Latest / Military Broadcast Radio | MBR Talk / Oscar Mike Radio- Faye Simon – Exceptional Parent Magazine

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Oscar Mike Radio- Faye Simon – Exceptional Parent Magazine · Military Broadcast Radio | MBR Talk

• 1:06
  Support from friends, family, professionals, and community
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  organizations is particularly important to individuals with
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  special needs and the families that care for them.
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  E PS Annual Family and Community Issue is filled with information
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  and personal stories that are intended to help improve the
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  lives of those with special needs and those who care for
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  them. Sign up and read the issue for
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  free at www.epmagazine.com. Suicide is preventable, and each
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  of us has a role to play in suicide prevention.
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  Suicide is complex. There is no single cause.
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  And it's not always a mental health issue.
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  It could be loss of a job or home, financial or relationship
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  issues, pain or leaving the military.
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  Suicide does not discriminate. It affects all ages, races and
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  genders, veterans or not. If you know a veteran who is
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  struggling, connect with them. Let them know.
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  Help is available. There is quick and easy access
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  to services in times of crisis. Dial 988 then press 1 talking
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  about it is OK. Don't keep it inside.
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  Don't be ashamed. Don't wait.
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  Reach out. Find resources@va.gov/reach.
• 3:21
  Hello and welcome again to OM Radio.
• 3:24
  This is the first show episode for 2024.
• 3:29
  Oscar Mike Radio is part of the Huba Zoo Network and Co produce
• 3:32
  was since the One Productions. You can find out more on
• 3:36
  hubuzoo.com. Again, this is the first show
• 3:39
  for 2024. I'm thankful for my sponsors
• 3:42
  Joyce ASIC of ASIC Real Estate, Mark Holmes of Reapers Detailing
• 3:46
  Power washing and my veteran owned business supporters
• 3:49
  Caisson Shaving Company, Black Cat Designs and Savage American
• 3:54
  Woodwork. Yeah folks, it's already 2024.
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  I hope your holidays was good, happy and bright.
• 4:02
  We're rolling on. We're on the move.
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  We are OM and I am pleased to start off 2024 with a special
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  guest who has already become near and dear to my heart.
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  Face Simon of Exceptional Parent Magazine.
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  Welcome to OM Radio. Thank you so much, Travis.
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  I am so honored to be here and to start off the 2024 season.
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  So thank you so much for inviting me.
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  It's been great. I want to give a big shout out
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  to Nick Bennis and Buzz Bryan for making the connection with
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  OM Radio and Exceptional Parent Magazine and Fay.
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  So we're just going to have a great time learning about what
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  you do, the people you serve and how you feature military
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  families in your magazine before we get to all that good stuff.
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  And it's all good. Kind of tell us who Faye is,
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  because, you know, I don't run across people like yourself
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  everyday, Faye. So who is Faye Simon?
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  Well, by trade. I'm an early childhood teacher
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  and I worked with children from pre-K to 2nd grade and during
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  that time I worked with children of various abilities and needs.
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  So after that I. Moved.
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  Up to Northern Jersey and the commute.
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  As a teacher was terrible. It was two to three hours each
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  way. So it was a new chapter for me
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  and I started a brain Research Foundation.
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  That's totally volunteer run, including.
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  Me and. We provide summer fellowships
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  for. Students who may be interested
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  in going into the field of neuroscience.
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  Meanwhile, while I'm doing that, my husband, who is a business
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  consultant, learned about the fact that Exceptional Parent
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  magazine was failing. Now, I knew about this magazine
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  as a teacher and I told my husband that being that he.
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  Had a choice of. Taking it bankrupt.
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  Or. Saving it.
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  That I would help him save it. It was, too.
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  Important A magazine. To let it go.
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  So we've been working with. Exceptional Parent Magazine for
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  about 8. Years now.
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  And when we got it, there was no print magazine.
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  There was a. Handful of paid for digital.
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  Subscriptions and now. We have almost. 16,000 digital
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  subscriptions. For that are free, that's.
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  One of the most exciting things that we were able to make the
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  digital version free. We brought back the print
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  magazine for a variety of reasons.
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  One some people either need or want the print copy.
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  They want to be able to turn the pages.
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  Maybe they can't handle the digital version.
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  Also doctors, businesses, schools, camps they like to put.
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  It out for their. Patients, their families, and
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  then? All these people.
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  Get to see the magazine. As well.
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  So we're back. And I work my way.
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  Up to editor in Chief. And I'm loving every minute of
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  it. Although.
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  It's so different than teaching. I get to.
