Podcasts about Pawnee

In this wide-ranging Q&A, Tim explores reinvention, enduring skills for the age of AI, friendship, mental health, fitness, language learning, privacy, cognitive longevity, and more.This episode is brought to you by:Gusto simple and easy payroll, HR, and benefits platform used by 400,000+ businesses: Gusto.com/TimMomentous high-quality creatine for cognitive and muscular support: LiveMomentous.com/TimHelix Sleep premium mattresses: HelixSleep.com/TimWealthfront high-yield cash account: Wealthfront.com/TimNew clients get 3.30% base APY from program banks + additional 0.75% boost for 3 months on your uninvested cash (max $150k balance). Terms and conditions apply. The Cash Account offered by Wealthfront Brokerage LLC (“WFB”) member FINRA/SIPC, not a bank. The base APY as of 1/30/26 is representative, can change, and requires no minimum. Tim Ferriss, a non-client, receives compensation from WFB for advertising and holds a non-controlling equity interest in the corporate parent of WFB, which creates a conflict of interest. Individual experiences and outcomes will differ. Instant withdrawals may be limited by your receiving firm and other factors. Investment advisory services provided by Wealthfront Advisers LLC, an SEC-registered investment adviser. Securities investments: not bank deposits, not bank-guaranteed or FDIC-insured, and may lose value.Timestamps:[00:00:00] Start.[00:00:24] How to go from hyper-optimized to grounded.[00:03:45] Reinvention in your late 40s: there are more than two options.[00:07:45] Five meta-skills for the age of AI.[00:16:06] Post-sabbatical rules that re-focused this podcast.[00:21:05] Why male friendship is built shoulder-to-shoulder, not face-to-face.[00:25:04] Love for women authors.[00:25:24] SAINT, TMS, and Ampa's one-day brain reset.[00:27:32] How to build a fanbase by being your authentically weird self.[00:28:50] My “something is better than nothing” workout routine.[00:30:33] Staying fit in mind and soul via the past-year review.[00:31:12] The 4-Hour Body workout routines I still follow.[00:35:46] Spotting the future titan hiding in an average teen.[00:37:01] Vacation, burnout, or an outgrown life? Take a mini-retirement.[00:41:18] Guiding kids through our digital dystopia.[00:43:45] Does AI kill language learning? What does a new language really give you?[00:53:36] Muted movies as late-night writing company.[00:54:13] Best sub-$100 buy: seven seasons of wholesome Pawnee.[00:55:34] Why two hours of walking fixes almost everything.[00:57:21] Sleep, unsexily solved: less water, more sun, more exhaustion.[00:59:16] Privacy as the new luxury in the age of shrinking fame.[01:02:35] Luxuries worth overspending on: massage, easy travel, and health.[01:07:24] The best defense against cognitive decline: exercise, exercise, exercise.[01:11:11] Parting thoughts.*For show notes and past guests on The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast.For deals from sponsors of The Tim Ferriss Show, please visit tim.blog/podcast-sponsorsSign up for Tim's email newsletter (5-Bullet Friday) at tim.blog/friday.For transcripts of episodes, go to tim.blog/transcripts.Discover Tim's books: tim.blog/books.Follow Tim:Twitter: twitter.com/tferriss Instagram: instagram.com/timferrissYouTube: youtube.com/timferrissFacebook: facebook.com/timferriss LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/timferrissSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

