Podcasts about Open Road

Is this one of the best or worst method or repertoire books for learning to play acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar? You can learn to play music using a variety of resources including teachers, online resources, and books. Despite the book's title, this is not a traditional method book for learning to play fingerstyle blues guitar. This is a repertoire book containing fingerstyle blues arrangements in a variety of subgenres (i.e. ragtime and delta blues). The book does offer more than a traditional repertoire book in that it has technical and historical notes before each tune, and then it occasionally introduces a new technique through a tune. This book is suitable for late beginner to advanced fingerstyle players but is best for intermediate players. I really like the organization of the book: tunes are organized by subgenre, and within each section the tunes are arranged from easiest to hardest. If you have zero experience playing fingerstyle guitar or fingerstyle blues, this is not the best book to start with. If you do have some experience, this is a great book for learning fun tunes, improving your skills, and learning some background history. What stands out about this book is that some tunes include multiple choruses. If you've studied fingerstyle blues from books, you've seen one or two page arrangements that, as written, are too short for a full performance. You might have gathered that you should play the original arrangement and then create multiple variations to instrumentally simulate different lyrics for each verse of a vocal tune, to extend your performance, and to make it your own. However, most books don't actually write out any variations. The Complete Acoustic Blues Guitar Method is wonderful in that some of its arrangements do contain 2nd and 3rd chorus variations. These are great for beginners and players that just want to play a tune that lasts more than 30 seconds, and they are even more valuable for players that want to see and study concrete examples of variations. You can learn a lot from analyzing these variations and then you can implement these ideas into other tunes in your repertoire. Difficulty ramps up quickly in this book with the majority of the arrangements in that intermediate difficulty range. Beginner players may want to first use a traditional method book: A general fingerstyle method like Alfred's “Beginning Fingerstyle Guitar,” or A more focused method like Bruce Emery's “Travis-Style Guitar from Scratch.” Then you could utilize Woody Mann's book as a supplement as you're working through the method book. Later beginners should aim for the first tune or two from each different section and see what specific styles of fingerstyle blues catch their ear. You will improve faster and have more fun if you play tunes that are aren't too difficult, so don't get bogged down with the hardest tunes in the book. The Complete Acoustic Blues Guitar Method provides both treble clef and tablature for each arrangement, but neither fretting nor picking hand fingering is provided. At least you can tell which notes should be played with your thumb by looking at the treble clef – bass notes have down stems. Regardless, the skill of choosing sensible fingering is important, and you will need to look elsewhere to further develop this skill. Recordings are available online through Hal Leonard's website. These will be very helpful to many readers. It's fun and educational to hear some of the author's little variations and stylistic techniques (slides, bends, etc.) that aren't written into the music. The book doesn't use the modern percussive techniques used by modern players like Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Mike Dawes, etc. No thumb slaps, guitar body percussion, or tapping. It says that the copyright is © 2014 Wise Publications, but the book seems to be published and distributed by Hal Leonard. My own books: Fingerstyle Blues Guitar: An In-Depth Study of the 12-Bar Blues in E Major – Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon [https://a.co/d/g7Udsso (Book 1) and https://a.co/d/aDbh4H0 (Book 2)]. The first priority of these books is to quickly get you playing a solo instrumental 12-bar blues, and then to build on it until you can freely improvise or “jam.” You should be up and running by the end of the third chapter, and each following chapter will add icing on the cake. Arranging for Fingerstyle Guitar: go to http://joemcmurray.com/checkout/ to purchase a pdf of my eBook. Learning to arrange melodies will also help your fingerstyle songwriting and your understanding of the inner workings of fingerstyle guitar. My upcoming book, Arranging for Fingerstyle Ukulele, will be published by Mel Bay in 2026. My music is available on all streaming platforms at https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dcokTG6C598OhTslHH5uo?si=hrQb7FViSZewDRSgECw9Ew: Pins on the Map: my third fingerstyle guitar album was released on January 19, 2024. Watch the first single, “Open Road,” on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uPBh8sZQsT4?si=EM_wAwnHFqU1VC9C. Riding the Wave and Acoustic Oasis: my first two fingerstyle guitar albums.

