The Debbie Nigro Show

It's always great when you get a heads up that something bad's gonna happen and you can cut it off at the pass.

This artificial intelligence ability that we're privy to in this time of our existence on the planet is nothing short of amazing. Amazing, what goes on every day behind the scenes that we only hear about after for years and years of research.

Now artificial intelligence is helping cardiologists like Dr. Faraz Amad catch the problem of heart failure early. That is incredible.

Cardiologist Dr. Faraz Amad MD, MS, is also the Associate Director of Northwestern Medicine Bluhm Cardiovascular Institute’s Center for Artificial Intelligence.

Dr. Amad said, “We’ve seen artificial intelligence affect our lives in so many ways outside of healthcare for the last several years and now in healthcare, we're trying to figure out ways we can use this technology to improve the quality of care and the lives of our patients.”

“Heart failure is a very common condition, it affects over six million adults currently. And so here in Northwestern, we wanted to leverage all the data we have across our health system to try to find a subset of these patients who develop what we call advanced heart failure. Patients with heart failure with severe symptoms that are persistent despite being on medical therapy. So with computers and these algorithms, we can search our databases and try to find these patients and we develop a whole system in which we can bring these patients into our heart failure specialty clinic in our very vast and expeditious way."

If somebody is that far down the road really struggling, where medications aren't working anymore, and you find through artificial intelligence that yes, they're probably going to go in that direction where it's going to be over and out. What can you do to stop that?

Dr. Amad, said, Right, it's a great question. It's why finding them early is so important because there are a lot of options for them. So we bring them into clinic and we talk to them about their history, how they're feeling, and their goals and preferences. And then for some patients, we can make medication adjustments that can make them help them feel better. Other patients sometimes need a minor procedure for the heart valve. Devices like pacemakers can really help some. But for a subset of patients, they may benefit from what we call advanced therapies. Things like heart pumps or heart transplants that can really help them live a long life and feel much better than they're currently feeling for a long time. So it's very important to find these patients early, which is why it's important to develop and test the technology.

Finding a heart to transplant is not the simplest thing from what little I know.

"No It's not", said Dr. Amad. "It's why we and other centers have a highly specialized team that does this. We evaluate patients, we discuss with them and their families and select and talk to patients. Patients who go for it with heart transplantation are the ones who will derive the most benefit. But it’s a process, like you said, and it involves a wait list. For some patients, things like heart pumps are really good options. It’s why we keep this team approach to figuring out what's the best way to help patients feel better for a long time."

As I’m talking with Dr. Amad, I'm thinking of a friend of mine who's waiting for a heart for a heart transplant. He's a very big guy and they have to find the right size heart. So that's one thing that's was in my head. The other thing that’s in my head is my dad died of heart failure. He was only 55 years old and it was 40 years ago. I wondered, would he still be alive if this information existed 40 years ago?

Dr. Amad said, “I think as a community, we have a lot more treatments and options to take care of patients to find them earlier and keep them living longer and healthier. I think with the whole portfolio of treatments we have, we can keep patients feeling well for really a long time.”

My father had Diabetes and I know it was  big part of what led to his heart failure. Do a lot of diabetes patients find themselves moving into the direction of heart failure? Is there a correlation?

"There is", said Dr Amad. “Yes, having diabetes, especially as diabetes not well controlled, can lead to heart problems in a few ways. It can infect the muscle directly. I can also lead to blockages in the heart that can lead to heart attacks and also affect the heart muscle. So patients with diabetes are certainly at higher risk for developing heart failure.” “The good news is that there are medications that help patients with diabetes prevent the development of heart failure. Or if they develop heart failure, it helps make them feel better and reduce hospitalizations. And so there are really good treatments out there for patients with diabetes. “

I mentioned to Dr. Amad, that a friends’ husband just went into the hospital and had a not one, not two, not three, but a 'five' bypass surgery. How many bypasses can you do at one time in this day and age?

Dr. Amad said, “I think when a surgeon performs by a heart bypass surgery, the goal is to give as much blood as many parts of the heart as they can safely do. So I don't know if there's a set number and it really depends on the vessels where the blockages are and how many of the patient needs. And they really just try to give the optimal number of bypasses.”

Doing the job of a Cardiologist job day in and day out can’t be simple, so I asked the good Dr. my signature question, “How does your head work inside?” What are you thinking about all day long?

Dr. Faraz Amad said, “I'm thinking about how can I help my patients feel better and live longer healthier lives and where are the tools I have? Are they getting those right tools and do they align with the patient's goals and preferences? When I'm in clinic on the hospital, you know, the tools I have are the medications and the advice at which times to offer them. I'm sitting with my data science team or trying to think about what tools we can deploy at the health system level to find these patients, bring them in, give them the right treatments, the right time. So I would say I'm generally thinking about how we make care better in America for either all patients in our system or the patient ran in front of me.”

“At Northwestern Medicine Bloom Cardiovascular Institute this approach of developing and testing AI enabled algorithms for different use cases, including heart failure is new. We’re figuring out how to develop and then improve these algorithms and take the information and get the patient in front of us and take care of them. I think a lot of places are trying to figure this out and we're excited to be part of the leadership in this space. “

Are there any companies in the pharmaceutical world paying attention to what you're doing, to able to create new medications in tandem with your new discoveries?

“In heart failure” he said, “we've been lucky that there have been a lot of new medications for lots of different types of heart failure. They can really improve the quality of life and survival for our patients and we’re really excited for all that innovation. Now we're trying to figure out how to get patients, those innovative drugs.”

“And I think in the data science AI space, there are a lot of companies, health tech companies, interested in these technologies and we partner with a lot of them, to try to develop and test these technologies. I just want to underscore the ‘testing’ part is really important. We need to make sure these technologies work. We monitor them and that they are improving care for patients. “

So Dr. Amad, when you said you're trying to get patients these new medications, is that because they're not on the market yet?

“They're just coming on the market. They're in demand. There's not enough supply. Well, some of them have been on the market for a few years. But we know that in healthcare in general, there's often a gap between a new drug or an innovation or a guideline and the actual implementation of that guideline. And a lot of us are really interested in figuring out how do we close that gap?” “So right now, this program we have is focused on advanced heart failure. Our next step is moving upstream and trying to make sure all our patients with heart failure, including the ones who aren't advanced are on the right medications for them. I think like a really good thing to focus on. It's really exciting and can hopefully really move the needle on heart failure.

Take Command! Says Dale Carnegie CEO & President Joe Hart.

Joe runs Dale Carnegie, the most experienced training organization in the world. The name “Dale Carnegie has always been synonymous with the average persons desire to have more self confidence. They’re now a worldwide leader in professional development, performance improvement, leadership training, and employee engagement.

Dale Carnegie courses help improve your ability to think on your feet and better express your thoughts.

