Travel Talk

Episode 134 is here, and we talk TRAVEL... just in time for our big adventure to Australia! 

On the agenda:

• How is it possible to pack only a carry on for a 2 week trip? 
• Who is worried about comfort on the long flight? 
• How many "birthdays" can be celebrated on one trip? 
• Who is bringing ... laundry detergent?

All that and more in Episode 134! 

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Time Management

Are you a time management ninja?

In Episode 133, the Pirates discuss time management, share their time management survey results (one of us is a ninja - can you guess who??!!), and share strategies that help them to plan and manage their time. 

To get started, CLICK HERE to take the Time Management Survey! You'll respond to each statement with not at all, rarely, sometimes, often, or all the time. At the end of the survey, you'll get your score and find out how you rank!

1. I leave things to the last minute.
2. I work on the highest priority tasks throughout the day.
3. On a weekly basis I set aside time for planning the following week.
4. I attend unproductive meetings.
5. I leave space in my schedule to deal with the unexpected.
6. I use goal setting to determine my most important activities.
7. I put off tasks that are difficult or I don't like.
8. I routinely protect time in advance for the most important things.
9. I work late at night or on weekends to meet deadlines.
10. I spend more time than I want trying to find things.
11. I feel that email overtakes my day.
12. For each activity, I ask yourself "Is this the best use of my time right now"?
13. I feel stressed and overcommitted because of all the things I need to do.
14. How often do I procrastinate?
15. Interruptions (email, Facebook, visitors or telephone calls) continually disrupt my work day.

Not a ninja (yet)? Try utlizing the Four D's to tackle your to-do list: 

1. Do - Do I need to do this immediately? 
2. Delegate - Is there someone else who can do this?
3. Defer - Can this task wait until later? 
4. Delete - Does this really need to be done? 

You can also check out one of Adrienne's favorite time management tools - the SELF Journal by Best Self! With quarterly, weekly, and monthly views, you can prioritize each day and week based on your goals!

Listen to Episode 133 to learn more! Also, if you have a few extra minutes (now that you have reached time management ninja status), please subscribe to the Pirate Life Podcast and leave a positive review for us! 

Clutter

At the start of 2025, we kicked off our  annual Lose It For Lou Gehrig's Wellness Challenge. The challenge began in 2014 memory of Adrienne's brother-in-law, Perry, who was diagnosed with ALS the year prior. The challenge is now a staple - we have an amazing group of participants who join us annually kick off the new year with healthy habits! 

In week one, we were challenged to reduce clutter by purging a total of 50 items from our homes! 

Wondering what clearing out clutter has to do with wellness?  Every unworn shirt in our closet, expired can in our pantry, and dusty tchotchke on our bureau has a cost that goes beyond our wallets – These things also steal our TIME and ENERGY. Clearing out clutter can help us regain both physical and mental space, reduce anxiety, and find calm.

 

Can you imagine…

 

• A closet where everything you pull out makes you look and feel great?
• A pantry where you can easily find foods that nourish your body?
• A home that feels like your own personal showroom because everything within it brings you joy?

 

It’s possible!

 

The goal isn’t empty rooms, bare shelves, and stark white walls. The goal is to be INTENTIONAL about the THINGS that we bring into our lives. Basically, we want to get rid of the things that DON’T matter, so that we can focus on the things that DO!

In Episode 132, we share our biggest clutter-related struggles... "treasures" gifted from family, old concert tshirts, outdated power cords, and more. We also share some of our best tips and tricks for conquering that clutter!

Interested in reducing the clutter in your home? 

 

Check Out These Resources:

• JFB and Ryan Nicodemus - When I first started learning about minimalism, these guys were a huge source of motivation and inspiration. They have a great podcast and a documentary on Netflix. It’s only about an hour long, and I absolutely recommend it! (I also got to meet them in person a few years ago - ahhhhh!)
• Courtney Carver created Project 333 where she only wears 33 items for three months. It’s a pretty fun challenge, and kind of eye-opening about the number of things in our closet that we actual need (spoiler: NOT as many as we think).
• The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo is also a great read!

 

2025 Life List

We kick off Episode 131 by celebrating Denise's MRI results (all clear!), Adrienne's new handcrafted bracelet, and Shawna's newfound expertise in making goat's milk soap!

We also reflected on 2024. With a score of 7/10, we earned a passing grade and made a ton of new memories! Adrienne emerged, Denise was spontaneous, and Shawna optimized. 

But the big order of business for Episode 131 was finalizing our 2025 Life List and our words for the year. Here's what we came up with...

2025 Words: 

• Adrienne - LEVEL UP
• Denise - BALANCE
• Shawna - STRIVE 

2025 Life List: 

• Australia 
• Komen 3-Day in Boston
• Annual beach day
• PA Breast Cancer Coalition Walk
• Day trip by plane
• Automotive class
• Dinner with significant others
• Sponsor a wish (Make-A-Wish)
• Stargazing
• NFL game

Any tips and tricks for the adventures above? Please share! and watch for updates on Insta and Facebook! 

