Podcasts about intensely

This week we're excited to present a conversation from the 62nd New York Film Festival with Afternoons of Solitude director Albert Serra. An NYFF62 Spotlight selection, Afternoons of Solitude opens at Film at Lincoln Center on June 28. Get tickets at filmlinc.org/solitude This conversation was moderated by FLC Vice President, Programming, Florence Almozini. Albert Serra trains a patient and poetic lens on the dazzling pomp and devastating brutality of bullfighting in his new documentary portrait of the charismatic Peruvian-born star torero Andrés Roca Rey. Intensely in-the-moment, Afternoons of Solitude expertly balances the visceral thrill of the battle inside the ring, pitting animal instinct against human technique, with a filmmaking style that allows the viewer to appreciate the emotional and physical toll the violence takes on both man and beast. Unflinching yet reflective, Serra's film is a monumental depiction of the persistence of the primitive in the present day, while acknowledging the extraordinary skill of the man who puts his life and spiritual endurance at risk as he faces down rampaging nature.

A weekly magazine-style radio show featuring the voices and stories of Asians and Pacific Islanders from all corners of our community. The show is produced by a collective of media makers, deejays, and activists. Happy Asian American & Pacific Islander Heritage Month! Even though the Trump Administration has eliminated recognizing cultural heritage months, we are still celebrating diversity and inclusion here at APEX Express and KPFA. We believe in lifting up people's voices and tonight on APEX Express the Powerleegirls are focusing on “Asian American Children's book authors”. Powerleegirl hosts Miko Lee and daughter Jalena Keane-Lee speak with: Michele Wong McSween, Gloria Huang, and Andrea Wang   AAPINH Month Children's Books part 1 transcript Opening: [00:00:00] Apex Express Asian Pacific expression. Community and cultural coverage, music and calendar, new visions and voices, coming to you with an Asian Pacific Islander point of view. It's time to get on board the Apex Express.   Ayame Keane-Lee: [00:00:49] Happy Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Even though the Trump administration has eliminated recognizing cultural heritage months, we are still celebrating diversity and inclusion. Here at Apex Express and KPFA, we believe in lifting up people's voices. And tonight on Apex Express, the PowerLeeGirls are focusing on Asian American Children's book authors. PowerLeeGirl hosts Miko Lee and daughter Jalena Keane-Lee. Speak with Michele Wong McSween, Gloria Huang and Andrea Wang. Thanks for joining us tonight on Apex Express. Enjoy the show.   Miko Lee: [00:01:21] Welcome, Michele Wong McSween to Apex Express.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:01:26] Thank you, Miko. It's nice to be here.    Miko Lee: [00:01:28] I'm really happy to talk with you about your whole children's series, Gordon & Li Li, which is absolutely adorable. I wanna start very first with a personal question that I ask all of my guests, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:01:45] I would say my people are really my family starting with, my great, great grandparents who came here down to my grandparents, my parents, and onto my children because, to me family is. The reason why I created Gordon & Li Li in the first place, it was really to bridge that connection for my children. I didn't grow up feeling that connected with my culture because as a fourth generation Chinese American, I was really in the belief that I'm American. Why do I need to know anything about my culture? Why do I need to speak Chinese? I never learned. As a sidebar to that, I never learned to speak Chinese and it didn't really hit me until I had my own kids that I was really doing a disservice to not only my kids, but to myself. my people are my family. I do this for my kids. I do this to almost apologize to my parents for being so, Disrespectful to my amazing culture and I do it for the families who really want to connect and bridge that gap for their own children and for themselves.    Miko Lee: [00:02:53] And what legacy do you carry with you?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:02:55] Again, my family. My, great grandparents. Really. Started our family's legacy with the hard work and the prejudices and all the things that they endured so that we could have a better life. And I've always felt that it is my responsibility to teach my own kids about the sacrifices that were made and not to make them feel guilty, but to just make them appreciate that we are here. Because of the the blood, sweat, and tears that their ancestors did for them. And so we are, eternally grateful for that. I think it's important for us to continue that legacy of always doing our best, being kind and doing what we can do to further the experience of not just our family, but the people in our community that we connect with and to the greater world.    Miko Lee: [00:03:43] when you were growing up, were your parents speaking with you in Chinese and did you hear about your great grandparents and their legacy? Was that part of your upbringing?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:03:52] I heard about my great grandparents in the stories that my mom told us, but to be quite honest, I wasn't receptive to really digging deep in my cultural understanding of. my great-grandfather and what he went through. I know mom, I know he came over in 19 whatever. I know he brought over all these young sons from his village, but I really didn't fully take it in and. No, I didn't hear Chinese spoken in the house much. The only time my parents spoke it was to each other so that we didn't know what they were talking about. They had like this secret code, language. My experience with my language was not, That positive. we did attempt to go to Chinese school only to be teased by all the other kids because we didn't speak it. It didn't end up well. my mom ended up pulling us out and so no, we were really not connected all that much to the language.   Miko Lee: [00:04:48] I can really relate to what you're saying. As a fifth generation Chinese American, and my parents their ancestors came from different provinces, so their dialects were so different that they even spoke to each other in English. 'cause they couldn't understand each other in Chinese. So it happens so often. Yeah. Yeah. And so I really relate to that. I'm wondering if there was an epiphany in your life or a time where you thought, oh, I. I wish I knew more of those stories about my ancestors or was there some catalyst for you that changed?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:05:17] All of this really kind of happened when I moved to New York. I, you know, raised in Sacramento, went to college in the Bay Area, lived in San Francisco for a while with a job, and then I eventually moved to New York. And it wasn't until I came to New York and I met Asians or Chinese Americans like me that actually spoke Chinese and they knew about cool stuff to do in Chinatown. It really opened my eyes to this new cool world of the Chinese culture because I really experienced Chinatown for the first time when I moved to New York. And it was just so incredible to see all these people, living together in this community. And they all looked the same. But here's the thing, they all spoke Chinese, or the majority of them spoke Chinese. So when I went to Chinatown and they would look at me and speak to me in Chinese and I would give them this blank stare. They would just look at me like, oh my gosh, she doesn't even speak her own language. And it kind of made me feel bad. And this was really the first time that it dawned on me that, oh wow, I, I kind of feel like something's missing. And then it really hit me when I had my kids, because they're half Chinese and I thought, oh my gosh, wait a minute, if I'm their last connection to the Chinese culture and I don't speak the language. They have no chance of learning anything about their language they couldn't go that deep into their culture if I didn't learn about it. So that really sparked this whole, Gordon & Li Li journey of learning and discovering language and culture for my kids.    Miko Lee: [00:06:51] Share more about that. How, what happened actually, what was the inspiration for creating the Children's book series?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:06:58] It was really my children, I really felt that it was my responsibility to teach them about their culture and language and, if I didn't know the language, then I better learn it. So I enrolled all of us in different Mandarin courses. They had this, I found this really cute kids' Mandarin class. I went to adult Mandarin classes and I chose Mandarin because that was the approved official language in China. I am from Taishan, My parents spoke Taishanese, but I thought, well, if Mandarin's the official language, I should choose that one probably so that my kids will have at least a better chance at maybe some better jobs in the future or connecting with, the billion people that speak it. I thought Mandarin would be the way to go. When I started going to these classes and I just realized, wow, this is really hard, not just to learn the language, but to learn Mandarin Chinese, because we're not just talking about learning how to say the four different tones. We're talking about reading these characters that if you look at a Chinese character, you have absolutely no idea what it sounds like if you're, if you're learning Spanish or French or German, you can see the letters and kind of sound it out a little bit. But with Chinese characters. No chance. So I found it extremely difficult and I realized, wow, I really need to support my kids more because if I am going to be the one that's going to be bridging this connection for them, I need to learn more and I need to find some more resources to help us. when we would have bedtime story time, that whole routine. That was always the favorite time of my kids to be really, quiet and they would really absorb what I was saying, or we would talk about our days or just talk about funny things and I realized, wow, these books that they love and we have to read over and over and over again. this is the way that they're going to get the information. And I started searching high and low for these books. back in 2006, they didn't exist. and so I realized if they didn't exist and I really wanted them for my kids, then I needed to create them. That's the impetus, is there was nothing out there and I really wanted it so badly that I had to create it myself.   Miko Lee: [00:09:09] Oh, I love that. And I understand you started out self-publishing. Can you talk a little bit about that journey?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:09:15] I'm glad I didn't know what I know today because it was really hard. luckily I had, A friend who used to work for a toy company, it was all through connections. there was nothing really on Google about it. there was no Amazon print on demand. There were none of these companies that provide these services like today. So I just kept asking questions. Hey, do you know a toy manufacturer in China that maybe prints books? Do you know a company that could help me? get my books to the states. Do you know an illustrator that can help me illustrate my books? Because I had gone to fashion design school, but I had not learned to illustrate characters or things in a book. So asking questions and not being afraid to ask the questions was really how I was able to do it because, Without the help of friends and family, I wouldn't have been able to do this. I had all my friends look at my books, show them to their kids. I had my kids look at them, and I kind of just figured it out as I went along. Ultimately when I did publish my first book, I had so much support from my kids' schools. To read the books there, I had support from a local play space for kids that we would go to. I really leaned on my community to help me, get the books out there, or actually it was just one at the time. Two years later I self-published two more books. So I had three in total. no one tells you that when you self-publish a book, the easy part is actually creating it. The hard part is what comes after that, which is the pr, the marketing, the pounding, the pavement, knocking on the doors to ask people to buy your books, and that was really hard for me. I would just take my books in a bag and I would explain my story to people and I would show them my books. sometimes they would say, okay, I'll take one of each, or Okay, we'll try it out. and slowly but surely they would reorder from me. I just slowly, slowly built up, a whole Roster of bookstores and I kept doing events in New York.    I started doing events in Los Angeles and San Francisco, and through that I gained some following, some fans and people would tell their friends about me. they would give them to their nieces they would give them to their cousin's kids, or, things like that. I knew that I had to do it because my ultimate goal was to have Scholastic be my publisher. That was my ultimate goal. Because they are the publisher that I grew up with, that I love that I connected with, that I was so excited to get their book club, little flyer. I would check off every book that I wanted. And my mom never said no. She always let me get every single book I wanted. I realize now that that's what really Created the love of books for me is just having access to them and, going to the libraries and seeing all these books on the bookshelves and being able to take them out and read them on the spot. And then if I loved them enough, I would check them out and take them home and read them over and over. So it was really, my experience, having that love for books that I thought, oh gosh, it would be a dream. To have Scholastic become my publisher. So after 10 long years of events and community outreach and selling to these bookstores, I finally thought, okay, I've sold, about 17,000, 18,000 books. Maybe, maybe now I can take my series to them. I also had created an app. Maybe I can take this to them and show them what I've done. Maybe they'll be interested in acquiring me. And I got an appointment with the editor and I pitched my books on my app and within a couple of days they offered to acquire my books, which was my dream come true. So anyway, that was a very long story for how self-publishing really is and how ultimately it really helped my dream come true.    Miko Lee: [00:13:08] Now your books are on this Scholastic book, fair Circuit, right?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:13:13] Yes, they are. Well, it's actually just one book. They took the three books, which were everyday Words. Count in Mandarin and learn animals in Mandarin. They took all three books and they put them in one big compilation book, which is called My First Mandarin Words with Gordon & Li Li. So it's a bigger book. It's a bigger board book. Still very, very sturdy and it's a great, starter book for any family because it has those three first themes that were the first themes that I taught my own boys, and I think. It just, it's very natural for kids to want to learn how to count. animals were, and my kids were animal lovers, so I knew that that's what would keep them interested in learning Mandarin because they actually loved the topic. So, yes, my first mandarin words with Gordon & Li Li does live on Scholastics big roster.   Miko Lee: [00:14:01] Fun. Your dream come true. I love it. Yeah. Thanks. And you were speaking earlier about your background in fashion design. Has there been any impact of your fashion design background on your voice as a children's book author?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:14:14] I don't know if my background as a fashion designer has had any impact on my voice. I think it's had an impact on how I imagined my books and how I color my books and how I designed them because of working with, you know, color palettes and, and putting together collections I can visually see and, can anticipate. Because I have that background, I can kind of anticipate what a customer might want. And also, you know, speaking with people at my events and seeing what kids gravitate to, that also helps. But I think there's so much more to being an author than just writing the books. You know, when I go to my events, I have a table display, I have setups, I have props, I have, I actually now have a, a small. Capsule of merchandise because I missed designing clothes. So I have a teeny collection of, you know, sweaters, hoodies, onesies, a tote bag, and plushies   Miko Lee: [00:15:04] they're super cute by the way.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:15:06] Oh, thank you. So, you know, fashion has come in in different ways and I think having that background has really helped. kind of become who they are    Miko Lee: [00:15:17] Can you tell us about the latest book in the series, which is Gordon and Li Li All About Me. Can you tell a little bit about your latest?   Michele Wong McSween: [00:15:25] Gordon & Li Li All About Me is really, it's, to me, it's. I think my most fun interactive book because it really gets kids and parents up and out of their chairs, out of their seats and moving around. And you know, as a parent, I always would think about the kind of books that my kids would gravitate towards. What would they want to read and what as a parent would I want to read with my kids? Because really reading is all about connection with your kids. That's what I loved about books is it gave me a way to connect with my kids. And so a book about body parts to me is just a really fun way to be animated and get up and move around and you can tickle and, and squeeze and shake it around and dance around. And, you know, having three boys, my house was just like a big energy ball. So I knew that this book would be a really fun one for families and I have two nieces and a nephew, and I now, they're my new target market testers, and they just loved it. They had so much fun pointing to their body parts and the book ends with head, shoulders, knees, and toes in English and in Mandarin. And so of course. Every kid knows head, shoulders, knees, and toes in English. So we sing that. We get up, we point to our pottered parts, we shake it around, we dance around. And then the fun part is teaching them head, shoulders, knees, and toes in Mandarin because they're already familiar with the song. It's not scary to learn something in Mandarin. It just kind of naturally happens. And so I think the All About Me book is just a really fun way to connect with kids. I've actually launched it at a couple of events already and the response to the book has been overwhelming. I was at the Brooklyn Children's Museum and even the president of the museum came and did the head shoulders. Knees and toes, songs with us. It was so much fun. Everybody was dancing around and having a great time. So I'm just really, really excited for people to pick up this book and really learn about the body. It's, you know, body positivity, it's body awareness, and it's just a great way to connect with your kids.   Miko Lee: [00:17:31] So fun. I, I saw that you're recently at the Asian American Book Con. Can you talk a little bit about that experience?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:17:38] Oh, that was great. That was the first of its kind and. I led the entire author segment of it. I would say individual authors. There were, there were, publishing companies that brought in their own authors, but I was responsible for bringing in the independent authors. And so I think we had about eight of us. There were Indian, Korean, Chinese, Taiwanese, and we all came together for this one really special day of celebrating our voices and lifting each other up. And there was so much energy and so much positivity in that event, and I. Actually was just thinking about reaching out to the organizers last year and seeing if we could maybe do, part two? So, I'm glad you brought that up. It was a really positive experience.    Miko Lee: [00:18:27] So we're celebrating the end of Asian American Pacific Islander Native Hawaiian month. Can you tell us why this month is important to you?    Michele Wong McSween: [00:18:36] When you have something designated and set aside as, this is the month that we're going to be celebrating Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander heritage all month long, I think it kind of perks up. People's ears and they think, oh wow, this is a great opportunity for me to see what's happening in my community. I think it just brings the awareness to. The broader community and ultimately the world. And I think when we learn about each other and each other's cultures, it brings us closer together and makes us realize that we're really not that different from each other. And I think when there are so many events happening now it peaks the interest of people in the neighborhood that might otherwise not know about it and it can, really bring us closer together as a community.   Miko Lee: [00:19:27] Michelle Wong McSween, thank you so much for joining me on Apex Express. It's great to hear more about you and about your latest book Gordon & Li Li and the entire series. Thank you so much.    Michele Wong McSween: [00:19:39] Thank you, Miko   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:40] Thank you all so much for joining us. I'm here with Gloria l Huang, author of Kaya of the Ocean. Thank you so much for joining us, Gloria.    Gloria Huang: [00:19:48] Oh, thanks so much for having me here.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:19:50] So first off, one question that we're asking all of our guests on our show tonight is, who are your people? However you identify, you know, your community, your ancestors, and what legacy do you carry with you?    Gloria Huang: [00:20:01] Oh, that's such a good question. So I am my heritage is Chinese. My parents were born in China and then grew up in Taiwan. And I myself was actually born in Canada. But then moved the states pretty young and and American Canadian dual citizen and now, but I, my heritage plays a lot into my. Kind of my worldview. It really shaped, how I grew up and how I saw things. And so it features very prominently in my writing and in my stories as you could probably tell from Kaya the ocean.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:20:34] Yes. And I love the book so much. It was such a    Gloria Huang: [00:20:37] thank you,    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:20:38] amazing read. And I'm also half Chinese and love the ocean. Just love the beach so much and have always felt such a connection with the water. I don't wanna give away too much things about the book, but I was wondering if you could talk about your inspiration for writing it and a little bit about, setting and everything.   Gloria Huang: [00:20:56] Of course. So the inspiration for the book actually started I came up with the idea when the world was first emerging from the pandemic and I was seeing a lot of people obviously experiencing a lot of anxiety, but a lot of children very close to me in my life. And they were experiencing it for the first time, which was can be so difficult. I remember when it happened to me and there's just this tendency to. Worry that there's something wrong with you or that you've done something and you feel so alone. And so I remember standing by the ocean one night actually and thinking that I'd really love to write a book about a girl who is struggling with. The anxiety just to be able to send a message to all these kids that there's nothing wrong with them. They're not alone and really all parts of who they are. Even the parts they might not love so much are important parts of these amazing, beautiful, complicated people. They are. So that was the inspiration for that part of the story, the setting. I was very inspired. As you mentioned, the ocean is a huge inspiration to me. It actually comes into my mind, a lot of my stories and someone pointed that out once and I was like, you're right, it does. And I think part of it is that I love the ocean. I love the beach. I love being there, but I'm also so in awe of this powerful thing that, you know, where we know so little about it. It is. There's so much mystery to it. It can look so beautiful on the surface and be so dangerous underneath. I love it as a metaphor. I love it as a part of nature. So I think that was a huge part of why I wanted to incorporate that, especially because I think it also plays well into the metaphor for how some people experience anxiety and you can be calm on the surface, but so much is happening underneath.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:22:29] Absolutely. Yeah. Those interplay with each other and are metaphors for each other in such a beautiful way, mirror the experience. Yeah. I wanted to talk a little bit more about anxiety and particular, as a young Asian American girl the cultural specificity of having anxiety as a young Asian American woman.    Gloria Huang: [00:22:46] Yes I definitely think it's no coincidence. I think that anxiety often goes hand in hand with perfectionism and pressure and I, many people feel that kind of pressure, but certainly a young Asian girl especially with immigrant parents, will feel specific kind of pressure. And so I was really trying to portray that, Somebody once said to me, they were like, oh, I really like how Kaya on the surface seems so put together. She's, got really good grades. She works really hard at school. She's close to her parents, but there's all this going on underneath. And I actually think that's not unusual in terms of that experience for Asian American children of immigrants, and especially if you're female I was really trying to. Tease that out. And then in addition I think there's a tendency, and this might exist in other cultures as well, but in Asian culture, at least in my family history there's a tendency not to really want to talk about mental health. There was a, there's a joke in my family that my parents thought anything could be solved with good sleep and good nutrition, like anytime you had any problem. And I think that there is a, there's a. resistance to feeling like your child can be struggling in a way you can't help them. So I, really wanted to touch on that, part of the cultural pressures at play in kaya's life.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:23:59] And you did so beautifully and it was very relatable, as a anxious Asian girly. And also just, the discussion of big feelings and somehow, having inklings that you may be more powerful than you even realize, but the kind of like emotions that come with that too.    Gloria Huang: [00:24:15] Yes. I think that's a huge part of it is that like when you experience these huge feelings they feel powerful, know, in a negative way. But what I was really trying to get at was, there is also power in accepting these parts of yourself and realizing that They can make up this powerful being that you are, even if you might not love them in that moment.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:24:34] Yeah. I felt very seen by the book and I, couldn't help but wonder wow, what would it have been like if I had read this when I was, 13 or 12 or kind of Closer to the age of the characters in the book.   Gloria Huang: [00:24:45] Thank you so much for saying that it actually means a lot because a lot of my motivation when I do write these books is to write for people who are either of that age or, wish they had a book like that at that age, which is also how I feel a lot about books nowadays and oh, I, I'm so glad that exists. I wish that had been around when I was that age.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:25:03] Yes. Were there any books that really set an example for you that either you read, maybe when you were, in the young adult. Age range or that you've read now as an adult where you're like, okay, this is definitely the audience that I wanna be writing for.   Gloria Huang: [00:25:17] Definitely. I actually love this question 'cause I'm a big reader and so I love talking about books . When I was a kid, middle grade books were my gateway into my love of reading. So I still remember a lot of my favorite books, but I would say a recent book, it's actually maybe not that recent now, it's maybe a couple years old, but a book that really. Had an effect on the middle grade book was when you trap a tiger by Tae Keller and it explores. The kind of Korean experience, but also through the prism of kind of understanding generational grief. And it was just so beautifully done and really made an impact on me. So that was one recently that I thought was really powerful. And, I was like, this is an important book. This is definitely a book I would've loved as a child. When I was younger and I was reading books, there were three books that meant a lot to me. One was called the true confessions of Charlotte Doyle, and it was like a swashbuckling adventure story starring a girl, which was, at that time not very common. And it was, it meant, it was so earth shattering to me to be able to see a female character in that role. So that was great. There's a book called. Homecoming by Cynthia Voigt. And it's an adventure story and it also stars. The main character is a very strong female character and Tuck everlasting, which I just think is a beautiful book. It's also female characters. Now I'm saying it out loud. They are all female main characters. And all about, existentialism and adventure and things that, it was important for me to see. Female characters exploring. But I did also wanna say that when I was reading middle grade books, some of my favorite books included a series called, babysitters Club, which I think that they've redone now as a graphic novel. And that was actually really important, not necessarily for the stories, but because there's a character named Claudia Kishi who. Was a Japanese American character and she absolutely shattered the minds of, I think all kids that age were Asian descent and female in reading these books because there just wasn't a character like her before that, she was so cool and artistic but she had immigrant parents and she had a sister who was very good at math and they didn't get along and she loved junk food and she was. So incredibly nuanced and it was just not something that we saw back then. So that really inspired me, I think, to want to add to the diversity of voices. And thankfully there are many more diverse voices now than when I was reading.