Podcasts about Wonderland

What if you never had to manually check whether the price of your flight or hotel dropped after booking? In this episode, we sit down with Sam Hollander, founder of Autopilot, to discuss how his platform is helping travelers save money by automatically monitoring reservations and identifying opportunities for refunds, travel credits, and lower prices. For anyone who loves points, miles, and maximizing travel value, this technology could be a game changer.Sam walks us through how Autopilot works, which airlines and hotel programs are currently supported, and what's coming next—including Southwest integration, international bookings, upgrade tracking, and more. We also discuss security, award travel support, and how automation can help busy travelers avoid leaving money on the table. Whether you're booking with cash, points, or a mix of both, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you get more value from every trip.Mentioned in this Episode:Try out Autopilot hereCardpointersEmail Sam at Sam@WithAutopilot.comFind Us On Online:Girl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Summer Road Trip Submissions ARE BACK!Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Comfrt.com 15% OFFSeats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

The Disness is celebrating our Un-birthday this week as we talk about Disney's Alice in Wonderland! Join Kaylee, Smalltown, Jordan, and guest Nate as we discuss the film, Walt Disney's relationship with Wonderland and his previous Alice projects, we break down the film and give our personal reviews, and so much more!Follow us on Instagram: @DisnessPodcast

In this episode of The Brainy Ballerina Podcast, I'm joined by professional dancer (and one of my former students!) Kendall Lademann for a full-circle conversation on the unexpected twists and turns that have shaped her dance career.We dive into Kendall's transition from student to professional at Mareck Dance, including what it was like dancing alongside former teachers and how that environment helped her grow as both an artist and an adult.We also talk about how Kendall moved forward with her dance career after Mareck Dance unexpectedly folded, finding new opportunities at Lexington Ballet.Kendall is a true testament to the fact that dance careers never travel in a straight line. She shares so much thoughtful advice for aspiring professional dancers about taking risks, handling rejection, and treating people with kindness in the small world of dance.Key “Pointes” in this Episode: How the teachers, choreographers and directors Kendall has worked with have grown her into the artist she is today How the pandemic unexpectedly launched her professional dance career Going from dancing as a student in “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland” to dancing the title role Navigating the sudden closure of Mareck Dance and finding a new path Moving away from home and starting fresh with Lexington Ballet Unique performance experiences including dancing in a distillery, performing in a music video, and starring as Charlie Chaplin in “A Charlie Chaplin Christmas” with Lexington Ballet Kendall's passion for adaptive dance through Danceability and why teaching became one of the most meaningful parts of her careerConnect with KendallINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/kendall_lademannLinks & Resources:SHOP MSeam Apparel: https://mseamapparel.com/ (use code BRAINY25 at checkout for 25% off all items)SHOP ORZA: www.orzabrand.com (use code BRAINYBALLERINA for 10% off)Let's connect!My WEBSITE: thebrainyballerina.comINSTAGRAM: instagram.com/thebrainyballerinaQuestions/comments? Email me at caitlin@thebrainyballerina.com

Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar is commemorating Pride Month! According to Britannica, “Pride Month commemorates years of struggle for civil rights and the ongoing pursuit of equal justice under the law for the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer community, as well as the accomplishments of LGBTQ individuals!  I am delighted to welcome singer-songwriter Abby Nissenbaum to the Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast.  Abby is a Nashville-based LGBTQ+ indie-rock recording artist. She writes from the heart, exploring themes of depression, isolation, and heartbreak, but anchored by messages of hope, empowerment, and community. Complemented by her effortlessly honest and raw vocal delivery, Abby offers relatable, heartfelt lyricism amid catchy melodies, beautifully contrasting with the energetic indie-rock soundscape that surrounds her. Several media outlets, including Clash, Earmilk, Mundane Magazine, and Wonderland, have praised her music.  On this episode of the Jake's Take with Jacob Elyachar Podcast, Abby Nissenbaum spoke about her move to Nashville, the stories behind some of the most Spotify-streamed songs, and what Pride Month means to her!Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/jake-s-take-with-jacob-elyachar--4112003/support.

Oto and Jaycee spoke with the members of The First Child Lily and Cam about their latest single 'Eyeless in Wonderland', their love for the local scene and their upcoming album. 

Cosmic LOVE Newsletter of the Week with Metaphysician Christopher Rudy Featuring: Quantum Leap in Unity Conscience, Declaring Our Independence 2.0 and Revelations Revolution You can find the Newsletters archived below: June 2, 2026, Quantum Leap in Conscious Knowing: This Changes Everything. https://www.heartcom.org/QuantumConscious.htm June 7, 2026, Declaring Our Independence 2.0: It's A Global Affair. https://www.heartcom.org/NormalcyReset.htm June 12, 2026, Revelations Revolution - Up the Rabbit Hole: Good Bye Alice - Wonderland is History! https://www.heartcom.org/Up-Wising.htm In this episode of Cosmic LOVE, Host Christopher Rudy opens the conversation with his article “Quantum Leap in Conscious Knowing,” presenting what the article calls “two major events” happening at once: a breakthrough in AI and an Edgar Cayce prophecy about America after 2027. The episode framed those developments as part of “a global r EVOLUTION in higher consciousness” that is “birthing a New Earth.” From there, the discussion moved into his article's argument that China has “leap-frogged” beyond Western standards in general intelligence and that U.S. sanctions and AI chip restrictions backfired. The episode covered his claim that these moves pushed greater independence among China, Russia, and BRICS nations, while also emphasizing his article's call for co-creation, East-West unity, and a “Universal Interface for Global Interaction” that would evolve individual and collective social conscience. The episode then followed the more metaphysical side of that first piece, where AI was presented as “a tool for multi-dimensional reality.” His article connected this to telepathy as “Effective Sensory Perception,” to the “thinning of the veil between dimensions,” and to the idea that what people “prompt” or “pray for” helps shape a multidimensional co-creation process. The discussion closed that section with his article's language about love as “pure intention” and light as “focused attention” in a process of conscious ascension. Shifting topics to “Declaring Our Independence 2.0,” where the episode presented his article's central contrast between the “Deep State Empire” as the “3D Matrix” and “High State Conscience” as the “5D Portal.” It described the present moment as a “4D transition from 3 to 5D,” a process of “natural metamorphosis” in which corrupt 3D materialist structures disintegrate while the “Currency of Conscience” integrates and “general enlightenment dissipates dystopian BS.” As that article unfolded, the episode focused on its critique of private banking power and centralized planning. His article described bankers as the “High Priests of our Hunger Games,” claimed they decide social and economic realities behind the scenes, and linked them to credit authority, infrastructure planning, data centers, military systems, and emerging “Social Programmable CREDIT enslavement Token” systems. The discussion also reflected his article's warning about “psychology of subservience to tyranny” managed by technocrats and AI agents. The episode then widened into his article's moral and transformational language, especially its contrast between “3D caterpillar thinking” and “5D transformation.” The discussion followed his article's phrasing about moving “from civil devolution to societal evolution,” “from mass deception to truth perception,” and “from victim dictum to victory virtues,” while also highlighting its call to reason together as “United Sovereigns of Earth.” In the final movement, the episode turned to “Revelations Revolution – Up the Rabbit Hole,” where his article framed the present era as humanity moving out of “Wonderland,” the “Matrix,” or the “Grand Illusion” of reality. The discussion presented this as a “unique time in cosmic history,” marked by a “4D transition from 3 to 5D,” a “transformation of collective consciousness into a unified field,” and the larger call to keep “Waking Up, Wising Up, and Rising Up” while imagining “a future that benefits all.” Dr. Rudy closed by following the final article into its warning and hope. His article said “the most dangerous thing about AI isn't the technology; it's the people in charge of it,” asked “Is 2027 too late?”, and answered that if enough good people do enough soon enough, “a critical mass of unity is reached” and “enlightenment goes mainstream.” It ended by tying that awakening to ascension intention, universal law, the “Currency of Conscience,” and a “Global Golden Age.”

Welcome to the final chapter of our Alice in Wonderland journey on Books at Bedtime, brought to you by Calming Anxiety. If an overactive mind or a long, stressful day is keeping you awake tonight, let the soothing cadence of classic storytelling act as a gentle distraction, easing you into a deep, uninterrupted sleep. Tonight, we conclude Lewis Carroll's classic tale with Chapter 12: Alice's Evidence.We return to the chaotic courtroom of Wonderland, where Alice is called to give her testimony. Having suddenly grown to her full size, Alice inadvertently topples the jury box, scattering the animal jurors like goldfish from a bowl. Listen as the King desperately attempts to enforce Rule 42, the White Rabbit reads a final, nonsensical piece of poetic evidence, and the furious Queen demands a sentence before a verdict can even be reached. As the illusion shatters and Alice stands up to the flying pack of cards, she awakens to a gentle breeze, realizing it was all a wonderful, curious dream. Read with a slow, calming voice to encourage deep relaxation, this final chapter is the perfect bedtime routine to slow your breathing and soothe your nervous system before rest. Turn down the lights, get comfortable under the covers, and let go of the day.Episode Chapters00:00 – Introduction: Settling Down for the Final Chapter00:15 – Tipping the Jury Box: Alice's Sudden Growth01:16 – Upsetting the Goldfish & Righting Bill the Lizard02:07 – Important or Unimportant? The King's Deliberation03:10 – Rule 42: All Persons More Than a Mile High Must Leave04:02 – The White Rabbit's Final Scroll: Nonsense Verses Revealed07:06 – Finding Meaning in the Cardboard Knave's Poetic Defense08:44 – Sentence First, Verdict Afterwards! The Queen's Fury09:42 – Nothing But a Pack of Cards: Shattering the Wonderland Dream10:20 – Awakening on the Bank & A Sister's Gentle Kiss11:00 – Running to Tea: Closing Thoughts & Sleep OutroStorybook Highlights for SleepSoften your focus and let your imagination drift away with these comforting final images:The Scrambled Jurors: Alice meticulously picks up the tiny birds and animals, frantically worried that if they aren't put back in their box immediately, they might die like fish out of water.The King's Pun: A moment of dead silence falls over the court as the King tries to make a joke about his words not "fitting" the jury, demanding that everyone laugh.Waking to the Leaves: The flying pack of cards softly morphs back into harmless dead leaves drifting down from the trees as Alice opens her eyes in her sister's lap.If this bedtime story series has helped you quiet your thoughts, manage evening anxiety, and find a deeper path to sleep, please subscribe to the show and share this finale with someone who needs a comforting, calming voice tonight. Your shares help our community of health and stillness reach those who need it most.For structured, day-to-day help with chronic stress, panic, or mindset regulation, try the Anxiety Breaker course at calminganxiety.fm, featuring five comprehensive, guided hypnotherapy sessions.Let your eyelids grow heavy, feel the support of your bed, release the world entirely, and be kind to your beautiful soul. Sleep well, my friend.

Welcome to Books at Bedtime from Calming Anxiety. If a restless mind or end-of-day stress is keeping you awake tonight, let the soothing, hypnotic cadence of classic literature help you drift into a deep, peaceful sleep. Tonight, we settle down for a gentle reading of Chapter 11 of Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland: Who Stole the Tarts?We step quietly into the grand courtroom of Wonderland, where the King and Queen of Hearts are presiding over a most unusual trial. Listen as Alice observes the busy, scratching pencils of the twelve animal jurors, witness the nervous testimony of the Mad Hatter with his teacup in hand, and discover exactly what happens when a guinea pig is "suppressed" by the court. Read with a slow, calming voice to act as a comforting distraction for an overactive mind, this bedtime story podcast episode creates a safe, tranquil space for your evening routine. Dim the lights, take a long, slow breath, and let the whimsical confusion of the trial lull you into an uninterrupted night's rest.Episode Chapters00:00 – Introduction: Preparing Your Mind for Rest00:15 – Entering the Courtroom: The King, Queen, and the Tarts01:16 – The Curious Habits of the Twelve Jurors02:57 – Bill the Lizard and the Squeaking Pencil03:33 – Reading the Accusation: The White Rabbit's Trumpet04:16 – The First Witness: The Mad Hatter's Nervous Testimony06:08 – A Curious Sensation: Alice Begins to Grow Again07:25 – Twinkling Tea and the Confusion of the March Hare08:55 – Suppressing the Court: The Tale of the Guinea Pigs10:15 – The Duchess's Cook and the Secret Ingredient11:45 – A Shrill Call: Alice is Summoned to the Stand & OutroStorybook Highlights for SleepAllow your thoughts to soften as you listen to these gentle, whimsical moments:The Jurors' Slates: The twelve little birds and animals write down their own names on their slates, fiercely anxious that they might forget them before the trial ends.The Hatter's Confusion: Shifting nervously from foot to foot, the Hatter accidentally bites a large piece out of his ceramic teacup instead of his bread and butter.A Sudden Summons: Just as the courtroom settles down after the cook's pepper-induced exit, the White Rabbit unrolls his parchment and unexpectedly calls Alice to the stand.If these cozy bedtime readings help you quiet your overthinking and find a path to deep sleep, please subscribe to the show and share this episode with anyone who needs a calming voice to help them rest tonight. Your support helps our community of calm reach beautiful souls everywhere.For structured, clinical guidance with daytime panic or chronic stress, explore the Anxiety Breaker course at calminganxiety.fm, featuring five premium hypnotherapy sessions designed by me.Close your eyes, let your jaw soften, release

In this episode, James sits down with Nigel Preston from Singletrack Events for a rare behind-the-scenes look at what it actually takes to build, grow, and deliver some of Australia's biggest trail running events.Nigel shares his journey from growing up in Bendigo's cross-country scene, to working in events and sponsorship, before helping launch Singletrack Events out of the chaos of COVID. From the early days of taking over Buffalo Stampede and Roller Coaster, through to the growth of GPT100, Hounslow, Running Wild, Wonderland and the World Trail Majors, this conversation pulls back the curtain on the business, logistics, risk, and passion behind modern trail events.James and Nigel also dive into some of the bigger questions facing the sport: whether the Australian trail calendar is becoming saturated, how we bring more young runners into trail running, why shorter distances matter, what role prize money should play, and how events can better support both elite athletes and the back of the pack.They also cover the importance of volunteers, the Singletrack Trail Team, live streaming, national championships, international athletes, and why creating a great event experience is about far more than just putting flags in the ground.A big conversation on race directing, community, growth, and the future of trail running in Australia.***Don't forget, use code PEAK at Bix's website for 20% off Bix products, exclusive to PPP listeners!***Thanks for tuning in to Peak Pursuits! Connect with us on Instagram @peakpursuits.pod to share your thoughts, questions, and trail stories. Until next time, keep hitting the trails and chasing those peak pursuits!Follow James: Instagram | Strava | WebsiteFollow Nigel: Instagram | StravaFollow Singletrack: Instagram | WebsiteMusic from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):https://uppbeat.io/t/mood-maze/trendsetterLicense code: K08PMQ3RATCE215R

