Episode 560 - Barret Baumgart - Yuck - turning your Joshua Tree vacation into a terrifying revelation

Barret Baumgart is an essayist, screenwriter, and the author of the nonfiction books China Lake and YUCK. His essays have appeared in The Paris Review, The Gettysburg Review, The Iowa Review, The Rumpus, Vice, LitHub, The Seneca Review, and The Literary Review, among others. He lives in Los Angeles.

Book: Yuck: The Birth & Death of the Weird & Wondrous Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia

Are you headed to Joshua Tree this summer? Get ready to hate your life. It's not the heat that will wilt your spirit, nor the choke of traffic waiting to trample the park, but the enduring grotesquerie of its cherished namesake, the Joshua Tree.

"One can scarcely find a term of ugliness that is not apt for this plant... A landscape filled with Joshua Trees has a nightmare effect even in broad daylight: at the witching hour it can be almost infernal." -Joseph Smeaton Chase, 1919

Similarly, few terms exist that do not fit Barret Baumgart's appalling YUCK. Part prose poem, pamphlet, collage, history, essay, memoir, and fiction, YUCK is a grotesque malformation beset with uncanny connections, jarring juxtaposition, and a buried true history that will have you asking yourself the big questions, particularly... Why am I here?

Who knows, but here you are... in the weird and wondrous world of YUCK, a brief and searing ode to the world's hottest desert, the Mojave, its divine and dying mascot, Yucca brevifolia, and the magical land that killed it all, Los Angeles.

From the publisher:

YUCK presents an unsettling new history of one of the most loathed and beloved objects on the planet, the Joshua Tree, Yucca brevifolia. It primarily focuses on the discovery, naming, and attempted eradication of the Joshua Tree beginning in the late 1870s in Southern California. The Joshua Tree was universally reviled as the most grotesque object on earth following its discovery by white Europeans in the 1840s. Numerous schemes arose to extirpate it from the planet, the most promising among them an attempt to turn the tree into paper, "California Cactus Paper" [YUCK is, of course, printed on faux CA Cactus Paper]. The book excavates this unknown, buried history against the ironic backdrop of the Joshua Tree today becoming the ultra-hip signifier of some kind of cultural authenticity, and its national park the most photographed and fastest growing in the nation #JoshuaTree. This current popularity boom, in a further irony, is occurring just as scientists warn that the tree will likely vanish due to climate change by the end of the century.

https://www.barretbaumgart.com/

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

Episode 393 - Adam Nimoy - The Most Human, Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy

Adam was born during the Eisenhower administration to Leonard and Sandra Zoberblatt Nimoy. He attended the University Elementary School, a “lab school” run by UCLA, where he was subjected to numerous psychological experiments. The experimentation continued at UC Berkeley in the form of mind-altering substances from which he may, or may not, have fully recovered. In a state of absolute certainty, Adam attended Loyola Law School. He was wrong.

After seven years of practicing entertainment law and one moment of clarity, Adam left his life as an attorney to follow his passion of making films. After directing forty-five hours of network television, some of it sublime, some of it eminently unwatchable, Adam’s career plummeted due in large part to drug and alcohol addiction. On January 1, 2004, Adam entered 12-Step recovery hoping to achieve an attitude adjustment. This was a New Year’s resolution he knew he had to keep. For 8 years, he taught writing, directing and acting at the New York Film Academy and taught filmmaking at Beit T’Shuvah, an addiction treatment center where the residents kept him on the straight and narrow.

Book: The Most Human: Reconciling with My Father, Leonard Nimoy

"Engaging and immensely relatable, while at the same time offering deeply profound insights into Adam Nimoy's personal relationships, particularly with his famous father." — Eugene Roddenberry Jr., CEO Roddenberry Entertainment

Living with Dad was like living with a stranger— as a kid I often had trouble connecting and relating to him. But I was always proud of him. Even before Star Trek I'd see him popping up in bit roles on some of my favorite TV shows like Get Smart, Sea Hunt, and The Man From U.N.C.L.E. And then one night he brought home Polaroids of himself in makeup and wardrobe for a pilot he was working on.

It was December 1964 and nobody had heard of Star Trek. Still, the eight-year-old me had watched enough Outer Limits and My Favorite Martian to understand exactly what I was looking at. Spock's popularity happened quickly, and soon the fan magazines were writing about dad's personal life, characterizing us as a "close family." But the awkwardness that defined our early relationship blossomed into conflict, sometimes smoldering, sometimes open and intense. There were occasional flashes of warmth between the arguments and hurt feelings— even something akin to love— especially when we were celebrating my father's many successes. The rest of the time, things between us were often strained.

