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3 min

Thanksgiving and Gratitude

No matter what the situation is...close your eyes and think of all the things in your life you could be grateful for right now." — Deepak Chopra Is there any holiday better than Thanksgiving? Not only is it a time to eat all our favorite foods, but it is also a time to express our gratitude for living. Keerthi hosts this holiday favorite and surprisingly she is not a fan of Thanksgiving food because she is a vegetarian. But she is a believer in appreciation and thankfulness a

Cynthia Brian

4 min

Autumn Aromas

By Cynthia Brian “ When it rained this past week, did you smell it? The scent of earth mixed with fallen leaves and decomposing plant matter signals the transition of the seasons. On the calendar, autumn began on September 22, 2022, but it wasn’t until November that I inhaled this intoxicating aroma that brought back childhood memories of the end of harvest, jumping in piles of leaves, and blazing bonfires. In just a week, it seemed that so many trees changed their wardrobe f

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Misogyny Online and Debate

“We are volcanoes. When we women offer our experience as truth, as human truth, all the maps change. There are new mountains.” — Ursula K. LeGuin The increase in technology and social media, has led to the rise of misogyny online - a dangerous, vile problem that has infiltrated almost every corner of the internet. Hannah and Keerthi host this program about equality for women. Hannah discusses a major problem that has infiltrated almost every corner of the internet…misogyny. S

Voting and Low Literacy, Preventing Garden Injuries, No-Waste Food

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Voting and Low Literacy, Preventing Garden Injuries, No-Waste Food

https://www.voiceamerica.com/episode/139928/voting-and-low-literacy-preventing-garden-injuries-no-waste-fo Understanding a ballot is difficult when one is a proficient reader as many of the statements are written in a confusing manner. When a person has low or no literacy skills, knowledgeable voting is almost impossible. Everyone knows that gardening is terrific exercise for all parts of your body. Gardening is also a dangerous activity. Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian, shar

Cynthia Brian

5 min

Preventing Gardening Injuries

By Cynthia Brian “Do what you can for as long as you can, and when you can’t, do the next best thing!” Chuck Yeager Press Pass: https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2022/10/27/garden-safety/ One of the many lessons I’ve learned from my forty-plus years in the entertainment industry is that the show must go on! Except for the Covid 19 pandemic, actors go to work despite any personal circumstances. I’ve put on my acting mask when I’ve had walking pneumonia, broken bones, and deaths in

Cynthia Brian

2 min

VOTE! VOTE! VOTE!

The midterm elections are approaching and our Express Yourself!™ teens, hosts Ruhani and Keerthi and reporter Kevin have important thoughts to be considered. Keerthi starts the segment in her usual humorous monologue talks about democracy and voting through the debate lens. Ruhani focuses on the 19th amendment and our rights to vote, giving us a history lesson worth listening to. Our A.I. afficionado, Kevin, discusses how A. I. plays a role in the voting process and candidate

Cynthia Brian

4 min

It's Happening at the Zoo

https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2022/10/18/transplanting-and-zoo-fun/ By Cynthia Brian “It’s a light and tumble journey From the East Side to the park; Just a fine and fancy ramble to the zoo!” Simon & Garfunkel When the squirrels start collecting piles of acorns, and pumpkins, gourds, and squash adorn front porches, we know that autumn has arrived. With the cooler weather, we welcome fresh air and respite from the heat waves. Besides gardening, I have always adored animals (th

Encouraging the Arts with Illustrator, Jensen Russell

Cynthia Brian

2 min

Encouraging the Arts with Illustrator, Jensen Russell

Maggie hosts an hour of celebrating the arts with special guest artist and illustrator, Jensen Russell. Jensen illustrated the new children’s picture book authored by Cynthia Brian, No Barnyard Bullies and will be illustrating forthcoming books in the series, Stella Bella’s Barnyard Adventures. (https://www.StarStyleStore.net) She says she has always been an artist beginning as a little girl doodling and encourages teens to pursue creative endeavors. After high school she too

Cynthia Brian

4 min

Fall Forward

https://www.lamorindaweekly.com/archive/issue1616/Digging-Deep-with-Goddess-Gardener-Cynthia-Brian-Fall-forward.html By Cynthia Brian “Delicious Autumn! My soul is wedded to it, and if I were a bird, I would fly about the earth seeking the successive Autumns.” George Eliot The sweet smell of the recent rain-dampened soil stimulated my soul. Although it wasn’t enough moisture to revive a parched earth, my brown lawn exhibits more strands of green. This short respite from the h

Cynthia Brian

2 min

Femicide and Publishing

In today’s episode of Express Yourself!, hosts Hannah and Ruhani delve into serious topics such as feminism and misogyny. Hannah explains the rise of femicide and how sexist media has contributed to these rates. In the next segment, Ruhani goes into detail about the merger of publishing houses and how it can lead to limiting diverse voices in literature. Our hosts ran out of time before they can go more in depth about the rise of dangerous misogynistic podcasters, so stay tun

Cynthia Brian

4 min

Busting Exercise Myths and PTSDreams

Numerous myths revolve around exercising. Since they’ve been repeated so often, people now believe. Learn the truth and myths around working out, nutrition, and taking care of your body. PTSDreams: Transform Your Nightmares from Trauma through Healing Dreamwork, combines a cornucopia of dreamwork skills and strategies with multiple modalities for healing trauma into a guide for both professionals and the lay reader. Dreamwork specialist, Linda Yael Schiller, MSW, LICSW, join

Cynthia Brian

5 min

Some Like it Hot!

