Podcasts about NAA

Season 2, Episode 4 | That Part: In Between | What Stayed With Us After three incredible conversations, we're pressing pause before welcoming our next guests. In this first In Between episode, we're reflecting on what stayed with us, what challenged us, and what we're still carrying. Join us for an honest conversation about grief, love, identity, friendship, and the wisdom Black women have always known. Video Version: https://youtu.be/oxZsOrSJmyQ?si=uF6YAGrhhG2gf8E7 Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Aphasia Communication App: How One Brother Gave a Stroke Survivor His Voice Back For four or five hours, Robert Schmidtbauer’s younger brother lay on the floor of their Wisconsin home, unable to get himself up. Robert found him when he got home from a late shift driving cabs. His brother had been drinking that night, but this wasn’t alcohol; it was a stroke, one that would put him in the University of Wisconsin Hospital for three weeks and in rehab for six months. His brother was already living with ataxia, a rare progressive condition that had taken his ability to walk and had begun to affect his speech. The stroke made it dramatically worse. Today, unless you know him well, you’ll understand only 60 to 70 percent of what he says. It’s usually the end of a sentence, the last few words, the part that carries the point that disappears. Robert became the translator. For years, every visitor, every relative, every tradesperson needed him in the room to fill in the blanks. Then he built something better: an aphasia communication app called Larry’s Speakeasy, priced at nine dollars for life, now used by people in 20 countries. When the Speech Problem Has No Official Name One detail of this story will be familiar to many stroke families: Robert’s brother has never been formally diagnosed with aphasia. The doctors attributed his speech difficulties to the combination of ataxia and stroke and left it there. After a year of speech therapy and his own reading, Robert concluded there was “probably some of that in there,”  but no clinician ever gave the problem a name. That matters, because a diagnosis is often the doorway to resources. Without one, nobody hands you a communication aid, a device funding pathway, or even a list of options. Robert’s brother got speech therapy two or three hours a week while it lasted, some practice phrases to take home, and nothing else. The Gap Nobody Warns Stroke Families About Rehab ends. The communication problem doesn’t. When Robert’s brother came home, the brothers developed their own system: Robert would catch 90 percent of a sentence, ask him to repeat the rest up to three times, and then ask him to spell the words letter by letter. That was the system for years. Robert credits his stint teaching English online to students around the world for training his ear to listen closely. But the system only worked when Robert was in the room. The moment that changed everything was ordinary: a new housekeeper came to quote on cleaning, and Robert’s brother, who runs the inside of the house, couldn’t make himself understood on the details. Robert stood in the middle, finishing sentences. He’d felt like a “third wheel” through his brother’s rehab, looking for a way to genuinely help. Standing in that kitchen, he found it. “I had one person on my wing that no one else in the building could understand but me. And even I had a 50% chance of understanding what he really wanted.” — a care facility director, on why a tool like this matters What Is an Aphasia Communication App? An aphasia communication app is software that speaks for a person whose own speech is impaired a modern, affordable form of what clinicians call AAC (augmentative and alternative communication). Larry’s Speakeasy does two things, deliberately kept simple: Type-to-speak. If your hands still work, you type any phrase or sentence, and the app says it out loud. One-tap phrases. For people with limited hand function, pre-made buttons cover emergencies (“I need to go to the bathroom,” “call the doctor”) and everyday phrases hello, goodbye, and a growing list Robert adds to as users suggest them. The market Robert walked into explains why he built his own. At the affordable end, there’s roughly one comparable app at around $13. After that, the next step up starts near $150 and climbs to $7,000–$8,000 for dedicated equipment that requires training and support to operate. Between a cup-of-coffee app and a small car’s worth of hardware, there was almost nothing. Robert priced Larry’s Speakeasy at $8.99 once, for life. “It’s not here for me to get rich off of,” he says. “It’s my brother, and I want it to help.” Built With AI, in Days, by a Retiree Robert is 67, with a background in television and radio rather than software. He’d spent months learning to work with AI tools and, in his words, cussing and swearing at the computer. When the housekeeper moment landed, he posed a different question to the AI: how can I help my brother’s speech?  And had a working version running within about two or three days, refined over the following months. That’s worth pausing on. The tools to solve a real disability problem at kitchen-table scale now exist for people who aren’t programmers. A determined care partner built, tested, and shipped an aphasia communication app from rural Wisconsin no company, no funding, no advertising. Around 260 people across 20 countries have tried it, and it’s listed as a resource on the National Aphasia Association website. More Than an Emergency Button The use cases stretch well beyond the kitchen: Therapy practice. Practice phrases from a speech pathologist can be loaded into the app and drilled at home with or without a partner. Video calls. Open the app in one window and Zoom or FaceTime in another, and a person who can’t speak clearly can hold a conversation with family anywhere in the world. Robert saw his own mother’s isolation in a care facility years ago; this is his answer to it. Care facilities. An iPad on a care cart could let staff understand residents nobody else can and document requests, which protects residents and facilities alike. Where to Find It The app lives at LarrySpeakeasy.com, with a seven-day free trial before the one-time $8.99 purchase. Try it, and if it helps, it helps, as Robert puts it; there’s no push. Stories like Robert’s are why this podcast exists: ordinary people refusing to accept the gap between what the system provides and what recovery actually needs. If that resonates, my book, The Unexpected Way That A Stroke Became The Best Thing That Happened, shares ten tools for recovery and personal transformation drawn from my own stroke journey and hundreds of survivor interviews; you’ll find it at https://recoveryafterstroke.com/book. And if this show has helped you, you can support it at https://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. Robert Schmidtbauer – Building a Voice for My Brother (Interview) After a stroke, Robert’s brother lost clear speech and had no tools to cope. So Robert built one: a simple app that speaks for those who can’t. Highlights: 00:00 Introduction – Aphasia Communication App 01:21 Challenges in Communication Post-Stroke 05:17 Stroke Experience and Recovery 12:20 Communication Challenges and Solutions 17:43 Creating Solutions Through AI 18:03 Introducing the Aphasia Communication App 21:13 Expanding Accessibility in Care Facilities 27:14 Final Thoughts and Resources 29:19 Bridging Communication Gaps 30:14 Resources for Stroke Survivors Transcript: Introduction – Aphasia Communication App Robert (00:00) If I ask him three times, I still can’t understand it. Like, spell it for me. You know, so I mean, that’s kind of how we got by until I developed this app. Lacunar Stroke New Research (00:10) Hello, everyone, and welcome to another episode of the Recovery After Stroke Podcast. Before we get into it today, I want to say a massive thank you to all my Patreon supporters and to everyone who supports this podcast. You are the reason this show keeps going. And I appreciate every single one of you. If you’d like to help keep these episodes coming, you can support the show at patreon.com/slash recovery after stroke. And if you’re looking for tools to guide you, On your own recovery, my book, The Unexpected Way that a Stroke Became, the best thing that happened, is available at recovery after stroke.com slash book. Now, today’s episode is a little different. My guest is Robert Schmidtbauer. And Robert is not a stroke survivor, he’s a care partner. His younger brother was already living with ataxia, a rare condition affecting his muscles and speech, when a stroke six or seven years ago made communication between the two brothers harder than it had ever been. In this conversation, we talk about what it’s like to be the person who translates for someone you love, what happens when rehab ends and the communication problem doesn’t? And what Robert decided to do about it. Something that might genuinely help other families in the same situation. Challenges in Communication Post-Stroke BIll Gasiamis (01:30) Robert Schmidtbauer welcome to the podcast. Robert (01:33) Thank BIll Gasiamis (01:33) can you give me a little bit of a rundown on you and your relationship with your brother before he had a stroke? Robert (01:42) My brother’s nine years younger than I am, so he’s 56, no, 58 now. And we’ve been living here. He originally got out of high school, went to travel school in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and lived there for a number of years. He has a taxia, and he moved home. to my mother’s house. Let’s see, we’ve been here 16 years now in this house living together. And he moved home about 20 years ago. Not quite, maybe like 18, 18 and a half. The ataxia took away his ability to walk. I’m not sure if you’re familiar with ataxia, but it’s kind of like in the muscular dystrophy realm. And it’s very, very, very rare. he attacks your muscles. depending on the seriousness and the kind, there’s like 20 different kinds. You probably wind up dying from it because it slowly affects your muscles. And the first things to go usually are your extremities. In his case, it was his legs and his speech. So when he moved home, he already had a slight problem talking, not real bad, but my mother built a house and it was very small, just one level. so that she didn’t really have to walk up and down stairs and that type of thing. And so he was basically sleeping in the easy chair when he moved back home. And I lived across the street. So I said, come on and move in with me, because I’ve got this big house. I was a single parent at the time. I have one son. And I said, there’s plenty of room here. You can have a bedroom and live here. Stroke Experience and Recovery And so we lived here. The story behind him and the stroke, I was at the time working as a cab driver at a resort town north of here. And so I would never usually get home on weekends until like four or five in the morning. And I came home, I found him on the floor. And so he had a drinking problem at that time. And I asked him what was wrong. And he said, well, I’m drunk. I well, how long have you been here? he’d been on the floor for like four or five hours. My brother is probably 6’1″, or around 6’2″, 230, 240. I couldn’t lift him up. We bought this house as a duplex. My girlfriend at that time lived and rented from us a basement apartment. Even with the both of us, we couldn’t. get him up. So called the ambulance, we got him in and it obviously wasn’t alcohol, although he had been drinking. He wound up going to, we live in the state of Wisconsin and