Strocel.com Podcast

In September, I started a daily meditation practice. It was part of my effort to build more positive routines into my life. While I do faithfully sit quietly for 15 minutes on evenings when I’m home, I have not yet noticed any major life changes. I do notice that when I’m done, I feel more relaxed, and my creative juices flow a little more easily. It must be all those alpha waves. Being a life-long overachiever, though, there’s some part of me that feels I could be better at meditating. This is where Danielle Mika Nagel, today’s guest on the Strocel.com podcast, comes in. Danielle is the Studio Director with the Chopra Yoga Center here in Vancouver. As the mom of two, and a yoga and meditation instructor, I thought she would be a good person to turn to for tips. While I do realize that trying to be “good” at meditation runs counter to what you’re going for when you meditate, I think we can all benefit from more insight. I was interested to hear how Danielle structures her own meditation. I also wanted to hear about how she meditates with her kids. During the podcast Danielle talks about how and why she started meditating, and gives some suggestions for how you can start your own meditation practice. We discussed the benefits of meditating, and she very kindly reassured me that even when my inner zen remains elusive, I’m still doing something good for myself. And, really, what parent couldn’t use a little more good stuff? Whether you’re a meditation pro, you’re just thinking of starting out, or you’d like to meditate with your kids, you’ll want to listen to the podcast: Next week I’ll be sharing an interview with Lori Alper of Groovy Green Livin. She’s a green mom who isn’t afraid of taking on big companies in her efforts to create a healthier world for our children. Whether you’d like some inspiration for using your own voice on behalf of a cause you believe in, or you’d like some tips for greener living, you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute!

Is work-life harmony really possible? It’s a hot topic for a lot of moms, myself included. This week on the Strocel.com podcast I’m sharing an interview with two moms, Shannon Ward and Diana Stirling, who say that harmony is possible. They decided that they didn’t want to wait until they were retirement age to get out and do the things they really wanted to do, so they founded Pretirement Living. The Pretirement site chronicles Shannon and Diana’s journey to re-make their business in a way that allows them to travel, work from anywhere, and be present with their kids while they’re little. Shannon and Diana have also recently released a book to help others create their own Pretirement lifestyle. Babyproofing Your Business shares tips for creating work-life harmony, whether you’re a seasoned entrepreneur or you’re just starting out. I was excited to speak with Diana and Shannon, to find out how genuine this really is. It certainly sounds good, but is it really possible to spend four months driving across New Zealand while also running a successful business? The Pretirement ladies say that it is, and in fact Diana has done just that. Shannon, meanwhile, spends three months every year in Costa Rica. She first went there for the surfing, and she liked it so she just keeps going back. Sounds pretty good, right? According to Diana and Shannon they created their own Pretirement lifestyle by completely re-vamping the business they were running. They focused on the clients who brought them the greatest return for the least amount of effort. They got rid of their fancy downtown office, and hired people who value flexibility and want to work from home or from the local cafe. They used technology, and they relied on each other and their partners for support. They told me all about it during our podcast. If you like the idea of creating a location-independent lifestyle that allows you the freedom to do the things you really want to do, you’ll want to listen to the podcast: Shannon and Diana will be speaking in Vancouver at the Leading Moms event on October 3, 2012. If you’re in the Vancouver area, and you’d like to soak up a whole lot more inspiration, this is a great event to check out. Next week I’ll be sharing an interview with singer/songwriter Tara MacLean. She has three full-length solo albums, two recordings with the group “Shaye”, and she was even part of a Canadian reality TV show. After speaking with her I can also say that she may be the most zen mama I have ever interviewed. Whether you want to hear about the twists and turns of her musical journey, or you’re looking for insight to help you make your own life a little bit more intentional, you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute!

