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Catherine Zinger
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Month: June 2013

ascot, acid-wash & clotted cream. indeed!!

Jun 21, 2013 • 8 Comments

“Daahhling, are you sure you’re not lesbian?” asks my über-posh British friend, Daisy*, over vodka tonics with lime cordial and… read more

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Kindness Karma Shoutout: Janet McDiarmid I've pos Kindness Karma Shoutout: Janet McDiarmid I've posted about my dear friend Janet before on my private social media but am using this platform once again to "shout from the rooftops" about how much this beautiful soul means to me. Over thirty years ago, I met Janet and her late husband, Don, in France while they were on sabbatical doing a "year in Provence". It was my first year out of highschool and I knew nothing about anything- French included. The following year, they gave me an open invitation to their home in Ottawa whenever I needed to escape from Montreal. Janet was my Thanksgiving and Easters and any weekend I wanted- summer cottage included. It was Janet who taught me the expression, "At my house, there is always an extra bed and always an extra plate." She was there at my wedding and has come several times to visit me here in London. She even played basketball with my boys when they were little. And so I've carried on the "Janet McDiarmid Kindness Tradition" myself. In MY house there is always an extra plate and always an extra bed. Janet is one of the kindest, most inspiring women I've ever known in my life. Her friendship is one of my life's greatest gifts. #kindnessmatters #womenwhosupportwomen #sisterhood #choosekindness #lovingkindness #spreadkindness #womenwholift #womenempowerment #karma #podcastersofinstagram #podcastshow #gratitude #podcasthost
Episode 5 is Out! The Time Travel Test: A Look at Episode 5 is Out! The Time Travel Test: A Look at Ageing and Gratitude I'm pretty sure this episode will only be relatable to those of us who remember what life was like when our parents could smoke 2 packs of cigs while driving with the kids in the back, all windows up, no seatbelts.  I'm looking at ageing as a different path to practice gratitude.  I know. I know. *Everyone* is preaching gratitude as a way of navigating through the pandemic and it's become...a little much.  In this episode, I get curious about the past and I ask women here and on the other side of the pond to look into their own rearview mirrors and weigh in with their thoughts on getting older.  I'm fascinated to know what they see and if we're able to use those answers to help us get through lockdowns... Pls click on link in bio to listen!! This episode was produced for @whiterockblond and @stitchbitch1971 who specifically requested “Lockdown Love”. XOXO #podcast #podcasting #podcastresearch #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #readcaption #writers #gratitude #ageing #asianrepresentation #gettingthroughlockdown #gettingolder #wisdom
While I work on getting my new podcast episodes ab While I work on getting my new podcast episodes about attitudes and approaches to social media throughout generations finished up, I'd love to hear from you! What topics would you like to see in future podcasts? Feel free to comment, direct message me or email me at catherine@catherinezinger.com with your feedback or suggestions! Thank you!! . . . . . #podcast #podcasting #podcastlaunch #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #asianrepresentation #choosekindness #spreadingkindness #kindnessmatters #lovingkindness #readcaption #heartcentered #writers #expatlife #expatliving #expatinlondon
Research Request Hey friends- a few quick resear Research Request Hey friends- a few quick research questions for a podcast episode I’m working on that looks at generational differences and attitudes towards social media. If you have a sec, could you ping over your thoughts? Thank you so much in advance for your responses! - What messaging platform do you use most for personal notes? (WhatsApp? iMessage? Messenger? IG? Snapchat? Other?) - What is your average response time on PERSONAL messages? - And lastly, do you have all your social media (which includes the aforementioned messaging platforms) notifications turned on? . . . . #podcast #podcasting #podcastresearch #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #readcaption #writers #expatlife #expatliving #expatinlondon #socialmedia #socialmediaresearch
My Family’s NYE Tradition- The 12 Grapes Since My Family’s NYE Tradition- The 12 Grapes Since "The Accidental Anthropologist" is about different cultural perspectives, I thought I'd share a New Year's Eve tradition my family has been doing since I was little. Some of it is Filippine, some of it is Spanish-influenced (since the Philippines was a Spanish colony from 1521-1898) and the rest of it, I suspect, is just my crazy family.  The big "to-do" at our house was always New Year's Eve. As kids we were made to dress in anything with polka-dots which signified coins and therefore prosperity. So I would be in pyjamas wearing my dad's polka-dot tie. Or a polka-dot dress that was a little too big, or a little too small. And then when it got closer to midnight, we  would run around and turn on every single light in the house -- so that God could see our house illuminated from the sky. As kids of course, we took it extra far and even opened the oven door so that the little light would turn on too. We were all kinda "extra". We did “12 Grapes” - which I found out only in adulthood is actually a New Year's tradition in Spain - when the bell chimes in the New Year, everyone eats 12 grapes for luck. Alas, my very Filippine Catholic family made the 12 Grapes about prayer. And so at 12 minutes to midnight, we would have one grape per minute and one prayer/wish per grape- followed by a sip of wine. At the very last minute when all our grapes/wishes were done and the clock struck midnight, the adults threw coins in the air and all the kids scrambled after the money.  I smile when I think of us laughing and jostling each other to find pennies in the shag carpet.  My mom called today and said the coolest thing I think I've ever heard her say. "If this year has taught us anything, it's to be grateful for what we already have. Just use every single grape for gratitude."  Wherever you are, however you ring in the New Year, I wish you all prosperity of spirit, excellent health, abundance of reasons to be grateful and PEACE for 2021. . . . #podcast #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #choosekindness #12grapes