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:30] I love that. And I also feel like books that you read at that age, they stay with you forever.   Gloria Huang: [00:27:35] They really do.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:27:35] And they shape so much of like your worldview and your friendships. And I'm curious, 'cause I know the book was released this year in January. Mm-hmm. So what has it been like for you on your book tour and what's been some other responses that you've heard? I.    Gloria Huang: [00:27:48] It's been really great. It was so exciting to do the book launch and then just the amount of support from the writing community from, my, my kind of network, my agents and my publisher and editor. And also just readers. It's been really great. But one thing I think I wasn't expecting to love quite so much, not because I was expecting to not love it. I just said, it occurred to me that I would feel this way is getting feedback from, child readers is amazing because, I think as writers we love feedback no matter what. And if it's positive feedback, that's even better. But having a child reach out and as some of my friends will send a video of their. Children reacting to the book or they'll, their, let their child type out a text messages and just to hear how the book hits with them and to hear their excitement or to hear that they were moved or to have them want to know what happens next. It meant so much to me because it was, they're the target audience and to have them feel seen in that way was just, it's just the ultimate kind of powerful feeling.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:28:51] That is so sweet. Oh my gosh. I can only imagine. And so you're talking about the young readers. Yes. But I'm also curious if you have any advice or thoughts for young writers who might be wanting to share and get similar stories out to the world?   Gloria Huang: [00:29:05] Yeah I definitely do. And one of the. Experiences I've had that's been great is I've been doing, some school visits and I go and I talk about the book, but I actually talk about the writing process. And when I do that, I really talk to the kids. As if they're writers. The one of the first questions I ask is, hold up your hand. If you love writing or you think you want me, you might wanna be a writer someday. And a lot of hands go up and I tell them like, what the publishing process is, what are, the different genre options, what you might wanna consider, how you come up with an idea, how you sit down and write it, how you reach out to an agent. And I am surprised at how. Intensely, they're hanging onto every word and they're insightful questions after it. It shows me that a lot of them are really thinking about this. I think for one of the school visits, I remember someone held up her hand and she said what is the youngest age I. Someone has been able to be published. And I thought that was great. Because they're so inspired and you can tell that, that they're thinking for the first time this is a possibility. I have all kinds of advice during the school visits, the main piece of advice is really. Just that it can be a tough industry. writing is a very isolated process usually. There's a lot of kind of obstacles and there's a lot of gatekeeping. And so I tell 'em that the most important thing they can do is just keep pushing through and not to let any, setbacks stop them, because the ultimate goal is to reach even just one person.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:30:24] Absolutely. And what kind of advice do you give around learning how to hone your own voice and also having discipline when it comes to an artistic practice?   Gloria Huang: [00:30:33] Yeah, I think that's such a great question. And I was gonna say this piece of advice is probably more for I. Older writers, but adult writers, I guess I should say. The one thing that I've really been thinking about having published a middle grade book is the very specific and unique experience of writing for middle grade audiences. I think a lot of my friends who write for older audience groups, young adults, adults, They have their own challenges, but one of the things that is different is when they're writing, they are writing for the same target audience. That's also the decision makers. So generally, adults and young adults are picking their own books, and they're speaking to someone who will. Ultimately be the ones to pick up the books where when you're writing for middle grade audiences they're not usually the decision makers. at bookstores, they may or may not be in charge of which book they buy, in. Schools, usually it's a librarian or a teacher. So in some ways you're writing for one audience, but you're also writing a subject matter that you're hoping the decision makers will decide is worthy to put in front of your ultimate readers. So that's one challenge. And then the other challenge is I think middle grade audiences are so. fascinating because they're going through this amazingly unusual time in their lives, whether it's eventful and there's new experiences and that can be exciting, but also scary. So there's a lot to mind in terms of topics, but they are also a mixture of being very sophisticated readers who are on the cusp of being teens. And so there's a healthy dose of, skepticism, but they're still young enough that they. Believe in magic, at least in the literary world. So you, there's a lot of room to play with that. But they also. They sound different. They speak differently than adults. So it's important to get the dialogue, for me I, turn to children in my life, including my own, just to do a check to make sure that the dialogue sounds authentic and something that, people, that kids would say. So a lot of thoughts there, but I think, I've been thinking a lot about middle grade and writing for middle grade, and what a unique experience it is.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:32:26] Yeah, that's such a good point about the decision maker and having the multiple audiences, and I'm sure sometimes the decision makers are reading the books too, right? Or reading it with their kids or what have you. For your personal writing practice, are there any upcoming projects that you can share with us? And how do you stay inspired for what I imagine is like the long haul of writing something.    Gloria Huang: [00:32:45] I'm happiest when I have like several projects in the pipeline. So as soon as I am done a book or it's, outta my hands, it's with my agents or my editors. I'm looking to write another book. And I think sometimes I probably overwhelm my amazing book before agents. 'cause I'm like, I'm ready to start another story. And they're like, we're still looking at the book you just sent us. But I, that's very much how. I am happiest. I would definitely say that everybody finds their own rhythm. I'm in some writers groups and some people are incredibly fast drafters and just need multiple projects at a time. And some people are like, no, I need to work on one project and I need to have it to perfection and I'm gonna work on it for a year or two. And I think whatever works for the individual artist, I think is the best kind of process for them. But yes, for me it's very much about having multiple projects. I think I'm most inspired when I have different projects going at the same time. finding your own rhythm, I think is my advice.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:33:40] kaya of the ocean has, strong themes and storylines about, myths, mythology, Chinese mythology, and goddesses. I'm curious if you wanna talk any more about that and then also if that shows up in any of the other projects you're working on    Gloria Huang: [00:33:54] Yes, the Chinese mythological water goddess that features. Pretty prominently in Kaya of the Ocean is Matsu. And I find her to be such a fascinating character. She is a real goddess who's worshiped still in Asia. I think. Fishermen often will, pray to her for safe passage when they go out on the water. And my father told me about her when I was younger he told me like the side stories and I thought that was really interesting. But it was only when I started thinking about this book that I thought, I'd love to, I'd love to incorporate her. I hadn't heard about her too much in, in the fictional world, even though I knew she was still like a revered goddess. But I thought it was so cool that she was this strong. I. Strong female figure in a space that didn't always have that, hundreds of years ago. And so I dove into her story a little bit and found out, the story is that she was once a human child who loved to read and then she was afraid of swimming in water until she was older and then she drowned, saving, trying to save some relatives and it was interesting 'cause I'd already started plotting out Kaya and writing Kaya. And so much of her story wove easily into what I had already come up with. Like there, I think she has two sidekicks that were one time enemies that she, made into her friends and I'd already had Kaya written with two friends, Naomi and Ana. So I, there was just so much that I felt was kismet. And it was really fun to be able to weave that story together and fictionalize it. But I think it was also meaningful for me to be able to do that because. When I was younger, I loved reading Greek mythology. the stories are beautiful and they've been redone in beautiful ways, but it definitely was an area where I didn't necessarily see myself reflected. As part of my goal to add to the diversity of voices, I really wanted to feature Chinese mythology and bring those stories in so that. Kids can either see themselves reflected in those stories and or understand a new kind of set of mythology and learn about a new culture.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:35:46] Yes. I'm so glad you put it that way because it is, it's such a privilege to have access to, our own I. Cultural stories and knowledge through these, like fun and modern interpretations. Definitely. So I'm so glad that this can provide that.    Gloria Huang: [00:36:00] Oh, thank you. I did realize I didn't answer your other question, which is does it feature my other works? Which so I have sold another middle grade novel and I'm, it's not announced yet. I'm hoping to announce it soon. And I have some other. Books. I'm working on a young adult novel so far. They have not featured Chinese mythology, but I do definitely have a type that my most of my books tend to be contemporary settings, but with elements of speculative. Fantasy, just like the light touch of that and sometimes a little bit of historical elements as well. So they, they definitely all have that similar motif, but so far chi of the ocean is the only one to feature a Chinese mythological goddess.   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:36:43] Thank you so much for sharing that. I love that. And I really love the relationship that Kaya had with her two friends and just and then also like the cousin that comes and just capturing like the banter amongst, amongst the girls.    Gloria Huang: [00:36:56] Thank you so much. that was really important to me, I think because at the stage that Kaia is in her life the loves of her life really are her two friends, Naomi and Ana, and they feature very prominently in how she learns to cope with her anxiety and her symptoms of anxiety. And so I really, I think that I really wanted to center her their friendship as much as possible. So I'm I'm glad that you saw it that way too.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:37:19] Yeah. And I feel like, I mean, it truly is the most important relationship. And so it's nice when works of fiction and yeah, works of fiction, can reflect that in such a beautiful way. I know you mentioned that you have daughters or have children?    Gloria Huang: [00:37:32] I do, yes. I have a son and a daughter. And my daughter actually was quite involved because when I first started writing Kaya, I think she was exactly of the age that she would be the target reader group. And so she actually helped Beta read it. She provided a lot of feedback. She became like a cheerleader. She was definitely involved in the process and I think that was really exciting for her. my son became of the reading age once it came out, so he reads it and he's a big fan too,   Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:00] that's so sweet. I love that your daughter was part of the editing process too. That's amazing.    Gloria Huang: [00:38:04] Yeah. Yeah. She loves writing and always says she wants to be a writer herself, so it was really special that she got to be part of this and see it up close.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:13] Oh wow. Do you think you would do any collaborative projects with her in the future?   Gloria Huang: [00:38:16] It's so funny that you say that. She always suggests that. And then sometimes they'll actually start a Google doc and they'll say, let's write a story together. And we all have, of course, very different writing styles. And then at some point they both actually usually just start reading what I'm writing. And at that point I'm like, this is not collaborative. You have to write as well. So we've had a couple of false starts, but that's always a joke that we're gonna do that together.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:38:39] that's so sweet. What else is upcoming for you? I know this is, Asian American and native Hawaiian Pacific Islander month right now, and the episode will come out towards the end of May. So if there's anything else coming up from you for this month or for June or the summer. Yeah. We'd love to hear what you have going on.    Gloria Huang: [00:38:57] Oh, yeah. Today actually Kaya's audio book was released people can listen to it. It was narrated by this amazing, narrator, Cindy K. And so anywhere you find audio books is available. And that was really cool. I've listened to a little bit of it and you, when you write, you hear the words in your head one way, and then it's amazing to hear like another artist do their take on it. So that's really cool. I will be at the Bay Area book Festival at the end of the month of May. There. Doing like different panels and I'll be on a panel. it's about Fantastical Worlds. I'm really excited about that. hopefully we'll be able to announce this other book soon. As you, you may know publishing is a very long lead time it will be a while before it's released, but I think the hope is to release it during, a API month as well just not this year. And working on a young adult novel that hopefully we can go on submission with at some point. But it's an exciting time for sure.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:39:51] Wow, that does sound so exciting. I can't wait to hear about your new projects and to continue to read the work that you put out into the world. Is there anything else that you'd like to discuss or talk about?   Gloria Huang: [00:40:01] I think just to say a thank you to you for, having me on here and reading Kaya of the Ocean and really anyone who's been interested in joining Kaya and her friends on their journey. It's just, it's so amazing, I think, to create these characters that become real to you, and then have them become real to other people. I don't have the words to describe how meaningful it is to me, but thank you.    Jalena Keane-Lee: [00:40:24] Thank you for letting us join into the world of Kaya for a little bit 'cause it was very fun and healing and all of the amazing things. And thanks so much for joining us today on Apex Express.    Gloria Huang: [00:40:36] For sure. Thanks so much.   Miko Lee: [00:40:38] Welcome, Andrea Wang, award-winning children's book author to Apex Express.    Andrea Wang: [00:40:43] Thank you, Miko. I'm so happy to be here.    Miko Lee: [00:40:46] Happy to have you. I'd love to start first with a personal question, which is, who are your people and what legacy do you carry with you?   Andrea Wang: [00:40:57] My people are from China. My mother's family belonged to an ethnic minority, called the Haka or the Kaja people, and she and her siblings were. A military family, and we're each born in a different province. And when the Chinese Civil War ended in 1949, they went to Taiwan where she grew up and immigrated to the United States in 1965 or 1966. My father's family are from Guangdong Province, and so I'm Cantonese on that side, although I don't speak any Cantonese. And he went to Hong Kong after the Chinese Civil War. So I am the daughter of Chinese immigrants, second generation Chinese American.    Miko Lee: [00:42:01] And what legacy do you carry with you?   Andrea Wang:[00:42:03]  I carry the legacy of their stories, both the ones that I know and the ones that I don't know yet.    Miko Lee: [00:42:12] Ooh. It sounds like there's lots of juicy things for you still to discover. That is fun.    Andrea Wang: [00:42:16] Yes.    Miko Lee: [00:42:17] Today we're talking about your new book, watercress, can you share what the audience, what the book is about, and then what is your inspiration for this book?    Andrea Wang: [00:42:25] So the book is about a Chinese American girl who is growing up in rural Ohio and her parents spot watercress growing in a ditch by the side of the road, and they immediately pull over and make her enter older brother, get out of the car and get down into the ditch with them and collect this. Vegetable, but to her it's a weed. And so when they serve it to her and her family at dinner, she really is unhappy about this and. For her, picking food out of a ditch has a really different meaning than it does to her parents who survived a lot of hardship in China. And it's not until her mom tells her a story about her childhood growing up in China and spoiler alert, loses a sibling to the famine that the girl begins to understand and better appreciate her parents, her culture, and her heritage.   Miko Lee: [00:43:29] And the inspiration for this book.    Andrea Wang: [00:43:32] So the inspiration is largely my own life. this is a semi autobiographical story. The memory of picking watercress by the side of the road was just something that I couldn't forget, I don't know why this memory continued to haunt me into adulthood. And then after my mom passed away, I started writing down, memories and stories of being with my family in order to maintain a connection to her. When I wrote this, at first it was a personal essay and it just wasn't working. I would put it away and I would occasionally take it out and I would put it away and take it out and work on it again. And it wasn't until I decided to pursue writing for young people that I completely changed the manuscript from a personal essay into a picture book. But at that point it still wasn't working. It was in third person and it wasn't very personal It took me several more years to figure out the heart of the story for me. So it was largely based on my own memories and my mother's childhood stories that she shared with me.   Miko Lee: [00:44:39] Can you share more about the power of memory and the artistic process? 'cause you've written many books and in different genres as well, but can you talk a little bit more about memory and its impact on your work?   Andrea Wang: [00:44:52] Yeah, that's a great question. I tend to write primarily for myself. And to figure out how I felt about certain experiences, how they've changed me, to try and process things I feel like I remember a lot about my childhood. parts of it are very vivid and I like to go back to those. Moments that have stuck with me all these years and explore what it means to me. Like I'm just very curious about why I remember certain things watercress was largely my way of processing my childhood feelings of shame about my family and my culture. I have leaned into that and am still writing stories about identity and the struggle to find our identity. Memory has a lot to do with it. I put myself in every single book.    Miko Lee: [00:45:45] Ooh, that's so interesting. And you're talking a little bit about shame and overcoming that. I'm wondering if you could speak more on, if you feel like memories hold the power to heal.    Andrea Wang: [00:45:56] I firmly believe that memories hold the power to heal. I think that writing watercress and talking about these feelings has really helped me, , heal from, that sort of trauma of not feeling like I belonged as a kid and also that I may have been. Not the nicest kid to my parents, not the most filial, right? And so writing this story was, as I say in the author's note, sort of an apology and a love letter to my parents. So it's been very healing and healing to hear about from all the. People who have read the book and had it resonate with them, the things that they regretted in their lives and hoped to, heal as well.    Miko Lee: [00:46:42] Oh, have you heard that story a lot from adult readers?   Andrea Wang: [00:46:46] I have. They will often tell me about the things that their parents did that embarrassed them. A lot of foraging stories, but also stories about, relatives and ancestors who were sharecroppers or indigenous peoples. And it's just been fascinating how many people connect to the story on different levels. There is that theme of poverty. I think recognizing. That's not often talked about in children's books, I think makes people feel very seen.   Miko Lee: [00:47:14] Yeah. That feeling of shame is really showcased by the illustrator Jason Chin. I mean your young you character kind of has a grumpy look on their face. And it was just so fun. Even in the book notes, Jason Chin, the illustrator, writes about how he combined both the western and eastern style of art, but also his similar cross-cultural background. I'm wondering when you very first saw the artwork and this was kind of young you did anything surprise you by it?    Andrea Wang: [00:47:42] I mean, it's amazing, gorgeous artwork and I was really struck by how he dealt with the flashbacks because when I sold this manuscript, I. Had no idea how an illustrator would deal with how interior it is and, , and how they would tackle those flashbacks. And there's one spread where on the left hand side of the page, it shows the main character's current time and then it morphs across the gutter of the book into. The moms past and her childhood memories in China, and it was just exquisite is really the only way to describe it. It was, it's just brilliant, and amazing. We don't, as picture book authors typically get to work with our illustrators. We often do not have contact with them through the making of a picture book. But in this case. Our editors said since it was such a personal story for me, that he, , felt that Jason and I should collaborate. And so I provided photos, family photos, photos of Ohio, lots of different, , source materials to Jason and would talk to him about the feelings that young me in the book went through. And so the fact that, he was able to take all of that and put it on the page, it was just. Spectacular.    Miko Lee: [00:49:01] Oh, that's so fun. I also understand that you love mythical creatures as you I, and one of your children's books is the Nian Monster, which I love. I'm wondering what is your favorite mythical creature and why?   Andrea Wang: [00:49:15] I. Have been sort of fascinated with the qilin, the, or they call it the Chinese unicorn. Right. Although it looks very different from what we think of a, a European unicorn looks like. Yes. And I think it's because they're supposed to be this really benevolent, creature and Have all sorts of powers and I would love to do more research about the qilin and, you know, incorporate that into a book someday.   Miko Lee: [00:49:42] Ooh, fun. Next book. I love it. you have so many books and I'm really curious about your upcoming book Worthy about Joseph Pierce. I love these as Helen Zia talks about these. MIH moments that are missing in history. And Joseph Pierce was the highest ranking Chinese American man who fought in the Civil War. Some people might recognize this picture of this Chinese American guy in a kind of civil war, uniform. Can you tell us one, when is the book being released and a little bit more about it?    Andrea Wang: [00:50:11] Sure. The book is being released on September 9th, 2025, and it is. A picture book, which we typically think of as for younger readers, but it is 64 pages. So you know, it's an all ages picture book. I think my editor and I would like to say, and it is the story of a Chinese boy born in the, First half of the 18 hundreds in China in Guangdong province, and was sold by his father to an American ship captain named Amos Peck. the reasons for that are, lost to time, right? He left no primary sources behind, there was so much going on in China at the time. Famine war, you know, all of these, Difficult things that his father probably sold him in order to keep the rest of the family alive and as well as give him the opportunity to have a better life. And he did end up in Connecticut. He was raised with the captain's, siblings and sent to school and treated almost like a member of the family except for the fact that he was. Clearly Chinese and there were very few Chinese people in, Connecticut at that time. he joined the Union Army when he came of age and was able to leverage his service into gaining citizenship, which really people of color, weren't really able to do successfully back then. And so. He gained a citizenship. He married, he had a family. He was able to own property and accomplish all these amazing things. Sort of right before the Chinese exclusion Act was, enacted. So he was a very brave guy.    Miko Lee: [00:51:45] It's a wild story and you sent me on a little bit of a rabbit hole, which is fun. Just, looking at Ruth Ann, McCune's. historical piece that there were 10 different Chinese American men in the Civil War, but he was exceptional because he rose to such high ranks. And I just think it's so interesting that, in the 1880 census, he registered as Chinese. But then after the Chinese Exclusion Act in 1882, he listed his race as Japanese in the 1890 census. but he was racialized as white so that he could buy property and everything. Yeah. Can you just talk a little bit about that, like talk about code switching? He like literally changed his race,    Andrea Wang: [00:52:26] right. And people at that time could not tell the difference. Similar to now, people often can't tell different Asian, ethnicities apart. Right. I found actual newspaper articles where Joseph Pierce was interviewed about the battles, that the United States was having with Japan or the battles that Japan was having. He was asked his opinion on what the Japanese government was doing because he told these reporters he was Japanese and that was really the only clue that I had that he, Was code switching that after the Chinese exclusion Act was passed, he felt like he needed to protect himself and his family and he must have cut off his cue because otherwise, you know, that would've identified him immediately as Chinese. So that went into the book. I think it's a powerful moment, right, where he's doing what he has to do to survive and ensure his protection and his family's safety,   Miko Lee: [00:53:25] You have a, a really interesting background. Just having No really, I mean, having done all these different things and I, you know, I think you have a science background too, right? Can you talk about the times that we're living in right now, the political times that we're living in, where our government is banning books that don't align with certain conservative ideologies, where right now certain words are forbodden suddenly. And can you talk a little bit about how that impacts you as a children's book author?    Andrea Wang: [00:53:59] it is very disheartening and discouraging that the current climate is against, people who look like me or other people of color. And as a children's book author, we are experiencing a huge decrease in the number of teachers and librarians who are asking us to come and visit schools, to talk to students, which is horrible because. These young people are the ones who need to learn from books, right? Knowledge is power. And if we are not keeping them informed, then we are doing them a disservice. I think the attacks on our freedom to read are really unjust. and. personally as an author of color, I understand that books like Worthy may end up on some of these banned book lists because it does talk about racism. but these are the stories that we need now, and I'm going to continue writing these stories about the Hidden History, And to talk about these difficult subjects that I think kids understand on some level. but if they're not reading about it in books, then it's hard to spark a conversation with, educators or adults about it. So I think these books that I'm writing, that many of my friends and other children's book authors are writing are providing that. Sort of gateway to talk about, the topics that are so important right now.    Miko Lee: [00:55:29] Thank you so much for sharing, and thank you so much for being on Apex Express today. We appreciate your voice and the work that you're putting out there in the world. Is there anything else you'd like to say?   Andrea Wang: [00:55:39] you know, there's so much to say, I think just to. Stand up for what we all believe in and to, I encourage people to stand up for their intellectual freedom and that of their children.   Miko Lee: [00:55:56] Thank you, Andrea Wang. I appreciate hearing from you and hearing your voice and seeing your work out there in the world.    Andrea Wang: [00:56:03] Thank you so much, Miko. It was a pleasure.   Miko Lee: [00:56:05] Please check out our website, kpfa.org. To find out more about our show tonight. We thank all of you listeners out there. Keep resisting, keep organizing, keep creating and sharing your visions with the world because your voices are important. Apex Express is created by Miko Lee, Jalena Keane-Lee, Preti Mangala-Shekar, Swati Rayasam, Aisa Villarosa, Estella Owoimaha-Church, Gabriel Tanglao, Cheryl Truong and Ayame Keane-Lee.   The post APEX Express – 5.29.25 AAPI Children's Books appeared first on KPFA.

