Things That Matter with Martie McNabb: Recent Episodes
Martie McNabb
It may be true that the best things in life aren’t things…. Things have a way of holding onto the memories of some of the best things in life. Join me as I invite guests to share the stories of the Things that matter to them. Show & Tales was “born” in the backroom of Branded Saloon in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn a decade ago. 160+ S&T’ later I’ve never tired of listening to the stories of the THINGS that matter. About me: I’m a personal historian/visual artist who creates visual narratives from my client’s photo, document & memorabilia archives. In other words, I tell stories with other people’s stuff.I’m also an interactive story-sharing heartist who helps people create connections by holding space for them to share the stories of the Things that Matter. What photo or object do you hold dear? Building connections one story of stuff at a time.
Martie McNabb settled into her favorite chair, the one that cradled her through countless conversations, and smiled as the camera started rolling. Across the video feed, Ted Cragg seemed right at home, surrounded by art and little mementos—a fitting backdrop for an episode of "Things That Matter."“Welcome, Ted!” Martie greeted him. “I always love to begin with how I met my guests. Your journey to this chair started through our mutual ties to Location Indie, Camp Indie & the Everything Conference in Minneapolis, MN ... AND me stopping by on my way back to Vermont from Summer School at The Old School in Montreal!"Ted laughed, his eyes lighting up with the memory. “Absolutely. It was a real treat to connect, and now here I am, ready to share something a bit unexpected.”Martie leaned in, always intrigued by what people brought for show-and-tell. “So Ted, what have you brought for us today?”Ted showed his 1st library ... well really video membership card and began to fan out a handful of library cards. “This is my accidental collection. Library cards from all over the world—Canada, England, Australia. When I look at these, I see my life mapped out in places I tried to call home, if only for a while.”Martie grinned. “I love that—a timeline told in paper & plastic. Did you always visit libraries as a kid?”“Oh yeah, all the time. And as I traveled, especially before widespread Wi-Fi, libraries became my connection to the world. You didn’t get a library card for a weekend visit; it meant you were trying to put down roots, at least for a stretch.”As Ted described each card, Martie listened closely. There was one from Peterborough, Ontario, where he grew up, and even one from a video rental store called Ted’s Place (another way to travel & his namesake). Each card—a physical ticket to another chapter in Ted’s adventurous life.“I notice you collect selectively. What do these cards mean when you think about your legacy?” Martie asked gently.Ted nodded, thoughtful. “I don’t want my kids to feel burdened by my stuff. But maybe these cards, with their stories, can trace my journey. If the stories matter to them, they can keep the cards, or just the memory.”Martie reflected on her own philosophy—things she keeps must have a purpose, or a story and ideally both. “If you share the stories, maybe the things themselves aren’t as important. Sometimes a photograph or a recording—like today—can be enough.”As the conversation circled toward its close, Martie invited Ted to share his own work. “Let my listeners and watchers know—what are you up to when you’re not collecting library cards?”Ted smiled. “I produce podcasts—Quick Edit Podcasts, to be exact. I thrive on variety and helping others get their stories out there, much like what we’re doing now.”Martie wrapped up with her signature encouragement. “Everyone, think about the things you surround yourself with—the stories they tell, and share them. Stories connect us, build community, and who knows—maybe change the world in small ways.”As the episode came to a close, the library cards, scattered on Ted’s desk, seemed to glow a little brighter, their stories remembered & shared.To learn more about Ted's work visit: https://quickeditpodcasts.com/ & connect with this lovely human here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tedcragg/Are you looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
In these dark times, where some people are trying to erase history, telling our stories is an act of resistance.“Hello everyone, and welcome to another episode of Things That Matter,” she began with her trademark warmth. “Today, I have the privilege of speaking with Judi Varnai Aronson—artist, entrepreneur, and keeper of a truly remarkable family jewels story.”Judi smiled, her hands resting gently on her lap. “Thank you, Martie. I’m honored to be here and grateful to share this part of my family’s history.”Martie nodded. “We’ve known each other for over 20 years. Our connection runs deep with Brooklyn, but also with the stories of the treasures we carry. You mentioned something recently of Facebook—a ring, and the incredible journey it took that brought it to you. Would you share that with us?”Taking a deep breath, Judi opened her palm to reveal a delicate diamond ring. “This is my grandmother’s engagement ring. She lived in Hungary during the Holocaust, and though I never met her, her legacy is part of who I am.” Her voice was steady, but emotion flickered in her eyes. “She was offered the chance to escape by the brave Wallenberg, but out of fear and uncertainty, she refused. Instead, she boarded a train to Bergen-Belsen, and with unimaginable courage, she managed to hide this ring from the guards—despite their efforts to strip every last bit of gold from their victims.”Martie leaned in, visibly moved. “How did the ring make it out—how did it come to be yours today?”Judi nodded solemnly. “When my grandmother knew she might not survive, she entrusted the ring to a stranger and begged him to give it to her only son, my father, whom she didn’t even know was still alive. Against all odds, the man survived, found my father through refugee agencies after the war, and delivered the ring. My father kept it safe all his life, through liberation, loss, and a new beginning after we fled Hungary during the revolution. About ten years before he died at age 98, he passed it on to me.”Martie’s voice softened. “That’s incredible, Judi. With everything your father endured, to hold on to this one thing—a symbol of love, family, and survival. What do you hope will happen to the ring when you are dead & gone?”Judi smiled. “I want it to stay in our family. I’ve considered passing it to my daughter, or eventually to my three-year-old grandson. But even more important than the ring itself is the story it carries. In a world where there are still people who deny the Holocaust, passing on this story is my way of making sure the truth lives on.”The room was quiet for a moment, the weight of the story settling in. Then Martie gestured to Judi’s surroundings. “You’re also a talented potter and artist. How does your creative work tie into your family’s story and your own healing?”Judi turned her camera to showcase beautiful pieces of pottery—totem poles of raku ware, vases, and more. “For me, working with clay is healing. It’s a way to honor the past, find joy, and keep creating.”Martie closed the conversation with her signature reflection. “Thank you, Judi, for sharing this deeply personal story and for reminding us that it’s not just the objects, but the stories behind them that truly matter. To everyone watching or listening, remember to share your stories and cherish those Things that hold meaning in your own life.”With a final smile & a thank you, the episode ended, having woven together memory, survival, and the art of keeping history alive.It's important for all of us to remember that our stories are always part of our collective history. There is no history without personal history. Keep on sharing your stories of the Things you keep, the Things that matter & the Things you will leave behind. Your stories matter!To learn more about & connect with this amazing artist: Find her on Instagram & Facebook by typing in Judi Varnai Aronson. Check out her gorgeous pottery & jewelry.Are you looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Martie McNabb glanced at her screen, a familiar spark of anticipation in her eyes. She loves hosting Things That Matter, a series devoted to the stories held by the objects in our homes aka our personal museums. Today’s guest is someone she’s admired for years: filmmaker Melissa Davey, a woman whose story embodies the very spirit of the show: connection, community & legacy.
After a brief greeting, Martie smiled and put her trademark question to Melissa: “So, Melissa, what’s one thing that truly matters to you?”
Melissa beamed. “I brought something a little unusual,” she said. She shifted her laptop to reveal a large, richly patterned rug sprawled across her living room floor. “I can’t exactly hold it up, but I hope you can see it. This rug is over a hundred years old and it’s been in my family for generations.”
Martie leaned in, intrigued. “It looks beautiful! But what makes it special to you?”
As Melissa spoke, the rug transformed in Martie’s mind from a simple floor covering to a living archive. Melissa shared how her grandmother had purchased the Iranian rug a century ago, how her mother inherited it, and how it graced every house Melissa lived in since childhood. Melissa’s voice softened with emotion, recalling crawling on its surface as a toddler, the laughter of cousins during family get-togethers, the quiet moments of reflection as the years slipped by.
“It’s more than just a rug,” Melissa explained. “It’s a canvas of my family history—every generation has literally stood, walked, and played on it. Even now, my grandchildren and my cat find special spots on it.”
As Melissa described the weight of memories bound up in the rug, Martie nodded. She too believed objects held energy—that stories could be woven into fibers, wood, or stone. “Some people say things don’t matter,” Martie reflected, “but clearly, this connects you to everyone who came before.”
Melissa agreed. “Exactly. And when my mother passed away at 98, I knew this was the keepsake I wanted—a living legacy. I hope my own children, and their children, keep the tradition alive.”
The conversation shifted, and Martie invited Melissa to share more about her recent work. With characteristic humility, Melissa explained how she’d started filmmaking at age 65—a nod to her lifelong love of movies and a realization that, if not now, when?
“I made ‘Beyond 60’ about women over sixty doing extraordinary things, and then ‘Climbing Into Life’ about the oldest woman to climb El Capitan,” Melissa explained. “I learned so much—mostly, to never underestimate the stories people have to share, no matter their age.”
As the interview wound down, Martie asked Melissa how viewers could keep up with her projects. “Just visit my website, melissadavey.com,” Melissa smiled.
When the cameras were off, Martie sat for a moment, reflecting on the stories she’d just heard. She glanced at her own collection of keepsakes—wondering anew what stories they held, and what stories others still longed to tell.
Are you looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
“Welcome to this episode of Things That Matter BL,” Martie began. “Today’s conversation is truly special. You reached out after attending a workshop I facilitated for Alexa Bigwarfe’s Women In Publishing community — well, technically, after watching the replay — and I was struck by your open embrace of the show and tell method I taught to help authors truly connect with their audience.”
BL’s laughter was soft. “I felt the same, Martie. Your advice about storytelling, especially through the objects and memories that define us, really resonated. It’s what I do through my writing—but I’d never thought to show it with something as simple as a photograph.”
She held up a picture: herself at a recent conference, arms crossed, the words “I kept dreaming” written boldly on her skin. The image wasn’t just a portrait, BL explained—it was a memory, an artifact from an exercise meant to symbolize lessons learned and dreams held dear.
Martie listened, captivated, as BL recounted her young beginnings as a writer—a 13-year-old girl crafting fantasy worlds to escape life’s troubles. The first novel she ever completed, she’d handed to her father, seeking encouragement. His response, honest but perhaps not filtered for a young heart, was that it was good, but not great. The words stung, but they also lit a fire. Blair kept writing, kept dreaming, letting her imaginary worlds provide both escape and empowerment through adversity.
The conversation turned to BL’s latest accomplishment: “Heroes of Another Age,” the prequel to her now-sprawling fantasy series. Martie’s eyes sparkled as Blair described magic, brotherhood, and coming-of-age adventures.
Now that the show and tell section was complete, Martie turned our attention to legacy: “So, what do you want to happen to that photograph when you’re dead & gone?”
BL smiled. She spoke of her two daughters, now 12 and 9, her biggest cheerleaders. “I want them to keep that photo as my final message—never stop dreaming, never stop growing into who you’re meant to be.”
Their discussion circled back to connection—how life’s smallest moments and artifacts can spark the most powerful stories. Martie offered her support, inviting Blair to collaborate on future events to help other writers share their own stories through objects and memories.
As the interview wound down, BL shared how listeners could stay in touch and find her award-winning book, inviting everyone to step into a world where magic and family intertwine.
Martie closed the show with her signature warmth, reminding viewers that it’s not the things that matter most, but the stories attached to them—and that sharing those stories is the real legacy we leave behind.
To find out more about my guest, author BL Mostlyn visit: https://blmostyn.com/
To learn more about Alexa Bigwarfe & Women In Publishing: https://alexabigwarfe.com/
https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/
Check out the workshop I offered, via WIP, to authors looking for unique ways to build & connect more deeply with their audience: https://womeninpublishingsummit.com/event/things-that-matter-connections-community-legacy-with-martie-mcnabb/
Are you an author looking to build your audience of readers? Hire me to host unique story-sharing gatherings as an alternative to typical book launches. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Martie McNabb straightened the stack of index cards on her lap, eyes sparkling with anticipation. “Welcome back to Things That Matter,” she greeted the invisible audience, her voice warm with genuine curiosity. “Today, we’re joined by Denny Daniel, the founder of the Museum of Interesting Things, a place where stories quite literally fill every corner.”
Denny sat across from her, the afternoon sunlight glancing off one of the peculiar objects he’d brought—a tiny, exquisitely crafted shoe, a souvenir from his late father’s days as a renowned designer. Martie leaned in, sensing the significance.
“Denny, let’s start at the very beginning,” she said. “Was there a single spark that set off your love for collecting?”
Denny grinned, nostalgic. “Honestly, it began with show and tell in first grade. I would turn my house upside down every week, searching for something—anything—that could kickstart a story. Beetle records, Spider-Man comics, even batteries. I couldn’t get enough of sharing how these things fit into my growing world.”
Martie nodded, connecting the dots. “So, in some ways, those early shows and tells shaped everything that came after—right up to your museum’s founding.”
“Absolutely,” Denny replied. “Collecting always felt creative to me, a mix of storytelling, art, and honoring history. My dad was a shoe designer, so craftsmanship and narrative were family values. When my creative paths crossed with a desire for something deeper than filmmaking or DJing, the Museum of Interesting Things was almost inevitable.”
Martie smiled. She, too, believed in the power of objects to tell stories. “And now your museum has these three lives—you bring history into schools and communities, offer private tours in your New York apartment, and host lively speakeasies even folks across the country can join. Denny, what is it you hope people carry away from these experiences?”
“That the things around us aren’t just things—they’re vessels for connection,” Denny said. “When kids, neighbors, or visitors hold these objects, they feel the pulse of invention, creativity, and shared memory. And hopefully, they leave inspired, ready to see the stories in their own treasures.”
Martie glanced around at the souvenirs framing Denny’s space, the sense of history tangible in the air. “And what about long-term? What happens to your collection when you’re gone?”
Denny’s answer was matter of fact: “I want to donate the entire building and collection to New York. That way, these stories—mine, my family’s, the inventors’ and all the visitors’—become part of the city. They’re not just relics for sale online; they’re a living legacy.”
Martie closed the interview with a smile, feeling the resonance of the objects and stories shared. “Thank you, Denny, for keeping history alive—not behind glass, but in our hands, hearts, and conversations.”
As the cameras faded, the stories lingered, woven into the fabric of things that truly matter.
To learn more about these beautiful interesting (never boring) human check out his website: www.museumthings.org or follow him on facebook.com/museumthings or instagram.com/museumthings
And if you live in NYC or will be visiting, reach out to Denny to schedule your private tour of the Museum of Interesting Things at dennydanielx@ gmail.com
Are you looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Jen Allen sat down with Martie McNabb on this episode of Things That Matter to share a deeply personal story about loss and resilience. After unexpectedly losing her son Daniel to suicide, Jen found comfort in the objects he left behind—especially his skateboard(s), a tangible reminder of his passion and spirit. When Hurricane Helene hit Florida just over a year after his death, it destroyed almost all of Jen’s belongings, but miraculously, Daniel’s skateboard and a few treasured items survived.
Throughout their conversation, Jen opened up about the unique pain of losing a child suddenly, without warning signs, and the importance of sharing these experiences openly to foster understanding and support. She explained how holding onto Daniel’s skateboard helped her feel connected to him amidst overwhelming grief, and emphasized that it’s the stories behind our possessions that truly matter.
Determined to challenge the culture of grief avoidance she encounters, Jen has devoted her life to helping others feel less alone in their grief journey. She launched a YouTube channel, The Ashes We Keep, where she shares her journey, discusses the nonlinear nature of grief, and features conversations with others who have experienced profound loss. Through her voice and her work, Jen is building a new legacy for Daniel—one founded on compassion, honesty, and the power of storytelling.
The Ashes We Keep: https://www.youtube.com/@ JenAllenAshes
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ninjanursejen/
Are you looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Tabitha sat across from Martie McNabb, the host of “Things That Matter,” prepared to open up about the small but meaningful keepsake in her hand. On the surface, the keychain looked ordinary—just a collection of trinkets bound together with a zip tie. But to Tabitha, every piece carried the weight of her journey: the travel bug that bit her when she chose French in middle school, leading to study abroad adventures in Paris and eventually to a career as a flight attendant where she discovered the world’s complexity, and met people from all walks of life.
Her story took a new turn when Tabitha decided to become a mom—a decision marked by perseverance and hope as she navigated the path to parenthood as a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Within eighteen months, she welcomed three children into her life; all three were later diagnosed with autism. Living in rural Indiana, Tabitha quickly realized that resources for her children were scarce, so she created them herself, founding a nonprofit and a podcast to advocate not just for her kids, but for countless families like hers.
At the heart of her journey was the memory of her grandfather, a farmer and the first feminist she ever knew. He encouraged her to do what was right, no matter what, and held onto her travel mementos with pride, hanging them from his rearview mirror as symbols of her adventures. After he passed, the keychain returned to Tabitha as a family heirloom—a simple but powerful reminder that advocacy, love, and courage can ripple outward, transforming not only her own family’s story but also the wider world.
To learn more about this multi-passionate woman, check out her autism advocacy podcast by searching for Staring Down the Storm Autism Advocacy in America on Apple podcast, Spotify & YouTube.
You can connect with her through most social media platforms by searching for her unusual name.
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Martie McNabb welcomed listeners to another episode of Things That Matter, a series dedicated to extracting the personal histories embedded in the special objects that fill our lives. This time, her guest was Alyson Wagner, a multi-passionate creative she’d met at the Everything Conference in Minneapolis (Aug 2024) —a gathering that celebrates people who refuse to be boxed into just “one thing.” Martie had been invited there to lead her signature show-and-tell experience, helping attendees spark deep conversation & connections through story-sharing about meaningful items they’d brought with them.
During the episode, Martie invited Alyson to share her own “thing that matters.” Alyson, who’d been actively working to rekindle her creative spark by inviting more art and inspiration into her life, surprised even herself by choosing not a family heirloom, but a recently discovered thrifted treasure. She told the story of how, after a coaching session encouraging her to find a talisman for self-expression, she wandered into the Austin Creative Reuse center (www.austincreativereuse.org). There, her eye fell on a vintage owl locket—complete with turquoise beads, her birthstone color. She loved not just the symbolism of owls as wise creatures, but also the locket’s mysterious, unknowable past.
Inside the locket, Alyson began tucking tiny affirmations she’d clipped from her favorite yogi tea bags. One had come to mean a lot: “Be fearless. Know that all will be provided at the right time.” Alyson explained that although the locket didn’t have a long history with her yet, it had quickly become a touchstone—something to ground her, help her slow down, and remind her to stay true to herself.
Martie encouraged Alyson to consider what she might want to happen to the locket one day. Alyson reflected that while she didn’t have children to pass it on to, maybe her best friend—who’d initially come to mind when she’d found the locket—might one day inherit it. Or perhaps, it would eventually return to a creative reuse shop to await its next chapter with someone new. Either way, the importance was in the story and meaning Alyson now imbued in it, regardless of its origins.
