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It's that time of the year when gough, a blind filmmaker from Australia, rolls out a new project at BeernutsProductions.com and shows up on Getting Work To Work to tell me all about it. With linens and orchids in hand, he makes his 28th appearance on the show to talk about Alien Invasion, an audio piece that showcases an alien's perspective of humans, panda bears, horses, whales, and hyenas, not to mention the absolute absurdity of Earth. We talk about our favorite alien-themed shows, why he normally doesn't have bloopers, why the best comedy is rooted in truth, celebrating 20 years of Beernuts Productions and what he's most proud of, and as always, a glimpse into how he comes up with joke after joke, project after project. Show Links Beernuts Productions on Getting Work To Work Beernuts Productions Alien Invasion Reflections – Where is Chris? Radio 20 Years of Beernuts Productions The World's Greatest Fart Joke! Australia Zoo Paul Hogan Dagwood Dog Deep-fried butter Deep-fried Mars bar Food Network Australian Open Souvlaki Dolma Bluey Brian Henson Ayahuasca Men in Black (1997) ALF (TV Series 1986–1990) ALF's Special Christmas Those Alf Hand Puppets From Burger King Resident Alien (TV Series 2021–2025) Alan Tudyk Paul (2011) The World's End (2013) Absolutely Anything (2015) Douglas Adams The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy (2005) Vegemite Groucho Marx Karl Marx Classic Kool-Aid Man Commercial Compilation Mozzarella sticks Stephen Lynch The Social Reckoning (2026) I Play Rocky (2026) How to Rob a Bank (2026) Coyote vs. Acme (2026) Trainwreck (2015) Argylle (2024) John Cena on Last Week Tonight with John Oliver Episode photo from Envato Elements: Cosmic Nebula with Bright Orange and Purple Clouds

What does art restoration have in common with the search for meaning, traumatic memories, and writing? Today's guest is Julie Esther Fisher, a fiction writer and poet, and she answers that question through telling stories about her creative journey through writing poetry, short stories, and now a novel. Her latest book, A Pearl is Just an Accident, is a novel-in-stories that, as described on her website, centers on "Eliza James, a paintings conservator whose work restoring damaged art mirrors her search for meaning within the fractures of her own past." In our conversation, Julie connects her curiosity to her childhood and learning to see both for survival and sustenance. She shares her fascination with what lies beneath the surface, the importance and reverence of silence, nature as a refuge, becoming an art restoration apprentice, looking for clues in her work that tell her what it wants to be, the two jobs of writing—explorer and critic—and why they should be separate, how lived experience fuels art, and why the novel-in-stories structure mirrors the way traumatic memory works. No matter what types of creativity you wield, Julie's wisdom in this episode will speak to you and help you find what you need. Show Links Julie Esther Fisher A Pearl is Just an Accident by Julie Esther Fisher Revenge: Eleven Dark Tales by Yoko Ogawa and translated by Stephen Snyder Episode photo from Envato Elements: Variety of Spring Flowers in Natural Light

Where do ideas come from? When do you know an idea is worth bringing to life? What if you aren't qualified? How do you keep going in the face of endless rejection? These are but a handful of questions at the heart of my conversation with inventor, businessman, and founder of Leatherman, Tim Leatherman. His latest project, The Leatherman Book: Stories, Lessons, and Advice from the Inventor of America's Original Multi-Tool, just hit the shelves and it's honestly one of the best business books I've ever read. It's got practical advice that actually helps, stories from Tim's perspective as well as his customers, and that extra bit of encouragement that entrepreneurs need when they set out to bring their ideas to life. In our conversation, Tim also shares insights into writing the book, wisdom he has earned from his own entrepreneurial journey, what we often forget to do when setting goals, and the value of a positive attitude and a sense of humor. Show Links The Leatherman Book: Stories, Lessons, and Advice from the Inventor of America's Original Multi-Tool by Tim Leatherman with Chris Kornelis Leatherman Chris Kornelis Jungle Jim's International Market The Interview – The New York Times Podcast Episode art from Envato Elements: Riveted Metal Texture Background, Abstract Industrial Design

