Hello again; I'm writing this while many of my fellow Texans are having it much worse than I am. While we are still drinking bottled water, we do have electricity, plenty of food, and a plumber working to repair our plumbing. We are on a well, so we will have running water again as soon as the pipes in our shower have been repaired. But I do feel a little guilty to actually be working on my website, blog, or podcast at a time like this. I hope my friends and followers realize that I'm sharing this as a way of encouraging and inspiring others even while things are difficult here in Houston. Today, I'm writing about my first Industry talk on Nepris Learning Platform. Here is a bit about Nepris. Nepris connects educators and learners with a network of industry professionals, virtually, bringing real-world relevance and career exposure to all students. Nepris also provides a skills-based volunteering platform for organizations to extend education outreach, and build their brand among the future workforce. I first learned about them about two years ago. And I gave my first talk on the platform in September of 2019. You can read more about that experience and watch a video of my presentation by going to the post titled: The Blind Blogger Sharing with Special Needs School Kids. I booked the time for this talk before finding out for sure that I would be able to attend the Independent Podcasters Conference in Atlantic City hosted by my good friend Super Joe Pardo. So, I ended up giving my Nepris talk in the morning, and speaking to the attendees at IndiePodCon that afternoon. I remember being more nervous about talking to the school kids than I was about my upcoming talk to a much larger crowd at the conference. And no offense to Joe or those gathered there, I felt more satisfied from speaking with those school kids. Recently, I began a much closer relationship with the people at Nepris. Becoming a Partner, giving a talk to the Texas School for the Blind over their platform, and helping to spread the word about Nepris especially among institutions serving the blind or others with disabilities. As part of that they encouraged me to offer an industry talk. That is where you announce that you will be giving a talk on a given subject and classrooms all over the country can sign up to watch live. I took part in a brain storming session, and it was determined that I should give a talk on what else but interdependence? We scheduled the talk and agreed I would speak on the power of building a community and how asking for help and accepting help when offered can help you achieve your goals more quickly and with more joy. The day finally arrived, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I was nervous. While I generally prefer not to know the size of my audience, I was informed that fifteen classrooms had signed up in advance. And when you watch the video or listen to the audio; you will hear me sing before my talk starts in earnest. I mentioned to the lady helping me with the technical aspects of the talk that I usually relax by singing while I wait to go live. I said I probably couldn't do that. She said why not, so I got to share the second verse of the River by Garth Brooks. I hope you enjoy my talk. I think I did a great job. The kids had some great questions. I got the opportunity to mention my books, their titles, descriptions, and where people could buy them. And it felt good sharing my important message about interdependence with these you...

Hello again; I’m trying to write a post that will share my own accomplishments in a way that will help you achieve those goals that have alluded you. This isn’t easy because for so many years I have been one of those people who believes that waiting for a specific day is not the answer. I’ve talked with podcast hosts about how I’d rather work throughout the year to have something to celebrate than to wait until the ball drops to start that new journey. I’ve written often about taking action today instead of waiting until tomorrow, next week, next month, or that mythical day of someday that never comes. And I firmly believe that the only perfect time is the time we feel in our hearts and minds. So, writing this time of year my goal is to try to share something that will help you keep going when you hit that wall that most people run into about the third week of January. Maybe sharing my journey concerning how I feel about my voice and my singing ability might be the best way to share my thoughts. In 2015 I wrote a post called Why I Sing, and How I Can Help You Free the Song in Your Own Heart. I chronicled how I overcame the fear of singing in public out of the necessity to have an intro for videos I was recording for my amusement equipment brokering site www.midwaymarketplace.com I talked about how people had made fun of me as my voice was changing in junior high school.. And that those feelings were aggravated by the loss of confidence from also losing a big chunk of my vision at about the same time. And how the more I sang the more people that were impressed by my singing and the more who asked me to sing even more. That lead to recording myself singing full-length songs and posting them to youtube. Then in April of 2017 I was invited to take part in a family night at my