Tangentially Speaking with Christopher Ryan

Cover versions of well-known songs that illuminate some quality in the original that was dormant, waiting to emerge, like a cicada.

As a follow-up to my recent post about some things ethical non-monogamy is not, I thought it might be fun to consider some things ENM can be, in the best of circumstances. In light of the volume and vehemence of the feedback my first post received, it seems this is an issue folks are interested in, so maybe this will be an on-going series.

Trying this new feature on Substack where I read a post and add some off the cuff commentary. Sort of a mini-ROMA, centered around a written piece. Let me know what you think. Is this a good format? Should I do more?

A few months ago, someone mentioned that a dude had walked to Crestone from Colorado Springs ? which is a SERIOUS walk over some very rugged mountains ? and that he was some kind of Sasquatch expert. I was intrigued, but I have to admit that I assumed the guy was a wild-eyed wayward soul who?d had a bit too much psilocybin and not enough common sense. Then I met Mateo at a party and after chatting with this totally chill, reasonable, obviously smart dude for a while, I realized ? wait a minute, THIS is the Squatch dude? So I?d like to introduce you to yet another fascinating Crestonian. You can learn more about Mateo and his exploits at modernexplorer.me.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?Forest,? by David Beckingham; Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

Following the birth of their daughter, Jack McClure and his wife Alana decided to continue their life of adventure. They set their sights on thru-hiking the Pacific Crest Trail from Canada to Mexico as a family, beginning when their daughter was 9 months old. What followed was a 1,500 mile odyssey filled not only with primeval forests and sweeping mountain vistas but also countless lullabies, hundreds of diaper changes and innumerable tears shed.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?A Way Back Home,? by Give Me Motion; Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

* Can/should we slow down the development of AI?

* Frans de Waal: ?Because the role of sex in society is such a loaded and controversial issue, scientists have tended to downplay this side of bonobo behavior?. Sexual encounters of the bonobo kind are strikingly casual, almost more affectionate than erotic.?

* Andrew?

Adam?s name comes up a lot in Crestone. He and his family have been around for a long time, he runs a local business, currently serves on the Town Board of Trustees, is running for County Commissioner, and seems to be admired and respected by pretty much everyone. This is my favorite kind of podcast to bring you, where I?m getting to know the guest at the same time you are. Among lots of other stuff, we talk about:

* what it was like to be a quirky, sensitive kid in Texas (not great),

* who then moved suddenly to Madrid, Spain (much better);

* his complex relationship with his father and masculinity;

* the challenges of trying to help kids navigate the world as it is now;

* the experience of spending months on horseback, riding through backcountry reservation land.

Michael Henry Dunn is a guy who has been around the block a few times. He?s a classically trained actor, having studied at Juilliard. He?s a musician and an activist. He?s an author, journalist, Substacker and scholar who has delved deeply into the controversies around Shakespeare?s true identity, the Code of Chivalry and global human rights. And he?s a really nice guy who happens to live in this funky little town in the Colorado high desert. Go figure.

Information about the retreat in Montana is here.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

We?ve all heard the adage: ?Think globally, act locally.? Liza embodies that perspective. She came to the San Luis valley about 30 years ago to work on a buffalo ranch with her husband. Since then, she?s lived a lot of life in this valley. Raising kids, horses, dogs, working as school board president and County Commissioner, and founding and running the San Luis Valley Local Foods Coalition are just a few of the things that have kept her busy over the years. Everyone around here knows her and admires her energy, intelligence, and positive approach to things. I?m really glad to be able to share this wonderful woman with you.

Trained as a neuroscientist, Elliot is the Principle Scientist at a nonprofit called The Good Food Institute, which is focused on building an innovation ecosystem that will accelerate the development of alternatives to conventional/industrialized production of meat, eggs, and dairy. They believe that we can avoid or mitigate the many negative externalities of industrial meat production by instead making meat from plants or growing it directly from animal cells. I?ve got my doubts, but Elliot makes a convincing case. See what you think.