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  Help parents and children and. Teachers, but just a different.
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  Way. It was.
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  It was very interesting. That aspect of your story really
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  interested me because like a lot of us veterans, you know, we
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  have to reinvent ourselves. You go from teacher and
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  teaching, you know, young children to running a magazine.
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  What? What was that transition like?
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  That's a really interesting question, because I'll tell you
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  honestly when they. Use that phrase out of your
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  comfort zone. That's perfect because like you
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  said, I was very. Comfortable working with
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  children talking to the. Parents at back to school.
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  Night helping them work with their children all of a sudden
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  now. I have, first of all, a variety.
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  Of responsibilities because I not only reach out to
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  contributors and authors, I not only read.
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  Every single article and decide. What fits in the magazine and
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  edit for for clarity and punctuation and grammar.
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  I'm also reaching out for readers because my dream.
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  Now that we have EP for free. The digital version for free.
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  Is that everybody who can? Benefit from this wonderful
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  information knows that they can read it for.
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  Free so I'm. Creating partnerships with
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  organizations I I'm reaching out to influencers I'm reaching out
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  to. Like I said author, so I have so
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  many different responsibilities. And not one of them is actually
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  teaching. So it's very different.
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  But I'm loving it. And what happens, and I'm sure
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  many of you veterans see the same thing, is.
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  All of a sudden you're able to use skills you have.
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  But you really didn't get a chance to use them in that
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  particular time. So now these.
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  Skills which I always probably had, just weren't used.
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  Because they didn't need them per SE.
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  And yet some of them. And many of them, I guess.
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  I would say. Many of the.
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  Skills. Actually are similar to what I
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  did in teaching. I mean, I.
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  Had to go over the. Children's work and help them
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  and edit it. I mean, there's a.
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  Lot of things that are similar and there are many things that
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  are different and that kind of makes it more exciting in some
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  ways. One of the things if I may, I I
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  we get connected through Nick and buzz and I start
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  understanding what the what the magazine is what it does who it
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  serves. I have to tell you, you know,
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  people throw on the word hero or warrior or, you know, we're in a
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  we're in a battle, you know, for a sporting event, for instance.
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  But I'm going through your magazine and I'm a parent
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  myself. I have three sons.
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  You know, they're older. But the challenges I thought I
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  faced as a parent pale comparison to some of the
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  challenges these parents and their amazing children overcome.
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  And I am like, these are amazing people whose story has to be
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  told. I I have to think if I'm getting
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  that, that when someone else who's going through similar
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  types of challenges reads about another parent going through the
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  same thing or something similar, it must be a different feeling
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  for them. That I that I I can't describe
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  because I haven't gone through that thing.
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  Oh, you're right. I mean, I'm sure it's similar
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  to, you know, we who are not veterans.
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  Try to put ourselves. In your shoes and try to imagine
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  what you've all gone through and there's no.
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  Possible. Way we could understand it.
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  We could try to empathize, but we can't possibly understand it.
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  And I think you're right, It's the same thing if you don't.
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  Have a child with disabilities. Or a parent or sibling, or
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  yourself. You can empathize, but I don't
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  think we can ever truly understand.
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  As if we had it. However, one of the major
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  missions in our magazine. Is.
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  Awareness, acceptance and inclusion and encouraging that
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  always. I I got that very clearly these
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  are are you know your stories are about people going through
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  the process of parenthood you know bringing their children
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  into this world and and really engaging with your readership in
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  a way that I I just don't see every day.
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  And so I'm sitting there and I'm reading through your your
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  magazine online and you can sign up for free.
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  I'll have the link in the Oscar break radio show post and it was
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  just story after story of of resilience and victories and
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  challenges. So my my my question to you Faye
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  is how do you how do you decide which story to tell does that
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  because they're all amazing. So how do you do that?
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  Wow, that's an interesting question.
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  A lot of it's just. Gut instinct?
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  A. Lot of it is talking to people
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  in the community, going to different events, experiencing,
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  I mean one of my favorite interviews as you.
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  Can see the cover Dank. Nelson He is a true.
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  Hero. And.
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  He lost both his legs. Above the knee and.
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  He is still. One of the most positive.
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  People you could. Ever want to meet?
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  He asked. A motivational speaking and I
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  can see on the cover. Here he is with his.
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  Legs, you know, and he the prosthesis, it's.
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  Always a hard. Word for me to say and running
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  and he. Is a Paralympic.
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  Champion, gold, gold medal winner.