Joe Hart’s new book that he co-authored with Michael Crom is called; “TAKE COMMAND: FIND YOUR INNER STRENGTH, BUILD ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS, AND LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT”

The name Dale Carnegie has always stayed in my head. When I was a little girl, my Aunt Eleanor my mentor, was one of the first people to bring up Dale Carnegie because she signed up to take their courses and she was very excited about it. I was fascinated that Aunt Eleanor was going to do this, as her job was busily running my Dads’ front office in the family construction business and I wasn’t sure why she thought she needed these skills for that job at the time. Since I was 9 I loved business, and worked tirelessly under Aunt Eleanor's tutelage in my Dad’s office. I loved her so much and she was a big inspiration to me. What I now realize, is that Aunt Eleanor must have wanted to have more self confidence and better overall presentation skills, as I also remember she served as Chairperson for many a political event. She's long gone but I think of Aunt Eleanor often. After her Dale Carnegie course I do remember she surely...Took Command! LOL. 

Dale Carnegie CEO and President Joe Hart, calls it truly an honor to be running a company that had a huge impact on him too, long before he arrived at his current CEO position. He’s honored now to be able to share this knowledge and it’s impact, with so many other people.

Joe reminds us that, Dale Carnegie himself started at very humble beginnings. He was very poor and grew up on a farm in central Missouri and then his family moved close to a college. Dale wanted to be a teacher. He discovered in college that he was really good at public speaking and debating and he decided he really wanted to make those skills a part of his life. He started out in sales. His first sales experience was not a positive one. He was not successful, but the second one he was hugely successful. So successful that the company wanted to move him into management, but Dale decided he’d go to New York City instead and study acting. Acting it tuned out was not for him and he was trying to figure out what to do when in 1912 he decided to offer public speaking classes at the YMCA in Harlem, New York. It was there in October of 1912, while standing in front of the room full of people, he ran out of things to talk about. So he started to ask people come up to the front of the class to talk. In that moment he realized just how much of an impact that speaking could have on developing confidence and building human relationships and so began the legacy of Dale Carnegie 110 years ago.

I went to a tag sale not too long ago and I found and bought an old copy of a Dale Carnegie book called, “How to Stop Worrying and Start Living”. It's one of the great books he came up with along with “How to Win Friends and Influence People”, which is a best seller that still remains popular today.

Dale Carnegie’s “Stop Worrying and Start Living’ was sort of the basis for Jim’s new book written in tandem with Michael Crom his co-author.

Jim said, “We were in the middle of the pandemic and we've have a global company. In January 2020 as the CEO of this company, I was watching all of our locations, in China first and then Asia and Europe start to shut down. 95% of what we did at that time was in person face to face. So you've got lockdowns, you can't meet, you can't have class. And it was really a harrowing time. And in March of 2020, I found myself just waking up in the middle of the night worried. And I picked out how to stop worrying and start living. And it's crazy. Yeah, he talks about our thoughts. And it's just it completely flipped things for me because, you know, you could have two people who are in the exact same situation. One person is confident and courageous and happy. The other person is down and miserable and negative of blaming everyone. And it's the differences are ‘thoughts’. And I realized that in the pandemic, my thoughts were not where they needed to be. So I flipped those thoughts. And as a business, we completely changed our business model very successfully due to our amazing people around the world who are very resilient and very agile. And it starts with thoughts. And that's really kind of what inspired me, said, you know, these principles of Dale Carnegie. How do we get these to more people? What if we wrote a new book, incorporating Dale Carnegie ideas with diverse stories and people all over the world, with principles that really are relatable to the situations people face today."

That book is called “TAKE COMMAND: FIND YOUR INNER STRENGTH, BUILD ENDURING RELATIONSHIPS, and LIVE THE LIFE YOU WANT”.

Now, it's been said in terms of digital protocol that when you're typing in capital letters, it means you're yelling. I asked Joe Hart if he was intending to yell LOL?

Joe responded, “Wow, that's a very insightful question. I would say that we are certainly shouting for the root tops that people want to find their inner strength, build enduring relationships. I mean, that's really that's the value proposition. That's what we're saying in this book. So I would say to the extent that we are shouting out from the street corner, yes, because we want to help people. The goal of this book is to help people. It's painful to see how so many people are struggling today. And what big things are small things. So my hope is that people read this book. Debbie, if they simply read it and they don't do anything, they say, I was a great book. I like the book, but they don't do anything. We're disappointed. We feel like we failed. We really want people, to take this as a manual that says, hey, take command of your 2023. Take command of your life, your thoughts and your emotions and your relationships and your future. Live the life you want! “

Dale Carnegie training is now in 75 countries and taught in 32 languages. They’ve found a way to take these highly interactive transformative in person experiences and also deliver them online. So today, people can take a program online. They can take it in person. There are some hybrid programs that are a combination of both.

It’s timely information and education because the work world as we’ve known it has changed. How do you/we engage people in a changed working environment? How do you help connect with people? How do you build trust? So many things are different these days. People thought that they had some of these things down already says Joe Hart, but adds , it’s a new playing field. Many people he points out are still feeling isolated and disconnected. “We’re technologically connected but often socially disconnected.”

Enjoy the podcast of this warm conversation Live on the Debbie Nigro Show with Joe Hart President and CEO of Dale Carnegie.

A Financial Sociopath/Serial Killer is how Jim Campbell, author of “Madoff Talks” described Bernie Madoff.

Netflix acquired rights to Jim’s book and Jim served as an Executive Producer on the docuseries ‘Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street which debuted Jan. 4th. I watched it last night.

It’s a 4 part series about the unimaginable corruption and fraudulent schemes committed by the globally infamous former chairman of NASDAQ and American financier Bernie Madoff who orchestrated the largest Ponzi scheme in world history fleecing thousands of investors out of $65 billion. It’s also about ‘the willfully blind financial system that allowed it to flourish for decades’ said the Netflix trailer.

Jim Campbell, who joined me on The Debbie Nigro Show, was able to get the most comprehensive insider account of how this could happen, through his exclusive interviews with all the players including Madoff himself through personal communications with him while he was in prison.

It’s an incredible and outrageous story that Jim personally got the last word on. And honestly, the last word from Bernie Madoff from prison.

Jim felt lucky that Joe Berlinger, the top Netflix true crime documentary director was behind it. He's the guy who did the Jeffrey Epstein, Elaine Maxwell, Ted Bundy, and Whitey Bulger documentaries too.

Jim said, Joe actually took the story from the book and adhered to it, and to him, that was a great honor.

“It's a very complex story, said Jim. And he told it basically like I did. He let me basically be able to do that. It's his thing. It's his show. He's done everything in it. The way he put it together, the recreations that are so creative, the two sets of the 19th, 17th floors that reflected Madoff's brain split between one totally legitimate, and one totally criminal enterprise. Berlinger did that. So it's been a big thrill for me. By the way, the co-executive producer credit, my contract said producer. So they promoted me without even telling me I didn't see it till I saw it on the screen. “

Jim Campbell wrote the book “Madoff Talks” and then Netflix optioned the rights for their docuseries, ‘Madoff: The Monster of Wall Street. ‘Optioning the Rights’, means Netflix purchased exclusive access to his book for three years. Jim also had turned over 40,000 documents to them as well.

So how long did it take for Jim to write the book ‘Madoff Talks’?

