Were You Still Talking?

#127 with Multi-talented Rosie Tran! On this episode I talk to comedian Rosie Tran, we talk about Rosie's 24-year career in comedy, her creation of the "Rosie Tran Presents" comedy showcase series streaming on Amazon, and her approach to building a platform for underrepresented voices in entertainment. Rosie shared her journey from being discouraged by a misogynistic rejection letter for a female...

#126 with Writer/Director Taylor Morden on Directing a movie a year, Getting Lost Doc, his latest movie Eat Your Heart Out, things I didn't know about and so much more. We talked for what seemed like 10 minutes, but it was maybe a little longer. First time I've done a podcast in person in a while and I learned a lot. #gettinglostdoc #thelastblockbuster #eatyourheartout 🎙️ Were You Still Talking? i...

What an amazing conversation with Dailyn Matthews, we discussed Dailyn's diverse background and experiences. Dailyn shared details about her recent rowing experience in an eight-man boat, her adventures observing the Kilauea volcano eruption on the Big Island of Hawaii, and her travels across the United States and to seven continents.  Then we got into Dailyn's 26-year career as a stunt performer...

#124 A Cup of Tea with Flowing River On this episode we sit down with Flowing River, a heart-centered mystic and ceremonialist who runs a tea house in Montecito, California. The conversation covered Flowing River's spiritual journey, including his travels to 34 countries seeking personal healing and spiritual understanding, beginning at age 29 with yoga training in Guatemala. We discussed the chal...

#123 Experiencing Trauma at a Young Age with Noah May My guest this week is Noah May. We talked about Noah's journey into podcasting and his mental health story. Noah shared how he started podcasting randomly during quarantine in 2021 after taking a podcasting class at Auburn University, which helped him launch three podcasts: Lethal Venom (his main show focusing on personal stories), a book podca...

#122 with Aaron Ryan – The Threat of AI to Creatives   On this episode I'm speaking with Aaron Ryan. Aaron discussed his prolific output of 46 books across various genres, including his best-selling Dissonance – The Alien Invasion Saga and his recent pivot back to full-time authoring. We also talked about Aaron's approach to self-publishing, his current movie adaptation project with Dissonance, an...

#121 with Bilal Ahmed - Should you do your own research?  This episode I'm speaking with Dr. Ahmed Bilal Ahmed, an interventional structural cardiologist and co-founder of Lylah Health, a microbiome therapeutics company. We discussed the evolution of microbiome research, AI's role in medicine, and the challenges of the supplement industry. Dr. Ahmed shared insights about heart disease in younger p...

#120 with Jake Messier, @theguywithstage4breastcancer We talked about men with breast cancer, having a presence on social media, getting the message out about men with cancer and why they are misdiagnosed more often and a lot more! Jake Messier, @theguywithstage4breastcancer, is a pioneering speaker and advocate, shattering stigmas around male breast cancer. ​ With the largest social media platfor...

#119 with Ralph Velasco Photography around the globe. Great conversation with Ralph talking travel photography, most visited countries, why it's good to put the camera down and enjoy the view sometimes and much more. More info and all the links right here: Since 2008 (17+ years) Ralph Velasco has been a full-time travel photographer and international tour organizer, having created and led over 130...

My guest today is an expert in personal reinvention. Lorie Kleiner Eckert is a dynamic author, fiber artist, and motivational speaker who has inspired over 22,000 people. In her latest book, CHAI ON LIFE, she shares heartfelt and humorous essays on navigating life's biggest transitions, from an empty nest to personal loss. Described as the 'magical love child of Nora Ephron,' Lorie is here to shar...

Episode #117 Empowering Narratives: Insights from Kay A. Oliver Storytelling, working in Hollywood, leaving Hollywood to go her own way, and championing women's resilience are just a few of the things we talked about on this episode. Kay A. Oliver, is a dynamic storyteller holding degrees in Radio/TV/Film from California State University, Fullerton, and an MBA in Business. With over 3 decades in e...

Episode #116 With Edward Miskie - Cancer, Musical Theatre & other Chronic Illnesses My conversation with Edward felt honest, heartwarming, fun, sad, and everything in between as we talked about theartre, cancer, social media, favorite musicals, how annoyingly good young actors of today can be and much more.  Copied from website: A musical theatre fever dream fueled by chemo, alcohol, sex, & heartb...

