500 EPISODES.Over seven years ago, I sat down in a damp and echo-y warehouse on the north shore of Kauai and hit record for the very first time.There was no agenda. No commitment to even record a second episode. And certainly zero idea that what began as a fun experiment would evolve into both a passion and a vocation.And yet here we are. Without fail, beginning in late 2012, I have uploaded at least one episode every single week, amassing over 1000 hours of conversation and a global audience that downloads this show more than 3 million times a month — in total, over 70 million streams and counting.The numbers are great, but they fail to capture what is truly meaningful: the opportunity to go deep and unfiltered with some of the most amazing people currently walking planet Earth; and in turn share their incredible wisdom with all of you.Today I give thanks for taking this journey with me -- a calling and a service I consider the best job in the world. It's been a privilege -- a great honor and a profound responsibility I don’t take lightly.I believe in celebrating milestones. So today we do just that. And we do it in style with two of my most most beloved brothers from other mothers.Enter John Joseph and Mishka Shubaly.Between these two gentlemen, I count 14 total previous appearances on the show, including one vivid episode five years past (RRP #95) that involved the three of us huddled on a small bed in a cramped New York City hotel room.Today we fertilize our bromance, reprising those sweet sweet punk rock, Algonquin table vibes with another turntable spin on plants & punk. On running and writing. And on addiction & sobriety.This one is all over the place. No point in even trying to describe it other than that Mishka showed up with a bottle of Pepto Bismol. Kinda says it all.Heads Up: This conversation is packed with expletives. It might even hold the RRP f-bomb record. As many of you know, these laddies simply can’t be muzzled, nor would you want them to be. So just an alert that this episode is neither family friendly nor workplace approved. So pop on the earbuds if you got kiddos in the backseat. And If you’re easily offended, perhaps this one isn’t your cup of tea.500 episodes. It feels good. So good, I wore a coat and tie to mark the occasion, which you can of course watch on YouTube. And as always, the audio version streams wild and free on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.Here's to celebrating with those you love dearly.I sincerely hope you enjoy the exchange.Peace + Plants,Rich

Devoted listeners are well-acquainted with my gravelly voiced, chronically self-deprecating, often tortured, but always charming brother-from-another-mother Mishka Shubaly – back on the podcast for a record-breaking 8th appearance.A writer oozing talent from his overactive sebaceous glands, Mishka pens true stories about drink, drugs, disasters, desire, deception, and their aftermath.He began drinking at 13 and college at 15. At 22, he received the Dean's Fellowship from the Master's Writing Program at Columbia University. Upon receipt of his expensive MFA, he promptly moved into a Toyota minivan to tour the country nonstop as a singer-songwriter, often sharing the stage with comedians like Doug Stanhope and musical acts like The Strokes and The Yeah Yeah Yeahs.But mostly he drank.It sounds glamorous. It wasn't. At 32, Mishka hit bottom, got sober and laced up a pair of running shoes. In between ultra marathons, he began publishing a string of #1 bestselling Kindle Singles – short non-fiction novellas — through Amazon. The Long Run*, his mini-memoir detailing his transformation from alcoholic drug abuser to sober ultrarunner, to this day remains one of the best-selling Kindle Singles in Amazon history.He is also the author of I Swear I’ll Make It Up To You*. Brutally honest, fiercely emotional and muscular in its prose, it's the booze-fueled, opiated account of a precocious young underachiever trying to be good (and failing and failing) until one day he succeeds. It's about serial abandonment, school shootings, alcoholism, loneliness, artistic frustration, faith, guilt, sobriety, running, relationships, resentment, revenge, music, art, and creativity. It’s about one man’s attempt to reckon with the wreckage of his past and his journey to reconcile his relationship with his family, and most importantly, to forgive the father that jettisoned him.It’s been over a year since Mishka dropped in on the pod to share his latest misadventures as a touring musician and tortured artist. We're overdue for a check-in. And this conversation doesn't disappoint. Even if you have listened to all 7 of our previous conversations, this one is sure to surprise and delight.We discuss alcoholism, nihilism and depression. We talk about how he maintains sobriety as a touring musician. We get into the romance of one's drinking past and identity attachments that don't serve us. And we cover the trading of one addiction for another.Most impactful is our discussion about Mishka's recent diagnosis as pre-diabetic, and his decision to finally go plant-based. That is a sentence I never thought I would write.In response to my urging that Mishka get back to what he does best — writing — Mishka decided to crowd-source his oft-challenged motivation by launching a social media campaign designed to motivate all of us (but probably mostly him) to commit to spending a pre-ordained amount of time every single day in November to write. Join the brigade on twitter by posting your progress with the hashtag #writenovember.Finally, stick around to the end for a live musical performance by Mishka to take us out.I love Mishka like a brother. I love this conversation. I hope you do too.Enjoy!Rich

Mishka Shubaly, a self-professed povertarian, writer, musician, and ultra-runner, shares his tumultuous journey from addiction to sobriety. He discusses the healing power of storytelling, particularly in his upcoming book about his relationship with his alcoholic father. Mishka reflects on the challenges of performing sober and the importance of physical activity for stress management. The conversation also touches on navigating self-worth, embracing authenticity, and his humorous take on minimalist eating, all laced with his signature grit and heart.