Podcasts about Niagara College

Paul Zammit shares some of his favourite tools for getting weeds out fast and takes caller questions. Paul Zammit is a professor Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College and Ontario Today's regular gardening columnist.

Send us Fan MailOn this episode of the podcast, Dave Cunningham welcomes award-winning journalist , Maegen Kulchar, for a conversation about the evolving world of local news.The discussion explores Maegen's journey into journalism through Carleton University and Niagara College, early years reporting for CKWS-TV in Kingston, and the dramatic shift that followed the 2025 restructuring and layoffs at the local television station.Now reporting for the Kingston Whig-Standard, Maegen reflects on the transition from television to print journalism, the changing habits of news consumers, the influence of social media and artificial intelligence, and the challenges — and importance — of strong local reporting.The conversation also highlights the nationally recognized story that earned the E. Cora Hind Award for Local Reporting in a medium market.A thoughtful discussion about journalism, community, and the future of local storytelling.If you have a story idea that you think our guest might be interested in, send her an email ... MKulchar@postmedia.com#LocalNews  #Journalism  #YGK  #Storytelling  #KingstonWhigStandard #NewsMedia Our theme music is “Stasis Oasis”,  by Tim AylesworthFollow us on Facebook, Linkedin, Instagram,  & Threads Send comments & suggestions to  thekingstonianpodcast@gmail.com Episodes also air weekly on CJAI at 101.3fm (Tue. at 4pm) 

Paul Zammit starts the conversations talking about invasive plants to watch for in the gardens this year, then takes your calls. Paul is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

May long weekend is often a busy one for gardeners, adding plants to gardens and pots for the summer ahead. Paul shares some tips on how to care for our new plant friends and takes your gardening questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Paul Zammit starts the conversation talking about the plants you can grow to save money on food costs. Paul is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Paul takes your gardening questions and talks about how to get rid of invasive plants before they take over your green spaces. Paul Zammit is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

What makes a good lager?How do we make a good lager?Join us as we explore the various methods used to craft high-quality lager, breaking down the classic techniques to help you choose the best approach for your best beer.Nathaniel Ferguson is one of the owners of Escarpment Laboratories, A yeast manufacturer in Guelph, Canada, where they focus on teaching about yeast fermentation. Additionally, Nathan has been a professor at Niagara College for over 10 years, teaching in the Brewmaster and Brewery Operations Program.Join us in person for CBP Connects ChicagoJune 15-17, 2026Come get inspired, leave with actionable strategies: https://cbpconnects.com/

Our regular gardening expert Paul Zammit has some tips on building raised garden beds from scratch. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our regular gardening expert Paul Zammit has some tips of what to do with those Spring potted plants you may have picked up in recent weeks. He's a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