Part two of Kiera's conversation with Howard Farran on the Dentaltown podcast. As a business owner, the greatest gift you can give yourself is to get systems in place so you are not dependent on core people. This second part of Kiera's conversation with Howard is about determining your weaknesses as a practice, building systems to fix those weaknesses, and letting your practice hum regardless of who's sitting in the seats. Episode resources: Subscribe to The Dental A-Team podcast Schedule a Practice Assessment Leave us a review Transcript: The Dental A Team (00:02) Hello, Dental A Team listeners. This is Kiera and quick heads up, today's episode is a special repost from a podcast I joined as a guest. It is a great conversation for practice owners who want to progress without carrying everything. I cannot wait for you to hear it. Let's dive right in.   speaker-0 (00:16) And you know, I was doing a million dollars in the eighties, a million dollar practice, and I went to two and and I I thought I actually think I had a higher treatment plan acceptance rate than my buddies on just measuring the same day. My clothes is always like, you don't want to come back. I mean, we could you know, I'm when I'm doing the hygiene check, I'm gonna say, I'm gonna leave. The hygienist gonna Denise Missy, they'll numb me up.   speaker-1 (00:21) They're like eight million now there, Howard.   speaker-0 (00:44) And and then and then move her to room eight and we'll we'll we'll knock this out in 30 minutes because you don't want to drive all way from work and then kid and school. You just pulled your kid out of school, now you want to do it twice. It I just always s insisted on just the same day because if we do this because from my perspective, if we do this filling a day, it's two fifty. If you walk out that door, half of you never come back until it hurts, and then it's a twenty five hundred dollar root connected crown.   speaker-1 (00:50) Amen.   speaker-0 (01:12) It's only one tenth the price to do the filling. I got a room. The hygienist can numb you up. And then I always hit the hygienist on the show and said, You should have numbed her up before I got here and I could be doing it right now. And she laughed and she said, but that's illegal. I said, I'm not a lawyer. I'm a dentist. Let's get this done. But just by really leaning on same day. And I really think that was a huge part of our success.   speaker-1 (01:37) Well, and Howard, I think what you said is like going back to the COVID crank, I think so many business businesses right now have lost that like customer service and let's make it easy. Like, as you said, one of our core values in Dental A Team is ease. And I'm always like, How can you make it easy for everybody? Because that's what people want. Like you said, like no one wants to take time off for the dentist. I'm switching dentists right now and they're like, So you're gonna come in for a hour appointment and then we'll bring you back in like three months for your hygienist. And I told my assistant, I was like, just call them back. I was like, tell them no, no, no, like   Make it easy. I don't want to come back. And so I think when offices take on the mentality, I have grown practices 10, 20, $30,000 a month just by same day treatment. Like just get it done. Let's train our team. Like, let's be quick. Let's have that quick turnaround time. Now, of course, doctors, you've got to be like Howard can get that done and he can rock it out and he's great. If you're a dentist that is not quite that quick, like we do not want to scale back all your patients. So maybe you do like add, add on an extra filling that's already in the quad that you're getting numb.   Like, where can we do it? Can we add that fluoride in today? Can we add in this thing? Can we take the scan today? Because you're right, no patient wants to take time off of work to come to the dentist. So like let's just rock it out, make them a raving fan because we went above and beyond to make them happy.   speaker-0 (02:49) And and and it also is a good variance counterbalance to no shows and cancellations. You know, she said yes, and then your next patient didn't show up as opposed to reschedule this one a week from now and then then this doesn't show up. But hey, I want to ask you, I'm gonna hold your feet to the fire on this. True. Would you rather build a dental office on rock star employees or rock star systems?   speaker-1 (03:16) ⁓ this one is I think the this it's ⁓ it's interesting because I think that there's space for both. However, Rockstar employees can walk out that door and then you are left. And I say that this to me is where as a business owner, you're shackled and you're always going to feel scared. You're gonna feel scared to hold accountability, you're gonna feel scared to ask people to do their job because you're so afraid of them leaving. Whereas if you have systems, I'm not here to say be a jerk, like that's not what we're here for, but it becomes so much easier to just   plug and play. And then also for team members, they tend to stay longer because they understand they've got clear systems. And people get really weird on systems, Howard. And I think they feel like systems are so hard. And it's like, I'd rather just bring someone in who knows what they're doing. And I'm like, but make that repeatable. So if they're out and I make my rock stars go on vacation for a week. I'm like, absolutely. And people are like, no, no, no. I don't want them to leave. And I'm like, you need them to leave because you need to see where it breaks down and you need to build systems. But I will say as a business owner, the greatest gift you can give yourself   is to get systems in place where you are not dependent on those core people. Like I want great team members that love my patience and do what they have, but I want it to be a repeatable process that every time, no matter if I've got Susie, Sarah, Jenny, Mike, John, anybody, we're giving the exact same experience. Like I look at Chick-fil-A and it's the same amazing experience. Every time I walk in there, they say the same thing and none of us are annoyed by that. And teams are super happy and thriving. I interviewed a guy who's a big wig in Chick-fil-A and I was   Fascinated by the culture. I was like, tell me more about this. And he's like, we have systems. We have buddy systems. We have it built on systems. That is the core to great success. And it's the core to like less stress in your business. Like obsessively, I am so obsessed about simple systems. I've been called the Dr. Seuss of systems. Make it so simple that anyone can do it. And then hire amazing talent that treats your patients with the great culture that you want.   speaker-0 (05:08) Yeah, and if the systems are so good, they don't even have to have dental experience. I mean, I the best receptionist I had was the the teller at Chase Bank next to me and I absolutely said her, I said, You are so dang good. You're always happy, always you remember my name. I said, What do I have to do to get you to work for me? And she she told me and she's been here for you know, over a decade. just the same things.   speaker-1 (05:36) Howard, I want to highlight, I hope dentists listen to you. ⁓ there are not a lot of dentists that are scrap like you. And that's something I love about you. And this is just like a little, it's not intentional, like boost your ego, but like please take it. Like it's a good boost. You are so scrap, right? It's like, let's just get that done. Like again, like let's do same-day treatment. My best employee in the company was my next door neighbor. I knocked on her door. She like took care of my plants when I traveled. She's like, those things are gonna die. I was like, the fact that someone as a neighbor just watered my plants to be nice to me.   She's been amazing. She's been with me five years, best incredible EA I've ever had. You ask the bank teller. We look for great talent. You build on systems. And I just hope the dentists realize like, just saying yes and GSDing, like, let's just get it done. That is something that I think so many people have like lost that art. And truly, that's what impresses me with your podcast, with who you are. And I just hope that people here, you don't have to go for perfect. You don't have to find this perfect person. You just gotta be scrappy and gritty.   And your practice will grow and you'll have great team members with you. Like it's not actually hard. And I think we make it hard, but just hearing your examples, I hope people listen as a dentist, this is what makes successful dentists in dental offices and great team culture as well. That is the core vote values that he's got. And it is why he's so successful. And I hope dentists can learn from that.   speaker-0 (06:53) Well, thank you. And I got did I ever tell you a story about the third hygienist they hired? I I already had my two full time hygienists, everything was great. And ⁓ this ⁓ young girl walked in, just graduated straight out of hygiene school, and I could hear someone giggling up front and they said I was busy, you know, she wanted to talk to me and then she just took it upon herself just to just to walk through the office and I I er and anyway, long story short, I finally got done. I broke, I met her.   speaker-1 (06:57) Tell me, I'm ready.   speaker-0 (07:20) And had no opening for hygiene, and she was so into the office, and she's asking all the right. I can just feel her energy, she's like sucking out my soul. And I and the first thought I said is she's from Alwatukee, she lives in Alwatuki. Do you want to compete against this girl for the next 40 years? Or you know you want her on your team, you don't have room for her on their team, but she ain't gonna end up across the street. I hired her and told everybody we'll just have to figure it out because this is a rock star personality.   I mean, you know, she just walking through like she owned the place and probably probably one of the top two or three, her and Jan, probably the best employees I ever had. I mean, unbelievable. ⁓ how do you get the dentist to stop being the limit to his own growth? I mean, it's it seems like I don't know about dental school curriculums, and it seems like shooting yourself in the foot has got to be the first and the last course they teach you there. How do you get the dentist to quit being the ceiling to their own practice?   speaker-1 (08:21) Think it's a I actually want to just like shout out a lot of the dentists. I feel that the new generation of dentists coming through actually are very prone and open to understanding business and recognizing there's so many books out there that talk about like CEOs and owners of businesses are the bottleneck to their success. And so I just want to say, like, I think a lot are starting to recognize that, but I think that there's still a lot that don't. And I I usually help people say, like,   When the pain is bad enough is usually when people change. Or you can recognize that you need to get yourself out of the weeds. You need to become the CEO of your business. You need to be working at the highest level of your ⁓ license. And everybody in your practice needs to be doing the same. And if you're not, like I do a delegation exercise. I just did it with our doctors on Tuesday. I was like, write down everything that you're working on right now, everything on your to-do list, everything there. And then I want you to go back through it and I want you to literally look at that and like only things that you can do. And like, please don't like   Boost your ego, but what are the things that only you could do? And I had a group of 50 doctors the other night and they were like, really, it's like vision, culture, and profitability. Like everything else can be someone else can do. And so when doctors recognize like that is your sweet spot and no one else is doing that, you need to have other people in there. Like you're welcome to hold it all yourself. But there's also another path where you can elevate people around you. You do great dentistry and you own the visionary and the CEO seat. Be obsessive in there.   But I think so many of them want to just do everything. I'm like, that's great, but you're gonna run right into burnout really quickly. So it's a helping them realize, go look at your to-do list. Honestly, of that, who can you delegate this to? Who can do it better than you? And who's gonna be somebody that's gonna light up and be excited about it and get yourself continually moving towards that CEO seat? I think so many dentists don't realize that they are a CEO of a multi-million dollar business. And I think, like, look at Jeff Bezos, look at some of these really prominent people.   That are great CEOs. What are they doing all day long? They are not answering emails. They're not responding to these things. Like they're not doing any of that. They've got teams around them that are incredible at that. How can you get yourself closer to that? Because that is where the practice flourishes. But if you're sitting there doing every single thing, you're stopping it constantly. It's truly a bottleneck. ⁓ and I think that's when people are ready for it, when people actually recognize that, there's there's two types of dentists. There's the one who calls when they're absolutely burnout, exhausted, and they can't see like past like one foot in front of them.   There's the other dentist that realizes I don't want to be that. I've seen too many dentists like that. And I want you to coach me into how to become like not there. And I say, like, life's so much easier. I have a dentist hired us two months before he started his practice. As a brand new practice owner, this year he should be clearing 2.5 million. And I'm like, why? Because he recognized, get out of the way, have these other people do it, train my team. I'm going to bottleneck this. I don't want to be burnt out. I want to be present for my kids.   Teach me how to be the CEO of my practice and empower my team. And so I'm like, again, it's choose your hard. Which path do you want to live? It's all in Wonderland. There's both, there's paths. It's just what path do you want to go on? And also what mentors and what people be the CEO of your practice. Do not be the operator that's doing it all.   speaker-0 (11:35) You know, I always call a great idea is I always call them a giraffe. I'll never forget when I took my kids ⁓ to a ⁓ Serengeti and the guide was so funny, he would he would all of a sudden he'd stop. Well he stopped for a reason. He's giving us a guide and and it was one of these long tour to trucks where you'd stand up in the middle and you look out, and after about five minutes, we just said, What? What? And he's like, It's right in front of you and we're just like, Well, we're looking all around, my boy, everybody's gonna find it.   And he says, Are you kidding me? Look at that tree. Look at to the left of that tree. And it was a giraffe standing right next to the tree. Totally camouflage. And that that's what I mean when I say, you know, they can't see the giraffe. And here's a missing giraffe for 40 years. Remember the great Jennifer D. St. George? She's still out there. I love her to death. And she had this lecture on schedule. It's called Rocks, Sand and Water. She goes, You gotta schedule your rocks first. Do all your rocks. And then she'd fill up a glass with rocks.   And then she say, Then you can do your sand. And she'd pour like a half glass of sand on top of the rocks and you still didn't have a full. And then she'd say, and then the water, then she'd take like a full bottle water and pour it in the sand and and it was still full. And I already know when you talked about block scheduling, I already know that at least fifty to a hundred and fifty percent of the dentists said, ⁓ I don't care if I do a root canal in the morning or night. I they they don't understand block scheduling.   They don't understand rock, standing water. They haven't for 40 years. Jennifer lectured for 40 years and and I still don't think anybody saw the giraffe. Can you just slow down and talk about you just made the example about how all you did was change the scheduling and you got the it up. So show that giraffe. What what does that giraffe look like?   speaker-1 (13:23) Well, thank you, Howard, because I do love giraffes. I do have freckles and have I've definitely been like and have a very long neck and I'm very tall. So I do love giraffes in and of itself. So thank you. Like let's just talk about it. ⁓ but I I agree. It's so I don't know. I think as a team member, you just get obsessed with making puzzles. And like for me, I'm like, how can I maximize and squeeze more juice out of your lemon tree? Like, let's just do it. It's gonna be a great time. ⁓ and so what I love to do is.   Like, let's just go through and build you a perfect day. And I love to build my rocks. And I used to do like high production. And then I learned it was even more fun if I put a dollar amount on those high production blocks. Because as a team member, like, hi, Kiera, I'm Kiera. I sit up front. I am now looking for puzzle pieces that are coming through my puzzle. And instead of just filling your day with a bunch of water, aka no production, I'm actually able to like fill you full.   Make sure I've got you up to production and then I move on to my next day. And then as I have my little water that comes through, I just fill in the gaps. And you, doctor, are so happy. And I did this with an office and the doctor was like used to making five, seven thousand dollars a day max. We got him to a twelve thousand dollar day and he walked out the door at four o'clock. And normally he was there till 536. And he's like, Here, how'd you do it? And I was like, Because we actually put in blocks, we actually scheduled it of what's the most efficient way to use your time.   And it's playing seduco in a schedule is how you really do it. It's like perfect. Where is the doctor? And then where does doctor need to be for hygiene exams? What does my hygienist need to be producing? How much period do I have? How many new patients do I have? Let's block those so I can get those people in on our schedule. Make sure my hygienists are up to goal every single day. So, like, what are they supposed to be producing? Usually three times their pay is typical. And then on the doctor side, doctors, what do we want to be producing for the year? What do we need to be producing per day? Let's build in those dollar amounts.   That is going to make you feel so easy to get through to get to exams where you're not running behind. And now let's figure this out. And when we go through, and I look to see how much procedures cost, how much like on average, how many new patients we need, how many SRPs we need, how many perio maintenance we need. And then you take those pieces, those are your rocks, and I'm gonna go build a schedule to where it actually flows really, really well. And then from there, I'm gonna duplicate that over every single week.   And what's crazy about it is when you do this, people realize they're gonna be walking out with $10 to $12,000 days, getting out on time. We're doing the easy stuff in the afternoon, the harder stuff in the morning or whatever you like to work. I don't care. And when people see how much they can produce with minimal effort, no extra patience and no extra time, like usually that's how it builds. You're able to, like you said, see the draft, but it's crazy because you're a happier dentist, you're not running behind all day long, and you're actually profitable. We hold those blocks, I usually say for 24 hours as team members.   And me as a treatment coordinator, I am scanning my canvas, I'm scanning my own scheduled treatment to find something of that dollar amount or that rock to fill in my blocks. And I'm not gonna put multiples in there. We're gonna make sure if you only have one root canal system, we're not putting two next to each other. If you have one implant system, I'm not doing two back to back. Like you just have it to where the day flows and 85% of your days will be great. And the other like, you know, 15% are like, shoot, we couldn't get anybody in it. We just fill it with whatever we can, get you up to that, put emergencies in there.   