Here?s a link to the Budokon retreat info, if you might want to join us in June.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

CHARLES DUHIGG is a Pulitzer prize-winning reporter and the author of The Power of Habit, which spent over three years on New York Times bestseller lists. His second book, Smarter Faster Better, was also a New York Times bestseller.

His latest book, Supercommunicators, is out now.

Charles currently writes for The New Yorker magazine.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?Breaking Us in Two,? by Joe Jackson; Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

For those of you who prefer video:

?Jordi? has one of the most unusual life stories I?ve ever come across ? built around a man?s very pure, very unusual love. We talk about being a child of mixed cultures (Spanish and Basque, in his case). What makes someone a ?parent? and what constitutes ?a family??

Wes Atkinson grew up kinda wild and largely unsupervised in a very remote part of Colorado. Nature was his sanctuary. As an adult, Wes ran a thriving outfitting business where he guided hunters all over the world. But then a quiet voice suggested it might be time to rethink his life, and he realized that indeed, something important ? something sacred ? ?

Amanda Knox is an exoneree, journalist, public speaker, and author of the New York Times best-selling memoir, Waiting to Be Heard. She spent nearly four years in an Italian prison and eight years on trial for a murder she didn?t commit.

Ian is a writer, podcaster (The Mythic Masculine), and filmmaker who is especially interested in exploring a regenerative future and how to get there. We talk primarily about his recent film, ?The Village of Lovers.?

A few of the issues I discuss in this one:

Snoring and sleep apnea.

Is doubt an expression of humility?

Are all emotions, at base, an expression of love?

Is deepfake porn an invasion of privacy or a protection of privacy?

My picks for the NFL playoffs.

Music: ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range; ?Get Together,? by the Youngbloods; Remix of ?Who?ll St?

Teacher, seeker, musician, traveler, visionary, professor, husband, father, scholar?. Lama Thupten is all these and more. I was lucky enough to hang out with him a bit recently here in Crestone, where he was visiting the Yeshe Khorlo retreat center.

Nick has spent a good chunk of his adult life on an island off the coast of Antarctica at McMurdo Station. He?s a cool guy who is living an extraordinary life in a humble, low-key way. I?m really glad to have met him and, with any luck, we?ll be neighbors before too long!

Kyle Thiermann first made headlines as a teenager when he released a YouTube video detailing how Bank of America was one of the largest financiers of dirty energy worldwide. This video garnered international media attention, landed him on the stage at TEDx, and caused people to move significant sums of money out of B of A and into local banks around the country.Through his 20s, Thiermann worked at Discovery Digital Networks as a writer and on-camera host. His work has appeared in Men?s Health Magazine, SURFER Magazine, and Outside Magazine.

A few years ago, Kyle and I came up with an idea for making environmental activism fun (and funny), and thus was born The Motherfucker Awards, a red-carpet event where the worst polluters were recognized for their outstanding contributions to fucking Mother Nature.Thiermann also worked as Head of Editorial and Senior Copywriter at MUD\WTR, a brand known for its irreverent marketing and distinct tone. While there, he launched Trends w/ Benefits, a storytelling platform that focused on psychedelics and mental health.As a Patagonia-sponsored surfer he continues to use his travel opportunities to cover environmental issues around the world, interviewing all sorts of folks on his podcast The Kyle Thiermann Show.

Join his Substack newsletter here:

Here?s a link to the story Kyle tells about Derek Sivers riding his bike with just a little less effort, and a lot more enjoyment.

This will give you some sense of my own haircut debacle:

The vid, if you wanna see Kyle?s haircut:

American Beauty, Love Has Won, Down By Law, Stranger Than Paradise, and The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?Narrative Song,? from Lowland Tribes of Ecuador, recorded by David Blair Stiffler; ?Harlem 2 Bole,? from Bole 2 Harlem; Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

You know this guy. Big wave surfer, environmental activist, co-creator of the Motherfucker Awards, world traveler, standup comic, beet taco pusher, driveway squatter and as close to a son as I?ll ever get ? the one and only Kyle Barrett Thiermann. This is the first part of a two-part conversation recorded a few weeks ago. We were so much younger then?. ?