How can organic writing and leaning into the pivot help your stories stand out? And how can you pitch a story as a discovery writer if you genuinely don't know what's going to happen next. Steven James gives his writing tips after more than 20 years as an author. In the intro, Better Than Free in an Age of AI [Kevin Kelly on Tim Ferriss; Kevin Kelly on The Creative Penn]; Future Vision XPrize; A Different Kind of Bucket List. Today's show is sponsored by Draft2Digital, self-publishing with support, where you can get free formatting, free distribution to multiple stores, and a host of other benefits. Just go to www.draft2digital.com to get started. This show is also supported by my Patrons. Join my Community at Patreon.com/thecreativepenn Steven James is the multi-award-winning and international bestselling author of 21 novels across thrillers, YA, and science fiction, with more than a million copies sold, as well as the author of non-fiction craft books for writers, a writing teacher, and the host of The Story Blender podcast. You can listen above or on your favorite podcast app or read the notes and links below. Here are the highlights and the full transcript is below. Show Notes How to lean into organic writing, and what to focus on instead of plot How characters unfold on the page, and why an attitude beats a background Producing an outline for an agent or publisher when you genuinely don't know what happens next Don't pitch the plot, pitch the pivot The four choices you have in every scene, and why logic plus surprise is the engine of story Faith, moral clarity and big questions You can find Steven at StevenJames.net. Transcript of the interview with Steven James Jo: Steven James is the multi-award-winning and international bestselling author of 21 novels across thrillers, YA, and science fiction, with more than a million copies sold, as well as the author of non-fiction craft books for writers, a writing teacher, and the host of The Story Blender Podcast. So welcome to the show, Steven. Steven: Thanks for having me, Jo. Good to be here. Jo: Great to have you on the show. First up— Tell us a bit more about you and how you got into writing and publishing. Steven: Oh, gosh. Well, the thing is, when I was a kid, I fell in love with stories. My uncle would always, whenever we got together for the holidays—Christmas, New Year's and so on—he would take my sister, my brother and myself into a corner of the room while the other adults had coffee, and we would just sit there, and he would get this look in his eye and he'd say, “I'm going to tell you a story.” We were transported to another world. We were swashbuckling with pirates, or facing down a grizzly bear in Alaska, or flying over the desert on a flying carpet, or whatever. I fell in love with imagination and stories and everything. So I started reading as much as I could, mostly short stories. They had a programme at our library called the paperback book exchange, where you bring a paperback book and you leave it, and you can take any one of the paperback books that they had. You could keep it as long as you wanted. If you wanted it for your life, that's fine, or you could just bring it back as soon as you finished reading it. Anyway, I went crazy over the summers reading short stories, mainly. As I got older, I was like, “I think I want to be a storyteller.” So I actually got my master's degree in storytelling. Then I started to travel and tell stories, but I had three little daughters at home, and I was like, “I don't want to be gone 300 days a year when they are growing up.” So I ended up starting to write stories instead of travel, and then it just kind of shifted in that direction. That was in '97. Oh my goodness, that's long. '97, '98. So then I started to write books, and then eventually in 2007, I think, my first novel came out. Now, mainly, I've been writing novels ever since. Jo: It's so interesting. Was it a job, storytelling? Is that what you did before you became a book writer? Or did you have a different job? Steven: I mostly would go to events, conferences, schools and so on, and do a family-friendly storytelling show. So I would tell personal stories, some folktales reimagined. I would go to different events around the country. Mostly it was that. Then I started to shift. I wrote for magazines for a while—80 different magazines I wrote for over those years, a couple of hundred different articles, stories. I was like, “I'm just going to try to make a living telling stories.” So the shift has gone back and forth between actually telling stories and writing stories, but these days, I don't know. I'm still speaking. I'm still out there teaching. Jo: That's so interesting, because it's obviously a completely different thing to tell a story in person than it is to write a story. So when you decided to shift that way, what did you have to learn and unlearn? Because your thoughts on the page are so different to when you can make eye contact with an audience. Steven: That's a good point. I kind of started by telling stories back when I was in college, so I sort of moved from telling to writing. And you're right, there's so much that's lost, whether it's eye contact or pauses. On a printed page, there's always the same amount of space between every word—a space. But when you tell stories, obviously you pause for effect in different places, different areas, and so it's quite different. So if I have an idea for a story, I usually have to decide, is this going to be written or told? And then I do it in that medium. Then if I want to, let's say, tell a written story, I almost have to relearn it, or retell it very differently. You have gestures, body language. All of those things are obviously lost in text, so they are very different. I think for me it's been good, because when I tell stories, I hear different characters speaking, so that when I write, usually dialogue comes fast to me. I can hear what people are saying. I don't always know where they are. I don't always know the setting. I don't even know the scene necessarily, but I can hear the dialogue. Then it also helps me to step into the characters, like when I'm writing different points of view, so that I think I can do a good job of getting into that character's mind, as if I were that person. I think some of that comes from just telling stories. Jo: You've taught so many writers over the years, and it's interesting you said that you hear characters' dialogue. I see visual film in my mind. I don't hear any voice at all. It's all silent. I struggle with dialogue, but I do great world building. Do you find that this really is different by the author? I feel like we fall into these different groups. Steven: Yes, I do. I kind of feel like that's very true as far as what comes first, whether it's a description of a place, whether it's the action. I mean, basically a story has dialogue, narration—or we call it sometimes exposition—and description. Those three things. Every story has those three things, and those are the three that we use to tell a story, a novel. So some people tend to drift into one or the other as sort of their default setting: dialogue, description, or action. That's true. I think also something else that's interesting about writers is they tend to fall into either the camp of being a wordsmith or a storyteller. Not everyone, but I feel like some people are wordsmiths, where I read what they're writing, and I'm like, “Man, this is so powerful, evocative,” whatever. Maybe there's no story there. It's just really interesting writing. Other people just are natural storytellers, and they have to really work on the wordsmithing. I think that's me. I'm more naturally just a storyteller, but it takes me a long time to get the descriptions to where I want them, to choose exactly the right word. That takes me more effort. Some people have to build up the storytelling muscles. I have to build up the wordsmithing muscles. Jo: Well, part of the reason I wanted to talk to you is because you talk about this thing called organic writing in your book Story Trumps Structure, which is out now in a second edition. I call it discovery writing, so similar to you. But most people in the writing community seem to obsess about plotting and planning. So talk about your process of organic writing. You say in the book, “Trust the fluidity of the process.” Tell us more about that. Steven: Well, I remember in high school even, when my teacher got up front and he kind of got this very almost wise look on his face, and he goes, “A story is something with a beginning, a middle, and an end.” I'm sitting there in high school like, “Well, so does a bratwurst. What are you talking about here?” A description of a chair has a beginning, a middle, and an end. The sentence, “Preheat the oven to 450 degrees,” has a beginning, a middle, and an end. My view is that saying a story is something that has three acts is like saying that a pizza is something with three toppings. It might have three. It might have one. It might have five. So the idea for me is not to worry about structure, trying to tick off the boxes of a template, a formula you find online, a fill-in-the-blanks kind of a thing. But instead, to actually look at what lies at the heart of the story—the character, the tension, the struggle, the pursuit, the pivots and plot twists, and the payoff at the end. As you develop those aspects of the story, I feel like you need to worry less and less about following a formula. The more you understand what lies at the heart of a story, I feel like the less you need to plot and the less you need to write by the seat of your pants. A lot of people say, “Oh, you write by the seat of…” No, I don't write by the seat of my pants, because I know what a story contains, so I know that in a certain scene a character will make certain choices that are unpredictable but that escalate the tension, and different things like that. I'm a huge proponent of discovery, as you say, or organic writing. I won't get the quote exactly right, but Ray Bradbury said something along the lines of, “Plot is the tracks left in the snow after your characters have run by on their incredible destinations. It cannot precede action. It is the chart that remains when an action is through.” So he's saying plot is not what precedes action. After the action, you have plot. So the whole idea of trying to plot out a story before you write it is going about writing exactly backwards. Plot doesn't precede action. It's the result. So I always tell people, “Don't worry so much about the plot. I want you to look at the pursuit.” A plotter might say, “Well, what should happen?” And they'll just come up with something. But an organic writer—a pursuit-based question would be, what does the character want? Now, when I know what the character wants, I will know what should happen. So literally, it will lead me to the story. Focusing on plot will not necessarily lead you to the story. It might lead you down the wrong track. Jo: Then in terms of your actual writing process— Do you start writing without knowing the ending? Do you write in order? Is the organic side also in the process? Steven: I've never started a book where I know how it will end. So I usually start with either a character that's fascinating or, in some cases, a premise, a question. Then as I write, I explore the possibilities of where it might go. I've tried to outline a scene—like one scene, not a whole book—and it never works. I can't even outline one scene. I've tried, and I'm like, okay, that's… What I end up with is completely different from it, so it's just a waste of time and effort for me to try to outline or plot out a story. I'm much more interested in the pathway the characters will take as they face obstacles and setbacks in their pursuit. As the struggles and the tension develop, what choices will they make? That's how the story will unfold for me. Jo: I'm similar. Then I also wonder— Do you do character sheets and character bios, or do the characters also unfold organically? Steven: Absolutely, I don't do any of the sheets and bios and stuff. The characters really come to me as I write. I begin to get to know them. I always tell people, a character with an attitude is more interesting than a character with a background. So a lot of people will spend a lot of time on, like, where's this character gone to college, and what's their first pet's name, all that stuff. I'm not trying to dump on that idea. I get that that can be helpful. But I'm like, how would I know that until I've spent time with them? Then once I begin to spend time with them, I'm writing and I'm like, “Nah, this doesn't seem like what that character would really say or do,” so I have to go back and rejigger the story to hopefully make it fit with that character. Then I like to give the characters some sort of attitude. I'm not talking about a negative or judgy attitude, but an attitude about something that is unique or different, and that makes them not a template character, not an archetype or whatever, but unique. Sort of this constellation of unique traits, characteristics, maybe wounds, flaws and so on, that create a character where you're like, “This is a character like none I've ever seen before. I want to spend time with this character.” Jo: Then you're spending time with the character by writing what's happening, as opposed to writing loads of stuff beforehand and then starting to write. You're actually finding all of this out during the process of writing. Steven: Yes, and I think it's kind of like getting to know someone. If I were to say, “Okay, I'm going to write down Jo's bio,” or whatever—okay, I'm making stuff up, because I don't know you super well. If we were to spend time together, hang out, whatever, talk, over the course of time I would start to know, oh, she likes this, she doesn't like that. This is important to her. This is what she would weep or pound the table over—whatever, all of the things that come with time. It's like a friendship in real life to me. So I can't sit down and tell you what a character in real life would think and say and do if I don't know them, but the more time I spend with them, then the more I'm able to predict that accurately. I think the mistake a lot of people make is they think, “I'm going to get to know this character with a background,” and then they start writing it, and instead of looking at the context, they look back at the—I don't know what you call it—the background or something like that. I always feel like what you mentioned earlier is, like, hold it loosely in your hand. Trust the fluidity of the process. As you're writing, you have an instinct. “Ah, I think this character would say this or do this.” So trust that. Trust that instinct. Trust that moment in the story, instead of trying to go back to an outline, back to a character description, or whatever it might be. So I'm a big proponent of looking at the context—not just what happened, but what is the result? So looking at the impetus and the implication of the choices and the activities. When something occurs, what would the character naturally say or do or think or respond? Then what would that cause? What's the implication that that would have on the rest of the story, on the rest of the characters? So, really trying to keep your finger on the pulse of the story, and adapt as you move forward through it. Jo: I love all of that, but I also am very aware that you've been in traditional publishing for over 20 years, and one of the things with agents and publishers is that they often ask for an outline. So how do you manage that? Or how did you more earlier in your career, because I imagine they just trust you now. Earlier in your career, or people listening who want to pitch but they write in this organic way, how do we deal with that kind of thing? Steven: Well, okay, so there's two good questions. One is about producing an outline for an agent or editor or publisher and so on. The other is how to pitch a story. So the first: I would write the premise down, and maybe a paragraph or two, and then where I think it might go. Basically, I would focus on the questions that the characters will face, maybe the moral dilemmas, the sacrifices they have to make, the world they live in. I kind of know that stuff, and I can write a couple of paragraphs about that. But beyond that, I just don't know what's going to happen, so I can't really provide more. I'm looking at my shelf at the books that I've done, and mostly that's what I've done is kind of a couple of paragraphs focusing on the premise and the problem, the struggle, and so on like that. As far as pitching a story, I always tell people, “Don't pitch the plot, pitch the pivot.” I think that there's a screenwriter—I think that he talks about this a little bit. I've not read the book Save the Cat, but people have told me, “Oh, he kind of brings this up in that book.” The idea is to pitch the irony instead of what occurs. So sometimes when I tell people to pitch, or I give them ideas, one process that you can use is: when, must, before, or else. So, when this occurs, this character must do something before this, or else. So you have the character, you have the struggle, you have the inciting incident, you have the stakes, and you have the countdown. It works well for thrillers. So for instance, like Jaws. When a man-eating shark starts eating people in a small seaside village, the sheriff must stop him before more people die and the town loses its economy. So there you have when, must, before, or else. Now, no one's going to buy the story based on that, because there's no irony, there's no pivot. It's just a description of the plot, and that's what most people pitch. So I always tell people, pitch the part of the story that you wouldn't expect. So for instance, in there you might pitch: when a shark starts eating people in a small seaside village, the only one who can stop him is afraid of the water. Now you're like, “Oh, well, that's interesting. How does that happen? What happens there?” With my book Broker of Lies, the pitch was something like, when a high-level Pentagon redactor ends up on the run, he must stop a terrorist attack before he's neutralised by the people he trusts the most. So the pivot is that the people he trusts at the Pentagon the most are actually trying to neutralise him because he's on the run, and all that kind of stuff. So why would they be trying to do that? Well, that's interesting. So it's always looking for the irony, the pivot. Why is this character the last one in the world who would ever be equipped to tackle this problem or face this issue? So that's one way to do a pitch. Obviously there's lots of them, but I think your goal with a pitch is to get them to say, “Tell me more.” It's not necessarily to summarise the whole story. Jo: That's great advice. So you teach writers—I first saw you at ThrillerFest, I think it was 2012—and you do events, you run writing retreats. So you work with a lot of authors, and I wondered, what are the challenges that you see from authors with, say, five books? So not the beginner authors, because obviously there's a lot of challenges. But those who, let's say they've got the three to five books, things are going all right, but they're like, “How do I get to the next level?” What are the craft issues, or the business issues as well, that mid-list