EAT Archives - Page 3 of 6

March 17, 2021January 30, 2022

100th Episode: The Haunted Cold Case e100p1s3

episode 100 part 1 season 3

The next week, it’s a recap of the last 99 shows, an intro to the show, a snippet for each episode and I’m squeezing in 20 shows per episode..If you’ve missed any over the years this will be a great recap. I had so much fun looking back, I’ve remastered these also

Thank you for hanging with me throughout all 99 shows…

Well 2020 has been a year of changes, growing and getting back into my personal growth. It’s been a long year, having been laid off at the end of January 2020, then covid erupting, learning how to be a teacher – can I add this to my resume? Diving into Audio Books as a side gig turned serious gig. EATing – READing and CREATing at every possible turn, with DiY projects – cooking and consuming books veraciously – to keep my sanity.

This has been a year of incredible life marks, that will forever change me and you too likely. Let’s celebrate my 100th show!

So if you’re new this show, thanks for stopping by as this will be a great introduction for you and my style of show…if you’ve been with me from the start, these snippets shall take you back…some 3 years ago.

Todays show is a collection of snippets from my first 20 episodes and the variety that the listeners have come to love, a haunted wedding location, safety, intruder, warden, expatriate, foodies, inventions, investigations and more.

To keep you entertained London my 9 year old daughter will be taking over the microphone and providing you with show titles and details for parts 1 and 2…

TAKE IT AWAY LONDON!

Episode 1 – Why a podcast? From Blogging to PodCasting, seems like a natural transition, here’s why?

Episode 2 – Calgary Weather – Headley – Work Safety If you’re in Calgary you’re familiar with the chinooks, Headley’ unsavoury character

Episode 3 – Haunted Deane House – Food Fav’s – Work Safety Yes we got married in a haunted house my favourite place to eat is 4th spot Kitchen and Bar, we just walk over.

Episode 4 – Bowling Anyone? Alarm Clock & Beer Tidbit A great family night of free bowling at Craft Brewery – my 6 yo (at the time) waking by alarm clock – she still isn’t a morning person – and the best beer tidbit slash benefit in beer pouring you could ask for – is in this episode – take a listen (artwork updated)

Episode 5 – Intruder in Mount Pleasant No need for me to even read these show notes, my 6 year old and I caught a burglar in our garage robbing us, stealing our things, sitting in my car…touching my stuff, Take a listen!

Episode 6 – Broadcasting for Corrections INTERVIEW: My first guest is my step-sister Janice and discussing her incredible job in communications, writing and public relations, we get personal about her car accident that took her out of grade 8, our parents meeting and her career involvement.

Episode 7 – Interview with a Warden From the interview in Episode 6 with Janice, this interview is with her fiancé This interview shows the kindness of this warden and even tho the people we are speaking of (they may have something hidden in a hole in their body and not being their ears) are still people, they still matter, maybe what they did was unsavoury but that was their action not their whole character. This was a two part episode.

Episode 8 – Expatriate in Quatar Born in Calgary Well I was at my parents for Christmas so I did a whole slew of interviews and my dad in his quiet ways shared his story about working as an expat overseas, and about being born right here in Calgary – what a lifetime of travel my dad, Michael has conquered. This was a two part episode.

Episode 9 – Calgary Tower vs Wellingstons vs The Keg If you are from Calgary and Western Canada these 3 places are a must stop for food. The as I compare my 3 favourite places…which one do you think comes in at the top? Sky 360, Wellington’s of Calgary or The Keg?

Episode 10 – I’ve been Summoned…have You? I have always wanted to be on jury duty, since my dad was on jury duty when I was in my teens – the victim of his jury duty case was a girl named Valerie…here’s my (almost) story of Jury duty!

Episode 11 – All Hail The Ceasar & Ginger Beef Did you know the Ceasar cocktail made with Worcestershire sauce, vodka and Clamato juice along with Ginger beef – sliced thin ginger beef in a candied ginger coating – were created in Calgary…here’s the deets!

Episode 12 – Q & A between Mom and 6 year old Daughter By far a show that’s gone down in our history as a family, we loved making this episode and have wanted to do more – something that is worth doing with your kids – so hilarious. Also remember at the top of the show – this is where most podcasts flounder – episode 12 and I’m still grooving!

