Episode 77 - Gareth Reynolds.

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Gareth Reynolds.

Gareth Reynolds originally hails from the sweet streets of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. After moving to Los Angeles, Gareth starred in NBC’s ‘The Real Wedding Crashers’ which was as creatively stimulating

as it was successful. Through that show he began producing and writing his own material, eventually making shows at COMEDY CENTRAL, the TRAVEL CHANNEL, and MTV.

In 2015 he began doing an American History podcast called ‘THE DOLLOP’ with Dave Anthony which currently gets over 5 million downloads every month and takes him all over the world to do live episodes.

Between his podcast and touring the country doing stand-up he has taken the lead on ABC show ‘HAIL MARY’ has been seen on IFC’s MARON, has written on NETFLIX original series FLAKED, ARRESTED

DEVELOPMENT and FX series YOU’RE THE WORST.

He also has a cat named Jose.

Gareth's website: http://www.garethreynolds.com

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

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Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 75 - Chris Kuenzel.

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Chris Kuenzel.

Chris is a husband and father. By day he works in Corporate American as a Quality Assurance Lead, but considers his family his number 1 job.

He is an avid fan of science fiction and fantasy, admiring the imagination and drive to build entire worlds. Chris is also a dreamer and creator; he enjoys podcasting, cosplaying, prop building, and anything that allows him to stretch his imagination.

In his spare time, Chris helps his wife wrangle their two boys, co-hosts The Doctors Who Podcast, and is dreaming, designing, or building his next project.

The Doctors Who Podcast website: https://tdwpodcast.wix.com/tdwp

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 85 - Lauren Balthrop.

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Lauren Balthrop.

Lauren Balthrop – Alabama grown, New York tested, and Nashville bound – quiets even the loudest room. Balthrop’s debut album, This Time Around produced by Josh Kaufman (Bob Weir, The National, Craig Finn, Clare Bowen, Trixie Whitley, Amy Helm, Hiss Golden Messenger), is beguiling in its honesty, rich in dark sonic beauty and above all, devilishly playful.

This Time Around chronicles the story of an uprooted soul. Feeling spun out of orbit, tumbling, accidents, and loss of control are recurring themes yet Balthrop finds solace in the chaos of love. There is a sneaky confidence in Balthrop’s vocals – all honey and soaring – almost as if she feels most at ease when her heart is dizzy. Each track on the album oscillates between the moodiness of experimental dark folk instrumentation, and the levity of Balthrop’s crystal-fueled voice.

From the magical realism and twisted fairy tale-nature of “Maple Tree” to the fuzzed out guitar of “Don’t Ever Forget,” and the drunken carousel-esque swooning of “Tumbleweed,” This Time Around is the poster child for rich, subversive pop music. At times Balthrop hits Beatles-like pop hooks and harmonies, and beats that would make Petty nod from the heavens.

“We Fell” stands out as one of the most spare and beautiful tracks, inspired by the twilight of a relationship. The song is a somber waltz, lamenting the way lovers gamble their hearts, repeatedly. Kaufman and Balthrop have plenty of production tricks up their sleeves: a tambourine begins to rattle like a shackled ghost; these songs never behave like they should.

This Time Around is not overtly a political statement, but it’s impossible not to make a connection between the current global instability and Balthrop’s thematic focus on feeling spun out of orbit. The opening track, “Down,” was initially written as a response to political uncertainty and morphed from protest to love song. Balthrop holds love as the party line throughout, and her heart’s never-ending quest can be re-read as a pro-peace battle cry.

“When I’m on my death bed,” Balthrop says, “the only questions I will ask myself are: how did I love, how much, and could I have loved more?” This Time Around is a profound statement on finding beauty in chaos and refusing to hide your heart. Above all, Balthrop insists that we dance, especially when it’s dark.

With Balthrop at the helm, This Time Around features an all-star cast: Peter Lalish (Lucius, Uni Ika Ai) on guitar, Jason Lawrence on drums (Jesse Marchant, The Building), Josh Kaufman on bass, Karen Waltuch (Wilco) on strings, Elizabeth Ziman (Elizabeth & the Catapult) on backing vocals, Annie Nero (A. Nero) on backing vocals, Lucas Madrazo (Inland Traveler) on backing vocals, Maia Friedman (Uni Ika Ai, Dirty Projectors) on backing vocals and Tom Krueger on backing vocals. This Time Around is slated for release September 21,2018 via Tone Tree Music.

