In last week's podcast conversation, we touched upon the idea of blooming where you're planted. That's not to say you should accept everything as is in life. If it's not right for you, do what you can to change it...whether that be a job, place of residence, health status, etc. But, we also tend to look outwardly to want change to happen so some of us might complain about external things and act like they are responsible for our happiness or wellness, when in fact, everything begins with us.

This week my guest is Jennifer Aleke, co-owner of J&M's Delights cookies and facilitator of "I Love Myself" workshops. As you'll hear in our conversation, Jen didn't start a cookie business because she's a passionate baker but she is passionate about bridging gaps between people and helping them make life enjoyable. J & M's (the M is for Jen's business partner Mike) is a cookie business inspired by love, family, and the power of connection. Their journey began with a shared mission to create treats that everyone could enjoy. Jen and Mike both live with a gluten allergy, so together they understand how hard it can be to find treats that are both safe and satisfying. Shop online for these delicious cookies or visit many coffee shops throughout Scranton. You can also taste these delicious treats on April 18 at the Marketplace at Steamtown and the Lace Village's spring vendor events. In addition to creating connection through cookies, Jen also leads workshops to help people reconnect with themselves through reflection, clarity, and intention for personal growth. One is planned at Nancy K. Holmes Library in Scranton on March 21 and watch for an April event at The Gather Community Space in Wilkes-Barre.

Follow Jen.inspires and j.a.m.s.delights on Instagram.

A big "thank you" goes out to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau for their generosity and support of this podcast. If you enjoy creativity and value ecofriendly fashion, visit Gabby's store at ⁠Reinvented Threads.com⁠ and check out the Events section to see where Gabby will be a vendor in the coming months. If you would like some individual wellness coaching, to attend meditation and/or learn about mindfulness-based living visit Lisa's site at ⁠EatBreatheMoveLive.com⁠.Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram for special events coming up this year in celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl and for perimenopausal rants, nature photos and other fun stuff.If you would like to support conversations like the ones Jeannine has each week with fierce and fabulous women by becoming a podcast sponsor reach out to [email protected] for a list of affordable packages and one-time pricing options. Remember that you can show support by sharing the podcast with a friend, foe or anyone you know and by writing a review and rating the podcast. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

March just feels different. Over the past few days I've felt hopeful with warmer temperatures, the promise of flowers blooming in the weeks ahead and the joy that comes from celebrating Women's History Month.

I'm kicking off this special month with my guest Michelle Pack... a self-identifying feminist who empowers women through financial education and through her many civic and community contributions. Check out this conversation as she shares what life is like in northeast PA compared with Northern California and talks with me about the importance of women supporting other women. We also exchange our ideas of feminism with one another.

A big "thank you" goes out to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau for their generosity and support of this podcast.

If you enjoy creativity and value ecofriendly fashion, visit Gabby's store at Reinvented Threads.com and check out the Events section to see where Gabby will be a vendor in the coming months. If you would like some individual wellness coaching, to attend meditation and/or learn about mindfulness-based living visit Lisa's site at EatBreatheMoveLive.com.Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram for special events coming up this year in celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl and for perimenopausal rants, nature photos and other fun stuff.

If you would like to support conversations like the ones Jeannine has each week with fierce and fabulous women by becoming a podcast sponsor reach out to [email protected] for a list of affordable packages and one-time pricing options. Remember that you can show support by sharing the podcast with a friend, foe or anyone you know and by writing a review and rating the podcast. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

After a long day, you might enjoy curling up in your favorite chair or even under your bed's comforter with your favorite book to lose yourself in a good story. But have you ever wondered where your favorite authors get their ideas? If they base their characters on people they know? How they plan or outline their story before they write?

Those are some of the questions that were posed for this week's special episode featuring "Ask the Expert" with romance author Tina Gallagher.

In celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl, I'm hosting several live, on-line opportunities for you to ask questions of "experts." This week's episode was recorded live on Feb. 18 with author Tina Gallagher who answered questions submitted from podcast listeners and readers of Tina's books and newsletter. If you would like to learn more about Tina and/or buy her books visit her website. And be sure to follow TinaGallagherAuthor on Instagram and Facebook to stay up to date with Tina's book signings and other events. Thank you to my podcast sponsors ⁠Reinvented Threads⁠ with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau. Gabby is busy at work making beautiful, spring-inspired ecofriendly handmade hats, bags and monster dolls. Follow Reinvented Threads on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on Gabby's latest creations and you can shop online on ReinventedThreads.com. Lisa of Healthy Lifestyle Management offers a variety of health coaching services including her upcoming 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course beginning with orientation on March 4. For more information about this course, Lisa's other wellness services and to sign up for her email, visit EatBreatheMoveLive.com. If you would like to support this podcast through sponsorship, email [email protected] for a list of affordable sponsorship packages. Remember that you can also show support by sharing an episode of this podcast with a friend, foe, or anyone you know, or by rating the podcast or writing a review.

Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Instagram and Facebook for perimenopausal rants, nature photos and upcoming events.

I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

Leadership is nothing new to Brenda Johnson. She served her country for 22 years in the Army and retired as a Major. Now that she's retired, she's doing things she enjoys like traveling, foraging for natural remedies and serving her community as the current president of the NAACP in Lackawanna County. Brenda joins me this week, along with her daughter and friend/frequent guest of the podcast Amber Viola, who also served her country. Amber has been a guest on this show before talking about her career in the Navy, her book "72 Hours of Hell: My Time in VA," and most recently about her and her daughter's experience with the Scranton Girls Rock summer camp. This week Amber talks about the importance of getting involved with the NAACP and promotes the upcoming Community Talent Show by NAACP that's being hosted by Black Scranton on Feb. 21.

If you would like to perform in the Community Talent Show, complete the Google form here. Follow NAACP Lackawanna on Facebook.

Thank you to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau for supporting valuable conversations like this one each week. Check out Gabby's unique, ecofriendly fashion accessories at ReinventedThreads.com and learn about Lisa's wellness services at EatBreatheMoveLive.com.

If you would like to support this podcast, please reach out to [email protected] for a list of the affordable podcast sponsorship packages. Remember that you can also show support by sharing an episode; telling a friend, foe or anyone you know about the podcast; and rating the podcast and writing a review.

Be sure to follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with online and in-person events and enjoy some laughs.

Have you ever dated someone, or are currently married to a person whose relationship with money looks very different from yours? Maybe they like to spend and you're more of a saver? Or, you're self-employed and want to know the best strategy for saving for retirement? Then give this week's special episode a listen.

In celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl, I'm hosting several live, on-line opportunities for you to ask questions of "experts." This week's episode was recorded live on Jan. 28 with Emily Hickox of Budget Through Life, who shared her expertise in financial literacy with question askers Oliver Ord and Tina Gallagher who will be answering questions on my next Ask the Expert on Feb. 18 at 7PM, ET. Tina is a self-published romance author who is ready to answer your questions about writing, self-publishing, marketing, book signings and much more.

If you would like to learn about Emily's financial coaching services, email Emily at budgetthroughlife.com.

Thank you to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau.

Gabby is busy at work making beautiful, spring-inspired ecofriendly handmade hats, bags and monster dolls. Follow Reinvented Threads on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on Gabby's latest creations and you can shop online on ReinventedThreads.com.

Lisa of Healthy Lifestyle Management offers a variety of health coaching services including her upcoming 8-week mindfulness-based stress reduction course beginning in March. Enroll before Feb. 18 to save $50. Register here.

If you would like to support this podcast through sponsorship, email [email protected] for a list of affordable sponsorship packages. Remember that you can also show support by sharing an episode of this podcast with a friend, foe, or anyone you know, or by rating the podcast or writing a review.

Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram to stay in the know and get some laughs. Click here.

If you're a human being, this week's podcast episode pertains to you. You may or may not like the idea of networking, but we all have human encounters and need human interactions to thrive--and that's networking essentially.

My guest this week is J. Kelly Hoey, author, executive coach and venture capitalist who is known as a networking expert. While she says she never set out to be an expert at connecting people, she does have the experience, knowledge and insight to be publishing a second book on the matter.