Episode 13 – Thrifty Princess Consignment Interviewing the store owner at the time was so fun! How she got into owning this great consignment store and the haunted happenings within the store itself. Did you know there’s a hole in the dirt wall beneath the store that….take a listen

Episode 14 – Enjoying Summer in Calgary This episode is kind of like an ode to Calgary and what it has to offer up! Village Ice Cream – try the 2 hills Earl Grey – in a back alley with great views to a container market – you cannot miss have having a bulldog at Julio Barrio’s – well used to have one, as this place didn’t make it through Covid!

Episode 15 – Investigating Calgary in the 1970s I was looking for a great story about Calgary so…I went old school and headed to the Library with daughter in tow…I found these two cases which btw are my top two listened podcasts of all time…this episode is the sneak peak on these.

Episode 16 – New Show Music – Auditions – InterView This episode I sort of own this podcasting thing more & more…first my professional produced music by a local Artist Jason Schnell (he’s also my hubby’s cousin) then I audition for a drama production called Girl in space – received the nicest rejection letter & I narrate for a another podcast called Forgotten News – stories from Long ago I’m a guest on another Calgary show called Mess Hall Podcast – food and good convos

Episode 17 – InterView with Jason Schnell – TASCAM 40 The guy that wrote my original show music and our Q and A InterView style- if he could interview or meet anyone he would pick, Jesus – listen here to find out why? (Artwork updated)

Episode 18 – Calgary Cold Case 1976: Patsy McQueen & Eva Dvorak This is my top viewed blog and podcast of all…this is a Calgary, Alberta Cold Case story from 40 years ago, date 1976. 2 girls 11 years old go missing, bodies found – and it’s still cold – listen to this clip – there’s a follow up show in progress (artwork updated)

Episode 19 – Turk + Valerie, 17, yellow, furniture The Significance of Anniversary’s even from the Governor General in Canada, meaning of gemstones, colours and more specifically the number 17 -my favourite number. And our 17th Anniversary, yes I call my husband Turk (artwork updated)

Episode 20 – TMT: Calgary Age and Population In this show, we dig into the demographics of this city where are these people from and how old are they?

Follow Me:

Website @ ValerieMoss.ca

Instagram @ValerieJMoss

Facebook @VSMoss

YouTube @ValerieJMoss

Pinterest @VJMoss

The show music is call ‘Girl’ by Text me Records and Leviathe

The cover art, storytelling and production is by me, Valerie Moss.

Stay Tuned for the next season, season 3 on Valerie’s Variety Podcast with your host me, Valerie Moss from Studio 17

December 29, 2020February 5, 2021

The Close of 2020 – e99s2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

episode 99 season 2

Todays show is a collection of snippets from my year, which you’ll find out was full of downs and a few ups. Focussing on the home, my family and my small person. It’s my final show of the year and contains a story of ‘giving back’, falling pants and perspective. Enjoy the Episode

You know my year started like any other, same job, same schedule, same same..

Then, got laid off, got my car broken into, and ventured further into this audiobook world, well since I was homeschooling (can I add this to my resume?) I had some free time on my hands…I baked, I cooked, I made masks, further lock downs…I’ve always gardened but this year like many of you I really put the effort in and enjoyed my yard so much

Since I spent a tonne of time with London we discovered she is really good at British accents so we did many video of takes like this. {insert her clip here) She entered this type of video into her school talent show and it was a hit! She found a tree buddy – which the neighbour enjoyed – so we heard from the neighbours. We got our green belts in karate, that’s level 4. We played tonnes of battleship and tried not to watch the updates…

My Covid Birthday came a little early, just before the chaos ensured and I went bowling…weird to think I put my finger into these holes inside bowling balls that have likely not been cleaned for many, many uses…and then the official day came and went without much fuss or party or excitement…

We went camping sticking nice and close to Calgary, we have a trailer so we didn’t need to wager any risks with public facilities…I baked cupcakes in the trailer camper oven, we decorate inside this little home we have grown to love ‘olive’ This was for London’s bday another covid bday

My dad had a heart attack, earch…life stopped, sort of slow motion, I’ve been down this road a few times with family members…it’s weird and strange, they look fine but they aren’t fine, it’s sort of hard to take being the one on the outside.

