Where's The Money?

Thank you for listening to our podcast. You make it so fun!!! Please check out our new episode.

Sunday Fun Day

What Is Going On In JOKER?

Thank you SO MUCH for listening. We are loving hanging with you and love hearing from you. We are so grateful for you checking out our podcast.

Last of The Independents. Among our conversations we read a letter from one of our listeners, Bob,  who recommends moonshot thinkers Peter Diamandis and Steven Kotler.. We saw JOKER this week and watched a 1968 movie. We offer an AGENCY trucker hat to listeners who write to us with their ideas, impressions or pleas for a trucker hat.

Pre-Order THE AGENCY Podcast Trucker Hat

Pre-order your own trucker hat with The Agency. $24 donation including shipping and handling in USA. See "donate" button on side column here. Hats will be shipped on Nov. 1

Email your address to us at 

the agency.podcast@gmail.com

5 Card Stud

We had request for a mini-episode so here is our first bonus episode. We talk about an old Henry Hathaway directed movie starring Dean Martin and Robert Mitchum. Hope you enjoy.

Country Music Series

Three chords and the truth. That's country. All I can say is I cried so massively throughout the whole series which we just finished up. The series ends in the time frame of 1996....and I wondered why. There were montages of some contemporary performers like Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Brad Paisley but no profiles. I would have liked to have another chapter and I wonder if their will be in the future. However...I couldn't help but wonder if the producers and writers wanted to wait to see how these contemporary stars continue? The most interesting people in this series for me, were the people who experienced that they needed to lock horns with what they felt was "real country" that would be the outlaws of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson (and Waylon Jennings etc_ then into the Judds, Dwight Yokum remaining centered in the past and where they are now. Naomi Judd said something that really struck me...when she started out they didn't need a "focus group" they came from the country. So many people start out a project and they want research into their demographics...even restaurants opening ask real estate agents to do a focus group. The corporate approach to creativity is a sore point for me. You've got to live with a dialogue open to the unconsciousness....and to the past and lock horns with the people before you. You don't need no stinking medals (or focus groups) We have a "focus group" within us if we are always looking within ourselves and the world we live in. The other thing that stood out to me was the saying "don't get above your raisin". My family had this attitude too it's big in Canada..."don't get airs"...it's like the worse thing you can do in Canada is "get airs." Don't be too fancy on the hockey rink, bitches. I'm so exhausted from crying three four times every episode!!!! Stagg was breaking out into an insane combo of laughing at my crying and crying himself. So funny!

#kenburns #countrymusic #rhiannongiddens #patsycline #johnnycash #pbs

To The Stars

I chose this photo because it is a sculptual/poetic essence of the movie AD ASTRA in a  way that sums up the movie and I’ve become fond of this image. I’m pretty sure if that first sentence bothers you, you should skip this movie LOL. And I apologize in advance for being pretentious LOL. I was going to talk about this movie on our podcast but we landed up talking about JUDY and I forgot to mention I had seen this too. In one way both Pitt and Zellweiger’s performances had something in common. I completely forgot I was watching either of them. during their portrayals. If you know how much I love Pitt (second only to my guy Keanu) then you know how remarkable that is to me. 

AD ASTRA is made by a very very thoughtful filmmaker, James Gray, whose movies THE YARDS and THE LOST CITY OF Z  are fascinating and really good stories. During the past few days I have found myself thinking  way more about AD ASTRA than the other movies I’ve seen this week including DOWNTON ABBEY. They were great movies but this one really made me think and feel in a  different way. 

It’s not a typical space movie…although it has peers like 2001, GRAVITY, CONTACT and SOLARIS. There is some stunning action and suspense, like an outstanding chase scene on the moon, and a haunted-house visit to a space station. Good stuff. But overall this is a movie about self-reflection. In fact, it is self-reflection that saves the day. May characters die off rather unexpectedly and with no sense f logic. What is going on here? These characters had the same kind of training, intellect, and skills that Pitt’s character has…is this rampant lazy hero-making? No it’s not. One has to really think about what we see in such a minimalist portrayal and setting and say…what are the clues. The answer is very Malcolm Gladwellian. These highly skilled physically  elite college honoured astronauts died because…they did not use common sense or free will. How topical is that?! They did every thing right, followed all the rules and yet were unable to utilize critical thinking to problem-solve. It took me a glass of wine and after-movie discussion with a friend (thanks Cybele) to articulate this and made the whole movie going experience so rewarding. This is a movie for meditation: 10/10. BTW “ad astra” means “to the stars”. (If you want movie review about Judy please find our podcast THE AGENCY on iTunes or Podbean.) 

#reverie #reverieisaskill #alone #loneliness#platoscave #criticalthinkingaboutpoliticswillhelpus#useyourmindtounderstandlife #bradpitt #theagency #malcolmgladwell#adastra #jamesgray