Sagewlf Interviews

@robesp90The scene:We are in Manchaca, Texas on a warm evening in May, sitting at a wooden picnic table under an umbrella strung with cafe lights.  We're about to head to the Manchaca Springs Saloon to continue hanging with the Model Citizens classic car club who are coming off a weekend of cruising after the Lone Star Roundup classic car show. It's been epic. Scraping down Congress St. in a classic car parade is a definite bucket list item. Join us for a chill chat about drifting, racing, scraping, and making OCD your friend.Highlights:+ Classic car builder since 2018+ Currently owns: '65 bagged C10 (Chevy square body truck), '65 4-door Chevy Nova (V8 swapped, Ford rear-end), '71 wagon+ Used to own: '91 240 SX, imported from Japan…+ Drift raced for 10-15 years+ Learned to work on cars by racing them+ Hand sketches all his design ideas+ Works through Gringo's Auto and Custom - an auto shop that does custom work+ Model Citizens' annual ‘Git Down at Manchaca Springs Saloon+ Getting recognition for your passion+ Grew up riding BMX and teaching himself to build+ Enjoys teaching others what he has taught himself+ Grew up in Manchaca, his grandparents live here+ OCD helps him produce beautiful cars and complete jobs+ Downside of OCD: exhaustion, burnout, not feeling appreciated+ Community support keeps him on track and reconfirms his direction+ Seeing your hard work pan out makes it all worthwhile+ Trial and error all the time+ Excitement about working with customers+ Innovating classic cars through customization+ Air ride, bags, hydraulics, scraping+ “Scraping's just a way of life”+ It's gotta go lower or higher - some things do need to be lifted+ Working on cars (7 days/week) is tough on relationships+ Life balance, relaxing in-between+ Working for yourself, investing in yourself+ You can make 10k+ competing in fishing (WTF!)+ Being gifted with a mechanical mind and capable hands+ True “failure” is something you can't repair, most “accidents” are repairableA taste:“It's basically OCD and obsession on everything and anything. Super crazy about what I do and then OCD enough to where everything has to be done right and finished. I hate unfinished projects.”Favorite saying:“Fuck around and find out.” (Try things, don't give up, learn what you don't know).Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@manchaca_springs_saloonThe scene:We are in Manchaca, Texas (South Austin) sitting at an old wooden table inside the saloon (where we have taken at least one shot of tequila once upon a time…).  This place is what I would consider the ideal bar: decorated all over with badass collected artifacts, huge outdoor space with a stage for live music, and food trucks. Basically, one could live here. And Josh almost does. Not only is he here daily, but he lives down the road.  Join us in the saloon for the story of where Josh came from and how he ended up sitting across from me.Highlights:+ The annual “Git Down” classic car show at the saloon+ Likes entertaining+ A BBQ joint became the saloon+ Business name: Rodriguez Rod and Cycles+ Started painting lowrider bicycles when he was 13+ 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe is his daily beater (it's gorgeous)+ Built every bike he ever had from scratch+ Had his own TV show on the Discovery Channel: Texas Car Wars+ Now he's ready to chill (and wouldn't do TV life again)+ His uncle gave him his first paint gun+ First car at 15: '77 Monte Carlo dropped to the ground, primer grey with a red velvet interior+ Lots of drag races, way too fast on motorcycles+ Has taught a few painters - those who showed genuine interest+ Grew up in South Austin - was the cool spot back in the 80's+ Manchaca is the last part of South Austin that feels like it hasn't changed+ Manchaca is in Travis County, not part of Austin City (so, still the wild west)+ The history of Manchaca and the springs/Onion Creek dates to the 1400's+ Has found over 1000 arrowheads in the area since he was a kid+ Grew up across from the green belt (literally a paradise)+ Growing up shooting bb guns+ Lost an eye at 4 years old (not from a bb gun, it made his other eye stronger)+ Making OCD work for you - developing an acute sense of detail+ Being a big risk-taker+ “Nobody ever wakes up in the morning and says, “Man, I'm glad I did that cocaine.”+ Being a fighter, staying one step ahead, nobody else gets the last word+ Doing a lot for your community, and your community helping you+ Grew up in a house full of people, and then invited all the neighbors over :)+ Growing up fast (too fast)+ He's an old soul, living young soul lessons (over and over)+ Making mistakes, recognizing them, and choosing betterA taste:“I grew up in South Austin…it was really the cool spot in Austin back in the '80's during my era of growing up. Everybody was wearing cut-off blue jeans and had their hair cut long and drank a lot of beer and sat underneath all the trees at every park you could find. And nobody got in trouble or got fucked with.”Favorite Sayings:“Higher than giraffe pussy.”“You should only regret something once.”"To thine own self be true.""Always keep your mind open - there's always two sides to the story.""Keep your eyes open, and your ear to the ground.""Be grateful for every new day."Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@planetmarfaplanetmarfa.comThe scene:We are in Marfa, Texas sitting at one of the many tables in the gorgeous outdoor enclosed patio of Planet Marfa. It's like a secret desert oasis that all the most interesting locals know about. The bar in the center of the patio resembles a treehouse. There's also a teepee (that is a cave below ground)…and a school bus…and a dance floor…with a jungle gym! Wow. Join us inside this patio wonderland for a very sisterly, aquarian sharing of the life journey.Highlights:+ Planet Marfa is the first bar/restaurant she has owned+ Buying a place to keep it the same - Project: Save Planet Marfa+ “I don't know anything about that but I'll figure it out”+ Working the Marfa radio station during the pandemic+ Originally from Houston+ Being a new business owner in a tight-knit town+ Aquarians…+ Falling in love with Marfa+ Your slow-down place becoming your social place+ Loving your staff and your regulars+ Learning tenacity+ Life events reflecting your strengths back to you+ Empowering others instead of bossing+ Learning to rely on others+ Having a business that is visited by every kind of person+ Enjoying watching people enjoy themselves+ Coping mechanism: being needed+ Knowing when to drop our childhood survival skills+ Being confident and not giving a shit+ Making music video covers in middle school+ Loving yourself - being your own best friend+ Being open to but not looking for a partner+ Learning to take care of ourselves+ Wanting to be a whore but behaving like an asexual+ Flipping the script on crushes and seeing yourself in them+ Falling in love with ourselves through the reflection we see in others+ Nurturing our relationship with ourselves+ Start where you are - and just smile at othersA taste:“I used to come out here and it was quiet and I was peaceful and I'd spend a lot of time at my house…it's where I would slow down and forget about my regular life.  So it's a little strange now this is the place where I'm very busy…it's kind of flipped, now Houston's where I go to slow down.”Mantra:“I am here now.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@thesoundmindgardenthesoundmindgarden.com The scene:We are in Joshua Tree, CA in Petra's home with her 6 month-old baby boy Marley, her husband Ryan, and her mom who is visiting from Czechoslovakia. I am elated to have this time with Petra as it is very unexpected, yet feels perfectly timed. Petra has been playing soundbaths since early 2019. She played for our meditation retreat a few days earlier and the year before that, which was my first ever. She has such a calming and approachable energy. Join us in her home sanctuary for an honest share of the journey from corporate America to the present.Highlights:+ “Upgrading reality” by letting things go keeps life energy flowing+ Creative focus without interruptions is blissful+ There is no true giving without receiving+ Unconditional love - do I do the same thing for myself?+ Her new practice to change a repetitive “story”: contemplate the thought, then add a prayer+ No simply means no.  Saying no is self care.+ Lived in Denver, CO for 14 years+ Moved to JT to change her life - left a corporate job and a cushy life+ Being away from tall buildings allows the mind to expand and flow creatively+ Rebirthing yourself through choice of place+ Immersing yourself in nature AND having community+ Living in a quiet space allows for stillness+ Stillness allows for a different internal focus+ What you see outside is what you experience inside+ Fighting to fix yourself in chaos is possible, and maybe extra challenging+ Finding joy inside - rediscovering joy+ What is my priority?  Having limited time guides this+ Being non-linear with how you spend your time+ Flow is a journey, allow it to surprise you+ You don't know what you don't know+ Recorded an album called Gratitude+ Aligning with the pure motive of why you're doing what you're doing+ Petra used to work in finance, planning retirements…wearing heels!+ Waiting for the plan vs. leaping first and then the plan forming+ Stay put long enough to allow “your thing” to show up - it will find you+ Sell/give away everything that doesn't bring you joy+ If you keep doing it and it doesn't change, then perhaps it is your authentic journey+ “Work” not draining you but instead heightening you+ Working with people on vacation+ Inviting people into your experience, sharing what you are living+ Living in virtue takes practice, there is no timeline+ Gratitude is accessible to everyone, it is non-denominational+ Every part of our journey matters+ Learning to listen to others / not insisting on doing things on your own+ Recognizing those whom we should listen to, and those we should not+ Listening deepens empathy+ Going from 3 boxes of shoes to having what you need+ Having “things” takes your energy+ Substance-free experiences - being high on actual life+ Don't attach - to anything+ “Spiritual Materialism” and not selling a spiritual experience+ Soundscape Musician vs. “Sound Healer”+ Trust that all is well - especially in hard times+ Stay playful, nimble, and curious+ Everyone wants to be heard, but who is willing to listen?“Once you get on the string you have to do everything to stay on that string, which is the path, which is really the only path there is. Just keep following that creative flow. And everything that arises is supposed to. All of the people that show up on the journey are exactly those people who are supposed to show up.”Favorite saying:“I am that.”  Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@marfarockshopmoonlightgemstones.comThe scene:We are in Marfa, Texas at Paul's rock shop sitting in the back workshop where all the magic happens - where rocks you kick become beautiful jewelry. For me, this is an intentional return trip to Marfa to see Paul again and absorb more of the magic I feel when I'm in this part of Texas.  Last time, I bought a beautiful turquoise and silver ring that one of Paul's apprentices made. His shop could easily be a museum; it is unreal what beauty our earth is able to create from elements. Join us for a brief history through Paul's adventures and trade.Highlights:+ Lapidary = one who cuts, polishes, or engraves gems.+ Moved to TX in 1984 for a job at the observatory+ Started by collecting agate as a hobby+ He's a surface collector as opposed to a digger+ Armadillo races with Jalapeño Sam+ An article featuring his jewelry got him fired from a pump job+ Ended up in Marfa because it was “cheap” (20 yrs ago)+ Apprentices are good labor if they're competent+ Staying somewhere because you can't afford to leave+ Surviving breaking your leg in the wilderness+ Crawling out from the debt of medical bills+ His employees typically learn and move on+ Finding a good balance with helpers and prioritizing your own work time+ Feeling “too generous”+ Political intolerance is extreme in TX+ America is founded on genocide+ “A blueberry in a strawberry field”+ Having a science background in an industry associated with mystical properties+ Being given access to private property+ Agates in TX+ Feeling outcast for not participating in local catholic religious activities+ Being seen as part of “the invasion of Marfa” (by white people)+ Every day is a surprise+ Political corruption, abortion rights, religious rule+ Seeking a “progressive environment” / the decay of America+ Working in the service fixing radiosA taste:“When somebody comes to me and says, ‘Can I learn , can I apprentice?' well, it's a benefit to me because I gain labor - if they're a competent person, and that's been the case with a number of very talented young people that want to learn.”Favorite saying:“I can't believe I'm getting away with selling rocks in the desert.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

The scene:We are near Willcox, Arizona at “Happy Camp” on BLM land where I dry camp and Fred leases from the US Govt. to roam his current 130 head of cattle.  I have appointed Fred the mayor of Happy Camp because he makes it his business to know who's coming and going and why.  We met the last time I was out here.  Fred and I couldn't appear more different but we seem to be cut from the same cloth.  Hank and I take a ride up into the hills in his side-by-side to check on the water pumps for his cattle.  Join us at camp for an honest tale told through the eyes of the last great generation of ranchers.Highlights:+ Ranched the Mexico border for 24 years during the late 80s and early 90s+ 200 head allotment, 29 sections, 640 acres/section, 19,000 acres+ Third generation - passed down from both Mom's and Dad's side of the family+ Sells calves through the local auction at 6-8 months old+ Ranchers get paid $1 - $1.20 per pound…grocery stores sell it for $10-25/lb+ Can't afford to hire help+ There are 4-5 “middle men” (butchers, packers, etc.) getting paid between the rancher and the grocery store+ Ranchers don't fully understand why they get paid so little+ “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer”+ You've got to really like animals and ranching to be in it+ Fred gets attached to his animals (why he doesn't slaughter his own chicken)+ His horses are like family members to him+ Rain is scarce - when there's not enough, they haul water up the mountain+ Runs three solar-powered water pumps+ “Just get up and go every day”+ “Don't blame nobody for all your mistakes” - if you screw up, admit it and go on (learned from dad)+ Go to college, see how other people do things in the world, then come back to ranch+ Most of the people who own ranches are the money people, not families any more+ A good saddle horse costs $8-10K+ Poachers thieve calves from the land+ Ranchers and farmers are his community because they understand him (not town people)+ Most people don't understand where food comes from (not the grocery store)+ Credit cards are a dirty trick - Fred is cash or check only+ The countryside is his church and his freedom (no bosses)+ Mom loaned him 30K for his first bunch of cows in '91+ Ranchers don't die…the cattle won't let them+ Fighting leukemia since 2007+ Look forward and have a sense of humor - feeling sorry for yourself is the worst thing you can do+ Didn't get an allowance and also didn't want for nothin'A taste:“Just put one foot forward and keep goin'. Just do your best if you can. Take life as it comes because that's the only choice you've got.  Be happy...most of the time try to be happy, and do right. […] You make your own mistakes your own way, you learn by your mistakes.  And take responsibility, even if you screw up, "so I screwed up", go on with it.”Favorite saying:“You can't be right all the time.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@barakhardleyThe scene:We are in Los Angeles, CA sitting in Barak's living room joined by his two cats. This is the first interview I've been bullied into (is it bullying if you're willing?) We have a total blast talking about life experiences that have shaped the way we think. At one point, Barak commandeers the interview to have us create something together - that's an interview first! Barak is lovely, unique, kind, creative, and funny. Join us as we plan world domination…or maybe just another really good idea for keeping his cat from turning on the faucet.Highlights:+ A new year's resolution of getting on Tik Tok+ Learning to verbalize what you're creating+ Sharing the process of creating things with others+ Dialoguing with others while creating+ We met on the set of a music video - shoutout to @mamahotdog (hire us again! K thanks! ;)+ Life is art vs. Art is life+ Avoiding displeasure by creating opportunity out of any experience+ Being inspired by others responding to your art+ Reprioritizing social media beyond likes+ Barak used to be a pastor and then stopped believing in God+ Losing your “truth” and finding another one+ This world is chaos and it's so unlikely that we would exist+ We are the universe aware of itself, enjoying itself+ Podcasts: meet a stranger and talk like best friends for an hour+ Becoming a comedian to deal with depression and insecurity+ Developing more healthy aspects of validation+ Making deeper friendships through projects+ Transitioning from hoarder to maker+ Removing obstacles from the creative process+ Fighting through depression, being grateful for the experience+ Craving challenges, knowing they bring breakthroughs+ From avoiding uncomfortability to embracing the challenge+ Figuring out that you like the struggle+ Chasing the creative dream to feel genuinely satisfied in life+ Creating the possibility that you can do whatever you want however you want+ The necessity of the hustle to maintain the creative spirit+ “What's the place where I'm the best?” - where passions overlap+ All the projects we pursue are connected, that crossroads is our own magic+ Being confident in what you're talking about and being less defensive+ Barak hijacks the interview and I let him+ We concept an experiential event on a white board+ The greatest harm in life was comparing himself to others+ Question the voice that says NOA taste:“I think the process of making things is so interesting to me. It's more interesting than the thing itself.”“I'd much rather be creating and building than spend another minute trying to resuscitate an acquaintance.”Favorite saying:“This is a cold brutal world, but it was cobbled together by people who had it much worse.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

