Hello again, I hope you and your family are all doing well. Personally, I have been struggling with some chronic pain in my right knee. Things are improving thanks to some physical therapy, but I'm still a work in progress. Today, I'm bringing you another great interview on What's Your Excuse. This time a return visit with my friends Anthony Saldana and Jason Figueira. And they will be talking more about Jason's experience with obsessive compulsive disorder and their work to raise money for a film about the disease as seen through Jason's eyes and the eyes of his friends. You will see a great trailer that they created for the film and for their Indie Logo campaign. You Can find out more about them by visiting their Facebook Page. Sadly, I let them down in their efforts to raise funds for their next film through crowd funding. However, you can still help them make this socially important movie by mental illness by contributing funds, donating equipment, or offering your services. Just Send Anthony an email. Notes About The Show First, I don't edit my podcast. I prefer to share a real unscripted unedited conversation. Just think of the recorded live television of the 50s and 60s. Two, I sing on the intro to my podcast. I did it in the beginning because I didn't have a way to create an intro. People liked it, so I continue to sing. I will complete the post about this episode shortly, but I wanted to get it out there where y'all could hear it and be inspired by my friends Anthony and Jason. Thanks for listening. If you received value from our conversation, then please share this with your friends, family, and social media communities. Thanks and take care out there, Max

Hello again, I hope you and your family enjoyed the weekend together. And I hope that my latest What’s Your Excuse? with my new friend Donna Jodhan will educate, entertain, and motivate you to overcome your own excuses. Donna is an award-winning vision loss coach, crime fiction author, disability advocate, and host of two podcasts. In Ask Donna she uses her lived experience to answer people’s questions about life in general and about living with vision loss in particular. You can even send her your questions for future episodes. She also hosts dining With Donna a cooking show. She started cooking during the pandemic with virtual help from her mother, and loved it so much that she just had to share what she has learned with the world. Be sure to listen all the way to the end of her podcasts for the mental stretch during Ask Donna or the cooking problem solving hacks at on Dining with Donna. She is the only person I have ever talked with who has experienced living as a blind person, then living with sight, only to return back to life without sight. I am also fascinated by anyone who writes fiction, and I am especially amazed by those who can create whole worlds full of brand new people without the aid of vision. I love the part about how she can do things like write fiction because she focuses on the joy rather than on any potential financial success. Finally, a couple of subjects that came up often are learning to accept things as they are, stretching all five senses, and finding work arounds to deal with the world. I just know you are going to find something to love in our conversation. Disclaimers There are a couple things you need to know about the show. One, I don’t edit the recording unless a technical issue results in dead air. I think of my show as recorded live in the same style used by television in the early days. Two, I sing on the intro. I started doing it out of necessity many years ago, and people loved it. So, I keep doing it. The music I’m singing is my own original song titled what else What’s Your Excuse? Now On To The Show Support Our Sponsors Blubrry has been providing both financial and technical support for my show, for Shredding For Gold, and for the WYE Podcast Network. I couldn’t keep doing what I’m doing without them. And it would be impossible to help other disable people with their podcast without their support. Show Notes A few friends have told me that it might be helpful to you to share a run down of the topics covered and their approximate time on the recording. This is the first time I have ever done this, and I could really appreciate your feedback. She explained about having seen vision loss from both sides having lived with no vision, then having her sight restored, and finally losing her vision again. 04:40 She talks about the emotional readjustment to losing that regained sight as an adult 08:13 She shares about how her family reacted to her changing vision. Including their patience when she wanted to see everyone and everything. 09:49 We discuss whether or not Canadian parents of visually impaired or of disabled children are more accepting and trusting than those from other countries. 11:41 I asked her about her about the various states of her vision effected her education. 13:18 She talked about pursuing her degree in Law and how the lack of accessibility in online learning was a problem that continues to persist. 14:20 We discussed how the features in overly robust software applications get in the way of people using screen readers ability to use the critical part of software. 16:35 We explained some of the challenges that screen reader users face such as needing keyboard command options because we don’t have access to the mouse. We also talked about how often software & website updates break accessibility. And we talked about how much we love Zoom 17:53

Hello again, I hope you and your family are doing as well as possible given all the challenges in the world these days. In this latest episode of What's Your Excuse? I sat down with Tyler Watson Vice President of Sales for Dan-O's Seasonings. I met Tyler as part of being an affiliate and advocate for Dan-O's. Mainly because their seasonings are no-salt, low sodium, and packed with flavor. Discovering their products allowed me to give my younger brother Patrick, an arrhythmia surviver, the gift of good tasting food. We became friends after he wrote an amazingly honest post about the struggles he has gone through in his life before getting to where he is now in both is professional career and personal life. You know I love story tellers and great stories, and Tyler provided both. Plus he is one of those rare people in business who doesn't believe he has to hide who he really is or where he came from in order to be successful. As you know this is something I believe in completely. Telling my story authentically is how I built my brands. And I tell others constantly that sharing your real self is great for business. So, we bonded over authentic personal story telling, and I just had to have him on my podcast. Well, I don't want to give it all away. Disclaimers First, I do not edit my podcast. This is partly because I am horrible at it, but mostly because I love the feel of sharing a recorded live interview. Second, I sing on the intro of my podcast. It started out of necessity, but people like it and miss it when I don't sing. So, you will be treated to me singing part of What's Your Excuse on the intro. On With The Show Support My Sponsors blubrry.com provides both financial and technical support to my show, to Shredding For Gold, and for the wyexcuse Podcast Network. I couldn't do it without them. I also want to thank Chip and Pam Edwards at Create My Voice for keeping my show on Alexa, Google, and Seri so you can listen by simply saying play What's Your Excuse. Reach out for help with your audio branding strategy. And to the folks at Crystal Creek Organics for keeping me supplied with CBD oil while I have been struggling with knee pain. Some days have still been too difficult, but thanks to them there were more good hours or days than bad ones. Key Points He shared about being a young person with a baby and no real job. We spoke about his being a dish washer, failing at sandwich making, and going into selling shoes on the advice of his wife. We talked about how understanding the needs of the customers who came into the store lead to him being a rockstar salesman that lead to his becoming the manager for stores in three states. We followed his path to Dan'O's both earlier in his career and since he returned to the company to be part of their continued growth. We talked about his battles to gain custody of his young child and how that lead him to take jobs in different parts of the country just to be close to his child while working his way through the courts. I shared with him my equally nervous state concerning how until my nephew was of age we constantly worried that some day there would be knock at the door and we would lose him. You can hear the joy in his voice concerning his family now including repaying his wife for supporting him and being able to spend more time with their latest child. We talked about clothing. Him accepting that he could be successful without hiding tattoos or putting on a suit. Me talking about how wearing a suit has become part of me thanks to help from friends. Throughout the conversation we kept coming back to the idea that being honest about who we are doesn't hurt your business or your career it only strengthens it. I can't tell you how many potential podcast interview booking clients have told me Max I can't be as honest as you or people won't want to hire me.

