I Always Wanted To

I Always Wanted To

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I Always Wanted To episodes

  • Play the Harmonica

    My guest, Mark Radel,  describes himself this way: I have always been around music.  I sang in the church choir, school choirs, acted in musicals in high school, was into music but never took up an instrument.  After my wife and I moved to Seattle my commute was 30 minutes and I was bored driving back and forth each day.  I thought about what I could do and saw a book named "harmonica playing for dummies", with it came a cheap C major harp and a cassette.  So each daly as I drove to and from work I practiced playing.  When we moved back to Bellingham, WA, I got serious and started playing with others.  Now I can sheepishly say I am a musician.

    Artists Mark mentions that he listens to: Kevin Moore, Taj Mahal Eric Clapton, Tracy Chapman, Jerry Portnoy, and Harry Manx.

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)

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    Opening Remarks

    Today's guest is a dear friend that I've known half my life. Before we moved away many years ago Mark was a fan of our music, my husband Michael's and mine-- that's that Cohen music I mention later on. Mark would often come see us perform, but he never played. 

    It is such a pleasure in this interview to hear about his transformation as a harp player and acceptance of himself as a musician. This is what is possible when we try something we've always wanted to do. The story of Mark's journey is exactly what I was thinking about when I started this podcast.

    One of the things that's most interesting about Mark's process is that he started with improvisation. He didn't learn melodies or how to read music, but instead he plays by ear and instinctively. I think that's unusual and kind of courageous. Plus he is fortunate to have good friends to play with and challenge him. And I miss them all very much.

    I should mention that during our conversation I use some shorthand and don't explain everything because we know each other so well. Also during the interview Mark is fiddling with his harmonicas and you can hear them rattling a bit.

    It was a joy to reconnect with my friend and I look forward to joining in on one of the music nights he mentions in the near future.

    Full transcript available at https://ialwayswantedto.net



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    34 min
  • Be A Cave Diver

    JILL HEINERTH is an underwater explorer, writer, photographer, speaker, and filmmaker. A pioneer of technical rebreather diving, she has led expeditions into icebergs in Antarctica, volcanic lava tubes, and submerged caves worldwide. Jill is the first Explorer-in-Residence of the Royal Canadian Geographical Society. Her memoir, INTO THE PLANET, has been lauded by the Wall Street Journal, Oprah Magazine, and the New York Times. Her children's book THE AQUANAUT is a Blue Ribbon Selection for Dolly Parton's Imagination Library. Jill is a Fellow of the International Scuba Diving Hall of Fame, Underwater Academy of Arts and Sciences, Women Divers Hall of Fame and the Explorers Club, which awarded her with the William Beebe Award for ocean exploration.   Contact: www.IntoThePlanet.com   Into the Planet, My Life as a Cave Diver is available through booksellers and Amazon, worldwide.  

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)

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    Opening Remarks 

    Hi everyone, and welcome. One of the things I find fascinating as I interview people is the variety of things that attract us, how different are the subjects we want to learn, and the environments we want to explore. And how what scares one person makes another one come alive.

    Jill Heinerth and I both love the water. We'd both jump on a flight to outer space if the opportunity presented itself. But Jill has trained to be a world class underwater explorer and boldly goes where no human has ever ventured. She faces her fear regularly and has taken away a lesson that I wholeheartedly agree with-- that stepping into the darkness might feel scary but it's also exciting. If you focus on that and take small manageable steps you can come up with some amazing results.

    One of my favorite parts of my conversation with Jill is how she learned to say no. Once in awhile she finds herself in a situation where her professional judgment tells her this is unsafe. Even though she's close to the prize or others want her to go on, she knows it's too dangerous and draws the line. 

    For most of us our decisions aren't quite as much a matter of life and death. But from time to time we all need to resist social pressure and respect our our personal boundaries. Sometimes saying no is as courageous as diving into the unknown

    I encourage you to visit the links in the show notes and see some of Jill's videos. Her descriptions are excellent but the images take you to a whole new world. Here's the interview.

    (Full transcript at https://ialwayswantedto.net)



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    35 min
  • Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up

    My guest, Annie Handmer, is a final year PhD Candidate at the University of Sydney's Faculty of Science, in the School of History and Philosophy of Science. Her research traces the social history of Australian space science projects in order to better understand international and interdisciplinary cooperation, the social construction of achievement, and the nature of the military-industrial-academic complex in Australian space science.

    In addition, she is on the Advisory Council for the Space Industry Association of Australia, a member of the Space Generation Advisory Council 'Ethics and Human Rights in Space' Project Group, the Space Law Council of Australia and New Zealand, program consultant to the Australian Youth Aerospace Association ASTRA Committee, and is also the host and creator of the Space Junk Podcast.

    In Spring 2021 (southern hemisphere), Annie will be undertaking a residency at the Sydney Observatory. 

    Twitter / Instagram: @anniehandmer

    Space Junk Podcast: https://play.acast.com/s/space-junk-podcast/

    Space Junk Video: https://www.youtube.com/c/spacejunkpodcast/  

    Space Ethics Library: https://spaceethicslibrary.wordpress.com/

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)

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    Opening Remarks 

    Hi Everyone,

    I'm so glad to have Annie Handmer as my guest on the podcast again. I love the way she sees the world and everything she thinks about.

