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THNX: A Feelgood Podcast

About

A Message from the Creator, Rand Mintzer

When I was a child, there was never any question that I would attend the middle school in my neighborhood. With my daughters, however, the rules of the game had changed. We had to choose and apply to the school we believed our children would have their needs best met -- even for public education. During this process, I found myself sitting in many halls watching PowerPoint presentations of attractive, happy children and listening to administrators and teachers giving their best pitches.

About halfway through this process, my wife, youngest daughter, and I went to Hogg Middle School. I was bracing for another evening of tedium while hoping for cookies, but ended up surprised. The principal, Angela Sugarek, told the most incredible story about how she was illiterate until sixth grade. There was one particular teacher who decided to put in the extra time to teach her to read, rather than pass her along as all her previous instructors had. Angela and this teacher spent their lunch hour together until she was literate.

That story stuck with me, particularly the premise that one person could have such a profound impact on another human being and, in many cases, that impact would be paid forward to the benefit of complete strangers. I thought about this story several times on my morning runs; I also thought about how grateful I was for being able to thank so many people who helped me with my abysmally selling book, Thirty Three Years of Running In Circles. Then I realized that most people do not have the good fortune to write a book to thank the people who helped shape them. I also never forgot the late Studs Terkel who illustrated to the world that everybody has a story to tell. Thus, this podcast was born.

Special THNX to Ardent Studios and Big Star for the use of "Thank You Friends."

 

Meet the Hosts

 

Rand Mintzer was born and raised in St. Louis, Missouri. He earned a BA from Arkansas State University and his JD from South Texas College of Law. Rand has spent over 35 years in the courtroom and practices predominantly criminal defense. He lives in Houston, Texas with his wife, two daughters, and adopted shelter cat.

In his spare time, Rand reads, listens to music, watches movies, and engages in his lifelong passion of running -- he has even written a book on the subject. His family members would agree they have been forced to listen to the Grateful Dead, Steve Earle, and Big Star more than they would have preferred.

 

Christian, philosopher, surfer, sports enthusiast, and general wannabe. Josh Phanco lives with his wife, Melinda, and their four children in North Carolina where he practices law.

 

THNX: A Feelgood Podcast is recorded at The Barron Collective in Houston, Texas.