Hello again, I hope you and your family are doing as well as you possibly can. And I hope this post and the accompanying video will encourage you. I have written a second song called What's Your Excuse? I share some of my life's accomplishments in a way that I hope will challenge people to overcome the excuses that are holding them back. When you listen, please remember that I am not a professional singer, song writer, arranger, editor, or performer. I'm a guy who does the best he can at the moment given the circumstances at that time. This song has scared me more than most things I have done. Read below if you want to learn more about the process and how I finally overcame my fear to share this with the world. It started in February of 2021. I fell in love with Better Together by Luke Combes. But I wasn't crazy about some of the lyrics in his chorus. So I re-wrote them and recorded it. After hearing that, a friend from church challenged me to write a song of my own. That lead to my writing and recording If You Don't Ask a song about asking for help based on an expression my dad used to use all the time. That one came out in March of last year. At the time there were a few friends who encouraged me to write more music. And maybe record an album. lol Then I got busy with the Holman Prize and the beginning of the WYE, What's Your Excuse, podcast network. I helped my friend Emily Trepanier launch her show Shredding For Gold. Finally, my good friend Lorraine Reguly reminded me about my song writing during one of our fairly frequent calls. She even got me started by suggesting that I do something around the What's Your Excuse? line. So many people have said if Max can do it, then what's my excuse. So, I took up the challenge and started the writing process. The chorus was the easy part. The words and rhythm just came to me right away. But that made coming up with the verses so much harder. Because in my mind that meant that the lines of words couldn't have more than about nine syllables in them. I finally came up with a couple of verses. I recorded myself singing them and then shared them to social media. Addressing Criticism There was a lot more critical feedback this time than there was with my first song. It was positive, but it still put me back on my heals a bit. I did my best to incorporate as much of it as possible. I re-examined all the lyrics to find words that could be eliminated or replaced with ones that better fit the melody. I practiced singing the song while tapping my fingers or slapping my pants leg. I tried to learn a bit about editing my audios using audacity, but I'm afraid I didn't make such a great student. It might be easier for me to learn that software in person. I listened to suggestions for more powerful lyrics. However, I chose to stick mostly with what I had as I had already started memorizing the original lines. And I thought about ways to change up the tune so it isn't so repetitive. But I just couldn't figure that out. Trust me, I know this song could be so much better in a technical or professional sense. And I'm open to working with someone to do just that. If and when I meet that person. But I doubt it could be much better as an example of facing our fears, overcoming our excuses, and bravely putting ourselves and our work out there. I finally had to remind myself what I have told aspiring podcasters in the past. That by putting our work out there we give our audience the opportunity to find something to love. Why So Nervous? In all honesty this song still makes me nervous. Even more than releasing that first song. And I think I have finally figured out why. You see since I went online for the first time in 2007 and started selling amusement equipment on the Midway marketplace I have always done it first and asked for opinions later.

Hello again, I hope you are doing well. I have to once again apologize for falling short on my podcast release schedule. In this case this episode of What’s Your Excuse? Was delayed by my trip to Washington DC to attend the national conference and Blind Leader Development Training Program of the American Foundation of the Blind. Not having been anywhere in person since the beginning of Covid, it took me much longer to get prepared to leave. Then the day before I ws scheduled to leave I fell in my yard and twisted my left knee. And if that wasn’t enough I pulled a muscle in my back on the plane. So, after five days in a hotel and day-long sessions, I got home really tired. It took me so much longer to recover from this trip. I think during covid I got old or soft or both. Haha I know that y’all will understand. Including my guest this time Heather Hutchison But I feel bad about disappointing you. This is especially because my delay meant that this episode did not come out to coincide with the release of Heather’s latest Album If I could. Which you can find at www.heatherhutchison.bandcamp.com What We Talked About This was an amazing conversation. I do wish that I had the skills to edit it though. This is because we spent the first half talking about writing, recording, and performing music both before and during Covid. This was great stuff. I found out about how she deals with stage fright, and how she was discovered as an artist. We talked about how music has always been there for her in good times and especially bad. But we didn’t get to her struggles with depression and mental illness until the second half of the show. If you go to the 29 minute mark, you can hear her sing If I could from her new album. And our conversation about her emotionally struggles starts from there. We talked about how before school she lived life in a bubble. And how attending school caused her to feel like she didn’t fit in because of her blindness. She shared about how Covid brought on a major breakdown because she lost both the physical contact with her doctors and the tangible events to look forward to. She shares about how being hospitalized was good for her in spite of some of the horror stories people have heard. For her final thought she urged people to think of one small moment of joy in their lives. And then to think about what it would be like to have missed that because you are no longer here. It was a difficult interview for me. Probably why I started with and spent so much time on her music. And we both want you to think about asking for help if you are struggling with your mental health. Two things You Should Know One, I sing on the intro to my podcast. In this case I am singing the final verse of I song I wrote myself called If You Don’t Ask. Two, I do not edit the recordings. The show is recorded live just like classic television or your local morning shows. Now On To The Show Support Our Sponsors Thankful to Blubrry.com For providing the podcast hosting for my show as well as The WYE Podcast Network. We couldn’t do this without their continued financial and technical support. Reach out to them if you are wanting to start a new podcast. I also appreciate Chip Edwards the owner of createmyvoice.com He created the Alexa & google invocations for the podcast. And he makes sure people can find my show just by saying “Play What’s Your Excuse.” About Heather Could sharing our own darkness be the light that guides someone else through theirs? This is the question that award-winning, Vancouver Island-based singer/songwriter Heather Hutchison seeks to answer on her latest release, If I Could, (January 28, 2022).  Hutchison’s songs have always been rooted in the universal feelings of the human experience, but If I Could is undoubtedly her most personal work yet.

