Hey folks! The show is officially 2 years old. Woo! Thanks to all the guests who've been on, people who've listened, and friends I've made along the way. This show means a lot more to me now than it did at the start. It used to feel almost like a chore to get them out on time, especially when it felt like hardly anyone was listening. Now I get as many downloads in a day as I used to in a month. So thanks for everything. Truly. Other stuff on this episode: Happy Birthday to Brandon Scott (Episode 8)–>buy his books! Book News: Shooting for a June release date. See more about my upcoming book, Switchers New original music for the show Last week recap Next week teaser A heartfelt thanks (like the one above) Thanks for listening. Now go be creative!

Shatawn Brigham and his wife, Nadia, moved from fields in mental health and education into business with the idea of changing the culture of professional inequality in Grand Rapids from the inside. Listen to how he met his wife, how they've worked to help the city and it's negatively impacted communities, and how GR Noir–Grands Rapids' only jazz bar–came to be. . . . Check them out at http://www.grnoir.com, and on Facebook and Instagram!  

Fable the Poet (aka Marcel Price) became the Poet Laureate of Grand Rapids, MI in 2017. At the time, he was GR's first black PL. He was the first PL to not graduate from college. On top of that he was also the youngest PL in city history. Now he works with The Diatribe, mainly focusing on improving the south side and educating people about GENTRIFICATION and REDLINING. Check out The 49507 Project. Marcel Price / Fable the Poet: Instagram, Facebook, Twitter The Diatribe: Instagram, Facebook, YouTube, SUPPORT!

Hey folks, Follow this link for more info and to see where you can get these books: CLICK ME!!! It will also take you to the video I speak of in near the end. I hope you enjoy the origninal music strewn about this episode, and I particularly hope you enjoy the fun I had with the drops while the music was playing the show out. Say hi and/or follow me on social media, check out the website, rate and review the podcast. You know the drill. Instagram FaceBook Twitter  Website Podcast Contact

Me n Kirk are always up to something groovy. We've collab'd on a few things but none to the scope of this project. We made a song AND a music video. Go to my YouTube to see the music video: Creative Ops on YouTube Then go to Kirk's YouTube to see the Behind-the-Scenes: A TALK IN THE ATTIC on YouTube And listen to A TALK IN THE ATTIC, why dontcha. They're everywhere podcasts can be found. Follow ATITA on social media, too: A TALK IN THE ATTIC on IG ATITA on Facebook And last of all, go to http://www.christophertallon.com for all things host and show. Thank you good people of Earth!

Ok, so the title may seem a bit outrageous, but it's supposed to be tongue-in-cheek, people. Rather than get interviewed by someone else or perform an autobiography in the vein of a get-to-know-your-host style program, I interviewed my mom about what it was like to raise me. As we talk about, I hated school and decided to almost completely tune out for the last half of my public education. I was most commonly described by teachers as "smart but he doesn't apply himself." I graduated high school with a 2.01GPA. That whole time, my mom was always about as cool as a person could be in that situation, which is probably why that part of my life hasn't deterred me from doing what I **really** want to do. If you were kind of an asshole as a kid, this might be an interesting memory jogger. If your kid is kind of an asshole now, this might be informative and relieve your soul a little bit. Or not. I don't pretend to know about stuff like that; I'm just a creative genius with a cool mom. . . . Find me, Christopher Tallon, on http://www.christophertallon.com, or on your favorite socials @TallonWrites. (My mom doesn't do social media, but I'll tell her you said "Hi")  

Author, Actor, & Academic, TJ Tranchell came on the podcast to discuss his book TELL NO MAN, as well as his writing process, upcoming projects (so exciting!), acting, teaching at a community college, dropping out of school, providing professional writing services, and much more. Check out his website: http://www.tjtranchell.net Buy his books on Amazon, I highly recommend TELL NO MAN. Look for him on Instagram (@t.j.tranchell), Facebook (@TJTranchell), and Twitter (@TJ_Tranchell). Thanks to TJ for the chat, thanks to you for listening in, and HUGE thanks to anyone who will or has left a review AND rating on Apple podcasts or wherever you get the show. Enjoy!

Joshua Marsella came on for his third go round on Creative Ops, this time to talk about HIS brand new podcast, WRITERS ON WAX. Starting February 2 you can hear Joshua talk to other writers about the grand craft, as well as the music that inspires them. Please follow Joshua Marsella: @joshua_marsella on IG @JoshuaMarsella on Twitter @JoshuaMarsella on FB And listen to WRITERS ON WAX wherever you get podcasts (except Spotify…he's not gonna be there), and look him up on Amazon, goodreads, and the like for info on his books.

Casey Kornoelje is the sole owner of the only locally-owned cannabis dispensary in Grand Rapids, Michigan. You might ask, "There are so many dispensaries…how is Pharmhouse Wellness the only local one?"  Great question. Listen for the answer to that, how Casey got into growing in the first place, how the shop came to fruition, and what his plans are for the shop and the community around it going forward. . . . Check out Pharmhouse Wellness on their website, http://www.pharmhousewellness.com, on Facebook @pharmhousewellness, and on Instagram @pharmhousewellness. . . . Follow the show and its host at http://www.christophertallon.com and on all social media @TallonWrites. . . . And leave a review AND a rating for the show wherever you download podcasts. Thanks!

Christopher Daradics works at the University of Oregon's Center for Applied Second Language Studies – CASLS (check that out for free language learning tools!) He's also a part of Resonance Building, a healing and arts collective. Check out their upcoming online workshop "The Embodied Voice", and keep coming back for new events, projects, ideas… .   .   . Learn more: Christopher Daradics on IG: @swagadics Resonance Building on IG: @resonance-building CASLS website Resonance Building website Embodied Voice info/registration .   .   . Thanks everyone! See ya next time. -CT .   .   . For more on Creative Ops and/or Christopher Tallon: Website | Instagram | FaceBook | Twitter | Podcast