But that's how you do it. And it's so, it's so satisfying. I've got an office that they lost two doctors. So I've only got two doctors. We are producing as much as they were on four doctors with better blocks, better scheduling. And it's just incredible to see how much more efficient you can be with your time without more patience, more effort. And it's very, very fun and fulfilling. And when people follow it, they're shocked at how much their practice grows without any, like hardly any extra effort.   speaker-0 (17:07) Tell me, tell me this. Why do my DSO buddies, who have hundreds of office locations, tell me that that when someone calls their office, they can convert 70 to 80% of the people on the phone to getting their butt physically measured in the chair? And that in private practice, it routinely shows up at about 42%. How can Heartland   close seventy to eighty percent of the callers as measured by you called on the phone and now your butt is sitting in a chair in private practice forty two percent. What do you think explains that the most?   speaker-1 (17:44) I think Howard, it's they're obsessive about numbers. I have an office that works for Aspen and I've just watched like they are obsessive about KPIs and tracking and measuring. And I feel like in private practice, we don't track and measure nearly as much as they do. Like they've got metrics, they've got numbers, they're looking at it. And so what they do in Heartland and corporate, they're smart businesses. They look to see where is our leaky hole and how are we going to fix it. So I know what they're doing is they're watching their call conversions.   They're talking to their offices and they're setting this of like your goal is 75%. And this is the training and the verbiage. And we're going to track this and we're going to measure it because what we track and measure improves. And I like tell me a private practice out there that's like, we know our call percentage rate. None of them could probably tell us, but you ask a DSO and you better believe they're going to know all their metrics. And that's where I love like so many offices are obsessed about systems and what system do I put into place and how do I grow my practice? And I'm like,   Number one, let's figure out where you want to go and what's your vision. I call that why. And then E is earnings and profitability. Like based on those two things, based on where you want to go and what the profitability and our our numbers are, then you determine the systems. And then we look at those metrics of the profitability and our KPIs and the metrics, and you put systems into place for that. So these DSOs are so good at tracking and measuring. And like I've got a practice doing 29 million. And what we do is we have a scorecard. They know.   We just hit the most important things that are going to drive the needle forward and we watch those numbers like a hawk and that's all we coach and focus on. You coach and focus on those items, your practice will grow. But I promise you it's because they're tracking, measuring, and training to that and having metrics of what they need to hit. They're not better than us. They're just better at measuring and then improving those numbers.   speaker-0 (19:24) Well, they they say that just by weighing yourself at the same time every day will start bringing your weight down just because you're focusing on it. Totally. And things like that. ⁓ I want you to do the same thing to treatment plan. Why do you think most patients are saying no? And what's the draft that one of my homies could listen to right now that could help him increase his treatment plan acceptance rate?   speaker-1 (19:46) I think the no is just surface level. And what you gotta hear is what they're not saying. And I also would say a lot of people, they're like, it's about money. And I'm like, again, you're looking for reasons and you're gonna continue to find that. So for me, my mantra, and this is a great thing for the homies out there, my mantra is everybody says yes to me and everybody loves me. Like, no joke, I say that every time I'm going into a treatment plan. Why am I sitting here thinking about my gosh, they can't afford it or they can't do this? You're creating more of that.   Rather than going in with a confidence, they're buying your confidence. Like hands down, I can I can close a fifty thousand dollar case same day. Let's swipe a credit card, like let's buy a boat. But it's confidence. And I'm walking in there of like, we're doing this, we're doing it now. My job is just to figure out how you're paying for it. And so when we look at that case acceptance, I've coached an office and we've added, I've got five locations. All I do is train their treatment coordinators. I just rep them. We are constantly going through reps. We add   One to two million annually amongst those five offices just by focusing on it. And I'm like, it's 80% psychology. What are you thinking about? You walk in there, everybody loves me, everybody says yes to me, and let's make this happen. And I do it in a way where I love them. I give them like a warm virtual hug, like I'm not actually hugging. I want them to feel so comfortable, so confident. But then I also say, like, watch out. How are you using words? Words are free, Howard. Like, I'm not going to lead with, do you want to get this done? No, I'm going to assume they want to get this done.   Hey Howard, let's get that treatment done. So I'm gonna schedule you. Doctor is really busy. So I'm gonna do Monday or Wednesday, which works best for you. ⁓ Kiera, I want to talk about fees. Howard, absolutely, I'm gonna talk about fees. Let's just make sure we get this time locked in. I've got Monday or Wednesday, which do you prefer? We schedule you on Wednesday. You're already halfway there for me. I've got you scheduled. Perfect. So treatment's gonna be this amount. This is what the total will be. This is what our insurance estimates are, this is what our total will be when I see you on Wednesday. What questions do you have for me? Howard then asked me. I'm not gonna say I'm like, so do you want to talk about money? Do you want to get scheduled?   Like, why? Why am I bringing this up? Like, let them come up with it. Give them the time. Have the things. Don't bombard them, but be so confident. If I've got a great dentist that I know has great dentistry, they diagnose my job is to close and let's have that type of attitude. Walk in their doctors, don't be like, I don't know if they want to do this. Like, what if they can't afford? No, be the freaking clinician that's like amazing and like they all love you. They say yes to you. Diagnose them. Stop scrimping on them. Like morally, that is your job is to tell me what's going on.   Your job is to diagnose for me and then I get to make the decision from there. But truly it's eighty percent psychology. What are you thinking about? What's your mantra? And then twenty percent is skill, but get that confidence because they're buying your confidence, they're not buying dentistry.   speaker-0 (22:18) Then I want you to pontificate on ⁓ this. ⁓ I watch this in my own eyes. ⁓ every American I know that's as old as me, ⁓ or by the time they die, has bought one new car in their lifetime. Am I right? You know any do you know anybody that lived to be 80 that never bought a new car? Yeah, yeah. And right now the average new car is 50,000.   speaker-1 (22:41) They all do it.   speaker-0 (22:45) And I would say ninety-five percent of all the dentists go to retirement and they never sold one case for the price of a new car, which would be fifty thousand dollars a day. And then I watched Clear Choice, my favorite DSO, because they rolled out a hundred locations, and the only thing they sell is fifty thousand dollar two arcs all on fours, twenty-five thousand dollars an arch. They rolled into Phoenix and all the world surgeons and paradox, like, I don't know, I don't know if I like this.   And they start doing all these infomercials. Remember, remember, orthodontists have always been ahead of general dentists in advertising. All the orthodontists were advertising before 10% of the flipping general dentists were. And when the general dentists finally got to like two or three percent, the orthodontists were at five. And now all my two million dollar dental orthodontist offices on up are spending eight percent on marketing. Here's clear choice.   You go through the channels, they got all these 30 minute infomercials and and all this stuff like that. No, I never I never had heard of an all on four until I heard it on a clear choice deal. And then all my paces were coming in saying, Do you do all on four? I'm like, what are you even talking about? Then then they tell me, and then because I I would have called it a you know, four implant. You know, I didn't think of four, say whatever. And and then the next thing you knew.   Every oral surgeon and peridonist in the valley of Arizona was doing more cases because they were selling it to so many people that our pace that we were benefiting from it. So I just want to hold your feet to fire. How come ClearChoice with a hundred locations? Don't tell me it's demographics. They're in the hundred biggest cities in America. And and in each one of those cities, 95% of the dentists will retire without selling a single $50,000 case. And ClearChoice is doing it in their backyard.   Every single day of the week. Explain that to me.   speaker-1 (24:42) gosh. I I don't disagree with you. And I think there's I I ⁓ to me it's kind of like the four minute mile, right? Like so many people did not think that they could do it. And then once the four minute mile broke, it was like, my gosh, now all these people can do it. I still cannot run a four minute mile mark. Like I'm still working on that, Howard. So I get it. There's like limitations still. But I think a lot of dentists I watch, a lot of them get weird. Like they get uncomfortable. They feel like, well, do they really need it? Should I really offer this? Like   They get into this weird space in their head rather than just like, why don't I just offer it? Like I have a dentist who literally presents $250,000 treatment plans consistently. And they do all like full cosmetic. I have another doctor. It's 75 per arch, 75k per arch, and they're closing them consistently. And I think there's a space of like, why are we not doing this? And like you said, clear choice is doing it in their backyard. I think there's a   My background's marriage and family therapy as well. So I studied that when I was in college. And so I love the psychology of it. And I think so many people are truly afraid of rejection. And so they're like, I'm just not going to offer it. And they like justify it in their brain of why, like, I don't need to do that. Like other people can do that. Like, I want to make sure I'm taking care of my patients. And they live in this world that's their own reality. And I think that we all create our own reality. And clear choice is like, no, there are patients out there that do this. My client that does 250,000 consistently.   My other client who does 150,000 consistently, that's just their level of comfort, right? And so, how can dentists get to a higher level of comfort? I think one, be confident in your clinical skills. If you know you're the best dentist out there and you can do this, like for me, I feel like that's my moral obligation to make sure that patients are getting the best dentistry because they don't know if Howard or John or Sarah or Tom is a better dentist than you. So if you aren't confident that you are a dang good dentist,   Your job is to make sure that those patients know that. The second thing is get more confident presenting larger cases. and I tell all the offices I coach on these large cases, like please drop the mindset of a large case. I think we psych ourselves out by being like, ⁓ it's like a $30,000. Like, no, it's just a case. There's no big, there's no small. It's just a case. And I'm going to present what this patient needs and I'm going to present it to them. And I'm going to believe that they want this and I'm doing the best thing. And then we get to decide from there. And our job is to make this to where it's easy. We follow up.   There are so many people that want to do this, but I think people hold themselves back and they live in lies that they choose to tell themselves, but they believe are truth. But they're only the truth to you because there's other people doing it just like the four-minute mile, and you can too. So I think it's a matter of why not? And so when dentists are nervous about this, the way I usually am able to break it is like going from a $5,000 treatment plan to a $50,000 treatment might feel a little scary.   And so I'm like, perfect. Let's just diagnose one more thing or let's present one treatment that we normally wouldn't. And let's start to like build that confidence for you. And whether they choose to say yes or no, you just got to work on your presenting, like presenting skills. It's not like they're not saying yes or no to you. It's just how are we presenting it? How are we using the words? Are we assuming the yes? Are we assuming that they want to do it? There's so many ways that you can present treatment better. Like it's an art, it's not a skill. But I think people choose like Howard, they   They just want to live in this world and they believe that that's the world. And so I'm like, until you choose to get uncomfortable, it's like we've got a little thermometer in our world and in our world. Like if I say that I am comfortable at 75 degrees, if the temperature goes up to 78, I'm like, this is out of control. Get it back to 75. If it drops down to 70, I'm like, it feels uncomfortable. So how can we take it to where I can get comfortable getting out of my 75 degrees and move me to the next level of whatever that is, to where that becomes my new norm. And then I move myself up to the new norm.   There are people doing 35, 75, 150,000. And I don't say that for you to like belittle yourself, but to see that's possible. Other people are doing it. Believe in yourself. If you're the best dentist, be confident in that. And then truly, please, for the love of everything, I am a patient. No hygienist offers me fluoride Howard. No dentist offers me emphasizaline. I would say yes to both of you, but you are selfish. And I'm saying this with like love and respect. You are selfish by not giving me the chance to say yes or no to you.   And I would say give more people the opportunity to say yes to you, offer it, get better at it, check to see why they're saying no to you, refine that and keep offering. I love my offices that set it a 35% case acceptance because I know that they're presenting 50, 2000, like they're sending 10,000, 15,000, $50,000 cases consistently because they know that the more things that they say yes to with great dentistry and great confidence, the more people will say yes to them. But like get out of your own way.   nudge it up a little bit more, get uncomfortable, but truly do great dentistry, offer to patients and stop like holding back and assuming that they don't want to do it because more patients want to than you believe that they do.   speaker-0 (29:37) And you know, a lot of dentists don't like the blood and guts. They don't want to place implants. They don't want to play certain modes. I get it. But you know what? I know a handful of dentists, at ⁓ five at least. I think the sixth one might have retired, but one of the reasons they're probably so big, they didn't they didn't like blood and guts either. But they would always tell ladies, they go, Well, I'll tell you what, before you go back to your twenty fifth wedding ⁓ school high school anniversary or or whatever, I mean tell you what, you always remember   For 50 grand, the price of a new car, what we do here is we take everything out, every filling and crown comes out, we put it all back in in the most beautiful portion. You'll leave with a Hollywood movie star smile. I know it's a lot of money, it's 50 grand, but you gotta think about that. And he and they both tell me they say, Well, you know, if you say that 10 times a month, yes, someone always always says it. And they go, Really? I'd have a movie star smile, and I'd say,   Absolut flipping Lutley, man. We take all that old crap out and veneers, inlays, onlays. I mean, when you're done, you'll look like a movie star. And and and I got a a a couple that is in not so rich areas of town like Tempe and Chandler Mesa. And they say that they have to say that about 10 times ⁓ to get one or two to do it. And in North Scottsdale Paradise Valley, ⁓ boulder area, ⁓ they they they say it's about a one in three close rate. If they just say it right like,   Be because when when someone gets a new car, what do they do? They drive around, they show it to everybody, you know, they just they they just love it. So I we're over an hour and we try to keep it under hour. So I wanna ask you one question. But first you said your background's a marriage advice and I just wanna tell you the best marriage advice you can have. Just like you're saying, it's all in your attitude. You don't you know, you start every day. When you wake up, the first thing you do is you tell your wife, I love you. Not you again. And ⁓   speaker-1 (31:35) I agree.   speaker-0 (31:35) If you if if you just drop the U again and it's so last question. What are ⁓ the one or two KPIs that ⁓ you think every dentist should be reviewing every single week? And what should they stop tracking? That's my final question.   speaker-1 (31:49) Hmm, this is a great one. ⁓ KPIs for dentists to be tracking specifically. ⁓ I really feel like the things that are gonna move you forward on a weekly basis are we've talked a lot about them. Your case acceptance is gonna drive you fast, like forward the best. Like track that, look at that, review it, get really good with that. And then I also really like to look at my hygiene. How is my hygiene doing? What's my what are they producing?   And then if you wanna add a third, like look at your schedule maximization and optimization. Like those are gonna be like really big, like heavy hitters for you constantly. And then I'm gonna throw in one on a monthly basis because I'm really big on I prefer weekly, but I get most aren't obsessive with me. I call it like my mind and my money. So every morning I meditate and I look at my money. So that's like my mantra of how I do it. But if you wanna do it at least monthly, you've gotta be looking at your overhead and your PNL and like what you're producing, what you're collecting, and what you're spending. ⁓   Just if you look at it alone, you're gonna get better. So it's like weighing ourselves. Now things for them to stop tracking. Gosh, there's like to me, I actually feel like really I don't want to say everything, like keep tracking, but I actually think people over track on a lot of things that don't move the needle forward. Like we want to track on, I don't know, I just see people like, well, we're gonna track on this and this and this. And like it's just like it feels like it's such a smorgasborg of items. But I'm like, what really is gonna move your practice forward?   Production collections, new patients, case acceptance, our scheduling optimization or overhead. Like those things and like sure you can look at like dollar amount per patient if you want, like so our marketing ROI. But like that's like really the core. And the more you can simplify it down, the easier it is for you. Cause like you can get lost in data, like buried in it, and actually not be able to execute on what really is gonna move you forward. And I'm like, I've got offices and I'm just a broken record. I say profit and production, profit and production, and that ties to collections. If you focus on that, your practice will grow.   So those would be the things that I'd end with.   speaker-0 (33:42) Garrett, you are a gift to dentistry. Thank you so much for all that you do for dentistry and thank you so much for coming back on the show. You gotta promise you'll come back again before the dirt nap. Gonna come back on again.   speaker-1 (33:52) I will.   I will. Don't take a dirt nap anytime soon, Howard. The world needs you and I'm grateful to be a part of it. So thank you.   speaker-0 (34:00) ⁓ thanks for all you do. It was an honor to podcast you.   speaker-1 (34:03) Likewise, thank you so much.   The Dental A Team (34:05) And that wraps up today's guest interview. If you liked this style of episode, let us know and we'll be sure to share more of them. For more resources, events, next steps, head on over to TheDentalATeam.com. And as always, thanks for listening. We'll catch you next time on the Dental A Team podcast.  

