On Life and Meaning

Katie Oates is a singer and songwriter. Her music explores the longings and connections that invite us into the higher graces of our humanity. There is laughter and tears in her lyrics and the thrill of getting lost in a song. There is a clever flirtation in her words and a vulnerability in her desires. What is true about her music is what is true about Katie: she has a grateful and generous spirit that seeks to make relationships meaningful, playful and profound. She has been a singer throughout her life - from church choirs to musical theater to smoky bar room stages - but it has been in mid-life that she began composing and performing original songs. Katie inspires us to do the same: to find our voice and to discover the best in ourselves.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in singing and songwriting and a journey to give voice to the connections that matter.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Katie shares what is consistent about all her songs.
• She answers whether music or words come first when she composes songs.
• She explains what butterfly nets have to do with songwriting.
• Katie sings 'When Dragons Were Real.'
• She talks about growing up as a preacher's daughter and what she internalized and carries with her to this day.
• She discusses going away to boarding school, attending college and graduate school, and the one line through it all.
• She shares her impressions of Boston and Nashville and the push and pull of music.
• Katie talks about an experience that led to a decision that changed her life.
• She discusses the importance of story in her life and work.
• She reads a quote of her own about craving connection to the 'funny, odd, poignant and limitless.'
• She answers whether the past and future are quite sufficient.
• She talks about why many people feel lost and disconnected, what's next in her work, and whether fame is something she desires.
• Katie sings 'Edge of a Hurricane.'

After the conversation, host Mark Peres adds a personal word that begins this way, "Katie's music and the yearning for and celebration of human connection that is her work transports me to the moment I witnessed Johnny and June Carter Cash on stage..."

To learn more, visit On Life and Meaning.

Henry Rock II is the founder and director of City Startup Labs, an entrepreneur's academy for African American millennials that develops human, social and economic capital within inner-city America. In partnership with Ventureprise, Inc., a non-profit venture development organization, CSL operates a Center of Excellence for Entrepreneurial Competency, Innovation and Leadership at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. Henry has over two decades of experience in media sales, advertising and marketing. His career includes business development and strategic planning for small black-owned and operated ventures. He has given a TEDxCharlotte Talk on creating a new class of African American entrepreneurs. Henry does more than inspire young men and women to live powerful and rewarding lives. He gives them the tools and shares the mindsets to make it happen.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in the education of entrepreneurs, a discussion on black cultural nationalism, and a basis for hope in our lives.

• Henry shares what City Startup Labs is and what it is designed to do.
• He explains the four modules that make up CSL that guide young entrepreneurs from acceleration to incubation to market.
• He discusses the development of his curriculum and how he makes use of lean startup principles and Barry Gordy's autobiography to reach his students.
• Henry talks about the mindset of young black men and how perceptions of them affect them psychologically and physically.
• He shares what has surprised him leading CSL.
• He reports where CSL is now and what he wants for the program going forward.
• Henry explains the three classes of assets that CSL is seeking to build.
• He discusses how his family story parallels the arc of African American history.
• Henry talks about the influence of black activists Amiri Baraka and Ron Karenga in his thinking and development as a young man.
• He explains the difference he sees between black and white nationalism.
• Henry describes himself as a young man, why he chose to take courses in economics, and his transition into a career in media and advertising.
• He talks about an amazing period in black media and how it informs what he is doing now.
• He discusses guiding forces in his life and why he is hopeful about the future.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres adds a personal word that begins this way, "The discussion you heard was the second one I had with Henry. The first one did not record. This is what you did not hear..."

To learn more, visit On Life and Meaning.

John W. Love Jr. is a surreal apparition of a being who creates multi-sensory experiences that invite participants into a world of Yes. He is an interdisciplinary literary and performance artist. His work is as "deliciously complex, circuitous, textual, and contextual as his own nappy hair." He tells stories that are earthen and fantastical. His installations delight and confound. He smears boundaries because "definitions all fit like a fat man in a toddler's big girl dress." John is a poet, an actor, a dancer, a sculptor, a director and a teller of tales. In his stories characters burn blue. He is a recipient of the Arts & Sciences McColl Award in recognition of artistic excellence and a Rasmuson Foundation Individual Artist residency. Â He is a North Carolina Artist Council Artist Fellow and a Guggenheim Foundation Fellow. His work has brought him to Sweden, Germany, France and points beyond. His insights are flavors in the mind.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in the life-affirming funkiness of a daring interdisciplinary mind and the intentions and expressions of a love warrior mystical being.