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SO FREAKING INTENSE!! Civil War Full Reaction Watch Along: https://www.patreon.com/thereelrejects With Writer / Director Alex Garland & A24 teaming up for "WARFARE," Greg & John give their Civil War Reaction, Recap, Commentary, Analysis, & Spoiler Review!! Visit https://www.liquidiv.com & use Promo Code: REJECTS to get 20% off your first order. Join Greg Alba and John Humphrey as they dive into the politically charged, high-stakes world of A24's 2024 thriller, Civil War. Written and directed by Alex Garland (28 Days Later, Ex Machina, Annihilation), this intense film thrusts viewers into a near-future America on the brink—where deep societal divisions, covert operatives, and explosive power struggles collide. Kirsten Dunst (Melancholia, The Power of the Dog, Bring it On) leads the ensemble as a beleaguered war photographer documenting the American dystopia of a not-too-distant future. Opposite her, Cailee Spaeny (Alien: Romulus, Guns Akimbo) provides a dose of heart & innocence as she attempts to follow in her hero's footsteps only to come face-to-face with the grim realities of wartime in America. Wagner Moura (Narcos, Elysium, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish) brings a wild, free-spirited energy amid the chaos as a determined if reckless Reuters journalist, & Stephen McKinley Henderson (Dune, Ladybird) rounds out the core cast as a seasoned New York Times reporter with a warm energy. Adding a unique edge to the narrative, Nick Offerman (The Last of Us, Parks and Recreation) appears as the President of what remains of the United States of America and Jesse Plemons (Breaking Bad, Killers of the Flower Moon) captivates in a singular & Incredibly tense sequence as a rogue soldier with a singular view of what constitutes a "real American.." Greg & John break down every electrifying moment—from tense, high-stakes meetings in war-torn settings to the adrenaline-charged standoff scenes that redefine the film's narrative. Discover how Civil War masterfully blends action and political intrigue to question the very fabric of America as we know it in an increasingly insane & uncertain time... Intense Suspense by Audionautix is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... Support The Channel By Getting Some REEL REJECTS Apparel! https://www.rejectnationshop.com/ Follow Us On Socials:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/  Tik-Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@reelrejects?lang=en Twitter: https://x.com/reelrejects Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ Music Used In Ad:  Hat the Jazz by Twin Musicom is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Happy Alley by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/... POWERED BY @GFUEL Visit https://gfuel.ly/3wD5Ygo and use code REJECTNATION for 20% off select tubs!! Head Editor: https://www.instagram.com/praperhq/?hl=en Co-Editor: Greg Alba Co-Editor: John Humphrey Music In Video: Airport Lounge - Disco Ultralounge by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Ask Us A QUESTION On CAMEO: https://www.cameo.com/thereelrejects Follow TheReelRejects On FACEBOOK, TWITTER, & INSTAGRAM:  FB:  https://www.facebook.com/TheReelRejects/ INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/reelrejects/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thereelrejects Follow GREG ON INSTAGRAM & TWITTER: INSTAGRAM:  https://www.instagram.com/thegregalba/ TWITTER:  https://twitter.com/thegregalba Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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Intensely partisan, a slaveholder, a great liar, Polk is one of the great presidents, who doubled the territory of the USA. In the words of Trump, "He got a lot of land!" Will this affect Gaza?

