favorites

Monthly Favorites : July, 2023

July was a crazy month. I even wrote a Friday Thought about how quickly Moments turn to Memories. Considering my favorite podcasts, conversations, and songs of the month have a similar feel . . . how in the world has it come and gone so quickly?

Regardless, goodbye July, and welcome August! I truly am looking forward to it.

Favorite Quote:

“Relationship expectations are at an all-time high, yet the expectations are less and less clear. We are making up new norms as we go” - Esther Perel

Podcasts:

Artificial Harmony : At the Table

This inspired me so much that I ended up writing a quick Friday Thought about it.

#KeepKnocking: The Art of Never Giving Up on People : Schurtz and Ties

This is Kasey’s tagline for our show. In this episode, he explains why it is so important to him, and why it should be for all of us. So good.

What Jazz can Teach us about Innovation and Teamwork : Harvard Business Review

“To lead innovation, you have to embrace experimentation – and mistakes.”

Songs:

Ole Magnolia, by Happy Landing

Patience, by Wilder Woods

Video:

“Marriage is never 50/50.”

I LOVE this reminder. So much so, that it has inspired me to think more about how it can apply to schools and leadership teams and how we show up to work. I shared my thoughts in a blog post entitled, Giving less than 100% is 100% okay. Let me know what you think! I’d be curious for your thoughts.

Let me know of anything you’ve been reading, watching, listening to, or have been inspired by!

Happy August!

#doGREATthings!

Give. Relate. Explore. Analyze. Try.

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Blog : Monthly Favorites

March Favorites : Podcasts, Movie, Quotes, and Shtuff!

March was a blur! But here are a few things that stick out as some of my favorites.

Movie: CODA

Gifted with a voice that her parents can’t hear, seventeen-year-old Ruby, is the sole hearing member of a deaf family—a CODA, Child of Deaf Adults. Her life revolves around acting as interpreter for her parents and working on the family’s struggling fishing boat every day before school with her father and older brother (Daniel Durant). But when Ruby joins her high school’s choir club, she discovers a gift for singing and finds herself drawn to her duet partner Miles. Encouraged by her enthusiastic, tough-love choirmaster to apply to a prestigious music school, Ruby finds herself torn between the obligations she feels to her family and the pursuit of her own dreams.


Book:
Nickle and Dimed: On (Not) Getting by in America, by Barbara Ehrenreich

Ehrenreich attempts to eke out a living while working as a waitress, hotel maid, house cleaner, nursing home aide, and Wal-Mart associate. Her insight and experience of living like many of Americans do is not only enlightening, its convicting. We should all be doing more to be mindful and supportive of those scrapping by at the poverty level.


Podcast
: Don’t Worry, Be Tacky by Freakonomics. Partial inspiration for the Friday Thought : Its a dangerous world out there. Bring a club, this podcast encourages us to, “despite sneers from the Establishment . . . be more willing to embrace the déclassé.”

Song: It isn’t new, but damn. I can’t stop listening to Surefire by Wilderado. And neither can my kids.


Instagramer: Menwiththepot These videos are comforting, mouthwatering, and somehow inspiring. Their website is pretty rad, too.


Quote:



If you have any favorites - of anything - that you’d like to share, please pass it along! I’m a sucker for it all.

Also you would like weekly emails of Friday Thoughts, occasional posts of things that inspire, and other such things, PLEASE BE SURE TO SCROLL DOWN AND SUBSCRIBE - THANKS FOR READING!

#doGREATthings!

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-n- Stuff : Favorite Podcasts

Podcast Favorites : March

BeatsbyDre.jpg

Man. What a time we are in right now.

If you’re anything like me, you’re on information overload. If you’re also like me (which, lucky you), you are itching for something outside of what is currently driving all conversations and news media outlets.

I hope this can help.

I’ve broken my favorite recent podcasts into two groups: pre COVID and post. Because even the podcast world is consumed with it right now, there was a time before it was all consuming. However, there are still some really good, really refreshing discussions out there about the COVID-19 virus that not only help us shift into or maintain a positive perspective, they just look at this whole thing from a different angel, which is radically refreshing.

Here are my favorites of the past month-ish. Happy listening!!!

Pre COVID:

Podcasts that I found inspiring before this epidemic took over our lives and all sound waves.

