Podcasts about The Velveteen Rabbit

I looked outside and my most beautiful chicken, Maybell, (she's a Jersey Giant) was strutting around with a bald neck, and some of her fluffy butt feathers were gone.  How sad! But, this makes perfect sense, it's molting season. The egg production is down, and the ladies are looking a little ragged, kind of like the Velveteen Rabbit.  In this podcast, I'll go over... ✅ What is molting?  ✅How to support them during this transition ✅Ways to help keep your bald little chickens warm Enjoy the show! Connect With ME:

In this impactful and inspiring episode of Unstoppable Mindset, host Michael Hingson sits down with Ronald Cocking—performer, educator, and co-founder of the Looking Glass Studio of Performing Arts—to reflect on a remarkable life shaped by rhythm, resilience, and love. Ron's journey into the performing arts began at just five years old, when his passion for tap dance ignited a lifelong commitment to dance and musical theater. From his first professional role at age 15 in My Fair Lady to founding one of Southern California's most impactful arts schools, Ron's story is one of dedication, creativity, and community.   But perhaps the most moving part of Ron's story is his 49-year partnership—both personal and professional—with the late Gloria McMillan, best known as Harriet Conklin from Our Miss Brooks. Together, they created a legacy of mentorship through the Looking Glass Studio, where they taught thousands of students across generations—not just how to act, sing, or dance, but how to live with confidence and integrity.   Ron also reflects on the legacy Gloria left behind, his continued involvement in the arts, and the words of wisdom that guide his life:   “Teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime.” “To find happiness, take the gifts God has given you and give them away.”   This is more than a story of a career in the arts—it's a touching tribute to passion, partnership, and purpose that will leave you inspired.   Highlights:   00:48 – Hear how early radio at home shaped a lifetime love for performance. 03:00 – Discover why drumming and tap both trained his ear for rhythm. 06:12 – Learn how a tough studio change led to ballet, jazz, and tumbling basics. 08:21 – See the “sing with your feet” method that makes tap click for students. 10:44 – Find out how a teen chorus role in My Fair Lady opened pro doors. 13:19 – Explore the drum-and-tap crossover he performed with Leslie Uggams. 15:39 – Learn how meeting Gloria led to a studio launched for $800. 18:58 – Get the long view on running a school for 44 years with family involved. 23:46 – Understand how Our Miss Brooks moved from radio to TV with its cast intact. 32:36 – See how 42nd Street proves the chorus can be the star. 41:51 – Hear why impact matters more than fame when students build careers. 43:16 – Learn what it takes to blend art and business without losing heart. 45:47 – Compare notes on marriage, teamwork, and communication that lasts. 48:20 – Enjoy a rare soft-shoe moment Ron and Gloria performed together. 56:38 – Take away the “teach to fish” approach that builds lifelong confidence.   About the Guest:   My father was a trumpet player, thus I heard music at home often in the early 50's and was always impressed and entertained by the rhythms and beats of Big Band music… especially the drummers.  Each time I would see Tap dancers on TV, I was glued to the screen.  It fascinated me the way Tap dancers could create such music with their feet!   In 1954, at age 5, after begging my Mom and Dad to enroll me in a Tap class, my Dad walked in from work and said “Well, you're all signed up, and your first Tap class is next Tuesday.  I was thrilled and continued studying tap and many other dance forms and performing and teaching dance for all of my life.     In my mid teens, I became serious about dancing as a possible career.  After seeing my first musical, “The Pajama Game” starring Ruth Lee, I new I wanted to do musical theatre.  I got my first professional opportunity at age 15 in “My Fair Lady” for the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera Association and loved every minute of it… and would continue performing for this organization well into my 30's   I met Gloria McMillan in the late 60's while choreographing a summer musical for children.  Gloria's daughter was doing the role of Dorothy in “The Wizard of Oz”.  Then, about 3 or 4 years later I would meet Gloria again and the sparks flew.  And, yes, she was Gloria McMillan of “Our Miss Brooks” fame on both radio and television.  Wow, was I blessed to have crossed paths with her.  We shared our lives together for 49 years.   On November 4, 1974, Gloria and I opened a performing arts school together named “The Looking Glass Studio of Performing Arts”.  We would teach and manage the school together for 44 years until we retired on June 30, 2018.  We moved to Huntington Beach, California and spent 3 beautiful years together until she left to meet our Lord in heaven on January 19, 2022.   Ways to connect with Ron:   Lgsparon@aol.com     About the Host:   Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog.   Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards.   https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/   accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/       Thanks for listening!   Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below!   Subscribe to the podcast   If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset .   Leave us an Apple Podcasts review   Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts.       Transcription Notes:   Michael Hingson ** 00:00 Access Cast and accessiBe Initiative presents Unstoppable Mindset. The podcast where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. Hi, I'm Michael Hingson, Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe and the author of the number one New York Times bestselling book, Thunder dog, the story of a blind man, his guide dog and the triumph of trust. Thanks for joining me on my podcast as we explore our own blinding fears of inclusion unacceptance and our resistance to change. We will discover the idea that no matter the situation, or the people we encounter, our own fears, and prejudices often are our strongest barriers to moving forward. The unstoppable mindset podcast is sponsored by accessiBe, that's a c c e s s i capital B e. Visit www.accessibe.com to learn how you can make your website accessible for persons with disabilities. And to help make the internet fully inclusive by the year 2025. Glad you dropped by we're happy to meet you and to have you here with us.   Michael Hingson ** 01:20 Well, hi there, wherever you are and wherever you happen to be today. Welcome to unstoppable mindset. I'm your host, Mike hingson, and today we get to chat with Ron Cocking, who is Ron. Well, we're going to find out over the next hour. And Ron was married for many years to another person who is very famous, and we'll get to that, probably not as well known to what I would probably describe as the younger generation, but you're going to get to learn a lot about Ron and his late wife before we're done, and I am sure we're going to have a lot of fun doing it. So let's get to it. Ron, welcome to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here.   Ron Cocking ** 01:59 Thank you. I'm so glad to be here. Michael, this. I've been looking forward to this.   Michael Hingson ** 02:04 I have been as well, and we're going to have a lot of fun doing it.   Ron Cocking ** 02:08 Do you one note on that last name? It is cocking. Cocking, he comes right? Comes from a little townlet in the coal mining country of England called Cockington.   Michael Hingson ** 02:20 I don't know why I keep saying that, but yeah, cocky, no   02:23 problem.   Michael Hingson ** 02:24 Well, do you go up to the reps recreations at all?   Ron Cocking ** 02:28 Oh my gosh, Gloria. And I know you and Gloria, did do you still do it? I've it's on my schedule for September.   Michael Hingson ** 02:35 I'm gonna miss it this year. I've got a speech to give. So I was going to be playing Richard diamond at recreation. Well, I'll have to be Dick Powell another time, but I thought that you you were still doing   02:50 it. I'm planning on it cool.   Michael Hingson ** 02:53 Well, tell us about the early Ron cocking and kind of growing up in some of that stuff. Let's start with that.   Ron Cocking ** 02:59 Well, the early part of my story was when I was born just a little before television came in, before everyone had a TV in their home. How old are you now? If I maybe, you know, I am now 76   Michael Hingson ** 03:12 Okay, that's what I thought. Yeah, you're one year ahead of me. I'm 75   Ron Cocking ** 03:16 I was born in 49 and so my earliest remembrances my mom and dad and my brother and I lived with our grandfather, and we had no television, but we had this big it must have been about three to four foot tall, this big box on the floor in a very prominent spot in the living room. And that was the Sunday afternoon entertainment. I remember my family sitting around, and I listened and I laughed when they did, but I had no idea what was going on, but that was the family gathering. And just, I know we'll talk about it later, but I I just have this notion that at that time I was laughing, not knowing what I was laughing at, but I bet I was laughing at my future   Michael Hingson ** 04:02 wife, yes, yes, but other things as well. I mean, you probably laughed at Jack Benny and Amos and Andy and   Ron Cocking ** 04:09 yeah, I remember listening to all those folks, and it was just amazing. Then when television came about and my father was a trumpet player, and I loved his trumpet playing, and he practiced often at home. He would sit in his easy chair and play some tunes and scales and that sort of thing. But what captured my ear and my eyes when I went to on rare occasions when I could go to his engagements, it was always the drummer that just stuck out to me. I was mesmerized by the rhythms that they could produce. And when TV came about, I remember the old variety shows, and they often would have tap dancers like. Had a stair gene, Kelly, Peg Leg Bates and the Nicholas brothers, and I just, I was just taken back by the rhythms. It sounded like music to me. The rhythms just made me want to do it. And so I started putting that bug in my parents ears. And I waited and waited. I wanted to take tap dance lessons. And one day, my dad walks in the back door, and I said, Dad, have you signed me up yet? And he said, Yep, you start next Tuesday at 330 in the afternoon. So I was overjoyed, and I went in for my first lesson. And mind you, this was a private tap class. Total Cost of $1.25 and we had a pianist for music, no record player, live piano, wow. And so I, I rapidly fell in love with tap dance.   Michael Hingson ** 05:56 And so you did that when you weren't in school. Presumably, you did go to school.   Ron Cocking ** 06:00 Oh, yeah, I did go to school. Yeah, I did well in school, and I enjoyed school. I did all the athletics. I played little league, and eventually would be a tennis player and water polo and all that stuff. But all through the years, after school was on the way to the dance classes.   Michael Hingson ** 06:16 So you graduated, or I suppose I don't want to insult drumming, but you graduated from drumming to tap dancing, huh?   Ron Cocking ** 06:24 Well, I kept doing them both together. I would dance, and then when my dad would practice, I would beg him to just play a tune like the St Louis Blues, yeah, and so that I could keep time, so I pulled a little stool up in front of an easy chair, and one of the arms of the chair was the ride cymbal, and the other one was the crash cymbal, and the seat of the chair was my snare drum. I would play along with him. And eventually he got tired of that and bought a Hi Fi for my brother and I, and in the bedroom I had a Hi Fi, and I started to put together a set of drums, and I spent hours next to that, Hi Fi, banging on the drums, and I remember it made me feel good. One day, my mom finally said to me, you know, you're starting to sound pretty good, and that that was a landmark for me. I thought, wow, somebody is enjoying my drumming,   Michael Hingson ** 07:18 but you couldn't do drumming and tap dancing at the same time. That would have been a little bit of a challenge. A challenge.   Ron Cocking ** 07:23 No, I would practice that the drums in the afternoon and then head for the dance studio later. And in this case, I was a local boy. I grew up in Riverside California, and my first tap teacher was literally maybe two miles from our house. But that didn't last long. She got married and became pregnant and closed her studio, and then I she recommended that I go see this teacher in San Bernardino by the name of Vera Lynn. And which I did, I remember walking into this gigantic classroom with a bunch of really tall kids, and I was maybe seven or eight years old, and I guess it was kind of an audition class, but after that evening, I she put me in the most appropriate classes, one of which was ballet, which I wasn't too excited about, but they all told me, If you're going to be a serious dancer, even a tap dancer, you need to get the basic body placement from ballet classes. And I said, Well, I am not going to put any tights and a T shirt on. But they finally got me to do that because they told me that the Rams football team took ballet class twice a week at that time. Ah. Said, no kidding. So they got me, they they got you. They got me into ballet class, and then it was jazz, and then it was tumbling, and so I did it all.   Michael Hingson ** 08:43 I remember when we moved to California when I was five, and probably when I was about eight or nine, my brother and I were enrolled by my mother. I guess my parents enrolled us in a dance class. So I took dance class for a few years. I learned something about dancing. I did have a pair of tap shoes, although I didn't do a lot of it, but I, but I did dance and never, never really pursued it enough to become a Gene Kelly or Fred Astaire. Well, few of us do. I didn't dislike it. It just didn't happen. But that was okay, but it was fun to, you know, to do it and to learn something about that. And so I even today, I I remember it, and I appreciate it. So that's pretty cool.   Ron Cocking ** 09:32 Well, you would understand what I always told my students, that tap dancing is like singing a song with your feet. Yeah. And I would sing, I would say, you all know, happy birthday, right? So I would sing it, and they would sing it along, and then I'd said, then I would sing it again, and I would sing it totally out of rhythm. And they would wrinkle their nose and look at me and say, okay, so what are you doing? And I'd say, Well, you don't recognize it because the rhythm is not correct. So then I would. Would tap dance Happy birthday, and I'd say, you sing along in your mind and I'm going to tap dance it. And that would always ring a bell in their mind, like, Oh, I get it. The rhythm has to be right on the button, or the people aren't going to recognize   Michael Hingson ** 10:16 that was very clever to do.   Ron Cocking ** 10:18 Yeah, thank you. And they got it, yeah, they got it, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 10:22 which is even, even more important. That's pretty clever. Well, so you did that, and did you do it all the way through high school,   Ron Cocking ** 10:30 all the way through high school? And I think when I was 15, I was, I think I was in the eighth grade, maybe ninth, but I was 15 and got my first chance to I was cast in a professional show for San Bernardino civic light opera Association. And the show was My Fair Lady, and it was my English and journalism teacher at the junior high who had been cast. He was a performer also, but something came up and he couldn't follow through, so he had given the association my name, and I was out in the backyard. My mom came out. Said, Hey, San Bernardino clo just called and they want, they want to see it tonight at seven o'clock. So I put on my dance clothes and went over, and the director, by the name of Gosh, Gene Bayless, came out, and he showed me a couple of steps. And he said, Yeah, let's do it together. And he said, Boy, you unscramble your feet pretty well there kid. And he he looked over into the costumers and said, measure this guy. Let's put him in the show. So I was beside myself. And long story short, I Gosh, I'm over the over the years, I my first show was at age 15 with them, and I participated, did shows with them, until I think my last show, I was about 38 years old, and that last show was anything goes with Leslie uggums, wow.   Michael Hingson ** 11:52 So what part did you play on my fair lady?   Ron Cocking ** 11:55 I was just a chorus kid. I remember in the opening when Eliza sings, that wouldn't it be lovely? Wouldn't it be lovely? I was a street sweeper. I remember I had a broom, and there were three of us, and we were sweeping up that street and working in and around. Eliza Doolittle, of   Michael Hingson ** 12:11 course, being really spiteful. You just said a little while ago, you were beside yourself. And the thing that I got to say to that, quoting the Muppets, is, how do the two of you stand each other? But anyway, that's okay, good in the original Muppet Movie, that line is in there. And I it just came out so fast, but I heard it. I was going, Oh my gosh. I couldn't believe they did that. But anyway, it was so cute, very funny. That's great. So and then you were, you eventually were opposite Leslie UB,   Ron Cocking ** 12:39 yes, that was one of the high points talking about dancing and drumming at the same time. In fact, I used to give a drum a basic drum summer camp where I would teach tappers the basics of music notation, quarter notes, eighth notes, 16th notes. And then we would put a tap orchestra together. Everybody had their own music stand and their own drum pad. I would conduct, and we would play little pieces, and they would they would drum a rhythm, tap, a rhythm, drum, a rhythm, tap, a rhythm. And so anyway, it came full circle. One of the highlights of my dance slash drumming career was this show I did with Leslie uggums, the director had done this prior, and he knew it would work, and so so did the conductor in the entre Act. The top of the second act, the pit orchestra starts and plays like eight measures. And then there were six of us on stage, behind the main curtain, and we would play the next 16 bars, and then we would toss it back to the pit, and then toss it back to us, and the curtain would begin to rise, and we were right into the first song that Leslie uggums sang to get into the second act. Then she wanted to add a couple of songs that she liked, and she was very popular in with the audiences in San Bernardino, so she added a couple of songs, and I got to play those songs with her and and that was just so thrilling. And I with the scene finished, I had to have my tap shoes on, on the drum set. I had to hop down from the riser, and came out, brought one of my Toms with me, and played along with another featured tap dancer that kind of took over the scene at that point. So it was, it was really cool.   Michael Hingson ** 14:31 So with all this drumming, did you ever meet anyone like buddy rip?   Ron Cocking ** 14:35 No, I never met any famous drummers except a man by the name of Jack Sperling, which was one of my drumming idols,   Michael Hingson ** 14:44 Donnie Carson was quite the drummer, as I recall,   Ron Cocking ** 14:48 yeah, he did play yeah and boy, his his drummer, Ed Shaughnessy on his on The Tonight Show was phenomenal. Yeah, he's another of my favorites, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 14:57 well, and I remember. I guess Johnny Carson and Buddy Rich played together, which was kind of fun. They   Ron Cocking ** 15:07 played together, and so did Ed Shaughnessy and Buddy Rich did a little competition on the show one time I realized, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 15:15 right, yeah. Well, and it's interesting to see some of the performers do that. I remember once trying to remember whether what show it was on, maybe it was also a Tonight Show where Steve Martin substituted for Johnny, but he and the steel Canyon, the Steve Canyon band, came out. Of course, he was great on the band, and then flat and Scruggs or flat came out. Or which one? Yeah, which one did the banjo flat, I think, but they, but they banjo together, which was fun?   Ron Cocking ** 15:51 Oh, wow, yeah, yeah. Steve Martin is a tremendous band. He is, Whoa, yeah. I,   Michael Hingson ** 15:56 I have a hard time imagining fingers moving that fast, but that's okay, me too. I saved my fingers for Braille, so it's okay. So where did you go to college?   Ron Cocking ** 16:07 I went to for two years to Riverside City College, Riverside Community College, and then I went for two years to San Bernardino Cal State, San Bernardino, and I was majoring in English because I thought I may want to do some writing. But in the meantime, I became married, I became a father, and so I was trying to work and study and maintain a family life, and I just couldn't do it all. So I didn't quite finish a major at Cal State San Bernardino. I continued actually a nightclub drumming career. And now, now we're getting up to where this our performing arts studio began between Gloria and I.   Michael Hingson ** 16:50 So was it? GLORIA? You married first?   Ron Cocking ** 16:53 No, okay, no, Gloria was married. Gloria was a prior, prior marriage for 20 some years, or 20 years, I guess. And I had been married only two years, I think. And when we first, well, we actually met while we were both. I'll tell you the story in a minute, if you want to hear it. Sure, the first time I ever met Gloria Macmillan, I had no idea who she was, because she her name was Gloria Allen at the time that was, that was her married name that she took after the arm is Brooks TV show. Well, she took that the new name before the TV show even ended. But I was choreographing a children's summer musical, and the director came up said, hey, I want you to meet this young lady's mom. So the young lady was Gloria's daughter, her oldest daughter, Janet. And I said, Sure. So he said, This is Gloria. Allen, Gloria, this is Ron. And we shook hands, and I said, Nice to meet you. And that was it. And so the show happened. It ran for a couple of weeks, and Gloria was a wonderful stage mom. She she never bothered anyone. She watched the show. She was very supportive of her daughter. Didn't, didn't stage manage   Michael Hingson ** 18:09 whatsoever, which wasn't a helicopter mom, which is good,   Ron Cocking ** 18:12 definitely that, which was just really cool. So and so I was maybe three, four years later, so Gloria obviously knew that I could dance, because she had seen me choreographed. So I got a phone call from Gloria Allen, and I said, Okay, I remember her. She wanted to meet because she was thinking about starting an acting school and wanted someone to teach actors some dance movement. So I went over for a interview and took my little at that time, about two and a half year old, daughter, three year old, and we chatted, and oh my gosh, I just this, this beautiful woman swept me off my feet. And of course, I by the end of the conversation, I said, Gosh, you know, we talked about how we would integrate the acting and the dance, and I said, Can I have your phone number? Nope, I got the old well, we'll call you. Don't call us. And so I had to wait for a few days before I got a call back, but I got a call back, and I don't remember a lot of details, but the sparks flew really, really quickly, and we started planning our school. And if you can believe that this was 1973 when we started planning, maybe it was early 74 and we invested a whole total of $800 to get ourselves into business. We bought a record player, some mirrors, some paint, and a business license and a little shingle to hang out front. We had a little one room studio, and we. Opened on November 4, 1974 and we would close the studio on June 30, 2018 Wow.   Michael Hingson ** 20:08 Yeah. So you, you had it going for quite a while, almost, well, actually, more than 40 years. 44 years. 44 years, yes. And you got married along the way.   Ron Cocking ** 20:20 Well along the way, my my wife always said she fell in love with my daughter, and then she had to take me along with her. Yeah. Well, there you go. So we were together constantly, just running the school together. And then eventually I moved over to San Bernardino, and it was, gosh, some 1213, years later, we got married in on June 28 1987 and but nothing really changed, because we had already been living together and raising five children. GLORIA had four from a private prior marriage, and I had my little girl. So we we got all these five kids through elementary and junior high in high school, and they all went to college. And they're all beautiful kids and productive citizens, two of them still in show biz. Her son, my stepson, Christopher Allen, is a successful producer now and of Broadway shows. And our daughter, Barbara Bermudez, the baby that Gloria fell in love with. She's now a producer slash stage manager director. She does really well at big events with keynote speakers. And she'll, if they want her to, she will hire in everything from lighting and sound to extra performers and that sort of thing. And she's, she's just busy constantly all over the world, wow.   Michael Hingson ** 21:43 Well, that's pretty cool. And what are the other three doing?   Ron Cocking ** 21:47 One is a VP of Sales for it's a tub and shower company, jacuzzi, and the other one is a married housewife, but now she is a grandmother and has two little grandkids, and they that's Janet, the one that I originally had worked with in that children's show. And she and her husband live in Chino Hills, California, which is about 40 minutes from here. I live in Huntington Beach, California now,   Michael Hingson ** 22:14 well, and I'm not all that far away from you. We're in Victorville. Oh, Victorville, okay, yeah, the high desert. So the next time you go to Vegas, stop by on your way, I'll do that, since that's mainly what Victorville is probably most known for. I remember when I was growing I grew up in Palmdale, and Palmdale wasn't very large. It only had like about 20 703,000 people. But as I described it to people, Victorville wasn't even a speck on a radar scope compared to Palmdale at that time. Yeah, my gosh, are over 120,000 people in this town?   Ron Cocking ** 22:51 Oh, I remember the drive in the early days from here to Vegas in that you really felt like you could get out on the road all alone and relax and take it all in, and now it can be trafficking all all the   Speaker 1 ** 23:04 way. Yeah, it's crazy. I don't know. I still think they need to do something to put some sort of additional infrastructure, and there's got to be another way to get people to Vegas and back without going on i 15, because it is so crowded, especially around holidays, that one of these days, somebody will get creative. Maybe they'll get one of Tesla's tunnel boring tools, and they'll make a tunnel, and you can go underground the whole way, I don't know,   Ron Cocking ** 23:32 but that would be, that would be great. Something like that would happen.   Michael Hingson ** 23:38 Well, so you you started the school and and that did, pretty cool. Did, did Gloria do any more acting after our Miss Brooks? And then we should explain our Miss Brooks is a show that started on radio. Yes, it went on to television, and it was an arm is Brooks. Miss Brooks played by e vardin. Was a teacher at Madison High, and the principal was Osgood Conklin, played by Gail Gordon, who was absolutely perfect for the part. He was a crotchety old curmudgeon by any standards. And Gloria played his daughter, Harriet correct. And so when it went from radio to television, one of the things that strikes me about armas Brooks and a couple of those shows, burns and Allen, I think, is sort of the same. Jack Benny was a little different. But especially armas Brooks, it just seems to me like they they took the radio shows and all they did was, did the same shows. They weren't always the same plots, but it was, it was radio on television. So you, you had the same dialog. It was really easy for me to follow, and it was, was fascinating, because it was just like the radio shows, except they were on television.   Ron Cocking ** 24:56 Yeah, pretty much. In fact, there were a lot, there's lots of episodes. Episodes that are even named the same name as they had on the radio, and they're just have to be reworked for for the television screen,   Michael Hingson ** 25:08 yeah, but the the dialog was the same, which was so great,   Ron Cocking ** 25:13 yeah, yeah. And to see what was I going to add, it was our Miss Brooks was one of the very few radio shows that made the transition to television with the cast with the same intact. Yeah, everybody looked like they sounded. So it worked when they were in front of the camera. Yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 25:33 it sort of worked with Jack Benny, because most of the well, all the characters were in it, Don Wilson, Mary, Livingston, Dennis day, Rochester, world, yeah. And of course, Mel Blanc, yeah, oh.   Ron Cocking ** 25:49 GLORIA tells a story. She she and her mom, Hazel, were walking down the street on the way to do a radio show in the old days in Hollywood, and here comes Mel blank, he says, he pulls over. Says, Hey, where are you girls headed because I know that he probably recognized them from being at at CBS all the time, and they said, We're headed to CBS. He said, hop in. Oh, that's where I'm going. So Mel Brooks gave her a ride to the Mel Blanc, yeah, would have been   Michael Hingson ** 26:15 fun if Mel Brooks had but that's okay, Young Frankenstein, but that's another story. It is. But that's that's cool. So did they ever? Did she ever see him any other times? Or was that it?   Ron Cocking ** 26:30 No, I think that was it. That's the one story that she has where Mel Blanc is involved.   Michael Hingson ** 26:36 What a character, though. And of course, he was the man of a million voices, and it was just incredible doing I actually saw a couple Jack Benny shows this morning and yesterday. One yesterday, he was Professor LeBlanc teaching Jack Benny how to play the violin, which was a lost cause.   Ron Cocking ** 26:59 Actually, Jack Benny was not a bad view. No,   Michael Hingson ** 27:01 he wasn't violent. No, he wasn't. He had a lot of fun with it, and that stick went straight in from radio to television, and worked really well, and people loved it, and you knew what was going to happen, but it didn't matter. But it was still   Ron Cocking ** 27:16 funny, and I'm sure during the transition they there was a little bit of panic in the writers department, like, okay, what are we going to do? We got to come up with a few shows. We got to get ahead a little bit. So the writing being just a little different, I'm sure that's part of the reason why they went back and kind of leaned on the old, old script somewhat, until they kind of cut their teeth on the new this new thing called television   Michael Hingson ** 27:39 well, but they still kept a lot of the same routines in one way or another.   