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  So I mean I go from like the. Young man, you see holding his
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  back to school slate with his. Name on it to adults that that's
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  one of the things about the magazine is we cover anything
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  from infancy. To elderly, because, although.
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  The magazine has been in existence for over 50.
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  Years. And I'm sure that with the name
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  exceptional parent the. First thought was children, but
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  children with? Special needs with disabilities.
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  Grow up to become. Adults with special needs or
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  disabilities. And.
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  So I really. Believe that we need to.
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  Span the lifetime, so we. Have all ages.
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  And I think that. Like I said to me, I.
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  Can't say it enough. What's important is I look for.
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  Stories I look for. Information that encourages
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  awareness, acceptance, and inclusion.
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  So. You know, I'm looking for that.
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  I try to think about all the people I'm meeting.
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  I go to different events and I talk to and and the different
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  authors and I always try to think about.
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  Does this do what our goal is? The magazine itself is
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  information, resources and inspiring stories, parents of
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  children with special needs or disabilities.
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  Are looking. For information, they're looking
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  for resources. Many times there are not enough
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  and we hope also sometimes our articles can give people
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  information or ideas that maybe other people.
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  Will create the. Resources and the organizations
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  needed. For instance, sometimes I'll
• 14:43
  have something really wonderful, but it's within one state and
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  I'm hoping that being that we're a national magazine, that other
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  states will take this on so. It's not.
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  Easy. We do have a calendar that we.
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  Call our editorial calendar and that has what we call.
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  Themes, and so you'll. See Like for instance.
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  In May, it's mobility. So you'll see a few articles
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  specifically on mobility, but. We.
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  Also do what we call. Features and that would be
• 15:16
  articles not on a theme because. You can't hold a specific topic
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  to a month all of these. Topics are so important that
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  anytime during the year it's important.
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  So we do have themes some. People really like to.
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  Know that there's. Going to be.
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  Specifically, some information about.
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  Mobility. Or specifically about adaptive
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  sports, Or specifically about autism.
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  I wish there. Were more than 12 months a year.
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  Because there's. Not enough months for all the
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  themes I could possibly think of, but we do.
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  The best we can. And our goal is.
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  Always to. Enlarge The amount of topics and
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  areas that we can give information on.
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  We'll never cover everything we can never make.
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  Everybody happy but. We.
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  Do our best to keep asking. What would?
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  You like to learn about. Where do you need resources?
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  I got one parent because we are on social media which has been
• 16:19
  helping a lot to get the word out and I had one parent
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  actually respond to a post. And say I would like more.
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  Information on a parent with. Two children with autism.
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  Two children with. Disabilities or special needs?
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  And. I started.
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  Reaching out to all my authors, all my contributors, and I've
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  gotten several articles. That.
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  Are covering that so. I love feedback from readers of
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  I would like to see. More on this topic I.
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  Would like to. See something on this topic that
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  maybe hadn't been covered? I mean, for instance, there's
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  many rare diseases. That I wouldn't.
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  Even know about and they come to me and was like great.
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  Now we can let people know about it.
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  So it's a hard answer. A hard question to answer, but.
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  It's I guess, heart thought. And whatever I can put into
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  saying, I think this would make a great article.
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  This sounds like great information, this.
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  The how? The articles need to be.
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  Is helpful. In other words, it's not a
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  complaint session, although anybody who is dealing with some
• 17:33
  of these very. Very difficult issues have a.
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  Right to complain, but that's not what we are.
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  What we are is. Real human information and
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  stories. But.
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  Ultimately. It has to lead to.
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  This worked. This could help.
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  Here are some resources. Otherwise, I'm.
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  Not sure what we. Would be doing.
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  We really want to help. We want to provide information,
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  resources we. Want to?
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  Inspire. We want to.
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  Uplift to the best of our ability in what is a very
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  difficult. Situation for many.
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  So that leads me to my, my next question, which is, you know,
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  when I got was made aware of Exceptional Parent, I noticed
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  that there was, you know, multiple issues with a focus on
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  military families. And so I'm, I'm curious, did you
• 18:28
  focus on military families because people ask for it or how
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  did that come to be a focus for you?
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  Because now you can read your magazine and there's a section
• 18:37
  dedicated for the military family, which is very
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  interesting to me because, you know, I believe the next stage
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  of veterans advocacy is the family Unit.
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  Well, I wish I could take credit for it, but the?
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  Military section which actually is in every issue.
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  So every month. You will find a military section
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  was there when I came on. My understanding and my feeling
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  is that #1, sadly, as you know, many, many, many veterans come
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  back with. A disability or special need.