    In this conversation Annie and I turned things around. Instead of looking backwards to what we always wanted, we ponder the question of what do you want to be when you grow up. What effect does that question have on kids when they hear it? And what's really the point of asking when the jobs available will be completely different in 20 years.

    For example the work Annie does now was inconceivable when I was growing up. Annie actually teaches Space Law, she advises the United Nations on Space Ethics, and works for her state government predicting the future in order to come up with better policy.   Wow.

    If you haven't yet listened to our previous conversation, do check out I Always Wanted to Go Into Outer Space from September 2020. She proposes some great alternatives to Space Tourism for those of us who are not billionaires. It's not a prerequisite for this episode but it's well worth a listen.

    In today's conversation we talk about better questions to ask children than what do you want to be, and discuss how our differences influence our point of view.  Annie speaks on behalf of all millennials and I speak for all boomers and together we make sweeping generalizations that are absolutely sure to be true.

    I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. Here's the interview.

    (Full transcript at https://ialwayswantedto.net)



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    45 min
  • Find My Purpose

    In this, my 50th episode, I talk about the upcoming season which begins Monday, September 13th. 

    Coming up on I Always Wanted To:

    • Know What I Want To Be When I Grow Up
    • Be A Cave Diver
    • Learn to Play Harmonica
    • Be A Competitive Athlete
    • Spot Disinformation
    • Play A Theremin

    --and more--

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)

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    TRANSCRIPT

    Liz: Hi everyone. I'm proud to say this is my 50th episode. I've been podcasting since May of 2018. In that time I've spoken with dozens of fascinating people and asked them questions about how they pursued their passions; how they put one foot in front of the other to dance or climb or play or learn.

    In all of my conversations my guests mention a point when they realize, "Wow, I got this. I'm doing what I set out to do, what I always dreamed of doing." I don't have to do things the way it's always been done. I can experiment. I can step out of my comfort zone and it feels wonderful.

    In this upcoming series we're going to explore some new territory-- like underwater caves. We'll take another look at the question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" I'll ask an expert about how to spot Disinformation and a dear friend about learning to play blues harp. I'll interview a medal-winning athlete who didn't start running until she was 57. And learn about something I've personally always wanted to do, that is play a Theremin, from a world class virtuoso and teacher.

    My purpose in all of this is to bring you inspiring stories that remind you live your dreams. They are not out of reach. They are easier than you think to achieve.

    My dream is to make an impact with this podcast. It has been a joy to create and refine. If you listen to the early episodes please forgive the technical flaws. I've learned a lot since then and I hope it shows. If you're just joining me now I hope you will check out the back catalog. There's some great content there.

    Based on your feedback, I'm also striving to make myself more visible, or I guess present is more appropriate in this medium.  I'll talk more about my impressions of the guests and what I take away from the conversations. As always, I'd love to hear what you think as well. Am I succeeding in my purpose of inspiring you? You tell me.

    Podcasting brings together many of my interests-- learning new things, talking to cool people, and of course tech geek stuff. I thoroughly enjoy the process and I do it for love. However, I am not averse to receiving support. Please feel free to show your appreciation at Patreon.com/alwayswanted.

    I hope you enjoy the new season of I Always Wanted To. I'm Liz Sumner, reminding you to be bold, and thanks for listening.

     



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    4 min
  • Go Behind The Scenes

    Liz Sumner tells the story of how I Always Wanted To podcast came to be, where she finds her guests, and shares her favorite podcast mentors.



    Juleyka Lantigua Williams
    of Podcasting Seriously
    https://www.podcastingseriously.com/

    Twila Dang of Matriarch Digital Media
    https://www.matriarchdm.com/welcome-1

    Arielle Nissenblatt of Squadcast
    https://squadcast.fm/

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)

    Please send your questions or comments to [email protected] or dm me at https://www.instagram.com/lizsumner/

    CLAIM=45ae6bc2af8d265152a936ccca227784b445c4d8=CLAIM



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    8 min
  • Find My Birth Mother

    Annie Peguero is a High-Performance Mindset Coach who helps female entrepreneurs integrate spiritual development into their business so they can make more money online.   She's a military spouse of a marine, a mom of girls, and an adoptee who went live on Facebook asking for help in finding her birth family.  Annie teaches the skill of adventuring with self-doubt, asking yourself better questions to reveal your inner badass so you can serve and shine from your highest level.

    Annie's 6-month group coaching program called SOL School [Sisters Over Limits] for Entrepreneurs blends spiritual and business development together in a sisterhood collective. She also has a month-to-month membership and a podcast called Adventures with Annie Peguero.