Ron Cocking ** 27:45 Yeah, when they work, they work, whether you're just listening or whether you're watching,   Michael Hingson ** 27:48 right, exactly what other shows made it from radio to television with the cast   Ron Cocking ** 27:53 intact? You know, I am not up on that number. I   Michael Hingson ** 27:57 know there were a couple that did. RMS, Brooks was, well, oh no, I was gonna say Abbott and Costello, but that was different, but our Miss Brooks certainly did. If   Ron Cocking ** 28:09 the Bickersons did, I forget the two actors that did that show, but that was a really, Francis   Michael Hingson ** 28:13 Langford and Donna Michi could be, but I think burns and Allen, I think, kept the same people as much as there were. Harry bonzell was still with them, and so on. But it was interesting to see those. And I'm awake early enough in the morning, just because it's a good time to get up, and I get and be real lazy and go slowly to breakfast and all that. But I watched the Benny show, and occasionally before it, I'll watch the burns and Allen show. And I think that the plots weren't as similar from radio to television on the burns and Allen show as they weren't necessarily in the Benny show, but, but it all worked.   Ron Cocking ** 28:58 Yeah, yeah. That's why they were on the air for so long?   Michael Hingson ** 29:02 Yeah, so what other kind of acting did Gloria do once? So you guys started the school   Ron Cocking ** 29:10 well after she well, when we started the school, we found ourselves, you know, raising five children. And so I continued playing nightclub gigs. I had one, one nightclub job for like, five years in a row with two wonderful, wonderful musicians that were like fathers to me. And Gloria actually went to work for her brother in law, and she became a salesperson, and eventually the VP of Sales for a fiberglass tub and shower business down here in Santa Ana. So she drove that 91 freeway from San Bernardino, Santa Ana, all the time. But in,   Michael Hingson ** 29:47 yeah, you could do it back then, much more than now. It was a little better   Ron Cocking ** 29:51 and but in, but twist in between, she managed. Her mom still did a little bit of agency. And she would call Gloria and say. Want you to go see so and so. She did an episode of perfect strangers. She did an episode with Elliot of the guy that played Elliot Ness, stack the show Robert Stack the show was called Help Wanted no see. I guess that was an in but wanted, anyway, she did that. She did a movie with Bruce Dern and Melanie Griffith called Smile. And so she kept, she kept her foot in the door, but, but not, not all that much she she really enjoyed when John Wilder, one of her childhood acting buddies, who she called her brother, and he still calls her sis, or he would call her sis, still. His name was Johnny McGovern when he was a child actor, and when he decided to try some movie work, he there was another Johnny McGovern in Screen Actors Guild, so he had to change his name to John Wyler, but he did that mini series called centennial, and he wanted Gloria for a specific role, to play a German lady opposite the football player Alex Karras. And they had a couple of really nice scenes together. I think she was in three, maybe four of the segments. And there were many segments, it was like a who's who in Hollywood, the cast of that show   Michael Hingson ** 31:28 does that was pretty cool.   Ron Cocking ** 31:32 But anyway, yeah, after Gloria finished armas Brooks, she became married to Gilbert Allen, who, who then became a Presbyterian minister. So Gloria, when you said, Did she continue acting? There's a lot of acting that goes on being a minister and being a minister's wife, and she would put together weddings for people, and that sort of thing. And she did that for 20 years. Wow. So she Gloria was a phenomenon. She did so many things. And she did them all so very well, in my   Speaker 1 ** 32:04 opinion. And so did you? Yeah, which is, which is really cool. So you, but you, you both started the school, and that really became your life's passion for 44 years. Yes,   Ron Cocking ** 32:16 we would get up in the mornings, go do a little business, come home, have a little lunch, go back about 132 o'clock, and we would normally crank up about four after the kids get out of school, and we would teach from four to nine, sometimes to 10. Go out, have some dinner. So yeah, we pretty much 24/7 and we had had such similar backgrounds. Hers on a national radio and television scale, and mine on a much more local, civic light opera scale. But we both had similar relations with our our moms after after the radio tapings and the TV things. GLORIA And her mom. They lived in Beverly Hills, right at Wilshire and Doheny, and they had their favorite chocolate and ice cream stops. And same thing for me, my mom would take me there, two doors down from the little studio where I was taking my tap classes. There was an ice cream parlor, haywoods ice cream. And that was, that was the the lure, if you go in and if you do your practicing, Ronnie, you can, I'll take it for an ice cream so that I did my practicing, had plenty of little treats on the way, so we had that in common, and we both just had very supportive moms that stayed out of the way, not, not what I would call a pushy parent, or, I think you mentioned the helicopter, helicopter, but it   Michael Hingson ** 33:37 but it sounds like you didn't necessarily need the bribes to convince you to tap dance, as you know, anyway, but they didn't hurt.   Ron Cocking ** 33:46 No, it didn't hurt at all, and it was something to look forward to, but I I just enjoyed it all along. Anyway, I finally got to to really showcase what I could do when I was cast as the dance director in the show 42nd street. Oh, wow. And I was lucky. We were lucky. San Bernardino clo was able to hire John Engstrom, who had done the show on Broadway. The earlier version that came, I think it was on Broadway in the mid or to late 70s. He had worked side by side with Gower Champion putting the show together. He told us all sorts of stories about how long it took Gower to put together that opening dance. Because everything in the opening number you you see those steps later in the show done by the chorus, because the opening number is an audition for dancers who want to be in this new Julian Marsh show. So the music starts, the audience hears, I know there must have been 20 of us tapping our feet off. And then a few seconds later, the curtain rises about two and a half feet. And then they see all these tapping feet. And then the main curtain goes out, and there we all are. And. I my part. I was facing upstage with my back to the audience, and then at some point, turned around and we did it was the most athletic, difficult, two and a half minute tap number I had ever done, I'll bet. But it was cool. There were five or six kids that had done it on Broadway and the national tour. And then during that audition, one more high point, if we have the time, we I was auditioning just like everybody else. The director had called and asked if I would audition, but he wasn't going to be choreographing. John Engstrom was so with there was probably 50 or 60 kids of all ages, some adults auditioning, and at one point, John pulled out one of the auditioners, and he happened to be one of my male tap dance students. And he said, Now I want everybody to watch Paul do this step. Paul did the step. He said, Now he said, Paul, someone is really teaching you well. He said, everybody that's the way to do a traveling timestamp so and that, you know, I'll remember that forever. And it ended up he hired. There were seven myself and seven other of my students were cast in that show. And some of them, some of them later, did the show in Las Vegas, different directors. But yeah, that, that was a high point for me.   Speaker 1 ** 36:19 I'm trying to remember the first time I saw 42nd street. I think I've seen it twice on Broadway. I know once, but we also saw it once at the Lawrence Welk Resorts condo there, and they did 42nd street. And that was a lot of that show was just a lot of fun. Anyway,   Ron Cocking ** 36:39 it's a fun show. And as John said in that show, The chorus is the star of the show.   Speaker 1 ** 36:45 Yeah, it's all about dancing by any by any definition, any standard. It's a wonderful show. And anybody who is listening or watching, if you ever get a chance to go see 42nd street do it, it is, it is. Well, absolutely, well worth it.   Ron Cocking ** 37:00 Yeah, good. Good show. Fantastic music, too. Well.   Michael Hingson ** 37:03 How did you and Gloria get along so well for so long, basically, 24 hours a day, doing everything together that that I would think you would even be a little bit amazed, not that you guys couldn't do it, but that you did it so well, and so many people don't do it well,   Ron Cocking ** 37:21 yeah, I don't know I from, from the the first time we met, we just seemed to be on the same wavelength. And by the way, I found out as time went by, Gloria was like Mrs. Humble. She wasn't a bragger, very humble. And it took me a while to find out what an excellent tap dancer she was. But when we went to the studio in the early days, we had, we just had one room. So she would teach actors for an hour, take a break. I would go in teach a tap class or a movement class or a ballet class. I in the early days, I taught, I taught it all. I taught ballet and jazz and and and and   Michael Hingson ** 38:01 tap. Well, let's let's be honest, she had to be able to tap dance around to keep ahead of Osgoode Conklin, but that's another story.   Ron Cocking ** 38:09 Yeah. So yeah, that. And as our studio grew, we would walk every day from our first studio down to the corner to a little wind chills donut shop wind chills donuts to get some coffee and come back. And about a year and a half later, after walking by this, this retail vacant spot that was two doors from our studio, we said, I wonder if that might be, you know, something for us, it had a four lease sign. So, long story short, we released it. The owner of the property loved knowing that Gloria Macmillan was that space. And so luckily, you know when things are supposed to happen. They happen as people would move out next to us, we would move in. So we ended up at that particular studio with five different studio rooms. Wow. And so then we can accommodate all of the above, acting, singing classes, all the dance disciplines, all at the same time, and we can, like, quadruple our student body. So then we made another move, because the neighborhood was kind of collapsing around us, we made another room and purchased a building that had been built as a racquetball club. It had six racquetball courts, all 20 by 40, beautiful hardwood. We made four of them, five of them into studios, and then there was a double racquetball racquetball court in the front of the building which they had tournaments in it was 40 by 40 we moved. We made that into a black box theater for Gloria. And the back wall of the theater was one inch glass outside of which the audiences for the racquetball tournaments used to sit. But outside the glass for us, we had to put curtains there, and out front for us was our. Gigantic lobby. The building was 32,000 square feet. Wow, we could it just made our heart, hearts sing when we could walk down that hallway and see a ballet class over here, a tap class over there, singers, singing actors in the acting room. It was beautiful. And again, it was just meant for us because it was our beautiful daughter, Kelly, who passed away just nine months after Gloria did. She's the one that said, you guys ought to look into that. And I said, Well, it's a racquetball court. But again, the first moment we walked in the front door, you start. We started thinking like, whoa. I think we could make this work. And it worked for another 20 years for us and broke our hearts to basically rip it apart, tear the theater down, and everything when we were moving out, because we we couldn't find another studio that was interested in in coming in, because they would have had to purchase the building. We wanted to sell the building. Yeah. So anyway, of all things, they now sell car mufflers out of there.   Michael Hingson ** 41:02 That's a little different way, way. Yeah, social shock, did any of your students become pretty well known in the in the entertainment world?   Ron Cocking ** 41:11 I wouldn't say well known, but a lot of them have worked a lot and made careers. Some of our former students are now in their 50s, middle 50s, pushing 60, and have done everything from cruise ship to Las Vegas to regional some national tours, even our son, Christopher, he did the national tour of meet me in St Louis with Debbie Boone, okay, and he's the one that is Now a successful producer. He's his latest hit. Well, his first, what can be considered legitimately a Broadway hit show was the show called shucked, and it opened about two years ago, I think, and I finally got to go back to New York and see it just a month before it closed. Very hilarious. Takes place in Iowa. The whole show is built around a county in which everybody that lives there makes their living off of corn, making whiskey. And it is a laugh, way more than a laugh a minute. But anyway, we had one of Gloria's acting students who was hired on with a Jonathan Winters TV sitcom called Davis rules. It ran for two seasons, and here he was like 16 or 17 years old, making, I think it was. He was making $8,000 a week, and he was in heaven. He looked like the Son he played, the grandson of Jonathan Winters and the son of Randy Quaid and so he, yeah, he was in heaven. And then after that, he did a very popular commercial, the 711 brain freeze commercial for Slurpee. The Slurpee, yeah, and he made the so much money from that, but then he kind of disappeared from showbiz. I don't know what he's doing nowadays,   Speaker 1 ** 43:00 but it's, it's, it's interesting to, you know, to hear the stories. And, yeah, I can understand that, that not everybody gets to be so famous. Everybody knows them, but it's neat that you had so many people who decided to make entertainment a career. So clearly, you had a pretty good influence on a lot of, a lot of kids.   Ron Cocking ** 43:20 Yes, I over the years, Gloria and I felt like we had 1000s of children of our own, that they that we had raised together. It's really a good feeling. And I still get phone calls. We got a phone call once a few years back from from one of our students who had been trying to crack the nut in New York, and she called us like 530 in the morning, because, of course, it was Yeah, but she had just signed her first national tour contract and was going to go out with the show cabaret. So fortunately, we were able to drive up to Santa not let's see, it's just below San San Jose. The show came through San Jose, and we got to see her up there. But those kinds of things are what made us keep teaching, year after year, all these success stories. Of course, we have former students that are now lawyers. Those are actors. Well, we   Michael Hingson ** 44:17 won't hold it and we understand, yeah and they are actors, by all means. How many teachers did you have in the studio when you had the big building?   Ron Cocking ** 44:26 Gosh, at one time, we had 10 or 12 teachers, teaching vocal teachers, two or three ballet teachers, jazz teachers, and you both taught as well. And we both continued teaching all through that time. We never just became managers, although that's that was part of it, and mixing business with art is a challenge, and it takes kind of a different mindset, and then what an unstoppable mindset you have to have in order to mix business with performing, because it's too. Different sides of your brain and a lot of patience and a lot of patience. And guess who taught me patience? Uh huh, Gloria Macmillan.   Michael Hingson ** 45:09 I would Conklin's daughter, yes, and I'll bet that's where she learned patience. No, I'm just teasing, but yeah, I hear you, yeah. Well, I know Karen and I were married for 40 years, until she passed in November of 2022 and there's so many similarities in what you're talking about, because we we could do everything together. We had challenges. Probably the biggest challenge that we ever had was we were living in Vista California, and I was working in Carlsbad, and the president of our company decided that we should open an office, because I was being very successful at selling to the government, we should open an office in the DC area. And so we both got excited about that. But then one day he came in and he had this epiphany. He said, No, not Virginia. I want you to open an office in New York. And Karen absolutely hated that she was ready to go to Virginia and all that.   Speaker 1 ** 46:15 But the problem for me was it was either move to New York or take a sales territory that didn't sell very much anymore. The owner wasn't really willing to discuss it, so we had some challenges over that, but the marriage was strong enough that it that it worked out, and we moved to New Jersey, and Karen made a lot of friends back there, but, you know, we always did most everything together. And then when the pandemic occurred, being locked down, it just proved all the more we just did everything together. We were together. We talked a lot, which is, I think one of the keys to any good marriages, and you talk and communicate.   Ron Cocking ** 46:56 Yes, in fact, when after we closed the studio in 2018 it took us a few more months to sell our home, and then when we moved down here, it was only about, I don't know, I don't know if it was a full year or not, but the pandemic hit and but it really didn't bother us, because we had, we had been working the teaching scene for so many years that we basically Were done. We basically walked out of the studio. We did. Neither of us have the desire to, well, let's continue in at some level, no, we cherished our time together. We have a little porch out in front of our home here, and it gets the ocean breeze, and we would sit for hours and chat. And oddly enough, not oddly, one of our favorite things to do, we have a website that we went to that had, I think, every radio show of armas Brooks ever made. And we would sit listen to those and just laugh. And, in fact, Gloria, there are some. She said, You know what? I don't even remember that episode at all. So yeah, that that was an interesting part. But yeah, Gloria and I, like your wife and you really enjoyed time together. We never talked about needing separate vacations or anything if we wanted to do something. We did it   Speaker 1 ** 48:16 together, yeah, and we did too. And you know, for us it was, it was out of desire, but also was easier for us, because she was in a wheelchair her whole life. I was I'm blind. I've been blind my whole life. And as I tell people, the marriage worked out well. She read, I pushed, and in reality, that really is the way it worked, yeah, yeah. Until she started using a power chair. Then I didn't push. I kept my toes out of the way. But still, it was, it was really did meld and mesh together very well and did everything   Ron Cocking ** 48:49 together. That's fantastic. I'm proud of you, Michael, and it really   Michael Hingson ** 48:53 it's the only way to go. So I miss her, but like, I keep telling people she's somewhere monitoring me, and if I misbehave, I'm going to hear about it. So I got to be a good kid,   Ron Cocking ** 49:04 and I'll hear I'll get some notes tonight from the spirit of Gloria McMillan too. I prayed to her before I went on. I said, please let the words flow and please not let me say anything that's inappropriate. And I think she's guided me through okay so far.   Michael Hingson ** 49:20 Well, if, if you do something you're not supposed to, she's gonna probably hit you upside the head. You know, did you two ever actually get to perform together?   Ron Cocking ** 49:30 Oh, I'm glad you asked that, because, well, it had been years since I knew that she was a darn good tap dancer. In fact, I had a tap dancing ensemble of of my more advanced kids, and if they wanted to dedicate the extra time that it took, we rehearsed them and let them perform at free of charge once they made it to that group, they they did not pay to come in and rehearse with me, because I would spend a lot of time standing there creating so. So we were doing a performance, and we wanted to spotlight, I forget the exact reason why we wanted to spotlight some of Gloria's career. Talk about radio a little bit. And I said, Gloria, would you do a little soft shoe routine? And because we had invited a mutual friend of ours, Walden Hughes, from the reps organization, and he was going to be the guest of honor, so I talked her into it. At first she wasn't going to go for it, but we had so much fun rehearsing it together. And it wasn't a long routine, it was relatively short, beautiful music, little soft shoe, and it was so much fun to say that we actually tap danced together. But the other times that we actually got to work together was at the old time radio conventions, mostly with reps, and that's really when I got to sit on stage. I was kind of typecast as an announcer, and I got to do some commercials. I got to sing once with Lucy arnazza. Oh, life, a life boy soap commercial. But when Gloria, Well, Gloria did the lead parts, and oh my gosh, that's when I realized what a superb actress she was. And if I don't know if you've heard of Greg Oppenheimer, his father, Jess Oppenheimer created the I Love Lucy shows, and so Gloria loved Jess Oppenheimer. And so Greg Oppenheimer, Jess Son, did a lot of directing, and oh my gosh, I would see he came in very well prepared and knew how the lines should be delivered. And if Gloria was not right on it, he would say, No, wait a minute, Gloria, I want you to emphasize the word decided, and that's going to get the laugh. And when he gave her a reading like that man, the next time she went through that dialog, just what he had asked for. And I thought, Oh my gosh. And her timing, after watching so many armist Brooks TV and listening to radio shows. GLORIA learned her comedic timing from one of the princesses of comedy timing is Eve Arden, right? They were so well for obvious reasons. They were so very similar. And if you have time to story for another story, do you know have you heard of Bob Hastings? He was the lieutenant on McHale's navy. McHale's Navy, right? Yeah. Well, he also did a lot of old time radio. So we went up to Seattle,   Michael Hingson ** 52:32 our two grandkids, Troy Amber, he played, not Archie. Was it Henry Aldridge? He was on,   Ron Cocking ** 52:40 I think you're right. I'm not too up on the cast of the old time radio show. Yeah, I think you're right. But anyway, he was there, and there was an actress that had to bow out. I don't know who that was, but our grandsons and Gloria and I, we walked in, and as usual, we say hi to everybody. We're given a big packet of six or eight scripts each, and we go to our room and say, Oh my gosh. Get out the pencils, and we start marking our scripts. So we get a phone call from Walden, and he said, hey, Ron Bob. Bob Hastings wants to see Gloria in his room. He wants to read through he's not sure if he wants to do the Bickersons script, because he you know, the gal bowed out and right, you know, so Gloria went down   Michael Hingson ** 53:23 couple of doors, coming   Ron Cocking ** 53:26 Yes, and she so she came back out of half an hour, 40 minutes later, and she said, well, that little stinker, he was auditioning me. He went in and she went in and he said, Well, you know, I don't know if I want to do this. It doesn't seem that funny to me. Let's read a few lines. Well, long story short, they read the whole thing through, and they were both, they were both rolling around the floor. I'll bet they laughing and so and then jump to the following afternoon, they did it live, and I was able to watch. I had some pre time, and I watched, and they were just fantastic together. I left after the show, I went to the green room, had a little snack, and I was coming back to our room, walking down the hall, and here comes Bob Hastings, and he says, oh, Ron. He said, Your wife was just fantastic. So much better than the other girl would have been. So when I told GLORIA That story that made her her day, her week. She felt so good about that. So that's my Bob Hastings story. Bob Hastings and Gloria Macmillan were great as the Bickersons.   Speaker 1 ** 54:29 Yeah, that was a very clever show. It started on the Danny Thomas show, and then they they ended up going off and having their own show, Francis Langford and Donna Michi, but they were very clever.   Ron Cocking ** 54:42 Now, did you realize when now that you mentioned Danny Thomas? Did you realize that Gloria's mom, Hazel McMillan, was the first female agent, talent agent in Hollywood? No, and that's how you know when the. They moved from from Portland, Oregon, a little city outside of Portland. They moved because Gloria's mom thought she had talent enough to do radio, and it wasn't a year after they got here to LA that she did her first national show for Lux radio at the age of five. That was in 1937 with with Edward G Robinson. I've got a recording of that show. What's what show was it? It was a Christmas show. And I don't remember the name of the of it, but it was a Christmas show. It was Walden that sent us. Sent   Michael Hingson ** 55:33 it to us. I'll find it. I've got it, I'm sure.   Ron Cocking ** 55:35 And so, yeah, so, so Gloria was a member of what they called the 500 club. There was a group of, I don't know, nine or 10 kids that by the time the photograph that I have of this club, it looks like Gloria is around 12 to 14 years old, and they had all done 500 or more radio shows. Wow, that's a lot of radio show. There's a lot of radio So Gloria did, I mean, I got a short my point was, her mom was an agent, and when Gloria was working so consistently at armas Brooks, she said, Well, I'm kind of out of a job. I don't need to take you. GLORIA could drive then. And so she came back from the grocery store, Ralph's market near Wilshire and Doheny, and she came back said, Well, I know what I'm going to do. I ran into this cute little boy at the grocery store. I'm going to represent him for television. And she that's, she started the Hazel McMillan agency, and she ran that agency until she just couldn't anymore. I think she ran it until early 1980s but she, my god, she represented people like Angela Cartwright on the Danny Thomas show and Kathy Garver on, all in the family a family affair. Family Affair. Yeah. Jane north. Jane North went in for Dennis the Menace. He didn't get the role. He came back said, Hazel, I don't think they liked me, and they didn't. They didn't call me back or anything. Hazel got on that phone, said, Look, I know this kid can do what you're asking for. I want you to see him again. He went back and they read him again. He got the part, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 57:21 and he was perfect for it.   Ron Cocking ** 57:22 He was perfect for that part was, I'm sorry.   Michael Hingson ** 57:27 It's sad that he passed earlier this year.   Ron Cocking ** 57:29 Yeah, he passed and he had, he had a tough life, yeah,   Michael Hingson ** 57:36 well, you know, tell me you, you have what you you have some favorite words of wisdom. Tell me about those.   Ron Cocking ** 57:45 Oh, this goes back to the reason why I came across this when I was looking for something significant to say on the opening of one of our big concert programs. We used to do all of our shows at the California theater of Performing Arts in San Bernardino, it's a really, a real gem of a theater. It's where Will Rogers gave his last performance. And so I came across this, and it's, I don't know if this is biblical, you might, you might know, but it's, if you give a man a fish, you feed him for a day. If you teach a man to fish, you feed him for a lifetime. And that's what I felt like Gloria and I were trying to do. We wanted to teach these kids as as professionally. We treated our students as they were, as if they were little professionals. We we expected quality, we expected them to work hard, but again, Gloria taught me patience, unending patience. But we knew that we wanted them to feel confident when the time came, that they would go out and audition. We didn't want them to be embarrassed. We want we wanted them to be able to come back to us and say, Boy, I felt so good at that audition. I knew all the steps I was and I and I read so well it was. And thank you. Thank you. Thank you. And so that aspect of it, we felt that we were feeding them for a lifetime, but we also were creating all of these arts patrons, all these lovers of the arts, 1000s of kids now love to go to musicals and movies and plays because they've kind of been there and done that at our studio. And so anyway, that's and whether, whether or not it was their confidence in show business or whether it was their confidence we've had so many calls from and visits from parents and former students saying, Boy, I just was awarded a job. And they said my my communication skills were excellent, and I owe that to Gloria. I was on the beach the other day, and I looked over and there was this young man and his wife. I assumed it was his wife. It was they were setting. Up their beach chairs, and I looked and I say, Excuse me, is your name Brandon? And he said, No, but he said, Is your name Ron? And I said, Yes. He said, No, my name is Eric. And I said, Eric puentes. And so we reminisced for a while. He took tap from me. He took acting from Gloria, and he said, you know, he was sad to hear of Gloria's passing. And he said, You know, I owe so much to Gloria. I learned so much about speaking in front of groups. And he is now a minister. He has his own church in Redlands, California, and he's a minister. And of all the billion people on the beach, he sits next to me. So that's one of those things when it's supposed to   Michael Hingson ** 1:00:41 happen. It happens. It does. Yeah, well, and as we talked about earlier, you and Gloria did lots of stuff with reps, and I'm going to miss it this time, but I've done a few, and I'm going to do some more. What I really enjoy about people who come from the radio era, and who have paid attention to the radio era is that the acting and the way they project is so much different and so much better than people who have no experience with radio. And I know Walden and I have talked about the fact that we are looking to get a grant at some point so that we can train actors or people who want to be involved in these shows, to be real actors, and who will actually go back and listen to the shows, listen to what people did, and really try to bring that forward into the recreations, because so many people who haven't really had the experience, or who haven't really listened to radio programs sound so forced, as opposed to natural.   Ron Cocking ** 1:01:46 I agree, and I know exactly what you're saying. In fact, Walden on a couple of at least two or three occasions, he allowed us to take some of Gloria's acting students all the way to Seattle, and we did some in for the spurred vac organization Los Angeles, we did a beautiful rendition of a script that we adapted of the Velveteen Rabbit. And of all people, Janet Waldo agreed to do the fairy at the end, and she was exquisite. And it's only like, I don't know, four or five lines, and, oh my gosh, it just wrapped it up with a satin bow. And, but, but in some of our kids, yeah, they, they, they were very impressed by the radio, uh, recreations that they were exposed to at that convention.   Speaker 1 ** 1:02:37 Yeah, yeah. Well, and it's, it is so wonderful to hear some of these actors who do it so well, and to really see how they they are able to pull some of these things together and make the shows a lot better. And I hope that we'll see more of that. I hope that we can actually work to teach more people how to really deal with acting from a standpoint of radio,   Ron Cocking ** 1:03:04 that's a great idea. And I know Walden is really sensitive to that. He Yeah, he would really be a proponent of that.   Michael Hingson ** 1:03:10 Oh, he and I have talked about it. We're working on it. We're hoping we can get some things. Well, I want to thank you for being here. We've been doing this an hour already.  

