Sagewolf Interviews

@livvonoelreich The scene: We are in Ladera Heights, Los Angeles, CA on a warm day in Liv’s backyard sitting on lawn chairs drinking tea. This sounds like we live gentle lives; yesterday we fixed her garage door by lifting it together and also road motorcycles all over LA. This is our normal. Our friendship has weathered many journeys and many miles on motorcycles. Join us in the garden for curiosity, laughter, and pre-psychotherapy. Highlights: A taste: “Through the physical comes the emotional.” “Sometimes I don’t move forward with things because I like the idea of what is possible with the idea and if I move forward with it, perhaps it’s not going to work out the way I wanted it.” Favorite sayings: “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (The Serenity Prayer) “The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.” - Emerson Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@arisjanigian arisjanigian.com The scene: We are sitting in the sun on a chilly Spring day just outside Aris’ living space, which is attached to his private library of 1 billion books (actually 5,000 ish). Aris begins the interview a bit withdrawn, perhaps shy, perhaps melancholic - like any truly great writer is expected to be - but warms up throughout and by the end is truly lively. It has taken me a moment to return to editing and releasing interviews. I saw Aris in yoga the other day and we shared that we had such fond memories of what a great interview it was, it is. Join us as we explore the human condition and how it is captured with words. Highlights: Uncomfortability creates an opportunity to elevate consciousness A taste: Favorite saying: (He can’t remember. Ask his friends for the notes they take of the funny things he says.) Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@john_lofgren @johnlofgrenbootmaker johnlofgren.com The scene: We are in the private library of John’s friend Aris, surrounded by at least 5,000 books, in the Tower District of Fresno, CA on a sunny-cold winter day, bathing in the sunlight beaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. John has intentionally not listened to my other interviews, both of us wanting for each question to feel fresh and unrehearsed. We discover similar pasts in and ethical beliefs about fashion. Perseverance is a big takeaway. Join us in the speakeasy library for a value-driven conversation about dad-fashion and more important things. Highlights: + Running a company in Japan (from the US) + Traveling for work and it feels like a vacation + Lived in Japan for 17 years + First went to Japan as a vintage buyer for a clothing co. + Yoga changed his life + We met through Keryn Nicholson the Hatter (episode 28) + Established his boot brand in 2010 + An American buying US vintage for the Japanese market + Wearing replica vintage used to be scandalous + “Outdoor style” - function became fashion + Did not go to school (for fashion or shoemaking) + Insisted on “ethically made” from the onset + Where does the string that closes the bag that carries the boot come from? + But…where do the buckles REALLY come from? + Studied Cultural Anthropology + Doing it right is VERY expensive + Who are we giving our money to? Who are we supporting? + Greenwashing + B Corp and “ethical verifications” + Doing something because it’s right (not for the credit) + Holding others accountable + Social responsibility + How to plant the seed to educate others to choose ethically made + The money you buy something with supports the government of the country it was made in (READ THAT AGAIN) + Our biggest vote in the world is with our dollars (Are we supporting regimes?) + Making the very best thing that you possibly can + The satisfaction of wearing something ethically untainted + Being painfully honest is helpful (low self esteem is unhelpful) + Dad was a farmer and did construction + Whatever you talk about doing is doable, but 99% of people don’t + Going broke…more than once (and being in real deep debt) + Losing everything in the 2011 earthquake tsunami + Looking for a lifestyle that’s a little less technology, a little more analog + Dear younger self: please do better in high school + You might know the language but if you don’t get the culture, you won’t last + Radical openness and radical listening A taste: “Maybe they sleep on it and maybe it’s like how that seed was planted in me when I was in Egypt when I was 21 years old, maybe sometime a little ways down the line they’ll think, ‘Hey, I’d like to see what it’s like to wear something that’s ethically made too, something that’s not tarnished with slave labor or child labor.” Even if it’s just one part of it - see what it’s like to own one thing that’s completely ethically made.” “You’ve got to have some sort of personality trait that’s a little abnormal to do what we do, or everybody would do it, wouldn’t they?” Favorite saying: “The strongest of the fittest.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@robesp90 The scene: We are in Manchaca, Texas on a warm evening in May, sitting at a wooden picnic table under an umbrella strung with cafe lights. We’re about to head to the Manchaca Springs Saloon to continue hanging with the Model Citizens classic car club who are coming off a weekend of cruising after the Lone Star Roundup classic car show. It’s been epic. Scraping down Congress St. in a classic car parade is a definite bucket list item. Join us for a chill chat about drifting, racing, scraping, and making OCD your friend. Highlights: + Classic car builder since 2018 + Currently owns: ’65 bagged C10 (Chevy square body truck), ’65 4-door Chevy Nova (V8 swapped, Ford rear-end), ’71 wagon + Used to own: ’91 240 SX, imported from Japan… + Drift raced for 10-15 years + Learned to work on cars by racing them + Hand sketches all his design ideas + Works through Gringo’s Auto and Custom - an auto shop that does custom work + Model Citizens’ annual ‘Git Down at Manchaca Springs Saloon + Getting recognition for your passion + Grew up riding BMX and teaching himself to build + Enjoys teaching others what he has taught himself + Grew up in Manchaca, his grandparents live here + OCD helps him produce beautiful cars and complete jobs + Downside of OCD: exhaustion, burnout, not feeling appreciated + Community support keeps him on track and reconfirms his direction + Seeing your hard work pan out makes it all worthwhile + Trial and error all the time + Excitement about working with customers + Innovating classic cars through customization + Air ride, bags, hydraulics, scraping + “Scraping’s just a way of life” + It’s gotta go lower or higher - some things do need to be lifted + Working on cars (7 days/week) is tough on relationships + Life balance, relaxing in-between + Working for yourself, investing in yourself + You can make 10k+ competing in fishing (WTF!) + Being gifted with a mechanical mind and capable hands + True “failure” is something you can’t repair, most “accidents” are repairable A taste: “It’s basically OCD and obsession on everything and anything. Super crazy about what I do and then OCD enough to where everything has to be done right and finished. I hate unfinished projects.” Favorite saying: “Fuck around and find out.” (Try things, don’t give up, learn what you don’t know). Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@manchaca_springs_saloon The scene: We are in Manchaca, Texas (South Austin) sitting at an old wooden table inside the saloon (where we have taken at least one shot of tequila once upon a time…). This place is what I would consider the ideal bar: decorated all over with badass collected artifacts, huge outdoor space with a stage for live music, and food trucks. Basically, one could live here. And Josh almost does. Not only is he here daily, but he lives down the road. Join us in the saloon for the story of where Josh came from and how he ended up sitting across from me. Highlights: + The annual “Git Down” classic car show at the saloon + Likes entertaining + A BBQ joint became the saloon + Business name: Rodriguez Rod and Cycles + Started painting lowrider bicycles when he was 13 + 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe is his daily beater (it’s gorgeous) + Built every bike he ever had from scratch + Had his own TV show on the Discovery Channel: Texas Car Wars + Now he’s ready to chill (and wouldn’t do TV life again) + His uncle gave him his first paint gun + First car at 15: ’77 Monte Carlo dropped to the ground, primer grey with a red velvet interior + Lots of drag races, way too fast on motorcycles + Has taught a few painters - those who showed genuine interest + Grew up in South Austin - was the cool spot back in the 80’s + Manchaca is the last part of South Austin that feels like it hasn’t changed + Manchaca is in Travis County, not part of Austin City (so, still the wild west) + The history of Manchaca and the springs/Onion Creek dates to the 1400’s + Has found over 1000 arrowheads in the area since he was a kid + Grew up across from the green belt (literally a paradise) + Growing up shooting bb guns + Lost an eye at 4 years old (not from a bb gun, it made his other eye stronger) + Making OCD work for you - developing an acute sense of detail + Being a big risk-taker + “Nobody ever wakes up in the morning and says, “Man, I’m glad I did that cocaine.” + Being a fighter, staying one step ahead, nobody else gets the last word + Doing a lot for your community, and your community helping you + Grew up in a house full of people, and then invited all the neighbors over :) + Growing up fast (too fast) + He’s an old soul, living young soul lessons (over and over) + Making mistakes, recognizing them, and choosing better A taste: “I grew up in South Austin…it was really the cool spot in Austin back in the ’80’s during my era of growing up. Everybody was wearing cut-off blue jeans and had their hair cut long and drank a lot of beer and sat underneath all the trees at every park you could find. And nobody got in trouble or got fucked with.” Favorite Sayings: “Higher than giraffe pussy.” “You should only regret something once.” "To thine own self be true." "Always keep your mind open - there’s always two sides to the story." "Keep your eyes open, and your ear to the ground." "Be grateful for every new day." Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@planetmarfa planetmarfa.com The scene: We are in Marfa, Texas sitting at one of the many tables in the gorgeous outdoor enclosed patio of Planet Marfa. It’s like a secret desert oasis that all the most interesting locals know about. The bar in the center of the patio resembles a treehouse. There’s also a teepee (that is a cave below ground)…and a school bus…and a dance floor…with a jungle gym! Wow. Join us inside this patio wonderland for a very sisterly, aquarian sharing of the life journey. Highlights: + Planet Marfa is the first bar/restaurant she has owned + Buying a place to keep it the same - Project: Save Planet Marfa + “I don’t know anything about that but I’ll figure it out” + Working the Marfa radio station during the pandemic + Originally from Houston + Being a new business owner in a tight-knit town + Aquarians… + Falling in love with Marfa + Your slow-down place becoming your social place + Loving your staff and your regulars + Learning tenacity + Life events reflecting your strengths back to you + Empowering others instead of bossing + Learning to rely on others + Having a business that is visited by every kind of person + Enjoying watching people enjoy themselves + Coping mechanism: being needed + Knowing when to drop our childhood survival skills + Being confident and not giving a shit + Making music video covers in middle school + Loving yourself - being your own best friend + Being open to but not looking for a partner + Learning to take care of ourselves + Wanting to be a whore but behaving like an asexual + Flipping the script on crushes and seeing yourself in them + Falling in love with ourselves through the reflection we see in others + Nurturing our relationship with ourselves + Start where you are - and just smile at others A taste: “I used to come out here and it was quiet and I was peaceful and I’d spend a lot of time at my house…it’s where I would slow down and forget about my regular life. So it’s a little strange now this is the place where I’m very busy…it’s kind of flipped, now Houston’s where I go to slow down.” Mantra: “I am here now.