Podcasts about Writing

97% of people who say they want to write a book never do. What's keeping you in that 97%? In this session, writing coach Kimberly Lauren unpacks the three stumbling blocks that stop moms from writing (no time, not feeling "good enough," and not knowing where to start) and why every one of them is surmountable. From carving dedicated time to write, to the power of simply opening your manuscript every day, Kimberly shares the real, unglamorous truth about what it takes to close the gap between dreaming and doing. If you've ever said "I want to write" but never have, this episode is your permission slip to start priotizing this hobby (and possibly, a passion).  FREEBIE for all: The Heart of Your Story A free StoryHeart guide for uncovering the emotional engine of your book. BONUS raffled off to All-Access Pass Holders: Deep Dive Writing Session! A 1:1 mini mentorship with Kimberly. You'll submit up to 5 pages of your writing for deep developmental feedback to help you find your strengths and opportunities for improvement. Then, we'll have a 45-minute call to go over your story, refine your process, create a timeline for your book, and give you all the clarity you need to move forward with it. Note: This bonus is a special offering for More For Moms attendees, but they can learn more about how to work with Kimberly at: https://storyheartstudio.com/workwithme     Kimberly grew up in a blended family of 15 kids, so she turned to writing to get a word in. She graduated from Lesley University with a master's degree in fiction and runs Talk Wordy to Me, an online community of 16,000 book enthusiasts. She owns StoryHeart Studio, where she nurtures storytellers through online courses, retreats, and mentorship programs. Kimberly has worked as a magazine editor, audiobook narrator, and small-press publicist. Her non-fiction has been published in The Elephant Journal, No Sidebar, Utah Valley Magazine, and Scary Mommy. When she's not writing, you can find her wrangling her three kids (and bunny, chickens, and dog) or curled up in bed with a good book or BBC drama. FOLLOW ON IG SUBSTACK FOLLOW STORYHEART STUDIO WEBSITE   OTHER LINKS UPGRADE to the All-Access pass for lifetime access, special bonuses, and a private, ad-free podcast feed PARTICIPATE in the private Facebook group (+vote for your daily favorite speaker) CHECK OUT our Sponsors, who made 7 free days and an affordable All-Access pass possible Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

I want to take you inside my favorite yoga studio in Santa Barbara. It's called Yoga Soup, and it's a giant, grounding mix of movement, actual nutrient-dense soup in a crockpot, fresh fruit from local trees, and community.My husband Rob and I practice there a few times a week, and one of our favorite instructors—who is also a middle school English teacher—starts every class by reading a poem. She weaves its themes throughout our practice and reads it again at the end.Now, I'll be honest with you: these classes are often equal parts healing and deeply unsettling for me. Why? Because I'm in there without a notebook or phone, frantically trying to memorize brilliant lines so I don't lose them!A few weeks ago, she read a poem by Mary Oliver called “Today” from her 2012 collection A Thousand Mornings. One line hit me like a bolt of lightning:“Today I'm flying low, and I'm not saying a word. / I'm letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep.”I spent the rest of the class scrambling to hold onto that concept because the “voodoos of ambition” are my constant companions. They're the noisy, bossy, pushy engine behind everything I make, write, and build. They drive the desire to “play big.” And if you're listening to this podcast, I bet your voodoos are pretty loud, too.But as I wrestled with Mary Oliver's words, a new thought took root: What would happen if we actually let those voodoos take a day off?In this Write Big session, I'm reflecting on:* The double-edged sword of high ambition and why we need energy to drive big work.* Why scrambling to capture every thought is just another “voodoo” in disguise.* How giving your ambition a rest—letting it sink into child's pose—is actually what allows it to wake up re-energized and full of life.Writing big requires big energy, but it also requires rest. This week, I'm offering you a permission slip to fly low, be quiet as a feather, and let your ambition sleep for a little while.Until next time, stop playing small and write like it matters!#AmWriting is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.Books Mentioned* A Thousand Mornings by Mary OliverTranscriptHi, I'm Jennie Nash, and you're listening to the #amwriting podcast, the place where we help writers of all kinds play big in your writing life, love the process, and stick with it long enough to finish what matters most. This is a Write Big session, where I'm bringing you short episodes about the mindset shifts that help you stop playing small and write like it matters.Today, I'm talking about ambition, and specifically I'm talking about some thoughts on the poet Mary Oliver and desire And I want to tell you a story about my yoga studio and a particular yoga teacher that I adore. So my yoga studio in Santa Barbara, California, is called Yoga Soup, and what its name implies is that there's all different kinds of things that happen in this space.There's all different kinds of yoga and all different kinds of teachers. It's a giant mix of different kinds of ways of doing yoga, and [00:01:00] there's also actual soup. In the front room of the studio, there are couches and a coffee table and benches, and there's a Crockpot of soup. It's made by a local soup kitchen that makes just killer local nutrient-dense soup.And oftentimes there's bread from the local bakery, and you can put $5 or $10 in the tip jar and sit down and have a bowl of warm soup, even on a warm day, which we often have here in Santa Barbara. There also tends to be bowls of things from the farmers market or from people's trees. So there might be oranges or carrots or strawberries or something there that you can have.And one of my practices is I love to come out of yoga class and sit down and have a carrot. It always makes me feel rooted in a very specific and physical way and grounded. So that's the vibe of my yoga studio. And I practice yoga with my husband. It's a thing that we do together, that we love to do together, and we try to do two or [00:02:00] three times a week.Rob actually goes to yoga more than I do, and he is really good at it, and he's really strong. And I know we're not supposed to compare, but I do. But regardless, I love going with him and practicing alongside of him. And one of our favorite teachers is also a middle school English teacher. And at the start of every one of her yoga classes, she reads a poem, and then she weaves the lessons of that poem throughout the yoga practice.So while you're doing a pose or transitioning from one pose to another, or in your resting pose, she'll talk about words or phrases or ideas from the poem, and then she usually reads it again at the end. And I, of course, love this so much because words and poems and weaving them all into movement, it just feels so healing and powerful, and I just adore it.And I'm not alone. Her classes are always packed with all different kinds of people, and you have to get there early, and you have to bring your patience [00:03:00] because there's so many people clamoring for this specific kind of experience. But oftentimes this class is also really hard for me because the teacher will say something in the middle that I wanna remember, and I'm in there without paper and I'm without my phone, and I feel sort of quite naked ‘cause I'm like, “I gotta write this down.I gotta remember what she said,” because I'm not trusting that she'll remember what she said if I went up to her after class and said, “What was it that you said about that thing?” And I'm not sure that I will remember correctly. And so I kind of spend the whole class in this panic about remembering whatever it was that she said.I certainly am not gonna not try to remember. That's just not in my DNA. So I often have somewhat unsettling experiences in this class as well. And a few weeks ago, the instructor shared a Mary Oliver poem, and I happen to know that Mary Oliver is one of her favorite poets. She often [00:04:00] reads things from her.And I've read a lot of Mary Oliver, and I recognize a lot of the poems. But on this one day, this poem that she read, I had never heard of, and I couldn't believe I'd never heard of it because it just blew my mind. I found out after class, my Googling told me that this poem is from the book A Thousand Mornings, which was published in 2012, and the poem is called Today Today I'm flying low, and I'm not saying a word.I'm letting all the voodoos of ambition sleep. The world goes on as it must, the bees in the garden rumbling a little, the fish leaping, the gnats getting eaten, and so forth. But I'm taking the day off, quiet as a feather. I hardly move, though really I'm traveling a terrific distance. Stillness, one of the doors into the temple.So there I am in yoga, scrambling to remember the line, letting all the voodoosof ambition sleep. Because that [00:05:00] line, that concept, I was just like, “What? The voodoos?” I mean, trying to remember the line of a poem while doing yoga is one of those voodoos. The voodoos of ambition are all up in my brain, and they're all over my body and my gut.They just are my constant companion. And the second I heard that line, I was like, “Ugh, yes, I love the voodoos of ambition.” They're what drive me and propel me and keep me coming up with ideas and things I wanna write and make and do. They are what is the engine of writing big and playing big. And there's so much that I wanna make and write and do in the world.And I feel like the voodoos of ambition get it. They're dancing, and they're cheering and propelling me on. But of course, I also find them hard to deal with because you know, the voodoos are so noisy. They're so bossy. They're so pushy and voodooy. And as soon as I heard that [00:06:00] poem, and as soon as I got home and studied it and looked at it again, I thought, “Gosh, what would it be like to not say a word and let the voodoos of ambition sleep?”I don't know, and I don't know if I want to know. Flying low is not my natural way of being in the world. And when I thought about it, though, I thought, “You know, I bet those voodoos get tired.” And I imagine that they would love some time off, and that that would be for them like time to do yoga and lay down in child's pose and just feel the support of the earth.And when I imagined that, I imagined that that sleep would make those voodoos feel full of energy and alive when they got up to do their work again. And so I thought, “Okay, I'm gonna practice this, that tomorrow maybe I'll just take a day off and try to be quiet as a feather.” And my reflection for you this week is to remember that writing [00:07:00] big, playing big, trying to do big things in the world absolutely requires some big energy and some up energy, and it requires some voodoos of ambition for sure.But there's also a place in this work of letting those voodoos have a little rest and letting them re-energize and letting them come back to life when they're ready. I thought it was a good thing for us all just to remember. Until next time, stop playing small and write like it matters.The hashtag amwriting podcast is produced by Andrew Perilla. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

Leigh Radford joins our October Book Club to discuss One Yellow Eye, a haunting novel that explores love, grief, and survival in the aftermath of a pandemic.This week on Book Gang, we're joined by Leigh Radford, whose haunting debut One Yellow Eye is our October pick for the MomAdvice Book Club. In this genre-bending debut, Radford weaves her personal journey of loss into a haunting story of a scientist, Kesta, whose devotion to her husband pushes the boundaries of science, ethics, and the human heart.We explore how horror fiction can expose the hidden costs of caregiving, the complexities of grief, and the fierce hope that keeps us moving forward—even when the world feels unrecognizable. Join us for a gorgeous conversation that goes beyond scares and excavates the messy, unbreakable bonds that make us human.In this week's episode, we discuss:

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yasmine Cheyenne.

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yasmine Cheyenne.

Neal Schore shares expert strategies for reclaiming the time we don't realize we give away. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) The many ways we waste time without realizing it2) The 10-second trick that prevents time-wasting miscommunications3) How to feel more powerful in just five secondsSubscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1185 for the full transcript!— ABOUT NEAL — Neal Schore serves as chairman and advisor to several notable business leaders, boards, and companies across the United States. He also advises multiple private equity and investment firms on executive leadership and strategic initiatives. He currently serves as cofounder and CEO of The 25th Hour Group, an executive coaching and leadership events firm that showcases his proven leadership toolbox and practice. Previously, Schore served as founder, president, and CEO of Triton Digital, a global technology, data, and services leader in the digital audio and podcast industry. Schore received a Bachelor of Arts in business administration, with emphasis on management, marketing, and finance, from Michigan State University. He is currently active in Harvard Business School's Executive Education Program. Schore is a member of the Los Angeles Gold Southland Chapter of the Young Presidents Organization (YPO) and the recipient of E&Y's 2011 Entrepreneur of the Year award for greater Los Angeles.• Book: The 25th Hour: How to Thrive (And Gain Ridiculous Amounts of Time) by Getting Out of Your Own Way• Website: 25HourGroup.com• Website: NealSchore.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: Chatter: The Voice in Our Head, Why It Matters, and How to Harness It by Ethan Kross• Book: The Social Animal: The Hidden Sources of Love, Character, and Achievement by David Brooks• Book: From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks• Book: Tuesdays with Morrie: An Old Man, a Young Man, and Life's Greatest Lesson, 25th Anniversary Edition by Mitch Albom• Past episode: 683: How to Break Free from Negative Self-talk and Chatter with Ethan KrossSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nine years after it happened, the Stoughton Police Department wrote it down: an inappropriate relationship between one of its officers, Matthew Farwell, and a girl in its youth program, beginning in the spring of 2013 when she was 15. That finding is the floor of Part 1 of the Sandra Birchmore story. It follows a 12-year-old who idolized cops into a program the department ran, and out the other side into a Canton apartment where a Stoughton officer held a copy of her key.Robert Devine built the Stoughton Explorers into a junior police academy and rose to deputy chief while running it. The department demoted him once for lying and kept him on the force. He brought back two former Explorers, the Farwell twins, as instructors; the department's own report called them his understudies. A prior chief had rejected William Farwell's application in 2011, citing behavior he called incompatible with police work. Stoughton hired him in 2017.Matthew Farwell was seven months on the job when, according to the FBI, he sent Sandra a Facebook friend request and met her at the public library under the guise of tutoring. She later typed the date it became physical into a text: April 10, 2013. By 2019, prosecutors say, he was tracking her location and ordering her to clear out their texts.When she told him she was pregnant in December 2020, prosecutors say his first reply was that he had nothing to say. Within weeks, friends told the FBI, he'd put her in a headlock and said he wished she would die. Four days after a friend reported him to his own department, prosecutors say, he asked Sandra for a spare key. He's charged with killing her and has pleaded not guilty. Part 2 takes on what the state did next.Listen Anywhere You Get Podcasts: https://pod.link/1655749292Want to comment and watch this podcast as a video? Check out our YouTube Channel. https://www.youtube.com/@hiddenkillerspod?sub_confirmation=1Join Our SubStack For AD-FREE ADVANCE EPISODES & EXTRAS!: https://hiddenkillers.substack.com/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/hiddenkillerspod/Facebook https://www.facebook.com/hiddenkillerspod/Tik-Tok https://www.tiktok.com/@hiddenkillerspodX Twitter https://x.com/tonybpodThis publication contains commentary and opinion based on publicly available information. All individuals are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Nothing published here should be taken as a statement of fact, health or legal advice.#SandraBirchmore #MatthewFarwell #HiddenKillers #StoughtonPD #PoliceExplorers #TrueCrime #Massachusetts #RobertDevine #WilliamFarwell #JusticeForSandra

Listen and subscribe to Money Making Conversations on iHeartRadio, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, www.moneymakingconversations.com/subscribe/ or wherever you listen to podcasts. New Money Making Conversations episodes drop daily. I want to alert you, so you don’t miss out on expert analysis and insider perspectives from my guests who provide tips that can help you uplift the community, improve your financial planning, motivation, or advice on how to be a successful entrepreneur. Keep winning! Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Yasmine Cheyenne.

Send us a voicemail to tell us what you think!What makes a man masculine—and when did looking masculine become evidence that a man is holy?After a one-star review accused us of promoting “feminized Christianity,” we decided to talk about it. We unpack the rise of “muscular Christianity,” the caricatures of Catholic masculinity online, and why strength, discipline, lifting weights, leadership, and doing hard things are good—but aren't the same thing as holiness.More importantly, we talk about what marriage and fatherhood eventually demand from a man: sacrifice, humility, emotional maturity, prayer, surrender to God, and the ability to carry burdens that can't be lifted in a weight room.In this episode: • “Feminized Christianity” vs. muscular Christianity • Why masculine appearance isn't the same as virtue • What marriage actually requires from men • Discipline, athletics, and self-mastery • Masculinity as integration rather than performance • Why fatherhood requires more than toughness

