Kristina Ten on folklore from a 90s childhood, retaining our critical thinking skills in the AI era, & battling impostor syndrome

/
Kristina Ten on folklore from a 90s childhood, retaining our critical thinking skills in the AI era, & battling impostor syndrome

On the latest episode of my podcast It’s a Lot, I spoke to Kristina Ten, author of Tell Me Yours, I’ll Tell You Mine, about everything from fighting impostor syndrome to why she chose to go back to school for an MFA, from what it was like teaching undergrads during COVID to the importance of writing unlikable queer characters.

During the second half of our conversation, we shared some love for Rochester’s awesome indie bookstores, discussed how moving around so much has impacted Kristina and her writing, and our fears about the age of AI and how it’s impacting our brains. Kristina is a delight to talk to! I hope you enjoy listening.

Read More

Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

/
Jon-Stephen Stansel on creativity & humor as a social media pro and dad

I’ve followed the work of social media consultant Jon-Stephen Stansel for years, so I was thrilled when he agreed to chat with me for the It’s a Lot podcast. After getting his start doing social media at higher ed institutions and government agencies, his online connections led to him working with brands like Invincible, Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power, Hazbin Hotel, Sausage Party: Foodtopia, and Avatar: The Way of Water. In this conversation, we talk about the joys of being creative and funny on social media, how AI lacks taste that’s necessary to succeed as a social media manager, the dark pits of the internet, and more. In the second half of the show, we also explore Jon-Stephen’s life as a dad and the joys he’s finding on his parenthood journey.

Read More