Hello again, I hope you have had a good week so far. And I hope you are looking forward to a fun, relaxing, and maybe even fruitful weekend. This time on What’s Your Excuse? I’m lucky to be sharing an inspiring conversation I had with my wonderful friend and fellow author Amy Bovaird. We originally met through our volunteer work for the Vision Aware Peers Group. She is a very strong woman who has had to overcome so many setbacks in her life. We talked about her education as a teacher specializing in foreign languages. We discussed her vision loss and how it effected her to go through that while living in working as a single woman in the Middle East. We talked a lot about how her faith, positive attitude, and sense of humor have allowed her to overcome all her traumatic experiences. We talked about the process of writing, publishing, and promoting her work. You are going to love her solution for funding the completion of her first book. And while the loss of her father, her marriage, and her unborn twin daughters are there; they are more than balanced by a woman who is happy in her own skin. I just know y’all are going to love Amy and her story. Things To Know First, I don’t edit this podcast. It is recorded live just like 50s TV shows. Second, I sing on the intro. I stopped for a while because some were confused by it. But I went back to it when regular listeners and past guests lamented the loss of my singing. On To The Show About Amy Amy grew up in northwest Pennsylvania. In 1982, she received her bachelor’s degree with a double major in English Literature and Teaching English as Foreign Language (TEFL) from Oklahoma Christian University. In 1995, Amy earned her master’s degree in Bicultural Bilingual Studies at the University of Texas in San Antonio. In 2004, she earned an additional certificate in Language Teaching with honors from Cambridge University in England. Amy has worked at many unusual jobs over the course of her life, from selling hats at Cedar Point, an amusement park, to bagging glass bottles for the medical industry. She has taught English to children and adults in seven countries around the globe and has visited thirty-three countries. She taught English to all ranks of international military personnel, ranging from privates to generals. Her field was Specialized English, with such topics as the Abrams Tank, Explosive Ordnance Disposal, Map Reading, Naval Operations. and Leadership at Lackland Air Force Base. At age 28, she was diagnosed with Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and declared legally blind. RP is a hereditary, degenerative eye disease that results in blindness. There is no cure to date. Today Amy has no peripheral vision. She jokes that she is at the end of the “tunnel” vision in her eyesight. She suffers from a dual disability: progressive vision and hearing loss. She is currently undergoing genetic testing to discover the cause of her hearing loss. Amy’s memoirs include: Mobility Matters:  Stepping Out in Faith, Cane Confessions: The Lighter Side to Mobility and a memoir / devotional, Seeking Solace: Finding Joy After Loss. In 2015, Amy joined a group of blind professionals who volunteer their time to help others cope with blindness at VisionAware.org, an outreach website now under the auspices of the American Printing House. In 2016, Ohio Valley University, Amy’s undergraduate institution, awarded her the Distinguished Medal of Literature for Mobility Matters. Amy is an active member of several community groups, which include Penn Writers, West PA Authors, Toastmasters, the West County Lions Club, and the National Federation of the Blind. Though Amy no longer teaches in the classroom, she still educates by speaking to groups about the challenges of sight loss with anecdotes of faith and humor. She blogs about her experiences in hopes of bridging gaps between the sighted and t...

Hello again, I hope you have all had a good weekend. I'm here to get your week off to a great start with the latest episode of What's Your Excuse? This time my guest is the awesome Jeff Smith. He is known as the KPI Guy, and I must confess that when we first met I wasn't sure he was a great fit for the show. Wow, am I glad that I exchanged emails with him and got to know him before deciding. He is one of those millions of kids who struggled in school because it wasn't his focus in life. He played, practiced, and performed music. Which lead to a long-time successful career as a musician. When he tired of that world, he went into sales. Working his way up from sales person to owner of ten dealerships. While trying to solve the problem of how to find effective managers for the various locations, he discovered that all successful people implement eleven different techniques. He combined these into a formula that has worked for him. This guy who failed at math not only wrote the number one best selling book on KPI, key performance indicators, he has written seven of them. We had a lively wide-ranging conversation, and I can honestly admit that at least once I lost complete control of the interview. But I loved it. Our exchanges are some of the best I have ever had on either side of the mic. As I often do I used my interview as an opportunity to pick Jeff's brain about things I could do to make myself more successful. This lead to a great conversation about goals setting. And why my later books haven't been as successful as my first one was. We then talked about podcasting in general and my show specifically. This was all part of his way of explaining the three most important elements when deciding on a career or any other investment in time. I'm not going to spoil it for you, but let's say that my work helping people be great podcast guests and booking them on podcasts is something I do that fits his criteria. If you want to talk with me about helping you get more exposure for your passion, then please schedule a time. I should mention that he kept saying I was right. Apparently, I unwittingly apply KPI in my life and have been doing so for years. Things You Need to Know One, this podcast is not edited. I use what I call the recorded live approach similar to what they did in the early days of Television. Two, I always sing on the podcast. People have told me they love it. So, I keep doing it. Now ON To The Show About Jeff Jeff is affectionately known as “The KPI Guy” because he’s written 7 international #1 best-selling books on KPI and Business Management and is on record as the most successful author in history on the subject . Throughout his career, he’s worked with, and is trusted by Royal families, Governments of different countries and Senior Executives in the largest companies in the world. Jeff is particularly admired in the international business arena because he has the amazing ability to explain complex business strategies into jargon-busting plain English that everyone understands; even where English is not the first language.  His plain speaking, no nonsense approach allows him to excel with groups of people with mixed abilities and varying levels of experience. He engages the audience extremely quickly because there’s no blue-sky thinking in any of his presentations, he get’s straight to the point with high-value, totally relevant and outstanding practical solutions that work in the real world. He loves getting people to think differently, he introduces new paradigms to simulate questions and challenges the rules of conventional wisdom. He’s often voted as “best speaker” because he’s the master of audience engagement and his speaking style is always “Fun with a Serious Intent”. Jeff’s world-wide reputation is such that delegates will often attend training courses and conferences jus...

