Tragedy Academy

In this episode, Jay welcomes Mike Talerico to shed light on what it’s like to be a professional skydiver. Mike is a competitive skydiver who’s done over 2,900 jumps throughout his career. Pretty wild, right?

Skydiving is often a life-changing experience for the average person… but how has it changed Mike’s life? What drove him to start skydiving in the first place? Listen in to gain insight into life as a pro skydiver, how competitive skydiving works, and the weirdest/riskiest jumps he’s seen over the years.

Have you ever wanted to go skydiving? This is your sign to take the leap! Stick around until the end of the episode for Mike’s expert advice for first-time skydivers.

? [03:16] Mike shares his background in skydiving and talks about what it’s like to be a professional skydiver.

? [09:37] Mike’s one and only (near-death) experience jumping with an old school round parachute.

? [14:40] What is competition skydiving?

? [21:47] How technology has enabled parachutes to evolve to be safer.

?? [25:04] Assessing and minimizing risk before skydiving & What can happen if you don’t check your equipment.

? [29:06] The weirdest things Mike has seen throughout his 2,900+ skydives.

?? [32:30] How long is the freefall time in a skydive? Have you learned anything about yourself or the world during a skydive?

?? [45:02] Mike speaks on the global competitions he’s competed in

?? [47:23] If you’re interested in skydiving for the first time, listen to Mike’s greatest tips and advice for first-time skydivers.

Resources Mentioned:

United States Parachute Association

Visit Skydive City in Zephyrhills, FL

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Summary:

In this episode of the Tragedy Academy, Jay welcomes Dan Lambert, owner of American Top Team, the legendary MMA gym. Dan grew American Top Team from an amateur MMA gym, doing it only for the love of the game, to one of the country's top professional sports gyms. He unknowingly became a pioneer of the sport and will go down in history as one of the firsts.

Key Topics Discussed:

? [07:34] Getting into wrestling after MMA

? [12:50] Intersection between MMA and wrestling

? [19:47] Wrestling is a soap opera

? [23:00] Mixing business and MMA/wrestling

? [32:55] Fighters and their backgrounds

?? [35:40]"You run this place like a concentration camp?" is the best insult he's ever received.

Timestamps:

? Getting into wrestling after MMA was almost a happy accident. Dan would invite a wrestler from the Miami Convention center to share some of their wild stories. This time eventually led to hosting a hybrid MMA/wrestling event.

? Intersection between MMA and wrestling, some people hate MMA but love wrestling and vice versa. Yet, it's hard to argue that both sports have little in common. For one, their personality goes beyond a gimmick – it's often who they are in real life.

? Wrestling theatrics can almost seem like a soap opera. It's not real, and most people know that, yet it does not take away from the excitement. One thing is for certain, the stunts and pain are real.

? Mixing business and pleasure does not always go over smoothly, and keeping a gym afloat takes a lot of capital. Luckily for Dan, he had other businesses that helped support his MMA/wrestling passion.

? Every wrestler and fighter comes with crazy characteristics – some more nuts than others. Wrestlers like Mazada not only like to live in chaos, he thrives in it.

? One of Dan's biggest mistakes with running "American Top Team" was not treating it like a professional sports team gym. Now with real money on the line and dozens of members, it is one of the elite gyms in the country.

"You run this place like a concentration camp?" is the best insult he's ever received.

Quotes:

- "The wrestling industry harbors the most authentic people" - Jay

- "The more that their character reflects their true self, the more they get over" – Gary

- "As far as the reality base, those wrestlers take 10x the beating than MMA guys do" – Dan

- g"Some people work hard to make money because they want to go on their boat or go fishing or skiing – I like making money so that I can spend it on MMA," – Dan

- "That's what luck is - when opportunity meets preparation" - Dan

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Are you a parent? This episode is for you! Tune in as Jay welcomes Heather Jess to talk about post-partum depression, the challenges of being a parent, and the power of community support in raising children. Heather Jess is the creator of MommaSquad, a blog about motherhood, being a military wife, and so much more.

Listen in as Heather shares her thoughts on overcoming post-partum depression, teaching empathy and compassion to your kids, and the benefits of having a community to rely on throughout parenthood.

If you live in the Tampa, Florida region, stay tuned because Heather will soon be hosting some in-person events for parents – the perfect way to build community and connect with like-minded parents!

Episode Highlights:

? [02:12] Heather sheds light on why she wants to help mothers become better mothers and overcome the challenges of raising children.

? [03:04] How Heather teaches empathy and compassionate communication to her children.

?? [07:40] How parents’ communication and conflict resolution affects children.

? [13:32] What does post-partum depression feel like? Heathers shares her experience with post-partum depression and parenting alone while her husband was away at basic training.

? [19:38] The power of saying “thank you” and being genuine to people no matter how mean they are.

? [26:13] Being a military spouse & What inspired Heather to start MommaSquad.

?? [36:59] How childbirth changes your life.

? [44:36] Loving your true self vs. “Keeping it 100”

? [47:04] You are perfectly you. If someone doesn’t accept you for who you are, you don’t have to associate yourself with that person.

? [55:36] Stay tuned for MommaSquad’s online platform for parents, in-person events in Tampa, and more!

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In this episode, Jay and Gary welcome Kerri McKinney to talk about the highs and lows of being an alcoholic and getting sober. Kerri is an empowerment coach, energy healer, and speaker who is also a recovering alcoholic who started drinking when she was at an astonishing 12 years old. She used to be ashamed of her past, but everything changed when she started embracing it. Now, Kerri is helping others do the same.

