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Embrace Your Inner Weirdo: Podcast with an Attitude

Embrace Your Inner Weirdo: Podcast with an Attitude

By Rasheed Hooda

Welcome to the Embrace Your Inner Weirdo podcast where paradigms shift. Impossible becomes I'mpossible and Weirdos are exposed for who they really are: Pure Geniuses.

Every week I will interview a successful individual who has Embraced Their Inner Weirdo to get their insights so you may use it as a permission slip on your quest to Embrace Your Inner Weirdo. After all, Weirdo is NOT a four-letter word.
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Episode 23 Featuring: Chris Sommer - Rescued by a dog

Embrace Your Inner Weirdo: Podcast with an AttitudeFeb 17, 2022

00:00
35:03
Episode 32 Featuring: Sharon Hurley-Hall - An International Weirdo
May 19, 202238:55
Episode 31 Featuring: Simone Angel - From Show Biz to Jungle
May 05, 202240:02
Episode 30 Featuring: Mitchell Allen - The Geeky Geek
Apr 19, 202246:45
Episode 29 Featuring: Nicki Ojeda - Excavating the Unconscious
Apr 05, 202241:19
Episode 28 Featuring: Aaron Whitfield - Spotting Greatness in Children
Mar 29, 202239:47
Episode 27 Featuring: Nicole Lomangino - Born to be a Weirdo
Mar 22, 202244:48
Episode 26 Featuring: David Chametzky - also known as Uncle Dave
Mar 17, 202226:52
Episode 25 Featuring: Holly Jahangiri - A High School drop out with a Law Degree
Mar 01, 202242:16
Episode 24 Featuring: Alvin-San Whaley - A Jersey kid of Sixties and Seventies
Feb 22, 202244:51
Episode 23 Featuring: Chris Sommer - Rescued by a dog
Feb 17, 202235:03
Episode 22 Featuring: Javier Florez - Bouncing Between Culttures

Episode 22 Featuring: Javier Florez - Bouncing Between Culttures

Moving around between South and North America, and from one coast to the other, Javier developed an interest in diverse people and cultures, the perfect breeding ground for weirdos.
He sees his attraction to architecture and coaching as the same thing; they are different aspects of creativity.
Based in Houston, Texas, Javier is a professional speaker with more than a decade of experience in various genres of training. He also mentors and coaches other speakers to help them bring out the best in their development.
You can learn more about Javier on his Website
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If you liked and enjoyed this episode, make sure to like, share, and subscribe to the podcast at your favorite platform.
You can show your support by Buying me some Chai or Sending me a Tip.
Feb 08, 202229:07
Episode 21 Featuring: Tammy Remington - Enraptured by the Big Apple
Feb 01, 202240:01
Episode 20 Featuring: Kellan Flukiger - Meeting God at the Door
Jan 25, 202201:01:41
Episode 19 Featuring: Stacie Odeneal - Mama Pirate

Episode 19 Featuring: Stacie Odeneal - Mama Pirate

Stacie Odeneal began her life as a weirdo in 1979 and continued as a respected but amateur weirdo for thirty years.

She turned pro weirdo in 2012 when she was gifted #cosmicsprinkles, a practice of acknowledging the pile of universal reassurances that we are exactly who we need to be, and exactly are where we need to be, no matter where we are going.

The gift of #cosmicsprinkles was just the encouragement Stacie needed to franchise her weirdness into all areas of existence.

She abandoned a mediocre attempt at legal domination to focus on her legal practice as a child welfare law specialist and attorney in rural middle Tennessee.  In this weirdo capacity, she is invigorated as an advocate for children in foster care and adoptive families.

Which is how she found her own family of weirdos when she and her husband adopted three children from foster care.  She calls them pirates because they talk funny, like to ride in boats, and steal things occasionally.  It was cute at first.  She now regrets that decision, wishing instead she had opted for something more “employed taxpayer” and less “mutiny all the time.”  But names have a way of sticking, so she is stuck.