To purchase Lauren's album, find out about her touring dates, and learn more about her, please visit her website: www.laurenbalthrop.com

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is listener supported! To donate, click here: thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/donate/

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 85 - Lauren Balthrop.

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Lauren Balthrop.

Lauren Balthrop – Alabama grown, New York tested, and Nashville bound – quiets even the loudest room. Balthrop’s debut album, This Time Around produced by Josh Kaufman (Bob Weir, The National, Craig Finn, Clare Bowen, Trixie Whitley, Amy Helm, Hiss Golden Messenger), is beguiling in its honesty, rich in dark sonic beauty and above all, devilishly playful.

This Time Around chronicles the story of an uprooted soul. Feeling spun out of orbit, tumbling, accidents, and loss of control are recurring themes yet Balthrop finds solace in the chaos of love. There is a sneaky confidence in Balthrop’s vocals – all honey and soaring – almost as if she feels most at ease when her heart is dizzy. Each track on the album oscillates between the moodiness of experimental dark folk instrumentation, and the levity of Balthrop’s crystal-fueled voice.

From the magical realism and twisted fairy tale-nature of “Maple Tree” to the fuzzed out guitar of “Don’t Ever Forget,” and the drunken carousel-esque swooning of “Tumbleweed,” This Time Around is the poster child for rich, subversive pop music. At times Balthrop hits Beatles-like pop hooks and harmonies, and beats that would make Petty nod from the heavens.

“We Fell” stands out as one of the most spare and beautiful tracks, inspired by the twilight of a relationship. The song is a somber waltz, lamenting the way lovers gamble their hearts, repeatedly. Kaufman and Balthrop have plenty of production tricks up their sleeves: a tambourine begins to rattle like a shackled ghost; these songs never behave like they should.

This Time Around is not overtly a political statement, but it’s impossible not to make a connection between the current global instability and Balthrop’s thematic focus on feeling spun out of orbit. The opening track, “Down,” was initially written as a response to political uncertainty and morphed from protest to love song. Balthrop holds love as the party line throughout, and her heart’s never-ending quest can be re-read as a pro-peace battle cry.

“When I’m on my death bed,” Balthrop says, “the only questions I will ask myself are: how did I love, how much, and could I have loved more?” This Time Around is a profound statement on finding beauty in chaos and refusing to hide your heart. Above all, Balthrop insists that we dance, especially when it’s dark.

With Balthrop at the helm, This Time Around features an all-star cast: Peter Lalish (Lucius, Uni Ika Ai) on guitar, Jason Lawrence on drums (Jesse Marchant, The Building), Josh Kaufman on bass, Karen Waltuch (Wilco) on strings, Elizabeth Ziman (Elizabeth & the Catapult) on backing vocals, Annie Nero (A. Nero) on backing vocals, Lucas Madrazo (Inland Traveler) on backing vocals, Maia Friedman (Uni Ika Ai, Dirty Projectors) on backing vocals and Tom Krueger on backing vocals. This Time Around is slated for release September 21,2018 via Tone Tree Music.

To purchase Lauren's album, find out about her touring dates, and learn more about her, please visit her website: www.laurenbalthrop.com

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is listener supported! To donate, click here: http://thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/donate/

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 74 - Rediate Tekeste, MA.

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Rediate Tekeste, MA.

Rediate Tekeste is a 1.5 generation Ethiopian-American. Growing up in Iowa as an Ethiopian (kinda) immigrant, Code-Shifting became her Mother Tongue. She uses this ability in her career to build bridges between: Ethiopian young professionals and Ethiopia as the Founder of Ethiopian Diaspora Fellowship, big ideas and strategic plans as a Strategist for Integrate Africa and Redbird Group, and radical conservatives and snowflake liberals on social media (more of a social experiment than a job). She thrives in the weird (uncertain) space between a big idea and the final product.

Rediate has worked for social action organizations including the Clinton Initiative, America Reads Program leading education efforts through community partnerships in low-income areas. In Ethiopia, she worked for World Vision Ethiopia as a journalist, and then built the communication department at Selam Children’s Village. Rediate discovered her passion for social impact media while working as an international Field Producer/Production Coordinator for Girl Rising. She also completed an internship with the renowned Population Media Center. She received her B.A in Interpersonal and Intercultural Communications at Arizona State University and her Master of Communication Management degree at University of Southern California.

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 73 - Lisa R. LaDue, MSW, LCSW

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Lisa R. LaDue, MSW, LCSW.

