Meet Shari Hubbard: To Feed and Inform

She finds great joy in helping to feed her community. She finds a feasible framework for informative conversations about hunger. She finds flexibility is an important approach to both her life and her work.  She finds wonderful ways to feed her body, mind, and spirit. She finds respect in helping others reach their full potential.

I help feed the hungry.

What is the nature of your job?

     My title is Director of Communications at Second Harvest of the Big Bend. I help inform and engage stakeholders regarding issues on food insecurity. I get to help our food bank make a tangible difference for vulnerable and underserved citizens. I get to show people how they can generously help their neighbors. I get to know that, in my own small way, I help feed hungry families and children. All of us work as a team, inspiring each other, toward our mission to supply healthy and nutritious food.

What makes your town a great travel destination?

     Tallahassee has so many wonderful events and attractions. Parks, greenways, restaurants, museums, festivals, concerts…the list goes on forever. People should enjoy places like Cascades Park, Goodwood Museum, Mission San Luis, and the fantastic local libraries. Of course, we have great sports events here, too. I had a blast attending FSU’s first national championship game.

Don’t you have some background in travel?

     Yes, before working with nonprofits I traveled many places in destination marketing. I love Maine, California, Colorado, as well as the Blue Ridge and Appalachian Mountains.  Places high on my bucket list include Alaska, Montana, Wyoming, and the Greek Isles. I plan to return to Scotland to explore my Scottish heritage. Oh, and eating my way through Tuscany was a particularly fun adventure.

Be intentional in your kindness.

Which are you more passionate about: art, food, or music?

     That’s a hard choice! I grow my own herbs. I love to cook and develop my own unique dishes. I’m not artistic but do appreciate all forms of art. Collecting art from my travels is a great way to remember an experience. I love live music. My first-ever arena concert was Bruce Springsteen on the “Born in the U.S.A.” tour. Recently I took my teenage son to his first concert, Imagine Dragons. What an amazing time that I know we’ll both remember forever!

What relaxing activities do you most enjoy?

     Walking a trail by a “cathedral of trees” is great exercise and where I get my best ideas. Being alone in nature clears the mind and leaves me calm. I also very much enjoy reading. Spending time with my chosen family of smart and supportive friends is dear to me. So is my faithful companion, a miniature Australian Shepherd named Rudy Lu Wigglebottom.

What makes you an exuberant person?

     Anticipation! Looking forward to a grand adventure or a sweet conversation with friends. I   try to listen respectfully with an open heart and mind. To find common ground and understand others is so important.

What is your key message for the world?

     Be intentional in your kindness toward others. You will never regret a kindness.

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Dang y’all, Shari Hubbard is a sparkling ray of sunshine in Tallahassee.  She brings a deep sense of value and purpose to her role of helping feed the hungry with Second Harvest. She is smart, kind, and could have a meaningful conversation with anyone.    

I truly urge YOU, dear reader, to leave your comments.

Meet Janis David: Modern Day Renaissance Woman

She is always eager to learn, to grow, and to enjoy good company. Nature, animals, and all people are treated with compassion and acceptance by her. She is simultaneously calming and exciting, simple and complicated.

Could you tell the readers what you do?

      I am an author of stories and books. I am an instructor of Qigong and Belly Dance, and a sensuality coach. Not long ago I owned and sold a computer software company and I still do a little work in real estate. Because I made some sound investments years ago, now at age 65 I am free to be my own boss and live in my own style.

Escapades of a Belly Dancer (vol.1 & vol.2)

What are your best qualities?

     I bring a unique perspective of energy, sensuality, and creative expression to all that I do. I put feelings into words and actions that some cannot understand, and many cannot describe. I am an existential empath who is self-actualized.

Could you talk about where you have lived and traveled?

     I previously lived in New York, California, Hawaii, New Mexico, and Utah. I have now lived in Florida for 23 years. Where I live in Crawfordville is about 18 miles south of Tallahassee and filled with natural beauty. My property is peaceful and calming, close to rivers, springs, and beaches. I have visited Italy, Australia, and England. If I ever do travel again, I’d like to see Africa. But I’m happy right here, right now.

Which are you most passionate about: art, food, or music?

     That’s difficult since they are all part of my passion for life. I love food and cooking for friends. I cook using food as medicine. I am an artist. I am a dancer who moves to music.

I’m also an artist and dancer.