Well my dad got better the corona virus continued to spread.

We did go and see him my dad, and took him fishing, London actually caught her first fish – we had a great time, he was slow to improve but today several months later he’s pretty much back to his old self…

I focussed into my audiobook world, and interviewing guests and recording and editing…cooking(pierogis and cabbage rolls) and baking (scones, breads, pretzels, cinnamon buns, cookies) and enjoying being home actually…it suits me.

My grooms grandma turned 97

We did the drive through ‘stampede’ adventure for the mini donuts, I fell in love with fishing, bought the gear, casted, casted and casted, bought more gear, and bait and casted, casted and still nothing but I love being out there, it feels so good on the sole and we will attempt again!

A couple of DIY projects one major one…we made London a loft bed – that I can sit totally upright on and walk completely under – her queen bed is now above her room, witch was an incredible feat and well worth the planning, my groom is very handy…

(Insert screwing sounds from the installation)

Planned and conquered London’s halloween costume this year, she was a witch complete with a book of spells…this spell book is actually an old book published in the 1800’s that we found at an old book store for $5.

My audiobook world is becoming something I’m very proud of, and I even host a ‘study group’ for audio narrators and audacity software – this group had almost 60 members, such a great way to be with like minded people in the realm that we are in and this too is isolated.

Two books went to retail most recently is

Limbo – description – check out the retail clips

Education of Hoot – description – check out this retail clip

Our Christmas Day was just us 3 – the 3 Moss’ enjoin our special time together, we had Christmas catered, it was wonderful, we had way to much food, so my groom had an idea to bring this to the homeless, we understood the rules around covid, but decided we would drop these meals (all heated from the oven) to street people down on their luck…what a way to end this Christmas Day.. here’s our adventures on this…the down on their luck souls we touched were very grateful…they needed more, water, socks, mitts a home but we gave what we could give, London saw something that have likely permeated her thoughts and her heart for years to come.

What was your year like? Like non other I’m sure…if you want to share you’re ups and downs with me I’d sure read them and respond to all of your stories and comments.

I wanted to share a little story about perspective, we’ve seen and heard things in 2020 that we cannot believe, don’t want to believe and yet seem so far fetched with this pandemic…I got this off Facebook from Terri Gleize, I took screen shots at the time March 14

For a small amount of perspective at this moment, imagine you were born in the 1900s, when you are 14, World War 1 starts and ends on your 18th birthday with 22 million people killed. Later in the year, a Spanish Flu epidemic hits the planet and runs until you are 20. 50 million people die from it in those two years, yes 50 million –

When you’re 29, the Great Depression begins. Unemployment hits 25% global DP crops 27% That runs until you are 33. The country newly collapsies along with the world economy. When you turn 39, world War 2 starts. You aren’t even over the hill yet.

When you’re 41, the US is fully pulled into WW2, between your 39th and 45th birthday 75 million people perish in the war – an d the holocaust kills 6 million. At 52 the Korean War starts and 5 million again perish.

At 64 the Vietnam War begins, and it doesn’t end for many years…Four million people die in that conflict. Approaching your 62 bday you have the cuban millets crisis, a tipping point in the cold war. Life on our plant, as we know it, could well have ended. Great Leaders have prevented that from happening.

As you turn 75, the Vietnam war finally ends. Think of everyone on the planet born in 1900. How do you survive all of that? A kid in 1985 didn’t think their 85 year old grandparants understood how hard school was. Yet those grandparents and now great grandparents survived through everything listed above.

Perspective is an amazing art. Let’s try and keep things in perspective – let’s be smart and help each other out, and we will get through all of this, in the history of the world there has never been a story that has lasted. This too shall pass.

The picture to go along with this story is of 5 little kids, all malnourished, dirty, barely clothing to cover their little tiny bodies and souls, no smiles, bare footed and just with so mush ask on their faces.