My resentment towards my father kept building through the years. I wasn't blameless, I know that now, but my bitterness blinded me to any thought of my own contribution to the problem. I wanted things to be different for my children. I wanted to be the father I never had, so I coached Maddy's soccer, drove Jonah to music lessons, helped them with their homework— all the things dads are supposed to do. All the things I wanted to do. So what if my Dad and I had been estranged for years? I was living one day at a time. And then I got his letter.

Amazon link: https://amzn.to/3KvTi1s

https://adamnimoy.com/

original pub date - Wednesday, July 17, 2024

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

E142 - Laura Cayouette - Actor, Writer, Producer, Blogger - Character Development and Author Tools

A professional actor for over 25 years; Django Unchained, Now You See Me, Kill Bill, Enemy of the State, True Detective, Friends & more.

Endorsements from actor/filmmakers Richard Dreyfuss, Kevin Costner, Lou Diamond Phillips, Reginald Hudlin, Adam Rifkin & more.

Private coach available through Zoom, Skype and FaceTime for actors/writers/filmmakers, UNO Adjunct teaching directors how to work with actors​​. Guest teacher. Speaker.

LEARN HOW LAURA WENT FROM WRITING 1 BOOK IN 20 YEARS TO 5 BOOKS IN 4 YEARS!

Go from an idea to a completed book – no matter your writing skill level.

Avoid writer's block. Feel stimulated and creative – while moving at a pace you never thought possible.

Let Laura help you tell your stories in less time and with less stress.

https://lauracayouette.com/

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

BONUS - Surrender, An Audiobook by Bono of U2 - Dave's Audible Recommendation

Surrender, An Audiobook by Bono of U2 - Dave's Audible Recommendation

Bono—artist, activist, and the lead singer of Irish rock band U2—has written a memoir: honest and irreverent, intimate and profound, Surrender is the story of the remarkable life he’s lived, the challenges he’s faced, and the friends and family who have shaped and sustained him.

Narrated by the author, Surrender is an intimate, immersive listening experience, telling stories from Bono’s early days in Dublin, to joining a band and playing sold out stadiums around the world with U2, plus his more than 20 years of activism.

Throughout a remarkable life, music has always been a constant for Bono and in the audiobook, his distinctive voice is interwoven with a very personal soundtrack adding atmosphere and texture to each and every scene. From moments of classic U2 hits to snippets by The Clash, Patti Smith, Verdi, Johnny Cash and Mozart, Surrender also exclusively features clips of newly recorded reimagined versions of U2 songs including ‘Sunday Bloody Sunday’, ‘With Or Without You’, ‘One’, ‘Beautiful Day’ and more, glimpsed for the first time on Surrender: 40 Songs, One Story.
___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Originally Published: Nov. 14, 2022

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

EPISODE 558 - Edward R Rosick - Where The Grass Don't Grow and Vultures Sing, 12 Tales of speculative fiction

Edward R. Rosick is a writer and physician living in the urban wilds of central Michigan. His diverse works of speculative fiction, from the sublime to surreal, have appeared in numerous award-winning magazines and anthologies including Pulphouse, The Half That You See, and Monstrous Tales Vol. 2 & 3. Dr. Rosick is also an accomplished nonfiction writer, having authored hundreds of articles on nutrition, health, and wellness for publications including Life Extension, Oxygen, and Ultimate Athlete. When he's not reading, writing, or working, Dr. Rosick enjoys spending time exercising, doing martial arts, and being outdoors with his family, friends, and canine companion.

Edward R. Rosick is a writer and physician living in the urban wilds of central Michigan. His diverse works of speculative fiction, from the sublime to surreal, have appeared in numerous award-winning magazines and anthologies, including Pulphouse, Sick Cruising, and The Half That You See.

Spring has sprung here in Michigan! Although intermittent days of cold and—dare I say it, snow—continue on, crocuses and daffodils are giving the landscape a kaleidoscope of welcome color.

On the publishing front, the big news is that my short story collection, WHERE THE GRASS DON'T GROW AND VULTURES SING , has been published! I’m quite proud of the 12 tales of speculative fiction—some sublime, all surreal—that grace the pages of the book published by Baynam Books Press. Go to Amazon to get your copy today. For a sample of one of the stories, entitled Leshii, in the collection, head over the free stories section for a peek!

