Podcasts about dandenongs

I was lucky enough to be invited to stay at Oakwood Premier in Southbank, Melbourne for two nights. We stayed on the 37th floor in a glorious one bedroom apartment with a view out across the river and the city to the Richmond, Kew and even a glimpse of the Dandenongs. Everything looks different from so high up and I loved taking in the lights of the city by night and then watching the sun rise up between the buildings in the morning. The apartment was super comfortable and had we wanted to stay there and never leave, it had a fully equipped kitchen with a Nespresso machine, glasses for every occasion and even a set of measuring cups! But of course, we didn't need to cook because we were also invited to dine at Strato on the 40th floor. Culinary director Gagan Sharma and his team looked after us beautifully, taking us through the menu with Huon salmon tartare and Thomastown mini burrata to start followed by honey glazed Macedon Ranges duck breast and Spatchcock with Makhani gravy and an onion bhaji – the gravy and bhaji a nod to Gagan's roots. We finished with all three of the desserts which were stunning in their colour, texture and flavour: Yuzu Honey Ginger Semifreddo; Yuzu ganache encased in a delicate white chocolate hive, Dark Chocolate Cube with a velvety caramel centre, and green apple and sorbet. I could already tell from the menu that Gagan loves what he does and enjoys creating menus that allow local produce to shine. It was such a pleasure to talk to him the next day about why he became a chef and the pleasure he gets from cooking and feeding people.

Jake Furst is head chef of Cinder, the elegant fire-driven restaurant in Fitzroy North's 150-year-old pub The Terminus Hotel, and also executive chef of the Kickon Group, a hospitality group that runs large scale, high-end venues in Melbourne, Sorrento, and Queensland. Since the Group took over the Terminus, they have completely renovated it, creating a casual pub feel out the front, extensive beer garden and marquee seating, a private dining room upstairs and Cinder, which really is breathtaking. It is quite the maze in the Terminus and Jake took me for a tour before we sat down to chat. When we came through the door to Cinder, there was a lot to take in, blue stone back wall, timbered ceiling and wall features and the original pendant lights, glowing softly and bathing the room in a golden light. Cinder also has a private dining room with exquisite wines forming a wall at one end. For the lucky 80 people who have signed up to the Cuts Club (there are still places), they have a specially assigned steak knife hand made by Mathieu Deschamps in the Dandenongs hanging in a wooden awards cabinet on the wall for when they come to visit. It really feels like a magical place. Jake is all about the collaborations and you can check them all out on the Terminus website, but important to note is the upcoming Melbourne Food and Wine Festival event, where Good Food's Young Chef of the Year Nicholas Deligiannis (Audrey's) will join Jake on March 28 and 29 for a unique take on the surf'n'turf. Deligiannis's love for seafood and Furst's passion for dry-aged beef will collide. Jake and I talked about all sorts of things and once we had finished, Jake told me that he had prepared lunch for me and I very happily sat down to delicious dry aged Cape Grim steak, perfectly cooked, of course and felt very special indeed.

Hi and welcome to another episode of conversation with a chef. I'm Jo Rittey and I love sharing with you the conversations I get to have with talented and passionate chefs. It's the back story, if you will, to the food they are putting up. I begin today by acknowledging the Wurundjeri people of the Kulin nation, traditional custodians of the lands and airwaves where this conversation takes place, land which was never ceded, land where communities came together to eat seasonally, locally and without exhausting resources. I pay my respects to their Elders past, present and emerging. Yesterday I rode 89 floors in an elevator to Eureka 89, the restaurant one floor above the Melbourne Skydeck to talk to the glorious Renee Martillano, who Is the Executive chef there. The Skydeck is the Southern Hemisphere's highest observation deck and the tower itself is 297.3 metres tall with 91 floors. So the 89th floor is a long way up. It is beautiful up there and I loved sitting up there with Renee, hearing her story with such an incredible backdrop. I think it says a lot about a chef and about a venue when there is longevity involved and Renee has been riding the lift to the 89th floor since 2011. She loves it. And that's obvious from the way she talks about the food, but more importantly the way she talks about her team. Yesterday was her day off but she went into the kitchen to see how they were all going, and she talked about staff meals and how she loves how that brings everyone together. I can't wait to go back and have one of Renee's five or six course degustation dinners, looking out across the Yarra to the Dandenongs. I decided to include the start of my journey, so you are actually going to ride the lift with me and meet Danielle, the sales and marketing manager who took Renee and I up to the 89th floor and then we get into the chat.

Rally for the Forests here II On the first day of Victorian Parliament Native Forest Defenders from across the State stood firm against "salvage logging" by VicForest in the Wombat State Forest and in the Dandenongs.Neo-Nazi jailed here II Anti-racist activist Paddy Gibson's family home was targeted by Neo-fascists in Sydney in 2021. Unusually but hearteningly one of the three has been given a two year custodial sentence. Paddy outlines case and the issues involved.This is the Week here II Kevin saws through the week with satire. He is on a week holiday next week so savour while you can.Save Preston Market Rally here II We go down outside local Labor member for Preston's office where locals are continuing the fight to Save the Preston Market. The safe Labor seat experienced a 15% swing against it in the last State election mainly on local issues like the market.

Hello!! Welcome back to the podcast, great to have you join me! I love doing the podcast as I really feel like I'm chatting with a friend. I hope you feel the same! And could you do a friend a favour and write a review on Apple podcasts, it would be so awesome if you did and I promise it doesn't take much time!!  Do you have any tips you could share with us? Please email me isobel@peakendurancecoaching.com.au to let me know and I will share with everyone! If you aren't following me on socials, get on it! Peak Endurance Coaching on both Facebook and Insta, or Isobel Ross. I would love to connect with you! You can also join my email list to get my newsletters. Go to www.peakendurancecoaching.com.au  Do you have injuries or niggles ruining your enjoyment of running and hindering your performance? Running is our time to focus on our health and happiness and if this time is plagued with aches and pains, it's no fun at all. Come in and see the specialists at Health and High Performance where they utilise the latest in technology, and experience to help you achieve the results you want and are capable of. So, head to www.healthhp.com.au/run Find them on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/healthhighperformance/ Also, I have a poles skills clinic coming up on Saturday 28th May at 2pm for 90 minutes in the Dandenongs. This clinic is limited to 10 people so head to my website to find out how to register.  Whatever you are doing, be it running, cycling, strength training or stretching, have fun out there and I'll catch you next week!!!

Today we have something of a mixed bag. First, we hear from a new member of the Climactic Collective, "The BIrd Emergency"; The publisher of the Climactic Collective, Mark Spencer, moved from Melbourne to New Zealand but has now moved back to the Victoria capital and reports from a small park above one of the city's freeways. Setting itself up for the Federal election, The Conversation polled some 10 000 people to discover that more than 60 per cent of them are concerned about the climate crisis. And today we take you to two episodes from the Climate One podcast - the first, "Dismantling White Supremacy to Address the Climate Crisis" and the second, "Solar Flare-ups". Other Quick Climate Links for today are: "New book says Indigenous knowledge is key to fighting climate change"; "Experts: Climate transformative, but causes for optimism"; "Will clean green hydrogen ever replace gas in Australian homes?"; "Report highlights risk from global warming in ‘Third Pole'"; "Meet the Protesters Going to Jail to Fight Climate Change"; "Four Just Stop Oil activists charged over protests at motorway service stations"; "Just Stop Oil's ‘spring uprising' protests funded by US philanthropists"; "Duty Tells" - a bushfire story; "Together We Can solve the climate crisis"; "Why The Conversation will focus on policy over personality in this federal election campaign"; "The Thorny Ethics of Historic Preservation in the Age of Climate Change"; "Proponents Say Storing Captured Carbon Underground Is Safe, But States Are Transferring Long-Term Liability for Such Projects to the Public"; "Carbon Capture Takes Center Stage, But Is Its Promise an Illusion?"; "Florida Judge Asked to Recognize the Legal Rights of Five Waterways Outside Orlando"; "Two US Electrical Grid Operators Claim That New Rules For Coal Ash Could Make Electricity Supplies Less Reliable"; "California Regulators Banned Fracking Wastewater for Irrigation, but Allow Wastewater From Oil Drilling. Scientists Say There's Little Difference"; "New Murray-Darling Basin Authority boss fails to mention environment in all-staff memo"; "Record-breaking heat wave scorches India's wheat crop and hinders export plans"; "NSW flood victims kicked out of caravan parks to make way for tourists"; "‘It's OK to remember': Plan to use trees felled by Dandenongs storm for memorial": "Tropical forest losses emitted as much CO2 emissions as India in 2021"; "Climate change, the environment and the cost of living top the #SetTheAgenda poll"; "How We Can Get Clean Energy—Is Nuclear Power Safe?"; "BlackRock is seeing returns from its investments in Adani floating through the Great Barrier Reef"; "‘As close as you'll get to free': Tasmanian couple take road trip to Sydney in electric car for $43.38". Enjoy "Music for a Warming World". Support the show: https://www.patreon.com/climateconversations

On this week's show we welcome Prue Licht, a Grandmothers for Refugees activist who spent 25 years and many long hours working in the welfare system, predominantly with women and families. Prue originally hails from England but has lived here in the Dandenongs ever since she arrived on these shores in the 1970s. Prue was involved in the amazing No Macca's in Tecoma campaign a few years back and is now very passionate about the rights of refugees here in Australia. Prue's advice for life is to 'be critical' but also 'be kind'. We like it. Thank-you for sharing some of your life with us, Prue. Keep up the good fight.grandmothersforrefugees.comCasey Grandmothers for Refugees will be at the office of Tony Smith, Federal member for Casey, on Friday 10th December, International Human RIghts Day, 1 Eastridge Drive, Chirnside Park, 2pm Refugee Action Collective will be at the Park Hotel, Lincoln Square, Carlton on the same day at 6:30pm 

 EDNA WALLING & BICKLEIGH VALE Part 1  Edna Walling was one of Australia's most influential garden designers of the 20th century but I daresay, not too many people have heard of her. Edna was Walling was born in 1896, in Yorkshire and grew up in the village of Bickleigh  Devon, England but came to Australia at 17 years of age.   Edna was influenced by her father and studied landscape design at Burnley Horticultural College in Melbourne.  Walling was awarded her government certificate in horticulture in December 1917, and after some years jobbing as a gardener she commenced her own landscape design practice in the 1920s. Her plans from the 1920s and 1930s show a strong architectural framework with 'low stone walls, wide pergolas and paths – always softened with a mantle of greenery'.   While doing some garden research I happened on one of her most famous creations called Bickleigh Vale in the Melbourne suburb of Mooroolbark in the foothills of the Dandenongs. She just happened on some land while out bushwalking and convinced a bank manager to lend her money to buy the land and build her first house 'Sonning.' Who better to talk about them is someone who has researched Edna Walling for the last 40 years. I'll be talking with Trisha Dixon, garden author and photographer and sometime tour leader of gardens.   Trisha mentions that she found that actual village that this was modelled on, the real 'Bickleigh Vale ; in Devon, in England. Listen to parts 1 & 2 of the podcast below.    A quote from https://www.bickleighvalevillage.com.au/properties.html  is this quote  In the early 1920s Edna Walling acquired land at Mooroolbark where she built a house for herself - 'Sonning'. Here she lived and worked, establishing her nursery and gathering around her a group of like-minded people for whom she designed picturesque 'English' cottages and gardens. She named the area Bickleigh Vale village. The houses and outbuildings that were designed or approved by Edna Walling in what she termed 'the English style' include her own home 'Sonning' which was rebuilt in 1936 following the destruction of 'Sonning I' in a fire, Bickleigh Vale Village   Have a listen to part 1, a bit of Edna's history and a bit about Bickley Vale. We'll continue next with more about the actual village and also more about Edna's vision in creating beautiful gardens. If you have any feedback email realworldgardener@gmail.com or write in to 2RRR PO Box 644 Gladesville NSW 1675

A CFA volunteer called Neil Mitchell with an urgent request for power banks for Dandenongs residents who are still without power. This generous company answered the call. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Neil Mitchell says the situation in the Dandenong Ranges has reached "crisis" point. Here's what he says must happen immediately. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Melbourne Cup horse race, welfare and whipping Vaccination versus antibody titre testing in dogs with immune mediated problems Irate clients at the Vet Minx Cull in Denmark and possible mutation of COVID-19 A talking parrot saves the day Sniffer dogs are more effective in detecting COVID19 before the nasal swab! Leptospirosis outbreak in the foothills of the Dandenongs in Victoria Myth Busting: Kittens and litter trays Indoor only cats - is that ok? Socialization windows in dogs Getting a second dog to help a resident anxious dog Garlic and flea preventative 2 vaccines or 3 for puppies? Who is the best AFL football team and why is it Richmond again? Send in your questions about dogs with pushed in noses (brachycephalics) for our future specialist interview. This episode is proudly supported by Zylkene from Vetquinol- a safe way to help your dog or cat that may be stressed or have a mild anxiety - safe in the young, the old, the big and the small, in the Canine, or the Feline. This Episode is Also proudly brought to you by Delicate Care, an Australian Made, and Australian Owned diet, focusing on diets for various life stages and disease states. Check out the Website for more details. We are also brought to you by GapOnly - helping stream line your pets insurance at the vets. Did you know that for as little as $2 per month, you can become a Patreon supporter of the podcast. That's only $0.50 per episode! But if you want you can sign up to one of the other options, and get some sweet TVTP merch! With Q&A sessions , outtakes, and bonus episodes available for you to listen to now, sign up and get yourself amongst the fun! If you have any questions that you'd like to ask Lewis and Robbie send us an email at twovetstalkpets@gmail.com, or you can contact us or find us on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/twovetstalkpets/message

