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In this inspiring episode of Negotiating Happiness, host Adriana sits down with Megan Reed, an award-winning Confidence Coach and Best-Selling Author, who reveals how she wrote and published a best-seller in under a year. Through her signature blend of sarcastic wit and spiritual wisdom, Megan shares practical publishing strategies while tackling the mindset blocks and confidence hurdles that hold aspiring authors back, empowering listeners to transform their writing dreams into bestselling reality. Who is Megan? Megan Reed is an award-winning Confidence Coach, Best-Selling Author, Podcast Host and Reiki Master from the Midwest United States—here to help you ‘own your weird' and unleash your Main Character Energy. She's the founder of the Creating Confidence® Society—on a mission to help you discover the magic of who you truly are so you can ditch your inner critic, get out of your own way, and unapologetically achieve your wildest dreams. As a Certified Quantum Life and Success Coach, NeuroLinguistic Programming (NLP) Practitioner, Hypnotherapist, Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT) Practitioner, and Reiki Master, Megan takes a heart-centered approach to helping her clients heal subconsciously so they can release what's holding them back, overcome imposter syndrome, let go of people pleasing, and embody their most confident self... the one who goes after everything they ever wanted. She's the sarcastic, spiritual, Frankie-to-your-Grace, no-BS, self-love cheerleader you've been looking for. Don't worry if you can't tune in live - you can always catch up later on Soundcloud or other platforms. So mark your calendars and join us for an inspiring conversation! Follow me on all streaming platforms or keep up with additional posts on Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn!

I don't normally do this, but content warning, this episode talks at length about death and funerals and, while I continue to approach everything with an inappropriate degree of levity, if that's something you're not game to listen to right now, go ahead and skip the first hour of this one. Recommend me your favorite show or video game at podcast@searls.co and I will either play/watch it or lie and say I did. Thanks! Now: links and transcript: Kirkland Signature, Organic Non-Dairy Oat Beverage Die with Zero book The "Prefer tabs when opening documents" setting Aaron's puns, ranked Amazon hoped more people would quit BoldVoice Accent Oracle Cab drivers get Alzheimer's less Video Games Can't Afford to Look This Good LG announces Bachelor's Only TV Can the rich world escape its baby crisis? Why aren't we talking about the real reason male college enrollment is dropping? The Diplomat The Penguin It's in the Game Madden documentary Like a Dragon / Yakuza 7 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle Transcript: [00:00:29] It is our first new year together in this relationship. [00:00:36] Breaking Change survived season one. [00:00:39] We are now in season two. [00:00:43] I don't know what, you know, how seasons should translate to a show about nothing. [00:00:51] I like to talk about how, you know, in different stages of life, we go through different seasons, right? [00:00:58] You know, like maybe, you know, after, you know, the seasonal life when maybe you get married or you have a kid, your first kid and all the changes that kind of go with that. [00:01:08] And if you play multiplayer competitive games, you might go through different seasons. [00:01:15] You know, like if you play Diablo four or Call of Duty, you might be in a particular eight week or 12 week season. [00:01:24] Now, as you grind your battle pass, that's similar in in scale and scope to having a child or having some big life event, because it turns out none of this fucking matters. [00:01:35] Hello, welcome. [00:01:36] This is a this is your kind and friendly host, Justin Searles, son of Fred Searles, son of Fred Searles himself, son of a Fred Searles. [00:01:48] That's yeah, there were there were, I think, three Fred's before me and then my dad was like combo breaker and he named me Justin. [00:02:02] Uh, thank you for subscribing to the advertisement free version of the podcast. [00:02:08] Uh, if you, if you think that there should be an advertisement version of the podcast, feel free to write in a podcast at Searles.co and then pay me money to read about your shit. [00:02:20] And I will do that. [00:02:21] Uh, and, and, you know, I'm happy to have all the conflicts of interest in the world because, uh, if your product sucks and I use it, I can't help myself. [00:02:32] I'm just, I'm just going to say it's bad. [00:02:34] So, uh, that's a real, you know, I, I, if you can't tell, I also run the ad sales department of this journalistic outfit and, uh, that might have something to do with the total lack of, uh, corporate funding. [00:02:48] Well, anyway, this is version 28 of the program. [00:02:54] This, this, this episode's breaking change titled, do you regret it yet? [00:02:59] And that'll make sense, uh, momentarily. [00:03:03] Uh, so, um, it's a big one in a sense, you know, it's something that, uh, there's very little in life that I'm not comfortable talking about. [00:03:14] And that's because, you know, well, I'll just dive right in. [00:03:20] So, so I read it, uh, I read an article, uh, uh, some number of years ago that explained that part of the reason why foot fetishes are so common in men is like part of the brain that identifies feet. [00:03:38] And part of the brain that is like erogenous in its, you know, there's different parts of the brain. [00:03:46] They do different things, but if you got to pick which neuron cluster you lived in as a part of the brain, erogenous zone, that would be sweet. [00:03:53] That'd be a lot more fun than the, um, whatever the, the part of the brain is that gets scared easily, which, uh, because I get stressed and anxious, [00:04:04] even just talking into a microphone with zero stakes on a recording that I could stop. [00:04:08] That makes me no money. [00:04:10] I'm too nervous to remember the fear part of the amygdala. [00:04:13] There it is. [00:04:14] You see, and if it just, and, and that gets back to my point in my particular fucked up brain soup, [00:04:22] the, uh, the, uh, the part of my brain that talks out my mouth hole is right next to the part of my brain that critically reasons through things. [00:04:37] So for me, it is very difficult to process something without talking it, talking it through. [00:04:47] And the idea that something is taboo has always been really uncomfortable for me. [00:04:52] And you can just sort of see the pained look on my face as I try to hold it in like a, like a burp or something. [00:04:57] Like I, I, I got to let it out somehow. [00:05:00] And so I'm, I, you know, I'm glad, I'm glad I get to be here with you. [00:05:05] I hope you find it kind of entertaining. [00:05:06] Unfortunately, the thing to talk about first thing, as I get into the section of this to-do list, that is this podcast titled life is that the big thing that happened since the last major breaking change, uh, uh, back in version 26, which is, I, I, I understand two numbers away from 28. [00:05:30] Uh, the big thing that changed, uh, is, uh, my father, Fred, he of a, a long and proud line of Fred's, uh, he passed away, uh, uh, uh, December 15th. [00:05:45] So just, just shortly after, uh, the previous, the previous version aired and, uh, pretty much every it's January 4th today and we're still working through it. [00:05:59] Um, he had a heart attack. [00:06:02] I think that's fair to say at this point, there's no, you know, no way to be a thousand percent sure, but all the signs suggest that's what it was. [00:06:11] And, uh, you know, without getting into, uh, the, the details, my side of the story is like, I was at Epcot with my brother, Jeremy. [00:06:26] So at least we were together. [00:06:28] Um, Jeremy gets the call and, uh, you know, we were, we were in that little tequila bar, uh, hanging out with a friend of ours who works there. [00:06:40] And, uh, the tequila bar inside of the Mexican pavilion pyramid. [00:06:44] And, uh, he had just brought us out the three kind of specialty cocktails that they got going on right now. [00:06:53] Uh, which is, uh, you know, wasn't, we are in a great time. [00:06:57] It was a lot of fun. [00:06:58] And, uh, Jeremy gets the call. [00:07:00] We process a little bit. [00:07:02] We realized like, we got to get home. [00:07:04] We got to figure this shit out. [00:07:06] You know, he's, he's a, he was a former emergency responder. [00:07:09] So he's really good at, uh, at thinking through the logistical things that you have to do with a relatively cool head. [00:07:16] It, you know, he comes across as like, you know, not drill sergeanty, but somebody who's like, you know, part of being calm and collected in an urgent situation is you have to be very direct. [00:07:28] And boom, boom, boom, boom. [00:07:30] So that was as soon as he knew what was happening. [00:07:35] That's the mode he flipped on. [00:07:37] And the mode that I flipped on was intense, uh, metabolization is the best word I can think of it. [00:07:44] Cause like you have like, like, like, like the saves take four shots of liquor, right? [00:07:48] You will metabolize that at whatever speed you do, and it'll hit you really hard and maybe you'll black out and maybe you'll, uh, you're a slower burn. [00:07:56] But for me, I feel, I feel things, whether they're chemical toxicology report showing up things or emotions, I tend to feel them extremely intensely and, and, and, and, and in a relatively brief burst, you know, uh, if you ever lit in a strip of magnesium on fire, which for some reason I did several times. [00:08:19] I was in, in, in different science lab classes as a kid, it brights, it burns real bright and real hot, but not for very long. [00:08:27] So while, while Jeremy was in his, you know, we got to figure out what to do mode. [00:08:33] Uh, we got to get out of here. [00:08:35] Uh, we gotta, you gotta, you know, we gotta book the next flight to Michigan to take care of this shit. [00:08:43] I was in, I'm going to, I'm going to just take a little, I'm going to pop a little deep squat here in Epcot, uh, right outside this bar. [00:08:56] And I'm going to just allow my vision to get blurry, which it did. [00:09:04] Um, my heart to race, my stomach to turn. [00:09:08] And I just needed that, you know, you lose track of time when something big and, and, and, and, and earth shaken happens. [00:09:20] I [00:09:22] snapped out of it is, you know, it's, it's crude way. [00:09:31] Words don't, words that you use for everyday things end up getting used for big life-changing things. [00:09:40] And it makes it feel smaller. [00:09:43] So even though I'm verbally processing every time I tell the story or think through it and, and talk it out. [00:09:53] I, I, I, I kind of came to my normal Justin senses pretty quickly, uh, where normal Justin senses means, you know, back in the bar, you know, everyone's, you know, who'd heard was upset and immediately like they're in their own kind of sense of shock, even not knowing my dad. [00:10:14] And I, I was, you know, uh, comforting them immediately and, you know, just asking our host, Hey, you know, because as a, as a staff member, he, he's able to get us out of the park a little bit more expeditiously, uh, than having to go all the way out and do this big, you know, what would have felt like a 15 minute walk of shame out of a theme park. [00:10:39] And, uh, yeah, anyway, so he got us out of there, we got home, booked flight, got, went up to Michigan the next day, uh, pretty much immediately. [00:10:50] And, and, and, and, and, and kudos to my brother for, for having that serious first response. [00:10:56] Cause like my first response after asking for, Hey, get us out of here was to see those three specialty cocktails on the table and be like, well, that, that would be a waste and B I could probably use a drink. [00:11:08] And so I, you know, one of them was a sake and, uh, mezcal infusion. [00:11:13] And I was like, well, they'd already poured it. [00:11:16] So I just threw that back on, on my way out the door. [00:11:18] That was probably a good move. [00:11:21] Uh, so we got up to Michigan, right? [00:11:25] And I don't want to tell anyone else's story about how, how they work through stuff and families. [00:11:31] Everyone processes things differently. [00:11:34] Uh, uh, so I'll skip all that shit. [00:11:36] I'll just say that like pretty quickly, the service planning, like that takes over, you know, the, uh, this is the first time I've had an immediate family member pass, but pretty quickly you're like, all right, well, there is this kind of, you know, process. [00:11:53] It's like not dissimilar from wedding planning, but instead of having six months, a year, or if you're an elder millennial, like eight years to plan, you have, uh, a few days. [00:12:07] And fortunately, uh, uh, dad had just by coincidence of, of, of another, uh, person we know passing had found a funeral home that he really liked. [00:12:18] And he, he said he wanted to do that one. [00:12:20] So that, that was off the table. [00:12:21] That was, that worked out. [00:12:23] But, uh, then, you know, even, and that was helpful. [00:12:28] That was really helpful to sit down and, and, and, you know, of course you go to the funeral home, you talk to the funeral home director and super sympathetic there. [00:12:35] It takes a certain kind, right? [00:12:38] A person, you know, you gotta have the strategically placed tissue boxes all over the place and then know when to stop talking and when to hand it and when to back away. [00:12:46] And, you know, dude is an absolute champ, but he's also done this before and he knows the questions to ask. [00:12:55] And it's not to like boil it down into a questionnaire, but it, it's a questionnaire. [00:13:00] It's like, Hey, what do you want? [00:13:01] How do you got to do this? [00:13:02] You know, you're being bang, boom. [00:13:04] What? [00:13:04] And fortunately, uh, collectively we came to the table with a lot of answers to a lot of those stock questions at the ready. [00:13:15] Um, but the thing that stood out to me was, you know, there's going to be a service we're going to have to write an obituary. [00:13:22] They gave us a start and, um, a start is actually the perfect thing to give me when it, when it comes to writing, you know, if you give me a blank page, it could take me all week. [00:13:32] But if you give me something I don't like and like me not writing in a hurry would result in the thing I don't like going out, then all of a sudden I get the motivation to go and write some shit. [00:13:46] So we, we, we, we, we worked together and we cleaned up the eulogy or the, excuse me, the obituary, all these terms you only use sparingly. [00:13:55] Occasionally, uh, got the obituary out, had a tremendous response, maybe from some of you because it was up on the website. [00:14:05] Had a tremendous response from people. [00:14:07] Everyone was shocked. [00:14:08] You know, no one expected that, uh, dad had a tremendously large social network being a dentist for 45 plus years in a community of people who loved him. [00:14:20] And he was genuinely, you know, an incredibly kind and friendly guy everywhere he went. [00:14:26] Uh, so, so that was good. [00:14:29] And you re and, and it was the obituary that made me realize like, well, I, you know, I knew this intellectually, but be like, oh yeah, like next few days here are for them. [00:14:37] It's for everybody else to understand process grief. [00:14:42] And so as soon as the obituary out, I was like, all right, next eulogy time. [00:14:48] So I, uh, I approached it as soon as I knew it's a, when I know something's for me, I let it be for me. [00:14:58] I'm not, I've, I accept myself. [00:15:00] I love myself and take care of myself as best I can. [00:15:03] I don't, I'm not a martyr, right? [00:15:06] Like I don't push down my needs and interests for the sake of other people. [00:15:12] To the point of other people's viewing it as selfish sometimes. [00:15:15] And increasingly over the years, I'm viewing it as like, maybe you, maybe it's the children who are wrong. [00:15:21] Maybe this is just the way to be, because it turns out that when you take good care of yourself, you can show up for other people. [00:15:26] Well, right. [00:15:26] So anyway, I, I, as soon as I knew that like the point of the service wasn't for me, the point of the service was, uh, the other people in the room who, who, some of whom drove hours and stayed overnight in hotels to come be there. [00:15:42] It was, it was to give them something. [00:15:46] So as soon as that bit flipped in my brain, it became very easy to write a eulogy because I, I approached it like work. [00:15:56] I approached it like a conference talk or yeah, like it, I didn't actually open keynote, but I thought about it because that's how, that's how I tend to storyboard and work out conference talks. [00:16:09] And I, I thought about like, well, maybe I just do that and I just don't show the slides, you know, because I think it would be possibly inappropriate to, to have a PowerPoint presentation at your, I, at a funeral. [00:16:23] I don't know. [00:16:24] I guess I had to make one anyway. [00:16:26] We'll talk about that. [00:16:29] So anyway, writing, the eulogy took over. [00:16:31] It went smoothly. [00:16:33] It, I liked how it turned out. [00:16:35] If you subscribe to the newsletter, you'll get a copy of it. [00:16:38] So, so justin.searles.co slash newsletter. [00:16:41] It's called Searles of Wisdom, which of course, you know, me making that sound kitschy right now in this rather grave moment might sound inappropriate to, to, to shill, but you will get a copy of the eulogy. [00:16:53] I'm happy with it, how it turned out. [00:16:56] I, uh, as soon as I wrote it then, of course, and this is what I'm trying to illustrate is like everything just became task A. [00:17:03] Like, okay, task A is complete, task B, no real time in there for processing and thinking through things through. [00:17:11] Uh, so the eulogy took over, wrote it, and as soon as I'd written it, I was now task C, I gotta deliver it, you know. [00:17:21] I don't typically read a script when I speak, uh, but I had to write it all out as if it was being spoken. [00:17:32] And I had to even practice and rehearse it as if I was reading it because I knew that in an emotionally, you know, the best way that people seem to talk about this is like, it's, your emotions are close to the surface as if like any little tiny thing could just break the surface tension and, and, and spill over. [00:17:51] Right. [00:17:52] I knew that out of my control, I might, I might tear up. [00:17:56] I might cry. [00:17:57] I might need a minute. [00:18:01] While delivering this. [00:18:02] And so I, uh, I, I practiced it to be read, but I knew like, man, there's just a, there's a, I call it a 5%, 10% chance that I just have a fucking breakdown and I can't get through this thing. [00:18:18] And the anxiety in the day and a half leading up to the service worrying that I would fail as a public speaker outside the context of, you know, sure. [00:18:32] Everyone would give you a break if your dad just died. [00:18:35] Right. [00:18:35] But this is like the last thing I'm doing for him, you know, in a, in a publicly meaningful way. [00:18:40] And it's also a skill that I've spent a lot of time working on. [00:18:45] And so I wouldn't for me to fail at that by, by breaking or by even, even just failing to deliver it successfully and in a, in an impactful way would have been hard for me. [00:19:05] And it would have been something I probably would be ruminating on here. [00:19:08] We are a couple of weeks later. [00:19:10] And as a result, what happened is the same thing that happens before I give a conference talk in front of a bunch of people at a conference or whatever. [00:19:18] It's the, the, the, the, uh, stress hormone gets released, the adrenaline and the cortisol starts coming out. [00:19:26] And so the morning of the funeral, everyone else is kind of approaching it their own way. [00:19:31] And I'm like, it's game time, you know, like I, I'm dialed in my, you know, all of my instincts are about just getting through that five to seven minute speech. [00:19:47] And no emotional response before then. [00:19:50] And afterwards, to be honest, the biggest emotional response afterwards was the relief of successfully. [00:19:57] And I did successfully deliver it. [00:19:59] And, uh, and then as soon as task C of delivering it is done, then task D starts of now it's the end of a funeral service. [00:20:08] And you've got a receiving line of all these guests coming up and they, you know, they're, they're approaching the open casket and they're, they're coming to, you know, hug you, talk to you. [00:20:17] See how you are. [00:20:18] And there's a performative aspect to that, right? [00:20:22] Like you gotta be like, all right, who's ready for lunch? [00:20:24] That would be inappropriate. [00:20:25] Right. [00:20:26] But the, you know, also talking about how, like, oh, I'm actually mostly focused on how I did a good job. [00:20:32] Giving this speech would separately be maybe, you know, off color, but these are the things that go through our brains in the, in these high impact moments. [00:20:43] When you just have to, when, when, whenever a situation dictates that your behavior be misaligned or the statements about oneself be at all discordant with what's really going on inside you in that literal moment. [00:21:08] And so, so I did my best, uh, of course, to make it about other people and see how they're doing and answer their questions in as, uh, productive a way as possible. [00:21:20] Right. [00:21:20] Give them answers about myself that gave them the things that they needed was my primary response all through. [00:21:29] And then, and then through that, and then task E, the wake. [00:21:32] Right. [00:21:33] And, and, uh, you do, you, you do that. [00:21:35] And then suddenly, uh, well, now you have task F after, after all that stuff of like, okay, well, we've got all this leftover food we got to take home. [00:21:42] So it's like load up the car and, and, and, and help everyone out and see everyone on their way safely. [00:21:48] And then, you know, you're exhausted and you want to just go back and, and, you know, get out of this fucking suit that barely fits. [00:21:58] Nope. [00:21:59] Task G is you got to go turn around, drive 20 minutes in the opposite direction to go back to the funeral home, to pick up all of these flowers. [00:22:05] Cause you, you tell people not to send flowers. [00:22:07] Uh, you, you say, you know, in dad's case, donate to the humane society, but people send flowers. [00:22:14] And then, you know, what do you fucking do with them? [00:22:16] Right. [00:22:17] It's like, well, here's look, if you or someone you're affiliated with sent flowers to this particular funeral, I'm deeply grateful. [00:22:25] And I had a moving moment, actually looking at all the flowers of friends of mine, people who never met dad. [00:22:31] Most of the time, a couple of our neighbors, right. [00:22:35] Who we don't really know well, but they're just really lovely people. [00:22:38] They, they did a bouquet and it was really nice. [00:22:40] You know, flowers are beautiful, but. [00:22:49] Like a cigarette can be really, really nice, but a carton can be a lot. [00:22:53] Uh, you know, a cocktail can be really nice, but drinking a whole fifth is problematic. [00:23:00] When you have so many bouquets that you can't fit them into your vehicle and also the people in the vehicle. [00:23:06] It's all it's, it, it just, it, it becomes a work. [00:23:10] Right. [00:23:11] And so that's what, you know, that's one of the ways in which having this service like this become sort of, you know, like less about the immediate family and more about the surrounding, you know, network of people that somebody knows. [00:23:24] And maybe this is all common sense and, and I should have been more conscientious of this going into the experience, but looking back on it, uh, I was just sort of like, all right, well, here's next task is figure out how to cram all these flowers. [00:23:39] And then you get home and it's like, where'd all these flowers go? [00:23:43] And so you just kind of scatter them throughout the house. [00:23:48] Uh, but they're all, you know, like they're not invasives or they're not like going to survive the long winter. [00:23:53] Like they're, they're now all on their own separate week to two week timer of themselves dying and needing to be dealt with, which is like, you know, a, let's just say an echo or a reverberation of like kind of what you're thinking about. [00:24:07] So maybe, okay, look, I don't want to spend this whole fucking podcast talking about a funeral. [00:24:15] I realize it's like maybe a bit of a downer, but you know, there's other stuff going on to like, I skipped a whole fucking half day activity. [00:24:25] Actually is wedge a task in there between B and C if you're for anyone playing the home game and keeping track of this, not that it's that complicated, uh, you got to come up with a slideshow, right? [00:24:39] So you've got the visitation before the service and we also had it the night before for anyone who couldn't make it or, you know, maybe acquaintances and whatnot, who didn't feel like going to the whole service, whatever it is. [00:24:57] You got to come up with a slideshow, which is theoretically easy these days because there's so many goddamn pictures of all of us. [00:25:04] It's theoretically easy because you have tools like, uh, shared iCloud photo libraries, uh, and shared albums, which, you know, as soon as somebody suggested a shared album, I went into my like pre canned speech. [00:25:20] And I think of, well, actually shared albums predate, you know, modern ways of sharing photos in the photos app. [00:25:25] And so whenever you put anything in a shared album, Apple compresses it pretty badly. [00:25:30] It, it downscales the resolution. [00:25:32] It also, you know, adjusts downward, the quality of the image. [00:25:39] And I got halfway through that spiel and being like, you know, this is going to go up on a 10 ADP TV in the back of a room. [00:25:45] Like it's fine. [00:25:46] That's not the issue. [00:25:47] But then the next issue is, you know, everyone goes in the people and pets and photo library, sees all the pictures of dad that aren't bad. [00:25:56] And we all dump them into the same shared library, shared photo album, which is like, like, that's no one's fault, but mine. [00:26:02] I told people just do that and I'll clear them out. [00:26:04] But then you wind up with, and it turns out, this is how that stupid fucking system works. [00:26:09] The shared photo album will treat all of those duplicates as distinct. [00:26:14] And there's, even though there's duplicate deduping now in the photos app, it does not apply to shared library, shared photo albums. [00:26:21] And on top of that, if somebody adds something to a shared photo album, they can remove it. [00:26:27] But for somebody else, like, like, let's say I added a photo of dad that Becky didn't want in there. [00:26:33] Well, Becky can't go in and remove it. [00:26:35] Only the organizer can remove it or the person who posted it. [00:26:39] So then I had to be the person going through and, like, servicing any requests people had for photos to, like, ban from the slideshow. [00:26:46] Because for whatever reason, you know, it's a sensitive time. [00:26:49] And then after it was all done, you realize the slideshow tools don't work correctly. [00:26:56] Like, just the play button and all the different options in the Mac, like, just don't work correctly in a shared album. [00:27:01] Because, of course, they don't. [00:27:02] So then you've got to copy them all. [00:27:07] You thought I was talking about feelings, but it all comes back. [00:27:11] All comes back to Apple shit. [00:27:13] So you've got to copy them all into your photo library, whoever is going to be running the slideshow. [00:27:17] Create a new slideshow project from there. [00:27:20] Dump them all in there. [00:27:22] And then realize there's no, once you've dumped shit into a slideshow project, there is no way to reorder them. [00:27:27] Short of manually drag dropping extremely slowly in a left-right horizontal scroll dingus. [00:27:34] And you've got 500 pictures or something, just fucking forget about it. [00:27:37] And on top of that, I had all these dupes. [00:27:40] Like, I had manually de-duped as best as I could before. [00:27:43] But first question I get half an hour into the visitation is like, yeah, it just seems weird. [00:27:48] Because, like, there's this one picture of me that's going to come up, like, four times. [00:27:52] I was like, I'm sorry, bud. [00:27:54] I said, oh, it's randomized or whatever, you know. [00:28:01] So after you get all of those into a photo slideshow project, and successfully, I installed amphetamine, which will keep your screen awake. [00:28:11] And you plug that into HDMI, and you know how to put a fucking Mac on a TV. [00:28:15] I don't need to tell you that. [00:28:16] After all of it was done and I got home, the two days later I realized, oh, yeah, shit. [00:28:24] Because now my photo library is full, all of the most recent photos are just shit that was copied, that was already initially in my photo library anyway. [00:28:32] And none of them are showing up in the little dupes thing, of course, because it needs days to analyze on Wi-Fi. [00:28:39] So I went to the recent imports or recently saved tab, and then I had to manually go through and delete, like, 1,400 pictures of my dad. [00:28:50] And then hope that, like, I wasn't deleting one that wasn't a dupe. [00:28:55] So I had to go through and, like, manually tease these out. [00:28:59] It took me a fucking hour and a half. [00:29:02] And, yeah, so then I deleted all those to kind of dedupe it, because I was confident I had copies of all those pictures already somewhere else in the library. [00:29:11] That could have been smoother, is the short version of this story. [00:29:16] And, of course, there's no goddamn good software that does this. [00:29:20] There are two people who have made apps that simply shuffle photos in a slideshow. [00:29:26] And they're bad apps. [00:29:27] So they look old. [00:29:28] It's like they basically had to reinvent slideshow stuff, including the software and the shuffling and the crossfades and the Ken Burns effect and the music and all the stuff that the Apple product does. [00:29:38] They had to reinvent all that just to have a shuffle button, which is what you probably want, especially if you've got a mix of scanned photos and, you know, contemporaneous photos. [00:29:50] Because there's no way you're going to make the timeline actually contiguous. [00:29:54] So instead, like, well, here's, like, a bunch of photos between, like, 2003 and 2017, because that's the digital photography era. [00:30:05] And then in 2018, when we scanned all of our photo albums, suddenly it's just all of the photo albums in random order. [00:30:12] And then you have 2019 to 2024. [00:30:15] Like, it's not a cohesive experience. [00:30:20] Now, I would say, well, you know, it's a visitation. [00:30:23] People are coming and going. [00:30:24] They go in, they visit the casket, and they spend time chatting. [00:30:28] But, like, they don't, though. [00:30:30] All the chairs are pointing at this TV, and people just sat there for more than an hour. [00:30:36] They'd watch multiple. [00:30:37] Like, I thought that having a 45-minute long slideshow, that pacing would be okay. [00:30:43] People watched it two or three times while they chatted, you know, just the state of, the lack of kinetic energy throughout the entire experience of somebody passing. [00:30:54] You know, the phrase sit Shiva from Judaism. [00:30:58] Like, I am somebody who is relatively uncomfortable just sitting around, around other people. [00:31:06] I'm happy to sit around by myself. [00:31:08] I'm doing it right now. [00:31:09] I'm actually pretty good at it. [00:31:10] Ask anybody. [00:31:11] But to not have an activity with other people, and also not to have, like, interesting conversation to have with other people, [00:31:20] to just have to be around and with other people, is really goddamn hard. [00:31:25] And I suspect I'm not the only one who feels that way. [00:31:28] Hence, everyone just staring at the slideshow and making a comment here and there. [00:31:32] So, a couple things did jump out at me about that service and about the visitation, though, that were interesting. [00:31:40] One was, Dad had mentored a couple of younger dentists in his last couple years practicing. [00:31:48] People who had intended to take over the practice. [00:31:51] That's his own long story. [00:31:52] But they were, my age or younger, probably younger, definitely younger, come to think of it. [00:31:59] Splendid people. [00:32:00] Like, super upbeat, super duper energetic, just, like, fun. [00:32:05] They forced my dad to do stuff like go fishing and get out and do things that he normally wouldn't do. [00:32:13] And they blew me away by just saying, like, you know, dad was 72. [00:32:18] He was like, this guy, most dentists, when they get older, the hands get shaky. [00:32:25] Their craft gets sloppy. [00:32:28] But your dad was, he, he, I think he said, he set the standard. [00:32:33] He was just a beast. [00:32:34] He was, and I was like, what do you mean? [00:32:36] Like, actually, I've never really talked to anyone about his craft, right? [00:32:41] Because he didn't want to talk about it. [00:32:44] He was like, his prep work and, and, and how he prepped for each procedure was meticulous and perfect every single time. [00:32:53] And his technique while doing things was, was like, like phenomenal. [00:33:00] And they went into a handful of specifics for me. [00:33:02] And that was really special to me because I, like, I, I know that about myself that I'm chasing this asymptotic goal of perfection, but I didn't have evidence that my dad was as well outside of just stuff around the house. [00:33:16] And you can say that, well, that's perfectionism and that's OCD. [00:33:19] And we both have like, you know, traits of that too. [00:33:20] But the, that was really interesting because everyone had only ever experienced my dad as a patient or somebody who's like really, really gregarious and friendly and good at comforting patients. [00:33:33] But yeah, their stories were really, really encouraging. [00:33:39] And that was, that was one where it's like, I was glad to be able to walk away from that series of experiences and learn new stuff about my dad, uh, new stuff that rounded out the story of him in my mind. [00:33:54] Uh, so I'm really thankful to those guys, uh, because they were able to dive in and baby bird for me, explain like I'm five, like the ways in which he was a great dentist, which is just a thing that like, you know, everyone. [00:34:08] How do you rate your dentist, right? [00:34:10] Well, he's good at comforting me. [00:34:12] He's good at explaining things. [00:34:13] He doesn't upsell me a lot. [00:34:15] You know, I'm not afraid when I'm in the chair with him. [00:34:17] And then afterwards things seem to go pretty well, but like, really like the, the work is a black box. [00:34:22] You can't see what's going on in your fucking mouth. [00:34:24] You're, you're conscious. [00:34:25] You know how you feel before and how you feel after, but it's, uh, that was really cool. [00:34:31] Uh, the other, uh, another dentist that worked for him earlier in, in, in, uh, his career, uh, she, she had previously lost her dad and she said, you know, she said something that felt at the time, extremely true. [00:34:47] That a funeral is like having to host the worst party ever. [00:34:51] Uh, so that just to put a cap on it, that's, uh, accurate. [00:35:00] It felt like a party because I got to see a whole lot of people, friends from college, you know, Mark Van Holstein, the president or former president, but co-founder, founder of, uh, mutually human software in Grand Rapids. [00:35:10] You had my former housemate. [00:35:11] He came out, uh, uh, other kid, uh, other friends from, from middle school, high school made the trick, trick, trick, trick, Jeff and Dan. [00:35:21] It was really great to see so many people under, you know, suboptimal circumstances. [00:35:28] And then of course the whole set of extended family where it's like weddings and funerals, huh? [00:35:33] And then like the obligatory, like, yeah, we should really figure out a way to see each other more. [00:35:37] And it's like true. [00:35:38] And no one doesn't feel that way. [00:35:40] It's just like structurally unlikely the way people's lives work. [00:35:44] Uh, and so there's a sort of, uh, uh, nihilism is definitely the wrong word. [00:35:52] There's a sort of resignation that one has about what even are weddings and funerals and why is it that there's this whole cast of characters in your life that are important or close to you and via affiliation or history in some way. [00:36:12] But that you only see at these really like, like, like, like loud life events where it's a big, the background sound is a huge gong going off that distracts from actually getting to know the people. [00:36:26] If you just, you know, picked them on a random Tuesday and went to lunch, you'd probably learn a lot about the person. [00:36:31] But if it's just in the context of like, you know, like looking at, you know, a tray of sandwiches and having to find something to say, it's all going to be sucked in by the event. [00:36:41] And that's too bad, but that's, that's life, I guess, uh, tasks, you know, H through Z day after I, I had intentionally put off any sort of like looking at stuff, like, like thinking about the logistics, uh, the finances, the legal side, the, all that stuff, life insurance, yada, yada. [00:37:06] Uh, but then, you know, it was a lot of that, right. [00:37:09] For, for the rest of our trip, we were there for, for, for 11 days. [00:37:12] I would say skipping a lot of the minutiae because I, of course, you know, when the, when the, when, when a, when a household had a household or breadwinner passes and they didn't leave instructions, like you got to go and do the forensic analysis to figure out like, what are all the, where is everything? [00:37:32] Right. [00:37:32] That's, that's what it was. [00:37:34] It's all fine. [00:37:36] But the, uh, the tech support son, which is like my, you know, uh, it's not an official designation, but, uh, you know, it's a, it's a role I've stepped into and I feel like I've grown into pretty well. [00:37:48] One of the things that jumped is, all right, so we got a couple of things going on. [00:37:54] One, my mom is in an Apple family organized to buy my dad's Apple ID. [00:37:59] Now what? [00:38:00] All the purchases have been made in general on dad's Apple ID, including their Apple one premiere subscription. [00:38:06] Okay. [00:38:07] Well, you know, next eight, you can imagine my next eight Google searches or coggy searches. [00:38:13] All right. [00:38:14] Well, how do you change head of house or organizer of a family answer? [00:38:19] You cannot. [00:38:19] Okay. [00:38:20] Well, how can I transfer the purchases from an organizer to somebody else in the family? [00:38:28] You cannot. [00:38:28] Okay. [00:38:29] Is there a process by which I can make somebody sort of like a legacy page on Facebook, a legacy [00:38:35] human Apple ID? [00:38:37] No. [00:38:39] Okay. [00:38:40] So what do I do? [00:38:41] And they're like, well, you can call Apple support and they may need a death certificate, [00:38:45] but then you can call them and then they can do some amount of stuff, but some, but you don't [00:38:52] get to know what. [00:38:52] And once you kind of go through that process, the Apple ID gets like locked out or that's a, [00:38:57] that's a risk. [00:38:58] And all the sort of, you know, contingent, other things related to that. [00:39:02] I was like, all right, well, I don't necessarily want to do that as a first resort, but I do got [00:39:09] to figure this out because having just like this extra Apple, having this whole like digital [00:39:14] twin to borrow a, an industry term, continue to be a part of a, you know, an Apple family, [00:39:22] a one password family or all this for years into years, just because the software companies [00:39:27] don't make it logistically possible to die. [00:39:30] Uh, that seems great, you know, like, like, so working through that, you know, like I, I still [00:39:38] don't quite have a solution to that. [00:39:39] I'm just going to get through a couple of billing cycles on all the other stuff first, [00:39:43] before I think too hard about it. [00:39:44] Just kidding. [00:39:45] I've thought really hard about it and I've got a 15 step, you know, uh, set of to do's, [00:39:50] but they're just gonna, I gracefully, mercifully, I mercifully punted them two weeks into the [00:39:56] future. [00:39:56] Uh, I, one of the biggest things other than the Apple family stuff was my, my dad had just [00:40:09] bought a new iPhone 16. [00:40:12] I, and he set it up and all that stuff, but my mom was on an older one, like a 12 pro or a 12 mini or a 13 mini. [00:40:19] And it didn't make sense to leave her with the old phone and the new 16, just like in a drawer, [00:40:30] it made sense to give her the new phone. [00:40:33] Right. [00:40:34] Otherwise that the other phone's old enough. [00:40:36] It's like, I'll just be back in six months or, or, or, you know, like we'll, you'll be wasting [00:40:39] money. [00:40:40] So, and that, you know, just like deleting photos of your dad because of a stupid duplication bug, [00:40:45] having to go through a whole bunch of hoops to, to migrate one phone to the other was like the [00:40:50] next challenge. [00:40:52] Cause here was why it was thorny, right? [00:40:54] If, if all of the bank accounts and multi-factor authentication against banks is almost exclusively [00:41:03] SMS, right? [00:41:04] Cause they didn't get on the bandwagon for a, a T O T P or, you know, like you scan the QR code and you [00:41:11] get an authenticator app to, to show it. [00:41:13] And because they, they certainly don't support pass keys. [00:41:16] Uh, we can't just turn off dad's cellular line until we work through all the financial stuff. [00:41:22] But at the same time, okay. [00:41:25] So like if I'm resetting dad's phone and moving mom's stuff onto dad's phone, then how do I [00:41:30] transfer, how do I get these, how do I make it so that dad's SIM doesn't just disappear? [00:41:35] Cause like last thing I want to do is have to call T-Mobile and explain, and then set up the [00:41:41] old phone from scratch and then have them like, I guess, restart the e-SIM process over the phone [00:41:46] on Christmas, you know, Christmas Eve or whatever. [00:41:51] So I, um, I came up with like a towers of Hanoi solution that I actually kind of liked. [00:41:56] What I did was I transferred dad's SIM from the 16 to mom's 13, call it. [00:42:03] So now she had two SIMs on her phone. [00:42:05] She had her primary SIM and dad's SIM, uh, e-SIM. [00:42:09] Uh, uh, and then I, oh, and the 13 or the 12, whatever has one physical and one e-SIM. [00:42:17] And she fortunately had a physical SIM in there. [00:42:19] So she was able to, to, to receive dad's old e-SIM. [00:42:22] So now the 13 of that stage has a physical, a physical nano SIM and an e-SIM. [00:42:27] And then that allowed me to go to dad's phone, back it up, of course, and all that, and then [00:42:32] wipe it. [00:42:33] Cause it had no cellular plan on it. [00:42:35] And then you set it up new, you set it up for mom. [00:42:40] And during that wizard, you know, you do the direct transfer, they're connected via, you [00:42:45] know, USB cables or whatever. [00:42:46] You set it up for mom. [00:42:49] And she has to, she, it says, Hey, you're ready to transfer your cellular plans. [00:42:56] I'm like, yes. [00:42:56] And then I, it's, I realized it's not, you click, you tap one in it and a check box goes [00:43:02] up next to that number. [00:43:03] And then you check the other one and the check box, the check mark moves. [00:43:07] It's clearly like it doesn't support actually initializing a phone with two SIMs, which means [00:43:14] now it's like, okay, so I'll move for a primary SIM first as part of this direct transfer. [00:43:20] And then the direct transfer, because her router was simultaneously and coincidentally failing, [00:43:25] the direct transfer failed because the wifi timed out. [00:43:30] And when you're in the direct transfer mode between two phones in that setting, you can't [00:43:36] like get to control center and turn off the wifi nick. [00:43:39] So then I've got these two phones that I can clearly tell are timing out in the activation [00:43:43] process while the SIM is moving. [00:43:45] And I'm like, fuck sake. [00:43:47] But it's also like a mesh router and there's three mesh access points throughout the house [00:43:52] and I don't know where they are. [00:43:53] So I, I can't just unplug them and make the SSID go away. [00:43:57] So then I would like throw on my winter coat, it's fucking freezing outside and I start marching [00:44:03] down the street until I can get to like far enough away that they both lose the wifi signal [00:44:09] so that the transfer doesn't fail. [00:44:11] So I, it took 15 houses. [00:44:14] I'm, you know, in, in, in, in, uh, uh, my winter coat, 15 houses, they finally get onto [00:44:21] five G and then the, the, the transfer starts succeeding. [00:44:23] And then I start walking back and then it's just instantly says failed. [00:44:26] So then I get back to the house, start the whole thing over again. [00:44:30] And now of course, mom's primary SIM is like trapped on the first phone or the second, the [00:44:36] new 16, but in setting it up again, it doesn't see it anymore because like it was just at that [00:44:41] perfect moment when all the e-sim juice lands in the 16 or whatever. [00:44:48] So I started the whole process over again. [00:44:50] I, I, I set it up fair and square and then I, I, uh, uh, it all went fine after a few hours. [00:44:59] And then the last thing it does is the 13 or whatever says, Hey, okay, time to delete [00:45:04] me. [00:45:04] And then it's like a, basically two taps and you've deleted the phone that just was the [00:45:08] sender or the old phone in the transfer process. [00:45:11] And I almost habitually clicked it. [00:45:13] And I was like, wait, no, that will delete the SIM, the e-sim. [00:45:16] So click, no, cancel out of that, restart the phone. [00:45:20] And then, and then you can transfer that second SIM back to the first one. [00:45:23] So like when that was just two phones, just moving to e-sims, like again, you know, note [00:45:28] to Apple, like this could probably be made easier. [00:45:31] Uh, it's just, it's edge cases like this, that all software companies are really, really bad [00:45:37] at, uh, especially ones that don't have a great track record of automated testing and stuff [00:45:43] like, so I get it. [00:45:45] I know why it happened. [00:45:47] The other thing that sucked was a dad had an Apple card and if we're not going to have [00:45:52] a phone with dad on it, you don't want, there's no other fucking way to cancel an Apple card. [00:45:57] You have to be on the phone that has the Apple card to cancel it. [00:46:01] But if there's no phone with Fred on it, like that meant I, that forced the issue. [00:46:05] Like I'm not, I'm putting off all the financial stuff, right? [00:46:07] But I had to cancel the Apple card, but I had a balance. [00:46:10] So now I've got to like pay a balance on this Apple card. [00:46:13] And of course the banking connection, he didn't like, like it expired or something. [00:46:18] So I have to go and find the banking information. [00:46:21] I log in, whatever I hit cancel. [00:46:23] And it's, you can cancel the card. [00:46:25] It wants you to pay the balance first. [00:46:27] I tried to pay the exact balance. [00:46:30] It was $218 and 17 cents. [00:46:32] I, and I tried 15 goddamn times. [00:46:35] Uh, I changed to a different bank and it said insufficient balance. [00:46:41] And I was like, does that mean like the checking accounts overdrawn? [00:46:45] So then I'm panicking. [00:46:45] It's like, so I go into the bank account. [00:46:47] I'm like, is it easy overdrawn or what? [00:46:50] Hour of, you know, me retrying and doing this only to realize that there's a fucking bug, [00:46:58] a rounding bug of sub decimal sense. [00:47:02] Because when it said $218 and 17 cents as being the balance owed, it was probably a floating [00:47:09] point under there of $218 and call it 16.51 cents. [00:47:16] Because when I tried to do $218 and 17 cents, it failed. [00:47:21] It's an insufficient balance, which made me think insufficient funds. [00:47:25] But then I had the bright idea to try just one penny less than that. [00:47:28] And it cleared. [00:47:30] It meant that you can't make a payment on the card that is in excess of what is owed on the [00:47:35] card. [00:47:35] And it saw that fraction of a penny as being, oh, hey now, a little too generous. [00:47:40] So an Apple, you know, be good guy, Apple, making sure people can't overpay. [00:47:44] Also, the bad guy, Apple doesn't write tests or use, you know, appropriate data structures [00:47:50] for storing goddamn dollars. [00:47:52] Results in, I can't close this card out. [00:47:56] So eventually, so I got it down to one penny. [00:47:58] And then when it was down to one penny, it let me pay one penny, which is separately hilarious. [00:48:02] So I close the Apple card and then the Apple card says, all right, you're closed now. [00:48:09] The card is removed from all your devices. [00:48:14] Now monitor for the next few months and make payments against anything that shows up in [00:48:18] the statement, right? [00:48:19] Because like, that's how credit cards work. [00:48:20] Things don't post immediately. [00:48:22] I was like, well, I have no idea what was getting charged onto this thing. [00:48:26] What might hit it? [00:48:28] I'd scrolled through a statement. [00:48:31] I had a feeling it wouldn't be bad. [00:48:32] But then of course, like as soon as I wipe that phone, I even restored it. [00:48:36] I restored dad's Apple ID onto another phone because I had a burner phone back when I got [00:48:42] home just to see like, would it, would it, would it, would the, would it, the iCloud sync [00:48:47] work, you know, where your wallet shit just shows up in the new phone just magically after [00:48:52] setup. [00:48:52] And the answer is no, because the Apple card is closed. [00:48:55] So there's no reason to put the Apple card on the new phone. [00:48:58] People would be confused, even though it's just in this removed state of like, watch the [00:49:01] balance, which means now that once the phone gets wiped, there's actually no way to pay [00:49:06] a balance. [00:49:06] If one were to materialize, I guess it would just go to collections. [00:49:10] So now, you know, like, please don't post any transactions to my dad's defunct Apple card. [00:49:16] Cause like, I don't have any fucking way to pay it. [00:49:18] There's card.apple.com. [00:49:19] But like, that's just for downloading statements. [00:49:22] So great job, Apple, like you should really make it easier to die. [00:49:26] Like, fuck, fuck it's sake. [00:49:27] This is a, I realized this has been a lot. [00:49:33] I'm going to move right along. [00:49:37] While we were up, we wanted to just, we needed a break. [00:49:42] It'd been like day after day of the same, you know, emotional and logistical tumult. [00:49:48] Just a real grind. [00:49:49] So we want to go see a movie and like, like, uh, uh, Jeremy had expressed interest in seeing [00:49:53] wicked, which is an autobiography about Ariana Grande as a person, as best I can tell. [00:50:00] Real just, she seems like a piece of shit in real life, but also she got to play one in [00:50:08] a movie. [00:50:08] And so like, uh, it's like one of those things where it's like, well, that Bill Murray just [00:50:12] like plays himself. [00:50:13] And it just so happens that he is such a delightful and interesting person that everything he's [00:50:18] in is always amazing. [00:50:19] So I'm glad she got to play herself. [00:50:21] It seemed well acted, but I knew it was probably just who she is. [00:50:27] Uh, huge fan. [00:50:31] Uh, so anyway, we went to see wicked and all of a sudden, you know, we joked about it beforehand, [00:50:37] but like, I can't, I don't understand lyrics. [00:50:39] I have a thing I've got a, uh, a worm lives inside my brain. [00:50:43] And whenever there's a song playing, uh, that worm starts humming and I can't hear the lyrics [00:50:49] to the song. [00:50:50] I can't understand or discriminate where the words are starting and stopping. [00:50:53] I can't tell what is being said. [00:50:56] And if I can barely make it out, then I'm so overwrought and focusing on what's being said. [00:51:01] Then, then I kind of lose the thread. [00:51:02] Like I'll hear the individual words if I really focus, but then not understand what is being [00:51:08] communicated through lyrics. [00:51:10] At the same time, you go to a musical, you go to like, when I went to Hamilton, this was [00:51:15] like extremely clear. [00:51:16] It's like, Oh, I, I put, we went to Hamilton, uh, when, when Hamilton was still cool and not [00:51:21] seen as some sort of, you know, uh, uh, white supremacist whitewashing by putting BIPOC [00:51:27] people in, in these roles and whatnot, 2020 was a hell of a year, uh, when we went to [00:51:33] Hamilton, I got, they got through the first number and I was like, that was very impressive. [00:51:38] I, I appreciate the, this tonal, you know, interesting take. [00:51:43] This is like very like, like skillfully and artfully, uh, done. [00:51:47] Uh, and then, uh, you know, then they go straight into another song and I turned to Becky. [00:51:54] He was like, is there, is there no talking in this one? [00:51:56] Is there zero spoken dialogue in this? [00:52:00] And it turned out that the answer was yes. [00:52:02] And I was like, I don't understand anything. [00:52:04] And so, uh, when we went to Hamilton, which I'd paid a lot of money to go to, uh, I walked [00:52:09] to the lobby in the middle of the show. [00:52:12] And then I ordered like two thingies of wine, uh, which I paid a lot of money for the wine. [00:52:20] And then I got back to the seat, threw back both wines and fell asleep. [00:52:23] So that was Hamilton for me. [00:52:26] So here I am at wicked and we're in the first little ditty. [00:52:28] And I'm like, I don't understand any of these fucking words. [00:52:33] I don't, I don't know what's happening. [00:52:35] And I've got to worry that this is going to be a song heavy movie, which it was. [00:52:40] So I was like, you know what, like normally I'd be embarrassed to do this, [00:52:44] but I'm going to go to the front and say, like, I'm hard of hearing. [00:52:49] Can I have a subtitle machine dingus? [00:52:52] I knew that theaters had them. [00:52:55] I didn't really know how they worked or what they were, if they were any good. [00:52:58] But I was like, you know, for the sake of science and technology, I'm going to try the [00:53:02] subtitle dingus. [00:53:04] So I went to the front, I went to the little, like, you know, whatever ticket booth, and [00:53:08] they handed me a gooseneck snake thing where the bottom is like, it's like a, a drill that [00:53:17] would bore a tunnel, but it goes in the cup holder. [00:53:20] So it's like a cup holder drill and it screws in. [00:53:23] So it goes in the cup holder. [00:53:25] You screw it in to secure it. [00:53:27] And then there's a long gooseneck, a too long, in my opinion, gooseneck. [00:53:31] It's like probably two feet. [00:53:34] If you don't know the term gooseneck, like, like, like, like bendy, like, like, you know, [00:53:42] relatively thick, not a cable, but like a, like a pole that is pliable. [00:53:48] So you can bend it in all sorts of different directions to kind of adjust it. [00:53:53] And then on the top, it was a, a device that had a blinder on the top so that other people [00:53:59] weren't getting a whole bunch of illumination and seeing subtitles and a radio system in [00:54:05] the center, as well as like a kind of internal projector unit. [00:54:08] And so it was very interesting to see how these worked. [00:54:11] You would, and, and, and honestly, because I was uninterested in the Ariana Grande story, [00:54:16] I was mostly just futzing with, and it gave me something to do for the three and a half [00:54:23] hours. [00:54:23] By the way, I had been told that there was an intermission and I was told that because somebody [00:54:29] had in the game of telephone and said they broke it up into two parts. [00:54:32] So like I went in expecting an intermission and then we're like three hours in, it's almost [00:54:37] like 11 fucking o'clock. [00:54:38] And I'm like, I got to pee, but like, I hear there's an intermission. [00:54:41] How late are we going to be here? [00:54:44] So that was, that kept me busy too. [00:54:46] I had something else to do, but anyway, the, the, the subtitle machine was really interesting [00:54:50] because as you look at it and once you get it configured, right, you realize like while [00:55:00] I was walking down the, the, the corridor, it just said, Hey, you know, go inside the theater [00:55:06] or whatever. [00:55:07] When you go in the side of theater, it'll just start showing up. [00:55:09] And when I looked inside the theater, just at the, at the edge of the theater, it was like, [00:55:14] malfunctioning. [00:55:15] It said like something about an, a reader. [00:55:16] And then I realized, Oh, what's happening here is, and this is really one of those kind [00:55:20] of old school, cool technology, you know, innovations where they couldn't just use a digital system [00:55:27] for this per se. [00:55:28] Like a protocol, right? [00:55:30] Like if you were to build this today, these would be like lithium ion battery devices that [00:55:34] would have some charging dock and some kind of software that ran on, like on top of some [00:55:38] minimal Linux stack. [00:55:40] And then it would use the, the, the theater's wifi to send subtitles, which would require [00:55:46] all of this configuration, right? [00:55:47] Like, okay, now punch in on the touch screen on your subtitle device, like which theater, [00:55:52] which theater you're in and which movie time. [00:55:54] And we'll play it. [00:55:55] Right. [00:55:55] But instead, this was just like a short wave radio system. [00:55:58] So you'd be inside the theater and every theater you, you've never even noticed this. [00:56:03] Probably you're in the theater and you're watching a movie. [00:56:06] And the subtitle machine is just receiving these waves that you can't see because the projector [00:56:13] area, I presume is just always blasting out radio waves of the current line of dialogue. [00:56:20] You just didn't have the device to see it. [00:56:22] And so I got the thing screwed in with Jeremy's help because I'm not very handy and I got to [00:56:29] actually follow along the rest of the movie, which makes me an authority on, on, on being [00:56:34] able to say not that great. [00:56:35] Not very interesting. [00:56:37] I I'm on the Kinsey scale. [00:56:40] I'm all the way to hetero male, which means musical theater is not, doesn't come naturally [00:56:48] to me in terms of being like something that gets me real excited deep down there. [00:56:53] Uh, sorry if that's you, I'm just saying it's not it anyway. [00:57:02] Uh, yeah. [00:57:03] So that was, that was pretty cool. [00:57:05] Uh, other life stuff. [00:57:13] Well, the, the version, I guess tying a bow around the, uh, the trip up there and all [00:57:21] that realizing I've gone an hour on it now. [00:57:25] People, when you move from the Midwest United States to Florida and you do it because you [00:57:35] feel like the Midwest kind of sucks, you know, it's cold. [00:57:38] A lot of the time, uh, a lot of the rest belt States are, well, they're called rust belt. [00:57:45] They're dying economically. [00:57:46] There's less economic activity. [00:57:48] There's less new stuff. [00:57:50] There's less vibrancy. [00:57:51] Uh, when you move from the Midwest to Florida and you have a great setup there and lots of sunshine [00:58:00] and, and, and, and stuff to do people react in very different ways. [00:58:08] No one just says, Oh my God, that's so great for you. [00:58:10] I'm really, really happy for you. [00:58:11] Wow. [00:58:12] That sounds awesome. [00:58:12] I mean, some people kind of do, uh, a lot of people are either jealous or in some state [00:58:20] of denial or, or frustration by it, you know, like you feel abandoned or whatnot. [00:58:27] I think, I think the people who genuinely think the Midwest is better and the people who are [00:58:34] jealous, both end up asking the same question of us Midwestern expats. [00:58:41] And that, that question is, do you regret it yet? [00:58:44] God, I've been down here for four years. [00:58:48] Right. [00:58:49] And here I am. [00:58:50] My dad just died. [00:58:52] Just put on a funeral, you know, staying at a Hampton Inn. [00:58:57] Huh? [00:58:59] A Hampton Inn where like, it was a great experience. [00:59:02] The staff were really great, but like they had a desk in the laundry room that was never screwed [00:59:07] in or, or, or secured properly. [00:59:08] So I set down my brand new MacBook pro and a Coke, a can of Coke. [00:59:13] And then it just collapsed all of it all at once to the floor. [00:59:17] So my MacBook got soaking wet and Coke. [00:59:19] And also the, the unibody enclosure got super scraped up. [00:59:23] And, uh, the, the day before the funeral, I was all, you know, in a lot of neck pain from, [00:59:29] from the fall and the general manager still hasn't gotten back to me. [00:59:33] It was gray outside. [00:59:35] It was cold. [00:59:37] You know, and I, and I was struggling like for activities and things we could do as a [00:59:42] family and, and settled. [00:59:43] Uh, and the best, most entertaining thing to do was the Ariana Grande story. [00:59:50] And they ask, do you regret it yet? [00:59:52] Like totally just straight. [00:59:56] Every time we go back, I thought like, this is going to be the trip. [01:00:00] I go back and I don't have a single person ask me that, but then it came up relative at the [01:00:06] wake. [01:00:09] And I was like, man, thank you for asking. [01:00:11] You know, I think about it a lot. [01:00:14] I love Michigan. [01:00:14] Michigan's beautiful in the summers, but inside I'm like, come on. [01:00:17] No, I don't regret it. [01:00:19] Yes. [01:00:20] I'm already homesick. [01:00:21] Uh, it's fucking awesome here. [01:00:23] I'm not going to lie. [01:00:24] Like I live in goddamn paradise. [01:00:26] I don't know why more people don't do it. [01:00:28] I don't, you know, politics are part of the equation for a lot of folks, uh, politics and [01:00:35] policies. [01:00:36] Uh, and I, and I get it, but man, like I am so much fucking happier here just on a [01:00:42] day-to-day basis. [01:00:43] Like you, you blind out all of the sort of like metal layer stuff and just like my meat [01:00:48] bag gets a lot more sun and a lot more movement and a lot more just stuff going on down here. [01:00:53] And so, no, I don't regret it yet. [01:00:54] Uh, but if I ever do, I'll let you know, I've got a podcast, so I definitely will. [01:01:02] Uh, one thing I do regret is eating so, or is, uh, uh, drinking so little dairy in my [01:01:07] twenties because I have become extremely lactose intolerant. [01:01:12] Uh, so I don't have any lactase to the point where even if I drink lactaid, like, like what [01:01:19] they call like lactose free milk, but, but actually is lactose full milk with also lactase enzyme [01:01:25] added to it so that your tummy will process it. [01:01:28] Even when I drink that, I drank 20 grams two nights ago and the whole next day I was [01:01:33] wrecked. [01:01:33] That's not a lot of fucking milk. [01:01:35] Uh, now you call that an allergy or an intolerance. [01:01:39] Um, but like if I want cereal, like it's going to happen. [01:01:42] So sure you can pathologize it, but I was like, I, I am making a trade with my future self. [01:01:48] Like I'm going to put up with some indigestion so that I can have this deal. [01:01:52] Okay. [01:01:53] We're in, uh, if I had a peanut allergy to the point of like anaphylactic shock, I'd be [01:02:01] having the same negotiation. [01:02:03] I would just probably not take the deal most of the time. [01:02:07] Uh, anyway, I finally caved. [01:02:11] Cause like I talking about politics, I am politically, um, unaccepting intolerant of, [01:02:19] uh, milk alternatives. [01:02:22] Cause it's not milk. [01:02:24] People call almond milk, milk. [01:02:26] That's not milk. [01:02:27] That's just squeezed almond. [01:02:29] And like the amount of water that goes into making an almond is insane. [01:02:32] And so the, whatever almond milk is must be not, not really great from a sustainability [01:02:37] perspective. [01:02:38] And it's just, it's not, it's not what it says on the 10. [01:02:41] It shouldn't be allowed to be called milk. [01:02:43] It's like that fake egg product called just egg. [01:02:45] I was like, that's no, it's unjust egg. [01:02:48] This is not an egg. [01:02:49] Uh, so I, I, I caved and I bought Kirkland dairy-free oat beverage is what it says in the [01:03:00] box and oat milk. [01:03:02] And I had that last night and I'm still mad at myself about it, but here we are. [01:03:08] I'm going to say that's, I'm going to cap it at an hour of life updates. [01:03:16] I knew it would be life heavy. [01:03:18] Um, but, and because it's a heavy period of life right now, but if you're curious after all [01:03:24] of this shit and all the storytelling and all me getting stuff off my chest, I'm actually [01:03:28] doing great. [01:03:29] I'm processing things. [01:03:30] Love my dad dearly. [01:03:31] Um, I, I've taken the moments, you know, to be quiet and still and to spend effort and [01:03:44] time genuinely reflecting and going through old things and, you know, letting feelings happen [01:03:51] and letting those memories come by and doing other