Kindness Karma Spotlight: Stefanie Nelson This o Kindness Karma Spotlight: Stefanie Nelson This one goes out to an American woman I met on the first day of school here in England back in 2009, but who returned to the States a few years later, @stefanielnelson Stefanie is one of those women who goes out her way to be kind and inclusive of others. It’s one of her many gifts. While she still lived here in England, Stefanie and I had a special 1:1 connection in spite of having different social groups. Stefanie was always busy, always on numerous committees doing a hundred different things and yet, some of my best memories with her are our late night phone calls where we would talk for hours about everything and nothing. But this sisterhood shoutout isn’t just about how I know the women I feature, it’s about what I’ve witnessed them do for others. Stefanie often uses her social media for food appeals for the hungry and the homeless in her local community, she celebrates local heroes and she features her friends and people she knows who are also doing good for the wider community. Stefanie leans into her social skills for good. She spreads warmth and kindness to everyone she meets. She shares her love. She welcomes anyone in need. And she is loved in return. Today I’m celebrating her here. Thank you, dear Stefanie for being such a beautiful example of a beautiful human being!! #kindnessmatters #womenwhosupportwomen #sisterhood #choosekindness #lovingkindness #spreadkindness #womenwholift #womenempowerment #karma
Hey from London Lockdown! Just a quick note to s Hey from London Lockdown! Just a quick note to say I plan to release some fun stuff in the new year! One of my first projects will look at attitudes and approaches towards social media *by generation*. And anyone who has noted the manner and the frequency of how teens text each other, will know that different generations are different cultural entities unto themselves! I explore this topic in a panel discussion with a teen (my teen!), a 20 sthg year old, a 30 sthg year old and a 40 sthg year old- all in one episode! If you haven’t yet listened to “2mm”-my series on unchecked racism in raising children of colour and IF you’re willing to expand your watching and listening repertoire to “things that make you go ‘hmmmm...’”, then have a listen and catch-up on any episodes you’ve missed! In the meantime, here are some random photos of my dogs: Milo-the-Bulldog, Jax-the-Labradoodle and Rougie-the-Maltipoo because - who doesn’t like cute dog photos? . . . . . #podcast #podcasting #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #asianrepresentation #choosekindness #spreadingkindness #kindnessmatters #readcaption #heartcentered #lovingkindness #readcaption #writers #expatlife #expatliving #expatinlondon
Kindness Karma Shoutout: Janet McDiarmid I've pos Kindness Karma Shoutout: Janet McDiarmid I've posted about my dear friend Janet before on my private social media but am using this platform once again to "shout from the rooftops" about how much this beautiful soul means to me. Over thirty years ago, I met Janet and her late husband, Don, in France while they were on sabbatical doing a "year in Provence". It was my first year out of highschool and I knew nothing about anything- French included. The following year, they gave me an open invitation to their home in Ottawa whenever I needed to escape from Montreal. Janet was my Thanksgiving and Easters and any weekend I wanted- summer cottage included. It was Janet who taught me the expression, "At my house, there is always an extra bed and always an extra plate." She was there at my wedding and has come several times to visit me here in London. She even played basketball with my boys when they were little. And so I've carried on the "Janet McDiarmid Kindness Tradition" myself. In MY house there is always an extra plate and always an extra bed. Janet is one of the kindest, most inspiring women I've ever known in my life. Her friendship is one of my life's greatest gifts. #kindnessmatters #womenwhosupportwomen #sisterhood #choosekindness #lovingkindness #spreadkindness #womenwholift #womenempowerment #karma #podcastersofinstagram #podcastshow #gratitude #podcasthost
Episode 5 is Out! The Time Travel Test: A Look at Episode 5 is Out! The Time Travel Test: A Look at Ageing and Gratitude I'm pretty sure this episode will only be relatable to those of us who remember what life was like when our parents could smoke 2 packs of cigs while driving with the kids in the back, all windows up, no seatbelts.  I'm looking at ageing as a different path to practice gratitude.  I know. I know. *Everyone* is preaching gratitude as a way of navigating through the pandemic and it's become...a little much.  In this episode, I get curious about the past and I ask women here and on the other side of the pond to look into their own rearview mirrors and weigh in with their thoughts on getting older.  I'm fascinated to know what they see and if we're able to use those answers to help us get through lockdowns... Pls click on link in bio to listen!! This episode was produced for @whiterockblond and @stitchbitch1971 who specifically requested “Lockdown Love”. XOXO #podcast #podcasting #podcastresearch #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #readcaption #writers #gratitude #ageing #asianrepresentation #gettingthroughlockdown #gettingolder #wisdom
While I work on getting my new podcast episodes ab While I work on getting my new podcast episodes about attitudes and approaches to social media throughout generations finished up, I'd love to hear from you! What topics would you like to see in future podcasts? Feel free to comment, direct message me or email me at catherine@catherinezinger.com with your feedback or suggestions! Thank you!! . . . . . #podcast #podcasting #podcastlaunch #podcastersofinstagram #podcasthost #podcastshow #diversestories #differentperspectives #multicultural #asianrepresentation #choosekindness #spreadingkindness #kindnessmatters #lovingkindness #readcaption #heartcentered #writers #expatlife #expatliving #expatinlondon

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