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Next of Kin After Stroke: When Your 19-Year-Old Has to Decide For You Kylie Ralston was 56, living alone in Sofia, Bulgaria, and getting back into shape after a divorce. Three mornings a week she ran. On the morning everything changed, she was doing a local park run with her friend Rebecca when she slowed to a walk, then tried to run again and couldn’t. “It was like the message wasn’t getting through from my brain to my legs,” she says. No headache. No fatigue. Nothing that felt like an emergency. She finished the run, registered her time, and went home. It wasn’t until she collapsed getting out of the car that anyone understood what was happening. By the time Kylie reached hospital, she had suffered a left frontoparietal haemorrhagic stroke, a spontaneous brain bleed roughly 7.5cm across, with none of the usual risk factors. No high blood pressure. No cholesterol history. No aneurysm, no AVM. She was placed in an induced coma for four days. When she woke, she couldn’t move her right side, and she couldn’t speak. What “Next of Kin” Really Means When a Stroke Hits Abroad Kylie was a permanent resident of Bulgaria, not a citizen, divorced from her daughter’s father, and living on her own. When the hospital needed someone to authorise emergency surgery, there was exactly one person available to make that call: her daughter, then 19 years old, splitting her time between her separated parents’ homes. It’s a detail easy to skim past, but it sits at the centre of this episode: next of kin isn’t a role most of us think about until a hospital needs an answer immediately. Kylie hadn’t nominated her daughter out of any formal planning process; it simply fell to her, because she was the only adult relative in the country who met the age threshold. A 19-Year-Old Signing Consent-to-Operate Forms Kylie’s friends contacted her daughter directly. She rushed to the hospital, and unconscious, unable to advocate for herself, her mother’s care now depended on decisions made by a teenager under enormous duress. Kylie’s first memory afterward is her daughter arriving in the ICU in a hairnet and scrubs, holding her hand, telling her she loved her. It’s the kind of moment that rarely makes it into conversations about stroke recovery, because the focus so often lands on rehabilitation milestones: walking, speaking, returning to work. But before any of that, someone has to be legally empowered to say yes to surgery, and for Kylie, that someone hadn’t expected the responsibility for another few decades. The Gap Between Acute Surgery and Real Rehabilitation Bulgaria’s acute care, Kylie and her friend Nicole Nott both stress, was world-class surgery within roughly two hours of the stroke, the kind of outcome her friends still describe as a miracle given the size of the bleed. What came next was a different story. In the public hospital, physiotherapy visits totalled two sessions. There was no speech therapy. After 14 days, still unable to move her right side or speak, Kylie was expected to go home. Her partner, Guido, refused to accept it, and the couple began privately funding rehabilitation themselves. This is a distinction worth sitting with if you or someone you love is navigating stroke recovery in a country or even a region with limited public rehab funding: acute survival and functional recovery are not the same fight, and they are not always resourced the same way. When a Friend Becomes the Rehab Team Nicole Nott, an occupational therapist and Kylie’s friend since they were 16, found out about the stroke through a message she initially suspected was a scam. Within days she’d cleared her schedule and flown from Australia to Bulgaria. What she found in the private rehab hospital was a caring but under-trained care team, kind staff with, as Nicole puts it, “no rehab expertise.” Nicole spent close to two weeks restructuring Kylie’s room and routine around basic stroke rehabilitation principles: approaching from Kylie’s affected right side to address her spatial inattention, built-up cutlery to force use of her weaker hand, a balloon tapped back and forth for shoulder strength, word games layered on top for speech practice, pegs and curtains repurposed into arm exercises. She also pushed back hard against hospital staff who tried to stop her from helping Kylie transfer to a shower chair or toilet, at one point being told outright she wasn’t permitted because she was a woman. Her single goal before flying home: get Kylie toileting independently again, for dignity as much as mobility. Kylie called her from Dubai airport, mid-transit, to tell her it had happened. Living With Aphasia Fourteen months on, Kylie’s right-side weakness has largely resolved. What remains, she says, is the hardest part: expressive aphasia. “I can’t express myself like I used to.” It’s a small, telling detail of the condition that even the phrase “I can’t” is itself shaped by the aphasia; the words available to describe the loss are affected by the loss. The Unexpected Gains Both women point to what came out of the crisis alongside the hardship: Kylie’s relationship with her daughter deepened. Her circle of friends in Bulgaria proved itself in ways she hadn’t anticipated. And in the rehab hospital, her partner Guido proposed something; he told her he’d already decided before the stroke but simply hadn’t gotten around to asking. If this episode raises questions about who is legally positioned to make decisions for you and whether that person actually knows it, it may be worth a conversation with your own family before a crisis forces the issue. For a deeper account of navigating identity, recovery, and unexpected transformation after stroke, Bill’s book The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened is available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. If this show has helped you, you can support it at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke. This blog is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Please consult your doctor before making any changes to your health or recovery plan. Kylie Ralston: Stroke, Bulgaria, and the Friend Who Flew Across the World When Kylie had a stroke abroad, her 19-year-old daughter became her next of kin, and a friend flew in to help her recover. Bill’s Book: The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened Support the Recovery After Stroke On Patreon Highlights: 00:00 Introduction – Next of Kin After Stroke03:47 The Day of the Stroke08:55 Rehabilitation Challenges in Bulgaria16:32 Coping with Language Barriers22:08 Reflections on Healthcare Systems32:50 Setting Goals and Achievements38:29 Family Dynamics and Support Systems45:36 Finding Meaning in Recovery54:44 The Impact of Caregiving58:22 Reflections on Recovery and Gratitude Transcript: Introduction – Next of Kin After Stroke Bill Gasiamis (00:00)And one of my first horrible thoughts was, is this a dreadful hoax? Is someone, you know, is this some horrible scam? And it made me feel quite sick actually And then I rang her son who lives in Australia and he’s like, Yeah, I’m so sorry. I haven’t told you. Yes, it’s true, mum’s had a stroke. Bill Gasiamis (00:16)Welcome back to Recovery After Stroke. I’m Bill Gasiamis, and today I’m joined by two guests, Kylie Ralston and her friend Nicole Nott. Kylie was 56 living in Bulgaria when she suffered a left frontoparietal hemorrhagic stroke, a spontaneous brain bleed with none of the usual risk factors. Nicole is an occupational therapist and one of Kylie’s closest friends since they were teenagers. And when she found out what happened, she got on a plane to Bulgaria to help. In this episode, we get into what it means to have a stroke far from home in a country where you don’t speak the language, and public rehabilitation funding barely exists. We talk about who becomes your next of kin when you least expect it, what it’s like to advocate for a friend inside a hospital system that won’t always listen. And what recovery actually looks like 14 months on, before we get into it, if you want a deeper look at identity, recovery, and unexpected transformation after stroke, my book, The Unexpected Way That Stroke Became, the best thing that happened, is available at recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And if this show has helped you And you can support it to keep me on the path of getting to a thousand episodes, you can do so At patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke Bill Gasiamis (01:37)Kylie Ralston and Nicole Nott, welcome to the podcast. lovely to be here, Bill. Thanks for having us, Bill. Kylie, tell me a little bit about what life was like before the stroke. I was very active and I had a full life and I was working full time. and I was living in Sofia in Bulgaria, in my on my own, in my own apartment. I was renting, actually. and I was getting back to fitness. So I was g getting I was running regularly. So two two or three times a week I was hitting the gym and hitting the tr the treadmill. And that had been happening for like a few month like six months or something like that. but before that I was very fit and active. What kind of work were you involved in? I was a HR work. I was a ha HR leader and so I had my own consultancy I had a team of people that I’ve managed. I had thirty five people, so and that they were people in Germany, Poland, Czechia, Portugal, France, so everywhere in in Europe, basically. Yeah. Wow, how how does an Aussie end up in Bulgaria with staff or clients in that many countries? short answer is I came here with my family, so with my ex husband. and shortly after I arrived we separated and and ultimately got divorced. and I stayed on because my daughter is here. So she was only eleven at the time and I could just couldn’t leave her. The Day of the Stroke So you were living at home with your daughter? she was sharing her time between between us both. Yeah. got it. Okay. So both parents are there. So your daughter was going backwards and forwards. On the night of the stroke or on the day of the stroke, can you take us through that? What were you experiencing? Was there anything unusual that happened that made you think something was wrong? How did it go down? I was with my friend Rebecca. And she was running ahead of me as she she was faster than me, so sh and she often often ran ahead of me. and I’d slowed down to a walk and when I started to run again or try to run again, it it was like the message wasn’t getting through from my brain to my legs. And I thought, that’s strange, that’s that’s really odd. ‘Cause I didn’t feel like tired or anything and I didn’t have a headache and well stuff like that. and I just walked through the rest of the park run. And then when Rebecca saw me coming to the finish line, she waved me over and she said, come on, let’s go register your chip. and so I did that. and she said afterwards that there was a little bit of fumbling with with my phone and there’s a there was a little bit of fumbling when I put my jacket on, but other than that, I just seemed exhausted from a run. do you recall after the experience of feeling exhausted from the run where you ended up? Did you need help? Yeah, I do. So so she didn’t notice that I wasn’t talking because I n I’m normally an endless talker, so I she didn’t notice that I wasn’t talking. And she said that that that is one thing that should have alerted her to what was happening. but it it didn’t. And so I’d caught the bus to the park run and her husband was there and so he drove me home. And I j I remember the journey home and when when we when I went to get out, I just couldn’t. And so and Mark came around to my side of the car and help tried to help me out and I just collapsed against him. And so then that so then they said, quick, something’s wrong something’s I don’t remember what they  They they said, you know, they basically took me straight to the hospital. Yeah. And also rang Guido, my now fiance, but my partner at the time. Uh-huh. So you you went from the run, attempted to go home, and then from that attempt to get you out of the car, actually into your home, it was pretty clear that that wasn’t gonna happen and you ended up in hospital. so Did you guys drive to hospital? Do you recall that? Yes. Yes. We do how far is it from your home? it’s pretty close. I don’t know about kilometres or time, but it’s but it’s like ten or fifteen minutes. Yeah, so it’s not too far. But they didn’t know what was going on, of course. They just knew something wasn’t right and then they figured one of the best things to do is just get it to a hospital. You get to the hospital Do you know what happens after that? Do you get admitted? do you get tested for anything? I suppose what I’m asking is when is the first time you realise that that you’ve had a stroke? When do they report that back? When I came out of the coma. So I was put I was put into an an induced coma straight away. so I I obviously don’t remember anything of of that. and but Rebecca’s told me afterwards. so she’s filled in the f filled in the filled in the blanks for me. and by that stage her husband thought it was a stroke. So she’s he said he said to the staff at the hospital, we think she’s having a stroke. And so yeah. So how long were you in the coma, do you know? Has somebody told you how long it was? Yeah, four four days. Four days, okay. And do you know what kind of stroke you had? Yep. I had a left Frontoparietal hemorrhagic stroke. Wow, that’s a good effort. So you had a brain bleed. Yep. Do they know what caused it? No. It was spontaneous and I didn’t have any of the risk factors. So I didn’t have high blood pressure, a history of high blood pressure, but admittedly I’d hadn’t tested my blood pressure immediately before the stroke. but you know That’s un that’s unlikely to be the cause. And I didn’t have a hi a history of high cholesterol. and so they just and I didn’t have an aneurysm and I didn’t have like what’s the other thing? The An AV AVM. AVM, yeah, I didn’t have any of that. And how old were you? Fifty six. Okay. So you had a spontaneous Bleed in the brain. That happens. People do have that happen from time to time. And sometimes they don’t have any symptoms leading up to it or anything like that. and this is the bizarre nature of like there’s an unlimited number of ways, unfortunately, for people to have a stroke. Now, you woke up in hospital four days later. What kind of deficits did you have? I couldn’t move my right side and I couldn’t speak. Okay. Now I’ve got an idea of well, I haven’t got an idea, but my mind immediately kind of says like if you’re in hospital in Bulgaria, that’s not a hospital in Melbourne. That’s not the Royal Melbourne hospital where no shit is unreal, like it’s perfect and it’s got the highest technology and it doesn’t matter how many things we can bitch and moan about the system being here like compared to Bulgaria, my expectation is that we’re world class. Perhaps that’s not the case in Bulgaria. Would you agree with that statement? I would have agreed before and my my my expat friends here would have agreed before, but now we’re all saying maybe Bulgaria is better than we thought. That’s brilliant. Awesome. Okay, so Rehabilitation Challenges in Bulgaria As far as like medical interventions and all that type of stuff, you felt like that was handled like any other world class hospital would have handled it. Yeah. In that in that s it in that stage it was. but there’s no like that was a public hospital and there’s no there’s no public funded rehab after. or or very li very little. So so that’s where that’s where Australia is ahead. So when you knew you had deficits, was there any rehabilitation whatsoever? Did you get any of that while you were still in hospital? Minimal. So the the physio came to see me twice. and so that’s so that’s all and I got no speech therapy and stuff like that. and but when I was discharged from the public hospital here and went and so they they expected me to go home from the public hospital. And so Guido said she just can’t like like what what the fuck? After how many days? After how many days, how long? Fourteen. Wow, your right side was still offline and you still had problem. Yeah. Okay. So we we just paid for paid for private rehab. got it, right. Yeah. And how long were you in private rehab for? another like two months or something like that. Right. Okay, that’s pretty cool. So i even though you couldn’t access it publicly, you were still able to Access a private now. Are you a citizen in Bulgaria? Not a citizen, a permanent resident. Okay. So do you have are you as a result of the fact that you’re a permanent resident and not a citizen, do you have different things that you are able to access because of your status? No. no. I’m it’s I have the same rights as a citizen. The only one the only right I don’t have is I’m I’m not able to vote here and I’m not I’m not able to work in other EU countries. Got it. Okay. So that’s pretty traumatizing, the whole experience, and then to have to deal with overcoming your left side and your speech deficits after the two month mark, roughly where were you at where you where you are now? Because you kinda sound pretty good. Okay. No, yeah. no and and the other thing the other thing that I must say about Bulgaria is I don’t speak Bulgarian. very very little. So that was a problem. Yeah. I can imagine, yeah. so maybe you can come in here, Nicole, and and talk about where I was at when you came to see me, because that was very very very early on in my in in the private rehab hospital. Yeah, Nicole, tell me a little bit about what it’s like to receive a phone call to find out that your friend has had a stroke. I was absolutely hellish. the way I found out is I got a message through social media from someone saying, Hey, I’m a friend of Kylie’s and she’s in hospital in Bulgaria. And one of my first horrible thoughts was, is this a dreadful hoax? Is someone, you know, is this some horrible scam? And it really, you know, it made me feel quite sick actually thinking this is that’s not someone I know. It does look like a name I’ve seen in Kylie’s kind of social media world. And then I rang her son who lives in Australia and he’s like, Yeah, I’m so sorry. I haven’t told you. Yes, it’s true, mum’s had a stroke. and I was kind of beside myself because by training I’m an occupational therapist, but Kylie and I have known each other each other since we were about 16. and it was really hard to get the information that I wanted as a friend, but also as a health professional. I was wanting to understand what kind of stroke is it? Where is it? What’s the rehab? What can we do? How’s it going? And at that stage the information that I had was that you know, it was really seriously affected the speech part of the brain and obviously the hemiplegia, the weakness down the right side and knowing that Kylie was right handed. so, you know, it’s the friendship part that your heart’s breaking and it’s also the therapist part that’s wanting the information to be able to, you know, reconcile it for myself, professionally what that was going to look like as a consequence for Kylie. Yeah, and you’re so far away, so you really can’t do anything and kind of have to like take information second hand, third hand, and be kind of in a position which is really uncomfortable for, I imagine, a friend, but also a therapist, right? So as an occupational therapist, that’s not the information you work on. You work on actual facts, scans, reports, like a whole bunch of things. So are you also playing it out in your mind? Are you kind of Doom thinking it, like are you how does it affect you personally? I think for me I was all I was really very conscious of not stressing other people. So like friends, family, because sometimes when you are a health professional, you know, you have knowledge and information and you know, you sometimes you you’re keeping that to yourself to some extent because you do know what can happen to people and you do know what consequences can be. So I was really trying not to ask too many questions of people as well. but I was seriously desperate for information. And so I remember I’d gone to a party and I didn’t really want to go because I was actually, you know, upset and stressed for Kylie. And I did end up going to a party and during the party I was really kind of outside having a bit of a downer really by a campfire. but I got a phone call or a message to say that I think you’d said some words, Kylie, and were kind of waking up. so you’re still in the acute hospital then and that you’d been able to move your leg a little bit, I think. Yeah. And you know, joy in that moment. And yeah, I felt very, very far away. And then What happens over the next few days? Like do you guys continue to communicate somehow? Do you keep getting information? Are you being updated? Yeah. Yeah. I wasn’t able to get my into my phone or my any of my devices. So I wasn’t able to able to because I couldn’t remember my password, right? And so and and I tried like d different ones and I you know I just got locked out. So and when I was able to get in then that made it it made it easier t because I was able just text short messages. So so Nicole and I kept in touch that way. and before English-speaking Before you came, Nicole, I think I was talking, but not not not as well as I am now. Yeah. So was it, Nicole, in your mind, you were always going to fly over to Bulgaria and beath your friend? Or did you guys have to work that out? Like what happened now? It’s so cool that you get to have a somebody in your corner that is also a Fred, but also a medical professional in the exact field that you’re struggling with now. Right. Like how do you just drop everything and go overseas and be with your friend? Yeah, well, very grateful that I had an up to date passport. So that was that was a good thing. Kylie, it was interesting because the texting, like if I go back and look at that history, it’s like you can see the progress in the texts. So you can see that Kylie was using kind of more single words and having struggles with spelling and putting sentences together. And then over time, you know, they became more fluent. but the thing that happened was that Kylie and I were talking and she was able to you know, she got some speech back and we were talking. And she was just saying about the rehab care that the the the kind of caring staff just seemed to have no rehab expertise. So the physios were amazing. I think they were great. There was no active speech therapy for Kylie. I think we ultimately found an English speaking speech therapist but who still had Bulgarian as a first language. And there’s very few occupational therapists in Bulgaria, seems to be some expats. And Kylie was talking to me a jab about just you know, really basic things like not being taken to the toilet. and that’s probably what broke my heart. It’s like I cannot leave her in bed, not being able to go to the toilet. I just can’t do it. And so I just said to my partner, I think I just need to go to Bulgaria. And luckily I’m self-employed. So I just kind of cleared my schedule, got on a plane and yeah, I was just I suppose I’m incredibly grateful to have the skill. incredibly grateful to have the financial ability to do it. and yeah, and the skills to do it. And you know, you don’t always get an opportunity in life to do the right thing, or sometimes you don’t make that decision and later you think, Why didn’t I do X, Y, and Z? I try not to live my life like that. I try to actually do those things. So, yeah, I got on a plane and basically arrived at the airport, got on a train straight out to see Kylie at the Rehope Hospital. You’re a real superhero. I’m very grateful to Nicole. Yeah. I rec you know, my story is kind of well, it has a similar kind of thread to it. I one of my best friends is a radiographer and he was a radiographer at the Royal Melbourne Hospital where I was a patient for nearly two and a half years because I was in and out with a number of brain hemorrhages. I had three in total in the same spot, but over two and a half years, then I had brain surgery. And I can’t tell you how many scans I had, but being a radiographer, he was the one who was in the room taking the photos through the MRI. Yeah. And then he would come out. And he would tell us what he saw in the RI, which was against the rules. that’s why I won’t name him. But but that meant that we didn’t have to wait a month to get our results and the the meeting for the results was just more of we’ll go through the process and and have the meeting. Yeah. And and and it was like and I regretted my life when at school I used to throw his books on the roof of the canteen just to mess with him going to s to class late to get in trouble. and I’ve apologised profusely for that and thanked him every day for the fact that, you know, he was able to lend his well, you know, he was able to be in the room. He was able to have that conversation with us and he was able to ease our minds. over that two and a half year period and then you won’t believe it. Like his daughter had an AVM at seventeen. And she went through that and and has recovered from that somewhat now in the last few years. and I got to be I mean I hate that I had to be this guy, but I got to be the guy that supported him through that really acute phase and There is just nothing to describe what it’s like to be able to a repay the favor. and then but B, when I was in that situation to have somebody kind of well, you know, like put their arm around me and really walk me through every stage. Me and my wife and my family walk us through every stage of that part of it, other than intervening as a brain surgeon. But he was the one that put us in char in in touch with my brain surgeon. like Everything that happened was just the most amazing experience to be able to be guided like that. And I know it’s a privilege and many people don’t get that opportunity. so I see Chris, I haven’t told him this in person. I see him as like a bit of a superhero, but he doesn’t know that. I’ve told him I love him in the way men tell each other that they love each other by s abusing him and swearing at him and telling him that the team that he follows is terrible and all that kind of stuff. Reflections on Healthcare Systems so you arrived in Bulgaria. take me from the airport to the hospital. Like what happens? How is that? Actually the flight was really good. Customs was pretty easy. There was some annoying folk in front of me who I wanted to punch in the face and tell them to hurry up, but I was just, you know, needed to to get there. Kylie’s daughter met me at the airport. And then we got the train together out to the hospital. So, you know, obviously I’m seeing my first sight of Bulgaria. I’d never been there before. so not really taking a tourist route at this point. so went out to see Kylie. And, you know, when you just eyeball someone and I, you know, just thank God I’m here, I’m in front of her. Her she’d had a shaved head. she had some pretty spectacular surgical scars, a couple of very big scabs still on her head. she looked skinny, she looked pale, she had started doing a little bit of movement and the hospital room was really kind basic and crazy. Her friends had funded a pressure mattress for her that didn’t exist. And some of these things I had been liaising with Kylie’s friends in Bulgaria about what could we do, how you know, what do we want to prevent? So we want to prevent anyone pulling on from. Her weak shoulders and like don’t let anyone pull her by the arm. this is how I want, you know, to help her with posture in bed or in sitting. and you know, like speaking in single kind of actions at a time and just take your time, say something, wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Just allow Kylie’s brain to, you know, take that information on board. Don’t speak for her. and when I got there, it was really clear that. She had an inattention to the right hand side as an effect from the stroke. So then I was a bit of a ball breaker, rearranging the whole room. No, no, no, no, no. Where, you know, everyone come from the right, everyone sit on the right. no cutler, you’re not allowed to have your phone in your left hand, you’re having your phone in your right hand. I’d taken some things with me from Australia to Bulgaria that I thought she might need. like some built-up cutlery, because I wanted her to use her right hand to feed herself. I took a couple of kind of activities that I thought we could do to look at some retraining for the right arm. what I’ll still bring with me, try to remember now. Benjamin. So yeah, just try kind of going into early stroke rehab principles. Yeah. Did you go there well you went there as a friend. But when you were there, were you able to be a professional and also have a conversation with the local team? Kylie and I laughing. Do you want to tell that story, Kylie? Which one are you thinking about? Where I got told off. No, I don’t remember that. well, Kylie was in act like, you know, there was still quite a lot of weakness, but she was also so determined for her own rehab. And in the system there their carers really don’t have a rehab focus. They have a I’ll provide you a meal focus and I’ll occasionally do some cleaning and I’ll occasionally change the bed linen and but really not a rehab focus. So I’ve personally found it quite easy to help Kylie to like stand move. And so the very first weekend I was there, it was a long weekend and what I didn’t realise later was that they were actually quite understaffed. Which worked in our favour because I was helping Kylie to get onto a shower chair, taking her to have a shower, us taking her to the toilet, because prior to that time they were just, you know, using pads for toileting because Kylie couldn’t stand up or move on her own. And because I’m trained, I found it very easy. She’s a lightweight person and she and I just work together and I could do that. I think it was the Tuesday, person who I refer to as Nurse Ratchet. remembering now kind of intercepted me bringing Kylie back from the bathroom to her room and just like, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope, nope. What are you doing? Stop that, stop that, stop that. and you know, she and I are having a bit of a a discussion. And basically she’s refused and I’m allowed to move Kylie. So Kylie is sitting out in the corridor. I think I’d luckily kind of covered you up for privacy. and she’s like, No, you’re not allowed to move her. I’m gonna go and get the physio. I think at least forty minutes went by and then she comes back, well, okay, and I said, Look, I am a trained person, it’s easy, it’s safe. no, I’ll think about it. And then after I think another fifteen minutes she pushed your chair into the bedroom. And then I think it was probably another fifteen minutes where she just decided to move Kylie herself at that point. even though that was out of policy and the physios had to do it. And then it was all this discussion with me that you can’t do it. And in the end it was you can’t do it because you’re a woman. Not strong enough, you know. so yeah. Then Kylie and I kind of would go on clandestine missions because again, from a rehab point of view, being