authors face? Steven: Well, business, I'm not the guy to ask. I could try to answer that, but I mean, basically: meet your deadlines and write something amazing. Try to be easy to work with, but also stand up for what you wrote as far as working with editors. It's sort of a fine line you have to walk. The one thing that over the last few years I've really noticed in a lot of writers who are in that space is that they don't have many pivots. They tend to write predictable stories, and that's why they tend to stay where they're at—whether it's because they're following an outline or a plot formula or whatever it is. So when I talk about a pivot, I mean a moment in the story where something happens that's both unexpected and inevitable. For instance, if you're reading a story, you want things to make sense. You want them to be logical. That's one thing. But you don't want them to be too predictable. If it's too predictable, it's boring. It's like, I'm not interested. So we also want surprises. We want these two things. We want logic, and we want surprise. When those two things meet and you have a moment in the story where it's like, “I didn't see that coming, but that totally makes sense,” that's what we want, and we want that in every scene. I feel like a lot of authors don't have that in every scene. Now, you might say, “Well, every scene?” Well, yes, because basically those two factors, logic and surprise, can only meet in four different ways. You could have something that's very logical but has no surprises. That's going to be boring. It's going to be too predictable. We don't want that. You could have something that is very surprising but not logical. It makes no sense. A lot of stuff is surprising, but that's not what we want, because it's unbelievable, and it's like, what is going on here? You could have something that has neither logic nor surprise, which obviously we don't want that. The only other option is to have a moment that is both logical and surprising. So you have a choice in every scene. You have four choices, actually. You can have it be predictable and boring. You can have it be nonsensical. You can have it be unbelievable. Or you can have a pivot. So I find myself trying to really coach people on pivots. They'll say, “Oh, well, do I need it in every scene?” I'm like, “You can choose, but do you want it to be predictable or boring or nonsensical, or do you want it to really drive the story forward?” I think it's because people have been taught structure and plot and three acts and all this kind of stuff, but they haven't been taught this idea—even though it's not something I made up. Aristotle, in Poetics, thousands of years ago, put it a little bit differently, but he said, “The reversal of the situation”—what I call the pivot—”is the moment at which the action veers around to its opposite”—that would be what I call surprise—”subject always to a rule of probability or necessity”—which is the logic. So he's basically saying the same thing in just a little bit different language, but you have these three factors. You have logic, you have surprise, and you have them come together in a specific moment. I don't know why it's not taught more. I have never found anyone who teaches pivots. I have not found any books, so I wrote a book recently about how to use pivots. It's so central, and I think great storytellers naturally do it. You'll read a book, or you'll maybe watch a show, and you're like, “Oh, I didn't see that coming. That totally makes sense.” I don't see anyone else out there really focusing on teaching that. So that's a huge thing for me, really, to help people move up in their writing, elevate it to a different level. Jo: Is that Delve, Pivot, Propel? Steven: Yes. That book came out a couple years ago. We just re-released it. I updated it some, but it talks pretty much in depth about pivots and how to actually use those to propel the stories forward. Jo: Maybe you could just give us one tip on how to do that, because going back to the organic writing—let's say I've been organically writing, and every time a character has a decision to make, I think at that point about what I want to write and I write it. Are you suggesting that we go back in the edit and look at the end of every scene and redo it? Because I can't imagine that I would get this right every time. I would need to do that in an edit, I think. Steven: I think for me, when I'm writing, I'm always asking myself a series of questions. One is, what would the character naturally do? I want to make it believable and natural. Let them do it. I want to escalate the tension, so I'll ask myself, “How can I make things worse?” Then I'll always ask myself, how can I add a pivot to this scene? So as I'm writing a scene—again, I don't know how it will end when I start it—but if I use the first idea that comes to mind, probably a lot of readers would guess that as well, because it's the first idea that comes to mind. It's probably logical and probably predictable. That's why most stories end up being too predictable. It's because we go with the first idea that maybe we had. So I try to discard that. Maybe the second idea, just discard it. Then I start thinking, okay, now if I've discarded the obvious, what is going on? What's below the surface? So to answer your question, I'm looking for what isn't what it appears to be, or who isn't who they appear to be, or a surprising way to bring together plot threads that I didn't see related before. So it's always looking for the unexpected, the surprise, because most of the time that is what we're missing. Now, if you have a great surprise, then you have to lean into making it believable. So you've got to move into that idea of, well, what would the character naturally do? You can't just have him do something ridiculous and then say, “Oh, it's for my twist.” No, you can't do that. You've got to play fair. So it has to be believable, causally related, logical, and surprising. That's what you're shooting for. Those are the questions going through my mind. So as I'm working on a scene, I'm like, “How could I end this?” Or include something that people won't see coming right away. The best ideas always come to me then. It's so interesting. A lot of people will say, “Oh, don't write organically,” or, quote, “by the seat of your pants,” whatever they'll say, “because then you might write yourself into a corner.” I'm like, “Yes, absolutely write yourself into a corner. That's what I'm trying to do in every scene.” And then you write yourself out of a corner in a way that's logical and surprising. The best twists I've ever come up with have been when I'm in a corner. So why would I warn people against going to the place where the best ideas await them? That just seems mean. Why would I do that? No, I want you to have the best possible ideas. So yes, look for corners, write yourself into them, and then write yourself out of them in a way that's both logical and surprising. Jo: I guess also it needs to be genre specific. We write mainly thrillers, and there is this fine line, isn't there? I love Stephen King, but one of the most unbelievable endings is Under the Dome. I still remember feeling betrayed. I don't know if you've read that one, but— Steven: Oh, no. Jo: I was like, “I'm sorry, you've just changed genre in the last chapter of the book. What is going on here?” Steven: That's actually interesting. The fourth question I ask… So I ask, what would the character naturally do? How can I make things worse? How can I add a pivot? But the fourth question is, what promises have I made that I have not yet kept? So genre, to me, is a promise. You build up a promise in your writing at the beginning of the book, and then I feel like as we write, we have to honour that. So if we bring something up that's super interesting, bring it back or whatever. Keep your promises. Keep your narrative promises. It's true of really any genre. Let's say you're writing a romance. You want to respect the conventions, but not fall into the clichés. So there's going to be a moment where the lovers meet, right? They haven't met before. I don't know what they call it, a meet cute or a cute meet. I think they call it a meet cute, I guess. Jo: Yes. They do. Steven: Anyway. So they're going to meet, right? And you're like, “Oh, I'll just have them meet.” Well, try to do it in a way we haven't seen before. Add something else to the scene. Add a third element, as my friend Bob Dugoni likes to say. Add something a little bit that we're like, “Huh, I've never seen that before.” We know they're going to meet, but let them meet in a way that we don't anticipate, that we can't predict right away, that isn't exactly by the numbers, and then you're going to be on the right track. Jo: So then, talking about reader expectations and genre, I wondered if I could also ask you about your Christian faith, because many people listening are people of faith, and some people want to write a Christian book. Other people want to bring their faith into, say, a mainstream type thriller in an authentic way. So how do you balance your faith and your writing? Because I think you have some series that are more sort of Christian than others. Steven: It's interesting. When my first novel came out—The Pawn, like a chess piece, The Pawn—back almost 20 years ago. Gosh, 20 years ago. Nineteen. But anyway, when it came out, someone wrote to me and said, “Is this a Christian book?” I'm like, “What would make a book not Christian?” I'm like, maybe if it has a lot of idolatry, or witchcraft, or maybe sexuality or graphic violence. Then I'm like, oh, wait, that's… No, that's the Old Testament. So it's interesting, because people have asked me similar questions over the years. My books are not sermons in disguise. I'm trying to write great stories that anyone of any background or faith will enjoy. I always ask big questions. I let my characters wrestle with questions that matter, I think. Do my choices matter? Is there hope? Is there a God? Is there no God? Do I have free will? Can I find forgiveness? Can I offer forgiveness? Can I extend it, or whatever? So I always try to base the stories on something deeper. I do believe that there is good and there's evil in the world. That's part of my worldview. So when people talk about moral ambiguity, I don't want to write or read something that's morally ambiguous. I want moral complexity, but I also want moral clarity. So whenever you write, the question is, what are you justifying and what are you condemning? And if you're justifying something that's morally—I would say wrong, actually—then I don't feel like that's the kind of book I would want to write. So I want to write stories that explore good and evil, that explore our world, human nature, in an honest way. I feel like when you write honest stories, people, no matter what their background or whatever faith, then they will connect with it. I think a lot of people, if they start off with an agenda—whatever that agenda might be, let's say it is a Christian agenda, like I want people to trust in Jesus, let's say—so they write a story. Well, what you're doing, you're actually starting your story with an answer, and drama is not built on answers, it's built on questions. So you're actually diminishing the amount of tension. You're also diminishing the possibility of a pivot, because we all get where you're going. It's predictable, but there's probably no surprise. You're diminishing the payoff at the end, because we're like, “I saw that coming. I exactly knew where you were going with this.” So instead, I don't start with an answer. I always start with a question, or in some cases a moral dilemma, like, what's more important, protecting the innocent or telling the truth? That's interesting to me. If I had to choose between the two, would I tell the truth or would I protect the innocent? It's interesting, because people might come down on different sides of it. They might say, “Oh, you should always tell the truth,” or they say, “You always should protect the innocent.” I'm like, okay, well, let's explore it. Let's literally ask the question. So I come from a certain worldview, but I've written characters who have very different worldviews from me. I'm always just trying to be honest with the character, ask big questions, tell a story that examines human nature and sort of the paradoxes of the human condition in a way that will resonate with really whoever the readers might be. Jo: And of course that worldview is part of your author voice and part of what readers come to you for. I also notice that you have some pretty diverse different series. How do you manage that diversity of series under your one brand? Do you find your readers move from one to the other, or do you have different readerships? Steven: You mentioned the B word—brand. That's what publishers are always telling me: “What's your brand?” I'm like, “I don't know. You tell me what my brand is.” I've done fantasy, science fiction, conspiracy. I've done spies and police procedurals and crime and suspense, thrills, whatever. So I would say the one thing that really ties all my stories together is probably just suspense. They are stories with suspense. Some are more high concept thrillers, some are more dark fantasy, but they're built around suspense. So I guess that would be intelligent suspense, maybe, if I was trying to come up with a brand. Something like that. Because I don't want them to be dumbed down. They're not dumbed down stories, so they're a little bit more complex than you might find in other places, but always built around the idea of suspense. Suspense to me is basically—my definition is apprehension born of concern. So we're concerned about a character, and we're apprehensive because there's peril around the bend, or right in front of them. So I want the readers to really care about a character, and then try to build the story and the suspense around that empathy or sympathy that we have for the character. Jo: I think it's really interesting, because again, you mentioned 2007—we're coming up on 20 years since first published. The publishing industry has changed a lot. So what do you think has changed most in publishing for you, and what are your thoughts on routes to market for new authors these days? Or even established authors who are finding that things have changed, which they obviously have. Steven: Well, I'm not a marketer, I'm not a businessman. I'm just a storyteller at heart. So I just keep writing stories that I would be intrigued with reading, stories that I feel like are resonant. Then I look for publishers for those. I've been to a variety of different publishers over the last decade. I've done some different types of stories. I feel like you have to just write the story instead of trying to write for a specific market trend or something like that. So I might not make as much as some of my friends, I might not sell as many books, but I feel like I have to write certain stories if they grab ahold of me. There's a Native American—I think the Pawnee tribe, anyway, in the United States—but they were saying that all the stories that exist are out there already, and when one finds you, it's your job to share it with the world. I think that's kind of interesting. Sometimes—maybe it's just true for you, I don't know, Jo—but it's like a story will grab hold of me, or an idea, and I'm like, “I can't shake it.” That's a story that I want to tell the world. I would say that stories are becoming shorter, dumber. People are trying to write faster. They're trying to write several books a year, and as a result of that, some of the quality has gone down. This is all unfortunate. I'm still sort of a dinosaur. I still tend to write longer, complex stories. But people have shorter attention spans and whatever, and they're not reading as much. The structure of stories, I think, is changing slightly, where people will have to spend more time on a hook to really grab the attention of the readers. Then there might be a longer slow period, or more info dumping, which I'm not a fan of. So they kind of look like, “I want to get readers hooked at the beginning, and then get them to flip pages.” So I tend to set up my stories a little bit differently than that. So I'm not the best guy to ask about marketing and sales and stuff like that. I feel like, write a story that will not let you go. And if you do that, I feel like that's the kind of story that will resonate with readers, because there's a deep honesty to it. You care, you're passionate about it. It's not just something you're trying to spin out just to sell books. That's my view. Jo: I guess I also feel that writers are doing other things. So you have non-fiction, you have your podcast, you do events. I see you sell books direct from your website. It's like the business expands into multiple streams of income, so that the art doesn't have to pay all the bills. Steven: That's interesting. I do love to teach writing at conferences, events, and speak at different things. So I guess if you think about it that way, my brand might be just story, or storytelling, or something like that. Really trying to get out there, and whether it's speaking or writing, just tell a great story. So it's so interesting when I work with publishers and they'll ask, “What's your brand?” Basically it's like, “What's your box?” is really what they're asking. What box can we stick you in that will make it easy for us to package you and sell you? I know myself, and just a lot of authors that I know, we don't think in a box. Every one of my stories is not boxy. It's not the same. They're different. I know a lot of authors like that too. So it's unfortunate. I get it, that it's part of them trying to market and sell the books. I understand that, but I think being honest, genuine with the story, doing the very best you can, writing a worthy book, and then letting them come up with a way to categorise it, is probably the best bet. I don't know. Jo: We're almost out of time, but this is obviously a podcast, and you have a podcast. So tell us about The Story Blender Podcast and what people might find over there. Steven: Yes, I appreciate it. Basically, I interview some of the leading writers and storytellers in the world every week, and the goal is for great storytellers to share the secrets of great storytelling. So I basically pick their brains, kind of like what you were doing with me today, and find out what projects they're working on, and really just try to get insights into storytelling. So it's tons of fun. I've been doing it now for a number of years, and I guess I've interviewed over 250 different authors and writers from around the world, and so I always enjoy it. It's a ton of fun. It's The Story Blender, and people can find it anywhere. Jo: So where can people find you and your books and everything you do online? Steven: Probably the best place is StevenJames.net. I think I'm on different socials @readstevenjames, so you can look me up there—Facebook, Instagram, X, and so on. I think they're all under readstevenjames. Check out the website, drop me a note. I always enjoy hearing from readers. Jo: Well, thanks so much for your time, Steven. That was great. Steven: Thanks, Jo. I appreciate it. Good luck. The post Organic Writing And The Power Of The Pivot In Fiction With Steven James first appeared on The Creative Penn.