In this episode, we look back and pick our favorite classical and jazz recordings from 2025.   The Adult Music Podcast is featured in: Feedspot's 100 Best Jazz Podcasts   Episode 241 Deezer Playlist   Fair use disclaimer: Music sample clips are for commentary and educational purposes. We recommend that listeners listen to the complete recordings, all of which are available on streaming services in the links provided. We also suggest that if you enjoy the music, you consider purchasing the CDs or high-quality downloads to support the artists.   Russ' Classical Picks   Episode 204: “Anniversaries & Inner Journeys” 3/17/2025 “Hough: Piano Concerto, Sonatina & Partita” (Hyperion) Sir Stephen Hough, The Hallé, Sir Mark Elder https://open.spotify.com/album/6aj6j7obrqKiSJJF9GB51l https://music.apple.com/us/album/hough-piano-concerto-sonatina-partita/1790189101 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DSWK94H6   Episode 208: “Elegance & Fire” 4/14/2025 “Prokofiev & Shor” (Alpha) Behzod Abduraimov, Royal Philharmonic Orchestra / Vasily Petrenko https://open.spotify.com/album/6yTib2Mj4XZNvPoC7ILgqR https://music.apple.com/us/album/prokofiev-shor/1792782208 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DV5N35H1   Episode 210: “Fluted Grooves” 4/28/2025 “Daugherty: Blue Electra” (Naxos) Anne Akiko Meyers, Albany Symphony Orchestra / David Alan Miller https://open.spotify.com/album/7KeVVROhrOyr7hwyAMc2Od https://music.apple.com/us/album/michael-daugherty-blue-electra-last-dance-at-the-surf/1803167332 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DTKSWBX9   Episode 211: “Saxurated Sound” 5/5/2025 “Tales of the Jazz Age” (La Dolce Volta) Florian Noack https://open.spotify.com/album/1pgOmjL6jYB69GOA2aMNxP https://classical.music.apple.com/sg/album/1795617036 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DWNBXQ3M   “Ancient Modernity” (Delphian) Louise McMonagle https://open.spotify.com/album/4mYIWqAJAYTqU4ayjzJnsI https://music.apple.com/za/album/ancient-modernity/1799737575 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DZ31FWKW   Episode 213: “Sacred Trinity & Swingin' Trio” 5/18/2025 “Alexander Scriabin: Vers La Flamme” (BIS) Yevgeny Sudbin https://open.spotify.com/album/3wYDp7bi9o73xbr9ZzWLrk https://music.apple.com/us/album/scriabin-vers-la-flamme/1803174467 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F1Z3KHWL   Episode 218: “A Quarter for Your Tones” 7/7/2025 “Persia & Baroque - Classical Persian Music and European Baroque” (Christophorus) Hamburger Ratsmusik / Simone Eckert, Ulrich Wedemeier, Anke Dennert, Neoclassical Ensemble of Tehran / Arash Mohafez https://open.spotify.com/album/5owCWVmzhFYnjbqZHg4lT0 https://music.apple.com/us/album/persia-baroque-classical-persian-music-and-european/1822952513 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F8C7Z8D5   Episode 219: “Border Crossers” 7/14/2025 “Laurent Boutros: Apatride, An Armenian in Paris” (Da Vinci Classics) Antonino Ielo https://open.spotify.com/album/7hQ2upqq5JxHfbJ8yDlX5C https://music.apple.com/us/album/laurent-boutros-apatride-an-armenian-in-paris/1819815810 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FCP46QV9   Episode 229: “A Trumpet Junket” 9/29/2025 “Kevin Puts: Concerto for Orchestra, Silent Night Elegy & Virelai” (Delos) Saint Louis Symphony Orchestra / Stéphane Denève https://open.spotify.com/album/3s5T4R7QJKHjgfNHmVy6Vz https://music.apple.com/us/album/kevin-puts-concerto-for-orchestra-silent-night-elegy/1826975431 No Amazon Music   Episode 231: “Bourbon Based” 10/13/2025 “Robert Russell Bennett & Vernon Duke: Violin Concertos” (Chandos) Chloë Hanslip, Singapore Symphony Orchestra / Andrew Litton https://open.spotify.com/album/5SQS6UVFNNBMf7Itmo1JEG https://music.apple.com/us/album/bennett-duke-violin-works/1830974602 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FKQ8BJYV   Mike's Classical Picks   Episode 202: “The Spaces Between” 2/24/2025 “The Age of Extremes: W.F. Bach, G. Benda & C.P.E. Bach” (Arcana) Francesco Corti, Il Pomo d'Oro https://open.spotify.com/album/666rWzJgsF6pZo9KyAZ27A https://music.apple.com/gh/album/the-age-of-extremes-w-f-bach-g-benda-c-p-e-bach/1781631697 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DN6QFCXM   Episode 207: “Blues ‘n' Bones” 4/7/2025 “Dvořák & Price: Piano Quintets” (Hyperion) Takacs Quartet, Marc-Andre Hamelin https://open.spotify.com/album/1i8Dx19cZUT4y5TcD9bomJ https://music.apple.com/us/album/dvořák-price-piano-quintets/1791744025 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DTKP5X5F   Episode 209 “Women on the Open Road” 4/21/2025 “Vox Feminae” (Alpha) Les Kapsber'girls https://open.spotify.com/album/7CMohdNtQxiB83iEMqntc7 https://music.apple.com/us/album/vox-feminae/1793025660 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DV5PTBMJ   Episode 212: “From Bach to Boogaloo” 5/12/2025 “Concertos: Pécou, Lazkano, Nante” (Erato) Alexandre Tharaud https://open.spotify.com/album/6bI8HUotFbewV3WMYX0OV0 https://music.apple.com/us/album/pécou-lazkano-nante-piano-concertos/1806217843 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F3FG9KJ7   Episode 213: “Sacred Trinity & Swingin' Trio” 5/18/2025 “Clérambault: Te Deum & Histoire de la Femme Adultère” (Château de Versailles Spectacles) Lisandro Abadie, Guy Cutting, Samuel Namotte, Gwendoline Blondeel A Nocte Temporis, Chœur de Chambre de Namur / Reinoud Van Mechelen https://open.spotify.com/album/3kITS98BQIa4cFBjT1NSnH https://music.apple.com/us/album/clérambault-te-deum-histoire-de-la-femme-adultère/1799108129 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DYNNF76N   Episode 215 “Doorway to the Horizon” 6/7/2025 “Ni Dufay, Ni Binchois - the Works of Johannes Pullois” (Passacaille) Sollazzo Ensemble https://open.spotify.com/album/4NMrnD08oj20PzLNDHM0rL https://music.apple.com/us/album/ni-dufay-ni-binchois-the-works-of-johannes-pullois/1807330875 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F44CTHZL   Episode 224: “Moon Tunes” 8/18/2025 “Bach, Telemann & Albinoni: Concerti” (Alpha) Sophie Gent, Kathleen Kajioka, Ensemble Masques / Olivier Fortin https://open.spotify.com/album/4Z9606TIlzMs2YA6LXiZnP https://music.apple.com/us/album/j-s-bach-telemann-albinoni-concerti/1807001257 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F8NM4DPF   Episode 227: “Melodic Reflections” 9/9/2025 “Libro primo” (ECM) Rolf Lislevand https://open.spotify.com/album/3XPfRhPmgp2sTj5rLPPH2I https://music.apple.com/us/album/libro-primo/1826581965 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FHJ5H7JV   Episode 229: 2A Trumpet Junket” 9/29/2025 “Martinů String Quartets 2-3-5-7” (Supraphon) Pavel Haas Quartet https://open.spotify.com/album/5LhBAJvYfW3akK0G35B8wh https://music.apple.com/us/album/martinů-string-quartets-nos-2-3-5-7/1832782214 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FM474BZ7   Episode 234 “Found Objects & Fresh Air” 11/10/2025 “Martinu Violin Concertos 1 & 2, Stravinsky Divertimento” (Supraphon) Josef Spacek, Prague Radio Symphony Orchestra / Petr Popelka https://open.spotify.com/album/0SKhKsHvwcPZ4OYMtzGRuK https://music.apple.com/us/album/martinů-violin-concertos-1-2-stravinsky-divertimento/1846791139 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FTGJLNHZ   “Found Objects / Sound Objects” (Hyperion) Marc-André Hamelin https://open.spotify.com/album/2dGt6QoBUsh75ShmyWOERe https://music.apple.com/us/album/found-objects-sound-objects/1828259285 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FJHYS4SJ   Mike's Jazz Picks   Episode 205: “Fragmented Inspirations” 3/24/2025 “South” (Sunnyside) Randal Despommier https://open.spotify.com/album/1EcSKXQuNPs7UIzaTkLl0j https://music.apple.com/us/album/south/1797433088 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DTWJSFZJ   Episode 208: “Elegence and Fire” 4/14/2025 “Live at Snug Harbor” (Outside in Music) Leon Anderson https://open.spotify.com/album/34XmNuGwm09hMfwDqaiGyf https://music.apple.com/us/album/live-at-snug-harbor/1792288803 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DTWHYQSL   Episode 212: “From Bach to Boogaloo” 5/12/2025 “Steep Steps” (Hobby Horse Records) Carl Winther, Richard Andersson, Jeff “Tain” Watts https://open.spotify.com/album/6mSi775nA3yYvU9Njpd7LV https://music.apple.com/us/album/steep-steps/1796891336 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DXFZPK8X   Episode 218: “A Quarter for Your Tones” 7/7/2025 “Nico's Dream” (SteepleChase) Tony Miceli https://open.spotify.com/album/5wUvoUKyZ0mmP87LZT877P https://music.apple.com/us/album/nicos-dream/1828638176 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F4DSQMVV   Episode 229: “A Trumpet Junket” 9/29/2025 “Oblivity” (Origin) Shawn Purcell https://open.spotify.com/album/4BdcYHpppD4zNskoxnuP2Z https://music.apple.com/us/album/oblivity/1831093754 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FL4V5HPB   Episode 230: “Concertos & Ciphers” 10/6/2025 “Cipher” (PHP Records) Charlie Porter https://open.spotify.com/album/2Nf8PpF9l3pDz6FLn4V18s https://music.apple.com/us/album/cipher/1807658361 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F49QRDH5   Episode 233: “Origin-al Recipe” 11/3/2025 “New Outlook” (Origin) Affinity Trio, Eric Jacobson https://open.spotify.com/album/6lhUbkRZQbk93E8rqane5J https://music.apple.com/us/album/new-outlook/1841929457 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FSCP685Q   “In the Groove: Live at the Alluvion” (OA2) trumpet, 10/17/2025 Anthony Stanco https://open.spotify.com/album/1eTkEAn2waOoKYJTjGkRyi https://music.apple.com/us/album/in-the-groove-live-at-the-alluvion/1841931160 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FSCSVSY6   Episode 235: “Impressions & Connections” 11/17/2025 “Lasting Impression” (Savant/High Note) Brandon Sanders https://open.spotify.com/album/1avyPXf8rP4eqgbfGHnnQN https://music.apple.com/us/album/lasting-impression/1840695827 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FRNM61SQ   Episode 240: “Double Trouble” 12/22/2025 “It's On!” (Nervy Nigel Records) Nigel Price https://open.spotify.com/album/0y2Rph1r8YLaqktG90Xxeh https://music.apple.com/gb/album/its-on/1850003081 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FY3P1HB4   Honorable Mention   Episode 228: “Synergy, Vocals, and Vibes” 9/22/2025 “Synergy” (SteepleChase) Paul Bollenback, Boris Kozlov https://open.spotify.com/album/59j2rbwlkeEgvAwKTVZz9o https://music.apple.com/us/album/synergy/1843953911 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FL5GF4F1   Russ' Jazz Picks   Episode 198: “Serene Screen Time” 1/27/2025 “The Snake Charmer” (Origin) Brad Goode Polytonal Big Band https://open.spotify.com/album/3FGXtQeRDC6i5LQMDTnyDl https://music.apple.com/us/album/polytonal-big-band-the-snake-charmer/1781618413 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DNZ5HRRD   Episode 202: “The Spaces Between” 2/24/2025 “Table for Three” (SteepleChase) Alex Norris https://open.spotify.com/album/2l4TGcCJaluGa98MqC8Ht7 https://music.apple.com/us/album/table-for-three/1806266526 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DVBDCBXQ   Episode 206: “Timbre Tantrum” 3/31/2025 “LightSide” (A.MA Records) Matteo Pastorino https://open.spotify.com/album/4z1xt1yALoiVkVk4t5vgVi https://music.apple.com/us/album/lightside-feat-dario-deidda-armando-luongo-domenico-sanna/1798791324 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DYN9FLW8   Episode 214: “Building Characters & Light Bassoonery” 5/26/2025 “Building Characters” (Cellar Music) Charles Chen https://open.spotify.com/album/5u6CjR2OTU7MjQUU5OOJCZ https://music.apple.com/us/album/building-characters/1795037951 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0DWG54DLB   Episode 220: “Trans-phonic” 7/21/2025 “Transverse” (Calligram Records) Chad McCullough, Gordan Spasovski, Kiril Tufekčievski, Viktor Filipovski https://open.spotify.com/album/4GsqtJEMpqYfEDF14dxPzu https://music.apple.com/us/album/transverse/1819687910 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FCM5H3K5   Episode 222: “Mountain Viewfinder” 8/4/2025 “Viewfinder” (Attica Records) Hugh Pascall https://open.spotify.com/album/7IBrlJsdgj0sY579JDebqT https://music.apple.com/us/album/viewfinder/1825686850 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FH2XKXG5   Episode 224: “Moon Tunes” 8/18/2025 “Many Moons” (Third Coast Sound) Markus Rutz https://open.spotify.com/album/4MK0b4KgkFSclrpIqbrF3b https://music.apple.com/us/album/many-moons/1810126274 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0F61HBSNF   Episode 225: “Chromatic Dreams” 8/25/2025 “Still We Dream” (Posi-Tone) Josh Lawrence https://open.spotify.com/album/3Rybpa0B2Xs4hrB8JBG4yP https://music.apple.com/us/album/still-we-dream/1821713242 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FGZMSQDS   Episode 232: “A French Connection” 10/20/2025 “The Dark Forest” (Steeplechase) Chris Byars https://open.spotify.com/album/4kFItljxvnU4JdIln0Wdp4 https://music.apple.com/us/album/the-dark-forest/1844056557 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FSG9R8C1   Episode 234: “Found Objects & Fresh Air” 11/10/2025 “A Breath of Fresh Air” (Taylor Christian Records) Sean Mason https://open.spotify.com/album/6mS8l8ZNHCu2CWerK3iBt7 https://music.apple.com/us/album/a-breath-of-fresh-air/1836167990 https://music.amazon.com/albums/B0FP2V4FH2        

It's time to stop circling and make the calls. We're locking in our final Game of the Year picks for 2025! The post BRB UK 662: From Underworld to Open Road appeared first on Big Red Barrel.

