Friends in Wonder is a podcast co-hosted by Vince Kern and Joe Luther, two lifelong friends who were born at the tail end of the classic "baby boomer generation.” Since they were curious grade-schoolers walking their dogs late at night, their conversations always delved into a vast array of topics through the lens of wonder and awe. They have maintained this journey throughout their varied professional careers during the technical revolution and friendship spanning over five decades. Listen ...
…
continue reading

1
On the RFK Jr. Campaign Trail in Michigan
56:20
56:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:20Send us a text Do you ever wonder how media and corporate interests shape our political landscape? Join us on this special edition of the Friends in Wonder podcast as Vince Kern and Joe Luther reconnect to delve into Joe's passionate involvement in the Kennedy campaign in Michigan. Joe, an attorney with a rich background in political science, share…
…
continue reading

1
SEASON 1 FINALE: Let the Fireworks Begin!
10:36
10:36
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
10:36Send us a text Following an unexpected break after a raucous Season 1 wrap-party lasting three days and causing them to miss last week’s show, The Friends In Wonder crew have been released on bail. While their sentence was reduced to community service because the judge and jury loved the podcast and wanted them out for a second season, FIW was orde…
…
continue reading

1
Considering Mexico? We Bring You the Scoop From Cozumel
24:03
24:03
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
24:03Send us a text Have you, or someone you know, been wondering about visiting Mexico but aren’t sure if it’s safe or a complicated international experience? Are you looking to add some culture to your winter getaway and maybe enjoy new activities like world-class snorkeling, visiting ancient ruins and sampling authentic local cuisine? Or are you simp…
…
continue reading

1
Publishing Your Passion: How to Share the Art That’s Inside You
30:20
30:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
30:20Send us a text Have people told you "You should write a book," or "You should publish your art?" Is that little voice inside you asking the same question? Do you just need that final inspiration and guidance to share your gift with the Universe? Even if you don’t have a “book inside of you,” you’ll be inspired by Donna Zetterlund’s adventure as she…
…
continue reading

1
23andMe: The Benefits AND RISKS of Genetic Testing
28:37
28:37
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:37Send us a text Have you heard friends and relatives gush about online services like 23andMe and Ancestry.com that analyze your genetic data and return information about your health and family ancestry? Have you seen commercials or videos featuring happy stories of people uniting with lost family, or ones they didn’t even know existed? Have you alre…
…
continue reading

1
Wondering where the "Good" News is? It's here!
33:47
33:47
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
33:47Send us a text Are you like most people who are worn-down by the constant bombardment of bad or controversial news? Could you use a break from the feelings of isolation and tension that often come with tuning into most news and media today? This episode will rejuvenate you with a much needed dose of positive and interesting news and help reconnect …
…
continue reading

1
Personal Bias: Are we overdue for a tune-up by strengthening our humility?
26:56
26:56
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
26:56Send us a text Do you want to spend less time being triggered by the overload of bias and incivility that surrounds us all? As the obvious partisanship in mainstream and social media increasingly reflect an echo chamber flooded by re-tweet Kool Aid, are you wondering how to help make it better? As part of a nonscheduled series, Joe and Vince share …
…
continue reading

1
Artificial Intelligence and Chat GPT: Promising the World, but for the "Better?"
28:51
28:51
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:51Send us a text Have you heard the amazing news about the lightning-fast development and deep investments into Artificial Intelligence tools like ChatGPT? Have corporations promoting these new tools, and society in general, considered the many cultural and human implications? Have you? Joe and Vince have taken a deep dive into the recent explosion o…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Got a minute? That's all this week's message will require. Peace be with you! Friends In Wonder Joe and Vince We welcome and value all feedback, comments or suggestions for future topics. Please feel free to share with us at: [email protected] or at friendsinwonder.com We welcome, value and appreciate all feedback. Please feel…
…
continue reading

1
A Front Row Seat for the Digital News Explosion
43:59
43:59
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
43:59Send us a text Turnabout is fair play, and this week Joe puts Vince in the interview seat to chat about how his journalism career intersected with the technology revolution in the newspaper industry. The internet-driven information explosion dramatically changed the news distribution strategy as the product went from the front porch to our smartpho…
…
continue reading

