Quest for the Amazing

Travis begins this episode with a quick update of his fascinating life as a teacher and his recent motivation to continue his podcast... maybe. He then interviews Jessie Burnette, who has been involved in social issues for the majority of her life. She is currently working toward completing her masters in English. She recently won the award for the best presentation of her paper at the ALPSS Graduate and Postgraduate Conference at Waikato University.  This is the Annual Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference hosted by Te Wananga o Nga Kete Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences. Her dissertation and thesis are interdisciplinary projects analysing how Twitter users use language to discuss Covid-19 and the ensuing government mandates. She is also an avid writer, with work published in Mayhem 2019, and the upcoming issues of Poetry New Zealand 2021 and Mayhem 2021. They wrap up their talk with a fun pop quiz on the best book and band... ever!

Travis begins this episode with a quick update of his fascinating life as a teacher and his recent motivation to continue his podcast... maybe. He then interviews Jessie Burnette, who has been involved in social issues for the majority of her life. She is currently working toward completing her masters in English. She recently won the award for the best presentation of her paper at the ALPSS Graduate and Postgraduate Conference at Waikato University.  This is the Annual Interdisciplinary Postgraduate Conference hosted by Te Wananga o Nga Kete Division of Arts, Law, Psychology and Social Sciences. Her dissertation and thesis are interdisciplinary projects analysing how Twitter users use language to discuss Covid-19 and the ensuing government mandates. She is also an avid writer, with work published in Mayhem 2019, and the upcoming issues of Poetry New Zealand 2021 and Mayhem 2021. They wrap up their talk with a fun pop quiz on the best book and band... ever!

Content warning.  This episode is dedicated to my friend Tony Gordon, who took his own life.  Included are tales of the many adventures we had and songs we grew up listening to in the unfortunate era of the Big Hair Bands.  If you are thinking about hurting yourself please remember that nothing ever stays the same.  Things change.  And if you missed someone who needed help, try to forgive yourself and listen for the others who either aren't asking or aren't being heard.

New Zealand: Lifeline Aotearoa: 0800 543 354

https://mentalhealth.org.nz/suicide-prevention

USA: National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-TALK (8255)

https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org

Internationally:

https://www.opencounseling.com/suicide-hotlines

In this episode, Travis discusses the cause of his recent absence and speaks with Christian Ehmen, a most unstereotypical German!  They discuss the German sense of humor, dealing with thoughtless stereotypes, and then Christian takes a pop quiz!

In this interview, Andrew takes Travis to school on popular political mythologies promoted by the mainstream media.  He discusses how he became politically active, how others who want to make their lives meaningful and amazing can do the same, and what opinionated white males such as ourselves need to do to support movements such as Black Lives Matter.  His message to listeners is to take charge of their education and not to think that it is just for the elite, whether that is through reading, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or whatever.  Some texts, cultural references, and related sources include…

· https://www.befrienders.org/contact-us- volunteer action to prevent suicide

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHcc7ipGt0– A Message to the Depressed, by Sky Williams

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xbw4xSEWg– shame lingers for loved ones after a suicide

· What Lies in Suicide’s Wake – New York Times opinion article by Peggy Wehmeyer

· The Things they Carried – Tim O’Brien

· Wretched of the Earth – Frantz Fanon

· https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com/china

· https://www.peoplesworld.org/authors/ian-goodrum/

In this interview, Travis speaks with Rayyan Mirza, a former political organizer, retail salesman, and social studies teacher.  Travis and Rayan discuss the current and potential future impact of the Black Lives Matter movement, how the political really is the personal, and why you shouldn't define yourself by your goals and achievements.

In this interview, Andrew takes Travis to school on popular political mythologies promoted by the mainstream media. Andrew discusses how he became politically active, how others who want to make their lives meaningful and amazing can do the same, and what opinionated white males such as themselves need to do to support movements such as Black Lives Matter. His message to listeners is to take charge of their education and not to think that it is just for the elite, whether that is through reading, listening to podcasts, audiobooks, or whatever. Sources referred to in the introduction include…

· https://www.befrienders.org/contact-us- volunteer action to prevent suicide

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HUHcc7ipGt0– A Message to the Depressed, by Sky Williams

· https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xbw4xSEWg– shame lingers for loved ones after a suicide

· What Lies in Suicide’s Wake – New York Times opinion article by Peggy Wehmeyer

· https://revolutionaryleftradio.libsyn.com/china

https://www.peoplesworld.org/authors/ian-goodrum/

Travis talks about one of his most amazing, influential, and best friends, Tony Gordon, while providing a critical review of the terrible "big hair bands" of the times, captured on a 120-minute MAX-Gold cassette tape.  Tony took his own life on July 17th, 2015.  Travis tells stories, possibly slightly mythological due to years of reimaginings, about how Tony had an impact on his life through a variety of thrill-seeking, often attention-seeking, adventures.  In hindsight, there were a lot of red flags and Travis tries to come to grips with where he was in his life at that time and how he wasn't able to be mentally present when his friend needed him.

Helpful links if you are struggling with suicide or suicide survivor guilt are below:

https://www.befrienders.org/contact-us

https://www.upworthy.com/in-response-to-robin-williams-death-the-most-powerful-description-of-depression-ive-ever-heard

https://edition.cnn.com/specials/us/suicide-in-the-united-states

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d0xbw4xSEWg

Travis speaks with teacher, future film director, and guitarist Rayyan Mirza about careers during the time of Corona Virus, not letting your goals define you, and the cost of making your life amazing!

This is the podcast where Travis tries to navigate yet another mid-life crisis and come to terms with his own mortality by finding The Amazing - those moments in life that make it meaningful and joyous.  He does this through motivational, inspirational, and at times humorous interviews with a variety of people to find out what they do to make their lives amazing.  This first episode had to address the murder of George Floyd, who died at the age of 46, and probably didn't even get the privilege of having a mid-life crisis.  In this episode, Travis interviews Jessie Burnette (and no, all of his interviews will not be with Burnettes!).  They discuss how she addressed white privilege and fragility, and how she reacted to other white people criticizing, sometimes in racist terms, Black Lives Matter and George Floyd.