Are you haunted by anything, Land of the Living? Today, the DIE pod team talks about some haunted places in America. This episode explores a few hauntings in the South and MidWest United States, some places we haven't discussed before! The team also talks about a few local legends in the LA area of our home state, California.  Thanks for listening, Land of the Living!  Subscribe, and follow us on Instagram @d.i.e._cast and on X (Twitter) @deatheverycast for updates!  Check out deathiseverything.com for merchandise, our mailing list, and more! #deathiseverything #DeathIsEverythingPodcast  #DIEwithMarianne #DIEwithMarianneandChris #DIEwithMCA #DIEwithfriends #DIEpodsuperteam #deathinpsiration #deathpodcast #LApodcast #takingchances #landoftheliving #hellolandoftheliving #alwaysapologizingtoStephen #sorryStephen #ChrisisScully #MarianneisMulder #ChrisHemsworth #notChrisHemsworth #onewayoranotheryourjobfucksyou #getmeouttahere #areyouhaunted #gravityhill #hauntedLA #17Hundred90Inn #hauntedSavannah #hauntedTexas #hauntedMontana #dumasbrothel --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/death-is-everything/support

Fields of tall corn plants are a common thing to see in the Midwest United States in late summer. They are as much a part of rural America as big red barns and cows.夏末，在美国中西部地区，高大的玉米田很常见。 它们就像红色的大谷仓和奶牛一样，是美国乡村的一部分。But soon, tall corn plants might become shorter, replaced by plants only half as tall.但很快，高大的玉米植株可能会变得更矮，取而代之的是只有一半高的植物。Cameron Sorgenfrey is a farmer in the Midwestern state of Iowa. He has been growing newly developed short corn for several years. His neighbors sometimes have questions about his smaller corn plants.卡梅伦·索根弗雷 (Cameron Sorgenfrey) 是中西部爱荷华州的一名农民。 多年来，他一直在种植新开发的短玉米。 他的邻居有时会对他的小型玉米植株产生疑问。"As you drive across the Midwest, maybe in the next seven, eight, 10 years, you're going to see a lot of this out there," Sorgenfrey said. “I think this is going to change agriculture in the Midwest," he added.“当你开车穿过中西部时，也许在接下来的七年、八年、十年内，你会看到很多这样的东西，”索根弗雷说。 “我认为这将改变中西部的农业，”他补充道。Bayer Crop Science developed the short corn and tested it on 12,141 hectares in the Midwest. One promise the company made to farmers was a kind of corn that could survive powerful windstorms. The corn is not only shorter, but it also has a larger base. It can withstand winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour.拜耳作物科学公司开发了短粒玉米，并在中西部 12,141 公顷的土地上进行了测试。 该公司向农民做出的一个承诺是生产一种能够抵御强风暴的玉米。 玉米不仅较短，而且基部较大。 它可以承受高达每小时80公里的风。The smaller plants can grow closer together than taller kinds. That means farmers can grow more corn on the same amount of land, which increases their profits. This will help farmers facing lower corn prices in recent years. The smaller plants could also lead to less water use.较小的植物比较高的植物可以生长得更紧密。 这意味着农民可以在相同的土地上种植更多的玉米，从而增加他们的利润。 这将有助于农民应对近年来玉米价格较低的情况。 较小的工厂也可能导致用水量减少。Dior Kelley is an assistant professor at Iowa State University. She is researching different possibilities for growing shorter corn. She said that because corn is the largest crop in the United States, more widespread use of the small kind will have a large effect.迪奥·凯利是爱荷华州立大学的助理教授。 她正在研究种植较短玉米的不同可能性。 她说，由于玉米是美国最大的农作物，更广泛地使用这种小品种将产生很大的影响。"It is huge. It's a big, fundamental shift," Kelley said.Last year, American farmers grew more than 363 million metric tons of corn. Most was used for animal feed, the fuel additive ethanol, or exported to other countries.去年，美国农民种植了超过 3.63 亿吨玉米。 大部分用于动物饲料、燃料添加剂乙醇，或出口到其他国家。Scientists have long tried to develop better kinds of corn plants. But it has become more important for corn to grow even in very hot weather or when there is a lack of rain. Strong winds are another danger. In August 2020, a strong windstorm in the Midwest caused $11 billion in damage. It flattened both trees and corn plants only weeks before harvest time.长期以来，科学家们一直在尝试培育更好的玉米品种。 但即使在非常炎热的天气或缺雨的情况下，玉米的生长也变得更加重要。 强风是另一个危险。 2020 年 8 月，中西部地区的一场强风暴造成了 110 亿美元的损失。 仅在收获季节前几周，树木和玉米植株就被夷为平地。Kelley said she likes the idea of short corn. But she warns that short plants have their own problems to consider. For example, corn cobs that grow closer to the soil could be more at risk to diseases or mold.凯利说她喜欢短玉米的主意。 但她警告说，矮小的植物也有自己的问题需要考虑。 例如，靠近土壤生长的玉米芯可能更容易受到疾病或霉菌的影响。Brian Leake is a Bayer spokesperson. He said the company has been developing short corn for more than 20 years. In a few years, he hopes farmers will be growing short corn everywhere.布莱恩·利克 (Brian Leake) 是拜耳发言人。 他说，该公司开发短玉米已有20多年了。 几年后，他希望各地农民都能种植矮玉米。

The Gateway Podcast Welcomes Lauren Hellekson Date: June 18th, 2024 Episode: 30 Topic: Mysticism & Mechanical Use in Paranormal Investigations About Lauren Lauren has been traversing the realms of spirituality for over 15 years, an endeavor that has taken her to places all over the world, including Israel, Ireland, Spain, and further studies in India. Her technical interests in how things work in the physical world, on the other hand, developed at a very young age. From dismantling old IBM computers with her dad to rebuilding the carburetor on her first motorcycle to improving the equipment used in the paranormal field, she is always observing and creating in some capacity. A published author and speaker, Lauren has held educational workshops and lectures on witchcraft, meditation, and metaphysical exploration. More recently, she has focused on improving the understanding and applications of equipment in the paranormal field through informative presentations and equipment-building workshops. She sells her "Victorian Occult Inspired" equipment, which uses theoretical methods of energy documentation related to the electromagnetic spectrum and static electricity, often used in paranormal investigations, in person at vendor shows throughout the East Coast and Midwest United States. She is best known for her proximity sensor, the Crystal Pod, with the Amethyst and Midnight versions selling worldwide at Dave Juliano's The Ghost Hunter Store. Website: https://linktr.ee/laurenhellekson Host: CL Thomas C.L. Thomas travels widely every year as a fine arts photographer and writer exploring various afterlife research, OBEs, metaphysics, folklore, and lectures at events. C.L. does "Spirit" art upon request. She is the author of the haunting memoir "Dancing with Demons" and the acclaimed historical-fiction novel “Speaking to Shadows”. C.L. is the creator and host of the Small Town Tales Podcast. She has written many articles and maintains a blog on legends, folklore magic, and paranormal stories. Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her beloved Golden Retriever and Maine Coon cat. www.clthomas.org Follow CL on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Instagram: / author_cl_thomas

The Gateway Podcast Welcomes Lauren Hellekson Date: June 18th, 2024 Episode: 30 Topic: Mysticism & Mechanical Use in Paranormal Investigations About Lauren Lauren has been traversing the realms of spirituality for over 15 years, an endeavor that has taken her to places all over the world, including Israel, Ireland, Spain, and further studies in India. Her technical interests in how things work in the physical world, on the other hand, developed at a very young age. From dismantling old IBM computers with her dad to rebuilding the carburetor on her first motorcycle to improving the equipment used in the paranormal field, she is always observing and creating in some capacity. A published author and speaker, Lauren has held educational workshops and lectures on witchcraft, meditation, and metaphysical exploration. More recently, she has focused on improving the understanding and applications of equipment in the paranormal field through informative presentations and equipment-building workshops. She sells her "Victorian Occult Inspired" equipment, which uses theoretical methods of energy documentation related to the electromagnetic spectrum and static electricity, often used in paranormal investigations, in person at vendor shows throughout the East Coast and Midwest United States. She is best known for her proximity sensor, the Crystal Pod, with the Amethyst and Midnight versions selling worldwide at Dave Juliano's The Ghost Hunter Store. Website: https://linktr.ee/laurenhellekson Host: CL Thomas C.L. Thomas travels widely every year as a fine arts photographer and writer exploring various afterlife research, OBEs, metaphysics, folklore, and lectures at events. C.L. does "Spirit" art upon request. She is the author of the haunting memoir "Dancing with Demons" and the acclaimed historical-fiction novel “Speaking to Shadows”. C.L. is the creator and host of the Small Town Tales Podcast. She has written many articles and maintains a blog on legends, folklore magic, and paranormal stories. Currently, she resides in Las Vegas, Nevada with her beloved Golden Retriever and Maine Coon cat. www.clthomas.org Follow CL on Social Media: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... Instagram: / author_cl_thomas

Lauren has been traversing the realms of spirituality for over 15 years. An endeavor that has taken her exploration to places all over the world including Israel, Ireland, Spain, and further studying in India. Her technical interests in how things work in the physical world, on the other hand, developed at a very young age; from dismantling old IMB computers with her dad, to rebuilding the carburetor in her first motorcycle, to improving the equipment we use in the paranormal field, she is always observing and creating in some capacity. Also a published author and speaker, Lauren has held educational workshops and lectures on witchcraft, meditation, metaphysical exploration, and more recently, improving understanding and applications of equipment in the paranormal through informative presentations and equipment build workshops. She sells her “Victorian Occult Inspired” equipment that uses theoretical methods of energy documentation related to the electromagnetic spectrum and static electricity often used in paranormal investigation, in person at vendor shows throughout the east coast and Midwest United States. She is most known for her proximity sensor, the Crystal Pod, in which the Amethyst and Midnight versions sell world wide on Dave Juliano's - The Ghost Hunter Store.

