Hosts Nick (@fivestergram) & Brie Watson (@briewats0n) are in it pretty deep at the time this episode was recorded. With feelings of stagnation, injury and loss, our two humble hosts are really feeling the name of the podcast. Although recording in the same room for the first time since Covid has added a level of irreverence towards life that might just help them get back on track. The hosts review March and April, check in on their lighthouse words, constant struggles and tank fillers. Will the check in be enough to get back on the creative horse? 

Key Creative Tips:

Coffee is good. -Honoré de Balzac

Nick’s Update:

Tank Fillers: Visiting the prettiest town in Ontario with family, Marc Maron live.

Struggle: Back on the YouTube, not editing.

Brie’s Update:

Tank fillers: Halifax (Travel) / Spontaneity Improv, The Americans (TV Show, Soviet spies, fun disguises,) Joel Plaskett in the vineyard to look forward to…

Struggles: Loss of a friend, Knee Injury, Tuesday Night Nobody

RESOURCES:

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Listen to more awesome podcasts on PodCavern.

#StruggleOn

Host Nick Watson (@fivestergram) is in a real pickle this episode as he and co-host Brie Watson (@briewats0n) find solutions to the doom scrolling rabbit hole that is US politics on YouTube. (There are two surprisingly easy solutions.) As the hosts review the second month of 2025, they continue to check in on their lighthouse words and constant struggles. It’s not all heavy though, each host brings up a number of tank fillers to help them get through that cold lil’ February. Like Conan hosting the Oscars, there is a beacon of hope! 

Key Creative Tips:

“No thank you, not right now.” - thank you Headspace app.

Read short stories, see live theatre, watch good TV & great comedians like Maria Bamford.

Nick’s Update:

Tank Filler:  Distractions: Ted Lasso and reading short stories.

Struggle: YouTube doom scrolling

Brie’s Update:

Tank fillers: Improv Niagara, Big Chick Energy, live theatre, tap dancing and cancelled plans.

Struggle: Jealousy, the structure to structure and winter driving.

RESOURCES:

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Listen to more awesome podcasts on PodCavern.

#StruggleOn

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) discuss their tank-fillers & drainers in the creative department of their ongoing struggle to make literature and comedy, (respectively.) They’re a month into 2025 and are checking in on the progress following their respective Lighthouse words. Are they still being guided in the right direction? Or did the longest January in history have other plans for our noble hosts?  

Key Creative Tips:

Build boundaries to keep a creative mindset.

Find inspiration to keep moving forward.

Nick’s Update:

Tank Filler:  Chapter-per-week

Struggle: Capitalism

Brie’s Update:

Tank fillers: Good improv & Joel Plaskett

Struggle: It’s friggin’ cold!

RESOURCES:

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Listen to more awesome podcasts on PodCavern.

#StruggleOn

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) kick off the new year by sticking to their new podcasting format, therefore so far crushing this New Year Pod Resolution. They’ve also carefully prepared their 2025 Lighthouse Word, or Word-of-the-Year and strongly recommend you do too!

Nick’s Update:

Tank Filler:  Checkmarks

Struggle: The Demons

Brie’s Update:

Tank fillers: On holiday, there are too many to list! 

Struggle: Negative self-talk, social media distractions.

RESOURCES:

Listen to more awesome podcasts on PodCavern.

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

Hosts Nick Watson (@fivestergram) and Brie Watson (@briewats0n) are back after an unplanned hiatus to chat plans for the podcast going forward including new segments like: what’s filling the tank, what’s draining the bucket and what are we working on as 2024 comes to a close. 

Nick's Update: 

Brie’s Update

RESOURCES:

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Listen to more awesome podcasts on PodCavern.

#StruggleOn

Our guest in this episode is mustard and smoked-meat wizard Zane Caplansky, founder of Caplanksy's Deli & purveyor of fine mustards. When Nick had the idea of interviewing a chef to discuss the artistic elements of food and cooking, Zane immediately came to mind. As it turns out, the struggles associated with balancing artisanal meats and mustards and attempting to find balance in life are huge. Six-figure-legal-fees huge.

