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Clarity doesn't come from doing more - it comes from being aligned.Continuing the Permission Series, Bobbi Brinkman explores why hustle, urgency, and constant motion often cloud clarity rather than create it.In this episode, Bobbi challenges the belief that clarity is something we earn through effort or productivity. Instead, she invites listeners to consider how misalignment, not lack of discipline, is often the real reason things feel unclear or stuck.This conversation reframes clarity as a byproduct of alignment: when values, energy, and choices are in sync, the next step becomes easier to see without forcing it.If you've been pushing for answers, overthinking decisions, or feeling frustrated by a lack of direction, this episode offers permission to pause and reconnect before pushing forward.Let's keep the FABBO convo going, send me a text!Support the showThank you for being a FABBO listener and supporting the Be Fabbo Podcast

You're clear on what you want, so why aren't you getting it?There's a painful in-between many of us find ourselves in: knowing what we want, and still not receiving it.In this episode of Codependency Alchemy, I revisit a simple but powerful analogy (we're going to the ice cream shop) to explore why clarity alone isn't always enough, and how settling for what doesn't truly align can keep us stuck in relationships, jobs, or situations that drain us.This is a conversation about discernment, self-trust, and learning how to stop accepting “vanilla” when your body is asking for chocolate.What you'll learn in this episode…* Why knowing what you want doesn't always lead to getting it* How settling sends mixed signals to yourself (and the Universe)* Why impatience and unworthiness keep us stuck* How to stop accepting what you don't actually wantThis episode is for you if…* You're clear on what you want but keep getting something else* You struggle with settling out of fear or impatience* You're practicing discernment in relationships or work* You're healing codependency or the mother woundYour invitation…I invite you to think about what your “chocolate ice cream” is. You might consider this as the type of relationship, job, or home you wish to have.What is your chocolate ice cream?Remember, try to get as specific as you can. Ask yourself:How do I desire to feel? What do I value? In a relationship? In a job? In a home?If this episode resonates, you're invited to continue these conversations inside the Codependency Alchemy membership— a space where we practice witnessing the parts of us we neglect, or reject, building safety in our bodies through nervous system and somatic work, and generational healing together.Click here to join or learn moreSubscribe over on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alyssaaazander.substack.com/subscribe

Being busy doesn't always mean you're moving forward.As part of the Permission Series, Bobbi Brinkman explores why busyness is often mistaken for progress — and how constant motion can quietly disconnect us from clarity, alignment, and meaningful growth.In this episode, Bobbi invites listeners to examine the difference between activity and intention, and why doing more doesn't always create better results. She reframes busyness as information rather than validation, offering a more grounded way to assess what's actually moving the needle.This conversation isn't about productivity tips or optimizing your schedule. It's about noticing where effort has replaced alignment — and how slowing down can create space for real progress to emerge.If your calendar feels full but forward momentum feels unclear, this episode offers permission to pause and reassess what progress really looks like in this season.If you feel some 1:1 Coaching can serve you where you are, let's chat!Let's keep the FABBO convo going, send me a text!Support the showThank you for being a FABBO listener and supporting the Be Fabbo Podcast

Not everything that moves you forward is meant to drain you.As part of the Permission Series, Bobbi Brinkman invites listeners to shift their focus from what exhausts them to what actually sustains them.In this episode, Bobbi explores the difference between building from depletion and building from fuel and why energy awareness is one of the most overlooked elements of sustainable growth.Rather than encouraging listeners to eliminate everything that feels hard, this conversation offers a more grounded reframe: clarity and momentum are often created by strengthening what fuels you, not obsessing over what drains you.This episode is a reminder that growth doesn't have to feel heavy to be meaningful, and that honoring your energy is not a luxury but a leadership skill.If you've been feeling tired, scattered, or stretched thin, this conversation offers permission to pause and reconsider what's truly supporting you.Let's keep the FABBO convo going, send me a text!Support the showThank you for being a FABBO listener and supporting the Be Fabbo Podcast

There's a moment many of us know well: your partner says no, and you really wanted them to say yes.In this episode of Codependency Alchemy, I walk through a real-life moment from my relationship with Justin where his “no” triggered old patterns of control, guilt, and self-abandonment. I share more about what I wish I had done differently.This isn't about forcing agreement or suppressing your needs. It's about learning how to respect your partner's autonomy without making their “no” mean something about you…Oh, and without abandoning yourself in the process.What you'll learn in this episode:* Why your partner's no can feel so personal* How covert control and guilt show up in relationships* The difference between boundaries and power struggles* Why taking responsibility for your partner creates resentment* How to stay on the same side of the problem instead of “me vs. you”This episode is for you if…* You get triggered when your partner says no* You tend to take responsibility for other people's choices* You struggle with resentment or over-functioning* You're healing codependency or the mother woundYour invitation…As you listen and reflect on similar moments in your own relationship, you might contemplate:What am I making my partner's no mean about me? What am I making their choice mean about our relationship?I invite you to share your reflections in the comments.Join the CommunityIf this episode resonates, you're invited to continue these conversations inside the Codependency Alchemy membership— a space where we practice witnessing the parts of us we neglect, or reject, building safety in our bodies through nervous system and somatic work, and generational healing together.Click here to join or learn moreSubscribe over on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit alyssaaazander.substack.com/subscribe

What if success was never meant to be big — just intentional?Continuing the Permission Series, Bobbi Brinkman challenges the idea that growth has to be loud, fast, or expansive to be meaningful.In this episode, Bobbi explores how chasing “bigger” can quietly pull us away from what actually matters and why stability, alignment, and intention often create more sustainable success than speed or scale ever could.This conversation invites listeners to rethink common definitions of success and consider whether the version they're chasing truly fits the life they want to live.Rather than pushing for more, this episode encourages a grounded approach to growth, one that values clarity over chaos and depth over visibility.If you've ever questioned whether bigger is really better, this episode offers space to pause, reflect, and redefine success on your own terms.Let's keep the FABBO convo going, send me a text!Support the showThank you for being a FABBO listener and supporting the Be Fabbo Podcast

Slow seasons don't mean you're falling behind; they often mean something deeper is taking root.Kicking off the new Permission Series, Bobbi Brinkman shares her personal journey of stepping back, recalibrating, and choosing presence over performance.She reminds listeners that not all growth is loud or fast. Sometimes, the most meaningful transformation happens quietly — beneath the surface — long before it shows up in metrics or milestones.In this episode, Bobbi explores the kind of growth that doesn't look impressive on paper but still matters deeply. The kind that happens when things feel slower, less visible, or different than expected, and why those seasons are often doing more for us than we realize.This conversation isn't about pushing harder or speeding things up. It's about recognizing that not all growth looks the same, and that slow seasons can be powerful teachers if we're willing to listen.Tune in for encouragement, mindset shifts, and reflective questions designed to help you embrace slower seasons, redefine success, and build momentum that's both meaningful and sustainable.If you're in a season that feels different from what you expected, this episode is an invitation to pause, trust the process, and recognize the FABBO growth happening beneath the surface. Episode-Specific Links :A Grounded Beginning Let's keep the FABBO convo going, send me a text!Support the showThank you for being a FABBO listener and supporting the Be Fabbo Podcast