Toward the end of the episode, Alyson talked about her “Snail Steps” Substack blog, where she writes about finding meaning, slowing down, and recovering from burnout—a theme perfectly aligned with the gentle journey this little locket represented. Martie wrapped up the session, encouraging listeners to reflect on their own objects and the stories they carry.
The episode proved once again that it’s not the monetary value of our possessions, but the stories, growth, and connections they represent, that truly makes them things that matter.
Here’s a bit more info about my lovely guest Alyson in her own words:
I’m a day-jobber who’s always exploring something on the side. My current ongoing side project is Snail Steps, a Substack newsletter about creating a meaningful life one step at a time. I started writing this in 2022 as a way to process the mid-life crisis I was experiencing including exhaustion, burnout, and uncertainty about where to go next in my life. I decided I needed to go back to the basics of essential self-care and focus on what it means to be fully human. My hope is that through the writing of this newsletter, not only am I learning how to cultivate deeper connections with myself and the world around me, but also I am encouraging those who read my newsletter to do the same in their own lives. You can read the full archive and subscribe at alysonwagner.substack.com. You can also find me on LinkedIn and Instagram (@alysonimagines).
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Zhu Shen grew up in China, where food has always been at the heart of family and tradition. Years later, living in the U.S., she found herself caring for her beloved husband, a Stanford-trained biotech founder and the family’s home chef, as he battled a tragic and ironic fight with cancer. One day, as Zhu prepared roasted red bell peppers—a dish he adored—she noticed a dark spot spreading on one of the peppers. The slow decay mirrored the painful changes she saw in her husband. As she cut away the rotten parts, she was overcome with emotion, realizing how closely food and grief had become linked in her life.
During this difficult time, their twelve-year-old son Perry decided to process his sorrow by creating an animated film about his father. Inspired by Perry’s gesture of love and determined to honor her husband’s legacy, Zhu stepped out of her biotech career and fully supported her son’s creative journey, becoming the film’s producer. As she documented Perry’s growth as both an artist and a young man, Zhu found herself changing too—moving from the strict “tiger mom” she once was to a more collaborative and supportive “Zen mom.”
Through this journey, Zhu learned that even in the shadow of devastating loss, there is still hope and inspiration to be found. Embracing family connections, creativity, and gratitude, she discovered new meaning in both grief and joy, proving that it’s never too late to begin a new chapter or make a cherished family dream come true.
To learn more & connect with this amazing woman (& her son):
Journey of a Thousand Miles: https://www.journeyof1000milesfilm.com/
Link with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/zhushen/
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing (Kitchen Edition) for the Historic Green-Wood Cemetery. I’m a regular host of events for G-W for the purpose of building deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
As the clock ticked into a quiet afternoon, I, Martie McNabb, welcomed my guest, Risa Zenno, to “Things That Matter.” From the moment we connected—prompted by a chance encounter at the Everything Conference in Minneapolis—I sensed our conversation would reveal something special.
When I invited Risa, pronounced Lisa, to share her story, she smiled and held up a handful of colorful pens. “It’s hard to pick just one thing,” she laughed, echoing the multi-potentialite ethos of the conference where we first met. But behind her lighthearted tone was something deeper, and she began to explain.
“These pens remind me of my grandmother,” Risa said softly. She grew up between countries—born in Japan, moving through Brazil, Seattle, New York, and Mexico City—and whenever she felt far from home, her grandmother bridged the distance through handwritten letters. “Before email,” she recalled, “writing letters was how we stayed connected. We shared stories, and pens became our bond.”
Risa described her grandmother’s role as an English teacher in Japan, a fixture at her local stationery store, always offering discounts and bringing Risa the newest pens and erasers. “Japanese stationery is the best,” she insisted, with fond memories of mechanical pencils and mono erasers. “It wasn’t just about having nice pens. Every letter we wrote, every page I edited for her with our shared initials, was a thread between us.”
As Risa spoke, I could feel the weight of memory in her words. She explained how sharing stories, as part of my Things That Matter playshop, at the conference unexpectedly triggered grief for her grandmother’s loss, but also gave her a chance to process it in a healing way. “Listening to others’ stories brought her back,” said Risa, “and now, telling mine helps me keep her close.”
I asked Risa what she hoped would become of these treasured pens and memories after she was gone. She smiled, eyes shining, and spoke of legacy. Someday, she hopes to write her own story—maybe under their shared initials, RZ—so that the impact of her grandmother’s love, and the pens that linked their lives, will live on through words.
Before we closed, we joked about the unique joys of Japanese stationery and how the right pen or eraser can change everything, even the way you remember someone you love. “I used every excuse for new pens as a kid,” Risa chuckled. “Funny how what we love when we’re young finds its way into our stories.”
As we wrapped up, I invited listeners to connect with Risa—whose tangents, stories, and warmth leave an impression long after the last word is spoken. And I realized, once again, that the things that matter are rarely about the objects themselves, but about the bonds and memories they hold.
To learn more about Risa connect with her on LinkedIn: / risazenno or reach out to her via email tcklisa @ gmail.com
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Jamie Brickhouse didn’t realize he was walking into a 9/11-themed storytelling event—he’d been preoccupied, already scheduled to perform elsewhere that day with a completely different story. But as the realization dawned, Jamie remembered he did, in fact, have a story connected to that date, rooted in both personal memory and collective tragedy.
He began by sharing an object from his childhood: a unique “one way puzzle.” The puzzle, often thought of as resembling a skyscraper, had always been his favorite toy at his great aunts’ house—a house eventually destroyed by a hurricane. Years later, as Jamie sifted through the ruined remains with his father, he recovered the puzzle, holding back tears as memories of childhood flooded back. The act of finding this prized possession amid devastation echoed the heartbreaking scenes of people searching the wreckage of the World Trade Center.
Shifting to 9/11 itself, Jamie recalled living in New York for over 30 years with his partner (now husband), Michael, an architect. That morning, Michael returned to work after a bad back kept him home—his first day back, and coincidentally the day he avoided a regular client meeting at the World Trade Center by sending a colleague instead. The colleague survived, witnessing the disaster firsthand and returning covered in ash.
As the tragedy unfolded, Jamie was at his Midtown office, glued to the TV with colleagues. His mother called from Texas—hers was the only call he received all day, a small comfort amid chaos and isolation. He walked home through a sea of stunned New Yorkers, united in shock and seeking updates wherever they could.
In the weeks that followed, as many left the city, Jamie and Michael stayed. They even considered moving downtown, tempted by apartments with outdoor space and affordable rents. One, with a spectacular terrace, overlooked the empty skyline where the towers had stood—a bittersweet view they ultimately couldn’t bear to call home.
While Jamie didn’t lose anyone close, he witnessed the city’s resilience firsthand. He and Martie reflected on the powerful sense of community, the survivor’s guilt some friends still felt, and the ways objects like his childhood puzzle can hold complicated, healing memories. Through storytelling and shared remembrance, Jamie found connection and meaning—proof that even in trauma’s shadow, there are stories of hope and belonging.
To learn more about this beautiful human, author & comedic storyteller visit:
https://www.jamiebrickhouse.com/index.htm
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Passed & Present (9/11 Edition) to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Join us in this captivating episode where I, Martie McNabb, had the pleasure of welcoming the incredibly talented artist, Karin Edgett, to explore the intersection of art, energy, and the symbols that truly matter. Karin takes us on a journey through her fascinating transition from the world of advertising to embracing her true passion—art.
Watch here:Or Listen here:Karin opens up about her lifelong interest in communication graphics and how it eventually led her to explore the deeper realm of symbols and energy within her artwork. She shares how her art has become a medium to unleash the potential energy of symbols, like the infinity shapes and ankhs, which are recurrent themes in her creations. Each piece is not just an artwork but a story of life, movement, and transformation.
We dive into Karin’s creative process, beginning with her unique necklace. This piece was crafted by a friend and serves as a personal totem representing an ankh that’s alive and in motion, symbolizing a blend of life and infinite possibilities. Karin’s painting of infinities, which she proudly displays, encapsulates the idea of creation, recreation, and limitless potential—an artistic expression of quantum physics’ principles.
As we explore further, Karin discusses the delicate balance between structure and freedom. Her art encourages this dance, a balance that perhaps reflects our own life’s journey between maintaining structure and embracing creativity. She posits that true creation is born from the heart, driving the shifts and transformations we experience. This, she believes, is her living legacy—one already in motion, impacting those who engage with her work.
Karin’s relationship with nature is another profound aspect of her artistry. She shares the story of a baroque black pearl from Moorea, incorporating the essence of wisdom and memory from her aquatic encounters. This connection to nature is also evident in her fascination with flowers. For Karin, flowers symbolize a pure form of energy—free from historical weight, offering fresh, vibrant messages from Earth.
During our conversation, Karin reflects on the essence of legacy. She envisions her art not just as personal expression but as a conduit for transformation and expansion. Her work, she hopes, will continue to inspire and facilitate change, possibly even rendering itself unnecessary as society shifts towards an energized, freer existence.
In conclusion, my talk with Karin Edgett serves as a reminder of the profound stories and energy encapsulated in the things we cherish. I encourage listeners to reflect on their surroundings and the stories they tell, much like the rich narratives Karin Edgett weaves through her art.
Thank you for joining us on this introspective journey into the world of art, energy, and legacy on Things That Matter.
To learn more about & to connect with Karin visit: New Botanical Vision Cards:
https://www.karinedgett.art/new-earth-flowers-shop/botanical-vision-oracle-cards
Karin Edgett Visionary Artist: https://KarinEdgett.com
Instagram: / edgempress
Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot com
Have a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨
If you were asked “What Things would tell your life story?” What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself …. what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
Once upon a time in the picturesque lakeside town of Grand Haven, Michigan, Jodi Bandy spent her childhood surrounded by the serene beauty of the water. As I sat down with Jodi on my podcast, I was captivated by her tales of those early years. She painted a picture of days filled with her father's exhilarating adventures on the water, recounting how he was always at the helm of a boat, skimming across the waves.One of the standout stories she shared was about her father's daring feat of towing an 18-year-old in a kite across the expanse of Lake Michigan to Milwaukee—a world record attempt that certainly left a mark. Though Jodi was too young to fully grasp the magnitude of these adventures at the time, the spirit of adventure undoubtedly took root in her, shaping her outlook on life.During our conversation, Jodi spoke passionately about her quest to gather pieces of her family's history, especially after her father's passing. She shared how she unearthed old photographs and reached out to those who had been part of her father's thrilling escapades, piecing together a narrative that not only highlighted his daring deeds but also revealed his role as a silent partner in the local thrill show.Jodi's insights were profound as she emphasized the importance of capturing family stories before they fade away. She shared her personal challenges in gathering stories from her mother's side of the family, where fewer photographs existed. This only fueled her desire to preserve the memories she could, recognizing that each photograph and object held the potential to unlock a wealth of stories.As we wrapped up our conversation, Jodi's passion for preserving family legacies was palpable. She encouraged listeners to view personal artifacts as keys to igniting storytelling and preserving cherished narratives, even after our loved ones are gone. Through her journey, Jodi reminded us all that every picture tells a story worth sharing.You can find more info about Jodi's legacy work here: https://www.hoosierphotoorganizer.com/And to find out more about The Photo Managers &/or to hire a photo manager near you go to: https://thephotomanagers.com/Found on YouTube Whitey White Water Thrill Show: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wc427XhWlzAThis minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tales hosted for The Photo Managers to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. Watch here:Or Listen here:Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
In this episode of Things That Matter, I had the pleasure of sharing my story of solo travel and exploration. I'm Annie Sisson, a traveler and explorer, and I embarked on a journey that truly changed my life.Back in 2015, I decided to leave my teaching job and travel to Europe alone, something I had dreamed of since flipping through National Geographic as a kid. With just a few nights of hostel bookings at either end of the trip, a rental car, and a backpack full of camping gear, I let inspiration and serendipity guide my path.Along the way, I picked up a little mountain man figurine named Krakonas in the Czech Republic. He became a symbol of my journey, reminding me of the mountains I climbed—both literal and figurative—and the strength I discovered within myself. That trip taught me so much about our shared humanity and how, despite our different cultures and backgrounds, we all seek the same fundamental things in life.Finally, I share my future plans, including writing a memoir about this specific trip and helping others create their own travel experiences devoid of big bus tours and cruise ships. My multi-faceted career, which I juggle with coaching and freelance writing, allows me to remain connected to my passion for exploration and living authentically.To find out more about this beautiful human, check out her website: https://intothebold.com/Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
In this poignant video, Philip Griffith takes us on a journey that spans across continents and decades, revealing a personal story that intertwines fate, love, and cherished memorabilia.Philip begins by showcasing a unique water buffalo bookend he acquired during his trip to South Africa. He shares how this sculpture, though seemingly simple, holds profound meaning in his life. The journey to acquiring it started with his participation in two conferences in South Africa, a trip that also included a thrilling safari where he encountered water buffalo in the wild.However, Philip's story isn’t just about his adventures abroad. He candidly reveals the true purpose of his trip: his quest to find a wife. With a hopeful heart, he had even considered rekindling a connection with an acquaintance he knew from years past, only to discover upon arrival that she was already engaged.This twist of fate led Philip to an unexpected realization. After returning home, he met Susan, his future wife, right in his own neighborhood. Their meeting was serendipitous, facilitated by mutual friends who thought they should connect as she had just moved to the Boston area, only a block and a half away from Philip's house.Philip regards the bookends as a symbol of this journey. It's a reminder that sometimes, we must travel far and wide to recognize what’s been close to us all along. In his words, Susan is his “bookend”—a steadfast companion in his life story.As Philip reflects on this heartfelt journey, he emphasizes the importance of sharing personal stories and the cherished memories that bind us. The video concludes with reflections on love, mutual support, and the simple yet powerful artifacts that represent our deepest connections.This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tales hosted for The Photo Managers to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.To learn more about Philip & his photo management company that he runs with his wife Susan visit: https://psgphotosolutions.com/Watch here:Or Listen here:Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/
In the latest episode of "Things That Matter," I invite you into a conversation with Ellerie Fuller, where the significance of everyday objects takes the spotlight.During their chat, Ellerie reveals the heartfelt narrative behind a simple, painted rock she received from her niece during the trying times of the pandemic. This rock, inscribed with the word 'happy', wasn't just a token gift; it became a beacon of gratitude and connection, serving as a daily reminder of positivity and the bonds that keep us strong.Ellerie shares how this small rock has influenced her nightly reflections, encouraging her to end each day with thoughts of gratitude. This practice aligns with the philosophy of the Gratitude Rock, offering a tangible method to focus on the positive aspects of life.As the conversation unfolds, Ellerie expresses her vision for the rock's legacy. She hopes its journey will continue with future generations, carrying its loving energy along. Her story transitions into her personal journey from a robust military career to embracing a new path in mindset coaching.Ellerie's enthusiasm for her current work shines through as she discusses the potential of implementing coaching mindsets within federal government agencies, envisioning a future where positive leadership flourishes. Through her story, we see how one small object can encapsulate not only personal connection but also a broader mission of transforming lives and systems for the better.To learn more &/or to connect with this amazing woman:Courageous Whisper - Mindset Coaching:courageouswhisper@gmail.comLooking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
In the heart of New York City, as the world grappled with the onset of the pandemic, Jessica Lavoie, a seasoned model, found herself with an early understanding of the unfolding crisis. Her connection to overseas factories through her fit modeling work gave her an insider's view as news slowly trickled in. Amidst the uncertainty, a new nightly tradition began that many New Yorkers embraced—clapping at 7 PM to honor essential workers. For Jessica, her husband, and their five-year-old son, this ritual took on special significance.As they joyfully banged pots and released bubbles from their one-bedroom apartment's window, a friendship blossomed with their neighbors across the street, Flo and Jim. The couple, in their studio apartment, became their unseen companions, encouraging more bubbles and blasting cheerful tunes. Unknown to Jessica then, this connection would transcend the physical barriers, leading to an unexpected legacy. Jessica shared a photo of her view during a clapping session with a Facebook group, which later featured her picture prominently in a book that united global perspectives from windows worldwide.This moment captured not just a view, but a symbol of hope and human connection during trying times. As the story of her view crossed borders and reached an art exhibit in Brussels, it highlighted how even the simplest acts of kindness forge bonds that last. Back home, Jessica's tale became a centerpiece at a local street fair, bringing her community together and transforming an extraordinary experience into a timeless story of resilience and friendship.I met Jessica LaVoie when I was in my early twenties and she was a teen! She always wanted to be a model! We lost touch after the ending of my partnership with her cousin, but reconnected when she moved to NYC a decade later. She still models, but in addition she's a professional photographer.Her non-professional photograph was chosen as the front cover of a book that was inspired by a Facebook group, View from my window, that was created on 23 March 2020 by the Belgian Barbara Duriau during the lockdown of the Covid-19 pandemic with the aim of connecting people from all over the world. Thanks to the photos taken from their homes and shared on the group, members were able to travel and break out of their isolation. Find out more about VIEW FROM MY WINDOW here: https://viewfrommywindow.world/?This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Artifacts & Totems (Pandemic Edition) to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time._______________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Hi everyone, Martie McNabb here, and I’m thrilled to share my conversation with the incredibly talented Noemi Beres on "Things That Matter." Our paths crossed thanks to Keith McNally, the question guy on LinkedIn, who always connects with fascinating people through his deep, interesting questions. From our initial interaction, I knew Noemi had stories and insights worth sharing, and I couldn't wait to dive into her world.Noemi joined me from Cyprus, though her journey started in Hungary and took her through Denmark and Ireland before she settled on that beautiful Mediterranean island. Her love for travel and adventure is evident in her art, particularly in the mixed media collage she shared with us."I made this collage about the Canterbury Cathedral," she began, showing a vibrant piece that captured the essence of autumn. She visited this iconic place at fourteen, on her first solo trip to London for a language school. It was a time of self-discovery and unforgettable experiences, which she beautifully encapsulated in her artwork with rich colors and textures, evoking the fall season she loves so much.Her passion for travel didn’t just stop there. "Since then, I just couldn't stop traveling and I still love it," she confessed with a smile. This love for travel is a gift she also passed on to her son, hoping he would hold onto the curiosity and wonder of the world as he grows.When I asked Noemi about the future of her meaningful collage, she envisioned it as a cherished piece for her son, a testament to their shared adventures and her creative spirit. "I would love to give it to him... and he will carry it along to his kids as well."Beyond art, Noemi's life is a blend of creativity and entrepreneurship. She runs Podcast Connections, a podcast booking agency that helps entrepreneurs and business owners share their stories. Her dedication to connecting people and her love for storytelling shines through in every project.Our conversation was a delightful exploration of Noemi's multifaceted life—a world where art, travel, and business intersect seamlessly. I encourage you all to check out her work on LinkedIn, her mixed media art on Instagram, and explore her agency, Podcast Connections, for more inspiring stories.Thank you for tuning in and remember to always be curious about the things that surround you. They tell the stories of your life, the things that matter, and the legacy you leave behind.To learn more about this amazing woman check out ways to connect below:https://www.podcastconnections.co/LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/noemiberes/Facebook: www.facebook.com/noemi.beresEmail: noemi@podcastconnections.coInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/noemi_beres_____________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
