Rosa Sophia - Managing Editor of Mobile Electronics Magazine

0:00 The topics and opinions express in the following show are solely those of the hosts and their guests, and not those of W FOURCY Radio. It's employees are affiliates. We make no recommendations or endorsements radio show, programs, services, or products mentioned on air or on our web. No liability explicit or implies shall be extended to W four cy Radio or its employees are affiliates. Any questions or comments should be directed to those show hosts. Thank you for choosing W FOURCY Radio. Churchill said, those who failed to learn from history are condemned to repeat it. Kevin helen n believes that certainly applies to business. Welcome to Winning Business Radio here at W four CY Radio. That's W four cy dot com and now your host, Kevin Helena, thank you for joining in today. I am Kevin Hallan and and welcome back to Winning Business TV and Radio on W four CY. We're streaming live on talkfour tv dot com in addition to Facebook and that's at Winning Business Radio as well as we're available in podcasts after the show on many other platforms including YouTube, iHeartRadio, Spotify, Apple, pretty much wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts. The mission of Winning Business radio and TV, as regular listeners and viewers know, is to offer insights and advice to help people avoid the mistakes of others, to learn best practices, the how tos, the what toos, the what not

1:30 toos, to be challenged, and certainly to be inspired by the successes of others. But you know, virtually every successful person I've ever talked to has had some form of failure in their lives and careers. So, like I say, every week, while we all have to get our knees skinned, once in a while, I'm driven to keep those scrapes from needing major surgery. Let's endeavor to learn from history so we don't repeat it. Today. My guest is Rosa Sophia, Managing editor of Mobile Electronics Magazine. Here's your bio. Rosa Sophia is the managing director of Mobile Electronics Magazine, the nation's number one resource for the twelve volte aftermarket car audio industry. I can talk. Rosa holds an associate's degree in psychology, a bachelor's degree in Communication and Media Studies, a degree in Automotive Business Management and Automotive Technology, and as a candidate for Masters in fine arts in creative writing. Her automotive themed poems have been published in Philadelphia Stories Magazine, Writers, Foundry Review, and others.

2:29 She's the recipient of the twenty twenty three Christopher F. Kelly Award for Poetry sponsored by the Academy of American Poets, for her poem villanel At thirty seven. Rosa lives in Palm Bay, Florida. Rosa, Welcome to Winning Business, TV and radio. Thanks for being here. Thank you for having me. I appreciate it. So you live in Palm Bay, yep. Where'd you grow up in Florida or elsewhere in Pennsylvania? Pennsylvania? How did you make it to Florida? I came here to visit, and I liked it. So I went home and quit my job and drove here. What were you doing at the time. I was working night shift in a grocery store, stocking shelves. Uh career, career role right there. Nothing nothing against those guys, but uh, I mean I liked it. I enjoyed it. Actually. So we're in Pennsylvania, and tell us about you know a little bit about that town or city and what it was like to grow up there. And I grew up in the country in the woods. Everything was kind of far away. It was around the Philadelphia area, so yep.

3:36 I spent a lot of time outside and under cars, over cars and under cars. What were your early interests? Well, I was interested in cars from a young age. When I was a kid, I used to build model cars in my bedroom during the summer, and I had, you know, the little matchbox cars. As I got older, I just was more interested in how they were and I was a little afraid of them. So I thought the best way to overcome your fear is torand it so that was what made me pursue automotive school. That's awesome. So you and I know, you know that my wife and I WI and I were Rosenos.

4:17 My wife were in England recently and we went to a motor museum which I'll tell you about I see you next. But it was really cool some of these really classic cars and they were all in mint condition. Because the owner of the museum who's passed on and now has passed it to family, they've really maintained these vehicles. I'll show you pictures. So it wasn't in the cots hole. Yes, have you been there? I was I did. I didn't go in there. I was in front of the building and I didn't have enough time, and I thought, gosh, if only born on the water. Yeah, it's really cool, really cool. So I'll show you pictures places. That's my favorite town in the cots Hole. That's so cool. Yeah, I recommend that trip to anybody. So you got a degree in psychology? What motivated that? Actually I didn't actually finish that degree, okay, So what ended up happening was that I'm not very good with my math skills and I really wanted to help people, so I didn't want to pursue psychology. But by the time I hit these bath classes, I couldn't pass them. So I wound up transferring those credits to my automotive degree.