VISIT OUR LINKTREE to find our most recent episodes on your favorite podcast platform.

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2025 Life List Ideas

Since the inception of The Pirate Life Podcast, we've been creating a list of adventures for us to complete each year... our LIFE LIST. In 2024, one of our biggest Life List items was the Komen 3Day in Dallas, TX. 

We kicked of episode 130 with a few more of our favorite memories from the 3Day: 

• Pickle pops, mimosas from State Farm, shots of tequila, and Twix bars. 
• Our fave pic of Denise ever (see right) - and the opportunity to celebrate HER during the survivor ceremony. 
• Digging into the "cookie jar" and channeling our inner-David Goggins when the going got tough!

The Komen 3Day was HARD - but we are so thankful that this experience was part of our 2024 life list - and we've already committed to continuing the adventure in Boston in 2025.

But what else should make the 2025 Life List? We dedicate Episode 130 to brainstorming!

Ideas from Adrienne's Effective Speech class: 

• Read a book by Jane Austen
• Cliff dive
• Go to a Super Bowl/any NFL game - preferable involving the 49ers
• Take a day trip to Chicago (via plane)
• Visit the White House
• Come to a Student Government Association meeting at Penn State Harrisburg
• Ride in a Zero Gravity airplane 
• Skydive
• Do a backflip while skiing 
• Travel to Southeast Asia 

And a few more ideas from the Pirates: 

• Plan our annual Beach day
• Travel to Australia
• Participate in the Komen 3Day in Boston
• Take a Jeep adventure 
• Spend the weekend at Denise's cabin 
• Enjoy a Pirate dinner with our partners 
• Sleep in a treehouse 
• Walk in the PA Breast Cancer Coalition 5K 
• Take an automotive class
• Take an art class
• Test drive a fast car
• Go stargazing
• Raise a carnivorous plant
• Take a hot air balloon ride
• Pet a wild animal
• Dance in the rain
• Sponsor a child's wish for Make-A-Wish
• Send a message in a bottle
• Go zorbing 
• Sleep in a castle 
• Visit a ghost town (Centralia)
• Take a photo of something every day for a year
• Make a time capsule
• Jump fully clothed in a pool 

What do you think should make the list for 2025? Listen to Episode 130 to hear our deliberations. Then let us know YOUR thoughts! 

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Don't miss an episode... Subscribe to The Pirate Life Podcast. Thank you for living the pirate life with us!

Komen 60 Mile Walk Adventure

In Episode 129, the Pirates share their experience at the Susan G. Komen 60 Mile Walk in Dallas, Texas in November... the good, the bad, and the ugly!

Spoiler Alert: The Pirates already signed up to do the 60 mile walk again in 2025 - this time in Boston on August 15-17. Additional walkers are encouraged to join the Pink Pirate Team (links to sign up are below). Please use referral link on the specific pages to sign up, as that contributes to the overall fundraising amount! Or reach out to the Pirates individually to discuss participating and/or how to sign up. Donations can be submitted at any of the links below, as well.

On behalf of all the Pink Pirate team members, we cannot thank you enough for your support!

• Shawna's page (to donate or sign up to walk)
• Adrienne's page (to donate or sign up to walk)
• Denise's page (to donate or sign up to walk)
• Heather's page (to donate or sign up to walk)

Listen to Episode 129 to learn more about our adventure in Dallas and how YOU can get involved! 

VISIT OUR LINKTREE to find our most recent episodes on your favorite podcast platform.

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Christmas Trivia

Episode 128: It's a Pirate Life Podcast first! (Dr.) Producer Paul takes the lead with Christmas Trivia  for the Pirates. 

Play along to find out your Christmas knowledge status...  Are you an elf or a Grinch??!!

Do you know the answers? 

1. What popular Christmas song was originally written for Thanksgiving?
2. What country is credited with starting the tradition of decorating Christmas trees? 
3. What is the most popular meal served for Christmas dinner in Japan? 
4. In the movie Home Alone, where is the McCallister family going on vacation when they leave Kevin behind? 
5. What Christmas movie features a young boy named Ralphie who wants a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas? 
6. In National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation, what does Clark Griswold hope to buy with his Christmas bonus? 
7. What is the name of the Grinch's dog in How the Grinch Stole Christmas? 
8. In Elf, what are the four main food groups according to Buddy the Elf? 
9. Which Christmas movie takes place at Nakatomi Plaza in Los Angeles? 
10. Who is the historical figure that inspired the modern-day Santa Clause? 
11. What year was Christmas declared a federal holiday in the United States? 
12. What is the most streamed Christmas song of all time on Spotify? 
13. What year did the book Elf on a Shelf come out?
14. What percentage of Americans buy artificial Christmas trees instead of real ones?  

Listen to Episode 128 to see how you score (elf or Grinch) and find out where the pirates landed! Wishing all our mateys a very happy holiday season!

VISIT OUR LINKTREE to find our most recent episodes on your favorite podcast platform.

Don't miss an episode... Subscribe to The Pirate Life Podcast. Thank you for living the pirate life with us!