able to stand transfer, it’s putting all the weight through the leg, it’s giving feedback to the brain. I really wanted to make sure Kylie’s bladder and bowel were gonna work properly. And you know, sitting in bed and that’s just not ideal. So then Kylie’s like, Nicole, I want to go to the toilet. I was like, I’m banned, I’m banned, Mother Nurse Ratchet, I’m not allowed to take you. And I was like, shit. So I would go on a little mission, go look down the corridor, make sure she was nowhere to be seen. And then I quickly stole the shower chair and then I found a bucket. And so Kylie and I were doing secret Wii missions in the bedroom. until w on one of our missions I just hadn’t quite got the bucket in the right place. And so then I it was also then later on a cleaning mission. So it was it was a pretty crazy environment. yeah, just for that lack of t whole team approach to rehab. Whereas, you know, in Australia the nurses would all be rehab trained. They would be transferring someone physios would come in, speech would be coming, OTs would be coming. So I was kind of desperately trying to convince Kylie or to get her rehab to a standard where she’d be able to come back to Australia to get some more rehab. You know what’s good about this conversation other than the hilarious nature of it also is that I as an as a person who hadn’t had a stroke before my hadn’t known anyone who had a stroke before my experience, if I had come across somebody who had had a stroke, I wouldn’t have known what to look out for and what to say to support them in a situation where perhaps something was being neglected. Because I don’t know what I don’t know. I’m not a professional, right? Just like those nurses and therapists that weren’t specifically trained. Yeah. In certain things. I mean, you may as well be not only talking a different language, but you may as well be making it up as you go because as far as they know, now this is what we do for stroke patients. This is how we handle that. is it a lack of understanding of what r stroke rehabilitation requires, or is it a lack of resources, or is it a little bit of both? Do you feel in Bulgaria when you were there? I think I think it’s a lack of of all all of that but it’s the lack of maybe money. So it’s a lack of training. So th there’s there’s not enough there’s not the the nurses or the orderlies or whatever they’re called here, are are aren’t paid very much. So they so And t just like, even though I was in a private rehab hospital, so you would have expected that more. It’s you would have expected more, but I just think that they just don’t have the money to to train those people. Yeah. it wasn’t really a role, was it, Kylie? Like they really were more like housekeepers in a sense. It was more like cleaning a meals. I have to say the physios were excellent. and a lot of the physios had good English as well, which was for your rehab was so important. because again a lot of the carers they would come into the room and you know, again, just from a speech therapy point of view, in Australia, say if someone came into the room who was the person who did the menus or filled up the water bottles or the cleaners, Kyler could have spoken to all of those people and had   incidental communication the whole day in English. But because of all of those p incidental people coming in didn’t speak English, you know, reasonably in Bulgaria. it just for me, I was worried about the lack of just exposure to English language as well. So not even speech therapy, just incidental language through the day. Which is very helpful and people don’t realise how helpful it is to be able to speak to a nurse about how you’re feeling or what’s happening. Yeah. And all the usual stuff. And Kylie’s chatty and friendly and she would have just been having conversations galore, but it just it it it couldn’t be. Yeah. Yeah, it’s another another barrier. so you know when you go overseas, it’s your friend and you’re a professional. How do you handle that? Because you know, like are you emotional? Are you trying to put a lid on it? Are you allowing yourself to Gonna be emotional. How does that work? We had some killer laughs, didn’t we? I mean, I’m a joker anyway. And so, like the first time Kylie got to do a poo on the toilet, I just did a poo dance for her. So I I felt half my job was you know, cheering her up and keeping it light and having fun and chatting about stuff we would just always chat about. as well as doing as much rehab because it was very exhausting because, you know, p after a stroke, it’s very fatiguing. you know, so to Kylie was really tired and needed lots of rest. So and because I had just you know, obviously dropped tools to go over quickly, I was just working sometimes. So I just have my computer and if Kylie was asleep I’d just stay with her and and her partner Guido as well, who was there with her as well. So just, you know, emotional support wise. But Yeah, I do some work. And I stayed in Kylie’s apartment. So I w was I just stayed at her place and I I train out to see her each day at the hospital. W how many hours would you spend in hospital with her? What do you think, Kylie? you would often arrive at like ten in the morning and you wouldn’t go till like five in the evening or six in the evening. Yeah. So technically visiting hours kind of finished at six. So I just try and stay most of the day. A full shift. Yeah. Yeah. Unpaid. Unpaid labour. Slave driver. Yeah. yeah. But nah. That’s what friends are for. I very what I very much wanted to stay the whole day because I did really, really wanna like especially the toileting thing. I just really wanted that. Setting Goals and Achievements I had this bit of a goal for myself for Kylie that she would be able to take herself to the toilet before I left the country. So just from a dignity point of view, from a mobility point of view, transfers, you know, bladder control. So yeah, that was one of my big goals. And she rang me when I was in transit at Dubai Airport on my way back to Australia and said, Nicole, I just took myself to the toilet. Wow, that’s cool. Yeah. Yeah. And and I was having physio two physio sessions a d a wi a day. So I was having other than Nicole. So I was having like about one session about of about an hour in the morning and one session of about an hour in the in the afternoon. Got it. You Kylie seem like pretty mm chill, pretty calm. how are you handling it though, emotionally? How’s the aftermath Treating you because there’s a little bit of you know, there’s all that acute stuff. It’s awesome when your friend is there, but then your friend goes home, right? So how how does that transition kind of happen? Yeah, I might start crying. because I’ve just recently spent seven months in Australia. So I I went to Australia in October last year and I came back in just in May. and I had more rehab there. So I had I had student led rehab at at first and then I got in got accepted into Birch, which is the brain injury rehab community and home in Ad in Adelaide. so that’s that is is a whole team of people. So I had I had physio and I and a occupational therapist and a a e exercise physiologist and a speech therapist and stuff like that so I th that’s really good. now the most frustrating part for me is the aphasia so I I can’t I can’t express myself like I used to. Yeah. You know what I love about interviewing people who have aphasia is when they say I can’t in a sentence to describe something to me it triggers the part of the condition which doesn’t allow the words to come out. It’s so interesting. That happens so so often. And it’s just a for me, I noticed this I’m saying it just from a perspective is maybe I can’t is not the right word. I don’t know. You might remember this, you might not, but maybe I can’t is not the right word. Maybe the right word is Something that helps you get to the word that you need to get to. And okay, now that’s just me, the uneducated stroke survivor on a phasia guy. Like I don’t know about that. But it’s so interesting, it happens every time. but then Nicole goes home, you go home, your partner is kind of now taking over the caregiving role, and you still have some deficits. phage is one of them. what about your right side? How offline was it? I I also moved in with Guido after the after the stroke. So so that was that was a has was ha was and has continues to be a challenge because we’re still getting used to living together because we weren’t living together before. and I was very in very independent before. And I was living in Sofia and he and he and I now live in a in a village. So I live in in a village just outside of Sofia. And I’m not driving yet. but I was medically cleared to drive in Australia before I left. So I’m going through the process here. so anyway, all of all of those things together make it very challenging. don’t get me wrong, I I l I love him, but but you know, and and I d and and I made that decision because my apartment is was was on the fourth floor and th there was no lift. Wow. Yeah. So back to your question. When I was when I was when I came here, when I was discharged, I continued with as an outpatient and and the physio continued to come at home twice a week. So I was having more physio maybe like five times a week. and like it were ha had started to come my right side had was all already back online, but I would I was just working on building strength and and I would get still very tired. Yeah. And did your daughter end up coming to live with you as well? No. but she she at the beginning she she was my next of kin. So at the ripe old age of nineteen, she signed the consent to operate forms. yeah, so that was that was very difficult for her. I didn’t know that at the time, obviously. but yeah. And did that happen, did she become your next of kin because your former partner, her dad, and you had separated and then his that role wasn’t gonna be his anymore. It’s just passed down to the person who was the closest to you. Like how did that happen? Family Dynamics and Support Systems We’re divorced. I I’m divorced from her dad. Yeah. So he’s definitely not my next kin. Right. So that ha changed after the divorce and she was the only person you could nominate because she was over is there an age limit to the next of kin? Eighteen. Yeah. Okay. So she had hit that criteria, you nominated her and then at nineteen she got to make a decision. Which she never and you never would have expected ever for that to be a thing. I didn’t nominate her, it would just happen. So I was I I was unconscious at the time that she signed those forms. So yeah. So my friends actually contacted her. and she she rushed to the hospital. so it was all under duress. It was like this is what happened to your mum, you’re her Next of kin, whether you like it or not, you have to decide. Yeah. Far out. Okay, that’s pretty full on for a 19 year old. Yeah. Yeah, seems like she did a good job. How did she handle this whole mum’s not well situation, this stroke thing? Like how did she deal with it? she was very good. my first memory actually is of her coming into the ICU with with the with the whole, you know, the whole like the the hairnet and the mask and the and the and the what’s it called the scrubs. Scrubs, yeah. and she held my hand and said t that she loved me. so that was pretty special. And incidentally I have an a another memory of Guido coming into the ICU as well and singing singing to me. So he he said that he said that I always wanted him to sing and he refused before. And so did did I want him to sing to me now? And I squeezed his hand or on the on the left he’s was holding my left hand and I squeezed his hand and so he knelt down beside my bed and started singing. Wow. Can he actually hold the tune or is he hard to hear? Yes, see he’s he’s very musical. Okay. Thank God. If my wife had asked me to sing a w if I had asked my wife to sing, it wouldn’t have been a good experience at all for either of us. Yeah, he was he was a busker in i in his younger years. Yeah. and now he decided to come good. Fair enough. Well that that’s important. You know, things like that are important. It lightens the the mood and it makes Yeah. You kind of feel like your family’s around and that you know you know, maybe kind of things might be all right. Like it gives that glimmer of hope. Is that how you received it? Yeah, I did. yeah, but I’m also very, very determined. So I’m a I’m a very normally very strong woman and so everyone said to me that if if well not to me, but w we had a we had a group WhatsApp chat so and I was added to it later and everyone said in that that if anyone can get through this, Kylie can. Yeah. So you know when you’re told you’ve had a stroke, you wake up with all the deficits and everything. Are you like how do you take it? I woke up, couldn’t use my left side. I I did not for one minute. It did not cross my mind like for one minute that this is not a good thing. Like I mean, clearly I wasn’t able to move, etcetera. But it never kinda went a lifesaver, I’m fucked. Like I never had that happen. Me as well. yeah. I I’d I’ve never thought that. I don’t know whether I even thought that It was n like you said, that was not a good thing. I just put one foot in front of the other and or not literally, but the Yeah. Metaphorically. Yeah. Metaphorically. so one foot in front of the other and just got on with it. Yeah. Nicole, like you come across in your work, you come across a lot of different versions of patience, right? Like you get people who might just be by design more negative to a bad experience and then people that are half class full to a bad experience. Just from a professional perspective, what’s the difference like when you’re trying to rehabilitate somebody that has kind of that different mindset? From perhaps what Kylie and I described. Yeah, I mean I’m probably in the last half full camp as well. So as an OT, I suppose we always meet people where they’re at. because everyone is a combination of their past experiences, aren’t they? So and cultural things, like there’s a very significant cultural differences in how people respond to pain or disability and expectations of kind of family and I suppose cultural expectations in Australia are even about you know, what what what should be publicly available. So, you know, from an expectations point of view, I think a lot of it is based on, you know, previous experience. So as a therapist, we’re obviously there to support, you know, emotional well being, physical well being, and try and find the things for people that connect with them. So meaningful, like OTs are our absolute core is meaningful occupation. So how do we find something that’s meaningful to that person that we think is going to get them from kind of, you know, here to there and it’s gonna be very different different motivators, you know. Kylie is probably, you know, very self motivated as described. Sometimes it’s about people really have a d strong desire to get back to work, or people have a really strong family structure that they want to be able to get back to do something with their family. So finding the way or the thing hopefully that’s going to motivate them. But we certainly work with people who you know, have a high level of distress from what’s happened to them and and on an ongoing basis. One of the things I’ve got a little quote on my desk that you can’t see here, but it says, I’m still me, just a different version of me. And it’s what someone one of my clients told me recently who has MS. and often we find need to find the new version of someone. and the new meaning for someone if that, you know, needs to happen. So that’s our great challenge, I suppose. That’s a big job, especially very early on when identity is so tied up into who they were literally days ago. You know, like a week ago. The mobile person, the working person, the money making person, the father, the mother, the whatever. Finding Meaning in Recovery And then, you know, you’re dealing with a physical crisis, the existential crisis, the identity crisis, like you’re dealing with it all in the one moment, and you’re trying to get them to sort of see, well, you know, you’re still you and how we’re gonna move forward with the still you person, like we’re still gonna move forward with that person. And then later does come an adjustment of what that you looks like. did for me like it’s a massive adjustment into what me looks like. But my identity wasn’t so much tied up in a one label specifically, although, you know, I s I was the person who felt like they needed to be the main breadwinner, you know, that you know ran a business that did all these things. I I had a big strong identity. But I think one of the things this is going to sound weird or might even sound logical depending on like w who you are and why you’re listening to this podcast. But for me, the fact that my brain went offline was a really good thing because it and that allowed my emotional side to come to the fore. Like it really enabled me to see things with a different intelligence, you know, and access part of me that my emotional intelligence perhaps that I hadn’t that I perhaps suppressed previously, you know, and just battled through things. And that kind of allowed my identity to come with me, it allowed me to leave some stuff behind and allowed me to bring into my identity this emotional side of me, you know, which who cried, who got excited about new and different opportunities, you know, that my head didn’t convince me out of. You know, so there was a lot of silver linings that I didn’t I wasn’t able to iterate back then. I wouldn’t have been able to tell you that it was a silver lining. But now and a few years later, after it all happened, I was definitely able to talk about those silver linings. Kylie Do you you’re fourteen months or so out, right? So maybe you’re not there yet, I don’t know. But are there some silver and I know a hundred percent Nicole was one of those silver linings, I get it. but do you see some silver linings in this whole saga? Yep. I do. my relationship with my daughter got stronger. Yep. So that was all s that was definitely a silver lining. and you know, I I’m was very grateful before, but it cemented how g how grateful I am for my circle of friends. Yeah. Kylie’s friends were amazing. Yeah. Your friends were amazing. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Big family still in Australia is is there a big family in Australia, Kylie? Not not a big one, but my mum and dad are still still alive. So they’re they’re in Melbourne. and my sister is in on the Gold Coast and my brother is in Melbourne as well. Yeah. And my and my son is in Adelaide. Okay. So you still have some family here, but then you were able to create a community in the years before the stroke in Bulgaria. Yeah. you you were doing it a little bit tough after the stroke. Yeah. Correct. Yep. So that’s spot on. Did you Nicole tag team with some of those people as well? Yeah, so Kylie’s friends were beautiful and they were looking after me too. So When I was in Bulgaria, they were looking after me, you know, giving me dinner and what have you, and kind of giving me emotional support as well. And I think they were grateful that I was there from a skills point of view, like they were doing a beautiful job of supporting Kylie emotionally. But and I did kind of train them up a little bit in in some rehab as well, you know, how to help with approaching from the right and how to communicate and also just even doing some activities. Kylie and I had the balloon and we were tapping it back and forward to each other for strengthening up the right arm. And then we’d play some kind of word games as we were doing that for some speech therapy. So I was educating her friends around that kind of stuff. But the other thing, Kylie, that you and I have spoken about is, you know, after the stroke is knowing what’s important and how to let some sh shit go that would have been, you know, annoying or you know. focus on something and now it’s just you you just know it’s just not important. Yeah. Being able to just let crap go. Correct correct. and the other silver lining is that I got engaged. Yes. Did he propose soon after? Yes, in the in the rehab hospital. what a romantic Yeah. But he but he said that he’d already decided before the stroke that he wanted to marry be ma be married to me. So he just hadn’t got around to asking me yet. Yeah, fair enough. That stroke has a way of interrupting people’s plans and the things that they think they’re gonna do. so Nicole you normally treat your patients. They get to a stage. Usually they’re a lot better than they were when they first met you. And part of what you do is you send them off into the big wide world like a kid. I’ve grown you know, I’ve raised them, you know, like they know how to comb their hair now. And you kinda send them off and it’s kind of bittersweet, I imagine, but also a very important part that the people who you’re helping get better actually go off into the world on their own. And stop needing to be supported by you. I know there’s some people who need more support and that continues for longer and some people who don’t get enough and it and it’s never enough. But what’s it like knowing the job is not done, but you still have to leave and go home? that was heartache. I mean, Kylie and I both balled our lies out. it was a long flight home. Yeah. Yeah, it was a long flight home. with lots of reflections. I suppose the good thing at that point was Kylie was easily able to speak on the phone or message each other. So and also, you know, I think at that stage maybe I got to see the brain scan and I was just like, my god, how have you even survived this? ‘Cause I think was it about a seven centimeter bleed, Kylie? Yep. seven and a half. Yeah. To be precise. It truly felt like a a miracle. And again, full kudos to the surgeons in Bulgaria, truly, for that acute care. Because I think Kylie, I feel like you were in surgery in about within about two hours or something after the stroke, which is phenomenal. And, you know, your friends really saved your life. taking you straight to the hospital and prevented like, you know, more serious outcomes from the stroke. So yeah, so for me, I was proud of myself as well. and I, you know, I like to live my life by thinking I can look myself in the mirror. And I felt like I can really I’ve got a tear, really look myself in the mirror. Yeah. Doing the right thing. Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. You came to the need of somebody who was in need and needed specifically not only your love and support as a friend, but also your skills. Like you had the complete package for them at that time. How long did you end up staying in total? Was I ra away about just under two weeks probably with the flights and everything like that? So yeah. so yeah, leaving was leaving was horrible. But the goal of being able to go to the toilet was met. and also just the skills for, you know, skilled up a few other people and Kylie, you know, had her good networks. I also went out to Kylie’s property out in the village to have a look at any home modifications. So that was another kind of OT type role that that was done. and she’s got an amazing property out there, but it is kind of needs a bit of love and so that was also just reassuring her partner too, like reassuring Guido that no, look, Kylie’s got this. There were a few times where it was like, Nicole, I don’t want her to do this. Like I’m like Guido, she’s safe. She can do it. She’s got sitting balance. She’s okay to sit over the side of the bed. She can wiggle sideways. But he was anxious. And so again, part of my job was to reassure him to make sure that he let her do things. and didn’t step in too quickly. And so as an O T, we’re all used to like sitting on our hands and taking time and letting people struggle a bit. And it was hard for him to let Kylie struggle. So to just encourage him to let her struggle a bit so that she could do it herself and just wait. Just take the time, especially with communication. so yeah, I I kind of obviously knew there was a lot more rehab to be done, but I also had seen Kylie’s determination and that, you know, she kind of knew what to do. and and so that was I I was grateful again for that. Kylie, what was it like when your friend had to leave? I was heartbroken. The Impact of Caregiving I felt like she was a lifeline and I felt like that that had been cut because obviously she speaks English and obviously like Obviously we have a really good relationship. and I felt like I was in a like how do I describe it? In a in a sea of not n of people not understanding. So yeah, not my friends, but the hospital staff, basically. So not the not the physios. Like Nicole said, the physios were exceptional. but, you know, just the hospital staff. Yeah, just generally speaking. So did you feel like she had put you on the right path? Were you more confident with kind of where she left you as opposed to where you guys started and was that enough to kind of give you the foundation for what you needed to take responsibility for when she left? Definitely. yeah, definitely. Yeah. Man, w what a kind of interesting whole situation. You know, if this was fifty years ago, there’s no way anyone’s going anywhere to help anyone with anything. you know, like your hospital s experience in country like Bulgaria after what they’ve been through would have been completely different. You know, your s the chance of surviving telling your story is probably s you know, very much decreased. I know this is gonna sound weird, but like it’s never been a better time to have a stroke in in most of the world. Like let’s face it. the the possibilities are just endless. I’m a miracle from all the medical professionals that put all their time and effort in. I am eternally grateful to my occupational therapists and physios and surgeons and people who invent X ray machines and people who make C T scanners and The plastic bottles where drips go in, like every single thing is just an an absolute miracle of God or medicine or science or I don’t care what, like whatever you want to call it. And it just to me, it you know, here’s a really terrible situation and here and and but look at all the amazing things that came out of it. Somebody from the other side of the planet to be able to come over and intervene in that way, train people up. Like, man, it’s the Perfect like feel good story, you know. Everything’s going okay, things turn shit, and then something good comes out of it and yeah hopefully there’s more good to come, you know. Like, man, it’s just an amazing experience. I just feel really privileged to be able to hear it and share it further. No, not not not me, personally. but now that you say that I will s I will think about it now. the most thing that that Nicole and I reflect on is, you know, like like we’ve already said, how good was that my friends got me to the hospital quickly? How good was the the surgeons the surgeons because it could have all gone wrong. or gone gone a different way. so that’s the stuff we reflect on more. and just just like my amazing recovery. Reflections on Recovery and Gratitude Because I recovered so quickly and so well, like I’ve thrown everyone away here. So so my new my neurologist, my my physios, ever everyone here is like well, back then was like really surprised. So we it’s when I first walked into the n neurologist, she said, like, wow, No one expected you to recover that quickly from such a severe stroke. Yeah. That’s such a good outcome. I like to I like to think that those things wouldn’t have been possible without your most amazing superhero friend Nicole. Nicole, your final thing I’d like to kind of run by you is that your whole career you’re working towards making things better. Yep. Like for people who are going through all really difficult times. have you had you ever dealt with a family member who needed your intervention or family friend or someone like that that needed an intervention with your specific skills before this? man. yes. So when I was quite a young therapist, probably in my early twenties, my dad told me that his One of his like great aunts or cousins elderly relative had had a stroke and she was in hospital and I didn’t really know her. Like she wasn’t someone in the family that I I had knew had known. And I said to Dad, I’ll go and visit her in hospital. And and so I went to the hospital and I found out she was in this room and I walk into the room and there were four people. And I see this gorgeous little old lady who is all crumpled in her chair and squashed and nearly falling out. And I I just walked in and I was horrified. And I just walked straight over to her. And I just said, look, can I help get you more comfortable, get you into a better position? And then I realized it was it was my own relative. and I said to her, I’m Nicole, I’m John’s daughter. you know, dad’s asked me to come and see you. And and she just said the most cutest thing ever. She said, when you walked into the room. You just look so lovely and I hoped you were here to see me, but I I wouldn’t have known what I could have done to deserve that or something something dead cute. anyway, she’d had a very dense stroke and they were basically saying that she wasn’t a candidate for rehab and that she should go straight to a nursing home. And her daughter was a nurse. And she said, Nope, Mum’s not going to a nursing home and she ended up taking her home and I used to go every night after work and do rehab with her. she ended up being able to walk quite with a pretty awkward gait and a and a stick. but she got back to, yeah, walking and living at home and I just again always think that if she didn’t have her daughter, the nurse and myself, she probably would have ended up not not walking. Yeah, being in a nursing home. It’s not that quality of life. So there’s people who definitely go through that. And what I love about you sharing that part of the story is there’s people listening and they’re paying attention and maybe they haven’t been given the amount of therapy that they feel they deserve or need. And maybe that’s going to trigger people to go, you know what, stuff this, I’m gonna find a way to get more therapy, I’m gonna ask. I’m gonna hassle some people, I’m gonna be a pain in the butt to some people, I’m gonna do more. for myself to get me further. I love that you shared that part of the story. That’s kind of the unique experience that a that a a seasoned occupational therapist can kind of impart on us who are early on in the recovery about like how you need to advocate for somebody or yourself for more physical therapy. And and even if you Can’t access that people listening and watching YouTube channels. Go to YouTube. There are a ton of awesome therapists on YouTube showing people how to do exercises at home. Yeah. And I mean, I just took some really basic things. We s I, you know, stole some things out of Kylie’s flat to take in. And Guido’s son gave me some toys and we use those like stacking things to, you know, do rehab with Kylie’s hand. I took some pegs from her house and we made an activity of pegging up the curtains to do shoulder and arm rehab. So you can often do a lot without, yo