What activities do you find most fun or relaxing?

     Nature’s negative ions help to mellow me out and expand my sensuality. I have a medical marijuana license and find that ingesting THC stimulates creativity. Watering my gardens and exercising are great. I also find photography, weaving, painting, and drawing very relaxing. The most fun ever was an Essence of Being seminar during which I walked on both hot coals and broken glass, and I also flew through the air on a cable. All of that was empowering and I proved to myself that I could do it.

What makes you an exuberant person?

     Mainly it is my zest for life and freedom from guilt. I like who I am, a strong and confident Scorpio. I have unconditional love for all people and animals.

What is your message to the world?

     We are all one. We need to recognize and repair racial disparities. We all have the right to believe in our God of choice since it is all the same and we just use different names.

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Dang y’all! I hope you found Janis just as fascinating as I did. What did you find to be the most surprising or interesting part of the interview? What would you ask her? Please, take a moment to leave your questions and kind comments.

 

Meet Sean Wyman: Policeman Promoting Positivity

Overcoming adversity to become someone better has been a recurring theme in his life. As a   boy he survived childhood trauma. As a teen he survived alcohol addiction. As a 5’6” man he became a fearless Army Ranger. Against seemingly insurmountable odds he has graduated from college, become a police officer, public speaker, and best-selling author. Sean Wyman also found a deep faith that helped him become a better husband and father. The following excerpts from our recent interview further explain how his current passions do positively and proactively improve the lives of police officers and countless others.

I am becoming the best version of myself.

Could you tell me a little about your job?

     I’ve been a police officer about twenty years. I love people and it is rewarding to serve those who need my help. I earn the respect of my community by gaining their trust. Every day brings new opportunities to make a difference.

What are your thoughts on Tallahassee and on travel?

     Florida’s capital city is a great place for education with two major universities. Also, a good place for opportunity and raising a family. I would like to revisit Italy and to see Australia for the first time. A favorite travel memory was when my new wife and I spent a fun week in Key West for our honeymoon.

What activities do you find most relaxing?           

     Spending time at the beach and playing baseball with my son are both huge stress relievers for me. So is cheering on my daughter as she does swimming, gymnastics, and softball. I do sometimes cook with my wife and I love to eat.

Would you explain the passion and purpose that drives your life?

     I was on a journey to get past trauma and find courage to face my fears. Divine intervention helped me move forward toward a better life. My first book Let Go: The Movement Process was published in 2016. It helped me work through aggression and anger. God’s grace helped me understand love and healthier ways to interact with others. I found a deep need to advocate for the mental health needs of police officers and others who deal with public safety.  My second book Going Beyond the Call: Mental Health Fitness for Public Safety Professionals was co-authored with Deirdre von Krauskopf and published in 2019.

Why is this so important to you?

     There is a high suicide rate among first responders. This is the start of a courageous conversation that needs to happen. Trauma-informed care and training is important to help us look at our own past, our own survival skills and coping mechanisms, our own process of healing. We must first be able to understand our own pain and be willing to ask for help. Only then will we be better equipped to help promote functional mental health in others.

I help people survive and thrive.

What makes you an exuberant person?

     Well, I am not anything special, but I just have a lot of energy. I am a rational and positive person who is not afraid to talk to anyone. I want to keep becoming the best version of myself while I help reduce suicides and help people survive and thrive.

What is your message to the world?

     Be prepared and don’t put off working on your own mental and physical health. Preparation leads to preservation while procrastination leads to devastation.

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Sean Wyman is quite humble. In February 2020, he received the “Back the Blue” award as Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody thanked him for his work with first responders and mental health.  Dang y’all, I’d say that makes him extraordinary!  What do YOU think?  Your comments will be welcomed and appreciated.

Meet Michelle Bono: A Champion for Challenges

Show heart… share value.

She has helped organize a flash mob. She has helped organize a funeral for a tree. She has helped groups of leaders, mentors, government workers, and many others find deeper value in sharing their own stories. She has helped countless individuals learn from taking a risk and doing things that had never been done before.

What is the essence of your job?

     What I do, and teach others to do, is help people communicate better or become a stronger part of a team. My role is to bring opposing sides together when they’ve been going crazy over some challenging crisis with complex issues. I help them show heart and use real words. I help them see value and know that their opinions have been heard. Then they make difficult decisions and gain deep satisfaction by being part of a positive change.    

