Travel along the River of Suck with host Andy Reiner and guest Jason Lai for a stunning meditation on the two inescapable qualities of being alive – life and death. Composer, performer, and speaker, Jason shows the importance of vulnerability as he cannonballs into his experience with suck. How can a focus on your body lead to confidence and mindfulness? How can we turn thought piranhas of narcissism and self-doubt into something positive? Don’t forget, we need darkness to see light. 

River of Suck

23 - Jason Lai - You're Not Broken

Welcome back to the River of Suck Podcast!  Join host Andy Reiner and guest Olivia Meikle as they dive deep into their own experiences swimming in suck. Co-host of WhatsHerName, professor, writer, Olivia explores into the struggles of producing podcasts, and the fulfillment of working hard through the difficult moments. How do you protect yourself in a raging river? A wetsuit, of course! Olivia investigates what one needs to to protect themselves from piranhas and dangerous rocks under the surface.

22 - Olivia Meikle - You Don’t Need A Dream

What is the first step to getting better at something? Realizing you suck at it. Recorded live from a blue-skied park in Nashville, Billy Contreras and host, Andy Reiner, discuss shoving off the shore into the River of Suck and paddling through the cycle of learning, practicing, performing, and sucking. Billy speaks to his experience as a seasoned performer always looking to improve. His answer? “Always be on the cutting edge of yourself”. In this very special live episode, Billy expresses the importance of appreciating the journey rather than the destination.

21 - Billy Contreras: A Heartbeat’s Favorite Tune

From Lurkin’ in the parking lot outside Flecktones concerts, to recording and performing with Victor Wooten and Bela Fleck, composer and steel pannist, Jonathan Scales, has surpassed his biggest dreams, yet found them to be a beginning, rather than an end.   Discover the mindstate of Fake Buddha’s Inner Child, take a stroll down the Hallway of Possibilities, take a trip to Mauritania, and learn the emotional meaning behind Jonathan’s instrumental music in this heady episode.

20 - Jonathan Scales - Hallway of Possibilities

Recorded deep in the mine shaft of the Frightmare Compound Haunted House, River of Suck podcast episode 19 is a journey into fear with owner, Josh Holder.  After a Halloween season working as a scare actor, host Andy Reiner asks: who goes to haunted houses and why?   How do zombies swim in the River of Suck?  What scares the folks who build the scenes?  Clowns, real weapons, decapitated heads, crashed airplanes - Tune in and live that fear positive life.

19 - Josh Holder - Fear Is My Business

Recorded deep in the mine shaft of the Frightmare Compound Haunted House, River of Suck podcast episode 19 is an journey into fear with owner, Josh Holder.  After a Halloween season working as a scare actor, host Andy Reiner asks: who goes to haunted houses and why?   How do zombies swim in the River of Suck?  What scares the folks who build the scenes?  Clowns, real weapons, decapitated heads, crashed airplanes - Tune in and live that fear positive life.

How does one manifest success?  When is it the right time to take a chance on yourself?  What is the point of engaging in conversation - especially when the other participant holds diametrically opposed views?   This episode traces the rise of Joe Buckner as he follows his dreams.  But while his inspirational ideas are proven in his own boxing gym, Joe’s message is too big to be contained within any walls.  And in a time of great polarization, Joe shows us the path to greater understanding.

18 - Joe Buckner - Fighting Solves Everything

Masters of music as a platform to bring about change and empathy, Che Apalache sings about a better world.  In one of the last golden moments of bands touring in 2020, this Grammy-nominated string band, with members from Argentina, Mexico and the United States, performed in Colorado and sat down with River of Suck host, Andy Reiner.  Time travel back to this beautiful moment to learn how Che Apalache found their individual and collective voices - and take away some secrets to find - and use - your own.  

17 - Che Apalache - Sing About A Better World

Open your mind to an improvised life with special guest, fiddler Enion Pelta-Tiller.  Together, host Andy Reiner and Enion examine the struggle of staying positive while playing one of the world’s hardest instruments and share secrets of how to get unstuck. For Enion, the River of Suck is a River of Discovery which goes deep … down into the crevasse, into a big world filled with lights and beautiful, alien, sea creatures.  Sing along, find a healthy outlet for your tensions and fears, and learn balance from the universe.

16 - Enion Pelta-Tiller - An Improvised Life

Discover the meaning of life as Kristen Ulmer reveals her incredible solutions to living with fear and anxiety .. AKA being a human.  In this life-changing interview, Kristen shares her spectacular insights gained from her meteoric rise from pro skier to fear and anxiety expert.  Together with host Andy Reiner, they dive headfirst into the River of Suck, and learn how to swim with thought piranhas.  These are the real-deal, practical zen strategies you’ve been waiting for.

15 - Kristen Ulmer - Fear and the Art of Swimming with Thought Piranhas

You have to suck at something before you can be good at it. River of Suck is real-talk about struggles with confidence, self-doubt and becoming the youest you. Host Andy Reiner and guests ranging from musicians to scientists parse tough questions about maintaining a healthy attitude in the face of impossible obstacles to the tune of bespoke music.

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River of Suck

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