Chatting with Casey

It may be our nerdiest episode yet, but I don't think I've laughed harder on any Chatting with Casey to date!

In Episode 14, I interview Errol Elumir, proud nerd and escape room enthusiast as he shares a number of stories about game design, puzzle culture, and the things that can go wrong when you plan events of your own.

From killing text-based kittens to hoarding fake money and more, it's all here in Chatting with Casey 14 — I Don't Want to Talk to Anyone; Just Give Me the Puzzles!

Show Notes:

Everything Errol Mentions:

A great convo between Carlos Diaz, Rob Tinkler and myself on 8 Tiny Reindeer debuting Saturday, December 1st, their friendship of more than twenty years and fatherhood with all its foibles! 8 Tiny Reindeer will be released advent calendar style with episodes released every day from December 1st through 24th—I hope you're ready for it!

Shout out to Robin Read Griffin for making this happen!

There's a lot going on that so many of us never even think about when it comes to chocolate, like the allegations of modern slavery in West Africa linked to 95% of the world's chocolate production. Or that Canada's making chocolate that competes on an international level, with brands like Hummingbird and Sirene taking awards from European companies who've been at this for hundreds of years. Richard wants you to learn about one of Canada's best-kept secrets, and on Chatting with Casey's thirteenth episode, he's here to tell you all about it.

Additional Notes:

• Here's where you can check out the Climate Pledge Collective and download your pledge sheet
• My post on hustling 'til you drop
• The Rebel Chocolates x Blissdom Canada #RebelGiving Twitter Party
• That time Richard met Adrian Grenier
• Photos courtesy of Anna Epp Photography

In episode 11, I chat with Rhiannon Langford, the doula behind Birth Boss Maternity Care about the need for doulas and her devotion to Toronto's art scene. You can check out her site, and she's also active on Instagram and Pinterest!

Additional Notes:

• 1:07: My Black History Month series is Live from the 3.5 (formerly known as Tales from the 2.9)
• 1:11: I did a list of 100 goals every January from 2013-2017. Here's the 2016 version mentioned.
• 2:44: Rewatchability 316, where the gents and I discussed The Lion King
• 2:47: Sam Kemp-Jackson's episode 15 of Parenting Then and Now

What would it be like to take your six-person family and live in a 270-square foot school bus you converted into a mobile home?

That's the question my longtime friend Kenna Côte can answer, having lived the bus life for a little over a year now!

In episode ten, you get to hear Kendra and me have tons of fun talking soap, parenthood, and why no one loves working a job every. Waking. Moment. Of their lives.

In the months since I wrote my incendiary Father's Day post, I learned from the experience and the things we could all do better in a world that has but two days recognising the myriad of parenting situations out there.

For this episode, I teamed up with Jennifer Tammy of Sugar, Spice and Glitter fame, who'd called me out on my views back when this all started. With her life as a single Mom, Jennifer helped me see things I took for granted in my two-parent household and learn some of the stigmas that still exist against single parents to this day.

Includes a shout-out to André Proulx from the award-winning podcast Two Guys Talking Wine for keeping on me to get back to the 'cast.

An interview with author, world traveller and fellow Dad Blogger Ricky Shetty as we discuss his life, his new book series Exploring the Continents: A Family's Journey to Visit Every Country in the World, and what it's like to live a life so unconventional!

It takes a while to switch my mind back on once it's gone into vacation mode, but I'm back (right before I'm out in the sticks again) with the second part of my conversation with the lovely Drekken Pownz!

In this episode, you'll find the following:

• A discussion on why there are likely so many more gay people than we think because they largely live life having to hide who they are,
• A look at some perspectives we can ALL take to make ourselves better people,
• And why driving a school bus is such a good gig for entrepreneurs!

Drekken's a masterful storyteller whose narrative you won't find anywhere else, so I suggest you sit down, strap in, and get yourself ready for an excellent hour ahead, because this episode's one for the books!

In what are some of my favourite interviews to date on Chatting with Casey, I chat it up with Jemmie Robles, a colleague of mine who's co-parenting her two daughters not with their father, but with his wife; and Drekken Pownz, in the first part of his 90-minute interview on a story about being Black and gay that I can only call inspiring.

This episode is most definitely worth the listen!

With Father's Day just around the corner, I had the privilege of speaking with a Wish Dad whose son made a wish through the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada to go see Mickey in Disney World! I also spoke with Gloria Chik of ROGUESTORIES fame about the Flight Pack—a carry-on sized travel case that any stylish Dad would love to have!

All this and more in the fifth episode!