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Villain-Venice-Steampunk-Adventure-Expanded/dp/B0GYVW1ZM3?source=ps-sl-shoppingads-lpcontext&ref_=fplfs&psc=1&smid=A3P5ROKL5A1OLE notes from wiki This article is about the novel. For the 1997 film, see Starship Troopers (film). For other uses, see Starship Troopers (disambiguation). Starship Troopers First edition hardcover Author Robert A. Heinlein Cover artist Jerry Robinson Language English Genre Military science fiction Philosophical fiction[1][2][3] Publisher G. P. Putnam's Sons Publication date November 5, 1959[4] Publication place United States Media type Print (hardcover and paperback) Pages 263 (paperback edition) Award Hugo Award for Best Novel (1960) ISBN 978-0450044496 Online Computer Library Center number"}]]}"> OCLC 2797649 Library of Congress Classification"}]]}"> LC Class PZ7.H368 Su Starship Troopers is a military science fiction novel by American writer Robert A. Heinlein. Written in a few weeks in reaction to the US suspending nuclear tests,[5] the story was first published as a two-part serial in The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction as Starship Soldier, and published as a book by G. P. Putnam's Sons on November 5, 1959.[4] The story is set in a future society ruled by a human interstellar government called the Terran Federation, dominated by a military elite. Under the Terran Federation, only veterans of a primarily military Federal Service enjoy full citizenship, including the right to vote.[6] The first-person narrative follows Juan "Johnny" Rico, a young man of Filipino descent, through his military service in the Mobile Infantry. He progresses from recruit to officer against the backdrop of an interstellar war between humans and an alien species known as "Arachnids" or "Bugs". Interspersed with the primary plot are classroom scenes in which Rico and others discuss philosophical and moral issues, including aspects of suffrage, civic virtue, juvenile delinquency, and war; these discussions have been described as expounding Heinlein's own political views.[7] Identified with a tradition of militarism in US science fiction,[8] the novel draws parallels between the conflict between humans and the Bugs, and the Cold War.[9] It is also a coming-of-age novel, which criticizes the US society of the 1950s, arguing that a lack of discipline had led to a moral decline, and advocating corporal and capital punishment.[7][10] Starship Troopers brought to an end Heinlein's series of juvenile novels. It won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960,[3] and was praised by reviewers for its scenes of training and combat and its visualization of a future military.[11][12] It also became enormously controversial because of the political views it seemed to support. Reviewers were strongly critical of the book's intentional glorification of the military,[13][14] an aspect described as propaganda and likened to recruitment.[15] The novel's militarism, and the fact that government service – most often military service – was a prerequisite to the right to vote, led to it being frequently described as fascist.[14][16][17] Others disagree, arguing that Heinlein was only exploring the idea of limiting the right to vote to a certain group of people.[18] Heinlein's depiction of gender has also been questioned, while reviewers have said that the terms used to describe the aliens were akin to racial epithets.[19] Starship Troopers had wide influence both within and outside science fiction. Ken MacLeod stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein".[2] Science fiction critic Darko Suvin wrote that it is the "ancestral text of US science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years.[20] The novel is credited with popularizing the idea of powered armor, which became a recurring feature in science fiction books and films, as well as an object of scientific research.[21] Heinlein's depiction of a futuristic military was also influential.[22] Later science fiction books, such as Joe Haldeman's 1974 anti-war novel The Forever War, have been described as reactions to Starship Troopers.[23] The story was adapted several times, including in a 1997 film version directed by Paul Verhoeven that satirized what the director saw as the fascist aspects of the novel.[24] Writing and publication The cover of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction (November 1959), illustrating Starship Soldier Robert Heinlein was among the best-selling science fiction authors of the 1940s and 1950s, along with Isaac Asimov and Arthur C. Clarke; they were known as the "big three" that dominated US science fiction. In contrast to the others, Heinlein firmly endorsed the anti-communist sentiment of the Cold War era in his writing.[25] Heinlein served in the US Navy for five years after graduating from the United States Naval Academy in 1929. His experience in the military profoundly influenced his fiction.[26] At some point between 1958 and 1959, Heinlein put aside the novel that would become Stranger in a Strange Land and wrote Starship Troopers. His motivation arose partially from his anger at US President Dwight Eisenhower's decision to suspend US nuclear tests, and the Soviet tests that occurred soon afterward.[5] Writing in his 1980 volume Expanded Universe, Heinlein would say that the publication of a newspaper advertisement placed by the National Committee for a Sane Nuclear Policy on April 5, 1958, calling for a unilateral suspension of nuclear weapons testing by the United States sparked his desire to write Starship Troopers.[27] Heinlein and his wife Virginia created the "Patrick Henry League" in an attempt to create support for the US nuclear testing program. Heinlein stated that he used the novel to clarify his military and political views.[28] Like many of Heinlein's books, Starship Troopers was completed in a few weeks. It was originally written as a juvenile novel for New York publishing house Scribner; Heinlein had previously had success with this format, having written several such novels published by that publisher. The manuscript was rejected, prompting Heinlein to end his association with that publisher completely, and to resume writing books with adult themes.[5][19][29] Scholars have suggested that Scribner's rejection was based on ideological objections to the content of the novel, particularly in its treatment of military conflict.[19][30] The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction first published Starship Troopers in October and November 1959 as a two-part serial titled Starship Soldier.[29] A senior editor at Putnam's, Peter Israel, purchased the manuscript and approved revisions that made it more marketable to adults. Asked whether it was aimed at children or adults, he said at a sales conference "Let's let the readers decide who likes it."[31] The novel was eventually published by G. P. Putnam's Sons.[29] Setting Set approximately 700 years in the future,[19] the book depicts an Earth ruled by a world government run by military veterans.[6] The society is depicted as affluent, and futuristic technology shown as coexisting with educational methods from the 20th century.[19] The rights of a full citizen, to vote and hold public office, are not universally guaranteed, and rather must be earned through Federal Service.[18] Those who do not perform this service (of which only military service has been described) retain the rights of free speech and assembly, but can neither vote nor hold public office. People of either sex above the age of 18 are permitted to enlist; only those who complete their service receive the right to vote.[19][32] Important government jobs are reserved for federal service veterans.[6] This structure arose ad hoc after the collapse of the "20th century Western democracies", driven in part by an inability to control crime and juvenile delinquency, particularly in North America, and a war between an alliance of the United States, the United Kingdom and Russia, against the "Chinese Hegemony".[33] Two extraterrestrial civilizations are depicted, respectively, as the "Pseudo-Arachnids" (or "Bugs"), and the "Skinnies". The "Bugs" are described as communal beings originating from the planet of Klendathu, and consist of multiple castes; workers, warriors, brains, and queens, similar to those of ants and termites on Earth. The warriors are the only ones who fight, and are unable to surrender in battle.[34] It also is implied that the Bugs are technologically advanced, possessing such technologies as spaceships.[35] The "Skinnies" are depicted as less communal than the Arachnids, yet more so than humans.[36] The events of the novel take place during an interstellar war between the Terran Federation and the Arachnids.[37] At the opening of the story, Earth is not at war, yet such a declaration has come when Rico has completed his training.[5] The "Skinnies" are initially allies of the Pseudo-Arachnids, but switch to alliance with humans, midway through the novel.[36] Faster-than-light travel exists in this future: spacecraft use the "Cherenkov drive", and can travel "Sol to Capella, forty-six lightyears, in under six weeks".[38] Starship Troopers is narrated by the main protagonist Juan "Johnny" Rico, a member of the "Mobile Infantry". It is one of the few Heinlein novels which intersperses his typical linear narrative structure with a series of flashbacks.[5][37] These flashbacks are frequently to Rico's "History and Moral Philosophy" course in school, in which the teacher discusses the history of the structure of their society.[5][18] Rico is depicted as a man of Filipino ancestry. He is from a wealthy family, whose members had never served in the military.[5][19][32] Rico's ancestry is depicted as inconsequential, society having finally abandoned racial and gender-based prejudice.[19] Plot The novel opens with Rico aboard the corvette transport Rodger Young (named after real life Medal of Honor recipient Rodger Young),[39] serving with the platoon known as "Rasczak's Roughnecks". The platoon carries out a raid against a planetary colony held by Skinnies.[19] The raid is relatively brief: the platoon lands on the planet, destroys its targets, and retreats, suffering two casualties in the process. One of them, Dizzy Flores, is rescued by Rico but dies while returning to orbit.[40] The narrative then flashes back to Rico's graduation from high school. Rico and his best friend Carl are considering joining the Federal Service after graduation; Rico is hesitant, partly due to his father's attitude towards the military.[5] Rico makes his decision after discovering that his classmate Carmen Ibañez also intends to enlist.[41] Rico's choice is taken poorly by his parents, and he leaves with a sense of estrangement. He is assigned to the Mobile Infantry, and moves to Camp Arthur Currie (named for Sir Arthur Currie who rose through the ranks to command the Canadian Corps in World War I) on the Canadian prairie for his training under Sergeant Charles Zim.[42] The training is extremely demanding.[43] Rico receives combat training of all types, including simulated fights in armored suits.[44][45] A fellow recruit is court-martialed, flogged, and dismissed for striking a drill instructor who was also his company commander. Rico himself is given five lashes for firing a rocket during a drill with armored suits and simulated nuclear weapons without ensuring that no friendlies were within the blast zone, which in combat would have resulted in the death of a fellow soldier.[46] Another recruit, who murdered a baby girl after deserting the army, is hanged by his battalion after his arrest by civilian police.[46] Disheartened, Rico thinks of resigning when he receives a letter from Jean Dubois, who taught Rico History and Moral Philosophy.[47] Dubois reveals that he was once a lieutenant colonel in the Mobile Infantry, which gives Rico the motivation not to resign.[48] After further training at another camp near Vancouver, Rico graduates with 187 others, of the 2,009 who had begun training in that regiment.[49] The "Bug War" has changed from minor incidents to a full-scale war during Rico's training. An Arachnid attack that annihilates the city of Buenos Aires alerts civilians to the situation; Rico's mother is killed in the attack.[50] Rico participates in the Battle of Klendathu, an attack on the Arachnid's home world, which turns into a disastrous defeat for the Terran Federation.[51] Rico's ship, the Valley Forge, is destroyed, and his unit is decimated; he is reassigned to the Roughnecks on board the Rodger Young, led by Lieutenant Rasczak and Sergeant Jelal.[52] The unit carries out several raids, and Rico is promoted to corporal by Jelal after Rasczak dies in combat.[53] One of his comrades in the Roughnecks suggests that Rico go to officer training school and try to become an officer. Rico ends up going to see Jelal, and finds that Jelal already had the paperwork ready. Rico enters Officer Candidate School for a second course of training, including further courses in "History and Moral Philosophy".[54][55] En route from the Roughnecks to the school Rico encounters his father who has also enlisted and is now a corporal, and the two reconcile. He is also visited in school by Carmen, now an ensign and ship's pilot officer in the Navy, and the two discuss their friend Carl, who had been killed earlier in the war.[56] Rico is commissioned a temporary third lieutenant for his final test: a posting to a combat unit. Under the tutelage of his company commander, Captain Blackstone, and with the aid of his platoon sergeant, his boot camp drill instructor Fleet Sergeant Zim, Rico commands a platoon during "Operation Royalty", a raid to capture members of the Arachnid brain caste and queens.[57] Rico then returns to the officer school to graduate. The novel ends with him holding the rank of second lieutenant, in command of his old platoon in the Rodger Young, with his father as his platoon sergeant. The platoon has been renamed "Rico's Roughnecks", and is about to participate in an attack on Klendathu.[58] Themes Robert Heinlein in 1976 Commentators have written that Starship Troopers is not driven by its plot, though it contains scenes of military combat. Instead, much of the novel is given over to a discussion of ideas.[59] In particular, the discussion of political views is a recurring feature of what scholar Jeffrey Cass described as an "ideologically intense" book.[16] A 1997 review in Salon categorized it as a "philosophical novel".[1] Critics have debated to what extent the novel promotes Heinlein's own political views. Some contend that the novel maintains a sense of irony that allows readers to draw their own conclusions; others argue that Heinlein is sermonizing throughout the book, and that its purpose is to expound Heinlein's militaristic philosophy.[16][18] Militarism Starship Troopers has been identified as being a part of a tradition in American science fiction that assumes that violent conflict and the militarization of society are inevitable and necessary.[8] Although the Mobile Infantry, the force to which Rico is assigned, is seen as a lowly post by the characters in the story, the novel itself suggests that it is the heart of the army and the most honorable unit in it.[43] In a commentary written in 1980, Heinlein agreed that Starship Troopers "glorifies the military ... Specifically the P.B.I., the Poor Bloody Infantry, the mudfoot who places his frail body between his loved home and the war's desolation – but is rarely appreciated ... he has the toughest job of all and should be honored."[13] The story is based on the social Darwinist idea of society as a struggle for survival based on military strength. It suggests that some conflicts must be resolved by force: one of the lessons Rico is repeatedly taught is that violence can be an effective method of settling conflict.[19] These suggestions derive in part from Heinlein's view that in the 1950s the US government was being too conciliatory in its dealings with communist China and the Soviet Union.[17][59][60][61] Heinlein draws an analogy between the human society in the novel, which is well-to-do but needs to be vigilant against the imperialist threat of the Arachnids, and US society of the 1950s. Reviewers have suggested that the Arachnids are Heinlein's analogue for communists. Traits used to support this include the communal nature of the Arachnids, which makes them capable of a much higher degree of coordination than the humans. Bug society is once explicitly described as communist, and is moreover depicted as communist by nature; this has been read as implying that those with a different political ideology are analogous to alien beings.[9][19][62] The related motifs of alien invasion, patriotism, and personal sacrifice during war, are present, as are other aspects of US popular culture of the 1950s.[17] Commentators have argued that Heinlein's portrayal of aliens, as well as being a reference to 1950s communist countries, aims to "reinscribe the ideologies of America's mythic frontier history". The concept of the frontier includes a social-Darwinist argument of constantly fighting for survival, even at the expense of indigenous people or, in the case of Starship Troopers, of aliens. Heinlein suggests that without territorial expansion involving violent conquest of other races, humans would be destroyed.[63] Scholar Jamie King has stated that Heinlein does not address the question of what the military government and Federal Service would do in peacetime, and argues that Heinlein has set up a society designed to be continuously at war, and to keep expanding its territory.[64] Coming of age Starship Troopers has been referred to as a bildungsroman or "coming-of-age" story for Rico, as he matures through his tenure in the infantry. His training, both at boot camp and at officer candidate school, involves learning the value of militarism, thus inviting the reader to learn it as well.[43] This is especially true of the parts of his training that involve indoctrination, such as the claim by one of his instructors that rule by military veterans is the ideal form of government, because only they understand how to put collective well-being above the individual.[43] The story traces Rico's transformation from a boy into a soldier, while exploring issues of identity and motivation,[18] and traces his overall moral and social development, in a manner identified by commentators as similar to many stories about German soldiers in World War I.[65] Rico's transformation has been likened to the common narrative within stories with military themes by scholar H. Bruce Franklin. This typical narrative is that of a sloppy and unfit civilian being knocked into shape by tough officers, whose training is "calculated sadism" but is depicted as fundamentally being on the right side.[32] The letter Rico receives from Dubois, partly responsible for Rico "crossing the hump" with his training, is shown as a turning point in his development.[19] The classroom scenes embedded in the story serve to explain Rico's adventures, and highlight his reactions to events around. A notable example is the execution Rico is forced to witness after a deserter from his unit murders a young girl; Rico is uncertain of his own reaction until he remembers a lecture by Dubois in which the latter argues that "moral sense" derives entirely from the will to survive.[19][66] The concept of the American frontier is also related to the coming-of-age theme. Young protagonists across Heinlein's novels attain manhood by confronting a hostile "wilderness" in space; coming-of-age in a military, alien context is a common theme in Heinlein's earlier works as well.[67] Rico's coming-of-age has also been described as being related to his relationship with his father; the journey "outward" through the novel also contains a search for Rico's childhood and a reunion with his estranged parent.[68] Moral decline Starship Troopers also critiques US society of the 1950s, suggesting that it led young people to be spoiled and undisciplined. These beliefs are expressed through the classroom lectures of Dubois, Rico's teacher for History and Moral Philosophy. Dubois praises flogging and other types of corporal punishment as a means of addressing juvenile crimes. It has been suggested that Heinlein endorsed this view, although the fact that Dubois also compares raising children to training a puppy has been used to argue that Heinlein was making use of irony.[10] The story is strongly in favor of corporal punishment and capital punishment, as a means of correcting juvenile delinquents, part of a trend in science fiction which examines technology and outer space in an innovative manner, but is reactionary with respect to human relationships.[7][23] As with other books by Heinlein, traditional schools are denigrated, while learning "on the spot" is extolled: Rico is able to master the things required of him in military training without undue difficulty.[19] Dubois also ridicules the idea of inalienable rights, such as "Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness", arguing that people have only the rights that they are willing to fight and die for to protect.[33][66][69] The novel appeals to scientific authority to justify this position; Dubois repeatedly states that his argument is mathematically demonstrable, statements which have led scholars to label the novel "hard science fiction", despite its social and political themes.[70] The "moral decline" caused by this situation is depicted as having caused a global war between an alliance of the US, Britain, and Russia against the "Chinese Hegemony" in the year 1987. Despite the alliance between the US and Russia, this war has been described as demonstrating Heinlein's anti-communist beliefs, which saw "swarming hordes" of Chinese as a bigger threat. The novel draws some comparisons between the Chinese and the Arachnids, and suggests that the lessons of one war could be applied to the other.[69] Reception To Heinlein's surprise,[71] Starship Troopers won the Hugo Award for Best Novel in 1960.[72] It has been acknowledged as one of the best-known and most influential works of science fiction.[2][21] The novel is considered a landmark for the genre, having been described by a 1960 review as one of the ten best genre books of 1959,[73] in a 2009 review as a key science fiction novel of the 1950s,[14] and as the best-known example of military science fiction.[74] The novel has been described as marking Heinlein's transition from writing juvenile fiction to a "more mature phase" as an author.[3] Reviewing the book with others written for children, Floyd C. Gale of Galaxy Science Fiction wrote in 1960 that "Heinlein has penned a juvenile that really is not. This is a new and bitter and disillusioned Heinlein". Rating it 2.5 stars out of five for children, 4.5 stars for adults, and "?" for civilians, he believed that the novel would be "of exceptional interest to veterans with battle experience ... but youngsters will find it melancholy and verbose".[75] Conversely, Michael Moorcock described it as Heinlein's last "straight" science fiction, before he turned to more serious writing such as Stranger in a Strange Land.[76] By 1980, twenty years after its release, Starship Troopers had been translated into eleven languages and was still selling strongly. Heinlein nevertheless complained that, despite this success, almost all the mail he received about it was negative and he only heard about it "when someone wants to chew me out".[71] The novel is highly contentious.[3] Controversy surrounded its praise of the military and approval of violence, to the extent that it has frequently been described as fascist, and its implication that militarism is superior to traditional democracy.[3][77] Heinlein's peers were among those who argued over the book; a comparison between a quote in Starship Troopers that "the noblest fate that a man can endure is to place his own mortal body between his loved home and war's desolation"[78] and the anti-war poem "Dulce et Decorum Est" by Wilfred Owen began a two-year discussion in the Proceedings of the Institute for Twenty-First Century Studies from 1959 to 1961, with James Blish, Poul Anderson, Philip José Farmer, Anthony Boucher, John Brunner, Brian Aldiss, among those debating Starship Troopers's quality of writing, philosophy, and morality.[79] The writing in Starship Troopers has received varied responses, with the scenes of military training and combat receiving praise. In a 2009 retrospective, science-fiction writer Jo Walton wrote that Starship Troopers was "military SF done extremely well".[18] She went on to argue that "Heinlein was absolutely at his peak when he wrote this in 1959. He had so much technical stylistic mastery of the craft of writing science fiction that he could [tell the story] 'backwards and in high heels' and get away with it."[18] Others referred to it as very readable, and found the military scenes compelling.[3][11][12] Heinlein's descriptions of training and boot camp in the novel, based on his own experiences in the military, have been described as being rendered with remarkable skill.[17] A 1960 review in the New York Herald Tribune praised the "brilliantly written" passages describing infantry combat, and also called attention to the discussion of weapons and armor,[80] which, according to other reviewers, demonstrated Heinlein's "undiminished talent for invention".[19] Scholar George Slusser described the book in 1986 as the "ultimately convincing space-war epic", praising in particular the "precisely imagined" weapons and tactics,[68] while a 1979 science fiction encyclopedia referred to it as the "slickest" of Heinlein's juvenile books.[19] Criticism of the style of the book has centered on its political aspects. Heinlein's discussions of his political beliefs were criticized as "didactic",[11][80][81] and the novel was derided for "exposition [that was] inserted in large indigestible chunks".[80] Author Ken MacLeod's 2003 analysis of the political nature of Starship Troopers stated that it was "a book where civics infodumps and accounts of brutal boot-camp training far outweigh the thin and tensionless combat scenes".[12] Scientist and author Brunner compared it to a "Victorian children's book",[82] while the Science Fiction Handbook published in 2009 said that the novel provided "compelling images of a futuristic military" and that it raised important questions, even for those who disagree with its political ideology. However, it stated that the story was weak as a tale of an alien encounter, as it did not explore alien society in any detail, but presented the Arachnids as nameless and faceless creatures that wished to destroy humanity.[22] Boucher, founder of The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction, remarked in 1960 that Heinlein had "forgotten to insert a story".[80] A 1979 summary said that though Heinlein's vision might verge on fascism, his tightly controlled narrative made his ideology seem "vibrantly appealing".[19] Criticism of militarism Starship Troopers is generally considered to promote militarism, the glorification of war and of the military.[14] Scholar Bruce Franklin referred to it in 1980 as a "bugle-blowing, drum-beating glorification" of military service, and wrote that militarism and imperialism were the explicit message of the book.[15][83] Science fiction writer Dean McLaughlin called it "a book-length recruiting poster".[84] In 1968 science fiction critic Alexei Panshin called Starship Troopers a militaristic polemic and compared it to a recruiting film, stating that it "purports to show the life of a typical soldier, with a soundtrack commentary by earnest sincere Private Jones who interprets what we see for us." Panshin stated that there was no "sustained human conflict" in the book: instead, "All the soldiers we see are tough, smart, competent, cleancut, clean-shaven, and noble."[85] Panshin, a veteran of the peacetime military, argued that Heinlein glossed over the reality of military life, and that the Terran Federation-Arachnid conflict existed simply because, "Starship troopers are not half so glorious sitting on their butts polishing their weapons for the tenth time for lack of anything else to do."[85] Literature scholar George Slusser, in describing the novel as "wrong-headed and retrogressive", argued that calling its ideology militarism or imperialism was inadequate, as these descriptions suggested an economic motive. Slusser instead says that Heinlein advocates for a complete "technological subjugation of nature", of which the Arachnids are a symbol, and that this subjugation itself is depicted as a sign of human advancement.[83] A 1997 review of the film in Salon stated that the novel could almost be described as propaganda, and was terrifying as a result, particularly in its belief that the boot camp had to be an ingredient of any civilization. This was described as a highly unusual utopian vision.[1] Moorcock stated that the lessons Rico learns in boot camp: "wars are inevitable, [and] that the army is always right".[76] In discussing the book's utility in classroom discussions of the form of government, Alan Myers stated that its depiction of the military was of an "unashamedly Earth-chauvinist nature".[11] In the words of science fiction scholar Darko Suvin, Starship Troopers was an "unsubtle but powerful black-and-white paean to combat life", and an example of agitprop in favor of military values.[81] Other writers defended Heinlein. George Price argued that "[Heinlein] implies, first, that war is something endured, not enjoyed, and second, that war is so unpleasant, so desolate, that it must at all costs be kept away from one's home."[86] Poul Anderson also defended some of the novel's positions, arguing "Heinlein has recognized the problem of selective versus nonselective franchise, and his proposed solution does merit discussion."[87] Complaints were made against Heinlein for the lack of conscription in Starship Troopers. When he wrote the novel, the military draft was still in effect in the US.[88] Allegations of fascism The society within the book has frequently been described as fascist.[14][16][17] According to the 2009 Science Fiction Handbook, it had the effect of giving Heinlein a reputation as a "fanatical warmongering fascist".[6] Scholar Jeffrey Cass has referred to the setting of the book as "unremittingly grim fascism". He has stated that the novel made an analogy between its military conflict and those of the US after World War II, and that it justified American imperialism in the name of fighting another form of imperialism.[89] Jasper Goss has referred to it as "crypto-fascist".[17] Suvin compares Heinlein's suggestion that "all wars arise from population pressure" to the Nazi concept of Lebensraum or "living space" for a superior society that was used to justify territorial expansion.[90] Some reviewers have suggested that Heinlein was simply discussing the merits of a selective versus a nonselective franchise.[18] Heinlein made a similar claim, over two decades after Starship Troopers's publication, in his Expanded Universe and further claimed that 95 percent of "veterans" were not military personnel but members of the civil service.[91] Heinlein's own description has been disputed, even among the book's defenders. Heinlein scholar James Gifford has argued that a number of quotes within the novel suggest that the characters within the book assume that the Federal Service is largely military. For instance, when Rico tells his father that he is interested in Federal Service, his father immediately explains his belief that Federal Service is a bad idea because there is no war in progress, indicating that he sees Federal Service as military in nature. Gifford states that although Heinlein's intentions may have been that Federal Service be 95 percent non-military, in relation to the actual contents of the book, Heinlein "is wrong on this point. Flatly so."[5] Dennis Showalter, writing in 1975, defended Starship Troopers, stating that the society depicted in it did not contain many elements of fascism. He argues that the novel does not include outright opposition to Bolshevism and liberalism that would be expected in a fascist society.[89] Others have responded by saying Showalter's argument is based on a literal reading of the novel, and that the story glorifies militarism to a large extent.[89] Ken Macleod argues that the book does not actually advocate fascism because anybody capable of understanding the oath of Federal Service is able to enlist and thereby obtain political power.[12] Macleod states that Heinlein's books are consistently liberal, but cover a spectrum from democratic to elitist forms of liberalism, Starship Troopers being on the latter end of the spectrum.[2] It has been argued that Heinlein's militarism is more libertarian than fascist, and that this trend is also present in Heinlein's other popular books of the period, such as Stranger in a Strange Land (1961) and The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress (1966). This period of Heinlein's writing has received more critical attention than any other, although he continued to write into the 1980s.[14] Apparent utopianism The setting of the book is presented by Heinlein as utopian; its leaders are shown as good and wise, and the population as free and prosperous.[6][19] Slusser wrote in 1987 that Starship Troopers depicts a world that is "hell for human beings", but nonetheless celebrates the ideology of its fictional society.[83] The rulers are claimed to be the best in history, because they understand that human nature is to fight for power through the use of force.[43] The suggestion of utopia is not explored in depth, as the lives of those outside the military are not shown in any detail.[19][22] The novel suggests that the militarist philosophy espoused by many of the characters has a mathematical backing, though reviewers have commented that Heinlein does not present any basis for this.[18][43] Writers such as Farmer, Robert A. W. Lowndes, and Michael Moorcock have criticized the novel for being a hypothetical utopia, in the sense that while Heinlein's ideas sound plausible, they have never been put to the test. Moorcock wrote an essay entitled "Starship Stormtroopers" in which he attacked Heinlein and other writers over similar "Utopian fiction".[76] Lowndes accused Heinlein of using straw man arguments, "countering ingenuous half-truths with brilliant half-truths".[92] Lowndes further argued that the Terran Federation could never be as idealistic as Heinlein portrays it to be because he never properly addressed "whether or not [non-citizens] have at least as full a measure of civil redress against official injustice as we have today".[92] Farmer agreed, arguing that a "world ruled by veterans would be as mismanaged, graft-ridden, and insane as one ruled by men who had never gotten near the odor of blood and guts".[93] Race and gender Authors and commentators have stated that the manner in which the extraterrestrial beings are portrayed in Starship Troopers has racist aspects, arguing that the nicknames "Bugs" and "Skinnies" carry racial overtones. John Brunner compared them to calling Koreans "gooks".[82] Slusser argued that the term "Bugs" was an "abusive and biologically inaccurate" word that justified the violence against alien beings, a tendency which, according to Slusser, the book shared with other commercially successful science fiction.[62] Some of Heinlein's other works have also been described as racist, though Franklin argues that this was not unique to Heinlein, and that he was less racist than the US government of the time.[94] Heinlein's early novel Sixth Column was called a "racist paean" to a white resistance movement against an Asian horde derived from the Yellow Peril.[95] In 1978, Moorcock wrote that Starship Troopers "set the pattern for Heinlein's more ambitious paternalistic, xenophobic" stories.[76] Robert Lowndes argues that the war between the Terrans and the Arachnids is not about a quest for racial purity, but rather an extension of Heinlein's belief that man is a wild animal. According to this theory, if man lacks a moral compass beyond the will to survive, and he was confronted by another species with a similar lack of morality, then the only possible moral result would be warfare.[92] The fact that all pilots in the novel are women (in contrast to the infantry, which is entirely male) has been cited as evidence of progressive gender politics within the story, although the idea expressed by Rico that women are the motivation for men to fight in the military is a counter-example to this.[18][22] A 1996 science fiction encyclopedia said that like much of Heinlein's fiction, Starship Troopers exemplified "macho male culture".[96] The prosthetically enhanced soldiers in the novel, all of whom are men, have been described as an example of the "hyper-masculinity" brought on by the proximity of these men to technology.[97] The story portrays the Arachnids as so alien that the only response to them can be war. Feminist scholars have described this reaction as a "conventionally masculinist" one.[98] Steffen Hantke has described the mechanized suits in the novel, which make the wearer resemble a "steel gorilla," as defining masculinity as "something intensely physical, based on animal power, instinct, and aggression". He calls this form of masculinity "all body, so to speak, and no brain".[99] Thus, in Hantke's reading, Starship Troopers expresses fears of how masculinity may be preserved in an environment of high technology.[100] This fear is exacerbated by the motifs of pregnancy and birth that Heinlein uses when describing how the soldiers in suits are dropped from spaceships piloted by women.[101] Though Rico says he finds women "marvelous", he shows no desire for sexual activity; the war seems to have subsumed sex in this respect.[19] A 1979 summary argued that despite the gestures towards women's equality, women in the story were still objects, to be protected, and to fight wars over.[19] Influence A real-life concept of powered armor, an idea popularized by Starship Troopers[102] Heinlein's books, and Starship Troopers in particular, had an enormous impact on political science fiction, to the extent that author Ken MacLeod has stated that "the political strand in [science fiction] can be described as a dialogue with Heinlein," although many participants in this dialogue disagree with Heinlein.[2] Science fiction critic Darko Suvin states that Starship Troopers is the "ancestral text of US science fiction militarism" and that it shaped the debate about the role of the military in society for many years.[20] In addition to his political views, Heinlein's ideas about a futuristic military as depicted in the novel were deeply influential among films, books, and television shows in later years.[22] Roger Beaumont has suggested that Starship Troopers may some day be considered a manual for extraterrestrial warfare.[103] Suvin refers to Juan Rico as the "archetypal Space Soldier".[104] Starship Troopers included concepts in military engineering which have since been widely used in other fiction, and which have occasionally been paralleled by scientific research. The novel has been cited as the source of the idea of powered armor exoskeletons, which Heinlein describes in great detail.[83][105][106][107] Such suits became a staple of military science fiction. Franchises that have employed this technology include Iron Man, Exo Squad, Halo, District 9, Elysium, and Edge of Tomorrow.[21] During the shooting of the science fiction film Aliens, director James Cameron required the actors playing space marines to read Starship Troopers to understand their parts, and also cited it as an influence for the space drop, terms like "bug hunt", and the cargo-loader exoskeleton.[108] Starship Troopers had a direct influence on many later science fiction stories. John Steakley's 1984 novel Armor was, according to the author, born out of frustration with the small amount of actual combat in Starship Troopers and because he wanted this aspect developed further.[109] The "Mobile Suits" from the 1979 Nippon Sunrise anime series Mobile Suit Gundam were inspired by the powered armor from Starship Troopers.[110] The 1988 Gainax OVA series Gunbuster has plot elements similar to Starship Troopers, depicting humanity arrayed against an alien military.[107] Scholars have identified elements of Heinlein's influence in Ender's Game, by Orson Scott Card, as well. Hantke, in particular, compares the battle room in Ender's Game to Heinlein's prosthetic suits, stating that they both regulate but also enhance human agency.[111] Suvin suggests parallels between the plots of the two novels, with human society in both stories at war against insect-like aliens, but states that the story of Ender Wiggin takes a very different direction, as Ender regrets his genocidal actions and dedicates his efforts to protecting his erstwhile targets.[104] Conversely, Joe Haldeman's 1974 anti-war, Hugo- and Nebula-winning science fiction novel The Forever War is popularly thought to be a direct reply to Starship Troopers, and though Haldeman has stated that it is actually a result of his personal experiences in the Vietnam War, he has admitted to being influenced by Starship Troopers.[112][113][114] Haldeman said that he disagreed with Starship Troopers because it "glorifies war", but added that "it's a very well-crafted novel, and I believe Heinlein was honest with it".[112] The Forever War contains several parallels to Starship Troopers, including its setting. Commentators have described it as a reaction to Heinlein's novel, a suggestion Haldeman denies; the two novels are very different in terms of their attitude towards the military. The Forever War does not depict war as a noble pursuit, with the sides clearly defined as good and evil; instead, the novel explores the dehumanizing effect of war, influenced by the real world context of the Vietnam War.[23] Haldeman received a letter from Heinlein, congratulating him on his Nebula Award, which "meant more than the award itself".[115] According to author Spider Robinson, Heinlein approached Haldeman at the awards banquet and said the book "may be the best future war story I've ever read!"[116] Harry Harrison's 1965 novel Bill, the Galactic Hero has also been described as a reaction to Starship Troopers,[6] while Gordon R. Dickson's 1961 novel Naked to the Stars has been called "an obvious rejoinder" to Starship Troopers.[117] Ring of Swords, written by Eleanor Arnason in 1993, also depicts a war between two highly aggressive species, of which humans are one. The story deliberately inverts several aspects of Starship Troopers: the story is told from the point of view of diplomats seeking to prevent war, rather than soldiers fighting it, and the conflict is the result of the two species being extremely similar, rather than different.[118] Adaptations 1997 film Main article: Starship Troopers (film) Further information: Starship Troopers (franchise) The film rights to the novel were licensed in the 1990s, several years after Heinlein's death. The project was originally entitled Bug Hunt at Outpost Nine, and had been in production before the producers bought the rights to Starship Troopers.[119][120][121] The film was directed by Paul Verhoeven (who found the book too boring to finish), and released in 1997.[122] The screenplay, by Ed Neumeier, shared character names and some plot details with the novel.[123] The film contained several elements that differed from the book, including a military that is completely integrated with respect to sex. It had the stated intention of treating its material in an ironic or sarcastic manner, to undermine the political ideology of the novel.[17][124] The mechanized suits that featured prominently in the novel were absent from the film, due to budget constraints.[99] The film used fascist imagery throughout, including portraying the Terran Federation's personnel wearing uniforms strongly reminiscent of those worn by the SS, the Nazi paramilitary.[125] Verhoeven stated in 1997 that the first scene of the film – an advertisement for the Mobile Infantry – was adapted shot-for-shot from a scene in Leni Riefenstahl's Triumph of the Will (1935), specifically an outdoor rally for the Reichsarbeitsdienst. Other references to Nazism include the Albert Speer-style architecture and the propagandistic dialogue ("Violence is the supreme authority!").[126] According to Verhoeven, the references to Nazism reflected his own experience in the Nazi-occupied Netherlands during World War II.[24][127] The film reignited the debate over the nature of the Terran society in Heinlein's world, and several critics accused Verhoeven of creating a fascist universe. Others, and Verhoeven himself, have stated that the film was intended to be ironic, and to critique fascism.[77][128] The film has also been described as criticizing the jingoism of US foreign policy, the military industrial complex, and the society in the film, which elevates violence over sensitivity.[129] It received several negative critical reviews, reviewers suggesting that it was unsophisticated and targeted a juvenile audience, although some scholars and critics have also supported its description as satirical.[21][24][124][129] The absence of the powered armor technology drew criticism from fans.[21][99] The success of the film's endeavor to critique the ideology of the novel has been disputed.[24] Four sequels, Starship Troopers 2: Hero of the Federation (2004),[130] Starship Troopers 3: Marauder (2008),[131] Starship Troopers: Invasion (2012)[132] and Starship Troopers: Traitor of Mars (2017) were released as straight-to-DVD films. In December 2011, Neal H. Moritz, producer of films such as the Fast & Furious series and I Am Legend, announced plans for a remake of the film that he claims will be more faithful to the source material.[133] In 2016 Mark Swift and Damian Shannon were reported to be writing the film.[134][needs update] Animated series Main article: Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles An animated TV series was also released based both on the novel and 1997 film called Roughnecks: Starship Troopers Chronicles, it follows the exploits of the Mobile Infantry squad, "Razak's Roughnecks", during the SICON–Bugs War between a newly united humanity and an extraterrestrial race, known as the "Bugs," also sometimes referred to as Arachnids. The show focuses mainly on the Roughnecks' missions, rather than addressing the larger war. Paul Verhoeven served as an executive producer.[135] The show ran for one season from August 1999 to April 2000. Other media From October to December 1988, Sunrise and Bandai Visual produced a six-episode Japanese original video animation locally titled Uchū no Senshi with mobile infantry power armor designs by Kazutaka Miyatake, based on Starship Troopers.[136] Dark Horse Comics, Mongoose Publishing and Markosia hold the license to produce comic books based on Starship Troopers, written by authors including Warren Ellis, Gordon Rennie and Tony Lee.[137][138] Avalon Hill published Robert Heinlein's Starship Troopers in 1976, a map-and-counter board wargame featuring a number of scenarios as written in the novel.[139] In 1998, Mythic Entertainment released Starship Troopers: Battlespace. The web-based interactive game, in which players battled each other in overhead space combat, allowed players to assume either Klendathu or Federation roles, was developed alongside the film adaptation.[24][140] Starship Troopers: The Miniatures Game was released by Mongoose Publishing in 2005, a miniature wargame which used material from the novel, film, and animated TV series.[141] Spectre Media released Starship Troopers: Invasion Mobile Infantry, a game for PCs, in 2012.[142] Offworld Industries developed and published the 2023 game Starship Troopers: Extermination, a cooperative multiplayer first-person shooter available for PC.[143]