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Host Kaile Garcia interviews Karthik Gangiredla, a Seattle-based dad and founder of birchstore.com, about what newborn gear parents truly need and how to avoid being overwhelmed by unnecessary products. Karthik says newborn needs fall into four categories: sleep, feeding, transportation, and diapering with essentials like a safe bassinet or crib setup (firm, flat, bare), bottles or breastfeeding supplies as needed, an infant car seat, and diapers/wipes plus a changing surface and diaper bin. He advises buying minimally at first, then adjusting based on baby temperament or medical needs (e.g., contact napping, startle reflex, reflux, preemies, sensitive skin) and following safe sleep and swaddling guidelines. He explains Birch as a curated store and toolkit with a universal smart registry, checklists, trackers, research library, and a Trust Score using safety and review signals, offering free US shipping and generous returns. Don't forget to follow us on Instagram for more information giveaways and more. Our handle is @NewMommyMedia and follow us on Patreon! You get behind the scene clips, blog posts, videos and the episodes a week early and ad free! Complete our survey and enter to win a $50 gift card: ⁠⁠⁠https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/P8GTTR3 Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Evan Birch spent nearly 20 years in emergency dispatch, including roles with STARS and Calgary 911. He became the person who could stay calm, carry pressure, and help people through some of the worst moments of their lives. Over time, that ability came with a cost: panic attacks, sleeplessness, PTSD, and the realization that he had taught himself not to feel just to keep doing the job.In this conversation, Evan talks about hiding what was happening, trying to win at therapy, and the complicated role running played in his recovery. It gave him peace, but it also gave him somewhere to keep moving. We also get into KidSport, ultrarunning, identity, and what it looks like to build a life that is no longer defined by one job.Connect with Evan Birch:Website: https://ultrabirch.com/Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/ultrabirch⁠⁠LinkedIn: https://ca.linkedin.com/in/birchevan⁠⁠Connect with Jeff Humphreys:Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.jeffhumphreys.ca⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/jeffhumphreys⁠⁠⁠⁠TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@jeffhumphreys_⁠⁠⁠⁠LinkedIn: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeffhumphreysyyc⁠⁠⁠⁠Podcast Location & Production:Off Set Studios: ⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.offsetstudios.ca