By Cynthia Brian Press Pass: https://blog.voiceamerica.com/2022/09/16/hot-hot-hot-2/ “What dreadful hot weather we have. It keeps one in a continual state of inelegance.” Jane Austen In July 1808 when Jane Austen was thirty-three, the Central England Temperature series which dates back to 1659, recorded the 2nd hottest month on record with temperatures around the country reaching between 97-105 degrees. Following this oppressive heat wave, a thunderstorm so violent that hail

Cynthia Brian

2 min

Break Out, Bone Health, Money Talk

Are you burned out at work and at home? Are you feeling exhausted, hopeless, and depressed? Maybe it is time to take a break. Stop, rejuvenate, and reinvent yourself. Travel, bird watch, go on a sabbatical. Let’s invest in you and your well-being. When it comes to bone health, 70% of our bone density is due to heredity. If your family has a history of osteoporosis, there are still things you can do to improve your odds of keeping your bones strong. Taking action now could sav

Biotechnology/Genetic Modification and Ethics

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Biotechnology/Genetic Modification and Ethics

Biotechnology/Genetic Modification and Ethics Another scientific episode from our very intellectual teens at Express Yourself! In segment one, Keerthi humorously describes biotechnology. She looks at the advantages of biotech. Biotech can help produce healthier foods, since genetics can be altered through biotech, scientists can increase the amount of healthy nutrients in crops. Changing the genetic code of crops could also cause fewer pesticides to be used, more efficient fa

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Women's Empowerment and Gender Equality

“Each time a woman stands up for herself, without knowing it possibly, without claiming it, she stands up for all women.” ― Maya Angelou Hannah, Ruhani, Keerthi, and Sharanya stand up for all women. Keerthi offers an insightful, yet humorous take on creating interesting characters for fiction writing, especially for the female gender. Hannah dives into the dangerous effects of the recent overturning of Roe. v. Wade which took away women’s reproductive rights and jeopardizes f

Alternative Fabrics. Heart & Alcohol, Michoacan Monarch

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Alternative Fabrics. Heart & Alcohol, Michoacan Monarch

Because the production of leather, cotton, and polyester are toxic to the planet, alternative fabric research is in high demand. Fabrics derived from coffee grounds, roses, and pineapple leaves may be more sustainable. Find out what consumers want and what brands are delivering. Were we wrong to believe that a glass of red wine a day was good for our heart? New research from a large gene-based study found that consumption of any amount of alcohol increased the risk of cardiov

Cynthia Brian

2 min

Back to School

Back to School Can summer vacation be over already? Yes, for most students, classes begin this week. No more sleeping late and going to bed whenever. It’s time to hit the books and make sure you make the bell. Producer, Cynthia Brian introduces Nerd Extraordinaire reporter, Keerthi, as she gives a humorous, yet impactful insight into debating. Host Hannah catches up with Rose in her segment Bite Share, focusing on the importance of urban food policy, food in schools, and food

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Made in the Shade

By Cynthia Brian “Gardens are not made by sitting in the shade.” Rudyard Kipling Gardens may not be cultivated while we are sitting in the shade, but on a hot summer day, there is nothing better than sipping an ice-cold lemonade while resting in one of my shadowy gardens. This year the world has been experiencing the hottest weather on record. In the United Kingdom, July temperatures were as high as 25 degrees Fahrenheit more than normal. According to data from the U.S. Ocea

Summer Cool, Shade Plants, Client Relationships

Cynthia Brian

3 min

Summer Cool, Shade Plants, Client Relationships

It’s one of the hottest summers on record. How can you keep yourself hydrated and safe from the heat? Heat exhaustion and heatstroke can be life-threatening. Take precautions. Every garden needs to have an area of shade. Most shade-loving plants are understory plants that grow under the forest or jungle canopy. Trees are the anchors of any shade garden. Goddess Gardener, Cynthia Brian suggests a list of groundcovers, shrubs, perennials, herbs, and annuals to create a restful

Cynthia Brian

2 min

Journalism

Ruhani, Sharanya, and Keerthi showcase a program about different types of journalistic endeavors. What is journalism? According to Britannica, journalism is “the collection, preparation, and distribution of news and related commentary and feature materials through such print and electronic media as newspapers, magazines, books, blogs, webcasts, podcasts, social networking, and social media sites, and e-mail as well as through radio, motion pictures, and television.” Nerd Extr

Passion, Purpose, & Possibility Producer

Cynthia Brian

Empowerment Architect