I first heard of Bitcoin around the time it was first gaining steam, circa 2010ish. I guess due to certain circles where I spent my time and education, it was only natural that it would come up in conversation. While it remained mysterious, I was brave enough to invest a bit of my own USD into Bitcoin in the 2013 timeframe, and have kept up with it somewhat through the years.

What attracted me to the Bitcoin "craze" at that time was how people who's opinion I respect explained that it's not an investment opportunity - as most folks think of it today - but it actually mimics the most sound of forms of money in many ways.

Now with the recent revelations of the FTX scandal, Bitcoin is in the news more than ever. And while it's for all the wrong reasons, I wanted to bring on to the show someone who is informed on the right reasons to "invest" in Bitcoin. I use the quotes around the word invest because it's not a typical investment where you put a certain amount of government-issued currency then gain a return on it after a period of time. It's actually much more complex (or simple?) than that. Bitcoin is a means of exchange to pay for stuff that circumvents governments entirely.

Wesley Schlemmer of the Bitcoin Bay joins us on today's episode to explain the basics of Bitcoin, the Blockchain, the basics of sound money and more. While the fallout from the FTX misdeeds will be felt for some time, the upside is that Bitcoin is on people's minds, and we have an opportunity to learn about it, and learn how to do it the way the creators of Bitcoin intended it to be used in the first place!

In this episode, you'll discover:

-Wesley's personal background and becoming familiar with crypto...01:15

-Cypher Punks and a short history of Bitcoin (Hint: It's not an investment opportunity!)...03:45

-What is the Blockchain, and what is its relation to cryptocurrency?...14:15

-What is sound money, and what makes Bitcoin a sound form of exchange?...19:20

• Three primary characteristics

1. Medium of exchange
2. Store of value
3. Unit of account

• Qualities of sound money

1. Durable
2. Fuingle
3. Divisible
4. Portable
5. Scarce

-How Bitcoin promotes self-responsibility..27:00

-What the heck happened with FTX, and what can we learn from it?...31:00

-How to get into the Bitcoin game, and the proper reasons for doing so...37:38

Resources mentioned:

Bitcoin Bay website

Cypherpunk Manifesto

Info about blockchain wallets Wesley mentions

The Bitcoin Standard

Muun Bitcoin Wallets

Bisq

Terms mentioned:

Blockchain

Litecoin

Ethereum

Block Chimes

Cypher Punks

Panopticon

Difficulty of Adjustment

Privacy v. Secrecy

Hal Finney

Blocksize Wars

BTC Token v. Network

Unit of Account

SAT's (not a pre-college test)

Stock to Flow Ratio

Seed Phrase

What do you CRAVE? Sana and James have put a lot of thought into this, and the core values we wish to share with the world, be it in business, family, or otherwise. We boiled it down to these 5 elements we all...

James here:

"I recently joined an accountability/mastermind type group that's hosted within the "School of Life" which was founded by my friend and in many ways mentor, Tom Woods.

In the group where we have meetings I got acquainted with a fellow podcaster named Brian O'Leary. Brian took it upon himself to interview 100 members of Tom's School of Life, and so he reached out to me to see if I'd be game for an interview.

Of course I am, I replied, and so we set up a time and got it done. I thought I would share our conversation on this podcast feed as it gives you dear listeners a chance to get to know your humble host a little bit deeper, and also learn a bit about my own philosophy when it comes to podcasting, publishing, building a personal brand and more!"

In this episode with "guest" interviewer Brian O'Leary, you'll discover:

-Be serious, but don't take yourself too seriously...03:12

-James' journey to the Tom Woods camp...04:30

-Spontaneous sparks lighting the fires of freedom...07:00

-James' journey into the realm of digital publishing...09:15

-Why SEO is a waste of time...11:00

-How James got into podcasting in 2015...14:30

-James' experience leaving the military as a conscientious objector...16:00

-Describing the Ba Vojdaan podcast...19:45

-How podcasters make money with podcasting...21:30

-The future of the Ba Vojdaan podcast...26:30

-Opinions of others are the downfall of a personality-based brand...28:30

-Monetize your haters? or just let them have a bad day...32:15

-How James has made his living in the podcasting field...35:45

-YOU are the product...40:40

Resources mentioned:

The O'Leary Review

Ben Greenfield Life

General MacArthur's Farewell Address at West Point

Podcast Artistry™

Trumpet Dynamics

JNS Media

Ba Vojdaan Podcast

Podcasting is arguably the most powerful media available today for getting your message out there. It's accessible, it's relatively inexpensive, and perhaps most important, you don't need to fret about getting "cancelled" because you express an opinion not approved by Big Tech.