church. The rehearsals didn’t go well, and I thought about saying no. But we finally found three others for me to sing with, and we did a credible job of I wonder Why. You can read more about that experience and watch the video by reading What I Learned From a Successful Church Talent Show Appearance. In spite of a problem with some microphones that disappeared and then reappeared half-way through our song it was a great night. And it probably gave me the confidence to want to sing more. Later that spring I traveled to Philadelphia to give my first public talk at an event called Dreamcon. After the event was over I was emboldened to ask if I could sing in front of the event banner. The other speakers were taking selfies and group photos and I thought what the heck. I was overcome with emotion while doing that. And one of the other speakers, Azuka Zuke, was so impressed that he challenged me to make singing part of all my future public speaking events. If you want to hear more about that experience or watch the video, then you can read The Blind Blogger Is Profoundly Effected By Singing the River at End of Dreamcon. Later on during that first speaking adventure I would also sing at Niagara Falls and record some sample versions of a future talk titled Music and Motivation. Music and Motivation is one of those crazy ideas that became a reality in 2020. The idea is that I would sing some songs, tell some stories, and teach some life lessons. You can watch the full presentation here. Or listen to it on one of the podcast players listed below. The first virtual presentation went well, but we did learn some valuable lessons. We heard from the audience that online talks should be shorter. So,

Hello again; I'm back with another great interview from The What's Your Excuse? Show. This time I'm speaking with Kalari Girtley a wife, mother, writer, author, beep baseball champ, and much more who happens to be blind. And if that isn't enough for you, then you should know that her husband is also blind. Yes two visually impaired parents raising three sighted active kids in South Chicago, Illinois. We talked about all aspects of life. How she lost her vision, how she met her husband, how they manage kids, how they manage household chores, and yes how are they dealing with corona. I loved her sense of humor and zest for life. And I was impressed with the big lesson her dad taught her once the family knew she was losing her vision. She and her family are the true embodiment of the What's Your Excuse approach to life. And I hope you will take the time to watch or listen. Because even I felt inspired after this talk. Please Visit My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com Chip is "The Expert" on voice branding to grow and protect your brand on Alexa, Google, and their related apps. He is the reason You can find my blog and podcast on those platforms. I trust him, and can highly recommend him. Most importantly if you aren't on these platforms, then literally millions of people don't know you exist. Not having a place on Alexa and Google is no longer an option. And Chip will help you reach these growing new audiences. I hope you will also consider purchasing one of my inspirational motivational books. You can check them out, read a little bit of one, and then buy it from My Amazon Author's Page. About Kalari She is a Chicago-based, 36-year-old mother of three, whose husband is also blind. She is also an ESPY-winning Beep Baseball champion (baseball for people who are visually impaired) She works at The Chicago Lighthouse, a service organization that supports those who are blind or visually impaired, as well as veterans. Contacting Kalari Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirtleyKalari Website: www.chicagolighthouse.org I was truly blessed to get to spend this time with Kalari. We laughed, and she showed me and anyone who watches or listens that there is a way if you choose to find it. Kalari's passion about her family, beep baseball, writing, having meaningful work, and so much more are great reminders. And when I say that I include myself. Sharing Is Caring I have often told you that the best way to say thank you is to put feet on the ground, butts in the seats, or faces behind the screens. Please help me say thank you by sharing this post or the direct link to the video or audio with your friends, family members, coworkers, and social media networks. People need to hear messages of hope like this especially now. So, please help me. I also want to thank you in advance for continuing to support me by watching or listening to my work. I was recently asked what my top motivation is for continuing to show up and do the work. My answer was and still is that I feel a sense of obligation to you. Since finding out the power I have to inspire others I felt a responsibility to continue working hard because I just don't want to let you down. I look forward to your comments or to your emails if you prefer privacy. Until next time take care out there, Max

