Welcome to Episode 29 of The Teachback.  It has been a minute since I last had a chance to post one of these conversations and I'm thrilled to be seizing this opportunity to get back on the proverbial horse in 2024. This episode was recorded last summer--a season of waves and change--when my former student, Eloise, and I had a chance to sit down and catch up about her life since we shared a classroom together. Eloise's mindful enthusiasm for life hasn't wavered since 8th Grade and I just delight in the messages and wisdom she shares here.    This episode is brought to you by the following excerpt, shared by Eloise, from Heidi Priebe's powerful book, This is Me Letting You Go. “Just be the freaking person who cares more. Be the person who tries harder, loves stronger, gives more of a shit than all of the half-alive people who surround them. Be the person who answers their messages, shows up to their commitments and doesn’t leave others hanging or guessing at their eternally vague intentions.” -Heidi Priebe

Welcome to Episode 28 of The Teachback during which I get to hang out and catch up with my former student, Jenny Bogus. Jenny and I shared a classroom fifteen years ago–a number that shocked both of us when we sat down to explore what we’ve been up to over the past decade-and-a-half. I know you’ll appreciate this conversation as Jenny focuses her energy on a theme of OPENNESS. It brings me great joy to know that there are people like Jenny Bogus working in the media today, seeking to understand and explore, to emerge and become. As Jenny explains, life isn’t always smooth sailing, but if we focus on the people whose views and advice matters and the belief that the next version of ourselves (Jen 2.0 in Jenny’s case) is out there to be discovered, we’ve got all the tools we need. So without any further ado, let’s go catch up with Jenny Bogus. If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a sustaining member by clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode has been brought to you by Black & Cold, a podcast devoted to telling stories of the overshadowed. Equal representation in the media matters and I am grateful to Jenny for sharing this important podcast. The podcast’s host, Michele launched the first episode in the winter of 2021 and continues to drop new episodes and cold cases each week. Give it a listen today wherever you get your podcasts.

Today's guest is Alec Gewirtz. When I first got to know Alec 14 years ago, we shared a love of words and writing (as well as basketball), but as you will learn there was also a kindred connection that suggested we would someday reconnect in ways that pushed us into a deeper understanding of what it meant to be human. Here is that conversation.    One really interesting element of this conversation is that we shared it all the way back in September, but I'd hoped to schedule a follow-up conversation to talk about The Nearness Alec is a co-founder of this fascinating community which is best described in the words shared on their website: "More and more people want to define what spirituality looks like for them—and find friends along the way. We want wise guidance without dogma, structure without rigidity, and, more than anything, we want connection—with ourselves, others, and something greater than us. We started The Nearness to offer a space that does just that. We’re excited you’re here."   Enjoy the conversation here, check out The Nearness, and look forward to the possibility of a round two conversation with Alec (about Spirituality and Basketball, perhaps...).    If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a sustaining member by clicking the link below. Become a Member. Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.

Today we get to hang with Cayla, a former student who was just an absolute delight to spend time with as a young person...and holds true to that essence again today. Just as she did as a young person, Cayla speaks with poise, prioritizes deep connection, and loves words.   Come seize this opportunity to hang out with Cayla!

One of the greatest things about this podcast has been learning from folks I used to "teach." With this week's episode, it's a little different because Nick is someone I have admired and learned from for a very long time. While Nick was a leadership mentee of mine in our first encounter when he was 16 and I was 22, it's been a joy to watch the roles ebb and flow and merge together over the years. Nick's work as an educational leader, writer, and innovator is amazing and I admire all the work he does at goodmenders.com, but more importantly he is a humble and inspiring human.   If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a sustaining member and clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.

The friends as teachers Episode! Today is wildly special for me as Episode 24 of The Teachback features one of my dearest friends for the past 24 years of my life: Abel James. AJ and I met during our freshman year of high school and have been close friends ever since. Tune in as we wax nostalgic about a slate of topics too broad for words. This is one not to miss. And check out AJ's website and podcast at www.fatburningman.com

Come chill out and get inspired by Maren, my former student who is the first former student I've interviewed who is still in high school. What a tremendous time to be reconnecting as Maren approaches the final semester of her high school career.   This one is really fun as we discuss art, energy, annotations, and the importance of trying new things.

