Surgery was successful but now we need to jumping theses prices and how a mistake by Sega has come back to hunt us as the consumer later in 2026

In this episode of WV Uncommonplace Interviews and Sessions, host JR Sparrow sits down with Lane Igoudin, an author, speaker, and advocate, to discuss his powerful memoir, A Family, Maybe: A Journey Through Foster Adoptions to Fatherhood. Lane shares his experiences with adoption, mindful parenting, and how his personal journey intersects with LGBTQ and Jewish histories.

In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Adoption from Foster Care: Lane provides valuable insights into the transformative and complex journey of foster adoption, from the personal joys to the social implications.
• Writing and Publishing a Memoir: Lane discusses his experience in writing and publishing his memoir with a reputable, university-affiliated press, and shares tips for first-time authors.
• Mindful Parenting: Learn how parenting can be a spiritual and transformative process, as Lane reflects on his own experience of building a supportive network and navigating the challenges of raising children in a mixed family.
• LGBTQ History and Family: Lane discusses his role in the history of LGBTQ families and the journey of being a first-generation gay family advocating for equal rights.
• Jewish Journeys: Lane explores how his Soviet-Jewish background and his adoption journey intersect, raising children with Jewish faith and culture.

Connect with Lane Igoudin:

• Website: https://laneigoudin.com/media/
• Social Media: Follow Lane for more insights and updates on upcoming engagements.

Embarking on a health journey can be both enlightening and daunting, particularly when it involves managing a heart condition. Jr Sparrow, a public figure known for his detailed and aesthetic approach to recording his show, offers a candid reflection on his own health challenges. He acknowledges that neglecting his emotional and mental health contributed to his heart issues, compounded by diabetes. This realization has led him to take responsibility for his condition and face the difficult decision of undergoing open-heart surgery. Despite the gravity of his situation, Jr Sparrow is resolute in his determination to live a longer, healthier life, carefully choosing the people he surrounds himself with and valuing genuine intentions and support during this critical period.

(00:00:07) Aesthetics in Behind the Scenes Recording

(00:02:24) "Personal Reflection: Confronting Heart Health Realities"

(00:06:46) Long Wait Times at the Emergency Room

(00:09:13) Severe Heart Blockages: A Diabetic's Dilemma

(00:12:54) Navigating Relationships with Authentic Boundaries

(00:02:28) "I myself got some news that kind of rocked me. It kind of hurt me. It changed my life in ways that I can't describe, I can't even put in place." - A

(00:05:59) "I have not been taking care of myself in the best way. I thought that you could just shoot up some insulin and fix yourself here and there." - A

(00:09:40) "But once we got to the point where we were doing the stents and got everything set up and going, that's where all the major stuff and all the bad stuff came about. We found out that my heart altogether, and I'm saying like there's atriums or ventricles, there's all kinds of parts of your heart. I have somewhere between seven or eight blockages and we're talking about blockages at the 90% range to 100%. I didn't have nothing at like 50, 60 or 70. So that is an automatic precursor to you're going to have to have open heart surgery, being a diabetic and the issues that go on there." - A

(00:16:29) "The story is not going to stop here. It'll keep going." - A

(00:19:13) "Be important to yourself, but like the wolf on Twilight, imprint not sexually. Don't imprint sexually. You might get a disease, but imprint on everyone around you. Because you never know what your words, your actions will do for another person." -

n this deeply reflective and empowering episode, J.R. returns from a major Las Vegas gaming event with more than just a controller story — he brings insight into the mental roadblocks that affect performance at the highest levels. After falling short of expectations at his first in-person gaming tournament, J.R. unpacks the emotional and psychological hurdles that crept in, from lack of sleep to equipment unfamiliarity, and invites a true expert to help dissect it all.

Enter Dr. Albert Bramante — a New York-based talent agent and licensed psychologist with 20+ years of experience working with performers. Together, they dig into the psychology of peak performance, explore how self-sabotage and imposter syndrome show up in high achievers, and lay out how mental conditioning can either elevate or derail your goals.

From fighter games to Hollywood auditions, this episode serves up valuable takeaways on:

• How minor mental distractions can derail major moments

• The difference between anxiety and internal turmoil

• Creating pre-performance rituals that support your mindset

• Why your "why" matters more than your wins

• What “being enough” truly means in a performance-driven world

• Setting boundaries to maintain self-care and success

Plus, don’t miss the signature “2020-style” lightning round, where J.R. goes full Barbara Walters and gets deeply personal with Dr. Bramante in a series of questions exploring his habits, influences, and guilty pleasures.