Listen in to hear how Kerri overcame her alcoholism and depression, what life is like after getting sober, and the powerful realizations that come up along the way. Plus, she speaks on the relationship between addiction, mental health, discernment, and self-love.

Episode Highlights:

? [02:59] Kerri shares her experience with alcoholism, depression, and anxiety both as a teenager and as an adult.

? [08:48] The Misconceptions vs. Reality of Alcoholism & Why Kerri is speaking out about it.

? [11:48] Masking your alcoholism will only perpetuate it… but it could also cause gastritis?! So, how do you know when you or someone else is masking alcoholism?

? [13:52] How meditation, mindfulness, and even vaping helped Kerri connect with her feelings and get sober. Jay also sheds light on how he used cannabis to quit drinking alcohol.

? [21:19] Powerful realizations and mindset shifts that happen when you get sober & How to overcome the victim mentality.

? [27:50] Alcoholism & Mental Health

? [33:22] The worst part of hiding your alcoholism & The best part of getting sober.

??? [40:52] Why it’s our duty to teach the next generation discernment and self-love.

? [49:18] How the book Untamed by Glennon Doyle changed Kerri’s life & Kerri sheds light on her upcoming book, Depression Lied to Me, which shows how different depression affects different people.

? [53:16] How energy healing and Reiki transformed Kerri’s life.

Resources Mentioned:

Listen to the episode with Sam Suarez

Untamed by Glennon Doyle

Open Book by Jessica Simpson

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Summary

*TW: This episode contains discussions of suicide; please listen with caution.*

This week on the podcast, Jay welcomes Iden Crockett. Iden is a true Renaissance woman: artist, writer, photographer, musician, and so much more, but this has been her second lease on life. Iden was a paramedic and firefighter for 25 years before being forced out of her job after she came out as trans. Her art has since been a vehicle for discussing her experience with PTSD, gender dysphoria, self-injury, and eating disorders. In the episode, Jay and Iden discuss Iden's journey and work but also address how we can live authentically in a society that may not accept us for who we are.

Episode Highlights

? Not fitting in

? Dealing with death

??? PTSD & first responders

????? Future of the Trans community

? Culture as a symptom

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Summary

This week Jay welcomes actress Olivia Blair to the podcast. Today, Olivia pursues her passions of acting and film, however she hasn't always been able to live as her authentic self. Olivia first began to struggle with body dysmorphia in high school, when the pressures of media encouraged her to form a distorted body image. Jay reveals that he can relate to Olivia's struggle because he also suffered from body dysmorphia growing up. Both Jay and Olivia agree that the pressures young people - especially girls - face has only grown with current makeup trends. Ultimately, Olivia reminds us that we are less important in other people's minds than we think, so why not accept yourself as you are?

Episode Highlights

??????? Growing up in Edinburgh

? Body Dysmorphia

? Pros and Cons of Makeup

? Loving Yourself

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Summary

*TW* - This episode discusses experiences with death and violence that may be upsetting for some listeners. Please listen with caution.

This week The Tragedy Academy is honored to have Deandre "Sip the Kid" Smith on the show. These days Deandre is an actor and motivational speaker, but in 2018 he was handed one crushing blow after another with the deaths of his brother, mother, and grandmother in a matter of months. Rather than give in to street mentality, the love of his children and family pulled Deandre through to the other side. He now spends his time motivating others to move beyond their circumstances. Deandre and the guys discuss how to spend your time wisely and how far confidence can get you. If you invest your time in yourself, pushing to be the best, the rest will come.

*TW* - This episode discusses experiences with death and violence that may be upsetting for some listeners. Please listen with caution.

Episode Highlights

? Inner Kid

? Love Through Adversity

? Spending Time

? Being The Best You

? Law Of Attraction

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Summary

This week's episode of The Tragedy Academy features speaker, model, and wellness advocate, Jetty Nieuwenhuis. Despite having the following of an influencer, Jetty rejects the perfect curated image of the influencer and instead uses her platform to inspire others to pursue their dreams unapologetically. The guys and Jetty discuss the difficulties they've encountered building the lives they want, but they wouldn't have it any other way. Whatever the topic, Jetty emphasizes the importance of fully embracing who you are, whether it's Lyme disease, medical advocacy, or finding a home in Canada.

Episode Highlights

? Dairy farming

? Kindness of Canadians

? Time Away from Social Media

? Cubicle Man

? Lyme Disease

If you wish to help further advocacy & research, please visit the Global Lyme Alliance and donate today.

https://www.globallymealliance.org/donate-today/

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Summary

The Tragedy Academy is excited to present a new regular feature for the show: TA Library. In this episode, TA librarian Jennifer steps out from behind the curtain to talk about what academics can expect from these after-school study sessions. There will be some history, some mystery, and as always we'll be bridging social divides. This time, the guys discuss the last time they were in a public library, and the role of libraries in the digital age. The main thing to take away: libraries are so much more than books, and we're excited to talk about it in this series.

Episode Highlights

? The power of publishing

? Reading as an escape

? Gary visits the library

? Digital libraries

? Do libraries have a branding problem?

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Summary

Gary brings another inspiring guest to the show: Artem Lobov. A former MMA fighter and boxer, Artem is taking the opportunity of an early retirement to not only protect his health, but explore who he is outside of the sport. This includes writing a book about his life, starting a clothing brand, and getting into the whiskey business - which he sees as a way of giving back to Ireland, his home since he was a teenager. Gary and Jay also talk with Artem about the misconceptions and extremes of fighting as a sport. The key takeaway lesson from Artem to our academics? Go all in!

Episode Highlights

? Fighting is in our DNA

? MMA vs Bare-knuckle boxing

? Early Retirement

? Whiskey!

? Designing a clothing brand

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