Podcasts about aunt julie

What if you could focus on just 7 core areas and know your kids are getting what they truly need? Meredith Curtis discovered the Seven R's during one of the hardest seasons of her life—caring for dying parents while homeschooling five children. This framework helped her "major on the majors and minor on the minors," and it will transform your homeschool too.In this episode, you'll discover:✅Why relationships are the foundation that makes all other learning possible—and what happens when they're broken✅The secret to raising kids who actually love to read (hint: it's not assigning book reports)✅How to teach writing so your kids can communicate clearly, graciously, and persuasively for any audience✅Why math mastery matters more than moving through a curriculum—and what to do when kids fall behind✅The difference between Googling answers and true research skills your kids will need for lifeReady to simplify and focus? The Seven R's will help you cut through curriculum overwhelm and build confident, capable lifelong learners.Resources Mentioned:Get your FREE Basic Pass to Life Skills Leadership Summit 2026 to give you confidence that your kids will be ready for adult life: The Seven R's of Homeschooling by Meredith Curtis - Practical guide to majoring on the majors and minoring on the minorsWho Dun It? Literature & Writing by Meredith Curtis - Teach high schoolers to write their own cozy mysteryHIS Story of the 20th Century by Meredith Curtis Meredith Curtis, pastor's wife, mom to 5 homeschool graduates, and Grand-Merey to 8 angels, loves to read cozy mysteries, travel, hit the beach, and meet new people. She is always learning because the world is just full of mysteries and beauty! Meredith loves to encourage families in their homeschooling adventure because her own was such a blessing. She is a curriculum creator and author of Jesus, Fill My Heart & Home Bible Study and Who Dun It Murder Mystery Literature & Writing. Find Meredith at PowerlineProd.com, along with her online store and blog.You can also follow Meredith on Facebook, Instagram, Youtube, and on the Finish Well Podcast.Show Notes:Kerry: Hey everyone, Kerry Beck here with Life Skills Leadership Summit where we are going to be talking about an extremely important topic that is tools of learning because I think all of you want your kids to be able to learn as an adult and not be dependent on a teacher or on you. And that's what Meredith Curtis is here to talk to us about. So, welcome Meredith. Thanks for being here.Meredith: Oh, thank you for having me. I'm really excited about this year's conference and I love this topic we're talking about. I either call it tools of learning or the seven Rs and they're just so helpful in staying focused and making the majors the majors and the minors the minors.Kerry: That's a great way to put it. We're going to dive into her seven Rs and how it can apply to your homeschool. But before we do that, could you just tell our listeners a little bit about you?Meredith: Yes, I would love to. So, my name is Meredith Curtis and I am a pastor's wife. I'm the mother of five homeschool graduates and I have eight grandchildren that are perfect angels and I feed them too much sugar.I love spending time with my grandchildren. I love to travel. I love to read. I love Jesus. That's probably the most important thing. And I'm a writer and a speaker.Kerry, I love creating curriculum. I love teaching. I love creating curriculum. I love writing Bible studies, studying the Bible. Probably one of my favorite things is I wrote a curriculum called Who Done It? It's my most popular book, and it basically is a high school English class that teaches teens how to write their own cozy mystery.And I actually started writing a cozy mystery series. I have three books in it so far—Tea Time Trouble, Pumpkin Patch Peril, and Old-Fashioned Christmas Murder.Kerry: Okay, y'all. She has two interviews and we've talked about the cozy mysteries in the last one. So, y'all go listen to that. But I was just fascinated. I knew she taught the kids, but now she's written three of her own mystery books. And so, I just think that is so exciting as well. Plus, her husband, does he have four books out now?Meredith: He does. Well, he actually has a fifth book that's not fiction. It's called Forging Godly Men, and it's about mentoring godly men.Kerry: The other ones are novels. So he's got the four novels plus the one on raising our boys to be godly men. Today we're going to talk about writing, but let's back up. I know you either call it the tools of learning or the seven Rs. How did you discover these tools of learning?How the 7 Rs Were Born from CrisisMeredith: Okay. So, I was in my early 40s and I had a four-year-old, five-year-old, six-year-old. My oldest was already graduating from high school, starting college. And so I had this wide range of five children.And my parents got really sick, Kerry. They were so sick and they live four hours away. So I was constantly taking a trip down to South Florida. I live in Central Florida and I would drive that 4 hours and stay with them a few days and then come home.I had to leave one of the older kids in charge of one or two of the younger ones and bring another older one with me with the younger one. And it was just very challenging. And of course, I was heartbroken because my parents were very sick.So during that time, I had to just ask the Lord, "What is the most important thing for my kids to get done?" Because they're going to be doing school apart from me. And the other one, we're going to be in the hospital or we're going to be in doctor's offices or we're going to be taking care of my parents. And I need to be able to at a glance know that they're getting it. So I really need help, Lord.And that is, you know, this is kind of birthed from that. You think about the three Rs, reading, writing, arithmetic. So, this is kind of what I felt like I discovered as a homeschool mom, that these were the tools of learning, the majors, and that if some of the other stuff fell by the wayside, these tools that I kept focusing on were going to allow them to learn anything at all that they needed.It was a really sad season in my life and my mom ended up passing away. My father moved close to us and then two years later he passed away. So it was a very hard season but out of that the Lord taught me not just life lessons but homeschooling lessons. God always brings good things out of very sad things.Kerry: I'm so sorry for your loss. And yet I see it because you got to take care of the majors and let go of things. And there are seasons in homeschooling, seasons in our lives that you may not go to every activity or every art lesson or whatever. You've got to just take care of the majors.Relationships: The Foundation of EverythingKerry: I know that you and I, there's one thing in particular even beyond academics and that's relationships. So why would you say relationships are so foundational to everything else?Meredith: Well, I think that life is basically number one thing relationship. God says he wants to have a relationship with us. In Revelation, he stands at the door and knocks and if anyone hears his voice, he comes in and eats with them. And you only eat with people you like. You know what I mean? Like that's relationship.So I think we have a relational God. He created people to be relational. And learning, I think when learning is birthed out of strong relationships, it is so different because I love Jesus. So I want to learn because I want to glorify him. I want to know what did he create and how does things work.When I became a Christian at 16, learning was a whole new thing for me. It just fascinated me. What is God doing in history? What is he doing here? And so I think when relationships are strong, that's the vertical relationship, but my relationship with my children, if my children know how much I love them, how much I respect them, how much I want their life to be blessed and fulfilled, they're going to be motivated to learn, not just for me, but with me.I think we learn as a family. I didn't know everything when I started homeschooling. I loved learning along the way. And every time we went back through US geography, I learned more.In contrast to that, when relationships are bad and there's yelling, there's always going to be fighting in a home, especially if you have more than one child. But how you resolve it can be resolved in a way that they can be closer afterward.But if there is constant bickering, if your children don't feel like you're for them, if you don't have a high opinion of your children, you're frustrated with them, learning doesn't really take place well. They might be learning, but so often in those situations, I see kids memorizing facts for a test, but they don't enjoy learning.I have just had some of my middle school classes that I teach online. These kids, they're not shy yet, you know, like some of the high schoolers are shy, but they're just—I love learning. And I think they have a family, a home that's happy, that they feel loved by their family and it always bears it out when they talk about their parents, they talk about their siblings, it's positive.So, I think relationships set the atmosphere, but also all the studies I've ever read, the most confident people know that they're loved. And when our children know that they're loved, it gives them a confidence that they can learn anything.Kerry: So good. And really, relationships are what's going to last forever and ever. I mean, even beyond this earth. And so we want to build those good relationships.Plus sometimes, you know, later in life, your kids, their siblings, they may need their siblings to be there for them. And we need to build that relationship and that security so that when they take that risk to go learn something that they're not really sure if they know how to go learn it, then they still feel safe in doing that.The Seven Rs ExplainedKerry: I know you've got these seven Rs. Can you just sort of rattle them off real quickly for us so people sort of have an understanding of what we're talking about?Meredith: Okay. So it would be relationships, reading, rhetoric—it's really communication and thinking—and then writing, research, arithmetic, and right living.Kerry: We're going to dive into some of these. And you mentioned rhetoric and that's a term that's sometimes thrown around. I believe that a couple hundred years ago, everyone really understood that because it was just part of education. And in the 20th century, we have really gotten away from that term. So tell us just a little bit about what that is and why that would be a tool of learning for our kids.Rhetoric: Learning to Think and CommunicateMeredith: Okay. So rhetoric is basically communicating in a way to inform or persuade. Cicero wrote about rhetoric, Aristotle wrote about rhetoric and people still read those. They're not really difficult reading, but some high school kids would enjoy reading those two men. Aristotle was Greek, Cicero was Roman.And it's basically being able to think through things and being able to communicate. So it would cover everything from greeting people and having casual conversations with them, saying, "Oh, Kerry, how are you today?" things like that. And then it would go all the way to watching the news and saying, "Okay, is this logical? Does this make sense? Does this jive with this over here?"And then being able to communicate in conversations, even as far as speaking, eventually reading aloud, all those things to communicate clearly and concisely and graciously.We have some really dynamic speakers in our day, Kerry, that are so ungracious. And sometimes I listen, I'm like, I agree with everything you say, but I wish you would be nicer or you wouldn't use bad language. And so, all of that is involved in rhetoric—the thinking and then what we allow to come through our mouth.Kerry: That is so good. And we need to teach our kids how to communicate instead of just regurgitate a bunch of facts which tends to be sort of our school system. And I could go off and tell y'all stories but we're not going to.Reading: From Struggle to SuccessKerry: I sort of jumped straight to rhetoric and I overlooked reading. Because you sort of have to be able to read. I mean, you can communicate like this, but we need to be able to read to then be able to make decisions and think through and think critically to then communicate. So, can you tell us just a little bit about raising our kids to be able to read and not hate it, maybe actually enjoy it a little bit?Meredith: Yes. Yes. And so, I mean, I could do a whole workshop on this, so I'm going to be really quick, but basically, teach your kids to read. I taught with phonics. I thought it was very simple. But teach them to read and then once they can read, give them everything possible that they can read that's easy and makes them feel successful.In everything when you're homeschooling, you want to lead children from success to success to success, a challenge, then more success, success, success, so that they're mostly feeling confident and then sometimes challenged.And so with reading, they read all these easy readers and then you start introducing classic literature like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little and then you just keep going with classic literature.The reason I say classic literature is because a lot of the writing even for adults in our culture is at about a third grade level if you went a hundred years ago. So, if we want our children to value freedom, they're going to have to read things by John Locke. They're going to have to read things by Edmund Burke, and they're going to need to be able to read at a stronger level.So, when you keep giving children classic books, the stories are amazing. It's going to build their vocabulary. It's going to help their reading, and they're eventually going to be interested. They hear about a topic, they'll think, "Oh, I'll pick up that book and read it."The way I really made sure that my children enjoyed reading, that was my goal for them to enjoy reading. So I never assigned books until they were in high school.What I did is I had a bookshelf and it had about six shelves and I filled it. They could read anything they wanted from that bookshelf and they just had to tell me the book they read and I would write it down and I would say did you like it or who was your favorite character or what was your favorite thing about it.I never had them—I taught them how to write a book report and they wrote like two or three but that wasn't my goal because I wanted them to love to read and I wanted them to meet friends in make-believe places, in real places and say I want to go back, I want to read that again. So that was my goal.My son was my hardest and he just hated to read and he loved math but he didn't like reading. And so I remember he got saved in like middle school and he came to me. He's like, "Mom, I didn't read any of those books I told you that I read." And so this summer I'm going to read them all because now I want to live for God.But in high school, by the time he graduated from high school, his favorite book was The Count of Monte Cristo, which is like a thousand-page book. So eventually he learned to read. I never gave up on him. But I always tried to find things that he would like, series that he would like. He loved biographies and I got him a lot of biographies. I got him like all these war books about, you know, this bomber, this plane.My goal the whole time was I want my children to love to read and to be able to read anything they want.And I just want to add this. If you have a child with a learning disability, don't just limit them to listening to audio books for the rest of their life. Maybe they need to listen to every other book audio because the reading assignments are too much. But if they're going to do audio, have them read along with the book and follow with the book because that is going to help them to become a stronger reader.There's also a lot of tools for kids with learning disabilities. Don't give up on reading. I've met like 11th graders and they're like, "I don't read. I just listen to audiobooks" and I'm like, "Oh, I'm going to challenge you to read."I had one student like that. And he said, "Okay, I'm going to read this book." And we were reading Plymouth Plantation by William Bradford. He didn't get the modern translation. He got the one from the 1600s.And I said, "Honey, this was the worst book that you will ever read in your life. And if you got through that, you can read anything." And he loved to read after that, but his mom had told him he couldn't. He had a learning disability. And so he