Madison is in the south part of the state, which is our state capital. They took him to the hospital here and then they flew him to Madison and he wound up there in the University of Wisconsin Hospital, which is a very big progressive type hospital. And he was there, I think about three weeks before he came back to a nursing home here to recover. And so his recovery before he finally got home, I would say, going back to memory, we never really wrote it down, but probably about six months. He was in the nursing home for a good three, four months and then in an assisted living type situation where he had his own room, didn’t have to share it, was going through treatment and rehabilitation before he got home. And so then he came and when he was done with that, then he moved back here. So was about a six month process. BIll Gasiamis (05:37) How long ago was a stroke? Robert (05:40) exactly. I couldn’t tell you to be honest Bill, but somewhere in the realm of six to seven years. I go back, I ran a bar at one time and I’ve been gone from there for four years and this was before that. So I would say between six and seven years ago. BIll Gasiamis (05:57) Before COVID. Robert (05:59) Yeah, before COVID. BIll Gasiamis (06:01) Okay. So when he came back from rehab and the assisted living and came to live at your house, what kind of deficits was he living with? Robert (06:13) Excuse me. He still couldn’t walk. He was already in a wheelchair at that time with a taxia. And that didn’t really change much. was worse, obviously, when he first had the stroke, but the rehab helped him to get back to, I would say more or less where he was before the stroke. As far as being ambulatory, he can still stand up. He can still… function, get into counters and cupboards and things like that. He just, the legs, he just can’t walk. He could crawl on the floor if he had to. And his arms and everything still work, so he could still type. again, this was through rehab, but he pretty much got back to where he was prior to that, except for the speech. the speech became noticeably worse. I would say even at this time, at that time it was really bad, at this time unless you know him and live with him or have known him previously, you’re probably going to understand somewhere between 60 and 70 percent. It’s usually the last part of a sentence or thought is what Most people have difficulty understanding. BIll Gasiamis (07:30) So is it the ataxia and aphasia that he’s dealing with? Robert (07:34) You know, officially he’s never been diagnosed with aphasia. It’s probably more to do with the ataxia combination with the stroke. So the doctor has never really the prognosis or whatever you want to call it. They never really diagnosed them as having aphasia. But after reading up on it and going through therapies, you know, for speech and other things. And that continued for the better part of a year. It’s kind of obvious that there’s probably some of that in there. But as far as a medical diagnosis, official medical diagnosis, we never really got that meaning from any of the doctors. BIll Gasiamis (08:17) Got it. So he came back, he would have had some needs f and you would have had to support him with those, if obviously the walking and then and then whatever other needs. So in that communication early on, were you guys able to actually communicate and you understand what his needs were and help him with what he was asking? Robert (08:40) Yes, there was a point and you being a strokes arrival, you know, I have no idea. have AFib and so, you know, kind of runs in our family. So I knew some of what he was going through, but obviously I don’t know what anybody who’s had strokes, you know, have to go through on a daily basis. watching him, there was a point, especially in the nursing home immediately after in the first several months. I would say that there was major depression. There was a battle. I often quote a movie. There was a line that black actor, what was his name? Older guy that played God. Anyway, came on said one time, you never get busy living or you get busy dying. And so I mean, there came a point. after like the first month where we kind of had a come to Jesus conversation at the nursing home and it was like, okay, because he wasn’t following their recommendations too much. didn’t really, the therapy and stuff, wasn’t too thrilled and excited to do that. so I mean, through this conversation, it was like, okay, like, look, you know, either. You try and make the best of the situation and improve or I can’t help you. It’s like alcoholism or any other drug disease. You really have to want to do it, I think, yourself. And so he’s been dry now for, boy, well, since the stroke, probably close to 10 years now. I mean, he slowed down enough after the stroke, he quit completely. But so, yeah. So I mean, that, you know, the communication. I could communicate with him in hospital. It was harder, obviously, but, you know, I could still understand him. The one thing that helped me out throughout the period that we lived together, especially after the stroke, was I taught English online. So I talked to people from Saudi Arabia. I talked to people, you know. from various countries around the world. And that really helped me because I had to listen closely to them. But there are still times where I will ask him, I get 90 % of it and we get to the last couple of words and I’ve got the gist of it, but it’s like, I don’t understand the last words. He’s come out like, okay, ask me three times. If I ask him three times, I still can’t understand it. Like, spell it for me. You know, so I mean, that’s kind of how we got by until I developed this app. BIll Gasiamis (11:23) Yeah. And it it’s interesting, like you guys all went through rehab, left from hospital, came home, he had a speech issue, and yet you guys didn’t weren’t given a tool or something to help you guys communicate at all. It wasn’t even like a thought for anybody to do that. Robert (11:45) No, there was not. I mean, he had speech therapy when he went to the hospital, but that was an hour, three times a week or two times a week. I mean, it wasn’t an everyday type of thing. So yeah. then exercise is when he came home from there that he would, know, phrases and words and stuff that the therapist would want him to practice at home. And even that was… somewhat of a struggle, because we’re kind of, no disrespect to nationalities, but we’re kind of pigheaded Germans. Communication Challenges and Solutions BIll Gasiamis (12:20) that being said, you come home, you haven’t got the tools, you’re trying to help. your brother, there is times where you can’t understand what he’s saying. And you think, I know, I’ll create my own solution for this problem. And tell me about th the background that you had that helped you solve that problem and the solution that you created. Robert (12:43) Yeah, well, if we go back to, you know, when he came home, because this is obviously been recent, right? It’s because of my background was in television and communications. I worked in television and radio. And so I enjoyed playing with computers when he came home because, you know, we were fairly close family and knew him. I just let him do his thing. you know, and if he asks for help whenever I was there for him. But I always felt like a third wheel going through, you know, the stuff from him, his his rehab. I take him there and do it, but there wasn’t much except for like the speech stuff to help him be repetitive on that. So it felt like kind of a third wheel. So it kind of settled into a pattern, you know, unless he needed help, he’s pretty self sufficient. He has a CNA that comes over a couple times a week to make sure that like, when he takes a shower, he doesn’t fall, you know, that that kind of stuff helps with the dishes or cooks a couple meals and puts it in the refrigerator. But I was looking for ways, you know, and trying to think of what a person could do. Creating Solutions Through AI Well, So I still work, you know, part time. And through television, I had my own production company and did things on the side all the time. And so I like to be creative. And a friend of mine who lives in Chicago had a business and we started playing around with AI for about the last six months now. And it’s not as easy as some people say it is, you know, and especially to learn how to use it. So we started playing around with it. And the frustration level of learning AI got to me after we were into it two or three months. you know, learning how to prop things and explain things to get the result that you wanted, I think is one of the biggest keys for that. And not to go off on a tangent here, but this is how the app and working for my brother really came about. I just needed a break. So it came to a point where I’m cussing and swearing. swearing back at the computer and AI and I’m like, no, no, no, no, we tried to do this like five times. This is really simple. You just change this one thing and you’ve got what I want. But every time I asked it, would change something else. And so I’m like, OK, I still want to continue to learn how to use AI, but I got to just put that aside for a minute and take a day off and not work on that. And so we happened I’ve had, I was a single parent. My son was 13 months when my ex-wife left. And so I raised them by myself. And I’ve had a housekeeper that’s been with me for like 20 years. And she is getting older. She’s like in her late 60s, early 70s now. She fell and she busted her hip. And so we had to find another housekeeper while she was recovering. You know, I said, if you want to come back, you’re more than welcome to, but you know, we’ll find someone else in the meantime. And so we had someone come over to the house and give us a quote on what it would cost us to just tidy up the kitchen and the bathrooms and stuff, because I still work about 30 to 35 hours a week. the same thing that happens over and over again when people and relatives visit us with his speech happened with her. And when I’m around, I’m the go-between. I mean, it’s kind of they understand the 60 % of the first part of his answer. And because he’s around the house all the time and doesn’t leave it, I leave those kind of decisions that I take care of the outside and the lawn and those things that I leave the inside of the house to what he wants. Because he’s the one that spends most of the time, you know, in here. And so I’m answering, you know, I’m filling in the blanks for her. You she’s like, okay. I understand you want the bathroom clean this way, but what was that last part? And so I finished the sentence. I’m like, well, he said this, you know? And it kind of dawned on me at that time, you know, going back to the third wheel feeling, kind of dawned on me at that time. I’m like, okay, what if I asked AI a couple of questions about how I can help him, you know? I mean, and help him with his speech. And that’s basically how the app came about. She gave us a quote that was here for half hour, and that happened half a dozen times. And so after she left, I’m like, all right, I still want to try and continue to learn this. And maybe by doing a different project that I’m not just completely frustrated with at the moment, I can help myself with this other project and help him all at the same time. And so. I just posed the question to you, I use Claude mostly, and I just posed the question to Claude, and it gave me the answer. And from that point on, we, over the last, it’s been a little over two months, two and a half or three months, we refined it, probably ended up in running in about two or three days. Introducing