This week on the Free Outside Podcast, I am joined by Jeff Eklund, an “ordinary Jeff” calling in from North Carolina who quickly proves he is anything but ordinary. We kick things off with a Jeff quiz show where every answer is a different Jeff, and it immediately derails into the best kind of chaos.Jeff shares his winding path into running, including randomly ripping a 3:16 at Chicago in his 40s, qualifying for Boston (and skipping it because life happened), then stepping away before coming back strong after knee replacements. He talks about what it felt like to start running again, why he refuses to accept “don't run” as a life sentence, and his current mission to break two hours in the half marathon while stalking the competition on Strava like a proper veteran.Then we shift into the second life arc, Jeff and his wife selling basically everything during COVID, moving into a 27-foot Airstream, and traveling to 47 states. We talk minimalism, Facebook Marketplace hustle, getting “pulled around” the country by life, and the underrated places that surprised him most, from Rhode Island to Arizona to the hidden gems of Nebraska.Somewhere in the middle, Jeff goes full historian and takes us deep into his obsession with Theodore Roosevelt (the strenuous life, Rough Riders lore, the teddy bear origin story, and meeting a TR impersonator in North Dakota that turns into a legit hike). We also get a side quest on Fred Harvey restaurants, Harvey Girls, and old-school American road culture, plus a list of roadside oddities that feels like a hallucination timeline from mile 20 of a marathon.We wrap with a quick masterclass in sales (relationships, listening, and handling rejection), lessons Jeff wishes he knew when he was younger, and a perfect cherry on top story about Brooks customer service, a surprise signed Scott Jurek book, and the greatest accidental Instagram mix-up of all time.If you like running, reinvention, road trips, American history tangents, and a guest who can turn one question into six stories, this one is for you.Chapters00:00 The Jeff Quiz Show Begins04:52 Jeff Eklund's Journey into Running07:49 Overcoming Challenges and Finding Motivation10:50 The Impact of Family on Running13:45 Rediscovering the Love for Running16:42 Transitioning to Life in an Airstream19:28 Selling Everything and Embracing Minimalism22:23 Exploring the Open Road and Human Connection24:56 Theodore Roosevelt: A Personal Connection26:29 Meeting the Impersonator: A Unique Encounter28:47 The Legacy of Theodore Roosevelt30:23 The Teddy Bear Origin Story31:40 The Strenuous Life Philosophy33:40 Fred Harvey and the Railroad Era37:24 The Harvey Girls: Pioneers of the West39:07 Underrated States: Personal Reflections41:34 Hidden Gems in the Midwest45:20 Exploring Unique Destinations48:13 The Art of Selling50:29 Reflections on Youth and Education55:10 Customer Service and Personal Connections01:00:18 Celebrating Ordinary HeroesSubscribe to Substack: http://freeoutside.substack.comSupport this content on patreon: HTTP://patreon.com/freeoutsideBuy my book "Free Outside" on Amazon: https://amzn.to/39LpoSFEmail me to buy a signed copy of my book, "Free Outside" at jeff@freeoutside.comWatch the movie about setting the record on the Colorado Trail: https://tubitv.com/movies/100019916/free-outsideWebsite: www.Freeoutside.comInstagram: thefreeoutsidefacebook: www.facebook.com/freeoutside

It's that time of year when the conversation stops drifting, and decisions finally have to be made. In Episode 662, Dan and Coleman (Sadly, no Tim) sit down to lock in their Game of the Year picks. Editor's note: We're all on our Christmas/New Year break until next year, but we've left you with a handful of special shows to keep you company while we're gone. See you in 2026. Time Stamps 00:00:00 Start – Jingle Bell Rock by The Isotopes 00:00:25 Intro 00:03:00 Our Ones to Watch from 2025 00:03:55 Metal Gear Solid: Snake Eater 00:07:13 Slay The Spire II 00:09:21 Doom: The Dark Ages 00:12:54 Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii 00:15:52 Death Stranding 2: On The Beach 00:18:22 Fable 00:20:16 Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra 00:23:11 Avowed 00:25:15 Ghost of Yōtei 00:26:28 Our Best Games of 2025 00:27:40 Hades II 00:30:21 Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 00:35:15 The Séance of Blake Manor 00:37:05 Dispatch 00:42:17 Hell is Us 00:45:52 Death Stranding 2: On the Beach 00:49:17 Ghost of Yōtei 00:51:06 Ball X Pit 00:53:15 Indiana Jones and the Great Circle 00:56:24 Outro – Castle Castellations from James Pond II – Codename Robocod by Richard Joseph Thanks for listening to another episode of BRB UK. You can grab the MP3 for this episode and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube, via RSS, or wherever you get your podcasts.

We're taking a look back at some of our favorite episodes of 2025. This week on the Oakley Podcast, hosts Jeremy Kellett and Megan Cummings welcome Brad Page, one of our owner/operators at Oakley Trucking. During the episode, Brad shares his incredible journey as a commercial airline pilot for over 30 years to the open road of being an owner-operator. The discussion covers Brad's memorable flying experiences, including challenging landings and his work in medevac missions. The episode also touches on Brad's family, his sons' careers in engineering and mechanics, the evolving technology in the trucking industry, comparisons between being a pilot and an owner-operator, and so much more. Key topics in today's conversation include:Previewing the Upcoming Episode (1:14)Changes in the Office (6:31)Megan's New Role (7:30)Listener Interaction Segment (9:29)Brad's Background and Aviation Career (13:35)Medevac Job Explanation (17:12)Becoming a Pilot (18:57)Commuter Airline Job (22:17)Challenges of Airline Piloting (25:32)Air Conditioning on Planes (34:31)Landing in Windy Conditions (37:05)Transition from Aviation to Trucking (39:01)Consulting Work Post-Retirement (42:03)Joining Oakley Trucking (46:55)Learning the Ropes at Oakley (51:09)Making Pilot Announcements (58:03)Technology in Trucking (59:18)Final Thoughts and Takeaways (1:01:04)Oakley Trucking is a family-owned and operated trucking company headquartered in North Little Rock, Arkansas. For more information, check out our show website: podcast.bruceoakley.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

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Our guest today loves a good challenge. He's picked a good profession because the world of Driveaway provides, well, a truckload of them! But, Jaboris Christian meets these challenges head on and wisely sees them as opportunities to develop himself and build his bottom line. Whether it's navigating the idiosyncrasies of CNG or learning to master the right-hand drive, Jaboris is six years deep and picking up steam! He brings his experience and chill disposition to our conversation today and we're so glad he could join us for today's episode of the Six-Figure Trucker.Show Notes:Jaboris joins us from the cab of a brand new Volvo! (0:39)Qualifications and Perspectives on Driveaway (3:03)Resets and On-time Percentages (5:10)Specialty vehicles, CNG, and other challenges (7:55)Love for the Open Roads (13:36)Keep Trucking, Jaboris! The Six-Figure Trucker is a weekly podcast about driveaway trucking brought to you by Norton Transport. For more information or to subscribe, please visit Six-FigureTrucker.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

In this episode, we travel back to ancient Egypt, build some pyramids, and compete to be the pharaoh's favorite architect in Imhotep. Imhotep was said to be the architect of the step pyramid in Djoser, rising 200 feet tall, the earliest colossal stone building in Egypt. Imhotep is also a 2016 game for two to four players designed by Phil Walker-Harding and published by KOSMOS, in which players step into the sandals of the original Imhotep to build pyramids and obelisks and other great monuments. Episode Links:See if you can find a secondhand copy of Imhotep on the BGG GeekMarket.Read designer Phil Walker-Harding's introduction to Imhotep.Music:"Open Road" by Purple Planet.Send us a textPodcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

Original solo fingerstyle guitar arrangement of Winter Wonderland by Joe McMurray. One of my favorite Christmas tunes, Winter Wonderland was written in 1934 by Felix Bernard and lyricist Richard B. Smith. TABs are available for purchase through my PayPal link at https://www.paypal.com/ncp/payment/6ZEEQXVEQ7MFA If you are interested in purchasing the TABs, be aware that this arrangement is suitable for players with a intermediate+ skill level. Performed on my treasured 2023 Collings OM2H guitar. My books: Fingerstyle Blues Guitar: An In-Depth Study of the 12-Bar Blues in E Major – Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon [https://a.co/d/g7Udsso (Book 1) and https://a.co/d/aDbh4H0 (Book 2)]. The first priority of these books is to quickly get you playing a solo instrumental 12-bar blues, and then to build on it until you can freely improvise or “jam.” You should be up and running by the end of the third chapter, and each following chapter will add icing on the cake. Arranging for Fingerstyle Guitar: go to http://joemcmurray.com/checkout/ to purchase a pdf of my eBook. Learning to arrange melodies will also help your fingerstyle songwriting and your understanding of the inner workings of fingerstyle guitar. My upcoming book, Arranging for Fingerstyle Ukulele, will be published by Mel Bay in 2026. My music is available on all streaming platforms at https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dcokTG6C598OhTslHH5uo?si=hrQb7FViSZewDRSgECw9Ew: Pins on the Map: my third fingerstyle guitar album was released on January 19, 2024. Watch the first single, “Open Road,” on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uPBh8sZQsT4?si=EM_wAwnHFqU1VC9C. Riding the Wave and Acoustic Oasis: my first two fingerstyle guitar albums.