"The Social Billionaire: A Networking Roadmap for Women Seeking to Flourish and Achieve More" will be available for purchase in the coming month but for now, you can sample it by downloading chapter two here.

Whether or not you enjoy connecting with people or believe that's something you only need to do when you're looking for a career change, I am confident you will gain something good from listening to this conversation. Kelly's charm and self-deprecating humor had me hooked right away. Fold in her wisdom and you can't help but relish this episode.

Here's a link to Kelly's first book, "Build Your Dream Network" available on Amazon. Thank you to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads and Healthy Lifestyle Management for supporting me and content that amplifies the voices of women in northeast PA and beyond.

Check out ReinventedThreads.com for ecofriendly, handmade fashion accessories and to learn where you can find Gabby Lynn when artisan markets/events begin.

Learn the tools and practices you need to live a healthier life from Lisa Rigau of Healthy Lifestyle Management at EatBreatheMoveLive.com. Lisa's 8-week Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Course begins in early March. Visit her website before Feb. 17 for $50 off this course.

If you would like to support women and the conversations had each week on this podcast, reach out to Jeannine at [email protected] for a list of affordable podcast sponsorship packages. Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram to stay up to date on events planned during this special year to celebrate 5 years of this podcast!I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

The face of manufacturing is slowly changing, but with women holding approximately only 29% to 30% of jobs in the U.S. manufacturing sector, and making 80 cents to men's dollar, more changes need to happen. Thanks to my guests this week Liz White and Kate Logan, the wrecking ball continues to swing through the glass ceiling in this industry.

Tune in to hear about Kate's path to manufacturing-- she currently serves as the Quality Systems and Sustainability Manager at Noble Biomaterials --and the example she is setting for future women in the industry.In Liz's new role as NEPIRC's Leadership Consultant, she is making invaluable contributions to help women elevate their career in manufacturing. She is currently working hard on theupcoming launch of the Women of Manufacturing Empowerment Network—a space designed for women in manufacturing to learn, connect, and take up space in powerful ways. Applications to participate in this program will be available March 1 at NEPIRC.A big "thank you" goes out to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau for their support. If you enjoy creativity and value ecofriendly fashion, visit Gabby's store at Reinvented Threads.com. If you would like some wellness coaching or to attend meditation or other mindfulness-based class, visit Lisa's site at EatBreatheMoveLive.com.Reach out to [email protected] to request a list of podcast sponsorship packages.

Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram for special events coming up this year in celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl and for perimenopausal rants. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

Check out this real conversation about AI and how it's being used by writers. This week, my guest Tina Gallagher, who is a friend and author, talks with me about how AI helps her do research to keep her stories accurate and realistic, how it helps her brainstorm creative ideas for character names and book titles and how AI has shaken up the romance novel space, leading to author cancellations.

Check out Tina's collection of romance novels at her website.Interested in attending our Galentine's event in Scranton, click here.

A big "thank you" goes out to my podcast sponsors Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn and Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau for their support. If you enjoy creativity and value ecofriendly fashion, visit Gabby's store at Reinvented Threads.com. If you would like some wellness coaching, to attend meditation or other mindfulness-based class, visit EatBreatheMoveLive.com.Follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram for special events coming up this year in celebration of five years of Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl and for perimenopausal rants.

Reach out to [email protected] to recommend a woman for this show, to offer support through sponsorship and to be notified about upcoming events including my Ask the Expert series: Join me and Emily Hickox of Budget Through Life on Jan. 28 to get answers to your financial literacy questions and ask Tina questions on Feb. 18. I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

Mahatma Gandhi's words of: "Be the change you wish to see in the world," are spoken often and shared on social media and on bumper stickers. They are wise words. If we want things to change, we need to do whatever we can to contribute to that effort.

My podcast guests this week Jennifer Graham Partyka and Sabrina Hannon were inspired to make their contributions by running for local office. Both women were elected in 2025 as the first women on the Glenburn Township Board of Supervisors. These women bring experience from the frontlines of life, often interacting with people in times of crisis through their day jobs--a benefit that Jen believes is vital to understand how the decisions made by elected officials can truly impact them.

