Tea. Toast. and Trivia.

Season 2 Episode 32: Jean-Jacques Fournier The Poetry of Crows & Ravens

I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend and poet; Jean-Jacques Fournier is with me today to speak about crows, and ravens within his poetry. As background, ravens and crows are embedded within our mythologies from ancient times. In Greek mythology the crow was a symbol of Apollo in his role as god of prophecy. In Norse mythology, Odin is portrayed by a raven.  In Celtic mythology, Morrighan, the warrior goddess appears in the form of a crow or raven. Crows and ravens have been envisioned as a mediator animal between life and death.  They have been known as tricksters and mischief makers.

So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion, on Tea Toast & Trivia.

S2 E31 Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.Thank you for listening in.

Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver.

Elisabeth issued “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” which is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair. I have taken up the challenge and am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. Elisabeth has introduced the characters, Onegin, Lensky, Tatyana, Olga, and yes, Pushkin. The adventure is underway.

So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Season 2 Episode 30: The Trio on Living in the Time of Covid19

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.  

I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah to share our thoughts on living in the time of Covid19. How do we embrace a new reality within this unexpected worldwide disruption?  Within a few short weeks, the terms “social distancing” and “self-isolation” have become household phrases. Now we must reinvent how we connect, show kindness and compassion to others and ourselves.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

“It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.”

Wendell Berry

Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has come back on Tea Toast & Trivia. We are once again bridging the 4,245 kilometres, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia

I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations. In our last podcast conversation in February,  Sylvia and I thought to explore the idea of travelling. Sylvia has traveled extensively, visiting forty countries, and embarking on two round-the-world trips.

And then the world changed. Who would have known that the entire world would enter a period of solitude?

In a recent blog post, Sylvia wrote, “Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday. Remember that happiness is the new rich, inner peace is the new success, good health is the new wealth and kindness is the new cool.”

Sylvia’s courage during an uncertain time inspires me. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion on TeaToastTrivia.com

Season 2 Episode 28: Liz Gauffreau on The Art of Writing

I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend,  writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau  and I are bridging the 3,897 kilometers, as the crow flies, between New Hampshire and Vancouver.

Liz holds a BA in English/Writing from Old Dominion University and an MA in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. She is the Assistant Dean of Curriculum and Assessment at Champlain College Online in Burlington, Vermont.

Her fiction publications include short stories in Adelaide Literary Magazine, The Long Story, Soundings East, Ad Hoc Monadnock, Rio Grande Review, Blueline, Slow Trains, Hospital Drive, and Serving House Journal, among others. Her poetry has appeared in The Writing On The Wall, The Larcom Review, and Natural Bridge.

So, it will not come as a surprise that today’s discussion is on The Art of Writing. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.

Welcome Liz and thank you for joining the podcast conversation and sharing your insights on writing.

Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a special thank you and shout out to Liz, who continues to inspire me.  You are only an internet click away from  Liz on lizgauffreau.com. It is a place where stories dwell. Until next time, stay safe, be well.

Season 2 Episode 27: The Trio on Communication

April 27th is “Morse Code Day”  which commemorates Samuel F.B. Morse and the Morse Code, an event that forever changed the way our world conveyed messages. The sound of the staccato taps reminds me of adventures past and the darker days of wartime when the transfer of information was critical to victory. So, it is serendipitous that I am posting a podcast on communication.

Frances, Sarah and I taped this podcast before the world entered a time of solitude. Little did we know that, once again, our global community would soon experience a challenge that would impact the way we dialogue and connect.

So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Season 2 Episode 26: Irena on Curling, Connecting Canada & Scotland

Today, I am delighted that my dear friend, Irena, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 972  kilometres, between Calgary and Alberta. If you are taking a road trip it would take 11 hours and 46 minutes via the Trans-Canada Highway.  I promise it would be an unforgettable, breathtaking journey for you would amid the majestic Canadian Rockies.

Irena and I will be discussing Curling, the sport that Canada has embraced as an essential winter pastime. What is curling? How many players?  How do you win? Where did it originate? And why is it most firmly established in Canada?

Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia. Irena and I would love to hear your thoughts!

