Music is the freakin’ best. They say that you can’t stay upset or depressed if you put a smile on your face. I say you can’t stay upset or depressed if you just put on some music. Music is like a shot of pure serotonin that bypasses your brain and hits your right in the soul. In order to have this wonderful drug we have to have people that make music, and in order to have that we need to have those that teach and inspire. Today’s guest is a Jr. High school band director that inspires kids to connect with music and create it for themselves.
Pastor (with David Massey)
Atheism and agnosticism may have growing numbers in the Western world, but they still pale in comparison to that of Christians. As a self described, ‘I don’t know what I believe in’, it’s hard for me to understand how anyone has 100% faith in anything. Be it Christianity, atheism, the current model of space and time, I don’t really know if we have any of it right…or wrong…or whatever. I mean, I’m only human. Today’s guest is also only human, but he does have 100% faith that we’ve been shown the way to faith, spirituality, and eternal life through Jesus Christ. David is a super awesome, super kind pastor that sat down with me for over two hours to discuss our differing belief (or disbelief) systems. This is part one where we also discuss just what the heck a pastor does all day.
Ayurvedic Practitioner (with Jackie Christensen)
Is technology always a good thing? I don’t just mean electronic gadgetry; I mean any form of scientific advancement. This past century has been such an interesting one where we’ve come SO far with science and medicine, only to realize that moving forward is not always progress. We can grow more crops than ever thanks to pesticides and genetically modified seeds, only to realize that our food doesn’t carry the same nutritional value, and our fruits and vegetables don’t look and taste the same as they once did. We can double the size of our pigs so that we can have bacon on just about everything, but the super-sized pigs are so fragile that they can’t even go outdoors or they’ll die from disease or infection. We have a plethora of antibiotics to kill off pathogens, and we now have a growing list of antibiotic resistant bacteria. Perhaps it is due to this that more than ever people are skeptical of the ‘better by science’ approach and are trying old school methods for health and well being. One of the more popular and interesting approaches is Ayurveda. The ancient Indian science/study/philosophy of health and well being is REALLY old school, but as you’ll hear, many of it’s ideas and principles seem to be popping up all over lately.
Creative Marketing Prodigy (with Brent Underwood)
The world sure has become a fast moving place. Everything is ever-changing, and trying to gain a handle on it all feels more and more impossible. Just when I start to feel like I really understand a current technology or app, another ‘must have’ is just around the corner or already taking its place. There are some amazing people though, that seem to thrive in this setting. Those special few that stake their claim in a field and proclaim that they will be at the forefront, they will be the ones seeing and making change. They do not get left behind as they do not wait for any playbook, and boldly venture out into unknown frontier to swiftly meet whatever success or failure lies ahead. Today’s guest is one of these people in the field of marketing, and his company’s ideas will expand and/or blow your mind.
House Cleaner (with Two Girls One Mop)
I want you to think for a moment about the top 5 things that you hate doing. My made up survey says that the top answer on that list would be cleaning. Ugh. I don’t even like writing the word! You know something is no good when everyone can easily do it, and yet TONS of individuals pay other people to do it for them. Today we hear finally hear about the not so bad side of cleaning…and the weird side; it’s really a good, bad, ugly sort of situation. We’ll learn about what it’s like to be on the other side of the mop, getting paid for it.
Documentary Film Maker (with Jeremy Newberger)
Documentary film is a truly amazing form of art and storytelling, and thanks to the rise in popularity of streaming services like Netflix, we seem to be living in the golden age of the documentary. From gripping crime stories, to heart-opening human connections, to downright eye-opening, world-view-changing film, documentaries don’t just entertain, they educate. And as Sea World can tell you post Blackfish, that education has a lot of power. So what is it like to wield that sort of power? What is it like to have your audience demand that you both entertain them, and give them some food for thought?
Sportscaster (with Scott Lynn)
Is there a better unifier of people than sports? For that matter, is there a better divider of people than sports? What a unique thing to completely bring groups of strangers together out of a shared love for their team, and tear others apart out of their geographical patronage. That sure is some intense emotion that sports stirs up! I, for one, love sports and its unadulterated expression of hard work and teamwork ultimately paying off. I also just love being able to watch people who are the best at their craft do their thing. Seeing Steph Curry hit three after three really is a beautiful thing. Today’s guest, Scott Lynn, has spent his life watching and commenting on sports. As you would imagine, he feels like a very blessed man, and has a lot to say about a life spent with the greats.
