Podcasts about finalist

In this episode of Friends Like Us, host Marina Franklin talks with Vanessa Fraction and Kenice Mobley on  everything from winter sports to the wild world of reality TV. It's a lively discussion filled with humor, insight, and all the laughs you need!  Vanessa Fraction is a talented and hilarious comedian, actress, and writer who has made her mark in various forms of entertainment. She can currently be heard as a co-host on the Nappy Boy Radio Podcast hosted by Tpain and seen in the movie Praise This on Peacock. Vanessa can also be seen guest hosting on the entertainment news show Dish Nation. As a stand-up comedian, Vanessa has performed on Def Comedy Jam , Laff Mobs Laff Tracks , and more. Her writing credits include Raven's Home , 106 & Park , and The Mo'Nique Show. Additionally, she has appeared in the film Barbershop 2 and television shows Last Call, Mann & Wife (BounceTV), Comedy KnockOuts (TruTV) and Tales (BET) Not only is Vanessa "Action" Fraction a talented entertainer, but she is also a certified self-defense instructor. She teaches her unique class called Kicks & Comedy, combining her love for humor with her passion for empowering others through self-defense. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. She was named to Vulture's 2021 list of Comedians You Should and Will Know. Kenice's debut comedy album Follow Up Question, filmed at Union Hall in New York, was released in December 2022. Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

You made it Friday and we have a great chat for you to start you weekend out right with! Andrew Klaus-Vineyard and Daniel Talbott stopped by to record a podcast together. Introducing these two is not simple for me because they both do so much that, really, I want to say this; Andrew and Daniel create. They often collaborate, defintely not always, but the unifying thread is that both are always creating. At Film Invasion Los Angeles in 2025, Andrew's screenplay “Parking” was a Finalist for Grand Jury Award for Best Screenplay.                                                                                                                                      Meanwhile, at Sherman Oaks Film Festival in 2025, Daniel's short film “My Age Now” took home the Filmmakers Award for Outstanding Cast Performance, Short Film, Arthouse- Experimental. Follow Andrew on Instagram at @andrewklausvineyard Follow Daniel on Instagram at @danielcamerontalbott _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Discover Indie Film Links DIF Podcast Website – DIF Instagram – DIF BlueSky Discover Indie Film Foundation (nonprofit for the arts) Website Sherman Oaks Film Festival Film Invasion Los Angeles

Susanna Mollen and Eve Conway sit down with Irish halfpipe skier Ben Lynch, who finished a remarkable 8th in his Winter Olympic final in Milano-Cortina. He talks about changing his allegiances from Team Canada to Team Ireland, recovering from injury, and what it's like to compete in his first Olympic Games Have a topic or thought in mind? Send us a DM on @offtheball on all our social platforms or send us a WhatsApp at 087 9 180 180!

Rebecca N. Thompson, MD joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about life-threatening pregnancy losses and  weaving her own story of navigating a challenging path to parenting with the stories of others, her decade-long collaboration with a remarkable group of women, how healing others helps us heal, imperfect love, not feeling heard, advocating for our own care, humanism in medicine, the cumulative impact of small actions, accepting help to get better, transcribing and processing interviews and forming a narrative, processing as we craft, making stories accessible to a wide audience, the moments that change everything when we least expect it, and her new memoir HELD TOGETHER: A SHARED MEMOIR OF MOTHERHOOD, MEDICINE, AND IMPERFECT LOVE.   Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -accepting help to get better -portraying others in a positive light -Getting consent from book contributors   Books mentioned in this episode: How to Tell a Story from The Moth  Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum If You Want to See a Whale by Julie Fogliano   Rebecca N. Thompson, MD, is a family medicine and public health physician from Portland, Oregon, who specializes in women's and children's health—and the author of HELD TOGETHER: A SHARED MEMOIR OF MOTHERHOOD, MEDICINE, AND IMPERFECT LOVE, published with HarperCollins in Spring 2025. In this innovative book, Dr. Thompson intertwines her personal story of life-threatening pregnancy complications with the stories of twenty-one of her patients, friends, and medical colleagues.   Through profoundly honest first-person narratives created primarily from spoken interviews, Held Together offers a space for connection, bringing comfort and solidarity to anyone touched by challenges in building or sustaining families. At its heart, this collaborative project celebrates the extraordinary moments in the lives of ordinary women, as they navigate the complexities of motherhood, family dynamics, and health and healing across generations.   Connect with Rebecca: www.rebeccanthompson.com – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Gilbert’s own McKenna Faith Breinholt, Top 7 finalist on Season 22 of American Idol, is performing at a large-scale public event at the State Capitol on Saturday.

In this episode of The Wisdom Of ... Show, host Simon Bowen speaks with Lindsay Davis, Founder & CEO of FemTech Association Asia, the region's first and largest femtech network representing 80+ companies across 10 countries. From her global expansion leadership at Quintessentially to building an ecosystem that didn't exist, Lindsay shares profound insights on courage, ecosystem orchestration, and what it takes to drive systemic change in women's health across vastly different cultures and markets.Ready to systematically capture your leadership wisdom and turn it into scalable frameworks? Join Simon's exclusive Masterclass on The Models Method: https://thesimonbowen.com/masterclassEpisode Breakdown00:00 Introduction and the mission to advance women's health in Asia04:32 The career pivot from luxury brand expansion to femtech ecosystem building12:18 Why women's health receives only 4% of global R&D funding19:45 Building something that doesn't exist: October 2021 to 80+ companies across 10 countries28:36 The courage question - where resilience comes from35:52 Having a high threshold for shame and being happy failing42:28 The leadership lesson from someone who put aside their book49:15 Orchestrating founders, investors, corporates, governments around a single mission56:47 The UN ESCAP commission and defining transformational change01:03:22 FemTech Connect Asia: Creating the region's first femtech conference01:11:08 The suffragette movement insight and being part of the continuumAbout Lindsay DavisLindsay Davis started her career in multicultural advertising in the USA, then was recruited by the world's leading luxury lifestyle management brand, Quintessentially in the UK, to lead global expansion into 25 countries and oversee 60 offices worldwide, with secondments in NYC, China and Qatar. Davis was honoured on the Luxury Daily list of “Luxury Women in Watch” because of her global impact in the luxury sector. As the Founder & CEO of Singapore-based One Bee Consulting, Davis works with brands to develop and elevate loyalty solutions, customer experience and brand affinity through product development, content and programming, PR, community engagement and strategic partnerships.With a vision of available, accessible and affordable healthcare for all women in Asia, Davis founded FemTech Association Asia in October 2021 as the region's first and largest industry network for founders, professionals, and investors with the core focus on improving women's health through technology solutions. The organisation represents 80+ companies across 10 countries in Asia. FemTech Asia was a Finalist in the GIOF – 2022 Business Inclusivity Awards and is a member of the UNFPA Equity 2030 Alliance and a Founding Member of the Milken Institute Women's Health Network.In 2023-24, Davis was commissioned by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UN ESCAP) as a thought leader and researcher to define what is required to drive transformational and catalytic change in femtech in Southeast Asia. Davis is a contributor for the Milken Institute and sits on the Advisory Board for Women in Global Health – Singapore and Ovy Health in Indonesia.Connect with Lindsay DavisLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lindsay-davis-2584812/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/femtechasia/Website: www.femtechassociation.comAbout Simon...