ripplecatalyststudio.com The scene:We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico in Cecile's home office of 20 years, surrounded by colorful folk art set against a backdrop of soothing cream-colored walls. Cecile explains to me that for many years each wall used to be a different bright color. I can see how both the calm cream and the energetic colors suit Cecile - she is dynamic, with a simultaneously energizing and soothing quality about her. This dynamism is expressed throughout all of her projects. Join us for a candid conversation between two women who are not afraid to use the word vagina.Highlights:+ Radio show host - “Brave Space”+ Raised Jewish in South Africa, moved to the US at 30 yrs old+ Moved to Santa Fe after 3 days into her first visit+ Winning your green card in the lottery (in 1995)+ V Day, Eve Ensler, and the Vagina Monologues for 15 years+ Getting the opportunity to speak to women from all over the world+ Being passionate about the power of women united as a force+ The feminist movement is reinventing itself+ We are still fighting in America for equal rights to be put into the constitution+ In 2001, newspapers wouldn't let you use the world “vagina”+ The Vagina Monologues created a movement+ Created “The Business of Birth Control” movie+ Birth control messes up your hormonal system+ Being pro information about women's health+ People need to make decisions for themselves (not wait for their governments to do it)+ “Human” rights+ America is run by the minority right now+ There is no right or wrong choice about how to be engaged in your world+ There's no such thing as a safe space, only a brave space+ Film: The Business of Being Born+ The testing of medication for women is tested on men (yes, reread that)+ Women should talk to each other about all the women things+ One Billion Rising movement - 1 out of 3 women in their lifetime will be raped or beaten+ Bringing women together across racial groups+ Cultures that are relationship-based+ Imposter syndrome+ Life lessons: just go with itA taste:“The feminist movement is sort-of reinventing itself. I just don't know where I fit into it anymore right now - like, a white, middle-aged woman. As much as I feel like I'm still 20, the truth is I'm not, and there are incredible, young 20-year-olds doing brilliant, brilliant activism, and it is time for them to step forward and lead.”Favorite saying:“When a drop of water interrupts a still surface, it creates a ripple. A disruption. An energy. The initial ripple is a catalyst for the next, transforming motionlessness into movement. Through the ripple, momentum is born.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@artivizmUpcoming book: The Ecology Cure: A Doctor's Prescription for Healing the Earth and OurselvesThe scene:We are in Chupadero, New Mexico sitting on Wendy's large “portal” (porch) overlooking an orchard and the acequia (canal) that was built in 1876. Wendy and I just met in person for the first time. She is kind and straightforward and accommodating - and her eyes are full of joy. She has a vibrancy and energy about her that permeates the stories of her life adventures from politics to public health and Chile to Mozambique. Join us holobionts to learn about Wendy's “place” and her adventurous journey toward it.Highlights:+ New Mexico is in the middle of a 1200-year drought+ The acequia used to have water from March through June (it's dry now)+ Humans forgot (300+ years ago) that they already are nature+ Re-wilding feels like a privilege+ We have lost our connection to place+ Humans are part of an ecosystem and our bodies are also ecosystems+ The Gaia theory: earth is a sentient organism and humans are the microbiome of the earth+ Holobiont: all the symbiotic relationships in our bodies required for us to live+ We can't be healthy when earth's ecosystem is unhealthy+ Italian family, from Ohio, schooled at Ohio State and a year in Chile+ Went to med school to do politics better+ The people who are creating health policies are career politicians - not doctors+ Doing a job to get the knowledge+ Worked in Mozambique Africa helping scale up HIV treatment+ Involved in the American Public Health Association+ Worked with Doctors for Global Health - volunteerism, “liberation medicine” in marginalized countries, solidarity (not charity)+ Jack Geiger - started the community health center movement, currently 1200 centers nationally+ “The social determinants of health” - holistic considerations for what affects health i.e. stable housing, etc.+ She became the Cleveland Medical Director for the City Health Dept.+ Obtained her Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins while also holding that position (hero!)+ Still (technically) a professor at the University of Washington Dept. of Global Health (Seattle)+ What medical school teaches doctors addresses 20% of what we need to be healthy+ If you're going to be a good doctor, you've got to get involved in political issues+ We share much of our DNA with trees+ Being connected to PLACE and not reducing it to a resource for extraction+ Creating a healthy society can be intuitive if you start from a place of revitalizing relationship+ The ethic of and commitment to community+ Buddhist-ish but not a club joiner+ Walking away from a relationship if it means not becoming who you need to be+ Women become invisible around 40 to 50 years old and up - in a great way+ Thank you for connecting us Mariel Nanasi! (See her interview)A taste:“If you're really connected to a place, if you're really connected to a community of people - and of non-human people, then you're going to have a whole different idea of what you're willing to do to preserve it, [...] and not just see it as a resource for your pleasure, or something to be extracted.”Favorite sayings:“Medicine is a social science and politics is just medicine on a large scale.” - Rudolph Virchow“I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve or save the world and a desire to enjoy or savor the world.  This makes it hard to plan the day.” - EB WhiteSupport the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.All episodes also available on sagewlf.com xoxo

@pidge1000The scene:We are in Austin, Texas sitting in the upstairs lounge of Bridgett's climbing gym watching a guy get at it on a stairclimber while we pour our guts out to each other. We just met. Our connector knew we'd get on like this. A rare and wonderful encounter for sure. Bridgett is ripped, but in a dainty way - I'm still trying to get shoulders like hers. Her spirit and tenacity are inspiring, her humor eases, and her love everyone goal is noble. Join us as we climb adventurously up, down, and through life together like it's not the first time.Highlights:+ Exploring the world through your body+ KINDNESS+ “We all came here madly in love with one another”+ You are me living another life+ Resentment and anger are “low vibes”+ Book: Letting Go - The Pathway of Surrender - David R. Hawkins+ All feelings and emotions have a vibration+ Learning boundaries+ It's a bummer when cute people can't love well+ You better come at me courageously+ “Fuck yeah! energy” - the only thing we should make time for+ Fave new term: “meat machine” (the body)+ Our body pains are notifying us of emotional stressors+ Somatic healing for our nervous system+ Active recovery with Wim Hof and ice baths+ “No sad stories”+ Using ice baths to reset your nervous system+ Ayahuasca ceremonies + Psilocybin for emotional release+ Forming an outdoor mask-less park workout group…during covid+ Saying I LOVE YOU - and what it means to others+ Your mom not saying she loves you until the end of her life+ Figuring out your daddy issues+ Love is staying curious+ Being an operator - getting shit done+ We want men to show up as men and stand in their own power+ Needing to be in control+ Running away from an abusive relationship+ Choosing to be the primary breadwinner to prevent abuse of power+ Having a high tolerance for failure (makes you a good climber)+ Dating attachment-avoidant men+ “Nothing is so addicting as something that almost works” - Gabor Maté+ Thank you @shanedante for introducing us!+ Traveling the world climbing+ Just wanting a toaster oven and a couch+ Sharing the same mission as the co. you work for+ “Integrity is not cheap”+ Austin born and raised+ Coyote the trickster+ Starting a women's commune…in Kentucky…possibly someday+ Motherhood makes you softer, and stronger+ Gracefully navigating failure, struggling with impulse control+ Being sort-of good at a lot of things+ “You weren't born typical” - and keep doing you+ The art can't go up until we heal and we can commit+ It's easy to love everyone if you give them a chance+ We are enough as we are+ Learning to listen to our nervous system+ Taking 10 hits of acid and learning to make better choices+ Climbing is calculated risk+ Planning to live no longer than about 70 years (unless the stem cells work)+ “A dumpster fire in a hurricane”+ Learning to get intimacy non-sexually+ Growing your fuck yeah! circle+ Not having to be the special snowflakeA taste:“Why do we prioritize and celebrate relationship when it's like friendship? Friendships are often not based on sexual attraction or raising kids or financial, it's just two people that are like, ‘Hey I kinda like you and we're gonna continue to do stuff together'…that's kind of beautiful.”Favorite saying:“Failure is just new information.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.All episodes also available on sagewlf.com xoxo

@gjsellersThe scene:We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the dining room/greenhouse of Gregory's home for an off-chance, last-minute interview opportunity that almost didn't happen due to a possible veterinary appointment and a childcare snafu.  But, we made it happen!  Gregory tried despite it all and I was ready and willing whenever he pulled the cord.  These are my favorite kind of interview because they end up being full of discovery, surprises, and delight by all participants - including little ones.  Join us for a rich conversation about leaving the world of a Zen monk for the world of a Zen working dad.Highlights:+ From skateboarding in PA to meditating in NY and Japan+ Spent 7 years in Japan in a Zen Buddhist monastery (age 22-27)+ Ordained as a monk in '99, left the monastery in '06+ Relocating to NM to build a Zen temple+ From monk to partner to father+ Fatherhood as THE training just as being a Zen monk was the training+ Charlie (2) and Tobias (1) join us (with a banana snack)+ The REAL life of caring for toddlers…while doing an interview+ Becoming a father at 46+ Ginger Snaps - an appropriate dad snack+ Anyone in a monastery wants an “out”+ There is no “out” from parenthood+ Children as teachers+ The rarity of being self-possessed+ How to live a pure, authentic, high-quality life from the essence of who we are+ The limitation of words in describing the hugeness of our life's pursuit+ The inquiry of how to live the highest quality lives we can, exactly as we are+ Go back to the source and get real+ Nothing is wrong - but we fear that it is+ Pushing yourself into a very small tight box+ Learning to silence our inner critic+ Courage, fearlessness, and transparency+ Saying yes! - spontaneity takes courage+ Making Zen your own and calling it a practice+ Being a genius master at blocking yourself from the truth+ Your work is right in front of you - wherever you go, there you are+ We don't get to flake out on life if we want a rewarding one+ The one thing you can't [afford to] screw up with your kids is being unconditionally loving with them+ We are not our children's choices+ Fish don't see water in the same way humans don't see energy+ Accepting someone exactly as they are - non-judgement+ The goal of “just one day sooner”+ “There's no salesmanship in truth”+ “If I light up me, I light up you”+ We don't have to get anyone to change+ Being an extroverted introvert - outgoing AND shy+ Learning to just be reasonable+ Solo retreats are community supported also+ There is no separation between an individual and their community+ Reciprocircle - our newly made-up word+ Everything's gonna be ok+ Love the things you're doing - don't check outA taste:“That's what love is - is accepting people, appreciating people exactly as they are, exactly how they are.”Favorite saying:“Pop Art is to love things.” - spoken by Andy Warhol in response to being asked, “What is Pop Art?”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.All episodes also available on sagewlf.com xoxo

Band: City of my Death (on bandcamp)@cityofmydeathThe scene:We are in SE Albuquerque New Mexico in Noelle's “home office”, which is a cute apartment housing serious law things, a bass guitar, and a bunch of green plants. This is our first time meeting in person, after having only texted to arrange a time to meet. I feel so blessed to have been introduced to Noelle and that she agreed to meet with me on the fly. She is a true gem of a woman - humbly super intelligent, funnier than fuck, and inspiringly adventurous in her life pursuits.  Join us for unexpected agreeable surprises.Highlights:+ Learning to play the bass because you need a bassist+ The doing of social media+ New band: City of my Death+ Listen to their music on bandcamp+ Member of the “Mutual Admiration Society” (see Cynthia Cook's interview)+ OG drummer and vocalist, new bass player+ Husband is a full-time musician+ Moved to Albuquerque to go to law school+ Represents tribes and tribal entities+ Attended Cal Berkeley+ Moved to NM from CA (bay area) 20 yrs ago+ Intentionally moved away from “the city”+ Originally from Ohio+ The same qualities that bring success can also be a hindrance+ Finishing things is important+ Having a decent sense of humor is valuable+ Noelle earns badges for: Persistence, Musicianship, and Humor+ Arguably not too old to be playing rock and roll+ Community has become more music-oriented+ Making friends as a grown-up is challenging+ Does anyone else have trouble watching a 2-hour movie these days? (us too)+ Being an attorney can make one too comfortable with disagreement+ Being perceived as “aggressive” when you don't agree with others (as a woman)+ Dear younger self: please don't worry so much+ The battle with self-consciousnessA taste:“I think I just always had some confidence that I could do what I needed to do but to be fair I've had also all kinds of advantages in life so I know that that isn't so much some inherent quality as probably whatever advantages I was lucky enough to have.”Favorite saying:“Expect agreeable surprises.”Support the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.All episodes also available on sagewlf.com xoxo

wandael.comalexowandael.comitaliany.us@wandael73The scene:We are in Venice Beach, CA at Alexo's home just off Abbott Kinney around 4pm. The light is getting lower and more golden. The way the sun is backlighting the curtains inside his living room is almost surreal: glowing 60's pattern and color - a kaleidoscope of hot pink, green, brown, and orange. Alexo and I were match-made by instagram. We have a mutual friend in common and it suggested us to each other. I discover through our interview that we have quite a lot in common. Creepy to think the algorithm is teaching itself about human connection… The outcome: a lovely long interview of a budding friendship between two lone wolves.Highlights:+ Italian born+ Lived in Berlin+ First came to the US in 1999+ Was an architect for 11 years+ Was a fashion photographer+ Alexo loves cowboys and westerns and pirates+ His parents fell in love when they were 17 and 19+ He was raised by his maternal grandmother+ Practicing an art and making an art are often different+ “Commercial” “success” is typically based on “who you know”+ Began portrait photography while still an architect+ Creating a magic connection with your subject+ Human connection in art vs. product-driven art+ Working with multiple exposures and layers+ Worked with Vogue Italia and Elle Russia+ Fine Art Photography+ Loving to visit a city, and then leave+ Finding balance with people/self/nature+ Having deeper relationships+ All Italians ride scooters and are good-looking ;)+ The importance of creating social communities+ The journey from architecture to photography+ Embracing nuances and imperfection+ Foreseeing the failure and doing it anyway+ Bucket list item: traveling the US by train+ Being kind AND opinionated (stubborn)+ Drawing the line at someone harming another+ In the end, our journey is our own+ The community required to make a film+ What inspired his first film: A Woman Makes a Plan+ About his second film: Tomato Soup in Skid Row+ Skid row is like a war zone in Afghanistan+ Only 30% of homeless are from drug addiction or mental health issues+ Homelessness is a systemic problem…of the US+ Stay curious and ask WHY+ Motorcycle stories+ The desert is the ultimate metaphor for justiceA taste:“Artists..they are not diplomats.  They should be the ones saying something loud, even if it's going to hurt someone else, but at least you're starting to make people think about or talk about it.  I don't say that I'm the right one.  But at least let's wake up from all the selfie and stuff.  Let's talk about something more serious just for once.”Favorite saying:"Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.” - Francis PicabiaSupport the showThank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project.All episodes also available on sagewlf.com xoxo

