The Bridge

BeiBei insisted that Prof. Van Norden make another appearance on The Bridge-and he cleared his schedule to join her and John the very next day. A fascinating conversation about how he went from living a typical middle-class life in Latrobe, PA to becoming one of the top 300 professors in America, and playing in The World Series of Poker. His insights and experiences position Prof. Van Norden as the perfect person to compare Eastern and Western beliefs.

Photo credit: 2017 Karl Rabe / Vassar College

BeiBei and John welcome Prof. Bryan Van Norden, internationally known author and the James Monroe Taylor Chair in Philosophy at Vassar College (USA), and Chair Professor in Philosophy in the School of Philosophy at Wuhan University (China).  Van Norden has published ten books on Chinese and comparative philosophy. BeiBei is a huge fan of Prof. Van Norden's work, and has an incredible, in-depth conversation about how ancient philosophy applies to our modern world.

Photo credit: 2017 Karl Rabe / Vassar College

As the weather changes, fruit flies have taken up residence in John's house. But, true to form, he finds the upside in having the little insects as temporary guests, citing a book called "Live Like A Fruit Fly" that insists that the miniature bugs are a reminder for all of us to live our best lives, no matter how short or long our life span might be. Heyang shifts gears away from the bugs, and to baldness of all things, as apparently hair loss has become very concerning to Chinese men & women and the show wraps with the burgeoning trend of solo dining during the Covid era.

The show launches with John & Heyang talking about everything from local radio to the ongoing cultural difference between China and America. Then, best-selling author and psychotherapist Thom Rutledge joins John & Heyang to talk about the concept of "embracing fear" in these uncertain times, and the trap of "perfection."

Since the building Heyang lives in skips floor number 14, it's a quick trip down the list of superstitions and among other things they discuss unlucky number 13,  walking underneath a ladder, touching wood, breaking the bad luck that comes with saying "bless you" after sneezing and the new favorite-never, ever salute a magpie. Hmm. Then Heyang explains the luck of wearing red underwear. Eventually the gears get shifted to the fitness industry, and John shares his experiences as a personal trainer and at one time a competitive bodybuilder.

It's Tuesday and that means super-producer Cimcie joins in the conversation with John & Heyang. This week it's the value of digging in the garden, leaving various foods out to ferment and then it's off to the movies...scary movies...in preparation for the upcoming Halloween holiday.

He's co-writer of the diamond selling song "The Real Slim Shady" with iconic rap artist Eminem, an accomplished jazz musician and his father was the keyboardist for Carlos Santana. Tommy Coster is a much sought-after producer and a 2x Grammy Award winner. A longtime friend of Cimcie, he joins the show to talk about the impact of rap music from a cultural standpoint, and the importance of dancing to your own beat in life.

Death is the one thing we all share in common, as well as the grief that comes with loss. Conrad Reeder, best-selling author and musical back up to John Denver, talks with BeiBei and John about the lessons grief offers from her book "Good Grief/Bad Grief" that she wrote following the death of her husband Roger "The Immortal" Nichols, 8-time Grammy Award winning producer and engineer.

He's been a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy, a forensic investigator and taught police science at the college level, but Tom Hanratty is best known for his fiction work, including the travels of a Daoist monk named Master Bao, his steadfast student Ping and the many lessons that we can learn from ancient times in the 21st century. BeiBei brings a Chinese perspective to Tom's writings, and brings the character alive by reading a few passages from The Master Bao Reader.

One industry that has thrived in the Covid era is Netflix and other media companies that deliver thousands of choices of programming, to our homes and devices. Heyang admits to binge watching a few programs that are supposed reality-based shows, and John who hails from a time long past, recalls the days when there were just four or five channels to choose from. Too many choices? Perhaps.