Podcasts about pta

Send us a textComfort is slowly killing us, but we don't even recognize it as an addiction. What happens when society's most celebrated coping mechanisms become our greatest chains? In this transformative episode, I pull back the curtain on the socially acceptable addictions that hide in plain sight: food and alcohol. These aren't stereotypical addictions – they're the wine moms at PTA meetings, the neighbors hosting barbecues, the coworkers bringing donuts, all numbing themselves with substances we collectively celebrate.The neuroscience tells a clear story: food and alcohol hijack the same brain pathways, creating powerful dopamine loops that keep us coming back despite the consequences. I share my personal journey through these dependencies, revealing how childhood conditioning, identity attachment, and cultural pressure maintain our comfortable prison of numbing behaviors. The most dangerous lie? That moderation proves we're not addicted.Breaking free requires more than willpower – it demands replacing numbing habits with regulation practices and confronting the emotions we're desperately avoiding: shame, loneliness, rejection, and boredom. My two months on the carnivore diet after years of sobriety have shown me what clarity and presence truly feel like, but the path wasn't easy. When you change, expect resistance from everyone comfortable with your former self.The ultimate goal isn't just avoiding substances but creating a life so fulfilling you don't need to escape from it. Take one step today – whether that's seeking community support, establishing accountability, or simply choosing presence over numbness. Subscribe to join me on this journey toward authentic living, and remember: there's nothing more powerful than building a life worth staying present for. Support the show https://www.audible.com/pd/9-Simple-Steps-to-Sell-More-ht-Audiobook/B0D4SJYD4Q?source_code=ASSORAP0511160006&share_location=library_overflowhttps://www.amazon.com/Simple-Steps-Sell-More-Stereotypes-ebook/dp/B0BRNSFYG6/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1OSB7HX6FQMHS&keywords=corey+berrier&qid=1674232549&sprefix=%2Caps%2C93&sr=8-1 https://www.linkedin.com/in/coreysalescoach/

Ever feel like you need to fake a sprained ankle just to escape the school volunteer sign-up sheet?

Today on Motherish, we're joined by the brilliant and fearless Dr. Christie Ferrari—psychologist, content creator, and your favorite Instagram truth-teller (@christie_ferrari). You've seen her call out toxic traits and red flags online, and now she's helping us unpack something too many moms experience but rarely talk about: mean girls… in motherhood. Because yes, Regina George grew up—and sometimes she shows up at drop-off, on the PTA, or in your group chat. We're talking cliques, mom-shaming, subtle judgment, and how to handle it all with confidence, boundaries, and a little humor.

Sigade Aafrika katk on Eestis levinud juba mitmesse farmi. Millised on võimalused selle edasist levikut peatada ja kui suurde ohtu on sattunud lihatootmine, sellest räägime Postimehe otsesaates põllumajandus- ja toiduameti (PTA) loomatervise ja -heaolu osakonna juhataja Olev Kaldaga. Saatejuht on Ulla Länts.

Part 2 of Boogie Mikes is here as we review Paul Thomas Anderson's second film, Boogie Nights. INTRO - Mike1 demands we leave our pre-show conversation in as a cold open. Mike2 edits it into the episode another way. It's absurd. - Top of the Show Production History and Reception for Boogie Nights - 6:08 Our Watch Stories - 15:27 Non-Spoiler Story Thoughts + Summary of its Awards Profile - 17:23 Quentin Tarantino's lone beef with this movie - 23:42 Review of the Performances - 28:37 Review of the Production Values - 43:34 Our Final Non-Spoiler Sales Pitch on why you should watch Boogie Nights - 50:27 SPOILER WARNING - 52:30 Why This Plot Is So PTA - 52:33 Discussing The Themes - 57:24 Let's Talk About That Ending - 1:05:38 Worst Scenes (Though there really are no worst scenes in this one) - 1:12:13 Other Best Scenes - 1:17:20 Final Grades & Final Thoughts - 1:23:21 OUTRO: We hope you continue to watch PTA's filmography with us. It is wise for us to disagree on the words of wisdom in this episode to continue the banter throughout this Outro, and if you like our asinine silliness, we hope you like, follow, subscribe, rate & review us. Thank you. Also, we're sorry. Here's a link to all our stuff. https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

Ein bisschen vor der Kamera tanzen und mal eben ein Handy-Video hochladen? Von wegen! Guter Social Media Content für Apotheken ist viel Arbeit. Warum sie sich lohnt, erklärt Apothekerin und PTA-Lehrerin Simone Gansewig aus Hamburg in der aktuellen Folge des Podcasts PTA FUNK.

In this heartfelt and hilarious episode of Wise_N_Nerdy, Charles and Joe take listeners on a journey through memory, mischief, and meaningful conversations — all rolled by the luck of the dice.The episode kicks off with the Question of the Week: “What is the first movie you remember seeing in theaters?” Joe, Charles, and even some of the show's listeners share their earliest big-screen memories. Whether it was awe, fear, or total confusion, the nostalgia is real.With the roll of the dice, the first segment lands on some wonderfully cringey dad jokes submitted by Devocite. They're the kind of groaners that relax the soul and make you laugh in spite of yourself.Next, it's time for the “How Do I...?” segment, where Charles and Joe give practical, thoughtful advice on becoming a more confident public speaker. Whether you're prepping for a panel, a PTA meeting, or just trying not to stutter at your kid's school event, this advice is gold.The dice then call forth the “Parliament of Papas”, where the guys discuss a real-world parenting dilemma: a mom constantly correcting people on her daughter's name. Is it about identity, respect, or social overreach? The discussion is thoughtful, funny, and eye-opening.Next, we dive into “Daddy, Tell Me A Story”, where Charles shares a very real parenting moment — losing his temper during a video game session and having his son repeat some choice words back to him. This sparks a deep and honest talk about how closely our kids watch us, and how important it is to model the behavior we want to see.Finally, the episode wraps with “What are you Nerding out about?”. Joe raves about a new anime, The Water Magician, praising its stunning visuals and emotionally rich storytelling. Charles shares a few things he's been enjoying lately — including his cohost Kurt's ventures into voice acting and the addictive indie game Balatro.From parenting confessions to pop culture obsessions, this episode is a perfect reminder to laugh, grow, and Find your FAMdom. Wise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom

This week we get to PTA's 6th film: The wonderful and confounding The Master. We've never quite had an episode like this, but I think it's a good one? Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doofmedia Follow us on Twitter: @doofmedia See all of our podcasts and more at doofmedia.com! Show Notes: Just The Master this week

As a physical therapist, your focus is helping patients — but what about protecting your business? In this episode, we sit down with Michael Uzar, founder of Rehab Risk Consulting, who helps rehab clinics reduce legal, financial, and reputational risk.Mike shares his unique journey from PTA to DPT to risk management pro, and reveals the most common mistakes clinics make that could lead to lawsuits, HIPAA violations, or costly data breaches. If you own or work in a PT clinic, this is essential listening.In this episode, we cover:What “risk management” actually means for rehab clinicsHidden threats in your intake, front desk, and treatment policiesHow to handle patient complaints the right wayWhat clinic owners must know about AI tools like ChatGPTWhy manual therapy is more valuable than ever in an AI-driven worldMike's new risk self-assessment tool (free!)

Susan Saiger is best known as Doris the Dominatrix from the cult comedy classic Eating Raoul. She was a regular improve performer at all the LA clubs in the ‘80s & ‘90s. As an original cast member of The Steven Weed Show, Susan received a Dramalogue award for Best Ensemble Cast. Several film & TV roles later, she took an 18 year break to raise kids and have a ‘normal life'. She returned to the stage in 2008 as a stand-up comedian…on a dare…one night only! Yeah…right. Susan is currently working at comedy clubs across and country and is shooting The Doll. She is a member of SAG-AFTRA, EQUITY and the PTA, but not AARP. Susan Saiger is filming her first comedy special in the fall of 2025. Susan Saiger returned to the comedy stage in August of 2008 after an 18-year hiatus…during that time she had a baby boy, then got married, (yes, in that order!) adopted two daughters from China, wrote and sold a play and got divorced. She went back to do stand-up comedy on a dare from two dear friends so, of course, she took the challenge. The catch was … it was for “one night only”. Yeah, right … we see how that worked out! It actually worked out very well, indeed! Since that time, Susan has been performing stand up on a regular basis. She toured with the Funny Divas for three years as well as doing her own thing as a solo performer. She has been working in clubs and theaters all over Florida with The Funny Diva Show and regularly performs at Flappers, The Federal and The Formosa in LA. She was a regular host of Comedy in the Raw at the Tampa Improv. Stand up is her favorite type of performing, but her roots are in the theater, improvisational comedy and in film…Susan was a regular improv performer in Los Angeles at The Comedy Store, The Hollywood Improv and the Laugh Factory as well as any smaller venue that hosted improv shows during the 80s and 90s. It was on stage during a show that she was asked to audition for her first movie role…and she got the part! That part was Doris the Dominatrix in the cult classic film Eating Raoul. It was a role that she loved doing and is still bringing her acclaim as it was released in 2012 on Criterion Films for its 30th anniversary! She appeared in the films: The Presidio as Gloria, the Deadhead secretary, Kelly in Paul Bartel's Scenes from the Class Struggle in Beverly Hills and Buffy the groupie in the indie film Get Crazy. Her favorite job on TV was as a regular ‘prankster' on the series that was the 90s version of ‘Punked'… Totally Hidden Video. Susan, also performed and had writing credits in two long running plays done in Hollywood's Theater. The Steven Weed Show won the Dramalogue award for best ensemble cast in 1988. In 1989-1990 Susan collaborated on an Evening on Thin Ice which was a play about an improv group. The audience was let in on what happens backstage during a show.#susansaiger #standupcomedian #actress #stevenweedshow #chrispomay #livewithcdp #barrycullenchevrolet https://bonkerzcomedyproductions.com/people/susan-saiger/ https://www.acptalentent.comhttps://beacons.ai/chrisdpomayhttps://www.cameo.com/chrispomayhttps://www.paypal.com/paypalme/chris... (If you wish to support my You Tube Channel). https://podcasts.apple.com/ca/podcast...Want to create live streams like this? Check out StreamYard: https://streamyard.com/pal/d/54200596..

Helena sits down with Farrah Khan, former mayor of Irvine and the first Muslim, South Asian woman ever elected to the city council. They unpack how Farrah broke through political resistance, navigated public microaggressions, and turned personal identity into political power.They talk about the emotional toll of leadership, pivoting after rejection, and why vulnerability and transparency aren't weaknesses—they're leadership superpowers. Farrah shares what helped her run again after losing, and how she turned sexist and racist jabs into assets, and why she believes community-driven governance is the future of innovation. Under her leadership, Irvine officially celebrated Pride and Juneteenth for the first time. She also passed anti-discrimination protections for the LGBTQ+ community.If you're a person of color, a young leader, or someone navigating power structures that weren't built for you—this episode will leave you grounded, fired up, and ready to lead on your terms.

