Meditations with Ryan Zlomek

This week Michael Hilby comes on the show to talk about his career in street and stage performing. More commonly known as Hilby The Skinny German Juggle Boy, Michael Hilby has been entertaining audiences all over the world for over 3 decades. A performer who started as a juggler, Michael has evolved his show into a mixture of playful comedy, improv, unicycle riding, guitar playing, and juggle stunts that keep families entertained everywhere from cruise ships to festivals. In this conversation Hilby shares his origin story from growing up in Germany to fleeing the country in adulthood to find himself while traveling. He shares his chance encounter to learn how to juggle and the manner in which his new talent brought him to Japan to make a living as a street performer. Through a lot of hustle, he talks about bringing his show to the states and the work it took to book gigs all over the US. Digging into the creative process, he dissects the manner by which he adds comedy to his routines and pulls in the audience as characters. He talks about his work at the NYS Fair, touring with Weird Al Yankovic, and the history of the Skinny German Juggle Boy persona. And most importantly, Hilby shares what life is like behind the juggling and the important role his family plays in keeping him on his toes. It’s a great chat exploring the possibilities that lay ahead if you follow your passions. For more information on Michael Hilby, you can find him @hilbytheskinnygermanjuggleboy on Instagram and Facebook as well as by visiting www.hilby.net. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan sits down with Jason Smorol, the General Manager of the Syracuse Mets. Jason is no stranger to minor league sports having worked for the Watertown Indians, Staten Island Yankees, Batavia Muckdogs, and Auburn Doubledays before taking over GM responsibilities for the Syracuse Chiefs in 2013. But to limit Jason to a list of teams is to miss out on the magic that he brings to sports. Jason has used the world of competition to build bridges in the communities he resides in. Since 2013, Jason has transformed Historic NBT Bank Stadium and the baseball season into a welcoming environment for countless fans of all backgrounds, provide business opportunities for local restauranteurs, raise awareness for hundreds of not-for-profits, and provide entertainment in all forms to the greater Syracuse community. His leadership is a successful demonstration as to how to turn a business into a community hub. In this conversation, Jason talks about growing up in North Syracuse and his time at Bishop Grimes. He shares college stories from his studies at SUNY Fredonia and the United States Sports Academy as well as his time teaching Sports Management at SUNY Cortland. He shares his approach to sales citing examples from the industry of Minor League Baseball and Hilti USA. Additionally, he shares his Syracuse Mets management approach sheds light into a leadership style that encourages the best out of everyone. It’s a great conversation about the value of hard work, passion, and welcoming ideas from all avenues. To learn more about Jason Smorol and his work with the Syracuse Mets, visit www.SyracuseMets.com or find them on social media @SyracuseMets. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @RyanZlomek on Instagram, BlueSky and Tiktok, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan chats with DJ Rose, owner of Halo Tattoo and a community builder of underground culture. Despite being best known locally for founding Halo Tattoo in 1997, DJ’s entrepreneurial spirit also helped build the Syracuse hardcore punk scene in the early 90s when he booked groundbreaking bands like Fugazi, Earth Crisis, ALL, Quicksand, and Uniform Choice using resources at Syracuse University. Internationally, DJ is a vegan straight edge icon, having made appearances on media outlets like MTV and CBS to talk about animal rights and the global sobriety movement. In this conversation, DJ sheds light into his early home life growing up in a little town called North Bay, NY. He talks about attending SUNY Potsdam, starting his first band, and then transitioning into booking shows in Central New York. He talks about his unique method of utilizing college resources from Syracuse University to book large shows and establish Syracuse as a staple of hardcore punk culture. As the originator of the band name “Earth Crisis,” he talks about his brief time in the metalcore band and expresses the pride he feels seeing them reach the world with messages of animal liberation. DJ sheds light onto his goals in creating Halo Tattoo and the chance encounter with famed artist Dan Higgs that helped him feel confident to start tattooing clients. He also talks about the importance spirituality plays in his life and how his relationship with god has provided comfort in difficult times. It’s a conversation filled with messages of self-empowerment and perspective into the way in which one person can truly help change the world. For more information about DJ Rose you can find @DJRoseDNA on Instagram, Halo Tattoo on Instagram and Facebook @HaloTattoo, or email him [email protected]. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan chats with Corey Trench, a TV and movie editor based in Los Angeles. Having worked for over 15 years for such companies as MTV, Netflix, Amazon Studios, Walt Disney Television, CBS, and Blumhouse, Corey has made his way around Hollywood to become a staple of the post-production world. Getting his start with shows like Parks and Recreation as a Production Staff member in 2009, Corey graduated through the ranks to eventually become a solo editor with the show Teen Wolf. Not limited by genre he has worked on projects ranging from Tau for Netflix to television shows such as SYFY’s Krypton, Fox’s The Gifted, MTV’s Eye Candy and Punk’d, and Freevee’s Leverage: Redemption and Almost Paradise. In this episode, Corey shares his childhood fascination with making arts in all forms from music, performance, and video making. He discusses his time learning about video production at Fayetteville-Manlius High School, Onondaga Community College, and Ithaca College before moving to Los Angeles to start his career. He discusses his entry into production work with a stint on Parks and Recreation before editing various reality TV shows and eventually landing a long term position on Teen Wolf. A lifelong fan of Superman, Corey shares the experience working on the character in the show Krypton and the work involved developing post-production systems used throughout the shows 2-season run. Additionally, Corey discusses his more personal film work, sharing his latest documentary project dedicated to the memory of his late brother Colin. It’s a wonderful conversation about finding passion young in life and seeing where it can take you when you’re led with determination. For more information on Corey Trench you can find him on Twitter @coreytrench or at his website www.coreycuts.tv. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, TikTok, and Bluesky or email [email protected].

This week Ryan chats with internationally renowned photographer Jessica Montgomery. Originally hailing from Oklahoma City, Jessica moved to Syracuse, NY in 2018 to handle the photographic needs of Stay Fresh, a creative agency started by Tommy Lincoln. While most photographers are known for a niche talent, Jessica captivates and controls the still image no matter the subject. Jessica is known for her 31 Days Of Halloween project in which she plans and collaborates shoots with different models to share her imagination and storytelling capabilities every day in the month of October. This level of quality and dedication is seen in every project she tackles. Whether photographing beverage cans for 1911, models for publication in Selin or IMIRAGE, toys for Jay And Silent Bob, or action shots at summer concerts, Jessica’s knowledge of lenses and how to arrange her subjects makes the result jump off the screen every single time. In this conversation Jessica talks about growing up and finding a passion for photography early in life courtesy of the toy Suzy Snapshot and the affordability of 110 film cameras. She discusses the value she found building a creative foundation in art school before focusing her attention exclusively on the mechanics and capabilities of her camera. Shifting to the professional sphere, she shares her start as a wedding photographer and the eventual move to Syracuse to take on accounts like Beak & Skiff, Ayrloom, Oh My Darling, Glazed And Confused, Funk N Waffle, Syracuse Cooperative Market, Salt City Market, Elevate, LM Social, and dozens of others. Jessica goes into depth on the narrative aspects of her work and shares examples of how her imagination takes off when the ideas start flowing. It’s an engaging conversation about the infinite depth one can explore when they truly love their chosen medium. For more information on Jessica Montgomery you can find her @jessica.stayfresh on Instagram and Threads or visit www.stayfresh.design.   For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan sits down with historical fiction writer Lee Ellen Hickey to uncover the lore of Virginia Tonkin. In the late 1800s, the Tonkins were a wealthy family residing in Oswego, NY who tragically lost their young daughter to appendicitis. In their process of mourning, they famously entombed Virginia’s body in a glass coffin which resided in their family home for over a year. The story of Virginia’s death and her family’s peculiar memorial has fascinated New Yorkers for over a century so Lee Ellen Hickey sought to explore the story further in her novel Girl In The Glass Coffin: The Tonkin Affair which she self published in 2024. Lee comes on the show to discuss her inspiration, writing process, and the legacy of the Tonkins’ family on this week’s episode of Meditations. For more information on Lee Ellen Hickey you can visit www.girlintheglasscoffin.com, or find her on Facebook at Girl In The Glass Coffin. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email [email protected]

