Chasing Crickets

I wanted to learn about education, so I brought in the professionals! We dig into all things higher education, from tuition costs to diversity/equity/inclusion initiatives to for-profit schools, and so many more things in between. TW: For a portion of the episode, we discuss mass shootings/acts of mass violence, public safety concerns on school campuses, and sexual assault. These are not easy things for anyone to talk about or listen to, but if it is especially difficult for you to listen to those topics, please note that this portion of the discussion begins at the 00:52 mark.

One of my oldest friends, who has been a staple in the Nashville music scene for years, joined me to discuss all things music. Interested in the creative process of writing, producing, performing? We gotcha. Interested in the management and creative direction side of things? We gotcha. Interested in how huge country music landmarks, like the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Academy of Country Music, evolved during the COVID pandemic? We gotcha. Interested in the shifting culture within country music to become more inclusive? We gotcha. There is something for everyone!

Tim Gestwicki, the CEO of the North Carolina Wildlife Federation, sat down with me to discuss the importance of pollinators, problems with habitat loss/destruction, human-wildlife conflict, and the importance of protecting endangered species. Tim said it best: "We just happen to be the ones who speak for those who have no voice, which are the wildlife species and the wild places." For more information, visit https://ncwf.org/.

You hear it all the time - "We're in a plastics crisis." But what does it mean? How do we fix it? Why does it seem so hard to make a difference? My fellow World Wildlife Fund Panda Ambassador, Jaimi McPeek, answers all of these questions and more as we dive deep into the problems with plastic waste and microplastics, how to become expert recyclers, and what kinds of companies and industries are making the right moves.

This episode features Morgan Rafael, the founder and executive director of Carolina Wildlife Conservation Center, and we get into the nitty gritty of what it takes to rescue, rehabilitate, and release wild animals safely into their native habitats. Morgan has a wealth of knowledge about (and firsthand experience with) saving wild animals all over the world, and she now works to protect animals in the Carolinas through innovative care, plus advocacy and education about human-wildlife contact and conflict. If you're interested in learning more about the animals of our region and how to help with the Center's mission, please visit their website and reach out about volunteer and donation opportunities!

If I could have dreamt up my ideal podcast episode topic, it would have been this one - the benefits and logistics of farmers markets, eating local, supporting sustainable local agriculture, preventing food waste...I could go on and on. My guest, Sam DeRosa, works with Farmers Market Management Services and the North Carolina Farmers Market Network to create, maintain, and support several local farmers markets that greatly benefit the Charlotte community. She is a wealth of information, and I definitely feel reenergized and inspired to eat clean, eat local, and shop farmers markets. Hope you enjoy this one as much as I did!

A crowd favorite guest is back to discuss all things TRAVEL. We, of course, discuss our PNW trip from Joe's perspective. But then we also get into Joe's general travel tips, including how to pick a good travel group, how to avoid paying for expensive flights out of pocket, and how to make sure you get the most out of every trip.

A full breakdown of my weeklong trip to San Juan Island, WA, including itinerary, recommendations, and some interviews with local orca/wildlife enthusiasts!

MY MAMA IS ON THE POD! We talk about parenting and life, and of course, we end the pod with a very Lorelai/Rory-esque game of FMK, featuring some of my mom's favorite celebrities. You all know her, you all love her, and she's here with some great advice, wisdom, and comedy. Tune in if you want to get to know Kelly Jo a bit better!

In this episode, one of my oldest friends in the world dishes with me about what is going on with SCOTUS and how important it is for voters to understand the ins and outs of our government branches. We also talk about marriage/relationships, gardening, and - for the first time - a guest came prepared with some lightning round questions to try to stump me! If you want to be schooled on SCOTUS or laugh at Wil and I singing Disney songs, give it a listen!

This week, we're giving the listeners what they want...TAYLOR. SWIFT. Andrew Lambert, a certified Swiftie, attended the Eras Tour show in Nashville and is here to spill all the details on the show and his Taylor opinions. We also couldn't resist objectifying some of her hottie ex-boyfriends, of course. Tune in if you want to learn more about Andrew or Taylor - or if you just need your Swiftie fix for the week!