On todays show I'm joined by Evan Birch, a Canadian ultrarunner and co star of the documentary "Supernova," which follows his journey racing with his dog, Nova. Birch shares his expertise on the biomechanics and safety of distance running with canines, emphasizing proper recovery and climate awareness for animals. We also explore Birch's personal history with PTSD and how trail running serves as a vital tool for his mental health. We also dive into the dialogue around mainstream influencer culture in sports and advocates for a more authentic, community-driven approach to the ultra-marathon environment. To learn amore about Evan's story and his coaching services follow him on Instagram @ultrabirchTO SAVE BIG on shoes, nutrition and a whole lot more. ACCESS our AFFORDABILITY FLYER at runningscaredmedia.com Partners:On Trail Nutrition - On Trail Nutrition, high-energy protein bars built for the outdoors. No crashes, no junk, just steady fuel for your hikes, rides, and long days. Check them out at ontrailnutrition.com and fuel your next adventure.Link: HERECode: RUNNINGSCARED10THN Labs - THN make energy gels in Canada with minimal ingredients. If you're running long and want to actually know what you're eating, hit them up at thnlabs.com.Photo credit: Lucas Cullen and Tommy DewittSupport the showSubscribe to Running Scared Media wherever you get your podcasts for more episodes!RunningScaredMedia.comVisit our shop to purchase our jogcasts and other merchEmail us at: therunningscaredpodcast@gmail.comFollow us:Instagram @runningscaredmediaJoin our FB Running Group 