When I look back on my life, one of the most pivotal moments was when I decided to embark on a journey across the United States on my bicycle. At the time, I was working a full-time engineering job in Connecticut, feeling stifled and yearning for something more. In the summer of 2017, I made a bold decision—I quit my job, packed my belongings, and set off on a bicycle trip that would span from Connecticut to Los Angeles, covering some 7,000 miles.The bike I rode, which I fondly think of as my trusty steed, became more than just a mode of transportation; it was my companion and lifeline. From two broken spokes to a cracked frame that needed to be replaced in North Carolina, this bike certainly went through its own set of trials and tribulations. But just like my bike, I too was put to the test. Each challenge, be it a steep mountain climb or a mechanical failure, was a lesson in resilience and resourcefulness.One of the highlights of my journey was dipping my front wheel in the Atlantic Ocean at the start and then in the Pacific Ocean upon completing my trip. There’s something surreal about realizing you've traversed an entire continent using nothing but pedal power.Along the way, I met countless generous and kind-hearted people. In places like Portal, Arizona, strangers offered me a place to stay and food to eat, their unwavering generosity making the long, arduous days on the road bearable. Though technically I wasn't homeless, the open road and the kindness of strangers often made it feel like I was temporarily part of a larger, transient community.This trip was more than just a physical journey; it was a transformative experience that reshaped who I am. Riding that bike across the country showed me the best of humanity and the immense beauty of our nation, one pedal at a time. Now, as I look back, I've even thought about what I’d like to happen to my beloved bike when I’m gone. Ideally, I'd love for it to be passed down to someone in my family—someone who can appreciate it and perhaps find their own adventures on this trusty steed.If you're curious about my adventures and want to see more, you can find detailed blog posts and daily recaps from my journey on my website, Try For Travel, or check out the videos I posted on YouTube. It's a way for me to share my story and, hopefully, inspire others to seek out their own life-changing adventures._____________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
On today's minisode my story-sharer, Wendy Green, shares her story of reinvention through the THING that matters to her, a microphone she asked her children to gift her for Mother's Day.This is Wendy's story:During the pandemic, my life took an unexpected turn. I was working as a center director at a Sylvan learning center, but as the world started to shut down, I knew my job was in jeopardy. By March 20th, my boss called to say we were closing, and just like that, I found myself unemployed at 66. It was a tough pill to swallow, but I wanted to stay relevant and find a way to make a difference.That's when I decided to launch a Facebook Live show called "Hey, Boomer." I had some experience from my Rotary Club days, but I still felt like I was diving into the deep end. Thankfully, a few friends agreed to be my first guests, and on April 13, 2020, we went live for the first time. My kids thought I was a bit crazy, but they supported me and even bought me a microphone for Mother's Day.Since then, it's been a whirlwind. I've learned how to simulcast to Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube, and I edit the audio into podcast episodes. I've had the privilege of meeting amazing people from all over the world, people I never would've met otherwise. Even though I haven't made much money from it yet, the connections and community I've built are what matters most to me.On every show, I remind my audience that "you are never too old to set another goal or dream a new dream." The journey has been incredible, and I feel more fulfilled than ever. And as a cherry on top, my one sponsor, Rhodes Scholar, even asked me to host a trip as an influencer. Who knew that losing my job would open so many doors?To learn more about this inspiring women visit Boomer Banter at https://heyboomer.biz/This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Artifacts & Totems (Pandemic Edition) to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time._____________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
I'm Martie McNabb, and today I had the immense pleasure of sitting down with Deb Krier for an episode of Things That Matter. As many of you know, I am fascinated by the stories attached to the Things that matter in our lives and the legacy they create. Deb's story is a remarkable mixture of resilience, humor, and inspiration.Deb brought something incredibly unique to our show-and-tell: a lavender-colored knitted pillow. At first glance, it might seem like a cute little cushion, but it represents something much deeper. It's one of her "knitted knockers," a prosthetic boob she affectionately named Lucy or Ethel. Deb was diagnosed with breast cancer and chose to undergo a double mastectomy without reconstructive surgery. Rather than wallowing in what she lost, she embraced her new reality with humor and grace, even naming her prosthetics.We delved into the reactions she encountered after her diagnosis. Surprisingly, some long-time friends disappeared, unable to confront her new reality, while others she barely knew stepped up as her biggest supporters. Her best friend needed time to process the news but came around and flew out to help her on multiple occasions.Deb's infectious sense of humor became evident when she shared more about her journey. She has another pair of prosthetics named Thelma and Louise, the "fancier" ones covered by insurance. Her lighthearted approach not only helps her cope but also puts others at ease. For instance, in her medical records, her "other" name is Anastasia Beaverhausen, a moniker that lifted spirits even in the infusion room, where the staff started treating her like royalty.Deb's initiative, "Trying Not to Die Live," embodies her mission to help others in their cancer journey live life to its fullest. She encourages people to embrace their inner warrior, build a supportive tribe, and cherish every moment, whether they have five hours or fifty years left.Deb's story reminded me of the power of humor and resilience in the face of life's most challenging moments. Her knitted knockers, the stories they carry, and her positive outlook on life inspired me tremendously. Her journey is a testament to living life fully and joyfully, no matter the circumstances.As we wrapped up our conversation, I couldn't help but think about the things that matter in my own life and the stories attached to them. Deb's journey reaffirmed my belief in the importance of sharing these stories with our loved ones, creating a legacy of not just things, but the memories and emotions they encapsulate.Thank you, Deb, for sharing your story and reminding us all to laugh, live, and cherish every precious moment we have.Deb is not only a seasoned entrepreneur with a background in communications, marketing, and public relations but also a cancer advocate whose personal journey through Stage 4 triple-positive breast cancer and thyroid cancer has been truly transformative. In 2022, she founded tryingnottodie.LIVE is a commendable initiative empowering those navigating the complexities of cancer.Her unwavering commitment to turning struggles into strengths, fostering hope in the cancer community, and promoting resilience aligns seamlessly with the values of your podcast as the founder of tryingnottodie.LIVE and the host of "The Business Power Hour" podcast, Deb brings profound insights into holistic health, wellness, and spirituality.Watch here:Or Listen here:
Join me as I sit down with Martie, the host of Things That Matter, to share my journey as a photographer and adventurer. My name is Jesse Morgan, and here's a glimpse into the story of an old photo:I'm originally from Texas, but now I call Mexico City my home—a place full of vibrant culture and endless photographic opportunities. My journey to this bustling city was anything but ordinary, starting with my college years back in West Texas at Abilene Christian University.During one summer break, I faced the classic college dilemma: do I get a summer job or take extra classes? The summer before had been spent working as a property manager in Colorado, but this time, my older brother's stories of commercial fishing in Alaska caught my attention. He had been going up there for a couple of seasons, and he encouraged me to give it a try. With little hesitation, I bought a one-way ticket to Cordova, Alaska, ready for whatever came my way.Arriving in Cordova was like stepping into another world. I’ll never forget the moment I got off the ferry and pitched my tent alongside a little river, where this photo was taken. For two weeks, I walked the docks every day, talking to captains and asking for a chance to be a deckhand. It was a challenging time, but it taught me a lot about resilience and perseverance.One of the most meaningful moments for me was captured in a photo from my first day in Cordova. Looking at that photo now, I see how far I've come—from a 20-year-old kid in a new world to a seasoned summer fisherman who's done seven seasons in Alaska and is gearing up for my eighth. This experience has shaped my belief that nothing is too small or too big to tackle, a lesson that carries over into my work as a photographer and videographer.Sharing this journey with Martie was truly special. We connected over our shared love for the nomadic lifestyle and the idea that resilience is key to thriving in any adventure. From Texas to Alaska and now in Mexico City, my story is a testament to following unexpected paths and embracing every challenge along the way.You can find out more about Jesse here: https://www.jessewyattmorgan.com/aboutThis minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tales hosted for The Photo Managers to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time._____________________________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
I recently had the pleasure of hosting MariBeth Decker, an extraordinary animal communicator, on my YouTube channel, "Things That Matter." From the moment we met through a mutual friend, I knew she had something truly unique to share with our audience. Her ability to connect with animals and communicate with them is nothing short of remarkable.Maribeth started the conversation with a touching show-and-tell. She brought out felt creations of her late pets—two dogs named Tibor and Stella, and a cat named Mr Mac or Mac the cat. These little figures, handcrafted by an artist in Ukraine via Etsy, captured the essence and spirit of her beloved fur family. It was evident how much these replicas meant to her, especially after losing the animals in a short span of time. The detail in each piece was astounding, and Maribeth explained how her husband meticulously communicated with the artist to get every feature just right.As she shared stories about each of these pets, my heart warmed. Tibor, the once fear-aggressive dog who learned to trust and love thanks to Maribeth's gentle communication, became a family member who loved snuggling and walks in the woods. Meanwhile, Mr Mac, the playful cat, was known for his antics, like bringing a ball to Maribeth to initiate a game of fetch. And then there was Stella, the sweet dog who charmed everyone she met by offering them gifts like leaves or twigs.Maribeth talked about how her journey in animal communication began after she became a Reiki master and started receiving messages from her dogs in spirit. Her practical approach to using this skill helps pet owners understand their animals' behaviors, emotions, and even physical states. She provides insights that can be incredibly healing, whether it's explaining a sudden change in behavior due to a household shift or detecting areas of discomfort within an animal's body.Her depth of understanding extends beyond communication; she actively helps pets heal from past traumas and physical ailments. Her role, she says, is similar to that of a doula but for animals—helping both the pets and their owners navigate through the challenging times, especially during transitions.At the end of our conversation, Maribeth showed me her bestselling book, "Peace in Passing: Comfort for Loving Humans During Animal Transitions." https://peaceinpassingbook.com/The book offers guidance for pet owners facing the inevitable heartbreak of losing a furry friend, teaching them to honor their love and manage the grief that follows.Through our dialogue, Maribeth's passion and dedication to her work were palpable. She radiated love and commitment, offering not just her skills but her entire heart to those she helps. It left me thinking about the things we keep and the memories we cherish. Each object, each story has its place, and Maribeth reminded me of how crucial it is to honor them.If you're as fascinated as I am and want to learn more about Maribeth and her work, you can find her at sacredgrove.com. Whether you're dealing with a current pet issue or the lingering grief of a pet that has passed, Maribeth's insights could be the support you need. I feel incredibly grateful to have had the chance to share her story with you all.To learn more about my guests important healing work in the world visit: https://sacredgrove.com/The sweet felt animals were made by Ukranian artist Natalia at Natsy Toys UA: https://www.etsy.com/shop/NatsyToysUAWatch here:Or Listen here:
I want to share my heartfelt story about how my neighborhood in Eugene, Oregon, came together during the pandemic. A few years before it all began, we had moved here from Berkeley, California, and Eugene turned out to be the perfect place for us to ride through those tough times. Our lifestyle didn’t change much, despite the restaurants and gym closing. We continued hiking and biking, and Oregon's relatively low population density meant the pandemic didn't hit us as hard as it did some other places.Early in 2020, something remarkable happened. Our doorbell rang – a rare occurrence then – and standing there was a young woman from a student house down the street. Living right near the University of Oregon campus, there are always student rental units nearby, but this young woman stood out. She introduced herself and proposed that our block come together as a community pod, where we could get to know each other and hang out safely.Her initiative inspired me. She even hosted guitar music sessions on her front lawn, where we sang folk songs together. I felt a bit sheepish that she was taking the lead when I considered myself an activist. So, I jumped in to help organize alongside her and another neighbor, Will Parody, who soon became a close friend. Will, an incredibly passionate artist, intrigued me with his creative work. Feeling inspired, I suggested we turn one of his black-and-white posters into a community project.We divided the poster into sections, giving each household a piece to color. When we brought all the pieces together, it created a vibrant, patchwork-like artwork that symbolized our unity during a difficult time. Not everyone participated, but those who did enjoyed the project. I even got more into coloring myself, experimenting with various techniques and enjoying local radio shows while I colored.Throughout this period, what struck me the most was the sense of community that developed. The pandemic had its challenges, but it also brought silver linings, like the magic of Zoom connecting me with family and friends across the country. It was uplifting to hear positive stories from neighbors, hear strangers’ love and support, and see people building confidence through newfound connections.Our world truly needs more of these positive, community-focused experiences. Reflecting on these moments, I'm smitten with the sense of togetherness we fostered during such uncertain times. Thank you for listening.This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Artifacts & Totems (Pandemic Edition) to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.___________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest Martie Mackay shares her pandemic story through her unique "nine things" photo design project.To cope with the isolation and emotional toll, Martie turned to something familiar yet unexpected — personal stories of the ordinary Things around her home during "lockdown". First inspired by a striking image of the coronavirus, she began a unique art project that revolved around finding and photographing nine household items that resembled the virus. It started with simple things like a cactus, a dog toy, and an orange golf ball. She shared these on her @ juniperstudio Instagram and Facebook, and the response was overwhelmingly positive. People loved the humor and creativity, and it helped build a sense of community during isolation.Her daily posts quickly turned into something more. She started theming her posts, spicing up the pandemic with collections of spices or even showcasing tiara-worthy items, including a roll of toilet paper😂 It became a way for her to make people laugh and feel connected.One standout moment was when Martie shared her grandmother's measuring cups at one of Martie McNabb’s story-sharing gatherings. Those cups, though simple, hold deep sentimental value. They weren't just kitchen tools; they were a connection to her past, to family history, and to memories of love and warmth. We both agreed that everyone has a story worth preserving, and these objects are tools to connect us to those stories.As the pandemic pressed on, her "nine things" series grew into a collection of over 81 posts. Each post was a blend of creativity, humor, and personal reflection. It was Martie's way of documenting this unique period in her life, and it resonated with many others. People found solace, laughter, and connection in those posts. It was more than just a project; it was a lifeline.Looking back, this period, though fraught with loss and uncertainty, also became a testament to the power of personal stories and connections. We both agree that these firsthand accounts and artifacts hold historical value, not just for us but for future generations. In a world that had slowed down, we found significance in everyday Things, and that realization is something we carry with us, even as the world moves on.To find out more about Martie's creative work visit: https://www.juniperstudiophotography.com/Fun Fact: I haven't met another female Martie with the ie until her! AND we're cooking up a fun collaboration coming soon to our mutual friend, Diana Place's, 333 Collective & beyond!!! More info to come.______________________________________________________________________________Looking to build deeper connections, community & legacy with your employees, volunteers, donors, community, alumni, family, friends, residents, team or event participants? Hire me to host a unique story-sharing gathering, playshop, exhibition or retreat. Email me at martie at showandtales dot comHave a story of a special item you’d love to share? Reach out to Martie McNabb at info at showandtales dot com and be part of a future episode with the Subject line: Podcast Guest✨If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell? Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/Watch here:Or Listen here:
In this episode of Things That Matter, I, Jill Yesko, shared a heartfelt story about a cherished childhood photo and its unexpected journey back to me.I talked about my early life and my godfather, Uncle Jack. He captured a special photograph of me in 1972, a picture that went missing for 35 years. I described how the photo was significant to me, not just because it was a glimpse into my past, but also because it represented my contemplative, pensive childhood.My personality, quiet and serious, often left me misunderstood, even by my own family. Despite this, the photograph, always tucked away in drawers and never framed, held a deep place in my heart. Years passed, and after a period of estrangement from my mother, I believed I might never see that picture again.Then, out of the blue, during a visit to my ailing father in St. Louis, my stepmother handed me a package from Uncle Jack. Miraculously, he had found the negative and developed the photo, sending it to my stepmom because he didn't have my address. Opening that envelope and seeing my younger self brought an overwhelming rush of emotions, transporting me back in time. Since then, the photo has taken its rightful place on my fridge, protected and cherished.I also reflected on how people often see me as an extrovert, while in reality, I am quite introspective. This mix-up is common, particularly within our community of photo managers, who understand the importance of presenting ourselves but know it doesn't necessarily mean we live as extroverts. Sharing this personal story was a meaningful experience, and I hope it resonates with others who may have similar journeys.Watch here:Or Listen here:
Hello, everyone. My name is Elizabeth Barbour. I live in Asheville, North Carolina, and I'm thrilled to be here today to share a story that is very close to my heart.I grew up adopted, raised in Connecticut by my wonderful adoptive mom and dad as an only child. When I was 29 years old, I found my biological parents. It was an incredible experience; not only did I find my birth mom and dad, but also eleven half-brothers and sisters. This past April, we celebrated 25 years of reunion together, and I’ve developed beautiful relationships with everyone from parents and grandparents to siblings, nieces, and nephews.My birth mom passed away last year at a young age, and the item I’m about to share holds even more meaning now because it comes from her side of the family. It’s a ring, an amethyst set in gold filigree, with a delicate rose in the middle. I have a deep love for jewelry; my first job was at a jewelry store when I was 16, and this piece is particularly special.When I first met my birth mom in 1999 and visited her again around 2000, I also met her mother, my maternal grandmother for the first time. As we were talking, my grandmother mentioned a ring. I was intrigued, unaware of the legacy behind it. The ring has been passed down through generations to all the Elizabeths in the family. It started with my great-great-grandmother, Anna Elizabeth. Her brother gave her the ring on the condition that it be passed on to every Elizabeth in future generations. And so it did, moving down the line to Catherine Elizabeth, Marie Elizabeth, and June Elizabeth.By the time it reached my generation, none of my biological cousins were named Elizabeth, and I had been adopted and named Elizabeth by my adoptive parents without them knowing anything about the family history. When I reconnected with my birth family, my birth mom and grandmother were thrilled to realize that I was next in line to receive this treasured heirloom. It felt like there had always been a space for me in the family. The ring symbolizes this connection, a tangible confirmation of my place in this lineage.You can find more about me and my work at elizabethbarbour.com or sacredcelebrations.com, where I also have a jewelry line that contributes to hurricane relief efforts in our region.Thank you for listening to my story and the legacy carried by this precious ring. It’s a reminder of our connections and the strength we draw from our roots.______________________________________________________________________________If you were asked "What Things would tell your life story?" What Things would you choose? Look around your home, office & even on yourself .... what Things do you surround yourself with & what stories would they tell?Grab my My Life in 30 Things playsheet to list your Things that matter here: https://www.showandtales.com/30-things-story/______________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees? Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts. You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Hi everyone, it’s Melissa here. I’m sharing my heartfelt story about navigating the challenges brought by the pandemic while caring for my ailing mother. Despite the hardships, I found unexpected blessings during this difficult time.
