Not So Boring Conversations

Canada is big. Many of us only understand this by looking at a map. Some, like Mike Beauchamp understand this because they have travelled across it from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean. In 2005 Mike took a journey many Canadians think about doing and rode over 7000 KM across Canada. Documenting the whole journey on video, Mike created a film about his adventure which has been shown at several festivals in Canada and Europe. I got the chance to sit down with Mike in his backyard on a warm summer day to talk about his trek and while doing so I was reminded no matter how big a challenge may seem it is possible to overcome it, you just have to keep pedalling.

Developed in the early 1920's Reiki is an exchange of energy from one person to another for the purpose of healing, either mentally or physically. In the past and to this day Reiki is looked at as a pseudoscience by some and an alternative form of healing by others. Now used in some hospitals during and after surgery views of Reiki are changing and becoming a part of some people's life. I spoke with Brandi Rivait a Medical Reiki Master at the Integrative Healing Arts Studio about Reiki, energy, and the power within us.

Craft breweries are one of the fastest growing industries in Canada. In Ontario there were about 70 craft breweries in 2009, by 2014 that number had doubled to 140. With the help of updated liquor laws it has made it financial possible for small brewers to prosper in a market normally dominated by the larger beer companies. This has introduced many people to a whole new world of fresh, great tasting beer that can be found in their own neighborhoods and Tecumseh, Ontario has one of the best. Already a silver medal winner at the 2016 Ontario Brewery Awards in their first year, Frank Brewing Co. is home to some of the best beer in Southern Ontario. I sat down with Owner/president Shane Meloche and head brewer Brad Wright to talk about what it takes to operate a craft brewery, public's changing tastes, and the inspiration for Frank Brewing Co.

From September to April you will find fans filling hockey arenas around Ontario to cheer on their OHL team. In Windsor that team is the Windsor Spitfires. The voice that echoes throughout the arena during these games is that of Mark Knight, the voice of the Windsor Spitfires. A lifelong hockey fan himself Mark does not take his responsibilities lightly, he is prepared and professional in his duties knowing that the fans cheering on their team appreciate and notice his work. I sat down with Mark to talk about how he came to be "The Voice of The Spits" and what it takes to "Make Some Noise!"

We are a product of our environment, so what if you could control your environment? What changes would you make? After the loss of his wife Allison, Jeremy Hayes and Allison's family set out on a path to help educate people on healthy living, both body and mind. One of the central ongoing projects Jeremy and the Alli Sunshine Project are working on is a healing garden. A garden created to grow healthy plants in healthy soils, a place to reconnect with the earth and a place to educate people on how they too can change their lives. As Victor Lindlahr wrote "Ninety per cent of the diseases known to man are caused by cheap foodstuffs. You are what you eat." We talked with Jeremy at his home about The Allie Sunshine Project and about the garden created in Allison's memory.

As of 2010, 2 out of 5 Canadians are expected to be diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. That number is believed to be higher now. But maybe cancer is not the same monster to be feared as it was 10 or 20 years ago. We now understand many different types of cancers, causes and treatments and this knowledge grows all the time with the hard work of people like Dr. Lisa Porter. At the University of Windsor inside Essex Hall you will find Dr. Porter and her (affectionately named) "lab rats" researching new solutions and refining current treatments. We talked to Dr. Porter about our current understanding of cancers and how prevention may not always be possible but how treatments may become safer, more effective and maybe as simple as a trip to your doctor.

Edward Albee said "Sometimes it's necessary to go a long distance out of the way in order to come back a short distance correctly." I think this describes Jeffery Bastien and his 20 year journey in theatre. I caught up with Jeff at a local pub to talk about his experiences. From performing and directing in shows like Heat Wave, The Zoo Story, Never Swim Alone, Bug, and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? To dealing with the ups and downs both on and off the stage and how his journey brought him to start his own theatre company called Ghost Light Players were he is the Artistic Director. But in talking with Jeff you discover it is not about being the boss of a theatre company that was his final destination. It was about finding a place to share his passion for theatre and to help others conceive or find theirs. Follow Ghost Light Players on Facebook or on Twitter for future performances. Excerpt from Never Swim Alone read by Dean Valentino.

In the West Yoga is still very young. Most of us see Yoga as a physical activity, something you schedule into your daily life. A class you take before heading to work or picking the kids up after school. In the East, Yoga is a discipline that includes a mental, spiritual and physical practice. Something you dedicate your life to. Teaching Yoga since 2009 Reena hopes to help people understand this, that Yoga is more than just a Downward Dog or Warrior Pose. That it can be part of your life and help you not only feel better but maybe understand yourself and your world better as well. Armed with Western attitude and an Eastern soul Reena blends these practices into her life and those of her students.

It isn't too often you come across someone who has found their place in the world. Talking with Conroy Copeland for only ten minutes you feel the passion he has for his art. For over 40 years Conroy has been training and teaching martial arts in the Windsor area and loving ever minute of it. To Conroy karate is life, without it he may have traveled a different path in his life one he would tell himself "would not have been very good". Named after himself Conroy can be found sharing his passion with his students at his Copeland's Martial Arts and Fitness Centre in hopes to make kids into better adults and adults into better people.

