Sagewolf Interviews Sagewolf

@livvonoelreich
The scene:
We are in Ladera Heights, Los Angeles, CA on a warm day in Liv’s backyard sitting on lawn chairs drinking tea. This sounds like we live gentle lives; yesterday we fixed her garage door by lifting it together and also road motorcycles all over LA. This is our normal. Our friendship has weathered many journeys and many miles on motorcycles. Join us in the garden for curiosity, laughter, and pre-psychotherapy.


Highlights:
A Swede from AlabamaDifficulty making female friendsBabes Ride OutClicking together quickly and easefullySeeking adventures togetherAttacking the stressor immediately = non-procrastinationBeing in the world, being curious, being in actionThe importance of having purposeCurrently in her Masters of Psych at Pepperdine Massaging is a lot of alone time with your own thoughtsThe body communicating different messages than the mindRocking the body to see where the tension is holding onBeing present with othersWhy do they scrub you wearing black granny panties at Korean spas?Near-death experiences that are hilariousHelping others transform their livesWeaving in experiences of acting, psychology, and massageCreating your life around physical freedomSeeing a wide horizon in your lifeChoosing newness to avoid stagnationMinimizing “making wrong”, blame, being fearful of the futureAvoiding rejection by not proceedingBeing 100% committed, AND detached from the outcomeThe Race to Alaska documentaryThe Women Riders World RelayFilming 12 women on motorcycles riding through PakistanTransitioning from doing everything yourself to leaning into othersViewing your life as many projectsAppreciation of others and listening “You lose intention when you lose punctuation.”A taste:
“Through the physical comes the emotional.”
“Sometimes I don’t move forward with things because I like the idea of what is possible with the idea and if I move forward with it, perhaps it’s not going to work out the way I wanted it.”


Favorite sayings:
“God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.” (The Serenity Prayer)


“The health of the eye seems to demand a horizon. We are never tired, so long as we can see far enough.” - Emerson
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@arisjanigian
arisjanigian.com  
The scene:
We are sitting in the sun on a chilly Spring day just outside Aris’ living space, which is attached to his private library of 1 billion books (actually 5,000 ish). Aris begins the interview a bit withdrawn, perhaps shy, perhaps melancholic - like any truly great writer is expected to be - but warms up throughout and by the end is truly lively. It has taken me a moment to return to editing and releasing interviews. I saw Aris in yoga the other day and we shared that we had such fond memories of what a great interview it was, it is. Join us as we explore the human condition and how it is captured with words.

Highlights:
Bestselling author of “Waiting for Lipchitz at Chateau Marmont”Moved to Fresno from LA eight years agoBegan writing in the 5th grade. First book: “The Adventures of Hallelujah Harry”What makes a “gifted” writer?Two novels by the age of 25Writing because you have to write...you have something to sayBegan writing regularly his junior year of college, as a medicineUsing writing to harness a self-destructive energyWhy publish? > ego, being noticed, being seen, vanity, loving peopleWanting others to feel the richness of their internal lifeHelping others find themselvesConnection is the root of many creative endeavorsSuffering is a character trait that serves writers wellPatience/a long view is important when writing one book over many yearsMaturing out of immediate gratificationTragic humor and satireEmbracing one’s own madness, coupled with self-compassion“Essentially we’re scripting our own lives continuously”No one can define great art, it has a transcendent qualityRelying on the judgement of others to measure youTrusting informed readers for feedbackWe would be nothing without the love of other peopleCommunity makes you feel at home in the worldObserving others as they journey through the worldConflict > Friction > Fire > Life, warmth, light…Writing “aggressive”, “racist”, “sexist” booksUncomfortability creates an opportunity to elevate consciousnessThe world is not static, we must constantly revise our approach“One should be happy to be confronted with a genuinely authentic new perspective”Yearning to be confronted by someone with your own flaw or biasWe identify too much with our own thoughts and opinionsTrained as a scientist - PhD in Research Psychology, specifically Social CognitionTaught college psych for 23 yearsResearch him on Google scholar for his papers on human studiesAdvice to younger self: “Get help sooner.” (meds, therapy, yoga/meditation)19 year yogiPlay moreGrieving when you can’t writeLongest writing “slump”: current, 1 1/2 years…Novel writing comes from a different place, it’s like a puzzle
A taste:
“We view our selves as western expansion does, an American cultural egotism that creates dynamism.”“Most of our rhetoric, our language, is oriented towards youth.”“The novelist mind requires that you see everything when you write one sentence.”
Favorite saying:
(He can’t remember. Ask his friends for the notes they take of the funny things he says.)
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@john_lofgren
@johnlofgrenbootmaker
johnlofgren.com

The scene:
We are in the private library of John’s friend Aris, surrounded by at least 5,000 books, in the Tower District of Fresno, CA on a sunny-cold winter day, bathing in the sunlight beaming in through the floor-to-ceiling windows. John has intentionally not listened to my other interviews, both of us wanting for each question to feel fresh and unrehearsed. We discover similar pasts in and ethical beliefs about fashion. Perseverance is a big takeaway. Join us in the speakeasy library for a value-driven conversation about dad-fashion and more important things.

