Restart at Any Age!

Podcast#132 An inspiring conversation with 2000's Renaissance Man Will Barba

From neuroscience student and college soccer player to founder of Temptations Bazaar and curator of the beautiful redwood sanctuary Chez Serendip, Will’s journey of courage, pivots, and deep community healing is exactly what so many of us need right now.
In this episode he shares:How COVID cracked him open and led himto choose community over a traditional sales path
The magic of saying “yes” to last-minute opportunities
The power of “Reconnect & Remember”
How to listen to your inner call and start blooming where you’re planted
Will moves so gracefully between science & soul, action & intuition, building something beautiful for all of us.
 
Question for you: Where in your life are you feeling a quiet (or loud) pull toward something different? What would “rooting deep and blooming” look like for you right now?
Drop your thoughts below — your story might be the encouragement someone else needs today 💛
Big thanks to Will Barba. Go follow his work @temptationsbazaar and @chezserendip — pure magic happening there.
#TemptationsBazaar #ChezSerendip #LifePivot #ReconnectAndRemember #CommunityHealing #SantaCruz #ConsciousLiving

Podcast# 131 Everything Santa Cruz Shakespeare Company, with Charles Pasternakl Artistic Director!

Today we’re taking a different tack , apart from the wonderful programs coming up with the Shakespeare company, we are also exploring the unexpected, behind-the-scenes side of outdoor theatre — all the creative and surprising ways non-actors can help bring Shakespeare to life under the Cedars.

Podcast #130 An interview with Alisa Sieber Johnson

My longest podcast yet — and it was worth every minute!
We recorded at the beautiful Chez Serendip in Scotts Valley, our new sponsor and a stunning estate that supports artists and community.
I sat down with founder Alisa Sieber-Johnson — former Marine C-130 pilot and Sexual Assault Response Coordinator — who had her life mapped out for the airlines until the pandemic changed everything. 
This is a powerful conversation about pivoting when the life that works on paper no longer fits.
 
 
#RestartAtAnyAge #ChezSerendip #LifePivot #SecondAct #WomenVeterans #MarineCorps #Podcast

Podcast# 129 Getting to know the Ladies of Bonny Doon and their club

Have you ever gone through a big life change… and quietly wondered:
“Where do I belong now?”
A move. A retirement. A loss.And suddenly, everything feels different.
In this episode, two women share what happened when they found themselves in that exact place—after moving to the mountains of Bonny Doon.
What they found next changed everything.
Not just a group… Not just social gatherings… But real connection, support, and belonging
If you’ve ever felt alone in a transition—this conversation is for you.

Podcast#128 Take an education on the most beautiful Cheetahs of Africa, with Dr Laurie Marker

What does it take to save a species? 🐆
In this powerful episode, I speak with Dr. Laurie Marker, founder of the Cheetah Conservation Fund, about her groundbreaking work protecting cheetahs—through innovation, community, and an unexpected hero: livestock guarding dogs.
It’s a story of courage, reinvention, and what’s possible when passion meets purpose.
 Listen now to “Restart at Any Age”#Cheetah #WildlifeConservation #Podcast #StartAgain

Podcast # 127 A segue into Restart at Any Age! with an interview with Tina Quick, Stand Up Comedian.

When I first interviewed today’s guest, we explored her many lives — barrel racing, triathlons, international nursing with the Indian Health Service, professional theatre in Kenya, coaching basketball in Pakistan, writing about Third Culture Kids in Boston, and even winning national basketball titles at the Senior Games.
But this time, she’s back for something entirely different.
Now, she’s stepped into the spotlight as a stand-up comedian — proving once again that reinvention isn’t a phase, it’s a way of life.
In this episode, we talk about what drew her to comedy after so many extraordinary chapters, what it feels like to start again in front of a live audience, and why humor may be the boldest move of all.
If you’ve ever wondered whether it’s too late to try something new, this conversation might just nudge you toward the mic, or at least something new!

Podcast #126 Marcia Sivek , Advocate for the Cheetah Conservation Fund

Today we’re joined by Marcia Sivek, a passionate advocate for cheetah conservation with the Cheetah Conservation Fund. Pivoting from her experience at the time. the journey began in 2017 when she met Dr. Laurie Marker at the Wildlife Conservation Network Expo — a meeting that led her all the way to Namibia as a working guest at CCF’s conservation center.
Retired — or thinking about what’s next?
In this episode, Marcia Sivek shares how she reinvented herself and found purpose through conservation work with the Cheetah Conservation Fund.
We explore how retirees can:• Use professional skills in meaningful ways• Support global conservation efforts• Travel with purpose• Become ambassadors for change
Your experience doesn’t expire. It evolves.
After years of volunteering with CCF’s Northern California chapter, Marcia now serves on the development team, where she builds relationships with donors, leads outreach efforts, and helps connect new audiences to the mission of saving cheetahs in the wild.

Podcast # 125 A conversation with Monastic Tenzin Chogkyi

Go Ahead and Tell Me!
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Tenzin Chogkyi — meditation teacher, compassion trainer, and longtime community educator — as we explore how it’s never too late to live with purpose, get involved, and make a meaningful difference.
Drawing from decades of Buddhist practice, modern psychology, and hands-on service work — from international teaching to prison programs and local volunteer efforts — Tenzin offers practical wisdom for cultivating compassion, emotional balance, and sustainable engagement in today’s world.
This special event will focus on finding purpose later in life, especially after 60, and discovering ways to contribute to our communities with heart, resilience, and joy. Whether you are curious about meditation, looking for inspiration in a new life chapter, or seeking meaningful ways to serve, this conversation will offer insight, encouragement, and practical ideas you can begin using right away.
Come ready to reflect, learn, and leave inspired.

Podcast# 124 Talking to the governing ladies of the Santa Cruz Symphony

On Go Ahead and Tell Me, host Susan Douglas explores how later chapters of life can become a time of reinvention, creativity, and purpose.
This week, she talks with Dr. Deborah Bronstein and Lesley Harris of the Santa Cruz Symphony about leadership, inspiration, and the Symphony’s exciting upcoming season — including Amadeus with Charles Pasternak — and their decades-long commitment to music education.
Tune in for a conversation about music, community, and what’s possible at every stage of life.

Podcast# 123 Mary Collis and Michelle McCune Two artists entwined through their love of Kenya and Santa Cruz

What happens when two artists are shaped by Africa—and connected by a coastal town in California?
On this episode of Go Ahead and Tell ME!, host Susan Douglas brings together Mary Collis, a Kenyan abstract painter and child of Africa, and Michelle McClune, a Santa Cruz local whose journey from veterinary science to wildlife art was deeply shaped by Kenya.
They talk about art as expression and advocacy, conservation and community, finding your voice at any stage of life, and the lasting impact of Africa.
One was born into Africa. One found Africa and was forever changed. Both tell their  story through art.
Listen now and join the conversation.
#GoAheadAndTellME #MaryCollis #MichelleMcClune #AfricanArt #WildlifeArt #ArtAndConservation #Kenya #SantaCruzArtists #CreativeJourneys#Abstract Art