Paul Trammell
Author, Sailor, Podcaster
Dreams can't be caught unless they are chased, and eccentricity is but a symptom of brilliance.
I interview extraordinary people who forge their own path, make their own rules, and live outside the norms of society. Together, we can learn from each other. Remember, foolish people keep making the same mistakes, smart people learn from their mistakes and successes, and extraordinary people learn from the mistakes and successes of both themselves and of others. That is what Dream Chasers and Eccentrics is all about!
You can listen on Apple Podcasts here
or Spotify here
or go to Libsyn to search for a particular guest or episode here
You can support the show by subscribing at your preferred podcast outlet, leaving a rating or review, recommending the show on social media, or donating through Patreon or directly through PayPal.
You can also support the show by buying one of my books. Find them all here.
All books recommended on the show, and my own list of recommendations, can be found here.
If you like to read, sign up for my Substack and get a short story in your inbox on the first of every month, as well as occasional poetry and book reviews. It's free!
Ep. 134, Ten Years of Freedom, Quitting Alcohol and Marijuana
This February marks ten years without smoking marijuana and eleven years without drinking alcohol for me. In this episode, I talk about how I quit, and why I quit, both of these addictive drugs.
Ep. 131, Great Books and How they Change your Heart, Cheryl Drury
Cheryl Drury, a lifelong reader, is on a misssion to read a long list of classic books which she found on Ted Gioia's Substack page. She now has her own Substack page that features her podcast "Crack the Book" about classic books.
We talk about The Great Gatsby, The Red Badge of Courage, Romeo and Juliet and other works of Shakespeare, The Odyssey, David Foster Wallace, James Joyce's Ulysses, Swann's Way, Les Miserables, Louise May Alcott's Little Women, Jane Austin's Pride and Prejudice, reading on a Kindle vs hardcopies, things we learn about life and human nature from reading classic books, Great Expectations and Charles Dickens, Gentleman in Moscow, Dead Souls, Fathers and Sons, The Brothers Karamazov, The Death of Ivan Ilyitch, characters, taking notes while reading, Dante, what makes a book a classic, Bleak House, Blood Meridian, The Road and Cormac McCarthy, Canticles for Liebowitz, Lord Jim by Joseph Conrad, reading aloud, poetry, Pablo Neruda, writing every day, why we love to read, Breakfast at Tiffany's, In Cold Blood, Brave New World, Blood Child, This is How you Lose the Time War, Isaac Asimov, classic science fiction, Don Quixote, The Golden Ass, and more.
Ep. 130, Just Like Meat, a Short Story
Just Like Meat, or Prosthetics, is a sci-fi short story by Paul Trammell (the host).
Sign up for my free (or donation) newsletter to get a short-story in your mailbox on the first of every month
Ep 129, Digital Detox, Balancing Technology and Life, Colin Corby
Colin Corby is a Leadership, Wellbeing, Digital Detox, and Mindset Coach. He is also a TEDx Speaker, a technologist, and an endurance athlete. He created ‘The Digital Detox Coach' in 2018 as he was fascinated by the collision between technology and psychology and how this relationship was changing the world, our health, and even the way we think. He is passionate about helping people and organisations achieve a healthier, more productive, and ethically sustainable relationship with technology. He has over 30 years’ experience in leading technology companies. He brings this and the mindset of an athlete to his technology wellbeing practice.
We talk about digital detox and what it is, things we might forget to do when spending too much time online, sleep, exercise, the importance of physical social connection, Artificial Intelligence, education and how AI is affecting it, ousourcing knowledge, using AI to transfer knowledge to us, developing the mindset of a business athlete, getting better sleep, why multitasking is inefficient, AI's use of energy and water and how our online activities affect the environment, AI companions, morning routines, the "just one thing" challenge to reduce misusing our phones, improving our lives through self-experimentation, preventing our phones from distracting us from work, exercising control, minimizing electronics for children, being more present, and more.
Ep. 128, Love, Truth, and Fulfillment, Eli Jaxon-Bear
A life long search for freedom took Eli Jaxon-Bear around the world and into many spiritual traditions from a Zen monastery in Japan to a Sufi circle in Marrakesh, among others. His search ended when he was drawn to India (1990) where he met his final teacher, Sri H.W.L Poonja, lovingly known as Papaji; a direct disciple of the renowned Indian Sage Ramana Maharshi.