The Open Road is under attack. A new coalition of governors is pushing to replace the gas tax with a mandatory GPS-based "Mileage Tax." They call it a "User Fee." We call it a surveillance state nightmare. Austin breaks down the pilot programs that want to track exactly where you drive—and tax you for it. Plus, the price tag is dead. A bombshell report reveals Instacart is charging neighbors different prices for the same groceries. The media says it's "gouging," but is "Surge Pricing" actually a brilliant tool for business owners to manage demand? We play Devil's Advocate. Also on the show: Judge Andrew Napolitano (@Judgenap) joins us to discuss the "Deep State" leaks regarding the Venezuela boat strike and the landmark Supreme Court case Trump v. Slaughter. Can the President finally fire the bureaucracy? Joel Berry (@JoelWBerry) from The Babylon Bee stops by to discuss the "Postliberal Right." Are conservatives becoming the very authoritarians they swore to defeat? Chapters: Intro Your Car is a Snitch: The GPS Mileage Tax Instacart & The Death of the Price Tag Judge Napolitano: Venezuela & War Powers Joel Berry: The Postliberal Right Join the movement: Website: http://4LibertyNetwork.com Support the Show: http://4LibertyShop.com Follow the Host: X: @AP4Liberty Instagram: @AP4Liberty #WakeUpAmericaShow #MileageTax #JudgeNapolitano #BabylonBee #SurgePricing #DeepState #Instacart #Libertarian

From million-mile truckers to wild roadside tales, Michael Berry dives into the grit, humor, and heart of America’s highways. Real drivers, real stories, and a few laughs along the way—because life behind the wheel is anything but ordinary.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

On this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris dives into a packed lineup covering the latest issues shaping freight, technology, and trucking regulation. We kick things off with Rudy Nemeth of Veloster Solutions, who breaks down how AI is transforming fleet management through predictive maintenance, smarter safety systems, and advanced route optimization following their recent acquisition of ⁠NextBillion.ai⁠. Next, Magnus Technologies CEO Matt Cartwright joins the show to talk about the real roots of the driver shortage, why it's a systemic issue rather than a people problem, and how empathy, communication, and integrated technology platforms can dramatically improve driver satisfaction and retention. He also shares insights from decades in the industry and why unifying data is the key to modern fleet operations. To wrap up, Andrew Poliakoff, Executive Director of CVTA, gives an inside look at the state of driver training, the federal crackdown on fraudulent training providers, and what fleets, students, and schools need to know about compliance, safety, and upcoming regulatory changes. He explains why proper training matters now more than ever and what red flags new drivers should watch for. Malcolm also covers major news across the country, including Mississippi's crackdown on undocumented drivers, the abrupt shutdown of two Minnesota carriers affecting 200 drivers, and an Ohio logistics owner sentenced for a multimillion-dollar tax evasion scheme. ⁠Watch on YouTube⁠ ⁠Visit our sponsor⁠ ⁠Subscribe to the WTT newsletter⁠ ⁠Apple Podcasts⁠ ⁠Spotify⁠ ⁠More FreightWaves Podcasts⁠ #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On this episode of WHAT THE TRUCK?!?, host Malcolm Harris dives into a packed lineup covering the latest issues shaping freight, technology, and trucking regulation. We kick things off with Rudy Nemeth of Veloster Solutions, who breaks down how AI is transforming fleet management through predictive maintenance, smarter safety systems, and advanced route optimization following their recent acquisition of NextBillion.ai. Next, Magnus Technologies CEO Matt Cartwright joins the show to talk about the real roots of the driver shortage, why it's a systemic issue rather than a people problem, and how empathy, communication, and integrated technology platforms can dramatically improve driver satisfaction and retention. He also shares insights from decades in the industry and why unifying data is the key to modern fleet operations. To wrap up, Andrew Poliakoff, Executive Director of CVTA, gives an inside look at the state of driver training, the federal crackdown on fraudulent training providers, and what fleets, students, and schools need to know about compliance, safety, and upcoming regulatory changes. He explains why proper training matters now more than ever and what red flags new drivers should watch for. Malcolm also covers major news across the country, including Mississippi's crackdown on undocumented drivers, the abrupt shutdown of two Minnesota carriers affecting 200 drivers, and an Ohio logistics owner sentenced for a multimillion-dollar tax evasion scheme. Watch on YouTube Visit our sponsor Subscribe to the WTT newsletter Apple Podcasts Spotify More FreightWaves Podcasts #WHATTHETRUCK #FreightNews #supplychain Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Christmas repertoire books featuring solo fingerstyle guitar arrangements are great for the holiday season! Whether you simply want to get into the Christmas spirit or you need to perform Christmas tunes at your gigs, there are a number of great Christmas repertoire books. Last year I did a similar multi-book review, but I need to put out an update since I have since gone on a buying spree and purchased 4 more books that I'd been curious about. In this review I will look at the original three books that I reviewed: Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide,” Mark Phillips' “Christmas Carols for Easy Classical Guitar” (Cherry Lane Music Company), and John Hill's “Classical Guitar Christmas Sheet Music” (Hal Leonard) As well as my four new books: Michael Wood's “Echoes of Christmas Past,” Bruce Emery's “Christmas Fingerstyle Guitar,” and Doug Young's “Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar” AND “A DADGAD Christmas.” And finally I'll mention one book that I don't have, but I can see enough from previews to be able to compare to the other books: Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Christmas” To be clear, all books are suitable for either steel string guitar or nylon string classical guitar. I will demonstrate tunes from each book so that you can see and hear what you're getting. Now, whether you are just looking to enjoy playing holiday tunes for yourself, with your family and friends, or on stage, there are several factors to consider. Christmas music is really only acceptable in the month of December, so if you are like me then you'll start preparing in November. As these tunes are kept on the shelf for 10 months of the year, I generally look for the easiest arrangements that still sound as good as possible. I need to be able to whip these into shape in a reasonable amount of time. Perhaps you (unlike myself) are looking for the most incredible sounding arrangements possible, regardless of their difficulty? One of these books in particular fits that bill. Another important factor to consider is whether you are looking to play instrumental arrangements or if you are looking to lead a singalong. Some books are better suited to one or the other. I'm going to try to guide you to the book or books that are best for YOU. Each of these books is valuable in its own way, but one may fit you better. Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide” is the only book out of these that has popular modern/mid-twentieth century tunes like Holly Jolly Christmas, Frosty the Snowman, Jingle Bell Rock, and Let It Snow! Hal Leonard is a publishing giant and has the ability to publish these popular tunes that are protected by copyright. Late-beginner/intermediate. Pretty good arrangements, especially as a starting point. No audio recordings. All of the other books contain traditional Christmas carols like O Come, All Ye Faithful, The First Noel, Jingle Bells, and Silent Night. These are all of the tunes that fall under the realm of public domain, so authors can arrange them without worrying about legal issues or royalties. Out of all of these other books, two books stand out for containing beautiful, yet easy to play arrangements. Wood's “Echoes of Christmas Past” is #1, Phillips' “Christmas Carols for Easy Classical Guitar” is #2. Wood's arrangements are incredibly playable and sound so so good. Very flowing and arpeggiated with a folksy touch. Never too many notes at once, so easy on the hands. No lyrics written into the music, and no audio recordings. Phillips' arrangements also flow very well with lots of arpeggiation and pedaling on the open G string. Definitely has some classical guitar vibes. Once again, no lyrics, but this one does come with a CD for the audio recordings. If you are the type of player who wants a simple arrangement that you can enhance, or if you want to lead a singalong and need a really straightforward arrangement, Bruce Emery's “Christmas Fingerstyle Guitar: Plain and Fancy” and Doug Young's “Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar” are very valuable books. Each contains the most basic arrangements with block chords harmonizing each melody. These are excellent for beginners and work great as lead sheets for intermediate and advanced players (as a platform from which you can create your own variations). Young's book is a bit easier. Emery's book provides each carol at three difficulty levels. Emery's has lyrics in the music so it works better for singalongs. Young's has lyrics on the opposite page from the music, so usable for singalongs, but not ideal. Both provide audio recordings. These two books are both great gigging books, but I if I had to choose, I'd rather have the Wood or Phillips book at a gig. Doug Young's “A DADGAD Christmas” is unique and incredibly beautiful. Much more difficult in comparison – suitable for intermediate and advanced players. Audio recordings are available on Spotify and make for great listening! Some really satisfying arrangements, but not my first choice of Christmas gig book – I generally want Christmas gig tunes to be on the easier side. Hill's “Classical Guitar: Christmas Sheet Music” contains arrangements that can absolutely work on steel string guitars, but they are written only in treble clef. These arrangements are all a bit more difficult to play, regardless of treble clef vs. TAB, and they don't necessarily sound better than the arrangements of the other books. Many arrangements just feel clunky with difficult fingering. One thing that I do like is the arrangement of Tchaikovsky's “March” from the Nutcracker, which you won't find in any of the other books. If you are a classical guitar teacher, these would definitely be useful to use with your students. No audio recordings. So, to organize all of this information: Only one for mid-twentieth century tunes: Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide” Best for solo instrumental gigging: Wood's “Echoes of Christmas Past” is #1, Phillips' “Christmas Carols for Easy Classical Guitar” is #2.  Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide”is an equally important gigging book for me too just because of its arrangements of popular tunes. Best for singalongs: Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide”, Bruce Emery's “Christmas Fingerstyle Guitar: Plain and Fancy”, and possibly Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Christmas” Most beginner friendly: Probably Doug Young's “Christmas Carols for Fingerstyle Guitar” orBruce Emery's “Christmas Fingerstyle Guitar: Plain and Fancy,” then Wood's “Echoes of Christmas Past” is #1, Phillips' “Christmas Carols for Easy Classical Guitar” Most sonorous arrangements: Doug Young's “A DADGAD Christmas” Don't buy: Hill's “Classical Guitar: Christmas Sheet Music” Performance: Holly Jolly Christmas, Frosty the Snowman – Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide” Come, All Ye Faithful – in all books other than Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide” andDoug Young's “A DADGAD Christmas” Silent Night – in all books other than Hal Leonard's “Fingerpicking Yuletide” My own books: Fingerstyle Blues Guitar: An In-Depth Study of the 12-Bar Blues in E Major – Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon [https://a.co/d/g7Udsso (Book 1) and https://a.co/d/aDbh4H0 (Book 2)]. The first priority of these books is to quickly get you playing a solo instrumental 12-bar blues, and then to build on it until you can freely improvise or “jam.” You should be up and running by the end of the third chapter, and each following chapter will add icing on the cake. Arranging for Fingerstyle Guitar: go to http://joemcmurray.com/checkout/ to purchase a pdf of my eBook. Learning to arrange melodies will also help your fingerstyle songwriting and your understanding of the inner workings of fingerstyle guitar. My upcoming book, Arranging for Fingerstyle Ukulele, will be published by Mel Bay in 2026. My music is available on all streaming platforms at https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dcokTG6C598OhTslHH5uo?si=hrQb7FViSZewDRSgECw9Ew: Pins on the Map: my third fingerstyle guitar album was released on January 19, 2024. Watch the first single, “Open Road,” on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uPBh8sZQsT4?si=EM_wAwnHFqU1VC9C.Riding the Wave and Acoustic Oasis: my first two fingerstyle guitar albums.

