Podcasts about trusted housesitters

Battle of the Big Bang: The New Tales of Our Cosmic Origins examines the most profound idea: how did the universe begin? Watch the video, as it includes illustrations in the final 10 minutes. Although I'm not a physicist, I have read many books about the Big Bang, physics, and the universe. This book is an in-depth exploration of the competing models that hypothesize about our origins. I appreciated learning about the Ekpyrotic universe and Conformal Cyclic Cosmology (CCC), two novel ideas. For instance, CCC posits that "the universe is cyclic but never re-collapses. Each eon expands until all mass disappears." "In the Ekpyrotic universe, the movement of the branes is controlled by a springlike force, operating in a higher dimension. What was being suggested was that this force is felt in our reality as dark energy." I also appreciated that the book included several illustrations that were essential for grasping these counterintuitive topics. One of the authors, Phil Halper, is a well-known YouTuber.  The other co-author is Niayesh Afshordi, a cosmologist. I interviewed Phil Halper on my WanderLearn Show. Watch the 30-second book trailer If you're fascinated by the Big Bang, watch the video below, where I interview Phil Halper, one of the book's co-authors. Here's the timeline: 00:00 Problems with the Big Bang 04:00 Before the Big Bang 06:20 Stephen Hawking's Strange Theory 09:30 Imaginary numbers and time 11:11 Natural Selection of Universes 19:30 Are we in a white hole? 23:40 Conformal Cyclic Cosmology CCC 25:00 Ekpyrotic theory 28:30 Carroll-Chen Model   Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