Have you ever read a non-fiction book and wondered, "Why haven't I learned about this before?" Molly Guptill Manning's new book, A Librarian's War: The Man Who Fought World War II with Books and Brought the Joy of Reading to Millions, had me saying that from page one as I learned about Ray Trautman, Chief Army Librarian in World War II, and how he brought books to millions of soldiers in the war. It's the power of books that this conversation is all about. Books not only have a net positive effect on our lives, but a literate and well-read society is essential for the survival of democracy. Molly and I also talk about where her love for reading and history come from, how curiosity, trust, and patience help her to discover overlooked history and unknown stories to write about, why history is relevant to today, why our mind diet is just as important as what we eat, and the value of a good education. Show Links Molly Guptill Manning A Librarian's War: The Man Who Fought World War II with Books and Brought the Joy of Reading to Millions by Molly Guptill Manning When Books Went To War: The Stories That Helped Us Win World War II by Molly Guptill Manning Men at War with an introduction by Ernest Hemingway American Library Association PEN America Library Journal The End of Reading is Here by Rose Horowitch Technopoly: The Surrender of Culture to Technology by Neil Postman No Ordinary Time: Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt: The Home Front in World War II by Doris Kearns Goodwin DORIS KEARNS GOODWIN ON THE LATE SHOW WITH STEPHEN COLBERT (14 DECEMBER, 2015) Episode photo from Envato Elements: Library interior featuring a wall of bookshelves filled with various books. Stockholm

Every episode, I end with the same phrase, "Until next time, may creativity and curiosity fuel your life." Lately, I haven't felt curious and the tank certainly feels empty. So, what's the point of saying that phrase when curiosity seems to have left the building and all that's left is a rut-filled routine? Well, like any affirmation, repeating it helps keep the truth in the forefront of the mind: curiosity is the most valuable action you can take every single day. Asking someone how they're doing, going to the library and checking out a book, staring at the leaves falling to the ground, smelling the heavenly scent of cinnamon rolls baking in the oven, sitting back and hearing the sounds that make up your favorite album, it doesn't take much to break free from obligation and enter into a state of levity and exhalation. That lightness you feel, like you are floating through the sky filled with wonder and delight, that's the value of curiosity and we all need it. Oh, and in case you were wondering what the second most valuable action you need to do every day is, it's stretching and anyone over 40 knows what I'm talking about. Six rules of engagement for curiosity: Curiosity isn't the solution to the problem, it's how you find it. When people lose curiosity in the little things, they lose hope in the big things. Curiosity allows us to try on new possibilities, but unless we use it to also affect change, the status quo remains. Non-monetized curiosity is more valuable than curiosity that's been neutered to meet economic needs. You don't have to be curious about everything, just what you're actually curious about. Your curiosity isn't my curiosity and when we share our curiosities, we grow together. Show Links Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Liquid Art with Blue, Gold and Black

Recently, I called the non-emergency line for my county's sheriff department and guess who picked up on the second ring? That's right, our good friend, the cheerful AI assistant. There might have been a generic name like Claire assigned to the bot—sorry to all the Claires out there, trust me, it doesn't get more generic than Chris—but it took me a minute to realize I needed to say something to move the prompt forward. This interaction, among others, got me thinking about our societal dependence on artificial intelligence. There's a lot of talk about opting out, but when it's already infiltrated into our daily lives, is that even possible? There are endless questions—many of which I hope people in positions of power are asking beyond merely acquiring power and profit—but today, I want to explore a troublesome component of AI that I just now started to experience: micromanagement by AI. It's subtle, and you might not even realize it's happening to you, but it is. Four areas of work you're probably being micromanaged by AI: Communication Critique Creative Direction Assistants Show Links MICROMANAGE on Merriam-Webster Episode photo from Envato Elements: Vintage Toy Robot on White Wooden Surface