Matt Evers and Pete Van Horn both moved to Crestone in pursuit of freedom, independence, and community. If those concepts strike you as being in opposition to each other, you may learn something important in this conversation. We talk about the challenges and joys of building your own house, what DIY DOESN?T mean, the tension between being self-reliant and being a good neighbor, the unique qualities of life in Crestone, and a slew of other things. These are two solid dudes who overcame the doubt and fear and built themselves a comfortable, safe home without getting dragged into the rat race of endless debt and needless extravagance. In 2023, this is a rare manifestation of wisdom. Check out their YouTube channel: Owner Builders Unite.

Show Notes:

Music: ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range; ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

30% off all merch on my site through the end of the year.

Check out Jake?s mom?s tallow balm at thebeekeepersgranddaughter.com. Use the code HOLIDAY15 to get 15% off til the end of the year.

Here?s a funky drone video of Pete?s place.

I talk about some fascinating documentaries I?ve seen lately:

* Happy People: A Year in the Taiga (Amazon Prime)

* 28 Up (Amazon Prime)

* Love Has Won (HBO/Max)

How/when/why do our ?gods? become our human sacrifices?

When does a potential mass murderer qualify as an unknown, solitary hero?

How should we handle a nice guy who takes some mushrooms,?

Daniele is one of the deepest, kindest, most thoughtful guys around. He?s an author of several books, a university professor, and the host of the History on Fire podcast, where he unpacks historical figures and events, both known and obscure, with his unique insight and narrative skills.

Anya has produced and hosted her podcast for precisely five years, and she recently decided that was enough. We talk about the experience of letting go of a project that has brought so many wonderful people, so much intrigue and intelligence into one?s life. We talk about the natural trajectory from big ideas to small gestures, from global thinking to local acting.

In this episode, I chat with a guy we?re calling ?Aaron,? about some of the challenges of life and how I?ve approached them, for better or worse. He?s a thoughtful dude, and I really enjoyed our conversation.

If you saw your friend standing naked on a spire, would you cheer or boo? Have you held bear shit in your hands? How can we measure injustice? Is there any way to stop the wheels of cruelty from turning, generation after generation? Why weren?t we invited to Hanna?s sex party? (Some of these are only addressed in the bonus version.)

Simon is a Canadian comic with a particular talent for going places that scare the shit out of most of us. He looks into the shadows and finds the humor. From my perspective, that?s the kind of mind that deserves our respect, admiration, and gratitude. Sometimes, laughter is the only antidote to despair, so I consider Simon to be something like a hospice nurse. However I go out, I hope I manage to choke out a chuckle at the beautiful absurdity of it all.

Simon in Insta. Simon?s YouTube.

Here?s that Amazon link I keep forgetting to mention. Hope your fall is going well so far.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

Joshua Wright grew up living in Africa and Asia. While still a kid, he became an environmentalist watching the timber industry clear-cut around his family home in Washington State. Recognizing the urgency of what was happening around him, he dropped out of high school at 14 years old to make Eden's Last Chance.

Cameron holds black belts in three martial arts, is the founder of Budokon Mixed Movement Arts and has worked with the Bellator world champion Lovato Jr. fight team as well as Charlie Sheen, Sean Penn, Slash, Courtney Cox, Rene Russo, Meg Ryan and Jennifer Aniston. He's also a funny, smart, deeply sincere guy.

In this third and final (for now) episode with ?Nathan,? we talk mainly about the creative process and how to pursue ?success? without being ensnared in ego and shallow motivations. What incentives to creativity are legitimate, and not just chasing after fame, fortune, power or immortality? What might a truly ?optimized? life look like?

Michael just got back from riding his bike from Alaska to Chile. A few years ago, he rode all over China, Mongolia, Burma, Thailand, and Malaysia, to Singapore. Dude has lived!

Hamilton Morris is an American journalist, documentarian, and scientific researcher. He is the creator and director of the television series Hamilton's Pharmacopeia, in which he investigates the chemistry, history, and cultural impact of various psychoactive drugs.