Welcome to the second installment of the SuperFeast Water Series. Today Mason chats to Chris Sanborn. Chris is the lead visionary behind Alive Water and the director of the Find A Spring foundation. Chris is an absolute living water enthusiast who devotes a large portion of his time and energy to sourcing and harvesting the most nutritious spring water available. In this chat the gents explore the differences between the various water sources available to the modern human, and how these sources can either nourish or impair the health of the body, mind and spirit. The question of focus is; could obtaining good health really be as simple as consuming raw spring water? Tune in to hear our take.  Mason and Chris explore: Chris's spring water journey. The health outcomes that occur when consuming wild spring water. How wild spring water connects us back to the earth and our innate nature as human beings. The difference between raw spring water, processed spring water and water that has been treated through the municipal system. The water filters Mason and Chris are loving. Bitcoin, meteor mining and US currency.   Who is Chris Sanborn? Chris Sanborn is the leading visionary for Alive Water and the Find A Spring foundation. When Chris is not building tools to access fresh spring water in the worlds best glass he enjoys spearfishing, hunting, and foraging. Chris envisions a future where water is more deeply revered as sacred. Through this process people will return to a deeper connection with the spirit and beauty of this earth.   Resources: Find A Spring Website Alive Water Website Alive Water InstagramAlive Water Facebook Alive Water Youtube The Water Shop Website     Q: How Can I Support The SuperFeast Podcast?   A: Tell all your friends and family and share online! We’d also love it if you could subscribe and review this podcast on iTunes. Or  check us out on Stitcher :)! Plus  we're on Spotify!   Check Out The Transcript Here:   Mason: (00:00) Chris, thanks for being here, brother.   Chris Sanborn: (00:02) Thanks for having me.   Mason: (00:04) Absolute pleasure. Interesting. It's one I've known, heard you talking about water for a few years now. I think it was from the moment of inception of your company, which is A Live Water, because since you started, that's the water that I've been having, because I've been on a trip to L.A. at least once a year for the last five years.   Mason: (00:32) So, I've been advocating that the water that you're bringing down from the sweet, sweet springs. So, it's good to connect. This is the first time we've chatted. Part of the water series here at SuperFeast that we're doing, because I forget.   Mason: (00:49) We've got a lot of new people jumping on the health sovereignty train here. Even though I've been talking about spring water for 10 years, I'm sure it's the same for you, it's always good to give everyone a little bit of the refreshing dunk of the head into that fresh, effervescent spring water, so that they can get re-inspired.   Chris Sanborn: (01:07) I love that.   Mason: (01:07) No. It's what I drink. I know it's what you drink.   Chris Sanborn: (01:11) It's what a lot of people, most people don't drink. So, we've still got a lot of room to spread awareness.   Mason: (01:23) Tell me about this. It seems like a crazy idea. I actually had a similar idea, back before I started SuperFeast nearly 10 years ago, of going, "Maybe I'll bring a raw water to the market." I remember Vital was trying to do it at the time, not really getting much success. Then I looked at the logistics and I was like, "I'm just not going to be able to do it."   Mason: (01:47) But you've done it, then. You've nailed it, as well. Can you tell me about what it's been like so far, from the inception of your idea? Tell us what your company actually does, and tell us what that's been like, bringing it to this point where it's rolling.   Chris Sanborn: (02:04) It's been a lot of fun. Owning your own business is a roller coaster, especially when you're doing something that's really different, and changing the game.   Chris Sanborn: (02:21) Like you said, no one else was really doing the raw water thing when we started, and still, no one else is, to this day. Reusable glass, it's not a simple thing. It's not as simple as just packing water in a single-use plastic bottle and shipping it out the door. There's a lot of moving pieces.   Chris Sanborn: (02:44) So, yeah. I started maybe five years ago, just going to the mountain and collecting water, fresh from the spring. It just felt so amazing. There's certain foods, and there's certain superfoods that, there's rare ones, where you feel it right away. You're like, "Whoa, that's powerful." Nothing, for me, was as powerful as drinking fresh spring water, just feeling more energy, more peacefulness.   Chris Sanborn: (03:22) So naturally, I just wanted to share that with more people, since all the spring water available on the market is processed. So, at the time, it was, unless you were driving three hours to the spring, there was no way you could get that in Southern California. Other places, it's prevalent. There's springs that are close, especially Southern California.   Chris Sanborn: (03:49) Yeah, we started going out to the spring. It was a lot of fun, getting to go out to the mountains. I think there's something really beautiful that happens when you start to have that connection with water that our ancestors had, to see where it's coming out of the Earth, and tasting it fresh like that. You're in nature. You start to become aware of other things.   Chris Sanborn: (04:16) A lot of times, you go to a spring and there's watercress there that you can forage, berries. Whatever it is, it's kind of a good intro into foraging.   Chris Sanborn: (04:26) So, it's been a journey. We've evolved a lot. We've had the recent rebranding. About six months ago, I took over the Find-A-Spring project. So, that's been really exciting. We've totally transformed that side and added a lot of new features. You can upload test results now.   Mason: (04:55) Sweet.   Chris Sanborn: (04:55) You can ... Yeah, you can leave ratings, comments, photos, videos. You can have favourite springs, a lot more features. Which feels really good, to know that all the purchases that anyone's making for water delivery or a glass, are going towards supporting that global project of bringing more awareness and utility to the importance of having access to fresh, living spring water. So, yeah. It's exciting.   Mason: (05:30) Dude, that's so good for everyone. I think, again, it's been about nine years that I've been recommending that people go to findaspring.com. I'm really excited.   Mason: (05:40) Daniel Vitalis, he's been on the podcast before. He did such great work in that entropic element, to give people, basically, this is a database and rating system, guys, for wild springs, spring water, hot springs, cold springs, mostly for drinking water purposes.   Mason: (06:02) It's definitely helped me. As I've traveled around, I've found springs in the middle of Sydney, middle of Auckland, found springs going up and down the coast there, on the West Coast of America. As well, in the Blue Mountains, here in Sydney, for example, or out in the Dandenongs if you're in Melbourne. You go and find a spring. The spring's there and it tells you. More and more, you'll see people commenting on the etiquette there of the spring, and how to make sure it's respected and honoured.   Mason: (06:36) It's a beautiful community because going and collecting spring water, as you said, it's something that does connect us to the literal way that we've been drinking water for the entire time we've been here on this Earth. All of a sudden, it starts pressing on this industrialised, colonised mind, where people are paranoid about drinking a non-municipal source of water, or a non-processed water.   Mason: (07:05) Which goes to show, we're in a fundamental disconnect. The fact that you're providing clean water from Alive Water, and then also access via Find A Spring, where people can actually be. And the water's tested, as well, for contamination. We're trying to make this accessible.   Mason: (07:22) Can you talk about, first of all, what processed water is, and why that is something to be aware of? Also, in that sense, what you've found as the biggest benefit from people coming back to Alive, living water, as well as what the biggest hurdles are for people decolonizing away from processed and municipal water supplies?   Mason: (07:47) Three questions I threw at you there. Feel free to come back and answer it any way you want.   Chris Sanborn: (07:55) All right, yeah. I might need a reminder if I miss any.   Chris Sanborn: (08:01) Thank God for Daniel Vitalis and Leighton Anderson creating Find A Spring about 10, 11 years ago. That was the first resource I used to go find the spring that we started the water delivery service from. He also educated me on the difference between processed spring water and raw spring water.   Chris Sanborn: (08:35) Basically, every water delivery company, every spring water delivery company, certainly in the United States, what they're doing is, they're using ozone gas and/or ultraviolet light to sterilise and take out all of the life in the water, that could potentially go green. Because there are living microalgae in there that are healthy for us. They're what we're biologically adapted to thrive from. But obviously, it's not going to be very good for your bottom line, for shelf stability, if you have to not keep your water in a hot warehouse, hot trucks, all these things.   Chris Sanborn: (09:25) So, we had a lot of issues with that in the beginning, with the water turning green really quick. That's why we decided to move to this system where the water goes into refrigerated trucks, and then refrigerated storage before it's delivered. It's usually fine in peoples' homes, unrefrigerated, for up to a month, as long as it stays in a cool, dark place.   Chris Sanborn: (09:49) But at least in that way, people know they're getting their water as fresh as it would be coming right off the spring. Then, of course, it's not in these trucks and warehouses that are over 100 degrees in the summer.   Chris Sanborn: (10:06) It's just wild. When you look at the gambit of, most people, they're lucky if they're drinking processed spring water. It's like, "What's the next best thing?" There's a lot of these ultra-purists, that there's this notion that things are dirty in Western culture.   Chris Sanborn: (10:31) There's all these germs. We've got to wash our hands. Especially recently, a lot of fear with, "Oh make sure you wear a mask, and hand sanitizer, and social distancing," and all this stuff goes back to fear, people living in fear.   Chris Sanborn: (10:49) With water, specifically. It's like, "Oh the earth is screwed. Everything is polluted, so let's just filter tap water." Which, good luck getting out fluoride. That's really hard to get out. Even if you do, then you just have this lifeless, dead substance that has no minerals, so it's actually going to strip minerals out of your body, drinking ultra-purified water.   Chris Sanborn: (11:20) Then there's the ultra-alkaline, 9, 10, 11 PH, which is really not good for us. Basically what happens then is, is especially if you have a healthy, more balanced diet, you're drinking, a lot of people are drinking this super high alkaline, which is actually diluting their stomach acids, and making it harder to process food.   Chris Sanborn: (11:51) There's a lot of miseducation out there, a lot of ways to go.   Mason: (11:56) Out of curiosity, and our crew listening, most of them would have heard us, I think talk about that. Every now and then I have a rant about alkaline water. What alkalinity, acidity is your spring water coming out at?   Chris Sanborn: (12:15) It's different. I think you mean for the water delivery service that I have?   Mason: (12:22) Yeah, sorry. For the water delivery, yeah.   Chris Sanborn: (12:22) Yeah. Actually, I live been in Kauai, so we go and we collect our own water here.   Chris Sanborn: (12:28) But for Opal Springs, which is the water delivery service for, that services the majority of California, it comes out at eight, which is naturally alkaline. Then it actually slowly starts the drop towards neutral.   Mason: (12:51) Right.   Chris Sanborn: (12:52) Which is interesting. I think it just speaks to the fact that water is in this constant state of change. I think it's wrong to try and make it sterile and make it this pH. It's dynamic. It's water.   Mason: (13:20) Yeah it [crosstalk 00:13:21]   Chris Sanborn: (13:20) That being said, most springs are around the neutral level. There are some amazing springs that are slightly acidic, like 6, 6.5 alkalinity. I don't think there's any, there's no problems with those springs. Looking at what is the difference between the good spring and a bad spring, obviously, the number one thing is Industrial Age contamination. Which is a tough one unless it's a primary water source, which has never been on the surface before.   Chris Sanborn: (14:04) A lot of times, there might be a little bit of radioactive fallout, and potentially other things. But at the same time, we're breathing air with radioactive fallout. We're eating food with the rain. So, it's all perspective.   Chris Sanborn: (14:21) For me, going back to what I really look at for a good spring is very little to no levels of pollution, good minerals. You want to have a balance. There's some minerals, like calcium. You can have, like a mountain valley water, for example, their calcium is way too high, because it's hot spring water.   Chris Sanborn: (14:45) You boil it in a pot, and it gets all calcified, and white, and scaly. It's not the best. A little bit of calcium is good. Then, magnesium, potassium, all of these things that are in a good natural spring water, in their pure form without having to have it synthetically extracted from some vitamin source or whatever.   Chris Sanborn: (15:17) I think really, the amazing thing that natural spring water has, one is the natural microbes are probiotics and prebiotics that aren't really found in other foods. That's huge. That, alone, to just be drinking that source of health for our guts.   Chris Sanborn: (15:42) But then the other thing is silica, which a lot of people are deficient in, which is the skin, hair, and nails mineral. Most good spring water has lots of good silica in it.   Mason: (15:57) That's always my favourite spring water, when you're getting high silica.   Chris Sanborn: (16:02) Yeah. What's really cool is, some spring waters with high silica, you can actually see. If it's sitting for a while, you'll actually see rainbow crystals floating in the water.   Mason: (16:16) Awesome. Dude, so magic.   Mason: (16:20) For Alive Water, can you tell me about the source of that spring water?   Chris Sanborn: (16:27) Yeah.   Mason: (16:28) Also, just that big distinction you've made there. We've had a few building biologists, I don't know if you have them in America, but it's someone who comes and makes sure you realise that your home is like a layer of skin, and talking about biodiversity in the home, and obviously, how important are biodiversity of bacteria within the large intestine is. Likewise, in the home, and how it's a terrible idea to sterilise.   Mason: (17:02) What you're saying there, it's a nuanced conversation. Biodiversity in your water is what we've evolved with. If we're going to start somewhere with foundations of health, let's stick to what has worked for a long time, and keeping it within a bandwidth of, we know that this is healthy, and just how much I think this is why it hasn't happened, a business like yours hasn't happened in Australia. I've had friends who have tried.   Mason: (17:25) It's the effort, and energy, and love you need to put into refrigerating, keeping that water at a spring water temperature, from that point where it comes out of the Earth, all the way to when it gets delivered, which always amazes me.   Mason: (17:43) I'll shut up soon so that you can get on to telling us about your spring. I get messages, I think every fortnight from [inaudible 00:17:51], saying, "Would you like spring water this week?" I'm like, "I'm still over." I don't write back, but I'm not unsubscribing because it's so satisfying for me when I'm like, "Yes, here's my new address. Here's the Airbnb. Here's the instructions. I'm arriving Thursday. It would be amazing if you could get it to me Thursday. Friday, all right."   Mason: (18:09) Sure enough, it turns up. My six big vessels with sacred geometric etched glass. Of which I've taken one back to Australia, FYI That was a fun trip.   Chris Sanborn: (18:22) Good for you. That's the great thing about our glass is, we want to make it available everywhere, so people can go to their own springs. Wherever you are, some places might be longer than others, but typically, there's something good close by. Sometimes you've got to stock up. If it's a bigger trip, stock up for a while.   Chris Sanborn: (18:52) That water comes from Opal Springs in central Oregon. It's kind of like the High Desert up there, and then 800 feet, at the base of this canyon, it's just gushing out of this lava tube, 108,000 gallons per minute, with these little fire agates that look like opals. That's why it's called Opal Spring.   Chris Sanborn: (19:21) Consistent 54 degrees Fahrenheit and that water is what I, I am almost positive it's a primary water source, which is actually a fairly new idea. It's been very thoroughly scientifically proven within the last decade that the Earth either has these huge bodies of water below the crust that are even bigger, more water than all the oceans. Or there's actually a chemical reaction that's happening, that results in water gushing up out of these tubes.   Chris Sanborn: (20:06) I love this idea and this fact because what that does is, it gives us the hope that the Earth has a self-cleansing process. If we can just start to appreciate water more, and not putting horrible chemicals into the water supply, and the plastics. That's a whole conversation in and of itself, just the horrible things that happen just from people, with cleaning supplies, and washing their cars, and the dye industry, and on, and on, and on.   Chris Sanborn: (20:51) But I think the Earth can really regenerate itself. That gives me a lot of hope.   Mason: (21:00) Me, too. Very well said.   Mason: (21:03) The water, when it comes out, would you mind just taking me through? I'm so curious, what your process is, in harvesting; how you're harvesting, what you're harvesting in, what the process is, the time limit on taking it from there to a facility, how you're keeping it refrigerating, how soon from when you decant into your glass bottles to it being delivered, so on and so forth?   Chris Sanborn: (21:33) Yeah. Good question.   Chris Sanborn: (21:36) The spring itself has a cement encasement over the spring head. That's where we pipe from, to make sure, obviously, we don't want any chance for dirt, or animals, or whatever it may be, to get in there. It gets collected at the covered spring head. Then, for Opal Springs, it's actually pumped up. It's pumped 800 feet up this cliffside, with hydroelectric power, that's also produced from the nearby stream that the spring feeds into.   Chris Sanborn: (22:25) It's really cool. The way they do it there is actually not only renewable energy, but it also leaves a path for the salmon to continue their upstream journey, which I love. So, it gets pumped up. Then it goes into the triple washed, triple rinsed glass jugs, our two and a half gallon glass jugs. It goes directly into the jugs, gets the cap on it.   Chris Sanborn: (23:02) Then it goes into the plastic racks, which keep it safe from the glass shattering. Then it goes into a refrigerated truck. That's typically within a day, two days max, of it being bottled. Goes into a refrigerated 18 wheeler. The 18 wheeler goes to either our cold storage in San Francisco, or Los Angeles.   Chris Sanborn: (23:33) Then we pick it up from cold storage. Typically every morning, we'll pick up the deliveries from the day. Then, that goes to peoples' homes or businesses. Then we collect the empties to start the process all over again.   Mason: (23:51) When did you see, I'm sure you've had waves when you see adoption occurring. Originally, it would have just been the die hards and early adopters of spring water, all of a sudden taking advantage of this really cool service.   Mason: (24:11) But I get the feeling now you've been seeing more of a mass adoption as this is getting more normalised. It's always a good sign when raw water gets demonised in places like Forbes, and The Young Turks, and that kind of things, which that slander campaign happened three years ago.   Chris Sanborn: (24:31) Yeah. There was definitely a few millions invested in a slander campaign against my business and me, personally. That's how you know you're doing something right.   Chris Sanborn: (24:44) You look at cryptocurrency, which is something I'd love to talk about, if you're into it. It's just interesting how you see the same smear campaigns. Not the same, obviously, because they're very different things. But it's like, here's this technology that gives everyone financial freedom and abundance, and the media just wants to talk about how it's a big scam.   Chris Sanborn: (25:12) So, to answer your question, this last year actually, we've almost, not doubled in size, but we've grown 50% in size with no marketing. Which is just, it's amazing. I feel super blessed. Our customers are just so stoked, and they all feel the difference so much that they want to tell their friends. People feel it immediately.   Chris Sanborn: (25:42) I think even more so recently, we've had a lot of new business, just from people, "Oh, dang. Our health is really important. We might die if we don't take care of ourselves." That's ultimately the most important thing, is to not play into the fear, and all the stuff we shouldn't be doing, but more into the stuff that we just need to do to stay really healthy, like exercising, and sunlight, and local, fresh, organic foods.   Mason: (26:21) Yeah, I imagine lockdown did that for a lot of people. It was like it really split down the line of those that were like, "Cool. I'm taking it into my hands. I'm not just going to pander to my own intrinsic fear," And they started getting into action around their health. I imagine that would have been a tipping point for a lot of people, where you can bypass a lot of more colonial narrative around the way you should live, and just helps people cut through that, the propaganda, and come back to what matters. When it comes down to it, hydration, the water you drink, what's more fundamental? I imagine that helped a lot of people get over that little fear hurdle.   Mason: (27:05) Then, on the other side of that, you're talking about some of the benefits. I think it's something I forget to talk about because it's been over a decade, for me, exclusively pretty much, 98%, 99% drinking spring water. So, I kind of forget-   Chris Sanborn: (27:21) Yeah, and you're hanging out with all your friends that drink spring water, too. You're like, "Wait. Everyone knows, right?" No way, no one, hardly anyone knows.   Mason: (27:33) Hardly anyone. We're lucky, here. We've got a guy over the border in Queensland, that's got a good spring on his property. He harvests that day, and then comes over and delivers to you. But still, he's-   Chris Sanborn: (27:49) Oh, cool.   Mason: (27:49) Yeah. I do talk to him about it all the time, about, why don't you create a water that's not for drinking, that's for the plants and for the animals?   Chris Sanborn: (28:00) Oh, right.   Mason: (28:02) Because he's got that minimum regulation. In Australia, it's illegal to drink. For drinking water, it's a minimum UV.   Chris Sanborn: (28:08) Right.   Mason: (28:08) But I go and collect spring water when I want, but it's too good. We've got two of those barrels here at SuperFeast. At least our crew, they're collecting spring water that's been two days out of the Earth. It's better than nothing.   Mason: (28:25) But when you get onto that real, living spring water, you were saying a lot of people get onto it and then notice these benefits. What do you find is the most consistent benefit, just from getting onto spring water that you guys are delivering?   Chris Sanborn: (28:44) Sorry. My lawn guys came today, so I didn't hear the last part of what you just said.   Mason: (28:51) Yeah, that's all good. Say hello for me.   Mason: (28:56) I was just saying, when people get onto spring water, what are the common benefits? I forget to talk about the benefits and what I feel, especially in that immediate phase. So, what are those big and consistent ones, that people are feeding back to you from the Alive Water that they're getting onto?   Chris Sanborn: (29:16) It's interesting. I think when people start to drink living spring water, one of two things happens, or both things happen at different times.   Chris Sanborn: (29:25) One, their bodies are like, "Oh, my God! I can't get enough of this water," and they drink so much, because their bodies are ... There are so many people that are chronically dehydrated. The other thing that will also start to happen with some people is they're like, "Wow, I hardly need any water compared to what I was drinking before," because this water has so much good stuff in it that our bodies actually really thrive from. So, both of those things can happen.   Chris Sanborn: (30:02) Even just the taste; the taste is one thing that's an immediate thing people can feel. I've heard all sorts of stuff on what people had cured, from drinking real spring water; skin conditions, liver problems, all sorts of stuff.   Chris Sanborn: (30:24) I think at the fundamental level, it's like you're nourishing all yourselves more, so you're going to have more energy. You're going to probably need less food, because you're actually getting a lot of your sustenance from water. There are so many different things that it can benefit; everything, really. We're mostly water, so it's hard to pinpoint exactly one thing instead of just making a wider generalisation.   Mason: (31:02) I think for me, the realisation, as you said, you're mostly water. It's involved in every function of the body. Every bit of solid Jing matter within our body is watery. So, just enabling, giving your body a clean medium that, as you said, it's coming out in a natural ratio.   