Recently I was asked by one of my guests after we finished recording….

What was the inspiration behind creating the Edge of Everyday Podcast? Why did I feel called to the kinds of conversation I explore in each episode?

I appreciated her question and her curiosity.

Quite simply – I am captivated by paradox and I’m deeply committed to amplifying voices and stories, particularly those of women. What to say, how to say it, and why it matters is at the heart of everything I do, and everything I teach.

I decided right then to record an episode in which I shared the journey I’ve taken to The Edge of Everyday.

In this episode I share…

· Live recording of my song, Who’s To Say? written as an intention setting song, an opening invocation. Later you will hear about the show being structured as a ritual.

Lyrics: Sandra Bargman Music: Ian Herman

· Being called to seminary, and while there, having the inspiration to create my company, Sacred Stages, LLC, that synthesizes my performing background with my service leadership.

· Creating the “Caba-Ritual” – the background of The Edge of Everyday solo show – the impulse to create it, + structuring it as a ritual for a transformative experience.

· I said I would include a picture of my opening show outfit in the show notes but I’m unable to do so…check out the performance clips and pictures on my website, www.SandraBargman.com.

· The core message and concepts presented in the solo show. What are those concepts? Admitting complexities and exploring paradox. Being real. Truth-telling. Yes, truth can be ugly and raw, but the heartbreak of truth is a better experience than happiness from lies, fear, or delusion.

· “The truth will set you free, but first it will piss you off” – that marvelous quote by feminist Gloria Steinam, highlights the dual nature of truth: it can be both challenging and liberating.

· The decision to transition to doing a podcast during Covid.

· The live performance of Everyday People, by Sly Stone, with my “rap” spoken poetry, Lean In Edgy Ones, woven within.

· All this and much more. Thanks for listening.

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Hello listeners. This is a potent episode and I am so grateful to my guests.

We are #LIVEintheHIVE with Betsy Gaines Quammen, historian and award-winning author of American Zion + True West – and Tasha Adams, the ex-wife of Oath Keeper’s founder, Stewart Rhodes.

Betsy has previously been a guest on #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast in June of 2022 and in that episode, we talked about both of her powerful and increasingly relevant books and the significant need to have difficult conversations across polarizing political views and differing cultural perspectives. You can find that episode at TalkRadio.NYC and on my YouTube channel, Sandra Bargman on The Edge of Everyday.

Betsy brings wisdom + engaging storytelling to her important work, and in these increasingly turbulent times under a clearly authoritarian administration, I knew I needed to have her on the show again. When I reached out, Betsy suggested that I also ask her good friend, Tasha Adams, to join us. Tasha’s ex-husband, Stewart Rhodes, the founder of the right-wing militia, The Oath Keepers, had just been released from jail, having had his sentence of 18 years in prison for seditious conspiracy for his role in the Jan 6th insurrection commuted.

Tasha’s story is deeply moving, a life lived under the thumb of an abusive, manipulative man, and finding the courage to plan an escape for herself and her 6 children. I could only imagine how she must be feeling upon hearing the news of his release.

This episode is NOT about the Oath Keepers, or Tasha’s role in it. There are podcasts and interviews and two documentaries in which to explore that information.

This episode explores the relationship between open spaces and toxic masculinity.

“What I knew then and feel more deeply now is that open lands inspire open minds. This is the open space of democracy”. - Terry Tempest Williams in NYT

• Betsy and Tasha shared how they met while Betsy was researching the BUNDY family and publicly owned federal lands for her first book. It’s all documented in her book, American Zion: Cliven Bundy, God, and Public Lands in the West.
• Then researching Western mythologies that create TOXIC MASCULINITY. Researched in True West: Myth and Mending on the Far Side of America.
• The power of WOMEN friendships.
• The takeover of OPEN spaces of land out west and the open spaces of a closet – and of the mind – the complete MACRO + MICRO of toxic masculinity.
• Both women weigh on the abuse, vitriol and the TACTIC of DISORIENTATION for control by Toxic men.
• The very IMPORTANT exploration – that question that Tasha has received – that every trapped and abused woman has received – “WHY didn’t you leave?” Both Tasha and Betsy weigh in with extraordinary insight and information.
• “The tyranny over the weak” that toxic masculinity employs today.
• How is Tasha rebuilding and reclaiming today? She’s writing a MEMOIR!
• Betsy is working on a non-fiction book, DEAD RECKONING, that explores ancestral relations to haunted landscape, haunted houses and epigenetic trauma.
• All this - and much more.

Resources:

www.BetsyGainesQuammen.com @betsygainesquammen www.ThatGirlTasha.com @thatgirlTasha

https://www.nbc.com/king-of-the-apocalypse

@slim.vampire

#MaximizeU #TheEdgeofEveryday #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast

Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:

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With our anti-science, anti-intelligence, chaos and cruelty driven administration, it’s hard not to feel completely hopeless about the climate emergency.