I've never highlighted a book as much as They're Not Gaslighting You: Ditch the Therapy Speak and Stop Hunting for Red Flags in Every Relationship.  It's my favorite book in 2025! Watch the Video Interview Author Dr. Isabelle Morley gives us a timely book that rejects the reckless proliferation of the following terms:  Sociopath Psychopath Love bomb Narcissist Boundaries Borderline Toxic Gaslighting Who is Dr. Isabelle Morley? Dr. Morley is not a chronic gaslighter trying to convince the world that she doesn't gaslight by writing a book about it. Here's her resume: Author of Navigating Intimacy and They're Not Gaslighting You Co-host of the podcast Romcom Rescue Contributor to Psychology Today Advisory Board Member of the Keepler app Founding Board Member of UCAN Member of the American Psychological Association Certified in Emotionally Focused Therapy (EFT) The Gottman Method – Completed Levels 1 and 2 Relational Life Therapy – Completed Level 1 PsyD in Clinical Psychology from William James College, 2015 Doctoral project researching hookup culture's impact on relationship formation, 2015 Master's in Professional Psychology from William James College, 2013 Bachelor of Arts from Tufts University, 2011 My Fatima Story I dated a woman for two years. Let's call her Fatima. In the second half of our relationship, Fatima bombarded me with many of the highly charged and often misused words listed above. After she dumped me the fifth and final time, I finally pushed back on her barrage of accusations. I said to her, “So, you truly believe I'm a narcissist? Let's look up the clinical definition of a narcissist and see how I stack up.” She agreed. Perplexity wrote: To be clinically considered as having Narcissistic Personality Disorder (NPD) according to the DSM-5, an individual must exhibit at least five out of nine specific characteristics. These characteristics, as summarized by the acronym “SPECIAL ME,” include: Sense of self-importance Exaggerating achievements and expecting to be recognized as superior without commensurate achievements. Preoccupation Being preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, brilliance, beauty, or ideal love Entitled Having unreasonable expectations of especially favorable treatment or automatic compliance with their expectations. Can only be around people who are important or special Believing that they are “special” and unique and can only be understood by, or should associate with, other special or high-status people (or institutions). Interpersonally exploitative Taking advantage of others to achieve their own ends. Arrogant Showing arrogant, haughty behaviors or attitudes. Lack empathy Being unwilling to recognize or identify with the feelings and needs of others. Must be admired Requiring excessive admiration. Envious Often being envious of others or believing that others are envious of them. These symptoms must be pervasive, apparent in various social situations, and consistently rigid over time. A qualified healthcare professional typically diagnoses NPD through a clinical interview. The traits should also substantially differ from social norms. I asked her how many of these nine characteristics I exhibited consistently, pervasively, and in many social situations. She agreed that I was nowhere near five of the nine. Admittedly, I sometimes exhibited some of these nine characteristics in my intimate relationship with Fatima. I'm certainly guilty of that. However, to qualify as a true narcissist, you must display at least five of these nine characteristics often and with most people, not just your partner. To her credit, my ex-girlfriend sheepishly backed down from that accusation, saying, “You're right, Francis, you're not a narcissist.” Later, I would educate her (or, as she would say, “mansplain”) about another of her favorite words: gaslighting. I mansplained by sending her a video clip of renowned couples therapist Dr. Julie Schwartz Gottman, who explained why standard disagreements and having different perspectives aren't gaslighting. Soon after explaining that, Mrs. Gottman explains why, in some ways, “everybody is narcissistic.” Watch 6 minutes from 1:35:30 to 1:41:30: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9kPmiV0B34&t=5730s After listening to an expert define gaslighting, Fatima apologized for incorrectly using the term. This is what I loved about Fatima: she wouldn't stubbornly cling to her position when presented with compelling evidence to the contrary. This is a rare trait I cherish. Narcissists and sociopaths are about 1% of the population, so it's highly unlikely that all your exes are narcissists and sociopaths. Still, Fatima flung other popular, misused terms at me. She loved talking about “boundaries” and “red flags.” According to Dr. Morley, my ex “weaponized therapy speak.”   Dr. Morley writes, “It's not a new phenomenon for people to use therapy terms casually, even flippantly, to describe themselves or other people. How long have we referred to someone as a ‘psycho' when they're acting irrationally or being mean?” Although weaponized therapy speak isn't new, it's ubiquitous nowadays. Dr. Morley's book sounds the alarm that it's out of control and dangerous. Three types of people would benefit from Dr. Morley's book: People like Fatima: Does someone you know tend to denigrate people using therapy speak? Are they intelligent, rational, and open-minded like Fatima? If so, they must read this book to recalibrate how they use these powerful words. People like me: Are you (or someone you know) accused of being a psychopath, a gaslighter, or a person with OCD? Actual victims: The explosion of use of these powerful words has diluted their meaning. As a result, the real victims of narcissists and sociopaths are now belittled. Their true suffering is minimized when every other person has a sociopath in their life. Their grievances are severe. Let's not equate our relationship problems with their terror. I'll list some of my favorite chapter titles, which will give you a flavor of the book's message: Chapter 4: Are They Gaslighting You, or Do They Just Disagree? Chapter 5: Do They Have OCD, or Are They Just Particular? Chapter 6: Is It a Red Flag, or Are They Just Imperfect? Chapter 7: Are They a Narcissist, or Did They Just Hurt Your Feelings? Chapter 9: Are They a Sociopath, or Do They Just Like You Less Than you Like Them? Chapter 11: Did They Violate Your Boundaries, or Did They Just Not Know How You Felt? I will quote extensively to encourage everyone to buy Dr. Mosley's book. Most quotations are self-explanatory, but sometimes I will offer personal commentary. Excerpts The trend of weaponized therapy speak marks something very different. These days, clinical words are wielded, sincerely and self-righteously, to lay unilateral blame on one person in a relationship while excusing the other from any wrongdoing. ========== Many times, we use these words as protective measures to help us avoid abusive partners and reduce our risk of “wasting” time or emotional energy on family or friends who don't deserve it. But using these terms can also absolve people from taking responsibility for their actions in their relationships. They can say, “I had to do that because of my obsessive-compulsive disorder” or “We didn't work out because she's a narcissist,” instead of doing the hard work of seeing their part in the problem and addressing the issues behind it. As a couples therapist, I'm particularly concerned with how the enthusiastic but inaccurate embrace of clinical terminology has made it harder to sustain healthy romantic attachments. With Fatima, our relationship woes were always my fault because I crossed her “boundaries” and I was a “narcissist.” If I disagreed, I was “gaslighting” her. Or I was being “defensive” instead of apologizing. And when I apologized, I did so incorrectly because I offered excuses after saying I'm sorry (she was right about that). The point is that she used weaponized therapy speak to demonize me, alleviating herself from the burden of considering that perhaps she shared some of the responsibility for our woes. ========== Their friend doesn't agree with their warped view of an event or their disproportionate reaction? The friend is an empathy-lacking narcissist who is actively gaslighting them. ========== In one memorable session of mine, a client managed to accuse their partner of narcissism, gaslighting, love bombing, blaming the victim, lacking accountability, having no empathy, and being generally abusive, manipulative, and toxic . . . all within twenty minutes. Although Fatima and I went to couples therapy, I don't remember Dr. Mosley being our facilitator, but that sure sounds like Fatima! LOL! ========== I'm certified in emotionally focused couples therapy (EFCT), which is a type of couples therapy based on attachment theory. ========== For example, if you feel like a failure for letting your partner down, you might immediately minimize your partner's feelings and tell them they shouldn't react so strongly to such a small issue. (For anyone wondering, this isn't gaslighting.) That makes them feel unheard and unimportant, so they get even more upset, which makes you dismiss their reaction as dramatic, and round and round it goes. Welcome to my world with Fatima! ========== You could claim your partner is toxic and borderline because they're emotionally volatile and unforgiving. You could say their feelings are disproportionate to the problem, and their verbal assault is bordering on abusive. But your partner could say that you are a narcissist who is gaslighting them by refusing to acknowledge their feelings, showing no empathy for the distress your tardiness caused, and shifting the blame to them (just like a narcissist would!). You'd both be wrong, of course, but you can see how these conclusions could happen. ========== Weaponized therapy speak is our attempt to understand people and situations in our lives, yes, but it is also a strategy to avoid responsibility. It puts the blame solely on the other person and allows us to ignore our part. ========== However, the vast majority of partners and friends are not sociopaths, narcissists, or abusers. They're just flawed. They're insecure, demanding, controlling, emotional, or any number of adjectives, but these traits alone aren't pathological. ========== But doing such things now and then in our relational histories, or doing them often in just one relationship, doesn't mean we have a personality disorder. These diagnoses are reserved for people who exhibit a persistent pattern of maladaptive behaviors in most or all of their close relationships. ========== I wasn't an abusive partner. I was a messy newcomer to relationships, as we usually are in our teens and twenties, trying my best to navigate my feelings while following bad examples from television and making plenty of other blunders along the way. Stonewalling was immature and an unhelpful way of coping, but it wasn't abuse. ========== If we're looking for a partner who will always do the right thing, even in the hardest moments, we're only setting ourselves up for disappointment. As I mentioned before, really good people can behave really badly. ========== If we don't know the difference between abusive behavior and normal problematic behavior, we're at risk for either accepting abuse (thinking that it's just a hard time) or, alternatively, throwing away a perfectly good relationship because we can't accept any flaws or mistakes. Alas, Fatima threw away a perfectly good relationship. I was her second boyfriend. Her lack of experience made her underappreciate what we had. She'll figure it out with the next guy. ========== Disagreeing with someone, thinking your loved one is objectively wrong, arguing about what really happened and what was actually said, trying to find your way to the one and only “truth”—these are things that most people do. They are not helpful or effective, but they also are not gaslighting. ========== “What? I didn't say yes to seeing it, Cece. I said yes to finding houses we both liked and visiting them. Sometimes you just hear what you want to and then get mad at me when you realize it's not what I actually said,” Meg answers. “Stop gaslighting me! Don't tell me what happened. I remember exactly what you said! You told me yes to this open house and then changed your mind, and I'm upset about it. I'm allowed to be upset about it; don't invalidate my feelings!” Cece says, her frustration growing. Meg feels surprised and nervous. She didn't think she was gaslighting Cece, which is exactly what she says. “I didn't mean to gaslight you. I just remember this differently. I don't remember saying I would go to this open house, so that's why I don't understand why you're this upset.” “Yes, you are gaslighting me because you're trying to convince me that what I clearly remember happening didn't happen. But you can't gaslight me because I'm positive I'm right.” ========== Cece's accusation of gaslighting quickly shut down the conversation, labeling Meg as a terrible partner and allowing Cece to exit the conversation as the victor. ========== I find gaslighting to be one of the harder labels to deal with in my clinical work for three reasons: 1. Accusations of gaslighting are incredibly common. I hear accusations of gaslighting at least once a week, and yet it's only been accurate about five times in my entire clinical career. Boyfriend didn't agree with what time you were meeting for dinner? Gaslighting. Spouse said you didn't tell them to pick up milk on the way home, but you swear you did? Gaslighting. ========== You could say, “I want you to know that I really understand your perspective on this. I see things differently, but your experience is valid, and it makes sense. I'm not trying to convince you that you're wrong and I'm right, and I'm sorry if I came across that way.” WHAT IS VALIDATION? Validation is another word that suffers from frequent misuse. People demand validation, but what they're really asking for is agreement. And if someone doesn't agree, they call it toxic. Here's the thing, though: Validation is not the same as agreement. ========== You can disagree in your head but still validate how they feel: “Hey, you're not crazy. I see why you'd feel that way. It makes sense to me. I'd probably feel that way too if I were in your shoes, experiencing our interaction the way you did. I care about your feelings.” ========== “I bet it felt really awful to have me challenge your experience and make you feel like it wasn't right or valid.” I regret I learned this lesson too late with Fatima. I was too slow to validate her feelings. We learn something in every relationship. Ideally, our partner is patient with us as we stumble through the learning process, often repeating the same error until we form a new habit. However, Fatima ran out of patience with me. I couldn't change fast enough for her, even though I was eager to learn and dying to please her. By the time I began to learn about proper validation and apologies, she had given up on me. ========== My husband, Lucas, hates it when lids aren't properly put on jars. You know, when a lid is half on and still loose or haphazardly tightened and askew? I, on the other hand, could not care less. I am the only perpetrator of putting lids on wrong in our house. I barely screw on the top to the pickles, peanut butter, medications, water bottles, or food storage containers. I don't even realize that I do it because I care so little about it. This drives Lucas absolutely crazy. I love this example because it's what I would repeatedly tell Fatima: some habits are hard to break. Dr. Mosley knows her husband hates half-closed jars, but she struggles to comply with his wishes. We're imperfect creatures. ========== Is your partner always leaving a wet towel on the floor after showering? Red flag—they're irresponsible and will expect you to clean up after them. Is your friend bad at texting to let you know when they're behind schedule? Red flag—they're selfish, inconsiderate, and don't value your time. It's all too easy to weaponize this term in a relationship, in hopes that it will shame the other person into changing. ========== People aren't perfect. Individually, we're messy, and in relationships, we're much messier. We all make mistakes, sometimes repeatedly for our entire lives. Instead of labeling all unwanted behaviors as red flags and expecting change or running away altogether, try a new approach: Identify why those behaviors hurt you and share that with your loved one instead. ========== When confronted with the knowledge that we've hurt someone, many of us become defensive. We hate the idea of hurting the person we love and since we usually didn't intend to hurt them, we start explaining why our actions weren't that bad and why they shouldn't feel upset. It comes from a place of inadequacy, self-criticism, and remorse. If the other person responds like this but you can tell they care about your pain, this may be a good time to give them some grace in the form of empathy and time. Wait a few hours or even a few days, then try the conversation again. For every criticism I had about Fatima's behavior, she had 20 criticisms about my behavior. As a result, I had many more opportunities to fall into the trap of becoming defensive. It's so hard to resist. I'm still working on that front. ========== We all have a touch of narcissism, which can get bigger at certain points in life, ========== Conflicts are upsetting, and we've all developed ways of protecting ourselves, whether it's getting loud to be heard or emotionally withdrawing to prevent a panic attack. Underneath these less-than-ideal responses, though, we feel awful. We feel scared, insecure, inadequate, unimportant, and alone. We hate fighting with our loved ones, and we really hate that we've hurt them, especially unknowingly. We're not being defensive because we have a narcissistic belief in our own superiority; we're doing it because we're terrified that the person won't understand us and will see us negatively, so we need to show them our side and explain to them why we aren't to blame. ========== But whether it's an inflated ego, vanity, self-absorption, or just unusually healthy confidence, these traits do not make a narcissist. To have NPD, the person must also require external validation and admiration, and to be seen as superior to others. This is the difference between a big ego and grandiosity. Grandiosity goes several steps beyond confidence—it's a near-delusional sense of importance, where someone exaggerates their achievements and expects others to see them as superior. ========== Some people suck. They're immature, mean, selfish, and unremorseful. Some people don't respect other people in their lives. They lie and they cheat, and they don't care that it hurts others. But they can be all these things and still not be a narcissist. There's a lot of room for people to be awful without meeting the criteria for a personality disorder, and that's because (you guessed it!) people are flawed. Some people feel justified in behaving badly, while others just don't know any better yet. Our growth is messy and not linear. ========== The reality is that anyone who genuinely worries that they are a narcissist, probably isn't. That level of openness and willingness to self-reflect is not typical of a narcissist. Plus, narcissists don't tend to believe or care that they've hurt others, whereas my clients are deeply distressed by the possibility that they've unknowingly caused others pain. ========== As with gaslighting, I have rarely seen people accurately diagnose narcissism. To put it bluntly, I have never seen a client in a couples therapy session call their partner a narcissist and be right. In fact, the person misusing the label usually tends to be more narcissistic and have more therapy work to do than their partner. ========== person involved with a narcissist to accurately identify the disorder because people with NPD are great at making other people think they are the problem. It's an insidious process, and rarely do people realize what's happening until others point it out to them or the narcissist harshly devalues or leaves them. Now, you might be in a relationship with someone who has NPD, but instead of jumping to “narcissist!” it's helpful to use other adjectives and be more specific about your concerns. Saying that a certain behavior was selfish or that a person seems unremorseful is more exact than calling them a narcissist. ========== Love bombing can happen at any point in a relationship, but it's most often seen at the start. ========== Love bombing is also a typical follow-up to fights. ========== Humans are a complicated species. Despite our amazing cognitive capacities and our innate desire to be good (well, most of us anyway), we often cause harm. People act in ways that can damage their relationships, both intentionally and unknowingly, but that doesn't make them sociopaths. In fact, anyone in a close and meaningful relationship will end up hurting the other person and will also end up getting hurt at some point because close relationships inevitably involve a degree of pain, be it disappointment, sadness, anger, or frustration. Even when we're doing our best, we hurt each other. We can't equate normal missteps and hurt with sociopathy. ========== People love to call their exes sociopaths, just like they love calling them narcissists. Dr. Mosley focuses on the term sociopath because it's more popular nowadays than the term psychopath, but they both suffer from misuse and overuse, she says. If your partner (or you) use the term psychopath often, then in the following excerpts, replace the word “sociopath” with “psychopath.” ========== calling someone a sociopath is extreme. You're calling them out as a human who has an underdeveloped (or nonexistent) capacity to be a law-abiding, respectful, moral member of society. And in doing so, you're saying they were the entire problem in your relationship. Unless you were with a person who displayed a variety of extreme behaviors that qualify as ASPD, that conclusion isn't fair, accurate, or serving you. Again, you're missing out on the opportunity to reflect on your part in the problem, examine how you could have been more effective in the relationship, and identify how you can change for the better in your next relationship. If you label your ex a sociopath and call it a day, you're cutting yourself short. ========== Let the record show that I have never seen someone use the term sociopath correctly in their relationship. ========== some boundaries are universal and uncrossable, but the majority are personal preferences that need to be expressed and, at times, negotiated. Claiming a boundary violation is a quick and easy way to control someone's behavior, and that's why it's important to clarify what this phrase means and how to healthily navigate boundaries in a relationship. Fatima loved to remind me of and enforce her “boundaries.” It was a long list, so I inevitably crossed them, which led to drama. ========== There are some boundaries we all agree are important and should be uncrossable—I call these universal boundaries. Violating universal boundaries, especially when done repeatedly without remorse or regard for the impact it has on the other person, amounts to abuse. ========== The main [universal boundaries] are emotional, physical, sexual, and financial boundaries ========== Outside of these universal, uncrossable boundaries, there are also individual boundaries. Rather than applying to all people, these boundaries are specific to the person and defined by their own preferences and needs. As such, they are flexible, fluid over time, and full of nuance. If they are crossed, it can be uncomfortable, but it isn't necessarily abuse. ========== boundary is a line drawn to ensure safety and autonomy, whereas a preference is something that would make you feel happy but is not integral to your sense of relational security or independence. ========== While a well-adjusted person might start a dialogue about how to negotiate an individual boundary in a way that honors both partners' needs, an abusive person will never consider if their boundary can be shifted or why it might be damaging or significantly limiting to the other person. Instead, they will accuse, blame, and manipulate their partner as their way of keeping that person within their controlling limits. ========== The point is that as we go through life, our boundaries shift. As you can see, this is part of what makes it difficult for people to anticipate or assess boundary violations. If you expect and demand that the people close to you honor your specific boundaries on certain topics, but you're not telling them what the boundaries are or when and how they've changed, you're setting your loved ones up for failure. ========== And again, people unknowingly cross each other's individual boundaries all the time. It's simply inevitable. ========== It will create an unnecessary and unproductive rift. 3. We Mistake Preferences for Boundaries Boundaries protect our needs for safety and security. Preferences promote feelings of happiness, pleasure, or calm. When someone crosses a boundary, it compromises our physical or mental health. When someone disregards a preference, we may feel annoyed, but it doesn't pose a risk to our well-being. ========== You've Been Accused of Violating a Boundary If you're in a close relationship, chances are you're going to violate the other person's boundaries at some point. This is especially likely if the person has not told you what boundaries are important to them. However, you might also be unjustly accused of violating a boundary, perhaps a boundary you didn't know about or a preference masquerading as a boundary, and you'll need to know what to do. ========== I never thought of telling Fatima that she was “borderline.” It helps that I didn't know what the term meant. Dr. Mosley says that a person must have several of the “borderline” characteristics to have borderline personality disorder (BPD). Fatima only had one of them, so she did not have BPD. Here's the only BPD trait she exhibited: Stormy, intense, and chaotic relationships: Have relationships that tend to be characterized by extremes of idealization and devaluation in which the person with BPD idolizes someone one moment and then vilifies them the next. Because they struggle to see others in a consistent and nuanced way, their relationships go through tumultuous ups and downs, where they desire intense closeness one minute and then reject the person the next. Fatima promised me, “I will love you forever,” “I want to marry you,” “I will be with you until death,” “I'll never leave you,” and other similar extreme promises. Three days later, she would dump me and tell me she never wanted to get back together. Two days later, she apologized and wanted to reunite. Soon, she would be making her over-the-top romantic declarations again. She'd write them and say them repeatedly, not just while making love. Eventually, I'd fuck up again. Instead of collaborating to prevent further fuck ups, Fatima would simply break up with me with little to no discussion. This would naturally make me question her sincerity when she repeatedly made her I-will-be-with-you-forever promises. You might wonder why I was so fucking stupid to reunite with her after she did that a couple of times. Why did I always beg her to reconsider and reunite with me even after we repeated the pattern four times? (The fifth time she dumped me was the last time.) Humans are messy. I expect imperfection. I know my loved one will repeatedly do stupid shit because I sure will. So, I forgave her knee-jerk breakup reaction because I knew she didn't do it out of malice. She did it to protect herself. She was in pain. She thought that pulling the plug would halt the pain. That's reasonable but wrong. That doesn't matter. She's learning, I figured. I need to be patient. I was hopeful we'd break the pattern and learn how to deal with conflict maturely. We didn't. I'm confident she'll figure it out soon, just like I learned from my mistakes with her. ========== If I had to pick one word to describe people with BPD, it would be unstable. Fatima was unstable in a narrow situation: only with one person (me) and only when the shit hit the fan with me. Aside from that, she was highly stable. Hence, it would have been ludicrous if I accused her of having Borderline Personality Disorder. Luckily, I never knew the overused borderline term; even if I did, I wouldn't be tempted to use it on her. ========== Just as with red flags, we all exhibit some toxic behaviors at times. I don't know anyone who has lived a toxic-free existence. Sometimes we go through tough phases where our communication and coping skills are down, and we'll act more toxically than we might normally; this doesn't make us a toxic person. Indeed, many romantic relationships go through toxic episodes, if you will (should we make “toxic episode” a thing?), where people aren't communicating well, are escalating conflicts, and are generally behaving badly. We need to normalize a certain level of temporary or situational toxicity while also specifying what we mean by saying “toxic.” This is the only way we can determine whether the relationship needs help or needs ending. ========== trauma is itself a heavy, often misunderstood word. Its original meaning referenced what we now call “big T” trauma: life-threatening events such as going to war or surviving a car crash. Nowadays, we also talk about “little t” trauma: events that cause significant distress but aren't truly life-threatening, like being bullied in school or having an emotionally inconsistent parent. ========== Avoiding relationships with anyone who triggers hard feelings will mean a very lonely existence. ========== a trauma bond is the connection that survivors feel with their abuser. ========== A captured soldier who defends his captors? That person is, in fact, trauma bonded. ========== soldiers aren't trauma bonded after going to war together; they're socially bonded, albeit in an unusually deep way. A captured soldier who defends his captors? That person is, in fact, trauma bonded. ========== None of us get to have a happy relationship without hard times and hard work. It's normal and okay to sometimes struggle with the person you're close to or love. When the struggle happens, don't despair. Within the struggle are opportunities to invest in the relationship and grow, individually and together. ========== If you determine your relationship is in a tough spot but not abusive, now's the time for some hard relational work. A good cocktail for working on your relationship is specificity, vulnerability, and commitment. ========== Making a relationship work requires you and your loved ones to self-reflect, take responsibility, and change. This process won't just happen once; it's a constant cycle you'll go through repeatedly over the course of the relationship. You'll both need to look at yourselves, own what you've done wrong or could do better, and work to improve. Nobody is ever finished learning and growing, not individually and certainly not in a relationship. But that's what can be so great about being in a relationship: It's a never-ending opportunity to become a better person. And when you mess up (because trust me, you will), be kind to yourself. As I keep saying, humans are wonderfully imperfect. Even when we know what to do, sometimes we just don't or can't do it. ========== In this world of messy humans, how do you know who will be a good person for you to be with? My answer: Choose someone who wants to keep doing the work with you. There is no perfect person or partner for you, no magical human that won't ever hurt, irritate, enrage, or overwhelm you. Being in close relationships inevitably leads to big, scary feelings at times, so pick someone who wants to get through the dark times with you. Remember that when people are behaving badly in a desperate attempt to connect—not control—they'll be able to look at themselves, recognize the bad behavior, and change. Pick someone who has the willingness to self-reflect and grow, even if it's hard. Someone who will hang in there, even during your worst fights, and ultimately say, “Listen, this is awful, and I don't want to keep arguing like this, but I love you and I want to figure this out with you.” Wow. So well said. And this, in a paragraph, explains where Fatima and I failed. I dislike pointing fingers at my ex when explaining why we broke up. I made 90% of the mistakes in my relationship with Fatima, so I bear most of the responsibility. However, Fatima was the weaker one on one metric: having someone who wants to collaborate to make a beautiful relationship despite the hardships. The evident proof is that she dumped me five times, whereas I never dumped her or even threatened to dump her. I always wanted to use our problems as a chance to learn and improve. Fatima used them as an excuse to quit. She tried. She really did. However, she lacked the commitment Dr. Mosley discussed in that paragraph. Perhaps another man will inspire Fatima to find the strength and courage to bounce back and not throw in the towel. Or maybe she will mature and evolve to a point where she can be with someone less compatible than I was for her. She would often declare, “Francis, we're incompatible.” I'd say, “No, we are compatible; we have incompatibilities. Everyone has incompatibilities. We just need to work through them. If there is a willingness to collaborate, we can solve any incompatibility. The only couples who are truly incompatible are the ones where one or both individuals refuse to budge or learn. We can overcome countless incompatibilities as long as we both want to be together.” ========== We have wounds and scars and bad habits. We rely on ineffective but protective coping mechanisms. We push others away when we're hurt or scared. ========== Everyone behaves badly sometimes. But even then, odds are they're not gaslighting you. Conclusion I'll repeat: They're Not Gaslighting You: Ditch the Therapy Speak and Stop Hunting for Red Flags in Every Relationship is my favorite book in 2025! Buy it! Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Charles Veley explains why having a travel checklist can be beneficial and how the MTP app helps. Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.  I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!  In 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of May 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of them! That's why he's been called the Godfather of Systematic Travel! Download the MTP app or create a profile on MTP's website. Charles Veley achieved notable milestones, such as becoming the youngest person to visit all 320 countries and provinces recognized by the Travelers' Century Club (TCC). He has traveled millions of miles and taken over thousands of flights.    Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Charles Veley and I discuss his mini-adventure at the Chile-Bolivia border. It illustrates how no matter how much you travel, you keep having fun and unexpected moments. Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.  I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!  In 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of May 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of them! That's why he's been called the Godfather of Systematic Travel! Download the MTP app or create a profile on MTP's website. Charles Veley achieved notable milestones, such as becoming the youngest person to visit all 320 countries and provinces recognized by the Travelers' Century Club (TCC). He has traveled millions of miles and taken over thousands of flights.    Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space. Watch all four videos about Space to Grow I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors. In this episode, we dive into the Kessler Syndrome, which might keep us stuck on Earth!  Watch our interview on YouTube! In our second episode, Brendan Rousseau discusses how close we are to having space hotels and joyrides. Is space tourism around the corner? See the video interview. In our first episode, Brendan Rousseau shares his origin story and how he ended up at Blue Origin. He discusses why space isn't what it used to be. Watch the Video of episode 1 of 3 About Brendan Rousseau  Current Role: Strategy Manager - New Glenn, Blue Origin: Focuses on orbital launch strategy. Education: Williams College: Bachelor's in Astronomy and Economics. Phillips Exeter Academy: MacKenty Prize in Astronomy. Professional Experience: Harvard Business School: Teaching Fellow and Research Associate. Booz Allen Hamilton: Senior Consultant supporting U.S. Space Force programs. Williams College Astronomy Department: Teaching Assistant. Publications & Awards: Co-author of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. Recognized as a Payload Pioneers - 30 Under 30 and Via Satellite Rising Star. Questions In these podcasts, I ask them the following questions: 1. If you were an entrepreneur, what space-related startup idea would you pursue? 2. What are some of the most surprising findings from your research? 3. How do you envision the future of human habitation in space? 4. In what ways can space exploration contribute to solving Earth's economic challenges? 5. What ethical considerations arise from expanding economic activities into space? For example, can we colonize Mars or Europa if we find non-DNA-based bacteria there? 6. What were the challenges you faced during your research? 7. How do you foresee international relations evolving as nations compete for resources in space? 8. What are your predictions for the next decade in space exploration? 9. What are your thoughts on space tourism? 10. Who is the primary audience for this book? 11. What do you hope readers take away from "Space to Grow"? 12. What's a popular vision of space exploration that probably won't happen? 13. What narratives or myths about space need to be challenged? 14. What's the percentage chance that the Kessler Syndrome catastrophe will occur in the 2020s, 2030, and beyond? 15. How can public awareness be raised regarding the importance of investing in space? 16. What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking to enter the space industry? 17. In what ways might our values shift as we become a multi-planetary species? 18. What is a rarely discussed consequence of expanding into outer space? 19. If there was one message you want readers to remember, what would it be? 20. Do you want to clarify any misconceptions about the space economy? 21. What do you wish you had mentioned in the book? Perhaps some breaking news? 22. Lastly, how can interested individuals get involved or contribute to discussions around space economics?  23. What tips do you have for co-writing a book? 24. Did you change your mind about something during your writing process? 25. Do you have action items for the audience? Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space. Watch all four videos about Space to Grow I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors. In this episode, Brendan Rousseau discusses how close we are to having space hotels and joyrides. Is space tourism around the corner? See the video interview. In our first episode, Brendan Rousseau shares his origin story and how he ended up at Blue Origin. He discusses why space isn't what it used to be. Watch the Video of episode 1 of 3 About Brendan Rousseau  Current Role: Strategy Manager - New Glenn, Blue Origin: Focuses on orbital launch strategy. Education: Williams College: Bachelor's in Astronomy and Economics. Phillips Exeter Academy: MacKenty Prize in Astronomy. Professional Experience: Harvard Business School: Teaching Fellow and Research Associate. Booz Allen Hamilton: Senior Consultant supporting U.S. Space Force programs. Williams College Astronomy Department: Teaching Assistant. Publications & Awards: Co-author of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. Recognized as a Payload Pioneers - 30 Under 30 and Via Satellite Rising Star. Questions In these podcasts, I ask them the following questions: 1. If you were an entrepreneur, what space-related startup idea would you pursue? 2. What are some of the most surprising findings from your research? 3. How do you envision the future of human habitation in space? 4. In what ways can space exploration contribute to solving Earth's economic challenges? 5. What ethical considerations arise from expanding economic activities into space? For example, can we colonize Mars or Europa if we find non-DNA-based bacteria there? 6. What were the challenges you faced during your research? 7. How do you foresee international relations evolving as nations compete for resources in space? 8. What are your predictions for the next decade in space exploration? 9. What are your thoughts on space tourism? 10. Who is the primary audience for this book? 11. What do you hope readers take away from "Space to Grow"? 12. What's a popular vision of space exploration that probably won't happen? 13. What narratives or myths about space need to be challenged? 14. What's the percentage chance that the Kessler Syndrome catastrophe will occur in the 2020s, 2030, and beyond? 15. How can public awareness be raised regarding the importance of investing in space? 16. What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking to enter the space industry? 17. In what ways might our values shift as we become a multi-planetary species? 18. What is a rarely discussed consequence of expanding into outer space? 19. If there was one message you want readers to remember, what would it be? 20. Do you want to clarify any misconceptions about the space economy? 21. What do you wish you had mentioned in the book? Perhaps some breaking news? 22. Lastly, how can interested individuals get involved or contribute to discussions around space economics?  23. What tips do you have for co-writing a book? 24. Did you change your mind about something during your writing process? 25. Do you have action items for the audience? Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