If you are considering running for office in Northeast PA, Jen will certainly be your cheerleader and help you to prepare. Reach out to the Abington Democrats to get involved alongside Jen and many others in the community who care.

Tune in to hear what inspired Sabrina and Jen to become involved in local politics and hear what they're planning in their new roles.

Thank you to my podcast sponsors Healthy Lifestyle Management with Lisa Rigau and Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn for their generous support.

Lisa is a registered nurse, nutrition counselor, and community educator of health, wellness, mindfulness, and nutrition. And, she is a certified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction through Brown University’s School of Professional Studies & The Mindfulness Center at the School of Public Health. Learn how Lisa can help you through her wellness services at ⁠EatBreatheMoveLive.com⁠.

Gabby Lynn is a talented and creative maker who creates incredible, unique, sustainable fashion accessories--everything from handbags, hats, scarves and more. Learn more about Reinvented Threads and check out their online shop of handmade items ⁠at ReinventedThreads.com⁠ and follow Reinvented Threads on Facebook and Instagram.

Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl is celebrating its five-year anniversary and is excited to be leading online and in-person events to celebrate and educate. Coming up soon is the start of my "Ask the Expert" series. Join me and financial literacy expert Emily Hickox of Budget Through Life live on Zoom on Wed. Jan 28 at 7PM to answer your questions about debt, credit, budgeting, how to save for a big purchase, and so on.

If you would like to help support this content, please reach out to me at [email protected]. Remember that you can also show support by sharing the podcast on your social media or with a friend, and rating and reviewing on Spotify or Apple.

I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.

In the few minutes I waited to see the ball drop on New Year's Eve, I saw at least three different weight loss ads or commercials for a gym--something you couldn't avoid given that Planet Fitness was a major sponsor for the NYE event on ABC.

During this time of year, you will see and hear all the ways you can change and achieve goals and resolutions. Having goals and making healthy changes is a good thing, but you can only achieve them when you are ready, not when the calendar mandates. It's also important to not take on too much at once or you will likely feel overwhelmed.

Behavior change is the main focus of this week's conversation with my guest Lisa Rigau of Healthy Lifestyle Management, who is also a podcast sponsor for Uncorked with Funny Wine Girl.

Lisa is a registered nurse, nutrition counselor, and community educator of health, wellness, mindfulness, and nutrition. She received her Bachelor of Science in Nursing from the University of Delaware. Lisa received her Master’s degree from Marywood University in Sports Nutrition and Exercise Science. And, she is a certified teacher of Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction through Brown University’s School of Professional Studies & The Mindfulness Center at the School of Public Health.

Lisa offers us guidance on how to be successful with behavior changes and reminds us that consistency is key. She says small moments many times make change. And she reminds us that when we fall off the rails--which will happen--we can always begin again.

Learn how Lisa can help you through her wellness services at EatBreatheMoveLive.com.

Thank you to Lisa & Healthy Lifestyle Management and Reinvented Threads with Gabby Lynn for sponsoring this podcast. Their generosity helps me to keep creating valuable content that informs, inspires and entertains listeners.

Learn more about Reinvented Threads' unique, sustainable hats, scarves, handbags and more at ReinventedThreads.com and follow Reinvented Threads on Facebook and Instagram.

Resources discussed in this episode:--Dr. Judson Brewer:  The Craving Mind: From Cigarettes to Smartphones to Love – Why We Get Hooked and How We Can Break Bad Habits--Thich Nhat Hahn: Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

Doug Lisle and Alan Goldhamer: The Pleasure Trap: Mastering the Hidden Force that Undermines Health & Happiness

--Sharon Salzberg: Real Change: Mindfulness to Heal Ourselves & The World

If you would like to support conversations like the ones had on this podcast through sponsorship, reach out to [email protected] for a list of packages. You can also support by sharing the podcast with a friend, foe or anyone you know and rating the podcast 5 stars and writing a review.

Be sure to follow Funny Wine Girl Jeannine on Facebook and Instagram to stay informed of all the special 5-year anniversary events taking place in celebration.

I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart and the bottom of my wine glass.