This episode of The Common Reader podcast is a little different. I spoke to both Jeffrey Lawrence and Julianne Werlin about literature, politics, and the future of the academic humanities. Questions included: what do we mean when we talk about literature and markets? Can we leave politics out of literary discussion? Should we leave it out? If we can't leave it out, can we have nice friendly conversations about it? What is academic Marxism? We also talked about whether Stephen Greenblatt is too ideological and why universities are necessary to literary culture, academics on Substack. Julianne writes Life and Letters. Jeffrey writes Avenues of the Americas. Here is Julianne's interview in The Republic of Letters. Transcript (AI generated, will contain some errors)Henry Oliver (00:00)Today I am talking to Jeffrey Lawrence and Julianne Werlin.Jeffrey is a professor of English literature and comparative literature at Rutgers University. He specializes in the 20th and 21st century and he writes the sub stack, Avenues of America. Julianne probably needs no introduction to a sub stack audience. She writes Life and Letters, one of my favorite sub stacks. She's a professor of English at Duke University, where as well as specializing in early modern poetry, she is interested in sociological and demographic studies of literature.and we are going to have a big conversation about literature and markets, politics, what do we mean when we talk about literature and markets, can we leave politics out of literary discussion, should we leave it out, if we can't leave it out, can we have nice friendly conversations about it, and also maybe what is academic Marxism and what should it be and why is it so confusing? Jeffrey and Julianne, hello.Julianne (00:59)Hi.Jeffrey Lawrence (01:01)Hi, thanks for having us.Julianne (01:02)Yeah, thank you.Henry Oliver (01:04)I am going to start by referencing an interview that you did, Julianne, for Republic of Letters, which everyone has been reading. And you said, I've printed it out wrong, so I can't read the whole quote. But you said something like, you joined Substack because you wanted people to talk with and because you felt a lack of debate in your academic field. There are lots of good things about scholarship being slow and careful, but it also needs to be animated by debate and conversation.and a sense of the stakes of what we're doing, and that is eroding in the academy. So I want you both to talk about that. Why is that happening? How much of a problem is it? How much is Substack or the internet more generally the solution? What should we be doing? Why don't we go to Julianne first, because it's your quote.Julianne (01:54)Sure, I mean, won't go on too long ⁓ since I have already spoken about this, but my sense within English departments is, you know, they're becoming smaller, fewer people are taking our classes, we have much less of a role in public conversation and public debate, except as kind of a stalking horse for certain types of arguments. And certainly, if you are an early modernist, it's very hard to locate a kind of a...Henry Oliver (02:14)YouJulianne (02:25)discrete set of debates within early modern literature because there is so little public salience to literary fields. And I think this is happening in all literature. It's especially pronounced if you're working in the earlier periods. So my sense in joining SUBSTAC was that perhaps there will be debates by people who are not already so deep within the particular professional and disciplinary structures of a field that they canfind new points of connection between literature and public life along different ⁓ axes that we have maybe not explored adequately within English departments and are maybe becoming harder to explore as English departments contract and recede from public life.Henry Oliver (03:04)Mm-hmm.So we're bringing Milton back to the people and also finding out why they care about him at all. ⁓ What do you think about it, Geoff?Julianne (03:16)Well, hopefully. I mean, that's the goal.Jeffrey Lawrence (03:21)Great, ⁓ so I actually restacked that specific quote from Julianne because it resonated so much with me. Yeah, I mean, my sense is that as someone who works on 20th and 21st century literature, there is more crossover there, I would say, between sort of academic scholarship and public debate. But I really wanna just echo what Julianne said there, that ⁓ I have gotten the feeling that withinlet's call it like the legacy media. There are particular arguments that come from academia that are pushed forward and that become representative of the field of 20th and 21st century literature as a whole. And those kind of come to stand in for academic debate more generally. And I think it becomes very difficult. One of the things that I was noticing so much isthat the people who had access to those legacy journals, are places like the Atlantic, the New York Times, that those began to dominate the debates and people just aren't recognizing that in scholarships. So one of the things I particularly like about Substack is that I feel like although it has some of the same problems as social media more generally about kind of like who gets to participate and algorithmic culture and all of that sort of stuff.I did feel like the ideological diversity both left and right compared to the sort of a kind of monoculture, mono, you know, sort of academic argument that I found over and over in these legacy magazines, that Substack was the place where a lot of these debates are happening. And I only joined maybe four or five months ago, but for me,⁓ sort of just in terms of my relationship to the Academy, it's really changed my sense of what can be said and what's being said by academics.Henry Oliver (05:17)feels to me like in some way humanities academia needs deregulating because there's all sorts of things people can't feel like they can't say and can't do. But it's such a tangled mess that the easiest thing is for you all to just go to Substack and do it there and just try and avoid the bureaucracy because it's gone too far. But when you're on Substack...I feel like you're often faced with people saying, these English literature academics, it's all woke BS. They don't know anything. They've killed this, right? You're simultaneously in a kind of semi hostile environment. How do you, how does that seem to you?Julianne (05:56)Yeah, mean, that's certainly true. I think that we are avatars on Substack for a kind of authority that we feel in our own lives we do not possess in any way. So we're in this position where, you know, at least I feel this, I'm responding to comments that are, you know, very much, by people who very much feel that they're attacking authority figures. And I'm, you know, I'm just a person on the internet, you know, talking with them when I'm on Substack. What I like about it is precisely that it levels any kind of authority structures insofar as they exist, which is debatable at this phase. But that's not always the reality on Substack. I also feel there's an additional thing, again, as an early modernist, where you feel like, you you don't have...Henry Oliver (06:27)Yeah.Julianne (06:52)there's not a lot of interest by people who are kind of on the left in contemporary politics in the Renaissance. It's seen as kind of a conservative, canonical thing to study. And there's a lot of pushback. even within English departments, there's a lot of pushback ⁓ surrounding the idea that people should study Shakespeare or study Milton. It's seen as kind of old and fussy and conservative. And then at the same time, you go on the internet and you're the kind of ⁓ exemplar.Henry Oliver (06:59)Mmm. Yeah.Mmm.Julianne (07:22)of woke cultural discourse. So you feel like as a Renaissance scholar, you can't win. You're nobody's idea of what people should be doing intellectually or culturally.Henry Oliver (07:25)HahahaDo you think, someone asked me this the other day about why academics write in this funny way and why no one reads their books and all this. That was the way they phrased it. And I said, I think what you're saying is like, why is there no AC Bradley today? Because Shakespeare in tragedy, so I don't remember the number, of like quarter of a million copies or something that to us just feels like an insane number.Is there some legitimate criticism there that A.C. Bradley wrote in a way that, you know, your grandmother could understand? And a lot of what comes out of the Academy today is much more cut off from the ordinary reading experience.Julianne (08:18)Yeah, I mean, think that's not debatable. think there have been quantitative studies, ⁓ DH studies that have shown that academic prose has become more difficult. I think it's much more a consequence of how literary culture has become this sort of narrow and marginalized field that is preserved within academic debate and academic structures of argument and disciplinarity. Stephen Greenblatt certainly tries to benew A.C. Bradley and he does reach readers outside of academia but his audience is you know especially as a share of the population is not A.C. Bradley's audience and I don't think that's a fault of his prose. Well that's true.Henry Oliver (08:59)might be the fault of some of his ideas.Well, Jeff, I want to come to you on that. A.C. Bradley was not politically ideological. Maybe he's a crazy Hegelian and he's insane on that level. But is the problem that Stephen Greenblatt's just obviously kind of a bit cranky in some ideological way, is this a general problem of the modern humanities academia?Jeffrey Lawrence (09:24)Yeah, I mean, I tend to see the problem as it's kind of being a dual problem. One, I think, is the fact that we are facing in a lot of the academy a kind of scarcity politics. there are very, if you look at just academic hiring since the financial crisis in 2008, there's just much less of it that's happening. And so I think, I mean, part of what I see is this sense that there are certainI mean, we could say certain ideological lines that over the past 10 years, but even let's say over the past 15 years ⁓ have been the ones that have become dominant in the academy. And I think my problem is not that people connect politics to literature. I think that that's something that we all do to a certain degree. think the part of the problem is that we are now entering a situation in whichif you deviate from a particular political line, which I have sort of identified with the Democratic Party, because I think you can follow a foul of it to the right, you can also follow a foul of it to the left, then you are seen as someone who is saying something that is not in line with the contemporary academy. And I think it used to be that when there were many jobs and many different departments that you could go to,Henry Oliver (10:28)Mm, mm.Jeffrey Lawrence (10:48)there were fewer consequences for making those types of statements that were out of sync with the dominant. And now I think it's it's become very, very punitive. And this is also reinforced again by the fact that what public scholarship we do have tends to be in line with this because the institutions that are kind of the elite, I would say Ivy league.institutions are also the ones that are feeding people into ⁓ sort of that public legacy discourse.Henry Oliver (11:23)Let's talk about politics and literature because I don't like making literature political as such. But whenever I read, Julianne's probably read the Lisa Liebes substack. I don't know if you've got to that yet, Jeff. She's like, there should be no politics at all and it's all aesthetics, which I kind of sympathize with. But then it just makes me think like, well, what about Edmund Spenser?Like there's a certain extent to which a lot of poetry is political and we have to be political when we talk about it, otherwise we're just ignoring a big part of it. ⁓ So how do we solve that problem? Like are we like badly trained in thinking about politics in the humanities academy or is it like what's going on?have we got to a point where you can say there should be no politics about explicitly political writers?Julianne (12:19)Do you want to begin, Jeff?Jeffrey Lawrence (12:20)Yeah, I mean, I can just say briefly because I mean, I teach courses, a number of courses that are about politics and literature. I actually think, I mean, I started doing this in 2016, right after Trump's election. I taught Steve Bannon's film about the financial crisis alongside ⁓ the Big Short and a couple of kind of like trying to show kind of like the left and right responses. I mean, that's not literature, that's film, but many of thethe literary works that we look at in those courses. There are conservatives, there are more classic liberals, there are Marxists. I mean, my personal feeling is that we need to talk about politics and literature, that it is a fair, it is a reasonable object of study. The problem, I think, is partially when you act as if certain...certain political writers or certain topics are simply out of bounds for study. And so there was actually a post by Dan Silver today about why I teach conservative thinkers and a response from the points John Baskin saying, who would think that you wouldn't teach conservative thinkers in a sociology course? But I do think that it's become par for the course thatHenry Oliver (13:20)Mmm.Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha.Jeffrey Lawrence (13:37)teaching someone, whether you're on the right and you're teaching someone who's a Marxist or you're a Marxist and you're teaching conservatives, that somehow this is kind an ethical failure. And I think that's a real problem of not assuming that what you're teaching is kind of necessarily what you believe in or talking about politics means necessarily taking an ideological stance.Julianne (14:04)Yeah, I think that's completely right. I think there's this very pervasive confusion between ⁓ talking about the politics of literature andarticulating an authoritative political perspective on that literature. Almost everybody who studies literature, especially in a historical context or in a contemporary context, honestly, is going to be talking about politics. Spencer, course, right? Milton. ⁓ How do you talk about somebody who was a literal revolutionary who wrote in favor of regicide and not talk about politics? You have to talk about politics.Henry Oliver (14:31)YouJulianne (14:37)⁓ But then there's become this confusion where people assume that if you are talking about the politics of literature, you have not just a political, but actually an ethical ⁓ teaching that you are imparting by way of that literature. And that if you're not doing that, you're somehow not talking about literature, you're not teaching the literature. That's the confusion that has been so devastating to us and I think so devastating to literary study.Henry Oliver (15:03)So what's the alternative? What should we be doing instead?Julianne (15:07)I I think that we should be talking about the politics of literature while acknowledging that literature raises political debates, not endless debates. know, there's not any given author is going to raise, you know, a certain salient set of questions that we can talk about, that we can debate and acknowledging that people historically have had different responses to these, that it has been used in different ways in different moments and that it is still used in different ways today. That doesn't mean that as intellectuals and scholars, we won't have our own positions that may inform our scholarshipin our writing and even our teaching, it just means that our positions do not shut down conversation and do not exhaust the range of possible positions.Henry Oliver (15:48)Yeah, and we should say, we're saying about, you you should teach conservative thought and stuff. I don't think either of you would identify as being on the right or conservative. So you're saying that from a, from that position. ⁓ How do we, how do we get out of this then? How do we leave politics at the door? Because when I read modern ⁓ literary scholarship, to me, it's either like very useful because it's not political.Julianne (16:01)Yeah.Henry Oliver (16:17)Or I just, as I did with that book that we all, or that Jeff and I, sort of disagreed about. I just find it almost unreadable because it's not scholarship anymore. It's just partisanship. How do we move past this? Like, what's the solution?Jeffrey Lawrence (16:33)I mean, if I can jump in just there, I mean, I would say one of the issues is having an ideological litmus test for scholars. And I think I see this in 20th and 21st century literature in a very strong way. And so what I would say is that, you know, allowing people to occupy different political positions, and I really meanJulianne (16:33)I mean, if I could jump in just there, I mean, I would say one of the issues is having an ideological litmus test for scholars. And I think I see this in 20th and 21st century literature in a very strong way. And so what I would say is that allowing people to occupy different political positions, and I really mean,Henry Oliver (16:36)Yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (17:03)like people who I know on the left because they're not toeing a particular line are also not welcome or are also kind of meat pushback in contemporary humanities departments that I think we need to get rid of that. And my thought about the Adam Kelly book, ⁓ the New Sincerity book is that to me, I think that what he's trying to do in that bookHenry Oliver (17:10)Yeah, yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (17:31)is to understand neoliberalism as an economic and political philosophy that has effects on culture and to try to understand how authors themselves are dealing with that in their prose.To me, that is somewhat different from the way that neoliberalism is occasionally bandied about in the academy, where it doesn't just, it isn't just another word for saying, okay, this is the Chicago school or the Austrian school, and we're gonna kind of take it seriously as a mode of thought. if just saying like, neoliberalism is like our ontological condition in the 21st century, and therefore everything is.necessarily an expression of neoliberalism and we don't need to necessarily define it. So I mean, I think that may be where the disagreement extends is that I think that ⁓ Adam Kelly is trying to sort of be precise about that politics in order to understand how contemporary writers generally on the left are using it. Whereas I think that the kind of more wishy washy version of that isHenry Oliver (18:37)Mm-hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (18:44)You know, just to say that neoliberalism is the air that we breathe. And there, I think I agree with you that it's just not super helpful.Henry Oliver (18:49)Mmm.Yeah, my problem with the book was that he would not tell you what did Hayek think or say. He would say Hayek was a cheerleader for the free market. Or he would not tell you what is the Gary Becker view of human capital. He would say human capital is an ideology that infuses itself into every aspect of your life so that you can no longer be separate from the market. And it's all this stuff, and it's like, well, that's nothing to do with Hayek and Gary Becker. ⁓Jeffrey Lawrence (19:19)Can I just,just one thing on that, is that, I mean, I did go back and I mean, he has these moments where he's talking specifically about Hayek and the road to serfdom and saying, I think that this is a worldview in which, he'll quote Hayek talking about the problem with representative democracy and say, the real moral choices are choices that are made in the market.To me, I think that that is to engage to a certain degree with the thought. It is true, I think, as often happens in scholarship that you have the people who are defining a phenomenon from the perspective that you may be interested in. So there are a number of people from the left who are criticizing neoliberalism. I see him as engaging a little bit more than you do.Henry Oliver (20:11)Mmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (20:11)in that in that direct thought and particularly compared to other humanities scholars who do I think what you're saying which is to just do that. So that's where I think I see him as doing.Henry Oliver (20:18)sure, yeah.I guess you could summy critique up as being like, if this is the good version, things are worse than I thought. Yeah. Yeah. So from here, let's go to the question of what is academic Marxism?Jeffrey Lawrence (20:27)Okay, well.Henry Oliver (20:35)Because I think a lot of people think that there's a lot of Marxism in the academy and that if they're not woke, they're Marxists or maybe they're both, right? And ⁓ personally, I spend a lot of time trying to work out what these Marxists think and it's quite confusing. And there seem to be lots of, and Julianne, you and I have talked about this, all the different, some Marxists aren't Marxists, as it were. tell us, give us a quick overview of how Marxist things really are.Julianne (21:04)Yeah, I mean it's a very complicated question to answer.because Marxism is too, well, debatably a living tradition. ⁓ And there's a huge amount of disagreement about what constitutes Marxism, ⁓ what is a legitimate form of Marxism, what is not, where do the boundaries lie, what is reconcilable with other schools of thought, what is not. But I think the big picture is that beginning, even in the 60s, Marxism moved into academia. This is a story that is told very inflectionallyHenry Oliver (21:11)youJulianne (21:37)and Perry Anderson's considerations on Western Marxism, where he argues that in the West, Marxism becomes alienated from actual political, economic, and social movements. It moves into academia. And as a result, it becomes much more philosophical, much more abstruse, much less concerned with the traditional concerns of Marxism, labor and the politics of labor and the politics and economics of labor. And that this continues and is accelerated, in fact, in the Cold War. So what you get atthe same time, you have something called the cultural turn in history and in sociology, ⁓ the rise of what is, debatably called identity politics. so Marxism remains a current within that, but it's far less of an influential current as time goes by. ⁓ And I think that many, many people...use the word Marxism and would say that there are Marxist influences in their work, but they're not viewing it as a kind of systematic approach to economics or to economic history. And so at that point, I do think you have to ask, well, what does Marxism actually mean? There are certainly people that work with, you know, ideas that they refer to as Marxist, but that have implications that to my mind are entirely antithetical to Marxism. And so I kind of feelas somebody who does work within what I would call the historical materialist tradition.⁓ in a very sort of straightforwardly economic sense, know, are markets becoming more efficient in Renaissance England? Those kinds of questions. How much does bread cost? How much do books cost? Those kinds of questions. ⁓ If you're interested in that tradition within Marxist thought, you feel that it's actually really incredibly peripheral within academia in comparison to, say, the politics of gender ⁓ or other considerations of that kind. And there's just not always sensitivityHenry Oliver (23:16)Mm-hmm.Julianne (23:35)to whether these different schools of thought actually cohere in any meaningful or deep way. What would you say, Jeff?Jeffrey Lawrence (23:44)Yeah, that's, I mean, just to pick up on that, think that that's really helpful in that trajectory, which I also, know, the Perry Anderson, a lot of people who have talked about how Marxism.moves into the academy after the 1960s, I think it is just really important to say it becomes a different thing. And I think part of the confusion, Henry, may also be that it's like, so the Christopher Ruffo version of this is it's like, it's all Marxism, it's all everywhere. But then I think that becomes, it's so broad a definition of Marxism that what we're really talking about is aof progressive politics or sort of an amalgam of different ideas that may have some roots in Marxism of previous periods, but really don't, as Julianne is saying, really don't align with like Marxist thought or Marxian thought as such. And also as someone who does take that tradition very seriously, I think a lot about Silvia Federici, who's a feminist, know, a Marxist feminist. Like these are people who are absolutely steeped.in a Marxist political tradition. And in some ways, these are figures that may be very important to the contemporary tradition. But if you actually read what they're writing, it's like, it's an extremely watered down version that we get in the academy in part, and I'll just end with this, in part because to Julianne's point, I think it like when Marxism also becomesHenry Oliver (24:59)Mmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (25:10)a kind of one discourse among many that you are using in what are often very bourgeois institutions, then it becomes a kind of intellectual tool and sometimes even an intellectual weapon, as many of these things are, where the question of how it relates to practical politics, working class politics,politics outside of the academy becomes sort of secondary. And so then really we're not talking about someone who's a Marxist as in they're like fighting for the working class. You're talking about someone who's just using Marx as a tool, which is fine, but that certainly shouldn't give them any sort of like, you know, moral high ground when speaking from the position of the left is my view.Henry Oliver (25:53)Is there some inherent aspect of literature that means it has been more amenable to Marxist study of any description than it has been to, you know, ⁓systems of thought that come more from a kind of Adam Smith, Friedrich Hayek tradition. Because it's very striking to me how few liberals and libertarians they're currently, publicly currently, I know a lot of them keep it to themselves, some of them have said as much to me. ⁓ But is there some good literary reason for this? Or is it just an institutional ⁓ problem?Julianne (26:33)That's an interesting question. ⁓ I mean, there are sort of traditional reasons for this in thatMarxism from, you know, in Marxist writing from very early on was interested in the relationship between culture and historical change. So there's a very, even by the time you get to the beginning of the 20th century, there's already a very well developed materialist tradition for thinking about cultural change and cultural transformation over the long run in a way that I don't think is true ⁓ of rival ideologies. Not that there isn't great literary work, but that there's not the sameHenry Oliver (27:09)Sure, sure, sure.Julianne (27:11)kind of sense of a methodological tradition. So there's a lot of momentum there.