become

Cheers to 2025! Another year is coming to an end. We find ourselves anticipating, preparing, and celebrating! A heartfelt thanks to all of you for following along to the show for another season!  We are really looking forward to continuing this journey with you in 2026. In this new episode, I was surrounded by three of my friends: Jenny, Peggy and Courtney. We got together to talk about holiday tr...

Death is usually an uncomfortable topic to talk about. At least, most of us don't use it as a conversation starter at a dinner party! It is, however, something we as humans think about or encounter often. Julie Masters, professor of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Omaha, concentrates her work on aging and end-of-life. While educating her students, she eludes to the values of meaning and...

Our body is beautifully interconnected with nature, the elements, and the seasons; never separate.  Separation might evoke anguish within our human matter.  To find balance, we turn to our collective consciousness which helps us to explore the perception that our thoughts create our reality, and where our thoughts go, our energy flows.  Maggie Pleskac is the brilliant soul behind these teachings. ...

Our body is beautifully interconnected with nature, the elements, and the seasons; never separate.  Separation might evoke anguish within our human matter.  To find balance, we turn to our collective consciousness which helps us to explore the perception that our thoughts create our reality, and where our thoughts go, our energy flows.  Maggie Pleskac is the brilliant soul behind these teachings. ...

The guest on this episode is Steve Hastings, a resident at Legacy Retirement Communities. In Steve’s life, one of the most important and satisfying things he ever had the pleasure of doing was his work. And getting his PhD was a momentous occasion. One of Steve’s favorite (and luckiest) moments in his life was when he actually SURVIVED an airplane crash! Steve’s secret to living the good life is w...

Consider this: when was the last time you actually smelled the flowers and took in that experience instead of just noticing them as you pass by because you already defined them as something that just exists around you with no deeper purpose? The guest on this episode, Kayla Schaf, loves to experience life! She thrives day to day in her happy place, leading as Sales Director at Legacy Retirement Co...

Our guest today is Dr. Michelle Burson, or as I like to call her one of my very good childhood friends! An Iowan through and through, Michelle grew up in Red Oak, Iowa in the southwest corner of the state. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and majored in Biology. After considering a few other professions, Michelle realized that she wanted to work with people and loved science, so she pu...

Taking moments here and there to reflect on where we've been, what we are currently doing and where we are going is a great way to appreciate and give gratitude towards all that life gives us. Our guest today is Jen Bossard and she is taking in these moments. She is calling her reflection and pause in life her professional "half time". Allowing herself to assess the first half of her career and pl...

The guest in this episode is Cody Schmick. Cody is the co-owner of Kinkaider Brewing Co., Sideshow Spirits, and Bierhaus Maisschaler. Cody is not only passionate about the craft brewing and distillery industries, but also about all different aspects of business, such as how to build strong teams and how to create a sense of community amongst customers. So, let's dive right in to learn more about w...

When someone responds to the question, "How is work these days?", it feels all too common to hear a response along the lines of, "work is work" or "busy...". Both, I feel, have a negative connotation around them whether or not it's supposed to be reflected in that way. Negative responses aren't generally comfortable and could be quite awkward for the person receiving them. Especially when they are...

In this episode, we catch up with Phil Burcher. Phil is the owner of Precision Skateboards, a legendary local Nebraska skate shop in Lincoln, Nebraska. Born in Brooklyn NY and growing up as a military brat, Phil was introduced to skateboarding and surfing the second time his family lived in Hawaii in 1974 and has yet to understand what “not-skateboarding” means. His life revolves around skateboard...

Dr. Kathy Farrell became the James Jr. and Susan Stuart Endowed Dean of the College of Business at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln on December 1, 2017, after serving nearly a year as interim dean. She immediately launched an inclusive strategic planning process to help guide the college with a new mission, guiding principles and strategic initiatives. Kathy embraces where ever she is in life an...

Today's guest, Karl Hinkley, has an extreme passion for BMX and motocross. In the BMX world you might even know him as "Crazy Karl". Karl's been riding since age fourteen and defines his riding flavor as "creative". He travelled around the Midwest throughout his teenage and young adult life racing and riding freestyle. As he got more into the sport, Karl discovered he wanted to play a bigger part...