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@thesoundmindgarden thesoundmindgarden.com The scene: We are in Joshua Tree, CA in Petra’s home with her 6 month-old baby boy Marley, her husband Ryan, and her mom who is visiting from Czechoslovakia. I am elated to have this time with Petra as it is very unexpected, yet feels perfectly timed. Petra has been playing soundbaths since early 2019. She played for our meditation retreat a few days earlier and the year before that, which was my first ever. She has such a calming and approachable energy. Join us in her home sanctuary for an honest share of the journey from corporate America to the present. Highlights: + “Upgrading reality” by letting things go keeps life energy flowing + Creative focus without interruptions is blissful + There is no true giving without receiving + Unconditional love - do I do the same thing for myself? + Her new practice to change a repetitive “story”: contemplate the thought, then add a prayer + No simply means no. Saying no is self care. + Lived in Denver, CO for 14 years + Moved to JT to change her life - left a corporate job and a cushy life + Being away from tall buildings allows the mind to expand and flow creatively + Rebirthing yourself through choice of place + Immersing yourself in nature AND having community + Living in a quiet space allows for stillness + Stillness allows for a different internal focus + What you see outside is what you experience inside + Fighting to fix yourself in chaos is possible, and maybe extra challenging + Finding joy inside - rediscovering joy + What is my priority? Having limited time guides this + Being non-linear with how you spend your time + Flow is a journey, allow it to surprise you + You don’t know what you don’t know + Recorded an album called Gratitude + Aligning with the pure motive of why you’re doing what you’re doing + Petra used to work in finance, planning retirements…wearing heels! + Waiting for the plan vs. leaping first and then the plan forming + Stay put long enough to allow “your thing” to show up - it will find you + Sell/give away everything that doesn’t bring you joy + If you keep doing it and it doesn’t change, then perhaps it is your authentic journey + “Work” not draining you but instead heightening you + Working with people on vacation + Inviting people into your experience, sharing what you are living + Living in virtue takes practice, there is no timeline + Gratitude is accessible to everyone, it is non-denominational + Every part of our journey matters + Learning to listen to others / not insisting on doing things on your own + Recognizing those whom we should listen to, and those we should not + Listening deepens empathy + Going from 3 boxes of shoes to having what you need + Having “things” takes your energy + Substance-free experiences - being high on actual life + Don’t attach - to anything + “Spiritual Materialism” and not selling a spiritual experience + Soundscape Musician vs. “Sound Healer” + Trust that all is well - especially in hard times + Stay playful, nimble, and curious + Everyone wants to be heard, but who is willing to listen? “Once you get on the string you have to do everything to stay on that string, which is the path, which is really the only path there is. Just keep following that creative flow. And everything that arises is supposed to. All of the people that show up on the journey are exactly those people who are supposed to show up.” Favorite saying: “I am t Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@marfarockshop moonlightgemstones.com The scene: We are in Marfa, Texas at Paul’s rock shop sitting in the back workshop where all the magic happens - where rocks you kick become beautiful jewelry. For me, this is an intentional return trip to Marfa to see Paul again and absorb more of the magic I feel when I’m in this part of Texas. Last time, I bought a beautiful turquoise and silver ring that one of Paul’s apprentices made. His shop could easily be a museum; it is unreal what beauty our earth is able to create from elements. Join us for a brief history through Paul’s adventures and trade. Highlights: + Lapidary = one who cuts, polishes, or engraves gems. + Moved to TX in 1984 for a job at the observatory + Started by collecting agate as a hobby + He’s a surface collector as opposed to a digger + Armadillo races with Jalapeño Sam + An article featuring his jewelry got him fired from a pump job + Ended up in Marfa because it was “cheap” (20 yrs ago) + Apprentices are good labor if they’re competent + Staying somewhere because you can’t afford to leave + Surviving breaking your leg in the wilderness + Crawling out from the debt of medical bills + His employees typically learn and move on + Finding a good balance with helpers and prioritizing your own work time + Feeling “too generous” + Political intolerance is extreme in TX + America is founded on genocide + “A blueberry in a strawberry field” + Having a science background in an industry associated with mystical properties + Being given access to private property + Agates in TX + Feeling outcast for not participating in local catholic religious activities + Being seen as part of “the invasion of Marfa” (by white people) + Every day is a surprise + Political corruption, abortion rights, religious rule + Seeking a “progressive environment” / the decay of America + Working in the service fixing radios A taste: “When somebody comes to me and says, ‘Can I learn , can I apprentice?’ well, it’s a benefit to me because I gain labor - if they’re a competent person, and that’s been the case with a number of very talented young people that want to learn.” Favorite saying: “I can’t believe I’m getting away with selling rocks in the desert.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

The scene: We are near Willcox, Arizona at “Happy Camp” on BLM land where I dry camp and Fred leases from the US Govt. to roam his current 130 head of cattle. I have appointed Fred the mayor of Happy Camp because he makes it his business to know who’s coming and going and why. We met the last time I was out here. Fred and I couldn’t appear more different but we seem to be cut from the same cloth. Hank and I take a ride up into the hills in his side-by-side to check on the water pumps for his cattle. Join us at camp for an honest tale told through the eyes of the last great generation of ranchers. Highlights: + Ranched the Mexico border for 24 years during the late 80s and early 90s + 200 head allotment, 29 sections, 640 acres/section, 19,000 acres + Third generation - passed down from both Mom’s and Dad’s side of the family + Sells calves through the local auction at 6-8 months old + Ranchers get paid $1 - $1.20 per pound…grocery stores sell it for $10-25/lb + Can’t afford to hire help + There are 4-5 “middle men” (butchers, packers, etc.) getting paid between the rancher and the grocery store + Ranchers don’t fully understand why they get paid so little + “The rich get richer and the poor get poorer” + You’ve got to really like animals and ranching to be in it + Fred gets attached to his animals (why he doesn’t slaughter his own chicken) + His horses are like family members to him + Rain is scarce - when there’s not enough, they haul water up the mountain + Runs three solar-powered water pumps + “Just get up and go every day” + “Don’t blame nobody for all your mistakes” - if you screw up, admit it and go on (learned from dad) + Go to college, see how other people do things in the world, then come