This week Ryan interviews two authors hidden within the same body; Daniel Handler, more commonly known as Lemony Snicket, comes on the show to share his writing tales with listeners. Daniel Handler introduced the pen name Lemony Snicket in his best-selling children’s books A Series of Unfortunate Events which have sold more than 60 million copies and been translated into 41 different languages. Known as a saga that wasn’t afraid to show readers the imaginative, dreary world of the Baudelaire Orphans, A Series of Unfortunate Events leapt off the page to become a 2004 feature film starring Jim Carrey and a Netflix television that lasted 3 seasons with the likes of Neil Patrick Harris and Patrick Warburton. But is not like the protagonists of his most famous stories as he’s had good fortune and a prolific writing career with the success of his other works like The Basic Eight, the All The Wrong Questions series, Adverbs, We Are Pirates, and his latest memoir And Then? And Then? What Else?. In this conversation, Daniel talks about his affection for the city of San Franscisco, traveling to the east coast for college and discovering a supportive writing community there. He expands on the struggled sale of his first adult novel and transitioning his focus to children’s books which birthed A Series of Unfortunate Events. Daniel delves into the importance of structure in his writing as a creative guidepost to keep the process fun while he scribbles on legal pads in various cafes around California. A man of many talents, he talks about working in motion pictures, sharing tales of running the writing room of the Netflix series and in the music business partnering with Stephin Merritt of The Magnetic Fields. It’s a conversation full of intrigue, fun, playful banter, and insight into someone who makes every moment one of imagination. For more about Daniel Handler aka Lemony Snicket you can visit www.danielhandler.com or find him on Instagram at @authordanielhandler. For more information on the Meditations with the Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok, or email [email protected]

Stepping into the world of gaming, Ryan sits down with Mike Saltzman, owner of Syracuse, NY-based companies Voltage Video Games and Viridian Dice. Mike has a vibrant history in entrepreneurship and branding, having started Voltage Video Games in 2011 and building the company into a downtown retro-focused institution. Though primarily known locally for his businesses, Mike found viral internet fame in 2013 when collaborating with filmmaking Mario Restive to create a YouTube ad that took the web by storm. Embracing greenscreen glitches, nuanced gamer jokes, and well-cued social awkwardness, the Voltage YouTube ad received over a million views gaining the store notability and turning Saltzman’s performance into meme-level popularity. Taking on the world of Dungeons & Dragons, Saltzman started Viridian, a company making supplies for the famed role-playing game. Starting off with in-house manufacturing then shifting to sourcing supplies across the globe, Viridian has become a prominent dice seller due to its low price point and approachable customer service. In this conversation, Mike talks about growing up in New York’s Capital Region and discovering lifelong interests in his youth. Shifting to higher education, he talks about attending Binghamton University and taking a leadership role at the campus radio station WHRW. He tells the origin stories for Voltage and Viridian and offers an honest behind-the-scenes look at business partnerships and financing. Mike provides company culture and entrepreneurship advice along with a healthy dose of nerdy references.   To learn more about Mike Saltzman you can find him on Instagram @magitekmike. Voltage Video Games and Viridian Dice can also be found on Facebook and Instagram or online at https://voltagevideogames.com/ or https://viridiandice.com/. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email [email protected].

This week musician Laura Hall joins Ryan in conversation to chat about her amazing work in the world of improv comedy. Laura is a world-renowned improv musician having started her career with Chicago’s Second City and eventually becoming Musical Director on Whose Line Is It Anyway? for 21 seasons. Very few people have mastered an instrument, let alone mastered the ability to quickly add mood, ambiance, and rhythm on various instruments. For over two decades, Laura’s ability to play music from all genres provided the backbone for performers such as Wayne Brady, Jeff Davis, Gary Anthony Williams, and Jonathan Mangum to riff and sing memorable comedy songs about all topics imaginable. Laura has become the top of her class in improv musicianship having written the book The Improv Comedy Musician and developed traveling classes to share her unique craft. In this conversation, Laura talks about falling in love with music, performance, and collaboration in her youth. She shares a chance encounter that helped her get a job working Coat Check at Chicago’s The Second City theater that eventually evolved into a touring performance position. Traveling with her husband Rick Hall to Los Angeles, she had the opportunity to join the cast of Whose Line Is It Anyway? where she performed in over 400 episodes. She talks about the arts of creating music on Whose Line?, her collaboration with guitarist Linda Taylor tackling all genres of music, and she sheds light into the production of the long-running improv comedy show hosted by Drew Carey and Aisha Tyler. Laura describes the importance of inspiring others to bring their musical talents to the improv world and the joy she finds working with local troops around the world. She also talks about the current Whose Live Anyway? tour that brings the fan-favorite TV show to theaters around the country. To learn more about Laura Hall’s work visit www.laurahall.com or find @LauraHallMusic on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email [email protected]

This week we meditate on all things STEM with Erin Winick Anthony, a professional science communicator. Erin is the owner of the company STEAM Power Media which works with clients such as Astrolab, Hearst Media Production Company, Zero G, Space Center Houston, and dozens of others to most effectively showcase their scientific triumphs to the world.  Whether writing press releases, creating documentaries, posting on social media, or speaking publicly, Erin finds ways to make high-level scientific concepts accessible, welcoming, and inspiring. In this conversation, Erin talks about developing a passion for problem-solving at a young age and eventually studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Florida. She shares her first foray into entrepreneurship by developing the company Sci Chic, a producer of STEM-inspired clothing and accessories. She recounts various opportunities that led her into the field of science communication including a stint working at NASA where she earned the coveted Silver Snoopy Award. Deciding to go out on her own, Erin founded STEAM Power Media and shares the origin story of her company. As someone who is passionate about so many subjects, Erin also shares what it was like being featured in the Unstoppable Wasp Marvel comic book, using puzzles as a way to relax, and the joys of pinball culture with her collaborators Wormhole Pinball and Barrels of Fun Pinball. It’s an engaging conversation that will make you want to shoot for the stars. To learn more about Erin’s work you can visit www.erinwinick.com, Erin Winick – Science Communicator on Facebook, or @erinwinick on X, Instagram, and TikTok. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and Tiktok, or email [email protected].

