To the best of my knowledge, I won’t be passing from this earth into eternity any time soon, but none of us know when our last breath will come. As motivating as that might be to cause one to contemplate his legacy, it’s a different life event that has caused me to focus on it. That life event involves my kids. That is, last year was my daughter’s senior year of high school, and this year is my son’s senior year. While I think Addi may continue to live with us for another year or even two while she works out her plans, she very much desires to move out when she can and spread her wings. Colby, on the other hand, has already started making plans to move across town to attend the University of Oklahoma next fall. It’s quite possible my nest will be empty in the next 12-18 months, and this fact has had me wondering if I’ve done what’s necessary to help my kids for their next steps. Read More... The post 584- Community Feedback for “The Car” & “Legacy” Preview appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I never get tired of hearing the sound of the MGB GT starting up, and I thought it might be appropriate to record this final episode of the season in the very object that this season has been about. So I hope you don't mind the sounds of my car. I thought we'd take it for a little drive today. Every time I get in this car, it's a satisfying and joyful feeling. I can't help but get a smile on my face. I just love this car. I mean, I love the car, I love the look of the car, and all that stuff. That's why I got the car. But this car is so much more than that. This car brings satisfaction every time I drive it because of what it represents. It represents a goal achieved, and that's just incredibly satisfying. When I get in it and I think about what it represents and having set a goal and then achieved that goal, it reminds me that there are more goals out there to achieve. I think, of the struggle that it took to get to this point, it and it invigorates me and inspires me. It gives me excitement and belief that I can face other challenges that come my way. There's a lot of satisfaction in that, but even if I hadn't gone through all of the ordeals that I went through to get to this point, even if I hadn't had to rewire the car, there would still be a tremendous amount of satisfaction with the car simply because of what it represents. And that is, it represents a goal being set and achieved. Read More... The post 583- Driving Success appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Where does one begin rewiring a car? For me, the answer wasn’t as hard as it may seem. That decision had been made months before. You see, during the research and education phase of this process, I’d done a lot of work to figure out what wiring harness would be the best fit for my car. Because the MGB and MGB GT were made nearly unchanged for almost 20 years, getting parts for them is still quite easy. And believe it or not, that includes getting brand new wiring harnesses. However, my car was not quite a factory spec car. As far as the electrical system was concerned, my car had an aftermarket air conditioner, a high-voltage coil, electric ignition system instead of a traditional distributor, and electronic speedometer instead of the stock system. Although to be honest, at the time I didn’t know about the high-voltage coil and electric ignition system. More on that later. Read More... The post 582- Countdown to Ignition appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On February 17, 1986 I turned 10 years old. Four days later Nintendo released a game that would become my favorite game franchise of all time. Released on the Nintendo Entertainment System, or NES, The Legend of Zelda captivated me like no video game, including any Mario game, had ever done before. The problem for me was, I owned a SEGA Master System, not a Nintendo. Fortunately, my friends down the street had a Nintendo, and I loved going to their house to play Zelda. From time to time we’d even swap systems for a few weeks so they could play our SEGA games and my brothers and I could play their NES games. Zelda was unlike any other game of the era. Instead of it coming in a grey or black cartridge, it came in a shiny gold one. Instead of losing your progress when you turned off the console, Zelda had a battery inside the cartridge that allowed your game to be saved even if you powered off the console. Read More... The post 581- Diving Into the Deep End appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For as long as I can remember, I’ve admired the way my dad has the ability to create with his hands. Some of my earliest memories involve interacting with his creations. My dad was a carpet layer, and a good one at that. He drove a full-size fan, and it only had seating of the two front captain’s chairs. The rear cargo area of the van was completely covered in carpet that dad installed himself. On the driver’s side of the cargo area was a large tool chest made of plywood and covered in carpet. It housed the tools of the trade when they weren’t in use. Our house featured other handy works of his including a locking gun cabinet and a cedar chest. Even the paddle he spanked us with when we got in trouble was something he’d hand-made. Read More... The post 580- Challenge Accepted appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Walking home from school discussing the flagpole moment that would live in infamy, Ralphie, Flick and Schwartz relived the triple dog dare moment as Randy toddled behind them. And then, they heard the laugh of Scut Farkus. Scut and his toad henchman, Grover Dill, yelled at, intimidated, and twisted the arms of the boys until the boys ran away, screaming for their lives. I’m sure most, if not all of you have seen this scene from the movie, “A Christmas Story.” Later in the movie a dejected Ralphie has enough when Scut blindsides him with a snowball to the face. Ralphie transfers all his pent up disappointment and frustration into his fists, and Scut’s face becomes the recipient of all that fury. Scut had it coming, and you can’t help but smile at the bully getting what he deserved. Read More... The post 579- Snowball to the Face appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A curious boy once asked a wise owl how many licks it takes to get to the Tootsie Roll center of a Tootsie Pop. The owl opted to conduct an experiment to determine the number. One…Two…Three…crunch! Three, the owl declared. In the longer version of this famous commercial, the cow, fox, and turtle all confessed they’d never been able to make it to the center without biting it, and clearly the owl had no more patience than the other animals when it came to enjoying the sweet taste of a Tootsie Roll Pop. Unfortunately for me, purchasing a car from Georgia and having it shipped to Oklahoma is a process that cannot be sped up by biting. That beautiful flame red classic would eventually find its way to my garage, and regardless of my level of patience, I had no choice but to wait. Read More... The post 578- When Goals Fall Short appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I could feel the wind jostling my hair. It wasn’t the kind of wind that knocks you back, but it was there letting me know that at that height, there was nothing to obstruct it. Behind me I heard the words of my friends Charles and James cheering me on. When I took the first step that would eventually lead me to this place, my heart was full of courage and confidence. The obstacle seemed small, the danger non-existent. But now I’d come to the end of my journey. My perspective had changed. I’d signed the waiver, strapped on the harness, climbed the seemingly endless flights of stairs, and fastened myself to an umbilical cord of rubber bands. Staring down at the parking lot below, the airbag that would break my fall in case of failure now seemed a lot smaller. For that matter, the trees, cars, buildings, people...everything seemed smaller. There was nothing left to do but trust all the processes and people who’d helped me get to this point, to lean on the experience of those who’d walked this path before, and see for myself whether or not the bungee cord would hold. Read More... The post 577- Take the Plunge appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was 5 years old my parents bought me a Mighty Tonka Off Road Adventure Buggy. The Tonka Adventure buggy looked something like a Ford Bronco of the era. It was about 14 inches long and about 8 inches high with large wheels. It was great for playing in the dirt, and turned my backyard into an off road race track. I’d stand behind the Tonka, lean down and put my hands on top of it, and push it while running laps around the yard. In my mind I was at the wheel of a life-sized 4x4. It’s my first memory of loving a car. Read More... The post 576- Get to Work appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Tucked away at The Factory at Franklin sitting at the table farthest from the door, there I sat listening to Cliff talk about goals and limiting beliefs. After teaching on these topics for a while he instructed us to turn to a blank page in our workbook and number it 1 through 25 down the left hand side of the page. He then gave us 10 or 15 minutes to fill out all 25 places with things that we wanted in our life 5-10 years from now. Last week I asked you to perform this exercise, except I only asked you to come up with 20 things. How did it go? If you were like me, you came charging out of the gate like a racehorse at the Kentucky derby, only to run out of steam when I came to the back stretch. In this exercise, I only came up with 11 things. Here they are: Read More... The post 575- Objects Not to Scale appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In March of this year I brought back Stuff I Learned yesterday after being on hiatus for over 4 years. I had a burning desire to share the story arc that comprised all of last season. For some of you that listened to the original run of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, several of the stories shared last season were familiar because I’d shared them in some capacity on previous episodes of SILY. I shared them again and in more detail because I felt it was important to tell the whole story as an arc. This season will be taking a similar approach in format. That is, the entire season is one continuous story, with each episode being a story within the larger story. Last season was titled, “The Dream,” and this season is called, “The Car.” Read More... The post 574- No Limits appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I first had the idea for what would eventually become last season’s episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, it wasn’t so I could share the story on SILY. What is now collectively known as “The Dream” season of Stuff I Learned Yesterday started as a yearning to share my story from the stage. In the fall of 2018 I attended a conference called Free the Dream which you’ll hear more about starting with the new season next week. After that conference I felt compelled to share my story and inquired about the possibility of being a speaker at the next year’s conference. However, I was not approved to be a speaker for that conference.  Read More... The post 573- Community Feedback for “The Dream” appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I mentioned last week, I just started my ninth year as a full-time entrepreneur. I also said that it wasn’t my dream until it was my dream. We’ve spent this entire season looking at my dreams. We started when I was in high school and visited several dreams along the way. So how about you? What’s your dream? I’m serious I want to know. Not sure? Hit the pause button and give it some thought. If you can, close your eyes, clear your mind. Allow your mind to wander and think. Don’t restrict yourself. Don’t tell yourself anything is too silly or too big. Don’t say you’re not smart enough or you don’t have...whatever. Don’t shut yourself down. This is a judgement free exercise, and that means no judging yourself. I mean it. NO JUDGING! Now, hit that pause button and let your mind wander until you’re uncomfortable, and then wander some more. I’ll wait. When you’re ready, hit play. Read More... The post 572- Let’s Get Dangerous appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Eight weeks have passed since we started this season. The name of that first episode was called Birth of a Dream. That dream was to one day be an animator for Warner Brothers. I then killed that dream and then had no dream for the next few years. Then, after working at the bookstore long enough to see all the opportunities, I dreamed of becoming a buyer within that company. A few years later, I achieved that dream, only to have it smashed when I was fired from it 18 months later. Read More... The post 571- Uncle Rico Doesn’t Live Here appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

“Plans fail for lack of counsel, but with many advisors they succeed.” Those are the words of the wisest man who ever lived, Solomon, son of David, celebrated king of Israel. Once I started working with TV talk, it became clear pretty quickly that I was finally on the path of leaving the corporate world. In fact, just 6 months after I first started working with TV Talk, I turned in my resignation. That’s right, I got to leave on my terms. Handing my boss a resignation letter felt so good and so right. But that’s not the focus of today’s story. Read More... The post 570- Counsel of the Wise appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I started working at the bookstore as a part time cashier in the fall of 1994, I considered it to be a good job that would help me pay my way through college. After I dropped out of college, I put all my focus toward excelling at the bookstore so that I could get as much experience as possible until I figured out what I wanted to be now that I was growing up. At some point along the journey, I realized that the bookstore was a great place to make a career. Read More... The post 569- The Spark of a New Dream appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Internet Sales Manager. That was the title my boss gave me as I started this new adventure. Technically, he asked what title I wanted, and said that he was thinking about Internet Sales Manager. Since I really don’t care much about job titles as long as they don’t contain the word “waiting” in them, so it sounded good to me. This job turned out to be one of my best adventures so far. Looking back on it now, it prepared me for my current phase of life more than I ever could have imagined. But--spoiler alert-- I didn’t imagine then that I’d be doing what I’m doing now. Read More... The post 568- Forgiving the Unrepentant appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last week I ended the episode with me FINALLY landing what was my dream job at that time: a buying position within the company I was working for. My first day on the job was preparing for a business trip to our industry’s annual conference taking place the following week. My new assistant got me up to speed, and out the door I went. The new team I was working with was enjoyable. My assistant was very knowledgeable and really delightful to work with. The other junior buyer in our department was amazing. I’d known him for a number of years and he was a rock star. In fact, he was the guy that got the buying position I mentioned last week. He was a couple of years younger than me, but had a reputation throughout the company for being smart, analytical, humble, and a hard worker. The senior buyer was...different. I was used to working for bosses that took the work seriously, aimed to perform at the highest level, but still had a way of being very personable. This new boss did not have any of that last attribute. He was aloof and quiet. There were days where the only thing he’d say to me was hello and goodbye. The post 567- Forged by Failure appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

So there I was, a 19 year old killer. The first sign of difficulty had crossed my path, and I had no Samwise Gamgee. Can we just pause here for a minute? I want to make sure you get that reference. I know most of you wonderful nerds got it. But for those who didn’t, go find a copy of The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or go watch the movies. Samwise Gamgee might just be the true hero of that entire adventure. Frodo never would have finished his journey, he never would have survived, he never would have had the required resilience to throw...well, I’m tempted to say that the spoiler warning halo has lapsed since the book was first published nearly 70 years ago, but I did just encourage you to go experience it...so let’s just say that Samwise and his wonderful po-ta-toes that you can boil, mash, and stick in a pot, were important. Read More... The post 566- I’m Going to Yemen appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The year is now 1994. I was fresh out of high school and ready to head out into the world and conquer it. Warner Brothers, I’m coming at you! My plan was to enroll at the University of Central Oklahoma for two years, then transfer to the University of Oklahoma to finish up my final two years. My freshman year would be spent living in the dorm, and my roommate would be one of my close high school friends. It was going to be awesome!! Read More... The post 565- Death of a Dream appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the fall of 1991 I was 15 years old and a sophomore in high school. I did well in school, but didn’t really take all my classes seriously. English was one of those classes that came naturally to me, and that year we had a brand new teacher for English by the name of Mr. Harrison. Mr. Harrison was different. He not only had an English degree, but he was fluent in French and Spanish, and knew a fair bit of Latin. He was well-read, articulate, quick-witted, and knew how to command a classroom. Before moving to Oklahoma, he’d lived in Michigan where he ran a photo studio and did substitute teaching.  Read More... The post 564- The World is a Classroom appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Let's get dangerous! What comes to your mind when you hear those words? I was a child of the 80’s and entered high school in 1990. When I was in high school, my afternoons after I got out of school consisted of me coming home, turning on the TV, and for the next two to three hours, watching cartoons like Chip ‘n Dale Rescue Rangers, Tailspin, Ducktails, Darkwing Duck, the Animaniacs, and Batman: The Animated Series. And I absolutely loved watching these cartoons.  Read More... The post 563- Birth of a Dream appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Back on March 17, 2014 I launched Stuff I Learned Yesterday, a podcast to inspire, bring hope, and be a spark of light in the world.  After 562 episodes, the sun set on SILY on December 30, 2016.  A new day has dawned, and SILY is back, this time, the launch day is March 17, 2021.  I’m looking forward to sharing the new episodes with you.  Here’s a preview of the first two episodes.  Subscribe or follow the podcast, and enjoy new episodes each Wednesday starting March 17.  Read More... The post The Return of Stuff I Learned Yesterday appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was in high school I would occasionally go camping with my friends Van and Jason. It was always a lot of fun just hanging out with my friends and goofing off. We'd find a good spot on one of the hundreds of acres owned by Van's parents, and make camp for the night. We'd build a campfire, stretch out our sleeping bags, and eventually we'd go to sleep right there under the stars. No RV. Not even a tent. Read More... The post 562- Backside of a Sunrise appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Angela, Therissa, Andrew, Jess, and No One Special. Read More... The post 561- Final Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My last story here on Stuff I Learned Yesterday occurred nearly 13 years ago. I’ve told this story a couple times over the last couple weeks, drawing out different applications each time I tell it. In hindsight, some experiences become more meaningful the older I get. At the time they’re awkward and hard, but time eases the pain of their acute sting and I draw more insight about who I was then because of who I am now. I want to set the stage for you a little bit before I tell you the story. Read more... The post 560- Choosing Joy appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I talk about the next steps. You see sometimes taking sabbaticals or even vacations are not enough. Sometimes we have give things up or step back. But there are right ways and wrong ways to transition. I know things happen for a reason. A lot of these transitions started earlier in the year. So when I sat down in August to write a SILY episode, transitioning well was fresh on my mind. I had no clue that the very podcast I was writing for would be transitioning away. But I’m thankful for the lessons in transitioning well. Read more… The post 559- Transition Well appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Here we are. We've arrived at what will be the final week, the final 5 episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Before I say goodbye on Friday, I want to spend some time today and reflect back on the stories that comprise this podcast. In taking a look at the stories of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, it's clear that the stories are nothing without the people who willingly shared them. So I want to take a moment and thank every single person who shared a piece of their story with the Stuff I Learned Yesterday audience. Read More... The post 558- Before We Say Goodbye appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jason. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 557- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was five years old, I asked Santa for a car. It’s all I wanted. A convertible to be exact. Under my Christmas tree Christmas morning was a cream-colored Rolls Royce convertible with tan interior. It was the coolest Power Wheels I’d ever seen. Santa came through! That was the last Christmas gift I ever got from Santa. After that, all my Christmas gifts came from my family, and I knew about nearly every one of them in advance because I went to the store to pick them out. I don’t actually remember my mom breaking the news to me that Santa wasn’t a real person. I’m pretty sure i just figured it out on my own—seeing as how all the gifts from “Santa” were gifts I’d just seen my mom buy at the toy store. I actually remember believing in the tooth fairy until I was about 8, but Santa. No go on the jolly man in the red suit. My mom is a people pleaser, and she loves giving gifts. She hates giving the wrong gifts, so she always wants to know exactly what I ( and the rest of the family) wants so she can get the right thing. This isn’t bad, but as a child, it kind of killed Christmas for me. I even wrapped my own presents once Mom realized I was a great gift wrapper. Read More... The post 556- The Gift of Giving appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For me, SILY has given me the opportunity to look at life differently. Especially now that I’m a co-host I look and analyze the experiences of my life for teachable moments. I don’t think I did that very well before. It has been great sharing SILY with my family and friends and I know for certain that there are new folks in the facebook group that are there because I introduced the podcast to them. So, I want to say thank you to Darrell for giving me the opportunity to share in this amazing community. I hope you look back on this labor of love as just that, because it has brought so much to so many.Read More... The post 555- SILY Host Roundtable appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

“We don’t need to pay those invoices. We bought that inventory as a favor to your Chief Financial Officer to help him make his year end numbers, and we’re going to send it back.” What did he just say? I had been employed by my publically traded company for 8 months, and was already troubled by some of the business and financial practices I had seen. I was visiting one of our out-of-state customers and we were reviewing over $1 million dollars of old invoices that they had not paid. I had also been asked to generally review their business practices, as my company was considering acquiring this customer. Read more... The post 554- Stand Up For Your Beliefs appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The year was 1986. All I wanted for Christmas was a Hot Wheels toy called Dynamite Crossing. I told every member of my family that Dynamite Crossing was what I wanted and I probably told them each 10 times or more. It looked like one of the coolest toys I'd ever seen and I couldn't imagine life being any better than if I had one to play with. When our family gathered for Christmas that year, my uncle Johnny showed up with a large, flat box wrapped in white paper. Fortunately for me, I could see through the paper and read that box said Dynamite Crossing on it. I played it cool as if I didn't notice, and let out my excitement once the package was officially opened. It was a great Christmas. Read More... The post 553- Christmas Memories appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Joshua. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 552- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Another student was picking on a smaller classmate in the back of the bus. I was only seven years old at the time, but someone told me what was occurring and then asked me to do something about it. So I got up and proclaimed in my strongest, and very childish voice that I would stop it. I did, but it must have been a “set-up” because the “friend” who was sitting next to me on the bus opened my metal lunchbox and threw my Christmas drawings out the window. I got off the bus crying, and my mom, who was right there waiting for me, took me home and pulled out paper and crayons so that I could recreate my Christmas masterpieces which were my present to her.   I never sat next to that so called “friend” on the bus again.  Read more... The post 551- Severing Unhealthy Relationships appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

What is your word? What is your calling? What do you strive for? A word cannot fully define us but it can help us capture our calling. Read more… The post 550- What Is Your Word appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You may recall that I first started singing by mistake shortly after I graduated high school. I was hanging out with the youth pastor of my church one afternoon, sitting in the back seat of his car singing along quietly to the song on the stereo. I was looking out the window just minding my own business and in my own little world...or so I thought. It turned out that I was singing loud enough to be heard and by the end of the day I was the newest member of his vocal band. You can learn more about that experience by checking out episode 42 of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Read More... The post 549- That’s Me in Spotlight appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I tried to tell this story two years ago, but I couldn’t do it without crying. Now, I feel more confident in my abilities, but to be on the safe side, I have my Kleenex right here. But let me go back a little further into the history of this story. My story begins on October 25, 1977 when Ruth Anna Bonge was born to loving parents in Norman...wait, that was probably too far back. Let’s get to the good stuff. In January of 2003 I met Ruth at a Tae Kwon Do class taught by master instructor Ed Rugh of the Rugh Institute. I remember that when I started the class a few months before, I was a little unsure because I didn’t know anyone and I had never done anything like this before. When she showed up in class, I was just getting my bearings. Have you ever heard of friendship at first sight? If you’re comparing it to love at first sight, but with friends, then you get the idea. I knew that Ruth and I would be friends the instant we met, and thus the “Hi Ruth it’s Ruthie” and vice versa was born. That was sort of our running joke, since our names were so similar. Every time we left a voicemail for each other, that was how it started. Read More... The post 548- Gardening Your Friendships appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Susan, Faith, Lillie, and Dani. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 547- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Barb Rankin, and while I thoroughly enjoy gardening and yard work, I really don’t like the chore of cleaning the inside of my home, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I talk about being kind to yourself, and not expecting yourself to be perfect.  Read more... The post 546- Be Kind To Yourself appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

December 5, 1973. Mom and Dad took their two-year-old son, me, to the hospital. Apparently I had become really, really ill after a few weeks of never finding enough water to drink, always going to the bathroom, and had gotten sick to my stomach and could not stop to the point of dehydration.Read More... The post 545- Commonalities appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Emilee O’Leary, I have a collection of Alice in Wonderland t-shirts, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, I am going to share a little bit on what I’ve learned this summer concerning re-learning lessons I thought I learned a long time ago. Read more... The post 544- Learning and Re-Learning appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Believe it or not, I'm not a big TV watcher. It's true. But few things on TV have excited me as much as the first teaser trailer for Fringe. I thought it was exciting, mysterious, and jaw dropping (no pun intended). At work the next day I remember talking with some of my co-workers about how cool it was. So when one of those co-workers suggested that we do a podcast about the show, I loved the idea! That co-worker was named Jason and he soon had our other co-worker, Courtney, on board. We all pitched in some money and got the best equipment we could afford, which wasn't much. I also bought a bunch of random gear from a friend who had it sitting in his garage. I couldn't wait to get started. Read More... The post 543- Earning It appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we go back to an episode that originally aired on March 28, 2014. It just so happens that it's from Mark Des Cotes. Little did any of us know just how big a role Mark would play in the life of this podcast.Read More... The post 542- Friday Flashback: The First Ever Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I got up in the middle of the night-at least what it felt like-and had myself at the store by 5:30 am. We all took our battle stations at our registers and the doors opened. The people had come, and they were savage.Read More... The post 541- Retail-izing! appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday! My name is Emilee O’Leary, this week I reached the big 3-0 milestone, and I believe if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I am sharing a story about how my dad adapted the game of baseball so that we could play one-on-one in the backyard and taught me something, in the process, about how adaptation can make things more accessible. Read more... The post 540- Adapt And Play appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Images go into your long-term memory where as words live in your short-term memory. Words are processed by our short-term memory where we can retain about 7 bits of information at a time. This is why we have 7 digit phone numbers. Read More... The post 539- Listening Means More Than Hearing appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On the floor in front of us was a folding game board. Printed on the board was the layout of a mansion. Each room of the mansion was labeled with names like, Study, Kitchen, Conservatory, Billiard Room, and Lounge. Scattered around the mansion were various items with which one could commit murder. In fact, someone had been murdered. I, along with my wife Kari and our two kids, Addison and Colby, were each challenged with being the first to piece together the clues and determine where the murder was committed, which weapon was used, and who performed the diabolical act. Read More... The post 538- To Err is Human appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we go back to an episode that originally aired the week of Thanksgiving 2014. It's an episode brought to us from Mark Des Cotes about a lesson he learned while stopped at a roadblock. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 183- Stalled in the Snow. Read More... The post 537- Friday Flashback: Stalled in the Snow appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the second act of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical Hamilton, Alexander and his wife Eliza have to overcome the estrangement of their marriage - and then the death of their 19-year old son in a duel.. The song “It’s Quiet Uptown” expresses their shock, their disbelief, their grief at the tragic loss by saying “There are moments that the words don’t reach, there is suffering too powerful to name… the moments when you’re in so deep, it feels easier to just swim down.” For those of us whose lives have been touched by depression and suicide, they express the things that we feel very well indeed. Whether you are, like me, someone who suffers from depression or, like me, someone who has lost a friend or a loved one to suicide, there are sometimes just no words that can explain what we are feeling. Read More... The post 536- Your Story Is Not Over appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Bonding connects us to others and makes our lives rich. Bonding takes time and effort but it is so worth it! Read more… The post 535- Bonding Connects Us appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I came home from school, crying. I was only 5 years old and I was struggling in class. I remember really liking kindergarten, but the first grade was not fun. I just couldn’t understand how the letters that I practiced writing could become words on a page that I could read. They made no sense to me.   Read more... The post 534- Gratitude For Teachers appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This week we celebrate Thanksgiving. We pull off the side of the road, spend time with family and friends, eat lots of food, watch lots of football, and hopefully take a moment or two to reflect and ponder those things for which we should give thanks. So today I want to express my appreciation and gratitude for my brother. Read More... The post 533- A Patchwork of Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Justina. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 532- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In 2008 I was diagnosed with Ulcerative Colitis. Colitis is an autoimmune disorder where your body attacks the colon causing intense discomfort and it caused me to lose a lot of blood. I lost a lot of sleep most nights due to the pain and the stress over not knowing how I would ever feel better. There were many of those nights that i cried myself to sleep. I never wanted to shop anywhere unless I knew they had a public restroom with more than one stall. I would take a few trips to Southern California from Central California to visit friends and family. I can tell you what almost every public restrooms looks like along the way. I joked once that I was going to write a blog titled, “The Bathrooms along Interstate 5." Read More... The post 531- Prepare for the Worst, Hope for the Best, and Learn Something Along the Way appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Did you know you can have more than one cavity per tooth? As I said earlier, I found this out the hard way as a small child. Now before you pass judgement on my commitment to dental care, you should know it was completely, 100%, without a doubt, my parents’ fault. Don’t be too hard on them though. You see, I was the first child and my parents were cutting their teeth on the whole parenthood thing with me. In fact, they thought they were being very responsible new parents by protecting their young son from the harmful effects of candy. I wasn’t allowed candy in the early days of life, but was instead offered nature’s candy, fruit! Read More... The post 530- Dental Denial appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The struggle is real. What used to be an ironic statement around our house has become a truism. My girl’s strength and independence have come under fire and she is battling. I am honored to fight and battle beside her. Read More... The post 529- My Daughter, My Hero appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For the last couple of years my daughter has expressed an interest in planting a vegetable garden. We talked about doing something small like an herb garden and we talked about digging up a part of the backyard and planting some real veggies. However, nothing really came of it. This last spring I decided I would talk about it with her again and see if she was still interested in planting a garden. She was. Read More... The post 528- Looking at the Harvest appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we go back to an episode that originally aired in July of 2014. It's an episode about perspective and observing the world around you. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 94- Awakening Your Awareness. Read More... The post 527- Friday Flashback: Awakening Your Awareness appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When Darrell asked me to contribute an episode to the final season of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, I submitted an idea to talk about how my life goals are in a holding pattern due to not having a permanent job. Well, you know what they say about making plans. Life has a way of being unpredictable. I had no idea how much my life would change two weeks after that initial pitch. On Tuesday, October 18th at around 12 noon I got a very unexpected call from a local hospital. In my short life, I have received many calls like this because my parents have both had many health issues, especially in the last several years. But this time it was different. As I got ready to leave for my seasonal retail job, I got a call that my dad had taken a bad fall and was in the hospital. After the first call from the social worker I was in shock. I didn’t understand how serious it was and I had planned to still go to work. Read More... The post 526- Softly and Tenderly appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday! My name is Emilee O’Leary and when I was little I used to take apart electronics to see what was inside and whether I could put them back together and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In this episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, I’m sharing a story about the long process I went through this summer in rediscovering the worth in work. Read more... The post 525- The Worth in Work appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I wanted a change. I was mad at Mom, but I really don’t remember why. I know there had been too many changes in my life in a short period of time, and I wanted something else. I was only 5 years old, my father had died the year before, and his mother, my grandmother had rented the house across the street for several months before recently returning to San Francisco.  Read more... The post 524- Time for a Change appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For the last several years, my Facebook bio has said, "I am happily married to my wife, Kari. We have two great kids. I am the worship leader at Crosspointe Community Church in Edmond, OK. I am the owner of Pro Podcast Solutions and Golden Spiral Media." That bio contains five quick facts about me that represent the core of my life. My wife is Kari. I have two kids. I'm a worship leader. I own Pro Podcast Solutions. I own Golden Spiral Media. As of October 2, 2016, one of those things is no longer true. Which is it? Read More... The post 523- Standing at the Crosspoint of Change appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Andrew and Jason. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 522- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I am in my 14th year working in the office of a school. I feel very fortunate to have been there for that many years. During that time, you can imagine I have seen teachers and staff come and go, for good reasons and hard ones. I’ve seen my co-workers get engaged, married and have kids. I’ve seen them come back for visits after they retire. I know that this kind of love for the people and place is rare. But my school has been an environment of support and trust. We have gone through challenges and struggles along the way and there has been some hard times. Read more… The post 521- Facing Struggles Together appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Growing up my Mom was Queen of Tradition in the McGrail household. There were specific protocols for each major holiday and heaven help you if you tried to suggest anything that didn’t go along with the protocol. One of the ones that I remember very well was the annual spiced apples that were made every year at our Christmas Dinner—always served on Christmas Eve after the perfectly timed Moravian Lovefeast that could be at 3:30 but never later than 4:30 because that was throwing off the rest of the day’s schedule. Anyway, the apples…they were peeled, cored and served whole with a very delicious sauce in my great grandmother’s crystal dishes. They were quite yummy for sure. The other tradition was the annual cursing fest that was the putting on lights of our Christmas tree. My dad would find new and creative ways to get frustrated and there was always a plethora of new vocabulary words that I was not to share outside of the home.Read More... The post 520- Tradition! appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Life is like a connect the dots drawing. You don't know what your final picture will be, but it's slowly revealing itself as you connect each dot in your life. And if you take the time to look back, you can see how each one of those dots is connected to form the picture so far.Read More... The post 519- Connecting The Dots appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

2004 was a rough year for me. In fact, it's probably the most difficult year I've ever faced. It should come as no surprise that it's also one of the years I can look back on now and realize that it's one of the biggest learning seasons of my life. If you're a long-time listener of this podcast then you probably remember some of the events of that year. Things got rough near the end of January when my boss called me into his office to tell me that he had hired someone to replace me. Just a few weeks earlier, he had reallocated my huge workload and hired someone to work along side me. So when he then called me in to tell me I was being replaced, I was shocked. Read More... The post 518- The 180 Degree Life Lesson appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Mike. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 517- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday! My name is Emilee O’Leary and this summer marked my first ever trip to the beautiful Rocky Mountains. I got to spend a week exploring the high-altitudes of Colorado with a couple of my best friends and now finally understand, first hand, why mountains are so breathtaking. This is just one of the many reasons I have for believing that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s installment of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, I’m excited to share the launching point of learning to feel like myself. Read more... The post 516- Be Nobody But Yourself appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Our lives are so much richer when we make the friendship investment. We are told that in an abundance of counselors there is much wisdom. Our friends can step in and help us see around roadblocks that dominate our vision. There is also wisdom in the saying that, when two fall they can pick each other up. Friendship is about picking each other up in the hard times. Life is hard and it not meant to be lived alone. We have to take the time to make the friendship investment. That investment can literally save lives, our own and others! Read more… The post 515- Friendship Investment appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The Golden Spiral Media stable of podcasts has busted out with a lot of time travel goodness, especially with this season of television. “The Flash” on the CW and the Central City Underground podcast, hosted by Tony and Joe have been dealing with time travel for a couple of years now. We have two new shows now based on time travel, the Remaking History podcast for the NBC show “Timeless,” hosted by Karen and Doug and the Radio Static podcast for the CW show “Frequency,” hosted by SILY’s own Barb and her cohost Steve. I’m also loving “This Is Us” which isn’t time travel based, but whose storytelling, much like LOST, depends on keeping up with many timelines at once. I guess what I’m trying to get at is that there is a lot of television, especially genre TV, which is Golden Spiral Media’s wheelhouse, that is giving us as the audience a lot to dive in and think about what might happen when our timeline could go a little wonky. Have you ever had a moment or three in your life that you wish you could go back and have a “re-do?” Usually I’m thinking about this when I wish I could go back and come up with a pithier comeback to something someone has said to me. I’m not exactly fast on the fly that way. But lately, with all of the time travel goodness I’m watching I’m finding myself facing some much larger experiences that I would like to rethink.Read More... The post 514- Dear Younger Me appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Like many of you, I'm sure, I was not given a car for my 16th birthday. As I've mentioned before, I got my first car when I was 18 and only after I'd saved up enough money on my own to pay for it. I don't remember how much I paid, but I know that the car was a 1982 Ford EXP. That baby had a whopping 70 horsepower and a 4-speed manual transmission. I loved that car. Read More... The post 513- Off the Beaten Path appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jason. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 512- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I am a longtime listener of podcasts. I think I started listening to them when they first appeared in 2004. Most of those were tech related, until 2010. I was hooked on a show called The Event, which was a great show that only lasted one season. I started listening to a couple of podcasts on The Event. While that show debuted, another show was starting on AMC about zombies. I thought, I’m not a “zombie guy”, but I thought the idea of doing an entire show about a zombie apocalypse could be cool. I missed the first few episodes, and when I finally tuned in for episode 4, it was difficult to know what was going on. I had heard good things about it after that and when it appeared on Netflix just before Season 2, I watched it, and I was immediately hooked. By the middle of season 2, I had started listening to every TWD podcast I could find. While I loved listening to them, even the not so good ones, I would get upset when a host would get something wrong or completely missed a point. That seemed to happen a lot. Read More... The post 511- Passion is Contagious appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When someone dies unexpectedly, shock and disbelief are normal reactions. We’re not prepared. But these emotions protect us and enable us to push forward until the shock wears off and we truly begin the grieving process. Read more... The post 510- Miracles in the Rain appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I think I’ve always been fascinated by the activity that goes on behind the scenes because of my personality. I’m not a naturally outgoing person, and I’m not one who thrives in the spotlight. But I have always known that it takes a group to make things happen.Read more… The post 509- Lessons Learned Behind The Scenes appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Los Angeles, California. The place where dreams are made, right? Well, maybe. It is the place where lots of people's dreams come true and it's the place where many TV and films are made that cause us to dream. Back in April we purchased tickets to go see Michael Giacchino conduct the Hollywood Studio Symphony Orchestra for an evening of music and story from the TV show, LOST. Exactly 12 years to the day that the show first premiered on ABC, we joined 1,200 LOST fans for what turned out to be an incredibly windy and incredibly memorable night. However, well before we boarded our flight to the land of fruits and nuts, we knew that we wanted to experience more than just the LOST concert. Read More... The post 508- Priceless Moments appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Joshua. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 507- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I’ve gotten older I’ve seen person after person after person not only disappoint but ultimately leave a swath of destruction and pain as their true nature comes out. My own personal experiences have taken me from a man that generally took people at face value to one that trusts few. I urge us all not to give up, not to take the easy choice of not participating, and most of all not to let the wolves find you in a position to get eaten.Read more... The post 506- Wolf or Sheep, It Just Doesn’t Matter Anymore appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