had a lot of drive to be able to read like the other kids in our homeschool co-op.I think reading opens the door. You have to read emails, you have to read texts, but reading is just such an open door to adventure. So, I love reading. I'm a very big fan. My parents were both big fans of reading, too.Kerry: Well, and I think your story plays out. I know for me, you've got to get if you have a child that doesn't like to read, continue to search for something of their interest. And you just have to be patient and give them grace. Give yourself grace.My son did not—I mean he could read, he could read a book and he would do it but did he enjoy it? No. And now he's 31 years old and once he got out of college, he loves to read. We exchange titles but like that was 15 years of time just waiting and you're thinking oh next month they're going to love to read.Look, God takes time to work with me so be patient and give yourself years. For my son, it was 12 years.Kerry: And we're like, okay, our kids are grown. Take it from someone that's already been there, not someone that's in the same level as you are.Writing: From Speaking to the PageKerry: So we have reading, we've got rhetoric. Then the next thing, what do you see as any kind of secret to writing effectively?Meredith: Well, I think if you can communicate an idea, then it's easier to write it. So if you can speak, it's easier to write.So what I would often do with my children is—number one, if I was asking them to write a paragraph, we would read paragraphs together. See how this is a topic sentence and how these sentences—or let's read this essay. This is so interesting.First of all, I think for writing, you have to be able to read the kind of writing that you're going to write. Children just don't naturally know how to write an essay. And if you give them the directions, but you don't give them an example, they still don't know what to do.I would always have my children talk to me. Tell me what you want to write about. And then we would just talk and oh that's a great idea. And you know, kind of helping them think through. I had a pattern for teaching writing.I spent a couple of years on sentences because a good sentence makes or breaks a paper. And I still, you know, I teach high school kids and I have some of them who can't write good sentences. So we spent a lot of time writing sentences.First they were so young they would dictate to me and I would write it and then soon they could write their own and then we wrote paragraphs and we wrote all kinds of different paragraphs and we always enclosed our writing in a letter to grandparents because that teaches children early on.Okay, so you're writing this paragraph for grandma, then you're going to write it differently than this paragraph that you're writing for Aunt Julie because she's interested in horses whereas grandma is interested in books and knitting. It teaches them to think in terms of an audience which is really important when you write.So then from paragraphs we would actually move to reports, essays and things like that in middle school. So we did a lot of basic writing and then whenever they wanted to write stories, I'd say, "Oh yeah, write the story." And if they couldn't write well, they could dictate to me and I would type it on the computer.Then in high school, we did all the analyzing literature, writing a research paper. We wrote a novel one year. And fiction is very different than writing non-fiction. So I think my kids wrote every kind of essay, every kind of report. But I tried to make it really fun.And one thing I also did in high school was I'd say, "Okay, here's a paper from two years ago. I'd like you to turn it into a blog post." And they really enjoyed that. But blogging is a completely different kind of writing than writing an essay.We always shared our writing with other people because I wanted them to have in their mind an audience. Whenever I teach homeschool co-op classes, I always have the kids read their papers out loud and that allows them to have an audience.So I say when you're writing this paper, look around the room. This is your audience and you're going to read it out loud to them and you want to write something they'll enjoy. So when I grade their writing papers, I always look for readability. Is it enjoyable to read? Is it written for the audience?And three of my children went into writing. So one became an editor at a magazine and she writes—now she has her own business. She writes. My other daughter taught writing and literature at the local university and now she's a stay-at-home mom. And my youngest daughter has written a screenplay and short stories and stuff like that.Now my daughter Juliana who works for Verizon says she hates writing but she's actually a very good writer. She just doesn't like it.Kerry: That is so good. You know you said something that I know we did a lot in the beginning years. It is easier for kids to speak sentences than to write their first few sentences. So if they speak it as a sentence, I would type up—Hunter would be talking to me about snakes or whatever we read about and we would type it, then the next day he would copy it or edit it.The other thing is giving your kids a reason to write and getting a grade is not a real life reason to write. You've got to have an audience. And if there's an audience, that alone can motivate some kids to actually do a better job because they feel like they're writing to a person. And if you're just writing for a grade, that's sort of dull sometimes.Arithmetic: Consistency and MasteryKerry: We've got writing, then we have arithmetic. And I know there's some moms that have some fear. I was a math minor and by the time my kids got in high school I was like what did I learn in my math minor years? I loved math in high school but by then I didn't really care for math as much. So what kind of tips can you give them because we do need our kids to be able to use math skills?Meredith: I think my number one tip for math would be do math every day and put a time limit on it so it doesn't feel like, oh my goodness, I'm going to be here two hours to finish this lesson. But I think consistency is the most important thing with math.And be confident. Don't be afraid to hire a tutor for math or to put your kids in a co-op class for math because if mom hates math then it's hard for kids to like math. And I have a friend named Leanne and she did so much tutoring in our church for co-op kids because their moms just hated math.I was like you—when my son took calculus I said honey, no idea. I don't know. But so I would say make sure that they're scoring 90% or higher on their tests and they know why they got the problems wrong.And here's why. The early years they learn so many foundational things. And a lot of times when I'm helping kids who have trouble with pre-algebra, with algebra, with algebra 2 or geometry, it goes all the way back to fractions and decimals and multiplying and dividing.One child was really struggling with math. So I just repeated a grade. I just repeated a whole grade in a different curriculum. And she ended up joining this engineering club called Math Counts in middle school and went all the way to state. So she wasn't dumb. She just needed more repetition.I hear people say, "Well, why should they do repetition?" Well, I would say that math is learning to get the problems right over and over and over again until you're solid.I always started with math because I feel like it kind of gets all the neurons charged and working—like sort of the workout for the brain. But again, I would just do it every day. It's better to do a half hour of math every day than do like a slug session for three hours because you're behind.If kids get behind in math, they get behind in math and that means we do some math over the summer. That was kind of how I looked at it. But I was a real stickler with math and as a result the kids did well with math. But it wasn't necessarily anyone's favorite except for Jimmy my son.Kerry: Well you know I think you hit on another good point—mastery. I was a public school teacher and we did have a minimum but nowadays it didn't matter if you know it or not. You just keep moving those kids through the school. What's the point?If those kids do not understand single-digit division, they're not going to understand long division. So, work on it. And, you know, you can find some fun activities to make it all work. There's lots of hands-on. I do believe mastery in math because it is sequential and it keeps building on it like you said with geometry.Meredith: That's a good point. Math is one of the few things that is sequential. Everything else you could learn, you know, American Revolution and then ancient history. It doesn't matter. But math is sequential. And so if they don't learn the basics, they're always going to struggle.Research: Beyond "Hey Google"Kerry: Okay. So after arithmetic, next we have got research. So how is that a tool? How would you encourage moms?Meredith: Okay. Well, I think right now if you say research, people just look things up on Google.Kerry: I know that's true. Or you know what? My grandkids wouldn't look it on Google. I'm not going to do it because I've got a little Google machine. They just go, "Hey, Google." And then they'd ask whatever that question is and let it speak to them and they don't even have to read it. They'll just listen.Meredith: I always think, what if an enemy of the US just shut down our internet for a week? It would be like, oh my goodness.But I think it's important for kids to know how to find things in books, like how to read a textbook to find the table of contents and how to go find the subject you're looking for. How to use directories, how to use an atlas, how to use maps. They could use Google Maps, but how did they find stuff on Google Maps?And then just being able to go to different kinds of research books like a dictionary, a thesaurus, an encyclopedia, and then actually to research—to look things up and to find different books about it and research a topic and especially in research to read about opposing viewpoints.I think that's very important to read about this viewpoint and this viewpoint that are completely polar opposites. I think that's an important part of research because there's been a main point in our school system for years and it's been like almost brainwashing kids but we don't want to do the same thing.We want to make sure that our children know both sides of the issue and then where we stand and why we stand where we stand logically, not just based on emotion.I think that's an important part of research. It kind of ties in with rhetoric. Also everything is research from looking up a recipe and finding the best recipe to researching for a research paper.And so, you know, one of the things about research is trying out different things until you find what's best. Trying out different exercises till you find the one that works the best or you enjoy the most. So, research is really a lifelong thing.Kerry: Even if you are saying, "Hey, Google."Meredith: Yes. They're like, "Oh, Gigi, that's okay. We'll go find—here. Come here." And they take me over to their little machine and ask it a question. Sometimes they understand, the girls, sometimes they don't.Kerry: That is so good. And I like that idea of research is all different things. It's not just writing a research paper. My kids actually every year in high school had to write one research paper. And we just really—the requirements in ninth grade were different than the 12th grade because hopefully they were growing in their research skills as well. And they do have to write so many research papers in college. So that was probably really helpful for them.Now we got AI. So y'all go listen to the AI talks that we have in this summit because we're going to show you—no, you can't just go get AI to write your research paper. So we got a few little speakers on that. Y'all probably need to go listen.Meredith: Oh, I need to listen to it because someone mentioned it and I was like, "My children in my classes would never use AI."Right Living: The Closing BookendKerry: The last one we started with relationships, which I think is super important. We got a lot of academic things. Right living—and that's the last one. But I don't think it's the least. So, tell us a little bit about that and why you put that there.Meredith: Well, I put it last because it's kind of a sandwich of the academics. Relationship and then right living because right living is weaving through everything.And you teach children to be polite, to be obedient, to work hard, not just with their chores, but with their schoolwork. And so it just makes sense.And also there's something about living right even before children give their hearts to Christ. When you live the right way in a way that's moral, you feel better. You don't have like a lot of guilt. You don't have a lot of shame because you've done the right thing. You've worked hard. You've done what you need to do.So, I feel like it's a confidence booster as well to have right living be part of a focus, but it makes teaching easier when you're focused on training children to have manners, to have virtue. It makes it easier to get school done because it's just part of their character to—okay, this is kind of my job. I'm going to do it well.Kerry: That's so good. And I was thinking I didn't mean to steal your thunder by saying what I said, but relationships, right living—that's the most important. And I got the academics in the middle.Meredith: Exactly. Yeah. It's like a sandwich. And so it's a reminder—I think when you start with right living, you can become legalistic, you can become harsh. But if you start with relationships and sandwich it with right living, I think it helps you have a really good balance between the two.The 7 Rs ResourceKerry: That is so good. Hey, I know you've got a really good resource about these seven Rs that could help our homeschoolers. Could you tell people a little bit about that?Meredith: So, this is called The Seven Rs of Homeschooling. And you can tell all my books have a little Florida flair. A lot of them do. But it goes through each of the seven Rs I mentioned—how to teach them, practical resources.It was again birthed out of that season where it was a necessity for me to major on the majors and minor on the minors. And so it's not like oh this is my theory from my Ivy League tower but this is where we had to live. And it really helped me kind of refocus.And it ended up putting writing assignments and speaking, conversational—that's how we ended up putting book clubs in our literature classes and history classes because I found out how important conversation was. We just would have conversations all the way down to my parents' house.So I really recommend The Seven Rs. It's an easy read and it goes through each one and how it's a benefit and how you can in practical ways—it talks about if you have some issues with reading with your kids and how to go step by step.It's written for elementary, middle, and high school. So, you can pick it up when they're still in high school and just sort of give an overview of your children. If you pull your kids out of high school, out of a public school, and you bring them home, one of the things you want to do is you want to kind of evaluate where they're at in these—not with a test, but with just observing what are they able to do, what are they confident in, what do they still need more help. So, this is another good tool for that.Kerry: That is awesome. So, wherever you're listening to this, look below and we will have a link that you can click on and go grab a copy of this excellent resource because I mean this will give you practical tips to be able to implement these seven Rs and evaluate where your kids are.Meredith, thank you so much for being here. I am going to put a little note on there saying I'm sorry for the darkness on parts of the video, but I know we were in the late of the day and the sun's going down and we couldn't get the light to work. But you know what? The content here is excellent. So, thank y'all for just listening as well. And thank you for being here, Meredith. I appreciate it.Meredith: Thank you for having me. I always love being here. Thank you.Kerry: All right. And I'm Kerry Beck with Life Skills Leadership Summit. We'll talk to you next time.Ready to major on the majors in your homeschool? Grab Meredith Curtis's book The 7 Rs of Homeschooling and discover practical, battle-tested strategies for raising lifelong learners. Visit lifeskillsleadershipsummit.com for the for a free Basic Pass to this year's summit and build confidence in teaching life skills and leadership!