With March on the horizon, The Teachback drops Episode 22 today with Grey Zeigler. I remember Grey as a courageous and talented 8th Grader who celebrated her role as a performer and storyteller but who–like all adolescents–was still on the brink of stepping into her own identity, her own willingness to use her narrative voice to embrace the spotlight. Now, Grey is a professional musician living in Nashville and navigating a life and professional direction that both pays homage to the familiar curiosity-embedded identity of her youth, while also navigating onward and imagining what could be. As Grey puts it, “I constantly try to bring my inner child to everything [in my adult life]…it’s almost like an uncontainable energy of chaos…You never know, if you don’t take that shot…”    We are going to talk today about so much: intentionality and direction, eagerness, performing, going on stage, pain as a component of the creative process… With that subtle invitation into the topics and ideas of this conversation, come join me as I sit down with a storyteller, a poet, a rockstar of the 21st Century. Sure, she’s someone who might have over 7 million views and 280k followers on TikTok…but the thing that impresses me most of all is the same thing I enjoyed about sharing time with her as a middle schooler: Grey is a really terrific human being, putting herself out there in the world, inspiring others and sharing her joy. This is Grey Zeigler.    If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a sustaining member by clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   This episode has been brought to you by the essence behind Grey’s music and identity. As she writes on her bio,  I write through pain and feeling and the words fall into place. I am fearless, bold, and unstoppable.   May this episode be an invitation for each of us to reach through our pain, to find the words & poetry that ring true to our experiences, and to own that fearless, bold and unstoppable kid that exists inside each of us.   And , in the first ever EXPLICIT CONTENT warning here on the teachback, I extend the invitation to listen to Grey’s song, “Back to You,” It’s a song about stepping forward with confidence, with courage, and grounded on the belief that there is always another path, always a different horizon , if we just tell ourselves that we can’t lose if we don’t stop moving.   Be sure to check out that one, as well as Grey's other songs on her website, greyzeigler.com or follow and like her videos and music on Youtube, Tiktok, Instagram, Spotify or whatever streaming services you enjoy.

Episode 21 drops live today with the second of my high school English teachers to visit the show. Today I get to sit down and kick back with Matt Cheney! Mr. Cheney and I shared an AP Literature classroom together during my senior year of high school. It was a year of intense growth for me as a writer and critical thinker. The texts I remember most fondly from that year included Samuel Beckett’s Endgame and Checkhov’s The Cherry Orchard. I also recall an index card he had pinned to his wall that read simply, in sharpie,   “My mother was a fish.” -Vardaman, As I Lay Dying   It took me a decade before I finally read these words within the context of Faulkner’s novel, but I think of that index card often because it piqued a sense of curiosity deep within me. I admired –and was deeply enamored by–the subtle hints and intellectual nudges scattered about in both Mr. Cheney’s classroom and his appreciation for the weirdness, the oddity, of what literature and writing can do…I guess, he showed a deep and queer awareness of the impossibly vast and bizarre element of our conscience that comes with being human.   In my classroom today, I have many hints, clues and books with secretly dog-eared pages and notecards with scribbled quotations scattered about. Sometimes students ask me about them…sometimes they go years without being noticed.    This conversation is a special one because Matt Cheney invited me to embrace myself as a non-conformist–an identity I fight to embrace daily.    He also taught me to sing and dance and make people laugh on stage. For all of this, I am grateful. Let’s go hang out with Mr. Cheney.   If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode has been brought to you by the book, Generous Thinking, in which the author, Kathleen Fitzpatrick asks whether universities can solve the social and political crisis in America. In answering the question, her publisher acknowledges that   "Higher education occupies a difficult place in twenty-first-century American culture. Universities—the institutions that bear so much responsibility for the future health of our nation—are at odds with the very publics they are intended to serve. As Kathleen Fitzpatrick asserts, it is imperative that we re-center the mission of the university to rebuild that lost trust. Critical thinking—the heart of what academics do—can today often negate, refuse, and reject new ideas. In an age characterized by rampant anti-intellectualism, Fitzpatrick charges the academy with thinking constructively rather than competitively, building new ideas rather than tearing old ones down. She urges us to rethink how we teach the humanities and to refocus our attention on the very human ends—the desire for community and connection—that the humanities can best serve. One key aspect of that transformation involves fostering an atmosphere of what Fitzpatrick dubs "generous thinking," a mode of engagement that emphasizes listening over speaking, community over individualism, and collaboration over competition."