In 3 WanderLearn episodes, Alex Hutchinson and I discuss his new book, The Explorer's Gene. This is episode 2 of 3. The Explorer's Gene examines human exploration broadly, going beyond traditional expeditions to investigate why humans explore everything from new foods to music. Watch my 1st Video Interview with Alex   #2: Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment? #3: Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA.  Timeline for episode 3 0:00 Tips 02:00 Endurance & Exploring 05:30 Exploiting vs. Exploring 07:00 Exploring in our DNA 09:00 Many ways to explore About the book, The Explorer's Gene The Explorer's Gene is made of 3 parts: 1) Why do we explore 2) How we explore 3) What does exploring mean Written in an engaging style that combines narrative stories with scientific research, it's comparable to Malcolm Gladwell's work but with stronger research foundations. It has a comprehensive scope and accessibility. It investigates human and animal exploratory behavior. The book connects external exploration to internal growth, offering insights into decision-making and personal development. It blends entertainment and scientific rigor, appealing to readers interested in human behavior, science writing, and self-discovery. Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

In 3 WanderLearn episodes, Alex Hutchinson and I discuss his new book, The Explorer's Gene. The Explorer's Gene examines human exploration broadly, going beyond traditional expeditions to investigate why humans explore everything from new foods to music. Watch my Video Interview with Alex   #2: Does Tech Impact on Our Desire to Explore? Is Exploration Required for Fulfillment? #3: Exercising Your Explorer Muscle. Exploring vs. Exploiting. Exploration in our DNA.  Timeline for episode 3 0:00 Tips 02:00 Endurance & Exploring 05:30 Exploiting vs. Exploring 07:00 Exploring in our DNA 09:00 Many ways to explore About the book, The Explorer's Gene The Explorer's Gene is made of 3 parts: 1) Why do we explore 2) How we explore 3) What does exploring mean Written in an engaging style that combines narrative stories with scientific research, it's comparable to Malcolm Gladwell's work but with stronger research foundations. It has a comprehensive scope and accessibility. It investigates human and animal exploratory behavior. The book connects external exploration to internal growth, offering insights into decision-making and personal development. It blends entertainment and scientific rigor, appealing to readers interested in human behavior, science writing, and self-discovery. Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Charles Veley is often referred to as one of the world's most traveled people, but whether he is definitively the most traveled depends on the criteria used.  I've met Charles Veley four times, and for the fourth time, we recorded our conversation!  Watch it on YouTube  In 2005, Charles Veley founded the Most Traveled People (MTP) community. MTP divides the world into 1,500 areas. As of April 2025, Charles Veley has been to 1,322 of them! That's why he's been called the Godfather of Systematic Travel! Download the MTP app or create a profile on MTP's website. Charles Veley achieved notable milestones, such as becoming the youngest person to visit all 320 countries and provinces recognized by the Travelers' Century Club (TCC). He has traveled millions of miles and taken over thousands of flights.          Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

“The most difficult part about traveling the world isn't actually the logistics of a trip—it's finding the courage to go in the first place.” —Matt Kepnes In this episode of Deviate, Rolf and Matt talk about how his travel style has changed over the years, and how fears affect people’s travels (1:00); strategies for saving money on the road (10:30); and strategies for finding activities on the road, and where to start a long-term journey (19:30). Matt Kepnes (@nomadicmatt), commonly known as “Nomadic Matt,” is a travel blogger and the New York Times bestselling author of Travel the World on $75 a Day and Ten Years a Nomad. Notable Links: The Vagabond's Way, by Rolf Potts (book) Levison Wood (explorer) Van Life before #VanLife (Deviate episode) Home exchange (lodging service) Trusted Housesitters (lodging service) Travel Ladies (lodging app) EatWith,com (hospitality service) The Deviate theme music comes from the title track of Cedar Van Tassel's 2017 album Lumber. Note: We don't host a “comments” section, but we're happy to hear your questions and insights via email, at deviate@rolfpotts.com.

Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. The new book explains the business side of space. Watch all four videos about Space to Grow I interview Brendan Rousseau, one of the two co-authors. Brendan Rousseau shares his origin story and how he ended up at Blue Origin. He discusses why space isn't what it used to be. Watch the Video About Brendan Rousseau  Current Role: Strategy Manager - New Glenn, Blue Origin: Focuses on orbital launch strategy. Education: Williams College: Bachelor's in Astronomy and Economics. Phillips Exeter Academy: MacKenty Prize in Astronomy. Professional Experience: Harvard Business School: Teaching Fellow and Research Associate. Booz Allen Hamilton: Senior Consultant supporting U.S. Space Force programs. Williams College Astronomy Department: Teaching Assistant. Publications & Awards: Co-author of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier. Recognized as a Payload Pioneers - 30 Under 30 and Via Satellite Rising Star. Questions In these podcasts, I ask them the following questions: 1. If you were an entrepreneur, what space-related startup idea would you pursue? 2. What are some of the most surprising findings from your research? 3. How do you envision the future of human habitation in space? 4. In what ways can space exploration contribute to solving Earth's economic challenges? 5. What ethical considerations arise from expanding economic activities into space? For example, can we colonize Mars or Europa if we find non-DNA-based bacteria there? 6. What were the challenges you faced during your research? 7. How do you foresee international relations evolving as nations compete for resources in space? 8. What are your predictions for the next decade in space exploration? 9. What are your thoughts on space tourism? 10. Who is the primary audience for this book? 11. What do you hope readers take away from "Space to Grow"? 12. What's a popular vision of space exploration that probably won't happen? 13. What narratives or myths about space need to be challenged? 14. What's the percentage chance that the Kessler Syndrome catastrophe will occur in the 2020s, 2030, and beyond? 15. How can public awareness be raised regarding the importance of investing in space? 16. What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking to enter the space industry? 17. In what ways might our values shift as we become a multi-planetary species? 18. What is a rarely discussed consequence of expanding into outer space? 19. If there was one message you want readers to remember, what would it be? 20. Do you want to clarify any misconceptions about the space economy? 21. What do you wish you had mentioned in the book? Perhaps some breaking news? 22. Lastly, how can interested individuals get involved or contribute to discussions around space economics?  23. What tips do you have for co-writing a book? 24. Did you change your mind about something during your writing process? 25. Do you have action items for the audience? Feedback Leave anonymous audio feedback at SpeakPipe More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Episode Guest: Carlyn ShawCarlyn Shaw's Bio: (Taken from Carlyn's website)I'm a Life Coach, Connection Catalyst, Smile & Synchronicity Starter, Inspirational Storyteller and the Founder of Strangers To Friends. I'm also traveling the world with Trusted Housesitters and currently in Australia! I'm on a SMILE MISSION: Your Smile Vibe attracts your Tribe! My "Whoever Smiles First Wins" Shirts prove - Our Smiles Connect Us All. They inspire JOY! The shirts also reflect self love, knowing when we smile for ourselves...we've already won. From my MS diagnosis in 1997 (age 19) to the death of my best friends the following year, to painful journeys, including the loss of my front teeth, I share my raw stories to show you're not alone, but most importantly, we have a choice on how to handle "what happens". We GET TO create a life we love - even when it feels like we are starting from scratch. I invite you to rewrite your story to serve you so you can live a life you not only dream of, but deserve. The moment you decide to show up for yourself, life starts to show up for you, too. It's time to give yourself permission, to speak your truth, trust your intuition and own your worth. You're not alone. And, you don't have to navigate your stories, on your own. It's no accident we are meeting! I'm excited for you to say yes to courageous action and live in joy!For more information about Carlyn Shaw please check out her links:CarlynShaw.comStrangerstoFriends.comIG: ConnectWithCarlynIf you would like to support my channel please consider:http://buymeacoffee.com/truththath7Linktree: https://linktr.ee/truththathealspodThank you for all of your support and for helping to make this channel a reality :)

Jim welcomes Kim Ryals from Caravan to Alaska to share her journey from nonprofit executive to full-time digital nomad, and running a boutique RV caravan service to Alaska. Kim discusses the logistics of planning small-group trips, and the benefits over travleing solo or in larger more structured caravans. She shares the challenges and rewards of leading caravans, and offers insider tips on exploring the Last Frontier. She shares tips from her extensive experience traveling to Alaska, while balancing work with adventure, and the importance of planning for both enjoyment and connectivity. Discover must-see highlights, the value of guided travel experiences, and how to prepare for unexpected challenges on the road. As entrepreneurs running multiple endeavors, Jim and Kim also discuss logistics and business formation – identifying when one might consider forming an LLC versus operating as a sole proprietor. The discussion also touches on marketing strategies, and the dynamics of group travel, while providing valuable insights for aspiring entrepreneurs and RV enthusiasts alike. Kim is a a full-time digital nomad who emphasizes the significance of diversifying both travel experiences and revenue streams, while achieving a healthy work-life balance. No discussion about the Last Frontier is complete without some memorable experiences from Alaska, including close encounters with wildlife and breathtaking natural beauty.Whether you're considering a solo trek or joining a guided group, Kim's expertise will help you prepare for the adventure of a lifetime!Key Takeaways: 1Preparation is Key for an Alaska Road Trip.Alaska is Bigger Than You Think!Community and Local Knowledge Enhance the Travel ExperienceExpect Limited Connectivity on the Drive North & South Plan for Extended Travel TimeConnect & Learn Morehttps://caravantoalaska.comRESOURCES MENTIONEDThe Milepost: https://amzn.to/432OlaLSeacor Tours:https://seacortours.com/Trusted Housesitters:https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/Caretaker Gazette:https://www.caretaker.org/~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~THE RV ENTREPRENEURhttps://therventrepreneur.com~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Join the RVE community on Facebook!⁠⁠https://www.facebook.com/groups/therventrepreneurcommunity⁠Connect with RVE on all your favorite socials⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/connect⁠⁠Got questions or comments for our hosts? Leave us a voice message! ⁠⁠https://therventrepreneur.com/voicemail⁠⁠(NOTE: Audio submitted may be published on the podcast unless specifically requested otherwise.)Got a great story or tips to share with RVE Listeners? Complete our Guest Intake Form:https://therventrepreneur.com/guestform

This mini-episode is another Public Service Announcement from a grammar Nazi. It's my simple effort to clean up sloppy English. I explain why you should never say something is: Very Full Very Unique  Perplexity.ai elaborates: Very Full or Very Unique This mini-episode is another Public Service Announcement from a grammar Nazi. It's my simple effort to clean up sloppy English. I explain why you should never say something is: Very Full Very Unique  Perplexity.ai elaborates: Why You Should Never Say Something Is "Very Full" or "Very Unique" Very Full Semantic Issue: Saying "very full" is not inherently incorrect, but it can be seen as redundant or unnecessary. "Full" typically means completely filled or occupied, so adding "very" doesn't add much meaning. However, in casual conversation, it's often used to emphasize a high degree of fullness. Alternative Phrasing: Instead of "very full," you might say "completely full" or "totally full" to convey a stronger sense of being filled to capacity. Very Unique Semantic Issue: The term "unique" means being one-of-a-kind or without equal. Therefore, saying "very unique" can be seen as contradictory because something cannot be more or less unique; it is or isn't. Alternative Phrasing: If you want to convey that something is unusual or exceptional, consider using phrases like "very unusual," "extremely rare," or "exceptionally special" instead of "very unique." Common Usage: Despite the logical inconsistency, "very unique" is commonly used in informal contexts to mean "very unusual" or "very special." However, in formal or precise writing, it's generally advised to avoid this usage. In summary, while "very full" might be redundant, "very unique" is more problematic due to its logical inconsistency with the definition of "unique."   More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Major League Baseball, an exclusively North American league, says its best annual team is the "World Champions," having won the "World Series." No other continent is invited to compete. Similarly, the NBA's top team is called the "World Champions," even though, once again, only North American teams can compete. In 20 seconds, I complain about how North American leagues use the term "World Champs." For a more in-depth analysis, consider what Perplexity.ai wrote: The terms "World Champions" in NBA basketball and "World Series" in MLB are contentious but widely used for several reasons: ## NBA "World Champions" 1. The NBA is considered the best basketball league globally, attracting top international talent[3][7]. 2. Many of the league's best players, including recent MVP winners, are international[1][3]. 3. The NBA champion is viewed as the best professional team in the world, competing against global competition even though games are played in North America[3]. ## MLB "World Series" 1. Baseball is widely played on three continents, with MLB being the highest level of play[3]. 2. A significant percentage of MLB players are international, making it a global competition[3]. ## Other Examples 1. NFL Super Bowl winners are sometimes called "World Champions," though this is more controversial due to American football's limited global reach[3]. 2. The NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off tournament, featuring teams from the USA, Canada, Finland, and Sweden, has recently sparked intense international rivalry, particularly between the USA and Canada[2][5]. ## Counterarguments 1. Some argue these terms are arrogant, as the teams don't actually compete against all global teams[4][6]. 2. In European soccer, UEFA Champions League winners are called "European champions" despite it being the most prestigious club tournament worldwide[4]. The use of "World Champions" in American sports leagues remains a topic of debate, with proponents arguing it reflects the highest level of global competition, while critics see it as an overstatement of the leagues' international reach. Citations: [1] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LtmP9AlXIBY [2] https://time.com/7260170/canada-usa-hockey-4-nations-face-off-trump-recap-analysis/ [3] https://cyclonefanatic.com/forum/threads/world-champions-what-is-it-long.286599/ [4] https://nique.net/opinions/2023/09/29/world-champion-of-what/ [5] https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/43879940/usa-canada-brutal-4-nations-clash-great-event-hockey [6] https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/438n83/why_team_that_wins_nba_championship_is_called/ [7] https://www.reddit.com/r/nba/comments/165g923/a_lot_of_people_are_missing_the_point_of_the_term/ [8] https://www.cbssports.com/nhl/news/why-usa-vs-canada-matters-in-4-nations-face-off-and-how-the-rivalry-has-triggered-a-rich-new-era-in-hockey/   Leave anonymous audio feedback at https://speakpipe.com/ftapon More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. Subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always ftapon. Follow me on: https://facebook.com/ftapon https://twitter.com/ftapon https://instagram.com/ftapon https://youtube.com/user/ftapon https://tiktok.com/ftapon https://pinterest.com/ftapon https://tumblr.com/ftapon My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF280959/?utm_source=copy-link&utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend Start your own podcast with the same company I use, Podbean, and get one month free! https://www.podbean.com/ftapon  In the USA, trade crypto with Kraken https://r.kraken.com/c/2226643/687189/10583  Get the Ledger crypto hardware wallet: https://shop.ledger.com/?r=a673bccc2782 Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! https://accounts.binance.com/en/register?ref=LWXFYQOS For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear: https://www.gossamergear.com/?rfsn=2024242.1f815 Get nomadic travel insurance from SafetyWing! https://safetywing.com/?referenceID=ftapon&utm_source=ftapon&utm_medium=Ambassador

If you want to go abroad with free accommodation or even buy a place overseas, take a listen to this week's ep! As always, please send us your ideas to our instagram @makingthecutpodcast.De La Vali - https://www.delavali.com/White Lotus - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13406094/Jacob Collier - https://www.instagram.com/jacobcollier/?hl=enEuropean Listings - https://www.instagram.com/europeanlistings/?hl=enStefan Crainic - https://www.instagram.com/stefan.crainic/?hl=enJosephine Haas - https://www.instagram.com/josephine_haas/Trusted Housesitters - https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/In Dark Corners - https://www.bbc.co.uk/sounds/series/m00174kfA mug of life - https://www.instagram.com/a_mug_of_life/Much Ado about Nothing - https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/much-ado-about-nothing-london-tickets Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Matthew Weinzierl and Brendan Rosseau are the authors of Space to Grow: Unlocking the Final Economic Frontier.  The new book explains the business side of space. I interview both authors.  Here's my interview with Matthew Weinzierl. Watch the Video Timeline 00:00 Intro 02:00 Low-hanging fruit 07:00 Surprises 09:30 Space is vast and crowded 11:30 Kessler Syndrome 16:30 What won't happen in space? 21:45 Moon and Mars predictions 25:21 Advice for Entrepreneurs 28:00 New news 30:00 Co-authoring advice          About Matt Weinzierl Matt Weinzierl is Senior Associate Dean and Chair of the MBA Program at Harvard Business School, where he is the Joseph and Jacqueline Elbling Professor of Business Administration in the Business, Government, and the International Economy Unit and a Research Associate at the National Bureau of Economic Research. His research focuses on the optimal design of economic policy, particularly taxation, emphasizing a better understanding of the philosophical principles underlying policy choices. Recently, he has launched a set of research projects focused on commercializing the space sector and its economic implications, viewable at www.economicsofspace.com. He has served on the Commonwealth of Massachusetts Tax Expenditure Commission, the board of the National Tax Association, and on the editorial boards of Social Choice and Welfare and National Tax Journal. Before completing his PhD in economics at Harvard University in 2008, Professor Weinzierl served as the Staff Economist for Macroeconomics on the President's Council of Economic Advisers and worked in the New York office of McKinsey & Company.  My Questions In these podcasts, I ask them the following questions: 1. If you were an entrepreneur, what space-related startup idea would you pursue? 2. What are some of the most surprising findings from your research? 3. How do you envision the future of human habitation in space? 4. In what ways can space exploration contribute to solving Earth's economic challenges? 5. What ethical considerations arise from expanding economic activities into space? For example, can we colonize Mars or Europa if we find non-DNA-based bacteria there? 6. What were the challenges you faced during your research? 7. How do you foresee international relations evolving as nations compete for resources in space? 8. What are your predictions for the next decade in space exploration? 9. What are your thoughts on space tourism? 10. Who is the primary audience for this book? 11. What do you hope readers take away from "Space to Grow"? 12. What's a popular vision of space exploration that probably won't happen? 13. What narratives or myths about space need to be challenged? 14. What's the percentage chance that the Kessler Syndrome catastrophe will occur in the 2020s, 2030, and beyond? 15. How can public awareness be raised regarding the importance of investing in space? 16. What advice would you give entrepreneurs looking to enter the space industry? 17. In what ways might our values shift as we become a multi-planetary species? 18. What is a rarely discussed consequence of expanding into outer space? 19. If there was one message you want readers to remember, what would it be? 20. Do you want to clarify any misconceptions about the space economy? 21. What do you wish you had mentioned in the book? Perhaps some breaking news? 22. Lastly, how can interested individuals get involved or contribute to discussions around space economics?  23. What tips do you have for co-writing a book? 24. Did you change your mind about something during your writing process? 25. Do you have action items for the audience? More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