In this tender and soul-stirring episode of Taking Flight, Megan shares how a childhood storybook, a beloved stuffed animal, and a deep belief in possibility sparked a lifelong understanding of manifestation. Through the tale of her first dog, Taz (who, yes, was visualized into her life with the help of a very well-loved copy of The Velveteen Rabbit), Megan explores how open-hearted imagination and small, intentional actions can turn dreams into reality. Spoiler: she may have manifested a job, too—and not just any job, but one she could vividly see herself thriving in before it ever existed.But this episode goes far beyond visualization. Megan invites listeners to embrace the magic of being "real"—through acceptance, action, and a willingness to stay open even when life feels wobbly. Whether you're curious about manifestation, skeptical but intrigued, or someone who's always believed in the quiet power of childhood wonder, this episode wraps it all in love, laughter, and realness (with just the right amount of sass and sparkle).Keywords:Hashtags: #ManifestThatMagic #ChildhoodWonder #VelveteenRabbitWisdom #TakingFlightPodcast #MeganHollyCreates #EnergyAlignment #OpenHeartOpenLife #ConfidenceInClarity #SmallStepsBigDreams #WorthyAndCapable #SparkleManifestRepeat #TrustTheTimeline #ImaginationIsPower #FeelItIntoReality #ManifestationJourney

