The mission of Right in Front of My Face is to shed light on big things happening right in front of me. I want to contribute something in this pandemic, and what I feel like I can contribute is staying calm and finding facts. I put out a call on my personal Facebook page to ask if anyone knew an epidemiologist I could interview that might be able to shed some light on what we’re seeing and hearing in the news in Seattle. Within minutes, a good friend of mine connected me with her neighbor Alison Drake, PHd epidemiologist at the UW School of Public Health. While she’s not a Coronovirus expert, she’s an expert on the spread of disease. It was honestly incredibly refreshing to hear a woman take me through some data - clearly, we need more female voices in leadership but that's a whole other podcast.

In all seriousness, I think my husband put it best when he said, “I don’t think I’ve ever said ‘i don’t know’ more times in my life than I have in the last 2 weeks.” As grownups, we’re not accustomed to the answer eluding us, the future being unknown. This quarantine is a foreign land to most of us. I’m a true extrovert meaning when I’m around people it energizes me. To be isolated literally sucks my life force and I’m struggling more this week than last being away from my tribe and network. We are, all of us, desperate for an answer that no one has - when will schools open? When can I go back to work? Are my kids going to be ok? How do I talk to them? All these questions with no answer take a very real mental toll and many I’ve talked to are feeling it psychologically. I have no answers and neither does Alison. But what we do have is the ability to connect and learn. Alison generously answers all the clinical questions as best she can - I hope you can take something of comfort away from this conversation.

I first saw Dave Mampel at a 5 year old’s birthday party last summer. He was the entertainment - called himself Daffy Dave, and he mesmerized a group of kids in a way I’d never seen. He was magical, hilarious, and completely entertaining. And when I saw that he was teaching a magic class at a community center this winter, I immediately signed up my 8 year old son. I described Dave to a friend by saying he was the cool uncle we all wished we’d had - gentle, patient, and willing to show us the tricks. After the first class, I picked up my son and asked Dave how he got into clowning. He laughed and said, “oh man, that’s a story. In fact, I wrote a book about it!” His book is called Coyote Spirit and tells about his journey from ordained minister to professional clowngician. I sat down with Dave to talk about his book, his life, and overall perspective - Daffy Dave is a really deep dude.

If you lived or went to school in Seattle in the late 90's you may very well know my guest this week. Ronan O'Mahoney, one of the founders of the band, Left Hand Smoke, sat down with me to discuss the uncomfortable topic of anxiety. I wanted to get his take on this particular issue through his lens as a performer, but what came out of our time together was how anxiety has shaped his experience as a father and husband. This is a side Ronan himself has never shared - most people only know him as a performer. His vulnerability and humor shine through our discussion and it becomes clear why his music has so much heart. If anxiety is something you or a loved one experience, this is episode is dedicated to you.

Thank you to Left Hand Smoke for permission to use your music in this podcast! Now everyone please buy it or better, go see them live!!

https://www.facebook.com/pages/category/Musician-Band/Left-Hand-Smoke-243501926742/

Ali was 40 by the time she'd met the love of her life and decided it was time for a baby. Like so many women before her, she struggled to carry a pregnancy full-term so visited the specialists at Seattle Reproductive Medicine to explore her options. She and her partner agreed to try a round of IVF, and this interview is Ali sharing her ride on the IVF roller coaster. Following her journey, Ali is now the Seattle Fertility Doula and hopes to help other women and couples through this sometimes confusing, emotional, and taxing process. Over the next hour, Ali shares her experience and insight - she is raw, hilarious, and empathetic to anyone who has experienced fertility issues and offers hope to those who may believe there's no light at the end of the tunnel.

If you'd like to connect with Ali her information is:

Instagram: @seattlefertilitydoula

Twitter: @DoulaSeattle

Meet Marjorie.  For years, Marjorie has been a staple at the Ballard Farmer's Market with her "Psychic Readings"  stand outside the Ballard Inn.  Marjorie's gift is real, and while I have received readings from her, this episode is not a reading.  For the next hour, Marjorie takes us through the journey of her life - she explains what it was like to grow up knowing things about people, and how she honed her gift and craft.  We talk all things existential, and about how learning to trust our own intuition can save your life.  She's also a  successful author, having self-published her fantasy series "The Boy With the Golden Eyes."  Please listen with an open mind and maybe start listening to signs around you in a whole new way.  

Meet Stevie.  Stevie is many things: a talented massage therapist, a yogi, and a mom-to-be.  She has also been a sugar baby.  According to Wikipedia, a sugar baby is "a person who receives cash, gifts or other financial and material benefits in exchange for company. It usually includes sex or intimacy."  Yep.  It sure does.  Stevie educates me all about how she got into sugaring, but also shares how her relationship with her Daddy changed her life.  Her story may change some assumptions you have about this alternative lifestyle, but what hopefully will open your mind is her openness and claiming of her experience.  Enjoy this story about how one woman's choices impacted her life in a positive way, and how she's moved on from her past.  

Meet Tan.  Tan is a 4'10" package of hilarity.  Always gregarious, Tan's career as a Seattle freelance videographer has boomed because of her immense talent and bubbly personality.  Dig a little deeper though, and at Tan's core is her childhood experience as a Vietnamese refugee who endured a terrifying boat journey to Malaysia and survived 2 years of refugee camps with her family until they finally landed in San Diego.  Tan's resilience, innate kindness, and desire to help kids in Vietnam have shaped the person she is today and it's my honor to present her story here.  

Tan's charity is Helping Ophans Worldwide (WOW).  Please support it generously.  

http://www.helpinghow.org/ 

https://www.facebook.com/HelpingHow

Meet Angel.  On the surface, Angel comes off like a glamorous yoga teacher - zen, fit, and beautiful.  If you talk to her for a few minutes though, she will openly tell about how she's 16 years sober, a recovering heroin addict, and taking life one day at a time.  Angel's story is almost unbelievable, as her life now is quite far from what it once was as a working prostitute living on the streets of South Seattle.  

Angel's complete honesty about her past is inspiring, but her discussion around drug abuse and addiction puts a spotlight on how difficult this epidemic is to fight in our city.  This episode contains explicit language and discussion about prostitution and drug abuse. 

https://www.seattle-al-anon.org/

@hikepretty

@seethru_me

Meet Erica. Erica is a boisterous, kind, ray of sunshine. I knew her for about a year and a half before she shared with me that her wife of 11 years decided to re-assign genders and make the transition to a man. Our subsequent conversation about this life transition was transformative for me. Sitting down with someone who is not like me and having them educate me about something I don't understand in a kind, loving way made me realize how rare these types of conversations are. It wasn't contentious, it wasn't hateful, nor was it judgmental - this was a discussion about a big topic between two people wanting an education. This interview is about acceptance and unconditional love in all of it's various forms. Please listen to it with an open mind and heart. Contains some language about sexual situations and body parts.

Meet Lauren.   Lauren is a young, married, mom of two, staying at home to raise her kids.  You likely see someone like her right in front of your face every day. You’d never know from looking at her that she carried a secret - her marriage was falling apart.  This is a success story about her and her husband’s attempt to heal their marriage and keep their family together. Lauren’s honesty and humor about her relationship is not only refreshing, but inspiring for anyone who has questioned staying with their partner.  This is a true story about grace, having the courage to forgive, and real partnership. *Warning - contains some explicit language*  

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