Perennials Podcast

Episode 21: Dog's Best Friend with Catherine Gilmartin

In Episode 21, I'm talking to one of my best friends and my former college roommate, Catherine Gilmartin.

Catherine attended school for psychology with the intention of becoming a counselor, but felt unfulfilled and unhappy; then she realized she could combine her interest in working with people with her lifelong passion for dogs, and the rest is history. She has since started a petsitting business and is about to become a certified trainer. Her ultimate goal is to train service dogs and tap into the magical relationship between dog and human.

Catherine and I talk about the lessons she's learned about conflict, confidence and love through working with dogs; how limited our imaginations can be when we're young and think there's only one path forward; and her journey from struggling in college to creating a more authentic life. 

You learn more by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 20: Saheli Women with Madhu Vaishnav

It was a delight for me to talk to Madhu Vaishnav, founder and director of the Institute for Philanthropy and Humanitarian Development (IPHD), a Jodhpur-based community development non-profit that focuses on financial empowerment for women, girls' education and women's health in rural northern India. 

Madhu's story is one of strength, resilience, joy and humility. She talks openly about her experience of arranged marriage and her long journey to pursuing work in the social sector. Madhu also shares what she has learned from the rural women that she serves and her thoughts on spirituality and God as a mother. 

To learn more about Madhu and this episode, visit the Shownotes page.

Episode 19: Young Motherhood with Amanda Greatorex

Today, my big sister Amanda Greatorex and I talk about her life as a mother and a musician.

At 29 years old, Amanda is wife to her high school sweetheart Andy and mother to four children under the age of six. She describes how being the firstborn of five kids spurred her to be an independent forward-thinker who follows her gut--even when her gut leads her down paths that a lot of her peers aren't traveling yet.

We talk about her college experience studying Vocal Jazz at the University of North Texas, and what led her to move back to New Jersey shortly after graduation to get married and start a family. We also discuss the challenges of balancing a career as a musician with parenthood, as well as her recent experience with postpartum depression and the wisdom she's gleaned from the early years of motherhood.

We laugh, swap stories, talk about sibling dynamics, and discuss our differences in personality. 

You can learn more by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 18: Music & Creativity with Andy Feldman

Andy Feldman is a mechanical engineer and musician from New Jersey. He is the keyboardist for the Asbury Park-based jam band, Secret Sound, and regularly performs throughout New Jersey and New York. Andy also writes instrumental piano music and recently released his second EP, "Rest and Be Thankful," through Sonder House Records.

In today's episode, Andy and I talk about his love for music, the relationship between talent and discipline, the writing process, what it's like to share art with the world, and how Andy balances his full-time engineering job with his job as a musician. 

Episode 17: Anxiety Strikes Back

No guest today--just me this time.

In today's episode, I'm talking about why it's been one month since I posted a new episode. I've been struggling with a bad flare-up of anxiety, and I wanted to share a bit about my experience in the hopes of keeping this podcast as honest and authentic as possible about all of the messiness around "growing up, getting wise and trying to live a good life." 

Episode 1 was about the Wisdom of Anxiety--today, I'm talking about what it feels like to be in the thick of a dark night. I hope that, for anyone else who may be struggling with their mental health right now, this episode provides a sense of solace and solidarity. It's not about tips and tricks for beating anxiety--it's just about what it feels like to be a human who is trying really hard to get better, and how some days and moments are better than others, and how perfectionism is my absolute Achilles heel. 

Here's to less perfection and more kindness. 

Episode 16: Lucky You with Erika Carter

Erika Carter is author of the novel Lucky You, an NPR Best Book of 2017 and Book of the Month Club selection. Lucky You follows three 20-something women who are struggling with identity, purpose and meaning, and looking for love, health and happiness in all the wrong places. Erika and I talk about her life as a writer, the confusion of early adulthood, and balancing skepticism with sensitivity. 

You can learn more about the topics covered and references made in the episode by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 15: Broken Things Can Shine with Ona Gritz

In today's episode, writer Ona Gritz and I talk about her life with a disability, and how she has come to greater self-acceptance, wholeness, gratitude and love. Ona is the author of the poetry collection, Geode, and the memoir On the Whole: a Story of Mothering and Disability. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Guardian, Ploughshares, and many other journals and anthologies. Ona has also written two children’s books, including Tangerines and Tea, My Grandparents and Me, which Nick Jr. Family Magazine named Best Alphabet Book of the year, and Scholastic Parent & Child Magazine named one of six Best Books for 2005 and included in their list of Teacher’s Picks.

The episode title "Broken Things Can Shine" comes from Ona's poem "Geode."

You can learn more about Ona and today's episode by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 14: Your Personal Mise en Place with Paul Finn

In his early 20s, Paul Finn worked in the film and music industry and waited tables to pay the bills; over time, his passion and focus shifted onto the hospitality industry and craft cocktails. He's now the General Manager and Beverage Director at Garage Bar in Austin, Texas. Under Paul's leadership, Garage has garnered a reputation for providing an excellent cocktail program and warm hospitality, and received national recognition in publications such as Conde Nast, Imbibe, Maxim and Architectural Digest.

Paul has become an advocate for access to healthcare and emphasis on wellness in the hospitality industry, which has historically provided very little resources or even encouragement for workers to prioritize their health. In today's episode, we're talking about his Personal Mise en Place program, which Paul created to help his colleagues take stock of their health and wellness and make changes for the better.

We talk about taking inventory of ourselves and practicing self-compassion, and we dive into questions about spirituality and purpose: how do we know when it's time to stop seeking and start cultivating? What does it mean to embrace the mystery and magic of life at any moment, even when washing the dishes?

You can learn more about topics covered and references made in this episode by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 13: Mentorship & Empowerment with Andrew Binger

In the first Perennials episode of 2019, I'm talking to my former college classmate Andrew Binger about mentorship--what it is, why it matters, and how it can change people's lives. 

Andrew is an educator, actor and mentor working primarily in the city of Newark, New Jersey. He teaches history at the Newark Boys Chorus School and serves as the Artistic Director of the Yendor Theatre Company, which seeks to develop and produce plays by underserved playwrights, including writers of color, women, and writers from the LGBTQ community. Andrew credits much of his success to his former professor and mentor Rodney Gilbert. He now considers mentoring young people some of the most meaningful work he does.

You can learn more about the episode and topics discussed by visiting the Shownotes page.

Episode 12: Growing Up Gilmore with Melissa Adamo

In today’s episode, I’m sitting down with one of my best friends to talk about one of our favorite shows: Gilmore Girls. Melissa and I talk about Season 1 of a show that so many millennial women grew up watching, and we ask questions like: Is Lorelai’s fierce independence really such a great thing? What does it mean to be “perfect” like Rory? How do the media and narratives that we consume shape our expectations for ourselves? And are Max and Dean really all that dreamy?

Melissa is a great friend, a veritable Gilmore expert, and she’s also an Adjunct Instructor at Montclair State University and Rutgers University-Newark, where she primarily teaches composition courses. She has also taught creative writing and poetry courses at Ramapo College of New Jersey, taught pop culture at Fairleigh Dickinson University, and worked for the Dodge Poetry Festival as the College Liaison. Listeners can connect with her on Twitter @mel_adamo

You can find more information about topics covered and references made in this episode by visiting the Shownotes page.