The Morning Ride Pedal Powered Podcast: Recent Episodes
Jeffery Oliver
The Morning Ride Pedal Powered Podcast is a personal journal of how I’m working to evolve as a filmmaker, poet, and human being. I record this podcast on my bicycle ride into the office every Monday and Thursday on topics of creativity, films, and filmmaking. And some poetry and bicycle commuting. Recorded and produced by Jeffery Oliver.
Lot's of folks have asked so here's the gear I use to record and produce a podcast and vlog while riding a bicycle. And, some very big news for The Morning Ride Pedal Powered Podcast at 6:20 in this episode.
www.jefferyoliver.com
NOTE: This episode was so bad I took it down. At least there’s a photo of a bicycle :)
We're making Vega shakes on the podcast today. That's about all.
We saw "Fantastic Fungi" last night and was again inspired and left in a state of wonder at the world of mushrooms, their ability to heal the planet, medicinal properties, and how they help us think straight. More at www.jefferyoliver.com
We've got a big announcement today about our international short film festival in Boise, Idaho. Details at www.sunsetgrovefilmfest.com.
Brad Pitt is an aging stuntman, Laura Dern, a high-powered lawyer...but only in the movies. As people, what responsibility to actresses and actors have as public figures, as celebrities? And a shout out to Lulu Wang for her win at the Film Independent Spirit Awards for "The Farewell"!
Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com
We just watched "Ford v Ferrari" and I got to wondering, "Is it more difficult for actresses and actors to play historical or fictional characters?" 5.04 | February 6, 2020 www.jefferyoliver.com
We’ve been hosting “tiny film festivals” in our living room for 10 years and now we’re starting a “real” film festival. We’re looking for short films that inspire wonder and uplift the consciousness of the planet. Visit the Sunset Grove Film Festival (www.sunsetgrovefilmfest.com) for more info. Next screening is April 18 in Boise, Idaho.
How does acting work? How do actresses and actors get into roles? What role does a director play in creating character? And a big announcement for people who love films and love filmmaking.
The Academy Awards have been under a lot of scrutiny in recent years and I’m wondering, do the Oscars still matter? And, I share my favorite nominations of the films I’ve seen so far. 5.01 / 2020.01.27 © Sunset Grove Media / www.jefferyoliver.com
What is it about “Dead Poets Society” that this 30-year old film continues to inspire me today? What does it have to do with Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave” or Joseph Campbell’s ideas on mythology? What does this film teach me as a filmmaker? What does this film teach me as a human being? Also, big news about this podcast and, very sincerely, Happy Thanksgiving. Season 4, Episode 35 | Nov. 28, 2019 © Sunset Grove Media
What makes something memorable? What makes a story meaningful? What’s the connection between the artist Michelangelo and Vito Corleone in “The Godfather”? Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | Nov. 4, 2019
I’ve been reading Ed Burns book, “Independent Ed (https://amzn.to/2PxpiH4 - affiliate link),” on indie filmmaking and I was surprised last night to discover a life lesson I’ve been wrestling with for years. Also some Edgar Allan Poe for Halloween. Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | 2019.10.31 © Sunset Grove Media
To be fair with you, this episode is a little moany. The back pain is getting me down a bit, but here’s a quote by Walt Whitman, some Biblical poetry, and a photography video you need to watch.
In today’s news: a health update, status of the Cormorants in Quinn’s Pond, and a neo-surrealist poem by Charles Simic. “...downright frighening…to be reminded of one’s own solitude...” Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | 2019.10.24 © Sunset Grove Media
Physics is better at getting at how we’re here than why we’re here which is more the domain of art and especially Jeanette Winterson’s novel “GUT Symmetries” where she weaves the metaphor of the Grand Unified Theory with three characters on a sailboat and reminds us that Paracelsus gave us the idea that the potency is not in the poison but in the dose. All this to say that even at the particle level, humans can only ever imitate the light and energy within our universe. Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | 2019.10.21 © Sunset Grove Media
I’m not on the usual ride this morning(?)! I’m on another ride and reading one of my favorite poems for you by Bob Hicok from his collection called “This Clumsy Living.”
We visited four artist studios this weekend as part of the Boise Open Studios event and got to see some great artwork! Boise really has some great visual art.
Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | 2019.10.14 © Sunset Grove Media
It’s cold this morning–26 degrees! And, I’m building a bicycle trailer to haul my camera gear so it stays dry and secure this winter.
Notes at www.jefferyoliver.com | 2019.10.10 © Sunset Grove Media
Obviously a riff on the Emily Dickinson poem, which we hear, but also about how I’m the only person that can make art the way I make art. Or try to make art. Season 4, Episode 26 | October 7, 2019 © Sunset Grove Media
I can’t get that Rilke poem about the statue of Apollo out of my mind. And that’s the point.
“Archaic Torso of Apollo” poem by Rainer Maria Rilke
“Night Sky With Exit Wounds” book of poems by Ocean Vuong
Season 4, Episode 25 | October 3, 2019
What happened last night!? It got cold. This changes everything! I love how fall changes my reading, listening, and movie watching lists. And biking gear.
Episode References:
“Archaic Torso of Apollo” by Rainer Maria Rilke
Thylacine Threadworks (best bicycle panniers)
Season 4, Episode 24 | September 30, 2019
I love riding in the fall. The air is cool and perfect for reading poetry. Here’s one of my favorite poems about the fall by Russell Edson. What are some of your favorite fall poems or books?
Season 4, Episode 23 | September 26, 2019
How do we see the future, or the past, in writing? What about in the edit? Is this why stories are so compelling? They present life the way we wish it was?
Season 4, Episode 22 | September 23, 2019
To become an artist, one must make and share and that means sharing work that’s not mature (obviously). I’m excited to make and share some short films soon that are part of the suck of learning to become a filmmaker.
X Casey Neistat | Make & Share - video with Shantell Martin talking about how she makes and shares and makes and shares to learn how to draw a line that is distinctly hers.
Season 4, Episode 21 | September 19, 2019
In episode 4.19 we discussed where does art come from. Today, how do we access art as a creatives and artists? Something about transitions and giving thanks?
Season 4, Episode 20 | September 12, 2019
Does art come from something inside of us or somewhere external? Is it fully formed or does it come in bits that we have to decipher and co-create with the universe?
Where does the idea, the musical phrase Beethoven heard for his Fifth Symphony come from? Or Shakespeare’s “Hamlet”? Or any artwork?
This episode is part of a discussion of ideas from Steven Pressfield’s book “The War of Art. (affiliate link)”
Season 4, Episode 19 | September 9, 2019
It’s simple folks. I make it so difficult sometimes, but it’s really simple.
Season 4, Episode 18 | September 5, 2019
It’s Labor Day so I thought I’d run through my work history to see when I’ve been most creative and when my job and creative output were at odds. Season 4, Episode 17 | September 2, 2019
Jeanette Winterson gets at how to develop a palate for new art (music, films,...people(?)) in her fantastic essay “Art Objects.” She posits that art challenges the “I” we think we are and that the true artist is after the problem itself, not the solution. Season 4, Episode 16 | August 29, 2019
Do you give yourself permission to do your creative work or do you feel guilty or selfish when you take time to work on your art? Is it part of your daily routine? Let’s chat.
Season 4, Episode 15 | August 26, 2019
What originally inspired the thing you do or want to do? Does it still or was it a stepping stone to where you are in your development as a creative, professional, and/or human being?
Season 4, Episode 14 | August 22, 2019
How do you find your thing? My evolution as a video producer and filmmaker started with boring poetry readings. This is just my story. (What was with that intro? Ugh!)
Season 4, Episode 13 | August 19, 2019
Part 2 of 2. In part 1 we discussed Maslow’s Hierarchy and what I thought was professional dissatisfaction. In part 2, we discuss that it’s not professional dissatisfaction. It’s a career decision I made when we moved to Idaho that my ego hates me for. And, there’s no guarantee this decision will ever pay off.
Season 4, Episode 12 | August 15, 2019
Part 1 of 2. A friend asked me to break down my thoughts that I have a great life but I experience professional dissatisfaction. Can both of these be true? In part 1, let’s ask Maslow. Part 2 we’ll get into the decision that makes me complicit with my current professional situation.