🔗 Connect with Dr. Albert Bramante:

🌐 Website: albertbramante.com
💼 LinkedIn: Albert Bramante on LinkedIn

📖 Recommended Read:
Self-Sabotage & Persistent Self-Doubt by Dr. Albert Bramante

🎧 Listen Now
Available on all major podcast platforms!

#mentalhealth #performancepsychology #impostersyndrome #selfcare #growthmindset #gaming #podcast #talentagent #mentalfitness #WVUncommonPlace #golisten #spotify #applepodcasts

Episode Summary:
In this episode of WV Uncommonplace, we’re joined by Susan Hensley, a former HR executive who transformed her life during the challenges of the pandemic through the practice of art journaling. Susan shares her personal journey from feeling overwhelmed and stuck to rediscovering joy and clarity through creativity. As the author of Art for Your Sanity, Susan now helps others tap into their inner artist to navigate life transitions, silence the inner critic, and embrace resilience.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

• How the pandemic led Susan to discover the transformative power of art journaling
• The ways art journaling can help process emotions and promote healing
• Why creativity is essential for problem-solving, emotional well-being, and personal growth
• Practical tips for getting started with art journaling, even if you’re not an artist
• Insights from Susan’s book, Art for Your Sanity, and how it serves as a guide for reconnecting with curiosity and playfulness

Who This Episode is For:

• Anyone feeling stuck, overwhelmed, or in need of a creative outlet
• Those navigating life transitions, such as career changes, retirement, or personal challenges
• Listeners seeking inspiration to embrace joy and resilience through creativity

Links and Resources Mentioned:

• [Art for Your Sanity by Susan Hensley](Insert link to book)
• Connect with Susan: [Website/Social Media Links]
• Learn more about art journaling and its benefits

Don’t Forget to Subscribe!
If you enjoyed this episode, be sure to subscribe to WV Uncommonplace for more inspiring conversations and stories. Leave us a review and share this episode with someone who might benefit from Susan’s message!

Topic: Education Reform, Healthcare Advocacy, and Running for Georgia Superintendent of Schools

In this 43-minute episode, host JR Sparrow sits down with Dr. Nelva Lee, a healthcare administrator, entrepreneur, and candidate for Georgia Superintendent of Schools. Dr. Lee shares her inspiring journey from Panama to the United States, her work in healthcare advocacy, and her vision for transforming Georgia's education system through literacy, trade certifications, and school choice.

• Growing up in Panama during the Noriega dictatorship
• Family heritage from Costa Rica and Jamaica
• Moving to the US as a teenager and appreciating democratic freedoms
• Lessons learned from her grandmother Nelva about gratitude and work ethic

• Obtaining a trade certification in healthcare during high school
• Earning bachelor's, master's, and doctorate degrees in healthcare administration
• Working as Director of Patient Advocacy at Grady Health System
• Founding a vocational school for medical interpreters
• Creating the certification exam for medical interpreters
• Involvement with AI and human interpreting integration

• Appointment to Georgia Department of Community Health by Governor Kemp
• Learning the slow process of government policymaking
• Importance of community engagement in healthcare policy
• Advocacy rooted in personal experience with dictatorship

Current State of Georgia Education:

• Georgia ranks 38th out of 50 states in education
• Mississippi improved from 50th to top 10 by returning to basics

Key Campaign Initiatives:

1. Literacy First

   • No child leaves second grade without learning to read
   • Clear guidelines for teachers on literacy benchmarks
   • Recognition that prisons are built based on third-grade literacy rates

2. Universal Trade Certifications

   • All Georgia graduates receive high school diploma AND trade certification
   • Benefits both college-bound and workforce-ready students
   • Provides financial independence and career options

3. Expanded School Choice

   • Expansion of Promise Scholarship Act
   • More public Montessori and KIPP schools
   • Matching learning environments to individual student needs

Special Education & IEP Reform:

• Concerns about overuse of IEP labels
• IEP test scores don't count toward school performance metrics
• Risk of implicit bias from teachers toward labeled students
• Need for appropriate learning environments rather than automatic labeling

Post-COVID Challenges:

• Addressing learning deficits in current 6th-7th graders
• Mental health impacts from isolation (anxiety, depression)
• Need for motivation and self-esteem building

"By the third grade, they're building prisons based on whether or not children are literate."

