Episodes

Learn how John Hersh, an ordinary man with a trumpet, transformed a personal routine into a beloved neighborhood tradition by playing taps at sunset, rain or shine. Supporting links 1. Sunset observed with Taps [The Sandpaper] 2. History of Taps [AUSA] 3. Bugles Across America[Bugles Across America] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact...

The central argument of The Guns of August is both simple and terrifying: the First World War was not inevitable. supporting links 1. Barbara W. Tuchman [Wikipedia] 2. Schlieffen Plan [World History Encyclopedia] 3. World War 1 [History Net] 4. The Guns of August [Amazon] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Sub...

Learn how even when a body is broken, a life — rich with skill, love, memory, flavor, and collaboration — can still be fully, fiercely lived. Supporting links 1. Yewande Komolafe [Wikipedia] 2. Yewande Komolafe [Amazon] 3. Sickle cell disease [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Submit on Apple Podcast ...

Learn how if a society refuses to examine its darkest chapters, those chapters don’t disappear — they just wait for the right conditions to return. Supporting links 1. Philippe Collin [Books written] 2. Facing History [Podcast] 3. Léon Blum [Wikipedia] 4. Alfred Dreyfus [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode R...

Summary In this episode, Rick Barron interviews Mariah Bonner. A former ballet dancer, movie actress, writer, and now international singer. Join us as Mariah Bonner shares her inspiring journey of moving from the U.S. to Argentina, mastering new languages, and launching a music career in a new cultural landscape. Discover her insights on adaptation, perseverance, and pursuing passions abroad. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to Mariah Bonner's Journey 05:59 The Art of Writing and Docum...

Jim Moylan may not have achieved the fame of Henry Ford or other celebrated inventors. His name won't appear in most history books or innovation courses. But millions of drivers benefit from his insight every day. Supporting links 1. Who Invented that Little Arrow Next to Your Gas Gauge? [Autoweek] 2. Fuel Fill Arrow History | The Moylan Arrow [YouTube] 3. Jim Moylan, Engineer Behind the Fuel Gauge Arrow, Dies at 80 [Yahoo!autos] C...

Learn how the book, First Principles, by Thomas E. Ricks, teaches that the intellectual foundations of American democracy are as consequential as the political events that accompanied them—and that understanding those foundations is critical for addressing the challenges of our own time. supporting links 1. First Principles[Amazon] 2. Thomas E. Ricks [Wikipedia] 3. History of the United States [Wikipedia] 4. Founding Fathers of the United States [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I...

Learn how In The Greatest Sentence Ever Written, Walter Isaacson dissects the famous line from the Declaration of Independence—“We hold these truths to be self-evident…”—and asks us to see it not as a relic, but as a living idea. supporting links 1. The Greatest Sentence Ever Written[Amazon] 2. Walter Isaacson [Wikipedia] 3. American Enlightenment [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron...

Learn how Coming Clean is a powerful reminder that recovery is relational. It’s not just about the person with the substance use issue but about everyone whose life becomes entangled with it. supporting links 1. Liz Fraser || writer, broadcaster [Website] 2. lizfraser1 [Instagram] 3. Liz Fraser [Twitter] 4. Coming Clean [Amazon] 5. What Doesn’t Kill You [podcast] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @...

Congress is historically dysfunctional right now — by nearly every measurable standard, from shutdown length to laws passed to member departures. Supporting links 1. Americans, Frustration with Congress and the Elections [GALLUP] 2. House retirement wave signals deep institutional frustration [Brookings] 3. Every 50 Years, America Falls Apart. Then Celebrates Anyway [Imperfect Union] 4. Congressional frustration fuels record exodus [YouTube] 5. 250th Birthday, Dissatisfaction With...

Learn how you can plan your life with precision—and still lose control of the outcome. What you never lose is how you respond. Supporting links 1. Alzheimer [Alzheimer’s Association] 2. Home Care Options [Aging Care] Searching for Medicare Related Options? [AARP] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Submit on Apple...

Learn how Trump’s biggest threat may not be winning more votes in the 2026 midterm elections; it may be exploiting loopholes, fear, and institutional weakness to cling to power. Supporting links 1. Article I, Section 5 [Constitution Annotated] 2. The Constitution Line By Line with Senator Mike Lee: Article I, Section 5 [YouTube] 3. Trump signals plan to interfere in midterm elections [MSN] 4. Midterm ‘blue wave’ could block Trump’s agenda [The Guardian] Contact That's Life, I Swe...

Learn how the most powerful innovations frequently emerge not from abstract problem-solving but from personal experiences of frustration or failure. Supporting links 1. Swellcycle [Website] 2. Swellcycle [Instagram] 3. Patricio Guerrero LinkedIn] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Submit on Apple Podcast Submit o...