    Visit Annie's website to learn ways you can work with her https://www.anniepeguero.com/

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    I want to get to know you better. Please fill out a 5-question survey at lizsumner.com/survey.  Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life. (launchyourdreamlife.com)



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    43 min
  • Build A Tiny House

    Ethan Waldman is a tiny house author, speaker, and teacher. He built his own tiny house on wheels in 2012, and has been passionately helping future tiny house dwellers on their own journeys ever since. Ethan's guide, Tiny House Decisions, has helped thousands of readers answer the big questions about tiny houses and plan each system in their future home. He's also the creator and host of the Tiny House Lifestyle Podcast, a show that brings you weekly conversations with tiny house luminaries, builders, and DIYers. Ethan and his wife Ann live in their tiny house part-time in Northern Vermont.

    Lots more photos at https://www.thetinyhouse.net/professional-tiny-house-photos/

    https://www.thetinyhouse.net/

    More sites for plans:

    https://tinyhouseplans.com/

    https://denoutdoors.com/

    https://www.pinuphouses.com/

    Please fill out a brief 5-question survey
    Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    31 min
  • Be An Archaeologist

    Smiti Nathan, PhD has been an archaeologist for 15+ years. Her current research focuses on ancient societies in Oman and Ethiopia. She works with interdisciplinary teams to uncover answers to questions like, "How did past societies use plants?", "Where did people choose to live?", and "What role did the environment play in past life?"

    In addition, she discusses her work, travels, and creative pursuits on the website, Habits of a Travelling Archaeologist: https://habitsofatravellingarchaeologist.com/

    Twitter: @travellingarch

    Instagram: @travellingarchaeologist

    Places Smiti mentions:

    In Hungary, she worked in Vésztő, which is a town in Békés county.

    Beta Samati in Ethiopia:

    Akir al Shamoos in Oman:

    Smiti also mentions crowd-sourced archeology. Here's a link about that: https://blog.nationalgeographic.org/2016/06/27/how-crowdsourced-archaeology-could-help-solve-the-mysteries-of-peru/

    Please fill out a brief 5-question survey
    Let me know when you're done and I'll send you a coupon code for my online course, 8 Steps to Launch Your Dream Life.

     



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    33 min
  • Visit A Haunted House

    In 2014, Dr. Kristy Sumner coupled her passion for travel, history and the paranormal when she formed Soul Sisters Paranormal, an all-female team, made up of Sumner, her two sisters and two friends. As a team of 5 investigators, Soul Sisters Paranormal traveled to some of the most historic and, reportedly, haunted locations in the U.S. in an attempt to determine for themselves if spirit activity does exist and to highlight the rich history of each location. The team traveled to and investigated numerous US locations, including: the Trans Allegheny Lunatic Asylum (WV), The Lizzie Borden House (MA), the Villisca Ax Murder House (IA), the St. Augustine Lighthouse (FL), Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary (TN) and many others. In 2020, Soul Sisters Paranormal moved to a two-investigator format, with only Kristy and her twin sister, Dr. Jenny Sumner, conducting the paranormal investigations. As a two-person team, they have investigated at the Attala County Jail (MS), the Old Southern Funeral Home (MS), the Grand Old Lady Hotel (NC), Hamilton County Jail (FL), and other locations.

    Prior to forming Soul Sister Paranormal, Kristy, who holds a PhD in Public Affairs with an emphasis on Criminal Justice, was a senior director for a Registered Traveler company focused on biometric clearances for the traveling public, she was a senior consultant for a biometric credentialing company, and she was a college professor at Metro State College of Denver and the University of Central Florida. Jenny, who also holds a PhD in Public Affairs, is currently a director at the University of Central Florida.

    https://www.soulsistersparanormal.com/

    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfRN9bYQ412yL_ysN2n6seA
    https://www.facebook.com/soulsistersparanormal

    **************

    Though they share the same last name, Kristy and Liz are not related.



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    29 min
  • Create A Graphic Novel

    Jimmy Gownley is the New York Times Bestselling author of Amelia Rules! And the Dumbest Idea Ever. He has done work for Disney on properties such as Tangled, Zootopia and an upcoming Little Mermaid series. His new book 7 Good Reasons Not to Grow Up is out now from Scholastic. 

    https://www.simonandschuster.com/authors/Jimmy-Gownley/20799241   https://www.scholastic.com/teachers/authors/jimmy-gownley/   Michael Cohen

    Co-writer/artist of Strange Attractors, a science fiction comic which ran for 17 issues 1993-1995.

    The editor and publisher of Mythography, a fantasy anthology which ran for 8 issues in 1995-1997. He contributed Empyrean Tales, an ongoing fantasy adventure.

    He was the editor of Forbidden Book from Renaissance Press, an anthology of short stories about magic, which ran for 2 issues in 2001-2002. He also did the cover art and wrote and drew several stories. He wrote and drew the Science Fiction comic The Washouts.

    He was the editor of the Amelia Rules comic from Renaissance Press 2000-2005.

    He has recently finished a 4 volume graphic novel called Tangled River, and is currently working on finishing his long incompleted fantasy graphic novel A Gathering of Spells. He has published a compilation of his early short science fiction and fantasy comics called Off the Map.

    TangledRiver.com
    MichaelCohenArt.com



    This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit lizsumner.substack.com
    37 min

About I Always Wanted To

From the publisher's feed

A podcast for people who long to try something bold but need some encouragement.