The Resurrector - Moshe Mikanovsky

Presley discusses her musical journey, the importance of loyalty in her relationships, and so much more.
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Radiant and fearless, Presley Tennant is the result of unequivocal talent and California ease. Dubbed a “vocal powerhouse” by Taste of Country, People Magazine states Presley is “quickly proving that she is a wild card in the country music industry.”

Rooted in the classics, the Horsetown, USA (aka Norco, CA) native immersed herself in Country Music following her national appearance on The Voice at just 16 years old. Determined to make her own way in the industry, Tennant teamed up with some of the industry’s top creatives to produce her own version of California-Country, melding together Western lifestyle, her unparalleled powerhouse vocals, traditional roots, and modern energy.

Filled with uncompromising integrity, the ‘it’ factor, and a dream, it’s no surprise Presley has shared the stage with musical heroes Tim Mcgraw, Kelly Clarkson, Carly Pearce, Blake Shelton, and more. Not only is she immensely talented. She has a heart of gold, donating her time to animal organizations through her Riffs & Rescues virtual charity tour, where she performs live and raises awareness and funds for various animal initiatives.

Website: https://www.presleytennant.com
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Intro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi
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©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

On this episode of the podcast, I sit down with Author, screenwriter, and a man of many talents Richard Sparks to talk about his new novel, New Rock New Role.
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    Born in England, and a graduate of Oxford University (Exeter College, where, like both JRR Tolkien and Philip Pullman before him, he studied English Language and Literature), Richard started out as a writer of stage plays, comedy revues and TV, for such shows as Not the Nine O’clock News. Rowan Atkinson performed his Schoolmaster sketch in John Cleese’s The Secret Policeman’s Ball. UK TV credits include The Famous Five, The Flying Kiwi, The Optimist, The Worst of Hollywood, and a lot of script editing. On being hired by Columbia Pictures TV, Richard moved with his family to Los Angeles. His lyrics have been recorded by talents as diverse as Dom de Luise, Eric Idle, Vanessa Williams and Plácido Domingo. He has written libretti for several new operas composed by Lee Holdridge (TV’s Beauty and the Beast, et al.), produced by the LA Opera, as well writing new English versions of German and Italian classics. His non-fiction books, Diary of a Mad Poker Player, and its sequel, Getting Lucky, chronicle his adventures in the poker boom of the 2000’s. Along the Cherry Lane is his biography of the music producer, Milt Okun.
“High Adventure Spiced with Low Comedy,” inspired by his love of online role-playing games, New Rock New Role is the first of four volumes Richard has written so far in the New Rock fantasy series, and is his fiction debut.

Website:  https://richardsparks.com/           

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Have a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.com

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Intro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi
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©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

Kingsley and I discuss her travels, New music, and why she got kicked off Tinder among other things. 
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Chicago, IL (DATE): Rising Pop/Indie artist Kingsley is releasing her debut single, My Love, from her album, Come & Find Me, mixed by Kevin Frias on Friday Jan 12.

“This song is just what happens when you finally realize you are the shit! The affirmations are afformationing!! It’s such a fun bop and a true expression of how I introduce my crazy aries self! Like I could take these lyrics and put it in my Tinder bio if I wasn’t banned! Haha, being banned is another story, maybe I’ll tell you about that later in the album. But seriously, I know that I am unforgettable and a force when it comes to bedroom activities and I won’t be modest about it! Meg THEE Stallion changed me, I am NEVER going back and honey, you don’t either."Kingsley is in the midst of her finishing up her third studio record, Come & Find Me - 8 tracks. Before the full album release, Kingsley plans to release three more singles and two music videos, all cohesive with the album.

More about the record, Come & Find Me: Embarking on life after heartbreak, this album will have you discovering an entirely new side of Kinglsey -after rain, comes rainbows…Inspired by London's love for pop-house and experiencing life in a new bi-lens, I am birthing a record that should be shared with the world in the most magical way. Come & Find Me, seriously, I dare ya.
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Have a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.com

Have a question for our producer Rich Zei contact him at rich.zei@thirdearaudio.com

Intro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi
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©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

Kathyrn discusses her memoir,  Dancing Into the Light, as well as the loss of her mother and younger brother.

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Kathryn K. Abdul-Baki was born in Washington D.C. to an Arab father and an American mother. She grew up in Iran, Kuwait, Beirut, and Jerusalem where she attended Arabic, British, and American schools. She attended the American University of Beirut, Lebanon, has a BA in journalism from George Washington University in Washington D.C., and an MA in creative writing from George Mason University, Virginia. As an astute observer of two distinct cultures, she has published five works of fiction, some of which have been taught at universities in multicultural literature, women’s studies, and Arab studies departments. She is the recipient of the Mary Roberts Rinehart Award for short fiction. Abdul-Baki has three grown children and resides with her husband in McLean, Virginia. Find out more about her at www.KathrynAbdulbaki.com.