Welcome to Episode 20 of The Teachback during which I get to hang out and catch up with my former student, Kate Tapscott. One of the really frustrating elements of this podcast is how quickly the time passes! When I consider that a decade has passed between this conversation and the previous one I had with Kate, it breaks my heart a little that we only had a chance to cover a tiny morsel of all the ideas we had put to paper beforehand. Nevertheless, this was assuredly the DEPTH over BREADTH episode and there is always value in those types of conversations.    That "going deep" element has actually been one of the most special things about this podcast experiment: it’s granted me the opportunity to time travel back to simpler times of my own emerging intellectual maturity when I had time and energy to just sit around and talk about ideas, problems, dreams, grievances, with other curious and inspiring friends. I feel buoyed by the positivity of these conversations now, and especially so with Kate, as we focus on feminism.    Trigger Warning:  the following conversation touches briefly upon the topic of abuse in literature.  If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below.   Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode has been brought to you by Sister Song. SisterSong is a Southern based, national membership organization; their purpose is to build an effective network of individuals and organizations to improve institutional policies and systems that impact the reproductive lives of marginalized communities. Find and support them online at https://www.sistersong.net/   Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.

This the mark of some new territory for The Teachback. Today I am connecting with my long-distance friend, Micah Stahl. Micah and I have never shared a classroom. We are pretty close in age and…I have never actually met him in person.    Yeah, you heard that right.   Micah and I have literally never met. But here is the really awesome thing: Micah spent eleven years on the campus of The Country School, the place where I now teach in Madison, Connecticut. United by a space of learning, nearly a quarter-century apart, Micah and I are connected through this teacher-learner lens because he paved the way for the school I now inhabit through his curiosity, ingenuity and engagement.   Last year, Micah and I collaborated with a group of my awesome students (now his fellow awesome alumni) in creating our own NFT collection, the Inquisitive Owl Country Club. It was super fun, silly, and raised some money so our school can continue to do pretty amazing things for the world and the inspiring students I spend time with each day.   So this conversation is awesome. It is such a treat both because Micah and I came of age during the same era, but even more importantly because the same elements of The Country School that allowed Micah to evolve as a learner were the things that drew me here as an educator two years ago. So welcome to this unique opportunity to listen into our conversation about creativity, opportunity, diners, basketball, wrestling, podcasting, success, and the meaning of art and audience. As he ended our call, Micah remarked, ”Hopefully the world can make sense of the way we ping-ponged ideas here.” Come on over and chill with me Micah. This is a fun one.   If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below. Become a Member. Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.