Mason: (31:28) People don't realise when we say processed water, people are like, "What filter should I use?" Just so you know, I get people on the podcast so that I'm not that annoying person that's just like, "I don't know," because I don't know. I don't care. Personally, I don't care. I'm trying to care a little bit more, because I'm investing in filters for my parents, and some friends who can't get access to spring water in a main city.   Chris Sanborn: (31:58) Yeah. Yeah, it's true. There's people who live in the middle of New York that just don't have financial resources to even be able to afford a vehicle to go out and harvest.   Chris Sanborn: (32:12) I'd be curious to know what you typically recommend. I do like the Berkey filters. I used to use those before, just because they say they filter out fluoride and keep in the minerals. I mean who knows, really? But yeah, it's a tough one.   Mason: (32:33) Berkey? How do you spell Berkey?   Chris Sanborn: (32:37) B-E-R-K-E-Y.   Mason: (32:42) Okay. I think I know the one you're talking about. That's not the chambered one with the little black mineralizing rocks with the white spots in it in the bottom, is it?   Chris Sanborn: (32:52) No.   Mason: (32:53) Okay. I'll have a look at it. I think Berkey's, I've got another mate in L.A., and I'm pretty sure that's what he uses, as well, but I will confirm. Because that's the other thing I'm trying to ask everyone on the water series. If you had to pick a filter, what are you picking, and what's the rationale behind it?   Mason: (33:09) That's probably, I'm more of a fan of something that's just trying to clear out as much of that positive charged industrial crap while maintaining some of the integrity of the water. I understand the going [inaudible 00:33:26] water, and completely stripping it, and then adding it back in.   Mason: (33:30) But there's something about that deconstruction and then trying to put together that recipe of what makes a water alive. There's a lot of assumption there, to think you're going to be able to do what the Earth does, to put a water in together.   Chris Sanborn: (33:45) Yeah, playing God.   Mason: (33:47) Yeah. It's a good option. I'll drink it. I'm not as hardcore as I used to be and just, "No! If it's not spring water, I'll just dry fast for a day."   Chris Sanborn: (34:04) I'm curious to hear. What do you do for your water right now?   Mason: (34:11) We've got, as I said, Tony from Wild Oasis is a good resource there, as that backup. Then I'm lucky enough to have a friend who lives up in the Byron, Hinterland. They have 200 acres up there. They've got a spring coming out of that dormant volcano, coming out of that volcanic soil, really beautiful high vibe spring. They've got that plumb in their house and feeding into the dams. It's a really beautiful spot.   Mason: (34:47) That place, it means a lot to me. They're family. That's where conceived my daughter. The waters there, they literally formed my daughter and formed me.   Chris Sanborn: (35:00) Wow!   Mason: (35:03) Yeah. So, it's one of those ones, it's private property. So people listening, please don't ask me for access to that.   Mason: (35:12) You definitely need to ask around, because it is around everywhere you're at. You go and talk to the old people, they'll generally know where a spring is. That's what we're doing at the moment, and then just doing the best we can with a whole house water filter. Which I'll share in another podcast [crosstalk 00:35:30]   Chris Sanborn: (35:29) That's [crosstalk 00:35:30] because that's the one thing that I found. I've been on a hunt for shower filters for years. I've probably bought, I don't know, a dozen different shower filters. I've tested them all. I've tested them before and after. I actually paid for lab tests. Do these actually work, even a little bit?   Chris Sanborn: (35:59) It's been shocking to see that the shower filters, the ones I've found anyway, haven't really done much. Yeah, if you're filtering in chlorine and fluoride, and God knows what else. If you're in a city, a lot of times it’s recycled water.   Chris Sanborn: (36:22) That's getting in your skin. So, the whole house water system is clutch.   Mason: (36:28) Yeah. To be honest, I try and not shower, and just go and jump in the ocean. But it gets to a point where sometimes I just don't want salt water on my body.   Chris Sanborn: (36:38) Yeah.   Mason: (36:41) As I've gotten a little bit older, it's something you were saying about, you don't need as much water when you're drinking spring water. There's a couple of books that talk about, like the indigenous mob here talking about living in the desert, and then having "whities" go and live with them, and saying, "You guys are not sustainable with the way you drink water. You drink far too much water. You don't need that. You don't actually need that much."   Mason: (37:12) I feel it comes down to, if you're walking in the rhythms of the land, and your inherent seasons, and where you come from, stress rolls off the body. When you're not stressed, you're not needing as many resources.   Chris Sanborn: (37:25) Yeah, makes sense.   Mason: (37:28) Yeah, definitely what you're saying. When you get onto a good spring water source, naturally you're not going to need to drink as much, because you are going to take a significant amount of stress off your body because you're on a real, living, good source of water, that's high in minerals and it's doing its job. Because it's in harmony with the Earth, it's nourished us in a species in that way, for a long time. So, there's something recognisable there.   Mason: (37:54) But then, for me, I've noticed as I've got a toddler, business is cruising. I've had to spend more times indoors. Stress has increased, stuff going on with family. My water intake goes up. It's simply not as effective, so I feel like that's a good distinction for everyone to remember.   Mason: (38:19) So, in that sense, even in that, that's why maybe sometimes I won't just leave myself salt water on my skin to dry me out and preserve me.   Chris Sanborn: (38:30) Right.   Mason: (38:32) If I'm up at the farm, at my mate's farm, a water permaculture farm. You know, you jump into the creek. You jump into the spring water. It's the best ever.   Chris Sanborn: (38:41) Yeah, that's for sure.   Mason: (38:44) Sometimes I like, I've got a spa at home. I'm going to move, doing that kind of thing, I like to soak in the winter. So, the filter I've got, I just went and asked, when I was living in Sydney, the people at the water shop. I knew a couple of those guys in Cammeray, there.   Mason: (39:00) So, I just called them up and asked where they were at. They said the best they had was the Aragon. Looking into it, I've got another friend who really likes that one as well, who I think is onto it. So, the Aragon, I got the 20 inch by 4.5 inch. I think it's a triple chamber scenario, but I know people will ask me about that.   Mason: (39:24) Then there's a Vortex upcoming, as well, which I'll talk about at another time.   Chris Sanborn: (39:27) Wow, that sounds great.   Mason: (39:29) Yeah. My friends just [crosstalk 00:39:31]   Chris Sanborn: (39:32) Do they do fluoride in Australia?   Mason: (39:35) We live in one of the only municipal councils where they don't do fluoride. I think [crosstalk 00:39:41]   Chris Sanborn: (39:40) Oh, nice!   Mason: (39:42) It's the Byron Shire. I believe it's Gladstone, just north of Brisbane that are the only ones that aren't doing it. Very lucky, but we have high chlorine where we are.   Mason: (39:52) So, yeah. We went and got our water tested by a building biologist. Then I sent that to the water shop people. They just helped me match what filter's going to be appropriate. Because obviously, I don't need to opt for something that's going to be specifically designed to get the fluoride out.   Chris Sanborn: (40:11) Right.   Mason: (40:11) So huge.   Chris Sanborn: (40:15) That's cool. That's really cool. [crosstalk 00:40:20]   Mason: (40:20) Yeah. I'm getting the Phion filter. I think it's by Haydo from Native Water. He's a Kangen guy, which I don't like Kangen, but I like him.   Chris Sanborn: (40:41) There's a few people that I love that are on the same train.   Mason: (40:45) Yeah.   Chris Sanborn: (40:46) I appreciate that.   Mason: (40:47) Let's not let opinions on water filters divide us.   Mason: (40:52) But him at Native Water, @native_water on Instagram, he's ordering me in a Phion structuring device, with a bit of clear tubing on either side, so you can see what the water's looking like that comes out of the whole house filter, what it looks like going into this Phion, and then how it's coming out structured. So, that's the next little upgrade we've got.   Mason: (41:14) Guys, I'm not a purist anymore. It's like, I'd like to be on top of it.   Chris Sanborn: (41:20) I feel you, bro. I feel you. Sometimes I'll be out, and I'm hungry, and I want some fish tacos. I'm like, "Oh, God. What kind of oil are they frying it in? What kind of pan?" You know what, fuck it. [crosstalk 00:41:38] Every once in a while, you've got to live your life.   Mason: (41:41) Dude, I'm reading-   Chris Sanborn: (41:42) I won't eat farm raised, I'll tell you that. [crosstalk 00:41:47]   Mason: (41:46) What won't you eat?   Chris Sanborn: (41:49) Farm raised, like farm raised fish.   Mason: (41:52) You've got to draw a line somewhere.   Chris Sanborn: (41:55) Yeah. Yeah.   Mason: (41:58) I'm reading-   Chris Sanborn: (41:59) But being flexible is good.   Mason: (42:00) Yeah. I don't know. I'm reading Medium Raw by Anthony Bourdain at the moment. It's been a while since I've tuned into his work. I'm just like, "Dude, that heart based, potentially in excess going towards gluttony, but just the pure enjoyment of love, and a story around food, is something that's often void, in the purest health scene that comes from logic.   Mason: (42:24) It immediately comes from an instinct need to get healthy, and then it comes down to logic, and morality. What you lose, generally in the long-term, is this activation of your senses and the romance. Which is something that I'm reading Bourdain's book, going, "Yeah, that's what was void for so many years, the freedom to just go and enjoy." Just go and enjoy life in general. Like you said, just go and have the fish tacos.   Mason: (42:54) Dude, anything else? Feel free to throw in whatever you want to throw in about Bitcoin, as well, because it's been a while since anyone's mentioned Bitcoin on the podcast, I don't even know where it's at.   Chris Sanborn: (43:07) Today, I'll tell you where it's at. One Bitcoin equals $12,500 US. It's the highest today for the year, on a bit of what we call a bull run, where the price is escalating quite quickly. I'm quite happy that my investment has been paying off.   Chris Sanborn: (43:32) It's interesting. I think the allure with Bitcoin, crypto, the initial lore is, "Oh, cool." We can all actually have money that appreciates in value, instead of depreciates like fiat, government backed currency. Especially right now, they're just printing it out of thin air. It's backed by nothing.   Chris Sanborn: (43:55) So, what does that mean? It means, next year, $1 is going to be worth 90 cents of what it is today. Every year, it's appreciation. It's what happens. The value of money, of fiat backed currency, it just drops every year.   Chris Sanborn: (44:21) Whereas Bitcoin, there's only 21,000,000. It's actually a truly scarce resource. It's not like gold where, sure, gold's great, but there's the idea that what happens if we find a huge pool of gold, maybe on Earth, maybe on a meteor. There's actually meteor mining companies that are in existence right now, that will be launching within the next few years. So, what happens when that gold supply, what happens if it gets 100x? Then gold, gold's not worth so much anymore.   Chris Sanborn: (45:04) Granted, gold is a great store of value. The thing with gold, too, precious metals, they do have industrial applications. There's things that they can actually be used for in real world, that have real value. But as a store of value ... Going back to crypto.   Chris Sanborn: (45:25) So, cryptocurrencies as a store of value, are so far superior than fiat. If I wanted to send you $10,000 in Australia, what would I do? How would I do that? I'd probably have to go to my bank, send you a wire, they charge a fee. Your bank's going to charge a fee. It's going to take a few days to get to you. We've got to figure out the currency conversion rate.   Mason: (45:58) Do you lock it in previously, or do you go for the current exchange rate? All that, paying for that fee.   Chris Sanborn: (46:07) Yeah. So, say I wanted to send you $10,000 in Bitcoin. I can literally do it in 15 to 30 seconds. What's your Bitcoin address?   Chris Sanborn: (46:17) Now, there's even, for example, you could send me money to C Sanborn.cyrpto, You could literally send me $10,000 in Bitcoin. I'll get the money within a few minutes, and we'll pay maybe 50 cents to $1 to the network, for the fee.   Chris Sanborn: (46:37) When you just think about all of these things; that there's actually a finite supply, it's faster, and I don't need approval from anyone. I don't need approval from my bank. You don't need approval. It's our money. No one's in control of it.   Chris Sanborn: (46:56) All of these factors, and the other thing is, it's trickle down economics. All of these stimulus packages that are happening now, the public's getting a little bit of that money, but the majority of it's going to the corporations and the banks. Then the public gets a little bit that trickles down after that, whatever's left over.   Chris Sanborn: (47:19) It's just not fair. It's not the future of money. There's a reason that the Bitcoin price is on a bull run right now; all the cryptos, not just Bitcoin. Bitcoin's great. I actually really like Ethereum, because it's faster. There's a few different ones that I'm a big fan of.   Chris Sanborn: (47:51) It's really cool that recently, the big thing this year that's really changed the game, and this is why I'm confident in having most of my savings in crypto. Because I don't think there's going to be a drop in price like before. That's a big thing for people, "Oh, but it's so risky."   Chris Sanborn: (48:11) Well, it is. It is. I'm not going to sit here and pretend like it's not. But I don't think the price is going back down, because of what's happened this year is decentralised finance, or de-fi, for short. Now, this is the idea that we can all be bank less. I can actually loan you money, and you can pay me the interest instead of a bank, by basically holding these cryptocurrencies as collateral. If you don't pay me back, then I just keep your Bitcoin, or Ethereum, or whatever it is.   Chris Sanborn: (48:55) But then, obviously, you don't want to do that. You want to pay me back with low interest, because it's through two people, or bigger. There's these big de-fi platforms, where there's big pools of resources. So, it just makes sense. It's like, "Why are we paying the banks all this interest for these loans, when we can just bank each other?"   Chris Sanborn: (49:20) So, that's where the game changer is happening this year. More companies are starting to accept crypto. You can buy our glass on our website, anywhere in the world. You can pay with Bitcoin, Ethereum, whatever it may be. We accept it. There's big, big businesses now that are starting to accept Bitcoin. Microsoft is one example. Horrible company; I don't think I have any Microsoft products.   Chris Sanborn: (49:55) Just one example of some of the bigger corporations that are, they know they can't-   Mason: (50:04) Can't fight it?   Chris Sanborn: (50:04) ... That it's the most valuable resource now. There's more and more big financial players that are starting to wake up to the fact that it's the future of finance. It's fun. It's a fun thing to be investing in. I wake up every day, and it's like, "Oh, wow. I made a few hundred dollars while I slept," usually.   Mason: (50:30) The highs and lows. The highs and lows. You've got to keep your long-term. I think it was three years ago we started accepting Bitcoin on SuperFeast. It was good. It was pretty clunky, so I just for the mental health of my bookkeeper, I just took it off back then. It's getting to a point, if everyone starts demanding it, I can get that, straight back up there.   Mason: (50:59) It's always, you reminded me, it's been a while that I tuned into the conversation.   Mason: (51:05) You remind what is really exciting there is the decentralisation and the return to sovereignty. I know there's always going to be, the parasites will come to see how they can use it to control people, of course. It's going to happen, no matter what.   Chris Sanborn: (51:24) There are centralised cryptocurrencies now, as well. XRP is one. It's the number three cryptocurrency, but it's not decentralised. So, you've got to watch out. Not all cryptocurrencies are created the same.   Chris Sanborn: (51:50) But that being said, there's still a lot of advantages to centralised cryptocurrencies over others; just that it's faster, it's permission-less. Now, who benefits from that network? That's a handful of people, which isn't very cool. That's not the way of the future.   Chris Sanborn: (52:13) The cool thing that's happening now is, there's a new model of actually confirming that a block has, what's called, there's block chain technology. It's basically these blocks that, every block is a verification of who the new owners of these currencies are.   Chris Sanborn: (52:39) So that's how it moves. It moves in these block chains, with all the data from who owns it. It used to be, and it still is, for Bitcoin, it's proof of work. Did you prove that you have the most recent data with all the correct owners? Okay, yeah. That's proof of work.   Chris Sanborn: (53:00) Now what's happening is proof of stake. So actually, now what happens is, you have money in the network that you use for staking. So, you're actually, it's proof of stake, so actually, I'm making the network stronger and more secure by having my money in a proof of stake network. Now I'm actually gaining money just from having money in this cryptocurrency.   Chris Sanborn: (53:26) So, instead of the miners getting paid, now we're getting paid just for having money in these different cryptocurrencies. It's a game changer.   Mason: (53:40) That makes sense. If it's a people led currency, it relies on individuals, not on institution. If you're someone that has stake, and you having stake, and that being taken and shown within the block chain, and shown to be evident that it's up to date, then you are contributing to the increasing value of the currency.   Mason: (54:04) Therefore, you're going to get a little bit of a kick back, rather than that going back to a centralised place. Yeah, I think that makes sense. Did I capture that?   Chris Sanborn: (54:12) Yeah, totally. Totally.   Chris Sanborn: (54:14) All of these things are coming online right now. I think a lot of people look at it and they're like, "Oh, man! I should have gotten Bitcoin when it was $10, $100." It's like, Bitcoin's, sure it's at the highest it's been this year. The highest it's ever been is $20,000.   Chris Sanborn: (54:38) So, a lot of people look at it and they're like, "Oh, man. I missed it. I missed that magic window." But it's like, if there's only 21,000,000 Bitcoin, and the future of money, a lot of people speculate Bitcoin could easily go up to $100,000 a Bitcoin.   Chris Sanborn: (54:58) So, I think now's probably the best time than ever to invest. Like I said, there's more and more companies that do accept it. The companies that do accept it, it's easier now than ever to accept it. You can integrate, even on Shopify, you can integrate, I have, we'll use Coinbase.   Mason: (55:20) That's what I was thinking, as well.   Chris Sanborn: (55:24) Yeah. They made it a lot easier. I actually like crypto.com a lot more than Coinbase. The other thing with that, that's a game changer. I have a debit card with them, which I convert all my crypto into fiat. So, whenever I want to, I went to yoga this morning. I paid for my yoga with my Visa card. I converted it from Bitcoin.   Chris Sanborn: (55:48) So, it's a real world application. Why am I going to have money in fiat, when I could just have it in Bitcoin, that's accruing interest, decentralised. And I get 3% back on everything I spend on that card. It's just like, "What?"   Mason: (56:05) Yeah. I think it's getting to the point, I think it's the initial shock and awe of it where everyone was, "This is too good to be true." Then went [crosstalk 00:56:16] big waves. Then there was that big dip, which everyone says is a crash, which I definitely don't know.   Mason: (56:24) But you look over, as you do investments, you look over a 30 year period. It's most likely a dip rather than a crash. But the bubble burst. Okay, so it did. It's probably got many bubbles in its life.   Mason: (56:36) But it's probably getting to that point where I realise I'm not an investor. I'm not someone that should be following the advice in terms of finance. But it always does make sense that, just like we were saying, if you want diversity with what's living in your water, and you want diversity with what's living in your gut, and what's living in your home, you diversify how you're investing, rather than that narrative.   Mason: (57:01) Some people just like to go completely into stock, or completely into Bitcoin, or Ethereum, or whatever it is. But it's [crosstalk 00:57:08]   Chris Sanborn: (57:08) Like your thing, it is good, diversify. You don't have to go all in.   Mason: (57:14) That's probably a nice, easy way to go in. I have got a bad bunch of friends [inaudible 00:57:20] for a little bit was just like, "Right, it's all over here now." It's like, "Okay, let's not drink all the Kool Aid at once if you don't completely understand it."   Chris Sanborn: (57:30) Totally. Totally. It's easy to get carried away, when you see all of your money going up. It's definitely good to keep a level head. I hold gold. I do hold cash, of course.   Mason: (57:47) Yeah, yeah, yeah.   Chris Sanborn: (57:50) I hold a lot of crypto, mostly crypto. [crosstalk 00:57:53]   Mason: (57:53) And a lot of water.   Chris Sanborn: (57:56) A lot of water, and that's more valuable than anything.   Mason: (58:00) I value that. The conversations, that can be so grounded. Returning a bit of that freedom to humans, the concept of sovereignty. Sovereignty's not, you're sovereign or you're not. It's a resonance. It's a quality.   Mason: (58:19) So, if there's things that help you regain that quality of sovereignty, will you feel pretty free? Good. Let's explore it. It happens. That's what happens with the water.   Mason: (58:28) So, dude, I'll let you go. I'm sure you've got to go and pay the gardener.   Chris Sanborn: (58:35) Actually, I've just got to pee.   Mason: (58:39) Well, let's wrap it up.   Mason: (58:41) So, Alive Water is the company if you're on, is it just West Coast still, or are you expanding?   Chris Sanborn: (58:48) Just West Coast for water delivery. We ship everywhere on the planet for glass. It's expensive for most places outside of the country right now, but we're working on that, to have more fulfilment centres in the near future.   Chris Sanborn: (59:06) Of course, findaspring.com is global. Log in. Check your local spring and contribute to the community. There's a lot of ways you can do that leave a review, leave a comment, provide a water test. If you're really gung ho, maybe you could find a spring, if there's not one in your area that's not on the map, and pipe it. You'll be a hero in your community, for things like that.   Mason: (59:45) Absolutely. That is hero. That's God status in the community, if you're that person, and as well with the testing. I'm glad you guys have taken it over, because it's been a great resource, but it did need some new life breathed into it.   Mason: (01:00:03) So, that's really exciting for me, because it ensures that I'm going to continue to recommend it. Findaspring.com. Some of you listening have been following along for 10 years, and hearing us recommend that site for 10 years.   Mason: (01:00:18) It's nice when something has longevity. That's what your body's going to have if you get onto good water. So, go get spring water if you're on the East Coast. You were just talking about shipping the empty glass around the world, not the water. Right?   Chris Sanborn: (01:00:30) Correct, yeah. We pride ourselves in having the absolute best glass for collecting, storing, and drinking spring water, the whole thing.   Mason: (01:00:45) Because we've all, I've been there, collecting water, and then all of a sudden, you're driving back, and it just shatters on you. The glass explodes.   Chris Sanborn: (01:00:56) Oh, yeah.   Mason: (01:00:59) My little barina.   Chris Sanborn: (01:00:59) We've come a long way with our design product, with our design process. We've got a lot of good stuff that's live now, and a lot of good stuff that's coming. So, stay tuned for the evolution.   Mason: (01:01:13) Is it Alive Water, what's the website?   Chris Sanborn: (01:01:16) Findaspring.com and alivewaters.com   Mason: (01:01:22) Alivewaters.com and I'm assuming @alivewaters on Instagram? It's a good Instagram. Find A Spring's a good Instagram, as well. I actually did realise that it was starting getting used again, that Find A Spring Instagram. So, that's really inspiring.   Mason: (01:01:33) Thanks so much.   Chris Sanborn: (01:01:34) We haven't made the official relaunch yet, but we're getting there. We're getting things to where they need to be, so it's exciting.   Mason: (01:01:45) Sweet. So good, man. Thanks so much for coming on. It's been awesome.   Chris Sanborn: (01:01:49) Yeah, thanks for having me. Thanks for the great work you do. It was great to chat with you.   Mason: (01:01:56) Likewise. Tell Maria I will probably be getting another delivery next year. Who knows what's going to happen in this crazy world?   Chris Sanborn: (01:02:02) Yeah. Hopefully, we can do more travelling again soon.   Mason: (01:02:06) Yeah. Sweet, bro. Catch you.   Chris Sanborn: (01:02:08) All right. Aloha.