Chris Holman welcomes George Cook, VP of Sales and Marketing for TARUS, Sterling Heights, MI. Welcome George, please tell us about TARUS? As a finalist for the 2025 Manufacturing Innovation Excellence Award, from the MMA, what does this recognition say about the future role of vertically integrated technology companies like TARUS in shaping the next generation of manufacturing operations? From a business strategy standpoint, what drove the decision to apply an innovation mindset to developing an in-house ERP platform like VERAX? VERAX is described as “created by manufacturers for manufacturers.” How does that translate into measurable business outcomes—such as cost control, throughput, or decision-making—compared to traditional, off-the-shelf ERP systems? Industry 4.0 capabilities like real-time machine monitoring, biometrics, and geolocation are built into VERAX. How are manufacturers using these tools today to improve productivity and competitiveness in an increasingly data-driven environment? » Visit MBN website: www.michiganbusinessnetwork.com/ » Subscribe to MBN's YouTube: www.youtube.com/@MichiganbusinessnetworkMBN » Like MBN: www.facebook.com/mibiznetwork » Follow MBN: twitter.com/MIBizNetwork/ » MBN Instagram: www.instagram.com/mibiznetwork/ Sterling Heights based VERAX ERP Selected as Finalist for Manufacturing Excellence Award STERLING HEIGHTS — Sterling Heights' own VERAX ERP is receiving statewide recognition as a finalist for the 2025 Innovation Excellence Award. The honor is part of the Manufacturing Excellence Awards, presented annually by the Michigan Manufacturers Association (MMA). MMA will reveal and honor the winners of the 2025 Manufacturing Excellence Awards during a celebration on Thursday, Nov. 20, 2025, in Lansing. VERAX ERP was selected as a finalist for the 2025 Innovation Excellence Award due to its dedication and expertise in the industry. VERAX ERP is one of the very few pure-play software products wholly produced in the State of Michigan that services the complex needs of manufacturing companies statewide. The Manufacturing Excellence Awards is the annual statewide celebration of the exceptional contributions that Michigan manufacturers make to their workforce, their communities, the economy and the industry. The program promotes the inspiring stories of Michigan's manufacturing industry, the thousands of unique manufacturing companies across the state, the hundreds of thousands of Michiganders employed in the industry and the local communities that support it. Starting out of a garage in Warren, Michigan in 1969, TARUS manufactures a variety of machine tools for heavy industry, including large volume, high-precision 5-axis CNC machines, gundrill and deephole drilling machines for nuclear power, coordinate measuring machines, and was the inventor of the Claymill. The Claymill revolutionized car and transportation design worldwide and TARUS remains the preeminent global leader. Key to TARUS' success since its founding is its belief in total vertical integration. In the late 1970s, this philosophy meant TARUS created its own CNC control for the machines it built. It laid the foundation of software development dating back almost 50 years. For more than 120 years, MMA has served as a unifying champion of an industry that is in constant evolution and growth. They represent the most diverse manufacturing center in perhaps the entire world and, just as they have since the industrial revolution, Michigan will continue to be the cradle of innovation and invention for generations to come. MMA's sole purpose is to advocate for, support, train and grow the manufacturing industry in Michigan. Learn more about MMA and the 2025 Manufacturing Excellence Awards at mimfg.org/excellence.