Today we are #LIVEintheHIVE with Harriet Shugarman, a US based university professor, multi-award-winning author, writer, economist and climate policy advisor with many years of experience working on our climate emergency. www.ClimateMama.com

We are still reeling from the catastrophic floods in Texas, with a death toll presently at 111 and another 172 people found missing. The climate crisis played a significant role in this flooding, and thanks to this chaotic and incompetent administration, staffing shortages at the National Weather Service contributed to the severity of the flooding. Climate disaster meets climate denial.

According to research, 77% of the global population want their government to do whatever it takes to limit the effects of climate change.

Where are we in our efforts to meet the climate crisis? How can we prepare for the growing climate instability? And most importantly, how do we hold onto hope?

As Climate Mama Harriet Shugarman says, “Tell the truth, actions speak louder than words, and don't be afraid."

In this episode we touch on…

• In these challenging times, Harriet recommits to leading with empathy.
• Only 90 days in, there are devastating cuts to U.S. climate research by the Trump administration. How are we meeting these setbacks?
• Climate.gov has been completely erased from the internet. However scientists saved this information and you can find it here: https://screening-tools.com/abou
• This 30th United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP30), which will be held in Belém, Brazil, from November 10-21, 2025, is an important year marker during which countries must share and report on their climate contributions. We now have climate deniers in what the USA reports, so hopefully they will not be at the global table.
• How can we promote public awareness and engagement on climate change issues? Why are we so ineffective? The continued power of STORYTELLING. www.DearTomorrow.org | www.OurKidsClimate.org
• Climate grief and mental health. www.Ecopsychopedia.org
• What drives the global community to want their governments to take climate action? How can we be “good ancestors”?
• Her award-winning book, "How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate, Turning Angst into Action."
• More resources: www.InsideClimateNews.org | www.climatecommunication.yale.edu

Follow Micheal Mann + Katharine Hayhoe

www.artsandclimate.org

Full bio:

www.climatemama.com

@ClimateMama

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Today we are #LIVEintheHIVE with Karen Hinton, author of the bestselling book, Penis Politics: A Memoir of Women, Men, and Power – Karen was a guest on our show in January of 2023, for our episode entitled The Edge of Silence. What is the price of silence in Penis Politics? You can check out that phenomenal episode at TalkRadio.NYC or on my YouTube channel, Sandra Bargman on the Edge of Everyday.

Her book, Penis Politics, is a compelling coming-of-age memoir, set both in small-town Mississippi and big-city New York, with a long layover in the nation's capital.

The Kirkus review had this to say: “A timely, engaging political account about the consequences of saying nothing - and speaking up. Hinton’s prose is sharp and incisive. She is adept at setting a scene and bringing people to life on the page.”

And one of those people was Andrew Cuomo, whom she has known for over 20 years and for whom she has worked for 5 years.

Andrew Cuomo resigned as Governor of New York on August 24, 2021, amidst an overlapping cluster of ethics scandals, including accusations of sexual harassment and misconduct from 11 women.

Penis Politics was released in December of 2021. Today, June 23, 2025, Andrew Cuomo is running for Mayor of New York City.

This episode was recorded on the eve of the Mayoral primary, and, at that time, Cuomo was leading in first choice ballot polling, however, Zohran Mamdani, the virtual unknown, Democratic Socialist jumped to the lead in ranking polls.

In a shocking victory, Cuomo conceded to Mamdani in the NYC Democratic Primary. Will Cuomo run as an Independent in November? We'll see.

How has someone who resigned in scandal + shame able to lead in the polls? Why do we continue to choose misogynistic, scandal ridden men to be our political leaders?

What has become of the #MeToo movement? With all our patriarchal systems in place, with an adjudicated rapist in the highest office in the US, is it possible to uncouple sex and sexual abuse from power and politics?

In this episode, on the eve of the mayoral primary in New York City, Karen Hinton is uniquely qualified to explore these questions and to weigh in on why Andrew Cuomo is unfit to become the Mayor of NYC. Full bio

We touch on…

• The powerful story behind her decision to #SpeakUpNotShutUp and to write Penis Politics.
• What has happened to the #MeToo movement?
• The legal fees of Cuomo for 3 of his accusers are being paid for by NYS taxpayers – $19.4 million.
• She shares in her 2 op-eds – NY Daily News and on her Substack – the reasons why Cuomo is unfit for office. He doesn’t want to be Mayor; he wants to position himself for a presidential run.
• Trump and Cuomo would most likely align.
• Leveraging of donors vs care for the people. The immediacy of being Mayor is not his skill set.
• Weigh in on Zohran Mamdani and his ideas. Time for a new breed of Leaders. The Dem party must evolve.