Highlights:
+ Running a company in Japan (from the US)
+ Traveling for work and it feels like a vacation
+ Lived in Japan for 17 years
+ First went to Japan as a vintage buyer for a clothing co.
+ Yoga changed his life
+ We met through Keryn Nicholson the Hatter (episode 28)
+ Established his boot brand in 2010
+ An American buying US vintage for the Japanese market
+ Wearing replica vintage used to be scandalous
+ “Outdoor style” - function became fashion
+ Did not go to school (for fashion or shoemaking)
+ Insisted on “ethically made” from the onset
+ Where does the string that closes the bag that carries the boot come from?
+ But…where do the buckles REALLY come from?
+ Studied Cultural Anthropology
+ Doing it right is VERY expensive
+ Who are we giving our money to?  Who are we supporting?
+ Greenwashing
+ B Corp and “ethical verifications”
+ Doing something because it’s right (not for the credit)
+ Holding others accountable
+ Social responsibility
+ How to plant the seed to educate others to choose ethically made
+ The money you buy something with supports the government of the country it was made in (READ THAT AGAIN)
+ Our biggest vote in the world is with our dollars (Are we supporting regimes?)
+ Making the very best thing that you possibly can
+ The satisfaction of wearing something ethically untainted
+ Being painfully honest is helpful (low self esteem is unhelpful)
+ Dad was a farmer and did construction
+ Whatever you talk about doing is doable, but 99% of people don’t
+ Going broke…more than once (and being in real deep debt)
+ Losing everything in the 2011 earthquake tsunami
+ Looking for a lifestyle that’s a little less technology, a little more analog
+ Dear younger self: please do better in high school
+ You might know the language but if you don’t get the culture, you won’t last
+ Radical openness and radical listening

A taste:
“Maybe they sleep on it and maybe it’s like how that seed was planted in me when I was in Egypt when I was 21 years old, maybe sometime a little ways down the line they’ll think, ‘Hey, I’d like to see what it’s like to wear something that’s ethically made too, something that’s not tarnished with slave labor or child labor.” Even if it’s just one part of it - see what it’s like to own one thing that’s completely ethically made.”

“You’ve got to have some sort of personality trait that’s a little abnormal to do what we do, or everybody would do it, wouldn’t they?”

Favorite saying:
“The strongest of the fittest.”
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@robesp90

The scene:
We are in Manchaca, Texas on a warm evening in May, sitting at a wooden picnic table under an umbrella strung with cafe lights.  We’re about to head to the Manchaca Springs Saloon to continue hanging with the Model Citizens classic car club who are coming off a weekend of cruising after the Lone Star Roundup classic car show. It’s been epic. Scraping down Congress St. in a classic car parade is a definite bucket list item. Join us for a chill chat about drifting, racing, scraping, and making OCD your friend.

Highlights:
+ Classic car builder since 2018
+ Currently owns: ’65 bagged C10 (Chevy square body truck), ’65 4-door Chevy Nova (V8 swapped, Ford rear-end), ’71 wagon
+ Used to own: ’91 240 SX, imported from Japan…
+ Drift raced for 10-15 years
+ Learned to work on cars by racing them
+ Hand sketches all his design ideas
+ Works through Gringo’s Auto and Custom - an auto shop that does custom work
+ Model Citizens’ annual ‘Git Down at Manchaca Springs Saloon
+ Getting recognition for your passion
+ Grew up riding BMX and teaching himself to build
+ Enjoys teaching others what he has taught himself
+ Grew up in Manchaca, his grandparents live here
+ OCD helps him produce beautiful cars and complete jobs
+ Downside of OCD: exhaustion, burnout, not feeling appreciated
+ Community support keeps him on track and reconfirms his direction
+ Seeing your hard work pan out makes it all worthwhile
+ Trial and error all the time
+ Excitement about working with customers
+ Innovating classic cars through customization
+ Air ride, bags, hydraulics, scraping
+ “Scraping’s just a way of life”
+ It’s gotta go lower or higher - some things do need to be lifted
+ Working on cars (7 days/week) is tough on relationships
+ Life balance, relaxing in-between
+ Working for yourself, investing in yourself
+ You can make 10k+ competing in fishing (WTF!)
+ Being gifted with a mechanical mind and capable hands
+ True “failure” is something you can’t repair, most “accidents” are repairable

A taste:
“It’s basically OCD and obsession on everything and anything. Super crazy about what I do and then OCD enough to where everything has to be done right and finished. I hate unfinished projects.”