Deep in the Mojave Desert, a defunct gas station has become a roadside altar of shoes, each pair carrying stories and secrets that transform a place for transients into a monument for return pilgrimages. Standing among the relics and artifacts of lives past, Blake considers eulogies, elegies, and effigies — and what it means to be remembered by strangers. Note: Episodes 1–4 of Season 4 form “Fading Transmissions from a Republic of Ruins,” a four-part series embedded within the season.

Deep in the Mojave Desert, a defunct gas station has become a roadside altar of shoes, each pair carrying stories and secrets that transform a place for transients into a monument for return pilgrimages. Standing among the relics and artifacts of lives past, Blake considers eulogies, elegies, and effigies — and what it means to be remembered by strangers. Note: Episodes 1–4 of Season 4 form “Fading Transmissions from a Republic of Ruins,” a four-part series embedded within the season.

Unwind, let go of the day's stress, and drift into a deep, peaceful sleep with Chapter 9 of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, titled The Mock Turtle's Story. Beautifully narrated by clinical hypnotherapist Martin Hewlett for the "Books at Bedtime" series, this episode follows Alice as she leaves the chaotic croquet grounds behind to meet the melancholic Mock Turtle and the eccentric Griffin. Listen as they recount their bizarre, whimsical school days at the bottom of the sea, highlighting playful sea-puns like "reeling and riding," "distraction," and lessons that "lesson" from day to day.Deliberately read with a slow, hypnotic cadence, this comforting narration acts as a natural sleep aid to quiet your racing mind, slow your breathing, and settle your nervous system for the night. This series offers a special preview of the premium bedtime audiobooks and immersive sleep tools engineered for the upcoming Anchored mobile application. Settle beneath the covers, close your eyes, and let this whimsical underwater tale carry you effortlessly into a restorative slumber.

In this week's Midweek Mini, we cover several important developments in the points and miles world, including American Airlines' quiet change to partner award bookings, Alaska Airlines' increased partner booking fees, and what these updates mean for travelers. We also discuss the Bilt Palladium card, strategies for maximizing transfer bonuses and monthly credits, recent news involving Qantas and American Express Membership Rewards, and why we're keeping a close eye on Rove Miles. Plus, we share tips for budgeting with gift cards, stacking grocery rewards, and using tools like Instacart to stretch your spending even further.Mentioned in this Episode:Comfrt.com 15% OFFBilt Credit Card ReferralsChase Ink Referral -Mary EllenChase Ink Referral -JoFind Us On Online:Girl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Summer Road Trip Submissions ARE BACK!Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Relief Band - Use code WONDERLAND for 20% off!Seats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

Slide into a peaceful, restorative sleep with Chapter 8 of Alice's Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll, narrated by clinical hypnotherapist Martin Hewlett for the "Books at Bedtime" series. In this classic tale, Alice finds herself stepping into the vibrant, chaotic world of the Queen's Croquet Ground, meeting the infamous Court cards, and navigating a bizarre game played with live hedgehogs and flamingos.Specifically designed to quiet your analytical thoughts, this soothing reading uses a gentle, rhythmic vocal cadence to help you disconnect from the stress of the day and transition effortlessly into a deep, natural slumber. This series serves as a preview of the unique bedtime audiobooks and premium sleep aids available inside the upcoming Anchored mobile app. Turn off the lights, settle into your pillows, and let your mind drift away into wonderland.

Brittany & Mike have a conversation with Queens Iconica, Toxicc, and Muñeca of Tee Time Drag Show presented by Can Can Wonderland. They talk about their show which is centered around joy and inclusivity as well as the creative process they go through when putting together their different drag shows, and what Pride means to them. In addition to mini golf and arcade games, Can Can Wonderland offers a full calendar of fun entertainment. Pride Speaks is a series of conversations on myTalk 107.1 during June to celebrate Pride!See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Gracie Abrams has a hard time writing when she's happy, we have a fabulous bunch from Can Can Wonderland in the studio for Pride Speaks 2026! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Al & Val strap on their glass Doc Martins and go down the rabbit hole for this time travel-y installment of the Descendents-verse.Also, don't miss us IN PERSON with Stu Krieger at iO Theater on June 17th, 2026. Get your Tickets Descendents: Rise of Red (July 12, 2024) IMDB WikipediaDirected by Jennifer Phang (tv credits - Rise of Red TV show)Written by Josann McGibbon & Sara Parriott (Runaway Bride, Descendents 1-5) & Dan Frey (Rise of Red TV show)Starring: Kylie Cantrall as Red (Gabby Duran & The Unsittables, music videos, HSMTMTS, Rise of Red show)Malia Baker as Chloe Charming (Babysitters Club, Rise of Red show)China Anne McClain as Uma (A.N.T. Farm, How to Build a Better Boy, Descendants-verse, Black Lightening, House of Payne)Dara Reneé as Uliana (Freaky Friday, HSMTMTS, Rise of Red show)Rita Ora as the Queen of Hearts of Wonderland (music videos, Fifty Shades of Grey, Southpaw, Kung Fu Panda: The Dragon Knight, Rise of Red show) Ruby Rose Turner as Bridget, the young Queen of Hearts (Coop and Cami Ask the World, Eden, Rise of Red show)Brandy as Cinderella (music videos, Cinderella, Moesha, The Game, Star, Rise of Red show, The Front Room, I Know What You Did Last Summer)Morgan Dudley as Ella, the young Cinderella (The Prom, Rise of Red show)Joshua Colley as the young Hook (Peter Rabbit, Dead Boy Detectives, Rise of Red show, Moonburn)Peder Lindell as Morgie (Rise of Red show, Hidden Falls)Paolo Montalban as King Charming (Cinderella, Mortal Combat: Conquest, Rise of Red show)Tristan Padil as young Prince Charming (Rise of Red show)Melanie Paxson as Fairy Godmother (Happy Family, Notes from the Underbelly, Saving Mr. Banks, Descendants 1-5)Grace Narducci as Fay, the young Fairy Godmother (character actor - Rise of Red show)Levin Valayil as Aladdin (Rise of Red show)Kabir Bery as young Aladdin (Rise of Red show)Shazia Pascal as Jasmine (music videos, Rise of Red show, Get Him Back for Christmas)Aiza Azaar as young Jasmine (Rise of Red show)Jeremy Swift as Merlin (The Smoking Room, Downton Abbey, Ted Lasso, Rise of Red show)Leonardo Nam as Maddox Hatter (Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants, FATF: Tokyo Drift, Westworld, Maggie, Rise of Red show)Mars as young Maleficent (Rise of Red show)Anthony Pyatt as young Hades (Rise of Red show)Julee Cerda as Evil Stepmother (character actor, Blindspot, Mighty Ducks: Game Changers, Rise of Red show)Synopsis: After the Queen of Hearts incites a coup on Auradon, her rebellious daughter Red and Cinderella's perfectionist daughter Chloe join forces and travel back in time to try to undo the traumatic event that set Red's mother down her villainous path.Fun Facts: Brandy and Paolo Montalban reprised their roles from 1997's CinderellaNext Movie: Zombies 4: Rise of the VampiresCreators & Guests Allie Ring - Host Val Agnew - Host ★ Support this podcast on Patreon ★

"A Mad Tea Party" — Alice in Wonderland (Chapter 7) | Books at BedtimeDrift off to a deep, peaceful sleep with Chapter 7 of Lewis Carroll's timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland. In tonight's episode of Books at Bedtime, we journey into "A Mad Tea Party". Let the nonsensical, rhythmic banter of the Mad Hatter, the March Hare, and the sleepy Dormouse lull your busy mind into a state of calm relaxation. If you are struggling with insomnia, late-night anxiety, or a restless mind, this soft-spoken, comforting narration is designed specifically to help you disconnect from the day and transition smoothly into a night of deep, restorative rest.

This week, we sit down with returning guest Jen to talk about her incredible trip to Roatán and why it may be one of the best values in the Caribbean. She also tells us about her bonus day in Miami using a bunch of card credits to make it a free date day. We break down how she booked flights and hotels using points and miles, her experience staying at the beautiful Kimpton Grand Roatán Resort & Spa, and what travelers should know before planning their own island getaway.From snorkeling and scuba diving to local restaurants, island transportation, and hidden resort perks, Jen shares her favorite experiences and practical tips for making the most of a trip to Roatán. If you're looking for a tropical destination that combines luxury, adventure, and excellent value, this episode is packed with inspiration and actionable advice to help you plan your own points-powered Caribbean escape.

Disney's "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Teaser Trailer Released https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disneys-descendants-wicked-wonderland-teaser-trailer-released/   #DisneyPlus  VISIT ONLINE -  http://www.WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com If you enjoy my content, please consider supporting me by becoming a YouTube Channel Member for as little as $2 a month and get access to exclusive content and much more.  

Disney's "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Teaser Trailer Released https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disneys-descendants-wicked-wonderland-teaser-trailer-released/   #DisneyPlus  VISIT ONLINE -  http://www.WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com If you enjoy my content, please consider supporting me by becoming a YouTube Channel Member for as little as $2 a month and get access to exclusive content and much more.  

Disney's "Descendants: Wicked Wonderland" Teaser Trailer Released https://whatsondisneyplus.com/disneys-descendants-wicked-wonderland-teaser-trailer-released/   #DisneyPlus  VISIT ONLINE -  http://www.WhatsOnDisneyPlus.com If you enjoy my content, please consider supporting me by becoming a YouTube Channel Member for as little as $2 a month and get access to exclusive content and much more.  

Let go of daytime worries and sink into a deep, comforting slumber with the Anchored meditation app. As a cherished addition to our Books at Bedtime library, this episode features Chapter 6 of Lewis Carroll's beloved classic: Pig and Pepper.If you find yourself tossing and turning, battling insomnia, or needing an escape from late-night nighttime anxiety, this enchanting, surreal audio journey is the perfect addition to your nightly sleep routine.Why this episode is perfect for sleep and relaxation:Surreal Cognitive Anchor: Follow Alice as she navigates the bizarre rules of the Duchess's house and holds a thoughtful, twisting conversation with the enigmatic Cheshire Cat. The whimsical nonsense logic is highly effective at derailing stressful, looping thoughts, giving your brain a safe, comforting space to switch off.Hypnotic Pacing: Listen as the bustling energy of the kitchen gently gives way to the quiet, still woods where the Cheshire Cat speaks in deliberate, mysterious riddles. The iconic, slow-vanishing grin acts as a beautiful metaphor for your own conscious thoughts slowly fading into a dream.Premium Sleep Audio: Paced perfectly for effortless relaxation, this track features soothing vocal tones designed to slow your breathing, lower your heart rate, and settle a busy nervous system for deep, restorative sleep.Dim your lights, slide under the covers, and let the Anchored app ease you into a peaceful rest tonight. Your journey into Wonderland awaits.

Unwind, let go of the day, and ease your mind into tranquil relaxation with the Anchored meditation app. As a featured selection in our Books at Bedtime library, this episode presents Chapter 5 of Lewis Carroll's beloved masterpiece: Advice from a Caterpillar.If you are struggling to quiet a racing mind, dealing with insomnia, or looking to soothe late-night nighttime anxiety, this dreamlike tale is a beautiful addition to your nightly sleep routine.Why this episode works for sleep and relaxation:Languid, Sleepy Cadence: Experience the notoriously slow, hypnotic conversation between Alice and the Caterpillar. The Caterpillar's deliberate, sleepy dialogue acts as a natural pacing mechanism to help slow your breathing and lower your heart rate.Comforting Cognitive Distraction: Listen as Alice tries to navigate the absurd logic of the Wonderland forest and recites the whimsical poem You Are Old, Father William. This gentle narrative provides just enough mental focus to distract you from tomorrow's worries without keeping your brain alert.Immersive Relaxation Audio: Crafted specifically for bedtime listening, the calm vocal delivery and tranquil pacing of this track are designed to reduce stress, calm the nervous system, and smoothly guide you into a state of deep, restorative sleep.Turn off the world, sink deep into your pillows, and let the Anchored app gently drift you off to sleep.

Step away from the stresses of the day and let your mind wander into a world of pure imagination with the Anchored meditation app. As part of our signature Books at Bedtime audio library, this episode brings you Chapter 4 of Lewis Carroll's timeless classic: The Rabbit Sends in a Little Bill.If you suffer from insomnia, chronic nighttime anxiety, or a racing mind at 2:00 AM, this comforting, whimsical tale is the ultimate addition to your nightly sleep routine.Why this episode is perfect for sleep and relaxation:Gentle Mental Distraction: Follow Alice as she gets stuck in the White Rabbit's house, encounters the chaotic helper Bill the lizard, and plays hide-and-seek with a giant puppy in a thick wood. The playful, surreal narrative serves as a gentle cognitive anchor, giving your brain something comforting to focus on while your body relaxes.A Natural Path to Calming Down: Watch your stress fade as Alice escapes the busy house and transitions into the quiet, slow-paced atmosphere of a deep, dreamlike forest, eventually meeting a calm, quietly meditating Caterpillar.Premium Relaxation Audio: Masterfully paced for effortless drifting, this story uses soothing vocal tones and rhythmic storytelling designed to lower your heart rate, ease tension, and prepare your nervous system for a night of deep, restorative sleep.Turn down the screens, settle under the covers, and let the Anchored app gently guide you into a peaceful, deep slumber tonight. Wonderland is waiting.

