Bards College

Our guest in this episode is Lloyd Kenwright, owner of Valhalla Training Academy in Liverpool, England. He walks us through his journey from garage mechanic, to helicopter pilot, to total hardcore owner of a Viking inspired fitness center. Steel mace workouts, lifting stones, and going on voyages across Scotland to prove your mettle are just a few of the topics we dive into.  We talk about some of the interesting people we meet along the way in our journeys. For Lloyd it was being able to connect with other adventurous spirits including Chainsaw experts, knife makers, and gypsy cart owners.  We wrap up with some LOTR geek outs and advice for those looking to get primal with their fitness. Super fun and interesting chat! Definitely go get to know Lloyd on his Instagram page here. He is inspiring, strong, and completely hilarious. 

Our guest in this episode is Kathleen, a singer-songwriter who has roots in Appalachia and a sense of adventure as she has traveled all across the globe. She shares some of her musical journey with us and her thoughts on songwriting, musical inspiration, and what it takes to get your content out into the hands of listeners. Having lived in places like Japan, Spain, and Germany she shares her ideas on how to make international travel as smooth as possible while also exploring and enjoying the different cultures you may encounter.  We had a great time getting to know her and invite you to check out her music by clicking the links below. Apple Music or on Spotify. Kathleen can also be found on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/kathleenssongs/

Do we tend to make decisions on what we consume based primarily on the opinions of total strangers? Or do we put our fate into the hands of the All-Knowing Algorithm? Think back to the last time you stepped into a restaurant without knowing a single thing about it. What was the last book you read based entirely on the description on the dust jacket?  In this episode we start by talking about the recent backlash being dished out to the new Star Wars series, The Book Of Boba Fett. Then, we discuss some of our favorite things that may have been poorly reviewed by critics or the general public, but continue to be a guilty pleasure.  Shoutout to Firmbee.com on Unsplash for the cover art this time around.

Katy Haile is the owner and curator of the largest Rainbow Brite collection in the world. We had the pleasure of taking a tour of Katy's museum and we were instantly swept up in amazing 1980's nostalgia. Katy talks about the joys and challenges of being a collector and diehard fan of any franchise. She also talks about how we can apply some of Rainbow Brite's story into our lives today. If you are a fan of anything 1980's, you are going to want to join us on this one.  Learn more about Katy and her collection at www.rainbowbrite.net

Not only does Lauren Hottinger star on the D&D actual play podcast, Intelligence Check, she also gardens, hand draws maps, sings, and is one of the kindest, most generous people you will meet on Twitter. We had a blast getting to know her and discussing how one can stay positive and kind in a typically toxic and negative social media environment.  Lauren has some great stories and examples of the effects of kindness on others as well as some strategies on how to cope with those days when you are going through low moments yourself. Follow Lauren on Twitter @HottingerLauren Other podcasts mentioned in this episode include Crit! Like a Girl and Dungeons And Dinners.

Carson is a woodworker, mom of 3, and Etsy shop owner. She fell in love with woodworking after taking some introductory courses and is now creating everything from interior design pieces to an entire bed! In this episode she tells her tale of finding creativity through theater and now being able to express that through her woodworking. She shares some tips and tricks for those who may be interested in getting started with woodworking. She can be found on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cmlmade and on Etsy at https://www.etsy.com/shop/CMLMade

The Hoopy Frood is now called Bards College. What exactly is a Bard? Why college? You're probably thinking, "I am so done with school and don't want to suffer through more by way of podcast. Ick!" Don't you fret, this is all about storytelling, tales of real life adventure, and the skills and lessons we've learned along the way. In this episode I'll walk you through the basic idea of the series and talk about the inner Bard that each of us has.

Bards College is all about storytelling and the skills and lessons we may have learned while on our adventures. I invite you to subscribe and join me as we learn more about the people around us and the tales they have to tell.

2021 is already shaping up to be yet another dynamic and wild year. With so much disagreement and division in the air, we turn to the D&D Dungeon Master's Guide to help us hopefully navigate towards some civility.

Now that we've wrapped up the craziness that was 2020, I thought it would be fun to get some perspective from my teenage boys. I interviewed my sons, Gibson and Crew, to get their feedback on how the year shaped up.

Can we really have too many people in our social circles? We chat about Dunbar's Number and come up with some ideas on how to implement it in our personal digital societies.

Summer time means sun, heat, and smiles. However, some of us deal with a little thing that can only be explained as sweat glands on maximum overdrive. Let's explore, for science!

We are all in quarantine during this global pandemic! Looking for something to do? I chat with Katie Norris to get some ideas that will keep you busy while also benefits multiple generations.