A mix of clinical social worker, firefighter, teacher, and mass fatalities subject matter expert, Lisa LaDue brings a unique perspective to social work and disaster response. She is currently employed by a global humanitarian NGO addressing the healthcare needs of communities affected by emergencies and poverty.

Lisa LaDue received her B.A. and M.S.W. degrees from the University of Iowa and is a licensed clinical social worker in Colorado and Texas. She has developed numerous training curricula related to disaster mental health, trauma, and mass fatalities, delivering them around the world to diverse audiences.

Lisa is the owner and director of the National Mass Fatalities Institute, which she co-founded in 2000. She has created the comprehensive curricula for the Institute, provides and delivers it with other trainers throughout the United States. She is an active member of the Victim Information Center Team, a disaster response component of the National Disaster Medical System, deployed to interview and support families directly affected by catastrophic mass casualty and mass fatality incidents.

In her home community, Lisa is a member of the volunteer fire department, responding to structure and wildland fires, medical calls, and motor vehicle accidents in a rural, mountain community.

Lisa is a member of Team Rubicon and has functioned in several leadership roles for multiple disaster response operations since 2014.

Lisa has served in many roles responding to disasters, including:

* September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks, as a Red Cross Disaster Mental Health Coordinator at the Pentagon and the Pentagon Family Assistance Center.

* November 2001, as a Red Cross disaster mental health services on New York’s Staten Island.

* January 2005, in Thailand with a team of trauma specialists using Somatic Experiencing© with traumatized tsunami survivors.

* June 2005, as the co-leader of a team of trauma specialists to Tamil Nadu, India, providing trauma recovery training and services for tsunami survivors .

* August 2005, with Iowa-1 Disaster Medical Assistance Team (IA1-DMAT) to Bay St. Louis, Mississippi where the team maintained a field hospital for hurricane survivors.

* February 2006, with a Trauma Outreach Team to New Orleans providing training to New Orleans Fire Department peer counselors and others involved in Hurricane Katrina recovery efforts.

* July 2008, providing training for providers working directly with survivors of the Sichuan Earthquake.

* Lisa spent 6 months during 4 trips to Nepal following the 2014 Earthquake.

Best of all, Lisa is the mother of Sarah and Ross LaDue, two amazing individuals.

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 71 - Jennifer Leonard

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Jennifer Leonard, LAc, MSMBM.

While working as an emergency room technician in Philadelphia, Jennifer realized there was a fundamental problem with how patients were being treated. People would come in, get patched up, medicated, and be quickly sent home—only to come back again a few weeks or months later. The providers were treating the patient symptoms, but not the root causes of their health problems, so the treatments never stuck.

She chose to study Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) because TCM practitioners are trained to discover and heal the underlying causes of disease. She obtained a master’s in TCM from Pacific College of Oriental Medicine in San Diego, California, which included an internship in Chengdu, China. She has been practicing acupuncture and TCM for a decade in a variety of environments, including creating an integrative medicine and acupuncture program at Good Samaritan Hospital in Denver, working at acupuncture clinics, and establishing her own private practice.

Her current practice is one-on-one personal wellness consulting and she helps people design a roadmap to achieve their health goals over the course of a year. Jennifer also offers both business consulting and wellness support for Health Professionals. Too many of providers care for their clients at our own expense.

Website: https://www.evolvepersonalwellness.com

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 71 - De'Anza

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, De'Anza. 2018 finds De’Anza releasing Cosmic Dream; a five song offering that has the songwriter flexing her producer skills, crafting a work of art poised to be her most potent yet. Cosmic Dream sees De’Anza fully embracing her love for electronic music and implementing those sonic influences into her evolving production style. With a new EP in tow comes a freshly developed stage show. Meticulously thought-out and reworked, De’Anza is ready to convert new listeners into devout fans as she tours across the country in support of Cosmic Dream.

Born and raised in Santa Fe, New Mexico, an epicenter of convergent cultures and rich folk art, De’Anza journeyed west to Los Angeles armed with a vihuela, a passion for songwriting, and a mission to develop her own musical identity.

De’Anza creates an eclectic mix of music, crossing borders and boundaries, resulting in a new take on an old form. Using resources from various ends of the musical spectrum while taking cues from traditional styles and landing somewhere between hypnotic, Latin-electronic meets alternative- psychedelic, De’Anza is a breath of fresh air in a rather smoggy metropolis.

De’Anza’s emergence in the industry was quickly met with critical praise. The 2015 release of her debut, Despertar, catapulted her from obscure indie to “Latin Alternative’s New Leading Lady” as proclaimed by respected Southern California publication, OC Weekly.

