Meet Steve Shehan, world musician. On a chance meeting I met this quite interesting dude, listen here to a quick tale about his life’s journey from a Virginia born American to a world musician based in Paris, France.
Hello there everyone, although the sun was in our eyes, and my hat shades my face in this interview, my ears were wide open while talking to Ramin, an interesting guy who has been involved in Democratic Education for only four short years. Although the idea has been around for a lot longer than that, it looks like this alternative approach to education is really hitting its stride right now. Enjoy the interview.
Hello out there. I hope all is well. Once again I find myself in Weymouth, a bit warmer this time around, but not much! After all it is nearly May so why should I expect not to be wearing a wooly jumper;-)?!
While promoting my ‘Give it a Go’ campaign I met Donna Pace. She is an author and after just getting back from a weekend of inspiration in America, she is feeling good, moving forward and reinventing her life. Why not listen in to see where she came from and where she is going.
Welcome to my next installment of ‘Living From the Heart’. Hey, I think I just named the series of interviews I’ve been doing.
Meet Aynoa, working in the film industry in the UK coming from the countryside in France. Hence the reference to the film name from the seventies, although the movie title is where the similarities end!!
I met Florian in our associative cafe at his presentation. He was full of life, adventure and talking from the heart about his six month adventure of cycling without money from his hometown in France to Morocco. As we drove along for him to catch his bus, he recounts a bit of that special journey. (Sorry about the static photo, but the ride was too bumpy and the finished product too jittery, so enjoy our smiling faces and the audio;-)!!
The big city streets of London are well behind me now. Having been in the town of Weymouth for the past two or so weeks has been quite a change of gears indeed. As a matter of fact, I’ve been changing gears on a car I bought for a friend. Thinking it would be tough to find a used car that fit all his requirements at a certain price range. I didn’t let the task seem overwhelming and slipped into that groove I have experienced many times in my life. I remembered back to eighteen months ago trying to find our RV, Janey-Rae, for our epic journey across America. I almost let the job at hand back then seem daunting, but after I relaxed into it and decided to enjoy the journey of finding the right camping car, Janey-Rae, nearly came up and bit me on the bum.
Ahh, kinda miss Janey-Rae and all the adventures!
Here in Weymouth, I let go of all the possible stress that could go with finding a used car with no means of transport myself, and took up the kind offer of my friend Steve. We drove around to a few lots in the pouring rain finding nothing that suited. We had a good laugh then found a possibility about 200 yards (meters) from the place I was staying. The price was perfect, but the wrong fuel and body type. Tempting all the same. More importantly I felt it was the universe nudging me saying, “Yoo hoo, don’t worry mate, we got your back!”
Just not perfect!
I made a phone call to someone else selling a car that fit the description of what I was looking for, ah bummer, sold. But wait, he was picking another one up the next day. As he was literally driving past the place I was house sitting on his way back, we exchanged numbers and the next afternoon he drove into the driveway with the perfect car, plus well under budget! Our test drive to the bank procured the funds, we arrived home to sign over the papers, and as Steve was coming by so we could go for a coffee in town with a friend, as soon as the last paper was signed we gave the car seller a lift to town where he then took the bus home. Wow, easy for all involved!
I do hope he likes it!
So what does this have to do with anything pertinent in the world? Nothing and everything. Britain is going through a tough time at the moment. Brexit and all its repercussions are being felt, some people are nervous and the future is a bit uncertain, but the feeling on the ground is still that same feeling I felt when I first walked into Weymouth twenty two years ago, friendliness coupled with that slight British conservatism I have grown fond of over the years.
The small shops of Weymouth.
In warmer days of summer.
The harboiur, always picturesque.
Having my trusty microphone and smartphone on hand always, I have caught some interviews with people I am friends with and some I have met for the first time. They range from talented musicians, small business owners, alternative economists, to a friend who worked on steam trains in the waning years of that bygone era. These folks represent the Britain I know and still love. Does Britain face tough times ahead? Maybe we all do in certain ways in this time of transition. Will the future of the world be determined by politicians behind closed doors? I say no. Even though they may try to steer us down some silly roads that seem to lead to dead ends and destruction, the people I have met on this short trip alone while enjoying some of the beautiful villages and towns along the Jurassic Coast; Weymouth, Portland, Swanage, Dorchester, Bridport and Lyme Regis, fill me with the hope that the human spirit is alive and well. Uncertain times and questions should not be waiting for answers from the body politic because we have them right inside us, we all just need to realise it. Once we start treading those paths of optimism and positive change, it makes it much easier for others to follow those roads that lead to a brighter future full of possibility.
Optimism at its best!
For those of you who read my last blog about my walk through London, I realised that face to face conversation and meeting new people on the street or in the pub etc. could be a quaint memory of the past if we let it go that way. So in Weymouth after a similar walk I had an idea to help try to start up something to create a small portal for people to disconnect from technology from time to time and reconnect with each other in real time. It’s been a fun journey and in a few short days we have some interest locally with a facebook group and, who knows, a small Grass Roots idea that could even go global. Share it if you like, improve on it, own it yourselves, send some ideas. Click below and let’s all ‘Give It A Go!’
With my trusty TeleMontbrun channel still alive and kicking I have created a playlist with nine attached interviews of positivity from my British friends. I know watching nine interviews is not something you will do in one sitting, but maybe you can watch one or two and bookmark the others for later. I promise it will be a fun journey. While watching them feel empowered by the positivity and optimism. It’s nice to know so many folks out there are facing the future with wide open arms and smiling. If you do like the interviews, why not subscribe to my youtube channel and even share it with a friend or two? Let’s start spreading a bit more of the love that’s out there and watch how the world becomes exactly what we make of it.
Enjoy.
Peace, Joe
Man oh man, my friend Robbie has played with some of the best!
Meet my good friend Steve, positivity is what spurs him on.
A new shop for me to walk into, but I felt right at home.
I know Neale a long time, but found out quite a bit more on this chat.
I met Simon a few years ago, and so glad I did, just a nice guy doing his thing.
Just walked into this shop and thought, “Okay, what’s the story with this place?”
My second meeting with Jonny, chatting about alternative, interesting economics!
Met these two and thought, “Hey, that’s a cool idea, literally!”
These were previously uploaded. Maybe you missed them last time.
Stayed with Chris and Cordelia in October, a great farming project.
Saw John again up in London this time around, thought I’d re-share this one.