Moby and Lindsay are pals, neighbors, and amateur tick-removal specialists. We talk about their new podcast, the many uses of dental floss, the mysterious birthday gift I gave Moby years ago and it?s unexpected repercussions, and the lures and dangers of fame and fortune.

Peter Anderson is an author, traveler, observer, story-teller, and a million other things. He?s the whole package. His books include, Heading Home: Field Notes (Conundrum Press), a collection of short essays, flash prose, and prose poems, which Colorado novelist Laura Pritchett describes as offering "gorgeous meditations on traveling, the natural world, small towns, parenting, and...the cultural eccentricities of of the modern day west." His collection of essays, First Church of the Higher Elevations (Conundrum Press) explores the ecology of story, spirituality, and landscape. His poems have appeared in various anthologies including New Poets of the American West (Many Voices Press) and Storied Wheels (Somos Publications). His latest project, an anthology of placed-based writings called Reading Colorado: A Literary Road Guide, came out from Bower House Books in May of 2023.

Apply for the Sex at Dawn Budokon retreat here.

The Byrna anti-bear weapon is here.

The article about ?Border Country? is here.

My conversation with Lodhy is here.

You can read about the Berrigan brothers here.

You can redirect a few crumbs from Jeff Bezos?s pocket to support this podcast by using this link when you shop on Amazon.

Music: ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range; ?Border Country,? by The Paper Stars; ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

R.I.P. Sinead.

This is a follow-up to ROMA 66, in which I further discuss the dangers of ignoring or silencing people we disagree with. Here?s the profile of Andrew Tate I mention. Here?s ?Fix Your Mind,? the video that distills some of his teaching. Here are my notes on the cycle I mention.

* With the intention of making the world better, we deny obvious reality (race doesn?t exist, men and women are the same, trans women are just like biological women, it?s not too late to stop climate change, we can buy our way out of global collapse, etc.);

* We silence and shame anyone who openly questions these narratives: fire professors who say there may be innate differences in math skills between boys and girls (Larry Summers), cancel culture, deplatforming, etc.

* Control acceptable language: force us to use weird pronouns and respect whatever identity people claim, Latinx, ?non-men,? ?people with vaginas,? n-word, c-word, etc.

* This creates a huge market for anyone willing to speak these forbidden truths. But it?s very risky. So who steps up?

* The already wealthy (invulnerable) Berlusconi, Trump, Murdoch. Those with nothing to lose (Fuck the Police), punk, early rock. Podcasters/comics (insulated from economic impact). The wounded (Tate: ?I get bored too fast. I need to be distracted. I need to be stressed at all times. I need to be entertained.?)

Note: I was wrong in claiming that this quote was from a Founding Father of the United States: ?I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.? This was actually written by Evelyn Beatrice Hall, who wrote under the pseudonym S. G. Tallentyre, in her biography of Voltaire, The Friends of Voltaire. (1906) This was her summary of Voltaire?s passion for free speech.

Here?s the interview with Andrew Tate I mentioned. The Milgram study. The article calling Jonah Hill?s texts ?monstrous.? Excellent conversation between Hasan Minhaj and Obama. That Fluidstance contraption I mentioned.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Global House,? by Øystein Sevåg.

A little something just for subscribers:

Kizzen and Janet have not only been in and around Crestone for decades, they?ve played a large part in shaping it into the funky, unique little town that drew me in. The heart and soul of the local paper, the Crestone Eagle, from its founding until recently, they?ve seen it all ? or most of it, anyway. It was an honor to sit at their table and talk about past, present, and future with these two wise and funny ladies.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?Party at the End of the World,? by Carsie Blanton.

If you use Amazon, please consider using this link, which will divert some of what you spend away from a certain bald billionaire toward a balding thousandaire who could use the extra scratch.

I?ve been a big fan of KnowMads for several years now. Finally got to hang with them for a while, if virtually. I?m an even bigger fan now. These dudes bring it all: a deep pocket, great stories, thoughtfulness, kindness, and lots of heart. Check their site for upcoming dates in the PNW. Very proud to debut ?Imperfect,? a new tune that wraps up our conversation.

