Prickly and Blooming

Prickly and Blooming

By Jessie BrowningSociety & CulturePersonal Journals
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Prickly and Blooming episodes

  • Texas Women: Chelsea

    In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelsea, a digital marketer and business strategist. Chelsea talks about moving from a small town in Texas to getting a fresh start in San Antonio after she called off her wedding. She also shares what inspired her to pursue her current career.

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [01:16] Meet Chelsea
  • [03:52] Where she grew up
  • [07:58] Moving to San Antonio
  • [11:58] Almost married and the pushback
  • [19:02] Enjoying life and adventuring
  • [23:30] Inspired to start a new profit
  • [29:53] A new career path
  • [37:11] Digital marketing and business strategy
  • [41:38] Jessie's rapid fire questions
  • [50:05] Contacting Chelsea

    • Resources Mentioned:

    • "Dilemma" by Nelly ft. Kelly Rowland
  • Blessing, Texas
  • Marfa, Texas
  • "Friday Night Lights" TV show
  • Wharton County Junior College
  • We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle
  • The San Antonio River Walk
  • Big Bend National Park
  • "Cars" movie
  • Hotel Blessing coffee shop and restaurant

    • Standout Quotes:

    • "Am I defining myself or is the surroundings and the thought defining me?" -Chelsea [13:24]
  • "Coming from a small town like yes, it's great. Yes, we love it. Going back home is amazing, but there's just something about being able to pick up and move on your own out somewhere else." -Chelsea [23:15]
  • "I need to fail in order to grow. And that's one of the biggest things that I've learned is that if I'm not failing, I'm not growing. And I want to grow. I want to become bigger and better than what I am today because that's just part of life. You have to grow." -Chelsea [36:53]

    • Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website

    Learn more about Chelsea:

    CP Social Content's website

    CP Social Content's online shop

    CP Social Content on Instagram

    CP Social Content on Facebook

    Chelsea Perez on Instagram

    Chelsea Perez on TikTok

    57 min
  • Texas Women: Chelse

    In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelse, founder and owner of Smoky Mmmm-Eats, a vegan, plant-based food company. Chelse talks about how leaving Texas to move to New England helped her appreciate her Texas and Louisiana roots, and she also shares how she went from chemical engineering to starting her own business.

     

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [02:10] About the Texas women series
  • [04:46] Meet Chelse
  • [06:04] The first time she left Texas
  • [08:28] Studying chemical engineering
  • [11:33] How the cities felt different
  • [17:50] An appreciation of where she came from
  • [21:16] Houston and Beaumont
  • [23:58] Tacos, husband and Boston
  • [30:42] Looked across the border in Rhode Island
  • [33:22] No more meat
  • [39:22] Creating her own vegan meat company
  • [45:40] BBQ and Southern culture
  • [50:06] Changing how vegan food is defined
  • [51:26] Contacting Chelse
  • [52:42] Jessie’s rapid fire questions

    •  

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA)
  • Drexel University
  • King of the Hill
  • Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas State Flag
  • Prejean's
  • Boston Harbor
  • Earthlings
  • Seitan
  • Fakin' Bacon
  • Hope & Main
  • Jackfruit
  • Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

    •  

    Standout Quotes:

    • “I figured if I went to school in Texas, I thought I would never leave.” -Chelse [09:25]
  • “Vegan food doesn’t have to be a sacrifice.” -Chelse [43:55]
  • “Food is a universal type of language. It transcends cultures, and I want vegan food to be able to do that as well.” -Chelse [50:07]

    •  

    Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website 

     

    Learn more about Chelse:

    Smoky Mmmm-Eats’ website

    Email Smoky Mmmm-Eats

    Smoky Mmmm-Eats on Instagram

    1 hr 6 min
  • Texas Women: Chelse

    In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning speaks with Chelse, founder and owner of Smoky Mmmm-Eats, a vegan, plant-based food company. Chelse talks about how leaving Texas to move to New England helped her appreciate her Texas and Louisiana roots, and she also shares how she went from chemical engineering to starting her own business.

