June 26, 2017 / podcast / No Comments »

And Now a Word about Pets

Growing up we had lots of pets in the house. In addition to the typical cats and dogs, we also had rabbits, chickens, a lamb, and a deer fawn that we found wandering alone in the woods.

I adore dogs. They adore me. I am allergic to cats, so I stay aloof. As a result, they are all over me. They must value the cool affect of apathy.

I have lots of conversations about climate change. Not everyone is interested. BUT when I talk to folks about pets and climate change, they perk up. I decided to chat with a veterinarian about household pets and farm animals and how global warming already affects them. What is a pet owner to do? Lots.

Have a listen to Dr. Steva Stowell-Hardcastle as she outlines for us the many ways climate change and pets rub up against each other.

April 25, 2017 / podcast / No Comments »

The Creativity of Engineers

For a long time I have been impressed with just how creative and artistic engineers can be. In my early 20s I met someone studying to be an electrical engineer. Along with his disciplined and detail oriented approach to his work, he also displayed an artsy side.

In my latest podcast episode I ask Dr. Hugh Sealy, an environmental engineer, about his creative side. As a problem solver, he is looking for solutions. Creativity is important to devise elegant solutions to complicated problems.

I aslo feature a 19 year old student, Adia Samba-Quee, from Springfield, MA. She is just beginning her journey as someone concerned about climate change. Her response? To use comedy and journalism.

For the Art House I get creative myself by imagining what a historian will have to say about us from the year 2167. Turns out the celebrities of our future will be engineers!

October 24, 2016 / podcast / No Comments »

Gay and Christian? An insightful and hilarious conversation

Lord Have Mercy

Chrystal Cheatham

I sit down for an interview with Chrystal Cheatham, host of Lord Have Mercy podcast. Oh we cover a lot of ground–queer theology, race, privilege, wild Bible births, how everything is connected. I don’t know but she brings out the best in me.

We spoke so long that she is going to present the interview in two parts.

Taking Matters into our own Hands

If you are a gay Christian and you want a better understand of how to approach the Bible and get beyond the clobber passages, have a listen. Also, check out Chrystal’s site. She has articles and is creating a new special Bible app designed just for LGBTQ Christians. You might even want to submit an article or content to her site or the app.

Peterson Toscano is hilarious and poignant and our in-the-meantime-guest as Alba and Crystal craft an entire season of podcasts that don’t skimp on the awkward, tense and cringe worthy truths about God, Sex and the Bible. Peterson is one of Crystal’s favorite performers and a true trailblazer who has been handling top tier discussions on sex and the bible long before this podcast.

Have a Listen

Lord Have Mercy podcast: Peterson Toscano Part One (Also hear it on iTunes)

June 2, 2015 / podcast / No Comments »

Polar Bear Fatigue. Queer Reasons to Address Climate Change?

It’s weird. I’m not an environmentalist, but I am concerned about climate change, and I think it is because I am gay. This may not make any sense to anyone, but I know about people coming up with false science in order to push a political agenda. For years anti-LGBTQ folks have either fabricated or distorted “scholarship” to slander LGBTQ, insist that our feelings and lives are immoral and unnatural, and to try to convince people that Change is Possible.

I can relate to climate change being this offensive thing that a group of people want to ignore, bash, or legislate out of the discussion. And honestly I grow tired of how many environmentalist talk about climate change. I mean some of my best friends are environmentalists. They are passionate and committed. But their arguments of why we should engage in climate action do not motivate me at all. Now talk about coffee as an endangered specie, yeah, you have my attention.

This wakes me up better than a double espresso!

In order to develop other talking points about why we should engage in climate action, I surveyed a bunch of people, asking, Besides the polar bears and future generations, why do you think we should act on climate change? I talked to mostly teenagers but some adults too, and I had some of my favorite characters chime in including my newest character, a British pensioner living in Spain (but she has yet to tell us her name.)

Through the conversations I came up with a very queer reason to act to address climate change, one that may not come to mind to most people right away–the plight of transgender, queer, gender queer, bisexual, lesbian, and gay homeless youth and adults in times of extreme weather events like hurricanes, floods, and heatwaves.

Take a listen to my latest podcast filled with fun characters, great music, and fresh approaches.

Episode 27 of The Stew

Many voices fill my head. Good thing I have a mic to record them all.

May 4, 2015 / podcast / No Comments »

As an adult text worker, I am looking for fresh ways to talk about climate change

I’m thrilled to announce that the quirky, off-beat show known as Climate Stew is back for a second season. Wait before you run to the hills or click onto some celebrity’s butt, but take a moment and click on Climate Stew instead. I promise there is no doom, gloom, or guilt. I’m not gonna make you feel ashamed of eating almonds or driving or breathing. In fact, I’ll make it easy for you. Here is a short sample from the show in which I present as myself and as Yuri, a lovable and knowledgable Russian foodie in Brooklyn.

Ok, that was your appetizer. How about the main course? Take a listen to Episode 25 of Climate Stew.

January 4, 2015 / podcast / No Comments »

And on the Eighth Day God Created Breakfast!

