Reasonably Spontaneous Conversation

In 2008 American animator, screenwriter, producer and voice actor Penn Ward cast Polly in his Emmy Award winning cartoon series Adventure Time. She played a sexy little green elephant named Tree Trunk. To say the series was a smash hit is an understatement, launching Polly Lou into global pop stardom. An energy and spirit as that of Polly Lou’s will forever remain in the hearts of all that have kn...

Rigel Thurston is a musician, songwriter, philosopher and an all-around wonderful person and, I say proudly, my friend.  Rigel and I had this conversation over Zoom on Dec 3, 2020.  Here is part 2 and a continuation of our conversation. Here is Polly's design website:   www.pollythurston.com You can find his latest album, "Hello My Child" as well as his others at Spotify:   htt...

Rigel Thurston is a musician, songwriter, philosopher and an all-around wonderful person and, I say proudly, my friend.  Rigel and I had this conversation over Zoom on Dec 3, 2020.  Here is part 1. Here is Polly's design website:   www.pollythurston.com You can find his latest album, "Hello My Child" as well as his others at Spotify:   https://open.spotify.com/album/2AQsoZn6N56...

Simon Cohen is one of the most brilliant and compassionate humans I've ever met.  What a treat it was to have this conversation on November 10, 2020, Simon in the UK and me in Texas and experiencing the present moment together.   For more (much more!!!) on Simon and his presence visit: www.mrsimoncohen.com

In early April of 2020, as the Covid-19 virus was shutting down the world, I had my first "A Conversation with Dr. James Crowe", the head of the antibody research lab at Vanderbilt University.  This 2nd ACW was done on October 17, 2020 to see what he and his team have learned in the last 6 months and what we all can expect and not expect from medical research and development.   I le...

Pre-script.... We recorded this episode in May 2020 and I got so engaged I started calling Michael, "Steven" during the episode.  I was so engaged.  Well, fortunately for me, Steven is his 2nd name!  I so enjoyed this episode and I think you will, too! Michael S. A. Graziano is a professor of Psychology and Neuroscience at Princeton University. He is also a novelist, composer, and o...

A message from Brien:  My name is Brien, and I’m a musician, a scientist, and a thinker. From a very young age, I’ve been captivated by the deepest underpinnings of our cosmos, and how they all connect.  As I’ve aged, I’ve developed my pursuits of science and art. I finished school with a degree in science and now I am pursuing an avid career in music. My hope is that I can leave whateve...

In August of 2020, I had this 2nd conversation with Laurie Bell Laurie Blalock Bell was first of six children in a strictly run military family. She moved 9 times and went to 7 schools before the age of 16. Over the course of her life thus far she has moved 31 times and has had over 42 paying jobs, ranging from serving in a navy mess hall to bartending in Amsterdam, singing and acting on radio and...

Bart Loeser has been a professional educator, coach and trainer for over 25 years.  Through his company, JBL Events, he is currently a corporate trainer and professional coach specializing in the interpersonal skills that ensure success in the individual and others (eg: communication, leadership development, team-building, productivity, emotional intelligence, etc). A Texas native w...

I had this lovely conversation with Christy Bullen on Jun 1, 2020.  Christy is a musician from Suffolk, UK. With the ability to play multiple instruments, he layers his sounds in live performance using a loop pedal to make songs come alive. With a wealth of experience in various bands over the years, he has played everything from small local pubs to international festivals.

Huey Fischer and I had this conversation in August of 2011.  In 2020, Huey graduated from law school and continues his advocacy. Here is how I described him in 2011: Huey Fischer is a remarkable young man who is changing the political landscape in Texas.  I met Huey in 2010 while he was still 17 and campaigning to be on the rules committee at the Texas State Democratic Convention.  ...

I had this first conversation with Susie in the summer of 2011.  Susie Albin-Najera is the creator and editor of The Mexico Report, an award winning travel blog showcasing news, deals and resources for the modern traveler. Najera is a writer, author, travel blogger, marketing and public relations specialist and producer. Najera serves on the host committee for Maestro Cares, founded by singer...