Beaming in from the world of storytelling, Ryan chats with Stefan Rudnicki, commonly known as “The Golden Voice of Audiobooks.” His vocal cords have graced the ears of listeners exploring every genre from science fiction, fantasy, and horror to business, self-help, and reference to memoir, biography, and non-fiction to poetry and even avant-garde literature with over 3,000 credits to his name. He’s decorated in the industry with countless Grammy, Audie, Hugo, Bram Stoker, Ray Bradbury, Madolin Cervantes, and Edinburg International Festival awards to his name. He’s also a coach, often hired by the best of the business to encourage the most effective audiobook performances out of actors like Robin Williams, Meryl Streep, Samuel L Jackson, Gabrielle Byrne, Dustin Hoffman, Diane Keaton, Annette Bening, Burt Reynolds, and Theodore Bikel, to name a few.   In this conversation, Stefan recounts his parents’ journey from Poland to the US for him to find his foundation in NYC. He talks about his studies at Columbia University and Yale School of Drama before pursuing his own life as a college professor. Never one to turn down a challenge he shares his journey in filmmaking that brought him to the Golden State before working for Dove Audio in the abridgment department. He shares the transition to audiobook performance and talks about forging partnerships with the likes of Harlan Ellison. Famously, Stefan is the voice of Ender Wiggin in the sci-fi classic Ender’s Game for which his approach to audiobook directing popularized the multi-narrational storytelling method. He talks about the process of recording multiple narrators in multiple time zones and the quality control necessary to produce great audio content. And as a lifelong music fan, Stefan shares the role music plans in his life and explains why he is so dedicated to his next crowdfunding goal of releasing a collection about Leonard Cohen. For more information on Stefan Rudnick’s company you can find Skyboat Media on Facebook and Twitter (@skyboatmedia) or visit www.skyboatmedia.com. Stefan can be reached on Facebook (Stefan Rudnicki), Bluesky (@Stefansecho), and Twitter (@Stefansecho). For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, Bluesky, and TikTok or email [email protected].

Ryan chats with Mike Borkowski, the Syracuse-based storyboard artist whose work has graced television and movie screens across the world since 1997. Internationally, Mike is known for creating animation production art for shows like Scooby-Doo Mystery Incorporated, Jumanji, Big Guy & Rusty The Boy Robot, The Venture Brothers, Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs, Spider-Man, Batman: Caped Crusader, and dozens of other properties. His “Think Mark” scene from Amazon Studio’s Invincible show is a landmark of modern animation praised around the industry. Outside of animation, Mike has also created work for Big Brother, Adidas, and ESPSN. A lifelong sports fan, he’s known to Central, NY locals for his commercial work with the Syracuse Mets as well as his cartoony yet aggressive version of Syracuse University’s Otto The Orange. In this conversation, Mike sheds light onto his artistic journey from winning a drawing contest at the age of 5 to becoming an apprentice to comic book artist Bart Sears. He details his move to Los Angeles to start his career in animation and the first time he received solo storyboarding credit. Exploring the process drawing “on model” work, Mike delves into his approach to new projects and offers insights into how modern animation is made. He shares a behind-the-scenes look at developing production art for Big Brother and analyzes his tenure creating artwork to strengthen the Syracuse University fanbase. He talks openly about a struggle for balance in the competitive commercial art space and inspires listeners to find a community in which they feel included and supported. For more information on Mike Borkowski’s work you can find him online at www.michaelborkowski.com as well as on Instagram (@mborkowskiart) and Michael Borkowski-Illustrator on Facebook. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan sits down with RC Matheson to talk about his career writing for television, film, and short story anthologies. RC has been a professional writer since he was 18 as one of the youngest writers to get a 7 year television studio deal right out of high school. He quickly rose in the ranks of the TV writer’s room of the late 70s having penned episodes of Three’s Company, The Incredible Hulk, Knight Rider, Hunter, and dozens of other shows before becoming the Story Editor and Lead Writer on the fan-favorite The A-Team. He made his way into the world of motion pictures with the film Three O’Clock High, produced by Stephen Spielberg, and countless other projects in the decades he has worked in Hollywood. No stranger to prose, he’s also the author of the novels Created By and The Ritual of Illusion and the short story collections Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks, Dystopia, and Zoopraxis. In this conversation, RC talks about growing up in a household of creativity with his father Richard Matheson (I Am Legend, The Incredible Shrinking Man, Stir of Echoes) and mother Ruth Ann Woodson (professional mental health practitioner). He shares anecdotes about writing successes in high school and the transition to working full-time writing for television. No stranger to the madness of the movie industry, RC sheds light onto the development of the film Three O’Clock High and the bidding war that ensued between Stephen Spielberg and Aaron Spelling to get the film made. The process of writing his famed project Battleground, based on the short story by Stephen King, is discussed in detail. Battleground is an hour-long film created for TNT’s Nightmares & Dreamscapes. Directed by Brian Henson and starring William Hurt, Battleground is a motion picture marvel as it contains no dialogue. To finish things out, RC talks about his second career as a professional drummer and digs into the relationship between rhythm in percussion and rhythm in storytelling. It’s an insight chat glaring into the grunt work that goes into the world’s favorite forms of narrative. To experience the work of RC Matheson, you can find his books Battleground, Ritual of Illusion, Zoopraxis, Dytopia, and Scars and Other Distinguishing Marks for sale online. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

To kick off the new year Ryan sits down with Chris Clemens, the founder of nonROCaholic, to talk about sobriety and the Dry January movement. Chris struggled with drinking and drug abuse before becoming sober in 1996. He has channeled his addictive tendencies into various creative endeavors including nonROCaholic, a social media presence and blog dedicated to showcasing and promoting non-alcoholic beverage offerings. But Chris is no stranger to online publishing. In 2012 he founded the popular website exploringupstate.com, a blog documenting his travels around Upstate New York and the various food, history, and tourism opportunities within just a few hours drive. Exploring Upstate offers readers the ability to find things to do but also viewed regional tourism through the lens of a sober individual who wanted to find funs ways to travel through wine country. Chris created the Fingers Lakes NON-Wine Trail to showcase non-alcoholic options people could partake in on a traditional wine tour. This idea eventually morphed into nonROCaholic where Chris regularly reviews non-alcoholic beverage options at bars and restaurants, canned offerings from beverage makers around the world, and facilitates sober meetups for those looking to make better connections in their local communities. It's a great conversation to kick off the year and offers a chance to do some self-reflection into our own unhealthy or addictive behaviors. Chris talks about the origins of Dry January and helps give advice for those interested in starting the New Year fresh. For more information on Chris Clemen’s work you can find him at www.nonrocaholic.com and www.exploringupstate.com. On social media nonROCaholic can be found @nonrocaholic on Facebook and Instagram. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

