The ways we use people...

Getting real with actress Amy Brenneman (plus pop-culture post-script)

Episode 6 prologue:

When I was 10 years old, a new girl moved into our neighborhood. She wasn't particularly funny or creative or any of the things I usually liked in a new friend. But what she did have . . . was a trampoline. And as a kid, having a trampoline is like as an adult having a beachfront vacation home. So, I flattered that girl and I brought her a plate of cookies I made because all I wanted was, not to know or love her, but to know and love her trampoline.

When I was a chemically dependent 19 year old young woman living with 8 people in a 2 bedroom apartment and working in a coffee house, a regular customer took a liking to me—a professional woman in her 40s. I remember feeling special when she expressed interest in me and my ideas and my stories. I was desperate for connection. So when she invited me to an event, I accepted. Only to discover her interest in me had nothing to do with me as a person and everything to do with her as someone embroiled in a multilevel marketing scheme. She was trying to use me to get something for herself. I remember feeling foolish when I realized this.

But it’s just this shitty thing we humans do to each other. Sometimes we use each other for trampolines. Sometimes we use each other for profit. Sometimes we use each other because we’re just fucking lonely. 

In today’s episode of The Confessional, I’ll be speaking with actress Amy Brenneman (Judging Amy, The Leftovers, Heat etc…) who manipulated a perfectly nice person many years ago and is now ready to talk about it.

Amy Brenneman

Amy has a degree in comparative religion from Harvard, but most folks know her as a famous actress. She’s a mom, a producer, an activist and the host of The Challengers Podcast (I was one of her guests on season one!)

https://twitter.com/AmyBrenneman
https://www.instagram.com/amybrenneman/

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Join me and Amy for a live chat!

Friday May 29th, 2p PST/ 3p MST/ 4p CST/ 5p EST Amy and I will have a chat live on my Instagram. Just click on the circle with my image on the upper left. I’m sure we’ll dive into love, ego, regret, and how to trust when we re really loved. Join us!

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Pop-culture Post-script

Here are a couple things keeping me sane right now:

1. The Anthropocene Reviewed is a Podcast by John Greene (The Fault in Our Stars) which I find genius, specifically this episode about the Temporal Range of human beings was eerily on-point even though it was recorded pre-pandemic.

2. This Facebook Group of Russians who are recreating works of art in their homes during quarantine.

3. Jeff Chu’s Newsletter, Notes From A Make-Believe Farmer

Jeff is a gorgeous writer, a good thinker, and a faithful pastor.

Note of Thanks

Thank you for supporting my work:

For listening to and rating the podcast.

For reading these posts.

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For reading my books.

For leaving thoughtful comments.

I’m just so grateful. Thank you!