Seemingly Ordinary

Emily Wobker is a mom of six, and a former teacher who taught a class on WWII and the Holocaust twelve times. What she has to say is spellbinding. [Contains discussion of crimes against humanity.]

Pay nothing! Give your renters a bargain! Learn real skills, like how to fix things! Learn leadership! Learn to figure out who to rent to! After all, when you're 18, you're supposed to be an adult. (Some thoughts on all of these things.)

In this second interview with a beloved teacher who was voted #1 by his peers, Michael Consiglio discusses his ups and downs in buying and renting six or more houses. His stories  entertaining, and I felt smarter after listening to them.

Mark and Rose are typical high school seniors: afraid to speak, aware of the cameras watching them in every room and on every street, and smart enough to walk away if anyone dares discuss the place known only as “The Island.” // They know how to stay invisible. But on his way to school, Mark gets caught in the crossfire between two revolutionary gangs, and later that day, Rose’s friend…just…disappears.  //  When violence happens, Mark—who is destined for the NBA—knows the unspoken rule: don’t talk about it. You weren’t there. It didn’t happen. And when someone vanishes, Rose--who gets away with things she shouldn’t—knows denial is the only ways to survive. // But each has reached a breaking point. Mark decides to smuggle his family out of the country. And Rose will risk everything to get her friend back. //  The Forbidden Novel is the story of two people who live in a nation hell-bent on domination and control. Will they be crushed beneath the wheel? // Or will freedom strike back?

What does it take to be creative? In this mini-episode, I explain what the book "Rest: Why You Get More Done When You Work Less" advocates, as well as discuss the utterly original life of Ernest Hemingway, whose accomplishments and disasters are both a 9.8 on the Richter Scale. 

Lindsey Weishar is a freelance editor, writer, and college English instructor. Her work has appeared in Verily, Ploughshares, and The Young Catholic Woman. We are speaking today about her hard work, creativity, and published work. Lindsey is an amazingly eloquent wordsmith; she works hard at her craft, and in every piece, her gentle, heartfelt personality shines through.

Pamela Caro learned Italian in ten months so she could leave everything she knew to move to Rome and pick up a difficult M.A. in a foreign language. With stories from her sales career, and how to land on your feet after you move 2,000 miles (repeatedly), this episode features a great soul who tackles difficulties with a carefree lilt in her voice. You will be inspired!

Sean Cailteux is the most super-fit man that I know. Today, I ask him his views on multiple eating strategies, including Paleo, Whole 30, Veganism, Vegetarianism, Carnivore, and the Standard American Diet.

If you’ve ever wanted to know how a stellar director brings out the best in her performers, and gives her audience an overwhelmingly emotional experience, you’ll love hearing from Carol Mertz, a lifelong actress, singer, director, and artist.

If you've ever wondered what it would be like to grow up in a small house with 14 sisters and brothers, two parents, and an unknown number of pets, Angela Charlton has stories for you.