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

Is Social Media the new cigarette? "The big change is that social media is not just targeting advertising to you, but, it is targeting content to you." This episode continues our discussion of social media on adults and children and how it is steering us. Funemployment helped serve as a sabbatical for Brian. He's landed happily into a great team with Favor (subsidiary of HEB.) Brian's story came by way of the Bay Area, like many people who now call Austin home. But, Austin is not the inexpensive panacea that it once was. Is the Texodus over? Mentorship in Brian's case has been instrumental in his story and shaped his life.

Brian and I explore the various volunteering roles within the Church and the division of labor. We celebrate women in leadership roles at Covenant Presbyterian, in part because it is PCUSA. We start a discussion around Social Media and Performance Marketing, which we continue into the next episode. We make an effort to distinguish between the humble beginnings of social networking online Vs. the more developed and mature targeted marketing made possible through cookies, and Big Data.

Successfully coaching youth sports, organizing family connections, and building a successful work team have a lot in common. Brian shares the tips and tricks on summer youth coaching in Texas. We find out how he landed on pickleball. Then, we find out there are some surprising corollaries between coaching and teaching children softball, and connecting with adults. What are the pitfalls of remote work? Find out on this episode why Gen Z, (and certainly Gen Alpha,) may be in trouble when in comes to receiving institutional knowledge.

We take a whirlwind tour through managers and mentors from Travis's 17 year heritage at NI (formerly National Instruments, currently Emerson). Ever wondered how a spreadsheet can take over your whole life, learn more... Then, we take a stab at the formula for a high quality, moderate work brisket. Maximize the quality of the brisket without having to output 100% of the effort. Learn about the Texas Crutch.

Travis and I take the long walk through some of Austin's coolest breweries. Find out what's hot and what's not. We talk about some of our favorite Austin Breweries, and take time to say goodbye to some of the others that came and went.

Do you know the main differences between Big Bend and Yellowstone? Travis and I take a deep dive into backpacking through Big Bend National Park. We contrast that with 'Car Camping.' We discuss the purposes and the use cases for backpacking Vs. 'Car Camping.'

As Laura and I wander through our thoughts about going back to school, we spend the majority of this episode talking about what it was like to grow up in the McFarlane household. This venturing into our developmental years stems mostly from our shared thoughts about the mentorship we received from Mom and Dad. But, even growing up in the same house, it really wasn't.

"You have to go through what you've been through, to get to where you are, to get to where you're going." We wade into the depths, and discover the common thread. Laura Trietsch, created to pour out love into others, has done this through her gifts of: music, Spanish, teaching, dance fitness instruction, parenting, and counseling. There have been highs and lows, along this journey. But, she finds peace with Phil.

Matt and I discuss what its like to run 3 dental practices, while working in one full time. We talk about why we listen to some emo, and what it's meant to us. We compare the novel challenges of trying something new, (e.g. yoga, cold showers, intermittent fasting, mountain biking). We look at the interplay between general dentists and specialists, and the special relationships that we forge throughout our professional careers, and the part mentorship plays in that.

Matt and I discuss baseball cards, watches, and other non-traditional investments. How did Covid create conditions for alternative investments? A love of Legos - some for selling some for keeping. We get into how Matt shifted his thinking from a love for hot rods and driving powerful cars to wanting a better future for our planet. He details how he perceives the ways that going green makes sense for the planet and the pocket book. The future of energy arbitrage.