I speak with two fellow stutterers on how they use stuttering to their advantage when meeting women. And you know, it isn’t as difficult as people may think. Topics include online dating, offline dating, your strengths and weaknesses and a touch of attitude – it’s all part of the dating game.

Stumbling on Happiness by Daniel Gilbert

Horror writer Robert R. Best returns as we chat a bit about his new book, Ashton Memorial, and then it’s all about stuttering avoidance. Are there advantages to avoiding? Plus, a contest!

• Robert on episode #57: Is there a time and place for stuttering?
• 101 Stuttering Links #26 featuring Robert: Telling the world you stutter
• Ashton Memorial blog post by Robert
• Don’t Look In The PodCast
• Horror Realm convention

Still on my NSA Conference high, I play the full version of my chat with Steve Kaufman about the NSA Nation and his first time attending the conference a few years ago.  We also hear from a non-stuttering SLP’s first impressions of the conference.

My friend Jonathan from beautiful Québec City alerted me to this fascinating episode of NPR’s Radio Lab about Alan Rabinowitz and how he came to start his work in building wildlife sanctuaries around the world. It all started one day in the zoo back when Alan’s stuttering was severe when he was a little boy. 

The episode is called Wild Eyes. While you’re there, subscribe to the Radio Lab podcast. It’s a great show!

Tom Weidig over at the fantastic The Stuttering Brain blog has been posting about a website claiming (and at the same time, not claiming) to have a stuttering cure.

In this post-NSA Conference 2010 episode — I’m still on a happy vibe from the event! — I share the 5 important things which resonated with me at the conference. And so do conference repeaters Pam Mertz and Steven Kaufman along with Mandy Sims and Jean Finstad who make some Stuttertini!

Today’s episode is a long one! It’s an audio collage presenting highlights of my experiences at the NSA Conference in July 2010. My very first time attending! Join me and two of my fellow stuttering friends, Rebecca (also her first) and Carolina (her 4th, not her 3rd as mentioned in the episode) and as we bus it to Cleveland, Ohio to attend this awesome event. Find out about stuttering at customs, hear from some of our new friends, SLP students voluntarily stuttering, what I shared at the open mike, stuttering etiquette, the creation of the Stuttertini and much more!

• My photos of the NSA Conference
• I Heart My Stutterer t-shirt
• Pam’s Ti-Ger tattoo (who is Ti-Ger?)
• Four Friends website
• Dr-Nina-G.com
• National Stuttering Association Facebook fan page
• Stuttering Experts Gather In Cleveland (from WCPN)

Video by @jeanfinstad We’re Not Afraid’ practice for closing ceremony

2010 NSA Closing Ceremony Video

P.S. I am forever grateful to the NSA Conference organizers, volunteers, stuttering community and the super amazing staff at the Renaissance Cleveland Hotel (who gave us the time we needed to stutter out our words without rushing us or finishing our sentences) for putting on such an AWESOME time!

As of writing, the Stuttertini has been born. I asked David Friedman, my new stuttering friend who I met at this year’s NSA Conference, to create a martini to reflect and commemorate the awesomely cool experience of attending an NSA Conference:

Stuttertini

2 pts vodka
1pt triple sec
1/2 part grenadine
1/2 part pineapple juice

You come to the NSA conference and have a sweet experience. You don’t realize the effect it has on you until after you’re finished because it’s so sweet.

The pineapple gives you the island feel because at the NSA conference, you feel like you’re on an island.

And the non-alcoholic version is called the Stutter Up:

Couple splashes of Grenadine
Mostly 7-up
1-2oz pineapple juice

The big day is almost here. The NSA Conference for 2010 begins July 7th and I’ll be there wearing the first time badges! On today’s show, I’m a little over-zealous about attending but who wouldn’t be? Last I heard, almost 600 people have registered. SIX HUNDRED stutterers all in one big, fancy hotel. Imagine being in a place where stuttering is common. Anyhoo, continuing from my previous episode, I read listener replies to my question of how I should prepare for the conference. I also offer my own advice on how to meet people before the conference.

Please include your tips in the comment area below.

On today’s episode, I share with you some pretty nifty things I learned at the fantastic and highly recommended PAB conference (check out my photos and then see better ones). Mostly, I’m explaining the benefits of YOU starting up your own stuttering website, blog, podcast, whatever you like! I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, the Internet is our playground and it’s so easy for all of us to use it to reach out, help and learn from each other. Regardless of technical knowledge.

Then I shift into NSA mode where in about 2 weeks, I’ll be attending my very first stuttering convention! What should I bring? What should I prepare for?

I came across a fantastic post by Sachin of the Indian Stammering Association mentioning the Ti-Ger Analogy (Thanks! And I think it’s so cool that the analogy is known in India!). Sachin explains how growing up, he thought that if he could read as much about stuttering as he could, then one day he could cure it. Much like reading about how, say, a car engine works will help you understand how to fix it yourself when it breaks down. Then he explains stuttering acceptance  being like the act of planting a seed:

“You can put water, fertilizer, good soil, provide sun and air- everything, but if you fail to put in the seed, will you ever get a plant? In case of PWS looking for solutions to their speech difficulties, courage is that seed, without which no amount of reading will be of any help. Now, courage for what? Courage to accept that I stammer; courage to reach out and meet other PWS; courage to experiment with new ideas- like walking to a stranger and asking him what does he think of stammering?”

This is a great post which I highly recommend reading – Ti-ger on a walk.

I have a Q & A with Nigerian rapper, Prolific, on today’s episode. We talk about his stuttering, how he got into hip hop, what his inspirations are and how rapping helps his stuttering! Prolific also graciously let me play play 2 of his songs. Check them out!

On this episode, I have a quick chat with lawyer, Michael Niven, who opened up his own successful law firm after being let go from his job because of his stuttering. We also chat a bit about his involvement in the stuttering community which started up CAPS, The Canadian Association for People Who Stutter which is now known as the Canadian Stuttering Association.

Once again, as always, another excellent post over at Stuttering Hub by Hiten Vyas. And I’m not just saying that because I’m mentioned ;) Hiten wrote up 8 characteristics of modern stutterers. A very positive read. Thanks Hiten!