When your child struggles to handle their big emotions, what do you do? If you're like me, you'll listen to podcasts and read all the books. And, if you're like me, you probably found none of them helped much in practice. Am I right?Well, in this episode, I'm going to help you cut through the noise, to understand the reasons why your child might appear to be acting out or struggling with intense emotions. I am going to help you go back to the source, figure out why they happen, and then help you figure out what to do about it.So, pour yourself a cuppa, find a comfy seat, and enjoy the conversation…Highlights from this episode:00:49 - I don't like labels03:10 - Early development08:16 - Is there a skills gap?12:35 - Tweaking the brain circuits15:00 - Validate the emotions16:46 - Label the emotions19:41 - Bridging the skills gap21:58 - A toolkit for managing big emotions23:37 - Change takes time and consistency

Know the difference between working smart and working long. [Remember The 5 Great Hours Rule in The Everyday Hero Manifesto? Life-changing, if you apply it].The best of the best—especially in the creative and athletic fields—generally only work 5 hours a day. Yet, the hours they are work are filled with peak work versus distracted toil. FOLLOW ROBIN SHARMA:InstagramFacebookTwitterYouTube

In this episode Kimberly shares her personal experience of navigating stress and trauma during a recent evacuation due to wildfires in Los Angeles. She discusses the importance of self-care practices during intense times and provides nine actionable tips to support emotional and physical well-being. The conversation emphasizes the significance of community support and the need to appreciate loved ones during challenging moments.