Dear Ms. Maher,You don't know me, and there is no reason why you should. I am mostly a nobody. If people know me at all, they know me as a former Oscar blogger whose public support for Trump destroyed my so-called “career.”But really, I am not all that different from you. Or at least, I didn't use to be. I come from your world, more or less. Not that I was ever a tech-savvy, globtrotting millennial in charge of National Public Radio, but it would not have been unusual for me to take a picture of myself in a mask in November of 2020, wearing a Joe Biden hat.In November of 2020, however, I was already afraid of the Democrats retaking power. Things had gotten weird on the Left, Ms. Maher. Really, really weird and no one would talk about it, least of all NPR or PBS. Then again, they couldn't talk about it because they would be destroyed if they did. Everyone knew that, and everyone just went along with it, especially you.I am a creature of the Internet and a former lifelong Liberal who left the party and the movement in 2020 after things had derailed so badly that I could no longer stand to be associated with them. It was the dehumanization of half the country. It was the corruption within the Democratic Party. It was the dangerous future in store for the nation's young people.It took me a while to finally get kicked out of Woketopia for good, banished to the virtual gulag. I made a joke about “White Dudes for Harris,” suggesting finally “white power” was back in style. But one thing about the Woketopians, they have no sense of humor. None. It's been stripped away and replaced with yet more of the suffocating, repellent monoculture that's been shoved down our throats for these long ten years.They all thought I was serious, that I really meant it, that “white power” was back. Thousands saw the tweet. A close friend of mine would text me to see if I really meant it. I wanted to joke that no self-respecting “white supremacist” would be caught dead praising “White Dudes for Harris,” but I was already in too deep.That caught the attention of a reporter named Rebecca Keegan, who was a devoted NPR listener and a true believer in the causes of the Left. She called me a “MAGA darling” in the Hollywood Reporter. A major studio pulled their ads that day, and everything I built over the last 25 years as a “woman-owned” business went up in flames almost overnight.It's quite a story, Ms. Maher, but it's one people like you wouldn't even want to talk about. To you, it isn't “cancel culture,” it's “consequence culture.” Well, you might call the defunding of NPR and PBS the same thing, it's “consequence culture” as a populist movement decides to finally fight back.How it started…You were just ten years old when I got online, Ms. Maher. The year was 1994. Bill Clinton was still the president. Much like it did last year, my life had fallen apart, and I needed a reset. I found the perfect escape on the Wild, Wild Web, where I would live out the rest of the next 30 years of my life. I had a baby in 1998 and, as a single mother, built a website devoted to the Oscars in 1999.I also helped birth an entire industry, and before long, even The New York Times would have an Oscar blogger. I appeared on NPR a few times as an Oscars expert. I would attend film festivals all over the world and hobnob with the rich and famous at fancy parties.I would be invited to cover the Oscars, attending as a guest for almost ten years. I would make money from movie studios that thought my voice was influential enough to advertise on my site. I could buy a new car. I could support my daughter. I could pay my rent.I would use my website to advocate for a more diverse and inclusive Oscars by promoting women and people of color for the awards. I did this even before Barack Obama won in 2008, which coincided with the rise of Twitter, Facebook, and the iPhone. I wouldn't realize it until much later, but all of that coming together at once would allow us to build a necessary “inside” where we could eventually banish the undesirables to the “outside.”We all caught the wave at the same time. We had come out of the 90s era of therapy and psych meds, and now, we were ready to build our Shining Woketopia on the Hill. As society migrated online, it was all under our control. We would ultimately build an empire that represented nearly all of the power in America - cultural, political, educational, and institutional. But only a select few would be invited in.My daughter attended all of the progressive public schools in Los Angeles. We listened to NPR on the way to and from school. I was a PTA mom, a progressive, active Liberal who cared about the climate and racial inequality. I barely noticed around 2014 when my daughter began feeling depressed from what she was learning in school.As a white student, whose best friend was Black and whose president was Black, she was now being told to stand outside the circle and de-center herself from the students of color. She was taught that she was part of the oppressor class and was among the “colonizers.” This disease was inside of her; it was her “whiteness.”I didn't realize then just how deeply indoctrinated our public schools and universities had become. When she graduated from high school, only one of her friends wanted to transition to become a boy. Her mother, a Conservative, refused to give her puberty blockers and amputate her breasts, though she would finish the job when she turned 18 and is now living as a boy.By the time my daughter graduated from college, two of her roommates were on cross-sex hormones, changing their sex as a couple. A boy she had a crush on had now fully transitioned and is living life as a transgender woman. And no one in the media, not at NPR or PBS, ever warned them. They were indoctrinated now, too. COVID paranoia and lockdowns only served to heighten the growing anxiety and fear about saying or doing the wrong thing. Wokeness arrived first as a low-frequency hum, a reaction to the election of the first Black president. As Republicans began to obstruct his agenda, we called them “racists.” The Tea Party was racist; it had to be. The Freedom Caucus was racist; it had to be. Our president was perfect, and the only reason anyone would object to anything had to be racism.The “social justice warriors” who came of age online on sites like Tumblr ballooned into a massive army of zealots. None of us saw this coming, and by the time we did, it was too late. The protests at Evergreen College were the first indication that something had gone very wrong. Holding a professor hostage because he went against the doctrine? It should not surprise you, Ms. Maher, that NPR and PBS did not cover that either, although it would have made a compelling episode of Frontline. Had they come even remotely close to telling the truth throughout this era, maybe things would be different now.That left it up to independent voices to cover the growing scandal at Evergreen, the transgender contagion, and the obsession with race. That is how evolution left NPR and PBS in the dust. Those looking for truth and common sense had to escape the bubble. I'm guessing you never did, Ms. Maher.The army that took to the streets in 2020 was not peacefully protesting; they were demanding diners raise their fists in support of Black Lives Matter. They were demanding everyone put a Black square on Instagram, or else. My niece threatened to cut off all ties if I didn't. I told her she was in a cult.When I saw the video of Sue's 100-year-old mattress store in Kenosha burning as the city was consumed by a false narrative perpetuated by the media, that Jacob Blake was unarmed and there to break up a fight, I tried to post about it on Facebook. I was shouted down and told I cared more about property than I did about people. You agree with that, don't you, Ms. Maher? When Tom Cotton published an op-ed in the New York Times reflecting what the majority of Americans believed, that if the protests could not be controlled, we must “send in the troops.” Then I watched everyone online lose their minds over the truth - once again, the truth, always the TRUTH.By the end of it, James Bennett and Bari Weiss would be out at the New York Times. They would not be the only ones at the Times or other news outlets. Writers and editors would lose their jobs for posting headlines like “Building Matter Too.” Or because some overly fragile staffer felt unsafe and called them out for something, like racism. Hundreds and hundreds of “cancel culture” purges taught everyone the same lesson: say nothing, or you're next. A glance at your tweets around that time, Ms. Maher, suggests that you were fully on board with all of it, too - a true believer in the cause, probably like everyone else who runs a public radio station across America. So when you say they're “collateral damage,” know this: in a monoculture, everything is the same. If it isn't, you lose your job. That you did not listen to Uri Berliner's brave testimony in the Free Press, but rather demonized him for speaking out, should have been enough to force your resignation by the Board of Directors, but I'm guessing they're all on the same page as you. Your resignation letter might look something like this, posted by Representative Brandon Gill:You remember him, right? He grilled you pretty hard, and you maintained a poker face throughout, gaslighting all of us. It's not “fascism” that canceled Stephen Colbert and defunded public broadcasting. It's democracy. Your side was voted out by the guy you spent ten years trying to destroy. That alone should send the message that whatever you were doing backfired. Maybe you'll learn the lesson. Probably not. I can promise you those community radio stations in Trump states don't have any Trump supporters listening to them. And though I do notice some subtle changes in the coverage at NPR after a few casual searches, I'm afraid it's too little, too late. Those local stations are likely to be as woke and indoctrinated as NPR and PBS have become. They have to be because everything has to be in a monoculture like ours. There is no other option but for all of us to leave it behind. We don't want this indoctrination anymore - not in our schools, not in Hollywood, not in science, not in culture, and not in our news. Our American story has always been that we shook off the class system that decided our station in life at birth, that anyone could rise regardless of their status, where they were born, their skin color, or their gender. Obviously, we haven't always lived up to that ideal, but it is still our story.The Woketopians tell a different story. And it's one you believe in, Ms. Maher. Or at least you pretend to because as long as you pay obeisance to the cult, the activists will leave you alone. As I strolled through the Farmer's Market in my very white, very liberal town this morning, I was awash in hedonistic pleasure. The smell of fresh strawberries, bountiful basil, organic olive oil, a whiff of lavender carried by the wind, freshly ground coffee, and someone playing music in the distance. You would fit right in here, Ms. Maher, in a sunhat with a smile on your face, because this is where you belong, inside utopia. But I also know none of these smiling faces I pass know me. For all of their hybrid cars, the lawn signs, the pleas for “kindness,” the careful, gentle language so as not to offend all come with an implicit threat: obey our rules or we will destroy you. Milan Kundera explains what happened to the Left, as we built our Woketopian empire, in the Book of Laughter and Forgetting:To quote one of the greatest films ever made, one Hollywood will never come close to making again, No Country for Old Men. You can't stop what's coming. You can't stop what's coming. It ain't all waiting on you. That's vanity. Nothing will ever be the same when this is all over. The good news is that the empire's collapse will usher in a renaissance —a big bang of brand-new culture that is alive, fearless, and rooted in truth, not dogma. The best thing you can do is what I did: escape the bubble now and realize those who don't agree with you aren't your enemy. They are your fellow Americans. // This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sashastone.com/subscribe

Join your favourite fashion-loving mums, celebrity and fashion stylist Bronagh Meere and her friend, Cara Delahoyde-Massey, for a lively catch-up on this week's episode of The School Runway!In this fun-filled chat, the duo spills the beans on what they've been up to, from glamorous weddings to hilarious school antics. Get ready for some laughs as they discuss:A "Magical" Upcoming Trip: The hosts tease an exciting, top-secret adventure they're embarking on soon – can you guess where they're going?Wedding Woes & Wardrobe Wisdom: Hear about a designer dress disaster and some questionable return policies. Pretty Flamingo Vintage at Glastonbury: Bronagh's (and Fearne Cotton's) go-to for a unique, bespoke dress, and the joy of re-wearing a favourite outfit!School Summer Fair Shenanigans: Bronagh, as the former PTA chair, discusses her current involvement selling raffle tickets and tokens, while Cara admits to enjoying the fair from the sidelines with friends.Parenting Pet Peeves (Plane Edition): The hosts share a relatable (and infuriating!) experience with "gentle parenting" gone wrong on a flight.Whether you're navigating the school run, looking for style inspiration, or just need a good laugh, The School Runway has you covered. Tune in for honest chats, friendly advice, and a reminder that you're not alone in the beautiful chaos of mum life!Connect with The School Runway Podcast:Instagram: @schoolrunwaypodLeave us a voice note: https://sayhi.chat/oeks4Don't forget to leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify! x Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Want to request a song? Tell us your rating? Send us a Text Message right now! Silentó – “Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)” TurnUp Records / Capitol – 2015 1.6By the time Silentó commands us to “watch me whip,” a full seven seconds into the track, you already know you've boarded a train bound for post-ironic oblivion. What follows is not so much a song as it is an unrelenting instructional video, powered by algorithmic momentum and the spiritual energy of every PTA meeting gone wrong.“Watch Me (Whip / Nae Nae)” is a cultural time capsule from the year when viral dance moves replaced actual communication. The song does not evolve, it loops — a sonic ouroboros eating its own tail while flossing. Silentó doesn't rap so much as list. The whip. The nae nae. The stanky leg. The Superman. Each phrase arrives with the emotional depth of a CAPTCHA test. You are not here to feel. You are here to comply.Production-wise, the beat is sparse and synthetic, sounding like a default loop from a software demo titled Trap for Toddlers. It's relentlessly clean and completely unbothered by things like tension, resolution, or dynamics. You get the sense it could play forever, looping in the background of a minor YouTube channel dedicated to slime tutorials.But the real feat here is how the track weaponized meme culture for mass consumption. This was not music for listening. It was music for doing, specifically, for middle school talent shows, wedding receptions, and nightmare-inducing brand activations. It's pop music at its most transactional: perform the motion, feel the endorphins, scroll on.And yet, its success was undeniable. Silentó, a teenager at the time, effectively cracked the code to going viral — and in doing so, accidentally delivered a song so devoid of soul it somehow became the center of attention for millions. It was hypnotic in the way fire drills are: repetitive, disorienting, and strangely hard to ignore.There's a version of this story where Silentó is a misunderstood genius, crafting minimalist social commentary on performative culture. This is not that version.Best track: [Silence] RIYL: Being yelled at by a dance instructor through a megaphone at a kid's birthday party.DUBBY DUBBY is declaring WAR on big Energy! Use the promo code "1001songs" at checkout for 10% off! Buzzsprout - Let's get your podcast launched!Start for FREEBlessington Support the podcast when you buy a Blessington watch! Use the promo code “1001songs” at checkout. DUBBYDUBBY is declaring WAR on big Energy! Use the promo code "1001songs" at checkout for 10% off! Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Support the showFollow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1001songsthatmakeyouwanttodie/Follow us on TikTok: @the1001crew

On this episode of the PTA Elevation Podcast, host Dr. Briana Drapp, PT, DPT, PTA, CSCS goes over the important things to know about the Performance Feedback Report and how to interpret the report to understand how you did on the PEAT! REGISTRATION FOR MASTERCLASS on July 27th at 1pm EST https://ptaelevation.com/masterclass Check out our FREE stuff!: https://ptaelevation.com/freebies Website: https://www.ptaelevation.com/ Join our FB group for FREE resources to help you study for the exam!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/382310196801103/ If you're interested in our prep course, check it out here:  https://ptaelevation.com/the-600-plus-system Follow us on our other platforms! https://www.ptaelevation.com/linktree

In this episode of Next Level: Good Vibes Only, Darren and Jessica explore the powerful relationship between your gut and your mind. Inspired by Hippocrates' timeless insight, “All disease begins in the gut,” they unpack how this “second brain” plays a critical role in everything from mood and energy to immunity and digestion.You'll learn how gut imbalances can manifest through anxiety, skin issues, or fatigue—and how the gut-brain axis, connected through the vagus nerve, influences overall health. The conversation also dives into modern food systems, nutrient-depleted soils, and the rise of ultra-processed foods that disrupt this delicate balance.Darren and Jessica offer practical tips on how to read labels, cut out harmful ingredients, and add more fiber-rich, whole foods into your meals. They emphasize the importance of mindful eating, tuning into how food affects your energy, mood, and clarity.If you're ready to make small, intentional changes that can lead to better gut health and a more vibrant life, this episode is your starting point. Tune in, nourish your body, and unlock your full potential—one bite at a time.Follow Darren Salquist, Life Changer, Self-Mastery + Heroic Performance Coach, PTA, and Personal TrainerIG: @salquid ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/salquid/⁠⁠Linkedin ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-salquist-3836b770/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/darren.salquist?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Follow Jessica Salquist, Life Changer, Nationally Board Certified Reflexologist, Heroic Performance Coach, and Executive LeaderIG: @reflexologyjedi ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/reflexologyjedi/⁠⁠Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-salquist-46b07772/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/salquistjessica?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Find us both on IG @nextlevelreflexologycoaching ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelreflexologycoaching⁠⁠Wellness + Coaching — Next Level Coaching and ReflexologyWebsite: ⁠⁠www.nextleveltransformationalcoaching.com⁠⁠ Check out Heroic.us to enroll in a coaching program and be part of an amazing community.Buy the book Arete here: ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/ctXhK7A⁠⁠ (on Amazon)

Netflix Book Club no. 258 is Boogie Nights! The usual suspects @dennisrooney7 and @_miketoohey are joined by @talal.lol to talk this classic from PTA! Follow the pod on instagram @netflixbookclubpodcast to see the running schedule!

This week we are so excited to check out Paul Thomas Anderson's 5th feature film: 2007's There Will Be Blood. We chat about the shift in PTA's films, our love for the complex character that is Daniel Plainview, and more! Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doofmedia Follow us on Twitter: @doofmedia See all of our podcasts and more at doofmedia.com! Show Notes: Just There Will Be Blood this week. 