⁓ But in terms of more intrinsic reasons, I don't know. I mean, it doesn't seem obvious. Certainly at other times and places, we haven't had the situation that we have now. I often find myself thinking of, know, Piketty's arguments, which this does not pertain to Marxism, but this does pertain to the ⁓ difference between the political parties in the US, which is just that ⁓ education has become the means of differentiating between two rival elites, you know, not...Henry Oliver (27:27)Mm.Julianne (27:47)a difference between a working class and an elite, but two rival elites that are actually distinguished by the university itself. So as long as the university plays that structural role, it seems unlikely that its politics are going to drift to the other side, because that is actually precisely what the university has become. ⁓ I don't know, what do you think, Jeff?Jeffrey Lawrence (28:06)Yeah, I mean, it's a really good question. I mean, I share the sense that, I mean, I think that there is an extraordinary ⁓ Marxist literary tradition that goes back to, you know, sort of Lukacs and these debates, Adorno, Horkheimer. These are critics that are important to me, cultural studies with people like Stuart Hall and Raymond Williams. I mean, they very much, I think, were, though,Henry Oliver (28:20)Mm-hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (28:30)That was a kind of insurgent force, we could say, within the academy that has now become, I would say, almost entirely dominant. I personally, mean, one of the things when I was writing my first book was on US and Latin American literature. I was very interested in a certain liberal tradition that comes from, you know, John Dewey. We would now say that, I mean, it's not the liberalism of, you know, Milton Friedman and von Hayek, but it is,Dewey, think, was for many people the most important philosopher, aesthetic philosopher of the early part of the 20th century. And he was a sort of radical liberal who thought a lot about the liberal tradition. I people like Lionel Trilling with the liberal imagination, these were, I think, writers who were very important.Henry Oliver (29:16)Mm-hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (29:19)in a particular moment. And I guess, you this is, you may see this as a dodge, I, Henry, but I definitely feel like these are books that are really important to my formation and whether or not I associate with a certain particular strain of contemporary ⁓ liberalism, I don't tend to think of myself necessarily in those terms. And so,Henry Oliver (29:26)HahahaJeffrey Lawrence (29:43)I think we really should be reading those because those types of people, people like John Dewey, people like Lionel Trilling, know, Philip Rav, these kind of mid-century intellectuals, they were really engaging in major debates and they were foundational for the field, even if now I think there may be some desire to take distance from them.Henry Oliver (30:07)It's the bigger problem that we should just get back to more for literature as literature.And once we allow a kind of methodological approach from one tradition or another, we're just no longer really studying literature. We're using literature to, like I had a professor once and they said an essay about Anglo-Saxon poetry with some Harold Bloom quote saying, none of this is any good. It's like the great age before the flood, that kind of thing. And I basically wrote an essay saying, yes, that's correct. And she did not like that. And I said, look, I bet you don't actually love anyof this poetry. I bet you don't care about any of this. You know, I just sort of... And she said, that's not the point. The point is that we can use it to impose the... You we can use it as a way of dealing with the ideas we want to deal with and having methodological... And I was just like, I'm never coming back. You know, goodbye. And that to me is kind of... Is that the more foundational problem, right? Some people want to take a kind of...Northrop Frye, Christopher Ricks, literature as literature approach, and some people want to have an extra literary methodology. Be it Freudian, be it feminist, be it identity politics, be it whatever. And that is the bigger sort of division here, and is the solution to just say Shakespeare is Shakespeare and you can keep the other stuff for your other classes.Julianne (31:33)Well, I don't know because, I mean, in terms of what actually goes into the classroom, I think that's a different question. I don't teach very much theory in the classroom. ⁓ But I don't think that we can just say that because the ability to say, you know, these are great works, this is part of a canon, it came with its own set of ideological commitments that are now...Henry Oliver (31:40)Show. Show, show, show.Julianne (31:57)sort of vanishing, right? So we need some kind of framework for making sense of why we read literary history at all, what its coherence is, what its shape is, what its structure is. A lot of those frameworks were implicit. didn't, you know, they were articulated, they didn't need to be articulated every single time because they were so woven into the whole system of education. As that becomes increasingly untrue, I think we do find ourselves in a position where we need to explain why we care about this object literature at all.in the first place. And I don't think just saying, you know, literature for literature's sake without situating it within some kind of wider account of culture really works. I don't know that situating it within some wider account of culture really works either in terms of persuading anyone, but I don't think you can say to people, look, Shakespeare is Shakespeare, we have to read him because he's great. I think you need to...Jeffrey Lawrence (32:45)Mm-hmm.Henry Oliver (32:45)HahahaJulianne (32:53)have an argument about the place that Shakespeare has in culture ought to have ⁓ because that is increasingly not true.Henry Oliver (33:02)So I mostly agree, but it is very striking to me. I mean, I sort of half agree. It is very striking to me that the just read it because it's great argument is winning a lot of ⁓ admirers on the internet, while some version of what you've just said is sort of dying in the academy. And I'm not saying that therefore that's a decisive factor and we should just do this. But in terms of getting people interested,that does see something on the internet among the new humanities culture on Substack and other places, does just seem to be resistant to these methodologies and ideology, right? Do you see what I'm saying? ⁓Jeffrey Lawrence (33:43)Can I, I mean, yeah, Imean, I would say, and we may just disagree on this, but I agree with Julianne that, I mean, the ideological context of a work, the historical context of work seems incredibly important. I saw Henry, yeah, yeah. And so I think that there, yeah, yeah, but I think that's not, I mean, I think we can't totally gloss over that because all three of us have had long educational sort of,Henry Oliver (33:58)sure, yeah. We're all historicists, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (34:11)a long educational formation that has allowed us to even have this conversation, let alone read these works. I, you you, you, I think you had a post about this on, on Austin about like, you know, sort of there, there are certain things that are helpful for you to know in order, once you're going into work. I think that that's different from the thing that you're pointing to and where I think I would agree with you, which is that when, when methodology becomes the TrumpHenry Oliver (34:15)Yes.Yeah, yeah, yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (34:41)card over literature. think that that is that is an important cultural shift. And I think we are now at the point in which this is my formulation for it. It's like if you're just going to read literature for, you know, for a particular political thing, for Marxism, let's say, in order to understand, you know, sort of like a Marxist conception of society, why not just read Marxism?Henry Oliver (34:42)Hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (35:11)like Marxist theory. mean, so I do think that that is a real problem and the failure, and to be fair to humanities scholars, this is, has been a big debate over the past five or 10 years. I think it's just more contested in the academic space than it is on Substack, where I think Substack is kind of demonstrating to my mind also that some of the more frank, I, I sweat, some of the more BS, yeah.Henry Oliver (35:11)Yes.Say what you want.Jeffrey Lawrence (35:39)Some of the more b******t arguments that I see about like, ⁓ well, there aren't X people, like there aren't white men who are writing and reading, and then you just see the tremendous number of people who are reading, they may just feel alienated from certain ways of doing things. And that, I think, that's a wide range of people. And I think it's a wide range of people who are turned off by certain things in the academy.Henry Oliver (35:49)yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (36:07)I think a lot of that though has to do with a general problem that we need people in literary studies who deeply care about literature, regardless of what ideological thing, you know, where they're coming from. And if you are always just interested in the methodology that you're bringing to it, as opposed to literature, then this is going to be a long-term problem because people are going to start asking, why is it that we are reading literature?Henry Oliver (36:34)To what extent is that the basic problem that the universities have right now? To me that just seems to be it's that, right?Julianne (36:39)I think that's a huge problem. Yeah, I think it's a huge problem.Yeah, it's a huge problem. guess, you know, while sort of agreeing with you and definitely agreeing with Jeff, I guess what I would say to sort of refine what I was saying earlier is, no, I don't think you should study the methodologies instead of studying literature. Of course not.⁓ But the questions that the methodologies ask are really basic to the questions that we need to ask about the study of literature. So it's not that you should be studying Marxism or feminism or this or that instead of studying literature, but I don't think you can...totally do away with the questions of, what is this thing? What is its role in culture? What does it mean? Why do we study it over long, long periods of time? ⁓ It is, it has become very hard to make that, that case. And it's not that I think making that case explicitly is going to win converts as opposed to talking about the literature itself. In the end, it's going to be the literature itself, if it's going to be anything at all. But to have an account of the meaning of what we're doing, even for our own sakes, we do need to be thinking about questions like what is this thing?and why, right, which are supposed to be questions that methods help us ask.Jeffrey Lawrence (37:53)And can I just add to that kind of the, I mean, a word that we haven't used so far is specialization. And I think to a certain degree, like what may unite us in this conversation is a sense too, that like, that literature is not just like this particular corner that you're studying and that you're interested in because it's your field. And so,Henry Oliver (38:13)Mmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (38:16)Those type of turf battles, I think, are also really important to this. The sense that your topic is the thing that you specifically focus on and the difficulty of communicating that is an issue. And also just the sense that, like, I mean, my sense is you can be interested in history and sociology. Julianne and I are both interested in that. And also literature, so that it doesn't, I mean, part of it is, I think, restoring the notion that a kind of broadHenry Oliver (38:19)Yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (38:46)like intellectual training is not a liability, but is actually something that you need in order to understand literature and that heightens your appreciation.Henry Oliver (38:57)Somewhere in one of Iris Murdoch's interviews, she talks about the state of literary undergraduates today, because obviously she was married to John Bailey and had a lot of, and this is like in the 80s or something, ⁓ and she said, well, they're not interested in just reading the literature and understanding the history of it anymore. They want to have all these crazy theories.It's very striking when you see stuff like that from 50 years ago. Did the cannon wars ever end? Did we ever change the arguments? In some ways, is this not just the Harold Bloom thing? It's still going, right? And one route out that I think you've identified is just ⁓ be broader. Just read more outside your own area.The people who everyone loves on Twitter, like CS Lewis and Harold Bloom, are the ones who weren't in their public facing work. They weren't narrow specialists. CS Lewis would do everything from some random Latin medieval writer to Jane Austen. And in a way, is that what we need? We just need to have more of that appreciation of the long history of literature.Jeffrey Lawrence (40:10)I mean, just one thing, then Julianna, I'd be curious to like from like a ⁓ 20th and 21st century perspective. Like I agree with that, but I also think that like that was Toni Morrison as well. I mean, talking about the classics, mean, part of the problem I think is that we have these readings of figures that become then sort of symbolic or totemic of.Henry Oliver (40:23)Yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (40:33)like a contemporary, you know, whatever that may be, an identity category or whatever it may be. Whereas if you actually read Toni Morrison, absolutely voracious, absolutely thinking about like, you know, the classics, you know, thinking through Greek drama, ⁓ know, Faulkner, you know, ⁓ master's thesis on the outsider in Faulkner and Virginia Woolf. I mean, I think some of this also has to dowith something that has happened very specifically in the past 10 years of also subjecting figures of the past who were interested in that more Catholic notion of culture to these kind of like very selective readings. I mean, it's true of James Baldwin. I thought about this a lot. Like a lot of these figures who just didn't want to be boxed in in a particular identity way get then taken up asHenry Oliver (41:11)Hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (41:26)kind of figures for that when actually, mean, in some ways they were, you know, I'm sure Toni Morrison and Harold Bloom wouldn't have agreed on everything, but there was actually, I mean, but really there is actually more alignment there than like the 2025 reading of them would give credit for.Henry Oliver (41:40)Yeah, yeah, yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (41:47)Yeah, don't know, Julianne, if yeah.Julianne (41:49)Yeah, no, mean, I obviously I agree so, so entirely with.everything you're saying, but especially with your comments about longer literary histories, more capacious reading, know, longer, wider. Obviously you read cross linguistically and do work cross linguistically. So both broader and longer literary histories, much more than kind of a focus on methodology. Part of the reason I'm defending methodology here is because methodology, if used well, forces you outside of disciplinary specialization or can, has that capacity. In my field, the problem is not thatpeople are adhering to big sweeping methodologies anymore. In my field, the problem is that the big questions have almost disappeared, replaced by, in many cases, extremely excellent, detailed, narrow, pointillist empiricist work. I think that work is...valuable and it's foundational, but you can't have a field that just has that. You have to have something that makes the field cohere. You have to have questions that the field coheres around. know, and increasingly, I'm a historicist. I got into this because I love this kind of like, ⁓ you know,tell me everything about this particular edition of the Fairy Queen. ⁓ I love that kind of thing. ⁓ And yet at the same time, there is part of me that is starting to wonder.Henry Oliver (43:09)YouJeffrey Lawrence (43:10)YouJulianne (43:17)is it actually more relevant even for being a Renaissance literary scholar to have read every single person writing in England in 1592 and then maybe instead of Dante or going the other way, right? Instead of...Richardson or Voltaire. Like maybe we should be reading more Voltaire instead of every non-entity. And I'm guilty of this because my whole project is every non-entity who published a book in 1592. So this is very much self-critique. But that more capacious sense, and that more capacious sense exactly as Jeff says, is very much aligned with how writers themselves, especially great writers, approach literature. I teach Toni Morrison in my Shakespeare class sometimes because she has a short play on Desdemona.Jeffrey Lawrence (43:47)If you ⁓Henry Oliver (44:06)So we're obviously all going to await your blog about the different editions of the Fairy Queen and your favorite things about each of them. Just give us some examples of what the big questions would be and what these empirical questions that people are. Just make it sort of concrete for us what you're talking about there.Julianne (44:11)Hawell i mean there are a lot of people who have big ideas ⁓that maybe make their way into their own work, that show up in the introduction of their own work, but that are not defining the field in a meaningful way. There are a few debates that think are actually happening within my field that are interesting, like the extent to which ⁓ Renaissance literature should be understood on national versus international lines. I think that's quite an active one that's very interesting. ⁓ But I think a lot of books written in the Renaissance, and I don't wantHenry Oliver (44:39)Mm-hmm.Julianne (45:03)topoint to any one book because these are all you know good books and books that I like but a lot of books will be have a very narrow date range a set there you know the typical organization of a book in literary studies is to have a sort of thematic topic not always thematics sometimes it'sbook historical or cultural, but ⁓ often it will be a thematic topic. Say a topic like ⁓ shame in Renaissance literature, right? So you'll take shame in Renaissance literature. This is fictional. This isn't anybody's book. If it is accidentally somebody's book, I apologize. Shame in Renaissance literature, okay? And then you'll have this ⁓ contextualizing introduction where you might bring in a bit of Foucault and you might bring in various other theorists.Henry Oliver (45:23)Mm-hmm.Sure, sure,Jeffrey Lawrence (45:39)YouJulianne (45:52)But you will also go very, very deeply into, say, sermons, right, the sermon literature. And then you'll have five chapters. you know, one will be like Shakespeare play, and then maybe one will be Spencer. And then maybe one will be somebody, you know, more marginal or be Ben Johnson or there'll be Webster, you know. ⁓ And then you will put them, you know, this is the method of New Hizorizis. You'll put them beside legal documents and you'll put them beside sermons and you'll put them beside other very, very contextualized and often very well contextualized.works from the period. But you won't write a book that is like, you know, literature and shame, you know, across three centuries ⁓ that would then maybe potentially think about, you know, is there a fundamentally different way that drama versus the novel represent shame? Does this help us understand long range debates about interiority? And again, it's not that nobody ever does this. It's that the feelI feel English literature used to be more aligned over around these kind of shared long-term questions and debates and they're much less aligned around them now because of specialization and because of the sort of dynamic of know decline and and narrowing of prospects that Jeff has mentioned.Henry Oliver (47:11)A lot of people complain about the administrators, the way funding is done, the way you can only get funding for certain types of work, career structures, all these structural factors that make life either difficult as an academic or just force you into certain decisions and activities. ⁓ To what extent is writing on Substack actually going to be a beneficial solution?to get around those problems and to what extent is it just going to be a sort of useful addition and is going to be very stimulating for you all but might not, you know, might not actually change things. What's your sense of that?Jeffrey Lawrence (47:54)This was something I've thought about this a lot because I wrote for the Chronicle of Higher Education. think Julianne and I have both write or have written for the Chronicle and something that was on the public humanities and I very specifically this is 2022 or 2023 said like, sub stack is not going to be the solution. Partially and my point there was something that I still believe to a certain extent which is thatas someone who has worked in different public humanities ⁓ programs, as someone who knows to a certain degree the publishing industry in the US and Latin America and has done work on that, I think that it's hard to ⁓ exaggerate the degree to which funding for this type of research, it's just really expensive and the existing funding models that exist for something like Substack or I mean any other sort of ⁓platform economy, even public humanities projects, it's just really hard to do. So I'm much more in favor. So I think Substack is really important as a venue. I think that as a potential model for, you know, a sustainable model for doing academic scholarship, I see a lot more limitations. And that's why I've said, I mean, I think in some ways, if the types of conversations that happen on Substack,could be then imported back into our fields. Like, I don't think we should just destroy the institutions and get rid of these departments. I think that there needs to be a sort of infusion of these types of debates that are happening on Substack in the university, because the universities have funding, you know, have funding. And I think it's partially about fighting for that, this kind of holistic thing that we've been talking about up to this point.Julianne (49:49)Yeah, I completely agree. That's my view as well. I don't think that Substack's funding model would actually be good for scholarship. I'm not saying that you couldn't get a few people making it viable, but for a scholarship as a whole, I think it would be terrible for scholarship as a whole. At the same time, for the reasons we've been discussing here, we need to be talking with other people and not just with people in our subfield of a subfield of a subfield. And Substack is great for that.Henry Oliver (50:18)I sometimes think that if you can draw a distinction between scholarship and criticism, the academy can keep the scholarship and the criticism needs to come outside. You can all still write it, right? But it needs to be done in a way that is free of all the institutional incentives and constraints and just all that problem and you can all just be free to say other things online.Jeffrey Lawrence (50:43)I mean, just very quickly on that, I mean, I do think that in my personal case, because I came to Substack partially because I had a very bad experience with a kind of ⁓ a piece that I had pitched to like a venue that was, you know, sort of like progressive venue where I felt like I was saying things about contemporary author that everyone else was saying, right? It was a kind of public secret, a kind of critique of this writer.And I felt like it was not going to be published in any of those venues and in the Academy itself, that would be a problem. And not because this was something that even, you know, sort of ⁓ departed so much from things that people would say, but just because of kind of like the power structures. And since I've been on Substack, I've had multiple people, particularly with the first Substack piece that I wrote, but with other ones as well.Henry Oliver (51:11)Mmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (51:35)people in academia telling me, thank you for saying this. And also I'm reading your sub stack as an academic right now. But I also, do think that there remains, I mean, it's changing, but I do think that there's speaking of shame, like there are people who they're just not sure as graduate students.what they can say and what they can't say. And I think that's a real issue. So I agree, criticism is important, but even for scholarships too, I think that there need to be taboos that are broken in order for scholarship, as Julianne said, to kind of like return to that more sort of vibrant feel that it once had.Julianne (52:20)Yeah, I think that's right. Obviously those taboos are less present in my field than in yours because the contemporary stakes are much less clear. ⁓ And sometimes I'm jealous of people who work in the contemporary field because there are stakes. And then I hear things like what you just said and I'm no longer so jealous. But yeah, no, do think that...Henry Oliver (52:35)YouJeffrey Lawrence (52:35)YouJulianne (52:46)People, even beyond what you would think that they would plausibly need to be, people are very cautious and graduate students especially are very cautious and even having the example of people saying things publicly is incredibly important and helpful.Henry Oliver (53:02)It's interesting how many PhD students there are on Substack. There are several English literature PhD students and I find it amazing actually that they're writing a Substack ⁓ rather than writing something academic. This to me is a very clear signal of something is changing, right? Something important is changing.Jeffrey Lawrence (53:28)I would say it's pragmatic too. I mean, I don't think that there's any reason people shouldn't graduate students. I don't think that they necessarily need to have a substack, but I also, I just think that there's a kind of recognition that, you know, especially at this moment, mean, frankly, with a lot of this does have to do with the Trump administration and kind of the way that it's been directed very specifically at, you know, sort of the humanities andHenry Oliver (53:47)Mm-hmm.Jeffrey Lawrence (53:53)So I do think that there's a kind of sense that the hiring isn't happening. And so it's like, well, why am I going to invest in this very small possibility of getting an, an academic job or even better yet, I'm going to build my own audience. I'm going to talk about these things because that's going to empower me at the moment in which I'm actually looking for jobs. So I, I, I'm like, I agree with you that I think it's just like, ⁓ it's a pretty astonishing thing.in the sense of the sort of initiative, but it also kind of makes sense given the world that exists.Julianne (54:30)Yeah, mean, you know, our graduate students are not.coming in, I'm sure yours are the same way, they're not coming in thinking they're going to get jobs ⁓ anymore. So they're coming in thinking, I have six years to build the kind of intellectual life to become the kind of writer and the kind of thinker that I want to be. And that's the priority, much more than anything sort of pragmatic about what they might do in terms of future career prospects, because most of them have absolutely no idea. It's much more about how can I find an intellectual community? How can I become the kindintellectual I want to be. And if academia is not going to be their home long term for that, it cannot be in academia. It has to be elsewhere. In addition, now that there are fewer conferences, journals, you know, are delayed by years. That was another thing that got me on Substack is I wrote a review.And I wrote the review as soon as I got the book. I wrote the review that I was asked to review. Then like, you know, six weeks, sent it back. ⁓ It took four years for the review to appear in that journal. And I was like, why, how can we possibly have a conversation when this journal has just been sitting on this copy edited review until they could find a slot for it in their, you know, in this day and age? How can that be the case? You know, so I think, you know, that's also part of what's going on.Henry Oliver (55:49)Yes.So are you running introduction to sub-stack classes for your graduate students? This is not yet, yes.Julianne (55:59)No, not yet, not yet.Jeffrey Lawrence (56:00)Yeah, yeah. I mean,interestingly, we had an event with Lincoln Michelle, who's a very popular at Rutgers, who's a very popular Substack writer. I mean, that was one of our, was a hugely well attended event. I mean, I do think, and it doesn't necessarily need to be just Substack, but I think public intellectual work, think graduate students and also undergraduates, they want to understand this because they know ⁓Henry Oliver (56:08)Mm-mm.Jeffrey Lawrence (56:29)precisely what Julianne said, that it's not gonna work for them to just stay in their lane and keep the blinders on and keep going. Even if they want a career in academia, they know that they need to be involved in these other things. so, I mean, to the extent that I think we can do that in our institutions and give them a sense of what's going on, I mean, definitely we're thinking about that at Rutgers.Henry Oliver (56:55)If the humanities goes into some sort of terminal decline and there are fewer departments and the student numbers never recover and all these blah blah blah, all these bad things, ⁓ does it matter?Julianne (57:08)Well, for what? mean...Jeffrey Lawrence (57:10)Ha ha.Henry Oliver (57:10)Well, because everyone talksabout it like, the humanities are dying, this is terrible. And I'm like, what's the problem? We had like English literature was the number one subject for undergraduates, and now it's not, right? What is the actual problem if the humanities are in this terminal decline? No, I get that it's all bad for you. Yeah, no, for all of you, of course, right? But like, what's the what's the actual problem here? Yeah.Jeffrey Lawrence (57:27)You mean besides the jobs of, mean, because part of that, right, right, Yeah, for us. But for society.Henry Oliver (57:38)Obviously when someone doesn't have a job or can't get a job, like of course, of course. But can you give us a succinct explanation of why people who are not involved in it should care about the decline of the humanities or should recognize that it's something that we don't want to happen in some way?Julianne (57:56)I mean, I think the sort of simplest thing is that we still do have, it's fading, but we still do have some shared cultural literary heritage ⁓ or basis. Yeah, I don't use the word heritage since it's a kind of nationally charged word, but some kind of shared basis that allows us to talk with each other about literature. ⁓ And most of this, think, is predicated not on the university, but on the high school canon.Henry Oliver (58:11)Sure.Julianne (58:25)is an extension of that. So I think our number one thing should be the high school curriculum. ⁓ But then our number two thing should be ⁓ ensuring that people have some kind of foundation in, you know, a...as wide a range as we can give them of literary texts that they get in university because that is the basis of a shared literary culture. I don't think you get, you know, I don't think you get a wider literary culture where people can talk about things, ⁓ you know, like 18th century books or, you know, 19th or 20th century books across the world ⁓ without having some kind of institutional basis, having some kind of shared institutional structure that people have passed through. Otherwise, what you will get is people, you know, picking up thingsyou know, a bit here, a bit there. Some of them will be so unfamiliar that they will be put off by it. Some of them maybe won't. ⁓ But you won't get anything like a common culture. And for me, that's sort of intrinsically good. But there is also this kind of idealistic ⁓ democratic aspect to this that you got in the mid-20th century in the post-war expansion of higher education and also the expansion of public education. This idea that you would have a citizenship thatbe participating in intellectual, philosophical, and political culture at a very high level. I don't see how you get that without having some kind of shared institutional basis for it.Jeffrey Lawrence (59:50)Yeah, mean, would just, yeah, I think everything and then maybe the only like word that I would use that you didn't use there is just kind of like literacy. mean, cultural literacy, but actual literacy, because I do think that beyond the culture wars, like the one thing that I think I'd like across the political spectrum is that there is this sense that a certain ability to read and to engage in civic life is declining.⁓ And so, yeah, I mean, I think that reading all sorts of texts is important and having cultural literacy is important to having an informed citizenry. So that to me seems like the reason for doing it. But as Julianne says, and maybe this doesn't totally answer the question, because I do think some of these are perhaps like for us at the college level, it's a little bit downstream of these sort of.broader issues, which is one more reason I think that making the case about why we should care about literature is also on us. It shouldn't just be assumed, as you're saying, Henry, that because we want jobs that this is good for everyone. I think we need to make that case.Henry Oliver (1:01:05)Will you be making that case on Substack?Jeffrey Lawrence (1:01:09)Yeah, mean, don't know, I mean, I think, you know, sort of more and more, I do think that, you know, that we need to be doing this. I mean, for me, everything that's happened over the past couple of years, I think the way my sense of kind of like the failure of a certain liberal project after the Trump election, you know, last year was really important to me in saying there is a way that we're going about the assumptions that we have aboutHenry Oliver (1:01:10)HahahaJulianne (1:01:11)ThankJeffrey Lawrence (1:01:38)literacy and what we should be doing and the role of academic scholarship. I mean, that I feel like was a turning point, at least personally for me. And I think engaging in places like Substack, but just generally in like public culture, to me, seems like it's just like it is the one avenue that we have. So yes, I guess.Henry Oliver (1:02:00)If your colleagues are listening and you both want to say something to them to encourage them onto Substack, what would you say?Julianne (1:02:10)Jeff, your colleagues, ⁓ do they subscribe to your Substack? Because one of the things that has happened is at first nobody, you know, I told a couple friends, but nobody else knew about this. But now more and more members of my department have subscribed to my Substack, which feels like, which does make it feel sort of high stakes in a different way. Has that happened to you?Henry Oliver (1:02:28)YouJeffrey Lawrence (1:02:32)I'm still pretty under the radar. ⁓ I have some colleagues, I know that there's some graduate students who also read it, ⁓ I mean, and colleague is a small thing. I'm more like, you my colleagues, have a great relationship with my department. I talk to them and sort of, but I think it's more like colleagues in general in terms of the academy that is important.Right? mean, and it again, I don't think it necessarily has to be sub-stacked, but it just shouldn't be Twitter. mean, I think that the long form writing that one finds in the debates for me, at least this is where it's happening right now. And so that would be my pitch is that I just think that the debates that are happening are better than they are anywhere else on the internet.Henry Oliver (1:03:18)Thank you both. I thought this was very interesting and I hope it encourages more of your peers to come and join us on Substack This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.commonreader.co.uk