Director & Author (with Michael Goorjian)
Isn’t it interesting how long storytelling has been a part of human civilization? It has always been there as this integral piece of society and culture, and was even around before there was any concept of society or culture. We can use acting and storytelling to entertain; it can take us on a journey and bring out all of our emotions. In it’s more deep form it can also make us think and help us grow as people. It develops our empathy and can help us tackle ideas in an abstract way that we may be too unprepared to face head on. For all these reasons and more, today’s guest, Michael Goorjian, has made storytelling his life’s work. From acting, to directing, to writing, Michael has done it all and done it well.
Actor (with Michael Goorjian)
Isn’t it interesting how long storytelling has been a part of human culture? It has always been there as this integral piece of society and culture, and was even around before there was any concept of society or culture. We can use acting and storytelling to entertain; it can take us on a journey and bring out all of our emotions. In it’s more deep form it can also make us think and help us grow as people. It develops our empathy and can help us tackle ideas in an abstract way that we may be too unprepared to face head on. For all these reasons and more, today’s guest, Michael Goorjian, has made storytelling his life’s work. From acting, to directing, to writing, Michael has done it all and done it well.
Nonprofit (with Amanda Brock)
If I had a dollar for every time I wished I had a dollar, I’d be the Bill Gates of dollars. Is money really where it’s at though? John Lennon and The Beatles sure didn’t think so. Mark Zuckerberg recently decided to begin the process of giving 99% of his Facebook shares toward learning, curing disease, connecting people and building strong communities. That is A LOT of dollars! It seems for many people that make it to the top financially there’s still a longing to do more, to give back. One of the best ways to give back is to find a great non-profit that you believe in, and support it. Today’s guest, Amanda Brock, found a non-profit that she loved and started donating her time and money. After a time that wasn’t enough and she left her job to work full time at the non-profit. She’ll let us know all about the switch and the non-profit life.
Experimental Architect (with Dave Irwin)
This episode is a slight departure from the usual format. In it I interview a very intelligent, very ambitious friend of mine, Dave Irwin. Dave is going to be leaving in May to live on a glacier in Greenland where he will test out a product that he designed to replace the typical home foundation in flood prone areas. He’s trying to change the world and help millions of people, and during the interview he’ll tell us all about how and why.
Kid's Nutrition Expert (with Sanjay Raja)
Diet. It’s all around us. An ever-present member of our lives. Whether we want to lose weight, gain weight, get more energy, or have more focus, tweaking the diet is always the first and best place to start. For most of us, this is something that we started to do as adults. I, for one, am pretty focused on my diet, but it’s not something I gave even a second thought to until about 5 years ago. Prior to that it was fast food and mac and cheese if that’s what I was in the mood for. Today’s guest, Sanjay Raja, argues that that shift in focus needs to happen earlier, as early as baby food. Let’s find out why and get some tips for raising a healthier generation.
Esalen Massage Therapist
Human touch. Is there anything better? Anything that connects us more to other people? Anything that connects us more to ourselves? When was the last time that you were really in the moment, not thinking about anything else? Odds are human touch was involved in some way. Cuddling, hugging, sex, massage, even bumbling around as a teenager, they all have a way of clearing the noise and bringing you into your skin. Well, a couple of weeks ago we talked about cuddling, so onto the merits of massage! Today’s guest, Kelly Spellman, is a practitioner of the very specialized Esalen massage. Almost more of a philosophy behind the massage than a set standardized way to practice; Esalen focuses on a holistic, whole body and spirit, approach to massage. Sound pretty avant-garde. Sounds pretty awesome!
Mastectomy Tattoo Artist (with Amy Black)
The human body does so much for us and asks for so little in return. It’s like the big, silent buddy to our soul. All we gotta do is feed it and give it sleep, and it’ll do pretty much anything we ask of it. It makes sense then that some people decide to give their big, silent buddy a gift. A work of art. A tattoo. Today’s guest, Amy Black, helps people give this gift. She also is an amazing human being who gives a much larger gift to breast cancer survivors. Through her post-mastectomy tattoos, she helps women (and men) look in the mirror again. She helps bring their lives back to a sense of normalcy, and helps those who need feel a sense of closure.