IN THIS EPISODE

• John shares the beautifully absurd and wonderfully ridiculous nature of defining himself and his objection to lines of demarcation.
• He discusses the elements that make up his art and the influence of his meditative practice on his performances and installations.
• He explains what he means by 'rescuing narrative.'
• He describes one of his signature performance and installation works and the role salt as a spice played in it and the return of all things to the Source.
• John talks about several of his characters from Neequa or She Who Would Be King to Roscoe 'The Eggplant' Takimoto to The Perpetually Pregnant Man.
• He explains the world of Yes, the correct posture for living, and when 'no' is appropriate.
• He responds to the idea that he and his characters are intertwined and that how he presents himself could very well be a character he has written.
• He shares whether the responses of others to his work matters to him.
• John talks about how much of his art is flirtation, how much is consummation, and the sensuality of his work.
• He reflects on the rewards and constraints of fellowships and recognitions, the yumminess of his applications, and what he refuses to do as an artist seeking support.
• He reacts to what makes anything art and the power he sees in his own work.
• John shares what Meryl Streep, Bill T. Jones and Bjork have in common.
• He describes himself as a young person and what his younger self would recognize and be surprised by his current self.
• John reads a poem of his called 'Early Morning Ritual.'
• He responds to rapid-fire questions that he composed that reveals the temperature of his mind, what makes him cry, and the sexiest tool in his arsenal.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres adds a personal word that begins this way, "When I hear David talk about cities and memory and song, I'm reminded of the poem Chicago by Carl Sandburg..."

To learn more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.

David Wagner is an architect and artist. His buildings tell stories that invite listening and conversation. His projects range from retail and office complexes, restaurants and corporate headquarters, urban parks and public spaces, commercial buildings and streetscapes, markets and multimodal stations, and centers of art, galleries and museums. He has designed the interiors of several stadiums for the National Football League, including Raymond James Stadium, Bank of America Stadium, Lucas Oil Stadium and Heinz Field. From large mixed-use planning to designing for chairs and bar stools and dinnerware, David Wagner makes spaces and places memorable. He is a painter, a sculptor, a gardener, an inventor and a prolific writer. Over a 40 year career, his voice has led discourse about cities and the urban realm.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in what makes for great architecture and the ideas and influences that inform a purposeful and memorable life.

IN THIS EPISODE

• David shares a quote about how grace and art are linked.
• He discusses the kinds of projects he works on and what he seeks to do as an architect.
• He answers if there is an architectural signature to the designs he produces.
• He explains what great architects do and the singular trait of great clients.
• David talks about what he notices when he looks at buildings and the ideal forms that attract him.
• He reflects on growing up in Pittsburgh and what about the city he carries with him to this day.
• He talks about the influence of his former professor of architecture Olivio Ferrari.
• He comments on what makes the Vietnam Memorial so profound, remembering lyrics to rock & roll songs, and why he is drawn to Italian influences.
• David explains the design elements and subconscious effects of the Bechtler Museum of Modern Art and an urban park he designed called The Green.
• He shares the central theme of his life and work.
• David reflects on his children and what makes for a good life.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres adds a personal word that begins this way, "When I hear David talk about cities and memory and song, I'm reminded of the poem Chicago by Carl Sandburg..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning

Dr. Becky Winkler is a corporate psychologist who identifies and develops executive talent. She works with private equity, asset management and business clients throughout the world. She has led research on learning agility and predictors for executive success in collaboration with leading universities. Becky has conducted over a thousand executive-level assessments and coached numerous executives to breakthrough performance. It is the profound connection and meaningful perspectives she shares with others that inspires her work. Becky helps people more fully realize themselves - their talents, skills and aspirations - whether in her professional life traveling the globe or as board chair of a local chapter of a network of college-preparatory public charter schools serving students in educationally underserved communities. She graduated summa cum laude with degrees in psychology, women's studies and Chinese from the University of Georgia Honors Program. She earned an M.A and Ph.D. in industrial and organizational psychology from DePaul University.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in the art and science of assessing executive talent, and the trade-offs of a business consultancy life 'up in the air.'

