Tea. Toast. & Trivia.

Season 2 Episode 45: Brian on Fear of Missing Out Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in! I am you host, Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.  Today,  I’m heading over the Canadian Rockies to St. Albert, Alberta. Brian, my brother, has come back to continue the conversation  on embracing a greater journey. In our last podcast, we discussed the stages of life, from childhood to old age.  How do we live the fullest in that stage of life that we find ourselves in? How do we embrace the twists and turns that life gives us? How do we gracefully give up the things of youth and embrace the age of active wisdom? Today, Brian and I will be discussing FOMO, which is the short form of “fear of missing out” is that uncomfortable, even anxious, feeling you get when think that other people might be having a good time without you.  Going back to the stage concept, FOMO can happen at any place on that life I understand that this can happen at an

Season 2 Episode 44: Heading into the Library with Dave Astor Google can bring you back 100,000 answers. A librarian can bring you back the right one.” Neil Gaiman Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Dave Astor and I are once again  bridging the 3,923 kilometers between New Jersey to Vancouver. Today, we are heading to the library. So, listeners, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia. I am your host, Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Welcome Dave, thank you stopping by for a visit. You once said that “Books are there for us, even in the most difficult of circumstances.” If books are the best companions and a comfort during times of uncertainty, libraries are the places to go to build our resilience and courage. We are entering our fourth month of what I call the Covid19 solitude, which began on March 11, 2020 when the WHO declared a pandemic. During this time, libraries have closed their doors but have co

Season 2 Episode 43: Elizabeth Gauffreau on Tanka Poetry Wilderness Tanka snowy wilderness cold winter sun, soaring trees a small lone figure for a time she stood fearless my protector, my mother Elizabeth Gauffreau, Tanka Poetry Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am delighted and thrilled  that my dear friend,  writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau, has come back to share her insights into an ancient style of poetry.  We are once again bridging the 3897 kilometers, as the crow flies,  between New Hampshire and Vancouver. Several months ago, Liz introduced me to Tanka poetry.  In a few words, emotions, memories, and intentions come together.  This is going to be an exciting conversation. So put the kettle on and add to the discussion on Tea Toast & Trivia.

Season 2 E42: Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge Finale Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. “We still, alas, cannot forestall it This dreadful ailment’s heavy toll; The spleen is what the English call it, We call it simply, Russian soul.." Alexander Pushkin, Eugene Onegin Elisabeth Van Der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver.  We have come to the end, the grand finale, of the Eugene Onegin Challenge. We are at the unforgettable chapter eight, where everything become clear.  Or does it? So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. When we first started this journey, Elizabeth wrote in her blog: “With this challenge I hope to add something extra to your reading experience that will make it more interesting, intense, attentive, and (even more) enjoyable. I will be eating, d

Season 2 Episode 41: The Art of Romance with Shehanne Moore If her body was fed to the crows in one-inch pieces, before her eyes and all she needed to do to stop it was kiss him, she’d sooner the crows didn’t go hungry.." Shehanne Moore,  The Unraveling of Lady Fury Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am travelling approximately 8,000 kilometres from Vancouver to Broughty Ferry, Scotland,  Dundee’s Historic Seaside Village, to meet up with my friend and Shehanne Moore, the writer who has given us the exciting historical romance, “The Unraveling of Lady Fury.” When not cuddling inn signs in her beloved Scottish mountains alongside Mr. Shey, or spending time with their family, Shehanne Moore writes dark and smexy historical romance, featuring bad boys who need a bad girl to sort them out. Put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on Tea Toast & Trivia. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this mo

Season 2 Episode 40: Patricia Sands on Telling Your Story Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. “Become a possibilitarian. No matter how dark things seem to be or actually are, raise your sights and see possibilities — always see them, for they’re always there.” Norman Vincent Peale “Sixty-two-year-old Arianna arrives in the South of France for a two-week artists’ workshop full of anticipation but burdened by guilt. Back home in Toronto, she has been living with the devastating diagnosis of her husband’s dementia and the heartbreak of watching the man she has loved for decades slip away before her eyes. What does her future hold without Ben? Before her is a blank canvas.” Drawing Lessons, Patricia Sands Transitions, art, and France are all found in my current read, “Drawing Lessons.” I am delighted and thrilled that the brilliant storyteller, Patricia Sands, the author of Drawing Lessons is joining us today and bridging the distance of 3,364 km between Vancouver and Toronto. We are ce