What are some rewards of your work?

     By being a good listener and helping others build trusting relationships, I have earned respect and a good reputation. I get to champion projects which I personally support.

Do you think Tallahassee is a great travel destination?

     Yes! Tallahassee is absolutely the prettiest slice of heaven. The many waterways for kayaking, the parks and canopy roads for greenery.  It is a wonderful area for families and for retirement; I highly recommend viewing the website ChooseTallahassee.com for tons of helpful information.

Any other places you have been or that are on your bucket list?

     Epinal, France was a great experience. So were Italy and Ireland. Also, my family and I attended an unusual New Year’s Even event in North Carolina called the Possum Drop in which a possum in a plexiglass cage was lowered at midnight. The trip at the top of my bucket list is a Viking river cruise from Amsterdam to Budapest.

Learn from every good challenge.

What other fun activities do you enjoy?

     My family and I love exploring and having adventures. We have snorkeled with manatees, made peach ice cream, and had epic sing-alongs in the car. We are very blessed to enjoy family card games, board games, and playing piano. I have fallen in love with pickleball, which is a fun and competitive sport a bit like tennis. I am fairly competitive, not for the win, but for the natural high and the thrill.

What makes you an exuberant person?

     I am an optimist with an open heart. I am the happy, and perhaps slightly naïve, woman who will whistle while walking through a cemetery. I avoid using bad language because it just is not necessary. I learn something from every good challenge, and I know without a doubt that tomorrow will always be better.

What is your positive message for the world?

     God’s got this! You and I have got this! Please try to take a deep breath because things will improve, and we will be okay.

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Michelle Bono is quite an inspiring lady. Please share YOUR comments about this interview because, dang y’all, this is truly a time when caring means sharing.  Thank you!

Meet Tiffany Underwood: Authentic Creative Expression

Getting to know a person who comes across as both genuine and genial is exciting. Getting to know a strong and sensible woman is even more exciting. Tiffany Underwood is one person I sincerely enjoyed spending time with recently. Here are some of the highlights of our talk.

How do you earn a living?

I am a part-time merchandiser for American Greetings. I clean and restock the card and gift displays in several retail locations. Sometimes I get to help people find the perfect card they are seeking. The job is enjoyable and is the way I survive and get to eat. But there is so much more that defines who I am.

My life is like a canopy road.

Would you care to elaborate?

I am a wife to a wonderful man who is a 911 operator. I am a mother to an awesome daughter who is a math whiz in the seventh grade. I have tons of hobbies and one very strong passion.

Could you please explain your passion to the readers?

Theatre and acting has always been my passion, my fun, my creativity. What I bring into a role is the creative expression of both having fun and telling the hard stories. I have a good technique for memorizing lines. It thrills me to give a voice to the stories of strong women. I have done theatre and short films. Some female actors I love are Kate Winslet, Meryl Streep, and Helen Mirren. In my acting and in my real life, I am always authentic.

And what about those hobbies?

I like to cook. I make a fettuccine sauce from scratch that is delicious. While I’m not a crafty person as such, I do really appreciate beautiful pottery and ceramics.  I love to read, listen to music, walk through a peaceful cemetery, and spend time at the beach. Oh, and I love photography, especially taking pictures at sunset.

Could you share thoughts about Tallahassee and travel?

I was born and raised in Tallahassee. It is full of history and nature galore. It has canopy roads and friendly people. It is where I took a ride on a hot air balloon on my 16th birthday. Also, it is close to other fascinating Florida places like Wakulla Springs and St. Marks. As far as travel, I’ve been to Texas and Hawaii.  An anniversary cruise to St. Thomas was fun and unforgettable. A place I wish to visit one day is Ireland.

Live by your own code.

What makes you an exuberant person?

I am comfortable in my own skin. I am able to live in the moment. I am loyal, imaginative, and I respect the beliefs of others. My life is like the canopy roads, mostly great with occasional thorns and bumps.

Do you have a message for the world?

Yes, live your life for you without the worry of what other people think. Live by your own code.

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Dang y’all! Tiffany Underwood is likeable and adorable. Her body of work has included everything from the delightful comedy Calendar Girls to the short drama Viola. She has a healthy zest for life and a happy way of being her best self. 

You are invited to leave your comment. Tiffany and I are both eager to hear from you.

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