Out of the Blue - The Podcast: Finding the Way Forward

Vernon West
  • 5.0 (4)
  • SELF-IMPROVEMENT

Out of the Blue-the Podcast features interviews with inspirational survivors of traumatic out of the blue events who have overcome unimaginable challenges, sharing their stories of resilience and triumph. By sharing these stories, "Out of the Blue" aims to create a community where others who have faced similar hardships can find solace and strength as together, we find the way forward.

  1. 3D AGO

    Turning Trauma Into Art and Mentorship with Ashshahid Muhammad (Part 2)

    Our conversation with Ashshahid Muhammad continues. One moment he’s describing the shock of walking into art college, the next he’s explaining why he refuses to “sugarcoat” what addiction, homelessness, rehab, and relapse actually feel like. We follow the path that takes him from learning graphic design to turning his life story into comic books, with room to carry the stories of people who never make the newspaper. We also dig into One Eye Television, his Staten Island Community Media show and YouTube channel where he films his paintings, his process, and the raw truth behind the art. To Ashshahid, content creation matters; when someone else edits your story, you lose the parts that make it real, and when you control the narrative, you can show what healing actually looks like. Ashshahid also shares how one of his favorite books, "Who Moved My Cheese?", becomes a blueprint for staying in motion, adding skills, and never getting too comfortable. For more on Ashshahid Muhammad: Graffiti University Comics - YouTube Graffiti University Comics - Instagram "Real Friendz: North Park" Comic Book - Buy Here "W.B.C: Dopeboy Dreamz" Comic Book - Buy Here "W.B.C 2: Wave Nu-Vo Era" Comic Book - Buy Here Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    30 min

  2. MAR 25

    Turning Trauma Into Art and Mentorship with Ashshahid Muhammad (Part 1)

    Ashshahid Muhammad lost his eye from a bullet, which also ripped away the life he thought he understood. Surrounded by crime and addiction, he built an identity in the streets, then watched it collapse into homelessness, relapse, and pain. His comeback story is not polished, but real. We talk about addiction recovery, the humiliating loop of rehabs and shelters, and the sneaky danger of relapsing when nothing seems “wrong.” For Ashshahid, the moment of surrender hit like lightning: you realize you’ve been performing recovery instead of living it. Then the conversation turns to creative healing and art therapy as a lifeline. A pencil becomes a way to quiet the inner voice that has nothing nice to say. Drawing becomes a way to process anger, sadness, and fear. And it grows into a mission to mentor young people through comic books and storytelling. Passing the GED after years of chaos, Ashshahid explains how hope can arrive through a single person and one new skill. For more on Ashshahid Muhammad: Graffiti University Comics - YouTube Graffiti University Comics - Instagram "W.B.C: Dopeboy Dreamz" Book - Buy Here "W.B.C Comic Book 2: Wave Nu-Vo Era" Book - Buy Here Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    35 min

  3. MAR 18

    Out of the Blue-ness with Wendy Liebman (Part 2)

    Consciousness, comedy, and AI collide in a way we didn’t expect. The conversation continues with Wendy Liebman as we discuss the future of intelligence, from quantum consciousness theories and microtubules as memory storage to the provocative idea of the universe as a kind of eternal information system. That spiritual curiosity quickly meets real-world stories and raises a common question: where does consciousness go, and what exactly is a memory? We follow that thread straight into AI, collective consciousness, and why modern tools feel like both progress and a test of our values.  Wendy also shares how AI can function like a powerful research assistant, from training dogs to helping surface possible answers when experts cannot. Then we argue about the hot zone: AI use in art, music, design, and comedy. Is it a new brush, a new aesthetic, or a job-killer? Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    33 min

  4. MAR 11

    Out of the Blue-ness with Wendy Liebman (Part 1)

    Wendy Liebman returns to help kick off season two of Out Of The Blue, and the conversation moves from punchlines to lifelines – how care, coincidence, and commitment can rewire a creative life. Wendy opens up about a sudden loss that pulled a community closer, reflecting on how grief rearranges our priorities and reconnects us to people who speak our language. We also wander through Boston comedy roots, the odd alchemy of stage presence making you “taller,” and the perspective that comes from seeing peers skyrocket while choosing to love where you’re standing. From there, we explore minimalism as intention rather than austerity – "love people, use things" – and how mortality sharpens focus on what truly matters. Creativity threads it all together: Stephen King’s fossil metaphor and Michelangelo’s chisel remind us that art is often about uncovering what’s already there. Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    31 min