I drew this comic to introduce the Ti-Ger Analogy of Stuttering Acceptance and Empowerment. Long name but check it out at ti-ger.org. It’s a great analogy that really motivates me to not let my stuttering hold me back.

I don’t get much time to draw as I’d like to so I’m sure you’ve noticed, um… the rustic nature of the artwork is in this comic (but I’m improving). Anyhoo, I had lots of fun working on it and I hope you enjoy reading it.

This comic is released under Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0 for more information.

Click the cover to read or right click to download the 4MB PDF.

On this episode, I speak with Jay who is an airline pilot. In our lively discussion, we talk about his experiences with stuttering on the job, what it’s like to be a pilot, our unique yet common stuttering experiences and then the tables are turned and he interview me!

Frequent Stuttering is Cool guest and blogger Pam Mertz, the Stutter Rock Star, has launched her very own podcast! Called Women Who Stutter (iTunes link), it’s geared towards the stuttering experience of the fairer gender. In a casual chat format, Pam’s podcast is a long overdue glimpse into the stuttering experience for women. After all, men make up the majority of sutterers as well as in support meetings and social meet ups (and podcasts).

Congratulations on your new adventure, Pam. I know you’ll enjoy it as much as I do with mine!

P.S. Like all podcasts, you don’t necessarily need to use iTunes to subscribe. You can listen directly on Pam’s website at http://stutterrockstar.wordpress.com or subscribe to her rss feed, http://feeds.feedburner.com/stutterrockstar,  in any feed reader or podcatcher (free of cost!).

On this episode, I interview Stephen Paterson, who started up the Stuttering & Stammering Speech Disorder Forum. Among Stephen’s experiences with his stuttering, we chat about his involvement in the self-help movement in Dublin, the Irish Stammering Association and its Facebook page, his job, his presentation about the benefits of Twitter for stutterers and using Stammering/Stuttering Non-Avoidance Day to help celebrate his first year wedding anniversary (and stuttering on their blind date before then).

Here is an article from page 92 of a 1940 issue of Popular Science magazine – The Cure for Stammering. I haven’t had a chance to read it yet so apologies in advance if it’s turns out to be completely and utterly rubbish. Actually, chances are it is complete and utter rubbish but I’m sharing this only for idle curiosity’s sake as I have an interest in the stuttering experience through the ages. I really like the illustrations throughout the magazine :)

I know you’re eager to hear about Pagoclone, the drug that supposedly can prevent stuttering. On this episode, I speak with John Hathaway who is a test subject of Pagoclone. Does the drug really prevent stuttering? Is it a cure? John also blogs about his experiences with testing the drug. Check it out at Pagoclone Study.

U.S. Vice President Joe Biden talked about stuttering on The View. I haven’t seen the video but since it was posted on the NSA website, you know it will be good! :) Glad to see Joe Biden doesn’t hide the fact that he stutters and it was difficult to live with.

Part 1

Part 2

Part3

Part 4

Stammering Non-Avoidance Day happens on the last Friday of every month. An idea started up by Steven, the man behind the British Stammering Association’s Twitter feed, is very simple and very effective: on that day, do a speaking situation something you’d normally would avoid. Say, using the telephone, ordering tickets, asking for directions, that kind of thing. And when you do, don’t avoid any words! :) There’s a Facebook group, too!

Continuing from episode 80’s Big UK stammering meet up, I’m back on Skype chatting with Pam and her friend Sheila. These two online friends recently met in person for the first time. Shiela also wrote an interesting guest post on Pam’s blog describing a few aspects of what it feels like for a woman to stutter. We chat about PMS/PMT’s effects on female stutterers, the feeling of being a mother of a stuttering child and the differences in perspectives on stuttering between men and women. As I did for Pam and her friends in episode 80, I also ask Sheila what went through her mind when meeting Pam, Tone and Lisa for the first time.

Further reading: A Silent Minority by Julia Ammon and a few blog posts by Pam; “You Have An Unusual Stutter” and Breathe In, Breathe Out.

Music used on this episode: Aren’t Women Grand by Sophie Tucker

Using Skype, I chat with a few of my online friends Pam, Ridwan, Tone and Lisa meeting in person for the first time in the UK! They share a variety of their experiences including attending a British Stammering Association meet up and what a great guy Leys is, what went through their minds the moment they met in person for the first time and of course what’s a trip without a few tourist mishap stories? Lisa tells us her experiences with meeting another stutterer in person for the first time ever and Tone  describes her experience at the BSA meet up as someone who doesn’t stutter.

Pam blogged quite a bit about her trip; Traveling With Fellow Stutterers, Stuttering Meet-Ups in the UK (with video!), Guest Blogger: Shilea Shares (coming up on episode 81), We Attend A British Stuttering Group and Meeting Friends in Person. Pam invited Tone to guest blog with Guest Blogger: Tone Tells It. Ridwan posted a few photos on his Posterous page like this one.

In this episode, Jaan Pill joins me in a Thai restaurant (anyone for pad thai?) to chat about his experiences with speech therapy, the ISTAR program, the Stuttering Association of Toronto, and creating his own method of controlling his rate of speech. Afterwards, we go slightly off topic and briefly talk about the time he met legendary animator Bob Clampett, co-creator of Bugs Bunny!

I’ve been alerted by the British Stammering Association’s Facebook fan page of a movie that’s out called Shine of Rainbows. It’s about a woman who adopts an orphaned boy with a stutter and takes him to live in a remote part of Ireland. From the trailer it looks to be a great movie.

I play two audio submissions that I received from fellow stutterers. The first asks about stuttering foundations and the second gives us a demonstration on the metronome used in speech therapy giving us an idea of how practical it really is. This is also the episode where I debut my fancy outro (how do you like it?) and Stammering/Stuttering Non-Avoidance Day!

The King’s Speech is an upcoming movie about King George VI’s stutter (or as the Brits say, stammer). For the longest time, I’ve always thought how cool it would be to have a book about the king’s stuttering. In fact, a few days before I found out about this movie, I was thinking about maybe creating a comic about it! King George VI is Queen Elizabeth’s father. As I understand, this movie centers on him and his Australian speech therapist. 

