Rich Conversations

Juan Diana joins the podcast from Montevideo, Uruguay. He shares what the culture of the city and country is like. Juan tells his experience with technology from the perspective of a software engineer. Rich and Juan talk music and Juan's recent trip to Spain hiking the Camino de Santiago.

Rich reads chapter 4 of Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. Experiments in the Cockroach Basketball League. This recording focuses on Jackson's coaching experience in the CBA and Puerto Rico League. Every Sunday we honor the Sabbath by reading a chapter of Sacred Hoops. Subheadings in the chapter: Seeding the Group Mind The Practice of Acceptance The Art of Chaos The Howl of the Ego When Right Action Me...

Joining us from Kolkata, India, Sreoshi Bakshi is the first international guest on the podcast. Rich learns more about the artistic city of Kolkata and the country of India as a whole. He learns the impact of the Freedom Fighters of the early 20th century and much more. Sreoshi shares her writing experience and thought process.

Rich and Felipe catch one last White Sox game to send off summer. As the weather cools and Chicago glides into its Autumn groove, we hope for a Brewers-White Sox World Series. The Sox beat the Los Angeles Angels 9-3.

Rich sits on a park bench and reflects on the surrealness of self-evolution. To make an impact on the world, start with yourself. Then your local community. Then your region. Then your country. And then the world. Rich is excited to realize the vision of the podcast direction, including having conversations with international guests in upcoming episodes.

Rich reads chapter 3 of Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. If You Met the Buddha in the Lane, Feed Him the Ball. This recording focuses on Jackson's spiritual exploration. Every Sunday we honor the Sabbath by reading a chapter of Sacred Hoops. Subheadings in the chapter: Reawakening Zen Bones Where the Rivers Meet Change: The Uninvited Guest Death and Rebirth  

Drummer Collin O'Brien returns to the show after two years. He shares his experience touring and recording with Neal Francis. He describes his experience playing the iconic Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado and the development of his pre-show routine involving intentional breathing techniques. Rich and Collin also talk about working at Lincoln Station in Chicago.

Rich reflects on the wisdom nature can teach us if we observe the world around us. He sits on a dead tree in the woods and thinks how dead things break easily, whereas things that are alive are flexible.

Rich reads chapter 2 of Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. A Journey of Thousand Miles Starts with One Breath. This recording is Jackson's background growing up in Montana and his experience winning two championships as a player for the New York Knicks. Every Sunday we honor the Sabbath by reading a chapter of Sacred Hoops. Subheadings in the chapter: The Battleground of the Mind My Savior: Basketball...

Is the American Dream still achievable in poor, white communities? After a recommendation, Rich reads "Hillbilly Elegy" by J.D. Vance. Vance shares his own story growing up in a culture in crisis. Rich shares his experience moving from the farm to Chicago as an eighteen-year-old.

Rich makes a mistake. How does one proceed?

Felipe Hernandez returns to the show after a year. Rich and Felipe talk about their summers, soccer and the Sox, music, and working on the CTA cleaning train cars.

Rich visits the Field Museum in Chicago on an "Information Processing Day." As motivated lifelong learners, we're always gathering new information. If we don't take the time to take a step back to evaluate and adapt based on that information, we can't grow. So what may seem to the outside as a light workday, it is often the heaviest.

Rich reads chapter 1 of Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. The Second Coming (aka Michael Jordan returns from his hiatus). Every Sunday we honor the Sabbath by reading a chapter of Sacred Hoops. Subheadings in the chapter: That Old-Time Religion The Myth of the Superhero The Soul of Teamwork

While on a walk to the lake, Rich expands his thoughts on reading Homo Deus: A History of Tomorrow and how he's applied the knowledge from it in his own life. The importance of digitally documenting oneself authentically for future generations. His experience with data and analytics with his YouTube channel. And how we're living in the most peaceful time in human history, yet there are concerns lo...

Rich recaps reading The Death of Ivan Ilych. Considered a masterpiece on the subject of "death and dying." A successful careerist becomes injured and it turns out to be terminal. How will someone who hasn't reflected on life respond?

What does the future of humankind look like? Sanchit Arvind joins us for Part 2 of our discussion on Yuval Harari's books on humanity. Until the 21st century, solving famine, war, and disease were at the top of the human agenda. What has now replaced it? People want to live longer, healthier, and happier. How will humans make decisions in the future with the rate of accelerated technology and info...

As reigning fantasy football champion, Rich shares his philosophy and tips for drafting a successful team. 

Rich reads the Introduction of Sacred Hoops by Phil Jackson. Every Sunday, we'll explore a new chapter in an audiobook format of one of Rich's favorite and influential book on his life philosophy. Sacred Hoops is an inside look at the higher wisdom of teamwork from legendary coach Phil Jackson. At the heart of the book is Jackson's philosophy of mindful basketball—and his lifelong quest to bring e...

Part III of III focuses on family and winning. Giannis's father dies unexpectedly, shocking the family. "We are our father's legacy," Giannis stressed to his brothers. The Bucks hire Coach Bud and rise in the East, Giannis wins back-to-back MVP's, and crescendos with him signing the supermax contract to stay with the Milwaukee Bucks. It's extra sweet to read as a Bucks fan. We are NBA champions an...

Rich sits on a bench in Millennium Park in Chicago and thinks about summer. The uptick in White Sox gear in the city is noticeable. Rich finishes the Giannis biography, talks the smell of back to school, potential trips to Berlin or Athens, increasing the skill of digital file organization, and placing oneself in tourists' shoes.

Part II of III we focus on his experience coming to America, adjusting culturally, and the franchise situation he found himself immersed in. His former teammates offer insight into what he was like as a person and player at that time. His hard work and determination to get better shine. No matter what, he's not going to change as a human being despite newfound attention and success. His family gro...

Waiting for a friend outside the Art Institute, Rich sits on the steps and reflects on the past three weekends being at three festivals with three different demographics. Taste of Lincoln, Racine County Fair, and Market Days. Friends and books too.

Before reading "Sacred Hoops" for the fifth time, Rich explores "Zen and the Art of Motorcycle Maintenance" by Robert Pirsig, knowing its influence on Phil Jackson and his philosophy. Other books mentioned: Siddhartha - Herman Hesse Zen Mind, Beginner's Mind - Shunryu Suzuki Working Class Mystic - Gary Tillery

Author, Mirin Fader, writes about the life of Giannis Antetokounmpo of the NBA Champion Milwaukee Bucks in a new biography called "Giannis: The Improbable Rise of an NBA MVP." His progress and success continues at such a rapid rate that his biography is already out of date. At the age of 26, he's already NBA Finals MVP. Part 1 of 3 we focus on his time growing up in Greece, his family, and the qua...