It's the scores, the highlights, the reactions. It's the insight, behind the scenes and before the games. We're talking Habs hockey every day. Get informed, get up to date, get in the game. The Morning Show, with Conor McKenna and Shaun Starr.

Is this one of the best or worst method books for learning to play acoustic fingerstyle blues guitar? You can learn to play music using a variety of resources including teachers, online resources, and books. Another great find! Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar, by Arnie Berle and Mark Galbo, is a method book for learning to play fingerstyle blues guitar (both solo and accompaniment). This is first fingerstyle blues books that I've come across that provides a great chapter on how to incorporate singing over your guitar playing. The book is suitable for beginner fingerstyle players who can play basic chords through to intermediate players. I blew through this book – the material progresses logically with exercises that build on each other and lead perfectly into complete 12-bar examples. The majority of the book is focused on playing using an alternating bass (Travis style). Rest assured, if you work through this book, you will build a solid fingerstyle blues foundation and you will learn a few cool 12-bar choruses. You will still need further instruction to develop your arranging and improvisation skills as well as your tone, rhythmic feel, and fingering choices. After some introductory material covering blues history, form, rhythm, and picking hand technique, the book jumps right into exercises to develop your alternating bass technique. Assuming you can already play your basic chord shapes, the book methodically shows you how to play the alternating bass over the I, IV, and V chords in the keys of A, G, and E. Each chapter presents a new layer of complexity (new melody note options, new rhythms, new fretting or picking-hand techniques, new chord voicings, etc.), with progressive exercises that always culminate in a full 12-bar example. The authors really did a great job in organizing the topics and calibrating the difficulty progression – the book flows well. Although the examples of the early chapters sound “major” and bland, they prepare you for the addition of “blue notes” and other bluesy techniques that add some soul to your sound and immediately make your playing more satisfying. Just stick with it through those early chapters! Late in the book, the chapter on how to incorporate singing over your fingerstyle blues guitar playing is special. You won't learn anything about vocal technique or tone production, but you will learn about the call-and-response dance between your vocals and guitar playing. You will learn how to accompany your vocal lines (the “call”) and then play a guitar riff or chordal “response.” First, the vocal melody is provided in standard notation and on the CD – you will want to learn to sing this melody. Then the guitar part is provided, which you will learn separately before adding the vocals on top. Then the authors provide alternate “response” riffs that you can substitute into the segments of the tune when there are no vocals. Players with more experience can improvise their own riffs in these spots. Finally, you will learn a few turnarounds that you can substitute into bars 11 and 12. By the time I was finished with this section, I was really jamming out, improvising, and having fun with the example tune. The book culminates with five complete blues tunes that incorporate everything you've learned and jump-start your blues repertoire. Four of these tunes are traditional and one is an original. Three are vocal tunes and two are instrumental. Beginning Fingerstyle Blues Guitar provides both treble clef and tablature for each arrangement. Minimal fretting hand fingering is provided (sometimes written into the music, sometimes provided via tiny chord charts written above the music, and sometimes discussed in the text). Picking hand fingering is only provided in the music for the first chapter, although you can always tell which notes should be played with your thumb by looking at the treble clef – bass notes have down stems. The skill of choosing sensible fingering is important, and you will need to look elsewhere to further develop this skill. Recordings are available on an included CD. These will be very helpful to many readers. The book doesn't use the modern percussive techniques used by modern players like Michael Hedges, Don Ross, Andy McKee, Mike Dawes, etc. No thumb slaps, guitar body percussion, or tapping. Published by Amsco Publications © 1993 My own books: Fingerstyle Blues Guitar: An In-Depth Study of the 12-Bar Blues in E Major – Books 1 and 2 are available in paperback or as an eBook through Amazon [https://a.co/d/g7Udsso (Book 1) and https://a.co/d/aDbh4H0 (Book 2)]. The first priority of these books is to quickly get you playing a solo instrumental 12-bar blues, and then to build on it until you can freely improvise or “jam.” You should be up and running by the end of the third chapter, and each following chapter will add icing on the cake. Arranging for Fingerstyle Guitar: go to http://joemcmurray.com/checkout/ to purchase a pdf of my eBook. Learning to arrange melodies will also help your fingerstyle songwriting and your understanding of the inner workings of fingerstyle guitar. My upcoming book, Arranging for Fingerstyle Ukulele, will be published by Mel Bay in 2026. My music is available on all streaming platforms at https://open.spotify.com/artist/5dcokTG6C598OhTslHH5uo?si=hrQb7FViSZewDRSgECw9Ew: Pins on the Map: my third fingerstyle guitar album was released on January 19, 2024. Watch the first single, “Open Road,” on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/uPBh8sZQsT4?si=EM_wAwnHFqU1VC9C.Riding the Wave and Acoustic Oasis: my first two fingerstyle guitar albums.

Got that trucker in your life that you want to feel appreciated? In this episode, we list gift ideas that will make him or her feel that you understand what the truck life is all about.Order some of them at https://www.etsy.com/nz/shop/ForgetMeNotNovelties Forget Me Not Novelties City: Ashburton Address: 68 Johnstone Street Website: https://www.etsy.com/nz/shop/forgetmenotnovelties

In this episode, we make some movies while accusing our friends and coworkers of being communists in Hollywood 1947.Hollywood 1947 is the latest entry in the Dark Cities line from Façade Games publisher and designer Travis Hancock and artist Sarah Keele. It takes the Red Scare's Hollywood blacklist and turns it into a lively and thematic game that's hit our gaming table many times. The game is a particular favorite of our twelve-year-old, which might surprise you unless you know she's planning to be a lawyer when she grows up! We will hear from her in the episode for her thoughts on the game. Episode Links:Buy Hollywood 1947 on Amazon.Listen to my interview with Travis Hancock about Bristol 1350.Music:"Open Road," "Summer in Paradise" by Purple Planet.Send us a textPodcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

WGN Radio’s Charlie Roumeliotis breaks down the Blackhawks’ 6-3 loss to the Winnipeg Jets to kick off their season-long six-game road trip. Colin Fraser joins the discussion from Canada Life Centre to talk about the loss and Jonathan Toews facing his old team for the first time before sharing his overall thoughts on the rebuild as […]

G-d's call to Avraham is the call to a life of openness, attention, inner transformation, self awareness and trust. Lessons from Parshas Lech Lecha on finding the courage to answer the call of the open road, develop our inner worlds and step into the unknown.* * * * * * *To inquire about sponsorship & advertising opportunities, please email us at info@humanandholy.comTo support our work, visit humanandholy.com/sponsor.Find us on Instagram @humanandholy & subscribe to our channel to stay up to date on all our upcoming conversations ✨Human & Holy podcast is available on all podcast streaming platforms. New episodes every Sunday & Wednesday on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Google Podcasts.