“If you include the fact that I started talking to Bernie Madoff back in like 2011 it took about 10 years”.

I wondered what it felt like for Jim the first time he spoke directly to Bernie Madoff?

Jim said, ““Yeah, you know he just destroyed so many people's lives. And remember back at that time, he was like the biggest villain on the planet. And yet he was very charismatic, brilliant, had total recall. And you could see that his ego was so strong.

What Madoff said to Jim was, “I had a legitimate business. I'm brilliant. My strategy, the fake one called split strike conversion actually worked except Jim, I know I wasn't doing real trading”.

Jim in his conversations with Madoff described him as sort of delusional. “You know, justifying that it worked, but then he was not really doing it for real. He had an unfathomable brain that he could compartmentalize it the way he did. Madoff built the business from scratch, and was doing the number three volume on the New York Stock Exchange. And you think, well, then something must have happened over here. he must have lost some money and like a gambler, he made the classic mistake. He's told me that story. “

Recalling the conversation with Madoff, Jim says it was like, “Yeah, I was going to do a Ponzi scheme under the table. It was a mistake. I'd get the money back and no one would ever notice.”

Jim shared that Madoff was building the legitimate business and the Ponzi business at the exact same time. Intentionally, intentionally. And at the same time.

“It wasn't intentionally in terms of I'm a crook and I'm trying to steal your money, said Jim. It was he couldn't psychologically accept losses. The legitimate business is trading. You're making commissions markets up markets down. He suddenly saw he could lose money on trades and he could not deal with that. And that's what the genesis of it. But to do them at the same time, you have to have one screwed up mind.”

I found it crazy that so many really smart people just kept handing Madoff money especially as the documentary pointed out, that there was no official letterheadon nice paper on the statements from the bogus company that was sent to customers. They were more like graph sheets from a laser printer and I found it t absurd no one ever questioned that? No one?

Jim said, “No one. No. I never found anybody that understood what his strategy was, which was very simple conceptually and should have mirrored the stock market, which obviously it didn't because it always went up.” “They both bought this veneer of trust that it worked.”

It’s my experience that most people buy the person behind the brand in most categories in life. So here you have this monster who was once revered, who I guess people assumed could not do anything wrong, and he creates a bond scheme and ends up 65 billion dollars get lost and a zillion people's lives get wrecked. One poor guy featured in the Netflix series lost not only his money, but his house. It was hard to watch him speak through his tears. I’m aware some of Madoff’s victims got recourse and retribution. In this podcast Jim speaks to where that money came from and admits its a sore subject for him because usually nobody gets money back in a ponzi scheme.

Jim Campbell thought the documentary was really well done and enjoyed working with everyone involved out at a big studio in New Jersey where they built the sets.

“I got to meet everybody out there and the interesting thing was, none of these guys came out of a serial killer documentary world. None of them knew a thing about finance. So they actually let me teach them for about five months before they start filming. Then they filmed for four or five months. And then Netflix took it to get it ready for the other countries for three or four months. And thats was the process. I do not know the Netflix people very well. But they, they treated me incredibly well. Radical Media is the name of the production company, and Joe Burland was the director. I met all their folks and all the other producers and other fabulous contributors. “

I brought up to Jim that the opening part of the first segment or the first portion of the documentary, the scene where a grown son and his mother who was invested with Bernie Madoff ran into him in Palm Beach at the golf course. The son says hey, you just ran into Bernie Madoff! And the mother responds, yes but did you notice he never looks directly at you?” I thought that was a very loud. I asked Jim if anybody else had said that along the way?

“I haven't heard that, but what he did have was a series of ticks, that made him look real strange, like there was something that was in his brain that he was trying to keep down.”

He went on to say about Madoff, “He didn't like to meet with any of the people in the dirty business, he loved to meet with the Presidents of the brokerage firms, for what his real legitimate business did which was trade for customers of Schwab and folks like that. And so he did all the execution for them. So yes, he was a strange guy. “

So did his family members know what was going on?

“I did that in chapter 8 of my book, you know, I started my book with the Justice Department, the trustee, the media and the people all thinking that Mark, Andrew, and Ruth had to know or were involved. I did my own investigation. It literally came right down to the end because one of the things is Bernie took 800 million of customers money and stuck it into the back door of the legitimate business, when it had problems through the trading desk, calling them trading losses and covering up, etc. Well, who ran the trading desk, Mark and Andrew? So that didn't look good, but I did figure it out and I contrary to what all these other folks say they did not know about it. They were not involved. Does that mean they're they shouldn't have known about it? Well, shouldn't the SEC have known about it? “

“Now, the real story is the government failed, Wall Street failed, all these firms were shipping money, right? And Bernie gave them the fees back, which they explained as their job is only due diligence. Someone has money and they’re is looking for these kinds of things, say, very conservative. And say Bob is a money manager and it’s his job is to see that the other person is real, that he's doing what you say and puts the money with the person that matches. Bernie wouldn't allow any due diligence. So they took fees they would never get in order not to ask questions. Oh, that's called willful blindness. That's really loud. Some made over a billion dollars in fees.”

Jim Campbell says Bernie Madoff had no empathy. Bernie Madoff would tell me, “Jim, my lawyers tell me I'm supposed to show empathy. I don't believe these people are living in dumpsters now like everybody is saying and they don't have and by the way, I don't see it happening it.” The other thing Jim said Bernie Madoff suffered from was narcissism.” “Always the victim and pathological lying and control and the ego just dominates you and both of those things were true in his life. “

“But I gotta tell you”, said Jim, “he came across very low key, charismatic, trusting. He ran his firm, particularly the legitimate side as a family. He paid for people's honeymoon. He paid for sudden emergencies. And this is before he stole the money to pay for it. So there were people that I know that stayed in that firm because he treated them well.”

What has changed in terms of regulations in the financial industry since this story?

Now, if you take Bernie's instance, they can catch the Ponzi scheme now, the SEC. They did five investigations back then and never saw it. They know how to look for Ponzi scheme. now except maybe if it's offshore, where a lot of the stuff is. But the SEC is not a cop, which is what people believe it is and what they try to tell you it is. They're not equipped to find these things upfront. And the crypto thing has been unregulated now for several years.

Aware that Bernie Madoff died in prison I was curious where Bernie Madoff might be buried? Jim said nobody had ever asked that question.

“Okay, if you know Jewish custom, you are supposed to be in the ground within 24 hours. His remains are cremated, which is also not in the Jewish faith or custom. His remains are in a jar in his lawyer's office because the family wouldn't take them.”

This is the podcast of the insightful conversation I had with Jim Campbell on the Debbie Nigro show about the man behind the biggest Ponzi scam in history. 

‘Dry’ January Is A Thing. So’s ‘Damp’ January . Cutting out or cutting back on alcohol during the month of January is growing in popularity as drinkers look to reset their bodies and minds for the New Year.

The Washington Post reported the ‘benefits’ last longer than a month as people started drinking less the rest of the year and showed striking improvements in their health.

I think I’ll shoot for ‘damp’ and if I end up dry Yippee. Lol

You?