Today’s podcast is a bit different to my usual ones! Andrew Lorenzo (who you will remember from episode 11 where he spoke to us about mindfulness) and I went out for a run up at Ferny creek in the Dandenongs. It was a rainy day, so you will hear the sound of running in mud and puddles! This is a free flowing chat, much like you would have on any run. We just thought it would be fun to record and share with everyone! I’m a little bit hard to hear at first, but that improves. The audio quality is not perfect but that’s part of the charm! We are running after all! I really hope you enjoy this style of podcast. Don’t forget to get onto the 12, 16 and 20 week training plans for UTMB and CCC. If you want to be fully prepared to give these races your best, head on over to my website and click on the UTMB and CCC page to get you to the purchasing links. Once you have purchased the programs, you will be sent an invitation join the VDOT app and the program will be loaded on it. If you have a Garmin, you can sync it and the workouts will load onto your watch. Strava syncs to the app too. All workouts and strength sessions can be seen on the app or on your laptop. Training for such a big event has never been more organised! https://www.peakendurancecoaching.com.au/utmb-and-ccc-plans.html#/

It's only as big as a tea bag, plays dead if you pick it up, and landowners don't even know they have an endangered animal in their backyard.

It's only as big as a tea bag, plays dead if you pick it up, and landowners don't even know they have an endangered animal in their backyard.

Press 'play' above to hear the podcast episode and click here or scroll down for YouTube video! Over the last six years Justin Williams has not only been exhibiting all over Australia but in Europe and the US, with his work hanging in galleries in New York, L.A, Paris, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Athens and London. Williams depicts the world outside the mainstream, usually set in nature or a seemingly imaginary or folkloric world.  He's interested in the characters who represent the archetypal outsider such as Baba Desi, the wizard living in the Dandenongs and 'The Family' cult leader Anne Hamilton-Byrne. He feels, though, that not all outsiders live on the fringes of society and that it could include all of us to some extent. From working on fishing trawlers to single handedly building his own cabin in the forest, Williams does not seek out the safety of the comfortable life and it's only been relatively recently that he has found a stability of sorts in comparison to his earlier, less predictable, life. His current show Arcana II, showing at Galerie L'Inlassable in Paris, depicts scenarios inspired from a tarot card reading by a Parisian clairvoyant. The works are mysterious with a hint of foreboding. Powerful colour combinations and brushwork makes the viewer linger. He believes he is a relatively unknown in Australia but that that has given him the freedom to work without restraint. It was a  thoroughly enjoyable conversation. To hear it just press play beneath the feature photo above! Scroll down to see a short video of Williams in his studio. Current and upcoming events 'Arcana part II', Galerie l'inlassable, Paris until December 22, 2018 Solo show at SADE LA, May 2019 Show Notes Justin Williams at Silas Von Morrisse Gallery Justin Williams at Galeries l'inlassable Andy Warhol Pablo Picasso Jean-Michel Basquiat The Family sect (Anne Hamilton-Byrne) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0py0oSjQXkU    

The Daily Talk Show — Monday August 13 (Ep 150) - Josh Janssen & Tommy Jackett Tommy got bitten by Bodhi, lucking out, reviews of the fairy park, Dandenong vs The Dandenongs, Ned Kelly banter and two poached eggs in a mug. The Daily Talk Show is on Instagram! https://www.instagram.com/thedailytalkshow/ Send us mail: PO BOX 400, Abbotsford VIC 3067 Email: hi@thedailytalkshow.com http://www.thedailytalkshow.com/