I’m very interested in seeing how speech therapy and the stuttering experience were like in the 20s – 40s (well, as far as the director is concerned). Particularly with an important figure such as royalty. I can only imagine how much more difficult it must have been to be a stutterer in that era. In fact, there’s a story about BBC employees having to edit out his stuttering using SIX turntables (see Exclusive: The Men Behind The King’s Speech in the Colin Firth fan site link below).

The King’s Speech is scheduled to come out later this year. My uneducated guess is after the summer. Read all about it over at this Colin Firth fan site. By the way, guess who’s playing King George VI?

I think this the speech in the YouTube clip below is what the movie is also centered on. As a stutterer, I can totally feel his struggle and challenge in saying his speech. Great job, your majesty!

I’m the one who gets interviewed on this episode! Remember way back in episode… um… well, about this time last year when I had Greg Snyder on my show? He’s a University professor who once in a while asks stutterers to come in to his class for a Q&A session. It’s a great chance to give future speech therapists the inside story on what if feels like to stutter and all the goodness and crappity crap that comes with it. I connected with Greg’s class over Skype and here it is in all it’s mp3 glory.

Before all this, we hear from a new listener!

I’ve talked about my Toastmasters class a number of times on my show before but never included clips. So in this episode, guess what? That’s right, a clip! Of a 5-minute – rather unusual - speech I gave at a recent Toastmasters meeting (along with a very distracting firetruck siren in the background). After that, I play audio from a caller and Pam, the @StutterRockStar, who ponders self-consciousness. Before all that, I read an inspiring letter from a fellow stutterer.

The Year of the Ti-Ger postcard giveaway is still on! Send in audio and add your postal address so I can send you a postcard (I won’t play your postal address on the air). First person to do so before March 15, 2010, wins the 1st postcard.

Gung Hay Fat Choy! It is the year of the tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar so I’ve declared 2010 as the Year of the Ti-Ger! I talk all about it on today’s episode and what it means for us stutterers. I also beg announce how you can become a Ti-Ger Tamer and entice you with a contest I’m conducting in celebration of this year. As always, you are encouraged to send in your audio (instructions) that I can play on my next episode.

Today we go into a pub for a stuttering meetup! I recorded about 20 minutes to give you a slice of life in the stuttering meetups that I attend almost every month. I always have a blast and enjoy great conversation about stuttering and non-stuttering related topics. If you ever have a chance to go to a stuttering meetup, totally go!

I’m sick of hearing of various celebrities who “overcame” their stuttering or grew up stuttering yet they seem to never, ever dare stutter in front of the camera. While I do understand there’s an “image” to protect and nobody’s usually up to stuttering in public, however, 1) why bother mentioning it in the first place and most importantly,  2) what kind of message is being sent?

It’s refreshing to read about Ed Balls, a public figure in Great Britain, being upfront about his stuttering. And explaining how trying to cover it up makes it worse. He gets the Ti-Ger Award of Recognition! (:o]

Plus, he’s also involved with the programme that actor Michael Palin, who also stutters (and gets the Ti-Ger Award as well), launched for children who stutter. It’s got a cool name, “Wait, Wait, I’ve not finished yet”.

Thanks for @webby49 for alerting me to this great story.

While reading Never let the fear of striking out keep you from playing the game, you can absolutely feel the author’s positive energy coming from her experience stuttering her very important speech at her graduation ceremony. IN FRONT OF EVERYONE. It’s not so scary after all :)

“All of you deserve to feel a sense of accomplishment and encouragement and if you feel there is no one rooting for you-I AM! Don’t be afraid to be a fruit loop in a world of Cheerios. Stay strong and stutter beautifully.“

Today’s episode begins with a nighttime winter’s walk from the bus while I tell a positive story about disclosing my stuttering at a meetup I attended for iPhone developers. I didn’t know anyone there and I was stuttering A LOT. Very awkward, really embarrassing but… Then a quick chat on a sunny winter’s day at a dim sum restaurant where I ask a non-stuttering friend on how she never notices my stuttering despite me having a high volume day. Followed by reading listener e-mail.

If you have a Facebook account, join my newly created Facebook fan page for Stuttering is Cool! You can also follow me on Twitter —I’m @stutterdude— and chat with fellow stutterers.

Happy New Year! Happy New Decade! The first episode of Stuttering is Cool for 2010 is a chat with Eric Stirpe, an aspiring animator and who also doesn’t let his stuttering get in his way. Since we chat over video, I can see all his secondaries ;) After my chat with Eric, I play some audio feedback that I received since my last episode waaaay back in 2009. Check out Eric’s great work at ericstirpe.com.

Remember when I participated in a stuttering study back in episode 20? Today I go back to participate in a second one. I interview Kim Bauerly who is currently a PhD student at the University of Toronto who explains how her research has the potential to improve speech therapy. Also in this episode is a sampling of the Toronto subway system.

Here’s a terrific blog post by medical student, Irvin Bussel, who vividly explains the frustrations of stuttering in dialogue form. I really like his analogy of trying to colour between the lines with your crayons and dealing with your stuttering as you playing with the cards you’re dealt. We really have no choice but to make the best of it and transcend our stuttering.

Remember Job Interviews and Job Interviews part 2? In this episode, I speak with Pam for Job Interviews part 3! Pam is a high school guidance counsellor who’s got rock star advice about preparing yourself for job interviews.

Job interviews can be daunting and we are the lucky ones to have our stuttering in the process. Though fear not, as Pam and I discuss, it’s not about the stuttering. It’s about who you are as a person and what you can offer to the company that matters. Even people with perfect speech get turned down. A breakdown of our conversation is below:

00:00 introduction and such

00:58 Pam’s blog post about anxiety and confidence in job interviews for stutterers

04:55 Pam’s story about a medical student going on residence interviews and his technique for controlling his stuttering (Bouncing; Pam demonstrates this at the 10:00 mark)

12:40 Part of the stutterer’s preparation for a job interview is to practice speech tools

14:54 Don’t focus on fluent speech, focus on fluid speech

17:43 The benefits of keeping a job interview journal

22:00 LinkedIn is the greatest tool in your arsenal

28:27 There’s no need to make a big deal about your stuttering during the job interview. Instead, focus on your strengths.