At the start of 2020, I was working as a marketing independent contractor for a senior living community. Coincidentally, it was the same community where my mom was in the memory care unit, and her health was declining. By February, I had to ask if it might be time for hospice, and they agreed. As the virus started to spread, I was very concerned about it reaching the senior living community where my mom resided. By early March, a local case of someone not isolating after a positive test made everything feel all too real.
The senior living facility began locking down in the first week of March, restricting both employees and residents from leaving their respective buildings. By the third week of March, they banned all visitors, and since I wasn’t an employee, I couldn’t visit either. However, with my mom needing extra care, they gave me the most precious gift by designating me an essential healthcare worker. This allowed me to spend as much time as possible with her during her last weeks. I even got to support other residents, who were also unable to have visitors.
One of the highlights was hosting a Red Hat Society dance party on March 21 for my mom and the other residents. My mom had been the charter member of the Red Hat Society at this facility, and seeing everyone enjoy themselves, dancing and having fun, was absolutely amazing. Another special moment was over Easter when I brought in music to play Easter hymns for everyone since even religious services were halted.
My mom passed away on April 20, and as hard as it was, I’m grateful for the time I got to spend with her. The experience of Covid leading to a shut down actually allowed me precious moments with her that I would not have had if I had been working as usual. It inspired me to give up my marketing career. I’m now a retired marketing professional and have transitioned to a new career in photo management. To find out more about Melissa’s services visit: https://www.linkedin.com/in/melissasnyder/
This journey, though filled with challenges, showed me the silver linings and transformative experiences that can emerge from difficult times. Thank you for letting me share my story.
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This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Artifacts & Totems (Pandemic Edition). ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Hello, everyone. I’m Martie McNabb, coming to you from my mom’s basement. Today, I’m thrilled to share an incredible conversation I had with Paul Szauter, a man whose journey and work are both deeply inspiring.
So, a while back, I embarked on a project called “Our Community in 30 Things.” I reached out to a group of 14-15 people, asking them to contribute objects that represented parts of their life stories. One of the first people to volunteer was Paul. He brought a particularly fascinating object—a plastic moon coin bank, a nod to his lifelong fascination with science and exploration.
Paul’s story begins with his parents, who were World War II refugees. They immigrated to the United States in 1949, carrying with them a mix of Hungarian and Dutch heritage. Growing up, Paul’s parents emphasized the importance of education and curiosity. They often took him to museums, where his love for science began to take root.
I vividly remember Paul’s excitement as he recounted the U.S.’s panic over Sputnik and how it ignited his passion for space and science. He even watched the moon landing in 9th grade, a moment that cemented his desire to pursue science and engineering. This passion eventually led him to become a geneticist, working with the groundbreaking Human Genome Project.
But Paul’s career didn’t stop there. He founded a company called EquiSeq, which specializes in genetic tests for horses, leveraging data from the Human Genome Project. It’s fascinating how he managed to apply his expertise in human genetics to the realm of equine science. He likes to compare these ambitious projects to “moonshots,” emphasizing the importance of taking big risks to achieve great things.
Paul’s involvement in my project was more than just contributing his moon coin bank. He helped bring the community together, shedding light on the importance of collaboration and support among scientists and entrepreneurs. His dedication to education is truly inspiring; he recently judged a science fair and constantly stresses the need to stimulate children’s interest in STEM fields.
Listening to Paul, I couldn’t help but reflect on my own journey, from studying earth science and biology to teaching high school students in New York City. Our paths, although different, resonate with the same core values: the importance of curiosity, community, and the relentless pursuit of our passions.
As we concluded our conversation, I thanked him wholeheartedly for sharing his story and for participating in “Our Community in 30 Things.” And I extend that gratitude to all our listeners today.
Stay curious and keep supporting one another. This has been Things That Matter with Martie McNabb, signing off.
EquiSeq is an equine services company for people who want better horses. EquiSeq’s DNA test is a genetic screen that identifies horses at risk for a muscle disease before they develop symptoms. https://www.equiseq.com/
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
When I was 19, my mom had a major cerebral aneurysm. It was a life-changing event, not just for her but for all of us. Despite the struggle, she lived many more years, although different from before. Reflecting on those earlier days, she used to cook for our family of six every single day—my dad, herself, and us four kids. Interestingly enough, cooking wasn’t her passion. It wasn’t her creative outlet. She was just a good, plain cook who got food on the table for us.
What she did love, though, was entertaining. It’s a bit ambiguous whether she genuinely enjoyed it since the events were often to promote my dad’s business. But I believe she did. She took it very seriously, keeping a detailed journal of who attended, what was served, and even who helped. She’d also note if a piano player came to entertain and how much they were paid—a figure not too different from today’s rates.
Following a tradition from her side of the family, my mom’s kitchen doors were closed to us kids. Her mom never let her in the kitchen, so how she learned to cook remains a bit of a mystery to me. Maybe it was in home economics class in high school. Consequently, she didn’t teach me how to cook, and similarly, my daughter never showed any interest. We never cooked together, but somehow, everyone eventually learned on their own.
However, when it came to entertaining, I did help my mom a lot, and there was this one particular object she used when baking or preparing special dishes. I hadn’t seen it for decades, but then about five years ago, it showed up again at my food co-op. My mom passed away in 2006, and although I still have some of her old wooden spoons, I didn’t have her original one of these objects which made its return pretty special.
It was a vintage nut grinder. You take the grinder, open it up, place the walnuts inside, close the lid, and start grinding. The result? Perfectly chopped walnuts with fantastic texture—something a Cuisinart or blender can’t achieve without turning the nuts into mush.
Back in the day, we used this grinder for various dishes. If you’re from New York or the south, you might know chopped walnuts as a garnish for red velvet or carrot cakes. For us, it was also essential for making haroset, a traditional Passover dish consisting of chopped apples, walnuts, and a splash of Manischewitz red wine.
Finding this little device again filled me with joy; it was more than a kitchen gadget—it was a heartfelt connection to wonderful times spent with my mom. Thank you.
FYI: I met Jezra 30+ years ago at a women’s co-working space & quickly realized we were neighbors in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn. She is a singer, author & speaker coach and I’ve been thrilled to hear her sing, read her books & experience her coaching. Find out more about this dynamic woman: https://speakupforsuccess.com/
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This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing (Kitchen Edition) at Historic Green-Wood Cemetery. I’m a regular host of events for G-W for the purpose of building deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest shares part of her life story through her collection of Beatles albums & other memorabilia.
Gloria spoke of her childhood in western New York, under the stern gaze of a Mennonite community where dancing was just a distant dream, yet the scaffold for her future vocation was set in those silent prayers and reflections. The thread of her narration spun from past to present, unveiling the foundation of “Reel to Reel,” her labor of love dedicated to capturing personal stories in the richest medium she knew—audio.
I chuckled softly as Gloria recounted the makeshift Beatles fan club she pioneered in her youth, convened in an old chicken coop behind her house, of all places! What a vivid contrast to her conservative upbringing, I thought. Her passion for The Beatles didn’t just linger—it danced in the light of her eyes as she described her vast collection of memorabilia, from precious albums to a treasured Beatles purse, each item pulsating with melodies and memories.
The conversation shifted seamlessly from Fab Four to digital files as Gloria detailed her work’s evolution with technology, from cassettes to the modern ease of flash drives and cloud storage. It was a reminder of the enduring power of storytelling, adapting through the ages yet always preserving the essence of our human voice & experience.
Two & a half years ago, while I was in Portland, OR for the World Domination Summit, as part of my 5-month roadtrip, I met up with Gloria at a Capital One Café, where the buzz of modern life seemed to fade away as she began to weave the tapestry of her life’s tale into the air between us.
We parted ways with gratitude, but it wasn’t just a farewell; it was an exchange of dedication to our craft. As Gloria left, I envisioned her voice carrying on, perpetuating her legacy, and those of countless others, into eternity. After all, in the world of personal historians, each story penned—or in Gloria’s case, recorded—is another heartbeat etched into the annals of time.
To learn more about Gloria & her important “life” saving work in the world visit her website: https://real-to-reel.org/
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Growing up & still living in my childhood home has always been a blessing, and every time I step into this kitchen, countless memories flood back. This isn’t just any kitchen—this is my mother’s kitchen. It didn’t always look like this; back then, there were no cabinets, but there was always a washer and dryer. Sure, it was a little messy, but it was well-used and filled with love.
My mom, an Italian American, never wrote down a recipe. Everything she made, from meatballs to holiday feasts, had to be remembered or learned by helping her. One of my roles was cleaning shrimp. Yes, I have this odd obsession with cleaning shrimp—I can’t explain it, but I love it. This kitchen was the heart of our home. Every holiday, every celebration, was hosted here. We would cram 18 people around our dining room table, which seems impossible now. But somehow, we made it work.
This house has history beyond my childhood. My father grew up here as well. So, this kitchen has seen the presence of my grandparents, and with each generation, it changed a bit. As my mother aged and her health declined, I started taking over some of the holiday preparations. When I got married and moved to my apartment, I took charge of Thanksgiving and Mother’s Day. My mom kept the bigger holidays like Christmas and Easter, but Thanksgiving was mine.
The first Thanksgiving I took over, my mom handed me something very special—THIS turkey platter. I have to show you this. It’s not the prettiest platter, but it’s my mom’s, and I love it. She bought it from a small tchotchke store on Utrecht Avenue in Bensonhurst. Everything there was mismatched, but this turkey platter was her choice, and now it belongs to me.
Whenever I cook in this kitchen, I feel my mom’s presence. I talk to her, especially when I’m trying to recreate her dishes. I don’t have many recipes written down, so I rely on my memory. This turkey platter is a testament to the love and traditions we’ve shared over the years. I even found out that someone else has a similar turkey platter bought from the same store, which makes it even more special.
That’s my story—my mom’s turkey platter and the beautiful legacy of love and cooking that lives on in this kitchen.
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This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing (Kitchen Edition) at Historic Green-Wood Cemetery. I’m a regular host of events for G-W for the purpose of building deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
It all began with a slab of wood!
4 Keys You’ll Learn in This Episode:
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Pandemic Passions: How a couple turned daily walks during the pandemic into a meaningful collaboration with Marjorie, documenting over 50 trails across 17 towns! 🌳
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Accessible Adventures: Marjorie’s dedication to creating guidebooks for easy walks, making nature accessible to everyone, including the visually impaired. 🌿
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Memory Magic: The powerful impact of story-sharing events in community spaces and the touching story of a woman with dementia who found joy in sharing the stories of Things from her young motherhood home. ❤️
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Writing to Coaching: From writing people’s stories to coaching them to pen their own, learn about Marjorie’s work and her mission to help others tell their compelling narratives. 📝 To learn more go HERE
Fun Fact: Did you know that Marjorie’s beloved grandfather found a slab of wood being used as part of a chicken coop? He traded his carpentry skills for it, giving the wood a new lease on life as a dining room table where countless family dinners & stories are shared. This “chicken coop” table has been passed down to the next generation and remains as a family heirloom.
We hope you’ll find this episode as heartwarming as we did. Marjorie’s dedication to making the outdoors accessible and preserving precious memories is truly a testament to the power of stories and community.
Don’t forget to check out Marjorie’s guidebooks available on Amazon: Here
And if you love what you hear, please share this episode with your friends and family. Let’s spread the joy of easy walks and memory sharing! 📚🌟
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest Rosie Grant shares the story of her Mirro cookie press!
As she lovingly holds this old-fashioned cookie press, she tells of her unexpected wild ride to TikTok fame.
While doing her cemetery internship at Congressional Cemetery her professor assigned the task of setting up a social media account. She half-heartedly started recording her journey, but then she came cross a special gravestone in my favorite cemetery, Historic Green-Wood Cemetery, in my old hometown of Brooklyn.
It was there she came across the gravestone of Naomi Odessa Miller-Dawson. Etched into what looks like a cookbook opened to a page was Naomi’s favorite recipe for Spritz Cookies. Rosie fell in love with the idea of people leaving favorite recipes behind for their loved ones AND strangers alike.
She decided to make these cookies, but had no real idea what a Spritz cookie was or how to make them. When she posted a video of her first bad attempt at making Naomi’s cookies she was flooded by beautiful stories of people sharing their grandmothers methods, family food traditions & MANY encouraged Rosie to get a cookie press for herself!
She has since found 17+ “recipe gravestones” & travels the country visiting, baking & eating at the graves of the dead. She has done this with strangers, some who turned into friends like Naomi’s family who Rosie met a year ago at Green-Wood. Naomi’s grandson is the keeper of the family’s secret recipes & her son has her original cookie press. See Things are important! Because they connect us to the memories.
Rosie is now sitting down at her ancestors graves, eating a meal & pondering how food connects us and nurtures us in so many more ways then the nutrients. Both her grandmothers died during the pandemic. She recalls fondly the yellow cake one grandmother made, straight from a box, for each of her grandchildren’s birthdays over the years. It wasn’t fancy, but she & her cousins miss those box cakes every year … they spoke about it at her funeral. Rosie makes it from time to time to remember her by & to feel her love which still lives on.
You can tell how much she LOVES this cookie press just by the way she lights up when she holds it & looks at it! I don’t know about you, but I can’t get enough of this woman’s warmth, enthusiasm & exuberance! Follow her @ghostlyarchive on TikTok & Instagram
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing Kitchen Edition with Historic Green-Wood Cemetery (Nov 2022) to build deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guests share the stories of the Things they keep, the things that matter, the things they’ll leave behind.
The newest grannie, Marsha Rothwell, started us off with her unique show and tell. It’s a lamp she made many moons ago that sits in a place of honor in the living room of the family farmhouse on the coast of Massachusetts.
One day years ago she & her family, including many young grandchildren, did what they often did… they went for a walk on the sandbars near their seaside home. On this particular day there was a super low-tide & a full moon. They had taken pride in the fact that their beach was always free of trash, but that day they came across a tire buried in the sand. Marsha & her family tried to remove it & when they did they found it wasn’t empty. As Marsha pulled on the tire a huge claw reached out!
Sadly they weren’t able to dislodge the tire, but with the help of a young boy who was nearby they got the 4 pound lobster. After taking it to the shore and taking lots of family photos with it, Marsha cooked it and enjoyed every morsel.
So what did Marsha do with what was left of the lobster? She decided she would create something to honor that beautiful day at the beach with her family! She took a gourd, paint & that lobster claw and made a lamp that represents the sand, water & sky.
Every time she looks at the lamp she’s transported back to that sunny day, walking with her family, trying to cleanup the beach & the lobster who came to dinner. It’s quite a conversation piece when guests visit! Her family knows very well the story of this handmade lamp…they were part of it.
Next up is grannie #1 Beth Sobiloff! I first met Beth in the summer of 2023 at an adult summer camp for location independent (vanlife, full-time travel, digital nomads…) people. Beth arrived in her Two Grannies on the Road van & impressed me with her warmth & passion for life!
Beth brought a family of porcelain Siamese cats & a mouse to show and tell. She has had this set since she was a child. She grew up in Ohio, the 5th child of 6 to a tool & die maker Dad and a homemaker Mom. They didn’t take many family vacations, but this set was a souvenir from one special vacation on Put-in-Bay Island in Lake Erie. It was only an hours drive away but Beth & her family had a blast. Before leaving her Mom asked what she wanted to remember her time there and Beth chose this Siamese cat & mouse set. This set sits on a shelf in Beth’s living room as a reminder her of the wonderful family time she had.
Family is super important to Marsha & Beth as is “travel”, whether to a sandbar nearby or only an hours drive away… it’s all about building deeper connections, community & legacy one town at a time.
They shared how their parents & grandparents had thoughtfully passed down their Things that mattered to them. They keep those Things to this day!
Marsha hopes her lobster lamp will remain in the family farmhouse after she dies…. the story will most certainly be passed down too! Beth wants to make sure her family knows the story of her porcelain cats. She wants to make sure they know its not just something to dust.
Beth, inspired by my Things That Matter story-sharing gathering at Camp Indie, decided to give her oldest granddaughter her nesting owls (like the dolls) as a high school graduation gift. She, her siblings & cousins had played with those owls when they were little. Her granddaughter was thrilled to have it! She placed it on her desk at college to remind her of all the fun times she had with her granny.
I TOTALLY enjoyed this conversation with the Two Grannies on the Road! Their love of people & places runs deep! I’m grateful to have met Beth at Camp Indie 2023! And I’ve had fun following along on their travels around my old neck of the woods. I lived in Northampton, Mass for 15 years before moving to Brooklyn. Check out these lovely & lively woman on their adventures HERE
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest, photographer Lisa Arnold, tells the story of her camera!
But 1st, we’re both speakers at the 1st annual Quest 2024 May 6 & 7th in Bristol, Rhode Island. More info & link to register below.
Though she didn’t keep her very 1st camera, a cheap, returned item, she shared the magic that happened when she took a photo of herself with it at the age of 17. She didn’t know a thing about photography then, but when she got the print back from the photoshop she became fascinated with the concepts of beauty & perception and how photography could both capture & change them. It was then that she started to fall in love with the artistry of photography.
She realized back then that she didn’t really see herself. She certainly didn’t see herself as others saw her. Lisa remembers studying that photo and for the first time thinking “I’m not as weird looking as I thought I was”…. most of us don’t see ourselves the way others see us… especially those who love us. We all have insecurities… under Lisa’s guidance, warmth & eyes she helps her clients embrace & celebrate their intrinsic beauty.
Her work is so intimate. It’s such an honor to be invited into her clients lives in order to reflect their beauty back to them. She shows her clients what she sees in them & what others see in them too… THIS is what Lisa was born to do! Through her portrait photography she does her important healing work in the world.
The beauty she first saw in herself at 17 years old started her on the journey to reveal this beauty in others. And these legacy photos aren’t just photos, they are testaments to her clients journey to seeing themselves & embracing their real beauty. It’s the story these photos tell that truly is the legacy that is left behind. It is how the clients feels about herself during & after the session, when she sees these photos & how her family & friends experience them. Her legacy…. their legacy & Lisa’s too.
Lisa’s great niece will inherit her camera & photography equipment! She sees her camera as a tool, but much more then that it is a way of looking at the world. She hopes her niece finds a way to express herself & perhaps she too will decide to reflect others beauty back to them. It’s sacred this work… Lisa echoes what Don Draper said in Madmen… images can bring us places… they can bring us back to the place, the feelings, the awe or the fear… they are time capsules.
How do you want to be seen? This question fascinates Lisa & is the one question she asks her clients.
Learn more & schedule a call: Schedule Call Here Follow her: HERE
I’m super excited to be offering an interactive experience AND a workshop as part of the first annual Quest 2024 Celebration & Conference this May in Bristol Rhode Island! And Lisa will be a keynote speaker!