Lauren has been traversing the realms of spirituality for over 15 years. An endeavor that has taken her exploration to places all over the world including Israel, Ireland, Spain, and further studying in India. Her technical interests in how things work in the physical world, on the other hand, developed at a very young age; from dismantling old IMB computers with her dad, to rebuilding the carburetor in her first motorcycle, to improving the equipment we use in the paranormal field, she is always observing and creating in some capacity. Also a published author and speaker, Lauren has held educational workshops and lectures on witchcraft, meditation, metaphysical exploration, and more recently, improving understanding and applications of equipment in the paranormal through informative presentations and equipment build workshops. She sells her “Victorian Occult Inspired” equipment that uses theoretical methods of energy documentation related to the electromagnetic spectrum and static electricity often used in paranormal investigation, in person at vendor shows throughout the east coast and Midwest United States. She is most known for her proximity sensor, the Crystal Pod, in which the Amethyst and Midnight versions sell world wide on Dave Juliano's - The Ghost Hunter Store.

What's poppin' con-gregation? This week, comedian and bishop to show, Chris Gethard joins us to discuss Oscar Hartzell, a farmer who rose to riches after using the story of a 16th century knight to scam the Midwest United States. Stay Schemin'! This was recorded on Feb. 05, 2024.Check out Chris's ebook and audiobook titled Dad at Peace at https://www.everand.com/audiobook/701237001/Dad-at-PeaceCheck out Chris's non-profit, Laughing Together, an organization that help bring arts programming into schools. https://laughingtogether.org/Follow on Instagram:Scam Goddess Pod: @scamgoddesspodLaci Mosley: @divalaciChris Gethard: @chrisgeth Research by Kaelyn Brandt.Sources:https://archives.newyorker.com/newyorker/2002-04-22/flipbook/160/https://thecrimewire.com/money/Pirate-Gold-Swindle

"In The Sweet By-and-By" stands as a Christian hymn crafted by S. Bennett with musical composition by Joseph Webster. Originating from a conversation between Samuel Bennett and his musical collaborator, Joseph Webster, in Elkhorn, Wisconsin, this hymn emerged as a quintessential expression of the Midwest United States.

After the requisite amount of Taylor Swift & Super Bowl talk, we kick off our Black History Month episodes! Indy recounts some of his favorite novels from the Harlem Renaissance, from authors like Zora Neale Hurston, James Baldwin, Richard Wright, & others, Samantha recommends Michelle Obama's memoir Becoming, and we preview the 1967 classic In The Heat Of The Night! I Love This You Should Too is hosted by Samantha & Indy Randhawa The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual and cultural revival of African American music, dance, art, fashion, literature, theater, politics and scholarship centered in Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, spanning the 1920s and 1930s. At the time, it was known as the "New Negro Movement", named after The New Negro, a 1925 anthology edited by Alain Locke. The movement also included the new African American cultural expressions across the urban areas in the Northeast and Midwest United States affected by a renewed militancy in the general struggle for civil rights, combined with the Great Migration of African American workers fleeing the racist conditions of the Jim Crow Deep South, as Harlem was the final destination of the largest number of those who migrated north.   Michelle LaVaughn Robinson Obama (born January 17, 1964) is an American attorney and author who served as the first lady of the United States from 2009 to 2017, being married to former president Barack Obama.   In the Heat of the Night is a 1967 American neo-noir mystery drama film directed by Norman Jewison, produced by Walter Mirisch, and starring Sidney Poitier and Rod Steiger. It tells the story of Virgil Tibbs (Poitier), a Black police detective from Philadelphia, who becomes embroiled in a murder investigation in a small town in Mississippi. The film was adapted by Stirling Silliphant from John Ball's 1965 novel of the same name. Released by United Artists in August 1967, the film was a widespread critical and commercial success. At the 40th Academy Awards the film was nominated for seven Oscars, winning five including Best Picture, Best Adapted Screenplay, and Best Actor for Rod Steiger. Quincy Jones' score, featuring a title song performed by Ray Charles, was nominated for a Grammy Award. The success of the film spawned two film sequels featuring Poitier, and a television series of the same name, which aired from 1988 to 1995. In The Heat Of The Night Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d15DhX_ltls&ab_channel=MGM

In this week's episode, I chatted with Dr. Renée Lertzman, a renowned psychological researcher shaping climate change action through psychology and sustainability. We discussed the theme 'Becoming' and its impact on societal shifts towards sustainable practices and also explored the transformative power of personal change for a more humane business world and the vital role of community in this journey. Renée shared challenges faced by leaders guiding transformations and her nuanced approach to caring in Humane Marketing. In this episode, Renée and I talk about: How do personal transformations contribute to a better, more humane business world for everyone? Why is being part of a community important for personal and collective positive transformations? What challenges do leaders face when guiding others through transformative journeys? In Humane Marketing, caring means more than just concern. Renee explains her approach to caring. And more insights for our listeners who are Changemakers before they are marketers Sarah: [00:00:00] Hello, Humane Marketers. Welcome back to the Humane Marketing Podcast, the place to be for the generation of marketers that cares. This is a show where we talk about running your business in a way that feels good to you, is aligned with your values, and also resonates with today's conscious customers because it's humane, ethical, and non pushy. I'm Sarah Zanacroce, your hippie turned business coach for quietly rebellious entrepreneurs and marketing impact pioneers. Mama bear of the humane marketing circle and renegade author of marketing like we're human and selling like we're human. If after listening to the show for a while, you're ready to move on to the next level and start implementing and would welcome a community of like minded, quietly rebellious entrepreneurs who discuss with transparency what Works and what doesn't work in business, then we'd love to welcome you in our humane marketing circle. If you're picturing your [00:01:00] typical Facebook group, let me paint a new picture for you. This is a closed community of like minded entrepreneurs from all over the world who come together once per month in a zoom circle workshop to hold each other accountable and build their business in a sustainable way. We share with transparency and vulnerability, what works for us and what doesn't work. So that you can figure out what works for you instead of keep throwing spaghetti on the wall and seeing what sticks. Find out more at humane. marketing forward slash circle. And if you prefer one on one support from me, my humane business coaching could be just what you need. Whether it's for your marketing, sales, general business building, or help with your big idea like writing a book, I'd love to share my brain and my heart with you together with my almost 15 years business experience. experience and help you grow a sustainable business that is joyful and sustainable. If you love this [00:02:00] podcast, wait until I show you my mama bear qualities as my one on one client. You can find out more at humane. marketing forward slash coaching. And finally, if you are a marketing impact pioneer and would like to bring humane marketing to your organization, have a look at my offers and workshops on my website at humane. Dot marketing. Hello and welcome back Humane Marketers to this last episode in 2023. Today I'm speaking to Rene Lertzmann about the P of personal power. If you're a regular here and you've been with me all of this time this year, you know that I'm organizing the conversations around the seven P's of the Humane Marketing Mandala. And if this is your first time here and you don't know what I'm talking about, you can download your one page marketing [00:03:00] plan with the Humane Marketing version of the seven P's of Marketing at humane. That's the number one and the word page and this comes with seven email prompts to really help you reflect on these different P's for your business. It really is that one page marketing plan where you. Reflect deeply about all the different P's in your business. Today's conversation, as I said, fits under the P of personal power. And I speak to Renee Lertzman about the topic of becoming. So let me tell you a bit more about Dr. Renee Lertzman. She's an internationally recognized psychological researcher and thought leader. Working to make an impact on climate change with tools that organizations can use to engage, mobilize, and connect with diverse populations. By blending scientific approaches into strategies that will be [00:04:00] impactful on the environmental challenges, Rene shows that combining the disciplines of psychological Psychology with environmental science can aid in the path of big changes. A native of Northern California, Renée has had more than 20 years of experience as a pioneer, bridging psychological research and sustainability. She integrates behavioral social Social and Innovative Design Sciences to Create a Dynamic Approach to Social Change. She holds a Master's Degree in Environmental Communications from the University of North Carolina and a PhD from the Cardiff School of Social Sciences at Cardiff University, UK. In our conversation today, we talked about how do personal transformations contribute to a better, more humane business world for everyone? Why is being part of a community important for personal [00:05:00] and collective positive transformations? What challenges do leaders face when guiding others through this transformative journey? In humane marketing, caring means more than just concern. And Renee explains to us her approach to caring. And there's also more insights for our listeners who are change makers before they are marketers. So let's dive in and listen to this episode with Renee Lertzmann. Hi, Renee. So good to have you here. Thank you so much for joining us on the Humane Marketing Podcast. Good Renee: to be here. Thank Sarah: you. Um, um, yeah, humane marketing and becoming, uh, all of these topics that you talk about in your work are very much in line with what we're talking about here, this idea of marketing from within. Um, so really starting with ourselves. So, [00:06:00] um, how do you see these personal transformations on this? Individual level, then translating into something that is bigger, you know, that is part of the collective and maybe even the business part, um, let's dive right in there. Renee: It's a small question. Um, well, that's a profound question that I experienced to be, uh. You know, innately, it takes me into the terrain of psychology, which is, you know, obviously my training and my background, um, which is the, the psyche. Um, how do we, um, process, you know, uh, information, our experiences in ways that. Um, can support our ability to act in new and different ways. Um, so I guess I would just say that [00:07:00] there and I mentioned this in my Ted talk where, um, there's no way around it. You know, that there's no way around the inner and the outer and I remember giving the talk on stage and ad libbing a little bit, which you're not supposed to, but I remember making this statement that said, basically, um, our inner world and our inner life is directly influencing how we are in the world and what we do. And then I made this comment, I'm sorry, but there's no way around it. And that is to say, you know, we'd like to think that we can do a lot of work in the world, um, you know, by focusing on our actions or, you know, um, our tactics, our strategy, but in actuality, as you know, um, everything we do is an expression of our [00:08:00] inner world and ourself, which is obviously influenced by, You know, um, our social context, our geography, our demographic, our personal biography, our circumstances, our proclivities, our personality, um, our inherent kind of essence, all of that is, is coming together. Um, and the work, you know, the, the, the work in the world of, you know, ushering in and supporting life. Affirming and life supportive systems for the planet. Um, I see relying on our ability as human beings to, um, level up to, to become more conscious, to become more, um, capable of coming from a place of intention and choice versus unconscious [00:09:00] habits. Defaults, um, fear, you know, all of that. So my reframe that I encourage is that the circumstances that we're facing in our world is an opportunity. It's an invitation and in a lot of ways, a requirement for us as human beings to, uh, evolve. Um, and, and by that, I mean, really, really evolve into our, like, higher selves, our highest good, the higher part. That humans are capable of, that's how I see it. So, you know, unless we put attention and intention to our own wounds, our own trauma, our own, um, stuff that each human being has, we all have it, you know, there, there, [00:10:00] those that has to be side by side with how you show up with a team as a leader, with your marketing strategy. Because if there's, you know, whatever is there will come through. So if I'm coming from a place that I've learned the hard way, if I am coming from a place of fear, of, um, you know, anxiety, of depth, of scarcity. Even a beautifully designed campaign somehow that will come through and so it's sort of on me to practice diligence around that. Yeah, I love Sarah: that. And you work a lot in the sustainability field and that applies there, right? That you have to first do this inner work in order to then help the other and help. [00:11:00] Organizations, you know, pay more attention to climate crisis and et cetera. Um, and it applies like you just demonstrated also in a business and marketing sense, because when I 1st looked at marketing, um. Well, when I had my own little crisis and said, well, I can't do this anymore. There's just no integrity in this. Um, I looked at how marketing is usually presented as something outwards, right? It's out there and you just have to somehow fit into that mold in order to be that person that you're supposed to be, um, in this marketing realm. And, and that I just realized, well, that is not working for me anymore. It has to be, uh, according to who I am and my worldview and my values. And so the kind of like the, the consciousness that, um, needs to evolve is also needs to happen on the marketing, [00:12:00] um, side. Especially because I think so much that we see out there is, you know, people have gotten such a bad experience with marketing. Everything is lies. We can't trust a marketer. And so the people who are then kind of went to authentic marketing. Uh, we still realized, well, not everything that they say is authentic marketing was actually authentic because they hadn't done that in their work, right? So it, it really, I see these parallels between also what you talk about this anxiety and scarcity. Well, yeah, if we come from this scarcity mindset that we feel like, well, there's not enough, I need to hustle to get these clients, clients feel it. Renee: Right. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. That's where the inner work comes in. You don't, you can't just will yourself or say, okay, I'm going to not do that anymore. You have to really, um, cultivate the conditions somehow [00:13:00] to, to, um, Explore and be with what is happening for you and ideally have support, some resourcing to do that. Um, the only thing I would just say is I don't think it's like we have to do the inner work first before we do work in the world. It's it's it's they, they are inseparable and I get kind of tired of this, you know, binary, well, binaries in general are still very alive and active out there. Right. Hope versus despair. Um, you know, inner versus outer. Um, it's, it's like, that's just not how reality is. And so when, when people, when our stakes are high and we're under stress, that's precisely when we tend to go into binary thinking. Right. And so it's just important to recognize that. Um, it's not the inner or the [00:14:00] outer. It's not inter first, then outer, you know, and again, this goes back to what we already know, whether you look at neuroscience or whether you look at trauma research, or whether you look at contemplative practice, um, that it's, it's, there's a lot of healing that is available. By the act of doing and, and engaging with some sort of practice, like writing something or doing something in the community or launching a business. Right? That's literally grist for the mill for our learning and practice and development. So, you know, me doing my work with clients, you know, it's, it's an opportunity to grow always. It's a, it's a. That that is the work that is the practice, you know, Sarah: I feel like oftentimes the people who come to me, they had to go through the things that are not working for them in order to figure out, well, this is not working for me [00:15:00] anymore. And so now I'm ready for a different way. Yeah, I feel that's often the case Renee: right that's what that is the human experience I think. Yeah, there's just no shortcuts. Yeah, it's like literally learning by what isn't working and paying attention to this isn't feeling good This isn't working for me. Okay. Now, what does that mean? What do I want to do about that? I could stay there or I can you know get in touch with where my desire is where my Joy is where I feel Energy and called towards, but we can only get there. Unfortunately, by the pain of this is not feeling good. This is not working. I'm having a crisis. I need to leave my job. I need to quit this industry. I might need to move countries, you know, I'm, I'm like, like, there's usually people get to a certain point where they're just like. The, the misalignment is too big for me to tolerate right [00:16:00] now, or I have to leave a relationship who, you know, a lot of people are in partnerships where maybe they've come to a place of awakening and the partner or family member isn't there, you know, like that's very real and that happens a lot too. So, you know, I'm, I'm just normalizing. The experience of, oh, this isn't working. Okay. Then what do I need to do differently? And what will support me? Because it's really important. People. Recognize we need support. Um, Sarah: exactly. Let's talk about the support because I remember when I 1st went through my breakdown. I didn't feel like there was people who understood what I was trying to do and what I was even talking about. They're like, what's wrong with marketing? Marketing is fine. You know, this is just how business works. Business is business. And, and I'm like, well, it doesn't have to be, but I didn't feel [00:17:00] like any, anybody understood. Right. Yeah. And so that makes you feel very lonely and wrong. You're constantly questioning yourself. Yeah. And so then slowly. Yeah. I started to change my people. I'm like, okay, well this is not supporting me. Yeah. So, uh, and, and in that workshop that I just followed with you, um, it was a small group of women in change. Yeah. And you, at the be very beginning, you said, this is what matters. Small groups like this is what matters. Right. So, so yeah. What, what is the role of community in this transformation? Renee: Well, um, this is something I. I feel very strongly about and I am starting to write and focus on more and more. In fact, it might end up being my primary focus, which is the role of convening and curation. So my, you know, just to zoom back. I have a project called project inside out, which was started by a grant from the care foundation. [00:18:00] Um, and I was asked to put together some online tools and resources that take a lot of my work and kind of bring it together into some tools that anyone can access and use. And so, in doing that, I kind of formulated this idea that. What we need to be doing is guiding and not driving change. And so it's an attempt to do an intervention. And, um, and so we came up with these guiding principles of guiding, you know, and a, and a main, a primary role of that is to be a convener. And so I, um, the organizations, the clients I work with and more generally. You know, in my kind of work in the world, I'm, I'm basically telling people that if you are an organization, if you have a business, if you have an [00:19:00] enterprise, it's your role now to be more of a convener and together and to take that responsibility very seriously. And that means as a curator, you have to be also attentive to your own, what we were just talking about, like your own development, your own, um, integrity. Because when you're a convener, it's a responsibility, um, but my point is that, um, it's in the context of relationship and usually small groups that a lot of transformation can happen. And so, and I'm not, I didn't just sort of come up with this. This is like, incredibly well established. You know, there's a book called pro social that talks about the research, you know, like, in a very specific way. Like, if you have this number of people, you know, I think it's 8 to 12 people and you bring people together over [00:20:00] duration. Like, you know, we already kind of know this. And I was doing this work in 2001, um, an experiment. Using online dialogue where we put people into small groups online and kind of had them together over time. No facilitation, but we had a certain methodology where people, you know, introduce themselves and, you know, but the, that context was specifically about charged hot button issues, social issues, and it worked like amazingly people did not devolve into fighting because we created these conditions. That enabled people to really listen to each other and be, feel heard and learn and kind of have that exchange. So we already know a lot about what works. Um, so what I'm suggesting is we go back and look at what actually works. To support people through transformation that human societies have been doing since the beginning. [00:21:00] So, again, I'm not suggesting this is anything new. I'm saying that human wisdom practices and, you know, if you look at council, the council and indigenous cultures, and you look at circles and you look at, like, humans have had this practice of coming together in hard times, ideally. Not always it's how functional and healthy the society is to say, Hey, we need to look at what's going on. And then, like, people just naturally need to get together to kind of make sense, debate, argue, you know, have that kind of exchange that can support a different. Way or perspective, but you're also getting a lot of support. So, yeah, it's so Sarah: interesting. Um, if I may, um, just make the parallel again to the business and marketing world, right in business and marketing, everything we ever hear is go big, go scale or go home. And, you know, you need to be an [00:22:00] influencer and then numbers is what matters most. And, and so here you are saying, well, actually. No, not necessarily go back. You know, uh, small is beautiful. Um, more intimate, the deeper the connection. Yeah. And so that Renee: is scalable. It audio1097513299: is Sarah: scalable at the same time. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Renee: Like, I mean, people ask me, well, how do you scale this? It sounds very long and slow and relational. And I, Well, have you heard of the 12 step movement? I kind of think that's very successful and it's very, uh, talk about scale. It's completely global and the methodology is literally Holding space for people to come together and primarily just tell their stories with each other. And then, you know, you've got all the spiritual principles. It's very regimented. It's very structured, but I'm just saying, I'm not saying we all need to have [00:23:00] 12 step groups. I'm saying that small group interactions are scalable if you're a skillful convener. And so any company I'm working with. They're going to know I'm going to recommend this. It's not a surprise. It's sort of like, you know, if you bring someone in and have someone has their thing. It's like, okay, we know pretty much what's going to be recommended. Renee is going to say that. I'm going to say you need to approach your work in an organization by leveraging the people within it. To hold and facilitate small groups. Yeah, I love that. Train people and support people to learn the skills of convening small groups. Yeah. That to me is the number one skill right now that we are needing and that often people don't have. And, you know, if anyone listening is a facilitator, you know how hard it is. And how, uh, like [00:24:00] it really is. Um, a very, you know, nuanced kind of thing, uh, to learn and any, and I believe we can learn it, but in order to be a facilitator, it goes right back to how do we cultivate the capacity, you know, to really be present because the ability to hold space and be facilitator requires that you have to get out of your, you have to step back. You can't dominate. You know, we've all been in settings where people are like. Dominating, they're talking too much. Um, so, you know, that's, that's where I go with this is how do we foster, create the conditions for more people to connect with each other in more intimate ways, but also look at how we can scale that. Sarah: I love that. Yeah. I did a year long program called holding space and it really came from that idea of, well, how do you hold space for yourself? So [00:25:00] that was the first module of. I can't remember, four months or something. And then how do you hold space for others? And, and especially there was also a module, how do you hold space for grief, right? So, yeah. And so do you feel like we kind of met through the inner development goals? Um, do you feel those inner development goals skills help with this idea of holding space for Renee: others? Oh, definitely. Yeah. I mean, the IDG is a, you know, it's a very simple, elegant framework that I see as a reminder of what we need to be doing. Right. Uh, being, thinking, relating, acting and collaborating. So, you know, all of those are interrelated because in order to be a skillful collaborator, you need to have being in order to be a skillful thinker. You need, you know what I mean? They all kind of. Relate to 1 another, but, um, to me, the [00:26:00] power of the is mainly as a. In vocation to say, hey, we need to look at our skills as human beings, like how we from a developmental perspective and how you do that. It doesn't matter to me, you know, like, there can be a community literally in Nigeria, which I do know of, and they're doing all kinds of unbelievable work. That's strengthening people's capacity to show up, hold space, but they don't need to call it IDG, you know, it's like, it's basically human wisdom and human practice. Yeah, it really Sarah: is. There's one more topic I'd like to address and it's this idea of caring, um, in humane marketing. I say humane marketing is for the generation that cares for ourselves, our clients and the planet. So what does caring look like for you? Because you seem to have a bit of a nuanced way to caring and it obviously relates to [00:27:00] sustainability as well. So talk to us about caring. Renee: That's a great question. And it is the topic of the book I'm working on right now, which is literally called a field guide for people who care. I love that. So, you know, basically the way I approach care is, um, that care is, our care is a very fragile, it's very fragile and sensitive and sort of, you know, that, that each one of us as human beings. Have profound capacity to care about whatever, you know, about life, about other people, about ourselves, about, you know, animals or plants or, you know, like the expression of care. I think we need to, um, kind of unleash our. Limits on what care is, what isn't, what it [00:28:00] looks like. And the reason why is because I spent 30 years in the environmental sustainability and climate sector, hearing people around me constantly saying, Oh, well, people don't care because if they cared, they would do something about it. And I absolutely disagreed, but I didn't know why. And so that's why I ended up spending all this time doing research and, you know, interviewing people and all this stuff, because I. I suspected that wasn't accurate. And what I found through talking with lots of people around the world is obviously people care very deeply. And I don't care what your condition is. I mean, seriously, I don't care if you are living on the street and you, you are preoccupied with your own basic survival. As a human being, you care about being alive. You care about often, um, others and animals and, [00:29:00] you know, like, so there is a fundamental care that's there that is expressed. Some people care deeply about ocean reefs. Some people care deeply about a microbe. Some people care deeply about. Knitting, I'm just like, whatever, but my point is that if we feel like, you know, there's something that's interfering with our ability to express that care, we will retract it. We will pull it back in and it will kind of go underground or it will get trans trans. It'll get applied in other ways. Like people I would interview in the Midwest United States would tell me all the environmental issues. They cared very deeply about and then they would say, but there's not a whole lot. I can do about it. So I'm going to focus instead on my garden and my family and what I eat, you know, because those things I have control over right now. Does that mean. That that person doesn't care [00:30:00] about the, the water in the region. And so that's where I'm, what I'm saying. We've got to shift our, um, miss. About care, you know, that somehow if you care, you're going to do something about it. The question is, how do we. Unlock and kind of access people's care by affirming, yes, of course we see you and we know that you care very deeply. Now let's figure out how we can help you express that. That as a marketing strategy is the goal. That's it. That is the marketing strategy is literally, it is communicate with people as if they already care. Like that's it. There's my book. There's your campaign. Just go for it. Sarah: I love that. Yeah, it's not assuming nobody cares, but on the, on the opposite, it's assuming they care. And I guess also what you said is like, well, [00:31:00] figuring out what they deeply care about, because when I talk about the SDGs with in programs or things like that, I always say, well, Obviously, yes, they're all important topics, right? We can all agree to that, but not everybody, not each person cares about the same things very deeply. And so, you know, there is this difference also about what we care about, um, more than others. And so, um, yeah, figuring that out and talking to Renee: those ones. The movement has got to get more sophisticated and nuanced right as soon as possible because it's very simplistic right now, and I will just say, especially. Those working in marketing and brand strategy, no offense, but there's just a pervasive way of thinking and working. That's no longer appropriate for the time we're in now, which is that we've got to be more [00:32:00] nuanced and much more attuned. And much more relational to what people care about, why and how and, and just like go right there, which is again, bringing in that, like you just said, like, here's a menu of all the things going on in the world. It might be very overwhelming, but what do you feel most called to? Right. Okay. Well, if you feel called towards animals and their animal welfare, then great. It doesn't mean you don't care about everything else, but you know, it's like, let's. Honor where the energy is. Sarah: Yeah, it's human to want to relate on that human level and not be robots that like everything, right? That care about everything, right? Yeah, I can totally relate to that. Um, you also on your website talk about these, the three A's, which I believe are anxiety. Ambivalence, ambivalence and, and, um, aspiration is it right? So really finding out [00:33:00] what drives people, um, Renee: in their care. Yeah, exactly. Sarah: I, I, uh, I like that a lot. Yeah, Renee: powerful stuff. It's very useful for people who do work in, you know, marketing and brand strategy. Yeah. Sarah: I can't, can't wait for that book. So keep working. Thank Renee: you. Sarah: Wonderful. Well, any last words for people? I always say at the end of each episode, I say, you know, listeners, humane marketers are change makers before we are marketers. So any last words that you would like to share with the change makers that are listening? Renee: Um, Transcribed Well, 1, check out project inside out and my website. Um, so there's Renee Lertzman dot com and then there's project inside out has like tools and it's a little dated right now. So I just want to acknowledge that. Um, but I would check it out. And if you like it and are excited by it, you [00:34:00] know. Get in touch. Um, we're actually looking at how to evolve it into a program, like an actual, like you said, year long program. I would like to evolve it into a year long program for guiding change. Um, and my, my, I guess, you know, I would just say inviting people who identify as change makers to really identify as being guides. And what does it mean to be a guide and really learning about guiding, you know, that it's, you know, what, what does that involve? Um, and, and it's a more powerful way of showing up, but it's also takes a lot of the pressure off you because it's no longer all on you to try to get people to do anything. It's really about how do we enable guide partner. Kind of help contribute to the conditions for people to go there. And then the other thing I would just say is acknowledge that this work can be overwhelming and tiring and sometimes lonely. And [00:35:00] it's really important that. You get the support and connection that you need with nature, other people, whatever that is, um, is really important. Sarah: Yeah, thanks so much. I always have one last question and that is what are you grateful for today or this week, Renee? Renee: Um, I'm grateful that I have, you know, the ability to, you know, live in a place that is safe. And, um, there's nature and, um, yeah, I mean, I'm just grateful for really simple things right now. Mm-Hmm. Sarah: Yeah. Thanks so much for being here and being my guest. This was Renee: to Thank you, . Yeah. I'm grateful for you and for having this conversation. Thank you. Sarah: I hope you [00:36:00] enjoyed this episode as much as I enjoyed recording it with Renée and got some great value from listening in. You can find out more about Renée and her work at renéelaertsman. com as well as the link projectinsideout. com And if you are looking for this community for others who think like you, then why not join us in the Humane Marketing Circle? You can find out more at humane. marketing forward slash circle. And, uh, we'd love to have you there to have these deeper conversations about the transformation that we're currently finding ourselves in and what it has to do with marketing. You can find the show notes of this episode at humane. marketing forward slash H M 1 7 9. And on this beautiful page, you'll also find a series of free offers, such as the Humane Business Manifesto and the free Gentle Confidence [00:37:00] mini course, as well as my two books, Marketing Like We're Human and Selling Like We're Human. Thanks so much for listening and being part of a generation of marketers who cares for yourself, your clients, and the planet. Cause we are change makers before we are marketers. So go be the change you want to see in the world. Speak soon.

The war between the US Army and the Native American confederation during the war of 1812 is a buried story in an often-overlooked event, yet its impact on the history of North America is profound. The leading figures on both sides of the war, Shawnee Chief Tecumseh and US Army General William Henry Harrison, had come of age in the struggles over what is today called the Midwest United States, and both understood that losing the war would mean losing the future they imagined for their people. In this episode, Ben & Bob do a deep dive on the story behind that war with Peter Stark, author of the incredibly accessible new book, Gallop Toward The Sun: Tecumseh and William Henry Harrison's Struggle for the Destiny of a Nation (Random House, 2023). Peter Stark is an adventure and exploration writer and historian who was previously a correspondent for Outside magazine. His previous book, Young Washington: How Wilderness and War Forged America's Founding Father, was named a finalist for the George Washington Book Prize in 2019. You can follow him on Instagram at @peterstark_adventure_historian. This episode was edited by Gary Fletcher. We're excited to announce that Ben & Bob will be recording a live episode of RTN on the history of Americana music in Nashville on September 18, 2023 w/ guests Emmy Lou Harris, Rodney Crowell and Jefferson Cowie! Click here for tickets. Hope to see you there!