30:03 The benefits of mock interviews

33:52 The job interview journal revisited and asking for internships

36:05 Stuttering and job hunting during tough economic times. Look at your transferrable skills.

39:50 Final pieces of advice

I recently met up with my friend Heather on her business trip to Toronto. She was taking a work-related course and ended up learning a lot more than her curriculum. Heather blogged about her friends’ curiosity about stuttering “after seeing a series of uncomfortable restaurant staff, two icebreaker self introductions and a flat out rude guest speaker they decided there might be more to things than needing a few extra seconds to talk”.

Heather writes how she explained to her friends how she uses the Ti-Ger Analogy to let go of anger and embarrassment so that she can enjoy herself despite these embarrassing and awkward moments. I highly recommend this read!

Following up from episode 68, I delve a little deeper into what happens after you’ve accepted your stuttering: trying to break your years and years and years of covert habits! We also hear from two cool stuttering listeners. Send in your audio – talk about anything you like, comment on this show, share an experience, suggest a topic, ask a question, tell a joke, whatever you like. Record an mp3 (or any other kind of sound file) and e-mail it to coolstutter@gmail.com or call the voice feedback line at +1-206-339-0389. I can’t wait to receive your audio!

Today we hear from 2 fellow stutterers who called in to give a shout out and ask how to control your stuttering when reading in front of a large audience. I recorded this while on a day trip to the unique Leslie Street Spit with a few friends who you will also hear. We go a bit off the topic of stuttering to discuss what we are doing at the Leslie Street Spit.One of my friends is Victoria Fenner, who you might remember from a previous episode. She produces a fantastic podcast called The Roaming Ear playing sounds she recorded in exotic places all over the world!

It was a beautiful day with a bit of wind. And my habit of holding the microphone too close to my mouth when I record. So I apologize for the awful clipping. At the very least, it’s short :)

I also took photos during my soundwalk and uploaded them to Flickr. Check them out!

Listener, Lyla, alerted me that Stuttering Stan Takes A Stand is now available in audio book form for free! It’s a children’s book about a squirrel named Stuttering Stan who deals with bullying and deals with his stuttering. I really like how from the beginning, Stuttering Stan doesn’t try to hide his stutter.  The story is also offered in streaming audio so the story is ready to you. I mean, your kid(s). Stuttering Stan Takes A Stand is written by Artie Knapp, illustrated by Barbara Leonard Gibson and the audio book is read by Alessandro Cima who does a great rendition of stuttering :) The book is also available in physical form.

Today I speak with @hthrb2 on our way to her first ever stuttering meet up. Along with sharing her thoughts with us before and after the meet up, Heather also tells us what’s it like be a stutterer in the military. She also gives her advice for any fellow stutterers out there why may be skeptical that they can enter the military due to their stuttering.

And between all this is a new story sent in by a new listener about stuttering on his name. I’ll be adding that to my mini-documentary.

Music used today is Carioca by Neurowaxx.

CBC, Canada’s public broadcaster, recently aired a documentary about stuttering on their radio network. Unfortunately, I missed it however, fortunately, I have friends who took the time to tell me about it and suggest that I contact the station. I would have never imagined that the following week I’d be at the station recording the intro for the rebroadcast!

Actually, I was recording the intro for CBC Radio One’s superb podcast called “Listener’s Choice” (or “The Choice” as it’s named on the radio version. The podcast provides listener requests for shows they enjoyed on the air.

I just heard the documentary and it is FANTASTIC. The stutterer being interviewed, Andrew McIntosh, describes our stuttering vividly and covers all our challenges: self-lothing, dating, job interviews, the telephone, speaking in front of a crowd, to name a few.

The documentary introduces Andrew to us as someone who tried A LOT of speech therapy throughout his life and now is done with it. He shares with us his feeling that speech therapy makes us feel that we’re broken and need to be fixed.

I share Andrew’s positive outlook on embracing your stuttering and I hope you do, too.

Listen to the documentary, The Sound of My Voice.

Today’s episode is the first of a series of mini-documentaries I plan on producing to show what it feels like to stutter. This first installment talks about the embarrassment of stuttering on our names. We hear from @bibiubrasil, @ridwan326, @stirpicus, @webby49 and @dima7b (thanks guys!). Music by Podington Bear (Hook Line & Sinker, The Squeaky Song, Robin’s Egg Blue, Drama Queen, Metal Finch, Invisible Is Not Invincible – please check his website for copyright  information).

stutteringiscool.com Released under creative commons license Attribution Non-Commercial No Derivatives. See http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0 for more information.

Pam Mertz, the @stutterrockstar, shared a moving explanation and all-too familiar frustration with stuttering by one of her readers, Adam. Adam hits the nail on the head as he describes what it feels like to grow up stuttering. As much as I’m open and positive about my stuttering NOW, before acceptance and all, I wasn’t too far off from Adam’s description. And even now it’s still a source of awkwardness and embarrassment. When you stutter, you have to take the good with the bad.

I highly recommend for those who don’t stutter to get an exact description of the sheer turmoil we go through (and all the crap we have to eventually overcome by ourselves). You don’t suddenly become accepting and positive overnight.

I also highly recommend this to fellow stutterers for obvious reasons. It helps to share our similar experiences.

Adam’s Story: Locked In A Greenhouse

You don’t have to give your name if you don’t want to.

E-mail your sound file to coolstutter@gmail.com and I’ll play it on my next episode. I’ll be accepting sound files until Friday, October 16, 2009.

Alternatively, you can record your story on my voicemail at +1-206-339-0389 (don’t worry, no phones will ring waking me up during the night).

Thanks in advance! I can’t wait to include your stories on my show!

Today I talk about a few positive experiences when I stutter with confidence even though I may feel awkward about it inside. Particularly, how we can tell when the people we’re talking to accept our stuttering. We also hear from @stutterrockstar’s thoughts on her stuttering increase right after I receive a timely phone call providing a glimpse in what I sound like on the phone- and speaking in Italian!

