with Mon

Today's episode came to be after a recent trip to Mondello, Sicily. We kept seeing these flower pots in the shape of heads - they were everywhere.So I did a bit of Googling and found out these vases originate come from a legend called Testa di Moro – a tale of love, betrayal and revenge. Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

Today’s episode is a bit of a blast from the past, it’s a chat I had a few years ago with the lovely Haruka – or Haru. It was for a series I did called Living with Mon, a series about people who lead interesting or alternative lifestyles. Furries have always intrigued me, so when I got the opportunity to speak with one… I pounced… There’s a lot to the Furry subculture so I actually did two interviews. One with Haru who you’ll be hearing from in a moment, she’s just part of the furry fandom. The other conversation I had was with a “Scalie” known as Rune. Scalies are also part of the Furry community but in this conversation we explored the more “mature” side of the subculture. After this episode I definitely recommend checking it out, you can listen here. Going back to today’s episode - We cover a lot, and I definitely urge you to go into this with an open mind. There are a number of common misconceptions about the scene, and we’re going to de-bunk a few of them. As always I’ll check back in at the end, for now though - enjoy.A big thank you to our guest HaruTWITTER (X): @PuppyHarukaCheck out Haru's Twitch account hereWatch, The Fandom: A Furry Documentary hereGet in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

Quick disclaimer - as this episode does touch on some tricky topics about death, mental health and violence, if you’re not feeling it – maybe save this one for another time and check out last week's special Pride episode.This week, after a few “lighter” episodes we’re going spooky again… you are in for a treat because we’re going to hear from the delightful Nicole, or Cole Amber as she's known on Insta. She’s many many things including a Paranormal Researcher, Urban Legends & Folklore enthusiast and a lover of Memento Mori – she’s ALSO a Dark Tourist which I though was a cool title (hence the name of this ep).She’s amazing - so knowledgeable and passionate about what she does, and although she often delves in the darker side of life, she makes it really positive – which I think is such a gift. Also we did have some tech issues – I’m not convinced it wasn’t paranormal activity – so some of the audio is a bit funky BUT it’s not like that the whole way through – so apologies, it is SO worth a listen.Follow Nicole here...INSTAGRAM: @ahauntedhistory_TIKTOK: @ahauntedhistoryGet in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

Hello and welcome to the With Mon podcast - as promised, we are covering all things.. Pride.Due to a delayed flight last week – we are EXTENDING Pride month, I want to keep these festivities going.So today I thought it was the perfect opportunity to look at the origins of Pride, as well as some perhaps lesser-known facts about the community. We’re also going to delve into Queer culture and hear from some absolute legends. And it doesn’t matter if you’re queer or identify as straight, whatever - this episode is all about celebration, resilience and coming together in all our different forms. Also, I don’t want to toot my own horn but it’s really interesting. So without further ado – let’s dive on in…Check out Queer artist Eureka’s work below 👇INSTAGRAM: @eurekaartisthttp://eurekamichael.blogspot.com/?m=1Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.comHere’s a list of support organizations and resources for the LGBTQIA+ community and allies in Australia:QLife   - Website: (https://www.qlife.org.au/)   - Description: Provides anonymous and free LGBTQIA+ peer support and referral via phone and web chat.   - Phone: 1800 184 527Minus18   - Website: (https://www.minus18.org.au/)   - Description: Youth-led organization focused on improving the lives of LGBTQIA+ youth through education, events, and resources.Black Rainbow   - Website:(https://www.blackrainbow.org.au/)   - Description: An advocacy platform and support network for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander LGBTQIA+ people.ACON   - Website: (https://www.acon.org.au/)   - Description: Specializes in HIV prevention, HIV support, and LGBTQIA+ health.Queer Organizations for Being a Good Ally (Australia-Wide)PFLAG Australia   - Website: [pflag.org.au](https://www.pflag.org.au/)   - Description: A support network for parents, families, and friends of LGBTQIA+ people.Rainbow Families   - Website: [rainbowfamilies.com.au](https://www.rainbowfamilies.com.au/)   - Description: Supports LGBTQIA+ parents and their families, offering resources and community connections.The Equality Project   - Website: [theequalityproject.org.au](https://www.theequalityproject.org.au/)   - Description: Focuses on creating a more inclusive and equal Australia through education, training, and advocacy.Queer Organizations for Educational Resources (Australia-Wide)The Pinnacle Foundation   - Website: (https://thepinnaclefoundation.org/)Twenty10   - Website: (https://www.twenty10.org.au/)   - Description: Provides support services, including housing, mental health, and social support for LGBTQIA+ young people.