I confess I am a breakfast fiend. I go to bed at night dreaming of what I might have for breakfast. Half the fun of traveling for me is knowing I will get to go out for breakfast (and not have to clean up all the breakfast mess.) Of course Wally and Emma, the cats who own us and demand to be fed long before I am willing to get out of bed, get the prize for breakfast for being most passionate about breakfast in our house.

When I first read The Hobbit and discovered that those delightful, hairy, little creatures routinely had multiple breakfasts, Bilbo become the hero of the book for me even before the adventure began. Who wants to be an airy-faery elf that seems to live on beauty and eternal wisdom when you could have:

7:00am – Breakfast
9:00am – Second Breakfast
11:00am – Elevenses

Not too long ago I surveyed people about their favorite breakfast foods, (you can see results here.) Right now I am deep into hot cereal season. I also have been obsessed with drinking so much oolong tea that soon I will need to insert a catheter. But breakfast for those who enjoy it can be a treat and a very personal, regional, and emotional meal.

I invite you to enjoy my conversation with Yuri Ivanovich (yes, he is one of my many characters. More proof that I do not play well with others.) We talk over the results of the survey and reveal some surprising changes ahead on our breakfast tables. PLEASE tell me about your breakfast.

December 29, 2014 / podcast / No Comments »

Meet Poeina Suddarth–singer and fellow Amtrak Passenger

Last month as I criss-crossed North America on several trains, I met many wonderful people. Also, as someone who enjoys audio and song, I recorded a lot of train noises as I travelled. You know how the ear can tell the difference between live music and recorded? One day on a train from Portland, Oregon to Sacramento, CA I heard live music from the other end of the Observation Car. There was an energetic woman with a guitar, strumming, singing from her gut, and giving a concert to two other passengers. Turns out I was sharing the train with none other than Poeina Suddarth, an awesome singer/songwriter from LA on tour. She is well known in the Portland music scene and have appear at Pride there and on KBOO’s Out Loud program. She told me she even gave voice lessons to one of my favorite singers, Joe Stevens.

Fortunately I had my portable recorder on me, so asked if I could interview her. Poeina did one better; she also let me record one of her newest songs, Miracle. I include the interview and song on the latest episode of Climate Stew where I also talk about train travel–new service, delayed service (thanks a lot crude oil), and discontinued service. We even have a report from the year 2164 looking at train service over the next 150 years (turns out Tom Cruise is going to be around in one form or another for a LONG time.) But the jewel in this audio crown is Poeina Suddarth. Enjoy!

Off the Rails–An Interview with Poeina Suddarth

Poeina Suddarth

December 20, 2014 / podcast / No Comments »

When an Evangelical Woman Encounters Ecofeminists

I spent a bunch of years as an Evangelical, Conservative, Republican Christian. I also did radio work as a missionary in the mid-90’s. And I do comedy and funny voices today. Sometimes these things come together as you will hear in the following clip of my character, Elizabeth Jeremiah, from the Elizabeth Jeremiah Global Worldwide Ministries in Jesus. I always admired a woman like Elizabeth Jeremiah in the churches I attended. These women often had a hard time of it ministering in a male-dominated church, ambitious but carefully staying within the boundaries setup to keep them in place. Still they had subtle and subversive ways of growing their ministries.

Some comedy relies on putting odd things together. In this case Elizabeth Jeremiah discovers the existence of Ecofeminists, feminists who are also environmentalists. This makes no sense to her at all. Still she tries to wrap her head around the concept and see it from her own church world view. Enjoy!

If you enjoyed that piece, you can hear more over at Climate Stew.

November 25, 2014 / podcast / No Comments »

And now for some music…

Grateful for all the listeners who have listened to our first 10 episodes of Climate Stew, we decided to play three of our favorite songs that we have featured but up to now have not been able to play all the way through. Marvin Bloom helps gets things started, then we have the music followed by an inspiring segment of That Day in Climate History–a report from the future that looks at the past about all the many creative ways we have faced (and will face) crises. Pop in your headphones and have a listen to our 11th episode–the most musical climate change program you will ever hear. Listen here or on iTunes, and Stitcher. Please rate and review. Comments are always welcome.

November 18, 2014 / podcast / No Comments »

The Church Lady Discovers the Ecofeminists

I have another yummy bowl of Climate Stew ready for you. This week’s program (Episode 10! Wow) gives us another chance to hear how Elizabeth Jeremiah, from the Elizabeth Jeremiah Global Worldwide Ministries in Jesus, sees the world. While she is all caught up in her Pentecostal Holiness understanding of her surroundings (The Heavenly Firmament or what you like to call, the atmosphere,) she does see some things very clearly even if she is not aware of it. She takes on Ecofeminism and wonders if, “ecofeminism was created in some Left Wing think tank as a weapon of mass destruction in order to give Conservative pundits like Rush Limbaugh a heart attack.”

Also, learn about what is happening in Ireland and what is projected to happen in regards to changing weather patterns. Will the Irish Sea be the hot new holiday spot of choice for Southern Europeans looking to escape the heat? Finally, we have a word from the year 2164 looking back at possible events in 2017

Category: podcast