Shows
Brothers and Teachers"We get good at what we do."This conversation is part of an ongoing series of conversations with fellow writers, including several on Substack such as and Sex at Dawn author as well as others including addiction expert Dr. Adi Jaffe, master coaches Michael Lipson and Robert Ellis, ultra-runner Charlie Engle and legendary sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson. Today’s conversation is between the writer behind and who writes at , which includes his serialized memoir of the same name. Donna and I got together recently a conversation focused on change, including why we are sometimes so resistant to making changes, how we’ve o...
2023-12-2045 min
The Things Not NamedA Sadness That Holds Hope for JoyToday’s essay is part of a new series on recovery that includes me, Latham Turner, Bowen Dwelle, Michael Mohr, Dee Rambeau, and Lyle McKeany. Each of us will wrestle this week with what recovery means to us and how our life experiences shape that definition. —I used to teach in an Iowa town that Bill Bryson said was “as tranquil as a double dose of Valium.” That was close to the mark. Pretty much everything I hated about it as a single person — the cuteness, the tidiness — I loved as a parent. There were Dutch bakerie...
2023-12-1211 min
Brothers and Teachers“We all need our own philosophy”This conversation is part of an ongoing series of conversations with fellow writers including several on Substack such as and Sex at Dawn author as well as others including addiction expert Dr. Adi Jaffe, master coaches Michael Lipson and Robert Ellis, ultra-runner Charlie Engle and legendary sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson. Today’s conversation is between the writer behind and who writes at , which includes his serialized memoir of the same name. Latham and I got together recently for a deep and wide-ranging conversation covering writing to explore, how “adventure doesn’t happen by accident,” writing...
2023-12-061h 02
Brothers and TeachersSalvational or "a series of compulsions"?This conversation is part of an ongoing series of conversations with fellow writers including several on Substack such as Michael Mohr, Lyle McKeany, and Sex at Dawn author Chris Ryan as well as others including master coaches Michael Lipson and Robert Ellis, ultra-ultra-runner Charlie Engle and legendary sci-fi author Kim Stanley Robinson. Today’s conversation is between, the writer behind , who also writes as part of the collective, and who writes, which includes his serialized memoir of the same name. Sam and I got together for a deep and wide-ranging conversation covering how we came to...
2023-10-1858 min
Brothers and TeachersWe'd all do well to "grow a spiritual pair"This conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.I’m glad you’re here! And—this is a reader-supported publication. If you appreciate my work, please consider becoming a paying subscriber. As a full-time working writer, I appreciate every reader and everyone who chooses...
2023-08-261h 18
Brothers and TeachersThe creative act is a form of dreamingThis conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.An interview with the authorMy friend Michael Lipson interviewed me recently about the development and writing of my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster. I'd love to hear from you after li...
2023-08-051h 17
Brothers and TeachersE17 / Addiction and Obsession with Charlie EngleThis conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.Today, I'm speaking with Charlie Engle. Charlie is an ultra-endurance athlete, author of an outstanding memoir called Running Man, the subject of a documentary film called Running The Sahara, and the founder of the 5.8 Dead Se...
2023-03-061h 15
Brothers and TeachersE15 / Behind the Mask with Ashanti BranchThis conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.Today, I'm speaking with Ashanti Branch, who is a pioneer in education reform and in youth mental health. Ashanti is the founder and executive director of The Ever Forward Club, a nonprofit organization dedicated to su...
2023-02-0644 min
Brothers and TeachersE11 / Generative Action with Fernando DesouchesThis conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.Today I'm talking with Fernando Desouches, Managing Director of the New Macho strategic division at London-based brand marketing agency BBD Perfect Storm, whose mission is to help brands grow through positive gender narratives. Along the way F...
2022-11-2844 min
Brothers and TeachersE02 / The Periodic Table of Love, with Michael “Roddy” McDowellThis conversation is part of a series of interviews with various brothers and teachers, including many fellow writers, all of which are part of the body of work surrounding my book-length memoir An Ordinary Disaster—one man's proof that we can all learn to listen to ourselves, and to act upon the inner voice of our self, our sanity and our soul.In this episode, I talk with my friend Michael “Roddy” McDowell, a former Navy pilot instructor who now flies wide-body commercial jets and is also a year into a Master of Social Work program at NYU Si...
2022-07-251h 03