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2676: Dr. Diana Kirschner highlights how introverts can thrive in dating by embracing authenticity, shifting focus outward, and using playful flirting to foster connection. Her advice empowers shy individuals to show up as their real selves, free, engaged, and irresistibly alive, while creating space for mutual ease and attraction. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://lovein90days.com/5-pieces-best-dating-advice-for-introverts/ Quotes to ponder: "Every person is interesting when they are real." "Being real means you become grounded in knowing that you are beautifully okay just as you are." "The key to feel more confident in that moment is to put your attention OUTWARD." Episode references: The Velveteen Rabbit: https://www.amazon.com/Velveteen-Rabbit-Original-Margery-Williams/dp/0380002558 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Discover all of the podcasts in our network, search for specific episodes, get the Optimal Living Daily workbook, and learn more at: OLDPodcast.com. Episode 2676: Dr. Diana Kirschner highlights how introverts can thrive in dating by embracing authenticity, shifting focus outward, and using playful flirting to foster connection. Her advice empowers shy individuals to show up as their real selves, free, engaged, and irresistibly alive, while creating space for mutual ease and attraction. Read along with the original article(s) here: https://lovein90days.com/5-pieces-best-dating-advice-for-introverts/ Quotes to ponder: "Every person is interesting when they are real." "Being real means you become grounded in knowing that you are beautifully okay just as you are." "The key to feel more confident in that moment is to put your attention OUTWARD." Episode references: The Velveteen Rabbit: https://www.amazon.com/Velveteen-Rabbit-Original-Margery-Williams/dp/0380002558 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textTom Smith - Telly Taley Heart - Debasement TapesTall Tell Heart by Edgar Allen PoeFamiliar - The Marvelous Dragonlady - FamiliarDragonriders Of Pern - Anne McCafferyMark Horning - The Search - Lands & LoreDragonriders Of Pern - Anne McCafferyBill Roper - The Songs Of Distant Earth - The Grim Roper UnpluggedThe Songs Of Distant Earth by Arthur C. ClarkeMark Bernstein - The Cool Green Hills of Earth - The WorlDream ProjectGreen Hills of Earth By Robert HeinleinJulia Ecklar - Tin Soldier - WalkaboutEnder's Game by Orson Scott CardChris Weber - To Your Scattered Bodies Go - I FilkTo Your Scattered Bodies Go by Philip José Farmer,Kathy Mar - Velveteen - Plus Ça Change...The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery WilliamsBill & Brenda Sutton - Vor - And They Said It Wouldn't LastVorkosigan Saga by Lois McMaster BujoldBenjamin Newman - Wandering Pilgrim SoulA Fire Upon the Deep by Vernor VingeBrobdingnagian Bards - Weathertop - Memories of Middle EarthLord Of The Rings - JRR TolkienMike Whitaker - Widowmaker - The Oak he Rowan and The Wild RoseThe Alba Books by Peter MorwoodMike Whitaker - Wildflower - Shattered DreamsMorgain Series by CJ CherryhRandom Fractions - Winter-King - EscapementThe Winternight Trilogy by Katherine ArdenBaldwin Of Ereborn - Young Cathen - Light Ship Live At ConChord 1The Deryni novels by Katherine KurtzDandelion Cornerhttps://dandelion-corner.com/https://live365.com/station/Dandelion-Corner-a18657Wôks Print Cataloghttps://woksprint.com/product-category/musicFundraisersDreamflight Theatrical Gymnasticshttps://www.gofundme.com/f/saving-dreamflightOnline FilkEurofilk CircleAug 718:00 Central European TimeFestival Of The Living Rooms Festival of the Living Rooms - Sept 12-14 - December 12-14Friends Of Filk BytesTBABandcamp waives their fees Friday Sept 5, Oct 3, Dec 5All money goes directly to the artist!Get on the MASSFilc email listhttps://www.massfilc.orgFilk InformationFilk Newshttps://liberal.city/@filknewshttps://liberal.city/@filknews.rssFriends Of Filkhttps://friendsoffilk.orgGeekspin Podcasthttps://geekspinpodcast.castos.com/Filk Questhttps://www.youtube.com/c/vanceamaniaVintage Filk Preservationhttps://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0EXmacvKF3MDrKZbzmux6gHouse Concerts and House FilksPhil Mills and Jane Garthson House Filk July 19thEmail jane at garthsonleadership.ca for details and to RSVPNational Suicide Prevention LifelineHours: Available 24 hours. Languages: English, Spanish.800-273-8255Links to the Podcasthttp://filkcast.comhttp://facebook.com/groups/FilkCasttiedyeeric at filkcast.comFor a searchable list of everything played on FilkCasthttps://filkcast.blogspot.com/2021/07/the-complete-list_25.htmlIntro Music - Following Our Dreams - Lawrence Dean

A warm welcome to this sleepy bedtime audiobook. Tonight we will hear the story of ‘The Velveteen Rabbit' by Margery Williams, which is such a heart-warming and moving tale. It is perfect for a cosy night in as you settle in for a deep sleep. We will begin with a short breathing pattern, to help you slow down and relax before beginning tonight's story. If you would like to enjoy ad-free content, exclusive sleep stories, live readings and more, then you can join our wonderful Patreon community here: https://www.patreon.com/sleepycatmeditations

Thunderclan throws a depressing parade, Tangletongue loses it (again), and Jaypaw hijacks a body.Book: Warriors, Series 3: Power of Three #5: Long ShadowsSupport us on Ko-fi! WCWITCast Ko-fiFollow us on BlueSky! WCWITCastFollow us on Instagram! WCWITCastCat Fact Sources:Meow: Duke the Cat Joins SFO's Wag Brigade | San Francisco International AirportMeet the Wag Brigade | San Francisco International AirportIntroducing Duke Ellington Morris • Instagram • SFOWagBrigade (@sfowagbrigade)SFOWagBrigade (@sfowagbrigade) • InstagramMeet Duke Ellington: The newest member of SFO's 'Wag Brigade'Rescue Cat Visits Hospital To Help All The Patients Feel Safe - The DodoInstagram stardom, Giants tickets and lots of cuddles: The fabulous lives of SFO therapy animals - SFChronicleSan Francisco Airport hires cat named Duke to calm travellers | The IndependentSan Francisco Airport Adds First Cat to Its Therapy Animal Team that Comforts Travelers - People.comMusic:The following music was used for this media project:Happy Boy Theme by Kevin MacLeod Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3855-happy-boy-themeLicense: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This transformative podcast work constitutes a fair-use of any copyrighted material as provided for in section 107 of the US copyright law. Warrior Cats: What is That? is not endorsed or supported by Harper Collins and/or Working Partners. All views are our own.

In this episode Albert talks with WAOB® Audio Theatre Voiceover Artist, David Seremet. David discusses his journey from being a youth and finding his way to the theatre as well as his professional life as a tailor. It's an episode filled with humor and revelations. Pull up a chair for this episode of The Table of Content! Link to "Stories from the Tall Tales Club": https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLHVWV1JPoNaS2-PrF0CcbtdV0C0wLI20j Link to "Velveteen Rabbit": https://youtu.be/xRtJbvb72ec

The SKATCAST Network presents:Truck Driver Theater #29 with the Script KeeperToday's Skit-SKATs[ Adventures of Gunner Halifax | 0:13 ] - "J5 Chronicles: Chapters 1-3" - It's a trilogy of the worst alien in the galaxies![ Liam the Monster Hunter | 18:47 ] - "Runes of Dork" - Liam and company travel in an airship and do dumb Marnia things.[ Talking Pets | 29:00 ] - "Episode 15" - The neighborhood pets talk to each other about pet things like how squirrels suck or some sh*t.[ Nurse Fairy Rhymes | 35:59 ] - "Velveteen Rabbit" - The classic story of the Velveteen Rabbit gets the SKATCAST treatment!Thank you for listening to our shiz! Be safe out there, humans are odd!Visit us for more episodes of SKATCAST and other shows like SKATCAST presents The Dave & Angus Show plus BONUS material at https://www.skatcast.com Watch select shows and shorts on YouTube: bit.ly/34kxCneJoin the conversation on Discord! https://discord.gg/XKxhHYwu9zFor all show related questions: info@skatcast.comPlease rate and subscribe on iTunes and elsewhere and follow SKATCAST on social media!! Instagram: @theescriptkeeper Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/scriptkeepersATWanna become a Patron? Click here: https://www.patreon.com/SkatcastSign up through Patreon and you'll get Exclusive Content, Behind The Scenes video, special downloads and more! Prefer to make a donation instead? You can do that through our PayPal: https://paypal.me/skatcastpodcast Get bonus content on Patreon Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Las Vegas is full of surprises, and today's guest, Christina Dylag, is one of them. She's the owner of Velveteen Rabbit, a uniquely charming bar and community hub in the city's vibrant Arts District. Christina is also the author of “Tiny Little Boxes: How to Cope with Existential Dread by Way of Ice Cream and Other Means”—a title that's as intriguing as the book itself.Christina joins host Kerry Diamond to talk about why she opened Velveteen Rabbit, the philosophy behind her book, and how the Arts District is fostering creativity in the food and beverage space. They also explore the spiritual side of Las Vegas, the inspiration behind her craft cocktails (and mocktails), and, of course, the beloved children's book that gave her bar its name.Thank you to Las Vegas for supporting our show. Learn more and book your trip here. Join Cherry Bombe in Las Vegas on March 7th and 8th. For Jubilee 2025 tickets, click here. To get our new Love Issue, click here. Visit cherrybombe.com for subscriptions and show transcripts. More on Christina: Instagram, Velveteen Rabbit, website, “Tiny Little Boxes” bookMore on Kerry: Instagram

No marriage this side of glory is perfect. Dennis and Barbara Rainey are joined by Bob Lepine to help you avoid repeating mistakes and instead turn them into something that will strengthen your relationship.What You'll Learn in this episode:The Importance of Understanding: Discover why getting to the heart of why something affects your spouse is more meaningful than just knowing what to avoid saying or doing.Rookie Mistakes Are Normal: Hear Dennis and Barbara talk about the rookie mistakes they made in their early years of marriage and learn why these mistakes are a natural part of growing together.Handling Differentness: Understand how recognizing and appreciating the innate differences between men and women can enhance your relationship.The Value of Perseverance: Learn why it's crucial to stick together through thick and thin, adapting and growing in love over the years.Biblical Blueprints for Marriage: Get insights on how having a shared biblical foundation can help couples navigate life's challenges together.Fun Fact from the Episode:Did you know that teasing as a form of affection can backfire? Bob shared a funny yet insightful anecdote about how teasing, which was normal in his family growing up, didn't translate well with his wife Marianne, particularly when he pointed out her pimples. It's a prime example of a rookie mistake that many can learn from!

Find out more about CH Ministries here Click here to get a 25% discount on the Dwell Bible App. Today's conversation on Back Porch Theology in our on-going series on the theology of worship is a continuation of last week because we had such an awesome time leaning into all that Scripture reveals Jesus to be, learning from each other's stories – especially the difficult chapters - and laughing that we simply had to have a part two of this conversation! Aren't you grateful that being serious about our faith and being serious about ourselves aren't synonymous? I thoroughly enjoy getting to spend time with people who are fully devoted to Jesus Christ but aren't full of themselves! And saints who feel free enough to laugh at themselves are my absolute favorite kind of people. Which aptly describes the girl gang we're hanging out with again today. Hope Darst, Tasha Layton, Hillary Scott and Rita Springer are too young to be called legends, but they have written and sung a multitude of songs that have shaped the musical landscape of worship. Between them they've won multiple Grammys and CMA's and Doves and KLove Fan Awards, and yet this foursome reeks humility. They are much like the Skinhorse in the story of the Velveteen Rabbit…life has worn them thin enough to recognize that whether they have a number one song or fall completely off the charts, Jesus is the only Hero of humanity's story and commercial success apart from intimacy with our Creator Redeemer is devoid of any real meaning. Mind you, as we continue to emphasize in this series, music is only one facet of how we worship as Christ followers – in fact, the Bible describes worship more as the posture of our hearts than the melody that falls out of our mouths. Which is why the theme of today's conversation is less about melodic tunes than it is about biblical truths. What does worship look like when we aren't singing or listening to Christian music? How do we maintain the posture of worshipping God when we're dealing with deep disappointment, disillusionment, or debilitating depression. Is it possible to have a broken heart and hands raised in praise at the same time? It's going to get raw and real today y'all, so please grab your Bible, a notebook, and some yummy snacks – I always find chocolate to be an excellent companion when taking raw and real adventures – and come give that great big, beautiful heart God placed in your chest some time and space to exhale on the porch with us. We're really, really glad you're here. Save on Dwell here Learn More about Upward Sports here

In today's special episode Jonah and Amanda will be sharing the classic children's story The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams. At least two recent episodes of Maked Up (from December 2024-January 2025) have contained scenes inspired by The Velveteen Rabbit. Can you find them? If you think you know which Maked Up Story was inspired by The Velveteen Rabbit, have your grown up email us or send a voice memo with your name, your age, which story you think it is and why. We'll share your answers in a future episode and one lucky listener will receive a special gift related to The Velveteen Rabbit.Enjoying Maked Up Stories? Please rate and review us and share your child's favorite episode on social media and in parenting and school groups. This is the best way for new listeners to find the podcast.Maked Up Stories is a daily children's bedtime stories podcast. Perfect for your bedtime routine, your commute, or for some high quality screen-free entertainment at home. Our interactive format will ignite your imagination. Rich vocabulary with plenty of context clues supports your child's language development. To submit an intro, outro or story request visit makedupstories.com. For questions, feedback or to submit your child's answer to a question we ask in the show email us at Amanda.e.waldo@gmail.com. The easiest way to record your child's contribution is with the voice memo app on your smartphone.