“Dancing into the Light” is a story of love, loss, and renewal, and of overcoming devastating early trauma through music, dancing, and the love and devotion of strong American and Arab women.

"This eloquently composed remembrance...effectively relates the joys, fears, and tragedies the author experienced during a youth spent learning to navigate two cultures. 

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Have a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.com

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Intro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi

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©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

Celebrating the launch of Season 8 and our 150th episode with the band behind our new music, Fast Suzi. I chat with Matt, Greg, and Alex from the band. Joining us on the show is their producer and mine Rich Zei from Third Ear Audio Productions.

Fast Suzi is like the man with 1000 faces. They are a Chicago-based hard rock band, that has changed with the musical world around them. Their long-held mantra of rock 'n' roll to save your soul, is back with a vengeance. New blood, new music, and a new attitude are the driving forces celebrating the band's legacy and a look to the future.

Fast Suzi saw the creativity of two guitar players writing material that jelled instantly.  During that time, their song, "Giving It All To You'' achieved heavy rotation on rock radio.

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Matt Smith is the Lead Guitar, Vocals, and the Founding Member.
Greg Baron is the Lead Vocalist.
Alex Alexander is the Drummer.
(Bill Kalbfleisch is the Bass Player but was not part of the podcast due to a prior commitment. )
 Bands website: www.fastsuzi.com

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Discussed on the podcast was the non-profit Guitars for Vets (G4V). G4V provides guitars and a 10-week lesson program to veterans of our military who may be battling PTSD, any mental or physical health disorder stemming from their military service, or being a victim of sexual trauma.  All services and guitars are provided at no cost to the veteran.  If you wish to make a donation or get involved you can do so by clicking the link. https://guitars4vets.org/

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If you would like to contact the show about being a guest please email us at Dauna@betertopodcast.com
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Have a question or want to be a guest on the podcast email: dauna@bettertopodcast.com

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Intro and Outro music compliments of Fast Suzi

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©2024 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

On this episode, I sat down with Phyllis Leavitt to discuss America's Mental Health this week. We dig deep into why her new book America in Therapy is so timely.

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 When I became a psychotherapist, I never imagined I would one day be entering a “political” arena. But the more I worked with widespread family dysfunction and its horrifying legacy of pain and violence, the more I realized that the greatest threat to our survival as a country and as a species is our declining mental health.

I knew what we learned about healing family violence can and must be applied to healing America. I felt compelled to leave the confines of my office and speak to a broader audience. I wanted to share my message of urgency to get ourselves on a path of healing, and I wanted to share a message of Hope that we can restore ourselves to Safety, Peace, and Love by healing the wounds we have suffered and the wounds we have inflicted that keep a cycle of violence going. I wrote America in Therapy for all those hungry for this message.

I graduated from Antioch University with a Master’s in Psychology and Counseling in 1989. I co-directed a family-based sexual abuse treatment program called Parents United in Santa Fe, New Mexico, until 1991 and then went into private practice full-time for the next 30-plus years.

I have worked extensively with abuse and dysfunctional family dynamics, their aftermath, and some of the most important elements for healing. My focus today is on my latest book, America in Therapy: A New Approach to Hope and Healing for a Nation in Crisis.

I have also published two other books, A Light in the Darkness and Into the Fire, which chronicle my personal healing journey. 

I live with my husband in Taos, NM, and I am retired from my psychotherapy practice, focusing on writing and speaking.

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Texting has certainly become an easy way to communicate. However, what happens when a mother saves the texts to her sons? The result, “Text Messages To My Sons” by author Tammy J. Cohen.

According to Cohen, “Have you ever struggled to communicate with your children? If you know kids, in-person conversations are just not happening. It can seem like we have so many more options available to us than any other time in history, yet we also feel more disconnected than ever. Just because technology has provided us more immediate access to our loved ones than ever before does not mean we are using the luxury wisely. And there is no better feeling than to let those we love know just how much we think of them and value their presence in our life. There is no greater power than being able to find a direct and simple way to communicate knowledge, inspiration, gratitude, and love; using technology may be the key.
 
 “Over the past few years, I wanted to not only evolve but also change the way I interact with my sons. I wanted to be someone they wanted to hear from, that they would look forward to my messages. So, to find a more meaningful relationship with my sons, I reached out to them in a language they understand – texting! It is my true hope for anyone reading this book to become inspired with new ways to connect with your loved ones, whether it is children, siblings, extended family, or spouses. The evidence is undeniable. Ever since I started this journey, my relationship with my sons is enriched and those friends who I have shared this passion project with reacted with encouragement and the desire to do this with their loved ones. For those who started doing this, the results have been wonderful.”

https://www.amazon.com/Text-Messages-My-Sons-Connecting/dp/B0CK3QDHTM

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Cody Howell: A US Navy Veteran Making Waves in Music

Cody Howell, a Kansas native, is a proud veteran of the US Navy and has since settled in Nashville to pursue his passion for music. Drawing inspiration from the likes of Randy Rogers, Dierks Bentley, and Zane Williams, Cody's music is a reflection of his heart and honest-to-goodness country lifestyle. His passion for storytelling through sheer musical authenticity incites connections with his audience and creates good times.