You know we had to bust out a big one for this episode number. We got lost in the sauce talking about PTA not adapting but translating Pynchon to the cinema. Join us, on a journey through the past. get the full episode at patreon.com/extended_clip

In this episode of Littler Lounge, hosts Claire Deason and Nicole LeFave are joined by Littler attorneys Dan Boatright and David Jordan to dive into the wild world of tipping. From airport kiosks and frozen yogurt shops to hibachi grills and PTA apps (yes, really), tipping has gone rogue – and as it shows up in more unexpected places, the legal questions get a little...fuzzy. They explore where tipping is happening, who it's for, and what employers need to know before flipping that POS screen around. And just when you thought it couldn't get more interesting, the recently passed “Big Beautiful Bill” enters the chat – bringing with it a shiny new no tax on tips provision. It's a practical look at how businesses can stay compliant in a world where even robots might be eligible for gratuities someday. Whether you're in hospitality or just curious about that “Would you like to leave a tip?” prompt at self-checkout, this episode offers a grounded take on a fast-changing topic. No gratuity required – but we won't stop you. What Employers Need to Know About No Tax on Tips and No Tax on Overtime https://www.littler.com/news-analysis/asap/what-employers-need-know-about-no-tax-tips-and-no-tax-overtime

Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a ‘90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time. If you liked this episode check out: How To Manage Your Precious Time Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of How To! and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a ‘90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time. If you liked this episode check out: How To Manage Your Precious Time Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of How To! and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a ‘90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time. If you liked this episode check out: How To Manage Your Precious Time Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of How To! and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Kate is juggling a lot: work, kids, caregiving for an elder, a dance troupe, the PTA, community organizing. Oh, and she runs a ‘90s-themed DJ night, too. On this episode of How To!, Courtney Martin brings on Oliver Burkeman, author of Four Thousand Weeks and Meditations for Mortals, to talk with Kate about how to stop doing everything all the time. If you liked this episode check out: How To Manage Your Precious Time Do you have a problem that needs solving? Send us a note at howto@slate.com or leave us a voicemail at 646-495-4001 and we might have you on the show. Subscribe for free on Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen. The show is produced by Rosemary Belson, with Kevin Bendis. Our technical director is Merritt Jacob and our supervising producer is Joel Meyer. Get more of How To! with Slate Plus! Join for exclusive bonus episodes of How To! and ad-free listening on all your favorite Slate podcasts. Subscribe from the How To! show page on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. Or, visit slate.com/howtoplus for access wherever you listen. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

This week on Cinematic Underdogs, we're betting itall on a suburban fever dream of bad decisions, illicit blackjack, and cameo-toting blowtorches—that is right, we're rolling our dice on The House, a 2017 comedy wherein Amy Poehler and Will Ferrell turn middle-class desperation into high-stakes chaos.The plot is as plain as poker; When their daughter's collegefund vanishes, two mild-mannered parents do what any rational soon to be empty nesters would do: open an illegal underground casino in their neighbor's basement. Imagine Breaking Bad meets Vegas Vacation, with PTA moms, home improvement mishaps, and Will Ferrell slowly unraveling into a budget Scorsese mob boss.Simplistic yet promising on paper, The House feels asarchitecturally trite as your average suburban lot. It plays out as the latest, lukewarm hedge in the studio comedy genre—confiding in recycled gags, a flimsy plot, and the kind of cheap laughs that scream "first draft." Will Ferrell, once a master of absurdist escalation, seems stuck in a creative holding pattern—the same shouting and man-child meltdown, dressed up in a different movie. There's a sense that the Semi-Pro/Blades of Glory/OldSchool formula is wearing thin. We get it: take a well-known premise, throw in some improv, ante-up with some unhinged hijinks, and double down with slapstick shenanigans, then hope it lands. Here, it doesn't. It's not unwatchable (we both enjoyed it as a vapid diversion); but it's utterly uninspired — another reminder that the golden era of Ferrell-led comedies, and 21st century theatrical comedies, are long past their prime and stuck in a rut.More direly, we discuss how the odds of a revival of thisflailing genre look increasingly grim, as lackluster efforts lead to waning box office receipts. Who will break the vicious cycle? Will someone soon hit the jackpot and rake in the next decade of theatrical releases? Join us as we theorize how the Hollywood hot hands of our adolescence have grown lazy, and whether the chips are too stacked up against a once surefire sanctuary of deep belly laughs and winning escapism for a comeback.

This week we continue our series on the films of Paul Thomas Anderson with the Director's 4th film: 2002's Punch-Drunk Love. We chat about this remarkable Adam Sandler movie, how PTA utalizes Sandler and the director's exploration of masculinity.  Then, the New York Times has put together a list of the 100 best films of the 21st century, so we review the list and chat about it for a little bit.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doofmedia Follow us on Twitter: @doofmedia See all of our podcasts and more at doofmedia.com! Show Notes: 1:31 - Punch-Drunk Love 1:04:43 - The NYTs 100 best films of the 21st century

Buckle up for a wild ride through the latest political drama that's more chaotic than a Black Friday sale at Best Buy! In this explosive episode of Nuanced News, we dive deep into the stories shaping America and the world in 2025. What We Cover: International Intrigue & Military Action: The Trump administration's controversial strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities and the Senate's rejection of war powers restrictions Iran's execution spree and crackdown on dissent amid escalating tensions Trump's unwavering defense of Netanyahu against corruption charges Immigration & Border Drama: The shocking termination of Temporary Protected Status for 500,000 Haitians Florida's dystopian "Alligator Alcatraz" detention center surrounded by actual predators ICE's aggressive arrests of Iranian nationals amid sleeper cell concerns The "One Big, Beautiful Bill" Breakdown: A deep dive into the massive 940-page Republican legislation that's tearing the GOP apart $3.8 trillion in tax cuts for the wealthy while 10.9 million could lose healthcare Why Trump didn't even understand what was in his own signature bill Supreme Court Showdowns: Major rulings on Medicaid funding, birthright citizenship, and religious liberty The judicial "rap battle" between conservative and liberal justices New cases that could reshape campaign finance forever Tech, Education & Corporate Drama: Meta's mind-boggling commitment of "hundreds of billions" to AI development Harvard under fire for treatment of Jewish students The Trump phone's "Made in USA" claims mysteriously disappearing Celebrity Justice: Breaking down the Sean "Diddy" Combs verdict - convicted on some charges, acquitted on others What 20 years in federal prison means for the hip-hop mogul The broader implications for accountability in the entertainment industry Why Listen? This isn't your typical news recap. We break down complex political maneuvers with sharp wit and clear explanations, making sense of the chaos without the partisan spin. From Trump defending Netanyahu "harder than a parent at a PTA meeting" to legislators naming bills with petty acronyms like "BIDEN" (Bridging Immigration-related Deficits Experienced Nationwide), we expose the absurdity while keeping you informed on what really matters. Perfect For: Political junkies who want the real story behind the headlines Anyone trying to understand how government actually works (or doesn't) People who like their news served with a side of humor and humanity Citizens who want to stay informed without drowning in propaganda Episode Highlights: Why Republicans can't pass their own bill despite controlling Congress The irony of states with "Do Not Travel" warnings being deemed safe for deportations How Meta is essentially "buying every lottery ticket" in the AI race The moment Trump's own party had to explain his bill to him Why the Diddy verdict represents a larger cultural reckoning Join us for an unfiltered look at American politics where we call out the absurdity, explain the complexity, and never forget that behind every policy are real people whose lives hang in the balance. Because in 2025's political landscape, staying informed isn't just important - it's essential for survival. New episodes drop weekly. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts and follow us for real-time updates on the stories that matter. Tags: #Politics #CurrentEvents #News #TrumpAdministration #Immigration #SupremeCourt #Congress #InternationalRelations #Iran #Technology #AI #Diddy #CulturalCommentary #PolicyAnalysishttps://linktr.ee/purplepoliticalbreakdown

Jessica and Darren Salquist invite you to rewire your thinking in this episode. That is where it all starts. You first. Be the HERO you can be, for YOU.In this powerful conversation, we dive into the science of neuroplasticity—your brain's natural ability to change and adapt through intentional focus, emotion, and repetition. By shifting your mindset and becoming aware of negative thought patterns, you can reshape your reality, strengthen your confidence, and build habits that align with the life you truly want.Drawing on insights from Dr. Joe Dispenza and Viktor Frankl, we explore how your thoughts influence your future and how your subconscious mind doesn't know the difference between imagined and actual experiences. That means your self-talk, your visualizations, and your affirmations all play a direct role in shaping your brain—and your outcomes.We'll guide you through simple but powerful practices like meditation, visualization, and daily affirmations to help you unlock new cognitive pathways. Embrace the discomfort, challenge your limitations, and create a new mental blueprint that supports growth, healing, and purpose. Good vibes only—your transformation starts now.For more information on what we love doing, workshops, public speaking, and coaching, follow us and inquire here.Contact Darren Salquist at ⁠⁠nextleveltcoaching@gmail.com⁠⁠ for more information on the CoreFit Wellness Academy. Follow Darren Salquist, Life Changer, Self-Mastery + Heroic Performance Coach, PTA, and Personal TrainerIG: @salquid ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/salquid/⁠⁠Linkedin ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-salquist-3836b770/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/darren.salquist?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Follow Jessica Salquist, Life Changer, Nationally Board Certified Reflexologist, Heroic Performance Coach, and Executive LeaderIG: @reflexologyjedi ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/reflexologyjedi/⁠⁠Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-salquist-46b07772/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/salquistjessica?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Find us both on IG @nextlevelreflexologycoaching ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelreflexologycoaching⁠⁠Wellness + Coaching — Next Level Coaching and ReflexologyWebsite: ⁠⁠www.nextleveltransformationalcoaching.com⁠⁠ Check out Heroic.us to enroll in a coaching program and be part of an amazing community.Buy the book Arete here: ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/ctXhK7A⁠⁠ (on Amazon)