The Worst Game Ever, by 99% Invisible

Deep within the National Museum of American History’s vaults is a battered Atari case containing what’s known as “the worst video game of all time.” The game is E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial, and it was so bad that not even the might of Steven Spielberg could save it. It was so loathsome that all remaining copies were buried deep in the desert. And it was so horrible that it’s blamed for the collapse of the American home video game industry in the early 1980s.

For educators, this is a must. He may not be talking about your classroom, but he is absolutely talking about your classroom! If we were to look at education the way the gaming industry looks at games, we would be in a much different, much better place.

That’s Just Not Good Enough, by At the Table With Patrick Lencioni:

One of, if not the most, convicting podcast in the bunch. If nothing else, listen to this one. Super good. Crazy challenging.

Alan Weiss, Becoming a Fearless Leader, by Smart People Podcast:

Perhaps the most abstract or even controversial, it is packed full of nuggets and ideas that are absolutely worth hearing. I found it inspiring.

Post COVID:

Podcasts I found inspiring since the epidemic.

This is Chance! Redux, by 99% Invisible:

"It was the middle of the night on March 27, 1964. Earlier that evening, the second-biggest earthquake ever measured at the time had hit Anchorage, Alaska. 115 people died." Yet, this story is full of hope and is a sort of model for how we can and should be living our lives amidst pain and destruction. Which is exactly the kind of story we need right now.   

Leadership Doesn't Stop, by At the Table With Patrick Lencioni:

It might seem that this applies only to those with "leadership" titles, but truly, it works for us all. I strongly encourage this for everyone. 

Brené on Comparative Suffering, the 50/50 Myth, and Settling the Ball, by Brene Brown:

An extremely encouraging podcast about where we are, how to have great and intentional conversations with our loved ones during this time, and where to go from here. Really, really good.

She has another episode worth listening to, Brene on FFT (F***ing First Times) which is also really, really good. It could be condensed into about 20 minutes, if she were to get rid of all the side stories, but when she talks honest about FFT’s, it's golden. 

An Unlikely Superpower, by Invisibilia:

 At the age of 60, a Scottish woman named Joy Milne discovers she has a biological gift that allows her to see things that will happen in the future that no one else can see. A look at how we think about the future, and the important ways the future shapes the present.

Her ending monologue is spot-on perfect and something we all

The Side Effects of Social Distancing, by Freakonomics

In just a few weeks, the novel coronavirus has undone a century’s worth of our economic and social habits. What consequences will this have on our future — and is there a silver lining in this very black pandemic cloud?

Where ever you are, stay safe. Stay strong. Happy listening.

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-N- Stuff  :  Podcasts  : Chris McDougall

Favorite Podcasts : September

Hello all! And a special welcome to those recently joined! 

For those new, once a month I try and send out some of my favorite podcasts because, as was mentioned in a reply to last month's email, "I've grown weary of 'Here! listen to this podcast' suggestions because episodically they are SOOO hit and miss." And I would agree.

With that in mind, I hope this helps sift through some of the more, "Meh" episodes and provides you with at least a few quality, gonna-pass-this-along podcasts. 

Post No Evil : by Radiolab

Back in 2008 Facebook began writing a document. It was a constitution of sorts, laying out what could and what couldn’t be posted on the site. Back then, the rules were simple, outlawing nudity and gore. Today, they’re anything but. 

I was a bit hesitant of this one. Not anymore. Because Facebook “is now sort of a playground, it’s also sort of an R-rated movie theatre,” and also the front page of a newspaper. And we, the users, are demanding that they make a set of policies that are Just. “And the reality is Justice means a very different thing in each one of these settings.”

Which is what makes this podcast, this discussion, so intriguing.

'President' Once Meant Little More Than 'Foreman' : by Weekend Edition Saturday

In exactly three minutes, my mind was completely unhinged by the our forefather’s lengthy discussion and specific purpose for naming the leader of the free world, “president.”

Gregor : Heavy Weight and Gimlet Media

This might be my favorite of the month.

20 years ago, Gregor lent some CDs to a musician friend. The CDs helped make him a famous rockstar. Now, Gregor would like some recognition. But mostly, he wants his CDs back. 