Behind every highlight reel is a messy maze of contacts, gatekeepers, and missed opportunities—until someone maps it. In this episode of Sharkpreneur, Seth Greene interviews Ryan Rottman, actor-turned-founder who conceived an “IMDb for athletes,” and Sean O'Brien, CEO and former CMO who scaled Modloft from ~$25M to nearly $100M and helped Kevin Costner's Autio build engineering in-house. Backed by marquee investors (including super-agent Scott Boras) and a recent CNBC debut, AthleteAgent.com centralizes accurate, validated contacts for athletes and agents across growing pro leagues. Ryan and Sean share how they're boosting deal flow for the 99% of athletes, tightening product focus, and building trust in an industry famous for being fragmented and insular.   Key Takeaways: → How a dinner with Aaron Rodgers sparked the idea for an “IMDb for athletes” → Why athlete representation and endorsement deals are so fragmented—and how they're solving it → The surprising industries subscribing to AthleteAgent (from Coca-Cola to financial advisors) → How AthleteAgent is bringing transparency, trust, and deal flow to athletes and agents → Why sports representation and endorsements are so fragmented—and how a centralized “pro LinkedIn” changes the game   Ryan Rottman is the Co-Founder and Chief Operating Officer of AthleteAgent.com, a groundbreaking sports tech platform. In his role, Ryan oversees business operations, strategic partnerships, and platform development, helping expand the site's reach across professional leagues and enhance its database of verified athlete and team contacts. Before stepping into the tech and sports business world, Ryan built a successful career in entertainment, starring in films such as Billionaire Boys Club, The Open Road, and a variety of Hallmark originals, as well as television series like 90210(CW), The Middle (ABC), and The Lying Game (ABC Family). His background in production and storytelling has been instrumental in shaping AthleteAgent.com's user experience and brand identity. Ryan combines business acumen with creative vision, bringing a unique edge to the intersection of sports, media, and tech. Sean O'Brien is a seasoned entrepreneur and executive with a track record of scaling successful ventures across multiple industries. In his early 20s, Sean co-founded a patented eCommerce company that achieved $10M in sales and was acquired after being featured as a “Product of the Year” on The View. He went on to launch The DivotCard, a Groupon-like platform for golf, which earned recognition in Inc.. By the age of 30, both startups had exits. Sean later served as CMO/CTO at Modloft, a luxury D2C furniture brand, helping scale it to nearly $100M in revenue and earning accolades from Forbes, CNN, and Architectural Digest. He also played a key role at Autio, a startup backed by Kevin Costner and other investors, which turned down a $1M offer on Shark Tank. Currently, Sean is the CEO of AthleteAgent.com and Swingzy, while also being a part-time venture capitalist at NGVP and Hustle Fund. He has studied at prestigious institutions such as Wharton, Stanford, and UC Berkeley.   Connect With Ryan Rottman and Sean O'Brien: Website: https://www.athleteagent.com/ Instagram: https://www.athleteagent.com/ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

With weakness seen in speculative trades like nuclear energy and non-profit tech companies, Charles Schwab's Nathan Peterson makers that case that it opens the door for a continuing rotation trade. He points out that indices overall muscle signs of strength but that continuing economic weakness is showing early signs of impact to stocks. Nate later talks about the tariff conundrum on the economy and the FOMC.======== Schwab Network ========Empowering every investor and trader, every market day. Subscribe to the Market Minute newsletter - https://schwabnetwork.com/subscribeDownload the iOS app - https://apps.apple.com/us/app/schwab-network/id1460719185Download the Amazon Fire Tv App - https://www.amazon.com/TD-Ameritrade-Network/dp/B07KRD76C7Watch on Sling - https://watch.sling.com/1/asset/191928615bd8d47686f94682aefaa007/watchWatch on Vizio - https://www.vizio.com/en/watchfreeplus-exploreWatch on DistroTV - https://www.distro.tv/live/schwab-network/Follow us on X – https://twitter.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/schwabnetworkFollow us on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/schwab-network/ About Schwab Network - https://schwabnetwork.com/about

Send Jay comments via textWhat if the space between parenting and grandparenting became your most vibrant, alive season? In this episode, entrepreneur and community-builder Carol Tice shares her transformative journey—from selling their Seattle home to living full-time on the road in a 24-foot RV. Discover how she and her husband designed a life centered on mobility, minimalism, and meaningful work, turning “someday” into their everyday reality.Carol recounts their pandemic-era trial run—healthy habits, vegan cooking, long bike rides—and how a full year on the road reshaped their priorities. She dives into the practical choices behind RV life: choosing a rig that fits anywhere, solar power as a game-changer, and navigating boondocking at hidden gems like the Lost Coast. She also highlights the social fabric of RV communities, especially in Quartzsite, Arizona, where neighbors swap help regardless of class or politics.Highlights & Key Takeaways:Why waiting for grandkids isn't the only way—start living now.Building sustainable, location-independent income streams.Minimalism as a pathway to financial and personal relief.Selling your house to reduce costs and embrace freedom.How a trial RV trip can jumpstart healthier habits and clarity.Carol Tice BioCarol Tice is the founder of Community Growth Academy on Skool. Her previous community, Freelance Writers Den, grew to 1,500 paying members over a decade, generating $6 million across the life of the business. She sold the Den in 2021 and she now travels in her RV with her husband while she helps coaches, consultants, and other experts build their own communities with help from Community Growth Academy.Find Carol Online: Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, WebsiteSupport the showFREE WORKBOOK3 Steps to Loving Your Empty Nest Life ENJOY THE SHOW?Don't miss an episode, subscribe via Apple Podcasts or follow on Spotify and many more. LOVE THE SHOW?Get your THIS EMPTY NEST LIFE swagReview us on Love the Podcast, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify -- reviews and ratings help others find us and we'd appreciate your support greatly.CONNECT WITH JAYEmail, LinkedIn, Instagram, or TikTok

The U.S. healthcare system is at a crossroads — facing rising costs, limited competition, and a widening gap between innovation and accessibility. According to projections from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS), national health spending is expected to grow faster than the overall economy over the next decade — about 5.8% per year compared to 4.3% GDP growth. If this trend continues, healthcare's share of the economy will climb from 17.6% in 2023 to more than 20% by 2033. As costs rise faster than wages or inflation, the need for sustainable, competitive reform has never been more urgent.How can employers, providers, and innovators work together to create a more competitive, cost-effective, and sustainable healthcare system? And what does it truly mean to “reintroduce wolves” — or competition — into healthcare's delicate ecosystem?Welcome to Highway to Health. In the latest episode, host David Kemp sits down with Chris Wilson, President & Chief Revenue Officer at Healthcare Highways, for a deep and refreshingly candid discussion about disrupting the status quo in healthcare. Together, they explore what sustainable reform looks like in practice — from empowering employers to take ownership of health plan decisions to rethinking the structure of care delivery and reimbursement.Top insights from the talk…Reintroducing Competition: Wilson draws parallels between Yellowstone's reintroduction of wolves and the healthcare industry's need to restore balance through competition and innovation.Empowering Employers: Engaged employers at the C-suite level can directly influence healthcare outcomes and costs by treating healthcare as a core business strategy rather than a delegated HR function.Building Sustainable Models: True change requires provider-employer collaboration, transparent reimbursement practices, and consumer-driven health plans that emphasize value and accountability.Chris Wilson is a seasoned healthcare and insurance executive with over 30 years of experience driving growth and innovation in the industry. Starting his career by founding his own insurance agency, he went on to hold senior leadership roles at Arthur J. Gallagher and Healthcare Highways, where he now serves as President and Chief Revenue Officer. Known for his strategic leadership and focus on disrupting traditional healthcare models, Wilson specializes in business development, revenue strategy, and creating competitive, sustainable solutions for employers and providers.

Ever tried hitting the highway for a university tour while your stomach is in full-blown chaos? Usually it's Nat battling IBS, but this time Cat had a MAJOR issue. Highway driving, cramps, sweating, white-knuckling, and praying every exit has a bathroom… until one doesn't even have toilet paper. Total panic, totally relatable. Pepto didn't stand a chance with this one! It's terrifying, intense, and somehow completely hilarious a few days later.Want our podcasts sent straight to your phone? Text us the word "Podcast" to +1 (917) 540-8715 and we'll text you the new episodes when they're released!Tune in for new Cat & Nat Unfiltered episodes every Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday!Follow @catandnatunfiltered on Instagram: https://instagram.com/catandnatunfilteredOur new book "Mom Secrets" is now available! Head to www.catandnat.ca/book to grab your autographed copy! Come see us LIVE on tour!! To see a full list of cities and dates, go to https://catandnattour.com.Are you a parent that is struggling understanding the online world, setting healthy screen-time limits, or navigating harmful online content? Purchase screen sense for $49.99 & unlock Cat & Nat's ultimate guide to parenting in the digital age. Go to https://www.thecommonparent.com/guideFollow our parenting platform - The Common Parent - over on Instagram: https://instagram.com/thecommonparentMake sure you subscribe to our YouTube channel: https://bitly.com/catnatyoutubeCheck out our Amazon Lives here: https://bitly.com/catnatamazonliveOrder TAYLIVI here: https://taylivi.comGet personalized videos from us on Cameo: https://cameo.com/catandnatCome hang with us over on https://instagram.com/catandnat all day long.And follow us on https://tiktok.com/@catandnatofficial! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Intro Song –  13 - Johnnie Johnson, “Broke The Bank”, I'm Just Johnnie 
First Set - 14 - Charlie Musselwhite, “Open Road”, Look Out Highway 
 12 - Yates McKendree, “Need To Know You Better”, Need To Know
 11 - Mud Morganfield, “Bring Me My Whiskey”, Deep Mud
 Second Set - 10 - Piper & The Hard Times, “Runaround Man”, Good Company
 9 - D.K. Harrell, “Life's Lessons”, Talkin' Heavy 
8 - Mike Zito & Albert Castiglia, “Running Out Of Time”, Help Yourself
 Third Set - 7 - Devon Allman “Blues Is A Feeling”, The Blues Summit
 6 - Tom Hambridge, “Start Drinking Early Day”, Down The Hatch 
5 - Kirk Fletcher, “I'm Gonna Dig Myself A Hole”, Keep On Pushing

 Fourth Set -
 4 - Monster Mike Welch, “She Makes Time”, Keep Living Til I Die
 3 -Billy Branch & The Sons Of Blues, “Dead End Street”, The Blues Is My Biography
 2 - Candice Ivory, “Blue Blood”, New Southern Vintage 