I was a bit deflated a couple of Fridays ago when the news of the passing of Bill Birch came through. His life contribution and story barely got a mention. But I felt better this last Friday when at least his funeral got much better coverage. I haven't really been able to work out whether today's treatment of the passing of some of our more influential figures has changed because of a lack of resource in the media, or because those left in the media lack an institutional knowledge and therefore most people didn't have a clue who Birch was? That last bit is a particularly weak aspect of modern journalism. The "I wasn't born when that happened” excuse has become some sort of acceptable reason for knowing nothing that didn't pop up on your Facebook feed. It remains as important as it ever has to recognise contribution.Sam Neill got his fair share the other day. But Bill Birch left this country with a real legacy, the largest bit of which is the Clyde Dam. Clyde Dam was part of 'think big', which ultimately was a futile exercise given we couldn't. Not properly. But the irony was not lost on me that in the days of saving Golden Bay Cement and using bits of Marsden Point we seem to have arrived at a new view on self reliance, which was what 'think big' was also about. Birch might have been if not “the” most impactful MP never to be in the top job, certainly in the top handful. Decades in Parliament, at very senior level, making decisions that can still be seen and felt to this day. There is value in understanding how this country was run and who ran it. Just because you weren't around, doesn't make it less so. In fact Birch came to Parliament when I was about six or seven-years-old. But given his length of tenure I ended up dealing with him numerous times over the years. Not being unkind - he wasn't what you'd call a "hot talent" on air. But the influence and string pulling behind the scenes meant he needed to be talked to regularly. He perhaps also represented an increasingly rare breed in the workaholic. Forget the politics; you could never fault his dedication to the task. He was exactly the sort of person you wanted in the nation's Parliament. He was there for the right reasons and determined not to die wondering. Thankfully he got at least someway towards what he deserved by way of our respect on Friday. LISTEN ABOVESee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Warum kreisen unsere Gedanken manchmal ständig ums Essen? Mit Ernährungspsychologe Frédéric Letzner sprechen wir über Food Noise, Diäten und Verbote, emotionales Essen, intuitive Ernährung, Bodybuilding, Social Media und GLP‑1‑Abnehmspritzen. Dabei geht es um die Frage, wann Gesundheitsstreben kippt – und wie ein entspannteres Verhältnis zu Essen und Körper entstehen kann. ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dominiks Buch zur pflanzenbasierten Sporternährung im UTB-Verlag: https://www.utb.de/doi/book/10.36198/9783838560328 Dominiks Gesundheitscommunity: www.gsundes-hannover.de Dominiks Online-Knie-Kurs: https://gsundes-hannover.de/knieschmerzen/ Dominiks Online-Rücken-Kurs: https://copecart.com/products/34bd5abb/checkout Marcs veganes Online-Fitness-Coaching: https://vegainer-academy.com/ Marcs Online-Kurs: https://www.copecart.com/products/a50f88f2/checkout Frédérics Instagram-Kanal: https://www.instagram.com/frederic.letzner.official/?hl=de Frédérics Webseite: https://fredericletzner.de/ Frédérics Online-Kurse: https://fredericletzner-kurs.de/ ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dieser Podcast wird unterstützt von der Firma Watson Nutrition. Die Firma bietet als einzige umfassend laborgeprüfte Nahrungsergänzungsmittel für eine optimierte Nährstoffversorgung. Zum Angebot zählen Multi-Supplemente, Mono-Supplemente, Sportsupplemente wie Kreatin oder auch Proteinriegel, Shakes und essenzielle Aminosäuren Mit dem Code veganperformance erhältst du 5 % Rabatt auf deine Bestellung.  Zur Firmenwebseite: Watson Nutrition ------------------------------------------------------------------------ Redaktionelle Anmerkungen 00:16:10:17–00:17:08:17 – Trauma und Disziplin: Trauma ist ein Risikofaktor für Adipositas und Binge Eating, aber keine belegte Erklärung für „die meisten“ Fälle. „Die allermeisten adipösen Menschen sind hochdiszipliniert“ sollte als therapeutische Erfahrung Frédérics gekennzeichnet werden, nicht als epidemiologischer Fakt. 00:21:54:17–00:29:47:17 – Bodybuilding und Clean Eating: Bodybuilding ist keine „Essstörung der Männer“. Es kann mit erhöhtem Risiko für gestörtes Essverhalten und Muskeldysmorphie verbunden sein. Ebenso können rigide Clean-Eating-Regeln und Essanfälle zusammenhängen, gehören aber nicht zwangsläufig zusammen. 00:51:58:17–00:56:05:17 – Fasten, Körperhass und Veganismus: Fasten „zerstört“ Hunger- und Sättigungssignale nicht generell. Es kann bei vulnerablen Menschen problematisch werden. Auch die behauptete hohe Dunkelziffer an Essstörungen unter vegan lebenden Menschen ist nicht belegt. Eine vegane Ernährung kann in Einzelfällen Restriktion verdecken, ist aber nicht automatisch ein Risikomarker. 01:09:03:17–01:09:58:17 – Langzeitfolgen von GLP-1: „Langzeitfolgen sind unbekannt“ ist zu grob. Es liegen inzwischen Daten über mehrere Jahre vor; offene Fragen betreffen besonders lebenslange Anwendung und sehr seltene Folgen. Quellenverzeichnis American Psychiatric Association. (2022). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., text rev.). American Psychiatric Association Publishing. Arnaut, T., Duncan, S., Faurby, M., Hahn-Pedersen, J. H., Kvist, K., Steenackers, N., & Buse, J. B. (2026). Retrospective assessment of food noise changes after initiation of injectable semaglutide for weight management in the USA: The INFORM survey. Advances in Therapy. Advance online publication. Bacon, L., Stern, J. S., Van Loan, M. D., & Keim, N. L. (2005). Size acceptance and intuitive eating improve health for obese, female chronic dieters. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 105(6), 929–936. Bardone-Cone, A. M., Wonderlich, S. A., Frost, R. O., Bulik, C. M., Mitchell, J. E., Uppala, S., & Simonich, H. (2007). Perfectionism and eating disorders: Current status and future directions. Clinical Psychology Review, 27(3), 384–405. Brewis, A., Hayashi, D., Gualano, B., Precinotto, M. L., Scagliusi, F. B., Stöckelová, T., SturtzSreetharan, C., West, H., Williams, O., & Masterson, T. D. (2026). Food noise: Conceptual, methodological, and ethical considerations. Appetite, 226, 108700. Bulik, C. M., Blake, L., & Austin, J. (2019). Genetics of eating disorders: What the clinician needs to know. Psychiatric Clinics of North America, 42(1), 59–73. Bundesministerium der Justiz. (o. J.). Sozialgesetzbuch Fünftes Buch – Gesetzliche Krankenversicherung: § 43 Ergänzende Leistungen zur Rehabilitation. Gesetze im Internet. Burke, L. E., Wang, J., & Sevick, M. A. (2011). Self-monitoring in weight loss: A systematic review of the literature. Journal of the American Dietetic Association, 111(1), 92–102. Camilleri, G. M., Méjean, C., Bellisle, F., Andreeva, V. A., Kesse-Guyot, E., Hercberg, S., & Péneau, S. (2017). Intuitive eating dimensions were differently associated with food intake in the general population-based NutriNet-Santé study. The Journal of Nutrition, 147(1), 61–69. Dhurandhar, E. J., Maki, K. C., Dhurandhar, N. V., Kyle, T. K., Yurkow, S., Hawkins, M. A. W., Agley, J., Ho, E. H., Cheskin, L. J., Sørensen, T. I. A., Wang, X. R., & Allison, D. B. (2025). Food noise: Definition, measurement, and future research directions. Nutrition & Diabetes, 15, Article 30. Friedrichsen, M., Breitschaft, A., Tadayon, S., Wizert, A., & Skovgaard, D. (2021). The effect of semaglutide 2.4 mg once weekly on energy intake, appetite, control of eating, and gastric emptying in adults with obesity. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 23(3), 754–762. Galloway, A. T., Fiorito, L. M., Francis, L. A., & Birch, L. L. (2006). “Finish your soup”: Counterproductive effects of pressuring children to eat on intake and affect. Appetite, 46(3), 318–323. Gemeinsamer Bundesausschuss. (2026). Richtlinie über die Durchführung der Psychotherapie (Psychotherapie-Richtlinie). Hall, K. D., & Kahan, S. (2018). Maintenance of lost weight and long-term management of obesity. Medical Clinics of North America, 102(1), 183–197. Hayashi, D., Edwards, C., Emond, J. A., Gilbert-Diamond, D., Butt, M., Rigby, A., & Masterson, T. D. (2023). What is food noise? A conceptual model of food cue reactivity. Nutrients, 15(22), Article 4809. Herbert, B. M., Blechert, J., Hautzinger, M., Matthias, E., & Herbert, C. (2013). Intuitive eating is associated with interoceptive sensitivity: Effects on body mass index. Appetite, 70, 22–30. Hudson, J. I., Hiripi, E., Pope, H. G., Jr., & Kessler, R. C. (2007). The prevalence and correlates of eating disorders in the National Comorbidity Survey Replication. Biological Psychiatry, 61(3), 348–358. Jansen, E., Mulkens, S., Emond, Y., & Jansen, A. (2008). From the Garden of Eden to the land of plenty: Restriction of fruit and sweets intake leads to increased fruit and sweets consumption in children. Appetite, 51(3), 570–575. Joubert, L. M., Gonzalez, G. B., & Larson, A. J. (2020). Prevalence of disordered eating among international sport lead rock climbers. Frontiers in Sports and Active Living, 2, Article 86. Levinson, C. A., Fewell, L., & Brosof, L. C. (2017). My Fitness Pal calorie tracker usage in the eating disorders. Eating Behaviors, 27, 14–16. Linardon, J., Tylka, T. L., & Fuller-Tyszkiewicz, M. (2021). Intuitive eating and its psychological correlates: A meta-analysis. International Journal of Eating Disorders, 54(7), 1073–1098. Look AHEAD Research Group. (2014). Eight-year weight losses with an intensive lifestyle intervention: The Look AHEAD study. Obesity, 22(1), 5–13. Loos, R. J. F., & Yeo, G. S. H. (2022). The genetics of obesity: From discovery to biology. Nature Reviews Genetics, 23(2), 120–133. McLean, C. P., Kulkarni, J., & Sharp, G. (2022). Disordered eating and the meat-avoidance spectrum: A systematic review and clinical implications. Eating and Weight Disorders, 27(7), 2347–2375. Mitchell, L., Murray, S. B., Cobley, S., Hackett, D., Gifford, J., Capling, L., & O'Connor, H. (2017). Muscle dysmorphia symptomatology and associated psychological features in bodybuilders and non-bodybuilder resistance trainers: A systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 47(2), 233–259. Palmisano, G. L., Innamorati, M., & Vanderlinden, J. (2016). Life adverse experiences in relation with obesity and binge eating disorder: A systematic review. Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 5(1), 11–31. Paslakis, G., Richardson, C., Nöhre, M., Brähler, E., Holzapfel, C., Hilbert, A., & de Zwaan, M. (2020). Prevalence and psychopathology of vegetarians and vegans—Results from a representative survey in Germany. Scientific Reports, 10, Article 6840. Rodriguez, P. J., Zhang, V., Gratzl, S., Do, D., Goodwin Cartwright, B., Baker, C., Gluckman, T. J., Stucky, N., & Emanuel, E. J. (2025). Discontinuation and reinitiation of dual-labeled GLP-1 receptor agonists among US adults with overweight or obesity. JAMA Network Open, 8(1), e2457349. Schaumberg, K., Anderson, D. A., Anderson, L. M., Reilly, E. E., & Gorrell, S. (2016). Dietary restraint: What's the harm? A review of the relationship between dietary restraint, weight trajectory and the development of eating pathology. Clinical Obesity, 6(2), 89–100. Schmitt, A., Frenser, M., & Fischer, T. (2025). Tendencies of eating disordered behaviours in male content creators: A social media analysis. Journal of Eating Disorders, 13, Article 201. Schultz, W. (2016). Dopamine reward prediction error coding. Dialogues in Clinical Neuroscience, 18(1), 23–32. Sundgot-Borgen, J., & Torstveit, M. K. (2004). Prevalence of eating disorders in elite athletes is higher than in the general population. Clinical Journal of Sport Medicine, 14(1), 25–32. Techniker Krankenkasse. (2026, 9. April). Ich brauche eine Ernährungsberatung: Wie unterstützt mich die TK? Teixeira, P. J., Carraça, E. V., Markland, D., Silva, M. N., & Ryan, R. M. (2012). Exercise, physical activity, and self-determination theory: A systematic review. International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity, 9, Article 78. Thanarajah, S. E., Backes, H., DiFeliceantonio, A. G., Albus, K., Cremer, A. L., Hanssen, R., Lippert, R. N., Cornely, O. A., Small, D. M., Brüning, J. C., & Tittgemeyer, M. (2019). Food intake recruits orosensory and post-ingestive dopaminergic circuits to affect eating desire in humans. Cell Metabolism, 29(3), 695–706.e4. Tremelling, K., Sandon, L., Vega, G. L., & McAdams, C. J. (2017). Orthorexia nervosa and eating disorder symptoms in registered dietitian nutritionists in the United States. Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, 117(10), 1612–1617. Turner, P. G., & Lefevre, C. E. (2017). Instagram use is linked to increased symptoms of orthorexia nervosa. Eating and Weight Disorders, 22(2), 277–284. Westwater, M. L., Fletcher, P. C., & Ziauddeen, H. (2016). Sugar addiction: The state of the science. European Journal of Nutrition, 55(Suppl. 2), S55–S69. Wilding, J. P. H., Batterham, R. L., Davies, M., Van Gaal, L. F., Kandler, K., Konakli, K., Lingvay, I., McGowan, B. M., Kalayci Oral, T., Rosenstock, J., Wadden, T. A., Wharton, S., Yokote, K., Kushner, R. F., & STEP 1 Study Group. (2022). Weight regain and cardiometabolic effects after withdrawal of semaglutide: The STEP 1 trial extension. Diabetes, Obesity and Metabolism, 24(8), 1553–1564.

