Interview with performance poet, Wendy Brown-Báez

5 02 2010

February 5, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. CST. Nadia talked to Wendy Brown-Báez on BlogTalkRadio about some of her most exciting endeavors. Wendy also performd some of her poetry for the audience. To listen to the broadcast, CLICK HERE.

About Wendy: Among other things, she has facilitated writing groups, managed shelters for the homeless, visited penitentiaries and half-way homes and worked as a hospice volunteer. She studied alternative healing, ceremony, and spiritual traditions and is a member of a woman’s Moon lodge. Wendy has performed nationally (and in Mexico) in cafes, bars, galleries, bookstores, schools, cultural centers, peace centers, writers groups, art festivals, and women’s retreats. In 2008, she received a McKnight grant to teach a bilingual writing workshop with at risk youth and in 2009, a McKnight grant to develop a writing workshop with impoverished youth into an art installation, both provided through COMPAS Community art program.  She is the author of Ceremonies of the Spirit, a full-length collection of love poems published by Plain View Press in 2009. For more info, go to Wendy’s website, Writing Circles for Healing. To read a transcript of the broadcast, click here.





Interview with Nadia Giordana

3 02 2010

I’m usually the one conducting the interviews, so when I was asked recently to answer questions about my book, Thinking Skinny, I said, “Absolutely, I’ll do it!” It’s fun when the tables are turned, and I’m pleased to share it with you. Follow this link to listen to the podcast, or to read a transcript, CLICK HERE.





Meet Nadia at the Bloomington, MN Writer’s Festival and Book Fair

31 01 2010

February 27, 2010 (all day). Nadia will be reading from Thinking Skinny, signing copies and talking to visitors at the Bloomington Writer’s Festival and Book Fair. Author readings will be recorded and cablecast throughout the year. Listeners are welcome. Details at the Thinking Skinny website: CLICK HERE. 

Special Note: If you’re interested in being a guest co-host on Interviews with Extraordinary Women, stop in at the Writer’s Festival and see me–we can talk after the event.





Friday night reading series at Banfill-Locke

31 01 2010

Friday night reading series at Banfill-Locke Center for the Arts (BLCA):

Sit in every second Friday of the month at 7:30 PM for a stimulating sample of Twin Cities’ vibrant literary art. Through a partnership with Minneapolis’ Intermedia Arts, curator and award-winning poet Anna Meek, hosts this free event in Minneapolis, MN.





Interview with Sue Midlock, writer and illustrator

9 01 2010

Nadia’s Introduction: The guest we have with us today is a multi-talented writer and artist from Joliet, Illinois. Sue Midlock has always had a natural gift for drawing. From an early age, she would draw at recess in school rather than go outside and play. She also drew pictures as gifts for family and friends and in her early years, her artistic endeavors were a hobby. But now, Sue gets work as an illustrator. To help describe what she does, Sue coined the name, “Zentacular Art”. MORE…





Compliance and full disclosure

4 01 2010

I can’t be certain at this point whether the recent FTC regulations apply to me, this blog, or my BTR radio shows since I’m not a book blogger. But the trend is obvious and if  the current regulations don’t now apply to me, they soon will.  In the interest of full disclosure going forward, the following  information will be found up-front and easily accessible at the “about” tab on this blog:

In the context of my blog posts and interview transcriptions, I will inform my audience whether or not I have received goods or services from the person or company being featured. As a rule of thumb: in almost all cases, I will have read the book by an author I am interviewing (and that author will have provided me with a copy for that purpose). In the case of teachers, life coaches and business owners that provide a range of services, I can tell you that I will (in almost all cases) not have received the services we are discussing (if there is an exception, I will let the readers and listeners know). But bear in mind, I am not reviewing these products, nor am I recommending them. I am interviewing the person with regard to their accomplishments–and I do not receive a fee for the interviews I conduct. Interviews are by invitation only (women I’ve met or heard about and subsequently invited to talk), but I will consider suggestions if you know someone particularly exciting for me to interview.
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Meeting Ali Vincent–an extraordinary woman

13 12 2009

Ali Vincent holds Nadia's book, Thinking Skinny (click to enlarge image).

