Podvan Podcast with Rabbit

I did not expect to be talking about sexy cockroaches today… but here we are.

This week, I'm joined by the absolutely brilliant Ed and Amanda from the Not Quite Right podcast, and we get into some pretty wild territory! They're here to chat about their latest project, "Flesh Fiction" – a writing competition and now a book that challenged authors to make the unsexy, utterly irresistible.

We're talking about the incredible (and sometimes shocking!) entries they received, from intimate encounters with plants and mushrooms to stories that made even the legendary Blanche d'Alpuget fall for a cockroach.

You'll hear al about the surprising themes people chose, like Monopoly - and even doing the dishes. It's a fascinating peek into human creativity and what truly gets people going, even if it's just a giggle.

This chat is packed with laughs, some truly mind-bending concepts, and a whole lot of cheeky banter.

If you want to check it all out:
RSVP to the “sexy book launch”
Learn more about Not Quite Write
Listen to the Not Quite Write podcast
Pre-order your copy of FLESH Fiction

And of course, if you enjoy the episode, please leave a comment - and I'd love it if you'd hit the FOLLOW button!

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Up for a laugh?

Julie is back in the podvan, and things go off the rails almost immediately.

What starts as a nice catch-up quickly turns into a deeply important discussion about gyrocopters, and why calling a stranger on Easter Saturday about flying one over the Central Coast feels totally reasonable. Along the way, we get into the viral Gosford waterfront video, suspicious urns found under the house, and the kind of nonsense that only happens when we get together.

It’s loose, it’s ridiculous, and there's a LOT of laughs!

If you enjoy it, please share it around - and maybe give it a review or rating?

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I finally made it to the Principal’s office without copping a suspension!

I sat down with Murray Balfe, the man at the helm of Lisarow High School, to find out what life is really like on the other side of the desk. We get into the nitty-gritty of the mobile phone ban, how AI is actually being used in the classroom, and the surprising reason why some of the biggest "dropouts" can end up being the most successful people in the room.

Murray opens up about his own unconventional path to leadership, his secret thing he's massively into outside of school hours, and why he’s about to risk it all by performing a funk routine for charity.

It's a refreshing look at education from a man who believes that a final grade is the least interesting thing about a student.
You can support Murray’s Stars of the Central Coast journey here!

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In this Quick Fix episode (a shorter bit from a full episode from a couple of years ago!) I'm hitting the pavement with Adam from Ruksak for a proper walk and talk. Adam opens up about his "decade of destruction" where business success came at the cost of a 16.3 cholesterol level and a shock cancer diagnosis. We chat about the reality of being a "health hacker," the struggle of managing fitness while medicated for anxiety, and why he decided to trade the corporate hustle for a year on the road with his family. It is a raw, honest look at what happens when your body finally decides to stop cheating death and demands a change.

If you want to check out a Ruksak - click here!

If you enjoyed this Quick Fix and want to hear more, just look up the full episode that has the same number as this one (Ep 83) and you can hear the whole thing!

(Also, it would mean the world if you could leave a quick rating or a comment if you are enjoying these trips down memory lane!)

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Natalie King is a Clinical Psychologist who has spent the last decade specialising exclusively in couples therapy, and she joins me to pull apart why we react the way we do when things get heated.

We explore the "Pursuer-Withdrawal" dynamic (when one person needs to talk it out right now while the other needs to walk away) and how our childhood "stuff" is usually the invisible hand at play. Natalie explains why fighting about the bins is rarely about the bins, why money is such a universal trigger, and the radical power of simply recognising what your partner is doing right.

Stick around for the end where Natalie shares her number one tip for prioritising your relationship as a living, breathing thing that needs constant tending.

You'll walk away with a much better understanding of your partner (and yourself) after this!

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Tam and Kathy have a couple of cracking stories about those mortifying moments when your kids repeat something they definitely shouldn't have. We hear about a three year old who learned the entire, very adult vocabulary of a certain song, and a little boy who chose the worst moment at a checkout to quote a movie line to a stranger! It is a hilarious reminder that little ears are always listening, and no matter how much you apologise, some stories can stay with you for 30 years! 😂

If you enjoyed this Quick Fix and want to hear more, just look up the full episode that has the same number as this one (Ep 82) and you can hear the whole thing!

(Has your kid ever embarrassed you in public like this? Drop a comment and let us know!)

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We first met Mel Bean a few weeks back during our side hustle chat, but I knew the second we started talking that she had a much bigger story to tell. Today, Mel shares her incredible journey through a Stage 3 breast cancer diagnosis and why she made the brave, personal choice to follow her intuition when it came to her treatment.

Mel is the founder of In Harmony Qigong on the Central Coast, and she explains how this ancient practice helped her reclaim her body and her peace after major surgery. We talk about the "medicine in the slow," why our modern brains are struggling to keep up with our lives, and the science behind that stress score on your smartwatch.

If you’ve been feeling overwhelmed or like you’re constantly operating at a Level 10, this conversation is exactly what you need. Mel even takes us through a breathing exercise at the end.

You'll feel great after this!

You can find Mel here: In Harmony Qigong

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Julie drops by the Podvan to talk up the joys of op shopping and why her whole family keeps bumping into each other at Vinnies (including some very questionable smelling coats - which is VERY funny!)

Plus, I share the brilliant story of how T-Pain pulled off the ultimate 30th birthday surprise for Meghan Trainor, and Jessica joins us to explain how her dad became a master of misdirection by hacking into bank accounts and landing helicopters in the backyard just to keep a secret.

If you enjoy this Quick Fix and want to hear more, just look up the full episode that has the same number as this one (Ep 78) and you can hear the whole thing!

And I'd love it if you could take a second to rate the show or leave a comment! 🤗

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This is one of my favourite episodes ever!

Jason Van Genderen is a world-class storyteller who started a revolution when he ended up on the big stage in New York City - winning one of the world's most prestigious short film festivals with a device most people only used for Snake!

Beyond the bright lights of New York, Jason shares incredible stories from his recent trip to Kenya - including why he was hiding in a shipping container to get the perfect shot and the "creature" that kept falling from the ceiling.

It’s a masterclass in curiosity, patience, and why the best camera can be the one you already have in your pocket.

Check out his incredible shots here: https://www.instagram.com/jasonvangenderen/

Oh, and the Found By Laura page we talked about: https://www.instagram.com/foundbylaura/

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In this Quick Fix episode I catch up with two of our legends from the Podvan community, Tara and Kylie, to hear about the incredible friendships they sparked while holidaying.

We get into the story of a 22 year friendship that started on a Sydney jetboat, a solo mission to Rome that resulted in a lifelong travel buddy, and the reason why Kylie actually prefers a rocky cruise ship over a smooth one.

If you enjoyed this Quick Fix and want to hear more, just look up the full episode that has the same number as this one (Ep 77) and you can hear the whole thing!

(Also, if you’re enjoying these little trips down memory lane, it would be heaps of help if you could leave a rating or a quick review!)

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