Hello again, I hope you are having a good week so far. On this week's episode of What's Your Excuse? I'm happy to be speaking with Gary Foster. He is the outreach advocate for Esight. It feels like Gary's life is like a song in three movements. He grew up an active outdoorsman who loved being in nature. He was totally healthy, and was active in his community. Then, he experienced vision loss. And for a while he was a bit lost. He talks about not feeling like himself. And then he discovered the Esight device and regained a lot of his functional vision. This allowed him to be more involved in home and enjoy his kids and grandkids so much more. It allowed him to get back to his previous vigorous outdoor lifestyle. Including returning to wood working. He can use all his power tools including his chain saws again. But he said Esight only allows him to do this because he did it before. I'm impressed with how he has handled all the changes in his life. And his wife is an amazing woman who forced him to actually purchase a unit. so he could enjoy the improved vision. I think I should mention here that everyone is different. Some people, who become disabled, find a way to live a fulfilling life in spite of their disability. Others, because of their previous lifestyles, have a hard time adjusting to a disability. And others spend all their time seeking out that next medical treatment or piece of technology. We all have to run our own race. I think we can learn a lot from Gary because even with the device he still had to have the courage to try. There are some great stories in this episode. And I know you will be entertained. Two Things To Know. One, I do not edit this podcast. The style is called recorded live. Two, I sing on the intro. Most enjoy my singing, and it gets me in the right mindset to record. Now On To The Show Please Visit My Sponsor Blubrry.com is the podcast hosting sponsor for this show, Shredding For Gold, and for The WYE Podcast Network. We couldn't continue doing this without their generous financial and technical support. If you are thinking of starting a podcast, or if you are thinking of switching your hosting company; then you can't do any better than Blubrry. About Gary This is where I would usually include Gary's bio. And I still hope to add his formal bio. But he so strongly believes in the Esight device and the company that makes it that he asked me to include their website and social media links. Website: www.esighteyewear.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/eSighteyewear/ Twitter: www.twitter.com/esighteyewear Instagram: www.instagram.com/esight_eyewear/ Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/esighteyewear/ Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UC1uC33dCbnolhUWVRieYipQ A Product You May Enjoy These extra soft headphones were designed to help people sleep, but they are awesome for anyone who spends long periods of time listening to their devices. I've been using mine for over two years now. So, they will definitely stand up to rough use. Sharing Is Caring I really appreciate Gary sharing his story with us. He invested his time, and he opened himself up to us. So, please help me thank him by sharing the post and encouraging your friends to visit their website. It sounds like the Esight device can help a lot of people. And I can tell Gary is dedicated to sharing it's life changing effects with as many people as possible. Please know just how precious you are to me. You keep me going especially on those days when ice gets hard. Take care out there, Max

Hello again, I hope your week is going well so far. This time on What's Your Excuse? I'm honored to be speaking with The host of The Lowe Down Kevin Lowe. This interview happened as a result of my reaching out to be a guest on his podcast. I will share that wonderful interview with you in the very near future. If you want to know how I get on so many podcasts, or if you want to hire me to get you booked; then please schedule a call via my scheduling link. Kevin lost his vision suddenly after having surgery to remove a brain tumor. He talks about how he was able to recover from this over time and even thrive through the help of his family and his faith. He shares about how mistakes, disasters, and failures are all part of our becoming the person we were meant to become. And he firmly believes that we are all stronger and more capable than we believe we are. We had a great conversation about the misconceptions about the visually impaired common among sighted people. I know you are going to enjoy hearing from Kevin and learn a lot because I was reinvigorated myself listening to our conversation in preparation for writing this post. Things You Should Know One, this podcast is unedited. I refer to it as recorded live. Two, I sing on the intro. It helps me get started, and my regular followers love it. Now On To The Show Please Visit My Sponsor I couldn't continue to operate the podcast, the WYE Network, or the shows on it without the continued financial and technical support from the fine people at blubrry.com If you are thinking of starting a new podcast, or if you are unhappy with your current hosting provide; you can do no better than Blubrry. And while they are not a sponsor I have personally benefitted from the CBD products sold by crystalcreekorganics.com If you use these products, or if you would just like more information; I hope you will use my affiliate link. About Kevin He believes everything in this life happens for a reason, and a good reason at that. And this is true, even after losing his ability to see. Fueled by a strong desire to ignite a sense of hope and optimism into the world, Kevin sets out to inspire others to not give up on life, even when it seems like life has given up on them. Ever since waking to find a world gone dark, Kevin has been inspiring and encouraging people of all walks of life by sharing his own story of rediscovering light, even in the midst of the dark. At just 17 years old Kevin was left completely blind. Today, Kevin continues to spread this same sense of inspiration and encouragement as both a Life Coach and host of his own podcast, The Lowe Down with Kevin Lowe. Kevin has come to realize that if he can help even just one person by sharing his own life's experience with, then perhaps all that he has been through will have been worth it. Connect With Kevin Website: www.TheLoweDownWithKevinLowe.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/thelowedownwithkevinlowe Twitter: www.twitter.com/lowedownmedia Instagram: www.instagram.com/thelowedownwithkevinlowe Youtube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCmVLrzBFWyl5ZsPaLEyzqkQ This is one of my more favorite conversations. Me and Kevin laughed a lot, and he retaught me some important lessons. I know you will learn a lot about how we both manage to live successful fulfilled lives in different ways. And hopefully together we have helped you start to find your own unique way. Please do share this post or the links with your friends, family, and coworkers. It's the best way I know to thank Kevin and all my guests for giving of their time and energies. And a 5 star rating or review on my podcast wouldn't hurt either. I look forward to hearing your comments on this truly great conversation. Until next time take care out there, Max

Hello again; I hope you are in good spirits today. On this episode of ">What's Your Excuse I'm lucky to be speaking with Angus Baskerville Angus had no trouble reaching out to me via linked in about coming on my show. With me being the if you don't ask guy, I had to respect him for that. But if you want some help putting yourself out there, I hope you will consider hiring me to be your online media publicist. Schedule an exploratory call at https://calendly.com/justask Topics We Covered We talked about how his life was in South Africa before moving back to the UK and being correctly diagnosed. He spoke about problems with loud noises, tactile defensiveness, and isolationism. He shared about how in those days it was his love of and access to horses that kept him going. He talked about how things improved after moving back to the UK and being properly diagnosed. He told me about his introduction to magic and how learning to perfect tricks and spending time performing have helped him so much. He talked about how he can focus more easily, he has much more self-confidence, and he handles interacting with people so much better. He performs many familiar tricks with ropes, coins, cards, and Rubik's cubes. He also does some things that would be considered mentalism. Which concerned me a little until he explained that it was done by a combination of hypnotism and his heightened intuitive nature. I asked him about the process of booking venues and promoting events. Figuring that this would be hard for someone with autism. I was surprised to find that he didn't depend on an agent or publicist for this work. In fact he does what I have told y'all to do very often. He builds relationships with venue owners or managers and then leverages those relationships when he feels it is time to make the ask. I think you are going to learn a lot from my talk with Angus. Before You Listen A friend suggested I mention that this podcast is recorded live. I do not edit it unless there is a major technical malfunction. I was also told to let y'all know that I sing on the intro. Now On To The Show Support My Sponsor I couldn't continue to deliver you these conversations without the technical and financial help I receive from my sponsor at blubrry.com If you are thinking of starting a podcast, or if you are unhappy with your current hosting provider; then please check them out. About Angus I am a professional magician and motivational speaker where I combine magic with my journey overcoming Aspergers and ADHD. I am passionate about sharing my story, from the heart, to help make the world a better place for those who are differently abled, so that they can access the right support in school and in the work place, to reach their potential (which is everyone’s birth right, wherever they may fall on the spectrum - because we are ALL on it somewhere. This spectrum is not linear, but a richly layered tapestry of different gifts, abilities and strengths, peppered with challenges that we all have in different areas, to varying degrees. However, some of us are more able to hide our weaknesses or navigate around them more easily. I advocate at various autism parent training workshops and am involved with “Act for Autism” (a social enterprise running Connections workshops for parents and professionals and drama groups for young people on the autistic spectrum). Connect With Angus Website: www.angusbaskerville.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/AngustBaskervilleMagic Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/angus-baskerville-64b603161 Twitter: www.twitter.com/angusbaskervil1 I want to thank Angus and all the other amazing people who have sat down with me over the years. And I want to apologize to many of them who I have so far failed to release their conversations out into the world yet.