What does it take to lead at every level and shape the leaders of tomorrow? SUMMARY Long Blue Line podcast host, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99 sat with Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95, the U.S. Air Force Academy's vice superintendent, for a deep dive into leadership, humanity and building a world-class service academy. This episode is packed with wisdom for aspiring, emerging, and seasoned leaders alike.   SHARE LINKEDIN  |  FACEBOOK   GEN. SHERMAN'S TOP 10 LEADERSHIP TAKEAWAYS  - Leadership is a human experience - focus on connecting with and caring about people.  - Love what you do and love the people you lead; passion inspires others to follow you.  - Embrace failures and challenges as opportunities for personal growth and development.  - Set the right culture and values within your team to build trust and mutual support.  - Be present and engaged with your team, understanding their motivations and experiences.  - Leadership is about more than rank or position - it's about earning genuine trust and respect.  - Invest time in understanding different generations, cultural nuances, and individual perspectives.  - Balance professional excellence with personal growth and life experiences.  - Support your team's development by providing encouragement and holding them accountable.  - Your legacy is built through individual interactions and the positive impact you have on people's lives.   CHAPTERS 00:00 Introduction to Major General Thomas P. Sherman 01:29 Choosing Leadership Over Flying 07:23 The Impact of Mentorship and Values 12:46 Heritage and Evolution of Security Forces 17:43 Personal Growth in Aviano, Italy 24:17 The Importance of Work-Life Balance 29:50 Culminating Command Experience at Bagram 42:25 The Role of Family in Leadership 51:29 Continuous Self-Improvement as a Leader 56:27 Embracing Failure as a Growth Opportunity 01:00:06 Legacy and the Impact of Leadership   ABOUT GEN. SHERMAN BIO Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman is the Vice Superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, CO. He is serving as the chief operations officer to the Superintendent and overseeing the Academy's blend of military training, academics, athletics, and character development for cadets. Gen. Sherman commissioned in 1995 from the Academy with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. He built a distinguished career as a security forces officer. He's held command at nearly every level. His key assignments include leadership of the 88th Air Base Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB and critical staff positions at the Pentagon. In May 2024, Gen. Sherman was tapped to serve as the Academy's Vice Superintendent   CONNECT WITH GEN. SHERMAN LINKEDIN     ALL PAST LBL EPISODES  |  ALL LBLPN PRODUCTIONS AVAILABLE ON ALL MAJOR PODCAST PLATFORMS       TRANSCRIPT SPEAKERS Guest, Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman '95  |  Host, Lt. Col. (ret.) Naviere Walkewicz '99   Naviere Walkewicz  00:00 Welcome to Long Blue Leadership, the podcast where we share insights on leadership through the lives and experiences of Air Force Academy graduates. I'm Naviere Walkewicz, Class of '99 today. I'm joined by a leader whose career has taken him from the flight line to the halls of Congress and now back to the very institution that launched it all. Maj. Gen. Thomas P. Sherman currently serves as vice superintendent of the Air Force Academy, where he plays a critical role in guiding the development of our future officers and ensuring the Academy remains a world class institution for leadership, character and Day 1 readiness to win the future fight. A 1995 Academy graduate, Gen. Sherman has spent nearly three decades serving in key operational, strategic and command roles. He's led at every level, from squadron to wing command, and his assignments have included everything from nuclear security enterprise to homeland defense, policy development at the Pentagon, and legislative affairs at the highest levels of the Department of the Air Force. Prior to his role as vice superintendent, Gen. Sherman served in the Office of the Deputy Secretary of Defense, where he was a principal military assistant leading policy integration across joint staff, interagency services and combatant commands. He's perhaps best known in command circles for leading the 88th Air Base wing at Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio, one of the largest and most complex wings in the Air Force, with a focus on people first, leadership and mission excellence. Gen. Sherman, welcome to Long Blue Leadership. We're so glad you're here too.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:32 It is great to be here. Thank you.   Naviere Walkewicz  01:33 We're excited and we're going to dive right in, because I think what is so special for our listeners is really hearing these moments that have changed your life. I'd like to start at the Academy. You turned down a pilot slot. You were rated, but said no.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  01:48 Well, actually it was a little bit before that. You know, it's kind of interesting, because that was the draw that brought me here, is I just had this incredible passion to want to fly, and I love flying, and I truly enjoyed it, especially through all the different airmanship programs and things like and things like that we had here. The experiences were fantastic. But, you know, as I was starting to learn more about myself going through the Academy, I was starting to feel my heart getting pulled in a direction of wanting to really lead people and really spend a lot of time working with the enlisted. And I think that came from a couple different areas. I think it was some really unique exposure that I got during my ops Air Force time, which I went to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, during ops, and just had our action officer that worked this, I think just did a phenomenal job. And I really started getting pulled to what was then called security police. That is actually when Laurie and I got together and started dating, because Laurie is here in Colorado Springs, but she grew up as an Air Force brat. My father-in-law is a retired Chief Master Sgt., and so there was a lot of mentorship that was taking place around dining room table when I was a young cadet. And I think one of the things that her parents really taught me was just the value of the enlisted force, and so I was feeling my heart really getting pulled. And so obviously, there's a conundrum. There's a conundrum on what were the root desires that brought me here — what were the things that I was learning as a cadet, my joy of flying, and also, particularly the culture at that time, was that that was really the job that you needed to aspire to be, that was the expectation of cadets. And so then to really kind of run counter to that strong current was really kind of a unique, you know, almost unnavigated area, right? And so to really kind of take the story out to its next level is that I'd really gotten to a point where talking with people there — we hadn't had the AMT program, but there were these NCOs that were kind of tangentially attached to cadet squadrons. And so I got a chance to talk to one of the master sergeants that was there who was a maintainer by background. And I was kind of pouring my heart out to him on, you know, what had I been talking to him with my now in-laws, about where was my heart pulling me? And so he said, ‘Give me just a second.' And he picked up the phone, and he called my AOC and he goes, ‘Hey, you're gonna be there for a little while.' And this was a Friday afternoon. He said, ‘I got a cadet that needs to come talk to you.' And he hangs up the phone and he goes, ‘Now you go tell your AOC what you just told me.' And so I ended up going to my AOCs office that day, and we had about a two-hour conversation about this. I sat down and really, kind of took the time to explain to him what was I feeling, And obviously, I really try to see the best in people. And so I think from a noble place, he was doing his best to convince me that I was making a grave mistake. And went on to talk to me about what his concerns were, the career field that I was looking at, things along those lines. And we can save that conversation for another time, but I think really where the foundation came in is where we started to talk about leadership. And you know, what I was asking him to do was to pull my rated recommendation form, so we had just submitted them, and I was asking him to pull my rated recommendation form. I didn't want to compete for it anymore. And so we started to talk about leadership. And he says, ‘Hey, Cadet Sherman, you need to understand that leadership in this Air Force is being the lead F-16 pilot on a bombing run, you know, putting iron on target.' And that's true. It's a very important part of leadership. It is a very important part of tactical operational leadership in this Air Force. So he's not wrong in that space. But I was looking at it from a different lens, and I was looking at it, I think, on a larger level. And what I don't think he realized is that 30 seconds before I walked into his office, he set me up for success. I just happened to be waiting outside the office, and all of a sudden, I looked on his cork board, and somebody, and I don't know who it was, had pinned a note that was written to Airman Magazineby an airman first class. And this airman first class titled this, “I need a leader.” And this A1C felt so strongly about what they were feeling — and I have no idea who this person was — felt so strongly about it that they put pen to paper, and this would have been the fall of 1994, and sent this into Airman Magazine, and it says, “I need a leader.” Commissioning sources. ‘Send us lieutenants that we can look up to that will hold us accountable when we do wrong, that will encourage us when we do well, that will be an example that we can look up to, that will care about us as human beings, because you are not sending them to us now. Air Force, I need a leader.' Like that 30 seconds just before I walked into his office — that changed my life, and it changed my life, because for me, at that moment, what I was getting ready to go ask my AOC to do, what I was looking at inside myself, that became my charge. And so as we spoke, you know, 20-year-old Cadet First Class Sherman — I might have been a 21-year-old at the time — Cadet First Class Sherman pushed back on my AOC, and I said, ‘Sir, I disagree.' I said, ‘I want to be that guy. I want to be that guy that that A1c is asking for on your cork board outside, because that's leadership in this Air Force.' And so, to his credit, he said, ‘Hey, I want you to go think about this over the weekend. You know, think about what you're doing. Come back to me on Monday. No questions asked. I'll pull it if you want me to.' And I left there, and I remember feeling like, not like a weight had been lifted off my shoulder, but I almost felt like this sense of like, ‘Now I've got my purpose,' because that little article has shaped me my entire career, and I mean to this day, and at a scale. You know, as a lieutenant, my scale is this big on what I'm affecting to help do and be what that A1C needs to a wing commander. I always keep it in the back of my head, and after all of these years, I am still thinking about, Am I doing right by that A1C that 31 years ago, felt so strongly about something that they wrote a note to Airman Magazine, and that became my charge.   Naviere Walkewicz  08:09 That is incredibly powerful. I'm a little bit without words, because I'm thinking about, first off, being brave enough to disagree with an AOC. I mean, I think that takes courage in showing your leadership there. Were you always like that? Have you always been someone that is steadfast in a decision and being able to kind of speak out?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  08:30 So I get that from my parents. And, you know, I grew up in Corona, California. My mom and dad are amazing people. And we didn't grow up with a lot of money, and we grew up from a pretty meager background, and my mom and dad had made a decision early on in their marriage, when they had my sister and I, that my mom was going to focus to make sure that Nancy and I got an education, and my dad was going to work as many jobs as he had to to put food on the table. And sometimes my dad was holding down three jobs to make sure that we had nutritious food to eat, and my mom was working miracles to make sure that we were fed well, but that also that she was dedicated and had the time to volunteer for things like PTA, being involved as a class volunteer, making sure that we were involved in things and had exposure to things that what they did was they also instilled in me this really strong blue collar work ethic. And it was this aspect of, if I just roll up my sleeves and put in the work, anything is possible. And so on that line, this young kid growing up with a West Coast father and an East Coast mother, and just this, really neat family background that things for me, that I believed in I would go after with all of my heart and soul. And so I found out about the Academy when I was 12 years old. And so, you know, when I at 12 years — we were going to a community event there in Corona, and there was an officer recruiter — Capt. Craig. was her name — and we started talking. She says, ‘Hey, did anybody talk to you about the Air Force Academy?' And I said, ‘No, this sounds great.' So from there, I just made this decision as a 12-year-old, and I worked all the way through junior high and high school to get here, because to go to your point like, ‘I made a decision, I'm gonna see this thing through.'   Naviere Walkewicz  10:30 Whoa. OK, so you knew you were going to the Academy before you graduated high school.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:35 Yes, in my mind, there was no other option.   Naviere Walkewicz  10:39 And so anyone in your family serve, or were you the first one in your family to serve?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  10:43 So I am the first officer and career member of the family. My dad was drafted and went to Vietnam in 1967 and stayed through Tet of 1968. I had an uncle, Harry Lee Schmidt, who was a C-47 loadmaster in World War II and Korea, and my grandfather was actually a part of the initial kind of what was the foundation of the OSS and the Navy doing beach recon on beaches in the South Pacific, prior to island hopping campaign and island landings. And so there was this real heritage of service, right? Just not career service. But even then, as a kid, I always had in my mind, ‘OK, one way or another, I'm going to serve, and if I do an enlistment and then go to college afterwards —' but I had this idea that, ‘OK, I'm going to serve,' and then all of a sudden, this became this amazing conduit that got me here, right?   Naviere Walkewicz  11:38 And they also had ties to aviation. How did they feel about your decision, your family?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  11:43 It was interesting, because they knew how passionate I was about aviation growing up. I mean, we did not miss an air show at March Air Force Base, the Chino air show, which was planes of fame, which was all historic aircraft. I volunteered as a high school student to work there, and we helped restore airplanes with me and my friends. You know, it was interesting, because my parents were very supportive in ‘OK, where's your heart leading you? And, what makes you feel so strongly about this?' Because when I first talked to him on the phone, I called him from Ramstein Air Base and said, ‘Hey, I think I know what I want to do in the Air Force. I want to go to security police. And my mom was like, ‘What's that? And, so, as time went by and I explained it, I think my parents probably all along knew that that was probably going to be a very good fit. And then after commissioning and at my first assignment, I think that they were certain of it, right? Yeah, they were absolutely certain.   Naviere Walkewicz  12:37 That is amazing. Well, I want to dive into this profession a bit, because it's interesting. You know, you've mentioned, when you came in, it was security police, and, security forces and you hear people saying defenders and peacekeepers. So there's this lineage and this heritage. Can you maybe talk a little bit about that and then maybe lead us into that next transformational moment that you might have had in this role?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  12:58 OK, I'm very proud of the fact that, you know, I am part of an ever decreasing group of folks that came in when we were still security police, and that was really still the peacekeeper days, because this was all kind of the follow on on the Cold War. The peacekeepers were our cold warriors and that was a huge part. Our defenders came in and really, that name started to really grow in 1997 when the name changed from security police to security forces, and we were actually going back to some of our heritage that was in Operation Safeside, which was the combat security police squadrons in Vietnam. So when you think about the courage that was displayed during the Tet Offensive at places like Tan Son Nhat that those were safe side warriors that were a part of these combat security police squadrons. And so the very — part of the lineage of the very beret, and flash that we have is actually a tip of the hat to the lighter blue berets, and that flash with the Falcon and the crossed runways that goes back, actually, to our Safeside heritage days. The beret goes back even farther than that. It goes back to Strategic Air Command, Elite Guard back in the 1950s. So it's this great lineage. And so, you know, for me, part of it was like when I got my first beret, wow, that meant something to me. And then, you know, as we then kind of transformed along the way, and this amazing career field grew, and the aspects of this air based ground defense, which was really, I would say, was kind of the draw that got me into wanting to go into security police, was I really liked this idea of, ‘How do we do base defense?' The law enforcement side was intriguing to me, but it was based defense that just had me just had me captivated.   Naviere Walkewicz  14:44 And was that something that you found out early in your career? After you graduate the Academy, you're now in security police. Is that when you kind of realized, ‘This is where I want to go in, air, base, ground defense.'?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  14:54 It even happened at ops. So as we were spending time with the security police squadron, I ended up spending time with a captain who was heading up the Elite Guard, and there was an interaction we had as I was doing a ride along. He's like, ‘Hey, you need to come see me.' And so I went and met up with him, and he took me around and introduced me to all of his airmen that were part of the guard. He knew something all about them. And then we went to his office and talked, and he had gone to Ranger School and Airborne and things like that, and said, ‘Hey, like, the future of the career field is actually us looking to the past.' And really kind of got me fired up on what we call back then, air base ground defense. So when I got to McChord — McChord Air Force Base was my first duty station. And the great thing about going to AMC first is it AMC is a mobility — I mean, it is all about mobility and the operations associated with it. And so the first thing that that my task was as the second lieutenant in that squadron was, I was the air base ground defense flight commander. So that was, I mean — we would go out to Fort Lewis, and we would bivouac for days. And I had, you know, a 44 person team that was a base defense sector. I had specialized K-9 units heavy weapons. And back in those days, we had 81mm mortar teams and fire direction centers that we would set up. So I just got completely on board with the air base defense piece. And so that was that was very passionate for me, which then made the next step to Korea an absolutely logical next location, going to the wolf pack at Kunsan, not only getting a chance to then stand up Gwangju as a part of the first Air Expeditionary Unit to go back to Korea since the Korean War, but then doing the mobile reserve aspect of it. And it was just a great assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  16:40 Wow. So you were right in from the very beginning. You got kind of just into it all.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  16:45 So when we go back, when you were talking to me about, ‘Hey, when you make your mind up...' So I had this five-year plan built out. And, you know, my five-year plan was ‘OK, I'm gonna do my first assignment at the first opportunity to PCS. I need to go remote. I need to go to Korea. And then, OK, how can I get another overseas assignment after that? And then what do I need?' So the thought was, “Let me get to as many match comms as I can, as fast as I can in my career, and use that as a place — OK, because I want to build my experience base out. Because even as a lieutenant and young captain, I didn't want to come across as a one-trick pony. So my thought was, “Let me just get as much as I could under my belt early on.' And so after I left Kunsan, I ended up going to Aviano Air Base in Italy, which, for me, when you look at like those moments in life that are transformational, this was transformational on a different level. You know, some assignments you go to are very much professional growth assignments. This assignment, for me, was very much a personal growth assignment.   Naviere Walkewicz  17:52 OK, so tell me more.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  17:55 I mean, when you think about it, four years at USAFA, very uniquely focused on a plate that is overflowing with things that you need to get done. So you are, you're focused on, you know, everything from grades to military training to all of those things. And then I get to my first base, and I am just working, and I'm volunteering for everything, and we have got a heavy ops tempo of exercises and things like that. And my leadership was fantastic, because they were throwing me into every opportunity I could. And then, boom, I go to Korea, and that is a unique warfighting focused — and at Kunsan especially was heavily warfighting focused. So now all of a sudden I am spending really, when you think about it, the last almost seven years being uniquely focused on mission, right? And so I get to Aviano Air Base, Italy, and the first thing that happens is Operation Allied Force kicks off. So I get there in January, boom. Allied Force kicks off. I think it was in end of February, beginning of March. And wow, what? Again, what an amazing, mission focused experience. And then after we finished up Allied Force and the base returned back to more of its steady-state standpoint, it was the Italians that took me under their wings, that because I made a specific choice, because I grew up — my mom's side of the family are all Italian immigrants — and I was always at my Nonnie and Papa's house, and there was just a lot of that growing up, which is that whole, like, you know, West Coast dad, East Coast mom thing, but I didn't know, you know, my mom and her brothers never spoke Italian. And there was a lot of that, that thought back in those days that, you know, ‘Hey, we're here to be American, so we're going to learn English, and we're not going to speak, you know, the language that we came from,' right? And so my mom and her brothers really never learned to speak Italian. And so my thought was, ‘Gosh, I grew up with this as such a strong part of my childhood that I need to put myself in a position where I can learn the language and start to kind of get an appreciation on the culture. Together.' And so I specifically — and really lucked out on a location, but I was about 20 kilometers away from Aviano. I was in an amazing town. I was the only American living in the complex that I was in. So I was like, ‘If I'm going to learn, I need to just dive in the way that you do, in the way that I do, and just start learning.' And so I ended up kind of building this support group of Italian families that all kind of took me under their wings.   Naviere Walkewicz  20:27 Wait, I have to ask you a question, because back when you're at the Academy, you said you spoke to your now in-laws. So was Laurie not a part of this?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  20:35 So Laurie and I, right. So that's an important part of the story. Laurie and I dated for two years while I was a cadet, and when I was in tech school, her and I made the very difficult decision — and as painful it was — to part ways, so her and I actually parted ways for a few years. I was single at the time. Laurie was still here in Colorado Springs, and I was getting a lot of assignments under my belt, which, to be honest with you, you know, in retrospect, it was very fortunate, because I may not have made the same assignment choices had I been married at the time. And because I wasn't married, there were no other variables that I needed to factor in, other than personal experience goals, right, that I wanted to play into, and so I could just put down whatever assignment I wanted, and that allowed me the opportunity to just focus on job. And while Laurie and I stayed in touch, and I stayed in touch with her parents over the years, I was in Aviano, and her and I were not together at that point,   Naviere Walkewicz  21:39 That makes sense. I was like, why were you alone in Italy?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  21:43 It's a fair question. But I also think that being single in that environment allowed me — and that's where I think it helped me develop as a person. And so there are a lot of, I think, really wonderful things that happened during that time, and that was because I was so uniquely mission focused. It was these, this amazing group of Italian friends together, that really kind of taught me about there, there's a time to relax, you know, there's a time to work, there's a time to relax, and there's also a real human need to enjoy life and enjoy time together, which is quintessentially Italian. And so, as my pool of this, these amazing people — that  by the way, for the last 25 years, we've been going to visit. It's the same families that took me under their wings when I was a lieutenant, are the same families that were all tuning in as we were doing a live stream of me pinning on my second star. And so I've never been stationed anywhere else in my career where I felt more at home. And so I think this sense of like, ‘Wow. This like independently as my own person, this feels like home.' And as time went by and I started to get an appreciation for actually things that were a part of my childhood. Because, you know, we would have these long, huge meals, we would spend four or five hours at the table as a family. And for me, this was all normal. Well, that was also a part of kind of normal Italian life and normal Italian culture. You're not going out to dinner with your friends unless you're investing at least three hours at the restaurant. But for me, this was all — this felt normal to me. And so it was about, you know, you don't need to eat your food in five minutes.   Naviere Walkewicz  So contrary to USAFA, by the way.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN You know, you don't need to chew no more than seven times and swallow. So it was about experiencing that, and learning even just some things that became personal passions. Like, you know, how wine is made and why wine pairing matters, and how is this process? And so all of a sudden, this personal experience — and I think growing as a human being was taking place there, and I was maturing as a human being because I had gotten all of this phenomenal job experience under my belt, but this was where I was growing as a human being. And you know what's interesting, as time has gone by, I have noticed just how impactful that time was, because there are things that I've noticed, even as a senior officer, that I feel very strongly about, that I don't think I felt as strongly about as a junior officer, and it was because of that experience, and it was the aspect of when people are on leave, let's let them take leave. There is a part of the human experience that you need to enjoy time with people that you care about, because what it does is you're not slacking off from work. You're not leaving everybody hanging. What's happening is that, because you're taking some time to just enjoy life with people you care about, when you come back, the restorative effects that have taken place because you simply breathe and you enjoyed what it was that you were doing and whatever your passion was, you know, unencumbered, you could enjoy that. And we all realize that there are times, especially as you get into positions of authority, that, hey, they're going to need to call you periodically. But what was interesting is that, especially, I mean, I'll give an example as a wing commander. As a wing commander, despite realizing how important that mission is and how big Wright-Patt was, we, Laurie and I took leave, and we took two weeks of leave, and we went back to Italia and visited our friends and enjoyed life, because the culture helps us to slow down. But what it also did is I gave my staff some parameters. ‘Hey, here are the things that I think are important, like on a scale of one to 10. Here are the things that I think are an eight. So an eight or higher, call me. Don't text me.' I said, ‘Physically call me, because I will answer the phone knowing it's for — and then you have my undivided attention.' But what it also does is it means that my vice wing commander who is there, that I am empowering my vice wing commander and showing to everybody else I trust this leader to lead this wing in my absence. And if it's something that really needs my involvement, they'll get a hold of me. But I think our junior leaders need to see that at the senior most levels, that I can physically trust and emotionally trust my vice, my deputy, to hold things down while I'm gone, and that I'm not irreplaceable, and that if I did my job as a leader, I set the conditions that allowed the wing to thrive in my absence, and didn't mean that the wing had to hang on every decision I made or every word that I said, that I set the conditions that allowed them to be successful and fostered the leadership that allowed them to lead in my absence. And I felt great while I was gone, because I knew the people that we had there, and I knew the investment that we made in them. So that was kind of a long, you know, trip around this…   Naviere Walkewicz  27:26 I mean, I think it was so powerful that you kind of learned that about yourself in Italy. And then would you say that there was anyone that you saw emulating that? Or was it just something over time, you developed this realization that you need to enjoy life and you need to allow people the space to do so.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  27:43 So I would say the people that I was emulating in that aspect were a lot of the families that were there. I have been fortunate that I have worked for some commanders who, at different times in their life felt the same way. Conversely, I also worked for commanders that did not feel the same way. And, you know, an interesting case in point on something that on an experience I had in a command bill and after I had left Aviano — this is when Laurie and I were back together; we were married at this point. I had a group commander that was frustrated about me taking leave and called me every day at 1500; every day at 1500 I got a telephone call. And you know what that does is now all of a sudden, you're eating lunch, and the clock is getting closer to 1500 and you start to get that knot in your stomach and you're like, ‘OK, what are we going to talk about today?' And so, unfortunately you don't see some of the same appreciation for that across the board. So how do we deal with it? The best thing that we deal with it is that that's where the buck stops. We don't pass it down to our people. So after I got the call from him, I didn't call back to the squadron. I got the call from him. We went through the call, we answered the questions, and I didn't then immediately turn around and call back to my ops officer who was running the Squadron at the time, and say, XYZ. And we just left it there, because at that point in time, the bucks got to stop it at that point. So I think that that's kind of the, you know, the alpha and the omega of learning and then also having your own personal resilience and courage to say, ‘I accept that the buck stops here, and I'm not going to let this roll downhill to my people.'   Naviere Walkewicz  29:41 That's an excellent leadership lesson, because I was going to ask you, ‘What does that look like, and how would you how would you handle that?' And so you went right into that. Thank you so much for that. So what has it been like leading security forces — defenders? What's it been like? Has there been a moment in time where — a particular assignment or something's really stuck into your mind or into your heart, because it's just really affected you?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  30:05 Absolutely. I will tell you, as we go back, as we were kind of talking about decisions that you make in your youth, and that critical decision that I made in the fall of '94 I mean, I have worked with some of the most amazing people I've worked in my life. I have gotten a chance to go to places I never thought that I would see. And so, when you kind of roll up, I would say it was my final squadron command, and I would say that that was a real culminating squadron command. So I commanded four squadrons, and we command early, and we command often, and there's a lot of responsibility that that's placed on us as young officers to command as a young officer. And so having the opportunity to command two times as a captain, or one time, you know, as a major-select, then as a major, then as a lieutenant colonel. So that culminating command would have been Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan in May of 2012 to May of 2013 and you know, it was interesting because all of my previous squadron commands had all been vested in either the contingency response or the kind of combat contingency environments. And it was almost like all of those were leading me to this moment. So let me just kind of set the conditions on what Bagram was like at that point in time. We had grown the squadron to about a 1,200-person squadron, huge squadron. And what we were also responsible for is we had taken over battle space ownership from the Army. So the Air Force was controlling 220 square miles of battle space throughout Parwan province, which is a huge. I mean, it's twice the size of Washington, D.C., if you want to try to give a comparison, more or less is fair to look at that level as just a huge amount of terrain in which our airmen were responsible from everything from humanitarian operations and goodwill outreach to engagements to literal kinetic action and combat in the battle space. And so a part of this culmination was, was an environment where as the defense force commander — as that squadron commander to them as a lieutenant colonel at that point — I mean how we are weaving ourselves into their lives, and how we are working with their section commanders, and how we're working and managing the value of our perimeter defenses with our teams that were going outside of the wire doing legitimate patrolling and engagement and things along those lines, was huge. And I think that that is an example. And when you look in the rearview mirror to say, ‘Gosh, now this, a lot of this makes sense, like all of these assignments, whether by design or whether by fate, somehow gave me an experience that at this moment, I needed it most.' And I think, as I talk, we've really enjoyed being here with the cadets and talking to them about, how does a leader really develop trust, and how does trust really manifest itself? And so, through the time that we were there, and the engagement as their leader — not just the leader who's just simply circulating, because that's important, but they also need to see your decision making and your strategic thought. And how do you react under pressure? How are you reacting as we've got incoming in, and what do you do being the person in the joint defense operations center, helping to manage that, and how are you both taking care of people, and how are you managing mission? And they see that. And so I would say that the development of that level of trust, especially in an environment where you are literally dealing with high costs, is huge. And so I think there was one, situation that really rests on my heart that and I don't talk about this to give validation, but I think I talk about it on it's about how people connect, and why do I feel so strongly that leadership is a human experience, like this is a what we are doing as a human experience. And so I was retiring my chief. So I was asked by my chief at Bagram — this was some years later. He's out of the 105th Base Defense Squadron out of the New York Air National Guard, and him and I were a phenomenal team there. Dave Pritchard and I just made a great team. And so he was retiring, and asked me to come back and do his retirement. So we had done the retirement ceremony. We were at the VFW afterwards, having his after-party and so forth. And so I had gone into the bathroom for a comfort break and washed my hands and things like that. And I noticed, as I was kind of moving towards the bathroom, there was kind of a young man who was kind of floating. You know, floating around. And so I came out of the restroom as I was finished, and he was waiting there at the exit of the restroom for me, and kind of, you know, got in front of me, and he stood there, and he looked at me, and he goes, ‘Hey, sir, I just, I needed to let you know this, that I was one of the airmen in one of your patrols that got hit by an IED, and he said, your investment in us, and the words that you used and when you came to talk to us, and the faith that you had in us gave me the courage to go back outside of the wire when you asked us to go back outside.' And so why that rests so heavy is when you think about what, what is the what is the con? The consequence there is that somebody believed in you so much that when you spoke to them and said the word, they were going to go back out and do it again, in spite of what had just happened to you. And I don't think there is any stronger level of trust that you can ask from somebody than to have one of those moments. And so that moment just resides very, very heavy on my soul, because I think it puts into real, tangible context, what is the responsibility of leadership? What is your responsibility of leadership?   Naviere Walkewicz  36:42 I'm letting that sit a little bit, because I can't even imagine the amount of feeling that you had first for him, the courage to share that with you. Because I'm sure that he really wanted to share that. I'm curious if you can remember perhaps, what he might have been referring to, like what you were sharing with the men and women there.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  37:02 So, you know, it was also a part of things that, in times after Bagram have really been used for me as a senior leader on why I reinforced the importance of values. And, this was one particular incident there that really comes to mind is, and I use this when I when I talk to people, because I again, it's the consequence, and it's why our responsibility as leaders to set the right conditions and culture and all of that is so incredibly valuable. And so I talked to people about a story about we had had a situation where we had some real destabilization in the battle space. There was a particular village that we were having some unique challenges with, and we were doing a lot of kind of battlefield shaping, and we were doing some particular village engagement, and the engagement just wasn't happening. And so we were now kind of starting to escalate our interaction with the village a little bit more and as we were doing that, we were now going to start doing more shaping operations. So it just so happens that one of these nights —this was in the late fall, early winter of 2012 — and we were sending one of our patrols outside to do some shaping and engagement operation there. But this was in the evening. This was a different aspect that we were working for this particular mission. And so mounted up that the airmen are ready to go. They're pushing outside, they're right on time, and everything is going according to plan, and they are getting close to what we call the objective rally point. So that was where they were going to rally up before they actually moved into the village after that. And so everything was going according to plan. And the only thing they needed to do before they got to the objective rally point was really kind of go down a small gully over a rise, and then they meet at their objective rally point at that point. And so teams are moving out. First truck over the rise, getting to the point. Second truck over, everything's going fine. Third truck over, fourth truck after that, BOOM, off goes the IED. And what had happened is, they were waiting for this opportunity, and they knew exactly what to do. And that is, if you hit the last truck in the movement, you've got three trucks that are gone ahead of time, and now we've got folks in a very precarious situation. And so what I talk to people about, when we talk about conditions and the real impact that a leader has, is I'll talk to them about who was in that truck, who was in that MRAP that we were sending down at that point in time. And inside that MRAP was the face of America. And the explosion was significant, and it did some considerable damage. It threw the engine out of it, penetrated the hole, ripped one of the doors off the side in the front. And so, you know, the truck commander was National Guard from, actually from Tennessee, and he had gotten injured, broken an arm because that door had peeled back. And as the door peeled back, his arm got caught and broke his arm. The driver, Asian American coming out of the state of California, active duty. He had injuries to his legs because of the penetration of the hole. We had a gunner up in the turret, African American female from the New York Air National Guard. She had a broken pelvis at the time, and she just stayed on the gun the entire time despite her injuries. We had our radio operator. European American female coming from the Midwest. She was actually Air Force Reserve. She had a case of TBI from the explosion, and she was still making calls on the radio. We had two of our riflemen in the back, both came from Hispanic heritage, one of them from Puerto Rican heritage, one of them from Mexican heritage. They were very fortunate that while they got tossed around the back and had some minor TBI issues, they were more or less bumps and bruises, and they were all by themselves. Yeah, because they were all alone, they were in the middle of Afghanistan, they had just gotten hit. And so for me, what's so important about that story is that if we did not set the right culture and the right values and the right expectations and be in a leader by example, and they were harassing each other on Bagram, and they were assaulting each other on Bagram, and they weren't respecting each other on Bagram, and they didn't care about each other on Bagram, they would have died out there that night. But they treated each other like a family, and they cared about each other like a family, and they took care of each other like a family that night, and they lived and they all came home. So for me, if we're going to talk about what is the true consequence of leadership — and I use consequence deliberately, because oftentimes that's used in a pejorative manner — but this is the true result of your actions, that if you don't set those conditions, then you are legitimately putting your people at risk. And so that whole experience at Bagram, and in so many ways that we all carry our scars and our bruises and things like that. I wouldn't trade that experience for the world, but that was tough. And I often describe it as a tale of two cities. You know, it was the best of times. It was the worst of times.   Naviere Walkewicz  42:34 I think a lot of times, when leaders go through experiences like that, they have some more fortunate than others, but a support network. And I would guess it would be your family. How has your family played a role in these moments in your life, in helping you as a leader?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  42:54 So I will say it's primarily my wife. I have got this wonderful support of parents and my in-laws and so forth. And what's been truly fortunate is how close I am with my in-laws. Because when Laurie and I were dating while I was a cadet, anytime I had an overnight or weekend pass, I was over at her mom and dad's house and so I think that being married to somebody that has truly known you from the beginning, you know, where, whether we got a training weekend going on, or something like that, or I'm working first BCT or whatnot, that Laurie was a unique part of all of these things. And I would say that it has been incredibly heartwarming to watch her interact with the cadets here, because it's fun, because her and I do everything together. And so as we're going to events, I'll have a group of cadets that I'm talking to, and then I'll look over and Laurie's surrounded by a group of cadets who are asking her just very insightful questions about our experiences together, and ‘Was it tough sending them away on deployments?' Or how, you know, in those tough times, ‘How do you how do you keep your marriage together?' Just really insightful questions to ask, but she has just been so central to everything that I do. And so going back a little bit and talking about, like the strength of our relationship and how much that helps, we actually needed to have that breakup period as horribly painful as that was, and wow, was I carrying a torch for her all of those years. I mean, I remember, you know, as time was going by, I would talk to my mom, and I'd be like, ‘Mom, I just wish that Laurie could see the man that I become.' But we needed that time because oftentimes, and what we found in ourselves, we didn't know it at the time, because you're living in your environment and you can't see it, right? Is that in youth, things are often absolutes. And you often will get to a place where you're starting your marriage, your relationship is growing. And if you start to talk about marriage, there are things that we have found were absolutes for us. You know, certain things that we did, how we practiced our faith. Did we open up presents on Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, but the expectation was somebody was going to have to give up their particular tradition to conform to the tradition of one of the spouses. And in your youth, that seems reasonable, and I think we needed that time to be apart, having had that time together at such an important time in each of our lives here. But we needed that time apart, because I think we needed that frame of reference as we grew as people into adults. Grew as young adults. And now all of a sudden here I'm getting multiple assignments, and now being thrust into leadership positions with accountability and authority, and then coming back to that, all of a sudden, you're realizing, ‘Gosh, the world just isn't always in absolutes. And maybe a marriage doesn't have to be zero sum, but maybe a marriage can be positive sum.' And do we really have to make somebody give up something that is important to them, that is a part of their identity? Because somehow you feel like you have to conform your marriage into one side or the other. And so, I think for us that was that was so incredibly important. So to kind of get to that story is that, you know, I left Aviano and I went to Al Dhafra. I was in Al Dhafra actually for September 11. It was my first squadron command, but it was a squadron command I wasn't expecting, because I came there as a chief of security forces for about a 70-person security forces flight as a part of the 763rd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron at Al Dhafra. And then all of a sudden, 9/11 happens, and we went from about 400 people on Al Dhafra to about 4,000. And you know, U-2s came in, ISR platforms came in. Everything changed. And all of a sudden, this 70-person security forces flight that I had grew into about a 350-person security forces squadron. And AFSET said, ‘Hey, Sherman, you built it, you keep it, and we'll replace you with a major when you leave.' And I was a six-year captain, and so then finishing up that assignment, and I got picked up for — there was a point to that story — but it was about coming back, is that, hey, I got these new, unique experiences that grew me under my belt. And then I came back to do an AFIT program at Cal State San Bernardino. And that was the moment that brought Laurie and I back together.   Naviere Walkewicz  In what way?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN And so, I had a health scare. Nobody knows what it was. We never figured it out. Doctors never figured it out. But it was one of those things, like, all of a sudden, I shotgun something out to everybody I knew. I said, ‘Hey, doctors are a little bit concerned, you know, keep me in your thoughts.' And so Laurie, Laurie is like, ‘Holy cow, you can't just send a one liner and leave it at that.' So she called my mom and dad and said, ‘What's his phone number?' And so it started to turn into ‘Hey, give me all of your test results after you get it back.' Then pretty soon we're talking a couple times a week, and then pretty soon we're talking every other day, and then we are talking every day. And the beauty of this was that we already knew each other, so we already knew what everybody's favorite color was — by the way, Laurie's is purple. We knew what music each other liked. We knew things about each other. And some of the things that actually drew us together when we were dating here was, you know, we had things like some common family traditions, like, you know, Italian fish on Christmas Eve and sitting around the table for hours and stuff like that were all things that we had in common. So we already knew that about each other. Now, her and I on the phone, we're getting into some real, like substantive discussions, children, faith. How do you how you raise children? How do you know, what are we going to do for different traditions? What happens if I have to take a remote; what does that mean? And so we were getting into these really, deep conversations. And, you know, I would come back from either class or then when I PCs to the security forces center out at Lackland, you know, I would come home from work, and this was in the old flip phone days where you had a battery that came off the back. So I would have one battery in the charger, and then I would have an earbud in, and I'd have the phone in my pocket. Yeah, and I'd come home and to call her, and we would just go throughout the evening. So I'm ironing BDUs at the time, shining my boots and stuff like that, and so, and we were just talking. And then we were just kind of like living life together. And, after that point, it became very clear that those two young people who sincerely cared about each other, now, each of us grew up and had experiences in a place that allowed us to really appreciate each other and really love each other. And you know, we were married just a little over a year after that. And it has been phenomenal, her support. And I think one of the great testaments to that was, 10 days after we got married, I went to Baghdad, but she's like, ‘I grew up in the Air Force. I know how this works. We're gonna move the house. I'll get the house put together.' And she's also a professional in her own right, which is great. So she was working in a legal office here as a paralegal and legal assistant here in Colorado Springs, and has been a GS employee for the last 18-plus years. So what's great is she, too has her own aspect of service. What I love about it is that in the jobs that she's in and then the jobs that I'm in, we can talk shop, and then we cannot talk shop, right? And so she's the first person I go to if I have to ask a question, she's the first person that I'll go to say, ‘Hey, did I do that right? Or do I need to backtrack on that a little bit?' Because she knows me, and she knows me completely, and that level of trust and love and faith that we have for each other has truly enabled me to be able to serve our airmen on a level that I don't think would have been possible without her.   Naviere Walkewicz  51:59 Would you say that she's had a role in your development as a leader, in the way that you lead.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  52:05 Oh, absolutely, absolutely, because, and I love it, because her experience as a brat and her dad as a chief gives her a very unique lens to look through. And so the advice that she gives me she can give me from her teenage self in some way, you know, from that experience, watching how her dad interacted with something or knowing her aspect about this. And then as she's developed professionally, working on the E-Ring at the Pentagon a couple different times, working for very senior leaders, knows how to navigate that space. So then I'll go to her for advice, like, ‘Hey, how did your boss handle something like this?' ‘Well, let me tell you what, how we work through this...' And so I would absolutely say that that Laurie has uniquely influenced and helped me to become the best version of myself that I can be.   Naviere Walkewicz  53:03 Wow. Well, I want to ask you a little bit about developing yourself as well, because one of the questions we like to ask is, what are you doing every day to make yourself a better leader? Can you share what that might be?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  53:17 I've said it a couple times during this: I truly believe that leadership is a human experience, so for me, it's about the interaction. And so oftentimes, advice that I've given to people — like there are amazing resources abound that can help people, give people leadership perspectives, and we can either learn it from history, or we can learn it through study. We can learn it through analysis. We can learn it through books. And I've always talked to people about use the external tools that help to grow you, but make sure that you're using it to influence the personality that you already have. Because oftentimes what happens is, is that people will have this really strong desire to say, “OK, I want to make sure that I do this right. And so in doing this right, let me make sure I've got my checklist, and so I'm going to greet them, I'm going to ask them how their family is, I'm going to ask them if the kid did all right in the baseball game. And I'm going to go through my checklist, and if I do that, I fulfill my leadership obligation.' Now not everybody does, and I'm making generalities on but, but I think that there can oftentimes be the allure that when you are focusing on what may be the theory or the principle of the day, and not using it to supplement and grow and mature your personality, that there is a strong allure to want to wholesale replicate what it was that you learned, and you're doing it in a noble place. It's not nefarious. It's being done in a noble, genuine place. But there's that allure to say, ‘OK, good, I really like what I've learned. I'm going to do these things and step through.' And so why I talk so much about the experience, and why I talk so much about the interaction, is that the more that you know the people that you may be influencing by just simply being there and understanding what that means. It means you're eternalizing the value of your presence. You're listening to their stories, and you're understanding for them, what are the things that are motivating them? What are the things that they value? Because each generation, each environment, each condition is going to require something a little bit different from you, and if you don't take the time to understand your environment or generation or cultural nuances or things like that on where you're at, then you are missing that opportunity to develop trust, where they start to believe in you as a person, and not just the rank and position that you hold, because they'll do the right thing for the rank and position that you hold. That's the caliber of people that we have in this Air Force of ours. They'll do the right thing. But if you transcend that in the fact that they believe in you wholeheartedly and trust you, oftentimes with their own lives, it means that you've invested something into them, where they truly know that you care. And that goes back to that A1C on the cork board that said, ‘I need somebody who cares about me as a person.'   Naviere Walkewicz  56:41 You know, as I think about what you've experienced through your career and the lessons you've learned, both professionally and personally, what would you say to yourself back then that you should be doing back then to get to where you're at now? Because we have listeners that are like, ‘What can I start planting today, that will bloom down the road?'   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  57:03 Absolutely. And so I think if I was to go back and put my arm around Cadet First Class Sherman, I think what I would do is — because it is, it is oftentimes easy to look in the crystal clear mirror of hindsight, right? But I think instead, what I would do is I would put my arm around him and say, ‘Keep following your heart and let the failures happen, because the failures are going to grow and let the stumbles happen and enjoy the triumphs with people and be appreciative for what got you there.' And I think it would be more of the encouragement of like, ‘You have laid out a path for you take the path wherever it goes, the joy, the pain, the triumph, the failure, all of those things, because all of that helps to develop the leader.' And oftentimes you want to go back and say, gosh, if I was going to talk to my previous self, then I would say, ‘Ah, don't do that one thing,' right? But I'm looking at it saying that if I didn't do that one thing, then I'm not sure that I would be where I'm at at a time to make sure I didn't do that thing at a moment that was incredibly catastrophic. And so while we have this desire to want to prevent ourselves from the failure, I think that what we have to do is say you're going to fail and you need to fail, and it's going to sound — relish in the failure, because it is often emotionally troubling, especially those of us that come here because we are Type A perfectionist, and that's part of the draw of coming to this amazing place. Is there a certain personality traits that help us to be successful here, but not all of those personality traits make us uniquely successful in all situations outside, and so you've got to have that failure at some point in time. And the failure that you can get up and say, ‘OK, I did this. This happened. My soul is bruised. My ego is bruised. I may have to take a little bit of accountability for this. OK, now I need to have the courage to take the next step forward again.' Because I could easily retreat back to a safe place, and I could become risk averse, and all that does is hurt the people around you. OK. I have to have the courage to breathe and take the step again and get back in there. So I would tell my — I don't think I would want to prevent myself from doing anything. I think even the growth that took place while Laurie and I were apart — and, like I said, that torch that I carried for her — I think if I had whispered in my ear and said, ‘Hey, just relax, you're gonna marry her.' I think I needed that torch, because that in my own mind and my own emotion was me needing to become a better man, and so I think I needed to go through — like, sometimes you need the struggle, and sometimes the things that are most valuable are the things that you had to go through the struggle for, right? And I think that's where my blue collar ethics background comes in. It's like, I'm just going to roll up my sleeves and I'm going to work through the struggle.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:00:36 Wow. Well, we took a look back. I just want to ask you a question forward. So do you think about legacy? And what do you want your legacy to be? Is that something that plays in your mind as you wake up each morning or go to lead people?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:00:50 I think the way that I look at it is, I look at it in a in a different aspect, and the way that I look at it is in a very confined point to point. It's not about what is going to be Tom Sherman's legacy when he retires someday, but was that interaction that I had with somebody to give them some encouraging words when they fell down, did that matter to them at that moment? Because there are people for me in my failures that were commanders, that were leaders, that were mentors, that were senior enlisted, that, you know, grabbed that lieutenant by the arm and helped to lift me up. And their memories are etched in my fabric. And so I think that it's about that individual event that your legacy will live in the people in which you made a difference to them.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:01:49 Well, I'll share with you, I was telling my son — he's a cadet, a third-class cadet, actually, now he's about to be a C2C — that I was doing this podcast with you, and he said, ‘What an incredible leader, Mom, he motivates me. He's so inspiring.' So your legacy is already through my son—   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:05 Thank you! That means — thank you so much for sharing.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:10 —that you really made an impact. So we're going to get to your final thoughts here in a little bit. But before we do, I want to make sure that you know our podcasts publish on every second Tuesday of the month, and you can certainly listen to Gen. Sherman in any of our other podcasts on longblueleadership.org. So Gen. Sherman, what would you like to leave our listeners with today? This has been incredible, by the way. Thank you.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:32 I have truly enjoyed this, and it's just been — it was just wonderful having the conversation with you, and it's in real honor to be a part of this. I truly believe in what you're doing here.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:02:43 Thank you. It's my pleasure to help share your story and help inspire others. And is there anything we might leave with our listeners that that they can part with tonight?   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:02:51 I think, for me, you need to love what you do and love I think, is one of the most powerful words in language. And I don't just say the English language. I say in language because of the strength behind the meaning and how wide the meaning can be impactful. If you love what you do, people will feel that your very presence will make a difference. They'll feel that if you love what you do, then you're being, you know, internally, inspired by the love that you have for what you're being a part of, right? If you love and care about your people, they will follow you to the ends of the Earth, because they know the passion that you have and the belief that you have in them. So I think that as we go back to these things, we oftentimes look at the terms of courage and love may seem diametrically opposed, and I would attest that you can be most courageous and that your courage will be most effective only when it's buttressed by the love that you have in what you do and who you do it with.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:08 Thank you, sir, for that. Thank you for being on Long Blue Leadership.   MAJ. GEN. SHERMAN  1:04:11 Absolutely. Thank you. This was a wonderful time. It was a real honor.   Naviere Walkewicz  1:04:14 Thank you. Well, until next time, I'm Naviere Walkewicz. We'll see you on Long Blue Leadership.     KEYWORDS Leadership, Air Force Academy, Major General Thomas P. Sherman, mentorship, personal growth, security forces, work-life balance, family support, continuous improvement, legacy       The Long Blue Line Podcast Network is presented by the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation        

