Downright Mindful

In Episode 56, Paul recounts a field trip with his history and sociology students — a walking tour through Downtown Cleveland, Tennessee , exploring the heart of the city’s past. From the College Hill Recreation Center and the story of the high school that once stood there, to stops at the Five Points Museum , Tipton-Fillauer House , Broad Street UMC , and St. Luke’s Episcopal Church , this journe...

In Episode 55, Matt and Paul sit down with Dr. Jeremy Jones , Principal of Walker Valley High School , for a conversation that’s equal parts reflection, gratitude, and humor. They trace Jeremy’s journey in reverse: from leading one of East Tennessee’s most dynamic high schools all the way back to his days as an elementary principal, a middle school math teacher, and even a college student masterin...

In Episode 54, Matt and Paul sit down with Derrick Kinsey , Director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Ocoee Region — a man whose vision has sparked remarkable growth in the organization and beyond. The conversation takes place at The Farm , a 65-acre property gifted by the Cody family of Bradley County, TN. Soon, this place will bloom into an event center, archery range, driving range, fishing...

In Episode 53, Matt and Paul talk collections — and the memories tucked inside them. From baseball cards bent at the corners to coins that once told time by the year, every piece has a story. Paul shares what he’s been chasing lately: books, cards, and childhood summers in Cape Cod. Matt follows with a story of his own — a wedding ring he made from a silver quarter, and a trip that stretched from...

In Episode 52 of Downright Mindful , Paul opens with a plan…and Matt never sees it coming. For nearly eight minutes, Paul “mirrors” him, repeating words and phrases, steering the conversation just to see how far he can go. His goal? To get Matt to reveal his salary without asking a single question. Once the trick is up, things take a reflective turn. With 52 episodes under their belt and almost a...

In Episode 51 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with Rob Alderman …owner of The Alderman Group and the mind behind one of the largest Facebook communities in Cleveland, TN, with nearly 40,000 members . Rob shares his story: moving from Gary, Indiana to Cleveland to attend Lee University in the 90s, dorm room antics with Chris Doan, and even being present during the Ellis Hall Dorm Fire ....

For Episode 50 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I returned to where my law enforcement career began—the Bradley County Jail . We toured the facility, then sat down with Sheriff Steve Lawson , whose family has deep roots in Bradley County law enforcement...his father, Lamar Lawson , and Uncle Robert also once held the badge of Sheriff. Steve shares his story...from starting in law enforcement in the...

In Episode 49 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with our friend and colleague Christian Mann... world history teacher, musician, and now marathoner. Christian recently completed a marathon in Iceland at 50 years old , a challenge inspired in part by the memory of his mother, who passed away at 46. Reaching her age made him reflect deeply on life, aging, and purpose...so he started trainin...

In Episode 48 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I sit down with Frank Walker , a Clevelander and the local missions pastor at First Baptist Cleveland. Frank’s role is historic—he is the first Black pastoral staff member in the church’s 165-year history. Our conversation moves from life and fatherhood to marriage and ministry. Frank and Paul reminisce about their college basketball days at Lee Univer...

In Episode 47 of Downright Mindful , Paul and I talk about our friend Christian, who recently ran a marathon in Iceland. To honor him, we walked a half marathon on the very same day. That story becomes the starting point for a bigger conversation. Paul asks me about the people who’ve shaped me — beginning with the teachers who left a mark. I share about my 5th grade teacher, Mrs. Ownby, and the le...

Episode 46 of Downright Mindful has all the makings of a blues song. Paul kicks things off talking about the blues and puts Matt on the spot, handing him a guitar and asking for a few raw blues notes (rusty strings and all). From there, the conversation winds its way through a comparison of blues and bluegrass , a nod to Folsom Prison Blues , and finally into a deeper discussion as Paul interviews...

In episode 45...The first week of school is here, and Paul and I dive into the chaos that comes with it. I share an update on our school’s new cell phone restrictions and admit that—like many adults—I’m probably too attached to mine. From there, Paul takes us into the story of President John F. Kennedy reviving a Marine Corps challenge from 1908: walking 50 miles in three days. We talk about Rober...

 In Episode 44 of Downright Mindful , Paul asks me a big question: "What topics should every high school student be able to discuss?" My answer takes us through the story of America —from the Revolutionary War to COVID-19 , touching on: The Civil War and its lasting impact World War I & World War II Vietnam and the culture shifts of the era The Civil Rights Movement 9/11 and the war...