@camarocrybaby  @rosehoundapparel rosehoundapparel.com  The scene:We are in Manchaca, Texas at Blaze Foley's gravesite sitting on a Mexican blanket having a fruit picnic and drinking Topo Chicos.  We are playing Blaze's songs in dedication and memoriam to him and we are mostly alone, with the exception of Longhorns in the field next to us.  It's even nicer than a peaceful park, which is strange to say in a graveyard.  Join us and Blaze for a sun-filled evening sharing stories like old friends.Highlights:+ Founder and Owner of Rosehound Apparel+ Degree in Fashion Design+ Being a Canadian from Toronto, moonlighting in Austin, TX+ Thriving under pressure+ If you want something bad enough, you'll make it happen+ The importance of branding+ Starting out with embroidery, patches, and pins+ Blowing up at Urban Outfitters and Zara+ Pop-ups in Japan, London, New York, LA, Vegas…+ Selling in the under $20 pricepoint+ Missing making with your hands+ The appeal of imperfectly made things+ Buying your own kiln when covid shut down studios+ Doing something yourself when you can't find someone to do it+ Screen-printing mirrors+ The satisfaction of putting your work online and having positive response+ Not meeting the demand and being more exclusive+ Interning students from your university+ Making and selling through FSG (Fine Southern Gentlemen) in Austin+ Ceramics: ashtrays, pipes of various shapes+ Moving to Austin in a 200 sq ft silver 1952 Spartan trailer+ Renovating an old trailer and making it your new first home+ Thriving in “non-essential” talents+ Why Austin (and not Los Angeles)?+ The importance of friends and family and ride-or-dies+ Tenacity, impulse, time management, resourcefulness+ Learning to make your art come first+ Using your art as relationship therapy+ Knowing you will always be ok+ Being inspired by other artists, not threatened+ Being an entrepreneur frees you from constraint+ The Id and the Super-ego see-saw (Carl Jung)+ Traveling 30 states in a camper van+ Learning low maintenance through travel+ You create opportunities (they don't find you)+ You might think you want a mullet, but you really want a Francoise Hardy+ Penis pipes and penis wafflesA taste:“People who shoplift aren't afraid to take what they want.”“[I'm] definitely freed from a lot of structured thinking. I'm extremely independent. I know that I can make money out of my own shit. I don't have to worry about a paycheck. I can put things off and I can work harder and I can make more money and I believe that I am able to do that.”Favorite saying:“Tough times never last, only tough people last.”“Radical acceptance.”Support the show

The scene:We are sitting in the office that Mariel built in her garage when she gave up her car during the pandemic. She chooses to walk to work to improve her environmental footprint. She shares her passion and real-world solutions for local and global change. Join us for a touching dialogue on the state of humanity and our home.Highlights:+ The fossil fuel war+ Going to bat with the governor in your state (New Mexico)+ Going after the utilities that reinvest in fossil fuels+ Oil, gas, coal, nuclear - the fortunes that undermine our democracy+ The Public Regulation Commission+ Environmental regulation+ The enabling codependent relationship between government and the fossil fuel industry+ Theories of change: focusing on what's possible+ SOLAR! New Mexico gets 330 days of sun per year+ WIND! There's also a lot of it here+ There are fire refugees in New Mexico at the time of our interview from 3 massive forest fires+ Creating community sufficiency+ Electric car issues, the lithium valley in CA+ Relationships are the hardest and most rewarding part of life+ If you had only 15 minutes, what would you grab before leaving your home?+ The cost prohibitiveness of solar+ Historically, poor communities have paid for fossil fuels with their health/lives+ Reparations are past-due+ Community glue has been severed+ Corporations and privatization are ruling+ The ripple effect of small actions to create big impacts+ Resistance movements need people in numbers+ White people have gotten too comfortable+ Decentralized community-owned energy is possible now+ Being courageous in the face of fear and doubt (Nelson Mandela)+ The dumbing down and emotional suffocation of our current society+ The impatience of knowing the world is at a breaking point+ Seeking friends with our same level of passion+ Regrets about doing drugs...but not about having sex ;)+ Self-awareness: taking accountability and using emotions for motivation+ MLK movie: The Voice in the Wilderness+ Do and say things that call out the truth+ The responsibility of privilegeTaste:“My mother said something to me so beautiful when she was dying. She died really young. She said, “I don't really have any regrets” and “You (and my brother) turned out better than I ever have imagined.”Quotes:“Activism is the antidote to despair.”“The great revolutionaries are driven by love.” - Che GuevaraInspiring people:Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Brian Stevens, Naomi ClineSupport the show

The scene:We are sitting in the office that Jeff's wife Mariel built into the garage. It's the most formal environment selected by my interviewees thus far, but it's fitting coming from a lawyer ;) Jeff is a spry 80 yrs old and is seemingly stoic and intimidating, but he warms right up when I start prodding him to tell me what the 60s Summer of Love was all about. Join us for a very colorful storytelling of Jeff's and US history - a memoir of sorts.Highlights:+ Board member of the Water Protector Legal Collective+ Active in the National Lawyers Guild for over 50 years+ Practiced law in Chicago from 1969-2002+ Grew up in Atlanta, Georgia+ Parents are Jewish and supported the Civil Rights Movement+ Grandfather was an attorney+ Dad worked with John Lewis on the voter education project + Mom helped integrate hotels in Atlanta+ Was the president of a fraternity+ Volunteered for active duty to prevent getting drafted+ Studied Law at the University of Chicago in the mid 60's at the time of the riots and anti-war movements+ First job was at Legal Aid helping the black community build affordable housing+ Founded the People's Law Collective+ Spent 13 years in a civil suit to prove and prosecute the FBI and Chicago Police Dept for murdering Fred Hampton, the leader of the Black Panthers+ Went back to school in his 60's for an MFA in Creative Non-Fiction Writing in order to write his book like a memoir+ Writing is an experience in self-revelation+ Learning to write not just what happened but how you felt about it+ Inspired by George Orwell's memoirs+ The value of group critiques for developing writing+ Having a fundamental sense of justice+ Having a mind for math, logic, and chess+ Reacting to the time's politics shaped the trajectory of his life+ He's a “reluctant revolutionary”+ Not just a lawyer for the movement but also a part of the movement+ There's a difference between empathizing with or exploiting the prejudices of your crowd (manipulation)+ When the long-reigning majority fears losing their power, totalitarian regimes tend to set in+ Movie: Youth vs. the Government+ The difference between empathy and sympathy, walking together vs. “saving”+ It's important to do things in life that make you uncomfortable+ Using your privilege to benefit others without it+ Are you part of the solution or are you part of the problem?+ Office meetings on acid in the forest+ Having a front-row seat on history+ The camaraderie of working with a group+ Climate change is a major issue+ How do you show the governments' complicity?+ Top priority call to action: confronting the fossil fuel industryTaste:“If you recognize climate change, you recognize the collective need to deal with it - the governments and people acting together. Private enterprise/capitalism is not going to solve climate change. [...] Acknowledging climate change means you can't make profit all the time.”Saying:“Evil doesn't succeed because of the actions of evil people, it's the non-actions of good people that allows evil to prevail.”Support the show

@rjmarti35The scene:We are sitting in Valdez Park in Española, New Mexico (just down the road from Pathways Shelter) where Ralph chose to be interviewed so his daughter could play. Ralph says his youngest daughter is his second chance at being the kind of father he should have been to all of his children. While we're interviewing, we are visited by a young man who frequents his shelter and gives us a very athletic dance performance. Ralph later tells me he can identify a person on a specific drug from a mile away - from personal experience. Join us for a revealing conversation about the rest of life on the other side of recovery.Highlights:+ Addiction leads you to do things you don't really want to do+ Doing time and being a felon+ “Life's experiences lead us to be who we are”+ The co-dependence of a parent/child relationship+ When your parents can't bail you out of the system+ The reputation of being a badass leads to serious consequences+ Growing up in the projects of the town you're running for office in+ Getting in trouble with your siblings+ If you're looking for trouble, it'll find you wherever you are+ Children turning your life around+ Homeless for 6 years - the freedom and the entitlement of it+ Having gratitude for each moment+ The feeling of cravings and uncontrollable urges+ People believing in you more than you believe in yourself+ The self-rationalization of an addict+ Choosing the high over the birth of your child+ The addiction story of our young park visitor+ Part of a parent's heart dies when their child is addicted and/or homeless+ Parents cutting the cord to try to save themselves+ The depression, self-pity, shame, and guilt that keep a person homeless+ Resourcing for survival+ Rehab - again, and again, and again…x 2 (= 6x)+ You're not ready until you're ready+ Accepting that you're different leads you to recovery - personal boundaries+ More access to drugs in jail/prison than on the streets+ Life isn't a race, there is plenty left to live+ The pain of withdrawal from drugs+ Months without clean clothes and showers+ Regretting missing out on your children's lives+ Being worse than your father you never wanted to be+ Visiting the places you were homeless to appreciate where you've been+ Currently running for County Commissioner+ Dreaming of a Camry and achieving a Hummer+ Tough love from mom+ The final break - into an apartment with a job+ Bussing and walking to work 3 hours (keeps you out of trouble)+ Rebuilding bridges with family+ People believe in you when you show you believe in yourself+ Now: Material Management Support at Los Alamos National Laboratory+ Community activist for 5 years, bringing in $2.8M to the community+ Thank you @erincurrierfineart for connecting us ;)A taste:“If the question is would I change anything in my past, if I had to do it over again? No, no, definitely not, because of who I am now and what I know and what I appreciate. […] If I had not gone through whatever I went through, I would be someone somewhere but I wouldn't be who I am right now.”From Ralph's IG post: “Whether its confidence, love, ambition, work ethic or focus, we as Dads must prioritize our actions on Earth so they align with the type of energy we want to fuel our kids as they become adults.”Favorite saying:“We all go through what we gotta go through to get to where we're going.”Support the show

@leroygarcia@blueraingallery linktr.ee/BlueRainGalleryThe scene:We are sitting across from each other at Leroy's desk in Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Leroy's gigantic podcast microphones are approximately 1000% larger than my minimalist travel-sized mic. Blue Rain is a jaw-dropping gallery. I don't even like galleries very much but this one wows me with how eclectic the collections are and the way the curations both contrast and compliment each other. Join us in the gallery for a colorful convo on the life of a gallerist.Highlights:+ Founder Owner of Blue Rain Gallery in Santa Fe, New Mexico+ Gallerist for 32 years+ Bronze, resin, and glass sculptor (his skulls are wicked cool)+ Runs Blue Rain Gallery Podcast - to give exposure to artists+ Passionate about all art, from low brow to super fine+ Studied pre-law and fell in love with a potter+ From a Poli-Sci major to an art promoter+ Building an art career with your 24-year partner+ The business of art: from production to marketing to management+ 25% Native American + Spanish + German/Welsh+ Born and raised in Taos, New Mexico+ The least [formally] educated one of 11 siblings+ Spanish family heritage in Taos dates back to the early 1500s+ Discovered his Spanish origin heritage was actually French Jews+ Artist grandfather was commissioned by the King of Spain to create the first maps, the first ethnological studies of the area, and was an early Santero+ Navajo great grandmother was kidnapped by Apaches and adopted into a Spanish family+ We'd like to get back to before there was so much racial tension+ Lives in Albuquerque so his daughters can go to better schools+ Learned good work ethic from gardening, farming, ranching, and building at 8 yrs old+ Gallerists can be perceived by artists as controlling + The role of a gallery is to invest in artists, protect their prices, and help them grow+ The gallery should be an artist's team+ Has never had an investor in the gallery - has lost his life savings multiple times+ The ethics of an artist / gallery relationship [are the same as life ethics]+ Blue Rain has a large advertising budget that allows them to better represent their artist+ A gallerist is the ultimate gambler - sometimes the risk is well worth the reward+ Has an innate talent to sell things - started selling newspapers at 8 yrs old+ Life experience put him in a trajectory to where he was headed+ Raising three teenage girls+ Shoutout to @erincurrierfineart from Leroy, one of your biggest collectors :)+ Surrounding your daily life with the art that excites and inspires you+ Americans should find commonalities with each other, not differences+ Americana art celebrates the eclectic melting pot of America+ We should celebrate other ideas and perspectives+ Integrating contemporary native artA taste:“You can't always sit in the middle of the ocean without a paddle waiting for somebody to find you. Sometimes you've got to paddle out there and find them.”Favorite saying:To his daughters: “There's a price to pay for what you want. Don't say you want to be something and then you're half-ass about it.”From an IG post, about his skull sculptures: “Skulls are a reminder of our mortality. A reminder that our time on earth is precious, how we treat each other, to be nice, to be kind, to have compassion. It may be the only thing we can take into the next life is our relationships or how we treated people or each other.”Support the show

@arthurlopezsantosartlopezart.comThe scene:We are sitting in Arthur's family room in the center of his home, surrounded by innumerable artworks both of his own and his vast collection from other artists. Together, the art tells a very rich, cohesive story of his life, both past and present. We are joined by his wife Bernadette who is a silversmith and jeweler. Highlights:+ Appreciating Santero art for more than just it's religious iconography+ A detailed description of his Andaz processional sculpture+ Depicting gruesome elements in a passionate, designed way to draw the viewer in+ Embracing personal viewer interpretations+ The influence of being raised Catholic and being an altar boy+ The fear and guilt and terror of Catholic religious symbology+ Looking for the maker's hand and design elements in art+ Had a corporate Graphic Design career+ Dad's cancer brought him back to Santa Fe, and to wood carving+ Represented by both the King and Manitou galleries in NM and AZ“+ Don't do one thing 100 times, do 100 of those things”+ Don't become complacent or stagnant in your work+ Family supporting you in being a full time artist+ Shoutout to our connector @erincurrierfineart+ Gallerists encouraging you to explore and create outside of textbook art+ There's room for everyone to create in only the way that they can+ Doing the art you love for a living / fighting creating art just for selling it+ Creating art for patrons+ The life of an artist bringing unique experiences and opening doors+ Releasing yourself from your pieces+ Loves the challenge of hearing “you can't do this or that”+ Everything in your life path is cumulative, is necessary+ Creates collaborative Santos with his silversmith and jeweler wife @silverbybernadetteA taste:“What do you want out of life? […] What are you willing to do for it? […] For everything in life, there's a sacrifice to get there and you've got be willing to make those sacrifices.”Favorite saying:“It doesn't matter how long it takes you to get there as long as you get there.”“If you want more, do more.”Support the show

@littleanniemotel@moteltattoolittleanniemotel.comThe scene:We are sitting in Annie's tattoo shop, six stories above downtown Los Angeles, and she is giving me a tattoo during our interview. The piece we chose together is one of her recent original works of art. Annie is my recent girl crush spirit animal and here's why: she's a total fucking badass at living life fully expressed and creating endlessly from her heart. Join us in the shop as we talk about how a sensitive, kind-hearted female learns to set boundaries to become a fierce business owner in this day and age.Highlights:+ I experiment with tattoo gun background noise in this recording…you might hate it but what Annie has to say is worth it+ Tattoo business name: Little Annie Motel Tattoo Parlor+ Annie has a huge collection of paintings and is manifesting an art show+ Annie tells the story of how we met: I talked her into a hot tub+ Art History is her first love (mine too)+ Dad was an art teacher and encouraged her to not give up making art+ Tattooing for nine years, lived in LA since 2009, grew up in Seattle+ “I got what I like going on…I'm well-blended”+ Books tattoos through instagram DMs+ Referencing artists at an art show using only their instagram names+ Annie loves old Hollywood+ Good read: Gentlemen Prefer Blondes by Anita Luz (A. Luz)+ Kindness and being walked on+ Learning to be protective and use masculine energy+ The challenge of being taken seriously as a female business owner+ Learning hard lessons about not getting paid+ “If I were a man, I wouldn't be having this problem”+ Dropping the energy of being upset and moving forward+ Hating depending on people+ Making short films and learning to make your own scores+ Women are inherently creators (of literal life) and that energy propels us+ Been a filmmaker since 2013, biggest influence: John Waters+ Youtube channel: Annie Motel, 27 short films+ “Motel Vampire” just won an award at the Roma Film Festival for “Best Horror Short”+ How we use ourselves as our own muses to experiment with creating+ Annie describes the tattoo she's giving me+ Artist collaborations that are unique to the moment and personal+ “The more you do it, the better you get”+ Shaping your life by the way you live your art+ Tattooed in Italy and fell in love with walking to work+ The freedom of being your own boss…and dealing with personalities+ Everyone who works for her represents her business+ Showing up on time and being kind shouldn't have to be a conversation+ Drake says it best: “A boss is a role that I've grown into”+ Her role model: The Godfather - show no emotion, don't let them know your next move+ “Do you ever look back at your younger self and be like they weren't thinking at all.”+ Depression happens because you're focused on the past+ Anxiety happens because you're focused on the future+ “If you're upset by something you did in the past, just say, “That was the old me'”A taste:“I like to be a nice person and I like to be sensitive, but I also don't want to be walked on. A big part of the last 10 years has been me being very protective in a way and putting on a very tough exterior in a way and assuming masculine energy to be a business owner. […] So I have to be really tough when on the inside I'm just a sweetheart.”Favorite sayings:“God is good.” “God's got it.”  To self: “You got this - don't worry. It's fine.”Support the show

