Lament of Hope

Lisa Purtue published a memoir last year entitled, "Five Minutes to Count," which details her experiences as a female correctional officer in some of the toughest prison facilities. She has asked that the state in which these facilities are located not be named due to her negative eyewitness accounts. Lisa sat down with me on the podcast and shared several of these experiences and her impressions. She is now a clinical abuse counselor and continues to share a message of empathy even for those behind bars.

Geneviève Côté captivated me last year with her vocals when I came across one of her talent show auditions. She is an entertainer who tours around the world using her vocals to create the sounds of nature and everyday noises that fade into the background, like that of a door creaking or even a breath. Geneviève sat down with me to talk about how she preserves her voice, the connections she has made with people, animals, and nature through her vocal ability, and the importance of renewing one's mind.

Ingrid Weir grew up traveling the world with her father, famous Australian director, Peter Weir, and used her creative talents in some of his film projects, e.g. graphic designer for "Master and Commander." Ingrid is an interior designer, photographer, and author who has been featured in several prominent publications such as "Vogue Living" and "Harper's Bazaar Australia." Ingrid talked with me about personality in interior designing, beauty, and what matters in life.

Cork Graham's memoir, "The Bamboo Chest: An Adventure in Healing the Trauma of War," recounts his experiences as a POW in a Vietnamese political prison where he was tortured and interrogated for almost a year before being released. Cork went on to serve the U.S. government as a paramilitary operations officer during the Central American civil wars, and then later became a substance abuse counselor to help fellow ex-military men suffering from PTSD. Cork sat down with me to share his experiences of war, his journey of PTSD healing, and his thoughts on our world's current hostile climate.

Richard Armitage is a prolific actor who has starred in several films, television shows, and theatre productions. Some notable titles include "The Hobbit" trilogy directed by Peter Jackson, "North and South," "Ocean's 8," and BBC's "Robin Hood" series. Richard has expanded his reach into the writing world with his first thriller novel, "Geneva," published in 2023, and his upcoming psychological thriller, "The Cut," releasing next month. Richard sat down with me to talk about his upcoming book, his writing process, his childhood, and his thoughts on life and identity.

Bruce Spence has played numerous film, television, and theatre roles since he started his acting career in the 1960s. One of his iconic roles is that of "The Mouth of Sauron" from the final film of the "Lord of the Rings" trilogy. Bruce also received the 2024 Equity Lifetime Achievement Award for his philanthropic work among Australian actors. Bruce spoke with me at length about acting, his many film and theatre projects, books, his childhood, and the importance of taking action to make the world a better place.

My dear friend, Anna, decided it was time my audience heard some of my experiences and thoughts on life. So, this is a get to know me from me hosted by Anna. Get ready for a conversation about the podcast, being a woman, and a bathroom escapade in Ghana.

Jon Huertas is a director and actor who has appeared in several television shows such as "Castle," "Generation Kill," and "This is Us" to name a few. Jon talked with me about his journey into acting, his love of nature, the dangers of male stereotypes, meaning, and his sewing machine.

Leah Smith is a 40-year-old mom who loves Jesus and encouraging others through social media. She also has Stage Three Congestive Heart Failure. Leah is currently recovering from yet another open-heart surgery. She sat down with me to share her literal heart journey, but also how social media has been an outlet for her to connect with others and give hope to those struggling with chronic illnesses.

James Norbury made almost a month-long trip on foot from the "Lord of the Rings" film set of Hobbiton to the location used for Mount Doom. Dressed as hobbits carrying the replica of the one ring, James (dressed as Frodo) and his friend, Alex (Sam), traversed New Zealand's North Island mimicking the journey of the Tolkien hobbits. 310 miles later, James is on the podcast to share his thoughts on the beloved trilogy, the story of his quest (which includes a crazy incident on Mount Doom), and his take aways from the experience.