back to ranch + Most of the people who own ranches are the money people, not families any more + A good saddle horse costs $8-10K + Poachers thieve calves from the land + Ranchers and farmers are his community because they understand him (not town people) + Most people don’t understand where food comes from (not the grocery store) + Credit cards are a dirty trick - Fred is cash or check only + The countryside is his church and his freedom (no bosses) + Mom loaned him 30K for his first bunch of cows in ’91 + Ranchers don’t die…the cattle won’t let them + Fighting leukemia since 2007 + Look forward and have a sense of humor - feeling sorry for yourself is the worst thing you can do + Didn’t get an allowance and also didn’t want for nothin’ A taste: “Just put one foot forward and keep goin’. Just do your best if you can. Take life as it comes because that’s the only choice you’ve got. Be happy...most of the time try to be happy, and do right. […] You make your own mistakes your own way, you learn by your mistakes. And take responsibility, even if you screw up, "so I screwed up", go on with it.” Favorite saying: “You can’t be right all the time.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@barakhardley The scene: We are in Los Angeles, CA sitting in Barak’s living room joined by his two cats. This is the first interview I’ve been bullied into (is it bullying if you’re willing?) We have a total blast talking about life experiences that have shaped the way we think. At one point, Barak commandeers the interview to have us create something together - that’s an interview first! Barak is lovely, unique, kind, creative, and funny. Join us as we plan world domination…or maybe just another really good idea for keeping his cat from turning on the faucet. Highlights: + A new year’s resolution of getting on Tik Tok + Learning to verbalize what you’re creating + Sharing the process of creating things with others + Dialoguing with others while creating + We met on the set of a music video - shoutout to @mamahotdog (hire us again! K thanks! ;) + Life is art vs. Art is life + Avoiding displeasure by creating opportunity out of any experience + Being inspired by others responding to your art + Reprioritizing social media beyond likes + Barak used to be a pastor and then stopped believing in God + Losing your “truth” and finding another one + This world is chaos and it’s so unlikely that we would exist + We are the universe aware of itself, enjoying itself + Podcasts: meet a stranger and talk like best friends for an hour + Becoming a comedian to deal with depression and insecurity + Developing more healthy aspects of validation + Making deeper friendships through projects + Transitioning from hoarder to maker + Removing obstacles from the creative process + Fighting through depression, being grateful for the experience + Craving challenges, knowing they bring breakthroughs + From avoiding uncomfortability to embracing the challenge + Figuring out that you like the struggle + Chasing the creative dream to feel genuinely satisfied in life + Creating the possibility that you can do whatever you want however you want + The necessity of the hustle to maintain the creative spirit + “What’s the place where I’m the best?” - where passions overlap + All the projects we pursue are connected, that crossroads is our own magic + Being confident in what you’re talking about and being less defensive + Barak hijacks the interview and I let him + We concept an experiential event on a white board + The greatest harm in life was comparing himself to others + Question the voice that says NO A taste: “I think the process of making things is so interesting to me. It’s more interesting than the thing itself.” “I’d much rather be creating and building than spend another minute trying to resuscitate an acquaintance.” Favorite saying: “This is a cold brutal world, but it was cobbled together by people who had it much worse.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

ripplecatalyststudio.com The scene: We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico in Cecile’s home office of 20 years, surrounded by colorful folk art set against a backdrop of soothing cream-colored walls. Cecile explains to me that for many years each wall used to be a different bright color. I can see how both the calm cream and the energetic colors suit Cecile - she is dynamic, with a simultaneously energizing and soothing quality about her. This dynamism is expressed throughout all of her projects. Join us for a candid conversation between two women who are not afraid to use the word vagina. Highlights: + Radio show host - “Brave Space” + Raised Jewish in South Africa, moved to the US at 30 yrs old + Moved to Santa Fe after 3 days into her first visit + Winning your green card in the lottery (in 1995) + V Day, Eve Ensler, and the Vagina Monologues for 15 years + Getting the opportunity to speak to women from all over the world + Being passionate about the power of women united as a force + The feminist movement is reinventing itself + We are still fighting in America for equal rights to be put into the constitution + In 2001, newspapers wouldn’t let you use the world “vagina” + The Vagina Monologues created a movement + Created “The Business of Birth Control” movie + Birth control messes up your hormonal system + Being pro information about women’s health + People need to make decisions for themselves (not wait for their governments to do it) + “Human” rights + America is run by the minority right now + There is no right or wrong choice about how to be engaged in your world + There’s no such thing as a safe space, only a brave space + Film: The Business of Being Born + The testing of medication for women is tested on men (yes, reread that) + Women should talk to each other about all the women things + One Billion Rising movement - 1 out of 3 women in their lifetime will be raped or beaten + Bringing women together across racial groups + Cultures that are relationship-based + Imposter syndrome + Life lessons: just go with it A taste: “The feminist movement is sort-of reinventing itself. I just don’t know where I fit into it anymore right now - like, a white, middle-aged woman. As much as I feel like I’m still 20, the truth is I’m not, and there are incredible, young 20-year-olds doing brilliant, brilliant activism, and it is time for them to step forward and lead.” Favorite saying: “When a drop of water interrupts a still surface, it creates a ripple. A disruption. An energy. The initial ripple is a catalyst for the next, transforming motionlessness into movement. Through the ripple, momentum is born.