We are super excited to bring you an extra special Get Amplified festive present!​​Mark Templeton rejoins us to share his wisdom and learnings in this episode, Foundations of Leadership.​We catch up with Mark, who continues to give back through board service and CEO mentoring. ​As former CEO of Citrix, Mark offers invaluable insights into personal growth, emphasising the importance of gratitude and self-reflection as essential components for enhancing one's role in fast-paced industries.Mark enlightens us on the concept of strategic renewal, stressing the importance of self-disruption to stay ahead in rapidly changing industries. By sharing stories of Apple's reinvention and Intel's struggles, Mark highlights the challenges of maintaining relevance and navigating innovation.  Mark cites "The Innovator's Dilemma" revealing the crucial balance between stability and innovation.Referring to Patrick Lencioni's Five Dysfunctions of a Team, Mark tell us, "It's probably the one reading that changed the course of my career more than any other single thing"​The books Mark covers are:The Innovators Dilemma by Clayton ChristensenLeaders Make the Future by Bob JohansenThe Five Dysfunctions of a Team by Patrick LencioniThe Growth Mindset by Dr Carol DweckThe Velveteen Rabbit by Margery WilliamsFinally, with inspiration from "The Velveteen Rabbit," we celebrate authenticity as a path to personal freedom and success, advocating for vulnerability and self-awareness as keys to growth.We would love you to follow us on LinkedIn! https://www.linkedin.com/company/amplified-group/

CATHERINE FILLOUX (BOOK) is an award-winning playwright who has been writing about human rights and social justice for twenty-five years.  Filloux is the librettist for three produced operas, NEW ARRIVALS (Houston Grand Opera, composer John Glover), WHERE ELEPHANTS WEEP (Chenla Theatre, Phnom Penh, Cambodia, composer Him Sophy) and THE FLOATING BOX (Asia Society, New York City, composer Jason Kao Hwang).  WHERE ELEPHANTS WEEP was also broadcast on national television in Cambodia, and THE FLOATING BOX was a Critic's Choice in Opera News and is released by New World Records.  Catherine is the co-librettist with composer Olga Neuwirth for the opera ORLANDO, which premiered at Vienna State Opera. In development:  Thresh's L'ORIENT (composer Kamala Sankaram, choreographer Preeti Vasudevan); MARY SHELLEY (composer Gerald Cohen, dramaturg Cori Ellison, Black Tea Music).  Her plays have been produced around the U.S. and internationally.  She has been honored with the 2019 Barry Lopez Visiting Writer in Ethics and Community Fellowship; the 2017 Otto René Castillo Award for Political Theatre; and the 2015 Planet Activist Award.  JIMMY ROBERTS  (MUSIC & LYRICS) composed the music for I LOVE YOU, YOU'RE PERFECT, NOW CHANGE, second longest running Off Broadway musical in New York theater history. Written with playwright Joe DiPietro, I LOVE YOU received both the Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations as Best Musical. It has since played in fifty states, twenty-five countries around the world, and is a major motion picture in Hong Kong. His second Off Broadway musical, THE THING ABOUT MEN, won the 2003 New York Outer Critics Circle award for Best Musical. Jimmy's songs were featured in two other Off Broadway shows: A…MY NAME IS STILL ALICE and PETS! His children's musical, THE VELVETEEN RABBIT, toured the United States for well over a decade. Jimmy is also a sought-after performer. In entertaining programs that combine classical and popular music, he has appeared at Merkin Concert Hall, the Time Warner Center, the 92nd Street Y, Steinway Hall, and the National Arts Club. A graduate of the Manhattan School of Music, where he studied with noted pianist, Constance Keene, Jimmy Roberts is also a poet, whose work has appeared often in the New York Times Metropolitan Diary, as well as TROLLEY, the journal of the NYS Writers Institute. JOHN DAGGETT (BOOK & ADD'L LYRICS) is a differently-abled actor who has starred Off-Broadway in the critically acclaimed plays LEMKIN'S HOUSE, TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON, and LOVE LEMMINGS.  Other New York credits include: ROME, PORTRAIT OF A PRESIDENT, AN ARTIST'S LIFE, THE WITCHES TRIPTYCH, and his one-man show FLYING BY THE SEAT OF MY PANTS (Theatre Row).  Regional: Guthrie, Merrimack Rep, Jewish Repertory Theatre, Portland Stage, Roxy Theatre, Odyssey Theater, Kavinoky Theatre and H.T.Y.  Numerous roles for Pennsylvania Shakespeare, Orlando Shakespeare, Shakespeare in Delaware Park, Lake Tahoe Shakespeare and Sherwood Shakespeare.  John served as a member of the Government Relations Committee of the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Welcome to the Big Dipper What defines home, family, and identity? Joan Wilkes confronts these questions when she must sell The Big Dipper Inn, near Niagara Falls in upstate New York, known for its music and African American heritage. She's all set to sign the contract when a blizzard lands a group of Amish folks and a busload of men in dresses on her doorstep. For three days and nights, they wait out the storm. Cultures clash, romance crackles, and Joan struggles for answers, as a houseful of strangers becomes an unexpected community.

Find out what it means to be “real” as you listen to David Seremet read the classic story, “The Velveteen Rabbit” written by Margery Williams. A Production of We Are One Body® Audio Theatre.

A mere 150 years ago, uttering the words “scarlet fever” was enough to strike fear into the hearts of many, especially parents of young children. For a brief period of time, this disease, caused by an infection with the bacterium Streptococcus pyogenes, reigned as a leading cause of childhood death in many parts of the world. It left its mark on gravestones, in public health decrees, in literature like the Velveteen Rabbit, but then something changed. The disease became milder, no longer the deadly threat it once was. But it didn't go away entirely or lose its bite completely. In this episode, we examine the biology of scarlet fever and trace how it can make you sick before exploring its strange and tragic history. How did such a deadly disease change almost overnight, before any effective treatment was developed? And what can that tell us about its potential to change back? Tune in to find out. Support this podcast by shopping our latest sponsor deals and promotions at this link: https://bit.ly/3WwtIAu Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do find something to snuggle and listen to this favourite tale of a boy's much-loved bunny who yearns to become real. It is a beautiful reminder always to look beneath the surface - in this case, the soft, furry fabric of the story's title. Free, thanks to our friends at enVypillow.com and SierraSil.com. Drift is free, thanks to our wonderful sponsors: enVy Pillow and SierraSil. Both of them have been generous enough to offer 10% off all online purchases when you use the code drift.

No marriage this side of glory is perfect. Dennis and Barbara Rainey are joined by Bob Lepine to help you avoid repeating mistakes and instead turn them into something that will strengthen your relationship.

In tonight's bedtime story for kids, we're reading another classic tale from Abbe's bookshelf: The Velveteen Rabbit. It's a story about a stuffie, who learns what it is to actually be a ‘real' bunny. Relax, get comfy, and let's begin.  Upgrade to Koko Club Today!

As Gemini continues her world tour, longtime friend of the pod Rick Moonen steps in to share his many comings and goings -- including escaping Hurricane Milton. In the centerpiece interview, Al sits down with Christina Dylag of Velveteen Rabbit. Also: news from Chef Michael Mina, Chef Steve Kestler of Aroma Latin American Cocina and Vincent Rotolo talks about the new branch of Good Pie in Henderson. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

When a young boy is given a stuffed rabbit as a Christmas gift, the rabbit befriends other nursery toys, learns about real Love & soon hopes to discover it himself.

In tonight's bedtime story with Karissa, we're diving in to a nostalgic castle - the Velveteen rabbit, in which a stuffed toy goes on an adventure to figure out what really makes a rabbit 'real', eventually figuring out the answer- the love of a child.  First, as always, we'll start with a relaxing introduction from Karissa, before we sink into tonight's Sleep Meditation. Join Sleep Wave Premium ✨ in just two taps! Enjoy 2 bonus episodes a month plus all episodes ad-free and show your support to Karissa. https://sleepwave.supercast.com/ Love the Sleep Wave Podcast? Please subscribe & leave a review ⭐️ You can now listen to Sleep Wave on Youtube! Click here to listen to the latest episodes

The Velveteen Rabbit lives in the Boy's nursery with all the other toys, waiting for the day when the Boy will choose him as a playmate. In time, the shy Rabbit befriends the tattered Skin Horse, the wisest resident of the nursery, who reveals the goal of all nursery toys: to be made “real” through the love of a human.

Don't be Delulu, listen to this week's episode the stories are off the hook no cap. We discuss the hottest stories this week, and breaking news today with Trent Johnson of Blue Book, and the Blue Book Newswire. If you are not a current subscriber to the Lumber Newswire, click here to subscribe for free today! www.lumberbluebook.com All thoughts and opinions are our own and do not represent those of our employers, or anyone mentioned in this podcast. Questions of Comments? lumberslingers@gmail.com Covered in this episode: We are Chuegy? Socks you need to wear these days (sorry Trent) Favorite Stories: Women of LBM: Unboxing Leadership Lessons with Weird Barbie and the Velveteen Rabbit -https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/16/unboxing-leadership-lessons-with-weird-barbie-and-the-velveteen-rabbit/ NAHB: Rent Caps Would Exacerbate Housing Affordability Crisis - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/15/nahb-rent-caps-would-exacerbate-housing-affordability-crisis/ JCHS: Remodeling Spending to Tick Up Through Mid-Year 2025 - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/18/jchs-remodeling-spending-to-tick-up-through-mid-year-2025/ Mergers & Acquisitions: Nation's Best Acquires Huntington Lumber & Supply Co. - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/16/nations-best-acquires-huntington-lumber-supply-co/ White Cap Expands North Central Region with Acquisition of B&R Reinforcing, Inc. - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/15/white-cap-expands-north-central-region-with-acquisition-of-br-reinforcing-inc/ Hinton Announces Minority Partnership With Trivest - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/16/hinton-announces-minority-partnership-with-trivest/ Expansions & Curtailments: Ryder to Acquire Pit Stop Fleet Service - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/15/ryder-to-acquire-pit-stop-fleet-service/ Quanex Building Products' Acquisition of Tyman Approved by Each Companies' Shareholders - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/12/quanex-building-products-acquisition-of-tyman-approved-by-each-companies-shareholders/ Movers & Shakers: GreenFirst Announces Appointment of New CFO - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/17/greenfirst-announces-appointment-of-new-cfo/ Westlake Implements Succession Plan - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/15/westlake-implements-succession-plan/ Market Updates: U.S. Census Bureau: Monthly New Residential Sales, June 2024 - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/17/u-s-census-bureau-monthly-new-residential-sales-june-2024/ Housing Starts increase from May 2024 Associated builders and contractors put out report Madison's Reporter: Continued Soft Demand Keeps Lumber Prices Flat - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/19/lumber-price-index-for-week-ending-july-19-2024/ Freddie Mac: Mortgage Rates Continue to Fall - https://www.lumberbluebook.com/2024/07/18/freddie-mac-mortgage-rates-continue-to-fall/ And we conclude with the biggest story of the week – tune in to hear !

Tonda tells a story of grief and hardship that has stayed with her for over 25 years—the loss of her baby boy, Evan. Couched in the familiar tale of The Velveteen Rabbit, she shares the tattered and worn stitches of herself to inspire others to embrace their stories and their true selves. Her message of love and light through the trials of human experience leaves us feeling more Real ourselves.

In the decades before Ruth Shaw became a bookseller in New Zealand's Fiordland, she lived the incredible stories that now line the shelves in her shops. She sailed the seas, was attacked by pirates, had her heart broken, and found ways to mend it again

Merry last Monday of April fellow Christmas lovers! We hope you're ready this week for a tear jerker because the elves are diving into Apple TV's 2023 take on the children's classic The Velveteen Rabbit. The elves are all back together discussing the best burger Thom has ever eaten, an in-person elf reunion, already being tired of the election, and much more before diving into the heartwarming and tear-inducing movie. Grab your beloved stuffy, settle in, and enjoy!

The Fourth Sunday of Easter Sunday, April 21, 2024 Glen Ridge Congregational Church

In this week's episode, Lance puts up to sleep by narrating, "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams. Thanks for being part of the Dozing Off community.Sweet dreams!

We learn: World War 3 again? What a relief that the rabbit doesn't get burned alive This book is about my stuffed Grover- and I'm still waiting for him to be real Go on, read it for yourself: https://bookshop.org/p/books/the-velveteen-rabbit-margery-williams/48974?ean=9781398809314 Listen anywhere: nuzzlehouse.com Your bedtime story read aloud for grown ups. Support Nuzzle House by contributing to their tip jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/nuzzle-house Send us your feedback online: https://pinecast.com/feedback/nuzzle-house/95d9b55c-ba0c-4c53-abd5-e4ef4e079255

Tonight, we'll read the complete story of “The Velveteen Rabbit”, a British children's book written by Margery Williams in 1922. It chronicles the story of a stuffed rabbit's desire to become real through the love of his owner. Snoozecast first aired a version of this story that didn't include the ending back in 2019. Many listeners requested the ending, so we rerecorded it in 2021, and are rebroadcasting it now. We hope you enjoy it as much this lovely tale as much as we do!  — read by 'V' — Sign up for Snoozecast+ to get expanded, ad-free access by going to snoozecast.com/plus! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What's up, dudes? Well, it seems that Little #1, Little #2, and Little #3 hijacked my recording studio and held their own episode all about the 1976 Rankin Bass Easter special "The First Easter Rabbit!" It's an adaptation of the children's book "The Velveteen Rabbit," and it's wild!A young girl named Glinda gets a stuffed bunny for Christmas which she names Stuffy. She loves it unconditionally, but when she contracts scarlet fever, it has to be burned. Stuffy is approached by a magical sprite named Calliope, who transforms him into a real rabbit. She mandates that he become the first Easter Bunny.Stuffy meets Santa Claus and moves into Easter Valley, an area of the North Pole perpetually existing in Spring. Unfortunately, an ice wizard (perhaps a former servant of Winterbolt?) named Zero steals the Golden Easter Lily, causing the valley to freeze and snow. Santa rescues Stuffy and helps him deliver his Easter goods to Glinda's hometown. He also forces Zero to return the Lily. All's well that ends well.A fairy that knows substitutiary locomotion? Check. A Savage Land type headquarters? Got it. A remorseful sentient snowball? For sure! So grab your Easter eggs, put on your bonnet, and take Santa's sleigh to this episode!Check us out on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Totally Rad Christmas Mall & Arcade, Teepublic.com, or TotallyRadChristmas.com! Later, dudes!

