A Joyful Rebellion

ajoyfulrebellion.com
Shayne Whitaker

AJoyfulRebellion.com
 
PaulTrammell.com

ajoyfulrebellion.com

https://marianmassie.com/

I LOVE food! I'm up for everything from the most basic BBQ plate to a fancy, tasting menu. My guest today is a journalist, producer, radio host, and author focused on writing about the people and stories that influence what we eat.
David Page is a food journalist, and creator of the Food Network show, Diners Drive-ins and Dives. (definitely one of my favorites) He is also the author of the book called, Food Americana: The Remarkable People and Incredible Stories Behind America’s Favorite Dishes.
We cover a lot of ground in this episode, and I didn’t hold back with the hard-hitting questions like, does pineapple have any business on pizza, and where should I go the next time I’m in Philly for the best cheesesteak?

Have you ever hit a point you would consider your rock bottom? My guest today had her own rock bottom experience, going from a life of being on tv shows you’ve probably watched, to having it all go away and trying to figure out how to pick up the pieces, reestablish her identity, and get the bills paid.
In the years since her life-changing struggle, Tanya Memme has interviewed over a hundred people who have hit rock bottom, only to emerge stronger. She’s writing a book about what those people and their stories have in common and what we can learn about resilience and the human spirit.

If you’ve been to this show a few times, you’ve heard me say in the intro that I want you to be the author of your own story. That statement has a double meaning. First, I like to think about our lives as a movie, where we can choose to be in charge of writing a large part of the script instead of allowing others to do it for us.
The second meaning is more literal. Sharing the experiences and wisdom you’ve accumulated over the years could be just the inspiration someone else needs to go out and do great things in the world.
In my conversation with Dianne Pearce, and David Yurkovich, we talk about how someone who has a story inside them, can begin thinking about getting that story into a form that can benefit others.
Dianne and David have developed an understanding of what it takes to be a published author through their experiences with their own books and running their publishing company Current Words.
We demystify the publishing process and talk about actionable things you can do to begin your author journey if that interests you. This is one of our longer episodes, so, refill your drink and enjoy this conversation.

How would you feel if I asked you to speak to a room of around a hundred people? Would you be excited or terrified?
My guest today is Meghan Dotter, founder and CEO of Portico, and author of the book titled The Reluctant Presenter. Portico is a team with expertise in storytelling, speaker training, presentation design, leadership development, and messaging.
Meghan and I talk about how excellent presentation skills are crucial whether you are simply updating your team, or addressing a room full of investors. We talk about ways she’s helped clients create breakthroughs in their presentation skills and why TED talks aren’t always exactly what they appear to be.

Did you ever see the 1998 movie Patch Adams starring Robin Williams? Did you know that the movie was based on a real person? Well, I didn’t, but today’s guest did, and it led him down a path that focuses on bringing smiles and humanitarian aid to people in need worldwide.
My guest today is Bullseye, the clown. Like so many things we all encounter in life, he thought he would dip his toes into a novel experience just once, only to find his impact on others was creating several positive effects in his life.
We talk about why clowns are not just there for the kids, we also talk about bullying, and ways to prevent your kid from being bullied or becoming a bully, and how he discovered that real happiness comes from doing good things for others, so turn your volume up to eight, and let’s go!

Today’s episode will leave you feeling one of two ways. I hope you leave feeling fired up about your next creative project, but there’s a chance you might go away feeling like it’s too late to do all the really cool things you always dreamed you would.
Truth be told, I’m still on the fence about my own feelings on the subject, but I’m doing my best to lean toward fired up.
My guest today is Shanti Hershenson. She began writing in 2020 in her joyful rebellion against the boredom she was experiencing during lock down. Since then she has published over sixteen books. She continues to write at least 1000 words every day, and I don’t think I mentioned it yet, but at the time of this interview, she is sixteen years old. Yeah, you heard that right.