Life 2.0

Earth Day 2020 with Bill Kurtis

It's been one-half century since the first official "Earth Day" was held on April 22nd 1970. Over the past five decades, there have been some great improvements in our collective efforts to clean-up the mess we've made of and on the planet, but also some serious setbacks as well. Bill Kurtis, respected journalist, documentary filmmaker and award winning producer, shares his insights and perspectives on the "State of the Planet" and if he feels that there is still a reason for hope, when it comes to life on earth. "Amazon" by our friend, the late, great John Denver.

Embracing Fear

Ya gotta like a guy who could be George Thorogood's stunt double and names his dog "Lucas" after Lucas McCain in "The Rifleman" but as if that's not enough, Thom Rutledge is a best-selling author, highly regarded psychotherapist and a down home soul, who fought his own demons and teaches others how to do the same. In a day and age when fear is the main ingredient in life, Thom shares his concept that embracing fear is the way to go, and that "The Ripple Effect" is all important, when it comes to not letting the headlines destroy your lifelines. 

JUST SHOW UP

Dr. Robin Smith, is one of the founding voices of the Oprah Radio Network, a NYT best-selling author, highly sought after executive performance coach and ordained minister with a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology. After an extended hiatus, Dr. Robin is most definitely "back on call" and right on time, as we are immersed in the middle of a world-wide pandemic. This conversation is not just an ear popping, belief busting adventure in authenticity, but also riddled with inspirational nuggets of wisdom from one of the premiere voices of truth as it pertains to your life experience, and the power of "just showing up."

TBT with Brad Meltzer

On "Throwback Thursday" we are turning the dial back to 2015-when I was on the CBS Radio Play.it platform. Its my conversation with NYT best-selling author and History Channel guy Brad Meltzer. But-before all that- I gotta get my rants in about what was going on in the world five years ago-different headlines-same lifelines. 

The Monday Memo

Well here we are...navigating uncharted waters...or...are we? While some of the numbers are staggering and the influences, opinions and observations are many, human behavior doesn't change much when push comes to shove-and the sad example of Typhoid Mary once again comes full circle. 

On The Road... Again.

Disclaimer: This is the shallow end of the pool as it pertains to any serious eye opening, brain jarring, knuckle scraping, break through insights about the human condition-except how quickly a somewhat normal person can go ballistic over a piece of machinery that isn't working as advertised. That being stated, it was a vast, week-long maze of regional jet travel, hanging out with country music star John Berry, eating my way through Nashville, the near demise of my trusty, dusty Dell laptop, and my subsequent return to Chicago. Then it was on to the bustling metropolis of Appleton, Wisconsin wherein I met Jorge, the Yoda of the IT universe, and all was well again in the world...for now. If you have ever wanted to take a hammer or other blunt object to your laptop or PC...this episode is for you.

Episode #100-Back to The Future

I'm back from a month-long hiatus, and we've officially hit the 100th episode of Life 2.0. 

Wasn't sure what was going to get me back into the bully pulpit of podcasting, and as it turns out, the catalyst was a trip "Back to the Future" to my alma mater, Schurz High School in Chicago, and conversation with four students in their junior year (and a full class in the audience as well)-as to how they see the world-with a measured dose of perspective from the guy who sat in the same chairs as they do now, back in 1974.

I was in fact able to get in the desk chair-but getting out...meh. I've gained four or five pounds since Nixon was president.

I've done thousands of shows in the past two decades plus, incredible conversations, enlightening perspectives, salient points, from the famous and infamous-however- whenever I talk with young people, I am reminded that all is not lost, and that they are far more informed, connected and passionate about their place in the world than we give them credit for.

HIGHER GROUND

My self-imposed hiatus ends today, on New Year's Eve 2019. This is the 99th episode-filled with rants, raves and reflections about the past 365 days, the ongoing impact of my conversations with some of the most incredible people in the world, why making "New Year's Resolutions" is not a good idea, why I am no longer the sheriff of "Truth Town" and a few thoughts about my old buddy John Denver, who would have turned 76 today. 

Hold on to your lug-nuts, we are moving into a new decade. 

Corbin's Legacy

Corbin Leafman was an extraordinarily compassionate, caring and creative Kindergarten teacher who taught in schools with disadvantaged students. She made it her mission to never let a child go hungry…not for a meal, a day, or a weekend.  She was known for always walking through the lunch line holding up a $20.00 bill to make sure that the cafeteria lady knew that none of her students were to go without a hot meal.

Corbin died in 2015 at the age of 31 from cancer. She was adamant about being remembered, not by her death but by who she was, how she cared and the way she lived. Corbin's Legacy was established in memory and honor, a dedicated teacher, colleague, steadfast friend, and devoted family member, and champion for children.

This episode is a partial rewind to 2016, and my conversation with Corbin's mom Joan Leafman, and how she has been guided by the spirit of her daughter, to continue making sure that children who suffer from "food insecurity" do not go without.

It's Giving Tuesday, and your $20 donation will feed one child, 42 meals for two weeks over the upcoming Christmas break- go to www.corbinslegacy.org to change the world, if only for a little while.

The Monday Memo

So what's worse? The sin of commission or the sin of omission? Its been a week of lessons around those two concepts, from getting rear-ended at a stoplight (sin of commission) to the perp leaving the scene of the accident (sin of omission) to forgiving myself for an error in my new book (commission AND omission) along with a deep dive into the life of an incredible man named Ervin Erdose M.D. who rose from the horror of a Nazi concentration camp, to save lives all over the world, before he passed away recently at the age of 97.