Hello! I was supposed to bring you a special Pride episode to round up the end of Pride Month – which is of course June. If you’re follow the pod on socials you may have seen we were in Sicily over the weekend – which was absolutely amazing – BUT we were supposed to be back Monday morning, giving me plenty of time to put this episode together. However our flight kept getting delayed. Now as this episode is featuring some extra special guests, and of course because it’s about Pride – I just can’t half ass it. And I really want to do this episode justice SO with that in mind – we’re pushing it back a week – we’re going to “extend” Pride celebrations – it’s gonna be fab. So this week I’ve dug into my box of treasures and... in the spirit of travelling I’ve pulled out an episode from an old series I did called Trips with Mon. Now this is something completely different to what we’ve been listening to on this pod so far. It’s an immersive audio trip around the world. I came up with the concept during covid, because of course we weren’t able to travel. We’re going to listen to the first ep – to give you a bit of a taste. It’s the “travel” ep – complete with a full inflight service. Because of the nature of this series, it’s best listened to in a quiet space with headphones or earbuds. I’ve also linked to the rest of the series below if you want to check it out. So without further ado – sit back, relax and let the good times roll…Listen to the rest of Trips with Mon here: https://podfollow.com/1631050662Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

I’m chuffed you’re here - Because I have an absolute ripper of an episode for you today. Do you ever get caught up in a deep scroll and suddenly realise you’re in a very “niche” part of the internet? Whether it’s slime content, mini kitchens, babies saying the F word, or maybe somewhere a bit darker... like last week’s episode, I found Nick, who is a collector of human remains and artefacts. Now my algorithm is pretty strange, I go to some weird and wonderful places. And something which really caught my eye recently was “professional slap” videos. The clips have been going viral, they’re so brutal. I went into an absolute worm hole with these videos… and someone who really stood out to me was a guy named Brian Ellis – AKA The Predator. I reached out on Instagram, and within a few days we were sitting down for a chat. I am over the moon to be able to share with you our conversation. Despite his nickname, Brian is so lovely – and incredibly talented. So without further ado… here’s Brian…Follow Brian on...INSTAGRAM:TIKTOK: bellis8pbpCheck out the official Power Slap account hereGet in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

My guest today is Nick Bowman, a collector and merchant of the macabre. And when I say macabre, some of the pieces we talk about, genuinely caught me off guard. But Nick was so lovely and so open, and I think he explained his fascination with these artifacts really well. Like he says in our chat – it’s not for everyone, nor is he trying to push this interest on anyone. Nick was really keen to bust some myths as there’s a lot of misconceptions about the collecting world – especially when you’re dealing with human body parts. We talk about everything from the practicalities of collecting and the ethics, to Nick’s private collection and to those big ticket items he would love to get his hands on. I do want to put in a disclaimer here – as I said we do talk about some pretty dark and heavy topics. You really are in for a treat, Nick’s great and this is such a fascinating conversation. So without further ado – let’s dive in….Contact Nick on..INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/nickchopper_?igsh=Yml4cG5vY2FibHY0TIKTOK: @nickchopper_Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

Hello! Today on the pod I actually had a completely different episode for you ... but technology isn't playing ball with me so I’m saving that one for next week. Today we’re looking back at a chat I had during the covid lockdowns a few years ago. It’s with a lovely lass named Graceie who – as well as a working as a bunch of other things, is an Antarctic tour guide. Absolute legend and a really adventurous soul. You’ll probably hear it in my voice, because of the time difference, I think Gracie might’ve been in the US, we had to do it at like 4 or 5 in the morning in Queensland. But it was so worth it.. I really hope you enjoy it!Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monTIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@with.mon.podcastEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com

Today we’re looking into the history of… salt.You’re probably thinking... WHY? They’re just tiny white crystals that you sprinkle on your chips - and you’re right, salt makes stuff taste.. glorious! But did you know it played a crucial role in shaping human civilization? Strap in because I’m about to knock your socks off!     Get in touch if you'd like to suggest an idea for an episode or just to say G'day <3INSTAGRAM: https://www.instagram.com/thewithmonpodcast/FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/listen.with.monTIKTOK: https://www.tiktok.com/@with.mon.podcastEMAIL: listen_with_mon@outlook.com#salt #history #podcast