ETC series, EP. 17 - Conclusion: Reflections, Calls to Action, Next Steps
The MultiPod
Our podcast miniseries comes to an end, with some reflection on the Everything Conference experience, takeaways, calls to action and next steps. With all the business and routine of getting back to every day life, the Everything Conference may feel like a mirage, a fantasy. Did that really happen? Did I dream it? Or in truth, did it just go by too fast and I didn't take the time to appreciate it? I think I can honestly say that not only have these worries not come true, I feel like we're all actively ensuring that the ETC 2024 is still alive and well. Message threads remain active, online and...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 16 - A Lifetime of Changes, Surprises and Pivots, with Ned Andrew Solomon
The MultiPod
Our initial ETC series comes to a conclusion with a conversation with the one and only Ned Andrew Solomon, whose life is a wonderful example to multipotentialites, and who was a delightful addition to the . Ned came with his wife Gina Lynette, a familiar friend to those of us in and/or at the . It was an easy ask to get Ned Andrew to come along to this year's conference. Once we get past some initial existentialist comparison regarding our names, we quickly get into Ned's winding path of interest jobs, make-ends-meet jobs, and ultimately a great Einstein job that gave the family...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 15 - When You Don't Have to Explain Who You Are, with Lindsay Gordon
The MultiPod
Little did I know that just a couple weeks before the , Lindsay Gordon herself was in Montreal for a visit, just up the road from my little town. So our conversation today launches straight into the French language, the experience of English speakers when visiting (particularly the different experience between Americans and English Canadians when in Montreal), and how the French in Québec is different from that in France. And Lindsay in fact spent a year in Belgium way back when, who have their own dialectical differences. That was just the prelude to our conversation. I do...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 14 - Exploring Cultural Differences in Multipotentiality: The Japanese Perspective, with Tomoko Ito
The MultiPod
I crossed paths with Tomoko Ito at the , but not as much as I had hoped to, so comes to the rescue again with a chance to follow up with each other and record a conversation. Tomoko is now back home in the LA area, where she maintains strong connections to her native Japan. I wasn't aware that she is a business coach for Japanese multipotentialites, which raised some interesting questions and curiosity about how multipotentiality is viewed and understood in Japan, if there are strong cultural differences between Japan and North America, at least, and how people adapt over there. ...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 13 - "Our Presence Liberates Others" - Finding Trust, Empathy and Joy at the ETC, with Heather U-K
The MultiPod
I've known Heather U-K for over 7 years, she predates me in by about a year and a half. She's been on the a couple times, we cross paths in huddles and online , and various groups and discussions. In fact, we've "known" each other so long that it almost felt like we had already met! But of course, this was another one of those goosebump moments: seeing Heather herself walk in, right there in front of me. She's taller than I expected! Heather and I hung out a bit over the course of the weekend, attended a couple workshops together, I showed her over to a fabulous secret coffee...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 12 - Staying Connected: Nurturing Relationships After the Everything Conference, with Alyson Wagner
The MultiPod
Our series switches now a bit to the post-ETC reality: back home, back to regular routines and just trying to preserve as much of that wonderful spirit as possible. On the plus side, the audio experience will be much better... I was a little disappointed with the quality of the lavalier lapel mics I bought before the conference, they sounded far more muffled and dampened than they should have. Tech and equipment can be a little hit and miss sometimes, but we can just keep testing and learning for the future. My thanks again to for his help and expertise with the audio repair. ...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 11 - Thoughts on the ETC, on the Final Night
The MultiPod
Today is Sunday, August 4th. The Everything Conference has just come to an end. Or, has it? ---- Yes, we are heading home, or on to our next destination, tomorrow. But in this episode of reflection, post-ETC, I sit down in a quiet corner of the University of Minnesota campus, around 10 o'clock at night, crickets chirping and a gentle breeze blowing past, to start the process of reflection. One can only comprehend so much, so quickly, after an intense and emotional weekend such as this. But that in turn may be a reason why the Everything Conference spirit will continue in earnest,...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 10 - From Online to In-Person: How Meeting Face-to-Face Transforms Relationships, with Joel Zaslofsky
The MultiPod
One of the highlights of the Everything Conference for me was to be able to sit down, in person, with Joel Zaslofsky and record a podcast episode together. We had in fact met already, just over a year ago when he and his wife Melinda came to Montreal, and I popped into town for the better part of a day. We had lunch and explored the city a bit, but it wasn't the best moment to do any recording. So this time, we made sure to make it happen. I have Joel to thank for getting me set up in podcasting in the first place, way back in 2017 when I asked him if we could start a...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 9 - Minnesota Nice & Hidden Gems: A Local's Perspective on the Twin Cities, with Rachel Blanford
The MultiPod
Our next episode dives into our host city, or I should probably say cities: Minneapolis-St. Paul. Now, technically we are in Minneapolis for the Everything Conference, as the is on the University of Minnesota campus in Minneapolis (side note I don't know if I've ever seen so many Ms and Ns in one place as over this weekend). But are we obligated to mention St. Paul at least at some point whenever we mention Minneapolis? Or just say "Twin Cities"? Does the other one feel left out otherwise? In order to sort this out, one must talk to a local. We are blessed to have quite a...