5:24 And I do remember when I when I when I enrolled, the gentleman said to me, I don't think we've ever had anyone come into the automotive program from a psychology degree. So but it helps in everything, like he you know, he said, well, you go into you know, work in a dealership and you deal with customers, You're going to be using those skills, so it all intertwines. So what made you choose that automotive degree. I love working on cars, and to be honest, it's a good way to avoid the math, except except for the automotive math, which is an essential part of it and that I really enjoyed because I have a very visual mind, So I while I can't understand algebra, I could understand calculating cylinder bore because I could see the engine block in front of me, so it made more sense to me. And how did you get into cars?

6:25 I was just interested, but you know, I didn't really I didn't really grow up around anyone who got me interested in it. But I did discover when I got older and I reunited with my father because I didn't see him for fifteen years, and then I found out that he was working on, you know, his own vehicles, and he built an engine lift like in his garage himself because he was a construction worker, so he installed steel beams in his shed. And then I when I met him and realized how much we had in common, I thought, wow, it must be genetic. And what made you choose Lincoln Tech? And I want you to talk about You said you were on the race team. I want to talk about that.

7:10 Oh yeah, Lincoln Tech. Yeah, it was just close to me. At the time. I was living in Palm Beach County and the campus isn't there anymore, but it was in Mangonia Park and it was convenient. And yeah, and the race team, it was short lived. I didn't have a whole lot of support, unfortunately. Our original goal was to get the car to the to the track of Palm Beach International, which unfortunately that racetrack just closed recently. Wow. Yeah, I spent a lot of time with that racetracks. It's sad. So what were your responsibilities on the team? Well, like I said, it was short lived, but I did see I was taking off riffins at one point. Yeah, so that was fun. That's cool. Yeah. So you're one of the few women that I know who can rebuild an engine, who can do since what do you call it? Cylinder or calculating cylinder bar? I don't even know what that would look like. What are some of the automotive projects that you've been involved in or undertaken? Little or big? So I did work in a garage for a short time, but because I have trigeminal neuralgia, I couldn't do it for very long, but I like to work on my own stuff.

8:31 So I did work on my truck engine and I did much of the overhauling work myself until I realized I had to get the actual engine block to a machinist. So that was a sort of a bummer to discover. But that is a different skill set machining that most people would, I think, would farm that out. And we will get to your ailment in a little bit. I do want to get people hear about that because there's a way that they can help out. When did you know you were good at writing? When did I know that I was good at it? I don't know. I just always enjoyed it. And that's a skill that really you have to work on, like anything else. I think talent comes to you, but then you have to Like any craft, you have to keep working on it.

9:24 So I think, really my confidence in my work has built from the MFA program that I've been in. But I've always loved writing. And what are some of the subjects you've written about? And I imagine you started writing when you were young. Yeah, as soon as I could, I was writing. I write fiction, poetry, memoir. I wrote a book on Florida history that was published by the History Press. So I touch on a lot of different subjects. We're going to talk about that too. Uh. You decided to major in communications. That was because of writing. Yeah, actually not really. That was just kind of a stepping stone degree because I didn't really know what I wanted to do at the time. But ironically I got a lot out of it in terms of like critical thinking classes. I think I took a class on that, and I remember thinking, why don't I have to take a class on this? I know how to think critically.

10:28 But but then I got into it and I realized there was a lot of stuff that I didn't that I didn't know. Yeah, terminology I wasn't aware of. And then when I thought more on it, I learned a lot from it. By the way, those that are wondering what that sound is cat, oh you can hear? Oh dear? I was hoping no if I was fine, it's not bothering me. I just wanted the audience to be aware of it. Yeah, why should the cat be excluded from the radio? Yeah? She has to be on top of me at all times. So sorry, both that totally fine. So you're pursuing your MFA Masters of Fine Arts. What motivated that? That's a lot of undertaking, right, Yes, I started that in twenty eighteen, and I live quite a distance from the school, so it's taking me a long time. And I have my thesis manuscript is ready, and that's a book of automotive themed poems. Very cool, very cool. I might ask you to read one.

