Swiping Sunday

In my first solo episode, I decided I needed to open up about the reality of living with and loving someone who is struggling with Alzheimer's. I admit that I have trouble talking about things like this in my life, things that I can't change. I take you through what my emotions were in a journal entry from 2017 compared to today, and I hopefully shed light on the realities of Alzheimer's that are often so hard to say out loud. I've realized that being vulnerable about the things that mean the most to you is hard, but necessary. If you can relate to this episode, I'm sorry, but I hope you feel love from it.

In this episode, I sit down with Kendrick, also known as the Providence Tarot, who after studying at Julliard and going through the typical struggles of finding yourself in your twenties, found his way to tarot. We walk through some of his childhood experiences before realizing his abilities, how he uses his connections with the spiritual world in his own life and relationships, and how he recommends someone approaches a reading for the first time. We all find our way through different motivators and guidance through the universe and while I'm going through some transitions and making tough decisions in my personal life, I hoped to find some of that through a reading. During the reading of my cards, you can tell how dedicated Kendrick is to helping those who come to sit in front of him with their hearts on their sleeve. And if you know me, you'll be surprised at some of the descriptions and connections he makes from the cards to my past and present.

In this episode I sit down with Allison Oswin, a 28-year-old woman who was brave enough to open up about her battle in an emotionally abusive marriage. She admits the realities of being gaslit, accepting the love you think you deserve, the red flags she notices looking back on it, and getting out There are people all over the world who deal with mental and emotional abuse in silence and just because there are no bruises, doesn't mean the pain isn't there. Luckily, Allison is on the other side of her relationship and we get to hear how she got back into dating, gained her confidence back, and what she wants you to hear if you're struggling and listening.

In this episode, I sit down with Bella Hurlbut, an artist who commonly pairs her art with sincere words for those who are looking for a connection. Bella opens up about her struggle with an eating disorder and we both dive into the mental warfare that we've fell victim to when feeling the pressures of society's beauty standards. We admit how we've tried to make social media a safer place, when in reality it can quickly inflate the body image issues many of us already have, and Bella shares her advice to those who are coming to terms with their ED. When you listen to this episode I hope that you can learn how to become more aware of the comments and compliments you might be making that do more harm than good and that you can understand you're not alone and be motivated to get help if you are struggling.

In this episode, I sit down with Mike Dalia, a 27-year-old single guy who idealizes the Rom-Com fantasy just as much as me. We get each other's perspective on dating situations we've been in and admit to wondering how we'll know when it's really the right time for us. Typically, I'd assume men and women have different struggles, but we took comfort in realizing that some of the things we hate most about the "dating game," happen on both sides. We react to the many clichés we've all heard, and while we don't agree on everything, we make sure to stay honest with each other about the ideas of love vs. the reality and how getting older has impacted the way that we look at romance.

In this episode, I sit down with Joe Picard who has been performing since the day we met in elementary school. We talk about what it’s really like to chase your dream, move to California alone, and maintain your authenticity through the many ups and downs that come with following your passions. Joe has made a life for himself that he’s proud of, but he won’t deny the battles that will continuously arise as you progress. He has found his bandmates, worked on an Emmy nominated Hulu show, and still remains unbothered by the numbers and the mainstream. I think we could all learn a bit from his lax lifestyle and imaginative personality that has remained true to himself and his goals. 

Almost two years ago, I went on two dates with the guest of this week's episode. He and I hit it off immediately, but the timing was not on our side. After our two dates, his visit back home to the U.K turned into a more permanent move and we haven't seen each other since. We ended up staying in touch anyway and have been able to reexamine why we connected so well during this episode. Along with getting vulnerable about the reality of insecurities, trust issues, dating rules,  therapy, and the differences he sees in the USA vs. the UK. 

Friends with benefits end up boring me without real connection, while he can remain unattached through months on end - is this just a male vs. female thing? In part two of the conversation with my best friend, we open up about the romantic lives we've had and want to have, the way that traveling has changed our lives, and the differences in the way that we think and live (logically vs. emotionally).  I admit what it's like being "one of the guys," and he admits what he misses about a relationship. 

My best friend is a guy. We've known each other forever and had a lot of topics we wanted to hash out. So, in part one of this dialogue, we touch on everything that we went through in moving to Manhattan and strengthening our friendship. We get honest about the relationship we have, the struggles and triumphs we went through when moving to Manhattan, how roommates impact our life, and how we define success. All of these things end up leading to the conversation about our exes and what we want in life, which will bubble over in part two.