Join us for this celebration & conference May 6 & 7th as we build deeper connections, community & legacy through the Things that matter. There are 20+ other speakers offering workshops on all kinds of things to help us continue on our journey of walking each other home.
For more info & to register: HERE
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my friend Pauly shares his coming out story through a 1990’s mailer created by Out Youth of Austin TX. On it are the words “Love may surprise you” with a photo of a 15 year old Pauly and his photoshoot “boyfriend” Lance.
You see Pauly was born & raised in Shiner Texas (Pop: 2,069), an hour & a half drive from Austin. Needless to say coming of age in this small town in rural Tx didn’t foster & clearly wouldn’t approve of Pauly’s growing feelings. He started having crushes on boys, knowing that he shouldn’t perhaps …. he even left notes in boys lockers as his desire to be himself increased.
Pauly’s parents had divorced when he was 10. His Mom moved to Austin. He stayed with his Dad during the school year & went to his Mom’s during school vacations & summers.
When Pauly was 14 he couldn’t deny his feelings. He realized it wasn’t safe to come out in his small town though and felt like he lived a double life. Playing straight on the outside, while being gay on the inside.
The next summer he spent with his Mom in Austin. It just so happened that she was living with an older gay gentleman. He was the only gay person Pauly knew & he decided that he just HAD to talk with him. He was so nervous he almost couldn’t speak, so he wrote a letter. He waited until his Mom went to work and then knocked on the roommates door. His heart was beating out of his chest, he KNEW there was no going back.
This gay gentleman kindly agreed to talk. He invited Pauly to sit down in the living room and after reading the note he ripped it up. He told Pauly he wouldn’t tell anyone and offered him pamphlets & brochures with local resources (pre-internet). Two that stood out were a letter exchange and Out Youth.
Pauly returned to Shiner that fall but continued exploring his sexual identity even if only internally. He even tried the letter exchange program. So by the next summer he was MUCH more accepting of himself for being gay. He decided he was going to come out to his Mom!
One night they were getting ready to go to bed & Pauly couldn’t hold it any longer. He was 15 & gay and he was about to burst. His Mom was so sleepy & he was SO nervous when he said “I’ve got something I need to tell you.” Once it was out, he was out …. his Mom said she had known all along. With sleep in her eyes she got up, opened a drawer & pulled out an envelop with more pamphlets, brochures and condoms and handed it to him.
Pauly wanted to go to Out Youth & his Mom took the bus with him to find the place and meet some of the people. He attended peer counseling twice a week. There he was finally able to talk about what it was like growing up in Shiner as a gay person.
It was June ’95 and it was Pauly’s BIG GAY summer. Doors opened, rainbow flags flew and he was surrounded for the first time in his life with people like him. A new friend introduced him to Priscilla of the Desert, Abfab, ABBA, Rocky Horror Picture Show & makeup …. it was gay, gay, gay all summer long. It was a whole other world & he was in love …. and having crushes left & right. He didn’t have to hide it anymore!
When summer came to a close Pauly couldn’t fathom returning to Shiner. He told his Mom he was staying and she agreed. His decision to stay had a positive impact on her life too!
Pauly smiled so deeply as he showed the mailer. He thought about his younger self, his crush on Lance that wasn’t returned …. but the photoshoot & this photo gave him a glimpse into the possibility of having a love like that. Young love, isn’t it grand!
You can learn more about his beautiful man here.
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Coming-Out Mementos & Stories for Out Professionals to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:
Look &/or listen as my guest & fellow location indie friend “The Jason” shares his Big Adventures over the past 5 years of full-time solo van life via his enamel pin collection! In particular two special pins.
When Jason started his adventures he began thinking about how he would remember all the places & events he experienced. He wanted to find a Thing, a souvenir that would hold the memory of that time. He also knew that his tiny house (on wheels) living lifestyle limits his space for Things. So he began by collecting stickers & magnets.
However, he found himself hesitating to adhere the stickers to any Thing. What Jason realized was that he wasn’t as attached to the Thing he’d put the sticker on as he was to the sticker itself.
It was about one year into his adventures that he fell in love with enamel pins. It all started with a pin from Disney World. He learned of the community of Disney pin collectors & traders and was hooked on the collecting scene… but not to only Disney pins. He loved the small footprint of these mini souvenirs. The problem he’d had with stickers disappeared as he could move the pins from place to place, switch them around, trade or gift them easily.
I learned that Jason does have home-base outside of Las Vegas, NV. “It’s more like a shed with an office”, Jason said, where he keeps his large collection of pins. He travels with a small collection of his favorites that he displays on a banner he got from Etsy. And of course he adds pins as he gets them along the road. He loves how this banner is all shiny & pretty with pins from all the places he’s been & events he’s attended over the years.
When an event he attended didn’t make a pin he could purchase, Jason started designing and having them printed himself. He would make 50-100 to give out to other event participants. It was a small gift that brought many smiles.They too would be able to take this souvenir with them to remember their time at the event.
The first pin Jason got after catching the travel bug was his Woodstock 99 pin. He was 18, living at home in Missouri, when he learned of a concert he desperately wanted to go to in NY. His Mom relented & let him go. He and some friends jumped in his car & took a road trip across the country. That was when he fell in love with life on the road.
The second pin Jason shows us is the one he designed & had made for his next big event. He designed it to look like a porta potty with Burning Man 2023 printed in green glitter lettering. To spread the word about the importance of travel & adventure he has #JasonsOK printed on the back of all the pins he designs.
The backstory of this hashtag: When he told his Mom about his full-time solo travel plans, she was worried. Jason knows he’s not always the best at keeping in touch & thought of a way to lessen her fear and keep his Mom informed of his being ok. He placed a sign on the back of his van that reads “My mom is worried, she never knows where I am, #JasonsOK for her!” She can now follow along on Jason’s Big Adventure, inspired by Pee-wees, and hopefully worry less.
When asked what he wants to happen to his pin collection when he dies, he said proudly that he’s a 6 time uncle and would want his nieces & nephews to inherit them. I encouraged him to make sure he shares the stories with them too! It’s the stories our loved ones want the most when we’re gone! And of course, Jason spoke of his many friends and how they may want one of his pins to remember him & their friendship.
Find out more about The Jason: HERE
I first met Jason at the World Domination Summit in Portland OR in June 2022 & then again at Camp Indie in June 2023. We’ll both be bringing our vans next summer to Camp Indie 2024. He’s planning to host a workshop about #vanlife. Can’t wait to see him there! ______________________________________________________________________________
Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my friend & guest Alison Pena aka The Bad Widow shares the story of family life & love through a little iron candle snuffer fondly called The Monk.
The Monk has been a part of Alison’s family for over 100 years! She remembers fondly time spent with her grandparents at their home in Connecticut.
Her grandfather was British. When her grandmother was on her grand tour of Europe, they met in Germany. He was in the army & stationed there. They fell in love and continued their romance via letters for over 2 years. After the war, they married and Alison’s grandmother returned to England with her husband. However that didn’t really work out, so her grandfather moved to the states.
Alison recalls MANY Christmases & Thanksgivings around their table with its oil cloth tablecloth and an old iron candelabra. The family gathered around & lite the candles. The tablecloth, candelabra & a small iron candle snuffer had been brought over from England. Alison remembers her grandparents sitting at either end of the table, the expectation to behave & how formal it all felt. Her grandfather was a bit gruff & stern, but the love was always present.
Since this snuffer looked like a monk, it became known as The Monk. After the meal was over and the children had cleared the dishes, one lucky grandchild would be invited to put out the candles. This was often Alison, since she was the first grandchild & often the favored one.
Alison would go to the kitchen to retrieve The Monk & slowly with much delight extinguish each candle one at a time. Since it didn’t have a long “arm” & it was made of iron, she could feel the snuffer getting hot & how it would send smoke into the air.
She was so honored to inherit The Monk & every time she sees it she’s transported back in time to that table with her grandparents, parents, siblings & cousins and even to all families…. To community, love & history. Alison loves her dead well. This candle snuffer pulls up the love, grief, joy & everything.
To find out more about this amazing woman who’s doing such important healing work in the world: https://badwidow.com/
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: My Favorite Thing (Kitchen Edition) with Green-Wood Cemetery death education program to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my guest, Elizabeth Lenherr, takes us along on her coming of age journey through the stories woven into the fabric of her beautiful sarees.
On the cusp of turning 27, Beth, as she’s also known, was offered a work opportunity to move to a remote island in the middle of the Indian ocean called Mauritius. She jumped at the chance.
She had moved around the states a bit, but had mainly lived in rural Kansas most of her life. Most people looked like her and came from similar ethnic & religious backgrounds. Though she’s proud to call it home, she knows she lived a pretty sheltered life there.
This move was her first BIG adventure. These sarees represent all she experienced & learned in her two years on Mauritius.
From the moment Beth set foot on the island her senses were on overload! The humid air hit her, the intense colors vibrated & the food flooded her with sights, sounds & smells she’d never experienced before. Mauritian food is a fusion of Chineses, African & Indian cultures. It was a bit overwhelming but in a good way. Beth fell in love immediately.
She found the Mauritian people to be warm & welcoming. Several people offered friendship & took Beth in as family. She was invited to weddings & local festivals and for each one she bought a new saree & jewelry. Her new family loved to help her dress in traditional Indian fashion and enjoyed watching her love it in return. Each time Beth got dressed up for an event she felt like a princess.
Though she lived on the island for such a short time, this experience changed her life forever. It was a cultural exchange extraordinaire. Beth learned a lot about the Hindu faith, their different sects and the Muslim religion as well. She was invited to share her Catholic faith as well all in a peaceful and curious manner.
When Elizabeth arrived back in Kansas she brought her sarees with her. Her Mom asked how she planned to preserve them (Thanks Mom!) … a comforter storage bag was the solution. Beth has moved that bag with her over the past 14 years. It even traveled to Scotland when she was invited to a Maritian friends wedding there.
These sarees tell the tale of Beth’s coming of age. Her quest to deeply know herself & the life she wanted to live. Her true journey of exploration began on this island in the middle of the Indian ocean.
Up until her move to Mauritius she had never really thought deeply about herself or her life. What does a fish know of water? There she was able to ask herself important questions: Who am I? Who do I want to be? What do I want to do? She thought about her privilege as a white, female American and what living with integrity means to her.
Elizabeth’s personal journey of exploration are woven into the very fabric of these sarees. They inspire & inform her work as an executive leadership coach where she invites clients to be curious about their lives. To live this one life without regrets, to the fullest.
She wants to gift her stories & sarees to her Goddaughter who’s only 3 years old.
FYI: She found that Mauritian people have a tough time saying Beth, so she uses Elizabeth too!
Find out more about this amazing woman here: www.elizabethlenherr.com. She also offers yearly retreats in Japan with a colleague: Here
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my guest and fellow travel hugger shares all the stories contained within the pages of what was a simple blank journal.
As I walked over to the location of my Things That Matter workshop, offered during an adult summer camp called Camp Indie, I saw a young woman sitting alone looking through a journal. I wasn’t sure if she was joining us in 15 minutes or if she was taking time to be alone with her thoughts. But when I sat down near by I inquired. She WAS there for my workshop AND the journal she was looking through WAS the Thing that matters to her.
I don’t know about you but I have bought blank journals & received them as gifts too. I absolutely LOVE the idea of keeping a travel journal, BUT I get stuck on what to write about & how to organize it. I’ve got way too many half used, who am I kidding, less than a quarter used journals laying around.
Honestly I didn’t know how to write a story that I’d want to read years from now. Notes of dates, times & places get boring…. but through experimentation, a love of writing & organizing Hannah came up with a most beautiful way of documenting her journey into if not yet full-time… its frequent travel.
When Hannah was getting ready to go abroad for a semester to Italy, her brother gifted her with a this journal. Being alone in a foreign country without Italian language fluency left Hannah with a lot of time on her own…. so she started keeping this journal.
Look &/or listen as Hannah takes us along on her semester abroad, the side trips SO easy & cheap to take when you’re already in Europe & to life after college graduation as she made certain to continue to travel & keep writing her stories within this journal.
She documented her travels with writings, quotes, souvenirs & drawings. A journal she enjoys reading & looking through all the time. This journal & her dogs are the things she would grab to escape a house fire… I imagine that now includes her husband who she married after this recording!
One of my favorite pages was her “What I’ve learned from living in Italy” section, where she created columns with “SKILLS, What I love & What I hate” at the top…. no cheddar cheese was what she hated the most.
From Hannah’s personal experience with this journal she got inspired to think of ways to help other travelers keep a more compelling, beautiful & organized travel journal. One that’s as fun to create as it is to revisit after the trip. She brought a prototype of this journal to my workshop in June 2023.
With the enthusiasm, creativity, feedback & support she got during my Things That Matter workshop, she’s pursuing the creation of her travel journal!!!! I can’t wait to see the finished product! Go Hannah!!!
I hope you enjoy this episode as much as I do & learn more about this delightful human here
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Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my guest, house historian, Brian Hartig shares the story of a simple button that tells a BIG story.
You see Brian had left the Marine Corp in his early 20’s and settled in New Orleans, Louisiana. It’s not that he didn’t know he was gay, but he hadn’t fully accepted, embraced or announced it.
It was the early 1990’s in the deep south & they had sodomy laws on the books, anti-gay marriage legislation & many hate crimes spurned on by laws like the “Justifiable murder of an AIDS carrier”.
Brain & a friend decided to DO something about this and started L.E.G.A.L., a statewide non-profit that became the largest Gay & Lesbian organization in the state to challenge these laws and propose new laws to protect their community. What a BIG & BOLD way to come out!!!
My guest became the 1st statewide full-time lobbyist in Louisiana for gay rights. He spoke with members of the legislature & to the governor. With the support of Governor Edwards, they passed a hate crimes law that kept sexual orientation intact! The 1st one passed in the deep south!
L.E.G.A.L. came on strong and THIS is how Brian came out to himself, his parents, other family members and friends.
The non-profit closed up shop in 1997, after successfully challenging anti-gay laws & passing ones with equal rights ensured.
This button holds his Coming Out in a Big Way story!
Thanks for your service in both the Marine Corp & L.E.G.A.L. Brain!
You can find out more about Brian & his house history business, Brownstone Detectives: HERE
This simple wooden shoe holds a deep affection & perhaps Faith’s ashes someday.
This minisode was clipped from a LIVE virtual Show & Tale: Coming-Out Mementos & Stories for Out Professionals to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ________________________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen to the story of an ordinary hiking boot or is it?
For Tim & Helen, their love, life & marriage was anything but traditional or ordinary. What others might expect to receive from their soon-to-be spouse as a wedding gift, wasn’t even on Tim’s radar.
He & Helen LIVED to & LOVED to hike! They were planning a trip to Patagonia, Chile & Argentina for their honeymoon and Tim knew that Helen’s hiking boots (bought at REI’s garage sale) weren’t going to cut it. They were old AND ill fitting!
So in anticipation of their wedding and honeymoon, Tim gifted Helen with these Solomon ultra light weight mid GTX (gore-tex) hiking boots. Though this pair isn’t the original from 9 years ago (Happy Anniversary), Tim & Helen have been replacing these same boots every couple of years.
They easily hike 1,000’s of miles in each pair and literally bring them everywhere. We spoke about the challenges for digital nomads aka nomads, who have to carry everything they need with them. I know for me, everything I have has to have a purpose or a story and ideally both. These hiking boots definitely have both.
Just as these boots are far from ordinary & have a big beautiful story … so too does Tim & Helen’s life & marriage.
Hiking has always been their favorite way to see the world! Even when they were living a more conventional life, they always made sure to get outdoors & hike.
During the pandemic, as with many of us, they reflected on what was REALLY important to them. They knew that hiking, mountains & the great outdoors was where they felt the most centered. They decided not to wait until a far off date to do things that they might not be able to do later….. so they started planning & saving.
They learned LOTS. Delving into the FIRE (financial independence retire early) movement, YouTube, travel vlogging & cash back, points & miles.
After 3 years & the worst of the pandemic they started their full-time travel January 2023! I met them both in-person at the last World Domination Summit in June of 2022 & then again at Camp Indie 2023.