11:33 Oh okay, well think about that. The break's quick, but we're not there yet, but think about it during the break, and I want to read. I hope I pronounced the the when you get the award for villain l villain. Oh that's correct. Yeah, okay, I'm going to read that one before the end because I want you to comment on it. Tell us where you know, what, the motivation is, the background, et cetera. So when will you When do you expect to finish up? I will be defending my thesis in fall of twenty twenty four. Very cool. And for others that might be pursuing that type of a degree and you're working full time, you're very busy, you're doing other things. You're into a lot of different areas. What's the workload like on say a daily, weekly, monthly basis. Well, it's hard, I mean, you know, but I think it's hard to say what's the workload. It's a lot, But I think the important thing is balance and discipline and knowing, you know, knowing when you have to just get something done. And like I don't get to sit down and watch a movie very often. I guess you're not missing a lot. I like movies, but you're not missing a lot.

12:46 Yeah. Yeah, So what were some of the jobs you started with MEA magazine? MEA is the Mobile Electronics Association in the magazine, and we'll get into that shortly. But what were some of the jobs you had prior to twenty fourteen. Well, I worked at the grocery store stocking shelves. My first job was in a mom and pop deli in Pennsylvania and I worked for quite a while. Ye and I also worked in libraries for about five years or so, and alls involved a lot of customer service and helping people, which I really like to do. So it doesn't really so much matter the venue. You know, it's like if I can if I can help somebody out, I'm happy. That's awesome. And I know disclaimer, I know Rosa fairly well, and that is so true about you. All Right, we're going to take our first break right here. This breaks about a minute long, so sit tight everybody. We'll be back with Rosa Sophia in just a minute. You're listening to Winning Business Radio with Helen on W four CY Radio. That's W four cy dot com. Don't go away. More helpful information is coming right up right here on Winning Business Radio. Have you ever dreamt of being on the radio, Well, now it's your chance be

14:18 a radio show guest on the number one ranked internet radio station and promote you and your business for free. Yes you heard it, Free business advertising right here on W four cy dot com. Call five six one five zero six four zero three one now to get booked on one of our shows. That's five six one five zero six four zero three to one. Get your free advertising now. And now back to Winning Business Radio with Kevin helenan presenting exciting topics and expert guests with one goal in mind to help you succeed in business. Here once again, it's Kevin Helena. Welcome back. We are back with Rosa Sophia, managing editor of Mobile Electronics magazine. So start out by telling the audience, the viewers and listeners. What is MEA? What is the Mobile Electronics Association? So we bring knowledge and information to the mobile electronics industry, which is all after market, after market automotive installations, car audio safety equipment, that sort of thing, lighting as well, and the magazine is bringing knowledge and information to those businesses. And your role as managing editor

15:48 describe that I write and edit articles that we get in and I write and compile them as well. Cool, that's not a job. I've always said. You've been with MEA since twenty fourteen. Talk about how you got connected with the MAA and what other things you've done you've been associated with the magazine. I know you you're you're very active at the conferences and shows, the knowledge fest they call them knowledge fust shows. Talk about your growing responsibilities and how you got to be managing editor. Yeah. So I was freelancing the year that I started, and I was a member of the Editorial Freelancers Association, and someone who was writing for Mobile Electronics Magazine at the time was leaving a position, and so I applied and I got the job. I think in when I was initially interviewed my automotive background helped, I think a little bit. I'm sure well that in your qualifications and your skill sets. So you started out, what did were your responsibilities managing editor from the get go?