Confirming Eli’s realization, his teacher sent him back into the world to share his unique psychological insights into the nature of egoic suffering in support of self-realization.
Eli infuses his teaching with his teacher’s living transmission of silence and peace. He presents a unique map of egoic identification as a vehicle for ruthless self-inquiry and final realization of true freedom. His life is dedicated to passing on the transmission of his teacher.
We talk about resisting the Vietnam war, going underground, living in a commune, growing marijuana, living in a shadow play, LSD, waking up and seeing the truth, psilocybin, facing his own death in an LSD trip, surrendering the ego, searching in India and finding a teacher, realization vs learning, theraputical use of psychadelics, meditation, hypnosis, seeking fulfillment, meeting an enlightened sufi, finding everything you really need, his books, and a lot more.
Ep. 127, A Ship Without Time
This week's episode is a short story by Paul Trammell, narrated by the author. A Ship Without Time is a short work of science fiction. If you like short stories, and would like to get a free one in your mailbox on the first of each month, sign up for Paul Trammell's Substack newsletter, for free (or donation) at paultrammell.substack.com.
Ep. 126, Mind-Body-Spirit Healing and Integration, Catia Batalha
Catia Batalha is a psychotherapist, spiritual teacher, author, and mystic, devoted to guiding souls on their journey of awakening, healing, and self-discovery. Moved by a deep reverence for the hidden wisdom that flows through all traditions, she has spent much of her life immersed in the holistic philosophies of the East and the psychological sciences of the West.
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We talk about growing up in Portugal, discovering yoga, how our external realities reflect our internal realities, moving to New Zealand, traveling during Covid, elevating our frequencies, the importance of avoiding fear, yoga, tantra, changing our states of conscience, the deeper treasure of yoga, chakras, meditation, different meditation techniques, frequency, alcohol and how it lowers frequency, Vipasana, solitude, karma, and more. At the end, she performs a medicine song.
Ep. 125, UFO's, Libbie Grant, The Stars and their Light
Libbie Grant, who writes as Olivia Hawker, is a Washington-Post Best-selling author and a UFO enthusiast. She and I have both seen UFO's, and she wrote a historical fiction novel, "The Stars and their Light," about the Roswell incident in 1947.
We talk about UFO's, her book "The Stars and their Light," religion and how UFO sightings can affect our beliefs, biblical references to possible UFO's, the possibility of UFO's hiding in bodies of water, the Baltic Sea structure, my UFO sightings, other UFO sightings, Terrance McKenna, where here ideas come from, smoking weed, 3I/Atlas, and more.
Ep. 124, Danny Johnson, Stand-up Comedy
Danny Johnson’s hilarious, clean stand-up has entertained audiences in comedy clubs, corporate events, and churches nationwide for over 15 years. Danny's work as a stand-up comedian has been humbly compared to Jerry Seinfeld, Kevin James, and Jackie Gleason, blending his original material with his renowned facial expressions. Danny’s show is relatable, entertaining, and always evolving. Danny has starred in numerous TV commercials, Comedy Central’s Laugh Riots, Florida’s Funniest Comedian Top 10 Finalist, Winner-Carnival Cruise line Comedy Challenge, Finalist in Search for the One Christian Comedy contest, recently filmed his wildly popular Dry Bar Comedy Special (now available on Apple TV, Amazon, & Peacock), and has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with Chris Rock, Damon Wayans, Bob Saget, Billy Gardell, Richard Lewis, Rickey Smiley, Norm McDonald and a variety of others.
We talk about becoming a professional comedian, what he enjoys about it, where jokes and routines come from, improvisation, hecklers, what makes a show go well, humor and what it all has in common, going on stage for the first time, what goes on backstage, drugs, drinking, sobriety, shows that don't work, mental health issues, social anxiety, auditioning, when things go wrong, and more.
Ep. 123, Author John David, The Bystander
John David is the author of the novel "The Bystander," which I read and loved. It's a thriller about a journalist who films an active-shooter incident and a "good samaritan" with a concealed weapon taking out the shooter. However, things are not what they seem.
We talk about writing fiction and nonfiction, writing about a real location, setting, the second amendment and concealed weapons, heros, his work in crisis management, school shootings, writing technique and routine, publishing, querying agents, plotting vs pantsing, art, books he reads, other authors, his other book, "How to Protect Your Reputation Online," his next book "The Pawn," and more.