For the past ten years, a common theme on this podcast is learning. Whether we are learning something new or diving deeper into our craft, the ability to experiment and evolve our abilities lead to new ideas and expertise. This sounds like a great way to bring a sense of purpose to our lives, but a sobering question keeps me up at night: what if our society no longer values new ideas and expertise? What if original thought and mastery is no longer valued, or even possible, because as a society we can't focus longer than a second, addicted to dopamine and existential whiplash? What will become of us when what takes us months can be done by technology in minutes? Think for a moment what we learn in the months, or even years, working on a project. We try something and fail, over and over, until it clicks. Then we repeat the process until finally the project is done. Yes, it satisfies some business objective, but more importantly, our expertise grows. The sobering reality is that we don't learn in minutes, we learn in months. We learn through failure. So, in a world that worships tools that enable supersonic productivity, the question we must wrestle with is this: How will we learn? Show Links Lake Lady Python CS50’s Introduction to Programming with Python Metallica

When was the last time you listened to the small voice of intuition? You know the one, the voice that gets you a little excited when considering something new. As creatives, we often find ourselves ignoring it for a variety of reasons. We shove it aside in favor of certainty. We faithfully follow our routines until they become ruts. We chase trends instead of original ideas. Before we know it, intuition and knowing has disappeared. This line of thought is a taste of today's conversation with h.h. rune, a multi-dimensional author, artist, and dancing TikToker. We also explore asking for what you need, accepting what you don't know, how her studies show up in her work, the forgotten history that finds a way into her stories, why books are the subversive platform of the future, the challenge of building an audience who engage with our work, the creative nuggets that stay with her over time, and the limiting nature of categorization. If you are an independent producer in any artistic medium, you're going to get a lot out of today's episode. Show Links h.h. rune Mister Rogers' Neighborhood Mister Rogers' Neighborhood: How Are Crayons Made? Visit Tybee Island Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke Jimothy (raccoon) Martha Stewart Leica LUX Edgar Cayce Episode photo from Envato Elements: Vibrant Color Pencil Shavings for Creative Backgrounds

You don't really think about what makes an artist unique until you see the tools of their creation up close. Recently, I visited the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland, Ohio and while looking at artifact after artifact I started to see a pattern: intense customization. Most artists memorialized in this shrine to music didn't buy their greatness off the rack, they shaped it through their own hands and creative collaborations. There were wires sticking out of guitar bodies, unique shapes with multiple finishes, endless knobs and faders, and costumes adorned with everything from spikes and patches to mirrors and leather. While most of us will never be inducted into any hall of fame, we can learn from our heroes. Fast forward 30 years into your career, will you be remembered for the way you shaped your tools to bring your vision to life? Or will you be as forgettable as the prompts you used to generate acceptance in a world filled with conformists? 10 Ways to Customize Your Uniqueness, Bring Your Vision to Life, and Have a Taste of Greatness: Suck. Embrace analog. Keep the evidence of your hand in your work. Substance over style. Style over sameness. Say no to the niche. Tailor your work to you, not the other way around. Spend time wrestling with your work. Make work for actual people, not machines. Get social offline. Show Links Rock & Roll Hall of Fame 1984 | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Rock & Roll Hall of Fame's newest exhibit featurette, "Women in Metal: You Will Know My Name" Revolutionary Women in Music | Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Jeremy Cowart 2Advanced Studios Northwest Book Fair Metallica Perfect Days (2023)