Heart and soul is what my show is all about and a little grit and some kick-ass attitude too. I'm trying to do my part to share the positive energy that I've been blessed with you to give you a little hope and inspiration that you CAN change things, do new things or finish your unfinished business this coming year and have just more fun. More fun for sure. But we al know we have more fun when we feel great. One of my fun friends in life and in business joins me on The Debbie Nigro show. Her title is Functional Nutritionist. I’m sure there’s a big difference between a functional nutritionist and a non-functional nutritionist and since I don't want to work with anybody’s who’s a non-functional nutritionist I stick with Jacqui Justice.

Jacqui specializes in is weight loss resistance, and many of the wellness challenges people are struggling with. She's got her own ‘mojo weight loss program’ and she’s created fabulous “mocktail” recipes for people who want to party and have some fun without alcohol.

I thought she’d be a perfect guest for ‘dry January’ and January in general where many of us re-assess and try and do better health wise.

Jacqui texted me yesterday to say hello. We haven't seen each other in a long while because of Covid and every other ridiculous reason.

Having both just come off being sick over the holidays, me with a blasto head cold and her with the flu, I wanted her opinion about all those immune boosters in the drugstore marketed to boost your immune system like Emergen-C and Airborne. Do they work?

Jacquie’s not a big fan of drugstore vitamins in general.

She said, “I know too much about the quality of vitamins and nutrients and stuff like that and I really only use professional. Everybody should look at, when they buy a vitamin, where it says, other ingredients. Theres there's usually a bunch of junk right there. Artificial colors, all that stuff. But that being said, some people really do swear by that airborne, especially when they're flying. Giving yourself a little jolt of something to keep you healthy is probably better than not doing anything at all, but there's lots of other great stuff you can do too.”

Give you a jolt? Does that mean that you only get the immune jolt for the moment? And if you don't take it the next day, you get no jolt?, I asked her.

Well, yeah, that's right, she said, because a lot of those are B vitamins, which are water soluble. So they go in, then they go out. So yeah, it needs to be continuous thing.

As for 2023 Everybody's trying to think about what they want to do better this year. Many are choosing to cut out alcohol. ‘Dry January’ is a thing. So is ‘Damp January’.

Jacqui says, When you stop drinking alcohol for a month, your liver says, thank you.

Whenever you stop doing something that's not great for you, your body has all these great capabilities of getting that out of you. So its a good start. People who choose to have a ‘damp’ January, who can drink a little less or just be more aware will benefit and likely start to act differently the rest of the year.

Once you change something you start to feel better. Your cells in general are going to be healthier because, when you put anything in your body it affects every single cell in your body. When your cells are happy, you're feeling pretty happy too. It’s not just your liver cells, but every organ is going to be working better. Your liver is the major detox organ of your body. It also stores sugar. It does a lot of things. And so if that's working more efficiently, your whole body is going to be working more efficiently.

She said, “I have friends that I know that, you know, they drink quite a bit. And then when they go off, they cannot believe how much better they feel. And then they start exercising more, eating better. Everything gets better. They start doing everything better. That's true with cutting back on sugar too.. All of a sudden you're like, wow, I feel so much better. Now maybe I'll do this. So obvious, right? “ said, Jacqui.

The Washington Post did a story on Dry January which pointed out that people who stop drinking or drink less are sleeping better. Sleep is a huge problem here in the US. for everybody in this country.

Jacqui spends a spend a lot of time helping people figure out how to get to sleep too.

Her sleepy time tips include ‘sleep hygiene’ which is up top of her list. She says, “just not being on your computer and dimming the lights a couple of hours before you're going to be going to bed, sets the tone that, you know, you're going to be going to sleep soon. “

One of her other big nutrition-related sleepy time tips is not having sugar at night. That wrecks sleep like nothing else she said. And, that includes wine.

Jacqui says, “You know, I'm sure everyone listening to this can agree that when they have a night where they're drinking, you know, a couple of glasses of wine, they wake up. In the minute, more than any other alcohol, it's wine because of the sugar content. They wake up in, like, two o'clock in the morning, they're wide awake. That's because your blood sugar crashes and then you wake up. It just happens. And so if you, you know, take a little vacation from drinking the one of the first things you're going to see is that you sleep better. And then you feel better, right? Just sleeping better. Absolutely. “

Another REALLY BIG sleepy time tip is don’t go to bed dehydrated. Jacqui says, if you go to bed and you're dehydrated, and you haven't had enough water it will cause you to wake up at night. It’s not so much drinking water before you go to bed. It's about drinking water throughout the day. That's very, very important she says.. Drinking water, hydrating properly just that one goal will make a huge difference in your health.

We both agree people are predictable.  January 1st arrives and everyones' promising to get super healthy THIS year! They list 20 things they're going to do to make it happen. Jacqui says, “You don't have to do these 20 things. So start with one thing, one thing, hydration, and go from there.”

“It’s like saying, I have to go to the gym every day for two hours. You know that's going to last two days. And then you're going to start making excuses why you can't go to the gym. But if you say, you know what, I'm going to pop into the gym. And I'm going to do something for 10, 20 minutes. You'll pop into that gym, and you'll probably stay longer than 20 minutes. It's about not biting off more than you can chew. Everybody is just coming off having too many carbs and too much sugar. “

So how do you get off carbs?

How do you, how do you wean off instead of just slamming yourself off?

Jacqui believes in focusing on what you ‘can’ have rather than what you ‘can’t’. If you think about, oh my gosh, I can't have any more carbs, which is the main thing everybody craves. It's hard. It's a losing battle.

Focus more she says, on thinking about ‘what’ you ‘will’ have. Make it look and taste delicious. “Say, I'm going to start off the day with this delicious breakfast, this beautiful omelette with some avocado. And, you know, maybe a little salad or whatever or like a green drink, which is delicious by the way. I know it doesn't sound like it is. You're going to get really satisfied and feel really good and be energized. And then you kind of go from there. For lunch think about making a beautiful salad with grilled chicken in it and some pomegranate seeds and make it really nice. Don't just like have some crappy little unattractive little salad. That doesn't really do it for most. Really just make it nice. And start doing that. And don't think about, I can't have carbs. Just think about, wow, I could have all of this delicious, you know, protein and healthy fats and beautiful fruits and vegetables and fiber.”

Obviously it’s a little frustrating to have to do the do-over every year for those of us and I include myself, who could have done better.

I was so proud of myself last year. I lost like 27 pounds. I must have gained back three quarters of it now. Here we go again. What I did learn when I was losing weight and feeling great (that I must have chosen to recently ignore) was not having a lot of oil or butter and all those things that make everything taste so good.

So I asked Jacqui if there was some kind of trick that she uses for cooking or and flavoring.

She likes to use like avocado oil to cook with, because you can cook at high temperatures with it. Olive oil is great but not not for cooking at a high temperature.

“Let's say you're making an omelette or eggs" she said, "Cook with grape seed oil or avocado oil, coconut oil if you like that. And then at the end, just drizzle on a tiny little bit of delicious olive oil or a little bit of ghee.”