Hello again; I hope you have had a good week so far. This week on What's Your Excuse? I'm blessed to be able to speak with Charlene Norman. She shared about how she recovered from streptococcal meningitis that caused two seizures, two strokes, and left her in a coma for a week. Prior to this event in 2015 she was a very successful international business woman at the highest levels of the corporate world. She shared about how being thankful for being better off than many of the others in the same hospital allowed her to keep a positive attitude. She talked about how deciding to make those other people feel better gave her a sense of purpose and made her feel better about herself. She talked about how technology has changed but people haven't. And I was happy to hear that she agrees with me that for the most part people are generally good at heart. My favorite was when she talked about exchanging services so that you can do more of what you love and less of what you don't enjoy. And she followed that up by talking about how we can compete more effectively when we combine services. I found her very open, honest, and authentic. And she has been very generous with suggestions for my business since recording this conversation. I just know you are going to learn a lot from her. Now On To The Show Please Visit My Sponsors I'm so thankful to blubrry.com for their support of my podcast, and the What's Your Excuse? Network. I couldn't do this without their financial and technical support. So, if you are thinking of starting a podcast, I hope you will check them out. While they aren't an official sponsor, I have benefitted personally from the CBD sold by crystalcreekorganics.com About Charlene Charlene is the Chief Empathy Officer and Truth Teller with a dexterity of the ultimate trifecta: change, business success and personal transformation. She uses her 360-degree view of business, adds in decades of leading companies through ever-changing dynamics, and harnesses her ability to make people and processes more effective. Then, by wrapping those power skills with a deep understanding of engaging the power of the human brain, she is steadfast in guiding business owners committed to their hopes and dreams of growing BIG and leaving a lasting legacy. Charlene has always believed in breaking the past barriers and is part of the new frontier pushing the boundaries for the future. She knows 3 THINGS: (1) Business is not nearly as complicated as it seems. (2) Making money and making an impact on the world is one and the same. And (3) all business starts and ends with people. Connect With Charlene Website: www.bulletproofyourbusinessnow.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/charlene.norman.351 Linked In: www.linkedin.com/in/canorman Twitter: www.twitter.com/CharleneNorman I do hope you learned a lot from our conversation. Please help me thank Charlene by visiting her website and by connecting with her on social media. If you were entertained or inspired by my podcast, please leave a rating and review wherever you listen. I appreciate your continued support of me and my show. I couldn't do it without you. Stay safe out there, Max

Hello again; I hope you have had a good weekend. And for those caught up in the conflict in Ukraine, my prayers are with you. Like I said at the beginning of this week of interviews, it's time like this when I feel the need to do even more to entertain, inspire, and uplift others. My last conversation as part of the 2022 Mobility Matters Conference was with it's organizer Amy Parker. We talked about the beginnings of Portland State's programs to train orientation & mobility teachers and their program to prepare teachers for the visually impaired. We talked about the origins of the Mobility Matters conference and their experience converting it from in person to virtual. We obviously talked about the conference, the speakers, the responses from attendees, and her future plans for the event. We also talked about how approaching future construction from the point of inclusion and universal design makes things better for everyone. I found out that me and Amy have something kind of in common. Except we experienced the relationship from opposite sides. Her older sister has multiple disabilities including vision loss. And my younger brother Michael had to grow up with me. It might be fun to hear some conversations between those who were the Youngers brothers or sisters of people with disabilities. She explained about the extreme need for orientation and mobility instructors and about the wealth of funding that is available for people to attend their program. And she touched on how they have modified the education schedule to work with people where they are. Which lead to their offering most of the classes online and in the evenings. Including our friend Samantha Stephen who has been able to do her practical coursework at her home in San Diego due to the ever-widening partnerships built by their staff. Finally, you should know that Amy turned the tables on me. I've had people perform on the show before, but I had always asked them in advance or given them permission in advance. When I gave Amy the chance to leave y'all with some parting thoughts, she told me how much she loved my singing and that music had always been part of her family. And she broke into Bring it back home to me by Sam Cook. She is really good, so please stay around until the end. Now On To The Show About Amy Amy Parker is an associate professor at Portland State University and the coordinator of its department of special education. She grew up with a father who was a minister and a mother who was sign language interpreter and teacher of the death. As mentioned above her older sister has multiple disabilities that include vision loss and the need to use a wheelchair. She graduated from Texas Tech University and found her way to Oregon as part of a national Taskforce on more effective means for teaching the ideaf blind. While there, PSU invited her to become part of this new program to teach orientation and mobility instructors. I want to thank everyone at PSU, Portland State University for the effort they put out to create this amazing event. And for reaching out and inviting me to play my small part in this year's event. I got to have some great conversations with people I see as friends. I learned a lot about disability and inclusion and was forced to give some serious thought to many of the things I have thought or said about myself. I hope these conversations have gotten you to thinking too. If you have benefitted from them, then please share them with your friends or family. Please leave a comment on this post or on the podcast platform where you listen to shows. I also want to thank all of you for continuing to support me by listening. I know you have a lot going on in your lives, and you have so many demands on your time. And that just makes me appreciate you more for spending some of your time with me.