Ali Vincent, season 5 winner of the Biggest Loser TV program and my “secret buddy” throughout my own weight loss success story, was at the Mall of America today to talk about her new book, Believe it, Be it. I was delighted to talk with her and get a signed copy of her book. I was also pleased to be able to present her with a copy of my book, Thinking Skinny (Ali was surprised and pleased to learn that she played a role in keeping me on track with my weight program in 2007-8 and that I wrote about her in Thinking Skinnny.)

While I was there, I was taken aside by the Prevention magazine film crew to talk briefly on camera about how I tracked along with Ali while watching the program, the weight I lost, and also how I came to write Thinking Skinny.





Interview with Gabriele Kushi, author of Embracing Menopause Naturally

11 12 2009

Transcript: Blog Talk Radio interview, Thursday, December 10, 2009 at 4:00 pm CST, with Gabriele Kushi, author of Embracing Menopause Naturally, published by Square One Publishers, Garden City Park, New York. (This interview aired 12-10-09, but is available “on demand” for your listening convenience at Interview with Gabriele Kushi, Author of Embracing Menopause Naturally.)

Nadia’s Introduction: Hello everyone! I’m excited about the guest we have here today. Gabriele Kushi holds the credentials, BFA, MEA, CHC and AADP. She is the director of Kushi’s Kitchen and author of Embracing Menopause Naturally. She is an internationally renowned lecturer on healing with natural foods and macrobiotics. Gabriele is often featured as an expert on radio talk shows and quoted in the media and on the Internet. Gabriele Kushi has a 30+ year, long, rich, successful history in the healing arts and the integration of body, mind and spirit. She is a board certified holistic health practitioner, macrobiotic counselor, and natural nutrition cooking instructor. Gabriele has a studio in Minneapolis, Minnesota and offers long distance programs worldwide. For information on her individual counseling or classes, visit http://www.kushiskitchen.com/. If you missed that, we have Gabriele’s contact information listed on her interview page at “Extraordinary Women”. Read More…





Nadia Giordana interviews extraordinary women

1 12 2009

Things are moving rapidly.  As soon as I began interviewing women for my Blog Talk Radio show, Thinking Skinny with Nadia Giordana (see the page for the line-up), it became obvious that I needed a broader platform–or better, an additional one.

In my travels, I come into contact with extraordinay women from all walks of life. Often, their accomplishments have nothing to do with weight-loss. Nevertheless, they fascinate me and I’ve decided to help share their stories. That’s how my second Blog Talk Radio show was born.  Interviews with Extraordianry Women is coming together as I write this. “Tune-in” here for late-breaking developments as they become public. Printed transcriptions from some of these interviews will appear here at NadiaGiordana.com, and selected interview transcriptions related to weight loss will be posted at www.thinkingskinny.com.

All you need do to hear any Blog Talk Radio program on demand, is to go to the main Blog Talk Radio website and register as a listener–it’s free! 





Blog Talk Radio: A String of Pearls and a Wedding Ring

29 11 2009

Nadia talks about how Thinking Skinny came to be written and shares a series of stories and anecdotes about what her life was like when she was overweight–and how dramatically it changed after she lost nearly half her body weight. CLICK HERE to listen to this featured episode. Note: you may need to install I-Tunes or another MP3 player to listen.





The next stage of womanhood

12 11 2009

MenopauseNaturallyI recently had the distinct pleasure of meeting Gabriele Kushi, best-selling author of Embracing Menopause Naturally (Square One Publishers, Garden City Park, NY) who lives here in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area. We will be working together over the next few months on some exciting projects. Gabriele has graciously agreed to be a part of the Girlfriends Over 40 Radio Show in addition to granting an interview for Thinking Skinny With Nadia Giordana on Blog Talk Radio. 