When people win awards or are honored in some way, they often say they are "humbled" to receive the recognition. That's absurd. It's the wrong word. Say you're thrilled, happy, or honored, but don't say you're humbled! More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Happy Valentine's Day 2025! Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Professor Halteman mentions NutritionFacts.org. See/Hear all four episodes with Matthew Halteman. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Matthew Halteman and I discuss his book Hungry Beautiful Animals. Here's the timeline of our discussion in case you want to skip to a section. 00:00 Know yourself 05:15 Negotiating and compromising 09:15 Cognitive Dissonance    Have you tried lab-grown meat? It has many other names: Cultivated Meat: This term is increasingly favored as it accurately describes growing meat from animal cells in a controlled environment. Cell-Based Meat: This name emphasizes that the meat is derived from animal cells rather than whole animals, highlighting its scientific origins. Cultured Meat: Like cultivated meat, this term refers to meat produced through cellular agriculture techniques. Clean Meat: This term was popular among early advocates, suggesting a more ethical and environmentally friendly alternative to traditional meat. Synthetic Meat: This name indicates that the product is artificially created, which can evoke mixed consumer reactions. Slaughter-Free Meat: This term appeals to ethical consumers concerned about animal welfare and the implications of traditional meat production. Becoming vegan is easier than ever. Consider taking baby steps. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

The 1 euro house project has been talked about in countless articles, on the news, and spread across social media. So, can you really buy a house in Italy for 1 euro? Sort of. What most people don't mention are the extra costs like taxes, fees, and renovation costs. Plus, did you know about the renovation timeline a homeowner has to adhere to? In this episode we lay out the details of buying a "1 euro house" and the alternative, buying an inexpensive house in Italy "regular style." In this episode we mention two great resources. Idealista article: "1 euro houses in Italy: the villages still in the spotlight in 2025" by Flavio Di Stefano  One Euro Houses article: Map of 1 euro houses The HGTV show we mention is Fixer to Fabulous (during recording Darcy mistook this show for Home Town (a cuter show in her opinion)). If you'd like to support the podcast you can use our affiliate Booking link or Trusted Housesitters link. Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

If you aren't related to an Italian and can't get the jus sanguinis visa, perhaps the easiest way to live in Italy is by acquiring a student visa. Can I go to college in Italy? Can I take courses taught in English? How much does it cost? In this episode we answer all of those questions and more. This episode is a part of our "How to Live in Italy" series where we dive into different visa options. It would mean so much to us to know if you liked this episode. Please check out our poll in the previous episode or contact us via email or through our website to tell us if you want to hear more on topics like this one, or if you prefer to hear about being a tourist and short term travel tips. If you don't want to commit to a year-long visa, like a student visa, but want to visit Italy on a tourist visa, we can't recommend housesitting enough. We use ⁠Trusted Housesitters⁠* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠⁠onlyabag.com⁠⁠ and ⁠⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠⁠. 

After a trip filled with good pasta, great gelato, and a wealth of national treasures, what could be more natural than wanting to live here? At least, that was our thought! In this episode, we look at four of the most common avenues for residency: jus sanguinis, work visa, student visa, and digital nomad visa. We will delve into each of these more in depth in later episodes (poll below, if you'd like to tell us which kind of episodes you prefer), but for now, he's a little bit of information to get that imagination started! And if you'd like to get your feet wet with living in Italy, we can't recommend housesitting enough. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Who was DB Cooper? Did he have a military background? Where did the cash found in Tena Bar come from? What's a plausible explanation for what happened on the night that DB Cooper jumped? Did he survive? In part 3 of 3 about DB Cooper and Flight 305, Dr. Robert H. Edwards delves into that and more. Watch the Video Timeline 00:00 Who was DB Cooper? 07:00 Military background 13:30 Cash in Tena Bar 19:20 Plausible story 28:20 Did he survive? More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Planning on taking a cruise to/around Italy? Not sure what that entails? Struggling to see how it's possible given the fact many of the towns are land-locked? After Darcy talked to her mom about an upcoming trip to Italy, we were inspired to do a little digging into cruises to, from, and around Italy. Some are massive cruise ships with multi-port journeys, water slides, and endless buffets others are, in fact, ferries with an unassuming bar and restaurant that get you from point A to B. In this episode we get into the pros and cons of it all plus touch on what the environmental impacts of various transportation might be. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

DB Cooper was cunning. What were the various considerations he had to contend with to pull off the only unsolved act of air piracy in US history? Watch the Video DB Cooper needed a: Plane with an airstair Short flight Terminating flight Late afternoon flight In part 2 of 3 about DB Cooper and Flight 305, Dr. Robert H. Edwards delves into that and more. Timeline 00:00 Planning and Prep 08:30 Three precursors More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Why do Italian children put out their shoes on January 5th to be filled with candy? Why are there so many witches and witch-related accoutrement after Christmas? And what can you do on January 6th in Italy to celebrate (or just partake) in Epiphany? Well, free candy galore, for one! In this episode, we dive in and give you everything you need to know about Epiphany. If you're planning on going to Rome this year, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

I've always recorded my annual predictions on December 31 or January 1. However, on December 28, 2024, I started a two-week trip to Dalat, Vietnam.  I wanted to travel light, so I recorded my annual predictions on December 27, allowing me to leave my audio and video gear in Ho Chi Minh, where I planned to return on January 15, 2025.  In my podcast a few days ago, I said that my prediction that Jimmy Carter would die in 2024 was wrong.    Sadly, my 2024 prediction was correct. See my 1-minute video The only good news in this sad news is that I get an extra point in my 2024 prediction evaluation scorecard, bringing me to 5 out of 10 points, a mediocre score, tying my worse performance. See my 2024 predictions. You can also see my 2025 predictions.  RIP Jimmy Carter. Feedback Contact me or leave an anonymous voicemail that I could use on the podcast at https://speakpipe.com/ftapon  More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

In my Annual Prediction Show, I review my horrible 2024 predictions before making my new predictions. I got 4 out of 10 points, my worst year ever! I hope to do better this year! My 2025 predictions Watch the Video   1. A global recession crushes the US economy. In July 2022, the yield curve inverted and stayed inverted for 783 consecutive days, marking the longest period in U.S. history. In early September 2024, it un-inverted. Usually, a recession occurs about 12 months after the un-inversion. Admittedly, the recession can occur between 6 and 24 months after the un-inversion, so we could postpone it until 2026. However, disaster will likely strike before October 2025. 2. The US unemployment rate doubles. The US unemployment rate is 4.2% at the end of 2024 and will be 8.4% by 2025. 3. Bitcoin loses more than half of its value. Although BTC may climb to $150,000, it will eventually be around $50,000 in 2025, surprising everyone. 4. The S&P 500 drops at least 1,000 points. The S&P 500, which measures US stocks, will drop below 5,000 (it is beginning 2025 around 6,000). 5. Ceasefire in Ukraine. Trump won't "end the war in 24 hours," but his administration will broker a deal because both sides are getting tired of fighting. Ukraine is running low on men. President Volodymyr Zelensky recently lowered the draft age from 27 to 25. Russia is running low on money. In mid-June, $1 bought 50 Russian rubles; in the last two months of 2024, $1 bought 100 rubles. Similarly, a barrel of petroleum has lost half of its value over the same period. 6. Elon Musk & Donald Trump end their bromance. Two titanic personalities will struggle to share the spotlight. 7. Trump will fail to fulfill five of his most wacky campaign promises. Although I dislike Trump, most of his critics never read his book The Art of the Deal, which explains his negotiating strategy: start with an absurd offer or demand, then negotiate down from there.  Trump is a dog that barks constantly but rarely bites. The Left squirms and takes his every word seriously, failing to see that it's just bluster, a negotiation tactic, or just a joke meant to offend the easily offended. Here are 5 campaign promises Donald Trump will fail to keep. Promise: Deporting 13 million people. Reality: he'll deport less than one million. Promise: Death Penalty for Drug Dealers. Reality: It won't happen; we struggle to execute mass murderers. Promise: 60% tariff on Chinese goods and up to 20% on all imports. Reality: At most, he'll get a 10% broad tariff and higher tariffs on targeted, symbolic goods (like Chinese cars). Promise: Abolishing the Department of Education. Reality: It won't happen, although the Department of Education will get cuts thanks to Musk's DOGE. Promise: Military Action Against Drug Cartels. Reality: It won't happen. 7. I'll finish The Unseen Africa. This book has been 10 years in the making, so it's due. To see my previous forecasts, check out my predictions for 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021, 2022, 2023, and 2024. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

In this three-part series, Dr. Robert Edwards and I discuss the fascinating mystery of DB Cooper. In 1971, a man hijacked Flight 305, received $200,000 in $20 bills, 4 parachutes, and skydived into the darkness over the Pacific Northwest, never to be seen again.    Watch the Video Subscribe to my YouTube channel and WanderLearn podcast to get the three episodes.  Buy Dr. Robert H. Edwards's book about DB Cooper & Flight 305.  To see photos and evidence related to the DB Cooper Case, visit Robert's Flickr site.  The FBI has more information about the DB Cooper and Flight 305 case. Dr. Edwards has written three books addressing the biggest 20th-century mysteries: George Mallory DB Cooper The Voynich Manuscript. I've interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards twice about his book Mallory, Irvine, and Everest: The Last Step But One. These interviews went viral. Listen to the first one, which focuses on his book. Next, listen to the second one, focusing on the recent discovery of Sandy Irvine's foot on Mt. Everest.  #1 What happened before DB Cooper jumped? How did the FBI screw up its investigation? Here's the timeline of DB Cooper Episode #1. Timeline 00:00 Reviewing the basics 04:00 Flight path 09:00 The oscillations 12:30 Reproducing the flight 18:00 Meteorology 21:50 Communications More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Which Christmas market is the most popular? Which is the oldest? We'll answer those questions and more in this episode! Edit, and this is a big one: In this episode Darcy is super excited about the "biggest Christmas tree in the world." Upon further fact checking, it is not in fact a living tree, but Christmas lights arranged along the side of Mount Ingino in the shape of a Christmas tree. We do our best to deliver only accurate information, but sometimes things slip through the cracks, like "the biggest Christmas tree in the world." We also do our best to tell you when we're wrong and we appreciate your understanding. That said, there is tons more in the episode that is correct, so we hope you give it a listen! With the Jubilee coming up we highly recommend booking hotels in Rome as soon as possible, if you're planning on visiting in 2025. If you're visiting other parts of Italy in the coming year and want to know when to book hotels and flights, check out our episode When to Book: Hotels and Flights and even When to Book: Trains and Buses. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.    If you're looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking ⁠Expedia⁠* or ⁠Booking⁠* before purchasing.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.    Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find more at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and contact us via email at onlyabagpodcast@gmail.com or on Instagram at ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Michael Zervos of The Project Kosmos is two-thirds through his trip to every country. He's on track to break the record for visiting all the countries faster than anyone else. We talked while he was in Lviv, Ukraine in December 2024. Listen to all 6 of my interviews with Zervos. Timeline 00:00 Intro 05:00 Ukraine War 11:00 USA Election reactions 14:30 Palestine Follow him on https://www.instagram.com/theprojectkosmos Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Durian is recognized for its overpowering and foul odor, often described as similar to feces. I decided to try it and record my reaction. See the video! Have you ever attempted to eat durian or smelled its distinctive aroma?   #durian #durianfruit #review Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

I attack the expression that says, "You can't compare...." About 99% of the time, you CAN compare anything with anything. You may dislike the comparison or believe the two things are vastly different, but that doesn't mean you CANNOT compare them.   Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

In this episode, we teach you how to order coffee in Italy like a natural. Some of you might see that this is a quasi-repeat of a previous episode. Part of that is due to us learning more about the coffee culture in Italy, and part of that is due to us watching Lidia Poet on Netflix and wondering why they were drinking tea. So in this episode we delve into the history of coffee in Italy, and teach you how to order your favorite drinks. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.    And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.    Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Forgive me for rushing through this interview. We were under time pressure. But if you would like, send me a message encouraging me to interview Ege Riitsalu again in greater depth. In this episode, Ege Riitsalu shares her tragic personal story. It serves as an example of the power of radical forgiveness. Watch the Video of this podcast About radical forgiveness How do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hike, offers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs.  In my first TEDx Talk, I discussed "How Travel Transforms You." But what if the wanderlust doesn't quite do the trick?  Then, you take another type of journey, a mental one, to unlock deep-seated memories and beliefs.   Ege Riitsalu is an Estonian who used radical forgiveness to dislodge a mental roadblock. Since then, she's run workshops and offered one-on-one therapy to help others take this mental journey. Enjoy this two-part series discussing radical forgiveness and how to employ it. Part 2: How to forgive the man who murdered your dad Don't forget to listen to... Part 1: What is Radical Forgiveness and When Should You Use It? In this episode, Ege Riitsalu introduces you to the concept of radical forgiveness. What's below is taken from what Ege Riitsalu has written about radical forgiveness. It's good for those with: General dissatisfaction with life: stress, anxiety, meaninglessness, lack of purpose, low income, poor physical/mental health, etc. Constant criticism of self and others, feelings of shame and guilt. Painful emotions regarding life events that have taken place (divorce, betrayal, offense, claims about a partner, etc.). Repeated life patterns in personal and professional life (separations from life and business partners, dismissal from work, etc.). RADICAL FORGIVENESS IS A FIVE-STEP JOURNEY that results in freeing yourself from emotional burdens and transforming negative experiences into sources of personal growth and inner peace. This process allows for a deeper understanding and compassion for oneself and others. Sharing your story: You get the opportunity to express, discover, and map your experiences and the feeling of being a "victim" Feeling emotions and taking responsibility: You allow yourself to feel all emotions and focus on expressing them in a safe space and a restrained manner. Collapsing the story: When discovering your story, move toward understanding, compassion, and empathy to separate your interpretations, judgments, and expectations and deal with the facts. Emergence of a new story: After discovering and releasing negative emotions and recurring disturbing thoughts, you can understand their motives and eliminate the story of being a "victim." Integration: You integrate your entire experience holistically through various practices. Radical forgiveness will help you: Return to the joy of life and happiness that is so characteristic of you. Find inner peace, strength, and balance. Create more harmonious relationships with yourself and others. Get rid of repressed emotional reactions such as anger, guilt, resentment, shame, etc. Get out of victim mentality and behavior. To shake off feelings of unforgiveness towards yourself or someone else. To heal from emotional pain and the burden of the past.   Watch the Video Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