In this episode, we're joined (again!!) by Avery Trufelman, the grand dame of fashion podcasting, to discuss the latest installment of her podcast, Articles of Interest, titled Gear. In this meticulously researched series, Avery dives deep into the history of tactical/outdoor fashion and the ways in which the United States Military and the world of high-tech performance wear continuously influence each other. She answers our pressing questions about American frontier cosplay, the symbolism of the modern field jacket, the innovations behind lightweight tech, and why gear has reemerged as a major fashion language. We also touch on the future of patriotism ahead of the country's 250th anniversary and the rise of meme-ified military archetypes among Gen Z. Links: Articles of Interest on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe

Welcome to our ✨Holiday Special✨! In an episode that is ostensibly about Elf On The Shelf (or Mensch On The Bench — for Sarah), we explore our collective annual search for meaning and self with the great Meaghan O'Connell, author of And Now We Have Everything and noted Elf On The Shelf apologist. Pressing items interrogated lightly include: Should Elf On The Shelf be a Dad thing? Does holiday magic necessarily include lying to our kids? What do we say when our kids ask if we're Santa? What is the true magic? How do we even know what we enjoy and what we don't in a season this busy, and should we take Miranda's recommendation to do a witchy ritual to remind ourselves? Links: * Meaghan O'Connell's book, And Now We Have Everything * St. Nicholas day* Mr. Willoby's Christmas Tree* ‘Lazy Mom' Elf On A Shelf* Elf on a Shelf Book* The first Mother of it All holiday special, featuring Sara Petersen* Mensch on a Bench (“as seen on Shark Tank”)* Sarah on Boo Baskets (The Cut)* When Things Fall Apart by Pema Chodron* Miranda's Grandma Ruth's Peanut Butter Balls* Meaghan's Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit motherofitall.substack.com/subscribe