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Welcome to another episode of Death Don't Do Fiction, the AIPT Movies podcast! The podcast about the enduring legacy of our favorite movies! It's December, so that means it's time for our “Holidanger” series, where we cover holiday movies that put lives on the line! In this week's episode, Alex, Tim, and Matt discuss Joe Dante's 1984 creature-feature/Christmas fable, Gremlins!An unforgettable kitchen massacre! Intensely-80s Christmas vibes! People being oddly okay with strange, previously-unknown animals! A horribly-evil old landlady that'll change the way you look at stair lifts forever! Tons of fake snow! A town square that uses the same Universal Studios backlot as Hill Valley from Back to the Future! An absentee father leaving his supportive family to deal with dangerous creatures while they attempt to use his useless inventions! Questionable carolers and bar patrons! Small creatures flashing and flash dancing! A great musical score from Jerry Goldsmith! A Solid cast that includes Mike from Breaking Bad, Dick Miller promoting the value of American-made products, and a quasi-goth Phoebe Cates as the ultimate holiday buzzkill! A movie with a truly unique tone that somehow feels like a horror movie for kids, featuring iconic creature FX and puppetry from Chris Walas!In addition, Alex shares his spoiler-free thoughts on the new Street Trash, and Ridley Scott's Gladiator II!You can find Death Don't Do Fiction on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts. As always, if you enjoy the podcast, be sure to leave us a positive rating, subscribe to the show, and tell your friends!The Death Don't Do Fiction podcast brings you the latest in movie news, reviews, and more! Hosted by supposed “industry vets,” Alex Harris, Tim Gardiner, and Matt Paul, the show gives you a peek behind the scenes from three filmmakers with oddly nonexistent filmographies. You can find Alex on Twitter, Bluesky, or Letterboxd @actionharris. Matt is a terrific artist that you can find on Instagram @no_wheres_ville. Tim can't be found on social media because he doesn't exist. If you have any questions or suggestions for the Death Don't Do Fiction crew, they can be reached at aiptmoviespod@gmail.com, or you can find them on Twitter or Instagram @aiptmoviespod.Theme song is “We Got it Goin On” by Cobra Man.

Suzanne Rowen, age 72, has been climbing mountains in the Pacific Northwest for the past 30 years. Leading self and others are cross-over skills between mountaineering and working in high stakes crisis communications on Wall Street, Suzanne's earlier life on the East Coast. She finds climbing mountains to be “equally intense and marvelously expansive.” As a dedicated mountaineer, Suzanne peaked all the volcanoes in the Pacific Northwest and led numerous climbing expeditions. Now she prefers climbing solo and finds that “being in nature keeps us sane; you never outgrow it.” Suzanne mentors young women in mountaineering and is turning to fiction writing set in nature and mountains."The mountains meet you where you are; you can express who you are any time in life"Connect with SuzanneEmail: suzannerowen@gmail.com

Do you ever feel torn between your performing life, your teaching life, and your family life? Our guest this week on Tales from The Lane, Heather Miller Lardin, was feeling exactly that way until she figured out how to balance it all--making space for what was most important:  Being at the top of her game as a performer Being an incredibly generous mentor and guide for her beloved students Being present for her family (and having the energy they deserve from her) You'll hear how she crafted a bespoke teaching program that gives her students the absolute gold standard of historical performance pedagogy, and has carved out the rest of her schedule with the utmost intentionality to make time for the other parts of her life that are important to her as well.  This episode is full of gems and words of wisdom and experience. You won't want to miss it!  And if you're curious about how the Creatives Leadership Academy can help you to design your life and career with more intentionality so that you can take things up a notch, earn more income, do the gold-standard of whatever it is you love to do, AND have time for the rest of your life, Book a call with me today so we can discuss it! ---> CHAT WITH KATE   Heather Miller Lardin is principal double bassist of the Handel + Haydn Society, director of the Temple University Early Music Ensemble, and co-director of the Philadelphia-based period instrument ensemble Night Music. This season she also appeared with Tempesta di Mare, Bach Choir of Bethlehem, Charlotte Bach Festival, Staunton Music Festival, and Brandywine Baroque. In addition to serving on the faculties of Amherst Early Music and the Viola da Gamba Society of America Conclave, Heather has presented historical bass workshops and master classes at Yale University, James Madison University, and Peabody Conservatory.  Intensely curious about all things historical bass, Heather designs online and in-person workshops engaging like-minded bassists worldwide. Her Baroque Double Bass course is available on discoverdoublebass.com. A graduate of the Curtis Institute of Music, Heather holds a DMA in Historical Performance Practice from Cornell University. She makes her home in the Western suburbs of Philadelphia, where she started playing bass in 6th-grade orchestra. When not teaching, tuning, or chauffeuring teenagers, she might be enjoying a cozy mystery and a good cup of coffee with her two Maine Coon cats. Follow her on IG @heathermillerlardin And be sure to say hi over at @kkayaian 

This topic has been on my mind lately, and I know I'm not alone in feeling this way during these politically turbulent times. In this episode, I walk you through how I'm learning to shift my emotions of anger, frustration, and sadness as I navigate triggers when encountering people with differing political views. I share my personal experiences and the challenges of approaching these differences with compassion, while finding grounding and focusing on maintaining inner peace.This episode isn't about having all the answers but about exploring ways we can coexist and communicate more harmoniously despite our differences. If you're also working to balance your beliefs with empathy for others, this episode might resonate with you. Enjoy! :) xxSPONSORS' SPECIAL OFFERS hereRAQUELLE + YOMyourownmagic.comig @raquellemantrafb group your own magicSubmit a topic or question in the topic box on yourownmagic.comMy Online Boutique - EYES OF ASPENeyesofaspen.comSPONSORS' SPECIAL OFFERS hereOur Sponsors:* Check out Happy Mammoth and use my code MAGIC for a great deal: happymammoth.com* Check out Thrive Causemetics: thrivecausemetics.com/MAGIC* Check out Timeline and use my code MAGIC for a great deal: www.timeline.comSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/your-own-magic/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Kamala Harris sat down for her first interview. Her answers were vintage Kamala: a combination of pablum and word salad. Somehow her values haven't changed, but her positions have. The only thing that one could say in her favor is that Tim Walz's answers were worse.Thanks for listening to the Daily Dennis Prager Podcast. To hear the entire three hours of my radio show as a podcast, commercial-free every single day, become a member of Pragertopia. You'll also get access to 15 years' worth of archives, as well as daily show prep. Subscribe today at Pragertopia dot com.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Charlie Munger said that Li Lu was the only outsider he ever trusted with his money.  Decades before Li Lu made Munger half a billion dollars, Li survived one of the most horrific childhoods imaginable:Born into poverty, abandoned, hungry, beaten, surrounded by death. Persistent. Smart. Disciplined. Intensely curious. Obsessed with reading and learning. Determined to escape. This is a story you absolutely cannot miss. What I learned from reading Moving The Mountain: My life in China from the Cultural Revolution to Tiananmen Square by Li Lu.----Ramp gives you everything you need to control spend, watch your costs, and optimize your financial operations —all on a single platform. Make history's greatest entrepreneurs proud by going to Ramp and learning how they can help your business control your costs and save more. ----Build relationships with other founders, investors, and executives at a Founders Event----Founders Notes gives you the superpower to learn from history's greatest entrepreneurs on demand. You can search all my notes and highlights from every book I've ever read for the podcast. Get access to Founders Notes here. ----Join my free email newsletter to get my top 10 highlights from every book----Follow Founders Podcast on YouTube (Video coming soon!) ----“I have listened to every episode released and look forward to every episode that comes out. The only criticism I would have is that after each podcast I usually want to buy the book because I am interested so my poor wallet suffers. ” — GarethBe like Gareth. Buy a book: All the books featured on Founders Podcast