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  And we had a whole series, A7 month series on PTSD for
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  instance, which sadly. Is a big result of what you guys
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  have to go through to, you know, protect.
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  Our country. And just a side note, thank you
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  for your. Service and.
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  All the veterans and all the military now, but so we've got
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  the individuals who come back and they have a need they.
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  Have a disability and we. Want to help them as a parent if
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  you are a military family as I'm.
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  Sure you. Know you move around a lot.
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  So picture having a child. That needs resources and needs
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  special. Help needs.
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  More help than somebody. Who doesn't have this
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  disability? Or different help and now you're
• 20:06
  moving around, so now you don't. Have those resources.
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  And you've got to start all over again, so the.
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  Sensitivity to the fact that a parent.
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  Of a child. With disabilities is moving.
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  Around due to being in the military is one of the biggest
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  reasons that in addition to the individuals.
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  That we have a military. Section every single month I.
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  Never even thought about that. It makes it makes sense now that
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  you're educating me about this. But if your station say where I
• 20:39
  was in Yuma, AZ and you develop a community relationship with
• 20:43
  people who can help you out and you get orders to go to Okinawa
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  next year with your family. I mean, you could be in a
• 20:50
  different country trying to get advocacy and help and and just
• 20:54
  support for someone to come over and have a cup of coffee with
• 20:57
  you or help you, you know, do dishes that I never thought
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  about those challenges before. Absolutely.
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  That's exactly right. You do?
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  This and you put your your life and your energy into this
• 21:11
  magazine to help so many people. What's it like?
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  You're doing all this work and and people don't really see what
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  editors do. I I know what you all do, right?
• 21:22
  But it's not like you're you're building a house or something
• 21:24
  like that or or baking a cake. But what's it like when a parent
• 21:30
  or reader comes to you and says, you know what?
• 21:32
  This article really helped me out.
• 21:35
  Or this article opened my eyes. What's that like for you and
• 21:39
  your team? The work you all do?
• 21:41
  Oh, it's. Wonderful.
• 21:42
  And as you were talking about similarities, you know, going
• 21:45
  one to the other. That.
• 21:47
  When I was a teacher. There was.
• 21:48
  Nothing better than a parent coming to me and telling me.
• 21:53
  What I did for their child or child?
• 21:56
  Coming and giving me a hug and thanking me, I had.
• 21:59
  I worked with one child and she said you make math easy for me,
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  but she was struggling with math, so it's.
• 22:08
  Exactly the same. With the magazine like you?
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  Said I put my. Heart and soul into it, because
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  that's. Just what I do.
• 22:15
  No matter what I'm doing, and it's exhausting.
• 22:20
  It's more than I bargained for. As always.
• 22:24
  It's way more hours than I could have imagined, but.
• 22:27
  To hear. These parents, and believe me in
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  person, via e-mail, Parents, teachers.
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  Educators, It's just it. Just.
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  Makes you feel. Like it's worth every minute.
• 22:39
  It makes me feel like. OK I.
• 22:42
  Know why I'm doing this? Because.
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  That's what it's all about. I mean, I've.
• 22:46
  Always been a kind of person that wants to help.
• 22:49
  That's what I did when I was a. Teacher, that's what I do with
• 22:52
  the. Foundation.
• 22:53
  The Brain Research Foundation. That's what I do with the
• 22:55
  magazine. There's nothing more gratifying
• 22:58
  than knowing you are helping, and I do it without expectation
• 23:03
  of hearing it, but when you hear it that there's no better gift.
• 23:09
  That's outstanding. You had an amazing year.
• 23:12
  I went back and looked at a lot of the issues from 2023 and
• 23:15
  2022. And so I'm thinking, you know,
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  what's next for exceptional? Parent yourself in 2024?
• 23:21
  You know, Covid's over. You know, people are getting
• 23:25
  back out in the world and I really like this aspect of, you
• 23:28
  know, awareness, acceptance and inclusion.
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  Is that still the motion focus or has that changed at all?
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  Not at all. That is our focus.
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  Our, like I said, my dream. Is that everybody shares,
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  everybody read posts, everybody sends it.
• 23:48
  Out everybody. Talks about it and.
• 23:50
  Anybody who can benefit from this information knows they can
• 23:54
  read it for free. Also.
• 23:56
  What I didn't mention was. If somebody has a visual.
• 23:59
  Impairment. They can have the magazine read
• 24:01
  to them. How does that work?
• 24:05
  There's. No, I'm not tech.
• 24:07
  But there is a universal app. I don't know what they call call
• 24:12
  it exactly. I I knew.