A building inspector. A towering hairless figure at Silverwood Lake. Massive footprints on remote construction sites. Strange vocalizations, mysterious gifts, and repeated encounters deep inside a little-known Southern California canyon.Jerry Brandenburg shares decades of firsthand experiences spanning Carlsbad, Agoura Hills, Canyon Lake, the Pawnee Reservation in Oklahoma, and one location he believes has remained active for years. His story follows an extraordinary path through visual sightings, unexplained footprints, possible juvenile Sasquatch encounters, and moments that continue to shape the way he understands these elusive beings.Throughout the conversation, Jerry discusses why certain undeveloped areas seem to attract repeated activity, the unusual evidence he has documented, and the discoveries that keep drawing him back into the field.If you've ever wondered what might be hiding in the mountains and canyons of Southern California, this is an episode you won't want to miss.Follow Jerry here for more evidence: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61557429510251

We're talking Parks & Rec! Rob has curated some of his favorite conversations from the seven years of Literally! for this special episode focused on the beloved sitcom, including moments with Chris Pratt, Adam Scott, Parks & Rec creator Mike Schur, Ron Swanson himself Nick Offerman, superfan Kevin Jonas, and Parks writer Alan Yang. Make sure to subscribe to the show on YouTube at YouTube.com/@LiterallyWithRobLowe! Got a question for Rob? Call our voicemail at 323-570-4551. Your question could get featured on the show! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

The robots are here! Leslie laughed at Ben's novel when he said it was coming, but it's true! Today, we talk about the dangers of social media, AI, how data mining isn't always illegal, but how it's definitely NOT CHILL. We also get a fantastic Ben moment with standing up for Pawnee and owning up to his actions, we love you Ben! Plus fantastic deleted scens of scared-Ben-on-TV, Andy and Morris, you weirdo.

Oklahomans are casting their ballots in local and state elections today.A new fireworks law might not include the place where you live.We take you to the celebration of Pawnee Bill's Wild West Show.You can find the KOSU Daily wherever you get your podcasts, you can also subscribe, rate us and leave a comment.You can keep up to date on all the latest news throughout the day at KOSU.org and make sure to follow us on Facebook, TikTok and Instagram at KOSU Radio.This is The KOSU Daily, Oklahoma news, every weekday.

In 1868 the office of the Surgeon General put out an order asking Army doctors to gather Native skulls so the size of them could be studied. A grief that any family on earth would know on sight was treated, on the other side of the counter, as a research opportunity. The dead became holdings. An ancestor became an object that a stranger could keep, study, and decline to return. I anchor the book in the Pawnee because their story shows you the whole machine in one place. These were a people who read their own lives in the stars. The Skidi band, the Wolf people, built their earth lodges as small models of the heavens, with four posts for the four stars that hold up the corners of the sky, and they watched the Pleiades come through the smoke hole to know when to plant.

The Lone Indian - Pawnee-Ute Fight - Aired 1937Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/harold-s-old-time-radio--4206392/support.

In most mythologies, people come from the earth; the Pawnee come from the stars. Join in conversation with Matt Kuruks'irari Jim as we explore Pawnee mythology, cosmology, culture, and spiritual medicine. Together, we uncover a picture of a unique Indigenous American culture at the intersection of tradition and modernity.Mythos & Logos are two ancient words that can be roughly translated as “Story & Meaning.”Support the channel by subscribing, liking, and commenting to join the conversation!Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/c/mythosandlogosTimestamps:00:00 Introduction01:49 Owl Medicine04:07 Medicine and Spirituality10:18 The Morning Star Ritual16:24 Learning Traditional Cosmology in the Modern Age24:12 Community and Anthropology30:40 Archaeological Horror Story34:05 Advice for Respectful Learning38:30 Tradition and Modernity47:55 Comparing Understandings of Time and Language54:11 Cultural Fascinations59:53 Animal Spirit Story1:05:19 Matriarchy and the Pumpkin Vine Society1:08:13 Closing Remarks and Resources

USFS LEO (and former NPS ranger) Brian Fields shares some wild tales from his time in the US Forest Service - we're not kidding - you can't make this stuff up.  But still... just a day in the life of a law enforcement officer sworn to protect a few million acres of our public lands.Support the show!For bonus content join our Patreon!patreon.com/CrimeOfftheGridFor a one time donation:https://www.buymeacoffee.com/cotgFor more information about the podcast, check outhttps://crimeoffthegrid.com/Check out our Merch!!  https://in-wild-places.square.site/s/shopFollow us on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/crimeoffthegridpodcast/ and  (1) Facebook

Don't Whistle At Night welcomes A. D,Pratt . May 16th, 2026 EP: 057 Topic: - A. D. Is Pawnee Storyteller. Tonight he was talk about his highly strange, and in some cases, Dark Encounters which include Bigfoot, little people, vampires, and witchcraft from various tribes

In this episode, co-hosts Dr. Davina Two Bears and Dr. Farina King speak with Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover about how Indigenous scholars are reshaping archaeology from within. Carlton reflects on his journey into a field long seen in Native communities as a “colonial science,” and how he now practices what he calls American Indian archaeology, which is centered on tribal sovereignty, government-to-government relationships, and the specific histories and priorities of Native Nations such as the Pawnee Nation.A citizen of the Pawnee Nation, Carlton is an Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Curator of Archaeology at the University of Kansas, with affiliate appointments in Museum Studies and Indigenous Studies. He earned his Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Colorado-Boulder, where his dissertation, "The Seeds of Ethnogenesis," examined the formation of Central Great Plains Villages through Indigenous perspectives and advanced chronological modeling. His research focuses on Great Plains archaeology, Indigenous/American Indian archaeology, and the integration of oral traditions with archaeological science.The conversation highlights how treating oral traditions as rigorous historical records, combined with tools like radiocarbon dating, can overturn long-standing academic narratives about migration, corn agriculture, and the deep homelands of Native Nations. Carlton, Davina, and Farina also discuss the emotional and spiritual realities of working in museum collections, the importance of NAGPRA and tribal cultural centers, and why public-facing work like the Great Plains Archaeology Podcast is vital for sharing knowledge with Native communities and inspiring the next generation of Indigenous archaeologists.Resources:Carlton Shield Chief Gover official University of Kansas Department of Anthropology faculty webpageGreat Plains Archaeology PodcastA podcast hosted by Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover on the Archaeology Podcast Network, focusing on the archaeology, histories, and communities of the Great Plains region.NAGPRA and Tribal Sovereignty in PracticeFor listeners interested in the legal and ethical context Carlton discusses (sovereignty, compliance, and NAGPRA), see the U.S. National Park Service's official NAGPRA page.Indigenizing Archaeology: Putting Theory into Practice (University Press of Florida)

Hey hey, it's DtW on the way, and we're setting up shop in Widow's Bay! Dan and Raul are checking out the homey storefronts, the peaceful coast and the one nice diner in a spooky island town on AppleTV. This is a town that has been compared to Pawnee from Parks & Rec by way of Stephen King, and the description is as apt as the town is very cursed but the people are quite kooky. Mayor Loftis, played by Matthew Rhys, is trying to wrangle the odder elements of the isolated community enough to turn it into a tourist destination in an effort to save the floundering town. However, despite his shaky skepticism, the forces of strange and scary are descending on the town like a fog, sometimes literally, and only the quirky loons like Stephen Root's Wyck know how to deal with it. The show is both funnier and scarier than the trailers hinted at, but do these qualities mesh into a solid watch? Listen to this pod and be forewarned!

A former DJ who once struggled as a student, Cailean Dakota MacColl built her way to medical school from the ground up. She's now graduating from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Jerrick Hope-Lang took on preserving a Tlingit clan house in Sitka, Alaska that was named on the America's most endangered historic places. Now he's a Henry Luce Foundation Indigenous knowledge fellow and a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts. Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox is a budding actor balancing film and stage roles with especially busy extra-curricular activities like tennis, student council, honors society, and preparation for traditional dances. She is now graduating from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma and setting off to study drama at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. We’ll talk to each of them about what’s ahead for the class of 2026. GUESTS Dr. Cailean Dakota MacColl (Lac La Ronge Indian Band), University of Minnesota Doctor of Medicine graduate Jerrick Hope-Lang ( Tlingit and Tsimshian), director of Point House Revitalization and a 2026 Luce Knowledge Fellow Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox (Osage and Pawnee), 2026 graduate of Stillwater High School Brandin Naabaahi Upshaw (Diné), 2026 graduate of Navajo Preparatory School Break 1 Music: Wahzhazhe (song) Scott George (artist) Killers of the Flower Moon Soundtrack (album) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

A former DJ who once struggled as a student, Cailean Dakota MacColl built her way to medical school from the ground up. She's now graduating from the University of Minnesota Medical School. Jerrick Hope-Lang took on preserving a Tlingit clan house in Sitka, Alaska that was named on the America's most endangered historic places. Now he's a Henry Luce Foundation Indigenous knowledge fellow and a graduate of the Institute of American Indian Arts. Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox is a budding actor balancing film and stage roles with especially busy extra-curricular activities like tennis, student council, honors society, and preparation for traditional dances. She is now graduating from Stillwater High School in Oklahoma and setting off to study drama at New York University’s Tisch School of Arts. We’ll talk to each of them about what’s ahead for the class of 2026. GUESTS Dr. Cailean Dakota MacColl (Lac La Ronge Indian Band), University of Minnesota Doctor of Medicine graduate Jerrick Hope-Lang ( Tlingit and Tsimshian), director of Point House Revitalization and a 2026 Luce Knowledge Fellow Lawren “Lulu” Goodfox (Osage and Pawnee), 2026 graduate of Stillwater High School Brandin Naabaahi Upshaw (Diné), 2026 graduate of Navajo Preparatory School Break 1 Music: Wahzhazhe (song) Scott George (artist) Killers of the Flower Moon Soundtrack (album) Break 2 Music: Bad Dude (song) Joe H Henry (artist) Real Things (album)

We talk with Diane Hinrichs of Pawnee Mental Health about making support easier to find, easier to accept, and more connected to everyday life. We share what Pawnee offers across 10 counties, why 24/7 mobile crisis matters, and how art can help people move toward more good days. • mental health as physical health and why asking for help matters • youth and adult community services as wraparound support in real-world settings • serving nearly 7,000 people a year with a large regional team • critical stabilization support and coordination with local law enforcement • 24/7 mobile crisis response and how it meets people anywhere • Pancakes for Pawnee as accessible, community-driven fundraising • Grow Green Match Day support for expanding art therapy • More Good Days art shows and local display partners in multiple towns • client pride, recovery, and the ongoing nature of mental health care GMCFCFAs