Host Shannon Huffman Polson is the founder of The Grit Institute and host of The Grit Factor Podcast, where she helps purpose-driven leaders build grit, resilience, and purpose in their lives and organizations. A former U.S. Army Apache helicopter pilot and one of the first women to fly the Apache in the Army, Shannon brings real-world leadership experience from the military and corporate boardroom to her work as an author, speaker, and leadership educator. She is the author of The Grit Factor: Courage, Resilience, and Leadership in the Most Male-Dominated Organization in the World, which distills lessons from elite leaders across industries and the armed forces. Through The Grit Institute, Shannon combines research, storytelling, and actionable frameworks to help individuals and organizations navigate transitions, overcome challenges, and lead with impact. Her work empowers people to connect with purpose and bring values-based leadership into every facet of life and work. Whether in the cockpit, the classroom, or the boardroom, Shannon champions a mission to cultivate courage, purpose, and authentic leadership for a better world. Guest Bio Sam Ushio is the founder and Chief Ikigai Officer of Ikigai Lab, a social enterprise that blends ancient Japanese wisdom with modern science to help people and organizations align purpose with measurable impact. Drawing on two decades in corporate leadership and consulting, Sam's work focuses on human sustainability, values-based growth, and bringing humanity back into business. A former financial services executive, Sam experienced a pivotal moment that transformed his understanding of success—from financial growth to personal and purposeful growth. His family's story, rooted in Japan over a century ago, deeply shaped his worldview and introduced him to the authentic essence of Ikigai—the Japanese concept of a "reason for being." Through Ikigai Lab, Sam works with global brands and leaders to create cultures where people thrive through alignment of strengths, values, and daily actions. His frameworks integrate positive psychology, emotional intelligence, and ancient wisdom, inspiring people to live with awareness, gratitude, and intention every day. Sam is also the creator of the Ikigai Summit (soon to be rebranded as Repurpose), an annual event that explores how purpose-driven leadership can reshape organizations and communities for a more meaningful future. At his core, Sam believes purpose isn't a destination—it's a daily practice. His mission is to help others discover and live their Ikigai through the simple yet profound act of aligning who they are with how they live and lead. Summary In this conversation, Shannon Huffman Polson and Sam Ushio explore the concept of Ikigai, its origins, and its significance in personal and professional life. They discuss the importance of family legacy, personal growth, and the misunderstandings surrounding Ikigai, particularly the common four-circle Venn diagram. Sam shares his journey of discovering Ikigai through his family's history and emphasizes the need for gratitude, intentionality, and the integration of personal values in daily life. The discussion also touches on the impact of Ikigai on organizations and the importance of spirituality and rituals in Japanese culture. Takeaways Ikigai is a Japanese concept meaning 'reason for being'. Personal stories shape our understanding of purpose. Financial growth should not compromise personal growth. Gratitude and awareness are essential for a fulfilling life. Ikigai is about aligning daily actions with personal values. The four-circle Venn diagram is a common misunderstanding of Ikigai. Daily life (sekatsu) is central to understanding Ikigai. Mindset and emotional intelligence are crucial for personal development. Reflecting on influential people can help clarify one's values. Ikigai can enhance both personal and professional fulfillment.     Chapters 00:00 – What Is Ikigai, Really? Sam Ushio introduces the real meaning of Ikigai—not just an abstract idea of life's purpose, but the alignment of daily actions with personal values and priorities. 01:05 – Purpose as the Foundation of Grit and Resilience Host Shannon Huffman Polson shares how purpose became central to her research on grit and leadership, setting the stage for the conversation. 02:57 – Sam Ushio's Journey from Corporate Success to Purpose Alignment Sam reflects on his background in financial services, the "lightning bolt moment" that shifted his path, and his discovery of a deeper calling through Ikigai. 03:48 – The Power of Family Heritage and Migration Sam shares his great-grandparents' story—leaving Japan to support a 1,200-year-old shrine—and how that legacy shaped his modern understanding of purpose and sacrifice. 08:19 – Realizing the Limits of Financial Growth Sam explains how a career focused solely on financial metrics led to personal disconnection—and how redefining growth became the start of his transformation. 11:03 – The Value of Failure and Creative Experimentation Sam describes his early entrepreneurial struggles and creative experiments that didn't work, emphasizing how failure built clarity and resilience. 13:30 – Discovering the Family Photo That Changed Everything A 100-year-old family photo surfaces at just the right moment, sparking deep reflection and connecting Sam's modern journey to ancestral purpose. 14:52 – Rediscovering Ikigai Through Family Wisdom Sam's Aunt Julie plays a key role in reconnecting him with the true Japanese essence of Ikigai—as a philosophy of balance, awareness, and daily living. 16:33 – Debunking the 4-Circle Ikigai Myth Sam and Shannon unpack the viral "Venn diagram" of Ikigai, exploring how Western interpretations often miss its true meaning rooted in sekatsu—daily life. 20:12 – Ikigai as Daily Alignment, Not a Destination Sam reframes Ikigai as the daily practice of aligning values with actions—living your reason for being moment by moment, not chasing a final goal. 24:21 – Frameworks for Living with Purpose Exploring the fusion of Japanese wisdom and positive psychology, Sam discusses using values and strengths (via CliftonStrengths) to guide intentional living. 26:10 – From Purpose to Measurable Impact Sam connects Ikigai to measurable outcomes in leadership and business, linking emotional awareness, cognition, and behavior to results. 32:10 – How to Begin Your Ikigai Journey Sam offers a practical starting point: reflect on a person who has shaped you, explore the values behind their influence, and connect that to your own life purpose. 34:05 – Practicing Ikigai in Daily Life (Sekatsu) Sam introduces the "Minimum Viable Purpose" concept—testing small daily actions outside your comfort zone to grow purposefully, not perfectly. 38:05 – Purpose in the Age of AI A discussion on how AI is shaping human purpose and connection, and how grounding in values helps navigate rapid technological change. 40:15 – Inside Ikigai Lab: Bridging Humanity and Business Sam explains how Ikigai Lab helps organizations and teams connect individual purpose to measurable impact through human sustainability frameworks. 43:04 – Building Awareness and Intention Across Generations Sam discusses bringing the Ikigai philosophy to workplaces, universities, and communities to help people live and lead with intention. 49:23 – Returning to Japan: A Full-Circle Journey Sam shares the emotional story of returning to his family's ancestral shrine in Japan, honoring generations of purpose, resilience, and continuity. 53:29 – The Sacred in the Everyday Shannon reflects on her trip to Japan, the power of ritual, and what it means to recognize the sacred in daily life—connecting to the heart of Ikigai. 56:11 – Purpose as a Verb, Not a Goal Sam and Shannon conclude that Ikigai isn't something you find once—it's something you live daily, through curiosity, courage, and continual growth.     Resources Website: https://ikigailab.co/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/samushio/  