Speaking of Italian, I’ll be launching an Italian and French version of Stuttering is Cool in November. And speaking of November, don’t forget that Friday, November 13th is Stuttering Appreciation Day!

Stuttering, music, and MySpace. That’S what we’re talking about today with @dima7b, @stutteringme and his lovely wife, @courtneydare. Dmitriy (@dima7b) is a star. He doesn’t let his stuttering get in the way of him in school and businsess. He shares with us his techniques in stuttering with confidence in all of life’s situations; talking in class, giving a speech, running his own business— there’s nothing that can stop this guy! :)

Check out Dmitriy’s awesome work at myspace.com/dima7b. He can take something frightfully ugly like a MySpace page and turn it into a gorgeous work of art.

My friend Ridwan started up his own blog! I really like the name, Ridwan’s Scribbles. And I really like how he uses my Ti-Ger cartoon for the bookmark icon and I really like what he wrote on his about page:

This is my place to be myself; a place that I love, a place where I can be without any interruptions from people whom I know, who keep bothering me on What I am doing!!!

Ridwan also got himself a mobile blogging app so I’m excited to see what kind of scribbles he’ll be posting when he’s out and about in Scotland.

International Stuttering Awareness Day happens every October and it’s an online conference! It’s happening from October 1-22. Here’s more information about this unique event:

Stuttering: More Than a Tangled Tongue is the theme of the twelfth annual International Stuttering Awareness Day online conference, hosted by Judith Kuster, Minnesota State University, Mankato, will open October 1. It can be found by going to The Stuttering Home Page  (www.stutteringhomepage.com).

The online conference features several papers written by well-known professionals and consumers (people who stutter/clutter) from around the world.  Participants can read papers and interact with the presenters on easy-to-use threaded discussions attached to each paper, during the three weeks the conference is “live” – from October 1-22.

The ISAD online conference is freely available or can be taken for Continuing Education (1.5/15 hours) or one university credit (either graduate or undergraduate). Instructions and requirements for CEU or credit are online at http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/isadarchive/requirements.html.

Papers remain available online after the conference has ended and all past conferences are archived and available at http://www.mnsu.edu/comdis/kuster/isadarchive/onlineconference.html

Ever wondered why we go through phases of differing stuttering volumes? Today, my conversation with @ridwa326 continues from last week’s episode with @stutterrockstar joining in (along with special guest Gene). We ponder our increase in our stuttering the past few weeks and that of our fellow stuttering friends. Is it the summer holidays? Mercury in retrograde? Ridwan also tells us about the speech therapy he had as a child, growing up with fellow stuttering family members.

We take a Skype trip around the UK and with our first stop in London for a fun chat with @barrymcgee talking about his experiences with a 4-day intensive McGuire Program. I never took it but from the sounds of it, it seems very effective and liberating. We’re joined later in the show by @ridwan326, hailing from Glasgow, where we chat about the best things to do in job interviews.

On today’s show— I mean, on tonight’s show, I play fantastic audio from two fantastic ladies. The first is from a new listener in Germany sharing her ti-ger story with us (and photos) and the second audio comes from Pam Mertz, the @stutterrockstar. Pam shares with us her voice on stuttering conventions. I also do a bit of sharing myself on tonight’s episode; the sudden increase in my stuttering and being confident as I stutter through a joke.

Tonight’s show has been recorded during the night while I peek through my spiffy Galileoscope and observe Jupiter and her beautiful Galilean moons.

Today I chat with Tim Coyne who is an actor living in Los Angeles and produces The Hollywood Podcast. Tim is a fantastic story teller so I invited him on my show to share his thoughts on how to tell a good story. I know all too well how stuttering can ruin a good story or joke you’re trying to tell.

• …I guess you could say I use my stuttering to my advantage; a social filter. I’ve got no time for snobbish standards.
• My advice: I don’t MAKE the time 4 standards. Don’t like my stuttering? Plenty of other people on the planet to make friends. Kthanxbai.
• Also, it’s the confidence that attracts people. That and shared interests, connections.
• Stutter & react like a wimp, then you’ll be seen as one. Stutter & react with confidence, people see you in a positive light.
• You’ll get there. For me, it was getting positive feedback and rising above the negative. It ain’t easy. You’ll get knocked down
• THAT’S IT! Having control. Not of your speech but of your rejection of societal norms.
  
• THAT’S the root of getting confidence. Being in control & rejecting societal expectations.
• Exactly. You know your self-worth. Exude it. Man, they should teach this in speech therapy.
  
• @stirpicus To quote Demetri Martin: “Stuttering’s not a disability, it just adds drama and suspense to any conversation!” ;)

I also talk about a new website I started up called Ti-Ger.org. I hope you can join in on the fun :)

A new forum has popped up recently and it’s called stutteringcommunity.com. Despite it being new, it seems to be quite busy. Among the usual topic areas for stuttering (stuttering, treatments, venting), two which caught my interest are Skype Sessions and Success Stories. I love the success stories. Great idea! And so are the skype sessions for practicing speech tools and talking to other stutterers. Definitely a forum to check out.

Today I answer a few questions about stuttering sent in by Sandy. I talk about what to do while a stutterer is speaking, how voluntary stuttering is done and Sandy’s great idea about stutterers joining a storytelling club! Don’t forget that you, too, can chime in your thoughts about the topics. All details are found on The Podcast page.

Here’s a site what I like to refer to as a multimedia stuttering blog :) It’s called Stuttterblog and it offers the stuttering community support. But it goes beyond that. As its tagline says, it’s a social community. Sign up as a member and you can not only comment on posts, you can also write your own posts, share videos, etc. You can also follow Stuttterblog on Twitter.

I was alerted to a great story while surfing The Toronto Stutterers Meet Up Group. The article, Stutter Couldn’t Block His Dream, is about the graduation of a stutterer from the New Haven Police Academy. Plus, he has a black belt in karate. Gotta have more cops like that! Another great piece of evidence that you can accomplish anything you desire in spite of your stuttering.

