Episode 24 - THIS IS PART TWO OF A TWO PART EPISODE. This powerful story that will surely leave an imprint upon you. We’ll be talking with Irene Butter, who survived the Holocaust with her family. For decades Irene didn’t breathe a word about it. She wrote a book called Shores Beyond Shores, from Holocaust to Hope, My True Story. My friends John Bidwell and Kris Holloway (husband and wife) co-wrote this book with Irene by conducting hours upon hours of Skype interviews together. What resulted wa...
Oct 22, 2019•27 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 24 - THIS IS PART ONE OF A TWO PART EPISODE. THIS is a very powerful story that will surely leave an imprint upon you. We’ll be talking with Irene Butter, who survived the Holocaust with her family. For decades Irene didn’t breathe a word about it. She wrote a book called Shores Beyond Shores, from Holocaust to Hope, my true story…. My friends John Bidwell and wife Kris Holloway co-wrote this book with Irene by conducting hours upon hours of Skype interviews together. What resulted was a...
Oct 22, 2019•36 min•Ep 24•Transcript available on Metacast When we act in accordance to the central spirit of our being we become off kilter, and millions upon millions live their entire lives…. In this world there is so much suffering to overcome, and we have much to keep attuned to. However, for every person who dies never having followed the central spirit of their being the world ends up a lesser place. Buddha said that Life is Suffering. Yet, in our acceptance of that we can transcend that suffering and experience joy. It comes in letting go of att...
Oct 02, 2019•27 min•Ep 23•Transcript available on Metacast The world is your oyster and all the world is a stage. In preparing for officiating the wedding of Trevor and Thaley I pulled inspiration from William Shakespeare and also from noted Dr. of Psychology Jordan Peterson to deliver what I hoped would be a memorable thing to share. If we accept challenges without malevolence or anger or self-pity we literally awaken dormant neurons in our brain that help us grow in wisdom. That's why old people are pretty cool. Imagine what would happen if you a...
Sep 17, 2019•18 min•Ep 22•Transcript available on Metacast As summer in the northern hemisphere winds to a close (and the southern hemisphere welcomes the end of winter), the fire pit becomes a central gathering spot on chilly evenings at homes everywhere. In this episode, Thom helps viewers Master the Fire Pit by showing how to start a fire pit using old tortilla chips leftover from the night before. This fun little how-to episode will get you started on the way to mastering the fire pit. This episode is currently uploading on YouTube and will be avail...
Sep 04, 2019•11 min•Ep 21•Transcript available on Metacast When George Mallory and Sandy Irvine disappeared on Mount Everest on June 8, 1924, the commercialization of the mountain was already under way. In the nearly 100 years, Everest has become an industry. With dozens of deaths on the mountain in the last five years, many feel that the mountain deserves a break. However, no matter how many die there, the dreamers will keep coming. In this captivating episode, Thom Pollard - with four expeditions over the course of 20 years under his belt, and a summi...
Aug 27, 2019•26 min•Ep 20•Transcript available on Metacast In 2003 I was caught in an avalanche while climbing in the Alaska Range. I was certain that my life was going to end in that moment. Then, as if out of nowhere, a spirit appeared and saved my life. That incredible story is the focus of Episode 19. Music is found on the Free Music Archive and by Blue Dot Sessions, which can be found at https://sessions.blue/ For more information about my climbing and adventures, or to hire me to speak to your school, business or event, find me at www.eyesopenprod...
Aug 20, 2019•27 min•Ep 19•Transcript available on Metacast In Episode 18 of Baker Street with Thom Pollard we meet a positive and inspirational young man named Nathanael Smiley Tejeda, a high school graduate undergoing radiation for Hodgkin Lymphoma. At the time I met him he was practicing three times a day with a New Hampshire All-Star team in order to compete in the Shriner Hospitals 66th Annual Maple Sugar Bowl Game at Castleton University, VT on August 3, 2019. I was so moved by his infectious enthusiasm and joy that I wanted to introduce my listene...
