People Who Are Good at What They Do Being Good at What They Do

Monica and I explore improv discussing both facilitation, and performance. She explains how her St. Edward's experience launched her into facilitation skills through leadership training. We discussed her adjustment to choosing a life of being present, and being in the moment. She has an incredible capacity for leading games, and creating safe space. She has performed in Austin, TX and Asheville, NC. Stick around to hear the kind words she has for her mentor.

Casey and I revel in the wordplay of his poetry, unlocking publicly for the first time his thoughts and epiphanies. Casey brings joy and creativity to the podcast, and we take time to let the poems speak for themselves. There is too often a temptation to dissect everything, and this episode is a little different, because I let you the audience enjoy Casey simply being good at what he does.

Jay and Mark spend time sharing their passion and stories around Rocky Horror Picture Show. We talk about what makes Little Nell, love of performance, and the intricacies of how to keep the enthusiasm intact. This is part 2, wherein I interview 2 additional members of the O'Brien Orchestra shadow cast. They are able to share some of the differences that make the Austin shadow cast so good. https://www.rockyhorroraustin.com/  has a culture of mentorship, and this is made increasingly clear in this podcast sit-down.

Brett and Macy are generous guests. We talk about what makes this shadow cast tick. We share stories, and fun times, and get to the heart of where this love of theater all began. In this episode, Brett reveals a lot of heart, and Macy grows up right before our eyes. The context of this show is in the current vein of our local continuously running late night showing of Rocky Horror Picture Show turns 50 here in Austin, TX. But, the actual production quality of the show I saw back in March of 2026 made me think that I had to get an interview with people who are good at what they do being good at what they do. So, I'm digging to find out how they do it and what makes them tick. So, this is part 1, wherein I interview 2 members of the O'Brien Orchestra  shadow cast.

Yen reflects on home life, developing space for a dark room. He dreams revolve around getting his hands dirty: mountain biking, wrenching on his bikes, getting back into photography. We discuss his application of Claude code for work, and his optimism toward LLMs and AI. We give time to discuss pets, and mentorship. I included a short clip from an episode that aired back in 2024, but, is no longer available. The new recording sounds much better. We take time to reflect on video games, and work.

The Film Club Project is explored through the eyes of Mallory, Mark, and me, with a special guest as well. We discuss many of the movie touchstones of 2025, which include notes on: Sinners, One Battle After Another, Rats!, Secret Mall Apartment, and much more. There is simply no denying it. When you get together to discuss movies with friends, there is really no telling where the conversation will go.

Do you love movies? Come on a journey all about movies and how they intersect our lives. After some introductory remarks, Denny and I discuss movies (1917, Sorry to Bother You, Spiderman Across the Spiderverse, Alone, Incredibles 2, The Creator, Squaring the Circle, Umbrella Academy, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, X-men Origins Wolverine, Wolverine and Deadpool, The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Fast Times at Ridgemont High, Forgetting Sarah Marshall, X-men, X-men 2, Bob Marley One Love, Bohemian Rhapsody, Boy George, Oppenheimer, The Imitation Game, Stand By Me,) broadly in "what are you watching lately" section. Later, (The Royal Tennenbaums, Rushmore, The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou).
For the main course, we discuss the finer points of Steven Spielberg's semi-autobiographical film "The Fabelmans". "It's like letting them read your soul's journal and just praying they don't laugh at it." (Denny Taylor) This gives way into a discussion about life and about our lives, specifically. We make time to touch on other directors Christopher Nolan, Wes Anderson, Quentin Tarantino, and a host of other things.

Mark and I discuss the nuances of what makes camp... camp. Camp Longhorn has a storied history that has affected us both personally. So, we take time to figure out what it all means. We discuss everything from merits, Blob technique, stories about Tex, grotnot, the Sail-O, pickleball, Ropes, Hoss, the Ranger trip, King of Camp, Favorite Marine, Favorite Counselor. There is a lot to unpack, and we try to unwrap it for you. Finally, Mark makes a prediction about 4th Term weather, since that is when he heads back for his 27th year working professionally for CLH. After working for Camp Longhorn for 27 years professionally, and a connection spanning back to his childhood starting 33 years ago, Mark and I discuss the essence of camp. I find myself flipping back-and-forth between the feelings of: camp counselor, camper, and interviewer.

Listen to the passion in Syed's voice as he tries to move you toward wanting to cook more. He shares the virtuous cycle idea that cooking begets more cooking, and more enjoyment out of that cooking. Syed has married his passion for cooking with a passion for board games, and finds himself reveling in the gift of sharing his love of food and games with close friends. Likewise, he feels similarly passionate about mentorship. He shares some tips and tricks for people coming up as tech workers, coding engineers, and more broadly with young workers in general.

Syed and I go on a food journey around the world. Sushi in Japan. Bánh mì in Vietnam. We play an elimination game in the style of the Elite 8, wherein Syed has to pick the best dish. Then, we play a Jeopardy!-style trivia game, where Syed is challenged to come up with the names of seemingly obscure or novel foods. Syed name-drops "House of Three Gorges" restaurant, which I have since eaten the Dry Pot, and it's delicious. He gives practical advice on finding your inner cook. Then, we find the intersection between the journey of cooking, Bob Ross's painting style, and the development of dental skills all seem to meet.