Seemingly Ordinary

Author, mystic, monk -- Thomas Merton wrote 70 books, made millions, and never kept a cent. And he had a profound impact on my life. He still does. From Merton:  My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going. I do not see the road ahead of me. I cannot know for certain where it will end. Nor do I really know myself, and the fact that I think I am following Your will does not mean that I am actually...

Jack Carr is my favorite living author. I met him in the summer of 2024. He's very down to earth--and yet he writes the most realistic thrillers possible about combat, the deep state, warriors, and much more. I recommend his work highly! Novels include: "The Terminal List" (also an amazon series with Chris Pratt), "True Believer," "Savage Sun," and six more.

Michael Crichton (Jurassic Park, E.R., Twister, and so many more) wrote some of the greatest thrillers of all time. He also discussed and/or predicted things like AI, genetic engineering, worldwide viruses, chaos theory, using fear to manipulate people, and much more. In this episode, I discuss his biography, works, themes, and what he might thrill us with if he were alive today. He was a great ma...

Mary Flannery O'Connor is in my top three authors. She is hilarious!! And satirical. And shocking. And violent. When I read anything she writes the first time, I am startled by what happens. When I finish, I wonder why she ended it that way. So, I reread her, and then I catch all the comic lines. A world-class author who is considered to be one of the greatest of the 20th Century, Flannery O&...

I've always liked the party animal author, F. Scott Fitzgerald, although I wouldn't want to be neighbors with him--too dangerous. Even so, I find he and his wife, Zelda's, lives fascinating. Here is a little about his twenties (the party) and his thirties (the hangover). He also has powerful life lessons, inadvertently given, for anyone who wants to be happy.

F.I.R.E. (Financial Independence Retire Early) is a movement where people get $1,000,000 in investments by their early thirties. Tyler Supalla is on this road, and it is working great for him! (This episode is a blast from the past.)

The Dark Side of the MBTI, Part 2.    The Myers-Briggs Type Indicator almost always discusses how wonderful people are. And they are! But what about horrible behavior? Dishonesty? Theft? Vandalism? Pointless criticism? Beating people up? Why do people do awful things?  Dr. Eve Delunas & Dr. David Keirsey (who wrote "Please Understand Me") have answers. Last week, I discussed the Blue...

If you've taken the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator--and over 100,000,000 Americans have, not to mention millions more people from around the world--you may have noticed its very cheerful tone: It believes every type of person is wonderful.  I believe this, too--but what about crime? Lying? Stealing? Assault? People cheating on their spouses? According to the MBTI, why do people do these things?...

It isn't for the faint-hearted.

Fourteen possible causes, and several possible solutions.

Allison Mark is nearly a senior in high school. In this episode, we discuss how she likes school (even in late May of her junior year), her lifelong hope of playing sports, her faith life, psychology, friendship, and much more.