I've introduced many people with nutrition concerns to Jacqui Justice and all thave thanked me because she's pretty spectacular.

When talking about keeping those new years resolutions, the most important thing is you have to be is...a Believer!

If you don't truly believe you can reach whatever goal it is that you have, she says, you won't fully commit to it and any obstacle in your way will throw you off course.

OK staying on course for now! 

Enjoy the fun conversation I had live with Jacqui Justice on The Debbie Nigro Show. Check in with her if you're interested in some advice from a realistic nutritionist.

There's a lot of BUZZ about CBD, Delta-9 THC Hemp Derived Gummies, Delta-8, & THCV ‘Diet Weed’.

Not sure about you, but I could use a better education.

I’m aware there are many wellness benefits and many laws regarding all these substances. I’m also aware there are many holistic benefits and since ‘wellness’ is a top New Years resolution I decided we could all use some CBD education.

Joining me on The Debbie Nigro Show is Primabee CBD Co-Founder Stephen Crane. Stephen is well versed and Primabee is a socially and environmentally responsible company that makes Broad -Spectrum and CBD isolate products that are USA Grown/ Non-GMO, Third Party Lab Tested and Legal in all 50 States. They’re also big on education as evidenced by the many blogs on their website Primabee.com.

For those reasons I asked them to sponsor this educational show today. 

If you like anything you learn about today, they're offering 20% off orders over $50 using discount code HERESTHEBUZZ at checkout . Delivered to your door. Always free shipping . So listen in and get educated.

******

It’s my ‘wellness’ day of the week where the conversation leans to all things wellness.

I invited Stephen Crain, Co-Founder of Primabee CBD to join me because he's really well versed in this category.

Primabee CBD makes broad spectrum and CBD isolate products that are USA-grown, non-GMO, third party lab tested and legal in all 50 states.

I love the legal part. And am fascinated what they can now legally sell online to anyone in the US.

Stephen lives out in California. People on the West Coast and people on the East Coast seem to look at these substances differently. As in people out West seem  far more aware of these kind of products and more interested in them and more educated about their wellness benefits.

Stephen agrees but points out the products are becoming more common and more available in New England and down to the middle Atlantic states and in states like New York where cannabis retail stores just opened and in Connecticut which just opened up their first retail cannabis stores last week. Stephen feels interest is going to turn around a lot in the East.

I've gone through all the blogs on the Primabee website and what I really like about their CBD education is that they do speak to how these substances affect different people differently. There have been reports of success from everything with helping with seasonal effective disorder to to weight loss to staying calm. There seem to be all kinds of medicinal things that they can do well for you.

The big product that I’m aware Primabee is recently getting a huge reaction to is called PrimaBuzz which the company can sell legally online anywhere in the U.S.

I was like you guys sure this is legal? LOL

Stephen confimed that PrimaBuzz is a hemp derived Delta 9 THC gummy that’s now available for non dispensary purchase.

What is this and what does it do I asked ?

Stephen explained, Delta 9 THC is the same compound that's found in marijuana but it is derived from industrial hemp and in a much lower concentration than if you were going to go buy it at the dispensary. You still get a light boost free buzz from it, said Stephen, adding but it's not like you're you're going to get zapped out and sent to Mars or anything like that. It’s a very pleasant whole body feeling.

It’s my opinion that most people are a little confused about the difference between Delta 9 THC and Delta 8 THC. These are buzzwords and names that are out there that not many people understand. So what’s the difference?

Stephen explains, "Delta 8 is an artificially synthesized tetrahydrocannabinol. It’s made in the lab after extracting THC from hemp or cannabis and then it’s molecularly modified at the lab so it's a not a natural product really, though it has grown in popularity. If you're looking for plant based wellness and looking for a natural organic type feeling then you would you would go for Delta 9. This is all about wellness, so you want to have natural products, not something that's built in a lab like some like some pharmaceutical product.”

For education purposes here’s how Primabee explains the difference between Delta 8 and Delta 9 on their website blog on the topic.

Delta 9's full scientific name is delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, and it is one of several vital cannabinoids that can be found in cannabis plants. Delta 9 THC is very intoxicating due to how particular receptors in our body react to its use. THC is the primary psychoactive ingredient, triggering a reaction at our CB1 receptor. Delta 9 is reported to have a high affinity for the CB1 receptor.

Delta-8 tetrahydrocannabinol is a psychotropic compound found in the Cannabis sativa plant. Delta-8 THC is one of approximately 100 cannabinoids generated naturally by the cannabis plant. However, it is not present in substantial concentrations. As a result, high levels of delta-8 THC are often produced from cannabidiol obtained from hemp. Though delta-8 THC is very similar to delta-9 THC, its molecular structure is slightly different, making it far less potent.

One interesting fact about delta-8 researchers discovered that it had great antiemetic qualities and decreased vomiting in children with cancer, which was especially beneficial because of its lower intoxication levels.

While these compounds interact similarly with the body, they are still different. Each influences numerous biological activities such as sleep, mood, hunger, cognitive function, and muscle regeneration via the endocannabinoid system. However, because they are somewhat molecularly different, their effects on the body and how they make you feel vary.

The molecular structures of delta-8 THC and delta-9 THC differ just slightly. The double bonds of delta-8 THC are on the eighth carbon atom, while the double bonds of delta-9 THC are on the ninth. Hence the names delta-8 and delta-9 THC. The location of the double bond on the carbon chain dictates how it interacts with CB1 receptors in the central nervous system.

When I was first involved getting to understanding the cannabis and CBD industries I had gone around to a lot of convenience stores I noticed were selling CBD and Delta 8 and most had them in little locked cages or boxes right at the front of the counter. I would ask the store owners, if people were buying them and they all always said yes people are buying Delta 8. Delta 8. Delta 8. At that time Delta 8 was illegal in New York and I was getting that answer and was a little shocked.

Obviously cannabis and CBD laws keep changing and evolving, and I am aware there are still states where these substances are not legal. The guys at Primabee were clear they were now selling Delta 9 THC ‘legally’ across the country online because it’s federally permitted if the product is hemp derived and the THC level is less than 0.3% of the overall product weight.

Stephen confirmed that the 2018 Farm Bill allowed that any product derived from industrial grown hemp with a THC level of 0.3% or less dry weight is federally legal.

The Primabee blogs I was reading describe how Delta 9 and Delta 8 compare. Again it was clear that the molecular structures of Delta 8 THC and Delta 9 THC differ 'just very slightly'. The double bonds of Delta 8 THC are on the eighth carbon atom, and then the double bonds of the Delta 9 THC are on the ninth. Thats how they got their names. One is legal and one is not. 

PrimaBuzz gummies - are formulated for adults and seniors seeking, as these guys say 'an edible solution to create a booze free buzz' which I imagine might be a story of interest in 'dry January'.  Also they seem to adress and help with sleep, anxiety, pain.

Research has shown that these substances can affect certain biological functions like mood, hunger, cognitive function, muscle regeneration all via the endocannabinoid system 

I've noticed people who love these things really love them, and they have the most amazing things to say about them, but I've also noticed not everybody goes crazy for this stuff because they're nervous they don't understand, and it's because everybody's body is different and so everybody's reaction to these things is different.