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [02:10] About the Texas women series
  • [04:46] Meet Chelse
  • [06:04] The first time she left Texas
  • [08:28] Studying chemical engineering
  • [11:33] How the cities felt different
  • [17:50] An appreciation of where she came from
  • [21:16] Houston and Beaumont
  • [23:58] Tacos, husband and Boston
  • [30:42] Looked across the border in Rhode Island
  • [33:22] No more meat
  • [39:22] Creating her own vegan meat company
  • [45:40] BBQ and Southern culture
  • [50:06] Changing how vegan food is defined
  • [51:26] Contacting Chelse
  • [52:42] Jessie's rapid fire questions

    • Resources Mentioned:

    • Pioneer Valley Transit Authority (PVTA)
  • Drexel University
  • King of the Hill
  • Pledge of Allegiance to the Texas State Flag
  • Prejean's
  • Boston Harbor
  • Earthlings
  • Seitan
  • Fakin' Bacon
  • Hope & Main
  • Jackfruit
  • Salt Fat Acid Heat by Samin Nosrat

    • Standout Quotes:

    • "I figured if I went to school in Texas, I thought I would never leave." -Chelse [09:25]
  • "Vegan food doesn't have to be a sacrifice." -Chelse [43:55]
  • "Food is a universal type of language. It transcends cultures, and I want vegan food to be able to do that as well." -Chelse [50:07]

    • Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website

    Learn more about Chelse:

    Smoky Mmmm-Eats' website

    Email Smoky Mmmm-Eats

    Smoky Mmmm-Eats on Instagram

    1 hr 6 min
  • Texas Women: Lesley

    In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning starts her new series featuring Texas women. She speaks with Lesley, a photographer based in Marfa. Lesley shares how she started in photography and the events that led to her eventual move to Texas. She also discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic affected her gallery and what she’s currently doing now.

     

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [01:05] A new idea
  • [04:00] Meet Lesley
  • [04:40] Lesley’s relation to Texas
  • [05:37] Where she’s from and moving to Las Vegas
  • [07:43] What she did for work in Las Vegas
  • [08:45] Becoming a photographer
  • [11:06] Meeting her husband and the market crash
  • [13:53] Everything changed and moving to Marfa
  • [18:51] Becoming a wedding photographer
  • [24:12] Opening her studio and then COVID-19 hit
  • [31:41] What she’s up to these days
  • [35:05] Lesley’s identity as a Texas woman
  • [38:38] Jessie’s rapid fire questions
  • [43:32] Contacting Lesley
  • [45:25] The Yelp series

    •  

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Asia DeVinyl
  • The financial crisis of 2007–2008
  • Marfa, Texas
  • Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival
  • Lesley’s Hated on Yelp series
  • Subpar Parks on Instagram
  • Subpar Parks: America's Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors by Amber Share

    •  

    Standout Quotes:

    • “I really didn’t ever want to work for anyone, and so I hustled. I mean, I hustled my whole life. I always found some way to have some job.” -Lesley [07:49]
  • “When something like that happens, you do start to question your life and your choices, and you realize that life is short. I mean, it’s a real slap in the face.’” -Lesley [14:56]
  • “I don’t like it when people say, ‘Oh you got to get over it. You need to move on. You need to get over this.’ I think that we have to move forward, whatever that is, and it’s different.’” -Lesley [17:45]

    •  

    Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website 

     

    Learn more about Lesley:

    Lesley’s website

    Lesley’s online store

    Lesley on Instagram

    Lesley’s boudoir on Instagram

    Lesley’s online store on Instagram

    Rancho Villarreal on Facebook

    Marfa Pets on Instagram

    52 min
  • Texas Women: Lesley

    In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, host Jessie Browning starts her new series featuring Texas women. She speaks with Lesley, a photographer based in Marfa. Lesley shares how she started in photography and the events that led to her eventual move to Texas. She also discusses how the COVID-19 pandemic affected her gallery and what she's currently doing now.