This week Ryan sits with writer Grady Hendrix to explore his personal brand of fear, humor, and immersive research. No stranger to the New York Times Bestseller’s list, Grady is the author of such books as My Best Friend’s Exorcism, The Southern Book Club’s Guide To Slaying Vampires, The Final Girl Support Group, and How To Sell A Haunted House, with his latest novel, Witchcraft For Wayward Girls, arriving at bookstores on January 14, 2025. Though primarily known as a novelist, Grady has a fascinating background in experimental theater which he applies to his writing process, constantly testing the limits of whatever medium he is exploring. Whether researching 80s pulp fiction in his non-fiction book Paperbacks From Hell or developing screenplays for such films as Satanic Panic, Mohawk (filmed around Syracuse, NY), and Iron Fists And Kung Fu Kicks, all of the work of Grady Hendrix pushes boundaries. In this conversation, Grady talks about his upbringing in Charleston, SC where he found libraries to be his safe haven. He discusses going to college in New York City, immersing himself in the theater scene, and exploring life abroad in Hong Kong. He details the start of his writing journey attending the Clarion Writer’s Workshop at University Of California at San Diego then writing a tremendous number of screenplays and novels before finding success with his book Horrorstör, a novel about the terror lurking inside of Ikea. Grady digs into his research practices and describes the technical challenges he likes to put himself through for each work including a wonderful deconstruction of his approach to My Best Friend’s Exorcism. Despite being known for the demonic, Grady is a welcoming and kind presence whose natural energy always shows the joy he feels about his work. If you’re looking for a bit of fun, intrigue, and wacky ideas, this conversation is for you. For more information on Grady Hendrix you can find him online a www.gradyhendrix.com or on Instagram at @gradyhendrix. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

Meditations goes a little green as Gregory Maguire, the New York Times Bestselling author of Wicked, joins Ryan for Episode 36. Gregory is most known for the origin story he developed for the Wicked Witch of the West in his books that eventually inspired  the Wicked Broadway musical and feature film. He gave the Wicked Witch the name Elphaba that has now transcended literature and made its way into cultural vernacular and even Starbucks beverages. But Gregory’s origin is just as interesting as Elphaba’s story. In this conversation, Gregory sheds light onto his dark fairy tale start in Albany, NY, growing up in a family who loved reading, and becoming enamored with books like Harriet The Spy. He details his life’s work in the form of daily journaling, deciding to study literature all the way to his Tufts University PhD., and eventually distancing himself from Higher Education to focus on writing. Gregory shares his inspiration leading up to writing Wicked: The Life And Times Of The Wicked Witch Of The West and the process of overcoming intense emotions through making art. He sheds light onto his decision to grant rights to Stephen Schwartz to write the Wicked musical and talks about other works he has coming to further explore the lore of the Elphaba. Gregory is an engaging storyteller in conversation and further proves himself to be a gentleman, scholar, and advocate for learning. For more information on the work of Gregory Maguire you can find online at https://gregorymaguire.com/. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

On Episode 35, Jaina Shaw, owner and operator of Dino-Mite Vintage!, comes to chat with Ryan about her shop in Wantagh, NY. Jaina is a professional retro and vintage reseller who opened the doors of her business and community gathering space in 2024. Specializing in quality plus-sized clothing, bed linens, and table coverings, as well as all things dinosaurs, Dino-Mite Vintage! strives to add a sense of play to the retail experience. Though she’s known in Nassau County as an archeologist of the fashion of yesteryear, she has a deep-rooted career in librarianship that actively plays a role in the day-to-day operations of Dino-Mite. In this conversation, Jaina talks about growing up in Minnesota and discovering a passion for organization and archiving in early adulthood. She discusses her time as a Teen Librarian in Connecticut and using her resources to bring gaming, physical activity, and new energy into her library through the use of a “Black Market Wii.” With a focus on work/life balance she moved on from librarianship and found herself in the world of vintage pop-up markets before opening her own brick and mortar shop. Jaina also shares humorous insights into the culture of Long Islanders, the beauty of repurposing items that we regularly take for granted, and describes how Pee Wee’s Big Adventure played a major part in design design aesthetics. For more information on Jaina, check out @dinomitevintage on Instagram and TikTok. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

On Episode 34, Tommy Lincoln, owner of Stay Fresh Design, comes on the show to talk about his career in creativity. Tommy started Stay Fresh in 2014 and has transported his small shop into a sought-after agency offering design, photography, websites, public art, and everything in between. Located on the first floor of the Delevan Studios building, Stay Fresh’s work bursts outside of Syracuse’s west side into pop culture in the form of beverage containers, mayoral campaigns, fitness centers logos, restaurant menus, donut characters, public murals, and so much more. In this conversation, Tommy talks about growing up in Liverpool, NY and trying to find the balance between having fun and getting into trouble. He tells of his time studying and teaching at Cazenovia College and Syracuse University, then making his way into the various marketing firms around Central New York. He shares the idea behind the name “Stay Fresh” and explores the growth of his company over the last decade. Additionally, he uncovers his three-tier plan for Stay Fresh including forming the design studio, expanding to include an art gallery, and the beginning stages of educational opportunities for the public. It’s a fun chat that includes some anecdotes about filmmaker Kevin Smith and the design of “Jay And Silent Bob’s Vegan Dogs.” For more information on Stay Fresh, you can visit www.stayfresh.design, find StayFresh.Design on Facebook and Instagram. You can also find @TommyLincoln and @Jessica.StayFresh on Instagram.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

This week Joel Capologo, co-owner of Strong Hearts Café and Strong Hearts 716, chats with Ryan about his life in the vegan sphere. Strong Hearts is an all vegan café with two locations in Syracuse, NY and Buffalo, NY. Starting in 2008 by Joel and his friend Nicholas Ryan, Strong Hearts has been made waves in the culinary world showcasing the comfort food (and milkshake) possibilities that exist without the need for animal products. In this conversation, Joels talks about growing up in Central Square, NY and finding his work ethic and grit as well as starting his vegan journey in 1993. Finding inspiration from the Syracuse hardcore punk scene and bands like Earth Crisis, Joel dedicated himself to animal activism while still in high school. He shares stories of disrupting animal production supply chains and even battling Japanese whaling ships that were illegally hunting. He talks about the origin story of Strong Hearts and sheds light behind the scenes of a New York culinary beacon for vegans and omnivores alike. Details of other Strong Hearts related initiatives come to the forefront including the culture of Strong Hearts tattoos and the success of the Strong Hearts Vegan Power running team.   For more information on Joel and Nicholas’s work with Strong Hearts, you can find them online at https://stronghearts315.com/ (Syracuse) and https://www.stronghearts716.com/ (Buffalo), as well as on Instagram (@strongheartscafe @stronghearts716) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/StrongHearts315/ https://www.facebook.com/stronghearts716). For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].

