Welcome to the first Tuesday Tidings. (It’s possible that one day they could become Wednesday Wishes. Or Thursday Thoughts. Or Friday…hmm, not sure Friday is the right day anyway.)
The change is part of my effort to create more space around me and take the pressure off of my weekends. And it worked. By moving my weekly post from Mondays to Tuesdays, I had time and space all weekend to hang out with some of my besties—in my sunroom, by an outdoor fire (with snacks), and on a walk and talk followed by brunch. It was one of the first weekends in a long, long time (except for the ones during a hiatus) that I felt that kind of relaxed. It was rejuvenating.
With all this free time, I took a lot of walks underneath majestic trees covered with fall foliage. And of course, as my mind wandered along with my feet, it came up with something new: the Discoball Tour Docuseries on YouTube.
Technically, this is not something brand new. At least not the idea. I had always planned to make a docu-something or other out of all the footage I shot during my drive across the country. Originally I was going to make one big thing over the holidays and put it out in January or February 2026.
But then I started to edit the episodes I recorded on the Discoball Tour (aka new Stories that SparklePodcast episodes releasing this week). And while I listened to the first two (with Becca and Stephanie) during my walks, and realized just how much of what is going on in and around me today came up in and around me weeks ago—two and a half months ago now.
This connection bounced around for a days. Then, on one of my daily walks around the neighborhood, as I listened back to a rough cut of the first episode (aka Episode 25: “You Are Important” available Wednesday 11.12.25 wherever you get your podcasts), Becca’s voice came through loud and clear as she talked about enduring pain, leaning into fear, and pushing past discomfort to expand.
And when I turned the corner to walk up the steep hill at the end of my route, I thoughts, “What if I release these episodes (no longer than 20 minutes and generally shorter) as companions or twins of the podcast episodes? What if I let the two inform each other while also standing on their own?” (I made a Reel about that on Saturday)
When I got inside, I rushed over to my computer and watched some of the footage I shot leading up to that conversation with Becca (footage from Day 1-3). That’s when I realized just how interconnected all of it is.
Over the course of those four weeks I was on the road, through conversations of all kinds with people I know and encounters with random strangers, I connected with, contributed to, and left with something new—a fresh perspective, a further expansion, or a missing piece. Each conversation was an interconnected building block that, when stacked up and lined up with the others, formed a foundation, added to the existing supports, and created new doorways to more new feelings, things and ideas.
Now, as I listen back and edit, as I watch some of those clips and hear the things I said in real time as I was processing it all, I have a record of where I was then and the seeds being planted that are now sprouting up into seedlings—seedlings I get to nurture and keep warm during the winter (which is already setting in) until the spring calls for more planting.
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What I did not expect and which came up when I edited the first two episodes (they come out tomorrow; an advance screener is available only to Founding Members and Paid Subscribers below the paywall at the end of this post) was the fear of being seen.
It took me by surprise. I thought I was past all that. After all, I have been writing here for over a year and I have been releasing podcast episodes for six months. All of that content contains my very personal stories. In the process, I reclaimed more of my voice, and got over (for the most part) what other people might or might not think about me based on what I put out here (Becca and I talk about some of that as well). Basically, I gained lots of freedom—from me and for myself.
But adding my face is a whole other thing. There is something about the combination of my voice, my face, and my thoughts/feelings that feels very, very vulnerable. And for those who do follow me on Instagram that might come as a surprise. But for me, Instagram is different. That is where my goofy, spontaneous, and humorous side pops out. I only put things up there that feel like fun to me…with some occasional exceptions of course. Plus, I like the challenge of telling a story in less than 3 minutes. When I feel really ambitious, I try to do it in less the 90 seconds.
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So why move into this new territory, and add another layer (along with more work)? Why get even more personal out there about in here?
Well, that’s really about my “why” for everything I do (with or without a microphone or camera):
Today, more than ever, we are prone to increased anxiety, worry and illness coming from social divisions, loneliness, and isolation. I know. I have been there. For many years, I lived in an isolated, lonely, and anxious place. I also know, firsthand, the healing impact of listening to others share about themselves. It was their willingness to share their experience with me that helped me recover from the effects of alcoholism (in others), domestic violence, emotional abuse, and sexual assault. It gave me the courage to break my own silence, claim my story as mine, and share openly about my journey. And it is why I started the Stories That Sparkle Podcast. I wanted to create a space for others to pass on the wisdom so many were willing to share with me.
Because whether from a distance or up close, whether in our families or with our friends, whether in our hobbies, volunteer work or in our careers, we can bridge our divides through storytelling. We can feel inspired to extend an ear and add our voice.
Meals Out: Yep. I went to brunch at Water Street Kitchen and had my usual…this time, I picked wild berries as my side (the tomato-cucumber salad is out of season). And on Saturday, I had some amazing snacks (I brought the cucumbers, pretzels and tzatziki…I cannot take credit for any of the rest of that amazing spread).
Listening (voice): No podcasts…again again.
Listening (song most likely on repeat): I have not really listened to anything on repeat. But while editing my first couple of episodes of the docuseries (you can subscribe to my YouTube Channel and get them as they roll out starting tomorrow…just saying), I heard snippets of My Style by Bobby Alu (link is for Apple Music, embed below to Spotify) which brought it back for me. I did have to Shazam it because I could not remember the name of it (it’s also on my Discoball Tour playlist on Spotify…those are all the songs I listened to while I drove around the country—and btw, much of the time, I drove in silence).
Watching: Omg. New top favorite British (or Scottish?) murder mystery show of all time…Karen Pirie. Wow. (It’s not new but it is new to me and found it because Season 2 recently came out…it does require a BritBox subscription on Amazon Prime).
I just love everything about this show and blew through Season 1 and am already halfway through Season 2. (There are only three episodes per season but they are the long episode kind). Seriously, watch it. It’s great.
Most Hours Logged Doing: Well, I did not have a post to write for Monday but I did a ton of video editing in-between hanging out. It was a lot of fun. I do love editing video as much, maybe more, than filming it…hmmm…
Tuesday Morning Meditation: 11.11.25 (1111…great number for a day when you start something new)
When I use my voice for me, I give a voice to you. When you listen to me, I experience cooperation with you. And when we create a platform to amplify our stories, “I” becomes “We” and illness becomes wellness.
Because when we share our stories with all of us, we create a sense of belonging for all of us.
Is there a topic you would like me to write about in a Tuesday Tidings? Cover in a podcast episode? I am curious about what you are curious about and would love to hear from you so leave a comment below or drop me line.
And now, for those of you who are paid subscribers, you get a sneak peek of the first episode of the docu-series AND a little bonus clip I made for you…two weeks ago.
Continue reading this post for free, courtesy of Hella Rader.