She now enjoys sharing her best tips for being your best weirdo as a teacher and public speaker, both in and out of the courtroom.  She has developed a curriculum designed to help everyone find their best weirdo entitled “You Matter” as well as several tools and resources to navigate adoption and litigation for both lawyers and laypersons.


Show Notes:

To follow Stacie’s Weirdo Wonderings and Wanderings, follow her on social media, look for #cosmicsprinkles.

To connect about adoption, public speaking, legal representation or support through consulting, coaching, education, awareness or accountability, send a message through social media, email stacieodeneal@gmail.com or call 931/762-4012.

To Support the Podcast, please share, subscribe, and leave a tip.

Jan 18, 202253:33
Episode 18 Featuring: Thaddeus Lavalais - Looks Good on Paper

Episode 18 Featuring: Thaddeus Lavalais - Looks Good on Paper

I met Thaddeus at an event we were working at.

When I told him about my podcast, he said that's my kind of podcast. I knew I had found a perfect guest for my show.

He is an artist, a graphic designer, and an art teacher who is trying to do art full time.

Growing up, he had Darren Stevens from the TV show Bewitched as his role model. He wanted to grow up and use his art in a commercial endeavor, which is what he did for a number of years.

Eventually, he realized he wanted to create art for himself, not for others, and that's what he considers success.

Show Notes:

Facebook: https://facebook.com/LGoPLavalais

Create promo videos for your own podcast. https://make.headliner.app/referral/mr.rasheed.hooda_W4DD9E


Jan 11, 202238:47
Episode 17 Featuring: Nora Dunn - The Professional Hobo

Episode 17 Featuring: Nora Dunn - The Professional Hobo

She calls herself a professional hobo, a successful financial planning professional turned perpetual world traveler.

In 2006 Nora sold her successful business to answer the calling of her Inner Weirdo. For the next 12 years, she traveled the world with the wind till the pandemic had her stuck in her hometown of Toronto. She still managed six months of travel a year.

She is a blogger, a speaker, a YouTuber, and soon to be a podcaster. She is a pioneer in a field that is just coming of age - Remote Work Arrangements, and well set to lead the field.


Show Notes

Nora's Website: https://TheProfessionalHobo.com This is where you can learn everything you want to know about her, and connect to all her social channels.

Nora's LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/noradunn/

Nora's BuyMeACoffee page: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/noradunn

Nora's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/NoraDunn

Nora's Twitter page: https://twitter.com/hobonora


If you liked the interview, you can support the Embrace Your Inner Weirdo Podcast by buying me some Chai at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MisterWeirdo

Jan 04, 202237:00
Episode 16 Featuring: Tamesia Garner - Leadership is Weird

Episode 16 Featuring: Tamesia Garner - Leadership is Weird

Tamesia (Tammy) Garner has lived a tough life. She lost her mother when she was just a baby, and then lost all three of her brothers as an adult. It taught her a lot of valuable lessons and made her who she is today.

The only one of the siblings to go to college and earn an undergraduate degree. Then at age 40, prepared to go to Law School, but ended up getting a Master's degree in Bible and Theological Studies from a Baptist University, only to become a Progressive Prison Minister.

Weirdos come in all shapes and sizes.


Show Notes:

Tammy's Email address: tamesia@gmail.com

Tammy's LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tamesia-garner-150b0412/


If you liked the interview, you can support the Embrace Your Inner Weirdo Podcast by buying me some Chai at https://www.buymeacoffee.com/MisterWeirdo



Dec 28, 202131:35
Episode 15 Featuring: Elly Hard - Succeeding by Mistakes
Dec 21, 202141:12
Episode 14 Featuring: Eddie Merla - A life of Synchronicity

Episode 14 Featuring: Eddie Merla - A life of Synchronicity

Eddie Merla received a scholarship to attend, what he jokingly calls, a place called Harvard. His dad had never heard of it and felt that it was too far from San Antonio, where they lived. So he ended up attending Texas A&M University.