the Aphasia Communication App BIll Gasiamis (18:03) So fundamentally, can you tell me how the app works, what it is and how it works specifically? Robert (18:11) It’s basically whatever you want it to be. And it has everything to do with how functional you still are. It’s not designed to be an end all be all. It can be. If you can’t speak at all, it can be. Because you can either type, depending on your conditioning. Do your hands still work? Can you type? So you can type, there’s a line there as you see, you can type in whatever phrase or sentence that you want, and then it will speak out loud what you type in. And then there’s also for people that are limited in their use of their hands, pre-made phrases. And they range from emergency phrases, I need to go to the bathroom, you need to call the doctor. you know, personal phrases, hello, goodbye, you know, things that, and I just thought up as many as I could. And we’ll add to that as we move through stuff and anybody that has suggestions, like contact, and that’s probably what’s screwing something up is I didn’t have a contact on there. So my email’s on there now that if you have an idea, please feel free to, you know, contact me and we’ll try and put something in for that. So that way, you know, if you have an emergency or you have like the housekeeper, you know, like the situation we are and you know, you need something, all you do is just click on the button and then it will speak that phrase out loud. I just wanted it very simple, very straightforward. And so, you know, it’s designed in the sense of doing it that way. If you want to go to a medical definition of it, you could use it and substitute your own voice completely if you want. But the idea is probably more of a helping situation where anybody going through therapy, like watching my brother go through therapy and coming home with phrases and words that he had to, you could literally you know, hit the button, that phrase would come up and you could practice that or, you know, the speech therapist could give you a list of things that could, if you could still type, you could type that in and then work with that at home. If you didn’t like me and my brother, add me to, you know, to be here to rub through that kind of stuff. But if you were alone or someone couldn’t get over it, you could use it in that realm. And depending on how your rehab went, you could be useful for six months. It could be useful for a lifetime. again, that’s why the prices where it’s at, it’s not here for me to get rich off of. want people to, you know, I want it to help people. It’s my brother and I want it to help. So, you know, if you can afford it, it’s $8.99, $9. And that’s a lifetime deal. So once I get this problem. BIll Gasiamis (21:00) Yeah. What’s the price? Yeah. Expanding Accessibility in Care Facilities Robert (21:13) cleared up that I didn’t know about. You can use it for however long it’s there. BIll Gasiamis (21:19) Yeah, nine dollars. I it thirteen Australian dollars. It’s if it it’s well worth it. Like if you get a you get a tool for nine dollars and you use it forever, like that’s perfectly fine. No issue with that whatsoever. so it it’s Robert (21:31) You know, we are doing something as far as facilities are concerned. I’ve reached out to nursing homes, assisted living places, and I haven’t heard back from any of them yet. I’ve gotten some response on it. It seems favorable, but I haven’t got into any kind of negotiations or anything with them. One of my ideas is like going through with what my mother went through with her dementia, right? Here in Tomahawk, there’s one, two, three, two nursing homes and an assisted living place. And so my brother and I and my son, they had a couple rooms where instead of being out in the general population area with people all around, we could book a room that had a television and a couch and a table and stuff. And we would bring order a pizza or bring in food and spend a couple hours as a family where we weren’t disturbed. And my idea for them is twofold. Number one, seeing as how you could use it on an iPad or a tablet. If you had, I have one of the people that helped me here give me information. I work for a group called Tom Ocunary Interfaith Volunteers. it’s a, we give free rides to senior citizens and people. with disabilities. they can go to the doctor, they can go to the store. And one of the guys was the director at one of these facilities. And he came through to become a director all the way from just being a CNA, which is a very low paying job. It’s the people who clean up the messes, let’s just say, you know, to running the facility for this company. And, you know, he’s like, I had one person on my wing that no one else in the building could understand but me. And he said, even I had a 50 % chance of understanding what he really wanted. To have this, say an iPad that you could have hooked onto your cart when you’re making rounds or something, he said, would have been invaluable. And so not only in that respect to help them with clients that they have, but then they would also have like a legal transcription of something in case something a family said that so and so did this to so and so that was bad or they had a problem of some kind. It could be documented. The other aspect of that was with these rooms I was talking about was, you know, you could literally take the computer and open up just like we are here. You’re going to open up a couple of browser windows. You could put Larry’s you know, speak easy, the interface in one window, you can open up FaceTime on Facebook or Zoom or whatever, you know, communication, let’s say that your daughter lived in Phoenix, Arizona or New York or somewhere. You could get them on the line and you can literally have a conversation back and forth because it would speak out loud through the speaker. And if you were, again, able to type and or hit the phrases, you know, that person over there would hear it come out of the computer. And so you could then keep closer tabs on your relatives. Because I think one of the bigger things, having this experience with our mother, was the isolation and the loneliness. mean, in those days, which is now 15 years ago, I went there every other day for an hour or two. I still had to work and still had other things to do. So, you know, to be able to come home and just sit down at a computer and talk to them would have been real nice. So in a sense of, you know, keeping in touch with your family and that type of thing with friends or whatever. Like my brother was a travel agent in Minneapolis and he’s still got two or three of the people that he worked with that are still in his life. So to be able to, you know, do that and you can hold a conversation with them and catch up and things. So I think that would be those two things combined I think should be, how do I put it, attractive to a facility, not only for the client but also for the facility itself. BIll Gasiamis (25:45) Yeah, yeah. To be able to take an iPad and press a button and have a basic conversation at such a low cost to entry, like that’s really good. I imagine there is already software that’s similar that would Robert (26:00) There’s one that’s, and I can’t remember the name of it, so you’ll excuse me. hope. But there’s one that’s about $13 or $14 right around $12.99 or $13.99. That is similar. But from that point on, the next step up is about $150 all the way up to like $7,000 or $8,000 where you actually have to have equipment at home that… you need to learn and or have help using. So there’s really a pretty big gap in that. That’s just my opinion. My research isn’t paid. There could be other things out there. I know there’s a lot of text to speech and a lot of the tablets and stuff right now. just to be dedicated to, excuse me, you know. people with this, you know, aphasia with recovering from stroke. So I really thought, you know, when I, when I’m a My brother showed him, I’m like, wow, this could really help not just him, but other people. BIll Gasiamis (27:05) Yeah, understood. And Robert, if somebody wanted to get a copy of this or to check it out, where would they go? Final Thoughts and Resources Robert (27:14) Speakeasy.com and again, like I said, there’s a free trial. You could just go there and check it out. And if that, you you decide over the course of that free seven days, if that would help you or not help you, you know, and that way then there’s, there’s no push, you know, I think that’s a week. And so if you’re truly interested in it, you have to remember that, that there’s only seven days to try it out and use it. If it helps, it helps, and if it doesn’t, that’s fine, you move on. BIll Gasiamis (27:43) That’s cool. Yeah. Yeah. Very good. Robert, well, I really appreciate you sharing your story and your challenges that you guys have both had to overcome and the development of this little basic simple tool that solves a problem and and reaching out so that we can let people know so that if they need to solve a problem like that, that is similar and they’re happy to pay nine ninety nine US dollars, then that that might help them. That might be a good way to go about solving a little problem well, a big problem for people in in their home. Robert (28:21) You know, we’ve, it of, asked me something that I did here just recently because we are on the, NAA, the National Aphasia Association website as a resource. We’re on a smaller, it’s called the Stroke Foundation out of Texas, started by a family very similar to your case, a family that has suffered stroke in the family, and it’s a family-run foundation. We have 300, almost 260 something people that have tried it across without any type of advertising just by talking on Facebook and supporters. And also we’re people from 20 different countries now have tried it. So, you know, I welcome them all, you know, just try and if it helps, good for you. And I’m happy that. you do something to help anybody. BIll Gasiamis (29:17) Yeah. Thank you, mate. Thank you for joining me on the podcast. Bill Gasiamis (29:19) Well, there you have it. My conversation with Robert Schmidbauer. A huge thank you to Robert for reaching out and for sharing his and his brother’s story. What stays with me from this one is how simple the whole thing is. Two brothers with a communication gap that the system never closed. And instead of waiting for permission or a diagnosis, Robert sat down and built the tool himself. Nine dollars for life because it’s his brother and he wants to help. If you or someone you love is dealing with speech difficulties after stroke, head to the show notes right now. You’ll find the link to Larry’s Speakeasy there and the app that Robert built at Larry’s Speakeasy.com. There’s a free seven-day trial so you can see it for yourself whether it helps before you spend a cent. And while you’re there, if the episode gave you something, like it, leave a comment. Share it with someone who needs it and subscribe so you never miss another episode. Every one of these things helps more stroke survivors and their families find this show. If you’d like to go deeper on Aphasia, check out my earlier conversation with Tracy Bode, Aphasia Help After Stroke At recoveryafterstroke.com/slash Aphasia Help After Stroke. Tracy Bode. The links will be in the show notes. My book, The Unexpected Way That a 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 at patreon.com/recoveryafterstroke I would deeply appreciate it. Thanks for being here. I’ll see you on the next episode. The post Robert Schmidtbauer – Building a Voice for My Brother appeared first on Recovery After Stroke.

