Best Veteran, Mother, Writer Podcasts (2024)

1
"These United Colonies . . . are Free and Independent States" 10:29

5d ago10:29

10:29

Happy Birthday to the United States of America. The Declaration of Independence is comprised of five distinct parts. Hear about them, the language, its length, and how the signatures are categorized.

1
A Stoic on Stupidity and Plumbing 6:34

6d ago6:34

6:34

"There are some things which men confess with ease, and others with difficulty. No one, for instance, will confess himself a fool or a blockhead . . . " Epictetus. If Epictetus were alive, he may be surprised to learn that I am No One. That No One who played the part of the fool and blockhead and figured you may benefit from my stupidity.…

1
The Curse of the Bootlegger's Daughter 9:53

6d ago9:53

9:53

On narrative lust and the pleasure of rereading with C.S. Lewis. I’ve recently come across a few passages worthy of rereading, which is also a subject of this letter: a peek into Amor Towles 2024 short story collection, A Table for Two.

1
Northeast by Northwest: How Travel Changes Me* 8:48

6d ago8:48

8:48

On travel and British Columbia in summer. EATS and FEATS: where to eat and what to do. And how I have changed after this particular trip. *Title is a play on the 1959 film from Alfred Hitchcock: North by Northwest.

1
"Well-Intentioned Fools" 3:00

7d ago3:00

3:00

Poetry for Emergencies. On grief. D. Adam Boaz with a poem from his anthology, Voices from the Second Life.

1
Memorial Day Speech: We're Here Today Because They Lived 11:09

7d ago11:09

11:09

I gave this speech at New Canaan Town Hall on Memorial Day. I read it here for THL listeners, sharing stories which honor 7 local residents who died during the Vietnam War. Video recording of the speech is available on my site under Events tab.

1
"We Lived, Felt Dawn, Saw Sunset Glow" 5:22

7d ago5:22

5:22

Toolbox: On Speechwriting and public speaking. Research and preparation for the town Memorial Day speech. Finding the story and pulling it together... and, doing so as the first woman to speak at this event. The holy trinity of writing. Title quote from John McCrae's poem, In Flanders Fields.

1
That Teacher, You Know the One 9:01

7d ago9:01

9:01

Let's take a moment for teachers. That teacher, you know the one. Because, I have a confession to make. . . On poetry for emergencies, E. E. Cummings, and J.S. Bach. David Foster Wallace and This is Water.

1
Midwest Mandala 4:56

7d ago4:56

4:56

On Kansas City, life in the middle, and a meditation on mothers.

1
Semper Fidelis 6:00

7d ago6:00

6:00

We had not met before though we met in other ways, I suppose. On Vietnam and Operation Frequent Wind. And, honoring three marines.

1
On Poetry, Spring, and Transition 5:38

7d ago5:38

5:38

Poetry for emergencies. Friends are leaving, selling their houses and moving away. Mary Oliver on things and Lau Tzu on excess.

1
Small Delight: The Unexpected and the Good 5:04

7d ago5:04

5:04

I suppose it is the unexpected and the good which sustain us. Learn about a discovery in a second-hand book by Penelope Fitzgerald. In the process meet characters and listen to a cheeky retort from the protagonist.

1
Vicki Robin—Coming of Aging 50:01

23d ago50:01

50:01

Vicki Robin has been breaking ground throughout her career—now she's challenging how we think about aging with her Coming of Aging writings. We talk about the possibilities and paradoxes of aging. She challenged the stories of our times in 1992 with her seminal book written with Joe Dominguez, Your Money or Your Life, a book that challenged our obs…

1
CJ Miller The Spiritual Artist 44:38

2M ago44:38

44:38

Chris Miller (CJ) is an entrepreneur, artist, writer, and speaker. He’s a lifelong Spiritual learner who has spent the last 20 years examining the creative process and its relationship to spirituality. He’s the author of the book, The Spiritual Artist and produces a podcast by the same name in which he interviews artists and spiritual thought leade…

1
Michael Williams: Storytelling as a Healing Practice 48:16

3M ago48:16

48:16

Dr. Michael Williams is a Canadian-born storyteller who spent three decades living in Scotland, where he honed his skills as an oral storyteller. We talk about our mutual love of storytelling as we trace Michael's history as a contemporary bard, in Europe and Canada and his recent work with elders and hospice patients.…

1
Dirtman and Dillard on Signs of the Apocalypse 10:13

3M ago10:13

10:13

Earthquake and eclipse may signify the end of times. For both to occur in a week, after a deluge of rain and flooding, it is easy to lose your moorings. Geography Instructor on the quake and Annie Dillard on the eclipse.