Mary keeps quiet about the tears she shed to pass her driving test; Ruthie calls a psychic to ease Simon's mind; Aunt Julie secretly returns to town. If you're enjoying this podcast, we'd love it if you share it with a friend, leave us a five star review wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and TikTok.If you want to support the work we do and get more exclusive content, check out our SuperCast or PatreonIf you're in BC, Alberta, or Ontario and love amazing quality, local meats, check out Tru Local - when you order your first box using this link, you'll get up to $75 off!Support this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/7th-heaven-a-lesbian-recap/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

Suspense - Uncle Henry's Rosebush 1943 Stars-Agnes Moorehead, Ellen Drew & Ted Ried When a woman and her husband arrive unexpectedly, they discover Uncle Henry missing and Aunt Julie very remote.

On this week's episode,  Colleen has her first cavity and Bridget had spicy pits in a parking garage. Then we get into the topic of the week… TV/MOVIE REVIEWS. We review each other's favorite movies and tv shows from the 90's and 00's like Secret Life of the American Teenager, 7th Heaven, Camp Rock, Passport to Paris and Bridget FINALLY watched Sleepover! This one had us nearly peeing our pants laughing so get ready to get sauced like Aunt Julie because you're in for a real treat! #JUSTICEFORYANCY #RuthieIsASlayReview and subscribe! You can find us on Instagram @Sippinwiththeshannons or send us your stories at Sippinwiththeshannons@gmail.com. Love you, mean it.

Welcome back to The Literary Life Podcast and our series discussing Howards End by E. M. Forster. This week Angelina Stanford and Thomas Banks cover chapters 26-34. Together they continue to talk about the ideas Forster is presenting in the book as seen in this section, including Howards End as a character, the echoes of Wind in the Willows (thanks to Jen Rogers!), Helen's idealism, Margaret and Henry's conflict, the idea of rootedness, and more. On March 7, 2024 you can join Thomas and his brother James live for a webinar on King Alfred the Great. Register today at houseofhumaneletters.com. The webinar recording will also be available for lifetime access after that date. We hope you will join us for the sixth annual Literary Life Online Conference, “Dispelling the Myth of Modernity: A Recovery of the Medieval Imagination.” During the live or later series of webinars, we will seek to dis-spell the Myth of Modernity and gain eyes to see and ears to hear Reality as it truly is. Speakers include Jason Baxter, Jenn Rogers, and Kelly Cumbee, in addition to Angelina and Thomas. If you want to get the special literary themed teas created by our Patron Erin Miller, go to adagiotea.com to check them out! Commonplace Quotes: Everything has been said already; but since nobody was listening, we shall have to begin all over again. Toutes choses sont dites déjà; mais comme personne n'écoute, il faut toujours recommencer. Andre Gide, from “Narcissus” It is under these “present conditions” of materialism, urbanization, and cosmopolitanism that Howards End poses the question, “Who shall inherit England?” This question is given a lyrical resonance shortly after Margaret tells Helen of her intention to marry Henry. The two women, visiting Aunt Julie at Swanage, gaze across Poole Harbor and watch the tide return. “England was alive, throbbing through all her estuaries, crying for joy through the mouths of all her gulls, and the north wind, with contrary motion, blew stronger against her rising sea,” the narrator records, and then asks: “What did it mean? For what end are her fair complexities, her change of soil, her sinuous coast? Does she belong to those who have moulded her and made her feared by other lands, or to those who had added nothing to her power, but have somehow seen her, seen the whole island at once, lying as a jewel in a silver sea, sailing as a ship of souls, with all the brave world's fleet accompanying her towards eternity?” These questions are at the heart of the book. More crudely stated, they ask whether England belongs to the imperialist or to the yeoman, to those who see life steadily or to those who see it whole, to the prosaic or to the poet. Put another way, they ask whether the inheritors of England are to be people of action or vision. Claude J. Summer, from “E. M. Foster” To E. M. Forster By W. H. Auden Here, though the bombs are real and dangerous, And Italy and Kings are far away, And we're afraid that you will speak to us, You promise still the inner life shall pay. As we run down the slope of Hate with gladness You trip us up like an unnoticed stone, And just as we are closeted with Madness You interrupt us like the telephone. For we are Lucy, Turton, Phillip, we Wish international evil, are excited To join the jolly ranks of the benighted Where Reason is denied and Love ignored: But, as we swear our lie, Miss Avery Comes out into the garden with the sword. Book List: Theodore Dreiser Support The Literary Life: Become a patron of The Literary Life podcast as part of the “Friends and Fellows Community” on Patreon, and get some amazing bonus content! Thanks for your support! Connect with Us: You can find Angelina and Thomas at HouseofHumaneLetters.com, on Instagram @angelinastanford, and on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ANGStanford/ Follow The Literary Life on Instagram, and jump into our private Facebook group, The Literary Life Discussion Group, and let's get the book talk going! http://bit.ly/literarylifeFB