(Show dates and airtimes TBD, but if you miss the live show, no matter. Programs will be downloadable and viewable on demand indefinitely. Official announcements and links will be provided at the GFO40 blog).

About the book: We are all too familiar with symptoms: hot flashes, night sweats, anxiety, irritability, sleeplessness, and more. While menopause triggers many physical and emotional changes, it also brings forth spiritual issues that, for many women, mark a redefinition of the feminine self. To address the total impact of menopause, Gabriele Kushi has created a supportive, practical, and personal guide to dealing with this time in a woman’s life.

Gabriele first provides a clear understanding of the overall process of menopause, from biological changes to emotional and spiritual challenges. She then goes on to offer research-based nutritional guidelines that can help relieve and overcome menopausal symptoms, as well as healthful kitchen-tested recipes based on a natural foods diet. However, it is the stories and portraits of twenty menopausal women that are at the heart and soul of the book. In their own words, these beautiful women share their diverse experiences with the reader. To get this book at Amazon, follow this link: Embracing Menopause Naturally: Stories, Portraits, And Recipes





Interviews with Laurie Beebe

31 10 2009

Laurie Beebe, registered dietician, penned the foreword to Thinking Skinny. She was recently interviewed live on “Great Day in St Louis.” To watch the television interview, CLICK HERE.

Raw Andrew of www.shedyourweight.com has interviewed several well-known figures in the weight-loss indusry; Among them, Laurie Beebe, registered dietician and weight-loss coach. To listen to Laurie’s inteview, CLICK HERE.





RE: FTC book blogger regulations

31 10 2009

Much of the information I refer to in this entry (link follows)  is news to me and I will study it and comply where applicable going forward.  I’m not a professional book reviewer, nor am I a professional blogger, but since I do post my personal opinions and sometimes mini-reviews about some selected products and books that I’ve had experience with, I plan to be proactive, learn what this is about and apply any necessary good practices to my blog and its entries. That said, the following link at J. Kaye’s Book Blog presents the details.





For Pete’s Sake

24 10 2009

AchermannBenefit102409 copy

Hundreds of people came from miles around to the Bear’s Den in Leader, Minnesota today to attend the event dubbed “For Pete’s Sake.” It was a moving show of support for the Achermann family and a concentrated effort to help raise funds needed to continue the search for Pete (missing since July 24th). Those who didn’t arrive early, had to park down the road and walk a good distance. It was wall-to-wall people. My parents and I came early (to unload our donations for the auctions). There were games, raffles, a silent auction and a live auction. (The auctioneer, Daryl Larson is an old friend from my High School graduating class.) It was nice to see a few other people from high school and also friends of my folks from the farming community.





Help find Pete Achermann

22 10 2009

Pete Achermann color

I’ve known Peter since I was a kid. He’s a long-time family friend, and an especially good friend of my father. One look at that face and jaunty cap, and you immediately know why he was so well-liked. That’s a story for another time. Pete is missing and must be found. The 82-year-old disappeared under puzzling circumstances July 24, 2009 (he does not have dementia or Alzheimer’s).

Final plans are shaping up for the ‘For Pete’s Sake’ benefit event this Saturday, October 24th to help the Peter Achermann family continue their search for Peter. Please join us and come to the benefit, or help however you can–make a donation to the auctions (info below) or make a cash donation.

The benefit will be this Saturday, starting at noon at the Bear’s Den in Leader.

The spaghetti buffet dinner and benefit will be starting at noon. The day will include a live auction from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m., a silent auction, raffles and games throughout the afternoon.

Needed are new and gently used items for both auctions. Cash donations can be sent or brought to: Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union, c/o Peter Achermann Search Fund, PO Box 39, Staples, MN 56479.

For more information, contact Amy Winkels, Staples (218) 895-7189, Jim Johnson, Motley, (218) 296- 1445, Sherri Zetah, Lincoln, (218) 575-2899.

Peter was last seen in Staples in the early afternoon on Friday, July 24. His car was found July 25 on a minimum maintenance road in the woods roughly five miles northeast of Staples.