I chat with horror author, Robert R Best, today about his writing, his podcast and of course, his recent journey into his stuttering acceptance. In contrast to everything I talked about on episode 56 about letting your stuttering out and just do it, we ponder a dilemma Robert is facing for an upcoming convention where stuttering just may not be appropriate. Yes, it’s easy to say there’s room for stuttering everywhere— and there is— but certain circumstances may be an iffy.

Listen to today’s episode and share your advice for Robert. Leave a voice mail at +1-206-339-0389 or record an mp3 and e-mail it to coolstutter(at)gmail(dot)com or record a message right from your computer mic in the orange box on this page.

We also hear from @stutterrockstar where she talks about blocking.

We have a packed episode today! I talk about my awesome experiences at Podcasters Across Borders (as per usual) this year including audio from my presentation (merci à Laurent LaSalle for the video). What happens when a stutterer gives a speech? Nothing. Only great things happen which I talk about on today’s episode. Including my experiences talking on CBC Radio the day after PAB. We also hear from @stutterrockstar, my roving reporter and @sbless and The Stuttering Hour is back!

My chat with Grant Meredith who has recently been voted top lecturer in all of Australia which we talked about in episode 54. We continue our chat with explaining stuttering to his kids (or not), how Grant’s stuttering was never an issue when dating, the power of suggestion, and the films he makes which are shown all over the world. We also talk about taking a firm stance on not allowing your stuttering take control and letting your personality shine.

I chat with Grant Meredith who has been voted top lecturer of the year and 14th overall (out of 6000) in Australia. I first read about Grant on Stuttering.Me and just had to have him on my show! We talk about how stuttering benefits us stutterers and shapes us into great presenters and effective communicators. We also talk about the type of speech therapy Grant received and I allude to what’s coming up in part 2 of our chat…

Carly Simon recently wrote an article about her experiences of growing up stuttering. And what a vivid picture paints. As a fellow stutterer, I totally and completely related to everything she described. Some of those memories I didn’t need to revisit but then again, they shaped me into the person I am today. Stuttering or not, kids all have to go through those tough life moments in order to grow.

Carly Simon is one of the many artists who donated their time on the Listen: Songs Written by Children Who Stutter CD coming out on June 23.

I was a guest on episode 145 of the Canadian Podcast Buffet last week and coincidentally, the topic of the talk of the week was ethics in eiditing. When you have to edit a long interview down to a shorter time, you have to be really careful in your editing that you’re not changing context. We chatted about editing out stuttering. Is it wrong to edit out stuttering?

Today we talk to fellow stutterer, Daniel Smrokowski, also known as @photodan on Twitter. Daniel is an athlete in the Special Olympics and a fantastic motivational speaker, photographer, writer, and so much more.

We talk about how Daniel go into podcasting, public speaking, and getting rid of the r-word.

Today’s episode is actually an episode of Stuttering.tv with co-host Greg Snyder of Stuttering.Me. Video didn’t seem like it was going to happen so we decided to record audio instead. Even that was a tech challenge at times :) When technology throws you lemons, make lemonade! Ok, back on topic. Sites mentioned on today’s show include:

• Daniel’s Photography Home
• Daniel’s motivating speech
• Daniel’s articles in The Torch
• r-word.org

My fellow stutterer and tweep, @stirpicus, wrote about his thoughts about his stuttering for the very first time on his blog. It’s a great read because you can feel the tremendous awesomeness he is feeling about coming to terms with his stuttering and reaping the awards from accepting it. What I like best is all this happened from the online stuttering communities offering support. You rock!

I was interviewed on the fantastic Just One More Book! podcast produced by Mark Blevis and Andrea Ross. They had a call for art submissions for their Love of Reading Gallery and mine was entitled Now This One. I talk about how I came up with the idea, how I drew it and my thoughts on digital art and what stops me from using my iPhone as a sketchbook. You can listen to the interview here.

This is stuttering link #32 because I hardly stutter my shows. Reason being that stutterers usually stutter a lot less when speaking by themselves. So this is a great opportunity to hear how I usually stutter on my high-stuttering days. Yet I still get my message across. Stuttering doesn’t prevent you from communicating effectively ;)

Hm… Ti-Ger doesn’t look like he’s running.

Today we travel to Germany via Skype and chat with Stefan about stottern and desensibilisierung which mean stuttering and desensitization respectively. As well as chatting about the preparation of explaining stuttering to your kids.Today’s episode is brought to you by… a disclaimer! Yes, I’m having audio issues again. Never a dull moment in the podcasting world :)

I chat with Pamela Mertz, the Stuttering Rock Star (which is also her Twitter name) and author of the superb Make Room For The Stuttering blog. Pamela explains what stuttering is like for a woman, how giving her stutter a name helps her accept it and give many presentations and talks for her work.

In today’s episode— episode 50!—I explain how I went from covert stutterer back in episode 1 to laid back overt stutterer giving presentations. And loving it! Speaking of which, I also talk about my experiences with my very first presentation at a podcamp. I stuttered and… did the sky fall on my head? I also ever so briefly mention a wiki I started up— stutteringiscool.pbworks.com. I got the idea out of this very momentous (for me anyway) episode 50. EPISODE 50! FIFTY!

I still can’t beleive I reached 50 episodes! Thank you to all my listeners. There would be no show without you. So call in at +1-206-339-0389! Or e-mail your mp3 at coolstutte[at]gmail[.]com.

@PhotoDan of the PhotoCast is a Special Olympics Illinois Athlete and Global Messenger. And this is his inspiring speech about making a difference and transcending ignorant stereotypes. Dan shares a story of how a few of his teammates were angry that they lost and the coach said it’s not about winning about “let me win but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt”. I really like that (hence the title of this post). Dan also mentions Joe Biden’s stuttering.

Listen to Dan’s fantastic speech. And subscribe to his podcast because photography is fun! :)

I just got back from PodCamp London (or as the Twitter hashtag says, #pclo09) where I gave my 1st solo presentation. Woot! It went great. I recevied a lot of positive feedback and people were tweeting and retweeting my presentation. It was streamed online and once I get the link to the archive, I’ll share it with you.