• 24:13
  It one time but they. There you just go on.
• 24:17
  And there is a way to. Click and have it.
• 24:19
  Read to you, that's. That was done.
• 24:21
  And I I'm. Thrilled with that because.
• 24:25
  I think. Probably most people would not.
• 24:28
  Realize that if they have visual impairment that they can read
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  the magazine and so that's something I try to let.
• 24:35
  Everybody know. And spread the word we.
• 24:36
  Have. Some.
• 24:39
  Authors who have been. Submitting articles from Helen
• 24:44
  Keller Institute from Miami Lighthouse.
• 24:47
  For the blind. And and they.
• 24:50
  Hopefully are letting all that. I'm sure they are letting all
• 24:53
  their people know you can, actually.
• 24:55
  Have it read to you. So that's that to me is.
• 24:58
  Is an exciting part of. It as well, because like I said,
• 25:02
  our goal is always to increase who we're helping.
• 25:06
  And so that that's big for us the other.
• 25:10
  Thing that people should know. Is I know some people.
• 25:14
  Just they sign up. And there is a cost for the
• 25:17
  print magazine because, you know, it costs us and.
• 25:21
  Right, our goal. It's not a money maker.
• 25:24
  It's not. It's a labor of love.
• 25:26
  It is. Not a money maker, as a matter
• 25:28
  of fact. We're hoping.
• 25:29
  To break even soon. But that's our goal, you know.
• 25:35
  We just. Would like it's a break.
• 25:36
  Even we'd like to. Be able to continue it
• 25:38
  indefinitely. And we want to keep EP for free.
• 25:41
  We want to keep that digital. Version.
• 25:43
  Access for free and read to anybody with a visual
• 25:46
  impairment. They.
• 25:48
  Also which I think. Is really important if there's.
• 25:51
  Something in particular they. Want to hold or they want to
• 25:54
  hand to somebody and say hey? Read this.
• 25:56
  They can, actually. Print it.
• 25:58
  They can download it and print it.
• 26:00
  Oh, very. Nice, that.
• 26:01
  That's great too is. There a way for say like a a
• 26:05
  nonprofit or an organization or a company to support you at that
• 26:08
  level? Well, the.
• 26:12
  Non profits and the organizations.
• 26:15
  Generally. Don't have money like.
• 26:18
  The way we the way we support the magazine.
• 26:22
  The way we can keep it going is by.
• 26:24
  Advertisers. So if there are advertisers that
• 26:27
  either have a service or. An.
• 26:32
  A product that they would like to.
• 26:34
  Put in front of this audience. We would love to have them
• 26:39
  particularly. From anywhere, if they have
• 26:43
  online shopping because it's a national magazine, they can
• 26:49
  benefit from having a presence then.
• 26:52
  There are others who just. Want to support the magazine?
• 26:55
  Who what we call? Have a corporate.
• 26:57
  Warmth they want to just. Get out.
• 26:59
  There and say I support. You and they.
• 27:01
  Will do an advertisement that's. How we keep it going?
• 27:06
  That's. Where the support we need.
• 27:09
  The organizations and nonprofits that generally don't have a
• 27:12
  budget. Some do and.
• 27:14
  It's great when they when they help us, the nonprofits and
• 27:18
  organizations I usually. Create a.
• 27:21
  Partnership it and it's more a barter.
• 27:23
  Where they will, you know. They will put it in their in
• 27:27
  their newsletter. They.
• 27:29
  Will put. It on their website they will
• 27:31
  send out an E blast. But they will let.
• 27:33
  Their families know you. Can read this for free.
• 27:37
  That's. My biggest hope in terms of the
• 27:39
  nonprofits, some of the nonprofits will also submit very
• 27:44
  helpful information and resources.
• 27:47
  So that's. What I work on is we want to
• 27:51
  find, you know, we're not going to ever make it mostly
• 27:55
  advertisement. That's never going to be our
• 27:56
  magazine. It's going to be enough
• 27:58
  advertisements to keep the magazine going and keep EP.
• 28:02
  For free, but we do. Need some more and then the
• 28:06
  others is more about getting the word out.
• 28:09
  That they can. Sign up for EP.
• 28:11
  For free. And knowing that we're just
• 28:14
  touching more and more lives well.
• 28:17
  To that end, I had a great experience getting to know you.
• 28:21
  And again, thank you Nick and Buzz for that connection.
