Happy New Year!

Well no time like the present to kick off the new year with a mind bending podcast courtesy of Jennifer Shaffer and Rich Martini. Jennifer's web page JenniferShaffer.com has links to her "Uncorked" events, or to book with her directly, RichardMartini.com is where one can book a guided meditation with Rich.

So the other day in my kitchen (and I don't know why it's the case, but I sometimes get a message or feeling there that someone wants to talk to us) President Jimmy Carter popped into my head.

It of course could have been because he'd just passed away - but I try not to judge why someone shows up, or if someone shows up. I just leave it aside, and see what happens when we start the podcast.

And as we often do, I left it up to our moderator on the Flipside, Luana Anders to suggest the topic for the day. And she told Jennifer: "Richard has someone who spoke to him yesterday."

Which is accurate. And just prior to the podcast - literally a minute before, I remembered that happened, and I looked up Jimmy on Wikipedia so at the very least I had some of his background correct. as it is - at some point I call the King of England before Elizabeth "Edward" when everyone knows that's not her father's name.

But Jennifer didn't say his name - just pointed out that she was seeing him when Winston Churchill showed up. (For historians out there, the story of Winston sleeping in the White House and seeing a ghost is old news.)

As noted, when over the past ten years we have someone Presidential show up (We've had all chats with Hoover, FDR, Truman, JFK, Nixon, Reagan, Bush Sr.. and folks associated with the Presidency - Abe Lincoln, Mary Todd Lincoln, Andrew Jackson, RFK, John McCain - those interviews are in the books BACKSTAGE PASS TO THE FLIPSIDE (books 1, 2 and 3).

Some of them are searchable on the podcast - Abe, JFK, RFK, etc... but it wasn't surprising what Jimmy said about seeing Reagan on the flipside, how McCain stopped by - and the legions of people who loved him were there to greet him.

Interesting that he said Rosalyn was "with him" frequency wise - he spoke about the regrets he had from his life (associated with war) and the things he was proudest of.

I asked him a question about a film project I've been working on - something only he would know about, the land case in Maine. Fun to hear him say it's a story "that should be told."

He also talked briefly about people off planet - since he saw a UFO back in 1969, and says that the kinds of work they're doing are benevolent... nothing to fear. The same kind of things I've heard in the research behind CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE FLIPSIDE KIND.

We asked him who he was surprised to see - and he mentioned Winston Churchill and Elvis - who was friends with him. Paul Newman showed up - I wasn't aware of their friendship, but Jimmy talked about Paul's food charity work, and we asked Paul some questions about his journey, including what it was like to welcome his wife Joanne Woodward home.

So while one is watching the nation mourn this President, while the nation has a funeral for him, honoring him and his service, be aware that he hasn't disappeared or is gone: he's just not here.

Available. Like everyone is.

Hope this helps.