Listen to Libby's votes.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Struggling to choose between Madgicx, Birch, and competitive intelligence platforms? We break down which AI ad tool fits your workflow, from campaign optimization to creative research, and reveal why pricing models matter more than you think.Learn more at https://www.gethookd.ai/learn/madgicx-vs-birch-revealbot-vs-gethookd-features-pricing-reviews/ GetHookd LLC City: Miami Address: 40 SW 13th street Website: https://www.gethookd.ai/

Corrective feedback is hardwired to feel bad, but coaching conversations don't have to be a fight. In this episode, hosts Ethan and Mike Nash break down BIRCH, a simple framework for feedback that actually helps people grow. Text the word "LEADING" to 66866 to be added to Nash Consulting's monthly newsletter. Just practical management skills and tips. And just once a month. Pinky swear.

Lou Meyer, arborist from Davey's Mid-Atlantic region, continues our species series with the beautiful river birch tree. In this episode, Lou and host Doug Oster talk about the river birch's characteristics, ecological value, cultural and medicinal uses and more. To find your local Davey office, check out our find a local office page to search by zip code.To learn more about different tree species, please read our blogs Tree Selection Guide, Tree Identification, Tree Planting & Transplanting and Trimming and Pruning.Connect with Davey Tree on social media:Twitter: @DaveyTreeFacebook: @DaveyTreeInstagram: @daveytreeYouTube: The Davey Tree Expert CompanyLinkedIn: The Davey Tree Expert Company Connect with Doug Oster at www.dougoster.com. Connect with us: podcasts@davey.com. Have feedback, questions or a topic you want covered? Click here to send Talking Trees a message OR email podcasts@davey.com.

After more than two decades in hospitality, Amelia Birch has built a business that reflects exactly what she believes in. Amelia is the founder of Famelia, Australia’s only wine bar and bottle shop dedicated exclusively to championing women winemakers and women-led wine businesses. But her journey to Famelia was far from straightforward. In this episode of Straight To The Source, Amelia joins Lucy Allon to share how losing her award-winning restaurant, The Book Kitchen, forced her to rebuild, reassess and create something with deeper purpose. She explains why Famelia became exclusively focused on women-made wine, how conscious consumerism can drive meaningful industry change, and why hospitality should feel welcoming rather than intimidating. The conversation also explores sustainable hospitality, achieving two Food Made Good stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association, entrepreneurship, motherhood and Amelia’s belief that authentic, values-led businesses can make a greater impact than those focused on profit alone. This is an honest conversation about women in wine, rebuilding after adversity and creating a hospitality business that genuinely stands for something. What You'll Hear in This Episode From The Book Kitchen to Famelia: How losing her award-winning restaurant during Sydney’s light rail construction reshaped Amelia’s career and approach to business. Why Famelia exclusively champions women winemakers: The customer behaviour and industry realities that inspired Amelia to create a wine bar and bottle shop dedicated to women-made wine. The visibility gap for women in wine: Why many customers still do not realise how few women are represented across the wine industry. Making wine more approachable: Amelia’s mission to remove intimidation, gatekeeping and unnecessary complexity from the wine experience. The power of conscious consumerism: How everyday purchasing decisions can support women winemakers, independent producers and businesses with purpose. Purpose over profit in hospitality: Why Amelia measures success through authenticity, community and impact rather than revenue alone. Building a values-led hospitality business: How purpose can guide decisions, strengthen customer loyalty and create a clearer point of difference. Sustainability at Famelia: What achieving two Food Made Good stars from the Sustainable Restaurant Association means and how Amelia is embedding sustainability into daily operations. Leadership shaped by adversity: How business loss, resilience and reinvention influenced Amelia’s leadership style. Motherhood and entrepreneurship: The realities of raising two teenage boys while growing an independent hospitality business. The future of Famelia: Amelia’s ambitions for the business and her broader vision for women in wine and hospitality. Going Straight To The Source: Amelia's powerful definition of respecting provenance, recognising producers and choosing to support the people behind every product. Follow Amelia Birch & Famelia @famelia.wine• @amelia.famelia Resources & Mentions Famelia Wine Bar & Bottle Shop: https://famelia.com.au • Sustainable Restaurant Association – Food Made Good Standard: https://www.foodmadegood.org About Straight To The Source Straight To The Source brings you closer to the chefs, producers, growers and makers across the entire food chain, the people shaping where food is headed and why it matters. Hosted by food experts Tawnya Bahr and Lucy Allon. Follow, rate and review Straight To The Source to help more people discover the stories shaping Australia's food and hospitality industry. You can find us:• Straight To The Source Podcast: https://lnk.to/jBCTBE • Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/straight_to_the_source/ • Website: http://straighttothesource.com.au Keywords Amelia Birch, Famelia Wine Bar, women winemakers Australia, women in wine Australia, hospitality leadership, purpose driven business, conscious consumerism, sustainable hospitality, Food Made Good, Sustainable Restaurant Association, Australian wine podcast, hospitality podcast Australia, female entrepreneurs Australia, Sydney wine bar, sommelier Australia, hospitality sustainability, hospitality leadership podcast, Straight To The Source podcast, Lucy Allon, Tawnya Bahr@straighttothesourcepodcast: https://www.youtube.com/See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Les images du village de Blatten (VS), pulvérisé par l'éboulement du glacier du Birch, mercredi 28 mai 2025, ont fait le tour du monde. Un évènement amené à se reproduire? Décryptage avec Saskia Gindraux, glaciologue au CREALP, le centre de recherche sur l'environnement alpin à Sion. Journaliste: Juliane Roncoroni Réalisateur: Ilian Wenger Episode en nouvelle diffusion, initialement publié le 3 juin 2025 >> Pour aller plus loin: - Le suivi de la catastrophe de Blatten sur RTSinfo.ch - "Surveillance alpine: quand la technologie prévient les catastrophes", article RTSinfo du 23 mai 2025 (en ligne) - "Poches d'eau qui éclatent: le danger sous-estimé des glaciers valaisans expliqué en vidéo", Le Nouvelliste, 19 janvier 2025 (en ligne) Nous écrire ou nous proposer des questions: +41 79 134 34 70 ou pointj@rts.ch

3AW Football's Libby Birch joins Jimmy Bartel every week to unpack the big injury news in the AFL.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this episode, John and Mike visit one of their favorite annual Mustang club shows, the Great Lakes Stampede All-Ford & Mustang Car Show, hosted by the Mustang Club of Mid Michigan (MCMM). This event marked the public debut of the Mustang Owner's Podcast 10x10 Meet & Greet tent display, where the boys featured not one, but TWO celebrity guests – Bud Magaldi, chief designer and styling design manager of the Fourth Generation (SN95) 1994 Mustang, and Emeline King, the interior designer of that same Fourth Generation (SN95) 1994 Mustang. Bud and Emeline chatted with attendees and signed autographs while Emeline also offered a book-signing for her inspirational softcover autobiography, “What Do You Mean A Black Girl Can't Design Cars? Emeline King, She Did It! (still available on Amazon).This year the MCMM moved its show venue to the Birch Run Speedway after several years at the nearby Outlet Mall. Clouds, wind and eventual rain may have affected the turnout a bit, but John and Mike were amazed by how many different variants of Shelby Mustangs braved the elements for the Stampede, as well as how many early gens were there, along with a multitude of special colors in attendance – especially green! The great photography you see here came from Ford retiree and super-enthusiast Bill Cook.

In today's episode, I talk with Juno Birch about ditching the blue, living stealth, being elderly in your 30s, the hair situation and much more!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Yukon Metals CEO Jim Coates joins MSD to discuss the company's newly staked Tummel tungsten project, expanding a Yukon critical-metals portfolio that already includes Risby and Clea. Coates explains Tummel's Union Carbide history, high-grade tungsten showings, and the broader strategic interest in non-Chinese tungsten supply. He also updates drilling at the AZ and Birch copper-gold targets, where roughly 5,000 meters have been completed or are underway. With fresh financing closed, Yukon Metals is preparing mid-summer assay and geophysical news flow.