Today, this is what's important: We're back! The sound board, Katt Williams, coffee, Adam's hip, the best moments of tour, shrooms, Sinbad, and more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We're celebrating Thanksgiving this week, as this is the last episode before the holiday. And we're not watching Blood Rage this time!This year, we decided to spend the holiday with the Camden's as we watch the first season Thanksgiving episode "Last Call For Aunt Julie". Join us as we discuss how hard Julie hits the bottle, Mary's complete lack of compassion for her aunt struggling with addiction, and Stephen Collins's shady behavior.Find us on Twitter and Instagram @TCTAMPod and on TikTok @theycalledthisamovie.Our theme music was written and performed by Dave Katusa. He can be found on Instagram @dkat_productions.This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4705196/advertisement

Crack a cold one and sit back as we recap Season 1 Episode 10 titled "Last Call For Aunt Julie".When Erics sister comes for a visit, the whole family is excited...until her behaviour starts to concern Annie and affect the whole family. Eric decides he's the most qualified to help his sister detox and start her recovery from alcohol addiction, and the best place to do it is right in their home amongst children. If you're enjoying this podcast, we'd love it if you share it with a friend, leave us a five star review wherever you get your podcasts, and follow us on Instagram and TikTokSupport this podcast at — https://redcircle.com/7th-heaven-a-lesbian-recap/donationsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsPrivacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

We take our first dive into reviewing the WB or CW series 7th Heaven, with the season one episode Last Call for Aunt Julie! It's a wild ride featuring alcoholism, misbehaved children, and some abuse for everyone! This month's episodes are sponsored by Schilling Hard Cider! For the month of June, they' have something special in store for you: the nostalgic and flavor-blasted Dreamsicle Cider! Made with fresh-pressed apples, zesty orange, and creamy vanilla. It's a delightful homage to of the iconic flavors of our past. Check out their FINDER to discover where you can get your hands on the Dreamsicle Cider or any of their other unique hard ciders!Find us on FacebookFind us on InstagramWebsiteCheck out Andy's podcast the Averagers!Check out what Ally is up to with stand up!Part of the Big Door Prize Podcast Network

Suspense "Uncle Henrys Rose Bush" June 29, 1943 What on earth is Aunt Julie up to? And where is Uncle Henry? The story has a surprise ending. + Quality – Good with a few audio drop-outs When a woman and her husband arrive unexpectedly they discover Uncle Henry missing and Aunt Julie very remote. --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/waldina/message

What on earth is Aunt Julie up to? And where is Uncle Henry?  --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/iloveoldtimeradio/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/iloveoldtimeradio/support

This week Andy and Kat discuss a very special episode of Seventh Heaven. This discussion of Season 1, Episode 10, “Last Call for Aunt Julie” addresses head on terrible 90s food in media, pregnant invisible friends, drinking during the holidays, and vivid hallucinations. In this special Thanksgiving episode, we ask all the important questions, like why is the key to the liquor cabinet always in the lock? Plus, Andy reveals how New York aunts drink their vodka. You can find us on Twitter and Instagram @SoY2KPodcast, or you can email us on SoY2KPodcast@gmail.com with any thoughts, questions, or suggestions for future episodes. Our opening and closing music is excerpted from Next in Line by Hessel_vanO, licensed under a Attribution 4.0 International License.

We're back with improved sound, thanks for waiting! This week we discuss an episode about how all women are crazy, namely a very pregnant Aunt Julie. Also, Simon almost gets picked up by a 25 year old at the pool hall, Ruthie has another secret animal plot, and Lucy learns about the perils of heteronormative dating tropes.This week we drank the Right Proper variety pack

Season 3 finally comes to an end as we finish up Part II of the finale. The longest day ever reveals that Matt loves Shauna, Simon loves french kissing, Ruthie loves occult ritual, and Aunt Julie can't decide if she loves Dr. Hastings. Jordan is still here giving out bits of wisdom, unfortunately, and Annie still hasn't gotten laid. Onward to Season 4!This week Greg drank Soju again.

Bible Reading: Matthew 2:1-2, 9-11"Hi, Aunt Julie!" exclaimed Victoria when her aunt and uncle arrived for Christmas Eve dinner. "Hi, Uncle Joe.""Hi, yourself," said Uncle Joe as Aunt Julie gave Victoria a hug."All day we've been so busy wrapping gifts and baking goodies that we were almost late getting here,"Aunt Julie said merrily, heading for the kitchen with a tray of treats. "Christmas is such a busy time, but I love it!"Uncle Joe winked at Victoria and handed her presents to add to those under the tree. "Your aunt has to have every little detail just right," he said with a grin.The dinner table was loaded with delicious food, and after Dad gave thanks, Victoria took helpings from several dishes. "Yum!" she exclaimed after sampling a couple of them. "Now I need a drumstick." She looked around the table. "I thought we were having turkey this year. Didn't you put one in the oven, Mom?"Startled, Mom stared at the table. "Turkey!" she cried. She hurried to the kitchen and returned with a large platter of meat. "The main part of the meal--I don't know how I could forget it," Mom said, grinning sheepishly. Victoria giggled.After they all enjoyed the dinner, Uncle Joe stretched. "Now that was a great meal," he declared. "I'm glad someone remembered the turkey! It wouldn't have been the same without it.""It would have been a little like Christmas without Christ," Dad said. "It's easy to get wrapped up in our Christmas celebrations and yet pay little attention to Jesus or the reason He came--to become one of us so we could be saved. We may have good times at parties or exchanging gifts, but without Jesus, we're missing the meat."Uncle Joe and Aunt Julie looked at each other. "I'm afraid we're guilty of that sometimes," Uncle Joe said."Yes," said Aunt Julie. "Like this morning when we were so busy getting ready to come here. But even this wonderful dinner is not the best part of Christmas. Neither are the gifts we'll soon be opening." Several heads nodded.Then they all settled back to listen as Dad read the Christmas story. Victoria smiled as she listened and thought, Jesus really is the best thing about Christmas. -Sherry L. KuytHow About You?Are you missing the meat--the main part--of Christmas? Have you gotten so involved in gift giving, parties, and other holiday activities that you've forgotten all about Jesus Christ, God's greatest gift to the world? No matter how fun those things are, none of them are as amazing as Jesus coming to earth to be your Savior. Don't miss the very best part of Christmas--the gift of God's Son, Jesus.Today's Key Verse:The Father has sent the Son as Savior of the world. (NKJV) (1 John 4:14)Today's Key Thought:Jesus is the best part of Christmas

So happy to end this season with the one and only Macoy Dubs. I've always admired people who have a good sense of humor. It takes wit to crack a joke and evidence suggests that having a good sense of humor is linked to high emotional intelligence. We kicked off this episode with chitchat about our childhood memories and went deeper as we talked about how we are using our platforms to serve a higher purpose. Just like the Late Nights by Luna Manila podcast, Macoy also uses his influence and reach to promote his advocacies in a light and entertaining manner. It's a fun and serious episode at the same time so make sure to listen. About our guest: Our guest, Mark Seven Averilla a.k.a Macoy Dubs is a Filipino content creator, academic lecturer, influencer, TV personality, brand endorser, host, and comedian known for vlogs and TikTok videos. He was a former Overseas Filipino Worker in Doha, Qatar, and started his content creation journey when he went back to the Philippines and began producing dubbed videos like Mean Girls but reached his stardom when he spot on represented the titas of Manila with the persona of Aunt Julie who was a social media sensation in 2020. Macoy uses his influence and reach to promote his advocacies about LGBT issues, sexual health, and women's rights in a light and entertaining manner. Follow Late Nights by Luna Manila and subscribe to our channel. Help us reach as many people as we can. YouTube | Instagram | Facebook _____ Get in touch with Macoy Dubs: @macoydubs Macoy Dubs --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/latenightsbylunamanila/message