• 28:25
  You know we're going to make this official, Faye right here
• 28:28
  right now on the first show for 2024 is, you know every, every
• 28:34
  OM Radio episode and show post and every post that goes to the
• 28:39
  website will feature EP magazine, exceptional parent
• 28:43
  magazine, how you can get to it and the fact that the digital
• 28:46
  version is free on every OM Radio post going forward.
• 28:50
  So I felt really your your mission and your story and the
• 28:57
  stories of these amazing children and parents really hit
• 29:00
  me in the fields and you know I'll tell people I don't I don't
• 29:03
  have a heart but you know it it it awoke something within me
• 29:06
  that I hadn't felt in a long time.
• 29:09
  And you know as a parent I I, I really, you know feel that these
• 29:13
  parents and these kids are are warriors.
• 29:15
  They're heroes. And so you know, I'm pledging my
• 29:18
  support to you and your mission however I can.
• 29:23
  I. Cannot thank you enough and I'm
• 29:25
  just going to do a little side note and I hope I don't offend
• 29:28
  anybody, but when I was reading that wonderful book.
• 29:30
  That they are sharing. With Exceptional Terror
• 29:33
  Magazine, Nick and Buzz, as you know, have been allowing me to.
• 29:37
  Take chapter after chapter and. And use it as articles as part
• 29:43
  of the Magazine in the military section.
• 29:46
  And no offense to any of the other authors, but yours
• 29:49
  resonated with me the most. And I was so.
• 29:52
  Thrilled when we were. Able to connect and this is far
• 29:56
  beyond what I ever expected and I thank you with all my heart
• 30:00
  for sharing like that. No, I really did.
• 30:03
  It's just something that I I I resonated with the mission.
• 30:07
  I understood what you're trying to do and and these stories.
• 30:13
  So again we throw around the word hero, we throw around the
• 30:15
  word warrior and and banter. But I'm like these are parents
• 30:20
  that that I can learn from. So I just appreciate the
• 30:23
  opportunity and we're going to do some great things together.
• 30:26
  Can I just? Can I mention that?
• 30:29
  It's really interesting you say that our contributors are not
• 30:34
  only experts in different fields.
• 30:37
  Educational professionals. Medical professionals, Legal
• 30:40
  professionals. Financial professionals but a.
• 30:42
  Lot of parents will share their story, share their successes,
• 30:47
  share their resources. Well, that's the.
• 30:49
  Thing right. We are stronger together.
• 30:50
  I mean in the military we say no one fights alone.
• 30:53
  We need each other. I got here 6 and and that did
• 30:57
  come out in the magazine where hey, I'm a parent.
• 31:00
  I I have the situation and here's what I did to to get
• 31:04
  through it. Here's what how my child is
• 31:06
  doing now and it it's it's like you know I was reading the you
• 31:11
  know the Marine Corps times back when I was in the military.
• 31:14
  Here's what we did to move the mission forward.
• 31:16
  So it it came across real well. Faye.
• 31:19
  Oh, I'm. So glad.
• 31:20
  And just so everybody knows, we don't pay for articles.
• 31:25
  We can't. Even if we wanted to.
• 31:27
  We're just barely making. It by but the bottom line is why
• 31:31
  I'm I'm mentioning this is. Of course, anybody who's.
• 31:35
  Interested in in contributing? An article can reach out to me
• 31:38
  absolutely, but here. Are medical professionals,
• 31:43
  lawyers, teachers you know? They're they're doing it because
• 31:47
  they want to help, because they want to share and they're not
• 31:51
  getting paid for it, so. I think that that's worth.
• 31:55
  Mentioning, you know, we're all. Here like you said to help.
• 32:00
  You know the parents want to help each.
• 32:01
  Other the teachers. Want to help even though they're
• 32:04
  not getting paid for this extra time?
• 32:06
  The Medic. Everybody would like to help.
• 32:09
  We are. Family.
• 32:10
  We we, we, we consider. It like the EP magazine family
• 32:14
  we're. All there for the same.
• 32:17
  Reason we want to help and you sharing on your show.
• 32:22
  Is such a huge help because so many.
• 32:24
  People that didn't know about it.
• 32:26
  Will learn about it. And what's interesting is
• 32:28
  whether. I go to like big.
• 32:30
  Events or. Whether I talk to organizations.
• 32:33
  One of the things I always hear this like.
• 32:36
  Oh, I wish I had learned about this years ago.
• 32:39
  I mean, I I actually I mentor some students at Montclair
• 32:44
  University and they have a communications program and this
• 32:48
  wonderful professor Professor Green he he.
• 32:52
  Creates in addition. To teaching them about
• 32:55
  communications marketing, he. Creates a situation where they
• 32:59
  work in a. A real.