This section follows Alice and a bizarre group of birds and animals trying to get dry after getting wet. They listen to a dry history lecture from a mouse, participate in a chaotic "Caucus-race" where everyone wins, and Alice accidentally scares everyone away by talking about her cat, Dinah (spelled phonetically as "dinner" in the transcript).The Sleep/Relaxation Angle: While the plot features playful arguments and nonsense logic, it works perfectly as a "boring bedtime story" or distraction tool. The inclusion of the dry recitation of English history (William the Conqueror) acts as a fantastic cognitive anchor—it gives a racing mind something low-stakes to focus on, letting the listener drift off effortlessly.

The Ethereum Foundation ESP will now pay grants in ETH. Aragon launches onchain profiles powered by ENS. Wonderland releases a Cross-Chain module for its interop SDK. Read more: https://ethdaily.io/962 Join 5,000+ attendees at ETHConf in NYC, June 8-10. Hear from 150+ speakers shaping Ethereum, stablecoins, and digital asset policy. Get your tickets at ethconf.com and use code ETHDAILY for 30% off General and 20% off VIP.  Disclaimer: Content is for informational purposes only, not endorsement or investment advice. The accuracy of information is not guaranteed.  

Books at Bedtime: Alice in Wonderland (Chapters 1 & 2)Fall Asleep to Alice in Wonderland | Chapters 1 & 2Description: Let go of the day's stress and settle in for a gentle journey down the rabbit hole. In this episode of Books at Bedtime by Calming Anxiety, Martin Hewlett invites you to escape the frustration of insomnia and restless nights with a soothing narration of Lewis Carroll's timeless classic, Alice in Wonderland. In this opening installment, we follow Alice as she drifts away on a warm afternoon, only to encounter a curious White Rabbit with a waistcoat pocket. As she tumbles slowly down the deep well and navigates the strange, shifting halls of Wonderland, let your own mind drift away from the weight of tomorrow. Featuring Martin's signature soft, reassuring English tone and a deeply calming cadence, this episode is meticulously crafted to lower your heart rate, quieten anxiety, and ease your mind into a deep, restorative sleep. Whether you struggle with a racing mind at midnight or simply love a cozy bedtime story, close your eyes, breathe easy, and let yourself float away into Wonderland."And remember, be kind to yourself."Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/calming-anxiety-guided-meditation-sleep-hypnosis-panic-attack-relief--4110266/support.Ready for More Calm?Thank you for listening to the Calming Anxiety Podcast, featuring guided meditation, mindfulness, and sleep hypnosis sessions with Martin Hewlett. Our mission is to provide you with proven tools for anxiety relief, stress reduction, and a path toward deep relaxation. Use this episode anytime you need to calm your mind and feel more at ease.

In this episode, we share some of our favorite easy ways to earn more points and miles without spending extra money. We walk through account linkings that many travelers overlook, including ways to earn rewards on things you're already doing like booking Airbnb stays, grabbing Starbucks, using Lyft, and more. We also compare Joanna's recent cash stay in Mexico to previous points stays and discuss when it makes sense to splurge and when it doesn't. Along the way, we chat about airport lounge access, Priority Pass perks, and practical strategies for stretching your points further while still creating incredible travel experiences.Mentioned in this Episode:Aero Movil TransportGirl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Summer Road Trip Submissions ARE BACK!Rakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Find Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Comfrt.com 15% OFFSeats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

We planned to return to Obstacle Wonderland to cover their Rise of the Obstacles!  It has been 2 years since the last time that we covered their event which was the Boogie Wonderland! Unfortunately we needed to make a change due to travel exhaustion and in preperation for 3 more trips this month! Luckily we were able to have Mario Valentin on the show to talk about his experience at the event! We  talk about how he found OCR, the origin of his Super Smash Bros OCR Team, his favorite local events, his drive to create content, how the event went this past weekend, and much more! Start – 4:06 – Intro 4:06 – 15:39 – Quick News 15:39 – 18:01 – Content Preface 18:01 – 1:21:19 - Mario Valentin Interviews 1:21:19 – End – Outro Next weekend Mike will getting through his first Hyrox doubles in NYC and we have a WTM related interview lined up! ____ News Stories: DEKA Payouts Onsite at World Championships, Chicago, and NYC Hyrox Overhauls Elite Race Access Hyrox Ends Majors Hyrox Lyon Death Death at Cocodona One World Canine Run Sold Out Tatyana McFadden World Records Run Rise Collective Accidental First Marathon FIT Challenge Looking for Feedback Malin the Troll Burns Down Luca Pescollderungg Netflix Show OCRCWC 6K Team Podiums OCRCWC 15K Podiums: Men and Women OCRCWC 3K Podiums: Men and Women Water Ski Secret Link Amazon Disguise Secret Link Real Talk Secret Link Saving Ducks Secret Link Spicy Food Secret Link ____ Related Episodes: 380. Obstacle Wonderland's Boogie Weekend, 3 and 6 Hour Multi Lap Live Coverage! 382. New England OCR Expo! (Part 2: Athletes, Speeches, and Staff) 390. Spartan Citi Field With Elites And Vendors! 396. Savage Race Boston with Elites! 398. New England Spartan Super, Sprint, and Teddy Bear Crawl! 433. New England OCR Expo 2025! (Part 2: Athletes, Speeches, and Awards) 483. New England OCR Expo 2026! (Part 2: Table Recordings, Military Panel, and Awards) ____ The OCR Report Patreon Supporters: Jason Dupree, Kim DeVoss, Samantha Thompson, Matt Puntin, Brad Kiehl, Charlotte Engelman, Erin Grindstaff, Hank Stefano, Arlene Stefano, Laura Ritter, Steven Ritter, Sofia Harnedy, Kenny West, Cheryl Miller, Jessica Johnson, Scott "The Fayne" Knowles, Nick Ryker, Christopher Hoover, Kevin Gregory Jr., Evan Eirich, Ashley Reis, Brent George, Justin Manning, Wendell Lagosh, Logan Nagle, Angela Bowers, Asa Coddington, Thomas Petersen, Seth Rinderknecht, Bonnie Wilson, Steve Bacon from The New England OCR Expo, Robert Landman, Shell Luccketta Jules Estes, and Alan "Muddy Duck" Moore. Sponsored Athletes: Javier Escobar, Kelly Sullivan, Ryan Brizzolara, Joshua Reid, and Kevin Gregory! Support us on Patreon for exclusive content and access to our Facebook group Check out our Threadless Shop Use coupon code "adventure" for 15% off MudGear products Use coupon code "ocrreport20" for 20% off Caterpy products Like us on Facebook: Obstacle Running Adventures Follow our podcast on Instagram: @ObstacleRunningAdventures Write us an email: obstaclerunningadventures@gmail.com Subscribe on Youtube: Obstacle Running Adventures Intro music - "Streaker" by: Straight Up Outro music - "Iron Paw" by: Dubbest

What do Alice in Wonderland, Song of the South and Cinderella have in common? Well this week we find out!Watch us on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@makeitmagicalpodInstagram: @makeitmagicalpod & @makeitmagical_travelNeed help planning your next Disney Trip? Email me at emily@njftravel.com or fill out my travel planning questionnaire here! Support the show on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/MakeitmagicalpodSupport the show and Buy Us a Coffee: https://buymeacoffee.com/makeitmagicalUse our code MAGICAL10 for 10% off your next order at Crowned AthleticsUse our code MAGICAL15 for 15% off your next order at Magic Candle CompanyGrab some Disney books from our Amazon StorefrontEmail us anytime at:  makeitmagicalpod@gmail.com

Evan and Hannah talk about two separate playtests—Evan's playtest of the near-complete Escape from Wonderland, and Hannah's playtest of the just-begun Seekers of the Thrice-Lost Crown. Both games went well, but surprises lurk around every corner, and sometimes someone has to die on the first turn. Episode mentions Lincoln in the Bardo by George Saunders (2018) Links Discord:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://discord.gg/ajP36nzPb2⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.patreon.com/turtlebun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Website:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://turtlebun.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠  Credits Design Doc intro/outro theme by ipaghost:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://www.ipaghost.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Episodes edited by Rob Abrazado:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://robabrazado.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Get in touch Designdocpod (at) gmail (dot) com Instagram:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠instagram.com/turtleandbun⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Bluesky:⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠https://bsky.app/profile/turtlebun.com⁠⁠⁠

The episode begins with a little Off Campus discussion, now that the full blown psychosis of last week has settled. Also covered: Kim hard launching Lewis (on none other than the mf West Side Highway), Pete's comments re: Kim's acting, Tristan on Khloé in Wonderland, Kendall & Jacob in Tokyo, Keke Palmer & Sean Evans, Miranda & Pepe, and a little pre-Love Island moment. ShopMy: https://shopmy.us/shop/commentsbycelebs Links: https://www.instagram.com/p/DZC87UDzGKM/?igsh=dXBtYmtlYzJkbHp4https://www.instagram.com/p/DZDS9syms5p/?igsh=bTgyZm9nZjh3ejNrhttps://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8s8N31k/Find your nearest Ross at RossStores.comRythm.health/comments for 15% off your first month and free shipping Get 15% off your first order plus free shipping at BollAndBranch.com/comments with code commentsSign up for your one-dollar-per-month trial today at Shopify.com/commentsSee Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

Katie Gallagher, Spin News Anchor, has her finger on the pulse for what's happening and she joins Anna Daly with the things you don't want to miss this week!Image: ITV2

In this episode, we sit down with Carol Foster to hear the incredible story of how a vacation in Cabo turned into a medical nightmare that required an evacuation! What could have become a financial disaster ended up being covered thanks to the travel protections included with her Chase Sapphire Reserve card, saving her from tens of thousands of dollars in expenses.Carol shares what happened, how the process worked, and what she learned from navigating this crisis while traveling internationally. We also discuss why travel insurance and credit card travel protections are some of the most overlooked tools in the points and miles world.This episode is packed with practical lessons about emergency preparedness, travel insurance, medical coverage abroad, and protecting yourself when the unexpected happens. It's a powerful reminder that sometimes the most valuable travel benefit isn't the points you earn—it's the protection you hope you'll never need.Mentioned in this Episode:Carol on InstagramCarol on FacebookFull CSP EpisodeEpisode with LisaComfrt.com 15% OFFChase Sapphire Link-Mary EllenChase Sapphire Link- JoannaFind Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Seats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

世界が推すアニメのお仕事に迫るマンスリープログラム「アトロクアニメエクストリームジョブ」（毎月第1月曜21時5分頃）。今回は、TVアニメ『灰原くんの強くて青春ニューゲーム』（TBSで 毎週木曜深夜1時28分から放送中、BS11、AT-Xにて順次放送）星宮陽花里役の高尾奏音さんです！ 高尾奏音さんは、2002年生まれ。2014年に「国民的声優グランプリ」グランプリを受賞してデビュー。近年は、「君のことが大大大大大好きな100人の彼女」、「この素晴らしい世界に祝福を！」、「BanG Dream! Ave Mujica」などの作品で、メインキャラクターの声を担当しています。また、国際的なピアノコンクールでも賞を受賞しています。 そんな高尾奏音さんの声優・ピアニストとしてのユニークなエピソードや、TVアニメ『灰原くんの強くて青春ニューゲーム』の魅力に、御手洗菜々アナウンサーが迫りました。 PODCASTでは、放送に入りきらなかったトークも追加した完全版を配信します。 ●第１回：声優・俳優の津田健次郎さん●第２回：作曲家・林ゆうきさん●第３回：漫画家・春場ねぎ先生（五等分の花嫁、戦隊大失格）●第４回：漫画家・鈴木央先生（黙示録の四騎士、七つの大罪、ライジングインパクトなど）●第５回：脚本家・柿原優子さん（アニメ「アオのハコ」シリーズ構成・脚本）●第６回：監督・西田健一さん（アニメ「さようなら竜生、こんにちは人生」）●第７回：声優・緒方恵美さん●第８回：声優・浦和希さん●第９回：声優・高柳知葉さん⁠●第10回：須藤孝太郎（『たべっ子どうぶつ THE MOVIE』企画・プロデュース）●第11回：BAND-MAID SAIKIさんAKANEさん（アニメ「ロックは淑女の嗜みでして」）⁠●第12回：村瀬歩さん（ TVアニメ「水属性の魔法使い」）⁠⁠⁠⁠●第13回：花譜さん・ヰ世界情緒さん（TVアニメ『神椿市建設中。』）⁠⁠●第14回：新井清志さん（劇場アニメ『不思議の国でアリスと -Dive in Wonderland-』コンセプトデザイン）⁠⁠●第15話：岩井澤健治さん（映画『ひゃくえむ。』監督）●第16回：藤寺美徳さん（TVアニメ『太陽よりも眩しい星』出演）●第17回：中村カンナさん（TVアニメ『悪食令嬢と狂血公爵』出演）●第18回：大空直美さん（アニメ『ウマ娘 シンデレラグレイ』タマモクロス役）●第19回：白石晴香さん（TVアニメ『シャンピニオンの魔女』ルーナ役）●第20回：鈴木重毅さん（TVアニメ『うるわしの宵の月』原作の担当編集者）●第21回：谷口悟朗監督（劇場アニメ『パリに咲くエトワール』）●第22回：永瀬アンナさん（TVアニメ『氷の城壁』氷川小雪役）●第23回：見里朝希監督（アニメ『キャンディーカリエス』）（テーマ曲：廣井弦） 過去の配信も是非、お聴き下さい！ Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

In this episode, host Brian VanHooker is joined by Tim Stahl, head of marketing at Wonderland Amusements, who are releasing a new TMNT Pinball machine now available for Preorder. Sthal talks about the history of Wonderland Amusements and working with IDW comics artist Mateus Santuolouco on designing the newest TMNT pinball machines, designed to be an affordable alternative to conventional pinball machines. Stahl also discusses his former work with Arcade1Up, including the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles release from Arcade1Up. Preorder the Piunball mavhine here: https://wonderlandamusements.com/pages/tmnt-preorder Sound engineering by Ian Williams. Follow TURTLE TRACKS PODCAST on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/turtle_tracks_podcast/

Marcus' What You Know 'Bout That trivia game for Monday June 1st, 2026. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Welcome to the KSL Greenhouse show! Join hosts Maria Shilaos and Taun Beddes as they talk about all things plants, tackle your toughest gardening questions, and offer tips that can help you maintain a beautiful yard. Listen on Saturdays from 8am to 11am at 102.7 FM, 1160 AM, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio app. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @kslgreenhouse. Happy planting! #KSLGreenhouse 

Welcome to the KSL Greenhouse show! Join hosts Maria Shilaos and Taun Beddes as they talk about all things plants, tackle your toughest gardening questions, and offer tips that can help you maintain a beautiful yard. This Week's Specials include: The Plant of the Week: Moss Rose Getting rid of Grasshoppers Flip Your Strip: How to make your park strip a water-wise wonderland Listen LIVE on Saturdays from 8am to 11am at 102.7 FM, 1160 AM, kslnewsradio.com, or on the KSL NewsRadio app. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @kslgreenhouse. Happy planting! #KSLGreenhouse 

EthPandaOps simulates the Fast Confirmation Rule. Wonderland and SEAL introduce an opsec framework. Banteg releases a Vyper automation tool. And Lean Ethereum reaches Devnet5 Interop. Read more: https://ethdaily.io/957 Join 5,000+ attendees at ETHConf in NYC, June 8-10. Hear from 150+ speakers shaping Ethereum, stablecoins, and digital asset policy. Get your tickets at ethconf.com and use code ETHDAILY for 30% off General and 20% off VIP.  Disclaimer: Content is for informational purposes only, not endorsement or investment advice. The accuracy of information is not guaranteed. 

