And now for something completely different: Podcast interview

My diverse interests and areas of expertise sometimes lead to unusual -- bordering on weird -- discussions. That's not always a bad thing. I tended bar for several years while a grad student. Both vocations, serving drunks and impressing professors, reward the ability to sustain roaming conversations.  Unkind people call it the art of bullshitting.

One such discussion happened the other day when I appeared on the World XP Podcast. World XP is a small, informal podcast that tackles a very broad range of topics, from sports to business to whatever. Eric Jennings, the host, initially invited me to speak about Middle East politics and history. He was just being logical because I've taught Middle East politics for over twenty years at my university and elsewhere. 

As we prepped for our chat, though, I informed Eric that my current energies are actually focused on a book about nature and Potomac Creek. I sent him links to some of my recent essays, too.  So after a substantial period of Q & A on the legacies of European colonialism, the rise of the modern Middle East, yadda yadda yadda, we abruptly shifted our discussion to how people relate to nature. It was quite a sea-change, but fun. And, in my mind at least, there are definite links between such disparate topics. 

Have a listen! It's a 90-minute long discussion, so you'll need to skip ahead to about minute 47 to hear the nature stuff. But you're welcome to hear my take on how the region got so messy, too.

And many thanks to Eric for letting me join his show.