17:04 No, I can't remember what year I took that. It was actually at the beginning of COVID. I wasn't managing editor until something like that. Yeah, So, but before that, I was twenty or so something like that. Yeah. Yeah, Before that I was pretty much editing and writing here and there, mostly our retail news section, which is a smaller section. So then I started taking on more responsibility. So what skills I think everybody probably understands proofreading, But what skills does an editor need to have? Well? A lot, I mean that's yeah. So I think big picture, when you're working with somebody else's work, you have to be able to help them refine it without changing their voice, which is really important. I guess that's really to me. I think the key thing how do you and specifically so maybe we can give advice to others that might be wanting to go down that road. How did you start to make a living at writing?

18:14 You know, even though it may not have been full time, How did you start to well, first, when did you realize and how did you realize you wanted to make a living out of writing and being in the editorial world. What was your first entry into that. Well, I knew I wanted to do it from the time I was little, and I told my mother when I was a little kid that I wanted to stay in bed and write all day when I grew up. So, Yeague, if you can get it, Yeah, and honestly, I can do that now if I want so. But beyond that, it was just a matter of doing research and putting myself around in the right circumstances, and then joining the Editorial Freelancers Association, which is a very good organization for anybody who wants to edit, proofread, copyright goes right, or writing of any kind freelance work. That's a good place to start. So you've written a lot, You've written poems, You've written a couple of novels. I know. One of those novels is Meet Me in the Garden. Tell us about that. That was twenty fifteen. Yeah, that was like a I guess I write kind of outside of genre, so it's been it's been called a sort of paranormal thriller.

19:30 It's been called a paranormal romance, but it was set in Palm Beach County, so so it's a Florida novel, okay. And that's that was published to Limitless Publishing. Is that available? Yes? It is. Yeah, it's on Amazon. All of my in the Garden Okay. Cool? And talk about a couple of other books, or as many as you like. We have plenty of time. Well, I think the one I'm most proud of is the Florida history book, which is called Village of North Palm Beach a History, and it is a niche, you know, northern Palm Beach County. But I really enjoyed doing all the interviews for that book and compiling everything and talking to people hearing their stories, which is what I do with the magazine too. I get to tell people and hear their stories, which is what I really love about this kind of work. Let's see what advice would you have for other authors. There's probably a lot you could say here, take your time who want to write either business fiction nonfiction. You know, maybe there's specific genre advice, maybe there's not. I don't know.

20:44 My biggest piece of advice is go and be around people who know more than you do, which can be hard because, especially with the Internet and everything, we can feel first we can feel isolated and not really realize that. Then we can think maybe we've found a community online, but really mean nothing beats going and finding a solid community. And I will always recommend that writers try to find a writer's conference. There are a lot of them, and many of them offer financial aid. So what really helped me was Writers in Paradise at Eckerd College in Saint Petersburg. That was such a phenomenal one week program with like workshops and craft talks, and at places like that you meet lifelong friends who are willing to look at your writing, and then you go back and forth and then you always have that support, which is really really important. No, this is not where you go and say I got the script idea. No, yeah, you have to. The biggest thing about wanting to improve your craft is that you have to and I think this goes for almost anything. You have to be willing to see your mistakes and take constructive criticism because that's how we grow. I think in anything that's excellent advice.

22:07 So you're the recipient of the twenty twenty twenty three Christopher F. Kelly Award for Poetry, sponsored by the Academy of American Poets. How did did you submit for that? Talk about the process, and then we'll talk about the poem. Yes, congratulations, by the way, thank you. Yeah, that is a university prize. I believe it's it's open to many different schools across the country. So I won for Florida International University. And every year I submit, And the process is you never know because contests there's a final judge and they're they're they they're reading for what they enjoy. So if I learned, because I used to take it more personally, but I learned, if I get rejected from a contest, it doesn't mean my work is baad. It just means that judge didn't necessarily connect with the peace. That's really good. Yeah, all right, I have this somewhere. Oh did I not pull it up? Hold on compelling radio? You're in TV when you can't find them? Oh? There it is? Okay, So this is villainel at thirty seven, and I'm going to do my best to read it. All right. I missed the womb of that magic house, walking its gardens, a lush labyrinth of green, always here in a dream, running my hands along warm wooden walls, memorizing moments, abiding ancestors who call