Writer Isabel Allende reflects on decades of storytelling.

Send us a text! We'd love to hear your thoughts on the show.An outline doesn't have to limit your creativity. It can give you the freedom to explore your story without losing your way.In this episode of The Resilient Writers Radio Show, I'm joined by award-winning Canadian author Gail Anderson-Dargatz to talk about her new novel, The Atlas Keeper, and the writing process behind this complex time travel romance.Gail has written across genres, from literary fiction and domestic thrillers to hi-lo books and speculative fiction. Her novels include The Cure for Death by Lightning, A Recipe for Bees, The Spawning Grounds, The Almost Wife, and The Almost Widow. With The Atlas Keeper, she gave herself permission to follow a longtime love of time travel stories and simply play.That sense of play is at the heart of our conversation.Gail shares how the idea for the novel began with a question: What would a map of someone's life look like? With help from her husband, a GIS analyst with an interest in astrology, she developed an intricate structure based on a lunar month, the twelve astrological houses, and a character who can visit different moments in her own life.Writing a story with so many moving pieces required a clear map. Gail explains how she begins with a synopsis, moves into an outline, and then creates a chapter-by-chapter plan. At the same time, she writes snippets of scenes and allows room for discovery.Her process offers a helpful reminder for writers who worry that outlining will take the magic out of writing. The outline is not a cage. It is a guide you can adjust as the story develops.We also talk about what literary writers can learn from genre fiction. Whether you are writing literary fiction, romance, suspense, or fantasy, your character still needs a goal. Something must stand in their way. The reader needs a reason to keep turning the pages.Gail also opens up about reaching a stage in her career where she is less concerned about awards and expectations and more interested in enjoying the act of creation. After experiencing burnout, she found her way back to the pleasure of writing by exploring new genres and remembering why she started.This episode is a warm and honest conversation about outlining a novel, experimenting with genre, staying curious, and making writing feel playful again.Listen now to discover how structure can support creativity, why writers benefit from trying new genres, and how finding the fun in your process can lead to a stronger book.

Mike, Ali, and Beau continue to react to Atlanta Falcons running back Bijan Robinson being named the NFC Offensive Player of the Week for week three, and continue to react to the Falcons signing defensive lineman Gervon Dexter Sr. to a four-year, $78 million-dollar contract extension with $46.5 million guaranteed.

What happens when you stop trying to tell the polished version of your story and choose to tell the truth?For Soreya James, that choice became the foundation of Metamorphosis, a hybrid memoir shaped by her own experiences of crisis, transformation, and healing. After decades of guiding others through personal transformation, Soreya found herself becoming the student of her own life and realized that her story needed to be written.In this conversation with Danielle Hutchinson, Soreya opens up about the deeply personal experiences behind Metamorphosis and why vulnerability can make our message more relatable. She also shares how the book has grown beyond a traditional manuscript into a wider ecosystem that includes an online experience, an app, a card deck, retreats, and an eight-part TV series concept.Soreya also explains how she approaches writing differently today. Instead of focusing only on structure and formulas, she encourages writers to create space, listen inward, and trust the deeper message they want their work to carry.Key Takeaways:

Is empathy becoming a liability in American Christianity? Phil, Kaitlyn, and Mike Erre discuss the growing backlash against empathy and why some conservatives argue that too much compassion can lead to bad politics, bad theology, and even the decline of Western civilization. They also look at Russell Moore's warning about the "fear-driven church" and how anxiety about God, outsiders, and our own communities can shape the way Christians think and behave. Then, Kaitlyn talks with psychologist Alison Cook about attachment theory, the limits of human relationships, and why no other person can give us the security we ultimately need. Plus, what Lewis and Clark's bathroom habits can teach us about American history. Holy Post Plus: Ad-Free Version of this Episode: https://holypost.substack.com/publish/post/218066312?r=35kf51&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=web   0:00 - Show Starts 1:18 - Theme Song 1:40 - Sponsor - PolicyGenius - Secure your family's tomorrow so you have peace of mind today. Go to https://www.policygenius.com/HOLYPOST to find the right life insurance for you 2:36 - Sponsor - Sundays Dog Food - Get 40% off your first order of Sundays. Go to https://www.SundaysForDogs.com/HOLYPOST or use code HOLYPOST at checkout. 4:53 - Writing in Epcot? 7:05 - News of the Hindquarters 12:45 - The Anti-Empathy Movement 20:05 - Christianity and "Western Civilization?" 37:21 - The "Fear-Driven Church" 51:13 - Interview 56:21 - Therapy Culture and the Church 1:03:44 - Security in Christ 1:24:58 - End Credits Articles Discussed in News Segment: https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/2026/09/maga-right-christianity-empathy-toxic/688755/ Resources: The Secure Soul: Finding Inner Strength and Connection When Trust Doesn't Come Easy by Alison Cook: https://amzn.to/3VjvuXi   Holy Post website: https://www.holypost.com/   Holy Post Plus: www.holypost.com/plus   Holy Post Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/holypost   Holy Post Merch Store: https://www.holypost.com/shop   The Holy Post is supported by our listeners. We may earn affiliate commissions through links listed here. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.  