@artedenicholasnicholasherrera.comThe scene:We are sitting in San Antonio Chapel at Nicholas' home, where his mother is buried and his brother is memorialized. This chapel is an intricate work of sculpture created by hand, from the heart - the same way Nicholas creates everything in his life. Across the courtyard is his home. Across the field is his sculpture parts junkyard. Next to that are his wood and metal and car building workshops. Join us in the chapel for a candid conversation about creating from the heart.Highlights:+ 6th generation El Rito, New Mexican+ Original deed of his family land came from the king of Spain + Uncle was Santero de La Muerte+ His art has to make a statement, touch souls and hearts+ On money and not wanting to sell your soul+ Self-taught artist, no schooling + Was put in special ed classes for killing the teacher's fish+ Had a lot of friends but hated school+ Left high school for community college and took welding+ His girlfriend did his homework in exchange for pot+ His recycled sculpture started with childhood visits to the dump+ Dead artists make more money+ “Put it out there and do what your heart tells you and keep doing it”+ “The best addiction I've ever had is art”+ Called an “outsider artist”+ Letting the art piece guide you in it's creation - not fighting it+ Creating art from jail+ The board doesn't know shit about art+ Creating controversial art+ Documenting the story of the world+ Working as a laborer+ Hand-restored his 1939 Chevy Coupe and 1931 Ford truck that was his grandfather's+ Feels compelled to inspire others+ Instructors can't tell you how to create+ Lives on the farm he grew up on+ Humor and laughing is a good thing in life - don't be too serious+ Ego screws you up - stay humble+ Believing you have a good soul and a good heart+ Friends of friends are in the network, welcomed in+ Passing on the energy of being a good person+ Artists must know how to hustle and adapt+ The crazy mix of our ancestry makes us all related eventually+ Racism is passed on from our families+ The human journey has been documented through art since the beginning+ Intentionally showing the hand in your work+ The importance of doing things from the heart+ “Opinions are like assholes…”+ Complimenting others comes from having self-confidence+ The experiences of our lives making us who we are+ There are no rules - just keep creatingA taste:“I've been so stubborn all my fucking life. I work against the river. Instead of flowing down the river, I'll fucking canoe myself up the river.”[on staying humble] “I grew up like that. I've seen a lot of people struggle, a lot of people suffer. I'm not better than them - never have, never will be. I'm just a person, doing art.”Favorite sayings:“Tell me who you hang with, and I'll tell you who you are” (Dad's saying)“Those assholes are all farts and no shit” (Mom's saying)Support the show

@tobymorfinarttobymorfinart.comThe scene:We are sitting in Toby's studio in Española, near Santa Fe New Mexico, on his brother's property next to the house he grew up in. His studio is a mini gallery of many local artist and friend works that inspire him. I met Toby's mom. Toby is all family, all community. He has a heart of gold. He offered to help me with a minor car fix after I'd known him for only an hour. Join us in the studio gallery for an open-ended conversation about his come-up, family, controlling your art sales, and life lessons.Highlights:+ Charity work in the community+ Local artist plate-painting auction from big names+ A growing private art collection of 200+ pieces: James Blackstone Lofton, Mike Giant, Jim Vogel, Cara Romero, Joseph Lopez, Moises, Paul O'Connor, Magoo, Vince Herrera, Erin Currier @erincurrierfineart (who introduced us!), etc.+ Toby curated the “Santo Low Rider” Show at the Harwood+ The origin of 50s religious iconography painted on lowrider cars: Santos artwork of the 1800-1900s+ 13 years of curating his annual “Day of the Dead” show (November)+ Artists are unpredictable+ Dad taught him “If you're on time, you're late”+ 21 yr-old brother OD'd when Toby was still in high school+ Stay neutral with everyone because “we” are not better than “them”+ Shoutout to Ralph Martinez for community work together+ Life taking turns, learning to roll with the punches+ Letting the art flow - unscheduled, not planning, not stressing+ Painting off canvas - on anything+ Having your art in the ghetto and in million dollar homes+ Teaching others to appreciate the differences in others through art+ “If people copy your work, you're a badass”+ “We're all here in one world together”+ Started drawing on brown paper bags from the grocery store+ Influenced by wood and marble sculptures and large paintings as a kid (Larry Fedor)+ The youth jobs we have that help make us+ Worked for the Mae Corporation as a phone operator+ CEOs bought 60K of his artwork for the corporate buildings+ Sadness and heartbreak can be powerful life and art inspiration+ Working with what you've got / not needing a lot to do what you love+ Creating the feeling of where you want to be in the place that you are+ Not listening to others' opinions of your art+ Controlling all aspects of your art and your shows+ Shoutout to Nicholas Herrera @artedenicholas - you're a badass+ Being an outgoing person can backfire+ Expectations in the art world, low-balling an artist+ Being a business-minded artist with an LLC+ Artist's working with each other to build their business+ Toby's paintings are shadow-box framed and painted by local car painters+ “Everyone here [in the Santa Fe/New Mexico area] is connected”+ Having discipline and fuck-off time+ All of life is a lesson+ Learning everything we can from our elders+ Taking the time to talk to each otherA taste:“I saw all this paper they [Mae] were wasting so I talked to the main dude [...].  Everyone was always all scared of him […] I started to talk to him and said, ‘Once a week we'll pick up all the paper and recycle it.' […] There were all these bilingual Mexicans that worked there and I said you guys should get more money for being bilingual and I approached him about that so I got more pay for the bilingual people.”Favorite saying:“Don't screw your credit up.”Support the show

@ofuskieofuskie.comlinktr.ee/ofuskieUpcoming shows!May 28 - Native Treasures Show in Santa FeJuly 1 - Farrell Fischoff Gallery in Santa FeEnd of August - Indian Art Market Secret upcoming shows in December 2022 and January 2023The scene:We are in the Alexander Contemporary studio in downtown Santa Fe where Ofuskie operates - as of 3 days ago.  This is his dream studio and it has all just fallen into place perfectly. He is expertly situated downtown near the Santa Fe Plaza. When I walked in, he was on the phone sourcing furniture for this new studio gallery. He is curating this environment and his life in the shape of his dreams. Join us in the new studio for a lively conversation on coming up and learning how to promote yourself in the art world.Highlights:+ From the Muscogee Creek Tribe+ Began canvas painting at the Institute of American Indian Arts+ Origin: Tulsa Oklahoma+ $500 buys a lot of 30 packs of beer (when you're living in a dorm)+ Don't ask him for a tattoo - he's retired :)+ Mentored by artist Tony Abeyta  tonyabeyta.com  @alpha_beta_tone+ Massive upcoming shows - top secret - follow Ofuskie to know where to be+ Galleries treating artists fairly, carefully signing agreements+ Doing business with galleries outside of New Mexico and Oklahoma+ Helping other artists keep more of their $ in their own pocket+ Typical artist/gallery split is 50/50+ Alexander Contemporary split will be 60/40+ Reinvesting profits back into the artist and big show promotion+ Curation is an art form in and of itself+ “We all are worthy to our own slice of pie”+ Being a native artist and living where you can get the most legs up+ Being part of an artist community that won't let you fail+ Artists rising together - helping each other up+ Being raised by 5 sisters+ When people tell you you will succeed, you do+ The 8 billion/4 million/3 thousand/3 hundred/1 hand Rule+ Life opportunities are everywhere if you stay open to them+ Seeing things as they are - not good or bad+ Not bringing the past or future into the present+ No one else knows the shoes you walk in+ Being your own worst self-critique+ Artists are given gifts so that they may share them with others+ Astronauts are a metaphor for humanity+ “I will never paint another dead Indian”+ Strategizing financial resources+ Life choices+ Good friends babysit you on shrooms+ Thank you Erin Currier @erincurrierfineart for connecting us :)+ Shoutout to Ofuskie's girlfriend Sheyenne @sheyenne.sky+ Shoutout to Ofuskie's friend Wes @shooting4balance+ We become powerful through the help of our community+ I would never recognize my younger selfA taste:“The main mission of the [Alexander Contemporary] gallery is to be artist-led. I want artists to have fair treatment within the gallery business. My galleries have always treated me great, but […] one of my friends ended up signing a contract where if he sells anything in the state of New Mexico, he has to give 50% to the gallery, even if the gallery isn't involved at all.”Favorite saying:“Life is a rollercoaster and there's only one direction that you can go.”Support the show

Current exhibitionNational Hispanic Cultural CenterAlbuquerque, New MexicoThe scene:We are sitting at Cynthia's dining table inside her beautiful home, which is a sculptural display everywhere the eye travels. I'm obsessed with her kitchen, which has grey walls and ceiling to counter shelves stacked with colorful vintage ceramic Fiesta plates and bowls. The light coming from the windows is shaded and creates a sense of being enveloped inside a sacred space meant for contemplation and non-distraction. As I learn, this is intentional. Join us for our candid conversation about making a living as an artist with zero digital interaction.Highlights:+ Business name: Cynthia Cook Fine Art (no website, search her name)+ The “Terrible Mutual Admiration Society” (TMAS) TM + Cynthia has a landline and writes letters - with stamps - that's it!+ No cell phone, no texting, no email, no social media+ Talismans+ @erincurrierfineart is a super-connector and “Godess Incarnata”+ The new technology of the land and farming+ Making a living as an artist for 34 years+ Hard lessons - the best life teachers+ “I beg your pardon, I never promised you a rose garden”+ “There's a lot of tooth and claw to life”+ A description of Cynthia's art process+ Repoussé: patterns formed by hammering or pressing, esp. of metal+ Collages made of trash - “enshrining natural ephemera”+ Jewelry made from recycled metal from an origin of silver and gold-smithing+ Refusing to work with newly-mined metals+ @parsonsschoolofdesign Studio Art degree+ The expectations of the modern digital world+ “We don't want to be with anybody who doesn't want to be present with us”+ Making an effort to be with people (is not texting)+ The mark of the artist - “resisting the chicanery of the gnomes”+ Choosing a perspective of optimistic hopeful belief+ Carcass collage gifts from wild foxes+ Cynthia knew she would be a working artist at 4 years old+ The awareness and confidence of living hand-to-mouth+ The arts are a time capsule of artists sharing through the ages+ Balancing extroverted interviews and introverted nature+ Hindsight, building blocks+ “Quietly Courageous” (my biggest compliment ever!)+ Having an organic, genuine exchange with another human+ An archivist approach to documenting reality, anthropology+ Clairaudio (like clairvoyance) - when you hear sounds others can not+ Empathy and compassion and gifted sensibilities+ Caring for aging parents, with Alzheimers+ A young mind and an aging body+ Warrior-healer-goddesses-type-people+ Giving compliments is a lost art+ Doing your art with whatever medium it requires+ Live music is profound because the moment is lost as soon as you've heard it+ Most of the behaviors we have are projections of our self+ Do birds take it personally when an animal kills their young?+ The qualities of a good Boy Scout - a post-it story+ “Don't worry twice” - wait for the dataA taste:“I first encountered that saying at a job I had in college. I worked at a vintage clothing store for this fabulous goddess woman - it was kind-of a front for her drug dealing business. […] The only time she ever got in a car wreck was when she was trying to drive sober.”Favorite saying:“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” - Desiderata Support the show

@erincurrierfinearterincurrierfineart.comThe scene:We are sitting on the front patio of Erin's home and studio in her adorable bungalow community. It feels like a protective nest - and the birdsong attests to that. We are enshrined by climbing rose bushes that will bloom in the hundreds soon, 10 or so talismans from best friend/artist Cynthia Cook, and Erin's early collage art of buddhist deities. Join us for a very thoughtful conversation on supportive artist communities, how we see others, and our power of perspective about life.Highlights:+ First art show in 1998, at the coffee shop she worked at, using their trash+ “The impermanence of phenomena”+ Started by making portraits of people using their own trash+ Collage was her strong suit, so she leaned into painting to get better+ Her true love is drawing - all of her artwork begins in sketchbooks / travel journals+ Scaling from a 6-inch sketchbook to a 7-foot painting+ Began drawing before she could speak or walk+ Using art to get better grades in law and physics classes+ Using drawing to communicate across language barriers+ BFA in Theater Design: studied costume design, set painting and design+ Dzogchen buddhist meditation practice+ Artists who say they “paint for themselves” vs. intentionally sharing with the public+ All art is created through the filter of our own perception - something only we can see that way. We are idealizing it by choosing what to put forth of it, which is a political act because we're creating the kind of world we want to live in+ Her art is about humans that she wants other humans to know about+ She wants others to see the beauty she sees in others+ She paints people how she sees them - their highest self+ When you love someone unconditionally, you're seeing what they could be - their highest potential+ New Mexico artists support and encourage one another - they succeed together+ Artists promoting each other by sharing art, journalists, gallerists and collecting each others' art+ Older artists nurturing younger artists - shoutout to @tobymorfinart+ Contemporary artists who have learned from their ancestors and modernized it @rosebsimpson @romeroartprojects @arthurlopezsantos+ The value system of depth and heart, family and ancestors, craft and spirit+ Creating for the purpose of showing us all of our similarities+ Traveling reveals our commonalities far out-weigh our differences+ The more open we are, the more open others are+ Laughing off the stresses+ Treating everyone equally and with respect and interest - filmmakers to garbage collectors+ Interviewing is like drawing - subjects feel honored that someone gives them time+ Having more ideas than time, and being ok with that+ Living every day as your own, how and with whom you want to spend it+ We have the power to curate our lives by being kind to others+ Be how you want the world to respond to you+ Complimenting others as a way of reflecting the beauty you see in them back to themA taste:“I feel grateful…for my friends, for my family. I wake up every morning and write down everything I'm grateful for. A lot of it is simple…the beauty of the morning light and the sound of the birds or to be able to have a cup of coffee, like wow, how lucky am I?”Favorite saying:“It's another beautiful day, what do you want to do with it, how do you want to live it?”Support the show