A natural introvert, he learned to operate in the extrovert-focused world through Public Speaking, which turned out to be the manifestation of a childhood dream, though he didn't know it at the time.

It wasn't until he received a pink slip after 22 years in the corporate world that he found the courage to pursue his calling. He ended up designing the Project Management curriculum for the Glasscock School of Continued Education at Rice University.

Eddie's Website: https://DuendePM.com

Glasscock Project Management Catalog: https://glasscock.rice.edu/course?id=55579

PMI Houston: https://pmihouston.org/

LinkedIN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/eddie-merla-pmi-acp-pmp-9019885/

Support Embrace Your Inner Weirdo Podcast: https://Paypal.me/MisterWeirdo


Dec 14, 202137:42
Episode 13 Featuring: Mitch Mitchell - Being all over the Place
Dec 07, 202140:04
Episode 12: Featuring Julia Hubbel - Defying the Expectations of Old Age
Nov 30, 202134:04
Episode 11 Featuring: Michael Davis - Doing what very few people have done

Episode 11 Featuring: Michael Davis - Doing what very few people have done

Imagine driving an actual Indy 500 Racecar on the Indy 500 track. 

My guest Michael Davis has done it among many other things.

He coaches the brave souls that have the courage to stand on the Red Dot and deliver a TED Talk.

He is an author, a speaker, and an entrepreneur. 

Born to a French mother and a German father, he can't stand himself.

Listen as you find out his interesting life journey of embracing his Inner Weirdo.


Show Notes

Michael's virtual business card - https://inphone.co/speakingcpr

Michael's Website - https://SpeakingCPR.com

Nov 23, 202130:56
Episode 10: Featuring Kristena Hackett - Growing up smart in the 'Hood

Episode 10: Featuring Kristena Hackett - Growing up smart in the 'Hood

Imagine growing up in the 'Hood as the smartest kid in the class. That is what my guest Kristena Hackett was faced with growing up. She learned to stand up for herself, tried to blend in while holding up the high standards of excellence expected from her mother.

Finally, in her early thirties, she began to discover and embrace her inner weirdo.

She was recognized as one of the top 10 business women of 2021 by the American Businesswomen's Association.

Show Notes

Kristena's website

Nov 16, 202130:23
Episode 9 Featuring Deepak Morris - Life of An Artistic Misfit

Episode 9 Featuring Deepak Morris - Life of An Artistic Misfit

Life is Weird. You never know where it will take you.
I "met" Deepak Morris in the early 2000s on a website called Ryze. It was a great social media website. Too bad Adrian, the founder, didn't have Zuck's finances. It was a much better platform.
Along with many of the other 'Ryzers', a lot of us reconnected on Facebook.
Deepak, while living in India, was one of the rare individuals who was able to communicate well with people in the west.
When I interviewed him, I was both surprised and not surprised that he was able to speak with less of an Indian accent than most Indians who've been living in the West.
There were many more Weird things about him that I discovered as we conversed. It was truly a joy to speak with him.
Show Notes
Deepak's Website
Thank you for leaving a TIP here to support the show.
Nov 09, 202134:30
Episode 8 Featuring: Akili Atkinson - Autism and Neuro Diversity

Episode 8 Featuring: Akili Atkinson - Autism and Neuro Diversity

Akili Atkinson was born black and was adopted by a white couple, or rather, a white mother, as she puts it. AS such she had a unique or weird upbringing. Skin color was not the only difference, she stood tall over the rest of her family.
Her mother made sure that she got the upbringing she deserved by taking on the society that said you can't do that and taught her that you can.
This all prepared her for the tumultuous journey she had to take on when she gave birth to a boy who was later diagnosed to be on the autism spectrum.
She tells her story of how being different, a Weirdo if you will, makes what she does fun and challenging at the same time. A very interesting conversation.

