The Bridge

Ever curious BeiBei begins digging right from the start in to the route that John has taken to create such a long career in radio. While the focus is on how does one even begin to find the confidence to create a life that they are committed to no matter what, the conversation goes much deeper than that. John suggests that only through the power of audacity, can a person find the inner strength to endure the ups and downs, twists and turns, success and failures, that create a life of significance, which is often more important than success.

One of the rare shows that John and BeiBei are actaully talking on the same day-albeit 13 hours apart. John is sipping a large Thermos of freshly ground coffee, and BeiBei confirms her affection for her morning routine that includes her own java inclinations. Then the gears shift to more insights from the book "Wabi Sabi" by Beth Kempton, that BeiBei is still reading. It's off to the races when it comes to people trying to create a perfect life, which always falls short, and we often miss the imperfections that make life worth living. Finally, John and BeiBei share some of the lessons they have learned, from the most difficult times in their lives.

It's that time of year in China when parents are starting to look at schools for their young children who will be attending elementary school. BeiBei has been out scouting schools for her daughter and she shares her thoughts on the process and procedures that go into this very important decision. John recalls his grammar school memories, and they both agree that there are things far more important than what school we attend, what classes we take and how very often that which can be counted, might not count when it really comes down to it. John also drops the needle on the Shanghai Philharmonic Chorus version of "The Lonely Goatherd" from The Sound of Music.

The most popular episodes of The Bridge are Music Monday. This week Heyang brings her favorites to the show, including Tony Bennett & Amy Winehouse, Taiwanese singer Su Rui, Joan Jett and Beyonce. John has chosen to drop the needle on Bob Seger, Heidi Newfield, Wynonna Judd and The Four Tops. Music, the universal language.

The conversation revolves around the many platforms that would-be authors have at their disposal that writers in times past didn't have, as John relates some of his experiences as a ghostwriter and literary coach. Liu Yan digs deeper into the concept that we all have stories to tell, and then they talk about Oprah's new book, each of them giving their observations on the impact of someone like Oprah Winfrey putting out a book, and then they move on to the importance of lifelines that are past the headlines.

Another benchmark achievement as John, Heyang, BeiBei and Liu Yan share their thoughts and memories about the past 250 shows. The ever popular "blooper reel" is one of the highlights of this episode, and the team also talks about their takeaways from this ongoing experiment in bringing the world together, one conversation at a time.

John starts out sharing about his recent experience talking with over 500 people in a Zoom meeting, to which BeiBei wants to know how technology can have such an impact when it's spread so thin. BeiBei then shares excerpts from the book : Wabi Sabi: Japanese Wisdom for a Perfectly Imperfect Life by Beth Kempton. The book is a practical and inspiring compass for navigating out turbulent times, helping you to stay calm, figure out what matters most, and lay the groundwork for renewal so you can reimagine life beyond the current chaos.

Annie Crawley, world renowned ocean photographer and educator makes her monthly appearance on The Bridge. BeiBei kicks off the episode with her ongoing series of jokes, using John & Annie as her audience. The show takes on a much more serious tone as Annie explains how major corporations are beginning to respond to consumer demands, proving that buying power makes a difference. The conversation goes to the challenge of overfishing, and while the oceans of the world will always be intact, our species is at risk, as we continue to contaminate our life support system.

BeiBei has just finished reading the international best-selling book The Road Less Traveled by the late M. Scott Peck, that is filled with wit and wisdom, when it comes to make some serious changes in our lives. John shares that he first read the book many years ago, and is well versed in the objectives of the book, especially when it comes the four aspects of discipline, and the importance of understanding that life is difficult, which if fully comprehended, makes life easier. The great paradox which in turn creates a much more balanced, profoundly vibrant, life experience.

Super Producer Cimcie has just returned from a road trip, and she listened to a couple of audio books on the drive, one from Matthew McConaughey, and the other book from host of The Bridge-John St. Augustine. The conversation goes to the heart of John's latest book "Phenomena" about unexplained and unexpected occurrences in his life. BeiBei chimes in with her observations on the subject and Cimcie shares an experience that took place when her father passed away. Finding the normal in the concept of "paranormal."