@sagewlf_interviews@hank_the_hamchop (my sidekick interview assistant :)The scene:We are sitting in the “Secret Garden” of Rachel and Chris's LA home - which they so generously have made my home with them. These guys are my family, truly. They let me be 1000% myself and whomever I'm becoming. After many others' requests for me to be interviewee, I chose Rachel to be my interviewer for my Sagewlf Interviews Podcast. I knew from the moment I met her that we were sisters for life and actually it was more like “It's so nice to see you again!” Join us in the garden for the truth-telling of Sagewlf.Highlights:+ When I started going by Sage, my middle name+ My “thing” that I can't not do is these interviews with all of you+ Creating an intentional gypsy life+ Traveling to always be headed toward the people I love+ My process in editing and note-taking for the interviews+ The importance of curating the environment for the interviewee+ Using social media to build community+ How Sagewlf Interviews began+ Learning how to build a website and do audio editing+ Being a recovering perfectionist+ Saying fuck it and pressing publish+ Experimenting with and learning new tools+ Beginning recording with my grandfather's life story+ Figuring out what is true to me, what I give a shit about+ Doing everything at 150%, so choosing my “things” wisely+ Recovering from perfectionism+ Resourcing interviewees from my life - past and present+ Learning how to approach a stranger for an interview+ Being intentionally honest and vulnerable with others+ Bringing out vulnerability and the desire to share in others+ Learning to listen to others and making them feel heard+ Changing from a fly on the wall to a fully expressed and joyful human+ Why the name Sagewlf - a story about wolf behavior+ Having interviewees choose their environment to create comfort+ Eliminating considerations of vulnerability+ Being invited into a sacred space by another+ Being strong-willed, perseverant and adaptable+ Disappearing from confrontative experiences+ We have what we need in us already, we just have to learn how to use it+ Self-reliance is a buffer for being vulnerable with others+ Moving from LA to Utah and waking up to your own BS+ Cultivating community without stereotypes+ Finding “family” and “home” everywhere+ Mormons are some of my favorite humans on the planet+ Getting high off human exchanges+ Contouring ourselves to create a comfortable place for others+ Seeing ourselves - our own reflections - in others+ Not allowing humility to keep you from interacting with others+ Loving your younger little sad self+ Aiming to get back to the young, innocent, confident self+ Appreciating self as we are+ What I want the outcome of the interview project to be+ We have an obligation to share our unique gift with our world+ The journey is the joyA taste:“It's up to us, we have a conscious choice to make. We live in a very victim mentality culture […] and it has intentionally disempowered us. It's time for people to realize how actually powerful they already are and all they need to do is act on that […] and see their power and not be afraid of that. I have total control over every situation because I choose how to respond […] I can create an opportunity out of that for myself to better learn something..."Favorite saying:“Lemonade.” (When you get lemons, make lemonade)“When the student is ready, the teacher arrives.” (from interviewee Lisa Farmer)“Amazing.” “Beautiful.” “Gorgeous!”Support the show

@codyacaldwellThe scene:We are sitting on the front patio of the newlywed's first home together, dodging the SoCal sun - and not complaining about it one bit. Cody is one of the most self-aware and kind young men I've ever met. He has the biggest heart to help the world around him - his community and the world at large. And he's shaping what he's “doing” around how he is “being.” I'd like a world full of Codys please and thank you. Join us for a heartfelt conversation about fighting our own demons and being the change we want to see in our world.Highlights:+ Brand new hubby wubby to Nicole+ (Check out how similar his answers are to Nicole's…match made in heaven)+ Wants to help others physically, mentally, and spiritually+ Waiting for his PA application acceptance+ Helper role models: Dad is a firefighter, Grandma is a nurse+ Shaped from a young age from his mom having rheumatoid arthritis+ MCAT exam covid cancellation changed med school direction+ Was aiming for Orthopedic Surgeon+ PA's can work in dermatology (and do Botox - yes please and thank you)+ Wants to do plastic surgery (save his contact info!)+ Choosing plastic surgery for self confidence+ Not doing surgery for women trying to look like photoshopped IG photos+ Please don't try to be a boring barbie lookalike - you're gorgeous!+ Choosing Christianity for the positive life it guides+ Choosing hard change and ending limiting friendships+ Everything has a purpose+ We must work on ourselves before helping others+ Feeling blessed and humble+ Helpful traits: being personable, caring and loving+ Loving the cultural traditions of your mate's family+ Choosing your partner as a lifelong teacher and teammate+ Unhelpful trait: self-criticism+ Carpe Diem, today is a new day, tomorrow is not promised+ Gratitude turns being hard on yourself into humbleness+ Self-criticism can be viewed as self-awareness, which can lead to personal development+ How can we create opportunities for our own growth out of any life event+ Fixing ourselves fixes our world around us+ Being abundantly joyful and giving that freely to everyone+ Sharing our storms with each other+ Persevering through personal short-comings+ Building the foundation of your relationships with religion+ Religion as a supportive community of love, a safety net+ Empathizing with the homeless+ Being inspired by your parent's strengths+ Knowing you have a lot to give to your world+ No separation in the way you're “being” and what you're “doing”+ Younger self: everything is going to be ok, stop worrying+ Love life and be the blessing you were meant to be+ Doing what you're doing now leads you to where you're going+ Being a “sinner” - depression, distractions from looking up/forward+ Knowing your actions come from pure intention+ We all want to be loved - so we should all love each other+ Self-hatred is uncomfortable with receiving love+ The hope that by sharing honestly, we can impact others positivelyA taste:“It's tough. Change is tough. Unfortunately through that change I had to break off some friendships and certain things that were tying me down or keeping me from advancing on who I wanted to be.”Favorite saying:Bible verse, Romans 2:4 “Do you despise the riches of his goodness, forbearance, and long-suffering not knowing that the goodness of Jesus brought you to repentance.” (A personal reminder of choosing change)Support the show

@nicoleliolieThe scene:We are sitting on the front porch of Nicole's adorable apartment, 2 blocks from Seal Beach, CA, on a damn gorgeous So-cal day. She shares this apartment with her brand-new husband and this is the first time she has ever lived outside her parents home. Nicole and I first worked together 6-ish years ago and have seen each other through huge life changes. She is the most integrous and kind person I know - and I don't use those words lightly. Join us for a conversation between 2 girls cut from the same cloth (fashion pun - obvi).Highlights:+ 10 months newlywed+ We've built some big brands together - GRLFRND and Boyish+ Forever saved as “intern” in my phone - a sweet inside joke+ Paris Fashion Week, pushing me in a wheelchair+ I lost her grandmother's earrings in Paris (and still feel guilty)+ Helping others is above all else+ Mentoring and being a kick-ass mentee+ Post-it addict rehabilitated with Google docs+ Dad and mom both raised her to help others+ Feeling like you don't fit in and proving yourself+ If we don't share our stories with others, what good does it do?+ Taking pride in being an example for others+ Being a fashion educator+ Designing jeans to make your butt look great+ Teaching the importance of networking and resourcing+ Teaching the tangibility of fashion as a career+ Prioritizing your passion project+ Setting boundaries for your self and what feeds you+ Determination and hard work+ The connections that open doors in life+ Synchronicity and God's direction+ Christianity and celibacy values+ Sticking to your beliefs and convictions+ Stubbornness as a blessing and a curse+ Saying yes to too many things+ Learning boundaries through depression+ Being part of the Portuguese community+ Life revealing the people who don't compliment you+ Being ok with yourself, on your own+ Learning to love ourselves first and accept love from others+ Finding others with your same values+ Using negativity to grow stronger+ The importance of faith and family+ Learning to talk through embarrassment and vulnerability+ Developing tools to handle future challenges+ Learning to find peace in your storms+ “It's just a pair of jeans”+ Not letting fashion consume you+ Focus on yourself, not on others+ Being happy with how you're living your life - feeling aligned+ Living without regrets+ Being courageous+ Flexibility and going with the flow+ We need more togetherness, less politics and bullshit+ How hard is it to smile or wave at someone? Not at all+ Additional story that we forget to tellA taste:“This whole week I've really been convicted by this word Courage. […] Having this idea of being courageous. And it could be in the big things, it could be in the small things, but also being courageous in my mind - how I'm thinking […] not be so fearful, being courageous in my heart, or doing something that shows physical courage.”Favorite sayings:“Just breathe.”“God's got you.”“Courage.”Support the show

@MoonuntitledTV appearance: Baker's Dozen on Hulu, episode 5Highlights:+ 3 years, 5 months, 17 days sober (and counting)+ His last night partying was with yours truly…+ “Dance moves are just like body words”+ Speaking in allegory and metaphors and parables+ Having a boner for living without any of the lies he's told himself+ Lower gut health - “it's right up your alley”+ Learning to do less and consider them wins+ Doing things that are not outside yourself+ Being truly free from the idea of yourself+ “Get off the cross, someone needs the wood”+ It's the little things (that are HUGE)+ Addiction = no naps+ Changing your agreement with a space from your past+ It's best to just dive in and worry about fighting the sharks later+ Designing your journey+ Sharing the deepest things at AA meetings+ Helping friends who are battling cancer+ Shedding the shame and judgement of oneself+ Living out loud means resonating from the deepest part of you+ Our own voice coming back to us+ How we get small to hear ourselves+ Narrating our own lives+ Thanking the universe for the devastations that bring self-awareness+ Love, money, purpose - your self identity as actions+ Who are you when you disappear from your doings?+ You're not missing them, you're missing you+ Filling the cavern with things stunts self growth+ “God can't steer a parked car” - let the universe take control+ Don't be ashamed of yourself+ Do no harm+ Tarot is your own voice coming back to you+ Impulses and urges that are not in alignment with your higher self+ “Pause when agitated”+ Vulnerability is a lasso of truth+ Telling your story so raw that it allows others to be honest with themselves+ Being up for 6 days and suicide becoming an “amazing” idea+ Becoming an AA Sponsor+ Shame is the fear of disconnection - Brené Brown+ Safety is knowing the crazy - choosing place+ You can't take the Kansas out of a boy+ Create your village+ Baking with LOVE, not marijuana+ “I have a mouth like an old drag queen”+ Having a quick brain+ “I was me playing the role of me”+ “Connecting is my superpower”+ Being subtle+ “The casual whisper of destiny”+ Lock yourself away with the purpose of self-adoration+ Get back to WONDER+ “Living grammatically” TM+ Community is just our other selves teaching us+ “We are looking for the teacher in ourself that's outside of ourself”+ Things can be beyond better than we could ever imagine+ Everything is the perfect moment+ Our worst could be someone else's best+ Go nowhere to be seen by no one, to know+ Getting cute and sexy for ourselves + Playing the long game of life - only 1/3 of the way + Growing people and humanity as your hobby+ Being the master of your own universe+ Keeping secrets harms us more than others+ “Sponsees are like pancakes” - you might burn a few+ “Celebrate loudly to gives others hope who are suffering silently”A taste:“Self-editing and holding back, it's a form of castration in a way. […] Give yourself permission. We are our own hoops that we jump through. […] We are our own lessons. We are our own teachers. It's as complicated or as simple as we make it for ourselves.”“I've also been living without nouns. If you take the nouns out of everything and you […] take out the person, the place, or the thing - [what's left is] the actions. […] For example: ‘Kourtney Kardashian gave Mariah Carey a kidney.' If you take out who they are and you take out what they gave, you just have the act of giving.”Support the show

@___s__y__s___@kenshostudio.co kenshostudio.coThe scene:We are sitting in Sabrina's very jungly living room having tea and rolling cigarettes. She's so god damn intentional about how she lives that she spends about 5 minutes rolling each ciggy, starting with a very careful spiral roll of the tip filter. I watch in awe and reverence. And then we talk about sex, meditation, fashion - anything and everything. Join us in the jungle of our minds as we discuss the passion not of doing, but of BEING.Highlights:+ Aiming to do all life tasks with intention and presence+ OG New Yorker who grew up in France+ Lived in LA now for 9 years+ Algerian mother raised in France as a Muslim+ Jewish New Yorker father+ United Colors of Benetton family+ Close siblings that aren't blood-related+ Art: symbolic language, sensory experience, pushing the bounds, living it+ Storytelling theme - how to connect people and tell their stories+ Gallery space isn't made to welcome all kinds of people+ Art is something that is for everyone, so is nature+ Being exposed to things early on in life opens doors+ Art is how language can be nonverbal+ Used Proust as an interview template+ Whatever comes out is what gets delivered+ Becoming a features editor for print+ Being in a position to give others an opportunity+ Learning whether you're big picture or the doer+ Giving up control and delegating to others+ Book: The Artist's Way - a 12 week program+ The shadow artist operates on the outskirts without vulnerability+ Getting a sense of self-worth by being of service to others+ Financial codependence of representing artists+ Returning to the artistic practices of childhood+ Creating art for the simple sake of joy+ Not being able to hide when you write+ Writing first thing in the morning+ Monetizing passions+ Prioritizing a spiritual life - Vipassana meditation practice+ Intentionally working with purpose-driven companies+ “We were together, I forget the rest”+ The ways we show love are our truest passion+ What do I make when no one is watching?+ How else do we share outside of social media?+ Falling out of love with New York, seeking space and light+ Meeting your life partner in your new city+ Positive qualities taken to extreme become a hindrance+ Empathy can show up as codependency or a lack of discernment+ Reliability and perseverance can also blind you to other opportunities+ Many obstacles and resistance are good signs to change course+ Missed opportunities by being too controlling of your path+ Sabrina's description of our recent Joshua Tree meditation retreat+ Learning that our self-reliance can be complimented by community support+ Younger self: trust yourself and don't try to please everyone+ Don't fuck with it, the web of your life needs everything as it is+ Finding Alan WattsA taste:“How can I keep that sensitivity and yet still self-protect and not lose myself in the pain of another? Because yes I can be there and feel for you and send love to you but I don't have to get lost in you…self-sacrifice and lose track of my own mission and plan of whatever it is. Getting lost in it doesn't always necessarily drive to the most clarity action.”Favorite saying:“Humans - we suffer because we take too seriously what the gods have made for fun.” - Alan WattsSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

@rachelreidwilkie@reidwilkie@xi.spokensong@riotmaterial@enteringthemindThe scene:We are sitting together on a rocking bench in the “secret garden” backyard of Rachel's LA home, surrounded by a high wall of ivy and a loaded lemon tree. Though this is an idyllic oasis in the middle of the city, we are made very aware of what's just over the wall as we hear sirens and industry and later are surrounded by helicopters. As well as a gorgeous birdsong. The contrast really emphasizes what humans normalize constantly. Join us in the garden as we “create” our life together to share with you.Highlights:+ We share the high of coming from a 4-day spiritual retreat in Joshua Tree+ First pony at fourteen, falling in love with the care and freedom+ “Mini Muscle” the naughty and very fast pony+ Harnessing things often creates resistance and reaction+ Releasing control, choosing trust+ The liberation of traveling further outside your village+ Viewing “The Arts” objectively, then embodying “The Art of Being”+ Creating your life with intention, being a co-creator every second+ Meditation and yoga practices for a mindful creation of life+ XI: a new poetic musical collaboration+ Turning personal poetry into public spoken song+ Creating improvisational recordings together on the fly+ “Woman” was made from one improvised take+ Telling the story completely - creating music videos+ Six-track album launched in September 2021+ First professional live performance+ Lifelong recurring nightmare of being unprepared to perform+ The genre of poetry vs. the genre of spoken word+ The divine transmission of writing poetry+ Never edited any poems with the human intellect+ Your past self communicating to your future self through poetry+ The interpreter becomes the deliverer/translator+ Living in a “golden triangle” - rotating homes every few months or weeks+ Growing up in a village in nature and craving the anonymity of the city+ Land that embraces the individual vs. land that embraces the group+ Macro-dosing on mushrooms for intentional spiritual journeys+ Surrendering and allowing is the ultimate strength of a person+ You can't helps others if you're broken inside+ Preparing yourself to contribute to others' journeys+ Not editing ourselves for others+ Removing all considerations to focus on self work+ A dad who encouraged independence for all women+ Unconditional love and selflessness for others+ When do you surrender independence for love?+ Having stability and support to grow+ “Kindness,” “being unoffensive and soft,” setting boundaries+ Suffering silently and martyrdom - thousands of years of oppression+ Cultivating compassion - the new artistic endeavor+ Over-zealous self-reliance is a lack of trust and self-confidence+ Everything is intertwined+ Doing a shamanic journey session to heal your young self+ Gratitude prayer can purify the energy of water+ Neglect is worse than hatredA taste:“Please don't dump your luggage in the middle and ask others to fix it.”“Trust begins with yourself. […] It creates a natural calmness and confidence in your self-reliant capabilities, but it also creates a calm, trusted confidence in your community.”Favorite daily ritual:Morning gratitude ceremony blessing the Japanese tea she and her husband then put into their bodies.Support the show

