Good Life Stories

"Every morning I wake up, I brush my teeth, and I sharpen my tongue." That's Thea Starr's favorite Dorothy Parker quote—and as the youngest of six, she learned early that piping up was the only way to get noticed. "Nothing's happening for me unless I say something." In this second episode, Thea reveals her unexpected superpower: parallel parking. Despite not driving off...

"I was a wild girl. A teenage mom. I even went to juvenile detention. You know, bad girl. All the stories." Then Thea Starr's father died when she was in her mid-20s with four children of her own, and everything changed. In this episode of Good Life Stories, Thea—a sewist, vintage sewing machine repairess, and designer working from a workshop in the woods at the edge of a bog—shares th...

"During COVID, when everyone was cooped up, the only freedom was the opportunity to go outside. And that was safe." Angela Shen had always loved mushrooms—she was "one of those weird kids that actually liked eating mushrooms." But she'd never foraged for them. Then the pandemic hit, everyone flooded the woods, and Angela had a realization: we live in one of the biggest wild gou...

A fifteen-year business shut down overnight. Tourism halted. Restaurants closed. What do you do? For Angela Shen, founder of Savor Seattle food tours, the answer came quickly: "Instead of taking people to the restaurants, why don't we bring the food directly to the people?" In this episode of Good Life Stories, Angela shares how COVID forced an immediate pivot from her beloved Pike Pla...

"If you and I were sitting in deck chairs on the deck of the Titanic, and we knew it was our last conversation—what three stories would you tell me?" That question is the heart of Good Life Stories. Host Tracy Crowley started this podcast during the pandemic, sitting in her dining room sewing, going for walks in the woods, and thinking about all the people she couldn't see. She made a...

"I have 100 movies running in my head nonstop. That being said, I cannot remember what happened 15 minutes ago." Matt Meyers has an unusual superpower: he can quote obscure movie lines from memory, leaving his twenty-something employees baffled when he references Planes, Trains and Automobiles. But ask him what he said 15 minutes ago? No idea. He had to check his own notes to remember what...

"Don't have to tell me to stay home. Don't have to tell me twice. I haven't been home in years." Fresh from cancer treatment and nine years of military service, Matt Meyers returned to a family business he barely recognized. The 20-30 person operation he'd left in the late '90s had exploded to 180 employees—only to be gutted back to 55 in one devastating year. In this e...

A routine chiropractor appointment. A swollen neck. An unprepared Air Force officer accidentally breaking the news: "They told you you got cancer and everything, right?" Matt Meyers' cancer diagnosis came at the worst possible time—just home from his third deployment, with a newborn son and a wife he'd barely lived with over three years of marriage. But this is just one chapter in...

In this final episode with David Castillo, Tracy Crowley explores the personal philosophies and causes that drive this dedicated coach and community advocate. David opens up about his favorite quote—"Don't let perfection be the enemy of good"—and how it resonates differently at this stage of his life compared to his younger years. The conversation touches on the challenge of reading pe...

What drives someone to send 14 letters asking to volunteer coach for free? David Castillo's coaching journey on Good Life Stories reveals how the mentors who filled gaps in his fatherless childhood inspired him to pour into the next generation. After a promising football career ended with a knee injury in his senior year, David found his true calling on the sidelines. David's path from vol...

What would you do if you had the phone number of the father you'd never met but couldn't find the courage to call? David Castillo's powerful story on Good Life Stories reveals how the universe conspired to bring him face-to-face with his dad at age 38, after a lifetime of wondering about his identity and heritage. David's journey began with a serendipitous moment while working at t...

What's the difference between "I'm not good at that" and "I'm not good at that yet"? In this final episode with Sheryl Tullis, host Tracy Crowley explores how one small word can fundamentally reshape our mindset and open possibilities we never imagined. Sheryl reveals her philosophy of being a "multiplier"—someone who helps others accomplish meaningful goals and...