Send us Fan MailA river can look calm and still be a trap. We drop into the Solomon River valley in 1857, where the U.S. Army launches what many consider the first true campaign against the Plains Indians in this series: the Cheyenne Campaign of 1857, better known as the Battle of Solomon Fork in northwest Kansas. The stakes are bigger than a single clash. This is the collision between a mobile Cheyenne world built on buffalo hunting, raiding, and shifting boundaries and a United States determined to impose fixed lines, enforce policy, and protect overland migration routes. We walk through the pressure cooker that builds after the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851, when rising immigrant traffic and wagon-train attacks trigger reprisals and then retaliation. With Secretary of War Jefferson Davis demanding punishment, Colonel Edwin V. “Bull” Sumner takes a stripped-down “scout in force” into Cheyenne country, leaning on speed, discipline, and a mix of units that includes 1st Cavalry, infantry support, prairie howitzers, and Indigenous scouts like Pawnee and Delaware trackers. The heart of the story comes from soldier Robert E. Peck, whose eyewitness detail turns a textbook campaign into a lived experience: night fires, exhausting trails past abandoned villages, and the moment Cheyenne warriors mount and form a bold line across the valley. Then Sumner makes the choice that defines the fight, ordering a saber charge that stuns opponents who expected a gun battle at distance. We end with the brutal intimacy of close-quarters combat and the unanswered question of what “success” even means in a frontier war built to terrify and control. If you care about U.S. Army history, the Cheyenne Indian Wars, and the real mechanics of conflict on the Great Plains, listen now, then subscribe, share the episode, and leave a review. What part of Peck's account changed how you picture the Plains wars?Support the showIf you'd like to buy one or more of our fully illustrated dime novel publications, you can click the link I've included. 

Dr. Jessica Ostermeier is the founder and owner of Ball-Chatham Veterinary Services in Pawnee, Illinois.  She graduated in 2012 from the University of Illinois College of Veterinary Medicine and started her practice in 2015.  Jessica is a business owner, entrepreneur, and working mother of two boys.  On today's podcast, Julie and Jessica discuss what it takes to be an entrepreneur, hospital owner, and mother juggling all of life's challenges, and how leadership and life coaching helped her go from simply surviving to thriving in her business and her life. Learn more about Jessica at Ballchathamvet.com Contact Julie at theveterinarylifecoach.com

This week the Buddies discuss fun, favorite, and unusual food combos, old tv shows, new video games, which spouse to be buried next to if you're a widow. Share with a friend! Contact us: Facebook Instagram Youtube Email Recommendation: Welcome to Pawnee (2024 book by Jim O'Heir), K Pop Demon Hunters (2025 movie), Slay the Spire II (2026 video game)

Two new healing centers count on location, cultural practice, and family connections to break the destructive effects of substance abuse. In Lodge Grass, Mont., organizers plan an integrated foster care facility to complement a campus designed to support families affected by addiction. The non-profit organization behind the center estimates that number reaches as high as 60% of residents in the small town on the Crow Reservation. The Pawnee Nation in Oklahoma is also expanding adult residential and outpatient services close to home, as well as support for children whose lives are disrupted. We'll hear about a promising focus on cultural treatment options, harm reduction, and strengthening families to break addiction's generational cycles. GUESTS Mary Blackowl (Cheyenne and Arapaho, Pawnee, and Comanche), tribal opioid response prevention specialist for the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma Karaya Fritzler (Apsáalooke, Aaniiih, and Lakota), certified behavioral health peer specialist for the Mountain Shadow Association Megkian Doyle, executive director of the Mountain Shadow Association Mike Ortiz, program coordinator for the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma's substance abuse program

Let Us Know What You Think of the Show!Date: February 25, 2026Name of Podcast: Backstage Pass RadioS10: E4: Avery Kern - Rooftops, Roots, And A Rescue DogSHOW SUMMARY:Some stories sneak up on you from the rooftop. That's where we reconnect with Americana artist Avery Kern, whose voice moves from honeyed hush to gravel edge and whose songs hold the kind of honesty you feel in your ribs. We chart her leap from a tiny K–12 school in Pawnee, Illinois, to the neon of Nashville, sharing the moments that shaped her: a sixth-grade assembly, the quiet courage it took to sing on American Idol, and the rescue dog who inspired a tender, hooky single called Cowboy Crazy.We get into the craft. Avery talks about writing for the human experience without staying trapped in love-song cliches, and why delivery can be the final verse of any lyric. She explains how Failure To Launch simmered for years until she had the words—and the nerve—to finish it. We compare polished studio cuts with the raw, gritty energy of her live band, where arrangements evolve, grooves grow teeth, and setlists give way to instinct. And if you've ever tried to honor a wild request mid-show, you'll love how she navigates range, bridges, and the difference between serving a song and sacrificing it.There's a forward pulse too. Avery is building two DIY EPs: one steeped in old-school country and blues swagger (don't miss Left Him in Georgia), and one orbiting a “space” theme that threads lunar imagery through stories of growth, loss, and finding your footing. TikTok has opened doors to new cities, and a tour feels closer with every venue that fans send her way. Through it all, the aim stays simple—send people home lighter than they arrived, with a chorus humming under their breath.Hit play to hear an artist who refuses to fit a box and makes that refusal sound like clarity. If you enjoy the conversation, follow Avery Kern Music everywhere, subscribe to the show, and share this episode with a friend who needs a new favorite song. Your reviews help more listeners find us—what track should Avery cover next?Sponsor Link:WWW.ECOTRIC.COMWWW.SIGNAD.COMWWW.RUNWAYAUDIO.COMBackstage Pass Radio Social Media Handles:Facebook - @backstagepassradiopodcast @randyhulseymusicInstagram - @Backstagepassradio @randyhulseymusicTwitter - @backstagepassPC @rhulseymusicWebsite - backstagepassradio.com and randyhulsey.comArtist(s) Web Pagewww.averykern.comCall to actionWe ask our listeners to like, share, and subscribe to the show and the artist's social media pages. This enables us to continue pushing great content to the consumer. Support Backstage Pass Radio - https://www.buzzsprout.com/1628902/support Thank you for being a part of Backstage Pass Radio Your Host,Randy Hulsey Support the show

We share how Center of Hope Ministry grew from a church basement to the Douglas School Annex to meet soaring demand for overnight warming shelter, and why local partnerships, volunteers, and small business fundraisers keep the doors open. A year-round shelter vision takes shape as we break down staffing, funding, and the rising need for cots, snacks, and safe space for families.• mission to provide safe overnight shelter and warmth • move to Douglas Annex with capacity up to 43 guests • rising demand shown by bed night and guest data • volunteer-powered model supported by targeted overnight staff • local funding approach without state or federal dollars • coordination with Common Table, Breadbasket, Pawnee, and coalitions • practical needs list for snacks, breakfast items, cots, sleeping bags • exploration of a year-round shelter model and required support • family safety protocols and rapid partner referrals • upcoming giving moments and small business fundraisersLog on. And help if you can.The website is thecenterofopehmhk.com.You can donate through the Greater Manhattan Community Foundation or our Venmo, Cash App, any PayPal, any of those things.Our Amazon wish list is up to date.GMCFCFAs

We explore how relationship-based care turns clients into a community, tracing Pawnee's seventy years of service, quality improvements, and growth across ten counties. We share events for the “New Day at Pawnee” campaign, Kansas' rising mental health rankings, and a fundraiser that fuels care.• what makes Pawnee's model relational and consistent• personal testimony on therapy and lasting support• “A New Day at Pawnee” events and purpose• regional reach across 17 locations in 10 counties• Kansas' rise in Mental Health America rankings• ongoing challenges with stigma and the workforce• training focus for qualified mental health professionals• Pancakes for Pawnee details, sponsors and ways to helpJoin us for Pancakes for Pawnee on February 17 at Early Edition West, 3210 Kimball Ave. For $9, enjoy pancakes and sausage, delivered or picked up. GMCFCFAs

Amboy-LaMoille-Ohio and Polo meet tonight in the last game of the season, the Illinois 8-Man Football Association State Championship. In honor of the game, we have an all 8-man football episode.On the showA-L-O Clipper senior Cody Winn and sophomore Caden Heath, plus coach Scott Payne after the first round of the playoffs (5:36).Payne after a 64-6 victory over Pawnee in the second round (14:37.5)Juniors Jose Lopez, Trevor Stenzel and Evan Flanagan, and Payne after a 18-8 victory against Millegdeville in a semifinal (23:35).Polo coach Ted Alson on his team's attempt to win a third title (31:36).Payne on the state championship (39:48).

This week we are joined by amazing Kris Carr to talk all things Second Chunce! First, we start with amazing voice memos from Rob Kerkovich and Stacy Allen, who were guests in The Cones of Dunshire episode! Then, we turn to the 100th episode of Parks, Second Chunce, where we hear wonderful memories from the cast. Ben gives Leslie the amazing gift of a consult with Jenn Barkley so we can break through our limiting beliefs and really understand that Leslie can and WILL do better things out of the Pawnee city council. DREAM BIGGER! John Balma Interview (Barney): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V1S7EQpgeMgKevin Symons Interview (Dexhart): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-yhyQxuvSFoRob Kerkovich: https://www.imdb.com/name/nm1827376/Stacy Allen TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@learnwithsillystacyKris Carr Voice Over Studio For Classes and Coaching! https://www.speakfriendstudio.com/Kris Carr Podcast Two Filthy Casuals! https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/two-filthy-casuals/id1711440300Support the showRate and review us on Apple Podcasts!Follow us @parkpalspodcast on Instagram! Or email us at parkpalspodcast@gmail.com

In this episode of God Is Red, we walk through Chapter 5 of Taylor's book, Rediscovering Turtle Island. Taylor (Omaha / Cherokee) guides us through the sacred site of Pahuk—known to the Pawnee as an "animal lodge" and to neighboring nations as a holy hill. We trace how a place becomes a teacher: a river crossing near a mound that echoes an earthen-lodge, a spring tied to underworld passages, an oak savanna forming a threshold. The landscape isn't backdrop; it's scripture, sanctuary, and archive.Learn more about Taylor's work HERE.Purchase Rediscovering Turtle Island HERE.Learn more about Daniel's work HERE.