When we were kids we had dreams of becoming firefighters, astronauts, veterinarians or Indiana Jones. As time moved on sometimes dreams get set aside or put on hiatus. Ever since Chris was a boy he wanted to be a wrestler. Watching Brett Hart or the Dynamite Kid on television helped fuel his dream knowing he wanted to be a part of that world. Chris Valentino may not have become a house hold name in that wrestling world but he set out to make his childhood dream come true, if only we could have all been so brave.

Over 10% of women are unable to have children. There are options both medical and non-medical. Having already gone through in vitro fertilization for their first child Jenn's sister and brother in law found that the process could not be repeated for them a second time. Having frozen embryos left from trying in vitro fertilization they decided to take another approach. In this episode Jenn Howson talks about her experience being a surrogate mother and what it is like to help make another family complete.

The World Health Organization calls the current state of antibiotic resistance a "global threat". Each year roughly 2 million people are infected with antibiotic-resistant infections, and of those 2 million nearly 23,000 die. With the abuse of antibiotics by humans for over 60 years we have created a world filled with resistant bacteria or "Superbugs". Scientists see a future where all antibiotics will no longer work and people will die from the simplest of diseases. What can be done? For almost 40 year''s microbiologist Sabah Jassim has been looking into the micro world around us and feels our salvation is to be found in Phage Technologies. Can looking into our past and our own environment save our future?

Note: This episode has some strong language. Writing is hard, do not let anybody tell you otherwise. Some people write for a living and some people write to fill a need. For Anthony Maria writing is a need. Anthony's latest book has taken an almost 10 year trip from a simple idea about a boy and his father to the journey of a man searching for his true love who has gone missing, again. His book titled Dear Me is an example of what can be created when a need is met. However with more writing projects in the works the hardest part about filling the need to write maybe time. Spinning many plates including family man, full time job, and playing guitar in his band Better Weather sometimes the need to write has to wait. Hopefully for not too long.

Every Thursday over 10,000 people in and around Essex County in Southern Ontario are greeted by The Essex Free Press on their doorstep or mail box. Even in a world where our phones give us up to minute news 24 hours a day there is something about a community newspaper created by people, who live, shop, and support that same community. There are no agendas, no wasted space about Kardashian's or Bieber antics. The Essex Free Press provides the news that people in their community want in a format that is liked. For almost 20 years Richard Parkinson has been involved in the newspaper business in Essex. From a humble reporter to the man behind the curtain of the Essex Free Press he has seen the status of the newspaper business fall and rise time again but has never wavered from being honest with his readers and the news itself.

Whenever I listen to people speak of change the old adage "talk is cheap" comes to my mind. Politicians build their whole campaigns on change. Change can be good but it can be hard. Some politicians fight to make change while others do crossword puzzles. Starting with a small grass roots campaign which got him elected as a councillor for Ward 5 of the City of Windsor to being introduced into the House of Commons 13 years later Rick Limoges has had a unique insight into how a city/province work and the people who run it. Now with his political career behind him (for now) Rick and his wife have changed their focus to running their successful restaurant Sandy's Riverside Grill. If you stop by for dinner maybe ask Rick what changes he has in mind next.

From Headaches and upset stomachs to vaccines and cancer treating drugs we live in a medicated world. Since diagnosed with Juvenile Arthritis at a young age Samantha knows the roller coaster ride that comes with treating a disease with biological drugs. Balancing a comfortable life with powerful drugs is a challenge and one that takes time, patience, and money. Enbrel, Humaira, Methotrexate, and Celebrex have all been part of Samantha's challenge in her hope of getting better but although these drugs offer a chance at a better life, that better life can also come with side effects. Do we really pay attention to the things that help us feel better for ourselves and the ones we love?

It is argued that the greatest thing we fear is loss. One of the greatest losses we can experience is that of a child. How would this loss change you? Would you break down and blame the world? Lock yourself away and live in the past? Or create something from that loss? This episode we talk to Bryan Bedard about his loss. Diagnosed with Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) at the age of 2 his daughter Katelyn Bedard provided the seed for what would become the Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association, a group that would help bring awareness about the importance of joining the bone marrow registry, funding to help similar families in need, and showing us that from a great loss we can create great change.

Beer. When most of us hear that word it brings to mind images of commercials during sports games, clear yellow bubbly liquid being poured slowly into a frosted glass while some man's voice informs us of how smooth and refreshing it is. For a good number of people this is beer. For a large number of people this is but one type of beer in a world filled with many styles. As one of the oldest beverages in the world it may be one of the most misunderstood. Dr. Max Nelson author of The Barbarian's Beverage a History of Beer in Ancient Europe helps us understand the impact beer has had on us over the ages and how beer is much more than just a one minute ad during a commercial break.

In the 90's the music world was changing. Glam rock was shown the door and the Spice Girls and Nirvana were taking center stage. In Windsor, Ontario Canada a unique mix of live bands were playing the bars and festivals. Big bands like The Tea Party and Big Sugar take up most of the conversation when talking about local Windsor talent at that time but other not so big names could be found performing each night. Bands like Racecar, We Wish We Knew, 10 Indians, Luxury Christ and Virginia's Leaf. Oscar Wilde once said "With age comes wisdom, but sometimes age comes alone." This is not the case for Virginia's Leaf. Recently re united Dean Valentino, Sheri McAuley, and Jason Demars return to performing with their catalog of past songs from their album World of Wonders like Remember and You Want along with some new ones ready to remind Windsor audiences that great Canadian music can still be found at home.