How do you get out of a rut and onto a ridge? Although my book, Hike Your Own Hike, offers ideas, it doesn't discuss radical forgiveness, which can lead to breakthroughs.  Watch the Video In my first TEDx Talk, I discussed "How Travel Transforms You." But what if the wanderlust doesn't quite do the trick?  Then, you take another type of journey, a mental one, to unlock deep-seated memories and beliefs.   Ege Riitsalu is an Estonian who used radical forgiveness to dislodge a mental roadblock. Since then, she's run workshops and offered one-on-one therapy to help others take this mental journey. Enjoy this two-part series discussing radical forgiveness and how to employ it. Part 1: What is Radical Forgiveness and When Should You Use It? In this episode, Ege Riitsalu introduces you to the concept of radical forgiveness. What's below is taken from what Ege Riitsalu has written about radical forgiveness. It's good for those with: General dissatisfaction with life: stress, anxiety, meaninglessness, lack of purpose, low income, poor physical/mental health, etc. Constant criticism of self and others, feelings of shame and guilt. Painful emotions regarding life events that have taken place (divorce, betrayal, offense, claims about a partner, etc.). Repeated life patterns in personal and professional life (separations from life and business partners, dismissal from work, etc.). RADICAL FORGIVENESS IS A FIVE-STEP JOURNEY that results in freeing yourself from emotional burdens and transforming negative experiences into sources of personal growth and inner peace. This process allows for a deeper understanding and compassion for oneself and others. Sharing your story: You get the opportunity to express, discover, and map your experiences and the feeling of being a "victim" Feeling emotions and taking responsibility: You allow yourself to feel all emotions and focus on expressing them in a safe space and a restrained manner. Collapsing the story: When discovering your story, move toward understanding, compassion, and empathy to separate your interpretations, judgments, and expectations and deal with the facts. Emergence of a new story: After discovering and releasing negative emotions and recurring disturbing thoughts, you can understand their motives and eliminate the story of being a "victim." Integration: You integrate your entire experience holistically through various practices. Radical forgiveness will help you: Return to the joy of life and happiness that is so characteristic of you. Find inner peace, strength, and balance. Create more harmonious relationships with yourself and others. Get rid of repressed emotional reactions such as anger, guilt, resentment, shame, etc. Get out of victim mentality and behavior. To shake off feelings of unforgiveness towards yourself or someone else. To heal from emotional pain and the burden of the past.   Watch the Video Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Who you vote for in the 2024 US Presidential election matters little if you don't live in Maine, Nebraska, or a battleground state.  If you want to be highly pedantic and annoying, you could argue that your vote matters even in non-swing states like California. That's because if most Californian Democrats conspired not to vote, a Republican would win even though the polls heavily favor the Democrat. However, if you live in the real, realistic world, my point is accurate on a practical level. Watch the video of this podcast!  What do you think about what I say in the video? Am I full of shit? In the video, I mention abortion. Watch my video that proves that abortion has nothing to do with morals or morality. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Niamh McAnally's memoir, Following Sunshine: A Voyage Around the Mind, Around the World, Around the Heart, offers readers a rich tapestry of travel, personal growth, and introspection. This book transcends the typical travelogue by intertwining McAnally's adventures with profound reflections on her life experiences, including themes of loss, self-discovery, and resilience. Watch the Video Interview!   Overview of the Book Following Sunshine takes readers on an enthralling journey through various landscapes, from the lush jungles of Fiji to the serene beaches of Vanuatu. McAnally's narrative is not just about her travels; it delves deeply into her struggles, including dealing with loss, divorce, and financial hardships. Her expressive language vividly captures the beauty of the locations she visits and the emotional transitions she experiences, making her reflections relatable to a broad audience. Themes and Style McAnally's writing combines elements of travel, adventure, and self-help. She shares her experiences in diverse settings—participating in turtle conservation in Vanuatu and reflecting on local customs—while confronting complex personal topics such as childhood trauma and uncertainty about the future. This blend creates a compelling backdrop for her reflections on love, loss, and the human impact on ecosystems. The memoir is "a riveting adventure with a touch of romance," keeping readers engaged with its twists and emotional depth. She is confident and self-aware, echoing throughout her stories of solo travel and constant change. Her ability to articulate moments of revelation is honest without being overly dramatic. Reader Reception The reception of Following Sunshine has been overwhelmingly positive. Readers have highlighted its ability to evoke deep emotional responses, often finding themselves moved to tears by McAnally's storytelling. Many appreciate her inviting them to reflect on their lives while sharing her journey. The book has been described as a testament to the power of storytelling in understanding oneself and one's past. Conclusion In summary, Following Sunshine is more than just a memoir; it is an invitation to explore the world and one's inner self. Niamh McAnally's unique voice and perspective resonate throughout her narrative, making it recommended for anyone interested in travel, personal growth, or simply seeking inspiration through storytelling. The book promises to leave a lasting impression long after the final page is turned. Feedback Leave an anonymous voicemail on SpeakPipe.com/FTapon Or go to Wanderlearn.com, click on this episode, and write a comment. More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

On the 100th anniversary of George Mallory and Sandy Irvine's death on Mount Everest, I interviewed Dr. Robert Edwards, author of Mallory, Irvine, and Everest: The Last Step But One, which reexamined their mysterious story in extreme detail. Watch my original interview with Dr. Edwards, my most popular interview in 2024. It provides an excellent background for today's interview. Today, Dr. Edwards returns to the WanderLearn Show to discuss Jimmy Chin's surprising October 2024 announcement that he found Andrew Comyn Irvine's foot! Andrew Irvine's nickname was Sandy. Watch the Video Photo by National Geographic Image copyright: National Geographic National Geographic sponsored the expedition and announced the momentous news. The rest of Sandy's body has not been found yet. Sandy died 100 years ago. In 1960, Chinese climber Wang Fuzhou claimed he spotted a dead European climber who had to be Sandy Irvine. Assuming that sighting was accurate, nobody has seen Irvine since then ... until now. Famed mountaineer and photographer Jimmy Chin found Sandy's foot inside the 100-year-old boot.  Robert Edwards wrote his initial impressions of Sandy's discovery on Goodreads.  In this interview, we delve into greater detail, including the map Dr. Edwards made: In the podcast, I struggled to understand why Dr. Edwards thought Sandy's foot may have been found either in pin v1 or v2.  After the interview, I reflected more carefully and realized that the Central Rongbuk Glacier is sliding west (right in the image). I initially assumed it was sliding north (down the image). Excerpt of Dr. Edwards's Goodreads post I can think of at least two scenarios which are consistent with the new discovery: • On June 8, 1924, Irvine fell from somewhere on the North Face of Everest to the head of the Central Rongbuk Glacier. If so, it seems to me that, given the topography of Mount Everest, the start of that fall had to be either within, or to the west of, the Norton Couloir. In that case, Irvine fell at least 500 meters to the west of where Mallory's body was found. • On June 8, 1924, Irvine became immobilised or died in the place where on May 24 or 25, 1960, the Chinese mountaineer Wang Fu-zhou would see the body of “a European in braces” [for North Americans: suspenders]. The Chinese route was along the Northeast Ridge. According to reports of a speech in Leningrad in 1965, Wang saw the body at 8,600 meters (28,215 feet): that is, between the Second Step and the Third Step. If so, the body could only be that of Irvine; and he had died on the descent. In this scenario, at some unknowable date after 1960, natural events carried Irvine's body down the mountain to the head of the glacier. In both scenarios, the implacable creep of the ice carried part of Irvine's remains to the place where Jimmy Chin found them in September 2024. The first scenario excludes the second: for if in 1924 Irvine fell to the glacier, Wang Fu-zhou in 1960 could not have seen a body of any kind at 8,600 meters. No doubt, other scenarios are conceivable. What next? Undoubtedly, the China-Tibet Mountaineering Association will conduct an expedition to find the rest of Irvine's body and any artifacts associated with it; or will permit National Geographic to undertake such an endeavour. The search could possibly be made before the winter; otherwise, the next window will probably be the spring of 2025. Irvine's body and artifacts will surely be found. The Chinese authorities also have the opportunity to examine Irvine's boot for rock particles, which might reveal where he had been before he died. (As far as I can determine, Mallory's boots were never tested in this way.) In either event, we may then know more about the last climb of Mallory and Irvine. Dr. Edwards added in an email to me: In case I didn't explain clearly the difference between the two pins in the Google Earth image: pin v1 is based on ice velocity of 10 meters/year; pin v2 is based on ice velocity of 27 meters/year (based on a range of Chinese estimates for the East Rongbuk Glaicier). In both cases, the pin assumes movement of the remains over 100 years, i.e. assuming that Irvine fell all the way to the glacier in 1924. So Pin v1 is 1,000 meters downstream; pin v2 is 2,700 meters downstream. If Irvine's remains fell after 1960 (which, given Wang's sighting, I'm inclined to think more probable), both pins would be much closer to the head of the glacier. Pin v1 would be at most 640 meters downstream; pin v2 would be at most 1,728 meters downstream. Both pins hug the western rim of the glacier, since I'm inclined to think that objects starting near the rim will remain near the rim. (A glaciologist would know.)   More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always FTapon. Connect with me on: Facebook Twitter YouTube Instagram TikTok LinkedIn Pinterest Tumblr My Patrons sponsored this show! Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! Affiliate links Get 25% off when you sign up to Trusted Housesitters, a site that helps you find sitters or homes to sit in. Start your podcast with my company, Podbean, and get one month free! In the USA, I recommend trading crypto with Kraken.  Outside the USA, trade crypto with Binance and get 5% off your trading fees! For backpacking gear, buy from Gossamer Gear.

Don't wear a weeding ring, don't take out your phone, cover up any expensive labels. There are countless tips out there to avoid looking like a target, so is getting pickpocketed a real fear? Likewise, what are some scams you might run into while traveling in Italy? And is it safe to walk around at night? In this episode, we talk about crime, safety, and everything around it. If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money. It's free to make an account and look through ads, but you have to pay to send a message. Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

The cost of the transportation system is rising, and they're thinking about instituting a small charge to see the Trevi Fountain. But it's not all bad! If you want to walk to Rome, they're also pouring money into the Via Francigena to make it easier for pilgrims to make their way along the Canterbury-Rome road. And if you want to take part in the festivities, we have you covered! Here's a link to the Vatican Website where you can go ahead and get your Pilgrim Card! If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Did you know? The Rome Jubilee is based on Jewish tradition. The Holy Door is walled up and must be broken down so that the Pope can unlock it with a hidden key. Your sins can be absolved (according to the Catholic church)! In this episode we get into the history and details of the Rome Jubilee. Plus, go check out our previous episode for all of the modern-day practicalities of visiting Rome during the Jubilee, just as many fun facts but in the 21st century not the 14th.  If you're planning on going to Rome in 2025, we highly recommend booking your hotels (and potentially even your flights) as soon as possible. If you'd like to help out Only A Bag, you can use our affiliate links marked with an asterisk.  For hotels, we tend to use Booking* since we're already a part of their member program, but Expedia* also has a robust member program with similar prices on hotel rooms. For an aggregate that seems to offer slightly better deals across the board, we recommend checking out Agoda*.  And if you've always loved the idea of staying in Italy for an extended period and becoming part of the culture, we can't recommend housesitting enough. While it does often entail taking care of someone's pet, it can also be a gateway to seeing Italy in a totally new way. We use Trusted Housesitters* which has a fairly steep upfront cost (a few hundred dollars) but that's covered with a few nights of a house sit which should never cost you money.  Lastly, if you're already looking to book flights, we like to use the airline's website, however, some aggregates do offer better deals, so we always recommend checking Expedia* or Booking* before purchasing.  Thank you so much for listening! We would absolutely appreciate it if you could follow us and rate us wherever you listen; it helps the podcast grow and it makes us feel like we're making a difference!  You can find us at ⁠onlyabag.com⁠ and ⁠@onlyabagpodcast⁠. 

Elizabeth Cromwell chats about her adventurous sabbatical after moving from Maryland to San Francisco, sharing her journey through various life changes, including her professional path, divorce, and becoming an empty nester. Creating her own life sabbatical gave her the structure to travel across Italy, the US, and Martha's Vineyard, among other places, emphasizing the value of decompression, self-discovery, and living into new experiences. Elizabeth provides practical advice for women looking to undertake their own life sabbatical, underlining the importance of being intentional and seeking support from loved ones. Dig in to learn how to create your own daring and courageous life with the empty nest.00:00 Introduction and Guest Welcome01:15 Elizabeth's Journey to San Francisco03:02 Embracing Change and Challenges06:08 Planning a Sabbatical09:23 First Quarter in Italy14:54 Exploring Trusted House Sitters18:50 Martha's Vineyard and Autism Advocacy20:22 Self-Sustaining Farm Life21:05 Volunteering and Nonprofit Management22:21 Holiday Reunions and Travel Plans24:12 Advice for Women Embracing Change28:35 Embracing Age and Freedom29:51 Conclusion and Future PlansFind information about Trusted Housesitters.Learn more about Island Autism.Read Elizabeth's Travel Journal here!

Send us a Text Message.Unlock the world without breaking the bank with our Top 10 budget travel hacks!

Are you ready to embrace early retirement and explore the world full-time? In this episode of No Borders with Brian and Carrie, we delve into essential financial steps to prepare for a life of adventure and freedom. Unlock financial freedom as we cover key areas such as budgeting techniques, downsizing, expense tracking, emergency funds, and minimizing expenses.Join us as we break down practical steps and share insights from our experience planning for a life of full-time travel. Start taking steps today and make early retirement and world travel possible. #EarlyRetirement #FullTimeTravel #FinancialFreedom #TravelTips #retireearly Disclaimer: This podcast is for informational purposes only and should not be considered financial advice. Please consult a financial advisor for personalized recommendations.JOIN OUR TRAVEL COMMUNITY:  https://patreon.com/brianandcarrie?utm_medium=unknown&utm_source=join_link&utm_campaign=creatorshare_creator&utm_content=copyLink

Welcome to Episode One of our Accommodation Series!

Imagine moving to New Zealand with your family and starting ALL OVER again. New house, new career, new school, new budget...Imagine your partner leaving his long-held career with the USA military to train as a CHEF in New Zealand and your kids not wanting to leave their friends in America... Meet Katie. Katie did ALL of the above. She left the UDSA with her husband and kids and completely CHANGED the way her life looks. This is how it's working out... Enjoy!

We are recent pet owners, two cats, and we know how much you guys in America love your pets. I think we are the only people in Raleigh without a dog, lol.  In this episode we talk about pet-friendly businesses in Raleigh including restaurants, breweries, dog parks and trails. And we also discuss adaption centers, pet supply stores, vet care, and much more! RESOURCES: SPCA of Wake County Second chance pet adoptions  Wake County animal center  Safe haven for cats Unleashed Pet Supplies Plus Pet Mania Chewy.com Trusted Housesitters (use code: YTRAVEL25 for a 25% discount) Leash laws in Wake County Pooper scopper law See all podcast episodes here.   

Type into Google "Is New Zealand XXX" and a whole list of questions pops up. The ones that show up first are the questions that people are Googling most often, so, to save you searching, WE thought it would be fun to answer these Kiwi questions for you!Sit back and get ready to be educated on the the. things that thousands of people want answers to! Enjoy!

Pet sitting abroad — how do you do it?! On this week's episode, I am talking with Marta from Team Move Abroad Coach and jumping into how she manages to travel the world while pet-sitting for other families. Using the Trusted Housesitters app, she plans her travel abroad by mapping out these jobs and is still able to work remotely, too! What should you look out for when applying to pet sitting jobs or how do you even know if you want to take it? Marta gives some great tips on how to vet that this is the right experience for you and even how to go about which ones you may want to book and which ones you should steer clear of. Think about what you are looking to get out of the overall pet-sitting experience and build your profile from there! Resources Mentioned:→ Trusted Housesitters (Pet Sitting): https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF578170/?utm_medium=refer-a-friend&utm_campaign=refer-a-friend&utm_source=app_native_share→ Move Abroad Crash Course https://bit.ly/MAC-CC-podcast→ Freedom Life Online Course https://www.moveabroadcourse.com/join-fldiy→ Escape Plan Bootcamp Waitlist https://www.escapeplanbootcamp.com/

As the holiday season begins here in the US, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the goodness and joy Design Her Travel has provided me with this year. This episode is a heartfelt message to you - the listeners. May you too find joy and be blessed with a life full of wonderful adventures. Until next time.TRAVEL RESOURCES:If you're looking for ways to explore the world while having the creature comforts of home try Trusted Housesitters!

If you asked a friend, "In one hour, tell me everything that's important about visiting Rome," this would be pretty close to their response. If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles ⁠⁠here⁠⁠, or our podcast episodes ⁠⁠here⁠⁠. Thank you all so much for listening!

In this episode we delve into the people using broad generalizations, what kind of transportation to expect (or not expect), why the south feels so chaotic, what's with all the 1980s apartment buildings, and did we say "witchcraft"? Why yes, we did. If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link ⁠here⁠. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles ⁠here⁠, or our podcast episodes ⁠here⁠. Thank you all so much for listening!

In this second episode we cover the differences in coffee (shorter and punchier), food (dry pasta is southern), and the Mediterranean Diet. As well as a whole slew of other sidetracks. If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link ⁠here⁠. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles ⁠here⁠, or our podcast episodes ⁠here⁠. Thank you all so much for listening, and we hope you enjoy this episode.

In this episode of Shortsleeve Travel, we're diving deep into one of the most significant secrets to globe-trotting on a shoestring budget—free accommodation! Now, I know what you might be thinking: "How on earth can you score a place to stay without emptying your wallet?" Well, folks, you're in for a treat because I've got the inside scoop on six incredible ways to bunk for free while you explore the world. We'll start with Worldpackers, where trading your skills for a roof over your head leads to cultural immersion like you've never experienced before. Then, it's all about the fur babies with Trusted Housesitters, where you'll cuddle with adorable pets in stunning homes across the globe. But that's not all; we'll also uncover the secrets of Couchsurfing, where connecting with locals means unique travel experiences. Plus, I'll spill the beans on Home Exchange, WWOOFing on organic farms, and even becoming a travel nanny or au pair for free accommodation and some extra cash! So, whether you're a seasoned traveler or just dipping your toes into the world of budget adventures, this episode is your golden ticket to exploring the globe without breaking the bank. Tune in, take notes, and get ready to redefine your travel game.Instagram @katshortsleeveTik Tok @katshortsleeveYoutube Shortsleeve Travel with Kat Shortsleeve

Perugia is a city of great food, and an abundance of it. It's almost impossible to find a bad restaurant, but just in case, we offer some of our favorite restaurant—especially for those of you who are getting tired of Italian food. If you'd like to support the podcast, one great way to do so is to sign up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link here. Not sure what house sitting is? Well, we'd love to be the ones to introduce you to the best way to travel through the articles here, or our podcast episodes here. And if you're looking for a food tour of Perugia, you can click our affiliate link here, or search for "Perugia Food Tours" through your favorite search browser. You can find a list of our favorite places to eat in Perugia here, our handy-dandy Google Maps list. Lastly, we would love it if you were to take this poll on your listening habits! https://forms.gle/SZPLF1Xy5iU3uHrd9 Thank you all so much for listening, we hope you enjoyed this episode!