Time to talk about those pesky goals that I have or have not been keeping up with since the beginning of the year. Specifically, I've been creating more content, but yet this podcast seems to be taking a place on the backburner. Let's get to the bottom of this. Also, let's talk about my new web series, Time Cowboys.

Aunt Wendi joins me to discuss some more approaches to New Year's Resolutions. Also, is there something that happens all the time with you that seems to be slightly more than coincidence. Witchcraft? Untapped superpower? Pure hokum?

How can we use automation to help us with those pesky New Year's Resolutions? Also, we need to get to the bottom of a few unknown mysteries of science. Why? For science!

I've got beef with a certain parody celebrity out there and it's time the truth is revealed. Also, some really easy ways to help donate to a great cause this November by joining The Hoopy Frood Movember Team.

You have more power than you may think in determining how the internet will look and feel tomorrow, in a year, or in 10 years. But it all starts with our button clicks today.

Today I'm talking through my thoughts on The Hoopy Frood v2.0. Well, maybe it's more like v1.2 because it's not a COMPLETE overhaul. Either way, I will walk you through some ideas I'd like to implement into future episodes as well as my redesigned website. It's gonna be a grand adventure and I want you as part of my questing party. I promise we will split the loot as evenly as possible.

My sister, Chelsea Flagg joins me this week to talk about our shared tendency to "try on" several different hobbies. Is this in direct contradiction to last week's episode about sticktoitiveness?! Well, we're gonna do our darndest to figure that out. We also talk about her latest book, Tinsey Clover, which can be found wherever you like to buy books; physically, digitally, or audibly.

Does the barrage of new devices, apps, platforms, upgrades, and choices out there make it hard for us to stick to long-term goals and future planning? I don't know, I can't make up my mind! Let's work this week to bring back that good ole concept of sticktoitiveness and reach the finish line, whatever it may be.

Vermiculturist Cinda Williams walks us through the benefits and awesomeness that come from raising your own bucket full o' worms. Ready to take your composting and recycling to Hoopy Frood levels? This episode is for you. Rhonda Sherman is a leading authority on vermicompsting from NC State University. This website provides a lot of information on the science behind vermicomposting. Her book can also be found here. Urban Worm Company-A great resource for learning how to get started and an online shop to find supplies.

I'm joined by my wife Riley for a discussion on how we have navigated through 16 years of marriage with me being an extrovert and her an introvert.

Is personalized nutrition the way to health and happiness? Only one way to find out.

Happy Father's Day! This week I'll be sharing some thoughts about parenthood and being a father as well as some updates on past Hoopy Frood challenges.

A good Hoopy Frood keeps an open ear for amazing music. I've got some thoughts one style in particular and it even comes with another duet with Siri. I'll also talk about a new, at-home, gut health test I'm going to be taking.

Summer is right around the corner and for some that means summer jobs are also right around the corner. One of my first summer jobs had me briefly feeling like I was trapped in a tiny little park overrun by tiny little dinosaurs.

Geek is the new black. It's a GREAT time to be a geek! The cinematic world of superheroes is bursting with goodness, comic book stores are plentiful, and D20's are rolling all crits. However, can you truly call yourself a geek these days if the things that are now wildly popular and mainstream were the same things that put old school geeks on the receiving end of many a wedgie decades ago? What does it even mean to be a true "geek" anymore? Do you have your towel ready for May 25th? Sharpen those pencils and grease up those slide rules cuz it's an all out Geek Bonanza!

Happy Mother's Day! This week I'll take you through that time I was mistaken for a famous Mexican wrestler. Also, a new co-host tries to butt in on the conversation, but we end up making it work and diving into a sing-along.

In celebration of May the 4th, we are talking everything Star Wars. I am joined by Aunt Wendi and my son Crew. What makes Star Wars special? Are we running into Star Wars universe burnout? And, we play a little kiss, marry, kill with Star Wars characters.

Robert Frost once said, "Poetry is when an emotion has found its thought and the thought has found words." At one point I just cranked out some poems cuz I was a bored teenager. Join me as I wax poetic. I’ll also share additional thoughts on romance novels. Fantastico.

Let's follow up on last week's "Woo!" sound and hear some of our audience suggestions. I'd also like to introduce you to my Aunt Wendi as we discuss voice acting, self-serve machines, and drop a shameless plug for an amazing book.

What is a Hoopy Frood you ask? What will the podcast be about? How did I find myself on this page? How am I still reading this? All of your questions will be answered shortly. Join me as we embark on a wild new journey. Atomic batteries to power, turbines to speed!