Open Mike LIVE
This collection chronicles over 7 years of live-streaming video posts I’ve recorded.
This raw format is a move from static text to video, facilitating a more immediate and direct connection with others. They are unscripted and unpolished slices in my life, documenting my travels and adventures across various locations in North America.
I’m an engineer in the industry of energy and electric power who, like many of my beloved colleagues, asks myself “how can we do better?” Gazing upon the marvels of which humanity is capable, I can’t help but compare the promise of our time to what we see happening on the news today and what anxieties haunt our children about the world we leave them. And that comparison grows more and more difficult to paint kindly.
Follow my journey through the following places in America in which I’ve called home:
Columbus, Ohio
Portland, Oregon
Montreal, Quebec
Alexandria, Louisiana
Steubenville, Ohio
I hope you enjoy these productions and find some small value in hearing my story.
AI Fueled Performance Evaluation
Mike utilizes Google's artificial-intelligence platform Notebook LM to review his video collection. This AI-generated analysis serves as a unique self-evaluation, highlighting Mike's adaptability, resilience, and observant nature as he navigates various life challenges, including housing insecurity and financial struggles.
My Stolen Birthday
Mike shares his recent struggles, including the theft of his belongings around his 39th birthday. Despite these setbacks and over two years of living on the streets, he remains resilient, finding gratitude in those he's met during this journey.
Columbus is a Winter Wonderland
On his first broadcast of the new year, Mike shows off downtown Columbus, following the city's fresh snowfall.
This walk along Broad Street includes a glimpse of the nativity scene of St. Joseph Catholic Church and the Ohio Statehouse.
Past versus Present Futures
Mike observes how the genre of science fiction has shifted in tone from utopian visions of humanity to a more fractured and tribalistic society, mirroring societal changes in the real world away from embracing globalization to the balkanization of global politics, economics, and culture these days. From this imperfect future stems the notion of the multiverse.
Rain Delay
In this live stream, Mike George shares a candid, stream-of-consciousness reflection on his current struggles and observations. He begins by noting a "rain delay" in his evening, which metaphorically mirrors a period of personal stagnation and disillusionment. George frankly discusses his "empty life" and the inadequacy of "coping mechanisms" to mask deep-seated sadness, highlighting a stark contrast with his past image as "most likely to succeed" in high school. He explores the concept of "oldness" as a loss of curiosity, contrasting it with the refreshing perspective of children, and expresses profound loneliness, particularly his estrangement from family and lack of a partner or children.
WANDA’s Legacy
Broadcasting in transit aboard a commuter bus in Columbus, Mike reflects on his relationship with WANDA, the bright musical baton that routinely accompanies his commutes throughout the city, discussing the factors that necessitated its creation in the first place - unsafe streets that expose pedestrians to motor vehicle collisions and tragic accidents - and remembering its evolution into a political creed for pedestrian safety and commuter accessibility.
The Silent Ripple: Deeds Beyond Reward
Mike recounts a Bible passage in which Peter's shadow serves to heal the sick, emphasizing that Peter was merely a vessel for God's power - unaware of the miracles occurring around him.
In an age driven by boastfully sharing our lives on social media, even good deeds and extemporaneous acts of kindness can often feel transactional. There is a magic that occurs when good deeds are done for their own sake, which produce secondary, tertiary, and unforeseen reverberations of wholesome goodwill.
Reflections on Home, Family & Belonging
Mike reflects on his personal experiences during the holiday season, reminiscing on his mother, a Taiwanese immigrant adapting to American life in Steubenville, Ohio. He praises Steubenville for accepting his mother and recognizing her strength.
Humility, Listening & Understanding
Mike shares his thoughts on the declining state of American society, emphasizing the loss of humility and genuine understanding in online and real-life conversations.
Mike also expresses his deep concern for the political shift in his home state of Ohio, attributing it partly to demographic changes linked to the shale gas boom and an exodus of college-bound graduates away to coastal cities.
Mike performs Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" at karaoke night to accompany the riveting conclusion of the syndicated hit game show "Supermarket Sweep."
Mike performs Louis Armstrong's "What A Wonderful World" at karaoke night to accompany the riveting conclusion of the syndicated hit game show "Supermarket Sweep."