I'm one of those people who has a stupid reaction to everything so I'm a big baby and always very hesitant to try something new, but I’m aware many folks are getting solid results. I’m also aware that legally a company is not allowed to say these things help in any official way - you can just infer.

Stephen says, “Well there are a lot of studies out there and the science is catching up with the cannabinoids since it became legal in 2018. There a lot of studies out there showing that the cannabinoids can help from everything from reyes syndrome that causes seizures iin children, to helping you sleep, to helping you have less soreness after exercise, all kinds of things like that. We try to be very science-based and really orient towards what the current studies are saying. “

Primabee blogs discuss topics like how to use CBD as a natural sleep aid, Is Delta 9 THC better than Delta 8, what's the difference between CBD and Delta etc.  

I was curious about whats called THCV that's now being called "Diet Weed".

Stephen says, "Yes that's a particular THC that has some appetite suppressive properties, and is non-psychoactive and the studies also show that it has a slight energizing property. So it's kind of the opposite of THC9 delta 9 seems the studies show it has a kind of a slight stimulant property to it and appetite suppressive property to it."

Then there's the success that Primabee is having with their CBD Dog Chews.

Every time I've seen a dog owner who’s said my the dog's a little crazy – I say have you thought about CBD? Just because with my little education and from what I've heard back from many who've given it to their pets, it seems pet owners are raving about it.

Stephen points out, "Studies show that it helps with separation anxiety just general hyper activity and things like that. As we're talking I'm sitting here with my hyper Irish doodle at my feet totally just chilled out. We went for a long run this morning and he's just kind of relaxing right now waiting for the next adventure.”

Primabee has CBD specifically for pets .They have sports cream which I personally use often whenever I have a sports related pain – and they have a recovery cream.

Stephen who does Jujitsu says he's sore all the time, so just before he goes there, he rubs a little bit of CBD sports cream on his shoulder or something that hurts and afterwards he uses the CBD recovery cream which is also a cooling cream so it gives a cooling sensation and then the CBD soaks in and does it magic.

My takeaway on all these products?

Each person has to figure out for themselves if it’s good for them or can benefit them in some amazing way. Many people turn to the internet to purchase these products and there are many products and many sellers. I happen to like the way Primabee educates and guides people to understand what product might suit their wellness needs before they buy.

Primabee put together a deal for my followers  who’d like to try any of the Primabee Products.

20% of all orders over $50 dollars but you have to use the discount code ‘HERESTHEBUZZ’ at checkout. 

Enjoy listening to the whole CBD buzz in this podcast of my live conversation on The Debbie Nigro Show with Stephen Crane Co-Founder Primabee CBD.

Scented markers, crayons, stationery and toys are on store shelves everywhere and Alita Friedman of Alita’s Brand Bar is totally ‘in’ on all the delicious smelly action.

Alita is an expert in the toy business and toy licensing business. She's your gal if you need 'toy' industry advice. She’s a business gal pal and was one of my very early ‘on air’ champions for my ‘style’ of broadcasting.

Alita Friedman initially developed her own toy brand and turned it into a TV show. Then she started working on other brands to make them bigger and working with manufacturers of great products to add their brands to licensing deals, and bring them to life in the toy industry, in the gift industry, in the art industry, music industry, you name it.

Now Alita’s Brand Bar is working with Kangaru Toys, who Alita says, is really the only toy company out there that has the ‘secret sauce’ for putting scent into toys and other things, everything from stuffed animals to markers to stationery.

On behalf of Kangaru, Alita decided it would be cool to start getting them ‘smelling licenses’. Over the last two years, actually since COVID started, they’ve been securing licenses from brands like Hershey's, Jolly Rancher, Peeps, and Mentos.

 “We’re able to make stationery markers, toys, and all these things that smell really good. And they're actually marketed not really to kids, but they're really marketed more towards adults, like cool stationery for your desk, and marketed to college students, for back to college type of things”, said Alita. She added, “The idea has been very successful and you can find the products on the shelves of stores like Five Below and Walmart and online at Amazon and the Kangaru Toys website.

The ‘smell licensing’ partners (actually brand licensing but smell licensing sounds more fun) are very happy because their brands get expanded into a whole new direction they had not explored before - through stationery and toys.

Personally speaking, when I first saw scented markers and products in the stores I stopped in my tracks amused and confused. I thought about buying them for some kids, but then I thought, I cannot buy these for kids, what if they think it’s food and eat it?

When I told that to Alita her response was, “In a certain way, you know, you're not going to find them in the little kids section. You might find them where you're buying other stationery items. They become collectibles for adults. And it kind of goes back to that whole, whole adult toy buying trend right now.”

It's very obvious to me that, in terms of genius marketing, if I've got a pack of markers in front of me that smell like Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups I'm going to want to run out and buy Reeses Peanut Butter Cups! So it makes perfect sense that food brands would find this ‘smell licensing’ space with toys and gifts appealing.

I was trying to imagine how ‘smell’ might physically be added to markers and toys. Do they spray it on? Dip it in it? Alita said theres’s something called ‘micro-encapsulation’ which is a process the factories use. She was clear, if you sell anything in the toy industry, it has to be tested to the highest consumer product safety standards, and there are all kinds of toy industry laws.”

Adults buying toys for themselves came out as big trend this past year. ‘Kidult’ is the term the toy industry has given to adult toy buyers who are buying toys for themselves. Call it nostalgia or call it fun but whatever you call it the trend is now responsible for 1/4 of all toy sales annually and set to grow bigger. Adults are buying superheroes and collectibles that remind them of of their childhood. I myself might be inclined to fork over a few bucks for a new Easy Bake Oven . Lol What about you?

And so what does Alita see ‘trending’ in toys next?

“When COVID happened, going back to basics and playing games became huge. So you're starting to see licenses now on games. Think of a game that you grew up playing, now, you'll see a lot of versions of it that might have a license on it. You're also seeing a ton of collectible toys. So if you think of all the comic cons and all the comic books and video games that come out, it's adults and their kids enjoying them together. And there are plenty of people collecting toys many of which are sitting on adults desks and home or in the office. desks or the offices of Some take them out of the box to play with them. And some just keep them in the box as a valuable collection. There's always some kind of a great stuffed animal or squishy type of toy that becomes really popular. And outside things like, you know, the scooters and bikes.

If this topic smells good to you please enjoy this fun interview conversation with Alita Freidman recorded live on The Debbie Nigro Show. 

Lifes Interruptions.

There's a lot of conversation going on in the world about learning how to harness our own minds. I swear to you, if it's not one person it's another who mentions they've been trying to figure out what the heck we learned last year that we can do different in 2023.

Seems Everybody's Wrestling With Themselves.

I was having this conversation with my buddy Paul Lambert. He's a Broadway Musical Producer living out in California. He's a guy who I've been talking to on the phone for 20 years. We talk about a lot of things that you wouldnt necessarily hear talked about on the radio. We talk business, life, whatever. He brought up this topic on the phone. "What the heck have we learned this past year?"