#realconversations #psychiatrist #mystery #WNBA#AlfredHitchcock #psychologicalthriller #crime #hiking CONVERSATIONS WITH CALVIN WE THE SPECIES hosted by CalvinSchwartzMeet MARY DESCH: “When I was a kid growing up in the 1950sin Newark, NJ, the best thing that could happen was getting a Mickey Mantlebaseball card. Too bad I still don't have it. Worth a million. What does thishave to do with Mary Desch. One of the best things that could happen in mypodcast journey at Conversations with Calvin We the Species is to interview apsychiatrist for all kinds of reasons, some personal. Now, meet Mary Desch, aformer psychiatrist in Portland, Oregon. Can you imagine her bringing thatwealth of psychiatric expertise to her latest book, ‘Tangled Darkness'? Talkingwith Mary, conflicts, faults, and trauma drift into her bristling descriptionsdestined for her novel. Her amazing experience. I'm a sponge, just absorbingenergies, which show up now in her writing. She's eloquent, passionate, and sovisibly dedicated to her writing journey. I've been on the same journey. That'sa powerful bond. Us authors. The mystery element of her writing dates tochildhood, to her fascination with Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazine. Morebonding with Mary. We follow the WNBA. This was as delightful and introspectiveinterview as I've done. Of course, I cleverly weaved in a few psychoanalyticalpersonal questions. Why not? “Calvin   https://www.youtube.com/c/ConversationswithCalvinWetheSpecIEs703 Interviews/Videos  9200 SUBSCRIBERS   PLEASESUBSCRIBE GLOBAL Reach. Earth Life. Amazing People.  **MARY DESCH; Former Psychiatrist; Author MM Desch, ‘TangledDarkness;' LIVE from Portland, OregonYouTube: BIO: Mary Desch, writing as MM Desch, is a formerpsychiatrist in Portland, Oregon, and a marginalized voice in the LGBTQ+community. She brings a wealth of psychiatric expertise from her extensivecareer to craft-informed psychological thrillers. Her high-stakes crime storiesare infused with an insider's eye for the mind's fault lines and an authenticunderstanding of human motivations, conflicts, and trauma recovery.A lifelong mystery enthusiast, Mary's passion for suspenseevolved from a childhood fascination with Alfred Hitchcock's Mystery Magazineto a deep appreciation for detective fiction in college. She is an activemember of Sisters in Crime and Willamette Writers.Her Portland Murders Series includes Book One, TangledDarkness, which was published on July 15, 2025. Tangled Darkness wasshortlisted for the 2023 Chanticleer Clue Awards and named a Finalist in the2025 Readers' Favorite Book Awards.The series expands with two novellas in early 2026: If I GoQuiet, the sequel novella to Book One, and Lethal Loyalty, a prequel novella toBook Two. The full-length novels, Play Me Once (Book Two) and Pancake Man (BookThree), will be released in 2026 and 2027, respectively.When not delving into the intricacies of her next novel,Mary enjoys hiking, Portland food carts, following the WNBA, and long walkswith her wife and their spirited mini schnauzer.LINKS: Threads  https://www.threads.com/@m.m.desch Facebook https://www.facebook.com/MMDeschWriter/Instagram https://www.instagram.com/m.m.desch/BlueSky https://bsky.app/profile/mm-desch.bsky.socialLinked In https://www.linkedin.com/in/mmdesch/TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@mm.deschGoodReadshttps://www.goodreads.com/author/show/51031502.M_M_DeschAmazon Author https://www.amazon.com/author/m.m.desch       BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/authors/mm-deschWebsite: https://marydesch.com/**WE ARE ALSO ON AUDIOAUDIO “Conversations with Calvin; WE the SpecIEs”ANCHOR https://lnkd.in/g4jcUPqSPOTIFY https://lnkd.in/ghuMFeCAPPLE PODCASTSBREAKER https://lnkd.in/g62StzJGOOGLE PODCASTS https://lnkd.in/gpd3XfM

Iron Viz 2026 Finalist and Tableau Ambassador Ann Pregler is on the PodZach and Ann discussed Ann's approach to data visualization and storytelling, highlighting her use of long-form vizzes and her process of starting with a design idea rather than a dataset. They explored Ann's influences, including her background in teaching and her admiration for other designers in the Tableau community. They also discussed the challenges of finding inspiration and the importance of letting go of initial ideas when they don't work out.

The winner of the 2026 Global Teacher Prize has just been announced. Rouble Nagi from India has been named winner and has taken home the US $1 million in prize money. Rouble was recognised for her work in transforming neglected walls in her community into hundreds of vibrant, open-air learning centres. The GEMS Education Global Teacher Prize is the largest of its kind and is a Varkey Foundation initiative organised in collaboration with UNESCO. It's now in its 10th year and aims to shine a spotlight on the positive impact teachers make on society and recognise the exceptional educators who have made an outstanding contribution to the profession. One Australian teacher was a top 10 finalist this year – Colleen O'Rourke, Digital Technologies Educator from the Hills Christian Community School in Adelaide, South Australia. She's been recognised for developing the Nature-Nurture-Network curriculum and for her work in supporting neurodivergent learners. Dominique Russell sat down with Colleen ahead of the announcement to hear all about this work and what it means to her to be recognised in the top 10 this year. Host: Dominique Russell Guest: Colleen O'Rouke