1
An "Overnight Business Success" Story - CarProof
34:39
34:39
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
34:39Send us a text Until 2000, Canada had nothing similar to CarFax, the popular US vehicle history report company. But then, a small group of partners ran into a problem while importing vehicles to the US. In this episode, one of those partners -- co-host Joe Luther -- shares the captivating story of his most financially prosperous business venture. I…
…
continue reading

1
The Four Agreements: A Toltec Toolkit for Better Living
28:05
28:05
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:05Send us a text To kick off 2023, Joe and Vince unpack and pay tribute to Don Miguel Ruiz' seminal book, The Four Agreements as the author recovers from his second heart transplant surgery. Since 1997, millions of readers in 46 languages have enjoyed this New York Times Best-Seller and have adopted its agreements to improve their lives -- Friends In…
…
continue reading
Send us a text As 2022 draws to a close, we're looking back with appreciation for a significant year of adventures while we share some of our favorite unique and humorous headlines and stories of the year, and take a break from the invasive cycle of "everyday" news and events. A huge thank you to all of our Friends In Wonder across the globe as we …
…
continue reading

1
Power Animals and Your Inner Shaman
1:13:08
1:13:08
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
1:13:08Send us a text In this seminal episode Joe and Vince interview renowned shamanic healer and teacher, Scott Silverston. The discussion sets out to explore how everyone can access and work with power animals, but evolves organically into a more comprehensive overview of shamanic journeying, self-healing, and why shamanism is so important in today's m…
…
continue reading
Send us a text This episode features a great interview with author Brian Sachetta, whose mission is to help people "Get Of Their Head" to reduce harmful (and often self-inflicted) negativity, anxiety and depression. Listen as the hosts examine why so many of us needlessly suffer from this negative-self-talk and explore strategies to help quiet the …
…
continue reading

1
Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z: Do You Relate? (2 of 2)
27:50
27:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
27:50Send us a text PART 2 : Join Joe and Vince "on the street" as they wonder about how true and accurate generational labelling is in today's complex culture. This episode is packed with strong opinions from a large and diverse demographic about their thoughts on the "generation divide," and explores how the theme of work ethics across generations are…
…
continue reading

1
Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z: Do You Relate? (1 of 2)
28:00
28:00
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
28:00Send us a text PART 1 : Join Joe and Vince "on the street" as they wonder about how true and accurate generational labelling is in today's complex culture. This episode is packed with interview feedback from a large and diverse demographic about their thoughts on the "generation divide" and if and how people identify with the labels for themselves …
…
continue reading
Send us a text Happy Thanksgiving to the Friends In Wonder community! This week, Joe and Vince take a bit of time to reflect on blessings the FIW podcast has brought them. They also discuss "gratitude journaling" and that anytime or any way one moves into gratitude is perfectly fine! Thank you, Friends In Wonder listeners, for being part of this jo…
…
continue reading

1
Talkin' Baseball w/the "Dean of the Padres' Press Box!"
44:29
44:29
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
44:29Send us a text Don't miss this interview with a man who has become a local legend in the San Diego Padres' Press Box! Steve Dolan holds the longevity record for active news media covering the Padres and was there for the team's first World Series in 1984 against Detroit and every playoff appearance since. In this energy-packed interview, Dolan shar…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Vince and Joe wonder why the election results were still incomplete a day after the polls closed. Do the lingering incomplete results create an environment of doubt for the process and encourage grievances for the loser while diminishing the victor? Are mail-in ballots the problem and what can we do to make it better for everyone? We…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Death effects us all, and therefore so does dealing with the grief. But getting from suffering the loss of a loved one to "grieving in gratitude" and celebrating life is tough. Does our modern Western approach to death and grieving interfere with the process? Can we embrace grieving in a different way? Let's talk about it this very d…
…
continue reading
Send us a text Welcome and thank you for stopping by! In this introductory trailer (updated after 14 episodes) co-hosts Vince Kern and Joe Luther discuss what motivated them to create the Friends In Wonder podcast. Listen as these two life-long friends describe how they met as young boys in the late 1960's and maintained a shared sense of wonder an…
…
continue reading
Send us a text In this episode Vince and Joe examine the deep and ancient tradition of Yoga through a fascinating interview with their highly-qualified guest, Chris Briney of the Center For Iyengar Yoga. Listen in as they tackle questions like: What is yoga? What is its history and importance in today's culture? What are some of the common misconce…
…
continue reading
Send us a text THIS WEEK WE TACKLE: Vaguely written ballot initiatives -- how (or why) does THAT happen? The difficulty of researching ballot initiatives Who is behind the "business of balloting" and the hundreds of millions spent to get initiatives on the ballot? Using the internet to help make voting easier We welcome and value all feedback, comm…
…
continue reading
Send us a text THIS WEEK WE TACKLE: What is "Safety First" and how does thinking about it help us? Are we being conditioned to sacrifice happiness for "safety?" How does our "fight or flight" DNA apply today? What is the balance between living safely and a well-lived life? Special thanks to Charles Eisenstein for shedding light on this and inspirin…
…
continue reading
Send us a text THIS WEEK WE TACKLE: Free Speech: What is it and why is it so important? Is freedom of speech absolute? The importance of protecting and promoting dissenting viewpoints. How is free speech eroded? Why are people afraid to buck the mainstream narrative? We welcome and value all feedback, comments or suggestions for future topics. Plea…
…
continue reading