Shaping the future of Bare Metal-as-a-Service Provisioning and Automation with Open Hardware Standards! In this episode, I'm speaking with Mike Wagner, Co-Founder & CEO of Metify, a visionary company taking the bare metal provisioning and automation industry by storm. Metify's Mojo Platform is an open-source solution that utilizes open hardware standards and a vendor-neutral stance, making it easier for organizations to manage diverse hardware seamlessly. We explore the unique functionalities of Mojo Platform, its emphasis on automation, and what the future holds for this transformative technology. Metify was created with a clear purpose: to simplify the interaction with diverse hardware, irrespective of the server manufacturer or cloud provider. The company is located in the Great Lakes region, Midwest United States. ☑️ Support the Channel by buying a coffee? - https://ko-fi.com/gtwgt ☑️ Technology and Technology Partners Mentioned: Mojo Matrix, Redfish API, Distributed Management Task Force (DMTF), Edge computing ☑️ Web: https://www.metify.io ☑️ Crunch Base Profile: https://www.crunchbase.com/organization/metify-io ☑️ Interested in being on #GTwGT? Contact via Twitter @GTwGTPodcast or go to ⁠https://www.gtwgt.com⁠ ☑️ Subscribe to YouTube: ⁠https://www.youtube.com/@GTwGTPodcast?sub_confirmation=1⁠ Web - ⁠https://gtwgt.com⁠ Twitter - ⁠https://twitter.com/GTwGTPodcast⁠ Spotify - ⁠https://open.spotify.com/show/5Y1Fgl4DgGpFd5Z4dHulVX⁠ Apple Podcasts - ⁠https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/great-things-with-great-tech-podcast/id1519439787⁠ ☑️ Music: ⁠https://www.bensound.com

Andy Freeman is an experienced sales professional, real estate investor, and the Principal and founder of Enjoy Capital Group. Enjoy Capital is an emerging private equity investment group with a growing portfolio of mobile home parks across the Midwest United States with nearly 1,000 lots of ownership experience. Prior to launching Enjoy Capital, Andy was a top-level sales associate for Toyota, finishing in the top twelve out of 18,000+ sales associates in 2017. His sales background has allowed him to be highly effective in pursuing off-market mobile home parks by building strong rapport with sellers and consistently following up until they are ready to sell. https://www.linkedin.com/in/freemanandy/         The CRE SharkEye Show https://www.youtube.com/c/YishaiBreslauer     The best 6 secrets of commercial real estate download free     The CRE Crash Course - Everything you need in order to get the Must Have Skills for Commercial Real Estate, in only 2 weeks  

Chris and Mallika bring back repeat offender Dr. Stephanie Levy an assistant professor in the Department of Anthropology at Hunter College, a faculty member at the CUNY Graduate Center Department of Anthropology, and a core faculty member of the New York Consortium in Evolutionary Primatology (NYCEP). Dr. Levy returns to catch us up on her recent work in human energetics, biological adaptation, circumpolar populations, seasonality, social influences on health disparities, cardiometabolic health, and climate change. She graciously shares her experiences and research as a co-PI on the Indigenous Siberian Health and Adaptation Project (ISHAP), a collaborative project that includes researchers based in Russia and the U.S. In this episode, we learn about her research exploring how environmental conditions across the life course influence population variation in metabolism and disease risk. Dr. Levy's work investigates human evolution, adaptation, and health by integrating energetics and endocrinology tools to foster comparative research that examines how ecological and social environments shape biological variation across human populations and primate species. ------------------------------ Find the publication discussed in today's episode here: “Brown adipose tissue thermogenesis among young adults in northeastern Siberia and Midwest United States and its relationship with other biological adaptations to cold climates” https://doi.org/10.1002/ajhb.23723 ------------------------------ Dr. Levy's email: stephanie.levy@hunter.cuny.edu Website: https://www.levyhumanbiologylab.com/ Twitter: @slevyscience ------------------------------ Contact the Sausage of Science Podcast and Human Biology Association: Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/humanbiologyassociation Website: humbio.org/, Twitter: @HumBioAssoc Chris Lynn, HBA Public Relations Committee Chair, Website: cdlynn.people.ua.edu/, email: cdlynn@ua.edu, Twitter:@Chris_Ly Mallika Sarma, Website: mallikasarma.com/, Twitter: @skyy_mal Cristina Gildee, HBA Junior Fellow, SoS producer: E-mail: cgildee@uw.edu

While some people like to travel without their pets, there are just as many who tailor their trips to include the four legged members of their family.  Spring break typically is the first sign of warmer weather, at least in the Midwest United States, and can be a perfect time to get out and go with the whole family.  Warning: Your bucket list is about to get a whole lot longer.Show Notes:  https://www.thepetladyltd.com/episode-41-pet-friendly-spring-break-destinationsSponsors:Dogs CanDo Academy - Dogs CanDohttps://www.facebook.com/dogscandoacademyAre you in need of Pet Care? Are you located in Elmhurst, Villa Park, Lombard or Naperville, IL? If you answered yes, contact The Pet Lady to set up a meet and greet with a professional pet sitter!Looking for Pet PawCast Merchandise? Visit petpawcast.threadless.comIf you have questions you would like to hear answered or ideas for topic you would like Lauren to dive into, email us podcast@petpawcast.comVisit us at www.petpawcast.comFollow us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/petpawcastFollow us on Instagram at www.instagram.com/petpawcast (@PetPawCast)

Thyroid problems are a common yet often overlooked issue that can have a major impact on one's health and well-being.  This was the case for Elle Russ, who experienced two bouts of hypothyroidism within 10 years.  Elle is a #1 bestselling author, world-renowned thyroid health expert, and thought leader on confidence and self-esteem.  She has written for Entrepreneur and has been featured in Success, HuffPost, Podcasting Magazine, Mind Body Green, Prevention, while offering affordable online courses and free masterclasses.  Her hypothyroidism presented as menstrual irregularities, which her doctor dismissed and instead put her on birth control pills to mask the symptom.  This decision was highly misguided as Elle soon experienced a host of other symptoms including acne, hair loss, rapid weight gain, fatigue, mood swings and constipation.  It took E.R. 7 years to get properly diagnosed and treated for her thyroid condition because many doctors are uninformed about thyroid issues or unwilling to look into it further due to their ego or lack of time.  What are some things that can contribute to low thyroid function? Elle states that:  "Low thyroid function can have a wide range of symptoms, from fatigue and constipation to difficulty concentrating and mood swings. While the causes of low thyroid function can vary, some common factors can contribute to this condition."   "First and foremost, diet plays a major role in maintaining healthy thyroid function. Eating a diet high in processed foods, sugar, and refined carbohydrates is not only unhealthy for your overall health, but it also disrupts the balance of hormones that your thyroid needs to stay healthy. Additionally, gluten sensitivity has been linked to hypothyroidism in some cases. Therefore, it is important to eat a clean diet consisting mostly of unprocessed whole foods such as fruits and vegetables."    "Another factor that can contribute to low thyroid function is sleep deprivation or an irregular sleep cycle. Not getting enough sleep or having an inconsistent sleep schedule can disrupt hormone production and cause fatigue as well as other symptoms associated with low thyroid function. Therefore, it is important to maintain a consistent sleep schedule and get at least 8 hours of sleep each night."   "Finally, having a strong support system is essential for maintaining healthy thyroid function. Having a “tribe” of supportive friends and family can help reduce stress and provide emotional support when needed. This can help keep hormones in balance and prevent the development of low thyroid function." The importance of Iodine in hypothyroidism Iodine is a key component in the production of thyroid hormones and is essential for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland.  Without adequate iodine, hypothyroidism can develop due to decreased production of hormones.   Historically, low levels of iodine were responsible for a phenomenon known as the “Goiter Belt” in the Midwest United States.  This was due to a lack of iodine from ocean air, seawater, and food grown in that region.  To combat this issue, people began taking iodine supplements which helped reduce the incidence of hypothyroidism in the region.    Today, many people are deficient in iodine due to poor dietary habits and exposure to chlorine and bromine which can displace iodine from receptors.  This can be particularly dangerous for those who swim frequently in chlorinated pools as chlorine can further deplete iodine levels. It is important to note that adults do not need fluoride in their toothpaste anymore, as it is not beneficial and may even be harmful.  To optimize iodine levels, adults should consider taking a thyroid support complex that contains trace amounts of iodine.  Alternatively, iodine can be obtained through food such as seaweed or cruciferous vegetables, although the jury is still out on whether raw or cooked vegetables are better.  It is also important to note that if you have Hashimoto's disease, taking high doses of iodine can cause negative detox effects and make the condition worse. In this podcast you will learn about: Difference between a functional medicine doctor and a Western doctor How can having close relationships improve mental health Connection between gluten and autoimmune disorders Consequences of not following a Circadian rhythm Things that can contribute to low thyroid function Possible causes of a low sex drive Iodine importance And so much more. EPISODE RESOURCES: Elleruss.com Instagram Facebook Linkedin Twitter    

IRJ Editor-in-Chief Kevin Smith speaks with John Santamaria of Clever Devices and Alex Pacquet of Alstom on the rise of alternative traction in the rail industry as well as the latest trends in passenger experience and the shift toward predictive maintenance for rail vehicles. John Santamaria, Senior Vice President of Rail, Clever Devices, is responsible for developing and executing short-term and long-term business plans to increase Clever's market share in the rail industry. John also leads and manages rail industry activities and personnel engaged in Business Development, Project Management & System Deployment, Product Management, and Quality Management sectors within the company. Prior to joining Clever, John worked for New York City Transit for 24 years, most recently as Vice President and Chief Mechanical Officer of the Car Equipment Division within the Department of Subways. John also spent four years as Assistant CMO of NYCT's Car Equipment Engineering Department and as Assistant Chief Officer of NYCT's Central Electronics Shop for more than 10 years. John is a licensed professional engineer in three states and is currently Vice Chair of the APTA Rolling Stock Technical Committee. He is an active participant within the UITP Rolling Stock Sub Committee and is also a member of the IEEE Vehicular Technology Society and Metropolitan Railway Club. Alex Paquet, Customer Director, Midwest United States, Alstom, since August 2022, is also responsible for Business Development for the Rolling and Component division for Alstom in North America. Alex prides himself on attaining customer satisfaction and has led several customer experience enhancement initiatives over the last several years to achieve that goal. Kevin Smith, Editor-in-Chief, International Railway Journal, joined IRJ in November 2009, becoming chief editor in February 2020. During his time with IRJ, Smith has traveled the world, interviewing leading figures and professionals from the global railway industry and has tracked the sector's transition into an increasingly digitalized and connected industry. (Introductory music: “Tired Traveler on the Way to Home” by Andrew Codeman – CC BY 3.0)

In the epic conclusion of this nostalgia 2-parter, this episode centers around the childhood of our ambassador to the Midwest United States, Jarrad.  What films had an impact on a nerd growing up in the mid to late 80's into the mid 90's?  You best believe there had to be at least one film that Jarrad was too young to see lol, but what has to be more shocking is the films that you'd expect to be on his list.  There's even a few hidden gems that Melissa had to check out for herself. Podcast Social Media Facebook - Nerdnited Nations Podcast Twitter - @NerdnitedPod Instagram - @nerdnitednationspodcast Email - nerdnitednationspodcast@gmail.com Melissa Twitter/Instagram  - @missmelissan25            - @scribblesofawannabedrawer Jarrad  Twitter/Instagram - @QCA_Mista_J

Leigh Hart joined us in studio to talk about his upcoming travel show on the Midwest United States and his Rock 2000 picks. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

AJ Merlin is an author, crazy bird lady, and rampant horror movie enthusiast. Her novels are overwhelmingly poly romance and reverse harem with protagonists who have a love of reality TV. Born and raised in the Midwest United States, AJ is lucky to be the keeper of a menagerie of weird animals to keep her somewhat sane. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/flocktalk/message

In the 2022 state legislative session, over 500 abortion restrictions were introduced, with many extreme and restrictive anti-abortion bills passing. Rachel Sussman, Vice President of State Policy and Advocacy at Planned Parenthood Action Fund, talks to us about what the recent Supreme Court leak that threatens Roe v. Wade means for multiple states in the South and Midwest United States. Many states have gotten a head start on introducing harmful anti-abortion legislation. In fact, Oklahoma and Idaho have enacted copycats of Texas's S.8.—a bill that bans abortion after only six weeks of pregnancy and allows for private citizens to enforce the law against each other through legal action. Oklahoma's law is officially in effect (PPFA has asked for a stay on the law and is waiting on the decision), while the Idaho law has been stopped at the state court level. Florida, Kentucky, and Arizona have all enacted 15-week abortion bans which will go into effect with the upholding of the case at the center of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization. In addition, Louisiana is contemplating a law that would allow patients to be charged with homicide (which comes with the death penalty in the state) if they receive an abortion. The bill could also criminalize emergency contraception, invitro fertilization, and birth control. (Since we recorded Louisiana lawmakers have taken a step back from this bill for now.)  There are 26 states that are positioned to ban abortion with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, mostly throughout the Midwest and the South. This will leave entire regions of the country geographically stranded when it comes to access to abortion care. Abortion providers, clinics, and funds in states that will continue to provide abortion care will undoubtedly experience extreme logistical and structural challenges while attempting to absorb the patients traveling from out-of-state. Still, there are several states that are working to support and protect abortion in direct opposition to the Supreme Court's leaked decision. New Jersey, Maryland, Washington, and Connecticut have all voted to expand the type of medical practitioners who can provide abortions (such as nurse practitioners). Meanwhile, Oregon, California, and Connecticut are discussing usage of state dollars to directly support patients in accessing care. LinksPPFA on TwitterPPFA on FacebookBansoff.orgKeepourclinics.orgNational Network of Abortion FundsTake ActionFind advocacy opportunities at bansoff.org and follow PPFA on Twitter and Facebook.If you are in a state that is hostile to abortion, find groups that are actively protesting and join. If you are in a state that is protecting abortion access, urge your state governors, legislatures, and attorneys general to act to expand policies and services.As more people wonder where, in fact, they can access an abortion, amplify abortionfinder.org. This website lists clinics and providers across the country offering care.Donate to independent abortion providers, abortion funds! Finally, if you are comfortable, share your story. Whether at the dinner table or on Twitter, your voice is important. Support the show

Donate! supportmu.org View the Future Masjid! https://youtu.be/QwO0qwyD5DA Shaykh Hamzah wald Maqbul was born in Whittier, California, and lived in Southern California until the age of ten when he moved to Blaine, Washington. After graduating from Blaine High School, he went on to attend the University of Washington and in 2004 completed a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry and a Bachelor of Arts in Near Eastern Languages and Civilizations. During his study at the university, he was active on campus, serving as the president of the UW Muslim Students Association. After 9/11 he was also listed by the University of Washington as an expert on Islam and was invited to address various groups from all walks of life from universities to high schools to community groups as well as all forms of media (TV, Radio, Newspaper, Internet). After graduation, Shaykh Hamzah went on to pursue traditional Islāmic studies, which took him to a number of countries, including Syria and Egypt where he studied the Arabic language, Morocco, Mauritania, and UAE, where he studied the madhhab of Imām Mālik, grammar, usul al-hadith, and the two renditions of the qira'ah of Imam Nāfi', Warsh and Qālūn, and finally, Pakistān where he had the opportunity to study tafsīr, Usūl al-Hadīth, Hadīth, ‘Ilm al-Rijāl and Hanafī Fiqh. All of these studies culminated in him receiving an Ijāzat al-Tadrīs, literally meaning “a license to teach” which is the equivalent in Pakistānī Islāmic seminaries to a MA in Arabic and Islāmic studies, as well as an unbroken chain of transmission by which to narrate the Hadīth of such books as the Muwatta' of Imām Mālik, the Sihāh al-Sittah (Bukhārī, Muslim, Abū Dāwūd, Tirmidhī, Nasā'ī, and Ibn Mājah), and the Sharh Ma'ānī al-Athār of Imām al-Tahāwī. After his return to the United States, Shaykh Hamzah spent five years as the resident scholar of the Thawr Institute, a non-profit religious and educational organization based in Seattle, Washington, teaching, giving khutbahs in local Masājid, and traveling through America promoting the knowledge and practice of the sunnah. In parallel with his work at Thawr, he worked closely with Islamic Relief, CAIR Seattle, and a number of other non-profit organizations that serve the Muslim Community. He is currently the resident scholar for Ribāt, a center for learning and remembrance in the Midwest United States. ⏰ New episode every week!

In the latest in World Book Club's season celebrating The Exuberance of Youth, Harriett Gilbert talks to Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo about her extraordinary novel, We Need New Names. A remarkable literary debut shortlisted for the Man Booker Prize We Need New Names is the unflinching, compelling story of a young girl's journey out of Zimbabwe and into America. A coming-of-age story, we follow a young girl named Darling, first as a 10-year-old in Zimbabwe with her friends, navigating a vibrant world of colour, political chaos and ultimately lethal danger. Later as a teenager emigrating to the Midwest United States, she hopes to find a better future living with her Aunt Fostalina in Michigan, only to discover that her options as a young immigrant are perilously few. (Picture: NoViolet Bulawayo. Photo credit: Nye Lyn Tho.)

Intro regulars: Schumann Resonance News for 7 places on Earth, the spikes happening in the otherwise calm baseline of 7.83 Hertz! Sun activity, cosmic radiation news, solar wind news, CME and sunspot news. NASA's all sky cameras fireball news for the USA. Intro: I discuss high strangeness of the energy of the past three days, I accidentally let go of my sex appeal and what were the results of that! Hint: NEVER do this! I discovered that I've had sexual privilege my whole life! And charismatic energy is definitely a way to get things done in your life and I tell you that you can have this too. I was extremely angry part of the time which is not like me at all so I knew something was going on energetically, all of the animals that came to me to give me a direct message through their eyes and chirping and how I received these energies. The fun tale of the 13 Djinn! Tonight's Topic: Interview: Alena Chapman: Living From The Soul's Perspective! This is a really great interview I got to speak with the Spiritual Thought Leader and author of Hello Soul, Alena Chapman who is the host of two amazing podcasts one of which is number one in the Midwest United States and the other one topping the worldwide charts. Soul Manifesto and Magical Moments are these marvelous shows. Alena escorted her brother into Heaven recently and discusses this as well as shares incredible stories of her intuitive gifts! This episode is A MUST listen!

This week we are glad to welcome Robert's fellow Hope*Circle members Holly Burnside & Jackie Perseghetti to the show. We have a fun conversation about their individual writing journeys and how they've gotten to where they are.  Holly Burnside is a single mother of three, residing in the Midwest United States. She is a hope*writer, currently a blog writer, and an aspiring author. Holly's ministry is focused on women focused, specifically single mothers. She is passionate about helping other women thrive and follow their dreams.Holly's LinksWebsite - https://heartandsolemompac.com/Instagram - @hollyno.lJackie Perseghetti is a best-selling author, Creative Teacher, and Encourager. Her life motto is “Being God's person @ God's time in the life of another,” which drives her writing, teaching, and living. Her joy is offering authentic words of life, help, and hope based on her own experiences as she seeks to cultivate an undivided heart for the Lord. Jackie's LinksWebsite - www.akingdomheartbeat.comInstagram - @jackieperseghettiHope*WritersTake the Quiz - A 30 second quiz that helps you discover where you are on the 6 stage writing path.Thinking about writing a book? My friends at @hopewriters created this free guide just for you. 10 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Write a BookFollow Coffee Time Conversations, or Robert or Rebecca on Social Media: InstagramCoffee Time Conversations - https://www.instagram.com/coffeetime.conversationsRebecca - https://www.instagram.com/prince_beckRobert - https://www.instagram.com/robertprinceFacebookhttps://www.facebook.com/coffeetimeconversationsWebsitesRobert & Rebecca's Art (Still in Development) - https://princeartstudio.comCoffee Time Conversations - https://www.coffeetimeconversations.comRobert's Writing - https://recognizingthedivine.com

词汇提示1.glamorous 迷人的2.derived 获得3.hub 重心4.shores 海岸5.minor trading post 小型贸易战6.lamp 灯7.atmosphere 气氛8.notorious 臭名昭著的9.prohibition 禁令10.mobsters 匪徒11.smuggling 走私12.liquor 烈酒13.rival gangs 敌对帮派14.poverty 贫穷15.racial conflict 种族冲突16.prospered 繁荣的17.institute 机构18.aquarium 水族馆19.district 地区原文ChicagoChicago is one of the most famous American cities.Some cities in the United States-such as New York，Los Angeles，and San Francisco-may be more glamorous，but many people agree that Chicago is the city that best represents the United States.Located in the middle of North America，Chicago has derived much benefit from its geography.The city's central location has made its O'Hare International Airport the“hub”for most airlines in the United States.Its location on the shores of Lake Michigan has made it a major port and business center，where the agricultural and industrial products of the American Midwest are shipped overseas.Until about the 1830s，Chicago was a minor trading post.But then it grew rapidly as the most important town in the rapidly developing areas of the Midwest United States.In the 1871，the city was destroyed by a fire.It is often said that the fire stated when a cow knocked over an oil lamp.It took about 20 years for the city to be completely rebuilt，but it continued to expand.In 1882，the first skyscraper was built in Chicago.Around the turn of the century，the population of Chicago was growing quickly.Many African-American people moved to Chicago from southern United States，and many immigrants from Eastern Europe also arrived in Chicago during this timeBecause of the busy and active atmosphere of the city，an American poet described Chicago as“the city of broad shoulders”.Chicago became notorious for organized crime during the Prohibition Era of the 1920s，when the sale of alcohol was illegal.Mobsters such as AI Capone became rich by smuggling liquor，and many people were killed in conflicts between rival gangs of criminals.But the influence of organized crime later became weaker.In the decades following World War Two，Chicago experienced some problems with crime，poverty，and racial conflict.However，the city has recently prospered，and social conditions have improved for many people in Chicago.Compared with other large cities，Chicago is viewed an affordable place to live，with a high quality of life.The city has an efficient transportation，and many beautiful parks along the Lake Michigan shoreline.Chicago is famous for its many attractions，including the Art Institute of Chicago，the Field Museum of Natural History，the Shedd Aquarium，the Sears Tower，and the“Miracle Mile”shopping district.Indeed，Chicago is one of the most interesting cities in the United States.

As founder of Mercy Chefs, Gary LeBlanc and his team have served more than 18 million meals to people affected by disasters, including to those impacted by the tornadoes that tore through the South and Midwest United States earlier this month. In this Brief But Spectacular take, he talks about how food does more than nourish the body-- it can create hope. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

As founder of Mercy Chefs, Gary LeBlanc and his team have served more than 18 million meals to people affected by disasters, including to those impacted by the tornadoes that tore through the South and Midwest United States earlier this month. In this Brief But Spectacular take, he talks about how food does more than nourish the body-- it can create hope. PBS NewsHour is supported by - https://www.pbs.org/newshour/about/funders

It only took about 37 years but your nerdy host to the Midwest United States received his letter by owl to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Earlier this Spring Jarrad entered Platform 9 3/4 and started off on his adventure reading all 7 Harry Potter books and watching all 8 films for the first time (except Goblet of Fire)! Melissa and returning guest Victoria take their seats in their Muggle Studies class and humor Jarrad in his initial thoughts and random theories about this magical franchise.  In Part 1 you'll hear Melissa, Victoria and Jarrad talk about the first 4 books and films.  What better way to celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the first film than to hear someone lose their Wizard V-card for the first time? Be sure to return for the exciting conclusion of possibly the Nerdnited Nation's biggest podcasting event ever!   Podcast Social Media Facebook - Nerdnited Nations Podcast Twitter - @NerdnitedPod Instagram - @nerdnitednationspodcast Email - nerdnitednationspodcast@gmail.com Melissa Instagram  - @missmelissan25            - @scribblesofawannabedrawer Jarrad  Twitter/Instagram - @QCA_Mista_J

New #TeesMe podcast episode alert with Fitness Phenom, Taj Harris Recognized as a conscientious professional, Taj Harris, is a detail-oriented leader with over 20 years of proven results in management, teaching, personal training and public speaking.  A naturally active, sexy tomboy, foodie and fitness professional who fell in love with empowering others to find their balance with fitness and life over 20 years ago. Born and raised in Perth Amboy, New Jersey, her love of fitness started in high school while working part time as a receptionist for a woman's only gym.  She had no idea that she'd eventually become a group fitness instructor, personal trainer and master yoga trainer.  Over the years she also had the opportunity to present internationally, author several fitness manuals, be featured in online workouts and create fitness classes for international gym franchises. Taj has been featured on CW 11, FOX, CBS, ABC – Nightline, Good Morning America and Live with Kelly & Ryan.  She also contributed or was featured in Jane Magazine, Oprah.com, Women's Health Magazine, SELF Magazine, Reuters, Men's Health Magazine and the New York Times. Taj is an avid runner, who's participated in over a dozen half marathons across the US and a 3X participant in the NYC Marathon.  She enjoys cycling, salsa dancing, cooking, gardening and hiking.  Future goals include biking from NYC – Montauk and San Francisco – LA. You can catch her teaching classes 5 days a week virtually through her online platform at www.tajharris.com Classes include RISE Up Yoga, Cardio & Tone and her very own class Symmetry.   Pre-CoVid she worked as the Regional Group Fitness Director for Crunch Franchise, overseeing 100+ locations Group Fitness programs and coordinators for the SouthEast, MidWest United States and Canada. Certifications include:  AFAA, ACE, NASM, E-RYT 500 Yoga, Schwinn, Kaiser, Spinning, BodyArt, Pound, TRX, X-Pole, Zumba and several speciality certifications. What you'll hear: - Aerobics was a money maker - Just get up, life after the break - If you've fallen, get up or push up - African-Americans in Energy and golf - Golfers live a one-sided lifestyle, find “Symmetry” - Yoga isn't girlie, it is for everyone - A holistic approach to fitness - Want a mindset shift? Step outside of your comfort zone - Being close to Oprah, one-degree of separation - From TR-X to BodyArt, beyond certifications find a connection - No big bang, gradually rediscovering fitness - embracing Yoga, for those that really dislike Yoga - If you fall down, get up or “Push Up” - Favorite golf lesson - patience ************************* Things you should know: Website: www.tajharris.com * PROMO CODE: TryYoga IG: @TajHarris Connect: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taj-harris-lee-6a5bb939 ************************* Listen on Apple, Spotify, Google  https://anchor.fm/TeesMe    #TeesMe  #podcast  #storiesNeedToBeTold  #untoldStories  #fitness #pushupChallenge #fallandGetUp #womengolf #health #golf #NJ #wellness #blackGolfers #blackGolfMatters #2021  #IN18 #IN18Ways --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app

We've got a fantastic tale from North America this week, a myth of the Sioux people of MidWest United States. The Sioux nation is one of the largest Native American tribes, consisting of the Lakota, Dakota, and Nakota tribes. They traditionally lived in Minnesota, Iowa, and Wisconsin, but were forced to migrate west to the great plains by the French and the Ojibwe tribes.The Sioux of old were a nomadic people who roamed the great plains, following buffalo herds throughout the American Midwest. Buffalos being an important part of their culture – responsible for food, clothing, houses – or teepees and many pieces of jewelry. The people believe in Wakan Tanka, the great spirit. This represents the power or the sacredness that resides in everything – both living and inanimate. Storytelling, as with almost all Native American tribes, is an important part of the Sioux culture. Tales, indeed, legends were passed down from one generation to another as tales told around the bonfire. This story is one such tale. Recorded in the early 20th century by Mrs. Marie McLaughlin, and in her own words, “ told in the lodges and at the campfires of the past, and by the firesides of the Dakotas, these tales are the thoughts of a grave, and sincere people, living in intimate contact and friendship with the big outdoors that we call Nature; a race that is humble, but honest and fair; a sincere, and gravely thoughtful people, willing to believe that there may be in even the everyday things of life something not yet fully understood; a race that can, without any loss of native dignity, gravely consider the simplest things, seeking to fathom their meaning and to learn their lesson”Reference:Title: Myths and Legends of the SiouxAuthor: Marie L. McLaughlinURL: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/341/341-h/341-h.htmWe're active on social media. Check us out below:Twitter: @storiesthtmdeus Instagram: @storiesthtmdeus Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/storiesthatmdeuse-mail: info.storiesthatmadeus@gmail.comThe music used for the episodes is either free to use or under a creative commons license. Below are their links and attributions:Danse Macabre - Isolated Harp by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source: http://freepd.com/Classical/Danse%20Macabre%20-%20Isolated%20HarpArtist: http://incompetech.com/Dama-May - Primal Drive by Kevin MacLeod is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Source: http://incompetech.com/music/royalty-free/index.html?isrc=USUAN1200086Artist: http://incompetech.com/