Russell T Davies has spent decades creating some of Britain's most beloved and groundbreaking television. After studying English at Oxford, he went from writing for children's programmes and Coronation Street to creating Queer As Folk in 1999 - a show that changed the conversation around gay representation on TV. Since then, he's written hit after hit, from Bob & Rose and A Very English Scandal to Years and Years, It's A Sin and his hugely successful revival of Doctor Who. He's won four BAFTAs and was awarded an OBE in 2008. In this episode we talk about where his obsession and passion for TV came from, how his exceptionally busy mind works, losing his husband to a brain tumour, his love of Dr Who and…finding love again. His new memoir, The Queerest of Folk, is out on 8th October. IN THIS EPISODE: 00:00 Intro 02:35 TV Obsession Origins 03:24 Memoir and Andrew 08:35 AIDS and Its a Sin 10:36 Queer as Folk Shockwaves 12:37 Failure to Drive 16:45 Writing in Images 28:05 Early Illustration Gigs 28:54 Obsessed With Drawing 30:20 Losing the Habit 31:52 Comics and Story Beats 33:54 Writing Geniuses Doctor Who 37:13 Staying a Fan 41:41 Legacy and Family Roots 49:59 Aging Love and Goodbye

Elizabeth Wellington Rollins joins Zibby Owens to discuss her debut novel and Book of the Month Club Pick The Three Graces of Pearl Street, the story of an Italian American grandmother, daughter, and granddaughter who must all live together again after years apart and what that collision stirs up. Elizabeth talks about the little threads of home she wove into this story, her inspiration from the Roman myth of the three graces, the story's intentional conversation with The Godfather, and distilling the big energy of her grandmother and great-aunts into her character Graziella. Elizabeth also shares about growing up in Westchester, her career journey from tech copywriter and travel writer to fiction writing, the impact of having gestational diabetes while pregnant with her daughter, and how living in a small Vermont town gives her the mental space to write. Follow Elizabeth on Instagram @elizabethwellingtonrollins. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As a fairly constant reader for the last few decades, I sometimes forget how challenging reading can be. But then I get into, for example, a dense thirty page research write-up about the study of how different factors affect relationships between kindergarten teachers and kindergarten moms in Finland, and I remember. Reading can be so hard. So how can you make it easier for your students, as they dive into the books you share? Well, one option is to share explicit strategies they can plug into along the way. Penny Kittle does such a beautiful job of demonstrating the way she does this in her book, Book Love, and in the reading conference videos she and Kelly Gallagher share alongside their book, 180 Days. Another go-to source on this for me is Shea Kerkhoff, whose recent book, Adolescent Literacy: Integrating the Sciences of Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12, is full of strategies teachers can pull out to help students who struggle with comprehension. But how and when do you tap these strategies, especially considering some kids will really need them and others will find their mere mention a waste of time? Today on the pod, we'll talk about six reading strategies that can help students understand what they're reading, plus how to introduce them, ways to spiral back, and options for keeping them in mind for individual kids. Note, we won't be talking about what you, as a teacher, can do to make comprehension easier (like building background knowledge in advance, or providing key vocabulary up front). Nope, today is about the strategies kids can implement on their own, and how to make it easier for them to tap those strategies. Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Grab the free Better Discussions toolkit Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram.  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the 'gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you! Sources: Kerkhoff, Shea. (2026). Adolescent Literacy: Integrating the Sciences of Reading and Writing in Grades 4-12. Bloomsbury Academic. Kittle, Penny. (2013). Book Love. Heineman. Online Supplementary Videos Associated with Kittle, Penny & Kelly Gallagher. (2018). 180 Days: Two Teachers and the Quest to Empower and Engage Adolescents. Heineman. Leong, Kristin. (Host). (2025, October 28). The Extraordinary Impact of Drawing to Learn. [Audio Podcast Episode]. In Edutopia's School of Practice Podcast. https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-extraordinary-impact-of-drawing-to-learn/id1840474338?i=1000733852674  

In this podcast, Marcus Kliewer talks about writing horror Stories for Reddit, stop motion animation, the story behind We Used to Live Here, and much more. [3:10] Conversation start/life lessons growing up. [13:30] First horror movie watched. [18:25] Watching Saw. [20:05] Horror fiction and Christian horror fiction. [24:55] First story wrote. [29:35] Stop motion animation. [38:40] Writing horror stories for Reddit. [52:15] We Used To Live Here. Full podcast show notes are available here: https://www.thisishorror.co.uk/tih-680-marcus-kliewer-on-writing-horror-stories-for-reddit-stop-motion-animation-and-the-story-behind-we-used-to-live-here Support This Is Horror Podcast on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/thisishorror

Today we review No Other Choice, a Park Chan-Wook (Old Boy) directed dark comedy movie about a fired paper company employee played by Lee Byung Hun. It's weird. It's creepy. Do we recommend it? Listen to find out!Are your family and friends sick of you talking about K-drama? We get it...and have an answer. Join our AfterNoona Delight Patreon and find community among folks who get your obsession. Check out www.afternoonadelight.com for more episodes, book recs and social media goodness.And don't forget about the newest member of our network: Afternoona Asks where diaspora Asians living in the West find ways to reconnect to Asian culture via Asian/KDramas.Last but CERTAINLY not least....love BTS? Or curious what all the fuss is about? Check out our sister pod Afternoona Army for takes on Bangtan life.  ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

A picture is worth a thousand words, so what happens when you reverse the equation? After four decades as a professional photographer, Kirk Voclain found that writing a novel runs the same craft in mirror image: arrange a thousand words well enough and a picture plants itself in the reader's mind. From a spy thriller born of an airport-security scare to a G-rated ranch romance written on a dare, his books are built from real observation — down to the real photography gear and unchallenged gate access his characters exploit. His advice to photographers is the same as his advice to writers: learn the craft before you lean on the tools.Support KAJ Masterclass — help sustain independent editorial work: https://kajmasterclass.com/support =========================================About KAJ Masterclass MediaKAJ Masterclass Media is home to a video-first, live-first, editoriallyindependent conversation ecosystem exploring leadership, business, AI, careers,health, creativity, and the evolving human experience through thoughtful,unscripted conversations grounded in lived experience, clarity, and real-worldinsight.This show is part of the KAJ Masterclass ecosystem, which includes The KAJMasterclass LIVE, The Author's Voice with KAJ, and a growing collection ofeditorially independent conversation platforms.Every conversation is designed to leave you with something meaningful to thinkabout, understand, or apply.

Don't miss this one - they're having as much fun as ever! Sacha and Rachael talk about what's new (and old).

Do you fill every empty moment with scrolling, and wonder why your mind never seems to slow down? If you tend to overthink and feel overwhelmed, this one is for you.

What do you do when God asks you to hand back the very thing he promised you? In this episode, Dot and Cara sit with the story of Abraham and Isaac, the moment when a father who waited decades for a son is asked to lay that son on an altar. They talk about the danger of writing our own narrative onto what God is doing, why Abraham's silence on that mountain says everything about his faith, and how trusting the process matters more than understanding the plan. Pull up a chair, grab your Bible, and lean in with us.Got a question about today's episode or something else you'd like to hear us talk about on the show? Let us know! Episode RecapIntro (00:00)Write this down, Genesis 17:15-19, God renames Sarai to Sarah and promises Abraham a son through her (00:00)Cara welcomes everyone and frames today's question, what do you do when God gives you a promise and then asks you to sacrifice it (01:10)A quick refresher on Ishmael, how Sarah's plan led to Hagar, and why Isaac, not Ishmael, was always God's idea (02:12)Writing the narrative, Dot and Cara's shorthand for assuming we know how God's story ends before he's finished telling it (07:15)Jumping to Genesis 22, Abraham walks up the mountain with Isaac and never once brings up the promise God once took from him (11:39)Why Abraham telling his servants we will be back might be one of the boldest statements of faith in all of Scripture (17:18)Abraham had never seen a resurrection in his life and still trusted God could bring Isaac back, an easy detail to miss (17:49)Knowing God versus believing him, and why that gap is exactly where our faith gets tested (20:20)A story about a train ticket that never comes early but always comes on time, and what it teaches us about trusting God's timing (32:26)Are you interested in having Dot come and speak to your community? Email us at hello@dotbowen.com.Watch Write this Down! on YouTubeFind Dot Bowen on Instagram and Facebook This Episode's Scripture VerseGenesis 17:15-19 (NASB 1977) — "Then God said to Abraham, 'As for Sarai, your wife, you shall not call her name Sarai, but Sarah shall be her name. And I will bless her, and indeed I will give you a son by her. Then I will bless her, and she shall be a mother of nations. Kings of people shall come from her.' Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and he said in his heart, 'Will a child be born to a man 100 years old, and will Sarah, who is 90 years old, bear a child?' And Abram said to God, 'Oh, that Ishmael might live before Thee.' But God said, 'No. But Sarah, your wife, shall bear you a son, and you shall call his name Isaac. And I will establish my covenant with him for an everlasting covenant for his descendants after him.'"

In this episode, Chereka Flemister shares her journey from wholesale real estate to becoming a financial and business consultant, highlighting how her accounting background enhances her real estate strategies. She discusses key opportunities, challenges, and practical advice for aspiring investors and entrepreneurs.   Professional Real Estate Investors - How we can help you: Investor Fuel Mastermind: Learn more about the Investor Fuel Mastermind, including 100% deal financing, massive discounts from vendors and sponsors you're already using, our world class community of over 150 members, and SO much more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/apply   Investor Machine Marketing Partnership: Are you looking for consistent, high quality lead generation? Investor Machine is America's #1 lead generation service professional investors. Investor Machine provides true 'white glove' support to help you build the perfect marketing plan, then we'll execute it for you…talking and working together on an ongoing basis to help you hit YOUR goals! Learn more here: http://www.investormachine.com   Coaching with Mike Hambright: Interested in 1 on 1 coaching with Mike Hambright? Mike coaches entrepreneurs looking to level up, build coaching or service based businesses (Mike runs multiple 7 and 8 figure a year businesses), building a coaching program and more. Learn more here: https://investorfuel.com/coachingwithmike   Attend a Vacation/Mastermind Retreat with Mike Hambright: Interested in joining a "mini-mastermind" with Mike and his private clients on an upcoming "Retreat", either at locations like Cabo San Lucas, Napa, Park City ski trip, Yellowstone, or even at Mike's East Texas "Big H Ranch"? Learn more here: http://www.investorfuel.com/retreat   Property Insurance: Join the largest and most investor friendly property insurance provider in 2 minutes. Free to join, and insure all your flips and rentals within minutes! There is NO easier insurance provider on the planet (turn insurance on or off in 1 minute without talking to anyone!), and there's no 15-30% agent mark up through this platform! Register here: https://myinvestorinsurance.com/   New Real Estate Investors - How we can work together: Investor Fuel Club (Coaching and Deal Partner Community): Looking to kickstart your real estate investing career? Join our one of a kind Coaching Community, Investor Fuel Club, where you'll get trained by some of the best real estate investors in America, and partner with them on deals! You don't need $ for deals…we'll partner with you and hold your hand along the way! Learn More here: http://www.investorfuel.com/club   —--------------------

Learn more about Alpha School at ⁠https://go.alpha.school/howiwrite Andy Weir is on the show today, and he's famous for books like Project Hail Mary and The Martian, both of which turned into movies. In this conversation, we discuss science fiction as much as writing. How does he come up with new ideas? What makes for a good plot? How does he think through the science itself, bending reality in fun and playful ways? This interview does have some spoilers! So, if you haven't read the books, you might want to do that before you listen. However, if you love writing and don't care about spoilers, this conversation is for you. About the host Hey! I'm David Perell and I'm a writer, teacher, and podcaster. I believe writing online is one of the biggest opportunities in the world today. For the first time in human history, everybody can freely share their ideas with a global audience. I seek to help as many people publish their writing online as possible. Follow me Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/how-i-write/id1700171470 YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@DavidPerellChannel Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/2DjMSboniFAeGA8v9NpoPv X: https://x.com/david_perell Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Do speakers need a book to get booked? No. Can a relevant book be a powerful authority asset, often called your best business card and a useful tool when negotiating speaking engagements? Hell yes.In this bonus episode from the archives, John Ball speaks with ghostwriter and book coach Ginny Carter, author of Your Business, Your Book. Recorded in early 2022, the conversation is still useful for speakers and other experts considering a business book.They discuss how to decide what your book is for, when you're ready to write it, how to keep it engaging and persuasive, and how to make it part of the marketing you already do. They also explore publishing choices, formats, editing, and the role podcasts can play in helping authors share their expertise.At the end, John shares the fast book strategy behind his forthcoming book, Serious About Speaking: The Business of Becoming Known, Booked & Paid. He explains how he's using his existing LinkedIn newsletter articles, podcast transcripts and programme materials to build a useful, coherent book, with AI helping to compile and organise the material. It isn't a case of asking AI to write a book and publishing the result: the process includes reviewing, editing and shaping the work.John will release a wait list for Serious About Speaking with next week's episode.Ginny Carter's book, Your Business, Your Book, is available at all major retailers. Find Ginny and her work at ginnycarter.co.uk.Frequently asked questionsDo speakers need a book to get booked?No. You can build a professional speaking career without writing a book. A book is an asset, not a requirement.How can a book help a speaker get booked?A relevant book can demonstrate your expertise, strengthen your authority and give event organisers a tangible sense of your ideas. It can also be a useful negotiating tool when discussing a speaking engagement, if it connects to the talk, audience and client's needs.Is a book really a speaker's best business card?It can be. A book gives potential clients a deeper view of your expertise than a business card can. The more clearly the book relates to your speaking work, the more useful it is as an authority asset.When should an expert write a business book?When they have enough experience, examples and insight to offer readers, and they know what they want the book to achieve. Ginny advises getting clear on the book's purpose before making decisions about its content or publishing route.How can speakers market a book without creating more work?Ginny recommends incorporating the book into marketing that's already working, such as a podcast, blog or existing online presence, rather than automatically building separate channels just for the book.What makes a business book persuasive and readable?Stories, examples and the author's personality help keep readers engaged. Ginny also discusses a “why, what, how, what if” structure: explain why the topic matters, what it is, how to act on it, and what could happen as a result.What is John Ball's fast book strategy?John is developing Serious About Speaking from existing material, including LinkedIn newsletter articles, podcast transcripts and programme resources. AI helps compile and organise relevant content; John then reviews, edits and shapes it into a coherent book.ChaptersTimes are approximate. Check against the final published audio/video before posting.00:00 Why this archive conversation is being released now02:40 Introducing Ginny Carter and the value of an engaging business book05:20 Why people struggle to start and finish books07:40 Making book marketing part of your existing marketing10:00 How books build authority12:20 Is it the right time to write your book?14:00 Book as an asset: cache, not cash19:00 What writing a book can do for your expertise and business24:00 What makes a business book effective?27:00 Traditional publishing and self-publishing29:00 Book design, production and first impressions32:00 Print, ebook and audiobook formats34:00 Podcasts as a way to reach relevant audiences35:00 Writing persuasively: the “why, what, how, what if” structure38:00 Editing, grammar and reader trust42:00 How authors can use podcasts44:00 Ginny's book recommendations47:30 John's fast book strategy and Serious About SpeakingRecommended next episodeWhy Great Speakers Are Often BrokeListen next for a related conversation about the business skills and assets speakers need alongside their stage craft: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/0f56e6d2-15f1-4c21-8a5b-96d44ab8c67b/Upcoming episodeNext week: Why Aren't You Getting Booked as a Speaker? We'll look at what may be standing between your expertise and the bookings you want.Connect with John:Find out more about the Known, Booked & Paid BlueprintSubscribe to the Serious About Speaking newsletter on LinkedInFind me on InstaFind me on TikTokFind me on ThreadsDiscover the bottlenecks in your speaking business with the Applause Vs Invoice QuizFor speaking/podcast enquiries or to connect with me directly, you can email john@presentinfluence.com or find me on LinkedInYou can find all our clips, episodes and more on the Present Influence YouTube channelIf you know a speaker who would enjoy this show, let them know. Thanks for listening.

In this episode, Rachel visits with Mace Thornton. He was one of the first policy guys I met when I was a whippersnapper on the Colorado Farm Bureau Young Farmers and Ranchers Committee a million years ago. He had a novel on his bucket list and now he's working on number three. You know I LOVE a good rural story with some history. His check all the boxes. Find and follow along at macethornton.com.This episode is brought to you by the generous support of Iliff Custom Cabinetry. Find Adam Rose on The Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/icucab/. If you see Adam, please let him know you heard about him here.Check our our cows on the Anywhere Cam site at https://anywhere.cam/. Scroll down to the Hereford cows and tada!

Send us Fan MailHannah and Laura are thrilled to be chatting with author K.R. Lockhaven about his new book, Fool! They discuss the book's characters and themes, writing a shocking twist, and the role that humor can play in books. Be sure to pick up Fool, which released on September 14th!You can follow Kyle and find his works at:Website: KRRLockhaven.comInstagram: @authorkrlockhavenBluesky: @krlockhaven.bsky.socialMedia Mentions:Fool by K.R. LockhavenMrs. Covington's by K.R.R. LockhavenThe Azure Archipelago series by K.R.R. LockhavenThe Conjuring of Zoth-Avarex by K.R.R. LockhavenZoth-Avarex's Escape Plan by K.R.R. LockhavenThe Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott LynchJujutsu Kaisen by Gege AkutamiWe Break Immortals by Thomas Howard RileyTokyo Ghoul---HuluFelix Ortiz's worksSupport the showBe sure to follow OWWR Pod!www.owwrpod.com YouTube: @owwrpodBlueSky: @OwwrPodTikTok: @OwwrPodInstagram: @owwrpodThreads: @OwwrPodSend us an email at: owwrpod@gmail.comCheck out OWWR Patreon: patreon.com/owwrpodOr join OWWR Discord! We'd love to chat with you!You can follow Hannah at:Instagram: @brews.and.booksThreads: @brews.and.booksTikTok: @brews.and.booksYou can follow Laura at:Instagram: @goodbooksgreatgoatsBlueSky: @myyypod

Send us Fan MailCelebrating 40 years of Double Dare. Some of the worst after-school specials ever. A collection of weird and wild 1980s PC games.Episode 262 ends the month of September with all shades of GenX nostalgia and pop culture.On your mark, get set, go! The show sprints from the start with a look back forty years at the debut of Nickelodeon's sloppy fun game show Double Dare. Every 80s kid who watched the show either wanted to be on it or wanted to find ways to replicate it in our own lives. Slime, physical challenges, flags, and loads of memories are here.ABC's After School Specials were a big part of the lives of 70s and 80s kids. It's where we learned about how to deal with bullying, drugs, peer pressure, and more. On this week's show, we will go to the bottom of the barrel to find some of the worst episodes from the beloved series. This includes a future A-list actor diving out of a window.Not every video game can change the industry. For every Oregon Trail that defined the 1980s, there were also plenty of weird and just plain terrible PC games. This week we look at the Top 5 weird PC games from the 1980s, including one based on a C-level one-hit wonder band. This week, we also have a brand-new This Week in History and Time Capsule looking back at the debut of the Ford Model T.To support me and the show, become a member on Patreon. Or you can support my work and Buy Me A Coffee!Helpful Links from this EpisodeBuy My New Book, In Their Footsteps!Searching For the Lady of the Dunes True Crime BookHooked By Kiwi - Etsy.comDJ Williams MusicKeeKee's Cape Cod KitchenMSFTS CommunityKingfisher Hotels Cape CodChristopher Setterlund.comCape Cod Living - Zazzle StoreSubscribe on YouTube!Initial Impressions 2.0 BlogCJSetterlundPhotos on EtsyRetro Games.czListen to Episode 261 hereSupport the show

Wherein we encounter a nightmare.  Slip into our inbox: gwritersanon@gmail.com  Paint across our Facebook page (Ghost Writers, Anonymous).  

https://substack.com/@survivingamericawww.safehousegroupllc.comBecome a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/prepper-broadcasting-network--3295097/support.Head to https://bepreparedsolutions.co/partner/pbn, or use code PBN20 when you sign up to get 20% off their incredible preparedness tools, custom plans, and LOCAL INTELLIGENCE. STOP THE ADS! Become a PBN Supporter for just $5 a month and get exclusive podcasts just for supporters. BECOME A SUPPORTER The Prepper's Medical Handbook Build Your Medical Cache – Welcome PBN FamilyJoin the Prepper Broadcasting Network for expert insights on #Survival, #Prepping, #SelfReliance, #OffGridLiving, #Homesteading, #SelfSufficiency, #Permaculture, #OffGrid solutions, and #SHTF preparedness. With diverse hosts and shows, get practical tips to thrive independently – subscribe now!Newsletter – Welcome PBN FamilyGet Your Free Copy of 50 MUST READ BOOKS TO SURVIVE DOOMSDAY