What happens when you finally understand yourself after decades of feeling different? I sit down with Randi-Lee Bowslaugh as she shares her journey through autism diagnosis, mental health struggles, and loss, and how she turned those experiences into writing, advocacy, and purpose. You will hear how she navigated depression, chronic pain, and family trauma while raising a daughter with autism, and why self-advocacy became her most powerful tool. I believe you will find this conversation both honest and encouraging as it shows how understanding your story can help you move forward with strength and clarity. Highlights: 00:01:35 – Discover how early signs of autism can be missed in childhood 00:06:54 – Understand how chronic pain and fibromyalgia impact daily life 00:08:23 – Learn what a late autism diagnosis reveals about identity 00:12:54 – Discover why autism appears to be increasing but isn't 00:35:18 – Learn the real challenges of raising a child with autism 00:58:26 – Discover why self-advocacy is the most important skill to build Bottom of Form About the Guest: Randi-Lee was born and raised in Ontario, Canada and from a young age she had a passion for helping others. She attended Niagara College and graduated at the top of her class from Community and Justice Services, after completing her placement at a recovery house for alcohol and drug addictions. Post-graduation she worked at a Native Friendship Centre for two and a half years while pursuing a university education in psychology. Randi-Lee continued working in social services for another four years as an employment counselor until she left to pursue her other passions. Randi-Lee is an author and outspoken advocate for mental health sharing her true story with honesty. From the age of 14 she struggled with depressive thoughts. There were times in her life that she wasn't sure how she would continue. Depression continues to be a battle in her life but she is glad that she continues to live. She has spoken at events that promote wellness and compassionately shares her experiences with her own mental health. In 2021 she started a YouTube channel, Write or Die Show, to spread awareness about various mental health issues and to end the stigma associated with mental health. Growing up she never felt that she fit in, being the last to understand jokes and confused about many emotions that she saw on others. In 2021 she finally had answers to the questions about herself that had been nagging at her. She was diagnosed with moderate Autism. Another of Randi-Lee's passions is kickboxing, which she did for about 10 years. She was a Canadian National Champion in kickboxing in 2015, competed at the World's Kickboxing tournament later that year and 2016 competed at the Pan-Am Games, where she received silver in her division. In 2020 she was chosen as one of the coaches for the Ontario Winter Games where she inspired and coached young athletes. Randi is a mom to two; her youngest child has autism and she is a grandma to one. Randi encourages and supports her youngest child's entrepreneurial spirit as he follows his dream of being an artist. When she can, she incorporates his art into her stories. Ways to connect with Randi-Lee: Websites: http://www.rbwriting.ca My Books https://amzn.to/3LNbuCy Write or Die: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSTmVQUW8K8r1sBDchLyTwA?sub_confirmation=1 What I'm Reading https://open.spotify.com/show/4kMt8h95cfD3idamZ5LJZK?si=189fc2f901124993 Merch Store https://write-or-die-show.creator-spring.com Facebook https://www.facebook.com/rbwriting Instagram https://www.instagram.com/randileebowslaugh TikTok https://www.tiktok.com/@randileebowslaugh SubStack https://randileebowslaugh.substack.com/ About the Host: Michael Hingson is a New York Times best-selling author, international lecturer, and Chief Vision Officer for accessiBe. Michael, blind since birth, survived the 9/11 attacks with the help of his guide dog Roselle. This story is the subject of his best-selling book, Thunder Dog. Michael gives over 100 presentations around the world each year speaking to influential groups such as Exxon Mobile, AT&T, Federal Express, Scripps College, Rutgers University, Children's Hospital, and the American Red Cross just to name a few. He is Ambassador for the National Braille Literacy Campaign for the National Federation of the Blind and also serves as Ambassador for the American Humane Association's 2012 Hero Dog Awards. https://michaelhingson.com https://www.facebook.com/michael.hingson.author.speaker/ https://twitter.com/mhingson https://www.youtube.com/user/mhingson https://www.linkedin.com/in/michaelhingson/ accessiBe Links https://accessibe.com/ https://www.youtube.com/c/accessiBe https://www.linkedin.com/company/accessibe/mycompany/ https://www.facebook.com/accessibe/ Thanks for listening! Thanks so much for listening to our podcast! If you enjoyed this episode and think that others could benefit from listening, please share it using the social media buttons on this page. Do you have some feedback or questions about this episode? Leave a comment in the section below! Subscribe to the podcast If you would like to get automatic updates of new podcast episodes, you can subscribe to the podcast on Apple Podcasts or Stitcher. You can subscribe in your favorite podcast app. You can also support our podcast through our tip jar https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/unstoppable-mindset . Leave us an Apple Podcasts review Ratings and reviews from our listeners are extremely valuable to us and greatly appreciated. They help our podcast rank higher on Apple Podcasts, which exposes our show to more awesome listeners like you. If you have a minute, please leave an honest review on Apple Podcasts. Transcription Notes: Michael Hingson  00:04 What if the biggest thing holding you back isn't what's in front of you, but rather what you believe Welcome to unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet. I'm your host. Michael hingson, speaker, author and advocate for inclusion and possibilities. This podcast explores how the beliefs we carry shape the way we live, lead and connect with others. Each week, I talk with people who challenge assumptions, face adversity head on and show what's possible when we choose curiosity over fear, together, we focus on mindset resilience and the small shifts that lead to meaningful change. Let's get started. Hi everyone. I am Michael Hingson, the host of unstoppable mindset where inclusion, diversity and the unexpected meet today. Which one do we get mostly unexpected? Which is anything that doesn't directly have to do with inclusion or diversity, but you never know where we might go with it all. So we'll see anyway. Our guest today is Randy Lee Bowslaugh, who actually was on our podcast well now years ago, as a result of one of the pot of Palooza episodes. And we kind of re encountered each other, because we both Sarah publicist Mickey Mickelson, who I sent an announcement to, saying, Tell everybody you record, that you that you serve, that we're always looking for podcast guests. And guess who showed up? There's Randy Lee. So here we are. Yeah, I know, isn't it great? So here we are. And Randy Lee, welcome. Well, we'll call you Randy right to unstoppable mindset. We're glad you're here. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  01:58 Thanks. I am so glad to come back. And I find it funny that I also, you know, send Mickey the hey, my podcast is looking for guests, and who comes on my show. Will you Michael Hingson  02:11 turn about spare play? Randy is, among other things, an author, and we're going to talk about some of those books and so on. But let's start like I love to do tell us about kind of the early Randy growing up. 02:23 Well, the early Randy back in the day time Michael Hingson  02:27 ago, in a galaxy far, far away. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  02:30 Yes, this feels like it now. So I mean growing up, I guess I would say, I would say I was your typical kid, but looking back and knowing what I know now, I was definitely not a typical child. But yeah, I loved the same things both most kids do, playing in the mud and writing. Yep, loved writing at the young age, making movies, all that jazz. And then as I got older into my teen years, that's when, that's when I dealt with some depression that just keeps following me around. Yep. And then graduated high school, went to college, graduated from that couple times. How come? A couple times? Well, I took the first program I took. It was called pre community services. So by the time I had to actually apply to college, it was like two months before college would start. There wasn't a lot of options left open. So I kind of picked something that I'm like, Okay, it's still open. Looks kind of interesting. So I went with that, but it was just like a one year certificate program. And so from that, I was like, hey, I need to figure out a real program to take. So I looked around and I found one that had a lot of similar classes, because they didn't want to do a lot of repeat of stuff. So I took community and Justice Services, which was a lot of fun. Never thought that was going to be what I took, but I did from there. Learned psychology was amazing, so I took some university psychology and got into social service work for a few years before I was like, oh my goodness, the amount of governmental red tape. Here I am out, Michael Hingson  04:16 and we should explain Randy is from Canada. Yes, originally Toronto, right. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  04:22 No, Toronto's about, no, Toronto's about two hours north of me. What town I am in? Michael Hingson  04:31 Welland. Welland, okay, is that? But that where you're from originally? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  04:35 Well, I grew up in St Catherine's, which is still the same region as well, and so well and is part of how many we got 12 municipalities, something like that, called the Niagara region. And we encompassed Niagara Michael Hingson  04:49 Falls, got it. So anyway, you You went off and did this other program in college. Then what did you do? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  05:01 So from there, I was like, I'm going to be a probation officer. That's what I decided I was going to be. But at that time, you needed to have a bachelor's degree. So I started doing University and of course, by the time I was burnt out from social services, they had changed, and you didn't need a bachelor degree anymore, but I was over it, and I didn't want to do it anymore. Yeah, awesome, awesome. So I worked, I worked as an employment counselor at two different spots for a total of, I want to say, around six ish years, give or take, before, yeah, before I burnt out and went, Oh, my goodness, I am done with social services. Through like government agencies, I can do a lot more help. And just talking to people about my story or writing about it, I can be a lot more useful. Yeah. So, yeah, I stopped. I quit there at that time, I also had cancer. So that's fun, no fun, right? It was, it was not a good time at all. But you can ask me more about that after one train of thought at a time, or else I'll get totally distracted. So from there, I was actually a personal trainer. Had my own little business for a while there doing personal training and kickboxing, because I was competing, competing in kickboxing. 06:28 Tell me about I'm I don't know much about kickboxing. Tell me about that. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  06:33 Yeah, so I started doing that. Oh, many moons ago. Now it feels like and what is it exactly? It is kicking and punching people. Well, okay, yep, all right, now we know the kind of person you are. Okay, exactly. There's different styles. So, like, there's depending what style of it you do is going to depend on the rules, but basically, you're kicking and punching people in the front of their body, from the knees up to the head. Got it basically, for the most part. There. There's a few variations of rules depending if you're doing like k1 or low kick or whatever. So yeah, that was that was awesome. I competed nationally a couple times. I went to worlds. I went to the pan Americans. It was so much fun. I keep telling my husband, one day I'm going to do it again, and he keeps telling me to remember that my body is broken now. It's broken now. Yeah, it's a few years ago, probably, I guess it would have been around 2022 when covid started to release its hold on Canada, because we took forever, I started getting all these aches and pains, and there were days that I literally couldn't get myself up off the ground. It was, it was ridiculous. So lots of doctor's appointments, lots of testing, and so there is arthritis in both my sacroiliac joints, which are pretty important when you're kickboxing, because that's your hips, and that's how you move. So really hard. When the doctors tell you don't, don't, you know, jostle those more because, you know, that's where it already is. And I'm like, oh, cool, cool. And then, and then Fibromyalgia was the other diagnosis they gave me. So there's just days that I don't really want to move much I've been getting for the past year and a half now, been getting nerve ablation. So that is basically when they stick really long needles into your spine, like between your vertebraes, into your nerves, and they burn them so that they don't send pain signals to your brain. Yeah, that's, that's the easy version Michael Hingson  08:49 of it. Well, maybe with all this pain, it's time to go into chess, right? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  08:53 I mean, I, I was in chess club in grade eight. I know how to play it. I'm good at it anymore. Michael Hingson  09:01 Well, well anyway, as I recall, you got diagnosed with autism also, right? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  09:09 Yes, I did. So remember I was like, Hey, I thought I was a typical kid, but really I was not. That explains it. I was. How was it manifested? Michael Hingson  09:19 How do you manifest that it was different and you weren't really typical, even though you thought you were Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  09:24 well, I feel like first when, when you're living it and people aren't telling you different, you don't realize that anything is different. Because I did well enough at school. I had some friends, but where I went to school, specifically, it was very small school, and there was like five girls in my class, so basically you were all forced to just be friends with each other. And it wasn't until, as we got older and they started, I remember this one year, I think it was like grade five, and they're all talking about having dates to the Fun Fair, which is just like a. Little carnival, and they all want to have dates. And I'm like, why? I don't why. But it was things like that where I was like, as I got older, you could kind of see more, but when I was younger, manifested a lot in sensory overload. That ended up in meltdowns and yelling and screaming and people telling my mom, oh, you need to discipline her more. She's just spoiled. My mom's like, I didn't tell her no, so I don't know what you're talking about. Michael Hingson  10:29 So how old were you when you were finally properly diagnosed? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  10:35 I'm 38 now. I'm gonna say 3233 Michael Hingson  10:41 interesting, pretty recent. I've talked to a number of people on this podcast who were diagnosed as being on on the autism spectrum, if you will, or having autism in their adult lives. And they they kind of a lot of them say, well, we noticed that there was something different about me, but I didn't know what it was, and they were very uncomfortable, but eventually realized that, well, not realized, but discovered through diagnosis, that they had autism. And you know, obviously the part of the issue is we're better at it now than we used to be. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  11:20 Yes, that is a huge part. I will say I totally have those same feelings more as a teenager, the older I got, the further away from your typical teenager, and the more I could tell I didn't really fit in, right, like I didn't understand their little inside jokes. I didn't understand again, the whole dating thing. So things like that where you're like, well, you're 15, you should be going out doing that. I'm like, Can I just stay home and go to bed? I'm in bed by 10. Why would I go out? I have a routine, and that's not typical of a teenager. So I definitely felt it more the older I got, as opposed to when I was really little. And I think a big thing with the late diagnosis is it happens a lot more with females. A lot of what, yeah, a lot of what they like, researched and stuff. When autism first became a thing, it was all in boys. So all the research and all their kind of stuff is all based around how a boy would show it. So boys are more likely to rock back and forth, say as their STEM, whereas girls were more likely to maybe. So I have a little piece of Lego here that I'm playing with. We're more likely to do things that are more easily hidden. So we're still doing the same thing, but we're doing it in a smaller way so that, you know, it's not as noticeable. And people are like, Okay, well, that's, that's not big, so that's not a big deal. And girls are also more likely to, you know, a feminine quality is being quiet and staying to yourself. So when girls are just quiet and reserved, well, that's just feminine. So you're fine not Oh, you don't know how to interact in the social situation, so you don't want to talk like you don't know what to say. You are confused, right? It's perceived very differently, Michael Hingson  13:17 yeah, and I have heard that before from from from people. I didn't know it, but I've heard it from several people on this podcast, and I appreciate it, and it's important to know but, but I think that people keep talking about how autism is on the increase, and I wonder how much that really is true, as opposed to how much better we are at diagnosing it now, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  13:41 I think that's exactly what it is, is we're better at diagnosing it. I don't think it's necessarily on an increase. I think it's always been there. Because, like, I really should have been diagnosed back in the 90s, yeah, right. Like everybody my age who's getting diagnosed now would have been diagnosed in the 90s, but they weren't as good at it. They didn't know what to look for, and so now that we they know more what to look for, and we can a lot of times articulate for ourselves, like when they're asking me then the psychologist was asking me the questions I can articulate for myself, what I was like, how I felt, how I learned to figure out how To cope. Because by the time you're older, you've learned ways to just figure it out. You've had no choice. Doesn't mean it's been easy, but you've had no choice but to figure it out. Michael Hingson  14:29 I realize it's not the same, but conceptually, people who happen to have dyslexia are the same sort of thing. They've got to figure it out, and they do, and many of them do, even though they have this thing where the brain doesn't necessarily accurately communicate what or cape or easily communicate what the eye is seeing and recognize it, so people learn to deal with it and to cope. But, but, yeah, it is one of those things. That we have to deal with exactly. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  15:03 And I was interviewing somebody on my show a little bit ago, and they were dyslexic, and that's what they said. They said, You know, I learned to deal with it because I didn't know she was older than me, so she would have been in school, I want to say, maybe in the 60s, 70s, something like that. And so you just didn't complain, right? You didn't You didn't talk back, you didn't complain. You just figured it out. And so that's what she did, until later, when finally, I think I want to say maybe she was in college, and she finally told a professor, and they're like, you might have dyslexia, and that would explain a lot. It's like, Oh, wow. Michael Hingson  15:44 Well, and again, it wasn't something that people understood until later as well. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  15:50 Exactly. I know I remember when my kid was in kindergarten, she's she's going to be 19 next week, but it was all about phonics. That's how they were teaching the kids to learn. They weren't teaching them any other way. They were doing phonics. So they sent all the phonics books home, and she could not grasp it, not not because of dyslexia, I don't think, but she could not grasp, like, phonetically, what things sounded like. So we had to come up with a different way. And she was later diagnosed with, like, a reading writing disability. But they didn't name any one specific one, but she still, now at 19, struggles with words, especially those crazy words like knife. Why does it start with a K, things like that that she just, she just has to find different ways to go about it. And luckily that, you know, talk to text now is a lot better than Michael Hingson  16:45 it used to be. Yeah, yeah. Voice recognition is really pretty good these days, which helps a lot. Now, is she diagnosed also with autism? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  16:55 Yes, she was diagnosed when she was eight. Michael Hingson  16:58 So that must have been interesting, and certainly in a lot of ways a blessing, because she learned about it earlier, and also for you, because then you could start to and you have some some other aspects of it that make it easier for you to understand, but that made it more possible for you to help her. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  17:19 Yeah, so she was diagnosed before I was it was actually I came out of my room one day a tooth Mom, if I have dyslexia or sorry if I have autism, I got it from you. I go, huh? Yeah, you probably did, and that's what prompted me to go and actually find out. But yeah, being able to get diagnosed earlier gives them the best opportunity to go and get support once we had that, you know, diagnosis on paper, the school was like, Oh, we can do this now. We could do that now. Whereas before they're like, she's just being bad, we're sending her home. Michael Hingson  17:57 What do you think about all these people who keep saying that it's all caused by vaccinations. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  18:04 Well, number one, so load of hooey. There's no actual scientific research. Number two, if I had to choose my kid living in an iron lung or being autistic, I would pick being autistic. Uh huh. So I mean, what? What's worse being autistic or being in an iron lung or dead? Michael Hingson  18:27 Yeah, I'd rather not be dead. And I'd rather not be in an iron lung or on a respirator all the time, exactly. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  18:37 I mean, vaccinations absolutely don't cause it, but if they did for some strange reason, I still would choose to vaccinate, because I still would want my kid to live Michael Hingson  18:49 back when I was born. It was not accepted by medical science that if you were born prematurely and put in an incubator, that you could go blind because your retinas wouldn't properly form. It had been actually proposed, though, by one person at the Wilmer Eye Institute in Johns Hopkins University, but medical science wouldn't accept it. They they kept saying, too much oxygen is never a bad thing. Well, it is actually, and today, you still can become blind what's now called retinopathy or prematurity. Back when I was born, it was called retro lentral fibroplasia. I like that much better, but retinopathy or prematurity, but today, medical science accepts it. So if there's a premature baby, and they have to put it in a pure or, well basically a pure oxygen environment. At least they know what they're dealing with, and the parents are warned. But also, incidents of the blindness are a lot less in part, because you don't have to give a child a pure oxygen environment. For 24 hours a day. You can even not do it for a short period of time every day, and the incidence of blindness goes down to zero. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  20:09 Wow. I did not know that, though, so interesting. Michael Hingson  20:12 But when I was born, you were put in an incubator, and it was pure oxygen environment, and that is what caused my blindness and the blindness in so many other children who were born prematurely back in the baby boomer era, that the average age of blind people in the country actually, well, dropped from 67 to 65 years of age. That's how many premature kids were born who became blind. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  20:40 Wow, isn't it interesting how far along science has come? I find it so interesting when I look back, because I always like to say, in all reality, medicine is just a baby, right? Like the big breakthroughs really didn't come till the 1900s when things were being more discovered. And that's that's very recent in the grand scheme of history of everything. So I find it, yeah, it's intriguing. And we're Michael Hingson  21:13 still learning a lot, and still so much to learn. Medicine still is very much a baby in so many ways. There's so many things that we are learning about but don't really know totally Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  21:24 yet, by any standard, exactly like they don't know what actually causes autism, they have ideas, but they don't know. And even, like fibromyalgia, there's, you know, these two factions of people that say that's just because they gave up. They don't, they don't know what's wrong with you, so they just give you that label, sort of, but it is a real thing. So just because they don't know what causes it doesn't mean that it doesn't exist. What it just means, pain, lots of pain, okay? I mean, there's other things, but my biggest thing is just pain all over body, pain and you just It hurts to move so, Michael Hingson  22:09 so getting a hammer and sticking your thumb out and then hitting your thumb with the hammer isn't going to really make that much of a difference. No, feel pain all over anyway. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  22:18 Huh? Exactly. That was an idea. I appreciate that. Michael Hingson  22:25 I've had friends with migraines, and I say you want to get rid of the migraine pain. Put your finger down. Get a hammer, hit it. You won't have a migraine anymore. Yeah, yeah. Well, you're too Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  22:34 busy, because your finger hurts too much. I got it exactly. Michael Hingson  22:37 Yeah. No, seriously. The bottom line is that I appreciate that, that all the pain is there, and hopefully those are the kinds of things that at some point we'll learn to deal with and fix, just like cancer, which we still are learning so much about, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  22:56 exactly right? And that's that's the thing. That's a medicine's a baby, because we're still learning. We still don't know the human body is so intricate. Michael Hingson  23:08 Yeah, well, you, you, you had a lot of depression and depressive thoughts when you were growing up. What was that from? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  23:21 That's a great question. I mean, there definitely were some mitigating factors, but a lot of times, depression doesn't necessarily have a root, like it doesn't have a cause. It just your brain is not firing all of the all the proper channels and proper, happy hormones. My brain is not working right now, but when I was a teenager, there definitely was some issues. I mean, again, talked about not feeling like I belonged. I mean, that's going to put anybody into a horrible mindset, right? You don't feel like you belong. What is wrong with me? Why can't I fit in? Why don't I understand these things? Why don't people like me, right? So that's kind of a spiral on its own. And then at the time, my brother, who was four years older than me, he was in and out of jail, he was doing drugs, and that just caused chaos in the house. And then my my mom's ex husband, he was also an alcoholic, so just lots of chaos. You never knew what to expect. And autism likes to know what to expect. We like routine. We like to know what's going to come so again, all these different layers. But ultimately, I think, you know, I have depression because my brain is not quite wired correctly, and then you add in all those other layers and it just, it makes for a really bad soup. Yeah, not good. Do you Michael Hingson  24:55 still have depression? Sort of, kind of things from time? Do you do? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  24:58 Definitely, time. Yeah. Yeah, so I take antidepressants every day, so they keep me from going really down. So what I like to say, because I actually had a bit of a depression over the summer, because there was just so much chaos in the house we were renovating, which it turned out amazing, but it was just a lot. So I like to say, you know, without the medication, the depression goes, whoo, really far down, like it just, you know, bottoms out with the antidepressants. It, it goes down, but at a manageable level where then you can still, because I've done a lot of therapy, so it goes down, but the antidepressants keep it at a level where you can still go I am going to use one of my coping strategies? Yes, I can do that. Whereas, without the antidepressants, you're so far down, you're like coping strategies don't work. I don't care. They're not going to do anything, right? Michael Hingson  25:51 Well, so you said your brother was in and out of jail and drugs and all that sort of stuff. So whatever happened to him, he died. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  25:59 What are we 2025? 2025, four years ago now? So he drug overdose, drug overdose, yeah, so it was something that I always assumed was going to happen. Because, I mean, when you're living that lifestyle, obviously it wasn't the phone call I wanted to receive. But, I mean, for years, every time there'd be like, a news report about it, I'd look to see if it was his name, because I figured that that's how I was going to find out. Luckily, I got a phone call instead of reading in the newspaper. I guess that was kind of a nice, nicer way to find out. Yeah, so four years ago, back in May. Michael Hingson  26:45 And so now, did your brother, or was he ever diagnosed with autism, or any of those sorts of things, or was it just totally different? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  26:56 He, I want to say he had anxiety. He might have had other stuff too, but he did have an anxiety prescription at one point, I know, because the one nice thing about being in jail is that they do have some supports to try and figure out how to get you healthy and back on the street and not be a re offender. It doesn't always work, but so I know he did have that, and he suffered from panic attacks. I remember the one day I was, I was a teenager, he was maybe 19, and he's having this full blown panic attack. He thought he was having a heart attack kind of thing. And so he called 911, and everything. And they came. They tried, like, no, it's panic attack. So he definitely had stuff going on. He probably also had PTSD from from different things that I'm not necessarily privy to. But, I mean, I know that as a kid, we had a different dad, so I know his dad was kind of a big jerk. My dad was definitely a big jerk to them. So there was, you know, again, layers and layers to them. And a lot of times, people that do drugs or alcohol, they do it to numb the pain of something else. Addiction is usually to numb the pain of something else. And I don't know exactly what those things were, but definitely, I'm going to say some kind of trauma and anxiety. Michael Hingson  28:23 Yeah, understand. Well, it's still a sad thing, and it happens all too often. Yes, I met, we had a family who lived next door to us when we lived after Karen and I got married in Mission Viejo, and they adopted a little girl whose mother was a drug addict, and so she as a child, also was addicted, and it affected her behavior a lot. I haven't heard what happened to her later, but it was pretty uncontrollable. We observed some of it, and, you know, we knew it, and they could talk with us about it, because we understood, but it is, it is sad. Drugs Don't help a lot at all. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  29:09 No Exactly. They numb the pain for that moment. But it's definitely not the correct solution. It's not going to solve the problem, and it's not going to help you in the long run. 29:19 Now, in addition to your brother? Did you have other siblings? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  29:22 I did. I did slash do? So I had two, yes. So I had two sisters, younger sisters. The one died, actually, again by drugs, and she was really sick with, I'm not sure what else, but she went go to the doctor to find out. So she died a year ago, and then I have my baby sister. And my baby sister is still around and doing well, good. Michael Hingson  29:55 Yeah, nice to have somebody else in the family, the sibling i. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  30:00 Yeah, yeah, we're like, 12 years apart, so it's a pretty big gap, but, but it's nice now that she's an adult, it's not, it doesn't feel as big of a gap, right? When you're, she was first born, and I'm, you know, a teeny bopper, and she's, I loved her, you know, you get the babies and you babysit, and you're, oh, this is my little sister, my little doll, and dress her up. But then you get into, like, 1718, and into college, and I'm in college, and I've got my my kid, and I'm trying to do all this college stuff, so I don't have time for doing other stuff. Yeah, so that that was harder to stay connected, because she's just, you know, she was like, 10, and I'm trying to figure out college and a career and all this stuff. So, yeah, it was definitely, it was, yeah, it was definitely tough for a while when you have a huge age gap, but the older you get, the less the age gap matters. 30:54 Yeah. How long you been married? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  30:58 13 years. Yeah, I've been together for 18 years. 31:05 Well, that's a long time, but that, you know, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  31:08 yeah, as my entire adult life, I always like to say, I'm so glad I never had to date anybody else as an adult, see, Michael Hingson  31:15 and it all works out that way. What does he do? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  31:19 He's a mechanic. Oh, yeah, I love it because it's so expensive. Get your car fixed. Yeah? I go, honey, something spoken, 31:29 yeah, I turned the key and nothing happens, right? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  31:33 I'll call them sometimes they'll be like, Oh, I don't want to forget, but there's this light on. I don't know what it means, but fix it well? Michael Hingson  31:41 And the answer to that is, of course, just watch the Big Bang Theory, the check engine lights on for all 13 or 12 years. Yeah, exactly, yeah. Gosh, but you know it's, it is it is a challenge, and we all have different, different issues now, is your your mom still about? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  32:03 Yes, actually. So my mom broke her hip very recently. Yes, that's actually why we had an original date, and I had to change it because she had broke her hip, so I had to go to the hospital and visit her too much football, huh? Exactly? She, you know, she's just too competitive there. No, she got, they diagnosed her with osteoporosis. I'm like, okay, that makes sense, because you're kind of young for a broken hip, yeah? So she's doing all right now she's around and kicking. So she's, we had to switch is, my mom actually lives with me, and she is on the second floor. My room is on the first floor, so I had to give her my room and my bed, because I love her, yeah, but I can't wait till she can walk up the stairs and I get on my bed 32:51 back so right now she's on the first floor. Yes, yeah. Michael Hingson  32:56 Well, you know, we when we moved to New Jersey. Karen, I think I'd mentioned in the past, is in a wheelchair her whole life, we built an accessible house. So we used we had an elevator that was the only incremental cost to making the house accessible. Because the neat thing about building an accessible home is, if you're building it from scratch, it really doesn't cost anything to build accessibility in like ramps or lower counter wide doorways, but it was in an area where they only, well, everyone had a two story home, so we had to put an elevator. And so let's build into the mortgage, which was okay, so it's a $15,000 incremental cost. That's not that bad. Plus the county engineers made, made it hard to get it done, but we got it in. But still, it actually, although assessors tend not to value those kinds of things, actually the elevator ended up being a great asset when we were selling the house, because a husband and wife, who are both very short, bought the house, and so they love the lower counters, and also the washer and dryer were in a room on the second floor, so that all worked. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  34:12 Well, awesome. Oh, I love that. We just renovated our kitchen and bathroom because the floor was rotting and it just by sheer how we wanted to kind of arrange the cupboards, because before the kitchen's a really big room, but it was not, it was not designed well. It was not very functional. So we kind of we moved things around a little bit, and it's definitely a lot more functional for her now that she has the walker, at least until she's all the way better. She can actually move around the kitchen to get to the bathroom. In the bathroom door, they My house is over 100 years old, so some of the doors and stuff, they're smaller than what they do now. So they widen the door to put in a real size door. Run stuff. I'm like, Oh, this is that's much more convenient for you now. And everybody actually, oh, yeah, it's really great. And we did. We got the all in one washer dryer, which I love, and now it is in the kitchen, and I don't have to worry about taking laundry downstairs on those really bad days when I don't want to move anymore, yeah, and I don't forget to switch it over, because that's one of the biggest problems when you've got autism, is you forget you're doing something. Yeah. And your laundry sits for three days, so you have to wash it again, and it reminds you, so that helps, yep. So now I put it in, it washes, it dries, and then it's done. Michael Hingson  35:39 That's cool. Well, love it. So, so your daughter with autism is, you said 19, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  35:48 she will be on Tuesday. Michael Hingson  35:49 So what was, what is it like raising a child with autism? You know, you you've learned to deal with it, but, and that must help you in terms of some of the expectations, but what is it like? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  36:03 It's so hard. It's it's definitely hard. Now, I don't really have a typical child to base it off of, because even my older one, like my stepdaughter, I wouldn't say she's typical, but she's definitely not atypical, either, like she's not on the spectrum or anything. So raising the two very different, and I gotta say, with love, it is a battle every day, and you have to the older she gets, the more difficult it becomes, because you're expecting a certain level of maturity by the time they're 19, and that's just not there. And you know, hopefully, hopefully, in 10 years, she will act like she's 19, because right now at 19, she's acting like she's 12 ish, 13 ish. So it definitely helps to remind ourselves that at times, because you just, you want to be like, but you're an adult, like, go and change your clothes. What are you doing? But then you have to stop and go, wait. Okay, we have to break down these steps. We have to, you know, give clearer directions and just reminder, yeah, biggest thing is remind ourselves that she's going to be a little bit harder to deal with sometimes. But a lot of the things that yeah, that I've found that work for me, routine, making notes, those are things that definitely help her and through school. Luckily, she was able to, not so much through school, but through our journey with school and doctors and stuff. She went to it's called CPRI here in Ontario, and she went there for three months way back when, and it helped her a lot. They finally did the psycho educational assessment and the OT assessment, a few other things, so that helped her to understand herself and also us to understand what she needed. Because I hate the whole low functioning, high functioning thing, but she is more severe when it comes to life skills than I am. So in that part, it's tricky, like, I've always been like, you get up and you get dressed. She's like, I get up, but I'm not going anywhere. Why would I get dressed like cuz, yes, stink. So it's just little things like that that are different between her and I. So it's a learning experience, but we make it work for the most part. So has she gone through high school? Yes. So she finished high school. She graduated two I guess it's almost two years ago now, a year and a half, she tried college. It did not go well again. It was it came down to the functional, social aspect of things. It just didn't work well for her. She loved she took baking. She loved doing the baking. She was capable of doing the baking, but she could not fit into the social standards that the college wanted from their students. So it was a disaster. That's putting it lightly, but it did not go well, and so they actually gave her what's called a medical withdrawal so that we could get our tuition back past the like your deadline of getting it back, because it just it wasn't going to work. So she's kind of figuring out what the heck she's going to do. She tried volunteering at the at the cat place that didn't. She said it was too boring. And I'm like, okay, just trying to figure it out. We don't, we don't know where life's gonna lead at this point. Michael Hingson  39:48 Yeah, well, and maybe it's one of those things where you just kind of have to wait and see how it goes exactly. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  39:57 Now that's where we're at. We're at wait and see, and we're. Work on those life skills. Michael Hingson  40:01 Does she have any idea what she wants to do with life? Or it's just Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  40:05 not there yet, not not there yet. She loves doing art, but to do art as like a career, I think would be hard. It's deadlines. So she's done some art for some of my kids books, and they're great, and people love them, but it is. I've had this one kid's book written for two years now, and I'm still waiting on her to finish the artwork, and it's only like 10 pictures, but she just doesn't have a sense of deadline. If she's not, if she's not in the art mood, she just doesn't do it. I'm like, Hey, but I I pay you to do these like I do actually pay her to do them, because I want to incentivize her. I mean, it's good work. I'm selling it so you should get something, but just doesn't, doesn't really matter Michael Hingson  40:53 to her. It doesn't, doesn't really gel yet. Yeah, yeah. Whether it does, remains to be seen. Of course, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  41:00 exactly what we'll see as we go well. Michael Hingson  41:04 So tell me about the books that you write. What kind of books do you write and what got you started in the writing path? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  41:12 So I write a lot of non fiction. My big thing is always talking about mental illness and autism, and I love sharing that stuff, because that is what I'm passionate about. That's what got me into social services. Realized I could do more with this and talking about it, right? So I write a lot about that, but it's heavy stuff, so I do intersperse like kids books in there, just to lighten my mood, and it's fun. So I do have a few kids books out there, but yeah, a lot is mental health. And I actually did write a book about my brother's death. It's called Goodbye Too Soon, and it got into it because of mental health. So my very first book was a book of poetry. The poems were what I had written as a coping strategy. Didn't even know it was a coping strategy at the time, but as a coping strategy as a teenager dealing with all that. So those got turned into my first book, called thoughts of a wanderer. And then from there, I was like, I love writing, and I just kept going. Michael Hingson  42:21 So how many books have you written so far? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  42:24 I got a count, but I want to say over 10. 42:27 Wow. Are they all non fiction? Or have you written any fiction? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  42:32 I wrote one fiction. It's a collection of short scary stories, well, and the kids books, I guess those are fiction too, but I did a collection of short scary stories a few years ago, because I love horror. Michael Hingson  42:47 Stephen King loves you, huh? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  42:49 He was one of the first authors that I actually read the full book all the way through without complaint. Which book I want to say it was it? Oh, it. Michael Hingson  43:04 He's an interesting writer. I I haven't read much of his lately, but I'm amazed. How do people come up with these things? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  43:15 I, I mean, I have some pretty messed up monsters that I had in my book. I don't know how we do it. We our brains are just just coming up. Yeah, our brains are just wrong. Michael Hingson  43:29 I think the first one of his that I read was The shining and then I read Carrie, and then Salem's Lot, and it went from there. But I've just have always been amazed. How do people come up with these concepts? It's just amazing. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  43:45 Yeah, me, for most of the ones that I wrote came from, I'd be walking the dogs, and I was like, oh, that's an interesting tree. It looks like it has a face. And then all of a sudden, this tree that looks cool became a monster. Like, oh, okay, cool. This is where we went with it. And then some of the other stories. My my kid had drawn pictures, and I'm like, ooh, that picture looks like you're harvesting body parts and you're trying to fix stuff. So this is gonna happens. Do you Michael Hingson  44:18 find that your characters end up writing the books. I've talked to authors, and many have said that, that that the characters really create the stories and they write Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  44:30 the books. Yeah, it's hilarious, because when I first started interviewing other authors, and they would say that, because at the time, I'd only really, really written nonfiction, I'm like, Ha, weird. But as I got going and I started writing the scary stories, or a few other short stories that I haven't published, they're just, I just wrote them. I was like, Huh? The characters really do tell you what's gonna happen. This is weird, Michael Hingson  44:56 and if you don't pay attention, they're gonna get you. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  45:00 Yeah, it is the strangest thing, and I it's a phenomenon I don't know how to explain, but they really do. They come to life in your head and they tell you exactly what's going to Michael Hingson  45:10 happen, yeah, which, which, excuse me, is certainly understandable. It makes for a very interesting world. Needless to say, yeah. So you have other books that are coming out, Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  45:27 not right now, other than that one kids book that I'm waiting for the pictures on. What I'm doing right now actually is I am working on turning my book, Goodbye Too Soon, into a screenplay and into an indie film. Okay, how does that work? That's a great question. I'm in the very early stages. I'm in the very early stages. So I am me and my best friend, because she likes to research. She's doing all the research stuff and figuring out that side of thing. I'm focusing on writing the script right now, so it's going to be interesting. It's going to be a learning curve, and as I figure it out more, I might have to come back and tell you, because I'm not 100% sure yet, but I'm going to figure it out because I think it would be so much fun to do, and because it's such an important topic, it needs to be done. We'll see. We'll see what happens. Michael Hingson  46:25 Do you write basically full time, or do you have an addition a full time job, or anything like, I have Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  46:30 a job to pay the bills. I actually really like my job. So I work. I work in an office, and the girls I work with, they are absolutely amazing. They are the reason I like going to work. They get me out of the house, and I get to talk to other adults, other than like I talked to adults here now, but I get to just get out and refreshed, which sounds weird, that work is refreshing, but it's because of who I work with. They're amazing. Be nice to be able to make enough money to pay all my bills through writing. But again, I think I like the whole being able to leave the house. It's kind of nice. And what kind of job do you have? So I do scheduling. Okay, yeah, I schedule different, different lessons and stuff. What's the company that you work for or the office. Um, I don't know if I'm allowed to say it's not that it's it's not that it's confidential, but I don't know what, what their rules are around their marketing so Michael Hingson  47:31 well, not the company. But I mean, what kind of, what kind of of you said, education? Is it involving schooling? Is it it's driving? Oh, okay, all right, all right. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  47:42 But I work in the office. I do, Michael Hingson  47:43 no, no, that's okay. I don't think I could. Yeah, well, that's another story. I can tell you that my opinion is that it will be a wonderful day when autonomous vehicles get to the point where they truly are reliable and we can take driving out of the hands of drivers. A lot of people will hate me for saying that, but it's still true. I am absolutely convinced that the way they drive here in Victorville, I could drive as well as any of the people out there on the road, right? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  48:13 Yeah, sometimes I wonder, and it gives me a heart attack, because I'm like, Oh my gosh, would you like our business card? I think you need to come do some lessons. Michael Hingson  48:21 Yeah, you tell them. One of my favorite comedians is Bob Newhart. Have you ever heard The Bob Newhart driving instructor? 48:28 I have not. Michael Hingson  48:29 Oh gosh, go find it on YouTube. It's called Bob. It's Bob Newhart, the comedian, and it's the driving instructor. It's really hilarious. He's also got a bus driver training school and an air traffic controller, one that's pretty funny, but anyway, yeah, go find the driving instructor. It's, you'll love it, but it's, it is interesting to to see how how people deal with some of these things. And I do think that the time will come when autonomous vehicles truly do come into their own. We're not there yet. We're sort of still on the cusp, and there's a lot to be done, but it will happen, and Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  49:11 they're definitely working on it. Michael Hingson  49:12 They are, and it will it will become a lot better when truly autonomous vehicles work as we want them to, because then we will be able to take driving out of the hands of drivers, and that'll probably be a good thing, so that we won't have nearly the accident levels that we have today. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  49:29 Yes, some of them are quite, quite high and quite nasty. Michael Hingson  49:34 Yeah, well, and we're getting to the point where technology helps in so many ways. So you know that that'll that'll be pretty cool as as we get there. How do you have do you ever use like AI and any of the things that you do with writing? Does any of that help you with ideas? Or do you utilize any of those technologies? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  49:56 Um, so I haven't really used AI for my writing, although. I've used it for my uncle passed away in the summer, and my aunt was like, Oh, can you write a eulogy based on all of these things? And I'm like, sure, hey, chat. GPT write a eulogy with all of this stuff, because I didn't actually have the time to do it or the brain power. So I did that, and it came out, spit out something real nice, and I sent it to her. Oh my gosh, this is amazing. I'm like, Cool. Michael Hingson  50:28 I have used chat GPT to help in writing. I don't want to let it be the writer, but I I'll ask it to write things, and I'll do it three or four times, and I'll take all the ideas that it comes up with and integrate them with my own because I I really need to be responsible for what ultimately comes out. But I think that chat, GPT and the other technologies that are out there do and will continue to help a great deal. I remember the first time I heard about AI, it was when somebody was complaining that students are using it to write their papers, and the teachers can't necessarily detect it, and that's not a good thing. And immediately I thought and said, Well, I don't quite see the problem. What you do is you let the students write their papers using chat, D, P, T, they turn them in. Then you take one day, and you give each student a minute, and you tell them to come up and defend their paper. There you go, without looking at it, because the teacher has it. Either they're going to know the subject or they're not. And I think that's, you know, that's a sensible thing to do. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  51:36 And what I've what I've seen, and the little bits that I've kind of played around with it just to see what it'll spit out. It really only gives you something worth a good mark in school. Say, like, a good grade, if you are giving it the information you want it to have to use, yeah. So you should, you should have already done the research and know stuff, like, I know that you can ask it and say, like, you know, give me some research on whatever topic, but if you've done the research, the paper will actually spit out much better. I find that if you say, I want you to do this, this, this, this, this, and, like, give it a lot of criteria, and then it spits out your paper. So I mean, if kids are gonna use it. They've done the research. They just maybe struggle with their grammar. They like with my kid, that would have helped her immensely. Sure she she knows the facts, but she doesn't know how to write, you know, an essay. Even though we've tried and tried to try, it's just not computing. There's kids out there, right? We talked about dyslexia and stuff like, if kids can do all the research fine and source it somehow and then spit it into this machine so it can come out in a readable paper. I mean, what's to say that's bad? Michael Hingson  52:50 Well, again, what I do is a little backwards from that, because I'll give it a lot of information, and it'll come back, and it'll give me something, and I'll say, give me another one, and I will get five or six of those, and then I will take what I like from each of them and put them together with my own words, because I want it to be my style, and I know that the large language models are getting better at emulating your individual writing style, but still, I want it to be my style, so I will write the final document, but it has contributed a lot of neat ideas and a lot of things to help that make that to actually be something that is sensible, and the articles or the books not well. I haven't used it to write a book, but the articles and other papers and other things I've written with it do come out well, but, but I'm still the one that has to approve it and make it occur. And I realize that somebody who has like dyslexia, it's a little bit different story, or somebody who maybe has autism, they're going to have some problems with it, and I can appreciate that, and they may rely on it more, but you're right. She knows the facts, and she gives it the information she can also figure out how to do it in such a way that she's going to get something that would be written the way she wants it written, exactly right. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  54:08 So I don't necessarily think it's a bad thing. I just think we need to use it as a tool, not as a crutch, correct? And when you talk about AI, one thing that I do use, and I absolutely love, so on my podcast, I use Riverside Riverside, will AI generate you like, the little short clips that I can stick on Tiktok and stuff? Oh, it saves me so much time. Most of the time, the clips are awesome. Sometimes I'll be like, and that clips not so good. I'm not going to use that one. But for the most part, it's pretty spot on finding the good clips to use for, like, Tiktok shorts and stuff. So that saves an immense amount of time. I do really like that. AI tech Michael Hingson  54:46 well, and we're all going to, as we go forward, find more and more ways that this technology will help us, but it's still us that has to be in control of it. I'm i. Think we're a whole heck of a long way from sentient computers that are able to do all that. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  55:05 Yes, yeah, we're a little far away from the Terminator era. Michael Hingson  55:09 Yeah, so it isn't going to happen in the in the near term, but, but we'll, we'll get there, and we'll, we'll see some things occurring. It'll just take it a while. But I think that writing is so fascinating. I've now written three books. I love it. I don't, and people have asked if I'm going to write another one. And my response right now is, nothing's coming up, but something else may pop out in the future, and if it does, then we'll do Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  55:37 it exactly. I always, Mickey actually asked me a little bit ago, well, I want to show when your next book is out, and I was telling him about the script idea. We gotta actually talk a little bit more. But he's like, so is you're writing on pause? I'm like, well, not really, because I always have ideas. So like it is, but like it isn't, you know, focusing on one thing, but there's always going to be ideas that are going to generate that I might have to get out onto paper. Maybe not finish, but get out. Michael Hingson  56:06 Yeah. Now we talked about we, we discovered each other through Mickey. Mickey has also been a guest on unstoppable mindset. I don't remember when that episode is coming up, but, but we got him on. That'll be fun. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  56:23 Yeah, Mickey did an episode on my show a while back. Now, he should probably come back and do another one, but he did one a while back. Michael Hingson  56:31 But I enjoy writing. I think it's fascinating. I think it's fun. I believe it's really important to be able to communicate with people. Of course, I've been a keynote speaker now for 24 years, ever since September 11. And I realized somewhere along the line, probably, oh, I'd say seven or eight years ago, it really hit home that we have a whole new generation of people who never experienced and don't know anything about September 11. So what I love to tell people is my job now is to take people into the building with me and take them downstairs, step by step, going through all the things that I experienced, and coming out the other end, and really being able to follow all of that so that they have a true sense of what happened for me, at least in the World Trade Center, and why it happened. The idea being that that helps to teach them more about September 11, teach them more concepts about why it's important to truly learn emergency preparedness and not rely on reading signs and things like that, but learn truly how to have all that information. Because if you have information in your head, and you're not relying on signs, if you truly know it, and you know what's supposed to happen in any kind of given set of circumstances, that helps you control fear and that keeps it from overwhelming you, which is what's really important as far as I'm concerned. And that's what we did with live like a Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  58:01 guide dog, yeah? And that's what we talked about on my show. So everybody go watch Michael's episode on the Ride or Die show, and you'll hear more about it. Michael Hingson  58:07 There you are. See it's important, yeah? Well, I want to thank you for being here. This has been a lot of fun. If people want to reach out to you and talk with you, how do they do that? Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  58:19 Yeah, so my website is rb, writing.ca and then you can find me. RB, writing.ca RB, writing.ca writing as in, WR, I T, okay. And then I am on Facebook, Instagram, Tiktok, Randy, Lee Bowslaugh, YouTube, you can either do my name or you can do right or die show. And then all the all the podcasting platforms, you can find it on the Ride or Die show, spell for us, B, O, W, s, l, a, U, G, Michael Hingson  58:52 H, bowslaugh. There you go see. So if you had some advice to give to a young person, not necessarily who's dealing with autism or whatever. But if you wanted to impart some lesson for for people to take away from our show, what would it be today Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  59:12 advocate for yourself? That would be the biggest one. It's way harder than it sounds to actually, truly advocate for yourself and keep going until you find answers. If you're feeling like any of the things that we've talked about on the show, right? And I think that's yeah, advocate for yourself. And if you can't, then find somebody that can advocate for you and learn to do it. Michael Hingson  59:40 Yeah, and it's important to do that. And the fact of the matter is, in so many ways, you have to learn to advocate for yourself, because no one else is really going to do it like you can. And a lot of times, no one's going to do it period, because their priorities are all different. So you do need to learn to be a self advocate. Well, Randy, thank you. For being here, and I want to thank all of you for listening. Love to hear your thoughts about our episode today. Feel free to email me at Michael H, i@accessibe.com that's m, I, C, H, A, E, L, H, I at accessibe, A, C, C, E, S, S, i, b, e.com, and if you would please give us a five star rating, and please review us wherever you're observing our podcast. We value your reviews and your ratings very highly. And also, if you know of anyone who ought to be a guest on unstoppable mindset Randy, that goes for you as well, we would sure appreciate any introductions. We're always looking for other people who want to come on and help us discover and learn and show others that we're all more unstoppable than we think we are, and you can help make that happen. So I urge you to to do that. We'd love to hear from you, and we value your input and your thoughts very highly. And again, Randy, I want to thank you for being here. This has been fun again. Randi-Lee Bowslaugh  1:01:01 Yes. Thank you so much for having me back. Michael Hingson  1:01:07 Thank you for being here with me on unstoppable mindset. I hope today's conversation left you with a fresh perspective, a new insight, or at least something worth thinking about if you're ready to go deeper into the ideas that shape how we see ourselves and others. I have a free gift for you. Head over to Michael hingson.com and download my free ebook blinded by fear. It explores the invisible beliefs that hold us back and shows you how to reframe them so you can move forward with clarity and confidence. Be sure to subscribe to our podcast, leave a review and share this show with someone who can use a reminder that growth starts with mindset. When people think differently, we all move forward together. Thanks again for listening, keep learning, keep questioning, and keep choosing to live with an unstoppable mindset. You.