Aug 13, 2019•27 min•Ep 18•Transcript available on Metacast Religions, by nature, divide and conquer. They succeed by keeping their followers in fear: fear of going to hell, fear of sin and so on. The truth is that a spiritually aware person doesn't need an 'ism'. These people come from a place of love and are not ruled by fear. Fear has power because people don't realize that the thoughts that we empower create our reality. When people make it their intent to be a true light force they can give rise to a spiritual awakening, their ku...
Aug 06, 2019•16 min•Ep 17•Transcript available on Metacast When that day finally arrives… Yes, you know what I’m talking about, death…what words will you need to share with those closest to you? Will the life that you’ve lived be sufficient enough? Or, are there secrets inside that you must share before it’s too late? In Episode 16 we explore the transformation that happens to us before death. We'll also talk about life after life and near death experiences, and how they have changed the lives of those who have experienced them. Finally, we'll...
Jul 30, 2019•30 min•Ep 16•Transcript available on Metacast In Episode 15 I’ll explain why I’m grateful for the Grateful Dead. When people turn on to kindness and togetherness, there’s no downside. I also share the story of one of my best friends called Running for His Life, by Tim Gillis. If tears don’t come to your eyes when you listen to it, well, maybe you’re not a human being ;) It’s really that beautiful. I also tell you a little bit about my good friend’s new book called The Impossible Climb, about Alex Honnold’s free ascent of El Capitan. My frie...
Jul 23, 2019•21 min•Ep 15•Transcript available on Metacast What is the surest way to achieve self liberation, enlightenment? Some tout the use of hallucinogens such as LSD or psilocybin mushrooms in order to take the short path to a spiritual upgrade. Others tout the slow path via years on the meditation mat. In this episode Thom explores his chosen path and the realizations that he encountered along the way. Thom also shares insights learned from his mysterious friendship with the shaman he knew in the Pacific Northwest. He also introduces the listener...
Jul 16, 2019•30 min•Ep 14•Transcript available on Metacast Episode 13 is the first episode also recorded on video and available on YouTube. This episode features the first meeting between Thom and a learned shaman named Swayu, a descendant of the Coast Salish of the Pacific Northwest. This remarkable friendship enlightened Thom to heretofore unknown wisdom. His story starts as Thom opened a brand new journal, in which he detailed the teachings of this learned Teacher of the Light. The episode, filmed and recorded at his house in New Hampshire, Thom disc...
Jul 09, 2019•25 min•Ep 13•Transcript available on Metacast Two of my favorite subjects are Paul Butterfield, the blues harmonica master who was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2015, as well as Mount Everest, the mountain I climbed for the first time after three attempts, dating back to 1999. Paul Butterfield was inducted into the Rock Hall after three attempts at getting him in. It was through my efforts and those of others in the production of a short documentary that helped Paul and his band gain acceptance. I returned to Everest thi...
Jul 02, 2019•56 min•Ep 12•Transcript available on Metacast When I walked into Friendly River Music in Cornish, Maine (of all places!) I could hear angels singing...er, maybe it was a stack of Marshalls blowing a '50 amp fuse' as Mick sings in You Can't Always Get What You Want. I'd found guitar-lovers Nirvana, then promptly spent my savings on a Fender Strat and Princeton Reverb amp. John Barton, the shop's founder, owner, proprietor, rock historian, guitar lover/collector, Beatles freak, all 'round great guy, inspires you ...
Jun 25, 2019•59 min•Ep 11•Transcript available on Metacast For all intents and purposes, the guest for Episode 10 should have died a hundred times over given the odds stacked against him from a young age. Instead, his is a story of inspiration. Tourette Syndrome is a type of Tic Disorder. Tics are involuntary, repetitive movements and vocalizations. In addition to the medical and behavioral challenges that come hand-in-had with TS, children also face challenging social and educational situations, which can be stressful. Our guest has lived his entire li...
Jun 18, 2019•2 hr 34 min•Ep 10•Transcript available on Metacast What are the qualities that make a leader? What qualities make a good fighter pilot? Believe it or not, those qualities that make a fighter pilot are those that make one successful in other areas of life. Meet Uva Rama, an F-16 pilot from Singapore who has devoted his so-called retirement years to giving back to the community. Interviewed in Kathmandu, Nepal, where he makes his home, Uva now has taken on the task of developing a company that outfits expeditions to the top of the world, Mount Eve...