Hello Again; I am honored to be able to share a truly inspirational story with you on this episode of The What’s Your Excuse? Show. I am blessed to be joined by Aimee Eddy Gross. She has overcome so much in her lifetime. And she has come through her trials without losing her joy. Yes, like most of us, she still has a long way to go. That’s why I decided to sing Buckaroo in the beginning of the show instead of the River like I usually do. She will still have bad days and dark times, but she doesn’t let that keep her from enjoying the moment and seeing an even better future for herself and people suffering through similar trials. I must admit that by the end of this show I was both inspired and worn out. Hearing Aimee tell her story made me feel like I have had it pretty easy in my life. So, I hope you listen to it all the way through. We talked about her being bullied in elementary school, high school, and even into college. We talked about how she survived by escaping to the family garage. She shared about her struggles with mental illness and finding a great doctor who helped her balance her prescriptions and manage her mental illness. And she shared about having contracted breast cancer and how she delt with that. At a time in her life when she thought she had things under control here comes cancer. I know I ask y’all to share every one of my interviews. And while I don’t like to play favorites, this one is important. If you have never shared an interview before or even listened all the way to the end; then please listen and share Aimee’s conversation with me. Please visit my sponsor Chip Edwards at Create My Voice. He is "The Expert" on voice branding by leveraging the growing audiences on Alexa, Google, etc. Because of him I now understand the importance of claiming my invocation name. That's the name or string of words people will use to ask for your content. Chip will help you create a total voice branding strategy that will help you to grow and protect your brand. He's the reason people can find my podcast by asking Google or Alexa for What's Your Excuse. I hope you will visit his site and use the contact form to schedule a call to learn more. About Aimee She is an insightful overcomer who advocates for other strugglers. After conquering mental illness, bullying, cancer, and more, she has the life experience to encourage others. She serves as assistant to the director for the National Youth Internet Safety and Cyberbullying Task Force. Aimee loves to woodburn, write, and spend time with her family. Message From Aimee I’d like to take you out of darkness and point you towards the light: the light of change, the light of recovery and the light of rising above. There is no room for defeat or giving up on this journey. Only fighters can move forward. Are you a fighter? Will you fight to rise above bullying, reach recovery from mental illness and face life’s challenges head on? Bullying happens every day in our schools and online. It is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Many children fall into depression and other mental illnesses. Some go as far as committing suicide. The effect of bullying reaches into adulthood leaving them with wounds that take years to heal. Those who are bullied also struggle with self-esteem and other psychological issues. It takes years of therapy and hard work to heal those wounds. Are you willing to fight past the pain to find the light? Are you one of those who are struggling to face another day of school?

Hello again; This week we are going to start off your Monday with an amazingly inspirational interview on The What's Your Excuse? Show. Craig Lewis was rescued from his mental illness. In fact, thanks to his parents, he was forced to take psychotropic drugs for years. And he had to deal with the physical, mental, and emotional effects of being misdiagnosed. Eventually, two brave young doctors would recognize his situation and would fight for his freedom from the drugs and from being controlled by others. Since then, he has truly lived the What's Your Excuse lifestyle. He has written two books about his experiences and the lessons people can learn from them. Better Days being his first. You can buy it at the link above. He has created a life-changing workshop, which he has delivered all over the world. In fact, he has traveled to over forty countries so far. I'm not going to spoil it, but let's just say that he is now my travel hero, living the "why wait for things to be perfect" approach to life and travel. Just one other thing about Craig before we get to the show. When we met and discussed having him on the show, he didn't have a website. He still didn't by the time we recorded. He has one now. But for all those people waiting for their website to be perfect, they should take yet another lesson from Craig. Now, on to the show! book cover for my fourth book titled THE BLIND BLOGGER'S FIRST SPEAKING AND SIGNING ADVENTURES My fourth self-help book and the second in my fearless travel series is now available on Amazon. You can buy your copy here. And I hope you will visit my sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com While they don't figure in this book, their support has allowed me to continue to travel to events. They have even helped me book my travel plans. You will get to know them a lot better in my next book. For now, just know that Chip is "The Expert" on voice branding through Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. He can make the case that being on these platforms is no longer