While we may often think of power struggles in relation to politics or the office, they are very real in our personal lives. Power struggles occur between spouses, between parents and children, between friends, and between co-workers.  They are often stressful, and can leave you exhausted and discouraged. They can make you resentful, especially if you are the one that feels controlled.  Read more... The post 505- The Power Struggle appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Part of the process in obtaining my B.A. in English required me to endure writing workshops. It took me a long time to really understand the benefit workshops provide, but it slowly broke me out of a lot of bad writing habits. The idea of writing workshops is basically that everyone in the class writes a story and provides a copy to everyone else in the class. Before the next class meets, we were to read a certain number of the stories, write notes about them, and be prepared to discuss them in class in order to help the author edit and improve their story. In the course of the discussion, in addition to basic edits for grammar and word usage, people would highlight words or phrases that are overused or that sound out of character. Read More... The post 504- Pie In The Sky appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Think with me for a moment. What are some other things that can lead to pain, destruction, and emptiness? Or think about it this way. What parts of your life are the most valuable? Are you giving those things positive attention or negative attention. Are you doing things to help those areas grow, or are you doing things that bring them harm? Now, for me, I begin to see other things that fit into this picture. Do I really need to work 15 hours a day? Is that really helping my closest relationships? At what point is enough enough? Read More... The post 503- Chasing Sand in the Wind appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Zach, Justina, and Joshua. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 502- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There will always be situations in which people in our neighborhoods, our cities, our states, our countries, our world – need help – perhaps due to a natural disaster such as a hurricane, a flood, a tornado, a blizzard or a heat wave, or due to a famine, a fire or a war.   The enormity of some situations can be overpowering; and we wonder: “Can I do anything to help?” “Where would I begin?"  "Can I make a difference?"  Read more... The post 501- Can I Make A Difference appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Trips outside the country challenge our thoughts and beliefs. Trips outside the country inspire us and give us a bigger appreciation of the world we live in. But do we allow them to change who we are on a day-to-day basis? Or do we forget the lessons learned? Read more… The post 500- Big Trip Small Changes appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The first incident was a strange pain in my chest that lasted for a few seconds but then subsided. I was walking my kids to a neighbor’s pool and because it went away.Read more… The post 499- A Matter of the Heart appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This is episode 498 of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Can you believe that? It's remarkable I think. This Friday will mark the end of this season of SILY and we will have 502 episodes in the books. The next season will begin on October 10, finish on December 30, and that will bring us to 562 total episodes. With episode 562, we will turn off the lights and retire the Stuff I Learned Yesterday Podcast. Read More... The post 498- There is a Season appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I'm excited to be hanging out all weekend with GSM hosts Troy Heinritz, Ruthie Rink, and Jeremy Hunt, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we’re taking a look back at an episode about a life impacted through the generosity of others.. Read More... The post 497- Friday Flashback: How Karen Got Her Groove Back appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m the first to admit I obsess on things, and sometimes my obsessions are not always healthy. My video game obsessions during my bachelor years, in fact, were particularly inhibitive. It goes all the way back to my college years when I would play multi-user dungeons or MUDs, a kind of text-based adventure game, until 4am on the then burgeoning internet, which connected one college campus full of nerds like me to others around the nation. Unfortunately, my gaming obsession caused me to neglect other important areas of my life, and my sophomore year was pretty much a waste. I graduated a semester late because of it. Read more... The post 496- Between Passion and Obsession appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m not prepared to be wrong. I was never built that way. As I said, my childhood, my jobs, my family, my new business, they’ve all been built around having the right answers and making sure to avoid mistakes. Read More... The post 495- The Elusive Side of Creativity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Lessons from podcasting have taught me about community, passion, and having a hard work ethic. Allow me to share them with you. Read more… The post 494- Lessons from Podcasting appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Parenting is hard. In fact, it might just be the hardest thing I do. Like most parents, I want to teach my kids to be responsible, caring, selfless, compassionate, honest, hard working, and confident. Kari and I set rules and boundaries in a way that we believe is best for them given their age, maturity, and well-being. Of course, we aren't perfect so we don't always get it right, but we do our best. Read More... The post 493- Summertime Learning appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we go back to one of the earliest episodes. It originally aired on my 15th wedding anniversary. I've now been married 17 years and this episode tells the story of how it all began. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 44- The Best Thing To Ever Come Out of Texas. Read More... The post 492- Friday Flashback: The Best Thing To Ever Come Out of Texas appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On our podcast we say that if you’re not learning, you’re not living. In our house we also say that if you’re not serving you’re not living. Read More... The post 491- Your Mission Trip, Should You Choose to Accept It… appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A couple of weeks ago, I found myself driving to The Frothy Monkey, a coffee shop in Nashville I’d never visited before. I was meeting Sarah, a film producer who had invited me to coffee via private message on Facebook. Sarah and I had spoken on twitter once but had never met in person. In fact, she came across my name by doing a search n Twitter for women filmmakers in Nashville. Read More... The post 490- Pardon the Disruption appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Emilee O’Leary, my favorite book of all time is Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned from my dad about the importance of having the right tools to perform a task. Read more... The post 489- Tools For The Real World appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I'm going to share the story behind one of the personal facts I shared earlier this season that involved a case of mistaken identity. The year was 1995. I was a 19 year old college student working part-time at the bookstore. By this time I had been at the bookstore for somewhere around a year, maybe longer. At this time I spent a lot of my time working at the back of the store. That's where the Bible section was located as well as the machines that we used to stamp names on the covers of Bibles. Read More... The post 488- Cherishing the Moments appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to an episode that originally ran on May 15, 2015. Hosted by former host, Mandy Wichert, this episode shares a lesson about tact and how to express what you know, without coming across as a know-it-all. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 219- Leaping Lizards. Read More... The post 487- Friday Flashback: Leaping Lizards appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Therissa Libby, I generally refuse to eat crabs other than Chesapeake Blues, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned many years ago that is making a new difference for me today. Read More... The post 486- Lessons That Come Back Around appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My brother and I played together when we were young, as we were the only children in the neighborhood. Our problem was not having a lot of toys, so we created new ones. In order to do that, we had to use our imaginations – and that’s what we did!  Read more... The post 485- Use Your Imagination appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m sure you’ve heard the phrase “you gotta pick your battles.” Usually, this phrase is said when giving in to someone on an issue to avoid argument or acquiescing to something you don’t really want but unfortunately can’t control. It’s used to refer to when you chose not to fight and is usually accompanied by a sigh of regret or frustration. “You can’t win ‘em all,” you might say when choosing to stay out of it. Read more... The post 484- Picking Your Battles appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today's story is one that I've been putting off for a while. In fact, I almost told this story last week and made a last minute change. It's a story of one of the most frustrating, painful, and damaging things that ever happened to me during my nearly 19 year career at my previous job. Because of that, I've left out the names of the people in this story. There is a lot to this story, and much more than I can share in the brief amount of time we have together today, but let me give you a little background. When I was promoted to the position of E-Commerce Director, I was given a job that didn't previously exist. I got the job because of my knowledge of programming, store operations, and purchasing. I also understood new media and social media better than nearly everyone at the company at that time. Read More... The post 483- Liar Liar Pants on Fire appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Linda. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 482- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I was first introduced to podcasts in late 2011/early 2012. I listened to the replay of Dave Ramsey’s radio show. From there, I learned that he had the Entreleadership podcast. This led me down the road to exploring what other podcasts were out there, and I subscribed to several podcasts covering both leadership and web design. I was interested in web design podcasts because I was wanting to get into the web design and development field. Read More... The post 481- Learning to Let Go So You Can Grow appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Less than two weeks later a co-worker at the office made an announcement that she had a puppy hanging out near her that needed a home. Did anyone want it? Without hesitation I spoke up and said “We do!” Wait a minute, what? Where did that come from? Well, who was I kidding? There’s a reason why I had always—and will always live with a dog in our home.Read More... The post 480- It’s a Dog’s Life appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A rewatch of a TV series has become a fun activity for folks over the years. People may think it is for comfort and nostalgia but it can teach us new things! Read more… The post 479- Rewatch and Learn appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Well, I did it! At 12:03am yesterday morning, I wrapped up the final edit of a slew of new clients that have either moved their podcast production over to Pro Podcast Solutions or have used Pro Podcast Solutions to help them launch. The total number is 7 to be exact. I'm not sure what you think of that number but for me, as I sit here today, that's a big number. Read More... The post 478- All Things Are Possible appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Therissa and Hanna. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 477- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When we pass from this life, our possessions aren’t going with us. Our gifts and treasures will be in our spirit, in our faith, with our family and our friends. Our possessions, all those gifts and treasures will not be important. It will be the little things in life – those will be our true gifts and treasures.  Read more... The post 476- Gifts That Last A Lifetime appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I became a door-to-door salesman in April of this year. The investment firm that I joined believes the key to success is getting yourself in front of as many people as possible and using the law of averages ideally you’re going to gain clients directly proportional to how hard you get after meeting and being with people. It’s really a neat set up when you think about it. I’m essentially an entrepreneur who’s building his own business using products that are built and maintained by some of the smartest people in the industry. My job is build relationships, fit the product to the client, and keep the relationship concentrating on the long-term goal of what investing can do. There are plenty of statistics that show if you continually build your savings and use the gift of compounding interest that anyone can be a successful investor. The trick is not panicking when the economy goes through its typical tumbles and stumbles. The key to building and maintaining a successful practice is sales. Read More... The post 475- Knock, Knock, Who’s There? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Emilee O’Leary, following my senior year of college I was diagnosed with five cavities from eating too many Sour Patch Kids, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned from witnessing my dad’s work ethic. Read more... The post 474- Theory, In Practice appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The was 1995. I'd been working at the bookstore for less than a year. I got the job at the bookstore with practically no effort. My grandma had been long time friends with the manager of the store and she put in a good word. When I got called in for the interview, it was really more of a question as to when I could start more than an actual job interview. The job was simple so it's not like an in-depth interview was necessarily needed, but it was still a bit odd. I didn't care, of course. I got the job! Read More... The post 473- Recognizing Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Hanna. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 472- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I don’t know about you all, but one of the ways I deal with fear is through research. I find that I can reduce anxiety by simply researching and getting to know the object of my fear better. This doesn’t always work, of course. I still have major anxiety before speaking in front of a group of people and traveling to New York still makes me panic… but I deal with those stressors in different ways. They are the exception, not the rule. Read more... The post 471- Super Smeller appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My willpower used to be pretty strong when it came to donuts. When I was on a low carb diet during the days when Atkins and South Beach were making the rounds, I discovered it was true what they say about your body chemistry changing. After awhile of sticking to high-protein foods and staying away from bread and pasta, you start to lose your craving for those carb-heavy items - including donuts. Pretty cool! In fact, every month on a Friday, the different departments at the high school where I work host a breakfast for the staff. Sometimes the math teachers would bring in goodies; other times it would be the English instructors treating us to yummy food. Whether there were homemade treats or fruit or bagels or eggs depended on what people signed up to bring, but there were always donuts. And for the year I was doing the low-carb thing - around 2003-2004 - I was able to walk right by that table. I considered myself to have good willpower, ascribing the ability to resist temptation to some mental fortitude rather than the chemistry of cravings. Read more... The post 470- Telling Someone Is Better Than Willpower appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Elections are not the only time when we need to do our homework and make an informed choice. We do this every day at work and at home. We do it when we make important decisions, whether it is buying a home, deciding which college to attend, accepting a new job, moving across the country.  Read more... The post 469- Be Informed appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

To say that not much in the way of excitement happened in the small town in which I grew up is an understatement. When you're in a town of about 850 people, there's really not that much that goes on. Life is pretty peaceful and predictable. Did I say predictable? About 2 miles outside of town, nestled a stones throw off of old Rt. 66 was a very unassuming single wide mobile home. Many of the folks that lived in and around my hometown lived in mobile homes and so we never gave them a second thought. One day people around school began talking about this one mobile home and how something special was taking place at this particular home after dark. According to rumors, the homeowner got up one night to use the bathroom. For reasons I never learned or can't recall, the homeowner decided to close the lid of the toilet, stand on top of it, and look out the window. What he saw next was something that he believed to be a sign from God himself. He saw three crosses of glistening light out in his yard. Read More... The post 468- The Crosses and the Commode appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Faith and Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 467- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Pokemon Go has taken the world by storm, and different people seem to view the phenomenon in a variety of ways, both positive and negative. On the one hand, video gamers are coming out from behind their screens, getting up off the couch, and breathing some fresh air and feeling the sunshine while interacting with their community. On the other hand, they’re still staring at their screens and sometimes engaging in unsafe behavior while trying to capture those elusive Pokemon. Read more... The post 466- Pokemon Go or Stop? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We all have times in our lives that are busy. Some of those times are expected and others come by surprise. I’ve found that the world around me is non-stop and relentless. It is so easy to get pulled in, that I can feel like I’m drowning in busyness and stress. Rest is hard to come by.Read more… The post 465- Finding Rest And Margin appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s summer in the Northern Hemisphere! This is the time when many families take a summer vacation. It’s also a time to visit family, friends, to explore new places and to make special memories that can last a lifetime.  Read more... The post 464- On The Road Again appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I've been happily married for over 17 years now so it's been quite a while since I was doing the dating thing. That's a part of my life that I hope I never have to do again. I know that the dating experience is different for everyone, but as I look back on that part of my life now, I just shake my head. What I mean is, when I look back at my 18-23 year old self, I shake my head at myself when I realize how dumb I was. Read More... The post 463- The Date That Was a Dud appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Susan and Hannah. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 462- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My parents make up a lot of who I am. Since my dad’s death, I’ve had more people tell me that I remind them of him than ever before. This was a compliment before his death, but now it’s an honor. My dad was not perfect by any means, but he had so many excellent qualities that I have been trying to emulate for a long time. Without him here, I feel like I’ve been able to see his life more objectively than ever before. Read more... The post 461- Shortcuts appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

If you’re struggling with perspective today I get it! If you’re too close to the situation at hand it’s hard to see other things that are happening and other people that are influencing you—or that you may be influencing.Read more… The post 460- What Really Matters a Year Later appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Criticism can be an attack that tears you down or a method that builds you up. So much depends on how you take it and how you give it. You may remember, from one of my prior SILY episodes, I am someone who thrives on clear expectations and goals. But I am also not great at making my own. So I welcome others setting expectations and goals. Based on that, you would think that I would thrive with constructive criticism. Well not really. Read more… The post 459- Constructive Criticism appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Long time listeners to this podcast know that I am not athletically inclined at all. As a youngster playing t-ball I was sent to the outfield where I'd have the smallest chance of messing things up, as an 8th grader I made the football team but was deep on the roster, as a 9th and 10 grader I never made the varsity basketball team and only made it into the junior varsity teams if the game was a blowout and there was less than 1 minute remaining. I'd like to tell you that it didn't bother me but that would be a lie. Both my brother and step-brother were very athletic so it bothered me a lot. On top of that, I saw the way athletes were treated by everyone at school, and I was jealous. I was a geek before being a geek was cool. I was the guy that girls called sweet and told to never change. It stunk. Read More... The post 458- Putting I Before Team appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to an episode that we ran last December after Kari and I attended a MUSE concert in Dallas. It’s an episode about taking time to evaluate the course you're on, remember where you started, remember where you're headed, and make sure you're still on the right path to reach your desired destination. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 374- Calculating New Route. Read More... The post 457- Friday Flashback: Calculating New Route appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share my advice about being yourself no matter what people think. Sometimes it can be difficult to turn off the feeling of being judged all the time. Whether you have a scrutinizing mother-in-law or a micro-managing boss, there are plenty of people in our lives who we feel are watching our every move. I can’t tell you how many times my wife has told me a story about some drama that happened at work in which she used the phrase, “And it made me look bad when I didn’t agree.” Now, it would be easy for me to say to her, “No one is judging you for going against the grain,” or “Who cares what people think anyway?” but it’s not that simple. Because the fact is it’s hard to rise above the opinions or indifference of others. Read more... The post 456- I Don’t Care What People Think appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Emilee O’Leary, I am a big fan of the NWSL, or the National Women’s Soccer League, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned after taking a picture of a dandelion field. Read more... The post 455- View From Down Here appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

One of the things I enjoy most about our church is something we call church without walls. Church without walls is a day where we meet at the church for a brief time on Sunday morning and then head out into the community to help people. We've done things like go to 3 different laundromats around town, hand out laundry supplies, and pay for the laundry for everyone for a few hours. We also go to some of the retirement homes around town and hand out flowers and chat with the residents, do yard work and other outdoor maintenance for a neighbor currently receiving cancer treatments, and doing interior repairs and painting for an elderly woman. Read More... The post 454- Saying Thanks to the Forgotten appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We’ve never been promised that life will be easy in this world. There will be times when your world turns upside down. Either for you or a loved one. It can be a divorce, a serious illness, a terrible accident, a death. When this happens, and it will, each of us needs to make a personal choice – will I let this defeat me or will I fight it, will I survive it, will I find a new path, will I let others help me, will I learn how to live with these new circumstances. Read more... The post 453- When Your World Turns Upside Down appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I'm starting a new episode format called Friday Feedback. I don't know how often we'll do these, but after the feedback we've received this week, I'm hoping we'll get to do this more often. So what is the Friday Feedback? We often as for you to participate in Stuff I Learned Yesterday by sending in a contribution to the Friday Forum. We love your Friday Forum submissions and I highly encourage you to share your stories. However, I think it's also important to give you the opportunity to simply share ways that Stuff I Learned Yesterday is impacting your life. So the Friday Feedback is an episode dedicated to sharing the feedback that we've received from you about recent episodes. We'll also include sharing recent iTunes reviews in these episodes. Read More... The post 452- Friday Feedback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I have been involved with church music practically from birth. My dad was a song leader in his church, so I grew up listening to his music and going with him to his church practices. It’s no surprise that because of this influence, I too became involved in music from an early age. I started piano lesson on November 14th, 1988. Don’t ask me why I remember the date so clearly, but I celebrate it every year with a shout-out to my first piano teacher on Facebook. I sang in the children’s choir all through grade school, which included changing schools in 7th grade when my school closed. I played handbells for a few occasions. In high school, I joined the adult choir and started helping out the choir director when I was off school. We formed a very close friendship, one that was maintained for many years after she left the position. I started as a song leader with the children’s choir and eventually became a full-fledged leader with the adult choir. I started organ lessons and continued them through high school and college with a few teachers. Read More... The post 451- Leaping Into the Unknown appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a story that shook my my sense of trust and ability to maintain perspective. And let me issue a warning up front - this episode contains descriptions of criminal activity that, although not graphic or detailed in any way, might not be suitable for young listeners. Read more... The post 450- Keeping Perspective, Maintaining Trust appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Storytellers have been prized since the beginning of time. Yet the art and styles of telling stories may get lost if we don’t encourage people to be storytellers. Read more… The post 449- Storytellers appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I'm going state the obvious here and tell you that the relationship I have with my mom is not what I hoped it would be. I know some of you have relationships that are similar to my own. I don't know about you, but for me, it's tough sometimes. I mean, I thought I had this thing figured out. I thought I had made peace with it. I thought I was was over it. But seeing her picture, knowing where she is, seeing those words that she wrote- they opened up feelings and wounds that I thought were gone. I've thought a lot about this over the last several days and it's even kept me up at night. How does this new information change things? What does it mean? What happens now? Read More... The post 448- When Life Isn’t What You Hoped it Would Be appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Susan, Justina, and Hannah. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 447- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Being a Dad is truly one of the greatest gifts that the Lord has given me, and I believe that if you’re not learning, you’re not living. Today I’m going to be talking about my Dad and how our relationship has changed over the years. Read more... The post 446- Being There As A Dad appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday! My name is Emilee O’Leary, my favorite place in the world is my family’s cabin in northern Minnesota, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned about patterns after repeatedly biting the same spot on the inside of my mouth. Read more... The post 445- Mistake Pathways appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Each of us wants to make a contribution when we join an organization or team. Sometimes it isn’t in the way we originally imagined.  Read more... The post 444- Making A Contribution appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was recently given the chance to attend Fan Expo Dallas as a member of the press, I had a little bit of hope that I’d get to meet some of my favorite actors from Doctor Who or Person of Interest. While that didn’t happen, I still had a great time at the event, and had the chance to attend some very fun and informative panels with Peter Capaldi, Jenna Coleman, Michelle Gomez, and Arthur Darville from Doctor Who, Amy Acker from Person of Interest, Hayley Atwell from Agent Carter, and Kevin Conroy from Batman animated works. Read More... The post 443- Tales From the TARDIS appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Linda, Faith, and Dani. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 442- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I met my husband, Derek, in 2009 when I moved in right next door to him. At the time, he drove a 1970s yellow VW pop top bus. He often pulled his coffee table outside in his front yard to have drinks with friends, and he always mowed his lawn wearing rain boots. Because these were the only things I knew about him, I figured he was a bit of a hippy, and I was cool with that. But as we started dating, and especially after we got married, I discovered that he wasn’t as carefree as I initially had him pegged for being. In fact, he was kind of a worrier, and I turned out to be the more carefree, risk taker in the relationship. Read More... The post 441- When a Weakness is Really a Strength appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We crossed the line where we had been together longer than we had not in our whole lifetimes when we were 37 years old and I’m confident that we will be one of those couples that celebrates our 30th, 40th, and who knows maybe even 50th anniversaries together.Read more… The post 440- I Have, I Do, and I Will appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The end of each year brings multiple opportunities to be with family. It can be a hard time of year or a good time of year. With family, you should be yourself. So why is that it not the case so much of the time? Read more… The post 439- Family, Where You Should Be Yourself appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Times are changing. Our original plan was to get our kids a cell phone when they started driving. We thought that before then, it would be a waste to get them a phone. I think I also thought back to when I was a kid. I would ride my bike around the dirt roads for miles around our house and it was no big deal. My parents didn't always know where I was and that was never a problem. Is that true? I'm sure that's not the case. I'm sure there were plenty of times when my parents would have liked to be able to call me or my brothers up and find out where we were, tell us to get home for dinner, or just make sure we were okay. Of course, cell phones weren't a viable option in those days. Read More... The post 438- Can You Hear Me Now appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! IIn today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Mike. Mike shares lessons he has learned by observing the diffusion of responsibility principle in his family, co-workers, and himself. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 437- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You hear follow your passion all the time. But a potential problem with that is that sometimes your passion turns out to not be profitable. And what do you do if you feel like you don’t have a passion, or you don’t know what it it is? It’s seems pretty impossible to follow something that you haven’t even found yet. Also, the idea of following something indicates that you’re at the mercy of it. Wherever it takes you, you just tag along. That idea doesn’t sound appealing to me. It actually sounds passive. I like the idea of having more control over my journey. A better idea is to lead your passion. Read More... The post 436- Leading Your Passion Instead of Following It appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Enjoying the fruits of our labor is more than just enjoying the food on our table. The fruits of your labor are the rewards that come from a job well done. It doesn’t matter whether the job you are doing is growing fruits or vegetables, creating a new product, or writing a book. You are investing yourself into the effort – your time, your money, your resources. Read more ... The post 435- The Fruits of Your Labor appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I started Cub Scouts as a boy in the second grade back in 1978 and stayed active through Boy Scouts until my junior year in high school. I achieved a lot, I learned a lot, I built a lot of great friendships, but, I never got my Eagle Scout rank. I was a working lad from the age of 14 on in some capacity or another. By the time I was a junior I could drive and I was pulled away from Scouts by the fumesRead more ... The post 434- On My Honor appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The year was 1992. I was 16 years old and like most 16 year olds, I wanted a car. My parents couldn't afford to buy me a car so if I wanted a car, I had to save the money and buy it myself. That reason was one of the factors that I considered when I chose to live with my grandparents for the summer. They lived within walking distance of several places where I could get a summer job, and that meant money! Read More... The post 433- Paralyzed by Possibilities appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to one of the first Friday Forum episodes we ever had, and the first Friday Forum we ever dedicated to mothers. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 40- Friday Forum Mother's Day Edition. Read More... The post 432- Friday Flashback: 2014 Mother’s Day Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My husband and I are looking to move into our first house together this summer. Those of you who have been through this before know that moving can be a monumental task if you try to do it all at once. I’ve lived in this apartment since I moved from my parents’ house in 2005. I was a few years out of college and eager to have my own space. A few years later, my parents moved from their house to a senior apartment, and a few years later into assisted living. In the process of these moves, I learned that my mother was a packrat, which she learned from her mother. She inherited this house from her parents and there were years and years and years of things to go through before they moved. She didn’t want to get rid of anything but she knew that she couldn’t take everything she wanted to their apartment and she had to make the hard decisions of what long held possessions to part with, even though it was difficult. Read More... The post 431- One Bite at a Time appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The influence of music is amazing and even more powerful live. This is because you being there changes things. We live in a digital, on-demand world. You want something; you can get it in a snap. This is wonderful for discovering new music and artists. However it will never beat the live experience. Read more… The post 430- The Influence of Music appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson about being flexible when things don’t go according to plan, and how your attitude can help see you through.  Read more... The post 429 – Be Flexible appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Moving, growing, learning, loving, and changing means that mistakes are heading my way. That's part of life. But mistakes are often when we learn and grow the most. And mistakes are the markings of life. If you cut down a tree you'll see rings. Those rings tell you how much the tree grew, how old it lived, where it had to make it through a dry spell, or even if it suffered a scarring blow. Those are the markings of life. If you look at sedimentary stone, it will tell you a very similar story. You'll see layer upon layer of age, growth, deposits, and the moments when the rock was cut the deepest. You'll be able to see where the rock stood firm, and where the rock gave way to let the water and wind pass by. Those are the markings of life. Read More... The post 428- The Markings of Life appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Hannah. Hannah shares lessons she's learning through her new job as a full-time nanny. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 427- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m a big cheerleader of personality tests. And that might be attributed to the fact the results of my personality test will tell you that I enjoy things like personality tests! So when I came across the Kolbe Index I was fascinated by the implications it could have on a realm of my life that personality tests do not readily address. Before I get into specifics about the Kolbe, I want to tell you how the circumstances around my introduction to the assessment were primed and made me to eager to incorporate its concepts. Read More... The post 426- The Pivotal Point appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Did you know you can visit Hershey’s Chocolate World in Hershey, PA and not only learn all about how the company makes their chocolate in the factory tour; you can also sign up for a chocolate tasting seminar and later, in the gift shop, purchase a 5-pound Hershey bar or a 1 lb. Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup? I should know - I’ve done all of those things. I’m fortunate enough to live within two hours’ drive of many of the best factory tours in the country, including Turkey Hill, Snyder’s, Utz, Crayola, and many more places that are willing to show you how they make their products right here in America. Read more... The post 425- A Taste of Americana appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Thanks to all of you in the Golden Spiral Media listening family! We truly appreciate you lending us your ears each week to hear our crazy analysis of these great shows and films we love. Today however we are asking for your help. Would you please take a few moments of your day to submit ONE podcast awards nomination ballot for us? If so Read More... The post 2016 Podcast Award Nominations appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I remember the exact moment when I realized that I suffered from stage fright, and the moment that I realized I didn’t like crossing tall bridges, and the moment when I knew I had a fear of heights, and the moment that I knew I was claustrophobic. Are you sensing a pattern? Think about the first time you realized that you were afraid of something – I mean REALLY afraid. It sticks with you, doesn’t it?  Read more... The post 424- Facing Your Fears appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The title of today's episode is Embracing Adventure, but what is an adventure? Think about that for a moment. What is adventure? I'll get back to that question in a few minutes, but let me first tell you about my adventure. My adventure begins in the year 2008. I was scheduled to make my second trip to the Internet Retailer Conference & Exhibition (IRCE). The previous year had been in San Jose, but that year it was heading to Chicago. I was looking forward to visiting Chicago, as it would be my first trip there. I was the only person from my company attending the show, but I expected that at least one other person from our sister company would also be attending. Read More... The post 423- Embracing Adventure appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to an episode that we ran last November right after Thanksgiving. It’s an episode looking at some of the good things and difficult things in my life and the life of some friends at that moment and how I was learning to be grateful for it all. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 368- A Grateful Outlook. Read More... The post 422- Friday Flashback: A Grateful Outlook appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I enjoy spending time with my in-laws. I know, that is counter-cultural in today’s society, but my wife’s family is great. We all live within an hour from each other, so we try to get together periodically. Holidays, OU and Packer football games, and birthdays. Some think we get together too much, but, if nothing else, it’s an excuse have cake and eat too much. Read More... The post 421- Out of the Mouth of Babes appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’ve officially become that old guy. I’m only 45 but have become that old guy. You know the one. “Back in my day on the radio we had two rock n’ roll stations, one country, and one classical station to listen to.” Wait for it…”And we liked it!” The sheer amount of choices that we have available to us I think is turning us into things that are not exactly positive.Read More... The post 420- So Many Choices! appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m a voice actor, and a significant piece of what I do is auditioning for potential voiceover jobs in commercials, online videos and e-learning. One day I got a text from one of my agents at 10:00 pm, which doesn’t happen often. I figured I must have booked a pretty big job. My agent asked if she could call right then. Of course, I said yes. She let me know that I was in the running for a job, and that the client might want to start recording spots as early as the next morning. I was ecstatic! When my agent forwarded me the email with details, she accidentally sent along the thread from the client, which indicated that I wasn’t just in the running for the job; I was the top pick! Read More... The post 419- Handling Rejection appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

No one likes disappointment, but living through those situations better prepares us for the future. They give us practical lessons that make us stronger, more efficient, and more aware of all that we truly have to be grateful for. Looking back on it now, not only did those tough months and failing to land that client give me a better perspective and appreciation for what I had, but I’m now grateful that I went through those times of disappointment. Read More... The post 418- Dealing with Disappointment appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jason.  Jason shares the impact that music has had on his life and his recovery from addiction. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 417- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Believe it or not, last Saturday as my kids and I were riding around in my car, they were begging me to tell them some of my stories. It was a really cool experience as they were both engaged, wanting to learn more about my experiences, and asking questions about my life so far. Read More... The post 416- The Stories of Life appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Well, in April of 2014, my family and I took off on an epic, five-month cross-country adventure. We bought a travel trailer, packed up our things, and hit the road. It was the first time we had ever done anything like this, and although it was exciting and invigorating, it was also scary. Read More... The post 415- Being a Modern Day Pioneer appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When you hear the word, “friends,” what do think of first? Is it a good personal friend, maybe your BFF? Is it the TV show that aired for 10 seasons, beginning in 1994? Is it a song, such as “Whenever I Call You Friend,” written by Kenny Loggins and Melissa Manchester, and released in 1978?   Do you think of Quakers, who are more formally known as The Religious Society of Friends? What image does the word “friend” evoke for you?  Read more... The post 414- The Joy of Friendship appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I feel myself losing my temper, I take a deep breath. I will also leave the room most of the time. I know that I need to step away and calm down. Once I calm down, the issue is nearly always easily resolved. When I get angry like that, I’m not thinking clearly nor am I open to reason. If I’m not open to reason, I’m not open to discussion. If I’m not open to discussion, I’m not open to resolution. If I’m not open to resolution, the only thing left is conflict. Read More... The post 413- You Want Fries with That? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to an episode that we ran last December from Mark DesCotes. It’s an episode where Mark used a story from his daughter's volleyball tournament that helped him realize that everyone is in a hurry these days. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 363-Have Patience and Slow Down. Read More... The post 412- Friday Flashback: Have Patience and Slow Down appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I write this we’re in the process of deChristmasifinication—a term I made up several years ago to describe the arduous process of putting (placing, cramming) all of the Christmas decorations back in their eleven-month storage spot. In my house our stuff takes up an amazing amount of space and every year I’m both happy and sad to see it all go.Read More... The post 411- DeChristmasifinication appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Music may not be the central focus of your life. But if you stop and think about it you will realize the power of music has a huge impact in your life. Our lives don’t have an epic John Williams, Hans Zimmer, or Bear McCreary soundtrack playing as we go about our lives. Or does it? Read more… The post 410- The Power of Music appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It takes only a small gesture to positively influence your own or someone else's life - just changing your hot cocoa mug to a different color can make your enjoyment of an already delicious beverage even sweeter. Well, during a very normal conversation in my car recently, something equally small really made me stop and think. It was early afternoon on a Thursday. I had just picked up my daughter, Lila, who’s in second grade, from her elementary school, and as we often do on our drive home, we were talking about the highlights of the day. In between all the discussions of the fun she had in technology class and what games she played during recess, Lila announced with a great amount of enthusiasm, “Mom put a raspberry in with my blackberries in my lunchbox!” Now my wife is always very careful to pack Lila nutritious things in her lunch, but the fruits are pretty much interchangeable depending on what’s seasonal and available at the grocery store. Lila enjoys raspberries and blackberries equally; in fact, blackberries might have a slight edge in her order of fruit preferences. So why would one red raspberry sitting atop her container of blackberries cause such a moment of happiness? Read more... The post 409- Small Gesture, Big Impact appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today's episode will be a bit different. Rather than share a story of a lesson from my own life, I'm having a conversation with my 11 year old son, Colby. His team won the state academic championship over the weekend, but had to overcome some significant hurdles while doing it. I was really inspired by not only the positivity and resilience of the team of 6th graders, but I was also inspired by the actions of their coach. What was Colby thinking throughout the whole day? Did he lose focus or confidence? Did he give up or think they were going to lose? What did he learn during the process? Let's find out! Read More... The post 408- When the Odds Are Not in Your Favor appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Bonita.  Bonita shares lessons she's learning about parenting as one of her children becomes an adult. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 407- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Starting right is important. Frank Herbert’s “Dune” beginning saying “A beginning is a very delicate time.” Much rides on how we start things, but we must start. So how do we focus on starting right? Read more… The post 406- Starting Right appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Have you ever been confronted with a monumental task that you’ve procrastinated on for so long that as more time passes, the job keeps getting bigger and bigger? Perhaps you have a backlog in your filing at work, or maybe you have a dripping faucet that you just haven’t gotten around to fixing, or you’re dreading the prospect of having to call a plumber. Perhaps you’ve let the bills pile up and some of them are past due, and you can’t seem to get ahead of the deadlines, making the financial burden worse than it would have been. The stress of an unfinished project can be paralyzing, and the obstacles in your way are as varied as the examples I just listed. Sometimes, your schedule is just so busy you don’t know when you’re going to find the time to tackle the task. Other times, money is the issue, and timing things in your monthly budget would require an MBA. But most of the time it’s just the sheer magnitude of what you’re trying to confront that becomes too daunting to mentally get past. You want to knock out the entire task and be done with it, but it’s just too darn BIG! Read more... The post 405- Bite Size Pieces appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I married Derek, we ended up having a lot of duplicate stuff, as many newly married couples do. Now, Derek is a self-proclaimed minimiliist. He used to take pride in saying that he only has three shirts. Clutter was the worst thing in the world to him. So when we got married, we ended up getting rid of some of my stuff, which was hard, but I still held on to quite a bit. Eventually, we planned on taking an epic road trip across the county in a travel trailer. And somehow we came to the decision that we should get rid of half of our stuff before taking off. I agreed, but I didn’t know how I was going to handle it emotionally. Read More... The post 404- The Freedom of Minimalism appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A few weeks ago I got an email from a local friend of mine who needed some help with a project. They are going to be relocating their office this year, and he wanted some help figuring out how to properly record in their new space which will have a classroom space for training seminars and workshops. He invited me to join him at the location of another local company that has a similar setup, and will in all likelihood be sharing some of the new office space with him. I happily joined him and looked forward to seeing how I could help them, spending some time hanging out with my friend, and learning a few things during the workshop that was being presented. Read More... The post 403- Finding Success in Systems appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jason.  Jason shares a story about breaking through fear and learning from constructive feedback. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 402- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I grew up in the church and we have a phrase, “mountain top experiences.” It is used to describe times of intense emotions, spiritual breakthrough and growth. Growing up and even as an adult I have had many. I cherish them, but the challenge is coming back down or serving others in the midst of them. It’s hard to go back to the valley. Read more… The post 401- Mountain Top Experiences appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I started my new job on February 1st. For those Stuff I Learned Yesterday faithful you’ll remember that I talked about my journey through unemployment on Episode 375 that posted on December 16, 2015. This turn in my career path is significant for many reasons so let me give you a little bit of my history. When I started as a student in college one of my best friends, who was two years ahead of me asked me if I could sit for three hours a week and take loan applications. Sure, I said. That started what would turn into more than 25 years of service in the credit union movement. For school it was all-volunteer but it was learning everything that made a credit union run the way it does. After school it was becoming a loan officer then a Vice President at a municipal employees credit union where I really learned what it meant to serve and lead people all at the same time. From there I took over as CEO of the credit union for the Food Lion grocery store employees and their families. It was an amazing eleven years where I grew our small staff into a real family that supported and challenged one another all the time. I had many, many wins and more than a few face-palm moments. It’s hard to sum up 11 years into a few concise thoughts. Suffice to say I look back and smile a lot.  Read More... The post 400- The Path Not Taken, Before Now… appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I discovered quickly that not everyone gets excited when a someone offers a course, product, or service in their field. And I started letting some of the negative feedback get to me. I found myself feeling like an imposter, which is especially hard for someone like me who, for some reason, was under the impression that if I created something, of course everyone would love it. I found myself asking questions like, “Who am I to teach this stuff? Why would anyone listen to me?” I thought, “I’m not qualified to be in this space, especially compared to [fill-in-the-blank awesome legendary teacher].” But, in light of some of this negative, or at least less than positive chatter, I was getting notes from people who had taken my class and attended my webinar saying things like, “Thank you so much for putting on this class! I feel like I have a direction and goal in my life now, and I know have support along the way,” and “I can’t tell you how much I appreciate you, thanks for providing this course!” In addition to that, in the quiet moments, when it was just me working on my course without any outside noise, I was loving it. I truly enjoyed the process of creating the course and making it available for others to learn from. Read More... The post 399- Am I an Impostor appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The first official leg of the Drones World Tour kicked off in Mexico City on November 17, 18, 20, and 21. The band then had just over a week before their next concert which took place in Houston on December 1st. Our Dallas concert took place the very next night after Houston on December 2nd. When we arrived at the arena, we noticed signs on the doors that said due to technical and logistic difficulties from the previous night in Houston and during set-up in Dallas, the show would not be starting on time. Not only that, but the opening act, Phantogram, had been scrubbed from the Dallas show completely. The doors were originally scheduled to open at 6. They ended up opening the doors at 9, and Muse didn’t take the stage until 10:40pm. Read More... The post 398- Inspired by Drones appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! IIn today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Hannah. Hannah shares a story about how facing her fears allowed her to have one of the best weekends ever. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 397- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We often talk about goals at the beginning of the year when we set them, and at the end of the year when we measure ourselves against them, but it’s important to track your progress as you go. Why? Because you can gauge how you are doing to meet your goals, and modify them if you need to make a mid-course correction.  Read more... The post 396- Achieving Your Goals – One Step at a Time appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Did you know that the first roller coasters were built out of ice? In the 17th century long before any type of leisure entertainment industry was established, Russians built large wooden slides frozen over with ice for people to ride down at tremendous speeds. These slides would often rise up seventy or eighty feet and the ramps stretched for hundreds. A staircase led up to the launch area where riders mounted a sled made of either wood or ice. The ice sleds were simply a block of ice with a straw mat adding some protection between the freezing ice and the riders’ bottoms. A length of rope was looped through a hole drilled in the block so that sliders had something to hold onto. Once riders were positioned on their blocks, all it took was a little shove and off they went! Occasionally bumps were added at the end of the slide to introduce a little more excitement. Even Catherine the Great was known to enjoy the thrill of the ice slides and had a few built on her property. Even 17th century royalty knew how to cut loose and have fun every now and then. Can you imagine an empress going sledding? I’m sorry - riding an ice roller coaster? So if Catherine the Great can lower her guard enough to act a little silly, why should we be any different? Read more... The post 395- Let Loose and Have Fun appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Passing on legends and stories. While some children will roll their eyes when story time starts-especially depending on the relative—down deep they know that their history gives them a grounding, somewhere that they’ve come from and also ideas on where they might be heading. There’s other kinds of stories too. Stories like the Bible, Greek mythology, King Arthur as I mentioned earlier. Stories that have spoken to you and make you reflect. Stories that help shape your values and lifestyle choices. The Star Wars mythos has been a lot of that for me. And now that I have four children I get the joy of passing my Star Wars experiences down to them. Read More... The post 394- Passing Down Legends appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We are all going to make mistakes. In fact, because we all make mistakes, we all pretty much expect others to make them too. We don’t expect perfection out of people. Well, at least we shouldn’t. Let me put it this way. The best single season batting average in Major League Baseball history is .4397 by Hugh Duffy in 1894. That means that he failed 56% of the time, and he’s the best ever! Read More... The post 393- Falling Out of Focus appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! IIn today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Justina. Justina shares lessons she has learned about finding hope and focusing on the positives as she has gone through recent job changes. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 392- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For this kid growing up in the 1970’s the word diabetes caused teachers, coaches, and most adults panic when they heard it because there was not a lot of knowledge about the disease or how you can fairly easily manage it and still take part in organized sports. Folks like Jay Cutler, quarterback for the Chicago Bears, were a long way from coming on to the scene. Third point—I also deal with exercise-induced asthma. With most asthma sufferers the difficulty is getting air out, with me it’s the opposite of not being able to get sufficient air in so endurance anything, running, swimming, and the like are pretty much out. Read More... The post 391- Keep Playing the Game appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I mentioned at the beginning, I enjoy planning and organizing. Whether it’s at home, at work, or for vacation – I simply like making lists of things I need to do and crossing things off my list. As a “task oriented” individual, this gives me a great sense of accomplishment. I feel as if I’m in control and I have my act together. Wow – I did something! We like that feeling don’t we – admit it. We do. We like it. It feels good. Read more... The post 390- Seize Your Opportunities appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I know you may be thinking, “Okay, is Mike going to talk about feng shui or some home decorating tips because that’s not really what I signed up for.” No, I promise that’s not it. Plus, I am incredibly unqualified to offer anyone advice in that arena. In fact, the literal rearranging the furniture that inspired me to come up with this episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday was an idea my wife had that I was completely skeptical about start to finish. Read more... The post 389- Rearranging the Furniture appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In June of 1984 a brown topaz colored Toyota Celica GT rolled off an assembly line in Japan. It was the 54,269th Celica made that year, and it now sits in my garage. From Japan it traveled by boat to the United States, eventually taking it to a Toyota dealer in California. The dealership manager liked the car so much he purchased it and added it to his personal collection. He held on to the car for over 15 years, eventually selling it to a man stationed at a nearby Air Force base. That man was eventually transferred to Tinker Air Force base here in Oklahoma City, where he kept the car in his garage protected by a car cover most of the time. Read More... The post 388- Time Machine Tutor appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Bonita. Bonita shares the importance of encouraging others and reminding them of how much they mean to us. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 387- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Let me tell you about a Swedish woman named Lena Paulsson, who knows all about what’s possible in the face of impossibility. She lost her wedding ring while working in the kitchen in 1995. Sixteen years later, the ring was found in her vegetable garden wrapped around the base of a freshly-harvested carrot. And if you Google “lost wedding ring stories” there are several more just like that one. There’s another remarkable tale that takes place in the UK where Brenda Caunter was missing her wedding band for 41 years before a local treasure hunter found it in her garden where she originally lost it. Read more... The post 386- Letting Go Isn’t Giving Up appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m worried folks. I’m worried that the true spirit of teamwork is being lost. I’m concerned that if we don’t learn to play a part we are going to suffer. I’m concerned because I see these things rising up in me as well. Read more… The post 385- Learn To Play A Part appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I live in Phoenix, Arizona where we have 8 months of great weather, and I like being outdoors. (I’m not trying to rub that in for those of you still getting over winter – well – maybe not!). I’m fortunate to have a pool in my backyard, and I also enjoying sitting outside reading and spending time growing fruits, vegetables and herbs. So having lots of useable space is important to me.  Read more ... The post 384- Asking For Help appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