Season 2 Episode 39: Joan Hudson on the Artist’s Journey.  Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am heading over to England today to what has been called Somerset’s most charming town –  Clevedon, situated on the Bristol Channel famous for its magnificent pier.  The pier was completed in 1869 as a landing point for paddle steamers, carrying passengers along the Severn Estuary from Wales and Devon. I am meeting up with Clevedon’s famed artist, Joan Hudson, a dear friend who has invited me for afternoon tea in her summer garden.  You are invited to join us and share in an extraordinary conversation about art, imagination, and embracing our creativity. Thank you, Joan for your invitation to tea.  I have been looking forward to this discussion. Thank you for sharing this moment with Joan and me.   Your visit and comments are very much appreciated.  You can meet up with Joan on Instagram at Joan.hudson3 or her blog On the Bright Side. Until next ti

Season 2 Episode 38: Frances on the Art of Aging Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. A few weeks ago, my mother,  Frances, and I were discussing the aging process, something that we all have in common.  I think of the quote by Andy Rooney: “It’s paradoxical that the idea of living a long life appeals to everyone, but the idea of getting old doesn’t appeal to anyone.” There are many self-help books and articles that promise ways in which we can age gracefully and provide tips on how to stay sharp and look amazing.  When Frances suggested that, for her, it was books that added joy to the aging process,   I asked whether she would share her thoughts on a short podcast.  Since we were on our mobile phones, rather than in-person, we did not know whether the audio would have enough clarity.  Thanks to our techie, we have a short discussion about books, life and embracing who we are at any age. So put the kettle on and add to this discussion. We would love to h

Season 2 Episode 37: The Trio Goal Setting Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss goal setting.  We want to seek progress, to live our best lives, to be recognized and valued for our contributions.  There are many ideas and opinions about goal setting.    We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Season 2 Episode 36: Going Back to Manderley with Liz Humphreys My dear blogger friend, Liz Humphreys from her blog Leaping Life and I have once again bridged the 7,059 kilometres between Edinburgh and Vancouver to discuss, well, let me give you a hint: ‘Last night I dreamt I went to Manderley again. It seemed to me I stood by the iron gate to the drive, and for a while I could not enter, for the way was barred to me. There was a padlock and a chain upon the gate. I called in my dream to the lodge-keeper, and had no answer, and peering closer through the rusted spokes of the gate I saw that the lodge was uninhabited.’ Yes, Liz and I will be discussing Daphne du Maurier. Put the kettle on and join in the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd, and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. Thank you for joining Liz and me on Tea Toast & Trivia. And a very special thank you and shout out to Liz from the blog, Leaping Life and to h

Season 2 Episode 35: Traveling the Mists of Ancient Orkney with Lorna Brown Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Join me as I travel across the ocean to Orkney, where the fresh sea air and rugged landscape captures the spirit of daring souls.  I am delighted that I am meeting up with my friend, Lorna Brown of See Orkney Tours, who was our family’s intrepid guide through the mists of ancient Orkney.  We touched the Standing Stones of Stenness and traced the prehistoric path of the Ring of Brodgar. Travel plans may have been placed on hold, but for today imagine that you have joined Lorna and me on the white sandy beach that leads up to Skara Brae, a 5000-year-old Neolithic village. Do you feel the chilly breeze off the ocean?  It is sunny, a perfect day to begin our adventure. So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation.I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. A special thank you to Lorna for sharing the stori

Season 2 Episode 34: Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge Part 2 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth Van Der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver.  Elisabeth promised to come back and talk about the  “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” which is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair. As you know, I have taken up the challenge and am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. The adventure is underway. So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you. “With this challenge I hope to add something extra to your reading experience that will make it more interesting, intense, attentive, and (even more) enjoyable. I will be eating, dreaming, thinking, hearing Eugene Onegin for the next four months and I can’t wait to fin

Season 2 Episode 33: The Trio on Learning a New Language Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia! Thank you for listening in! I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah, to discuss – should we learn another language? In 2019, UNESCO launched a special website dedicated to the International Year of Indigenous languages (IY2019) The purpose of this website is to increase the awareness about the urgent need to preserve, revitalize and promote indigenous languages around the world. There are some 6.000-7.000 languages in the world today. About 97% of the world’s population speaks only 4 % of these languages, while only 3% of the world speak 96% of all remaining languages. IMPORTANT CORRECTION: In the podcast I stated that 7000 languages would be lost by the end of this century. I should have said: “It is estimated that, if nothing is done, half of the over 6,000 plus languages spoken today will disappear by the end of this century. With the disappearance of unwritten and undocumented languages, humanity wou

Season 2 Episode 32: Jean-Jacques Fournier The Poetry of Crows & Ravens I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend and poet; Jean-Jacques Fournier is with me today to speak about crows, and ravens within his poetry. As background, ravens and crows are embedded within our mythologies from ancient times. In Greek mythology the crow was a symbol of Apollo in his role as god of prophecy. In Norse mythology, Odin is portrayed by a raven.  In Celtic mythology, Morrighan, the warrior goddess appears in the form of a crow or raven. Crows and ravens have been envisioned as a mediator animal between life and death.  They have been known as tricksters and mischief makers. Jean-Jacques has great insight into these magnificent creatures. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting discussion, on Tea Toast & Trivia.