On today’s episode, I chat with a few fellow attendees asking them about their stuttering or any questions they have about stuttering. Then I find out I was quoted in the newspaper!

Sites mentioned:

• The Roaming Ear
• Deys.ca
• Stuttering.tv
• The London Free Press
• PhotoCast
• Dovetail Organizer
• iTalk
• On The Log
• My presentation!

On today’s show, I answer a question from Trey, a listener who wants to disclose his stuttering on a cover letter he is sending out with his resume. I provide my thoughts on his proposed disclosure (see below) and invite YOUR thoughts as well. After all, I’m not a career expert :)

Here is what Trey wants to write:

I am a student at _________High School, who maintains an above average grade level. Like every kid I can be a bit shy at first, but am very outgoing once you get to know me. I do suffer from a mild stutter, and I am open and comfortable to talk about it, although my stutter can be discouraging at times, I do my best to maintain a positive attitude. I also understand that it might hinder my ability to work in certain areas of the workplace that require a lot of talking.

What are your thoughts? Would you disclose your stuttering on a cover letter? Have you ever? Would you disclose your stuttering on your resume?

This episode goes to the birds! And then I talk about yet another new project that I’m involved with called stuttering.tv (@stutteringtv on Twitter). As the name suggests, yes, it’s a video podcast. You can also find it on YouTube. The best feature of this podcast is YOU can be on it, too!

I mentioned The Sniffer on this show and a presentation I’ll be doing at PodCamp London this upcoming weekend. Check out my Flickr set if you’re interested in seeing the birds that were tweeting and zooming around me while I was recording.

THIS is living proof that talent always outshines ANY incorrect impression other people have. This is why it’s important NOT to allow your stuttering to keep you down. I can’t stress that enough. I’ve met too many stutterers who insist on being kept hidden and beaten by their stuttering. Life’s too short, my friends.

While I’m on the topic, just a little reminder of this as well.

Friday, November 13, 2009 is the date for the 1st annual Stuttering Appreciation Day (7 months from now). I started this up to give a day for my fellow stutterers to look on their stuttering in a positive light.

The concept is simple. On November 13th, go to Stuttering Appreciation Day and leave a comment on what you appreciate about your stuttering.

If you have a blog (or podcast, etc.) about stuttering, write a post about what you appreciate in your stuttering and post the link on Stuttering Appreciation Day. If you do plan on blogging, please send me your blog’s url and I’ll post it to my list of participating sites.

Right now, you cannot leave a comment because I’ll open them up on Friday, November 13, 2009.

Despite what I say on today’s show, this is episode 46, not 47 :p I really should keep track. Anyhoo, I give a glowing report on a meetup I attended for stutterers as well as the cool things I observed. I also give an update on a few items of note including a few stuttering stories and the date for Stuttering Appreciation Day!

• Toronto Stutterers Meet Up Group
• Stuttering Appreciation Day

I came across this blog post listing Top 10 Dating Turn On’s. If you can get past all the instrusive ads. In a nutshell, it’s, well, 10 tips to keep in mind when on a date. They’re pretty much common sense but it’s good to read them to keep ‘em fresh in your mind.

This way, your focus is on your date and the conversation and not entirely on your stuttering.

There’s a stuttering character in the current story arc in the newspaper comic strip, Doonesbury. I’m not too familiar with Doonesbury as I don’t subscribe to a newspaper during the week. So I only see it on weekends. From what I gather, it’s a political/current events comic. In this arc, a woman is meeting a guy who stutters. That’s pretty much it so far. The story seems very recent.

One curious thing though, it is revealed in this comic that the stutterer actually has aphasia. And I’m such a sucker for stuttering in the media ;) Stuttering isn’t mentioned in this wikipedia article on aphasia. Since I personally take anything on wikipedia with a grain of salt (just in case, you never know), I did a Google search to find out more. I’m still perplexed.

No offence to Gary Trudeau, I’m sure he did his research or is probably close to someone with aphasia, however, I’m not familiar with it so I’m educating myself. Can anyone let me know if aphasia causes stuttering? Are the two similar?

I love this post. It’s by Robert R. Best, horror writer. Telling the world that he stutters. I remember when I was debating whether or not to reveal my stuttering to the world like this. Podcast, resume (I’m a web designer so this site is definitely going in my portfolio) and all. As you can tell, I did reveal and… wait for it… nothing bad happened. It’s scary to think of telling people you stutter, but once you try it, you begin to wish you’ve done it in the past :)

And you truly do stutter less. Not by much, but just mentioning your stuttering puts both you and your audience at ease. And you’ll find that your audience doesn’t care that you stutter.

I’ll bet Robert will feel the same way. Great job, man!

I chat with Hiten Vyas, of Stuttering Hub, who teaches us about the power of postive thinking and it’s influence on our lives. We learn all sorts of acronyms like NLP and CBT which, as you will see, play quite a useful role for us stutterers.

Sites mentioned on today’s show:

• British Stammering Association
• Mastering Stuttering and Blocking
• Stuttering Hub
• @HitenVyas on Twitter

Ahhhh, here’s a gem! An interview with a stutterer who describes our challenges to a tee. From a 2006 episode of the Citizen Shift podcast, John Paskievich is interviewed about why society’s perception of stuttering need to change. Hear! Hear! In particular, the media. Hear! Hear!

John is a documentary filmmaker who made a film, called Unspeakable,  about the media’s prejudice towards stuttered speech. In this interview, you will hear the struggles he encountered while trying to pitch his film to the media.

In this podcast, you’ll hear how during a television interview, the host couldn’t get past John’s stuttering and asked him to do take after take. John asks why there is such a stigma towards stuttering on tv. There are people with all kinds of accents, people in wheelchairs, obese people… Through pondering a stutter-friendly world, John talks about how disclosing your stuttering makes everyone relaxed.

John also describes how stuttering robs a student of a positive experience of what school is all about, expressing your ideas and having fun, learning what they want to learn, making friends with the people they’d like to make friends with, the ignorance…

Sounds like a great film. I’m ordering my copy!

