This is another special solo episode with host Alica Gallagher following up on her last one about the election on November 5th.  It wasn’t the result she was hoping for, and it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions for her since election night.  

She chose to record a follow up episode to help process her own thoughts and feelings about all of it, and thought her story might be relatable to someone else out there.

She shares how the arts provided her a much needed place of refuge and comfort as she tried to regain her center, and how the words of Toni Morrison reminded her of the critical role artists and storytellers have in our society, especially during challenging times.  

And she explains how the lessons she learned while trying to capture a photo of the moon with her cell phone have given her a way to navigate this vulnerable moment and find her way forward, one small step at a time.   

This is a special personal solo episode with host Alica Gallagher discussing the election on November 5th in the United States and why she is whole-heartedly supporting Vice President Kamala Harris and Governor Tim Walz as the next President and Vice President of the United States.
 
Because of the unprecedented moment we find ourselves on the eve of an incredibly consequential election and the historic nature of this moment, Alica felt that recording a special stand-alone episode on the topic of the election was not only important and necessary, but also appropriate and very much aligned with the mission of the podcast There's More To Our Story. 

A solo episode with host, Alica Gallagher, discussing her personal thoughts about AI and Generative AI (Artificial Intelligence) specifically with regards to its application in the Arts and the Entertainment industry.   This is a very important topic in the Entertainment industry right now and it is just one of several issues that are front and center for both the The Writer’s Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA with their contract negotiations with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).  
 
 As someone who considers herself a creative person, an artist, who has spent a significant amount of time in her life working on and developing skills and finding ways to explore and express her creativity... as a singer, an actress, producer, storyteller and now yes, as a podcast host... Alica wanted to dedicate an episode to this topic and share her personal thoughts about it.  She felt compelled to share her concerns about this emerging technology, and what she sees as some potential risks and unintended consequences if it is misused or misapplied, especially when talking about the creative arts.  

"And ladies, don't let anybody tell you you are ever past your prime."  Those words were spoken by Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh, as she accepted the Oscar for Actress in Leading Role for the role of Evelyn in the Academy Award winning film Everything Everywhere All At Once.

In this episode with return guest, Paula Toker, we discuss the Academy Award winning film. We talk about how we felt watching the now Academy Award winning performances from Hollywood legends Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh who don’t simply dispel the myth that women lose their value as they age, but they flat out blow up the idea entirely.

The film also stars Academy Award nominee Stephanie Hsu and Academy Award winner Ke Huy Quan.  And was written and directed by the Oscar winning team of Daniel Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, also known as “Daniels.”

If you haven't had a chance to check out the film, you might want to check out the movie first and then come back to listen to the episode.   It was a fun conversation. I hope you enjoy the episode.

ABOUT THE GUEST:

Paula Toker is a visual thinker, dreams in color, and thrives when brainstorming a simplified way to explain a complex issue. With more than 27 years of experience in Silicon Valley at both Cisco and Apple, she has honed her skills into her one true passion as a right-brained thinker.  She works as the Reimagined Applications Content and Messaging Campaign Lead at Cisco. She currently lives in San Cruz, CA with her twin sons.

Learn more about Paula Toker and listen to her previous episodes here:

Curiosity, Inner Strength, and the "What if's" on the Road to Self with Paula Toker 

A solo episode with host, Alica Gallagher, kicking off the return of the There's More To Our Story podcast.  Alica discusses the podcast's unexpected hiatus since the last episode. She shares how filmmaker Ryan Coogler's advice while delivering his David Lean Lecture at BAFTA inspired her to overcome her own bad habit of overthinking and get back in front of the microphone and hit record.  

Welcome to our very first group discussion, featuring a few of my previous guests, to discuss the film “Good Luck To You, Leo Grande.”  The film was written by Australian screenwriter Katy Brand, and directed by Australian filmmaker Sophie Hyde, and stars Emma Thompson and Daryl McCormack…. you can watch this film on Hulu!

Spoiler Alert!! I want to issue a Spoiler Alert warning before you listen to the episode. We do our best not to get specific into the details of the film, but we do discuss a few plot points during our discussion that resonated with us. So, if you haven’t had a chance to watch this wonderful film, a film I personally whole-heartedly recommend, I recommend you check out the movie first, then come back to listen after you’ve had a chance to watch it.  

This is our very first group conversation, with guests joining from 5 different locations, 5 different time zones, and 2 different continents … and we worked very hard to overcome a few audio challenges we encountered at the beginning of the episode, so please be patient at the beginning.  I’m so happy to share this with you. So once again, if you haven’t seen the film yet … this is your last warning.  Enjoy the episode! 