Two season are available, and once you start, don’t be shocked if you get sucked into them all. I did. Quickly and joyously.

Stroke of Genius: How Derek Amato Became a Musical Savant : by Hidden Brain

At just over 25 minutes, this short podcast will have you sincerely considering if banging the left side of your head against the nearest wall is worth it. Seriously. 

In 2006, Derek Amato suffered a major concussion from diving into a shallow swimming pool. When he woke up in the hospital, he was different. He discovered he was really good a playing piano. Yes, we're serious. Derek is one of just a few dozen known "sudden savants" or "accidental geniuses"—people who survive severe head injuries and come out the other side with special gifts for music or math or art (via).

Embrace the Shake : TED Talk

In art school, Phil Hansen developed an unruly tremor in his hand that kept him from creating the pointillist drawings he loved. Hansen was devastated, floating without a sense of purpose. Until a neurologist made a simple suggestion: embrace this limitation ... and transcend it.

Sorry, you can’t listen to this one while running or driving, but no worries! Sitting and watching this man will not only entertain, it will inspire.

If five isn't enough and you're looking for more, peruse over here to your heart's content!

 

Thanks for reading and tagging along!

Happy listening!


Brian

Podcast Favorites : 1-5

Photo by @_whydad_

Photo by @_whydad_

A friend recently said, "I find that most of my conversations or sentences start with, 'I was listening to a podcast the other day . . .'" and we all laughed with familiarity. Because it's just so true, not only for her, but for most of us, and for sure for me.

So I thought, "Why not compile my favorites and send them off for others to enjoy!" So I will. And so I am.

  1. Why We Choke Under Pressure (and How Not To), by Freakonomics Radio
    "We know that people sometimes don't perform up to their potential, precisely when they want to the most," but why? And how do we stop it? Whether in business, sports, school, and everyday conversations, how do we not fall when the stakes are at their greatest? Freakonomics dives in and tries to provide an answer.
    (While listening, I couldn't stop thinking about How To Fly a Horse : THE SECRET HISTORY OF CREATION, INVENTION, AND DISCOVERY - "Failure is not final. It carries no judgement and yields no conclusions. The word comes from the Latin fallere, to deceive. Failure is deceit." So if you have time, along with the podcast, check out this book also.)
     
  2. Analysis, Parapraxis, Elvis, by Revisionist History
    Perhaps my favorite episode of the season, which is saying a lot because I really really liked episodes 3 and 4 which talk about memory and truth and how we should interpret both. But then, the final episode, the one where I (literally) lol'd, cried ever so slightly, and thought about my entire life and uncertain future, because it's just that good. 
     
  3. What Wisdom Can We Gain From Nature? by TED Radio Hour - (9:49 minutes long)
    For a species that is supposed to be the top of the food chain, the most evolved or uniquely designed (however you choose to view us), we are fairly dumb, extremely violent, and truly destructive. We're even bad at designing things, which is why we model so much after nature and animals. So why not learn from them?  " . . . in the cathedral of the wild, we get to see the most beautiful parts of ourselves reflected back at us. And it is not only through other people that we get to experience our humanity but through all the creatures that live on this planet."
     
  4. Superheroes hold umbrellas and cut hair, by the Moth
    This one is a twofer. Two powerful stories of kindness and love, of the kind that boost our spirits and remind us of the beauty of humanity - even in the midst of darkness
    1. In Tim Manley's roughly eight minute story, A Super Hero Gets Sick, he tells of when, as a boy, he become deeply sick. He was terrified of needles and didn't quiet understand all that was happening, as most young kids don't. But what he does know keeps him calm: his mother is at his side because she is his faithful sidekick - as any good superhero must have. 
    2. The second story is from Melanie KostrzewaTold from a parents perspective, Melanie shares of the time her young daughter must undergo a craniotomy, the frustration of not being able to do anything, and the unexpected kindness of a doctor who did more than just save her daughter's life, he saved her hair.
       
  5. The Process of Procrastination, a TED talk with Tim Urban
    It's funny, enlightening, and worth every one of the 14 minutes. I even wrote about it on my 35 birthday.
    But you could probably just watch it later. 

At the very least, I hope you find these entertaining. At best, inspiring. I know I have been.  

Thanks for reading!