What do you fear most? In today's episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share an unscripted episode where I talk about how being a workaholic is the thing that scares me most. What kind of legacy am I leaving behind? What am I teaching my kids? What type of relationship am I building with my wife? Even more importantly, what am I doing to work less and live more? Read More... The post 383- The Thing that Scares Me Most appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! Susan, Scott, and Justina share an update on the goals they set for 2015, and changes in store in the new year. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 382- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Barb Rankin, I’m honored to be bringing you the final Stuff I Learned Yesterday episode of 2015, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I take a look back at my 2015 goal of lending a Helping Hand to another caregiver and talk about how things didn’t turn out the way I expected.  Read more... The post 381- Lending a Helping Hand appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The end of the year means that I’m wrapping up my financial records, making plans to pay taxes, get new health insurance, and make any last-minute tax deductible purchases that need to be made. Those same thoughts put me in planning mode. How do I need to prepare for the greater amount of taxes I’ll be paying this year? What is the best course of action since my health insurance premium more than doubled over the price of last year? What purchases are going to meet my needs for my 2016 plans? Read More... The post 380- Reaching the Summit appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! Faith shares an update on the goals she set for herself in 2015. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 379- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today's episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is guest hosted by the Scarlet Cougar herself, Karen Lindsay! You may know Karen from our Supergirl, Sleepy Hollow, or Gotham podcasts. Over the last several weeks we've been telling you a bit about the challenges Karen and her husband, Sean, have faced this year, and we've asked you to help lend them a hand. The response from many of you has given more than just financial help to the Lindsay's. In today's episode, Karen shares from her heart all that you have done to give her hope and restore her faith in humanity. Read More... The post 378- How Karen Got Her Groove Back appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As we wrap up this calendar year, it’s a great time to review and reflect. If you’re a long time listener to this podcast then you know that I like to make lists, set goals, keep track of accomplishments, and make periodic checks of how things are going in my life. One of the best times of year to do that is the time of year that says goodbye to one year and ushers in the next. So as a reminder for all of us, here are the goals I set for 2015: Read More... The post 377- What’s My Motivation appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! George shares an update on how he is in a better place now than he was at the beginning of the year, despite failing on many of his goals, and Zachary chimes in the upcoming format change for Stuff I Learned Yesterday. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 376- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On July 14 of this year I was let go from my job of the last four years by people that I still count as friends. I have been in the credit union space for more than 25 years and have just as much passion for the movement today as ever. Being displaced is one of the toughest things that I have ever dealt with and as of this past Monday it has been over five months and I am still not in a new position anywhere. I have had two major paths that I have been pursuing over several months come to a very quick end so I am cleaning the slate and pursuing new and all types of things. There are things like health insurance, unemployment payments, upcoming medical bills, the emotional stability of my family, as well as me, and so many other things to think about and juggle. I have been living with hearing voices of condemnation in my head and heart and have felt utterly hopeless at times. And I am thankful for it all. Read More... The post 375- It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Exactly 12 days ago I climbed inside a car along side my wife, and headed south toward Dallas, TX. It’s not often that we get time away together. In fact, since we had kids 13 years ago, I can probably count the number of times we’ve gone away together on one hand. Don’t feel bad; it’s mostly due to the fact that we’re both very content staying at home and hanging out. Having said that, we were both really excited to be heading to Dallas. You see, we had a very specific reason for our trip south of the Red River. We were headed out to see one of our favorite rock bands, Muse. I first discovered Muse about 6 years ago while doing The Fringe Podcast. Jason, one of my co-hosts suggested that we play a part of their song “Uprising” at the end of one of our episodes. Read More... The post 374- Calculating New Route appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! Geoff shares an update on how far he's come at reaching the goals he set for 2015. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 373- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Mark Des Cotes, This is my last episode of SILY and I believe if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I say goodbye. Read More... The post 372- Parting Words of Wisdom appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I will once again be talking about change, but not the kind that you can carry around in your pocket. I’ve spoken about change a few times on this podcast, and I expect that it will be a topic that will continue to be a point of discussion with some regularity. Why? Because change is inevitable. It affects all of us in various ways at various times, and it continues to be a relevant topic. Today’s focus will be this very podcast. That’s right, Stuff I Learned Yesterday is just as susceptible to change as anything else is. Read More... The post 371- Preparing for the Inevitable appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes will feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to an episode that first featured Derek Olsen as a guest host. It’s an episode that includes a very humorous story about the importance of communication. It’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 63-The Prom Invitation Mystery. Read More... The post 370- Friday Flashback: The Prom Invitation Mystery appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My dad is 88 years old and still independent. He still drives his car, and he still lives in the house we bought back in 1979 when my family moved back to Ontario. But not for long. Read More... The post 369- Memories and Souvenirs appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I wrap up this month of gratitude, I hope it has helped you. I hope that it has inspired you to look deeper and search wider to discover a whole new level of things for which to be grateful. I hope it has helped lighten your load, lift your head, and boost your spirit. We all have much to be grateful for, this and every day of our lives. Read More... The post 368- A Grateful Outlook appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! Barb shares gratitude for the world she experiences through the gift of sight, Bonita expresses her gratitude for her dog, and Hannah shares her gratitude for family. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 367- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Bullying is unwanted, aggressive behaviour that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. The behaviour is repeated, or has the potential to be repeated, over time. Bullying includes actions such as making threats, spreading rumours, attacking someone physically or verbally, and excluding someone from a group on purpose. It's this last part I want to touch on today. "Excluding someone from a group on purpose." This part is a bit of a grey area. How exactly does it work? Read More... The post 366- Bullying appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Football. It’s a sport that many of us love to watch, and some of us even enjoy playing. It’s a game that inspires kids to imagine themselves as their favorite player making the catch to win the game, or shaking off tacklers as they score the winning touchdown. With mimicked sounds of the crowd going wild, they spike the ball and imagine themselves getting carried off the field on the shoulders of their teammates. When I was a kid, I didn’t like football. I didn’t like watching it, and I didn’t even like playing it. My brother was the opposite. He was obsessed with all sports and spent all his time tossing balls and playing as many sports as he could. And my brother LOVED OU football. Read More... The post 365- Passing On Traditions appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! George shares wisdom about finding a quiet place, and Hannah shares her gratitude for getting out of her comfort zone. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 364- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

OK, I'm going to get on a soapbox here. I'm fed up with the lack of patience in the world. Why does everybody have to be in such a rush? When did it become normal to get honked at, flipped the bird at or plain outright cursed at, just for driving the posted speed limit? I'm no saint. I often drive 10 to 15 kilometres over the speed limit and yet I'm still passed by more cars than ones that I pass myself. What is so important that people need to get to so fast? Read More... The post 363- Have Patience and Slow Down appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I want to continue my November series of gratitude by talking about why I am thankful for education. I think all of us here in the united states and in developed countries all around the world should be grateful that we have access to very good schools that are easy to get to, provide a high level of education, and prepare us for the future. There are children all of the earth that do not have ample schools readily available, so we should always be grateful for what we have. Read More... The post 362- Enriched by Education appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to episode 243 and hear an episode about parenting "Raising Children is a Daunting Task." Read More... The post 361- Friday Flashback: The Treehouse appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I used to love paint by number as a kid, but to be honest I rarely finished any of them. I'd get maybe two thirds of the way through and get bored and never get back to them. I do remember one however, although it was actually a colour by number since you filled in the numbered blocks with markers instead of paint. Read More... The post 360- Paint By Number appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You may recall that I mentioned on Friday that I would be attending a Tommy Emmanuel concert over the weekend. As I traveled home from the concert I tried to think of ways I could talk about it today. I replayed the concert in my mind and thought about the skill he demonstrated, the charm he used on the audience, and the joy expressed in his body language. I had to keep in mind that I’ve committed to talk about gratitude this month so today’s episode needed to come from that angle. Sure, I could say that I’m grateful I got to see one of my heroes, but that seemed like a cop out. Instead, I want to talk about hearing. Now, that may seem like an odd choice, but I think it will make sense in a few minutes. Read More... The post 359- Ears to Hear appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday! Susan shares gratitude of life experience, and Dani shares a Halloween story. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 358- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Wayne and I realized that both of us have this ridiculous idea in our head that our podcasts haven't reached that imaginary level yet where their good enough for us to interview these special guests. Read More... The post 357- Take Flight appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For myself and nearly all of you listening to this podcast, we set our clocks back 1 hour before we went to bed Saturday night, thus bringing an end to daylight savings time for this year. While I do enjoy getting an extra hour of sleep, it also brings about a strong memory for me. As we are now in the month of giving thanks, I want to spend the next few Mondays sharing things for which I’m grateful. However, today’s story might not begin how you might expect. At the beginning of each episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I say that I believe if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. Do you agree with that? Have you heard me say it so often that you don’t even notice it any more? Read More... The post 356- Live, Love, and Learn appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a Friday Forum contribution from Geoff. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 355- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It's been one year that I've been hosting Stuff I Learned Yesterday and in looking back there are so many lessons I've learned along the way. That's what I share in this episode. How doing this podcast has changed the way I look at life and the way I look for the lessons in everything I do. Read More... The post 354- Looking Back appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s hard to believe that it has been a year since I launched Pro Podcast Solutions. Time has truly flown by. If you’re a long time listener to this podcast then you know that I am the type of person who likes to set goals and establish benchmarks. I like to be able to track progress and measure results. I think that stuff is important. Today I want to talk about some of the decision processes I went through as I created Pro Podcast Solutions, share some of the results I’ve had over the last year, talk about some of my failures, and even share some numbers with you. Read More... The post 353- Creating a Professional Brand appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Jeff in the UK and Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 352- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

At a very young age my dad taught me that if you're going to do a job, wether for yourself or for someone else, you should always take the initiative and put in a little extra if you can. Because in the long run it always pays off. He also taught me that when you put in that little extra, you appreciate the outcome that much more. Read More... The post 351- Initiative Makes An Impact appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As you probably remember, I spent nearly 20 years of my life working for a chain of bookstores. At the age of 24, I became the youngest person to become a store manager in the history of the company...except for the guy that started the company. It wasn’t an achievement that I had set out to reach nor was it anything that I ever really thought about. But when it happened I thought it was pretty cool and it gave me a satisfying sense of accomplishment. As I look back on that time of my life, I think that I did a lot of things right and the trust that was placed upon me was given a good return. However, it wasn’t all roses or filled with decisions that King Solomon would approve of. Read More... The post 350- Delivering a Truckload of Rage appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Stephanie and Mary. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 349- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

"The difference between persuasion and manipulation is guilt. Once you've convinced someone to do something, how you feel about it will determine if you persuaded them or if you manipulated them. If you feel good because you convinced someone and their better off because of it, then you persuaded them. But if you convinced the person in order to benefit yourself, then you manipulated them and you should feel guilty, not all do, but they should" That guilt is how you tell the difference between persuasion and manipulation. Read More... The post 348- Persuasion and Manipulation appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

If you’ve been listening to this podcast or my other podcasts for a while then you probably know my podcast story. Just in case you don’t, let me give you a brief recap. I first started listening to podcasts in 2005 or 2006 because I was looking for other people who were wanting to know more and talk more about the TV show LOST. I then started calling in to The Weekly LOST Podcast with Cliff and Stephanie Ravenscraft, and thought it was really great to be able to interact with them and other LOST fans. At the time, I was working as the eCommerce Director for a bookstore chain, and most of the members of my team were geeks just like me. In the spring of 2008 FOX aired a teaser trailer for a new show they would be premiering in the fall. That show was called Fringe. I remember that when I got to work the next day after the trailer had been shown that my geeky co-workers were as excited as I was about it. We talked about it for several days and discussed the various things that had us intrigued. Among the intriguing elements to the show was that it was a show created by JJ Abrams, the man famous for making LOST and Alias. Read More... The post 347- On the Fringe of a Breakthrough appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Zach, Daniel, and Linda. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 346- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It's alway nice to be told when you're doing a good job. Back in grade school we were thrilled when the teacher gave us a gold star or a stamp. In high school it was the handwritten "Good Job" or something similar written on the corner of our corrected tests or papers. It wasn't much, but it was validation that the effort we put in was recognized. Unfortunately, outside of school, that validation of a job well done doesn't seem to come as often. I'm not saying it never happens, it just doesn't happen as often as it used to. Bosses don't dish out "Well done" to employees just for doing their jobs. You have to go way above and beyond to receive any sort of validation from some employers and that's not always possible. Read More... The post 345- Unsolicited Validation appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Let’s be honest, okay? Today is Monday, October 5, 2015 and like most other Mondays before it, it’s a Monday. Personally, I think Monday gets a bad rap. I know people dislike Monday because it means the weekend is over and we have to go back to work. It’s the opposite of that that gives Friday a good rap. But the truth is, Monday is just a day with 24 hours just like Friday and every other day. What really matters is what we do with those 24 hours. What really matters is what think about those 24 hours. What really matters is how we invest that 24 hours. While I think most of you will agree with what I’ve said so far, I think I may lose a few of you here. I think the same principle applies to TIMES of day. That is, I think mornings are just as great as evenings. Of course, we may have different energy levels at different times of day, but that does not make mornings a bad time of day or afternoons a good time of day. Each moment of each day is equally good. They are all ripe with opportunity. In fact, I’ll even go so far to say that the only major difference in the times of day is our mindset about them. Read More... The post 344- Taking Time to Take Five appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a trip back to episode 243 and hear an episode about parenting "Raising Children is a Daunting Task." Read More... The post 343- Friday Flashback: Raising Children is a Daunting Task appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

How am I supposed to follow what Darrell put out yesterday? That was such an emotional episode that I almost thought about hanging up my hat and saying, that's it, I'm done, because it's all downhill from there. I know this is not a competition between the two of us but if it was, then Darrell just blew me out of the water. I mean he made me cry. Read More... The post 342- Part Of A Community appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story is unique in a lot of ways. It’s a story that has touched my life and my heart like no other. What’s better is that my life isn’t even close to being at the top of the list of those impacted most. It’s a story of love, comfort, and compassion. It’s a story of loss, heartbreak, and grief. Most of all, it’s a story of hope. I’ve decided to just turn the mic on and share from my heart for this story. I’m not scripting it or typing out each word I want to say. For some reason I think this one needs to come straight from my heart. So if you’re someone that normally reads these blog posts instead of listening to each episode, I invite you to hit the play button at the top of the page. Read More... The post 341- The Arrival of White Tulips appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Justina and Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 340- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My childhood wasn't ruined because I couldn't flip my bike. I had tones of fun riding that fake motorcycle around town with my friends. I didn't become a school drop out or anything because I didn't have the best computer. In fact I excelled at computer programming and was even offered a scholarship to pursue it beyond high school, but I had no desire to become a computer programmer and turned it down. Kind of ironic that I code websites now for a living. Read More... The post 339- Boys And Their Toys appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In case you couldn’t tell from last Monday’s episode that I recorded with my son, I had a great time at Dragon Con earlier this month. Colby and I arrived in Atlanta on a Thursday afternoon, and were highly anticipating the Golden Spiral Media meet up later that night. The evening did not disappoint. Colby and I had a great time hanging out with Doug, Barb, Bonita, Kome, Nathaniel, Jess, Kevin, Emilee, Brian, Martin, Chip, Sara, Brooke, Sherri, Linda, Melissa, and Jodey. It’s always fun when I get to see this group of people. Keep in mind that when I say “this group of people” I mean “a group of Golden Spiral Media people.” Some of the people at the meet up were people I had meet before, some of them were people I was meeting for the first time in person. But each time I meet someone from the GSM community for the first time in person, it’s as if I’m meeting an old friend. For example, I had never met Kome, Jess, Sherri, Martin, or Jodey in person before that night, but that didn’t matter. There’s a cool familiarity that is already in place because they’ve been listening to one of our podcasts for a while and/or they’ve been a feedback contributor. Even an awkward conversationalist like me can feel at ease. Read More... The post 338- Fellowship of the Fringe appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Geoff and George. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 337- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I was listening to a podcast the other day and the host mentioned that his son had recently started kindergarten. On that first day of school, after they ate breakfast the father told his son to go get dressed while he prepared the boys snacks for the day. When the father went to get his son a few minutes later the boy hadn't dressed yet. Instead he was going through his school bag making sure he had everything he needed. The father told him to hurry up or they would be late for his first day. All excited, the boy grabbed two socks and tried to put them both on at the same time. Of course this didn't get him anywhere. After a few seconds of watching the boy struggle, the dad asked him "how do you normally put your socks on?" to which the boy replied "one at a time". The dad nodded at him and the boy quickly dropped one sock, put the other on, then picked up the discarded one and slipped it on his other foot. He then proceeded to finish dressing and off they went to school. Read More... The post 336- One At A Time appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Unless this is your first time listening to Stuff I Learned Yesterday, you are probably very well aware of the fact that I spent Labor Day weekend in Atlanta with my 10 year old son. You’re probably also aware that we were in Atlanta for an event called Dragon Con. Now, just in case you aren’t aware of what Dragon Con is, I’ll give you a brief description. Dragon Con is a convention for sci-fi, comic, fantasy, and horror fans. There are panels and discussions about many of today’s popular movies and TV shows that fit within those categories, and several actors, writers, and producers are also in attendance. There are also a lot of fans of classic sci-fi, and it’s common to see actors from classic Doctor Who, Star Trek, Battlestar Galactica, and more in attendance. There’s also a massive amount of cosplay, people dressed up as their favorite characters, at this event. It’s really amazing. Read More... The post 335-An Encounter with the Fear Dragon appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Hannah and Faith. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 334-Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Back in high school my friends sometimes called me Mr. Whatever. You see, whenever they would ask me if I wanted to do something I would almost always answer "whatever". In fact, the odd times I would answer yes or no, my friends would be shocked and make a real big deal out of it. Read More... The post 333- Making Decisions One Way Or The Other appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last week I attended a webinar about setting goals for your podcast. The focus of the presentation was to not only set goals, but to set measurable goals. The presenter started talking about S.M.A.R.T. goals. Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Timely. What's funny about this is that I did a Stuff I Learned Yesterday episode on this exact topic back in January. Read More... The post 332- Taking Measure with S.M.A.R.T. Goals appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we get a bit nostalgic and listen to episode 139 that originally aired on September 25, 2014 called, "Grandparents Day." Read More... The post 331- Friday Flashback: Grandparents Day appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I can't help looking back at things I've done and finding ways I could have made them better. I'm a creative person, I need to be for my job, so perhaps I suffer from this more than other but I doubt it. I'm sure many of you experience this as well. It's like I said a few weeks ago, strive for excellence, not perfection. But I can't help looking back sometimes and seeing all the imperfections that in my mind don't make it excellent. Read More... The post 330- What’s Done Is Done appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s hard to believe that a month has now passed since Podcast Movement. Shortly after I got back from PM15 I penned an episode called “Enjoying the Benefits of Breaks” where, among other things, I talked about how much work had gone into getting ready for that event. As I sit here now with the perspective of a month of days between me and the event, I thought I’d take a few minutes and share what I’ve learned. Read More... The post 329- Finding the Right Step appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum a contribution from Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 328- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Impostor Syndrome can be defined as a collection of feelings of inadequacy that persist even in face of information that indicates that the opposite is true. It is experienced internally as chronic self-doubt, and feelings of intellectual fraudulence. In layman's terms, it's the belief that you're an imposter even though you're not. Read More... The post 327- Impostor Syndrome appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode isn’t about my life in the corporate world per se, but it does touch on my experience in leaving that world. Today’s episode topic is important. It’s so important to me, that it was one of the first topics I discussed back in episode 14, “You Do Not Have Because You Do Not Ask.” Mark also touched on this topic in episode 248, “Ask and You Shall Receive.” What is today’s topic? Asking. While there are several moments in my life that I can look back on and see how the simple act of asking had a profoundly positive impact, I want to focus on three of them today. The first example is the story that I shared in episode 14. I’ll briefly retell it. Read More... The post 326- How to Ask the Right Questions appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum a contribution from Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 319- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

That was my mistake. I got the crazy idea in my head that I wanted everything to be perfect before I launched my Resourceful Designer podcast. But I don't need it to be perfect. I only need it to be excellent, which at my current level of podcasting is easily achievable. And once it's launched, I can then keep striving for excellence by making each episode better than the last as my skills keep improving. Read More... The post 324- Strive For Excellence Not Perfection appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I want to tell you a story about misfit. Our misfit was born and raised in the north where it is very cold. The town where he grew up was dependent on a single employer and a single industry. So just like everyone else he knew, he was destined to work at the same factory as they were. While this may seem like a boring, even monotonous way of life, no one seemed to mind. Everyone got along, they all had a really good boss, and they took pleasure in the quality of their work and the impact they were making on the world. Read More... The post 323- Musings of a Misfit appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we jump in the TARDIS to listen to episode 207 that originally aired on December 30, 2014 called, "How to Reach Your Dreams." Read More... The post 322- Friday Flashback: How To Reach Your Dreams appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

An amazing thing happens at conferences like these when you start talking to random strangers. You become familiar with each other. Throughout the weekend I found myself reconnecting with these people over and over. Forming bonds. Getting updates on what they've seen and learned. Read More... The post 321- Talking To Strangers appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Every kid loves spending time in the swimming pool, or at a water park, and my kids are no exception. During the summer they go to my in-laws house at least once a week and enjoy swimming in their pool. In our local town there are a few places to enjoy a good swim including a water park named Pelican Bay and the YMCA just down the street from our house. Read More... The post 320- Taking the Plunge appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Bonita and Jeff in the UK. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 319- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Over the last 3 months I have worked harder and longer than I ever have in my life. You could say that I’ve worked like a dog. I am usually a detailed oriented person. For example, if you look at www.propodcastsolutions.com, there are a lot of details at play that you might have missed or never notice. One of those details is that in every video, I’m wearing a shirt that has complimentary colors to the rest of the website. Read More... The post 318- Enjoying the Benefits of Breaks appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, and I'm Mark Des Cotes, and this weekend was the first time wet met or podcasted together, and we believe if you are learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we share reflections and lessons learned from Podcast Movement 2015. Read More... The post 317- Reflections on a Movement appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we jump in the TARDIS to listen to episode 316 that originally aired on April 24, 2014 called, Stop Worrying About What Other People Think. Read More... The post 316- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

as I'm composing this, I actually have no idea if anyone will ever hear it. But that's ok, I'm just killing time until my daughter gets home from school. And if someday I do end up using this episode I'm sure I'll be happy I had it in the bank. Read More... The post 315- Having One In The Bank appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Peaks and valleys are great because of the clarity they bring. With clear vision we can better see the things that truly matter. But here’s the thing. The majority of our lives are not lived in peaks or valleys. No, the majority of our lives are lived in the middle of the peaks and valleys. We call these places “average” or “normal.” Now it’s time to appreciate the average. Read More... The post 314- Appreciating the Average appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Geoff and George. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 313- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

How many bar fights do you think have started because two people were wearing different colour jerseys? The sad thing is, if those same two people were to sit down and talk they would probably discover they have a lot more in common than naught. Such as a common love for whatever sport they're wearing for one thing, regardless of who they root for. Read More... The post 312- Difference Of Opinion appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

If you’re a long time listener to this podcast then you’ll most likely remember that I grew up with two brothers. My step-brother was one year ahead of me and my real brother was two years ahead of me. While I was not at all considered cool or popular, my step-brother was. He was smart, charming, athletic, outgoing, and good looking. He was one of the most popular kids in the whole school, let alone his class. There were a lot of times that I wished I was as popular as he was, but it just wasn’t in the cards for me. As we got older I got used to it. But still there were times when I couldn’t help but be jealous. Read More... The post 311- Making the Leap to Legendary appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we fire up the DeLorean and listen to episode 134 that originally aired on September 18, 2014 called, C.A.P. Someone Today. Read More... The post 310- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Lying is a form of self preservation. From a young age we're told that it's wrong to lie. Our parents told us such and our teachers did likewise. But that didn't stop us from testing the boundaries at some point in our childhood, either out of fear of punishment or possibly out of curiosity to see if we can get away with it. Perhaps we did something wrong like set toilet paper on fire and refused to admit guilt when confronted. Or, perhaps we wolfed down a cupcake super fast and then told our teacher we hadn't received our treat yet. Either way, we knew it was wrong but we did it anyway. Read More... The post 309- Little White Lie appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My 12 year old daughter thinks she needs a cell phone. Her mom and I disagree. Several of her friends have one and she swears she is the only person at her school that does not have one. Still, her mom and I won’t budge. Well it turns out she doesn’t actually want a phone. What she really wants is the appearance of a phone. We found this out recently when my iPhone 4s stopped making and receiving calls. After several calls to customer service and several short periods where it would receive calls, we decided it was time to give it up and get a new phone. Since the phone still worked fine outside of actually functioning as a phone, it still had some usefulness. As soon as my daughter found out I was getting a new phone, she started begging me for my old one. Read More... The post 308- Crossing New Roads appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a Friday Forum contribution from Bonita. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 307- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Wether you realize it or not, almost all of us suffer from something called Superhero Syndrome. Most of the time you'll hear this term associated with business leaders or entrepreneurs. But it can also affect you in your day to day life. Read More... The post 306- Superhero Syndrome appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The year was 1996. It was the middle of winter. I was a sophomore at the University of Central Oklahoma and working part time at a local bookstore. I was probably making around $7/hour. It was above minimum wage (which was $4.75), but still not a whole lot of money. Like many college students down through the ages, I was a poor college student. Most of my meals involved noodles, and those noodles were often of the ramen variety. I’m not complaining. I loved my life. I enjoyed my job, I had a good roommate, I had an attractive girlfriend, and life was easy. It was simple. Read More... The post 305- Drive By Problem Solver appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Friday Forum contributions from Joshua and Barb. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 304- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Sometimes I feel like life is going just the way I want it. I'm on a role and I can't afford to stop the momentum. That's how I felt two weeks ago. I landed a couple of new clients with really great projects to work on. Plus I was bringing back my Under The Dome Podcast for season 3 and starting up a new podcast for Killjoys. I didn't think I could afford a vacation. I'm not talking money wise, but time wise. I had too much to do and I really didn't want to stop. I was in the groove. Read More... The post 303- Rest and Relaxation appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Death has been chasing every single one of us since the day we were born and despite our best efforts to eat right, exercise, laugh, and take care of ourselves, it will one day catch us. There is no escaping it. I must admit that as a 39 year old, I still feel like death is a lifetime away. Why is that? I’ve seen death’s clutches take hold of men, women, boys, and girls much younger than me. I know that my life could be snuffed out this very day. Yet for all intents and purposes I live as though I have another 40 years to go. Even still, if that’s the case, I’m now middle aged. Read More... The post 302- Finding Clarity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share Father's Day inspired contributions from George and Justina. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 301- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is a milestone. This is the 300th episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. That's quite impressive when you consider that most podcasts don't last beyond 10 episodes. But is it a reason to celebrate? In a way perhaps. We should at least acknowledge it. This is a milestone moment after all, and as the definition points out it's an important point in the progress of this podcast. Just like episode 250 was and episode 200 before that, and so on. That's what milestones are. Points in the progress. They help us measure how far we've come and how far we still have to go. Read More... The post 300- Reaching Milestones appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last Wednesday my family visited the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History in Norman, Oklahoma. Kari and I were looking forward to our visit, but the kids were not. Visiting museums is not how they envisioned spending their summer vacation. We tried to get them excited by telling them that the museum had dinosaur skeletons and telling them about other fun museums they have visited, but they weren’t buying it. It was still a museum and it was not nearly as exciting as visiting the waterpark or going to see a movie. Read More... The post 299- Choosing What’s Hard appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Geoff. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 298- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Have you ever had one of those days where you're just not in the mood to do anything? That's how I feel today. It's 11:30 at night and I'm sitting in front of my keyboard trying to compose my SILY episode but I'm just not into it. Read More... The post 297- Not In The Mood appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For those of you who are parents, have you ever wondered if your kids are listening? Who am I kidding, of course you have. Sometimes it’s maddening. There are times when my wife or I will tell our kids to do something only to hear them say they never heard us. I know that it’s possible to not hear someone even when they are in the same room, but I’m quite certain that there are times when my kids choose not to hear us, especially when we ask them to do something that they don’t want to do. Read More... The post 296- Are They Even Listening? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Isabella. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 295- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Like you, I love hearing the stories submitted to our Friday forum each week. This past week we heard a story from Faith about her love of teaching and how it was never her intention to become a teacher. Hearing her story gave me an idea for today's episode. So thanks Faith. I touched briefly on my journey to be a graphic designer way back in my very first Friday Forum submission in SILY number 10. That story was mostly about how I met my wife but it touched a bit on our college years. Look it up if you're interested. Here's the expanded version of that part of my story. Read More... The post 294- Destination Unknown appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Did you hear last Friday’s episode? It was a really great episode with Friday Forum contributions from Faith and Justina. Justina closed out her call with something I found simple and profound. She said, “The stuff that I learned yesterday has turned me into the person that I am today.” As I expressed during my comments to Justina in Friday’s episode, her choice of words really got me thinking. However, something happened at church yesterday that really made this phrase hit home. Read More... The post 293- Standing on the Shoulders of Giants appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Faith and Justina. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 292-Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Cornwall is a border city. It's situated along the great St. Lawrence river and offers an international bridge to the state of New York. It's actually two bridges. The first one takes you across to Cornwall Island and the Akwesasne Indian Reserve. Akwesasne is an interesting place. The north side of this native territory sits Canada and the south side sits in the USA. To make it even more interesting, the northern portion in Canada is divided by the provincial boundary between Ontario and Quebec. Read More... The post 291- Know The Rules appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Have I told you lately that I love what I do? I’ve had the great fortune of spending most of my working days doing work that I enjoy. My previous career in the corporate world was mostly good. In fact, it was mostly great. The last few years were challenging for sure, but I’m not complaining. It was a good company to work for and most of the people were great. Most of the customers were great. The pay was very good. I loved the mission and purpose of the company. It was a great part of my life. I tell you all of that just so that what I say next will have more meaning. Read More... The post 290- Living on a Compliment appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we hear one of the episodes that has received the most listener feedback, Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 21-The Journey From Crippled to Courageous. Read More... The post 289- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Back in January, Darrell, myself and a few others via the Friday Forum proclaimed our goals for the year in the hopes that making them public would keep us accountable. One of my goals was to loose weight. At the beginning of January I weighed 234 Lbs. I set the goal of loosing 34 Lbs. before Podcast Movement which starts August 31st. Read More... The post 288- Motivational Push appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A couple of months ago the arbor society of our town announced that they would be giving away free trees. Since I managed to kill the tree that was currently in our yard, Kari and I thought it would be a great opportunity to get a new tree. After all, the price would be impossible to beat. The announcement said that they would begin handing out trees at noon, but Kari and I both had busy mornings planned. We determined that the earliest we could get there would be 1. Since the giveaway was on a Friday afternoon and not on a Saturday, we thought there might be some trees left when we showed up. Read More... The post 287- Nurture What You Have appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from George. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 286- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We form many ties during our lifetime. We form them with friends, schoolmates, coworkers, and neighbours, but none of these compare to the family ties we form. With the former we get to choose who we associate with. We decide who we want to hang out with at school, who we want to be friends with in our day to day life and even who we want to converse with in our neighbourhood. But we have no say when it comes to family. Family is who we're brought up with. Read More... The post 285- Family Ties appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode is about perspective. I’ve spoken on this topic several times before, but that’s because I believe it is incredibly important. It’s not only important, but it’s a topic that needs to be looked at from many different angles to fully appreciate. Last week I had coffee with a good friend of mine and the topic of perspective came up. He’s a pastor and he shared how interesting it is to see people in different situations. He talks with people all the time who are going through difficult times, but the thing that sets people apart is their perspective. I totally agree. Our perspective while we are in the midst of challenges often dictates how challenging those times will be. If nothing else, our perspective will determine how bearable those times will be. Read More... The post 284- Everything’s Okay appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Geoff and Andrew. You can participate in the Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 283- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Now, one of the great things about Comiccons are the wonderful costumes that some of the attendees wear. You can really see the thought and effort put into them. In fact some of the attendees have better costumes than the convention's special invited guests that are professional cosplayers. Read More... The post 282- Comfortable In My Own Skin appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Well, as I mentioned on Friday, we were under a high alert for severe weather over the weekend. Fortunately, the weather did not get nearly as bad as predicted. We did get a lot of rain, and quite a few people sustained damage due to flooding, but the Oklahoma City metro didn’t get hit with any tornados over the weekend. However, that didn’t stop us from being prepared just in case.  Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 281-Be Prepared The post 281- Be Prepared appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bonita and Justina in honor of Mother's Day. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 280- Mother’s Day Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I am currently 39 years, 2 months, and 19 days old. I hope that I am currently only half as wise as I will be when I am twice my age. Although there are days when I go to bed and feel like I haven’t learned anything that day, most of my days do include learning something. I’ve even discovered that on days when I felt like I didn’t learn anything at all, I actually gained experience that will pay off down the road. Even though I know I’m still young and have a lot to learn, there are some things that I am certain that I know with absolute certainty. Read More... The post 279- Seeing the World More Clearly appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I want to talk to you today about the circle of life. Now I'm not talking about the Simba, Timon and Pumbaa verson, and don't worry, I'm not going to break out in song, after all, we're trying to attract more listeners not scare them away. What I'm referring to is the circle of life we go through with our parents during our lifetime. Read More... The post 278- Circle Of Life appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! I'm Darrell Darnell, and in today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Therissa and Bryce. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 277- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was 10 years old my family moved to Cornwall Ontario. It was a big adjustment for me moving to a city where I didn't know anyone. My dad knew I loved watching hockey and he wanted me make new friends as well as learn how to skate. So to kill two birds with one stone, he enrolled me in the local hockey association's house league. Read More... The post 276- Camaraderie appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Remember a few weeks ago when I tried my hand at making deep-dish Chicago style stuffed pizza? That was a fantastically delicious experiment. However, it definitely did not go as planned. I don’t cook much, and I’ve never baked anything, so the idea of making pizza from scratch was a little bit daunting and a little bit exciting. The only tricky part seemed to be making the dough. I wasn’t worried about making the sauce or finding the right ingredients. So before I embarked on my pizza making journey, I did some research. Read More... The post 275- Catching Fire appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Andrew and Shane. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 274- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Nobody ever said parenthood was easy. Just like everything else in life, there are ups and downs to raising children, and if you're lucky the former outweighs the latter. Along the road that is child rearing there are certain childhood milestones one may encounter. Your child's first words, first solid foods, and of course first steps. There's also a flip side to that, in your child's first tantrum or first scraped knee. Either way, these childhood milestones are something to be remembered, with laugh or sorrow, as stories of who they were at that time of their life. Read More... The post 273- Childhood Milestones appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story begins on the morning of April 13, 2015. I’m currently sitting comfortably at 45,000 feet above the earth as a highly trained Southwest Airlines pilot takes me from Oklahoma City to Las Vegas. My day began when my alarm went off at 5:30am. For a guy that normally stays up until after midnight and sets the alarm for 7:45am, hearing that alarm this morning was not a welcomed sound. On top of that, it was raining. It was a nice steady rain, almost the kind that makes you want to stay in bed all day and just enjoy the dulcet sounds of raindrops meeting rooftop. If not for the occasional but steady clap of thunder and flash of lightning, the rain would have been perfect. Read More... The post 272- Rising Above the Clouds appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from George. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 271- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As you'll recall, Golden Spiral Media had three shows nominated for awards this year. Arrow Squad, The Blacklist Exposed, and of course this show, Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Now I wont keep you in suspense, we didn't take home any hardware at this year's presentation. It would have been nice for GSM to win in at least one of the three categories but, as the old saying goes, them's the breaks. Read More... The post 270- Thank You appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today we look back at the first episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday to an episode titled, The Contagious Smile of the Garbage Whistler. I want to tell you a lesson I learned, or relearned as this case may be, while I was recently in Las Vegas for New Media Expo 2014. I've gone to New Media Expo the last three years, the first year I attended it was still called Blogworld. I've always found it to be a great use of my time. It's a time that I get to meet and share ideas with other people like me; other podcasters, online content creators, and those who aspire to share their message with the world. Read More... The post 269- Still Whistling appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from George. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 268- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today. Today is a very special day. Not because it's Wednesday, or Thursday or whatever day you're listening. And not because it's April, or May or June the whatever. Today is a special day because it's the only day you are in complete control of. You are its master, its overseer. Today is a special day because it has endless possibilities. So what are you going to do today? Read More... The post 267- Today Is The Day appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last Friday I closed the cover on my sixth book this year. I’m really glad that I’ve made such a focused effort to read more this year. My goal was to read 10 books this year, and I’m well on my way to reaching that goal. The book I finished is called How to Hug a Porcupine: Negotiating the Prickly Points of the Tween Years by Julie A. Ross. I found the book to be very insightful and it helped me understand my tween daughter more that I did before. I grew up in a house with 2 other brothers so I’ve never had any experience with young girls. Read More... The post 266- Be of Good Courage appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Geoff and Bonita. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 265- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We use the word hate way to often. "I hate Mondays," "I hate my job," "I hate Brussels sprouts," "I hate that song" Even young kids overuse it, "I hate my teacher," "I hate homework," and when they don't get their way "I hate you". But is this term appropriate for all of these circumstances? Isn't hate too strong a word? I mean, wars have broken out over hate. Hitler hated Jews, North Korea hated South Korea, Catholics and Protestants hated each other in Northern Ireland, and today ISIS hate the USA. Read More... The post 264- Haters Gonna Hate, Hate, Hate appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Isn’t criticism great? Don’t you love it when someone criticizes you? My personal favorite is when I get criticized by someone who has no idea what they’re talking about. Okay, I’m not fooling anyone. Criticism stinks and we all know it. When I made the decision to start podcasting, I never once thought about any criticism that might come in. It never even entered my mind. It didn’t take too long for some stinging comments to start coming in. Here are a few of them: Read More... The post 263- Confronted by Criticism appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Zachary and Faith. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 262- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This past weekend my son and I went to an outdoors show in Ottawa, Canada's Capital. There were exhibitors, displays and presentations about camping, canoeing and kayaking, mountain climbing, white water rafting and so much more. Ryan and I got to meet Kevin Callan, aka The Happy Camper who is known the world over for his outdoor experiences. One highlight of the show was a huge central pool where various canoe and kayak demonstrations were held throughout the day. Ryan is a member of his university's kayak club, so he was more interested in these presentations than I was. During one of the demos I found myself at the back of the crowd standing next to a man that had a huge bushy Grizzly Adams type beard, a threadbare military style jacket, old jeans and boots and a worn out ball cap on his head. For all intense and purpose he looked like he could be a homeless person there seeking shelter from the cold. Now, I know looks can be deceiving, and since I also knew how much tickets to the event cost, I figured he wasn't some vagrant passing time. So, being the person I am, I struck up a conversation with him. I motioned to the pool and asked if he ever kayaked. He shook his head and told me canoes were more his thing. So I asked him where he liked to canoe and the conversation took off from there. Read More... The post 261- Looks Can Be Deceiving appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Inspiration is powerful, isn’t it? Inspiration is like a mighty river that brings life to the world around us. Mark was inspired to podcast because of me. I was inspired to podcast because of Cliff Ravenscraft. Cliff was inspired to podcast because of Leo Laporte. Inspiration that started with Leo trickled to others...MANY others. I can’t even begin to count the number of people who have been inspired by Cliff. His influence is tremendous. Read More... The post 260- Seize the Day appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Bonita. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 259- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Early evening found the four of us getting ready to watch a movie. Hunger Games Mocking Jay part 1 in case you're interested. While sitting in our living room, waiting for everyone to join me I decided to take out my iPhone to check what NHL hockey games were going on that night. I saw my Toronto Maple Leafs would be playing the Calgary Flames and I thought they may even have a chance against them. I read a couple of articles pertaining to the upcoming game, then checked Twitter and Facebook. At one point I glanced up wondering when we were going to start the movie only to see my wife and both my kids also sitting in the living room. All three were looking at their phones. I had been so focused on my iPhone that I hadn't even realized any of them had joined me. I made a decision then and there, that for the entire weekend I would be unplugging my cellphone. I went into the settings panel and turned off both data and wifi, blocking my iPhone from the world, in effect turning it into a... well, just a normal plain old cordless phone, imagine that. I then set it "do not disturb". Read More... The post 258- Unplugging From The World appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

