Welcome to the October edition of the newsletter.
October is one of my favorite months of the year and not just because it’s my birthday. I love Halloween and being in the thick of fall and all the trappings that come with it—not the least of which is PSL from Starbucks and all my favorite holiday flavors for K-Cups in our Keurig. I know, I know. That’s a lot of name dropping, but I swear I don’t have any brand deals (but I’m open! Just sayin’).
There’s a chill in the air and you can bust out long sleeve shirts and comfy pants and start drinking tea at night.
It’s the perfect time of year to read books, listen to podcasts and watch television, all of which I’m leaving my recommendations in this newsletter. I’d love to hear yours, so if you have some recommendations, please drop them in a comment so I can check them out (and maybe write about it here at a later date!).
Let’s get to it!
~Tai
WHAT I’M LISTENING TO
Handsome (PODCAST)
I love these folks and listen to the podcast all the time, oftentimes when I’m taking my daily walk. I laugh like a lunatic and get stares from people passing me by like I’m talking to myself or having a conversation with an imaginary friend. It’s the best feeling and it happens at least once an episode as Tig, Fortune and May chat about everything from pahnties to Hooters. And now they have little mini-episodes called “Pretty Little Episode” where they answer listener questions. It’s pretty great and worth your time to check out if you need a daily source of belly laughs.
"Handsome" is a podcast from comedians Tig Notaro, Fortune Feimster, and Mae Martin. Every week, the handsome hosts field a question from a friend and attempt to answer it together, covering every subject you could think of. Along the way, Tig, Fortune and Mae tell plenty of stories and just generally have a ridiculous time.
WHAT I’M WATCHING
Nobody Wants This
If you want a really funny and fun show to watch, this is it. My wife and I watch this when we need a laugh and to take a break from our everyday stressors. Kristen Bell and Adam Brody are so good in this show (and they just got signed for a second season!). We are only a few episodes in, but we were hooked from the start. It’s also nice to see Justine Lupe after watching her in both The Big Door Prize and Succession. Here she plays the sister and co-host of the podcast that talks about it all. Check it out and let me know what you think!
An agnostic sex podcaster and a newly single rabbi fall in love, but can their relationship survive their wildly different lives and meddling families?
Starring: Kristen Bell, Adam Brody, Justine Lupe
Creators: Erin Foster
WHAT I’M READING
Be Useful: Seven Tools for Life
I get Arnold Schwarzenegger’s daily newsletter and it’s filled with all kinds of great advice about physical and mental health, so it was a no-brainer to pick up his book when it came out. It’s a quick read, but packed with actionable advice that is often echoed in his newsletter. I highly recommend it, especially if you are feeling helpless about what’s happening in the world around you and don’t think you can make a difference. You absolutely can and he shows you how to do it. Let me know if you pick it up and what you think.
The seven rules to follow to realize your true purpose in life—distilled by Arnold Schwarzenegger from his own journey of ceaseless reinvention and extraordinary achievement, and available for absolutely anyone.
The world’s greatest bodybuilder. The world’s highest-paid movie star. The leader of the world’s sixth-largest economy. That these are the same person sounds like the setup to a joke, but this is no joke. This is Arnold Schwarzenegger. And this did not happen by accident.
Arnold’s stratospheric success happened as part of a process. As the result of clear vision, big thinking, hard work, direct communication, resilient problem-solving, open-minded curiosity, and a commitment to giving back. All of it guided by the one lesson Arnold’s father hammered into him above all: be useful. As Arnold conquered every realm he entered, he kept his father’s adage close to his heart.
Written with his uniquely earnest, blunt, powerful voice, Be Useful takes readers on an inspirational tour through Arnold’s tool kit for a meaningful life. He shows us how to put those tools to work, in service of whatever fulfilling future we can dream up for ourselves. He brings his insights to vivid life with compelling personal stories, life-changing successes and life-threatening failures alike—some of them famous; some told here for the first time ever.
Too many of us struggle to disconnect from our self-pity and connect to our purpose. At an early age, Arnold forged the mental tools to build the ladder out of the poverty and narrow-mindedness of his rural Austrian hometown, tools he used to add rung after rung from there. Now he shares that wisdom with all of us. As he puts it, no one is going to come rescue you—you only have yourself. The good news, it turns out, is that you are all you need.
ENTERTAINMENT
Exclusive interview — ‘Goonies’ House Owner Behman Zakeri
I interviewed the new owner of the ‘Goonies’ house in Astoria, Oregon in February of 2023…
Behman Zakeri is a serial entrepreneur with Type A personality on hyperdrive — and the new owner of the house from The Goonies, the 1985 movie about a group of young misfits called The Goonies who discover an ancient map and set out on an adventure to find a legendary pirate’s long-lost treasure. I interviewed Behman LIVE on my TikTok a few weeks ago and have included answers below. If you want to watch the entire interview or view individual clips, you can check out the playlist on my YouTube Channel. I asked him about watching the movie for the first time, how he ended up buying the house, his message for fans who want to visit the house, and more.
Video Corner — Tara Strong Interview at SDCC 2019
I had the chance to interview the voice cast for the 2019 animated crossover film, Teen Titans Go! Vs. Teen Titans from DC, including Tara Strong, Khary Payton, Greg Cipes, and Scott Menville.
In this interview, I chatted with Tara Strong who voices all the versions of Raven in the movie.
Tara Strong began her acting career at the age of 13 in Toronto, Canada. She landed several TV, film, and musical theater roles as well as her first lead in an animated series as the title role of Hello Kitty. After a short run at Toronto's Second City theater company, she moved to Los Angeles with an extensive resume that included her own sit-com and well over 20 animated series. Upon arriving in Hollywood, she quickly made her mark in several TV and Film projects, such as Party of Five, National Lampoon's Senior Trip, Sabrina the Teenage Witch, and more. She has an iconic voice-over career, including roles such as Bubbles in The Powerpuff Girls, Timmy Turner in The Fairly OddParents, Dil Pickles in Rugrats, Raven in Teen Titans, Batgirl, Family Guy, Drawn Together, Ben 10, Melody in The Little Mermaid 2, Spirited Away, etc. She is Miss Collins on Nickelodeon's Big Time Rush and the current voice of Harley Quinn. (from IMDb)
Watch other interviews on my YouTube Channel and subscribe so that you don't miss any new videos!
GEN-X / 80s NOSTALGIA
TikTok Time - Father/Daughter Dad Rock Challenge
(Caption from Gen-Z Daughter) Dad AND me ate down this time! Now you guys cant bully me for missing any 😝 These are all fire af songs!!
✨ Positively Gen-X 🛝 #GenXTok on TikTok: 😎 Love the 80s? Grew up Gen-X? Prepare to have your memories unlocked! #GenX 📻
Positively Gen-X Amazon Shop
I can't believe so many Gen-Xers have never heard of the infamous Reggie Bar! After being discontinued in the early 80s, it's back! Try it for yourself and tell me what you think.
Sharing 1980s flashbacks & unlocking Gen X memories on the Amazon Influencer platform in the Positively Gen-X Shop.
*As a shop owner I receive a small portion of sales when items are purchased using my special link. Thank you!
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I am a Copywriter and Marketing Consultant for Tai Freligh Consulting & Copywriting, a marketing agency based in Huntington Beach, California. TFC provides consulting services for copywriting, marketing, branding, and social media.
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