The Teachback turns 18 episodes old today and while it can’t go vote, it is an exciting moment–just as every Monday is–for the podcast. One of the really fun things about this growing library of conversations I’ve had recently is that many of these more recent guests are not just contributors to The Teachback, but they’re listeners as well. Today’s guest, Rosey Oppenheim, as you’ll hear shortly, is someone who has listened into older episodes and I am just so delighted to know that folks out there are enjoying these conversations and learning and thinking as much as I am. To those of you who have reached out recently, thanks for sharing what you love about the show, and to those of you out there listening each week, THANK YOU! I’d love to hear what you like or what you look forward to hearing about on the show. Finally, if you are one of my former students, or someone who has taught me or learned from me, it would be great to get you on as a guest, so please reach out.   Today’s episode covers lots of ground, but the common theme is really that Rosey is someone committed to impacting the world and people around her in ways that are both meaningful to her and to those around her. Whether it involves nature, baking, or connecting with folks in spaces of fear, pain, or uncertainty, Rosey is someone who will show you what it’s like to believe that we can all make a difference, whether it’s by committing our careers, or daily interactions, our expressions of gratitude, or our hobbies to connecting with others.    Let’s go hang out with Rosey!  If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode is brought to you by the invitation to get outside and breathe fresh air every morning. Consider adopting the simple practice promoted by Cal Berkeley’s “Be Well at Work” program. Once you get outside,  Stand and take a deep breath while your raising arms slowly over your head. Exhale as you lower your arms. Repeat 3 times. And by Harm Reduction. As Rosey mentioned, opioid use and addiction doesn’t just affect one demographic of people, it is a catastrophic epidemic in our country and it is not going anywhere. Our collective human awareness and support of individuals and families struggling with addiction will both normalize conversations about opioid use and minimize the dangers. To be honest, I knew very little about Harm reduction and as someone who always wants to better understand others whose experiences differ from my own, I have been fascinated by what I’ve read in the past week. As outlined by The National Harm Reduction Coalition at www.harmreduction.org.  Harm reduction is a set of practical strategies and ideas aimed at reducing negative consequences associated with drug use. Harm Reduction is also a movement for social justice built on a belief in, and respect for, the rights of people who use drugs. If you are someone who believes in our collective humanity and caring for all people, I encourage you to read up on the realistic, deliberate, informative and judgment-free tone of the website. As they note, we can all BE  CATALYSTs FOR LOVE, JUSTICE, COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION. Together, we can create a world healing from harms, free from judgment and built on equity. Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.

Teachers! This is a podcast about teaching and learning and that story would be painfully incomplete if I neglected to invite my own teachers and mentors onto the show.    Therefore, it's my absolute pleasure and joy to welcome Mr. Darren Rodman onto The Teachback today. Mr. Redman and I first met during my 10th Grade year when I had the joy of sharing an English classroom with him on the third floor of the Academic Research Center (ARC) at New Hampton School. Few days have passed in the 22 years since then without some hint of Mr. Redman making its way into my day and you're about to learn why! So hang tight and enjoy the ride as we embark on a conversation about teaching, learning, writing, ego, advice, and how to embrace the whimsical!

If you're ready to talk equity, theatre, the relationship between self-doubt and overconfidence, risk-taking, vulnerability, community engagement and a host of other beautifully important topics, you've come to the right place. Welcome to The Teachback, and welcome to today's guest, Daniel Klingenstein. Daniel and I are reconnecting today after 13 years apart and what a joy it is to share this conversation with you.   As a reminder, if you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below.   Become a Member.   Today's episode is brought to you by Daniel's book recommendation, Invitation to the Party by Donna Walker-Kuhne. As Walker-Kuhne writes, "I firmly believe that the arts are the only pure vehicle we have in today's society that cross cultural and ethnic barriers and allow people to transcend their differences." Today is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, so I thank you, Daniel, for this timely invitation to read this book, to celebrate art, and to continue the necessary work of crossing barriers and transcending differences. Go find Invitation to the Party at your local bookstore or buy it used online.   Here's to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.