How do you discover necessary patterns of change in your life? For me, I journal, writing down emotions, successes, and failures throughout moments in time. For decades, I lacked consistency, but in late 2023, inspired by a video on my friend Jack's YouTube channel, I started a daily log of thoughts and ideas. Yesterday, I came across a notebook from 2019–2020, so I traveled back in time to see what was going on six years ago. What did I find? An entry that could have been written today. I honestly felt discouraged. What's the point of keeping a journal if it doesn't help you identify recurring patterns before they become problems? Yes, journals can help us find patterns, but you actually have to do something with them. You have to make the decision to change, then actually do it. Seven questions to help you identify patterns of change, figure out what actually needs to change, make a plan, and then do it: How will you document your life and work? What are the patterns you identify? As you reflect on the patterns, what are the changes that you need to make? How will you decide what to change and what to ignore? What are the changes you can make today? What are the changes you need to work toward over a longer period of time? Who, or what, will hold you accountable? Show Links Why Is So Much AI Tech Useless? Start A Journal Now! Unlock your inner potential! Seth's Blog Airtable Episode artwork from Envato Elements: Abstract Geometric Pattern Background in Pink Blue and Yellow

In this thing called life, we undoubtedly face endless questions: How do I write a funny joke? Am I funny? Where is Chris? What is the meaning of life? Here to help us find some answers to those questions and to talk about his latest audio projects—Reflections – Where is Chris? and The Meaning of Life—is the funnyman himself, gough. We dive right into our typical podcasting shenanigans filled with laughter, inappropriate phrases, and the answer to yet another question: Who has the wettest mouth in Australia? We also talk about important things like oranges, human nature, two-line zingers, trusting your audio producer, how gough rehearses his actors to get great performances, and how he keeps his creativity fresh. If you've ever wondered where the line between drama and comedy is, gough even has an answer for that, too. Show Links Beernuts Productions The Meaning of Life Reflections – Where is Chris? All of Quentin Tarantino's Filmic Foot Fetish Moments Crocodile Dundee (1986) America's Got Talent 9 Common Types of Oranges—And The Best Way To Use Each Recording Room Pulitzer Prizes Zambia Zambian kwacha Still Life (2013) Memento Explanation by Christopher Nolan - True Genius - Must Watch The Muppets The Happytime Murders (2018) One Battle After Another (2025) Breaking Bad (TV Series 2008–2013) Big Mouth (TV Series 2017–2025) "Big mouth Theme Song" by Charles Bradley Human Resources (TV Series 2022–2023) Mating Season (TV Series 2026–) Episode Photo from Envato Elements: Fresh ripe oranges as background, top view

As listeners of this show know, I love asking my guests what they are endlessly curiosity about, but what I rarely take the time to consider is that we could overload our curiosity. What do we do when this happens? Today's guest provides several insights into forming our personal answer to that question. Micah Kassell is a graphic designer, drummer, and a deeply creative soul fascinated with curiosity, belief, and cult-like behavior. From corporate boardrooms to stages, he's learned to approach teamwork from the perspective of the drummer, as time keeper and vibe tender. In this conversation, we explore his obsession with aspirational and motivational speech that builds fans of brands and culture. We also talk about his journey into music and graphic design, how his dad's creativity influenced his life and career, why baseball is an imagination sport, learning to win and lose in life and business, why the trio is his favorite band and team configuration, patience, limitations, highlights and shadows, and learning to document his creativity with improvisation and communication. Quotes: "The longest of shadows are when the magic really happens." "Focus on doing really, really good and important things instead of just more things." Show Links Micah Kassell Iron Maiden – The Trooper (Official Video) Dead Kennedys Steely Dan Rush Paul's Boutique (20th Anniversary Edition / Remastered) A Tribe Called Quest Bill Evans Trio Ahmad Jamal Trio – Manhattan Reflections Minutemen live & interviewed 1985 Ansel Adams Pysanka Have a good time all the time Beabadoobee Angine de Poitrine Dan Harumi Episode photo from Envato Elements: Abstract Light and Shadow on Walls and Floors