They’ve been documenting their travels on their YouTube channel: https://helenandtimtravel.com/ We recorded this episode while they were in Romania. Follow them on IG @helenandtimtravel
Enjoy learning more about these WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) and travel along on their adventures. I took a workshop on points & miles with them last summer and with their help I’ve amassed 66,000 miles in less then 3 months! ______________________________________________________________________________
Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my friend & photo manager colleague Faith Van Wart takes us on a trip down memory river in her wooden shoe.Like Wynken, Blynken & Nod this tale connects her & us to the enchanting country of Holland and to our childhood.Faith received this wooden shoe as a graduation gift from her kindergarten teachers who owned the nursery school she attended 50 years ago.She has carried it with her all these years. This Thing that matters.She jokes that she got only one shoe but it was the “right” one & ponders who received the left.She lost track of The Kleins during her elementary & high school years, but in her early 20’s she reached out again.She, perhaps inspired by them so many moons before, had decided to visit Holland.She wanted to let them know of her plans & they were thrilled to have reconnected!They were touched that she still had the shoe and excited that she would visit their hometowns of Amsterdam & Rotterdam.The three kept in touch with birthday calls & Christmas cards until the Kleins passed away.This simple wooden shoe holds a deep affection & perhaps Faith’s ashes someday.BTW: Matt Paxton, of Hoarders, LOVED this story so much!This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ________________________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.comAnd if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen to my guest, fellow photo manager Ellen Massaro shares the story of a young girl coming home from the hospital after a two month post-surgery stay to celebrate her 6th birthday!As is customary in her home country of the Netherlands, girls get charms to celebrate each birthday & special occasion growing up.Ellen got 6 charms that 1st year! Unlike many of her fellow Dutch women, who stopped wearing their charm necklaces at an early age, Ellen wore hers throughout her teens, twenty's & to this day.She wears it often & during all seasons. You can tell it is an important part of her life... truly a Thing that matters.As a matter of fact when her niece had an interview project, as part of a class, she interviewed Ellen to find out what three things she would bring with her if she had to move to Mars. This necklace was the first thing she thought of.Needless to say #everycharmhasastory but Ellen picked out a few to share their stories. The mill charm was one of the 6 original ones from her 6th birthday. She played with the hands on the mill so much that 2 of them fell off, the doll stroller with its moving wheels & the keys were all with her as she grew into a teen. For her 16th birthday she got a charm bracelet filled with beach themed charms! Ellen lives for time at the beach, in & around the ocean. She visits it often & gets plenty of vitamin Sea. Her favorite charms from that bracelet are the dainty mussel shell, the beach chair & the surf boarding.She wasn't fond of the bracelet itself because of the way it feels & sounds on her wrist. Soon after she married her mother-in-law died and she inherited her charm bracelet. The charms, she believes, came from Spain with their classic filigree. Those charms remind her of this woman she didn't know well but... and of her first trip to a foreign country which was Spain.As a professional organizer, she realized her charm collection was a bit disorganized. With a good year for her business, she decided to hire a silversmith to take all of two charm bracelets & the original necklace plus various charms she found, a small mushroom, and bought over the years.She enlisted his services and artistry to create one necklace with all her precious charms. What a gorgeous job he did! When Ellen wears it & looks at it she is reminded of all the periods of her life. It is a bit of a time-machine that can take her back when she touches each piece.FYI: Ellen Massaro had volunteered to be a story-sharer at the in-person Show & Tales hosted during The Photo Managers Denver, CO conference in 2022!Sadly she became ill & wasn't able to join me then.... but showed me her charm necklace at the closing party🎉 Obviously, I've wanted to hear the story ever since!Find out more about this lovely woman: HEREThough she's based in the Netherlands, she's able to work with you on digital photo organizing, photo album creation & more!______________________________________________________________________________Let's build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don't matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees? Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
Look &/or listen as my guest the famous Doyenne of Death, certified thanatologist, Gail Rubin shares with us her frozen in time stories of this "broken" round brass clock she inherited from one of her aunts apartments in Philadelphia.I am reminded of the origin of this YouTube/podcast show (mentioned in the intro) & my guest Sharon Wunder from episode #19 who also collected clocks. Sharon embraced MAID (medical aid in dying) 2 weeks ago in her home state of Colorado to create a good death for herself. As she pondered in her episode ... had she collected time pieces her whole life because she knew she was running out of time?And speaking of timing? I JUST arrived back on the east coast after 2 weeks in Albuquerque celebrating the 6th annual Before I Die NM festival coordinated by today's guest!During the pandemic Gail's offered Pilates classes by Zoom. This round brass clock sits in her living room reminding her of her Philadelphia family, design & death.To find out more about this fascinating & fun funeral planner extraordinaire visit her chock full of content website: https://agoodgoodbye.com/ & subscribe to her YouTube channel @GailRubin This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ____________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.comAnd if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest CGO (Chief Gratitude Officer) Noah G Press McIntyre shares his father's & his own legacy through the story of a turquoise stone.You see Noah's father had been on his healing journey ever since Noah was a child. In the 1970's he became deeply connected with a community of Navajo artists & spiritual teachers in and around Santa Fe, New Mexico.He had found this piece of turquoise along his journey... or as with my last guest Susan Maycock ... it found him. He had the ring made to hold & express the magic of this stone.This ring signified his connection to the sacred traditions & ceremonies, culture & community of that place & that land.When he died in 2017, he left this ring and other pieces of his precious & sacred jewelry to Noah. Noah wears this ring every day and feels his father's presence all the time... as if their two hearts are touching.This ring symbolizes the legacy & love his father handed down.When he helped move his father into a senior living community in 2014, the executive director Todd Raymond at the Benchmark Senior Living Community, learned that his father was a lifelong practitioner of Buddhist meditation. Todd was eager to have Noah's father teach weekly classes at their facility.On Father's Day 2017, Noah's father's health took a turn for the worse. He entered into hospice and moved to a rehab/nursing facility to live out the rest of his life.This ring & his fathers Buddhist meditation classes lead Noah to continue and expand on their family legacy.You see Todd invited Noah to offer his own gratitude, meditation & mindfulness workshops in the same community as his father had offered his Buddhist meditation classes. At his first class, he connected with a woman in the front row who also loved & wore her beautiful turquoise rings. She saw Noah's fathers ring and instantly felt a connection.Noah was soon invited to offer his programs at the same rehab/nursing facility where his father passed away.What an amazing circle of life, work & legacy he and his father shared! And Noah wears & holds his father's jewelry each time he offers his classes and whenever he needs to connect with his father.Noah offered daily gratitude programs all throughout the pandemic. He continues to offer these important healing programs. To learn more about this beautiful human, his discover gratitude movement and other offerings visit his website: https://www.noahmcintyre.com/______________________________________________________________________________Let's build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don't matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees? Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts. You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my friend & colleague Caroline Guntur shares the story of her 18 year old self through a photo she keeps.... a Thing that matters.You see Caroline was born & raised in southern Sweden. Though she had traveled often during her teenage years, at 18yo she decided to immigrate to the US. What do you pack for a move like that? With two bags, little money ($20), a family photo & a music CD, she arrived in Honolulu.Her initial excitement quickly faded away as she landed in Hawaii realized she didn't know where she was going to stay or what she was going to do. She didn't know anyone and didn't know the language. She didn't even have a phone to call home.She went into severe culture shock and stayed there for a very long time.With only a Visa she couldn't open a bank account or obtain a drivers license. Finding work & an apartment proved extremely difficult.But this photo, of her in her first apartment in Honolulu, unpacking and settling in.... with a smile on her face... which hadn't been there for many months... reminds her of her younger self realizing that everything WAS going to be okay.She keeps this photo on her office wall because as an entrepreneur we often think we're not far enough along in our businesses, we criticize ourselves for not doing more & being more.... this photo is a daily reminder of just how far she has come over the past 20 years.Find out more about this brave & beautiful woman and her important healing work in the world here: HEREThis short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourages us to build deeper connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.___________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.comAnd if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest, author Susan Maycock shares the story of finding her sage bowl or it finding her.My guest lived in Santa Fe, NM for a decade. During her time there she studied many healing traditions and while apprenticing to become a shaman she was instructed to find HER sage bowl for smudging.While visiting the San Ildefanso Pueblo, just north of Santa Fe, she was on the look out for her bowl. As if she was being pulled to a corner of a potters shop, there she saw this bowl tucked away... almost hidden. When she saw it & touched it she instantly knew it was going to be HER bowl! It was love at first sight.As she turned the bowl around & upside down she could see the whole universe represented. A black hole with starts forming adorned the underbelly.... it was a flawed piece of pottery... and a reminder to this day to see things differently and to embrace so-called "flaws".This bowl told the story of imperfection, of trauma & life from the beginning of the universe until now. This broken bowl grounds Susan. It sits so perfectly in her hand and feels so solid, and yet its whole being is about impermanence & imperfection.When Susan gets caught up in perfectionism, she finds this bowl and holds it. She reminds herself that she fell in love with imperfection & impermanence. She is also reminded by her deep dive into Native American culture that imperfection & impermanence are embraced & celebrated. For her it is a journey she's still on ... as many of us may understand all too well.When asked what she wants to happen to this bowl when she's dead & gone, she wants to follow the indigenous cultures she's connected with over the years tradition around death called the Great Giveaway. Loved ones are invited to take the Things as remembrance pieces & then pass them on when it's their own turn to transition.Another Thing that matters to Susan is the beautiful book After Rain that she wrote and a friend Robin Brooks designed that encourages us all to Live Upwards. Our shared experience of rain in the desert and that time after when all life is awakened is profound.Listen as Susan reads a little piece of her healing work in the world too! Enjoy.Find out more about this delight-filled woman, her book & her community: HERESusan is offering the Spirit Path Retreat Nov 2-5, 2023 in Salida, CO 81201 ( 2.5 hours southwest of Denver) HERE______________________________________________________________________________Let's build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don't matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees? Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts. You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Did you miss the Jubilee! show in Las Vegas? Sadly, this highly acclaimed show is now a thing of the past. Fortunately, my guest today, Athena Patacsil, former "dancing nude" then principal dancer, gives us an inside look as we preserve a bit of bygone history.Athena shares a unique program comp that features her in the stage setting while wearing her magnificent costume designed by Pete Menefee. As we learn in this mini-episode, photos of these costumed dancers on stage are extremely rare which makes this story all the more riveting. Have a listen and enjoy this look into the glamorous past.If you’re interested in hearing more from Athena and other showgirls, check out her podcast “Showgirls Life.” If he daughters don't want to keep her showgirl life memorabilia, Athena plans to gift them to the University of Nevada, Las Vegas special collection all about Vegas showgirls.Find out more here: https://special.library.unlv.edu/collections/showgirls This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.___________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.comAnd if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my friend & photo manager colleague shares the story of her art studio that is the Thing that brings her joy, magic & meaning.
I met Sharon during the 2020 first & all virtual conference of The Photo Managers conference. Just three weeks before the planned in-person conference in Atlanta our fearless leader, founder Cathi Nelson & team quickly & beautifully delivered an amazing conference online!!!
At that conference I had the honor of introducing my friend Bill Shapiro as one of our keynote speakers and co-author of a truly wonder-filled book called What We Keep. With her background in Feng Shui, Sharon resonated with Bill, Naomi & my own deep fascination and understanding of the knowledge that Things tell stories as surely as words do.
This intro & a shared interest in the stories that our Things tell brought us into many breakout rooms over the course of that conference. I was intrigued by Sharon’s perspective on material culture, Feng shui & physical history.
Sharon & I continued our conversations during the pandemic & I was SO lucky to meet her IRL at TPM 2022 conference in Denver and loan her my mini portable fan that I carry with me in Brooklyn (the campervan).
I’m grateful she accepted my many invitations to be a featured story-sharer at several of my virtual and in-person Show & Tales for The Photo Managers over the years.
With the inspiration from Bill & Naomi Wax’s book What We Keep, my story-sharing gatherings, and a diagnosis of Glioblastoma she started thinking about Things differently.
Why had she been collecting watches all her life? Perhaps it’s because she lived with a deep knowing that she didn’t have time?
Sharon didn’t resonate with the word Legacy. It felt cold to her. Focusing on financial & transactional matters. She wanted to add her special brand of warmth to the word and started several legacy projects using her photos & objects. She realized she could make goodbye gifts with love notes for each of her three 20-something year old “kids”. They are busy living their lives & Sharon doesn’t want to interfere…. she knows that this deep legacy work is just as much for her as it is for them.
One of her first legacy projects, which I saw at the Denver conference, is a book filled with photos & stories of each one of her little ceramic villages that she bought every year to place on the fireplace mantel. It had become so cluttered & overwhelming that no one even looked at it anymore. They didn’t know what it was or why Sharon collected them & displayed these tiny villages every year. Now her children & family LOVE to look through that book while viewing the villages on the mantel. This was such a gift to Sharon & from her!
When articles state that our children don’t want our things, it’s not the whole truth. But one thing is for certain, if they don’t know the story of your things the things are just things. Our loved ones want our stories more than any thing. Whether you have months or decades to live, make time to share, record & preserve your stories. It’ll be SO worth it!
Another legacy project Sharon made a commitment to was to curate her massive photo collection. As a professional photographer, artist & Mom she had accumulated 52,000 photos over the years. They weren’t organized or categorized. She now has a beautifully organized & easily accessible collection of just 25,000. She can easily create all her legacy/goodbye gifts.
Her daughter worried that there weren’t many mother-daughter photos of them, a particular problem for born digital images, but Sharon added tags to her collection and was able to share them with her daughter. This brought both of them much comfort.
As Sharon closes up her life she has become even more passionate about three main things: 1.) Having open & honest conversations about death 2.) Her own legacy projects 3.) The Photo Managers conference
Sharon has generously gifted The Photo Managers $3000 to establish the first Impact Scholarship to a photo manager who has worked or is working on a legacy project with a client who is, like Sharon, facing their end-of-life. She believes so deeply in the work that photo managers do, wants more colleagues to get the training in this area & believes in the importance of attending conferences in-person! Find out more about this scholarship here: here
When Sharon first read What We Keep and thought about what she would bring to the Show & Tales… she really didn’t think she was very attached to Things. She has been giving Things away, but when she walked into her art studio she started to cry. It’s not so much one particular Thing, but it’s every Thing that has brought her joy in the making of art. Her Thing that matters is being an artist. No matter how many times she quit art, it never quit her.
Learn more about Sharon & her important healing work: here
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look &/or listen as my guest shares a piece of her & her daughters pandemic history through a piece of flow art they created together.
As word of COVID 19 spread across the USA in early 2020, everyone was called on to rethink, re-do & rearrange the year that they had originally planned to have. Like many of us we needed to… dare I say it again??? Pivot!
One of my earlier guests, Michelle Fishburne, interviewed 100’s of people during that historic year & a half and her book Who We Are Now gathered together the answers to the one question she posed: It’s January 2020, what did you think your year would be like, and what was it like…?
Diana had JUST started her new business, Third Act Quest, with thoughts of gathering women together for in-person events & retreats. As she herself transitioned into her third act she had become fascinated with what she was observing around her. She was seeing & speaking with woman who weren’t hiding from, denying or shrinking away from growing older. Indeed they were whole-heartedly embracing this time in their lives. They were having the best times of their lives, passionately embracing their big dreams, with open minds & most importantly with open hearts.
But then COVID arrived on the scene. Her in-person business was put on pause and her daughter moved back home.
Like many mother’s experienced during the pandemic, Diana was both excited & worried about her newly “un-nested” daughter forced return to her nest. In just her second semester in college, she had friends she wouldn’t be able to see & a boyfriend too.
Diana had mixed emotions during the pandemic. She watched as the pandemic spread across the globe, as the death tolls rose & rang out around the world, the bodies, the stressed out first & last responders AND the dolphins returning to the Venice canals, neighbors singing & making music from their windows in Italy & NYC and many other places. She felt lucky to live in rural New Hampshire where she and her newly returned daughter were free to get outdoors without the fear of COVID. As a new empty nester, she felt grateful to have this time with her daughter….. but she ached for all the losses of so many fellow humans. She felt guilty and faced her privilege.
Though Diana knew her in-person business model would need to shift, but with the “help” of the pandemic it made online workshops & retreats MUCH easier to promote. It actually was an advantage, since many people where also stuck at home looking to make deeper connections. So she wanted to grab this opportunity AND she knew she didn’t want to miss spending quality time with her daughter either! So they made dates to make art aka art dates!
Come to think of it, this art making tradition began with Diana’s grandmothers. With one in particular, Diana remembers spending most of their time together working on various arts & crafts projects.
So during this unexpected semester at home, she & her daughter set aside 2 hours once a week to make art together. Diana had heard about flow art on YouTube…. they made large & small pieces and had fun, and laughed. She remembers one particular beautiful sunshine filled day but is sure there were many more. It was such a gift to them both.
Art is where they have always connected. Diana’s daughter taught her printmaking, pottery & painting over the years. Diana gushed over what a wonderful artist she is. She’s made handmade cards every year…. Art is their common language. Seems like it was a language of healing during this challenging time in their lives & the lives of everyone.
Diana’s work with Third Act Quest is all about reframing the way we look at life… specifically aging.
So she saw this time as an important teaching moment. It may have felt horrible for her daughter to adjust to life during lockdown…but with her 3rd act in full swing Diana KNOWS that resilience is created as we go through challenges. She knew her daughter would look back on this time & tell the stories of rushing home, wearing masks, cleaning groceries on the porch and making art with her Mom as they rode out this historic moment for the global family together. It is tragic beyond belief… and this will make her stronger. Her daughter listened & agreed!
So what will Diana do with the pandemic art she & they created? Perhaps another photo book?
I’m grateful to have connected with this beautiful woman via our mutual friend filmmaker Sky Bergman and to be a member of Diana’s 333 Collective community.
Find out more about Diana Place & the 333 Collective here: https://www.thirdactquest.com/
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as my guest, gay historian Andrew Lear, shares the unique, yet universal story of the cleaning out our loved ones home's after they die.
He had taken on much of the responsibility of caring for his aging Mom for MANY years, but when his Mom finally died, he was teaching at Pomona College in Southern California. This left the major cleaning out of his mother's seventeen room Victorian mansion, which was built by Andrew's great grandfather and packed with family stuff, to his brother & sister.
It was filled with 18th century family china & of course their mother's art work. As "luck" might have it, his brother took all the things of monetary value & his sister took every thing else. So whenever he wants, Andrew can visit these "museums" of his family's possessions.
Andrew prides himself on being a bit of a minimalist, so he didn't take much from his Mom's place. You see she had found a way to gift him her art work while she was alive. When displaying her work at galleries, she would mark the works she knew Andrew would like as SOLD. They shared a knowing of what was her best work.
But while visiting the family home after his mother's death, Andrew opened a drawer in the dining room. It was lined with menus from the Captain's table of the SS France, a ship his mother & he, as a young child, sailed on when they traveled back & forth to Europe. Inside the drawer was this early pen & ink sketch of his mother. Andrew guesses that it's from the 1940's, when his Mom was young & looking cool. He wonders what she was like then.
This sketch hangs by his bed & sometimes travels with him as he lives his high-end homeless life since the start of the pandemic.
In her 70's Andrew's mother returned to watercolors after many decades. Andrew has a collection of them but they're too big to travel with him. He is now considering purchasing a condo, which his partner kids him about it becoming his $200,000 storage unit.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here: Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest, memoirist & friend Sam Nace, shares the stories that this candle box could tell.
Handmade of wood & glass with a painted inlaid "loon" with Mallard duck colors and a door that never shut. But it has been with her since she was a teen & she keeps it to remember how, with a candle inside, it brought light & warmth to the gatherings both she & her Mom hosted.
Sam's parents received it as a welcome gift to their recently built cottage on a bluff overlooking a bay on Downey Island just over the border of New York in Canada. Growing up there she didn't know she was "rubbing elbows" with many famous people. What mattered to her was that these "island" people showed her love, kindness, patience & adventure.
As you can probably tell by now, Sam is a born story listener, sharer & teller. If you've been wanting to write your memoir, check out her destination retreats. Her next retreat is in Montelpero, Italy September 2-9: Event details here
Her Mom, like Sam, loved candles & company. Nothing made her happier then having a cottage full of friends & family. And this loon candle box was a witness to:
- Her parents attempt at a romantic evening.
- Her sneaking home late only to be "caught" by her chainsaw wielding father.
- Her young daughter's night light as she fell asleep.
This simple piece of wood & glass lite up every gathering...
She inherited it from her Mom & it now travels with her to hold the warmth of these stories.
After 22 moves, she took only what she could fit in her FIT with room for her dog.
She learned to pack her sentimental things in her suitcase. Since moving internationally with the Army several times, she's learned a thing or two about container shipping & ships. She's heard about too many people's Things that matter falling off these ships, floating for a while & then sinking. She didn't want that to happen to her few treasured Things.
She thinks about these few things as her Hygge, a Danish cultural practice, that brings a "quality of coziness and comfortable conviviality that engenders a feeling of contentment or well-being."
Sam has learned to give less value to things... but the things she does keep have stories within their "bones". This candle box holds treasured feelings in her spirit, keeps her anchored and grounded in her life as she moves around the world.
Sam Nace is a memoirist and retreat leader. She came to a deep knowing that sitting around the proverbial "campfire", eliciting stories as what she's called to do and made for. Perhaps this candle box started her on this journey to lead & support people in sharing their stories?
She has witnessed the healing power of sharing our stories. And she is HERE to help you share YOURS!