And yet, Zane is probably the most optimistic and hopeful guests we've had the pleasure of speaking with - and in the current political climate, that doesn't seem so easy to do, right? So, grab some pickles, dip 'em in some tasty Caplansky mustard & enjoy our journey strugglin' on with Zane Caplanksy.

Your Creative Tips

Success & Failure, Cooking, Management, Work-Life Balance, Family

MORE ZANE CAPLANKSY

• Caplanksy's Deli Website

MORE PODCAVERN!

Nick's Update:

• Not writing. :(

Brie's Update:

• Improv Niagara celebrates 6 Years!

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

The irony of this episode is that Nick's "Word of the Year" for 2024 is EDIT. And it took Brie four months to edit this dang file. Maybe EDIT should have been both our words!

NEVERTHELESS. Here we are. It's 2024. We're the happiest new members of PodCavern. And we're ready to set and tackle our goals in the struggly world of Arts & Entertainment in Canada for this new year. (Aware that we're already in the second quarter of the new year!)

Your Key Creative Tips:

Writing, Editing, Fringe Festivals, Sketch Comedy, Goal Setting, Acting

Nick's Update: 

• Word of the Year: EDIT

Brie's Update:

• Word(s) of the Season: Patience, Organization, Flow

RESOURCES:

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

Listen to more awesome podcasts at PodCavern.

#StruggleOn

Jo Anne Tacorda is an actor, improviser, singer and one fifth of the popular sketch comedy troupe Big Chick Energy. In this episode of TCS, Brie and Nick find out what it was like to form a sketch troupe in the thick of Covid, what it takes to be part of the Hallmark "Christmasverse" and great tips along the way about embracing your inner-creative. 

You're going to love Jo Anne's enthusiasm and it'll leave you "pregnant" with possibilities for new creative projects!

Your Creative Tips

Comedy, Improv, Acting, Teamwork

MORE JO ANNE TACORDA

• Jo Anne's Instagram

Nick's Update: 

• Back struggles.

Brie's Update:

• Shutting down for the Holidays.

Thinking about starting your own podcast? Click HERE to get one free month of hosting.

#StruggleOn

***DON'T MISS "Good News Toronto" at Montreal Sketchfest FRI MAY 12th!*** 

Korri Birch is an actor, improviser, comedian, writer, producer, voice-over artist, puppeteer, teacher and self-proclaimed idiot based in Toronto. In this episode, Brie and Nick chat with Korri about his decision to stop producing, writing, and starring in the award-winning monthly news-themed live comedy show "Good News Toronto" and what's next for this multi-talented, ever-collaborative and exceptionally friendly performer.

It wouldn't be #StrugglePod if we didn't mention some of the difficulties faced by a day-job & the never-ending tasks associated with producing live comedy. 

But overall, Korri isn't one to complain. He's one to create. Enjoy!

Your Creative Tips

Comedy, Writing, Producing, Improv, Acting, Stand-Up Comedy, Touring, Collaboration

MORE KORRI BIRCH

• Korri's Website

Brie's Updates

• Detroit Women in Comedy Festival (May 19-20)

Nick's Updates

• Up to book 3 on preliminary edits.

#StruggleOn

Belynda Thomas is an author of novels (Secrets and Silence, Secrets and Sorrow) and children's book (When Can We Get a Puppy,) a blogger, a visual artist, Toastmaster, wife, mother and consultant to Mississauga Writers Group.  In this episode, Nick and Brie chat with Belynda about writing, self-publishing and owning your artistic dreams. 

We chat about the difficulties making the time to practice your art, and how sometimes it becomes necessary to put things on hold as well as the strength in owning your artistic pursuits.

Your Creative Tips

 Writing, Editing, Self-Publishing, Blogging, Writing Challenges, Public Speaking & Parenting.

MORE BELYNDA WILSON THOMAS:

• Belynda's Blog

Brie's Updates: 

• Catch Brie in Good News Toronto at Toronto Sketchfest.

Nick's Updates:

• Editing his short story.