Hello again; I hope you have been enjoying these conversations. And while the event will be over by the time you hear this, maybe these conversations will encourage you to reach out to or start following these fine folks at PSU. This time I am speaking with Samantha Stephan a current student in the COMMS program at Portland State University. She is half-way through her masters certification in orientation and mobility instruction. I loved the obvious passion and energy that Samantha has for her field of study and for the people she looks forward to helping in her career. I appreciated how she decided to go into this field with the help of a great friend. Because I wouldn't have done a lot of the awesome things I have done in my life without encouragement from my friends. I also love how she decided that Covid was an opportunity not a disaster. By applying for and beginning the hybrid training option offered by Portland State. We talked about the importance of learning how to navigate the world around us safely. And she addressed the value of orientation and mobility, o & m, training to improving people's self esteem. I shared with her about how I was encouraged to use my white cane in public because my younger brother was concerned about how he would look going sighted guide if I didn't have that cane. We talked about the new trend of colored and striped canes. And we talked a bit about guide dogs. I think you will really enjoy hearing my talk with Samantha. Bonus for those who love my singing, I tried out the chorus to a song I'm working on on the intro of this conversation. Now On To The Show I will post Samantha's bio soon. I'm going to share the event page with you again. Hopefully, there will be a replay option or the possibility to purchase a download of the event. https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022 You can also connect with them on social media there and subscribe to their email list. Tomorrow, I sit down with the director of the event Amy Parker. Really enjoyed these conversations and am glad I said yes to them when they reached out to me. I hope this will encourage you to say yes more in your own life. Thanks for your continued support Take care out there, Max

Hello again; I hope you are taking steps to care for yourself and your family while moving forward to your goals. I trust you were impressed by the progress that Mike May, his team, and others are doing to improve accessibility. You can Check out Mike's interview here. Just in case you haven't heard it yet. Please visit https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022 for more information about the event or to register to attend. Today, I'm speaking with Walt Marchbanks. He is the director of accessibility at Portland International Airport But his position is so more than that. Or at least it extends far beyond what this blind man would usually think of as disability. During my conversation with Walt I came to the understanding that at Portland International, PDX, they are on a continuing journey to make the travel experience inclusive and as painless as possible for as many people as possible. This required them to take an exhaustive look at all the physical properties of the airport as well as the processes used by them and the airlines operating out of PDX. And it lead them to some unusual applications. Including ideas like a volunteer music program, an animal therapy program, and adoption of the sunflower program to make employees aware of hidden or invisible disabilities. It lead them to include a quiet room for people with autism or anyone just needing a break from the pressures of air travel. Finally, he gave examples of where they are having to anticipate the future needs across age, gender, race, and yes disability. And he and his team are proving that designing and planning for inclusion makes everyone's experience more pleasurable. Walt is a very engaging guy, and I know you are going to enjoy our conversation. Now on to the show. About Walt Walt has been with the Port of Portland for over ten years and has served in multiple roles. Most recently serving as the Port of Portland’s Passenger Programs and Services Manager since July of 2016. In this role he is primarily responsible for the PDX Canine Therapy Program, Airport-Wide Customer Service Program (PDX People) and the PDX Volunteer Music Program. Throughout his career, Walt has fostered incredible partnerships with tourism agencies (Travel Oregon/Travel Portland), diplomatic agencies, special needs agencies (Guide Dogs for the Blind, PSU Institute on Aging, etc.), and all 75+ tenants that operate out of PDX. Walt currently chairs our PDX Accessibility Committee which serves to ensure that considerations and accommodations are made for all airport users, regardless of age or ability, and are factored into planned new construction and refurbishment projects and designs. C.M. Passenger Programs and Services Manager Portland International Airport Connect With PDX Website: www.flypdx.com/accessibility Facebook: www.facebook.com/flypdx Twitter: www.twitter.com/flypdx Instagram: www.instagram.com/pdxairport Linked In: www.linkedin.com/company/port-of-portland Youtube: www.youtube.com/user/portofportland I feel like I learned a lot. I came away understanding that when you have there right goals you can create an experience that makes everyone's lives better. For example by creating quiet space for people with autism, they also created spaces for people who are just overwhelmed with the speed and noise of traveling by air. I hope these conversations are causing you to have ideas about how you can personally help make the lives of people with disabilities better. And of course I want you thinking about signing up for and attending the conference. Again the link is: https://sites.google.com/pdx.edu/mobilitymatters2022 Personally, I would appreciate it if you would share these conversations with your friends and family. Because as I always say we can't change lives if they never hear this content. Also,

Hello again; I hope my conversation with Áine got your week off to a great start. For day two of my five posts in five days to honor Mobility Matters 2022 Today you will hear my conversation with Mike May. Mike is Chief Evangelist for Good Maps, Inc., a pedestrian navigation company with an emphasis on accessible navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired including indoor navigation. We talked about the progress that has been made in technology that allows people with disabilities, especially the visually impaired, to navigate the world around us. He shared how technology are allowing the blind to not only know what bus they are getting on or how to get to a given store in a mall; but are now able to hear about all the other information that a sighted person receives along their rout. I didn't think of it at the time, but I wish I had asked him if not knowing all that other info is necessarily a bad thing. :) He explained the challenges of mapping internal locations like airports, train stations, office buildings, and those ever-growing box stores. Since you can't piggy back off of GPS in an indoor space, they have had to come up with a variety of solutions. They now have some great low-cost options for mapping locations. So, it's really a matter of persuading businesses, nonprofits, colleges & universities, and government offices to adopt the technology and invest in having the mapping done. So, we talked about how the blind, visually impaired, and even sighted people can advocate for the implementation of this technology. He has a way of making the subject come alive. Mostly by speaking more of the potential for inclusion nd interaction with others. Just imagine being able to navigate your local baseball, football, or soccer stadium. Or how about having a few extra minutes in the airport because you can direct yourself straight to where you need to be. And we talked about how like GPS this mapping could make the lives of sighted people so much more enjoyable s well. Finally in honor of my friend Emily Trepanier a future Paralympic gold medalist in blind downhill snowboard racing, I had to ask him about his experiences as a blind downhill skier. Notably, how do you set a world speed record in the sport. Full disclosure, I didn't know Mike was famous before I sat down to talk with him. Thankfully, I have ways of dealing with those feelings now. And he finished by talking about teamwork, inclusion, and the dignity that sports can bring to people with disabilities. You are going to love Mike and learn a lot about the lives of people with disabilities and how you can help make them better. Now On To The Show About Mike Mike May is Chief Evangelist for Good Maps, Inc., a pedestrian navigation company with an emphasis on accessible navigation for people who are blind or visually impaired including indoor navigation. He was previously Executive Director of the Workforce Innovation Center at Envision in Wichita Kansas, CEO of the Lighthouse for the Blind in Seattle and CEO/Founder of Sendero Group, makers of accessible navigation products. He has been a pioneer in new product and business development since 1980. He worked for the Central Intelligence Agency as a Political Risk Analyst, for the Bank of California in automating wire transfers and cash machines and for TRW starting a new business area. Mike’s start-up ventures have included developing the world’s first and only Laser Turntable, inventing a portable heating cushion for sports and medical applications and starting 2 companies in adaptive technology. He has a Masters’ degree from the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters from Coker College, SC. He has met five Presidents including President Obama and several of his cabinet members to discuss national initiatives on adaptive technology.