Staci Miller, founder of Gen UX Consulting, shares her winding path from fashion design and psychology to human factors engineering in MedTech. Staci explains what human factors is—through stories from World War II aviation and modern healthcare—and why the FDA now mandates usability work to reduce catastrophic use errors. She breaks down formative versus summative/validation studies, the role of risk documentation (URRA/UFMEA), and why founders should think about usability as early as they think about risk. Staci also opens up about the challenge of starting a second business after losing her first in 2008, how she built Gen UX from $0, and the leadership lessons behind year-over-year growth.   Guest links: https://www.genuxconsulting.com/ | https://www.linkedin.com/company/gen-ux-consulting/  Charity supported: Feeding America Interested in being a guest on the show or have feedback to share? Email us at theleadingdifference@velentium.com.  PRODUCTION CREDITS Host & Editor: Lindsey Dinneen Producer: Velentium Medical   EPISODE TRANSCRIPT Episode 081 - Staci Miller [00:00:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Hi, I'm Lindsey and I'm talking with MedTech industry leaders on how they change lives for a better world. [00:00:09] Diane Bouis: The inventions and technologies are fascinating and so are the people who work with them. [00:00:15] Frank Jaskulke: There was a period of time where I realized, fundamentally, my job was to go hang out with really smart people that are saving lives and then do work that would help them save more lives. [00:00:28] Diane Bouis: I got into the business to save lives and it is incredibly motivating to work with people who are in that same business, saving or improving lives. [00:00:38] Duane Mancini: What better industry than where I get to wake up every day and just save people's lives. [00:00:42] Lindsey Dinneen: These are extraordinary people doing extraordinary work, and this is The Leading Difference. Hello, and welcome back to another episode of The Leading Difference podcast. I'm your host, Lindsey, and today I'm delighted to welcome as my guest, Staci Miller. Staci is the founder at Gen UX Consulting. Her expertise is in applying user-focused research to develop innovative solutions, and it's essential to the growth of any technology organization. As a detail-oriented and tenacious executive in human factors engineering and UX design, she has a proven record of elevating the end user experience and achieving targeted client outcomes. She has created innovative medtech and big tech solutions through a comprehensive user-centered development process, leveraging artificial intelligence and industry agnostic design tools to optimize products and services. In her current role with Gen UX, she's a key leader facilitating strategic company growth plans and service offerings while managing the capacity and workflow of the UX HF design team. Well, Staci, welcome to the show. I'm so excited to talk with you today. [00:01:49] Staci Miller: Me too. I've been looking forward to it all week, so I'm very excited to be here. And I don't know what the day has in store. I, I know that there was like a, a, a kit that you sent out and I didn't read it on purpose, so everything's gonna be organic. [00:02:03] Lindsey Dinneen: Perfect. Those are my favorite conversations anyway, so I'll take it and run. Some people I know really love to have the questions ahead of time, and others are just like, "Yeah, I don't want to know. I'm just gonna go off the cuff. Here we go." So, brilliant. All right, well, let's start, if you don't mind, by sharing a little bit about yourself, your background, and what led you to medtech. [00:02:24] Staci Miller: That is, those are my favorite questions. So, I have a background in fashion design, psychology. I spent most of my classes in cognitive psych, but it wasn't like a difference of degree, it was just psychology. And then I have a master's degree in human factors and ergonomics. So I went the psychology route and the design route. That's kind of my background. So when I graduated my master's degree, through my master's program, I was able to intern for both years and one was in tech, big tech. I interviewed and landed a, great one year long internship at Samsung, which was actually supposed to be just three months, and I stayed there for a full year. So they kept me through my whole, my whole semester, which is something they don't normally do, which was really fun. I mostly just said, "Hey, can I stay here for the year?" And they're like, "Great, no problem. Sure. We'll figure it out like that seems like a good option. We like you, you like us. Cool. We'll do that." And my second internship was in medical device at a company called Interface and Analysis. My, that was actually my internship. My second one was at Samsung, so I got to really look in like I, I guess you got the curtain. If you think about Wonderland and Oz and the curtain and being able to pull back the curtain between both industries, what did I like better? I ended up liking medical better, mostly because the research was more structured and not necessarily conversations about, "Yeah, so how do you feel about that? Did you like it?" Like to me, that's not really. What I would consider the best opportunity to gain data. Data to me, like there has to be like a clear objective as to what you're doing, the whys behind it, and what do you wanna learn. And I found that in, when I worked with engineers in medtech, they definitely had things that they wanted to learn, whereas in tech, they just had so much money. They were like, "Yeah, let's just see what people think about this." And I'm. Okay. And then when I would be really structured and I was working with people who didn't have backgrounds in research, had very strong, very good backgrounds in design, like legitimately awesome, they were leading the research and they were missing the boat. So the narratives started to be focused on the N of one. This one person said this really interesting thing, so let's base our whole design off of what they said. And I'm like, "Dude, wait a second. Wait a second. All of them said this thing about the design though, and like we have four or five data points about when you ask this question." They're like, "Yeah, but that's not interesting." And I was like, "Okay, keep my mouth shut. I got it. Move on." Like from that moment forward, I, it wasn't like "Staci, don't talk, it was more like this is how we design based on the narratives that we've learned how to, how to research on." And so it wasn't as I would say-- it wasn't considering the actual 360 view of the user. It was considering the really cool thing that happened this one time that was like totally an outlier. And it happened consistently when I was working in big tech. So I was like, uh, medtech, probably more my speed. And then my first job was at Abbott. [00:05:39] Lindsey Dinneen: Nice. [00:05:40] Staci Miller: And I ended up there. Yeah, [00:05:41] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay, great. Well. [00:05:42] Staci Miller: Cool. [00:05:43] Lindsey Dinneen: Lots of questions based on this incredible background. I want to go back a little bit. So fashion design, was this something that you grew up thinking, "Oh, this is what I wanna do and be okay?" Right. All right, so... [00:05:57] Staci Miller: it's all I ever wanted and I did that. So... [00:06:00] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:06:02] Staci Miller: That's a, that's a great question. I think that my interest in fashion peaked around when I was 12 years old and during the time, Cindy Crawford and Naomi Campbell, and I was so fascinated by how beautiful these women were. And, and fashion was a thing in the nineties. There was like a lot of Dolce and Gabana around, and I loved it. And I couldn't wait to get my new print of Vogue every, every season. I loved Harper's Bizarre, and I would just pull pictures out of these models and what they were wearing. And then I would start you know, freehanding stuff and things like that. And I think a lot of people do that when they're really interested in clothing and things like that. And if you really think about it, fashion is art that people wear. So I was very attracted to that part of it. And it's all I wanted to do. So after high school, I went to FIDM and studied fashion design. And right outta FIDM, I started my first company in fashion design, and I was a clothing manufacturer, and we had 500 open doors in the United States and in Canada, and I was hoping to expand, but unfortunately 2008 hit and they hit it hard and fast and I lost most of my managing capital in the year that I think was my tipping point. So it was the, the year that I finally got a lot of traction and had a lot of repeat business and a lot of new business as well. And a lot of those new businesses just refused orders. Just from the east coast to the west, and it was just tons of money out that wasn't gonna come in. So there was really no way to, make that work after that, like I lost literally all the money I had in my business in like the span of, I would say three, four weeks. It was just mortifyingly scary. But I was young and people who are young are resilient and they move on and they find a new dream. And it took me a minute, like I didn't really know what the french toast I was gonna do. And I was like, well, I was still planning on staying in fashion and long, short, I was offered a job to do and run production for a one, a different company. So make sure that their goods were produced on time. Deal with the, the timing of all the orders, making sure the product line. So it was basically operations for manufacturing. And I was super excited about the job and I moved back to my parents' house at the time because things were just that tight financially for me. My parents were like, "Yeah, just, you know, come back, we'll figure it out." And I remember saying to my mom and dad, I'm like, "If this job falls through, do you mind if I just go back to school and stay here?" And they both started to laugh at me like, "Your job is fine, but if the sure why, why not?" And they, they thought it was crazy. And then I ended up back in school. So, they were like, "Whoa, that was really insane," 'cause that was in the end of 2008, starting 2009. And so the company rescinded their offer and they were really like, so sad about it, but they went to a market to sell their clothes and they got zero orders that year or something like close to that. So it was just, it was just a really intense time in the fashion industry and I was looking for jobs and I wasn't getting anywhere. So I only had an AA, and at the time that really didn't matter, but I went back to school and I'm like, "If I'm going back to school this late in age, I'm getting a master's degree." I had no idea what I was gonna get a master's degree in. I was like. I like clothes and design. We'll figure it out from there like that. And I was like, "Well, maybe I'll be..." this is crazy. But I was thinking about being a lawyer, like a property law lawyer. So, because when you are a designer in clothing, people can just knock you off. And you've seen that happen like pretty much everywhere. And people can just take advantage of your intellectual property and never pay you for it if they change enough of it. And so I was like, "You know, this would be something I'd probably be good at." So I went back to school thinking I was gonna go into that type of law. I took psychology courses and I took philosophy courses. And philosophy courses really do lean you, get you thinking very specifically about law. That's what philosophy was basically geared towards anyways. And you take these psychology courses and they're about people and how people process information, how people behave based on their behavior and things like that. So I thought the combination would be really good. Well, I ended up not liking, I did like philosophy, but philosophy's "let's think about thinking about it." And psychology is-- which is great. It's great, but psychology is like more applicable when you're interacting with others. And I found it super fascinating. And then I got really into like cognitive psychology and I'm like, "What the french toast am I gonna do with this? I can't do anything with cognitive psychology. Like I need to make money. I'm a grownup. This isn't ah, I'm gonna study underwater basket weaving and come out and go work in communications at Fox." Like I had to have an actual plan. So in my college at the time, there were these classes and they were like introductory to what you can do with your degrees. And that's literally where I found human factors. And there weren't very many schools that did it, but I was taking most of my classes at that point in cognitive psychology, which is how people process information, not their feeling based stuff. Like I didn't wanna have conversations with people about their feelings. Get that off of me. Like that's not, that's not my jam. I'm like, "Sorry, you're sad, but I'm not sad and I don't wanna be sad, so I'm gonna keep, keep going." And I'm like, "How am I gonna work this into my, you know, I love design, I wanna keep that in my background, and how am I gonna, what am I gonna do?" And so the study of human factors really is the intersection of design and research, and how people interact with said products based on the design. And you get to research that. And I'm like, "Sold. Good. I'm, I can do this. This is like this, I didn't even know this thing existed." This is crazy good. And I never looked back. [00:11:49] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:11:50] Staci Miller: I got into a master's program the next year. I, and because I was in that specific program in San Jose State, that's why it was so easy for me to work for Samsung because it was in my backyard. And that's why it was easy for me to work for Interface Analysis because Tony was the owner of that company. Tony, he was my professor. So he just was like hiring people and I, I answered his response and I was like, "Hey, I, I'm looking for something." Do you like, he didn't say it was his company. He said, "I have a friend looking" and I'm, you know, like when I know I need to make some money, I'm gonna try to hustle up and make some money. So I'm like, "Hey, I'm open to that." He's like, "Why don't you come by my office and we'll talk?" And I was like, "That's weird." He said It was for some other, I'm like, "Sure, no problem." So I go to his office and he offered me an internship right then and there 'cause it was for me. "I just wanted to see who would respond," 'cause you are the only person that responded. I'm like, "Guess you're gonna hire me then." [00:12:37] Lindsey Dinneen: Amazing. All right. That's great. Thank you so much for that background. And it is so interesting how sometimes our paths are very, very windy to get to where we end up being and we Yeah, exactly. What, what ends up being a really good fit. But, so can you explain a little bit more about human factors, especially, maybe to help folks who have maybe some misconceptions or don't fully understand what it is just in general, but then also relate it specifically to medtech and why it's so important within the medtech industry? [00:13:11] Staci Miller: I can give you a story that probably would do both. So human factors was, was actually founded pretty recently in our timeline of psychology and understanding people. In World War II, there were a whole bunch of fighter pilots ejecting themselves from planes that caused, even in World War II, millions of dollars to produce and nobody could figure out what the problem was. They checked the planes. The planes were operating correctly. They did psychology, like psychological backgrounds on the people who are fighter pilots. I mean, they have to, to get into the military and to fly those planes, you have to be pretty good under pressure. They interviewed them, they were fine. They didn't have any breakdown of stress, and it wasn't happening on a small scale. This was happening on quite a large scale. So they, again, they went, they're like, "Okay, okay." Well, the military went back and " Well, it has to be the plane." So they looked through the plane, wasn't the plane, talk to the people, wasn't the people. So then the psychologist started to ask questions. They're like, "Well, if you're saying that it's not the person's emotional state and you're saying it's not the plane, well then what happened? Something had to happen. Something changed. What changed?" It turned out that the engineers had moved the throttle button with the ejection button in the planes. [00:14:31] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh. [00:14:31] Staci Miller: So the pilots were originally trained to hit the throttle button on the certain side that the throttle button was in the cockpit. So instead of hitting the throttle, because that was their original training, they hit the ejection button. So they ejected themselves out of the planes, which is why human factors was born. Those little changes that people don't understand about human beings. So when we learn something for the first time, because like even if you think about being a kid or being a baby, or learning a really tough lesson, right? You remember that lesson. And so what happens is that's your default setting. "This is the lesson I've learned. This is how I react." Now for that lesson, it doesn't matter if it's like an emotional exchange or if it's a physical one. So because they were taught where the, the pilots were taught specifically where the throttle was in the first place when they were under attack and they were in a high cognitive loaded space, they went back to their original training. [00:15:30] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:15:32] Staci Miller: And then the engineers were like, "Well, we told them. We told them." So, so, because they didn't wanna take the blame, right? Nobody wanted to take the blame ruining millions of dollars of planes. So this same type of thing happens in the medical industry. I mean, you can see it pretty easily, right? So you're trained on System X. There's an update, a 510K release to it. The system works differently. Errors are made, people are hurt. [00:15:57] Lindsey Dinneen: Mm-hmm. [00:15:58] Staci Miller: That's how it translates to medical. So aviation was a really big part of human factors and it still is to this day. Like NASA used to hire quite a few of my classmates. And I know that Boeing and a lot of those other, even BMW hire people that do what I do for a living and test the responses during drive time. And if you think about it, if you look at a Tesla versus a BMW, those are very different driving experiences. Like I had to relearn how to drive a Tesla, right? And like it has a one pedal situation. So now when I get into regular cars, I'm like, "Wait, what? What am I doing? What? What kind of car is this? Like how do I drive this thing again?" I know that sounds silly, but it, it's true 'cause you kind of just get used to the thing that you have. And that's exactly why human factors is prevalent in medical device or in aviation or in, you know, like any kind of like navigation systems. The reason the FDA mandated it is because a lot of products were coming to market and there was a very large influx of critical catastrophic errors in hospitals. People were suffering consequences of bad interfaces or lack of instructions on products. I know that there were a lot of intravenous medications given that weren't supposed to be IV medications in like in certain-- yes, you're supposed to inject it, but not. Intravenously and those charged caused people to perish. So that's when the FDA stepped in and said, "Okay, we were asking you as a favor to do these usability studies, but now officially they're part of your risk requirements and they're part of your requirements to get to market." And I think that happened about the time I graduated grad school, around that time. So about 15, 16 years ago. [00:17:50] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay. Yeah. Well that's a fascinating story, and I'm sorry that that is the impetus for the results that we have today, but also how incredible that that is something that's being prioritized and mandated now. And I'm wondering too, when a startup company is developing their technology, how soon should they be thinking about human factors, usability, UX/UI. [00:18:17] Staci Miller: As fast as they're thinking about risk. if you're already thinking about risk at phase zero, that's when you should be thinking about usability and UI and interactions based on user processes, because that's when this kind of conversation really needs to start with regulatory, with your team, with the engineers. So even if you don't have a human factors engineer on staff, like you can find a company that can give you like some fractional support, just, you know, to talk to and to understand what their, what, what their responsibilities are, and what their requirements are to get to market. I have found that a lot of founders don't think that it's a requirement. And I, and I'm really not sure why, but that's been happening a lot lately. [00:18:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. So because it's a requirement, because you should be thinking about it from the get go, what are some things that you've seen work really well in terms of, putting together this kind of this testing and whatnot versus things that might seem like they could work. Like perhaps somebody feels that they could maybe do some of this testing themselves. You know, just, just things that maybe people who aren't really familiar with all the regulations would perhaps do, and that could cause problems down the road. [00:19:32] Staci Miller: So there's a, these are all really great questions and let's, let's unpack the idea of research, right? So some people think that research is finding out if somebody is happy about a product and would use it, like product market fit, right? Some people do marketing for that, and I can, that's the type of research that is not technically human factors, but it is something that Gen UX can do, right? So it's just research. I, I call it like insert white meat or insert protein. We can do the research, right? So when it comes down to it, there's, I would say that research is split into two buckets, which is UX/UI, which is very popular and people understand that, which is a formative in the FDA guidance and then validation slash summative. So the validation studies are very clean cut. So I'll explain those first. And they are to validate that the user can use the system in its environments safely. So the alpha for that is the user is successful at using this product and the uses, uses and use environments correctly and safely. And this is all based on your risk documentation from your URRA or your UFMEA. Some people use ADFMEA, which is based on design, and I suggest that they don't use that because that focuses more on the system than it does on the user. And the FDA has really cracked down on that. So if you are a founder and you think you can get just one system, ADFMEA, you are probably already starting off on the wrong foot. Make sure you have your own usability. Because human factors work really focuses on two things in the medical industry. One, it focuses on helping develop the device while