By now I think most of you know the story of how this podcast came to be, but just in case you don’t, or you need a refresher, this is for you. I cut my teeth on podcasting by doing podcasts on TV, film, and technology with the primary focus being on TV. Obviously that’s still the major thing we do here at Golden Spiral Media. However, after talking about those things for over 5 years, I had a desire to do something else. It wasn’t a desire to stop talking about that other stuff, it was a desire to talk about a wider variety of things. Read More... The post 257- Stuff I’ve Learned appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Barb. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 256- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We have a metal gazebo on our deck. In the spring, summer and fall, it shelters us from the sun while we sit on our outdoor furniture. In the winter months, when our furniture is put away, we hang a bird feeder from a ceiling hook in it's centre. The feeder is mostly protected from the elements and having it so close to the house allows us to watch our feathered friends from the warm comfort of our kitchen and living room. We watch sparrows, chickadees, finches, nuthatches as well as the odd woodpecker as they feed on the black oil sunflower seeds we put out. Some mornings there could be as many as 30 or 40 birds coming and going from the feeder at any one time. Last week, while watching with my wife, she wondered if the birds ever got tired of eating the same thing over and over. She decided to look up online what other things we could feed them and as luck would have it, we had many of the suggested menu items in our pantry. My wife filled a bowl with tasty bird treats and trudged through our snow filled deck to put the bowl on the ground beneath the feeder. Read More... The post 255- Going Through Life With Blinders On appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last year I really struggled with the idea of separating out my podcast production services into a separate company from Golden Spiral Media. I sought out several of my friends for advice, and even got advice from a marketing executive from one of the biggest media companies in my city. The results were pretty much split 50/50 as to those who thought I should break them apart and those who thought I should keep them together. Both sides also made good points to support their perspective. I thought about it a lot and as you are probably aware, I decided to break them apart. Last September I formed Pro Podcast Solutions to serve as the company that handles all of my podcast consulting and production, and kept Golden Spiral Media as my podcast network. Read More... The post 254- Working On, Not Working In appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bonita and Geoff. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 253- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

My daughter arrived home from school on Friday and instead of saying hi like she always does, she went straight to her room and closed the door. Never a good sign. Of course being a concerned parent I went to check on her only to find her crying on her bed because "all her friends hated her". This is what I was able to get out of her. A couple of weeks ago Joelle's best friend was invited to a party by a couple of girls that, for some reason, don't like Joelle. She doesn't know why they don't like her but needless to say she wasn't invited. Joelle's best friend asked her if she minded if she went to the party and Joelle told her she didn't. I remember this. At dinner one night Kim and I asked her if she had any plans with her friend that evening and she told us about the party. Joelle wasn't upset that she wasn't invited, nor was she upset that her friend went. She told us she was surprised that her friend even asked her. Joelle thinks it's ok if her friend hangs out with other people just like she would expect her friend to be ok if Joelle wanted to hang out with someone else. Just because they are best friends doesn't mean they need to be exclusive to each other. I personally thought she was very mature about it. Read More... The post 252- Sometimes The Truth Is Not Enough appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Are you up for another episode involving snow? I know many of you have had enough of the white stuff to last a lifetime, but I guess we can all be grateful we didn’t live in Silver Creek, Colorado back in 1921. As I look out my window today I see a few inches of snow. I haven’t watched the news to see how much is out there, but I’d guess it’s about 2 inches. It’s nice to have a window in my studio. It’s something I never got during my corporate days. Okay, well technically I did have a window, but the only thing I could see was the tops of shelving out in our warehouse. Read More... The post 251- A Life is Like a Garden appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we’re looking back across 250 episodes as you share your favorite Stuff I Learned Yesterday moments. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 250- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the past few weeks, my life has taken some dramatic turns. With the combination of our decision for me to stay home with our children while simultaneously moving into a new home, our financial situation changed drastically. We have been stretched thin recently, but were making cuts necessary to be able to maintain life as we knew it. We did the things people normally do when faced with financial strain. We cut extras, trimmed fat and eliminated all extra spending. We quit eating out, and began shopping in more budget friendly ways as well. Read More... The post 249- Don’t Sell Yourself Short appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We're taught as children to ask for things. Can I have a cookie? Can I go to the park? Can I buy these shoes? It's one of the fundamental principals of life. If you don't ask, you wont get. Of course we're also taught that we don't always get what we ask for. It might be too close to supper for a cookie or the shoes may be too expensive. Sure, we may be disappointed but at least we tried. Read More... The post 248- Ask And You Shall Receive appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Our winters are really fairly mild here in the Sooner state. We get 2 or 3 decent snow falls each season that will keep the kids out of school for a few days. The worst days are when we get ice instead of snow. Back in 2009 we were projected to keep a whopper of a storm. Not only was it projected to be a whopper, it was projected to hit on Christmas Eve. Back then my commute was about 30 miles each way and it took between 35 and 40 minutes. A bad day might be 45 or 50 minutes. A really bad day would take an hour. Read More... The post 247- Blitzed by a Blizzard appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I want to share a story that took place during the winter of my junior year of high school. I was the editor for the school yearbook and I also served as a photographer. I’ve mentioned before that I spent a lot of time outside of school with the yearbook teacher, because we traveled a lot to sporting events and venturing off to the city I now live in so that we could have access to a dark room to develop film. Read More... The post 246- The Topless Jeep and Sonic Drink appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Geoff. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 245- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Mandy Wichert. I think mangos are better than candy and I believe, if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m talking about the best Valentine’s Day ever and how your experience can be shaped by taking on a […] The post 244- Valentine Showdown appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I remember when my son was born. Like most new parents, no matter how prepared you think you are, when you're holding your newborn child in your arms for the first time you get that nudging fear that you are responsible for everything in this child's life for many, many years ahead. It can be overwhelming. Read More... The post 243- Raising Children is a Daunting Task appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Kari and I got married in 1999 and bought our first house in 2002. We’d been living in Wichita Falls, Texas for a year. We spent the first year in an apartment and when I lease was up we decided it was time to buy a place of our own. Had we known that we’d only live in the house for one year we wouldn’t have made that choice, but at the time it looked like we’d be residing in Wichita Falls for several years. It was a 3 bedroom house that had been built in the 1950’s, wiped out by a tornado in the 1970’s and then rebuilt. It had a big window in the living room and french doors in the dining room that let in a lot of natural light. The french doors opened up to a covered patio and a large size yard with a swing set and storage shed. Read More... The post 242- Let Us Eat Cake appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I teased on last Friday’s episode, today’s episode is going to take a look back at the episode I released last Tuesday entitled, “When Laughing is No Laughing Matter.” The truth is, it’s an episode that I almost didn’t release. In fact, both of the episodes I did last week almost didn’t get released. I almost didn’t release Monday’s episode (Can You Keep a Secret) because I didn’t want to further infringe upon the promise that I had made (and broken) to my friend. I went back and forth for weeks in my mind as I talked myself into recording it and then talked myself out of recording it. Obviously I finally settled on recording it, but I changed the the name of my friend and left out a few details. In the end, the story held true to what happened, while still protecting the people involved. It was a lesson that I felt would provide value and needed to be shared. Read More... The post 241- The Accidental Journaler appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bonita and Justina. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 240- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I remember in 1996 when we first got the internet in my home. Of course, it was nothing like today. Many of you can remember receiving the AOL discs in the mail, popping them into the CD drive, loading them up for the first time, and waiting for that agonizingly long dial-up ring tone. I'm sure that many of you, like me, have that tone endlessly etched in your head. Read More... The post 239- Grey Poupon and Junior Prom appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The mind is an amazing machine. It loves routines. It loves efficiency. It loves repetitive tasks that it can do over and over. That's how you can accomplish so many tasks throughout your day without really thinking about them. Some call it multitasking. However, when you break out and veer away of those routines you are in effect, giving your mind a stressful workout. This requires more concentration, more energy and more time, which can be mentally exhausting. Your mind prefers the repetitive tasks that allow it to refuel and get ready for the next time you break from your routines. Read More... The post 238- The Routine of Creativity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was 24 years old I took over the store manager position of a bookstore in Texas. I was responsible for not only managing nearly a million dollars in inventory, but the staff of about 30 people. As anyone who has been in management can tell you, managing people is by far the harder part of the job. By that time I had worked for the company for 6 years and had spent the previous 10 months specifically training to run my own store. Still, I was not fully prepared to for the job when I accepted it. Honestly though, I think it’s one of those jobs where you can never be fully prepared until you actually do it and get real world on the job training. Read More... The post 237- When Laughing is No Laughing Matter appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I spent nearly 19 years working for a bookstore chain. You can imagine the number of people that I worked with during that time. Fortunately, most of them were really great. I spent just over half of those years working on the frontline of the chain at several of our stores. Like many companies, there was a disconnect between those that worked in the stores, and those that worked at the corporate office. While I worked at the store, it was pretty common to hear comments from my co-workers about how clueless the corporate people were. In fact, when I eventually got a job at the corporate office, one of my co-workers at the store gave me the board game Clue as a going away present, so that I would never find myself clueless at my new job at the corporate office. Read More... The post 236- Can You Keep a Secret? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we hear one of the episodes that has received the most listener feedback, Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 102- A Teacher and a Storyteller. Read More... The post 235- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A little over one week ago, my house was pristine. The floor was mopped and vacuumed, the countertops and sinks glistened and every stray belonging and piece of laundry had found its home. I took a deep breath, looking around and felt so proud of what I had accomplished. Then, my family came home. The weather was cold and we stayed inside most of the weekend. I picked up a few stray things here and there, and continued to cook. Then, I rested. I noticed that things were getting a little messier but thought I’d be able to get to it later. I loaded the dishwasher up and set it to run, but after that, the business of life caught up with me. Pretty soon, the clean house I’d been so proud of had vanished and now the task of cleaning at all seems daunting, because I’m already so far behind! I was almost paralyzed into doing nothing because the mountain of mess was just too hard to tackle, especially while it continued to grow! Read More... The post 234- Baby Steps appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I'm going to lay my geek card right down in front of you now and tell you that I am a huge Dungeons & Dragons fan. In fact, my resume has Dungeon Master listed under interests and hobbies, I'm not kidding. I actually landed a job interview once because the HR person was curious and wanted to ask me about it. I realized at the interview that the job wasn't for me and backed out so I don't know if he would have hired me or not. Read More... The post 233- The Assumption That Got Me Killed appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We’ve been talking a lot about goals over the last month, and I think that it’s been a great benefit to a lot of us. Yesterday over our the Stuff I Learned Yesterday Facebook page, Faith shared an update on a new script that she’s working on and Mark shared an update to his weight loss goal. Over the weekend, Davia and Geoff both shared updates on their goals. Read More... The post 232- If At First You Don’t Succeed appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’ve mentioned a few times on this podcast that every afternoon I stop working and go to meet my daughter at the bus stop. I really enjoy the few minutes that we spend together. Even though our conversations aren’t very deep, I value the one-on-one time that we spend together and I hope that one day she’ll look back on it fondly. Read More... The post 231- Showered With Love appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Therissa and Melissa. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 230- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Yesterday I was able to meet up with a friend and re-connect over lunch at McAlister’s Deli. Due to a tight schedule, we planned to meet up in the early afternoon, during my youngest little one’s usual naptime. I know many of you are beyond the naptime years, but for those that can relate – you know how important this precious time is. My days are practically scheduled around naptime and on the days we miss naptime, we know we have to prepare for a wild evening. Anyway, it was an unseasonably nice day, 77 degrees Fahrenheit (I’m sorry everyone suffering from blizzard conditions), so due to the great weather we decided to enjoy the patio area. After sitting still for about 10 minutes, Renna decided to explore. I was not too concerned because we were in an enclosed area, surrounded by tall landscaping bushes. She meandered near the table as my friend and I wrapped up lunch. Then back over to me, begging to be picked up. As I did, she pointed down to my purse, which she had proudly knocked over. As I bent down to pick it up, I noticed something else. Mud. Everywhere! This purse was a gift from a friend. It’s a Coach bag and it’s large enough to carry all of my workout gear, childcare gear and diaper necessities, so I do really enjoy using it. I have also not owned a designer bag before this one, so I try to take care of it. Read More... The post 229- Crying Over Spilt Milk appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When you fall off a horse the best thing to do it get back in the saddle. For the past two years my podcast editing experience was equivalent to one of those county fair horse rides. You know, the one where the horse is tied to some sort of merry-go-round and someone holds the bridle as you walk around in circles? The post 228- Back In The Saddle appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I love my grandma. Some of my favorite memories include the time I spent with her and my grandpa growing up. I spent entire summers at their house, and they have had a tremendous influence on who I am today. Even though my grandma can be one of the most frustrating people in the world to me, I wouldn’t trade her for anything. Today I’m not going to tell you about her fantastic cooking, the time she had to rush me to the emergency room, or even tell you about I saw her and my grandpa french kissing. Today I’m going to tell you about trying to communicate with her. Read More... The post 227- Communicating with Style appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I almost never schedule meetings before 10am. The first few hours of my day are important. They set the tone for my day, and are often the most uninterrupted and productive hours of my day. I also very rarely schedule meetings outside of my studio during the morning hours. Any meetings that take place outside of my studio are going to cause me to be away from my equipment and my computer, and I need to be near that stuff for the first half of my day. You see, most podcast episodes are released in the morning so that listeners can have them available during their morning commute. So if there’s ever an issue that’s going to come up, it’s going to be in the morning. So if I’m going to be able to help my clients in those situations, I need to be available. Fortunately, this almost never happens. I have schedules and systems in place that work really well to keep all of my clients’ podcasts running smoothly. Read More... The post 226- Grateful for the Fires appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Jess, Geoff, and Bonita. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 225- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Clint and I enjoy drinking coffee, and have even spent a lot of time researching how to reduce acidity, get a quality grind, the best brewing methods, and proper brewing temperatures, and we both definitely have our favorites. We purchased a pour-over method coffee machine a couple of years ago, and have been really pleased with how the coffee it makes. Sometimes you don’t need a huge pot of coffee though, so we also have an individual pour-over glass carafe, and aeropress but these methods can be a little messy and labor-intensive, and sometimes convenience is king. Read More... The post 224- Hacking Keurig appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I've been doing this podcast for two and a half months now and I want to let you in on a little secret. I was extremely nervous when I recorded my first episode. You might not hear it in my voice but I was on edge. I had sat down in front of the mic and got up several times before actually recording that first episode. The post 223- Clearing The First Hurdle appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Over the last few weeks we’ve been treated to some really fantastic football games. If you’re a college football fan, then this year’s playoff was right up your alley. Maybe you’re like me and your team didn’t make the playoffs, but I still enjoyed watching every second of it. I didn’t think Ohio State would even make the playoff, let alone go on to win the National Championship. If you’re an NFL fan, you’ve probably liked these last few weeks too. Sure, there have been some controversial calls, and some games haven’t been close, but there’s been some great games too. Read More... The post 222- Playing to Win appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Sitting on the couch in my living room right now are two little girls, friends of my daughter, Addison. One of the girls is named McKenna. McKenna has short, shoulder length brown hair. She’s currently wearing a blue dress with sparkles, and matching blue shoes. She has a blue beaded necklace around her neck. She has a cute face and you can see her teeth when she smiles. Sitting behind her is a girl named Kelly. Kelly also has brown hair, but it’s much longer and reaches most of the way down her back. She also has a cute face and great smile. Her outfit is all pink. These two girls have been friends of Addison for years. In fact, there have been days where all they did was play together. They’ve gone on walks together, slept in the same bed, and made up stories together. Read More... The post 221- It’s Time For Change appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from George and Bonita. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 220- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A few days ago we attended a really great birthday. A good friend of mine had a joint birthday party for her son and daughter, and our entire family was invited to celebrate. The party was for a mixed age group, and there were kids at the party ranging from age two to age 7, and there were probably around 30 kids total. Did I mention that this party was also a surprise for my friend’s children? It was! They walked into a room full of their friends, filled to the brim with balloons and party food. Their eyes lit up like Christmas morning as they entered the room from outside to find all of us there yelling “Happy Birthday” and each of the kids eagerly scanned the room to see which of their friends were able to make it there to celebrate with them. Read More... The post 219- Leaping Lizards appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

They guys looked confused. They pointed at me and said I had told them he drove a Mustang. My brother grinned at them as he told them that he did in fact drive a Mustang but had decided not to bring it that night. When the guys questioned who's green Mustang was in the parking lot my brother lost his grin and ran outside. The post 218- Asking The Right Questions appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Unless this is your first episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, you’re probably well aware that I spent nearly 19 years working at a local bookstore. When I first started with the company the store I worked at was about 12,000 square feet in size. About two years later we moved to a much larger location, that gave us a lot more space and opportunity. However, there were some nice things about the old smaller location. After I’d been working there about a year I was promoted to oversee the Bibles and church supplies department. These items took up about two thirds of the back wall. We also imprinted names on Bibles, so I spent a lot of time at the imprinting machines. From my view at the imprinter, I could look down one of the two main aisles all the way to the front register and out through the front door. Read More... The post 217- Preparing for Impact appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I grew up in a home that always had music playing. Sometimes it was my own radio, but most of the time it came from another source. My step brother loved heavy metal music, and everyone knows that you can’t listen to heavy metal music unless it’s cranked up to 11. So if he was listening to his music, we were all listening to his music. My parents were fans of country music. Every morning as they got ready for work they would turn on one of the local country stations and fill the house with the steel guitar and fiddles. I’ve mentioned before that my dad is one of the very best Hank Williams tribute singers on the planet, so there were many times when our home was filled with the sounds of my dad playing his guitar and singing songs that Hank wrote. Read More... The post 216- Pushing Your Boundaries appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Jeremy and Justina. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 215- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You know how there are those moments etched in time, where everything feels clear and patent? This was one of them for me. I was sitting in Marin’s room, lit softly by a lamp as butterfly shaped shadows danced around me. I was cuddled in a sage green microfiber rocking chair, with both of my children on my lap, rocking and reading a book before bedtime. Clint came in to grab Jonas and tuck him into his bed, so I gave him goodnight kisses, and was left snuggling with Marin, before getting her tucked in as well. I smelled the sweet top of her head, and rested my cheek softly against hers, admiring her long eyelashes and rosy cheeks and lips as I gently tucked her dark brown hair back behind her delicate ears. I whispered a little prayer of thankfulness and wept, feeling so grateful for the family I had been given and so fortunate to have been entrusted to be these children’s mother. Read More... The post 214- Resolutions and Revolutions appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Now I'm sure you know, just like the majority of people out there know, that most New Year resolutions are not followed through with. In fact, the number I found is 92% of resolutions are discarded within 30 days of making them. And this isn't just for New Years resolutions either. Almost every time you make a resolution without an end goal in mind you will probably fail. So what's the point of making resolutions? The point is, resolutions are needed in order to reach an end goal. The post 213- Resolutions and Goals appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I’ll be wrapping up my series on goals. I hope this series of episodes has been helpful for you and has inspired you to dream big for 2015. As I bring this series to a close, I’d like to share a different perspective on goals. I want to share a story that taught me that it is possible to achieve goals and still fail. How is that possible? It’s possible when we miss the point and focus too much on goals and not enough on the other things around us. In the summer of 2002 I was offered a position within the bookstore chain I was working at that I had wanted for a long time. It was a job that dreamed about getting soon after I began working with the company 8 years prior. The position was the position of buyer. Read More... The post 212- Hitting the Target, Yet Missing the Mark appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the day! For the last two weeks I’ve been talking about setting goals, and today I’m going to share my 2015 goals with you. This has been a really difficult process for me this year. In fact, I don’t recall a year that I’ve had this much difficulty setting goals. The issue wasn’t coming up with goals, the issue was deciding which of the things I want to achieve were going to make it to the top of my priority list. I spoke last week about setting milestone moments where you can asses the progress you’ve made on reaching your goals. Today, as I share each of my goals, I’ll be sharing another critical component of goal achievement. For most of us, maybe even all of us, it’s not enough to simply set a goal and then go achieve it. Instead, we must also set up the guidelines which we will bring us to achieving the goal. Read More... The post 211- My 2015 Goals appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Faith. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 210- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was about 12 I got the best invitation in the mail. I opened up the envelope and confetti and glitter popped out! I had been invited to a birthday party on New Year’s Eve! I was elated. Nothing sounded better than the promise of shenanigans, pot banging, dancing and loud celebrations into the wee hours of the morning with friends. There was all kinds of fun promised and I was pretty happy my mom agreed to let my younger sister and I both go! Read More... The post 209- Party Like It’s 1999 appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Standing up for what you believe in isn't always easy. In fact it can be downright terrifying sometimes. Drinking and driving wasn't talked about much back then but we still knew of the consequences. The post 208- Standing My Ground appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I like goals because it gives me a target. When I have a target, I can aim. I’m this way with a lot of things. In fact, sometimes I’ll sit down to start a new project and not know where to begin. I don’t know where to begin because I’m not sure where I’m going. If I can set up the place where I want to end up, I find it easier to begin. In a way I suppose it’s like working a maze from the end point to the starting point. I also like setting goals because it forces me to think things through before I leap. That is, I don’t just set arbitrary goals, I set goals that I believe will be true measurements of success. I set goals that will help keep me focused on where I want to be in the long term. So I not only set a goal that is an ultimate achievement, I set goals that can serve as checkpoints or measuring points along the way. Read More... The post 207- How To Reach Your Dreams appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

So here we are at the end of 2014. Your Facebook timeline has been filling up with those automated Year-in-Review slideshows, websites are taking a look back at the the best and worst of 2014, entertainment media is looking back at those who passed away in 2014, and I’m sure we can all name several other things that are designed to offer a look back at the year we’ve all just experienced. I’ve been doing this podcast for just over 9 months now and I’ve done a few milestone types of episodes along the way. So it should come as no surprise that I like looking back at things. Today I’m going to take a look back at 2014, tell you why I find value in looking back, and use the information I gather to chart my course for 2015. Read More... The post 206- Looking Back to Look Ahead appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Barb. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 205- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was young, my sister and I would get so excited about Christmas. We would think about it for weeks on end and look forward to its arrival as we counted down the final days leading up to Christmas day. We would tear through the house at the crack of dawn Christmas morning; my parents were lucky to convince us to hold off until 6:00am. We would usually burst into our living room to examine the tree and gifts, hunting for our names on the tags and the traces of soot and ash boot prints that Santa left for us. We’d also examine the cookies and carrots we left out the night before to make sure that Santa had his fill and that the reindeer were full and happy as well. Once we had checked these boxes, my younger sister and I would dash back into my parents bedroom, to pounce on them as they rested bleary eyed and exhausted from a long night of wrapping and taking care of the aforementioned evidence of Santa’s visit to our home. Read More... The post 204- Christmas Detectives appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I think that was the first time I ever saw an adult cry, even though they were tears of joy. I remember standing there next to by brother holding boxes while my mom and dad rang on door bells and explained to the families, that we, complete strangers, were giving them all this excess food we had. Some of them broke down in tears as they took the boxes and hugged each of us, saying it was a Christmas Miracle. Every one of them invited us in but my dad kindly refused, saying we had to move on to another house. The post 203- Christmas Miracle appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Winter break came around and my brothers and I had some time on our hands. One day we decided that each of us would choose one of our gifts from under the Christmas tree and open it. We would be very careful, sneek open the box, take a peek inside, and then seal it back up. Our parents would never even know. Since we were all in it together, there was no risk at one of us ratting out one of the others. It was collusion at its finest! I picked a box that was a couple of inches thick, about 10 inches wide, and about 15 inches long. I carefully sliced open the tape and slid the box from the wrapper. I popped the box open and did the dance of joy. Inside that box was my future, my pathway to coolness. Inside that box was a pair of Bugle Boy jeans. In fact, all three of us got Bugle Boy jeans for Christmas that year. Read More... The post 202- Are Those Bugle Boy Jeans? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Christmas as a child and Christmas as an adult are totally different. As a child I had no responsibilities except to show up, read package tags, shred paper, navigate through all the carefully placed tape, and say thank you to the appropriate person. It was a pretty sweet deal. What made it sweeter was even if I failed at all of those things, I would still walk away with the same stuff. Christmas as a kid was awesome. Once I got to the age where I had a job, I had to start actually paying for the gifts that I was giving and I could no longer depend on my dad to do it. Man, growing up stinks! Not only that, the older I’ve gotten, the less stuff I get every year. Does that mean I’m getting closer and closer to being on the naughty list? Read More... The post 201- Cataloging Christmas appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Bonita. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 200- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last week, I was in a mad rush, leaving the house to drop off my oldest at school, then planned to head directly to the gym. When I pulled out, I noticed a large box propped against our front door. It was white and long and not at all inconspicuous, so I realized I would need to make a quick trip back home to pull it inside before completing any more errands. I wasn’t expecting any large packages, but assumed that it must be something for my husband. I announced to my girls the plans that we were going to head back home, to pull the package inside and was immediately swamped with questions about the box’s contents. I explained that I didn’t know and that I wasn’t quite sure. Read More... The post 199- Secret Santa appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The holiday spirit is everywhere this time of year. People seem to be a little bit nicer, a little bit friendlier and overall more generous. Perhaps it's a last ditch effort to get their names on the nice list, but most likely it's coming from the heart. I experienced some of that on Monday but my day didn't start off that way. The post 198- Donut Delight appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

To: Darrell From: Uncle Johnny, Aunt Susan, & Lacey DeAnn. Merry Christmas 1986. Those are the words inscribed inside the front cover of one of my Christmas gifts from that year. I know those are the exact words, because it’s sitting here on my desk right next to me as I type out this story. The gift was a small 3”x5” photo album. The entire cover is padded and it has a embossed gold frame on the front cover. Most people would say it’s burgundy in color but here in Oklahoma, we like to call it crimson. When the album is opened I see numbers. Numbers like 88, 4, 45, and 44. There on the very first page of the photo album is picture of 4 of my childhood heroes. Number 88: Keith Jackson. Number 4: Jamelle Holieway. Number 45: Lydell Carr. Number 44: Brian Bosworth. Read More... The post 197- Buzzed by The Boz appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story will take us back to 1983 or 1984. My parents were still married and we lived in a trailer house located in between the town I now live in, Edmond, OK, and the town north of here, Guthrie, OK. My brother was part of the local Boy Scouts group, and that group is the source of this story. My brother’s troop was responsible for a Christmas tree lot here in Edmond. I’m guessing it was some sort of fundraiser for them, but I’m not sure. What I am sure of is that on a cold December night my family and I found ourselves manning the lot and trying to sell evergreens. Read More... The post 196- The Hot Chocolate Meltdown appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Justina. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 195- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Who here loves mopping? Raise your hands!! I know a story about a mop may not sound like the most exciting lesson, but it did lead me to learn something new and I hope you will learn something too. Last year, mopping was my enemy. I had laminate wood flooring and tile throughout my entire home, and keeping up with the sweeping and mopping was at least a full-day’s job. Not to mention I had a little one that loved to discover whatever I didn’t keep up with and immediately initiate impromptu taste-tests of whatever she found. I am pretty diligent about sweeping up after meals and especially make a point to not miss sweeping after dinner, but mopping was a whole different beast. Read More... The post 194- The Right Tool appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m a dog person. I’ve been living with one or more cats in the house ever since Kim and I first moved in together, but she’s the cat lover, I just happen to live in the same house with one and tolerate it for her sake. Dogs on the other hand, I can get into. The post 193- Decision Averted appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Sometime during the night after we had gone to sleep, Santa would sneak into the very room we were sleeping in, and he would leave special presents under the tree and fill the stockings with goodies. That Christmas morning in 1982 my brother and I awoke to the sight of two Huffy Laredo bicycles by the tree. They were mesmerizing. The Huffy Laredo bicycle had a beautiful padded banana seat, raised handlebars, a chain guard, and cool looking fenders over the wheels. Read More... The post 192- Two Wheeled Freedom appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Since a few of my stories over the next few weeks are going to be centered at my aunt and uncle’s home in Liberal, KS, today I want to tell you about their home and what I learned from traveling there each year during my childhood. Like most kids, I looked forward to Christmas break every year. What’s not to look forward to, right? Two weeks with no school, new toys would soon be in my hands, more time to play with friends, and if we were lucky, we might even get some snow. Those are the things kids love most. Read More... The post 191- We’re Not in Kansas Anymore appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Ana. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page Read More... The post 190- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This year has been interesting to say the least. It’s had its fair share of ups and downs, but mostly ups. I’m going to share something that’s pretty personal to me, and I ask that you hear it for it’s intent. This year we have struggled more than other years financially. This means we’ve made a lot of changes in our daily life routines and decisions. I never thought I was too materialistic or had a long list of unnecessary “needs”, but as we’ve had to make spending decisions more carefully, I’ve realized how untrue that really was. Even decisions as simple as buying specific brands of dish soap over a generic cheaper one were a little painful for me. Read More... The post 189- Post-It Note Christmas Tree appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m 45 years old, so it shouldn't be a big surprise to hear that I wear glasses. After all, most people’s eyesight will degrade over time so I count myself lucky that I went 37 years with near perfect vision. The post 188- Reading The Fine Print appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There are some aspects of starting my entrepreneurial journey that have been hard for me to figure out. For example, I’ve had a hard time mentally accepting the value that I provide my clients and believing that I am worth the amount of money that I charge them. I’ve also had a hard time selling myself to new clients because I’ve feel like I have to brag about myself to do that. Read More... The post 187- Understanding Value and Communication appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A couple of weeks ago I shared an episode titled, “Thankful for My Kids.” In that episode I told you a little about my daughter Addison and how I look forward to meeting her after school each day. Today I’d like to elaborate on that. My studio sits at the front part of our house so I can see and hear cars as they go by each day. Among the traffic that I hear each day is the sound of the diesel engine that powers the school bus. I hear the roar of the engine and immediately look at the clock. Nearly every day it’s the exact same time, 3:54pm. Read More... The post 186- Opening the Door to Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Mary and Barb. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback PageRead More... The post 185- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In November 2002, I was studying abroad in Sundsvall, Sweden. Sundsvall is located on the Gulf of Bothnia, part of the Baltic Sea and is 395 km or roughly 246 miles North of Stockholm, Sweden. As you can imagine, by November things are beginning to get chilly in Sundsvall. In November the average temperatures range from a high of 36 degrees to a low of 23 degrees Fahrenheit. They also have a lot of precipitation owing to their gulf climate, much of which is, of course, snow. By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, the other foreign exchange students and I had been together for roughly 3 months, and begun to know each other quite well. We spent all of our free time together exploring our new home and taking day trips to exotic locations, like Ikea. Read More... The post 184- Best Thanksgiving Ever appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You don't need to be an expert to succeed. There are plenty of people out there with less knowledge than you that would be thrilled to learn from you. Yes, there are going to be people with better skills and qualifications, but they may not be giving back they way you can. The post 183- Stalled In The Snow appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The word provision is a derivative of the word provide...or is it the other way around? In fact, as I did more searching I found Google suggestions for the phrase, “Jehovah Jireh.” Jehovah Jireh is a Biblical name from the Old Testament which translates to, “The Lord Provides.” More specifically, it originates from the Genesis story of Abraham being willing to sacrifice his only son, Isaac, in obedience to the Lord. When God saw Abraham’s faith, he stopped Abraham from sacrificing Isaac, and provided a ram as a sacrifice. That place on Mount Moriah was then called Jehovah Jireh, The Lord Provides. Read More... The post 182- Thankful For God’s Provision appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’ve never considered myself rich. I came from a middle class family, and I’m now part of the middle class. The town I live in is considered to be a higher income area, but not all who live here are upper middle class or above. Sure, there are some incredibly large and ornate homes near me, but not all of them are. There are some very small homes and many under privileged homes too. It’s easy to look around and see all that we don’t have, right? It’s easy to see the big house, fancy car, latest fashion trends, and gadgets in the hands of other people and wish that we were them. Of course, deep down, we all known that more stuff does not mean less problems. Read More... The post 181- Thankful For Food and Water appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Justina and Bill. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 180- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