Hello Interactors,This week’s post is coming to you from Avon, Connecticut as we’re about to head north to Maine. We’ve experienced some unseasonably humid days (and nights), a waiter serving bug spray in Cape Cod, and a hot and sticky college campus visit in Rhode Island. I can hear the locals now, “Welcome to New England.”As interactors, you’re special individuals self-selected to be a part of an evolutionary journey. You’re also members of an attentive community so I welcome your participation.Please leave your comments below or email me directly.Now let’s go…WHATA WET SUMMAI’ve become a weather wimp. Or, maybe I always have been. Summers in my native Iowa were hot and humid. I remember nights when the temperature would actually increase as I lay in bed, spread eagle, staring at the ceiling waiting for just a single puff of air to waft through my window. I’m not sure I was ever dry during those Iowa summer months.Humidity makes me sweat more than most. I’m sweating just thinking about it. Perspiring makes me perspire. So you can imagine what I was thinking this week as I, with my family, were descending a long hill downtown Providence, Rhode Island, with air so thick and a sun so hot that it felt like I was walking on a treadmill in a steam bath with a heat lamp over my head. As we approached the banks of the Providence River, we read a sign on one of the buildings that that visitors of the Rhode Island School of Design should check-in at the admissions building. You guessed it, it was at the top of the hill we had just descended. Just two steps up the hill and I had sweat gushing from my head. Part way we encounter a fountain. I soaked the cooling towel I tucked in my backpack and draped if over my skull and was rewarded with a cool tingling sensation down my neck. The bliss was short lived as we trudged up the final steps of the admissions building featuring a sweeping view of Providence and a sign on the door that read, “Closed”.The Northeastern region of the United States is known for its humidity, but July has been unseasonably wet. This is good news for the one thing that everyone agrees is more dreaded during summer than humidity. Mosquitoes. Cape Cod has been hit hard, especially the small town of Wellfleet. The fleet of white vans marked with the name “Mosquito Squad” parked in a lot on the way in to town should be the first clue this area is prone to these ‘Swamp Angels’. The word mosquito is Spanish for ‘little gnat’. I prefer ‘mini-beast’. Bart Morris of the Cape Cod Mosquito Control Project said, while spraying larvicide amidst clouds of mosquitoes, “This is about as bad as I've seen it…biblical in size.” Gabrielle Sakolsky has been with this organization since 1993 and she’s never seen a population boom like this. Dry air usually controls mosquito populations, but not this summer. It’s been a wild July in the Northeast. And it’s not over.Cornell University’s Northeast Regional Climate Center reports all but two days of the first half of July included a flashflood somewhere in the region. July kicked off with a tornado in Delaware and a week later New York subways were flooded. Then came two days of Tropical Storm Elsa with severe thunderstorms and torrents of rain. Connecticut, where we are now, and Maine, where we’re headed next, were hit with five inches of rain and flash flooding. The coasts were slammed with 67 mile per hour winds while New Jersey whipped up another two tornados as winds howled over 100 miles per hour. Then, on July 12th, 10 inches of rain dowsed southeastern Pennsylvania and parts of New Jersey causing major flash flooding.  That’s a lot of extreme weather in less than two weeks. And a lot of moisture.In the first 15 days of July, portions of the Northeast have seen rainfall that is 300% above normal. The Cornell climate center tracks 35 weather sites that stretch from West Virginia to the south to northern tip of Maine in Caribou, which actually was only at 57% of their normal rainfall. Boston was another story. They were 574% above normal. You can see why the mosquitoes were doing a happy dance in Cape Cod. “Eight major climate sites experienced their wettest first half of July on record and another 17 of the sites ranked this July 1-15 period among their 20 wettest on record. In fact, for 12 of the major climate sites, it is already one of the 20 wettest Julys on record.”  ABNORMAL MEMORIES OF NORMALIt’s hard to know what normal is anymore. But the climate change explainers at the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) remind us their analysis includes previous normal weather patterns. They adjust for the effects of climate change periodically and the last time they adjusted was 2011. That’s when the baseline for normal had shifted from the period starting in 1971 and ended in 2000. They created a handy map that demonstrates what plants and animals already knew – the planting zones across the United States had shifted north in latitude and up in elevation as normal temperatures warmed over that 30 year period.The point of analyzing and reporting on weather normals is to reflect what is normal today, and not how the values have changed over time. So NOAA updates their models every decade or so to reflect the “new normal”. It turns out reporting and understanding temperature normals is easier than precipitation normals.NOAA has collected 10 sets of these U.S Climate Normals dating back to 1901. The map below shows how the United States has warmed over the course of these ten segments of time. The blue zones are areas where the temperature was cooler than the 20th century average and the red zones are those areas warmer than average.Looking at these maps tells the story anybody born between 1901-1940 will tell you – generally speaking, it used to be cooler. Though, unfortunately, they can’t really. It’s called generational amnesia and it inflicts all of us. As climate and energy writer David Roberts writes, reflecting the research from two researchers at Columbia: “”extremely hot summers” are 200 times more likely than 50 years ago. Did you know that? Can you feel it?” It’s also part of what is called shifting baseline syndrome. We can’t relate to the baselines of the past. That’s true for temperatures, plant and animal populations, and the more fickle baselines of precipitation. NOAA’s same 10 time segments for U.S. Climate Normals for precipitation don’t show the same gradual nation-wide pattern temperatures do. Even before climate change, precipitation patterns varied greatly across different regions of the U.S. Unlike temperature normals, where we can say its generally getting warmer, we can’t say it’s generally getting wetter or dryer over time. We’re stuck with the more unsatisfactory answer, “It depends.”Take the Southwest as an example. It’s easy to think it’s just been getting gradually drier, but it’s a mixed bag. For the first two sets, 1901-1930 and 1911-1940 it was wetter than the 20th Century average. And then the next four segments were dryer until the 1961-90 segment which shows a mix of wetter and dryer across a mix of zones. The two most recent periods, including 1981-2010, have been wetter than average. This regional precipitation variation is evident even in the Northeast precipitation numbers Cornell provided for the first half of July. Caribou, Maine was drier than usual while Boston blew the normal out of the proverbial water. Given how dry and hot the Southwest has been, recency bias – the tendency to favor recent events over historic ones – will probably will keep people from believing that is true; before, that is, generational amnesia and baseline syndrome take over. But some weather events leave a lasting impression. As it did for my father-in-law, John Pappalardo, who grew up in Winsted, Connecticut. In August of 1955, John’s sophomore year at the University of Connecticut on his way to becoming a dentist, the Mad River running through Winsted flooded. “There’s a reason we called it the Mad River”, John told me, as he recalled the images of the flood: “Our two story house was flooded with water as high as the thermostat on the wall. We stayed up all night on the second floor as water ran down our street. It took a full day before someone came by in a boat, rowed in our front door, and rescued us from the staircase. But we were lucky, my friend’s house was split in half. You could see the dishes sitting in the cupboard from the street, just as they had left it.”Two hurricanes in as many weeks had ripped through Southern New England. First came Hurricane Connie between August 11th to the 14th which dumped four to six inches in two days saturating the land with water. Then, three days later, on August 17th, came Hurricane Diane dumping nearly 20 inches of rain in two days. Both exceeded New England records. With the land already saturated with water from the first hurricane, the banks of the Mad River couldn’t contain the onslaught of water from the second. Thus began a cascade of flooding through Winsted, down the Mad River, and into the Farmington River – Connecticut’s largest tributary feeding into the Northeast’s largest river, the Connecticut River.EVAPORATION NATIONStretching 410 miles long, the Connecticut River Basin stretches through four New England states; it forms the border of Vermont and New Hampshire and divides Massachusetts and Connecticut. The river provides 70% of the water to New England; 41% of which comes from Vermont, 30% from New Hampshire and Connecticut, and the remainder from another six New England states. It collects water as far north as the Canadian border and spills it into the Atlantic Ocean to the south at Long Island, New York. Like much of the Northeast, a lush tree canopy covers 80% of the basin. It’s health is vital to the Northeast Region making it a target of study for the effects of climate change on the region.Laying awake at night here in Avon, Connecticut, tucked under a canopy of trees, saturated soil, and a mosquito dive-bombing my ears, the still presence of humidity surrounds my body and engulfs my mind. I contemplate animals like me sweating – perspiration; plants sweating – transpiration; and the soil sweating – evaporation. Just then, the rush of rustling leaves permeates the stagnant calm as buckets of rain come pouring down. Precipitation – the source of perspiration, transpiration, and evaporation. The trees, like me, struggle to transpire amidst the invisible gaseous vapors of humidity – the most abundant greenhouse gas there is. Humidity is the measure of the amount of water vapor in the air and is a primary player in the water cycle – and in cooling the planet. Just as sweat pulls heat from our body to be transported to the air, humid water vapors suck water and heat from animals, plants, soil, lakes, streams, and puddles and ferries it around the globe. Humidity is also invisible to the sun as radiation dances through the vapors and is absorbed by the earth. The soil in Avon is pregnant with fifteen days of record July rainfall and the sun’s stored energy radiates back into the atmosphere long after the sun has set; steaming me on the mattress like a plump white sticky bun. This nighttime reheating process explains why those hot Iowa nights would grow warmer as the night progressed. As the rich Iowa soil emanated stored heat, I wasn’t the only one sweating. So was the abundant Iowa corn. One acre of corn will transpire 3,000-4,000 gallons (11,400-15,100 liters) of water a day making significant contributions to the state’s humidity. Back here in Avon, the oak trees above me will contribute 40,000 gallons (151,000 liters) of water a year to the atmosphere. And I thought I sweat a lot. Scientists will sometimes combine the measures, and the letters, of evaporation and transpiration to form the term: evapotranspiration. Global climate models tell us evapotranspiration increases 2% for every degree of warming. Given global precipitation amounts must be balanced by evapotranspiration under a warming planet, it follows that the world should be seeing less frequent and shorter durations of precipitation. That is, we should also be seeing more and longer periods of dry days so that the atmosphere can be replenished with water vapors from evapotranspiration. But this is why it’s important to not just study the whole with aggregated data, but the highly variable parts as well with contextual data. Measures of specific regions can deviate significantly from a global mean. A 2014 study, quotes researchers from 2008 who “noted that over the period of 1895–1999, annual precipitation averaged over New England increased by 3.7% while the change of annual precipitation for individual states in New England varied between −12% and 29.5%.” This same study compared various sections of the Connecticut River Basin for each season. They analyzed the evapotranspiration, surface runoff, baseflow (stream flow between precipitation events), and soil moisture and found data to “support the theory that extreme precipitation events are becoming more common in a warming world.” Their “results show a clear increase in precipitation intensity for the Connecticut River Basin in the latter half of the 20th Century and early 21st Century.” While being careful to note it’s not always the case, they also find it “interesting to note” that “as precipitation intensity increases, frequency of precipitation is likely to decrease.”Another thing that kept me awake on that humid night in Connecticut was smoke. A good example of the nuanced and variable climate conditions regions can bring. Smoke from fires in drier areas of the Midwest United States, and parts of Canada and Pennsylvania drifted over the Northeast in a toxic smog that created an atmospheric red filter to the moon. A grim reminder of what may greet us in our return west to Seattle next week, through August, and well into October. Meanwhile, sorry Northeast, NOAA predicts “above normal precipitation is likely for the central and eastern Gulf Coast region and from the Appalachians to the Atlantic Coast” for August through October. Sounds like those mosquitoes will continue to do their happy dance.But before we head home, we stop in Maine to visit my sister and a couple more schools. Then back to water logged Boston to board a giant jet-fueled mosquito headed back against the prevailing easterly winds to the dry west coast. I’ll be ready to dry out in the mosquito-free air of Kirkland, Washington. Minus the smoke, of course. I also need to water the soil around the baby native ferns, firs, and vine maples I’m nursing to health in my nearby Kirkland park. Water that will start a cycle of evapotranspiration that, when combined with my perspiration, will form water vapors headed for the sky joining clouds drifting in from the Pacific Ocean headed east for more record setting precipitation in New England. Perhaps next year, they’ll be joined by my kids too. Subscribe at interplace.io

Two guys from the Midwest United States talks about the failed European Super League and a lot about David Dobrik. We wrap it up with some more fire ASMR. If you have any business inquiries than contact us at ensemblessportstalk@gmail.com. Go follow us on Facebook @ https://www.facebook.com/Ensemble-111856230355105.

BAILEY ANSELME is an Iowa-based photographer, videographer, and graphic designer serving the Midwest United States and beyond. I felt compelled to pull Bailey on the pod to show what it looks like to offer multiple creative services within one business, and she didn't disappoint! Bailey is the sweetest lil human in the entire world — she is ALL about finding contentedness in the situation she's in and crafting a life of comfort. I know listeners will get a lot from her mindset and I can't wait to hear what you think! Go give her some love on Instagram and be sure to review her episode on your fave podcast platform.SHOWNOTES: https://www.montanadiaries.com/creativebusinessblog/7FREE CLASS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS! https://www.montanadiaries.com/learnvideo SIGN UP FOR 1X1 MENTOR CALLS: https://www.montanadiaries.com/coaching

Did you know? The NAACP was founded on February 12, 1909, the centennial anniversary of the birth of Abraham Lincoln? In the decades that followed, mayors of cities across the country began issuing yearly proclamations recognizing Negro History Week. By the late 1960s, thanks in part to the civil rights movement and a growing awareness of black identity, Negro History Week had evolved into Black History Month on many college campuses. President Gerald Ford officially recognized Black History Month in 1976, calling upon the public to “seize the opportunity to honor the too-often neglected accomplishments of black Americans in every area of endeavor throughout our history.” Each year beginning on February 1, an entire month of events are planned nationwide honoring the contributions of African Americans. Beginning in the early 20th century, a growing number of black industrial leaders and black entrepreneurs emerged as their families relocated from farms to cities, and from the South to the more industrialized Northeast and Midwest. Along with the emergence of new music genres -- like ragtime, blues, and jazz --, the Harlem Renaissance in New York City also signaled a blossoming of the visual and literary arts. The Harlem Renaissance was an intellectual, social, and artistic explosion that took place in Harlem, New York, spanning the 1920s. The Movement also included the new African-American cultural expressions across the urban areas in the Northeast and Midwest United States affected by the African-American Great Migration, of which Harlem was the largest. The Harlem Renaissance was considered to be a rebirth of African-American arts.[ Though it was centered in the Harlem neighborhood of the borough of Manhattan in New York City, many black writers from African and Caribbean colonies who lived in Paris were also influenced by the Harlem Renaissance. Well into the century, blacks continued to break the color barrier in sports, business, and politics and have recently challenged the traditional bastions of wealth and power at the local, state, and national levels. This week FRANKLY SPEAKING is celebrating a kaleidoscope of African Americans who have made and are making deposits into our rich history. Click below and be inspired.

Liviya Meyers is a 12 year-old actress based in the Midwest United States. She shows her passion to act through doing virtual theater due to the pandemic while continuing to audition for film projects. She hopes her works entertain and make a connection to the viewer/listener. A Statement from Liviya: “This piece, ‘My Name' now serves the purpose to distract and focus on something else besides what we are living through. It makes the listener relate to others that they may know, and reflect on their qualities that make them unique or separate them from others.” -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Created during a time of quarantine in the global Coronavirus pandemic, A Moment Of Your Time's mission is to provide a space for expression, collaboration, community and solidarity. In this time of isolation, we may have to be apart but let's create together.  Follow Us: Instagram | Twitter Created by CurtCo Media Concept by Jenny Curtis Theme music by Chris Porter A CurtCo Media Production See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

By Davy Crockett  Since the dawn of the sport of ultrarunning more than a century ago, a unique breed of ultrarunner has existed which I will call the "self-promoter." They were skilled in using their running talents to gain fame and fortune, mostly by doing "stunts" rather than participating in competitions. There is nothing inherently wrong with seeking to make a living this way. Before World War II, most ultrarunners were "professionals" who lived off winnings, wagers, and gate receipts from doing stunts. But sadly, many self-promoters would make false claims, play on the sympathies of a gullible public, and some would resort to fraud and thievery. When telling the history of the sport, these stories of self-promoters must be delicately pointed out so that their achievements can put in their proper place. Caution must be used to sort through a multitude of claims to find the legitimate. In 1985, Gary Cantrell (of Barkley fame) warned the sport about this type of runner who would step forward to claim an undeserved spotlight for gain, disrespecting the entire sport. Ultrarunning historian, Andy Milroy, explained that there were indeed some true scam artists that were quite skilled at their craft. “Many of the rest were delusional who believed they had run the distances claimed. Most saw it as an easy meal ticket.” Self-promoting practices crept into 100-mile history and had a place in it, good or bad. Typically, once the runner received some fame, they performed self-promoting stunts to gain local or national attention, often in the guise of raising money for charity. Some were scammers who were hard to detect at the time, and they were mostly adored. Others were legitimate talents who figured out creative ways to shine the spotlight on their accomplishments. Patterns of behavior of these runners have been similar over the decades. Most of these ultra-distance runners had true talent, would become serious self-promoters, and then would shy away from true competition against the best in the sport. Instead of competing, they put on stunts that would impress others. Their goal was typically to get their names in the Guinness Book of World Records, which during the 1970s had low standards of verification. These runners often claimed their own created "world records," sought after speaking engagements, and inspired many with their stories (with a little or a lot of fiction sprinkled in). Occasionally a skeptical reporter would find out that many of their accomplishments were actually falsified, that they claimed feats that never happened. Not all self-promoters were frauds, but most of the frauds were self-promoters who claimed they were the best ultrarunners in the world. Past Examples Over the years, many self-promoting stunt artists gravitated toward accomplishing walks or runs across America, or even the entire world in record times, or doing other such amazing accomplishments. In the early 1900s an army of "globe trotters" showed up in towns nearly every month in the Midwest United States, claiming to be on amazing journeys on foot, seeking lecture opportunities and free room and board. More than 90% of them were frauds. (See episodes 23, 40, and 41). Some runners just made claims about things they did in long-past years that were impossible to verify at the time. An early example was Dumirtru Dan (1890-1978), who became a Romanian hero in the late 1960s. He claimed that he walked 60,000 miles in 1910-1916, all over the world in an "amazing race" of hundreds of runners. He spent the latter years of his life touring, increasing his fame, lecturing, and teaching children about geography using his tales. He was kind and loved by all. Years after his death, nearly $100,000 was spent for a room in a museum about him, his grave was made into a shrine, and an endurance race is still named after him. But sadly, no one took the time to verify his impossible claims, most of which never happened.

We Need New Names is the 2013 debut novel of expatriate Zimbabwean writer NoViolet Bulawayo. The first chapter of the book, "Hitting Budapest", initially presented as a story in the Boston Review, won the 2011 Caine Prize for African Writing.when the Chair of Judges, Hisham Matar, said: "The language of ‘Hitting Budapest' crackles. This is a story with moral power and weight, it has the artistry to refrain from moral commentary. NoViolet Bulawayo is a writer who takes delight in language." A coming-of-age story, We Need New Names tells of the life of a young girl named Darling, first as a 10-year-old in Zimbabwe, navigating a world of chaos and degradation with her friends, and later as a teenager in the Midwest United States, where a better future seems about to unfold when she goes to join an aunt working there --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/pbliving/support