Favorite saying:
“Fuck around and find out.” 
(Try things, don’t give up, learn what you don’t know).
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@manchaca_springs_saloon

The scene:
We are in Manchaca, Texas (South Austin) sitting at an old wooden table inside the saloon (where we have taken at least one shot of tequila once upon a time…).  This place is what I would consider the ideal bar: decorated all over with badass collected artifacts, huge outdoor space with a stage for live music, and food trucks. Basically, one could live here. And Josh almost does. Not only is he here daily, but he lives down the road.  Join us in the saloon for the story of where Josh came from and how he ended up sitting across from me.

Highlights:
+ The annual “Git Down” classic car show at the saloon
+ Likes entertaining
+ A BBQ joint became the saloon
+ Business name: Rodriguez Rod and Cycles
+ Started painting lowrider bicycles when he was 13
+ 1939 Chevrolet Master Deluxe is his daily beater (it’s gorgeous)
+ Built every bike he ever had from scratch
+ Had his own TV show on the Discovery Channel: Texas Car Wars
+ Now he’s ready to chill (and wouldn’t do TV life again)
+ His uncle gave him his first paint gun
+ First car at 15: ’77 Monte Carlo dropped to the ground, primer grey with a red velvet interior
+ Lots of drag races, way too fast on motorcycles
+ Has taught a few painters - those who showed genuine interest
+ Grew up in South Austin - was the cool spot back in the 80’s
+ Manchaca is the last part of South Austin that feels like it hasn’t changed
+ Manchaca is in Travis County, not part of Austin City (so, still the wild west)
+ The history of Manchaca and the springs/Onion Creek dates to the 1400’s
+ Has found over 1000 arrowheads in the area since he was a kid
+ Grew up across from the green belt (literally a paradise)
+ Growing up shooting bb guns
+ Lost an eye at 4 years old (not from a bb gun, it made his other eye stronger)
+ Making OCD work for you - developing an acute sense of detail
+ Being a big risk-taker
+ “Nobody ever wakes up in the morning and says, “Man, I’m glad I did that cocaine.”
+ Being a fighter, staying one step ahead, nobody else gets the last word
+ Doing a lot for your community, and your community helping you
+ Grew up in a house full of people, and then invited all the neighbors over :)
+ Growing up fast (too fast)
+ He’s an old soul, living young soul lessons (over and over)
+ Making mistakes, recognizing them, and choosing better

A taste:
“I grew up in South Austin…it was really the cool spot in Austin back in the ’80’s during my era of growing up. Everybody was wearing cut-off blue jeans and had their hair cut long and drank a lot of beer and sat underneath all the trees at every park you could find. And nobody got in trouble or got fucked with.”

Favorite Sayings:
“Higher than giraffe pussy.”
“You should only regret something once.”
"To thine own self be true."
"Always keep your mind open - there’s always two sides to the story."
"Keep your eyes open, and your ear to the ground."
"Be grateful for every new day."
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@planetmarfa
planetmarfa.com

The scene:
We are in Marfa, Texas sitting at one of the many tables in the gorgeous outdoor enclosed patio of Planet Marfa. It’s like a secret desert oasis that all the most interesting locals know about. The bar in the center of the patio resembles a treehouse. There’s also a teepee (that is a cave below ground)…and a school bus…and a dance floor…with a jungle gym! Wow. Join us inside this patio wonderland for a very sisterly, aquarian sharing of the life journey.

Highlights:
+ Planet Marfa is the first bar/restaurant she has owned
+ Buying a place to keep it the same - Project: Save Planet Marfa
+ “I don’t know anything about that but I’ll figure it out”
+ Working the Marfa radio station during the pandemic
+ Originally from Houston
+ Being a new business owner in a tight-knit town
+ Aquarians…
+ Falling in love with Marfa
+ Your slow-down place becoming your social place
+ Loving your staff and your regulars
+ Learning tenacity
+ Life events reflecting your strengths back to you
+ Empowering others instead of bossing
+ Learning to rely on others
+ Having a business that is visited by every kind of person
+ Enjoying watching people enjoy themselves
+ Coping mechanism: being needed
+ Knowing when to drop our childhood survival skills
+ Being confident and not giving a shit
+ Making music video covers in middle school
+ Loving yourself - being your own best friend
+ Being open to but not looking for a partner
+ Learning to take care of ourselves
+ Wanting to be a whore but behaving like an asexual
+ Flipping the script on crushes and seeing yourself in them
+ Falling in love with ourselves through the reflection we see in others
+ Nurturing our relationship with ourselves
+ Start where you are - and just smile at others

A taste:
“I used to come out here and it was quiet and I was peaceful and I’d spend a lot of time at my house…it’s where I would slow down and forget about my regular life.  So it’s a little strange now this is the place where I’m very busy…it’s kind of flipped, now Houston’s where I go to slow down.”

Mantra:
“I am here now.”
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Thank you for listening!
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Love, Sagewolf xoxo