Have you ever ended up finding joy in something you thought you disliked? Such as working out, eating less sweets, or completing an assignment for school in a subject you generally would turn your nose up at. What does joy feel like in these moments? Accomplishment? Relief? Curiosity? Our guest today can relate. Juan Breucop would tell you he dislikes salesmen but ended up becoming a sales manager...

Nebraska - "The Good Life"! By my own observation, it's a place that tells the story of quiet perseverance and triumph throughout history, has hidden outdoor adventures like beautiful hiking and plentiful prairie land with impressive wildlife, and home to some of the most passionate sports fans in the country. It also has some of the most kind-hearted and genuine people enjoying life here that I'v...

Peter Ferguson approaches his life as Maya Angelou defined hers: to “not merely survive but to thrive; and do so with some passion, some compassion, some humor, and some style.” Peter is a mission-driven empowerment specialist dedicated to empowering others throughout his career. He is widely known and recognized, with over 25 years of experience facilitating and coordinating professional developm...

"Whoa" is defined by the Oxford dictionary as a word used to express surprise, interest, or alarm, or to command attention. My "whoa" in this moment is, "whoa, this is so cool, I'm chatting with another Michaella today. I wonder if she feels superior because our names are spelled almost the same way, but hers is elevated by an extra 'L'"? Michaella Kumke is an impressive human being who currently...

[this episode may contain strong language] In this episode, we will return to the question of "life hacks: what's gained and what's lost in chasing them?". This episode is a continuation of last week’s conversation with James Tucci. During this segment, James and I will consider more about what’s going on in our thoughts and if those feelings and actions align with who or what we want to be. Enjoy...

[this episode may contain strong language] Life hacks: what's gained and what's lost in chasing them? When this show started, sharing life hacks felt like an objective. But I quickly learned the intention behind the conversations on "become" is and has been much, much deeper. Interestingly enough, today's guest has challenged the very thought behind the moniker, "life hack". James Tucci is a Licen...

Let's see where the wind takes us... that's generally the theme of this show. Exploring the depths of life's journey, discovering the meaning behind those unexpected turns, and asking all the questions without aiming for a single direct answer. Chet Bennetts is an expert in retirement and financial planning. However, even after a fruitful career in this field, he too has stayed curious about what...

This is season two! And, a very special episode to kick off a new year! This episode was recorded in front of a live audience at Saro Cider in Lincoln, Nebraska. Maggie Pleskac, Julie Masters and Michaela sat down together to explore how to accept, appreciate and find beauty in all aspects of life’s journey. Especially in those moments where we become more aware of the aging process. They shared s...

As we wrap up season one, I would like to share my sincere thanks to all of you as supporters for listening to our episodes. I’d also like to wish you a very happy holiday season. We look forward to season two. See you in 2025!   Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!): https://uppbeat.io/t/oliver-massa/auld-lang-beat. License code: SEUCVE4SK7QD3B2L

[this episode may contain strong language] In this episode, I sat down with Adam Rehmeier. Adam is a cinematographer and director, known for Dinner in America, The Bunny Game and Snack Shack. Adam and I explore how persistence and committing yourself fully to any project will create something amazing in the end because you had fun during the process and pride and love for what you accomplished.

Our guest today is Linda Cordes. Linda is a one of the beautiful residents living at Legacy Retirement Communities. She was raised in Oshkosh, Nebraska and at age of 40 went to college - with her kids! She worked as a hospital x-ray tech for 28 years and also as a medical services officer at a disability agency. Linda and her late husband, Chuck met at work at B&C Steel in Lincoln and knew qui...

This episode's guest is Jason Jackson. Jason began working for the State of Nebraska in 2016 as the Chief HR Officer for the Governor and continues to serve in that capacity as well as being the Department of Administrative Services Director since 2018. Originally from California, Jason moved to Nebraska because he wanted to experience the “Good Life,” and return to public service. As the Governor...