April 7, 2020January 29, 2021

What 2 Do – What 2 Do – e84s2

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

episode 84 season 2

One women’s view of her life

First, I hope everyone is safe and is looking forward to a little humour today….I’ve personally had quite the 2020 start off…folded ROE in a nice white envelope, coming upon my window looking like a spider web – SMASHED! And now like you Covidiot Syndrome. Oh yeah did I mention homeschooling and carpal tunnel – okay enough complains about my exciting life – NOT!

I’ve always been a home-body, grounded at home, love to cook and sew, and CREATE and READ – as in my new theme for 2020 this maybe my new theme forever who knows.

First up, this white envelope, I had a feeling over the last couple of months of 2019 that the projects were dwindling and the bids were not getting awarded. I worked for a Vancouver company being their representative here…yes people I’ve been packaged out. After 5 years I was handed the white envelope and walked out the door. I needed some time to reflect and think about this. I was assured it wasn’t anything I did and it was a company decision, but you still feel this sucker punch that you were chosen to be handed these – scripted beautifully papers – and asked to sign on the bottom line before 4 pm today. If you haven’t experienced this it’s a shock to say the least. Once I swallowed this huge lump in my throat and stomach I stated to tell a few people outside my main circle, and guess what I wasn’t alone – that so many people have gone through this. Two of my colleagues recently felt the same and so many people I reached out to were in the same place – and now so many people are in the same boat as me. I’m safe, I’m working on my side hustle, I’ll get EI – eventually (when I called EI their recording said that they couldn’t take anymore calls today), I can make my payments in life…but so many people are truly struggling now with this cover situation.

So I’m looking for work, but when I can take a job or get picked for a job – the jury is out – I need to be home now with my child, which by the way is coming up later in the show…

So it had been a couple of weeks since I was without employed, me and London were heading to karate and proceeded to park at the front doors at a handicap spot under the bright parking lot lights, in front of the church where we train. I hid my purse in the backseat on the floor. We proceed to our class. After our class commences there is a hockey team that arrives shortly after our class. In the meantime a guy, comes and checks out all of the vehicles with flashlight – under the watchful eye of the security cameras. This villain proceeded to come into the church and scope out what was going on then proceeded to smash my window and steel my purse. Yes I had credits cards and debit cards and my drivers licence and of course my health cards for both myself and London – as we just had an appointment so I had them on me. I recently took some cash out to head to my dads for the weekend. Within under an hour this culprit shopped and shopped. So, after cancelling all of my cards this day – and reporting everything etc. it was a gong show!

And totally triggered London from our last robbery instance. There was glass everywhere in the car..UGH nightmare.

Did you see the Jimmy Fallon video with his kids? there’s a link in my show notes but it basically goes like this, he’s sitting on the couch, his girls look to be 5 and 7 maybe, are hanging off him, while he’s trying to do an advertising monologues skit – he telling people to buy toilet paper from CVS – he asks his kids if they think his joke is funny (which it was) and they say ‘nope!’ – insert laugh

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rKDd38-EVCs

So my side hustle of producing audio books has exploded a) because I have time to take on more projects and b) people like my voice. One thing that is so funny is the people who hire me are from Italy – yes Italy – why I’m not sure but almost every contract I’ve received is from Italians men and women…weird and interesting right? My husband thinks this is so bizarre. I’ve sent an email to ACX to see if their’s some algorithm that is triggering this. When I ask the ‘Italians’ they just say that they like my voice from my samples. Strange tho right? So the genre I’m best suited for to date are – Self Help books like meditation, sleep, being mindful and also diet books, keto and intermittent fasting diet books. I’m enjoying this so much…Have you ventured into this as a side hustle? Reach out to me I’d love to be able to chat with someone else in this business. It’s a tricky thing to read, edit and produce to the quality standard required by ACX for Audible. But it’s making me learn and keeping me connected and going though this weird time in our world.

As a bit of a downside tho I’ve contracted – no I’ve acquired carpal tunnel through my hand and up my arm – it was brutal, I was icing this and taking breaks and as such being late on my contracts. My hubby went out and purchased a new mouse for me. This is a mouse that when held is in the position of a ‘handshake’ and it’s released my pains by like 80%. So if you’re experience any of pain in your hands, elbow and up into your neck I’d suggest testing out a new mouse. I bought the Logitech mx vertical mouse – check out my site for a link and picture. I would also love to have a treatment like massage and or osteopathy but I’m scared to head out and honestly I’m not even sure if they are working…if you have any ideas for stretching that have worked for you please send these to me.

