Hey Ya!
Oh, that’s a song I haven’t thought about in a while. What were you doing in 2003? Yikes, that was 18 years ago! I was teaching violin and performing at corporate events. I loved it!
I ordered a digital piano a few days ago! It’s going to take several weeks to arrive (thanks C*vid!)
But, I. AM. EXCITED!
Last week started with an executive meeting for the 2021 Childfree Conference happening later this year. I’m not at liberty to discuss details yet, but I’ve always dreamt of being a part of quality collaborations and events.
It’s thrilling to execute an idea and watch it take form into real life.
I’ve learned a lot in the last couple of years working with other childfree content creators. When you click with the right people, the project feels effortless, even when you put hundreds of hours into it. This topic deserves a more in-depth look and I will provide you one in a later issue. But for now, here are some tips if you are thinking about collaborating:
Be passionate about the idea. There will be hurdles and you will want to quit multiple times. But, passion for the message will help sustain you.
Work with others who have a history of completed projects. Maybe they already have an active podcast or have published a novel or created an active FB group. Working with people who consistently show up is a must!
Don’t worry about knowing HOW to do something. Learn as you go. Google shit. Watch YouTube videos. As long as you have a vision, you can bring it to life.
Work with people who have different skills than you.
If the project is draining your energy, maybe it’s not the right time for it. There are certain collabs I’m working on that haven’t moved in weeks. This means the idea is still waiting for the right time to take off.
There is so much more to share on this topic of collaborating but I will dedicate a future newsletter to it. You can always ask me specific questions in the meantime.
“I Told You So”
A few weeks ago, I mentioned a podcast collaboration with my brother about his experiences as a young, single parent. The trailer and episode 1 are now on the website and Spotify!
Yay!
This has been nearly a year in the making. I’m waiting for Apple Podcast and a few other apps to approve the show so it will be widely available in the podcast universe.
My brother is an ally to the childfree community and a big supporter of what I do. He felt ready to share his cautionary experiences of teen fatherhood and being a single dad in his 30s. He remains the primary caregiver to both of his sons. No question is off-limits in this podcast. There will be 20 episodes in season 1.
It’s ALIVE!
I did my first live podcast episode this week with my Childfree Girls co-hosts! And I wasn’t nervous at all. We had a few bloopers— Kristen started talking about something as I was opening the show, and we kind of bungled the wrap-up. But that’s the charm of a live show. We had many comments from the audience, which added greatly to our discussion! My fave was the comment about people who have kids just to be grandparents!
After the episode ended and I took my post-show selfie, I sat back in my chair and let the feeling of childfree bliss wash over me.
Being a part of episodes like this brings me so much energy.
Childfree Pick-of-the-Week
This video from Hannah of Wife Without Kids fits the theme I got going on in this week’s newsletter. I love Hannah and love this YouTube channel!
Final Thoughts
Last week, The Simpsons aired a new episode where Comic Book Guy and his wife, Kumiko, basked in the “childless” life while Marg and Homer had a typical parent experience. CBG and Kumiko were happy not to have kids until one fateful day, Kumiko held Maggie and suddenly NEEDED to have a baby.
Cue flashbacks to The Big Bang Theory, much?
The rest of the episode is Marge, Homer, and the kids trying to convince Comic Book Guy to have kids, and after reconciling with his father, he caves.
So, I’ve been a fan of The Simpsons since forever, but FOR #!*#&$^% SAKES!
Would it kill a popular TV show to write something original like a happily forever childfree character for once?
Yeesh!
Until next time,
LeNora Faye