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@artivizm Upcoming book: The Ecology Cure: A Doctor’s Prescription for Healing the Earth and Ourselves The scene: We are in Chupadero, New Mexico sitting on Wendy’s large “portal” (porch) overlooking an orchard and the acequia (canal) that was built in 1876. Wendy and I just met in person for the first time. She is kind and straightforward and accommodating - and her eyes are full of joy. She has a vibrancy and energy about her that permeates the stories of her life adventures from politics to public health and Chile to Mozambique. Join us holobionts to learn about Wendy’s “place” and her adventurous journey toward it. Highlights: + New Mexico is in the middle of a 1200-year drought + The acequia used to have water from March through June (it’s dry now) + Humans forgot (300+ years ago) that they already are nature + Re-wilding feels like a privilege + We have lost our connection to place + Humans are part of an ecosystem and our bodies are also ecosystems + The Gaia theory: earth is a sentient organism and humans are the microbiome of the earth + Holobiont: all the symbiotic relationships in our bodies required for us to live + We can’t be healthy when earth’s ecosystem is unhealthy + Italian family, from Ohio, schooled at Ohio State and a year in Chile + Went to med school to do politics better + The people who are creating health policies are career politicians - not doctors + Doing a job to get the knowledge + Worked in Mozambique Africa helping scale up HIV treatment + Involved in the American Public Health Association + Worked with Doctors for Global Health - volunteerism, “liberation medicine” in marginalized countries, solidarity (not charity) + Jack Geiger - started the community health center movement, currently 1200 centers nationally + “The social determinants of health” - holistic considerations for what affects health i.e. stable housing, etc. + She became the Cleveland Medical Director for the City Health Dept. + Obtained her Masters in Public Health at Johns Hopkins while also holding that position (hero!) + Still (technically) a professor at the University of Washington Dept. of Global Health (Seattle) + What medical school teaches doctors addresses 20% of what we need to be healthy + If you’re going to be a good doctor, you’ve got to get involved in political issues + We share much of our DNA with trees + Being connected to PLACE and not reducing it to a resource for extraction + Creating a healthy society can be intuitive if you start from a place of revitalizing relationship + The ethic of and commitment to community + Buddhist-ish but not a club joiner + Walking away from a relationship if it means not becoming who you need to be + Women become invisible around 40 to 50 years old and up - in a great way + Thank you for connecting us Mariel Nanasi! (See her interview) A taste: “If you’re really connected to a place, if you’re really connected to a community of people - and of non-human people, then you’re going to have a whole different idea of what you’re willing to do to preserve it, [...] and not just see it as a resource for your pleasure, or something to be extracted.” Favorite sayings: “Medicine is a social science and politics is just medicine on a large scale.” - Rudolph Virchow “I arise in the morning torn between a desire to improve or save the world and a desire to enjoy or savor the world. This makes it hard to plan the day.” - EB White Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@pidge1000 The scene: We are in Austin, Texas sitting in the upstairs lounge of Bridgett’s climbing gym watching a guy get at it on a stairclimber while we pour our guts out to each other. We just met. Our connector knew we’d get on like this. A rare and wonderful encounter for sure. Bridgett is ripped, but in a dainty way - I’m still trying to get shoulders like hers. Her spirit and tenacity are inspiring, her humor eases, and her love everyone goal is noble. Join us as we climb adventurously up, down, and through life together like it’s not the first time. Highlights: + Exploring the world through your body + KINDNESS + “We all came here madly in love with one another” + You are me living another life + Resentment and anger are “low vibes” + Book: Letting Go - The Pathway of Surrender - David R. Hawkins + All feelings and emotions have a vibration + Learning boundaries + It’s a bummer when cute people can’t love well + You better come at me courageously + “Fuck yeah! energy” - the only thing we should make time for + Fave new term: “meat machine” (the body) + Our body pains are notifying us of emotional stressors + Somatic healing for our nervous system + Active recovery with Wim Hof and ice baths + “No sad stories” + Using ice baths to reset your nervous system + Ayahuasca ceremonies + Psilocybin for emotional release + Forming an outdoor mask-less park workout group…during covid + Saying I LOVE YOU - and what it means to others + Your mom not saying she loves you until the end of her life + Figuring out your daddy issues + Love is staying curious + Being an operator - getting shit done + We want men to show up as men and stand in their own power + Needing to be in control + Running away from an abusive relationship + Choosing to be the primary breadwinner to prevent abuse of power + Having a high tolerance for failure (makes you a good climber) + Dating attachment-avoidant men + “Nothing is so addicting as something that almost works” - Gabor Maté + Thank you @shanedante for introducing us! + Traveling the world climbing + Just wanting a toaster oven and a couch + Sharing the same mission as the co. you work for + “Integrity is not cheap” + Austin born and raised + Coyote the trickster + Starting a women’s commune…in Kentucky…possibly someday + Motherhood makes you softer, and stronger + Gracefully navigating failure, struggling with impulse control + Being sort-of good at a lot of things + “You weren’t born typical” - and keep doing you + The art can’t go up until we heal and we can commit + It’s easy to love everyone if you give them a chance + We are enough as we are + Learning to listen to our nervous system + Taking 10 hits of acid and learning to make better choices + Climbing is calculated risk + Planning to live no longer than about 70 years (unless the stem cells work) + “A dumpster fire in a hurricane” + Learning to get intimacy non-sexually + Growing your fuck yeah! circle + Not having to be the special snowflake A taste: “Why do we prioritize and celebrate relationship when it’s like friendship? Friendships are often not based on sexual attraction or raising kids or financial, it’s just two people that are like, ‘Hey I kinda like you and we’re gonna continue to do stuff together’…that’s kind of beautiful.” Favorite saying: “Failure is just new information.