Paul Zammit offers some advice for people starting to clean up their yards and gardens after a long winter. He's a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our regular gardening expert Paul Zammit has some tips on spring pruning and takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Jann, Caitlin and Sarah revisit their conversation with poet, influencer and radio host, Josie Balka. They discuss Josie's journey into poetry, the impact of aging, vulnerability, and body image, and the process of publishing her debut poetry book, 'I Hope You Remember.' She reflects on the importance of authenticity in her work, the challenges of perfectionism, the joy of celebrating achievements, and the importance of personal connections that fuel creativity. More About Josie Balka: Josie Balka is a broadcaster, voiceover artist, and poet. She holds a diploma in radio, television, and film from Niagara College and has worked for some of the largest media companies in North America as an on-air personality. She can often be caught recording viral poetry in her sound-proof closet. ⁠https://www.instagram.com/josiebalka/⁠ ⁠https://www.tiktok.com/@josiebalka⁠ https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Josie-Balka/224015716⁠ #ASKJANN - want some life advice from Jann? Send in a story with a DM or on our website. Leave us a voicenote! ⁠www.jannardenpod.com/voicemail/⁠⁠ Get access to bonus content and more on Patreon: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.patreon.com/JannArdenPod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Connect with us: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.jannardenpod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.instagram.com/jannardenpod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.facebook.com/jannardenpod Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Ben chats with Brittany Ribalkin about her craft beer journey from studying genetics, to graduating Niagara College's Brewing Program, to brewing beer at Muskoka Brewery, and becoming the head brewer at Bellwoods Brewery. Plus Shane's great hair, transparent job postings, the Pink Boots Society and the fate of that long-forgotten third Bellwoods location. 