Lesley explores Rebekah's journey from confronting the limitations of traditional publishing to establishing Row House Publishing. Discover how community support played a crucial role in her fundraising efforts, enabling the launch of initiatives like the Little Readers Big Change Initiative, which brings literacy resources to under-resourced schools. This episode highlights the importance of reciprocal relationships within the community, diversity, and the impact of equitable profit-sharing models in fostering a fair publishing environment.If you have any questions about this episode or want to get some of the resources we mentioned, head over to LesleyLogan.co/podcast. If you have any comments or questions about the Be It pod shoot us a message at beit@lesleylogan.co. And as always, if you're enjoying the show please share it with someone who you think would enjoy it as well. It is your continued support that will help us continue to help others. Thank you so much! Never miss another show by subscribing at LesleyLogan.co/subscribe.In this episode you will learn about:Rebekah's decision to leave a traditional publishing house due to its lack of diversity.The role of community support and the power of small donations in achieving big dreams.The strategic decisions behind the equitable profit-sharing model at Row House Publishing designed to disrupt traditional publishing norms.The importance of being actively involved in your community and how collective efforts can fuel significant change.The significance of not just giving to but also receiving from your community.Episode References/Links:Rebekah Borucki WebsiteRow House PublishingRow House Publishing InstagramGuest Bio:Rebekah “Bex” Borucki (she/they) is a mixed-race neuro-riotous mother-to-five, grandmother-to-one, self-help and children's author, and the Founder and President of Row House, Wheat Penny Press, and the WPP Little Readers Big Change Initiative, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit delivering literacy programming to K-12 students in underestimated school districts and grants to Black and Brown creatives and booksellers. Borucki is driven by a commitment to make wellness, self-learning, and literacy tools available to all and to help others recover the freedoms stolen from them by white supremacy through activism centering Black liberation and trans rights. Borucki lives with her family in her native state, New Jersey.  If you enjoyed this episode, make sure and give us a five star rating and leave us a review on iTunes, Podcast Addict, Podchaser or Castbox. DEALS! Check out all our Preferred Vendors & Special Deals from Clair Sparrow, Sensate, Lyfefuel BeeKeeper's Naturals, Sauna Space, HigherDose, AG1 and ToeSox Be in the know with all the workshops at OPCBe It Till You See It Podcast SurveyBe a part of Lesley's Pilates MentorshipFREE Ditching Busy Webinar  Resources:Watch the Be It Till You See It podcast on YouTube!Lesley Logan websiteBe It Till You See It PodcastOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley LoganOnline Pilates Classes by Lesley Logan on YouTubeProfitable Pilates Follow Us on Social Media:InstagramFacebookLinkedIn  Episode Transcript:Rebekah Borucki 0:00  I am a kid and I love writing for the little girl that was me that didn't have access to even hugs most days. So, you know, I'm sticking with this. If I could work in the children's space all the time, I love my authors. I love all of my authors at Hay House, but if I could just like hire another president and be in the children's space, I, 100% would.Lesley Logan 0:24  Welcome to the Be It Till You See It podcast where we talk about taking messy action, knowing that perfect is boring. I'm Lesley Logan, Pilates instructor and fitness business coach. I've trained thousands of people around the world and the number one thing I see stopping people from achieving anything is self-doubt. My friends, action brings clarity and it's the antidote to fear. Each week, my guest will bring bold, executable, intrinsic and targeted steps that you can use to put yourself first and Be It Till You See It. It's a practice, not a perfect. Let's get started. Lesley Logan 1:06  Hi, Be It babe. Okay, get ready. Get ready. So our guest today is Rebekah Borucki. She is the founder of Row House Publishing. Oh my goodness. Oh my goodness. What an incredible story. What an incredible journey. What an incredible life she is living. And I am so grateful Roxy, for you making this massive connection. I am in awe of what Rebekah is doing and also like her ability to share that and also give you options. So we're going to talk a little bit about activism here, we're going to talk about her being going growing up and then becoming an author, a published author, and then switching from a publishing (inaudible) into owning her own and starting your own and then really taking care of authors. And then also the work she's doing for her children, K through 12 for reading, and I'm just you're gonna be fired up, I'm fired up, there is information on how to support her publishing company, there's also a, I'm going to put some in the show notes and with the charities that like little readers that you can have, you can donate to, because it is called littlereadersbigchange.com. So we'll make sure that all those things are in there. If you're wondering like, a little bit why this matters, I can tell you right now that because my mom made sure that during my year of kindergarten, she read to me 500 books, that my ability to dream, be creative. kind of go outside with the world today and think of something that could possibly happen and then make that happen is because of books. And I took a lot of years off of reading. And then I recently started reading again, and not reading. I've read a lot of books or just mostly workbooks, but like reading some months, some fiction and like just some other stuff. And I'm a ferocious reader. I love it. And I think it is important for children of all ages everywhere to see themselves in books out there. And so Rebekah Borucki is making that happen. She's one of many people and I'm so honored to share her with you today. So take a listen. And if you can support her publishing company or Little Reader Big change in any way, please do and we're going to look at those Be It Action Items. They're brilliant, they're amazing, and they're going to support you. Here is Rebekah Borucki. Lesley Logan 3:20  All right, Be It babe. Welcome to the podcast. I'm so excited for today's guest she has a connection with a dear friend who's also been on the show Roxy Menzies and so we have Rebekah Borucki here today she is a self-published author which is just I think it's interesting we have to even identify between self-published and like published, republish because writing a book, and you're both. Okay, so she's hyphenated. She's a multifaceted author of children's books and I'm so excited to have you here, Rebekah, will you tell us who you are and what you rock at?Rebekah Borucki 3:49  Okay, well, I'm Rebekah, who introduced me and got my name, right. That's awesome. Pronouns are she/they. I am the president and founder of Row House Publishing, also, Wheat Penny Press, which preceded Row House, which was the children's publishing house. And then also the Little Readers Big Change Initiative, which is our nonprofit that provides literacy, or literacy resources and books and author visits to K-12 schools in under-resourced districts. And we also support black-owned indie bookstores and black and brown creators. So we do a lot. I do a lot. Lesley Logan 4:22  You do a lot. Rebekah Borucki 4:24  I have five kids, I can't forget them. That's my most important job and one grandbaby. So. Lesley Logan 4:29  Oh my God, you don't look old enough to have a grandbaby and also when you said five kids for a split second, I thought you were joking. Like just saying I do all this and I have five kids, but then it's like, no, no, she's really, it's five kids. Okay. I feel like we have to go back a little bit like was it always a dream of yours to be an author? Was this something you fell into? I also, you know, I think it's amazing what you're doing for readers of schools, like I grew up, my, thank goodness, my mom made sure I read I think it changed my life. You know, so can you tell me how this, where do we begin? Rebekah Borucki 5:02  So, my parents didn't make sure I read at all. I grew up in a lower middle class or not middle class, I'm sorry, lower middle, or working class, working class family, in a very small working class town, lived under the poverty line, my entire pre-adult life, really struggled with food insecurity, all that stuff. So it was really a matter of just survival. But I loved school. And I love to write, I absolutely did not dream of becoming a writer because I didn't think that was even something you could do for a living. And I had a teacher, Glenda Autry. She was my first black teacher in middle school, I'm mixed race. And so she kind of like took all like the black and brown girls under her wing. And there was one report card, she wrote a note home. And I still have the note, and said, Rebekah's writing is beautiful. I can't wait to read one of her books one day. And it was just like that glimmer of, oh, that's something that I can do. And people think I could do that set me not on a path to writing but set me on a path to explore my creativity. Even on the side, I was a teen mom, I had three kids before I was 25. So there were a lot of obstacles in me going my own way. But I'm also completely unemployable. I'm autistic, I hate being outside, I don't do well in front of crowds of people. So I had to kind of make up my own way. And I hustled and created a platform, a wellness platform, I was doing yoga and meditation for a really long time. I was published with Hay House, two books with Hay House. Long story short, they're super racist and exclusive over there. So I had to leave in 2020 and start my own publishing house, knowing nothing about publishing. Lesley Logan 6:46  And so that's what I'm looking in the back of your office Row House Publishing that's you. That's yeah, that's gosh, okay. So, um, wow, I, your teacher, like, I almost had tears in my eyes. But you're really, really like reliving that moment. So beautiful. It's amazing, I think, how like something that probably how could she know like, how impactful that could have been? I mean, maybe she did, but also like, you know, I think of like, maybe some of the teacher's notes I got home and very few of my kept like, that's kind of that's really powerful. I also think it's really difficult for someone to leave something that (in air quotes) "to secure" a publishing house like that. What was, do you mind sharing? Like, was it an easy decision? Did you have to, like, really think about it like, because I just wonder like, some people just like, I had to do it. And other people, I'm like, well, you know, like, especially my life I grew up with, I wasn't impoverished that much as like that as low as your situation was. But we were just above that, right? So we were just enough that we couldn't get any of the extra help. And so, for a long time, people know who was in the podcast, we don't, I don't answer my phone, because I think it's bill collector, like, I'm so conditioned to like, screening the call.Rebekah Borucki 7:56  Same. Every time I go to the grocery line, I have my debit card, I'm like, do I have enough in the bank, like I totally do, and it's gonna be scary for the rest of my life. Lesley Logan 8:03  Right. So I mean, like, people don't realize, like, I was a little girl, like at the age of 11, I can't believe the world let you do this. But at age 11, I would take a check and write it for more. That's what my parents taught me to write it for more, because then you'll get the cash and then fingers crossed. It's when there's money in the bank, and no one bounces a check at the grocery store, like, so I do understand that. So I guess like when I hear things like where you stand up for something that's so much you believe in but also is like a livelihood for you. I guess I just wonder what that decision felt like.Rebekah Borucki 8:36  I don't know if it's a cultural differences. But the way I was raised, my parents were activists in their own way they were pacifist, they were adamantly anti-war in any circumstance. So I grew up with this sense of it is up to us to stand up and say something. And also, it's up to us to share and redistribute wealth, we had nothing, and we were constantly giving. So that's just, I don't know if it was a cultural thing. It's definitely something that is in black and brown communities, all marginalized communities because there was no other way to survive than to help another. So when I saw that, you know, I'm the brownest person in the room. And I said that to the CEO. And his response is, well, you have to understand, Rebekah, that we cater to an affluent audience. I knew that not only did my people not belong there, but I didn't belong there. And it just became unacceptable for me, who already walked through the world with a lot of light-skinned privilege, you know, skin privilege, like all the things that I navigate white spaces really well, like, it just felt completely gross for me to continue to benefit from this system. And if I thought about it, I don't know if I would have made the decision so quickly. I didn't really think about it. It's kind of like, oh, that's your answer. You know, you're not gonna do anything. And it was in the middle of a meeting actually to discuss why they weren't addressing that five of the 12 disinformation dozen, the 12 people online that were responsible for most of the misinformation and disinformation around COVID. Five of those people were their authors. And it was in a meeting to discuss, like, why you're not saying anything? Or Why aren't you coming out with a stance? And why aren't you talking about the uprisings happening all over the United States and Black Lives Matter and whatever. And their resistance refusal to take accountability or to say that they have the power to do something was just like, I was like, I gotta go. My agent was sitting there like, I don't know what she did. She didn't know that was gonna happen. And she's this like, amazing white lady from New York powerhouse, beautiful literary agent, had no idea really what I was saying, but was there for me. Yeah, I just, I just left and I wasn't planning on starting my own publishing house, my former editor and then good friend, Kristen McGuiness texted me late I think it was a Monday night, and she said, you know, why don't you just start your own Hay House. And I, in my infinite wisdom and spunk said, "Sure. Why not? Let's call it Bay House." That was, that's how it happened. That was (inaudible) 2020. In November we had the name registered, in February, we launched online with a fundraiser and we started, we raised 10,000, or not 10,000. We raised $100,000, in the first 10 days. So people wanted it.Lesley Logan 11:32  Yeah. Okay. Can you tell okay, and maybe we can go on to other tangent to this note you want to talk about, but like, I guess, like starting a publishing house, that is not an easy thing to do. You do need money. That's how that's why publisher like publishers have the money (inaudible).Rebekah Borucki 11:49  We needed the money. And this was very interesting for me, because I was very familiar with fundraising in terms of mutual aid, where it's just like direct giving to people who need, it paying people's electric bills. That was my whole life. And it was definitely something that I was engaged in as an activist at that time. But you know, so going out and asking for money wasn't a hard thing for me. But the scale, like we needed to raise, we thought we needed to raise $800,000, we ended up blowing past that raising 1.2 million, and these were small money donations, like this was $5, $20, $100. Because that's how we do, right, in this community. And, you know, we hit that mark, I didn't realize I didn't know the historic value of this. Only 150 women to date, right now, 150 black women have raised more than a million dollars from venture capital. So it just doesn't happen at all. Don't raise as much money. And so going in blindly, kind of helped me I didn't know how hard it was going to be. I didn't know the obstacles that were ahead. But Rebekah Borucki 12:53  Which was probably better. (Inaudible)Rebekah Borucki 12:58  So one, one of my mentors, a black man, black executive in finance, he said, like, look, this isn't going to be a matter of you going into rooms and then saying, so how much money we're gonna make together. It's going to be people asking you how you're not going to lose my money, because of where you come from, because of who you are what you are. And that was demoralizing. That was hard. But yeah (inaudible).Lesley Logan 13:27  That stings. I think like I had, maybe a year ago, I had a woman on who was in tech and financing and she like, was one of the few women who's in the rooms like with where the money is raised. And her whole thing is like, there's not, there's not that many women in general getting money from venture capital. And then she's like, and then you go, and you break it out by color. And it's like, it's just not even close. There's there's not even like a way to go, how do we bridge this? Make it, like, it's not going to be fair.Rebekah Borucki 13:56  (Inaudible) Like on the graph, like you can't even see it? And yes, that's a problem. But what I know, as someone, you know, with, that's in the black community, there's a way so it was really just being completely transparent. This is what we need. This is what we plan to do. This is how we're different. This is how we're, it's for us and by us. And so we rally that ground support that there's a ground support from my community, my close community, but it was also 2021 when people really wanted to be good. And so there was a lot of, we capitalize a lot on that that week of 2020. You know, that was unfair, like horrible, horrific, but at least some black folks brown folks were able to kind of get a foothold start their careers and have their voices amplified. Lesley Logan 14:49  So your publishing house is it specifically for black and brown authors. Like what do you guys focus on? Is it for everyone is it for like?Rebekah Borucki 14:56  It's for everyone, all genres. We have five imprints now. So it's children's, it's romance, it's YA. So many beautiful, beautiful books, beautiful people. The requirements to get published with us are, one of our imprints, are one you're writing through the lens of social justice. And this can be done through fiction, anything. It's disability justice, it's black and brown civil rights, it's all of that. So you have to be writing through the lens of social justice, you have to either be starting a conversation or expanding on a conversation in a way that has not been heard yet. So that's kind of easy to do when you're going into the margins to find stories because these voices just aren't being honored. They're not being amplified. So we have these incredible books that are New York Times bestsellers, one hit number one on the New York Times children's list, which is impossible, beating up Eric Carle, it's bananas. These are black, brown, queer, disabled authors that were not being looked at by anybody. And it's like, where did they come from? It's like we've been here. (Inaudible)Lesley Logan 16:08  Okay. Like, because I've, I have a lot of, have interviewed a lot of people who are authors and I know what it's like. And then I have some friends who publish and the amount of effort they do to be a bestseller. It's insane. So just congratulations, and so much awe and so excited. You've mentioned children's books, and I have, like, I really love, I love that there are more children's books out there today than I felt like when I was a child that are a little bit that show off more things than everybody poops. And you know, like in the Velveteen Rabbit, what made you (inaudible) which is why is it a children's book, it's so sad. My mom is in tears reading it to me. And I'm like, why? Before we got to the sad part.Rebekah Borucki 16:52  Can I tell you something now? The Velveteen Rabbit is actually my favorite children's book, I have so many different editions of it. And I have the fairy tattooed on my back. Lesley Logan 17:00  Do you really?Rebekah Borucki 17:02  Which is an unfortunate residual thing from my teen years. However, though, I do. I do love that book so much but there are there are better books, there's books that are teaching our kids things to really prepare them for the world and prepare them to be really awesome people. So I'm really excited about the new wave in transliteracy literature.Lesley Logan 17:24  There's a really cool area in town where I love to shop, it's all small business owners, there's actually a, I want to say, a 14-year-old who owns a store there, I'll send you her stuff, you'll, you will love her store. And it's all about social activism for children. Like it's freakin cool. So but I buy children's books from all of these places, because they show off different types of people, different types of children, and I give to all my nieces and nephews. And I swear, my family thinks I'm like this, like, why don't you just get them a coloring book? And I'm like, no, I don't know what their school is like, I don't know what they're being exposed to. They need to be exposed to different people. And so I think it's really cool that these books exist in the first place. What made you want to write children's books over like, was that the first book you wrote? I don't, so sorry if I don't know the history of that. Rebekah Borucki 18:06  So no, that's fine. The first book I wrote was a book about accessible meditation called You Have Four Minutes To Change Your Life. I grew up without health care, I was going to a lot of state-run medical facilities. And it was just really hard for me to be able to access especially the mental health care I needed as a kid. So keeping that in mind, and then getting older and doing my yoga training and teaching yoga and teaching meditation in New York City and seeing who was in the room and seeing how much people were being charged. I'm like, first of all, meditation is like, it's free. Like you can do it anywhere. I had been practicing everyday since I was 15 years old. I knew what it had done for me. And I was like, so how do I get this to more people? How do I make this more accessible. And I was working on that on my platform with these little four minute meditation videos, I was getting messages from soldiers who had PTSD saying this is the first time I was able to sit still and close my eyes and feel safe. So that all kind of evolved into wanting to make things accessible for adults wanting to make things accessible for neurodivergent and disabled folks. And then oh, well, kids, and I have kids and I as an autistic person who struggles very much with reading long form books, even though I'm a publisher, I struggle with reading. I love picture books. So my first attempt, I went and took some classes at a local community college, and I wrote this really terrible story that had 2000 words. It was way too many I read it to my kids' second grade class and they were like we like it but they were falling asleep in the middle. I got their feedback, workshopped it with the seven-year-old and came up with Zara's Big Messy Day, which is a book about mental health, about anxiety, about self-regulation, about meditation and breathing and it can kind of just blew up. No publisher wanted it Hay House didn't want it. We shopped it around to five others same response. We don't want it. We don't want it. That was my intro to self-publishing. So it was after I already had two books published that I decided, okay, let me try this myself, super hard, learned a lot. The book hit. And now it's part of the second-grade curriculum of the largest online K-12 school in America. It is definitely the book that built Row House, made a lot of our bills in the beginning and there's three more, there's three more titles after that. I love kids. I am a kid. Lesley Logan 20:37  And I'm glad to hear you (inaudible) I'm just so glad you love them. Rebekah Borucki 20:40  Yeah, I love I love them. I have them. I love kids. I am a kid. And I love writing for the little girl that was me that didn't have access to even hugs most days. So you know, I'm sticking with this. If I can work in the children's space all the time. I love my authors. I love all of my authors at Hay House. But if I could just like hire another president and be in the children's space, I, 100% would (inaudible). Lesley Logan 21:06  Well, you know what? I think we can manifest that I think and we can make it reality. I think like there's it's a little bit more money. And you can because and I say it, I say that not as a joke. I say it with seriousness like I built my businesses and I hated being the CEO. Like I just wanted to be with my members. I just wanted to be in creation mode. And it was it's, it was actually in 2020 when I met this woman, she said, well, you and Brad like, let's just see what you guys, what your strengths are. And his strength is being the entrepreneur, it's being the CEO, it's being the person, he's literally in a meeting right now that he's like are you going to join us and I'm like in zero, no, I don't. Here are my thoughts, okay. And it was the hardest thing we ever did. Because obviously, that year, everything in our business changed like everyone else's lives. But I was able to rewrite a new job description for myself, my own company. And in this time, as we're talking right now, I'm working on a new job description, because I'm able to like even offload even more of those things. So I just say that, and I really want that for you. And I really believe it's possible that there could be a new president and you can be in charge of children's.Rebekah Borucki 22:18  It's 100% possible, it's in the plan, I think that that's where I thrive, it's where I need to be. It's where my advocacy feels best. I love going into schools, I do that very often, I'm reading to the kids. And I get to have that opportunity to look at this, you know, most of the schools, it's going to be predominantly black and brown, sometimes predominantly Spanish speaking, we go to Baltimore, North Jersey, Philly, Camden. And when I go into these schools, I know that they haven't seen someone that looks like them, that talks like them, that's from where they from, where they're from. And for me, I'll say this, for so many people that are going into these schools, it's about charity, it's about charity, and it's about feeling good about themselves. They love the kids, they want to help the kids totally, but it's different. It's a different energy. When you look at these kids like your family, like, these are my kids. These are my cousins. They're like my little nieces and nephews, they're from the hood just like me. And I don't need to teach them how to write. I don't need to tell them like the path to success. I just need to say like, this is possible, like my teacher did for me. And now all these kids, like, send me thank you notes or their little stories and tell me they want to be like authors. It's freaking rad. I love it so much.Lesley Logan 23:31  That's so cool. That's so cool that so many of them can think that that's a possibility. Like you said in your story.Rebekah Borucki 23:36  All it takes, it's all it takes really, for so many kids, it's just to say that it's possible. And I'll say that when we were starting Row House, and people that have become my good friends who were brought in to kind of mentor us or guide us very successful women in publishing. One said, like, look, I don't think that you girls are ambitious, necessarily. I think that what you're trying to do is impossible. Like it can't work. And my co-founder was a white woman from Northern California. Definitely had her own share of hardship in her life, but felt very defeated. After I called her she was like, oh my gosh, what are we gonna do? (Inaudible) Like, I'm a high school dropout. I'm a teen mom, I've hustled all my life. It's fine. It's fine. And it's really about, the people who think is impossible lack the imagination or the experience to understand what can be it's like they haven't seen it, so they don't think it can be done. Lesley Logan 24:40  Yeah. And I think like it's an interesting word, impossible, because I think for some people, like I think there's some parts of my life if someone told me this thing was impossible, I would like figure out a way to show them how it is like that. There was like some parts of that. And then there are some things that if I'd heard that word, it might have taken me a while to pick myself back up off the ground again. So I think it's such an interesting word, it can fire you up, and it can also defeat you. But I feel like I'm also the person like who has the right to tell you something's impossible but you like, that's like kind of, I don't know, maybe I don't know where I learned that. That's an interesting thing. But I think it's so cool that you and your business partner had each other like to kind of do this together because it's not doing anything like it's not easy. You need multiple people to support things, but also that she had you to be like, hey, like, I feel like Rebekah Borucki 25:29  We shook each other. That was (inaudible) here. And, and she really only came in as a co-founder for the beginning stages. She didn't even want to be part of the company. She's like, let me help you and then bounce. So she's no longer, she's still alive but she's no longer with Row House. I love her very much, went on to start her own project, Rise Books, and but yeah, we needed each other and that sisterhood, that community, that's everything that Row House is about, it's called Row House, because I grew up in a brick attached, two-bedroom, one-bathroom house with a big family with people coming in and out, you know, like picking up the street kid, and he's living with us for a while, who ended up being my brother in law, my sister and he had been married for (inaudible) years. So this is like just these are my people. This is where I come from. And I know that people who have not walked in my shoes can't understand my motivation, my drive, and they don't have my ancestors. Like, I'm always thinking about the ancestors. I'm thinking about both my parents who died seven months apart in 2013. And I saw them die with so many dreams unrealized. And you have to at some point, just be like, fuck it, like, if not me, who and also like, if I don't do this, for what, we all end up in the same place. I don't know when my time is coming. I'm just going to be bold.Lesley Logan 26:44  So okay, you mentioned at the beginning that you're doing this work to also make sure that there's like, books for children in K through 12 for there's not access? Can you talk to me about how like, is that from the publishing company is at a different organization where you are, like, helping get books in their hands? How long have you been doing that? And how did that start? Because that is why I'm asking this is like, I know a lot of our listeners have these big, bold dreams. And there's a lot of other things like paying their bills and putting food on the table and all that stuff. So that (inaudible) you know, so how did what was the timeline and how is that how did that start, because it's such an incredible dream to come to fruition. And it has an impact to so many. Rebekah Borucki 27:25  So, like I was saying before, no matter what I have, I'm sharing. That's just the, you know, the ethos that I live by, you must share, like, that's what we're supposed to do. And, you know, my parents taught me and believed quite literally, that every human being were siblings on this planet. So we have to be for the stranger as much as we are for the people that live in our house. So when I started fundraising for self-publishing Zara, it was how do I make this happen, but also benefit other people because I have this vehicle to be able to bring in this money. So we had people buying books for classrooms, we took a portion to make sure that people got kids, I think that first campaign, we were able to donate like 1000 books. Now, that was 2018 or '19, 2019. And since then, we've donated over 20,000 books to different organizations and schools. It's just a matter of when we get them, they also go out the door. And we have a nonprofit that allows us to do that more easily. The ease really comes from people wanting the tax write-off, so we're getting big donations, and they can benefit from that too. Lesley Logan 28:42  Oh, hey, you know what? These billionaires get tax write-offs, people take advantage of the tax write-offs and give it to places like your nonprofit, because it's gonna get better impact.Rebekah Borucki 28:54  I told my accountant every day, please give me the Jeff Bezo's plan. My people came over here enslaved and as indentured servants from Scotland. I don't (inaudible), I'm good. But it's kind so I'm not for anybody like wanting to save money. However, I will say that the majority of people who ask if there's a way that they can get a tax credit, are coming from millionaires and confirmed billionaires. It's not like the 20 here, the 100 here, some people send thousands of dollars. They're coming from single moms, people that are saying like, this is all I have, and I want you to have it. It's really beautiful to be reminded of who actually drives change, and is actually here, you know, for each other. Lesley Logan 29:43  I mean, it really is like, going back to impossible, like when you look when you think about different problems that are out there. And I also then look at the people who live in the communities that's the communities that really make the biggest impacts and change, you know? Okay, so I want to know what you're excited about right now? Like, what are you, what is your, what are your mission-driven? values like what's going on this year that we can put out into the world and our listeners can support you or can just cheer you on? Like, what can we, how can we make the world a better place because you're in it?Rebekah Borucki 30:15  So I want to tell you what we're doing with Row House specifically. Row House, what we do that's very different is that we are an equitable publishing model. So we're going into the margins, and we're lifting up these voices, but also we're paying them. So every Row House author has a $40,000 advance its standard, and then they get 40% net profit share, which is about four times industry average, we pay our authors, we pay our creators, it means that I make less and that is okay, right, I don't need to be making $3 million a year, not that I could pay myself that yet. So we have a lot of systems within the company that disallow for big gaps in wealth distribution, like everyone is making a fair wage, we even pay our interns we started $25 an hour, like that's what we do. So it's important work that we're doing to actually put money into the pockets of people that deserve it. And most recently, and this is what I'm fired up about, but not happy about most recently, because of our politics and our values, we had a major funder pull $500,000 out of the company. So as we speak right now, in this moment, I am emergency fundraising. And I've been in meetings all day. And I will continue for however long it takes to make up that gap. And I'm excited about it. Because what has happened over the past 24 hours that this all came to ahead, I have seen the most incredible amount of support come up from our community. I've seen black women who have never received a dime for reparations show up for me in a way, showcasing us, amplifying, spotlighting us on their platforms, and then also contributing from the pocketbooks. It's just a good reminder of who, who really matters in my life. And it's a reminder that community really works. So that's what's happening. I'm fired up about inequity, but we're taking care of it. Lesley Logan 32:16  Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I think it's so I think it's important for people listening to know that like, even when you overcome what was considered the impossible, and you're doing all these things, that there's still massive obstacles. And yeah.Rebekah Borucki 32:31  It's scary. It's scary that the people in power, and you know, no matter how good you are, how smart you are, how, you know, smart and business savvy, and all those other good things that I, you know, I speak well, I can go into rooms, I can entertain, that there's still so many people in power, you know, holding the strings, and if they'll cut you off at any moment. So it's really super important for me to stress that more black women need to be in charge. Ownership needs to be put into the hands of marginalized people just because they know how to get things done. There's a level of empathy and compassion. There's just not enough leadership. There's not enough female leadership. There's not enough black and brown disabled queer leadership. And when that shifts, everything's gonna shift for everybody. Everybody. Lesley Logan 33:29  Well, I really like (inaudible) seriously, as we're like, recording this podcast, how much we've all had to like, listen to going on. I want that sooner than I would love to happen yesterday, you know, so will you do me a favor? Can you just tell us where our listeners if they wanted to support Row House, how they can do that? Is that a possibility? Is that an ongoing thing? Or is it just right now, because I would love to (inaudible). Rebekah Borucki 33:55  It's an ongoing thing. It's an ongoing, it's easy, it's supportrowhouse.com, supportrowhouse.com Those are our GoFundMe. If you go to rowhousepublishing.com, you can find opportunities to invest for as little as $300. You can buy our books, which is awesome, every day. So there's so many ways to support and I also say that, that sharing is also currency. So tell people about us tell people you know who you're talking to, or what they can do. So just keep spreading the word about our house and our authors. That's just, that's amazing, too. Lesley Logan 34:28  Thank you for bringing up all those different options. Because I do tell people like look, if you don't have any money to do things, like you can also just share you know, like if you for people who listen to podcast, writing a review is currency for podcast hosts, and for a publishing house buying their book that is asking for that book to be existing at the library. If it's not there, like those kinds of things can help because it's, there's always an option if we're supporting if whether wherever your resources are, and I think that's really important. So thank you for sharing that. You're incredible. You're just you're I could I want to, I'm so grateful that we get to highlight you and I also got to learn from you because what you are doing in this world is nothing short of amazing and it's wildly needed. In this moment. Rebekah Borucki 35:11  I've a lot of help from my friends, I have a lot of help. We don't do any (inaudible). Lesley Logan 35:16  And also, like, thank you for sharing that too, because it's not fun alone. It's so like, it's if you're gonna go through this life with ups and downs and obstacles, you've got to have people in it who are willing to like fight those fights with you. So thank you. Okay, we're gonna take a very brief break, and then we're gonna find out how people can find you follow you and we got the support already. We'll do that again. And then your Be It Action Items for our listeners. Lesley Logan 35:36  Okay, Rebekah, any other ways people can find you, follow you, connect with you, support you?Rebekah Borucki 35:42  We are @RowHousePub everywhere on social media. It's where we talk about not only our books, we talked about other authors' books, we talk about different missions and different causes that you can become involved in. We are an activist platform, we are an activist business that wears our politics and our values on our sleeve. We all don't agree on all the things but everyone at Row House is there with a huge heart and a spirit of community. So yeah, just find us online, we're there hanging out. Lesley Logan 36:10  Perfect. Okay, last thing, bold, executable, intrinsic targeted steps people can take to be it till they see it. What do you have for us?Rebekah Borucki 36:18  Be it till you see it. Well, first of all, I tell all of my authors, but this works with anything, as soon as you have a dream or an idea, start talking about it. Don't wait until it's good. Don't wait until you have like the perfect presentation. But seriously, the moment I thought about writing a children's book, I went online and said, I'm writing a children's book, it's gonna come out on this date. And then that was enlisting accountability partners. So that's something to definitely do. And then I don't know if this is a direct route to be it in theater (inaudible). But be in community, which means on any level, whether it's volunteering to be a Girl Scout leader, which I was, or being involved in your church, be in community with others be in the practice of giving, but also receiving, because that's what makes it community that back and forth, build those relationships, those are the ones that will sustain you mentally, they can sustain you financially if you need it. But always be in community. I think it's great for you know, all levels of health and well being definitely, definitely important. And it puts you in the spirit of feeling like you're doing good, even if you don't feel like you're doing enough, which is wrong. And then I'm always encouraging people to advocate and to be an activist in your own way. I believe. Just like there are as many ways to meditate as there are people on this planet. There's so many ways to be an activist, we have a children's book coming out called Stand Up. And it's about people who are disabled in wheelchairs and how they're activists and people who kneel to stand up in activism. And there are so many ways to do and be good in your community. And just identify that for yourself. Don't compare your activism or advocacy with anybody else. But just do something lovely for somebody else every single day, please. And yourself, someone else and yourself everyday. Lesley Logan 38:13  Beautiful. Rebekah Borucki 38:13  And I hope it was specific enough.Lesley Logan 38:16  It's specific, I'm in love. I'm so grateful this happened today. You are wonderful. I'm so grateful. All right, and thank you Roxy for allowing us to have a special moment we are so like, I'm just honored. Y'all, how are you going to use these tips in your life? Let us know. Tag Row House Publishing, tag the Be It Pod, share this podcast with a friend if you got a friend who wants to write a book, and it's going to fall in line with that Row House stuff you got to send them this so they can see that there's a place out there for them you know, I mean, I think it's incredible. So everyone have an amazing day until next time, Be It Till You See It. Lesley Logan 38:50  That's all I got for this episode of the Be It Till You See It Podcast. One thing that would help both myself and future listeners is for you to rate the show and leave a review and follow or subscribe for free wherever you listen to your podcast. Also, make sure to introduce yourself over at the Be It Pod on Instagram. I would love to know more about you. Share this episode with whoever you think needs to hear it. Help us and others Be It Till You See It. Have an awesome day.   Lesley Logan 39:06  Be It Till You See It is a production of The Bloom Podcast Network. If you want to leave us a message or a question that we might read on another episode, you can text us at +1-310-905-5534 or send a DM on Instagram @Be It Pod. Brad Crowell 39:15  It's written, filmed, and recorded by your host, Lesley Logan, and me, Brad Crowell.  Lesley Logan 39:18  It is transcribed, produced and edited by the epic team at Disenyo.co.  Brad Crowell 39:20  Our theme music is by Ali at Apex Production Music and our branding by designer and artist Gianfranco Cioffi.  Lesley Logan 39:23  Special thanks to Melissa Solomon for creating our visuals.  Brad Crowell 39:24  Also to Angelina Herico for adding all of our content to our website. And finally to Meridith Root for keeping us all on point and on time.Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/be-it-till-you-see-it/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