【朝日新聞、はじめるなら今】1カ月間無料＋5カ月間月額200円！選挙記事も読み放題。さらに、ニューヨークタイムズの購読権も当たる！※朝ポキはみなさまからの購読料で配信しております…お申し込みはこちら↓↓7月24日締め切りですhttps://digital.asahi.com/pr/cp/2025/smr/?ref=cp2025smr_podcast 【番組内容】専修大教授（政治学）の岡田憲治さんは3年間、PTA会長を務めました。PTAは他者と比較せず、意義があるから活動をする「幸福な不平等」のはずなのに、目の当たりにしたのはみんなで負担を引き継ぐ「不幸の平等」でした。敬遠されがちなPTAとどう向き合ったのでしょうか。岡田さんの姿勢は、社会にも役に立つリーダー論や組織論にもつながってくると分かりました。※2025年6月18日に収録しました。前後編の後編です。前編は＜PTA「言えない」雰囲気破った一言　「ピラミッド」型組織やめた結果…　「変わる！PTA」（前編） #904 ＞です。 【関連リンク】＃ニュース4Uの特集ページ、LINEお友達登録はこちhttps://www.asahi.com/special/n4u/【関連記事】政治学者がPTA会長になってみたら…理不尽さを生む「不幸の平等」 https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST5X2H4KT5XOXIE01DM.html?iref=omnyうっかりPTA会長になった私の1年　活動への思いを言葉にしたら… https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST632K0LT63OXIE041M.html?iref=omny.PTA負担減らしたが、役員は激務に　行き着いた組織からの「解放」https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST5Z10L4T5ZOXIE031M.html?iref=omny.【出演・スタッフ】大蔦幸（ネットワーク報道本部） 丹治翔（ネットワーク報道本部）MC・音源編集　橋本佳奈 【朝ポキ情報】アプリで記者と対話 http://t.asahi.com/won1 交流はdiscord https://bit.ly/asapoki_discord おたよりフォーム https://bit.ly/asapoki_otayori 朝ポキTV https://www.youtube.com/@asapoki_official メルマガ https://bit.ly/asapoki_newsletter 広告ご検討の企業様は http://t.asahi.com/asapokiguide 番組検索ツール https://bit.ly/asapoki_cast 最新情報はX https://bit.ly/asapoki_twitter 番組カレンダー https://bit.ly/asapki_calendar 全話あります公式サイト https://bit.ly/asapoki_lp See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

