become

Cheers to 2025! Another year is coming to an end. We find ourselves anticipating, preparing, and celebrating! A heartfelt thanks to all of you for following along to the show for another season!  We are really looking forward to continuing this journey with you in 2026.
In this new episode, I was surrounded by three of my friends: Jenny, Peggy and Courtney. We got together to talk about holiday traditions and FUN-ny winter adventures! Enjoy reminiscing, smiling and laughing along with us.
 
Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce.

Death is usually an uncomfortable topic to talk about. At least, most of us don't use it as a conversation starter at a dinner party! It is, however, something we as humans think about or encounter often. Julie Masters, professor of Gerontology at the University of Nebraska Omaha, concentrates her work on aging and end-of-life. While educating her students, she eludes to the values of meaning and purpose as a way to live well. Emphasizing that finding connection to something greater than oneself can greatly prolong your desire to live. Julie's fascination around what it means to age has helped her become comfortable with the topic of death. In this conversation, we will explore why it's important to think about and discuss each stage of life and why living well can help us to die well.
 
Credits: Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce. 

Our body is beautifully interconnected with nature, the elements, and the seasons; never separate.  Separation might evoke anguish within our human matter.  To find balance, we turn to our collective consciousness which helps us to explore the perception that our thoughts create our reality, and where our thoughts go, our energy flows.  Maggie Pleskac is the brilliant soul behind these teachings.  Maggie is the owner of Milkweed Collective, a wellness center that consists of three businesses: a Community Event Space, a Yoga Studio and a Commercial Kitchen that specializes in local and organic vegetarian food packaged for retail, prepared as pop-up lunches and hired out for catering.  She is also an accomplished instructor helping those around her strengthen their bodies and minds through wellness.
 
Credits: Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce.

Our body is beautifully interconnected with nature, the elements, and the seasons; never separate.  Separation might evoke anguish within our human matter.  To find balance, we turn to our collective consciousness which helps us to explore the perception that our thoughts create our reality, and where our thoughts go, our energy flows.  Maggie Pleskac is the brilliant soul behind these teachings.  Maggie is the owner of Milkweed Collective, a wellness center that consists of three businesses: a Community Event Space, a Yoga Studio and a Commercial Kitchen that specializes in local and organic vegetarian food packaged for retail, prepared as pop-up lunches and hired out for catering.  She is also an accomplished instructor helping those around her strengthen their bodies and minds through wellness.
 
Credits: Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce.

The guest on this episode is Steve Hastings, a resident at Legacy Retirement Communities. In Steve’s life, one of the most important and satisfying things he ever had the pleasure of doing was his work. And getting his PhD was a momentous occasion. One of Steve’s favorite (and luckiest) moments in his life was when he actually SURVIVED an airplane crash! Steve’s secret to living the good life is working hard and taking time to enjoy life. For what the future holds, he is most excited for fishing, birding, and photography; especially around Holmes Lake. 
 
Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce.

Consider this: when was the last time you actually smelled the flowers and took in that experience instead of just noticing them as you pass by because you already defined them as something that just exists around you with no deeper purpose? The guest on this episode, Kayla Schaf, loves to experience life! She thrives day to day in her happy place, leading as Sales Director at Legacy Retirement Communities. As 23-year team member of the company, she discovered her passion for serving seniors early in her career—especially after helping two of her own grandparents navigate senior living options. Each day Kayla remains passionate about supporting seniors and their families as they face the complexities of aging and search for the right place to call home. Kayla is all about fostering real connection and believes there’s something pretty special about caring for the people around you. Especially when it comes to the true meaning behind experiencing life! 
 
Credits: Music by Ellie Westfall. Artwork by Kristina Bachman. Produced by Greg Joyce. 

Our guest today is Dr. Michelle Burson, or as I like to call her one of my very good childhood friends! An Iowan through and through, Michelle grew up in Red Oak, Iowa in the southwest corner of the state. She attended the University of Northern Iowa and majored in Biology. After considering a few other professions, Michelle realized that she wanted to work with people and loved science, so she pursued a career in dentistry. In Michelle's free time she likes to play piano, exercise, watch tv and movies. She also likes to cook and more importantly eat! Her and her husband enjoy traveling, walks, and trying new restaurants. They adopted a pup named Murphy, from the Muscatine Humane Society and enjoy taking him on walks, hikes and swimming. Welcome, Michelle! 

Taking moments here and there to reflect on where we've been, what we are currently doing and where we are going is a great way to appreciate and give gratitude towards all that life gives us. Our guest today is Jen Bossard and she is taking in these moments. She is calling her reflection and pause in life her professional "half time". Allowing herself to assess the first half of her career and plan for the second half. Jen has been in the field of higher education for almost two decades which has included administrative work and teaching at the collegiate level in positions such as a professor of Economics and as a former dean at a local university. She has also been involved in anti-human trafficking efforts for over one decade which has included organizing local and international conferences, conducting research, serving as guest editor, and leading workshops. Jen has learned so much along her journey so far and she is excited to see what the future holds! 
 
Credits:  Music by Ellie Westfall.  Artwork by Kristina Bachman.  Produced by Greg Joyce. 

The guest in this episode is Cody Schmick. Cody is the co-owner of Kinkaider Brewing Co., Sideshow Spirits, and Bierhaus Maisschaler. Cody is not only passionate about the craft brewing and distillery industries, but also about all different aspects of business, such as how to build strong teams and how to create a sense of community amongst customers. So, let's dive right in to learn more about who Cody is and what it's been like to start and maintain different business ventures! 

When someone responds to the question, "How is work these days?", it feels all too common to hear a response along the lines of, "work is work" or "busy...". Both, I feel, have a negative connotation around them whether or not it's supposed to be reflected in that way. Negative responses aren't generally comfortable and could be quite awkward for the person receiving them. Especially when they are attached to a part of life that is so important, like the work we do each day. So, what if the response to, "How is work these days?" was met with excitement instead of dread? Tim Hodges, is the Executive Director of the Clifton Strengths Institute and a professor of management at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln College of Business. Tim wholeheartedly believes that work doesn't have to be miserable. In fact, he suggests, if we do it right, our work can be one of the best expressions of who we are! So, the next time you're asked how your work is going, consider responding with something like, "Work's been really nice lately!" Or even better, "Work is fantastic! I love what I do!"