The death of a child is not something any parent wants to contemplate, including me. And yet, unfortunately, sometimes the unimaginable does happen. Today on the podcast I’m interviewing two mothers who have experienced the loss of a child, and who wrote a book about their experience, When Your Child Dies: Tools for Mending Parents’ Broken Hearts. I felt it was important to have them as guests on my podcast, both as a resource for those who have lost children, as well as for those who know someone who has. Avril and Randie have very different stories – Avril lost her newborn son shortly after his birth, while Randie’s adult son was murdered. But they both want to emphasize that whether you lose a babe in the womb, or your child is 60 years old, a parent’s loss is very real. They also both believe strongly that the grief following the loss of a child is a lifelong journey. You will never be completely the same. At the same time, Avril and Randie believe that it is possible to develop healthy coping mechanisms. Their book contains helpful tools, strategies and tips on how to heal from and handle the aftershock of this devastating loss. It covers practical issues in the immediate aftermath, like how to work with law enforcement, as well as living with loss in the longer term. During our podcast Avril and Randie both shared their stories. They also shared some very helpful suggestions both for parents who have experienced loss, and the people around them. If you’ve ever felt uncertain what to say or do in the face of another parent’s grief, you’ll want to listen to our conversation. Avril and Randie were honest, practical and hopeful. I feel very privileged to be able to share this conversation with you. It’s not an easy subject, but it’s extremely important. I really hope that you will take the time to listen: I have several interviews scheduled for next week, and I haven’t completely decided which one I’ll be sharing with you on Friday. You’ll have to tune in to find out. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute!

Have you ever seen a friend achieve massive success in your field? And maybe you sort of want to be a little jealous, but you can’t, because she’s just way too awesome and also totally deserving? That’s how I feel about Amber Dusick, who is my podcast guest today. I read Amber’s blog AmberDusick.com for years. One day, she wrote this really funny post that she decided to illustrate with crappy pictures. She got a good response, so some time later she did another. That second one went viral, skyrocketing her to overnight blogging fame. I literally saw one of my high school friends linking to that second post the next day on Facebook, and that’s when I knew she had taken off. It launched her second, totally hilarious blog, Parenting. Illustrated with Crappy Pictures. Now she writes for Huffington Post, has an article next month in Ladies Home Journal, and has a book coming out in April 2013. The strength of Amber’s crappy pictures is the way they strike at the hilarious heart of parenting, and help us laugh at the things that otherwise might make us cry. Because, let’s face it, parenting is often hard, and tiring, and more than a little icky. Humour is one of the few things that sees us through, and helps us remember that these moments really are fleeting. And when we visit her blog, and laugh along with her, we all feel a little bit less alone. That can only be a good thing. During the podcast I had the chance to ask Amber what the experience of going viral was like for her. We talked about how her life has changed, and what has stayed the same. And I got to hear more about what’s coming up next for her. What will she do when her kids get older? How does her husband feel about the blog? Will she be writing more books? We covered all this territory during our podcast. Whether you need a little more laughter in your life, you want to hear how one blogger hit it big, or you just enjoy seeing a really fabulous person enjoy a little success, you’ll want to listen to the podcast: I’m still working on a podcast for next week, but I can promise that it will be worth tuning in to hear. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute! The post Podcast: Chatting Crappy Pictures with Amber Dusick appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Podcast: Chatting Crappy Pictures with Amber Dusick appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