Join her in Italy Sept 2-9: Click Here I promise you won't regret it! ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here: Or Listen here:
First, thanks so much Cathi for carving out the time to join us on your 30th Wedding Anniversary.
Look & listen as my guest, friend & founder of The Photo Managers, shares the story of her & her husband's anniversary journals. So fitting to share this story surrounded by 30 roses her husband bought to celebrate their love.
As newly-weds they decided to start the tradition of keeping a family journal. Once a year, on their anniversary they would go for a special dinner and bring their journal with them. They would take the time to think about the past year in their family life & list out the things that stood out from this year in review.
Cathi shared an example with us & turned to the entry for 1998.
She noted that her daughter was born in Abilene, Texas that year.
She minimized the effort & held up these/her/their simple journals. There are only 2 for the whole 30 years and the second one still has lots of pages left.
Though they didn't seem like a big deal years ago, they fascinate her more & more now. She loves going back and seeing what they choose to write down... aka what mattered to them each year.
So much has happened over the years. Parents have died, Covid, 911, and kids have grown from birth to troubled adolescents to hopefully more stable adulthood. These journals are Things that matter. They are full of stories of true life... not just the high points... the low ones too.
When Cathi was thinking about what Thing brings her joy, magic & meaning these journals stood out. She didn't think about it until I invited her to be a story-sharer & she realized it landed on her anniversary.
She's pretty certain she'll pass them down to her children.
Her parents didn't tell these true life family stories. She was there when her Dad lost his job. She remembers coming home after school & his car was in the driveway. He was standing there smoking, and he had stopped smoking. She could tell he was upset but she don't know how he felt. All she "knew" was he disappeared into the basement for a few years in the dark... perhaps he suffered from deep depression but he didn't write anything down or share his story/stories.
"My kids will know our victories & challenges. We lost jobs... and all these struggles, losses & gains that happened over the years. They can read them & see how you came out the other end. So stories, in any way you tell them, REALLY matter."
Find out more about this dynamic woman: https://www.cathinelson.com
And YES there IS a profession (and it's growing) that helps people with their photo collection! And find out more about her company, The Photo Managers: https://thephotomanagers.com
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky, etc., and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here:
Or Listen here:
Anyone who visits museums & historical societies knows, every Thing has a story.
Is it possible that such a small object like a button can tell the story of the Vietnam War?
My guest, author Trudy Knowles, answers this question by sharing the story of her 1969 light blue Work for Peace Nov 13 & 14 button.
She went to all the Chicago moratorium aka Peace marches in 1969 & has buttons from everyone.
But she chose THIS one for show and tell.
Sadly the November Peace march turned violent when the police, emboldened by Mayor Daley, stormed the crowd & tear gassed the marchers. But the protestors didn't give up! They learned to apply Vaseline & wear red bandanas to protect their faces so they could continue speaking up & out against the war.
This button is one of thousands in her collection.
She was a child of peace & justice activists. She inherited a passion for justice from her mother & father who both come from long lines of ministers going all the back to William Tyndale.
Her parents loved people who feed the hungry, cloth the naked, welcome the immigrant, visit the imprisoned, loved the unloveable, wanted peace and go out and LOVE.
She started her button collection when her parents returned from protests & marches and gave her the buttons they brought home. She has a button they gave her from when MLK spoke.
But back to this seemingly insignificant button... after government documents were declassified many years later... this lowly button tells the story of the start of the end of the Vietnam War.
Trudy learned that Nixon was thinking about using nuclear bombs in Vietnam, but because of the outpouring of people speaking out against the war he didn't.
The November peace moratorium was THE pivotal event that changed the course of history. The biggest lesson: We've GOT to speak OUT even if things don't change right away.
Trudy continues to speak up & out through her new book Radishes and Red Bandanas. It talks about how Vietnam defined her generation, gave insight into the angst of the 60's and how the legacy of her lineage continues with her love of family & friends. This love can get us through any tragedy.
She let me in on a secret about her button collection. She can't buy the buttons. They are always gifted to her or she's found them. That's why she doesn't have one button that she wants. The Biden-Harris button. If you have one & send it to her she'll send you a signed copy of Radishes and Red Bandanas.
Find out more about this funny & fierce woman here: https://www.trudyknowles.com
Let's build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don't matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here: Or Listen here:
After traveling around the world full-time Nora had to replace the stuff she carried with her... so at this point every thing she owns is a souvenir of sorts.
As my friend Bill Shapiro mentioned during this same event, sometimes Things have a story even before they come into our lives.
Nora had learned of a store in Antigua Guatemala that carries colorful recycled fabric from the surrounding communities. They are used & many are woven.
Nora picked this cloth to carry with her. Eventually she had it made into cushions & covering for her dining room chairs.
Every time she sits at her table or on her couch with the pillow she thinks about her time in Guatemala. She ponders its history & daydreams about: Who owned this before her? Who made it? Who wore it before it came to her?
She toured China with the ballet & bought the scrolls on the wall behind her. She didn't sell every Thing... She kept these scrolls from her first international trip when she was 16 years old. Why? Because they are priceless & irreplaceable.
She must have caught wanderlust on that first trip because she's now The Professional Hobo! Still traveling & teaching others how they can travel inexpensively &/or live a location independent life like she does.
Find out more about this beautiful human here: https://www.theprofessionalhobo.com
Let's build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don't matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here:
Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest Dr. Jeffery Levine aka Dr. Get in Focus shares the story of a special menorah he bought when he was a teen.
He shares his experience of being a Jewish child surrounded by Christmas. He believed, at the time, that he wasn’t good enough to celebrate Christmas. Hanukkah was his poor substitute.
But when he was a teenager his parents took him to a Hanukkah fair where he found this menorah. He felt compelled to buy it. He wanted to contribute to his family’s “Festival of Lights” celebration. Young Jeff was starting to embrace his family religion, tradition, history & culture.
When he moved to his own home his parents gave him this menorah from the fair to “build” his own home, his family, his traditions & celebrations… it is now one of 6 he keeps with his wife. She brought 5 from her personal collection into the marriage.
We spoke about how many religions celebrate festivals of light during the same time of year. All wanting to bring light into darkness.
You can say that’s similar to how Dr. Get in Focus brings focus to a chaotic mind.
At 44 yo, after a lifetime of being the “schlemiel”, Dr. Jeff was diagnosed with ADHD. He had struggled with school & work for most of his life. Finally he had a diagnosis & a treatment. The medication worked well and he was able to finish college, hold down a job & care for his family.
But a few years later he had a heart attack and couldn’t continue taking the ADHD medication. His condition worsened and he was in a bit of a pickle. Now what?
He started researching ways to help himself manage his ADHD without the medication that had helped him immensely. He had been accepted to a PhD program and needed systems, routines and habits to help him focus and get it ALL done.
But MOST importantly, he needed to change his mindset. He needed to let go of his long accepted role as the schlemiel & see himself as capable of creating the life he wanted for himself & his family.
His doctoral thesis focused on how to effectively work from home. He got his doctorate in 2019!!! Just in time for the global pandemic that changed the world of work.
He came to see how the mindset shift, creation of habits and a reliable accountability support system can apply to both entrepreneurs & employees with ADHD and those who were navigating the new landscape of remote work.
Find out more about this beautiful human here: https://drgetinfocus.com
Reach out to him directly at drjeff@drgetinfocus.com
Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by sharing & listening to the stories of the Things that matter. Things don’t matter, but the stories that get attached to them often do. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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To the question “What should I keep?” Rachel, from her own experience of the loss of her husband when their daughter was only 2 years old answers “If it tells a story or provides a connection to a loved one KEEP IT.”
She keeps her daughters shoes from the day her husband died 28 years ago. It reminds her of the sweet family unit they had all made, though short… she cherishes them…
In her shock when her husband died suddenly, she asked everyone in sight a question, that she vaguely remembers asking… “Who will walk her down the aisle?” A strange ? considering their daughter was only 2…. but…
Her daughter got married during the pandemic… and after listening to her Mom’s talks & Rachel’s efforts in keeping the memory of her father alive over all these years she figured out a way that her dead father could “walk” her down the aisle….
Find out more about this beautiful human, my friend Rachel Kodanaz here: https://www.rachelkodanaz.com/
As someone who has held space for people to share stories of the Things that matter, I love Rachel’s approach with her book Finding Peace, One Piece At A Time: https://www.rachelkodanaz.com/more-info
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ___________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as my guest shares the tale of a perfect “skipping” rock. It tells his story of himself, as a young father, of two boys at the water’s edge. He skipped a rock across the surface of the lake and his sons were in awe of their Dad. Wade taught his boys to skip rocks that day and kept a rock to hold onto the memory of the day he saw himself through his children’s eyes. He keeps this rock, his gratitude rock, in his pocket. He holds it when he gets overwhelmed and needs a reminder of all the love he has in his life.
Wade is a new children’s book author and his stories talk about grief, loss and Things that matter. Wade cares deeply about our collective humanity and knows that emotional agility matters. And of course connections, community & legacy are integral elements of building these relationship & resilience skills.
His 1st book in his emotional agility series is The Bird Ride and his second, which launches Jan 11th 2023, is The Mirror Box. The Mirror Box tells the story of a great love between a grandson and grandfather and the great loss Christopher faces when his Papa dies. He soon discovers, with the help of his dog, a mirror box filled with Things his Papa left behind. These Things help Christopher understand that his Papa would always be with him. And just like Wade’s rock, all he has to do is return to the mirror box and the Things in it to reconnect with his grandfather.
Find out more about this beautiful human here
Let’s build more connections, community & legacy by reading together and sharing our stories of the Things that matter.
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Travis shares the story of connection, community and legacy through this Sumo handprint given to him as a gift from a Japanese colleague.
He had accepted a job teaching English at a small high school in Japan. He and his wife didn’t speak Japanese and most of his fellow teachers didn’t speak English. This was daunting at first but they found their way through their two years there.
Travis’s love of sports connected him with one of the office staff there. They played soccer together and tried to communicate in their very limited English & Japanese.
Once when he asked what Travis was planning to do over the weekend, Travis told him that he was going to Sumo. His friends face lite up when he heard the word Sumo.
When Travis returned to school the next week, the other English teacher, who spoke Japanese told Travis that his friend wanted to see him in the office. After getting over the feeling that he may have done something wrong, he went to the office and his friend handed him this neatly wrapped rolled up print. Travis, of course, appreciated this kind gesture but didn’t understand it’s significance.
The English teacher told Travis that this handprint was from one of the most famous Sumo’s in the country who was going to retire that year. He told Travis this handprint was the same as if he had gotten Michael Jordon to sign a basketball and then gifted it to someone. His friend had called in many favors and Travis realized that even though you don’t share a language with someone you can share a bond, a friendship.
It was THE nicest things anyone has ever done for him. When his wife found it & had it professionally framed and gave it to him for Christmas a decade later, after moving with them around the world, he came to see how these Things matter and it warms his heart.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look &/or listen as my guest tells the story of The Turtle.
It is the Thing that matters to her because it has given her an amazing life experience with her children and her parents all while allowing her to explore the world and learn about herself.
The Turtle is a 2006 Fleetwood Jamboree motorhome and similar to a Tesla, all you have to do is unplug and go. But unlike a Tesla, it cost less and you can sleep, cook & shower in it.
Michelle is proud to be a third-generation full-time motor homer.
When her grandfather lost his job in 1933, he and her grandmother moved into a camper trailer for three years. There is a newspaper article with a photo of her grandparents making tea on a little stove all dressed up in their finery. They told the reporter that they were going to be sad when they had to move back into a house. They did, but they kept the camper trailer.
Her parents followed suit. By the time Michelle had her own young kids, her parents became full-time motor homers. She & her husband bought “The Turtle” in 2006. They traveled to national parks and state parks in their motorhomes. Michelle loved spending time with her parents while she was a young mother. Her parents got to spend ten months with their grandkids and her kids got to learn about their grandparents.
The Turtle holds these family stories in her “shell”.
After those adventures though, The Turtle just “sat” around.
In 2020 Michelle lost her job during the “Covid spring”.
To make things even more challenging she was “post-divorce” and with no job in sight…she was only weeks away from having to move out of her rental. She didn’t know where or when a job would come through for her so getting another apartment made no sense….
On August 1st, 2020 Michelle had no house, no spouse, and with her youngest off to college, no kid to take care of. Now what, she asked herself? She still had The Turtle!
After getting over the shock about her new life situation, including a global pandemic, she decided to just drive out to Yellowstone. But she didn’t want to try to redo the trips she did with her kids. Michelle knew that if she did that she’d sob the entire time.
She KNEW she had to do something different. She had been following Brandon Stanton project Humans of New York and it inspired her to think about what she could do with this “in-between” time. Her third act so to speak.
So, she drove all over the United States, in The Turtle, interviewing hundreds of people about their lives during the pandemic. As you can tell, Michelle has always been interested in people’s lives and stories.
What began as a short-term pandemic project, to prove her worthiness for a job, has turned into a book, a passion project & a whole new crazy beautiful life.
She had just one interview question: “It’s January 1st 2020, what was your 2020 supposed to be like and what did it end up being like through to the present?”
Who We Are Now Stories of what Americans lost and found during the covid-19 pandemic shares the answers to this question from people all over the country and from different walks of life.
Michelle’s story and the 100’s of people who shared their pandemic stories with her are also held in Turtle’s “shell”. Without her motorhome, these stories may never have been asked about, told and put down on paper.
After 100’s of interviews, Michelle found, as I did on my 5-month road trip, that who we are now is who we’ve always been. We think about one another. We are not as divided as the media leads us to believe.
One of the things that was really beautiful during the pandemic, when we were on lockdown, is that we thought about each other a lot. In the quietness, we were wondering how each other’s lives were. We’re just people who want to be good neighbors.
Michelle & I both believe in building connections, community & legacy. Her book is a powerfully healing work of pandemic personal & public history & art of how stories can heal the world.
You can find out more about Michelle Fishburne & follow along on her adventures here: whowearenow.us and on Instagram here.
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as my guest Phyllis Braxton shares the story of a simple PINK pen that tells a big tale.
Phyllis was supposed to be back at her home in Minneapolis for our time together, but got delayed in Maryland with her daughter & granddaughter (not a bad thing to get more kisses from her granddaughter:).
The object she planned to tell the story of was back home so as all entrepreneurs & especially Mom’s do… she improvised.
She has JUST received her first shipment of pink colored pens for her brand new 501C3 tax deductible non-profit Whole Soul Inc!
This pen tells the story of a dream that came to her during her college years. Now a dream come true.
As a young girl from a small town in Mississippi, she experienced people’s preconceived notions about what she would be able to do with her life based on where she came from…
Whole Soul Inc is on a mission to support women & girls who have been disadvantaged…. and wants every girl & every woman to know they have worth and are valuable in the world.
Learn more about her non-profit here: https://wholesoulinc.org
As you can see and/or hear Phyllis is a vision maker & she’s up to a LOT!
At 50 years old, she’s been a leader the DEI field for over 25 years and with her consulting company PINK (Pursuing Intercultural Needs & Knowledge) for 17+ years.
She has worked with individuals, teams & companies all over the world to help them better understand their differences. Phyllis believes that our differences don’t have to polarize us but can really bring us even closer together as a human family. By acknowledging those differences with a sense of value, worth & appreciation, it lifts us all up.
In 2016, Phyllis went back to school to become a licensed therapist. She became fascinated with the connection between mental wellness and differences. We didn’t grow up hearing the same messages about people who are different from us from the people who love and care about us.
She believes that we are all working towards common goals in the world, but we’ve been taught different things about each other. In her work she invites people to pause, to be open to listen to people’s stories and what matters to them. To listen for commonality in our very different values. For over two decades, Phyllis has created safe spaces for deep conversations to take place so people can make mistakes and learn.
Phyllis personally knows how challenging it is to create safe spaces for these tough conversations about diversity, equality & inclusion to take place so she is expanding her offerings to self-care for these brave change makers aka her fellow DEI trainers. She has faith that there are so many more people who want community than people who want division.
Phyllis stands for honoring & celebrating our differences. She exudes compassion and understanding. I’m grateful to have connected with her.
Check out more about this amazing woman here: https://pinkconsultingllc.com
Lastly Phyllis just launched her first book Book: Be Right or Be Effective. I had the honor and pleasure of pre-reading it and here’s my review:
My favorite takeaways are:
1.) Embrace your unique quirks
2.) Open up to others’ gifts
3.) You are not a movement (see #2)
4.) Legacies are important
5.) The Platinum Rule is the bomb
6.) Relationships are what it’s all about (being right isn’t as rewarding as being effective) Give yourself the gift of digging into this insightful guide to creating the life you want.”
Thanks Phyllis for your kind words about my important legacy work in the world and how it inspires you think more deeply about the Things that matter in your life.
Now when Phyllis visits her family, she makes the time to ask your family members about the objects, the foods, the history, the legacy that surrounds them and you AND you record these stories for your own & your families legacy!!! Go Phyllis!
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as dancer/creative coach Jess Grippo shares the story of this well-used and well-loved T-shirt.
Part of her personal history, her life journey is practically woven into its fabric.
Part of her journey (& the tee’s too) began in 2004 in Florence, Italy. She was there on a semester abroad program from college.
At the beginning of her time there, she felt awkward…. awkward about everything: fitting in, her body, what she was wearing… all those things. She experienced loneliness and had a hard time making friends & finding her place.
While out for a walk she noticed a shop with weird looking wooden shoes in the window. She was intrigued, so she walked in and said Hi to the guy working there. He was a big man wearing a painters suit with colorful splashes of paint all over its white background.
Though her Italian wasn’t yet fluent, they chatted for a while and she forgot her awkwardness.
He asked if she was looking for work & invited her to work for him. For some reason, she knew she needed to say YES. She showed up for work the next day and he handed her a painters suit like his. It too was covered with splashes of paint.
That was when she finally felt at “home” for the first time since starting her semester abroad. She knew it was odd to feel this in a jolly old shoemaker aka a “strangers” shop. But feel it she did.
Jess felt connected with this man because of a shared passion to be a free spirit. He lived a bohemian or unconventional life and she was building & embracing that lifestyle for herself.
She hadn’t taken a lot of clothes with her for the semester, but the tee shirt she shows was a favorite because of the softness of the fabric and how it fit her during this awkward phase. She bought this Quebec T-shirt from a vintage store back in the states.
The college she was attending in Florence held an art making day, soon after she had begun working for the shoemaker, and she decided to join in. She wore her favorite tee that day. There were canvasses & paints set up around campus, and as she was standing in front of a blank canvas Jess decided to take her T-shirt off and laid it on the canvas. She took a paintbrush and began splashing different color paint onto it’s white-ish background. Once the paint dried she cut the collar and sleeves and really made it her own.
After all the experiences & things she bought during her time abroad, this T-shirt is her favorite. It reminds her of the jolly shoemaker who helped her feel at home in a far away place. It tells the story of how she CAN find her own people, she CAN find her own way even when she is feeling awkward.