We discuss the transformative developments in the fixed income market with Blake Lynch from IMTC. Advancements in cloud computing and automation are streamlining the traditionally manual processes associated with fixed income investments, allowing for customized portfolios at scale. This has made SMA wrappers (Separately Managed Accounts) a lot more accessible, enabling greater transparency, direct ownership, and potential tax efficiency for the bond portfolios of an increasingly large number of investors.An “Aha moment” for George Aliferis (host):I've been involved in ETFs since the launch of Deutsche Bank's X-Trackers in 2007, and I've always believed they were an ideal wrapper for equity markets. Today they dominate. While the earlier ETFs were equity, there have been considerable developments in fixed income ETFs as well (now totalling $2 trillion in assets), but it's not straightforward. Indexing fixed income is problematic. And there's the fact that you can own a fund of AAA bonds, but still lose your capital due to the mark-to-market. This conversation has made me realize the adequacy of the SMA wrapper for bonds and its huge potential.About Blake Lynch, CETF®:Head Of Sales at IMTCMy mission is to address the industry's failure to innovate and enhance technology in the fixed income space, which has resulted in fixed income professionals being neglected and subjected to inadequate and inefficient tools. I am passionate about simplifying and optimizing bond portfolio management with innovative and user-friendly software that enables meaningful automation and optimization, or as we like to call it, decision support. This allows fixed income professionals to focus on key business activities and client goals, rather than wasting time on manual and error-prone tasks. I have a proven track record of expanding the market share and reach of IMTC's SaaS technology, leveraging my skills in new business development, sales enablement, strategic beta, and over 10 years of experience in the financial services space.Connect with Blake Lynch, CETF®:* LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/blakejlynch/* Website: https://imtc.com/About the Show:Investology is a podcast hosted by George Aliferis, CAIA, dedicated to rethinking investment management and uncovering new ways to deliver better outcomes for investors.Listen on every podcast platform, or on YouTube.Resources Mentioned:Episode with Russell Feldman (CEO of IMTC)Episode with MJ Lytle (then-CEO of Tabula)Timestamps & Topics:00:00 Introducing a pivotal moment in fixed income02:27 Understanding Separately Managed Accounts (SMAs)04:48 The technological revolution in bond portfolio management07:56 Benefits of SMAs10:07 How IMTC works28:33 The outlook for fixed income technologyMy Investing & Investment Management channels* Investorama - Separating Investment Facts from Financial Fiction (YouTube)* Investology - Re-Think Investment Management (YouTube)* Investology in Audio versionFor B2B Brands, Marketers & PodcastersOrama (my business): helps brands grow with podcasts & videos - DM if you need help with a brand podcast or videosNewsletter about B2B marketing and podcasting: on Substack This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit investorama.substack.com

This week, we discuss the glamorous world of the Magazine Girl, dissecting the real and fictional lives of women who worked at glossy magazines during their heyday. Through profiles of icons including Diana Vreeland, Anna Wintour, Franca Sozzani, Carine Roitfeld, and Plum Sykes, we distill the shared qualities that made these women so foundational to high fashion media. Inspired by Anna Wintour's recent resignation and the buzz around The Devil Wears Prada sequel, we also ponder who, if anyone, carries on the Magazine Girl legacy today. Links: Image board“The Divine Mrs. V” by Eleanor Dwight for New York“Who is Plum Sykes?” by Taylore Scarabelli for Interview“The Plum and Lucy Show” by Bob Morris for The New York TimesThe Price of Illusion: A Memoir by Joan Juliet BuckAssorted costumes from The Devil Wear Prada 2 in Dazed“Anna Wintour: Behind the Shades” interview for CBS Controversial Plum Sykes clipCarine Roitfeld interview for The Guardian “Could You Have Landed a Job at Vogue in the ‘90s?” Quiz in The New York TimesAnna: The Biography by Amy OdellInterview with Anna Wintour biographer Amy Odell in HungerA Dash of Daring: Carmel Snow and Her Life In Fashion, Art, and Letters by Penelope RowlandsExcerpts from Diana Vreeland's Why Don't You column in British VogueFranca Sozzani obituary in Vogue“The Condé Empire Was One Big Beautiful Grift” by Emilia Petrarca on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.nymphetalumni.com/subscribe

A deep dive into the inner workings of hedge funds and quantitative investing, with Dr. Richard Saldanha, a seasoned quant, former hedge fund manager, and now an academic and consultant.Richard shares stories from his career, including cautionary tales of fraud, and offers a contrarian take on the democratization of finance. Learn why adaptability, skepticism, and data quality are more important than ever in today's markets.Watch it on Substack or listen on your preferred podcast app.Key Takeaways:* Data quality and access are critical—and often underestimated—challenges in finance.* Market inefficiencies persist, and quants thrive by exploiting them, but adaptability is key.* Many hedge fund strategies have become commoditized; true innovation is rare and valuable.* The democratization of investing is driven by ETFs, not hedge funds or private equity.* Due diligence is essential—fraud and misrepresentation still occur at the highest levels.Related episodes:* Previous episode with Dr. Richard Saldanha on AI * Marco Aboav: Quant Trading from Data to Alpha* Jim Simons, Renaissance Technologies & The Quant Revolution | Greg ZuckermanResources Mentioned:* Renaissance Technologies* AQR Capital ManagementConnect with Dr. Richard Saldanha:* On LinkedIn* Oxquant (Richard's consultancy)Timestamps & Topics:[00:00] - Introduction to Dr. Richard Saldanha - an insider's look at hedge funds.[00:36] - The Importance of Financial Data[01:55] - Quantitative Trading and Market Inefficiencies[03:34] - Challenges in Hedge Fund Strategies[05:20] - Renaissance Technologies: Ahead of the Game[07:55] - The Evolution and Challenges of Hedge Funds[09:41] - The Democratization of Investments[13:38] - Private Equity vs. Hedge Funds[18:18] - Cautionary Tales: Fraud in Hedge FundsAbout the Show:Investology is a podcast hosted by George Aliferis, CAIA, dedicated to rethinking investment management and uncovering new ways to deliver better outcomes for investors. Listen on every podcast platform, or watch on YouTube.Thanks for reading Investology: re-think investment management! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work.My Investing & Investment Management channelsInvestorama - Separating Investment Facts from Financial Fiction (YouTube)Investology - Re-Think Investment Management (YouTube)Investology in Audio versionFor B2B Brands, Marketers & PodcastersOrama (my business): helps brands grow with podcasts & videos - DM if you need help with a brand podcast or YouTube channelNewsletter about B2B marketing and podcasting: on Substack This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit investorama.substack.com

What happens when a child prodigy channels divine inspiration into groundbreaking storytelling? I sit down with Sophia Stewart, a prolific writer who began writing professionally at just 11 years old. From navigating the complex world of what it means to own your work, Sophia shares powerful insights about trusting your creative vision and the role of faith in artistic success. We explore the importance of how spiritual guidance shapes artistic decisions and what it takes to stand firm in your creative truth. Whether you're seeking inspiration for your own artistic journey or curious about the intersection of creativity and faith, this conversation offers profound wisdom about following your calling and never giving up on your dreams. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creativity and Artistic Voice 03:06 Sophia Stewart's Early Inspirations and Writing Journey 06:01 The Birth of Iconic Stories: The Matrix and Terminator 08:49 The Evolution of Writing Skills and Techniques 12:07 The Impact of Early Exposure to Creativity 15:11 The Role of Faith and Spiritual Guidance in Success 18:10 Reflections on Life Lessons and Personal Growth 21:01 Closing Thoughts and Future Aspirations   Connect With Sophia: Email: sophiastewart10@yahoo.com Purchase Sophia's books: https://truthaboutmatrix.com/book-store/  Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Santiago Cardona and Daniel Espinosa.   Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives

Are you searching for stories that feed your creative spirit? In this solo episode, I share four incredible books by women of color essential to your summer reading list.  These books feature narratives of immigration, identity, and magical realism. These reads have resonated deeply with me. I hope they may fuel your artistic journey.  Join me as we explore these powerful voices in contemporary literature that promise to transport, challenge, and inspire you long after turning the last page.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creative Voices 00:28 Essential Summer Reads by Artists of Color 04:12 Encouragement for Support and Engagement   Books Mentioned on the Episode Everything Inside by Edwidge Danticat Girl, Woman, Other by Bernardine Evaristo Ghostroots by Pemi Aguda When We Were Birds by Ayanna Lloyd Banwo   Support the Show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack   This podcast episode is produced and written by Martine Severin and edited by Daniel Espinosa.  

What happens when hip-hop methodology meets ancient glassblowing traditions?  In this captivating conversation, I sit down with Leo Tecosky, a glass artist who's redefining what it means to honor craft traditions while pushing creative boundaries. From his childhood memories of watching a goldsmith neighbor work to discovering the mesmerizing world of molten glass in art school, Leo shares how early exposure to hip-hop culture became the driving force behind his unique approach to fine art.  We explore how travel, cultural investigation, and an insatiable hunger for knowledge fuel his creative process. Leo opens up about the challenges of bridging technical mastery with artistic vision, and how he uses what he calls "hip-hop methodology" to remix centuries-old techniques for contemporary expression. This is a conversation about finding your creative voice when it exists at the intersection of multiple worlds. Chapters  00:00 Introduction to Creative Journeys 03:08 Childhood Influences and Early Artistic Exposure 06:01 Education and the Path to Art School 08:54 Discovering Glassblowing and Artistic Techniques 12:02 Creative Process and Finding Artistic Voice 15:14 The Influence of Hip-Hop on Art 17:57 Exploring Graffiti and Material Aesthetics 21:07 Personal Passions and Lifelong Learning Featured Video Footage: Corning Museum of Glass (CMoG). (2021, December 2). Leo Tecosky, 36th Rakow Commission Recipient [Video].  YouTube. Leo Tecosky, 36th Rakow Commission Recipient Connect With Leo: Website: Leo's Website Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Daniel Espinosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives  

Have you ever woken up feeling inexplicably frustrated for no apparent reason? This morning, I found myself battling some serious irritation. Through this raw, relatable moment, I discovered something important about what happens when our deepest values start pulling us in opposite directions.  In this mini-episode, I share a simple but powerful approach to navigating those moments when you feel torn between what you want and need to do. Sometimes the most profound insights come from the most ordinary moments.  Chapters 00:00 - Welcome to This is How We Create 00:30 - The Unexplained Frustration: A Morning Quiche Story 01:45 - Discovering Two Warring Values 02:20 - The Framework: Pause, Identify, and Plan Ahead 03:30 - Honoring Both Values While Moving Forward 04:15 - Call to Action and Closing  Support the Show  Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack   This podcast episode is produced and written by Martine Severin and edited by Daniel Espinosa.  