As we’ve seen with the impacts of COVID-19, it’s now become necessary for the spirits industry to adopt technology and delivery services to stay alive. Cory Rellas, the CEO of Drizly, was on the forefront of this years ago. This podcast dives into their business model and how they are helping stores build a digital infrastructure to sell their goods online and get it into the hands of consumers faster. We hit on all kinds of topics such as their competitors in the market, what shipping laws could mean for Drizly, and if there is an opportunity to extend this business model into cannabis. Show Partners: The University of Louisville has an online Distilled Spirits Business Certificate that focuses on the business side of the spirits industry. Learn more at uofl.me/bourbonpursuit. Barrell Craft Spirits works with distilleries from all over the world to source and blend the best ingredients into America’s most curious cask strength whiskies. Learn more at BarrellBourbon.com. Receive $25 off your first order at RackHouse Whiskey Club with code "Pursuit". Visit RackhouseWhiskeyClub.com. Show Notes: This week’s Above the Char with Fred Minnick talks about the power of packaging. What is Drizly? How did you come up with this idea? What's the timeline? What was the state of the industry when you got started? What were the challenges? Why did you go through New York early on? What is your big selling point to retail locations? Any pricing restrictions to prevent gouging? Talk about pricing transparency. How are you using the data you are acquiring? Are you sharing the data? Do you have a CRM? How are the products delivered to the consumer? How are you dealing with competition? Are you all interested in getting bought out? What's the end game? What happens if shipping laws change? What is your best selling bourbon? What are the top 5 selling spirit categories? What's your favorite bourbon? How do you work with brands? What needs to change to get more people buy alcohol online? Are you lobbying at all? Is there an opportunity with cannabis? What would the perfect alcohol market look like? What's the latest trend? 0:00 To be the best, you have to learn from the best. Louisville and the surrounding regions are home to many of the most storied companies and innovative startups in the distilled spirits industry. And there's no better place to learn the business of the distilled spirits industry than from a university located in its epicenter. The University of Louisville has partnered with industry experts to offer the distilled spirits business certificate, a six course program designed to accelerate your success in this booming industry. Oh, it's all online. get signed up to make your next career move at U of l.me slash bourbon pursuit. 0:36 I'd go with vodka. I'd actually go with bourbon, rum, tequila, although I think our tequila selection has been incredibly high end and what we're actually selling which is kind of interesting. And then I'll check for you here in a second on a fifth. I don't think I know the fifth off the top of my head. 0:54 You said it wrong. It goes bourbon bourbon, bourbon, bourbon bourbon 0:58 right brown, brown, brown brown. At 1:01 least that's what we want to hear. 1:03 I heard there the his mic cut out there when he said another word I don't. 1:21 What's going on everybody? It's Episode 248 of bourbon pursuit. I'm one of your hosts Kenny. We just got just a little bit of news to run through. And as you can guess most of it relates to COVID-19. Pennsylvania State run liquor stores are reopening, but only with online and shipped to home orders. Until further notice. Customers can purchase up to six bottles per transaction from a reduced catalog from thousand top selling wines and spirits from the website. All orders must be shipped to home or non store addresses, and only one order per address will be fulfilled per day. This is possibly in reaction to the losses now being seen by the government in an article Hosted by Trib live.com. For the two weeks of not operating, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board has lost an estimated $91 million in revenue, or around six and a half million dollars per day. quite staggering numbers. And the Virginia ABC has announced that for a limited period of time Virginia distilleries are authorized to ship their spirits to consumers and licensees in Virginia. Now, there's some legal mumbo jumbo about addendums to these distillery store agreements, but it's another big win for consumers and for these distilleries to help everyone get through this period, you can get more information on shipping, including a full list of all 45 Virginia distilleries on the Virginia ABC website. figures released by data analysts IWA ASR have found that for the week ending in March 22 of 2020, that total beverage alcohol sales grew by 40% in value and 33% volume compared to the same period in 2019. And this is to account for the stockpiling that we've seen during COVID-19 Spirits available in one liter one and a half and 1.75 formats have outpaced smaller variants, and the Ws are noted that the larger size formats and value brands tend to benefit from panic buying, as people look to stock their home with as much as possible in the light of a lockdown. According to IWC, or whiskey brands like wild turkey Crown Royal jack daniels bullet and Maker's Mark have been the ones that have seen this most increased purchasing. Alright, now on to something not about the Coronavirus Buffalo Trace distillery continues its exploration into oak tree varietals with the release of its old charter oak Tinker PIN code. This species of oak is native to the Midwest United States. These large Chica Pin Oak trees are often found in parks and larger States after the Chica pin barrels were filled with Buffalo Trace mash number one they were then aged for nine years before being bottled at 93 proof of a suggested retail price is going to be a $70 MSRP and like all other releases in this series, supplies will be limited. And the chicken folk bourbon will be available in limited quantities starting in April. Now today's episode is one that I'm personally really excited about. I'm like a broken record on here preaching how the spirits industry needs a digital revolution. As we've seen with the impacts of COVID-19, it's now become a necessity for this industry to even stay alive. And Cory rellis, the CEO of drizzly, he was on the forefront of this years ago. And this podcast dives into how he even thought of the idea into their business model and how they're how they're actually helping stores build a digital infrastructure to sell their goods online, and get it into the hands of consumers faster. We hit on all kinds of topics such as their competitors in the market, what shipping laws could actually mean for drizzly. And is there an opportunity to even extend this business model into cannabis. Now if you haven't noticed yet, we are doing lots of impromptu live streams that help give you some more entertainment during this time. We've done virtual happy hours with our patrons Our community, late night blind tastings and more. So make sure that you're subscribed to our YouTube channel to get the notifications and also, consider joining Patreon. We're doing zoom meetings to help connect our community. And we'd love to have you there. Check it out. patreon.com slash bourbon pursuit. Also, don't forget to catch Fred MiniK on his live streams every single day at one o'clock and nine o'clock pm eastern time. They've been highly entertaining and educational. enjoy today's episode. Stay safe. Stay inside. Here's Joe from barrel bourbon. And then you've got Fred minich with above the char. 5:36 Hey everyone, Joe here again. We work with distilleries from all over the world to source and blend the best ingredients into America's most curious cask strength whiskies. lift your spirits with barrel bourbon. 5:50 I'm Fred minich. And this is above the char this past week. I'm just telling you, my brain has been suffering. I've been working so hard on I've been doing two live streams a day on YouTube. I've been writing a lot for Forbes, I've been blogging as much as I possibly can. And I hit a wall I hit a wall where I had no ideas left me none in the tank. And I want to thank every single one of you who responded to my query on Twitter, where I simply asked Can you please give me some ideas for above the char? I got so many great ones. I'm going to start with this one from the whiskey stop. It's at the whiskey stop on Twitter. And he wants me to talk about the power of packaging. A unique shape of the bottle. Does it have a twist top a synthetic cork, maybe natural cork a great or unusual label? Did it influence your purchase was a good did it suck? Did the packaging work? its magic on you. What a brilliant question and what a time Hundred like truth is that packaging matters. Oh my God does packaging matter. And let me tell you if you overthink packaging, you will fail and that is where you fail. Most of all when it comes to packaging, what I have noticed is is that many people try to target women and they do it with like a like a fluffy pink or they've got some kind of like special dressing on there and they have like rainbow colors, and women rejected every single time. Another one is when someone tries to be overly fancy, they get like a crystal, a major crystal top, a really fancy label, and then they fill it with like two year old MGP whiskey 7:49 adds a big fail. 7:51 So the packaging always has to match what's inside the bottle and the packaging cannot overstate Something so the overselling is the case of a brand that went too far with trying to attract women. And the whiskey not matching would be the decanter or the bottle that had shit whiskey in it. And the bottle was just stunning. And I've always believed that to me, you can measure a bottle by what is fascinating it or the closure. I am such a fan of natural cork you can read my cover story and bourbon plus magazine to get an idea of like, what goes into making court but I am really connected to the earth and I love I love the sustainability aspect of cork. And when I hear that pop when I pull the bottle next to my ears and I go that is an undeniable sound that makes my mouth water and makes me want a sip. A screw top doesn't do that. Lot of the synthetic corks are like stuck in there like they don't make that same sound. And the glass tops that are starting to become more popular. I could never get those things off. I have to pry them off with the damn, you know, butter knife. To me it all starts with with a good cork on the top. Now people can argue all day long of the merits of cork, but I'm just here to tell you I know what I like. And I like hearing this sound every time I open a bottle. And that's this week's above the char. Hey, listen, I'm bound to continue to run out of ideas with this Coronavirus stuff going on. Because I'm not stopping. I am driving content every single day. So hit me up on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook or YouTube and give me some ideas for above the char I'll select my favorite and read it in the next episode. Next week, cheers. 10:05 Welcome back to another episode of bourbon pursuit, the official podcast of bourbon, Kenny Ryan and Fred in our virtual hangout space. And today we are talking about a topic that we know far or should say, we know all too well, you know, when we talked about this on the roundtables, we talked about it, you know, with distributors, we talked about what is the future consumption and delivery of alcohol really going to look like for the the mass market and we look at, you know, coming from a tech industry myself, we try to figure out, like, how can we get, you know, our product into the hands of consumers faster than anyone else. And what we're gonna be talking about today is really talking to a company that's on the forefront of all this. And when we look at this, it's not only just being able to get in the hands of consumers, but you can get it in less than an hour sometimes. So I think it's gonna be a really cool conversation of how we really dive into this. So Fred, and Ryan I mean, you know, we've we've talked about shipping before, but have you all have y'all ever had a service delivered bottles to you yet? 11:08 No, not yet. But I'm super excited to learn about it. I'm fortunate I live like a half mile from a liquor store so we can get it pretty easy. But yeah, I mean, the liquor industry moves at a snail's pace. So you know, there's a lot of friction points and getting bottles delivered to your house and I've had plenty of bottles delivered to my house just not legally. But I would like to make it legal so yeah, I'm really excited to talk to them about this today. 11:36 Yeah, I've had I've had quite a bit sent to me I also you know, being being a personality on the spirits network, they regularly send me stuff and they you know, that's part of their, their whole thing is that you join and you get to be become a Club member, and they ship barrel pics and stuff to you. 11:56 And so let's go ahead introduce our guests today. So today, we Have Cory rellis Cory is the CEO of drizzly, you might have seen him or the app, you've seen probably their logo and a lot of liquor stores are the ones that deliver bottles from liquor stores to your doorstep. So Cory, welcome to the show. 12:15 Thanks for having me, guys. 12:16 So was that a decent elevator pitch? Or do you have a better one? That's usually us. 12:21 It's a common misconception. So I would actually like to give you my elevator pitch. 12:25 Please do please do. Yes. 12:27 Yeah. So So actually, drizzly was formed a lot with a lot of knowledge around the regulations that you guys have been discussing. I know we're going to talk about that further. So I'll put that in the back for a minute now, but the model is actually different than people think we don't do delivery. And really what drizzly prides itself on is digitizing the inventory of local liquor stores, so that a consumer can come online, shop across their stores and find a larger selection, comparison pricing and ultimately get that delivered to them. But the delivery is done by either the retailer themselves or Third parties, that door dashes Postmates shifts to the world. And so we're really a tech middleman empowering the three tiers, but not necessarily changing the status quo. 13:10 Cool. So it's kind of like a an Open Table kind of concept for liquor stores, maybe you're kind of looking at what's available and can then kind of pick and choose that way. 13:20 Yeah, that's not a bad comparison. And Ryan, you were saying you live next to a liquor store. And I think that's really drizzly, his opportunity is not necessarily to replace the liquor store, but to provide an experience you couldn't get by going to any one liquor store. And that goes again, back to selection, to transparency of pricing to the surface and multiple stores being able to get to you when and where you want it. 13:40 And so I kind of want to roll back the hands of time here and kind of learn more about you so kind of talk us through, you know, where did Where did spirits become or is this just like an idea you had and you said, like, Hey, this is fun. Like, this is a this is an opportunity that's, that's basically ripe for disruption. Like, what What got to the point of like you getting here and saying like, okay, cool, like this is gonna be a good venture to kind of go through. 14:07 Yeah, it's a it's a less sexy story than you might imagine. And it started with regulation. So going all the way back to my cousin Nick, Nick rellis, and then co founder, Justin Robinson. And it was born out of trying to figure out why alcohol was only 2% online, or even one and a half percent online. When you saw grocery, when you saw a restaurant, we saw electronics and clothing, all these other verticals are coming online at a rapid rate. And we started to think about why that is with alcohol. And regulation became the clear component of this whole piece. And so we started digging into the legal code. I mean, truthfully, looking not only at the repeal and the prohibition, but also state by state liquor codes and trying to understand how does this model need to work for alcohol? How can a tech platform both empower the industry but not be a part of the industry and still be an unlicensed entity within it? And then the third piece is, how do you carve your moat? How do you be more than deliberate because you know, when we start projecting the 10 years down the road, that's a commodity at the end of the day and so we need to be better than going to the liquor store and elevate the status or I'm sorry, elevate the physical liquor stores to do something that couldn't do in the physical world. 15:11 Alright, so I don't know if he really answered my question there because I really want to figure out more about you right like Matt 15:17 Boyd. All of those Kenny. 15:19 Bad we want to get to know a little about you, right? I mean, like, like, we're like so where'd you go to school? Like Where'd it Where'd this really kind of like, really spawn from? 15:27 sure my road was a little bit sideways. I grew up in Texas. And I would say that I'm a big bourbon fan for that reason grew up loving bourbon actually, but was a soccer player at Notre Dame spent five years there had a fifth year for soccer and wanted to play professionally after school. But a couple ACLs later, had to give up that dream and ultimately had done an internship after my first injury, kind of preparing just in case it didn't work out in the long run, and took a job out here in Boston at Bain Capital. They're credited affiliates, sanctity advisors. And that's when I started to get to know businesses a little bit better. I started to get to know regulated industries incredibly well, I was dealing with coal and steel and some pretty, pretty old industries at the end of the day. And then the three of us that I was mentioning, started just kicking around ideas. And so this was a big jump for me, I was in, you know, kind of the standard finance track at that point, thinking about what the next couple of years looked like, whether it be business school, or continuing doing what I was doing. And it felt like the right time to jump it felt like the right collection of folks to try something new with and a little bit of naivete got us to the final to the finish line and push us over the edge 16:40 to like your own little incubator, if you will. 16:43 We had a bunch of ideas. They were all terrible. So 16:47 we struck out on a few. This one became, I mean, really, the passion of the other two guys is what got me to believe and then the more we dug in, the more we really peel back the onion, the more we knew something was here, not just as a small thing. company but something that could really turn into something as a larger platform. 17:03 Give us a timeline behind this what was you know, when when did the light bulb light bulb go off? 17:10 Yeah, so 2012 the light bulb was starting to go off with the text of why can't you get alcohol delivered? And the response was you can you idiot. And so that started down the rabbit hole of when you get called out to some extent, what do you have to do? You have to take the next step and figure it out. And so that's when we started researching the liquor code. And it's funny how things work in Boston being a good microcosm of this project. One question you get and put in touch with the next guy who you can then ask the next question to and it starts to unfold unto itself. And it's not necessarily we saw some grand vision of what alcohol e commerce would look like and what drizzly has now become, but the next step was always apparent if you're willing to take the time. So 2012 was the idea. 2013 was the very first iteration and we've evolved since then. But bringing one liquor store online. Learning about consumers and what they're looking for what e commerce was. And then in the last three years, our models really accelerated. 18:07 So walk us through like the state of the industry, then when you guys are getting like what it were liquor stores doing as far as inventory or trying to do online sales, what was kind of the State of the Union when you guys got it started? 18:19 I wouldn't say it's too different now. We're moving it forward, but begrudgingly, I'd say for some of them. So what was fascinating about the current landscape delivery did happen, but it didn't happen in the paradigm in which we have now moved it towards which you could call liquor store. You didn't necessarily know it was on their shelves, but you could say, you know, I'm having 10 people over for a party, I'd like to place a $500 order split between a couple things, can you make some recommendations, so there wasn't transparency into what you could buy nor the price behind it. And you had to have big orders at the store is going to take the time, but delivery did happen to some extent. On the other side. Ecommerce within this space was just like not even on the radar for regulators or legislators. So you're talking about prohibition being repealed, that is still a lot of the framework and the intent behind the laws that are written. And so there was nothing to comment on e commerce at that point. And one of the first things we did I mean, this is the time of Uber, right? The cars are moving around you at the touch of a button, the world's changing because you have a phone in your pocket. And we're sitting here thinking, Okay, well, how does it need to look for alcohol? And unlike Uber, we couldn't just get into a city try to stoke up consumer demand, and then ask the regulations to be changed. That's just not the way this industry works. We had to go the other way. And so one of the first things we did was go to New York State, the Liquor Authority, they're the SLS. And we asked for a declaratory ruling relative to our model to basically say, not only we elite, not only are we legal, but we're three tier compliant, and we're doing things so aboveboard, that the SLA is willing to bless our model going forward and so that was actually the first moment where became not just a hobby, but very real and something that we thought we could then Take a run with. 20:01 So you you kind of said, All right, we need to sit down, look at the laws and figure out how we can sort of navigate these choppy waters. I would imagine when we've we've talked about all the time, anytime you try to put any kind of disruption into this marketplace that there is you're going to be hit hard with a lot of people that are lobbying against you. What were some of those like early conversations, you remember having people that are like this will never work like you're not going to get it to fly. 20:29 I have a hard time remembering ones that weren't like that, to be honest. So I can speak to the other side easier. Most of it was doubt that this is a very slow industry to change. And you have pretty significant entities that control pieces of the supply chain, and if they're not on board, you're not going to have success on a macro scale and other slices of it. That can work. You could do direct to consumer wine, you could do shipping, there's different pieces of it. But on a macro scale of trying to bring the physical footprint of alcohol online. We needed a few things to go right one was New York. And Funny enough, the the woman, Jackie flute, who blessed our model, as the general counsel for the New York State Liquor Authority is now on our team. And she was kind of the veteran in the space when she put her stamp of approval that meant a lot to the industry. The second one was the wholesalers, the wine and spirits, wholesalers of America and powerful group of people and in terms of their lobbying prowess in their space within the industry, and we got them on board as a three tier compliant model that can move forward the consumer experience in a way that they could get behind. So that was that was a big piece of it as well. 21:33 So you talked about being going above and beyond what the authorities there were, what were some of those things that kind of helps sell New Yorker where they were like gave you that that blessing? 21:44 Well, I think transparency is the first thing and not only transparency, communication, but transparency of the supply chain and what consumers purchasing what bottles from what retailer and if you can track all of that which obviously tech can do and can really enable that process. That is a leg up for many Anything that's happening in delivery today, connect. The second one was, we came with an offering for ID verification through delivery. That was again, not only transparent, but did it in such a way that they could have confidence that under age was not going to be a problem within this business model. And then I think the third part was just being very descriptive on how the flow of funds work. And then also what drizzly is and what just isn't, I think there's a line that needs to get drawn as to what is a retailer's job and competencies. And when you encroach on those too far, you start to erode the license that they have worked hard and in need to live up to, relative to what a software platform is doing on the other side. So it was more just a lot of learning and explaining who we are and how we do it. 22:45 So I know that the liquor laws are they're different everywhere. I mean, every state is different. You've got to navigate that everywhere you're trying to launch. And so when I think of New York, one of the things that I know of at least in New York, and who knows if at least There's plenty of stores that actually have websites in New York. And they can deliver within New York as well, like they can run through UPS, FedEx or whatever it is. So what was the idea of going through something like New York first, that might already have some sort of system set up like this versus something like Texas, right, which is a huge market, but has a lot more regulation versus something like DC, which is really like the Wild West? 23:26 Yeah, there's a few things to pick apart there. So we actually got off the ground in terms of our model in Boston. And then we went to New York to get the model blessed one because of their size and then to the regulatory credibility when they put their stamp on something. But what was unique about Massachusetts in one of those fortuitous things that happens. It is a an incredibly regulatory driven market for alcohol. So if you're compliant here, you've almost kind of fit the lowest common denominator for the rest of the states. And you can roll it out from there. So I think that was a big fortuitous bounce in our direction at the beginning. The second thing We learned from a consumer side of things, every state is so different, and how consumers buy alcohol. Because of the regulations in New York, as you're mentioning, you have a wine and spirits store and a beer store, you have a license cap so that you don't have chains. But you have a ton of independence, which is obviously very different than Texas or California, where you have a bevmo or some of these larger chains out there. So the consumer experience really needed to adapt on where you are, and who you're going to be working with on the retail side, the East Coast was set up pretty pretty darn effectively for us because we could work with independence, learn how to bring on a smaller shop make a real difference in their business. And then as we rolled out to larger cities and states, we were more ready. We were more ready to have conversations with some of the bigger retailers. 24:45 Yeah, I think that's one of the things that we should most most people that are in the retail market should really start looking at is how do you become a little bit more competitive in today's market and just being on the corner and relying on your neighbors to kind of keep you in business might not be able to thing that's gonna keep you floating for much longer. So when you go and you have these conversations, or at least in the very beginning, I'm sure you have a whole team that have these conversations now with liquor stores around the country, what's your what's your big selling point to them to say like, hey, like we can bring your inventory online? Do you integrate with like their existing POS? Or does it say like, Hey, you need to have a new POS system that that we we run and manage, like, how does all that work? 25:28 There's a lot to it. But you appeal to them first as a consumer, and you start to think about other industries and how they've come online. And where do you buy airline tickets? Where do you buy hotels? How do you buy or how do you shop? for clothes online aggregator model and starting to get them thinking about this is going to happen in the space. It's not a matter of if it's a matter of when and so you appeal to them on a consumer level to start. The next thing you're really dealing with is fear. You're dealing with fear of competition, you're dealing with fear of transparency of pricing, and that's how far back this industry goes. As you know, they still believe That people can't get their prices if they wanted to walk in, it gets a little irrational. But then you can speak to them around numbers now. And this is obviously changed over seven years. But you can talk to him about incremental consumers that they wouldn't have been able to serve otherwise. And we have data behind that. You can talk to him about how a marketplace actually elevates to the experience to the point where multiple stores are able to succeed at a level that if you were the only one doing delivery in this area, we wouldn't be able to get those consumers to not only come and check out the site, but also come back and shop from you in the future. And then the last thing is, is we need to be more than just the consumer marketplace. And so when you're talking about point of sale systems, we need to be to elevate and help them generate more profit from their in store business, that things there's things like the catalog and the accuracy of what's on their shelves and how they actually think about that there's data on consumer trends and what they want to put on their shelves at what price at what time. So there's a lot of things as a tech company that we have access to the can really elevate their entire business and it's a whole package that when you work with drizzly makes you a better retailer. 27:01 So you brought up up pricing. One thing that we've noticed a trend in liquor retailers is there's a lot of price gouging. Do you have any restrictions or anything like that with the retailers you work with that you set them within like a 27:18 close to the MSRP or anything like that? 27:21 And it's a good question. So in some states, the price in store is legally mandated to be the price online. And I could give it's a couple states, it's not the majority by any means. So that one takes care of itself. But our job is really to bring their in store experience online and the way they want to do it. Our approach to price gouging is not necessarily to give them mandates on what to price it or to keep it in certain things is to insert competition. It's to have a marketplace to keep them honest to the point where if you are going to try to price things 40 50% up because they're rare and Other people that have that same item, they're obviously not going to purchase yours. And so it really just gets back to an efficient marketplace idea and making sure that consumers are the arbiter of what's successful and not regulations or drizzly or someone else. 28:14 And so to kind of like tackle or shall I say, like, tack onto that one a little bit. When we think about pricing, we've actually had KL we've had a spirits on the show, because we kind of talked about like, what does it look like to be in an online first kind of market? Right? Like, like, that's gonna be the new consumer drive. That's the new demand. If If Amazon's next whatever's coming next, if it's drizzly next, whatever, it's going to be like that online marketplaces really where people are going to go for. And so the other thing about the pricing aspect is this is like when you put your prices online, you're creating this level transparency, because you know exactly like what somebody's charging for a 750 ml in early times versus what somebody else is charging. Does that ever like Upset any retailers? And they're like, Wait a second, like, how are they able to charge less than I can like, what's their? What's their distributor? charging them versus what they're charging me? Do you get caught any of those kind of situations? 29:12 There's definitely yes, I mean, transparency introduces more knowledge into the marketplace for sure. Are we introduced to that conversation? Not necessarily. But I'll tell you one of the biggest learnings from early days it drizzly from switching from a single store experience. I am shopping from the store across the street, who I've been brought online through drizzly to a marketplace where I'm shopping by brand first and then drizzle is telling you the best way to access that product, whether it be selection, you can only get it at one place, price delivery, all those different things. And so what's come out of that though, one store may price something as a margin builder. Another one actually may price price it as a loss leader, and the various strategies within those retailers really come to fruition when you break down those physical barriers and put all of those things on one page together, so it's not necessarily that, hey, I'm getting a worse deal from my distributor. But it starts to highlight what someone does in store online in a much, much more transparent way. And you compete a little differently online. And so it started to me an education of this is how I went in store helped me win online. And there's usually an avenue to do that. That's the bigger conversation more so than I'm getting gouged by my distributor. 30:24 Yeah, that was 30:25 actually going to be my question how, as a liquor store, do you compete online, it kind of reminds me of the car business, you know, like the car industry used to have to rely on a salesman and try to whittle them down and beat them down to get the you know, the most fair price but now everybody knows the price What can a store do to compete? You know, if if you guys are and what parameters are you kind of determining that makes a store better or worse for someone? 30:50 Sure. And it's one of those things when you when you come on a jersey you're going to see a bunch of information and that's really where where I think we can win in the long run. Is asymmetric access to information and that includes price. That includes delivery times, that includes your selection, whether it be longtail wines, or high end and rare Bourbons. And so highlighting that is a big piece of it. And then you start to think about other people that are starting to focus in this industry. I mean, grocery, for example, is starting to come online for alcohol in a bigger way, total wine is being very aggressive. They are feeling independence or feeling that distinctly in the cities that we're seeing that, but there are advantages to being an independent liquor store location, for example, you have access to consumers within 2030 or 40 minutes that a total one could never get to in that timeframe. Not necessarily selling private label. Private Label online is a little bit more difficult. And so what of your selection, do you want to highlight? What are your higher margin products? And how do we highlight those to the consumers you're willing to speak to, and then also providing them tools. Again, going back to this data conversation, there's not a whole lot informing what they put on their shelves except for that stuff. salesmen walking in drizzly can bring transparency to that as well. What are consumers in this area buying? What are the trends? How should you think about pricing it? And how do you build that into an overall larger strategy to have a successful business and in a rapidly changing environment, which we're seeing, depending on which city different rates, but it's happening. 32:17 So you brought up data, you bring in a datum, and we are in the age of big data where we are dominated by it. Tell talk, walk us through, like how you use that data? Do you sell it to the to the suppliers? Do you feed it into like a market research hub? How are you using the data you're acquiring at point of sale? 32:40 Almost all of the data we acquire, we are using to inform our own offering. And so it's simply commerce things like how do we construct a better flow to increase conversion your likelihood to hit checkout? How do we start moving shelves around in what is effectively a digital liquor store to be more personalized to you So that the next time you come back in, we're more apt to show you the right product at the right time at the right price. That's really what we use the data for. Going back to retailers and brands, we can aggregate it and anonymize it and give them larger trends that could be cut down by geography, but never anything that's highlighting a particular store or a particular consumer more. So just highlighting a different slice of the market. And one of the interesting things about the alcohol industry is you have your Nielsen's and your IR eyes and some of the bigger data providers who have a interesting offering within the alcohol space. But they're big gaps, the independent liquor store market where you don't have receipt data, or you don't have consistency of point of sale systems. Those are not places so New York has an entire market. Those are not places that people have great insight to and drizzly through its 350 retailers that we partner with in New York City can start to really build transparency into a market that is otherwise been only aggregated into depletion data. So Other things. So there's an aggregated view for the external partners. For us internally, it's how do we create a better ecommerce experience? 34:06 Because that thread can be 34:07 actually, you know, it's fascinating. 34:09 There's a lot to take in, right. 34:11 I used to cover retail, I used to be the tech writer for the National Retail Federation's magazine stores, and I felt myself going back to the old days. Listen to you talk there. And follow up on that data is that, you know, we don't really a lot of the a lot of the numbers that are that are out there that are public. They kind of like you're saying, like the Nielsen numbers. They're not really complete. So my question to you is like, why don't you guys release these numbers? Why don't you make them public? Since you probably do have the best database of sales numbers of anybody out there? 34:54 There are more craft distilleries popping up around the country now, more than ever before. So how do you find The best stories and the best flavors will rack house whiskey club is a whiskey of the Month Club and they're on a mission to uncover the best flavors and stories that craft distilleries across the US have to offer rack houses box ship out every two months to 39 states across the US and rack houses April box, they're featuring a distillery that makes us Seattle craft, Texas heritage and Scottish know how rack house whiskey club is shipping out to whiskies from two bar spirits located near downtown Seattle, including their straight bourbon, go to rack house whiskey club calm to check it out and try some for yourself. Use code pursuit for $25 off your first box. 35:42 My question to you is like, why don't you guys release these numbers? Why don't you make them public and you probably do have the best database of sales numbers of anybody out there. 35:53 You're hitting on a great thing. And we actually do believe in the democratization of our data just because we think it's going to make all of us Better, including the consumer experience. So we released something a long time ago called the data distillery. We are thinking about how to do this in a larger way, not only for trend data, but again, how do we create something that becomes a backbone for the industry so that we are sharing data? Not because I think some people think you by holding on to it, you're more valuable. Our view is by using it to make the industry more effective, the consumers will win, which is ultimately what we're all about. One, one quick anecdote. I mean, we see trends earlier, our average consumer is millennial, older millennial 30 to 34 years old, 5050, male, female, and these are folks who are trendsetters. These are social people. And so, Rosie a couple of years ago, I mean, seltzer took off about eight months online before it did on, you know, in the physical world. So it's just one of those things where we can really inform based on the trendsetters that purchase on our platform brands and how they should be thinking about the world and then a larger play as to what you're saying Fred around, using data to benefit the industry. 36:59 Fred, you Actually, you know, and you kind of cover my question, but I guess as a liquor store owner, do I have, you know, do I have the same access to that data? Is every single store within your system? Or is it store specific or regional specific? And like, from a CR is do you have a CRM base as well with drizzly for the retailer? 37:20 We do we do. So if you're a drizzly retailer, we have a tool that's actually just culturally retailer and that gives you access to all of your sales data, all of the customers that are purchasing from you. And then also an aggregated view on some of these consumer trends and thoughts around the inventory, you should be stocking. So that is absolutely part of being a partner with drizzly and a CRM side. We're obviously aggregating eyeballs on our site. We're aggregating consumers and want to speak to them in an intelligent way. A piece of what we're doing in 2020 is starting to take our technology and utilizing that to allow retailers to do this themselves. So you can imagine white labeled websites that Allow them to merchandise their own products more effectively and almost have control of their own website by utilizing drizzly assets. And you can start to see where that would go in terms of CRM capability, the ability to talk to their consumers in a more discreet way versus the aggregator marketplace that is drizzly. So there's a lot within that, but yes, I can see us more and more powering some of their ecommerce needs, not only to benefit us, but I think it's a necessity for the market to benefit consumers. 38:26 I also think it's a necessity to because of course it for me, it always comes back to tech. And, you know, you go and you look at some websites, and I mean, some of them are just they're just archaic, right? You know, a lot of liquor stores, these mom and pop shops that try to build a website, there's a flash banner on it, you know, whatever it is. And, you know, that's why, you know, at least not in this particular segment, but this is why a lot of people that are creating their own businesses, they look at things like Shopify because it makes their you know their system a lot easier. I mean, or is that like one of the big selling points that you have for just lead a lot of these retailers is like, let's Let's take you at least to the 2020. Now, 39:03 yeah, that's a great point. So it wasn't when we started, to be honest, we thought more about how to aggregate consumer demand in our marketplace. And so that's a little bit different. That's almost like the Amazon side of things of will collect the eyeballs, we'll build the technology. And we're going to utilize your physical shelf space. On the other side, the selling point there is just incremental consumers incremental profit, so that that works. On the other side, there's so much we can do to look like Shopify to be a platform, which is an entirely different business model, but one that we really think we can enable the hundred thousand independent retailers out there to serve customers, and I keep saying customers because despite everything else that goes on within our business, we talk a lot about internally, the reason for our existence, our purpose behind everything is to to be there for the moments that matter and the people who create them and yes, we sell alcohol and help people transact online. But we're there to actually provide a better consumer experience and allow them the time and the freedom and To find that right bottle at the right price, I mean, we all know how cool that can be. So, it all comes back to democratizing what we do to the benefit of the end consumer. 40:10 Well, first off, hats off for trying to make change, positive change in this world. That's always outdated. That's we know, it's we know, it's insanely difficult to actually do. But I think there's one aspect that you know, we kind of want to touch on as well because it is a it is a part of the drizzly system and no, it's not just you know, basically creating the catalog for for what the consumer sees, but there there is a component of actually how it is delivered to the end consumer. So kind of touched on a little bit about you know, you said the post mates the, that sort of model of like, how does it once once a transaction happens online, at what point is drizzly done with it, and it's either on the retailer, it's on whomever, to get that into the hands of the consumer. 40:57 So when someone hits check out What we have done is send that order through a gateway to the merchant of record, which is the retailer itself. So just one data point there. If you're shopping from ABC liquors, that is the merchant of record on your credit card drizzly is not within that flow of funds at any point. What we do do on the other side is build the technology so that if the retailer wants to do the delivery, they have the ability to do that it almost is like the Uber driver app to some extent for this space. And that's about 92% of our orders. So most of this is retailer delivery using our technology, and we are providing the customer support throughout the entire experience until the bottle has received at its location. The third parties are interesting just because delivery is such a inexpensive piece of this whole thing and they've added scale and efficiency in a way that you almost need multiple categories, multiple verticals to do and you can imagine a mom and pop getting frustrated on a seven 7pm Friday. Too many orders coming from drizzly too many people internally It would be nice to be able to have a courier of some sort. So that's what we built in. They're all tech based, we have full visibility into when it reaches the consumers hands inclusive of ID verification. So we're always a part of it. And at the same time, we're not the ones physically handing the bottle off. 42:16 So you're like a almost like a marketplace, right? As for getting those together? I mean, is I mean, is it really like you're popping out? And it's like saying, like, okay, like Uber Eats, post mates doordash, like, whoever is going to answer this, like, come and pick this thing up. 42:29 We don't put it out to bid per se but we do work with most of the partners you just said. But that was also an idea to be honest. And there's people who have created that, we found that having one option per store is a little bit better just because you get used to who they are and do things in a in a bit simpler way. 42:44 And so I guess a another question that I kind of want to actually go ahead and because it's I'm sure it's a the business side of this. So go ahead and answer it is 42:51 actually a business side. So you talked about how you kind of laid the framework for this whole really, for what is an is an new category that's kind of changing the space and now you got competition. You got all kinds of people coming on board, minibar and a few others. So how do you? How do you how do you deal with that? How do you, you you have to compete with him at individual retailers? Do you guys share retailers? How does that work with your competition? 43:21 Well, Fred, I mean, going back to 2013 when we Magneto got back in the stone age's. Exactly. I felt like I got some grit. Now, that was pretty good. In 2013, when we kind of announced the model, there were about 50 meters out there, minibar absolutely being one of them and have a lot of respect for what they've done. That phase isn't necessarily over at any time, but the big boys are now here. And so we're actually thinking about competition, not necessarily for just alcohol specific, but the logistics firms. I mean, Uber Eats has tried to do alcohol delivery. 10 different times instacart has prioritized alcohol and e commerce. Why Walmart and grocers are starting to think about how to do this in a bigger way, total wine. So you can imagine that there's, we almost need to find a way to succeed. And this is what we talked about a lot internally. In 567 years, every bottle on every shelf could be transacted online and sent to a consumer, whether it be delivery pickup or shipping. And in that world, how does your business model succeed? And that's really where it just has been built for. Not necessarily the me twos today that are, you know, predominantly just about delivery and convenience, within that 44:32 value proposition. At what point do you stop, you know, you're talking about some pretty big names and they're trying to get in the space? what point do you stop competing and just start? You can't beat them join them in that regard, is that the end goal? Seems like with most tech companies, they want to get absorbed or bought out, you know, at some point have an exit strategy. 44:51 Yeah, I mean, there's always there's always thoughts on the next strategy, but to be honest, we're being built for the long haul and alcohol is a bit a bit you I mean, there is a moat, from regulation that comes from embracing them, rather than trying to knock down these laws. Now, if tomorrow, the Three cheers went away, and it looked a lot more like selling electronics online, I might have a different tune as to about where we fit in the long run. But I do think we can stick out a place here for the long term. And a lot of that comes back to kind of this underpinning of how do you take regulation and code that into your technology? And then also, how do you take a mom and pop an entirely fragmented retail base, and then aggregate that in such a way using your catalog, your tech that we know where every bottle is in the country, its price and how to get it to a consumer, what you build on top of that within your product experience? Just kind of opens up the world to you and I just think that's something entirely differentiated and difficult to replicate. All that being said, not looking to sell by any means today, but it's obviously something you sit up a little straighter when Amazon gets into your space. 45:58 Yeah, I would imagine so. Yeah, I mean, I think I think Amazon might have been one of the big names that, you know, people are gonna recognize and you know, they're they're definitely trying to get into the space as well. And so, you know, another question that that kind of follows along with that is the when we start looking at, you know, Amazon, you start looking at instacart, and all these different kinds of companies that are trying to get into it. And if you kind of said something like, if the three tier system is goes down tomorrow, like what what would that really mean for you all? And if basically, this gets democratized to the point that it is just like, buying and you know, buying an electronic off Amazon like, What? What is that? Is that truly like gaming or a game over? I mean, are you really reliant on the three tier system to to make this happen? 46:47 At this point? No, but I think two things become obvious. Right now brands are about as far away that you can be from a consumer when you're a big CPG right. So they are unbelievable storytellers and brand builders from The awareness message side of things. But it's not like Procter and Gamble and Walmart, where you have co located offices and you're trying to figure out where to put things on shelves and incentive basis. And you know, you're buying shelf space and tap space and the rest. That doesn't happen well, at least not legally, at least today. And if that goes away, then the way brands work with retailers changes overnight. And drizzly has a value proposition there, but it does need to shift pretty significantly. The other side of the coin though, is we almost need to plan for the three tiers to go away because drizzly successful, when the product experience, the consumer experience is so good that they no longer need to go to the store. And that goes back to not just the selection and the availability and the transparency of price, but then packaging it in such a way that again, almost guided shopping or personalization to where you almost feel like you're missing out if you're not going to Jersey because you've learned so much about your product. There's a crazy stat we just learned that you know 40 45% of our consumers Unless you're using Drupal as a discovery tool, and not necessarily transacting on the platform, I think that's fascinating. I think that's something that we can really lean into to drive value for the consumers at the end of the day. And again, I think that's one of those unique things that regulation be damned, we can do better than anyone else. 48:16 And how does your game change if shipping laws are broken down? Now, let's say the three tier system still there, and it's great. However, now that you know, New York and shipped to California, Wisconsin, you can go to Florida, and liquor stores can now compete, you know, across state lines, like what is that? What does that do for your business? 48:37 I think it'd be a little bit of the Wild West to start, I think you're going to start to see the macro or the larger chains, assert price dominance because they can then start to think of their business on a national scale versus distributor, distributor and state by state. I think we could really take advantage of that world to be honest again, I keep beating on the same point but if we know what's in 40,000 stores We should be able to surface all of the items at the best price possible for you almost kind of this notion of tell us what you want, we'll figure out the best way for you to get it. And I think that's one in which we would really succeed. Shipping is not a huge piece of our business today. But that speaks to the use case, we're going after more so than the consumer demand inherent within shipping. So I think we could really take advantage of it. It would, it would require a little bit of adaptation and how we do things. 49:24 All right, I want to jump back into some data stuff. This is I think this is some fun. This will be fun for you. What is your best selling bourbon based on your data? 49:36 It's a little different than you might think. It's a brand that we've done a lot of work with, to try to figure out how it resonates with the millennial consumer but bullet bourbon was our largest brand in 2019. 49:48 Bigger than it's a 49:49 popular brand, 49:50 but it's you know, it's not it's not necessarily makers, or Jim are some of these other ones. So yeah, 49:55 still a top 10 bourbon from a sales perspective. Now what are The top five selling spirits so like from a categorical perspective 50:06 category spirits are the spirit themselves. 50:09 The so the know the category spirits so like tequila ROM bourbon like what what's your top five there? 50:16 I might get this wrong but we'll see here I'd go with vodka. I'd actually go with bourbon, rum, tequila, although I think our tequila selections been incredibly high end and what we're actually selling which is kind of interesting. And then I'll check for you here in a second on a fifth. I don't think I know the fifth off the top of my head. 50:37 You said it wrong. It's goes bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, bourbon, 50:41 right. brown brown, brown brown. 50:44 At least that's what we want to hear. 50:45 Well, I didn't I heard there the his mic cut out there when he said another word I don't 50:53 bleep me out but it's funny I've I've sworn on this and I didn't hear any negative reaction. Now I say anything other than bourbon. And there we go. 51:00 Yeah you get around Fred that's that's the type of banter you're gonna get out of it and so you know as we kind of want to like ask a question because we really didn't ask it in the very top of this because you said you were a bourbon fan like what's what's what's kind of like your go to you got some favorites cuz I see behind you you got a Coors Light came behind there I figured figured we could I mean you're in the you're in the spirits business like let's let's get some bourbon on those shelves back there. 51:25 Oh don't worry we do have that this is just one of the rooms 51:29 well so I like to play nice because we work with a bunch of different brands in their businesses. I'm a big Booker's fan I love 100 proof Booker's over a glass device when I go home. I'd say that's more of a Friday night drink than anything else. But that's probably my go to if I'm if I'm opening something on the regular. 51:47 What do you mean by by working with brands? Like what is what does that mean to you? Well, 51:52 I think there's two things. The first would be on the data side. So these are folks who are looking to learn about consumer trends, figure out how their business brands are resonating with consumers. And it's less even about the online spend. It's taking those learnings and apply it to the offline. And again, massive media budgets and trying to make them even 1% more efficient by learning about the online consumer in depth. That's a big piece of it. The second piece is, shirtsleeves, the fastest growing company in the fastest growing channel for alcohol. So to that extent, they are trying to figure out how they're going to win online. Knowing that in five years 10 12% of all alcohol is going to be sold online. So drizzly can be almost a test and learn area for them. You can speak to consumers in a personalized way. You could sell advertising, we haven't done much of that to date. But all of these things are basically a lab for them to figure out how their brands can come online, and either keep or grow their market share versus the physical world. 52:49 So what was that you say? 10 to 12% is what it's going to be in the future. 52:53 Yeah, if you look at some of the larger data providers, they're projecting 13 $14 billion in 2023. Slightly less ambitious than that. But you're seeing this industry come online at 40 50% year over year, which is significant, we do think it's gonna be the fastest growing CPG over the next three to five years. 53:11 So what what do you all need to do to try to position yourselves to say like, we can grow this beyond 10 to 12%? Like how, how do we change the minds of the consumer to say, like, Oh, we can we can get this to 20 to 25%? Like, what do you think has to change in the culture to try and get people to start buying more online? 53:32 I think you're actually hitting at it pretty good there, which is awareness. Not many people know that you're allowed to buy alcohol online. And even if you do, there hasn't been a way to do so that should take away from going to the local liquor store. I mean, that's, that's a behavior that's worked for decades and decades. And so to break that behavior, you need to build something that is not one or two times more effective than going to the store but 10 X and really, that's where the product offering needs. to elevate the purchasing to where I don't need to leave my home, or if I did, I need to at least see what's online to really inform my experience in a way that I could never get on store. So it's a combination of awareness, and then a product offering that is just so superior going to the store, that they're going to order it online. Again, utilizing that store, though, 54:18 for sure. And I don't know, I mean, I guess there is there is also something about, you know, being a consumer going to the store, looking at it holding in your hand. And maybe, maybe that'll just become a thing of the past. Like, what do you what do you try to do to try to like counteract, like, some arguments like that? I mean, but then again, there's also like, Alright, well, you know, people used to love to have the feel of holding a newspaper in their hand, but nobody really does that a lot anymore, either. Can I still read the newspaper? I gotta be honest, physical core. You're killing me, man. Like you're young. You're young and hip, man. You shouldn't be reading a newspaper. 54:54 no and no one I know we call me hip, but that's all right. I wrote for newspapers for a long time. DDS. to bash on them, I mean, for God's sake, 55:03 there isn't. There's a key word in there that was it was wrong. 55:08 Yeah, but to your to your larger point, I don't want to necessarily be in a world where you can't feel a physical bottle where you can't go look at it, I want to lean into that. And so while the physical store might need to change, I hope it still exists. And I do think it should exist, but in a little bit different format. Instead of trying to have 5000 or 10,000 items on your shelves, and trying to have that inventory in that working capital and play that game. I'd love to see a world where you can almost have a retailer that has an e commerce DNA from day one. And then they have the experiential side of going in being able to taste products being an elevated experience knowing that on the back end, you can get any of those products delivered to you shipped to you or walk away with them from a warehouse around the corner. So they almost become showrooms informed by the DNA of e commerce versus having to compete in the current way of doing things today. 56:00 So So drizzly has been very active on the, you know, on the on the trade front. Where what do you do from a legislative perspective? Dr. You do you guys have a lobby firm that you're spending time in DC Do you do lobby in every state that you're in? Talk us through that particular process from the government perspective. 56:23 It's a core competency of ours. It's really what we were built on. So we have an internal team composed of General Counsel who has industry affairs experience, and then also the woman I mentioned Jackie fluke, who was on the New York State Liquor Authority, and they're really quarterbacking state by state, both almost legal protection side of things, and then an advocacy side for what we believe to be the best way to bring this industry online. We have lobbyists in every state that there is legislation moving we're in those rooms and our real thesis here is the engagement is important because I mean, we spend all day thinking about content tumors and the intersection of their needs and desires with a controlled and regulated substance. We want to be a part of that. And we think we can actually help doing so. So that actually speaks to something else we're doing, which is taking our platform into the cannabis world in the near future as well. 57:16 Oh, that's I think you hit on a pretty good topic there because we've we've actually covered on the podcast before what's the effect of cannabis and the, the, you know, this the distilled spirits market? What do you kind of see is the cannabis market kind of being an opportunity? 57:30 Well, I think it's a massive opportunity. And we started, you know, talking about market size. Alcohol is 130 billion dollars sold off premise each year 2% online. So you can do that math. We think cannabis is going to be a 30, maybe $35 billion legal market within five to seven years. But you're talking 40%, maybe even 50% online. It's a different consumer behavior, and there's no ingrained I know how to go to a store and there's no kind of behavior you need to break off, there's actually a stigma from going to a store. So all of that coming together, we think is a great opportunity. We do think it needs to be informed by alcohol legislation and the know how behind bringing alcohol online, it's just it needs to be treated with respect as a category. And that's one of the things we think we can really bring to that conversation. 58:22 Okay, so I have a request for your cannabis stuff, your delivery, you need to have guys on with backpacks on bicycles. Doing the deliveries through through town. 58:35 You mean like the movie half 58:36 but yeah, exactly. 58:40 Yeah, that's not gonna. 58:43 That wouldn't make it right. A legal team. 58:45 Yeah, no, you definitely wouldn't. But you could absolutely work beside me because I come up with these ideas all day long and get shot down. So it's good. I mean, it 58:54 is another thing that you know, even with the cannabis market, I mean, if you're, if you're always engrained in these legal discussions. Do you find it like fascinating that the legalization of cannabis and the l