The story doesn't romanticize divorce, but it doesn't flatten it into pure hardship either. There's grief, adjustment, and — eventually — something that's genuinely your own. Supporting links 1. The Divorce Planner [Website] 2. How To Move on After Divorce [Marriage.com] 3. Life After Divorce: How You Can Start Again [Cleveland Clinic] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @Re...

Learn how life is cumulative, and correspondence—whether via letter or through care, presence, and reflection—helps us make sense of it. supporting links 1. Virginia Evans [Website] 2. Virginia Evans [Instagram] 3. Bookreporter Talks To... Virginia Evans [YouTube] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social Email us at https://www.thatslifeiswear.com/contact/ Episode Review Submit on Apple P...

In global politics, you rarely get solutions; you get trade-offs. The enduring lesson is this: Every path carries risk—the real challenge is choosing which risks you’re more willing to live with. Supporting links 1. Daniel Yergin Sees a 'Different World' Emerging After the Hormuz Crisis [YouTube] 2. Daniel Yergin [YouTube] 3. Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action [Wikipedia] 4. Nuclea...

The deepest takeaway, perhaps, is simply this: a life shaped by history's worst chapter can still choose to be defined by its best instincts. Supporting links 1. Economic Rescue Committee [Website] 2. David Miliband [Wikipedia] The refugee crisis is a test of our character [YouTube] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatslifeiswear.com Twitter at @RedPhantom Bluesky at @rickbarron.bsky.social ...

Learn how Dianes’ story is not merely about sports or even about cancer—it's about the human capacity to find meaning, purpose, and even joy in the face of devastating circumstances. supporting links 1. Diane Geppi-Aikens [Wikipedia] 2. Loyola University Maryland [Wikipedia] 3. NCAA Division I women's lacrosse tournament [Wikipedia] 4. Chip Silverman [Wikipedia] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my w...

Learn how this is a story about institutions that define culture, and don’t stand still. The Oscars’ pivot to YouTube shows that legacy alone doesn’t guarantee relevance — adaptation does. To remain meaningful, even icons must loosen their grip on the past and follow their audience into the future. Supporting links 1. YouTube Statistics 2025 [GMI] 2. YouTube [Wikipedia] 3. Why The Academy Awards Is Losing It's Audience [YouTube] 4. OSCARS [ Oscars org] 5. OSCARS [Social] 6. Str...

Margaret “Gipsy” Moth’s story resists any simple moral—but that’s exactly where its power lies. It forces us to sit with uncomfortable truths about courage, purpose, and the cost of bearing witness. Supporting links 1. Bosnia War [Wikipedia] 2. Margaret Moth [Wikipedia] 3. Margaret Moth [Biography Central] 4. War Videographer Margaret Moth Gets the Shot in ‘Never Look Away’ [KQED] Never Look Away | Directed by Lucy Lawless | Official Trailer [YouTube] Contact That's Life, I Sw...

No Ordinary Assignment offers lessons that extend far beyond journalism, though it is indispensable reading for anyone who practices or admires the craft. supporting links 1. Jane Ferguson details career reporting in war zones [YouTube] 2. Life on the Frontlines of War Reporting | Jane Ferguson [TED] 3. Jan Ferguson [Wikipedia] 4. Jane Ferguson [PBS News] 5. Jan Ferguzon [LinkedIn] 6. Jane Ferguson [Instagram] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www.thatsli...

Learn about the most devastating financial collapse in history—the Great Crash of 1929—through the lens of Andrew Ross Sorkin’s electrifying new book, 1929: Inside the Greatest Crash in Wall Street History—and How It Shattered a Nation. supporting links 1. Wall Street crash of 1929 [Wikipedia] 2. Andrew Ross Sorkin [Wikipedia] 3. Applying lessons from the Wall Street crash of 1929 to today's market [60 Minutes] 4. Sorkinsays [Instagram] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website...

Learn how Betty Reid Soskin understood that simply being seen—as an elderly Black woman in a ranger’s uniform—challenged assumptions about who belongs in American institutions. Representation isn’t symbolic; it’s transformative. Supporting links 1. Betty Reid Soskin [Wikipedia] 2. National Park Service [Wikipedia] 3. What life feels like at 101 [YouTube] 4. Sign My Name to Freedom: A Memoir of a Pioneering Life [Amazon] Contact That's Life, I Swear Visit my website: https://www....

The birthright citizenship battle before the Supreme Court teaches several profound lessons that stretch well beyond immigration law. The Wong Kim Ark decision is 128 years old. It has survived every political storm since 1898. And yet here we are, with a sitting president arguing it was wrongly decided. Supporting links 1. The 14th Amendment [Constitution Annotated] 2. This Dead California Senator Can Save Birthright Citizenship [Zocalopublicsquare] 3. Birthright citizenship in the ...