On this episode of the Beyond the Physics Podcast, Irene and I are joined by our friend Juan Mejia (Not to be confused with our previous guest). Juan and I have known each other for a long time, having met in our undergraduate program at Cal State Long Beach, we both graduated around the same time, and happened to both accept an offer to the same physics graduate school program. To know Juan Mejia is certainly a joy in the unapologetic fervor with which he lives his life. Much of tonight's conversation revolves around Juan's motivations, and how he pushes forward in the face of adversity (perhaps you'll find a gem or two in there for yourself). We spent considerable time talking about the education system, and our perceived issues with it. At some point we have a discussion on parenting strategies, specifically on the appropriateness of "whooping" your kids. It will probably become apparent that Juan has a passion for working out, and so throughout, he was an advocate for living an active lifestyle, and reflects on how it is necessary for him to push his body for his well-being. Also we talk about Juan's general perspective on the world, and how it's useful for him to "shut off his brain". There are many other topics we discuss, but hopefully that summarizes the most relevant moments in tonight's conversation.