Episode Topic: Notre Dame's History with Native Peoples from Reunion 2026 Drawing from the records of Fr. Badin, Fr. Sorin, and Fr. Hesburgh, as well as Chief Leopold Pokagon, the founder of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, Zada Ballew '19 tells a fuller, more complicated story of how Notre Dame was founded and why. In this telling, Indigenous peoples are neither missing nor absent from the narrative — they are central to the history of the land that became Notre Dame. Understand more fully how the early history of the Potawatomi and Notre Dame is remembered on campus.Featured Speakers:Zada Ballew, outgoing chair of NAA, University of Notre DameRead this episode's recap over on the University of Notre Dame's open online learning community platform, ThinkND: https://go.nd.edu/b0111b. This podcast is a part of the ThinkND Series titled Indigenous Voices.Thanks for listening! The ThinkND Podcast is brought to you by ThinkND, the University of Notre Dame's online learning community. We connect you with videos, podcasts, articles, courses, and other resources to inspire minds and spark conversations on topics that matter to you — everything from faith and politics, to science, technology, and your career.Learn more about ThinkND and register for upcoming live events at think.nd.edu.Join our LinkedIn community for updates, episode clips, and more.

LEITURA BÍBLICA DO DIA: 2 TIMÓTEO 4:1-8 PLANO DE LEITURA ANUAL: 2 CRÔNICAS 34–36; JOÃO 19:1-22  Já fez seu devocional hoje? Aproveite e marque um amigo para fazer junto com você! Confira:  O pastor John Harper garantiu um lugar para sua filha de 6 anos em um dos poucos botes salva-vidas quando o Titanic atingiu um iceberg em abril de 1912. A seguir, deu seu colete a outra pessoa e compartilhou o evangelho com todos que aceitaram ouvi-lo. Enquanto o navio afundava e centenas aguar davam um resgate improvável, Harper nadava entre os náufragos dizendo: “Creia no Senhor Jesus e você será salvo” (ATOS 16:31 NAA). Entre os sobreviventes do Titanic, um homem referiu-se a si mesmo como “o último convertido de Harper”. Ele tinha rejeitado o primeiro convite, mas creu em Cristo quando o pastor lhe pediu novamente. Ele viu Harper dedicar seus últimos momentos de vida compartilhando as boas-novas de Jesus antes de sucumbir à hipotermia e afundar na água gelada. O apóstolo Paulo instrui Timóteo e o encoraja a ter a mesma urgência e dedicação ao compartilhar o evangelho. Assegurando-o da presença constante de Deus e do retorno inevitável de Jesus, ele incumbe Timóteo a pregar “com paciência e bom ensino” (2 TIMÓTEO 4:1-2). Relembra o jovem a manter-se sóbrio, embora alguns viessem a rejeitar Jesus (vv.3-5). Nossos dias são limitados, portanto cada momento conta. Podemos estar seguros de que nosso Pai preparou nosso lugar no Céu quando proclamamos: “Jesus salva”!  Por: XOCHITL DIXON  

Finding Love & Yourself in Your 50s with Marchetta Daniels Season 2, Episode 3 | That Part by 45 Lemons We asked the Black women in our lives a simple question: If you could talk about anything on a podcast, what would it be? Marchetta Daniels chose love, reinvention, and finding yourself after 50. What unfolds is a conversation about far more than romance. Verta, Naa, and Marchetta explore aging, identity, confidence, second chapters, and what happens when you stop living by timelines that were never really yours. Together, they unpack the stories society tells women, especially Black women, about desirability, visibility, and what is supposedly “too late.” They talk about self-trust, joy, purpose, softer love, and the freedom that can come with knowing yourself more deeply. Because after 50 is not simply about starting over. Sometimes it is about arriving. Arriving at clearer boundaries, fuller self-knowledge, and the reminder that becoming does not have an expiration date. Video Version: https://youtu.be/BPtyGnQPKKQ?si=KUaXOtzPOW8qjTOD   Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

This year's Apartmentalize education program is stacked - and we're going behind the scenes. In our latest episode, we sit down with Clark Ebbert, NAA's Conference Education Programming Director, who curates the entire learning experience for the industry's biggest event. We talk about the can't‑miss topics, the trends shaping the industry and the sessions guaranteed to level you up. If you want to walk into the conference already ahead of the curve, this episode is your shortcut. Listen now and get the inside scoop - and stick around for a special registration code somewhere in this episode!Learn more and register now for Apartmentalize, June 17-19 in New Orleans at https://naahq.org/apartmentalizePlease note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Elizabeth Ambacher, NAA's vice president of meetings and expositions, and Clark Ebbert, director of conference education discuss what's on the agenda this year and what it says about the evolution of apartment operations.This year's educational programming, shaped by direct input from NAA's advisory board, reflects the challenges operators are facing right now. AI remains a major focus, but the conversation has evolved from “What is AI?” to proving ROI and scaling adoption.Listeners can save $150 on registration with promo code "MHNPODCAST" through May 26.Here are a few highlights from this episode:(3:19) Why centralization and automation haven't delivered as cleanly as operators expected(4:20) Doing more with less is the No. 1 challenge members bring to NAA(9:21) The shift from fixing things faster to building systems that break less(12:31) Why "we want less" is really code for "we're overwhelmed by options"(15:55) Three keynote speakers bringing perspectives from outside the industry