In this third installment of the “Horse Series,” David sits down with Dr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover to explore the intersections of Indigenous oral traditions, radiocarbon dating, and the archaeology of horses across the Great Plains and the Caribbean.Carlton shares how Pawnee oral traditions align with archaeological evidence, revealing new insights into the transitions from hunter-gatherer to agricultural societies. The conversation expands into how the reintroduction of horses revolutionized Plains warfare, movement, and culture — transforming not just how people traveled, but how they defined bravery, honor, and trade.The episode then dives underwater — literally — as Carlton recounts his work with the Indiana University Underwater Science Program in the Dominican Republic. From Spanish shipwrecks to 400-year-old hazelnuts used to fight scurvy, the discussion highlights how horses, colonization, and trade converged across continents and oceans.Topics CoveredIntroduction to Carlton Shield Chief Gover's background and Pawnee heritageMerging radiocarbon dating with Indigenous oral historiesThe importance of corn, maize agriculture, and Plains village lifeHow the horse transformed Indigenous cultures and warfareThe practice of “counting coup” and individual honor in combatThe spread of horses before European contactCarlton's archaeological work in Ukraine and comparisons to the Great PlainsUnderwater archaeology in the Dominican RepublicSpanish shipwrecks, horseshoes, and gold-gilded stirrupsHazelnuts as a 16th-century Spanish cure for scurvyDangers and logistics of underwater fieldworkHow early Caribbean horses may connect genetically to modern mustangsThe future of Plains and underwater archaeologyAbout the GuestDr. Carlton Shield Chief Gover is a citizen of the Pawnee Nation and a leading voice in Indigenous and Plains archaeology. His research integrates oral histories, Bayesian radiocarbon analysis, and archaeological evidence to create a fuller understanding of the Great Plains' deep past. He currently serves as Assistant Professor and Curator of Archaeology at the University of Kansas and hosts The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast.Follow Carlton on InstagramListen to The Great Plains Archaeology PodcastMentioned in This EpisodeHoof Beats: The Horse in Human History — Dr. William TaylorCassidy Thornhill's work on the Blacks Fork HorseYvette and Paulette Steeves' research on pre-contact horsesIndiana University Underwater Science Program (Dr. Charles Beeker)University of Kansas Natural History MuseumKey Quote“When you reanalyze radiocarbon data with Indigenous oral traditions, you actually illustrate a much more holistic picture of human history.” — Dr. Carlton Shield Chief GoverTranscriptsFor a rough transcript head over to: https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/ethnocynology/26Links:davidianhowe.comDavidianhowe.com/storeArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

When other kids were collecting baseball cards, Wes Kinsler was collecting things he could take apart. This curiosity has endured a lifetime for him and led him to study many innovations and innovators over the years. Today, he's joining us as we dive into a mini series on the power of music to help us see how music and sound were first recorded. We're talking about: The history of recorded sound The power of curiosity and the innovation which follows Being transported back in time through musicIn this episode, we speak of the Oklahoma Steam and Gas Engine Show which takes place every first weekend of May in Pawnee, Oklahoma. Would love to see you join us and experience the music we speak of for yourself (...and "a few" steam tractors too). The homemade ice cream alone is reason enough to come!C A N D A C E  C O F E Rauthor + speaker ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠website⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠instagram⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠youtube⁠⁠⁠ | ⁠⁠⁠facebook⁠

Guests at Landmark Ford on Prairie Crossing Drive include Sangamon County Sheriff candidate David Timm, Tyler Borski to preview an Oct. 5 benefit for his father-in-law Steven Landry at Locals in Pawnee, and David Lee to preview an Oct. 18 benefit for his mother Amee Lee at the Macoupin County Fairgrounds in Carlinville. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Rezkalla, CEO of Pawnee Mental Health, shares how the organization serves 185,000 people across 10 Kansas counties with integrated mental health services. September marks both National Suicide Prevention Month and Recovery Awareness Month, highlighting the critical work being done to address the 49,000 annual lives lost to suicide - one every 11 minutes.• Pawnee offers comprehensive services under one roof including recovery services, outpatient therapy, crisis services, psychiatry, and care management• Manhattan community shows exceptional commitment to mental health through county proclamations and support• "Inspiring Hope Dinner and Auction" fundraiser set for October 2nd at K-State Alumni Center with tickets at $75 per person• Funds will support new primary care services at the Claflin clinic, integrating physical and mental healthcare• Integrated care model has shown 19% reduction in hospital admission rates• People with mental illness often die decades too soon due to lack of physical healthcare access• Pawnee serves everyone regardless of ability to pay or established client statusVisit pawneeorg to learn more about the Inspiring Hope Dinner and Auction and Pawnee's services.GMCFCFAs

On this episode of Go Help Yourself, Lisa is joined once again by special guest Jim O'Heir, star of Parks and Recreation, to talk about his journey with (and without) self-help. In particular, Jim chronicles his experience navigating panic attacks and people pleasing, and how therapy and support systems can act as important pillars of self-help -- even if you don't read the books.If you'd like to learn more about Jim O'Heir, you can follow him on instagram or purchase his wonderful book Welcome to Pawnee here.If you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a rating and review as it helps other people discover our show.Want more GHY?Download our secret episode here for FREE!Follow us on instagram @gohelpyourselfpodcastFor self-help tips delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at gohelpyourself.coXO,Lisa & MistyAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Can crops change the weather? We've done the myth busting, learn the truth. Plus, PRCA standings heat up - we talk Rodeo, share how a rancher raises Old Glory sky-high, and fishing records are about to be broken again! Join radio hosts Rebecca Wanner aka ‘BEC' and Jeff ‘Tigger' Erhardt (Tigger & BEC) with the latest in Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News! Season 5, Episode 253 Can Crops Affect the Weather? Chief Meteorologist Kenny Miller Explains When it comes to agriculture, we usually think about how weather affects crops — but what if the reverse is true? Can crops actually influence the weather? According to KX News Chief Meteorologist Kenny Miller, who has extensive experience in forecasting for agriculture and commodity trading, the answer is yes — in certain ways. “Large-scale crops can change local climate conditions through evapotranspiration,” says Miller. “That's the process where plants release moisture back into the atmosphere, which can lead to cooler temperatures and increased local humidity.” This matters not only for farmers, but also for agriculture professionals and commodity traders who rely on precise, short-term forecasts during critical planting and harvest windows. Kenny emphasizes that the impact is regional, not global — but in key ag zones, it can shape everything from yield timing to market behavior. PRCA Standings: Countdown to the 2025 Wrangler NFR As we approach the PRCA regular season deadline on September 30, 2025, the tension is building across the rodeo world. Cowboys and cowgirls across the country are laser-focused on making the Top 15 in their events to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) this December. Current PRCA Standings Here are the PRCA Rankings & Standings as of September 2, 2025. Stetson Wright, Beaver, Utah: All-Around Earnings: $391,000 plus. After the 8x World Champion sustained injuries at the 2023 NFR, sidelined during the 2024 rodeo season, he has made a runaway comeback for the coveted 2025 Wrangler NFR All-Around Champion. Events: #1 in Bull Riding, #9 in Saddle Bronc. Rocker Steiner, Weatherford, TX: World bareback riding leader with $243,000 plus with the closest contender being Bradlee Miller of Huntsville, TX and Jess Pope of Waverly, KS riding neck in neck with just a $1,000 year earnings in difference fighting for that 2nd place title. Ryder Wright, Beaver Utah: Saddle Bronc Earnings: $273,000 plus. Saddle Bronc this year is a tighter event. The top 12 in the world fighting for their seat in the winners circle have all earned well over $150,000… This includes well known names such as Damian Brennen in 2nd with Dawson Hay right behind, Brody Wells, and Zeke Thurston all over $200,000 in 2025 earnings. Following not far behind are Ryder Wright's brothers…  Statler Wright sitting in 6th, and Stetson Wright in 9th. And a shoutout to a friend of the show, Melstone, Montana cowboy Sage Newman, is right up there too sitting in 6th. Will Lummus, Byhalia, Missouri: Steer Wrestling leader with $161,000 in earnings. Tanner Tomlinson, Mineral Wells, Texas is the current world leader Team Roping Header with $153,000 plus, however it's a TIGHT race as a household favorite here Derrick Begay of Arizona is just $3,000 behind in earnings. Remember last year during the 2024 Wrangler NFR when Derrick Begay borrowed his well-known mule, John Henry, to saddle bronc favorite Zeke Thurston to ride in the first two Grand Entry parades! Levi Lord, Sturgis, South Dakota is the current world leader Team Roping Heeler with $155,000 plus. This 4x NFR qualifier is making sure the world knows there's more to Sturgis, South Dakota than just a HUGE motorcycle rally. Riley Webb, Denton, Texas is the current world leader Tie-Down Roping with $264,000 in earnings. Not a bad place to be after 2024 being his WNFR debut. Chasing him is 6x qualifier Shad Mayfield sitting with over $237,000. Cole Patterson, Pawnee, OK is currently leading world standings in Steer Roping with over $92,000. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas is the world barrel racing leader at $202,000 plus in earnings. The top three looking to make this a race to watch just like in 2024 also include Texas stars Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Hailey Kinsel. But don't leave out the legend Lisa Lockhart as she's sitting 10th and this cowgirl knows the grind, and how to move mountains. That's just a quick snapshot of current standings as we look forward towards the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) this December. Dates for Wrangler Finals National Rodeo: December 4 - December 13, 2025 Location: Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada Reference: https://www.prorodeo.com/standings?eventType=AA&standingType=world&id=&circuitId=&year=2025 Outdoors & Western Lifestyle News 78-Year-Old Rancher Climbs 130-Foot Flagpole to Keep Old Glory Flying High When a storm took down the ropes on a 130-foot flagpole in Star Valley, Wyoming — most folks would've called it a job for the young and fearless. But not Darcel Hulse. At 78 years old, the rancher grabbed his gear, called a crane, and went straight up to fix it himself. That's because flying the American flag isn't just tradition on his Salt River Ranch — it's a statement. Hulse proudly flies a 1,500-square-foot flag from the highest point on his property, and when it needed replacing, he wasn't about to sit it out. Recently in a Cowboy State Daily interview, Darcel Hulce joked, 'I'm an old guy, but I'm not afraid of heights.” And judging by the 1.4 million views on his daughter's video of the flag-raising, the country loves him for it. The massive flag — 50 by 30 feet — has become a beloved landmark in Star Valley. Locals call it “our flag,” and when it was temporarily down, the phones lit up. Everyone wanted to know when Old Glory would be back. For Hulse, raising that flag is about more than patriotism. It's about values, family, and returning to his Western roots. And while he hopes that new rope holds strong for a while — you can bet that if it doesn't, he'll be right back up there making sure that star-spangled banner keeps waving high. Reference: https://cowboystatedaily.com/2025/08/31/78-year-old-rancher-scales-130-foot-flagpole-to-fly-massive-american-flag-over-star-valley/  Alaska Bans Invasive Berry Trees to Protect Native Forests and Wildlife A major move from Alaska officials this week — the state has officially banned two popular but destructive trees: the mayday tree and the chokecherry. These fast-growing ornamentals were once a garden favorite, but they've turned into a serious threat to Alaska's natural landscape. The ban — now statewide — blocks the import, transport, or sale of these trees, which have overrun native birch and spruce forests, especially around Anchorage and Fairbanks. They may look pretty, but they're wreaking havoc under the surface. Their berries? Toxic to moose. Their roots? So tough, new trees grow right out of the stumps. And now, they're even spreading a nasty fungal disease known as Black Knot. Not exactly the kind of greenery you want in your backyard. The good news? Officials are working hard to remove them and replace them with native trees, and this new ban is a big step forward. As Division of Agriculture Director Bryan Scoresby puts it: ‘With this quarantine, the flow of trees into Alaska will stop, making the goal of elimination more attainable.' So next time you're planting something new, remember — going native helps keep eco-systems wild, balanced, and beautiful. Check your state on plants that have landed on the Noxious or Invasive list by reaching out to your local extension agent. Reference: https://alaskabeacon.com/briefs/alaska-officials-impose-statewide-ban-on-invasive-berry-producing-trees/ Swordfish That ‘Looked Like a Dinosaur' Could Shatter Alabama Record An Alabama fishing trip turned legendary when Robert Fritze and his crew caught a massive 550.3-pound swordfish—over 100 pounds heavier than the current state record. The catch happened in the early morning hours of August 15, after the crew set out from Orange Beach Marina aboard the Trade Desk. Originally aiming for marlin, the six-man crew fished near deep-water oil rigs, dropping a squid bait setup hundreds of feet down overnight. Around 4 a.m., Robert noticed the reel clicking and jumped into the fighting chair for what became a four-and-a-half-hour battle. The swordfish fought hard and deep before finally surfacing—stunning the crew with its dinosaur-like appearance. Once landed, the fish was so big it filled the entire deck, forcing the crew to end their trip early. The swordfish measured 150 inches long with a 62-inch girth and is expected to break Alabama's current record of 448 pounds, pending official approval. Now my question is - Where does one find the wall space to hang a mount that big?! Reference:  https://www.outdoorlife.com/fishing/alabama-possible-record-swordfish/ OUTDOORS FIELD REPORTS & COMMENTS We want to hear from you! If you have any questions, comments, or stories to share about bighorn sheep, outdoor adventures, or wildlife conservation, don't hesitate to reach out. Call or text us at 305-900-BEND (305-900-2363), or send an email to BendRadioShow@gmail.com. Stay connected by following us on social media at Facebook/Instagram @thebendshow or by subscribing to The Bend Show on YouTube. Visit our website at TheBendShow.com for more exciting content and updates! https://thebendshow.com/ https://www.facebook.com/thebendshow WESTERN LIFESTYLE & THE OUTDOORS Jeff ‘Tigger' Erhardt & Rebecca ‘BEC' Wanner are passionate news broadcasters who represent the working ranch world, rodeo, and the Western way of life. They are also staunch advocates for the outdoors and wildlife conservation. As outdoorsmen themselves, Tigger and BEC provide valuable insight and education to hunters, adventurers, ranchers, and anyone interested in agriculture and conservation. With a shared love for the outdoors, Tigger & BEC are committed to bringing high-quality beef and wild game from the field to your table. They understand the importance of sharing meals with family, cooking the fruits of your labor, and making memories in the great outdoors. Through their work, they aim to educate and inspire those who appreciate God's Country and life on the land. United by a common mission, Tigger & BEC offer a glimpse into the life beyond the beaten path and down dirt roads. They're here to share knowledge, answer your questions, and join you in your own success story. Adventure awaits around the bend. With The Outdoors, the Western Heritage, Rural America, and Wildlife Conservation at the forefront, Tigger and BEC live this lifestyle every day. To learn more about Tigger & BEC's journey and their passion for the outdoors, visit TiggerandBEC.com. https://tiggerandbec.com/