info_outline
ETC series, Ep. 8 - The Skill of Pivoting: Branding, Identity and Organization as a Multipotentialite Creator, with Christine Lozada
The MultiPod
In this conversation I sit down with Christine Lozada, travel content creator and influencer, podcaster, drone expert, pickleball aficionado, cruising rock star and more, who is able to successfully wrap all of this up under one banner: . Christine and I met at Camp Indie in 2023, and have done some great podcasting exchanges since, including our own miniseries, "." This episode is our latest collaboration. Christine is a wonderfully supportive and encouraging friend, who is great at nudging us to take action, give it a shot, press record, try the thing: you can do it. This one...
info_outlineWe enter the 5th Anniversary week of The MultiPod, starting with Episode #099, published 5 years to the day from Episode #001 (What Does Multipotentiality Mean to You).
Episode 99 welcomes Deb Bilger, and quickly evolves into a conversation on "place," a common theme here over many episodes. Deb and co-host Vanessa both live in Edmonton, Alberta, and even co-host Ted spent a few short months there in between jobs, 16 years ago (although it doesn't feel that long ago). We chat about commonalities and the not-so-distinct nature of the city, where streets are numbered and the suburbs are uniform. It can be quite nice though, Edmonton certainly has its merits.
But how did Deb end up there, having grown up and spent formative years in Toronto, Ontario? In fact, it's an adventurous tale that starts with a true "lightbulb moment:" when Deb suddenly realized one day that she was ready to quit her job, sell virtually everything and move to Santiago, Chile to immerse herself in Spanish.
The takeaway: Just Do It.
But it doesn't have to be a big life-changing decision. You can have moments like that every day, which is another valuable lesson.
Deb spent most of her time teaching Business English in Chile, but networking and serendipitous connections also led to some pretty unique and profound opportunities. She found herself translating, from Spanish into English, sensitive, raw testimonials from the 2010 Copiapó Mining disaster in Chile, where all 33 trapped miners were sucessfully rescued after 69 days.
And she had already lived through her own trauma, the 2010 Chilean earthquake, 8.8 on the scale for 3 minutes!
Then we switch to learning about writing and translating labels for Chilean wine, where the payment is sometimes made in bottles ;)
Language is another common theme on The MultiPod, and we find ourselves talking about dreaming in another language. Our subconscious brains certainly seem to know more than they are letting on to our conscious brain. It's fascinating to consider what we don't know we know.
Meanwhile, Deb has heard the Dalai Lama speak in person, twice. Meditation was a significant takeaway from these experiences, and these days there are useful apps to help you decompress and focus, even while waiting in your car.
Our conversation today is interspersed with numerous themes and topics, and includes a big announcement from Vanessa: A new Puttypeep is on the way! Due date in March!
Stream more episodes of The MultiPod on our site, or on your favourite podcast app.