Blair Glaser joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about her time on a Catskills ashram during her twenties in the 1990s, yearning and the thrilling and perilous idolization of other human beings, spiritual development, group think, revisiting our experiences with curiosity and excitement, navigating writing about others, pitching agents and digesting their feedback, writing in scene in a sustained way, growing thematically, digging deeper, allowing the unconscious to inform our writing process, being the stewards of our stories, and her new memoir This Incredible Longing:Finding My Self in a Near Cult Experience. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -composite characters -working with smaller presses -our foundational, formative experiences Books mentioned in this episode: -Permission by Elissa Altman -Seven Drafts by Allison K. Williams -Writing Down the Bones by Natalie Goldberg   Blair Glaser, MA, is a writer, speaker, leadership consultant and licensed psychotherapist who helps create collaborative cultures and increase bottom lines across sectors including finance, law, healthcare, entertainment, and nonprofits. She has run a variety of workshops at renowned retreat centers, including Women Writing to Change the World. After working for six years for V's (formerly Eve Ensler) nonprofit V-Day, a movement to stop violence against women and girls, she developed and facilitated The Vagina Monologues Workshop, a creative approach to sexual empowerment for women, and later worked with actor-activist Jane Fonda on an empowerment workshop for teenage girls.    Glaser earned her B.S. in theater at Northwestern University and received her master's in Drama Therapy from Vermont College and The Institutes for the Arts in Psychotherapy, where she eventually served as a senior faculty member.  She was a New York-licensed creative arts therapist from 1998 to 2022, when she left therapy to work full-time with leaders and organizations. Glaser was the first ever online actor-advice columnist when her weekly column “Ask Blair” appeared on Playbill On-Line.    More recently, her work has been published in the Los Angeles Times, Longreads, Quartz, The Muse, HuffPost, Shondaland and literary publications such as Dorothy Parker's Ashes, Brevity, and the Mantlepiece. Her new memoir is This Incredible Longing:Finding My Self in a Near Cult Experience.   Connect with Blair: Website: www.blairglaser.com LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/blairglaser/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/blair.glaser Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blair_glaser/ Substack: https://thehistack.substack.com/ Books: www.blairglaser.com/books Events: www.blairglaser.com/events   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Bee Wilson joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about the evolution of our narratives, how each book teaches you how to write it, approaching memoir from many different angles, how there's no predetermined idea of what a memoir needs to be, writing about divorce and her husband leaving at the end of the first lockdown in the UK, the emotional life of kitchen objects, not being afraid to tell our truth, cooking as salve, obligations to our reader and our lives, growing comfortable with the idea of writing about ourselves, how the particular becomes universal, piecing strands together, creating necessary boundaries, writing closer to the bone, and her new memoir about moving on The Heart-Shaped Tin: Love Loss and Kitchen Objects.  Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story Also in this episode: -cooking as a salve -choosing what we share  -the ethics of memoir writing   Books mentioned in this episode:  -Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner -The Kitchen Congregation: A Daughter's Story of Wives and Women Friends  by Nora Seaton -Work by Guy de Mauppassant -Work by Anton Checkov   Bee Wilson is a food writer and the author of 8 books on food-related topics. Her latest book, The Heart-Shaped Tin, is an exploration of the emotional stories behind kitchen objects, told partly through memoir. Her previous books include The Secret of Cooking: Recipes for an Easier Life in the Kitchen and Consider the Fork. She writes for a wide range of publications in the U.K. and U.S. including The Guardian, The Wall Street Journal and The New York Times. She is the co-founder of TastEd, a charity aimed at bringing the joy of vegetables and fruits to children.   Connect with Bee: Website: https://www.beewilson.com/ @kitchenbee on Instagram and Substack Get the book: https://www.amazon.com/Heart-Shaped-Tin-Love-Kitchen-Objects/dp/132407924X   Get the book: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-heart-shaped-tin-bee-wilson/1146855283   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Stand up comedian Audrey Jonas has been drawing audiences all over the Midwest since 2014. She has performed at clubs and festivals all over the country, participated in the Stand Up NBC 2018, and in 2016, she was a Finalist in the Stand Up Siam International Comedy Competition in Thailand. Audrey also teaches Fem Com, Chicago's only all-female stand up comedy class and the Wedding Toast Warm Up, where she teaches people how to write the perfect wedding toast. The First Time is a live lit and music series recorded at Martyrs’ in Chicago’s North Center neighborhood. Each reader tells a true first tale, followed by a cover of the storyteller’s choosing, performed by our house band: The First Time Three. The First Time is hosted by Jenn Sodini. Executive producer is Bobby Evers. Assistant producer is Celina Dietzel. Podcast produced by Jim Mulvaney.

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Alex Poppe joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about working in conflict zones, living abroad and negotiating cultural differences, teaching in northern Iraq, youth and female resilience, pursuing something elusive, using fiction techniques for creative nonfiction and essays, not standing on a soapbox in memoir, moving from the personal to the universal, safe domesticity vs. unpredictable intensity, feeling haunted, the tension between wanting to settle down and set roots but feeling desperate to travel, and her love letter to teaching the new memoir-in-essay Breakfast Wine: A Memoir of Chasing an Unconventional Life and Finding a Way Home.   Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -field reporting -theTulsa Remote Program  -starting chapters in scene and dialogue Books mentioned in this episode  -Woman in Berlin by Anonymous -The Line Becomes a River: Dispatches from The Border by Francisco Cantú -Hollywood Park by Mikel Jollett -The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood -No Good Men Among the Living by Anand Gopal -The Underground Girls of Kabul by Jenny Nordberg  -The Natashas:The Horrific Inside Story of Slavery, Rape, and Murder in the Global Sex Trade by Victor Malarek -Notebooks on a Foreign Country: An American Abroad in a Post-American World by Suzy Hansen  -Emergency Sex and Other Desperate Measures: A True Story from Hell on Earth by Heidi Postlewait, Kenneth Cain and Andrew Thomson   Having worked in conflict zones such as Iraq, the West Bank, and Ukraine, Alex Poppe writes about fierce and funny women rebuilding their lives in the wake of violence. She is the award-winning author of four works of literary fiction. Breakfast Wine, her memoir-in-essay of her near decade teaching and volunteering in northern Iraq, celebrates women and youth resilience, post-conflict. Most recently, she served as the strategic communications advisor for a democracy and governance initiative at the US Agency for International Development (USAID). Alex continues to be awed by place, people, and their stories.    Connect with Alex: Website: www.alexpoppe.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sallyalexpoppe/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/alex_poppe_author/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alex.poppe.16/ Get the book: https://bookshop.org/p/books/breakfast-wine-alex-poppe/22155518?ean=9781627205931 – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

On the Morning News Express, Bob Miller welcomed a special guest, Melinda Moss, who shared her incredible experience competing with her dog Sparkle in the Dog Agility Finals at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show over the weekend. Melinda talked about the dedication it takes to train for agility at that level, the bond between handler and dog, and what it was like stepping onto one of the biggest stages in the dog world. A feel-good conversation that was equal parts impressive and heartwarming.

Wondering how dating apps compare to thrift shopping? So did we! Host Marina Franklin talks with Zainab Johnson and Kenice Mobley on our latest episode of Friends Like Us as we navigate the amusing world of dating, autism awareness, and everything in between. Listen now for your daily dose of laughter!  Zainab Johnson is a stand-up comedian, actress, and writer quickly being propelled as one of the most unique and engaging performers on stage and screen.  Zainab is currently a series regular on the Amazon Original hit series titled "Upload" from Greg Daniels and stars in her very first One Hour Comedy Special "Hijabs Off" premiering worldwide October 24th only on Amazon Prime video. Kenice Mobley performs stand up comedy around the world and recently made her late-night debut on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon. She appears regularly on SiriusXM and is a Finalist in the StandUp NBC Competition. She was named to Vulture's 2021 list of Comedians You Should and Will Know. Kenice's debut comedy album Follow Up Question, filmed at Union Hall in New York, was released in December 2022. Kenice worked on the BET Awards and By Us For Us, a sketch comedy series presented by Color of Change. She hosts Complexify on ViceNews, Love About Town, an interview and relationship podcast, and Make Yourself Cry, available on Planet Scum. Always hosted by Marina Franklin - One Hour Comedy Special: Single Black Female ( Amazon Prime, CW Network), TBS's The Last O.G, Last Week Tonight with John Oliver, Hysterical on FX, The Movie Trainwreck, Louie Season V, The Jim Gaffigan Show, Conan O'Brien, Stephen Colbert, HBO's Crashing, and The Breaks with Michelle Wolf. Writer for HBO's 'Divorce' and the new Tracy Morgan show on Paramount Plus: 'Crutch  