If only the going was always easy. But life's not like that. Sometimes we have to travel through difficult times. Times that test our patience, our endurance and our faith. And it's right in the middle of those times that God's Word holds the answers that we need to make it through.   Life Wasn't Meant to be Easy These days, it's a bit unpopular for someone like me to be talking about obedience to God's Word. It's not something most of us want to hear. Aw, come on Berni, teach me about grace, tell me about God's blessings, I want to know more about God's love. That's the stuff people want to hear about and sure, they're all really good things. I mean, really good things. But what about these particular verses of Scripture, John chapter 14, verse 15: If you love me, you will obey my commandments. 1 John chapter 5, verse 3: For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. No, obedience to God's Word is not a particularly popular concept these days. But the whole point of obeying God, is that the only things He tells us not to do, are the things that are going to bring harm to us and the people around us. So paradoxically, obedience brings freedom. Obedience sets us free from the consequences of our sin ... and sin ... sin always has consequences, right? Okay that's great. But what about when the going gets tough? What about when other people are doing the wrong thing, and we're hurting? What about obedience to God's Word in that place when the degree of difficulty gets ratcheted up to about a 9.9? Psalm 119, verses 20 to 24: My soul is consumed with longing for your ordinances at all times. You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments; take away from me their scorn and their contempt, for I have kept your decrees. Even though princes sit plotting against me, your servant will meditate on your statutes. Your decrees are my delight, they are my counsellors. That's amazing, because the man writing this Psalm, the man speaking to God here, is under a lot of pressure. But he's taken a stand. He's made a decision that he will long for God's will, God's Word, God's ways, when? Just in the good times? No! At all times! Even when evil people are heaping scorn and contempt on him, even when princes are plotting against him. That's a tough decision, but it's the right one. Many centuries later, the Apostle Paul put it this way. Galatians chapter 6, verse 9: So let us not grow weary in doing what is right, for we will reap at harvest time, if we do not give up. The time when God's Word is most important, when God's wisdom is most important, when God's ways are most important, is when the going gets tough. Right in that moment when we want to give up honouring God by living His way, right in that instant, that's when obedience to God's Word is most important. Because in that moment, the enemy wants to snatch your inheritance away from you. But don't give up, because there's a harvest coming. When? Well, at harvest time of course! The trick, I guess, the piece of wisdom, the powerful Word that God wants us to hear today though, is don't give up in doing what is right. Don't give up honouring and obeying God. But that's not always going to be easy is it? One of the things I love about the Hebrew culture in which the Psalms of the Old Testament were written, is the powerful use of picture language to express deep emotions. The Jewish tradition is full of rich, evocative picture language, like Psalm 119, verses 25 and 26: My soul clings to the dust; revive me according to your word. When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes. Just drink that picture in for a moment: my soul clings to the dust. It speaks of complete and utter desolation. It speaks of burdens so heavy, a body so weary, that it's lying in the dust, barely able to move. Not even able to lift its head to look up at God. When you're in that place, it feels hopeless. It feels lonely. It feels as though you're the only one who's ever been there, and nobody else understands. My soul clings to the dust. It's a picture that we all get. It's a picture that speaks into the desolation that we've all felt. Perhaps you're in that place right now, where your soul is sucking in the dust, with nothing else to cling to. It's the place where we want to give up, because we don't have a single ounce of energy left in us. Yeah, we've all been there. So, what do you do? What does the Psalmist do? What does he have to say to God? God, revive me according to your word. When I told of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes. The first part of that makes a lot of sense – God revive me. The obvious thing to do, the obvious place to turn, the obvious cry for help … although how often do we miss the obvious? The question is, how does God bring that revival to an exhausted and completely depleted soul? Well, the psalmist knows! Revive me according to your word. When I told you of my ways, you answered me; teach me your statutes. You see, when we're in that desolate, dusty place, we need a way back. A real, tangible way back. And that way is through the Word of God. It's through God speaking to us. God's Word is food for the starving soul. God's Word is living water for a parched soul. But how often do we miss the obvious? I've seen Christians from time to time praying for revival. But revival begins at home. There will be no revival unless and until the living water, the Spirit of God, overflows from His people. You and I need revival in our hearts. You and I need to be filled to overflowing with the revelation of God through His Word, the joy of God, the healing of God, the Spirit of God. Revival begins at home! Lord revive me, according to your word. God's Word is a powerful thing, because not only does it bring revival to our hearts, not only does God breathe His Sprit into us through His Word, not only does God deliver His new life for us through His Word, but His Word also brings understanding. And understanding is wisdom. Have you ever found yourself in a situation where you don't understand what's going on – either around you, or in you, or both? Sure you have, so have I. I mean, sometimes we don't even understand ourselves, let alone our circumstances, or the way other people behave and think. And the absence of that understanding, that wisdom if you will, makes life a difficult thing to live. Understanding as it turns out, is the key to living life. Psalm 119, verses 27 to 32: Lord, make me understand the way of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word. Put false ways far from me; and graciously teach me your law. I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I set your ordinances before me. I cling to your decrees, O Lord; let me not be put to shame. I run the way of your commandments, for you enlarge my understanding. Understanding is mentioned twice in that passage, once at the beginning and once at the end. Again we see that the Psalmist is going through difficult times – my soul melts away for sorrow – and yet the thing that he asks for is understanding. That in itself is surprising enough. We spend our time asking God to take away the pain when our souls are melting away through sorrow, but the Psalmist is asking instead, for understanding. But understanding of what? Of the ways of God's precepts. In other words: Okay God, Your Word, Your precepts, they're all fine, that's a given. But now, God, I want to understand the ways of your precepts. I want to understand how the rubber hits the road. I want to understand how I can live them out, because I want your strength, I want to put false hope far from me, so teach me. I'll cling to your Word, because I know that as I live it out, You are going to enlarge my understanding. What a powerful prayer. It's a prayer for on-the-job training. You imagine asking God for that, over and over again … imagine the understanding, the wisdom, the power that God is going to unleash in your life. Just imagine! Here's the thing: God wants to do powerful things in you and through you, He just does. And He's put His Word there, the Bible, through which to give you, all the understanding you need. Make me understand the ways of your precepts, and I will meditate on your wondrous works. Wow!   A Heart for God's Word If I were to ask you today, what is the one thing that you're focussing on at the moment, what would that be? What's the biggest thing going on in your heart at the moment? The truth is, that from time to time the things of this earth grab our attention. Some of those things are good things. Some of those things are bad things. In a few months' time my daughter is going to be getting married. Well, you can imagine, that's pretty much the focus of things in our household at the moment. There's nothing wrong with any of that, unless and until the things of this world bubble to the top of our priority list, above God Himself. When that happens, our lives have a way of going pear-shaped. All of a sudden, when we get our priorities the wrong way around, we start to live out the consequences of that. So let me come back to that question: what is your heart focussed on at the moment? What's at the top of your list, hmm? Psalm 119 verses 35 and 36: Lead me in the path of your commandments, for I delight in it. Turn my heart to your decrees, and not to selfish gain. This Psalm is written by a man who is speaking to God. So, when he says: lead me in the path of your commandments and turn my heart to your decrees, He's asking God to do those two things for Him. Psalm 119 blows me away. It's the longest chapter in the Bible – 176 verses all-in-all. And the majority of it is a prayer, asking God essentially to help this man who is writing it, to get his life straight, by getting God's Word into his heart. That's the bottom line of the whole Psalm. God I can't do it on my own, I need your help. That's a great admission, because it happens to be true. And here in verses 35 and 36, the Psalmist is asking God to turn his heart to God's decrees rather than to his own selfish gain. That's the pivot point in our hearts isn't it? Our whole lives swing on this hinge between honouring God and selfish gain. Between right and wrong. And that's why I keep asking you: what's the focus of your heart right at the moment? Where is your heart? Focussed on honouring God or on selfish gain? The answer matters. It matters a lot. There is such power in the Word of God to set you free from your selfishness. Why is it that people leave their Bibles on a shelf somewhere gathering dust? God has the power to set you free. Free from the consequences of sin. All you need to do is to ask Him for His help and He will step in. And here's the thing about God's help. It's intensely practical. Intensely real. In our lives on this earth, you and I, we're prone to trusting things that we can see. It's only natural. We live in a physical world, so we trust in physical things. We know, for instance, that tonight the sun will set, and in the morning it will rise again. We trust in relationships. We trust in our circumstances, good or bad. We trust in our pay packets and our bank balances. And to a point that's as it should be … to a point. Up until the point where we trust in those things above and beyond who God is and what He says He will do. At that point, you've started trusting your life into things that are not worthy of that level of trust. If you have a share-portfolio that's worth a certain amount of money, hey, the market could plummet tomorrow. The same is true of every other physical thing on this earth – they can give way ... in an instant. And so often, we're caught out, because we've place our trust in the wrong things. That's why we need God's help, His intensely practical help, to get our hearts focussed on the right things. Psalm 119, verses 37 to 40: Turn my eyes from looking at vanities; give me life in your ways. Confirm to your servant your promise, which is for those who fear you. Turn away the disgrace that I dread, for your ordinances are good. See, I have longed for your precepts; in your righteousness give me life. So here the Psalmist is asking God to turn his eyes away from all those vanities, all those false idols in which we place our trust. What idols as you trusting in at the moment? In what vanities have you placed your trust? Hmm? Father God turn my eyes from looking at those vanities and give me life in your ways, literally, give me living energy to pursue the way marked out by You O God. That's it! That's what I need, that's what you need. Living energy. Holy Spirit energy, to head God's way, to trust God to lead us forward, rather than placing our hope in false idols. Friend, God's promises are true. Those false idols, ultimately are going to lead you to disgrace. But God's promises will never fail. God I've seen that your ways are good. I long for your ways. Lead me in them. Give me life. What a great prayer. What a powerful way to change your heart. Try as we might, we cannot change our own hearts for ourselves. But God's living energy, the power of His Word, the power of His Spirit – that's where we get a change of heart. That's where we get a change of focus. God doesn't want you to continue trusting in idols, dreading the disgrace that they will ultimately bring. He wants to shift your focus, transform your heart, with His living energy. Because when we walk in God's ways, then all of a sudden we discover what freedom really is. It pains me to tell you this, but for the first thirty-six years of my life, I thought I was free. Free to live my life the way I wanted. But now, looking back on that time before I accepted Jesus into my heart, I realise that I was nothing but a captive. The best way to describe it, is that I looked successful and happy on the outside, but on the inside, I was plagued by fear and doubt. On the inside, I was a complete mess. That's because I was a captive rather than living as a free man. That's because the expectations of this world dominated my heart. Again, the Psalmist puts it like this, Psalm 119 verses 41 to 46: Let your steadfast love come to me, O Lord, your salvation according to your promise. Then I shall have an answer for those who taunt me, for I trust in your word. Do not take the word of truth utterly out of my mouth, for my hope is in your ordinances. I will keep your law continually, forever and ever. I shall walk in liberty, for I have sought your precepts. I will also speak of your decrees before kings, and shall not be put to shame. I really get that bit about having an answer for those who taunt me. The criticism, the mockery of others, used to be like arrows into my heart. Let me ask you, to what extent are you marching to the beat of the world's drum? To what extent are you dancing to the tunes of the expectations of others? And when you can't meet those expectations, people criticise you, people reject you, they throw you out like a worthless piece of trash. We spend way too much time and energy striving, sacrificing, performing in order receive the approval of others, only to fail, only to miss the mark, only to discover that it's a pursuit that's hollow and empty and simply not worth the effort. But the more we get into God's Word, the more we discover the steadfast love that God has for us, the more we get to know God's Word and trust God's Word, the less those things matter. And the less those things matter, the more we discover the freedom that we have in Jesus Christ. I shall walk in liberty for I have sought your precepts! Yes! Hallelujah! Absolutely! Freedom. God's freedom. There is such freedom when we get it into our hearts that we're meant to live our lives for an audience of One. That's what God has ready and waiting for you. True freedom in His ways, in His precepts, in His Word. Jesus said: If you continue in my word, you are truly my disciples; and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.   Jesus is the Way It's rather an odd thing, but one of the names that Jesus is given in the Bible, is that He is the "Word of God". Now we normally use that term ‘the Word of God' for the Bible itself, because, after all, it's through the Bible that God speaks His words into our lives. Fair enough. But have you ever thought how powerfully God speaks to us through Jesus Himself, the very Son of God ... God in the flesh? This is how the Apostle John puts it. John chapter 1, verses 1 to 5: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in  the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it. We all travel through dark times, we just do. And in those dark times, what we need is light. Jesus came to be that light. This is what He said of Himself – John chapter 8, verse 12: I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness but will have the light of life. Jesus is God speaking to us in a language that we can understand. And that's why in my own personal reading of the Bible, I always make sure that from time to time, I cycle through one of the Gospels. Right now I'm just about to finish the book of Psalms and head into Matthew's Gospel. Why? Because Jesus is God revealing Himself to us – to you, to me. And I don't know about you, but I need that Light in my life. I need Jesus speaking directly into my life. I need a deep, personal, intimate relationship with Jesus, as I walk with Him and for Him, day by day. Without Jesus, we don't know God, indeed, we cannot know God. Without Jesus we can't find the way to God, because Jesus is the Way. Might I ask you today, what darkness do you have going on in your life? What fears, what uncertainties, what worries are at the forefront of your thinking right at this moment? What situations are confusing you and confounding you and proving completely impossible for you to overcome? Jesus is the answer. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. All things that were created, were created through Him and by Him. He has knowledge and wisdom and power beyond anything we can imagine. And He is the light for all people. That includes you. And when that light, His light, the Light of the world shines in your life, the darkness simply cannot overcome it. Jesus is the answer.

In today's episode, Team BFF Coach Peggie Larsen joins us for a candid conversation about the transformative events that impact our sense of self and body image. Peggie shares her young struggles with dieting and a negative body image, overcoming an eating disorder, and how she transformed these challenges into a passion for helping others achieve their health and fitness goals.We explore the impact of social media on our self confidence for both women and men, and even discuss a few of our own long-held beliefs that we've been systematically challenging over the past few years, and what we have learned from the experience. We discuss the critical role of self-respect in your health and fitness endeavors, and chat about the impact of alcohol overconsumption on your mindset and your goals.And so much more…“It just took a lot of time to get through all the bullshit. But coming out on the other end, it's so satisfying and it feels so much better than the other crap.”- Peggie Larsen“You might think you don't have willpower but you have permission power.”- Peggie LarsenThis week on Here's the Deal:Peggie's journey through her early love for gymnastics and strength, overcoming an eating disorder, and eventually becoming a nutrition and mindset coach, trainer, and spin instructorThe impact of social media and diet culture on self-image and behaviorThe role of self-respect in achieving lasting change and personal growthThe concept of "permission power" as a tool for personal empowermentHow curiosity about limiting beliefs can lead to transformative changeThe pervasive impact of alcohol and the benefits of taking a break to reassess its role in one's lifeConnect with Coach Peggie Larsen:Coach Peggie Larsen on InstagramCoach Peggie Larsen, Team BFFCoach Peggie Larsen's Blog, Live Your Life with PurposeThanks for tuning in to this week's episode of Here's the Deal: Fitness, Nutrition, and Mindset for People Who Don't Want Life to Suck, where we challenge the common understanding of what it means and what it takes to be fit and healthy! If you enjoyed this episode, don't forget to subscribe and leave a review wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts.Apple Podcasts | SpotifyBe sure to share your favorite episodes on social media and tag us!Join Iris Deadlifts on Instagram, Meri on Instagram, and Amy Rudolph on Instagram.

