catchiNG up: Beyond the Classroom

Episode 10 - The Long Way Around

This one is different. For Episode 10, there's no guest — just me. And I want to tell you something I don't think I've ever said out loud in this format: I never planned on becoming a teacher. I graduated from UCF in 2013 with a degree in Molecular and Microbiology. I had a plan. Med school, a clear path forward. And then the self-doubt crept in, the scores weren't where I needed them to be, and suddenly I was back at my parents' house in St. Augustine with no idea what came next. What followed was a chapter I don't talk about much — a move to Chicago, a job that didn't work out, pivoting to medical courier work, taking on debt, and spending a lot of time alone on long drives, wondering what I was doing with my life. But somewhere in the middle of all of that, a podcast changed everything. A TED talk about risk and knowing your north star made me stop and ask myself a question I hadn't been honest about: what do I actually want? The answer pointed me back to Florida, into a substitute teaching position I almost didn't take, and eventually into an Anatomy & Physiology classroom that somehow felt exactly right. Episode 10 felt like the right moment to share this story — because catchiNG Up has always been about growth that doesn't follow a straight line. And my path into teaching is about as winding as it gets. This is The Long Way Around. And with it, Season 1 comes to a close. Season 2 is coming soon. 🎙️ catchiNG Up is a podcast about reconnection, growth, and life beyond the classroom — featuring former students, colleagues, and friends reflecting on where life has taken them. If this episode resonated with you, it would mean the world if you followed the show and left a review. It helps more people find these conversations and keeps the show growing. 📲 Find everything — all episodes, social media, and more — at the link below:linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast [linktr.ee/The_catchiNGupPodcast]

Episode 9 - From Model UN to Retirement Plans: Julia Porcher on Growing Up, Letting Go, and Moving Forward

On this episode of catchiNG Up, Peter sits down with someone who knows him better than anyone — his wife, Julia Porcher. A plan compliance consultant by trade and a self-described "lifelong partner" to Peter's "lifelong learner," Julia opens up about the path she thought she'd take (diplomat, world traveler, Model UN devotee) versus the one she actually walked. They talk about what it means to become a realist, why soft skills are harder to teach than any math class, and the advice she'd give her high school self — if she'd even listen. Plus: household "performance reviews," the economics of teenage babysitting, and the eternal struggle of patience versus crochet.

Episode 8 - Blossoming Away from Home ft. Brianna Jacob

This week, Peter reconnects with Brianna Jacob, a former anatomy student turned work-from-home nurse living in El Paso, Texas. What started as a student-teacher relationship has grown into a story about bold choices, personal reinvention, and learning to find yourself far from everything familiar. Brianna opens up about the realities of bedside nursing — including the trauma, the camaraderie, and why she ultimately pivoted to telehealth. She and Peter also get into life as a partner of a dental school student, discovering authentic Mexican-Asian fusion in the desert, and why moving away from your comfort zone might be exactly what you need. Plus: octopuses have three hearts, 200-year-old tortoises, and the inevitable rabbit hole of what human life would look like if we lived twice as long. What would you tell your past self? For Brianna, it starts with a hug — and a reminder to stop taking yourself so seriously.

Episode 7 - Prescriptions, Pivots & Second Chances

Peter reconnects with Isabella Romero — UCF pre-med junior and dermatology medical assistant — who walked into the field at 17 with no certification and applied to every office in Orlando until someone said yes. In this episode, Isabella opens up about the high school moment she'll never forget, why she thinks making connections beats memorizing every time, and what burning out hard enough to take a medical withdrawal taught her about building a life that lasts. A conversation about grit, grace, and growing up on the fly.

Episode 6 - Shoot for the Stars, Land on a Cloud

Caden Redmond graduated from Timber Creek in 2022 and hasn't slowed down since. From winning a national championship at the NAIA level to recovering from a full ACL tear — with a double meniscus tear and partial fracture to go with it — Caden has had to fight for every yard, on and off the field. Now interning with the Orlando Pirates and building his brand on social media, he's chasing a professional football dream one step at a time. In this episode, we talk about what it's really like to play college football at the NAIA level, how a high school knee injury eventually led to major surgery, the importance of the coach-player relationship, and why Caden's dad's simple advice — "if you're green, you grow" — is how he defines success. Whether you're chasing a big dream or bouncing back from a setback, this one's for you.