Working with Project K-9 Hero

In support of his fellow veterans and their families, Cody works with Project K-9 Hero – a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring the best quality of life for retired Military Working Dogs and Police K-9s.

Cody Howell is making a name for himself in the music industry. He recently appeared as a background vocalist on Dolly Parton's highly-anticipated rock album: Rockstar. Produced by the well-renowned producer/musician Kent Wells, Cody's debut single "Any Way You Go" is out now, with plans for a full album release in 2024.
Website: https://www.codyhowellcountry.com/

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Video of the interview is available here:https://youtu.be/GVfb-ILoWxc

Audrey and I discuss her book, American Wolf: From Nazi Refugee to American Spy as well as how time off forced her to look at life in a different way.

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Growing up in New York in the late 1960s, Audrey Birnbaum assumed that watching Holocaust documentaries was a perfectly normal family activity. On her first day of elementary school, Audrey sat in the cafeteria, unwrapped her liverwurst sandwich, and excitedly told her new classmates about her public television proclivities. Her Brady Bunch-watching peers had never heard of PBS, but they had heard of PB&J (and they weren't too keen on liverwurst either). They made it abundantly clear: Audrey's childhood was, in fact, not normal at all. 

We will never know whether it was schoolyard bullying or watching tragic Shoah documentaries that was responsible for Audrey's acute sensitivity to others; but that empathy may have helped pave the way for her choice of medicine as a career. Audrey chose to specialize in Pediatric Gastroenterology - for who needed more help than children; and where could anyone feel more suffering than in one's gut? Day in and day out, she watched intricate family dynamics play out in the context of fragile health. Audrey listened to each patient's story until she could retell it with clarity and give it meaning. Through witnessing and recording these tender dramas, the seeds of writing had been planted. 

Shortly after her father's death in 2018, Audrey stumbled upon his extensive notes detailing his childhood escape from Nazi Germany. Audrey felt compelled to start writing his riveting story - a story addressing themes that are pressingly relevant today. While "American Wolf" deals with tragedy and loss, it punctuates the triumph of the human spirit. It is a memoir of Holocaust survival, a family drama, an immigration tale, and an often funny coming-of-age story that is sure to have an impact on anyone who has experienced prejudice, displacement, or questions about their identity. 

With her cherished medical career in the rear-view mirror, Audrey now enjoys singing, writing, reading, and being with friends who also had quirky childhoods. She lives with her husband in Westchester County, New York, and has three marvelous grown children. Audrey is currently working on her second book.  

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"American Wolf: From Nazi Refugee to American Spy" is a riveting and inspiring book.

It is a deeply personal story that is a true story of author Audrey Birnbaum's father, Jack Wolf Schwersenz, his family's nail-biting escape from Germany, and his subsequent adventure-filled efforts to embrace his adopted home.
For more information on author Audrey Birnbaum and "American Wolf: From Nazi Refugee to American Spy," visit: www.audreybirnbaumauthor.com
Buy her book here.

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Sound Design and production by Rich Zei at Third Ear Audio
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©2023 Better To...Podcast with D. M.Needom

Amanda and I discuss the Friday the 13th and the meaning behind the day.  Aliens, Big Foot, and some more serious topics.
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From an early age, Amanda has been aware and in tune with her Psychic gifts and with the spirit world. As she grew up listening to the sound of her own drumbeat. She borrowed her first book on Wicca when she was 13 and her first tarot deck at 16. Then, at the age of18, she was free to truly study her Spirit Lead path of Witchcraft, Psychic Development, and Energy Healing at a local shop that was located in Indianapolis, IN.

In 2006, Spirit lead Amanda to move down to Birmingham, AL. While living there the Spirits lead her to connect with her Southern roots and began doing professional readings at a local shop. This began her journey of being not just a high-demand Psychic/Medium/Tarot Reader, but she started teaching classes on the Tarot and becoming a leader in the community. As well as learning and practicing Hoodoo/Root working. In the Fall of 2009, Amanda came back home Indianapolis area. While helping her

Today she is a member of the Temple of Witchcraft and the Cabot-Kent Hermetic Temple and is focused on helping others all around the world, with clients ranging from the United States, Canada, the U.K., China, Australia, Japan, Puerto Rico, India, Mexico, Cayman Islands, and Denmark to name a few. People come to her for spiritual guidance, love, relationship, career, and business guidance.

Here website is here: https://3crowsconjure.com

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