Mostly Death Stuff

Niki Weiss: Death In The Age of A.I.

We hear a lot about how A.I. is going to impact our lives, but what about how it impacts us when we die? Niki Weiss is a Digital Thanatologist, an expert who studies the intersection of death, dying, and digital technology. She’s also the founder of ENDevo, a legacy planning company that looks at the totality of the person - the legal, the financial, the physical and the digital. Death in the age of A.I. is no joke and we’re just starting to imagine where this can all go. As Niki says, "it’s kind of like being on an airplane– we don’t know exactly where we’re going and we’re not sure if we have landing gear." This is such a thought-provoking episode that will make you rethink how your digital presence today could be used for better or for worse in the future. You can learn more about Niki's company ENDevo: https://www.endevo.life Take the ENDevo 2-min Peace of Mind Assessment: https://finalplaybook.com/quiz

Joél Simone: The Grave Woman

My guest today is Joél Simone, also known as The Grave Woman. Joél is the founder of the Multicultural Death and Grief Care Academy, an organization that empowers professionals with the tools to create authentic, culturally inclusive experiences that honor diversity and inclusion at the end of life, after death and through grief support. Joél is a celebrity within the death and funeral space and tours the country, regularly speaking at all the major death and funeral-related industry events. We talk about her time as an embalmer and the reverence and care she brought to that role. We also get into some of the courses that her academy provides, such as Locs and Twist- a class for death care professionals that offers essential techniques for properly cleansing and caring for the locs and twisted hairstyles of Black descendants. Learn more: www.thegravewoman.com Badu Incense: https://baduworldmarket.com/collections/incenses

Clay Risen: The New York Times Obituaries

What’s your favorite section of the newspaper? As someone who would receive a printed copy of The New York Times on Sundays, I would spend 10 minutes pulling out my priority sections: front page news of course (it’s kind of the whole point of subscribing), Real Estate, Food to know where I should eat next and what to cook next, Style to stay current, and always the obituaries. My guest today is Clay Risen, a reporter for The New York Times on the obituaries desk. Clay gives us an insider perspective on the process of writing obituaries. He says, “our job isn’t to write about death. The death is an occasion for which we are writing about a life.” That’s a reframe that stopped me in my tracks. What’s clear after speaking with Clay is that we are all connected. There’s more that connects us than divides us, and that reading the obituaries is a practice that can remind you that you’re still alive!

Stefanie Greenleaf & Julia Sweetland: Widow's Fire

Whoa nelly. This one is hot. Today my guests are Stefanie Greenleaf and Julia Sweetland. We’re digging into the topic of Widow’s Fire. "Widow's Fire" is the intense, often overwhelming surge of sexual desire and need for physical intimacy that can occur in the weeks or months after a spouse's death. And this overwhelming desire coincides with…you guessed it, grief. Stef and Julia hold nothing back in this honest, authentic and empowering discussion. Even if you’re not a widow, I bet this episode makes you think about your own sexuality and the role intimacy plays in your life. Learn more about the community that Julia has built by visiting widowsfire.com Enjoy Stef and Julia— they bring the fire.

Nancy Mello: Animal Communicator

Today my guest is Nancy Mello, animal communicator and medium. Nancy’s story is one that I think is going to really touch a lot of people. It certainly touched me. She shares how being an outcast and being seen as a weirdo throughout her life, is something she’s turned into her super power. Nancy reminds us that your authentic self is always the answer, and that on the rollercoaster of life, you can either choose to grip the safety bar or put your hands up in the air and have fun. It’s the best analogy and one that’s stuck with me for weeks. Enjoy the gifted, quirky and wildly wonderful Nancy Mello. Learn more about Nancy and book a session: https://nancymello.com/