New Zealand-born actor, presenter, life coach and workshop facilitator Andrew Eggelton, who has starred alongside Ryan Gosling and Michael J. Fox, talks to Elizabeth Harris at Dave O'Neil's office at Grandview Hotel (Fairfield) about: The downside of being famous, and what it's really like to work in the entertainment industry. His childhood and how it helped him develop his creativity and imagination as a writer. The life-changing episode that made him dig deep and uncover his purpose. A cabin in Romania, Dracula's castle, and a dog called Darren writing a fairytale about a man writing about a dog writing a fairytale. What his Generation Y clients tell him they want most of all, and what he thinks should be taught in schools. His upcoming "Art of Play" workshops in Melbourne, Sydney, and Brisbane. Find out more about Andrew Eggelton's work at AndrewEggelton.com. FULL TRANSCRIPT: Elizabeth:      Welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris, the show that connects authors, songwriters and poets with their global audience. So I can continue to bring you high-calibre guests, I invite you to go to iTunes, click Subscribe, leave a review, and share this podcast with your friends. Today I’m delighted to introduce the charismatic and insightful Andrew Eggelton. Once upon a time Andrew Eggelton was a carefree child blessed with a vivid imagination, running around the fields of … Andrew:         Otaio. Elizabeth:      Thank you. I was going to ask you how to pronounce that. So Otaio, a country town 30 minutes from Timaru – is that correct? Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      South Canterbury, New Zealand. After the unfortunate discovery that he could no longer be a child, his imagination and desire to challenge the conventional would still play a large part in his adult life. Now in his forties, he’s spent over 20 years in the entertainment industry working with such people as Ryan Gosling and Michael J. Fox. Andrew:         Just to name a few. (Laughter) Elizabeth:      Yes, I’m looking forward to learning more about it, Andrew. When a life-changing moment asked him to dig deep and get specific about what he was born to do. Andrew now nurtures artists to reach their fullest potential. He reminds people just how powerful remembering to play is, and to nurture the inner child before it is lost forever. Andrew uses his intuitive coaching gift to host one-to-one intensives for artists, speakers and television presenters. Andrew guides his clients from a mundane existence to an inspired powerful life. He inspires his clients to dream, discover their purpose, and then gift package this to the world. Andrew Eggelton, welcome to Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Andrew:         Nice to meet you and thank you for having me. Elizabeth:      It’s a pleasure to meet you Andrew – and to pick you up from the corner of Greville Street and Chapel Street in beautiful Melbourne. Andrew:         Yup, all in exchange just for one chai. Elizabeth:      It’s my favourite drink after all. Andrew:         Better than an Uber. Elizabeth:      Andrew, we recently discovered that we have a similar sense of humour. How do you use that wonderful sense of humour in your coaching work? Andrew:         In my coaching, I use my humour to defuse the sense of a line between me and my clients, so it allows them to realize that I’m just the same as them, and that we’re all on the same level playing field. Elizabeth:      ‘Cause it’s an equalizer. Andrew:         It’s an equalizer; takes away the ego of everybody, brings everybody down to the same level. Elizabeth:      I really like that, ‘cause I use a lot of humour too, and some people don’t understand my sense of humour, and now I’ve found one person who does, so thank you for that. You spent your childhood in a beautiful place and the school you attended was unique. Can you tell us the impact of being in such a small school, the benefits and the hindrances? Andrew:         Okay, the impact. Do you know when I first moved to the school, I was five, and there were eight pupils. Eight. And no one my age. There were two girls … Elizabeth:      Oh, were you the baby? Andrew:         I was … My dad was my teacher and principal, so that was quite challenging. Elizabeth:      Right. Andrew:         There was special treatment for sure, but probably not in the positive way - probably in the way that Dad was probably a little bit harder on me than the other children. Elizabeth:      Did that make you cry? Andrew:         Ah…it brought up some things in my later years, but we’ve worked through those now. And anyway, just to put it clear, my dad and I have a beautiful relationship. But what it taught me is that: there was no one for miles. There was no one to play with; I had no peers, so my imagination and what I did with my spare time were of my own doing. Huge bush walks and literally gone all day, you know. Elizabeth:      The importance of nature was there for you. Andrew:         Yeah, so I’d go for bush walks and leave at nine in the morning, and it wasn’t till the sun was coming down that I’d be like “Okay, it’s time to go home.” Elizabeth:      On your own? Andrew:         On my own. Elizabeth:      That self-sufficiency… Andrew:         Very self-sufficient. Elizabeth:      Were they worried about you? Andrew:         Not at all, not at all. As long as I turned up for dinner, they didn’t care. What trouble could I get into? Elizabeth:      What freedom! Andrew:         Yes, a lot of freedom. Elizabeth:      And we have a tattoo, listeners. Where is your tattoo? One of your tattoos says “Freedom”, Andrew – where is that? Andrew:         Forearm. Elizabeth:      How many tattoos do you actually have? Andrew:         Eight. Elizabeth:      And can we talk about where they are, or is that private? Andrew:         No (laughing) – I’ve got three on my left arm. “Joy”. “Kaizen”, which is Japanese for ‘little improvement every day’. I’ve got the Viking word “Inguz”, which is ‘where there’s a will there’s a way’. I’ve got “Courage, dear heart”. I’ve got Latin – “Fortune favours the brave”. I’ve got “Truth”. Elizabeth:      So a little bit like Robbie Williams, although you deny that. Andrew:         I deny I’m anything like Robbie Williams. Elizabeth:      Why, what is Robbie Williams like for you? Andrew:         Ah, I like that he’s a playful character. Elizabeth:      He’s fun. Andrew:         Yes, yes he’s fun. Elizabeth:      He’s settled down, though. Andrew:         Yes he has – and I’m looking to do the same. Elizabeth:      Oh, wonderful. What are you looking for in a woman, Andrew? Andrew:         Ah, someone who’s the opposite of me. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      What does that mean? Andrew:         You know what it is? I know exactly what I want from a woman, and that’s why I wrote that article on love that I’ll get it for you later. I want a goddess, a divine feminine woman. Elizabeth:      All women are goddesses. Andrew:         They are, they are, but in this day and age, in this day and age, if I may be so bold … Elizabeth:      You can be as bold as you like; it’s your show. Andrew:         It’s that women try to be men – they embrace so much masculine energy that it really sort of emasculates the men. And for me, being a woman is such an amazing gift. Elizabeth:      How do you know? You’re not a woman. (Laughs) Andrew:         Only by observation. I mean, you’re the closest thing to Mother Earth that there is. Elizabeth:      Can you explain that for the people who are not quite on your level of understanding? Andrew:         Okay. Mother Earth means like that nurturing soul, the ability to have a child. Elizabeth:      Is it like when I shut your fingers in the window this morning and I said were you okay. I am a nurse and I am concerned about your fingers. Is it like that? Andrew:         Well it’s kind of like that, but more authentic. Elizabeth:      (Laughs) So Mother Earth… Andrew:         So Mother Earth. Here’s the thing. I’m a pretty well-balanced guy, I think. But when I’m with a very feminine woman, I feel safe. Like I feel safe. Like if I’m in her arms, I feel “Wow, I’m safe.” Now she couldn’t protect me to save herself. Elizabeth:      That’s true. Andrew:         But there’s that feeling of ‘safe’, like there’s something calming. Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. Andrew:         And I sat with someone recently, and they said “But don’t you get it Andrew, you make me feel safe too.” I get it – the yin and the yang, the whole, so… Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. That’s what you’re after. Andrew:         Anyway, that’s what I’m after. Elizabeth:      That’s beautiful. So that’s what you’re after. And ladies, we don’t mind if you’ve had a child. Andrew:         You can send in an application. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      So what we’re saying is, where do we find your work? We need a website to send these applications to. Where do we find you? Where do women find you, Andrew? Andrew:         Women can find me on such sites as … (Laughs) No. Andrew-Eggelton-dot-com. Elizabeth:      We’ll talk about your great work. Andrew:         Just to finish off that last piece, about the positives of living in that small community – it wasn’t a community. It’s that during the weekend or after school I had nothing to do, so my idea of entertainment was to go over to the school and write. Or draw. I used to draw. Now I can’t do anything more than stick figures. But my writing was something … Elizabeth:      Never say “can’t”. You can get back to that. Andrew:         Yes, I could, but I probably will never. Ah I love writing – that’s where the writing came from. Elizabeth:      And I totally agree, because I love writing too. In Year Six I wrote Tilly the Red Motorcar, and my father threw it away. Andrew:         Oh really. Elizabeth:      Not intentionally. He did a big clean-out and it’s gone – he threw it away. So how do you utilize the foundation of your wonderfully carefree childhood and vivid imagination within your work, and in particular, how does this translate to The Playroom? Andrew:         The essence of what I coach, if you boil it, simmer it down to one thing, is the Art of Play. So when you write, when you present, just your everyday life, one of the things that I really coach into my clients is a sense of playfulness. I’ve always like – my aunty and my family, people who know me, call me Peter Pan. Elizabeth:      Oh, that’s lovely. Andrew:         Now, that’s getting a bit condescending as they get older, but … Elizabeth:      They’re saying “Peter Pan, you need your Wendy.” Andrew:         Yes, yes. So what that foundation taught me was the Art of Play – I get curious, I get excited. And when I public speak or go on camera or present on TV, whatever I’m doing, I get into an excited space. This is playtime for me, and that’s what I coach into my clients. It’s exactly the same thing. Reframe this – it sounds very NLP – reframe it, and it gets to a point where they turn it up on camera, and they actually get excited and they say, “Okay, this is our playtime!” If it was a child, you’d be playing with dolls or fire trucks or whatever kids play with these days. Elizabeth:      iPads. It’s very disappointing, and I was thinking about your child and how so many children would benefit from a childhood like yours. Andrew:         Absolutely. Elizabeth:      Just get outside in the dirt, run around. Andrew:         Yes. Fall out of trees. Good for you. Elizabeth:      Umm, I’m a nurse, I don’t know about that one. But if there’s a safety net under that, sure. (Laughs) Andrew:         Yes, but that’s what happened – it was a sense of playfulness. That was the foundation that was built in me from that growing up, that childhood, and that imagination. Elizabeth:      Fantastic. In your bio, you mention a life-challenging moment. Will you allow my listeners to know more about this, or will I be breaking privacy laws? Andrew:         Yeah sure, so I’ll make a long story short. So two years ago – it was September the 6th or the 9th, I slipped a disc in my neck: C6, C7. The way that works is that if the disc slips, the nerve that runs down through those discs is trapped. Now that can cause a super intense pain. If you haven’t experienced it – and not many people would have, thank God – I can only liken it to passing a kidney stone or giving birth. Obviously one of those I haven’t experienced. So that was like a shotgun blast going off – the incredible pain – and I was in Bali and couldn’t fly. Every doctor told me something different – I mean, I couldn’t even dress myself, couldn’t feed myself, couldn’t get out of bed, and this lasted for 2 months. And if I had been in Australia or New Zealand or a better place with a bit of a medical…uh…Indonesia. Elizabeth:      You should have called me Andrew; I could have come over. You could have used nursing care. Andrew:         The first thing they said when I got sent back to New Zealand was how was the depression, and I said it was super intense. And he goes “Yeah”, because after that, the physical pain…the physical pain 24/7 and I was self-medicating myself with whatever I could get my hands on to kill the pain. Elizabeth:      Not a good time of your life. Andrew:         I went into … my mind got lazy and dark and I went into incredible depression. And the life-changing moment was – I woke up one morning and I was like, “How the hell am I going to get through today? I don’t want to deal with another 12 or 14 hours of getting up to deal with people. Can I just take a pill and forget about this day?” Elizabeth:      So you were suicidal. Andrew:         I understood how people could commit suicide, yes. I’m not that kind of person myself, ‘cause I know that there’s an end. So I got up and went, “Right, enough. You’re going through this. What do you want out of it?” And I wrote down on a piece of paper – I started off with “What is your ideal day?” So I wrote down everything: what happens when I get up, who I’m with, what am I drinking, what does outside my window look like, how do I feel, what’s the look on my face – everything, right down to the minor details of the thread count on my sheets. Then after that, I had the realization, that the current Andrew wasn’t capable of having that perfect day, perfect life, because I wasn’t equipped for that. My behaviours, my beliefs, my character, the things I had to work on. So I started to write down all the things I had to become, the kind of man I needed to be… Elizabeth:      Be, do, have, Andrew. Be, do, have. Andrew:         Be, do, have. I call it ‘the man I need to be’. So I wrote that down, then I wrote down how many hours a week I wanted to work, how much I wanted to get paid, what I was going to be doing, and how I was going to serve others, and from that moment onwards, I had this whole new focus on life, and that got me into my life coaching. And I use exactly that – I call it Life by Design, and obviously I flesh it out a lot more, and the actual process is called The Design Practice, born from that moment of desperation. Elizabeth:      Isn’t that amazing how you turned that around? Congratulations, because many people can’t do that. Andrew:         They don’t know – I don’t think they know how to do that. Elizabeth:      You know what you don’t know how to do? Accept a compliment, because I’ve just offered you a compliment. Andrew:         No, you’re right. I’m not very good at accepting compliments. You’re right, but thank you – thank you. Elizabeth:      My pleasure, because that’s really pivotal. Congratulations. You write for Spiritual Biz Magazine and I’ve read a number of your great articles, including a very special piece on love, and also one about the Art of Play. When did you know you wanted to be a writer? Andrew:         There’s probably never a point when I didn’t want to be a writer. Yeah, so, like I said earlier my dad encouraged me to write when I was a child. Because there were only 8 kids at the school, where one of the things where - I don’t know if we had subjects at all – we would spend an hour or two hours writing creative stories. And then I would come back and kids would have two paragraphs or half a page, and I would come back with 20 pages, and hold fort for as long as I could. Elizabeth:      So clearly a gift. Andrew:         It’s definitely a gift, yes. So thank you. See that? Did you see that? Elizabeth:      Oh, I’m impressed. (Laughs) You are a fast learner. Well done. Andrew:         I am a fast learner. Writing is a real joy and I think there’s a versatility to my writing – I can write silly and fun, and I can also go very deep. Elizabeth:      So when you’re writing, what keeps you going, and whatever works for you could work for other people, so what would you advise other people to keep them going with their writing? Andrew:         Write, because you want to, not because you have to – for a start. I mean writing, if you’re an artist or just a creative person, writing is something – we talked about this in the car when you came to pick me up – it’s something that for me and I think other artists, we have control over it. I can pick up my laptop or pen and paper any time I want. So the trouble with – the challenge with – being a creator or artist, is especially when we explain it with being a presenter or an actor, is the gatekeeper. The audition is a process; I get the job or I don’t get the job. There’s ten No’s to one Yes – and that’s good odds. So if you’re a creative person, you just can’t wait to get to that playtime. For me, that playtime I am on set and I am playing. But when I’m writing, it’s like I feel like writing right now and I’m gonna write right now. So I get this creative outlet straightaway, and it’s that sense of playing; even when you’re going deep, it’s that sense of playing. Elizabeth:      That’s wonderful. Who or what is your major source of support when you are writing? You’ve got some cranberry juice, I see. For me, I’m definitely a coffee addict. So for you, what supports you through that? Is it friends, or is it other writers. You know writers have this wonderful community; we share – we don’t compete, I’ve found, from the community I’m in. Very generous people, and we understand that it can be very isolating to write. So if you’re feeling that way, reach out, because there’s always someone up at 2 a.m., writing something. Andrew:         Mmm, it’s true. It’s true. Do you know what, the people who support me are: one is my father, and I have a couple of friends: Jarrah, Campbell – he lives in Bali too – and they’re just like, I’ll talk to them about an article I’m writing, and they’ll “Yes, yes, go for it.” And you know the one I wrote on love when I was in Romania was one I didn’t want to print, because I actually wrote it myself and I thought – I could be judged quite heavily on this, writing about something that – (Elizabeth: It’s a beautiful piece) who am I to write on this subject, you know what I mean? Elizabeth:      I’m shaking my head, everybody. (Laughs) Andrew:         But I did it and it had a wonderful response and got shared hundreds of times. So, yeah, I’ve got some wonderful friends, and my other support is probably a glass of wine when I write. Elizabeth:      Red or white? Andrew:         Red. Always red. Elizabeth:      And there’s antioxidants in it, so I approve of that. Andrew:         Okay, so I’ve always wanted to write – for a long time I’ve wanted to write – a fairy tale, in a cabin, in Romania, overlooking the castle that inspired the legend of Dracula. Actually, the castle that inspired the novel Dracula. It’s a little town called Bran in Transylvania in Romania. Elizabeth:      Do you have a costume that you wear when you’re writing? Andrew:         No, there was no costume. Elizabeth:      No fangs? Andrew:         No, no, no. It was actually very exciting. I wrote about an imaginary character called Darren who’s a dog. And Darren left the corporate world… Elizabeth:      Right. Well, I wrote about a cat called Victoria, so here we are. Andrew:         Yes. Everybody had told Darren that dogs can’t write fairy tales. And so Darren went “Fxxk it!” And then he got on a plane and flew to Romania and travelled around Europe, ended up in Romania, and he’s been writing a fairy tale about a man… Elizabeth:      You need to put some money in Samuel Johnson’s Swear Jar. Andrew:         That’s one; that’s only one so far. So Darren said if you went ahead and jump on a plane anyway and fulfilled his dream of writing his fairy tale about Europe and ended up in Transylvania. And he’s writing a fairy tale about a man writing about a dog writing a fairy tale. So it’s multi-layered, very confusing. Elizabeth:      No, no, hang on a minute. A man …? Andrew:         Being me. Elizabeth:      Yeah, but let’s just go back a bit, so a bit slower. A man …? Andrew:         A man, writing about a dog who’s going on a journey to write a fairy tale. Elizabeth:      Everybody’s got that now, so go ahead. Andrew:         Yes. And he has not finished it – he is definitely chipping his way through it, which is nice, and it was a beautiful journey in Romania to be able to do that. But Darren got very sidetracked with many things in Europe, and that held him up a little bit. Elizabeth:      (Laughs) Was Darren auditioning for the mother of his pups, perhaps? Andrew:         I think Darren might have a few pups, though. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      In 20 years you might have a couple of knocks on your door, Andrew. Andrew:         Thai’s it. Elizabeth:      What are you working on at the moment? Andrew:         So the number one priority at the moment is I’ve got workshops coming up in New Zealand and Australia in February, March, and my number one priority is putting together how that will look. So my workshop’s called The Art of Play, and it’s for live speakers, presenters, corporates, entrepreneurs. So that’s a priority. Elizabeth:      Can we learn about that? What is the workshop about? Andrew:         I bring – if I can say so myself, which is very un-humble for a Kiwi… Elizabeth:      Just be loud and proud. Andrew:         Okay. I bring a very unique, world-class way of coaching and presenting, so a performance, and I literally have a gift, an intuitive ability to tailor my coaching to an individual. So even if I’ve got 20 different people in class, I’ll have 20 different ways of coaching. Elizabeth:      That’s because you read people very well. Andrew:         I read people very well. And part of that is because presenting never came easy to me. It’s something I worked very hard at, and had to work through many, many of my blocks. Elizabeth:      See, that really surprised me. Andrew:         Really. Elizabeth:      Yes. ‘Cause you present so well. Andrew:         That’s good to know. Thank you, thank you. So Melbourne … Brisbane will be the first weekend of March, then Sydney the weekend after, then Melbourne the weekend after that. Elizabeth:      So you’re wanting your – so you’re the focus, and we have this theatre setup, and you bring the participants down for their turn. Is that how it works? Andrew:         Yes, yes, yes. You know my favourite space – I get into a zone which is super playful, and I love it. Like when I coach, that’s my happy place. And feeding off the energy of other people, and feeding off me, and then taking away people’s expectations of themselves; that’s the first thing I do. I have this funny thing when we first start. ‘Cause I really don’t care what level people are at – it makes no difference to me. I’m going to coach you; I’m going to give you a 1 or 10. So I kind of defuse that by saying, “Look, we’re here now, and you’ve all given me your money. So I don’t care if you’re good or not.” Elizabeth:      (Laughs) I love it. Andrew:         You know what I mean? I have your money. I’m happy. Elizabeth:      Ka-ching! Ka-ching! Andrew:         My job is to take your money first. Elizabeth:      Then it’s up to you. Over to you! Take One – is it Take One? Andrew:         Yep, yep, so … but what I get is, I don’t care when people get up. I’m like, if you need to read off your script, if you want me to prompt you, I don’t care if you can’t even say your name. Like some people can’t – some people can’t even get up and say their name, they’re so nervous. And I’m like, I don’t care – that’s where you start. That’s it. So on a scale of 1 to 10 I’m going to give you a point five or a one. And now my job’s to get you to a 5, to a 10. Elizabeth:      So what I’m now interested to know is, what is a 10? Andrew:         A 10 is someone who’s very confident and keeps me – a 10 really keeps me on my toes. When you’re a 10, meaning you’re a very, very good presenter, my job is now to dig in and bring more of that personality out. Elizabeth:      Who is a 10? So that people can know. Not a personally popular 10, but a mainstream 10.  There’s ‘Oprah 10’ … who’s a 10?      Andrew:         You know some of those presenters from Top Gear? You know they bring that X-Factor – you see their personalities. Because there’s the old American style of presenting, where it’s cameras on, and all of a sudden there’s this fake personality. Elizabeth:      And you can see that. Andrew:         You can see that. It’s like “bang, bang, bang”. And that’s not presenting. That’s cookie cutter. And that’s almost like Step One of what you do. What we want is bring the personality. Because when it comes down to it, if you’re auditioning or you’re doing a presentation, what people are engaged by is your personality, your X-Factor. Elizabeth:      Oh. Really interesting. Okay. Andrew:         The reason for Darren and the Corporate Dog – I have this wonderful vision that I’m very excited about is doing a one-man stage show, and it’s just a storytelling. I stand at an altar with a big old dusty book which I will create myself, and I tell my fairytale, which is 45 minutes long. The purpose of it is to bring adults down to a sense of being children again. So it’s to let go of being adults – no bills, no mortgages, no responsibility. And for 45 minutes, just entertain using obviously audio and animation behind to drive the story, just old-fashioned storytelling. And that excites me – that’s my passion project. Elizabeth:      That would be captivating. Andrew:         Yeah. And again, you could have beautiful cute little venues. First 5,10,15 minutes would be spent talking about getting people to use their imagination again. ‘Remember what you were like when you were 5 years old’, and setting that scene, and getting adults to remember what it was like to play again and be silly and have no responsibilities. And then go, “Right. Now my audience is ready. Let’s go.” Elizabeth:      You know, you know lots of famous people. So tell me about that. Is being famous an impediment, ‘cause you know, so many people want to be famous, but when you get down to it, do you want to be famous? Andrew:         Okay, so there’s a difference. There’s people, and this is – I was speaking to my actress friend here – I won’t mention her name – on Saturday. And she said, the biggest difference is now compared to when she first started acting, was people want to be celebrity before they become actor, so an artist. Elizabeth:      So, could we have an example of that? Kardashians? Andrew:         Kardashians is a good one. Reality TV is a shocker for that. I’ve had two periods of my life where I was – I use this word very loosely, but I guess people knew who I was. Elizabeth:      Oh I’m so sorry I didn’t realize. (Laughs) Andrew:         (Laughs) That’s alright. We’re in different countries. Elizabeth:      And who were you, Andrew? Andrew:         Well, that’s it. It wasn’t – I wasn’t … Elizabeth:      Are you important, and I didn’t know? Andrew:         Yes. (Laughs) Elizabeth:      We need to define ‘important’, don’t we? You see, I think important people are people like paramedics and surgeons who save people’s lives, you know? Andrew:         Absolutely. Elizabeth:      But then I’m different. Andrew:         But if you’re an artist – I rate writer and artist as the same thing because you’re reflecting life. Elizabeth:      I’m being light. Andrew:         Yes, yes, yes. But ‘celebrity’ – what’s a celebrity? You need to be someone who’s celebrated. Pure reality TV show person or something, it’s like “That’s your job. You got lucky, you’re in a TV show, you’re pretty much a nobody, you’re not really good at anything, but the camera’s following you. And that’s why people know you.” Elizabeth:      It’s false elevation. Andrew:         I remember it was in 2001, and I was kind of hitting my stride. I was working with Ryan Gosling on Hercules. I won Cleo ‘Bachelor of the Year’ in New Zealand. I shot documentaries and a TV series called Shortland Street which is like our Neighbours. Do you know what, and I started to get all this work, but just doing stupid stuff that I wasn’t actually needed to be skilled at. I’m turning into the kind of person that I ridicule myself that you see on TV or magazines. Elizabeth:      Is it like that song Popular by Darren Hayes? Do you know that song? Andrew:         No. Do you want to know what I did? Elizabeth:      Yes. Andrew:         I moved to an island called Waiiti Island off the coast of Auckland. It’s about an hour on a ferry. I got a little house, I grew a beard, I got an amazing vegetable garden. Elizabeth:      Does this mean you grew your own vegetables? Andrew:         I grew my own vegetables. I lived there for two years, and I did nothing but write and try to identify what I wanted to do as an artist. And there was one day I was standing outside and I was speaking to a man who was my neighbor, over some shrubs, and I realized I was talking to this stranger – naked. I was naked. It was hot, you know, and I just stopped wearing clothes. Elizabeth:      Totally? Totally naked? Andrew:         Yeah, yeah, yeah. I was on an island. Elizabeth:      Did he notice? You had a fig leaf …? Andrew:         No. (Elizabeth: No fig leaf?) That was the thing. I was so used to letting it all go. And it just dawned on me: “Andrew, you’re only 28. There’s time to get off the island. There’s time to go, buddy.” I got off the island pretty quick. I moved into this new house with these two girls, and for about a month they were like … Elizabeth:      Had you not dressed for this too? It was colder there. Andrew:         I was dressed, but I was always going outside to pee on the lawn. And they were like, “Andrew, can you use the toilet?” So I told myself I’ve got to get out of this habit; it’s okay. I’m just adjusting to normal life again. Elizabeth:      And what’s normal? Andrew:         Yeah, what’s normal? Elizabeth:      What really grabs me about that story is that you were aware enough to know that you needed to change. Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      And not everybody is that aware. And why are you that aware? Is it because of your dad? Is it because of your upbringing? You can sense bullshit basically. Andrew:         I can.  Elizabeth:      You have got this really sensitive BS detector. Andrew:         You know I’ve only just … I was talking to my little brother about this a few weeks ago, I’ve only just realized what a quality and an asset is, and that I am highly sensitive. Even a year ago, I didn’t realize it was such an asset … Elizabeth:      It is. Andrew:         As to what I do now, and I’m really starting to embrace it. Elizabeth:      That’s fantastic. The civilized word for that, everybody, is ‘discernment’. Andrew:         Discernment. Elizabeth:      Yes, discernment. And also civilized people using the toilet rather than the lawn, Andrew. Andrew:         Yes. Well, I’ve got that under control now. Elizabeth:      Oh, that’s nice to know. (Laughs) Andrew:         Look, the entertainment industry, if you’re talking about that specifically, it’s just so much bullshit involved. And we talked about my earlier experience, but I had another experience in 2008, 9, 10, when I was really on a roll acting, presenting and public speaking. And again I went away, this time to Bali. Elizabeth:      Which is where you live now, isn’t it. Andrew:         I live half-and-half. Elizabeth:      Half and half New Zealand. Andrew:         Was New Zealand and Bali, and now it’s going to be Australia. Yes, I’m after a bigger market, which is here. Elizabeth:      ‘Cause this is important for the woman who’s coming on the scene. So we’re looking at Victoria, or we’re looking at Sydney? Andrew:         Melbourne. Elizabeth:      Melbourne. Oh, okay. Andrew:         The thing I like about the entertainment industry … Elizabeth:      We do have good weather, you know. Andrew:         In Melbourne? You’re the first person that’s said that. Elizabeth:      I’m Melbourne through and through. Andrew:         That’s beautiful. Makes me feel like home. Melbourne I feel like I’m home – I don’t know why. My dad grew up here. Elizabeth:      Did he really? Whereabouts? Andrew:         He actually told me yesterday and I can’t remember. About an hour out. Elizabeth:      Out where – north, south, east, west? Andrew:         Out towards the … Dande  … Dande … Elizabeth:      Dandenong? Andrew:         The Dandenongs. Mountains. Elizabeth:      Oh, I lived there once. Stunning place. Andrew:         Mm, yes. Elizabeth:      Okay. So – the entertainment industry is full of people with lack of discernment. They believe their own B.S. Is that it? Andrew:         Umm, yeah, yeah. At the end of the day you’ve got to just go: “This is TV – this is just a job. I’m an artist, and if I get work I’m lucky.” Elizabeth:      Why do they believe it? Is it that adulation that they get? Andrew:         It is the adulation and look, I can relate to that. The ego is an amazing driver. And in my twenties and thirties it was my ego getting me out of bed. It was like, “Right. You wanted that. You wanted people to know who I am.” It was the adulation. Elizabeth:      Why do you want people to know who you are? I’m sorry I didn’t know who you were, Andrew. (Laughs) Andrew:         Because it’s a feeling – it’s self-esteem, isn’t it. A sense of self-love. It’s like if people adore you, it helps boost that sense of self-worth. Elizabeth:      I find that false. Andrew:         Of course it’s false. Elizabeth:      Having been a school nurse and really looking at children – you mentioned you were five – and nurturing their self-esteem, and how important it is. That doesn’t come from outside. That comes from inside. Andrew:         Always inside out. Elizabeth:      But we’re not taught that. Andrew:         No, we’re not. So what we’re taught - in a way that makes no sense to me – we’re taught that your career, what other people think of you, what you own, where you live – that defines who you are. But if you look at it from a deeper perspective, your outside world actually affects your inside, and you’re in control of that, and no one teaches you that at school. Elizabeth:      That’s why everybody needs coaches. Andrew:         Your sense of self-love, self-awareness, your sense of freedom, all your values start from inside out. When you’ve got that glowing and growing inside you, your outside world reflects that. Elizabeth:      You’ve got so many important messages to bring to the world, Andrew. It’s a very exciting time for you. Andrew:         It is, it is. Elizabeth:      That’s fantastic. That’s great. Andrew:         Thank you. Elizabeth:      What is one of the most inspirational achievements one of your clients have made after working with you? Andrew:         Before I even became a coach, I used to be able to get a lot of people to quit their jobs. Like I’m just very passionate, and when someone would talk to me about their job, I’d go – ‘cause it’s very usual in the Western world for people to go “Hey, what do you do?” And I never ask that ‘cause I really don’t care. It means nothing to me. Elizabeth:      Yeah, I know. What question do you ask? Andrew:         If I was going to ask, it would be “If you could do anything, what would you do?” Elizabeth:      Okay. And would you be impressed if they say “I’m actually doing it”? Andrew:         Yes, yeah. Like I’ve got a lot of people to quit their jobs and start following their passion. For me, I’m dealing with clients, it’s managing them through their zone of fear, resistance and self-sabotage which we all go through, and understanding that process of … When I did this whole coaching thing, I was like “I don’t want to deal with people’s problems.” Because I don’t want to sit and Skype and go to workshops and deal with people’s problems all day. So unless the first person, that’s the first thing they want to talk about - “This is what I don’t want”, I’m not interested. “What do you want?” Elizabeth:      Exactly. Andrew:         When I know what you want, we can create that – we can work towards that and shape you. And that’s exciting. And of course when you go there, you’ve got to create that vision of where you want to go that’s so bold, exciting and fun, that your mind is tricked to go, “Oh, do you know what? This looks like fun. Let’s go there. That’s nothing – this is safe.” Because your mind isn’t built for success. It doesn’t know what the hell success is. Success to your mind is being alive for your mind, right? The fact that we’re sitting here talking, your brain is giving yourself a high-five, saying “Yep! You’re still alive!” Elizabeth:      (Laughs) That’s because I’m a human. Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      Cleo – what did you say? – Cleo Bachelor of the Year? What year was that? Andrew:         2001. (Laughs) Fifteen years ago. Elizabeth:      Wow. There’ll be a lot of jealousy on the other side of this podcast, I can tell you that. Andrew, one of my favourite books is Illusions by Richard Bach. What is one of your favourites? Andrew:         Just off the top of my head, there’s many, many books – one is Badjelly the Witch (by Spike Milligan), for the reason that it makes me laugh. It’s just a child who is silly. It means nothing. There’s not even a message behind the story. It’s just someone’s random creative strain of thought. I just think it’s hilarious. Elizabeth:      I love to laugh. Very important thing to do. Andrew:         It’s the audio – and you know what it reminds me of? Why I love it so much is it reminds me of when I was a little kid – when I was five, six, seven - and my dad would come into my room in Otaio, and tuning in the radio. Because at that time we only had like one or two channels, Channel One and Channel Two in New Zealand. (Elizabeth: Oh, you’re spoiled!) And TV didn’t start till like eight in the morning or seven in the morning, so there was nothing else to watch except Freddo Rock and The Muppets. And then dear dad would come in and tune in the radio, and it was Saturday or Sunday morning storytelling time, and I would lie in bed and listen to that. That’s one of my favourite memories of my childhood. Elizabeth:      That’s a lovely memory to have. What is Darren the Corporate Dog doing for Christmas? And I notice you haven’t invited him to your family celebration. Isn’t that a bit mean? Andrew:         Mm. Elizabeth:      Do you think Darren has a plan to combat your exclusion tactics? Andrew:         Look, at the end of the day, Darren and I do have a very wonderful relationship and he’s everything that – he’s kind of like no responsibility – he’s Andrew with no responsibility. Elizabeth:      Well, he’ll love Christmas then, and all the gift wrapping. Andrew:         Yes, and he’ll be there. He’ll be there at Christmas for sure. Do you know what’s wonderful about Darren is that, he just doesn’t think that people will speak ill of him, or they would say no. So he’s got that blind sense of faith. Elizabeth:      Innocence, isn’t it? That’s innocence. Childlike innocence. Andrew:         When I did tell him that – he said can I come for Christmas and I said “not an effing chance” – he wouldn’t have taken it as no. He would have thought “Haha, he’s joking. See you there.” So he will be there at Christmas time. Elizabeth:      Oh, okay, I’m pleased to hear that. Victoria will be with us too. Victoria the Cat, who’s in my book Chantelle’s Wish. Andrew:         Actually I’m sure Darren will get along. Elizabeth:      With Victoria the Cat? Andrew:         Yes. Elizabeth:      Oh, Victoria the Cat’s a good one. Andrew:         But I’ve got a bit of a treat for Darren. I don’t know if you saw, but when I was in Spain I got a bit drunk and slept on the couch, and he drew all over my face. I don’t know if you remember that. Elizabeth:      No, I didn’t see that. You never sent me … Andrew:         He wrote ‘I Love Darren’ on my face and forehead, and gave me a dog’s tongue and whiskers. Elizabeth:      You’ll have to send me the picture. Andrew:         And I’m going to shave his fur off. Elizabeth:      Oh! Is he going to be awake or drunk? Andrew:         I’m going to wait till he’s drunk. He’s always drunk. It’s his favourite pastime. Elizabeth:      So send me the picture. I missed it. Andrew:         I’ll do that. Elizabeth:      Thank you. So Andrew, this is a signature question I ask all my guests: What do you wish for, for the world, and most importantly for yourself? Andrew:         For the world, I just wish that all of us would use our God-given talents, our unique gifts, to be of service to the world, and I feel like if we were all doing that, the world would organically go in the right positive direction. And that would also mean a lack of corporate greed, the raping and pillaging of the earth … I know that we are not here to work in the system that we’re currently working in. The human wasn’t designed for that. And we have far greater possibility than what we’re showing at the moment. What I’d love for the world is for the next generation and the next generation to start to push the boundaries, and to do what we were actually designed to do, which is evolve. And not evolve in a way that’s three percent growth in a year in the corporate world. Elizabeth:      That would be so not the GDP. We’re talking about – there are a lot of children around, and when you have your child, you will learn this: they are highly evolved. Andrew:         Yeah, yeah. I can feel it. A lot of my clients for my market in my life coaching side of things, are Y Generation, and when I did my research, nearly every single one – I said “What do you want? What’s the ultimate thing you want to do?” – they said, “I want to make a positive impact on the world.” Elizabeth:      Wow. Andrew:         And you don’t get that – if I can f**king be as bold – with baby boomers. And even from my generation … Elizabeth:      It’s your show. You can say whatever you want, even swear. Andrew:         From my generation, a little bit more. But from the next generation, even more. And I think, must be very hard for them to – I can understand where the system came from. And how my parents were so – I’m not for – but this was what you do. After World War One and Two you know, this is how everyone’s going to work. But they’re wising up. Elizabeth:      People are waking up. Andrew:         They’re waking up – that’s a better word. We’re waking up; we’re evolving. We’re spiritual beings. What if at school, you were taught that via the mind, we can actually have and do whatever we want, you know. And I’ll just go in another direction, but you know, teenage suicide is off the charts – and why is that? They’re actually becoming highly sensitive beings, but they haven’t been taught what that means or how the mind works. Elizabeth:      See, I see you as an incredible mentor for young men – a powerful mentor for young men. Andrew:         It’s funny you say that, because a lot of people keep telling me to work with young men. But I love working with young women as well. (Laughs) I love working with women in general, because I have a nice relationship with women. But I like to work with young women and young men. Elizabeth:      Well I think … Andrew:         But I know exactly what you’re saying. That makes sense. In fact, the first time ever you saying that to me then just made more sense. Elizabeth:      Thank you. I’ll take that as a compliment. Andrew:         There you go. That’s 4 to 1 so far. Elizabeth:      Andrew Eggelton, thank you so much for joining me on Writers’ Tête-à-Tête with Elizabeth Harris. Thanks for tuning in everyone, and may your wishes come true. Andrew:         Thank you for having me. [END OF TRANSCRIPT]