I thought it was a good topic to bring to the radio, I invited him to talk about that on my live radio show and talk as if we're on the phone and nobody else was listening. 

Paul is working on some great upcoming musicals. In addition to the Four Tops Musical, the latest one is called, "Can You Hear Me? I know from talking often to Paul this show is fantastic and it's a very special thing in his life. I knew that recently related to it, somethin' just didn't quite go as expected that he had high hopes for. I figured he'd be totally bummed. But he wasn't. 

I think a lot of people can relate to having expectations that fall through and getting bummed out when what they hoped might happen doesn't happen. How you deal with those moments is what Paul I and talk about because we are wiser having been there multiple times. 

Rather than falling down and getting all disgusted and depressed when things that you hoped would work out don't...Paul shares some good ideas about how we're not going to do that anymore. He makes his point by sharing an homest and personal story. 

Paul Lambert spent weeks and weeks and weeks preparing for what the theater industry  calls 'an investor showcase' for a musical called "Can You Hear Me". Word is it's a fabulous hit in the making, upcoming musical and thousands of dollars have already been put into it. Some of the best performers in the world were asked to do a favor and invest three or four days of their time for this showcase. The most brilliant creative team was assembled, including their conductor whos done over 20 Broadway shows. Their music arranger has done 8 Broadway shows and the Kennedy Center, the White House, etc. Paul was in his glory about all the work and the who's who's that were coming to this big presentation being held at J Lo's former nightclub in LA. One of the greatest days of his career he'll tell you. This is also the day if a show presenation goes as planned and the show is great enough, people write the checks necessary to help produce it.

However, on the morning of this big day, the most important people that Paul wanted there who write big checks, and have big influence in the industry were calling one by one to say, "I can't come today". Four or five people he was really excited were coming, cancelled that morning.

One key person Paul was hoping to talk to was a board member from the La Jolla Playhouse, one of the best 'Pre Broadway' playhouses in America. They've sent many shows to Broadway, including Jersey Boys which started right there. Paul got a message at 7 a.m. that day saying, 'Paul best of luck to you. I'm sorry I'm going to New York tomorrow and I have to prepare for my trip so I cannot make your presentation.' Paul called that moment, 'the gut punch'.

Nobody owns the market on having things they hoped and wished for and kind of counted on, fall through. Learning how to deal with those moments mentally and emotionally is what is important. 

To the point of dealing with emotional 'gut punches' Paul said, "Well, I think what's important is you take a deep breath because these things are going to happen. And whether you're producing musicals or producing your daily life or anything else, the I hope, I hope, I hope, is going to get derailed by something you had not expected. What I learned this year more than ever, is to get past it and get to what I call 'a pivot' as fast as possible. It isn't going to change. It isn't going to go away. It's all about the pivot. I say to myself, Paul, pivot don't dwell. Don't get resentful. Don't get down into the briar patch. And it's so important because everybody has those emotional blows that are unexpected disruptions that happen in their lives, across the board, guaranteed there are going to be unexpected disruptions."

"I say Okay, breathe. You don't want to dwell too long on these kind of moments. Let's get to the next possible positive thing as fast as possible. When you pivot emotionally and every other way that you have to, you realize, hey, what I just heard is simply information. It's not going to change the world. It's not going to stop any thing. It's just information. I'll take that information and move forward."

It all turned around for Paul that day by the way, but out of another left field direction. That's often what goes on. One door closes, one door opens or one door closes and the whole corridor opens.

"Okay, Paul said, so I looked out in the crowd that day and I said to myself someone here is meant for this day that I don't know about, and something very good is going to happen. I can't foresee what is already in the universe going on that is perfect for what is supposed to happen next."

So two things happen. All of the Four Tops creative teams, the big Motown musical people and more luminaries are in the audience. Aretha Franklin's music director is sitting in the audience. Eddie Holland, and Brian Holland who wrote all the songs with the Supremes are there and so is Mickey Stevenson of Motown. This amazing crowd and all their friends are there to see this presentation. There was excitement and people loved it.

Sure enough! Someone who came with someone, thought of someone ,who would just love the show and thought he'd call that someone to set up a meeting with Paul to talk about investing in this.

Paul says, "I have to tell you within two days I'm back in LA. I'm being picked up in a Ferrari. and we're driving around. He pulls up to his big beautiful house in a Ferrari and on the other side of the garage is a Porsche. And of course, when I got out, I said, well, for heaven's sake, we've got to be successful because I hope you can afford a car big enough that I can get in and out of in the future." (Paul's very tall these fancy cars are very low. lol ) 

And the other thing good that happened? That Board member from the La Jolla Playhouse who had to cancel and go to N.Y. called Paul from N.Y. to say, that while she was there she met with the former managing director of La Jolla who has a very big position now in N.Y. at the New York City Theatre and told him all about the musical and told Paul should call him on Monday to tell him everything that's going on.

Opportunities are going to find you and the right people are going to show up.

Paul and I talk all the time about unexpected disruptions. These things are going to happen anyway so how fast you get past them or learn to get past them is really important. Surprises come from different directions you have to be open for those and dismiss the dark stuff mentally before resentment sets in and you get stuck. You just got to keep moving where your gut is telling you, and don't don't talk yourself out of what's meant for you. 

You're going to fit in where you're needed and appreciated and your struggle is not where your story ends what stopped you in the past will not stop you in 2023.

Lets Roll!

Enjoy the whole podcast conversation including more fun honesty of what would typically be a phone conversation between Paul Lambert and myself about ..Life's Interruptions. Goodness Knows More Are Coming.

Recorded Live :The Debbie Nigro Show 11-12 noon ET WGCH & WGCH.com anywhere

Follow Me For More Honest Stuff LOL 

Instagram: @therealdebbienigro

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I Love To Support Great Talent!

Some years ago I heard from one of my long time favorite pals Jerrey Stanley in New Jersey, that his daughter was a superstar singing talent and would I consider having her on my show. Of course. I've always loved to help shine a deserving light on someone when I'm able to with my show. 

Surprise surprise this was no favor. Meeting Brynn Stanley back then and giving the world a chance to listen to her voice and talent was a treat! 

I knew the kid had star power. I like to joke that I was the first to discover her. 

(Actually I am a kind of lucky charm for people who've never done media before, as those who have come on my show as their very first media debut, often go on to bigger and more fabulous things.)

And I was right. I know how to pick em! Lol Get a load of Brynn Stanley now. Her original Christmas Song 'Selfie With Santa' is  a WINNER! As is Brynn.

 Brynn Stanley has been charming audiences on both coasts, from New Jersey to Los Angeles. She has one of those really smooth, silky voices.

"Audiences and critics have raved about her voice, a unique blend of classic vocalists like Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee with modern stars like Norah Jones and Diana Krall. Her style has been described as “warm, classic, timeless, inspiring and sincere”. 

Brynn's been performing in and around New York and Los Angeles with her jazz trio at the famous Chateau Marmot in Hollywood, CA, Vitello’s Jazz and Supper Club, Herb Albert’s Vibrato’s and Shanghai Jazz (voted “one of the top 100 great jazz clubs in the world”).