In Episode 56 of High Stakes, Tracey Devlyn sits down with award-winning author Jennifer Sadera to discuss MAYBE YOU LIED—a psychological suspense about a grieving young man who inherits a mysterious house and discovers that the answers to his family's past may be far more dangerous than the questions. Author's Website: https://JenniferSadera.com Show Notes: https://traceydevlyn.com/podcast Love this episode? Rate it ⭐️ Thumbs Up

Alfonso Cahero survived a fall from 5,000 meters. But the story doesn't end with survival.In this episode of The Authority Company Podcast, Joe Pardavila sits down with Alfonso Cahero, author of The Source Architect: Meditations on Form, Death, and the Geometry of Being, to explore how a near-death experience reshaped his understanding of fear, identity, business, legacy, and stillness.Alfonso shares the story behind his paragliding accident, the nine hours he spent waiting to be rescued, and the three encounters with death that changed the way he sees life. He also explains why fear is often tied to identity, why successful people can still feel deeply anxious, and how stillness can help leaders reconnect with what matters.The conversation also explores Alfonso's work with sovereign institutions, royal families, global leaders, and ultra-high-net-worth individuals, along with the deeper meaning behind The Source Architect and why the book was written in such an unconventional form.If you're interested in leadership, personal transformation, near-death experiences, spirituality, fear, legacy, or the deeper questions behind success, this conversation will stay with you.Chapters00:00 Intro00:47 Alfonso Cahero joins the show00:49 The 5,000-meter fall01:31 Why Alfonso was paragliding02:51 What flying at that altitude feels like04:40 When the wing collapsed05:36 The free fall begins06:35 What protocols exist when falling from the sky08:22 Waiting nine hours to be found08:40 How death changed Alfonso's view of business failure09:16 Fear, routine, and comfort zones10:30 Fear as a measure of belief in yourself12:02 Why wealthy people still feel anxiety13:39 Learning to understand anxiety at the source14:49 What “The Source Architect” means15:40 Why the book is meant to find its reader16:32 Writing the book as a download18:00 Why the book creates a different state of awareness19:09 Why Alfonso's message is unusual in Latino culture20:06 How travel shaped Alfonso's identity21:25 What Alfonso learned from knowing people across 100 countries23:33 Why changing your environment can change your life24:39 Joe reflects on home, identity, and Charleston26:00 The danger of attachment26:47 Alfonso's memory after the crash27:43 Rebuilding life without attachment28:45 Why the book avoids conventional editing30:27 How the book creates resonance32:29 Ego, distortion, and self-blockage33:18 Stillness versus meditation34:39 Why stillness is so difficult35:37 Connecting with your true self36:33 Technology, social media, and doomscrolling37:00 Alfonso's strange historical AI videos37:38 Why Alfonso says he doesn't care about social media38:50 Using AI, history, and finance creatively40:17 Alfonso's next project with global leaders41:40 Where to find the book41:56 Closing

Anita Haddorff, Author of " The Same and Not the Same: A Memoir of Love, Loss, and What Remains, joined Vineeta for some Midweek Motivation on Wednesday. Find out her story of loss, and the road back.

Today's guest is a singer, songwriter, producer and dancer who has spent her career trusting her own instincts—and building a world around them.From “2 On” to “Nasty” and “No Broke Boys,” Tinashe has kept releasing music through major-label deals, independent projects and viral breakthroughs.She's collaborated with artists including Calvin Harris, Charli xcx and Kaytranada, and joins us to talk about the journey behind it all.And The Writer Is... Tinashe!Hit subscribe and turn on notifications. Every week, we go deep with the most interesting creatives in music.Follow us on socials: @andthewriterisA special thank you to our sponsors for making these conversations possible.Splice, the best sample library on the market, period.and our lead sponsor, our Patreon page!We're still giving away free Universal Audio Recording Gear in our next zoom hang.Join us on Patreon: patreon.com/andthewriterisCHAPTERS0:00 Intro0:46 Tinashe and Ross reconnect—back to The Stunners3:48 “Deep in the Night”—the song she wrote at five5:08 Tinashe's French fry rankings6:12 Child acting, Whoopi Goldberg, and moving to LA9:11 Life in a girl group without creative control11:22 Buying a microphone and building a bedroom studio14:10 Getting signed—and expecting it to be easy18:40 Join the ATWI Patreon19:32 Splice: Sounds and Variations20:39 Early Travis Scott sessions and being taken seriously in the studio23:29 Recording 200 songs—and trusting the big producer's opinion26:33 Trusting your gut and knowing when to leave a session30:43 “2 On” takes off. What happens after the first hit?36:03 Writing “2 On” in a garage with friends37:37 Does having a hit teach you how to make one?39:20 Leaving her label and rebuilding trust in her own ideas43:29 What releasing music independently actually takes46:10 Filming her own videos and building her visual world48:14 How dancing shapes the way she writes songs50:08 Working with a label again—and finding Ricky Reed52:11 Getting the call from Calvin Harris53:52 Why genre doesn't define her music55:19 “Nasty” takes off after she stops needing another hit57:04 Why she won't write for a TikTok trend58:43 Charli xcx and finding freedom after early hits1:00:41 The unexpected remix journey of “No Broke Boys”1:03:31 Taking the Grammy off her lock screen after seven years1:05:14 Making POPSTAR—and giving herself time to play1:05:55 Which POPSTAR song fits every mood?1:08:19 Claiming the pop star she's always been1:13:32 “Just don't stop”—keep putting your music out1:14:42 Her advice to young women in music: intuitionCreditsHosted by Ross GolanProduced by Joe London and Jad Saad Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

What is the thing people always come to you for? Not what you went to school for or what your job title says, but the thing that comes so naturally to you that you might not even realize it's special. That just might be your superpower.In this solo episode, I'm breaking down what superpowers actually are, how to identify yours, and why understanding them can change the way you show up in your career and your life. I share a few of my own superpowers and how they work together, plus the self-assessment tools and reflective questions that can help uncover the strengths you may have been overlooking.Whether you're job searching, building your personal brand, or simply trying to understand yourself a little better, knowing what makes you uniquely valuable can help you communicate it with confidence. Your superpower isn't just a career strategy. It's a tool for becoming more intentional in every area of your life.Be sure to subscribe/follow the show so you never miss an episode!Connect with Jessie:Follow on Instagram @ofthewest.co and @mrsjjarvFollow on Facebook @jobsofthewestCheck out the Of The West websiteResources & Links:CliftonStrengthsDISCMyers-BriggsEnneagramEpisode 35. Understanding Yourself and the Enneagram with Terryn DrielingJoin The Directory Of The WestGet our FREE resource for Writing a Strong Job DescriptionGet our FREE resource for Making the Most of Your InternshipGet our FREE resource: 10 Resume Mistakes (and how to fix them)Get our FREE resource: How to Avoid the 7 Biggest Hiring Mistakes Employers MakeEmail us at hello@ofthewest.coSubscribe to Of The West's ⁠NewslettersList your jobs on ⁠Of The WestMentioned in this episode:Raising a champion takes more than feed. It's work, time, and passion. Purina Equine Feed

Modern media is the connective tissue of our online society. Where we consume content, what we read, share, and save directly reflects our values, impacts behavior, and shifts culture. RIP Buzzfeed listicles :(Do you pay attention to the platforms you use? Who funds the media companies you publish on? Or why you're using them, and what for?Lex Roman, founder of Revenue Rulebreaker, a community-fueled small business media backed by over 400 paid subscribers, is on today's ep to break down the misunderstood world of indie (independent) media, paid subscriptions and other revenue models, and why Substack might be the absolute worst place to build your writing career. Seriously.The main question we explore: what if your audience was your investor — and that was enough?We get into:What indie media actually means and why it's so important in today's fragmented landscapeWhy Lex hates Substack with the fire of a thousand suns and thinks everyone needs to get off... yesterday (including specific examples of how they steal your audience and revenue)The difference between a newsletter, an email list, and email marketing — and why we may be overcomplicating thingsPaid subscriptions vs. sponsorships vs. advertising: which revenue model fits your personality and daily workflow?How Lex sold her local politics newsletter, expanding our minds to what's possible when you have strong, valuable IPSubscription fatigue, the paywall police, and why patronage is not Netflix. The "dance for me because I paid you" mentality is tiredddHow to stay hopeful in the media biz when tech CEOs are devolving into oligarchy and software prices are spiking 200%If you've been questioning your presence on Substack, wondering whether anyone would actually pay for your writing, or assuming funding only happens to the Call Her Daddy's of the world — this episode is your invitation to look at the media landscape differently and build using your own playbook (and how to break a rule or two

It's Tuesday, September 29th, A.D. 2026. This is The Worldview in 5 Minutes heard on 140 radio stations and at www.TheWorldview.com.  I'm Adam McManus. (Adam@TheWorldview.com) By Kevin Swanson and Timothy Reed Chinese communists shut down churches while Jin ping in America While Chinese President Xi Jinping was visiting the United States, Communist police were still arresting pastors and shutting down churches in China. Pastors and church workers from Jiaquan Church in Beijing have been arrested in raids occurring over the last week.  This follows another mass arrest of more members of the Early Rain Covenant Church in Chengdu in southwestern China. Send a polite, 4-sentence letter to the Chinese Ambassador to America, Xie Feng, urging him to tell the Communist party officials to stop arresting pastors and shutting down churches. Send it to the Chinese Embassy, 3505 International Place NW, Washington, DC 20008. Supreme Court continues to affirm parental rights Over the past year, parental rights advocates are winning cases at the U.S. Supreme Court. By law, the state of California was requiring school officials to conceal information concerning children's gender transitioning behavior from their parents.  Thankfully, the high court struct down the law earlier in the year.  In a separate ruling last June, the U.S. Supreme Court struck down another Maryland law that prohibited parents from opting their kids out of homosexual/transgender indoctrination classes, reported CBS News. Writing the majority opinion, Justice Samuel Alito argued on the basis of religious rights. He wrote, “A government burdens the religious exercise of parents when it requires them to submit their children to instruction that poses ‘a very real threat of undermining' the religious beliefs and practices that the parents wish to instill.” Ebola virus killed 4,000 people in Congo The World Health Organization reports 8,000 cases of Ebola in the latest outbreak in Congo, Africa — and now, almost 4,000 deaths. This is the worst outbreak of this deadly disease since 2013.  Mortgage rates at 7.5% The U.S. 30-year mortgage rate hit 7.5% yesterday, reports Mortgage News Daily.  That's the highest rate since December 2000.  Trump criticized United Nations President Donald Trump took to the stage at the United Nations General Assembly in New York last week, heavily criticizing the organization, but also praising it in some aspects as well. Trump stated, “There is no human right to illegal immigration, but there is a right to remain a sovereign nation.” He added that the United States “totally rejects any attempt to construct a globalist scheme to control artificial intelligence.”  The president also said, “The United Nations has great, great potential” and he encouraged the U.S. Ambassador to the UN “to implement the most sweeping UN reforms in history.” Canadian doctors kill more people than American murderers do Canada now kills more people by "assisted suicide" than the United States does by homicide. United States Republican Senator Mike Lee of Utah detailed this fact in a now viral post on X, stating, “State-administered death is now more common in Canada than gun homicide is in the U.S.  That didn't happen by accident.” He also said, “The intersection of assisted suicide and socialized medicine results in state-led horrors, treating the young, old, infirm, and distressed as disposable people. We must never allow this barbarity to spread in America.” Jeremiah 8:3 gives a stark warning. The Lord of hosts said, “Then death shall be chosen rather than life by all the residue of those who remain of this evil family, who remain in all the places where I have driven them.” Gen Z more religious than older generations A new update from the Harris Report revealed that Gen Z is more religious than older generations. Per the report, “Gen Z is not abandoning faith, they are the generation most likely to identify as religious. Gen Z is not just identifying with faith, they are actively practicing it. For Gen Z, spirituality is one way to build agency in an uncertain future.” However, many in Gen Z continue to observe harmful religious practices, and dabble with the occult and manifestations.  Ephesians 6:12 says, “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Planned Parenthood gave Joe Biden their baby killing award And finally, abortion giant Planned Parenthood handed out its 2026 Sonia Schorr Sloan Service Award to former President Joe Biden, one of the biggest supporters of abortion in United States history, reported LifeNews. Biden recalled his historic murderous work. Referring to Sonny Sloan, the late president of Delaware's Planned Parenthood, Biden said this. BIDEN: “In the wake of the Dobbs decision, as president, I tried to do what I knew Sonny would have been on the phone telling me to do. We took action. We signed executive orders to protect access to reproductive health care, including emergency medical care.”  Since former President Biden is quite difficult to understand, this is what he said. “In the wake of the Dobbs decision, as president, I tried to do what I knew Sonny would have been on the phone telling me to do. We took action. We signed executive orders to protect access to reproductive health care, including emergency medical care.”  (Watch the soundbite at the 17:07-mark in this video of Biden's speech) Steven Ertelt of LifeNews explained, “The abortion business killed a record number of babies in abortions last year thanks to Biden's help with tax funding and pro-abortion executive orders.” Close And that's The Worldview on this Tuesday, September 29th, in the year of our Lord 2026. Subscribe for free by Spotify, Amazon Music, or by iTunes or email to our unique Christian newscast at www.TheWorldview.com.  Plus, you can get the Generations app through Google Play or The App Store. I'm Adam McManus (Adam@TheWorldview.com). Seize the day for Jesus Christ.

Suzanne Roberts joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about why writing prompts are so powerful, images that haunt us, avoiding revenge prose, revising to create a rounded character, writing our truth, getting better at dialogue, how to navigate AI, the joy of creating something from start to finish, writing about family and friends, writing about our bodies, building writing community, how reading time is writing time, enjoying exploration, essay as immediate gratification while writing memoir, making stories from shame, and her new multi-genre craft book divided by theme 52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for Writers.    Suzanne's first Let's Talk Memoir interview: https://ronitplank.com/2023/02/28/lets-talk-memoir-season-2-episode-16-ft-suzanne-roberts/   Camille Dungy's Let's Talk Memoir interview: https://ronitplank.com/2023/05/02/lets-talk-memoir-episode-41-ft-camille-t-dungy/   Also in this episode: -reading broadly and deeply -memoir as a gift to the universe -writing for hands and hearts you cannot see   Books mentioned in this episode: - The Art of Death by Edwidge Danticat - The Art of Description by Mark Doty - The Art of Time in Memoir by Sven Birkerts - Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott - Imaginative Writing: The Elements of Craft by Janet Burroway - The Situation and the Story by Vivian Gornick  - The Triggering Town by Richard Hugo - I Would Die if I Were You by Emily Rapp Black - The Art of Memoir by Mary Karr - Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert - Tell it Slant by Brenda Miller - Negotiating with the Dead: A Writer on Writing by Margaret Atwood - The Writing Life by Annie Dillard    Suzanne Roberts is the author of the essay collection Animal Bodies: On Death, Desire, and Other Difficulties, the memoir-in-essays Bad Tourist: Misadventures in Love and Travel, and the memoir Almost Somewhere: Twenty-Eight Days on the John Muir Trail, four full-length poetry collections, and a creative writing craft book: 52 Writing Prompts: Inspiration for the Creative Writer (October 2026, The University of Nebraska Press). Named “The Next Great Travel Writer” by National Geographic's Traveler, Suzanne's work has been listed as notable in Best American Essays and included in The Best Women's Travel Writing. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, CNN, National Geographic Traveler, Ploughshares, Creative Nonfiction, Brevity, The Rumpus, The Fourth Genre, and elsewhere. She holds a doctorate in literature and the environment from the University of Nevada-Reno and lives in South Lake Tahoe, California. More information may be found on her website: www.suzanneroberts.net   Website: www.suzanneroberts.net IG: @suzanneroberts28 X: suzannneroberts FB: https://www.facebook.com/suzanne.roberts.798/ BSky: @suzanneroberts   Here are the links Suzanne's books: https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496239563/52-writing-prompts/ https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496231024/animal-bodies/ https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/bison-books/9781496236920/almost-somewhere/ https://www.nebraskapress.unl.edu/nebraska/9781496222848/bad-tourist/ – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

In this episode, Ernie Svenson talks with Greg Siskind, who has practiced immigration law for 35 years and wrote a book about marketing on the internet back in 1996, when that was a peculiar thing for a lawyer to do. Greg says AI reminds him of email more than any other technology wave he's lived through — the web, the cloud, and social media each changed a slice of legal work, while email changed the day-to-day job itself. They talk about the drafting shift that surprised him most, a 25-page visa petition that used to take two days and now takes 20 to 30 minutes, and about the lawyers who got spooked by the hallucination headlines and won't touch AI even for low-risk work like marketing and firm management. They also get into the ABA's fee opinion, the argument for flat fees, and Greg's new ABA book, "The AI-Ready Law Firm," written for firms with no IT department and no consultant. Chapters 00:00  Meet Greg Siskind, immigration lawyer and early internet adopter  02:34  Why Nashville in 1994 forced him online  05:21  How technology pulled both of us out of big firms 06:41  Decision trees on steroids, DAPA, and the travel ban apps 09:48  The CoCounsel demo that came before ChatGPT 13:12  Supervised agents and the 25-page petition in 30 minutes 16:07  Running a 1,000-prompt immigration library from inside Claude  20:09  Where lawyers trust AI too much, and where too little 22:40  Writing a book for firms with no IT department 26:33  AI note takers and the Zoom terms-of-service problem  29:13  Formal Opinion 512, fraud, and the push toward flat fees  33:49 Using AI as a brutal writing coach 36:12  Why AI belongs inside your case management system 38:57  Why this wave looks more like email than the web  42:36  What he tells law students about relying on AI Show Notes The 80/20 Principle (my techlaw newsletter) The Inner Circle (my online community for lawyers) Greg Siskind Website Greg Siskind Linkedin The AI-Ready Law Firm Follow and Review I'd appreciate it if you could drop a review over on  Apple Podcasts. It only takes a few seconds and helps spread the word about the podcast. Thanks to the sponsor: Smith.ai Smith.ai is an amazing virtual receptionist service that specializes in working with solo and small law firms. When you hire Smith.ai, you're hiring well-trained, friendly receptionists who can respond to callers in English or Spanish. And they have a special offer for podcast listeners where you can get an extra $100 discount with promo code ERNIE100. Sign up for a risk-free start with a 14-day money-back guarantee now (and learn more) at smith.ai.