It's also overwhelming for the uninitiated at the very thought of doing it. Because let's face it; it is a lot of work if you want to do it right. And if you're not a business with a huge marketing budget, you probably don't have the funds needed to hire a professional producer (like your humble host) to do the lion's share of the work for you.

This is why I've created the Podcasting 0-60 program. I will show you the tips, tricks and hacks I've learned over 8 years in the business (and making my living producing podcasts) and will guide you through every aspect of the creation process so that you're up and running WITH YOUR VERY OWN PODCAST in 60 days or less!

It's not as difficult as you might think with the right training and coaching, and you won't break the bank getting started.

To learn more about how starting a podcast can improve your visibility and IMPACT in your market, visit

Happy Thanksgiving!

Today we're sharing the story of Squanto, a Native American who with Providential intervention played a crucial role in the survival of the earliest Europeans settling in what is now known as the United States of America.

It's written by the great Eric Metaxas (a dream guest for our podcast, so stay tuned), and I'm sharing the link to his article if you want to bookmark it for future reference.

Here's Eric's article.

Podcasting is arguably the most powerful media available today for getting your message out there. It's accessible, it's relatively inexpensive, and perhaps most important, you don't need to fret about getting "cancelled" because you express an opinion not approved by Big Tech.

It's also overwhelming for the uninitiated at the very thought of doing it. Because let's face it; it is a lot of work if you want to do it right. And if you're not a business with a huge marketing budget, you probably don't have the funds needed to hire a professional producer (like your humble host) to do the lion's share of the work for you.

This is why I've created the Podcasting 0-60 program. I will show you the tips, tricks and hacks I've learned over 8 years in the business (and making my living producing podcasts) and will guide you through every aspect of the creation process so that you're up and running WITH YOUR VERY OWN PODCAST in 60 days or less!

It's not as difficult as you might think with the right training and coaching, and you won't break the bank getting started.

To learn more about how starting a podcast can improve your visibility and IMPACT in your market, visit podcasting0-60.com!

Podcasting is arguably the most powerful media available today for getting your message out there. It's accessible, it's relatively inexpensive, and perhaps most important, you don't need to fret about getting "cancelled" because you express an opinion not approved by Big Tech.

It's also overwhelming for the uninitiated at the very thought of doing it. Because let's face it; it is a lot of work if you want to do it right. And if you're not a business with a huge marketing budget, you probably don't have the funds needed to hire a professional producer (like your humble host) to do the lion's share of the work for you.

This is why I've created the Podcasting 0-60 program. I will show you the tips, tricks and hacks I've learned over 8 years in the business (and making my living producing podcasts) and will guide you through every aspect of the creation process so that you're up and running WITH YOUR VERY OWN PODCAST in 60 days or less!

It's not as difficult as you might think with the right training and coaching, and you won't break the bank getting started.

To learn more about how starting a podcast can improve your visibility and IMPACT in your market, visit podcasting0-60.com!

We only tell people we met "online" for the sake of expedience. I mean, after our mutual friend introduced us, we met via email, then FaceTime, so technically we met online, but it's time we tell the world the TRUE story of how James and Sana met.

It really is an unbelievable story.

What do you CRAVE? Sana and James have put a lot of thought into this, and the core values we wish to share with the world, be it in business, family, or otherwise. We boiled it down to these 5 elements we all CRAVE:

1. Community
2. Respect
3. Adventure
4. Vojdaan
5. Energy

In this audio series, James and Sana share their thoughts on each of the 5 core values, and what they mean to you as a listener, a friend, or perhaps someone with whom we do business.

Click this link to listen to the audio series.

August 2019, I drove my son Gabriel to visit my brother and his family in Kentucky. Dave has two sons, and they both get along really well with Gabriel.

KY is a 12-13 hour drive from my home in Virginia Beach, so even getting an early start it's a long, tiring day of driving. We ended up getting a later start than planned because of Gabriel's asthma acting up, which meant some treatments with the nebulizer, a quick doctor's visit, etc. But get going we did at about 1 pm.

I figured with such a late start I would drive 8 hours or so, then get an airbnb somewhere in West Virginia, then do the final 4 hours or so of driving to my brother's house. Since I'd been up since 5 am, it seemed like a sound plan.

So we made it to one of the towns in western West Virginia (kind of a mouthful, I know) where I had booked an Airbnb. We checked in, then went to Waffle House for some dinner.

It was at the Waffle House that I explained to Gabriel, then 5 years old, that we were going to spend the night in this town, then drive the rest of the way to see his cousins in Kentucky.

