Citizen44 with Mark Arinsberg

Dear friend, regular C44 guest and former C44 Show Producer, Rich Rees steps up to the mic and takes over the podcast with his unique brand of irreverent humor and politically incorrect take on the world he's forced to live with. It's always incredibly fun to catch up with Rich and find out what's going on in his life out there in Tennessee. Lockdown is mostly over here in Saigon and I'm now living in a cool new studio apartment, taking my long walks and riding my motorbike to and fro. I'm back with my awesome Vietnamese girlfriend and all is well. I'm unspeakably grateful for this incredible, over-the-top experience I'm allowed to have. Show #100 is next!

Michael Tatarski is a freelance journalist living in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Inspired and motivated by getting exposed to Vietnam via Anthony Bourdain's show No Reservation, a twenty-three year old Michael would decide to head for Southeast Asia in search of a new adventure. Planning on only being away from the States for one year, Michael would as so many do, get certified and begin teaching English to support himself. After a year and a half he would turn his sites on journalism and never look back. Michael has been in Ho Chi Minh City for just over ten years now and still loves being in what was the fastest growing city in the world pre-pandemic. Michael publishes a weekly digital newsletter called Vietnam Weekly https://vietnamweekly.substack.com/

This is Rob's second appearance on the C44 Show. Almost three years ago to the day, he and Marla Estes joined me in my apartment studio in Ashland Oregon to talk about the work they were doing to Bridge The Divide between the Left and the Right. Now abandoning that futile effort, Rob is concentrating his efforts on teaching critical thinking to high school seniors and giving his time to the non-profit organization FAIR Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism (fairforall.org). Now in his sixties and retired, Rob has dedicated his life to empowering others to think for themselves. Also on the show is podcaster and video blogger John Saboe.

Gareth and I met on the way to a professional networking event in District 2 (Saigon) where we both found ourselves at the wrong venue. I offered him a ride to the correct venue and that's where our conversation started. Gareth has his PhD in Behavioral Science which is a long road from his professional beginnings in the stationery business. After realizing corporate life was not for him he transitioned into the music business where he found his niche bringing bands to New Zealand. After the 2008 economic crash, he left the music business and decided to continue his education which took him to graduate school in Cleveland, Ohio where he received his PhD.

Special Guests: Zoë Arinsberg and Rich Rees

Thanks for listening.

I've known Molly B. since 1993 when she joined my talent placement agency, Aardvark located in Southern California hoping to land some freelance writing or illustration opportunities. I don't think I was able to come through for her on that, but we did strike up a great friendship that has lasted until now. Coincidentally, I moved to Ashland, Oregon in 2002 which is very close to the area where Molly grew up in Southern Oregon. Our daughters are around the same age and there is a lot that we share in common. It's great to catch up with her after all this time. Check out her book, "Letters From Bud" on Amazon and Audible.

I met Conner Smith in 2019 at his parent's sweet shop Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory located just below my apartment in downtown Ashland, Oregon. We swiftly hit it off and I found myself spending more time than I could have possibly have imagined visiting Conner at work and sharing stimulating conversations. Upon reaching eighteen, Conner dropped out of high school to complete the task on his own supported by his parents. Upon completion, Conner departed for Thailand to reunite with his girlfriend. The rest is history. Also on the show is friend and fellow podcaster John Saboe talking about the latest Covid outbreaks in Vietnam.

I've been absent from the airways for a few months, but have returned with Ellina Watanabe to talk about how we can better navigate life by taking a more gentle approach. Being gentle with ourselves and the world around us. Being open to think critically about ourselves and see who we really are by stripping away all the imposed ideas of who people think we "should" be.

This is also the Big Birthday Show as my father will reach his 83rd birthday on July 19th. My daughter Zoë makes a visit and so does Lucky Doug Fergus and Robbie Lindauer.

It's good to be back. Thanks for listening. Mark

I've known Allison Smith for twenty years with our beginnings in Ashland, Oregon and in that time our paths have crossed at different times and different places as our lives have unfolded. She has always been a positive force with a powerful voice and messages for us all to consider. Her latest EP, The Wren is her siren song that speaks of life, love and the pain of being a human being on this planet. Always a smile and reassuring demeanor, Allison creates her music to allow the feelings to flow while wanting to inspire others to find their creative spark.

Born in Southern California and growing up in Southern Oregon, Nick Depew, while in high school would discover his drive to become a singer, songwriter and guitar player through the shocking death of legendary front man for Nirvana, Kurt Cobain. Influenced by the alternative movement of the mid to late nineties by bands like Nine Inch Nails, Nirvana and Bush, Nick would begin to write about his feelings and the lives and experiences of others who would cross his path. After deciding that anthropology was not going to be his future, Nick began to take classes in business while engineering and self producing his songs out of a demo studio in a friend's garage. Later, he would meet the infamous music producer Sylvia Massy who would provide him with a professional space to craft his music under the name Relevant Discord. Nick is still living in Klamath Falls, Oregon. Rich Rees is on the show!

It's Halloween 2020 and I'm still here in Saigon, Vietnam where I recently had the pleasure of meeting fellow podcaster and all around good guy from Canada, John Saboe. On C44 Show#90, John shares a bit of his upbringing as well as how he and his incredible voice found their way into the world of radio broadcasting upon entering high school. After a successful career as an on air personality then sales executive in an industry on the decline, John decided to follow his dreams and headed to the Far East in search of new and interesting places to tell stories while inspiring others to follow their path and seek new adventures of their own. John has spent the last seven years in Asia producing his audio and video podcasts while training others on how to be successful with their own projects. John is here to teach us how easy it is to do what you love and life the life you want.