【朝日新聞、はじめるなら今】1カ月間無料＋5カ月間月額200円！選挙記事も読み放題。さらに、ニューヨークタイムズの購読権も当たる！※朝ポキはみなさまからの購読料で配信しております…お申し込みはこちら↓↓7月24日締め切りですhttps://digital.asahi.com/pr/cp/2025/smr/?ref=cp2025smr_podcast 【番組内容】昨年、変わりつつあるPTAを連載や朝ポキで紹介したところ、「うちも変えようとしている途上です」「同じ同志がいて心強い」などニュース4Uに80件近く様々な反響を頂きました。その中からひょんなことからPTA会長になってしまった人や、「ピラミッド」型だった組織を変えたという、新たな改革をご紹介します。※2025年6月18日に収録しました。前後編の前編です。後編は＜政治学者がPTA会長になってみたら…「不幸の平等」から脱するためには　「変わる！PTA」（後編） #905 ＞です。 【関連リンク】＃ニュース4Uの特集ページ、LINEお友達登録はこちhttps://www.asahi.com/special/n4u/【関連記事】うっかりPTA会長になった私の1年　活動への思いを言葉にしたら… https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST632K0LT63OXIE041M.html?iref=omny.PTA負担減らしたが、役員は激務に　行き着いた組織からの「解放」 https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST5Z10L4T5ZOXIE031M.html?iref=omny 政治学者がPTA会長になってみたら…理不尽さを生む「不幸の平等」 https://www.asahi.com/articles/AST5X2H4KT5XOXIE01DM.html?iref=omny【出演・スタッフ】大蔦幸（ネットワーク報道本部） 丹治翔（ネットワーク報道本部）MC・音源編集　橋本佳奈 【朝ポキ情報】アプリで記者と対話 http://t.asahi.com/won1 交流はdiscord https://bit.ly/asapoki_discord おたよりフォーム https://bit.ly/asapoki_otayori 朝ポキTV https://www.youtube.com/@asapoki_official メルマガ https://bit.ly/asapoki_newsletter 広告ご検討の企業様は http://t.asahi.com/asapokiguide 番組検索ツール https://bit.ly/asapoki_cast 最新情報はX https://bit.ly/asapoki_twitter 番組カレンダー https://bit.ly/asapki_calendar 全話あります公式サイト https://bit.ly/asapoki_lp See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, we're back with PTA's 3rd feature film: 1999's brilliant Magnolia. We talk about this fascinating, original film, and why Tom Cruise rules so much.  Support us on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/doofmedia Follow us on Twitter: @doofmedia See all of our podcasts and more at doofmedia.com! Show Notes: All Magnolia today!