Episode #115 – With George Siegal – Built to Last Buyer Beware This engaging and important conversation on buying, renting, building or updating your home is filled with real world information you need to know. Not just about what to ask your insurance agent, but about things you can do to prepare for the unexpected. Here is the giveaway for this episode: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1TkzZTJ4us...

Episode #114 – With Rabbi Bob Alper – They Really Let You Do That? Fun conversation with Bob Alper, world's only practicing rabbi/stand-up comic (really). We talked about his start in comedy, the Jewish comedy of the year contest, totally clean comedy and much more. From Bob: Key Message / Core Story: Maya Angelou wrote that people forget what you say, and they forget what you do, but they never f...

Episode #113 – Jill Chalsty: Packets of Hope & Life Skills That Change Lives In this episode, I sit down with Jill Chalsty — author, educator, filmmaker, and founder focused on bringing life-skills education to students around the world. Jill shares the heart behind her memoir, Packets of Hope: A Journey of Healing and Rediscovery , and how a global journey became something much bigger than travel...

Episode #112 – Douglas Lynam: From Monk to Money Manager & Enneagram Insights In this episode I sit down with Douglas Lynam whose journey spans from monastic life to the world of finance. Douglas shares how his early years as a monk shaped his perspective on work, wealth, and what it means to live intentionally. We then pivot to his experience as a money manager, exploring why he believes capitali...

Episode #111 – Gil Gillenwater: Hope, Borders & Helping Without Handouts In this episode, I sit down with Gil Gillenwater — author, traveler, and humanitarian — to talk about his book Hope On The Border and the life experiences that led him to write it. Gil has spent years working in Mexico and along the U.S.–Mexico border, where he's seen firsthand what meaningful help actually looks like. We tal...

Episode #110 – Danny Johnson: Clean Comedy, Big Faces & Long Roads In this episode, I sit down with Danny Johnson, a stand-up comic who's been making people laugh for over 15 years without having to get dirty to do it. Danny's style is clean, relatable, and packed with those now-famous facial expressions that somehow say more than the punchlines. We talk about life on the road, how his comedy has...

Episode #108 – Amy Lenius: Empowerment, Awareness & Next Level Living In this episode, I'm joined by Amy Lenius of Next Level University — a coach and mentor dedicated to helping people step into greater confidence, clarity, and purpose. We dive into what empowerment really looks like, why self-awareness is foundational to growth, and how working with the right partners can accelerate transformati...

Episode #108 – Matt Savino: Roads, Borders & Stories That Almost Didn't Make It Home In this episode, I sit down with Matt Savino — writer, traveler, and storyteller with a passport full of stamps and a knack for finding himself in situations that make great stories later. We talk about travel as a teacher, writing as documentation, and what happens when plans fall apart far from home. Matt shares...

Episode #107 – Chip Jacobs: Writing, Pasadena's Past & The Edges of Life In this episode, I'm joined by Chip Jacobs — award-winning author, journalist, and storyteller with a deep love for California history and an eye for the unusual. We dive into the craft of writing and editing, the fascinating (and sometimes bizarre) history of Pasadena, and even wander into the territory of near-death experie...

Episode #106 – Shanti Hershenson  We talked about building a TikTok (now with over 70k followers), her amazing focus and discipline, writing every day and some of the other things she does with her time, like falconry! Since the age of twelve, Shanti has actively been writing and publishing books. She has written 37 books in varying genres, including You Won't Know Her Name , a novel-told-in-poetr...

Episode #105 – Amy Dickens on joy, play and reconnecting with the parts of ourselves that make us feel most alive. We may have talked about joy, creativity and connecting with your child self, I'm not sure. It seems like we just talked for an hour and a half and laughed and created a lot of silliness. All I know is the time went very fast and this is a great podcast to listen to if you need a litt...

Episode #104 – Michael Wendroff: Marketing Mastermind Turned Thriller Author In this week's episode, I sit down with Michael Wendroff — a global marketing consultant with an MBA from New   York   University (and an induction into their Hall of Fame) who pivoted into writing to publish his debut thriller. We talk about what it takes to go from business-strategy to bestselling pages, the craft of st...

Episode #103 – Melinda Lee "From Hugs to Healing: Melinda's Story" In this engaging conversation, I talk with Melinda Lee about her exploration of the transformative power of hugs, gratitude, and self-love. Melinda shares her unique journey of hugging everyone she encountered for a year, emphasizing the importance of connection and acceptance. She relates the challenges faced during this journey,...