desired but is now an absolute necessity. This is because the search engines are pushing people to find and consume their content through these wireless voice speakers and their related smart-Phone apps. And your invocation name is critical to your future success. You have to claim it, protect it, and use it to grow your brand. With millions of people getting their content by saying, "Alexa, play Create My Voice" or Google Talk to Create My Voice, can you really afford not to be on these platforms? About Craig Well, I told you Craig started sharing his story before he had a site.I'm still working on an actual bio for him. But in the meantime, you can learn all you need to know about him and reach out to him by going to www.punksinrecovery.com. I do hope you have enjoyed this interview. I feel that Craig taught me so much. I also know that he reaffirmed some of the things I have believed about myself and used on my own journey. He did invite me to visit him in Mexico, once Corona is behind us. I'm looking forward to that. And if you learned something today, then please say thanks by sharing the link to this post or the link directly to our conversation. Perhaps Craig is the perfect person to coach you or put on a workshop for your group. Perhaps you know people struggling with mental illness or fighting against the medical profession that he could help. Lets spread the word about Craig, his story, and his message. Until next time thanks and take care out there, Max

Hello; I'm posting this latest interview while doing interviews myself today. I will provide more information about Win, the interview, her links, and my sponsor as the day goes along. For now I wanted you to have the opportunity to listen to this inspiring interview as soon as possible. I hope you enjoy it. Thanks, Max

Hello again; I know it's been a while, and I know you have heard me say that before. :) This time my disappearance was caused by my needing to focus on completing my next book. It's about my first book signing and public speaking trip that took place in 2017. Today, I am back with another excuse busting interview with my amazing friend Staci Greenberg. I met her at Joe Pardo's podcasting conference about a year and a half ago. She helped me navigate the venue, she sat with me during some of the talks, and she was part of the effort that lead to my getting my suitcase back from Amtrak. Yes, she was one of the ones behind the Free Max's Bag campaign on twitter that eventually resulted in their not only returning my suitcase but delivering it to the hotel in opposition to Amtrak's stated policy. She has had so many obstacles thrown in her path, and she has had to overcome many setbacks. Yet, she continues to move forward with a toughness and brutal honesty. I find her attitude personally inspiring. She has succeeded as an interior designer focusing on the hospitality industry. She has over thirty years dedicated to her field. She has raised two special needs kids to healthy accomplished adults as a single mother. And when economic circumstances required her to, she embraced the tiny houses approach and has even found a way to use her personal experiences to improve upon her work as a designer. Please Support My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards from www.createmyvoice.com are responsible for making my blog and podcast discoverable on Alexa and Google. Chip has taught me the importance of claiming your invocation name or phrase on these wireless voice platforms. Your invocation is like a website URL. It is unique, and there are a limited amount of them. If someone claims yours first, then you will have to choose something else. It may not be as easy to say, as easy for people to remember, or the ideal representation of your brand. Worse yet someone else will control what content people receive when they ask Alexa or Google for your business. Even if you don't what your future will look like you should go ahead and protect your brand name. And Chip is the perfect one to do that for you. You can check out his content by saying: Alexa open Create My Voice. Or okay Google ask for Create My Voice. And if you are ready to learn more, you should visit his website and click on the contact link to schedule a time to talk with him. Our Conversation We talked about so many things. When I went back and listened to this recording, I was amazed just how much we covered. We talked about our friendship and how it allowed her to have the confidence to tell me my podcast video needed to be improved. We talked about being a designer, and how she got into the field of recreating hotels, motels, spas, etc And what unusual challenges she has faced. She shared with me about how even before Corona she was doing a lot of her work virtually. And how interior designers quite often work this way. We talked about how Corona was effecting her business and her family. Thankfully she and her kids are both doing well. It has put a dent in her work, but she is using the time to network virtually and speak at conferences that she wouldn't have normally due to their distance from her home and expense of traveling. We talked about her being a single mom. And she gave me some great stories about being a parent and having to advocate for her kids as we...