Placenta encapsulation is one of the hot new trends in birth, although the idea of eating the placenta is hardly new. Nearly all other mammal species do it, including those that are otherwise complete herbivores. There are a number of theories as to why this is – the placenta contains hormones, which are said to ease post-birth complications. It’s also highly nutritious, which can be critical if you’ve just given birth. And some people postulate that by eating the placenta animals are hiding the evidence that there are new babies around, which may attract predators. Image credit – Herb Mother on Flickr Whatever the reason for it, consuming your placenta is something that is catching on in crunchy birth circles. My friend Gina, a.k.a. The Feminist Breeder, makes her case for it in “What’s the Deal with Placenta Encapsulation?” Although most of the benefits are anecdotal at this point, as more moms talk about it, it’s only likely to become more common. By encapsulating the placenta you can take it like a vitamin, instead of actually cooking it up and eating it, which makes it much more palatable for most (if not all) moms. RoxannaI decided to look into placenta encapsulation a little bit further for this week’s podcast. While I personally have not consumed my placenta, I’ve watched more than one animal do it. I was wondering if they know something we don’t. I was also curious as to exactly what’s involved, and if there’s any reason that someone shouldn’t eat their placenta. And I wanted to hear what benefits people have actually found. I interviewed Roxanna Farnsworth, a Certified Placenta Encapsulation Specialist, and Dr. Monika Poxon, a psychologist and mom of two who had her placenta encapsulated and consumed the pills following the birth of her second child a little over six weeks ago. If you’re at all curious about what’s involved in placenta encapsulation, you’ll want to listen to this week’s podcast: I’m planning a surprise for next week’s podcast – I hope it works out! No matter what, though, I promise you there will be a great conversation worth tuning in for. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute! The post Podcast: All About Placenta Encapsulation appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Podcast: All About Placenta Encapsulation appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

If you’ve had a baby recently – or you know anyone who has – you probably know that birth photography is pretty hot. Looking at the gorgeous black-and-white images of angelic mothers and brand-spanking-new babies, I can understand why that is. I’m actually sad that I don’t have many photos of my own children’s births. While I was in labour photography was the last thing on my mind, but seven and four years out I know that there’s no way to re-capture those moments. At the same time, I wasn’t exactly at my most photogenic as I birthed, if you know what I mean. I decided to catch up with an expert – local birth photographer Jaydene Freund of Cradled Creations – to get the scoop on birth photography for this week’s podcast. Jaydene isn’t just a photographer, she’s also a doula. In fact, when she was working as a doula she agreed to take some photos at a birth for a doula client, and that’s how she fell in love with birth photography. That was several years ago, and she’s been working as a birth photographer ever since. I love talking to people who are energized by what they do, and Jaydene is very energized by what she does. It goes without saying that I loved talking to her. At the same time, I’ll be honest, I had some questions. How does she take birth photos that you’d be comfortable sharing with your father-in-law? How do the hospital staff react to having a photographer in the delivery room? Is birth photography just a symptom of the way we overdocument every part of our lives? And how does Jaydene – a mom of a toddler herself – juggle parenthood and being on-call at all hours of the day and night? If you’re curious to hear the answers to those questions, or you’d like to know more about birth photography, take a listen to the podcast: I’m working on a podcast about placenta encapsulation for next week’s episode. Just like birth photography, it’s kind of hot right now in birth circles. What’s the scoop? I’ll talk to two moms and find out. If you’re intrigued – or you’re thinking of doing this yourself – you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute! The post Podcast: Talking Birth Photography with Jaydene Freund appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Podcast: Talking Birth Photography with Jaydene Freund appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