While developing a reputation as a soulful jazz singer with an enthusiasm to please audiences of any age, Brynn continues to garner strong reviews from press, band mates, bandleaders and concert promoters. 

Enjoy meeting Brynn Stanley in this warm podcast conversation from The Debbie Nigro show and listen to her 'Selfie With Santa'. 

I sense you'll soon be a fan.

There are a ton of great original Christmas and Holiday Songs that have not hit the mainstream 'Yet'!  (Like My Mrs.Claus Song LOL!)

One of those songs is written by Toby Soriero and it's called "Sleigh Bell Blues".  It's Rosedale Junction's Delta blues inspired acoustic number of one man’s dark sad rambling ode of what Christmas now represents.

We need to remember that the holidays with all the focus on merriment, is not all that merry for many.

Toby's lyrics in "Sleigh Bell, Blues' speak to one mans' sad lonely emotions about how long it's been since he's heard sleigh bells ring. Poor guy sings that Santa doesnt come around where he is but he wishes he would. Seems Christmas in his town is all about “partying in the barn”, then going home and passing out. Still he's hopeful things might change for him.

Written by Toby Soriero (Guitar, resonator, bass, drums, washboard and sleigh bells), Sleigh Bell Blues features vocals by Dgiovahni Denizevahni (Solo artist), piano by Roger Smith (Tower of Power) and harmonica by Trent Williamson (Solo artist).

Toby Soriero began playing guitar at the age of nine, having studied under Connecticut-based jazz guitarist, Ron Stebbins.  He's had  a love for the blues and a passion for simple soulful music ever since.

Toby grew up in the golden era of album rock, enamored with a generation of awesome guitar players. The most influential on his playing were Eric Clapton and the Three Kings (B.B., Albert and Freddie). In 2019, as a member of the acoustic blues duo, the Screwtop Sommeliers, Toby made it to the semi-finals of the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee.

In 2020 Toby said goodbye to Corporate America to focus on making music full time.

We wish him well on his fun next act in life. I know a whole lot fo people who'd love to leave their jobs and just make music. I hope they get their chance. Lifes about taking risks to make yourself as happy as possible while youre here and still can. 

"Risk It or Regret It"! is what I always say.

Enjoy my conversation with Toby Soriero on The Debbie Nigro Show and enjoy listening to his original  "Sleigh Bell Blues". 

"A New 200-Year Cycle That Will Rapidly Shift Life As We Know It! "

Susan Miller is one of the most influential and respected astrologers known around the world. She’s also warm and fun and still gets excited after doing what she does better than most for 27 years. She’s considered an authority in the field of Western astrology, and till this day writes every word in her engaging optimistic style. Her website AstrologyZone.com is read by 11-1/2 million unique readers a year. 

Every year right about this time she joins me on "The Debbie Nigro Show" to talk about what she sees coming for the year ahead (2023) and runs through what’s coming for all 12 Astrological signs. (FYI: Cancer has the best career year ahead)

This year Susan sounded more excitable than usual. According to her we’re in … “A New 200-Year Cycle That Will Rapidly Shift Life As We Know It!”

What I love about Susan is how she shares her information and research. She’s a highly respected Astrological 'thinker' and is recognized world-wide for her astrological writings 'outside the box' into areas of business, technology, lifestyle, culture & the economy.

Plus she’s fun and we have fun doing this annual show together.

Susan Miller says…

"We are entering a brave new world that will be fascinating and stimulating. It will be a privilege to be alive at this point in time. Few people get to experience 'two epochs', moving from 200 years of earth to the next 200 years of emphasis on air. The Aquarian Age gets set now. Imagine that suddenly -everything speeds up and changes come at lightening speed. This promises to be the most dramatic and exciting point of our lives.”

Seems this new 200 year cycle actually started in December of 2020 but as Susan shared, it takes a little while for everything in the universe to start sinking in. She’s calling this new phase ’earth shattering’.

Susan talks about how over the past 200 years every time Jupiter met with Saturn ( and they only meet every 20 years for dinner once LOL ) they’ve met in ‘Taurus Virgo Capricorn’. Over the last 200 years! Except for one time, this has happened.” The sign they meet in and the element they meet in - water fire air - “That Matters”, she says. (Who knew?)

“For 200 years, every 20 years this happened! And what did we did we do during the past 200 years as a society? All 3 are earth signs and we developed roads, bridges, and tunnels, cathedrals and skyscrapers, but we also developed the industrial revolution and the assembly line and this country is only 246 years old.”

Post pandemic things have changed. Most of us are clearly aware of that now. But where is this all going? What does all this mean?

Heres the Astrological Explanation:

The Grand Conjunction

This change is due to the event that astrologers call The Grand Conjunction, which is a rare meeting of Saturn and Jupiter. Astrologers know that a conjunction (an alignment of two or more planets) is the strongest of all astrological aspects because two planets coming together sets off a new cycle, opening a fresh portal of energy. Usually, the conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn would set off a 20-year cycle (because they only meet every 20 years), but this conjunction would be unique and historic, for it would trigger a new 200-year cycle.

Heres Susan’s Post Pandemic Explanation:

“I feel the pandemic prepared us for this major shift that is coming in society for astrology recognizes cycles that exist within cycles. The universe knows we are creatures of habit, so if it brought a virus that only lasted a month or two, we would simply go back to our old ways and continue as we had been doing before. Nothing would have changed. But that short lived pandemic was not what happened, as we are witnessing. By sheltering within, we broke the chain of everyday life. Whenever any unexpected event arrives, it marks a time of reflection, growth, and enlightenment. The pandemic speeded us forward—with all the tools we needed."

Here’s Susan’s Overall Take On The Whole Thing:

"We are entering a brave new world that will be fascinating and stimulating. It will be a privilege to be alive at this point in time. Few people get to experience 'two epochs', moving from 200 years of earth to the next 200 years of emphasis on air. The Aquarian Age gets set now. Imagine that suddenly - everything speeds up and changes come at lightening speed. This promises to be the most dramatic and exciting point of our lives."

In this podcast epsiode, besides talking about what the world can expect in 2023 Susan runs through what those born under each Astrology sign can expect in 2023 . Make sure you listen to hear your own upcoming  ‘sparkling’ forecast. There’s some great stuff ahead for everybody!

I'm posting this 'full show' on ‘The Year Ahead’ that Susan Miller and I did together on "The Debbie Nigro Show" as a podcast for all those curious about what Susan sees coming for 2023. Enjoy! I'm peronally wishing everybody the best of everything.

“If you don’t know what you want the universe can’t give it to you.” - Susan Miller

BTW: Susan has released her new legendary The Year Ahead 2023 Astrology Calendar which you can get through her website AstrologyZone.com. You can also check there at the beginning of every month to get a free outlook in great detail for each sign. You can also check out her app, “Daily Horoscope Astrology Zone + More by Susan Miller®” on Apple App Store and Google Play. She’s also the author of 12 astrology books, and writes monthly columns for six international fashion magazines.