On this episode of the PTA Elevation Podcast, host Dr. Briana Drapp, PT, DPT, PTA, CSCS goes over the important things to know about Stages of Grief and Dying when studying for the NPTE. At the end of this episode, Briana provides and reviews a sample question that helps students get a feel for how this subject will be asked on the NPTE - PTA. Tune in to learn more!Come to the LAST MINUTE REVIEW SESSION! https://ptaelevation.com/last-minute-reviewCheck out our FREE stuff!: https://ptaelevation.com/freebiesWebsite: https://www.ptaelevation.com/Join our FB group for FREE resources to help you study for the exam!  https://www.facebook.com/groups/382310196801103/If you're interested in our prep course, check it out here: https://ptaelevation.com/the-600-plus-systemFollow us on our other platforms! https://www.ptaelevation.com/linktree

Hi Mamas, I today's episode, we're diving into a powerful (and sometimes uncomfortable) topic that every overwhelmed mom needs in her toolkit… how to say NO with confidence, clarity, and kindness. Because here's the truth: When you say no with confidence, you're really saying YES to what matters most… your peace, your time, your family, and your health.

Hi Mamas, If you've ever found yourself reheating the same cup of coffee for the third time—while RSVP-ing “sure, I'll bake 48 gluten-free, dairy-free, unicorn-shaped cupcakes”… today's episode is for you. We're diving into Paulo Coelho's reminder: “When you say ‘yes' to others, make sure you're not saying ‘no' to yourself.” Because every yes comes with an invoice… paid in sleep, sanity, or that bedtime snuggle you promised your kiddo. This week, I'm handing you a tiny, mighty tool called The Empowered Pause so you can protect your time like your toddler guards the last sprinkle donut. In this pep-talk: ✔️ Why defaulting to yes bankrupts your energy account ✔️ The 3-step Empowered Pause (breathe… scan… ask) that keeps guilt in its lane ✔️ How modeling healthy limits teaches our kids that they don't have to do it all ✔️ Real-life boundary scripts you can swipe (straight from my Boundaries Made Simple freebie) ✔️ The truth about “good moms do everything” … and why that voice needs an exit pass

What happens when a PTA president-turned-techie disrupts the nonprofit auction world? You get Roger Devine, co-founder of SchoolAuction.net, a man on a mission to make fundraising events both profitable and meaningful. In this fast-moving conversation with host Julia Patrick, Roger doesn't just talk events—he redefines them.From live auctions and paddle raises to the fine art of keeping silent auctions out of the ballroom, Roger offers a field-tested guide to modern event strategy. “I want to treat a fundraiser as if it is a fundraiser—I expect to make money,” Roger declares. And he means it.But this isn't just about money—it's about momentum. Events aren't just financial tools; they're culture-building machines. Roger explains how strategic gatherings can cultivate younger donors, lift staff morale, recognize unsung heroes (like teachers and mission staff), and pull entire communities back into connection after years of distraction.He makes a compelling case for fixed-price purchases (think raffles, gift cards, and sign-up parties), lowering barriers to entry, and offering dignity and opportunity to every guest—whether they're dropping $25 or $25,000.Oh, and about those paddle raises? Roger's advice is clear: don't wing it with your local news anchor. A trained benefit auctioneer is essential—not just for showmanship, but because they can drive up to 50% of your total event revenue. Skip this at your peril.Watch and you'll also learn:·        How hybrid and virtual fundraising have evolved (spoiler: most aren't fun anymore)·        How to smartly integrate consignment travel packages (hint: only if Bob Bigshot's coming)·        Why accessibility matters—and how a volunteer ticket swap can make all the differenceWhether you're planning your first gala or overhauling your tenth, this episode will shake up your thinking. Because fundraising events shouldn't be a chaotic night of stress—they should be joyful, purposeful, and yes, wildly effective!Join the ongoing conversation at #TheNonprofitShow 00:00:00 Welcome and guest introduction 00:01:26 How a PTA president became a tech founder 00:03:12 Pandemic event trends and hybrid strategies 00:04:43 Events must be profitable—not break-even 00:05:49 Events as morale boosters and donor reminders 00:06:33 Cultivating younger donors through events 00:07:48 Small orgs teaching big ones how it's done 00:09:00 Recognizing mission-driven staff at events 00:13:01 Accessibility tips: pricing, swaps, fixed-price options 00:15:55 Paddle raise strategy and auctioneer ROI 00:19:10 Why virtual paddle raises have fizzled 00:21:07 Make live elements event-exclusive for maximum impact 00:22:24 What are sign-up parties and why they work 00:26:12 The pros and cons of consignment auction items #EventFundraising #FundraisingAuctionsFind us Live daily on YouTube!Find us Live daily on LinkedIn!Find us Live daily on X: @Nonprofit_ShowOur national co-hosts and amazing guests discuss management, money and missions of nonprofits! 12:30pm ET 11:30am CT 10:30am MT 9:30am PTSend us your ideas for Show Guests or Topics: HelpDesk@AmericanNonprofitAcademy.comVisit us on the web:The Nonprofit Show

Hard Eight is a gambler's gambling movie, a riveting neo-noir and the first episode in our PTA rewatch series, Boogie Mikes. Hard Eight stars John C. Reilly, Gwyneth Paltrow, Samuel L. Jackson and Philip Baker Hall, and it premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival from director Paul Thomas Anderson. NON-SPOILER FILM STUDY OF HARD EIGHT: PTA Bio + Movie Intro - 1:58 Expectations, Historical Significance & Non-Spoiler Story Thoughts - 10:37 Review of the Performances - 13:32 Review of the Production Values - 18:54 “Courage, Bob. Courage.” Final Sales Pitch - 23:50 SPOILER WARNING - 26:02 SPOILER FILLED REVIEW SECTIONS: Carryovers re: Gambling - 26:50 Why This Plot Is So PTA - 29:10 The Themes of the Film - 33:59 That Ending - 38:28 Worst Scenes - 41:54 More Best Scenes - 49:35 Final Thoughts & Grades - 57:40 OUTRO: Boogie Nights will be the next episode in this series, and we'll release these Boogie Mikes episodes every few weeks before One Battle After Another. We have a Superman (1978) Retrospective film study for you soon. Plus, there are more Oscar Race Checkpoints and Oscar Profile Movie Reviews yet to come. As for the words of wisdom, we have one final debate in the outro about one final famous quote from Hard Eight in “Never ignore a man's courtesy.” Well, should you?? https://linktr.ee/mikemikeandoscar