In this episode of Healthy Mind, Healthy Life, host Sreemedha talks with Tobi Ojekunle, software engineer and host of Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations, about the quiet, ongoing conversation everyone has with themselves and why so much of personal transformation starts there. Tobi traces his own journey from growing up in Ibadan, Nigeria, to moving to Germany as a financially stretched international student, and how the fear and scarcity mindset of those early years slowly gave way to a more disciplined, intentional relationship with his own thoughts. The conversation moves into the practical mechanics of that shift: treating thoughts and emotions as messengers to be filtered rather than orders to be obeyed, finding gratitude for the very things Tobi once saw as flaws, and writing affirmations down in visible places so they take root in the subconscious rather than staying wishful thinking. Tobi and Sreemedha talk candidly about how cultural and immigration experience shapes self-image, and why rewriting the internal dialogue is often the real starting point for lasting change. About the Guest: Tobi Ojekunle is a software engineer originally from Ibadan, Nigeria, now based in Germany, and the host of Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations, a podcast exploring self-reflection, personal growth, and honest inner dialogue. Drawing on his own experience moving abroad as a student under financial pressure, Tobi focuses on how disciplined self-talk, gratitude, and intentional belief can reshape a person's relationship with themselves. Key Takeaways: Moving to Germany as a financially pressured international student left Tobi with an early scarcity mindset, and rebuilding his self-talk became the foundation for rebuilding his confidence. Thoughts and emotions can be treated as messengers rather than commands. The goal is to filter what they are pointing to rather than automatically obeying every feeling that shows up. Practicing gratitude, even for things once seen as flaws such as physical features or an accent, can reshape self-image over time and soften long-held self-criticism. Writing affirmations down and placing them somewhere visible helps embed new beliefs into the subconscious, rather than leaving them as fleeting, wishful thoughts. Cultural background and the immigration experience shape the internal dialogue people carry, and naming that influence is often the first step toward changing it. Disciplined self-talk is presented as a practice rather than a one-time fix, something rebuilt daily rather than achieved once and forgotten. Connect With Tobi Ojekunle: Podcast: Mirror Talk: Soulful Conversations Website: mirrortalkpodcast.com Available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeart, and everywhere podcasts are found Episode Chapters: 00:00 - Cold open: the ongoing conversation everyone has with themselves 01:15 - Welcome to Healthy Mind, Healthy Life and introducing Tobi Ojekunle 03:40 - Growing up in Ibadan and the move to Germany as an international student 08:20 - The early scarcity mindset and financial pressure of student life abroad 13:05 - Treating thoughts and emotions as messengers instead of commands 18:30 - Finding gratitude for what once felt like flaws 23:50 - Writing affirmations down and making them visible 29:10 - How culture and immigration experience shape self-talk 33:45 - How to connect with Tobi Ojekunle and Mirror Talk   Want to be a guest on Healthy Mind, Healthy Life? DM on PM - Send me a message on PodMatch DM Me Here: https://www.podmatch.com/hostdetailpreview/avik Disclaimer: This episode is produced for educational and informational purposes only. All views expressed by the guest are their personal opinions alone and do not represent the views of the host or Healthy Mind by Avik™. The Network does not verify, endorse, or assume responsibility for any guest statements. Nothing in this episode constitutes medical, legal, financial, or professional advice, please consult a qualified professional before making any decisions. Listeners are encouraged to engage critically and independently with all content do not consume blindly. Use this content as a starting point for your own reflection and research, not as a substitute for professional guidance. Third-party content is referenced under fair use for informational purposes only. Guest speakers are solely responsible for their own statements. If you have concerns about any content, please contact us here By listening, you acknowledge and accept this disclaimer in full. Read detailed disclaimer here. Healthy Mind By Avik™️ is a global platform redefining mental health as a necessity, not a luxury. Born during the pandemic, it's become a sanctuary for healing, growth, and mindful living. Hosted by Avik Chakraborty, storyteller, survivor, and wellness advocate. With over 6500+ episodes and 200K+ global listeners, we unite voices, break stigma, and build a world where every story matters.

How losing friction hurts your work. Join my next LIVE Submit Your Almost-done Article in 3 Days Workshop: https://scholarsvoice.org/submit-in-3/   Join my signature program, Navigate, to publish your backlog of papers: https://scholarsvoice.org/navigate/   Sign up to my FREE email newsletter, In The Pipeline, for weekly emails on academic writing and publishing. Scroll to the form at the bottom of the page: https://scholarsvoice.org/  

Recently, during a group coaching call, one of our students told us she'd love to find someone to collaborate with in her business. Then she asked us a question: “How did you two find each other?” Well, the short answer is: It took years. And the long answer? That's what we're sharing today.Because this is our 100th episode! So we're taking you all the way back to the beginning—how we met, how our friendship grew, the moment we realized we should start a business together, and what we've learned about choosing the right person to collaborate with.It's story time with Sandy and Mary K. Listen in! For show notes go to https://writingoffsocial.com/100Find our Recommended Vendor List at writingoffsocial.com/vendors-- a curated collection of businesses, creatives, and service providers trusted by our community. Every vendor featured here has been personally recommended by members who have actually worked with them and had a great experience.

There is no shortage of footage immortalizing the men who spoke at the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom, when 250,000 Americans gathered beneath the Lincoln Memorial to call for an end to segregation. There were reverends and rabbis, activists and Rat-Pack icons—and of course the day's headliner, whose prophetic dream of a post-Jim Crow world has forever defined the Civil Rights Movement. But there is no “class photo” of the Black women who helped organize the march, performed on its main stage, or were honored during its “Tribute to Negro Women Fighters for Freedom.”In How Bright the Path Grows: The Untold Story of the Women Who Made the March on Washington (Pantheon, 2026), Pulitzer Prizing-winning author Marcia Chatelain weaves a gleaming group portrait of these singular women. Among this cohort were several household names: vaudeville icon Josephine Baker; civil rights activist Rosa Parks gospel legend Mahalia Jackson, and Daisy Bates, champion of the Little Rock Nine. But many were relative unknowns, including Eva Jessye, the choir director who designed the day's musical program, and Anna Hedgeman, the coordinator who pushed in the eleventh hour for a tribute to Black women's work.How Bright the Path Grows is a scintillating group biography, rendering the lives of thirteen Black women visionaries—some famous, others soon to be—in novelistic detail and like never seen before.Dr. Marcia Chatelain a Presidential Penn Compact Professor of Africana studies at the University of Pennsylvania. She is the author of South Side Girls and Franchise, which won the 2021 Pulitzer Prize in History, the James Beard Foundation Book Award for Writing, the Hagley Prize for Business History, and the Lawrence W. Levine Award from the Organization of American Historians. An active public speaker and educational consultant, Chatelain has received awards and honors from the Ford Foundation, the American Association of University Women, and the German Marshall Fund of the United States. You can find her on Instagram and TikTok. Subscribe, like, follow, and rate Additions to the Archive with Sullivan Summer on Instagram, Substack, and wherever you get your podcasts. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Most bank and credit union RFPs read like checklists, and checklists produce generic, unusable answers. Phil Marion, who leads Q2's proposal team and reviews about 10,000 RFP questions a month, explains why that approach fails financial institutions, and how to write an RFP that surfaces real, differentiated answers. On this episode of The Purposeful Banker, he shares practical, actionable steps for rethinking your next RFP process. Related Links [Guide] Your Digital Banking RFP Evaluation Guide [Webpage] The Work of Edward Tufte [LinkedIn] Phil Marion

Sam Miller returns to the podcast to discuss the transition from PCOS to PMOS, what the change actually means, and why the conversation seemed to disappear almost as quickly as it arrived.We also get into women's health messaging, sleep, training nutrition, endurance fueling, and the career setbacks that rarely make it onto social media.We discuss:• Why discussion around PCOS becoming PMOS died down after the initial attention• What the new terminology means for patients and future care• Why shifting attention toward actionable behaviours matters• Problems with self-diagnosis and self-labelling• The two extremes of women's hormonal health messaging• Dismissing symptoms versus convincing everyone they have a hormone deficiency• Finding a useful middle ground• Why eye masks and earplugs can improve the sleep environment• Important caveats around mouth taping• Building simple and repeatable sleep routines• Light exposure and circadian health• Why carbohydrates before training may improve performance• Fueling HYROX and endurance-style events• Intra-workout carbohydrates• Sam's professional failures and setbacks• Why social media creates a distorted picture of professional success• Writing, networking, and building a career• And much moreFollow Sam:@sammillerscienceCHAPTERS00:51 PCOS Renamed PMOS01:48 Why the Name Change Matters04:54 Will Practice Actually Change?07:02 Action Steps for PMOS08:21 Assessing History and Labs09:38 Tailoring Training and Nutrition15:00 Self-Diagnosis Culture17:27 Marketing and Mindset18:58 Two Extremes in Women's Health22:24 Finding the Middle Ground27:42 Sleep Routine Hacks28:04 Eye Mask Evidence29:49 Mouth Taping Caveats33:06 Travel Sleep Rituals34:14 Light Exposure and Metabolism35:54 Keeping the Ritual Simple36:34 Earplugs and Safety38:35 Carbs Before Training43:41 Fueling HYROX Events44:30 Intra-Workout Carbs47:41 Sharing Career Struggles58:54 Social Media Fears01:03:24 Writing and Networking01:05:11 Where to Find SamSUPPORT THE SHOW• Subscribe and check out more episodes• Share and tag @andrewcoatesfitness• Send this to someone navigating PCOS/PMOS or confusing hormone adviceFOLLOW ANDREW@andrewcoatesfitnesshttps://www.andrewcoatesfitness.comPARTNERS AND RESOURCES13-WEEK ONLINE GROUP STRENGTH PROGRAMSJoin my Men's or Women's programs:• Gym Upper/Lower• Home Upper/Lower• Full BodyGet full access to me with prompt responses.Use code SEPTEMBER10 to save 10%:www.foreverstrength.ca/join-now/Questions? Message @andrewcoatesfitnessI would love to coach you.RP STRENGTH APPUse code COATESRP:https://www.rpstrength.com/coatesTRAINHEROIC — FREE 90-DAY TRIALhttps://www.trainheroic.com/liftfreeReply to the email you receive or email trials@trainheroic.com and tell them Andrew sent you.L1 BIOMECHANICS AND ASSESSMENT COURSEUse code COATES:https://pro.activelifeprofessional.com/assessmentworkshopevents

Rachel Khong, author of My Dear You. Her debut novel, Goodbye, Vitamin, won the 2017 California Book Award for First Fiction, and was a Los Angeles Times Book Prize Finalist for First Fiction. Her second novel, Real Americans, was published by Knopf in April 2024, and was an instant New York Times bestseller. Her most recent book is a story collection, My Dear You, published by Knopf in April of this year. Rachel joins Barbara DeMarco-Barrett to talk about putting a story collection together, voice, writing speculative fiction, what comes first when she's writing a story, rejection, her favorite story in the collection, and much more. For more information on Writers on Writing and to become a supporter, visit our Patreon page. For a one-time donation, visit Ko-fi. You can help out the show and indie bookstores by buying books at our bookstore on bookshop.org. It's stocked with titles by our guest authors, as well as our personal favorites. And on Spotify, you'll find an album's worth of typewriter music like what you hear on the show. It's perfect for writing. Look for the artist, Just My Type. You can find hundreds of past interview on our website. (Recorded on March 20, 2026) Host: Barbara DeMarco-Barrett Host: Marrie Stone Music: Travis Barrett (Stream his music on Spotify, Apple Music, etc.)