Perugia, a relatively unknown city in the north; a just-as-beautiful relative of Tuscany at a fraction of the price. (At some point Nathaniel mistakenly said Montepulciano is in Umbria, when it is in fact in Tuscany, so, sommelier classes aren't going so well.) As always, if you'd like to support us, you can do so by using this link to sign up for Trusted Housesitters! We also mentioned we'd look for a link to a tour that we've heard of and trust, and this is one that has been operating since we were there. If you want to check the offerings for yourself, you can click here, or google "Perugia food tours". Lastly, we mentioned two rental websites, which are below: https://www.idealista.it/ https://www.immobiliare.it/ As always, we'd love it if you were to check out our ever-improving website www.onlyabag.com Thank you all so much for listening, and we hope you enjoy the episode!

What's it like to swap the nomadic freedom of van living for the bricks and mortar security of a house? As I temporarily exchange my van life for house life, I've encountered an array of emotions and hurdles. The transition hasn't been smooth sailing— navigating my way from sleeping under the stars to being confined within four walls can be challenging, especially during a blistering heatwave.You don't always realize the significance of comforts like like a hot shower, or the convenience of free-flowing water until you've lived without them. Yet, transitioning from a van to a house isn't all about the luxuries. It's also about the challenges—dealing with the clutter, the disconnect from nature, and losing the endless possibilities that van life affords. You may think it's easier, but you might also find yourself yearning for the simplicity of van life.Speaking of simplicity, I also discuss a less talked about element of van life—burnout. The relentless search for parking spaces, the need to stay active, the pursuit for resources—it all adds up. Transitioning to a sailboat or taking advantage of house sitting programs has been my way of combating the burnout. Join me as I share all the ups and downs of the journey as we traverse through the trials and tribulations of transitioning from van life to house life (and back again)!Links mentioned:Trusted Housesitters: https://www.thewaywardhome.com/trusted-petsitters/Rover: https://www.rover.com/become-a-sitter/The Landing: https://www.hellolanding.com/I hope to see you at the Van Life Virtual Summit that I'm hosting September 15-17.Register for FREE here. Want to live the van life but have no idea where to start? My FREE Van Life Starter kit has specs and measurements on 10 different vans, van buying and build ideas, remote work ideas and websites I use to find free campsites.Download it here: https://thewaywardhome.lpages.co/van-life-starter-kit-podcast/Support the showConnect with Kristin Hanes and The Wayward Home! Send me a DM on Instagram Follow The Wayward Home on Facebook Join The Wayward Home Facebook Group!

The larger-than-life stretch of towns along the Ligurian Coast with their pastel homes and craggy coves have inspired tourists for years. In this episode, we delve into what those towns are, what sets the apart, how to get there, how to walk between them, and some of our favorite food. To support us, consider signing up for Trusted Housesitters through our affiliate link—we'd deeply appreciate it! And for those of you who want to grab a pair of hiking shoes (or any other last-minute gear purchases), consider checking out Moosejaw with our affiliate link. This website (linked here) has all of the trails as well as when they closed and when they're open, as well as some ticketing information. And for an easy-access list of our favorite food, we've made it into a simple Google Maps List. As always, we hope you enjoy this episode! If you could like it, rate it, follow us, or whatever the "good" button is on your platform, we would seriously appreciate it.

Raise your hand if you feel like you don't have enough money saved in order to move abroad.Yeah, I thought so.  But here's the thing, whenever I ask HOW MUCH money you need saved in order to move... most people don't know the answer. So in this episode, I'm going to myth bust the idea that you need a ton of money saved in order to move abroad AND I'm going to show you how to figure out EXACTLY how much money you need to make the move.Let's stop stressing over not having "enough" money and have a real number based on facts and research to work towards.  PS: Don't Forget to join the Move Abroad Manifestation Workshop happening August 13th! Resources Mentioned: -> Move Abroad Manifestation Workshop -> Move Abroad Budget Calculator-> Capital One Venture X -> Trusted Housesitters for Pet Sitting-> Move Abroad Crash Course 

Today, we have a solo episode with Gaby on dating. Gaby speaks on: Details of her last relationship, it's ending and how this was the catalyst to her year + of solo travel, even more self discovery, and softening How she is navigating DATING and what she has learned from it so far! Dating in today's world can still be fun and not feel so daunting. Listen for some tips on how to lessen the pressure. Sprinkled in are some listener stories of dating experiences gone wrong

Thank you for listening!! You mean the world to me. We've been traveling and working from home for the past 16 weeks! Today's episode gives you tips and tricks for staying consistent. Stay tuned for the NEW 8-week Get Consistent With program!! Want to travel and stay somewhere for free? Check out a Trusted Housesitters membership for 25% off with this link: Trusted Housesitters Membership

Seniors and pets go together. Survey data shows that over half of folks in their golden years have pets. However, there are pros and cons to pet ownership. As owners know, there is nothing quite like the unconditional love of a dog, but having a pet has downsides. As we get older, sometimes just the simple act of caring for a pet can seem overwhelming. For many, the costs can seem prohibitive with expensive vet bills. And the logistics of finding pet care for active senior citizens who travel frequently can be a challenge. As the old codgers explore seniors and pets, they recount their experiences sharing their lives with dogs and cats. Mostly, they all agree having pets is a positive thing even with the caveats. Randy tells us all about Baxter, his best non-human friend. We were lucky enough to meet Baxter last year. Fortunately, Randy is the youngest codger who is better equipped to deal with a very big, high-energy dog like Baxter. In this episode, the guys mention a couple of websites that can help with the challenge of finding pet care while traveling. Randy recommends Rover.com, a market leader in offering petsitting options. Gary offers up Trusted Housesitters, an interesting free alternative that connects people looking for a petsitter with folks willing to sit at no cost in exchange for travel housing. Would you like to hear when the old codgers are rambling on about something else? Subscribe to our weekly Camp Codger newsletter to receive an email notification each time we publish a new episode. You can also subscribe and listen on your favorite podcast app. And, if you enjoyed this episode, please click the Share button below and Like Camp Codger on our Facebook Page. Finally, have some feedback for the old codgers about seniors and pets? Leave a comment below or send an email to campcodger@gmail.com.

Jim and May are the founders of Spanish and Go, one of the top podcasts for learning Spanish. They also maintain an active Youtube channel @SpanishandGo .

Today, we have a spark in our lives episode with a really interesting guest, Vicky Sosa. Vicky is a world traveler, blogger, and digital nomad. She is going to answer some questions about a topic that we have been getting a lot of questions about, house sitting while traveling. We talked about house sitting during Episode 34: Budget Friendly Vacation Ideas, and when we received questions about the topic, we knew we needed an expert to talk about it, and Vicky Sosa is the expert on house sitting while traveling! Vicky is a Florida-based blogger traveling around the world with her stuffed monkey Buddy. Tired of the 9-5, she sold all of her stuff and started traveling full-time through house sitting. Her website “Buddy The Traveling Monkey” provides useful travel tips, inspiration, and destination guides. We chat with Vicky Sosa about: How Buddy came into her life and the creation of the blog The catalyst of selling all of her stuff, living the nomad life House sitting- how does it work for Vicky Sosa? What is the lifestyle like? Pros/Cons of solo travel Work/life balance as a digital nomad Living outside of what is considered the "normal" lifestyle Would she change anything about her decision to live the life that she lives? Vicky answers our fast-five questions, and the most important question, "What does a life well lived mean to you?" Episode resources: To find Vicky Sosa, Buddy, and their blog: Buddy The Traveling Monkey Follow Vicky and Buddy on Instagram Vicky Sosa - information on how to start house sitting Vicky recommends using Trusted Housesitters - use discount code RAF79399 to receive 25% off of your sign-up Vicky's blog post on how the army made her a better traveler For the full show notes for today's episode Sign-up to be “in the know” with our upcoming podcast guest list. You can always find us on our blog or Instagram. Please let us know your thoughts on this episode or others. Your feedback means the world to us, so please send us a message and tell us what you think.

Ciao, Bella and welcome once again to Porto Santo Stefano in Tuscany, Italy where Liz and Brian are (still) currently housesitting for Six. Whole. Weeks. I know. You don't have to tell them. They feel like that couple, Calvin and Zatera Spencer who won the lottery three times in one month. In this week's soggy Italian podcast episode you will discover: Why Italy came to a standstill for at least ten and a half hours. Why some women look SO cool in cow boots while Liz on the other hand looks like a farmer in drag. What Brian thinks about boats and why he nearly bit Liz's head off when she infers that he's really rubbish at... Don't forget - if YOU want to give housesitting a go (it's fabulous why wouldn't;t you??) then sign up for Trusted Housesitters here and see all of the gorgeous houses that are available around the world for you (it's free to sign up). Then, if you would like to become a member and start applying for those housesits then use the DISCOUNT Link below to get 20% off!  Links Mentioned In The Show:  Sign up to Trusted Housesitters HERE and use Code: SITTERLIZ to get your 20% discount! The Pizza restaurant in Porto Santo Stefano. Pizz and Core   Want to be friends? My most thought-provoking writing is shared in my weekly newsletter with my circle of friends. I would love to include you in that group. Sign up below. Sign up HERE, and I will send you my free weekly newsletter. It is filled with nothing but goodness and thought-provoking stuff. You will love it. But be warned. Sometimes I cry and drink wine while I'm writing. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then sign up here, and we will be lifelong friends. Liz x   Follow us on: YouTube Instagram  Pinterest Facebook TikTok     Subscribe to this PODCAST on Apple Subscribe to this PODCAST on Android Subscribe to this PODCAST on Spotify   Moving To NEW ZEALAND? If you are moving to New Zealand and are in search of the BEST New Zealand content in the world then check out our other Podcast - NZ AHEAD   Want More Brilliant Podcast Episodes Like This? Episode #1: Meeting Our Teenage Daughter. Life at 17. Episode #2: Our Son at 20. Homeschooled. No College. Three Jobs. Episode #3: We Met Online. The Māori Subscribers Who Changed Our Lives. Episode #4: The REAL Reason We Left the UK. Episode #5: When Your Daughter Quits School. Now What? With Tessa Episode #6. Dealing With The Mistakes You Make Online Episode #7. We're Leaving New Zealand. Episode #8: Why I'm Terrified to Travel. Episode #9: How We Afford To Travel the World Episode #10: Greece?? For a Month?? How Much Does THAT Cost?? Episode #11: Up, Down And BUST England We Love You...Sort Of   Can't Wait To Travel Again? Here's Some Inspiring Content For You!   World Travel. What Nobody Ever Warns You About Travelling With kids. How to Stay Sane (ish) Until Wine O'Clock How to Travel The World For Free. Or at Least Very, Very Cheap. Italy Travel (Like You've Never Seen Before. In Your Life.)

This week's show is brought to you from Tuscany in Italy. Brian and Liz's home for the next six weeks while they housesit a superb home with a friendly little cat. I know. Quids in or what? The thing with Italy is everyone thinks it is perfect. And it is. Of course, it is. I mean what's not to love about Italia? The buildings are beautiful, the weather is lovely, the people are gorgeous, and the food is divine... But what about those bloody pigeons? (why have the flying rats chosen THAT house?) And all those steps? And the fact that because the Italian restaurant owners are so strong and handsome and persuasive, you end up with an 80 euro bill when all you went in for was a bowl of olives?? Sit back and let Liz and Brian share a few things about Italy that might just surprise you...   Links mentioned in the show:    Housesitting in Italy We are currently Housesitting in Italy for 6 weeks (I know! Get us!). The company we use to do this is Trusted Housesitters. If you would like to know more about how YOU can stay in Italy and other beautiful places around the world for FREE, then check out these fabulous houses that are available right now - waiting for YOU to look after them!   Best Travel Insurance For Italy There's only one travel insurance company that we will promote, and that is the one we use for every trip overseas. World Nomads is the best company out there. We've made three claims (sorry guys!), and every time the service has been faultless. Check them out here.   Join Me! My most thought-provoking writing is shared in my weekly newsletter with my circle of friends. I would love to include you in that group. Sign up below. Sign up HERE, and I will send you my free weekly newsletter. It is filled with nothing but goodness and thought-provoking stuff. You will love it. But be warned. Sometimes I cry and drink wine while I'm writing. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then sign up here, and we will be lifelong friends.   Follow us on: YouTube Instagram  Pinterest Facebook TikTok   Subscribe to this PODCAST on Apple Subscribe to this PODCAST on Android Subscribe to this PODCAST on Spotify   Moving To NEW ZEALAND? If you are moving to New Zealand and are in search of the BEST New Zealand content in the world then check out our other Podcast - NZ AHEAD   Can't Wait To Travel Again? Here's Some Inspiring Content For You! World Travel. What Nobody Ever Warns You About Travelling With kids. How to Stay Sane (ish) Until Wine O'Clock How to Travel The World For Free. Or at Least Very, Very Cheap. Italy Travel (Like You've Never Seen Before. In Your Life.)   Want More Behind The Scenes Podcast Episodes Like This? (Where we share the things that are happening in our lives right now). Episode #1: Meeting Our Teenage Daughter. Life at 17. Episode #2: Our Son at 20. Homeschooled. No College. Three Jobs. Episode #3: We Met Online. The Māori Subscribers Who Changed Our Lives. Episode #4: The REAL Reason We Left the UK. Episode #5: When Your Daughter Quits School. Now What? With Tessa Episode #6. Dealing With The Mistakes You Make Online Episode #7. We're Leaving New Zealand. Episode #8: Why I'm Terrified to Travel.

A trait of being English is that one is very patriotic. One does not slag off one's country. Absolutely not. That's very un-English. So it was hard making this week's episode. Because we had to say how we felt about returning to England. And not all of it was pretty... In this week's episode,  we discuss exactly how it felt to return home to England (even though it's not home anymore). The things we (really) miss and the things that, for one reason and another, got right up our conks.  Links mentioned in the show:  Housesitting We are currently Housesitting in Italy for 6 weeks (I know! Get us!). The company we use to do this is Trusted Housesitters. If you would like to know more about how YOU can stay in Italy and other beautiful places around the world for FREE, then check out these fabulous houses that are available right now - waiting for YOU to look after them! Join Me! My most thought-provoking writing is shared in my weekly newsletter with my circle of friends. I would love to include you in that group. Sign up below. Sign up HERE and I will send you my free weekly newsletter. It is filled with nothing but goodness and thought-provoking stuff. You will love it. But be warned. Sometimes I cry and drink wine while I'm writing. If that sounds like your sort of thing, then sign up here and we will be lifelong friends.   Follow us on: YouTube Instagram  Pinterest Facebook TikTok   Subscribe to this PODCAST on Apple Subscribe to this PODCAST on Android Subscribe to this PODCAST on Spotify   Moving To NEW ZEALAND? If you are moving to New Zealand and are in search of the BEST New Zealand content in the world then check out our other Podcast - NZ AHEAD   Can't Wait To Travel Again? Here's Some Inspiring Content For You! World Travel. What Nobody Ever Warns You About Travelling With kids. How to Stay Sane (ish) Until Wine O'Clock How to Travel The World For Free. Or at Least Very, Very Cheap. Italy Travel (Like You've Never Seen Before. In Your Life.)   Want More Behind The Scenes Podcast Episodes Like This? (Where we share the things that are happening in our lives right now). Episode #1: Meeting Our Teenage Daughter. Life at 17. Episode #2: Our Son at 20. Homeschooled. No College. Three Jobs. Episode #3: We Met Online. The Māori Subscribers Who Changed Our Lives. Episode #4: The REAL Reason We Left the UK. Episode #5: When Your Daughter Quits School. Now What? With Tessa Episode #6. Dealing With The Mistakes You Make Online Episode #7. We're Leaving New Zealand. Episode #8: Why I'm Terrified to Travel.  

Aloha (still) from Maui! In the last episode, I promised to explain how I ended up in Hawaii for two months, so in this episode, I'm sharing everything! When my adult children moved out of the house, I decided to take a gamble and put my home on Airbnb. I joined an app called Trusted Housesitters and my journey started.   In this episode I discuss:   Decluttering my home to put it on Airbnb; How the TrustedHousesitters app works; How travel has allowed me to discover things and places that I like and don't like; The hardships of living out of a suitcase; Being okay with living the life you want; Living up to your own expectations and not others' expectations of you; Figuring out life as it happens; Simplifying my life from STUFF; Collecting experiences and relationships over material things; Traveling to enhance your life, not run away from it.   I've learned a lot in the four months that I've been traveling. I'm extremely grateful to be in a position that allows me to explore the world one town at a time! I've crafted my life so that I can do what I'd like with my time. You can too!   Want to support this Podcast? Like, share, and tell your friends!    25% off Trusted Housesitters Membership!

