Life 2.0

Take Three!

After three restarts, I was finally able to get a full episode in, that includes elements from the giant comet heading towards earth, an evening with Fran Lebowitz and Rocky Mountain High being played by upon landing in Denver. Another eclectic outing off the Life 2.0 Podcast, that almost didn't happen.

Transforming Anger

For a long time in my lifetime, I was basically The Incredible Hulk, living in Chicago. It didn't take much to trip my trigger, light my fuse and before you can say "Lou Ferrigno" someone was going to pay the price for their infraction of my rules. Two specific events changed all that, and as I look back 40 years, I can see the transformation of anger into action for the greater good. I'm not who I used to be, and that's a good thing on many levels.

Remembering Ron Santo

I'm in the process of converting my 2nd book-Every Moment Matters-into an audio version, and that had me reading chapters that I wrote over a decade ago, one of which recounts some magical moments on "The Corner," a sacred spot that young Cub fans waited for their heroes to stop and sign autographs. That then led me to coming across a conversation I had with the late, great Chicago Cubs legend Ron Santo, back in 2008, on Oprah Radio, while producing The Dr. Oz Show. With spring training in full swing (pun intended) thought it was a good time to remember #10. 

Building Spiritual Strength

As one who has spent 50 years in the gym, I can affirm that those thousands of hours under the iron, have made me stronger, not weaker. It's a predictable result, based on the Kinesiology tenant of SAID (Specific Adaptation to Imposed Demands) that also has me pondering on how the very same concept can be used for building our faith muscle, with Spiritual Adaptation to Imposed Demands, and an inner strength, that only comes by pushing through the difficulties of life.

The Ripple Effect

Webster's defines the Ripple Effect as "the continuing and spreading results of an event or action." It's the cause and effect of our lives, as splayed out in the headlines, and often overlooked in the lifelines. The Saturday Morning Rant is in full swing, as I make the case that a little good news can go a long way, and that the more things change, the more they stay the same, (until we change them) and it's all about common sense during uncommon times.

Surviving Death

Stephanie Arnold knew she was going to die. She spent months preparing herself, her doctors and her loved ones...but no one believed her.

Then, moments after giving birth to her son, Stephanie died, just as she predicted. It happened exactly how she knew it would. What she didn’t know was that using her voice would save her life.

Stephanie is now an award-winning, international best-selling author, inspirational speaker and thought leader on a mission to help others realize that connecting with our sixth sense can not only enhance our lives, but can very well save them. 

An incredible conversation about life and death, and how there is always more going on than meets the eye, and the importance of listening within.

John Berry

Since 1979, John Berry has recorded more than 20 studio albums, including one platinum album and two gold albums. In his career, Berry has also charted 19 songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs charts, including the Number One single "Your Love Amazes Me" from 1994 and six additional Top 10 hits: "What's In It for Me," "You and Only You," "Standing on the Edge of Goodbye," "I Think About It All the Time," "Change My Mind," and "She's Taken a Shine."

A Country Weekly article said of Berry "John's greatest strength is his pure, soulful tenor" and The Entertainment Nexus described him as "one of the most remarkable voices in music."

But that's those are just the headlines. The lifelines are very different.

In 1981, at age 21, while riding his motorcycle, Berry was hit by a car, breaking both of his legs and his left hip. He had just lost his mother earlier that year. Doctors were afraid that he may not walk again. He spent several months in physical therapy, working to regain the use of his legs. Early in 1994, Berry began to have terrible headaches, lost his appetite and finally blacked out during a concert. He was rushed to the hospital on May 9, 1994, in Atlanta, where a cyst was found in the third ventricle of his brain. The same day he underwent brain surgery, he celebrated his first No. 1 single, "Your Love Amazes Me", from his hospital bed in Atlanta. Fast forward to 2019, Berry was diagnosed with throat cancer, requiring 35 treatments of radiation and chemotherapy. Again, Berry's voice survived, adding to the emotional layers of his sound. 

A great conversation with an incredible singer/songwriter, about life lessons and the musical influence of John Denver. 

NEVER GIVE UP

Marcia Kimpton is a force of nature. She's considered a "quadruple talent" as a director, producer, writer and actress in the media world. She has 40+ film awards for her work, is a best-selling author and champion for women filmmakers. Marcia joins me for a rousing conversation about her roller-coaster ride in the world of entertainment, how she pushes back on the darkness of depression, and is learning unconditional love, by testing herself in the customer service line. If you are in the greater (or lesser) Chicagoland area, she will be Jen Weigel's guest at Madame Zuzu's in Highland Park. You can get your tix online at https://madamezuzus.com/pages/calendar

Super Bowl Memories with Jerry Kramer

Rolling into Super Bowl LVI weekend, I thought a little retrospective was in order, so I reached out to my longtime pal, Green Bay Packers HOF guard Jerry Kramer, who played for Vince Lombardi in SB I & II for a little perspective on the spectacle, 56 years after the first kick-off. Kramer is one of a handful of men, who is still alive (and kicking) from those gridiron games from over one-half century ago. He was drafted by the Green Bay Packers in the fourth round (39th player overall) of the 1958 NFL Draft and starred for the Green Bay Packers from 1958 to 1968 playing most of his 11-season career under the direction of Hall of Fame Coach Vince Lombardi. Kramer played 130 games as the Packers guard and his leadership and talents helped the franchise capture five NFL championships and victories in Super Bowls I and II. He earned All-NFL acclaim five times (1960, 1962-63, 1966-67) and was voted to three Pro Bowls. Kramer was also named to the NFL’s All-Decade Team of the 1960s, the NFL’s 50th Anniversary Team in 1969 and the Super Bowl Silver Anniversary Team. After being overlooked for Canton ten times, Jerry was inducted into the Pro Football HOF in 2018, at the age of 82.

Snow Machine Memories

So, what do the first outing of the year with a snow blower, the Creature from The Black Lagoon, a Windy City Clincher Softball and Batman have in common? They are all part of the puzzle of this Saturday Morning Rant, as reminders of a time, when my biggest concern was where to build a snow fort, and whether or not the ice would be ready at the playground for endless hours of skating.