Paul's advice on indoor plants and he takes your gardening questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College and our regular Monday gardening expert.

Paul's advice on picking out the right tree for the holidays and he takes your gardening questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College and our regular Monday gardening expert.

Paul has some ideas to transition your seasonal displays this time of year and he answers your gardening questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College and our regular gardening expert.

In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons is joined by Andrea Kaiser, founder of Drea's Wine Co. and daughter of the legendary winemaker Karl J. Kaiser, co-founder of Inniskillin Wines. Andrea shares her incredible journey, from growing up in the vineyards of Niagara-on-the-Lake to launching her own boutique label in tribute to her father. This heartfelt and inspiring episode explores the challenges of building a wine brand from scratch, the evolution of Niagara's wine scene, and the importance of supporting local producers. Andrea opens up about her career in marketing, her deep-rooted passion for wine, and the powerful legacy she carries forward.   They also touch on how global wine trends are influencing local business, what it means to create "single-vineyard, small-batch" wines, and how Ontario wines are earning international acclaim.   What You'll Learn: How Andrea Kaiser built Drea's Wine Co. from the ground up The story behind her father, Karl J. Kaiser, and his impact on Canadian winemaking What it means to produce "single-vineyard, small-batch" wines Challenges and opportunities in Niagara's evolving wine industry The importance of local support in a globally competitive market How to recognize premium wines in a saturated market Why storytelling and legacy matter in branding Tips for aspiring wine entrepreneurs Andrea (Drea) Kaiser is a marketing veteran, educator, hospitality expert, and Niagara Regional Councillor. With over 30 years of experience in the wine and tourism industry, she has led marketing for Reif Estate Winery, chaired the Wineries of Niagara-on-the-Lake, and taught at Niagara College. Andrea launched Drea's Wine Co. in honour of her late father, Karl J. Kaiser, one of Canada's most celebrated winemakers.   Her boutique winery produces award-winning wines that have received international acclaim, including mentions from Decanter, Jancis Robinson, and even placement in Michelin-starred restaurants.   She continues to advocate for sustainable winemaking, wine education, and local food culture, all while championing Niagara wines on the global stage. Listen now at: www.winebehindthescenes.com

We talk about why this time of year is perfect to plant a crop of garlic and our expert gardener Paul Zammit takes your questions. Paul Zammit is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Paul Zammit, our weekly gardening expert and professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College, talks about tips to make sure your tropical plants continue to thrive now that they are indoors and answers your gardening questions.

In this episode of Wine Behind the Scenes, Laurel Simmons chats with Joel Droogh, whose path to the wine industry started on a dairy farm outside Ottawa. From chasing cows as a kid to crafting low-alcohol wines in Niagara, Joel shares how his hands-on background and entrepreneurial drive led him to a life among the vines. Joel opens up about his transition from brewing to winemaking, why Canadian wineries are facing big challenges (and big opportunities), and how younger drinkers are reshaping the industry. They talk branding, climate change, community engagement, and what it will take for Canadian wines to shine on the global stage. This episode is a behind-the-label look at the future of wine through the eyes of someone who's living and shaping it. What You'll Learn: How Joel went from beer to wine (and why) What Canadian wineries are doing to stand out Why low and no-alcohol wines are gaining traction The role of branding and storytelling in wine How younger generations are changing wine culture Joel's big-picture vision for Canadian wine on the world stage Joel Droogh grew up on a working dairy farm just outside Ottawa, where he learned the value of hard work, grit, and community. A graduate of Niagara College's Brewmaster, Winery and Viticulture Technology program, Joel has worked in brewing, greenhouses, wine labs, and vineyards. He's also a natural communicator and business-minded innovator, now focusing on wine marketing, sales, and global outreach. As part of the next generation, Joel brings a fresh energy to Canadian wine. Follow Joel on Instagram at @joeldroogh or connect with him on LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/in/joel-droogh Want to hear what's next for Canadian wine? Listen now at www.winebehindthescenes.com

Paul Zammit is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College. He has suggestings for spring bulbs beyond daffodils, tulips and crocuses.

Paul Zammit, professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College, answers your questions and he weighs in on zone changes to Canada's plant hardiness map.

Paul Zammitt is back and talks about getting the most from your tomato plants this season and takes your questions. He is a professor horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Paul Zammit starts the show with a few tips for people who might want to snap up deals at the local garden centre. He's also answers your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our resident gardening expert, Paul Zammit, shares tips on tending to your plants during a heat wave, and answers your gardening questions as well. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, says you might be surprised how much care goes into protecting trees. From not mowing around the base of trees to creating barriers that help to minimize compaction, there's a lot you can do help their longterm survival. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Could dill boost your tomato harvest? What about planting marigolds to keep your herb garden green and lush? Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, tells us about the benefits of companion planting -- as in planting certain vegetables or flowers next to one another to deter pests. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College. He is also our expert gardener on Ontario Today. 

Jann, Caitlin and Sarah welcome poet, influencer and radio host Josie Balka. They discuss Josie's journey into poetry, the impact of aging, vulnerability, and body image, and the process of publishing her debut poetry book, 'I Hope You Remember.' She reflects on the importance of authenticity in her work, the challenges of perfectionism, the joy of celebrating achievements, and the importance of personal connections that fuel creativity. More About Josie Balka: Josie Balka is a broadcaster, voiceover artist, and poet. She holds a diploma in radio, television, and film from Niagara College and has worked for some of the largest media companies in North America as an on-air personality. She can often be caught recording viral poetry in her sound-proof closet. I Hope You Remember, Josie's first book of poetry, includes over eighty poems, some previously published and others never shared before. Every page in this collection hits home, rhapsodizing on universal experiences like jealousy, family relationships, complex body image, falling in and out of love (with others and yourself), and the ever-changing lens of nostalgia. With sparse, clear prose, Josie's poetry looks to bring forth deep feelings like grief, envy, apathy, joy, and, most importantly, hope. https://www.instagram.com/josiebalka/ https://www.tiktok.com/@josiebalka https://www.simonandschuster.com/books/I-Hope-You-Remember/Josie-Balka/9781668077108 Flower shop Sarah mentioned (go get flowers if you live in King City!) https://www.instagram.com/floralstudiobyfiorib/ Flower shop Caitlin mentioned in Toronto: https://www.instagram.com/kenilworthfloral/ Until June 14th, get up to 20% off select tires thanks to our friends at Fountain Tire! PLUS, up to $120 off a set of select Goodyear tires with a mail in rebate. Plus, $50 off any service when you spend at least $150 when you purchase select tires. Find a location near you: ⁠https://www.fountaintire.com/⁠ Leave us a voicenote! ⁠https://jannardenpod.com/voicemail/⁠ Get access to bonus content and more on Patreon: ⁠https://patreon.com/JannArdenPod⁠ Order ONLYJANNS Merch: ⁠https://cutloosemerch.ca/collections/jann-arden⁠ Connect with us: ⁠www.jannardenpod.com⁠ ⁠www.instagram.com/jannardenpod⁠ ⁠www.facebook.com/jannardenpod⁠ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Victoria Day weekend is one of the busiest times of the season for gardeners. Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your questions. He is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Paul Zammitt, our expert gardener, walks us through how to care for the popular garden shrub, hydrangeas, and takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener Paul Zammit takes your gardening questions. Paul is a professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions and talks about flowers and plants to consider giving your sweetie that aren't red roses. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions and talks about how the potential for a tariff war could affect the plants you buy. Paul is a professor of horticulture and environmental studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Our expert gardener, Paul Zammit, takes your gardening questions. Paul is a Professor of Horticulture and Environmental Studies at Niagara College.

Jessie Boulard Episode 033: December 28, 2024 Jessie Boulard is an award-winning illustrator applying her skills to social issues. We will talk about passion projects plus art education and more. About Jessie Boulard: Jessie is a Canadian non-status Indigenous Mixed-Blood of the Anishinaabe First Nation Freelance Illustrator who received her Honours Bachelor of Applied Arts in Illustration from Sheridan College. She is known for her strong line work and love of textures. Believing that art is more than just a form of expression, Jessie uses her skills to convey important issues as well as personal growth. Jessie is currently living in Southern Ontario, Freelancing and building Lux Arts; A Nomadic Community Art Studio for all ages. Jessie previously worked at Niagara College for 8 years teaching Illustration in the Graphic Design program. Currently Jessie's passions have moved her towards exploring the symbiotic relationship humans and nature share. She is working on a series of pieces depicting this relationship and looking forward to showcasing her work. Clients include Penguin Random House Canada, Tundra Book Group, eOne Entertainment, TBDoc Productions Inc., CRAVE, CANADALAND, LTBB of Odawa Indians, Superfriendly, The Writers' Union of Canada, Hour Detroit, CBC News, THIS Magazine, Studio M, Walmart, Inter-Tribal Council of Michigan, Inc., The Walrus, CONTINUE MEDIA Inc., Canadian Geographic, Boathouse Brands In 2022, Jessie won The One Award (San Diego): Silver Medal for Social Impact for Anishinaabe Cooking Resources Initiative Jessie Boulard's Links: Website: https://www.jessieboulard.com Echo Chernik Links: Website: https://www.EchoChernik.com Illustration: https://www.echo-x.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/echoxartist Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/echochernik Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/echochernik Kickstarter: https://www.kickstarter.com/profile/echox/created

