My guest cancelled! So I decided to talk for a few minutes about education—from a little bit about my time teaching at a military college, to my current job, to the challenges of teaching online. Join me for a shorter episode than usual. After this, I’ll take a break for the holidays, but I’ll be back in January for the rest of Season Three!

In my 35th episode, I speak with Alaina Browning, one of my favorite colleagues. Alaina shares her experiences as a librarian in both public and academic libraries. This semester, Alaina started a creative writing group at our college, where she offers weekly guidance and support to student writers, so we also talk about her background as a writer (she’s up every day around 4:00 a.m. and recently finished a 400-page novel). As the conversation nears its end, we also discuss Alaina and her husband’s plans to adopt a child this year. You will enjoy getting to know Alaina, so take a listen to the 35th episode of Where You Are!

This is one of my favorite discussions I’ve had in a while. Lori and Sabrina share some great stories about their 2014 marriage in Maryland, their experiences attending college in Tennessee, and their hopes and dreams for the future. Along the way, we touch on quite a range of topics: Santa Clause, America, intersectionality, and more! You are going to love these two women. They are perceptive, engaging, and fun; so come hang out with us for an hour!

Brylee and Alexa plan to launch their own podcast focusing on mental health. The two met recently in class at a community college in Alabama, and they found that they have many things in common. In this episode, we discuss their experiences and struggles with mental health; then, they explore possible directions for their podcast, which they plan to begin soon! Please note that we cover topics such as depression, anxiety, and suicide in this episode. As well, the discussion should be taken as an honest conversation sharing experiences, but none of us is a professional! If you have mental health problems, please talk to a doctor so that you can work toward a diagnosis and proper treatment.

Here are some resources in or around Walker County, Alabama, where I work and these students attend college:

• Northwest Alabama Mental Health Center

• Health Action Partnership, Walker County, AL: Mental Health Support & Referral Resources

For support elsewhere in the U.S., consider the following:

• National Alliance on Mental Illness

• Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration

And, as always, please remember the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255

Internationally, consider this link: United for Global Mental Health

Take a listen to my wonderful conversation with Ally Stephens, a former student. Ally is so funny, intelligent, and kind; I’m so grateful to have had her on the show. In this interview, she shares some of her life experiences and what she has learned along the way. We also talk about her love of plants and Harry Styles.

Join me this week as I reflect on where I am; Fox joins me, as well, for a little conversation. Enjoy the episode!

In this episode, I interview Kevin King, founder of The King’s Canvas, an organization in Montgomery, AL that provides “opportunity and access for underdeveloped and underexposed artists.” The King’s Canvas uplifts not only the individual artists but also the community at large; take a look for yourself: “Vaccine-inspired murals destined for Montgomery neighborhoods unveiled at King's Canvas”; “The King’s Canvas tells a Montgomery neighborhood’s story in vibrant color”; “King's Canvas to host 2nd annual 'BBQ & Brushes' fundraiser, honoring bus boycott anniversary”. It was an honor to hear Kevin describe his work, and I’m sure you will all enjoy this interview.

Season Three kicks off with Keith O. Williams, candidate for Birmingham City Council, District 6. Keith discusses his plans for District 6, as well as his experiences as a candidate. In addition, he provides interesting historical background for the communities he represents. You can learn more about Keith’s campaign at his website, keithowilliams.info, as well as his Facebook page, Keith O. Williams - Political Candidate.

In the final episode of Season Two, Fox and I look back at all of the guests we have had this season, as we discuss what we have learned from this year’s journey with the podcast. We also talk about plans for next season. Fox has a few new episodes of his podcast, The Audio Parlor, coming out soon, so he previews those a little, too. Thanks to everyone for listening this season! We will be back in August with a brand new season!

Fox and I decided to revisit and remaster our interview with Jonathan Sweatt from Season One (we’ve added a new introduction). Jonathan directed Small Mouth Sounds for Theatre Downtown in Birmingham, AL last year, just before the pandemic. In fact, it was the last show Fox and I saw before quarantine, and what a wonderful show it was. In this interview, Jonathan talks about his experience directing the show. I wanted to share this interview to celebrate and uplift local theater and all the wonderful people involved in it who have been affected by the pandemic. Live theater is one of the things I miss the most; I can’t wait until it comes back!