Episode Summary

Derek sits down with Grammy-nominated children's songwriter Frances England to explore how creativity can emerge from the most ordinary moments. Frances shares the accidental origin of her music career, her philosophy of "songwriting as noticing," and the community she's built for songwriters in San Francisco.

Guest: Frances England
Grammy-nominated children's songwriter based in San Francisco. Also records under the name Oscilla for her adult-oriented music. Creator and facilitator of a monthly Songwriter's Circle at Sea Level in the Outer Sunset in San Francisco.

Topics Covered

• How Frances accidentally started writing children's songs while sitting on the edge of the bathtub with her son Liam
• Recording her first DIY album Fascinating Creatures as a preschool fundraiser — and burning over 1,000 CDs by hand
• Getting licensed to General Mills for a Bisquick ad within a few years of starting — and why the lo-fi home recording beat the polished studio version
• The rise of "kindie music" and how cultural timing helped Francis get recognized early
• Being an introvert navigating a career that demanded live performance
• Taking yourself seriously as an artist when your creative process looks "messy" or fragmented
• Elizabeth Gilbert's jackhammer vs. hummingbird creative personalities (Big Magic)
• The value of "puttering" as a legitimate part of the creative process
• Writing children's music that speaks to both kids and parents — capturing the wonder and fleeting nature of early childhood
• How songwriting trains attention and makes you more present in the world
• The origin and format of the Sea Level Songwriter's Circle — now 3 years old with 80+ members through the door
• Why community over competition makes the circle work
• Songwriting as grief processing — Frances's EP Drink Up the Sun (as Oscilla) and the song "Dappled Light"
• The song "You and Me" and a moving message from a college freshman who grew up listening to it

Resources & Links

• Frances England's music/website
• Francis's adult music project: Oscilla — EP Drink Up the Sun, song "Dappled Light"
• Sea Level art space, San Francisco (home of the Songwriter's Circle):
• Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert (jackhammer vs. hummingbird creative types)

Creatively Well is a podcast about the creative process and how creativity supports our personal and professional lives. Hosted by Derek.

Host: Derek Orth
Guest: Vivek Venugopal — Improv practitioner, executive coach, and corporate trainer specializing in communication, public speaking, storytelling, and improv thinking.

Derek sits down with Vivek Venugopal to explore how improv comedy principles can transform our personal and professional lives. Vivek shares his journey from a lukewarm college improv experience to winning an improvised presentation show in San Francisco, and ultimately building a career teaching "improv thinking" to professionals. The conversation dives into the neuroscience of flow state, the power of "Yes, And," and why authenticity is the key to better communication.

• Show Introduction — 0:13
• Vivek's Background — 0:44 — From corporate training to teaching improv thinking
• First Experience with Improv — 2:33 — A college improv practice that didn't quite click
• Why First Impressions of Improv Are Often Bad — 3:30 — The "mediocre first exposure" theory (musicals and improv alike)
• Living in Chicago Without Taking Improv — 5:21 — 10 years near iO and Second City, zero classes
• The Speechless Show — 6:10 — Discovering a fully improvised presentation show in San Francisco, and winning on the first night
• What Made Improv Click — 9:04 — How skills from nonprofit fundraising and tech sales were improv skills in disguise
• A Global Upbringing and Adaptability — 10:43 — Born in Zambia, raised in India, college in Iowa — building adaptability into his mindset
• Learning Improv Properly — 11:54 — Taking classes at Endgames in San Francisco
• Performing with a Tony Winner — 13:01 — Doing a two-person musical improv show with Anthony Veneziale, co-creator of Freestyle Love Supreme with Lin-Manuel Miranda
• From Performer to Teacher — 14:26 — Leading a corporate improv workshop the day after the 2016 election and discovering his calling
• The Psychology of Perfectionism — 19:11 — How fear of being wrong creates neural pathways that hold us back
• The Neuroscience of Improv & Flow State — 24:09 — Dr. Charles Limb's fMRI research at UCSF: the medial prefrontal cortex (creativity) vs. the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (self-monitoring/judgment)
• Accessing Flow State on Demand — 26:30 — Deep breathing, warm-ups, and improv exercises as tools to enter flow
• Improv Game: "Remember When" — 34:58 — Derek and Vivek improvise a fictional trip to a Moroccan night market with a talking Oxford-educated monkey
• Game Debrief — 41:01 — Active listening, giving up control of the narrative, and shutting down the inner critic
• Airbnb's "11 Star Experience" — 44:58 — How Yes-And thinking led to the creation of Airbnb Experiences
• Applying Improv to Business — 31:21 — Adapting improv games for sales, brainstorming, and leadership
• Final Thoughts on Authenticity — 50:52 — "You're here because of your experiences, not despite them"