In Episode 43 of Downright Mindful , Paul kicks things off by sharing highlights from his recent father-son road trip, golfing their way across Canada. From there, we dive into a Joe Rogan episode featuring James Talarico that sparks a bigger question: Can we still talk to each other when we disagree? We explore what it means to have real dialogue in a divided world , navigate differing stances wi...

In Episode 42 of Downright Mindful , I sit down with Derrick Frazier—former Tennessee State Trooper, Sheriff's Deputy, and now Criminal Justice teacher at Hardin County High School. We met at Hermitage Park after a long day of training with the Tennessee Highway Patrol at the Department of Safety Training Center in Donelson, TN. Derrick shares his journey through law enforcement, his passion f...

In Episode 41 of Downright Mindful , Matt and Paul go from basketball courts to real-world burdens. We kick things off with a snake draft of our all-time NBA starting five , followed by our picks for MLB’s greatest 9 and NFL all-time squads . It's fun, opinionated, and personal. But then, Paul turns the conversation toward mental wellness and trauma , introducing the TIPP method (Temperature,...

In Episode 40 of Downright Mindful , Matt and Paul are back in the studio and catching up. From Paul’s family reunion and Lucy the dog’s run-in with dark chocolate, to the story of Jackie Mitchell striking out Babe Ruth and Lou Gehrig , to moments in American history that happened on July 13th, we cover a lot. Along the way, we wander into conversations about culture, current events, and why it’s...

In Episode 39 of Downright Mindful , Matt flies solo while Paul is out of town, taking time for a mid-year reflection on where we’ve been, where we’re going, and the unseen ways grief, faith, and memory shape the path forward. Matt shares a deeply personal story tied to the hymn It Is Well with My Soul , weaving in the loss of his niece, Addison, and the journey of his family through grief, anger,...

In Episode 38 of Downright Mindful , we sit down with Ben Berry , owner of Berry Engineers in Cleveland, TN, inside the historic Fillauer House—now home to his business and a fitting place for a conversation about what makes a community thrive. Ben grew up here, and as an engineer and business owner, he’s spent years watching how people and places shape each other—from how we build our neighborhoo...

In Episode 37 of Downright Mindful , we sit down with Braden Davis—an online entrepreneur, former high school athlete, and digital marketing powerhouse. At just 23 years old, Braden has built multiple faceless social media accounts totaling over 1.2 million followers , grown a career in dropshipping and affiliate marketing , and cultivated a mindset of wisdom, faith, and humility . We explore how...

Episode 36...In this episode, we sit down with Adam Ferguson, principal of Oak Grove Elementary School—and former frontman of more than one Christian rock band. The conversation begins with stories from Adam’s youth: life on stage, music with a mission, and the tug of purpose that eventually led him into the classroom. We follow his path from student to teacher to school leader, stopping along the...

Episode 35...In this episode, we sit down on the campus of Lee University with Dr. Bill Estes…a respected educator, community leader, and member of the Cleveland City Council. From stories about his personal life to reflections on local government, education reform, and the future of our city, Dr. Estes brings both wisdom and warmth to the table. Paul and Matt ask about the lessons he’s learned th...

In Episode 34 of Downright Mindful , Paul interviews Matt about the many "weapons" he's carried — and not all of them come from a duty belt. Drawing from Matt’s real-world experience as a sheriff’s deputy, this episode explores the use (and misuse) of firearms, tasers, pepper spray… and yes, even a lamp. But this isn’t just a conversation about force — it’s about choices. Paul then s...

Season 1: Episode 32...In this riverside episode of Downright Mindful , Matt and Paul settle in on the banks of the Hiwassee River in Charleston, TN to reflect on the final days of the school year and the kinds of relationships that form in the classroom when you're truly paying attention. They swap stories about hosting European exchange students, the lessons they brought into the room, and t...

Season 1: Episode 33...In this spontaneous audio-only episode, Matt and Paul hit record while driving home from witnessing the Walker Valley Lady Mustangs win their first-ever state softball championship 🥎🏆. Fueled by pride and a little bit of road-trip energy, they work through a list of personality traits—discussing which ones fit, which ones don’t, and how they each show up in different scena...