Probably Speaking

In Episode 3 of Season 3, John and Paula  chat with April Pullins, a wife, mother, entrepreneur, and a marathon runner. April shares her powerful story of resilience, self-discovery, and the evolution of her bucket list. At the age of 43, April laced up her running shoes not merely for physical fitness, but as a lifeline out of a dark mental space. April shares her unique perspective that highligh...

In Episode 2 of Season 3, we chatted with James (Gembeaux) Massenburg, a man whose extraordinary talents lead him down an unconventional path of punk rocker, to retro clothing store owner in Memphis, TN. His move to New York City proved to be a career win, as he transitioned to becoming a costumer and stylist for some of the best photographers, actors, and musicians around the world. His story del...

In Episode 1 of Season 3, Renee Deljon shares how self esteem has impacted her bucket list. Despite years of setting her own dreams aside to support those of her spouse, Renee is entering a powerful new chapter in her life that includes achieving some dreams of her own. From early childhood daydreams of becoming a fashion designer to, that's right, driving a race car, Renee's spirit and...

Hi Everyone! This is your 2 1/2 minute sneak peak into what we have in store for Season 3: It's all about "Bucket Lists" (including some anti-bucket lists -- things that our guests would NEVER do again). You won't want to miss it! Enjoy the summer (don't get sunburn), and we'll catch up with you in September! 

Join us for the 17th (and FINAL) episode of Season 2 of the Probably Speaking podcast, where John and Paula explore their own bucket lists, as well as some things they NEVER want to do. From traveling to far-off destinations, to conquering new personal challenges (John needs more sleep!), they delve into the current wish list of experiences that they aspire to achieve. In the second half of this e...

In episode 16, Micah McFarlane (no. 7 in a family of 12), talks about growing up in Minnesota, and how he got his unconventional start in the music industry as a tour manager with his siblings. At the age of 21, and without any experience, he put together a multi-band music concert, featuring his family’s band, Ipso Facto, in order to give them a platform. They were a reggae/rock band that eventua...

In episode 15, Will  Korman shares his adoption story, and the search for his birth mother 50 years after she gave him up.  For Will, it all started on one Friday afternoon, driving on the highway, when he made the decision to go get his mother's birth certificate. Once he had her name,  Facebook proved to be the bridge between the past and the present, as he was able to track down a few seco...

In episode 14, Christina Igaraividez recounts the story of her biological father, who left the family when Christina was just an infant.  She grew up in a multi-generational household,  not knowing anything about her father. It wasn't until later in life that she wanted to learn more about her last name, and maybe, something about the man who she never knew.  A simple Google search uncovered...

In episode 13, the Probably Speaking podcast welcomes back previous guests onto the show to share some of their most memorable holiday stories! You'll be listening to stories from Mike Dolan, Alex Baker, Kevin Rock, and Joan Barton, as well as a new guest, Christina Igaraividez, who you will be hearing more from in Season 2 (episode 14) in January! So sit back with some egg nog, and cozy up t...

In episode 12, health care executive Alex Baker thoughtfully delves into the history of his paternal grandmother's life. Eleanor Baker was a fascinating woman, who traveled the world  in search of knowledge and experiences, at a time when women were expected to "know their place" (early 1900s).  Her life stories and diaries of her travels would eventually be well documented for the...

Find out how John and Paula Vergara discovered their Italian/Canadian ancestry, not through the traditional way, but from a Google search.  Learn how their 3rd great grandfather, Antonio DeBassio, born in Italy in the late 1700s,  went on to fight in Napoleon's army during the Napoleonic war, and survived the disastrous and deadly March on Moscow in 1812, where 600,000 of Napoleon's troo...

In Episode 10, musician-turned-contractor Joan Barton (and fellow Bostonian) tells us some fascinating stories about her uniquely liberal upbringing, and how her free spirit can be traced back to multiple generations, including her grandmother--the first woman to wear pants at the Ritz! She also talks about how she discovered her true Jewish heritage in her 30s, and married one of her employees (s...

In episode 9, actor, comedian, and entrepreneur Mike Dolan recounts the stories of his childhood growing up in a military family, as a third generation "army brat", moving every 2-3 years, while his Dad was in Colonel in the army.  As the oldest of three siblings, he grew up on military bases in such places as Saudi Arabia, Panama, Alaska, and Japan. He spent time camping in the desert a...

In this episode, John and Paula tell the story of their father's journey to America to practice medicine in 1954. Pepe's plan to move to Venezuela after medical school was scrapped after a fateful night of drinking with friends lead him to a residency in New York City.  After a few long years in medical school in Valencia Spain, which included maggot races, a stomach-churning prank on an...

In this episode, Paula recounts the story of her first trip to Spain at age 15. Needless to say, the trip to Ibiza was cursed...witnessing a horrific car accident at 5am, and going on an eye-opening paddle boat ride next to a few naked guys were not exactly on her sight-seeing list.  On the plus side, this trip gave her a new level of respect for her Dad (a doctor), who jumped into action to help...

In the fifth episode of the Probably Speaking podcast, co-host John Vergara recounts two harrowing stories of survival while studying abroad in Madrid, Spain during his junior year of college (circa 1981).  He dodged a potential kidnapping in Alicante after getting separated from friends and luggage on a train, and narrowly avoided being shot and/or captured during an attempted coup d'état in...

In the fourth episode of Probably Speaking, Actor Kevin Rock tells a fascinating story about how (and when) he met his two half-sisters, Melanie and Bonnie, who had no idea they had a brother.  After a chance meeting at a movie premiere, Kevin set out to put the puzzle pieces of his family together, with little help from his estranged, biological father,  Clarence Rock.  He also tells the tale of...

Growing up. It never really happens the way that you think it’s going to. It can often feel unpredictable, scary, and full of uncertainty. Yet somehow, it can end up being more meaningful as a result. In today’s episode, we welcome classically trained actor Anil Kumar, who shares some very raw stories about his early struggles with being Indian-American, his evolving relationship with his Dad, and...

In the 2nd episode of Probably Speaking, sibling duo John and Paula Vergara reminisce about Christmas past, including “Noche Buena”, and give listeners a taste of Spanish-style Christmas Eve foods. They also talk about their favorite childhood Christmas gifts that kept on giving, the uncommon Christmas tree topper, and Paula’s risky move at 3am on Christmas Eve. Things get serious, when they tell...

In this episode of Probably Speaking, John explains the true meaning behind the podcast title. Paula digs deep, asking John about his favorite Christmas memory (there is a dead body involved), and then John tells the famous (or infamous?) story of the Spanish FIG. Hint: It's not about a piece of fruit. 

Probably Speaking is a brand-new podcast that gives listeners an inside take on those wonderful, spontaneous stories that only family can inspire. Join the sibling duo of John and Paula Vergara, as they take a deep dive into stories and people that interest them, in an inclusive, informative, and humorous conversation, featuring special guests chiming in with their own, fascinating family stories....