Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio, a podcast sponsored by The Imaginative Storm Writing Project, www.imaginativestorm.com. I'm your host James Navé, www.jamesnave.com.

Greetings, James Navé here. Today, I unpack ideas around writing, poetry, and identity on this solo show. I begin with Emily Dickinson's poem titled I'm Nobody. Do you think of your writing, poetry, and identity as evolving or fixed? Are you Somebody or Nobody? What does it mean to be a little somebody rather than a celebratory somebody?

How can writing, poetry, and memorization add meaning to your identity? How do you deal with those self-important self-appointed somebodies you bump into now and then? Have you ever wondered why the spoken word movement enjoys so much attention today? How does memorization fit into writing, poetry, and identity? Thanks for listening. Enjoy the show.

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio, a podcast sponsored by The Imaginative Storm Write What You Don't Know Project, www.imaginativestorm.com. I'm your host James Navé, www.jamesnave.com. This show is titled No War With My Father. Today, I'm going solo with a story about my Father, a war veteran, and an old-time Appalachian musician. Although he never talked about being in the war, he never stopped talking about how much he loved to play music. This narrative focuses on work, violence, booze, music, joy, and forgiveness. If you have conflicting opinions of your parents, this story will offer insights into how you can hold many opinions without remorse. Enjoy the show.

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles radio. I'm your host, James Navé, www.jamesnave.com.

This show was aired first on WPVMFM-Asheville, www.wpvmfm.org. My guest is Igno Van Niekerk talking about landscapes, imagination, and leadership, https://ignovanniekerk.com/

How often do you weave landscapes, imagination, and leadership into your daily thinking? When I invited Igno to visit Twice 5 Miles radio, I understood he was keen on landscapes because we'd often spoken about how landscapes influence our psychological response to the world. We also talked about how one's imagination can rainbow life with endless possibilities. But, of course, I knew Igno taught leadership. So when I invited him to join me on Twice 5 Miles radio, I was hoping we'd weave landscapes, imagination, and leadership into our conversation, and we did just that. You'll feel free, creatively unblocked, and inspired to write, play, and make things when you listen to this show. 

 More on Igno

For the past 22 years, Igno has been doing training on Leadership/Presentation Skills/Sales/Social Media, etc., for national and multinational companies. During this time, he has completed his MA degree in History as well as completing his exams to qualify as a Certified Financial Planner. In addition, he has been a part-time lecturer at the University of the Free State's Business School (teaching Leadership and Strategy for the BML and MBA courses). Igno is a keen photographer, and his book, Light On Leadership is based on his passion for leadership, photography, History, and storytelling. He also writes a weekly column for a regional newspaper.

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio, a podcast sponsored by the Imaginative Storm Writing Project titled Write What You Don't Know. I'm your host James Navé. Unlike my other guest-driven shows, today you'll hear my solo report from an early fall morning terrace in Paris, France.

This podcast opens with the sun rising over the Paris rooftops and backdropping the useless TV antennas dangling on chimneys. Then, it leads to my grandmother making quilts, the forgotten movie houses in Asheville, and memories of a mountain called Pisgah and the Rat. Then, I discuss the contrast between Paris and growing up in Asheville. For example, did you know that the Fine Arts Theater in Asheville was a forbidden X-rated theater when I was growing up in the 60s? Now The Fine Arts shows, you guessed it, fine arts films. Next, I reflect on what it means to write what you don't know. Finally, I tell you about some writing prompts you can use now.

When you write what you don't know, you'll teach yourself how to become a better writer, get rid of writer's block, and overcome your fear of writing. Write what you don’t know. Enjoy the show.

Twice 5 Miles Radio welcomes poet and journalist JuanIsidro Concha. I'm your host James Navé. This show aired first on WPVMF-Asheville and is titled The Power of Words, Dreams, and Courage.

I first met JuanIsidro in the late 90s when he was a sophomore and an aspiring poet at Taos High School. Taos has always been a creativity hotbed for poets, writers, visual artists, filmmakers, musicians, and many other creatives in all disciplines.

Since JuanIsidro grew up in Taos surrounded by artistic vibes, it makes sense that he'd go into the arts. Some Taos artists paint with their brushes; Juanisidro paints with his words on the page and the

stage.

In this heartfelt conversation, JuanIsidro, now a well-established journalist for The Taos News, talks about the ups and downs that most, dare I say all, artists go through before they find their footing. Juanisidro will move you when you listen to him talk about how he struggled out of a dark hole back into the light after the tragic loss of his child. Next, he touches on his journalistic responsibilities to his community, The Taos Pueblo. Then, of course, you'll hear Juanisidro perform a few of his poems, which is always a treat.

I hope you'll enjoy this conversation as much as I did. Happy listening.

Twice 5 Miles Radio welcomes actor, theater director, and writer Charline Su to the microphone. I'm your host James Navé. About three months ago, Charlene and I were on a Zoom call talking about creativity, acting, and poetry. I mentioned that I'd memorized T.S. Eliot's The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock, which is a 140-line, heavy-lifting poem with lines like,

"I should have been a pair of ragged claws / Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."

Since Charline is a seasoned Shakesperian actor who likes heavy-lifting material, I wasn't surprised to discover that Eliot's Prufrock was on her favorite poem list. Moreover, when I recited the first line, "Let us go then, you and I," Charline chimed in with the second and third lines, "When the evening is spread out against the sky / Like a patient etherized upon a table."

It turned out that not only had Charline memorized Prufrock, she had Prufrock memorized up to performance level. So I followed with the next line, "Let us go, through certain half-deserted streets," Charline tossed out the following line, and we were off, reciting the lines back and forth like a jazz song. It was one of the most surprising and delightful Zoom calls I'd been on since I'd been on Zoom.