Wedding Photographer (with Jake and Hailee Repko)
I don’t know how you feel, but I love weddings. I’m not a big fan of the traditions and black-tie-ness of most nuptials, but I am a HUGE fan of gatherings based on love, friendship, and family. Add to that an incredibly memorable day for at least two of the attendees, a verbal profession of love, and a hot dance floor where teens, grandma, and everyone in between can be seen, and I’d say we got a pretty magnificent event on our hands. So, what’s it like to have a wedding related job? Moreover, what’s it like to be entrusted to capture the heightened emotion of the day on film? Time to find out.
Cuddle Therapy (with Travis Sigley)
Cuddle therapy sounds pretty crazy right? Like some guy’s strange attempt to get close to women only to make a move when things get comfortable. But after talking to today’s guest, Travis Sigley, I don’t think it’s crazy at all. Come to think of it, why should it sound so out of place? Everyone has people around them that they CAN talk to, and yet some people don’t feel comfortable enough and seek out a therapist. Maybe they grew up in a family where they didn’t really talk about their feelings so they only feel comfortable with a therapist. Maybe 1 of 1,000 other reasons, but none of them do we question. Well, what if you grew up in a family where displays of affection were taboo? Growing up with handshakes from dad, pats on the back from mom, then jump straight into having a sex life that lacks any sort of intimacy. Perhaps then, a trustable, open person like Travis offering intimate touch, without the awkwardness of family or the transactional prospect of sex is exactly what the doctor ordered. As smarter people than me say, sometimes you can think and talk all you want, but what you really need to do is act. Welcome to the action form of therapy. Welcome to the cuddle puddle.
Adult Camp Counselor & Tea Guru (with Travis Sigley)
Tea. Is there anything more revered, historical, fabled, sought after, in the entire history of humanity? Some might argue wine, but there’s something special about a non-alcoholic beverage that can command so much respect and reverence. It tries to tell us a story in its very composition. Containing both caffeine to stimulate and theanine to calm the mind, it promotes the yin-yang balance in life that is so important and so valued in Eastern culture. Today’s guest, Travis Sigley, knows all about this balance and tries to cultivate the calmer, more connected side of tea drinking that is almost absent from Western culture. He tries to bring this knowledge and presence to the guests of his own teahouse and the campers at the adult summer camp, Camp Grounded. Today he’ll tell us about both.
Marine Mammal Veterinarian (with Dr. Juli)
The ocean contains 71% of the Earth’s surface…it makes up 99% of the living space on the planet! And yet how much do we know about it? How much do we try to help its inhabitants? Me…Unfortunately, not so much. Today’s guest, Dr. Juli, has spent her entire adult life trying to help these creatures, trying to find out more about the 99%. She'll help us all learn more about that world and more about these amazing neighbors that call our planet home.
Experimental Particle Physicist (with Adam Bradley)
Who are we? Where do we come from? Just what the hell is going on out there?! That is what today’s guest, Adam Bradley, and his cohorts are trying to find out. Adam is an experimental particle physicist. Due to that lengthy title, it is Adam’s job to help us better understand the universe and our place in it. Dark matter, dark energy, and theoretical particles are part of his every day. If we hope to make it to the promised land as a species, it’s going to be thanks to smart people like Adam leading the way. Does all that knowledge weigh heavy on his mind, or is he able to live a normal life like the rest of us?
Rustic Wedding Blogger (with Maggie Lord)
The Greek philosopher Heraclitus said, ‘The only constant is change.’ Boy was he ever right. Times they are a changing. Some things for the good, others for the not as good, but that’s all a matter of perspective. From my perspective, one of the better changes to come about in the last decade or so is bringing an element of casualness to once very formal and very serious institutions. Showing that just because something looks more relaxed from the outside doesn’t mean that all of the emotion and substance that makes it special is not still on the inside. On the contrary, it can make it even more special as it becomes approachable and inviting to a larger group a people. One example of this is modern ‘fine dining’ institutions. Most of the famous young chefs in the world work at restaurants that you can feel at home in. No tuxedo necessary, just come in and enjoy the warm, unique atmosphere and amazing food. This similar change has come around to the institution of weddings. Gone are the days of 90% of people getting married in churches and country clubs, here are the days of my wife and I getting married outdoors in Yosemite. Today’s guest, Maggie Lord, sensed the writing on the wall and created a Rustic Wedding (and Rustic Baby) empire. She is the founder of one of the most popular wedding blogs, RusticWeddingChic.com, and proves that you don’t have to be precious and formal to be beautiful, memorable, and filled with emotion.