Right now one of my son Jacob’s favourite things to do is put on a CD and dance around the living room. This means I’ve been listening to a lot of Bobs and LoLo, and the time seemed right to share this podcast again, which originally aired last September. If you have a three-year-old and you live in the Vancouver area – as I do – you’ve undoubtedly heard of Bobs & LoLo. Their real names are Robyn Hardy and Lorraine Pond, and they’re childhood friends and children’s entertainers with four albums to their credit. My son Jacob is currently playing their latest release, Connecting the Dots, on constant repeat in my living room. I’m not afraid to admit that I find myself humming their songs to myself many, many times every day. What can I say? They’re catchy! Robyn and Lorraine are dedicated to connecting kids to the natural world with music, movement and make-believe, and they’re very good at it. I definitely would not classify them in the same “truly terrible children’s entertainment” category as that Shrek show I saw this summer. On the contrary, they’re an example of children’s entertainers who are raising the bar and keeping it fun at the same time. My kids love them, and I enjoy them, too. This has been a big year for the duo. They launched a new album in May and Lorraine gave birth her first baby, Anisa, in June. Having a little one on tour has definitely changed the dynamic. I had the chance to speak with the pair, and Lorraine mentioned breastfeeding during sound checks. I’ve breastfed in a lot of places, but that’s one I have yet to try. They also travel with an entourage now, all to make sure that Anisa is well-fed and cared-for while her mama performs. During our interview we talked about how Lorraine and Robyn met, and how they became children’s performers. We discussed the business side of what they do, and how they keep everything running smoothly. I got to ask them some of my burning questions, like whether they ever get sick of singing a certain song, how they still manage to get along after all these years, and what it’s like to run into young fans when they’re just trying to pick up something at the grocery store for a last-minute dinner. You’ll have to listen to hear the answers, but I will say this much here – I really think that these two are doing what they are meant to be doing, and regardless of how you feel about their music, that’s a pretty amazing thing. Here’s our interview for your listening enjoyment: It was great chatting with Lorraine and Robyn. I’m working on some new interviews, and I’m hoping to have one for you next week. If not, though, I have a fabulous conversation that you all need to hear lined up. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes, and you’ll be sure not to miss a thing! The post Repeat Podcast: Chatting with Bobs and LoLo appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Repeat Podcast: Chatting with Bobs and LoLo appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

As my son Jacob nears his fourth birthday, I’ve been spending more time thinking about family size. If you can relate to the constant debate over whether or not you’re “done” having kids, you’ll want to take a listen to this podcast, which originally aired in January. AmandaHow do you know when you’re “done” having kids? It’s a question I’ve been grappling with since about 20 minutes after my son Jacob was born. He was my second, and my husband was quite convinced that with one girl and one boy, our family was complete. I wasn’t. The babylust is strong in me. I know moms who have a very strong feeling that their family is complete, but I’m just not there. There may be many rational reasons to shut down the baby factory, but biology doesn’t always respond to reason, and so the desire to procreate remains. I decided that a discussion about how moms decide that their families are complete would make for an excellent podcast. I knew that I couldn’t interview just one person, though. The decision is too individual for that. So I decided to speak to a few mothers who are “done” having kids, to get their perspectives. And so, this week in the podcast I’m bringing you interviews with three mothers: Stephanie Stephanie of Adventures in Babywearing – Stephanie has four children. Her youngest, Ivy, is just one month younger than my son Jacob. While she hasn’t completely shut the door on the possibility of having more kids in the future, for the time being she believes that she’s “done”. Allison the Bibliomama – Like me, Allison has two kids, one boy and one girl. Like me, Allison still feels babylust. But with her younger child about to turn nine, she’s decided that she won’t be fulfilling that urge. Allison’s situation is closest to mine, and so I really wanted to hear her thoughts. Amanda, a.k.a. pomomama – Amanda has one child, and feels emphatically done. Her husband has had a vasectomy, and any babylust is gone. I remember feeling quite done when my own first child was a toddler with an extremely healthy set of lungs, but things changed for me. They didn’t for Amanda, and she’s enjoying having just one older child. AllisonBefore I share the podcast, I’d like to acknowledge something. I know not every family comes about as the result of a heterosexual couple conceiving without assistance. I also know not every pregnancy is planned. Deciding to conceive a child, or deciding not to conceive a child, is no guarantee of any outcome. However, for the purposes of this podcast, I decided to focus on people who were making decisions around family size, knowing that they likely could become pregnant with relative ease if they chose to. Since I’m trying to make a decision based on the assumption that if I wanted to get pregnant I could, it seemed most fair to talk to people in a similar situation. I had a really good time speaking with Stephanie, Allison and Amanda. It was a fun change for me to include multiple interviews in a single podcast, and I loved gathering all the different perspective. While I didn’t have any startling revelations about my own family size as I spoke with these other moms, it was good to hear how they made their own decisions. If you’ve ever wrestled with the question of whether or not to have another baby, or you just want to hear how other people reached their own conclusions, I think you’ll enjoy this one. Listen here: I’m still working on next week’s podcast, but I promise it will be worth a listen. Subscribe to the Strocel.com podcast in iTunes, and you won’t miss a minute! The post Repeat Podcast: Talking Family Size with Three Moms appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Repeat Podcast: Talking Family Size with Three Moms appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