Season 4, Episode 11 | August 12, 2019
Estonian folklore invented beings called kratts that can become self aware and the owner must kill them. Someone made a beautiful film with kratts and they are also a cautionary tale in the development of artificial intelligence.
Season 4, Episode 10 | August 8, 2019
America has been producing “summer road trip” poems since the 1800’s! Here’s one from a few years ago I think you’ll enjoy along with a report on the Goathead Fest pedal-powered parade.
Season 4, Episode 9 | August 5, 2019
One of the ways I stay on my ride is to ride with others. Especially when the others love bicycles (almost) as much as I do. I'm talking about Goathead Fest in Boise and why you need to be there.
Season 4, Episode 8 | August 1, 2019
Obviously, some things may come easily for you and others not so much. Photography is really difficult for me artistically. But, here are some practices that are helping me evolve more quickly as an artist.
Here’s the video with Shantell Martin I talk about called, “x Casey Neistat | Make & Share.”
Season 4, Episode 7 | July 29, 2019
It's hot and you've got a lot to carry. Here's how I deal with water, sweat, and choosing the best bag for the summer ride to the office.
Season 4, Episode 6 | July 25, 2019
I had a profound moment at breakfast yesterday in Baker City, Oregon when I fully realized how important are the people in my life. Not just important, but critical for me to grow and evolve as a human being.
Season 4, Episode 5 | July 22, 2019
Here are four things I've read about, and put into practice, that help me stay positive and generally happier. And they're really simple to do. Like so simple you may not think they'll change your life.
Here's the John Greene video I reference: http://bit.ly/GreeneLifeHacks
Season 4, Episode 4 | July 18, 2019
Here's what you need to know about music, and yourself, to find the perfect music to listen to for concentration and productivity at work. And I have some recommendations too.
July 15, 2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
Here are the four ways I experience inspiration, how I stay inspired, and what I do when nothing seems to inspire me. It’s really easy stay inspired when I do these simple things.
“The War of Art” by Stephen Pressfield is a great book for understanding what keeps me from being inspired and creative.
July 11, 2019 © Sunset Grove Media
It's so good to be back on the ride with you! Today, we're talking summer movies by Spike Lee, one on eco-terrorism in Iceland, and a music documentary you have to see.
July 8, 2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
Happy Solstice (tomorrow)! I polled a handful of people and came up with a list of our favorite summer movies. Also, after 122 podcast episodes, I’m going to take a break for at least a week while I’m developing a new idea for season 4 of The Morning Ride Pedal Powered Podcast. Thanks for letting me ride with you!
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.20.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I paid an Apple Premium Service Provider in Boise $50 to replace my battery, they killed my iPhone 6s in the process, and now they won't refund me. But, am I being too principled to get the $50 back?
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.17.2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
Does the sentiment of Father's Day cards really represent how we feel about our fathers and our relationships to them? It seems desperate.
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.13.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I'm looking for a great everyday sunscreen, and we're coming up on the one-year anniversary of this podcast!
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.10.2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
Today, I consider a video essay by Will Schoder, “David Foster Wallace - The Problem With Irony,” the twitter rhetoric of Mr Trump, and David Foster Wallace's idea that, "postmodernism has...run its course."
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.6.2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
I have an idea that all films are documentary films. Also, don't eat a lot of hummus while watching "Zombieland" just before bed. Bad combo.
www.jefferyoliver.com 6.3.2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
I watched a fantastic film this week about a woman dealing with the death of a close friend and how music played a role in her healing process. And monsters.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.30.2019 (c) Sunset Grove Media
You don't have to believe in war to die in a war. I get a little emotional thinking about all the people who have died to make the United States a great place to live.
I ran across the idea of linguistic determinism for the first time in awhile and I have questions for you. And a bit about the German poet Paul Celan.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.23.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Occasionally, I can't figure how to get somewhere and not be totally muddy after riding in the rain so I have to drive. Surely there's another way.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.20.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Physical activity is as good for your creative health as your physical health. That's one of the idea threaded through a lot of little tangents today.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.16.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
It's springtime on this poetic musing Monday episode but I do get at dealing with creativity and projects in relation to your partner.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.13.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I really am enjoying the process of learning to write a film but it's hard and very lonely. Like, very lonely. Here are a couple ways I'm learning to stay on my ride.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.9.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
The trees leaved out completely over the weekend, we got to see some art but I don't get back to talking about that thread. Or any. It's really a silly episode.