Almost nothing was known about Australia's elusive lyrebird until 1930, when an elderly widow named Edith Wilkinson encountered one on her garden path one February morning. In this week's episode of the Futility Closet podcast we'll follow the curious friendship that evolved between Wilkinson and "James," which led to an explosion of knowledge about his reclusive species. We'll also learn how Seattle literally remade itself in the early 20th century and puzzle over why a prolific actress was never paid for her work. Please consider becoming a patron of Futility Closet -- on our Patreon page you can pledge any amount per episode, and all contributions are greatly appreciated. You can change or cancel your pledge at any time, and we've set up some rewards to help thank you for your support. You can also make a one-time donation via the Donate button in the sidebar of the Futility Closet website. Sources for our feature on Edith Wilkinson and James: Ambrose Pratt, The Lore of the Lyrebird, 1933. Nicolae Sfetcu, The Birds' World, 2014. Jackie Kerin, Lyrebird! a True Story, 2012. "A.P.", "A Miracle of the Dandenongs," The Age, Feb. 13, 1932. A response from a reader. Anna Verona Dorris, "The Proud Aristocrat of Birdland," New Outlook, July-August 1956. Here's the full lyrebird video we excerpted on the show: More lyrebirds mimicking human technology on Futility Closet. Listener mail: Chicago links: "The Colorful Front-Gabled Italianate Homes at Damen and 33rd," Chicago Patterns (accessed Jan. 1, 2016). John McCarron, "Pilsen Comes Together to Preserve and Build," LISC Chicago's New Communities Program, May 3, 2007 (accessed Jan. 1, 2016). Down to Earth: 9 Stories Above Pilsen (accessed Jan. 1, 2016). Seattle links: A spite mound. The Denny regrade, 1909. Wikipedia, "Regrading in Seattle" (accessed Jan. 1, 2016). Matthew W. Klingle, "Reclaiming Nature: Flattening Hills and Digging Waterways in Seattle," in Building Nature: Topics in the Environmental History of Seattle and Spokane: A Curriculum Project for Washington Schools, Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest, University of Washington Department of History (accessed Jan. 1, 2016). This week's lateral thinking puzzle is adapted from "Detective Shadow's" 2000 book Lateral Mindtrap Puzzles. Here's a corroborating link (don't click until you've listened to the episode). You can listen using the player above, download this episode directly, or subscribe on iTunes or via the RSS feed at http://feedpress.me/futilitycloset. Many thanks to Doug Ross for the music in this episode. If you have any questions or comments you can reach us at podcast@futilitycloset.com. Thanks for listening!