IN THIS EPISODE

• Becky explains her process for identifying and recommending talent to private equity and corporate clients.
• She shares the aspect of her work that is a constant playground.
• She discusses the five enabling elements of learning agility and the one disabling element that gets in our way.
• Becky assesses her own talents as a corporate psychologist.
• She responds to the question of whether she is like the fictional Wall Street psychologist and performance coach television character Wendy Rhoades.
• She talks about working with clients who are 'masters of the universe.'
• She shares how reading people professionally is very different than reading people personally.
• Becky reflects on her life growing up and the influence of her mother and father.
• She talks about the impact of losing loved ones and their presence in her life.
• She explains why she chose her fields of study and how she found her way to the work she does.
• Becky discusses the particular challenges and opportunities women executives havein their path to success.
• She shares the trade-offs of living life 'up in the air.'
• Becky shares what happiness and success is for her.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres adds a personal word that begins this way, "When I listen to Becky talk about animating talent, I'm reminded of the 18th century scientists Luigi Galvani and Franz Mesmer..."

Bruce Fritch is a business advisor who accesses the human brilliance of people and organizations. He sees our gifts, talents and experiences as the wellspring for the best of human endeavors. A former naval officer and bank executive, and a consultant to small and large enterprises throughout the world over nearly a 50 year career, he is a student of leadership and culture. His clients cross industry sectors from financial services to healthcare to manufacturing to start-up ventures. Bruce is also an artist. A prolific writer and photographer, he is a keen observer of the human condition. His work has the voice of a prophet calling his audience to excellence and higher purpose.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in the power and consequences of leadership, and hearing a powerful personal journey of growth and reflection.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Bruce describes what he does professionally and the impact he seeks to have.
• He responds to assertions he has made about the state of leadership in corporate America.
• He compares American leadership to the remarkable example of leadership he witnessed in South Africa.
• Bruce explains how 'our social and behavioral self-aspects' are shaped by emulation.
• He shares the influence and impact of his father and mother in his life, the understanding he has now, and the quest for insight that remains.
• Bruce talks about his experience as a Navy officer and Admiral's aide and what he learned about leadership and culture.
• He compares his time in the Navy to a very different experience, and how those two experiences set the course of his business consultancy.
• He explains what he means by 'human brilliance' and what leaders do to activate it.
• Bruce talks about 'how happiness goes to the adult.'
• He discusses his interest in photography and how it informs his life.
• He shares what matters most to him in his work ahead.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres shares a personal word that begins this way, "When I hear Bruce talk about his reflections, I'm reminded of my own love for the artifacts of memory..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.

Valaida Fullwood is a writer and project strategist who realizes ideas and dreams. She is the author of Giving Back: A Tribute to Generations of African American Philanthropists - named one of the '10 Best Black Books' of 2011 and winner of the prestigious Terry McAdam Book Award as 2012's most inspirational and useful new book for the non-profit sector. She is also the vision keeper and principal architect for Giving Back: The Soul of Philanthropy Reframed and Exhibited, a museum exhibit that has toured the nation and will be featured at a national conference hosted by the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Valaida is a poet and public speaker who has inspired audiences throughout the nation.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in the burdens and rewards of an idea and the re-framing of a concept that changes community.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Valaida describes herself as an 'idea whisperer' and shares the most memorable idea she whispered and to whom.
• She talks about how 'an idea is salvation by imagination' and how she sees herself as spiritual instrument.
• She describes the small town she grew up in and how it shaped all the choices she made next.
• Valaida shares how a conversation she overhead on a bus sparked her major in college.
• She talks about her work overseas and what she learned about herself.
• Valaida describes the burden of bearing an untold story and how an idea landed on her that was fully formed and generative.
• She talks about how she set out to re-frame philanthropy across cultures and communities.
• She shares the impact of her book and exhibit and how it continues to test and reward her.
• Valaida responds to where her imagination may be taking her next.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres shares a personal word that begins this way, "The story Valaida tells of an idea that landed upon her that was fully formed summons another idea about ideas..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.