1 - Buddy Guy, “Loves On A Budget”, Ain't Done With The Blues

This week on the RV Podcast: We have a great interview for you that we're calling Empty Nest, Open Road: How One Couple Found Freedom in RV Life. You'll meet our delightful friends Don and Karen, who share their RV retirement adventures and challenge us all to make every mile count, making friends and memories all across North America. Plus we have the pros and cons of an on-demand water heater.. The RV News of the Week, and much more coming up in Episode #567 of the RV Podcast

It just was over two years ago when we covered the game system called Unmatched here on the podcast. In Unmatched by Restoration Games, two players battle, each with a different hero that has their own unique deck of 30 cards for attack and defense.When we covered Unmatched here on the podcast in 2023, we only had six heroes in our collection for our battles. But now, two years later, we have a lot more than six Unmatched heroes! I think we're up to 25 characters, drawn from eight different sets. I thought it was time for us to cover the game on the podcast again, and I wanted to have some fun doing so. Today's episode is the first of two detailing our 2025 Unmatched tournament! The teenager and I set out to determine which of our 25 Unmatched heroes was our absolute favorite. That meant, naturally, making some brackets and playing a lot of games of Unmatched! In this episode, we'll go through all eight first-round matches, and in a future episode, we'll whittle those eight winners down to our overall Unmatched champ. Episode Resources:Buy Unmatched sets on Amazon.Listen to our 2023 review of Unmatched.Music:"Open Road," Purple Planet Music"Field of Heroes," Tabletop AudioSend us a textPodcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

Our relationship with Jesus isn't a secret to be hoarded; it is a story to be heralded! The disciples were seated behind closed doors (sounds like a lot of churches). Jesus wanted them out, giving away what they had been given. Let's see how these early followers went from panic to peace, from perplexity to purpose, and from protection to power. It's a great journey. Are you up for it?

Our relationship with Jesus isn't a secret to be hoarded; it is a story to be heralded! The disciples were seated behind closed doors (sounds like a lot of churches). Jesus wanted them out, giving away what they had been given. Let's see how these early followers went from panic to peace, from perplexity to purpose, and from protection to power. It's a great journey. Are you up for it?

In this episode, we work together to find out just how hard it is land an airplane in Sky Team. Sky Team is a 2023 game designed by Luc Rémond with art by Eric Hibbeler and Adrien Rives published by Montreal-based Scorpion Masqué. Sky Team is a two-player game in which players work together to land a passenger airplane. Emily and I had the chance to try it at Tennessee Game Days last year, and one play was enough to ensure Sky Team would be found under our Christmas tree! It's been in regular rotation for me and Emily this year, second only to our all-time favorite Wingspan. In this episode, Emily and I chat about Sky Team. We start off with a little color commentary, then talk about why we keep coming back to this game—and why Emily will never get her pilot's license! Episode Links:Buy Sky Team on Amazon.Music:"Open Road" by Purple Planet.Send us a textPodcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

This week, we wrap up our series on Hiroshige with a few lingering questions about his career. How much does his "artistic borrowing" really matter? What's his relationship to Hiroshiges II and III? What about his second marriage and daughter? And ultimately, what makes him so damn famous--and what can we learn from that? Show notes here. 

This week, we're covering Hiroshige's emergence as an artist, which took 20 years after he finished his apprenticeship in the Utagawa school. Why the long gap? And what changed to finally allow him to break out artistically? Show notes here.

I've been laughing at how quickly all my best-laid plans just kind of went sideways. I thought I had this trip with my dogs mapped out perfectly with the timing, the route, and the stops. But then, I encountered one little hiccup after another. A tire sensor acting up, late departures, and rolling into towns I didn't even plan to see. I somehow even ended up in a fancy hotel with two German shepherds in tow. None of it was what I pictured, but it actually turned out better. As frustrating as change can feel in the moment, I've found it brings unexpected gifts like extra time with loved ones, new confidence in my dogs (and myself), and the simple joy of realizing we can handle more than we think. That's what today's Wise Walk is all about. It's embracing the open road, giving gratitude for the surprises, and seeing how getting out of our comfort zone deepens our rhythm with ourselves and those we care about. Where in your life are you navigating the metaphorical open road? Is it requiring you to embrace change, embrace possibilities, and get resourceful because the unexpected is happening and you have to navigate that unexpectedness? As you ponder and reflect, are you gaining a deeper understanding of yourself and of others? What lessons are you learning as you navigate your open road, your journey, or how you want to move from point A to point B? Where in your life are you open to your own rhythm and open to the open road? When you get curveballs in life or a delay of game, can you give gratitude for how you embrace the change? Can you give gratitude for the possibilities that surface from that change? Can you see what's possible out of it and recognize that this was a blessing in disguise, not what you set out to do, not your original plan, but something even better? As you step outside your comfort zone and embrace the change and possibilities in front of you, are you giving gratitude for those unexpected blessings? Are you giving gratitude for how you rise to the level of your own expectations? Are you giving celebration and kudos to those around you who rise to the level of the expectations that you set? Where in your life are you giving gratitude and appreciation for how you are navigating and staying in rhythm and flow as you deepen your own experience? I'd love to hear where in your life you're giving gratitude and appreciation for how you're navigating and staying in rhythm and flow. I have so much to give gratitude for including you, this podcast, and our weekly Wise Walks.  Thank you for joining me, and I would love to hear what you took away from today's episode. Until next Thursday, keep your Stride On! In this episode: [02:14] My big lesson on this journey was the idea about embracing change and possibilities. I had intentions of leaving on a certain date, but I kept getting thrown curveballs. [03:08] I'm goal-oriented and having my plans changed was frustrating. In reality there was no reason that I couldn't pivot, and I got to spend extra quality time with my family. [04:35] The unexpected extra time that I got in St Augustine was really beautiful for me, my family, and my dogs. [05:45] I ended up stopping in Mobile, Alabama and staying at a very nice downtown hotel. I had some anxiety about the whole thing, but the dogs behaved perfectly. [07:39] I learned to embrace change when I'm in an environment that I didn't anticipate. The outcome was beautiful, and we were in a rhythm together. [08:36] This set us up with the idea of possibilities and being able to handle whatever was before us. [09:59] I also ended up connecting with a friend in Wichita Falls, Texas. It was an unexpected, awesome blessing to meet up with my friend on a road trip. [12:32] I had targeted destinations, but now I've learned it's better to go with the flow. [13:35] Embracing change and trying new things gets us out of our comfort zone. This expanded my understanding of myself and of my dogs and their capabilities. I have to give them more credit. [15:48] How often in our life can we embrace this mentality where we step out of our comfort zone and embrace change and then give gratitude for it? Memorable Quotes: “The best moments aren't the ones I planned. They're the ones that showed up when I finally stopped trying to control every detail.” - Mary Tess “I am gaining so much, and the dogs are gaining so much. We are gaining as a family unit by learning the rhythm of the road and learning what we're capable of while inviting transformation and going with the flow.” - Mary Tess “The rhythm of the road is a lot like the rhythm of life. It can be messy and unpredictable, but full of hidden gifts.” - Mary Tess Links and Resources: Mary Tess Rooney Email Heart Value Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | Instagram

This week, we're starting a new miniseries on the life of one of the most famous artists in Japanese history: Utagawa Hiroshige. We'll start off this week with a general discussion of the world of ukiyo-e during the late 1700s before moving into Hiroshige's early life and his entry into the world of woodblock printing.  Show notes here. 

Today's show features: Michael Morais, President of Open Road Auto Group Alan Brown, General Manager of Sam Pack's Five Star Chevrolet This episode is brought to you by: Prime Dealer Equity Fund - Prime Dealer Equity Fund is providing a limited number of accredited investors with $100,000 or more the rare opportunity to invest directly into franchised auto dealerships; the offering can only be made via the Private Placement Memorandum under Regulation 506(c). Led by seasoned operators with deep experience in both dealership operations and fund management, the fund is designed to deliver consistent cash flow and long-term capital appreciation. f you're looking to diversify into this asset class—this is your chance. Check out ⁠⁠https://primedealerfund.com/CDG/⁠⁠ to learn more. Disclaimer: This is not an offer to sell or a solicitation of an offer to buy securities. Any investment can only be made through the official Private Placement Memorandum and only by verified accredited investors. Nothing stated here should be considered investment advice. — Check out Car Dealership Guy's stuff: CDG News ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://news.dealershipguy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CDG Jobs ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://jobs.dealershipguy.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ CDG Recruiting ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.cdgrecruiting.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ My Socials: X ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.twitter.com/GuyDealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@guydealership⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ LinkedIn ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/company/cardealershipguy/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Threads ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.threads.net/@cardealershipguy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook ➤ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100077402857683⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Everything else ➤⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ dealershipguy.com

In this episode, we grab our binoculars and our field guides to go birdwatching in Wingspan. Wingspan is a 2019 game designed by Elizabeth Hargrave and published by Stonemaier Games. Most days, if you ask me what my favorite board game is, I'll tell you it's Wingspan. It's my most played game, and it's the one that Emily and I are most likely to pull out and enjoy after the kids go to bed.We first covered the game on the podcast back in 2020. That was five years ago! In this episode, Emily and I chat about what's changed in the world of Wingspan in the last five years (expansions! fan art! bird meeples!) and how our interest in birdwatching has grown in that time. Episode Links:Wingspan Fan Art Pack from Stonemaier GamesWingspan component upgrades from Meeple SourceMy photos from the High Island, TX, tripWingspan expansions from Stonemaier GamesMusic:"Open Road," "Sunbeam" by Purple Planet.Send us a textPodcast Links: Order a First Player Token coffee mug. Visit the First Player Token website. Join the FPT Facebook group. Follow @firstplayertoken on Bluesky. Join the Family Tabletop Community on Discord.