“It might look complicated when you watch curling on TV, but when it comes right down to it, our sport is pretty easy to understand — once you learn some of the basic terminology and strategies. This is where you can start your learning process to find out how the game of curling works. And then you can get onto the ice and have fun with the rest of us!”Curling.ca

S2.E25 A Hero's Journey

Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia  Thank you for listening in. 

I’m your host, Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

As I wait for my tea to steep, I think back to marvelous stories and ancient legends.

Hercules, Perseus, Theseus – these were the myths for which I searched the libraries as a 10-year-old.  Magnificent heroes, blessed with superhuman strength and unfaltering courage, forged their destinies through journeys fraught with danger and treachery.  As time passed, I chose new stories to take their place.  Ones that were more in line with what I considered credible and more suitable for my reality.  While I still enjoyed the hero myths, I lost that singular childhood enthusiasm.  When I grew older, I became less sure of their relevance in my life. Indeed, the word “mythology” has the implication that what has been written is so fantastic that it simply cannot be true. That being the case, what significance can be given to these narratives?  The real question is, do we still need heroes?

The heroic story is not only limited to Greek mythology; rather there are common elements through all mythologies that speak to the need for a hero, a model, someone who can be emulated, someone who makes us proud to be human.  Their journeys are more about overcoming an internal conflict than achieving an external victory.  The quest pattern begins with a journey over land or sea into the unknown.  The hero confronts danger to bring back a person, object or knowledge. Gilgamesh  overcame despair and grief in his pursuit of the meaning of life. Jason led the Argonauts on an expedition in search of the Golden Fleece to secure his kingship. Hercules performed twelve labours and achieved immortality.

Our modern world still holds these same qualities is high regard.  We pursue a “Golden Fleece”, the symbol of authority, to establish our position within society.   We identify with Gilgamesh  in our search for the meaning of life.  We live in a finite existence, yet we recognize the possibility of the infinite, of immortality. We need hero myths to remind us we are on a personal quest that celebrates the life that has been granted.

A Hero’s journey ends with enlightenment, with a new-found understanding.   It is seeing that our decisions and responses within a difficult situation give voice to the greater narrative There is meaning and consequences in everything we do.

We travel the path of heroes.

Season 2. Episode 24: Dave Astor On Writing

Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.

Thank you for listening in.

Dave Astor and I are once again  bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver.  Welcome Dave, thank you stopping by for a visit. I enjoy our conversations.

As you all know, the book on top of my 2020 stack of books, is Dave Astor’s Fascinating Facts About Famous Fiction Authors and the Greatest Novels of All Time: The Book Lover’s Guide to Literary Trivia. Dave has a marvelous way of going deep to find the story that is hidden in the folds of history.

A few days ago, I read this brilliant comment: “When things are hard, books are there.” Books are the best companions and a comfort during times of uncertainty. They build our resilience and courage.

I have been very interested in the transition from reading to writing. For some, it seems to be a natural progression. Dave is here to answer questions about his experience in writing. So listeners, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia.com

Thank you for joining Dave and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Dave. He continues to inspire me. You can connect with Dave on Dave Astor on Literature.   There is always an adventure in reading waiting for your arrival on his blog.

A few weeks ago, Frances and I were discussing the Great Depression, the severe worldwide economic depression of the 1930’s, which started in 1929.  We still talk about with the market crash of October 29, 1929 known as Black Tuesday.  It was a decade that experienced the most extensive, deepest, and most widespread depression in the 20th century.  It gripped the entire world with devastating consequences.  Unemployment was as high as 25% in the United States and for some countries, unemployment rose as high as 33%.  Frances lived through the decade of the 1930’s and has talked about those years in a series of podcasts.

This podcast is about the transition between the 1920’s, a decade of plenty and the 1930’s, the decade that would change the world.

Frances and my discussion occurred before we knew that our world would soon face a global challenge,  Frances’s memories remind us that by working together we can overcome this challenge.  So put the kettle on and add to the discussion. Frances and I look forward to your insights on TeaToastTrivia.com.

I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Thank you for joining Frances and me on Tea Toast and Trivia. One last thought – comes from Eleanor Roosevelt:

“You gain strength, courage and confidence by every experience in which you really stop to look fear in the face. You are able to say to yourself, ‘I have lived through this horror. I can take the next thing that comes along.’ You must do the thing you think you cannot do.” Eleanor Roosevelt, You Learn by Living: Eleven Keys for a More Fulfilling Life