Somewhat Unlikeable with Kellie Keshian

In today's episode, I sit town with Norwell's own - the fabulous Abby Gray. At first, we were initially going to discuss all things cooking and travel. But after meeting and speaking with Abby for well over three hours (she's fascinating!), we decided to shift the conversation to highlight the power of resiliency within women. Abby's career arc is so interesting. She started her career on the Hill in DC, but life took her on a journey, giving her a unique perspective on everything from advertising and publishing, banking, green energy, event planning, owning a store, working with famous chefs, traveling the world, hosting galas - her wealth of knowledge is impressive and endless. Being a successful woman can seem overwhelming - boss babe, trad wife, single mom, child-free, introvert, extrovert - the titles we perpetually put upon ourselves are exhausting. And as we know, the days are long, but the years are short. When we inevitably find a chapter of our lives closing, and a new door opening, how do we start over and work to become successful again, in our own right?Please take a listen - hopefully we can all learn from Abby's life, learn to pivot with grace, and channel our energy within, where we all know success exists. 

Seeing that March is MS Awareness Month, in today's episode, I sit down with my friend Stephanie Lynch. She has three young boys, she's hilarious, so smart, truly a wordsmith, and lives her life battling both MS and endometriosis. We talk about her diagnosis - at age 19! - and how she learned to navigate her new normal, the progression of her symptoms, and how this has impacted her life once she became a wife and mother. Parenting with a chronic illness (let alone two of them) is a different beast, but you'd never know this when meeting and listening to Stephanie - she is such an open book and beyond upbeat, we can all learn something from her positive spirit. Please take a listen - you'll learn so much about this disease, appreciate the emotional and physical load a mother takes on every single day, and take into consideration that everyone is fighting a battle we don't know about. Stephanie - you truly are an inspiration!

Back from February break and back with a new podcast. On today's episode, I talk to Lisa Feldman, President of the Norwell Chamber of Commerce, to discuss their upcoming event, Celebrating Norwell, that will be held on April 3rd. I'm clearly not a business owner, but after my conversation with Lisa, I learned that the Chamber helps to build a community within Norwell businesses and amplify their messaging. They organize events, such as our recent State of the Town, to educate the community and raise funds. These funds are then reinvested directly into Norwell through sponsorships, school initiatives, art shows, nonprofit programs, scholarships, and more.They're currently accepting nominations for Citizen of the Year, Business of the Year, and Rising Star through March 1st. You can find the link on the Chamber website here: https://norwellchamberofcommerce.com.Please nominate, save the date, and support a local business - let's help celebrate the people and businesses we know and love. 

In anticipation of their meeting tomorrow, I wanted to highlight the Norwell Garden Club.In this episode, I talk to the club's President, Susan Schultze, who I now absolutely adore. She's held this position for 2 years, but the club has been in existence for 75 years. Fun fact, they morphed into the Garden Club after several women shared their love of knitting, soon realizing they also loved flowers. Such a fun and sweet story, and their longevity is proof that they're doing something right. I love gardening, but I'm not the best at it. The knowledge that these women share can help turn any black thumb into a master horticulturist. So take a listen, I hope you learn a thing or two, and head over to tomorrow's meeting on all things Lilacs. You'll surely enjoy it. For more information on the club schedule and speaking topics: https://www.gcfm.org/norwell-garden-club

Hey guys - me again.Before you shoot the messenger (and I completely understand why you’d want to do that, btw) I wanted to share an update on my last episode and help clarify where I was coming from. Whether you saw my comments as good, bad, or ugly - I was truly coming from a well-intentioned place.To sum it up - educators, staff, and volunteers are vital, and I could see how my opinions suggested otherwise. I was hoping to address that - it's short and sweet, so hopefully you give this a shot.

Raise your hand if you've ever felt exploited by your school's PTO? In today's episode, I'm hopefully living up to my podcast's name - this one's just me discussing all things Cole PTO and why I don't think "dues" are a fundraiser. Should they even be a thing at a public school? My hot take, no.  Before you judge without listening - here's a takeaway: I want to donate, I want to be involved and invested, I want my kids to have enrichment experiences and I know it takes funds to do that. But there needs to be a better way. Make the PTO fun again, amiright? So take a listen - you might agree, you might not, and that's ok. 

In today's episode, I sit down with Susan Curtin, Director of the Council on Aging. I first reached out to Susan with absolutely no knowledge of this department - I was mostly somewhat annoyed that the new multigenerational community center seemed heavily driven by offerings for our town's senior community. Cut me some slack, I'm in my "raising kids" phase.  But after talking with Susan, I was blown away by what the Council on Aging offers (with the little money it receives), her benefit to this town, and the wealth of knowledge she offers. I fully believe that growing older is a privilege - but it shouldn't be done alone. We should all be aware and engaged in the Council on Aging to honor the members of our community who helped pave the way for the Norwell we know today. The only way we can gracefully embrace our chaotic future, is to retain the goodness of the old.  So take a listen, enjoy, and go volunteer at the senior center.

In today’s episode, I sit down with Alisa Allegrini, owner of Bowker Hill Nature School. Full disclosure, both of my kids went to her nature-based play school for 3 years - and I couldn’t speak more highly of this program.  Bowker Hill is 100% outside, no matter the weather - essentially a childhood unplugged, something that I’m clearly passionate about. From hiking, identifying trail markers, flowers, and trees, building snowmen, sewing seeds, and gardening - the fun my kids had while learning was endless.  I’m so happy I can highlight this incredible hidden gem that’s right here in Norwell. And given the cold snap we’re having, I find the timing very fitting! The motto that I learned from Alisa, “There is no such thing as bad weather, just poor preparation.” So take a listen, learn from Alisa and BHNS, and get outside - it’s truly where the magic happens.  https://www.bowkerhillnatureschool.com

In this episode, I talk to my friend, and Norwell resident, Natalie DiCecca . In spring of 2024, her husband, Peter, was diagnosed with stage 4 colorectal cancer. Natalie and Peter have two young girls, ages 5 and 6 - not only are they in the thick of parenthood, but also a potentially terminal illness.During our conversation, Natalie discusses how she and Pete discovered he was sick, his current treatment, how they had to break this devastating news to their girls, and how their life has been turned upside down.This is my first resident spotlight interview - I really wanted to highlight Natalie's overwhelming positivity, giving her an outlet to discuss such an unimaginable topic in whatever way she felt comfortable. I'm hoping the Norwell community can come together to support this wonderful family and realize how a positive perspective on life can turn a tragedy into heartfelt and fun conversation.If you'd like to follow along with the Smellie family's journey, you can find the link to Pete's CaringBridge page here: https://tinyurl.com/mr2yuhnt

In this episode, I sit down with Geoff Gordon, lifelong Norwell resident and our leading community advocate for the Norwell Digital Anxiety Project. We discuss the book, "The Anxious Generation: How the Great Rewiring of Childhood Is Causing an Epidemic of Mental Illness," and why he's championing the nationwide pledge - Wait Until 8th - empowering parents to rally together to delay giving children a smartphone until the end of 8th grade. When you listen - you'll learn about my own personal experience with social media, how I myself need to do better, what we're noticing with kids in our community, and why things need to change. Please join him on Wednesday, January 15th at the Norwell Public Library to hear more about this very important issue.

In this episode, my husband and I quickly talk about why on earth I would ever start a town podcast. It might also give you insight into how I came up with its name.