What if the most important part of your retirement plan had nothing to do with your 401(k), IRA, or stock portfolio? In this episode of The Stacking Benjamins Show, Joe Saul-Sehy and OG are joined by filmmakers Pete Davis and Rebecca Davis, creators of the thought-provoking documentary Join or Die. They explore how community connection, not cash, may be the ultimate retirement strategy. Drawing inspiration from the late political scientist Robert Putnam (Bowling Alone), the Davises reveal why joining groups—book clubs, church choirs, rec leagues, neighborhood associations—might be more essential to your long-term well-being than your asset allocation. Together with Joe and OG, they unpack the data behind social decline, the healing power of showing up, and what the film Join or Die teaches us about leading a richer life beyond the numbers. Of course, Mom's Neighbor Doug pops in with trivia that proves he belongs (at least to this show). Whether you're on the path to retirement or simply looking for deeper purpose, this episode will make you think differently about how you stack your most valuable resource: time. Why joining a club may be just as critical to retirement as saving for it What Join or Die reveals about America's shrinking social networks How loneliness affects physical and financial health—and how to fight it Why your “portfolio of community” might be the highest-yield investment you ever make Ways to build meaningful connections now—even if you don't feel like a “joiner” Pete and Rebecca Davis share behind-the-scenes stories from making Join or Die Joe and OG reflect on what gives life meaning after the 9-to-5 ends Surprising data on the link between social capital and financial confidence Doug delivers a trivia challenge about famous clubs (and less-famous neighbors)

"Help!!  I failed the NPTE!!  What do I do next?!" Find it all out in the podcast!  Be prepared for the NPTE so that you can pass with flying colors! Check out www.ptfinalexam.com/podcast for more information and to stay up-to-date with our latest courses and projects.  #Npte #PT #ptboards #crushtheNPTE #study #studygram #spt #ptstudent #ptlife #sptprobs #physicaltherapystudent #physicaltherapy #physio #physiotherapist #ptlife #ptstudentstudy

Azin Radsan Van Alebeek is a co-founder and managing partner at Emmeline Ventures. This early-stage fund invests in and supports female-led start-ups in tech-enabled, FemTech, FinTech, and Sustainability sectors. With over 30 years of experience as an executive and board-level advisor, she leverages her strategic planning and coaching skills to help entrepreneurs scale their businesses, achieve their goals, and create returns for investors. Azin is passionate about empowering women to achieve financial sovereignty and make a positive impact in the world. She volunteers regularly to mentor other women on financial literacy, angel investing, and playing big.   In today's episode, Azin shares how an invitation to do something she knew little about led to betting on herself and ultimately becoming an investor in women's health, wealth, and overall well-being. Azin breaks down her role as Co-founder of Emmeline Ventures and the firm's focus on improving women's lives. She describes the meandering journey that took her career from consultant to PTA leadership to firm partner. Azin offers a digestible overview of venture capital, helping us identify who can benefit from VC support and who is better off without it. Check out Emmeline Venture's website and the resources Azin mentioned: I Relaunch, Golden Seeds, Portfolia, How Women Invest, and Show Her the Money. Follow on Instagram: @azinradvan. Please follow us at @thisislibertyroad on Instagram; we want to share and connect with you and hear your thoughts and comments. Please rate and review this podcast. It helps to know if these conversations inspire and equip you to consider your possibilities and lean into your future with intention.

This week, we're diving into a topic that lights up headlines and online comment sections like a Molotov cocktail at a PTA meeting: the female teacher–male student “affair.” You know the story—attractive thirty-something educator, underaged male student, and a society that somehow treats it like a subplot in a teen comedy instead of a felony. But we're not just here for the tabloid trash—we're also unpacking some real data. We reviewed a research article exploring how gender affects public perceptions of culpability and victimhood in student-teacher sexual relationships.

Jessica and Darren Salquist invite you to redefine success in this episode. That is where it all starts. You first. Be the HERO you can be, for YOU.In this episode of Next Level, we explore how preparation, discipline, and consistency shape true success. Inspired by the idea that “success is where preparation and opportunity meet,” we walk through the steps of creating your own Success Checklist, starting with intentional habits and ending with sustainable personal growth.We break down what it really means to prepare: not just for the short-term wins, but for the long game. Through stories like Darren's experience tackling the Spartan Beast, we highlight how mindset shifts, strategy, and self-discipline fuel lasting transformation. You'll also learn practical tools—like the Pomodoro Technique and the Pareto Principle—that help you stay focused and prioritize what matters most.With the powerful concept of the “three cups”—energy, work, and love—we dive into how personal vitality fuels every other part of your life. When you show up fully for yourself, you're equipped to give more to your goals, your relationships, and your future.If you're ready to stop chasing success and start creating it, this episode is your invitation to take the first step. Good vibes only—let's get to work.For more information on what we love doing, workshops, public speaking, and coaching, follow us and inquire here.Contact Darren Salquist at ⁠⁠nextleveltcoaching@gmail.com⁠⁠ for more information on the CoreFit Wellness Academy. Follow Darren Salquist, Life Changer, Self-Mastery + Heroic Performance Coach, PTA, and Personal TrainerIG: @salquid ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/salquid/⁠⁠Linkedin ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/darren-salquist-3836b770/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/darren.salquist?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Follow Jessica Salquist, Life Changer, Nationally Board Certified Reflexologist, Heroic Performance Coach, and Executive LeaderIG: @reflexologyjedi ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/reflexologyjedi/⁠⁠Linkedin: ⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-salquist-46b07772/⁠⁠FB: ⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/salquistjessica?mibextid=LQQJ4d⁠⁠Find us both on IG @nextlevelreflexologycoaching ⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/nextlevelreflexologycoaching⁠⁠Wellness + Coaching — Next Level Coaching and ReflexologyWebsite: ⁠⁠www.nextleveltransformationalcoaching.com⁠⁠ Check out Heroic.us to enroll in a coaching program and be part of an amazing community.Buy the book Arete here: ⁠⁠https://a.co/d/ctXhK7A⁠⁠ (on Amazon)

“Delicious, decadent, and utterly diabolical. No one serves up a scandal like Asha Elias,” writes author Kirsten Miller about this writer, mother, and reluctant socialite. Asha's acclaimed debut novel, Pink Glass Houses, is a seductive social satire about the wealthy PTA moms of an elite elementary school in Miami Beach. We read it and loved it. Her much-anticipated second novel, The Namaste Club is another delicious page-turner about rich people behaving badly, set among the wellness industrial complex, rich ladies doing yoga, and all things fabulous and Florida. It drops next month with a third in the pipeline as part of a multi-book deal with HarperCollins. Asha graduated from the University of Miami with a degree in print journalism then, fresh out of college, landed at Ocean Drive Magazine, where she spent a decade in ad sales and promotion, becoming intimately familiar with the crazy underbelly of the singular South Beach scene. During this time she became an accomplished yogi. When her first child arrived, Asha opted to be a stay-at-home mom for a few years. Until the lifelong itch to write her first novel became too strong to ignore. Asha has contributed to Cosmopolitan magazine and is currently the sex and dating columnist for Miami New Times. She lives with her family in Miami Beach, Florida.Have a Swan Dive to share? Text us!We are always looking for Swan Dive Stories to share so hit us up, send an e mail to Ron: Ron@artbikesjax.com or Stu: Stuart@stuartsheldon.com

HAPPY FRIDAY THE 13th, Creeps! It's Episode 87: BRING HER BACK (2025)! As long it's not back to school amiright?? We talk Final Destination Summer, Maycember, Harry Potter and the PTA, Kids' menus, tactics for quickly repairing a parenting fumble, Australian cantaloupe, psycho biddies, creepy pasta, and SO much more!

Do you want to have the most effective strategies for the NPTE? Find it all out in the podcast!  Be prepared for the NPTE so that you can pass with flying colors! Check out www.ptfinalexam.com/podcast for more information and to stay up-to-date with our latest courses and projects.  #Npte #PT #ptboards #crushtheNPTE #study #studygram #spt #ptstudent #ptlife #sptprobs #physicaltherapystudent #physicaltherapy #physio #physiotherapist #ptlife #ptstudentstudy

Welcome to Who Are These Guys? (WATG?) - where suburban nostalgia meets blunt-force sarcasm. In this episode, we autopsy the social scene and ask the hard-hitting question: When did hanging out die - and why was the wake at a strip mall Chipotle?From tales of pantsing gone wrong (or right?) to parenting pitfalls, overscheduled kids, dead social lives, AI girlfriends, and suburban existential dread, we meander through it all like three guys lost in a Target parking lot arguing over directions.You'll laugh. You'll cringe. You'll maybe even question your commitment to PTA meetings and juice box culture. This one's a ride.Timestamps:[00:00] Intro  [05:23] Pantsing, Frost Valley, and Childhood Degeneracy  [12:47] Suburban Parenting Overload & The Death of Hanging Out  [24:15] All-American Rejects, AI Girlfriends, and Digital Pimping  [30:55] Outro (Plus: Sound Baths & the Rise of the Cold Plunge Cult)

Have you ever recorded minutes for a meeting? Whether you were taking notes at work or for a volunteer organization, such as the PTA at your child's school, taking minutes and reporting on them at a follow-up meeting is an important responsibility.What ideas were discussed?How were those ideas followed up on?Who, including yourself, agreed to complete certain tasks before the next meeting? And were those tasks completed on time, and correctly? Recording minutes looks pretty mundane from the outside, but this person ultimately holds colleagues accountable to their responsibilities.If someone was taking minutes on your life, what would those minutes say about you?Romans 14:12 says, “So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.”In this verse, Paul isn't talking about salvation; when you've given your heart to the Lord, He offers forgiveness and salvation freely. We can't earn or lose God's promise of eternal life for us. Salvation is a gift.Paul is talking about the judgment seat of Christ—a moment at the end of time when we will be accountable to Jesus for our actions. Did we create lasting value? Did we serve Him, and others, well? Were we ultimately responsible during our lifetime?As believers, our goal should be to leave lasting value, to impact others for eternity, and ultimately to take responsibility for the legacy we are leaving in the name of Jesus.A godly man is responsible.Let's pray.Lord, along with the gift of salvation comes the incredible responsibility of sharing the Good News with others. Thank you for loving us enough to sacrifice yourself for us, and for the gift of salvation. Help us each to be responsible for sharing that gift with others. We love you. In Jesus' name, amen. Change your shirt, and you can change the world! Save 15% Off your entire purchase of faith-based apparel + gifts at Kerusso.com with code KDD15.

We were admittedly a bit dubious going into this pairing, which was spoken into existence by writer-director Andrew DeYoung invoking THE MASTER when describing his new Tim Robinson/Paul Rudd comedy FRIENDSHIP, but it's not the stretch we thought it would be. In fact, Paul Thomas Anderson's discomfiting psychological drama proves such an interesting lens through which to view FRIENDSHIP's discomfiting absurdist comedy that we move into Connections early, to discuss how each of these two films about lonely men at odds with their own reality bucks convention, not only in terms of narrative and character, but in style and structure as well. Then in Your Next Picture Show we give a glimpse of the episode that could have been if we had chosen the PTA film we went into FRIENDSHIP expecting to be reminded of (and still kind of were): PUNCH-DRUNK LOVE. Please share your thoughts about THE MASTER, FRIENDSHIP, or anything else in the world of film, by sending an email or voice memo to comments@nextpictureshow.net, or leaving a short voicemail at (773) 234-9730. Next Pairing: Alex Ross Perry's PAVEMENTS and Todd Haynes' I'M NOT THERE Intro: 00:00:00-00:01:57 Friendship discussion: 00:01:57-00:16:17 Friendship/The Master Connections: 00:16:17-00:48:01 Your Next Picture Show: 00:48:01-00:51:22 Next episode preview and goodbyes: 00:51:22-end Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Hi Mamas, In this week's episode, I open up about one of the most overlooked but emotionally loaded challenges of working mom life: making new friends as an adult. If you've ever felt like everyone already has their circle... or you've wondered, “How do I even begin to build real friendships at this stage of life?” …you are not alone. From juggling work deadlines, school drop-offs, and never-ending laundry to managing social anxiety and feeling awkward at PTA events, adult friendship often feels like something reserved for another life phase… one we're too busy to revisit. I share.. My personal story of struggling with connection after moving to a new town The invisible walls we build as busy moms (and how to take them down) How friendship ties directly into mental health, work-life balance, and your overall happiness A breakdown of why adult friendship is so difficult… from logistics and vulnerability to unrealistic expectations 10 practical tips to find, build, and nurture meaningful friendships… without needing hours of free time or superhuman energy You'll also learn: How to use Facebook groups and community events to find like-minded moms near you The mindset shift that changes everything when it comes to putting yourself out there Why you don't need a giant friend group—just a few soul-filling connections What it looks like to be brave enough to go first, even when you feel like the outsider Whether you're new in town, starting a new season, or just tired of doing life without your people… this episode is your reminder that you're worthy of deep, life-giving friendships, and that it's not too late to find them. Feeling encouraged by today's episode?

It’s time to put Teddi in the hot seat! Do the Two Ts give off PTA mom energy? What did ChatGPT have to say about her infamous photo with her dad? Plus, should we roast our friends next? Kyle? Rinna?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.