We'd love to say that we're happy with an off-handed resolution about drinking more water but we're not those kinds of gals. We need deep introspection, descriptive emotional states, and some journaling for good measure. We're reviewing what's in and out for us in 2024 and how we're going to hold each other to it.

:40 - Vision for the episode + explaining shadow

7:10 - How we define an accountability buddy

12:14 - Alyssa’s outs and ins for the year

21:53 - Megan’s outs and ins for the year

36:40 - Various roles of friendships and the benefits of oversharing

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Finally, some context. We walk you through the basics of who we are and how we got here.

1:43 - Age and sun sign

2:12 - Where we grew up

5:18 - Birth order

6:51 - Fur children

10:07 - Relationship status

12:24 - Alyssa’s educational background

20:51 - Megan on removing herself from her Catholic upbringing

23:31 - Megan’s educational background

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You can’t tell us it’s too early in our podcast career to give you a heartfelt recap of our personal lives. Join us as we interview each other on the wild ride that was 2023. 

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This week we’re responding to our own emergency: Why were we so cringey on Facebook? Why!? The cringe of our past isn’t isolated to the annals of the Facebook timeline, but we’ve got to start facing our demons, and it might as well be here.  

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Our first responder this week is registered midwife and BFF of the pod, Rae Veillard. Rae dispels common myths around midwifery and walks us through the tenets of midwifery care. We are always in awe of Rae’s work and of midwives in general, and during this conversation, it was no different! 

4:45 - What is midwifery care?

8:23 - How is it different from obstetric care?

9:08 - How risk factors are managed in midwifery

14:40 - What holistic midwifery care looks like

17:11 - The difference between a doula and a midwife

21:53 - How do you access midwifery care?

22:55 - When should you apply for midwifery care?

24:48 - Pressures and expectations around having a similar birthing experience to others

27:02 - Concerns around safety and midwifery care

30:23 - Does midwifery care look different when birthing in a hospital?

32:41 - What can midwives provide people who are not pregnant?

34:33 - Can those who identify as male be midwives?

34:38 - How Rae chose this career path

Alberta Association of Midwives: https://www.alberta-midwives.ca/

The Edmonton Midwifery Cooperative: https://edmontonmidwiferycooperative.com/

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Our first responder this week is Andrew Stewart, a wine connoisseur and director of Vino al Vino, a wine import agency that prioritizes organic practices, biodynamic farming, and low intervention winemaking. This is exactly why we have brought Andrew onto the pod, and frankly, into our living rooms for his incredible wine tastings: to him, wine should be treated the same way as we treat our food, with mindfulness. Andrew walks us through some conscious choices we can make when selecting our wine and reminds us of what makes good wine good, the story. 

:27 - Intro to the episode

4:41 - Alyssa’s emergency

5:26 - Andrew’s wine origin story

11:52 - Meet the wine Andrew’s just poured for us

14:32 - Andrew’s path to natural wines

19:18 - The difference between organic, biodynamic and natural wines

26:00 - How to find these types of wines at a non-boutique type store

27:47 - The caveat with certifications

30:43 - The overwhelm of it all

36:00 - Is it worth making our own wine?

39:15 - Trendiness around natural wine culture

48:00 - Storytelling, authenticity and winemaking

51:45 - Audience takeaway from Andrew

52:58 - Megan & Alyssa's first aid kit additions

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Our first responder this week is Ashlen Thomson, interior designer and senior associate with McKinley Studios in Vancouver. She helps us see a path from a design aesthetic that’s purely based on budget to one that is elevated yet realistic. She leaves us with guidelines, but more importantly, confidence to tap into how we want our space to function and feel, without being bogged down by rules.

4:19 - Ashlen’s “high/low” strategy

5:37 - What types of pieces should we be investing in?

11:02 - What should we not invest in?

14:17 - When to go used/thrifted/vintage

15:57 - Heirlooms and meaning behind pieces

21:27 - Where to add colour or keep things more neutral

25:21 - Design “rules” we can toss

30:10 - Advice around how to incorporate designs from various aesthetics

32:49 - Specific advice around incorporating Alyssa’s heritage into her dining space

38:52 - Final words of wisdom from Ashlen

43:36 - First aid kit takeaways

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Our first responder this week is David Fairbanks, a definite automotive aficionado, but don't call him a "car guy". David came to the rescue when Alyssa needed to find a car stat but had no idea where to start. Not only did he help Alyssa, but he offers a practical and accessible guide to finding wheels that work for you.

4:34 - Meet our “first responder” David Fairbanks

9:37 - Where should you start your search for a used car?

18:05 - Accessing reliable information

18:53 - Brief interruption from David’s daughter 🙂

19:13 - Researching common problems and arming yourself with information

24:28 - “Picking your candidate” stage of the purchase

30:59 - What to look for when you’re seeing the vehicle IRL

39:25 - Tips for negotiating

42:25 - Test driving tips

51:15 - Buying from a private seller

54:15 - Should we be opening the hood?

Car forums
https://www.motortrend.com/

https://www.caranddriver.com/

https://repairpal.com/

Carfax report

https://www.carfax.ca/ 

Torque Pro app:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/obd2-torque-obdii-check-car/id1359567217

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=org.prowl.torque&hl=en_GB

Scanner:

https://www.amazon.ca/Veepeak-Bluetooth-Diagnostic-Scanner-Android/dp/B011NSX27A/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=13P5W47UV004V&keywords=elm327+bluetooth&qid=1695677010&sprefix=elm327+bluetooth%2Caps%2C242&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&psc=1

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Our first responder this week is Jenni Daines, a registered psychologist and conveniently, one of our very best friends. Jenni helps us understand why the quick-fix approach to healing that social media offers can be so alluring and inspires us to take a more balanced and informed approach to our wellness. 

4:45 “Choose your own adventure approach”

5:43 Irony around getting off social media to improve mental health

9:57 How we use our phones to avoid what we’re actually feeling

11:50 Are more people self-diagnosing their mental health concerns because of social media?

21:30 New vocabulary around mental health

24:50 Mental health influencers 

28:30 Distinguishing experts on social media from educated and regulated experts

32:00 Quick fix approach to healing

38:40 Thinking about the ROI when it comes to therapy

40:46 Accessing professional help and alternatives off of social media

For more information on psychologist and guiding principles: https://www.cap.ab.ca/

Access Mental Health (publicly funded) https://www.albertahealthservices.ca/services/Page11443.aspx

Canadian Mental Health Association for information and even courses related to mental health: https://cmha.ca/find-info/mental-health/general-info/

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