Five Reasons to Get Out There Today

Five Reasons to Get Out There Today

It’s been a while since I’ve postedl. I know, not great for business consistency, but amazing for my soul.

My family kicked off the summer with a wedding in Norway. We spent most of our time in the Arctic Circle, on the island of Tromso, then onto Sommaroy for nuptials on a white sandy beach. With a year-round population of about 400 people, it is a magical place: Breathtaking mountain views, pristine air, aquamarine ocean, and the fjords, the fjords! And during the summer, it’s the land of the midnight sun. (more…)

Want Better Conversations? Get a Dog.

Want Better Conversations? Get a Dog.

As a voice actor, I receive a lot of auditions that request a ‘conversational read’. The style requires voice talent to sound relatable, likeable and empathetic. It’s the voice of a good friend or trusted adviser. As if you’re in, you know, a conversation.

It strikes me that in a time when the marketing version of conversation is so popular, our real-world conversation is decidedly not. Genuine, engaged conversation – that give and take of ideas information and feeling – is often absent in a world filled with noise and hit-and-run commentary.

Over the last two years I have advocated better conversations to understand each other, to see each other as human beings rather than opinions. Or punching bags. Find common ground.
We have much more in common with each other than we think.

So, in the spirit of better, more connected conversations, I propose this solution: Get a dog. (more…)

Revising A Dream When Adversity Hits: A Conversation with DIYMFA’s Gabriela Pereira

Gabriella Pereira is the founder of DIYMFA, an online writing community and a virtual alternative to the traditional MFA creative writing program. When she was 24, Gabriela received the life-changing diagnosis of bipolar disorder. Last week on my podcast Embark, she shared her story in the hope this conversation sparks more conversations about the stigma we attach to mental illness, and how we can change the language around it. The following is an excerpt of that conversation. (more…)

Breaking the Chains of Human Trafficking

It’s a global industry valued at over 150 billion dollars, with over 25 million people in itsworkforce.  It is an industry built upon greed, manipulation and exploitation. This industry is human trafficking, an ever-growing enterprise, which often happens in plain sight. One segment of trafficking involves indentured servitude, and exploitative labor practices which proliferate hospitality services, agriculture, construction, domestic services, warehousing and countless other businesses. (more…)