" as she's instrumental in this community along the 285 corridor from Conifer to Bailey Colorado.After graduating with degrees in Mathematics and Computer Engineering she moved to Colorado where she worked in the aerospace industry in private and government contracting but now works in communications, journalism, marketing, and advertising in many capacities. Annette has her own non-profit: Taproot.guru which she and her partner founded six years ago. Taproot’s mission is a peaceful voice for nurturing the earth, environment and every critter through education and collaboration. As a two-time cancer and quadruple TBI survivor, Annette serves as a resource for those experiencing similar situations. If you are a patient or recently diagnosed, your doctor will give you a list of mentors. Many hospitals have lists of past patients like Annette who are happy to answer your questions truthfully, let you know what to really expect, help your family cope with your state of mind, etc. Hearing advice and answers from someone who has lived it is most helpful. Please feel free to contact Annette via email, phone or text.  She highly recommends using the great resources offered by hospitals (such as St. Joseph’s and Rose Medical center in Denver).  https://rosemed.com/health-education/ https://www.sclhealth.org/locations/saint-joseph-hospital/She REALLY urges you not to just surf the net for these topics as it is confusing and scary! annettealdridge@ymail.com and 303-906-9046.  Books/Authors mentioned on the pod: The Shack by William Paul Young. https://bookshop.org/books/the-shack/9780964729230 Louis L'Amour Patricia Cornwell        

Wonderful discussion with Laura Murvartian* about community, contradictions, how no one is a stranger but talking to "strangers" can be the most freeing for her, honesty, and the rules of life. Recorded during corona and sequestering location caused some very lovely but noisy birds! Laura has been called a "corporate woman with an activist heart". She's a professional negotiator by career, world traveler, and, in her local community of Atlanta, she has been selected as one of the 50 most influential Latinos in GA. She is just too accomplished to list everything here. And please consider supporting her non-profit: Fiesta de Libros Books mentioned on the pod and/or recommended by Laura, all available at https://bookshop.org/ The Submission by Amy Waldman  https://bookshop.org/books/the-submission/9781250007575Just Kids by Patti Smith  https://bookshop.org/books/just-kids-9780066211312/9780060936228Catfish and Mandala by Andrew X. Pham  https://bookshop.org/books/catfish-and-mandala-a-two-wheeled-voyage-through-the-landscape-and-memory-of-vietnam/9780312267179*You'll hear me say Laura Murvartian-Rhim a couple of times. This is purely my stupid mistake. The error is mine and I'm so sorry the audio is incorrect.  

My very first guest is Merrill Overson. I know him from going to high school together at Mt. Carmel, in San Diego in the 80s. I didn't really know him that well prior to this and did not realize that he's force that cannot be contained or edited. However, I should have known from a typical MCHS reunion that our talk will not be short. Talking to Merrill about his life, the circle of life, team building, the wild ride of a restauranteur, moving past adversity, being a father, how to mark your life by the people you know and using everything as a springboard to what's next. Merrill Overson currently lives on a working franch (farm/ranch) with cows, sheep, chickens, turkeys, ducks, pigs, cats, dogs, ferrets and crazy kids! They grow a ton of things including oranges, lemons, grapefruit, pomegranate, olives and all kinds of veggies and herbs. He is also stay at home francher/dad while also consulting for restaurants. Warnings!  Merrill talks with this hands and it sounds "interesting" on a podcast. But seriously, there are details about substance and child abuse thoroughout the episode. This may be too much for some. If you want to hear the pod but skip the abuse parts, just email me and I'll give you the time markers to avoid. Books mentioned in pod, available at https://bookshop.org/ Atlas Shrugged by Ayn Rand  https://bookshop.org/books/atlas-shrugged-anniversary/9780451191144 212 Degrees by Sam Parker  https://bookshop.org/books/212-the-extra-degree-extraordinary-results-begin-with-one-small-change-trade/9781492675433 Rich Dad, Poor Dad by Robert Kiyosaki  https://bookshop.org/books/rich-dad-poor-dad-what-the-rich-teach-their-kids-about-money-that-the-poor-and-middle-class-do-not/9781612680194 Kitchen Confidential by Anthony Bourdain  https://bookshop.org/books/kitchen-confidential-updated-ed-adventures-in-the-culinary-underbelly-updated/9780060899226 Ready Player One by Ernest Cline  https://bookshop.org/books/ready-player-one/9780307887443 the Magician Series by Raymond Feist http://www.crydee.com/raymond-feist/book-series  

Introducing the new podcast Revel Revel by Lauren Drabble