In this Episode, Manchild tries to convince the Old Guy a cross country canal should be built to control Midwest United States flooding. Follow Along through the show notes below: OOO DUH! Awards Man high on 'zombie drug' Spice saws off own leg and is left with bloodied stump - Daily Star https://www.dailystar.co.uk/news/weird-news/man-high-zombie-drug-spice-21547603 TicToc Game Hurting People https://www.msn.com/en-us/health/health-news/tiktoks-skull-breaker-challenge-is-landing-kids-in-the-er-and-freaking-out-parents—heres-what-to-know/ar-BB10dh1J?ocid=spartandhp Betting Odds - Democratic Presidential Nomination https://www.realclearpolitics.com/elections/betting_odds/democratic_2020_nomination/ These are the safest cars you can buy in 2020 | Fox News https://www.foxnews.com/auto/safest-cars-2020-iihs Millennials: 911 Call Because Daddy Shut off my Cell Phone https://www.news5cleveland.com/news/local-news/akron-canton-news/36-year-old-woman-charged-for-repeatedly-calling-911-because-her-parents-shut-off-her-cell-phone?utm_source=knewz Jobs Jobs Jobs https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/americas-5-lowest-paying-jobs https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/americas-top-10-highest-paying-jobs-are-all-in-the-same-field Big Tech: Ultrasonic bracelet jams the microphones around you | Engadget https://www.engadget.com/2020/02/15/ultrasonic-microphone-jamming-bracelet/ Apple is considering allowing iPhone users to set Chrome, Spotify, and https://www.fastcompany.com/90466230/apple-considering-allowing-iphone-users-to-set-chrome-spotify-and-others-as-default-apps Texas DMV Selling your data https://dfw.cbslocal.com/2020/02/20/texas-dmv-selling-drivers-personal-information/ Positive End Note https://artbyjessicajewett.com/?ftag=MSF0951a18 https://www.cbsnews.com/news/quadriplegic-artist-selling-her-work-to-help-a-museum-in-need/ --- Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/mctog/support

  Episode Summary We released today Solar Maverick Podcast-Episode 59: Lessons Learned from Clean Energy Entrepreneur Laura Taylor, CEO and Founder of Silverline Communications. Laura Taylor discusses the journey over the last ten years of her company, Silverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech. She also shares her perspectives on the importance of mentorship and diversity within the clean energy market, and why public relations and branding is vitally important for the renewable energy industry. Laura also talks about The Cleanie Awards, the first-of-its-kind industry award designed to recognize innovators in the clean energy community.   Benoy Thanjan Benoy Thanjan is the Founder and CEO of Reneu Energy, as well as an advisor for several solar startup companies. Reneu Energy is a premier international solar energy consulting firm and developer, and the company focuses on developing commercial and industrial solar, as well as utility-scale solar plus storage projects. The company also sources financing for solar projects and hedges both energy and environmental commodities. Reneu Energy has brokered $27 million in environmental commodity transactions.   Benoy received his first experience in Finance as an intern at D.E. Shaw & Co., which is a global investment firm with 37 billion dollars in investment capital. Before founding Reneu Energy, he was the SREC Trader in the Project Finance Group for SolarCity, which merged with Tesla in 2016. He originated SREC trades with buyers and co-developed their SREC monetization and hedging strategy with the senior management of SolarCity, to move into the east coast markets. Benoy also worked at Vanguard Energy Partners, Ridgewood Renewable Power, and Deloitte & Touche.   Laura Taylor Laura Taylor is Founder and CEO of Silverline Communications, a nimble, full-service integrated communications agency uniquely focused on the B2B technology sector. As CEO of Silverline, Laura counsels a wide portfolio of enterprises, crafting impactful communications programs tailored to engage and influence key stakeholders and ultimately, drive measurable growth. Previous to Silverline, Laura co-founded and led global and national practice areas and served in management roles with regional high-growth ventures, accumulating over $1 billion in funding. During her tenure at Edelman, she was a founding leader of the agency’s award-winning global clean technology practice. In three short years, Laura led a team that grew the division from zero to a multi-million-dollar, international practice. A few years later, Laura built a clean technology division for Omnicom from the ground up. After establishing programs at the world’s largest and most prestigious public relations agencies, she founded Silverline Communications in 2009. In addition to leading Silverline, Laura continues to innovate and seek opportunities to contribute to the clean energy sector. After realizing a severe shortage of clean tech industry award recognition, Laura launched The Cleanie Awards® in 2018 to highlight notable individuals and companies in the industry. She is a frequent Forbes contributor and serves as Chairwoman on myriad Boards, including Potential Energy DC, CleanTech Open Southeast, and Solas Nua Theatre Company. Past speaking engagements include the Mid-Atlantic Marketing Summit and the Energy Storage Annual Conference and Expo.   Insights from this episode: Details of Laura’s passion to be an entrepreneur and how optimism has shaped her journey. Benefits of being a mentor and making an impact in the lives of other entrepreneurs.  Strategies Laura employed to win support for Silverline Communications in the company’s early days. How to brand companies as they mature in the clean technology market by changing focus and visibility. Secrets to successful branding, including marketing and production.  Details on how The Cleanie Awards grew to become one of the most prestigious awards in renewable energy.    Quotes from the show: “If you think about the what ifs too long, you’re just going to sit in the corner, you’re never going to get it (your goals) done.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 “I'm an external optimist who doesn't dwell on failure.  We plan for it, but we don't dwell on it.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 ”I feel like very successful people are able to learn from failure and then adjust and adapt.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59 On the expansion of the solar market: “Everything is changing so quickly, and it is so globalized, there’s no real borders or boundaries.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59 On being a mentor: “I’m very interested in women and making sure that women feel supported within the clean energy community and outside of the clean energy community.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 On working with clients over time: “It is so wonderful to see them (now) engaging in the Wall Street aspect, in the finance aspect.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 On the urgent need to combat climate change: “How do we work within this global economy to keep things churning and not burning?” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59   “Personal branding is very important and people really want to see and listen to the people they are doing business with.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59  “I think the Midwest (United States), for renewable energy, is one of the next big markets.” – Benoy Thanjan, Episode #59 “That’s us (Silverline Communications) in a nutshell: just tech geeks.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 On accomplishment: “You never say never … there’s always a little twist on the adventure.” – Laura Taylor, Episode #59 Resources Mentioned: The Cleanie Awards After noticing there was a severe shortage of industry recognition honoring the efforts of those making a positive impact, The Cleanie Awards was established to amplify innovation stories in cleantech and shine a spotlight on funders to global market movers shaping the industry.  Sponsorship Information: We would like to thank Silverline Communications for sponsoring this episode of the podcast. Sillverline Communications, an integrated marketing and PR agency focused on clean and emerging tech, is headquartered in DC with satellite offices in Chicago and Salt Lake City.What defines them? They are: Independent. Agile. Absolutely invested in their clients and their teams.They are storytellers and connectors at heart, grounding programs with insights to achieve real business objectives and shape outcomes that influence markets and policy. They use every tool in the communication arsenal to translate complex ideas into breakthrough campaigns that drive stakeholder action. The team that gets it done? Silverline Communications. Strategic, smart professionals with unrivaled expertise in energy, policy and emerging technologies.In short: They know their stuff. They believe in what they do. They believe in what their clients do. When their clients succeed, the world is a better place.To learn more about Silverline, go to teamsilverline.com. You can reach Silverline at 703-286-5500 or info@teamsilverline.com.   Stay Connected: Benoy Thanjan Email: info@reneuenergy.com LinkedIn: @bthanjan Website: https://www.reneuenergy.com   Laura Taylor LinkedIn: Laura Taylor Website: Team Silverline Communications Twitter: @SilverlineComms   Subscribe to our podcast + download each episode on itunes, Podbean and youtube.  This episode was produced and managed by  Podcast Laundry (www.podcastlaundry.com) 

Sara Al Awadhi is a lawyer from the UAE. Allen Kenneth Schaidle is an academic from the Midwest United States. A chance encounter and a passion for climbing brought them together. Now married, they explore the UAE establishing new bouldering areas. Sara and Allen spoke with Jason one morning about the culture and ethics of the Middle East, the delicious sweets, the challenges of creating a guidebook, the joys of sharing climbing, and why Allen struggles to keep his shirt on.   LINKS: http://www.saraalawadhi.com http://www.akschaidle.com/outdoors.html https://www.mountainproject.com/area/116083469/jebel-jais-bouldering   Call us and leave a message (up to 3 minutes): 1-818-925-0106

Hayden Cardiff is the co-founder and CEO of Idelic. Idelic is a B2B Saas startup that helps trucking companies track data on their fleet & drivers to improve safety.   Idelic recently announced a Series A financing round of $8M led by Origin Ventures with participation from TDF Ventures, Birchmere Ventures, Bain Capital Ventures, and SaaS Venture Capital.    Hayden, with cofounders Nick Bartel & Andrew Russell, spun Idelic’s software out of Pitt Ohio, a logistics service firm providing less-than-truckload, truckload, supply chain solutions, and ground services in the Mid-Atlantic and Midwest United States.    In this episode, Hayden and Aaron discuss spinning a company out of a larger business, fundraising millions of dollars, and bringing software to an old, conservative industry.   Pittsburgh’s best conference to Expand your Mind & Fill your Heart happens once a year.   Hayden Cardiff’s Challenge; Consider and respect the truck drivers you’re sharing the road with.   Connect with Hayden Cardif Linkedin Twitter Idelic Website   If you liked this interview, check out episode 396 with Kristy Knichel where we discuss building an $80M 3rd Party Logistics Provider using customer service, hustle, and humility. Underwritten by Piper Creative Piper Creative creates podcasts, vlogs, and videos for companies.    Our clients become better storytellers.    How? Click here and Learn more.   We work with Fortune 500s, medium-sized companies, and entrepreneurs.   Sign up for one of Piper’s weekly newsletters. We curate links to Expand your Mind, Fill your Heart, and Grow your Tribe.   Follow Piper as we grow YouTube Instagram Subscribe on iTunes | Stitcher | Overcast | Spotify

We are beyond excited to introduce a new series on #TimeSensitive. Tune in for the first "On the Clock" mini episode featuring Emily Loeks, Director of Community Affairs for Celebration Cinema by Studio C - one of the largest theater chains in the Midwest United States. Sam, Kate, and Ian sat down with Emily at the brand new Celebration Cinema (Studio Park) in Downtown Grand Rapids (before it opens to the public). We spoke about the history of metropolitan cinema in Grand Rapids, the power of story, and Emily's love for Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson. You won't want to miss it.

Location: Skype Date: Wednesday, 15th August Project: Frost Brown Todd LLC Role: Corporate Attorney Regulations are have always been in front of mind for the Bitcoin industry. Ever-increasing surveillance has accompanied the evolution of technology, primarily financial surveillance.  Bitcoin is the first money owned by the people and is often seen as a threat to the state, as such the state has struggled to adapt to it. For businesses who operate in the industry, working with and understanding state regulations is non-negotiable. One company helping companies navigate this is Frost Brown Todd, one of the largest law firms in the Midwest United States. In this interview, I speak to Bill Repasky, a Corporate Attorney with the firm, to talk about the potential hurdles of operating a Bitcoin ATM business. We discuss the regulatory requirements of FinCEN, Money Transmitter Licenses, and how the current landscape lends itself to companies able to scale.

Location: SkypeDate: Wednesday, 15th AugustProject: Frost Brown Todd LLCRole: Corporate AttorneyRegulations are have always been in front of mind for the Bitcoin industry. Ever-increasing surveillance has accompanied the evolution of technology, primarily financial surveillance.Bitcoin is the first money owned by the people and is often seen as a threat to the state, as such the state has struggled to adapt to it.For businesses who operate in the industry, working with and understanding state regulations is non-negotiable. One company helping companies navigate this is Frost Brown Todd, one of the largest law firms in the Midwest United States.In this interview, I speak to Bill Repasky, a Corporate Attorney with the firm, to talk about the potential hurdles of operating a Bitcoin ATM business. We discuss the regulatory requirements of FinCEN, Money Transmitter Licenses, and how the current landscape lends itself to companies able to scale.-----If you enjoy The What Bitcoin Did Podcast you can help support the show my doing the following:Become a Patron and get access to shows early or help contributeMake a tip:Bitcoin: 3FiC6w7eb3dkcaNHMAnj39ANTAkv8Ufi2SQR Codes: Bitcoin | Ethereum | Litecoin | Monero | ZCash | RipplecoinIf you do send a tip then please email me so that I can say thank youSubscribe on iTunes | Spotify | Stitcher | SoundCloud | YouTube | TuneIn | RSS FeedLeave a review on iTunesShare the show and episodes with your friends and familySubscribe to the newsletter on my websiteFollow me on Twitter Personal | Twitter Podcast | Instagram | Medium | YouTubeIf you are interested in sponsoring the show, you can read more about that here or please feel free to drop me an email to discuss options.

This is a segment of episode #187 of Last Born In The Wilderness “Heartland Deluge: The Floods Of An Unfamiliar Earth w/ Nicholas Humphrey.” Listen to the full episode: http://bit.ly/LBWhumphrey Follow Nicholas Humphrey's work: https://www.patreon.com/MeteorologistNickHumphrey In this segment of my discussion with meteorologist and geoscientist Nicholas Humphrey, we discuss the record-breaking flood in the Midwest United States this season, in particular the impacts this is having on the agricultural center of the country, and how this event is directly tied to the dramatic global changes associated with abrupt climate disruption as a result of human industrial activity. As Nick and I discuss, there are numerous reasons why this year’s flooding in the Midwest has been as destructive as it has been — with estimated damage, in economic terms, of “$12.5 billion, based on an analysis of damages already inflicted and those expected by additional flooding, as well as the lingering health effects resulting from flooding and the disease caused by standing water.” Nick’s interdisciplinary research into global climate change, especially in describing its direct impact on the hydrological (water) cycle and weather, helps us understand how this record-breaking event occurred. “Nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states will have an elevated risk of some flooding from now until May, and 25 states could experience ‘major or moderate flooding,’ according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.” Record-breaking snowfall in the Midwest, with severe fluctuations in temperature in late-winter and early-spring, coincided with a massive “bomb cyclone” visiting the region, leading to a rapid and massive overflow of the Missouri River — inundating numerous farms, cities, and towns, as well as overwhelm much of the overall infrastructure and spread toxic waste and pollution throughout the region. This doesn’t even include the impacts this event is already having on the financially-burdened businesses in the region, and what the impacts will be for the region’s agricultural output in the future, as it is severely limiting farmers ability to grow and harvest vital agricultural products this year. Overall, the prospects don’t look good, for the Midwest region, and for the United States. Nick and I take a dive into the science and the implications of this event, and fit it within the broader ecological and climate trends currently unfolding on this planet. Nicholas Humphrey is a meteorologist and geoscientist, with the focus on extreme weather events and their connection to our destabilizing climate. Nick’s goal is to communicate, in an interdisciplinary fashion, the serious risks from climate tipping points, extreme weather events, and ecological collapse. He graduated with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in societal impacts of extreme weather from South Dakota State University in 2013, and earned a MS in Geosciences - Applied Meteorology from Mississippi State University in 2016. Nicholas is based in Lincoln, Nebraska. WEBSITE: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com PATREON: http://bit.ly/LBWPATREON STORE: http://bit.ly/LBWmerch DONATE: Paypal: http://bit.ly/LBWPAYPAL DROP ME A LINE: (208) 918-2837 FOLLOW & LISTEN: SoundCloud: http://bit.ly/LBWSOUNDCLOUD iTunes: http://bit.ly/LBWITUNES Google Play: http://bit.ly/LBWGOOGLE Stitcher: http://bit.ly/LBWSTITCHER RadioPublic: http://bit.ly/LBWRADIOPUB YouTube: http://bit.ly/LBWYOUTUBE NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/LBWnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: http://bit.ly/LBWFACEBOOK Twitter: http://bit.ly/LBWTWITTER Instagram: http://bit.ly/LBWINSTA

[Intro: 12:35] In this episode, I speak with meteorologist and geoscientist Nicholas Humphrey. I ask him to detail the record-breaking flood in the Midwest United States this season, in particular the impacts this is having on the agricultural center of the country, and how this event is directly tied to the dramatic global changes associated with abrupt climate disruption as a result of human industrial activity. As Nick and I discuss, there are numerous reasons why this year’s flooding in the Midwest has been as destructive as it has been — with estimated damage, in economic terms, of “$12.5 billion, based on an analysis of damages already inflicted and those expected by additional flooding, as well as the lingering health effects resulting from flooding and the disease caused by standing water.”* Nick’s interdisciplinary research into global climate change, especially in describing its direct impact on the hydrological (water) cycle and weather, helps us understand how this record-breaking event occurred. “Nearly two-thirds of the lower 48 states will have an elevated risk of some flooding from now until May, and 25 states could experience ‘major or moderate flooding,’ according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.”** Record-breaking snowfall in the Midwest, with severe fluctuations in temperature in late-winter and early-spring, coincided with a massive “bomb cyclone” visiting the region, leading to a rapid and massive overflow of the Missouri River — inundating numerous farms, cities, and towns, as well as overwhelm much of the overall infrastructure and spread toxic waste and pollution throughout the region. This doesn’t even include the impacts this event is already having on the financially-burdened businesses in the region, and what the impacts will be for the region’s agricultural output in the future, as it is severely limiting farmers ability to grow and harvest vital agricultural products this year. Overall, the prospects don’t look good, for the Midwest region, and for the United States. Nick and I take a dive into the science and the implications of this event, and fit it within the broader ecological and climate trends currently unfolding on this planet. Nicholas Humphrey is a meteorologist and geoscientist, with the focus on extreme weather events and their connection to our destabilizing climate. Nick’s goal is to communicate, in an interdisciplinary fashion, the serious risks from climate tipping points, extreme weather events, and ecological collapse. He graduated with a BS in Interdisciplinary Studies with a focus in societal impacts of extreme weather from South Dakota State University in 2013, and earned a MS in Geosciences - Applied Meteorology from Mississippi State University in 2016. Nicholas is based in Lincoln, Nebraska. *http://bit.ly/2Ua1N5S **https://nyti.ms/2D2mYkw Episode Notes: - Follow and support Nicholas’ work: https://www.patreon.com/MeteorologistNickHumphrey - Follow him on Facebook: http://bit.ly/2U6tf4n - Follow him on Twitter: https://twitter.com/NTH_met - I cite these articles in the interview: http://bit.ly/2Ua1N5S / https://nyti.ms/2D2mYkw - The song featured in the episode is “Country Boy” by "Little" Jimmy Dickens. WEBSITE: https://www.lastborninthewilderness.com PATREON: http://bit.ly/LBWPATREON STORE: http://bit.ly/LBWmerch DONATE: Paypal: http://bit.ly/LBWPAYPAL DROP ME A LINE: (208) 918-2837 FOLLOW & LISTEN: SoundCloud: http://bit.ly/LBWSOUNDCLOUD iTunes: http://bit.ly/LBWITUNES Google Play: http://bit.ly/LBWGOOGLE Stitcher: http://bit.ly/LBWSTITCHER RadioPublic: http://bit.ly/LBWRADIOPUB YouTube: http://bit.ly/LBWYOUTUBE NEWSLETTER: http://bit.ly/LBWnewsletter SOCIAL MEDIA: Facebook: http://bit.ly/LBWFACEBOOK Twitter: http://bit.ly/LBWTWITTER Instagram: http://bit.ly/LBWINSTA

The Breadbasket of America has WAY more than bread ;) Enjoy these allegedly true scary stories about midwest united states, american monsters, real monster sightings, monster stories, cryptid stories, when animals attack, scary cryptid stories, real cryptid, cryptid sighting, true scary stories, true horror stories, real ghost stories, skinwalker stories, wendigo stories, skinwalker caught, wendigo caught, creature caught, animal caught, strange creature, creepy creature, lake monster, darkness prevails, strange animal, unknown creature, unknown animal, horror story and more!

A bit introspective this week as Ben and David talk about watching Doctor Who during times when the show is not much to their liking. Prompted by Ben finally purchasing the DVD for Time and the Rani and a listener asking why do we still watch if Series 11 wasn't much to our liking? Ben takes a paternalistic view of Who and David reflects on what first got him hooked on Who during Tom Baker's run on PBS, such as cliffhangers and the location filming. What looked exotic and otherworldly for David growing up in the Midwest United States was the comforting and familiar for Ben growing up in Britain. We talk about the new Scratchman book and how it might be a bit of a car crash, if articles in DWM are any indication, but then we are the target demographic for such a book and its nice that something other than senior housing is being prepared for men of a certain age. Plus discussion on what's to come in upcoming weeks on M2P. Opening and closing music is by Keff McCulloch from his score for Time and the Rani.

Howdy! Our second episode recorded from the 2018 BFA World Championships is with Shawn and Casey Varpness. This barrel racing couple, from Rochester, Minnesota, both train and ride horses as well as produce some of the largest barrel racing events in the Midwest. Their barrel racing production company, SC Productions LLC, produces barrel races and futurities in Minnesota. They’ve been doing this for last several years now and have produced really good sized races that have included qualifiers for The American and aged events. They’ve produced races in conjunction with the Northern Region Futurity Tour (NRF Tour), BBR, Future Fortunes, Select Stallion Incentive, and others. If you’re in their area in the Midwest United States be sure to check out their events! They look really awesome! We hope you enjoy our conversation with this really great couple who are doing their part to promote the sport of barrel racing! NOTE: We had a bit of technical difficulties during this one, but bare with us. It was a really good conversation. Life is short. Ride a unicorn! Thanks so much for joining us and be sure to tell your friends!! This podcast is something DIFFERENT. It’s something that horse and rodeo enthusiasts can listen to a few hours a week and get caught up in some entertaining and thoughtful conversations. As the listenership grows we’ll be able to keep the cool content coming! We really appreciate you listening and telling your friends! Please SUBSCRIBE to the podcast and be sure to RATE and REVIEW the show as well on your podcast app of choice. You can catch us on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, Spotify, and all the others! Also, be sure to go and FOLLOW our Socials! INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK TWITTER SIGN UP to be a Unicorn Trainer and get our UNICORN TRAINING GUIDE at our WEBSITE! SHOW NOTES:  SC PRODUCTIONS, LLC Website NORTHERN REGION FUTURITY TOUR Website Shawn Varpness Facebook Casey Varpess Facebook SC Productions Facebook Page Northern Region Futurity Tour Facebook

‘It is the mission of The Change Project to elevate the voices of LGBTQ people and advocate for an improved quality of life through the arts, education, and local policy initiatives in the Deep South and Midwest United States. The TOP (Trans Operation Project) Notch program is a partnership project to help trans folks cover medical transition cost. Medical transition can be seriously expensive the objective of TOP Notch is to lessen that burden. All participants have their own personal online store front and get 50% of sales through their site!’ IG: @TheChangeProject Website: http://www.embodyprogress.org/ -------- The Queer Ambition podcast is the ONLY podcast celebrating rising LGBTQ professionals, providing advice on navigating the modern workplace and discussing polarizing topics within the community. THUMBS UP and SUBSCRIBE! Listen to the podcast audio on iTunes and Google Play. Follow Queer Ambition on: SoundCloud - https://soundcloud.com/queer-ambition Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/queerambition Instagram - @QueerAmbition

Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast Episode 65: Lake Michigan TriangleTopics include:- Lake Michigan is LOADED with high strangeness. Forget the Bermuda Triangle. What a lot of people fail to realize, is that right here, right in the Midwest United States, we have our very own watery epicenter of strange and bizarre activity: disappearing ships and planes, strange effects on navigational equipment, ghost ships, sea monsters, UFOs and even an underwater version of Stonehenge. We call it the Lake Michigan Triangle.- We discuss 7 famous Lake Michigan maritime disasters and the resulting paranormal activity…ghost ships!- What was the SS Eastland disaster?- UFOs over Lake Michigan- Mysterious Lake Michigan creatures- Lake Michigan Stonehenge- The strange case of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501- We read listener iTunes reviews. Leave us YOUR review here (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y)- Listen after the show for outtakes!- Video of Lake Michigan Stonehenge here (https://bit.ly/2FpsWtY)- Video of Lake Michigan "shark" here (https://bit.ly/2r5Bl1c)- Episode 34: Glacial Erratic with Jason Yancee here (https://bit.ly/2FsIr4A)- Feedback to: Contact@Chicagoghostpodcast.com- Instagram: @ChicagoGhosts (https://www.instagram.com/chicagoghosts/)- YouTube: Supernatural Occurrence Studies (https://bit.ly/2HM5HvB)- Twitter: @ChicagoGhosts (https://twitter.com/ChicagoGhosts)- FaceBook: @ChicagoGhostPodcast (https://www.facebook.com/chicagoghostpodcast/)- To access ultra-exclusive content, like stickers, early podcast releases, Patreon-only audio and video content, ad-free listening, chat sessions with the hosts and MORE, join our Patreon community (http://www.patreon.com/supernaturaloccurrencestudiespodcast)- Please rate The Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast on iTunes. We will read your reviews on the show! Let us know you left a review and we will send you something cool! (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y)- BIG NEWS: The SOS-Radio Podcast is now THE SUPERNATURAL OCCURRENCE STUDIES PODCAST! (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y) Same on location reporting. Same spooky topics. Same crazy hosts. Just a re-branding to help us reach an even larger audience. Make sure and update your podcast catchers and tell all of your friends!- NEW WEBSITE: SOS-Radio.com is no longer. New website is: www.ChicagoGhostPodcast.com More streamlined and easier to use. Photos, video, blog, merchandise, special offers and more! Adjust your bookmarks! Check it out now!- NEW FACEBOOK PAGE: Follow our Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast FaceBook page and give us a like and a subscribe. Leave us feedback and we WILL read your comments on the show! (https://www.facebook.com/chicagoghostpodcast/)- Supernatural Occurrence Studies T-shirts are here! Order yours today and support the show! Hurry! They're selling fast! Go to www.ChicagoGhostPodcast.com and select SHOPVisit our sponsors, take advantage of great offers and help support the Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast!- Receive a Premium FREE 30-day one game trial to GameFly. No contracts. Cancel anytime. Chose from over 8,000 games for almost any console. Follow this link and sign up! (http://www.gameflyoffer.com/ghost)- Download Grammarly, the intelligent writing app, for FREE. Write with confidence almost anywhere online: Gmail, FaceBook, Twitter, Linkedin and more. Follow this link to download! (http://www.getgrammarly.com/ghost)- SAVE $50 on GrassHopper's virtual phone system. Toll free numbers, multiple extensions, custom call forwarding, text messages and more. No hardware to purchase. No software to install. Everything is done online or via your phone. Follow this link to get GrassHopper! (http://www.trygrasshopper.com/ghost)- For a FREE audiobook and FREE 30-day trial to Audible.com, follow this link and sign up! (http://www.audibletrial.com/sosradio)- To save 10% on ANY new subscription to LootCrate, follow this link and enter promo code BRIDGE10 (http://www.trylootcrate.com/sos-radio)- To save 30% on your next GoDaddy order, follow this link and sign up (http://www.trygodaddy.com/sos-radio)- Set your proton packs to DONATE! If you love what you hear on The Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast, follow this link and select SPECIAL OFFERS and donate to the cause! (http://www.chicagoghostpodcast.com)

Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast Episode 65: Lake Michigan TriangleTopics include:- Lake Michigan is LOADED with high strangeness. Forget the Bermuda Triangle. What a lot of people fail to realize, is that right here, right in the Midwest United States, we have our very own watery epicenter of strange and bizarre activity: disappearing ships and planes, strange effects on navigational equipment, ghost ships, sea monsters, UFOs and even an underwater version of Stonehenge. We call it the Lake Michigan Triangle.- We discuss 7 famous Lake Michigan maritime disasters and the resulting paranormal activity…ghost ships!- What was the SS Eastland disaster?- UFOs over Lake Michigan- Mysterious Lake Michigan creatures- Lake Michigan Stonehenge- The strange case of Northwest Orient Airlines Flight 2501- We read listener iTunes reviews. Leave us YOUR review here (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y)- Listen after the show for outtakes!- Video of Lake Michigan Stonehenge here (https://bit.ly/2FpsWtY)- Video of Lake Michigan "shark" here (https://bit.ly/2r5Bl1c)- Episode 34: Glacial Erratic with Jason Yancee here (https://bit.ly/2FsIr4A)- Feedback to: Contact@Chicagoghostpodcast.com- Instagram: @ChicagoGhosts (https://www.instagram.com/chicagoghosts/)- YouTube: Supernatural Occurrence Studies (https://bit.ly/2HM5HvB)- Twitter: @ChicagoGhosts (https://twitter.com/ChicagoGhosts)- FaceBook: @ChicagoGhostPodcast (https://www.facebook.com/chicagoghostpodcast/)- To access ultra-exclusive content, like stickers, early podcast releases, Patreon-only audio and video content, ad-free listening, chat sessions with the hosts and MORE, join our Patreon community (http://www.patreon.com/supernaturaloccurrencestudiespodcast)- Please rate The Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast on iTunes. We will read your reviews on the show! Let us know you left a review and we will send you something cool! (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y)- BIG NEWS: The SOS-Radio Podcast is now THE SUPERNATURAL OCCURRENCE STUDIES PODCAST! (https://apple.co/2k0tA9y) Same on location reporting. Same spooky topics. Same crazy hosts. Just a re-branding to help us reach an even larger audience. Make sure and update your podcast catchers and tell all of your friends!- NEW WEBSITE: SOS-Radio.com is no longer. New website is: www.ChicagoGhostPodcast.com More streamlined and easier to use. Photos, video, blog, merchandise, special offers and more! Adjust your bookmarks! Check it out now!- NEW FACEBOOK PAGE: Follow our Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast FaceBook page and give us a like and a subscribe. Leave us feedback and we WILL read your comments on the show! (https://www.facebook.com/chicagoghostpodcast/)- Supernatural Occurrence Studies T-shirts are here! Order yours today and support the show! Hurry! They're selling fast! Go to www.ChicagoGhostPodcast.com and select SHOPVisit our sponsors, take advantage of great offers and help support the Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast!- Receive a Premium FREE 30-day one game trial to GameFly. No contracts. Cancel anytime. Chose from over 8,000 games for almost any console. Follow this link and sign up! (http://www.gameflyoffer.com/ghost)- Download Grammarly, the intelligent writing app, for FREE. Write with confidence almost anywhere online: Gmail, FaceBook, Twitter, Linkedin and more. Follow this link to download! (http://www.getgrammarly.com/ghost)- SAVE $50 on GrassHopper's virtual phone system. Toll free numbers, multiple extensions, custom call forwarding, text messages and more. No hardware to purchase. No software to install. Everything is done online or via your phone. Follow this link to get GrassHopper! (http://www.trygrasshopper.com/ghost)- For a FREE audiobook and FREE 30-day trial to Audible.com, follow this link and sign up! (http://www.audibletrial.com/sosradio)- To save 10% on ANY new subscription to LootCrate, follow this link and enter promo code BRIDGE10 (http://www.trylootcrate.com/sos-radio)- To save 30% on your next GoDaddy order, follow this link and sign up (http://www.trygodaddy.com/sos-radio)- Set your proton packs to DONATE! If you love what you hear on The Supernatural Occurrence Studies Podcast, follow this link and select SPECIAL OFFERS and donate to the cause! (http://www.chicagoghostpodcast.com)

The Total Tutor Neil Haley will interview Marc Myers of My Friend Dahmer. Jeffrey Dahmer murdered 17 men and boys in the Midwest United States between 1978 and 1991 before being captured and incarcerated. He would become one of America's most infamous serial killers. This is the story before that story. Jeff Dahmer (Disney Channel's Ross Lynch) is an awkward teenager struggling to make it through high school with a family life in ruins. He collects roadkill, fixates on a neighborhood jogger (Vincent Kartheiser, "Mad Men"), and copes with his unstable mother (Anne Heche) and well-intentioned father (Dallas Roberts). He begins to act out at school, and his goofball antics win over a group of band-nerds who form The Dahmer Fan Club, headed by Derf Backderf (Alex Wolff, "Patriots Day"). But this camaraderie can't mask his growing depravity. Approaching graduation, Jeff spirals further out of control, inching ever closer to madness.

A couple begin a reign of terror across several states in the Midwest United States in the summer of 1984.  The FBI would be called in to find and apprehend the serial killers. Alton Coleman and Debra Brown in court, 1984.    

  ”The Gentleman of Chaos” by A. Merc Rustad -- published in Apex Magazine issue 87, August 2016.   Read it here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/the-gentleman-of-chaos/ Enjoy our interview with the author here: http://www.apex-magazine.com/interview-with-a-merc-rustad/ A. Merc Rustad is a queer transmasculine non-binary writer who lives in the Midwest United States. Favorite things include: robots, dinosaurs, monsters, and tea. Their stories have appeared or are forthcoming in Lightspeed, Fireside Fiction, Apex, Escape Pod, Shimmer, Cicada, The Best American Science Fiction and Fantasy 2015, and Wilde Stories 2016. Merc likes to play video games, watch movies, read comics, and wear awesome hats. You can find Merc on Twitter @Merc_Rustad or their website: http://amercrustad.com. This Apex Magazine Podcast was performed and produced by Mahvesh Murad. Music used with kind permission of BenSound.com! Apex Magazine Podcast, Copyright Apex Publications. Apex Magazine is a monthly short fiction zine focused on dark science fiction, fantasy, and horror. Find us at http://www.apex-magazine.com.  