Louise Southerden joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about building a tiny home in Australia by hand during the Covid pandemic, being a travel writer for much of her career, choosing freedom over security, writing about exes, struggling with how much backstory to put in, narrative arc and the hero's journey, firming up a timeline, wanting to be fair in depicting loved ones, taking care of and pacing ourselves while we're writing, creating the life that we want to live inside with words, being led by how the story wants to be told, and her new memoir TINY: A Memoir About Love, Letting Go and a Very Small House. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story Also in this episode: -using Scrivener -the freelance writing life -what one really needs to be happy   Books mentioned in this episode:  -Tracks by Robyn Davidson -Unfinished Woman by Robyn Davidson -Wifedom by Anna Funder -The Little Red Writing Book by Mark Tredinnick  -Things I Learned From Falling by Claire Nelson   Louise Southerden is an Australian author and award-winning travel writer who has spent more than 25 years travelling all over the world and won the Australian Travel Writer of the Year award a record five times. She's the author of five non-fiction books including Surf's Up, the world's first surfing guide for women; a working holiday guide to Japan, where she once lived for a year and a half; an anthology of her best adventure travel tales; and her latest, TINY: A memoir about love, letting go and a very small house, published by Hardie Grant Explore. Originally from Sydney, Louise now lives and writes in her tiny home by the sea in northern NSW, Australia.   Connect with Louise: Website: https://www.noimpactgirl.com/ More info about TINY on Louise's Substack: https://noimpactgirl.substack.com/p/tiny-a-memoir-about-love-letting-af1 TINY on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Tiny-Memoir-About-Letting-Small/dp/174117922X/ref=tmm_pap_swatch_0?_encoding=UTF8&dib_tag=se&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.cDx-4ItRYaLsBKW5vu1dfQ.Pozgks-L91kJZfC4hCxsGFIuB_FqZlo7oJW31ra3GYU&qid=1755581587&sr=8-1 Living Big in a Tiny House episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ipAxKp5fbvQ  Substack: https://noimpactgirl.substack.com/  FB: https://www.facebook.com/noimpactgirl/# Fishpond: https://www.fishpond.com/Books/Tiny-Louise-Southerden/9781741179224   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

About our Guest: Frank Rice Jr. is an award-winning filmmaker, director, and founder of FJR Films, blending over two decades of military leadership with cinematic artistry. A U.S. Navy veteran and Tyler Perry Dreamers Collective Top 100 Finalist, Frank has collaborated with a range of production companies and creative teams across the U.S. and Japan to produce emotionally resonant and visually striking work. His short films, The Tunnel, Quietus of Man, and Juncture, have garnered multiple international festival awards for their depth, storytelling, and craft. His latest project, JUMPER, (post-production) is an emotionally charged psychological film exploring themes of memory, redemption, and ancestral connection through poetic imagery and sound. Guided by collaboration, Frank partners with talented cinematographers, editors, and animators to bring layered, human stories to life.   Episode Description: Damo opens the episode with a series of requests and demands before breaking down how one simple question from Aaron spiraled into a full meltdown. Look who popped out? Tisha jumps in to address a recent Facebook post aimed at women in the Navy, adding context and perspective. Aaron shares a few recommendations honoring the legacy of Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.. The crew is joined by Frank Rice Jr., who talks through his career in the Navy and his parallel path as a filmmaker. Frank reflects on growing up in Chicago, his early Navy years, what pulled him toward film, and the influence of his father, an actor. He discusses working with Sony Records, whether he ever produced projects for the Navy, his directing style, dream projects, and the roles he's most drawn to as a creator. The conversation also touches on casting, including whether Denzel Washington only plays one type of role, Frank's dream cast, and whether a rom-com is in his future. Frank and Aaron share how they first connected, what attracts him to a project, and the leaders who inspired him to stay in the Navy. The group digs into leadership, accountability, DRB, unfounded complaints, relaxing standards, and what kind of Navy Frank was leaving behind. The episode closes with a discussion on the rise of Teyana Taylor and thoughts heading into the upcoming awards season. These and more topics are covered in this episode.     Do you have a “Do Better” that you want us to review on a future episode? Reach out at ptsfpodcast@gmail.com   Follow Frank Rice Jr. on Social Media:   Instagram: @fj_rice Facebook: FJ Rice YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@FJRFilms84 Official Website: https://frankricejr.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/frank-rice-jr-397b027/   Stay connected with the PTSF Podcast: https://linktr.ee/Ptsfpodcast       PTSF Theme Music: Produced by Lim0

Writers of the Future first readers Leah Ning, Martin Shoemaker, Eric James Stone, and Coordinating Judge Jody Lynn Nye answer questions submitted by Contest entrants on what is looked for in stories submitted to the Contest. What excites them. What turns them off. What determines an Honorable Mention, Silver Honorable Mention, and Finalist. How stories are handled in genres that aren't their favorite. And dozens of other questions.

Writers of the Future first readers Leah Ning, Martin Shoemaker, Eric James Stone, and Coordinating Judge Jody Lynn Nye answer questions submitted by Contest entrants on what is looked for in stories submitted to the Contest. What excites them. What turns them off. What determines an Honorable Mention, Silver Honorable Mention, and Finalist. How stories are handled in genres that aren't their favorite. And dozens of other questions.

Steve and Charlie discussed Tyler Shough's candidacy for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award. Steve and Charlie listened to Mike's exclusive interview with Drew Fabianich, the executive director of the Senior Bowl. Mike celebrated the participation of Rueben Bain Jr. and David Bailey, two top edge prospects in this year's draft. Fabianich shared his thoughts on the safeties and running backs in Mobile. NBA reporter Chris Dodson joined Sports Talk to preview the NBA's trade deadline.