Insurance costs are rising faster than almost any other expense in rental housing — and the impact is reshaping operations, underwriting and long‑term strategy. In this episode, National Apartment Association Manager of Industry Research Eri Bajomo breaks down the data behind today's multifamily insurance cost acceleration and what it means for owners, operators and investors.Drawing from her recent analysis for NAA, Bajomo explains why premiums are climbing nationwide, how reinsurance markets are driving volatility and which regions are experiencing the sharpest increases. We also explore how rising insurance costs affect budgeting, deal feasibility, risk management and property performance across the multifamily housing sector.If you work in real estate, property management, asset management or multifamily investment — or you simply want to understand one of the industry's most disruptive trends — this conversation offers clear, actionable insight into the forces reshaping insurance in 2025 and beyond.For more on NAA's Research offerings, visit https://naahq.org/research Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Coming Home to Yourself After Grief and Loss with Darnese Daniels Season 2 of That Part continues with another question answered by the Black women in our lives: If you could talk about anything on a podcast, what would it be? This episode is Darnese's answer. Darnese Daniels joins us for a conversation about grief, not just the moment of loss, but what comes after. The part no one really prepares you for. The quiet. The identity shift. The version of you that no longer exists and the one still taking shape. Verta and Naa sit with what it means to come home to yourself after grief and loss. They explore how grief changes the way you move, love, and see the world, and how, for many Black women, that process happens while everything else keeps going. From the pressure to keep holding it all together to the unspoken ways grief reshapes your sense of self, this conversation moves through loss, truth, and the slow work of becoming. Because grief does not just take something from you. It tells the truth about you. And coming home to yourself is not about going back. It is about claiming who you are now. Season 2 continues to bring new voices into the room while staying rooted in what That Part has always been. Real conversation. Cultural truth. And the things we don't always say out loud. Video Version: https://youtu.be/aZfsFEU2EYc?si=pg-O_AxQVIZ8e7Ab Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Devocional do dia 05/05/2026 com o Tema: Acusações Você já assistiu a um julgamento na hora em que são feitas as acusações contra o réu? Geralmente, é um momento muito tenso, pois, a partir disso, iniciam-se as argumentações a favor e contra o acusado. Provas são apresentadas, embates acontecem. Leitura Bíblica: Oseias 4.1-3 Meus filhinhos, escrevo-lhes estas coisas para que vocês não pequem. Mas, se alguém pecar, temos advogado junto ao Pai, Jesus Cristo, o Justo (1Jo 2.1, NAA).See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Fresh off the plane from Seattle, we're breaking down the biggest moments from this year's Appraisers Conference and Trade Show (ACTS). From packed sessions on UAD 3.6 to the conversations shaping the future of valuation, we're sharing what impacted us most, and what's next.We're joined by industry veteran Jason Covington, who was just installed as Vice President of the National Association of Appraisers Board of Directors. He talks about his journey, what this new role means, and why getting involved with the NAA could be a game-changer for your career.If you missed ACTS 2026, consider this your insiders recap (minus the jet lag).At The Appraisal Buzzcast, we host weekly episodes with leaders and experts in the appraisal industry about current events and relevant topics in our field. Subscribe and turn on notifications to catch our episode premieres every Wednesday!You can find the video version of this podcast at http://www.youtube.com/@TheAppraisalBuzzcast or head to https://appraisalbuzz.com for our breaking news and written articles. 

Realigning with Self After Motherhood with Jihan J Season 2 of That Part begins with a simple but powerful shift. We asked Black women in our lives one question: If you could talk about anything on a podcast, what would it be? This episode is the first answer. Jihan returns and brings us into a conversation about realigning with self after motherhood. Not as a dramatic reinvention, but as an ongoing reckoning with identity, change, and what it means to come back to yourself after becoming everything to someone else. Verta and Naa explore the tension between devotion and disappearance, the unspoken expectations placed on Black women, and what it looks like to find yourself again after years of holding it all. From the emotional weight of being needed to the subtle ways we drift from ourselves over time, this conversation moves between the personal and the professional with honesty and care. Because motherhood changes you. But it should not erase you. Realignment is not about becoming someone new. It is about remembering who you have always been and who you are becoming. Season 2 brings new voices into the room while staying rooted in what That Part has always been. Real conversation. Cultural truth. And the things we don't always say out loud. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Get ready—this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast is all about celebrating the heartbeat of our industry: RPM Careers Week! We're joined by Shellie Sims, Director of Workforce Development and Career Awareness at the NAA Education Institute, for an inside look at why this nationwide celebration is bigger, bolder and more important than ever.We're spotlighting the dynamic, people‑first career paths that make residential property management such a powerful place to grow. From April 20 through April 24, we're calling on the entire industry to jump in and make some noise. Follow the daily themes, share your stories, shout out your teams and nominate the standout professionals who keep our communities thriving. And with the RPM Careers Week Toolkit, participating has never been easier.Every post, every nomination, and every moment of recognition fuels our mission to attract new talent, strengthen our workforce and remind RPM professionals just how essential—and appreciated—they truly are. This is your week to celebrate, elevate and amplify the incredible people behind the properties.For more on RPM Careers Week and to access the Toolkit, visit RPM Careers Week | National Apartment Association. To learn more about NAA's Education Institute, visit https://naahq.org/naaei. Please note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Hello and welcome to Handgun Radio! I'm your host Ryan Michad, Weerd Beard & Co from the wild woods of Central Maine and this is your home for all the news, information and discussion in the handgunning world!   This week, we talk Best & Worst Purchases!   Please check out the Patriot Patch Company for their awesome patches and other high quality  items! Visit www.patriotpatch.co for more information! Cool artist “proof” rendition come along with the latest patch of the month patches!    We are proudly sponsored by VZ Grips! Please go check out all their fantastic products at their website! VZ Grips!  -KFrame Magna Grips   Thank you to all our patreons! Visit us at https://www.patreon.com/handgunradio    Week In Review:   Ryan: -Connor asthma trip, doing better now! -Maine 72 Hour waiting period going back into effect   Oddball:   Food Segment: New Stove! We got rid of the 35 year old one and got a brand new GE Gas Stove! Regular bake, convection roast or bake, air fry, pizza no preheat and more! And the griddle in the middle! I did my classic Popovers in it and they came out great! -1 Cup Flour -1 Cup Milk -A Punch of Salt (As Lefty Said) -4 Eggs -Beat eggs first, then add ingredients. Let batter sit. Preheat oven to 450. Pour into greased popover tins. Bake for 20 min on 450. Decrease temp to 350. Bake for 15 mins or until golden brown.    Main Topic:   Best Purchases: -FEG P9R 9mm (Basically half Browning Hi Power, Half S&W 59) -Inglis Hi Power Color Case Hardened -S&W M&P 10mm FPC (Price was too good to pass up, with ammo) -Glock 19 Gen 4 9mm (Also, price was too good to pass up) -Walther PPK/s .22 LR (Its reliable, very concealable and will be a great suppressor host) Beretta 92LTT Beretta Px4 Altor Sig 365   Worst/Questionable Purchases:   -1860 Pietta Blackpowder Revolver (Great gun, I just never realized how much of a pain blackpowder cleaning is) -SIG Sauer P230 .380 ACP (Hurt my hand, and I am a recoil junkie, so that is saying something) -NAA .22 LR & .22 Magnum Mini Revolvers (These aren't really “worst” or “Questionable”, I enjoy them, they are fun & fantastic pieces of firearms engineering. They just have limited utility) -Jennings J-22 (I think this speaks for itself. The first time I took it apart and saw what held the striker back, I was terrified.) Any new gun that doesn't work out of the box Old Colt revolvers Thunderstruck HK p30sk   Wrap Up: Don't forget to shop Brownells using our affiliate link! Head to firearmsradio.net and click the affiliate link in the upper right hand corner! Be sure to go like Handgun Radio on facebook and share it with your friends! Leave us a review on iTunes! Check out VZ Grips!  Listen to all the great shows on the Firearms Radio Network! Check out the Patriot Patch Company!! www.patriotpatch.co   Weerd where can people find you? Assorted Calibers Podcast,  Weer'd World   Oddball gunscarstech.com Assorted Calibers Podcast ACP and HGR Facebook Play screechingtires.wav   David Blue Collar Prepping Brena Bock Author Page David Bock Author Page Team And More Xander: Assorted Calibers Podcast Here so Ryan doesn't do a bad impression of me   Until next week, have fun & safe shooting!    

Naa ihr Bimbimbims!

At a time when housing affordability debates are often driven more by perception than data, taking a closer look at what's actually behind a rent payment matters more than ever. The National Apartment Association's Dollar of Rent tool provides a clear, data-driven view of the expenses tied to operating a multifamily property, drawing on tens of thousands of audited, property-level financial statements.In this episode of NAA Insights, host Laura Valean, senior editor at Multi-Housing News, sits down with Leah Cuffy, director of advocacy research at NAA, to explore how the tool can be used in practice.