About 9 years ago, Clint and I had just bought our first home. We were excited and anxious as we made changes to the paint, ripped off wallpaper, laid down tile and pulled out carpet. We also had to purchase new large appliances including a washer, dryer and refrigerator. As we selected paint chips and appliances, I remember feeling like we were spending more money than we had seen at that point. We made our big decisions based on functionality, product ratings, personal experience and our “wants”, knowing that we’d more than likely be living with these large purchases for quite a while. We opted with a traditional energy-saving washer and dryer combo, avoiding the beautiful, but more costly top loaders. When the time came to purchase the fridge, we were dazzled by the huge array of options, each adding extra dollars to the cost. We stood in the large appliances sections of Best Buy, Sears, Lowes, and Home Depot looking both stupefied and giddy at our potential prospects. Did we want Stainless steel or black? Did we want a side-by-side, or fridge-over-freezer drawer combo? Some fridges had panel inserts that could slide in to change the look of the refrigerator completely. Read More... The post 179- Snap Judgement appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In 2005 when we build our new home on the outskirts of town an idea struck me that would push my kids to want to spend more time outside. My son was 9 years old and my daughter was 6. With so many trees in our yard wouldn't it be wonderful to build them a treehouse to play and have their own adventures in. Read More... The post 178- The Treehouse appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In September of 1994 I was hired as a part-time cashier for a local bookstore chain. Nineteen years later I left that chain having worn many hats along the way. I was a cashier, stocker, department head, key carrier, assistant manager, store manager, buyer, co-manager, internet sales coordinator, internet sales manager, and director of ecommerce. No matter what my title was, my job was essentially always the same. That is, my job was to serve others. I served customer, co-workers, bosses, suppliers, and vendors. I served those who worked above me, beside me, and below me. Despite what others may say, entrepreneurs do not work for themselves. Entrepreneurs, at least the successful one, work for others. Read More... The post 177- Thankful For My Clients appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the summer of 2008 a couple of co-workers and I decided to start a podcast about a new JJ Abrams show called Fringe. Fringe turned out to be an incredibly rewarding adventure that spanned 5 seasons. We had much more success than we ever imagined and it opened my eyes to see a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities. When those two co-workers decided to drop out of the podcast in the middle of the second season, I really wasn’t sure what to do. From nearly the very beginning of our podcast we had been a team of four. The fourth member was a sciency friend of mine named Clint. So Clint and I decided to keep moving forward and do the best we could with just the two of us. Read More... The post 176- Thankful For the Golden Spiral Media Team appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Jill. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 175- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Over the past couple of weeks I have become diligent about re-entering the habit of getting healthy. Temperatures have plummeted here, just as I know they have taken a nosedive in the rest of the Midwest recently. Two days ago we were enjoying sunshine at the zoo with temperatures in the mid-70’s, and today when I asked Siri about the temperature outside, first she shivered, then she informed me that it’s 22 degrees Fahrenheit. Read More... The post 174- Getting in the Groove appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This was exactly what we had always wanted. We had our dream home, in a beautiful, quiet neighbourhood, and when the summer foliage at it’s fullest all visibility is cut off from the homes around us. We can enjoy the privacy of our back yard without worrying about nosy neighbours. It’s like our own private getaway. Read More... The post 173- The Lesson Is In The Leaves appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Continuing in my series of episodes about what I’m thankful for, today I want to tell you about my kids. I know I talk about them a lot. Why shouldn’t I? They’re a major part of my life. They’re a major part of me. It’s hard being a parent. For me, it’s the hardest thing I do. Where is the right balance between establishing boundaries and allowing them to learn for themselves? What things should they be exposed to so that they are aware of the world around them, and which things should I shelter them from. Sometimes those questions are very easy to answer, and sometimes they are quite challenging. Read More... The post 172- Thankful For My Kids appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last Friday night my cousin, Lacey, got married. It was a beautiful evening for an outdoor wedding, and really as nice as it gets here this time of year. Lacey was even more beautiful. After a short ceremony they were pronounced husband and wife and now they’re off on their honeymoon. I haven’t spent a whole lot of time with her now husband, but he seems like a really great guy. I wish them a lifetime of happiness and love. At their reception there was a table set up with pictures of them as kids and as an adult couple. There was also a place set up for us to write down words of advice to the newlyweds. My advice: let him play video games as often as he wants, and make him his favorite meal every Friday night. No, that’s not what I said. I offered up two pieces of advice. First, I told them to always respect each other. Second, I told them to have fun. Read More... The post 171- Thankful For My Marriage appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bonita and Aren. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 170- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

This week my children's school is preparing for a Boosterthon. The Boosterthon is a big fundraising event, that provides an opportunity for kids to request pledges in dollar amounts based on a set number of laps they run around a track. The kids collect pledges of $1 and up per lap and can run as few as 30 or as many as 35 laps on a track where each lap is 1/16 of a mile. The money that the school collects this year will go toward collecting books for mini-libraries with age-appropriate books for each grade. A large part of the Boosterthon is getting the kids excited and eager about the fun run and also to raise school spirit leading up to the event. Read More... The post 169- Calling an Audible appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’ve been a fan of Golden Spiral Media for a while now, and this particular podcast since it’s launch. Well, before it’s launch actually since Darrell told me all about his plans for this show when he hired me to designed the artwork for it. So you can say I’ve been on board from the start. Now as Darrell mentioned when he made the announcement that I would be the new host, I’ve sent in Friday Forum submissions on a number of occasions. Six to be exact. On a side note here, since I can’t submit to the Friday Forum anymore I’m now expecting you to step up with your own. If you don't think you have any stories good enough, which I find hard to believe, I’d still love to hear how something you’ve heard on this show has touched you. Can you relate to Derek’s adventures with a newborn? Have Mandy’s toddler troubles touched home? Or are you also an amature gardner discovering your green thumb like Darrell? I would love to hear how one of their stories has affected you and made you take action. Ok, where was I, oh yes, back in June I sent Darrell a message letting him know that if he wanted a break I would be willing to host SILY one day a week. Read More... The post 168- The Path That Led Me Here appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I’ll be talking about health and I realize that health is a thing that many of you struggle with. I recognize that. However, if I am totally honest with myself (and you), I have to admit that I do take my health for granted. Having said that, that does not mean that I’m not thankful every day for my health and the health of my family. Read More... The post 167- Thankful for Health appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Opportunity is defined as a set of circumstances that makes it possible to do something. Last week was a great reminder to me of just how thankful I am for opportunity. Opportunity is what allowed me to leave my corporate job and steady salary to become an entrepreneur. I made that move 18 months ago tomorrow. My journey has had highs and lows, as I’m sure you can imagine. Read More... The post 166- Thankful for Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I steal my kids Halloween candy and call it the “dad tax,” and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Ben, Justina, and Dani. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 165- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Continuing the theme of updates on recent stories, today we’re discussing communication etiquette in the digital age. Last week in the “It Takes a Village” episode, I mentioned a friend of mine that received communication regarding the care of her children via text message while on a business trip. The breakdown in communication was not entirely due to content, but occurred mainly due to the medium of communication selected to deliver the message, text message. Read More... The post 164- It’s Not What You Say…It’s How You Say It appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I've mentioned a few times that I'll be leaving Stuff I Learned Yesterday behind soon. And that day has come. Today is my final SILY show. I thought it would be fun to trace back my steps to well before I started hosting the Wednesday slot to uncover how I got here. Read more and listen to this episode... The post 163- Time to Move On appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

If you’ve followed this podcast for a while and heard much about my childhood, then you’ll recall that my parents divorced when I was 9 years old. Shortly thereafter I moved to a small town with my dad and brother. Needless to say, it was an odd and sometimes difficult adjustment for me. Things were different in what seemed every way possible. I had no friends and had to try to make new ones. The structure of the school lessons and classrooms were different. My after school routine was different. Even evenings and dinner time was different. I never really felt like I fit in. It was weird and awkward. I didn’t feel like I was an outcast or disliked, just not really fully accepted, even as a fourth grader. By the time fifth grade came around I had made a few friends, one of them was my best bud, James. I don’t really know why I didn’t spend time trick-or-treating with James. Maybe I was supposed to and would have later that night. Maybe he was at a party or with his mom. Maybe I did and I’ve just forgotten that part of this story. All I remember is that I was alone. Read More... The post 162- Giving Up on Halloween appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

From the time I was about 4 until the middle of first grade, we lived in a small 1,000 square foot house on NW 30th street in Oklahoma City. My brother and I shared a room and had bunk beds. We didn’t have a lot of money, but I never felt like we were poor. I remember a lot of things about that house. I remember when dad brought home the Atari 2600 and playing Asteroids. I remember the smell of yeast when mom would make her homemade bread. I remember learning to ride a bike out in the front yard. I remember spiders. Read More... The post 161- The Gauntlet of Arachnids appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, yesterday I made a teleprompter by using cardboard and a picture frame, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Flashback. Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes will feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we take a look back at Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 23-"The Halloween Candy Toilet Paper Mystery.” Read More... The post 160- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A friend off mine, who is a single mom, recently went out of town on a business trip for a couple of evenings. She has two young children, so she made arrangements for someone to look after them while she was away for this trip as well as another pending trip, and proceeded on her way. Sometime late in the afternoon of her first evening away, she got a disturbing text message from her caretaker hinting that the responsibility of caring for her children was too great. She panicked and was totally thrown off course. Read More... The post 158- It Takes a Village appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I've been tired my whole adult life. I thought feeling tired all the time was normal. It's just how life goes and everyone must feel tired all the time. I would sleep in frequently, like, way later than I'll admit. I would take naps almost everyday. About once a week I would take 3 or 4 hour nap. It also seemed like every few month I would experience a 2 or 3 day bout of total exhaustion. Read more and listen to this episode... The post 158- Why Am I Always So Tired appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I believe that setting priorities and boundaries are very important. For example, my biggest priorities are my family, my church, and my business. Within each of those parts of my life, and all the other parts of my life, I have to set boundaries. With my business, I have boundaries on the type of work I will do based on my skills and values. I have boundaries on the types of products I will endorse or partner with. I have boundaries on the times of day and days of week that clients can contact me. I’m sure you have your own set of boundaries as well. One of the things that I’ve learned the hard way is that sometimes boundaries have to be drawn on the amount of things that I commit to. Read More... The post 157- Knowing When To Say No appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last week I released an episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday called Share What You Know. On Friday, we had a contribution from Mike about passion. One of the things that Mike mentioned was his inability to control a classroom of 12 year olds when he first began teaching. Now he has much more experience and knowledge, so he’s able to run a classroom much better. As I mentioned in my outro on Friday, we had my son’s birthday party over the weekend. After the party my dad was getting ready to leave when he asked me how my car has been running. You may recall that my car is 30 years old, so this is a pretty common question that he asks me. I told him that it was running just fine, but I had a power steering fluid leak and a radiator leak that I was having trouble solving. Read More... The post 156- Surrounded By Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite soda is cherry coke, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Justina and Mike. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 155- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Meal times at my house are becoming predictable. Not because we eat the same meals every day, but because just as dinner is being served, at any given meal we know we will probably hear the words “I want the pink bowl”. We bought a stack of brightly colored bowls and plates for the kids at IKEA some time ago. When we moved into the new home, I triumphantly unpacked the bowls and plates expecting my children to be excited about their new fun dinnerware. That lasted for a little while, as Renna was still developing her likes and dislikes. Marin has always favored pink, and I am used to her constant hunt for pink things and insistence that pink be somewhere on every outfit that she wears or at least on a bow in her hair, as if she will suddenly forget what pink looks like if she goes a day without it. Read More... The post 154- Battle for the Pink Bowl appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I'm reading a book called The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph. Author Ryan Holiday. It's a great read and I highly recommend it. As you can gather from the title, it's a book about facing down and dealing with obstacles in life. Let me bring us into the books concept by telling two stories, the first being historical and the second personal. Listen to this episode... The post 153- The Obstacle Is the Way appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

John F. Kennedy once said, “Leadership and learning are indispensable to each other.” The name of this podcast is Stuff I Learned Yesterday and I begin each episode with the phrase, “I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.” Learning is incredibly important. Learning comes from a myriad of sources. It comes through formal classroom instruction. It comes from laboratory environments. It comes through mentoring or tutoring. It comes from experience. It comes from making mistakes. It comes from observation. It comes by asking questions. Read More... The post 152- Share What You Know appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I don’t know if you heard or not, but my family and I just returned from a trip to Hawaii. Don’t worry, I won’t be talking about our time there again today. Instead, I want to tell you about something that happened as we were preparing to make the trip. Before we get to that part of this story, let me give you a little backstory. I was born at a very young age. When I was 11 years old my 6th grade teacher noticed that I was having trouble seeing the chalkboard and told my parents that I should have my eyes checked. The eye exam revealed that I not only needed glasses, but I needed them badly. I don’t know what my vision score is, but based on the thickness of my lenses, it’s bad. Without my glasses the whole world is a massive blur. One time when I was in 9th grade a kid pushed me down and my glasses came off my face. I was literally crawling around on my hands and knees fumbling around for them like you’ve seen on TV shows. Finally someone else came along and they were kind enough to find my glasses and give them to me. Read More... The post 151- Getting a Second Pair of Eyes appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bryan. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 150- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On the playground at soccer practice the other evening, my daughter met a new friend. She was one of Jonas’ teammates younger sisters, and because I was on playground duty – I was able to overhear their entire conversation. They were not fast friends. In fact, though they played together well, and from a distance seemed to really enjoy each other’s company, their conversation was pretty heated. It started in a very typical, “My dad is stronger than your dad” sort of way. The little girl coolly proclaimed while swinging back and forth from the monkey bars “I am the best at everything!” To which Marin replied, “No, My Bubby is. He’s really good at everything.” I didn’t intervene, because I was enjoying for a moment how highly Marin was speaking of her brother. Then, the littler girl again repeated her proclamation, that she was the best at everything, to which Marin replied, “ Actually, did you know that everyone is special and good at something? We are all created for different things with different purposes.” The little girl said, “Yeah! I knew that!” and by the end of the night, they were calling each other best friends. Their resiliency and ability to get over their own egos so quickly to become fast friends was impressive and admirable. Read More... The post 149- Purpose appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Years before I met my wife and we had our baby I heard a song about being a parent that stuck with me. The song is by Paul Simon and its called father and daughter. I really liked the song right away and I was still years away from being a father myself. The chorus goes like this... Read more and listen to this episode... The post 148- Father and Daugther appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I have a confession to make. I'm making this episode up as I write. Yes, I normally write out each of these episodes and record my reading of them. Before I put fingers to my keyboard, I typically have a mental outline of where I want to take the story. Not today. I thought I did. But then that outline was abandoned. I had what I thought was a pretty good angle on the attack on Pearl Harbor, the ensuing US involvement in WWII, the bombings on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, and the rebuilding of Japan after the war. However, I decided that there were a lot of things about those events that I don't know so it would be good for me to do some research first. That research led to more research, which led to more research, which led to even more research. For nearly three hours now I've been reading articles looking at photographs, and watching videos. Here's what I learned: There are a lot of complex, controversial, and debated issues within these topics. Read More... The post 147- Inspired By Remembrance appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We are a busy people. Life fills up with stuff and overflows with the rush of going from place to place, responsibility to responsibility. It’s difficult to find a time of peace and quiet. When I was a kid I would watch reruns of the Andy Griffith Show. I don’t know if life ever was truly that simple, but I’d like to think it was. Before we headed out for our Hawaiian vacation, I spent some time researching various things about Hawaii in general and Oahu, the island we would be on. I came across an article from the Huffington Post called “11 Things That Are Weirdly Missing In Hawaii...And What They Can Teach You.” Here’s a brief rundown of the 11 things. Read More... The post 146 -Don’t Honk if You Love Hawaii appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I don’t drink caffeinated coffee after dinner, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Emilee and Jess. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 145- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Before I start, I just want to tell everyone how much I have been enjoying the Friday Forums! You guys are just awesome and such an encouragement to all of the Stuff I Learned Yesterday Community. I feel so blessed to be a part of this awesome show and am really enjoying getting to know more about each of you through your submissions on the Friday Forum. Please keep them coming! I also wanted to give a shout out to the guest hosts that aired while Darrell was out of town. Seriously great job everyone! Such good stuff! Not too long ago, “The Shadow aka , “The Real Brian” shared his account of how a near-death experience gave him a new appreciation for his purpose in life, or at least the reality that we all have a purpose. We must have been thinking along the same lines, because as I sat down to work on this episode, I had not yet listened to his episode, but was able to immediately relate. Unlike many frequent listeners, I don’t have a lot of alone time in my car – so my kids are often also listening in with me. Listening to the show with my kids in the car is really rewarding, because it always brings up some really great topics of conversation and it’s so much fun to see what they retain and what grabs their attention. Read More... The post 144- Asking Questions appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When life gets too busy to keep up with everything, something has to go. I would rather do a few things really well then a lot of things poorly. I try to intentionally choose what gets cut out from my life. If I don't choose carefully what stays and what goes I'll end up cutting things that should have stayed and keeping things that should have gone. Listen to this episodes and read more... The post 143- Making Space For New Things appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Since we were going to be in Honolulu for about 10 days, it was important for us to find the right place to stay while we were there. Eating out every meal was not an option for two very important reasons. First, eating out every meal would soon add up to big bucks. Most importantly, however, my son has several food allergies so eating out is a challenge for us. We knew that we needed a place that had 3 beds, 2 bedrooms, and a kitchen. I started my search by looking at various hotels. To get a hotel with the accommodations we needed was very expensive. I then turned my attention to private condos in the area and soon found the perfect location. It was located on the 35th floor of the Aston Sunset Waikiki building, and it had all the space we needed at a price that we could afford. Better yet was the fact that it had been recently renovated and it had amazing views. Read More... The post 142- Diamond Head and the $6 Cab Ride appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In the early morning hours of September 16 my family and I boarded a plane that would take us to an airport that would take us to another airport that would take us to a plane that would take us to Oahu. 17 hours after we woke up, we were in the sun drenched beauty of the Aloha state. We knew the final leg of our trip, which was Denver to Honolulu, would be a long one, but it was even longer than we imagined. But my son and I had a great time watching some movies and some Classic Doctor Who. My wife and I even watched the final episode of LOST. We spent the next 10 days basking on beaches, taking pictures of the beauty of God’s creation, hanging out with friends, and relaxing. Our third day on Oahu called for a trip up Diamond Head. I’ll tell you more about that trip tomorrow. Today I want to tell you about what we did on Monday, September 22nd. On the day of the 10th anniversary of the premiere of LOST we took a chartered tour around Oahu to see several of the locations where they filmed the show. We boarded the charter bus at the Hilton Waikiki and made our way to Interstate Highway H1. After a few miles we turned on to Likelike Highway. Read More... The post 141- Ain’t No Mountain High Enough appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I have now traveled to 23 US states, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we’re taking a trip back to visit the 2nd most popular episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Friday Forum I want you to be a part of the Friday Forum! Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. What I Learned Yesterday: Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes will feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we hear the episode the most popular episode of of SILY (according to download statistics), Episode 39- “Recognizing the Beauty in Flaws.” Read More... The post 140- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In 1970, a West Virginia housewife, Marian Lucille Herndon McQuade, initiated a campaign to set aside a special day just for Grandparents. In 1978, five years after its adoption in West Virginia, the United States Congress & President Jimmy Carter passed legislation proclaiming the first Sunday after Labor Day as National Grandparents Day. (September was chosen for the holiday, to signify the "autumn years" of life.) This year, in 2014, Grandparent’s Day was celebrated on September 7th. According to www.grandparents-day.com the National Grandparent’s Day website, this day has a threefold purpose: To honor grandparents To give grandparents an opportunity to show love for their children's children. To help children become aware of the strength, information and guidance older people can offer. Read More... The post 139- Grandparent’s Day appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m not a particularly religious person, but I was raised in a church-going family and have enjoyed many of the Christian traditions over the years such as Christmas eve caroling and sunrise Easter services. But - I gotta be honest - nothing quite measures up to the festivities enjoyed by many Jewish families, especially at this time of year. Tonight at sundown, Rosh Hashanah begins, and for those who may not be familiar with the holiday, it’s the celebration of the new year according to the Jewish calendar. Read more... The post 138- The Sweetest Season appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. I am The Real Brian aka The Shadow. I’ve got new socks on! Actually… I don’t like socks… I go barefoot… even if it’s cold and snowing... and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday … Why don’t I fit in?!? Read more... The post 137- Why Don’t I Fit In? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

One of my favorite episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday that Darrell has done over the past few months was Episode number 23: The Halloween Candy Toilet Paper Mystery, and not just because it was a great story, although it was. If you haven’t heard that one, definitely dig into the archives and listen to it. You can search by the episode number in your podcast app or search “toilet paper” at goldenspiralmedia.com. Thankfully, that’s the only search result that pops up - I guess toilet paper doesn’t come up in TV show discussions very much. Anyway, to summarize that episode, it was the one where Darrell, in his childhood, snuck into his house after school to steal some Halloween candy and ended up engaging in pyromaniacal activities in the bathroom, setting toilet paper on fire for absolutely no other reason than to see what would happen. Darrell then lied to his dad about starting the fire, stubbornly refusing to concede despite repeated punishment. Having had my fire fascination phase myself, as many young boys do, I really identified with this tale, but it’s not even the story itself that matters in this case. It’s the lesson Darrell chose to glean from this life event that made number 23 a favorite of mine. Read more... The post 136- Being Honest About Dishonesty appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite classic sports car is the Toyota Supra Mark II generation, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday we’re taking a trip back to visit the most popular episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Which one will it be? Friday Forum I want you to be a part of the Friday Forum! Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. What I Learned Yesterday: Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes will feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we hear the episode the most popular episode of of SILY (according to download statistics), Episode 47- “You Want Change With That?” Read More... The post 135- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You know that mom you saw at the grocery store the other day, deftly maneuvering the aisles with precision at a record pace, with an air of peace and tranquility. The one with three kids in tow, all riding or walking quietly, engaging courteously with fellow shoppers, with their hands relaxed comfortably at their sides and smiles glued into place? Yeah…that probably wasn’t me. A few weekends ago, I found myself in an uncomfortable predicament. We had just moved into our new home, our freshly defrosted fridge looked like an empty cavern and, wouldn’t you know, Clint was out of town. The natives were growing restless and everyone was echoing the same thing – “We’re hungry! What are we going to eat for dinner?” It was getting late, and I knew that I needed to feed my family. We’d had a really great, but busy day, and time had just escaped me. Read More... The post 134- C.A.P. Someone Today! appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today was stressful. I work from home while my wife goes to her regular 9-5 job. We have a five month old baby girl who is just adorable. I'm so in love with her. I watch her 3 days a week we drop her off at a friends house 2 days a week. Then my wife has her on the weekends. Our daughter is a really good baby. She's sweet, she's happy, and she's usually really easy to look after all day. Read more and listen to this episode... The post 133- A Shorter Memory appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. I am The Real Brian also known as The Shadow… or just… Brian… I roast my own coffee and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a lesson I learned from getting hit by an SUV while riding my bike. Read more... The post 132- Still Here for a Reason appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I grew up with two brothers and a sister, and we all got along really well. During our teenage years, one of the skills we attempted to cultivate was the ability to cook or bake, and each of my siblings and I have carried this talent into our adulthood, each with our own speciality. My older sister, Laura, for example, makes excellent cookies; my twin brother, Casey, is an expert at pizza crust; my younger brother, Carey, is a master at making fudge… and me? Well, I had the good fortune of marrying an excellent cook, so my skills have waned a bit over the years, but I still make a pretty amazing omelet as well as quesadillas, burritos, or pretty much anything filled with meat and cheese. But when we were younger, my brothers and I had a more mundane platform on which to hone our culinary skills: boxed macaroni and cheese. Read more... The post 131- Experiments in the Kitchen appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I had an amazingly positive experience with Amazon customer service this week, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Brian. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 130- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m somewhere in the middle, but I think my son might fall more on the experiencer end of the spectrum. Watching him repeat a familiar mistake, for a costly outcome can be painful for both of us. Just like many of you, we recently celebrated Labor Day weekend. We had family in town, and hadn’t made any major plans, settling on a low-key three-day-weekend. This was a welcome break from the hustle and bustle of every day life, as we recently moved into a new home, have kids at a brand new school with new sports and new schedules. We really relished the idea of taking a break, and planned to take the kids out on the town for some good-old-outdoor family time! Read More... The post 129- Learning the Hard Way appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The other day I came across one of those pictures with large font text across it on the internet somewhere. One of those motivational pictures that I like to call throw away life philosophies. I usually read them quickly and move on. But this one caught my attention. Listen to this episode and read more... The post 128- The Work You Didn’t Do appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

On February 17, 2004 my wife and I were sitting in a nice restaurant getting ready to enjoy a steak dinner to celebrate my birthday. Shortly after we sat down she handed me a card. I opened up the card and read all the nice stuff that they put inside those things. I then read the nice words that Kari wrote about me...and then I noticed that she had written in an instruction for me to turn the card over for a surprise. Surprise was an understatement. What do you think it was? If you guessed that it was her telling me that she was pregnant, you’re right. We had already had our daughter and we were perfectly content with her. We weren’t even trying to have another kid, so it was truly a surprise. Read More... The post 127- Finishing Strong appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last week I received a text message that is of the kind that you never want to get. It was letting me know that a friend of mine had succomed to cancer. She was 68. Let me tell you about her. Her name was Bochy Gray and she was one of the kindest people I ever met. She loved to serve others, she loved her family, she was amazingly loyal, and she had a great smile. You may recall in episode 42 of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I told you about a vocal quartet I was in when I was in my early 20’s and I was the only member under 50. Bochy was also in that group. I first met Bochy when I started attending church with one of my friends. Bochy and her husband, Bob, were very talented singers and musicians. When they asked me to start singing with them it was an easy decision. Read More... The post 126- For Times and Seasons appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I eat bananas by opening up the bottom end of the peel, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Jason and Justina. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 125- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

About two months ago, my husband, Clint, and I were invited over to ur good friends Darrell and Kari Darnell’s home to discuss podcasting and Golden Sprial Media. The purpose of this meeting was not out of the ordianary for our families. As many of the long-time listeners know, Clint and Darrell started GSM with The Fringe podcast during the show’s time on Fox network. I went to the meeting excited for Darrell and Kari, as their family had recently began pursuing Golden Spiral Media full-time. I attended the meeting casually, and viewed it as an opportunity to catch up with great friends and to be included in the next round of shows that their family and mine would most likely soon be immersed in – for podcasting purposes. As we sat down to dinner, the conversation drifted from catching up, to business. I listened intently as Darrell began discussing THIS podcast, Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My interest was peaked at this point, because I really enjoy this podcast from a casual listener’s perspective, and feel lie I’m having a conversation with Darrell every time I get a chance to listen to an episode. I believe I told him how much I enjoyed his recount of his engagement story to Kari and told him how I have always admired his natural ease with storytelling and drawing deep insight from seemingly mundane everyday occurrences. Read More... The post 124- Through the Looking Glass appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Previously on SILY. Haha, I just wanted to hear myself say that. But for real, on yesterday’s episode, episode 122, Darrell asked two great questions that I’m going to reply to. Well okay, one statement that I’ll reply to and one question that I’ll answer. Statement: Just because an opportunity is a good one doesn’t make it the right one. Question: What are you doing that is keeping you from reaching your goals? Listen to this episode and read more... The post 123- Decision Filter appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I know I’ve said this before, but it’s worth repeating over and over again. It is tremendously important to surround yourself with the right people. I have a group of people that I can go to any time I need valuable insight, I’m trying to make an important business decision, or need to be held accountable for something. I’m a part of two mastermind groups and many of these trusted friends are part of those masterminds. One of those people is Derek. I met Derek for the first time just over a year ago and since that time he’s become a very trusted friend. I first met his wife Carrie when I started looking for hosts to fill out the roster for TV Talk. Carrie and Derek both hosted several shows, and even hosted one show together. Carrie’s first TV Talk show was The Walking Dead that she hosted with Tim Arthur. By the way, Tim is now one of the hosts of our upcoming Gotham podcast. We’ve had quite a few requests for us to host a podcast for The Walking Dead, so I approached Derek and Carrie to see if they’d be interested in hosting it. Derek and Carrie obviously know what we’re all about here at Golden Spiral Media. Derek obviously hosts this podcast on Wednesdays and I knew they’d be a good fit for Golden Spiral Media. Read More... The post 122- Overloaded By Opportunity appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

That’s right, I studied a boat oar. I know what you’re thinking. You’re thinking that I must have the most boring life ever if I spend time studying boat oars. Well, here’s the story. A few years ago my pastor began kayaking. Not me. I went with him once. I had a good time and would love to go again, but I don’t really have a desire to do it regularly. However, he’s really in to it. One of the cool things we have here in Oklahoma City is a world class boating facility. A few years ago we voted to dam up the Oklahoma River that runs through the downtown Oklahoma City area and create what we now call the boathouse district. We have rowing competitions here and even have Olympians from all around the world come here to train. We’re currently adding a white water rapids course and some other improvements. As you can imagine, more and more people in our area are discovering the fun that can be had in various types of row boats. Read More... The post 121- Row, Row, Row Your Boat appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is a Friday Flashback. Friday Flashback episodes will feature some of the most popular episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. Today we hear the episode that started it all, Stuff I Learned Yesterday Episode 01-The Contagious Smile of the Garbage Whistler. Read More... The post 120- Friday Flashback appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness. Said more accurately, it was the age of foolishness, THEN it was the age of wisdom. A couple of nights ago we had a big blow up in our house. Well, honestly, I had a big blow up. I don’t lose my cool a lot, and I certainly don’t lose it as badly as I did this week. It all happened around dinner time. Read More... The post 119- A Tale of Two Dinners appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I can be impatient. I want it all and I want it now, as the song by the band Queen goes. I want everything in life to be easier than it really is and I want everything to take less time. When I think about it, I’m not sure what I would do with all the extra time gained by things going faster. I mean, if I’m not already doing what I love then why am I doing all these other things? An easy fix would be to stop doing things that are wasting my time and just do things that I don’t consider a waste of time. (Whoa, kinda just blew my own mind there.) Listen to this episode and read more... The post 118- 99% un-finished appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

For most of us school is now back in session. Some of you may still be waiting until after Labor Day, but for my family, school started last week. We now have a 5th grader and a 6th grader. Last night was parent night at the middle school that my daughter attends. We spent nearly two hours going room by room meeting each of her teachers and hearing them tell us about their teaching and grading style, what they expected out of their students, and what they hoped to teach our daughter by the time the school year is completed in May. She has most of the classes you’d expect: English, literature, math, and science. Our time with her science teacher was fun. He had each of us perform an experiment and then discuss the differing results. He did in five minutes what other teachers didn’t do in twice that time. We fully understood his teaching style and effectiveness when we left. It was really cool and made me wish I’d had him as my 6th grade science teacher. Read More... The post 117- Stop Fiddling Around and Do Something appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Do you consider yourself an influential person? Think about it for a moment. It’s not a trick question. Do you consider yourself an influential person? I believe wholeheartedly that there is only one answer to this question and that answer is yes. We are all people of influence. Let me give you a few examples. Last night my son and I were out for our evening stroll. It was getting dark and the sun was already out of view. As it sank below the horizon it painted the sky with beautiful shades of pink, orange, purple, and gray. Colby and I walked along the sidewalk and talked about how beautiful it was. He told me that he thought it looked like a forest with a fire lighting up the back side of it. A moment later the sun was gone. We made the turn back toward our house and he said, “Dad, I really like going on these walks with you. I like spending any time I can with you.” Guess what? I’m influencing him. Read More... The post 116- Recognizing Influence appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, since I work from home I only wear shoes and socks about 1 day a week, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Justina, Ana, and Barb. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 115- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