1
Deez Nutz* 8:39

4M ago8:39

8:39

Nuts and nonsense. On Mixed Nuts, contronyms, and a classic film.

1
Dr. Clarissa-Castillo Ramsey: Living and Leading Artfully 34:23

4M ago34:23

34:23

Dr. Clarissa Castillo-Ramsey brings artfulness together with leadership and helping people grow. She is an organizational psychologist, artist, coach, and author of the book: Painting Your Path: 21 Interviews with Extraordinary Women.By Sally Jean Fox

1
Who Does Not Prefer Civility to Barbarism?* 9:00

4M ago9:00

9:00

I love reading about the type of characters and situations I have encountered in my own life. What is less than pleasant is the recognition of less than admirable qualities that bear similarities to my own. George Washington's Rules and C.S. Lewis's Four Loves provide insight on civility and barbarism in an age when their relevance is more importan…

1
How to Improve Your Writing - Part 2: from Confucius to Lincoln 12:47

4M ago12:47

12:47

The importance of the English textbook and lessons on writing style. Part 2 of 5 with a book rec, a style guide, and passages from four writers: Confucius, C. Keegan, D. Grohl, and Lincoln.

1
What Men Live By* 11:54

4M ago11:54

11:54

Leo Tolstoy's classic story, C.S. Lewis and "The Four Loves", and a surprising message on the day of a military funeral.

1
How to Improve Your Writing - Part 1 13:04

5M ago13:04

13:04

The importance of the English textbook and lessons on writing style. Part 1 of 5 with a book rec, a style guide, and passages from four writers: Tolstoy to Grohl (of Nirvana and Foo Fighters).

1
Superior to the Saint, the Scientist, the Philosopher, and the Poet? 10:09

5M ago10:09

10:09

Who is superior to the saint, the scientist, the philosopher, and the poet? Learn why reading novels--serious novels worthy of re-reading--enriches your life. Why the novel is in decline, what makes a novel great, where to start, and the 3 novels that damaged the prestige of Communism. The Novel, Who Needs It? by Joseph Epstein…

1
An Alabama Road 6:49

5M ago6:49

6:49

Music and songwriting -- how writing for the senses breathes life into words. A live clip of five-part harmony and a look at the verses that make this song a classic.

1
Francesca Aniballi: Fairy tales aren't just for kids 44:01

5M ago44:01

44:01

Francesca Aniballi, PhD, uses fairy tales as a transformative tool for adults. She combines her knowledge of expressive arts, literature, myth, and Celtic culture, to offer us a path toward self-insight—tapping the healing power of the imagination.By Sally Jean Fox

1
Town Mouse and Country Mouse 12:49

6M ago12:49

12:49

"The town mouse and the country mouse. Distress and agitation of the town mouse." Aurelius. True story about coffee with the "town mouse" and Willa Cather on town versus country. 3 book recs, 1 film rec, The Music in Prose of O Pioneers! and wordnerd special.

1
Living Outside the Page 8:53

6M ago8:53

8:53

Pickleball. And, passages from 3 short books by prize-winning authors, Claire Keegan's Small Things Like These (2021) and Willa Cather's My Mortal Enemy (1926) and Annie Ernaux's The Young Man (2022). Ernaux opens this book with "If I don’t write things down, they haven’t been carried through to completion, they have only been lived."…

1
Books for the Casual and Serious Reader 10:02

7M ago10:02

10:02

If you're looking for gifts or books to read over the winter break, I pulled these titles from the TreeHouse shelves and give you my short takes on 15 books from recent reading: contemporary fiction, nonfiction, books about writing, and for-the-serious/for-the-seeker.

1
Involved and Implicated: Narcissism and Poetry 9:49

7M ago9:49

9:49

If you're like me, you can use a bit of poetry. Tony Hoagland's poems make me re-think, calibrate to a new heading. Can you stand still and hear the worst of yourself from others? Disappointment. Patience. The song lyrics that "evolve" over the years: the words are the same but the message changes as you change.…

1
Giving Thanks for a Man I Never Met 6:59

8M ago6:59

6:59

What I learned about love this Thanksgiving. Three rules for life.