Fresh Tracker Michael Jenet, author of Ask: The Questions to Empower Your Life, speaks with us about the role asking questions plays in our success. We start with discovering what questions we ARE asking ourselves and then branch into how asking intentional questions can bring us closer to what we want to create in our lives.  Michael shares that learning to retrain our brain to seek out positive outcome oriented-questions is a key to living a happy and successful life. In this week’s show we discover that our brains are like computers, and it’s our job to give our logical brain an out – especially when our life is not where we want it. There IS a ‘best’ kind of question you can ask! Learning to take control of our questions and to raise our IQ (Intentional Questioning) is the secret behind those who live happier fulfilling lives and those who merely survive it. Michael provides tips we can all use to retrain our brains, get unstuck in business, and have a deeper understanding of the powerful word “if” and the role it can play in our success. Show Notes:1:17 – The power question asking has on us4:50 – Four principles for getting the outcome you want7:55 – How changing the questions we ask ourselves can change the domino effect of negativity and get us closer to what we want10:00 – The amazing consequences of answering questions automatically vs intentionally12:10 – Tips for retraining your brain to ask the right questions17:00 – How entrepreneurs stuck in business can change results through questions asking20:00 – Whenever trying to solve a challenge, there is a specific ‘best’ kind of question you can ask. 24:30 – The amazing power of IFAbout Michael Jenet:International Book Award Finalist Michael Jenet is an ordinary man with extraordinary insight.  Having studied the human condition for over thirty years and read countless volumes from classic authors of every spectrum of the personal achievement genre, he has researched each nuance of what makes some people successful and keeps others from succeeding. Born in Belgium, raised in the Midwest United States, an 8-year Veteran of the US Air Force, and now living in Colorado, he has spent a lifetime following his dreams and passion for helping others. He has been a coach, a mentor, a guest lecturer to entrepreneurs, TEDx presenter, and CEO in both the for profit and not-for-profit sectors. His first book, ASK, won the International Book Award Finalist award in the self-help category.   To learn more from Michael visit www.MichaelJenet.com Visit www.FreshTrackswithKellyRobbins.com and download Our 3-Part Video Series Tracks to Cash and receive more information like this!

For TMR's final programme of 2015 we are joined by Dr. Mike Spaulding, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel, Lima and host of Soaring Eagle Radio, for a discussion on the subject of Biblical Hermeneutics. Isn't it obvious how we should read the Bible? After all, if it says such-and-such, surely it means such-and-such, and that's the end of the matter? Or is it really always quite so straightforward? Drawing upon his many years of study, grounded in the context of pastoral ministry, Dr. Spaulding guides us through the maze of biblical hermeneutics - observation, interpretation and application - and shares with us some invaluable tools that can help us unlock the plain meaning of the Scriptures. Mike Spaulding was ordained to the ministry in 1998, and hold a PhD in Apologetics from Trinity Theological Seminary. He is the author of innumerable articles appearing in various publications by LifeWay Publishers, Baker Publishing and several online apologetics ministries. He maintains two blogs – The Transforming Word and Dr. Mike Spaulding – and teaches on The Transforming Word radio show, heard on radio stations throughout the Midwest United States. (For show notes please visit http://themindrenewed.com)

For TMR's final programme of 2015 we are joined by Dr. Mike Spaulding, Senior Pastor of Calvary Chapel, Lima and host of Soaring Eagle Radio, for a discussion on the subject of Biblical Hermeneutics. Isn't it obvious how we should read the Bible? After all, if it says such-and-such, surely it means such-and-such, and that's the end of the matter? Or is it really always quite so straightforward? Drawing upon his many years of study, grounded in the context of pastoral ministry, Dr. Spaulding guides us through the maze of biblical hermeneutics - observation, interpretation and application - and shares with us some invaluable tools that can help us unlock the plain meaning of the Scriptures. Mike Spaulding was ordained to the ministry in 1998, and hold a PhD in Apologetics from Trinity Theological Seminary. He is the author of innumerable articles appearing in various publications by LifeWay Publishers, Baker Publishing and several online apologetics ministries. He maintains two blogs – The Transforming Word and Dr. Mike Spaulding – and teaches on The Transforming Word radio show, heard on radio stations throughout the Midwest United States. (For show notes please visit http://themindrenewed.com)

HOW TO BECOME A ROBOT IN 12 EASY STEPSby A. Merc RustadHow to tell your boyfriend you are in love with a robot:Tell him, “I may possibly be in love with a robot,” because absolutes are difficult for biological brains to process. He won’t be jealous.Ask him what he thinks of a hypothetical situation in which you found someone who might not be human, but is still valuable and right for you. (Your so-called romantic relationship is as fake as you are.)Don’t tell him anything. It’s not that he’ll tell you you’re wrong; he’s not like his parents, or yours. But there’s still a statistical possibility he might not be okay with you being in love with a robot.A full transcript appears under the cut:----more----[Intro music]Intro:Hello! Welcome to GlitterShip episode one for April 2nd, 2015. I'm your host, Keffy, and I'm super excited to be sharing this story with you!Before we start, I'd like to thank everyone who has supported GlitterShip so far. Our Kickstarter campaign will be finishing up on April 8th, so if you're just hearing about GlitterShip for the first time, you can still check it out. If you're listening to this episode after the 8th, well, hello future person! I hope we have space travel whenever you're listening to this.Very briefly, here's some publishing news. Our talented cover artist has a queer poem that's going to be coming out in Uncanny Magazine on the 7th of April. That will be called "The Eaters" by M. Sereno.I'd also like to draw your attention to two other Kickstarter campaigns. There's the Beyond Anthology, which is a queer science fiction and fantasy comics anthology, and there's also Vitality Magazine, which is a queer science fiction and fantasy literary magazine that is seeking to fund its second issue.This has really been a huge couple of months for queer science fiction and fantasy. The special Lightspeed Magazine issue "Queers Destroy Science Fiction" has recently announced its table of contents, so that'll be out later this year. And if you're a writer, the submissions are currently open for "Queers Destroy Horror."All of these links are going to be in the transcript on our website at glittership.com. You can check us out there and we also have a Twitter feed @GlitterShipSF.If you have news or publication notices that may be of interest to the GlitterShip listeners, get in touch with me at publine at GlitterShip dot com.Our story today is "How to Become a Robot in 12 Easy Steps" by A. Merc Rustad.Merc is a queer non-binary writer and filmmaker who lives in the Midwest United States. Favorite things include: robots, dinosaurs, monsters, and tea. When not buried in the homework mines or dayjobbery, Merc likes to play video games, read comics, and wear awesome hats.Merc has several other things published recently: a science fiction short with gay protagonists at Escape Pod, which is available both as text and audio; a longer fantasy story about monsters and dancing and fairy tale tropes that features lesbian protagonists (cis and trans) with a happy ending at Inscription Magazine; and a quieter fantasy short about undersea adventures and multiple trans protagonists forthcoming in Scigentasy in May.You can find Merc on Twitter @Merc_Rustad or visit their website for a complete bibliography (and links to short films) at http://amercrustad.com.Alright. I hope you enjoy the story.    HOW TO BECOME A ROBOT IN 12 EASY STEPSby A. Merc RustadRead by Keffy R. M. KehrliHow to tell your boyfriend you are in love with a robot:Tell him, “I may possibly be in love with a robot,” because absolutes are difficult for biological brains to process. He won’t be jealous.Ask him what he thinks of a hypothetical situation in which you found someone who might not be human, but is still valuable and right for you. (Your so-called romantic relationship is as fake as you are.)Don’t tell him anything. It’s not that he’ll tell you you’re wrong; he’s not like his parents, or yours. But there’s still a statistical possibility he might not be okay with you being in love with a robot. On my to-do list today: Ask the robot out on a date. Pick up salad ingredients for dinner. Buy Melinda and Kimberly a wedding gift.The robot is a J-90 SRM, considered “blocky” and “old-school,” probably refurbished from a scrapper, painted bright purple with the coffee shop logo on the chassis.  The robot’s square head has an LED screen that greets customers with unfailing politeness and reflects their orders back to them. The bright blue smiley face never changes in the top corner of the screen.Everyone knows the J-90 SRMs aren’t upgradable AI. They have basic customer service programming and equipment maintenance protocols.Everyone knows robots in the service industry are there as cheap labor investments and to improve customer satisfaction scores, which they never do, because customers are never happy.Everyone knows you can’t be in love with a robot.I drop my plate into the automatic disposal, which thanks me for recycling. No one else waits to deposit trash, so I focus on it as I brace myself to walk back to the counter. The J-90 SRM smiles blankly at the empty front counter, waiting for the next customer.The lunch rush is over. The air reeks of espresso and burned milk. I don’t come here because the food is good or the coffee any better. The neon violet décor is best ignored.I practiced this in front of a wall a sixteen times over the last week. I have my script. It’s simple. “Hello, I’m Tesla. What may I call you?”And the robot will reply:I will say, “It’s nice to meet you.”And the robot will reply:I will say, “I would like to know if you’d like to go out with me when you’re off-duty, at a time of both our convenience. I’d like to get to know you better, if that’s acceptable to you.”And the robot will reply:“Hey, Tesla.”The imagined conversation shuts down. I blink at the trash receptacle and look up.My boyfriend smiles hello, his hands shoved in his jeans pockets, his shoulders hunched to make himself look smaller. At six foot five and three hundred pounds, it never helps. He’s as cuddly and mellow as a black bear in hibernation. Today he’s wearing a gray turtleneck and loafers, his windbreaker unzipped.“Hi, Jonathan.”I can’t ask the robot out now.The empty feeling reappears in my chest, where it always sits when I can’t see or hear the robot.“You still coming to Esteban’s party tonight?” Jonathan asks.“Yeah.”Jonathan smiles again. “I’ll pick you up after work, then.”“Sounds good,” I say. “We’d better go, or I’ll be late.”He works as an accountant. He wanted to study robotic engineering but his parents would only pay for college if he got a practical degree (his grandfather disapproves of robots). Computers crunched the numbers and he handled the people.He always staggers his lunch break so he can walk back with me. It’s nice. Jonathan can act as an impenetrable weather shield if it rains and I forget my umbrella.But Jonathan isn’t the robot.He offers me his arm, like the gentleman he always is, and we leave the coffee shop. The door wishes us a good day.I don’t look back at the robot. A beginner’s guide on how to fake your way through biological social constructs:Pretend you are not a robot. This is hard, and you have been working at it for twenty-three years. You are like Data, except in reverse.(There are missing protocols in your head. You don’t know why you were born biologically or why there are pieces missing and you do not really understand how human interaction functions. Sometimes you can fake it. Sometimes people even believe you when you do. You never believe yourself.)Memorize enough data about social cues and run facial muscle pattern recognition so you know what to say and when to say it.This is not always successful.Example: a woman approximately your biological age approaches you and proceeds to explain in detail how mad she is at her boyfriend. Example boyfriend is guilty of using her toiletries like toothbrush and comb when he comes over, and leaving towels on the bathroom floor. “Such a slob,” she says, gripping her beer like a club. “How do you manage men?” You ask if she has told him to bring his own toothbrush and comb and to hang up the towels. It seems the first logical step: factual communication. “He should figure it out!” she says. You are confused. You say that maybe he is unaware of the protocols she has in place. She gives you a strange look, huffs her breath out, and walks off.Now the woman’s friends ignore you and you notice their stares and awkward pauses when you are within their proximity. You have no escape because you didn’t drive separately.Ask your boyfriend not to take you to any more parties. Jonathan and I lounge on the plush leather couch in his apartment. He takes up most of it, and I curl against his side. We have a bowl of popcorn and we’re watching reruns of Star Trek: The Next Generation.“I have something to tell you,” he says. His shoulders tense.I keep watching the TV.  He knows I pay attention when he tells me things, even if I don’t look at him. “Okay.”“I’m...” He hesitates. The Borg fire on the Enterprise again. “I’m seeing someone else.”“Another guy?” I ask, hopeful.“Yeah. I met him at the gym. His name’s Bernardo.”I sigh in relief. Secrets are heavy and hurt when you have to carry them around all your life. (I have to make lists to keep track of mine.) “I’m glad. Are you going to tell anyone?”He relaxes and squeezes my hand. “Just you right now. But from what he’s told me, his family’s pretty accepting.”“Lucky,” I say.We scrape extra butter off the bowl with the last kernels of popcorn.We’ve been pretend-dating for two years now. We’ve never slept together. That’s okay. I like cuddling with him and he likes telling me about crazy customers at his firm, and everyone thinks we’re a perfectly adorable straight couple on the outside.The empty spot in my chest grows bigger as I watch Data on screen. Data has the entire crew of the Enterprise. Jonathan has Bernardo now. I don’t know if the robot will be interested in me in return. (What if the robot isn’t?)The room shrinks in on me, the umber-painted walls and football memorabilia suffocating. I jerk to my feet.Jonathan mutes the TV. “Something wrong?”“I have to go.”“Want me to drive you home?”“It’s four blocks away.” But I appreciate his offer, so I add, “But thanks.”I find my coat piled by the door while he takes the popcorn bowl into the kitchen.Jonathan leans against the wall as I carefully lace each boot to the proper tightness. “If you want to talk, Tesla, I’ll listen.”I know that. He came out to me before we started dating. I told him I wasn’t interested in socially acceptable relationships, either, and he laughed and looked so relieved he almost cried. We made an elaborate plan, a public persona our families wouldn’t hate.I’m not ready to trust him as much as he trusts me.“Night, Jonathan.”“Goodnight, Tesla.” How to tell your fake boyfriend you would like to become a robot:Tell him, “I would like to be a robot.” You can also say, “I am really a robot, not a female-bodied biological machine,” because that is closer to the truth.Do not tell him anything. If you do, you will also have to admit that you think about ways to hurt yourself so you have an excuse to replace body parts with machine parts.Besides, insurance is unlikely to cover your transition into a robot. I have this nightmare more and more often.I’m surrounded by robots. Some of them look like the J-90 SRM, some are the newer androids, some are computer cores floating in the air. I’m the only human.I try to speak, but I have no voice. I try to touch them, but I can’t lift my hands. I try to follow them as they walk over a hill and through two huge doors, like glowing LED screens, but I can’t move.Soon, all the robots are gone and I’m all alone in the empty landscape. 11 Reasons you want to become a robot:Robots are logical and know their purpose.Robots have programming they understand.Robots are not held to unattainable standards and then criticized when they fail.Robots are not crippled by emotions they don’t know how to process.Robots are not judged based on what sex organs they were born with.Robots have mechanical bodies that are strong and durable. They are not required to have sex.Robots do not feel guilt (about existing, about failing, about being something other than expected).Robots can multitask.Robots do not feel unsafe all the time.Robots are perfect machines that are capable and functional and can be fixed if something breaks.Robots are happy. It’s Saturday, so I head to the Purple Bean early.The robot isn’t there.I stare at the polished chrome and plastic K-100, which has a molded face that smiles with humanistic features.“Welcome to the Purple Bean,” the new robot says in a chirpy voice that has inflection and none of the mechanical monotone I like about the old robot. “I’m Janey. How can I serve you today?”“Where’s the J-90 SRM?”Robbie, the barista who works weekends, leans around the espresso machine and sighs. She must have gotten this question a lot. The panic in my chest is winching so tight it might crack my ribs into little pieces. Why did they retire the robot?“Manager finally got the company to upgrade,” Robbie says. “Like it?”“Where’s the J-90 SRM?”“Eh, recycled, I guess.” Robbie shrugs. “You want the usual?”I can’t look at the new K-100. It isn’t right. It doesn’t belong in the robot’s place, and neither do I. “I have to go.”“Have a wonderful day,” the door says. How to rescue a robot from being scrapped: [skill level: intermediate]Call your boyfriend, who owns an SUV, and ask him to drive you to the Gates-MacDowell recycle plant.Argue with the technician, who refuses to sell you the decommissioned robot. It’s company protocol, he says, and service industry robots are required to have processors and cores wiped before being recycled.Lie and say you only want to purchase the J-90 SRM because you’re starting a collection. Under the law, historical preservation collections are exempt from standardized recycling procedures.Do not commit physical violence on the tech when he hesitates. It’s rude, and he’s only doing his job.Do not admit you asked your boyfriend along because his size is intimidating, and he knows how to look grouchy at eight a.m.The technician will finally agree and give you a claim ticket.Drive around and find the robot in the docking yard.Do not break down when you see how badly the robot has been damaged: the robot’s LED screen cracked, the robot’s chassis has been crunched inwards, the robot’s missing arm.Try not to believe it is your fault. (That is illogical, even if you still have biological processing units.) Two techs wheel the robot out and load it into Jonathan’s car. The gut-punched feeling doesn’t go away. The robot looks so helpless, shut down and blank in the back seat. I flip open the robot’s chassis, but the power core is gone, along with the programming module.The robot is just a shell of what the robot once was.I feel like crying. I don’t want to. It’s uncomfortable and doesn’t solve problems.“What’s wrong, Tesla?” Jonathan asks.I shut the chassis. My hands tremble. “They broke the robot.”“It’ll be okay,” Jonathan says. As if anything can be okay right now. As if there is nothing wrong with me. “You can fix it.”I squirm back into the passenger seat and grip the dash. He’s right. We were friends because we both liked robots and I spent my social studies classes in school researching robotics and programming.“I’ve never done anything this complex,” I say. I’ve only dismantled, reverse-engineered, and rebuilt the small household appliances and computers. No one has ever let me build a robot.“You’ll do fine,” he says. “And if you need help, I know just the guy to ask.”“Who?”“Want to meet my boyfriend?” Necessary questions to ask your boyfriend’s new boyfriend (a former Army engineer of robotics):You’ve been following the development of cyborg bodies, so you ask him if he agrees with the estimates that replacement of all organic tissue sans brain and spinal cord with inorganic machinery is still ten years out, at best. Some scientists predict longer. Some predict never, but you don’t believe them. (He’ll answer that the best the field can offer right now are limbs and some artificial organs.)Ask him how to upload human consciousness into a robot body. (He’ll tell you there is no feasible way to do this yet, and the technology is still twenty years out.)Do not tell him you cannot wait that long. (You cannot last forever.)Instead, ask him if he can get you parts you need to fix the robot. Bernardo—six inches shorter and a hundred pounds lighter than Jonathan, tattooed neck to ankles, always smelling of cigarettes—is part robot. He lost his right arm at the shoulder socket in an accident, and now wears the cybernetic prosthetic. It has limited sensory perception, but he says it’s not as good as his old hand.I like him. I tell Jonathan this, and my boyfriend beams.“They really gut these things,” Bernardo says when he drops off the power cell.(I want to ask him how much I owe him. But when he says nothing about repayment, I stay quiet. I can’t afford it. Maybe he knows that.)We put the robot in the spare bedroom in my apartment, which Jonathan wanted to turn into an office, but never organized himself enough to do so. I liked the empty room, but now it’s the robot’s home. I hid the late payment notices and overdue bills in a drawer before Jonathan saw them.“Getting a new arm might be tricky, but I have a buddy who works a scrap yard out in Maine,” Bernardo says. “Bet she could dig up the right model parts.”“Thank you.”I’m going to reconstruct the old personality and programming pathways. There are subsystems, “nerve clusters,” that serve as redundant processing. Personality modules get routed through functionality programs, and vestiges of the robot’s personality build up in subsystems. Newer models are completely wiped, but they usually don’t bother with old ones.Bernardo rubs his shaved head. “You realize this won’t be a quick and easy fix, right? Might take weeks. Hell, it might not even work.”I trace a finger through the air in front of the robot’s dark LED screen. I have not been able to ask the robot if I have permission to touch the robot. It bothers me that I have to handle parts and repairs without the robot’s consent. Does that make it wrong? To fix the robot without knowing if the robot wishes to be fixed?Will the robot hate me if I succeed?“I know,” I whisper. “But I need to save the robot.” How to tell your pretend-boyfriend and his real boyfriend that your internal processors are failing:The biological term is “depression” but you don’t have an official diagnostic (diagnosis) and it’s a hard word to say. It feels heavy and stings your mouth. Like when you tried to eat a battery when you were small and your parents got upset.Instead, you try to hide the feeling. But the dark stain has already spilled across your hardwiring and clogged your processor. You don’t have access to any working help files to fix this. Tech support is unavailable for your model. (No extended warranty exists.)Pretend the reason you have no energy is because you’re sick with a generic bug.You have time to sleep. Your job is canceling out many of your functions; robots can perform cleaning and maintenance in hotels for much better wage investment, and since you are not (yet) a robot, you know you will be replaced soon.The literal translation of the word “depression”: you are broken and devalued and have no further use.No one refurbishes broken robots.Please self-terminate. I work on the robot during my spare time. I have lots of it now. Working on the robot is the only reason I have to wake up.I need to repair the robot’s destroyed servos and piece together the robot’s memory and function programming from what the computer recovered.There are subroutine lists in my head that are getting bigger and bigger: You will not be able to fix the robot. You do not have enough money to fix the robot. You do not have the skill to fix the robot. The robot will hate you. You are not a robot.Bernardo and Jonathan are in the kitchen. They laugh and joke while making stir fry. I’m not hungry.I haven’t been hungry for a few days now.“You should just buy a new core, Tesla,” Bernardo says. “Would save you a lot of headaches.”I don’t need a blank, programmable core. What I want is the robot who worked in the Purple Bean. The robot who asked for my order, like the robot did every customer. But the moment I knew I could love this robot was when the robot asked what I would like to be called. “Tesla,” I said, and the blue LED smiley face in the upper corner of the robot’s screen flickered in a shy smile.Everyone knows robots are not people.There’s silence in the kitchen. Then Jonathan says, quietly, “Tesla, what’s this?”I assume he’s found the eviction notice. Reasons why you want to self-terminate (a partial list):Your weekly visit to your parents’ house in the suburbs brings the inevitable question about when you will marry your boyfriend, settle down (so you can pop out babies), and raise a family.You don’t tell them you just lost your job.You make the mistake of mentioning that you’re going to your best friend Melinda’s wedding next weekend. You’re happy for her: she’s finally marrying her longtime girlfriend, Kimberly.That sets your dad off on another rant about the evils of gay people and how they all deserve to die.(You’ve heard this all your life. You thought you escaped it when you were eighteen and moved out. But you never do escape, do you? There is no escape.)You make a second mistake and talk back. You’ve never done that; it’s safer to say nothing. But you’re too stressed to play safe, so you tell him he’s wrong and that it’s hurting you when he says that.That makes him paranoid and he demands that you tell him you aren’t one of those fags too.You don’t tell your parents you’re probably asexual and you really want to be a robot, because robots are never condemned because of who they love.You stop listening as he gets louder and louder, angrier and angrier, until you’re afraid he will reach for the rifle in the gun cabinet.You run from the house and are almost hit by a truck. Horns blare and slushy snow sprays your face as you reach the safety of the opposite sidewalk.You wish you were three seconds slower so the bumper wouldn’t have missed you. It was a big truck.You start making another list. “Why didn’t you tell me?” Jonathan asks, more concerned than angry. “I would’ve helped out.”I shrug.The subroutine list boots up: You are not an adult if you cannot exist independently at all times. Therefore, logically, you are a non-operational drone. You will be a burden on everyone. You already are. Self-terminate.“I thought I could manage,” I say. The robot’s LED screen is still cracked and dark. I wonder what the robot dreams about.Bernardo is quiet in the kitchen, giving us privacy.Jonathan rubs his eyes. “Okay. Look. You’re always welcome to stay with me and Bern. We’ll figure it out, Tesla. Don’t we always?”I know how small his apartment is. Bernardo has just moved in with him; there’s no space left.“What about the robot?” I ask. How to self-destruct: a robot’s guide.Water damage. Large bodies of water will short-circuit internal machinery. In biological entities, this is referred to as “drowning.” There are several bridges nearby, and the rivers are deep.Overload. Tapping into a power source far beyond what your circuits can handle, such as an industrial grade electric fence. There is one at the Gates-MacDowell recycle plant.Complete power drain. Biologically this is known as blood-loss. There are plenty of shaving razors in the bathroom.Substantial physical damage. Explosives or crushing via industrial recycling machines will be sufficient. Option: stand in front of a train.Impact from substantial height; a fall. You live in a very high apartment complex.Corrupt your internal systems by ingesting industrial grade chemicals. Acid is known to damage organic and inorganic tissue alike.Fill in the blank. (Tip: use the internet.) Bernardo’s family owns a rental garage, and he uses one of the units for rebuilding his custom motorcycle. He says I can store the robot there, until another unit opens up.Jonathan has moved his Budweiser memorabilia collection into storage so the small room he kept it in is now an unofficial bedroom. He shows it to me and says I can move in anytime I want. He and Bernardo are sharing his bedroom.I don’t know what to do.I have no operating procedures for accepting help.I should self-destruct and spare them all. That would be easier, wouldn’t it? Better for them?But the robot isn’t finished.I don’t know what to do. How to have awkward conversations about your relationship with your boyfriend and your boyfriend’s boyfriend:Agree to move in with them. Temporarily. (You feel like you are intruding. Try not to notice that they both are genuinely happy to have you live with them.)Order pizza and watch the Futurama marathon on TV.Your boyfriend says, “I’m going to come out to my family. I’ve written a FB update and I just have to hit send.”Your boyfriend’s boyfriend kisses him and you fistbump them both in celebration.You tell him you’re proud of him. You will be the first to like his status.He posts the message to his wall. You immediately like the update.(You don’t know what this means for your façade of boyfriend/girlfriend.)Your boyfriend says, “Tesla, we need to talk. About us. About all three of us.” You know what he means. Where do you fit in now?You say, “Okay.”“I’m entirely cool with you being part of this relationship, Tesla,” your boyfriend’s boyfriend says. “Who gives a fuck what other people think? But it’s up to you, totally.”“What he said,” your boyfriend says. “Hell, you can bring the robot in too. It’s not like any of us object to robots as part of the family.” He pats his boyfriend’s cybernetic arm. “We’ll make it work.”You don’t say, “I can be a robot and that’s okay?” Instead, you tell them you’ll think about it. I write another list.I write down all the lists.  In order. In detail.Then I print them out and give them to Jonathan and Bernardo.The cover page has four letters on it: H-E-L-P. Reasons why you should avoid self-termination (right now):Jonathan says, “If you ever need to talk, I’ll listen.”Bernardo says, “It’ll get better. I promise it does. I’ve been there, where you’re at, thinking there’s nothing more than the world fucking with you. I was in hell my whole childhood and through high school.” He’ll show you the scars on his wrists and throat, his tattoos never covering them up. “I know it fucking hurts. But there’s people who love you and we’re willing to help you survive. You’re strong enough to make it.”Your best friend Melinda says, “Who else is going to write me snarky texts while I’m at work or go to horror movies with me (you know my wife hates them) or come camping with us every summer like we’ve done since we were ten?” And she’ll hold her hands out and say, “You deserve to be happy. Please don’t leave.”You will get another job.You will function again, if you give yourself time and let your friends help. And they will. They already do.The robot needs you.Because if you self-terminate, you won’t have a chance to become a robot in the future. “Hey, Tesla,” Jonathan says, poking his head around the garage-workshop door. “Bern and I are going over to his parents for dinner. Want to come?”“Hey, I’ll come for you anytime,” Bernardo calls from the parking lot.Jonathan rolls his eyes, his goofy smile wider than ever.I shake my head. The robot is almost finished. “You guys have fun. Say hi for me.”“You bet.”The garage is silent. Ready.I sit by the power grid. I’ve unplugged all the other devices, powered down the phone and the data hub. I carefully hid Bernardo’s bike behind a plastic privacy wall he used to divide the garage so we each have a workspace.We’re alone, the robot and I.I rig up a secondary external power core and keep the dedicated computer running the diagnostic.The robot stands motionless, the LED screen blank. It’s still cracked, but it will function.“Can you hear me?” I ask. “Are you there?”The robot:I power up the robot and key the download sequence, re-installing the rescued memory core.The robot’s screen flickers. The blue smiley face appears in the center, split with spiderweb cracks.“Hello,” I say.“Hello, Tesla,” the robot says.“How do you feel?”“I am well,” the robot says. “I believe you saved my life.”The hole closes in my chest, just a little.The robot’s clean, symmetrical lines and tarnished purple surface glow. The robot is perfect. I stand up.“How may I thank you for your help, Tesla?”“Is there a way I can become a robot too?”The robot’s pixelated face shifts; now the robot’s expression frowns. “I do not know, Tesla. I am not programmed with such knowledge. I am sorry.”I think about the speculative technical papers I read, articles Bernardo forwarded to me.“I have a hypothesis,” I tell the robot. “If I could power myself with enough electricity, my electromagnetic thought patterns might be able to travel into a mechanical apparatus such as the computer hub.”(Consciousness uploads aren’t feasible yet.)“I believe such a procedure would be damaging to your current organic shell,” the robot says.Yes, I understand electrocution’s effects on biological tissue. I have thought about it before. (Many times. All the time.)The robot says, “May I suggest that you consider the matter before doing anything regrettable, Tesla?”And I reply:The robot says: “I should not like to see you deprogrammed and consigned to the scrapping plant for organic tissue.”And I reply:The robot says: “I will be sad if you die.”I look up at the frowning blue pixel face. And I think of Jonathan and Bernardo returning and finding my body stiff and blackened, my fingers plugged into the power grid.The robot extends one blocky hand. “Perhaps I would be allowed to devise a more reliable solution? I would like to understand you better, if that is acceptable.” The blue lines curve up into a hopeful smile.The robot is still here. Jonathan and Bernardo are here. Melinda and Kimberly are here. I’m not a robot (yet), but I’m not alone.“Is this an acceptable solution, Tesla?” the robot asks.I take the robot’s hand, and the robot’s blocky fingers slowly curl around mine. “Yes. I would like that very much.” Then I ask the robot, “What would you like me to call you?” How to become a robot:You don’t.Not yet.But you will.END Outro:"How to Become A Robot in 12 Easy Steps" was first published in Scigentasy in March 2014. This recording is a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license which means you can share it with anyone you'd like, but please don't change or sell it. Our theme is "Aurora Borealis" by Bird Creek, available through the Google Audio Library.Thanks for listening, and I'll talk to you again on April 9th with a selection of three flash fiction stories.[Music plays out]This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License.

Guest Mix: JB Vries (Opulent Temple / San Francisco).Crashing out of 2011 with shows in Las Vegas and Houston.. and into 2012 with sell out shows in San Diego and Denver, Christopher Lawrence has been working overtime to find the best underground tracks for this months Rush Hour with new tunes from Carlo Calabro, KloneZ, Lisa Lashes, Rene Ablaze & Tonerush, Rene Ablaze & Tonerush, Phunpark, Mory Kante vs Loverush UK!, Simon Patterson, Essex, Lamat & Han Solo and Creatrix. This months guest mix comes from JB Vries, whom Christopher discovered playing for Opulent Temple at last years Burning Man. Drawing influence from travels around the world, Asia to Africa, Europe and South America, JB Vries' motivations have always been based in rhythm and melody. Growing up in the Midwest United States he knew early on his life's direction would be a musical one and with this in mind he took his show on the road. While studying Audio Engineering in Florida, he began learning the art mixing in the studio as well as a DJ in the Orlando nightclub and underground dance scene.Producing a variety of dance genres, all with a driving and psychedelic undertone, JB has his sights set on bringing his flavor of progressive dance music to festivals and nightclubs the world over. Today, JB lives in Downtown San Francisco where he continues to perform along side some of the worlds finest DJs as part of the Opulent Temple. Visit the podcast episode page to find out more information, with links to artists featured in this podcast.

Erika Carey and the Calamities and their "instant party" rolled in (+1 musician) for their 2nd WR Guerrilla Showcase set and stole the heart of each and every person in illustrious room #1111 (and some out in the hallway too)! Steve McGann (bass) runs Peloton Records, out of Columbus Ohio, and along with the Calamities, is pushing forward quality music from his town across the world--with tours through the Midwest United States and as far east as Scotland. Definitely a label and act NOT to be missed! 01 - Fall Apart [Exclusive] 02 - Waterline 03 - 5 Years 04 - Salem