23:41 long distance from the in between. I yearn for the fruit. I can still taste the gooseberries growing down by the fence, smelling the Forcythia Queen Anne's lace the pine. When I press my nose to the trees. I missed the womb of that magic house, walking its gardens, a lush labyrinth of green. Then up to the up the path to your porch. Please say I can stay. I hear you, grandmother, your laughter like daffodils in bloom. Every year older, I linger held fast to our home, memorizing moments, abiding ancestors who call long distance from the in between. It's been so long since I walked through the door, saw the plants hanging from them from the macroma cords. Remember afternoon light shows, Remember afternoon light shows from chandelier beads. I missed the womb of that magic house, walking its garden, a lush labyrinth of green. In dreams, I yearn for the path under my feet. You smile like morning glories before your death as you ask what's next. My fingers pressed gently against your palm, memorizing moments, abiding ancestors who call long distance from the in between. You felt a pain in your ribs, an empty ache, a hunger for summer, for sacred space.

24:52 When it came to age, you'd forgotten yours, your essence. Gazing out a bright bay window, I missed the womb of that magic house, walking its garden, a lush labyrinth of green, memorizing moments, abiding ancestors who call long distance from the in between. Wow, nice job. So tell us about that. Well, my grandmother was really special to me. We were very close, and she died in twenty twenty one, so she was ninety six. Wow. Yeahty six. And what inspired you is maybe an obvious answer, maybe not so obvious. What inspired you to write it?

25:33 And who were you writing for? Who? That's a good question, and it's actually a question we often ask in poetry classes because, to be honest, sometimes we know that the people who are reading our poems are other poets. But primarily in the beginning, I wrote it for myself. But we often find that in poetry, even when we write something deeply personal, it connects someone else can connect with it because we all share so many similar experiences. Yeah, I did connect with it. That's why I wanted to read it. And I forgive me for not doing as good a job as as a professional reader. But you did beautifully. Thank you. That's been published in Sentienced Literary Literary Journal, right yep, and then you submitted it for the prize and one awesome. What are some other poems that you've run and what written? Excuse me and what inspired you to write them? Well, a lot of it is grief related, and my automotive poems are especially related to that. And I find talking about for some reason, talking about automotive parts and working on cars. For me, it was a good avenue to talk about more delicate subjects. So I do have another poem that was called take this Transmission instance, and I read some comments or reviewers comments on

27:06 those it was they were they were really good. Thank you. Yeah, that was about my father. But I use this transmission, this old dusty transmission that I that was found in his shed after he died, as a way of talking about the grief experience. So I'd like you to read that one after the break, if you wouldn't mind doing that, Okay, So, but I wanted to talk about a couple of things before we got there, And this is just a fun one. You enjoy collecting and working on antique and vintage typewriters, And on your website there's some images and you describe some of the work you do there. It just sounds like a fun endeavor. How'd you get into that? And and uh, maybe talk about one or two of the more fun projects. Well, I've always been around typewriters.

27:49 My mother had one and I learned to type on one. So it probably helps that we didn't have a whole lot of money growing up because we couldn't afford a compute right away. So I and then growing up, I just you know, I remember we had a green screen word processor one time. And then when it came time for me to have to go buy a computer, I walked into a Best Buy and I was just like, you know, there are all these signs that said gaming, go on this, do that, and I thought, I just want one that has a word processor. So for me, it's I'm attracted by the simplicity of it, and I find that there are other people who are as well. So if I find a machine that I can refurbish, and if it finds a good home and someone appreciates it. That's cool. So you ended up selling those Yeah, I've sold a couple, but it's still a growing process. That's cool. That's cool. All right, we're going to take our final break right here. I want you to read that transmission poem if you would.

