Episode #135: I head to Ottawa for the final PAB Conference and give you a soundseeing tour of my new favourite Canadian city. I also share with you my stuttering retrospective as a good chunk of my acceptance journey took place at PAB over the years. But first, a visit with a few fellow stutterers at The Ottawa Association of People Who Stutter.

While I try to keep my episodes under a half an hour or at least under an hour, this episode is a whopping hour and a half! Good thing you can pause podcasts 🙂

Here is a breakdown of episode 135:

1. I chat with fellow CSA board member, Norm McEwan, on our way to the The Ottawa Association of People Who Stutter meeting as it begins to rain.

2. Van Gough exhibit at the National Gallery of Canada, Peacekeeping Monument and it’s relation to stuttering (see number 12 below).

3. I walk along the Rideau Canal and meet fellow PABster, John Meadows who asks me a question about stuttering and singing.

4. My stuttering retrospective begins while I walk to neighbouring city, Gatineau, in Quebec. See why this episode is so long? Ignoring negative thoughts, old habits and feelings of inferiority preventing you from making friends. I posted the route I took and the landmarks I mention on Google Maps and accompanying photos on the Stuttering is Cool Google+ page.

View My trip to Ottawa in 2012. in a larger map

5. Paul Lyzun‘s thoughts on The King’s Speech.

6. Walking back to Ottawa and talking about negative self-image, taking courageous steps towards building a positive self-image and celebrating your small victories. In fact, you get to witness my small victory in the making during this segment!

7. Susan Murphy shares her thoughts on The King’s Speech and the importance of being proactive in understanding each other’s experiences.

8. At the Royal Canadian Navy monument celebrating it’s 100th anniversary. I talk about taking baby steps in building confidence in socializing.

9. Maureen Blaseckie shares with us her own speech related experience. She’s a stuttering cousin!

10. As I walk by the U.S. embassy, I share with you how this year’s trip to Ottawa helped me rediscover Canada and how much I tend to focus on the negative stuff instead of the positive.

11. Adele MacAlear asks me which is more frustrating, my own frustration with stuttering or people’s reactions to my stuttering.

12. At the statue of Lester B. Pearson on Parliament Hill, fellow stutter and inventor of peacekeeping (and prime minister in the 50s and 60s). When in Ottawa, rub his left foot for good luck!

13.