Meditations with Ryan Zlomek

This week Ryan sits down with John Fricke, the foremost biographer of Judy Garland and historian on The Wizard of Oz. In this episode we travel through time to 1900, the year the book The Wizard of Oz was published by L. Frank Baum and then make our way to 1939 to talk about the production and relevance of the MGM film almost 85 years later. John Fricke is a New York City-based writer who has published numerous landmark books including Judy Garland: The World's Greatest Entertainer, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic. His newest book is about the film White Christmas and is due out in 2024. John is also the co-director and host of the documentary We're Off To See The Munchkins and is the featured audio commentary narrator on the Blu-Ray, DVD, and Laser Disc releases of The Wizard of Oz as well as the other Judy  Garland classics Meet Me In St. Louis, For Me And My Gal, and  Easter Parade. In this conversation John talks about growing up in Milwaukee, discovering the Oz books at a young age, the importance of libraries in his career trajectory, and gives a tremendous behind-the-scenes glimpse into the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz and its historical importance as the most watched film of all time.

If you're interested in learning more about John Fricke and the importance of L. Frank Baum's work, check out the All Things Oz Museum on the web where John writes a regular blog and consider coming to Chittenango, NY to visit the museum in person or attend Oz-Stravaganza the first weekend in June every year. 

For more about Meditations With Ryan Zlomek, follow The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected] to inquire about sponsorships or collaborations. 

In this conversation, Ryan travels across the globe to sit down with world-renowned stop motion animator, Tim Allen. Having started his career on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and more recently working with Aardman Animations on Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Tim is a giant in the film industry acting with stop motion puppets one frame at a time. In this conversation Tim talks about discovering his passion for animation, how to overcome imposter syndrome, performing through puppets, and the value of sharing your craft with a new generation. Additionally, he shares tales of working on such films as Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. It’s an engaging, humble chat that will inspire you to seek out your passion and show them to the world.

Tim can be found online at Facebook and Instagram (@timallenanimation) as well as at his website https://timallenanimation.co.uk/

For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

This week Ryan is joined by CJ Butler, the Communications Manager of The Salt City Market in Syracuse, NY. CJ talks about her journey as a young professional exploring social media management, determining whether to put down roots in the big apple (New York City) or the big orange (Syracuse, NY), the Allyn Family Foundation and the work CJ does for The Salt City Market project. Additionally, CJ talks about her time exploring American Sign Language in college and fiber arts with the Off The Hook Crochet Club. 

For more information on CJ's work, visit The Salt City Market through their website, Facebook, and Instagram as well as follow Off The Hook Crochet on Instagram. 

For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

Two Ryans, one podcast, what could go wrong? This week Ryan Zlomek (college educator, media artists, and pinball collector from New York) is visited by his doppelgänger Ryan Claytor (college educator, comic artist, and pinball collector) from Michigan to talk about the creative process. Ryan Claytor discusses his new book One Bite At A Time, the importance of bartering, how his process changes from designing comics to watches to pancakes, and how he views his personal evolution over the last 20 years. The fellow Ryans also discuss the serendipitous nature of their relationship to one another and the manner by which similarities in sometimes just can not be avoided.

For more information on Ryan Claytor, visit his website http://elephanteater.com/ or find him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/elephanteatercomics) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/coinopcarnival/).

For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

We transport to Liverpool, NY this week to talk with Kelly Tompkins, the owner of the Blue Moon Apothecary. Kelly chats with Ryan to talk about her journey to find work/life balance, the history of apothecaries, the importance of talking through your ailments to find the root cause, and ensuring we rely on both holistic and modern medicine. Additionally, this is a conversation about entrepreneurship and the welcoming environments people can create when they invest in themselves and the community around them. 

You can find more about Kelly and her work by visiting https://www.thebluemoonapothecary.com/.

For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

It's time to get meta in the Meditations Universe as Ryan chats on a podcast with two podcasters about podcasting. Matt Hartman of the Drunkard's Walk and Mariana Ruiz of the Impact Driven Entrepreneur Podcast share their backgrounds and journeys to podcasting from the STEM fields to developing audio media for clients and curious patrons. This episode is a deep dive into the work it takes to develop a podcast, different ways to think about your audience, successful scheduling tactics, technology to consider, and the manner by which your personal interests can positively feed into your work. 

For more information about Mariana and her work with entrepreneurs, find her on Facebook Mariana S. Ruiz. To explore Matt Hartman and the Drunkard's Walk, visit https://drunkardswalk.buzzsprout.com/ or find them on your favorite podcast app. 

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Very rarely can one guest act as multiple people but this week Ryan is lucky enough to chat with voice actor and character creator Marc Silk. Known for his work in Bob The Builder (US), Scooby Doo and Shaggy (UK), Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Danger Mouse, Chicken Run, video games Two Point Hospital and Two Point Campus, as well as the Hogwarts Sorting Hat for Universal, you've likely heard Marc's voice a place or two. In this conversation he covers his transition from radio engineer to voice actor, talks about his family's support of his career choice, his dad's fascinating journey at Blackbeard the pirate, and shares a number of anecdotes including his time working with George Lucas. For anyone interested in show business behind the camera, this is one for you. 

Marc can be found on Instagram @marcsilkvoice and online at www.marcsilk.com.

For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook @SyracusePinheads.

Jamie Santos, owner of Three of Swords Tattoo & Art Studio in Syracuse, NY, joins Ryan in conversation about her journey as a creative and the impact of art on local and global communities. Jamie discusses finding art as a communication tools early in her childhood, her decision to become a tattoo artist, and the modern culture of tattoo shops. She also talks about her community arts initiatives including charity events painting skateboard decks, social java & draws, as well as an art hunt that deployed during the COVID lockdowns. 

Jamie can be found on Instagram at @jamiesantosart as well at her business https://www.threeofswordstattoo.com/. 

Exploring a favorite topic this week, Ryan chats about food with Dave Forman, alternatively known as David The Gastronome from his food blog. Discovered by the Very Local streaming app, Dave has become the host of the cooking competition TV show Plate It, Pittsburgh and has used his new stature in the culinary world to volunteer with non-profits around Pennsylvania. In conversation he discusses the origins of David The Gastronome, the importance of knowing about regional cuisine, how to evaluate the Michelin Star system, and the importance of finding outlets for your passions. 

Dave Forman can be found on Instagram and Facebook at @davidthegastronome.

Ryan sits with Nick Parisi, the president of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation and the writer of the phenomenal biography Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination. Nick talks about his life in rock and roll, working with disabled veterans, and the works of Rod Serling, the famed creator of The Twilight Zone. Starting from Serling's early life in Syracuse, NY and Binghamton, NY to his time writing radio in Ohio, to the teleplays he produced from the 1950s-1970s, this conversation gives an excellent primer on the work of Rod Serling and the legacy he has left on screenwriters since his death in 1975.

For more information about the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation and the tremendous work they do, visit www.rodserling.com.