28:55 When we came back, we will be right back with Rosa Sophia. You're listening to Winning Business Radio with Kevin Helene on W four CY Radio. That's W four cy dot com. Don't go away. More helpful information is coming right up right here on Winning Business Radio. The yp dot com website is your local search engine. If you're looking for a good restaurant, it can help you find the right one nearby with ratings and reviews. Or if your car breaks down, you can use the YP app to find the closest repair shop. Or maybe you're just looking for something to do on a Friday night. While it has great local coupons for all sorts of things in your area, no matter what, when or where. If you're looking for something, YP local search can help you find it. So go to YP dot com or download the app to search local, find local, and save local and now back to winning business radio with Kevin Helene, presenting exciting topics and expert guests with one goal in mind to help you succeed in business. Here once again, it's Kevin helenet. We are back with Rossa Sophia, Managing editor of Mobile Electronics Magazine, part of the Mobile Electronics Association Rose. It's fund having this conversation. Share with us the poem, give us the title and go ahead, all right, sure it's called Take this transmission for instance,

30:30 I have no vehicle for this T eighteen four speed transmission Dana Model three hundred transfer case. This transmission sat in my father's shed after his four wheeler crushed him in the Pennsylvania woods, sat in the dark after helicopter carried him off the mountain, waited in silence as my father felt comatose. This transmission ignored by my stepmother as she sold and gave away my father's tool. Couldn't be compelled when my family pulled the plug, couldn't be reconciled when I never flew to his funeral, left in his shed for eight additional years. Now, it doesn't fit anywhere. This transmission collecting dust after he died, couldn't be lifted in the rainstorm by my brother. Mark in the mud two handed couldn't be budged by thought, ingenuity, or reason. Two hundred and forty pounds of cast iron needed. My cousin barry chains a trailer. This transmission came to me with loosened bolts, dirt inside. After my cousin inspected it closely, put it in neutral, gave me advice I can't remember on shifting gears, and together we stabbed a perfect circle in my new car's rear fender.

31:48 This transmission hung from a thick chain like a locket, A reminder, a note as if to say, this doesn't fit anywhere. Driven to twelve hundred miles to Florida in the back of my new car, this transmission now dangles in my garage, where I twirl it like a locket. After I dragged it from the trunk of my new car, crashed it into my knee and scraped my skin, slammed my wrist. The next day, it's swollen and gray, arm, scraped, elbow bruised, dragged the hulking metal on the fender, added marks to my perfect circle. Extra dings, A reminder, a note as if to say, take this transmission for instance. Now it doesn't fit anywhere. Wow, I wish I could give you a better round of claws than just me. That was outstanding. Thank you sounds deeply personal.

32:47 It sounds like you're talking about grief and loss. But it was probably really beneficial to write now. Oh yeah, absolutely, And I'll ask this again. I think I know this answer, But who was that written for? I think one can relate to it if they've lost someone. And that's what I found initially when I started writing these poems. I thought people aren't going to understand this, that they don't understand cars. But but what I discovered actually is that as long as the emotion was there, it came through. And some of my readers told me they didn't really have to understand what some of the car parts were. They could they could relate to it anyway.

33:35 Agreed, totally agreed. That was beautiful, Really was thank you. So there's this character named Torque. Ah who's that let's talk about you? Tell me, let's talk about tork Who's talk That's me? So the way you describe Torque on your website is an alter ego. Yes, somewhat, I don't know that I forget the words you used somewhat Smith, there's some q uh so where did talk? Uh? What's the genesis of Torque? And tell us about her? Well, when I first went to automotive school, I had a really good buddy. He's actually my mom's age. His name is Steve Higgins and uh, shout out to Steve, Yeah, shout out. I'll have to send this to him. But yeah, So he he's like a father to me. And my father had had his accident kind of around the time we met. So he went with me to orientation.

34:36 He went with me to the school when I enrolled, and he said to me, Uh, Rosie, you can't go in there without a nickname. You gotta have a nickname. So so he called me torqu and I adopted it. And Torque has a website, yes, which is what ww dot Torque's garage dot com. That's all one word awesome, so one if you put that in the crawl, people might want to visit that. Uh. And there there's a reference to take you back to backwords. Let's see what is it backwards wo r ds? What's your other site? That is a blog site that I have that I don't it's I keep it up there, but I have not written a blog in a while. Okay, I just got a very real kick out of the the what you turn on the word backwards? Right? Yeah? But writer, that's it. So Torqu's garage, you'll see some of uh Rosa's work. You'll you'll get her background.