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The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: First Peter 1: 18-25 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 147: 12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Alleluia: Mark 10: 45 Gospel: Mark 10: 32-45 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

The St. Paul Center's daily scripture reflections from the Mass for Wednesday of the Eighth Week in Ordinary Time by Dr. John Bergsma. Ordinary Weekday First Reading: First Peter 1: 18-25 Responsorial Psalm: Psalms 147: 12-13, 14-15, 19-20 Alleluia: Mark 10: 45 Gospel: Mark 10: 32-45 Learn more about the Mass at www.stpaulcenter.com

Update: Looks like I uploaded the wrong file. If your episode is the Red Alert episode please delete and re-download, should be fixed now. Support us on Patreon for higher bitrate downloads and bonus episodes. This week we're going to monkey around with Treyt who wanted to talk about the Gamecube Monkey Ball games. Intensely frustrating (to me) games that nonetheless have some great music from some SEGA stalwarts full of lush breakbeats, JSR style funk and disco, and Sonic Adventure guitars. Join our Discord! Links of Note: Treyt's Twitter Treyt's Youtube Channel VGATWTOE Existential Warfare Linktree Reese's Bluesky Reese's Twitter Tom's Mastodon Tom's Bluesky Email: crtpodsystem [@] gmail CRT Artwork by JuiceZombie 00:00:00 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Ei - Ei - Poo! (Super Monkey Ball) 00:01:01 Talk 01 00:13:39 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Jungle (Super Monkey Ball) 00:15:57 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Underwater (Super Monkey Ball) 00:18:23 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Sky High (Super Monkey Ball) 00:20:40 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Storm (Super Monkey Ball) 00:23:39 Talk 02 00:32:01 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Extra Stage (Super Monkey Ball) 00:35:09 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Monkey Bowling (Super Monkey Ball) 00:37:26 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Monkey Fight (Super Monkey Ball) 00:40:03 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Monkey Golf (Super Monkey Ball) 00:42:46 Talk 03 00:56:21 Hidenori Shoji - World 2 - Volcano (Super Monkey Ball 2) 00:58:42 Ryuji Iuchi - World 7 - Bubbly Washing Machine (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:00:57 Ryuji Iuchi - World 5 - Amusement Park (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:03:13 Hidenori Shoji - World 10 - Dr. Bad Boon's Base (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:06:31 Talk 04 01:16:02 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Ryuji Iuchi - Monkey Race 2 - Advanced Track (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:19:36 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Ryuji Iuchi - Monkey Soccer (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:22:00 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Ryuji Iuchi - Monkey Bowling 2 (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:25:18 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Ryuji Iuchi - Monkey Billiards 2 (Super Monkey Ball 2) 01:27:52 Talk 05 01:34:45 Hidenori Shoji; Haruyoshi Tomita; Sakae Osumi - Master (Super Monkey Ball)

Intensely interested in the human experience, Jim guides individuals and organizations through transitions while stepping more fully into their lives. He's keen to help entrepreneurs and start-up organizations discover their own authentic expression of leadership and the meaningful contributions that come from it. Jim has extensive cross-cultural experience and has worked in settings around the globe, including roughly 5 years in Italy helping to launch a business within Hewlett Packard. As a speaker and workshop facilitator, he is engaging on topics of leadership, innovation, design thinking, and transformative change and has presented and led experiences in a variety of gatherings and venues including MIT, Yale University, Michigan State University, Berkeley's Haas School of Business and a variety of community and professional settings.   Jim is a former core member of the  Presencing Institute, born from MIT's Center for Organizational Learning and offering training and assistance in the application of Theory U – a methodology of transformative change. Along with coaching and leading team leadership and organizational development initiatives, Jim is also a wilderness guide. For almost 20 years, Jim has been guiding programs in the wilderness that support human development and informing a very personal approach to living one's authentic and fulfilling life. Now offered as the Reboot Quest, this program is a western contemporary approach following common structures of a “vision quest” experience and is annually offered and open to members of the startup community. Jim is a husband, a dad to two wonderful daughters, under service to and providing plenty of love and outdoor time to his dog, Otis, and to a bird, Saphie, who thinks he's a dog and adores Otis.   Additionally, I'll be donating to and raising awareness for the charity or organization of my guest's choice with each episode now. This episode, the organization is called the Humane Society of Boulder Valley. Any and all donations make a difference! You can connect with Jim on: Website: https://www.reboot.io/team/jim-marsden/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leanin/ The Journey of Transformation Essay: https://onbeing.org/blog/the-journey-of-transformation/ To connect with me: Interested in working with me as your coach? Book a complimentary 15 minute call here. https://calendly.com/mike-trugman/15min LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-trugman-37863246/ Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/mytrugofchoice/?hl=en   Website - https://miketrugmancoaching.com/ YouTube - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCUPyP3vEWc-oDlGASe2XIUg Please leave a review for this podcast on Apple Podcasts! - https://podcasts.apple.com/vg/podcast/mike-s-search-for-meaning/id1593087650?utm_source=Mike+Trugman&utm_campaign=dcbd0b11b0-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2022_03_08_12_14&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_33d78ffe68-dcbd0b11b0-510678693   Resources/People Mentioned: Episode 99 of Mike's Search for Meaning with Jen Cody William Bridges Adrienne Rich Simon Sinek David Whyte Mary Oliver

Guests: Amanda Carpenter, David Jolly, Catherine Christian, Charles Coleman, Sen. Chris Van Hollen, David Wallace WellsA stunning rebuke from Trump's first running mate as the current Veepstakes goes dental. Tonight: the unbelievable importance of Trump's running mate. Then, the delay in Trump's New York criminal trial becomes official. And why the White House is now openly calling for the MAGA Congress to give up on impeachment.   

A new Journal of Marketing study explores the complex trade-offs involved when manufacturers of national brands supply private labels to retailers, a practice known as "dual branding." Read an in-depth recap of this research here: https://www.ama.org/2023/11/07/should-national-brand-manufacturers-enter-the-intensely-competitive-private-label-business/ Read the full Journal of Marketing article here: https://doi.org/10.1177/00222429231196575 Reference: Yu Ma, Kusum L. Ailawadi, Mercedes Martos-Partal, and Óscar González-Benito, “Dual Branding by National Brand Manufacturers: Drivers and Outcomes,” Journal of Marketing. Narrator: Adalgisa Butkewitsch Acknowledgments: Sushma Kambagowni Topics: dual branding, b2b, private labels, marketing management The JM Buzz Podcast is a production of the American Marketing Association's Journal of Marketing and is produced by ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠University FM

Eric is Intensely probing by leading in leadership on News Radio KKOBSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of delving into the intricate art of crisis negotiation communication techniques with expert guest Scott Tillema. We explored the profound impact of nonverbal cues, attentive listening, and understanding human behavior in high-stakes situations. From hostage negotiations to everyday business conversations, we uncovered invaluable insights that can be applied to enhance our communication, build trust, and achieve favorable outcomes. Join me in unlocking the secrets to effective communication and negotiation in both personal and professional relationships in this compelling episode.Timestamps: (00:00) Understanding emotions and communication in personal crises.(07:05) Being aware of pressure and self-awareness.(15:41) Challenge fairness, question acceptability, explore empathy's impact.(19:50) Seeking validation and recognition for personal achievements.(25:55) Hope for space travel and mutual respect.(30:56) Ensuring sobriety before signing a legal document.(35:15) Teaching FBI classes, emphasizing active listening importance.(38:39) Intensely listening for hidden, unsolicited value.(43:50) Visual vs. auditory impact on communication skills.(49:47) Recognizing emotional vulnerability to foster effective communication.(57:56) Person finds joy in messing with mind-reading.(01:00:57) Recognize manipulation, create safety, speak in plurals.Links and Resources:Scott Tillema | Negotiation training & Keynote speaker | United StatesScott Tillema | LinkedInHome | Negotiations CollectiveSponsor Links:Humintell: Body Language - Reading People - HumintellEnter Code INQUASIVE25 for 25% discount on your online training purchase.Emotional Intelligence Magazine: HOME | Emotional Intelligence MagazineInternational Association of Interviewers: Home (certifiedinterviewer.com)http://www.inquasive.com/Podcast Production Services by EveryWord Media

These are ten mindsets that can radically transform your life if you make the decision to adopt them. So get ready to expand your potential and uncover a new powerful way of thinking that positively moves you forward.  About the host: For over a decade, Sean DeLaney has masterfully navigated the territories of peak performance, innovative entrepreneurship, and impactful personal development. Transitioning from a career as a professional lacrosse player, Sean now shines as a top-tier executive life coach, celebrated author and the driving force of the What Got You There Podcast. Through his coaching, Sean has catalyzed the growth and success of a myriad of CEOs, executives, and athletes.  Sean is also the author of, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted and Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted. If you're interested in potentially having Sean coach you, send an email to info@whatgotyouthere.com  Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read.” – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram

Today episode is the first installment of my new Classics Series where I share some of the most thought provoking and mind expanding episodes from the past 7 years. This episode is one of our most downloaded episode with Jesse Itzler and it originally aired back in 2019.  Jesse Itzler is someone who absolutely attacks life and wants to get the most out of it. We dive into how he's trying to build his life resume, how to deal with pressure and push yourself further and how he approaches designing his life.  He is the author of the New York Times bestseller, Living with a Seal, cofounded Marquis Jet, the world's largest private jet card company which he and his partner sold to Berkshire Hathaway/NetJets.  Jesse then partnered with Zico coconut water, which he and his partner sold to The Coca-Cola Company. He's a former rapper on MTV and wrote and performed the NBA's Emmy Award-winning "I Love This Game" music campaign and the popular New York Knicks anthem "Go NY Go." When he's not running ultra-marathons, eating vegan food or being a dad to his four kids, Jesse can be found at the NBA's Atlanta Hawks games, where he's an owner of the team.  He is married to Spanx founder Sara Blakely.   Checkout my books, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted & Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted!  Order HERE Find out more – MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read.” – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

In this special year-end episode, I take a moment to reflect on the most significant moments and ideas that shaped 2023. Join me as I share some of the developments set to unfold in 2024. I'll also walk you through my personal end-of-year review process, a ritual that has helped me grow and stay aligned with my goals. Plus, as a thank you to our loyal listeners, I'll be answering some of the intriguing questions you've sent our way. And don't miss the end of the episode where I'll share one of the most popular chapters from my book, "Masterpiece In Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted." This episode is packed with insights, reflections, and inspirations to gear you up for a fantastic new year! My Annual Review- https://whatgotyouthere.com/year-end-review/ My Books - Masterpiece In Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted & Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted!  Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read.” – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

Tom Morris is one of the world's top public philosophers and pioneering business thinkers who focuses on ideas that have stood the test of time. He's the author of over 30 groundbreaking books and is a legendary speaker whose electrifying talks reengage people around their deepest values and reignite their passion for work and life. He was also an award winning professor at North Dame. In this episode, we delve into Tom's unique perspective on success, the importance of a love for ideas and people, and how these passions fueled his transition from an academic philosopher to a public philosopher. Tom shares his insights on the seven C's of success, the role of philosophy in everyday life, and the transformative power of facing and embracing our fears and failures. His remarkable journey from the classrooms of Notre Dame to the beaches of North Carolina as an independent philosopher offers valuable lessons on living a purpose-driven life. Don't miss this episode where philosophy meets real-world applications in the pursuit of true success.   Checkout my books, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted & Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted are out now! Order HERE Find out more – MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read.” – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

My new and second book, Insights of the Ages: Quotes for a Life Well Crafted, is officially out now! Order your copy HERE Or go to www.WhatGotYouThere.com Over the past 10+ years, I've been on a journey of collecting and sharing wisdom. This book is a culmination of that journey - a carefully curated collection of quotes that have inspired me and many others in overcoming adversity, building confidence, finding more fulfillment and navigating the intricacies of our complex lives. Here's what you can expect when reading: Timeless wisdom from a diverse range of philosophers, leaders, and visionaries. Ralph Waldo Emerson, Lao Tzu, Goethe, Shakespeare, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others!  Thought-provoking insights on overcoming adversity, cultivating resilience, embracing change and much more. 98 different topics and 1,000+ quotes! Whether you're looking for a source of daily inspiration or a beacon during challenging times, Insights of the Ages is for you. It's perfect for your morning routine, a coffee table, or that quiet evening of reflection.