In this episode, Madelyn O'Farrell talks with Mike Matson, Co-Founder and CEO of Birch Geothermal, about his journey from the US Navy and academia through oil and gas, carbon capture, and consulting at BCG to founding Birch. They unpack what Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS) are, why Birch is “rooted in speed,” and how geothermal can scale quickly to meet soaring power demand from data centers and AI infrastructure. Mike explains geothermal's rare bipartisan appeal, the strong market signal from Fervo's recent IPO, and how 80–90% of oil and gas subsurface skills transfer directly into geothermal. They also explore what must go right for geothermal to move from a rounding error to a meaningful share of the US power mix over the next decade, and where the biggest “picks and shovels” investment opportunities lie across drilling, subsurface design, monitoring, and modular power systems. Highlights from their conversation include: Mike's Journey from Navy Service to Academia and Teaching (0:41) Midlife Rowing Expedition and Move into Drilling Operations (2:55) Shift from Oil and Gas to Carbon Capture and Clean Energy (3:42) Joining BCG and Discovering a Thesis Around Geothermal (4:31) Why Geothermal Has Unique Bipartisan Support in Politics (6:08) Market Signal from Fervo's Landmark IPO and Debt Financing (10:36) Why the Mountain West Is Ground Zero for Early EGS Projects (13:55) How Oil and Gas Skills Transfer 80–90% into Geothermal Roles (16:27) Birch's Thesis: Scaling Geothermal without a Green Premium (19:55) AI, Data Centers, and the 10-Year Outlook for Geothermal in the US Mix (23:19) Picks and Shovels Opportunities Across Drilling, Subsurface, and ORC Systems (25:51) Final Thoughts and Takeaways (29:37) Dynamo Ventures is a venture firm backing founders upgrading the physical economy. As intelligence moves into critical infrastructure and technology collides with physics, industry is entering a new era of transformation - the industrial renaissance. Born from the dirt and grit of supply chains and shaped by operations, not spreadsheets, Dynamo focuses on the complex realities of building in the real world. We invest in companies transforming infrastructure, manufacturing, logistics, transportation, and the systems that power global commerce. Dynamo works closely with founders who combine ambition with a bias to action, bringing a builder mindset to venture capital through deep operational insight, systematic pressure-testing and hands-on partnership. Our purpose is simple: to back the relentless shaping the industrial renaissance. Learn more at www.dynamo.vc. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

3AW Football's Libby Birch spoke to Matt Granland on all of the latest injury news.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Kvindelige statuer i bybilledet er ofte nøgne og ukendte. Når politikerne vil have flere statuer af historiske kvinder, handler det om, hvem der må blive husket, og hvem der skal lade pladsen og risikere at gå i glemmebogen. K-Live zoomer ind på hukommelsen som en kampplads i kulturen og kunsten. Medvirkende: Thomas Kluge, portrætkunstner Julie Rokkjær Birch, museumsdirektør i Den Gamle By Ida Retz Wessberg, billedhugger Freja Nieman Lundrup, billedhugger Peter Mark Lundberg, bestyrelsesleder Dansk Kulturliv Niels Krause-Kjær, bestyrelsesformand i Statens Kunstfond Vært: Linnea Albinus Lande Producer: Anna Correll Redaktør: Lasse Lauridsen

What does it take to bring women into infrastructure—and keep them there? The goal was once simply to get female leaders a seat at the table. Today, this growing demographic in the industry rightfully demands not just an invitation but influence and impact once they're there. In this episode, Evgenia and Shormila are joined by Marisa Espinosa (AECOM) and Karla Avis-Birch (Arup) for a thoughtful conversation about what it takes not only to enter the sector, but to stay long enough to shape the future of capital projects. Both guests bring deep experience in transportation and major programmes, along with distinct paths into the industry. Their conversation explores the leadership qualities required in a sector where technical and human complexity are equally matched. Marisa and Karla discuss the importance of purpose, passion, life experience, and systemized thinking in ensuring teams stay productive and connected. They also reflect on the need for diverse perspectives when building infrastructure that serves real communities.Opportunity, support, and thoughtful policies all contribute to keeping women coming to and growing within their industry. Both Marisa and Karla play important roles in their local WTS chapters and speak to the need for robust networks both inside and outside the office. They celebrate the relationships that provide both confidence and community, as existing and upcoming generations of infrastructure leaders continue to push the boundaries of what's possible.Key Takeaways:Why transportation leadership starts with understanding how people actually rely on infrastructure;The essential leadership traits for everyone climbing the ranks in major projects;What women's lived experience brings to infrastructure decision-making and project delivery;How non-linear careers, caregiving, and confidence gaps affect women's progression in the industry;The role of women-led networks like WTS in building community, credibility, and opportunity.Quote:“What's your own leadership imprint? Who you are as a leader; how do you want to show up?…That's important” - Marisa EspinosaThe conversation doesn't stop here—connect and converse with our community via LinkedIn:Follow Navigating Major Programmes: https://www.linkedin.com/company/navigating-major-programmes/Read Riccardo's latest at www.riccardocosentino.comToronto chapter of the WTS: https://www.wtsinternational.org/chapters/toronto/about Vancouver chapter of the WTS: https://www.wtsinternational.org/chapters/vancouver/about Follow Shormila Chatterjee: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shormilac/Follow Evgenia Jilina: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ejilina/  Follow Marisa Espinosa: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marisa-espinosa-a575314/ Follow Karla Avis-Birch: https://www.linkedin.com/in/karla-avis-birch-p-eng-a8a8b1152/ 

Listen to a special Saturday edition of Sports Today with Eddie Summerfield and Libby Birch.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

More people than ever have a therapist, yet 1 in 3 US adults report symptoms of depression or anxiety. So what gives? Is therapy even working? I had on a top clinical therapist and she said no, it's not, but there is something we can do to feel better. Dr. Maytal Eyal is a top practicing psychologist whose writing has been featured in The Atlantic, TIME, Wired, and Psychology Today, and her insights have appeared in NPR, BBC, Vogue, Vox, The Guardian, and Cosmopolitan. In this conversation, we dive into what we can all do instead of 1:1 therapy to feel better, how to know if therapy is working for you, and we answer many of your therapy questions.

3AW Football's Libby Birch joined Bruce Eva to talk about all of the big injury news in the AFL.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Big Dipper and Meatball welcome the formerly blue Juno Birch and the conversation spirals from food poisoning to feline separation anxiety to doing stand-up comedy in America. Juno dishes on lovingly leaving her alien era behind, how to vape on an airplane, and performing at the Comedy Store. Meanwhile, Dipper and Meatball swap hookup horror stories, reminisce about loud hotel sex, and discuss fake teeth, stolen drag concepts, and Juno's obsession with The Sims.Listen to Sloppy Seconds Ad-Free AND One Day Early on MOM Plus⁠Call us with your sex stories at 213-536-9180!Or e-mail us at ⁠sloppysecondspod@gmail.com⁠⁠FOLLOW SLOPPY SECONDS⁠⁠FOLLOW BIG DIPPER⁠⁠FOLLOW MEATBALL⁠⁠SLOPPY SECONDS IS A FOREVER DOG AND MOGULS OF MEDIA (M.O.M.) PODCASTSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

In this episode of New for '96 – Kevin makes a movie about a green car, Chris buys something British from a dealer next to the city tire fire, and we brush off scandalous car controversies. Rare Shades Birch Green on Youtube: https://youtu.be/OLH0MAg6rj8?si=OlIcDfPhzPWlIZ8OTopicsRare Shades: Birch Green Porsche film and screeningsPorsche PTS and modern color trends2011 L322 Range RoverModern car interiors, touchscreens, capacitive controls, and physical buttonsTesla Model SWhether wagons are actually making a comebackCar enthusiast controversies, including Taycan “Turbo,” Mustang Mach-E, and heavy BMW M carsCarPlayKevin's PNW mini-road trip with Daniel Sloan: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZ84XZJFInx/?utm_source=ig_web_copy_link&igsh=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==Daniel Sloan's BMW builds and other project cars

We're closing out The Chef's Counter with Kathy Johnston from Birch Bakery. Birch is one of Dubai's loved artisanal bakeries featuring 100% sustainable Wildfarmed flour. For The Chef's Counter, Birch is working with the luscious red apricots we source from Provence to create a beautiful apricot tart, available this week at select Spinneys stores.The Chef's Counter is our micro-series and an extension of our in-store initiative to support the chefs and food entrepreneurs shaping the UAE's dining scene. We'll be taking a break for the summer and will return with new episodes in September, see you then!

Welcome to another podcast from The MELTiverse called Musica Universalis! It is a podcast that was created to explore numinous music. Mysterious music. Transcendent music. Otherworldly music. Relax and enjoy. Sofie Birch is a sound performer who works with vibrational tools to transform, heal, and enchant our perception of Life. Every month, she hosts the radio show Ambient Abracadabra on NTS—a sound collage featuring listeners' secret adventurous sound creations alongside excerpts from podcasts on natural medicine, spiritual work, and mysteries. Sofie has more than ten years of experience producing music for theatre, film, and art installations, and has received beautiful recognition for her work through awards, prizes, and reviews. Sofie travels the world with her creations, both as a solo performer and together with her otherworldly friend, Antonina Nowacka. She also runs a sound studio and big garden with her partner, Anders Christophersen, on a small island far away from Copenhagen. At the core of Sofie Birch's practice is an ongoing inquiry into spirituality, perception, and interconnectedness. Her work unfolds where artistic practice, inner inquiry, and the intelligence of nature meet. Nature is both source and collaborator in her process. ​Her second home, on the island of Fejø, serves as a place for deep work and reconnection, while her interest in flower essences and natural medicine evolves alongside a meditation practice she carries with her everywhere. ​With a background in sound design and electronic music, her practice extends beyond sound alone. She works with sound as a sensorial and energetic material, while also engaging with visual and spatial elements such as costumes, stage design, and varied listening environments — from acoustic settings to multichannel systems. ​​Her work offers spaces for presence, deep listening, and subtle transformation, supporting a conscious and curious collaboration with the life force energy. Sofie's website: https://www.sofiebirch.dk/ Sofie's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sofiebirchxix/ Ambient Abracadabra: https://www.nts.live/shows/sofie-birch Sofie's Bandcamp: https://sofiebirch.bandcamp.com/

In Dave's absence we have a very special treat for you in this episode: a peek behind the Patreon paywall - an episode of Lost Mountain Saga's Patreon exclusive Birch Basement podcast (featuring, by pure coincidence, Matthew and Dave)00.00.40: Introduction00.02.14: World of Gaming - The Children of Time RPG is live soon on kickstarter; New Alien cinematic Operation Leading Edge, on pre-order; just two weeks to back Nordic Skalds' Third Horizon campaign Eater of Worlds00.05.50: Old West News - Lone Rider has playtest feedback; Tales of the Old West will be the ruleset for the next season of Lost Mountain Saga00.08.04: An episode of Birch Basement  - Ellinor and Sydney's Patron Exclusive podcast. If you like it (we are not on every episode) join their Patreon at a paid rank.01.01.28: Next time and Goodbye Effekt is brought to you by Effekt Publishing. Music is by Stars in a Black Sea, used with kind permission of Free League Publishing.Like what we do?But our game, Tales of the Old West via our website and download Tales of the Old West QuickDraw available for free on DriveThru. The core rules are now available on DriveThru too.Put our brand on your face! (and elsewhere)Buy pdfs via our DriveThru Affiliate linkLeave a review on iTunes or PodchaserFind our Actual Play recordings on effektap ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

The 3AW footy team discusses whether Toby Greene should be suspended for a week after his conduct against Carlton during round 15.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Yukon Metals CEO Jim Coates outlines the company's summer exploration plans across its Yukon copper-gold portfolio, including a 5,000-metre drill campaign split between the AZ and Birch projects. At AZ, Yukon is following up on potassic alteration, porphyry-style geochemistry, and IP results from last season. At Birch, drilling will test a 700-metre skarn system while geophysics investigates a possible porphyry source area marked by molybdenum, tellurium, and potassium-thorium indicators. Coates also discusses the company's recent $13 million financing and a very active Yukon exploration season.

A new episode of the “From the Fabricator” podcast is now up!  This time out was a very cool mix with the guests, and it had tons of helpful notes.  I lead off with Tom Culp, consultant extraordinaire and one of the key cogs of the NGA Technical Super Hero team (led by the incredible Urmilla Sowell, and featuring a crew of folks who care deeply for the good of our industry: Thom Zaremba, Nick Resatar, Karen Wegert, Georgia Oehler, and Amber Johnson).  Tom covered a ton of the technical ground and also broke some great code news for our industry.  In addition, Tom covered what's next and how we as an industry- with great volunteers too- are working through it. Next up was the fabulous Jamie Kernohan of Glass Guru.  Jamie is a pros pro when it comes to the marketing game and has done a great job in our industry and now is making a difference within the walls of a pretty massive organization at Glass Guru.  Jamie shared some great angles she has in play now, what's happening in her world, and the importance of not being in a “square on the screen.”  Loved it.  Both guests brought it, and I'm excited to share!  Thanks for checking it out! Thank you to FHC- Frameless Hardware Company for the continued backing of the podcast! Much appreciated!When it comes to the glass and glazing industry, FHC isn't answering to shareholders. They're answering to glaziers. Fabricators. The people doing the work every day.Founded as a return to what a true vendor partnership should be, FHC is built on accountability, extreme customer service, quality products, and agile customization.But what really sets them apart is their focus on the people factor.Real people. Real relationships. Real support when it matters most.From quick answers and meaningful conversations to helping customers solve problems and win more projects, FHC believes business is still personal.Their mission is simple: help grow the glazing industry—not exploit it.Because when their customers succeed, the entire industry gets stronger.FHC. Your partner in glass. Every step of the way.You install glass. FHC installs confidence.From the Fabricator- #Glass and #Glazing hosted by Max Perilstein, Managing Partner of Sole Source Consultants.  Connect with Max on LinkedIn at https://www.linkedin.com/in/max-perilstein-409ba111/

A history of Glen Helen in Yellow Springs and also a fabulous art collection.