Bible Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:17-21"Was that Aunt Julie?" asked Logan as his mother hung up the phone."Yes, it was," replied Mom with a big smile. "She said the infection in Maria's eye has completely cleared up. That is such a blessing!""Yeah!" said Logan as he thought back over the past few months. "She's been taking one medicine after another, and the doctors even thought she'd need eye surgery! I'm glad we kept praying for her.""What's going on?" asked Logan's sister Tonya as she came into the room. Logan told her what Aunt Julie had said. "All right!" said Tonya. "It's like God did a miracle for her, isn't it? She must be feeling really good about that!" Tonya sat down at the table. "Wouldn't it be cool to have God do a miracle in your life?"Logan grinned at his sister. "What miracle would you want? It wouldn't be to get over an illness, since you're already healthy." He scratched his head as he pretended to think about it. "I know! Maybe you'd want to become the kind, helpful, loving sister your wonderful brother deserves to have.""Ha!" Tonya playfully swatted at him. "I'm already a more terrific sister than my baby brother deserves.""Actually, God has already performed a wonderful miracle in each of your lives," Mom said."He has? When was that?" asked Tonya. "Yeah, Mom. What miracle are you talking about?" Logan asked. "I know God's given us lots of blessings, but they're not really miracles, are they? Not the kind we're thinking of.""No," Mom agreed. "I wasn't thinking of everyday blessings either, though sometimes the way God provides for us can be miraculous. I was thinking of the miracle of salvation. When Jesus saves us, He changes our hearts and lives. He takes away our sin and gives us new life, and the Holy Spirit works in our lives to make us more like Him.""More like Jesus?" Logan grinned. "So He did do a miracle in Tonya's life to make her more kind, helpful, and loving." Tonya laughed. "Yeah, and He did the same for you when you trusted in Jesus. Salvation is the greatest miracle of all!" -Deana RogersHow About You?Has Jesus done a miracle in your life? Many people look for miracles to prove that God's power is real, but they fail to recognize the greatest miracle of all--a changed life. God still does wonderful, miraculous things, like healing diseases or giving protection in dangerous situations, but the most wonderful miracle of all is salvation through Jesus. You can experience that miracle today! Today's Key Verse:Anyone who belongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new life has begun! (NLT) (2 Corinthians 5:17)Today's Key Thought:Salvation is a miracle

Did a voodoo practitioner actually curse her town and cause it's destruction? Or is it just a story of a woman who happened to predict her town's destruction? Hear the demystified story of Julia Brown of Louisiana and the hurricane that devastated her region.

Julie Jones has been there for her nephews since the day they were born, and they are now 19 and 21. She shares how she supported them in many areas of their lives from their sports activities to helping them move away to college. She also shares how they have impacted her life.

We decided not to subject any guests to this astonishingly terrible episode featuring the return of Aunt Julie, Grandma Ruth, and the Colonel. It has inexplicable backyard shipbuilding, the world's largest glass of port, and really just a lot of drama based on nearly nothing, but we do our best!This week's cocktail:Lemon Drop "Martini"2 oz Vodka1 oz Fresh Lemon Juice1/2 oz Simple Syrup1/2 oz Triple Sec1/4 oz LimoncelloShake and strain into a martini class.

Isang matinding Pamasko —  an episode with the one and only Macoy Dubs! BOOM! What makes up compelling, entertaining, and relevant content? Ito ang pinag-usapan natin kasama ng henyong nagbigay buhay sa pinakamamahal nating si Aunt Julie. We talk about our "why" for delivering fun content that pushes for critical thinking while honoring our true selves and what we stand for-- lahat, habang naghuhugas ng pinggan. Masaya at makabuluhang kwentuhan with the one and only Tita we all deserve, kaya listen up, yo! Share your thoughts on Instagram @thelinyalinyashow or twitter @linyalinya #TheLinyaLinyaShow.

This week we are joined by our friend Lian and her cat Juju to talk about a good old hazing plot. Sprinkled throughout are some questionable attitudes about patriotism, our criminal justice system, and peer pressure. We meet some new Glen Oak characters this go around, including the world's most legitimately grumpy diner owner and a real sassafras of a judge. Plus, Eric at his most irrational yet!This week's cocktail:The Rob Roy (also port for Greg, an Aunt Julie fav) 2 oz Scotch1 oz Sweet VermouthDash of BittersStir and Garnish with a cherry

In the Our Seventh Heaven season 1 finale, Ruthie, Simon, Lucy, Mary, Matt, Annie, Eric and even the family dog live to disappoint in "Last Call For Aunt Julie".

This week Stacey Axler (@StaceyAxComedy) is back to discuss one of our very favorite episodes! It really has it all: physically assaulting Simon, dog sweaters, Thanksgiving, Jimmy Moon's greatest appearance to date, Eric straight up imprisoning his sister, and much much more. The cocktail is something I made up with available stuff in my house, and named after Wesley Crusher:The Ensign Energizer2 oz Reposado Tequila (we prefer Cazadores)1 oz Triple SecSplash of Orange Juice, Club Soda, and Lime

This week we talk about the First round of the NBA Playoffs and a Luca Doncic Buzzer Beater (24:58) DC Fandome updates (31:07) Route 196 closing down (37:44) a clickbait issue from a Pinay Vlogger (49:22) and people trying to cancel our Aunt Julie! (52:25) Thanks to our sponsors for this mix: Kumu! Don't forget to follow our OFFICIAL KUMU account @thehalohaloshow and download the KUMU app now to watch livestreams, play games, and even get a chance to win some money! Also thanks to PayMaya, Don't Pay Cash, Paymaya. Use our code HHSHOWPAYMAYA and get P50 for signing up.If you wanna cop the MICKLE Microphones we use on this podcast, use this link: https://tinyurl.com/HaloHaloShowxMICKLEMicrophoneFollow us on IG:https://www.instagram.com/halohaloshowTweet us @thehalohaloshow#TheHaloHaloShow@ricaggg@itsmejayseeLeche-Fan Mail:thehalohaloshow@gmail.com

Mark Averilla a.k.a. Macoy Dubs talks about his journey in becoming a viral online sensation with his alter ego, Aunt Julie and his views on the cancel culture in the influencer community. --- Wanna be a part of the show? Follow and message me @MABuendiaHD on FB, Twitter, or IG and we'll schedule a call.

