Playlists are Portals
Storytelling stuff worth sharing
As I write this, I am listening to the winds pick up as Helene figures out where she wants to go. Wishing everyone out there safety and security and as little damage as possible.
In the interest of getting this newsletter finished and scheduled before a potential power outage (the lights keep flickering, no joke), let’s get to it!
The Podcast
Next Monday, have I got a treat for you!
Star of the hit TV show Resident Alien Meredith Garretson took some time out from tech rehearsal of her Off-Broadway show, Blood of the Lamb, and we had a wonderful time talking about acting, the different types of intimacy that stage and camera require, the specific challenges of building a brand new TV character from scratch, and the joy of evolving that character over multiple seasons.
Watch your inbox Monday morning for Meredith!
Quotable / The Blog
You may recall a few weeks back I got on a playlist kick.
Specifically, I told a story about how my family crowdsourced a playlist for little Lucybear’s second birthday (Lucybear being my Ramones-loving niece).
Lucybear’s music-obsessed papa got back to me with a super thoughtful message, and one line in that message leaped off the page. Well, off the phone screen, anyway…
Playlists are portals.
—Tim Harp (awesome audiophile brother to my beloved partner Rebecca)
That line stuck with me all these weeks, and I finally got around to writing a blog about it, and about the lost art of the homemade mixtape.
You can check it out here: PLAYLISTS ARE PORTALS.
A double recommendation
The last couple weeks I’ve been telling you a lot about Retired Lt. Col. Scott Mann.
His next book—Nobody is Coming to Save You: A Green Beret’s Guide to Getting Big Sh*t Done—drops October 1. You can pre-order HERE.
I speak from years of personal experience with the man: Scott is an inspiration. His story is powerful. His commitment to transforming his experiences and trauma into actionable strategies and encouragement is highest level. Grab his book. You will have zero regrets about the decision.
Now for the double rec…
I mentioned last week how so many “leadership” (or “life hack”) books out there are repackaged, watered-down, padded-out nonsense. I know because I’ve read a TON of them as part of my job as a storycoach for business/tech/efficiency leaders writing those books, and then holding those leaders’ feet to the authenticity and integrity fires.
Beware the grifters. They are everywhere.
I’m not alone in my crusade to unmask the nonsense-peddlers. The last many months I’ve been listening to a brilliant podcast: IF BOOKS COULD KILL. The hosts, Michael Hobbes and Peter Shamshiri, are equally insightful, righteous, well-informed, and tag-team hilarious.
(Quick shout-out to my good buddy Casey Murphy for originally turning me on to this podcast!)
They both have other podcasts as well (Maintenance Phase and Five Four Pod) that debunk weight-loss/nutrition/health charlatans and dig into the Supreme Court, respectively. But yeah. IF BOOKS COULD KILL will inform you, entertain you, and empower you.
Thanks as always for reading, and have a great weekend!
Jason “Anti-Nonsense” Cannon