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.6.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
What does it take for a creative idea to make it? How does an individual work with others to present an idea to the world? These ideas are based on Jory McKay’s Life Hacker article “How Finding the Right Community Can Help Your Creativity.”
www.jefferyoliver.com 5.2.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I love how the Marvel Cinematic Universe tells stories of people becoming heroes but really I think it's the story of coming into the knowledge of who we are as individuals. And my take on the end of an era for the Avengers.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.29.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I was invited to talk about mushrooms with some young people so here's part of that presentation. Also, the Tylacine Threadworks bicycle panniers are simply the best I've ever seen.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.25.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Now that spring is here it's time for mowing and installing gutters and yard irrigation, but I want to keep writing and working on film projects too. Here's my approach to balancing all the good things.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.22.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Moving from the introspection of winter to the blooming light of spring is always difficult for me. How do you deal with the changing seasons?
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.18.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
It’s National Poetry Month so I thought I’d read a poem by Bob Hicok while riding a bicycle in the rain and get into some of the poets I sleep next to every night.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.11.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
So last week I put myself in a place of creative struggle that paid off big on Sunday so I didn’t get up and write today. How do you celebrate success and stay on your ride?
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.8.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I’m dealing with what Steven Pressfield calls “resistance” in his book “The War of Art: Break Through the Blocks and Win Your Inner Creative Battles.” How do you deal with resistance (fear, excuses, etc) when you’re working on creative projects? Oh, and I found that super comfy bicycle saddle I’ve been searching for.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.4.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I was watching Tarkovsky's "Stalker" this weekend and realized that watching old foreign films is like finding a comfortable bicycle saddle. Not really, but both require a lot of context that isn't easy to understand.
www.jefferyoliver.com 4.1.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Have you heard about the hum that some people hear in particular places? Also, how I’m working to tap into the collective unconscious.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.28.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I had a great weekend at Filmfort watching so many feature, documentary, and short films! It was especially interesting to me how some of the short films compare to the cinematic and episodic storytellers on YouTube like Peter McKinnon, Casey Neistat, and Dan Mace. Oh, you have to go see the feature films “Ham on Rye” by Tyler Taormina and “Mouthpiece” by Patricia Rozema when these are available–so good!
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.25.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Treefort Music Festival is happening this weekend in Boise and I was so blissed out this morning I had to record this podcast backwards.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.27.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you deal with change? Evidently we’re entering a new seven year energy cycle, spring’s coming, and Mercury is in retrograde.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.18.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Doing an experiment today with a pre-recorded “poem” based on the quote from Oscar Wilde that, “I am not a noun, I am a verb.” This may be the last podcast with the sound of studded bicycle tires this winter!
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.14.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you do with the time change? We talk “The Green Book” film and whether it’s possible to ride a bicycle aggressively and safely.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.11.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I got an email from a friend from Alaska and I’m curious—how do you know when someone is a friend? There was a detour on the greenbelt this morning and I found a cool mural in Garden City.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.7.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
The sun is up earlier and so are the goats, but I almost get hit at an intersection recording this podcast, so, let’s keep talking Oscar movies and bicycle maintenance.
www.jefferyoliver.com 3.4.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Carefully illustrated and hand written in an unknown language around the year 1400 AD, what’s hidden in the mysterious Voynich manuscript?
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.28.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
It’s warm and raining on the ride this morning so let’s talk about the Oscars! What is your favorite film of the Oscars? Have you seen Bohemian Rhapsody yet? So many good films to see.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.25.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I’m trying to understand inertia and momentum in my daily life and realized it could be similar to bicycling in the snow or how characters represent types of energy in films and stories. It could be.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.21.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Did you know the Whitman poem "O Captain! My Captain!" is about Abraham Lincoln? Or that Whitman referred to America: "Sail, sail thy great ship of Democracy! Of great value is her freight." And today, Trump.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.18.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Turns out that Valentine’s Day isn’t a “greeting card” holiday after all. It’s history includes martyred saints, army recruiting, Roman gods, ritual sacrifice, personal sacrifice…you’re just going to have to listen.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.14.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I’m working hard right now to create a routine for creative work but when I have a couple of successful days in a row I seem to sabotage myself. Got any suggestions?