(Photo Credit: giovanni gallucci, LiveLoudTexas.com) As you will probably recall, the last couple of weeks have been stressful for me. The stress was brought about because of 3 things: finances, my Podcast Movement presentation, and the launch of my first digital product. You probably also remember that I launched my first digital product, Audacity Mastery, last week. I still have some things I need to add to the website and some marketing plans to roll out, but the stressful part of that project is now behind me. I stressed over Podcast Movement because I wanted to help people. Those who bought a ticket to Podcast Movement spent their hard earned money to learn more about podcasting and become better podcasters. I didn’t want those who came to my session feel like they wasted their time. I didn’t want the people who gave me the opportunity to speak to feel like they made a bad decision. Therefore, I put pressure on myself to live up to these self imposed expectations. Read More... The post 114- Just Because It Looks Good, Doesn’t Mean It Sounds Good appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Our daughter Amelie is now four and a half months old. I am madly in love with her. She brings more joy to my life than I ever imagined possible. When our daughter was born my wife Carrie took two months off from her job. After the two months was up it was time for her to go back to her full time job. I work for myself and have flexible hours so it made sense for me to take care of our daughter during the day. I didn’t know what to expect staying home all day with a baby. And trust me, there is no way to describe it until you have done it for yourself. All of you stay at home parents know what I mean. Read More... The post 113- Meaningful Work appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I met Chris Brogan over the weekend. Who is Chris Brogan? Chris is a New York Times bestselling author of 6 books about social media, achieving goals, building influence, entrepreneurship, and other similar topics. He’s a frequent keynote speaker at conferences about those topics and he’s consulted for companies like Microsoft, Disney, Coke, Google, and a bunch of others. To folks like you and me, he’s kind of a big deal. He at least has a pretty impressive resume. Chris was invited to be the opening keynote speaker at Podcast Movement. He gave a very interesting and humorous presentation about the way podcasters should treat listeners. After his keynote was over, he hung out the rest of the day. He was part of another panel later in the day, but other than the time he was on that panel, Chris was out mingling with all of us with less impressive resumes. He didn’t go back to his hotel room and hide. He didn’t have a group of people around him to keep people away. No, it was just the opposite. He took time to meet every person, sign every book, hear every story, accept every business card, and shake every hand that was offered to him. I’m not the type of person who typically gets enamored with celebrity. That’s not to say that I don’t get nervous when I get the opportunity to interview a celebrity. I do. But that has more to do with the anticipation of the interview. I get nervous no matter who the person is in those situations. I even get nervous when I’m the one being interviewed. Since I don’t get enamored with celebrity, I don’t go out of my way to speak to them unless I have a legitimate reason to. In Chris’ case, I had a legitimate reason. Read More... The post 112- Ignited By Community appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I just returned from a fantastic weekend at Podcast Movement 2014. The experience exceeded my expectations and I can not wait to return next year. I’ll be sharing a different story about Podcast Movement 2014 every day this week. You may recall that we had a Golden Spiral Media community meetup last friday night while we were in Dallas for Podcast Movement. Dallas traffic is normally bad, but the traffic on Friday was among the worst that I’ve ever experienced there. It took us over an hour longer than expected to drive down from Oklahoma City. While we were sitting in Dallas traffic I got a text from another podcasting friend of mine, Jason Cabassi from The Walking Dead Cast. Jason asked if a friend of his named Michael could join us. Jason and I last saw each other at New Media Expo in January of this year. At that conference Jason also introduced me to Michael. I spent a lot of time at New Media Expo hanging out with Jason and Michael. We had dinner together one night and went over to the Venetian for gelato one day. Of course, Michael was more than welcome to come to the meet up. When we finally arrived at the hotel, we checked in and headed for our room to drop off our luggage. We didn’t have a lot of time to relax before it was time for the meet up. The time soon arrived for us to head down to the lobby to meet up with those who were attending Podcast Movement before heading over to the restaurant. We got on the elevator and I was excited to immediately recognize a face of a familiar podcaster standing right at the front. I enthusiastically greeted him by yelling out his first name, “Caesar!” The friend smiled, said hello, and asked me how things were going. Read More... The post 111- Et Tu, Brute? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite coffee mug, besides my Golden Spiral Media coffee mug, is the one I bought at the original Starbucks in Seattle, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Bonita and Colby. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 110- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I loved driver’s ed. What’s not to love, right? Every kid dreams of one day getting behind the wheel and experiencing 4 wheels of freedom. I took drivers ed my sophomore year of high school and I was paired with a guy named Wayne. Wayne was a senior. While I was taking the class so that I could learn how to drive, Wayne was taking the class so that he could get a reduced rate on his insurance. He’d already been driving for a couple of years and didn’t need near the instruction of myself, or anyone else in the class really. This worked out in my favor. On some days in drivers ed we studied state laws, sat through lectures, watched odd and slightly gruesome safety videos, or took tests. On other days we got behind the wheel and drove around town. Of course, my favorite days were the ones when I got to drive, but I really liked the entire class. I did really well on the tests. As far as I can recall, I only ever missed one test question the entire duration of the class. I still remember the question because I felt silly for missing it. The question was, what do you do when you come to a blinking red light. It was a multiple choice question and I circled the answer that said that you should wait for the light to turn green, and then proceed. Of course, the light will never turn green in that situation and the correct answer is to treat it like a stop sign. It was a simple case of me overlooking the word “blinking.” When I was 15 ½ I took the written test to get my permit. I did great, although I did miss a question. This time the question had to do with bicyclists. I didn’t know that they were supposed to ride in the same direction of traffic. Read More... The post 109- Don’t Blame the Red Haired Lady appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A couple of years ago I found myself overwhelmed by my schedule. Between work, family, church, my social life, and everything else I found it hard to keep up. I got stressed out and started becoming irritable. I was exhausted. I was talking with a friend about how my schedule was too crowded and I was having a hard time cutting things out so that it could be more manageable. This friend used the phrase plate size to describe a person’s schedule. He also talked about how everyone has their own plate size, some people can handle a lot and some people can’t handle as much. Listen to this episode or read more... The post 108- Something Will Fall Off appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Fatherhood is awesome. Sure, there are moments where it can be difficult and frustrating and scary, but those times are far eclipsed by the moments of joy, fun, enthusiasm, and bonding. One of my favorite things to do is spend time with my kids one-on-one. During these one-on-one times they get my full attention, and I get theirs. Sometimes I’ll take a Saturday morning and take one of my kids to breakfast or lunch. My son, Colby, likes to go to a local restaurant called Colby’s grill. Not only does it share his name, it has great food. My daughter likes to go to a local spot called Around the Corner Restaurant. It’s exactly what you think of when you imagine a small town diner. It’s homey and delicious. Recently, Colby and I have been taking walks together in the evenings. It’s the perfect time of day for a walk as we’ve just finished eating dinner, Bernard is out in the flowerbeds gathering pollen, and the air is cooling more each moment as the sun is dipping lower into the horizon. We step out the front door, spend a few minutes watching Bernard, and then one of us will choose which way we’re going to go. Our neighborhood has a walking trail a couple of blocks away, so we usually meander around one of three routes we can take to get to the trail. Along the way we talk about life. As you can imagine, life is pretty hectic for a 9 year old on summer break. He tells me about his latest adventures on Minecraft or a new skin that he has made for his character. Sometimes he tells me about his progress on a game called Portal. Sometimes he asks me how my day has gone. Read More... The post 107- A Walk to Remember appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s podcast is all about keeping it real. I’m going to keep it real, and I hope you do to. Okay, let’s start with a test. When I said that today’s episode title was called “The Flowers and the Birds” and then told you about Bernard the bumblebee, did you think that this would be another episode about my flowers? C’mon, be honest. Well, it’s not. Instead, it’s about stress. Stress comes packaged in a lot of different varieties. For example, it comes by being unhappy with a job or relationship. It comes at the loss of income or sudden unexpected expense. It comes with unwanted health news. It even comes with good things like a new job, planning a wedding, the arrival of a baby, or planning a family vacation. The truth is, we can pretty much point a finger at anything and there’s probably a way that it could bring stress into our lives. I wise woman once told me not to worry about the things we can control because we can control them and therefore need not worry about them. That person also told me not to worry about things we can’t control because they are out of our control and worrying about them will accomplish nothing. Having nothing left to worry about, then we can rest. Good advice, huh? For the most part, I don’t consider myself a worryer or a stresser. But there are times when I get overwhelmed and start to stress out. I know that I should just let it go, but it’s hard. I want to know the end result. I want to be in control. I want to have security. And sometimes those things just aren’t made known to us. The truth is, even when I think I’m in control or know the future or have security, those are just false realities. They can be gone in a moment. Read More... The post 106- The Flowers and the Birds appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, the first time I saw Forrest Gump I hated it so much I almost walked out of the theater, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. If you have a website that looks like it’s from 1995 or even 2005, you probably realize that your website could use a facelift. You can hire someone like Golden Spiral Media to redesign your website for you and you’ll be glad you did. But if you’re the type that likes to do that sort of thing yourself, we recommend Elegant Themes. The folks at Elegant Themes make world class WordPress template and you can get all of their stuff for the price you’ll pay for a single theme elsewhere. Visit www.goldenspiralmedia.com/elegant and get your website looking good today. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Mike, Brett, and Angela. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 105- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was 9 my parents divorced. A few months later we moved to a small town of about 800 or so people. About a year after that we moved to a house on 5 acres about 2 miles outside of town. Our house was just off of historic Route 66 on the top of a hill. In the winter time we’d occasionally get enough snow to go sledding. There were plenty of kids nearby and we would sled down the snow covered dirt road behind our house. After a couple of years, some of the other kids moved away and new folks moved in. A husband and wife named Mark and Donna moved into one of the houses. The house was nestled at an angle from the dirt road in front of it. The back of the house came right up to a thick grove but the rest of the property was wide open. The property was guarded by a white wooden rail fence with two open spaces to accommodate the circle drive. It had a large front yard with two aged elm trees in the middle of the drive. On the east side of the house was small barn that had been used as a horse pen by the previous owners and the horse pen opened up to a large field that the horses had called home. Mark and Donna didn’t have horses, but they did have some large animals. They had two saint bernards, BeBe and CeCe. Mark and Donna were a young couple, probably in their early 30’s. They had no kids. They were younger than my parents, and obviously older than me and my brothers. Mark was an active and athletic guy and they had a basketball goal. We had one too, but we spent a lot of time shooting hoops with Mark at his house. Mark had a cool style about him. He was very encouraging and seemed to always be on the lookout to impart some wisdom. For example, one day while we were playing basketball, my brother lost control of the ball and it damaged his garage door. Mark said it was okay. Afterall, it was an accident, and just part of playing the game. A few weeks later my brother was horsing around and damaged Mark’s gutter. Mark got mad. He pointed out that damaging his stuff was fine when it wasn’t intentional or negligent, but damaging things out of foolishness was not acceptable. It was a good lesson for all of us to learn. Read More... The post 104- A Saint, a Friend, and a Vet appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

At the ripe old age of 35 I think I know enough about life to know that I’m not fully in control. I am supposedly in control of my thoughts, actions, re-actions, and decisions. But the big question then becomes, why, when I look at my own life, could I not have accurately predicted any of it? Read more and listen to this episode... The post 103- What’s Coming Around The Bend? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’ve been called a lot of things in my life: liar, trickster, talented, mean, ornery, arrogant, funny, rude, wise. I’ve also had many titles: manager, director, owner, father, husband, friend, worship leader, student, podcaster. However, over the last few months I’ve been called a couple of things that I didn’t necessarily expect: teacher and storyteller. Teacher is not necessarily a word that has never been associated to my name before. I’ve done things like Bible classes at church, teach podcasting courses, and when I was in high school, I even had thoughts of becoming a teacher one day. However, teacher is not a word that would come to mind immediately if I were asked to describe myself. The word storyteller is a word that I would never have associated with my name. In fact, it never had been associated with me until I started this podcast. Since I began this podcast on March 17, I’ve been called a storyteller at least a dozen times, if not twice that. A few weeks ago we were having dinner with Clint my partner in crime for The Fringe Podcast and Almost Human Podcast, and his wife Mandy, who will soon be hosting this podcast alongside me and Derek. One of the many things we talked about that night was this podcast. I mentioned that the word storyteller was starting to be applied to me and this podcast and that I thought it was odd. I mean, I very purposefully set out to teach lessons through stories with this podcast, so it does seem fitting, but still, odd. Why does it seem odd? Because I never really considered myself a storyteller, that’s why. Sure, I could define a storyteller by simply applying the term to anyone who tells stories. And suppose that if I did that, it wouldn’t be inaccurate. But I think of a storyteller as something greater than that. I think a storyteller is someone who has the ability to capture the attention of an audience and take them on a lyrical journey. I definitely don’t put myself in that category. Still, I’ve been pondering these words and what they mean to me and how they manifest themselves in my life. I love these words, and I love that some think they are appropriate words to describe me. Read More... The post 102- A Teacher and a Storyteller appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We eat a Taco Bell a lot. It’s not my favorite place to eat by a long shot, but the rest of my family really loves it. It’s also cheap. A few weeks ago my son and I were out running some errands and we decided to stop in to Taco Bell for lunch. We went inside and there was only one person in line ahead of us. Instead of the line advancing quickly, it. was. slow. The problem was with the cashier. It was clear that she was new. Maybe it was even her first day. The guy in front of me ordered something, and she couldn’t figure out how to put it into the register. She called the manager. The manager came right away and helped her put in the item to the register. She thanked the manager and he walked back to the kitchen area. The customer then ordered something else, and once again, she needed help. She once again called for the manager. The manager came up right away and helped her. She fumbled around with all the buttons on the register but the manager very patiently helped guide her to the right sequence of buttons. She thanked him and he stepped back. This time he didn’t go back to the kitchen, he simply stepped back a few feet. It was far enough to make her feel like she was running the register on her own, but not so far that the customers didn’t feel like he was abandoning them. Read More... The post 101- Got to Admit It’s Getting Better appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite number is 38, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Today’s featured client is Jim Cumbee. Jim has over 25 years of experience buying and selling small business and uses that experience along with the knowledge he gained while getting his MBA from Harvard to each episode of his weekly podcast, Entrepreneur’s M & A Journal. Each week Jim interviews entrepreneur’s who have built their business up and sold it to a third party. They discuss the challenges and rewards of selling a business, provide unique insight to the listeners, and help educate those who are looking at a merger or acquisition. You can check out Entrepreneur’s M & A Journal at www.tnvalleygroup.com. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Don. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 100- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There is so much happening all around us every day. I regularly receive comments like, “I could never do that show because I don’t really learn that much.” Or, “I don’t know how you come up with so much stuff to talk about.” Honestly, it is a real challenge on some days, and other days, it just flows out and I’ll have ideas for 2 or 3 episodes all at once. If you’re someone that thinks they aren’t learning anything, I’d like to challenge that. Maybe you aren’t the type to be able to put your life lessons into a story like I do. Maybe the stuff you’re learning doesn’t seem as inspiring, or important, or life changing as my stuff. I don’t know about that. Don’t sell yourself short. What I’ve learned is that because I have put myself in a situation where I MUST come up with stuff to share with you, I’m a lot more aware of stuff around me. Literally everywhere I go, every conversation I have is now viewed through the lens of “what am I learning from this.” That’s not a bad thing. Because I’m more focused on what I’m learning, I’m growing more and noticing more things that need attention in my life. I’m noticing others more. I mean, I’m seeing the needs of others, learning more by observation, and listening more. So that’s my challenge to you. Maybe blogging is not your thing. Maybe podcasting is not your thing. That’s okay. Have you ever considered journaling? Grab a cheap notebook the next time you’re at the store and take a few minutes at the start or end of your day to reflect, meditate, and write down your thoughts. You’ll start noticing stuff you never realized that you noticed. You’ll grow at a faster pace because you’re more aware of stuff. And over time, you’ll see the growth rings of your life imprinted on those pages. Read More... The post 099- Milestone Eve appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was in college I wanted to be a rock star. I was in a band and we were good. We toured around Oklahoma and Texas sometimes playing five shows a week. We had t-shirts, stickers, and two full length CDs. It was a lot of fun, even more work and yes, it got crazy every now and then. I would do it all over again given the chance. Well, I wouldn’t do it again now, but if I had to re-live my younger years I totally would. Read More... The post 98- Living Your Own Life appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A couple of weeks ago my family had dinner with a friend and his family. This is a friend that I worked with at my previous job. I hadn’t spoken with him since I’d left nearly 15 months prior. It was great to see him again. We talked about some of the current geeky movies, our thoughts on the upcoming FOX series, Gotham, and some of the creative projects he was working on on his own time. Of course, it was only a matter of time before the conversation turned to the stuff happening at my former job. Since the time that left, the company hired a new president. They were without a president when I left. When the previous president left, I started reporting to the director of operations. He was and is a great guy, but he didn’t have a lot of knowledge about what my department did. Remember what I told you about my last review back in episode 64? Here’s a recap: At one point I was asked to make a list of ideas [by the previous president]. The ideas could be anything. They wanted ideas on how we could increase sales, improve efficiencies, serve our in-store customers better, serve our on-line customer better, improve the functionality of our website, do a better job with our marketing, you name it. I was heading out on a business trip about that time so I spent that trip coming up with idea after idea. I wrote them all down in a notebook that I kept with me. By the time I returned I had over 100 ideas. I presented the ideas to the leadership of the company. The next year I was asked the same question. I thought it was odd because nearly none of my ideas had even been explored. I came up with a few more ideas, refined the first list of ideas, and presented another list of over 100 ideas. A few months later I was given my annual review. One area that was specifically addressed was an area called creativity and ideas. On a scale of 0 to 5, I was given a score of 1. I was told that I had very few creative ideas and almost never shared ideas. At one point in the conversation, my friend asked me if I remembered the list of ideas. He was one of about half a dozen people that had been given a copy of the list. Read More... The post 97- Not the Droids You’re Looking For appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Well as I said in the intro, today’s episode is about something that we can never get enough of. Can you guess what it is? No, it’s not bacon, but that’s a good guess. Let me give you a clue. Here’s one way it is defined by Merriam-Webster: knowledge that is gained by having many experiences in life Another definition is: the natural ability to understand things that most other people cannot understand Have you guessed it yet? Here’s a final definition: knowledge of what is proper or reasonable : good sense or judgment By now I’m sure you’ve guessed that today’s topic is wisdom. As I said, we can never get enough of it. Where does wisdom come from? That is, how do we gain wisdom? Does gaining wisdom even matter? Is wisdom the same as knowledge? First off, wisdom and knowledge aren’t the same thing. A wise person once told me that wisdom is the the ability to know how to properly apply knowledge. That is to say, we can have all the knowledge in the world, but if we don’t know what to do with it, that doesn’t make us wise. So what about the question of whether or not wisdom matters? Do you think it matters? Is it possible to go through life without much wisdom? Is it possible to acquire wealth and achieve things without wisdom? Yes it is. Read More... The post 96- A Voice in the Public Square appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I prefer Captain Picard over Captain Kirk , and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. You know what I love? T-shirts. I don’t know who invented them, but I know who has a nearly perfect supply of them: Think Geek. Look, the truth is, when you step out of your house, you need to let the world know that you are a proud geek. One way to do that is to adorn your torso with a Think Geek t-shirt proclaiming your geeky one-uppey of all things Star Wars, Firefly, Iron Man, Lego, Game of Thrones, Doctor Who, Star Trek, classic video games, and other pop culture spoils. Get your 100% cotton geek uniform by visiting www.goldenspiralmedia.com/thinkgeek today! Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Angela. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 95- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I don’t know how many episodes I’ve done on perspective but it’s at least 3. I talk about it frequently because I believe that perspective is vital. Perspective changes everything and it’s almost always mental. I don’t know anyone who is successful in the things that matter that doesn’t have a positive perspective. When I worked at my previous job I had about a 40 minute drive each way to work. If you’re like me, the drive just turns into a blur after a while. I’d pass by the same stuff every day and really not pay any attention to the things and buildings I drove by. Sure, I noticed a few things, but you miss a lot of stuff when you’re passing it by at 70 miles an hour and trying to keep your eyes on the road. One thing that I had noticed was that there were a few American flags along the way. There was a flag at a school, a church, a car repair shop, and at the entrance to a housing addition. There was a small cemetery on the side of the road that I drove past every day. However, one day I noticed that one grave had a small fence around it and an American flag on a pole by the grave. I could tell that the flag pole had been there for a very long time, and the odds were that a flag had been on the pole every day and I had simply failed to notice it. This got me to thinking. I wondered how many American flags were visible on my drive to and from work each day that I had overlooked. I think that I thought there might be as many as 10 American flags. So I started looking. The first day I really started looking I spotted over a dozen. The next day I saw even more and the day after that I noticed even more that I had missed. After a few days had passed I determined that I had probably spotted them all. Guess how many there were? There were about 50 American flags. Read More... The post 94- Awakening Your Awareness appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I didn’t learn about the 80/20 principle yesterday, I learned about it a long time ago. But I was recently reminded just how helpful and real this principle still is. It’s just as true now as it was when I first learned about it. The 80/20 principle suggests that 80% of your output comes from only 20% of your effort. To put it in business terms, 80% of your profit comes from the top 20% of your customers. And to apply it to productivity, 80% of your output comes from 20% of your time or effort. Let’s shift from productivity to real life for a moment and then we will link real life back to productivity. Here we go. Read More... The post 93- Applying the 80/20 Principle appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Doorbell, dorknell, Darlene, four-eyes, big ears, dumbo, are those your girlfriend’s glasses, hey Larry Darrell and Darrell, where’s your other brother. Those are just a few of the things kids said to me growing up. I’m sure you can make your own list too. This teasing reality is part of growing up for most kids. Just because it’s normal doesn’t mean it’s easy. Sticks and stones do break bones and words hurt in deep ways too. I’ve always been insecure. It has come a long way over the last 15 years, but it some situations, it’s still very real. As a teenager I struggled with the fact that I was so skinny. I wasn’t very muscular or athletic, I was scrawny. I remember someone once told me that fat would turn into muscle and peanut butter would make you fat. So one day I went to the store and bought a jar of peanut butter and ate on it all day just to try and put on some weight that would maybe turn to muscle. Even throughout my college years I couldn’t seem to put on weight. At the age of 22 I weighed about 145 pounds. I ate whatever I wanted, which was great, but I hated being so skinny. I didn’t want to be like Arnold Schwarzenegger, I just wanted to be normal. I just wanted to gain about 15 or 20 pounds. There’s no doubt that some of you have had issues that are opposite of that. Some of you are thinking that it would have been really nice to have been in my position. Funny how that works. We are a “grass is always greener” type of being, aren’t we? The reality is that none of us are perfect and we are much better at noticing our flaws than anything else. We look at other people and wish that we had what they have and we have no idea that they might be looking at themselves and hating what they see or looking at something in us and wishing they had it. Read More... The post 92- Sticks and Stones and Words and Worth appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We went to church fairly regularly when I was a young kid. My parents divorced when I was 9, and we really didn’t go much at all after that. My grandparents went every time the doors were open, so if we stayed the weekend with them, we went to church. Their denomination was the Assemblies of God. The youth program at the Assemblies of God is called Royal Rangers, and it was awesome. For the boys, it was a lot like Boy Scouts. The girls were called Missionettes. They may have been like Girl Scouts, but I really have no idea. As I said, I was pretty young, so I didn’t get to do as much as the older groups did, but we did get to go camping. It was awesome. We’d go out to a campground that was nothing but a blank canvas of earth. We’d set up tents, make a campfire, and cook our food over the fire. We all had mess kits to eat with and I felt like a kid from a century before while we were out there. Partially because I enjoyed the Royal Rangers so much, I wanted to join the Boy Scouts. I wasn’t old enough for Boy Scouts so when I was 7 or 8, I joined the cub scouts. One year for Halloween, we had a Halloween party. I don’t really remember where it was for sure, but I think it was as an American Legion Hall or something like that. Out in the main area of the room were a variety of activities for us to enjoy. I remember being really annoyed by how difficult it was to bob for apples. However, the thing that I remember most did not happen in the main room. I don’t know if it was set up in the kitchen or if there was a storage room, but whatever it was, it had two points of entry and it was walled off from the main room. They had set up a haunted house that took us in one door, through the series of haunts, and then out through the second door. Read More... The post 91- Paralyzed By Fear appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I once had someone mistake me for her dead son, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Are you a podcaster or have you ever thought about starting your own podcast? If so, I want to invite you to Podcast Movement. Taking place in Dallas on August 16 & 17, Podcast Movement will be an incredible opportunity for you to network with and learn from some of the best podcasters and teachers. There will be over 40 breakout sessions that will be broken down by beginner sessions and advanced sessions. Featured speakers included Chris Brogan, Cliff Ravenscraft, Jamie Tardie, Rob Cesternino, John Lee Dumas, Cynthia Sanchez, and MANY more. I will be there leading an advanced session on audio editing, and Derek will be there too. If you want to take advantage of early bird pricing, act right now as early bird pricing goes up after tomorrow, July 15. Visit www.goldenspiralmedia.com/podcastmovement and join the movement today! Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a contribution from Mike. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 90- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m really excited about Podcast Movement. As the days tick by and Podcast Movement draws closer, my excitement grows. I love the opportunity to learn from other people and this conference will have some amazing leaders and teachers. The thing I look forward to the most is meeting new people and reconnecting with others. I learned quite a while ago that the best moments from conferences are normally found in the hallways and the coffee lines. Those are the moments when one-on-one conversations and real connections are made. I’m also looking forward to this conference because it will mark a milestone achievement for me. It will be the first time I have have led a solo session at a conference. Back in 2012 I had a goal to speak at a conference. That was really the entirety of my goal. It didn’t matter what context or conference. I simply wanted to be invited to be a speaker at a conference. I saw it as an opportunity to test the waters for the future career goals that I had and I saw it as a way to challenge myself and grow. In June of that year I was asked to organize and lead a podcasting panel at Blog World in New York City. Since that time my goal has been to increase the number of speaking opportunities that I am given. I consider a speaking opportunity any appearance on someone else’s podcast, speaking locally, participating in a webinar, or speaking at a conference. These are all opportunities to share my knowledge, encourage others, challenge myself, and improve my communication skills. Read More... The post 89- Remembering to Stay on Target appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Have you heard the philosophy that life is 10 percent what happens to you and 90 percent how you react? I believe in this idea 100 percent. I’ve noticed that people who believe in this idea are happier, pleasant to be around, and even more successful in everything they do. Sure, I’ve found that it’s easier to believe in this philosophy when things are good, and not as easy when life gets hard. But, in the good times and in the bad times, it’s my reaction that counts. My reaction is the only thing I have control over anyway, so, might as well start there. Now I’d like to talk with you about a related idea that comes wrapped in a slightly different color paper. Read More... The post 88- The Second Arrow appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was growing up I can remember talking with my friends about what we thought our families would be like when we got older and what we thought life would be like when we graduated. I thought that I’d graduate high school, go to college for 4 years, find the right girl along the way and get married when I was around 22. I then thought after I’d been married for a few years that I’d have kids. I wanted 2 or 3 kids. I think most of my friends pretty much had the same plan. Funny how things change once stuff gets real. I didn’t graduate college 4 years after graduating high school. I didn’t get married at 22, but I was close. I got married shortly after my 23rd birthday. Once I got married, something weird happened. As a kid and even a young adult, the thought of having kids and starting a family was a really cool idea. I looked forward to it. However, once I got married, that all changed. I don’t think it happened immediately, but some time very soon after I got married I realized that the idea of having kids freaked me out. My wife soon started having an interest in starting a family, but the idea of it really made me uneasy. We talked about it from time to time and I’m grateful that it was never a point of frustration or tension between us. We were always able to talk about it honestly. After a while I realized what my problem was. I was not at the point where starting a family was a far off and intangible thing. I was at the point where it was a reality. The reality of the responsibility of everything that comes with having kids was really weighing on me. Kari was patient. Her biological clock was ticking, but she wanted to make sure that both of us were ready. So that was the way things went for at least a year after we started talking about it. Read More... The post 87- When Parenting Got Real appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

It’s been exactly 30 episodes since the last time I talked about my flower beds. When I first mentioned my flower beds and my neighbor with the green thumb back in episode 31, I mentioned that I was committed to the hard work and dedication it would take to keeping the plants alive and making sure the flower beds were more beautiful than they’d ever been. It’s been nearly 3 months since I recorded that episode and I’m happy to report that not only do the flower beds look better than they ever have, I continue to learn new stuff through the process of keeping the beds looking good. Before I get into today’s story I want to let you know that some of you have asked to see pictures of my flower beds. Now, they still aren’t going to win any yard of the month club awards, but you can see a picture of my yard by going over to the website and checking out the featured image for this episode. Again, this is episode 86 of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. I’m really enjoying taking care of my flowers. I still don’t like the planting part, but the rest of it has become quite enjoyable. I go out to look at them 4 or 5 times a day and see how they’re doing. When we started the project at back in April, we had 2 plants in our 2 flower beds. We now have about 65 plants. We’ve had 3 or 4 die along the way. I bought a few new plants last week, and before I planted some of them I tracked the sun pattern over a 7 hour period before choosing the spot I thought would be best. Obsessive? Maybe. But those plants are looking good! Read More... The post 86- Street View Vs. Porch View appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I’ve never traveled outside of the US but hope to do so one day, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. When it comes to your website, you want to make sure you’re hosting it with a company that is reliable and it’s using technology for today’s internet standards. That’s why we recommend HostGator. HostGator offers hosting plans for as little $3.96/month and offers unlimited disk space, unlimited bandwidth, a 99.9% uptime guarantee, and a 45 day money back guarantee. Visit GoldenSpiralMedia.com/hostgator to sign up for HostGator web hosting today. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Mark and Karen. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 85- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I love my job. As you know, I left my job of nearly 19 years in May of 2013 so that I could become an entrepreneur. I had the dream of making a career out of podcasting and it’s been a great first year. I’ve acquired several new clients over the last year, and I’ve been privileged to help a lot of people start or improve their podcast. It’s fun to think about the relationships I’ve formed, especially when I think about the fact that most of my clients were complete strangers to me this time last year. I wonder who I’ll be working with this time next year? Just the thought of all the opportunities heading my way and people who will be a part of it really excites me. One of my clients is Zac Johnson. Zac is one of those guys who realized at a very young age that he would be an entrepreneur. He’s been in business for himself since he was in high school and has achieved a lot of success. Zac is now 18 episodes into his podcast, Rise of the Entrepreneur. In each episode of Rise of the Entrepreneur Zac interviews other entrepreneurs and talks to them about their successes and failures, the stuff they learned the hard way, the new projects they’re working on, and picks their brains for advice that other entrepreneurs would find beneficial. You can check out Zac’s blog and podcast at ZacJohnson.com. By the way, this is not intended to be a commercial for Zac. Zac doesn’t even know I’m talking about him today. At the end of each episode of Rise of the Entrepreneur Zac gives an inspirational quote to help motivate and inspire his audience. As I was editing episode 18, his closing quote really hit me, and it inspired this episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. The quote is, “Go do something today that your future self will thank you for.” Read More... The post 84- Thinking of My Future Self appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Have you ever had someone ask you question that rocked your world? I have. I was asked a simple question by a guy I had never met before and it changed my life. Several years ago I had a job that just wasn’t working out for me. There wasn’t anything wrong with the company, the people I worked with or even the job itself. It just wasn’t a good fit for me. I had been looking for a way out but didn’t really know what I wanted to do. So, I hung on to that job a lot longer than I probably should have. Then I was asked the question. The question was in a book. The question changed my life forever. Read More... The post 83- The Question That Rocked My World appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I mentioned in a previous episode that I sing and play guitar at my church. What I didn’t tell you is that I’m the worship leader and I’m, shall we say, rhythmically challenged. Most of the time I’m fine. That’s not to say that I alway keep in rhythm. I don’t. I have a tendency to speed up as a song goes on. I have to really focus to keep from speeding up the tempo. However, speeding up the tempo isn’t usually that big of a deal. The band sticks with me and we all stay together. The drummer has worked with me in rehearsals to help me more aware of my tempo during the entire song and I don’t really ever get so fast that it’s hard to sing along, it’s just faster than it was when we started. If gradually getting faster as songs progress was my only problem, I probably wouldn’t bother telling you about it. After all, it’s a problem that most people won’t notice. My bigger problem is that I will flat out lose my rhythm from time to time. That is, I’ll be strumming along, playing a song that I’ve done a hundred times before and add in a extra beat or even skip a beat. When I make this type of mistake, it’s noticeable by everyone. We’re all off. Well, actually, the band and the congregation are together, but the guy singing into the microphone and leading everyone is off. When this happens it creates an awkward moment. I instantly realize what I’ve done, of course, and try to figure out how to get back on track. I think what normally happens is that once the odd beat has passed, I’m back on the normal rhythm and the band and congregation just have to sync back up with me. This process usually takes a couple of seconds. Then we’re all back together and the awkward moment is behind us. Read More... The post 82- The Rhythm is Going to Get You appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I played golf over the weekend. You might be impressed to hear that I shot a 68. You might be less impressed to hear that that is just my score for the first 9 holes. In case you don’t really know that much about golf, professional golfers will easily score below 68 for an entire round of 18 holes. Unfortunately for me, golf is one of those sports where a higher score is better. I really enjoy playing golf, but I am also really terrible at it. I hate that it’s so expensive to play, and I’d play more often if it didn’t cost so much. In fact, it had been about 2 years since the last time I’d played a round of golf. I typically play with my dad and brother. Before we ever approach the first hole it’s pretty much a foregone conclusion that my dad and brother will be competing for the top spot and I will claiming third place. That was certainly the case this weekend. After the first hole I was down by 3 or 4 strokes and that was the closest I would come to the lead all day. Since I know that I’m terrible at it, I adjust my expectations accordingly. If you’ve listened to the previous episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, then you should be very aware that I am not athletically gifted. You may think that golfing is not an athletic activity, but I believe it is. At the very least, it requires having good eye-hand coordination, and that’s usually a problem for me. I have no expectation that I will hit a shot that Tiger Woods would be proud of. I don’t even have an expectation that I will hit a shot that Happy Gilmore would be proud of. My expectations are simple: have fun, do my best, and try to improve as the round progresses. Because I know I can’t really compete with my dad and brother, my competition is with myself. This competition may seem false or insignificant, but it’s enough to push me to do my best and cause me frustration when I fail to achieve my goal. My dad and brother are both very encouraging when I hit a bad shot or a good shot, and they give me pointers along the way. Read More... The post 81- Lessons From the Links appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite Dum Dum flavor is root beer, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Stuff I Learned Yesterday is brought to you by Golden Spiral Media. Not only does Golden Spiral Media host and produce podcasts about movies and TV Shows, Golden Spiral Media also offers a full range of audio production and website design services. Whether you’re a small business or entrepreneur looking for a website to impress your clients, you’re a podcaster who wants to trust someone else with the editing process, or you’re just starting your own podcast, Golden Spiral Media can help. Visit GoldenSpiralMedia.com/services today. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Doug and Coop. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 80- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When in the Course of human events, it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another, and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation. We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, --That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn, that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable, than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.--Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world. Read More... The post 79- The Declaration of Independence appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Just last week I was at my favorite coffee shop. I ordered my usual cup of black coffee and sat down at my favorite table to get some work done. At the table next to me there were two men enjoying coffee and chatting away. One of the guys was younger and one was a little older, perhaps a father son relationship, I don’t really know, but it was clear that the older one was a sort of mentor or teacher to the younger one. I am an expert at working in noisy, busy environments, I can tune out everything going on around me. You could let the zoo loose inside the coffee shop and I wouldn’t even know it. And that is exactly what I did on this day, tuned the world out to focus on my work. I can’t even tell you what the two men were talking about, I was focused on my work. But out of nowhere I just happened to clearly hear one sentence that the older man said in response to something the younger man had said. It was such a simple thing, but it really caught my attention and I have been thinking about it ever since. Read more... The post 78- Staying in the Same Place appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Are you ready for a lesson on auto repair troubleshooting? Good. There are 3 things required to make an engine operate: air, fuel, and spark. These three things not only have to be present, but they have to be combined in just the right way at just the right time. If you have just 2 of them, you get to call a cab, hop on a bike, or take off walking. Last Saturday the kids and I hopped into my car to go grab some PVC pipe from the hardware store, but my car wouldn’t start. It had given me some trouble the week before, but after a couple of attempts at starting it, it fired up. However, on Saturday, it was a different story. While I knew the car was not out of fuel, my first thought was that fuel was not getting into the combustion chamber. The likely candidates would be the fuel filter, or the fuel pump. Since the fuel pump is located inside the gas tank on my car, replacing it would require removing the gas tank and mess of other things that are beyond my ability to do myself. So I decided to start with replacing the fuel filter. However, before I headed off to the auto parts store, I decided to give it one more chance to start. It didn’t start up, but I noticed something new. Now as I tried to start it, I could smell fuel. This meant that I was wrong. Fuel was making it to the combustion chamber, so one of the other two ingredients must have been missing. It seemed very unlikely that it was an issue of getting air into the motor or that the motor was losing compression. It was more likely an issue of not getting spark. Now it was about this time that my son had decided that he wanted to watch me work on the car. As is the case with most 9 year olds, he’s very inquisitive. He wanted to know what was wrong and how I was able to figure it out. I told him all the stuff I just told you. Since he was just in time to help me troubleshoot the electrical system, I let him help me out. Read More... The post 77- Three Ingredients For Ignition appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I just published episode 48 of We Have To Go Back Podcast which is the LOST podcast I do with my wife. We love LOST. We love LOST so much that when we found out last fall that a get together was being planned in Honolulu for the 10th anniversary of the LOST premiere, we immediately started making plans to attend the event. This is a big deal for us for several reasons. We’ve never traveled anywhere together for a fan gathering before. Yes, I’ve gone to several comic-cons, but Kari has never had any interest in those. Kari doesn’t really like to travel. We’re taking the kids along with us on the trip. This is a big deal because we’ve never taken a family vacation before. We never took a family vacation when I was a kid, so this will be my first family vacation ever. We’ll also be extending our stay so that we can take our time and really enjoy the island and time together. We’ve reserved a condo that’s on the 35th floor and has an unobstructed view of Diamondhead and beautiful views of the ocean. As you can imagine, there are cheaper vacations that we could take, but none of them will include the LOST experience. I’ve said it before, although not on this podcast, that LOST change my life. I know that sounds dramatic, but it did. In fact, it’s safe to say that without LOST, you would not be listening to this podcast today. Despite what you may think, I really don’t watch a lot of TV. At any given time there are 2, maybe 3 shows that I watch per week. If I’m podcasting about it, of course, I’m watching it. Right now I’m watching LOST via Bluray, Alias via Netflix, and Falling Skies live each week on TNT. That’s the way it’s always been for us. We may talk about TV a lot, but that does not mean that we watch a lot of it. Before LOST came along, TV was not really important. We watched it, of course, but casually. I can’t even tell you a single show we watched before it with any regularity. And then we saw the previews for LOST. It looked really good. I mean, really, really good. So we made it a point to make sure we were in front of the TV, tuned to ABC at 7pm central on Wednesday, September 22, 2004. Except for the day our son was born, October 13, 2004, we never missed watching an episode live. Read More... The post 76- Discovering a LOST Adventure appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday. My name is Darrell Darnell, I once got kicked out of a fast food restaurant for starting a food fight, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living. In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m pleased to bring you another installment of the Friday Forum. Golden Spiral Media now has a Patreon page! Patreon provides a way for you to financially support Golden Spiral Media for as little as $1 a month. In return, we’ll be able to do some cool things and improve some of the things that we do. Additionally, you’ll get some cool stuff in return for your support. Head over to www.goldenspiralmedia.com/patreon for more info. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share two Friday Forum contributions that fall into the category of “stuff I didn’t expect to ever receive for the Friday Forum.” You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page or calling our voice feedback line at 304-837-2278. Read More... The post 75- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