1
Local News: Are you in a desert or an oasis?
56:06
56:06
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
56:06Send us a text THIS WEEK WE TACKLE: Why is local news so important? Does our democracy depend on the existence of local news? Is Facebook and self-publishing "news" an existential threat to accountable local news? A close-up look at a successful local news organization in Batavia, New York. What can be done to fill the growing void in local news? W…
…
continue reading
Send us a text This episode shines an interesting light on many issues that some people might not consider when thinking about hunting. With the fall, comes hunting season and the inevitable debate about the ethics of hunting. This week, Joe and Vince tackle the perceptions and realities of hunters and the many ways they support conservation and th…
…
continue reading

1
Digital license plates are coming! Is this a good idea?
19:17
19:17
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
19:17Send us a text Michigan is now one of three states that have approved digital license plates for automobiles. What are they? What are the benefits and, more importantly, the possible pitfalls? Listen as Vince wonders with Joe through his many concerns about whether adding this technology for vehicle license plates is something consumers need or wan…
…
continue reading

1
Leadership for Leaders: Business Coaching Improves the Bottom Line for Everyone.
49:50
49:50
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
49:50Send us a text In this episode Joe and Vince interview Paul Tetreault of BoxCar Advisory. Paul is an accomplished business executive who is also a strategic business coach. He helps business leaders and management teams work more effectively as a team. Listen as they explore how this service not only helps to improve the objectives of the business …
…
continue reading

1
Open Heart Bypass Surgery (Part 2) -- Joe Reflects on Recovery from his Major Surgery
40:20
40:20
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
40:20Send us a text After deciding to publish as a podcast Joe's initial description of his preparation for Coronary Artery Bypass Graft (CABG) surgery, Vince and Joe decided to also record this post surgery podcast. Listen to this candid Q and A between co-hosts and life long friends as Joe describes the day of surgery, his stay in the hospital, and th…
…
continue reading

1
Open Heart Bypass Surgery (Part 1) -- Joe Reflects on Preparing for his Major Surgery
36:58
36:58
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
36:58Send us a text This was not originally intended to be a podcast episode. It began as an impromptu request by cohost Joe Luther to cohost Vince Kern to help him create a kind of "time capsule" recording for Joe to describe and preserve his state of mind just a few days before his open heart bypass surgery. After recording and listening to it they de…
…
continue reading

1
Wonder: Joe's Up Early for a Planetary Alignment!
13:35
13:35
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
13:35Send us a text Sometimes, cosmic events remind us how connected we are to the Universe even if we aren't observing or paying attention. In this Wandering Wonder, Joe makes an extraordinary effort to be part of 2022's rare Planetary Alignment. While the news reported it was only 5 planets aligned, our Friend In Wonder discovered there was far more t…
…
continue reading

1
Positional Correctness: Are we ever entitled to be right?
39:55
39:55
Play later
Play later
Lists
Like
Liked
39:55Send us a text Part riff, part wonder, Joe and Vince talk about how we might be domesticated by our roles to be right and want to let everyone else know we're right, too! And these days, we are more divided than ever. Do we really have the full picture because of our profession, family position, degree and lifelong adventures? Is there such a thing…
…
continue reading