Clint Stoerner & Ron "The Show" Hughley begin the show with their reactions to Will Anderson Jr. being named NFL DPOTY Finalist and how it is time to hand him the blank check! Also, the buzz around Texans QB CJ Stroud locally is crazy, and it might just be spreading nationally. Dirty & Show discuss. Plus, is Clint ready to say Big 10 is better than SEC!?!

The Chicago Bears are building something real… and the rest of the NFL is starting to notice

Hour 3 of BMitch & Finlay features an interview with Dianna Russini and the guys reacting to Bill Croskey-Merrit being snubbed of a ROY finalist nod.

Hour 2 debates Mac Jones’ future as the 49ers’ backup quarterback and whether he fits into San Francisco’s long‑term plans. Mike Krukow joins the show to share stories from his birthday celebration, and we break down Christian McCaffrey being named an MVP finalist and his chances to win the award.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Hour 2 debates Mac Jones’ future as the 49ers’ backup quarterback and whether he fits into San Francisco’s long‑term plans. Mike Krukow joins the show to share stories from his birthday celebration, and we break down Christian McCaffrey being named an MVP finalist and his chances to win the award.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Clint Stoerner & Ron "The Show" Hughley begin the show with their reactions to Will Anderson Jr. being named NFL DPOTY Finalist and how it is time to hand him the blank check!

Anna Rollins joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about the relationship between evangelical purity culture and diet culture, incorporating research and reporting into personal narrative, the intricate connections between religion, God, and body shame, fearing our own desires, extreme thinking, body dysmorphia, viewing our bodies as suspect, the physical effects of belief systems, writing memoir plus, tying our work to the culture, learning how to pitch and get bylines, the logistics of placing short pieces in large outlets, religion on our own terms, rejecting scripts, and her new memoir Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   This episode is brought to you by Prose Playground. If you've been writing for years but haven't published, have tons of ideas but can't get them on the page, if you have a book coming out, or you're simply curious about writing, join Prose Playground—an active, supportive writing community for writers at every level. Visit www.ProsePlayground.com to sign up free.   Also in this episode: -church hurt -publishing scores of stand alone essays -tuning into the newscycle and calendar to sell our work   Books mentioned in this episode: Before and After the Book Deal by Courtney Maum Writing That Gets Noticed by Estelle Erasmus The Byline Bible by Susan Shapiro The Creative Act by Rick Rubin A Swim in the Pond in the Rain by George Saunders   Anna Rollins is the author of Famished: On Food, Sex, and Growing Up as a Good Girl. Her groundbreaking debut memoir examines the rhyming scripts of diet culture and evangelical purity culture, both of which direct women to fear their own bodies and appetites. Her writing has appeared in outlets like The New York Times, Slate, Electric Literature, Salon, Joyland, and more. She's also written scholarly articles about composition and writing center studies. She's an award-winning instructor who taught English in higher education for nearly 15 years. She is a 2025 West Virginia Creative Network Literary Arts Fellow. A lifelong Appalachian, she lives with her husband in West Virginia where they're raising their three small children.   Connect with Anna: Website: http://annajrollins.com Substack: http://annajrollins.substack.com Instagram: http://instagram.com/annajrollins Book: https://amzn.to/3Lu6uHR   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

3HL - 1-19-26 - Hour 2 - One Titans HC Finalist Off the Board...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

3HL - 1-19-26 - Hour 2 - One Titans HC Finalist Off the Board...See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Thank you for listening to Episode 221 of The Pitchy Podcast.In this very special episode, we had the pleasure to talk to Jazz McKenzie, a Top 6 finalist from Season 28 of NBC's The Voice.We talked about the best things about being on the show as well as the challenges. She shared her favorite performances, working with Coach Bublé, and so much more. We didn't stop there. On Patreon Jazz answered more questions about her experiences on The Voice, including questions from our Patrons and we heard her thoughts on the infamous “driver's license” finals performance.If you're interested in that bonus content, join us on Patreon for $5 per month. The link is below. This conversation was so much fun.It was our joy to get the opportunity to talk with Jazz and we hope you enjoy it too. To keep up with Jazz, check her out on IG and TikTok @itsjustjazzmusic and on Facebook and YouTube at Jazz McKenzie.Feel free to share your thoughts on our chat in the comments. We'd love to hear from you. Time Stamps 00:00-Cold open and show opening2:45-Life Before The Voice4:20-Best Thing About Experience on “The Voice”9:20-Challenges Of Being On The Show13:05-Favorite Performances19:25-Working With Coach Bublé23:25-Best Lesson From The Voice Experience 29:00-What's Coming Up For Jazz30:55-Closing****************************************Pitchy Podcast Patreonpatreon.com/ThePitchyPodcastBe sure to subscribe to The Pitchy Podcast on your favorite podcast platform so you know when we drop new episodes!Also tap the link to head to our YouTube channel and hit that SUBSCRIBE button. https://youtube.com/@thepitchypodcastLastly, be sure to follow us on Instagram @thepitchypodcast to keep up with new episode updates, listen to episode clips and more. Thanks for listening . Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this episode of the Finovate Podcast, host Greg Palmer connects with Brent Biernat, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer at COCC, a finalist in the Finovate Awards for Best Back Office Solution and Executive of the Year. Brent shares his journey of over 30 years with COCC, highlighting his passion for community banking and the company's mission to support small businesses and consumers. COCC, a core and digital banking services provider for over 150 clients in the Northeast, operates under a unique cooperative structure that fosters long-term vision and prioritizes customer needs over short-term profitability. Brent delves into the advantages of COCC's cooperative model, which ensures that all shareholders are active customers and board members are CEOs of financial institutions. This structure promotes trust, transparency, and open communication, allowing COCC to tailor its technology and services to meet the specific needs of each institution. Brent emphasizes the importance of building strong relationships with customers, where mutual understanding and collaboration lead to better outcomes. He also discusses how COCC's Strategic Development Council and regular executive visits help maintain alignment with customer goals and ensure continuous improvement. The episode also highlights COCC's recent recognition in the American Bankers Association (ABA) survey, where it ranked number one across multiple categories, including service, technology, and contract fairness. Brent shares insights on the importance of fully utilizing technology and maintaining transparent, long-term partnerships. He offers advice to financial institutions evaluating core relationships, encouraging them to prioritize adaptability, trust, and shared growth. This engaging conversation underscores the value of collaboration and innovation in the fintech and banking sectors. More info: COCC: https://www.cocc.com/ ; https://www.linkedin.com/company/cocc/ Brent Biernat: https://www.linkedin.com/in/brent-biernat-b542bb/ Greg Palmer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gregbpalmer/ Finovate: https://www.finovate.com;https://www.linkedin.com/company/finovate-conference-series/ Finovate Awards: https://informaconnect.com/finovate-industry-awards/ #Finovate #COCC #Banking #CreditUnions #banks #finovateawards #awardsfinalist #digitalbanking #podcast #fintechpodcast #financialservices #innovation #backoffice #ai #digitraltransformation #fintech #finserv #modernization #innovation #communitybanking

