Ready Steady Zima

Thoughts on autumn, potatoes, meerkats, bin ghosts and Jason Statham as I embark on a month long podcasting break.

A story of things bizarre and unexplained: a Soviet TV healer who cured my eyes, a palm reader who saved my life and a ghost encounter in Thailand. Also featuring a tooth saga, my definition of hell and thoughts on why sandwich is the queen of all foods. Marc Bennetts' article: Faith healer Anatoly Kashpirovsky: Russia's new Rasputin is available here: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2010/jun/06/marc-bennetts-anatoly-kashpirovsky-russia-rasputin

A story of how I got defeated by Snowdon and fell in love with Wales. Featuring: waterfalls, sheep, a troll, crying by a stream and Llandudno.

My bitter sweet lockdown diary featuring in no particular order: glow in the dark skateboard, ghosting, my complex relationship with running, loneliness, reader’s blockdown, baking disasters and broken (and mended) heart. If lockdown and Covid pandemic are still triggering – I send you my love (and perhaps skip this episode for now).

A story of the entire world locked in a Polish mountain village. A blast from the past, coming of age tale about my first job and a group of strangers who found themselves working and living together in a very peculiar mountain hotel.  The story was inspired by wonderful Nick Gardner and his pursuit of 282 Scottish Munroes. Nick Gardner’s story: https://explorersweb.com/hes-done-it-82-year-old-nick-gardner-completes-scotlands-282-munros/Nick Gardner’s Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/nicks.munro.challenge/Nick Gardner’s fundraiser page: https://www.justgiving.com/team/nicks-munro-challenge Bartlomiej Jurecki’s book (unfortunately only available in Polish – at least for now): https://www.wsqn.pl/ksiazki/twardy-jak-skala-silna-jak-halny-portrety-polskich-gorali/

Stories about getting lost and feeling lost, clowns, storms, magic and the urgent need to pee. Also featuring step by step guide on what to do when you feel lost (to be taken with 7 pinches, or inches of salt.  Rebecca Solnit’s books (and more) are here: http://rebeccasolnit.net/books/

A story of how I stopped buying new clothes in September 2018. Featuring: my love of coats, buying second-hand, sustainable fashion, my grandmother and a green trouser suit.

Musings on reclaiming my real name, mutating accents, spelling disasters, fitting in and belonging with a small “b”. Also featuring: things I miss about Poland and the usual level of nostalgia.  References: Trailer for Zupa Nic/Back Then: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VMxH9yrlcxM  All things Brené Brown: https://brenebrown.com/ Brené Brown’s quote on belonging: https://www.oprah.com/inspiration/life-lessons-we-all-need-to-learn-brene-brown