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@gjsellers The scene: We are in Santa Fe, New Mexico in the dining room/greenhouse of Gregory’s home for an off-chance, last-minute interview opportunity that almost didn’t happen due to a possible veterinary appointment and a childcare snafu. But, we made it happen! Gregory tried despite it all and I was ready and willing whenever he pulled the cord. These are my favorite kind of interview because they end up being full of discovery, surprises, and delight by all participants - including little ones. Join us for a rich conversation about leaving the world of a Zen monk for the world of a Zen working dad. Highlights: + From skateboarding in PA to meditating in NY and Japan + Spent 7 years in Japan in a Zen Buddhist monastery (age 22-27) + Ordained as a monk in ’99, left the monastery in ’06 + Relocating to NM to build a Zen temple + From monk to partner to father + Fatherhood as THE training just as being a Zen monk was the training + Charlie (2) and Tobias (1) join us (with a banana snack) + The REAL life of caring for toddlers…while doing an interview + Becoming a father at 46 + Ginger Snaps - an appropriate dad snack + Anyone in a monastery wants an “out” + There is no “out” from parenthood + Children as teachers + The rarity of being self-possessed + How to live a pure, authentic, high-quality life from the essence of who we are + The limitation of words in describing the hugeness of our life’s pursuit + The inquiry of how to live the highest quality lives we can, exactly as we are + Go back to the source and get real + Nothing is wrong - but we fear that it is + Pushing yourself into a very small tight box + Learning to silence our inner critic + Courage, fearlessness, and transparency + Saying yes! - spontaneity takes courage + Making Zen your own and calling it a practice + Being a genius master at blocking yourself from the truth + Your work is right in front of you - wherever you go, there you are + We don’t get to flake out on life if we want a rewarding one + The one thing you can’t [afford to] screw up with your kids is being unconditionally loving with them + We are not our children’s choices + Fish don’t see water in the same way humans don’t see energy + Accepting someone exactly as they are - non-judgement + The goal of “just one day sooner” + “There’s no salesmanship in truth” + “If I light up me, I light up you” + We don’t have to get anyone to change + Being an extroverted introvert - outgoing AND shy + Learning to just be reasonable + Solo retreats are community supported also + There is no separation between an individual and their community + Reciprocircle - our newly made-up word + Everything’s gonna be ok + Love the things you’re doing - don’t check out A taste: “That’s what love is - is accepting people, appreciating people exactly as they are, exactly how they are.” Favorite saying: “Pop Art is to love things.” - spoken by Andy Warhol in response to being asked, “What is Pop Art?” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

Band: City of my Death (on bandcamp) @cityofmydeath The scene: We are in SE Albuquerque New Mexico in Noelle’s “home office”, which is a cute apartment housing serious law things, a bass guitar, and a bunch of green plants. This is our first time meeting in person, after having only texted to arrange a time to meet. I feel so blessed to have been introduced to Noelle and that she agreed to meet with me on the fly. She is a true gem of a woman - humbly super intelligent, funnier than fuck, and inspiringly adventurous in her life pursuits. Join us for unexpected agreeable surprises. Highlights: + Learning to play the bass because you need a bassist + The doing of social media + New band: City of my Death + Listen to their music on bandcamp + Member of the “Mutual Admiration Society” (see Cynthia Cook’s interview) + OG drummer and vocalist, new bass player + Husband is a full-time musician + Moved to Albuquerque to go to law school + Represents tribes and tribal entities + Attended Cal Berkeley + Moved to NM from CA (bay area) 20 yrs ago + Intentionally moved away from “the city” + Originally from Ohio + The same qualities that bring success can also be a hindrance + Finishing things is important + Having a decent sense of humor is valuable + Noelle earns badges for: Persistence, Musicianship, and Humor + Arguably not too old to be playing rock and roll + Community has become more music-oriented + Making friends as a grown-up is challenging + Does anyone else have trouble watching a 2-hour movie these days? (us too) + Being an attorney can make one too comfortable with disagreement + Being perceived as “aggressive” when you don’t agree with others (as a woman) + Dear younger self: please don’t worry so much + The battle with self-consciousness A taste: “I think I just always had some confidence that I could do what I needed to do but to be fair I’ve had also all kinds of advantages in life so I know that that isn’t so much some inherent quality as probably whatever advantages I was lucky enough to have.” Favorite saying: “Expect agreeable surprises.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

wandael.com alexowandael.com italiany.us @wandael73 The scene: We are in Venice Beach, CA at Alexo’s home just off Abbott Kinney around 4pm. The light is getting lower and more golden. The way the sun is backlighting the curtains inside his living room is almost surreal: glowing 60’s pattern and color - a kaleidoscope of hot pink, green, brown, and orange. Alexo and I were match-made by instagram. We have a mutual friend in common and it suggested us to each other. I discover through our interview that we have quite a lot in common. Creepy to think the algorithm is teaching itself about human connection… The outcome: a lovely long interview of a budding friendship between two lone wolves. Highlights: + Italian born + Lived in Berlin + First came to the US in 1999 + Was an architect for 11 years + Was a fashion photographer + Alexo loves cowboys and westerns and pirates + His parents fell in love when they were 17 and 19 + He was raised by his maternal grandmother + Practicing an art and making an art are often different + “Commercial” “success” is typically based on “who you know” + Began portrait photography while still an architect + Creating a magic connection with your subject + Human connection in art vs. product-driven art + Working with multiple exposures and layers + Worked