This episode deals with some mature topics. Listener discretion is advised.  This week, we're bringing you the second half of our discussion with author E.A. (Elizabeth) Hanks about her new book, The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. Elizabeth undertook her journey along the iconic Interstate 10 transect to better understand herself and the nation we inhabit—and her experience is a perfect subject for a Ten Across conversation.  In part two, Ten Across founder Duke Reiter and Elizabeth pick up where they left off at the end of the first installment, crossing from Texas into Louisiana on her way to her favorite stop of all—New Orleans. Tracing the length of the Gulf Coast to her destination in Florida, they explore what this diverse set of places revealed along the way about family, country, and culture.  Relevant Ten Across Conversations podcast episodes and other links:  A Road Trip Along Interstate 10 with Author E.A. Hanks - Part One  Governing Through Times of Crisis and Opportunity with Mayor Mitch Landrieu - Part One and Part Two  A Fight for Better Air Quality in CA's Inland Empire Reveals a Need for American Innovation  Catherine Coleman Flowers: A National Voice for Rural and Unincorporated America  Fewer Roads Could Mean More Freedom with Megan Kimble  Envisioning a Just Future for All with Dr. Robert Bullard   thewhoweareproject.org  “Trump Told Park Works to Report Displays That ‘Disparage' Americans. Here's What They Flagged” (The New York Times, July 2025)  “The Costs of the Confederacy” (Smithsonian Magazine, 2018)  Listen to The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road on Spotify or other audiobook servicesCredits: Host: Duke ReiterProducer and editor: Taylor GriffithMusic by: RaminResearch and support provided by: Kate Carefoot, Rae Ulrich, and Sabine Butler  About our guest:E.A. Hanks is the author of The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. She is a former editorial assistant for Vanity Fair and news editor for The Huffington Post. Her culture reporting has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Magazine, and The Awl, among others.

Welcome to Dev Game Club, where this week we revisit our series on Gone Home and walking simulators with an interview with Karla Zimonja. We talk about Karla's early career before transitioning to talking about Minerva's Den and get a lot of great gems from the development of Gone Home. Dev Game Club looks at classic video games and plays through them over several episodes, providing commentary. Podcast breakdown: 01:02 Interview 1:21:00 Break 1:21:30 Outro Issues covered: early life and education, stop motion animation and puppetry, Squigglevision, no usual paths into games, transitioning to 3D animation, getting on the content mill, getting in, repetition and burnout, doing tons of research and visual design, picking the soundtrack and working on voice, a small team covering a lot of stuff, putting together clipped out letters, covering all the bases for graphic design/props/and more, digital hoarding, moving to Portland, having a great production, making the bros cry, getting onto Steam, critical acclaim getting you to market, taking out the combat, removing rather than replacing, environmental storytelling, setting the game in the 90s, being aware of the world and having no cellphones, setting yourself up for rigor, pacing, tying together time and space, knowing where the player will go, going to the second floor vs the first floor, putting chunks together, a mind map, callbacks between props, forgetting you're in a video game, the story doesn't exist without the player putting things together, the IKEA effect, situating the journal in Sam's perspective, audio logs, Katie knowing what her sister's voice would be like, not being a little game designer, avoiding artifice, avoiding goofiness, three parter audio logs, cutting out logs you didn't need, not holding the player's hand, dumbing down too far vs letting people be uncomfortable, finding the voice via research, being able to generalize from the highly detailed specifics, getting handwriting, magic and Unicorn Cloud 7, being just as easy to put in the supernatural story but resisting that, wanting the fantasy, how to think about game structure, "the team makes the game," putting story in the ephemera, constraints and applying them to generate the tension, award-winning, the indie space and the blogs, indies banding together, thinking about a game when you're not playing it. Games, people, and influences mentioned or discussed: Asheron's Call 2, Zoo Tycoon 2, 2K Marin, Bioshock 2, Minerva's Den, Fullbright, Tacoma, Open Roads, Wanderstop, Sonderlust Studios, Generation Exile, EA, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, Olive Jar Animation, MTV, The Critic, Nightmare Before Christmas, Tom Snyder, Soup to Nuts, Dr. Katz, Home Movies, Mitch Hedberg, Trainspotting, Animator Pro, Turbine Games, Lightwave, The Last of Us, Something Awful, Fallout (series), Bob Hope, Maya, Johnnemann Nordhagen, Karina Veronica Riesgo, Inkscape, Steve Gaynor, Rachel Gaynor, Steam Greenlight, Independent Games Festival/IGF, Dear Esther, Call of Cthulhu, Street Fighter, NES/SNES, IKEA, William Goldman, Alien: Isolation, Kate Craig, Final Fantasy VII, Horse Master, Carl Lumbly, Alias, John Wick, Lance Reddick, Outer Wilds, Kirk Hamilton, Aaron Evers, Mark Garcia, Bratmobile. Next time: TBA! Twitch: timlongojr  Discord  DevGameClub@gmail.com 

Earlier this year, E.A. Hanks—also known as Elizabeth—made her literary debut The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. Considering its framing, it is no surprise that the book was recommended to Ten Across by many. The 10 documents Elizabeth's re-creation of a fraught childhood road trip taken with her mother in 1996, traveling Interstate 10 from end to end. In retracing her mother's path, she reflects on the diverse nature of the region itself and its influence on events both large and small.  What results is, in significant part, a series of provocative questions about identity—personal, political, and place-based. For example, what makes Texas and California so different, and at the same time so equally vivid in the American imagination? Why do people around the world recognize so much of this singular transect? Is New Orleans the American city? How long can Phoenix exist as it has? How do we define a border? Finally, and most importantly, how do such places inform our future—as individuals and as a nation?  In this special two-part interview, Elizabeth Hanks and Ten Across founder Duke Reiter attempt to answer all the above and find many new questions and revelations along the way. Keep an eye out for part two, which will be released wherever you get your podcasts on July 24.  Relevant Ten Across Conversations podcasts:  “Addressing Historical Inequities in Our National Infrastructure, Then and Now”  “Asking the Right Question: What Texas and Arizona Can Tell Us About the Country”  “Why Phoenix is the ‘Most American City' with George Packer”  Listen to “The 10” on Spotify, or other audiobook servicesCredits:Host: Duke ReiterProducer and editor: Taylor GriffithMusic by: American Legion  Research and support provided by: Kate Carefoot, Rae Ulrich and Sabine ButlerAbout our guest:E.A. Hanks is the author of The 10: A Memoir of Family and the Open Road. She is a former editorial assistant for Vanity Fair and news editor for The Huffington Post. Her culture reporting has been featured in The New York Times, The Guardian, Time Magazine, and The Awl, among others.

Today we discuss war, regime change, cyber-attacks, libertarianism, and driving. In what ways are Israel's attack on Iran reminiscent of events from the past? Are the neo-cons back, or did they never go away? It would seem that we are being frog-marched to war. Speaking of destabilization: North America's largest publicly traded wholesale distributor of natural foods (UNFI) was hacked, leaving market shelves empty at tens of thousands of stores. In better news: Bret returned from FreedomFest, and provides a report, and discusses his model for Libertarianism 2.0. And: Matthew Crawford on why we drive. Which is better: horses or cars? We circle back to a discussion of efficiencies, coercion, and freedom.*****Our sponsors:Timeline: Accelerate the clearing of damaged mitochondria to improve strength and endurance: Go to http://www.timeline.com/darkhorse and use code darkhorse for 20% off your first order.Caraway: Non-toxic, beautiful, light ceramic cookware. Save $150 on a cookware set over buying individual pieces, and get 10% off your order at http://carawayhome.com/darkhorse10.ARMRA Colostrum is an ancient bioactive whole food that can strengthen your immune system. Go to http://www.tryarmra.com/DARKHORSE to get 15% off your first order.*****Join us on Locals! Get access to our Discord server, exclusive live streams, live chats for all streams, and early access to many podcasts: https://darkhorse.locals.comHeather's newsletter, Natural Selections (subscribe to get free weekly essays in your inbox): https://naturalselections.substack.comOur book, A Hunter-Gatherer's Guide to the 21st Century, is available everywhere books are sold, including from Amazon: https://amzn.to/3AGANGg (commission earned)Check out our store! Epic tabby, digital book burning, saddle up the dire wolves, and more: https://darkhorsestore.org*****Mentioned in this episode:Newsweek on DNI Gabbard and Iran: https://www.newsweek.com/tulsi-gabbard-iran-nuclear-weapon-2051523Bret on Israel in 2023: https://x.com/BretWeinstein/status/1712588777737367564FreedomFest 2025: https://freedomfest.comCrawford 2020. Why We Drive: Toward a Philosophy of the Open Road https://amzn.to/4e4bVrc (commission earned)Support the show

In this episode, Shannon shares the true story of his solo cross-country trip during a time when he needed space, adventure, and a little bit of something new. From spontaneous stops to unexpected conversations, it's a ride full of insight and local food. Then, in the No Idea segment, Shannon offers a playful PSA: How to Be a Good Passenger—because being in the passenger seat is more than just picking the music.This is an episode for the restless, the curious, and anyone who's ever just needed to get away. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.