Assorted Conversations

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Imagine taking everything you need for a multi-day backpacking trip in a pack weighing less than 10 pounds. That's ultralight backpacking, and our guest, adventurer Jerry Dugan, is here to share his passion and expertise in this unique outdoor pursuit. With a rich history tracing back to George Sears in the late 1800s and Grandma Gatewood in 1955, ul...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 40 - Can you imagine a 17-year-old helping his peers navigate the complex world of mental health? Join us as we sit down with the inspiring Filimon Meaza, the creator of The Brief Dive podcast. Filimon shares his personal journey of self-reflection, emotional resilience, and positive self-talk, showing us how he transformed his own mental health and n...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 39 - Discover the fascinating world of search and rescue missions in our captivating conversation with Dan Patterson , a founding member of the Mountaineer Area Rescue Group. With over 26 years of experience and participation in more than 300 missions, Dan shares invaluable insights into the immense planning, coordination, and dedication required to s...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 38 - We were saddened to learn about the passing of a former guest, Jaimie Sherling.  In tribute to the beautiful soul she was, here is her original conversation from April of 2022. We were deeply honored to have had a conversation with the inspiring Jaimie Sherling before discovering she had passed away from cancer in April of 2023.  This is a remast...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Have you ever dreamt of turning your hobby into a full-time passion and experiencing the thrill of personal fulfillment?  Join me, your host Helen, as we explore the challenges and triumphs of these brave individuals, from conquering stage fright to expanding a small hobby into something much more significant. Starting this August, tune in every other Wed...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 37 - How do you react when someone pushes your buttons?  This week’s guest, author and coach, Mary Elizabeth Murphy , shares her Reset Your Buttons model to help us identify what is happening and how to respond appropriately in the moment.   Mary Elizabeth discusses each piece of the RESET model, helps us understand our personal triggers, how we can a...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 36 - This week’s guest, Brian Anderson , is the only full-time Tick and Lyme Disease Specialist in the US.  After seeing the devastating effects of Lyme disease, Brian has devoted several years to educating outdoor enthusiasts and outdoor workers on how to protect themselves from these little blood-sucking critters. Brian shares with us how and why he...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Have you ever wanted to just pack your bags and go wander around the globe?  This week’s guest, New York Times Best Selling Author and professional traveler, Heather Markel , left the safety and security of her corporate gig and did just that!   Heather shares how she prepared herself, financially and emotionally, to make the leap into exploring the unkno...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Adversity can make you bitter or you can choose to let it make you better.  This week’s guest, Jaimie Shearling , has chosen to make lemonade out of the lemons life has given and she’s added a splash of vodka! She’s a cancer warrior-turned-entrepreneur helping her sister-breast cancer survivors, she has found acceptance and emotional support through her f...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Bonnie Jean Kuras, has always had a passion for helping children.  Throughout her career she’s been an educator and school administrator, seeing and experiencing more than what goes on in the classroom and on the playground.   The behind-the-scenes stressors began to affect her and those around her yet, thanks to a fateful conversation and a hard truth sh...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Home Baker, Christine Crisatelli , has been at her passion and side hustle for 29 years!  Although she had a dream to own her own bakery, she is no less satisfied with continuing to pursue her baking passion from the comfort of her own kitchen.  Her love of baking and the challenges of learning new decorating techniques to keep up with current baking tren...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! How do you cope with uncomfortable or stressful situations?  This week’s guest actor-writer-director-producer, Meirav Zur shares one of her coping mechanisms:  HUMOR.  When faced with infertility issues and struggling to talk about and share her experiences, she invited her close friends over for a night of “Wine and Hormones” and acted out what she was g...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ep. 29 - The Custom Wood Carver Conversation This week’s guest, Tiffany Marchand , has turned a lifelong fascination with wood carving and design into a unique business, Night Carver Designs .  Her passion for her craft is only surpassed by her energy and innovation in continuing to explore ways for sharing her skills, knowledge and creations. J oin us to...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Brian Kintz , Stump Trivia Game Host, joins us this week and shares how he has lived out his passion for trivia which has shaped his path to becoming a popular trivia game host over the years.  Listen in to hear how an unexpected opportunity found on Craig’s List was the first step in Brian becoming a weekly trivia host at bars and restaurants, plus emcee...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Ruby Miner, Blake Barr , joins us this week to talk about his treasure-hunting hobby of mining for gems.  A lifelong geology and mining interest has driven him to learn where, how and when to search for hidden gems buried within the earth.  His adventures have taken him across the US and have led him to discovering artifacts called Guadalupe tools in addi...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Author, Poet and Outstanding Author Award-winner of the Driftless in CT series, Dianne Bilyak , joins us this week to share her journey to writing the memoir, “Nothing Special, the Mostly True, Sometimes Funny Tales of Two Sisters”.  The stories focus on Dianne’s relationship with her older sister and their family’s dynamics.  Older sister, Christine, is...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! This week’s guest, Michael Hilson Roache , AKA Chef Nupe, joins us to discuss his love of food, cooking and sharing his food experiences.  What began when a relative tried to prepare Michael to cook for himself before he went off to college has evolved into a passion he proudly shares with family and friends. Experimenting with flavors, whipping up the tr...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! In honor of January being National Blood Donor Month, this week’s conversation is with guest Bill Borkowski , who has been a lifelong blood donor and as of our recording with him, has donated over 20 gallons of blood through the years.  Plus, this super-hero octogenarian has no intentions of slowing down! Bill shares how he first got involved with donatin...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Don't miss some of the funniest moments with our guests!  We're sharing bonus clips and bloopers from our 2021 episodes.  Most clips haven't aired, but we included a few that did to make you laugh all over again.  We've also got lots of our own bloopers that let you peek behind the scenes and hear our mess ups, flubs and hysterical lau...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! We have been fortunate to talk to some pretty amazing people this year!  Not only did we learn about their passions, in sharing their story each guest taught us a little lesson to take with us. We are stepping away from the mic over the holidays, so enjoy an abbreviated episode where we reflect back on specific guests and the things we learned from hearin...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! We've been fortunate to talk to some pretty amazing people this year!  Not only did we learn about their passions, in sharing their story, each guest taught us a little lesson to take with us. We are stepping away from the mic over the holidays, so enjoy an abbreviated episode reflecting back on specific guests and the things we learned from hearing...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! This week’s conversation is with guest Glenn Williams, who recreates moments in time through his passion for scale model building.  Focusing on, but not limited to model trains, his precision and attention to detail within the tiny scenes he creates provides the casual observer with much to take in, while evoking memories and stories from those who have a...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! This week’s guest, comedian Stephanie Peters , entered comedy at the age of 40 and hasn’t looked back!  Prior to discovering comedy as her calling, she studied and trained as a jazz vocalist at The Berklee School of Music in Boston, yet a serious bout of stage fright cut her music career short - so how did she ever manage to perform comedy?!  Tune in to f...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Our guest, Elementary school teacher Monica Marks , had several “side hustles” she was involved with in the past, but as she approached motherhood for the first time, she stumbled upon a life-changing opportunity as she was helping out a friend.  A fitness enthusiast, Monica was always on the hunt for durable, fun activewear and when she was introduced to...

Text me what you think of today’s episode! Blending his journalistic curiosity with a favorite pastime of visiting casinos, this week’s guest, Josh O’Connell is educating casual and avid gamblers on all things casino-related.  Josh’s website, Know Your Slots , focuses on slot education, comps, casino travel and advantage play The site serves many as a valuable educational resource to get the most...