@cvonhassett@enteringthemind@riotmaterialriotmaterial.comThe scene:We are in the front garden of C von's LA home smelling gardenia, lavender, sage, rosemary, roses, jasmine…Spring has sprung! And we are sitting under a gigantic bougainvillea tree covered in bright fuchsia leaves. While this sounds like a nature paradise, in true East Hollywood fashion, we are also 2 feet from a loud street and are visited by helicopters overhead. These two worlds describe C von in his life right now quite perfectly - loving and joyfully expressive with the faint whispers of a gone-bye era hard-edged life. Join us for all of it!Highlights:+ Highest passion: coming to know self+ A mission that turned into a passion+ Passion is now deeper, higher, broader+ Meditation is a target, art and literature takes you in any direction+ An origin of confusion, violence, and fear - growing up in LA in the 70's+ Demonic ghosts in his childhood house+ Realigning the mind and heart can take 20-30 years+ Re-calibrations from psychedelics, art, literature, relationships+ Teachers that open doors in your life+ “When the student is ready, the teacher arrives”+ Every person is a teacher, a physical manifestation of energy+ We need information to grow and change+ If we know what we want, we receive what we need+ English Literature teacher for High School and College+ Father of two beautiful, intelligent, funny humans+ Some books on meditations can be distractions+ “Entering The Mind” is a great instruction manual+ Meditation supersedes partying, easily+ Finding meditation as a child studying nature+ Not having a teacher but knowing something was missing+ “The Black Elk Speaks” book gave early direction+ Buddhism can become too dogmatic+ Find your own wisdom mind - Dzogchen meditation practice+ Living in three places - sort-of by choice+ Being tenacious, obsessive, deep-diving - a double-edged sword+ Training as a “warrior” as a response to an unsafe environment+ Race wars in LA - fighting against a common enemy - the LAPD+ Japanese martial arts - first dojo was with Chuck Norris+ Learning how to defend and deflect+ Grew up in a boxing family+ Losing hostility when it becomes unnecessary+ The community is interdependent, there is no self without+ Meditation removed anxiety and depression+ Getting out of your own way+ People who see our best self help us see our best self+ There's literally nothing to worry about - not even death+ Loving being alive on this planet+ Saving each other from ourselves+ This life is preparing us for our next life+ The eternal self is watching us+ Meditation is a constant recalibratingA taste:“I used to mediate to them. Sit in my little box here in LA. Watch the helicopter come through the space of my awareness and watch my awareness looking through the helicopter. […] Sit there and use the helicopter as part of my meditation practice - a mantra almost.”Word habits:“Amazing!” “Beautiful!”#podcast #interview #sagewlf @cvonhassett #bookrelease #stories #story #storytelling #meditation #dzogchen #thegreatperfection #natural state #innatemind #mind #nonconceptualmind #conceptualmind #meditate #howtomeditate #tibetanmasters #teachings #awakening #realization #recognize #recognizemind #rest #abidingcalm #abidingwisdom #wisdom #innatewisdom #enlightenment #book #literature #magazine #musicSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

@lyricontiverosRemembering Sergio OntiverosThe scene:We are in Lyric's back-house behind her grandmother's house - separated only by glass to The Miracles' old recording studio. Lyric wants to be appreciated in her own right for what she brings to the world - as she should. She also comes from an amazing musical legacy - her grandparents, Claudette and Smokey Robinson, inevitably brought her into this world with exceptional musical talents. Her voice is gorgeous and that is the gift she chooses to share with us. Join me for a chill chat with one of my new favorite sweethearts

 @firstladyofmotownlinktr.ee/ClaudetteRobinsonComing Up!  April 23-24, 2022LA Times Festival of Books at USC, Booth 100Signing for her book “Claudette's Miraculous Motown Adventure”The scene:We are in Claudette's home in Beverly Hills, CA, sitting together in her office, after a tour through some of the significant items from her life. Claudette is a magnificent storyteller. She speaks with ease and a close attention to detail and chronology. Her life is fascinating! Join us for her unique journey through the Marines, the Miracles, Mothering, and Grandmothering.Highlights:+ Claudette is the “First Lady of Motown” - the first woman ever signed to Motown Records+ First job at 12-yrs old typing letters for fundraising for $0.50 per hour+ Quit college to be a “Private Secretary” to the downtown YMCA in Detroit Michigan+ Graduated from high school at 15 (double-promoted three times in school)+ She wanted to be a teacher, to help other people, and loves children+ First royalty check was $3.19 - to split between all 5 band members+ Receiving a key - or two - from the City of Detroit+ She doesn't display her awards so people who visit just see her for her+ Grandmother and mother gave her a sense of self - a value of self+ “Inside, I'm very tall” - you can be as tall as you want inside+ Claudette has decided she will live to be 150 years-old+ She'd like to go to the moon, when it's safe+ Being greeted with a shotgun when trying to check into a hotel in the South+ Getting lost trying to find where you're performing+ Old school marketing: manager puts up posters the night before+ Airplane travel was not an affordable option - 6 people in a car was+ Not being taken seriously as new band “kids”+ The norm was 4 shows in 1 day+ Making $750/week, 4 shows/day+ Required to join the union but couldn't pay for it until they performed each night+ AGVA - American Guild of Variety Artists - is now SAGAFTRA+ Biggest passions: loving to love and be loved+ Takes great pride in her children and grandchildren+ She wanted to be a nun after going to Catholic elementary school+ Was in the Marine Corps Reserves - mom wanted to keep her out of danger+ Looking out for your neighbors

@jamienelson6@pink1968@flamingo_junglejamie-nelson.comThe scene:We are at Jamie's gorgeous home, sunbathing nude in the backyard, surrounded by penises. It's just us, but she has a penis topiary, penis statue, and too many penis sculptures inside to count. The minute we start the interview, the gardener surprises us and we go from celebrating our sexuality to scrambling inside. Hilarious. We are everything all the time and this is why we are sisters. Join us poolside for real girl talk.Highlights:+ Being terrified to be in FRONT of the camera+ There's a lot of glitter on the introvert+ Creatively directing being a form of control+ Vulnerability achieved through a “train-wreck”+ Creating a Playboy-biker-themed house+ Starting with an inflatable bed in a closet in NYC+ Renting your entire house out and living in the office+ Choosing your life perspective as glass all the way full+ Finding balance and no longer doing it all+ Having 5 careers and no time to wrench+ Trying to keep up with 85-yr old car guys+ Feeling the pressure of your own high expectations+ Doing a lot of damage to your body+ Home-owning is not for the faint of heart+ Biggest goal: life hacks and superpowers+ Growing up very poor and eating from a food bank+ Playing all the sports and having other parents want to kick your ass+ Being an honors nerd rebel and considering pre-med+ Wanting to do and be it all and not being accepted anywhere+ Being a pervert and having a drawer full of speedo's for your male guests+ 1968 Playmate Pink Convertible Ford Mustang+ Becoming a photographer in high school because she couldn't paint or draw+ Being young and poor in New York+ Biggest gift: resourcefulness+ Being poor teaches you tenacity and grit+ Cross-marketing still, video and home rental+ Life happens for us, not to us+ When you focus on the negative, the universe shows you more negative+ You don't get it until you GET it - you live it+ The red heart tub IS a celebrity+ Killing yourself to buy a house for your mom in the Dominican+ Raising flamingoes in their own ecosystem+ Feeling like you've never worked a day in your life+ Fulfillment comes from giving back+ Setting up a non-profit to give scholarships to a photoshoot studio+ Moving to LA for the weather and more shooting seasons+ Space, inexpensive vintage, abundance of time and sun+ Perfectionism and learning to be gentle on yourself+ Dreams, visualization, manifesting+ Midgets, cakes, smoke-bombs, roof jumps+ When the payoff of a centered life > the payoff of partying+ Dealing with our problems, not escaping to boyfriends+ Compound interest lesson from sexy financial wiz Jamie+ Having “quite a bit of OCD” and counting everything+ Being inspired by an entrepreneurial mom+ Appreciating the power of being different+ Thinking too much about what other people thought+ Feeling hodge-podge in life, then appreciating it all+ It's too much fun - too fun not to share+ Success comes from so many failures and so much hard workA taste:“I just make sporadic, dumb decisions constantly. They end up being the smartest decisions ever because I'm the only one dumb enough to just do it and then it always works out. It always works out.”“Even my fun is very overachieving.”Favorite sayings:“All of the sudden…” (is not all of the sudden)“Slow down to speed up.”Support the show

The scene:We are in Jay's smoke shop - Cuzz - on Olive and Palm in Fresno, CA. This area is not for the faint of heart, but his shop is full of all the love. I met Jay a few months ago buying loose-leaf tobacco. I knew when I met him that he is a super solid human. And he wowed me even more in our interview. I was able to witness him in action in his community. He is wise, intelligent, protective, funny, and full of heart. Join us in the shop for his story and a real experience of this neighborhood we share together.Highlights:+ Have you ever hung out in a smoke shop for an hour?+ “I've never seen so many tweakers” (meth)+ Tell-tale sign: swollen fingers+ It turns out that lawyers and policemen like meth too+ “Asking for a friend”+ Living in the TLs (Tenderloin in SF)+ Not wanting to raise a daughter in a world like this+ The smoke shop is a ways to a means+ Building longevity for your children+ Customer service is everything+ People vibe because of who you are+ Have a blessed day+ Last job working for a boss: Aetna+ Stacking bread with your hustle+ Every hustle has an expiration date: death or lockup+ Always get to know your neighbors+ Partnering on a business with your neighbor+ We pause the recording multiple times for “certain” customers+ Someone taking a chance on you+ Appreciation, being humble+ Getting broken into and figuring out insurance+ Selling your biz to your biz partner's brother+ Buying out your biz partner+ Having a bad experience with an edible+ If I die today, what can I leave my daughter?+ Providing options for your children+ If black lives matter, why are black people killing each other?+ Showing young black men how to NOT be on the streets+ You can lead a donkey to water…+ Building a bond with your customer+ It's not the bong or blunt wraps, it's the clothes that sell best+ Shoutout to the Cookies clothing brand+ He can sell snow to an eskimo+ “Walkers” and the homeless+ Tattoos and ankle monitors+ Who you hang around is who you become+ We don't know why people hit rock bottom - be compassionate+ Being desensitized to death from seeing so much+ Open 7 days a week, 10am to 1am+ Read the room+ Competition builds business for both+ “Baby mama” is not an acceptable term for him+ People sleeping in closets and bathrooms - and being happy+ Good people teaching you to not live for the moment+ Serving Thanksgiving meals to the community+ Protecting the community you business in+ Dear younger self: INVEST+ Learning how to build credit from a $300 card limit+ Jail life is something some people look forward to+ Fresno Bulldog gang family+ “I know now that I can make $500 into two grand”+ Street smarts = adaptability+ Life is about chess - you've got to know who your knight is+ “They are watching me all the time”+ We're all human, we're a family+ Audio of Jay in action with his customers+ We discover Sevonty's story together+ Brain aneurism and stroke at 12, coma for a year+ Learning how to walk and talk again, and write left-handed+ How long were you dead for, what did you see?+ Is it PTSD or just being cautious?+ Family first+ Jay asks for my story, so I share itA taste:“I like to give back to the community as well. So on Thanksgiving I was open, I worked and I had a whole feast right here. I fed everyone that needed to be fed. […] I think they respect me for that because I look out for people. […] You don't know exactly why they hit rock bottom.”Favorite sayings:“N*%#$”“Stayin' out the way.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

@lets_talk_about_recsThe scene:We are sitting on the floor in the back of the house in the room “where the magic happens.” Get your head out of the gutter! We are in Red's music room surrounded by 8,000 records, speakers, 2 turn tables, and a microphone (see what I did there ;) I've been witness to his DJ mastery for 23 years now, and he's "even better than the real thing." Join us for the OG story, a homeless jaunt through Yosemite, and THE BEST podcast soundtrack.Dear parents: we use salty language in this interview.Highlights:+ Red "turns the tables" and makes me DJ our interview+ And unsuccessfully tries to distract me from the interview questions+ The pricey record collection: Tool's “Enema” and Harlem Youth Percussion Group+ A radio station on Humboldt Hot Air+ Living under a rock in and getting chased out of Yosemite by rangers+ Volunteering for $6/day+ Being a DJ for 43 years+ Sister sang for Charles Wright - in his home, with him playing the piano+ Having a mom and a sister who are GREAT singers+ Shout out to the Pin Room in Arcata - Woot!!+ Having a soft spot for Disco+ I sing Pistol Annie's for Red - he has no idea what is going on+ You do NOT need ecstasy to have fun at a rave+ He still burns CDs for people (like me who have a CD player in their car)+ Putting yourself in a position to receive criticism from mass public+ Billy Corrigan should have stayed gangly+ “Rock God” and rock power - what happens when you become a cool kid+ Sensual albums for making out to+ Nostalgic albums from youth: The Pretenders, The Beastie Boys…+ Being sorta anti-social+ Turning people onto new music+ DJ Logic complimenting your record choice+ Opening for Rob Garza and stumping him with music+ Music snobbery+ The volume wars and harmonic complexity+ “Music peaked in the late 60's and has gotten worse ever since” (according to an algorithm)+ You won't hear great bands on the radio+ Current pop music is written by the same 4 people+ The Telecommunications Act ruined music variety and discovery+ Propaganda is everywhere you're looking and listening+ We don't care about how many hot models Trump banged in the 80's+ “The media's reaction to Trump is what divided us”+ The difference between a conspiracy theory and the truth: 6 months + Being a local DJ so you can keep playing the music you love+ “If it wasn't for the community, I'd be playing for nobody”+ Kids these daysA taste:“I'm a storyteller but I also am super self-conscious about talking about myself. I don't find my life that interesting but I guess I could maybe tell it in a way that it is interesting.”“There was a crip - a legitimate Gardena crip who was in that class […]. I remember him asking me, ‘Hey, have you seen the Buffalo Gals video?' And I was a super fucking geek [… ] He asked me if I had a turntable at home. ‘Does it have a scratch pad ?' I was like ‘What the hell's a scratch pad?'”Favorite saying:“I don't like the taste of beer, but I like the flavor of being drunk.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

@vitalflowcleansingvitalflowcleansing.comThe scene:We are sitting in T-shirts in Ashton's balmy 73 degree office in downtown Arcata, CA on an overcast day. This office is made for relaxation, self-care and cleansing of the body, mind, and spirit. Ashton is extremely talented at guiding one to achieve health in all three. She is a refreshing balance of professionalism, kindness, intelligence, and intuitiveness. Join us off the table to talk about how life guided her to - literally - help people get free of their shit. Highlights:+ We're going to get to some shit today+ Facilitating the elimination of the back stock material we all hold onto+ Discovered through her own personal healing journey+ Started with a Bachelor's in Psychology+ Doing a humanitarian project in Cambodia+ Returned to the US with Dengue fever and a broken heart+ Emotional health directly affects physical health+ Colon Hydrotherapy is immediately rewarding+ Feeling drawn to help others alleviate what they're carrying - emotionally and physically+ Other services: LENS, Holistic Lifestyle Coaching, Ionic Foot Baths+ We have to get back to a state of rest and digest+ Microbiome health affects all other health issues+ Our colon is instrumental in supporting other organs to rid the body of toxins+ The Liver and Lymphatic System rely on the colon to rid the body of toxins+ Auto-intoxicative loop is when toxins are reabsorbed into the body+ Feeling sluggish, skin issues and inflammation are all caused by auto-intoxication+ Our spirit bodies need healthy physical bodies+ We are supposed to have vitality in life and have our systems flow smoothly+ Colon cleansing allows for clearer intuition+ LENS creates neuroplasticity+ Choosing geography for the community of people+ Ambition, drive, tenacity, perseverance, intuition, being humble, flexibility+ It always comes back to us and the work we do on ourselves+ Striving for clearer and better boundaries, saying no+ Collective consciousness starts with each one of us+ Self-care is the good kind of selfish+ Community makes any of it possible+ Partnering with patients for their own healing+ The clearer we get, the more apparent our choices and decisions become+ Be gentle with yourself when you choose painful choices+ Be empowered in your health choices and acquire tools to help you+ Not being limiting in our mindset, about anything+ Dear younger self: buy property and invest in crypto+ We must live for who and what we are now, make the most of it, look for the magic+ Things tend to happen in threes / multiples+ We are all more connected than we think+ Ashton asks me to share my own origin story of this interview project+ IGS - our Internal Guidance System - tells us when things feel right (credit: Abraham Hicks)+ The great finesse - learning to listen to the subtleties of your IGSA taste:[re the IGS] “It's a multi-stage process. The first step is knowing you have one. The second step is listening to it - it's talking to you... The hardest part is actually listening when it tells you. If you're in a situation with someone and it doesn't feel right but then all of the sudden - either the social cues of the environment - ‘it's not polite for me to cut and run right now, I need to maintain this' or ‘it's not professional' and your IGS is like ‘this is not what we should be doing!'”Favorite saying:“You have to put your own oxygen mask on first, before you can help others.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

