Life 2.0

How May I Serve?

There I was, minding my own business editing an audio project on Thursday afternoon when a "ding" went off in my ear, signaling a message in the landfill of Facebook. It was Lieselle Elliot checking from France, where it was nearly midnight. She sent me a song from an old friend, which started a flurry of activity, as we shared music videos from 2,000 miles apart, for about 45 minutes. So, we decided to move all that to this episode of the Life 2.0 podcast, and what a gift to spend time with this force of nature, poet, and humanitarian who is followed by over one million people on Instagram. With music from Alessandro Frosali, John Denver and Colin Hay.

Faith, Family & Flag- Gen. James Mukoyama

A couple of months ago I met with a true American icon-Gen. James Mukoyama. General Mukoyama's story, at its heart, is a love letter to the most generous nation on Earth—a beacon, a manifesto to remind us all that through hard work, dedication, and an allegiance to something greater than oneself... anything and everything is possible. His journey is remarkable, and his experiences on and off the field of battle, have given him insight and wisdom into the human condition that few have. I'm honored to have Gen. Mukoyama in the studio for a conversation about his new book "Faith, Family & Flag: Memoirs of an Unlikely American Samurai Crusader."

Superb Owl Party LVIII

58 years ago, in 1967, the Green Bay Packers of the NFL defeated the upstart Kansas City Chiefs of the AFL in what would eventually become the Super Bowl three years later. Tickets to the game were $10 bucks, pigeons were part of the halftime show and there were 32,000 empty seats. Tomorrow, the Chiefs take on the 49ers and billions are on the betting line, Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift will be a topic of controversy and by Monday...it will all evaporate once again... until the next Superb Owl Party.

The QTR Code

We live in a world filled with QR Codes, but have you ever heard of the QTR Code? Probably not, but in this episode I will explain what it is, and the importance it has in your everyday experience. Add to that a short recap on one of my monthly conversations with Green Bay Packer HOF'er Jerry Kramer (who wanted to talk about the GOAT Code) and my review of the "We Are The World" documentary and once again, we're off to the races looking for the obvious buried in the absurd. 

Remembering Charlie

Legendary journalist Charles Osgood passed away last week at the age of 91. He was best known for being the host of CBS Sunday Morning, a role he held for over 22 years, and The Osgood File, a series of daily radio commentaries he hosted from 1971 until 2017. When I was cutting my teeth on the radio back in the day, Charlie always took time for an interview with me, all the way from New York to the UP of Michigan on a little CBS affiliate. After digging in my audio vault, I came across one of our conversations from the early 2000s and I'm honored to share it on the Life 2.0 podcast. Toss in a never-heard-before episode of "History Matters with Bill Kurtis" and it's another outing in audio excellence.

"We're Doomed!"

It's been a rather interesting week for your host. From lunch with a General, to pushing a 5,000-pound truck down the block, to watching the news going crazy over cold weather (again) to learning that "Manwich" doesn't include meat in their cans. I'm all over the map in this episode, which is just how life goes sometimes...enjoy.

Back to the Future

Instead of omitting the podcast today due to time constraints, I opted to throw a dart and send out a rebroadcast of a previous Life 2.0 episode from 8.13.21 "In a world where pseudo-talk radio hosts lie to people to make money, and my email inbox looks like a cat box full of crap, I am reminded that the best way to stay out of the headlines, is to contribute to the greater good via the lifelines." Enjoy!

Lessons of the Game

On the eve of the Bears vs. Packers in Lambeau (and the last regular season NFL game) I cannot help but think about the lessons the game of football has taught me, after playing it for over 20 years. There is a price to be paid for those lessons, and what I learned on the gridiron has become an invaluable part of my professional success. Also, a 30+ friendship with Hall of Fame Packer legend Jerry Kramer has taken those lessons to another level. You don't have to be a football fan, to apply the lessons of the game to the game of life.

What One Man Can Do

December 31st would have been John Denver's 80th birthday, so I gathered up some of his friends to talk about his environmental impact, his musical legacy, and perhaps most importantly, the concept that one person can make a world of difference. My guests on this very special episode are educator Dr. Cheryl Charles, legendary country/western artist Michael Martin Murphey, and communications coach Donna Lipman, who share their thoughts, memories, and more of JD.

Merry Christmas!

There's no going up the down staircase, in the "out" door, making sense out of the senseless, or finding the obvious buried in the absurd in this episode. It's time for some of my favorite Christmas music including Seymour Swine, Julie Andrews, John Denver, and John Berry. Also, I had to include the great story of how President Theodore Roosevelt's son Archie, saved the tradition of the Christmas Tree back in 1902 and a few thoughts on the sacredness of the season.