breaking down risks. So if you have mitigations and your system's designed a certain way to avoid a risk, that's very important, and that's really also usability testing. And I can explain this in two ways. I've worked at Meta, I've worked at Samsung, I've worked at a lot of different big tech companies, and I've worked at a lot of medtech companies. So I think that people think that human factors is different than user research, and they're right. Human factors is much harder than user research. And you really actually need a background in research methods and an understanding of how the application of research works. Formatives can be used for two reasons. One, to support the need of the product in use and to check how people are actually using the system in real life. So sometimes people are really good at thinking-- so engineers are amazing at building systems, right? I can't do what they can do. I'm not gonna pretend like I can. What I can do is help them build it for their end user, because a lot of the times engineers think very differently than the average human being. They're much more educated. Schooling for engineering is extremely difficult. A lot of it's mathematical computations, understanding actual physical properties of things in their environments and how that they work, right? So those are the things that engineers think about all day long. That's fine. I think about the user all day long. So you can create a system that an engineer thinks that is fine, but then the user is " I don't really know how to use this. What are you talking about?" Right? And so that's what user research informatives avoid. They avoid, they break down risk and they are able to help form the product. So those, those user research studies, like before, let's say phase zero to phase four in a market cycle, if phase five is market release, are for those things. And then as you get later in the cycle, you wanna do more rigid research, that's really breaking down the risk and really focusing on the user interactions within the system and med device. And making sure that they're assessing the risk based on your user, but they're very specific to the user interactions that are critical tasks and higher. Or things that lead up to the critical test and come away. So like you have to be able to do the steps before, do the thing that's really hard to do, that could hurt somebody and then make sure coming away from them you don't cause any harm either. That's the best way to look at these types of tests. And we do the exact same thing in validation for systems. So, in software you test to see if the software can do the thing that it's supposed to do. When you check that box, the software does the thing and it did it, and we're good to go. You do the same thing with mechanical engineering. The system has this, this range of motion here and this range of motion here, and it doesn't deviate from plus X to plus Y and therefore the system does what it's supposed to say. So you're verifying and validating that the system does what the system is planned to do. It's really no different in users, it's just that you're dealing with human beings and it's not, it doesn't work the same way, right? Because like people are variables no matter what. And that was really long worded. So there's like tons of different research to do, but if you don't do your summative and you don't do your risk documentation, you're not getting to, you're not gonna get to market approval. Just, there's no way. [00:24:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Thank you. Yeah, that is incredibly helpful insight. And you know, so I wanna go back to, you had this company before, right? So you had already built a business and it was thriving, and then unfortunately life intervened a little bit. When you went to start Gen UX, did you have moments... [00:24:57] Staci Miller: Of PTSD? [00:24:58] Lindsey Dinneen: Of, yeah. [00:25:01] Staci Miller: Yes. [00:25:01] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:25:02] Staci Miller: Yeah. I had major PTSD. Like I, so the concept of Gen UX was a play on words like, so I'm a Gen Xer, no biggie, but like I think that every Gen Xers, millennials, I feel like both of our generations very much identify with our generation. And I thought it would be kind of a fun play on words to identify to people that are also Gen Xers that, yeah, we do UX work and we're Gen UX, as a Generation X, like it was very important, right? So I kind of came up with that idea, thought it was cute. But at the time I was working for Meta, and Meta had been doing quite a bit of layoffs at the time. Nothing wrong with that, that happens with every company. But I have survived in Medtronic and Abbott and all these other companies. I had survived so many rounds of layoffs. I'm like, "One day my number is gonna be, it's just, it's just gonna happen." So, we started at Meta internally, really like they, they were very open and honest with people. They're like, "This is when this is gonna happen. We are gonna lay off more people. This is when this round is gonna happen. We're gonna lay off more people, and then this is the final round and this is when we're gonna lay off these people." So each of our groups of things like, so it was like engineers, lawyers, researchers. Like we, we had timelines that we knew if, if it was gonna happen, this is when it was gonna happen, this would be the day. [00:26:17] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:26:17] Staci Miller: So I started to really think about what that meant, and I'm like, "Okay, well I'm not gonna start looking for jobs right away because I want my severance package." I definitely wanted that 'cause I, and then I wanted a break if I could have it. So I was like, okay. I, in between working at I was working at EDA as a contractor and that was super fun. Like I had my own time kind of, and I enjoyed the work and I got put on other projects whenever they needed me. And it was like, but I was constantly on a project, so I'm like, "I, maybe I'll go into doing IC work by myself" and I'm like, "No, I can't make enough. If I'm gonna do this, I'm gonna build something." And then I'm like, well, I started to talk to my friends every single one of my friends, including Interface Analysis' owner, Tony Andre was like, "Start your own business, Staci. Start your own consulting firm, just do it. Don't even look back. Just do it. People will end up coming to you because you know how to do this." He's like, he's it's, "You know, the first years they are what they are and everybody knows what that looks like. It's, it's rough. You have, it's like a mental game. You're like, I am gonna do this. And you just have to be consistent and can continue down your path. And more and more people will show up." And that's been true every year. But that's how GenX was started. And yes, there was this whole trepidation about, "Am I gonna make it? Am I gonna make it through this?" And I was like, "You know what, Stac, you're starting in a recession in your, in your industry. If you can get it done, if you can get two years in and be successful, you're fine." I'm in year three. [00:27:50] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah! [00:27:51] Staci Miller: Yeah, I mean, year three, woohoo. And we're increasing 50% year over year in year three, and I started it with $0. So, and I'm not, I'm not saying like a hundred to 50, like $50 to a hundred, we're, we're talking a couple hundred thousand dollars here, a couple hundred thousand there. But it's modest and I do expect that growth, and I do expect that to continue. And the other thing I think about is becoming very malleable in, in your spaces, like what's working for you and what doesn't work for you. But I feel like that's kind of off topic from what you asked. But yeah, I had PTSD gave myself at least two years and I'm like, "I can do anything for two years. If it doesn't work out, you know, like I have everything that I have and I can go back into corporate if I need to." And I really, I really was tripping, like just to be nineties about it, I was tripping. Like I was really like, "You know, I don't know." And my husband was like. He was my biggest cheerleader. He was like, "You've gotta do this. He's you're gonna, you're gonna be able to do this. You have something that I don't have. You're really great at networking people like you." I'm like, "Do they really like what?" And he's, " No, people like being around you. You make friends easy and people really do enjoy being around you and they like know that you're smart and you're gonna be able to do this." So, that's how this all started. And yes, I was really freaked out when I first started, but every day when I had bad days, I'm like, "Everything always works itself out." [00:29:14] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. [00:29:14] Staci Miller: "Have you ever not been in a situation where everything works itself out?" "No. No." So I'm like, "Well, if I, if it doesn't, I'll get a new dream, but I don't-- once you hit this, this year, like year three and you know you're still growing, you don't have to get a new dream, you just keep going and you're like, this dream is happening. I'm gonna keep it going." [00:29:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. What was it like building a team? Did you start off as a one-woman show, or did you have support at the beginning? How did that work? [00:29:43] Staci Miller: So at first, actually my designer's father was working with me and he called me out of the blue and he's " Hey. I have this client, she doesn't have any human factors person working with her, but I know that she needs it and do you wanna talk to her? I know you're not working at Meta," because I put on my, oh. LinkedIn profile Open to Work. So he called me like within two days, like seriously, like people started to call me and that was when I was already like, "I'm gonna do my own thing. I'm just gonna do my own thing." So the universe just brought me a gift, right? And I met this first client and I started to work with her, and at first everything was super cool. The first year it was great, and I really liked working with her, but she also needed a couple of other things. She needed an IFU and she needed design quality assurance. I'm like, "Check, check. I can get both those things done." So I called my friend Maria, "Hey, do you wanna work with me? She's " Hey. Yeah, totally." Because we had already worked together and we knew each other pretty well. So it wasn't like it was difficult to make that connection. And, and she knows my personality. I know her personality, and I know we both work extremely hard and we have that in common. So I wasn't, never, would I be worried about Maria. And then I found I wasn't, I didn't even have a designer yet on staff. And I found someone who used to do instructions for use for a different company I worked for. I called him like, "Hey, can you do this?" He's " Yeah, yeah." So I got all that done for this other client. I'm like, "I can do this. I can do this. I can, I can find people." I know so many intelligent people who love what they do and have a fire for it every day. And then the evolution started to happen. And then I asked someone to work with me to do sales, and then they said, "Yes." And then we started to pitch people that I was friends with and knew, and sometimes they said yes, and sometimes they said no. I think the first year, I think I pitched over like $4 million in business and I got 20,000. No, I got, I got 80,000, something like that. Something, something small and I'm like, "Why am I pitching so much? This is like taking so much time outta my day," that I found someone to work with me. His name was Adam and I still actually work with Adam and he, but he's a big picture guy and he started to work with me a little bit and help me like navigate through some things. Even to this day, we talk and he's not fully, fully, fully on onboarded, but if, if some. Of the clients that he lands do come on board, he will be back on board and he will be working with me again. And then I had a salesperson this last year and I realized just I needed more of a hunter-gatherer. So like we're just going in a different direction, right? So I had that, and then last year my goal was to bring my designer Maddie on full-time. And I was able to do that too. So everything that I've kind of just said, "I'm gonna do this this year, I've been able to do this year." And I'm not taking this lightly. Like I have a board of directors, which are people who are, have different perspectives on finance because that's my weakest link, I would say. A professor at UCLA, his name's Sean Pat, also a good friend of mine. He's on my board. And my brother-in-law and my nephew, who is new in his life and on his journey, is on my board as well, and I kind of wanted him on my board so he can see what it looks like to be an entrepreneur and see what growth looks like year over year because he is already working for companies. He's, he's like 25, I think, and he's already being groomed to be in upper management. He's got upper management written all over him as like the, as like people would say in like cute little circles. And then my my brother-in-law, he is one of the CFOs at Mayo Clinic, so these are people who have some in medical, some in finance, some in finance, in medical, just helping me like grow. I throw things past them and they help, you know, make decisions for the year. And they tell me like, they give me feedback and, and work through things that I'm doing and what they think is right, what they don't think is right. And sometimes I listen, sometimes I don't. You know, like... [00:33:28] Lindsey Dinneen: Well, yeah. [00:33:29] Staci Miller: Just really depends like where I'm at and what I wanna do and where we wanna grow. [00:33:34] Lindsey Dinneen: Yeah. Excellent. Okay. So I'm curious, especially within medtech specifically, are there moments that really stand out to you as just affirming, "Oh my goodness, I am in the right place at the right time." [00:33:49] Staci Miller: Things keep happening, so, every time I speak, like I, I spoke at Project Medtech, people bombarded me. They're like, "We wanna work with you. We wanna work with you. We should talk, we should talk." Anytime I go to a symposium I walk away with two or three leads. People coming up to me, "Oh, do you do this thing? We should really talk. We should really talk." So, just being in the situation like that kind of tells me that I'm in the right direction. And the other thing is we're growing year over year. If you take a 10,000 foot view of where I was year one versus year three now, very, very different. Extremely different. And like I said, I do have, I do have other consultants that work with me. I don't want you to think it's just like a two person shop. It's not, there's other consultants that work with me but they're as needed. They're not full employees, which I think is really helpful in a situation like this. If you're a founder starting up from scratch and you're not, you don't have, I'm not trying to get angel investors. I'm not trying to get people to push money into my company. I am building it literally from zero to whatever it is that I make. And so that, that's a, what I would call like a slow burn of, you have to build your foundation, you have to manage to the capital that you do have, and then you, then you go to the next level and you do the same thing and then you do the same thing. And there's a lot of consistency with the business now, and I see a lot of people targeting me for that consistency. And as, as we are growing, like people are engaging with us on a different level, which is exciting to see. That's always exciting. [00:35:20] Lindsey Dinneen: Yes. [00:35:20] Staci Miller: That's kind of how I know. Yeah. [00:35:23] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. Awesome. Okay, so pivoting the conversation a little bit just for fun. [00:35:28] Staci Miller: Cool. [00:35:30] Lindsey Dinneen: Imagine that you were to be offered a million dollars to teach a masterclass on anything you want. Could be within your industry, but it doesn't have to be. What would you choose to teach? [00:35:40] Staci Miller: That's a great question. I love, I think it's very important when you do what you do for a living to have something that isn't that for yourself. So I, there's very specific ways as to how I unwind at the end of the day. One of those things is cooking. I would totally do a masterclass in being a home chef. Like I'm, I'm not even a chef like that. I've never gone to culinary school, but I absolutely, I make my own breads. I make chutney sometimes when, when I want some. I would do a masterclass on-- I'm not Gordon Ramsey. I'm not Thomas Keller. Here's what it looks like to be a home cook. And here's the, the five things that you actually need. And this is what you should learn how to make first. Like I remember the first time I was trying to make pasta or something, I boiled the water to death. There was no water left in the pond. Like I didn't even know what I was doing. I, maybe I walked away from it, I don't know, but I destroyed the pot. My mom's " What were you doing?" I was like, "Making pasta." And she's " What, what, what happened? You ruined the pot." I'm like, "I'm not, I just did it wrong." So I would probably do a masterclass in how to just take that first step learning how to make your own food, right? And talk about food 'cause I like food. There you go. That's what I would do. [00:36:52] Lindsey Dinneen: Love it. I love food and I love talking about it. So, that sounds like a great class. [00:36:58] Staci Miller: I would do, I would totally do it. [00:36:59] Lindsey Dinneen: Okay, and then how do you wish to be remembered after you leave this world? [00:37:07] Staci Miller: This might be dating me, but Roy Orbison who wrote the song, "Pretty Woman" that was also in the movie, "Pretty Woman" wrote that he "just wanted to be remembered." And I thought that was really interesting. And I think that everybody knows that song knows that it's the guy like, I don't know if you know like the artist, but I think even to this day, that song, generationally, people know that song. I don't know how I wanna be remembered, but this is how I wanna impact the world. So it's kind of like that, but kind of not. I believe that knowledge transfer is the most powerful thing that we have amongst generations. And I want the next generation to be better than me, which is probably, in my opinion, I'm kind of kind of strict about this, probably a tall order, 'cause I'm like very picky. But, I have mentored and, and taught people my craft, and I want them to be better than me so they can mentor people and be better at this craft. So if I leave one mark on this world, it's that I have taught somebody what I know how to do and I expect them to do it better than me. And I don't mentor just anybody. So if I'm mentoring you is, and I'm putting all this energy into you, you better, you better bring it. And the people that I have worked with and have mentored are doing extremely well in their careers, and that's, that's kind of a thing that I like about, like what we do and how I do it. So I don't know if I would be specifically remembered for that, but I do know that it would move our industry forward and that makes me happy. [00:38:39] Lindsey Dinneen: I love that. That's a beautiful legacy. All right, and then final question. What is one I know, what is one thing that makes you smile every time you see or think about it? [00:38:52] Staci Miller: When I see what I'm building or, or how I'm building it in the future and I really go deep within my, my consciousness about this is what I'm gonna do next. This is how I'm gonna do it. This is what makes me feel really alive. I get so excited. I get like goosebumps. I start smiling. I, I'm a big-- I don't know if you do this, Lindsey, but I do this-- I kind of dance around a little bit. Like I dance when I'm making food, I dance and most people dunno that about me. But I, but my closest friends I remember I was working with this one guy and he looks at me, he's " Do you ever stop dancing?" I'm like, "Nope. Nope, Nope. Gotta dance." So all that stuff like starts to happen. And I just get really excited about the things that I'm trying to build, what I'm trying to master in my own world, what I'm trying to create. And that's what gives me like so much excitement. And then a number two would be my cats, because they're ridiculous and I love them and they give me so much love and they make me smile all the time too. [00:39:52] Lindsey Dinneen: Oh yes, those are great answers. I love that so much. It is exciting to see. Dreams come true. I can totally understand that answer of getting the, the excitement, the tingles, and then yeah, I, yeah, I, I obviously relate to dancing around all the time, and especially like celebratory dances. They're, my celebratory dances are the goofiest, most ridiculous things you've ever seen, but I'm happy! So. [00:40:20] Staci Miller: As long as you're happy, that's all that really matters, right? Like that vibe that you're putting out there and the happiness and the giddiness, like the things that I'm building in my mind, like they haven't happened yet, but I'm dancing like they have, you know, because I hope that they do. Like there you go. And I think that's important. I love it. [00:40:35] Lindsey Dinneen: True embodiment of the vision. I love it. Well, well, Staci, this has been a great conversation. Thank you so much for your insights and your stories, and we are so honored to be making a donation on your behalf today to Feeding America, which works to end hunger in the United States by partnering with food banks, food pantries, and local food programs to bring food to people facing hunger, and also they advocate for policies that create long term solutions to hunger. So thank you so much for choosing that charity to support. And gosh, I just wish you the most continued success as you work to change lives for a better world. [00:41:15] Staci Miller: Thank you, thank you. It was so much fun being with you today. I appreciate this and it was so much fun to talk about. And yeah, I can't wait to see you in the next couple weeks too. So we'll see each other soon. [00:41:26] Lindsey Dinneen: Yay! Sounds good. Well, thanks again and have the best rest of your day. [00:41:32] Dan Purvis: The Leading Difference is brought to you by Velentium Medical. Velentium Medical is a full service CDMO, serving medtech clients worldwide to securely design, manufacture, and test class two and class three medical devices. Velentium Medical's four units include research and development-- pairing electronic and mechanical design, embedded firmware, mobile app development, and cloud systems with the human factor studies and systems engineering necessary to streamline medical device regulatory approval; contract manufacturing-- building medical products at the prototype, clinical, and commercial levels in the US, as well as in low cost regions in 1345 certified and FDA registered Class VII clean rooms; cybersecurity-- generating the 12 cybersecurity design artifacts required for FDA submission; and automated test systems, assuring that every device produced is exactly the same as the device that was approved. Visit VelentiumMedical.com to explore how we can work together to change lives for a better world.