Jun 11, 2019•41 min•Ep 9•Transcript available on Metacast We are all endeavoring to surmount various obstacles en route to our goals and aspirations. For some, it might be in tackling a 30 mile race over mountains. For others, it might be in facing an employer to ask for a raise. For others, it might be the decision to allow a relationship to end, despite the abyss of the unknown staring us in the face. Either way, if we practice a simple exercise, we can get a grip on our fears and take control of our future. Music in this episode was recorded at a pu...
May 21, 2019•35 min•Ep 8•Transcript available on Metacast There are billions of human beings living in ignorance, destined to die that way only to come back again in the next incarnation to do it all over again. Cool! Funny thing is, when offered the opportunity to step out of ignorance, most turn away because they're happy not knowing the answers. Go for it! All that said, if you want to be a better dad, sister, brother, mom, friend, human being....you should give this episode a listen. But hey, don't take my word for it. Find out for yourse...
May 07, 2019•36 min•Ep 7•Transcript available on Metacast When we sit in limbo wondering whether to take the leap and follow our truth, our own true path in life, we are never going to be truly happy. I'm not saying just hit the road and leave it all behind. The due diligence is to go deep and see if our choices are serving our higher good, our higher self. Our higher self is all knowing. When we know, we KNOW. There are consequences when we choose to come from a place of love. And, there are consequences when we come from a place of fear. One set...
Apr 23, 2019•24 min•Ep 6•Transcript available on Metacast The key to functioning at high levels is in clearing our mind of distractions. At Human Horse Balance Healing Foundation in Center Conway, New Hampshire, one must also clear the mind of distractions when working with horses, as horses live in the here and now. They have no past or present. Paula Lambie is a healer, Reiki master and a veritable horse whisperer. Paula brings together her special knowledge of horses with people in need of healing, whether veterans with PTSD, children with autism an...
Apr 16, 2019•36 min•Ep 5•Transcript available on Metacast A first ever before heard interview with legendary mountaineer and philanthropist Sir Edmund Hillary, the first man to stand atop Mount Everest in 1953. Our accomplishments mean very little if we do not feel and express gratitude and humility. Sir Edmund Hillary became the first man to stand atop the world's highest mountain with Tenzing Norgay. His legacy, however, is in all that he gave back to the Sherpa people and the Everest region of Nepal. Also in this episode, in March of this year ...
Apr 09, 2019•29 min•Ep 4•Transcript available on Metacast While training for my fourth expedition to Mount Everest on the slopes of Mount Washington in New Hampshire I reflect on the knowledge passed down through my mentor, the late Bradford Washburn, cartographer of Mount Everest, the Grand Canyon and Denali. Brad was the world's greatest aerial photographer, as well as the founder of the Boston Museum of Science, pioneer of 13 first ascents in Alaska and was the first to climb the now popular West Buttress route on Denali in 1951. During my trai...
Apr 02, 2019•34 min•Ep 3•Transcript available on Metacast Those who follow the musical course of their heart experience collateral damage along the way. However, within the sacrifices those same people often discover their greatest masterpieces. After hearing an interview wherein Neil Young spoke about following our musical course, Thom Pollard decided to begin producing a film called Dream Heart, about people following their passions and living their own musical course. In this episode we'll meet a 20-year old luthier named Noah Rivers, the first...
Mar 26, 2019•30 min•Ep 2•Transcript available on Metacast In this introductory episode of Baker Street with Thom Pollard we’ll explore why we exist, the real meaning of life and meet a special guest who understands that we can make our intentions a reality by choosing love over fear. Everest climber, adventurer and public speaker Thom Pollard shares some personal stories in this episode, including the tragic avalanche on Mount Everest in 2014 that claimed the lives of 16-men. He also reveals the story behind how he named the podcast Baker Street. Thom ...
Mar 19, 2019•14 min•Ep 1•Transcript available on Metacast 