WARNING - SENSITIVE TOPICS... Suici%^ & R&p3 In this episode of The Healers Café, Manon Bolliger, FCAH, RBHT (facilitator and retired naturopath with 30+ years of practice) speaks with Andrea L. Wehlann about recovering from profound trauma and assisting others in their healing journey. For the transcript and full story go to: https://www.drmanonbolliger.com/Andrea-L-Wehlann   Highlights from today's episode include: Andrea L. Wehlann  And really, the healing can happen in an instant, but we need words for how to process these things. Sometimes things happen, but it's words, and it's through the language that we can we can heal, and we can start to transform things.   Andrea L. WehlannAnd I think, I think it takes only one person to see you, one person to understand you. And I think that that can be so transformative, just one person, just one poem, one breath at a time, one heart at a time. Andrea L. Wehlann Your mind is a liar and a trickster and but that is a feeling that's inside, that's inner peace. And I think that yoga, each time you experience that, it builds on that and expands. And I really believe that there is a kingdom of love, of peace, of light inside all of us right now, right now.   ABOUT ANDREA L. WEHLANN: Today, Andrea L. Wehlann is CEO & Founder of Ganga Moon Yoga & Reiki Skool, a bestselling author and poet.  She's a highly regarded expert in yoga a Certified Hatha Yoga Teacher.   She's also a social worker with a BA in Psychology from Brock University and a Social Services Diploma from Niagara College. As accomplished as Wehlann is, she makes clear that she has faced and triumphed over - many struggles, too. Her source of dedication to spiritual healing derives from surviving childhood mental, physical and emotional abuse, as well as surviving rape, sexual assault and infant loss. The hugely traumatic things she lived through as a child and young person led to her experiences with bulimia, depression, and suicidal tendencies.   The fact that she found positive ways to make it through all of that combined with her professional knowledge makes her not only a true inspiration - but a passionate teacher and unique leader in the wellness space. She shares her unique insights derived from both the personal and the professional in her three impactful books. -Deeper Days: 365 Yoga-spirations for Inner Calm Amidst Chaos & a lovingly crafted book to get you moving through the world with love, to help you take a moment to breathe, and find stillness in daily reflection. It guides you along your yogic path to realizing your divine potential.” -No Matter How Dark The Stain: Poems and Inspiration for the Woman in Pain “Essentially a collection of love poems for anxious people, it meets people in their darkest space and gives a breath of life to the pain and feelings that haunt us and keep bad patterns recurring.” And…. The most recent is Stillness In The Storm, subtitled “A Conscious Daily Journal of Yoga &  Spiritual Healing,” a book Andrea created to help readers do just that: “to let mind and spirit intersect and to celebrate the power of hearing the heart in the here and now.” Learn more at : https://ganga-moon-yoga.square.site/   And at https://ingeniumbooks.com/andrea-wehlann/   In the news: https://www.wellandtribune.ca/entertainment/books/authors-and-poets-come-together-at-welland-library/article_735b0ebe-dfa7-5960-8bbb-dc3aa8fe5144.html? https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/beamsville-poet-hopes-new-book-helps-shatter-the-myth-of-the-victim/article_b35e2e5a-649a-5e7d-9cc5-6c8d2814633e.html? https://www.niagarathisweek.com/news/lincoln-author-finds-yoga-spiration-in-second-book/article_5367832f-b908-5bb8-9f2e-026fb38f8a7b.html Book Links: https://shorturl.at/bkyBW https://shorturl.at/jnry7 https://shorturl.at/dfY89 https://shorturl.at/dxHT0 Core purpose/passion: To remind people they have what they need to heal within them now. Website | Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Eventbrite | GoodReads   ABOUT MANON BOLLIGER, FCAH, RBHT  As a de-registered (2021) board-certified naturopathic physician & in practice since 1992, I've seen an average of 150 patients per week and have helped people ranging from rural farmers in Nova Scotia to stressed out CEOs in Toronto to tri-athletes here in Vancouver.  My resolve to educate, empower and engage people to take charge of their own health is evident in my best-selling books:  'What Patients Don't Say if Doctors Don't Ask: The Mindful Patient-Doctor Relationship' and 'A Healer in Every Household: Simple Solutions for Stress'.  I also teach BowenFirst™ Therapy through and hold transformational workshops to achieve these goals. So, when I share with you that LISTENING to Your body is a game changer in the healing process, I am speaking from expertise and direct experience". Manon's Mission: A Healer in Every Household!  For more great information to go to her weekly blog:  http://bowencollege.com/blog.  For tips on health & healing go to: https://www.drmanonbolliger.com/tips  Follow Manon on Social – Facebook | Instagram | LinkedIn | YouTube | Twitter | Linktr.ee | Rumble   ABOUT THE HEALERS CAFÉ:  Manon's show is the #1 show for medical practitioners and holistic healers to have heart to heart conversations about their day to day lives.  Subscribe and review on your favourite platform: iTunes | Google Play | Spotify | Libsyn | iHeartRadio | Gaana | The Healers Cafe | Radio.com | Medioq | Follow The Healers Café on FB: https://www.facebook.com/thehealerscafe   Remember to subscribe if you like our videos. Click the bell if you want to be one of the first people notified of a new release. * De-Registered, revoked & retired naturopathic physician after 30 years of practice in healthcare. Now resourceful & resolved to share with you all the tools to take care of your health & vitality!   Help is available Speak with someone today Suicide Crisis Helpline Text or Call: 9-8-8 (toll-free, 24/7)  For more information, visit https://988.ca. Kids Help Phone can also support you. Call: 1-800-668-6868 (24/7) Text: CONNECT to 686868 Live Chat: 7pm to midnight (ET)  

What is agri-tourism and why did people begin to embrace the farming experience? Why don't Ontarians drink as much of our own wine as other provinces or countries? How did one woman lead the charge for biodynamic and organic wines in Canada? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Jennifer Wilhelm. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Jennifer Wilhelm's terrific new book Sharing a Glass: Inspirational Memoirs & Memories of the Women Who Shaped Ontario's Grape & Wine Industry. Three of you in Canada will win a bottle of the full-bodied, buttery-rich Chloe Chardonnay. The latter restriction relates to the cross-border shipping of alcohol and all the fun that entails. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights What was it like for Debbie Zimmerman campaigning door-to-door in the 70s? What did Debbie Zimmerman learn from Canadian politician and activist Nellie McClung? How did Debbie Zimmerman's political and journalism careers help her negotiate between Ontario grape growers and wineries? How has Ann Sperling led the charge for biodynamic and organic wines in Canada? Why don't Ontarians drink as much of their own wine as other provinces? What were Barbara Leslie's contributions to the Ontario wine industry? What is agritourism and how did Nicolette Novak get people from the city to embrace it? How did Madame Andrée Bosc highlight the value of giving people context for the wines they are drinking? What were some of the challenges and lessons that Jennifer experienced writing her book during the pandemic? What does Jennifer love about the stories behind the Maenad Wine Company and Liebling Wines?   Join me on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube Live Join the live-stream video of this conversation on Wed at 7 pm ET on Instagram Live Video, Facebook Live Video or YouTube Live Video. I want to hear from you! What's your opinion of what we're discussing? What takeaways or tips do you love most from this chat? What questions do you have that we didn't answer? Want to know when we go live? Add this to your calendar: https://www.addevent.com/calendar/CB262621   About Jennifer Wilhelm Jennifer Wilhelm has dedicated her career to Ontario's hospitality industry. She is a certified Sommelier, and holds credentials from WSET, Prud'homme, Hospitality Management, and Human Resources with a focus on training and development. She taught at Niagara College for 17 years and was named 2010 Ontario Wine Educator through the VQA Promoters Awards. She received a Lieutenant Governor's Community Volunteer Award for her contributions to the Ontario wine industry.         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/290.

Are you curious about the untold stories of the legendary women who helped create the Ontario wine industry and who also shaped its future? Wine might lead people to work in the wine industry, but what sustains a lifetime career beyond that? Why don't we celebrate people while they're alive, but instead wait to express those heartfelt thoughts in a eulogy, post-mortem biography or other memorials? In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Jennifer Wilhelm. You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks   Giveaway Three of you will win a copy of Jennifer Wilhelm's terrific new book Sharing a Glass: Inspirational Memoirs & Memories of the Women Who Shaped Ontario's Grape & Wine Industry. Three of you in Canada will win a bottle of the full-bodied, buttery-rich Chloe Chardonnay. The latter restriction relates to the cross-border shipping of alcohol and all the fun that entails. To qualify, all you have to do is email me at natalie@nataliemaclean.com and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!   Highlights How did two tables of broken wine glasses feature in Jennifer's most memorable wine moment? What was it like hosting a wine event during a hurricane? How are camaraderie and support an integral part of working in the wine industry? What was Jennifer's inspiration for writing Sharing a Glass? Why have women's stories been historically underrepresented? What was the most surprising insight that Jennifer discovered while writing Sharing a Glass? Why did Jennifer start the book by profiling Debi Pratt? What risk did Debi Pratt take in joining Inniskillin? Which creative strategies did Debi Pratt use to educate people and promote Ontario wine? How has Inniskillin honoured Debi Pratt's contributions? Who is Dr. Helen Fisher, and why did Jennifer want to feature her in the book? How did Donna Lailey's advocacy for new growing methods help to move the Ontario wine industry forward? Why was Donna Lailey named Niagara Grape King? Where did Jennifer's co-collaborator, Elena Galey-Pride, redirect her proceeds from the book? How did Dr. Linda Bramble overcome several obstacles to become a leader in the Canadian wine industry?   About Jennifer Wilhelm Jennifer Wilhelm has dedicated her career to Ontario's hospitality industry. She is a certified Sommelier, and holds credentials from WSET, Prud'homme, Hospitality Management, and Human Resources with a focus on training and development. She taught at Niagara College for 17 years and was named 2010 Ontario Wine Educator through the VQA Promoters Awards. She received a Lieutenant Governor's Community Volunteer Award for her contributions to the Ontario wine industry.   Bonus Interview - Andrea Brambila How did Andrea realize she wanted to become a winemaker? Which type of glass does Andrea recommend with full-bodied Chardonnay? Why shouldn't you judge a wine based on the first sip? Which foods pair well with the Chloe Chardonnay?         To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/289.