35:37 The other website that people should be aware of is dash mag that's the magazine that Rosa is the managing editor of. Uh. If you are interested in the twelve vault industry or just to see her work, check that out. That's me eh m a g dot com. That's easy. And I always like to ask people, we're going to spend some time here, what do you do when you're not working? We call it the back of the business card, right the front of the business card, says managing editor. The back of the business card. You're involved in a lot of things, or you were. I think you're still involved, but you were on the board. Whether you were or are not as important as the work. Seminole Wars Foundation. Tell the audiences, the listening and viewing audiences about that foundation.

36:28 Yeah. So I'm actually the president now, and what we do is we educate. We do educational outreach and we publish scholarly materials on the Seminole Wars in Florida. And it's important because unfortunately it's not taught as much in schools and it was a really big conflict in the US. So it's an important part of American history and if you want to learn more about it, you can go to Seminole Wars dot U, s Seminoles s C M I N Oil Wars dot US in a in a you know, in one or two minutes. I know that is going to do it disservice, But just to create some interest. Why is it important and what should people what? What would you want people to know about that that period in US history in Florida.

37:22 Well, I think the most important thing is that it I have a friend, a historian who is book. He compared to the Vietnam War because it was at the time very unpopular. Much of the United States military, all the branches were fighting in Florida against the Seminoles. It was also the it was where the trail of tears really started, okay, which is really important to know. And so the Seminoles were pushed out and tried they tried to send them to the Oklahoma territory. The other important thing is that it was mainly due to slavery. Escaped slaves were fleeing into Florida, and when Spain was in control, they would allow them to come and live free.

38:20 I think it was, and I'm not I can't remember exactly, but I'm pretty sure it was. If they served, they're military, they could be free. And then of course they were intermarrying with the seminoles. So when the United States government wanted to get their slaves back, that was when they went to Florida. And there's there's quote, there's quoted material that backs that up. I just think it's kind of interesting that before that they they had no interest because they said, it's just a swamp, and we don't it's gross, we don't want to go down there, And now everybody lives here dirty. You also volunteer with the I'm going to try this locks of Hatchie Battlefield Preservation. I used to. Yes, that's another small organization. I don't volunteer with them anymore, but the Seminal Wars Foundation does support all of those organizations. So any any nonprofit in the state of Florida that does reenactments or seminal wars history. We support that, so we do. We do work with them quite a bit. Let's see, Oh, what is it.

39:24 So you were the archivist. What does an archivist do? Yeah, so it's just basically keeping records. I did that when when I worked at the North Palm Beach Library. That was how I wound up getting involved in Florida history. I was the village historian for the town of North Palm Beach and what I was doing was putting their archives online so that they were easily accessible. So it's it's record keeping all kinds of different records outside of books and photos. It seems to me it takes a passion, it takes a certain person to do that. You've got to have a desire to preserve that information, right, definitely, definitely. And You've worked with a couple of different libraries, North Palm Beach as well as Martin County YEP Martin County Library System, and then I volunteered for the or Vigsburg Public Library in Pennsylvania.

40:20 Oh cool, cool, all right, I wanted you to You mentioned your your disease. I think it's a disease, yes, that you're battling since you were young trigeminal neuralgia. Tell people what that is. When they go online, they're going to see some images of you. And I see you, you know, when I see you three or four times a year, I see you with like a a wrap around your hair head scarf. So tell us about that disease, what it is, how you've you know, I'm not trying to make this terrible thing. I want people to be aware of it, and yet you've been able to accomplish in spite of it, quite frankly, because it's debilitating, talk about it. Yeah, So what it is is there's a compression in on my trigeminal nerve in my brain that sends pain signals to my face. And the nerve comes up like this on three branches. And when I was younger, it only went into my forehead, but since then it's graduated and I had it my whole life, but I wasn't diagnosed thil I was twenty seven. Well, and then once I figured out that scarves helped, I started covering my head because it definitely any breeze or wind or anything touching my face can cause pain. Long air, yes, and yeah, and Honestly, when I get really bad pain attacks, I can feel all of my hair like I can I have pain in the individual hairs. It's very strange. So, yeah, most people want