Jen Gunnels, fiction editor for Tor Books and its various imprints, comes on the show to chat with Ryan about her life in literature. Jen is an energetic personality who is known for discovering rich stories in the horror, sci-fi, and fantasy space. A Michigan native, Jen talks about honing her imagination and discovering a passion for theater at a young age. She recounts spending her academic career developing and implementing theories into live theater, including renaissance fairs. Transitioning into the editing space, Jen talks about moving to New York City, working with famed anthologist Martin Greenberg, and learning the ins and outs of the editor role before taking the reigns herself. She also shares insights into the relationship between editors and writers, editors and literary agents, and editors and the publishers they represent. It's an informative chat full of lots of fun facts and banter, especially about the dreaded "book blurbs." For more information about Jen Gunnels, you can find her on LinkedIn or visit https://us.macmillan.com/torpublishinggroup/ to scope out the books that she has helped shape into the publishing world.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram and TikTok, or email [email protected].  

For episode 31 Aunrée Houston joins Ryan to go behind the scenes of the entertainment industry. Aunrée has a long history in media development having worked for HBO, Paramount, and mostly recently Netflix. As a Media Executive, he project manages various aspects of marketing and communications on some of the world’s biggest TV shows and movies. Having started on the film Wit at HBO then eventually working on properties as big as The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, Insecure, Westworld, and The Leftovers, Aunrée has developed creative solutions to ensure this media has a lasting impacts in countries all over the world. Now at Netflix, he is applying his talents to properties like 3 Body Problem, Stranger Things, and Bridgerton.   Outside of the studio world, Aunrée owns the company Aunrée Jac where he provides life coaching strategies to those in need of a life realignment. He is an NYU trained therapist and applies what he learned to new clients on a regular basis. He is also an east coast and west coast socialite famed for his dinner parties which habitually become venues for open dialogue. In this conversation he talks about his upbringing in NYC, attending SUNY Oswego and exploring the world of drama, making his way through various departments at HBO, transitioning to Paramount and Netflix, and the various ways he works to give back to his community. For more information on Aunrée Houston you can find @aunreejac on Instagram, Aunrée Jac on Facebook, Aunrée J L Houston on LinkedIn or visit his website at www.aunreejac.com. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, and TikTok, or email [email protected].

Mike Park joins Ryan in conversation to talk about his dedication to the musical life, from performing to running the label Asian Man Records. Mike is no stranger to the underground music scene having played in such bands as Skankin’ Pickle, The Bruce Lee Band, and The Chinkees, and Ogikubo Station. In 1996, he shifted his focus away from performing in order to start a record label in his parent’s garage, Asian Man Records. Now spanning multiple decades, Mike maintains his world-class Asian Man Records label in the same quaint manner despite it being the launching point for such bands as Alkaline Trio, The Lawrence Arms, Less Than Jake, Lemuria, AJJ, and Joyce Manor among hundreds of others. Asian Man holds high status in the world of ska, punk, hardcore, and indie music. To be discovered by Mike Park is the highest form of praise. In this conversation, Mike talks about growing up in California, being one of the few Asian males in his graduating class, discovering ska music in a movie theater, forming bands at a young age, feeling empowered releasing music, and trying to demonstrate to parents the importance of creative careers. He describes the surprise success of Asian Man Records in its first year and talks about the inner-workings of the label, including the encouragement of musical acts to pursue bigger opportunities when they have outgrown how he can support them. Mike demonstrates himself to be the humblest personality in the music business. Plus he announces his new radio show, Music. It's Powerful Stuff, on KPCR. For more information on Mike’s amazing work you can find @asianmanrecords on Instagram and Facebook or visit https://asianmanrecords.com/. You can also hear Music. It's Powerful Stuff at https://kpcr.org/event/music-its-powerful-stuff/2026-05-27/. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, @ryanzlomek on TikTok, or email [email protected].

On Episode 29, Nicole Austin joins Ryan in conversation about her career in alcohol and spirits production. Nicole works as the Director of Luxury for Diageo but made a name for herself when she took over as the Director of the historic George Dickel whiskey brand in 2018. With a background in chemistry, Nicole started her career in water treatment but discovered the world of spirits by chance and has devoted her life to focus on sustainable production. She has been a game changer in the distilling industry, having joined with Kings County Distillery in 2010 (the oldest distillery in New York City). She then helped found the New York State Distillers Guild in 2013, worked internationally for William Grant & Sons, and was brought in to work with Cascade Hollows Distilling Co. (makers of George Dickel Whiskey) after proving herself as a mainstay. Her hard work has been internationally recognized as well. Nicole was named “Distiller Of The Year” in March 2020 by Artisan Spirit Magazine, she won “Distillery Manager” as part of the Icons of Whiskey Awards in 2021, and helped usher in George Dickel as the “Spirit Brand of the Year” in 2023 through the Wine Star Awards. In this conversation, Nicole discusses her almost accidental career move into chemistry, learning how to network and build a strong community with other distilling professionals, and ensuring that her ethical beliefs tie into the global visioning of the companies she works for. She also discusses her love of horses, the differences in working conditions in spirits around the world, and why the IRS has become an important historic tool for distillers. For more information on Nicole Austin, you can find her on Instagram at @nicolemarieaustin and follow her products at on Instagram @georgedickel and @cascadehollowdistillingco as well on the web at www.georgedickel.com. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, @ryanzlomek on TikTok, or email [email protected].

Traveling in from Seattle, Greg Bennick joins Ryan in conversation to share his experience as a professional public speaker for over two decades. Greg is a renaissance man who started his career as a juggler in early life and eventually transitioned to giving professional keynote speeches for companies such as Nintendo, Cornell University, Microsoft, HP, Bank of America, Boeing, and Starbucks to name a few. He is also a master Rubik's Cube solver, coin collector, spoken word performer, writer, and vocalist in the bands Trial and Between Earth And Sky. In this conversation, Greg talks about growing up in Connecticut and the inspiration he found in his parents, studying at Syracuse University, discovering the performance work of mask maker Larry Hunt, starting his career on the west coast by blending the art of juggling and public speaking, transitioning his business through COVID, and his path to writing the book Reclaim The Moment. It's an engaging conversation for those in search of a way to transformer their hobbies, passions, and ethical beliefs into a way of living. Check out Greg online at https://www.gregbennick.com/ or on @GregBennick on Instagram.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook, @ryanzlomek on Instagram, @ryanzlomek on TikTok, or email [email protected].

In this episode, author and novelist Soma Mei Sheng Frazier joins Ryan in conversation about her newest publication, Off The Books. Soma is a highly regarded educator having worked at institutions such as Oakland School of the Arts, Gavilan College, Cogswell College, and most recently SUNY Oswego. On top of molding minds, Soma is also a notable writer having published multiple prose chapbooks, stories in various publications including ZYZZYVA and Carve Magazine, and her first novel through Macmillan Publishers.  In this conversation Soma discusses her life growing up in New Hampshire, falling in love with language in all its forms, her passion for education, and the road to writing Off The Books. She also discusses the balance between entertainment and density in her writing process, story structure, and how to develop captivating characters on the page.  Check out Soma Mei Sheng Frazier online at https://somafrazier.com/  or on Instagram and X @somameishengfrazier. You can also order her novel Off The Books wherever books are sold. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Facebook and Instagram (@ryanzlomek), TikTok (@ryanzlomek), or via email at [email protected].  

