The Lighter Side with Jay

I talk to Dr. Maggie Perry about my particular form of OCD, known as Pure O.

In honor of Mental Health Awareness Day, please vote Donald Trump out of office, so that we may all get some of our mental health back. 

Everything is insane. 

Here is one of my favorite episodes, featuring my friend Val Emmich, who has done a lot of very cool things. We learned a lot about each other during this talk, despite having known each other for over 30 years. 

Enjoy. Vote. Please. 

Apropros of nothing, one of my favorite episodes of The Lighter Side Podcast.

Stephanie Wittels Wachs and I have a lot in common. This was our first chat. You can find the second one here.

Also, vote. 

On the season finale, I round out my Education Panels by speaking with Jo Ann Cimato (Theatre, English - NYC), Mike O'Keefe (Elementary,  NJ), and Kristina Ulmer (English, PA)

A huge thank you to Producer Katie Mare for her work and PodBear Audio for the phenomenal editing. 

VOTE 

Today I am joined by Dan Wiener (Language Arts Teacher, Seattle), Marisa Brady (Theater Teacher, Arizona), and Marc Siegel (Educational Technology Specialist, NJ) for a discussion on the reopening of schools. May the odds be ever in our favor. 5

Elaine Appleton Grant is a podcast producer, public radio broadcaster and magazine journalist. Her work has appeared in Inc., Fast Company and on NPR. She produces Business Wars Daily, a Wondery podcast about corporate rivalries. I got to geek out with her about podcasts, as well as learn all about her new venture, Podcast Allies, a consulting and production company specializing in high-quality audio storytelling. 

Matt Yee has spent the better part of the last five years as Lady Celestina, his top-hat wearing drag persona. I learned all about the world of drag, how Matt has spent the last few months adjusting from a hectic schedule of working a day job and a late late night job to well, you know, and the #dragoutthevote movement, for which Lady Celestina is an ambassador 

Jess is a dear friend and former costar of mine who has had some struggles with fertility over the years. After trying every single thing she could, it took moving to Florida and living through a pandemic for her to announce to the world that she is ready to bring a mini-her into the future. 

Michelle Patton is the Artistic Director of Cutting for Pureology Professional Color Care. She is a hairstylist, an educator, and an empathetic, warm person whose company I so thoroughly enjoyed, however virtual it was. We talked about her change from working in the cut and dry world of finance to the cut and dry world of hair. 

Our continuing story of how the nation's schools are reopening (or not) in the midst of the insanity. Joining me this time are Frank Guastela (Middle School Biology, NJ), Jade Cintron (ESL and Theater Educator, PA), and JD Wilson (3rd Grade, Hawaii). We had a great talk, and I am proud to continue to give our nation's educators a voice as we all struggle to ensure a safe education for our children.