Awakening the Oblivious Sleepers to the Seasons of Life (Tanbih an-Naa'im Al-Ghamr Alaa Mawasim Al-Umar)” by Ibn Al-Jawzi. A short text that gives specific advice from the Quran and Sunnah to people across the life span - Childhood/Parenting, Youth, Adulthood, Old Age, Decrepitude. Taught by Dr. Zohair Abdul Rahman

On this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, we're joined by Leah Cuffy, NAA's Director of Advocacy Research, for a deep dive into the economics behind the Dollar of Rent—NAA's data‑driven tool that breaks down exactly where each rent dollar goes and why it matters.Cuffy reveals how that dollar is stretched across operating costs, taxes, maintenance, payroll, insurance and more — painting a clear picture of what it truly takes to provide rental housing today.We dig into the pressures shaping the industry, the misconceptions that fuel policy debates and why understanding the cost structure of rental housing is essential for meaningful conversations with lawmakers.For more on the Dollar of Rent Tool, visit Dollar of Rent Tool | National Apartment Association. If you want to explore NAA's broader advocacy work—including policy resources, industry priorities, legislative trackers and grassroots tools—visit Advocacy | National Apartment AssociationPlease note that as is the case for all The NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

In this episode of the Appraisal Update Podcast, I sit down with Malinda Griffin, President of the National Association of Appraisers, to talk about why getting involved in your professional association matters more than ever.We discuss the benefits of engagement, how appraisers can strengthen their voice in the profession, and why you won't want to miss the upcoming Appraiser's Conference & Trade Show (ACTS) in Seattle.From valuable education and industry updates to networking and a lot of fun along the way, ACTS is one of the best opportunities for appraisers to connect, learn, and grow.

Procrastination Is Protecting Something   This episode is for anyone who has ever called themselves lazy while quietly carrying too much. In Episode 8, Verta and Naa reframe procrastination not as a character flaw, but as emotional data. Sometimes we delay because we don't care. Sometimes we delay because we care too much. And sometimes what looks like avoidance is exhaustion, misalignment, fear of being seen, or perfectionism dressed up as productivity. They unpack the shame spiral — the “shoulds,” the urgency culture, the hustle trauma — and explore how delay can function as protection: from visibility, rejection, burnout, or making the wrong decision. But they also name the turning point — when protection becomes pattern, and pattern becomes self-betrayal. Instead of productivity hacks, they offer better questions: Is this delay protecting my alignment — or my fear? If I don't do this, what will it cost me? Because avoidance can feel like safety in the moment. But over time, it becomes self-betrayal. From unfinished conversations sitting heavy in the body to ideas that feel too close to the heart to release, this episode moves beyond productivity and into deeper self-exploration — inviting intentional choices that shape our relationships, creativity, and healing. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

We are joined in the studio by the CEO of the National Auction Association (NAA), as we discuss her newly acquired role in the auction industry.  The NAA has seen a lot of changes over the past 15 years and Allison takes us through some of her insight and experiences as she settles into the CEO’s seat at a National Organization.  We discuss the recent sale of the long time NAA headquarters, advancements delivered by AI and the recent auction marketing summit which was held in Kansas City (Feb).  Great conversation that should benefit all auction and real estate professionals.  Enjoy the show.

On this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, we're joined by a trio of NAA's Federal Legislative Affairs Directors, Joe Riter, Maria Spencer and Jason Lynn, who are here to preview NAA's Advocate conference and Lobby Day (March 24-25, register at Advocate | National Apartment Association), walk through important matters of housing policy and detail what matters right now in Washington and why your voice in D.C. counts.  If you are interested in learning more about NAA's mission to improve the public policy environment at all levels of government for the rental housing industry, visit Advocacy | National Apartment Association for links to the policy issues library, industry priorities, Apartment Advocate newsletter, registration for the monthly Advocacy and Legal Webinar, legislative and regulatory trackers, grassroots action center, and much more. And of course, register now for NAA's Advocate, March 24-25, by visiting Advocate | National Apartment AssociationPlease note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

The Things We Don't Say Out Loud This episode is for anyone who has learned to read the room before speaking, who knows the truth before it is ever named, and who has carried wisdom quietly to survive. In Episode 7, Verta and Naa explore the power and cost of silence. From workplaces where “professionalism” replaces honesty, to families and communities where certain truths are never spoken, they unpack how silence can function as strategy, safety, resistance, and harm. They reflect on the unspoken knowledge Black women carry, the emotional labor of discernment, and what happens when silence becomes the culture instead of the choice. From being performance reviewed out instead of given real feedback, to ghosting ourselves in order to belong, this episode examines how unaddressed truths shape our bodies, our leadership, and our relationships. They also ask what it looks like to speak with intention rather than fear. To choose silence when it protects us, and to speak when truth is required for healing and accountability. Because not everything sacred has to be said. But some things need air to breathe. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

This special edition episode of the NAA Apartmentcast features guest hosts Scott Wilkerson, Chief Investment Officer and Chair of the Investment Committee for Ginkgo Residential, and Chris Carter, Regional Vice President for Carter-Haston, both members of NAA's Operations Committee. They are joined by Brad Dockser, CEO and Co-Founder of GreenGen for an intriguing conversation focused on ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance), which itself sits at a really interesting crossroads in rental housing: Touching asset management, finance, operations, climate strategy, resident experience, and the future of real estate. There is a case to be made that ESG isn't a cost center for rental housing providers, it's a competitive advantage and a driver of value. Housing providers that integrate ESG into their operations can unlock new revenue opportunities, future-proof their assets and deliver better outcomes for residents and investors. For more information and resources on ESG, sustainability, asset management and NAA's Operations Committee, visit https://naahq.org/Please note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this sponsored episode, we sit down with Kyle Nelson, Vice President of Corporate Strategy at Snappt, and Maitri Johnson, Vice President, Tenant and Employment at TransUnion, to discuss how fraud prevention isn't just an operational task anymore; it's shaping the renter experience and influencing where people choose to live. Trust-building technology is becoming a competitive edge for multifamily communities:  From faster approvals for qualified applicants to stronger protections against fraud, we discuss how modern tools enhance the leasing journey, support onsite teams, and attract high-quality renters. We also break down how trust and transparency can function as powerful amenities that boost operational efficiency and elevate resident satisfaction.Visit Snappt.comPlease note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Joy Is a KPI This episode is for anyone who knows something is off when the work gets done but the joy is gone. In Episode 6, Verta and Naa make the case for joy as a real metric, not a soft add-on or a vibes-only bonus. They unpack why joy has been squeezed out of so many workplaces and lives, and what it costs us when productivity is the only acceptable emotion. From the difference between happiness and joy, to who actually gets permission to be joyful, they explore how creativity, laughter, and delight are not distractions but essential indicators of wellness. At work and beyond. They also talk honestly about burnout, overfunctioning, and what it takes to build lives where joy is part of the infrastructure, not the reward at the end. Because you can't track joy in Jira. But you can always feel when it's gone. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this sponsored episode, we sit down with Ken McDonald, CEO of Leonardo247, as he shares how property operators can leverage AI and their unique operational playbook to drive NOI growth. In this episode, he reveals proven strategies to turn operational data into AI-powered optimizations that improve efficiency, strengthen resident retention and boost profitability.Visit Leonardo247.comPlease note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

There are more than 40 million apartments in the United States, of which half are owned and operated by small portfolios, otherwise known as independent rental owners (IRO). On this episode of the NAA Apartmentcast, we're joined by Demetrio Jiminez, President and Owner of Tropicana Properties in El Paso, Texas, and 2026 Chair of the NAA Affordable Housing Committee; and Megan Orser, CEO and Business Strategist for Smart Apartment Solutions and Smart Moves in Howell, Michigan, as well as the 2024 Chair of NAA's Independent Rental Owners Committee, to dive deep into the real stories behind the rental housing market and discussing something that affects millions of Americans: Affordable housing. But we're not just talking policy or theory. We're talking to the people who are in the trenches: IROs, rental owners, small-scale investors and property managers who are shaping the future of housing, one unit at a time. Is affordability a moral obligation, a market failure, or a business opportunity? Listen to find out.For more information and resources for IROs, including the NAA Click & Lease small owner package, visit https://naahq.org/Please note that as is the case for all NAA Apartmentcast episodes, nothing contained within this podcast should be treated as legal advice. The information presented is for educational purposes only. 