Celebrating the 1 year anniversary of Meditations with Ryan Zlomek, Jaleel Campbell comes on the show to share his artistic journey. Jaleel is a prolific artist and community organizer based in Syracuse, NY who is most famous for his various digital illustration series. Honing his skills over the last decade to develop multidimensional vector imagery, Jaleel has become a powerhouse in the commercial art world with his pieces decorating art galleries, puzzles, and even diabetic supplies (for which he collaborated with Patti LaBelle). In addition to his illustrations, Jaleel works in fiber arts with his Jalethal Doll project as well as crochet with the Off The Hook Crochet Club. Off The Hook has worked for the last several years to teach group members how to crochet through a series of public and private events. Most recently he was the grand marshall for the CNY Pride parade and is working on a new exhibition called In Secrecy with ArtRage Gallery that will be on display to the public in November 2024.  Check out Jaleel online at https://www.jaleelcampbell.com/ or on social media @jaleelj.blige on Instagram, @jaleeljblige on Twitter, or as Jaleel Campbell on Facebook.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, @ryanzlomek on TikTok, or email [email protected].  

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Kent Sutherland, the developer of Fantastical and co-owner of the company Flexibits. Kent has been in the app development space for over a decade and was developing language processing systems before the invention of Siri or Alexa. His first major application, Fantastical, was so popular at release that it overtook Angry Birds, the most popular application at the time, for the #1 spot on the Apple App Store. In this conversation Kent talks about discovering a passion for computers at a young age, learning how to identify and solve problems with programming languages, studying Computer Science in higher education, and eventually partnering with Michael Simmons to create their company Flexibits. He discusses the process to develop and launch an application, observing human behavior to see how technology can make existence easier, and even shares his adventures as a passionate rollerblader.  If you're interested in learning more about Kent's work you can find Fantastical and Cardhop in the Apple App Store, visit https://flexibits.com/ or find @flexibits on X and TikTok.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Ryan travels to Carol Gardens, Brooklyn to chat with Dean Haspiel about his creative career. Dean is most famous for being a cartoonist working on books like The Fantastic Four, American Splendor and The Quitter (with Harvey Pekar), The Fox, The Alcoholic (with Jonathan Ames), The Red Hook and a million other titles for large and small publishers. But outside of the comic sphere, Dean is also a commercial illustrator and art director for projects like HBO's Bored To Death (for which he won an Emmy award), an art studio community builder, and a playwright. His plays are highly regarded but truly are an ephemeral art form, running for just a couple of days within NYC and living on in the memory of a few hundred people. In this interview, Dean lays out his creative careers, discovering a passion for comics, discusses his interest in collaboration, then talks about his journey writing for the stage. If you have ever wanted a glimpse into the way hard work in one art form can empower other modes of communicating your ideas, this is an interview for you. Check out Dean Haspiel online at his substack (https://deanhaspiel.substack.com/) or Etsy store (https://www.etsy.com/shop/DeanHaspiel ). Dean can also be found on Instagram (@deanhaspiel_art) and Facebook (@deanhaspielart).  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Ryan sits down with artist Cayetano Valenzuela, known around the world for his imaginative paintings and illustration that have been shown in galleries from New York to Puerto Rico. In Syracuse, NY, he has put his stamp on the city with two famous murals: “We Are The Mighty Salt City” off of Fireman’s Park and “And I Still Rise” on Syracuse’s West Side. Both of these remarkable works have had such a tremendous impact that locals have shifted the manner in which they describe their relationship to the city. Outside of galleries and murals, Cayetano is known for commercial sign painting (Recess Coffee), band merchandise (Deftones, Incubus, Difficult), and comics (Night Moves). In this conversation, Cayetano talks about transitioning from city to country life during his school years and finding collaborators at a young age. He humbly talks about his artistic gifts and finding the confidence to start a company that matched his artistic integrity. And he shares his transition in mediums from traditional illustration, to conceptual works, to signs and murals, to his most recent obsession with making comics that have appeared internationally in the pages of Savage Dragon. It’s a remarkable chance to see inside the powerhouse that is Cayetano and let his inspiring story empower you to go change the world with your imagination. Check out Cayetano’s work online at https://www.theblackrabbitstudio.com/ as well as on Facebook (BlackrabbitstudioNY) and Instagram (@cayetanovalenzuela, @blackrabbitstudio, @blackrabbitcomics) For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

In this episode, Ryan chats it up with Andrew and Kristin Looney, the owners of the Looney Labs game company in College Park, MD. Looney Labs has been making, publishing, and distributing games since 1996. Most known for the game Fluxx, which has been made into over 40 iterations, they also have created the Pyramid gaming system and the time-travel game Chrononauts, among countless others. Two people who have always found a spirit fun around them, Kristin shares her history with the Rubik's Cube and Andrew talks about developing software for the Panasonic 3DO game console. They talk about their time working at NASA and writing software to assist with space missions. Most importantly, they share the origin story of Looney Labs and talk about the inter-workings of running a game company for almost 3 decades. It's an engaging chat including fun factoids about shoe requirements in NASA facilities, how short stories can lead to game design, and the work it takes to develop licensed and unlicensed products. Check out Looney Labs on online at https://store.looneylabs.com/ as well as on Instagram (@LooneyLabs), Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/LooneyLabs) and X (@LooneyLabs). For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Ryan is joined by Tim Jacobus, the commercial artist best known for painting the original covers for the Goosebumps book series in the 1990s. His painting and airbrush techniques have graced book covers across the industry and sparked the imagination of young people at book stores, libraries, and Scholastic book fairs for decades. Tim talks about his journey becoming a commercial artist including attending Spectrum Institute For Advertising Art in New Jersey, teaching at the famed Kubert School, making his way into illustrating book covers, and eventually taking over the Goosebumps line. In conversation, Tim reveals the grit he needed to find his niche in illustration, experimenting and learning how to draw scary imagery, and the joy he has found in being known as the "Goosebumps Guy." Now working as a motion graphics designer and art director, Tim's perspective is inspiring for anyone wanting to work in the arts field to find their voice on the page.  Additionally, Tim shares is charity work with a local food bank which you can help support by visiting his website https://jacobusstudios.com/. Tim can also be found on Facebook (Jacobus Studios) and Instagram @timjacobus. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Joining Ryan on today's show is Amanda Hughes, the owner of The Ice Cream Stand in Syracuse, NY's Clinton Square. Amanda opened The Ice Cream Stand in 2016 and has turned it into a staple of the downtown Syracuse experience. In this conversation, Amanda dives into the entrepreneurial history in her family, her desire to start her own business from a very early age, discovering a passion for fitness and sports, studying at Duke, and the development of The Ice Cream Stand. It's an energetic, insightful, and thoughtful conversation exploring how different businesses cater to the community and become welcoming public space. Amanda also announces her newest venture, Cream And Coffee, which will be a dessert-forward cafe in Skaneatles, NY. For more information on Amanda Hughes you can find her online at www.amandajaynehughes.com or @amandahughes on Instagram. You can also visit her amazing business online; The Ice Cream Stand (www.theicecreamstand.com, @theicecreamstand on Instagram) and Cream And Coffee (www.creamandcoffee.shop, @creamandcoffeeshop on Instagram).  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Ryan is joined by Nate Powell, the National Book Award winning cartoonist known for illustrating the March trilogy in collaboration with congressman John Lewis and writer Andrew Ayden. March was released in three volumes and documents John Lewis's experience growing up and his involvement in the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s. It's an astonishing work that put Nate Powell on the map as being a master of comics and adaptation. In this conversation, Ryan and Nate talk about Nate's experience in the punk and hardcore scene in the 1990s and early 2000s with his band the Soophie Nun Squad. They talk about different ways to build community, the antics of young punk bands, and the way in which Nate's experience in music inspired work on his new graphic novel Fall Through. Additionally, they talk process, elements of his life that made it into his fictional works, and his next project, an adaptation of the text Lies My Teacher Told Me by James W. Loewen. For more information on Nate Powell, you can find him online at https://www.seemybrotherdance.org/ as well as on Instagram at @seemybrotherdance. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