In today's podcast, escape in a time loop novel. We discuss Groundhog Day books and the comforting ways repeating time travel can charm us in our book stack.When we say "time loop," readers immediately react to this statement. Whether it is a no or a yes, Jessica and I have you covered in today's podcast. We discuss why repeating cycles of events work for us or don't and how some of the storytellers featured today nailed moving the time loop plot forward in new ways. Plus, I'm revealing a treasure trove of new time travel resources, including new time travel books, TV, and movies you can stream this weekend to explore a new world that won't break the bank. Our incredible super-expansion pack of time travel adventures is linked to today's show notes. These include a massive refresh on new time travel books, alternate realities, parallel lives, and explorations of parallel worlds and the multiverse. I hope it brings unlimited joy to your weekend, as was the intention of this creator who lovingly created these spaces for you. Meet Jessica BearakJessica is a lifelong book lover who embarked on her literary journey at three, immersing herself in childhood classics like “The Velveteen Rabbit” and “The Phantom Tollbooth."Jessica actively participates in two in-person book clubs and many online discussions regularly. She has been an invaluable member of the MomAdvice Book Club and joins us as a regular contributing voice.Mentioned in this episode:Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including access to our 2024 MomAdvice Book Club, the FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more! NEW Reading Resources: (AS PROMISED!):The Best Prime Reading Guide (10 FREE Books for March)Time Loop Books Giant Book List (14 Book Ideas)Books About Parallel Universes and Multiverse Book List (13 Book Ideas)Books About Alternate Realities or Parallel Lives You Will Love (12 Book Ideas)New Time Travel Books to Escape Real Life (20 Book Ideas)Better Than the Movies Movie List (FREE PRINTABLE)The Best Time Travel TV & Movies Streaming List (NEW)Best Lynn Painter Books (The Ultimate Guide) Other Show Mentions:Meet the NEW 2024 MomAdvice Book Club BooksThe Unseen World by Liz MooreThe Mindful Librarian SubstackThe Couch With Mary Carver PodcastTotally Killer on PrimeQuantum Leap (1989-1993)Quantum Leap rebootSarah Adler's Podcast Episode11/22/63 by Stephen KingAll Our Wrong Todays by Elan MastaiBlake CrouchThe 7 1/2 Deaths of Evelyn Hardcastle by Stuart TurtonA Quantum Love Story by Mike ChenHere and Now and Then by Mike ChenAlex AwardsIf I See You Again Tomorrow by Robbie CouchSee You Yesterday by Rachel Lynn SolomonThe Do Over by Lynn PainterThe Sky Blues by Robbie CouchBlaine for the Win by Robbie CouchBetter Than The Movies by Lynn PainterThe Deja Glitch by Holly JamesThrough the Snow Globe by Annie RainsIn a Holidaze by Christina LaurenLove and Other Words by Christina LaurenThe Nine Lives of Rose Napolitano by Donna FreitasThe Possibilities by Yael Goldstein-LoveMaybe Next Time by Cesca MajorThe Best Lessons From Time Travel BooksBookshop.org pays a 10% commission on every sale and matches 10% to independent bookstores! Connect With Us:Get My Happy List NewsletterGet the Daily Kindle Deals NewsletterConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceConnect With Jessica on InstagramBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation) 

Spring has sprung in Las Vegas and so has our guide to March in the city! From must see shows to ways to get outside before the heat sets in, we've got you covered. Publisher of thelist.vegas Andrew Kiraly joins co-host Sarah Lohman to help you make the most of your March. This is the last week to become a founding member of City Cast Las Vegas. Join the club! We're on social media! Follow us @CityCastVegas on Instagram. You can also call or text us at 702-514-0719. Want some more Las Vegas news? Then make sure to sign up for our morning newsletter here. Events mentioned: Dita Las Vegas DJ Night Weapons at Velveteen Rabbit, The Garden, and Corduroy Sunday House Music Brunches at 18bin (every Sunday) Rooted Lounge Sound Bath at Ferguson's Downtown (during New and Full Moon) Brew's Best Beer Festival at The Lawn at Downtown Summerlin (March 16) Ice Age State Fossils Park Tacos and Tamales Festival at Desert Breeze Park (March 23-24) Art and nature events at Wetlands Park Spring Plant Sale at Springs Preserve (March 23) Who Knows? at Vegas Theater Company (March 5, 12, & 19) David Perrico Pop Strings Orchestra at The Smith Center (March 22) March Madness at Chickie's and Pete's at The Sahara Hotel Zone of Interest and Live Jazz at Segue at The Beverly Theater Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

On Tuesday's show: We learn about a conference on crime and public safety in Houston tomorrow. Also this hour: Duncan Klussmann, the former superintendent of Spring Branch ISD, explains the problems he has with how that school district is handling its current financial issues, which is a subject he outlined in a recent opinion piece in the Houston Chronicle. Then, we revisit the case of Texas death row inmate Ivan Cantu, who is scheduled to be executed this week. A true crime podcast investigation into his story, new evidence, witnesses recanting, and former jurors coming forward with concerns about his conviction have led some high-profile activists to take up his cause. And we visit the Buffalo Bayou Park Cistern, where a new installation called Haha Real fuses animation and video game graphics with traditional art and an immersive soundscape by a Houston-born musician. And the whole thing is inspired by the classic children's story The Velveteen Rabbit.