Welcome to The Teachback. Today is Episode 15 and I’ll be sitting down to reconnect with a former student of mine named Justus Armstead. Like many of the guests I’ve had on this show, Justus has grown and transformed in really beautiful ways since I knew him as an 8th Grader. There are many reasons why I admire Justus, but the wisdom you’re going to hear today is beyond powerful. So sit back and enjoy this conversation about fear, spirituality, pain, growth, the beauty and impact of music and so many other really profound elements of this wild and unpredictable thing called life. Before we go hang with Justus, I want to take a quick moment to dedicate this episode to two really important people: Tim Delehaunty and Soraya Molina. Mr. Delehaunty was an educator who knew Justus well and who believed in him and saw the potential for who he one day would become. While the world lost Tim in 2018, I know he would have loved listening to this conversation. And Soraya is Justus’ mom and one of the best partners I’ve had. One of the most impactful parts of teaching is connecting with parents on behalf of their amazing kids and collaborating to bring out their best and see them succeed. Thank you, Soraya, for all you taught me all those years ago. I’ve heard you don’t really know how you did as a parent until your child is 25…given who Justus is at 21, I imagine you feel really proud.    As Justus mentions in this episode. the social landscape of today places immeasurable pressures on young people, regardless of gender identity. With that in mind, today’s episode of the Teachback has been brought to you by the reminder that you are enough. Just as you are, no matter the struggles of today, you matter very much and the more you can reflect inward and prioritize your own needs and self care, the more completely you can engage with the world around you. And, because Justus specifically mentioned manhood, I want to recommend a podcast I really enjoy called The Man Enough Podcast. Check it out and give it a listen this week. Thanks again, Justus, for reminding ME that I am enough without comparison to anyone else.   If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below. Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.

Back when I was in middle school, I had a group of really amazing friends. Dan, Alfred, Dan, Nina, John, Abby, Anna, Ariel, Emily, Sara. We didn’t always hang out all the time together, but in some configuration, we were always a crew. Some of us stayed in touch after middle school, but we ended up at five different high schools. I remember going to Abby, Dan and Alfred’s graduations. I saw Anna, Dan and Abby in the audience during a play I was in junior year. Alfred and I lived together for a few summers and still see each other about once a year as he lives up the road from my mom. I met up with Sara on a late night whim one night years ago in San Diego. Some friends and I crashed at Nina’s apartment in Montreal one winter night. Emily and I went to college together but had different friend groups. I saw Dan a few years ago in a hardware store and ran into Ariel’s mom a while back. Dan, Alfred and I went winter camping a few times. I've only seen John once since middle school. In essence, our crew did what most groups of middle school friends do…we grew apart. We acknowledged each other, but we made new friends.    As a teacher, though, I get to witness so many groups of friends. And I can tell you, there is a magic in some of those connections I watch that make me think, “these aren’t just fleeting friendships…these people aren’t just placeholders for the friends who come next…these people are in it for life.” The four guests I am welcoming onto the show today have done just that: sustained friendships through high school and college, and now into the adult world of making rent, holding down jobs, and navigating the journey of emerging adulthood. I’m excited to share some of the wisdom they’ve developed over the years, so let’s go hang out with today’s guests:    Claire Marshall Emma Stevens Hannah Casey  Kate DeFrino    If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below.   Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn. -Will

Episode 13 of The TeachBack kicks off today with a focus on FATHERHOOD. My guest, Christian D’Amour, is a dad and someone I respect deeply for so many reasons. My relationship with Christian in a teacher-learner setting centered around our 4 weeks together in the Leader Corps Cabin when I was LC Director at Camp Belknap and Christian was one of 12 boys under my supervision. That was 17 years ago. Christian was 16 years old and I was 21. I remember Christian and his friend, Jimmy, coined a phrase that month any time someone in the cabin was attempting to do something for the first time, or was hesitant to join in an activity. “Be a Boy!” Now before anyone jumps to the conclusion that there was any gender-normative slant to this phrase, what Christian really meant was, Be a kid! Let your joy carry you! Have fun! and…we all happened to identify as male because it was a camp for boys. So today I welcome you to this conversation with Christian D’Amour.    Support the Teachback and become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode of the Teachback has been brought to you by Treesaregood.org a website about tree care and sustainability, brought to you by ISA, the International Society of Aborciulture