I have a secret: I harbour a dream that one day I will be an awesome mixologist. So when I had the chance to speak with Janet Frongillo, author of Mommy Mixology: A Cocktail for Every Calamity, I was in like Flynn. Plus, the fact that Janet’s blog Muffin Top Mommy is totally funny didn’t hurt. If I can have a laugh and get some cocktail recipes, that’s a winner of a podcast in my book. Obviously, consuming alcohol responsibly is important. It’s even more important when you have small children, and you want to set a good example, as well as be alert and attentive to them. I don’t think that anyone, including Janet and me, is advocating that you go out and get wasted on a regular basis. At the same time, let’s be frank – when you’ve had a long day with your kids, a lovely cocktail with dinner really hits the spot. At the height of summer, it’s especially nice to have something cool and refreshing with dinner. If that something softens the edges a bit, so much the better. During our interview, Janet and I discussed how she came to write Mommy Mixology, which contains 60 recipes, accompanied by tales of parental woe and high hilarity from Janet’s own life. We talked about her habit of looking for humour in her everyday life, and whether that had ever gotten her into trouble. Janet told me about her own family and her experience as a blogger. She also offered some great cocktail suggestions from her book. If you’re looking to wow your friends (or yourself) with a great cocktail, you’d like to hear one blogger’s story of getting published, or you could just use a laugh, you’ll want to listen to the podcast: Next week on the podcast I’m going to be re-broadcasting an interview I did with three moms on family size. If you’re debating whether or not to have another kid (or two, or three), you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute! The post Podcast: Janet Frongillo, Author of Mommy Mixology appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Podcast: Janet Frongillo, Author of Mommy Mixology appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

Sometimes life is very serendipitous. This is how I happened to meet Crystal Stranaghan, my guest on today’s edition of the Strocel.com Podcast. Crystal and I had never met, but we both submitted speaker applications for Northern Voice, Vancouver’s annual blogging and social media conference. Since both applications revolved around blogging and inspiration, the organizers thought it would make sense to combine our submissions, and have my co-presenter Samantha Reynolds and I appear on a panel with Crystal. Samantha, Crystal and I had a chance to meet briefly before the panel, and it was good. But it was only as we sat side-by-side up on stage during our session that I really felt like I got Crystal. She was awesome! She was inspiring! I wanted to hear more from her! So, since I had a podcast, it was only natural to invite her to be a guest. Crystal Stranaghan is one of those people who has a complicated job description. She’s a write and health psychologist, and she specializes in offering creative solutions in education, communication and publishing. She’s run her own publishing company, she’s written books, she offers coaching for creative people, she’s a freelance writer, she does public speaking and a whole lot more. In speaking with her, you can feel that she lives with passion and intention, and that by itself is something that totally inspires me. She’s doing her thing. It might not be easy to fit on to a business card, but that’s not really the point, is it? If you have your own publishing dreams, you want to hear some tips for improving your well-being from a health psychologist, or you just need a little inspiration, you’ll want to listen to the podcast: Next week on the podcast I’m going to be sharing an interview with Janet Frongillo, blogger at Muffin Top Mommy and author of the new book Mommy Mixology. If you’d like some sure-fire suggestions for cocktails to keep the grown-ups happy, or you could just use a laugh, you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute! The post Podcast: Crystal Stranaghan on Creativity and Inspiration appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.The post Podcast: Crystal Stranaghan on Creativity and Inspiration appeared first on Strocel.com Podcast.

