50 Years of Apple: Lessons from Steve Jobs on Tola Talks – Ep #266

Rich talks about the legacy of Steve Jobs on Apple’s 50th anniversary, Donald Trump’s Ballroom brawl, space exploration and spending $125 billion going to the Moon, and personal development tips. Rich shares insights on innovation, leadership, and making impactful life choices. Not to mention, his reinforcement of the ABC’s: All-body workout, Blissful sleep and Colorful diet.

Why We Should Ban Tweens from Social Media on Tola Talks – Ep #230

Join Rich as he dives into the Top 10 reasons to reconsider social media for tweens, reflecting on personal experiences from the disco era to today’s digital age. Discover insights on mental health, social skills, and the impact of screen time. Plus, explore the latest trends in crime rates and the rise of micro-vacations. Don’t miss this engaging episode of Tola Talks!

Watch now and discover: → Using social media 3 hrs/day doubles the risk of anxiety and depression for tweens. → Inappropriate content online can lead to self-harm, eating disorders and bad viral challenges. → Social media platforms design features (likes) that can lead to addiction and impulse control. → 2025 crime data throughout 35 U.S. cities found across-the-board decreases from 2019. → Elon Musk & Tesla’s Optimus robot is coming in 2026, with unsupervised Robotaxis already in Austin, TX.

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📘 Featured Book: The Sub: Tales of an Inner-City Teacher by Rich Tola

To Hell in a Handbasket & Movie Review of Avatar: Fire and Ash on Tola Talks – Ep #229

In this episode of Tola Talks, metaphorically speaking and with the utmost compassion, Rich Tola gives his Top 10 Reasons why we’re going To Hell in a Hand Basket. From World Peace to American Peace – or lack thereof – Tola touches upon obesity rates, reading and math proficiency scores of today’s tweens and teens, the U.S. Federal budget deficit reaching astronomical levels, the cost of living in the U.S. of more than $6500 per household, as well as the recent Gallup poll with Ethics rating of U.S. professions at record lows. Rich also gives a Movie Review of the new blockbuster by James Cameron, Avatar: Fire and Ash. He also recounts personal tragedies plus his beliefs on how immigrants today can and should become U.S. citizens.

Watch now and discover: → World Peace and American Peace has been a challenge for all earth’s citizens. → The average of a new hire in the United States is 42 years old. → The latest Gallup poll says Ethics ratings for U.S. professionals are at record lows. → Movie review of the new James Cameron blockbuster, Avatar: Fire and Ash → Why immigrants have made the U.S. should become citizens after 5 years.

Teachers Get Unstressed with Best Selling Author, Michael Linsin on Tola Talks – Ep #208

On today’s Tola Talks, Rich interviews best selling author, teacher and Founder of Smart Classroom Management, Michael Linsin. The conversation delves into the challenges teachers face in managing classroom behavior, emphasizing the need for a cohesive approach to classroom management strategies. It also highlights how disparate methods can lead to confusion and exacerbate misbehavior, advocating for a unified methodology for effective teaching. Most importantly is for teachers with bad apple students experiencing challenging – and sometimes overwhelming – classrooms, to not despair: knowledge is the key.

So get informed and create your Dream class today!

Watch now and discover: → Why teachers often struggle with bad classroom behaviors and how to change them. → Understanding student behavior is the key to effective classroom management. → Effective classroom management requires consistency in strategies. → Misbehavior can worsen with conflicting approaches to classroom management. → Professional development – and knowledge – can support teachers in this area.

Winner – 2019 Global Shorts Festival

Thanks to our amazing cast and crews, we won our first two film awards at the 2019 Global Shorts Festival: Winner, Honorable Mention Zen Diaries: The Lockdown, and Winner, Special MentionSkateboard Bandits.

ZEN DIARIES: THE LOCKDOWN – now on YouTube & Vimeo (20min Dramedy)

SKATEBOARD BANDITS – on YouTube & Vimeo (12min Drama)

We look forward to completing the trifecta with a very steamy love story, ALL MIXED UP…when doing the wrong thing, is the right thing to do. January 2010!

Keep living your dream everyone, and get your workout in! Peace – R

Zen Diaries: The Lockdown

It’s 10 years after the premiere of my first film, Boulevard Zen, and here’s our protagonist, the former hot-shot Atlantic City, NJ attorney turned yoga master, Bobby D’Angelo, dealing with another shooter in his life. This time causing a lockdown in his LA studio. It’s where “self-doubt goes to die”, and it’s also where tempers start to flare among students and strangers as Bobby vows to “protect his family” while trying hard to inspire – and not insult – his guests with his tough love words of wisdom.

Zen Diaries: The Lockdown is a 20-minute dramedy starring Rich Tola, Kayla Moore, Jonny Haug, Romi Valenti, Anita Davenport, Jennifer Cheung and A.P. Moses. Similar to Skateboard Bandits, this film was completed from start-to-finish in less than 90 days with a total budget of $2,000.

Feel free to email us: info@twostrikehitter.com for the Vimeo link and private code. Zen Diaries: The Lockdown will officially premiere on November 1, 2019.

Coming next: All Mixed Up, a sexy R-rated love story about a 25 year-old socialite who’s trapped in an abusive relationship and soon to be married, who yearns for a way out plus one last affair with a man twice her age.

Have an awesome Autumn everyone, and get your workouts in! Peace – R

Reader Book Review – Simply Between Millions

SimplyBetweenMillionsPostcardCover copy

Thank you Andrea from PA, for the stunning review on Amazon (see below).

Per your request, one day I’ll make this into “a great inspirational movie” with the legendary Michael Douglas playing my father – a role perfect for him!

Peace – R

Simply Between Millions is a quick and addictive page turner about a guy who seems very charismatic, very smart and very passionate with an impressive range of interests, talents and knowledge. The book is a great example of how it’s never too late to follow your heart, in spite of what others expect of you or think of you!

Rich Tola’s book is an entertaining autobiography that would make a great inspirational movie! I was inspired to google the authors’ videos while reading his book and, in addition to being amazed by his physical strength, I was amazed by his similarities to the great actor Michael Douglas…their voices, inflection and engaging charm are very similar! Perhaps Douglas could play Tola’s father in a movie version of the book!

I would love for the author to write another book that expands on his work
with teaching yoga to women and children in domestic violence shelters. He dedicates a few pages to this topic and it was so heartwarming that I really wanted to read more chapters about it.

Congratulations to the author for a compelling “first book” and I look forward to reading your next one!!! Ben Franklin and Jack LaLanne would be proud of you!” Andrea from PA