S2 E31 Elisabeth on The Eugene Onegin Challenge Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia.Thank you for listening in. Elisabeth van der Meer from the extraordinary blog, A Russian Affair, has once again joined me from Finland, the far distance of 7,514 km from Vancouver. Elisabeth issued “The Eugene Onegin Challenge” which is happening on her blog, A Russian Affair. I have taken up the challenge and am reading Alexander Pushkin’s masterpiece, Eugene Onegin, which he wrote over the course of eight years. Elisabeth has introduced the characters, Onegin, Lensky, Tatyana, Olga, and yes, Pushkin. The adventure is underway. So, put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation. I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Season 2 Episode 30: The Trio on Living in the Time of Covid19 Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in.   I am joined by my mother, Frances, and my sister, Sarah to share our thoughts on living in the time of Covid19. How do we embrace a new reality within this unexpected worldwide disruption?  Within a few short weeks, the terms “social distancing” and “self-isolation” have become household phrases. Now we must reinvent how we connect, show kindness and compassion to others and ourselves. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation. We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I’m looking forward to sharing this moment with you. “It may be that when we no longer know what to do, we have come to our real work, and that when we no longer know which way to go, we have begun our real journey. The mind that is not baffled is not employed. The impeded stream is the one that sings.” Wendell Berry

Season 2 Episode 29: Sylvia on the Joy of Music Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that Sylvia, a remarkable blogger and dear friend, has come back on Tea Toast & Trivia. We are once again bridging the 4,245 kilometres, as the crow flies, between Florida and British Columbia I have followed Sylvia’s blog, Another Day In Paradise, for many years.  And the name says it all. Sylvia has created a place that welcomes and encourages life-affirming conversations. In our last podcast conversation in February,  Sylvia and I thought to explore the idea of travelling. Sylvia has traveled extensively, visiting forty countries, and embarking on two round-the-world trips. And then the world changed. Who would have known that the entire world would enter a period of solitude? In a recent blog post, Sylvia wrote, “Wishing you all a peaceful Wednesday. Remember that happiness is the new rich, inner peace is the new success, good health is the new wealth and kindne

Season 2 Episode 28: Liz Gauffreau on The Art of Writing Welcome to Tea Toast & Trivia. Thank you for listening in. I am delighted and thrilled that my dear friend,  writer and poet, Elizabeth Gauffreau  and I are bridging the 3,897 kilometers, as the crow flies, between New Hampshire and Vancouver. Liz holds a BA in English/Writing from Old Dominion University and an MA in English/Fiction Writing from the University of New Hampshire. She is the Assistant Dean of Curriculum and Assessment at Champlain College Online in Burlington, Vermont. Her fiction publications include short stories in Adelaide Literary Magazine, The Long Story, Soundings East, Ad Hoc Monadnock, Rio Grande Review, Blueline, Slow Trains, Hospital Drive, and Serving House Journal, among others. Her poetry has appeared in The Writing On The Wall, The Larcom Review, and Natural Bridge. So, it will not come as a surprise that today’s discussion is on The Art of Writing. So put the kettle on and add to this exciting

Season 2 Episode 27: The Trio on Communication Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. April 27th is “Morse Code Day”  which commemorates Samuel F.B. Morse and the Morse Code, an event that forever changed the way our world conveyed messages. The sound of the staccato taps reminds me of adventures past and the darker days of wartime when the transfer of information was critical to victory. So, it is serendipitous that I am posting a podcast on communication. Frances, Sarah and I taped this podcast before the world entered a time of solitude. Little did we know that, once again, our global community would soon experience a challenge that would impact the way we dialogue and connect. So put the kettle on and add to the conversation.  We would love to hear your thoughts on TeaToastTrivia.com I am your host Rebecca Budd and I am looking forward to sharing this moment with you.

Season 2 Episode 26: Irena on Curling, Connecting Canada & Scotland Welcome to Tea, Toast and Trivia. Thank you for listening in. Today, I am delighted that my dear friend, Irena, has joined Tea Toast & Trivia to bridge the 972  kilometres, between Calgary and Alberta. If you are taking a road trip it would take 11 hours and 46 minutes via the Trans-Canada Highway.  I promise it would be an unforgettable, breathtaking journey for you would amid the majestic Canadian Rockies. Irena and I will be discussing Curling, the sport that Canada has embraced as an essential winter pastime. What is curling? How many players?  How do you win? Where did it originate? And why is it most firmly established in Canada? Put the kettle on and add to this exciting conversation on TeaToastTrivia. Irena and I would love to hear your thoughts! “It might look complicated when you watch curling on TV, but when it comes right down to it, our sport is pretty easy to understand — once you learn some of the basic t