Hello Again; I'm always excited to share my latest interview with the amazing people who come on my show What's Your Excuse. It's extra special when my guest is someone like Sandy Rodgers. She has had me on her show twice. And we had long, in-depth, personal conversations. Like this one in May of 2016. The one thing that I love the most about Sandy, and the one thing that comes out powerfully throughout our entire conversation; is her wholehearted belief in being our most authentic selves in all things. She comes back to it time and time again, and not in that forced way that you sometimes get from people who are used to doing lots of interviews. She talks about it when discussing her childhood. How she played sports, dug in the dirt, and took a woodworking class instead of typing or home economics. She talks about it in her employment at a chipping company. How she had to get to know each of her coworkers, so she could deal with them authentically. Making allowances for their personal problems or for working together to solve problems with delivery. Taking control of her health and her body. Knowing what she takes into her system. And that includes foods as well as prescription medicines or herbal supplements. She talked about how the coronavirus is giving people opportunities to reconnect in ways we haven't experienced before. Especially for families who now see each other more often and get to spend more time together. She also mentioned people doing things like yoga where they come together either in person or online. Of course, keeping social distancing when meeting with neighbors. And I loved how she said that COVID is an opportunity to really focus on the foods we are putting into our bodies. She made this point by saying that in the stores she has visited the shelves aren't all empty. She pointed out that it's the processed foods that are being snapped up. She made the point that there is still plenty of fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables for those who can get past their stress and see them. Well, I don't want to give it all away. After listening to our conversation, I'm sure you will agree. If Sandy can do it, then what's my excuse. Please Visit My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com They will create a voice branding strategy for you that takes advantage of the voice platforms like Alexa and Google. Starting with helping you decide on and claim your invocation name. That's the name people use to ask for your content on these speakers and their related apps. Such as "Alexa open create My Voice." Or "Okay Google, ask for Create My Voice." These names or phrases are unique. There can be only one, and whoever claims it first gets to keep it. If someone else takes the name you use for your blog or podcast, then they control what content people will hear when they look for you. This could result in a loss of traffic, fewer potential customers, and damage to your brand's reputation. At the very least letting someone else grab your invocation name would mean having to choose another that is harder for people to say or that you just don't care for. So, please reach out to them right away. Use the contact form on their site to schedule an appointment to discuss this with them. And do it right away. Now On To The Show About Sandy Sandy Rodgers a Reverend, Author, Radio Personality, Film Producer, Life Coach, Reiki Master Teacher Practitioner, Master Gardener,

Hello again; This time I'm honored to be speaking with my good friend Chip Edwards on What's Your Excuse. Chip, is not only the expert on voice branding through wireless speakers. He's not only a talented public speaker teaching bloggers and podcasters across the country how to grow their brands on Alexa and Google. He's not only a wonderfully supportive friend, but he and his wife Pam are also sponsors of the show. Without their decision to invest in themselves and in me I wouldn't have had the funds to attend several national conferences over the last year. Without their financial support I would have missed those opportunities to share my story and inspire so many to take action in their lives. And I would have missed the opportunity to learn so much and to attract new clients. I've had the pleasure of learning about who he is, what he does, and why we all need to have a branding strategy. And you can find him by saying Alexa open Create My Voice. Or okay Google ask for Create My Voice. Or by visiting him at www.createmyvoice.com Click on his contact link and schedule a time to speak with him about leveraging Alexa and Google. We talked about his transition from being part of the creative projects team at a corporate work place to reluctant entrepreneur. How he always admired creative people but never had the courage before now to be that person who turns their ideas into a business. How he had trouble with public speaking until he decided to approach it as teaching instead of speaking. He's always loved teaching people things, so this made it much easier for