with Vogue Italia and Elle Russia + Fine Art Photography + Loving to visit a city, and then leave + Finding balance with people/self/nature + Having deeper relationships + All Italians ride scooters and are good-looking ;) + The importance of creating social communities + The journey from architecture to photography + Embracing nuances and imperfection + Foreseeing the failure and doing it anyway + Bucket list item: traveling the US by train + Being kind AND opinionated (stubborn) + Drawing the line at someone harming another + In the end, our journey is our own + The community required to make a film + What inspired his first film: A Woman Makes a Plan + About his second film: Tomato Soup in Skid Row + Skid row is like a war zone in Afghanistan + Only 30% of homeless are from drug addiction or mental health issues + Homelessness is a systemic problem…of the US + Stay curious and ask WHY + Motorcycle stories + The desert is the ultimate metaphor for justice A taste: “Artists..they are not diplomats. They should be the ones saying something loud, even if it’s going to hurt someone else, but at least you’re starting to make people think about or talk about it. I don’t say that I’m the right one. But at least let’s wake up from all the selfie and stuff. Let’s talk about something more serious just for once.” Favorite saying: "Our heads are round so our thoughts can change direction.” - Francis Picabia Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@camarocrybaby @rosehoundapparel rosehoundapparel.com The scene: We are in Manchaca, Texas at Blaze Foley’s gravesite sitting on a Mexican blanket having a fruit picnic and drinking Topo Chicos. We are playing Blaze’s songs in dedication and memoriam to him and we are mostly alone, with the exception of Longhorns in the field next to us. It’s even nicer than a peaceful park, which is strange to say in a graveyard. Join us and Blaze for a sun-filled evening sharing stories like old friends. Highlights: + Founder and Owner of Rosehound Apparel + Degree in Fashion Design + Being a Canadian from Toronto, moonlighting in Austin, TX + Thriving under pressure + If you want something bad enough, you’ll make it happen + The importance of branding + Starting out with embroidery, patches, and pins + Blowing up at Urban Outfitters and Zara + Pop-ups in Japan, London, New York, LA, Vegas… + Selling in the under $20 pricepoint + Missing making with your hands + The appeal of imperfectly made things + Buying your own kiln when covid shut down studios + Doing something yourself when you can’t find someone to do it + Screen-printing mirrors + The satisfaction of putting your work online and having positive response + Not meeting the demand and being more exclusive + Interning students from your university + Making and selling through FSG (Fine Southern Gentlemen) in Austin + Ceramics: ashtrays, pipes of various shapes + Moving to Austin in a 200 sq ft silver 1952 Spartan trailer + Renovating an old trailer and making it your new first home + Thriving in “non-essential” talents + Why Austin (and not Los Angeles)? + The importance of friends and family and ride-or-dies + Tenacity, impulse, time management, resourcefulness + Learning to make your art come first + Using your art as relationship therapy + Knowing you will always be ok + Being inspired by other artists, not threatened + Being an entrepreneur frees you from constraint + The Id and the Super-ego see-saw (Carl Jung) + Traveling 30 states in a camper van + Learning low maintenance through travel + You create opportunities (they don’t find you) + You might think you want a mullet, but you really want a Francoise Hardy + Penis pipes and penis waffles A taste: “People who shoplift aren’t afraid to take what they want.” “[I’m] definitely freed from a lot of structured thinking. I’m extremely independent. I know that I can make money out of my own shit. I don’t have to worry about a paycheck. I can put things off and I can work harder and I can make more money and I believe that I am able to do that.” Favorite saying: “Tough times never last, only tough people last.” “Radical acceptance.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

The scene: We are sitting in the office that Mariel built in her garage when she gave up her car during the pandemic. She chooses to walk to work to improve her environmental footprint. She shares her passion and real-world solutions for local and global change. Join us for a touching dialogue on the state of humanity and our home. Highlights: + The fossil fuel war + Going to bat with the governor in your state (New Mexico) + Going after the utilities that reinvest in fossil fuels + Oil, gas, coal, nuclear - the fortunes that undermine our democracy + The Public Regulation Commission + Environmental regulation + The enabling codependent relationship between government and the fossil fuel industry + Theories of change: focusing on what’s possible + SOLAR! New Mexico gets 330 days of sun per year + WIND! There’s also a lot of it here + There are fire refugees in New Mexico at the time of our interview from 3 massive forest fires + Creating community sufficiency + Electric car issues, the lithium valley in CA + Relationships are the hardest and most rewarding part of life + If you had only 15 minutes, what would you grab before leaving your home? + The cost prohibitiveness of solar + Historically, poor communities have paid for fossil fuels with their health/lives + Reparations are past-due + Community glue has been severed + Corporations and privatization are ruling + The ripple effect of small actions to create big impacts + Resistance movements need people in numbers + White people have gotten too comfortable + Decentralized community-owned energy is possible now + Being courageous in the face of fear and doubt (Nelson Mandela) + The dumbing down and emotional suffocation of our current society + The impatience of knowing the world is at a breaking point + Seeking friends with our same level of passion + Regrets about doing drugs...but not about having sex ;) + Self-awareness: taking accountability and using emotions for motivation + MLK movie: The Voice in the Wilderness + Do and say things that call out the truth + The responsibility of privilege Taste: “My mother said something to me so beautiful when she was dying. She died really young. She said, “I don’t really have any regrets” and “You (and my brother) turned out better than I ever have imagined.” Quotes: “Activism is the antidote to despair.” “The great revolutionaries are driven by love.” - Che Guevara Inspiring people: Martin Luther King, Malcolm X, Brian Stevens, Naomi Cline Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