Crying After Stroke: What Bobby Chaggar’s Recovery Taught Him About Grief and Strength The night his stroke happened, Ramandeep “Bobby” Chaggar didn’t feel what he expected to feel. No pins and needles. No dramatic collapse. Just a left arm that wouldn’t answer him anymore.  He limped to the kitchen anyway, poured a glass of water, and brought one back for his wife because that’s what you do, even when your body has just stopped taking instructions from half of itself. It wasn’t until the ambulance service ran him through the BFAST test over the phone that the word “stroke” entered the room. A right ischaemic pontine stroke, in December 2023. He was, by his own account, in the best health of his life at the time: no blood pressure issues, no diabetes, cycling a hundred kilometres most weekends. Growing Up Believing a Stroke Meant You Were Gone Bobby grew up in an era and a family where a stroke wasn’t something you researched; it was something you heard about secondhand. “That particular cousin’s father’s grandfather had a stroke, and he’s gone,” is how the news used to travel. Nobody around him distinguished a stroke in the brain from a stroke in the heart. There was no internet to check, only the flat, final verdict that passed between relatives: he’s done for.  It’s a belief he carried into his own stroke, even as his medical training Bobby spent years as a veterinary surgeon in India before qualifying in Australia told him something else was happening. That veterinary background is exactly why he recognised what was going on in his own body faster than most people would. It didn’t make the belief disappear. It just meant he was fighting it from the inside while everyone around him was still catching up. Why His Arm Seemed to Move Then Stopped In those first disorienting hours, Bobby was convinced his arm had started moving again. He filmed it and sent the video to his sister as proof, he thought, that he was already turning a corner. By morning, the movement was gone. “It was like a bad dream,” he says. “I was like, what was that?”  What he was seeing wasn’t recovery. Doctors later explained that in the earliest hours after a stroke, the body can still fire off remnant spinal reflexes old movement patterns held in the spinal cord that can briefly activate on their own, independent of the brain damage that’s actually occurred. It’s a strange, almost cruel mechanism: the body offering a flicker of hope before the real work of recovery has even started. The Physio Who Promised Him He’d Walk Again Bobby spent 45 days in rehabilitation at Parkville, six months in a wheelchair overall, and credits one moment above almost everything else: his first physiotherapist he calls her Hannah sitting on the floor, moving his foot, and telling him he would walk again. It mattered enough that his book was originally going to be titled Walking with Hannah, before privacy considerations changed the plan. His son, who narrates the audiobook, still opens the acknowledgements by thanking her directly. Learning to Cry Again This is the part of Bobby’s story that speaks most directly to what so many stroke survivors go through and rarely say out loud. In his culture, and in his family, showing emotion, especially for the men expected to be providers and caretakers, wasn’t really an option. When his father died in 1997, he was told to be strong for his mother and sister. When his mother died in 2013, he was told the same thing again. “I’ve been told that stroke is a part of grief, and you should not suppress your feelings.” It took his brother-in-law showing up every day to help him with basic care showering, dressing, the things that felt hardest to accept before something shifted. His own psychologist eventually gave him the instruction that reframed everything: put on your own life jacket first, before you try to save anyone else. It’s advice Bobby now extends to every caregiver he talks to: the person supporting a stroke survivor needs their own support too, or they burn out trying to hold everything together. He isn’t alone in this. Bill has spoken openly on the podcast about his own experience with unexpected, involuntary crying after a neurological injury, and how much energy goes into reassuring the people around you that the tears don’t mean something is wrong. For Bobby, permission to cry didn’t erase the culture he was raised in. It just meant he stopped fighting it. A New Normal, On His Own Terms Bobby’s recovery is full of small, deliberate acts of reclaiming identity. He got his first tattoo not long after his stroke, partly, he says, because people notice ink before they notice a limp. He’s spent years slowly making peace with not tying a turban the way he used to, calling himself, with real affection, a recovering “turbanator.” He built his own incline-and-decline walking circuit near his home and quietly upped the difficulty every fortnight, the same instinct that now has him choosing stairs over the lift at the allied health course he’s completing. Running, he says flatly, is overrated. He can’t do it anymore, and he’s decided that’s fine. It’s the same acceptance that let him and his family move to Perth just one month after his stroke, and then move back again when isolation made the recovery harder than the geography ever was.  None of it looks like the version of recovery he grew up believing in, the one where a stroke simply meant a story was over. Bobby’s version has a motorbike with a sidecar he now rides himself, a book he wrote one voice note at a time because typing with one hand wasn’t fast enough, and a fairly simple message for anyone who asked him to just think positively: some things are still hard, and that’s allowed to be true at the same time as everything else.  If you’re navigating your own recovery or supporting someone who is, Bill’s book, The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened (recoveryafterstroke.com/book), walks through ten practical tools for rebuilding after a stroke. And if trauma has made your world feel smaller than it used to be, Bill’s newest book, Your World Doesn’t Have to Stay This Small, is written for exactly that.  If this episode helped you, you can support the show directly at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Bobby Chaggar: Learning to Cry After Stroke (Interview) He was taught a stroke meant you were gone. Bobby Chaggar’s story proves otherwise and shows why crying after a stroke is nothing to hide. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction 02:00 Life Before the Stroke 09:28 Rehabilitation Journey 12:00 Crying After Stroke 14:52 Reflections on Recovery and Growth 26:33 The Promise of Recovery and Writing a Book 29:37 Cultural Identity and Personal Beliefs 37:28 Relocation and Its Challenges 41:44 The Importance of Caregiver Self-Care 44:10 Adjusting to a New Normal 51:09 The Journey of Riding Again 57:09 Bobby’s Journey of Unlearning and Grief Transcript: Introduction – Crying after stroke Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (00:00) I realized that I was having a stroke. because it was not their usual pins and needles and there was no sensation. I couldn’t move my arm. I managed to limp. I went all the way to the kitchen. I trudged a little to the kitchen. I had a glass of water, brought a glass for my wife. in the hospital, I thought my arm started moving. And the doctors, and when I got up in the morning, it was like a bad dream. No, it was not moving again. So I was like, what was that? Bill Gasiamis (00:19) Welcome back to Recovery After Stroke. I’m Bill Gasiamis and today I’m talking with Bobby Chaggar, a veterinary surgeon originally from India, now living in Melbourne, who survived a right ischemic pontain stroke in December 2023. Bobby’s story covers a lot of ground, the cultural belief he grew up with, that a stroke simply meant you were gone. The strange confusion of a spinal reflex that made his arm move before it didn’t. Physiotherapist whose promise changed the course of recovery and what it actually took for him as a man raised to be the strong one to let himself cry. Before we get into it, if trauma has made your world feel smaller than it used to be, my new book, Your World Doesn’t Have to Stay This Small, is exactly what it’s about. Search for it on Amazon or tap the link in the show notes to grab your copy today. And one more thing, this show exists because listeners decide it’s worth keeping going. There’s no other funding behind it. If an episode like this one has ever helped you or helped someone you love, even a few dollars a month on Patreon is what keeps these conversations free for the next person who finds themselves Googling this stuff alone at two in the morning, scared, looking for someone who’s actually been through it. That’s all. patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke.. A small amount every month makes a massive difference. But now let’s get into it. Here’s my conversation with Bobby. Bill Gasiamis (01:56) Bobby Chaggar. Welcome to the podcast. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (01:58) Thank you very much. Thank you. Thank you, Bill. Life Before the Stroke Bill Gasiamis (02:00) So you grew up in a house with 22 dogs, three cats and a trilingual parrot as well, right? So what’s the situation there? You’re living with pets. Were you important in your family or Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (02:10) Ha ha. Bill Gasiamis (02:11) did the animals come first? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (02:14) the animals definitely did come first. my mother was also a teacher, but she decided to stay at home and be a stay you know, stay a worker from home mom for for the for the kids. And my parents never used to say no to any patient. So they used to admit everything and anything. And in India also it’s quite common to rehome pets and a lot of times they don’t get proper homes. So we used to say yes to everything. So I I specifically remember this number because my mom had fallen and broken her shoulder once while walking in Labrador. So that day we counted the animals and we said, okay, no, after this, no more. That’s it. And the parrot was trilingual because the kids would play with him, so he wouldn’t know nursery rhymes, he would know the whistles, and then my grandmom’s dialect was Punjabi, so he could he could swear in Punjabi, and he could swear in Hindi because my mom was Hindi. So that’s why trilingual. Bill Gasiamis (03:08) I love that. That’s an awesome way to grow up. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (03:09) Yep. Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (03:12) Tell me about this bike though. So this Royal Enfield motorbike, what was the deal with that? Why was it coming to Australia? Why was it a big deal on that day? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (03:22) it was gifted to me by it was restored and gifted to me by my wife on my fortieth. And this time on my fiftieth, the guy who had restored it, he’s a friend of mine, he decided to build this sidecar and ship it to me. And it’s a vintage, it’s a nineteen seventy three. So I’ve literally grown up on motorcycles, drive riding them, and I was quite excited about the whole thing. And I was so excited because my son’s school was only five minutes away. So I was always looking forward that I’m gonna drop him off in school in the sidecar. It’s gonna be such a big thing for him. So it was quite cool. So that’s the reason we were expecting it. It took almost two months for it to come via ship. And you know, once a ship leaves the country, there’s no way of live tracking it. There they must must be ways for the guys who are doing it, but for the clients, they have no way. They have no clue. They just talk to the customer care. And you have no idea what’s happening. And suddenly one day it just pops up and they say, Yeah, it’s in customs. Here you go and you have to do this, this and this and come and pick it up. So that’s the excitement. Bill Gasiamis (04:23) So you get that phone call and that’s it. You’re on the bikes here. We’re going to go and get it. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:26) Yep, yep, yep. We were just looking forward for the bike. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (04:29) I love it. In your book, you wrote about your culture that when somebody Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:34) Mm-hmm. Bill Gasiamis (04:35) has a stroke, most people believe that you’re gone, right? And it seems like you also believe that where does a belief like that come from? And what did you do in the first few hours? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (04:47) You know the first because it’s it’s it’s not I mean in the era I’ve grown up there was not a lot of internet. They were only encyclopedias. So getting information was a little challenge. So as as kids when we were growing up, we were just here that that particular cousin’s father’s grandfather had a stroke and he’s gone. That particular person’s family member has has had a stroke and he’s done for. So you know a few things like that. But there are families who’ve been through stroke. Now I’ve realized and also met them. So they know stroke one could recover from the stroke and one also forgets about it over time. I’ve heard that. But mostly the thought process was because it was not too kind of a disease. And we also did not know what is a stroke in the heart. Some would someone would say he had a stroke in the heart, someone would say he had a stroke in the brain. So we had no idea what that meant. We could just as kids, as growing up people, we just knew that he had a stroke and he’s done for, he’s gone. That’s one. And because of my medical background, my veterinary background, I realized that I was having a stroke. because it was not their usual pins and needles and there was no sensation. I couldn’t move my arm. I managed to limp. I went all the way to the kitchen. I trudged a little to the kitchen. I had a glass of water, brought a glass for my wife. And I’ve also realized, learnt from doctors here that there are remnant spinal reflexes which work for some time. So those reflexes help you I think, navigate the initial few hours. It’s just that’s how we are made. Because I, you know, in the hospital, I thought my arm started moving. And the doctors, and when I got up in the morning, it was like a bad dream. No, it was not moving again. So I was like, what was that? And I have a video of that. I was sending it to my sister. Look, my arm is started to move. Wow, I’m so happy. So they told me that was just a part of the spinal reflex. So maybe that’s what made me go to the kitchen and back. So we called the Ambos and they did the BFAST test. It was FAST initially, but now the acronym has changed to BFAST. so they did that over the phone and they confirmed it was a stroke. And they were they said they’ll be at my place in two minutes. And then we made the second phone call to my brother in law who works with neurointerventional surgeons all over Australia. He’s also vet by education. So I thought he might be the best person to give me advice. And he always used to share his stories of patients, aneurysms, brain things, strokes. So I thought that, you know, he he will fix me, man. So we called Bill Gasiamis (07:10) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:11) him and he said, Come straight to Royal Melbourne and th that’s where I was. And and the Amus asked me, he they said, Your catchment is northern, but where do you want to go? I said, Please take me to Northern because my brother’s gonna be there. So they drove me to Royal Melbourne and that’s where my journey started. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (07:27) Yeah. My journey started at the Austin hospital, ended up at the Royal Melbourne as well. And I had my surgery there and I learned to walk again at the Royal Melbourne hospital and at their Parkville facility where the rehab was done. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:42) Yeah, that’s where I was. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (07:43) Yeah, good experience. Really helpful. So you are also a vet. Okay. A surgeon as well. Are all Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:52) Yes. Bill Gasiamis (07:53) vets surgeons? Do they all operate on animals? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (07:56) So in primitive times, the veterin surgery education is made around five types of animals, which is a canine, which is dogs, that that species, filine, which is cats, equines, which is horses, bovines, which is cattle, and one animal from wildlife, and one random fish, including birds. So we have to compare them in all aspects. So when we technically pass out, or rather I would say, When we used to technically pass out in those years, we were supposed to take take care of everything surgeries, medicine, prevention for all these species throughout. And obviously it was a it was a big experience learning practically as we went. Because when my father became a vet, my my grandparents were like, I don’t know whether anybody’s gonna get married to him or not. They they got worried. It was looked so down upon though that profession, you know. So he bought clamor to it. He showed everybody that passion. Can happen. It can happen in bed science also. In India. It must be good in other countries, but that’s all I know about India. Only the rich class had the dogs. The Britishers, they’re the people who were connected to the Britishers when they had gone, when they had left the country. Only that rich class was able to afford dogs because you know it was a poor country. So that’s where he started. Yep, yep. Yep. And now you have specializations Bill Gasiamis (09:05) Yeah, understood. Understood. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:08) on around everything. Now you can be a surgeon, you can be a bone surgeon. There’s a friend of mine, he’s a he’s a animal onko oncologist. So things like that. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (09:17) amazing how far things have come. So Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:19) yes, definitely. Yeah. Rehabilitation Journey Bill Gasiamis (09:20) the fact that you were kind of a surgeon, even if it was in veterinary surgery, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:28) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (09:30) does that kind of medical knowledge that you have make it harder to face what you’re going through? Do you apply those kind of medical skills onto your own condition? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (09:42) I would say it definitely helps in doing research and digging out evidence based study because that’s how we’ve been trained, right? So we have to we have been trained to look for specific information in a specific way. So I thought I think that is what probably helps a little bit extra when someone is from that background. So most of the medical jargon we understand because it’s same. Every all animals are same, mostly, except the ruminants which have four stomachs. So Bill Gasiamis (10:06) Mm-hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (10:07) so So the single stomach animals are mostly similar, and how the physiology of the body works, how the brain works, how the conduction works, all the diseases, they have things like MS, they have things like diabetes. We used to treat them all the time. So yeah, yes, it helps. It does. Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (10:22) Yeah, that’s fascinating. I love it. so give me a little bit of an idea of you’ve gone to hospital. you realize that your arm is moving and now it’s no longer moving. And then how long were you in hospital for? And what was that, experience like what, what was your hospital stay like? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (10:43) I remember I was very emotional. Even now I’m very emotional. If I talk about nice things, I end up crying sometimes. Or I laugh more, I cry more. But I was really worried at that point. I didn’t know what’s gonna happen. My cousins used to call me, my friends used to call me, doctors used to go past and they would tell me that you’ll be fine, man. And you know, that was you’ll be fine was was kind of unbelievable because nothing’s moving. I mean I I don’t know how that’s gonna happen. Bill Gasiamis (11:09) your left side your whole left side was gone. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (11:11) Yeah, I was on the wheelchair for about six months and I was in the same rehab as you just mentioned at Parkwell for 45 days. Bill Gasiamis (11:18) Hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (11:18) And if we must have been to the chapel, which is just behind the Parkville camp campus. So I used to go there every day. My son used to wheel me there. Yeah. So it was it was quite overwhelming for me because I didn’t know what was going on. I had heard that there are these injections which which are given within the golden period. Crying After Stroke And they can just reverse the stroke instantly. But I did not know the concept. So those injections basically work and dissolve the clot which is in the brain. But if if if the stroke is of a bleeder’s type, it can also kill the person. So we were waiting for the MRI. We are waiting for the MRI when’s that gonna happen. And it was unfortunately a Saturday night, Sunday morning. So everything were lined up. You know how the systems are in Melbourne. So all the emergency patients who are dying are first, people who are not dying are second, people who just Got normal things, they’re third. So things like that. So probably that took a little while. So I had my MRI on Monday. So I was in the hospital till Monday. I just had nurses coming in assessing me if I could stand, if I could step forward, step backwards. I mean, obviously they were doing my cognition tests and everything. I got tested for a drug which was is which is called clopedrogel, I think. that is the one which dissolves clots. So they give that as an oral thing to you and they test the blood in the body that whether it responds to that or not. So they are ready for it. As soon as they have the result, they just shoot you with injections. But it was unfortunate that I got diagnosed only in about twenty four hours. And then they moved me to the rehab. I was lucky to get a room and this amazing partner in my room, and that’s that’s when my rehab started. Bill Gasiamis (12:47) What was the cause of the stroke? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (12:48) Nobody knows. I was pr absolutely healthy. I don’t have blood pressure. I don’t have diabetes. I don’t have anything with I was cycling hundred kilometers on the weekend. I was walking my dog twice a day. I was very, very active. Even now I’m very active. I was I was when I was in rehab, obviously I started eating I was eating the same and I was obviously not exercising. So my weight went up to 120 kilos, for example, because my activity was so high. People were literally telling me that you’re eating like a Labrador, man. What happened? What’s happening? I was just like this. And the food in Royal Melbourne rehab is really good. They come to you with a menu and they ask you what you want. And so I was ordering everything I loved. So and I was hearing in one of your podcasts before, it it was literally like that. I had the I’ve had the best time of life in the last two years. Different realization, it’s changed me, and I’ve just had the best time. I always liked exercising. I’ve exercised Bill Gasiamis (13:39) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (13:42) exercised so much at the last two years, it’s not even funny. I think he must be listening that I want to exercise. He said, Okay, go for it, man. Bill Gasiamis (13:51) You got to, you, you sounds like you were given, this like massive learning opportunity, but also a scary learning opportunity. Things were really difficult. at one point, but things have kind of progressed. Well, things are going well and that’s awesome. you’ve taken it, you’ve taken it away where this is an opportunity to grow, to learn, to try new things. but what was it like on your on the day that you noticed some movement, like in rehab, I think was that on day 28 or something like that, there was a little bit of, first Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:26) I think it was twenty five it was I think. Bill Gasiamis (14:28) voluntary voluntary movement first, first, yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:30) Yeah, correct, correct. I still have that video. I remember there was this friend of mine who used to come to the hospital and she used to massage my arm. So that is also called I think it’s called passive passive stretching. And she would really press my arm and she will caught cause me pain. And I’ve been told that I’ve got a good pain threshold. Maybe that’s because of my martial arts training when I was younger. Reflections on Recovery and Growth Bill Gasiamis (14:52) Okay. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (14:53) So she used to press my arm and it was really painful. And I remember my roommate, he he had a problem with his arm, and they had to give him Botox injections to paralyze those muscles. So he could move and the muscles could be pain free. So that’s a that’s a routine thing which they do. So Botox is basically bottleneum toxin, which causes paralysis. and they give it in the muscle which is spas spas which is spasming for the person and it it releases the muscle and they feel better. So I was fortunate that she was there and I remember after her Three, four weeks of massaging my hand, and my wife used to be sitting beside my bed and she used to be pressing on my left leg, I remember. So that particular day I could see my foot move a little like this, b which I could. So that was that was a big one for me. I just cried and I didn’t know what to what to expect. my God. Yep. Bill Gasiamis (15:41) tears of relief. Yeah. that is all often a very good sign. And then, a lot of people kind of built from that. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (15:52) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (15:53) but were you, were you near the diabetic ward as well? Were you watching people, have amputations walking out after a few days and getting down about that, that they, why are they getting out so quick? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (16:06) So, you know, the the building which is opposite to the rehab facility on Parkville Road on the other side is the diabetic ward. Bill Gasiamis (16:11) Yep. Right. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (16:13) So those patients after their surgeries, after their treatments are shifted into rehab. And I could see that these guys are coming in and because initially I was a little curious that what’s happening here. This guy, you know, he’s he’s got an amputation and he’s just gone. After three days, four days, they would go away. So then they would new new patients come in, they would learn how to walk, then three, four, five days they’ll go away again. So I had no clue what was going on. But then over time I realized there was a diabetic ward. So those were guys was ob obviously coming in because of their neuropathies. They’ve lost some limbs. Some people were lucky, they only lost fingers, some people unlucky, they lost legs, arms sometimes. But it can be it can be quite challenging for them also, you know, certainly because it’s too quick. I I think stroke is still slow. It gets you ready, it gets you going, but it’s it’s slow paced. And now I’m an expert, I know what is gonna work. So I’m still completing three years in December. So With an exercise, I I know the stress and I know the difficulty and and and I can feel it. I can feel it that this will work. So in their in their case they don’t have time. They just lose a limb and they just have to learn in three, four days. Fortunately their brain is okay, so they are more you know, neuroplastic, I would say, but as compared to us. Bill Gasiamis (17:17) So was playing on your mind a little bit, seeing this difference in the way people were rehabilitating after an amputation compared to a stroke survivor. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (17:26) Yes, hundred percent. And considering that one of my family people, my uncles, cousins, far cousin, he had passed on because of this particular problem. And it because of the way the medicines and the medical system is in India, so I saw that he ha also had to be his one of his toes had to be amputated. and he had a neuropathy and then he lost his foot and he eventually died because of kidney problems. So this does happen in diabetic patients, very common. So it I kept thinking of those those days, you know, when I would I would hear of him, we would go and visit him in hospital. So it’s very different. They are Bill Gasiamis (18:02) Hmm. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (18:03) more conservative, they try to save the limb. Here they are more aggressive. They say that we if there’s a the there’s gangrene here, we want to cut from here and we want to make sure that you’re safe. Your life is safe. So they they are more aggressive here. Over there, they say, We’ll try to save this, we’ll try to save this, we’ll try to save this. So it’s it’s different. We have Bill Gasiamis (18:18) Yeah. So I’m to make a few huge assumptions. You’re a male, you’re Indian and your culture probably makes it difficult to accept care, especially when it comes to physical care. you know, being treated as stroke survivor in a rehabilitation hospital, when your left side’s not working means that people have to shower you and, help you at the bathroom and all that kind of stuff. What was that like for you? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (18:47) It was hard. Then that was another time when I was really crying. Maybe it happens to everyone, you know. I’m not special. But I I was I was quite emotional and it took me a couple of days to get used to my brother in law coming in, and he said, I’ll do it for you, man. And he’s he’s a champ. And he would come every day. So it’s in our culture, it’s it’s I think it’s maybe egoistic or maybe it’s how we are. That the elder people or the boys are more looked from a perspective of as providers and caretakers. So I remember when my father passed on in 97, I was told that be strong for your mom, be strong for your sister. And then when my mom passed on in 2013, I was told the same thing: be strong for your sister. But there was one of my friends, one of my uncles, who told me that, you know, you need to do something, you need to have a couple of drinks, go to a corner and just cry it out, man. It’s important. So now I know that grief is important. and I was I’ve been told that stroke is a part of a grief and you should not suppress your feelings. Like I can do with that box of tissues right now. I can go all out. No problem. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (19:50) Yeah, man. I’m the same. was just talking about my situation a few days ago. This happened to me in 2013. Brain surgery was in 2014 and I cry all the time. It’s not really like it’s strange. Have you heard of the super pseudo bulb affect? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (20:06) Which one is that? No, so no, I’ve Bill Gasiamis (20:07) It’s a condition. It’s a condition where people who with neurological injuries tend to cry, or laugh Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (20:14) More. Bill Gasiamis (20:15) more and out of the blue suddenly. And often at the beginning, it’s a very difficult to control. And then later it gets better. But then for me, I, you know, a couple of years ago, I was told to go and do a presentation for the Royal Melbourne hospital neurosciences, gala ball to, to tell them what stroke, sorry, what neurosurgery meant to me, you know, like, I’m only standing there because of neurosurgery without it, I wouldn’t be standing there. My surgeon was in the room. It was 400 people in the room. And I got up and I didn’t make it to the front lectern before I started crying. And then when I got up to say the speech, I was holding on to the lectern, just waiting for the crying to stop just so that I can start the speech. And then through the speech, I had to stop a couple of times. Now I wasn’t upset. I wasn’t sad. was, I was excited, but the 400 people and the, situation talking about me, my family, et cetera, and having to describe what neurosurgery meant to me made it impossible to get through that speech. I got through it, but it was, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:16) Yep, yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (21:20) but it was interesting to go through that, you know, 13 years, you know, 12, 13 years later, like it was, yeah, crazy. So, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:25) Two thirty news, huh? So Bill Gasiamis (21:28) It’s not uncommon, very, very common. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:30) So tell me something, is it easy for you to have a poker face? Bill Gasiamis (21:34) If the, not in a, not in a situation where I have to talk about something that’s emotional, that’s about me, my experience. And if my family involved, forget about it. can’t stay out kind of the poker face. No way. Yeah. But I can in a poker game when we’re trying to take somebody else’s money. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (21:52) I think same, same. So it’s similar. I can I can cry on animations also. And my son says that he’s crying, you it’s on animation also. It’s a good movie. Good movie story. And that’s you’re done. Bill Gasiamis (21:59) Yeah. Yeah, I used to cry with the cat tripping over or something Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:05) Ha ha ha. Bill Gasiamis (22:06) silly, know, crazy stuff. And my wife would be going, what are you crying about now? I don’t know. I’m just crying. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:12) Short short. Bill Gasiamis (22:15) And the difficult part is not me. It’s the people around me thinking that I’m sad or thinking that there’s something wrong. And that’s reeducating them so that they know that’s not what’s happening. what’s today today we’re recording on Saturday on Thursday night. I was in Melbourne at Marvel stadium. there was an electronic dance music festival, 60,000 people in a stadium for a DJ. It Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (22:39) wow. Bill Gasiamis (22:39) was a most amazing electronic dance laser show. It was sensational. Now my wife didn’t see because it was too dark and she was focusing on the show, but you know, I had about three or four moments where I cried. But it wasn’t big cries, it was just tears and excitement and something else happening that made me cry. And I was moved by the fact that I was A, at the event, B, it was such an amazing event that all the people there were having a great time. Like, it was moving rather than sad or upsetting or, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (23:14) I understand. Bill Gasiamis (23:16) and telling, kind of trying to bring people into understanding that that’s what’s happening. That was the hard part because you know, we’re from a Greek family. They see you cry. Everything’s terrible. Everything’s bad. You know, they don’t know. They don’t know how to deal with it. You know, so you’ve got to reeducate people. That was the hardest part of that experience for me. That’s all it was. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (23:37) No, because I keep thinking that since I was always in sales and I enjoyed my sales, I don’t know if that’s gonna settle down ever with me, my emotions. Bill Gasiamis (23:47) will, it will settle down and then sometimes it will just come out of nowhere and you won’t, you wouldn’t have expected it. Yeah. It changes for a lot of people. remember interviewing one gentleman. can’t remember his name now. And on the, on his wedding day, he told me that he was almost dehydrated from crying so much, you know, and he needed to continue, continue his fluids so that he doesn’t dehydrate. It was. We laughed about it like you and I are laughing. Cause that’s he’s got to that stage where it’s like, wow, you know, it is what it is. Like no big deal. He was totally moved by the fact that he was a alive, able to be at the wedding, get married to the person that he loved. and then, and then later on they had a kid and it was down all downhill again from there, you know, more tears, more crazy stuff. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (24:33) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (24:34) It’s, it’s, it’s involuntary. And I think it’s actually very helpful for me. It’s helpful to just get it out. Like what your mate said, you know, just go into the corner and have a cry, get it out, and this whole thing, you know, our culture is the same and many cultures are the same. It’s like, you know, the men are not supposed to show emotion. You’re supposed to toughen up, you know, be stronger for everybody else. And nobody checks in with you to say, you know, okay, how are you doing now? That’s That’s just how it is. Many cultures are like that. So who’s Hannah? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (25:05) So Hannah was my first physio who was, you know, it’s it was quite moving for me from that perspective as well. Because I I always thank and thank my stars that I got unwell in Australia. Because there are so many systems here which help younger people like NDIS and got all kinds of help. And and the medical is top-notch. The medicine is top-notch. The first day that I remember they took me to the physio room. I had this pretty girl. I c we couldn’t see them because you know it was post COVID so everybody was still using masks. But I could just see the eyes. And she was so beautiful. So she sat on the floor and she was moving my foot. So it was quite moving for me, even now. Sorry for that. Bill Gasiamis (25:41) Yeah. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (25:42) So that was Hannah. Initially, my book was supposed to be called Walking with Hannah. So, but one of my advisors told me that look, if the book becomes really popular, then she is gonna benefit more. Change the name, man. Change it. And there are different privacy laws in Australia. So just to make sure that you are around the privacy laws, don’t put anybody’s name on it. Bill Gasiamis (26:03) Like you’re on the ground. She’s moving your leg or your foot and she makes you a promise that you would walk again. Now that’s a pretty big deal to hear that from somebody who’s in the rehabilitation space trying to help you to recover. And I think at the same time, that’s kind of when you had the realization that you should write a book. how did that come about? What was the, why did that carry so much weight that situation? The Promise of Recovery and Writing a Book Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (26:33) Should I be ready with our tissues? Have you had people who really, really break down badly on a show? Is it okay? Bill Gasiamis (26:39) Yeah, yeah, yeah. yeah, it’s okay. And yes, they have. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (26:43) So I think in that situation For me, only that one promise coming from a physio was a big deal. I wanted to share with my friends, I wanted to share with my clients. I’ve got a lot of good people in my book, and vice versa. So I I wanted to share with all of them what I’m going through. So I was constantly taking pictures, recording voice notes. I was not so good at typing because you know I just had gone from two hands to one hand. So I just couldn’t type. So I was I was doing a lot of voice to text notes, I was writing notes, I was taking pictures, I was taking videos. We are very audiovisual. I am very audiovisual rather. So I was really doing a lot. And then I also have a habit of listening to audiobooks. And I was doing prayers and I was listening to audiobooks. I don’t even remember what book I was listening to. maybe I think it was Andrea Gossi the one. I was listening to that one. Moving story. Good story. So I thought, hey, why why don’t why can’t I convert all this what I’m writing into a book? So and I had ample time. So I thought Bill Gasiamis (27:41) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:42) I was like, yeah, let’s do it. It was not it was not a business model. It was not Bill Gasiamis (27:45) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:45) something which will actually make money. There was no thought around it. I just Bill Gasiamis (27:48) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (27:48) wanted to write a book. I was just emotionally wanted to write a book. I was just compulsive. I wanted to write a book. That’s it. Done. Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (27:55) I love it. I know that I know that feeling like same same here when I wrote the first book, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (28:01) Yes go. Bill Gasiamis (28:01) the unexpected way this joke became the best thing that happened. It was like, I’ve learned all of this stuff. And I kind of don’t want to forget it. I want to have it in one space. I want to capture the moment as well. Like it’s like a time in history, a snapshot Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (28:14) Yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (28:14) of history, you know, that book. And if I can just put everything in a book, then I could well, I could have a book, but then if people want to buy it and it helps them. then that would be a bonus. So it was the idea was about that. And then, of course, when you have a book, you may as well have the best book, and you may as well sell as many copies as possible. Well, what’s the point of having a book otherwise, you know, you want to make sure that it gets sold. So I really relate to what you’re saying about that. My book idea came in hospital as well. So no, the podcast came in hospital as well. I was getting wheeled transferred from the Royal Melbourne. to Parkville and I was waiting in the transit lounge and that is when I had the idea to start the podcast, but I was never going to do it. I don’t think I was going to do it. A friend of mine put the idea in my head later on again. And because of that, the podcast emerged. I had the idea, he reinforced it. And then I went ahead and did it. And the book again was an idea from another friend. You’ve learned all this stuff, know, you know, how, are you going to do with it? You how are you going to… tell other people about it. The podcast was one way and then the book was another way. And of course, then it’s not just about me, it’s about other people as well. Now, if I understood correctly, are you from the religion, the Sikh religion? Did you seek right? Cultural Identity and Personal Beliefs Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (29:37) Yes, I’ve yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (29:40) And in the religion turban is quite important. How was that? How is dealing with that situation where your left side doesn’t work and the use or the need to have a turban on your head, do you kind of deal with that? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (29:57) So I’ve been through times in my life when I was without a turban for a couple of months because I had a ac I had a small unfortunate accident with my Jeep. So I had to cut off a little bit of hair, so I just didn’t bother p going back to the turban initially. So and and I was I’m not very religious, religious. So And I was very proud of my turban because people used to tell me that your turban looks fantastic, man. You’re the best looking Sikh we’ve we’ve seen around, you know. So I was quite proud of it. And I was I used to feel on top of the world with my turban. So every every trip of mine, every travel of mine, I had to pack a couple of turbans and and I’m I think I am O C D. So I used to match it with my shirt. Sometimes I used to match it with my ties. It should should be the same color. Sometimes I’ll match it with my jeans. So you know it was it was quite a task. Every time I’m traveling. But I loved it. Having said that, I decided that my son is not gonna be a turbanator. I called myself a turbanator because of the same reason. I said that’s one thing less to take care of. It’s not that I don’t w want him to be a Sikh. He he realizes he’s a Sikh. He’s a good Sikh. He does what I do in the Sikh Sikh temple as well, which is serve. But from a religious perspective, he’s okay. He you don’t have to have a turban on your head to be that religion. You know, you can be a good person from that religion perspective also. So I was very proud of it and not being able to do it initially was a big blow to my ego or my you know image in my own brain. I lost I lost my identity, I I thought, and and my my prayer consisted of that that you know I hope I can go back to tying a turban. Even you can see I still don’t dye a turban. A lot of my friends tell me that I look good like this. The man bun suits me. But you know, I’m like, okay, go with the flow. Well, let’s see, let’s see. Bill Gasiamis (31:37) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (31:38) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (31:39) so it’s challenging for people, right? Like if somebody is wearing a turban for their entire lives, then they have a stroke and then they can wear a turban because they can’t tie a turban. Then you can understand why that would be impactful in another way, you know, to their identity, to, their beliefs, to all the things that are associated to a turban. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:00) You know, it was it was more like a shame. It was more like Bill Gasiamis (32:03) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:03) a shame of an uncovered head, nothing on the Bill Gasiamis (32:06) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:06) head. Because whenever my father would get up in the morning, he’ll make sure that he just wraps around a cloth around his head. When I would whenever I would get up in the morning, I’ll put something on my head, then I’ll go out. So, you know, we had a smaller version, we had a bigger version, which was a formal more formal thing. So we were always used to having something on the head. So it’s what which was more shame shameful, you know? Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (32:25) Yeah. Is it personal shame or is it or back in the day was a shame within the community from other people? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (32:33) I think we were we were brought up both ways. So personal shame number one, and a lot of times when we had gone to temples with a cap on my head, for example, some elder would come up to me and they were this is a very conservative community also in those times. You know, they would tell Why you wearing a cap? Just take it off. If you like wearing a cap, you can just cut your hair. Or if you know, Sikhs and smoking don’t go together. So it’s not that the religion says that you can’t smoke. Since they are warriors, they’re supposed to be a warrior race. It was just said that you don’t do any kind of bad thing to your body, just take care of yourself, be healthy. So if if if someone saw a Sikh smoking in public, they will definitely go up to them and tell them that if you are a Sikh, why you smoking, man? You should cut your hair. Just take it easy. So things like Bill Gasiamis (33:10) Uh-huh. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:10) that. It was a very conservative society and it was a taboo. Smoking was a taboo, for example. So that’s how we grew up. So that’s the turban part. But I was I was more more spiritual and I was just more Personally ashamed of not being able to do it. Bill Gasiamis (33:23) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:24) But I think it’s it’s it’s worked well. So I’m I’m kind of in a in a gray area now. You know, I’ve come back to hair. So I I will I will I’m open to tying it again. I want to do it, but I’m not rushing it. I know it’ll Bill Gasiamis (33:34) Yeah. Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:36) happen. It’ll happen one day, 100%. But I’m not Bill Gasiamis (33:38) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:39) too eager. Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (33:40) a lot of stroke survivors get tattoos. Did you get a few? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (33:43) yes. This one for example And it’s got my son’s name here. is it? It’s here. That’s Raj, Raj, yeah, that’s his name. So Bill Gasiamis (33:55) Uh-huh. Is that the impact that arm that, the arm that was impacted by the stroke? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (34:00) It’s it’s very funny you asked that because you know we were not very pro tattoo. I mean, to to risk due respect to everybody who’s got a tattoo. It’s not it’s nothing negative. But we we were not very inclined to color our bodies in any r any way, right? When we grew up. So, but but there’s a friend of mine who was visiting me in hospital. He had a few, and he was in New Zealand for a long time. So he was he had that Kiwi influence, he had a Kiwi wife. my first nurse who sat with me and she told me that, you know, you’ll be fine. And she held my hand. So she had a few. So maybe that had my had an effect. And then my brother in law said, he said, just don’t worry, man. When he’s when he saw me upset, he just told me, he You don’t have to be upset, you’re alive. Just just get okay, get a few tattoos, just travel around the world, do that. So, you know, that was that’s just got stuck in me. That okay, I want to do this. So I did it. Got it done. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Bill Gasiamis (34:52) Was it like also, I Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (34:54) Mm. Bill Gasiamis (34:54) think you mentioned in your book, it was like a bit of a protection. Is this some, is was a way to change the conversation? what other role did it serve? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (35:03) So, you know, at that point I got it done specifically at that point because of the same reason. So I wanted to get it done, but I didn’t know when. So I just thought of it. I remember one day I was walking past someone and he was coming to that table and he sat down and people asked him about his tattoo, which is that which he had on his leg. So I was like, hey. So people are just noticing that. He’s such a gorgeous looking guy, man. He’s well dressed and look at his specks, what he’s wearing. Look at the car, he’s come in. So he was quite polished. So and still he had tattoos. So the it broke the s the usual stereotype, you know? Everything that’s stereotypical. So I thought, yeah, I think this is the right time for me if I want to do it, because people will not notice my little limp. Because I was still limping and I was in a bad way for for at least a year. I was quite negative in my mind. I mean, and especially when I was 120 kilos, I don’t know what to do about do about it because I could not exercise, I could not cycle. Just didn’t know what to do about it. And I could not fast at that time because I I was having so many medicines morning and evening. So it it would call a cause acidity. So I was quite negative end of the spectrum. But that’s the time when I realized when I then I thought that I don’t care about anybody else. I am just doing this, man. So I looked up a few people and this lovely girl who used to come to drive for me, she took me around we were in Perth at that time. So she took me around my house and we went we visited a few places and then there was this lovely gentleman who was coming to Perth and he was apparently from Melbourne. So that was my turning point. So this happened in December. I booked him for for my appointment for for my tattoo in Perth. But then he told me that he he said, look, if you want to move back, if you are moving back eventually, because I had that in my mind. I wanted to move back. So he said if you’re moving back, I’m based out of Melbourne, just come to me there. So that’s when it happened. That was my new year gift to myself. And everybody was so, you know, amazed with my the the thing which I had done on one leg. And they were like, Wow, that’s a good one. Man, where do you do it? I was like, there’s a special guy who does this. So I was just end up talking of that and not of anything else. I was so happy. I think, Bill Gasiamis (37:00) I love it. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (37:00) yeah, that helped that helped in my recovery for sure. Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Yeah. Relocation and Its Challenges Bill Gasiamis (37:02) Great distraction, great distraction. Yeah. That’s a great idea. So one of the things my wife says to me every so often, she says, we should go live in a different location for a little bit, know, try the beach or whatever. And I’m thinking, well, you know, that sounds like a great idea. But in my immediately in my mind and in my body, I tense up and I just find that thinking about moving. emptying a house, filling another house, doing all that stuff just fills me with like dread. And I don’t know why it’s her idea is a great idea, but I just feel kind of comfortable or whatever. But I wouldn’t think of moving. You moved your family back to Perth. And what was that like? Because. I can’t imagine leaving Melbourne and going to Perth and packing up the whole family, the whole house and all that kind of stuff and doing that. Not because I can’t do them. I can’t live in another location because I can’t do all the work that comes with that before and all the work after. It feels like it’s going to take up way too much of my attention, time, energy. What was the move like for you? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (38:10) So imagine if you can say that ten, fifteen years into your stroke after recovering so much. So for for even that far recovery is difficult for them. So doing it one year into the stroke, or I would say one month into the stroke and moving everybody lock, stock, and barrel. I think that was the silliest idea I had. But my family supported me and we did it together and we did it. But it was pretty lonely for me. I was pretty lonely. We had no friends, we had no support system there. Although we were in a very good place, we were very central as compared to the country here. Because we were st always struggling to get physios in, OTs in. So it was, you know, a constant struggle. So over there we were central, so everything was okay, we’ll do this. It was just bang on. And I spent a good time just learning I mean, getting myself stronger, walking every day in the morning. So that was the positive. But I was quite negative, in here. Physically I was positive, but mentally I was quite I was a goner. Bill Gasiamis (39:03) Isolated, Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:03) But Bill Gasiamis (39:04) you isolated yourself Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:06) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (39:07) unwittingly. Like you didn’t expect that that would happen. Is it just something that happened later? You, realized later. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:14) And plus, you know, I my my job, I my job questioned me that why should we not terminate your thing? Because we don’t have much in Perth. So if even if you become okay, why should we not Not let you come back. I mean, so we had the discussion and they almost fired me, but they were happy to take me back when I was back in Melbourne, but they still let go of me. So I don’t know where what happened. I don’t have a job. Bill Gasiamis (39:36) Yeah. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (39:36) So yep. So I think that was a very silly decision. But that whole year I spent like that in December, I moved for my son’s holidays to my sister’s house in Melbourne. She’s also in Melbourne, and we were there for about two months. she’s in the Bay side. So after spending that quality time with family and people who were familiar, I had friends visiting me, I had people visiting me, I had so many doctors, I had these doctors’ support system from RMH. supportive stride strides workshop, which was happening, things like that. So it was it just helped me recover. And I thought that this is it, man, that this is what I should do. And and then I was, you know, I was still talking to my psychologist over the phone, and she in the book by mistake, I I just wrote a he. I think I missed the S because of this bloody autocorrect. She told me that look, you need to wear your seat your life jacket first. You know, that was one statement. Ha ha. made me calculate and rethink. So that’s when we decided, okay, let’s come back. So twice, twice in here. Yep, Bill Gasiamis (40:38) Well then. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (40:39) yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (40:40) You need to wear your life jacket first. That’s Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (40:42) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (40:44) such an amazing statement. And also, it’s really important for caregivers to remember that that they need to wear their own life jacket first. Because caregivers go through this with their loved ones, whoever they’re caring for that had a stroke, and they put themselves second. And then they suffer, they suffer because they haven’t got time to themselves because they get on well. And often with people who are very kind of motivated to help their loved one. Often they end up becoming sick and passing away before the stroke survivor. So everyone needs to put on their life raft, their own life jacket first. Once they’re stable and everything is okay, then they need to assess what they can do for the other person. I love that. Such a profound statement. I can see why it moved you so much. Often stroke survivors also complain, not complain, but they mention when somebody says, just think positively. what was it like for you to hear that? Just think positively Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (41:43) Okay. The Importance of Caregiver Self-Care Bill Gasiamis (41:44) statement. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (41:44) I think my an analyzing people was out of the window. I was not analyz analysing anyone. I’m I’m not even judgmental as a person. So I don’t easily judge. I trust people at the first instance. Sorry. So it was quite common to hear that all the time. And I wouldn’t even tell anybody that I’ve had a stroke. I wouldn’t tell them. I will just talk to them. I will try to hide my walk. I don’t know, I was a little shameful. I don’t know why. For example, I’m reskilling to be an allied health assistant at the moment in Boxhill Institute. So it took me about six months before I disclosed to my class that, you know, I walk funny sometimes because of my stroke. Because I just didn’t want to tell anybody. I was a little apprehensive. And when I warmed up when everybody got to know me and I was I’m like probably the friendliest in the class. So everybody likes me. So then I told everybody, they’re friends. I said this is this is what has happened, that’s my book. Please read it. See if it helps someone. And I don’t know if this book is gonna actually help someone or not. I don’t know if there’s no scientific information in that. There’s no medical information. But what is gonna help in that book, I’m not sure. But the idea was just if even it can help one person. Bill Gasiamis (42:46) Yeah, that’s the thing. That’s interesting. I put podcast episodes out all the time. I I’ve got no idea which part will help, but somebody will reach out and they’ll pick an obscure part of the podcast episode. I’ll say that really helped me hearing that really helped me. And I was like, okay. Cool. We’ve, we’ve, we’ve achieved our outcome. It helped you. I’m happy that it helped you. And because everyone is in a different position and they’re looking for different types of information and you know, what’s, the timeline that they’re in in their recovery, whether it’s emotional, mental or physical is unique to them. So that one word might be overlooked by you and me, but then somebody else goes, that’s just the word I needed to hear. And that’s why 400 episodes of the podcast are really good because there’s something in at least one of those episodes for everybody, you know, so it will, it will help. It will make it so that people maybe even if they just realized that they can write a book, maybe if they realize that they could just share their story, that’s all, that’s good enough. Adjusting to a New Normal So, how about this whole new normal statement? Now some people are told that they have to adjust to their new normal. And I kind of, I see why people say that it helps with acceptance in some situations when you have to let go of how you went about the past, how you did your life previously. when you were more physically able-bodied or more cognitively able. So how did you handle the new normal comment statement? Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (44:20) I obviously didn’t like it initially. But then, you know, the whole religious part and how we’ve been brought up, it’s with a lot of acceptance. So which is, I think, important for a child sitting next to someone who’s a nobody, or for a child who’s sitting next to someone who’s super duper rich. Maybe he’s a prime minister of the country, but they are sitting on the same level and having food, for example, on the floor. Someone who’s sitting next to you who’s who cleans houses on the floor. They’re humans. So I think that probably got me ready for the acceptance. I mean, that that primed me for the level of expect acceptance we had. I had to work less towards accepting things. and yeah, for example, I can’t run at the moment. But then what I say to people about that, that it’s overrated, I don’t care. You know, for example, so that’s it. That’s my acceptance. That’s what I do. Make a joke of it, man. That’s it. You can’t do it, you can’t do it. What do you do? Bill Gasiamis (45:11) Dude, it is overrated. That’s the I’m going to use that now as well. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:16) Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (45:18) In a couple of weeks, I’m going to go and spend some time away with a friend of mine. I’ve got a really amazing friend. We grew up together. He used to work at the Royal Melbourne hospital when I was there. He was a radiographer and he would come and see me when I was admitted. He would do my scans. Amazing. Like I’ve known this guy my entire life since I was about four years old. And we’re going to go and spend eight days just away from the whole family, the wives, everybody. We’re just going to go to Hawaii for a little bit. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:46) Are you going running? Bill Gasiamis (45:46) He said to me, I wake up in the morning and I go for a run. I said, fantastic. I’m going to wake up in the morning and go for a walk. You go for a run. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:52) Yeah. Bill Gasiamis (45:53) I’m not running. I can’t run. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (45:55) You can run either, huh? Yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (45:56) Not anymore. No. My left leg, my left leg goes down a little bit differently from my right leg. And because I have proprioception issues and the feeling is not correct, I never know when it’s exactly in the right position. And I risk injuring my knee because sometimes I can overextend, hyper extend. And, and Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (46:15) Yep, yep, yep, yep. I know exactly what he’s saying, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (46:17) I’m really concerned. And also my ankle, I’m not comfortable with my the foot going down and my ankle being solid. So I don’t want to run. I can run across the road to make sure that I’m safe and there’s no car coming too fast or injuring me, but I’m not running two kilometers or a marathon or anything like that. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar (46:37) I think walking is better. Yep, yep, yep. Bill Gasiamis (46:38) Yeah, I have to think about it too much as well. And it makes it more fatiguing, more exhausting. Ramandeep (bobby) chaggar