This podcast with Natalie Angell-Besseling of Shanti Uganda first ran last year. I love what Natalie’s doing, though, so I wanted to take this chance to share our discussion again. Sometimes, in life, things happen serendipitously. This is how I came into contact with Natalie Angell-Besseling, Co-founder and Executive Director of Shanti Uganda. I just happened to be copied on an email that had nothing to do with me, in which Natalie talked about her involvement with Shanti Uganda, and I knew right away that I wanted to talk to her. This is what I love about podcasting – it gives me an excuse to email strangers and ask to have a conversation with them. So what is it about Natalie that compelled me to talk with her? It’s all about the Shanti Uganda Society, the non-profit group that she helped found. It started with a vision to bring healing to communities in Uganda experiencing trauma, through yoga and conscious birth. Northern Uganda has been ravaged by war, and the people there are still dealing with the effects of that. It touches all aspects of their lives, even decades after the fighting has stopped. Shanti Uganda’s biggest project is the Birth House, which opened last year. Through the Birth House they offer educational workshops for midwives and traditional birth attendants, as well as preventative care, birth supplies and assistance for birthing women. They’re also working hard to reduce HIV/AIDS transmission rates from mothers to their babies. But that’s not all Shanti Uganda does. They many other initiatives, including supporting HIV-positive women through their Women’s Income Generating program. They have a very practical approach, and they’re empowering people to make their own lives better. I am really inspired by what they’re doing. There’s really a whole lot more that I haven’t mentioned here. Shanti Uganda’s work with teen girls, their commitment to ensuring that all of their projects are locally initiated and supported, and their efforts to ensure that all of their positive change will be self-sustaining are amazing. If you’d like to hear more, or find out how you can support the work that Shanti Uganda does, I encourage you to listen to the podcast, or visit Shanti Uganda online: For another example of serendipity at work, tune into my podcast next week with Crystal Stranaghan. Through happenstance Crystal and I were on a panel together at a local blogging and social media conference, and I found her inspiring. I knew I had to speak with her. If you could use a little bit of creative inspiration as well, you’ll want to hear our conversation. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and make sure you don’t miss a thing!

I’m normally fairly conservative about what I post on this blog, because I use my real name and I know that anybody could be reading it. What’s more, I know that my grandmother does read it. If you’re a member of my immediate family, though, you may want to take a pass on today’s podcast. In fact, you may want to stop reading right now, because today I’m interviewing Board Certified Sexologist Shanna Katz, and we’re going to be having a frank discussion about sexuality. Photo Credit: Pink and White ProductionsI get a fair number of PR emails in my inbox. I used to respond to each and every one, but as the volume has risen, I find myself deleting many of them unread. However, when you get a PR email with a, shall we say, spicy subject line, well, you click on that email. And when you follow a link to an author’s website and see a photo of her holding a plush vulva puppet, if you’re me you can’t resist inviting her on your podcast. This is how I came to find myself speaking to Shanna Katz in all her awesomeness. I had a frank discussion with Shanna about sexuality, feminism and body positivity. How do mainstream representations of sex and sexuality reflect on gender dynamics and the way we view women? Are adult films demeaning and oppressive to women? And how can we move past the negative feelings we have about our bodies and embrace ourselves as we are? Shanna answers all these questions and more. Plus she gives some great tips for improving your own sex life. My podcast with Shanna Katz is not what you would call family-friendly, so if you have kids within earshot and you’re not up to answering some hard questions, you may want to save this one for later. But if you’d like to hear a smart, funny, feminist sexologist discuss how to love and enjoy your body, listen to our conversation here: Next week on the podcast I’m going to be switching things up and re-broadcasting an interview I did with Natalie Angell, Co-Founder and Executive Director of Shanti Uganda. If you’re a birth junkie, or you’d like to hear how one small non-profit is helping women in Uganda, you’ll want to tune in. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes and you won’t miss a minute!