Have you ever had a moment when everything you thought you knew about your path suddenly shifted? In today's episode, I sit down with textile artist Qualeasha Wood, whose innovative work bridges digital imagery with traditional craft techniques. She reveals the unexpected moments that led her from a completely different path into textile art. Qualeasha also shares the profound encounter that changed the trajectory of her art practice. Through stories about family, creativity, and finding her authentic voice, Qualeasha offers powerful insights for any artist navigating their creative journey. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Qualeasha Wood and Her Art Journey 02:57 The Impact of Family and Community on Creativity 06:06 Early Influences and the Search for Representation in Art 08:53 Navigating the Art World: From Discouragement to Discovery 11:47 Finding a Medium: The Shift from Illustration to Printmaking 15:02 The Role of Textiles in Qualeasha's Artistic Expression 18:08 The Influence of Faith Ringgold and Career Shifts 21:09 Exploring Printmaking and the Intersection of Art and Identity 24:35 The Journey into Textile 27:50 Exploring Identity through Art 32:08 The Evolution of Artistic Mediums 37:12 Navigating Graduate School Decisions 41:00 Redefining Success in Art 47:35 Legacy and Impact through Textiles   Connect With Qualeasha: Website: Qualeasha's Website Instagram: Qualeasha Wood Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin. This episode was edited by Santiago Cardona and Daniel Espinosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives  

If you've ever needed to get your bum into gear but couldn't find motivation, this episode is for you.  In this mini-episode, I share my personal toolkit for getting things done. Listen in for the tools and leave knowing that next time your brain tries to lure you with procrastination, you'll be able to resist temptation.   Chapters 00:00 The Struggle with Procrastination 02:44 Understanding the Cognitive Behavioral Triangle 04:08 The Power of Accountability 06:46 Finding the Right Accountability Partner 07:44 Creative Accountability Techniques 09:33 Tools for Enhanced Focus and Productivity   Resources Mentioned: The platform that connects you with work partners worldwide: Focusmate Pomodoro timer app/website for task management: Pomofocus My favorite work with me videos: Celine and why not work with Marie Forleo   Support the Show Website: Martine Severin  Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate  Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack   This podcast episode is produced and written by Martine Severin and edited by Daniel Espinosa.  

Have you wondered how artists manage to capture the essence of their subjects?  In today's episode, I sit down with portrait artist Tafy LaPlanche, whose cultural background shapes her distinctive artistic approach. She shares why certain creative detours—including a complete break from art ultimately strengthened her artistic voice. Through personal stories and artistic insights, Tafy offers powerful inspiration for anyone navigating their own creative path while searching for authentic connection in their work.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Tafy LaPlanche 02:54 The Journey of an Afro-Latina Artist 06:11 Finding Artistic Voice Through Diverse Experiences 09:02 The Influence of Cultural Background on Art 11:51 Rediscovering Passion During a Pandemic 14:58 The Impact of Fashion Photography on Portraiture 17:47 Creating Authentic Connections Through Portraits 21:07 The Process of Capturing Subjects 23:54 Dreams of Mural Art and Community Engagement 27:02 Balancing Flight Attendant Life with Art 30:01 The Importance of Focus in Artistic Creation 33:04 Advice to Younger Self and Conclusion   CONNECT WITH TAFY: Website: https://lepouf-art.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lepouf_art/ Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona and Daniel Espinosa. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives  

Have you ever reached for a glass of wine after a stressful day, only to realize you're avoiding something important? In this intimate mini-episode, we talk about alcohol and anxiety, revealing how our emotions serve as powerful messengers in our creative lives. S Chapters/Timestamps: 00:00 - Introduction to Emotions as Messengers 02:52 - Personal Journey with Alcohol and Emotions 05:45 - Understanding Emotions in the Creative Process Resources Mentioned: Huberman Lab podcast: What Alcohol Does to Your Body, Brain and Health The Triangle Method (as featured in Creative Matters) Support the Show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This Is How We Create is produced and edited by Santiago Cardona.

Discover how Violeta Encarnación balances freelancing, illustration, and creative evolution. She reflects on her journey from growing up in Cuba to becoming a book illustrator, her experience at SVA, and her shift into tattooing. Violeta opens up about the realities of freelancing, managing carpal tunnel syndrome, and honing her distinctive color palette. She also shares how nature inspires her work, the significance of personal connections in art, and her upcoming projects.   Show Notes:    We talk with Violeta Encarnación, a freelance illustrator, about her creative journey and experiences in book illustration. She shares memories of growing up in Cuba, the impact of her artistic family, and her transition to life in the U.S. Violeta reflects on her time at SVA, her path into tattooing, and the lessons she has learned as a freelancer. She opens up about managing an unpredictable schedule, coping with carpal tunnel syndrome, and staying authentic in her work. Violeta also discusses her distinctive color palette, nature's influence on her art, and the role of personal connections in creative careers. Episode Highlights   Childhood experiences and cultural background. Learning a new language and adapting to a new culture. Book illustration involves collaboration, patience, and the ability to convey complex emotions through images. Developing a unique color palette takes time and experimentation, and it can be influenced by nature and personal experiences. Finding one's voice in art and maintaining personal connections are essential for success.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Violeta Encarnacion 02:55 Cultural Influences on Creativity 05:50 Journey from Cuba to the U.S. 08:48 Navigating Language Barriers 11:54 Artistic Development and Education 15:05 Tattooing and Its Impact on Art 17:50 Freelance Career and Illustration Work 21:01 Illustrating Children's Books 24:31 Navigating Relationships in Publishing 25:43 Surprising Lessons in Illustration 27:16 The Journey to Illustrating a Book 32:30 Understanding Project Timelines 36:14 Managing Cash Flow as a Freelancer 39:54 Developing a Unique Color Palette 46:28 Exciting Future Projects CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: Violeta Encarnacion  Instagram: Violeta  Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives  

Do you feel uncomfortable with the sales process as a creative? In this candid mini-episode, Martine Severin tackles the topic many creatives dread: sales. Martine breaks down practical strategies for artists to sell their work authentically without feeling like "used car salesperson."  Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creative Life 00:23 The Visibility to Sales Paradox 03:16 Understanding Sales for Artists 10:19 Building Community and Networking 14:00 Cultivating an Audience and Collectors 20:07 The Sales Process Explained 27:35 Transforming Sales Mindset Perfect for: Artists, photographers, designers, and creatives who feel uncomfortable with the sales process but want to improve their results. Danielle Chutinthranond: E28 Maria Bayer: https://members.mariabayer.com/2025-is/ Maria on Instagram KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin. #CreativeBusiness #ArtSales #CreativeEntrepreneurship #SalesForArtists  

Have you ever wondered how a movie gets made? Or better yet, where do the ideas from movies come from? And if you have your sight on making a short film, wouldn't it be great if someone helped you buff your idea and make the end product simply spectacular? Shannan E. Johnson is that someone! As a former creative executive at NBCU/The Syfy Channel, Shannan left her full-time gig to become a storytelling expert who develops creatives and their ideas for the screen. As a script consultant, teacher, and therapist, she uses her innate understanding of storytelling to make compelling TV and movies. In today's podcast, Shannan walks us through her wide-ranging career and shares what it's like to work in Hollywood. She offers invaluable tips on how to write and tell a great story. I walked away from our conversation with a framework on how to approach fear and how to position my vision to achieve my desired outcomes! As you listen to the interview, the conversation will skip forward here and there - this is because Shannan's audio cut off at certain points, but the insights remain powerful throughout. Chapters: 00:00 Introduction to Shannan E. Johnson 02:09 The Journey into Storytelling 07:14 Understanding the Craft of Screenwriting 12:23 The Differences in Storytelling Mediums 18:19 Transitioning to Executive Roles in Hollywood 24:15 Navigating the Business of Hollywood 26:48 The Evolution of Storytelling in TV 35:03 Navigating the Transition from Executive to Entrepreneur 41:08 Building Confidence and Leadership Skills 47:09 The Professional Pen: Empowering Screenwriters 51:03 Introducing Truffle Sauce: A New Film Experience Connect with Shannan: Website: http://www.shannanejohnson.com/ The Professional Pen: https://www.awriterforyourwriter.com/bio.html Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shannanejohnson/ The Professional Pen IG: https://www.instagram.com/theprofessionalpen/ Connect with your host: Website: Martine Severin Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Ray Abercrombie.  

This week on This Is How We Create: Award-winning photographer Tobi Shinobi reveals his fascinating journey from courtroom to camera lens. Discover the unique productivity framework that transformed his creative process and catapulted his career to global recognition. Episode Highlights The Name: How a playground nickname evolved into one of photography's most recognizable brands The Pivot: Why Tobi abandoned a successful legal career to pursue photography The Symmetry Connection: How childhood Lego obsessions influenced his distinctive visual style The Game-Changer: Tobi's intriguing "7 out of 10 principle" that revolutionized his workflow The Success Story: From Instagram experiments to Sony ambassador and TikTok creative strategist Sneak Peek: The 7 Out of 10 Principle Tobi introduces his enigmatic productivity framework that helped him post 3-4 quality images daily while maintaining his signature high standards. What are the ten elements he considers, and why is hitting just seven of them the sweet spot? Tune in to find out how this approach might transform your creative practice. Professional Insights Why photographing buildings became Tobi's specialty (hint: they're never late to photoshoots) The small details that separate amateurs from professionals in client relationships How self-taught photographers can bridge the knowledge gap when transitioning to professional work Quotable Moments "The worst piece of advice I've ever received was 'don't become a photographer'... I've been able to travel the world, make long-term friendships, change my life... all because I believed in myself."   Connect With This Is How We Create Keep up with your host Martine Severin https://martineseverin.com/ Follow This Is How We Create on IG. https://www.instagram.com/thisishowwecreate_/ Follow Martine on Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/martine.severin/ Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by and edited by Braila West, Alexis Sanchez and Martine Severin. Connect With Tobi Shinobi Follow Tobi on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tobishinobi Website: https://www.tobishinobi.com/ Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/c/Tobishinobi  

Have you ever committed to creating even when you didn't believe in yourself? In this mini-episode of 'This Is How We Create,' Martine Severin explores the quiet yet persistent power that drives artists to create even when faced with doubt, external pressures, and self-criticism. She shares a profound revelation from a cinematographer who admitted there were times in her successful career when she simply didn't believe in herself - yet continued moving forward. Episode Highlights There's a gap between creative dreams and current reality that can feel like failure Creative resilience isn't flashy - it's about honoring the contract you made with yourself to be an artist The difference between orchestrating success versus influencing it How separating actions from fluctuations in self-perception can liberate your creative process What if the next level of your art requires stillness rather than hustle? Embracing your unique way of being and seeing the world How generosity and genuine connection can help navigate the "valley of doubt" Key Takeaways Creative resilience is essential for navigating the natural ebbs and flows of artistic life External metrics shouldn't overshadow the simple joy of creating Stillness and quiet can lead to deeper creative insights than forced productivity Community support makes navigating doubt easier - we're not meant to walk this path alone Your creativity is defined by commitment, not belief in yourself Your Creative Assignment Reconnect with the original contract you made with yourself about making art Carve out time for deliberative practice - 15 minutes of just being Ask yourself: "How might I be if I believed in myself every moment of the day?" Reach out to someone in your community with genuine curiosity - not to get something, but to give your full attention   Sound Bites "What if the next level to your art requires something that's counterintuitive? What if it requires stillness?" "Generosity turns out is a secret passcode and a password that opens doors, especially for those of us who find traditional networking exhausting." "Your creativity isn't defined by beliefs or doubts, it's defined by your commitment." Episode Chapters 00:00 The Creative Journey Begins 02:45 Navigating Doubt and Resilience 06:12 The Power of Stillness 09:01 Community and Connection in Creativity 11:54 Commitment Over Belief   Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This Is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.

Ever find yourself stuck in decision limbo, saying "maybe" to opportunities that deep down you know aren't right for you? In this episode of "This is How We Create," Martine Severin unpacks her game-changing "Waffle Rule," a powerful framework that will transform how you make decisions in your creative career and beyond. You'll discover: Why indecision is actually a form of decision-making (and what your brain is trying to tell you) How to interpret that "static" feeling when you're waffling between choices The surprising connection between hesitation and your true values A practical 5-step plan to build your "no muscle" and reclaim precious creative energy Real-world examples from creatives like photographer Anastassia Withey and web designer Elsa Omri who made tough choices to honor their creative voices Download the workbook that goes along with this episode: Waffle Rule Workbook This episode grew from one of our most popular Creative Matters newsletter pieces, proving that decision paralysis is something so many of us struggle with as creative professionals of color. Whether you're considering a career pivot, evaluating collaboration opportunities, or simply trying to protect your creative time, the Waffle Rule offers the clarity you've been searching for. Hit play to reclaim your decision-making power and discover why sometimes your most powerful creative tool is simply saying "no.” Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creative Life 00:25 Understanding Indecision 05:12 The Waffle Rule Explained 07:42 Applying the Waffle Rule 09:09 Conclusion and Call to Action Support the Show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This Is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.  