Episode Video + Transcript Tom Morgan is known as the 'most interesting man in finance' and Director at Sapient Capital!  His widely acclaimed weekly newsletter has captured the attention of Wall Street's finest minds. Tom, who describes his role as a "curiosity sherpa for billionaires," shares his insights on the transformative power of curiosity in personal and professional spheres and how to follow your bliss in a data-driven world. On this episode we explore - why the real superpower is living a life where what's blissful for you and beneficial for the world gradually becomes the same thing. How your most painful moments in life can lead to your greatest insights.  And why Tom thinks when of the biggest problems we face is not having a space for people in mid-life to make successful transitions to the next stage of life. My new book, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted, is out now! Order HERE Find out more – MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

On this episode, Sean and Chris sit down with Top Gun fighter pilot turned thriller author, Jack Stewart to discuss his debut novel, UKNOWN RIDER. SYNOPSIS: After a Navy pilot inexplicably loses control of his stealth fighter, he stumbles upon a global conspiracy, and embarks on a thrilling chase filled with espionage and betrayal. TOP GUN instructor Colt Bancroft has just catapulted off the USS Abraham Lincoln, his F-35C Joint Strike Fighter trailing blue and yellow flame as he climbs into the night sky off the California coast. When he is sent to investigate a series of mysterious lights floating dangerously close to his aircraft carrier, disaster strikes. His jet becomes unresponsive as it rolls inverted and enters a nosedive aimed right at the aircraft carrier's unsuspecting escort cruiser… What follows is a tale of heroism and betrayal, spycraft and suspense, and aerial combat against an unexpected adversary. To clear his name and unmask a traitor, Colt must survive a dangerous game of spy-vs-spy, where trusting the wrong person could cost him his life. To stop the enemy from hitting their ultimate target, Colt must use every ounce of his skill and training…and uncover the identity of the UNKNOWN RIDER. PRIASE FOR JACK STEWART & UKNOWN RIDER: “Jack Stewart brings years of experience as a Top Gun fighter pilot to Unknown Rider - a high-octane and adrenaline powered thriller... Strap in and hold on!” —Jack Carr, former Navy SEAL Sniper and #1 New York Times bestselling author of the James Reece Terminal List series.  "Unknown Rider is a stunning military thriller strongly evocative of classic Clancy and Dale Brown. Intensely paced and skillfully plotted." —Mark Greaney, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Gray Man  "Jack Stewart's been there-done that writing catapults readers through Unknown Rider from page one. Colt is a unique combination of Jack Ryan and Pete Mitchell, from espionage to dogfights…this is a Mach 5 debut." —Brad Taylor, Retired Special Forces officer and New York Times bestselling author of the Pike Logan series ABOUT JACK: Jack Stewart grew up in Seattle, Washington and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy before serving twenty-three years as a fighter pilot. During that time, he flew combat missions from three different aircraft carriers and deployed to Afghanistan as a member of an Air Force Tactical Air Control Party. His last deployment was with a joint special operations counter-terrorism task force in Africa. Jack is a graduate of the U.S. Navy Fighter Weapons School (TOPGUN) and holds a Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego. He is an airline pilot and has appeared as a military and commercial aviation expert on international cable news. He lives in Dallas, Texas with his wife and three children. You can learn more about Jack by visiting: https://jackstewartbooks.com/ You can purchase UKNOWN RIDER: https://jackstewartbooks.com/books/unknown-rider/ _________________________________________________________________ Don't forget to subscribe to The Crew Reviews, hit the "like" button, and leave a comment or a review. And if you want to learn more about the guys from The Crew or see additional author interviews, visit us at http://www.TheCrewReviews.com Follow us on social media: Twitter | @CREWbookreviews Instagram | @thecrewreviews Facebook | @thecrewreviews #JackStewart #UnknownRider #TheCrewReviews  

Today's episode is with Sanjay Ayer, Portfolio Manager at WCM Investment Management! This is an in-depth exploration of the intersections between investing, self-discovery, and cognitive mastery. Sanjay, recognized for his unique approach to investing and team dynamics, delves into how his profession has become a powerful tool for understanding personal biases, strengths, and areas for growth. Discover the power of strategic optimism and how embracing cognitive dissonance can transform your decision-making process. Sanjay shares his journey of overcoming mental barriers and the importance of introspection in both personal and professional life. He introduces us to the concept of “creative laziness,” an innovative approach to questioning assumptions and finding efficient solutions. We also get an insider look into how Sanjay fosters a culture of continuous improvement at WCM, balancing the drive for perfection with practical "guardrails." This episode is a deep dive into the art of active curiosity versus passive learning, the power of counterfactual thinking, and the crucial elements Sanjay looks for in building a resilient, forward-thinking team. Join us for a conversation that not only sheds light on the intricacies of the financial world but also offers valuable lessons on personal development and team dynamics. Whether you're a professional in the finance sector or someone passionate about self-improvement and strategic thinking, this episode with Sanjay Ayer is sure to provide you with insights to reflect on and apply in various aspects of your life and work. My new book, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted, is out now! Order HERE Find out more - MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: "Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life." - Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up "The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read." - Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils "Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles."— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor "Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended." - Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs "In Masterpiece in Progress, Sean DeLaney invites us to become the architects of our own lives. Reading it is like undergoing a transformation, and it offers sustainable inspiration. Sean's words resonate deeply, urging one to craft a life that is your masterpiece." - Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan and author of bestseller The Source. "Sean masterfully weaves personal stories, evidenced back solutions, and practical application so well that you're sure to get better if you put in the work to implement all that he's teaching you. Read this book and then take action. You'll be better for it." - Ryan Hawk, Host of The Learning Leader Show, Author of Welcome to Management and The Pursuit of Excellence "Sean DeLaney's Masterpiece in Progress is a playbook for life. Dive in, train hard, and see results." - Monica Seles, former World No. 1 Tennis Player and Nine-Time Grand Slam Champion Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

The first line is what pulls us into an article. Yet we end up writing a really boring first line. What's worse is that you could use the power of story to create an intensely powerful first line in minutes. Don't believe me? Well, do you have 10 minutes?

Prepare to elevate your performance with Dr. Michael Gervais, a revered high-performance psychologist who has become the go-to expert for top achievers in various fields seeking to surpass the boundaries of potential. Dr. Gervais brings his wealth of experience to our conversation, providing insights into the invisible boundaries that hold us back. In this episode, we dive into his latest work, "The First Rule of Mastery: Stop Worrying What People Think of You," exploring the foundational principles that allow the elite to thrive under pressure. Dr. Gervais shares actionable strategies to shift your focus inward, cultivate resilience, and silence the external noise that often hinders greatness. Whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, artist, or simply someone who aspires to break through personal limits, this discussion will guide you toward mastering your mind and ultimately your craft. My new book, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted, is out now! Order HERE Find out more - MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: "Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life." - Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up "The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read." - Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils "Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles."— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor "Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended." - Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs "In Masterpiece in Progress, Sean DeLaney invites us to become the architects of our own lives. Reading it is like undergoing a transformation, and it offers sustainable inspiration. Sean's words resonate deeply, urging one to craft a life that is your masterpiece." - Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan and author of bestseller The Source. "Sean masterfully weaves personal stories, evidenced back solutions, and practical application so well that you're sure to get better if you put in the work to implement all that he's teaching you. Read this book and then take action. You'll be better for it." - Ryan Hawk, Host of The Learning Leader Show, Author of Welcome to Management and The Pursuit of Excellence "Sean DeLaney's Masterpiece in Progress is a playbook for life. Dive in, train hard, and see results." - Monica Seles, former World No. 1 Tennis Player and Nine-Time Grand Slam Champion Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram   

Brian Johnson is the Founder & CEO of HEROIC, a social training platform that Dr. Phil Stutz, subject of the Netflix documentary Stutz says, “will change your life.” I can attest that it's an awesome resource for learning wisdom and helping make progress in your life.  Brian has a new book, ARETÉ: Activate Your Heroic Potential [Blackstone Publishing]! On this episode we will discuss: How to forge antifragile confidence in yourself. The Big 3 for building a great life. And how to activate your heroic potential! Brian is an accomplished entrepreneur and philosopher with over 25 years of experience. As the Founder and CEO of Heroic, he has successfully raised over $20 million, building and selling two leading social platforms. His Heroic membership and coaching program have impacted tens of thousands globally and are research-backed to be transformative. A digital influencer, Brian's YouTube channel has 225,000+ subscribers and 20 million views, and his podcast has 16 million downloads. He was also featured in the documentary "Finding Joe" alongside Deepak Chopra and Tony Hawk. In 2021, Heroic made history by closing a $5M Reg CF equity crowdfunding as part of an $11M Seed round backed by 2,500+ Founding Investors from 75+ countries. Brian's academic work includes a self-awarded Ph.D. in Optimal Living, 600+ PhilosophersNotes, and 50+ Optimal Living 101 masterclasses.    My new book, Masterpiece in Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted, is out now! Order HERE Find out more - MasterPieceInProgressBook.com Inside the pages of Masterpiece in Progress, you'll find 365 motivational passages, one for each day of the year, carefully designed to challenge, inspire, and create personal and professional evolution in your life. But that's not all! In Masterpiece in Progress, readers will find: 365 motivational passages: Daily insights to challenge, inspire, and instigate personal and professional evolution. Timeless wisdom: Life lessons that serve as the foundational stones for a future sculpted by dreams, authenticity, and unwavering passion. Practical tools & insights: A treasure trove of strategies tailored to awaken the dormant potential that rests within every individual. Masterpiece in Progress is more than a book; it's your daily companion in the art of living magnificently. Are you ready to begin crafting your masterpiece? The journey starts now. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life. Checkout what people are saying about the book: "Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life." - Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up "The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read." - Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils "Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles."— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor "Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended." - Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs "In Masterpiece in Progress, Sean DeLaney invites us to become the architects of our own lives. Reading it is like undergoing a transformation, and it offers sustainable inspiration. Sean's words resonate deeply, urging one to craft a life that is your masterpiece." - Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan and author of bestseller The Source. "Sean masterfully weaves personal stories, evidenced back solutions, and practical application so well that you're sure to get better if you put in the work to implement all that he's teaching you. Read this book and then take action. You'll be better for it." - Ryan Hawk, Host of The Learning Leader Show, Author of Welcome to Management and The Pursuit of Excellence "Sean DeLaney's Masterpiece in Progress is a playbook for life. Dive in, train hard, and see results." - Monica Seles, former World No. 1 Tennis Player and Nine-Time Grand Slam Champion Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

My new book, Masterpiece In Progress: A Daily Guide to a Life Well Crafted, is out now! Inside the pages of Masterpiece In Progress, you'll fine 365 daily meditations, carefully designed to challenge, inspire and catalyze personal and professional evolution! This book is a reservoir of timeless wisdom- pivotal lessons designed to direct you in forging a life that aligns with your authentic passion and purpose, leading to a deeper sense of fulfillment. For those who love actionable wisdom as much as I do, this book doesn't disappoint. It's interwoven with practical tools and tips, meticulously designed to equip you in tackling life's ever-present challenges. I've poured everything I have into this book, with the aim of making it your go-to resource in the art of living a magnificent life.  Order your copy HERE Freebies: Buy 3 copies: Get 1 Kindle copy free! Buy 10 copies: Get my You Unleashed Course ($299 value) + 1 Kindle copy free! Buy 25 copies: Get a 1 hour Zoom call with me + You Unleashed Course + 3 Kindle copies free! All you have to do is place your order and send a screenshot of your order to the email address info@whatgotyouthere.com Checkout what people are saying about the book: “Intensely positive and upbeat, Sean DeLaney crafts a master class in personal development. This book is about the art of AMPing up your life.” – Frank Slootman, CEO, Snowflake and author of Amp It Up “The brilliance of Masterpiece in Progress is its ability to impact us all and in all aspects of our lives, whether you're an athlete, entrepreneur, author, aspiring executive, parent, friend, coach or mentor. Sean's insights light your path as he delves deep, providing not just inspiration but tangible tools to help you craft the life you envision. A masterclass in self-growth and a must read.” – Scott O'Neil, CEO, Merlin Entertainments and former CEO of Philadelphia 76ers and New Jersey Devils “Operating in some of the world's most challenging environments, I've seen firsthand the importance of grit, resilience, and relentless pursuit of excellence. Masterpiece in Progress embodies these principles, offering a roadmap to all who aim to conquer their personal and professional battles.”— Michael Burns, US Navy SEAL (Retired), Bronze Star Medal with Valor “Sean's beautiful, thoughtful writing reminds you what's important and calls your attention to a perspective that lifts your spirit each day. Highly recommended.” – Derek Sivers, author, sive.rs “In Masterpiece in Progress, Sean DeLaney invites us to become the architects of our own lives. Reading it is like undergoing a transformation, and it offers sustainable inspiration. Sean's words resonate deeply, urging one to craft a life that is your masterpiece.” – Dr. Tara Swart, neuroscientist, Senior Lecturer at MIT Sloan and author of bestseller The Source. “Sean masterfully weaves personal stories, evidenced back solutions, and practical application so well that you're sure to get better if you put in the work to implement all that he's teaching you. Read this book and then take action. You'll be better for it.” – Ryan Hawk, Host of The Learning Leader Show, Author of Welcome to Management and The Pursuit of Excellence “Sean DeLaney's Masterpiece in Progress is a playbook for life. Dive in, train hard, and see results.” – Monica Seles, former World No. 1 Tennis Player and Nine-Time Grand Slam Champion Subscribe to my Momentum Monday Newsletter Connect with us! Whatgotyouthere TikTok YouTube Twitter Instagram 

Chris and Rob share their thoughts on Washington Commanders players complaining to Ron Rivera about Eric Bieniemy being too intense… and Rivera turning around and going public about it later, tell us Baker Mayfield's days as a starting NFL quarterback are coming to an end and take a trip out to Shekel City for Rob's nightly bets. Plus, former NFL offensive lineman and FOX Sports Radio NFL analyst Ephraim Salaam swings by to discuss the mess in Washington, why it's so difficult to change the culture inside of an NFL locker room and much more!See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Intensely emotional episode with some of the best acting of the season. Matt and Jeff are here to feel their feels on this Knee Jerk Reaction episode for Secret Invasion Episode 4!Patreonhttps://www.patreon.com/mcucast Join The Stranded Panda Community!https://www.strandedpanda.com/Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/spchatThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/3200822/advertisement