Watch video: https://maximizeu.life/the-edge-of-everyday/

KarenHinton.com | Penis-Politics.com | @JKarenHinton LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/in/karenhinton/ | https://substack.com/@karenhinton

Connect with your host Sandra Bargman:

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An on-going series with Joanna Rush

Today we are #LiveintheHive with our special guest, actor, activist and playwright, Joanna Rush. Joanna and I share similar experiences in our career trajectories. Our first chapter was spent performing, in our 2nd chapter we added becoming a seminary trained and ordained Interfaith Minister, and in our 3rd act, we’ve layered on the roles of activist and political junkie, loudly sharing our own voice in our artistic expression.

I had Joanna on #TheEdgeofEverydayPodcast in April of 2024 for Episode 8: The Edge of Artistry, Aegism, and Activism, during which we talked about her most recent one woman show, No Malarkey!, directed by the late great Lynn Taylor-Corbett.

We recently decided to hold a series of conversations around the topic of how ARTISTS serve in challenging times. What is the role of the ARTIST and the need for the arts in the rise of authoritarianism?

Artists are facing censorship, funding cuts, and fear under DJTs second term - as political repression reshapes the cultural landscape. How are artists of all ages and genders showing up to move the needle forward and address the issues of today?

This is the foundational first of what we hope will be many conversations exploring the many tendrils of resistance and how, in these times of revolution, artists can serve in supporting the emerging narrative about culture, populism, social resentment and economic scarcity.

We touch on…

• Her show, No Malarkey! shifted during the campaign, when Biden passed the torch to VP Kamala Harris and ultimately, she set down the project, due to a confluence of issues.
• She is creating a unique celebration of life for Taylor – Corbet, which includes a portion of No Malarkey!
• Mining comedy in painful, dark times.
• Her dual citizenship – the beauty of Ireland vs the strife in the US.
• Came home from Ireland to perform a reading of Sinclair Lewis’ It Can’t Happen Here on October 27th, the exact date that #MAGA was gathering in Madison Square Garden, mimicking the NAZI gathering in MSG in 1939.
• The power of Tik Tok is another artist format in which to share your voice. She is creating a series of monologues for Tik Tok.
• We open the door on understanding how defunding The National Endowment of the Arts is affecting all Americans.
• Technocracy and the Tech bros – beginning to understand this vision for a new global order.
• The ability of AI to locate on-line resisters is causing fear and anxiety.
• Resource: www.ArtisticFreedomInitiative.com
• All this and so much more.

Full bio and information:

www.JoannaRush.com

@Joanna.Rush71

@NoMalarkeyPlay

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Today we continue with Part II of our special 2-part series dedicated to Mothers.

We are #LIVEintheHive with my special guests, 3 women I adore, to continue talking about the complexities and paradoxes of MOTHERHOOD, the complicated mother-daughter relationship, care-giving a parent, the joy of having children, the choice not to have children, the care taking of Mother Earth and the mentoring of young people.

Meg Flather is a two-time Bistro Award winner and a four-time Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs (MAC) Award winner. Meg has released eight CDs of her original music, authored Home Shopping Diva. . . Lessons, Lyrics and Lipstick - and Hold On Tight . . . a love story. Her one-woman musical, Hold On Tight, partners her original songs and stories from her book of the same name about caring for a parent with dementia, for which she received the award for Best Storytelling Show from The United Solo Theatre Festival.

https://megflather.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@megflatherable

Ann Kittredge has worked on and off Broadway, TV, concert halls, and regional theaters nationwide, hes been a parent advocate and leader in the NYC Public School System, and as a cabaret performer has won multiple awards, including a 2025 Bistro for her album, Romantic Notions

https://www.annkittredge.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@AnnKittredge

Harriet Shugarman is one of the leading voices in the global parent climate movement, the founder of ClimateMama, and the award-winning author of "How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate, Turning Angst into Action." Harriet is the chair of the Advisory Council for Our Kids Climate, an anchor organization connecting national and grassroots groups from more than 50 countries working on intergenerational organizing and engagement strategies. Harriet is a mentor and leader with the Climate Reality Project and the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring Award.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrietshugarman/

https://www.instagram.com/climatemama/?hl=en

“Let us dedicate this new era to mothers around the world, and, also to the mother of all mothers — Mother Earth. It is up to us to keep building bridges to bring the world closer together and not destroy them to divide us further apart.” – Suzy Kassem

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Today is May 15th and we just celebrated Mother’s Day here in the US – and this special two-part series is dedicated to Mothers.

Today we are #LIVEintheHive with my special guests, 3 women I adore, to talk about and to HONOR the wonderful complexities and paradoxes of MOTHERHOOD, the complicated mother-daughter relationship, care-giving a parent, the joy of having children, the choice not to have children - and the mentoring and nurturing of young people.