Pick Up the Phone: Relearning Connection at Work (and Beyond) This one's for anyone tired of being left on read—in the group chat, in the meeting, or in real life. In Episode 5, Verta and Naa explore how “not my problem” energy became the norm and what it's costing us. From unread emails to sitting next to someone who won't name the issue they have with you, they unpack how burnout, fear, and digital convenience have quietly made us worse teammates—and sometimes worse humans. They also ask: What would it look like to bring care back to work, not as a performance, but as a practice? Their answer lives in third spaces, intergenerational grace, and the ten seconds of courage it takes to simply check in. Because liberation isn't about doing everything alone. It's about building systems that remind us we never had to. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we are joined by Kelli Lea, Senior Regional Property Manager for Greystar and 2025-2026 President of the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) Board of Directors, to provide an update on all the exciting things happening at National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI), including the latest on the growth of its credentialing programs, new skills based professional development and what's on tap for 2026. Learn more about NAAEI credentials, as well as online training and continuing education credits, courses and resources available through the Visto, NAAEI's online learning platform. And don't miss the new Career Map Tool from NAAEI.

Have you ever thought about what you might put on your gravestone? A quote, a poem....a recipe? Rosie Grant, the world's leading expert on gravestone recipes, explains all. About Rosie Grant: Rosie Grant is a writer, researcher, and archivist whose work explores the intersections of archives, folklore, and family storytelling. She is the creator of @GhostlyArchive, where her exploration of gravestone recipes and the histories behind them has reached hundreds of thousands of followers across social media. TO DIE FOR: A Cookbook of Gravestone Recipes is her first book. Find her: Instagram: @ghostly.archive TikTok: @ghostlyarchive Find all of the Lecker Book Club reads on my Bookshop.org list. [aff link] Further Listening: Sunday Roast Rites: on death and cooking Moots: on the food related traditions of Hop-tu-Naa, the Manx celebration of Samhain --- Lecker is a podcast about how food shapes our lives. Recorded mostly in kitchens, each episode explores personal stories to examine our relationships with food – and each other. Support Lecker: Patreon: patreon.com/leckerpodcast Substack: leckerpodcast.substack.com Apple Podcasts: podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/lecker/id1158028729 Merch:  leckerpodcast.com/merch Listen everywhere: leckerpodcast.com Instagram: @leckerpodcast Full transcript available at leckerpodcast.com Lecker is part of Heritage Radio Network - heritageradionetwork.org Music by Blue Dot Sessions

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we sit down with NAA's Director of Federal Legislative Affairs Maria Spencer, who, now that the government has reopened, is here to walk us through the Congressional FY26 appropriations process and the prospective impacts on the rental housing industry, especially as it relates to balancing the priorities of creating new supply while preserving the present affordable housing stock. For those of you out there who are interested in learning more about housing policy, including insight into Congressional reconciliation and appropriation, NAA has a wealth of resources, including a policy issues library, the Apartment Advocate and Apartment Advocate Pro newsletters, and much more, all on NAA's website. 

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we sit down with NAA's Director of Conference Education Programming Clark Ebbert, as well as Peter Lynch, Chief People Officer at Cardinal Group Companies and Emcee of NAA's Cultivate event, Feb. 17-18, 2026 in Nashville. They're joining today to talk about this unique, intimate and highly strategic event, where the education offerings are designed by rental housing leaders and are acutely focused on current issues and how to solve them, with the vibrant location serving as the perfect backdrop to grow your network with the next generation of senior leaders. Learn more and register for Cultivate!

Liberation Is a Strategy In Episode 4, Verta and Naa unpack what liberation looks like when it is not just a dream or a destination, but a strategy. A lived practice. A choice. From global shifts in leadership to the quiet decisions in your daily calendar, this conversation traces the ways Black women around the world are modeling new ways of living, working, and leading. They explore liberation as rest, rhythm, refusal, and redesign. From saying no without guilt to trusting ease as strategic, this episode is about softening the grind and reclaiming the moments that make life feel more whole. Verta and Naa reflect on their own practices of liberation, from travel and rest to family legacies, and offer questions for you to consider as you design your own freedom. Whether you are working, resting, caregiving, or creating something new, this episode is a reminder that you do not have to wait for permission. Liberation is not just a vibe. It is a viable way to move through the world. And it starts with how you live your life, right now. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

In this episode of the JuvoHub Podcast, I'm diving into something that completely changed the course of my career—getting involved with professional associations like IREM and the National Apartment Association. These organizations helped me grow, build lifelong friendships, and discover opportunities I never imagined possible. Whether you're just starting out in property management or have been in the industry for years, I want to challenge you: get involved. Show up. Invest in your growth. The connections you make and the experiences you gain will elevate your career and our entire profession. Tune in, get inspired, and let's keep this industry thriving—together!

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we sit down with NAA's AVP of Housing Policy & Regulatory Affairs Nicole Upano to talk public policy, advocacy, government shutdowns and some inside baseball on what's happening in Washington.Visit naahq.org/advocacy for links to the policy issues library, industry priorities, Apartment Advocate newsletter, registration for the monthly Advocacy and Legal Webinar, legislative and regulatory trackers, grassroots action center and much more.  If you'd like to get in touch to assist on some of the topics mentioned, please email communications@naahq.org with the subject line “advocacy involvement.”Visit NAA's website for industry resources and live shutdown updates.

You won't believe where we're headed next.We've locked in a world-famous venue in the heart of New Orleans for Podcast Palooza 2026—and it's going to be the biggest and boldest event yet.This iconic location has hosted legendary comedians, and now it'll be the stage for the multifamily industry's most anticipated evening of conversation, connection, and community. If you thought 2024 and 2025 were something... just wait.None of this happens without the incredible Jennifer Carter and her unstoppable team. Their hustle? Next level. Their heart? Unmatched. If you're a supplier partner, the window to sponsor is shrinking fast—get with Jennifer before the lights go down and the curtain rises.And for attendees, don't wait. This show sells out. The food is hot, the drinks are cold, and the conversations? Electric. It's the Tuesday night before NAA officially kicks off—don't miss your chance to RSVP.

Black Women Been Told Y'all: The Canaries in the Coal Mine Guest: Jihan Johnston-McGlotten: Strategist, Researcher, Cultural Technologist, and Mother In this episode, Verta and Naa sit down with the brilliant Jihan Johnston-McGlotten, a Black woman navigating nine months of unemployment after a layoff. Together, they unpack what it means to be pushed out of the workforce while still holding on to creativity, clarity, and community. They explore the deeper truths behind layoffs, the pressure to produce, and the silence that often follows when Black women speak up. From systems that gaslight to the gut instincts that guide us, this is an honest conversation about being the early warning signal — and the brilliance that comes when we choose ourselves anyway. JIHAN'S BIO: Jihan Johnston-McGlotten is a strategist, researcher, and cultural technologist whose work connects technology, gaming, media, and culture to create human-centered, impactful experiences. With over 15 years of experience, she helps organizations, brands, and communities navigate AI, interactive media, gaming, and Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) in ways that are meaningful, inclusive, and culturally informed. As the founder of BeatBotics, a forward-thinking creative technology and media startup, Jihan leads the development of digital experiences that are innovative, equitable, and globally relevant. Her PhD research focuses on HCI and human-centered technology, giving her a unique perspective on how people interact with AI, digital platforms, and interactive media. A mother and global thinker, she blends research, strategy, and cultural insight to translate complex technology and media trends into actionable strategies that resonate across communities. Known professionally as The Real Jihan J, she delivers keynotes, workshops, and strategic advisement for brands, nonprofits, and educational institutions, connecting people, technology, gaming, and culture to foster innovation, inclusion, and authentic human connection. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we sit down with NAA's VP of Research George Ratiu to talk the economics of residential real estate, as well as review all of the insightful research NAA has recently released. Visit the research section on NAA's website to explore all of NAA's research offerings, including Income/Expense IQ data, industry trends, housing policy research, the apartment market pulse, dollar of rent and much more, including Behind the High Cost of Rent, Regulations and Rents and Navigating Challenges in the Apartment Industry.