• 33:00
  World situation, So he. Invited me and he actually has a
• 33:05
  son with autism, so he has a real understanding and he loves
• 33:09
  the magazine and one of the things he said when I was
• 33:12
  presenting to his. Class.
• 33:14
  Before mentoring the children. The children?
• 33:16
  Excuse me, college students. And he said, he said, he said, I
• 33:22
  wish. I knew about the magazine 11
• 33:24
  years ago. So that's very exciting to know.
• 33:28
  That once we. All share and like.
• 33:31
  You're helping think of all the people who don't know about it.
• 33:34
  They're going to say thank you, Travis.
• 33:36
  I would have loved. To know about this years ago.
• 33:38
  But thank you for. Telling me now, I mean, I can't
• 33:40
  think of anything better than that.
• 33:42
  That's that's got to make your day and and when those long
• 33:45
  nights hit and you're going over copying, you're trying to get
• 33:48
  the formatting right. It's all worth it, isn't it?
• 33:50
  Thing. Well, yeah, I mean.
• 33:53
  I read it I. Edit it and we have.
• 33:56
  A wonderful, talented design director who makes it look the
• 34:01
  way the magazine looks. He is very talented and very
• 34:05
  dedicated. And you know, I don't want to
• 34:09
  toot my own horn, but I'm so proud.
• 34:11
  Of this magazine. Looks.
• 34:14
  But that's Lev's that's Lev's doing.
• 34:16
  I don't take credit. For how it looks, but yes, the
• 34:20
  it's a lot of. Time to read all.
• 34:23
  I mean, it's kind of exciting. It's a good problem to have that
• 34:26
  I do get so many submissions that it takes me so long to.
• 34:30
  Have to go through. It and and which which month
• 34:33
  it's going to be and is it appropriate for our magazine but
• 34:35
  that's a great. Problem to have I am.
• 34:38
  Never. Worried about getting?
• 34:41
  Information, which is wonderful. I mean, when I took it on, it
• 34:44
  was different, you know, I really.
• 34:45
  Had to let people know we were here, but.
• 34:48
  Now through social media LinkedIn, you know we have.
• 34:52
  LinkedIn. Facebook.
• 34:54
  Instagram and Twitter. And through all those not.
• 34:57
  Only are we getting readers. Because they didn't know.
• 35:00
  About it. But we're getting.
• 35:01
  People that ask me can I contribute an article which is.
• 35:05
  So flattering. Because people aren't going to
• 35:07
  do that unless they think it's quality.
• 35:10
  Because it's their reputation at stake.
• 35:12
  Sure, sure. Well, well, the most important
• 35:17
  question of the day then is how do you get the print version and
• 35:21
  how do you get the the digital, you know, online version?
• 35:26
  Good question both. Can be done by going to the.
• 35:29
  Website at WWW dot. Epmagazine.com Conversion Cost
• 35:37
  The digital version is free. We encourage people to.
• 35:43
  Go just to even look at the magazine to see if it's
• 35:45
  something. They want to sign up for.
• 35:47
  I'd be. Surprised if most people
• 35:48
  wouldn't. Because.
• 35:50
  If this is the kind of. Information and resources and
• 35:53
  stories you are looking for. You're going to want to sign up,
• 35:56
  and you can't sign up for free and like I.
• 35:58
  Said we do with the. Price of the magazine, believe
• 36:01
  it or not, is at cost. It's more than it was, because
• 36:04
  as you know. Cost of paper or.
• 36:07
  Printing and things have going way up.
• 36:10
  But we kept it at our cost. The point was not to make money
• 36:14
  on it, but we want people who, whether it's an individual who
• 36:18
  really prefers the magazine or needs the magazine, we have
• 36:21
  doctors we have. Lawyers, we have people that
• 36:24
  have an office that will buy the subscription and put.
• 36:27
  It out for their clients, which I think is wonderful schools.
• 36:30
  Libraries So. If anybody wants a print or the
• 36:34
  digital, they. Just have to go to www.ep.
• 36:37
  Magazine.com We. Those people who are more
• 36:41
  social. They can go to now I would.
• 36:44
  Like to say this, this is important I want.
• 36:47
  Them to be very. Careful about the social.
• 36:49
  Media that they do. Because we had.
• 36:52
  Some past social media and. Sadly, the person who was.
• 36:55
  In charge of it died and never gave us the access.
• 37:00
  So. It's not active and they'd be
• 37:02
  going to something that's not active.
• 37:04
  So I. Would like to say.