  Writer/Producer Mike Scully talks about being new in a writer's room, Yakav Smirnoff, how he learned empathy from a non empathetic childhood, being a boss, taking over The Simpsons, how 5 daughters run his life, writing with his wife Julie, writing with his brother Brian, doing stand-up, Amy Pohler, Parks & Rec, how Jay ruined Bruce Sprinsteen being on The Simpsons, NRBQ, being a Masshole, getting fired, owing a lot to his mom, writing jokes for the Golden Globes, the WGA, and how Scully costs Jay millions when he unionized Fox Animation Domination. Bio: MIKE SCULLY BIO 2025Emmy,Peabody,and Writers' Guild of America Award winning writer/producer Mike Scully has worked in all genres of TV comedy: animation, single-cam, multi-cam, hidden-cam, award and live performance shows.He joined "The Simpsons" writing staff since 1993 and was promoted to showrunner in 1997 for Seasons 9 through 12 and co-wrote and co-produced "The Simpsons Movie,”released in 2007. In 1998, he organized writing staffs of all the Fox animated shows to win Writers Guild of America union coverage for the writers,which had been underpaid and without healthcare and pension contributions for the first nine seasons of the series. He was a consulting producer on the show until 2021 and continues to write occasional episodes.Scully also served as writer/producer on the Emmy-winning "Everybody Loves Raymond," as well as"Parks & Recreation,” starring Amy Poehler. (He also appeared on the show four times as a disgruntled citizen of Pawnee asking stupid questions at town meetings.) He was a writer/producer on the critically acclaimed “The Carmichael Show” starring comedian Jerrod Carmichael.He has written jokes for Poehler and Tina Fey when they hosted the Golden Globes and for their current liveshow,The Restless Leg Tour.He co-created (with wife Juie Thacker-Scully & Amy Poehler) the animated Fox/Hulu show"Duncanville”starring Poehler, Ty Burrell, and Rashida Jones,which ran three seasons. He also co-created some non-critically acclaimed and very quickly canceled shows such as "The Pitts”, “CompleteSavages", and an animated version of "Napoleon Dynamite.”In 2024, he and Julie produced the ABC pilot Shifting Gears starring Tim Allen and Kat Dennings.The Scullys parted ways with the show after it was ordered to series.  He has five daughters who provide a never-ending financial reason to keep working.

This week I covered the first half of the series finale "One Last Ride." As the Parks crew says goodbye to Pawnee and eachother, we get glimpses into the future for Donna, Tom, April & Andy, Craig, and Jean-Ralphio. Intro/general nonsense: Behind the scenes chaos (00:13)FILLER: Mario Kart 8 and Mario Party for Nintendo Switch (04:43); School of Rock- 2003 (07:49)How about a SPAM sandwich?? (12:33)"One Last Ride" Pt. 1 (14:57)New episodes every Tuesday

Come one, come all... Come big, come small... Just come, come for Folktales.Three absolute BANGERS for this week from all over the world, AND WITH A NEW FORMAT. So listen up!Story 1: The Knight of Fishes - SpainListen, don't get attached to the cobbler in the beginning, but DO get ready for an EPIC tale featuring 2 hot twins (hiiiiii....) What do you name your fish-knight? We went with Lance Bass, but if you've got something equal or better, write us and we'll send you a sticker! Anyways, this one is long and strong, and you're going to love it... it... it... Story 2: The Big Turtles War Party - the Skidi PawneeHoneyBees, you're in for a treat because this is the tale of the tiniest war that ever raged in the modern-day Nebraskan region. Turtle is on the War Path and he's choosing his team... Will he go with the coyote, fox, hawk, or rabbit? Or the flint knife, hairbrush, and awl? The choice is obvious, but the punchline is not. This is one of our all-time favorites. Story 3: Cutting the Elephants Hips - UgandaOk... well, it wouldn't be Folktales if we didn't f- your world a little bit. This story is as dark as it sounds, and features THE MOST SINISTER CHARACTER ever encountered in Folktales, or possibly any Spill the Mead episode honestly... DONT. TRUST. ANYONE.

For over thirty years, Adam Scott has been one of the most engaging, hilarious, versatile actors we have working today. Born in Santa Cruz, California, Scott, the son of two teachers and the youngest of three children, sent all of his schooling in The Golden State, as he was a graduate of the American Academy of Dramatic Arts. Post college, Scott started to get acting gigs in several feature films like Star Trek: First Contact, The Lesser Evil, High Crimes, and a notable supporting role in The Aviator, sharing scenes with Leonardo DiCaprio. At the same time, he had made a name for himself on the small screen with appearances on shows like Boy Meets World, Party of Five, and as a love interest on Six Feet Under. Growing up, Scott always dreamed of becoming either the next Al Pacino or David Letterman, becoming obsessed with Pacino as a beacon of acting for a generation as well with Letterman's obscure sense of humor tickling his funny bone. It's funny how life works out, because as Scott was making his mark in more dramatic work, the summer of 2008 changed his career forever when he starred in the latest comedy from director Adam McKay, Step Brothers, and without any improve skills to his resume, was able to land giant laughs opposite the biggest comedy star of the time, Will Ferrell. From this moment, things took off for Scott, as the following summer saw the release of the cult comedy television classic, Party Down, which followed a group of caterers in Los Angeles as they hope to make it in Hollywood. The show was cancelled after two seasons in 2010 (though it was brought back in 2023 for a third season), but as that door closed for Scott, another one opened with his role as Ben Wyatt on Parks and Recreation, a state auditor who slowly becomes the love interest for Leslie Knope (Amy Poehler). As a fan of the acclaimed NBC show, I can say that the best thing to happen to Parks and Recreation was the addition of Scott as Ben Wyatt, delivering one of the funniest characters on the show as well as one of the best television couples of the last twenty years. Since his time with the gang from Pawnee, Indiana, he's continued to showcase his range as an actor, with guest comedic spots on shows like The Good Place and Veep, was part of the ensemble for Big Little Lies, appeared in the sequel to Wet Hot American Summer, and even hosted comedic physical game show called Don't in 2020. But all of this work has lead him to the biggest role of his career so far as Mark on hit Apple TV+ drama, Severance. From the mind of creator Dan Erickson, Severance follows employeesat a mysterious company called Lumon Industries that have undergone a procedure known as “severance” to ensure that they have no memories to the outside world while they are at work, with no memory of their work life once they leave the building. This creates then the idea of an “innie” and “outie” personality within one's self, which would be dangerous if the worlds crosses, but that's exactly what happens to Mark at the end of season one, as he and his other colleges at Lumon briefly are able to bring their innie selves into the real world in their outie's body. The second season grapples with the repercussions of the rebellious Lumon employee's actions, as well as goes down various rabbit holes to show that the company that Mark works for is various dangerous as well as a deeper, personal connection to him that he could've ever known. It's riveting, thought-provoking, thrilling television that has slowly become the best show on television in large part to the excellent writing by Erickson, the inventive direction by Ben Stiller, and the incredible work by the show's massive ensemble, led by Scott, who in season two, not only gives the best performance of his career so far, but the best performance by any actor on television this year. In his glowing review of the season, our television editor Tyler Doster stated that Scott was “at his best this season,” finding “a new hunger” within his performance that grows this season as the mystery around Mark and the other characters begins to take shape. In my in-depth conversation with the Emmy nominated actor and producer, we discussed the anticipation of filming season two, the differences in playing Mark S. and Mark Scout, how trust is a key theme throughout the second season, and what it is like to be part of a global television phenomenon similar to The Twilight Zone and Lost; two shows that mean a lot to him and speak to the power of character forward storytelling. We also spoke about the dueling romantic relationships Mark finds himself in, what it is like working with co-stars Britt Lower and Dichen Lachman, the technical challenges of filming the camcorder and running sequences found in first and last episode of the season, as well as his versatility as a character actor; moving from drama to comedy, and how that helped him form who Mark is. In between all of this, Scott shared his favorite flavor of Gatorade, the need for bananas when performing stunts on set, his fondness for his time on his other beloved television series Party Down and Parks and Recreation, and why he loves the Fast and The Furious franchise. From comedy to drama to everything in between, Scott can do it all, and with Severance, he's showcasing a confidence of an actor who is destiny to continue to empty the tank until it's time to punch out his time card a long time from now. Adam Scott is Emmy-nominated for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for the episode "Cold Harbor" of Severance. Music: Severance, Opening Title Sequence: Season 2 (intro) and “B-3” from BoxCat Games Nameless: The Hackers RPG Soundtrack (outro).

