Life 2.0

The Wednesday Rant

Hitting the gym for the past 50 years has taught me a lot of lessons and given me some incredible insights into human nature, as a core sampling of society is always on display. I'm indebted to my grandfather Karl (pictured here) for passing along the "Discipline of Iron" and the reminder that no pain means no gain, be it on the bench press or in life. 

Master Bao and the Mountain Pass

I had another episode planned for today, but that "still, small voice" nudged me to take a different route, and I'm glad I listened. I was led to one of my favorite writers and authors, Tom Hanratty, and specifically to his book Master Bao Stories. In this story, the lesson of perspective is revealed as Master Bao and his pupil Ping meet two men, who have very different experiences while traveling the same path. 

Memorial Day 2025

Memorial Day (originally known as Decoration Day) is a federal holiday for honoring and mourning the U.S. military personnel who died while serving in the armed forces. It is a day for visiting cemeteries and memorials to mourn the military personnel who died in the line of duty. 

There's nothing happy about it.

Like many things, it's been hijacked by retailers as another way to sell mattresses, tires, and furniture, but the other side to all that stuff is the Gold Star families who will forever mourn the loss of their loved ones who died in combat. To that end, this is a composite episode of my other Memorial Day podcasts all rolled into one.

Lest we forget.

The Control Game

We are swamped moment by moment by information we have zero control over, but that info often takes control of us. Since what you focus on expands, you have to mind your focus (and focus your mind) just to make sure you don't lose the power of perspective. There is a great exercise by my old friend, the late, great Wayne Dyer, that can assist you in not majoring in minor things. A little musical interlude from my friend John Berry on this episode as well.

The Bubble

It's one of those days when I suddenly realized that my level was off and the "bubble" that is supposed to be in the middle wasn't. So, I stopped what I was "doing" and took a few minutes to just "be." Amazing what happens when you take a few minutes to lie down on the grass and do some cloud gazing in the middle of the day. 

Mother's Day Memories

This episode was created from a conversation with a kid I grew up with, who shared a story of a friend of his, whose mom drove him and a few of his friends to Woodstock when they were just teenagers. That "mom moment" gave me the idea to add a couple more voices. It's Mother's Day memories from Candace Jordan, Chris Joyce, and Mandy Jankus, as well as a few memories of my mom, Carol, who passed away in 1997. 

Your Voice Matters

Longfellow once said, "The human voice is the organ of the soul." After attending a live event last week celebrating one of the podcasts I produce, I started thinking about all the voices I have had the opportunity to spend time with over the years, broadcasting. This episode is a montage of some of my favorites, including Ed McMahon, Royce Elliott, Ron Santo, Trudy Gronning, Dale Thomas, Bill Kurtis, Jerry Kramer, and Aboriginal Grandmother, as well as Christopher Reeve, Earl Hamner, and John Denver. 

Vietnam 1975

50 years ago today, on 30 April 1975, the Vietnam War came to a shuddering, chaotic end with the Fall of Saigon. The official war years are listed as 1954-1975, in which 58,148 US soldiers gave their lives. While the war might have ended on paper, for many veterans like my cousin Rich "The Sarge" Hoffman, it has been an ongoing battle. I pulled up a conversation that I had with Rich in 2018, and what he said then is even more important today.

Lest we forget.

Mongo & The Pope

This past week, the world lost two larger-than-life men. On the day after Easter, Pope Francis took his permanent leave of absence from the Vatican at the age of 89. Two days later, Steve "Mongo" McMichael, the Hall of Fame Chicago Bear, passed away at the age of 67 from ALS. Both men came from different camps, and while exact opposites in many ways, had one very important thing in common, and it's a gift that each of them left us in their own way.

EARTH MATTERS

That little blue marble hanging in space is the only home we have. The message is clear and simple, as Chief Seattle said, "Contaminate your bed, one night you will suffocate in your own waste." While the environmental challenges at times seem overwhelming, there is one thing you can do to make a world of difference. A little help from Bill Kurtis and John Denver on this one.