Hello again; I'm excited to bring you a wonderful new episode of The What's Your Excuse? Show. This time I will be speaking with international award-winning documentary film makers Anthony Saldana and Jason Figueira. They are the visionaries behind the film Straight Off The Canvas. This amazing film shows us how the visually impaired can create, teach, and appreciate art. It features working artists and art teachers from the New York City area. It also includes footage from the First annual art show at Lavelle School For The Blind. This is a longer than usual episode because we had so much to talk about. First, Anthony and Jason have a great back story. So, we talked about how they met and got to be such great friends. We discussed what it's like for two friends to work together. And then about how they came to decide to make films about groups like the visually impaired. Then we had to talk about their own personal adversities and how their experiences play into their lives. Anthony severely injured his back in an elevator accident. And Jason was diagnosed with OCD, obsessive compulsive disorder. Even one of their subjects suffered a classroom injury that later forced her out of teaching. They haven't let their disabilities or Covid keep them from continuing to chase their dreams of being successful film makers. In fact their next film is going to be about Jason and how his life was effected by his OCD. It will feature footage that was taken at the time chronicling the effects on him, his family, his coworkers, and his friend Anthony. It will also include interviews from experts on the subject. Their continuing work is a testimony to what can happen when you decide to find solutions instead of making excuses. Their lives aren't always easy, but they love the work they are doing. And they can see the impact their films can have on the world. Please do listen all the way to the end. This episode is just loaded with inspiration from my new heroes Anthony and Jason. I hope you enjoyed my interview with Anthony and Jason, and I look forward to your thoughts. Be sure and visit our sponsors. Blubbery for our podcast hosting. www.blubrry.com And Chip Edwards for voice branding on Alexa and Google. www.createmyvoice.com I was working on this post while listening to a rebroadcast of a town hall featuring our President. He was talking about how so many people have been hit with so much bad news that they have given up. It got me to thinking that the best thing I can do to help others is get back to posting regular content to my blog and podcast. I hope that hearing from Anthony and Jason will encourage you to find solutions to the problems and challenges in your own lives. I would love to hear about your new solutions if you feel comfortable sharing with my readers. If not, then please reach out via the contact form. I couldn't do this without the support and encouragement of you guys and gals. Hearing how you have followed in the footsteps of Anthony and Jason would be really encouraging to all of us. Until next time take care out there, Max

Hello again; I'm writing this while many of my fellow Texans are having it much worse than I am. While we are still drinking bottled water, we do have electricity, plenty of food, and a plumber working to repair our plumbing. We are on a well, so we will have running water again as soon as the pipes in our shower have been repaired. But I do feel a little guilty to actually be working on my website, blog, or podcast at a time like this. I hope my friends and followers realize that I'm sharing this as a way of encouraging and inspiring others even while things are difficult here in Houston. Today, I'm writing about my first Industry talk on Nepris Learning Platform. Here is a bit about Nepris. Nepris connects educators and learners with a network of industry professionals, virtually, bringing real-world relevance and career exposure to all students. Nepris also provides a skills-based volunteering platform for organizations to extend education outreach, and build their brand among the future workforce. I first learned about them about two years ago. And I gave my first talk on the platform in September of 2019. You can read more about that experience and watch a video of my presentation by going to the post titled: The Blind Blogger Sharing with Special Needs School Kids. I booked the time for this talk before finding out for sure that I would be able to attend the Independent Podcasters Conference in Atlantic City hosted by my good friend Super Joe Pardo. So, I ended up giving my Nepris talk in the morning, and speaking to the attendees at IndiePodCon that afternoon. I remember being more nervous about talking to the school kids than I was about my upcoming talk to a much larger crowd at the conference. And no offense to Joe or those gathered there, I felt more satisfied from speaking with those school kids. Recently, I began a much closer relationship with the people at Nepris. Becoming a Partner, giving a talk to the Texas School for the Blind over their platform, and helping to spread the word about Nepris especially among institutions serving the blind or others with disabilities. As part of that they encouraged me to offer an industry talk. That is where you announce that you will be giving a talk on a given subject and classrooms all over the country can sign up to watch live. I took part in a brain storming session, and it was determined that I should give a talk on what else but interdependence? We scheduled the talk and agreed I would speak on the power of building a community and how asking for help and accepting help when offered can help you achieve your goals more quickly and with more joy. The day finally arrived, and I'm not ashamed to admit that I was nervous. While I generally prefer not to know the size of my audience, I was informed that fifteen classrooms had signed up in advance. And when you watch the video or listen to the audio; you will hear me sing before my talk starts in earnest. I mentioned to the lady helping me with the technical aspects of the talk that I usually relax by singing while I wait to go live. I said I probably couldn't do that. She said why not, so I got to share the second verse of the River by Garth Brooks. I hope you enjoy my talk. I think I did a great job. The kids had some great questions. I got the opportunity to mention my books, their titles, descriptions, and where people could buy them. And it felt good sharing my important message about interdependence with these you...