Leah and I met in our past lives. Like this life but 10 years ago when we both lived in Austin and worked in the music industry…haha :) I really loved catching up with Leah and hearing all about the new lifestyle she is living as a digital nomad. She is seriously one of my expanders and I can't wait to show my daughter that this type of lifestyle is definitely a possibility, and one that honestly sounds like heaven to me! Even if you're not a big traveler, you will still love hearing Leah's story and following her GORGEOUS instagram page. Be prepared to get a little jealous :)Leah Ziliak is a digital nomad and entrepreneur who works remotely while traveling the world full-time. After 10+ years in the entertainment and hospitality industries, Leah left the 9-5 to pursue a location-independent lifestyle. Now, as a consultant for coliving spaces, she has lived in more than a dozen different countries and helps build communities around the world. She's passionate about the benefits of solo travel, living life a little differently, and showing others how they can easily do the same.Give Leah a follow on IG here:instagram.com/colivingconsultantSign up for the waitlist for her course on how to live the digital nomad life here:www.colivingconsultant.com/digitalnomadAnd here is Leah's referral link for Trusted Housesitters. (It gets you 25% off your membership, for both housesitters and people needing housesitters.) You can also just use the promo code RAF94491.http://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF94491/Aligned Designs Co LinksAfter listening to this episode, you will probably want to start a vision board for all of your future trips! Here's the link to my vision board masterclass: https://the-aligned-designs-co.teachable.com/p/the-ultimate-vision-board-masterclassIf you want to dig into your HD chart you can book a zoom reading with me or do your own reading via the links below:https://www.aligneddesigns.co/work-with-mehttps://www.aligneddesigns.co/doyourownreadingSnap a screen shot of this episode, share & tag me on Instagram. I love hearing how you liked the episode!!! https://www.instagram.com/aligned.designs/Get 15% Off with Blu Blox. Coupon Code is: YouDoWoohttps://www.blublox.com/?rfsn=6396827.40d523See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Nora Dunn (aka The Professional Hobo) is one of the original Lifestyle Travel Bloggers, having sold everything she owned in 2006 to travel full-time. She traveled full-time for 12 years. Specializing in slow travel, Nora has lived in and traveled through over 60 countries. Her travel experiences range from sublime to absurd to downright terrifying. She survived three natural disasters, three tropical diseases (apparently these things come in three's), a near-fatal accident, passport theft, and more breakups than she'd care to admit to. She also saved over $100,000 getting free accommodation around the world.  Nora's Website is here. Nora's YouTube is here. Nora's Book is here. --- How to Get Free Accomodation Around the World Nora's Instagram is here. Other information covered on the podcast: Vaughan Town - Nora's Article. Vaughan Town Website. Traveling Alone as a Woman (video about safety) Solo Travel over 50 (interview) Trusted Housesitters (affiliate link) Full Show Notes for this episode are here. Thank you so much for listening! KA 

While we know the world is crazy right now, and travel plans are not front and center, we still wanted to share this episode on housesitting as a way to increase your opportunities to explore. Right now isn’t the time book a trip, but it is a great time to learn about ways you can travel in the future, and House Sitting could open some incredible opportunities for you! This week we are chatting with Trusted Housesitters Community Manager Angela Laws. Angela doesn’t just help house sitters and hosts in her role at Trusted Housesitters, she also lives it! She has been housesitting around the world for 10 years! Housesitting is something almost everyone will have heard of, but not so many have taken advantage of the opportunity. Whatever the road blocks or concerns for you have been, we do our best to dive fully in and address them in this episode with Angela! We talk about everything from the basics of house sitting, how to make a great profile and get jobs, what types of animals you are typically taking care of, and more!Enjoy! If you would to get access to the past and future episodes of our nomad series as a World Wanderers Insider, head on over to Patreon.com/theworldwanderers. Thank you so much for your continued support!

Kari and Ashley are comin’ in hot from quarantine, and discuss in detail their experiences leaving India during the COVID-19 crisis – as well as what happened to their friends who came on Workation (one ends up under police lockdown, the other is still stranded in India a month later).The financial implications of COVID-19 have already hit the ladies hard, and they discuss their next steps – Ashley has a big move coming up, and big news about her family. Both ladies experience visa problems as a result of the coronavirus, one of which is ongoing. Links mentioned on the podcast: The Noname Guesthouse in Goa, India – https://www.thenonamebrand.com Trusted Housesitters (for free lodging, or free house/pet sitting services) – Use code Workationing10 to save 10% on your annual membership! https://www.trustedhousesitters.com  BetterHelp Online Therapy: get a week for free via our affiliate link here – https://www.betterhelp.com/workationing Want to learn about digital nomad life, network with other remote workers and keep up with the ladies in real time? Join the Workationing Facebook group here – www.facebook.com/groups/workationing

Kari and Ashley hit three continents in three weeks, starting with the US for a work trip and Belgium for their friend Steve’s 40th birthday party. Ashley wins an orgasm faking contest, and Kari signs a major new PR client for The Content Factory. The next stop: Goa, India for the Holi festival. The Noname Guesthouse in Arambol sponsored the lady’s stay, and Holi was everything the ladies thought it would be (Google image search Holi, if you’re not familiar with it!).  The ladies left Amsterdam the same day the first case of coronavirus showed up in the city. A week into their India trip, it becomes clear that they need to get out of India – and FAST. Borders start closing, and not everyone in their travel group makes it out before India totally locks down. Links mentioned on the podcast: The Noname Guesthouse in Goa, India – https://www.thenonamebrand.com Trusted Housesitters (for free lodging, or free house/pet sitting services) – Use code Workationing10 to save 10% on your annual membership! https://www.trustedhousesitters.com  BetterHelp Online Therapy: get a week for free via our affiliate link here – https://www.betterhelp.com/workationing Want to learn about digital nomad life, network with other remote workers and keep up with the ladies in real time? Join the Workationing Facebook group here – www.facebook.com/groups/workationing

It’s a new decade (depending on who you talk to), and the Gringas are ringing in 2020 in typically epic fashion – starting with a masquerade ball for New Year’s Eve. Kari goes through a breakup, and Ashley deals with a bike accident which kicks off a discussion about some of the most hardcore biking injuries the ladies and their friends have experienced in Amsterdam. The ladies talk about goal setting and achieving, as well as their New Year’s resolutions. Kari’s going to write a book, and Ashley is going to take her career to the next level. There’s also a story about Helen Keller that you don’t know, and won’t want to miss. Coming up, the ladies head to Brussels for another magical mystery birthday tour and head to Goa, India for the Holi Festival March 9-10. Want to join them? The Noname Guesthouse in Goa is sponsoring the India episodes of the podcast. Links mentioned on the podcast: Trusted Housesitters (for free lodging, or free house/pet sitting services) – Use code Workationing10 to save 10% on your annual membership! https://www.trustedhousesitters.com  BetterHelp Online Therapy: get a week for free via our affiliate link here – https://www.betterhelp.com/workationing Want to learn about digital nomad life, network with other remote workers and keep up with the ladies in real time? Join the Workationing Facebook group here – www.facebook.com/groups/workationing

Our host Lili talks with Catherine Loftus, Head of Marketing at Trustedhousesitters about how email has supported their customer journey and helped grow their business. Listen to: · Discover how Trustedhousesitters’ managed to get buy-in to support her email program from other teams within Trustedhousesitters· How has email creative evolved over the years · Learn how to fully optimise an email program · Hear Catherine Loftus, Head of Marketing at Trustedhousesitters discuss the challenges they’ve faced and how they’ve dealt with them

Ashley and Kari head to Antalya, Turkey to celebrate Thanksgiving and get their medical tourism on. The ladies kick it off with some Botox and fillers, at around a 75% discount on what they’d spend in the US or Amsterdam.  Kari’s spent several months over the last year in Antalya, and she and Nico play host to a crew of six friends for the holiday.  Sourcing a Turkey in Turkey turned out to be a surprisingly difficult endeavor, and the ladies visit a sketchy theme park. Ashley leaves her dog, Djoko, in the hands of a pet sitter she found on TrustedHousesitters.com while she’s in Turkey. She’s such a fan, TrustedHousitters is now sponsoring the podcast (use coupon code Workationing10 to save 10% on your annual membership!).  Links mentioned on the podcast: Trusted Housesitters (for free lodging, or free house/pet sitting services) – Use code Workationing10 to save 10% on your annual membership! https://www.trustedhousesitters.com  BetterHelp Online Therapy: get a week for free via our affiliate link here – https://www.betterhelp.com/workationing

Brittnay and Jayden are The Travelling Housesitters. In the WanderLearn podcast, I ask them: How did Jay get to look after a cat on a catamaran? What websites do they recommend to use to find housesits?  Why don't they charge to housesit? Did they have a housesit horror story? What housesits do they avoid? What is their long-range plan? Do they have relationship challenges that other couples don't have? How can you find housesits that do NOT require you to look after pets? What is the fanciest place they ever stayed at? What's the housesitting course they offer all about? In the podcast, Britt and Jay mentioned: Trusted Housesitters (if you use my affiliate link, you'll get 30% off): https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/refer/RAF280959/  Brittnay and Jay also mentioned these housesitting websites: Nomador Aussie Housesitters Housesit Mexico Upwork If you're more interested in home exchanges, you should listen to my WanderLearn podcast about home exchanges. 3 Sponsors 1. Tour Radar Do you want to take a life-changing travel adventure, but you either hate planning or you don't know where to start? TourRadar is a trusted online marketplace that helps you find, compare, and book multi-day tours that will expand your horizons through life-enriching travel experiences. Just type in a region you have always wanted to visit or your preferred travel style and TourRadar will do the rest. And right now, WanderLearn listeners can visit TourRadar for a chance to an amazing travel contest! Every month, there's a new contest! Enter at https://www.tourradar.com/wanderlearn  2. The Steelman Family Foundation Rene Steelman leads the Steelman Family Foundation which helps families with non-ambulatory children to acquire wheelchair-accessible vehicles. Their mission is to help families with children diagnosed with a permanent disability participate in the community. The Steelman Family Foundation also supports events to benefit cerebral palsy education and activities. They work exclusively with United Access and serve families nationally. Learn more and donate at https://steelmanfamilyfoundation.org 3. Health Access Sumbawa One of WanderLearn's top patrons, Kathy Kennedy Enger, asked me to draw attention to Health Access Sumbawa. I am happy to promote this remarkable nonprofit. In 2014, Jack Kennedy founded the organization to bring malaria control and healthcare to remote, impoverished communities. It started on the remote island of Sumbawa, Indonesia. Since then, it's expanded thanks to generous donations. Visit their website to learn more and to donate: https://healthaccesssumbawa.org More info You can post comments, ask questions, and sign up for my newsletter at http://wanderlearn.com. If you like this podcast, subscribe and share!  On social media, my username is always ftapon. Follow me on: http://facebook.com/ftapon http://twitter.com/ftapon http://youtube.com/user/ftapon http://pinterest.com/ftapon http://tumblr.com/ftapon Claim your monthly reward by becoming a patron at http://Patreon.com/FTapon Rewards start at just $2/month! If you prefer to do a one-time contribution, you can send it to my PayPal at FT@FrancisTapon.com If you prefer giving me Bitcoin, then please send BTC to my tip jar: 3EiSBC2bv2bYtYEXAKTkgqZohjF27DGjnV

Workationing has a new Gringa! Ashley Osmond is introduced to the podcast audience as the new co-host. She comes in hot with stories of her appearance as “Kate” on The Celebrity Apprentice and her high-profile family (she’s related to Donny and Marie Osmond).   Kari met Ashley at a friend’s houseboat party in Amsterdam about a year ago, and the ladies became fast friends – and soon to be travel companions (The Workationing Podcast is going to Goa, India!).    An experienced solo traveler, Ashley came into the digital nomad lifestyle by teaching English, and has since moved into remote recruiting work. Her company recently co-hosted an event with the Summit Institute in Utah, and she talks about the value of in-person networking at events.   While Ashley was in Utah, Kari was coordinating a Magical Mystery Birthday tour that took her through 7 countries in 3 days: Turkey, Germany, The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, France and Switzerland.   The birthday tour ended at a chalet nestled in the French Alps, overlooking Lake Annecy. Heads up: if you’re looking for a party theme that slays on Insta, “Stupid Formal” is where it’s at.    Ashley had to figure out what to do with her dog while she’s in India, and the Workationing Facebook group came through for her in a big way: somebody recommended Trusted Housesitters, and the problem was solved.   Several people in the Workationing group are able to live the digital nomad lifestyle by getting free housing in exchange for watching other people’s pets while the homeowners are out of town. Ashley’s working it the other way   Links mentioned on the podcast:   Trusted Housesitters (for free lodging, or free house/pet sitting services) – https://www.trustedhousesitters.com    BetterHelp Online Therapy: get a week for free via our affiliate link here – https://www.betterhelp.com/workationing   Interested in teaching English abroad? Check out this link – https://www.internationalteflacademy.com/felicia-braverman-referrals Want to learn about digital nomad life, network with other remote workers and keep up with the ladies in real time? Join the Workationing Facebook group here – www.facebook.com/groups/workationing

Kerryn lives in Australia with her partner but also with donkeys and cows! Aged 50, she got fed up with people pooh poohing her ideas and resolved never to be put off again. She created Magnificent Kids and told the stories of 23 superhero kids which led to One Planet Classrooms.   In The Show Nicola is beginning to hit her stride socially back in Shoreham with a day out with the children, an all-you-can-eat curry with friends, jazz night at the pub with her sisters and poker at the Crabtree Inn. Judith collected another 5* review on Trusted Housesitters, grappled with upcoming daylight savings switches across four continents on four different dates, enjoyed a bumper busy Tuesday and looked after two Labradors for the weekend with worrying consequences, all resolved now.   What’s Fuelled Their Fire? Judith’s enjoyed a conversation with a potential client on her Facebook Page and Nicola’s set up a new podcast about Resilience.   Focus Of The Week Kerryn lives in Australia with her partner but also with donkeys and cows! Aged 50, she got fed up with people pooh poohing her ideas and resolved never to be put off again. She created Magnificent Kids and told the stories of 23 superhero kids which led to One Planet Classrooms. She described this as a failure for a couple of reasons you’ll hear. But then she was asked to talk at an IWD event which led to her creating a project called Girls with Hammers. And then she wrote her second book, Get Off the Bench, which in turn led to workshops about kick-starting your idea. https://girlswithhammers.com.au/ https://getoffthebench.com.au/ https://www.amazon.co.uk/Get-Off-Bench-Kickstart-your/dp/0992427517/   LISTEN HERE TO OWN IT #242 | Kerryn Vaughan: Get Off the Bench   Words Of The Week Nicola chooses Re-Focus and Judith picks Unbelievable.   Project Updates Podcast stats – “we’re back!” – the Money Gym project, and flirting with network marketing again.   Who Or What’s Impressed For a whole five days Nicola resisted Connectio.io and Judith reads the story of the woman who found herself in a search party in Iceland, looking for herself, mainly for Tatjana’s brilliant comment on the end. *** Join our free Facebook Group for Own It! the Podcast and talk back to us about what you hear in the show. Support our podcast on Patreon with a few monthly dollars to help defray our costs – thank you!   Thanks for listening! To share your thoughts: Leave a rating and review via your podcast app Ask a question in our Facebook Group:https://www.facebook.com/groups/OwnItThePodcast/  To help the show: Subscribe via Radio Public, iTunes, Stitcher, YouTube, TuneIn, Libsyn Please share on Twitter, Facebook or whatever social media platform you love to use and tag us if you can - we love to read your comments! Website: https://OwnItThePodcast.com

Sharing 2 Apps & 1 Membership site that have made my life feel more expansive.  Let me know what in the digital world has made your life easier.   Offer Up https://offerup.com/ Instantly connect with local buyers and sellers on OfferUp! Buy and sell everything from cars and trucks, electronics, furniture, and more. Trusted Housesitters https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/ TrustedHousesitters launched in 2010 with a simple mission: to keep pets happy and safe in their own homes. Since then, we have quickly grown into an incredible global community of pet lovers, who help each other travel. Every day, we connect thousands of home and pet owners with care-orientated sitters who will look after their home and pets for free, in exchange for a place to stay. Sacred Shakti Sisterhood https://courses.drdebkern.com/courses/sacred-shakti-sisterhood Check out the free preview of Sacred Shakti Sisterhood. AND If you are inspired to Discover Your Genius & the Flow of Your Wealth there are 3 ways…you can start. There is a Free Test to Find Your Path to Genius Takes one minute and it’s called the Genius Test, that will start you on your journey. https://www.geniusu.com/my-genius-test The 2nd way is finding out your Wealth Dynamics profiles which is the gateway to a more productive state called ‘flow’. Flow can be thought of as the path of least resistance, where you add the most value and get the most done. I am a Flow Consultant for Roger James Hamilton and Entrepreneurs Institute and I want you to know that this is an Affiliate Link below to find out your Wealth Dynamic Profile.  It does not cost you any extra and please do not feel obligated to purchase through this link. Enjoy. http://bit.ly/WealthProfile1 And if you’d like to understand flow at a higher distinction, and work 1-2-1 with me to discover how you Profile applies to you personally and realign you time to get you fully into your flow and align with more Magick.  Here is the link: http://bit.ly/DiscoverFlowofYourWealth That's all for now. I look forward to our next sojourn through the Magickal Land of [Awe]some. Until that time, Stay Curious…Be Awesome.  