Classic episode alert! Leslie struggles with Ben being on her side, Tom and Donna try to get Ron off the grid, and April and Ann learn about making tough decisions by trusting your gut. :)Things we learned: - Not everyone was super pleased with this episode when it came out, what?!- Aubrey Plaza is a huge fan of Chris Bosh and told a hilarious story on Conan about meeting Bosh. (link below)- "How you like them apples?" was made famous by Good Will Hunting. (Madi knew, I did not lol) Check it out: Norm Hiscock, our fav producer in all the land, has a new show coming out - it's the King of the Hill reboot!!! Comes out on Hulu in August! Yay! https://www.imdb.com/title/tt26585105/Mel Cowan's last episode is today! "I hate the one-at-a-time system!" Check out his interview here:https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/our-conversation-with-mel-cowan-red-faced-man/id1551856074?i=1000519249677Sources: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt3186496/?ref_=ttep_ep_3https://www.eonline.com/news/438317/kristen-bell-to-guest-star-on-parks-and-recreationhttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bonKJTqoBP8&t=20sSupport the showRate and review us on Apple Podcasts!Follow us @parkpalspodcast on Instagram! Or email us at parkpalspodcast@gmail.com

Get ready for lots of laughs! On this episode of Go Help Yourself, Lisa sits down with Jim O'Heir, best known for his role playing the lovable punching bag Jerry on Parks and Recreation. Jim wrote a book about his experiences on the show, which Lisa read and reviews... all while doing her best to turn it into a self-help book, because she can't help herself. (Get it?) :)In this Welcome To Pawnee book review podcast, Jim and Lisa share insights about working in the entertainment industry: the highs, the lows, and everything in between. But they mostly laugh and giggle because they are silly and funny and wonderful friends.If you'd like to learn more about Jim O'Heir, you can follow him on instagram. If you'd like to read Jim's book, you can purchase Welcome to Pawnee here.Want more GHY?Download our secret episode here for FREE!Follow us on instagram @gohelpyourselfpodcastFor self-help tips delivered straight to your inbox, sign up for our newsletter at gohelpyourself.coIf you enjoy the podcast, please leave us a review as it helps other people discover our show.XO,Misty & LisaAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

In this episode of The Great Plains Archaeology Podcast, host Carlton Shield Chief Gover sits down with Matt Reed, Chief and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer (THPO) for the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma. Matt shares how his role as THPO serves as both a cultural and regulatory responsibility—protecting sacred sites, ancestral landscapes, and Pawnee heritage through a tribally driven preservation program.The conversation explores how Pawnee worldviews and values shape historic preservation efforts, highlighting the spiritual and cultural importance of place. Matt also discusses what it means to lead as both a traditional leader and a THPO, and how the Pawnee Nation asserts sovereignty while navigating consultation and compliance with federal and state agencies.This episode offers a powerful perspective on the intersection of leadership, land, and legacy—and what it takes to preserve history with integrity and purpose.TranscriptsFor rough transcripts of this episode go to https://www.archaeologypodcastnetwork.com/great-plains-archaeology/23LinksThe Archaeology of the North American Great Plains by Douglas B. Bamforth (2021)Archaeology on the Great Plains Edited by W. Raymond Wood (1998)Carlton's KU Anthropology Faculty BioContactInstagram: @‌pawnee_archaeologistEmail: greatplainsarchpodcast@gmail.comAPNAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetAPN ShopAffiliatesMotion

Talking about my weekend trip with Comanche youths, along with some of my experiences with the Seminole Tribe of Florida, the Southern Ute Indian Tribe, the Kiowa Tribe, and the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes.

In this episode of Yes You Are Brave, host Pawnee shares 12 honest, hard-earned lessons from months of remodeling her home — and how those same lessons can apply to rebuilding or transforming your life. From stepping outside your comfort zone to learning the power of patience, flexibility, and doing things for you, this episode is a relatable, real-talk reflection on growth through change.----more---- Whether you're updating a space or rebuilding yourself, expect messes, unexpected discoveries, a million decisions, and the need to trust the process. Most importantly: keep going, even when it stops being fun. Because in the end, the result is always worth it. ----more---- For more tips on being brave and finding your courage follow on Instagram  @findingpawnee or Facebook Finding Pawnee

This week, I covered the first part of the season 6 finale "Moving Up."  When Leslie travels to San Francisco for a conference, Ben and Andy tag along to try and get free wifi for Pawnee; and the cold-open for Tom's Bistro is a disaster!Intro/general nonsense (00:08)"Moving Up: Part 1" (06:42)New episodes every Tuesday

On today's episode, Jessica chats with Martha Only a Chief [Pawnee (Chawi) and descendant of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe; NAGPRA Coordinator for the Pawnee Nation] about her experiences working on NAGPRA and for the Cultural Resources Division of the Pawnee Nation. She explained what the basic NAGPRA process is like, Pawnee's specific approach, and how it has changed since she started this work. We also talked about what approaches she appreciates from the institutions they work with, as well as coordinating with other Tribes on this work. Finally she shares some personal experiences doing this work and what this work means to the Pawnee.Linkshttps://pawneenation.org/cultural-resource-division/Heritage Voices on the APNContactJessicaJessica@livingheritageanthropology.org@livingheritageAArchPodNetAPN Website: https://www.archpodnet.comAPN on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/archpodnetAPN on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/archpodnetAPN on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/archpodnetTee Public StoreAffiliatesMotion

The TSS Gang is here to answer your questions! On this episode, we consider whether PSG needs a stronger domestic league, if Real Madrid must chose between its star forwards, and which players we should send to Pawnee, Indiana! WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL!We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.!JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON!Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more.Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The TSS Gang is here to answer your questions! On this episode, we consider whether PSG needs a stronger domestic league, if Real Madrid must chose between its star forwards, and which players we should send to Pawnee, Indiana! WE HAVE A YOUTUBE CHANNEL! We're posting all our episodes here! Smash the like and subscribe etc.! JOIN THE TSS+ PATREON! Check out our Patreon, which houses bonus podcasts, access to our exclusive Discord, blog posts, videos, and much more. Become a member today at patreon.com/totalsoccershow! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is expediting permits for the Line 5 oil pipeline project. It's the first project to be put on a fast track under President Donald Trump's executive order declaring a national energy emergency. The Bad River Band of Lake Superior Chippewa is among a number of tribes in at least three states that oppose the project by Canadian energy company Enbridge, saying it posing significant risk to the environment, most notably the Great Lakes. The existing pipeline runs across Bad River land, but the company's new route bypasses the reservation. We'll get a perspective on the new status of the project and the near-term possibilities. GUESTS David Gover (Pawnee and Choctaw), senior staff attorney with the Native American Rights Fund Jennifer Smith, director of U.S. tribal engagement at Enbridge Stefanie Tsosie (Navajo), senior attorney in the Tribal Partnerships Program at Earthjustice

This week, I covered "New Slogan" from season 6. Leslie tries to control the vote for Pawnee's new slogan; Donna and April help Tom scout possible locations for his restaurant; and Andy discovers Ron's biggest secret! Also, three Lerpisses!Intro/general nonsense (00:07)FILLER: Severance Season 2 SPOILERS (02:19)"New Slogan" (22:54)New episodes every Tuesday 

Omg it's Ted Party day!!!!!!! aka Star Wars/Patton Oswalt Day! Today, we get some behind-scenes on removing some Pawnee charter rules, Chris and Ron debate which motivation tactic is better, and Ann and Ben join forces to figure out Leslie's incessant anniversary gifts. Kudos to Leslie for moving Pawnee forward and bringing our town into the future while finding a compromise that suits its citizens best. :)Today, we also get a voice memo from my past improv teacher at iO West, Jaime Moyer! She plays Roz Degrandis, Leslie's mail lady, yay! Please check out the new show Mid-Century Modern on Hulu to see Jaime shine! What a fun voice memo and a great memory to hear from her! Wishing you so much success

Parks and Recreation changed the trajectory of actor Jim O'Heir's career. He landed a small part as Jerry Gergich on the NBC sitcom, ultimately becoming a series regular. Now, 10 years after the show wrapped, O'Heir is out with a memoir, Welcome to Pawnee. In today's episode, he speaks with NPR's Juana Summers about the moment the character clicked for him, the "Parks" family group text, and whether the series could work today.To listen to Book of the Day sponsor-free and support NPR's book coverage, sign up for Book of the Day+ at plus.npr.org/bookofthedayLearn more about sponsor message choices: podcastchoices.com/adchoicesNPR Privacy Policy

Pawnee's got a pest problem, and it's up to Leslie to find a new head for the Department of Animal Control. Meanwhile, Ben approaches fragrance mogul Dennis Feinstein about a large charitable donation for the Sweetums Foundation, and Ann helps Ron get over a bad case of strep throat. Jim O'Heir and Greg Levine break it all down in this week's walkthrough of “Animal Control.” Plus, Kevin Symons (Sexy Dexy himself!) joins Jim and Greg to talk about his recurring role as Pawnee's sleaziest politician, Councilman Dexhart. Got a question for the Pawnee Town Hall? Send us an email at ParksandRecollectionTownHall@gmail.com