Steve Eichenblatt joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about losing a father through abandonment, the abuse he endured from his adoptive father, living in a household of trauma, feeling emotionally disconnected, verbal abuse and the wounds that don't go away, embracing vulnerability and learning how to connect, writing and processing old, longstanding anger, sharing manuscripts with family before publication, the response to our narratives from siblings and parents, fighting for our voice and agency, learning to help ourselves, being accountable, and the 10-year process of writing his new memoir Pretend They Are Dead. Also in this episode: -not giving up -finding your writing space and time -writing without boundaries    Books mentioned in this episode: -Angela's Ashes by Frank McCourt -Catcher in the Rye by J.D. Salinger -The Great Santini by Pat Conroy -Stay True by Hua Hsa   Steven Scott Eichenblatt is a graduate of Florida State University and the University of Florida College of Law. A practicing attorney with Page and Eichenblatt, and father of five, he has spent over thirty years advocating for children as a pro bono guardian ad litem and representing families of first responders killed on 9/11. He lives with his wife, Melissa Ross, in Orlando, Florida.   Connect with Steve: Website: www.stevenscotteichenblatt.com   Ronit's upcoming 10-week online memoir course: https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book. More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Dr. Camille U. Adams joins Let's Talk Memoir for a conversation about generations of mothers choosing to unmother their children, colonial violence in Trinidad and Tobago, stifling relationships, cognitive dissonance, finding the psychological, emotional, and geographical distance we need, narcissism and the golden child, not wanting to tell the story we ultimately find a way to tell, being a poet first, retracting and pulling back to get close to ourselves and write, exigence in memoir, going no contact with family, cocooning ourselves, finding support systems that work, getting into literary magazines, how content creates form, and her 300-page poem How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian memoir. Info/Registration for Ronit's 10-Week Memoir Class Memoir Writing: Finding Your Story https://www.pce.uw.edu/courses/memoir-writing-finding-your-story   Also in this episode: -the narcissist's nest -using elements of fiction -trusting yourself   Books mentioned in this episode: -Thick and Other Essays by Dr. Tressie McMillam Cottom -Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Diaz -Brother, I'm Dying by Edwidge Danticat -Men We Reaped by Jesmyn Ward -The Dragon Can't Dance by Earl Lovelace -The Hurting Kind by Ada Limon   Dr. Camille U. Adams is a writer from Trinidad and Tobago. Camille is the author of the memoir, How To Be Unmothered: a Trinidadian memoir, released August 2025 with Restless Books. Her manuscript was recognised as a finalist in the Restless Books Prize in New Immigrant Writing 2023. Camille earned her MFA in Poetry from City College, CUNY and a Ph.D. in Creative Nonfiction from FSU. She has been awarded Best of The Net - nonfiction 2024, and has received five Pushcart Prize nominations, three Best of the Net nominations, and recognition for a notable essay in Best American Essays 2022. Among Camille's awarded fellowships is an inaugural Tin House Reading Fellowship, an inaugural Granta nature writing workshop fellowship, an inaugural Anaphora Arts Italy Writing Retreat Fellowship, a McKnight Doctoral Fellowship, a Community of Writers Erica Ellner Memorial Scholarship, and a Roots Wounds Words Fellowship. Additionally, Camille is a Tin House alum and has received support from Kenyon Writers Workshop, VONA, and others. She has served as a juried reader for Tin House for two consecutive years, as a CNF editor at Variant Lit, and as an assistant editor at Split Lip Magazine and at The Account. Camille currently lives in Brooklyn where she teaches and is hard at work on book two.    Connect with Camille: Website: www.camilleuadams.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/camille_u_adams Twitter: https://x.com/camille_u_adams Threads: https://www.threads.com/@camille_u_adams Bluesky: https://bsky.app/profile/camilleuadams.bsky.social   – Ronit's writing has appeared in The Atlantic, The Rumpus, The New York Times, Poets & Writers, The Iowa Review, Hippocampus, The Washington Post, Writer's Digest, American Literary Review, and elsewhere. Her memoir WHEN SHE COMES BACK about the loss of her mother to the guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and their eventual reconciliation was named Finalist in the 2021 Housatonic Awards Awards, the 2021 Indie Excellence Awards, and was a 2021 Book Riot Best True Crime Book. Her short story collection HOME IS A MADE-UP PLACE won Hidden River Arts' 2020 Eludia Award and the 2023 Page Turner Awards for Short Stories.  She earned an MFA in Nonfiction Writing at Pacific University, is Creative Nonfiction Editor at The Citron Review, and teaches memoir through the University of Washington's Online Continuum Program and also independently. She launched Let's Talk Memoir in 2022, lives in Seattle with her family of people and dogs, and is at work on her next book.   More about Ronit: https://ronitplank.com Subscribe to Ronit's Substack: https://substack.com/@ronitplank   Follow Ronit: https://www.instagram.com/ronitplank/ https://www.facebook.com/RonitPlank https://bsky.app/profile/ronitplank.bsky.social