Vivek Venugopal teaches improv thinking workshops, executive coaching for public speaking, and corporate training in communication and storytelling.

Most biographies overlook the real person behind the legend, and that's why my guest, Eddie Selover, went deep. Discover how Eddie unraveled the secrets of Basil Rathbone, Hollywood’s most iconic Sherlock Holmes, by digging through family archives, unearthing unseen letters, and interviewing his grandson.What Eddie uncovered reveals a complex man far richer than the myth.

In this episode, Eddie shares the surprising truths behind Rathbone’s career rise and fall, from his Shakespearean roots to his typecasting as a villain and the tragic decline of his later years. You’ll learn why Rathbone's war trauma pushed him to work obsessively, how his secret affair added layers to his story, and why his marriages were far more tumultuous than publicly known. Eddie breaks down: the real reason Rathbone hated his Sherlock Holmes persona, the hidden struggles behind his dashing exterior, and the unexpected chapters like his obscure Mexican film.

He also reveals the critical discoveries from private letters and exclusive interviews that paint a picture of an artist haunted by his past and driven by an insatiable need to create.

Why does this matter? Because understanding Rathbone’s true story offers a rare glimpse into the toll of fame, the scars of war, and the complexity of human identity. If you’re a fan of Hollywood history, biography, or stories of resilience and want to see behind the curtain, this episode will redefine your perception of a true Hollywood icon.

Perfect for history buffs, film lovers, and anyone fascinated by the untold stories hidden in archives, this is a deep dive into the man behind the myth, exploring the psychological layers beneath the roles he played. Bring your curiosity and hit play to experience the unexpected truth about Basil Rathbone’s life, his struggles, and the legacy he left behind.

In this episode of Creatively Well, host Derek Orth interviews McArdle Hankin, founder of Back Pocket Media, about the art of storytelling and the journey of creating live storytelling events. McArdle shares insights into his background, the appeal of live storytelling, and the importance of collaboration and audience engagement. He discusses the challenges of balancing creativity with parenthood and offers advice for aspiring storytellers. The conversation highlights memorable connections made through storytelling and the transformative power of personal narratives.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to McCarl Hankin and Back Pocket Media

02:38 The Journey to Live Storytelling

07:09 The Appeal of Live Events

10:48 Memorable Collaborations and Relationships

14:26 Crafting Stories for the Stage

18:33 Balancing Creativity and Parenthood

22:01 Creative Process and Inspiration

27:13 Unlocking Stories: The Art of Storytelling

31:41 Finding Depth in Narratives

35:43 Audience Engagement in Storytelling

39:27 Opportunities for Storytelling Events

In this conversation, Vikram Rangala shares his multifaceted journey through creative well-being, exploring the importance of creativity in personal and professional life. He discusses the significance of daily routines, the power of journaling, and the role of gratitude in fostering a creative mindset. Vikram emphasizes the need for psychological safety in both personal and corporate environments, advocating for a culture that encourages self-expression and creativity. The discussion also touches on historical perspectives of well-being and the transformative power of embracing suffering for growth.