Show Notes:
Akili's Website
Nov 02, 202138:60
Episode 7 Featuring: Roamin Rich - On a Mission to Save Route 66 History

Episode 7 Featuring: Roamin Rich - On a Mission to Save Route 66 History

Are you familiar with Route 66? Have you ever traveled Route 66?
I walked the entire distance on Route 66 from Chicago to LA as it was mentioned in the introduction.
My guest today is a well know celebrity in the Route 66 community. He is known as Roamin' Rich because he is always roaming up and down Route 66. You might say he has dedicated his life to promoting Route 66.
Join me as I talk with him about his beginnings and what makes him tick, and learn some deep down inner thoughts and feelings that he shares about what makes him who he is.
He has embraced his inner weirdo and encourages the world to "Go Your Own Way."
Show Notes:
Rich's Website
Rich's YouTube Channel

Oct 26, 202133:27
Episode 6 Featuring: Kandas Rodarte - Conquering Breast Cancer

Episode 6 Featuring: Kandas Rodarte - Conquering Breast Cancer

Can you imagine growing up in the 1970s as an Asian kid? and as a girl, no worse?
My guest on this episode did just that and credits her ancestors for giving her the gumption to do so. That's weird if you ask me.
Well, this is a podcast with an attitude about embracing your inner weirdo, so she is a perfect guest.
Kandas Rodarte is an entrepreneur and a business coach.
Listen along as we find out more about her turbulent life and how her Inner Weirdo helped her ride the journey.

Show Notes:
Kandas's website
Micro-influencer Magic
Kandas's Podcast
My interview on Kandas's podcast
Oct 23, 202124:32
Episode 5 Featuring Charles "Funn" McCool - Having "Funn" While Traveling Full-time
Oct 12, 202132:56
Episode 4 Featuring Afzal Huda - The Unapologetic Traveler

Episode 4 Featuring Afzal Huda - The Unapologetic Traveler

Imagine! You are born in Canada, and when you are 3 years old, your parents decided to go back to their home country of Pakistan. You grow up there and return to Canada as a teenager.
You find yourself in a strange predicament. You find that you neither fit in among the brown or white people, and you strive to maintain you own identity.
That is the story of my guest Afzal Huda.
Show Notes:
Instagram @hudacreator
Website: The Unapologetic Traveler
Oct 05, 202132:33
Episode 3 Featuring Darren Lacroix - 17 Minutes to Your Dream

Episode 3 Featuring Darren Lacroix - 17 Minutes to Your Dream

What would you dare to dream if you knew you wouldn't fail?
That question by Motivational Guru Brian Tracy changed Darren's life when he answered, "I'd be a comedian"
What would you do if you wanted to be a comedian?
You'd go talk to a comedian and learn what it takes to be one. That's exactly what Darren did and he shares what he learned along the way. Darren says that weirdos think differently and if you want to Embrace Your Inner Weirdo, learn from those who have.
Show notes:
Be a Sponge
Darren's New Book
Stage Time University
Darren's Website
If you liked the show, rate, review, and subscribe, and remember to Leave a Tip.
Oct 02, 202132:33
Episode 2 Featuring Chris Guillebeau - The Art of Non-conformity

Episode 2 Featuring Chris Guillebeau - The Art of Non-conformity

Do you want to dominate the world? World Domination Summit
Or do you just want to earn a little side income? Side Hustle School
Or maybe you want to live a life of nonconformity? The Art of Non-Conformity
Whatever the question, the answer is Chris Guillebeau, the man behind the blog, the podcast, and the event. I had a little chat with the Weird Genius that he is to learn what makes him tick. Sit back and enjoy.
Sep 22, 202130:01
Episode 1 Featuring Barbara Winter - Making a Living Without a Job
Sep 16, 202141:01
An Introduction

An Introduction

Who the heck is MisterWeirdo, and why the blipity bleep does he call himself that? He has got to be a weirdo. Duh... Find out how the name came about and why he is sticking to it, and what the podcast is all about.

Sep 08, 202106:12