The Unabomber, EarthFirst, the Monkeywrench Gang, and the constant hum of humiliation in 2023. How to live in a shitstorm without getting covered in shit.

Poem: ?The Conditional,? by Ada Limón.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Skim Milk,? by Jemma and the Good Thing.

Rich travels around the US with his dog, Louis, transforming plain, boring walls into scenes of imagination and beauty. Our conversation ranges from what lies on the other side of comfort, to how health challenges can inspire and inform one?s creative process, to the ups and downs of being an itinerant artist. Rich?s murals are sumptuous, full of life and color and even humor. If you have a blank wall that could use some added vitality, get in touch with this guy. richayers.art

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

Along with his buddy Ryan Nicodemus, Joshua hit a wall about a decade ago. These friends realized that they had it made, on paper, anyway. They had the money, the ?good jobs,? the big house, the cars, the watches, the suits. What they didn?t have was peace of mind. Maybe they didn?t own stuff, the stuff owned them? Thus were born The Minimalists. I hope you enjoy this conversation, where Josh and I go beyond closet space to talk about how our consumerist illusions manifest in non-material realms: death, love, aging, health, and spirit.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Smoke Alarm,? by Carsie Blanton.

A little something just for subscribers:

Note: If you?re hearing some mess in the first minute or so, please delete and download again (or just jump ahead a few minutes). The first version of this had an editing error. Apologies. My editing team has been given a stern talking to.

Dipping back into it with ?Nathan,? a very smart therapist/scientist in his early 30s who wanted to pick my brain ab?

Along with her partner, Peter, Miriam has walked the planet for the past decade or so. India, Papua New Guinea, New Zealand, Europe. They travel light and spontaneous. Here?s the program that convinced me to reach out to them, a very touching portrait of these unique, lovely people. In 2017 Miriam wrote the International bestseller Woman in the Wilderness. It was translated into German, Dutch, French, Portuguese and Chinese. In 2020 the sequel Wild at Heart came out.

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. ?Sometimes,? by Daniel Lanois. Outro: ?Summertime,? by Fort Frances.

My Amazon link.

Ponderosa Millworks.

A little something just for subscribers:

John Colapinto has written two novels, About the Author (2001) and Undone (2015). In 2000, he published As Nature Made Him: The Boy Who Was Raised as a Girl (2000), about the tragic case of David Reimer, who had undergone a sex change as an infant after a medical mishap.

?The bad news is you?re falling through the air, nothing to hang on to, no parachute. The good news is, there?s no ground.??

? Chögyam Trungpa

Intro music ?Brightside of the Sun,? by Basin and Range. Outro: ?Too Much Reality,? by Brett Newski.

Trying something a little different here. A guy we?re agreeing to call ?Nathan? wrote to me asking for some life advice, but suggested it could be interesting to record our conversation, in that much of what he wanted to talk about could be useful to many people, not just him. Seemed like an interesting idea, so we went for it.

Alex wrote a book called Quantum Criminals: Ramblers, Wild Gamblers, and Other Sole Survivors from the Songs of Steely Dan (beautifully illustrated by Joan LeMay). It?s a fantastic book about one of the most interesting bands of all time. They were a rock/pop/jazz band that wasn?t really a band, decided not to tour cause it was too much hassle, settled for nothing short of perfection, had no interest in fame, so cool they didn?t care a whit about being cool. I?m guessing Banksy is a fan of Steely Dan. Hope you dig the convo.

Should we be excited or concerned about AI? Is technology learning to mimic us or are we learning to mimic technology? Who?s colonizing whom? I talk about some upcoming interviews I?ve got cooking.

Dr. Turner Osler studied anthropology at Princeton, before becoming a surgeon and research epidemiologist. After 30 years working at the University of Vermont?s trauma center, Dr. Osler left the operating room and began a career as a research epidemiologist, which required hours of sitting at a computer, resulting in unrelenting back pain. Being an expert on the spine, he decided to try to design a chair that would work with, rather than against human anatomy and physiology.