My non-biological brother is finally making an appearance! In this spicy episode, we discuss all things cancel culture - what is it, who is engaging in it, why do we all say we hate cancel culture and then continue to perpetuate cancel culture, and how can we be better at condemning behavior rather than condemning people. In the lighter second half of the episode, we dig in on travel and party-planning tips from everyone's favorite travel bug and "hostess with the mostest" (in Nathan's own words...but it's true). Hope you enjoy this double-feature! *TW: during the first half of the episode in the discussion about cancel culture, some tough topics are mentioned, including racism, antisemitism, homophobia, transphobia, and sexism. These are hard topics for anyone to discuss, but if these topics are especially difficult for you, please skip ahead to about the halfway mark for the lighter discussion about travel and party planning/hosting.

It's the moment you all (read: I) have been waiting for - FINALLY A GOOD DISCUSSION ABOUT BUFFY THE VAMPIRE SLAYER! My fellow Buffy obsessee, Colton Brown, joins me on the pod to talk all things Buffy, and believe me, we could have talked about this for hours. But I couldn't waste an opportunity to also learn some valuable information about mental health and wellness from everyone's favorite PhD, including the importance of social justice in counseling, being professionally diagnosed rather than self-diagnosed, and learning tools that will help you to flourish whether therapy is a short-term or long-term resource for you. Even if you're not (yet) a Buffy fan, this episode has something for everyone, so enjoy!

In this week's episode, we get to hear from community leader, Devin McClain, who is serving the city of Charlotte, the local art community, and amazing fashion moments (too on the nose?). The discussion includes advice on how to set yourself apart professionally, ideas on how to increase diversity in leadership and community service spaces, and a conversation about why connections matter. The episode ends with some random surprise dinner party questions where we learn that Devin loves to dip apples in ranch dressing, loves Jeff Goldblum, and loves being a dog mom.

In this week's episode, Cody Bauer joins the podcast to discuss growing up in a tight-knit family and carrying those values into his own family...while also getting into a very long and unplanned conversation about our differing opinions on guns, mass shootings, and gun reform measures (see TW below for time stamps if these topics are especially difficult for you to listen to). In the longest guest episode yet and the first totally "unscripted" episode (meaning, Cody did not want notes nor did he know any of the discussion topics beforehand), there are some emotional moments, some laughs, some tough topics, and some differing opinions, but all in all, a whole lot of love. TW: discussion of guns and mass shootings begins at 12:21 and lasts approximately 15 minutes after that. Mass shootings mentioned by name are Columbine, Uvalde, and Virginia Tech.

The host's sister-in-law (and renowned Slytherin), Alyssa Bauer, joins the pod for an in-depth coffee chat about all things Harry Potter. We contrast our movie rankings and discuss differences from the books vs. movies, as well as numerous other hard-hitting questions (plot hole that annoys you the most? Most misunderstood or underrated character? Which of the Triwizard Tournament challenges do you think you could win?) - if you're as nerdy about the Wizarding World as we are, then *accio* yourself a coffee and listen in!

Rachel Ross is the guest this week for perhaps the most chaotic episode yet! Take a journey through some deep spiritual discussions while we pack in the laughs and some nuggets of wisdom. Interested in ethical hedonism? We got it. Have some opinions on monogamy? So do we. Questioning what makes a person "good" or "bad"? We're with ya. Some highlighted quotes that deserve to go down in Chasing Crickets history: "I think, physically, you're more of a French baguette." "I stan Stan." "My Barbie's foot in a stick of butter. Next question." Not sure what I'm talking about? Listen to find out! TW: discussions about death and grief from about the 33 minute mark until about the 41 minute mark

The highlight of the episode: Zhykia saying, "Your career isn't going to keep you warm at night," and Chelsea saying, "I don't know, my blanket is pretty warm." During this episode, Chelsea and guest Zhykia dive deep into the mysteries of dating and men vs. women in 2023. Lots of good tidbits in this episode, whether you are single in your 30s or happily married and craving a laugh. 

It's the first guest episode! Chelsea sits down with her oldest friend, Joe Wright, to have a discussion about all things politics. Join two formerly "fiscally conservative, socially liberal" friends as they discuss (over a glass or three of cabernet) everything from Joe Biden's record to the heavy hitters in the upcoming election season to Nikki Haley's run. The episode includes typical Chelsea/Joe shenanigans, like a boozy faux commercial, and wraps up with some of the most interesting dinner party questions you've ever heard. You don't want to miss this one!