With features from cable news network, CNN, to ABC’s Vista L.A., to popular radio outlets like NPR, De’Anza has been turning heads converting fans nationally and internationally. Felix Contreras of NPR’s Alt.Latino describes her music as, “powerful writing and a clever mixture of contemporary and traditional Mexican music.”

Performing acoustic selections off Despertar, De’Anza made her national television debut in January 2015 on the LATV Network show, “Rockamole.” Joel Moya of Remezcla.com writes, “Despertar” is the first single and a hypnotic and catchy tune, thanks to a few plucks and strokes on a vihuela, some beats and, yes, that magical voice.”

De’Anza’s desire to present cohesive and fluid art is best showcased in her ability to deliver explosive live performances. Working to the highest of self standards great artists often impose, De’Anza overlooks no detail, resulting in a thoroughly entertaining audio visual experience.

Popular Los Angeles publication LA Weekly writes, “De’Anza herself is a force of nature behind the microphone… She expertly worked the crowd with winky banter, flipping between Spanish and English without batting an eye.” The weekly goes on to describe De’Anza as “a confident figure on stage—and her music reflects that assuredness, borrowing from traditional mariachi layered with a generous helping of smoky vocals and distinctly contemporary beats.”

De’Anza is fast becoming the go-to act for international artists touring California markets. Manuel Moran, Live Nation’s VP of Latin Programming selected De’Anza to support Latin Pop star Julieta Venegas on a string of sold out California tour dates in 2016. De’Anza has also offered local tour support for Mexican cumbia legend, Celso Pina and Italian pop singer Laura Pausini.

Website: https://www.deanzamusic.com

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 70 – John Cristion

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, John Cristion. John grew up in and around Philadelphia, but has lived in the Baltimore area for the past 32 years. He is married to Connie (35 years), has three daughters, Heather (36), Ashley (32), and Michelle (30), and one son, Jordan (11). John received a BS in Electrical Engineering at Drexel University in 1986 and a MS in Electrical Engineering at the Johns Hopkins University in 1992. He has been with the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory since 1986 as a Signal Processing Engineer, working on many projects including underwater acoustics, SAR radar, biomedical applications, and chemical & biological sensors. He currently holds five patents and three licenses.

John grew up in Evangelical churches and served as a teacher and deacon. In 1996, there was an event at his church that took place against John and his wife, which has scarred them greatly and started him on his long journey for truth. He still believes in God and sees Jesus as his Lord and Savior, but feels that much that has taught in the evangelical church (legalism, condemnation, etc.) needed to be questioned. Today, he and his family (Connie and Jordan) still attend a church, but are still seeking the place where God wants them.

Both Connie and John have served with Mercy Ships (www.mercyships.org). Connie has been with them in Africa eight times (Liberia, Benin, Togo, Ghana, and others) and John once (2007 in Ghana). His daughter, Michelle was also there for an extended period (2.5 years) after receiving her undergraduate degree. The motto of Mercy Ships is “Bringing Hope and Healing to the World’s Poor.” That is, they are a Christian organization, but they believe this means reaching out to those in need with medical assistance. It is a very awesome ministry and those who volunteer to live in community onboard the ship as they serve countries in West Africa. Besides his four children, John considers this to be one of his more important contributions in his lifetime.

John also has a heart, using his privileged position in life, to speak up for those who have been oppressed in this country and for those dealing with life-debilitating diseases (as does he). If you want to know more about that, just follow him on Facebook.

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.

Episode 69 - Drew Habersang

Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund are honored to have as our guest, Drew Habersang. Drew is a writer, storyteller, and social critic. He holds a BA in Political Science from the University of Connecticut and enjoys storytelling and guest lecturing all over New England and beyond. He lives in Connecticut with his husband and a dog named Friday.

Note: Guests create their own bio description for each episode.

The Curiosity Hour Podcast is hosted and produced by Dan Sterenchuk and Tommy Estlund.

Please visit our website for more information:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com

Please visit this page for information where you can listen to our podcast:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/listen/

If you would like to share your story or have a suggested guest, please complete the "Contact us" form:

thecuriosityhourpodcast.com/contact-us/

Disclaimers: The Curiosity Hour Podcast may contain content not suitable for all audiences. Listener discretion advised. The views and opinions expressed by the guests on this podcast are solely those of the guest(s). These views and opinions do not necessarily represent those of The Curiosity Hour Podcast. This podcast may contain explicit language.