Our Trusted Housesitters Experience In this episode, Les is going to join me as a co-host as we talk about our experiences with Trusted Housesitters. Housesitters come in handy when you need them – and you can count on them to look after your pets. They stay in your home for the time you are gone and take care of everything. I have both served as a housesitter and used the service when we went on a trip. Today, we are going to talk about my experience of being a housesitter and how it felt to use the service. I really appreciate the service as it lets me travel to other places for free! I wanted to see how it felt like to be a housesitter and gain some experience on the platform. About my first Trusted Housesitters client My first client was a sweet couple who needed a housesitter on urgent basis. They lived in a 1,000 square foot house near the beach and had two large dogs weighing around 90 lbs. The first time I went to the house the dogs jumped on me as soon as the owner opened the door- that was the first red flag I noticed about the dogs and showed the dogs were not well behaved. The couple also asked us to lock the doors as the dogs loved to chew on their pillows! Never Do More Than You Think You Can! One day, Les took me out to dinner, and we came back to witness a real mess. It was just an hour and a half hour that we were gone. When we came back, we see something strewn all across the floor. We realized it was the remote control for the ceiling fan – the dogs made it a treat for themselves! The situation did not get better, and the dogs kept on chewing and eating other things – including our favorite magazines. This taught me a valuable lesson, and probably I won't be doing dogs in my next assignment, especially big dogs. I can handle cats, small dogs, and birds but big dogs can be quite difficult. It also taught me to ask more questions about the job before taking it up. It’s Mostly Great! Next time, I had to housesit a cat, and it was in a beautiful house with nice people. I only felt vulnerable one time – there was news of a criminal in the neighborhood. But apart from that, the whole experience was good! Les and I also opted for housesitting service when we were going on a trip and wanted someone to watch our dogs. Les was skeptical in the beginning about having a stranger in the house, so we did a Skype call to see how our housesitter looked. It's always better to interact with beforehand with your housesitter so that you can see their face and know about them a bit. A Few Precautions Help We also took a few precautions which would save us landing up in a false situation. We chose to lock the master bedroom and explained to the housesitter that it was for their own good. I constantly keep forgetting where I have kept things and didn't want to blame someone unnecessarily if they are not at fault. Also, Les doesn't find it very comfortable that someone would sleep in his bed! I also locked my office as it contained sensitive information related to my clients. We have a guest room where the housesitter was put up. She even brought her own bag with covers and all and didn't use our things. Other than that, the whole house was open to the housesitter and we also asked them to share our food. The housesitter did a very good job of taking care of our dogs, and both of us were really happy with the service. The Trusted Housesitter platform has three levels of security checks which can go a long way to prove the worthiness of a housesitter. You can look for third level security which involves a background check of the housesitter. The first two levels are related to verification of mobile numbers and Facebook accounts. You can also sign up for a housesitting service or become a housesitter yourself by using this link

Our Trusted Housesitters Experience In this episode, Les is going to join me as a co-host as we talk about our experiences with Trusted Housesitters. Housesitters come in handy when you need them – and you can count on them to look after your pets. They stay in your home for the time you are […] The post Trusted Housesitters Experience: Episode 147 appeared first on Rock Your Retirement.

In Episode 130, “Trusted Housesitters,” we speak to Angela Laws of Trusted Housesitters, which is a bit like Airbnb but with pets. Angela tells us how she got her start with the company that's taken her around the world to stay with a variety of pets in the comfort of their own home while their owners travel. She tells us how the yearly membership works and how TrustedHouseitters benefits pets, owners and especially its sitters, because what is better than traveling the world to stay with dogs? Or cats, horses or something even more exotic if that's your bag, baby? In “The POTSie,” Tom talks about how week one of being on dronabinol is going (spoiler: not good!) and shares some snacks from his childhood that he's resurfaced that might be good for others who suffer from POTS syndrome. Need a dose of cute in your life? Follow our studio manager and rescue pit bull Kona’s antics via @TheKonaPersona on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook. Angela Laws interview: 08:33:17 “The POTSie” segment: 36:15:10 To learn more about Trusted Housesitters, visit: Website: https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/us/ Check back for new “High Regard Show” shows every Monday on SoundCloud and iTunes (please be sure to follow and rate us)! You can also follow us right here on highregardshow.com and on these social media sites: Twitter Facebook Instagram Tumblr Google+ Pinterest You can also find hosts @TomRoarty and @NikkiMMascali on Twitter. Finally, if you would like to have your work, product, band or even your mom promoted on the show, drop us a note at highregardshow@gmail.com

Subscribe on iTunes SHOW NOTES: www.5dollarplanet.com/018 In the Natalie Sisson the Suitcase Entrepreneur episode: Are you sure you have the right business? Or can't even decide what sort of business or blog to start? Todays masterclass covers how to make sure you are heading in the right direction and how to kickstart your digital nomad career! Feature Topics in this episode: How you know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur How to differentiate a passion from a business plan How to discover your "Sweet Spot" - the match between you passions, skills and which of those is saleable. Why Passion for a project does not have to be full on to start with. How to choose a great niche Should you think about an end product, before building an audience first, or get an audience and then develop a product around their needs? The importance of an avatar - how to cater for the right people to make your business a success. How to know if there is a market for your product / service / idea How to grow an audience quickly, from scratch How to use kickstarter to build an audience The importance of accountability in getting projects completed The key to a successful crowd funding campaign is... The importance of making a list of what you really want from life - your dreams   Weblinks from Natalie Sisson Episode World Nomads Insurance - Specifically designed for digital nomads, flashpackers, adventure & long term Travellers - Get a 5% Discount with our coupon code: WN5DP Trusted Housesitters.com - Use discount code 5DP to get a 15% discount on membership How to become a housesitting pro in just 3 months. TBEX - The Largest Travel bloggers event in the world. http://www.5dollarplanet.com/freedomplan - Natalie's new complete course - get on the VIP List now for a discount!   DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX, Trusted Housesitters, World nomads, Lems Shoes, Cabin Zero - all companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. All our opinions, as always, are our own.

Subscribe on iTunes SHOW NOTES: www.5dollarplanet.com/012 In the Scott Eddy episode: Mr Scott Eddy… Serial entrepreneur, Networking superstar & Twitter magnate, has over half a million twitter followers and gets almost 100% of new business through twitter. Scott shares his secrets to turbocharging your twitter account. Feature Topics in this episode:   Why the real benefit of twitter has nothing to do with getting content shared. What is the most important factor to building a massive twitter following The importance of twitter chats How to get over your fear of "Going all in" leaving your old life behind and discovering travel freedom Who you should follow on twitter to turbocharge your own following Building a half million twitter following in less than 4 years The "Pay it forward" Entrepreneurial community Politeness goes a long way… Even on twitter. Why getting followers means nothing if you don't give back a reason for them to engage. Is it too late to become huge on twitter? Why even nomads should choose a location for twitter Why buying followers is a waste of money.  Quotes: [tweetthis]Travelling is like gasoline for Entrepreneurs it makes your creativity explode[/tweetthis] [tweetthis]The world ain't coming to you. You've got to go to it! - Scott Eddy[/tweetthis] [tweetthis]Twitter sex is short: 140 characters and it's all over [/tweetthis] Weblinks from Mr Scott Eddy Episode World Nomads Insurance - Specifically designed for digital nomads, flashpackers, adventure & long term Travellers - Get a 5% Discount with our coupon code: WN5DP Trusted Housesitters.com - Use discount code 5DP to get a 15% discount on membership How to become a housesitting pro in just 3 months. TBEX - The Largest Travel bloggers event in the world. MONDAY TOOL: Bitly Daily mail article   News.com.au article   Yahoo article   Andrew G from the Flight Media Blog   Noel Morata - how long did it take to build up followers   Manage Flitter - Follower management app   Lems shoes   Cabin Zero Backpacks ---- DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX, Trusted Housesitters, World nomads, Lems Shoes, Cabin Zero - all companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. All our opinions, as always, are our own. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK This podcast is new, so help us out. Please leave your comments below so that we can make changes to future episodes based on your feedback.

Subscribe on iTunes SHOW NOTES: www.5dollarplanet.com/011 In this Shkoder, Albania Podcast episode: We discuss: How we keep our alcohol budget to a minimum even in more expensive countries, while still partying it up and making new friends. Plus, our local guest, Taku, tells us about Albanian history and sources us one of the most affordable meals in Europe. Feature Topic: We like to drink and we don't like to spend too much doing it - but we still want a good time. Maximum party, minimum budget! Our top 3 Tips for drinking cheap anywhere.. Interview with local Albanian: Taku. We talk about The Albanian blood feuds and how only a few years ago, while the countries borders were closed, things were completely different in Albania. $5 Food: Pilaf and Kaçkavalli (Kashkaval) fried cheese $5 Fun: Visit the Rozafa Castle Weblinks from Shkoder Podcast World Nomads Insurance - Specifically designed for digital nomads, flashpackers, adventure & long term Travellers - Get a 5% Discount with our coupon code: WN5DP and this link: 5dollarplanet.com/worldnomads Trusted Housesitters.com - Use discount code 5DP to get a 15% discount on membership How to become a housesitting pro in just 3 months. TBEX - The Largest Travel bloggers event in the world. Hotel Ideal - The expensive looking but actually cheap hotel we found in the rain in Shkoder AirBnB - Homestay accommodation and affordable private apartments all around the world. $25 Discount with this link: www.5dollarplanet.com/air . The Rozafa - The Castle above Shkoder. Marlusse et Lapin - The small local bar off a side street in Monmatre, Paris. ---- DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX & Trusted Housesitters, World Nomads, all companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. Our opinions, as always, are our own. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK This podcast is new, so help us out. Please leave your comments below so that we can make changes to future episodes based on your feedback.

Subscribe on iTunes   In the Gary Arndt episode: Do you even need a blog? We talk about the importance of blogging in 2015 and Photographer of the year Gary Arndt from everything-everywhere shares his knowledge of using photography to monetize and the importance of keeping your audience happy over making money. Feature Topics in this episode: There is more to internet success than travel blogging Going from total beginner to photographer of the year in just 7 years. How to leverage photography to monetize your blog Why your audience is more important than making money Why you can't expect to be a top blogger overnight Why you should never just play to your audience   WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from listeners about how we can improve the show or what you love about it already.   What do you want in the show? Are we moving to fast, or is it all too basic? What do you like what do you not like? More on money or more on travel? Tweet suggestions and feedback to @5dollartravel or #5dollarplanet   Weblinks from Gary Arndt Episode World Nomads Insurance - Specifically designed for digital nomads, flashpackers, adventure & long term Travellers - Get a 5% Discount with our coupon code: WN5DP Trusted Housesitters.com - Use discount code 5DP to get a 15% discount on membership ---- DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX, Trusted Housesitters, World nomads - all companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. All our opinions, as always, are our own. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK This podcast is new, so help us out. Please leave your comments below so that we can make changes to future episodes based on your feedback.

Subscribe on iTunes SHOW NOTES: www.5dollarplanet.com/006 In the Planet D episode: The Planet D are the largest blog in Canada. Feature Topics in this episode: Why Sponsorship may be all you need to make a full time living from your blog Why you must build your brand before trying to get paid. How much traffic you need to begin pitching companies for money Why your blogging career should not initially be about the money How newbies can pitch big corporations How Pitching can be more important than numbers How to contact the right people and get your pitch read How to leverage twitter and linked in to network with the right people What to put in your initial pitch email, the follow up and the full pitch. How long your initial pitch should be How to decide how much money to ask for   WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from listeners about how we can improve the show or what you love about it already. You can email us using the contact form in the footer of this page or tweet @5dollartravel   What do you want in the show? Are we moving to fast, or is it all too basic? What do you like what do you not like? More on money or more on travel? Become part of the $5 Planet You can submit your own $5 food or fun experiences to our rapidly growing $5 Planet Map. OR tweet suggestions to @5dollartravel or #5dollarplanet   Weblinks from Planet D Episode World Nomads Insurance - Specifically designed for digital nomads, flashpackers, adventure & long term Travellers - Get a 5% Discount with our coupon code: WN5DP Trusted Housesitters.com - Use discount code 5DP to get a 15% discount on membership       ---- DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX, Trusted Housesitters, World nomads, Lems Shoes, Cabin Zero - all companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. All our opinions, as always, are our own.

Full show notes at: www.5dollarplanet.com/001 In this Prizren Podcast (Kosovo) episode: We discuss: Feature Topic: We reveal how much it has cost us to travel the world for the last 21 months... It's way less than staying home would have cost. Local Interview: Featuring "Mr G" owner of the Prizren city hostel. We talk about the history of Prizren, advice for budget travellers and fun things to do. $5 Food: Bread, Meat and Cheese... We consume some exciting local varieties and get a meal for two in a nice town centre restaurant for only $5 per person. $5 Fun/Travel: We discover some fun things to do for less than $5.   Become part of the $5 Planet You can submit your own $5 food or fun experiences to our rapidly growing $5 Planet Map. OR tweet suggestions to @5dollartravel or #5dollarplanet     WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK We love to hear from listeners about how we can improve the show or what you love about it already. You can email us using the contact form in the footer of this page or tweet @5dollartravel     What do you want in the show? Are we moving to fast, or is it all too basic? What do you like what do you not like? More on money or more on travel? Weblinks from Prizren Podcast (Kosovo) How to become a housesitting pro in just 3 months. Trusted Housesitters.com TBEX - The Largest Travel bloggers event in the world. Mr G's Hostel: The Prizren City Hostel - Free beer for all guests, all night! http://www.prizrencityhostel.com/ Our feature restaurant in Prizren: http://www.besimi-beska.com/ Another Excellent restaurant for eating Burger stuffed with cheese (Pleskavica): http://www.tesyla.com/ How to live in Cambodia from as little as $7 a day Snap Seed - Photo editing for your mobile device, Snap Seed on Android Trail Wallet - Budget tracking app Never Ending Voyage - The blog from Erin & Simon, Creators of Trail Wallet Photos from Prizren Podcast (Kosovo) The town of Prizren with the fort on the hill on the left. The Bread Balloon (Completely hollow bread!) and Sharr cheese: Prizren, Kosovo "Pleskavica", Burger stuffed with cheese: Prizren, Kosovo View from the path below the fort of Prizren and the old church ruins on the left. Inside the ruined church (See photo above for exterior of the church)   We loved our time in Kosovo and were very sad to leave :-( We highly recommend the City Hostel, it was one of the main factors that lead to us having such a fun time. Mr G is very interactive and, along with free beer in the evenings, offers a free city walking tour for guests too. ---- DISCLAIMER: We are affiliated with TBEX & Trusted Housesitters, both companies we love and support. We are not affiliated with any other of the recommended products on this page. Our opinions, as always, are our own. WE NEED YOUR FEEDBACK This podcast is new, so help us out. Visit www.5dollarplanet.com and send us an email or tweet us at @5dollartravel

This is part 2 of my conversation with Nora Dunn. Listen to Part 1. In 2006, today’s guest left a career in financial planning to embrace the desire of perpetual travel, which she has been doing for the past 8 years. This includes train journeys across Canada and Australia, relief work in Asia, life in New Zealand, on a boat in the Caribbean, wandering across Europe. And more. This show is about helping others to create lives of travel, whatever that means to you – and today’s guest is a shining example. Nora Dunn is an expert in full time financial stability — and doing so from the road, full time — and today she lives her message and helps others accomplish the same through her blog, TheProfessionalHobo.com. She’s released two books, How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World, and for any train journey lovers like me — Tales of Trains: Where the Journey is the Destination. I’m excited to get Nora on the line today to share with us her story, and how you might create for yourself a life of travel, full time and financially sustainable. Subscribe on iTunes, Stitcher Radio, Soundcloud or TuneIn What We Cover: Is travel blogging a viable source of income to support your travels? Or a portfolio for your skills? How to stand out with your travel writing What was the inspiration for Nora's books. How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World and Tales of Trains: Where the Journey is the Destination. The many ways to get free accommodation and how to find them. How Nora saved almost $64,000 in accommodation during her first five years of full time travel. Nora's desire for a homebase and where it is she's landing Words from an Explorer: “Home for me is an interesting word. It doesn’t have to mean permanence.” "I’ve always had a fundamental problem with the term, ‘Settle down.'" Best Travel Advice: Taking the First Step: "Do it, book it, don't think too much about it... You have to jump in and learn how to swim." Money Saving Tip: Getting free accommodation. Also, go slow - the slower you go, the less money you'll be spending. Packing Tips: "The weight of your pack is equally proportionate to your level of misery on the road." Favorite Internet Travel Tool or Resource: Caretaker Gazette and Trusted Housesitters. For train travel, The Man in Seat 61. Weirdest Food: Guinea Pig in Peru. Explore Further: Nora’s website, The Professional Hobo The Caretaker Gazette at Caretaker.org Nora's books How to Get Free Accommodation Around the World and Tales of Trains: Where the Journey is the Destination. Music Credit: Move Slow by Felxprod ft. Jess Abran (Myriad Remix), Intrepid Journey, by Aaron Static Become a Friend of the Show: Please subscribe and review! It just takes a second and you can help the show increase its rankings on iTunes just by this simple and quick gesture. We’d be grateful for a review. Leave one here. If you do, click here to let me know so I can personally thank you! Your Feedback If you have an idea for a podcast you would like to see or a question about an upcoming episode,email me! I’d love to hear from you. Thank you so much for your support! See you next time! The post 85: How to Find Free Accommodation Anywhere with Nora Dunn – Part 2 appeared first on The Daily Travel Podcast.

All over the world, people are opening up their homes for others to come and stay in while they are gone.  And in return for looking after their home and sometimes their pet, you get to stay in their place, for free! Today, Andy Peck, the Godfather of Housesitting and founder of the biggest housesitting site in the world, Trusted Housesitters, sits down with us to talk about the ins and outs of housesitting.