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [01:05] A new idea
  • [04:00] Meet Lesley
  • [04:40] Lesley's relation to Texas
  • [05:37] Where she's from and moving to Las Vegas
  • [07:43] What she did for work in Las Vegas
  • [08:45] Becoming a photographer
  • [11:06] Meeting her husband and the market crash
  • [13:53] Everything changed and moving to Marfa
  • [18:51] Becoming a wedding photographer
  • [24:12] Opening her studio and then COVID-19 hit
  • [31:41] What she's up to these days
  • [35:05] Lesley's identity as a Texas woman
  • [38:38] Jessie's rapid fire questions
  • [43:32] Contacting Lesley
  • [45:25] The Yelp series

    • Resources Mentioned:

    • Asia DeVinyl
  • The financial crisis of 2007–2008
  • Marfa, Texas
  • Austin City Limits (ACL) Music Festival
  • Lesley's Hated on Yelp series
  • Subpar Parks on Instagram
  • Subpar Parks: America's Most Extraordinary National Parks and Their Least Impressed Visitors by Amber Share

    • Standout Quotes:

    • "I really didn't ever want to work for anyone, and so I hustled. I mean, I hustled my whole life. I always found some way to have some job." -Lesley [07:49]
  • "When something like that happens, you do start to question your life and your choices, and you realize that life is short. I mean, it's a real slap in the face.'" -Lesley [14:56]
  • "I don't like it when people say, ‘Oh you got to get over it. You need to move on. You need to get over this.' I think that we have to move forward, whatever that is, and it's different.'" -Lesley [17:45]

    • Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website

    Learn more about Lesley:

    Lesley's website

    Lesley's online store

    Lesley on Instagram

    Lesley's boudoir on Instagram

    Lesley's online store on Instagram

    Rancho Villarreal on Facebook

    Marfa...

    52 min
  • Choosing the scar | Kyle Hollingsworth

    It was about 11 p.m. on January 17, 2020, when a sudden and devastating injury derailed everything in Kyle Hollingsworth’s life. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Kyle shares more about this injury to host Jessie Browning and how she dealt with her new reality. She also talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic also upended things and also provided her the opportunity to launch her online art gallery.

     

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [02:06] Meet Kyle Hollingsworth
  • [05:29] A sudden devastating injury
  • [14:49] The aftermath
  • [21:31] Renaming herself Kyle
  • [25:31] Sharing her story and manifesting
  • [32:01] In a moment, it was over
  • [36:31] Everyday, I have to choose myself
  • [41:37] Choosing her ability to reframe
  • [48:54] Feeling very content and at peace
  • [49:29] Contacting Kyle Hollingsworth
  • [50:13] Launching an online art gallery
  • [51:45] Jessie’s rapid fire questions
  • [1:00:48] Outro

    •  

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity by Tracee Stanley
  • Starbucks is running out of oat milk a month after adding it to menus nationwide

    •  

    Standout Quotes:

    • “When something devastating happens, it can just bring up all the old stuff and go, ‘Hey, see? Still hurts remember?’” -Kyle Hollingsworth [14:40]
  • “I went through everything, like ‘Oh my God, I’m never going to kiss my husband the same way. I’m never going to be sexual in the same way. I’m never going to be able to sing the same way. Everybody’s going to be looking at my mouth, like feeling sorry for me. I don’t want that.’ All these things. Just kind of brought it all up for me to look at and face, and I had a decision. I could either let it kill me or I could find a way to make friends with the truth.” -Kyle Hollingsworth [17:27]
  • “I got a new word recently, and it’s not I don’t understand. I overstand.” -Kyle Hollingsworth [24:32]

    •  

    Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website 

     

    Learn more about Kyle Hollingsworth:

    Kyle Hollingsworth’s website

    Kyle Hollingsworth’s art

    Art for Life by Kyle Creative

    Kyle Hollingsworth on Facebook

    Kyle Hollingsworth on Instagram

    Kyle Hollingsworth on LinkedIn

    1 hr 5 min
  • Choosing the scar | Kyle Hollingsworth

    It was about 11 p.m. on January 17, 2020, when a sudden and devastating injury derailed everything in Kyle Hollingsworth's life. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Kyle shares more about this injury to host Jessie Browning and how she dealt with her new reality. She also talks about how the COVID-19 pandemic also upended things and also provided her the opportunity to launch her online art gallery.