41:55 to keep their hair. Maybe you're really you know, when you're in that, you sort of wonder it would it be better if I didn't have any. And it's not as uncommon as it sounds. I mean probably nobody's or very few people, especially in this audience. I've heard that heard of that ailment, but it's not as uncommon as one would think. Right, that's right, And I think a lot of times it's probably misdiagnosed because it's hard. For one thing, it's hard to communicate when you're in that much pain, and so and I mean initially they to do with me, so it took a little bit to get the diagnosis. Yeah, my face hurts, my hair hurts. Well, that's you know who, Yeah, takes it seriously. Right, Is there a way that people could, you know, if they're if they're even one or two or three or four that are so inclined to help. Is there a place to give fifty bucks, five bucks, whatever it might be. Yes, I highly recommend checking out the I think it's called the Facial Pain Association. I believe they're based in Gainesville, flower To and they do research into this. There's not a lot of research being done, but they're doing it, so it's really great. Cool.

43:08 All right, just a few more questions. What's in the future for you? So you're gonna get your MFA, what do you want to do? I want to keep doing what I'm doing. I love my job, so which sometimes surprises people because I know they think generally if you're getting a degree, that you're going to have some other thing to do. I might simply expand maybe do writers residencies where I might you know, teach a class or something, or maybe do readings. Poetry readings I do have. I will be a featured poet next year in Saint Augustine. They're having the Saint Augustine Poet Poet Fest is having a special event, so I'm going to be a featured poet November of twenty twenty four. So I'd love to do more stuff, but I do love my job, so I'm happy where I am.

44:08 That's so who in the listening and viewing audiences should reach out to you? And why? Well, I don't know if any of this interests you, you want to talk about writing or if I'm always happy to help anyone who's interested in learning more about writing, editing or anything like that. And obviously Chris and Richard would give us a hard time if we didn't say. And if you're hearing this and you're in the twelve old industry and not a member of MAA game on you, you're missing a lot. And if you don't attend knowledge vests on a regular basis, you're missing a lot. Yeah, Mobile Mobile Dash Electronics dot Com. Yeah, And I will add to that too that I love going to the Knowledge Fest show is because everybody I meet loves their job just as much as I do. And it's really fulfilling to be in an environment where people are liking what they do, almost to the point that you sometimes forget your working, which is fabulous. And also, if anyone in the audience is in the mobile electronics industry, I'm always looking for content for the magazine, So please reach out Awesome and Roses contact information we'll come across across the scroll one more time, I'm sure as the best way to reach out, And just so you can hear some of this inside stuff audiences. You know, I've known Rosa for a number of years through

45:40 what are called knowledge fest. Those are the shows that are that happened four times a year. I've been a speaker on sales content for a number of years and that's where I've gotten to know those folks and Rose in particular. So listen. Thank you so much for being here. I know you're busy. It's been really great having here. Thanks for taking the time. Thank you. This has been a lot of fun cool. I'm glad and thanks everybody for watching and listening. This is a show about business, and particularly this was a creative about a creative business perhaps and sometimes business challenges. If you've got concerns, perhaps about the growth of your company, feel free to reach out to me on Facebook or LinkedIn at Winning Business Radio or drop me a note. One of my many email addresses is Kevin at Winning Businessradio dot com. Our company is Winning Incorporated. We're part of Sandler Training. We always say we developed sales teams into high achievers and sales leaders into true coaches and mentors. Hey we're not right for everybody, but maybe we should have a conversation. Thank you to our producer and engineer one thank you one for another job well done. Be sure to join us next week, that's Monday, October sixteenth. We'll do it all over again. Until then, this is Kevin helen In. You've been listening to Winning Business Radio with your host, Kevin Helenan. If you missed any part of this episode, the post is available on Talk for Podcasting and iHeartRadio. For more information and questions, go to Winning Business Radio dot com or check us out on social media.

47:09 Tune in again next week and every Monday at four pm Eastern Time to listen live to Winning Business Radio on W four CY Radio W four cy dot com. Until then, let's succeed where others have failed and win in business with Kevin Haleanan and Winning Business Radio