Episode 12 of The TeachBack kicks off three days early this week because I’ll be away from technology next week. And today we get to embark on an episode with a focus on journeying, mental health, college choices, and this continual process of becoming we’re all immersed in as humans. My guest, Issy Tabah, is just a tremendously wonderful force of a  human being, a thoughtful conversationalist, and once upon a time she and I shared an 8th Grade Classroom. Coincidentally, she also spent four years on the same college campus as me before heading the call of the mountains and wanderlusting toward the American west (just as I happened to have done post-college). I enjoyed sitting down with Issy and I hope you settle in for a treat. If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below.   Become a Member.   Thanks for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode of the Teachback has been brought to you by 988, a suicide and crisis lifeline number. Full disclosure, I have dialed this number and can personally vouch for the support it provides. So as Issy reminded us today, take time to love your friends, love yourself, extend compassion toward yourself and others, and just take good care. It is okay to not be okay and help exists. Dial 988 if you are concerned about yourself or someone you know.   Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.

Oh boy. Today marks the beginning of the WEEK OF LEVITY at the school I now call home, and no guest embodies the notion of levity more than Henry Katis. Henry is an absolute fun junkie and has been since the days when I knew him as the pink-haired princess on stage in the 6th Grade musical or in the classroom when he once raised his hand enthusiastically to ask whether I knew if humans were light meat or dark meat.  I loved teaching Henry then and I loved talking to him today. Come join me for a really fun conversation about seeking joy, finding our people, and believing that there is a place in the world for the things we love. Let’s go hang out with Henry. If you enjoy The Teachback, please consider supporting the podcast’s future by becoming a supporting member by clicking the link below. Become a Member. Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode of the Teachback has been brought to you by WHOLE MILK. Get yourself a glass today and kick it back just like Henry Katis.   Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.

Hi. Thanks for joining me here today for Episode 10 of The Teachback. I recently had a lengthy conversation with my longtime friend and fellow-podcaster Abel James. As AJ and I discussed the nature of podcasting and our experiences, he shared something really kind about this podcast. “Will,” he said, “one thing I love about your podcast is how authentically the conversations happen…it’s unscripted…like overhearing a conversation.” To know that AJ listens to my podcast is an honor in itself, but to hear him affirm the tone and tenor of the conversations is even more meaningful because his podcast, The Fat-Burning Man Show was one of the inspirations for this podcast. And, honestly, he’s completely right when he says it sounds authentic, because it is! The unscripted nature of these conversations is one of my favorite elements of its existence because I never know where we’re going, or when it will end. Furthermore, it always leaves me wishing the conversation could continue because I just want to genuinely HANG OUT with my guests afterward. In any case, I encourage you to go give Abel’s podcast a listen at https://fatburningman.com/. You’ll learn more about health, wellness, yourself, and the future than you ever imagined possible.   Today on this show, though, we have a treat. The podcast turns ten episodes old, so happy double digits! This episode features a former advisee and student of mine, Brianna Cummings. Brianna is the third of four children in her family, and I had the pleasure of teaching two of them. Today Brianna and I get to hang out and chat about some of the things she loves (Drake and horror movies), some of the things she’s outgrown (timidity), and her budding career in the fashion industry ( @briannanicolebridal on Instagram!). So, happy 10th Episode! Happy December. Get cozy, grab a warm drink, and let’s go hang out with Brianna!   Support the Teachback and Become a Member.   Thanks again for tuning in. Here’s to connecting, reflecting, and staying hungry to learn.   Today’s episode of the Teachback has been brought to you by YOU! YES, you. As you just heard, Brianna believes that each of us has a craft to share with the world…that thing that keeps you attuned to, and inspired by, the world around you. So as you end this episode, consider taking 5 minutes to think, meditate, write, or discuss  with a friend your own passions and contributions to the world. What do you create that is unique to who you are? And, if you can’t think of anything? That’s okay, too. Your homework is just to pay attention. It could be something as simple as preparing a magical cup of cocoa for a friend, or greeting strangers with a warm smile. Thank, Brianna, for inspiring me to think deeply about what I can bring into the world.   Introduction Music was made by my former student, Michael. Find him on Spotify where he is better known as Slacker.jpg.