Full scale searches that began that Saturday and took place daily over the next three weeks were all fruitless. Despite hundreds of volunteers searching the woods and bogs in that area, no other evidence of his presence – other than the vehicle – have ever been found. (In the interest of accuracy, times, dates and places, some parts of this blog entry have been excerpted from the Staples World.)

Additional info is posted at my Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/nadia.giordana. You don’t have to “friend” me to read it. And even more details about this disappearance can be found at: http://helpfindpeter.com/

VIDEO: http://www.myfoxtwincities.com/dpp/news/Peter_Achermann_Missing_Staples_Aug_7_2009





Mommy PR reviews Thinking Skinny and offers free giveaway

19 10 2009

TSKForMommyPR copyMommyPR reviews Thinking Skinny and offers a free copy in connection with their national, (US & Canada) 90-Day Health & Fitness Challenge. To read the review and/or to enter the contest giveaway, CLICK HERE. Contest ends 11:59 pm Central time November 2, 2009.

MommyPR.com offers visitors an abundant selection of product reviews, contests and giveaways. Visit them today to see what else is new.





43 years later

4 10 2009

Nadia42YrsApart copyIt’s strange, looking at these two photos, but now in 2009, 43 years after the first one was taken (1966), I’m happy to be looking a lot less “old and tired” than I was during the years leading up to 2007. (I’ve posted a number of those “fat” pictures on this blog and also at Thinking Skinny.com.) So this comparison isn’t for friends and family who have known me all my life (for them, the weight loss was a welcome return to normalcy). I posted this for the people who have only known me during the last 15 years. From some of them have come comments (not unkind, mind you) like, “you look like a completely different person,” or “you don’t look like yourself anymore.” From their point of reference, they are right.  From my point of view, I’ve shaken off negative midlife thought patterns that made me overweight and old before I had to be, and I’ve happily resumed a more natural, easy to maintain, and healthy manner of living.

I know I’m not alone. Getting derailed by the stresses of life (including taking care of everyone else while neglecting self) happens to the majority of women in America at some point in their lives and to a lesser degree, the men. The methods I used in Thinking Skinny helped get me back on track.





Staples World Story…

18 09 2009

The Staples World article, “Whatever happened To…” can now be read in its entirety online at this link: http://www.staplesworld.com/news/2009/0813/crow_wing_currents/045.html.





Meeting a Contributor to MCM and a Follower of TSK

12 09 2009

SueMNadia2090709web

Sue Midlock of Joliet, Illinois is a regular contributor to Mississippi Crow magazine. She’s a writer and a talented artist.  Joliet is only about 10 minutes from where I was visiting in Lockport, Illinois so when I planned my trip, I set aside some time on the 7th for us to get together. 

Sue’s work is displayed at Gallery 1700 & Ceramics in Cresthill, IL and her notecards are available at the Lockport Street Gallery in Plainfield: http://www.lockportstreetgallery.com/Art.htm. Her artwork is also online at http://sue-midlock.fineartamerica.com/.

Sue is also journaling her way through Thinking Skinny and she’s looking great! I loved meeting her and talking over coffee. She rendered me speechless when she presented me with a matted copy of one of her pieces “Girl With Crow.” I plan to feature in Issue 9 of MCM. It’s my favorite, and to be able to own a copy and display it in my home is very special. If you want your own copy, CLICK HERE. Sue also blogged about our meeting: http://skinnysusan.livejournal.com/4854.html.





Greater Exposure for Writers

11 09 2009

ea_logoIf you have knowledge of, or are an expert on a particular subject or topic and have written articles, you may want to check out the following website: www.ezinearticles.com.

For example, take a look at my own page. I’m fairly new here, but this will give you a great overview and even a peek into my statistics, ie. page views, etc.) http://ezinearticles.com/?expert_bio=Nadia_Giordana. It’s just one more way to draw traffic (and business) to your website or blog.








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