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [02:06] Meet Kyle Hollingsworth
  • [05:29] A sudden devastating injury
  • [14:49] The aftermath
  • [21:31] Renaming herself Kyle
  • [25:31] Sharing her story and manifesting
  • [32:01] In a moment, it was over
  • [36:31] Everyday, I have to choose myself
  • [41:37] Choosing her ability to reframe
  • [48:54] Feeling very content and at peace
  • [49:29] Contacting Kyle Hollingsworth
  • [50:13] Launching an online art gallery
  • [51:45] Jessie's rapid fire questions
  • [1:00:48] Outro

    • Resources Mentioned:

    • Radiant Rest: Yoga Nidra for Deep Relaxation and Awakened Clarity by Tracee Stanley
  • Starbucks is running out of oat milk a month after adding it to menus nationwide

    • Standout Quotes:

    • "When something devastating happens, it can just bring up all the old stuff and go, ‘Hey, see? Still hurts remember?'" -Kyle Hollingsworth [14:40]
  • "I went through everything, like ‘Oh my God, I'm never going to kiss my husband the same way. I'm never going to be sexual in the same way. I'm never going to be able to sing the same way. Everybody's going to be looking at my mouth, like feeling sorry for me. I don't want that.' All these things. Just kind of brought it all up for me to look at and face, and I had a decision. I could either let it kill me or I could find a way to make friends with the truth." -Kyle Hollingsworth [17:27]
  • "I got a new word recently, and it's not I don't understand. I overstand." -Kyle Hollingsworth [24:32]

    • Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website

    Learn more about Kyle Hollingsworth:

    Kyle Hollingsworth's website

    Kyle Hollingsworth's art

    Art for Life by Kyle Creative

    Kyle Hollingsworth on Facebook

    Kyle Hollingsworth on Instagram

    Kyle Hollingsworth on LinkedIn

    1 hr 5 min
  • CTFD | Bridget Barrett-Parker

    Bridget Barrett-Parker found out when she was 25 years old that she was pregnant. As she became a single mom, she grappled with what was happening, how she got there and how to move forward. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Bridget talks to host Jessie Browning about this experience and how parenting and becoming a Montessori teacher formed her business, Stable Bow Consulting, that she describes as helping parents CTFD (“calm the fuck down”).

     

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [03:33] Meet Bridget Barrett-Parker
  • [04:22] Becoming a single mom
  • [06:11] Finding out she was pregnant
  • [09:08] Returning to the states
  • [14:33] The pandemic opened her eyes
  • [20:54] Being home with her children
  • [29:10] Starting Stable Bow Consulting
  • [34:38] The mindset is the most important piece
  • [42:24] A learned helplessness
  • [47:09] What she does with her consulting business
  • [52:19] Contacting Bridget Barrett-Parker
  • [52:56] Jessie’s rapid fire questions
  • [57:34] Outro

    •  

    Resources Mentioned:

    • Montessori education
  • Aaron Carter
  • Go, Dog. Go! by P. D. Eastman
  • Kahlil Gibran
  • On Children by Kahlil Gibran
  • Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie

    •  

    Standout Quotes:

    • “For the next 10 years, just kind of buckling down, diving into my role as montessori teacher and learning as much as I could, committing fully, and then stepping away and saying, ‘You know what, my family needs me right now. I’m home. I’m dedicated to what I’m doing,’ and just realizing again like ,’Wow, I really don’t like being a stay-at-home mom.’” -Bridget Barrett-Parker [04:11]
  • “COVID brought up so much in this beautiful opportunity that I don’t think that we necessarily get, you know, when the bus is running full steam, but it’s also really painful. It’s really painful to step back and to pause and to question, to constantly question yourself as exhausting.” -Bridget Barrett-Parker [17:52]
  • “Having that experience earlier in life of going through, again what felt like rock bottom, gives you the perspective and the space to say ‘Pause, I’ve done hard things before and I can do hard things again, and this won’t last forever.’” -Bridget Barrett-Parker [21:42]

    •  

    Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website 

     

    Learn more about Bridget Barrett-Parker:

    Stable Bow Consulting website

    Stable Bow Consulting on Facebook

    Stable Bow Consulting on Instagram

    1 hr 2 min
  • CTFD | Bridget Barrett-Parker

    Bridget Barrett-Parker found out when she was 25 years old that she was pregnant. As she became a single mom, she grappled with what was happening, how she got there and how to move forward. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Bridget talks to host Jessie Browning about this experience and how parenting and becoming a Montessori teacher formed her business, Stable Bow Consulting, that she describes as helping parents CTFD ("calm the fuck down").