What happens when a medical student abandons her stethoscope for a camera, moves to a foreign country where she knows no one, and transforms an abandoned garage into a thriving art collective?   In this episode, we explore the multifaceted world of communication designer and photographer Ankita Das, whose work transcends traditional medium boundaries to create powerful narratives around identity, health, and community. Ankita shares how being the daughter of academics (a mathematician mother and surgeon father) initially set her on a medical path before discovering her artistic talents. She discusses her unique professional identity, describing herself as "juggling between a designer who photographs and a photographer who designs." Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Ankita Das and Her Creative Journey 02:56 The Duality of Identity in Creativity 05:56 Artistic Influences from Childhood 09:07 Exploring Dating Culture Through Art 11:55 The Intersection of Performance and Design 15:14 Navigating PCOS Through Artistic Expression 18:02 Creating Community Through Espace Tricote 21:01 Understanding Space and Communication Design 24:05 Collective Chimera: Building a Supportive Community 27:01 Funding and Sustainability of Artistic Spaces 29:55 The Impact of Community on Creativity 32:52 Sharing Work Beyond the Community 36:05 Balancing Work and Personal Life 38:57 Conclusion and Final Thoughts    CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: https://ankitadas.com/ Instagram: Herecomesthepotato   Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona.  

In this mini-episode, we dive into something we ALL struggle with as creatives - the hidden cost of context switching. Ever feel like you've run a mental marathon without actually finishing anything substantial? Turns out there's a name for that overwhelmed feeling: attention residue. Martine shares her personal struggles with toggling between creator, marketer, and business manager modes - and how neuroscience shows our brains simply aren't designed for these rapid-fire transitions. (Did you know it takes an average of 23 minutes to fully regain focus after an interruption? Whew!) But don't worry! This isn't just about naming the problem - we've got practical solutions in her context switching survival kit: Time-blocking with buffers (separate your maker days from your manager days!) The two-minute reset ritual for those unavoidable transitions The threshold technique that creates clean breaks between work sessions If you're a creative entrepreneur feeling stretched in a million directions, this episode is your nudge to protect your creative focus.  Support the Show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: @martineseverin | @thisishowwecreate Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This Is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.  

In this episode, we pulls back the curtain on our creative process, revealing the digital ecosystem that brings the podcast interviews to life. If you've ever felt intimidated by the technical side of podcasting, tune in to discover a your new favorite tool. Chapters:  00:00 Introduction to the Creative Journey  00:27 Behind the Scenes of Podcasting  02:53 Tools of the Trade  05:46 Visual and Interactive Elements  09:10 Editing and Publishing Process  11:59 The Courage to Create Support the Show Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona. Tools mentioned   Riverside.fm Lately.ai Napkin.ai Canva.com Veed.io Audacity.com   Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives  

We chat with Kyra Wells, a graphic designer and advocate for creative community and mentorship. She reflects on her path from a young artist to her role at American Greetings and leadership at AIGA Cleveland. Kyra explores the role of playfulness in design, supporting emerging creatives, and her course, You Are Not an Imposter, which helps designers gain confidence in their careers.   Episode Highlights   Kyra's journey reflects the value of mentorship. She started her own business during the pandemic. Injecting fun into work is a core value at American Greetings. Kyra emphasizes the importance of community in design. Sustainability in design is a growing focus for AIGA Cleveland. The course 'You Are Not an Imposter' addresses common struggles Balancing personal projects with professional responsibilities is essential.   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Kyra Wells and Her Creative Journey 05:12 Kyra's Early Inspirations and Path to Graphic Design 12:23 Navigating the Job Market and Building a Career 18:34 The Importance of Community and Mentorship 23:03 Finding Creative Voice Through Client Work 26:33 Creating Fun and Engaging Content at American Greetings 29:11 AIGA Cleveland: Building Community and Opportunities 32:21 Inspiration from Local Designers and Educators 34:10 Creating the Course: You Are Not an Imposter CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Kyra's website: https://kyrajwells.com/ Connect with Kyra on Instagram: @kyrajwells   Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona. Subscribe wherever you get your podcasts Leave a review Follow us on social media Share with fellow creatives    

Muscle Smashes Cancer Podcast || Subscribe to Vitality Explorers on SubstackFIVE PRIMARY POINTS of the PODCAST1. Red Light Therapy May Reduce Blood Sugar Spikes* A groundbreaking study found that red light therapy (670 nm wavelength) lowered blood sugar spikes by 7.5% and overall glucose elevation by 27.7% after consuming glucose.* The proposed mechanism: Red light stimulates mitochondria, increasing ATP production, which enhances glucose metabolism.* Implication: This could be a non-invasive way to help regulate blood sugar levels and reduce risks of diabetes and inflammation.2. Unlocking Your Best Life: Four Transformative Lessons* Vitality is a Skill: Like a muscle, you can train and optimize your vitality through daily habits.* Bet on Yourself: Decide to be the hero of your own story and take action despite uncertainty.* Time & Relationships Are Your Greatest Assets: Prioritize deep connections and forgiveness—freeing mental energy for growth.* Muscle is Medicine: Stronger legs predict better brain health. Exercise enhances physical and mental resilience.3. Vitamin D is Critical for Arthritis and Pain Management* Research shows low vitamin D levels are linked to worse arthritis symptoms, increased pain, and more inflammation.* Ideal Vitamin D levels (40-50 ng/mL) are associated with lower pain and slower disease progression.* Call to action: Get your vitamin D levels tested and optimize them to protect joint health.4. The Power of Red Light Therapy Beyond Blood Sugar* Photobiomodulation (PBM) research shows promising results for:* Muscle Performance & Recovery: PBM enhances muscle strength and reduces fatigue, especially in older adults.* Pain Relief: PBM reduces neuropathic and acute pain by influencing immune responses.* Wound Healing: A new wearable LED patch combining red and blue light shows faster healing and reduced infections.* The potential for treating neurological conditions, male infertility, and eye health is also emerging.5. Vitality Action Challenge: Define Your Purpose* Inspired by Dolly Parton's quote, “Find out who you are and do it on purpose.”* Challenge: Spend 1,000 seconds (≈17 minutes) today reflecting on your purpose.* Take ownership of your time, attention, and future goals—and commit to making one bold, intentional move toward vitality today.

Foodwriter and Chef Jody Eddy on what goes on in Michelin-star kitchens, monastic culinary traditions, and the rigorous world of food writing. From working 17-hour shifts in elite restaurants to uncovering the rituals of monks and chefs alike, she reveals the hidden ingredients of storytelling, discipline, and turning culinary ideas into bestselling books.*ABOUT JODY EDDYJody Eddy is a writer, editor, and cookbook author whose work explores the intersection of food, culture, and storytelling. She has written for Food & Wine, Travel + Leisure, and The Wall Street Journal and has authored several acclaimed cookbooks, including Come In, We're Closed, North: The New Nordic Cuisine of Iceland, and Chaat. Jody Eddy is a writer, editor, and cookbook author whose work explores the intersection of food, culture, and storytelling. Her latest book is Elysian Kitchens: Recipes Inspired by the Traditions and Tastes of the World's Sacred Spaces.*RESOURCES & LINKS

In this illuminating episode of "This is How We Create," host Martine Severin sits down with Ube Urban, a multifaceted creative leader who brings his Pacific Islander heritage to the forefront of his design practice and mentorship approach. Born in Hawaii with Japanese, Black, Native American, and Filipino roots, Ube shares his journey from island life to becoming a head of customer experience in corporate America. Through candid conversation, he reveals the challenges of maintaining cultural identity while navigating mainland expectations and professional environments where he is often "the only one." In this episode, you'll discover: How Ube's upbringing in Hawaii shaped his approach to organization, presentation, and identity The concept of "invisible work" in both design and cultural navigation Ube's framework for mentorship helps others discover and maintain authentic personal brands The struggles of cultural displacement and the pressure to compartmentalize identity in professional settings Why "authenticity" can be a complicated concept for those with multicultural backgrounds Ube offers valuable insights for creatives navigating multicultural identities, providing a compelling perspective on maintaining cultural roots while forging new professional paths. His story reminds us that true decolonization of design means embracing the full intersectionality of our experiences. Quotes from the episode: "When I came to the mainland, I was essentially this person kind of holding this gem... and then I had battle balloons over time and my shiny diamond turned into this rough rock." "Being in Hawaii, you're just like, 'This is who I am, this is who we all are.' I don't have to prove to you my existence or my family or pride. We all share that." "How can you control something that a corporation, an agency, or a company cannot control? That is the hardest part." Chapters   00:00 Introduction to Ube Urban and His Work 03:31 Ube's Background and Identity 10:07 Navigating Cultural Identity and Professional Spaces 16:49 The Journey of Self-Discovery 23:24 Transitioning from Hawaii to the Mainland 26:21 Ube's Framework for Authentic Branding 31:17 Questions for Self-Discovery 38:10 The Challenge of Individuality in a Conformist Society 46:08 Reflections on Growth and Future Generations CONNECT WITH OUR GUEST: Website: https://www.ubeurban.com/ Linkedin: ubeurban   Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona.  

This week on our Mini Episode of This Is How We Create, we unpack the revolutionary story of Dr. Margaret Burroughs, who transformed her first-floor living room into the DuSable Museum—one of America's most significant institutions of African American history. This episode explores how creating the spaces we need can spark cultural movements that ripple through generations. In This Episode - The power of starting where you are - even if it's your living room - How Dr. Burroughs built cultural institutions without waiting for permission - The journey from home museum to Smithsonian-affiliated institution - Why representation matters in preserving and sharing Black history - The lasting impact of creating spaces for community art and culture Key Moments 00:00 - Introduction and setting the scene - Welcome to "This Is How We Create" - Introduction to Dr. Margaret Burroughs (formerly Victoria Margaret Taylor)   02:30 - Early Years - Born in Louisiana - Migration to Chicago - Marriage to Charles Burroughs in 1949   05:00 - Building Cultural Spaces - Co-founding the Southside Community Art Center at age 22 - Hosting artists like Langston Hughes - Eleanor Roosevelt's dedication of the center   08:00 - The Living Room Revolution - Converting their first floor into a museum in 1961 - Growth into the DuSable Museum - Current collection of over 13,000 artifacts   Notable Quotes "I just couldn't see myself standing in front of a group of eager-eyed young Black people and not being able to tell them something very positive about themselves." - Dr. Margaret Burroughs   Resources Mentioned - Southside Community Art Center (Still active today) - DuSable Museum - Dr. Burroughs' linocuts and paintings   Episode Takeaways 1. Don't wait for perfect conditions - start where you are 2. Community spaces can grow from humble beginnings 3. Personal spaces can become cultural institutions 4. Art and history preservation are acts of revolution 5. Creating space for others is a form of legacy building  KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.  

In this special mini-episode, we explore the extraordinary legacy of Roy DeCarava (1919-2009), one of the most influential photographers of the 20th century. From the streets of Harlem to the stages where jazz giants performed, DeCarava revolutionized how we see through photography, especially in his groundbreaking representation of Black life and culture. Listen in to hear how you can apply some of his lessons to your own work. Roy DeCarava Roy DeCarava Fresh Air NPR Roy DeCarava Charlie Rose  A Radical Vision: Roy DeCarava's "The Sweet Flypaper Of Life KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.  

This week's episode reminds us why authenticity is essential to artistic vision. Martine sits down with Adrian Octavius Walker, a mixed-media artist and photographer whose journey from St. Louis to the Smithsonian will inspire you to think differently about your creative path. A note from the content team: In this episode, we discuss grief and the loss of a parent. Episode Highlights Collaboration and networking are essential in the creative industry. Taking care of oneself physically and mentally is crucial for success. Balancing work and family requires prioritization and setting boundaries. Music can be a powerful source of inspiration and motivation for artists. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Adrian Octavius Walker 03:02 Childhood and Early Influences 05:56 Navigating Grief and Loss 09:13 The Role of Photography in Healing 12:04 Transitioning to College and Career 14:57 The Journey of a Mixed Media Artist 17:46 Touring with Lupe Fiasco 21:09 Becoming a Photo Editor and Beyond 24:56 The Journey Begins: From Editing App to Career 29:20 Building a Community: The Power of Connections 34:37 Artistic Growth: Discovering My Voice 39:41 Collaboration and Self-Care: Balancing Life and Art 46:27 Advice to My Younger Self: Financial Wisdom and Mental Health 48:50 The Role of Music: A Creative Lifeline QUOTABLE GEMS: "I wouldn't necessarily say I'm giving up anything. What I am doing is giving in and giving grace to life itself." - Adrian Walker  CREATOR'S TOOLKIT: Adrian shares his secret weapon for staying creative and centered: music! Stay tuned for his curated playlist dropping soon. REAL TALK MOMENT: When Adrian talks about scheduling his long runs before family time [42:30], he drops some serious wisdom about how to show up for your art AND your family. This conversation is a must-listen for any creator trying to balance it all. MARTINE'S TAKEAWAY: "What struck me most about Adrian's journey is how he's turned every experience – even the painful ones – into fuel for his artistic vision. His work reminds us that there's beauty everywhere, even in unexpected places." JOIN THE CONVERSATION: What resonated most with you from Adrian's story? Share your thoughts with us using #ThisIsHowWeCreate #Photography #ArtistJourney #CreativeLife #MixedMediaArt #ThisIsHowWeCreate PS: Like what you heard? Share this episode with a fellow creator who needs to hear it!

This episode unpacks a powerful truth about creativity: your path isn't linear, and that's exactly how it should be. Host Martine Severin breaks down how three groundbreaking artists navigated multiple streams of life while building their creative practice. Elizabeth Catlett: Merged modernist training with accessibility Charles White: Combined Chicago labor movement work with mastering his craft Mary Sully: Dakota artist who challenged Western conventions   Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Creative Journeys 01:52 Exploring the Lives of Influential Artists 06:11 The Importance of Technical Skills and Commitment 08:09 Conclusion and Call to Action KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.  

