Ep 51 - Surviving and Thriving - Meet Jim Alunni

Download Episode Here Celebrate America's birthday with First Responder and Veteran Jim Alunni. Alex and Molly dig into the daily grind of this Chagrin Falls Fire Marshall, and hear how 9/11 inspired Jim to join the military. Walk in Jim's shoes as he describes his time in Iraq and facing multiple IEDs, the last of which almost took his life. Listen in to learn what a real firefighter thinks of the 1991 movie Backdraft, and why you never see a dead cat in a tree. Get in touch with Jim on the Chagrin Falls Fire Department Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/CFFD1897/. Donate and learn more about their VeloSano Bike Tour team at http://ccf.convio.net/site/TR/VeloSano/General?team_id=6410&pg=team&fr_id=1722 See where the next Simple Summer Nights Concert will be at cvcc.org. One of our hosts was recovering from a cold (we won't name names) - please excuse the occasional cough... Learn more about the James Altucher cleanse that Alex mentions at https://jamesaltucher.com/2016/01/i-lived-nowhere-and-with-nothing-for-the-past-year-this-is-what-happened/ Stay tuned to the end of the episode for a 10-minute legal talk with Max Julian of The Gertsburg Law Firm. Take a few minutes to get a quick lesson and some tips on "restrictive covenants", such as non-disclosure agreements and non-compete clauses. [caption id="attachment_1146" align="alignleft" width="267"] Jim's Humvee after the explosion[/caption] [caption id="attachment_1148" align="alignright" width="272"] The seat of the Humvee[/caption]           SHOW NOTES * 1:10 Molly's been busy cutting ribbons at Pinecrest; Simple Summer Nights Concert Series mid-summer review * 4:35 Alex's mindfulness reminder and a short discussion of "Flow" * 11:00 Partnering business and community and praising Molly's speaking skills * 15:00 Introducing Jim Alunni * 17:37 Welcome Jim; Diving into a social media debate * 21:12 How to be a Fire Marshall and the path to get there * 25:42 Lessons in fire prevention tips * 30:04 People love when animals' lives are saved * 32:15 The path for a theater major to the US Navy * 35:42 The impact of 9/11 * 38:32 From boot camp to Iraq with medical training * 40:22 What it was like in Iraq * 41:47 The party ends and Jim walks us through his "alive day" * 51:42 The explosion that changed everything * 59:42 Having perspective today * 1:02:40 Remembering Sgt Rock and other important reminders * 1:05:02 An avid cyclist, dog owner, and chef * 1:06:57 No bonfires allowed in Ohio and saving cats from trees * 1:09:27 What really matters * 1:13:22 Lightning Round * 1:24:33 Legal Talk with Max Julian