Hello again; I’m trying to write a post that will share my own accomplishments in a way that will help you achieve those goals that have alluded you. This isn’t easy because for so many years I have been one of those people who believes that waiting for a specific day is not the answer. I’ve talked with podcast hosts about how I’d rather work throughout the year to have something to celebrate than to wait until the ball drops to start that new journey. I’ve written often about taking action today instead of waiting until tomorrow, next week, next month, or that mythical day of someday that never comes. And I firmly believe that the only perfect time is the time we feel in our hearts and minds. So, writing this time of year my goal is to try to share something that will help you keep going when you hit that wall that most people run into about the third week of January. Maybe sharing my journey concerning how I feel about my voice and my singing ability might be the best way to share my thoughts. In 2015 I wrote a post called Why I Sing, and How I Can Help You Free the Song in Your Own Heart. I chronicled how I overcame the fear of singing in public out of the necessity to have an intro for videos I was recording for my amusement equipment brokering site www.midwaymarketplace.com I talked about how people had made fun of me as my voice was changing in junior high school.. And that those feelings were aggravated by the loss of confidence from also losing a big chunk of my vision at about the same time. And how the more I sang the more people that were impressed by my singing and the more who asked me to sing even more. That lead to recording myself singing full-length songs and posting them to youtube. Then in April of 2017 I was invited to take part in a family night at my church. The rehearsals didn’t go well, and I thought about saying no. But we finally found three others for me to sing with, and we did a credible job of I wonder Why. You can read more about that experience and watch the video by reading What I Learned From a Successful Church Talent Show Appearance. In spite of a problem with some microphones that disappeared and then reappeared half-way through our song it was a great night. And it probably gave me the confidence to want to sing more. Later that spring I traveled to Philadelphia to give my first public talk at an event called Dreamcon. After the event was over I was emboldened to ask if I could sing in front of the event banner. The other speakers were taking selfies and group photos and I thought what the heck. I was overcome with emotion while doing that. And one of the other speakers, Azuka Zuke, was so impressed that he challenged me to make singing part of all my future public speaking events. If you want to hear more about that experience or watch the video, then you can read The Blind Blogger Is Profoundly Effected By Singing the River at End of Dreamcon. Later on during that first speaking adventure I would also sing at Niagara Falls and record some sample versions of a future talk titled Music and Motivation. Music and Motivation is one of those crazy ideas that became a reality in 2020. The idea is that I would sing some songs, tell some stories, and teach some life lessons. You can watch the full presentation here. Or listen to it on one of the podcast players listed below. The first virtual presentation went well, but we did learn some valuable lessons. We heard from the audience that online talks should be shorter. So,

Hello again; I'm back with another great interview from The What's Your Excuse? Show. This time I'm speaking with Kalari Girtley a wife, mother, writer, author, beep baseball champ, and much more who happens to be blind. And if that isn't enough for you, then you should know that her husband is also blind. Yes two visually impaired parents raising three sighted active kids in South Chicago, Illinois. We talked about all aspects of life. How she lost her vision, how she met her husband, how they manage kids, how they manage household chores, and yes how are they dealing with corona. I loved her sense of humor and zest for life. And I was impressed with the big lesson her dad taught her once the family knew she was losing her vision. She and her family are the true embodiment of the What's Your Excuse approach to life. And I hope you will take the time to watch or listen. Because even I felt inspired after this talk. Please Visit My Sponsor Chip and Pam Edwards at www.createmyvoice.com Chip is "The Expert" on voice branding to grow and protect your brand on Alexa, Google, and their related apps. He is the reason You can find my blog and podcast on those platforms. I trust him, and can highly recommend him. Most importantly if you aren't on these platforms, then literally millions of people don't know you exist. Not having a place on Alexa and Google is no longer an option. And Chip will help you reach these growing new audiences. I hope you will also consider purchasing one of my inspirational motivational books. You can check them out, read a little bit of one, and then buy it from My Amazon Author's Page. About Kalari She is a Chicago-based, 36-year-old mother of three, whose husband is also blind. She is also an ESPY-winning Beep Baseball champion (baseball for people who are visually impaired) She works at The Chicago Lighthouse, a service organization that supports those who are blind or visually impaired, as well as veterans. Contacting Kalari Twitter: www.twitter.com/GirtleyKalari Website: www.chicagolighthouse.org I was truly blessed to get to spend this time with Kalari. We laughed, and she showed me and anyone who watches or listens that there is a way if you choose to find it. Kalari's passion about her family, beep baseball, writing, having meaningful work, and so much more are great reminders. And when I say that I include myself. Sharing Is Caring I have often told you that the best way to say thank you is to put feet on the ground, butts in the seats, or faces behind the screens. Please help me say thank you by sharing this post or the direct link to the video or audio with your friends, family members, coworkers, and social media networks. People need to hear messages of hope like this especially now. So, please help me. I also want to thank you in advance for continuing to support me by watching or listening to my work. I was recently asked what my top motivation is for continuing to show up and do the work. My answer was and still is that I feel a sense of obligation to you. Since finding out the power I have to inspire others I felt a responsibility to continue working hard because I just don't want to let you down. I look forward to your comments or to your emails if you prefer privacy. Until next time take care out there, Max

Hello Again; I am honored to be able to share a truly inspirational story with you on this episode of The What’s Your Excuse? Show. I am blessed to be joined by Aimee Eddy Gross. She has overcome so much in her lifetime. And she has come through her trials without losing her joy. Yes, like most of us, she still has a long way to go. That’s why I decided to sing Buckaroo in the beginning of the show instead of the River like I usually do. She will still have bad days and dark times, but she doesn’t let that keep her from enjoying the moment and seeing an even better future for herself and people suffering through similar trials. I must admit that by the end of this show I was both inspired and worn out. Hearing Aimee tell her story made me feel like I have had it pretty easy in my life. So, I hope you listen to it all the way through. We talked about her being bullied in elementary school, high school, and even into college. We talked about how she survived by escaping to the family garage. She shared about her struggles with mental illness and finding a great doctor who helped her balance her prescriptions and manage her mental illness. And she shared about having contracted breast cancer and how she delt with that. At a time in her life when she thought she had things under control here comes cancer. I know I ask y’all to share every one of my interviews. And while I don’t like to play favorites, this one is important. If you have never shared an interview before or even listened all the way to the end; then please listen and share Aimee’s conversation with me. Please visit my sponsor Chip Edwards at Create My Voice. He is "The Expert" on voice branding by leveraging the growing audiences on Alexa, Google, etc. Because of him I now understand the importance of claiming my invocation name. That's the name or string of words people will use to ask for your content. Chip will help you create a total voice branding strategy that will help you to grow and protect your brand. He's the reason people can find my podcast by asking Google or Alexa for What's Your Excuse. I hope you will visit his site and use the contact form to schedule a call to learn more. About Aimee She is an insightful overcomer who advocates for other strugglers. After conquering mental illness, bullying, cancer, and more, she has the life experience to encourage others. She serves as assistant to the director for the National Youth Internet Safety and Cyberbullying Task Force. Aimee loves to woodburn, write, and spend time with her family. Message From Aimee I’d like to take you out of darkness and point you towards the light: the light of change, the light of recovery and the light of rising above. There is no room for defeat or giving up on this journey. Only fighters can move forward. Are you a fighter? Will you fight to rise above bullying, reach recovery from mental illness and face life’s challenges head on? Bullying happens every day in our schools and online. It is a big problem that needs to be addressed. Many children fall into depression and other mental illnesses. Some go as far as committing suicide. The effect of bullying reaches into adulthood leaving them with wounds that take years to heal. Those who are bullied also struggle with self-esteem and other psychological issues. It takes years of therapy and hard work to heal those wounds. Are you willing to fight past the pain to find the light? Are you one of those who are struggling to face another day of school?