About 10 years or so ago I was working at the bookstore and I had just been promoted and given the responsibility of organizing the e-commerce operations for the company. Our company had its own distribution warehouse and it was designed to send one massive order to each store every week. It was not at all designed to send several small orders to customers all over the country every day. We knew that it would take a lot of work to scope out the features of the website, build the databases, design the front end, design and connect all of the APIs and hooks into our inventory management system, and many other things that would be necessary before we could start selling online. We decided that while that stuff was being done, we could go ahead and generate some income and learn some operational procedures by selling on third party marketplaces like eBay and Amazon. Amazon had a third party sellers conference each year and we thought it would be good for us to attend. Since I’d only been at my current position for about 3 months and I was working closely with the president of the company, we decided that both of us would attend the conference. I had never been to Seattle before, or anywhere in the Pacific Northwest for that matter. I was really looking forward to the trip. I had mixed feelings about traveling with the company president. On one hand, he and I got along really well and had a good rapport, on the other hand, I was apprehensive about it. I didn’t know if he ever took the tie off and relaxed, or if he would be working the entire time we were there. I wanted to see a few things while we were there, but I knew that business duties had to come first. Read More... The post 74- The Beautiful View of a Happy Accident appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When it comes to making choices in my life I sometimes feel like I am in the drivers seat and fully in control of everything that is happening. Other times I feel totally out of control, like I’m in the back seat watching the car that is my life run off the road and into a ditch. There are days when it all goes my way and days that I would rather forget ever happened. I struggle to makes sense of my own free will and the hand that life has dealt me. I’ve got my own control issues, but that’s a topic for another day. Today I’d like to tell you two stories. Two stories that illustrate what The Sailor and The Famer have in common with each other. We’ll see if we can’t shed some light on the battle between free will and being tossed around in a river of predetermined circumstances. Imagine with me the first person that attached sails or sheets or whatever he used to a boat. Everyone must have thought he was crazy. “You can’t control the wind, how do you know you will be able to make it back to the shore! You are wasting your time, what if there is a storm or no wind at all?” The people must have said. Surly the first person to try to sail a boat had doubts of his own. In the back of his mind he must have thought there was a chance he would be blown off the end of the Earth. Now imagine with me the first farmer. Read More... The post 73- The Sailor and the Farmer appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Last Wednesday was a stressful day. I got a late start to my day, which was totally my fault. I knew that my morning was going to be very unproductive and I needed to get a jump on it. But that didn’t happen. Some friends of ours are currently buying a house, and we agreed to watch their kids for a few hours. I knew that while the kids were here, I’d very likely not be able to work very much. I really didn’t mind. I had a busy day, but not a day that was so busy that I couldn’t handle a few interruptions and distractions from the kids. The kids were really great and I actually got more work done than I thought I would. Their parents arrived around noon and we all ate lunch together. I hadn’t planned for that, but it was really great spending time with them. It was refreshing actually. The whole thing took a bit longer than I thought it would, though, and I had to push back a meeting that I had scheduled. Again, not too big of a deal. After I wrapped up the meeting I just had 3 things left on my agenda for the day. First I had a podcast to produce for a client, second I had to come up with an episode for Thursday’s Stuff I Learned Yesterday, and third, I planned to attend men’s Bible study at church with my son. I estimated the podcast production to take 1.5 to 2 hours at the most, I estimated the Stuff I Learned Yesterday episode prep to take 2 hours, and I estimated Bible study to take 1.5 hours, including travel time and chatting with the guys. I started working on the client podcast and it was almost immediately clear that my schedule was going out the window. The recording was in pretty rough shape. It was an interview with someone who was connected via Skype. Most of my clients use Skype as a part of their podcasts. Many of our podcasts use Skype. Skype is usually pretty good and often great. But sometimes, Skype is terrible. Read More... The post 72- Impacting Your World appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode is going to take a similar direction as episode 26. In that episode I spoke about the importance of being surrounded by strong peers. I want to talk about this topic again today because it’s that important. It’s important in every single aspect of our lives. I want tell you about some things that have happened over the last two weeks that have made me realize just how important this is. Now, stay with me on this. The first part of this may seem like a Golden Spiral Media infomercial, but I promise it has a point. One month ago today we published our review of the final episode of Revolution. When we recorded and released that episode I didn’t know what the future looked like for us. Of course, I can’t see the future, but I mean that I didn’t even know what podcasts we’d be doing over the summer. At that point I had spoken with Emilee about possibly doing Falling Skies but we had not yet finalized our plans. I had had a very preliminary conversation with Doug Payton about Under the Dome and had a very preliminary conversation with Brian Kane about possibly doing something. Now here we are just one month later and we have more podcasts going at one time than we’ve ever had in our history. Emilee and I will be recording our podcast for the Falling Skies season 4 premiere tomorrow night. You can join us for that live recording at 8pm eastern over at www.goldenspiralmedia.com/live. We’ll begin the live show with an interview with Doug Jones, the actor who plays Cochise. We also already have 2 episodes available that recap the series to date. Brian Kane and Kevin Bachelder recorded the first episode of Arrow Squad last week. I’m not an Arrow fan. I saw the pilot at comic con a few years ago and liked it, but never got into the show. Having said that, I LOVED their first episode. I highly encourage you to check it out. Look for new episodes from them about once a week. Read More... The post 71- Stop Collaborate and Listen appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share stories submitted about dads. Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. You can participate in Friday Forum by visiting our Feedback Page.Read More... The post 70- Friday Forum Father’s Day Edition appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Remember way back in episode 3 when I told you about my proudest moment? That was the episode where I lost all of my friends because of my arrogance. That was a really hard but very important lesson for me to learn. I’m sorry that I had to learn it the hard way, but I’m glad I learned it at such a young age. Today I want to tell you another story about that time of my life. In fact, today’s story helped lead up to the lesson I learned in episode 3. So there I was, 19 or 20 years old, working part time at the bookstore, and really enjoying it. I was looking for an opportunity to take on more responsibility. I knew that the best way to be given more responsibility was to do a good job with the responsibilities that I already had. Whether it was sweeping the floor, taking out the trash, putting up merchandise, or working the cash register, my goal was to do them all to the best of my ability. My hard work paid off. One day an opportunity opened up as the department head of Bibles and church supplies. The store had quite a few Bibles, several hundred different types including over 20 english language translations, nearly a dozen foreign language translation, and a multitude of styles within each translation. There were dozens of study Bibles, that is Bibles that had notes included to help give insight to the reader, reference Bibles that specialize in cross-referencing various Bible verses, Childrens Bibles, Bibles for teens, women, men, married couples, and pastors. In addition to the regular paper Bibles, there were protective cases to put Bibles into, highlighters and note taking supplies, and Bible software. The church supplies section included things like postcards that churches could use for various reasons, paper to use for announcements and note taking during church services, offering plates, communion supplies, witnessing literature, and record keeping supplies. I knew nearly nothing about all the various items. I knew a little bit about a few of the Bibles, and knew some of the uses of some of the church supplies, but I knew I didn’t know nearly enough to be able to answer the variety of questions I’d need to know in order to properly assist customers. Still, it was a promotion and a position I wanted, so I put my name in for it and I got it. Read More... The post 69- The Tasty Reward of a Steak Dinner appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

A while back I went to an event at my church. There were several people there that I was excited to see because I don’t get to see them very much. You know how you have those people in your life that you don’t see very often but you still think of them as good friends. I love having those people in my life. Well anyway, the night moved forward and a few of those people said hi to me and I was glad to get a chance to chat and catch up with them. But a few of those people never did say hi to me. I was happy to chat with the friends that I did talk to, but I was also a little disappointed that I never did talk to a few of the others who were there. Later in the evening after we got home, I told my wife Carrie how I had the chance to talk with some people, but there were a few that I didn’t talk to. I went on to tell her that they never came over to say hi to me. Carrie asked if I had approached them to say hello. I thought about it for a second and said, “No, no I didn’t”. All of a sudden it hit me. Read More... The post 68- Say Hi First appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

8th grade. Isn’t that one life’s greatest times? Here’s what I remember about 8th grade. Tommy Connor and Jamie Freeman got into a fist fight in the middle of class and I had a front row seat. Russell Menefee was the star running back of the 8th grade football team. In fact, that fight took place in Mrs. Iscimenler’s class. Russell had accepted the challenge to score a touchdown for every letter in Mrs. Iscimenler’s last name. Interestingly enough, Mrs. Iscimenler told me that I should write stories that had the same style as The Wonder Years. At the time I thought she was crazy. I was in 8th grade. What that even look like. I guess she was a few years ahead of her time. This podcast definitely has a Wonder Years vibe to it, and today’s episode definitely will. You see, there’s one other thing I remember about 8th grade. The girl I liked in 8th grade wasn’t named Winnie; her name was Ruth. Ruth sat in front of me in Mrs. Iscimenler’s class. She had poofy hair and tall bangs like all the cute girls did back in those days. She liked New Kids on the Block. We talked from time to time and I eventually got the nerve to ask her to go with me. What does that even mean? Will you go with me? Where? I can’t drive yet. Anyway, back to Ruth. At some point during the school year, shortly after Ruth and I started “going out,” she moved to the city. Even though Oklahoma City was only about 30 miles away, in those days it might as well have been a thousand miles away. After all, I couldn’t drive, and it was a long distance call from my small town to Oklahoma City. I didn’t have any way to pay for a long distance call. Read More... The post 67- The Day The Video Store Called appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I don’t know how long my vision has been bad. I’m sure it’s been bad pretty much all of my life, but I was in the 6th grade when my teacher contacted my parents to tell them that I should have my eyes tested. I’ll never forget my first eye exam. My dad took me to an eye doctor in the city. We went back to the office area and they blew air into my eyes. I had no idea at the time what glaucoma was or why they would test for it. They also dilated my pupils. I then went into a room and sat in a big chair with strange contraptions all around it. The doctor put various lenses in front of my eyes and eventually arrived at the obvious conclusion: I had very poor eyesight. I was very nearsighted and had astigmatism in both eyes. I then got to hang out with my dad for the rest of the day. It was terrible. No, really, it was. They had dilated my eyes and my dad had to drive around and pick up supplies for a carpet laying job he was working on. Even though the doctor had given me a pair of the dorkiest looking sunglasses ever known to man, they were not blocking enough of the sun. It was hard for me to see and I had a really bad headache. My glasses came in a few days later and I was amazed. If you wear glasses then you’ve probably had a similar experience. I did not know what I’d been missing. What had been a green carpet in front of our house was now revealed to be individual blades of grass. I could see each leaf on the trees around our house and I no longer had to sit 3 feed from the TV to understand what was happening. It was truly amazing. Sometimes I would just stare at stuff and be amazing by all the details that were new to me. Read More... The post 66- Always Read the Fine Print appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a Forum contribution from Mark in Canada. Mark shares a story about tipping your waitress and a recent trip to Boston Pizza. You can participate in a future Friday Forum episode by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on the right side of this page. Read More... The post 65- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode is another one of those episodes that has taken me a few days to put together. I wasn’t sure how to word everything and I wanted to be really careful with the words that I chose so that I didn’t come across as being arrogant. What I want to share today are stories about some encouraging things that have happened to me in the last two weeks. And then I want to end the episode by talking about why each of these stories are really important to me. The first story occurred between myself, my wife, and our tax accountant. First let me say that if you have not experienced the joy of paying quarterly self-employment taxes then you have not experienced one of life’s truest joys. We’ve been using this tax accountant for several years now primarily for my wife’s Mary Kay business. As Golden Spiral Media has grown, then we’ve used her more and more. Shortly after I left my career last year we met with her to talk about how we needed to handle taxes and get advice on certain financial procedures. She told me that when she first found out that I had made the decision to quit my job that I’d been at for 19 years a job that was very stable for a company that was very stable, she thought I was making a huge mistake. However, as we got up to leave after meeting with her that day almost a year ago, she said that she now had a better understanding of what I was going to be doing and my business plan, and felt like I had made the right decision. Read More... The post 64- Stories of Encouragement appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In this episode Derek Olsen share a communication lesson he learned when a prom invitation was misunderstood. Check out Derek and Carrie's budget resources, blog, and podcast at www.derekandcarrie.com. Read More... The post 63- The Prom Invitation Mystery appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Remember episode 23? That’s the episode where I snuck home after school to get some Halloween candy and ended up playing around with a lighter and toilet paper while I was there. In that episode I mentioned that there was a story about a lamp that I would tell you one day. Today is that day. Now before I get into the story of the lamp, let me preface this story by telling you that my version of this story does not match my brother’s version. After my brother heard the Halloween candy story he and I compared memories. They were mostly the same, but there were a few differences. We also talked about the story I’m telling you today. He remembered some things that I do not. He remembers that we had friends over during the time the lamp event happened. I remember it being just me and my brother. I don’t think that our differences in the story will matter. I think what matters most is how I remember the events of that day and the way it affected me both as a child and as an adult. So, disclaimer complete, here’s the story of the lamp. From the time I was 1st grade until I finished 3rd grade we lived in a trailer house on a few acres of land just off of Interstate 35, a few miles south of Guthrie, OK. It’s just about 8 miles from where I live today. My brother and I were pretty rambunctious, but that’s normal of kids of the ages we were. It seemed we were always getting in trouble for something. One time I remember that I’d heard that dragsters used bleach to do burnouts before races. We couldn’t find bleach, so we used mom’s liquid laundry soap to try and do burnouts with our Hot Wheels cars in the laundry room floor. She wasn’t happy about that for some reason. Another time we played tag inside the house. That may seem pretty harmless, but we tagged each other by taking the caps off of our markers and throwing them at each other. When my parents came home and saw all the marker spots all over our clothes and the furniture, they got a little upset. Go figure. Like any kid, both my brother and I tried to lie our way out of things. My dad always told us that if we told the truth, we wouldn’t get in trouble. I remember that I wasn’t ever sure if that was true. It seemed too good to be true. Could telling the truth really be used as a get out of jail free card? It seemed riskier than lying, so I often chose lying. Read More... The post 62- The Truth About the Lamp appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Do you recognize the name Roger Bannister? Roger is a famous track athlete. He was born March 23, 1929 in Harrow, England. His first love was science, specifically, medicine. More specifically, neurology. His family was poor and could not afford to send him to Oxford, so he earned his way to Oxford the best way he knew how. He earned a track scholarship. He started running for Oxford in 1946 and he probably had no idea that his love for running would change the landscape of the sport. For many years before Roger ever enrolled at Oxford, runners around the world had been obsessed with breaking a barrier: they wanted to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. The 4:30 mile had been broken in 1861. It would take many more years to bring the record down below 4:10. In 1933 an Englishman named Sydney Wooderson ran the mile in just over 4:06. Sydney’s achievement served as a great inspiration to Roger. In 1944 a Swede named Arne Andersson brought the record down to 4:01.06 and a year later another Swede, Gunder Haegg, lowered the record to 4:01.03. Gunder’s record would remain intact for another 9 years. Despite many runners doing everything they could to lower the record and complete the mile in under 4 minutes, it didn’t happen. It finally got to a point where the achievement was thought to be impossible. Cue Roger Bannister. Roger was a very strong runner as evidenced by his Oxford track scholarship. He began to evaluate his running style and looking at it scientifically. He made a few modifications to his form, and it helped. He knew that he still needed to do more if he would achieve the impossible. He teamed up with two other Oxford runners, Chris Chataway, and Chris Brasher. On May 6, 1954, the day arrived for them to run for the record. The gun sounded at 6pm local time and the men raced off the starting line. Chris Brasher took the early lead and was responsible for setting the pace. Roger was feeling good that day and felt like the pace was too slow. He urged Brasher to go faster, but Chris held his pace. At the quarter mile point the pace was 57.5 seconds. The half mile pace was 1:58. Read More... The post 61- Achieving the Impossible appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a great story shared by Coop that is filled with several great lessons. You can participate in a future Friday Forum episode by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on the right side of this page. Read More... The post 60- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You know what I’ve discovered? Life almost never works out exactly like we plan. I am a planning person. We decided last fall that we were going to Hawaii this September, and I immediately started planning. I shopped airline prices almost every day for 7 or 8 months so that I would know the moment I saw an exceptional deal. As a result, I saved over a thousand dollars on airfare. I’m not just that way about travel. Before I launch a podcast there are dozens of things that I do to prepare for it. I plan out various bits of music, I think about what the format of the show will be like, when the show will be recorded, what I want the artwork to include, and many other things. I’m currently going through the process of creating a dedicated portal for my clients that will improve communication, streamline file sharing, and allow me to include assistants and other staff members in the work flow. Before I ever started working on the website, I spent a lot of time thinking about what my needs were and planning how to meet those needs. I looked not only at what my needs are today, but what I think my needs will be a year from now and beyond. In spite of all my planning, careful thought, attention to detail, and desire for excellence, I know that the web portal will not go as planned. There will be things that I overlook. There will be things my clients will want the portal to include that I didn’t think of. There will likely be a few bugs that will have to be worked out. After all, that’s the way life works. Read More... The post 59- Planning For Change appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I don’t know how it happened but I now have a middle schooler in my house. My daughter will be making the transition to 6th grade next year and it just doesn’t seem possible. If you have kids, you know exactly how I feel. Our daughter was a really good baby and we were perfectly content with just one child. However, nearly 2 years later, Colby entered our lives. I can not imagine life without him. Now he’s going into 5th grade. In case you’re wondering if my math is off or I have something mixed up, I don’t Colby skipped a grade so he’s just one year behind Addison even though he’s 2 years younger. My kids are pretty much like most kids. They wake up early on the weekends and sleep late on school days. They love playing Minecraft and having sleepovers with their friends. They hate cleaning their rooms. Bathing is an option. Part of me wishes that my kids could stay this way forever. They’re fun to be around, they still think I’m pretty cool, and I don’t have to worry about them driving or dating anyone. However, part of me can’t wait for them to grow up. I can’t wait to see what they choose as a career, the person they’ll turn in to, the spouse they’ll choose, or the grandkids they’ll provide. Naturally, I can’t have both of those things. They can’t both stay young and journey out on their own. Truthfully, they can’t stay young. The aging process begins the moment we are conceived. We all have moments where we want to step out on our own, cross a threshold, and prove ourselves. We do this as toddlers as we learn new tasks, and countless times after that. As parents, we have to make the decision on whether or not our children are ready for those moments. One of those moments I had as a kid was when I finally talked my grandpa into letting me mow the grass. I wanted to prove myself as a man and prove I could operate a dangerous machine with as much skill as my older brother. I saw it as a rite of passage. Read More... The post 58- Lawn Equipment and a Rite of Passage appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You may remember that I first came up with the idea for Stuff I Learned yesterday 6 months ago at New Media Expo in Las Vegas. I mentioned that moment in episode 1 of Stuff I Learned Yesterday. It took me 3 more months before I finally launched the podcast on March 17, 2014. I had no idea what to expect. My vision for Stuff I Learned Yesterday was simple. I wanted it to be a short form daily podcast that you could listen to and find motivation, inspiration, and positivity. I really wasn’t sure if it would work. As I’ve mentioned several times, I began podcasting in 2008 about the TV show Fringe. I followed that up with a technology and entertainment podcast called Cutting the Cable Podcast. My podcast partner and I then formed Golden Spiral Media and we started another technology podcast and a film podcast. Additionally, we started a podcast for geeky dads. Unfortunately, life changed right after we started those last three podcasts and two of the three shows never even made it to episode five. Later that year we started The Revolution Podcast. I knew for a while that I wanted to do a podcast like Stuff I Learned Yesterday, even before it had a specific name and focused format. At one point while I was still at New Media Expo, I surveyed the Golden Spiral Media Facebook followers. I asked them what kind of shows they wanted to see from us in the future. The results of the survey surprised me. Every single person that responded listed the name of a TV show or just said they wanted more TV podcasts. No film. No technology. No dad stuff. I responded and said I was surprised by the results. By the time the commenting was done I think there were one or two film requests, but the rest were all TV. Read More... The post 57- Following Your Heart appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Well, I warned you. I told you there would be more episodes coming about my flower bed project. In case you don’t remember, both my wife and I are terrible at trying to keep plants alive. This year we recruited our green thumb neighbor, Mandy, to help us. I’ve been really working to stay on top of the flower beds and keep my plants thriving. I know absolutely nothing about gardening or flower bedding or whatever it’s called. I’ve looked it up a dozen times, but I’m still not sure if annuals or perennials are the ones that come back each year. I’m a total novice at this stuff. Fortunately, Mandy really digs it. (pun intended) I go out every single day to check on my plants. I usually go out 2 or 3 times each day and look at them. I love to go out there first thing in the morning with a fresh cup of coffee and enjoy the cool of the morning with their splashes of color greeting me. The morning light and temperature has a very different effect on the plants than the midday sun and heat does. They look different in the way the colors look and the blooms are open wider during the sunnier times. During the evening the blooms are still wide open and beautiful. Much to my disappointment, a few weeks ago many of my plants began to wither. The blooms shriveled up, the leaves sagged, and they just kind of sputtered. I went to the store and purchased some Miracle Grow. I read the instructions very carefully, but the plants did not respond the way I envisioned. I thought that the plants would roar back to life and bulk up like an angry Bruce Banner. The morning after I first sprayed them I grabbed my morning coffee, and headed out the front door to see what changes awaited me. It looked the same as the day before. Day after day I went outside, and day after day they looked the same. I double checked the Miracle Grow label to make sure I was doing things properly, and confirmed that I was following the instructions correctly. Read More... The post 56- Snapping Off the Dead Stuff appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today's episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a very courageous and inspirational story shared by Rita. You can participate in a future Friday Forum episode by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on the right side of this page. Read More... The post 55- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

In 2001 I took over as the store manager of a bookstore in Wichita Falls, Texas. Even though I was only 25 years old, I was confident in my abilities to manage over $1 million in inventory and a staff of 30 people. Of course, I had no idea just how much I didn’t know and the best way to learn is by doing. So I dove in head first. The store had a really good staff. Unfortunately, the previous two managers had made some very poor decisions and the store was in rough shape. The store was dirty, poorly stocked, and morale among the staff was low. To be honest and completely truthful, just the simple act of changing the manager was enough to bolster morale. It could have been Mr. Peanut that stepped to the helm, but it was me. Even though they would have reacted positively to Mr. Peanut, their enthusiasm would not have lasted long with him or me if they didn’t see positive things happening soon. I had every intention of taking the support and confidence they had offered me and making it count. I felt like it was important to make the staff realize how important they were. I began holding regular staff meetings and I would try to motivate them to improve their quality of service both to the customers and to themselves. I tried to break down the invisible walls seen only by the employees. The walls that divided one department from the next. Read More... The post 54- The Benefit of Keeping Things Fresh appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Ready for another Chicago story? I have a lot of Chicago stories because I’ve traveled there more than any other city. I love Chicago, but it hasn’t always been that way. The first time I traveled to Chicago I went there for a work related conference. I was there for 4 days. The conference was about internet technology and lasted all day each day I was there. I was the only person from my company to attend the first year it was in Chicago but there were 4 or 5 people that were attending the conference that worked for a sister company of the one I worked for. I had met one or two of them before, but didn’t really know them that well. The first night there was a travel night so we all just grabbed some food and crashed at the hotel. On the second night we all had a dinner schedule with one of our mutual vendors. The dinner lasted quite a while so once it was over, we went back to the hotel and called it a day. The next night I asked a couple of the people that I knew if they were doing anything outside of the hotel but they were not. I decided to stay in as well. The final night I once again asked the people I knew were doing anything, and they were not. I again stayed in as well. I found out later that one of the guys I didn’t know also wanted to go out and check out the city a little bit. He asked his co-workers if they wanted to go with him but they declined. So instead of staying at the hotel with them, he ventured out on his own. Since he didn’t know me, he didn’t ask me. I got home from my trip from Chicago and felt a bit robbed. I mean, had I really just been to Chicago? All I really saw was the airport, a couple of taxis, the McCormick center, a couple of restaurants, and my hotel room. Every city has those things. Read More... The post 53- Returning To a Place I’ve Never Been Before appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Now that the calendar has passed Memorial Day, it seems that summertime is upon us. My kids are out of school until August so forget that summer solstice stuff, summer is here. Believe it or not, when my daughter arrived home from school last Friday and my wife asked her if she was excited to have the next 3 months off from school, my daughter complained that she only had 3 months off! I took that opportunity to let her know that as an adult she can expect to work through the summer months and maybe get a few weeks off from work each year. For some reason those words did not bring her great joy and anticipation of being an adult. I know that when I was her age, I didn’t look forward to the days when I’d be an adult and have to work year round. I doubt there is a kid in the world that feels that way. Summers for me were always fun. Sure, there were always chores to do. Cleaning up the kitchen, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning my room, and so forth. We had to mow the lawn, help my dad lay carpet on the weekends, and occasionally help my step brother’s dad haul hay. But for the most part, summer was non-stop fun. My best friend from 4th grade until graduation was a guy named James. We spent as much time together as our parents would allow. He’d often stay over at my house and I’d often stay over at his house. When were were younger we would ride our bikes as fast as we could down a hill near his house. When we felt like we’d reached maximum velocity we’d jam on the brakes and try to make the longest skid mark possible. I have no idea who was better at making skid marks, but I’ll always remember the pure joy and laughter we shared trying to one-up each other. Read More... The post 52- Skidmarks, Crawdads, and Shadowgate appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is Memorial Day here in the United States.  It’s a day we set aside each May and remember those who have served our country as a member of the armed forces, and we especially take time to remember those who gave their lives or have passed on.  We want to remember them and the service that they provided. To be honest, Memorial Day didn’t really mean a whole lot to me growing up.  To me it was just a day to eat some burgers and hang out with my family.  Sometimes it might also include going to a car show and I’d see people displaying their flags, but that was about it. You might think that I was not brought up in a family that served in the military, but that’s not the case.  My grandpa, Roy Wolf, served our country as a member of the United States Army and fought in the Korean War.  My dad, Larry Darnell, and uncle, Johnny Darnell, both served in the U.S. Navy and were aboard the USS Enterprise during the Vietnam War. Maybe it was because each of these men had come home safely that I really didn’t think too much of Memorial Day.  I hate to admit it, but I took their service, and the service of others like them, for granted.  I knew that men and women died serving our country, but I didn’t know any of those people so it didn’t connect with me in a tangible way. Read More... The post 51- To Those Who Wear the Uniform appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite subject in school was English, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.  In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m happy to share another installment of the Friday Forum Teacher's Edition. Golden Spiral Media now has a Patreon page!  Patreon provides a way for you to financially support Golden Spiral Media for as little as $1 a month.  In return, we’ll be able to do some cool things and improve some of the things that we do.  Additionally, you’ll get some cool stuff in return for your support.  Head over to www.goldenspiralmedia.com/patreon for more info. Friday Forum Today is the Friday Forum!! Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU.  It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long.  It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others.  You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. What I Learned Yesterday: In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share contributions from Jeff, Bonita, and Mike. Read More... The post 50- Friday Forum Teacher’s Edition Volume 2 appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Remember back in episode 38 when I talked about Kevin Durant’s MVP acceptance speech?  While there are countless examples I could point to for today’s episode, I’d like to use that one again.  Since it’s still so fresh in our minds and we know about it, it will serve as a great example to bring us all on the same page here today. As a refresher, Kevin thanked EVERYONE in his speech.  He thanked his teammates one by one, his coaches, trainers, and the team owner.  He thanked his brothers, father, and his mother.  He did the whole thing unscripted and without notes.  He spoke from his heart and it was awesome.  It was also awesome to hear him acknowledge that he didn’t get to that spot on his own. Today I want to consider just how important to remember that we don’t go anywhere or accomplish anything on our own.  Even “self made” people got to where they are with the assistance of someone.  Take a moment and think about where you are today.  Maybe you’re a high school student, a recent college graduate or a young married person.  Maybe you’re an empty nester, or a retired person.  It doesn’t matter where you are on the road of life or how far you climbed up the proverbial ladder, you’re not where you’re at because of your efforts alone. Maybe you had a teacher that showed you something that you connected with or set you on a path of your passion.  Perhaps your parents taught you the value of working hard, conducting yourself with integrity, or the benefit of giving a firm handshake.  I had some of those influences in my life and I’m extremely grateful for them. Today I want to take a few minutes and thank some of the people who have had a positive influence in my life since I’ve been an adult. Read More... The post 49- Why I’m Not a Self Made Man appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I grew up in a very middle class home. We didn’t lack for anything we needed, but we didn’t have many extras. I think having 3 teenage boys was tough on my parents. I don’t even want to know what our grocery bill was each month. I don’t know if it was because we couldn’t afford it, or if my dad wanted to teach me a lesson, but I didn’t get a car for my 16th birthday or high school graduation. If I wanted a car, it was entirely up to me to save up the necessary money and then buy it myself. I know that my parents definitely couldn’t afford to buy me one, so I never felt cheated in any way. But my dad is the kind of guy who appreciates hard work, and even if we could have afforded it, I wouldn’t be surprised if he did make the same decision in order for me to better appreciate the car and responsibility that comes with owning one. Since we lived in a very small town, there weren’t a lot of job opportunities. Most kids worked on their family farm or other family business. There were a couple of jobs to be found at the local grocery store and a few jobs to be found at the McDonalds out on the turnpike. There were bigger towns nearby that offered more job opportunities, but without a car, those were not feasible options for me. I applied at the grocery store and at McDonalds. After several months of consistently filling out applications, I finally got hired on as a burger flipper at McDonalds making $4.25/hour. I was 17 years old, it was the most money I’d ever seen, and my dream of owning a car would be a reality soon. Read More... The post 48- Trying to Avoid Bad Parking Spots appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Tomorrow will be the end of an era. On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, the final episode of Revolution will air on NBC. Once it ends and we record our podcasts on Thursday night, it will mark the first time since we started podcasting in 2008 that Golden Spiral Media will not have a podcast about a currently airing TV show. Yes, we’ll still have our LOST podcast, and Triplecast is coming back in the next couple of weeks, but it’s a distinction that’s worth noting. It’s worth noting because we have tried very hard to avoid this situation. When we weren’t sure if Fringe would get a fifth season, we made the decision early to find a show that we could get excited about and start covering it. We didn’t want there to be a lapse in our shows and take the risk of losing the audience we’d spent four years (at that point) building. It turned out that Fringe did get a fifth season, albeit a shortened one, so for several months, we had two shows that we were covering. When the show runner for Fringe announced he had a new show called Almost Human, we immediately got on board with that too. That meant that this TV season we covered Revolution and Almost Human. While we get to choose the shows that we will podcast about, we certainly have no influence on deciding when or if those shows will be canceled. Despite doubling down our efforts and doing all we could to make sure we always had a show to look forward to, FOX cancelled Almost Human and NBC cancelled Revolution, and both of our podcasts got cancelled right along with them. A year ago I would have been in a quiet panic. I’m the type of person who has to have everything planned out with as much advance as possible. I’m also a bit of a control freak, although I’d like to think I’ve come a long way in that area. Read More... The post 47- You Want Change With That? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Some of you that are in your 40’s or older may remember a show named 8 is Enough and a character named Tommy Bradford.  If you’re a bit younger than that then you may remember a show called Charles in Charge and a character named Buddy Lembeck, the goofy best friend of Scott Baio’s character, Charles.  Both of these characters were played by a guy named Willie Aames. I never really watched 8 is Enough.  I saw a few reruns when I was a kid, but it never really interested me that much.  However, I did watch Charles in Charge.  That was a funny show to me.  When I started working at the bookstore in the mid 90’s, we started carrying a new video series named Bibleman.  Imagine my surprise when I learned that Bibleman was portrayed by none other than Buddy Lembeck himself, Willie Aames.  Go ahead and think about that for a minute. Okay, now I don’t know if you’ve ever seen an episode of Bibleman or what you just imagined in your mind, but it wasn’t as bad as you may think.  It was a live action super hero style show where Bibleman would try to help kids learn how to handle various life issues and solve character defining moments by looking to see what the Bible taught.   The early episodes were pretty cheesy, but as Bibleman grew in popularity and they got a bigger budget, the show got much better.  The costumes were better, the special effects were better, the lighting was better, and the whole production was pretty decent.  It was still a cheesy kids show, but it wasn’t any worse than anything else you’d see on PBS. By the time I was living in Lubbock and training to be a store manager, Bibleman was at the peak of its popularity.  Church kids were crazy about him. Read More... The post 46- Dinner With That Guy From Charles in Charge appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today’s episode I share a very special story of adoption from John McGrail. You can participate in a future Friday Forum episode by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. Read More... The post 45- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

15 years. It really doesn’t seem like it’s been 15 years since I married Kari Maechelle Brunson, but today is our 15 year anniversary. We met while working at a bookstore. I was the assistant manager. She and her family had just moved to Oklahoma City from Texas and she was hired to work in the teacher supplies department and work customer service. It was not love at first sight. I was coming off of a break up with a girl that I was pretty serious with, so I wasn’t really looking to date anyone at that point. Kari had a funny Texas accent and I would make fun of the way she said certain words, but that was about the extent of our relationship. One day one of our regular customers named Cindy told me that she thought Kari and would be good together and she encouraged me to ask her out. I still wasn’t really looking to date anyone, but it was a comment that stuck with me. I began to notice Kari more after that day. Often times after work, a group of us would go get coffee or grab some food a together. When we did this, I’d often find myself sitting near Kari and we’d talk. Then we started hanging out in the parking lot after work, just sitting on the tailgate of my truck and talking. Soon after that we started going on dates with just the two of us. I was really trying to be cautious and not get carried away. After a couple of months of dating, I realized that I there was something really cool going on between us and I didn’t want to see anyone else but her. I was pretty sure she felt the same way, but I wanted to make it clear that I was ready to take our relationship more seriously. I began planning the best date ever. Read More... The post 44- The Best Thing To Ever Come Out of Texas appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We all know that college students are usually broke.  I certainly was when I was in college.  I had a couple of small scholarships that covered most of the expense of books, but nothing more.  All of my tuition was paid for by saving money earned from my part time job.   After my freshman year, my roommate and I got a small apartment just off of campus.  It was the cheapest one we could find.  It wasn’t fancy at all, but it was more than enough for us.  It was a one bedroom apartment and we worked it out that he got the bedroom and I got the couch.  I really didn’t mind.  For 4 years I slept on the couch every night.   When we first moved in, there was no couch, or bed for that matter.  We had a computer desk and my drafting table.  The previous tenant left a chest of drawers with a mirror and the landlord said we could use it and just leave it for the next tenant.  I bought a used futon from another friend, and my roommate got a bed from his parents.  I also bought a dinette set from a co-worker.  We were living the dream. At some point we scored an extra long couch from another friend of ours and a lady that my roommate went to church gave us a coffee table and entertainment center.  We soon had a fully furnished apartment and we’d only had to buy the dinette set.   We ate a lot of ramen noodles and spent a good amount of time at the CiCi’s pizza all you can eat buffet.  My roommate and I got along great.  We split all the bills 50/50, and we both valued the importance of paying all of our bills on time.  We always paid our bills first, and then used the rest to buy food or other needs. Read More... The post 43- The Beautiful Act of Giving and Receiving appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I think most people dream about being a singer at some point as a child. For me the first memory I have of dreaming what it would be like to be a rock star was when I was first introduced to Michael Jackson’s Thriller album. I was 6 years old. I don’t think I ever really thought I’d make it as a big time singer and never really pursued it. In fact, I never even sang in front of anyone except for the occasion when my brother would catch me singing along to the radio. That all changed on a random day after I graduated high school. We had a new youth pastor, named Tim, at the church I was attending and since I we were pretty close in age. I thought it would be cool to get to know him a bit so I asked him if he’d like to hang out sometime. He invited me to go to the city with him one day when he was meeting up with some of his other friends and I agreed to tag along. I had just discovered this really cool a cappella group and was really amazed by how much music they could make with only their voices and I brought their cassette tape with me. At some point I popped it into the cassette player of Tim’s car and he liked it too. I sat in the back seat looking out the window and singing softly to myself as we drove around Oklahoma City picking up Tim’s friends. I had no idea at the time, but Tim was in a vocal quartet and the friends we were picking up were the other members of his group. I was also unaware that I was singing loud enough for Tim to hear me. I became suddenly aware when, at the end of one song, Tim hit the rewind on the tape player and told me that he was going to play it again and he wanted me to sing again, but louder. I was reluctant to do so, but he coaxed me into it. After the song was over he announced that the group had just found their new lead singer. Read More... The post 42- Michael Jackson, a Cappella, and Daft Punk appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Like many of you, I had a pretty busy weekend.  My Saturday started with my son and I attending men’s Bible study at church, and then I had to set up the drum kit for Sunday’s church service.  While we were doing those things, my wife and daughter did a bit of shopping.  We all met back at our house shortly before lunch and then headed out together to deliver some flowers to my grandma for Mother’s Day. Once we finished our visit to my grandma we had time to grab a quick lunch before heading off to my high school reunion.  Addison had really enjoyed her one-on-one time with Kari earlier that day, and wanted to have a lunch with just the two of them.  Colby liked the idea of just having a lunch with me, so we agreed to split back up for lunch. While Colby and I were alone in my car he said, “Dad, I thought that when you quit your job you were going to get to spend more time with us.”  It was a beautiful sunny day so I had the sunroof open and the windows down.  While having the windows down and the sunroof open make a great way to get some sun while I’m in my car, the amount of wind noise that is brought into the car make it difficult to have a real conversation.  I closed the sunroof, rolled up the windows, turned the A/C on, and turned the radio off. To me, when Colby said this to me, he was basically telling me that he’s disappointed in the the amount of time and attention that I’m spending with him.  Now, as I mentioned in episode 36, I’m very aware that I have not been spending as much time with my family as I had hoped I would be when I started working from home.  But now that my son is calling me out on it, I needed to let him know that I was aware of it and I was making steps to get better. Read More... The post 41- Acknowledging Unmet Expectations appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU.  It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long.  It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others.  You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. In today's Friday Forum we hear Mother's Day contributions from Celina, Bonita, and Mark. Read More... The post 40- Stuff I Learned Yesterday Friday Forum Mother’s Day Edition appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I started this podcast nearly 2 months ago I never would have dreamed that I’d be doing any episodes about plants or gardening, but here I am doing my THIRD episode about that very topic. That does not mean that I now enjoy gardening or yard work. That has not changed and I do not see it changing anytime soon. However, I am committed to making sure my flower beds thrive this season and I’m learning stuff through that process. Brace yourself. I see many more garden related episodes in your future! For today’s episode, I want to take you back to that Friday about 3 weeks ago when my wife and I purchased the plants at our local garden center. My wife had been out running errands earlier that morning so we decided to meet at the store. I arrived a few minutes before she did so I took that time to look around and see if anything caught my eye. Since we had cleaned out nearly everything from the beds, we were looking for some good perennials, that is, plants that come back every year, to establish the foundation of our beds. Then, around those perennials we would put some annuals that were bright and colorful, understanding that we’d have to replace those plants next year. We were also considering getting a small evergreen or two to fill in some space. I perused the perennials and found a few that I liked, and then made my way to the area of the evergreens. As I approached the evergreens I noticed a few carts full of various plants that looked pretty bad. As I got closer I noticed that the plants were labeled as clearance and each plant was on sale for $3. Read More... The post 39- Recognizing the Beauty in Flaws appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I love Kevin Durant.  Outside of choosing to go to college at the University of Texas, the guy is everything you’d like a guy to be.  He’s funny, caring, athletic, good looking, humble, and has a great attitude.  In case you don’t follow sports, Kevin Durant is a small forward for the Oklahoma City Thunder and he’s one of the best basketball players on the planet.  This year he won his 4th scoring title, and yesterday he won the MVP of the NBA.   For those of us who live in OKC and get to watch Kevin interact with the community and play every night, we know just how amazing of a person he is.  He is selfless, deflects praise to those around him, acknowledges his shortcomings, and is ALWAYS giving of what he has to make the lives of those around him better.  He may have been acknowledged by the NBA as the MVP yesterday, but he’s been the MVP of OKC since he first stepped foot here in 2008. Yesterday afternoon about 3:30 I was starting to panic because I still had no idea what today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday would be about.  I was walking through the living room of our house on my way to the studio just at Kevin Durant’s MVP press conference started.  I decided to sit down and watch it and almost instantly knew that I’d just found my inspiration in the words of the 6’ 9” man from Maryland. After a great introduction from Brian Davis, the play by play voice of the Thunder, a few words from Kevin’s coach, the team general manager, and a representative from Kia, Kevin took the stage. Read More... The post 38- Lessons Learned From An MVP appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I’m a terrible golfer.  On a regulation course, I’ve only broken 100 one time.  I don’t go very often, maybe once or twice a year, so it’s no surprise that I’m not very good.  Some people are naturally gifted at it and able to at least play near par without too much practice, but I am not one of those people.  In fact, if it is any kind of sport or athletic contest, I can assure you that the words naturally gifted would be the last thing anyone would say about me. But that does not mean that I do not enjoy playing golf.  I really do enjoy it.  I enjoy being outside and enjoying the scenery.  I enjoy the time I get to spend with those I golf with.  I enjoy trying to analyze what I’m doing wrong and trying to improve on my next effort.  I look at it like a puzzle...a very bad golfing puzzle. When I lived in Texas, I didn’t really have anyone to golf with, and I wanted to try out one of the local municipal courses.  My wife is not at all interested in golfing, but she thought it would be fun to get some sun.  She decided she would come along and read a book in the golf cart while I played a round of golf. Unfortunately, when I showed up at the course, they would not let me play alone.  It was Saturday, their busiest day, and they were only allowing groups of two or more to play.  My only option was to come back during the week (my only day off was every other Saturday), or play with a pair of strangers. Read More... The post 37- Five Iron Frustration appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When my neighbors, Allen and Mandy moved in a few years ago, their lawn was kind of lackluster.  It was a brand new house with new sod.  Most of the sod had taken root and was filling in pretty nicely, but it was just an average lawn.  There was one spot in particular that the sod was not growing.  Since it was a new home with new sod, the home builder came back out and laid down some fresh sod in that area. Allen and Mandy watered it, fertilized it, and did all they could to get it to take root, but it died again.  The grass in the rest of their yard was now looking really good.  It was green, thick, and healthy looking...with a very noticeable dead spot right in the middle of the yard out near the curb.  I didn’t really pay too much attention to how it happened or how long it took, but eventually, they managed to get the grass to grow.   My lawn is very average, and I think that is being generous.  It has weeds, there are a few thin spots in the grass, and it’s not very inviting.  When you walk on Allen and Mandy’s grass it feels soft and your feet sink down into it.  It’s like a carpet.  If I were to walk with my eyes closed from their yard toward my yard, I would be able to instantly tell when I crossed the property line.  My yard is hard like concrete.  Feet do not sink into my grass. One day last summer Allen and I were out in his yard and I commented on how good it looked.  We talked about how bad it looked when he first moved in and how that one spot refused to grow any grass for a long time.  He said that they finally hired a professional to come out and maintain their yard.  They spray it several times throughout the year with weed control and fertilizer, as well as aerate it, and water it regularly. Read More... The post 36- When the Grass is Greener on the Other Side appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  My name is Darrell Darnell, I got paddled at school every single year except Kindergarten, 4th grade, 9th grade, and 12th grade, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.  In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m happy to share another installment of the Friday Forum, dedicated to stuff learned from teachers. Read More... The post 35- Friday Forum Teacher Edition appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Really?  An internet video?  Yesterday’s episode tackled big topics like racism, homosexuality, religion, and politics, and today I’m offering wisdom from a YouTube video?  Yep.  That’s how I roll. I have come to the conclusion that I am a sucker for those inspiration audition videos from The X Factor, Britain's Got Talent and the like.  I don’t watch those shows.  I don’t really care for reality TV.  You may not watch them either, but you probably know the videos I’m talking about.  I’m talking about the video of Susan Boyle, who walked out on the stage of Britain's Got Talent a disheveled mess and walked off an internationally recognized name.   I see these videos show up in my Facebook timeline from time to time with a comment from one of my friends that says something to the effect of, “Wow, this blew me away!”  I usually scoff and tell myself that I don’t have time to watch a silly audition video from a reality show...and then I click on it.  By the time the video is over my mouth is open in shock and eyes are welled up because of the moving story, dramatic music, and amazing performance.  Yep, I’m a sucker. A few days ago another one of these videos showed up in my Facebook feed and I clicked on it.  The video was an audition of Alice Fredenham from Britain's Got Talent in 2013.  She walked on stage and approached the mic.  As she walked, she kept her arms close to her body with one arm clutching the rubbing the other.  It’s the type of thing we do when we’re scared or uncomfortable.  She approached the mic and you could hear the quiver in her voice.  The judges asked her how she was doing and she said she was scared.  Clearly she was. Read More... The post 34- The Life Changing Power of Words appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday is one that I’ve had in mind to do since the beginning, but I’ve been putting it off.  I wanted to make sure that when I did it, I had time to really think it out and choose my words carefully.  The things I’m talking about in today’s episode are the types of things that seem to easily get people get upset.  I don’t know if I’ve chosen the best words.  I don’t know if it’s even possible to choose the best words, but I think it’s time to go for it. The thing that pushed me over the edge to go ahead and do this episode is the recent controversy surrounding Los Angeles Clippers owner, Donald Sterling.  He’s an educated man, successful in business, and well traveled around the world.  A phone conversation was taped that he had with an associate of his, some say girlfriend, other say she’s an aide.  That’s not important really.  What’s important is that she posted a photo of herself with Magic Johnson to her Instagram page and this deeply bothered Mr. Sterling.  He was troubled that she would publicly post pictures of herself associating with black people.  Keep in mind that the woman he’s speaking to is half black and half hispanic. I listened to the entire 9 minute clip that has been made public and it’s, well, it’s many things.  It’s infuriating, confusing, sad, disturbing.  He’s also upset that people are calling him about the the picture.  Who cares?  Who is calling him to express concern that this woman posted a picture with Magic Johnson?  What business is it of theirs?  If Magic Johnson was some sort of street thug or criminal or a figure of controversy, then I could see someone having an issue, regardless of the color of his skin.  But Magic Johnson is an NBA legend and hall of famer.  He’s a respected businessman and social activist.  There’s no shame in posting a picture with him. Read More... The post 33- The Episode About Stuff We Aren’t Supposed To Talk About appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I won something yesterday!  It’s pretty cool, really.  It’s a high quality microphone attachment for Apple devices like the iPad, iPad mini, and iPhone.  It’s called the Zoom iQ5. If it sounds like something that you might find useful, you can check it out at www.goldenspiralmedia.com/iq5.  That’s a link that will take you to B & H Photo and Video.   Would you like to know how I managed to win this really cool microphone?  Here’s my secret.  I entered the sweepstakes.  That’s it.  Now, you may not think I’m being serious but I am.  The reality is that if I would not have entered the sweepstakes, I would not have won the mic. And so it is with our goals.  What is your goal?  Lose weight, publish a book, start a podcast, develop a tutorial, learn how to crochet, build a birdhouse, restore that old car in your garage?  None of those things will ever be done if you never take the first step, and all of them can be accomplished if you do. Now, of course, there is a big difference in taking the first step in winning something, and taking the first step to giving up an addiction. I recognize that.  However, I think the main difference is the way we look at it while we’re standing in that starting spot. Let’s think of these things, and the journey we’ll go on, like we would a Monopoly board.  We all start out on the space marked GO.  What else is on that square?  An arrow that is pointing us in the right direction.  The very next space after GO is Mediterranean Avenue.  It only takes one step to reach that space and the cost is only $60.  The last property on the end of the first side is 9 times farther away and will cost twice as much.  If you desire to reach the end of the next side of the board you’ll have to travel 19 times farther and pay over 3 times the amount as Mediterranean Avenue.  The end of the third side is 29 times farther at over 4 times the cost, and the final space, Boardwalk, is a distance 39 times farther and will cost nearly 7 times more than Mediterranean Avenue. Read More... The post 32- The Secret to a Winning Strategy appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