This conversation happened in June of 2011.  Oh, the water that has passed under the bridge since then!  For all of us. I met Aprill when she was a humor columnist and arts/entertainment reporter for my hometown newspaper, The Victoria Advocate.  Her columns sparkled with wit, insight and self-effacing charm.  I could see she was destined for the big time. In 2011, the route to...

This podcast was one of my first in 2011 with the actor and activist Max Gail. In 1979, Barney Miller was a major hit television series on ABC in the fourth year of its seven year run.  Max Gail starred in the ensemble as Det. Stan “Wojo” Wojciehowicz. I was in LA taking a shot a fame and fortune (missing the target high and to the left, but that’s another story).  I had begun a teeny-ti...

Emma Knight is the creator of the new YouTube channel “Home Emmanomics.”   https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCOzFYvOKvmL0CUDKSqNV1Rg Emma and I had this conversation on May 8, 2020. Emma lives in a small intentional community in Oregon, milking dairy goats and a dairy cow and caring for chickens and a large organic garden in collaboration with other families of similar values.  Emma...

For all the fans and followers of Renée Yaworsky who have been nagging her to watch Buffy the Vampire Slayer, she finally HAS!!!!  Here are her impressions of season 1 of BTVS and the Whedon 'Verse.

Comedian Maher Matta has been performing comedy since college and has performed at various comedy clubs and festivals throughout the country. Maher is a regular at the annual Arab American Comedy Festival in New York City, and recently recorded his first comedy special with Dry Bar Comedy out of Provo, UT. Maher's material revolves around storytelling observational humor. He also has his own podca...

Ruven Govender and I had this conversation -- him in Australia and me in Texas -- in May of 2020. He has been featured at every major comedy festival Australia & NZ has to offer.  Ruven has had a number of TV appearances in NZ, Australia & USA and regularly tours the globe doing comedy.   Ruven is of South African-Indian ethnic background.  He grew up in South Africa at the...

Koen and I had this wide ranging and fascinating conversation on May 15, 2020. Koen Bertels is the head of the Quantum Computer Architectures Lab.  He currently focus on Quantum Computing and more specifically on the overall system design and architecture aspects. He is a principal investigator in Qutech where he collaborates  with experimental physicists on building prototype quantum pr...

Betsy West is the director/producer of RBG (Magnolia, Participant, CNN Films, 2018) along with Julie Cohen. She is a 21-time Emmy Award winner for her work as an ABC News producer and executive producer of the documentary series Turning Point. As vice president at CBS News from 1998 to 2005, she oversaw 60 Minutes and 48 Hours. She was executive producer of the MAKERS (AOL & PBS, 2012) documen...

This podcast was recorded on May 7, 2020.  Renée Yoworsky, Clay Boykin and I discuss Clay's spearheading of the Search of the New Compassionate Male and why the world needs this so much at this time of great change and challenge. Renée Yaworsky is an attorney, activist, actor, musician, writer and producer. She has worked in criminal justice reform since she was a teenager, been active in wom...

Ross MacPhee is a paleomammalogist on the curatorial staff of the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, where he has worked since 1988. He has conducted more than 50 expeditions in many parts of the world, researching the evolution and extinction of Ice Age mammals. In addition to numerous scientific papers in Science, Nature, PNAS and other professional journals, Ross is the author...

This conversation with Dr. Crowe was recorded on April 5, 2020, while much of the US was on lockdown during the Covid-19 pandemic. Dr. James Crowe is Director of the Vanderbilt Vaccine Center and the Ann Scott Carell Professor of Pediatrics, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology at Vanderbilt.  His laboratory studies the human immune response to infection for a wide variety of major human pa...

I had this conversation with Laura on March 20, 2019. Oh, so long ago… Here is her bio: Laura Redfern earned her Certified Financial PlannerTM designation in 2011, after working nearly 10 years in the areas of investment management and retirement planning. Over the past decade, Laura has extensive experience working with clients in life’s difficult transition stages: recent widows, divorcees, inhe...

In December of 2011, I learned of I serendipitously learned of Charles through a YouTube video on the lessons learned from and going forward from the Occupy Wall Street movement.  I was so impressed by his mind, his heart as well as the clarity and insight with which he communicated.  He graciously assented to have a conversation with me. Below is link to Charles’ website as well as to h...