Jeff Jackson writes beautiful stories about disturbing characters or is it disturbing stories about beautiful characters? His writing is given shape by remnants of dreams and the resonance of found objects. Anything can happen in the tales he tells...and do...to his readers consternation and delight. He is the author of the novels Mira Corpora and Novi Sad and the soon-to-be published Destroy All Monsters! His short fiction has appeared in numerous literary magazines. He has written plays, edited literary anthologies, co-founded a popular website on jazz, and received fellowships from several leading centers of art.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in literary fiction and the summoning of culture to tell strange and wonderful narratives about identity and transformation.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Jeff explains why he calls his website 'Death of Literature.'
• He talks about what makes fiction literary and what is and is not being read.
• He discusses why he chose the title Mira Corpora for the title of his first novel.
• Jeff shares how it is often our lives that stretch imagination.
• He talks about two characters in Mira Corpora - one that bears his name and the other that is quite disturbing.
• Jeff reflects on a blurb by Don Delillo about Jeff's novel and how it led Jeff to walk around the block.
• He discusses why he is drawn to writing coming-of-age stories.
• He talks about writing as incantation.
• Jeff summarizes his second novel Novi Sad and the value of hypnogogic time.
• He responds to a comparison of his work with the work of David Lynch.
• Jeff explains what makes a character interesting and what to expect in his next novel Destroy All Monsters!

After the conversation, host Mark Peres shares a personal word that begins this way, "The dark coming-of-age stories that Jeff writes about reminds me that we are always emerging..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.

Carlos is a leadership performance strategist. He applies what he learned as a sports psychologist in the elite competitive world of international tennis to help business leaders and peak performers 'go beyond their personal best.' Carlos creates immersive experiences and hosts conferences that blend art and science to shift insight into our identity and the value we create. He has led many lives: student, coach, immigrant, playwright, consultant, world traveler and mind explorer. He believes the quality of our lives depends on the quality of our thinking.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in how mindsets shape performance and one person's journey to coach business leaders and peak performers throughout the world.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Carlos explains his work producing theaters of purpose to help business leaders achieve insight.
• He shares his understanding of the global and missionary mind.
• He discusses the influence of Richard Saul Wurman, founder of the TED conference and a self-described information architect.
• Carlos discusses his life as a student in Argentina during the 'disappearances' and how it impacted his life and career.
• He talks about the privileges and legacy of how he was raised.
• Carlos tells of a play he wrote in memory of an infamous massacre in Argentina.
• He shares how he left the study of literature, law and medicine to become a tennis coach to elite athletes.
• He talks about his work with Jim Loehr, a legendary sports psychologist, and their work with tennis star Gabriel Sabatini and the athletes who followed.
• He shares who inspired him to coach corporate athletes.
• Carlos explains what true leaders really do.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres shares a personal word that begins this way, "When I hear Carlos speak and reveal his own hummingbird mind, I'm reminded of the great free thinkers of the Enlightenment who dared to know..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.

Peter Reinhart is a baker of bread and a master of metaphor. For him bread is the staff of life for our bodies and for our souls. One of the world's leading authorities on bread, Peter is chef-on-assignment at the Johnson & Wales University College of Culinary Arts, host of an international symposium on the future of bread, a TED presenter and food entrepreneur. His lectures and numerous cookbooks about the art and science of baking are deep spiritual lessons about who we are and why we are here. He is a theologian at heart who has led an extraordinary life as a seeker of truth.

This episode is perfect for anyone interested in hearing about how bread and cooking serve as metaphors for life and the journey of connecting to a higher source.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Peter shares the two key principles that he teaches new students about baking and life.
• He talks about a type of bread that became his signature creation that came to represent the confluences of his life.
• Peter shares the stages of bread production from wheat to eat and what we can learn about our own transformations.
• He explains the phrase 'mise en place' and its importance in cooking and in sustaining success.
• Peter discusses the ambition of being interesting.
• He talks about his early adult years as a spiritual seeker experimenting with a variety of theological and religious principles and paths.
• Peter discusses his conversion from Judaism to Christianity, changing his name, taking vows as a member of a religious order, re-entering lay society, and finding his way to the Eastern Orthodox Church.
• He shares his many avocations as a restaurateur, writer and educator.
• Peter talks about his continuing search for theosis, the transformative process whose aim is likeness to or union with our Creator.

After the conversation, host Mark Peres shares a personal word that begins this way, "This is the first episode of what I hope will be a long-term series interviewing fascinating people about their lives..."

For more about this podcast, visit On Life and Meaning.