Book mentioned: The Portable MFA in Creative Writing - Get the core knowledge of a prestigious MFA education without the tuition. Have you always wanted to get an MFA, but couldn't because of the cost, time commitment, or admission requirements? Well now you can fulfill that dream without having to devote tons of money or time.

The Portable MFA gives you all of the essential information you would learn in the MFA program in one book. Covering fiction, memoirs, personal essays, magazine articles, poetry, and playwriting, this book provides you with:
• Inspiration and tips on revision, stamina, and productivity
• Clear instruction on the craft behind the art
• Detailed reading lists to expand your literary horizons
• Exercises to improve your writing endeavors

By heeding the advice in The Portable MFA, you will gain the wisdom and experience of some of today's greatest teachers, all for just the price of a book.

https://www.edrosick.net/

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

EPISODE 557 - Ronald Okuaki Lieber - The Long Journey Out - from the place where I now am, the diary of that journey

Author's Bio
I am of Japanese and Jewish lineage, born in Tokyo, a late post WWII baby. I grew up moving every year until the age of 14 when my parents settled in Petersburg, VA. I graduated with a BS in Biology from the College of William and Mary, then served two years as a Peace Corp volunteer in the Nicoya Peninsula of Costa Rica. I returned to live in NYC and eventually graduated from the MFA Program at Columbia University. I later began psychoanalytic training at the Center for Modern Psychoanalytic Studies. After graduation, I became the Director of the institute and editor of its journal, Modern Psychoanalysis. I have been in private practice since 2001 as a licensed psychoanalyst and recently completed a plant medicine guide training program at the Center for Medicine Work in Philadelphia.

My entrance into poetry begins with these lines from “Lines Composed a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798” by William Wordsworth:

And I have felt
A presence that disturbs me with the joy
Of elevated thoughts; a sense sublime
Of something far more deeply interfused,
Whose dwelling is the light of setting suns,
And the round ocean and the living air,
And the blue sky, and in the mind of man:
A motion and a spirit, that impels
All thinking things, all objects of all thought,
And rolls through all things.

Those lines form the basis of my book The Long Journey Out. I was a sophomore in college, adrift in the back of the room in a second semester composition class when the professor read those lines. They woke me from my stupor. There, in those lines, I heard a kindred voice that spoke to an experience I had, an LSD trip, that was, to borrow a cliché, awash in the ineffable, a boundless sense of oneness where any distinction between self and other sundered. That voice joined with another, “An unexamined life is life not worth living,” from which a path emerged, unknown to me at the time--and forgive if what follows sounds pretentious--that took me to Jung, the Peace Corps and Costa Rica, Gurdjieff, poetry, eastern doctrine through The I Ching and the Bhagavad Gita, the TS Eliot of The Four Quartets, Heidegger’s Being and Time, the gospels of the New Testament, and too many other books to enumerate, and an abiding curiosity about the unconscious, thus the study and practice of Freud and psychoanalysis, meditation, making do in the East Village of the early 80s, Ashtanga yoga, domestity and two wives and two children, dabbling along the way into neuroscience, windsurfing, and cosmology.

The book The Long Journey Out is, from the place where I now am, the diary of that journey.

https://www.ronaldokuakilieber.com/

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca

EPISODE 556 - Jaime Townzen - Absorbed, A transformative coming-of-age story taking readers back to 1996

Jaime Townzen is a Southern California-based writer and professional artist whose watercolor paintings have earned international recognition. Her essays and microfiction have been published in Light magazine and Fairfield Scribes. Jaime’s debut novel, Absorbed was released in early 2025. When Jaime’s not in her studio, she can be found at the beach with her family and their dogs or listening to live music.

Absorbed
A transformative coming-of-age story confronting issues of teenage sexual consent and women’s reproductive rights, Absorbed traces alt-rock-loving lifeguard Stacey Chapman’s unraveling over the summer of 1996. After she is pressured into sex and experiments with drugs and alcohol, Stacey begins redefining herself through her love of music and art. But with her future in limbo while awaiting results from Planned Parenthood, Stacey’s resilience is put to the test as a pool rescue turns tragic.

https://jaimetownzen.com/

Support the show

___
https://livingthenextchapter.com/
podcast produced by: https://truemediasolutions.ca/

Coffee Refills are always appreciated, refill Dave's cup here, and thanks!
https://buymeacoffee.com/truemediaca