Survivor 49 Finalist Exit Interviews Survivor 49's unforgettable finale gets the full exit interview deep dive with host Rob Cesternino, as he sits down with the finalists Savannah Louie, Sophi Balerdi, Rizo Velovic, and Kristina Mills. Savannah Louie walks through how she went from controlling alliances on Uli beach to being blindsided, battling from the bottom, and mastering the art of playing “small” and non-threatening. Her key immunities and repaired bonds with Sage and Juwan proved clutch. Rizo Velovic breaks down his revolutionary public idol strategy, targeting “soft” middle threats and advancing Tres Leches through vote splits and social maneuvering. Sophi Balerdi details her under-the-radar social moves, her critical knowledge is power advantage usage, and her approach at Final Tribal Council. Kristina Mills offers insights on physical challenges, jury management, and the emotional connections that resonated with fans and shaped vote decisions. Rob presses the finalists for real answers on fire-making, strategic reward choices, and the reality of pushing loyalty and betrayal to the limit. – Savannah Louie's shift from dominant alliance leader to resilient underdog – Rizo Velovic's bold idol strategy and soft target gameplay – Sophi Balerdi's final tribal council pitch and knowledge is power explanation – Kristina Mills' take on jury questions, fire-making, and emotional storytelling – The role of reward decisions and camp relationships in the endgame Rob Cesternino asks the big question: can playing from the bottom unlock a win, and will Survivor 49's adaptive gameplay reshape strategy for season 50? Whose move truly changed the endgame, and how did jury perception tilt the final vote? Chapters: 0:00 Survivor 49 Finale Interviews Begin 6:12 Savannah's Game Flips From Top 13:44 Savannah, Rizzo, Sophi Alliance 16:24 Immunity Record, Villain Role Reflected 17:17 Sophi Responds To Finale Outcome 20:17 Sophi's Knowledge Is Power Move 22:46 Sophi's Fire Making Dilemma 25:21 Final Five Vote Frustrations 29:08 Rizzo Reveals Idol Strategy 34:45 Trio's Impact On Jury Votes 39:06 Rizzo Teases Survivor 50 Return 41:11 Kristina Reflects Challenge Struggles 42:43 Kristina's Family Names Jury Question 44:39 Kristina Explains Vote For Sophi 46:52 Missed Opportunity With Sophi Segretti 48:03 Sharing Vulnerable Moments With Viewers 49:46 Unseen Nate Vote Strategic Move 51:18 Reward Decision Wasn't For Strategy 52:28 Uncle Jeff Catchphrase Speculation 53:56 Kristina's Social Game Reflections To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH:  Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT:  Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

Survivor 49 Finalist Exit Interviews Survivor 49's unforgettable finale gets the full exit interview deep dive with host Rob Cesternino, as he sits down with the finalists Savannah Louie, Sophi Balerdi, Rizo Velovic, and Kristina Mills. Savannah Louie walks through how she went from controlling alliances on Uli beach to being blindsided, battling from the bottom, and mastering the art of playing “small” and non-threatening. Her key immunities and repaired bonds with Sage and Juwan proved clutch. Rizo Velovic breaks down his revolutionary public idol strategy, targeting “soft” middle threats and advancing Tres Leches through vote splits and social maneuvering. Sophi Balerdi details her under-the-radar social moves, her critical knowledge is power advantage usage, and her approach at Final Tribal Council. Kristina Mills offers insights on physical challenges, jury management, and the emotional connections that resonated with fans and shaped vote decisions. Rob presses the finalists for real answers on fire-making, strategic reward choices, and the reality of pushing loyalty and betrayal to the limit. – Savannah Louie's shift from dominant alliance leader to resilient underdog – Rizo Velovic's bold idol strategy and soft target gameplay – Sophi Balerdi's final tribal council pitch and knowledge is power explanation – Kristina Mills' take on jury questions, fire-making, and emotional storytelling – The role of reward decisions and camp relationships in the endgame Rob Cesternino asks the big question: can playing from the bottom unlock a win, and will Survivor 49's adaptive gameplay reshape strategy for season 50? Whose move truly changed the endgame, and how did jury perception tilt the final vote? Chapters: 0:00 Survivor 49 Finale Interviews Begin 6:12 Savannah's Game Flips From Top 13:44 Savannah, Rizzo, Sophi Alliance 16:24 Immunity Record, Villain Role Reflected 17:17 Sophi Responds To Finale Outcome 20:17 Sophi's Knowledge Is Power Move 22:46 Sophi's Fire Making Dilemma 25:21 Final Five Vote Frustrations 29:08 Rizzo Reveals Idol Strategy 34:45 Trio's Impact On Jury Votes 39:06 Rizzo Teases Survivor 50 Return 41:11 Kristina Reflects Challenge Struggles 42:43 Kristina's Family Names Jury Question 44:39 Kristina Explains Vote For Sophi 46:52 Missed Opportunity With Sophi Segretti 48:03 Sharing Vulnerable Moments With Viewers 49:46 Unseen Nate Vote Strategic Move 51:18 Reward Decision Wasn't For Strategy 52:28 Uncle Jeff Catchphrase Speculation 53:56 Kristina's Social Game Reflections To pre-order Rob’s book, The Tribe and I Have Spoken, visit www.robhasabook.com Never miss a minute of RHAP's extensive Survivor coverage! LISTEN: Subscribe to the Survivor podcast feed WATCH:  Watch and subscribe to the podcast on YouTube SUPPORT:  Become a RHAP Patron for bonus content, access to Facebook and Discord groups plus more great perks!

In a case that eerily mimics the gruesome details coming out of the Brian Walshe trial, a Swiss man has just been formally charged with murdering his wife, dismembering her body, and then dissolving her body parts in a blender. He’s been charged with murder and disturbing the peace of the dead after police say he strangled 38-year-old former Miss Switzerland finalist Kristina Joksimovic and the mother of his two young daughters.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.