Today's Friday Fat Black comes to your from Far North Queensland (FNQ) as athletes gear up for Ironman this weekend. Pete and I cover some great tips for those racing and even if you're not racing these tips are going to help you. We discuss goals, attitudes, choices, mental states and how rushing performance on race day can ultimately kill your performance. What we cover: Racing Ironman Head Stuff, mental agility Were the head goes the body follows Are focusing on goals and outcomes hurting your performance Self Sabotage Choices Attitudes Rushing Performance TriSpecific's Pillars to Triathlon Success The #NewTarmac from Specialized and Kristian trip to the Dandenongs to ride it Links: Specialized's Tarmac Rider-First Engineered™ TS Pillars to Triathlon Success Report James Clear jamesclear.com/marginal-gains jamesclear.com/goals-systems

Both Roberts and Condor painted the breathtaking view from Eaglemont Hill across the Yarra Valley to the Dandenongs but Streeton made it his own in magnificent blue and gold panoramas.

Roberts’s return to Melbourne in 1885, after four years’ study in Europe, marked the end of his long artistic apprenticeship. By the age of twenty-nine he had developed a sophisticated eye and an exceptional technical facility that enabled him to capture the appearance of things. He was also a proselytiser and, back home, looked up his old friend Frederick McCubbin (1855–1917) and enthused him about the European style of plein-air painting. Together they established a weekend painting camp on Houston’s Farm at Box Hill, some sixteen kilometres from the city. It was a primitive approximation to the artists’ colonies of Europe and America, but quickly became a hub of the new painting in Melbourne. Many of the first great works of the Australian Impressionist movement were painted there, in or near the patch of remnant bushland on Gardiners Creek where the camp was located. Paintings such as McCubbin’s Lost1and Roberts’s own A summer morning tiff2 and Wood splitters3captured the intimacy and patchy sunlight of the site. Roberts’s ’Evening, when the quiet east flushes faintly at the sun’s last look’ was painted on the hillside above the camp and is more panoramic in format than the other early Box Hill views. It is also a nocturne – a type of twilight or evening subject that was still something of a novelty in late 1880s Melbourne. Streeton, who joined the group in 1887, recalled: We tried painting the sunset with somewhat conventional and melodramatic results. Roberts pointed to the evening sky in the east, and showed us the beauty of its subtle greys, and the delicate flush of the afterglow, when the shadow of the earth upon its atmosphere, resembling a curved band of cool grey, rises up, and succeeds the rosy warmth as the sun descends further below the western horizon. He was the first artist in Australia to notice it, and to point it out to the native-born.4 Roberts’s painting skills enabled him to capture rapidly the topography of the valley of Gardiners Creek and the view to the Dandenongs. The facture is suggestive rather than descriptive, with a definite drift towards abstraction, particularly in the adjustments made in the studio to the foreground and other areas. Atmosphere was also important, and Roberts succeeded brilliantly in capturing le moment crepusculaire, the stillness of dusk. The only movement is a bird wheeling in from the left, and a waft of smoke rising from a field. ’Evening, when the quiet east flushes faintly at the sun’s last look’ is a national picture, in that its subtext is the claiming and clearing of the land, one of the great themes of nineteenth-century Australian life. As such, it demands a place on Roberts’s list of national pictures, alongside such works as Coming South, Allegro con brio: Bourke Street West, The sunny South and Shearing the rams.5It is also his most poetic and elegiac landscape, Symbolist in its evocation of the slumbering land. Terence Lane 1 Collection of the National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne. 2 Collection of the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery, Victoria. 3 Collection of the Ballarat Fine Art Gallery. 4 Argus (Melbourne), 21 June 1932, p. 8. 5 All collection of National Gallery of Victoria, except Allegro con brio: Bourke Street West.