Gabriel was not going to hear anything of the sort. He had it made up in his mind that he was going to see his cousins that day, and that was that. He began sobbing at the very thought of staying at the place we had just visited that night, and not being able to see Evan and Aaron until the following morning.

I did my best to explain to him that daddy is very tired, that he needs his rest so he can drive the rest of the way to Kentucky, but I may as well have been talking to the hydrogenated food product melting on my waffle. It was falling on deaf ears.

He then said something that was so dang cute, mere words on the iPhone screen you're reading this email can never do it justice.

In between sobs, and pleading with me to not spend the night where we were, he said, "Daddy, you're not doing your best!"

We ended up driving to Kentucky that night, got in about 1:30 am.

How do you refuse a 5 year old child who simply will not be denied waking up the next morning and playing games with his cousins?

Short answer: You don't.

My son taught me an important lesson there in that Waffle House. No matter how much I've done, I can always do more to finish the job.

Of course I could have put my foot down and said we're done driving for the day. He would have gone to sleep just fine, we would have arrived mid morning the next day and all would have been well. In fact, Gabriel today at 8 years old probably wouldn't be so insistent on arriving in Kentucky that night. That's just the personality he had at that stage of his life.

It was one of those precious moments a father is given for a happy memory, and also a life lesson to pass onto others.

Doing just a little bit more than is expected for our Podcast Artistry™ clients is what keeps me motivated to continue doing it. It's kind of the magic of a service-based business; you can always personalize it, make it something only you would do. Kind of like those Far Side cartoons I mentioned the other day. There are about a kajillion cartoons out there, but there's only one Far Side; and its got legions of berserker fans to show for it.

If you or someone you know is looking to get their name and/or message out into the inter webs, podcasting is a great way to do it, and we've got space for just a few more clients before we need to close the doors for an unspecified period of time.

To learn more about what we have to offer, check us out:

In this episode with Sarry Ibrahim, you'll discover:

-Sarry's backstory and becoming a financial wiz...02:00

-The #1 stressor for Americans when it comes to money...04:28

-Reconciling our expectations regarding quality of life vs. exponentially rising cost of living...05:15

-Popular streams of passive income (that are not related to real estate)...07:40

-The criteria Sarry uses to decide whether or not he'll invest in a product/service...11:10

-How to "think like a bank" and create generational wealth without making a bunch of nameless, faceless bankers rich...15:00

-Challenges in reframing our thinking regarding finances and money...17:50

-Sarry's advice for Sana, who's just arrived in the United States, to make her mark in the American economy...22:00

-And much more!

Resources mentioned:

thinkinglikeabank.com

Podcasting is arguably the most powerful media available today for getting your message out there. It's accessible, it's relatively inexpensive, and perhaps most important, you don't need to fret about getting "cancelled" because you express an opinion not approved by Big Tech.

It's also overwhelming for the uninitiated at the very thought of doing it. Because let's face it; it is a lot of work if you want to do it right. And if you're not a business with a huge marketing budget, you probably don't have the funds needed to hire a professional producer (like your humble host) to do the lion's share of the work for you.

This is why I've created the Podcasting 0-60 program. I will show you the tips, tricks and hacks I've learned over 8 years in the business (and making my living producing podcasts) and will guide you through every aspect of the creation process so that you're up and running WITH YOUR VERY OWN PODCAST in 60 days or less!

It's not as difficult as you might think with the right training and coaching, and you won't break the bank getting started.

To learn more about how starting a podcast can improve your visibility and IMPACT in your market, visit podcasting0-60.com!

"If you are in a relationship, you have two gardens. Your own garden, and that of your beloved.

First you have to take care of your own garden, and master the art of gardening. In each one of us there are flowers and garbage. The garbage is the anger, fear, discrimination, and jealousy within us. If you water the garbage, you will strengthen the negative seeds. If you water the flowers of compassion, understanding and love, you will strengthen the positive seeds.

What you grow is up to you.

If you want to make peace with the other person, you have to go home to yourself. Go home to your garden and cultivate the flowers of peace, compassion, understanding and joy.

Only after that can you come to your partner and be patient and compassionate."

--Thich Nhat Hanh

What do you CRAVE? Sana and James have put a lot of thought into this, and the core values we wish to share with the world, be it in business, family, or otherwise. We boiled it down to these 5 elements we all CRAVE:

1. Community
2. Respect
3. Adventure
4. Vojdaan
5. Energy

In this audio series, James and Sana share their thoughts on each of the 5 core values, and what they mean to you as a listener, a friend, or perhaps someone with whom we do business.

Click this link to listen to the audio series.