  5. 12/22/2025

    Healing Grandparent Alienation Through Surrogate Bonds with Donna Skora

    On the day her grandson was born, Donna Skora received a single text message that would end all contact and bring years of quiet grief. From that rupture, Donna created Surrogate Grandparents USA, a nationwide community where elders and families build trusted, intergenerational bonds.  We unpack the human cost of grandparent alienation, why silence teaches the wrong lessons to kids, and how control, fear, and cultural trends toward isolation fuel a growing estrangement crisis. Donna shares why one-sided therapy narratives can harden divides and what real repair looks like when conversations stall. Then we pivot to solutions – you’ll hear exactly how Surrogate Grandparents USA works: clear guidelines, safety practices, background checks, slow trust building, and a welcoming private community that supports long-term, healthy connections. Two powerful success stories bring the model to life: a 140-mile bond sustained by steady visits, holidays, and everyday texts; and a nine-year family journey that wove babysitting, sleepovers, and celebrations into the fabric of daily life. Along the way, we explore broader inclusion – parents who want more nearby support, grandparents with room for more love, and young adults who have aged out of foster care searching for stable, caring adults. The takeaway is hopeful: when biology breaks down, community can still carry love forward. Surrogate Grandparents - USA: https://www.facebook.com/groups/SurrogateGrandparentsNorthAmerica https://www.instagram.com/surrogate_gp_usa Support the show Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    48 min

  6. 12/11/2025

    How Hitting Bottom Became a Calling with Dr. Nicole Labor

    Give up medicine, stay a junkie. A freeing thought followed by the shock of conscience changed everything for Dr. Nicole Labor. Nicole takes us inside the real mechanics of addiction and recovery, from the double life of a high-achieving medical student using drugs to the slow, steady rebuild that turned a bottom into a calling. Together we walk through the moments most people skip: how unprocessed trauma and genetic risk met early alcohol use, why “high functioning” is a seductive lie, and what happens when detox alone can’t hold. Nicole shares the relief and terror of telling the truth, the humility of relapsing, and the surprising force of a sponsor’s simple authenticity. We unpack the “cake recipe” for the 12 steps, which include "ingredients" like honesty, open-mindedness, and willingness, plus the coaching role a sponsor plays to turn process into lasting change. Then we widen the lens: Codependency, Al-Anon, and the “three Cs” reframe control and boundaries for anyone caught in someone else’s chaos. We also explore the neuroscience of recovery. Nicole’s journey comes full circle as she returns to the historic home of Dr. Bob Smith, now writing protocols, educating communities, and translating hard-won wisdom into clear, evidence-based care. For more on Dr. Nicole Labor: https://linktr.ee/theaddictsdoc https://www.theaddictsdoc.com Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    48 min

  7. 12/05/2025

    Freedom, Faith, And Justice System Reform with Christopher "Life" Willars

    Christopher "Life" Willars, author of "144: Prison, Pain, and the Pathway to Freedom", discusses how he rose from a 144-year prison sentence to becoming a national voice for redemption and justice system reform. His story reveals how systems harden people, how mentors and faith can redirect a life, and why real public safety starts with real rehabilitation. Chris brings us inside the mechanics of surviving prison culture: why education becomes currency, how influence can be used to keep the yard calm, and what it took to walk away from gang leadership. He speaks openly about grief delivered through a chaplain’s door, the funerals he couldn’t attend, and the work of mending familial fractures from inside a cell. That pain forged a mission to build a bridge back to community for people returning home with trauma, addiction, and untreated mental illness. His nonprofit, Life Unit Inc., delivers reentry and recovery support across the country. A theme rises again and again: choose love over hate, service over status, and action over slogans. Darkness, he says, is where he found the light, and where many will find their own. For more on Christopher Willars:  https://www.christopherwillars.com/ Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    54 min

  8. 11/11/2025

    Instinct and Inspiration Behind Music with Sal Baglio

    A song can change a life, and sometimes it waits decades to do it. Sal Baglio, the lead vocalist and guitarist behind Boston legends The Stompers, traces his creative path shaped by family, grief, grit, and a Hollywood surprise that rewired his future. Sal opens up about the way songs “hover” before landing, why he never writes by formula, and how honoring the mystery keeps the music honest. He shows how instinct, not industry, has always been his compass. The conversation opens up further as Sal shares his battle with depression, the toll of medication, and the season he quit performing to work in addiction recovery. Out of nowhere a call from Hollywood changed everything: Adam Sandler wanted to put his song “American Fun” in a movie. That out-of-the-blue sync revived his sense of purpose. The episode also talks about community and competition in the Boston music scene – how bands sharpened each other, how humility grows with time, and why being a “good hang” matters as much as chops. Sal tells hard-won stories of opening for giants, getting booed by the wrong crowd, and returning stronger. The most moving moment arrives with his mother’s final days: a mutual exchange of forgiveness that closes the circle. It’s a reminder that music isn’t just performance; it’s presence. For more on Sal: https://theamplifierheads.com Support the show Out Of The Blue: For more: outoftheblue-thepodcast.org For exclusive content: patreon.com/podcastOOTB

    52 min
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5
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4 Ratings

About

Out of the Blue-the Podcast features interviews with inspirational survivors of traumatic out of the blue events who have overcome unimaginable challenges, sharing their stories of resilience and triumph. By sharing these stories, "Out of the Blue" aims to create a community where others who have faced similar hardships can find solace and strength as together, we find the way forward.

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