I first broadcast this podcast with Madeleine Shaw of Lunapads about a year ago. I love Madeleine, and I love what she’s doing, so while I’m off enjoying some sunshine, I’m sharing this with you again. Enjoy! In 2010, Strocel.com was selected as one of Vancouver Mom’s 30 Ultimate Vancouver Mom Blogs, which was immensely flattering. Vancouver Mom threw a party to celebrate, but I wasn’t able to make it because Jacob was still at the stage where he refused to fall asleep without me. But once you’re named you’re invited to the party every year, so in 2011 the invitation came into my inbox again. And when I saw that the amazing Madeleine Shaw would be attending, I knew I had to go, if only to meet her. Madeleine is one of the mamas behind Lunapads, a Vancouver-based company that manufactures and sells reusable cloth menstrual pads. Together with her business partner, Suzanne Siemens, she’s helped to spread the message about eco-positive periods for over 10 years. I myself have used Lunapads since 2006, when I bought my first few pads from Suzanne at a local craft fair. But I’d never met Madeleine, and I just had this sense that she would be great to talk to, so I accosted her at the Vancouver Mom event and took her card. Madeleine and I talked about how she got her start as an entrepreneur, and how Lunapads has grown and evolved. We talked about the hows and whys of reusable cloth menstrual pads, and how she got started using them herself. We discussed the Pads4Girls initiative, and chatted about what it’s like to attend a traditional business event and explain to a guy in a suit that you make cloth pads for a living. It was a really fabulous conversation, and I think I could have talked to Madeleine for hours. I hope you’ll take the time to listen to it yourself here: After our chat Madeleine sent me a pair of Lunapanties to try out. I got the hipster style, and I had a chance to use them during my last period (because, yes, I menstruate). I really love them, I must say, and I’m sort of sad that I have only one pair. They really are super comfortable, which I particularly appreciate when I’m having my period. Sometimes we just all need a little TLC, you know? Speaking of TLC, for next week I’m planning to spice things up by sharing an interview with Shanna Katz. We’ll be talking about feminism, sexuality, body positivity and more. Subscribe to my podcast in iTunes, and you’ll be sure not to miss a thing!

I’ve said it a few times before: one of the best parts of having a podcast is that it gives you a ready-made excuse to talk to cool people. When I met Trisha Miltimore at a networking event for entrepreneurial moms, I knew right away that she was one of those people. This mom of three is a self-described national speaker, radio broadcaster and mompreneur, and she’s full of energy and inspiration. Or, at least, she comes across that way to me. I would imagine that sometimes she dreams of getting eight hours of sleep in a row like all parents do, but you wouldn’t know it speaking to her. I immediately asked her to be on my podcast. During our conversation Trisha and I talked about the work she does on the radio, because as podcaster I harbour radio dreams. We also discussed the work she does inspiring others, and what led her to pursue that path (hint: this lady has chutzpah!). We talked about how she balances her work and her family life. I also got Trisha’s tips on following your dreams, and gathered her insights on what we do to sabotage ourselves. I also got the inside scoop on what’s coming up next for her. If you’re a mom who’s doing something cool, you’ll want to tune in, because Trisha’s starting a project you may want to take part in. Whether you’re looking to start a new chapter in your life, you have dreams of radio broadcasting like I do, you need a little inspiration, or you could just use a laugh, you’ll want to listen to my podcast with Trisha Miltimore: Over the summer I’ve decided to move onto the slow track with the Strocel.com podcast. I’ll be sharing a few new interviews that I already have lined up, and re-running some of my old favourites. For next week I’m hoping to have something really cool and a little bit spicy, but I’m still hammering out the details so I can’t guarantee it will be ready. Whatever I run, though, I can promise that it will be worth tuning it for. Subscribe to the Strocel.com podcast in iTunes, and you won’t miss a minute!