This Job Is Not Your Whole Story In this episode of That Part, Verta and Naa unpack the ways work can swallow our sense of self — especially for Black women. They talk about detaching worth from output, grieving professional betrayal, and reclaiming identity beyond our job titles. From stats to side-eyes, from layoffs to liberation, this episode reminds us that rest is not quitting and your story is bigger than your resume. Learn more about Naa & Verta here: Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Welcome to That Part In this first full episode, Verta and Naa introduce That Part — a podcast rooted in truth-telling, tenderness, and cultural clarity. They share how they met, why they launched 45 Lemons, and what inspired the name That Part. You'll hear a mini version of every segment, from What We're Holding to The Fix — including a personal moment where Naa shares some thangs and Verta responds with care, candor, and (let's be honest) likely some hilarity. This episode is a welcome mat, a mic drop, and an invitation.
Come through! Together on That Part Verta and Naa are your guides through the mess and the magic of being—at work, in the world, and within ourselves. Come for the cultural clarity. Stay for the cackles, the community, and the truth that just might set you free. Why the Name That Part? In today's culture — especially in Black communities and online spaces — that part is what people say when someone speaks a truth that hits deep. Instead of saying yes, exactly or I feel that, we say: That part. Imagine someone says: I'm tired of jobs saying we're a family — but cutting people without warning. And someone else replies: That part. It's like saying: That's the truth that needed to be said — and I feel it. It's the moment in a conversation when someone names what everyone else was thinking. It's a head nod. A pause. A shared knowing. You might hear it in a meeting, a group chat, a meme, or at the dinner table.  We chose this name because we're not here to sugarcoat or skip the real stuff. We're here to say what's true — not just what's trending. The hard parts. The holy parts. The parts we whisper about after the meeting or talk about off the record. This podcast is where we speak from the gut and name what needs naming. Because that part is where the real conversation lives — where the shift begins Email: thatpart@45Lemons.com  Website: www.45lemons.com/thatpart Instagram: @fortyfivelemons

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this sponsored episode, we sit down with two leaders, Chris Ulep, Vice President at Yardi Breeze, and David Franklin, Industry Principal of AI at Yardi, to explore how artificial intelligence is not just for the big players. They share how Yardi is making AI tools more accessible, affordable and user-friendly for small and mid-sized property management companies. From simplifying workflows to predictive analytics to improved resident communications, this episode demystifies how AI can empower teams of any size.

National Auction Association's Taven Wohlford sits down with the 2024 International Auctioneer Championship Champions Marcela Davila Diez-Gutierrez, CAI, and Shane McCarrell, CAI, AARE, BAS, CES, live at the NAA's 76th annual Conference & Show. Attendees of this live recording offered up questions for our champions, who were able to share insights on what it takes to take your IAC game to the next level. Thank you to Bidpath for sponsoring a portion of this episode. 

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we sit down with NAA's AVP of Federal Legislative Affairs Owen Caine, who walks us through the Congressional reconciliation package that dictates the future of tax policy following the One Big Beautiful Bill Act being signed into law on July 4. For those of you out there who are interested in learning more about housing policy, including insight into Congressional reconciliation and appropriation, NAA has a wealth of resources, including a policy issues library, the Apartment Advocate and Apartment Advocate Pro newsletters, and much more, all on NAA's website. 

Forget everything you thought you knew about SEO.The game has changed—and it's called AEO: Answer Engine Optimization.In this episode of the Multi-PM Collective, I break down something I spotted at NAA's Apartmentalize Conference that's about to reshape Multifamily marketing. AEO isn't just a new acronym—it's a new mindset. One where AI engines like ChatGPT, Claude, and Anthropic are replacing traditional search.Prospects aren't Googling “apartments in Atlanta” anymore.They're asking for one inside an AI.And the smart players? They're optimizing their content—every property page, every piece of metadata, every image schema—to show up as the answer in that prompt.The kicker? You don't need to pay overpriced ILSs to win this game.You just need the right strategy and a website that's built for the prompt-driven future.I'm not knocking the ILS model. I'm just saying the future belongs to those who don't have to rely on it.

In this episode the Slow Road to Better crew talks to Maura Silverman about what the National Aphasia Association is, how we all can spread the word and how the NAA is here to help you!

I just experienced one of the wildest nights in multifamily media—Podcast Palooza V2 was insane!#Day1 at NAA 2025 is here, and I've already got lunch meetings, leadership panels, and AI debates lined up.I've never seen energy like this at NAA—Podcast Palooza V2 set the bar for the entire week!Welcome to a fresh episode of the Multifamily Collective with Mike Brewer, coming to you live from Las Vegas during Day 1 of NAA 2025! In this quick recap, Mike reflects on last night's incredible Podcast Palooza V2, hosted by Multifamily Media Network, and gives us a sneak peek into what's coming on the ground floor of the National Apartment Association's Apartmentalize Conference.

This episode is brought to you by https://www.ElevateOS.com —the only all-in-one community operating system.ElevateOS transforms property management, combining resident engagement, reservations, rent payments, maintenance, and concierge services into a single super app. It also uniquely integrates access control, intercoms, package lockers, and thermostats, eliminating app fatigue and redefining modern apartment living.Visit https://www.ElevateOS.com/MMN for a free demo and see how they can help you level up your operations.I'm in Las Vegas for Podcast Palooza 2025 and here's what I'm most excited about…#NAA2025 is finally here, and I've got two panels, a podcast celebration, and a message for our industry pros.I've never been more pumped for NAA – and it all starts tonight at the legendary 1923 Prohibition Bar!Description:Welcome to a special on-location episode of the Multifamily Collective with Mike Brewer! We're coming to you from Las Vegas during NAA 2025, and it's time to kick things off with none other than Podcast Palooza at the iconic 1923 Prohibition Bar. This episode is a heartfelt shoutout to the incredible people making this evening possible: Jennifer Carter, Eric Sharp, Justin Dilley, Lindsay Martinez, and all the behind-the-scenes heroes.

Hello and welcome to Handgun Radio! I'm your host Ryan Michad from the wild woods of Central Maine, and this is your home for all the news, information and discussion in the handgunning world!   This week, we talk specialty & uncommon cartridges!   Please check out the Patriot Patch Company for their awesome patches and other high quality  items! Visit www.patriotpatch.co for more information! Cool artist “proof” rendition come along with the latest patch of the month patches!    We are proudly sponsored by VZ Grips! Please go check out all their fantastic products at their website! VZ Grips!  -KFrame Magna Grips   Thank you to all our patreons! Visit us at https://www.patreon.com/handgunradio    Week In Review:   Ryan: Fix my neighbors Rossi .357 Mag -Forgotten Weapons Beretta 1934 -Listener Question; Trip to Bar Harbor   Weerd:   Oddball:   David:   Drink Segment:  Naked and Famous   1oz Mezcal 1oz Luxardo Del Santo or Galliano (Yellow Chartreuse in the original) 1oz Lime Juice 1oz  Aperol   Main Topic: Cartridge Fun! .32 NAA .25 NAA .22 TCM 5.45x19MM (PSM Pistol) .440 Corbon .357 AutoMag .44 AutoMag 5.7x28 8mm Nambu 9×22mmR 9x25mm Dillon Russian KBP GSh-18 Pistol and 9mm PBP AP Ammo for Special Applications 9mm Flobert .22 Short, .22 CB Cap Flobert Ammo Silent Piston Cartridge 7.62×42 Silent Weapons System Cartridge Design and Development (PDF Warning) 7.5 FK Brno   Wrap Up: Don't forget to shop Brownells using our affiliate link! Head to firearmsradio.net and click the affiliate link in the upper right hand corner! Be sure to go like Handgun Radio on facebook and share it with your friends! Leave us a review on iTunes! Check out VZ Grips!  Listen to all the great shows on the Firearms Radio Network! Check out the Patriot Patch Company!! www.patriotpatch.co   Weerd where can people find you? Assorted Calibers Podcast,  Weer'd World   Oddball gunscarstech.com Assorted Calibers Podcast ACP and HGR Facebook   David?  Blue Collar Prepping Brena Bock Author Page David Bock Author Page Team And More Xander: Assorted Calibers Podcast   Until next week, have fun & safe shooting!  

Welcome to NAA's Apartmentcast, the official podcast of the National Apartment Association. On this episode, we are joined by Kelli Lea, Regional Property Manager for Greystar and 2025 President of the National Apartment Association Education Institute (NAAEI) Board of Directors, who provide an update on all the exciting things happening at National Apartment Association Education Institute, including the latest on its growth strategies and the launch of NAAEI's Career Mapping Tool.  Learn more about NAAEI credentials, as well as online training and continuing education credits, courses and resources available through the Visto, NAAEI's online learning platform. And don't miss the new Career Map Tool from NAAEI.