ABOUT THE GUESTS:

Learn more about Mariann Aalda and listen to her previous episodes here:

Dreaming Big, Honoring Your Gifts, and Owning Your Story - Part 1
Dreaming Big, Honoring Your Gifts, and Owning Your Story - Part 2

Learn more about Sandy Davies and listen to her previous episode here:

From Kansas to Queensland: A Journey of Inspiration, Resilience, and "Magic"

Discover more about Eleni Kelakos and listen to her previous episode here:

Use Your Voice, Share Your Story, And Change Your World

You can learn more about Cindy O'Neill and listen to her previous episode here:

A Shy Girl Who Overcame To Find Courage and Her Voice

In this episode, I have the most inspiring and joyful conversation with Author and Businesswoman Sandy Davies. We talk about her journey starting from her Kansas-born roots to her current home in Queensland, Australia; to how some challenges she faced during perimenopause launched her out of semi-retirement; to her “magical” experience as an extra on the set of the teen adventure series Dive Club.  A gifted story-teller Sandy is, and what a gift the conversation turned out to be.   

About The Guest: Sandy Davies

Long before writing books and launching HappyPause™, Sandy Davies was born and raised in the American Midwest in the state of Kansas. Sandy accidentally ended up in Australia, and stayed.

Sandy’s mantra is it is never too late and you are never too old.

An allergic reaction to a treatment for intimate dryness during perimenopause launched Sandy out of semi-retirement to become the Queensland Australia based formulator and founder of award winning HappyPause™ Balm.

As a bit of a rebel who struggles taking ‘no’ for an answer, Sandy turned the lack of a simple, preservative-free natural solution for intimate dryness into her mission. The creation of HappyPause is Sandy’s ‘yes.’ A tiny pearl of HappyPause puts a spring back in your step. Creating HappyPause has brought Sandy unending joy in her second spring. 

At every chapter of life Sandy has thrived on giving back as a part of her ethos. In this HappyPause era, Sandy’s Australian Pay It Forward partner is The Period Project working to eradicate period poverty.

When not writing, packaging and processing HappyPause orders and heightening menopause awareness, Sandy enjoys helping others and spending time with her husband and their rescue dog Karma hunting nautilus shells along the fringing reefs of The Great Barrier Reef at the edge of the World Heritage Listed Daintree Rainforest. 

You can find more inspirational stories from Sandy in the co-authored #1 AMAZON Women & Business best seller Courage & Confidence What it Really Takes to Succeed in Business and Sacred Promise, edited by Dr Tererai Trent, Oprah Winfrey’s favourite guest of all time. Sandy’s anthology The Power to Rise Above about resilience and teenage bullying will be available in late 2022.

Show Notes

Read more about Sandy's "Magical" experience as an extra on the set of the teen/family drama Dive Club here.

Learn more about Sandy's award winning balm HappyPause.

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In this episode, I talk with my friend Cindy O'Neill from Haddam, Connecticut. Cindy shares her story about being a shy girl who overcame and found the courage within her to share her voice - in two languages no less!  And even after "retirement", she's not done yet!  We cover a lot of different topics during the conversation, and I think Cindy’s story will resonate with a lot of people out there. So, I was thrilled when she agreed to be my guest for an episode.

About the Guest:

Cindy O’Neill is the Director of Programs for the Connecticut Council of Family Service Agencies. She joined CCFSA after making her mark in the private sector in various leadership roles. Cindy became interested in working in the non-profit arena after volunteering for CCFSA on an outreach effort for their Victims of Crime Act - Case Management Program.  She is excited to be making positive contributions to the families of Connecticut through her work. 

Educated at Wheaton College in Norton, Massachusetts, she graduated magna cum laude after spending a year studying abroad in Spain. As well as Spain, she has lived in Mexico City, Mexico; Syracuse, NY; Baltimore, MD, and now resides in Connecticut with her husband Brian, where they are long-standing members of the Haddam Historical Society and where Cindy serves on the Board of Directors. 

In addition to helping facilitate well-being for the families of Connecticut, Cindy and her husband believe in taking care of their mental and physical health through nutrition and exercise. They have four children and six grandchildren. 

In this episode my guest Paula Toker and I discuss how sometimes life’s journeys unfold in ways we didn’t imagine and don’t always match the stories we have in our heads. But in those moments when we don’t always know what’s next, if we are open to following our curiosity a bit, and considering the words “What if”, the path may just end up leading us to discover our true selves.

Paula's Bio:

Paula Toker is a visual thinker, who dreams in color, and thrives when brainstorming a simplified way to explain a complex issue. With more than 27 years of experience in Silicon Valley at both Cisco and Apple, she has honed her skills into her one true passion as a right-brained thinker: Thought leadership and Creative Lead for Networking at Cisco.  She currently lives and works in San Jose, CA with her twin sons.

A solo episode with Alica. It's been four weeks since the launch of the podcast There's More To Our Story.  Alica reflects back and shares what she's experienced and has learned those first four weeks. And discusses how she's learning to overcome and rewrite some old narratives playing inside her head.