The scene: We are sitting in the office that Jeff’s wife Mariel built into the garage. It’s the most formal environment selected by my interviewees thus far, but it’s fitting coming from a lawyer ;) Jeff is a spry 80 yrs old and is seemingly stoic and intimidating, but he warms right up when I start prodding him to tell me what the 60s Summer of Love was all about. Join us for a very colorful storytelling of Jeff’s and US history - a memoir of sorts. Highlights: + Board member of the Water Protector Legal Collective + Active in the National Lawyers Guild for over 50 years + Practiced law in Chicago from 1969-2002 + Grew up in Atlanta, Georgia + Parents are Jewish and supported the Civil Rights Movement + Grandfather was an attorney + Dad worked with John Lewis on the voter education project + Mom helped integrate hotels in Atlanta + Was the president of a fraternity + Volunteered for active duty to prevent getting drafted + Studied Law at the University of Chicago in the mid 60’s at the time of the riots and anti-war movements + First job was at Legal Aid helping the black community build affordable housing + Founded the People’s Law Collective + Spent 13 years in a civil suit to prove and prosecute the FBI and Chicago Police Dept for murdering Fred Hampton, the leader of the Black Panthers + Went back to school in his 60’s for an MFA in Creative Non-Fiction Writing in order to write his book like a memoir + Writing is an experience in self-revelation + Learning to write not just what happened but how you felt about it + Inspired by George Orwell’s memoirs + The value of group critiques for developing writing + Having a fundamental sense of justice + Having a mind for math, logic, and chess + Reacting to the time’s politics shaped the trajectory of his life + He’s a “reluctant revolutionary” + Not just a lawyer for the movement but also a part of the movement + There’s a difference between empathizing with or exploiting the prejudices of your crowd (manipulation) + When the long-reigning majority fears losing their power, totalitarian regimes tend to set in + Movie: Youth vs. the Government + The difference between empathy and sympathy, walking together vs. “saving” + It’s important to do things in life that make you uncomfortable + Using your privilege to benefit others without it + Are you part of the solution or are you part of the problem? + Office meetings on acid in the forest + Having a front-row seat on history + The camaraderie of working with a group + Climate change is a major issue + How do you show the governments’ complicity? + Top priority call to action: confronting the fossil fuel industry Taste: “If you recognize climate change, you recognize the collective need to deal with it - the governments and people acting together. Private enterprise/capitalism is not going to solve climate change. [...] Acknowledging climate change means you can’t make profit all the time.” Saying: “Evil doesn’t succeed because of the actions of evil people, it’s the non-actions of good people that allows evil to prevail.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo

@rjmarti35 The scene: We are sitting in Valdez Park in Española, New Mexico (just down the road from Pathways Shelter) where Ralph chose to be interviewed so his daughter could play. Ralph says his youngest daughter is his second chance at being the kind of father he should have been to all of his children. While we’re interviewing, we are visited by a young man who frequents his shelter and gives us a very athletic dance performance. Ralph later tells me he can identify a person on a specific drug from a mile away - from personal experience. Join us for a revealing conversation about the rest of life on the other side of recovery. Highlights: + Addiction leads you to do things you don’t really want to do + Doing time and being a felon + “Life’s experiences lead us to be who we are” + The co-dependence of a parent/child relationship + When your parents can’t bail you out of the system + The reputation of being a badass leads to serious consequences + Growing up in the projects of the town you’re running for office in + Getting in trouble with your siblings + If you’re looking for trouble, it’ll find you wherever you are + Children turning your life around + Homeless for 6 years - the freedom and the entitlement of it + Having gratitude for each moment + The feeling of cravings and uncontrollable urges + People believing in you more than you believe in yourself + The self-rationalization of an addict + Choosing the high over the birth of your child + The addiction story of our young park visitor + Part of a parent’s heart dies when their child is addicted and/or homeless + Parents cutting the cord to try to save themselves + The depression, self-pity, shame, and guilt that keep a person homeless + Resourcing for survival + Rehab - again, and again, and again…x 2 (= 6x) + You’re not ready until you’re ready + Accepting that you’re different leads you to recovery - personal boundaries + More access to drugs in jail/prison than on the streets + Life isn’t a race, there is plenty left to live + The pain of withdrawal from drugs + Months without clean clothes and showers + Regretting missing out on your children’s lives + Being worse than your father you never wanted to be + Visiting the places you were homeless to appreciate where you’ve been + Currently running for County Commissioner + Dreaming of a Camry and achieving a Hummer + Tough love from mom + The final break - into an apartment with a job + Bussing and walking to work 3 hours (keeps you out of trouble) + Rebuilding bridges with family + People believe in you when you show you believe in yourself + Now: Material Management Support at Los Alamos National Laboratory + Community activist for 5 years, bringing in $2.8M to the community + Thank you @erincurrierfineart for connecting us ;) A taste: “If the question is would I change anything in my past, if I had to do it over again? No, no, definitely not, because of who I am now and what I know and what I appreciate. […] If I had not gone through whatever I went through, I would be someone somewhere but I wouldn’t be who I am right now.” From Ralph’s IG post: “Whether its confidence, love, ambition, work ethic or focus, we as Dads must prioritize our actions on Earth so they align with the type of energy we want to fuel our kids as they become adults.” Favorite saying: “We all go through what we gotta go through to get to where we’re going.” Support the show Thank you for listening! Please subscribe to support this project. Love, Sagewolf xoxo