In this Midweek Mini, we're diving into all the latest points and miles news, including recent devaluations, smart booking strategies, and the new PAZE platform that has everyone talking. We share the trips we've been booking lately, what Hyatts we locked in before the devaluation, and the strategies we're personally using to maximize our points right now. We also talk through creative ways to stack rewards with gift cards, DashPass, and high multipliers, plus a few credit card tricks that could help you hit sign-up bonuses faster. From Hyatt changes to Chase Sapphire Reserve updates and upcoming travel plans, this episode is packed with practical tips to help you stretch your points further and stay ahead of the constant changes in the travel world.Girl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Mentioned in this Episode:Summer Road Trip Submissions ARE BACK!Chase Sapphire Link-Mary EllenChase Sapphire Link- JoannaRakuten- Mary Ellen (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Rakuten- Joanna (Get 5000 AMEX or Bilt POINTS)Find Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Seats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Tobiq 15%Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

In flashbacks, Hook is reunited with Alice, who claims that they have been cured of their curse. However, when they try to embrace, Hook gets hurt and Alice runs away in fear. Henry and Cinderella chase her to Wonderland. Cinderella finds Alice, who tells her that she met Cinderella’s mother before and that she was […]

***The challenge with recording remotely with three people is that sometimes the wifi just doesn't cooperate. There are a few moments where the audio overlaps slightly. We apologize that we weren't able to fully fix it in post-production.***What does it really look like to fly a family of five to Singapore in business class using points and miles? In this episode, we sit down with one of our amazing listeners, Gretchen, to break down exactly how she made this bucket-list trip happen using smart award flight strategies, transferable points, and a whole lot of persistence. We talk through the best ways to search for award availability and why flexibility is everything when planning international family travel. Gretchen also shares a very scary scam that could have turned out WAY worse without the a great credit card company in her corner! She also tells us what it was actually like exploring Singapore with kids, including must-do experiences like Gardens by the Bay, incredible skyline views, and even seeing Indonesia from across the water. If you've ever dreamed of taking your family on a huge international adventure without paying cash prices, this episode is packed with practical tips, inspiration, and real-world advice to help you make it happen.Girl's Trip Interest Form (April 7-10, 2027)Mentioned in this Episode:Gretchen's Singapore/Thailand Blog PostList of Airline Customer Service NumbersFor Thailand/Singapore Questions email Gretchen.navy@gmail.comFind Us On Online:Sign Up for the Y! Wonder Travel NewsletterWonderland on Points Youtube ChannelMary Ellen | JoFacebook GroupAffiliate Links:Seats.AeroCardpointersHalara (use code "Wonderland" for 10% off)Tobiq 15%Our Favorite Credit CardsOur Favorite Travel NecessitiesWe receive a small commission when you choose to use any of our links to purchase your products or apply for your cards! We SO appreciate when you choose to give back to the podcast in this way!

Swanny opens the show breaking down the wild start to the ACC Baseball Tournament after Duke Blue Devils baseball outslugged NC State Wolfpack baseball 21-12 in a four-hour marathon that pushed back Clemson's matchup with Notre Dame Fighting Irish baseball in Charlotte.Plus, Swanny reacts to the difficult news surrounding Clemson defensive tackle Hevin Brown-Shuler's Hodgkin lymphoma diagnosis and shares thoughts on the support pouring in from the Clemson community. 

Stephen Colbert’s nearly-11-year run on The Late Show comes to an end tonight. And The Late Show’s nearly-33-year run on CBS comes to an end tonight, too. This hour, as the late-night TV landscape rejiggers itself, a look at the state and future of late-night comedy. Plus: A look at the FCC’s crusade against ABC (and, seemingly, Jimmy Kimmel). And: the banal horror of Jimmy Fallon. GUESTS: Eric Deggans: Critic-at-large at NPR, and he writes the Switching Codes Substack Jon Greenaway: A writer and podcaster and the author of Capitalism: A Horror Story — Gothic Marxism and the Dark Side of the Radical Imagination Jason Zinoman: Critic at large for the culture section of The New York Times, where he writes the On Comedy column Music featured (in order): Lost in a Wonderland – SNL Band The Party’s Over – Nat King Cole Colbert – Pivot Gang ABC – Jackson 5 The FCC Song (from “Family Guy”) – Cast – Family Guy Only A Fool Would Say That – Steely Dan Support the show: http://www.wnpr.org/donateSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Originally recorded and aired on July 7, 2025, this throwback episode of The DVC Show revisits the Disney and Disney Vacation Club experiences fans still wish would return. From Disney's Magical Express and Tables in Wonderland to the atmosphere of Disney's BoardWalk and other memorable perks, we're sharing the things that made Disney vacations feel even more magical.Some of these offerings are long gone, while others changed over time, but Disney fans continue to talk about what they miss most from past Walt Disney World vacations. Whether you're a longtime Disney Vacation Club Member or simply nostalgic for classic Disney experiences, this episode is full of fun memories, hot takes, and plenty of “bring it back!” moments.What Disney experience do YOU wish would return? Let us know in the comments!Join the discussion inside the DVC Fan Forums: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠https://forums.dvcfan.com/⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support our DVC Fan content by joining our⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Patreon Community⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Visit our official sponsor, World of DVC, for all your DVC needs!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DVC Resale Market⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is the largest broker of DVC resale contracts on the internet!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Monera Financial⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for an easy solution to financing your DVC contract!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DVC Rental Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ is a fantastic resource for those looking to rent points or rent out points!Buy Discounted Disney World or Universal Tickets with ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Unlocked Magic⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Book Your Next Disney Cruise with⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Be Our Guest Vacations!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Join the Keyholder Club Loyalty Program - Download the App and Sign Up TODAY!⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple App Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Play Store⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Become a member of the ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DVC Fan Facebook Group⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Follow us on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Instagram⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠!Visit ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠DVC Fan⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ for even more on Disney Vacation Club!

Matt Haig was already several books into his career as a writer by the time he published “The Midnight Library” in 2020. One of those books, the 2015 memoir “Reasons to Stay Alive,” had even been a best seller in England, his home nation. Yet, “The Midnight Library” was a true breakout phenomenon. The novel, about a depressed woman who, after deciding to end her own life, ends up in a magical library in which every book presents her with an alternative life, eventually sold more than 10 million copies worldwide. The author's new book, “The Midnight Train,” takes place on a parallel track. In it, an older man dies and finds himself on a train, able to revisit key moments in his life on his way to the hereafter. Like its blockbuster sibling, the book is concerned with questions of gratitude, regret and perspective. Haig joined the “Book Review” podcast and spoke to the host, Gilbert Cruz, about his new book and why he returned to the world of “The Midnight Library.” If you are having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 to reach the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline or go to SpeakingOfSuicide.com/resources for a list of additional resources. Books Discussed on This Episode “The Midnight Library,” by Matt Haig “Reasons to Stay Alive,” by Matt Haig “The Labrador Pact,” by Matt Haig “Winnie-the-Pooh,” by A. A. Milne “The House at Pooh Corner,” by A. A. Milne “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland,” Lewis Carroll “The Outsiders,” by S. E. Hinton “Walden,” by Henry David Thoreau “Paris Trance,” by Jeff Dyer “Invisible Cities,” by Italo Calvino “The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue,” by V. E. Schwab “The History of Love,” by Nicole Krauss “We Burned So Bright,” by T. J. Klune “A Novel Love Story,” by Ashley Poston “The Someday Garden,” by Ashley Poston Listen to and Follow the ‘Book Review' Podcast Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Amazon Music | YouTube | iHeartRadio Unlock full access to New York Times podcasts and explore everything from politics to pop culture. Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. We Want to Hear From You We would love to hear your thoughts about this episode, and about the Book Review's podcast in general. You can send them to thebookreview@nytimes.com. Credits The “Book Review” podcast is hosted by Gilbert Cruz and produced by Sarah Diamond, Amy Pearl, and Patricia Sulbarán. The show is edited by Larissa Anderson and mixed by Pedro Rosado. Special thanks to MJ Franklin, Dahlia Haddad, and Brooke Minters. Illustration by The New York Times; Photo: Andrew Testa for The New York Times Subscribe today at nytimes.com/podcasts or on Apple Podcasts and Spotify. You can also subscribe via your favorite podcast app here https://www.nytimes.com/activate-access/audio?source=podcatcher. For more podcasts and narrated articles, download The New York Times app at nytimes.com/app. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.