In this bonus episode from my Instagram live, I discuss the importance of being open to switching marketing platforms, with a particular focus on Substack as an emerging platform for business owners. I shared insights on why business owners shouldn't fear starting over on new platforms and explained why Substack could be a game-changing opportunity for serious content creators and businesses.Key Points:• Don't fear starting over on new platforms - most modern platforms are search-based and don't require a large following• Marketing platforms should align with your energy and communication style for better consistency• Substack offers multiple content formats (blog, podcast, video, audio) in one platform• Platform ownership and content control are crucial in today's changing social media landscape• Quality of audience and networking opportunities matter more than quantity of followers"Nothing else does that. So it's a no brainer for me... I get my email list. I get free marketing and free visibility. It has SEO. I can host my podcast for free that I've been paying $20 a month into the abyss. I can now move my private podcast... Now I can have it all in one place."Subscribe to my Substack This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit revolutionaryceo.substack.com

In this episode, photographer and U.S. Army veteran Chris Charles shares his remarkable journey from military service to creative entrepreneurship. His story is a masterclass in reinvention, resilience, and the unexpected ways our past experiences shape our future success. WHAT YOU'LL LEARN: How military discipline can transform your creative business The power of systems and automation in preventing burnout Why diversifying income streams is crucial for creative entrepreneurs The importance of establishing clear boundaries and rest days How to transition from service provider to strategic business owner RESOURCES MENTIONED: Acuity Scheduling Square Payment Systems Model Mayhem Flickr   Episode Timeline 00:00 Introduction to Chris Charles' Journey 02:55 From Military to Creative Entrepreneur 06:10 Childhood Influences and Early Artistic Exposure 08:48 Transitioning from Military to Photography 11:45 Experiences as a Paratrooper 14:58 Rediscovering Photography in Iraq 17:53 Building a Creative Career 20:54 The Role of Education in Chris' Career 24:04 Combining Graphic Design and Photography 27:08 Military Precision in Creative Business 28:59 Establishing a Seamless Booking Process 34:29 Navigating Burnout and Work-Life Balance 39:30 The Importance of Delegation and Support 45:00 Rethinking Business Models and Income Streams   Connect With Chris Website: Chris Charles Follow on Instagram: Chris Charles Support the Show Website: Martine SeverinFollow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We CreateSubscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This is How We Create is produced by Martine Severin and edited by Santiago Cardona.  

"Trust Your Art in Troubled Times" - When democracy makes you uncertain, should you create or doom-scroll? Host Martine Severin draws wisdom from Black artists who've turned constitutional tension into enduring work - from Baldwin to Amy Sherald. Perfect for: Artists, writers, designers, entrepreneurs, and anyone looking to deepen their creative practice while building sustainable success. #CreativeStrategy #ArtistsOfColor #CreativeBusiness #PersonalDevelopment KEEP UP WITH MARTINE: Website: Martine Severin Follow on Instagram: Martine | This Is How We Create Subscribe to the Newsletter: Martine's Substack This episode of This is How We Create is produced and edited by Martine Severin.

Annie's out of town this week, but worry not: friend of the pod, comedy writer and tinned-fish evangelist Caroline Goldfarb joins Nick to explain the cult cookie-to-cosmetics pipeline, her current beauty faves, and more. Follow Caroline on Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.eyewitnessbeauty.com/subscribe

More free time and less stress. Extra money in the bank. While minimalists often report such benefits of the lifestyle over and over, for many of us, it goes deeper. Indeed, a minimalist lifestyle may fundamentally change the way we interact with the world.As this podcast approaches its 500th episode I find myself curious about the ways in which adopting a minimalist or minimal-ish outlook has altered the ways in which we as community act and think.On today's show: A conversation with minimalist Elaina Jindra about just some of the ways her life is different these days. Here's a preview of the minimalism-inspired habit changes we are discussing today:[8:00] Watching less television and turning away from mass media[14:00] Buying in bulk, no more[19:00] Storing it at the store? Sure. Plus: Storing it at Goodwill![22:00] Eating healthier and drinking less alcohol[25:00] Stepping into the role of 'creator' while losing the identity of 'consumer' Resources mentioned: Sign up for the Sustainable Minimalists newsletter (it's free!) here Hobby Hour (via Substack)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

More free time and less stress. Extra money in the bank. While minimalists often report such benefits of the lifestyle over and over, for many of us, it goes deeper. Indeed, a minimalist lifestyle may fundamentally change the way we interact with the world. As this podcast approaches its 500th episode I find myself curious about the ways in which adopting a minimalist or minimal-ish outlook has altered the ways in which we as community act and think. On today's show: A conversation with minimalist Elaina Jindra about just some of the ways her life is different these days.   Here's a preview of the minimalism-inspired habit changes we are discussing today: [8:00] Watching less television and turning away from mass media [14:00] Buying in bulk, no more [19:00] Storing it at the store? Sure. Plus: Storing it at Goodwill! [22:00] Eating healthier and drinking less alcohol [25:00] Stepping into the role of 'creator' while losing the identity of 'consumer'   Resources mentioned: Sign up for the Sustainable Minimalists newsletter (it's free!) here Hobby Hour (via Substack)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

Hoh's Substack This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.ryandawson.org/subscribe

A product needs to fit into someone's life seamlessly in order for it to be bought, and it's the job of the advertiser to show exactly how the item in question will fit into a life. On today's show: 5 crucial insights advertisers know about us (that we perhaps don't know about ourselves). Here's a preview:[1:00] Examining our clutter problem through metaphor (bathtub, baby!)[9:00] Selling isn't about emotion; it's about seduction[13:00] We humans are animals, and animals are evolutionarily primed to heed warnings[15:00] Curiosity versus urgency: Both emotional states convert![21:00] How companies slowly but surely increase market share, plus: here's what happens when a product differentiates itself on eco-friendliness[26:00] Insider advertising works! Resources mentioned:The Hidden Clutter Creator Right Under Your Nose (via Your House Machine on Substack)  This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

A product needs to fit into someone's life seamlessly in order for it to be bought, and it's the job of the advertiser to show exactly how the item in question will fit into a life. On today's show: 5 crucial insights advertisers know about us (that we perhaps don't know about ourselves).   Here's a preview: [1:00] Examining our clutter problem through metaphor (bathtub, baby!) [9:00] Selling isn't about emotion; it's about seduction [13:00] We humans are animals, and animals are evolutionarily primed to heed warnings [15:00] Curiosity versus urgency: Both emotional states convert! [21:00] How companies slowly but surely increase market share, plus: here's what happens when a product differentiates itself on eco-friendliness [26:00] Insider advertising works!   Resources mentioned: The Hidden Clutter Creator Right Under Your Nose (via Your House Machine on Substack)   This show is listener-supported. Thank you for supporting! Join our (free!) Facebook community here. Find your tribe. Sustainable Minimalists are on Facebook, Instagram + Youtube @sustainableminimalists Say hello! MamaMinimalistBoston@gmail.com.

In his weekly clinical update, Dr. Griffin discusses the harms of perpetuating the lab leak hypothesis and the recent ACIP recommendations for the RSV vaccine for those individuals over 60, before reviewing the recent statistics on SARS-CoV-2 infection, treatment guidelines for the different phases of COVID, including vaccines, Pemgarda, early treatment with Paxlovid, remdesivir and molnupiravir, steroids at the right time, anticoagulation support, immune modulation in some cases, and a comprehensive definition of long COVID. Subscribe (free): Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, RSS, email Become a patron of TWiV! Links for this episode Harms of the lab leak hypothesis (Journal of Virology) Lab leak mania (PaulOffit, Substack) This is a special message: pandemic started in nature! (TWiV) RSV vaccine recommendations August 6 2024 (MMWR) COVID-19 national trend (CDC) COVID-19 deaths (CDC) Where to get Pemgarda (Pemgarda) CDC Quarantine guidelines (CDC) Early phase of SARs-CoV-2 infection (COVID.gov) NIH COVID-19 treatment guidelines (NIH) Infectious Disease Society guidelines for treatment and management (ID Society) Drug interaction checker (University of Liverpool) Molnupiravir safety and efficacy (JMV) Convalescent plasma recommendation for immunocompromised (ID Society) Managing healthcare staffing shortages (CDC) Steroids,dexamethasone at the right time (OFID) Anticoagulation guidelines (hematology.org) Long COVID defined (NEJM) Contribute to our Floating Doctors fundraiser Lenacapavir on Puscast #60 Letters read on TWiV 1138 Dr. Griffin's COVID treatment summary (pdf) Timestamps by Jolene. Thanks! Intro music is by Ronald Jenkees Send your questions for Dr. Griffin to daniel@microbe.tv

ABOUT THE EPISODE:Ken Guidroz's son hit a Los Angeles bicyclist while high on heroin, killing the man before his body hit the ground. Ken's son fled the scene but turned himself in less than 24 hours later.What followed this tragic accident was a long period of pain and loss not only for the widow of the deceased but for Ken's entire family, as his son was sentenced to years in prison. Ken had given much of his life to God, making sacrifices to serve nearly a decade as leader of congregations and raise his three sons in the best way he knew how. With an innocent man dead, one son in prison, and the other two making bad decisions, where was God now?In this episode, Ken and I discuss how a long period of brokenness and loss began to transform into forgiveness and healing, culminating in his memoir, Letters to My Son in Prison: How a father and son found forgiveness for an unforgivable crime. In this conversation, we discuss the art of blending quiet intuition with the voice of God, how Ken pulled through a crisis of both faith and confidence and a "near-hallucinogenic" experience of catharsis in his darkest hour.EPISODE RESOURCES:Ken's websiteLetters to My Son In Prison - Ken's BookSubscribe to Ken's Substack This podcast is part of a nonprofit called Hopestream CommunityLearn about The Stream, our private online community for momsLearn about The Woods, our private online community for dadsFind us on Instagram: @hopestreamcommunityDownload a free e-book, Worried Sick: A Compassionate Guide For Parents When Your Teen or Young Adult Child Misuses Drugs and AlcoholHopestream Community is a registered 501(c)3 nonprofit organization and an Amazon Associate. We may make a small commission if you purchase from our links.

Hi everyone,I'm excited to bring you this conversation with clinical psychologist Dr. Roger McFillin. His content on X and Substack is incredibly thought-provoking and challenges the popular medical consensus on mental health.McFillin challenges the efficacy of antidepressants and stimulants, pointing out that the placebo effect plays a significant role in their perceived effectiveness. He also emphasizes the lack of scientific evidence supporting the chemical imbalance theory of depression and the potential negative consequences of long-term use of psychiatric drugs. We also discuss the potential harm caused by antidepressants, including an increased risk of suicide, self-injury, and permanent sexual dysfunction. The third theme is the influence of pharmaceutical companies on medical guidelines and research, leading to biased and distorted information. He explains how major medical organizations in the United States are funded by biotech and pharmaceutical companies, as well as nonprofits that are pushed by pharma. He highlights the focus on drugs as healthcare in the allopathic medical model and the lack of emphasis on diet interventions and addressing root causes of poor health. Dr. McFillin also criticizes the overdiagnosis of psychiatric conditions like ADHD and the role of schools in promoting the use of medication. The Illusion of Consensus is a reader-supported podcast. To receive exclusive posts and support our work, consider becoming a paid subscriber:Takeaways* The pharmaceutical industry has a significant influence on the mental health field, leading to overprescription and misrepresentation of scientific data.* There is a lack of evidence for the efficacy and safety of psychiatric drugs, and the long-term consequences are often not fully understood.* The concept of a chemical imbalance as the cause of mental illness is not supported by scientific evidence. Pharmaceutical companies often have a significant influence on research, including ghostwriting and biased reporting.* Medical organizations, such as the American Academy of Pediatrics and the American Psychiatric Association, receive funding from pharmaceutical companies, leading to conflicts of interest.* The FDA's analysis of studies and approval of drugs may not always consider the risks and adverse effects.* The overprescription of ADHD medications is influenced by the mass indoctrination in education and the desire for obedience in classrooms. ADHD is a spectrum of attentional challenges, rather than a disorder.Watch Now:Apple podcastsTime-stamps:00:00 Introduction and Background03:19Awakening to the Flaws in Mainstream Mental Health Approaches05:09 Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry on Mental Health Field08:57 Lack of Efficacy and Safety of Psychiatric Drugs12:16 Prevalence and Problems with SSRIs and Stimulants28:30 Meta-Analysis on SSRIs and Suicide Risk40:21 Conflict of Interest in Research43:13 Ghostwriting and Pharmaceutical Influence45:21 Corruption in Medical Organizations48:55 Lack of Proper Analysis by FDA56:06 Overprescription of ADHD Medications01:01:48 Mass Indoctrination in Education01:10:38 The Rise of ADHD Diagnoses01:21:25 The Power of Behavioral Interventions01:26:28 The Influence of Pharmaceutical Industry and Labeling01:32:19 Understanding ADHD as a Spectrum01:43:00 The Value of Unique Skills and Abilities01:50:13 The Normalization of Attentional Challenges01:59:18 Cultivating Inner Reality and Expectations01:56:24 Depathologizing Mental Health01:59:44 The Challenges of Achievement and More02:01:06 The Value and Limitations of Labels02:03:15 Understanding ADHD on a Spectrum02:04:23The Spectrum of Trauma and PTSD02:08:10 The Mismatch Between Evolution and Modern Society02:19:19The Value and Danger of Labels02:28:39 Cultural Factors and Changing the Culture02:29:12 Future Discussions: Trauma and TreatmentsOur exciting first podcast sponsor:Alcami Elements - a premium herbal supplement for energy, focus, and concentration. Alcami contains 9 high-quality adaptogens that can help regulate your nervous system and optimize energy and focus. Adaptogens are herbs and mushrooms that help build the body's resilience to stress.Get 10% off your first order or 30% off a monthly subscription using the code "illusion” here:https://www.alcamielements.com/products/alcami-elements-life-enhancing-beverageSubscribe to Dr. McFillin's Substack: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.illusionconsensus.com/subscribe