The balance of power in nineteenth-century Europe was anchored on one end by the redoubtable Queen Victoria (1819 -1901), the doyenne of sovereigns, and at the opposite end by the autocratic Romanov dynasty — four successive emperors who ruled Russia during Victoria's own 63-year reign. Between these great powers lay the rising military power of Prussia, which concerned both Britain and Russia, and a decaying Ottoman Empire from which both hoped to benefit, as well as shipping routes vital to both countries' commercial and military interests. These and numerous other concerns made the relationship tense at the best of times. But Victoria's large family was also entangled with the Romanovs through the complicated web of royal and dynastic marriages that linked the ruling houses of Europe. These political and personal ties are the subject of royal biographer, Coryne Hall's new book, Queen Victoria and the Romanovs: 60 Years of Mutual Distrust (Amberley, 2020). Ms. Hall is a seasoned royal biographer and chronicler, who has delighted royal buffs with her authoritative biographies of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and her exploration of royal Princesses who served as wartime nurses as well as the Imperial estates in the Crimea. In "Queen Victoria and the Romanovs," Ms. Hall delves into the extensive trove of Queen Victoria's diaries and personal correspondence to construct an ambitious and highly informative portrait of her six-decade relationship with the Romanovs, which is at times cordial and diplomatic and at other times overtly hostile. The first encounter takes place "off stage" as far as Victoria is concerned, but very much sets the stage for the tension to come. Victoria's aunt, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld's miserable marriage to Russia's Grand Duke Constantine ended — most extraordinarily for the time — in divorce. The Coburg family felt that Juliane had been very badly treated by the Romanovs, a sentiment that was inherited by the next generation of Coburgs, which included Victoria and her cousin and future husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Before Albert linked his name in perpetuity with that of Victoria, however, the 20-year-old Queen was swept off her feet — quite literally— by the dashing Grand Duke Alexander, son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I. On a visit to London in 1839, the Grand Duke made quite an impression on the young Queen; all thoughts of poor Aunt Julie and the prudent warnings of Lord Melbourne and Victoria's Coburg Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, were forgotten as Victoria indulged in champagne and her first "crush" on the future Tsar Alexander II. The heady attraction did not last. Though Nicholas I and Victoria exchanged courteous, diplomatic correspondence, they were destined to clash in one of the nineteenth century's most brutal conflicts: the Crimean War, in which the British prevailed and Nicholas was driven to an early grave. Coryne Hall is the author of 12 books, including A Biography of the Empress Marie Feodorovna 1847-1928, Imperial Dancer. Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs, and Imperial Crimea: Estates, Enchantment & the Last of the Romanovs. Follow Coryne Hall on Twitter. Jennifer Eremeeva is an American expatriate writer who writes about travel, culture, cuisine and culinary history, Russian history, and Royal History, with bylines in Reuters, Fodor's, USTOA, LitHub, The Moscow Times, and Russian Life. She is the award-winning author of Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow and Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia: A Pocket Guide to Russian History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The balance of power in nineteenth-century Europe was anchored on one end by the redoubtable Queen Victoria (1819 -1901), the doyenne of sovereigns, and at the opposite end by the autocratic Romanov dynasty — four successive emperors who ruled Russia during Victoria's own 63-year reign. Between these great powers lay the rising military power of Prussia, which concerned both Britain and Russia, and a decaying Ottoman Empire from which both hoped to benefit, as well as shipping routes vital to both countries' commercial and military interests. These and numerous other concerns made the relationship tense at the best of times. But Victoria's large family was also entangled with the Romanovs through the complicated web of royal and dynastic marriages that linked the ruling houses of Europe. These political and personal ties are the subject of royal biographer, Coryne Hall's new book, Queen Victoria and the Romanovs: 60 Years of Mutual Distrust (Amberley, 2020). Ms. Hall is a seasoned royal biographer and chronicler, who has delighted royal buffs with her authoritative biographies of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and her exploration of royal Princesses who served as wartime nurses as well as the Imperial estates in the Crimea. In "Queen Victoria and the Romanovs," Ms. Hall delves into the extensive trove of Queen Victoria's diaries and personal correspondence to construct an ambitious and highly informative portrait of her six-decade relationship with the Romanovs, which is at times cordial and diplomatic and at other times overtly hostile. The first encounter takes place "off stage" as far as Victoria is concerned, but very much sets the stage for the tension to come. Victoria's aunt, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld's miserable marriage to Russia's Grand Duke Constantine ended — most extraordinarily for the time — in divorce. The Coburg family felt that Juliane had been very badly treated by the Romanovs, a sentiment that was inherited by the next generation of Coburgs, which included Victoria and her cousin and future husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Before Albert linked his name in perpetuity with that of Victoria, however, the 20-year-old Queen was swept off her feet — quite literally— by the dashing Grand Duke Alexander, son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I. On a visit to London in 1839, the Grand Duke made quite an impression on the young Queen; all thoughts of poor Aunt Julie and the prudent warnings of Lord Melbourne and Victoria's Coburg Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, were forgotten as Victoria indulged in champagne and her first "crush" on the future Tsar Alexander II. The heady attraction did not last. Though Nicholas I and Victoria exchanged courteous, diplomatic correspondence, they were destined to clash in one of the nineteenth century's most brutal conflicts: the Crimean War, in which the British prevailed and Nicholas was driven to an early grave. Coryne Hall is the author of 12 books, including A Biography of the Empress Marie Feodorovna 1847-1928, Imperial Dancer. Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs, and Imperial Crimea: Estates, Enchantment & the Last of the Romanovs. Follow Coryne Hall on Twitter. Jennifer Eremeeva is an American expatriate writer who writes about travel, culture, cuisine and culinary history, Russian history, and Royal History, with bylines in Reuters, Fodor's, USTOA, LitHub, The Moscow Times, and Russian Life. She is the award-winning author of Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow and Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia: A Pocket Guide to Russian History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The balance of power in nineteenth-century Europe was anchored on one end by the redoubtable Queen Victoria (1819 -1901), the doyenne of sovereigns, and at the opposite end by the autocratic Romanov dynasty — four successive emperors who ruled Russia during Victoria's own 63-year reign. Between these great powers lay the rising military power of Prussia, which concerned both Britain and Russia, and a decaying Ottoman Empire from which both hoped to benefit, as well as shipping routes vital to both countries' commercial and military interests. These and numerous other concerns made the relationship tense at the best of times. But Victoria's large family was also entangled with the Romanovs through the complicated web of royal and dynastic marriages that linked the ruling houses of Europe. These political and personal ties are the subject of royal biographer, Coryne Hall's new book, Queen Victoria and the Romanovs: 60 Years of Mutual Distrust (Amberley, 2020). Ms. Hall is a seasoned royal biographer and chronicler, who has delighted royal buffs with her authoritative biographies of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and her exploration of royal Princesses who served as wartime nurses as well as the Imperial estates in the Crimea. In "Queen Victoria and the Romanovs," Ms. Hall delves into the extensive trove of Queen Victoria's diaries and personal correspondence to construct an ambitious and highly informative portrait of her six-decade relationship with the Romanovs, which is at times cordial and diplomatic and at other times overtly hostile. The first encounter takes place "off stage" as far as Victoria is concerned, but very much sets the stage for the tension to come. Victoria's aunt, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld's miserable marriage to Russia's Grand Duke Constantine ended — most extraordinarily for the time — in divorce. The Coburg family felt that Juliane had been very badly treated by the Romanovs, a sentiment that was inherited by the next generation of Coburgs, which included Victoria and her cousin and future husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Before Albert linked his name in perpetuity with that of Victoria, however, the 20-year-old Queen was swept off her feet — quite literally— by the dashing Grand Duke Alexander, son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I. On a visit to London in 1839, the Grand Duke made quite an impression on the young Queen; all thoughts of poor Aunt Julie and the prudent warnings of Lord Melbourne and Victoria's Coburg Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, were forgotten as Victoria indulged in champagne and her first "crush" on the future Tsar Alexander II. The heady attraction did not last. Though Nicholas I and Victoria exchanged courteous, diplomatic correspondence, they were destined to clash in one of the nineteenth century's most brutal conflicts: the Crimean War, in which the British prevailed and Nicholas was driven to an early grave. Coryne Hall is the author of 12 books, including A Biography of the Empress Marie Feodorovna 1847-1928, Imperial Dancer. Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs, and Imperial Crimea: Estates, Enchantment & the Last of the Romanovs. Follow Coryne Hall on Twitter. Jennifer Eremeeva is an American expatriate writer who writes about travel, culture, cuisine and culinary history, Russian history, and Royal History, with bylines in Reuters, Fodor's, USTOA, LitHub, The Moscow Times, and Russian Life. She is the award-winning author of Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow and Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia: A Pocket Guide to Russian History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The balance of power in nineteenth-century Europe was anchored on one end by the redoubtable Queen Victoria (1819 -1901), the doyenne of sovereigns, and at the opposite end by the autocratic Romanov dynasty — four successive emperors who ruled Russia during Victoria's own 63-year reign. Between these great powers lay the rising military power of Prussia, which concerned both Britain and Russia, and a decaying Ottoman Empire from which both hoped to benefit, as well as shipping routes vital to both countries' commercial and military interests. These and numerous other concerns made the relationship tense at the best of times. But Victoria's large family was also entangled with the Romanovs through the complicated web of royal and dynastic marriages that linked the ruling houses of Europe. These political and personal ties are the subject of royal biographer, Coryne Hall's new book, Queen Victoria and the Romanovs: 60 Years of Mutual Distrust (Amberley, 2020). Ms. Hall is a seasoned royal biographer and chronicler, who has delighted royal buffs with her authoritative biographies of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and her exploration of royal Princesses who served as wartime nurses as well as the Imperial estates in the Crimea. In "Queen Victoria and the Romanovs," Ms. Hall delves into the extensive trove of Queen Victoria's diaries and personal correspondence to construct an ambitious and highly informative portrait of her six-decade relationship with the Romanovs, which is at times cordial and diplomatic and at other times overtly hostile. The first encounter takes place "off stage" as far as Victoria is concerned, but very much sets the stage for the tension to come. Victoria's aunt, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld's miserable marriage to Russia's Grand Duke Constantine ended — most extraordinarily for the time — in divorce. The Coburg family felt that Juliane had been very badly treated by the Romanovs, a sentiment that was inherited by the next generation of Coburgs, which included Victoria and her cousin and future husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Before Albert linked his name in perpetuity with that of Victoria, however, the 20-year-old Queen was swept off her feet — quite literally— by the dashing Grand Duke Alexander, son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I. On a visit to London in 1839, the Grand Duke made quite an impression on the young Queen; all thoughts of poor Aunt Julie and the prudent warnings of Lord Melbourne and Victoria's Coburg Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, were forgotten as Victoria indulged in champagne and her first "crush" on the future Tsar Alexander II. The heady attraction did not last. Though Nicholas I and Victoria exchanged courteous, diplomatic correspondence, they were destined to clash in one of the nineteenth century's most brutal conflicts: the Crimean War, in which the British prevailed and Nicholas was driven to an early grave. Coryne Hall is the author of 12 books, including A Biography of the Empress Marie Feodorovna 1847-1928, Imperial Dancer. Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs, and Imperial Crimea: Estates, Enchantment & the Last of the Romanovs. Follow Coryne Hall on Twitter. Jennifer Eremeeva is an American expatriate writer who writes about travel, culture, cuisine and culinary history, Russian history, and Royal History, with bylines in Reuters, Fodor's, USTOA, LitHub, The Moscow Times, and Russian Life. She is the award-winning author of Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow and Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia: A Pocket Guide to Russian History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The balance of power in nineteenth-century Europe was anchored on one end by the redoubtable Queen Victoria (1819 -1901), the doyenne of sovereigns, and at the opposite end by the autocratic Romanov dynasty — four successive emperors who ruled Russia during Victoria's own 63-year reign. Between these great powers lay the rising military power of Prussia, which concerned both Britain and Russia, and a decaying Ottoman Empire from which both hoped to benefit, as well as shipping routes vital to both countries' commercial and military interests. These and numerous other concerns made the relationship tense at the best of times. But Victoria's large family was also entangled with the Romanovs through the complicated web of royal and dynastic marriages that linked the ruling houses of Europe. These political and personal ties are the subject of royal biographer, Coryne Hall's new book, Queen Victoria and the Romanovs: 60 Years of Mutual Distrust (Amberley, 2020). Ms. Hall is a seasoned royal biographer and chronicler, who has delighted royal buffs with her authoritative biographies of Empress Maria Fyodorovna, Grand Duchess Xenia Alexandrovna, and her exploration of royal Princesses who served as wartime nurses as well as the Imperial estates in the Crimea. In "Queen Victoria and the Romanovs," Ms. Hall delves into the extensive trove of Queen Victoria's diaries and personal correspondence to construct an ambitious and highly informative portrait of her six-decade relationship with the Romanovs, which is at times cordial and diplomatic and at other times overtly hostile. The first encounter takes place "off stage" as far as Victoria is concerned, but very much sets the stage for the tension to come. Victoria's aunt, Juliane of Saxe-Coburg Saalfeld's miserable marriage to Russia's Grand Duke Constantine ended — most extraordinarily for the time — in divorce. The Coburg family felt that Juliane had been very badly treated by the Romanovs, a sentiment that was inherited by the next generation of Coburgs, which included Victoria and her cousin and future husband, Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg. Before Albert linked his name in perpetuity with that of Victoria, however, the 20-year-old Queen was swept off her feet — quite literally— by the dashing Grand Duke Alexander, son and heir of Tsar Nicholas I. On a visit to London in 1839, the Grand Duke made quite an impression on the young Queen; all thoughts of poor Aunt Julie and the prudent warnings of Lord Melbourne and Victoria's Coburg Uncle Leopold, King of the Belgians, were forgotten as Victoria indulged in champagne and her first "crush" on the future Tsar Alexander II. The heady attraction did not last. Though Nicholas I and Victoria exchanged courteous, diplomatic correspondence, they were destined to clash in one of the nineteenth century's most brutal conflicts: the Crimean War, in which the British prevailed and Nicholas was driven to an early grave. Coryne Hall is the author of 12 books, including A Biography of the Empress Marie Feodorovna 1847-1928, Imperial Dancer. Mathilde Kschessinska and the Romanovs, and Imperial Crimea: Estates, Enchantment & the Last of the Romanovs. Follow Coryne Hall on Twitter. Jennifer Eremeeva is an American expatriate writer who writes about travel, culture, cuisine and culinary history, Russian history, and Royal History, with bylines in Reuters, Fodor's, USTOA, LitHub, The Moscow Times, and Russian Life. She is the award-winning author of Lenin Lives Next Door: Marriage, Martinis, and Mayhem in Moscow and Have Personality Disorder, Will Rule Russia: A Pocket Guide to Russian History. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s synchronistic that this episode, my first BE moment since turning 40 this past Saturday, is episode 80, my year of birth! Ever since turning 39, I’ve been so looking forward to 40. My 20’s were all about working hard and learning HARD lessons about what didn’t fulfill me. My 30’s were about the journey of self discovery in what would fuel me in love, relationships and my profession. It was really about becoming me! In reflecting over the last decade, there were four major gifts that stood out to me as the highlights of the past 10 years.   Four Gifts of the Last Decade Getting Married + Starting A Family Becoming An Entrepreneur Really understanding myself. Treating Personal Development Like It’s a Job Becoming ME - Giving myself permission to Design a life I love   The Decade Ahead My voice…...embracing my inner writer BEing more - more present, more unapologetic Sharing the love (my blueprint for a life + business I love) Owning my magic - Aunt Julie