him. We talked about deciding what is working and isn't working when it comes to growing a business or promoting a product or service. But mainly we talked about how much the future of our online lives will depend on receiving information by asking for it with our voice. And how if you aren't protecting your brand on these devices it will cost you dearly in the future. Because if you don't own your invocation, then someone else can and will control the content people receive when they ask for you on Alexa, Google, etc. An invocation is the voice equivalent of your url. They are unique, and once one is gone you have lost it forever. This is why with Chip's help I have claimed the invocations for The Blind Blogger and What's Your Excuse. I'm sharing all of this information from Chip because I don't want those aspiring entrepreneurs in the audience to be harmed by not knowing. And I'm sharing Chip's journey as a way of showing that it comes down to taking opportunities when they are in front of you. I hope that you will soon be saying if Chip can do it then what's my excuse. Now On To The Show About Chip Technologist and teacher, Chip helps influencers and business owners optimize their brand on Smart Speakers (like Amazon Alexa and Google Home). Similar to domain names on the Internet, voice devices need an Invocation Name to respond with your content. Does your brand have an Invocation Name yet? Chip is a partner at the firm Create My Voice and he can make Your Brand respond with Your Content. Connect With Chip Website: www.CreateMyVoice.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/cmv.chip.edwards Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/cedwards Twitter: www.twitter.

Hello again; This time on The What's Your Excuse? Show, I'm happy to introduce you to my new friend Regina Ozeryansky. I met her while attending Pod Fest Expo in Orlando. We got to know each other, and I knew I just had to have her on my show. Then I found out she is a friend of Orly Shamir. A blind chef I met at a conference in New Jersey last January. Orly is one of those people that comes into your life very rarely. And who attracts other great people to her. The old expression is true to me any friend of Orly's is a friend of mine. So, I was really looking forward to getting to spend more time with Regena and learn from her. She is a successful real estate broker and life coach trained in multiple disciplines. We talked about so many things. Including how she and her businesses are coping with the corona virus. And ho you can better handle the stress of being isolated while fearing the future. She explained that she calls her business Internal Peace Now because we have to feel a sense of urgency about finding our version of happiness. She was passionate about how we can't wait for even a few minutes. We have to take action now, the rest of today, tomorrow, and every day after that. She talked about how her life has been a long a winding road to get her to this point. And she agrees with me that we not only never get to an end point we aren't meant to. I loved some of the examples she used. :) And she shared her three step method for changing your life. Of course, this method has to be learned and then practiced one moment or experience at a time. She said what you do is: First, decide if you want to choose peace and joy or fear, anger, or hatred. Second let go of the past hurts. And third, is to take inspired action. This is a very simplified description of her approach, but I hope it's enough to make you want to know more about her and her methods. Including wanting to visit her website and listen to the whole interview. Please Visit My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards from www.createmyvoice.com provide the voice branding solution for The Blind Blogger and What's Your Excuse. On Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant your brand name is what they call an invocation name. And just like website addresses there are a limited number of available names. And whoever claims an invocation name first gets to keep it. This could result in people being directed to someone else's content when trying to connect with you. It could also mean your having to pick a name that you don't like or that is difficult for people to remember. The bottom line is you need to own and protect your brand on these wireless speaker platforms. If you haven't done it already, then please reach out to Chip and start the process of protecting your hard earned brand name. You can find him by saying. Alexa play Create My Voice. Google talk to Create My Voice. If you've been thinking about investing in your brand by advertising on a podcast, then I hope you will reach out to me. Besides being mentioned on the show, your company will also be mentioned in these blog posts, social media shares, and email newsletters. Now On To The Show About Regena As an international speaker, published author and recovering perfectionist, Regena specializes in teaching skills of World...