You know what I enjoy?  Well, lots of things, really, but to be more specific, I enjoy sitting at a computer and producing podcasts or building websites.  I can easily spend over 12 hours a day doing that stuff and not feel tired.  You know what I don’t enjoy?  Working out in my yard. As you probably know by now, it was right at a year ago when I left the company I had worked for for 19 years so that I could follow my dream of producing podcasts and building websites full time.  Last year I was focused totally on my business and saw my yard as even more of a nuisance than I normally do.  I kept up with mowing it, but that was all.  Since my wife doesn’t like yardwork either, this meant that our flower beds were totally ignored all year. We hated not giving them any attention and were really embarrassed by how terrible they looked.  We have two flower beds in our front yard.  One of them contained a big bushy plant that must be the most resilient plant on the earth, and the dead stems of a plant that didn’t have near the staying power of his bedded brethren.  In the other bed was a fire bush that we like because it too won’t die and it turns a really beautiful red hue in the fall.  It was joined by two other bushes that were scrappy, but not really attractive.  They looked malnourished and half dead.  Probably because they were malnourished and half dead. Both of the neighbors that flank our house have beautiful yards.  One of those neighbors, Allen and Mandy, look like they are going for the yard of the month award...except our neighborhood doesn’t have one of those.  They are incredibly nice people, and besides being pretty similar in age to us, they also happen to like Fringe and some of the other TV shows that we enjoy. Read More... The post 31- Cultivating Beauty appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  My name is Darrell Darnell, when I was 9 I sat on the front row of the movie The Return of the Living Dead just to prove to my brothers that I was brave, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.  In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I’m happy to share another installment of the Friday Forum. Read More... The post 30-Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Time sure flies, doesn’t it?  It’s hard for me to believe that 20 years have gone by since I graduated high school.  I’ve mentioned before that I graduated from the thriving metropolis (if you use the word metropolis in the loosest way possible) of Wellston, OK in 1994.  I moved to Wellston before I went into the fourth grade. It was an odd adjustment for me.  I had previously gone to school in a much larger school district and the class structure was quite a bit different.  Of course, like any new kid at a school, I knew no one and had no friends.  I don’t know what it was that brought us together, but I soon became friends with a kid named James, and we were pretty much best buds from then on out. We were a small class.  I can’t find my senior yearbook at the moment, but I think my graduating class was around 36 kids.  My wife finds it hard to imagine what my high school experience was like.  She graduated with a group of over 450.  The thought of a school with that many people freaks me out a bit.  Since we were such a small class, and a small school, everyone knew everyone else.  Just about everyone got along with each other, even if we did really hang out.  I pretty much always struggled with trying to fit in or dealing with the fact that I felt like I didn’t fit in.  I never really felt like I wasn’t liked, just that I was an odd ball. I wasn’t athletic at all.  Hanging out around the jocks was really not fun for me.  If I was going to get picked on by a group, it was them.  The band geeks were nice, but I wasn’t in the high school band, so I didn’t really hang out with them much either.  I don’t really know why, but I was never interested in the party scene.  In a small town, that’s pretty much all there is to do on a Friday or Saturday night.  So, as I said, I just felt out of place.  I was a geek, but that was before geeks were cool.  Geeks are cool now, right? Read More... The post 29- Stop Worrying About What Other People Think appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Welcome to Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  My name is Darrell Darnell, my favorite cookie is oatmeal raisin, and I believe that if you aren’t learning, you aren’t living.  In today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday I share a story of conflict and confession. Friday Forum Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE […] The post 28- Do You Want to Punch it Out, or Hug it Out? appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

When I was in seventh grade one of my teachers thought it would be good to teach our class a lesson on perspective.  She gave each of us a glass and had us fill it up half way with water.  She then asked us to carefully study the glass of water.  After we had time to study the glass of water she asked us a simple question.  She wanted us to tell her if the glass was half full or half empty.  She asked us to write our answer down on a piece of paper. To me, this question was not as simple as she wanted it to be.  No, I wasn’t one of those people who claimed that it was 100% full because what space was not filled with water was actually full of air.  My problem was that I recognized that the cup was simultaneously half full AND half empty.  The answer I wrote down was “both.”  The teacher asked those who answered “half full” to raise their hands.  She then asked those who answered “half empty” to raise their hands.  She noticed that another girl and I did not raise our hands either time and asked us what answer we had given.  It turned out that she had also written down, “both.” While the answer we provided did not fit into the selection of choices that the teacher wanted, it was technically true.  I wish I could say that the lesson the teacher gave us that day changed my life and opened my eyes to a powerful life lesson, but it didn’t.  The only reason I remember the lesson is that I felt out of place by being only one of two people to come up with an odd answer. Read More... The post 27- A Perspective on Perspective appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I have to admit, I’m pretty excited about the state of Golden Spiral Media.  If you’ve been listening to any of our podcasts for a while, you are probably aware of the work that Golden Spiral Media does.  Just in case you aren’t here’s a brief synopsis.  Golden Spiral Media works in two branches.  One branch is this one, that is, the podcasting branch.  From this branch we record and produce podcasts about TV, Film, family, and life.  This currently includes The Revolution Podcast, Almost Human Podcast, We Have To Go Back Podcast, Triplecast, and this podcast.   The other branch of Golden Spiral Media is the branch I mentioned in the ad earlier.  That branch focuses on helping others with their podcasts.  It consists of consulting, website design, podcast production, custom artwork, and music. It’s been almost one year since I left my regular day job so that I could put my full focus into Golden Spiral Media and both branches are growing nicely.  Yes, I still have some room to grow before I fully make up for the income I lost when one of my clients scaled back their work, but I’m adding a new client about every 10 days or so.  At this rate it won’t be long until I’ve surpassed what I was making before, and the business will be in a more stable position. Read More... The post 26- Being Surrounded by Strong Peers appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today is the Friday Forum!! In today's episode I share contributions received from Jill, Ana, and Bonita. You can participate in a future Friday Forum episode by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. Read More... The post 25- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Time really flies when you’re having fun, right?  The first episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday was released on March 17, so that means that today marks the one month anniversary of Stuff I Learned Yesterday.  This last month has been one of the most challenging and rewarding that I’ve had both personally and professionally.  I’ve learned a lot about myself and some of you in the process.  I don't anticipate that I'll do this type of retrospective episode every month, but I do think there is value in taking time to reflect.  I'll probably take time to reflect when I reach certain milestones like my 100th episode, 1 year anniversary, etc. While Stuff I Learned Yesterday has the smallest audience size of any podcast I’ve ever done, it has already become one of the most rewarding podcasts for me.  In case you’re wondering, Stuff I Learned Yesterday is the 8th podcast that Golden Spiral Media has done.  Portable Orchard will likely not be coming back anytime soon, The Revolution Podcast and Almost Human Podcast will continue as long as NBC and FOX keep airing new episodes of those shows.  Cutting the Cable may be making a comeback this summer.  I’m currently looking at options for summer shows, and some of those options could involve bringing it back.  Triplecast is currently being reworked as two new hosts are taking the helm.  Some of you might be excited that some new outlines have been drawn up for new dadhacker episodes, so keep your fingers crossed that dadhacker will come back soon.  The remaining show is, of course, The Fringe Podcast.   The Fringe Podcast was rewarding in many ways.  It is the show that brought most of us together.  Many online and in-person friendships were formed because of The Fringe Podcast.  As much as I love Fringe and enjoyed talking about it over the course of 5 seasons, the relationships I formed with the podcast listeners will always be my very favorite thing. Read More... The post 24- Milestone Reflections appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I mentioned in an earlier episode, my parents divorced when I was 9.  My dad remarried later that year, in December I think.  Sometime after my parents divorced and before the next school year started, my dad moved us into a rent house in a small town.  It was the town that my soon to be step-mom and her two kids lived.   I was going into 4th grade, my step-brother would be in 5th grade, my brother would be in 6th grade, and my step-sister would be a senior.  Once my step-sister graduated high school she moved off to college and we only saw her occasionally.  So for the most part, our home was just the three of us boys, each one grade apart.   During the time of that first school year when my dad and stepmom had not yet married, we were instructed to go to her house immediately after school.  She lived right across the street from the school so this made sense.  We would hang out with my soon to be step siblings and other neighborhood kids.  Our parents would arrive home from work a couple of hours later and we’d have dinner.  Eventually we’d go back to our house for the night. This worked well and I didn’t mind not going home after school.  There wasn’t much to do there anyway.  But as every kid knows, between the time school starts and our favorite holiday, Christmas, sits one of the tastiest days of the year, Halloween.  That year Halloween was great.  I felt like I had scored the mother lode of candy.  The only problem was, my dad made me keep it at our house, and we were specifically told not to go there after school.  This created a problem for me. Read More... The post 23- The Halloween Candy Toilet Paper Mystery appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story begins on an ordinary Wednesday, in an ordinary dorm room in 1995.  I was nearly finished with my first year of college, and as the semester was drawing to a close, I had a few assignment deadlines approaching.  One of the assignments was for a paper I had to write.  I have no idea which class it was or what the paper was about.   What I do remember is that on this particular day I was up early trying to finish the paper before I headed off to work.  It was shortly before 9am.  I fired up the computer and turned on the local radio station.  I sat there typing away for several minutes and didn’t think much of it when I heard a rumbling sound above me.  I thought the guys in the room upstairs must have dragged something heavy across the floor. A few minutes later there was an interruption on the radio.  The morning DJ announced that a major explosion had just occurred in downtown Oklahoma City.  It was now just a few minutes after 9am and 168 lives, 19 of them children, had just been lost as a Ryder truck filled with explosives was detonated at the base of the Alfred P. Murrah federal building. Read More... The post 22- Refusing To Be Defined By Tragedy appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s episode is a story told from two perspectives.  One perspective is mine, and the other is from a friend named Emilee.  Some of you know her on Twitter or in our community as Fauxmeonce.   I asked Emilee if she’d be willing to share her side of this story with the idea that I would then weave them together in a This American Life sort of way.  We did not compare notes or talk about what each of us would say.  She sent me her perspective of the story and I chronicled my side.  Only after I had finished my side of the story did I look at what she said.  It brought me to tears.  Here’s the story: Read More... The post 21- The Journey From Crippled to Courageous appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The Friday Forum is here! Thanks to everyone that has sent in a Friday Forum contribution. You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. This week’s Friday forum contribution comes in from Mike and he shares a lesson learned after a recent trip to the doctor. I also share a brief lesson learned about the value in powering down your electronic devices. Read More... The post 20- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Are you up for one more Chicago story? This is the last one for a while…I think. Remember a couple of episodes ago when I said that I want my kids to put others before themselves and make a positive impact on society? I know that the best way for them to learn that behavior is to see it demonstrated in me or my wife, Kari. The thing is, I don’t think I’m particularly good at this. It’s not that I don’t care about other people or don’t like putting others first, I do. I think I’m pretty good about considering the feelings and thoughts of others most of the time, but I don’t know that I do a good job of demonstrating the behavior and teaching my kids. I’ve taught them simple things like the seemingly forgotten courtesy of opening the door for others. I’ve taught them to always allow people off the elevator before you go in. I’ve taught them about being considerate of other drivers. I look at those as situational courtesy, and hope that they’ll teach principles that will flow down into everyday situations. Read More... The post 19- I’m Glad You Like the Shirt On My Back appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

One of the things that my dad always taught me is to live within your means.  He told me to never use a credit card unless I could pay off the full balance when the bill came in.  He told me to save for the things that I wanted and buy them after I had saved the money.  He told me to be content with what I had and not be jealous of things other people had.  These are are all very sound financial principles. I’m pretty conservative with my purchases, but money does burn a hole in my pocket faster than it will my wife.  She is very frugal.  She hates to shop, will wear clothes that are terribly out of style if they still fit and aren’t worn out, and she will talk herself out of buying just about anything that isn’t absolutely necessary.  When we first got married I would buy her gift cards to clothing stores for Christmas or her birthday so she could go buy something she liked.  She never spent them.  On the rare occasion she did spend them, it was when MY birthday had rolled around and she’d use it to buy me something.  I then switched to picking out and buying clothes for her instead of gift cards. I can’t express how important it has been in our marriage to be in such agreement about money.  Most couples fight most about money, and since we both have the same money principles, we almost never argue.   I mentioned on Friday’s show and Monday’s show that one of my clients had cut back the work that I’d been doing for them.  While this is certainly a situation that I wish had not occurred, it is the way of life for us now that I am self employed.  I no longer have a steady paycheck, but depend on work from clients.  If something happens to their situation, it will trickle down and affect my situation. Read More... The post 18- Live Like No One Else appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

As I mentioned in yesterday’s episode, today’s lesson also came this past weekend while I was visiting Chicago with my daughter.  One thing I didn’t mention in yesterday’s episode was that doing the meetup was not my idea.  I did mention that Matthew organized the event, but I think I should clarify that the whole event was led by three Golden Spiral Media listeners, Matthew, Emilee, and Melissa. I think it’s amazingly cool that our listeners want to hang out so much that they took it upon themselves to organize a meetup and planned to hang out whether I was there or not.  In fact, last year they did that very thing.  I was in Seattle and couldn’t attend the meetup they organized last year.  When I found out that they were planning another event this year, I immediately started making plans to attend. I mentioned the event during dinner one night and my daughter immediately perked up and asked if she could go too.  I had already thought that it would be cool to take one of the kids with me, and Kari agreed that it was a good idea.  Taking Addison along with me would serve a few purposes.  First, we’re planning a trip to Hawaii next fall and our kids have never flown before.  Colby seems to not really be worried about it, but Addison was a bit unsettled at the thought of her first flight being such a long one that would be over a large body of water. Read More... The post 17- Brick and Mortar Moments appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I am exhausted.  I am encouraged.  I am inspired.  I am feeling blessed.  All of these things things are because of the same thing.  I just returned home from spending the weekend in Chicago where I got to spend some great one on one time with my daughter, Addison, eat some of Chicago’s tastiest pizza, and meet and hangout with some wonderful members of the Golden Spiral Media Community. When I started podcasting in 2008 I had no idea that it would lead me down such a life changing path.  I thought it would be cool to podcast with some friends and that we might even get a few folks to listen to us.  I never thought I would care so deeply about the listeners of our podcast, or that they would care so much about me.   The last 15 months have been the best and most rewarding that I’ve ever experienced as a podcaster.  When we announced that we were doing a party for the finale of Fringe, I really wasn’t sure what to expect.  Would we have a thousand people show up, or would we have 3 people show up?  Would people actually come to Oklahoma City?  Would it be something that people reflect on fondly, or would it be a train wreck that they look back on as a waste of time. Read More... The post 16- People, Pizza, and Prioities appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

The Friday Forum is here! Thanks to everyone that has sent in a Friday Forum contribution. You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com. Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU. It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long. It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others. This week’s Friday forum contributions come in from from Ben, Mike, and Mark. Ben shares a story of a recent trip to a pro-am golf event with the lesson of giving up, or moving forward. Mike shares the story of creating a video of memories of his grandma and the lesson of keeping it authentic when learning new skills. Mark shares a challenge to find someone and pay them a compliment this weekend. Read More... The post 15- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I could make today’s episode of Stuff I Learned Yesterday really short and sweet.  If you don’t ask, you won’t receive.  I mean, that’s not the way it works 100% of the time, but it’s a pretty solid statement.  I would say that the vast majority of the time, if you don’t ask, you won’t get what you seek.  Let me share an example that drastically impacted my life. This story begins in the fall of 2012.  During that time of my life I was very discontent with my job at the bookstore and focused on building a career in new media.  Things were progressing, but not quickly enough for my satisfaction.  I was really struggling.  I it was either late October or early November.  I had no desire to go through another Christmas season in retail, but at that point there was no way to avoid it.  There was one morning in particular that I was getting ready for work and it was the last place I wanted to be.  My heart wasn’t there.  My passion for  that career had gone.   The truth is, nearly every morning had been that way for a while, and as the Christmas season grew nearer, my discontent grew stronger.  Each morning before going to work I would spend time in prayer.  I would ask God to help me deal with the situation.  That he would give me patience and wisdom.  I wanted to ask him to give me an opportunity to follow my passion of new media, but I just couldn’t.   I couldn’t ask God for another opportunity because I felt like doing so would be selfish.  The truth is, my job was great.  It was a steady paycheck and a comfortable salary with a company that had values and a mission that I believed in.  Yes, there were a few people there that I thought were bad apples, but the majority of the people there were great.  The people in my department were awesome.  Most people would want the type of job that I had.  To ask for something else would be out of line. Read More... The post 14- You Do Not Have Because You Do Not Ask appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

I recorded the first episode of The Fringe Podcast speaking directly into the digital recorder while standing in my closet.  I thought the clothes in the closet would help absorb any echo from my voice, and also drown out the noise from my kids in the other room.  Jason ended up not wanting to drive to my house each week, and never even used the equipment he’d help pay for.   We would bring him in via Skype each week. There is so much I didn’t know back then.  I had no idea how to get rid of that chirping electrical sound from our computers.  I didn’t know about shock mounts.  I had never even heard of a compressor/limiter/gate.  We landed an interview with actress Jasika Nicole about a month after the show premiered.  From an audio quality standpoint, that interview was and is a disaster.   In fact, it is such a disaster that when I was at new media expo 2014 I sat in on a session that had Ray Ortega as one of the panelists.  I was surprised when he mentioned this Fringe podcast that interviewed one of the actresses and how terrible the audio was.  He went on to say a few other very critical things about the podcast.  Keep in mind that Ray Ortega and I had never met. Later that day I saw Ray out in the hall and I swooped in.  I asked him if he remembered the exact name of the Fringe podcast.  He said that he didn’t.  I told him that I was quite sure that he was talking about my show.  He stammered a bit and insisted that I was probably mistaken.  I described the audio to him and the actress that was in the interview.  We both agreed that it was indeed my show that he’d just trashed to the audience of New Media Expo. Read More... The post 13- Ray Ortega Bashed My Podcast…and He Was Right appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today I have not one story to share with you, but two.  On the surface, these two stories seem completely unrelated.  Honestly, I suppose they are completely unrelated.  The first story took place nearly 30 years ago.  The second story took place 2 weeks ago.  As I thought about what I learned from the recent story, it reminded me of the older story.  I think they share a common thread, so I’m including both of them in today’s episode. The first story took place when I was probably 8 to 10 years old.  My brother and I always spent a lot of time with my grandparents, that is, my dad’s mom and stepdad.  My mom’s parents lived in California, and I only remember meeting them one time.  There were a couple of other times I met them, but just like my Disneyland experience, I was too young to remember.  My step grandpa was the only grandpa I ever knew, and never considered him  anything other than my real blood related grandpa.  Because they lived here in Oklahoma, they’ve always been a close and important part of my life.  Read More... The post 12- Words + Action = Belief appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

If you’ve listened to all the episodes of Stuff I Learned Yesterday, then by now you know that I spent a good chunk of my life working for a bookstore.  I started out as a part-time cashier, worked my way up to store manager, worked as a buyer for a short time, and then worked as the e-commerce director.  Many of you also know that after nearly 19 years with the company, I left there almost one year ago.  In fact, this Saturday, April 5th, will mark the one year anniversary of the day I turned in my resignation. My decision to leave the bookstore was not easy nor was it made quickly.  A few years ago I started a business that I hoped would help transition me from the bookstore to being full-time self employed.  That business is a website design company called Dramatic Traffic.  I still own it and have local clients that I serve under that name.  Most of my new clients are served under the more widely known company I own, Golden Spiral Media.   To help grow Dramatic Traffic locally, I joined a Wednesday morning group of other small business owners and entrepreneurs.  I knew that I had a lot to learn about being in business for myself and I wanted to learn from others who had blazed that trail before.  They didn’t have a website designer in their group and eagerly accepted me as a member.  Several members of the group spent time with me one on one and shared their wisdom and life stories with me.  One of those members was a man in his late 60’s named Mr. K. Read More... The post 11- A Look Into the Eyes of Regret appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Thanks to everyone that has sent in a Friday Forum contribution.  If you submitted a Friday Forum and don’t hear it on the show today, don’t worry.  I still have it and will very likely use it on next week’s Friday Forum episode.  You can participate in Friday Forum by calling and leaving a message at 304-837-2278, emailing an audio file to feedback@goldenspiralmedia.com, or clicking on the Send Voicemail tab on my website, GoldenSpiralMedia.com.  Friday Forum is your opportunity to Share what YOU’VE learned, so that other listeners and I can learn from YOU.  It can be a message as short as 30 seconds or several minutes long.  It really doesn’t matter just as long as it’s something that will benefit others.   This week’s Friday forum come to us from Mark.  Mark sent in a story that’s long enough to take up the entire duration of today’s show.  While it’s perfectly okay that Mark’s story is this long, please don’t think that your Friday Forum story has to be this long.  In fact, for most Friday Forum episodes, I envision 2 or 3 stories from various callers.  Read More... The post 10- Friday Forum appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There was one particular stretch of time though that was challenging.  It started when we  set up a new store in Denton, TX.  Denton was close, only about 2.5 hours away from home.  The setup took a month, and that included staying a week or so after the store opened so that we could be there to assist the new employees as customers started arriving.  We would travel down to Denton on Sunday and come home either Friday night or Saturday afternoon.  This gave us a day to spend with our families before we headed back to Denton. Now, not all of the setup crew was from Oklahoma City.  The company pulled in top employees from all over the company to come help set up new stores.  Two of us from the Oklahoma City market were part of the team so we would ride down together and room together once we arrived.  My traveling partner for that four week stretch was a good friend of mine named Ben. Ben and I had a lot in common and being around him really made the drive time pass more quickly.  We were both competitive, so when one of us decided to pull a simple prank on the other, it was on like Donkey Kong!  Read More... The post 09- The Fire Sauce, The Hot Tub, and the Prank War appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

We have tried very hard to teach our kids to think of others before themselves, don’t do things to other people that you wouldn’t want done to you, be responsible for their own behavior, treat everyone with respect, and to never, ever be afraid to wear a Doctor Who shirt in public.  We all know that as parents, our kids are observing us and learning from us.  Sometimes they’re picking up our bad habits, but hopefully, if we do our job right, we’re teaching them those things that are good and noble and honorable. Of course, none of us as humans or as parents are perfect, so sometimes I screw up as a parent.  But the story I want to share today is about one of those times where I got it right. Dallas Comic-Con 2013 took place right around Mother’s Day and my wife thought that a good present for her would be to give her a weekend of relaxing at home...alone.  In fact, when I asked her what she thought about me taking the kids down to Dallas for Dallas Comic-con, her first words were, “Sounds like a great Mother’s Day present!”  This would be a win for everyone involved.  Kari would get to enjoy some peace and quiet, read her books, work on some cross-stitching, and relax.  The kids would get to take an adventure out of state, and I would get to get my geek on. Read More... The post 08- Teaching With Action appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today’s story is one that I thought I’d get around to sharing eventually, but really didn’t think I’d be sharing it this early.  My mind was changed after I received this email (I’m withholding the name of the sender out of respect for her privacy): My name is [withheld] and I'm from Mexico. I follow several of your podcasts and find them really amusing and enjoyable. …  I have almost five years in a deep depression and started seeing a psychologist this past friday. One of my many issues is my relationship with my sister, which is almost inexistent, we might as well be strangers. Yesterday I asked my sister about this and for her I'm quite dramatic, boring, ridiculous and she have no interest in sharing her life with me. She doesn't understand why this affects me, I was shocked. Well, I think that's everything. Thank you for sharing your passion for so many wonderful series, thank you for make my life less miserable. First, I want to thank this listener for her courage to write in about such a difficult issue.  I am not at all qualified to address this situation in any kind of clinical or professional way, but I can tell you that her story is not uncommon and hits really close to me.  I want to share a story with you today in hopes that it might give you strength and a brighter outlook.  Read More... The post 07- When Relationships Hurt appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Did you know that Jerry Seinfeld was booed off stage the first time he did stand up?  Did you know that Stephen King’s bestseller “Carrie” was rejected by publishers 30 times?  Or how about this one?  Thomas Edison failed at making the light bulb over 1000 times!  The Beatles were rejected by a music label and told they have “no future in show business.”  Walt Disney was fired and told that he lacked imagination and had no original ideas. There are many, many other stories of how now-famous people once failed miserably.  Michael Jordan, Oprah Winfrey, Abraham Lincoln, and Steve Jobs are just a few.  The stories of their failures have been widely circulated around the internet and often used to inspire others.  Sometimes it’s hard for me to look at those people and think that they have anything to do with ME.  I’m not a millionaire.  I’m not a famous author or inventor.  I’ve never won any awards, well, unless you count that podcasting award! The point is, if you’re like me, when you hear stories of famous people who once failed, you quickly tell yourself why you’re not like that person and their story may not inspire you the way it was intended.  In reality, all those people are normal humans just like the rest of us.  And while we may not ever be a famous inventor, TV personality, athlete, author, or musician, we can do the EXACT same things that each of those people did.  We can learn from our failures and use them to make us stronger.  Read More... The post 06- Feeding Off of Failure appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

There are many things that I wish I had.  I wish I had a more energetic personality.  I wish I could play guitar, piano, and sing like Daryl Hall, I wish I had a mutton, lettuce and tomato sandwich, where the mutton is nice and lean and the tomato is ripe.  they're so perky, I love that...and I wish I had the gift of encouragement. Now, I know that I can BE encouraging, and I hope that you find these podcasts, encouraging, but there are people out there that just have this gift of encouragement.  Those people that seem to always know what to say in those tough situations or moments when life has you down.  When the tables are turned and someone around me is struggling, I often find it difficult to figure out what to say.  It seems like anything I say is just trite or hollow. Read More... The post 05- The Power of Encouragement appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Ah, high school.  As I mentioned yesterday, those aren’t really days that I would ever care to repeat.  Even though I don’t want to repeat them, I did learn a lot and look back at most of those days as good days.  Adolescence is hard.  I don’t care how big of a town you live in or how stable your home is.  Teenage boys are hormonal, generally have short attention spans, have tons of energy, and generally would rather be any place other than school. It just so happened that my high school sophomore English/Lit class was the same time of day that the girls had their PE or elective.  This meant that my sophomore English/Lit teacher, Mr. Harrison had a room full 20 or smart mouthed, teenage boys who couldn’t care less about Shakespeare, Poe, Dickens, or Steinbeck.  I was naturally good at English, but didn’t really care much for literature.  Some of it was interesting, like Poe, Dickens, and Twain, but the poetry, and Shakespeare stuff was dull.  Please don’t hate me. Mr. Harrison was different than most teachers.  He didn’t fit the mold.  That’s probably why he only lasted about 3 years.  He drove a 1976 Jeep CJ5 and it had the word “Tenacity” stenciled on the sides.  He always backed it into his parking space.  In the classroom he was different too.  He understood what it was like to be a teenage boy and, while he demanded respect and order in the classroom, he tried to make our time and fun as possible. Read More... The post 04- That Wrong Answer is Correct! appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

What is your proudest moment? Perhaps it is a professional achievement or recognition. Maybe it’s the day you reached a personal goal. Or maybe it was the day you overcame a gigantic obstacle. For me, it was the day I lost all my friends except one. Wait, what? That’s my proudest moment? Here’s the story. I grew up in a small town. I graduated with class of about 36. I tried to be athletic, but that didn’t work. The basketball coach and the other players would literally laugh at me as I tried to do the drills. I was never in the cool crowd. Most of the kids at school were nice enough, but I never really felt like I fit in. When I graduated high school I was insecure, and not exactly sure where life would take me, but I could not wait to get out of that small town and see what else was out there. I started attending the university in a town about 30 miles away, the town I still live in today. I enrolled as a Graphic Arts major with hopes to one day be an animator for Warner Brothers. I’d never taken a formal art class because my school didn’t offer any art courses. I also found a part time job to pay my way through college. I soon realized that my love for drawing went away when it started becoming an assignment and stopped being a mere hobby. So it didn’t take long for my interest in school to wane, even though I was making great grades and made the dean’s honor roll. At the same time, I grew more interested in my job. And there at that little book store is where I reached my proudest moment.  Read More... The post 03- My Proudest Moment appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today's episode is titled, The Day I Slew the Fear Dragon. If you enjoy comic books, sci-fi shows, the geeky side of pop culture, or super hero movies, then chances are that you know what comic con is. Many people associate the word comic con with a massive gathering of geeks and pop culture nerds each July in the sun bathed city of San Diego, California. But in reality, that event is actually called Comic Con International or even San Diego Comic Con. There are many comic cons happening all year round in cities all around the world. In 2013 I not only made my 3rd trip back to San Diego Comic Con, I attended Seattle's Emerald City Comic Con, Dallas Comic Con, and Dragon Con in Atlanta, Georgia. There are many things to love about comic cons, and one of my favorites is the opportunity to see and often speak to the people that have worked tirelessly to create books, TV shows, and movies that I love. Sometimes these encounters with celebrities have come in one on one conversations, sometimes they've come in small group conversations, but most of the time I've simply been one of thousand of giddy geeks in a room for an hour as the actors and producers sat on a stage and spoke about their work. I don't get nervous or scared during the one on one conversations, and I no longer get butterflies when I'm part of a round table discussion, but those massive rooms filled with people...those are the ones that make me nervous just thinking about it right now. My fear is the peers. My first year at San Diego Comic Con I got up in front of nearly 5,000 people in Ballroom 20 so that I could ask a question to the stars of my favorite show, Fringe. I was disappointed, but mostly relieved when time ran out before I even got close to the microphone. I attended 4 other comic cons, as I mentioned before, and never got up enough nerve to even approach the microphone line again. And then came Dragon Con 2013. It seems only fitting that I would finally slay the fear dragon at con bearing its name. But first, a little background. Read More... The post 02- The Day I Slew the Fear Dragon appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.

Today's episode is titled, The Contagious Smile of the Garbage Whistler. I want to tell you a lesson I learned, or relearned as this case may be, while I was recently in Las Vegas for New Media Expo 2014. I've gone to New Media Expo the last three years, the first year I attended it was still called Blogworld. I've always found it to be a great use of my time. It's a time that I get to meet and share ideas with other people like me; other podcasters, online content creators, and those who aspire to share their message with the world. This last bit, the bit about sharing a message with the world, is something that had been on my mind for quite a while, at least a year. When I started podcasting in 2008, I had no idea how it would change my life. At the time it was either spend a bit of money on season tickets for the Oklahoma Sooners football team, or buy some podcasting equipment. I chose podcasting and it's one of the best decisions I've ever made. Read More... The post 01- The Contagious Smile of the Garbage Whistler appeared first on Golden Spiral Media- Entertainment Podcasts, Technology Podcasts & More.