It’s synchronistic that this episode, my first BE moment since turning 40 this past Saturday, is episode 80, my year of birth! Ever since turning 39, I’ve been so looking forward to 40. My 20’s were all about working hard and learning HARD lessons about what didn’t fulfill me. My 30’s were about the journey of self discovery in what would fuel me in love, relationships and my profession. It was really about becoming me! In reflecting over the last decade, there were four major gifts that stood out to me as the highlights of the past 10 years.   Four Gifts of the Last Decade Getting Married + Starting A Family Becoming An Entrepreneur Really understanding myself. Treating Personal Development Like It’s a Job Becoming ME - Giving myself permission to Design a life I love   The Decade Ahead My voice…...embracing my inner writer BEing more - more present, more unapologetic Sharing the love (my blueprint for a life + business I love) Owning my magic - Aunt Julie

Shawn Q explains the delay on some of the episodes and give his take on some of the Ads on Twitch. In the sponsor spot he thanks his Aunt Julie. He interviews 3 of the 4 gentlemen of The We CanTrip podcast, they talk about the struggles of getting a show up and running, the story so far and their experience doing a live show.Visit our Sponsor Backspun For Records, Gaming, Collectibles and more at http://www.thevintagetoyman.comif you wanna support the show become a patron athttp://www.patreon.com/heroesofYou can reach us on twitter , on Instagram @HeroesoHacathra, and on Facebook at Heoes Ofor email us at Heroesofhacathra@gmail.comLogo created by Trina Mcintosh and Mike WatsonTheme song: Chitin Armour by Jack ForrestSupport the show (https://www.patreon.com/user/posts?u=19437397)

Was 16-year-old Gordana Kotevski one of many victims abducted and disappeared by the same group of perpetrators, as is now suspected by the man who presided over her inquest and the Detective who captured Ivan Milat? Gordana's mother Peggy and her Aunt Julie join us.Warning: please be advised this episode contains graphic content.Show notes for Episode 96:Your hosts are Meshel Laurie and Emily WebbWith thanks to Julie Talevski and Peggy KotevskiLike us on Facebook ​Follow us on Instagram or TwitterSupport us on PatreonVisit our BookshopListen on Apple PodcastsListen on Google PodcastsListen on SpotifyIf you have any information on the cases covered by this podcast, please contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000.Thank you for listening! See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Tread Perilously once again observes Thanksgiving with an episode of The WB's long-running family drama 7th Heaven. This year's episode: "Last Call for Aunt Julie." Reverend Camden's sister Julie comes to Glenoak for a family Thanksgiving. She's all smiles and jokes, but something seems off. Her long term boyfriend stayed back East, she expresses displeasure with her life and career to Annie, and Simon notices she drinks a lot of wine. Annie, being Annie, noses into Julie's affairs and discovers her drinking problem just as she tries to throttle Simon for the key to the family wine case. Will the Reverend and his family offer Julie aid or will they let her rot on the street? It could prove to be their toughest Thanksgiving yet. Erik and Justin discuss the difficulties in casting Wolverine and Clive Owen's American accent. Justin tries to determine what is really wrong with Lucy. Erik endeavors to recall what one could do with $40 in 1996 money. He also reminisces about cheap store brand liquor. Both dissect the majesty of Airplane!'s "drinking problem" joke. Justin declares Erik the classier of the Tread Perilously duo. A new round of Secret Drifter leads to a surprising revelation and Erik outlines the five stages of the TV drunk.

Suspense, originally broadcast June 29, 1943, 75 years ago. Uncle Henry's Rosebush starring Agnes Moorehead. What on earth is Aunt Julie up to? And where is Uncle Henry?

Communication is key in Episode 419 of 7th Heaven, Talk to Me. Aunt Julie and Dr. Hank Hastings return in this episode all about the importance of talking to each other. Dr, Hank and is hiding something from Aunt Julie and Matt ends up in the middle of their marital strife while Ruthie deals with a smelly classmate. The episode focuses on one of Lucy's friends hiding a terrible secret and the Rev doing his best to help her speak up.

Aunt Julie is back but she doesn't want anyone to know it. Meanwhile, Simon deals with some very grown-up stuff with his girlfriend, and Mary learns that crocodile tears will get her a license but not much else. Subscribe, Rate, Review! Drop us a line @4HeavensSakePod or at forheavenssakeshow@gmail.com and let us know what you think. Thanks for listening! Enjoy! - Lady J and T

Aunt Julie and Hank hit a rough patch in their relationship as the birth of their child becomes imminent. The Rev can't help but get involved. Lucy gets her drivers license and takes Andrew Nayloss out on a date in a classic role reversal scenario. Simon gets caught stepping out on Deena and Ruthie catnaps a kitten.

Aunt Julie returns in episode 311 of 7th Heaven and the whole family suspects she is keeping a secret (hint: they think she's abusing the alcohol again). Deena keeps a secret from Simon while Mary keeps a secret when she cheats to pass her road test.

7th Heaven and CamdenCast return to form in Episode 19. The whole family is back together as the Colonel and Ruth return and Aunt Julie finishes her treatment but her parents put her to the test making her a little thirsty. The Colonel and Ruth's stern demeanors almost put Lucy and Jimmy Moon's relationship in jeopardy!

Lady J and T talk all about Aunt Julie, alcoholism, and everything else that happens in episode 10! Subscribe, Rate, and Review! Follow us at @4HeavensSakePod or send us an email at forheavenssakeshow@gmail.com. Enjoy!

In episode 10 of CamdenCast Eric's sister, Aunt Julie, comes to town for Thanksgiving and leaves Erin and Tanvee wondering where they stored all of her baggage on the flight.

I'm still away all summer, but here's my Audio Letter from home. Special thanks to my Aunt Julie who is a firecracker. I'm sorry about the sound effects, it seems to have been the easiest way to split up the chat.