Lament of Hope

It is such a gift for me to publish the 300th episode of this podcast highlighting the actor who played Farmer Maggot in the first film of "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy. We talk about his iconic scene with the black rider, acting, and his love of opera (Cameron sings too!!).

Caren Jepkemei left everything behind in Kenya in 2019 to pursue her dream of becoming a fashion model. She sat down with me to share her story, which has already involved brands such as Vogue, Chanel, and Valentino.

Sydney Anne Bennett is a wife and mom who lives with a chronic illness called Functional Neurological Disorder (FND). Sydney sat down with me to talk about her journey with FND, how it plays out in her daily life, and where her hope lies.

Gaeya is a Swedish artist with a passion to bring inner awareness and healing to others through her raw approach to music. Gaeya sat down with me to talk about her upcoming EP, "Growth," her faith in nature and her quest for hope.

Karli Karandos is currently writing a memoir about her experience living with and then grieving the passing of a dysfunctional mother whose cause of death is still a mystery. It was just always complicated.

Casuarina Smith hales from Australia with a love for the open road and scenic landscapes. Casuarina sat down with me to talk about the why behind her passion and what it's like driving behind the big wheel.

Stephanie Packer was diagnosed with a terminal illness at 29 and given three years to live. Stephanie is now in her forties. She sat down with me to talk about the physical and emotional pain she endures, the medical horrors she has faced, and her thoughts on assisted suicide. If you would like to see the video Stephanie mentions, it is posted on my Instagram alongside this episode.

Jennifer Goff started "Skip The Line" the day she spent three hours soliciting her services as a stand-in for those waiting in line at a "Game of Thrones" pop-up bar in D.C. I sat down with her to talk about how she made a job out of waiting.

Madison Furgeson has been struggling with infertility for nine years. She has experienced numerous miscarriages, but she still believes that one day she will be a mom, even if it looks different than she first expected.

Giuseppe Dell'Anno won "The Great British Baking Show" in 2021 and was the first Italian to receive the honor. Giuseppe has since gone on to write recipe books, teach baking classes, and start his own catering company. Giuseppe sat down with me to talk about his Italian heritage and the struggle to balance all of his loves.

Mary Gibbs voiced the cute and iconic toddler, "Boo," in the beloved Pixar classic, "Monsters, Inc." Over twenty years later, Mary and I sit down to talk about her life now as a physical therapist, her father's passing six years ago, and Mary's singing hobby.

Laura Bretan won "Romania's Got Talent" in 2016 and then came into America's public eye when she auditioned for "America's Got Talent" the same year in which she placed sixth. Laura's operatic voice has graced stages around the world, and she was kind enough to sit down with me to talk about where she currently is in her music journey, the value of her faith, and the bittersweetness of the music industry.

Dawn Wilcox is a registered nurse who also happens to be documenting femicide cases in the U.S. for the past ten years. Her database spans females murdered by males from 1950 to the present. Dawn is at about 15,000 and still says she is scratching the surface. I sat down with her to talk about her work and the why behind it.

Janae Kinne and I sat down to talk about singleness. Disclaimer that this is not a dialogue on how to get "unstuck," prepare for marriage, or ignore your desires to be a Mrs.

Samuel Hurley is a poet who not only writes but performs his works. We sat down to discuss the complexities of the human experience.

Nicolas Bruno is a photographer and artistic craftsman who creates visceral images based on his experiences with sleep paralysis. Nicolas sat down with me to talk about his journeys within surreality and his passion to use art as a voice for those who also live with sleep paralysis.