So, I’ve been EATING – READING and of course CREATING during this time, I feel like I want to do everything to just keep me grounded and keep me from not freaking out. How are you feeling during this time? Did you buy all the groceries you think you need for a while, did you stock up on your favourite things? I did my big shop on the Friday before this gong show started. I went into the roasterie in Kensington on Sunday which was only allowing 6 people in the coffee shop at one time to get a hot chocolate to share with my little munchkin. I’m not comfortable going into a store – are you?

CREATING MEMORIES

So I’ve been busy CREATING – every once in a while we purge London room, toys and clothes and bring to the salvation army to donate. We have a batch of old books, and toys in the back of my car as I haven’t been down to deliver these yet – I wonder if they are even taking deliveries… Anyway I felt like CREATING so I dug out all of my scrapbooking stuff to start scrapbooking our trip to Cancun…I haven’t printed any photos (we went before Christmas) but I started putting pages together with recipts, brochures, paper etc that I gathered while we were away and this surged an intense feeling of scrapbooking so…here’s what I did.

I went out to my car and dug out one of the books that we were going to donate, The Berenstein Bears collection in hard cover, once of London’s favourites. It is signed by her cousin Jarvys who gave it to her for her 1st bday (she will be 9 this year) and I just loved that he signed it. So I dug out some random printed photos that I’ve had laying around and started to build this book into a scrapbook with random memories…there’s pics on my site and on Instagram but here’s some of the goodies that I saved hopefully this will inspire you to scrapbook those memories near and far.

Camp Scrapbook Pages, attached to pages out of the Berenstain Bears Book, DIY Project

. I have an old pencil case from when I was younger then London is now, inside this home-made case which is made with denim from an old pair of jeans and a green zipper – I have cabbage patch kid pencil crayons that I got for Christmas one year I think I was 6. Also in this case is badges from a camp I went to when I was 11 years old I’ve scrap-booked the badges, which bring back and awesome time in my childhood – do you have any badges that you’ve held onto from your childhood, make these into a page or a card or something to inspire you.

2. I knew I wanted to take the signed inside cover from Jarvys who is London’s 2nd cousin and make it into something worth looking at. His writing and all…so I put a frame around his signature, took out cardboard letters and wrote the word cousins and then I added a note card that read: Jarvys Dad is London’s Great Uncle

Jarvys signed this for London on her 1st Birthday…such a great memory!

3. There’s a picture from my stash of London in the tub when she was 3 months old

4. There’s a pic of me from 2010 holding my cat Tig, before she howled at the moon and I was 10 years younger

5. Then the last picture is one of my husband before we were married, it was taken in 1999. He came home to meet the parents. My dad and his wife. We met the year of 1999 when things were going to come to a STOP when the clocks and computers rolled over in 2000 – remember y2k? Then we got married on September 8th, 2001 – 3 days before 911 and now this…right around my 43 bday. This picture of my now hubby I carried around in my purse for years it’s all tattered and warn like a good book.

EAT – READ – CREATE

I’ve also been Eating and keeping grounded cooking at home, tonight I’m making pizza crust also from scratch – usually I buy the dough from Lina’s up the street from me but I’m not ready to step into a grocery store yet. I’ve made these little protein balls, for a quick low carb snack. I’m still making my bread every few days – this is definitely a staple in my house a -go-to- item that I’ve made for over 5 years now. What’s your favourite must make on a continually basis. Me, it’s bread and soup on Sundays…weather is my homemade soup or my Aunties soup – souptacular, there’s always a pot of soup at The Moss’ on Sundays…

Well if I can give you any takeaways from todays show…CREATE something a card, a letter, a story, read something even if it’s just a small little joke to give you a chuckle and EAT something that is your favourite that you’ve made…if you want the recipe for my soup and my protein balls let me know. You can text me to my email valerie@valeriemoss.ca

Until next time, take care of yourself and your favourite people. I’ll leave you with this clip of London, when we were in Kensington, we were trying to have fun avoiding people enjoying the sun and making memories…he’s the audio part of this video…she might be onto something here…as a reporter…