"When it's my time, am I going to die doing what I love or am I going to have wasted a whole bunch of time doing things that I don't love?" What question would you ask yourself if someone you loved died doing what they loved? For Sheryl Tullis, losing her brother in a helicopter crash led to a life-changing realization and an extraordinary challenge: completing 50 adventures by age...

"When somebody tells you no, that doesn't have to be the end of it. There's always an appeal. There's always another way around." In this inspiring episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley sits down with Sheryl Tullis to explore her remarkable journey from West Point rejection to acceptance and beyond. Sheryl shares the powerful story of how a childhood lawnmower accide...

"Power is not a zero sum game. Just because somebody steps into theirs doesn't diminish the power of the people who are around them, regardless of gender." In this final part of the interview with Dr. Tammy Yard-McCracken, host Tracy Crowley explores the deeper motivations and philosophies that drive her guest's remarkable work in women's empowerment and self-defense. The conve...

"People come to train out of self-love, not out of fear. They come to train because they recognize their value as a human being." In this compelling second episode with Dr. Tammy Yard-McCracken, host Tracy Crowley explores the origins and evolution of 500 Rising, a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering women through self-defense. Dr. Yard-McCracken shares how the initiative emerge...

"I'm on Mars now. I don't even know what's next." In this inspiring episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley interviews Dr. Tammy Yard-McCracken about her remarkable journey from psychotherapist to certified Krav Maga instructor. Dr. Yard-McCracken reveals how she initially encountered Krav Maga while seeking ways to help her trauma therapy patients find greater agency...

"Life is what happens while you're planning something else." In this heartwarming final episode with George Nowik, host Tracy Crowley explores the intersection of personal challenges and family legacy. George shares his adult diagnosis with ADD and how what society views as a deficit has become his superpower, enabling intense focus and creativity in his chosen fields. The conversation...

"You have to be as authentic as you can possibly be. And any of that baggage weighing you down completely obliterates your authenticity." George Nowik continues to share and today he describes his journey into voice acting. From his early days recording phone system prompts in an unventilated closet to landing national ad campaigns, George shares insights into the evolution of the voiceove...

"We have medical technology that is available to us now, both in the physical and mental arena that didn't exist 20 years ago. So kids like me are going to have a much better chance of getting through it." In this enlightening episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley explores George Nowik's experience living with Tourette's syndrome. Diagnosed in sixth grade, George sha...

"Every landing you can walk away from is a good landing." In this gripping episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley interviews George Nowik, who recounts his harrowing brush with death during his sophomore year of high school. What began as a seemingly minor foot infection from wearing non-breathable boots turned into a life-threatening situation when blood poisoning set in. George...

In this poignant episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley continues her conversation with Dr. Darin Detwiler, exploring the profound impact of losing his son and his ongoing journey as a father and advocate. Dr. Detwiler shares intimate reflections on grief, discussing how he navigates the complex emotions of success in his advocacy work while honoring his son's memory. "I am still...

In this compelling episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley interviews Dr. Darin Detwiler, a former middle school teacher turned food safety advocate. Dr. Detwiler recounts his transformation from educator to crusader, sparked by a personal tragedy and a thought-provoking question from a student. He discusses the impact of the 1993 Jack in the Box E. coli outbreak on his life and career, a...

"This is about helping you to be your true, authentic self that's in there. Michelangelo used to always talk about how it's in the rock. Our job is to chisel it out." The Power of Personal Image - In this episode of Good Life Stories, host Tracy Crowley wraps up her conversation with Bruce Pflaumer, an image consultant with Michael Bruce Image Consulting. They delve into the profou...

In this episode of Good Life Stories, join me as I sit down with Bruce Pflaumer, a professional stylist with a fascinating journey. Bruce recounts his 17-year tenure at Nordstrom, highlighting the moment he realized it was time for a change. From accumulating 100,000 travel miles in just four months to making life-changing decisions on his birthday, Bruce’s story is filled with pivotal moments and...