1
On Flesh-Eating Beetles and the Sins of the Mother 11:00

8M ago11:00

11:00

When working on an aspect of my writing, I pay attention for it in my reading. Improve your writing by tapping into the 7 senses--the 5 sense organs and 2 more. Examples in recent works: Horse by Geraldine Brooks and Zero-Sum Stories by Joyce Carol Oates. Writing exercise from the song-writing guide by Pat Pattison, music professor at Berklee.…

1
In the Company of Heroes 7:07

8M ago7:07

7:07

Veterans Day, Operation Gothic Serpent, and the 160th SOAR. Elite aviators and family remember the Battle of Mogadishu, 30 years ago. Lessons learned, what the media missed, and the effect on the military family.

1
Spooky Hour with Spirits of the Dead 7:30

8M ago7:30

7:30

A text that gets me off my arse, a visit to the cemetery, and word work on three holidays: Hallowe'en, All Saints' Day, and All Souls' Day.

1
What's in your trunk? 9:10

9M ago9:10

9:10

Take all the stuff of your life. Put what you think will sell in a 20 feet by 20 feet space. What's in your space? Learn about New England's largest flea market and a classic sonnet by Percy Bysshe Shelley on the folly of fame, legacy, and empire. Visit my site to get a book rec on song writing and link to an exercise to write through the prism of …

1
Sally Jean Fox: Following a Creative Call After Midlife 54:35

9M ago54:35

54:35

younger? Author Sally Jean Fox made it her quest to discover what could bring heart and meaning to the second half of her life. She chronicles her story in her new memoir Meeting the Muse After Midlife: A Journey to Meaning, Creativity, and Joy. In this episode, she is joined by Dana Lynne Andersen, her friend, colleague, and teacher to explore wha…

1
Why Do I Run? 10:15

9M ago10:15

10:15

I'm not sure I like running, even when I was fit and fast. Running at mid-life: there's the pain of it, in the chest, in the knees. This letter explores the reasons I run and what I learn running a race the 7th time. And training with a focus on form and cadence, with an eye to effortless, injury-free running. Plus, four books on running and on liv…

1
Merle Saferstein: Writing and Sharing Your Legacy 43:17

9M ago43:17

43:17

Legacy educator Merle Saferstein teaches the power of legacy journaling—capturing thoughts and memories that might be only for the writer's eyes but from which lessons might be shared with others. For 48 years, Merle Saferstein journaled, amassing a collection of 380 journals. From there she distilled key passages into two books Living and Leaving …

1
Fall is Like a Country Music Song 5:48

9M ago5:48

5:48

On music and memory, on Norman Blake and Colter Wall. What do we learn from the Fall, from the songs of our lives?

1
Trailway to Heaven 5:28

10M ago5:28

5:28

Fall is my favorite season and I suppose it has something to do with the trees. A new poetry collection and farewell to a friend. Passage from Sidney Lanier and The Marshes of Glynn.

1
Through the Keyhole 6:42

10M ago6:42

6:42

A keyhole view of a week with the Literate Laundress. On laundry and language.

1
The Ever Restless Soul 7:51

10M ago7:51

7:51

This is for my friend K--- and M--- and for you, but I suppose it's for myself. Learn about my daughter's letter and the song she shared with insight into music and the restless soul. Billie Marten's song and Rick Rubin's book on Creativity.

1
Confusables, Contronyms, and Jane's Potato Salad 5:49

10M ago5:49

5:49

Learn about a real world example of a confusable. Discover a type of word with two opposite meanings. Word Nerd special. A reference and an essay recommendation. Bryan Garner and David Foster Wallace.

1
The Music in Stories: Pavan on Borges 10:31

10M ago10:31

10:31

Literature informs and inspires us, says Argentine guitarist and composer Carlos Pavan. This letter considers his suite of songs inspired by Jorge Luis Borges, how the songs reflect the stories: El Sur, El Fin, Funes el Memorioso. Melody, myth, perfect memory. Learn why song IS story and discover the Music in Prose of the literary legend.…

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