Life 2.0

Veterans Day 2021

For nearly a decade, we've been hearing that 22 veterans a day take their own lives, a number that has become a rallying cry for advocates trying to call attention to suicide among vets, especially those who served in Iraq and Afghanistan. That number kicked off a flood of people pumping out 22 pushups a day for 22 days, and became a fad of sorts, in order to bring attention to the number, that my own digging confirms is slightly less, bringing that number to between 18- 20 per day.

That's 18-20 too many.

This episode of the Life 2.0 podcast attempts to pull back the layers of this situation, as well as focusing on how each of us, myself included, can make a difference in the lives of our veterans, of which I am one.

Couldn't resist adding a few memories of my time in the United States Coast Guard, and the lessons learned, that are with me to this day, as well as the ongoing educational piece to remind people of the difference between Veterans Day and Memorial Day.

Semper Paratus.

 

 

Every Moment Matters

Later this morning, I will be in front of a sold-out venue of real live humans (first time in 2 years) at the All Souls Weekend, in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. I'll be sharing the Human Math concept, as well as one of the experiences in my book "Phenomenon-Sacred Moments, Messages, Memories & Other Sh*t I Can't Explain." None of what I am doing today (or have done for the past 28 years) would even be in play if it wasn't for one man coming along and reminding me that my voice mattered. For those of you unable to attend, this is a virtual version of the talk I will give at All Souls.

Near Life Experiences

Dr. Jeff O'Driscoll M.D. has had extensive experience with shared death phenomena during 25 years as an emergency physician in a level-one trauma center. He has welcomed souls arriving into this sphere of existence and bid farewell to others who were leaving. He terms these events as "Near Life Experiences" and its a fascinating conversation about the meaning of life, the challenges we face that are disguised as opportunities for growth, and how empathy can change everything. Jeff is the author of the best-selling book Not Yet-Near Life Experiences & Lessons Learned.

My Dad-Jarrett Payton

On November 1st, 1999, Walter Payton passed away at the age of 45. The world mourned the loss of perhaps the greatest running back in the history of the NFL, but for his son Jarrett Payton, the impact of his father's death is a loss that can only be filled by putting his energies into maintaining and building on his dad's legacy. 

The Count

50 weeks out of the year, my dad was a mild mannered, buttoned down banker, but for the two weeks prior to Halloween, he transformed into a combo of Bela Lugosi and Christopher Lee as..."The Count." For 20 years, hundreds of people flocked to our house (aka The Haunted Castle) and endured the maze of horrors in the basement, to the great delight of my father. A retro podcast on my Halloween memories, and a bit of radio theater as I read "The Tell-Tale Heart" to wrap up this All Hallows Eve broadcast. 

Hanging with Weigel

I spent about 15 minutes trying to come up with some clever title for this episode with award winning journalist, best-selling author and force of nature Jenniffer Weigel. Mostly because what Jen adds to our conversations, (both on and off the air) is often just this side of indescribable in terms of insights, inspiration and humor. She has the ability to make the ordinary into the extraordinary, and in this outing, we cover everything from Neti pots to the low level behavior in radio to finding higher ground on the journey of life. Just hanging out on the air with one of my favorite people.

Remembering John

When singer/songwriter John Denver asked me a simple question after concert in 1992, it changed the direction of my life on so many levels, that continues decades later. Ever since that night, I've used whatever platforms have come my way, including radio, books and stages around the world, to inform, entertain and inspire as way to pay rent for the space I have been given in life. Remembering an extraordinary talent, man and poet for the planet.

Hitting The High Notes

As a baby, she was left abandoned in a bus stop in China, and was taken to a police station and then to an orphanage, where she lived until a family adopted her...from Alaska. So began the incredible journey of Rose Crelli. As a little girl, she used to rub two sticks together, pretending to make music, and now as a world renowned violinist, she performs with the likes of the Trans Siberian Orchestra and Michael Bublé. Rose uses her musical platform to push back on the wave of Asian hate that has surfaced over the past year, and shares insights and inspiration from her incredible journey.

The Man Behind The Mic

Chris Duffy is one of the most recognized voice over and production gurus in the radio business. I met Duff back when I was on the air at WGN Radio in Chicago, and was not only impressed with his production skills, but his insights on the good, the bad and the ugly trajectory of talk radio. This is an insider conversation behind the mic on everything from Howard Stern and Rush Limbaugh to Delilah. It's your chance to eavesdrop, as we share our thoughts of a combined half-century of experiences in radio.

20 Years Later

On 9/11/2001, I was on the air for six hours, but we didn't resume regular programming until September 14th, 2001. 20 years ago today, our guest was my friend the late Dr. Wayne Dyer, who's book "There's a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem" launched on the same day of the terrorist attacks on US soil. I went back and pulled some audio from that episode, as Wayne offered up his insights and inspiration on one of our nations' darkest days, and longtime friend Steve Rizzo, a native New Yorker joined us as well. Two decades later, the cost of "The War on Terror" is still being counted, but the price many have paid, will never add up on a spreadsheet.