The scene:We are in the mini-van, returning to school for the second time this morning to deliver a laptop that was left at home by my oldest nephew. I meant to join them on their first trip to drop my younger nephew off for a week of camp in the redwoods (if I'm being honest, I wanted to hide in his suitcase so I could go too). Join us as we sister-talk about a nurse's perspective and personal experience of covid, the extreme importance of breastfeeding and baby/parent bonding, and - holy shit - how is my sister turning 50?!?Highlights:+ “Ripping the bra off” - today is the first day school children can opt out of a mask, by choice+ Nurse for 17 years - adults, obstetrics, graveyard shift, 12 hour shifts+ Q: What happens when you tell people to stay home? A: Babies+ Birthing babies for mom's with covid while wearing full protective gear+ Her own rapid test was negative, TWICE (and she actually had covid)+ If you retest negative, you can come back to work within 5 days - as a hospital employee…+ Breast-feeding was normalized and natural in her upbringing+ Huge supporter of La Leche League and lactation support for new mamas and babies+ Decided against an MPH so she could be more hands-on with actual human care+ She knew at 6 years-old that she wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse+ Breastfeeding babies sets the pace for how a human will eat, for their entire lifetime+ New mothers need A LOT of support after birth+ Why are we separating babies from their parents? (It's the worst thing you can do for newborn health)+ Going against the grain of archaic hospital thinking+ Humans have made the birth process over-complicated and mechanized+ Elective inductions - chosen by mothers who are just tired of being pregnant (mostly in affluent communities)+ The C-section rate at her hospital is currently 18%. The national average is 40-60%!+ Risks: infection, antibiotics in mom, antibiotic exposure to baby (causing lifelong effects on immune health)+ A blessing of covid: forced waits for patient-elected inductions led to healthy natural births+ Women's bodies are literally made for birthing babies, and you're not broken if it doesn't go smoothly+ Trust your birthing team - they've helped a lot of mamas and babies+ Read the room to observe the needs of patients instead of inserting yourself robotically+ Every area of your life affects every other area of your life - be present where you are+ If you do things repetitively, they become your cloth+ Your work ethic is the level at which you choose to function+ When you say “it's not my job,” you're harming your own ecosystem. Pay it forward.+ Altruism shouldn't feel like work, it should be your doctrine - it's just what you do+ Senior nursing students: take advantage of the preceptorship you're gifted+ Obstetrics nurses need training in all human health areas+ Life advice: enjoy what you get and you do have a choice about your attitude towards it+ The shit end of the stick is being working moms and just wanting to be with our kids+ All kids find a reason to blame their parents for not being perfect (and they get over it)+ Parents: make time for yourselves apart from your kids - they'll appreciate a happy, patient parentA taste:“What do you think's going to happen? You stick a bunch of people at home and they can order a bunch of things to their home online, like virtually anything they wanted, except for toilet paper. […] You look at each other, ‘What do you want to do?', ‘I don't know, what do you want to do?' So here you are 9 months later. It's been kind-of a baby boom.”Favorite saying:“This too shall pass.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

nicholsonhatcompany.com@nicholsonhatcoThe scene:We are in The Old Tobacco House, which is Keryn's studio and shop. It is a dream - like hanging out in a gem of history, a literal gold mine. It turns out that Keryn and I have been making our way toward each other's lives and the stars have aligned. I am honored to say that by the end of this interview, I was inducted into the Nicholson clan, and the rest is history in the making. Join us for a delightful rambling exchange of a budding sisterhood.Highlights:+ The Old Tobacco House (where there is zero tobacco)+ We love you Brooke Luallen!+ Building custom hats+ “Full classic Western-styled hats for the hard-wearing individual”+ Cowboys and Ranchers are very particular about their hats+ Using equipment from bygone eras+ Dad's Stetson Open Road hat is how it all started+ Brandon Wise we love you! (Hatter in Venice, CA that we both know well)+ Starting in a garage down an alley on the wrong side of the tracks+ Trusting your intuition and KNOWING in your gut+ Taking pride in and keeping your last name+ Entering a very male-dominated field+ Liking “not belonging” and proving yourself+ We have the same favorite restaurant and we went to the same high school - in a small town!+ Resilience and adaptability and not scaring easily+ Being introverted and setting boundaries on people interactions+ Learning your own tools for your personal success and contentment+ Learning when to not be too self-reliant and ask for help+ Researching your craft daily and always aiming for mastery+ Bringing a lost craft back+ A local friend, Graham, makes her wooden hat forms+ A local plant dyer, Brooke Luallen (see our interview) dyes her hats+ A local silversmith makes her hat pins+ Shout-out to Wedding Dress Designers Brittany and Ashley at Daughters of Simone+ Ultramarathons and timed trail runs+ Making time for physical and mental self-care+ PeaceCorps in Ethiopia as a Community HIV/AIDS educator+ Grad school in London: NGO and International Relations + Thesis in bio-intensive and small-scale farming+ Finding a creative outlet: sourcing vintage for resale+ Hatting for 5 years, 3 years exclusively+ Hard-core researching your craft+ Secret local BYOB rodeos+ Hat rules: never put your cowboy hat on the bed+ Trust your gut and instincts, don't listen to naysayers+ Why to not apprentice: develop your own signature+ The differences from a big-box store hat+ Mutual respect and camaraderie amongst hatters+ Not feeling “masterful enough” to take on an apprentice+ Dear Harry Ayala, you sir are a baller! (see our interview)+ Using social media tools to share your gift with the world+ Sharing my personal hats with Keryn: a hat reading, if you will+ Hats represent the blood, sweat and tears of people's livesA taste:“It has memory, like muscle memory. The felt literally has memory. The first time you pounce or sand the hat and the first shape you give it, after it's blocked on an old block, it never forgets.”Favorite saying:“You've gotta risk it to get the biscuit.”Support the show

@truenaturetattoo@truenaturetattoostudiotruenaturetattoo.comThe scene:We are at Brian's house in his kitchen and he is making me a fancier coffee than I've ever had anywhere in the world, including Santa Monica. Even the water is being weighed for christ's sake. I feel very fancy but this is just the daily, artful, thoughtful way that Brian lives his life. Somehow it's not annoying, probably because he's been the same for the 23 years that I've known him. Join us for coffee and a study of human evolution. Fair warning: we discuss penises and use salty language in this interview!Highlights:+ Doing a mindful task first thing in the morning (fancy coffee)+ We should curate what goes into our minds as much as we do our body+ What is the meta verse? We don't want to know+ Forest bathing is a Japanese term - Shinto is a nature-based religion+ Japanese culture ingrains nature in you+ We should be more sensitized to the world+ Having an autistic son - a more genuine version of a human+ Simply be kind and considerate of others - duh+ Interacting with people every day and performing a craft with your hands+ “Not everything new is bad and not everything old is important”+ Don't be a lemur, or a dinosaur+ Knowing what's possible, why would you settle for less?+ Nirvana is to kids now what the Beatles was to us+ What you're passionate about can be in each of your life actions+ Life doesn't have to be separated or compartmentalized+ Tattooing since 18 yrs old+ Shokunin - having technical skills and an attitude in social consciousness. Being obligated to + do your best for the general welfare of the people+ Doing a good job because that's what you do, not because you're getting a tip+ Inspired by comic books and mom's boyfriend who had a tattoo by Ed Hardy+ Ed Hardy brought intellectualism and a large range of art styles to Western tattooing+ Bill and Junii Salmon (famous tattoo artists) took him under their wing+ There were so few people tattooing at that level, you had to really bring something to the table+ There is a huge range of value in tattoo styles and no right or wrong+ A great tattoo artist puts all their intention into their work and their client's experience+ Every single part of your life can be cared for with equal importance, equal pride and intention+ “You're as good as the company you keep”+ Stick with what you have - dial it in+ Most people define themselves by what they HAVE, instead of who they are BEING+ Loving your work because it is who you are being+ Finding balance so you don't feel like you're not doing anything well+ “Money isn't about what you can have, it's about the stress you don't need”+ Pay attention to compound interest - Einstein knew what was upA taste:“I try to see it all as one thing honestly. I don't separate it into things. I'd like to think I put as much energy or thoughtfulness into making coffee or taking a shower or setting out the vitamins or doing a tattoo. Karma Yoga. Anything you do, be thoughtful of what you're doing.”Favorite quote:“We tried to find a common goal in life because she couldn't rock and roll with me and I couldn't avant-garde with her.  I mean we can, but that's what we thought at the time. So we decided the thing we had in common was love and from love came peace. So we decided to work for World Peace.” From the book "Imagine John Yoko" by John Lennon, Yoko OnoSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

Upcoming show! Journey to the Center of the Milks  April 2 - May 22, 2022 Morris Graves Museum - Humboldt Arts Council - 636 F Street, Eureka, CA 95501@nancy_._tobinnancy-tobin.com@vintage_avengervintageavengerhumboldt.comThe scene:We are sitting in Nancy's store, The Vintage Avenger in Arcata, CA, which I have been coming into since it's inception in 1999…yeah, that's 23 years ago. I'm pretty sure up until a recent move, I still had the hand-dyed vintage slips that Nancy dyed, which I wore as dresses - because it was early 00's and we were so grunge. How many vintage stores do you know of that have been open that long? I'm convinced it's due to her genuine passion for what she does and why she does it - and that everyone recognizes that. Join us in her store while Nancy hand-sews a piece for her new installation at the Morris Graves Museum of Art in Humboldt, CA.Highlights:+ Being proud and humble+ Retaining your own power+ Self-reliance as a response to trauma+ Military kid+ Being ousted socially+ The mind of a super creative+ Art as self-therapy+ The source of life and destruction+ A love letter to others+ Be resourceful+ Creating with waste+ Build it, they will come+ Give them the opportunity to say yes+ Dad was a helicopter pilot in Vietnam+ Give yourself permission to say yes+ Learning self confidence+ Letting kids be of themselves+ Adaptability+ Peace out of a pandemic+ HSU art degree+ “How to run a consignment shop”+ You've got to build it+ Isolation and missing people+ We need other people, the right people+ Find something and polish it up+ Changing others' minds about value+ The hobby became the everything+ Competition brings demand+ Single parenting+ Tough times come in sets, like waves in surfing+ Don't try to bend things to your will+ Work WITH the obstacles+ Let go and let God+ College of the Redwoods is THE best school+ Being self-sufficient+ An artist and also an accountant+ Minimalizing a vintage collection+ Coming out of the womb independent+ Introverts need people too+ Extroverts are over-celebrated+ Inspiring others visually+ Get weird!+ Bringing others joy and laughter+ Fearing people disliking us+ The slut from Arizona+ Keyed cars in high school+ Working for yourself+ The covid sabbatical+ Do it all the same, but in Hawaii+ Presenting the groom with an umbilical cord+ Meow Wolf in Las Vegas+ Counting on friends to keep us in check+ Life is messy, and beautiful+ Show the process+ Wabi Sabi+ Getting back to being childlike+ Letting go of inhibitions+ Seasons of life experiencesA taste:“It seems like things come in cycles and in waves, and so when something bad happens it's always like there's going to be a set of them coming through. And so I'll be like, uhhhp, here we go! You can just tell.  I've seen it enough times. There's going to be a little set of things here. So I try to think of it like surfing - so it's like get on your board and just get out past the break and just let the waves roll under you and try to float on top of it and just let them pass.”Favorite saying:“Making Lemonade.”“Don't wait for the stars to align before you begin.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

michaelsturtz.comThe scene:We are in Alameda, CA at Michael's gorgeous, “highly modified” yet period correct-ish historical 1875 Victorian home, hanging out in the sunlit kitchen. Michael is one of the most insanely experienced and creatively inspired humans I know. Join us in the kitchen as he makes us lunch and tells us the wild and unexpected journey of his life - from refusing to be an orthopedic surgeon to teaching at Stanford to working at Google's SpaceX to creating an intentional community in Bali.Highlights:+ Self-care: a trainer, bike rides with friends, and eating well+ Being a “golden sheep”, not a black sheep+ Did a TedX talk, NBD+ Building things with your hands+ Dad: Orthopedic Surgeon + Step Dad: Auto Body Repairman = Michael+ Fighting family expectations to go to art school+ Dyslexic and making it wrok. How dyslexia helps you think outside boundaries+ The Crucible in Oakland, CA is now the nation's largest non-profit industrial arts school+ Founded The Crucible 23 years ago with a grant for $1,700+ Make the environment you're looking for and be the teacher you wanted+ Alternative theater: mixing opera singers, ballerinas, fire arts and aerialists, motorcycles, whirling dervishes…+ Taught at Stanford's D (Design) School running “Redesigning Theater” for product design+ Ran Stanford's Creative Ignition Lab at Auto Desk for the future of making and learning+ Unleashing the brilliance that the SAT test doesn't measure+ Recruited by GoogleX to run their in-house prototyping lab called The Design Kitchen+ “Moonshots” = products that will impact the world+ Self-driving cars, high-speed delivery drones, high-altitude weather balloons that broadcast internet+ 90% of potential moonshot projects fail/get killed, 2% make it to actual moonshot+ Speaking, teaching, and consulting internationally: China, Nice, Amsterdam, New Zealand, Istanbul+ Working 5 days/month (quality of life)+ Working for the New Zealand government to create a mini Silicon Valley+ Innovative culture is an ecosystem that includes street art and food, etc.+ Consulting in Spain for zero-carbon manufacturing laws+ Trusting yourself with your crazy ideas that no one else has thought of+ Inverse inspiration: proving people wrong is a motivator+ Collaboration, hands-on, non-competitive learning, support, community+ Combining opposites to blow the blinders off+ Stupidity and bravery can be very close together+ Accidentally inspiring people and the ripple effect of that+ Knowing when to go for it and when to throw in the towel, or shelf it and pivot+ It's hard to be an authority figure in and anti-authoritarian community+ Working with creatives is like “herding cats to teach them how to nail Jell-o to a tree”+ There are no supposed-to police+ Ideas are easy, doing it's the hard partA taste:“It's interesting, the very same quote that I was inspired by by Buckminster Fuller […] they have in their very first page of their proposal is a quote about  ‘You can't change anything within a system, you have to create a new system that has so many radical ideas that it makes the current system of doing things obsolete'.”“Some of my best experiences have been doing what I'm not supposed to do, not harming anybody but yeah maybe the security guard has to chase me down and tell me I'm not supposed to be there.”Favorite saying:“I'm training for the rest of my life.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