She holds on to this Thing that matters almost 20 years later, because it represents her ability to build & live the life she desires and deserves. She doesn’t wear the tee much any longer because of its condition, but she’ll keep it still.
Jess recently started dating Anthony. One of their first weekend getaways was to Quebec City, Canada. The first thing she thought about was if she could find another new-ish Quebec tee like the old one. She found one that’s very similar & had Anthony buy one that sort of matched. It felt significant as she was honoring this new phase, new relationship in her life AND keeping the old one to honor her awkward self from so many years ago.
She continues to find herself and the free spirited way to go about life. Find more about Jess here: https://www.jessgrippo.com
What Thing would tell your artistic journey tale?
This short story was recorded by Jess Grippo who was unable to join us live for my virtual Show & Tale: Artists, Inspiration & Tools in January of 2022.
Show & Tales encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time. ______________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest Rosemary (Rosie) Grant, of TikTok fame @ghostly.archives, tells the story of a pandemic inspired baking interest, a library science project and an internship at Congressional Cemetery through the Thing that matters: a vintage aluminum cookie press.
Her first stop was Historic Green-Wood Cemetery in Brooklyn NY, where she found the grave of Naomi Odesa Miller Dawson. Though Naomi was from Barbados, she had a Spritz cookie recipe (originating from Germany or Sweden) etched onto her gravestone…. thus a recipe to die for.
Rosie owns 4 cookie presses now, a collector she is, but the one she shows here is one she received from a fellow gravestone baker, food blogger in Arkansas. This woman has been receiving kitchen objects from fans for years and gifted this vintage press to Rosie. The tree press is Rosie’s favorite.
Needless to say all of Rosie’s life has lead her to this “new” obsession” with a search for gravestone recipes. Her parents have been ghost tour guides in DC for years. It’s easy to see how her new found interest has brought her into connection with the death positive community.
She’s become intimately aware of the food memories that get attached to death, grief & celebrations of a life well lived (as my friend, filmmaker, Sky Bergman says).
Rosie loves how NYC blends food traditions, styles & history… and that food connects us.
We spoke of the expense of etching recipes in gravestones. She lost both grandmother’s during the pandemic and exclaimed “Dying is expensive.”
She learned about #GraveTok & #cemeterytiktok and is grateful to connect with the death care community.
We even spoke about how cemeteries are at risk if they aren’t connected to the community. Historic Green-Wood Cemetery & Congressional Cemetery are well aware of this challenge and now offer lots of programming to build connections, community & legacy…. just as I do with Show & Tales.
Rosie has found 17 total graves with recipes etched onto tombstones. If you know of any other’s please reach out to her. You can connect with her via @ghostly.archives on Instagram & @ghostlyarchive on TikTok.
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as storyographer Kathy Stone shares her personal, family, military & a country’s history through the story of a ship in a bottle.
This object has been in her family for as long as she can remember. It fascinated her as a young child. How could they possibly get the ship into the bottle? she wondered, and she cherishes it because as the daughter of a single Mom she didn’t have much.
As another story-sharer Matt Paxton shared at the same live Show & Tales, Kathy too didn’t know her family was poor… she just knew her Mom worked an awful lot. So Things from her childhood hold a special significance.
Another reason Kathy keeps this object is because of its origin story. She learned of its history from her Mom. You see her grandfather immigrated to Canada in 1929 and had fought with the British Army in WWI and then became a veteran’s guard in Canada during WWII.
Canada built POW camps and housed 34,000 German prisoners during the war. A prisoner at the camp her grandfather guarded made this Ship in a Bottle for him. These Canadian POW camps were, as Kathy says, out in the middle of nowhere. So escapes were almost pointless so it appears that the prisoners and guards developed relationships of cooperation and even some kindness. A special touch on this ship is that Kathy’s Mom’s unusual name is written on the ship.
Kathy wishes she knew the story of the German POW who made this ship and wonders why only her Mom, one of 6, is the only one with this bottle?
She wonders too what she should do with this Thing that matters. Should it stay in her family or be gifted to the museum that is in this POW camp or to the Canadian Military museum? At this time, she’s thinking it should go to a museum because it’s a little piece of history.
There is no history without personal history. What are museums and historical societies other than great big show and tells?
When her son asked what she was doing she told him she was going to a show and tell with the ship in a bottle. He asked why! She had forgotten to tell him the story.
Kathy, like me, believe in the importance of sharing our stories to build deeper connections, community & legacy. Our own stories and the telling of them are all part of history too.
Do take a moment to think about the Things you keep. Find a way to share your stories of the Things that matter. And consider who or where would you like this Thing to go after you.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Listen as my guest Heather Markel shares the stories of her travel souvenirs. As a digital nomad, Heather, like many of us, has to be more aware of what souvenirs she buys and keeps.
I connected with her through a mutual nomad who shared Heather’s TEDx talk The benefits of living nomadically. Watch it here: https://youtu.be/wKGGEv9EJtM I just loved her energy and was fascinated by the necklaces and bracelets she wore during the talk. You KNOW I just HAD to ask her to be my guest on Things That Matter because it was so obvious that her travel jewels do.
And if you’re looking for support to Ditch your desk, (and) discover your destiny(TM) check out the information below & reach out. She’s an absolute delight!
A bit more about Heather from her:
I quit my 25+ year career in corporate in 2017 for what I thought was a 3 – 6 month career break. Five years later, I’ve transformed into a full time traveler and full time travel coach, helping my clients to ditch their desk and discover their destiny through full time travel. I’ve been to 33 countries on 6 continents since January 2018, including getting marooned in New Zealand for 2 years during the pandemic.
Find out more about Heather at https://www.fultimetravelcoach.com & watch and subscribe to her YouTube channel: https://youtube.com/heathermarkel
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Listen as Robin shares her artist journey through her mother’s own peasant journey artwork and a self portrait.
Though her mother wasn’t a good mom, she gave Robin the greatest gift of all … that of becoming an artist herself. Her mother’s own desire and determination to get away from her dirt poor roots and become an artist lead her to the Art Student’s League first in Chicago and then to NYC… ultimately leading her to a successful career as an illustrator with Sterns Brothers.
Robin’s own work, Self portrait with trees… shows her love of trees, who have been healing for her since she was young. There’s a grouping of trees near her home that she calls fairy woods. She wanted the trees be magical, so she used glitter paint on all the trees.
She feels blessed that her Mom, who came from nothing, introduced her to art at a very early age. Her identical twin sister is also an artist. She walked away with this amazing gift of being an artist for her whole life.
Sadly Robin passed away soon after this recording from Jan 31, 2022. Her twin sister has given me permission to share this story. Thank you Leslie.
It was an honor and pleasure to have Robin as a friend and personal historian colleague for many years. Her eye, art and loving presence will be missed.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
What perfect timing to launch this episode into the world. I first met Alejandro 2 years ago when he and his collaborators offered a New Year’s workshop via LinkedIn and I fell in love with this beautiful human.
Look & listen as Alejandro shares his passion for learning all about life & business through a THING he keeps.
His “thing” is a Kindle. It represents his love of books, reading & learning. You’ll hear Alejandro’s thirst for knowledge and how this thing allows him to “carry” 100’s or more books with him as he travels the world. It allowed him to save money, luggage (aka weight) AND not carry an entire suitcase filled with just books.
“You talk about things… I talk about people” he said. Alejandro is fascinated with how our humanity can help us be better humans. He believes that for a long time companies tried to take out all the humanity from their workforce. They didn’t respect and honor our human skills (aka soft skills). They just wanted results. But if you take out what makes us human you’ll become a machine and then your job can be given to a robot.
His motto is: More human, better people, better companies. I was honored to be a guest on Alejandro’s LIVE event called Believe in yourself, believe in your business… where he talks about how mindset is most critical. How are you believing in yourself & your business?
P.S. I figured out my target market avatar at his event with his marketing guru from South Africa who lead a discussion about giving your avatar a name. She gave a fellow participant the name HENRY (High income, Earner Not Rich Yet). A year later with the help of some fellow entrepreneurs, I came up with my avatars name WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff). Find more about Alejandro Bratti here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/bratti/
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as my guest Maureen Taylor aka The Photo Detective shares the story of a picture of her great grandmother.
Just as Maureen invites her clients to tell her the stories they know about the photos she investigates, she is forever fascinated with why her clients pick certain photos. She knows many of these stories are passed down from one generation to another & they likely have been embellished if not flat out fabricated but this work provides her never-ending fascination in the human condition and our desire to make meaning.
Maureen tells of how this image holds the story of tragedy and resilience in her family history. Her great grandmother got pregnant at a very young age, had a “shotgun” wedding only to have the baby die and the new husband run off. But she married again and had a whole bunch of kids, yet tragedy struck again when Maureen’s great grandfather died before their last child was born. However, throughout the ups & downs this strong woman moved on with her life.
She serves as a reminder that you can move on with your life and make the most of it.
Though Maureen is grateful to have been gifted this piece of family history, by her Dad’s first cousins, she’s still not going to hang this picture up in her office.
She added “I find it scary.” You can learn more about Maureen & her work here.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
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Look & listen as my guest Rodney shares the story of his signed baseball. One of my first interactions with Rodney was when he walked past his Mom’s office computer, looked over her shoulder and asked, “Mom are you really doing show and tell?” His Mom is my techie and digital strategist Nicole Richardson.
If you’re looking for someone to support & help grow your small business, do yourself a HUGE favor and reach out to Nicole (https://www.nicolerrichardson.com). She’s been an integral part of my business and she’ll be an asset to yours.
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look & listen as filmmaker Sky Bergman shares her love for/with her grandmother through the story of her grandmother’s wooden spoon. She feels her grandmother’s juju every time she uses it. Her grandmother was a great cook, and like many great cooks never wrote a recipe down. After spending so much connection building time in the kitchen with her grandmother, Sky knew that the only way she would capture the recipes would be to videotape her grandmother cooking.
This idea inspired her to film her grandmother and 39 other people over 75 years old for her PBS feature film Live Well Lived (https://www.lives-well-lived.com). Her main question was how would they define a life well lived. Take the time to watch it with family & friends.
Sky credits her grandmother for inspiring her to become a film maker, for her passion for intergenerational connections and how food connects us to one another. She encourages you to believe that anything is possible and shared her grandmother’s favorite saying “Always be kind”.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021 which encourage us to build connections, community & legacy one story of stuff at a time.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look as my guests show an object from a loved one who has passed away. This Thing helps them keep the memories of this special person alive in their present life.
Listen to the stories these objects hold… many of them were touched by the one who died.
Watch & listen as each guest lights up while telling the story of this Thing that matters. Each person, like most of us, has been touched by death and grief.
This episode is a bit unusual because my 6 guests have created a special healing grief retreat happening Sunday Feb 13th 2023 11am-4pm ET. (This was a LOT like my virtual Show & Tales where many people, over the past decade, have brought an object from someone who has passed.)
Easing Hearts is a daylong series of self-expression workshops, focused on grief and loss. Experience healing through various creative modalities.
Learn more & get tickets here:
Four workshops will help celebrate, honor you and your loved one lost and help transform your grief.
Words and Music with Carin Mikos, RN, ESOL & Craig Addy, BMus, ARCT Performer
Carin and Craig will be combining their talents to provide you with an experience that will actually transform your grief into music, allowing your love and loss to be captured in a soundtrack. It is our experience that music can reach far deeper than words during this time of grieving. After the event, you will receive a digital copy of the music created as a personal audio remembrance.
Shifting Darkness into Light: A Moving Meditation Alchemizing Grief into Love with Kristen Mangione, Dance Alchemist
The Courageous Care Workshop: How to Discover Self-Care, Gratitude and Healing for yourself as you Grieve with Noah McIntyre, MA, CHHC
Memories of Love Mobile with Joanne Morton, artist
My Love is a Rainstorm… Writing the Lost Back to Life with Peaches Udoma, MA Writer, program manager Wealth and Impact Bootcamp
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Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Watch & listen as my friend, former editor of LIFE magazine, confesses his younger self’s adventurous spirit when he & his best friend Fred hitchhiked (a lot) around East Germany, when it was behind the wall. They knew they needed to leave the area but had no idea where they wanted to go. So Fred, who spoke some German, made a sign with the word Irgenwo! It translates to Anywhere! in English.
Bill keeps this sign to remind hime of a time in his life where it really was all about the journey. It didn’t matter where they went or when they got there. A feeling and openness of simply going ANYWHERE. Now that his kids our “out of the house” and his parenting obligations are “behind” him, Bill feels like he’s ready to return to Irgendwo.
This short story was clipped from my live virtual Show & Tale: Significant Objects in the fall of 2021.
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Join me at my next LIVE Show & Tales: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com
And if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest Jan Keck shares the story of a name tag he keeps. I heard about Jan and his important healing work in the world at my 1st World Domination Summit this past summer in Portland OR (June 2022). When I took a look at his website and KNEW I needed to invite him to be my guest!
Our missions are so aligned. He’s been to 5 out of the 10 WDS’s but he’s keeping this name tag from the 10th & final year. He added the pins from all 5 to the name tag and plans to hold onto it! Being a bit of a digital nomad, he has to be mindful of the Things he keeps…. the Things that Matter.
A bit about Jan Keck: I am on a small talk detox. I am the creator of ASK DEEP QUESTIONS (https://www.askdeepquestions.com), which started out as a deck of cards to help his friends connect on a camping trip and is now being used to facilitate meaningful conversations through sharing personal and vulnerable stories on every continent around the globe. My mission is to help people feel less alone, so by creating experiences, workshops and programs I aim to fuel the movement for deeper human connection. https://www.jankeck.com _________________________________________________________________________________________
Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Listen how Matt Paxton talks about his passion for getting kids interested in stories. He often uses objects as what he calls story starters. He shares how he’s able to share memories of many of his family members who are no longer living with his own children through the stories of Christmas ornaments.
Every ornament represents someone in his life who has passed away. His wife and their seven children never met any of these important people. He takes the opportunity when he’s decorating the Christmas tree to share stories of all these loved ones so his present family keeps the memories of these loved ones alive through their lives. Having a Christmas tree reminds me that I have and am a part of a family. I love the ritual & tradition Matt has created for his family. It gives him and them an opportunity to share their history with one another. Here he talks about his father and a Willie Nelson ornament. He shares a love for Willie with his Dad.
_________________________________________________________________________________________Join me at my next virtual or in-person Show & Tales here: https://www.showandtales.com/events/ Looking for a unique way to build deeper connections with your employees, volunteers, donors family, friends or alumni and conference or retreat attendees?
Hire me or one of my story-sharing hosts: https://www.showandtales.com And if you are an artist, creative or service pro who identifies as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good…. check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/
Watch here:Or Listen here:
Look & listen as my guest Jon-Luke West, aka the TechWizard, shares the story behind his unique measurement tool that he never forgets because he etched it into his skin. I'm always fascinated with skin stories... I hope you are too. Thanks Jon-Luke for spending this time with me. It was such a pleasure getting to know you & your work better through a "Thing" you keep with you always. Find more info about Jon-Luke: here Join me at my next Show & Tales. A fundraiser for She is the Universe a global girls empowerment org! Happening Thursday Oct 20th 7-8:30pm ET! The theme is Significant Objects. $10 tickets with 100% going to support the important healing work this non-profit does in the world. Tickets available here. Hire me to host your next employee, volunteer, donor appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event & kickoff for your conference or retreat https://www.showandtales.com AND if you identify as different, an outsider, outlier, quirky etc and want to join a community of fellow WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts. Find it in the community here! You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here:
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Listen as my guest, Siobhan Daniels tells the story of her mum’s pearl necklace and earrings. She shares how keeping these pieces with her in her motorhome makes her feel like her mom was with her as she shuvoff on her next big adventure.
In 2019, aged sixty, she took early retirement, sold her belongings, bought a motorhome and embarked on her solo trip around Great Britain! She now passionately champions positive aging, constantly calling out ageism and ageist stereotypes, and refuses to accept the narrow stereotypes of retired women.
Her book, RETIREMENT REBEL by Siobhan Daniels, shares this adventure. It is available for preorder NOW on Kindle via Amazon here. She hopes her experiences will inspire people, young and old, to embrace aging and not fear retirement. She believes, and I whole-heartedly agree, that aging is a privilege. She encourages everyone to be grateful for the chance to age disgracefully at a time when we are aging differently. Siobhan is proud to be part of the retirement rebellion!
Find out more via: shuvonshuvoff.co.uk
Join me at my next Show & Tale: Significant Objects on Oct 20th 7-8:30pm ET. It's a fundraiser for the global girl empowerment organization She is the Universe.
$10 You can hire me to host your next employee appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event etc. Go here --> https://www.showandtales.com And if you identify as different, an outsider, quirky etc and want to join a community of WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good.... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts.
You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance. Find out more: https://www.showandtales.com/community/ Watch here:
Or listen here:
Listen in as my guest, Craig Addy shares the stories connected to a photo of the underside of a piano. Stay tuned until the end to see how he closes our time together with healing music on his piano. Who is Craig Addy? He's a Vancouver pianist and composer who was born in 1962 and has been improvising at the piano since he was a child. Childhood play and the adult boldness to be playful like a child is how “Under the Piano” was born. Find more info about Craig here. Join me at my next Show & Tale here.
Hire Craig &/or me to host your next employee appreciation gathering, family, friend or college reunion, team building event, etc.
And if you identify as different, an outsider, quirky, etc. and want to join a community of WEIRDOS (Where Every Individual Remembers Doing Original Stuff) learning to market themselves in a way that feels do AND does good... check out my online community of Show & Tales story-sharing hosts. You CAN enjoy marketing yourself and invite in abundance.
Find it in the community here!
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Check out the story of these #travelingpants, an open heart & Things that bring Kathy joy 💜
Kathy wore the most fabulous sparkly pants for the closing party of the 10th & final World Domination Summit last month in Portland OR (June 2022).
When I stopped and complimented her on her pants she started telling me their (her) story!
I invited her to join me for my Show & Tale: Shoes, Boots, Bags & Hats on Weds July 20th 7-8:30pm ET but she couldn't make it then.... so I invited her to be my 2nd guest on TTM!
Grab my play sheet Your Life in 30 Things here.
And if you'd like to be my guest to share a Thing that Matters to you email me at info at showandtales.com with Podcast guest in the subject line.
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Join us to see and hear the story of the thing that holds the story of Dave's daughter who transitioned out of this plane many moons ago 💜
As my friends, Bill Shapiro & Naomi Wax, learned while interviewing 150+ people about Things that Matter for their book., "What We Keep," .... our hearts aren't accountants.
Dave's object cost him $2 but it's priceless as it holds a piece of his memory of his daughter.
Thanks for being my 1st guest on Things the Matter, Dave Roberts!
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