Will Gillespie first appeared in episode 129 with his family, talking about their efforts to balance their cattle ranch against the needs of the natural world. They not only raise cattle, but they also support and maintain the Prairie Ridge Wildlife Refuge next door—both of which are prospering and flourishing.

But there’s more to Will than that. He’s also an engineer, a coal mine inspector, and the author of a terrific book called “Cows I have Known.” Join me for this short interview with Will as we explore his decidedly non-linear career.

You can order Will's book here: https://www.amazon.com/Cows-Have-Known-William-Gillespie-ebook/dp/B06XKFJZWP/ref=sr_1_1?crid=3LMXSIZFFAQ6G&keywords=Cows+I+Have+Known&qid=1660339678&sprefix=cows+i+have+known%2Caps%2C69&sr=8-1.

Brian Ashley is a licensed Clinical Psychologist who sat down with me recently to talk about his world. Have you ever wondered about the difference between psychiatry and psychology? Or how mental health professionals think about the world they inhabit? or about the extraordinary process of helping people deal with some of the most difficult things thy'll ever face in their lives? This is one of the most interesting and thoughtful episodes I have ever done--it deserves a careful listen.

Brian acknowledges the work of others in his field and offers his thanks to them. “I want to acknowledge the sources of so many of the ideas I have shared in this interview: David Malan and Harvey Barten for their development of psychodynamic practice and theory, Christopher Bollas for giving us the Unthought Known and a radical re-imagining of how to work with and through the emotion of breakdown, and the pioneering developers of Open Dialogue at Keropudas Hospital in Tornio, Finland.”

Okay, this is a fun episode about something that we've all heard about but have rarely seen. Have you ever noticed in movie credits that there's somebody called the Foley Artist? Well this episode is about those people. Almost 100% of the sounds that are recorded on a movie set during production are actually replaced by Foley artists, in some amazing, remarkable, wacky ways. Enjoy. This is one to talk about.

The Internet of Things, IoT, is not well understood, so here's a quick description, by popular request, with some very interesting examples.

Worried that technology might take your job? Here's a better question to ask: If I could hand off some of my work to technology, what might I be able to accomplish? In this episode, Steve Shepard paints two scenarios, both real, both very similar, yet captured two decades apart. Enjoy.

Here's a dirty little secret for you: All generations want the same things in work and life. They want a good job, in some cases a career; they want some kind of education; they want to raise a family; they want to be comfortable, eat well, go on vacation, and make money. They want to be recognized and rewarded for a job well done, and they want to feel like they’re growing personally and professionally. In other words, they want to live their best lives. So: Want to have a strong, loyal, and productive workforce? Learn how to tell the difference between them, and act accordingly.

In March 2021 I published my novel, “The Nation We Knew.” It’s built around a simple question: What would happen if a new president came into power, a president with a commitment to the people, not the party, a president consumed with the idea of building progress on a platform of common sense. How might this president reinvent healthcare, infrastructure, education, corrections, foreign policy, transportation, and the government itself, if she (that’s right—she) could get Washington to leave the elephants and donkeys outside to tear up the lawn and focus on where the nation needs to be, not where it is? What would that look like? Happily, the book became a best-seller.

A month after the book came out, I received a call from Randell Hynes. Randy is running for election to the U.S. House to represent Nevada’s 3rd Congressional District. He told me that he had read my book, and that it aligned very much with his goals as a political candidate—to focus on people, not party, and do the right thing for the nation by doing the right thing for its citizens.

A few days ago, I interviewed Randy. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Jim Winninger and I have known each other for a long time. We share interests in teaching, music, photography ... and the power of passion. Jim thinks about it all the time, and has a lot to share about the subject. And folks, if any of you are parents, you might want to listen to this one with your teenage kids. It applies to them as much as it does to you.

Human-generated noise is every bit a pollutant as noxious chemicals in the water and soil and air. But rarely is it considered to be a problem. In this episode, on Earth Day, 2022, I talk a bit about the things we can do to help--and about how I got into recording wildlife sound in the first place. Thanks for listening!

What kinds of leaders are most effective at compelling others to help them achieve their goals? The warm-blooded kind. There's an interesting corollary here between leadership and biology. Have a listen.