So many stories told, so many surprises, so much vulnerability, and so much laughter. You’ll just have to listen, because I have no notes. 😊

Meg Flather is a two-time Bistro Award winner and a four-time Manhattan Association of Cabaret and Clubs (MAC) Award winner.Meg has released eight CDs of her original music (all of which are available on Apple music). Meg has also authored two books that are now available on Amazon: Home Shopping Diva. . . Lessons, Lyrics and Lipstick - and Hold On Tight . . . a love story. Her one-woman musical, Hold On Tight, partners her original songs and stories from her book of the same name about caring for a parent with dementia, for which she received the award for Best Storytelling Show from The United Solo Theatre Festival.

https://megflather.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@megflatherable

linktr.ee/megflather

Ann Kittredge is keenly aware of the chapters she has lived: in chapter 1 she enjoyed working on and off Broadway, TV, concert halls, and regional theaters nationwide. Chapter 2 was spent as a parent advocate and leader in the NYC Public School System, taking time off from pursuing her career to raise her children. In chapter 3, Ann returned to performing and immersed herself in the cabaret world where she has won multiple awards, including a 2025 Bistro for her album, Romantic Notions, and was also chosen as a top 5 albums of 2024 by The Broadway Radio Show.

https://www.annkittredge.com/

https://www.youtube.com/@AnnKittredge
t.ly/PPxXF

Harriet Shugarman is one of the leading voices in the global parent climate movement, the founder of ClimateMama, and the award-winning author of "How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate, Turning Angst into Action." Harriet is the chair of the Advisory Council for Our Kids Climate, an anchor organization connecting national and grassroots groups from more than 50 countries working on intergenerational organizing and engagement strategies. Harriet is a mentor and leader with the Climate Reality Project and the recipient of the prestigious Climate Reality Alfredo Sirkis Memorial Green Ring Award.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/harrietshugarman/

https://www.instagram.com/climatemama/?hl=en

Quote at end of show by – Suzy Kassem

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Happy May Day! This episode was recorded on Earth Day, April 22, and drops on May Day – some very potent energy!

Earth Day is an annual event celebrated on April 22nd, aimed at raising awareness and promoting environmental protection. It's a global movement where individuals, communities, and organizations unite to take action and address environmental and climate crisis issues.

May Day's cultural significance is deeply intertwined with spring goddesses and pagan rituals… its roots lie in ancient celebrations of fertility, nature, and of spring at its peak, often linked to deities like Flora (the Roman goddess of flowers), and Maia (the Greek goddess of fertility), and to the Celtic holiday, Beltane.

Here in the US, the government is rolling back every regulation and law they can to rape our environment, decimate our ecosystems, and dominate our Mother EARTH. The Patriarchal paradigm on parade for all to witness – a system built on separation. From body, from land, from lineage, from the sacred.

What will it take to know the Girl God, the sacred feminine? Today we are #LiveintheHive with Trista Hendren, author, speaker, visionary founder of Girl God Books and ONE POWERFUL voice, mother, and leader in the dismantling of the patriarchal mindset and the remembrance and return to the wisdom and mystery of the Divine feminine, and to the ancient truth of kinship, reciprocity, and inter-being.

I was very moved by our passionate conversation. With so little to be sure of in these challenging times, I took great comfort in the probing vulnerability that was shared.

We touched on…

• Trista walks between many worlds. She was raised in a conservative Christian home and later wanted to become a pastor, only to realize there was no genuine leadership role for her in this denomination. She shares her story of her discovery of feminism, her Interfaith curiosity and conversion to Islam, and how living in Lebanon was life changing.
• The power of female sacred art and iconography, and the importance of the curated art she’s used on book covers for Girl God Books.
• She shares the story of how her daughter inspired her to write The Girl God, the subsequent trilogy, and the evolution to starting Girl God books.
• What presses most on Trista is the time we have left! Women must regain their inner knowing – and we must improve our education of young women. Leaders must be held accountable.
• The enormous need for self-care in these challenging times.
• Her leading edge is her focus on the Palestinian genocide.
• The need for and power of ceremony and ritual and the incredible creation of a 2-ton concrete sculpture of The Goddess of Willendorf by her beloved husband on her property in Norway. https://www.britannica.com/topic/Venus-of-Willendorf
• All this and so much more…

You can find more about Trista Hendren's projects at www.thegirlgod.com

Resources:

https://www.instagram.com/grandmothersagainstgenocide/

https://www.instagram.com/mothersagainstgenocide/

https://mariannebergvall.substack.com/p/norways-prime-minister-accused-of-complicity-to-genocide?utm_campaign=post&utm_medium=web&triedRedirect=true

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