In this episode, I talk to Nora Dunn about the post-COVID remote working boom and the tantalizing options this trend presents for people.

Nora Dunn (aka The Professional Hobo) is one of the original Lifestyle Travel Bloggers, having sold everything she owned in 2006 to travel full-time. She traveled full-time for 12 years, and while she now has a home base in Toronto, she continues to take short and long-term trips (pandemics notwithstanding). She combines her expertise as a former Certified Financial Planner with her lifestyle travel experience, to teach people how to travel full-time/long-term in a financially sustainable way, which has allowed her to live and travel in over 60 countries.

She also saved over $100,000 getting free accommodation around the world, and she has documented that expertise in her book “How to Get Free Accommodations Around the World” which is now in it's third edition.

In which I read a short deleted section from my new ebook The First (Failed) Travel Food Show. 

In 2003, Anthony Bourdain's No Reservations premiered on the Travel Channel, unleashing a deluge of travel food shows that continues to this day.

Nearly a decade earlier, a ragtag group of marginally qualified noobs landed in Morocco to shoot the pilot for the first (failed) travel food show. I was one of those noobs.

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In this episode Jill and I discuss post-vaccine life, how and why all vaccines are safe and effective (even those with lower efficacy numbers), and why it's still important for vaccine recipients to continue adhering to virus safety protocols for now.

Jill Burcum has been an editorial writer for the Minneapolis Star Tribune since March 2008. Before joining the Editorial Board she worked for a decade in the Star Tribune's newsroom as an editor and reporter. She is a two-time Pulitzer Prize finalist for editorial writing. "Not This Mine. Not This Location," which focused on copper mining's risk to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness, was recognized in 2020. Her "Separate and Unequal" series on dilapidated Bureau of Indian Education schools was a finalist in 2015, and she also testified before Congress that same year about these schools' poor condition. Burcum graduated magna cum laude from the University of Washington in 1991 and started her career as a reporter for the Rochester Post-Bulletin. She previously worked for Mayo Clinic and Ican Inc.

Jill's Twitter

Jill's Star Tribune work

In this episode we talk about dating while middle-aged, dating during COVID and dating while middle-aged during COVID. Theresa had some great insight and suggestions that hadn't ever occurred to me, despite my many years in the dating pool. Best of all, you get a keyhole view of the nonstop thrill ride of dating me. (Spoiler Alert: It's less those things and more of a slow, low-pitch escalator that needs frequent repairs.)

Theresa M. Benoit –Theresa is a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist and the Co-Founder of the Relationship Therapy Center, a place dedicated to helping people grow in health and happiness in their important relationships. Through the integration of empirically informed couples therapy, VIP customer service, and a willingness to go beyond the normal bounds of couples therapy – the therapists at The Relationship Therapy Center tailor their services to the needs of each individual client and relationship. Theresa is also the Co-Creator of the trademarked Intensive Couples Counseling program, the Relationship Therapy Center's highest level of service, provided by their most experienced therapists for couples who need change now.

In this episode we hear about Jan's incredible career in poker, spanning more than 40 years. We also learn how poker has changed in that time, what it takes to go pro and some advice as to what NOT to do. (Basically everything you see the hat-on-backwards kids doing on "World Series of Poker.")

Jan Fisher began her poker career in 1977 as a dealer. She has worked in many cardroom positions and is currently a partner in Card Player Cruises. This is where she currently spends most of her "working" time and she loves every minute of it.

Jan was the statistician for the World Poker Tour for its first six seasons and taught WPT Boot Camps around the country. She co-founded the Tournament Directors Association and was on the Board of Directors for the Poker Players Alliance and even lobbied on "the hill" for internet gaming on many occasions. She co-founded Poker Gives, a charity to assist poker players to easily donate to those less fortunate and travels extensively as a host for the Ladies International Poker Series and the Senior Poker Tour. Her accomplishments in poker were honored when she was inducted into the Women in Poker Hall of Fame in 2009.

Books to read if you want to learn more about poker:

Please support this podcast by using the affiliate links above.

In this episode, Leah explains how she got into contortion, how it takes phenomenal patience (and a little pain) for even small improvements in contortion and how even adults can explore contortion. Not me, mind you, but normal people.

Leah Orleans has traveled the country teaching fitness and flexibility while performing contortion and partner acrobatics in her comedy circus show, Acrobatrix! With a passion for making people laugh, she's performed to standing ovations on cruise ships, festivals and military bases. A Chicago native, she began training Mongolian contortion technique at 9 years old and has continued to study under coaches all across the world including Montreal, San Francisco, and New York.

Acrobatrix Patreon

The ABCs of Fitness

Cheryl Birch (contortionist)

In this episode, Annemarie talks about discovering burlesque classes, and later performing, and how it has dramatically boosted her confidence in all aspects of life. Also, if you've ever idly considered giving burlesque a try, Annemarie has tips on how to get started.

Annemarie Dooling has been performing vaudeville on the east coast for two years. She also works in media.

Books to get you started:

The Burlesque Handbook by Jo Weldon

Behind the Burly Q by Leslie Zemeckis

Seduction: Sex, Lies and Stardom in Howard Hughes's Hollywood by Karina Longworth

Holiday (Virtual) Burlesque Event:

Jungle Belles Tropical Holiday Show and Fundraiser, Dec 12th7pm ET

Names/places mentioned in this episode:

Jezebel Express (coaching)

Francine the Lucid Dream

Little Brooklyn

Gin Minsky (tapdacing, one of Annemarie's inspirations)

The New York School of Burlesque (virtual classes!)

Tigger (boylesque)

Dirty Martini

Perle Noire

Mr. Gorgeous

Nasty Canasta (Annemarie's favorite show)

Jo Weldon

Please support this podcast by using the affiliate links above.

In this episode I flog my juggling memoir, THROWING UP: NOTES FROM 35 YEARS OF JUGGLING, by reading a section of the "Let's get mental" chapter, which summarizes studies indicating that juggling causes development in gray and white brain matter. 

Buy the book!

Please support this podcast by using the affiliate links above.

In this episode, we talk about how Gena grew up as a circus kid, started work at age 12 and somehow developed up into a well-adjusted, awesome human being. And is it too late to run away to the circus as an adult? Maybe.

Gena is a fifth generation circus artist from Russia, the child of two accomplished performers. She began her juggling training at the age of eight and within a few short years, her phenomenal talent brought her to United States. By age thirteen, she was a star attraction for Ringling Bros, Barnum & Bailey Circus.

Gena has traveled the world performing in lavish variety and circus shows, as well as competing in elite circus competitions. She was awarded a silver medal at the prestigious International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo, and a silver medal at the Festival Mondial du Cirque de Demain in Paris, France. In addition, she took the coveted gold medal at the World Juggling Federation Championships in Las Vegas.

Gena's interest in art has led her to a side gig, designing and constructing elaborate, dreamy costumes for performers.

Gena's website

Gena's Instagram

Gena's Facebook

Gena's World Juggling Federation competition routine

Think you know the symptoms of incipient appendicitis? Are you sure? I thought I did, and boy was I wrong.

In this episode, I recount the harrowing experience of my emergency appendectomy in entertaining, appetite-suppressing, graphic detail. I'm not gonna say listening to this tale may save your life or the life of a loved one, but I'm not not saying that either. :)

If you'd like to read the infuriating postscript of this tale, "MinnesotaCare's dysfunction nearly bankrupted me," you'll find it here.