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [03:33] Meet Bridget Barrett-Parker
  • [04:22] Becoming a single mom
  • [06:11] Finding out she was pregnant
  • [09:08] Returning to the states
  • [14:33] The pandemic opened her eyes
  • [20:54] Being home with her children
  • [29:10] Starting Stable Bow Consulting
  • [34:38] The mindset is the most important piece
  • [42:24] A learned helplessness
  • [47:09] What she does with her consulting business
  • [52:19] Contacting Bridget Barrett-Parker
  • [52:56] Jessie's rapid fire questions
  • [57:34] Outro

    • Resources Mentioned:

    • Montessori education
  • Aaron Carter
  • Go, Dog. Go! by P. D. Eastman
  • Kahlil Gibran
  • On Children by Kahlil Gibran
  • Codependent No More: How to Stop Controlling Others and Start Caring for Yourself by Melody Beattie

    • Standout Quotes:

    • "For the next 10 years, just kind of buckling down, diving into my role as montessori teacher and learning as much as I could, committing fully, and then stepping away and saying, ‘You know what, my family needs me right now. I'm home. I'm dedicated to what I'm doing,' and just realizing again like ,'Wow, I really don't like being a stay-at-home mom.'" -Bridget Barrett-Parker [04:11]
  • "COVID brought up so much in this beautiful opportunity that I don't think that we necessarily get, you know, when the bus is running full steam, but it's also really painful. It's really painful to step back and to pause and to question, to constantly question yourself as exhausting." -Bridget Barrett-Parker [17:52]
  • "Having that experience earlier in life of going through, again what felt like rock bottom, gives you the perspective and the space to say ‘Pause, I've done hard things before and I can do hard things again, and this won't last forever.'" -Bridget Barrett-Parker [21:42]

    • Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website

    Learn more about Bridget Barrett-Parker:

    Stable Bow Consulting website

    Stable Bow Consulting on Facebook

    Stable Bow Consulting on Instagram

    1 hr 2 min
  • What is your family’s story? | Karen Treiger

    Karen Treiger didn’t know the family she was marrying into when she married her husband 36 years ago, but after she learned that his family is a holoucast family, she decided to write their story. In this episode of Prickly and Blooming, Karen talks to host Jessie Browning about writing her book that was published in 2018. She shares how she investigated her husband’s family history and what she hopes people take away from the book. She also talks about how she practices gratitude through her podcast, Gratitude in a Minute.

     

    Episode Timeline:

    • [00:03] Intro
  • [03:12] Meet Karen Treiger
  • [06:29] Writing her in-laws story
  • [11:57] Leaving her practice
  • [16:41] The roll out
  • [19:36] Investigating the story
  • [26:47] A big shift in her approach to life
  • [31:49] How she practices her gratitudes
  • [36:47] What happens when she’s done
  • [38:53] Three takeaways from the book
  • [41:12] The second part of the book
  • [42:22] What’s next?
  • [43:59] Karen’s final thoughts
  • [47:54] Contacting Karen Treiger
  • [50:01] Outro

    •  

    Resources Mentioned:

    • My Soul is Filled with Joy: A Holocaust Story by Karen Treiger
  • Gratitude in a Minute podcast
  • What's Your Story? A Journal for Everyday Evolution by Lily Diamond and Rebecca Walker
  • PNWA Nancy Pearl Books Award
  • 2019 Independent Publisher Book Awards

    •  

    Standout Quotes:

    • “And just something about saying the words of what I want to do brings it out into the world and makes it real.” -Karen Treiger [10:44]
  • “You just start with what you know. Start with what you have.” -Karen Treiger [17:11]
  • “I always tell people, we all have a family, and what is the story of your family?” -Karen Treiger [40:01]

    •  

    Connect:

    Connect with Lajoie Society:

    Lajoie Society is Prickly & Blooming; please rate, review, and subscribe.

    Lajoie Society on Instagram

    Lajoie Society on Facebook

    Lajoie Society on Twitter

    Lajoie Society Website 

     

    Learn more about Karen Treiger:

    Karen Treiger’s website

    Karen Treiger on Facebook

    Karen Treiger on Instagram

    Karen Treiger on Twitter

    Karen Treiger on Youtube

    Karen Treiger on LinkedIn

    54 min

About Prickly and Blooming

From the publisher's feed

Jessie has lived in Texas for 20 years now (half her life) and still ponders "what makes a Texan?" Prickly and Blooming is a weekly conversational podcast hosted by Jessie Browning *now focused* on…