It's time to turn things up to 11 as Ryan chats with Lawrence Katz, guitarist for the famed ska band The Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Lawrence joined the Bosstones in the year 2000 and has not only been their guitarist and songwriter, but he also worked behind the scenes as an audio engineer for several of their releases. In this conversation, Lawrence opens up about his experience joining the music industry in the 1990s, joining the Mighty Mighty Bosstones and experiencing tour life, transitioning to running his own recording studio, working on other projects like Whole Damn Mess and Foxworth Hall, and lastly, he shares his willingness to work with musicians hoping to gain perspective on the business. It's an insightful chat full of tour stories and musical enthusiasm.  If you want to hear more from Lawrence Katz, you can find him on instagram at @lawrence_k_katz. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

In this episode, Ryan sits down with Julie Sellers, the owner of Ellevated Outcomes in East Nashville, TN. Julie is a Creative Business Advisor that works with small businesses to help them develop more sustainable and scalable practices. Julie and her team have helped countless companies become "automated and unemotional" about their finances so that they can focus on providing superior products and services. During the conversation, Julie talks about discovering a passion for marketing in college, working and learning in England, France, and the US, developing a sustainable employee bases, the perks and challenges of owning a company, and some personal financial practices she uses with her family. It's an engaging chat about career growth and the different ways the skills you pick up along the way can be applied in avenues that interest you most.  For more information on Julie Sellers you can visit the Ellevated Outcomes website at https://ellevatedoutcomes.com/ or find them on instagram @ellevatedoutcomes.  For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

This week Ryan chats with west coast-based writer Bill Lascher. Bill is the author of Eve of a Hundred Midnights and The Golden Fortress, both of which explore tense historic moments with his insightful language and deep research. In this conversation they chat about Bill’s family and their history in legal writing, discovering a passion for crafting language, the modern era of journalism and the different avenues to get your writing out to the world. Additionally, Bill talks about his new book A Danger Shared which chronicles the impact of World War 2 on the continent of Asia. It’s a great chat exploring the craft of the research and what it takes to be a writer in the modern age. For more information on Bill Lascher you can visit his website www.lascheratlarge.com or find him on X at @BillLascher and Instagram at @LascherAtLarge. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

To celebrate the episode release on Valentine's Day, Ryan spends time talking with Daniel Spolar, the founder of the charity Project Pinball, to talk about showing love in your community. Project Pinball works hard to put pinball machines in children's hospitals, Ronald McDonald Houses, and other places where patients will be in need of amusement and something to take their minds off medical trauma. Daniel talks about the history of his professional life as a contractor, discovering different therapeutic uses for pinball machines, the birth of the Project Pinball charity, and the way in which community support is vital for the longterm sustainability of charitable work. It's a great conversation looking behind-the-scenes at the world of 501(c)(3) charity organizations and the way in which an entrepreneurial mindset can help creatives identify new methods to help those in need. For more information on Project Pinball, you can visit www.projectpinball.org, or follow them on Facebook or X @ProjectPinball. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Following his stomach to Rochester, NY, Ryan chats with Jenny Johnson, a renowned vegan baker. Jenny is the former dessert chef at Owl House restaurant, owner of Pudgy Girl Bakery and Misfit Donuts, and now is on to her new as a DJ for the WAYO radio station. In this conversation, Jenny talks about learning to maneuver the kitchen with her grandmother, lessons in creativity with her father, her background in photography, and her journey as one of Rochester's top vegan creatives. She talks about the research and development process of creating vegan sweets, working with a limited ingredient palette, and the joy of collaborating with others in her city. This is an episode full of insight into the creative culinary process and the importance of always innovating. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

Heading to the west coast, Ryan interviews Phil Vigeant, the owner of Pro8mm, a company that handles all elements of the Super 8 film production process. Super 8 film was developed by Kodak in the 1960s and is considered the first completely accessible home video format. Since 1982, Phil has owned Pro8mm (formally Super8 Sound), a company that sells, processes, and scans film as well as offers camera purchase and repair. Phil's spirit for collaboration and invention clearly comes through in this interview and he talks about his background in business, regularly evaluating for growth areas at his company, the excitement of the 1980s Super 8 music video boom, and the modern landscape for film shooting in everything from the amateur to professional markets. This is an amazing conversation about the limitless things one can do when they are so wholly devoted to an artistic medium just as Phil is to Super 8.  For more information on Phil's work at Pro8mm, find them online at https://www.pro8mm.com/, as well as on Instagram and Facebook at @Pro8mm. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

In this episode Ryan connects with ADHD Intuitive Artist Kyla Yager, a practicing creative working in Toronto in Ontario, Canada. After being diagnosed with ADHD, Kyla has spent her career developing artwork that showcases her mental procedures on canvases of all kinds. Her work makes the viewer feel seen, recognized, and even adds a tactile elements which encourages interaction and play. In this conversation, Kayla talks about growing up in New Orleans, the way in which her brain functions for administrative and creative tasks, strategies for people with ADHD, and the importance of collaboration in the artistic space.  If you're interested in learning more about Kyla's work, you can find her at https://www.kylayagerartwork.com/, as well as @Artby.KylaY on Instagram and @KylaYagerArtwork on TikTok. For more information on the Meditations with Ryan Zlomek podcast, you can find The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected].