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.11.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Here’s how I’m dealing with my habit of over drinking and breaking the cycles of escapism so I can get back to living my life.How do you deal with uncertainty in your life? If you have any hints, I’d love to hear.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.7.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How many licks does it take to get to the existential tootsie pop center that is you? And, I love my Brooks butt glove.
www.jefferyoliver.com 2.4.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you get back to your ride, your thing-that-you-love-to-do, even when it’s not working or you fall off your bike? Oh! I’ve got two great winter bicycling tips to keep you warm and come home to a clean house.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.31.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you get unstuck and out of ruts? Here are a few things I’ve read about recently that seem to be helping me get unstuck creatively and personally.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.28.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I was so wrong last week so here’s an update on when to start your ride. And yeah, we gotta talk about your hair down there (tips for bicycle commuting).
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.24.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Poet, writer, environmentalist, and teacher Mary Oliver died last week but left us with some inspirational poems and instructions for life. I'm also thankful today that Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. stayed on his ride and didn't quit pedaling.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.21.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Episode Links
The Third Self: Mary Oliver on Time, Concentration, the Artist’s Task, and the Central Commitment of the Creative Life (via Maria Popova's Brainpickings)
You do not have to be good (via Austin Kleon)
What’s worth working on for you? Does hard work always produce the expected result? How do you feel about your work when you don’t get the result you want? Are you in it for the work or the result?
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.17.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I got so much work done toward my goals on Wednesday and Thursday and then Friday morning nothing happened. Ugh! How do you deal with the days you seem to crash and burn and don’t get it done like you imagined?
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.14.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I’m working on my goals for 2019 and realized there’s a lot I want or wish I could do so I’m having to figure how to prioritize. Here’s how I’m prioritizing my goals for success this year.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.10.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I’m trying to find ways to make sure I’m spending my energy in the places I’m headed as a filmmaker, poet, and human being this year (aka resolutions) and I’ve been reading a lot about goals and tasks. Basically, contextualizing my resolutions for success. And I do chat about winter bicycling gloves.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.7.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you do the thing when you don't feel like it? You know, how do you stay on your ride? I'm asking because I don't know.
www.jefferyoliver.com 1.3.2019 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I'm allergic to California. Or Nevada. But I'm getting over it and back to the routine so I have a baseline to set New Year's resolutions. Oh, and my office is trashed.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.31.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
We get to ride with our friend Molly and she talks photography, karate, and everything in between. A very special thank you to Brianne and Scott in Davis, California for letting me ride their Cycle Trucks bicycle (made in Sacramento) on The Morning Ride today.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.27.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Where I apply some ideas from Mr Nietzsche to finding a safer bicycle route to the greenbelt trail (but only because Jennifer finally made me quit bitching about it (and I got a Brain Pickings email from Maria Popova)). Oh yeah, it's Christmas Eve!
Check out the Brain Pickings blog for more on philosophy and literature and living life.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.24.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Tomorrow is Winter Solstice! Do you know what the word literally means? It turns out we’re not the center of the universe and reindeer really do know how to fly. No, like, really.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.20.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
How do you plan to achieve your life goals in 2019? Have you ever tried writing a personal mission statement? I’ll tell you how I wrote a sentence that changed my life in 2018. And a bit about bicycle bags.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.17.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
We’re a week from Solstice—are you feeling the winter holidays? Here are a few things we do to get the holiday feels. Also, we shine a little light on what to look for in bicycle lights (follow up from Episode 2.19) and share a tiny poetry moment.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.13.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
I love commuting on a bicycle because I love riding a bicycle. Here are four tips if you’re considering winter bicycle commuting: live it, lights and safety, layers, and learning your gear.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.6.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media
Jack Skellington, the Pumpkin King in “Nightmare Before Christmas,” and Frank O’Hara, poet of “Why I’m Not a Painter,” share a bit of advice on how to know who we are by what we do and what it means to believe.
www.jefferyoliver.com 12.3.2018 (C) Sunset Grove Media