In the Gaming Hut beloved Patreon backer Hector Trelane takes inspiration from Robin's EZ One Shot system to ask if designers are finding a root language of roleplaying that points toward a less cluttered style of play. At the behest of estimable backer Kristian Groenseth the Cartography Hut investigates the fake stop sign epidemic that […]

Michelle Sorensen aka Velveteen Serpent Queen is a super down to earth freelance model who also has a passion for bodily expression through dance. She teaches spine flexibility classes and other movement focused classes online and in person. She invented her modeling alias with the "Velveteen Rabbit" story in mind- for which the moral of the story is if you love something enough, it makes it come to life!  Michelle's early modeling brought her to learn new things about herself, including overcoming an eating disorder. Through experience, she also learned that outdoor nude in nature modeling was her true passion, and favors that genre over any other modeling genre, though she did mention that it's really about the people she is working with, not just the setting. Good vibes only! I had such a fantastic time listening to Michelle speak about her life in such a candid way. I hope we can meet in real life sometime, enjoy listening to the episode! Check out Michelle on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/velveteen.serpent.queen Also her classes and other links are here: https://msha.ke/sliiink.movement  PS: Sorry I skipped a week of this podcast, my mom passed away and my world turned upside down. I do enjoy putting this podcast together... please don't hesitate to reach out if you enjoy listening :) I truly appreciate your comments!! 

2:14 - The Chronicles Of Narnia by C. S. Lewis3:51 - A Series Of Unfortunate Events by Lemony Snicket 6:03 - Chronicles Of The Unicorn Kingdom by Kyle Rawleigh7:29 - Goosebumps by R. L. Stine11:24 - The Wingfeather Saga by Andrew Peterson13:03 - His Dark Materials by Phillip Pullman14:58 - I Survived Series by Lauren Tarshis17:18 - The School For Good And Evil by Soman Chainani18:47 - Dr. Suess Children's Books19:29 - Percy Jackson And The Olympians by Rick Riordan21:19 - The Stinky Cheese Man And Other Fairly Stupid Tales by  Jon Scieszka (Author), Lane Smith (Illustrator)22:26 - Redwall Series by Brian Jacques23:39 - The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson , The Gruffalos Child by Julia Donaldson24:32 - Pax by Sara Pennypacker25:36 - Room On The Broom by Julia Donaldson26:14 - Anne Series by L. M. Montgomery , The Blue Castle by L. M. Montgomery27:49 - Llama, Llama, Red Pajama by Anna Dewdney28:53 - Howl's Moving Castle by Diana Wynne Jones29:59 - The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery Williams 31:32 - How To Disappear Completely And Never Be Found by Sara Nickerson33:23 - The Harry Potter Series by J. K. RowlingSupport the showBe sure to keep yourself Happily Booked! We are Amazon Affiliates, Any link you find available above will redirect you to Amazon. We earn from qualifying purchases with these links. Becky's Homestead Etsy Page: bobwhitehomestead.etsyInstagram/ TikTok - happilybookedpodcastFacebook - Happily Booked PodcastLikewise - BrookeBatesHappilyBookedGoodreads - Brooke Lynn Bates Storygraph - brookebatesratesbooks / magbeck2011 THE Sideways Sheriff - Permanent Sponsor Insta/ TikTok - Sideways_sheriffFacebook - Sideways SheriffYoutube - Sideways Sheriff

We've been quoting recently from the old children's story The Velveteen Rabbit, about a toy that's so loved by a young boy that it becomes real. This is a great metaphor for parenting in a way. Because that's what's happening to us. We made a decision to have kids many years ago and then for years that decision works on us, shaping, changing, transforming us. No part of that is more powerful than the love and energy of our children—whose joy, whose innocence, whose pain, whose growth is working on us always…even as it takes so much out of us.✉️ Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.com

Reading books softly to help you get Down To Sleep. This is a complete reading of The Velveteen Rabbit. Goodnight

There is a beautiful passage in The Velveteen Rabbit where the young rabbit asks one of the seasoned old toys in the playroom whether ‘becoming real'—the process of being changed by the love of a child—is something that has to do with how a toy is made. Is it about having certain parts, he asked? Does it require a certain makeup?"Real isn't how you are made," says the toy horse. "It's a thing that happens to you. When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."So yes, it's a choice, but an unusual type of choice. It's the decision, as we've talked about, to accept this process. To open yourself up to it. To let it change you.We choose to have kids, and they choose to give us their love, to really love us. We play with them, we connect with them, we open ourselves to them and they to us. And then this process changes, transforms both of us in the most wonderful and magical of ways.For those ready to accept the process, to open yourself up to it, we created the 2024 New Year New You Challenge. It's a set of 21 actionable challenges—presented one per day—built around the best, most timeless wisdom in Stoic philosophy. Our goal is to help you and your family make 2024 your best year yet.✉️ Sign up for the Daily Dad email: DailyDad.com

The Gents travel to Seaview and break the 4th wall to talk about the 1998 movie The Truman Show! :38 - Movies We've Seen (Godzilla Minus One, The Boy and the Heron, Addam's Family Values, The Nightmare Before Christmas, The Biggest Lie In Video Game History: The Billy Mitchell Story, Wonka, Blue Beetle, A Good Person, Bottoms, A Haunting in Venice, The Pod Generation, The Velveteen Rabbit) 29:55 - TV Shows We've Seen (Fargo, Very Important People, Great British Baking Show, And Then There Were None, Scavengers Reign, SNL, The Boys) 48:13 - The Truman Show Get bonus episodes over on our Patreon! Next episode: Dumb and Dumber (1994)

SUPPORT MY WORK through Patreon!I'm thrilled to introduce you to our new contributor voice to the Book Gang podcast. Jessica Bearak is likely a familiar voice to you because she is such a loyal participant in so many book club spaces around the web. It was such a treat to meet her IN PERSON earlier this year, and after having the best time discussing our books together, I asked if she could picture herself sharing the microphone with me.  Learn more about Jessica's reading life and the surprising destination I took her to when she visited that kickstarted our year together. We brainstormed many fun ideas for the days ahead but knew we needed to start things off with a magical hook.  What could be better to celebrate this occasion than a book stack filled with found family?  Today, we will dive into the concept of the found family trope and its significance in literature and our lives, especially around the holidays. From insights from past guests to the trivia we discovered about some of our favorite beloved stories, there is something for everyone in today's introductory episode. I hope you feel compelled to share this episode and support our new voice today. Check out our BONUS “found family” book list that includes our favorite historical fiction, middle-grade novels, and even a dark psychological thriller with this theme. EDITOR'S NOTE- Thank you to Lynda Cohen Loigman for the gorgeous chat on The Matchmaker's Gift (accidentally missing from this morning's intro!!)Meet Jessica BearakJessica is a lifelong book lover who embarked on her literary journey at three, immersing herself in childhood classics like "The Velveteen Rabbit" and "The Phantom Tollbooth." Jessica actively participates in two in-person book clubs and many online discussions regularly. She has been an invaluable member of the MomAdvice Book Club and joins us as a regular contributing voice.Mentioned in this episode:Joining the Patreon community is an affordable way to support the show and gain access to a wealth of resources, including access to our 2024 MomAdvice Book Club, the FULLY BOOKED buzzy new release show, exclusive author interviews, music playlists, and more! The 2023 MomAdvice Book Club Books (thank you to EVERY AUTHOR who participated!)The Memoirs of Stockholm Sven by Nathaniel Ian MillerThe 2024 MomAdvice Book Club Books AnnouncedFound Family Trope Books to Read Now (BONUS BOOK LIST)The Velveteen Rabbit by Margery WilliamsFrom The Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E Frankweiler by E.L KonigsburgThe Phantom Tollbooth by Norton JusterEncyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Mysterious Handprints by Donald J Sobol (includes the story Encyclopedia Brown and the Case of the Fighter Kite)Public Library of Saint Joseph CountyWhat Chosen Family Means and How to Build Your OwnMatt Cain's Publishing Journey: The Secret Life of Albert EntwistleThe Secret Life of Albert Entwistle by Matt CainThe Magic of Old Hollywood BooksThe Sunshine Girls by Molly FaderThe Second Life of Mirielle West by Amanda SkenandoreBest Books About Hollywood to Get Swept AwayMoloka'i by Alan BrennertDaughter of Moloka'i by Alan BrennertVera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murderers by Jesse Q SutantoStrange Sally Diamond by Liz NugentHow to Use the Storygraph App For a Better Reading Life2023 Summer Reading GuideThe Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise by Dan GemeinhartCoyote Lost and Found by Dan GemeinhartThe Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen OakleyThe Spectacular Life Lessons from Books About Road TripsMosquitoland by David ArnoldThe Best Prime Reading Guide (FREE books, including The Second Life of Mirielle West)Amy's Interview with Nathaniel Ian MillerThe Happy Life of Isadora Bentley by Courtney Walsh Shop the above (Amazon) links or through my Book Gang Bookshop Page!! They pay a 10% commission on every sale and match 10% to independent bookstores.Connect With Us:Get My Happy List NewsletterConnect with Amy on Instagram, TikTok, or MomAdviceConnect With Jessica on InstagramJoin the MomAdvice Book ClubShop Our Bookish Shirts to support the showBuy Me a Coffee (for a one-time donation)

Andy Farnsworth joins KSL-TV to help audiences decipher #WhatToWatch for the Thanksgiving weekend of November 24, 2023.  The latest animated Disney movie, "Wish," is set to celebrate Disney’s 100th anniversary in a likable but not quite loveable way. (After Andy’s What-to-watch segment of this podcast, producer KellieAnn Halvorsen gives her quick review of the film on this podcast.) But where the “Wish” falls a bit flat is the animated Netflix film "Leo” is a loveable hit!  On the big screen, icons duel it out with Joaquin Phoenix starring as the title character in the epic movie "Napoleon" by director Ridley Scott, and Nicolas Cage as a random guy who starts popping up in the dreams of almost everybody on earth in "Dream Scenario."   For streaming viewers, we’ 've got Kenan & Kel back together for "Good Burger 2" on streaming Paramount Plus. Melissa McCarthy plays a genie in the modern-day holiday rom-com "Genie" on streaming Peacock TV. Disney Plus puts together a tween heist squad determined to get the gifts from Santa in "The Naughty Nine." And finally,  a beautiful new adaptation of the classic tale "The Velveteen Rabbit" streams on Apple TV Plus.  Beyond Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Gaming, and Tech, the brains behind Fan Effect are connoisseurs of categories surpassing the nerdy. Brilliant opinions and commentary on all things geek, but surprising knowledge and witty arguments over pop culture, Star Trek, MARVEL vs. DC, and a wide range of movies, TV shows, and more. Formerly known as SLC Fanboys, the show is hosted by KSL Movie Show’s  Andy Farnsworth and KellieAnn Halvorsen, who are joined by guest experts. Based in the beautiful beehive state, Fan Effect celebrates Utah’s unique fan culture as it has been declared The Nerdiest State in America by TIME.    Listen regularly on your favorite platform, at kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL App. Join the conversation on Facebook @FanEffectShow, Instagram @FanEffectShow, and Twitter @FanEffectShow. Fan Effect is sponsored by Megaplex Theatres, Utah's premiere movie entertainment company. 

Zzz. . . Drift off to this snoozy reading of "The Velveteen Rabbit" by Margery Williams zzz Want to support Sleepy and listen to an ad-free version of the show? Just go to patreon.com/sleepyradio and donate $2! Thanks, sweet dreams zzz Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Holly and Tracy talk about Tootsie Rolls used in the military, and Holly's German chocolate cake obsession. They also discuss their relationships with the book "The Velveteen Rabbit" and their childhood fears.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Scarlet fever is treatable with antibiotics, but in the middle of the 19th century, it was the leading cause of death in children in some parts of the world. Today, there are several ongoing mysteries about the disease. Research: Branswell, Helen. “Scarlet fever, a disease of yore, is making a comeback in parts of the world.” 11/27/2017. https://www.statnews.com/2017/11/27/scarlet-fever-cases/ Lamagni, Theresa et al. “Resurgence of scarlet fever in England, 2014–16: a population-based surveillance study.” The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Vol. 18, Issue 2. February 2018. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(17)30693-X/fulltext?elsca1=tlpr Ferretti, Joseph and Werner Köhler. “History of Streptococcal Research.” From “Streptococcus pyogenes : Basic Biology to Clinical Manifestations.” Ferretti JJ, Stevens DL, Fischetti VA, editors. Oklahoma City (OK): University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center; 2016. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK333430/ Doherty Institute. “Scarlet fever is on the rise, after being almost eradicated by the 1940s.” 10/6/2020. https://www.doherty.edu.au/news-events/news/scarlet-fever-is-on-the-rise-after-being-almost-eradicated-by-the-1940s Potter, Christina. “Scarlet Fever Makes a Comeback.” Outbreak Observatory. Johns Hopkins. 12/12/2019. https://www.outbreakobservatory.org/outbreakthursday-1/12/12/2019/scarlet-fever-makes-a-comeback Lynskey, Nicola N. et al. “Emergence of dominant toxigenic M1T1 Streptococcus pyogenes clone during increased scarlet fever activity in England: a population-based molecular epidemiological study.” The Lancet Infectious Diseases. Vol. 19, Issue 11. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/laninf/article/PIIS1473-3099(19)30446-3/fulltext Tatiana Ninkov and Mike Cadogan, "Second disease," In: LITFL - Life in the FastLane, Accessed on January 25, 2023, https://litfl.com/second-disease/. Bright, Richard. "Dr. Bright on Renal Disease.” From Guy's Hospital reports. ser.1 v.1 1836. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858046169490&view=1up&seq=392&skin=2021 Ledford, Heidi. “Why is strep A surging — and how worried are scientists?” 12/9/2022. https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-022-04403-y Thomas Sydenham, ""On Scarlet Fever" [Excerpt]," in Children and Youth in History, Item #156, https://cyh.rrchnm.org/items/show/156 (accessed August 10, 2021). Annotated by Lynda Payne Klein, E. “The Etiology of Scarlet Fever.” Proceedings of the Royal Society of LondonVolume 42, Issue 251-257. https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/epdf/10.1098/rspl.1887.0030 Duncan CJ, Duncan SR, Scott S. The dynamics of scarlet fever epidemics in England and Wales in the 19th century. Epidemiol Infect. 1996 Dec;117(3):493-9. doi: 10.1017/s0950268800059161. PMID: 8972674; PMCID: PMC2271647. Klass, Perri. “Fever Dreams.” Harvard Medicine. Autumn 2022. https://hms.harvard.edu/magazine/handed-down/fever-dreams Davenport, Romola J. “Urbanization and mortality in Britain, c. 1800–50.” Economic History Review. 2/21/2020. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/ehr.12964 Thomson, Arthur S. et al. “History of the First Epidemic of Scarlet Fever which Prevailed in Auckland, New Zealand, During the Year 1848.” The Lancet. Vol. 55, Issue 1376. January 12, 1850. https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(02)88319-2/fulltext Kaiser, Albert D. “Scarlet Fever.” The American Journal of Nursing , Jun., 1915, Vol. 15, No. 9 (Jun., 1915). Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/3404148 Eyler, John M. “The Epidemiology of Milk-borne Scarlet Fever: The Case of Edwardian Brighton.” American Journal of Public Health. May 1986, Vol. 76, No. 5. Wilson, Leonard G. “The Historical Riddle of Milk-borne Scarlet Fever.” Bulletin of the History of Medicine. Fall 1986. Vol. 60, No. 3. Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/44442285 Scamman, Clarence L. “Milk-Borne Septic Sore Throat and Scarlet Fever.” American Journal of Public Health. December 1929. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1581415/ Lee, Charles A. “Notes on the History and Pathology of Scarlatina.” Boston Medical Journal. 7/22/1835. Dick, George F. and Gladys R. Dick. “Immune Reactions in Scarlet Fever.” The Journal of Infectious Diseases, Vol. 19, No. 2 (Aug., 1916).” Via JSTOR. https://www.jstor.org/stable/30080317 Radikas, Regina and Cindy Connolly. “Young Patients in a Young Nation; Scarlet Fever in Early Nineteenth Century Rural New England.” Pediatric Nursing. January-February 2007. Rolleston, J.D. “The History of Scarlet Fever.” The British Medical Journal. 11/24/1928. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.