As I said, Prufrock is a 140-line poem, so seven minutes later, when Charline and I finished reciting the entire poem, I was sure I wanted her to be a guest on Twice 5 Miles Radio. I couldn't wait to ask her about her memorization process, how she worked with Shakespear's text, what it was like to run a small theater, and why she was so damn committed to creativity. Believe me; you'll be delighted and informed when you listen to this show. Enjoy as much as I did, won't you?

Welcome to Twice 5 Miles Radio. I’m your host James Navé. Today, please welcome poet, activist, and storyteller Robert McDowell to the microphone. You’ll get the sense you’re eavesdropping when you listen to this conversation. Who are you? Robert and I dive into the role writers and poets play in modern culture. Robert points out that Emily Dickinson tells us to tell the truth and tell it slant. Robert suggests the best way to understand people is to get close, listen, and ask questions. Robert and I discuss how poetry can help us discover how to answer the question who are you? Robert tells us that Emily Dickinson gives us some clues that will support your search.

Robert is known for his dynamic talks, transformative keynote addresses, and stimulating workshops that awaken the visionary doer in each of us, inspiring deeper listening and evolving consciousness of life’s diverse spectrum. Robert’s compassionate story-and-poem–telling clears obstacles, opens windows, and encourages more effective communication in personal relationships and at the office.

James Navé welcomes agriculturalists Marvin Ani to the Twice 5 Miles microphone. I met Marvin when I recently visited Lolo Doc Farm Resort / Casitas de Victoria Batangas, Philippines. My partner Tish Vallés and I had driven down from Manila for the weekend. We arrived around noon on Friday. We went to the café and ordered lunch right away.

When our salads arrived, they looked so fresh I thought the leaves were still growing in the garden. As it turned out, Marvin had picked our lettuce leaves less than twenty minutes before they appeared on our plates.

Later that afternoon, we walked down to the large garden and greenhouse to check out the plants. That's when Marvin greeted us in front of the greenhouse filled with gorgeous plants and flowers.

Marvin, a man who loved his work, smiled and showed us around. His excitement inspired me to invite him to sit down and tell me more about his life as an agriculturalist. During our conversation, I learned that Marvin had been farming all his life. "It's my passion," he said.

I've got to say, I learned much about farming in the Philippines from Marvin. I'm confident you will too. Enjoy the show.

July 29, 2022 Aired on WPVMFM and KCEIFM

How Imaginative Storm Writing Was Born with poet and Twice 5 Miles host James Navé.

by James Navé

On this Twice 5 Miles show, I'm going solo on our subject of How Imaginative Storm Writing Was Born. When you listen to this show, you will learn that Imaginative Storm writing emerged in the early 90s, when I was performing poetry and teaching writing in the public school systems throughout America. 

When teachers first asked me to teach writing in addition to performance, I wasn't sure how to excite students, especially since I only had 50 minutes and most classrooms. However, students responded well when I called this process "Imaginative Storm Writing" rather than "Brainstorm Writing." In this interview, you'll learn the difference between the two. 

Students loved "doing" The Imaginative Storm because it offered them a lighted-hearted, easy way to create excellent written work that surprised their teachers. When the students stormed their imaginations, they didn't realize they were writing about what they didn't as much as what they did know. 

When you write about things you don't know, you're exploring deep into yourself and finding things you did not know were there. So when you discover something you didn't know you had had, you will say, "I didn't know that about myself." Of course, you have the information is always there, but it not available to your conscious mind. 

 

When you listen to this interview, you will learn how the Imaginative Storm was born and how you can use it in your life and work. Enjoy the show.

ONCE A PILGRIM, ALWAYS A COACH

by James Navé

James Navé (www.jamesnave.com) welcomes Paris-based executive coach Lynne Burney (www.LKB-Coaching.com) to the Twice 5 Milers Microphone. In this interview, Once a Pilgrim, Always a Coach, Lynne recounts how her intended instructional coaching book morphed into a journey memoir about walking the Way of St. James through France and Spain (Santiago de Compostela, Les Chemins de Compostelle. 

Suppose you've been thinking of writing a book, especially a memoir. In that case, you'll find this conversation with Lynne Burney helpful and informative. 

Like Lynne, most people think they know what story they want to tell. Lynne thought she knew what book she wanted to write in the spring of 2019 when we met in Paris for a long lunch at Le Train Blue above Gare de Lyon (Lyon train station).  

I'd known Lynne since 2006 when she attended an Imaginative Storm Writing and Creativity weekend workshop I taught in Normandy for a group of business coaches. It was there that Lynne told me that she mainly wrote for her own pleasure and posted some of what she wrote on her coaching school blog now and then. 

Lynne was still writing for her own fun when we met for lunch at Le Train Bleu. After our lunch arrived, Lynne reported that she was ready to write an instructional book based on her 20-plus years as a business coach. She wanted me to be her manuscript coach; I agreed. So off we went on a three-year writing journey. 

It took Lynne six months of writing to discover that she had zero interest in writing a book on coaching. Instead, she knew she had to write a pilgrimage memoir about the overland journey she and her husband Richard walked through France and Spain to the tomb of Saint James (Santiago de Compostela, Les Chemins de Compostelle).  

 

And that's exactly the book she wrote, Once a Pilgrim-Always a Coach. You've probably guessed that Once a Pilgrim-Always a Coach ended up being a better book on coaching than Lynne ever imagined. You'll learn how Lynne did it when you listen to the show.