Lindsay Crouse reveals the surprising signs that your grit may be working against you. — YOU'LL LEARN — 1) How purposeless endurance keeps you stuck2) How small acts of quitting can make bigger decisions better3) Why we're so afraid to quit–and how to get over it Subscribe or visit AwesomeAtYourJob.com/ep1184 for the full transcript!— ABOUT LINDSAY — Lindsay Crouse is an independent producer and journalist and author of The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out. A 15-year veteran of The New York Times, her Emmy-nominated work on women's sports brought widespread change to the industry, including maternity protections for elite athletes sponsored by Nike. In The Times's Opinion section, she wrote and commissioned widely read essays and produced hundreds of short documentaries, including commissioning The Times's first Academy Award-winning film. A life-long competitive distance runner, she graduated from Harvard College, and lives in New York City with her family.• Book: The Case for Quitting: The Surprising Benefits of Opting Out – Revolutionary Strategies for Personal Growth and Shifting Your Mindset on Success• Instagram: @lindsaycrouse• Website: LindsayCrouse.com— RESOURCES MENTIONED IN THE SHOW — • Book: A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith• Past episode: 798: How to Have Difficult Conversations about Race with Kwame Christian— THANK YOU SPONSORS! — • Shopify. Sign up for your free trial at Shopify.com/awesomepodSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.