This week Ryan sits down with John Fricke, the foremost biographer of Judy Garland and historian on The Wizard of Oz. In this episode we travel through time to 1900, the year the book The Wizard of Oz was published by L. Frank Baum and then make our way to 1939 to talk about the production and relevance of the MGM film almost 85 years later. John Fricke is a New York City-based writer who has published numerous landmark books including Judy Garland: The World's Greatest Entertainer, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic. His newest book is about the film White Christmas and is due out in 2024. John is also the co-director and host of the documentary We're Off To See The Munchkins and is the featured audio commentary narrator on the Blu-Ray, DVD, and Laser Disc releases of The Wizard of Oz as well as the other Judy  Garland classics Meet Me In St. Louis, For Me And My Gal, and  Easter Parade. In this conversation John talks about growing up in Milwaukee, discovering the Oz books at a young age, the importance of libraries in his career trajectory, and gives a tremendous behind-the-scenes glimpse into the 1939 MGM classic The Wizard of Oz and its historical importance as the most watched film of all time. If you're interested in learning more about John Fricke and the importance of L. Frank Baum's work, check out the All Things Oz Museum on the web where John writes a regular blog and consider coming to Chittenango, NY to visit the museum in person or attend Oz-Stravaganza the first weekend in June every year.  For more about Meditations With Ryan Zlomek, follow The World of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook or email [email protected] to inquire about sponsorships or collaborations.   

In this conversation, Ryan travels across the globe to sit down with world-renowned stop motion animator, Tim Allen. Having started his career on Tim Burton’s Corpse Bride, and more recently working with Aardman Animations on Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, Tim is a giant in the film industry acting with stop motion puppets one frame at a time. In this conversation Tim talks about discovering his passion for animation, how to overcome imposter syndrome, performing through puppets, and the value of sharing your craft with a new generation. Additionally, he shares tales of working on such films as Wes Anderson’s Fantastic Mr. Fox and Isle of Dogs, Tim Burton’s Frankenweenie, and Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio. It’s an engaging, humble chat that will inspire you to seek out your passion and show them to the world. Tim can be found online at Facebook and Instagram (@timallenanimation) as well as at his website https://timallenanimation.co.uk/ For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

This week Ryan is joined by CJ Butler, the Communications Manager of The Salt City Market in Syracuse, NY. CJ talks about her journey as a young professional exploring social media management, determining whether to put down roots in the big apple (New York City) or the big orange (Syracuse, NY), the Allyn Family Foundation and the work CJ does for The Salt City Market project. Additionally, CJ talks about her time exploring American Sign Language in college and fiber arts with the Off The Hook Crochet Club.  For more information on CJ's work, visit The Salt City Market through their website, Facebook, and Instagram as well as follow Off The Hook Crochet on Instagram.  For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

Two Ryans, one podcast, what could go wrong? This week Ryan Zlomek (college educator, media artists, and pinball collector from New York) is visited by his doppelgänger Ryan Claytor (college educator, comic artist, and pinball collector) from Michigan to talk about the creative process. Ryan Claytor discusses his new book One Bite At A Time, the importance of bartering, how his process changes from designing comics to watches to pancakes, and how he views his personal evolution over the last 20 years. The fellow Ryans also discuss the serendipitous nature of their relationship to one another and the manner by which similarities in sometimes just can not be avoided. For more information on Ryan Claytor, visit his website http://elephanteater.com/ or find him on Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/elephanteatercomics) and Instagram (https://www.instagram.com/coinopcarnival/). For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations.   

We transport to Liverpool, NY this week to talk with Kelly Tompkins, the owner of the Blue Moon Apothecary. Kelly chats with Ryan to talk about her journey to find work/life balance, the history of apothecaries, the importance of talking through your ailments to find the root cause, and ensuring we rely on both holistic and modern medicine. Additionally, this is a conversation about entrepreneurship and the welcoming environments people can create when they invest in themselves and the community around them.  You can find more about Kelly and her work by visiting https://www.thebluemoonapothecary.com/. For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook, and check back in two weeks for more meditations. 

It's time to get meta in the Meditations Universe as Ryan chats on a podcast with two podcasters about podcasting. Matt Hartman of the Drunkard's Walk and Mariana Ruiz of the Impact Driven Entrepreneur Podcast share their backgrounds and journeys to podcasting from the STEM fields to developing audio media for clients and curious patrons. This episode is a deep dive into the work it takes to develop a podcast, different ways to think about your audience, successful scheduling tactics, technology to consider, and the manner by which your personal interests can positively feed into your work.  For more information about Mariana and her work with entrepreneurs, find her on Facebook Mariana S. Ruiz. To explore Matt Hartman and the Drunkard's Walk, visit https://drunkardswalk.buzzsprout.com/ or find them on your favorite podcast app.  If you like what you hear, please consider leaving a review, listening to previous episodes, and sharing the Meditations With Ryan Zlomek Podcast on social media.

Very rarely can one guest act as multiple people but this week Ryan is lucky enough to chat with voice actor and character creator Marc Silk. Known for his work in Bob The Builder (US), Scooby Doo and Shaggy (UK), Star Wars Episode 1: The Phantom Menace, Danger Mouse, Chicken Run, video games Two Point Hospital and Two Point Campus, as well as the Hogwarts Sorting Hat for Universal, you've likely heard Marc's voice a place or two. In this conversation he covers his transition from radio engineer to voice actor, talks about his family's support of his career choice, his dad's fascinating journey at Blackbeard the pirate, and shares a number of anecdotes including his time working with George Lucas. For anyone interested in show business behind the camera, this is one for you.  Marc can be found on Instagram @marcsilkvoice and online at www.marcsilk.com. For more on Ryan Zlomek, follow The World Of Ryan Zlomek on Instagram and Facebook @SyracusePinheads.

Jamie Santos, owner of Three of Swords Tattoo & Art Studio in Syracuse, NY, joins Ryan in conversation about her journey as a creative and the impact of art on local and global communities. Jamie discusses finding art as a communication tools early in her childhood, her decision to become a tattoo artist, and the modern culture of tattoo shops. She also talks about her community arts initiatives including charity events painting skateboard decks, social java & draws, as well as an art hunt that deployed during the COVID lockdowns.  Jamie can be found on Instagram at @jamiesantosart as well at her business https://www.threeofswordstattoo.com/. 

Exploring a favorite topic this week, Ryan chats about food with Dave Forman, alternatively known as David The Gastronome from his food blog. Discovered by the Very Local streaming app, Dave has become the host of the cooking competition TV show Plate It, Pittsburgh and has used his new stature in the culinary world to volunteer with non-profits around Pennsylvania. In conversation he discusses the origins of David The Gastronome, the importance of knowing about regional cuisine, how to evaluate the Michelin Star system, and the importance of finding outlets for your passions.    Dave Forman can be found on Instagram and Facebook at @davidthegastronome.

Ryan sits with Nick Parisi, the president of the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation and the writer of the phenomenal biography Rod Serling: His Life, Work, and Imagination. Nick talks about his life in rock and roll, working with disabled veterans, and the works of Rod Serling, the famed creator of The Twilight Zone. Starting from Serling's early life in Syracuse, NY and Binghamton, NY to his time writing radio in Ohio, to the teleplays he produced from the 1950s-1970s, this conversation gives an excellent primer on the work of Rod Serling and the legacy he has left on screenwriters since his death in 1975. For more information about the Rod Serling Memorial Foundation and the tremendous work they do, visit www.rodserling.com.