"Every child can learn, but they need to have a learning environment that matches their specific learning needs."

"Good leaders really are great because they motivate others to do the best."

"Anything that you do for children lasts a lifetime."

Learn More About Dr. Nelva Lee:

• Website: drnelvalee.com
• Books and additional information available on her website

Follow WV Uncommon Place:

• Instagram, Tumblr, Twitter, TikTok, Facebook, LinkedIn
• Merch: wvuncommonplace.square.site
• Subscribe and rate on your favorite podcast platform

• Education Reform
• Healthcare Advocacy
• Entrepreneurship
• Immigration & Democracy
• Special Education
• Trade Schools & Vocational Training
• School Choice
• Leadership & Public Service

Episode SummaryKey Topics DiscussedBackground & Immigration (0:00 - 8:00)Healthcare Career & Entrepreneurship (8:00 - 18:00)Public Service & Policy (18:00 - 25:00)Running for Georgia Superintendent of Schools (25:00 - 43:00)Notable QuotesResourcesEpisode Themes

M.E. Torrey - Author of "Fox Creek," a historical novel exploring slavery in the antebellum South

In this powerful 51-minute conversation, author M.E. Torrey discusses her critically acclaimed novel "Fox Creek," which confronts the whitewashed narratives of plantation history. Torrey shares her journey from writing children's books to tackling one of America's most difficult historical periods, and why honest conversations about race and history are more important than ever.

The Genesis of Fox Creek

• Torrey's eye-opening visit to Louisiana plantations in the 1990s
• Encountering tours that completely omitted slave narratives
• Three years of intensive research before writing the first sentence
• The challenge of finding authentic slave narratives vs. abundant plantation owner records

Research Revelations

• The shocking diaries of James Henry Hammond (Governor of South Carolina) and Bennett Barrow
• How "ordinary people" justified extraordinary harm
• The concept of willful blindness among slave owners who considered themselves good people
• The FDR Writers Project interviews with ex-slaves from the 1930s

Writing Approach

• Deliberately avoiding author judgment to create moral complexity
• Using "silence" as a literary device, especially for enslaved characters
• Crossing white and Black narratives to tell a complete story
• The most difficult scene to write: sexual abuse

Contemporary Relevance

• Why white people need to see themselves in slave owner characters
• The importance of owning history without guilt or defensiveness
• How forgiveness and love are essential to healing
• The loss of community in modern America
• Parallels to current social justice movements

Personal Reflections

• Growing up in integrated military schools in Europe
• The bubble of racial harmony vs. American reality
• Transition from children's book author to adult historical fiction
• Redefining success from financial to relational and spiritual

"I would never have owned a slave" - white people do an injustice when they say this because they were ordinary people, and horrific things are happening even today by people because society says it's okay."

"I have never, to my knowledge, done any wrong to any human being in my life" - Governor James Henry Hammond, despite a diary full of documented abuses

"The lesson that we bring from the past is a lesson of forgiveness... this world will not get healed without being kind and loving one another."

• Title: Fox Creek
• Author: M.E. Torrey
• Awards: Multiple awards, starred review from Publishers Weekly
• Where to Buy: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, or support local bookstores at Bookshop.org
• Website: METorrey.com (T-O-R-R-E-Y)

• "Secret and Sacred" - Diaries of James Henry Hammond
• Bennett Barrow's plantation journal
• FDR Writers Project slave narratives
• St. Francisville, Louisiana (fictionalized as St. Marysville in the book)

• Purchase "Fox Creek" and engage with this important historical narrative
• Request the book at your local library using the ISBN
• Have honest conversations about race and history in your community
• Follow M.E. Torrey at METorrey.com

Episode SummaryKey Topics DiscussedPowerful QuotesBook InformationResources MentionedCall to ActionEpisode ThemesHistoricalFiction #Slavery #CivilRights #RaceRelations #AmericanHistory #SocialJustice #Forgiveness #Community #AuthorInterview #BookDiscussion

Clarence Edward "Big House" Gaines Sr. (May 21, 1923 – April 18, 2005) was an American college men's basketball coach with a 47-year coaching career at Winston-Salem State University in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Among his numerous honors for his achievements, he is one of the few African Americans to be inducted as a coach into the Basketball Hall of Fame.

Before graduating and becoming a coach, he had an outstanding collegiate career as a football player for Morgan State University in Baltimore, Maryland.