Forest Service officials say the Birch Bay wildfire burning a few miles northwest of Ely is now 30 percent contained.The Minnesota Department of Human Services has disenrolled sixty percent of providers from 14 high-risk Medicaid programs.Those stories and more in today's evening update from MPR News. Hosted by Emily Reese. Music by Gary Meister.

We are diving deep into the real reasons men are not doing their part in relationships, and exactly how you can help change that. Whether you want better sex, or for him to take on more of the mental load, or you want to know if you're even with the right person, or if the relationship is worth staying in, we're going to get into that today. I sit down with Zach Brittle, one of the only couples therapists in the entire world certified in both the Gottman method and Terry Real's Relational Life therapy. His work has been featured in The New York Times, The Washington Post, and Vanity Fair. Zach is so pragmatic and has really interesting advice on some of the trickiest issues out there. We also talk about what men secretly think and feel behind the scenes that they're not sharing, and we solve a ton of the real-life relationship struggles that you guys wrote in. 

Ever feel like you and your partner are speaking totally different languages when it comes to sex? One of you wants spontaneity, the other needs to feel emotionally close first. One of you craves novelty, the other finds comfort in what already works. Here's the thing: it's probably not about compatibility. It's about your sex personality types. In this episode, we walk you through all five types, what drives each one, the superpowers they bring to a relationship, the shadows that can quietly cause friction, and how knowing your type (and your partner's) can completely change the way you understand each other.

The alien has officially landed… Juno Birch touches down on the green couch! She shocks Delta with the revelation that she's never had Ambrosia salad, which of course leads to an open invitation to swing by Delta's house immediately. Juno chats about spending the night in a UFO, her obsession with The Sims 2, and how she got absolutely snatched… courtesy of food poisoning.Plus, Delta goes OFF on the phrases she's never used that need to retire. “Today years old”? “Did a thing”? Be serious. It's time to let them go. Bye girl!Listen to Very Delta Ad-Free AND One Day Early on MOM Plus⁠ ⁠Send us an e-mail at readmedelta@gmail.com⁠ FOLLOW DELTA⁠@deltawork⁠ ⁠VERY DELTA IS A FOREVER DOG AND MOGULS OF MEDIA (M.O.M.) PODCASTSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Every Coffee Fest we sit down with presenters and speakers to talk about their field of expertise and learn from their experience in coffee. This last NYC Coffee Fest we were privileged to get to chat with four dynamic professionals and discuss everything from barista education and community, social media strategy, and how to run a world class bakery and coffee bar. We start with Ivana Chan and Rachel Apple of Raise the Bar! Ivana Chan is a marketing and e-commerce consultant who has spent the last seven years helping specialty coffee brands grow by bringing their hospitality online through thoughtful digital strategy. She is also the co-founder of Raise the Bar Coffee, a nonprofit focused on accessible coffee education, mentorship, and community-building, best known for organizing Level Up, an event where baristas connect, learn, and build sustainable careers in coffee Rachel Apple is an esteemed figure in the specialty coffee industry, with over 19 years of comprehensive experience.  Her extensive resume includes pivotal roles as Quality Control for George Howell Coffee, Coffee Buyer & Global Supply Chain Manager, Roaster, Educator, & Barista in addition to being a Legacy Q Grader. She is also the only woman, globally, who is a Cup of Excellence Head Judge & SET Course Instructor. Rachel also serves as a US Barista Championship Head Judge, Sensory Lead, and Committee Member, investing years in volunteer work and leadership in the specialty coffee community – which has recently manifested in co-founding an education focused 501(c)(3) nonprofit Raise the Bar.  Links: https://www.instagram.com/raisethebar_coffee/   Next we get to learn about winning social media strategy from Birch Coffee's Jeremy Lyman!  Jeremy Lyman is the co-founder of Birch Coffee, a New York City-based coffee company. Since its first store opened in 2009, the company has grown to become one of New York City's premiere and most loved independent coffee shop chains. With more than a dozen locations throughout the city, the focus of Birch is on customer service. Service is something Jeremy believed was lacking in the Specialty Coffee industry and being that both he and his partner Paul are consumers first and worked in bars and restaurants for years before, they realized that this was what was necessary to stand out in the industry. In order to grow the company, Jeremy has overseen the development of not only a high level of service, but methods in which to hone and develop those skills amongst his teams. Jeremy, Paul, and their team have also figured out creative ways to stand out. From eliminating wifi and introducing conversation starters to designing extraordinarily unique napkins, they have caught the eye of the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and Forbes who have paid specific attention to these differentiators. Links: https://www.instagram.com/coffeedogguy/ www.birchcoffee.com https://www.instagram.com/birchcoffee/ Finally we discuss baking, pastry, and coffee excellence with Lauren Tran! Lauren Tran is the chef-owner of Bánh by Lauren in Chinatown, New York City. She blends her Seattle upbringing and love for coffee culture with a deep-rooted passion for Vietnamese flavors and desserts. After working at fine-dining icons Canlis, Momofuku Ko, and Gramercy Tavern, Lauren started selling pastries out of her apartment during the pandemic. Bánh by Lauren was hosted for pop-ups for four years before opening a brick and mortar bakery cafe in NYC's Manhattan Chinatown in June 2024. The New York Times ranked her shop among the top 22 bakeries in the U.S., T Magazine named her bánh bò nướng as one of the 25 essential pastries to eat in NYC, and Bánh by Lauren is a 2026 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Bakery. Links: https://www.instagram.com/banhbylauren/     Go check out Coffee Fest Trade Shows Today!  www.coffeefest.com    

Once upon a time, today's exceptionally iridescent guest was twilight-blue and hidden behind a cloak of pastel azure. Now that cerulean shell has loosened, revealing shades of the full spectrum long hidden. Emerging like a butterfly from the secret cathedral of her cyan cocoon, Juno Birch arises splendid and majestic, opening her wings in a pageant of sunlit defiance and pride. Also, she tells a harrowing tale of getting food poisoning and sh*tting the bed. Follow Juno: @JunoBirch Need a website or domain? Head to Squarespace.com for a free trial, and when you're ready to launch, save 10% off your first purchase of a website or domain at: ⁠https://Squarespace.com/BALD⁠ Bath & Body Works candles not only smell amazing, but are crafted with premium, lead-free wicks for a clean, safe burn. Shop the White Barn Neutrals collection now at ⁠⁠⁠https://bathandbodyworks.com⁠⁠⁠ Support a balanced gut microbiome with Ritual's Synbiotic Plus. Save 25% on your first month at: https://Ritual.com/BALD This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. Sign up and get 10% off at: https://BetterHelp.com/BALD To get simple, online access to personalized, affordable care for ED, Hair Loss, Weight Loss, and more, visit: https://Hims.com/BALD Follow Trixie: @TrixieMattel Follow Katya: @Katya_Zamo To watch the podcast on YouTube: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/TrixieKatyaYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To check out our official YouTube Clips Channel: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/TrixieAndKatyaClipYT⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Don't forget to follow the podcast for free wherever you're listening or by using this link: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://bit.ly/thebaldandthebeautifulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ If you want to support the show, and get all the episodes ad-free go to: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://thebaldandthebeautiful.supercast.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To check out future Live Podcast Shows, go to: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://trixieandkatya.com/#tour⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ To check out the Trixie Motel in Palm Springs, CA: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.trixiemotel.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Listen and Watch Anywhere! ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://bit.ly/thebaldandthebeautifulpodcast⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow Trixie: Official Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.trixiemattel.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@trixie⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/trixiemattel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/trixiemattel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/trixiemattel⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   Follow Katya: Official Website: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.welovekatya.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ TikTok: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@katya_zamo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Facebook: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/welovekatya⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://www.instagram.com/katya_zamo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Twitter (X): ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://twitter.com/katya_zamo⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠   #TrixieMattel #KatyaZamo #BaldBeautiful Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

The news to know for Friday, May 15, 2026! We have the takeaways from President Trump's meeting with his Chinese counterpart.  And Cuba is running out of fuel — what the U.S. is demanding before helping to solve the energy crisis. Also, who's in and who's out at America's top immigration agencies. Plus, where an unusual primary election is happening this weekend, what impact A.I. is having on the number of "A" grades at American colleges, and how girl dads are bonding over beers and bobby pins.   Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com

We're releasing this episode a day early to help answer some of the biggest questions about the rare hantavirus outbreak linked to a cruise ship. As passengers return to their home countries, including the U.S., epidemiologist Dr. Katelyn Jetelina explains what makes this virus unique, how experts are working to contain it, and what her level of concern is right now for the general public. Plus, what would change her assessment, why experts are waiting until next week to breathe a little easier, and much more.   Learn more about our guest(s): https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Join us again for our 10-minute daily news roundups every Mon-Fri!  Become an INSIDER and get ad-free episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/merch Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please email: ad-sales@libsyn.com

The news to know for Thursday, May 14, 2026! What to know about a warning from China's leader at a high-stakes meeting with President Trump, and what's expected to happen next. Also, a surprise decision in a murder case that captured national attention. Plus, a cutback in Army training, new findings about American kids' reading scores, and fans of K-Pop Demon Hunters may want to start saving up — we'll explain. Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com

The news to know for Wednesday, May 13, 2026! We're previewing the high-stakes summit between President Trump and his Chinese counterpart — set to cover everything from the Iran war to tariffs to A.I. Also, why the nation's top drug regulator is stepping down. And how the FBI's leader and a Democratic senator got into a personal clash over each other's drinking habits. Plus, remembering a trailblazer in the NBA, breaking down higher costs from the latest inflation report, and watching an actor follow in the footsteps of his famous character. Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com  

The news to know for Tuesday, May 12, 2026! We'll tell you why President Trump says the truce with Iran is now on "life support" and what he's talking about doing next. Also, an effort to monitor Hantavirus across several countries and multiple American states. Plus, another heat wave could break records today, top pediatricians are calling for kids and teens to play more at school, and what to expect at the world's biggest film festival. Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com 

The news to know for Monday, May 11, 2026! We're talking about an American cruise passenger who has tested positive for Hantavirus, and what's happening to other U.S. citizens who were evacuated from the ship at the center of a deadly outbreak. Also, could conflict in the Middle East start up again? What President Trump is now saying that has changed from a couple of weeks ago. Plus — hundreds of secret U.F.O. files going back 80 years have now been unveiled, a member of President Trump's Cabinet is starring in a new reality show, and who will be headlining the World Cup's opening ceremonies. Those stories and even more news to know in about 10 minutes!    Join us every Mon-Fri for more daily news roundups!  See sources: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/shownotes Become an INSIDER to get AD-FREE episodes here: https://www.theNewsWorthy.com/insider Get The NewsWorthy MERCH here: https://thenewsworthy.dashery.com/ Sponsors: Enjoy a deep, restful night's sleep with a new mattress from Birch. Go to BirchLiving.com/newsworthy  for 27% off sitewide! Listeners can get 20% off their Rosetta Stone Sapphire subscription when they sign up today at https://www.rosettastone.com/newsworthy To advertise on our podcast, please reach out to ad-sales@libsyn.com

This one's for the sleep-deprived, the time-starved, the diaper-changing, homework-helping parents who still want to feel like a couple. We see you. And we asked our community to help us show up for you in a big way. In this episode, we're reading real responses from real parents — practical, doable ideas and a little tough love for making intimacy a priority again, even with kids in the house.

 You've probably heard a million different time management strategies by now, but may still feel busy, exhausted, and like you don't have time to do the things you truly love. Today, we are going to change that. I surveyed thousands of Liz Moody podcast listeners and found there are four specific time hurdles all of us run into. We're going to talk about exactly how to overcome those hurdles with pragmatic, actionable steps that work. And, here's the catch, we are not talking about time management to get more done. We are talking about time management to create a life that's filled with joy and fun. My expert guest is Laura Vanderkam. She is a time management researcher who has studied thousands of people's real time logs, a bestselling author of multiple books, a business owner, mother of 5 kids, and she also sings in a choir every week. She has figured out how to use every hour intentionally, and she's going to help you do the same.

Whether it's a glass of wine to take the edge off or a gummy to get out of your head, a lot of people use substances to feel more relaxed, more connected, or more in the mood. But there's a lot more happening under the surface than most people realize. In this episode, we're pulling back the sheets on how alcohol and marijuana actually affect desire, arousal, communication, and orgasm — including some real talk from our own experience and candid responses straight from our Pillow Talks community.

One of our favorite series is back. You sent us your wildest, messiest, most "wait… am I the problem here?" relationship stories. And we have opinions. We're talking about a wife who's been sharing intimate details about her husband with her entire family for years (but only good things, so it's fine… right?). A partner who was a little too honest about his wife's body (brutal). Neighbors banging on the ceiling mid-sex. And a whole lot more. Some of these had us genuinely torn. Others? Not so much.