The best conversations not only have interesting questions, but also the necessary time and space to think and respond when answers present themselves. From "What most often brings you joy?" and "What are you endlessly curious about?" to "What is the space you need to give yourself today?" and "Why does where you are matter?", today's guest and I dive deep into ourselves and share what we discover. Michael Hunter is the Founding Mentor of Uncommon Teams, a Coach, Podcaster, and Author of The Resilient Tech Leader: Harness the Power of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart to Lead with True Balance and Joy. Beyond the questions, we explore topics such as communication and science, why AI will never replace him, the solid foundations that allow him to have fun with change, what it means to be an uncommon hero, tiny experiments, resilience, and the simplest possible process. Quote from the Episode: "The most heroic thing I can do is to help you get in touch with your own inner hero, so that you can go on your own hero's journey." – Michael Hunter Show Links Uncommon Teams The Resilient Tech Leader: Harness the Power of Mind, Body, Spirit, and Heart to Lead with True Balance and Joy by Michael Hunter HERO Starter Kit (Adventure Kit - Cogsworth City) Disneyland and the Rise of Automation: How Technology Created the Happiest Place on Earth by Roland Betancourt Multiplicity (1996) Phrenology Hand, Hand, Fingers, Thumb by Al Perkins Mrs. Piggle-Wiggle by Betty MacDonald The Satir Change Model by Steven M Smith What About Bob? (1991) Royal Hunt by Raven Storm Episode Photo from Envato Elements: Color geometric architecture of Egypt

The longer your creative career lasts, the less written about your specific struggles. Writing and producing work for young professionals is enticing because there will always be an eager audience, hungry to succeed. They will 10x absolutely everything in order to keep up with the algorithm and crush the content calendar. The message never changes even though the audience does. But for the rest of us, time tempers all things. While your creativity continues to soar, your willingness to settle for long hours and low wages does not. You grow tired of playing the game. The message grows stale in your mouth. You still dream impossible dreams, but the truth is that you don't need anything fancy, you just need to work on your craft. The patient reawakening has nothing to do with being the next hot commodity, it's returning to you, practicing, focusing, and refining. Every single day. It's not chasing popularity or relevance, it's doing the work that resonates. Quote from Episode "We must train ourselves. Not to make spoons or jewelry or paintings or chairs but to be more competent, more forgiving, more patient. If we were simply training for production, there would be only engineering geared to cost-benefit analysis and not the value of Quality. But if you are truly interested in making changes in your work, if you are attempting to do work of Quality, then the work to be done is on you." – Gary Rogowski, Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction Questions Reawakening Question: Why do I keep going on? Awakening Question: Why did I start? Show Links Handmade: Creative Focus in the Age of Distraction by Gary Rogowski Guns N' Roses – Patience Perfect Days (2023) Episode photo from Envato Elements: Rustic Metalworking Shop Interior with Forging Tools

What's your gift to the world? What makes you uniquely different than everybody else? Why should I choose you? Three powerful questions from today's conversation with John Ravaris, consultant, speaker, and author of Define Value, Drive Growth: Build a Business Clients Choose and Competitors Envy. In our conversation, John unpacks these questions and more, focusing on how uniqueness creates client value. He talks about his curiosity with what people and businesses are really trying to accomplish, what sales is and is not, how his 4D Roadmap—Discover, Develop, Deploy, and Delight—reveals what makes a business unique, the difference between a customer and a client, his approach to niching and standing out, and building your reputation by saying no and not chasing the shiny object. If your business is stuck positioning itself just like its competition, then it's time to discover just how valuable uniqueness can be. Show Links John Ravaris | UVP Solutions Define Value, Drive Growth: Build a Business Clients Choose and Competitors Envy by John Ravaris Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) From Strength to Strength: Finding Success, Happiness, and Deep Purpose in the Second Half of Life by Arthur C. Brooks The Meaning of Your Life: Finding Purpose in an Age of Emptiness by Arthur C. Brooks Episode photo from Envato Elements: Colorful Rock Texture with Lichen and Vegetation