@elowyn.makes.art@studiovanness@artbyelowyn.collection@elowyn.skates.tooartbyelowyn.comThe scene:We are in Elowyn's gorgeous art studio, which is in a historic building called Studio Van Ness in downtown Fresno.  She shares it with a tax business.  This is a fantastic contrast to her amazing, whimsical illustration style.  Her art is so dreamy and so engaging, I feel like I'm in an actual fairy tale with an actual princess.  Elowyn is her art.  It's refreshing to see someone creating so true to themselves.  Join us in her sun-filled studio as we talk about making it as an artist through Instagram and Tik Tok, creating art for yourself, and mental health honesty.Highlights:+ Living the dream, and being proud of it+ Self-motivated pieces+ Serving the community with your art and not keeping all the wealth+ Posting every day to every platform, enjoying social media, and getting off your phone+ Being tough on yourself+ Knowing what you want to put out in the world and honing in on your own aesthetic+ Loving women, whimsy, and magical nymphs+ Prioritizing art from the heart+ Illustrator by degree, Fine Artist by choice+ Illustration is: the artistic interpretation of words. Obvious imagery, not abstraction+ Commercial work pays the bills+ An artist since the womb, business artist since 18+ Selling doesn't legitimize art+ “Gatekeeping” is a trending term a.k.a. scarcity mentality+ Artists are obsessed with being unique and similar styles are a compliment+ No bad vibes, just create your art+ Artwork theft is real+ Struggling with mental health+ Using art to help others experience more joy+ “Toxic positivity” = pretending like nothing's wrong+ Taking responsibility for being part of the solution+ Managing “negativity boundaries”+ Lifelong chronic anxiety without depression+ Therapy and medication and developing coping skills+ Thriving in life and not being scared anymore+ Growing up in Clovis and leaving for private art school in Oakland+ #arthopfresno is the first Thursday of each month on Fulton St.+ Pretentious unwelcoming art scenes+ Choosing your place for your art and family communities+ Owning a house someday+ Downtown Fresno has so much character - these are my people+ The importance of safety and Maslow's Hierarchy+ The psychology of homelessness and compassion towards others who are without+ The system is failing us all which neutralizes the “I've got mine” mentality+ Appreciating others' differences+ Using anxiety for motivation: your crutch can be your super power+ Depressed people are more empathetic+ Living in a smaller town makes you shine+ Financial independence+ Acknowledging codependence+ Artists are often exploited: knowing your worth+ Being selfless for others makes no self left - #boundaryqueen+ Living life day-by-day+ Working towards being comfortable in your own skinA taste:“If someone does a similar style to you, you don't have to be jealous or angry about it.  Be like, ‘that's sick, that's nice, I have a kindred spirit out there.'  I'm not talking about straight-up copying but being inspired by each other is what it's all about.”Favorite saying:“It's ok to be in an uncomfortable place, as long as you're moving forward.”Support the show

@smith.and.lenEtsy.com/shop/smithandlenThe scene:We are at Brooke's home sitting in her front room surrounded by artistic projects, children's toy bins, and a Lomi composter that plugs in and turns food, bioplastics, and paper back into soil.  This is a picture perfect representation of Brooke in a nutshell - so full of energy, optimism, life, expression, creativity, play, family, learning, teaching, experimenting, and ecosystem responsibility.  Join us in our conversation about balancing all the parts of life, self-care, giving back, and a tour to the studio where the magic is happening!Highlights:+ Mom, Teacher, Artist, Wife - need we go on?+ Elementary school art teacher+ It's ok to say you don't want to stay home+ Living and working in a HOME - to the Nth degree+ Being passionate about everything+ “People give me energy”+ Mental health trips+ Creativity is identity+ Smith & Len - a natural dye business+ Dyes made from plants and food waste+ Finding your own fire+ Branded for 3 years, in process for 12+ Successful selling through instagram+ Pop-up shops+ Workshops teaching plant dying+ Perfectionist+ Dying naturally is therapy for letting go+ Determination - a gift and a curse+ Stubbornness vs. perseverance+ The creative community of Fresno is awesome+ Community over competition+ Encouragement and collaboration+ One woman band+ Boundaries create sustainability+ Post-partum depression+ Self-worth+ Being a people person requires non-isolation+ The only expectations there are are the ones we put on ourselves+ Finding your tribe+ Working with non-profits+ Learning the importance of giving back at a young age + Treat people like you want to be treated (the golden rule)+ Gratitude for opportunities in life+ Giving others opportunities+ Missions work at 10 yrs-old+ Loving learning causes you to love teaching+ Kindness to others starts with kindness to ourselves+ Creating something beautiful out of what's available+ @rappitup food “waste” into dye-baths+ Full lifecycle processes+ Mordants like soy milk or allum cause different color reactions+ Candle holder collaboration with @edward_albert_design+ Other collabs: @magnolias_yarden, @sampaynephoto, @laurelbotanicals+ Next pop-up @root_general+ Dye garden: Coryopsis, Scabiosa, Chamomile, Cosmos, Calendula+ Bundle dyeing and steaming, printing with plants and a mallet+ Fugitive dyes wash out - berries, beets, cabbage, pomegranate+ Different plants need different water temperatures+ Wild foraging plants for dyes+ Animal fibers (silk and wool) take plant dye colors bestA taste:“I learned at a young age that it's always important to give back, it's always important to treat people like you want to be treated.  It's so much in me that I want to be able to provide people with opportunities.  I've been lucky and very blessed in my life to have the opportunities in my life, that I've been allowed and given, and I want others to have the same.  So, it's just been something that I've always learned - to take care of other people."Favorite saying:“Be kind to yourself, be kind to others.”Support the show

The scene:We are in my brother's kitchen prepping lasagna for family dinner and game night with our mama.  Aaron is a damn fine chef.  I watch him work while I eat his entire jar of jelly beans - childhood redux.  Hah!  We just started all hanging as a family again in the last few months - since we all got our priorities straight and made being together #1.  We cook together and play either Golf, a card game, or Bones, dominoes.  I played Bones with him once and got so destroyed I have forbidden it henceforth ;)  These are some of the favorite moments of my entire life.  Join us in the heart of my brother's home!Highlights:+ Shit has to be used+ Building your own kitchen+ A pantry the size of a bedroom+ Sally O'Malley on SNL+ CaliSignsations custom signs+ Getting kicked off Facebook, and TikTok+ Growing up in a small town+ Woodworking in high school+ Tree trimming, coal and gas plants+ The emotional part of sign carving+ This guy gets around (the West)+ Working creative hours+ Friendship breakups+ A backyard full of guacamole+ Self-reliance works+ Bromances+ Three Jessicas+ Being single looks good on you+ Working 5 months per year+ Being a carni at the county fair+ Boundaries and giving+ Folks, he's an artiste!+ Introverts are people readers+ CA, OR, ID, AZ = fair circuit this year+ Deep fried Philly cheese steak+ Shitty people get run off+ The chili scale educational+ Don't convince someone to love youA taste:“I don't think I could do a 9-5 to be honest with you - just be in the same office daily.  Or like a car salesman - just walk the same old fuckin' 3 lots every day of your life.  I'm just not that kinda guy.  I need to move.”“I want to just hug everybody.  That's who I am.  ‘Hey stranger!  Get over here you motherfucker!'  […]  I hug with my heart, it's not just my arms.”Favorite saying(s):“Ain't nobody got time fa dat!”“Don't sweat the petty stuff and don't pet the sweaty stuff.” (that one's credit to our dad whom he hasn't spoken with in 20 years...)Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

The Scene:We are surrounded by 3,000 individual boxes of cookies.  This is Bexlie's first year in the Girl Scouts and her first year selling cookies.  Big goals for this little gal is an understatement.  And I'm sure you'll see why there is zero doubt in my mind that she will sell every dang last one of them.  At 9 years-old, Bexlie is more certain of herself than I am at 44.  She's an inspiration to all, both in her drive and her pure character.  She shares her dreams and a scary medical situation that she's handling like a champ.  Come talk cookies with us.Highlights:+ Guinness world record for youngest person interviewed on a podcast+ Tate is Irish for cheerful+ Rylan is Irish for joyful+ Dance and piano+ “I'm good at sales”+ Really liking ballet+ Almost old enough for toe shoes+ What really motivates me+ Helping your friends+ Going door-to-door+ Face time over texting+ Wanting to be a baker+ Wanting to be a plastic surgeon+ I am smart enough to do it+ The job is helping people+ Dreaming of big spaces+ Gardening our ingredients+ Living in Utah for a safe environment+ All four seasons+ The spirit of immediacy+ Being an entrepreneur+ Confidence early in life+ Business ethics+ Good communication skills+ Teaching your younger self+ Having regrets about spilling things+ We do our best+ The human body has mistakes+ Being very brave+ Idiopathic Subglottic Stenosis+ Yanking tubes out+ Thank you to the doctors+ Parents are greatA taste:“I like to cook a lot.  And when I was littler, I wanted to be a baker when I grew up.  […]  I just like to make food, it's just like a passion and fun thing that I like.”“Right under my vocal chords I have scar tissue and it closed my airway and it was the size of a matchstick. […]  The next day we have to go into an emergency surgery.  I was really scared.  My mom was there every minute of it.”“We went to Minnesota to go to the Mayo Clinic because the doctor on the phone said that in the last 2 years there have been 4 cases of this because it's like a really really rare disease, for my age.”Favorite quote/saying/mantra(s):Not really, no.Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)

Meet my mom - one of the most involved and joyful humans I know.  We are sitting in her living room in her “voice and music area.”  We get a free performance of her playing the ukelele, singing acapella and playing the piano.  Join us as we discuss all things singing - from reading music to competing to singing a completely different part than the person you're standing next to.  Our conversation weaves it's way around her journey through cancer and single mothering.  Join us for inspiration, laughter and heartfelt moments between a mom and her daughter.Highlights:+ Singing internationally+ Acapella as an instrument+ Being coached+ Casually competing+ What is backbeat?+ Singing since high school+ Dancing in a play with Alejandro+ Playing the Uke in Berkeley in the 60's+ The joy of singing your heart out+ Dancing with mom to Ariana Grande+ Sweet Adelines international singing quartet+ 50-80 singers in a regional chorus+ Competing in Hawaii+ How to get started with a chorus+ Choreography with singing+ Breath management+ From rigid moves to personal expression+ The Collective, Simon Lubkowski+ The joy of sharing with others+ Singing without reading music+ Barbershop harmony+ Choosing your geography for friendliness+ Being choreographically challenged+ Being a class clown+ What is woodshedding?+ What is Vibratto?+ Singing YOUR style, your genre+ Going to a movie by yourself+ Finding your core community+ Understanding others' opinions+ Laughter is the best medicine+ Purpose+ Starting piano lessons at 77+ Everything you do is a building block+ Being afraid of losing your mind+ Feeling fortunate and lucky+ Riding horses+ Mom's cancer journey+ Approaching cancer with new meds+ Bible studies lessons+ Writing prayers down+ Praying alleviates worry+ Manifesting through action+ Taking a day of rest…at 77+ Planning for no stress+ Choosing spontaneity+ Mom has always known my beauty+ Let your kids be who they areA taste:“Even if you're not participating you can go watch.  When they get down to ten of the top quartets - in the world!  And ten of the top choruses - in the world!  Then you're seeing some really good singing.”“I have a sense of humor that some people don't either get or appreciate.”“Everything you do in life is a building block.  It might feel like a mistake and you might go down that path but in actuality it's just another place to learn.  […]  It's a mindset, you have to not beat yourself up so much and not be so critical of yourself and say, ‘What did I learn from that particular thing?'”Favorite quote/saying/mantra(s):“Praise the Lord!”“You reap what you sow.”Gratitude.Support the show

We are sitting in Danielle's house, which means the only thing separating us from the jungle - and the monkey families - is a few panes of glass.  Dream!  Her home is pretty much glass and screens.  It is structured such that one building holds her bedroom, bathroom, living room and office and another contains her kitchen hangout spot.  Like a hallway in a traditional house, a cute covered walkway connects the two.  The computer monitor is practically IN the jungle.  The vote is in, you CAN have it all at once :)  I'm trying to talk her into coparenting chickens…and maybe a goat with me.  Wish me luck!Highlights:+ Researching people to create solutions+ Living in a jumanji jungle…with wifi+ Earning points for doing good+ Connecting community+ “Upe!” is a doorbell+ Falling into computer nerding+ Creating for the end use+ Having every kind of job+ Choosing Costa Rica for 21 years+ Living in an energetic vortex+ Being an extroverted introvert+ Independent to a fault+ Learning to ask for help+ Relying on close relationships + We're all in this together+ The telephone game+ Depriving yourself to near death+ Building security for self+ Choosing YOUR life+ The calendar struggle is real+ We only have control of our responseA taste:“I like knowing before I begin my process the history and the inner workings of who it is that I'm helping…what their goals are, their audience is, and really researching not just their background but other projects, like maybe not even directly associated or related that people might think, but I feel creatively match.”Favorite quote/saying/mantra(s):“Being comfortable in that space of nothingness.”Support the show

This is a symphonic interview of Polish accent and language, Goku the Frenchie trying to lick the microphone, and the birds of Costa Rica singing to us at sunset.  We are lounging on Isabella's back patio next to her lap pool and stationary bike, drinking natural fruit fizzies.  We have a very honest and frank conversation about our personal paths out of dark pasts that have brought us to gratitude and joy every day.  Isabella's guidance in my yoga, meditation, and breath work classes have helped me reach new heights of personal realization.  This is her natural gift to the world - and she only just discovered it 4 years ago.Interview highlights:+ You must be like a tiger+ The goal for the body is balance+ Feeling what your students feel+ When a door closes, open another+ Make mistakes, take the lesson+ The forest is the church+ We rely too much on our sight sense+ Being better for others+ Changing self-criticism+ Being true with your heart+ Everyone has stress+ We need sad to know happy+ Keeping our energy+ Becoming another from our upbringing+ Gratitude instead of wanting+ We want love, not cars and clothes+ All life fixes come from our own fix+ Life is a flow+ Play with a lot of peopleA taste:“I always took care of another.  My life started changing when I started to take care of myself.”Favorite quote/saying/mantra(s):“Be thankful, be from the heart position.”Support the show

While Chelsey may truly someday go to the pickleball olympics (sans digi-yuan), today we are discussing a few other less amazing (sarcasm) things about her life.  Every day for a month we've been sitting here together gazing out over Potrero Bay in Costa Rica, planning our days - yoga, paddle boarding, pickleball, swimming, house-building, medical clinic creating - and talking about all the important things in life - boys (to men), friends (over boys), singing Aaliyah's “4-page letter” on repeat, the reflection of our self - that we see in others - which reveals our life lessons…  I drink espresso (or two) and roll a ciggy (or two).  Chelsey drinks chilled green tea.  We laugh, we cry, we get closer.Interview highlights:+ "Rock bottom"…in paradise+ Giving up “control”+ TIME with loved ones+ Innovating in cancer care + prevention+ When life flows with ease+ Being consumed with power and success+ Doubters are fuel for the fire+ Don't chase the money+ Jumping into the deep end+ HUMOR with serious shit+ Taking care of you first+ Living IN the dream+ Square peg in a round hole+ Finding your peopleA taste:“I just wish I could have started earlier, but I needed to go through all that shit - over and over and over again - to realize…it's really really scary to take your foot off the brake and your hands off the wheel and just see what happens and to do things that aren't the norm socially…and live outside the box, but I think that's what we all should be doing.”Favorite quote/saying/mantra(s):“Set the world on fire.”“Stay the course.”Support the show (https://www.patreon.com/sagewlf)