• 37:05
  Exceptional Parent Magazine Facebook is.
• 37:09
  Exceptional. Parent.
• 37:11
  No. Excuse me, Exceptional parent.
• 37:13
  Mag. Just MAG.
• 37:15
  Exceptional. Parent mag is the.
• 37:17
  Facebook, both Twitter. And Instagram are at epmzine
• 37:26
  they go. To the others we're.
• 37:27
  Not seeing it. They're not seeing current
• 37:30
  posts. So EPM.
• 37:32
  Zine is for both Instagram and Twitter and then I'm linking
• 37:37
  with it as well. I will.
• 37:38
  Have those links in the OM radio show post so you go to the right
• 37:42
  place. We want you to go to the right
• 37:43
  place. So thank you for pointing that
• 37:45
  out. Faye.
• 37:47
  What? What a great way to start off
• 37:50
  2024 with OM Radio about this. It's it's adaptability,
• 37:56
  awareness and inclusion. Did I get that right?
• 37:58
  We say awareness. Awareness.
• 38:01
  Acceptance. And inclusion.
• 38:04
  See, I'm not perfect, but awareness, acceptance and
• 38:07
  inclusion all around this aspect of resiliency, It's just this
• 38:12
  is, this is what Oscar Mac Radio is all about.
• 38:14
  And the fact that you're serving not just military families,
• 38:17
  you're serving all families worldwide.
• 38:19
  It's just it's a really amazing experience to be connected with
• 38:23
  you. Faye, I really appreciate you
• 38:24
  coming on and talking with me. Well, first of all I want.
• 38:27
  To tell you that adaptability is not a bad word, because if you
• 38:29
  think of it, inclusion often includes adaptability, adapting
• 38:34
  to different needs, and I cannot thank you enough.
• 38:38
  I am so honored and flattered to start.
• 38:40
  Your year off, I love our. Connection and working together.
• 38:44
  I appreciate your passion and. Support of the magazine and I
• 38:48
  just. I wish everybody a.
• 38:50
  Wonderful, healthy, productive new year.
• 38:54
  And please feel free to reach out to me.
• 38:56
  If you have questions, if you. Have stories or.
• 38:59
  Information you want to share my my feeling is.
• 39:04
  If you do social media sharing. And reposting is Retweeting is
• 39:10
  much better. Than just.
• 39:11
  Liking we, We're thrilled. When you.
• 39:13
  Like it, but from what I hear and I'm not amazing on social
• 39:16
  media. They say.
• 39:18
  Sharing and reposting? Really.
• 39:19
  Gets to the people. That you want to get to are.
• 39:22
  You making? More than I do 100. 100% I I
• 39:25
  couldn't agree more. Sharing is caring.
• 39:28
  Literally. So no, we're just we're off to a
• 39:33
  fast start for 2024. It's amazing what connections
• 39:36
  you will get and you know if you're looking for some real
• 39:40
  stories of of of heroes and people who are Austin like in
• 39:44
  action you know go to go to EP magazine, go to exceptional
• 39:47
  parent magazine, so we're and if you don't mind.
• 39:50
  Me just adding. Go ahead, go ahead.
• 39:51
  Stories. Yes, definitely.
• 39:53
  Are important, but I want them to know there's a lot of
• 39:55
  information and resources, you know, some.
• 39:58
  I mean, this may sound terrible. If some parents are so busy.
• 40:03
  But they might not be as into the stories, but they might be
• 40:05
  more into the information and resources.
• 40:08
  Other. Parents, teachers, individuals
• 40:11
  may love. The stories, but that's what we
• 40:14
  have. Both all three we have.
• 40:16
  Information, resources and inspirational stories.
• 40:19
  And I just wanted people to know so that they can decide whether
• 40:23
  this is something that could help them.
• 40:25
  Fantastic. 2023 was an amazing year for OM Radio 2024.
• 40:29
  As you see he's off to a great start.
• 40:31
  I'm Travis and the host of OM Radio with my guests from
• 40:34
  Exceptional parent magazine, Faye Simon Faye.
• 40:37
  As we say in OM Radio, we are Mission Flight.
• 40:40
  Thank you again. This is going to be a a great
• 40:43
  partnership. Thank you.
• 40:44
  Thank you for listening and watching OM Radio, where our
• 40:48
  active duty service members and veterans are in action and the
• 40:53
  mission is in flight. OM Radio is an oversized load Co
• 41:00
  since the One production. If you are a veteran or know a
• 41:06
  veteran who needs help, please dial 988 and press one for the
• 41:11
  Veterans Crisis Line.