Listen to the podcast here.

Danielle of Danielle’s Blog, also known as Stuttering Mon on YouTube (and @danistuttermon on Twitter) has launched a new series on YouTube. The concept is simple: she asks a question about stuttering and you reply with a video response. Danielle plans to post a new question between Wednesday and Friday.

Below is the first installment with special cutsie co-star :) If you have a web cam, why not answer her first question?

Today I chat with Michael, an Australian student who stutters without avoidance. We talk a bit about the fires in Australia, Michael’s interest in IT and building 100 computers and what it’s like to be a university student who stutters. Oh the memories…

…and I liked it! It was totally cool and the sky didn’t fall on my head. The audience didn’t even flinch. On today’s episode, I play a clip from the panel I participated in at PodCamp Toronto 3. You can see the video here.

I tried my best not to do any secondaries (except that I noticed I kept touching my nose) and I’m proud to say that I didn’t avoid or substitute words! Whoo-hoo!

I also play quite a few audio submissions from listeners (thanks guys!)

Here’s a great site: The Stuttering Brain, by physicist and/or financial guy, Tom Weidig, of Luxembourg. How cool is that? :) And/or? He was working towards a PHd in particle physics (I love physics!) when he decided to get into finance and investment banking has a PhD in physics, worked in research then left acadaemia for the financial world.

Tom hasn’t abandoned his scientific side because he blogs about the science, research and treatments behind stuttering on The Stuttering Brain. There’s lots of information here presented in the proper scientific point of view. No psuedo-science or junk science here. I can’t recommend this site enough :)

Tom is a lifelong stutterer and from his interview on StutterTalk, he doesn’t seem to avoid his stuttering.Which, I’d like to add, planted the seed for me for totally letting my stutter out no matter who I talk to. And it feels great to do so.

I posted a link to Ssstutter, a short film about stuttering made by director Bruce Oothout and producer Youssef El-Khoury while attending the Vancouver Film School. I interview them on today’s show. We chat about how they got into film making, the making of Ssstutter, and of course, their personal experiences with stuttering.

Music played on today’s show was McGill by Podington Bear.

Part 4 of my fun interview with Stuttering.Me’s Greg Snyder, we first chat a bit about the podcast scene then we talk a new kind of X-Men: polygenetic mutation hard evidence that stuttering is a genetic thing and NOT, I repeat, NOT or ever has been a psychological thing. This is great news for us stutterers! Good thing we don’t have to wear spandex.

Music played on today’s show is Hydroplaner by Podington Bear

This is part 3 of my interview with Greg Snyder of Stuttering.Me. We start off talking about the role of technology in stuttering and self-help. Can technology also be abused? We also talk about stuttering in relationships (ignore the part where I say Valentine’s  is coming up since this was recorded before and posted after the 14th), the benefits of stuttering and fluency vs. effective communication. I’m aiming for effective communication.

Music played on today’s show is Hydroplaner by Podington Bear

Following up on my previous post sharing 5 common mistakes stutterers make, by Hiten Vyas of Stuttering Hub, today I share his 10 Tactics To Deal With Stammering. Items #7 and #8 will be devoted to an entire episode when I interview Hiten on a future show. And I really like item #9.

You can follow Hiten on Twitter at @hitenvyas and myself @stutterdude. Sign up for a free Twitter account and let’s chat! I can introduce you to fellow stutterers and SLPs.

My good friend, Hiten, has a few “list posts” that I’d like to include here on my 101 Stuttering Links hall of fame. Today, I’m sharing with you Hiten’s reality check entitled, “5 Common Mistakes PWS Make“.

Items #1 and #2 describe me during secondary and post-secondary school. What an ordeal. Thankfully, #3 and #5 aren’t me (though some may beg to differ with #5) but it was only relatively recently that I got over #4.

It’s only natural that we all make mistakes. Which ones do you make?

You can follow Hiten on Twitter @hitenvyas and me @stutterdude. I’ll introduce you to fellow stutterers :)

Here’s what I came up with for my Anti-Quack character who, as you’ve most likely guessed, is the scientist who actually does research and keeps up to date on stuttering knowledge, etc. Inspired by (and slight caricature) you-know-who and his podcast ;)

I still need to refine him. Perhaps thicker pencil strokes will do the trick.

A previous version of anti-quack:

Here’s a sneak preview of an upcoming character I’ll be introducing (once I get off my arse, that is!) in a very near future comic. This stutterer will be totally cool with his stuttering and will play a role in bringing Franky Banky to accepting his stutter as well. At the moment, his name is Chess until I can find a better name (if any). The final Chess is at the bottom.

]]> http://www.stutteringiscool.com/stuttering/quack-and-anti-quack/feed/ 2 http://www.stutteringiscool.com/stuttering/quack-and-anti-quack/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/StutteringIsCool/~3/6YJ9XDRK-vk/ http://www.stutteringiscool.com/podcast/stuttering-related-food-service-stories/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2009 11:49:34 +0000 coolstutter@gmail.com (Daniele Rossi) http://www.stutteringiscool.com/?p=115 Episode 39

In part 2 of my interview with Greg Snyder of Stuttering.Me, we chat about stuttering related food service issues and double entendres (which means there’s a language advisory in today’s episode), standing up for your stutter, shared common experiences among stutterers and when little kids ask us why we talk the way we do.

Music played on today’s show is Hydroplaner by Podington Bear.

There’s this ‘list 25 random things about you’ thing going around Facebook and for link #20, with permission, I will share the 25 random things by Mike “The Birdman” Dodd of This Week In Geek. Though he doesn’t stutter, I found his 25 random things really inspiring.

We can get beaten down by stuttering risking having our lives stifled by it. It’s easy to get discouraged and sometimes an uphill battle to overcome it and kick it where the sun don’t shine.  I’ve come across many stutterers who insist they’ll never amount to anything and don’t bother trying. The Birdman’s 25 random things should inspire you to live free. As @stutteringme says, stutter on your own terms!

1: Full name is Michael Albert John Dodd
I named after my grandfather and a hockey player I think

2: I was kidnapped when I was a kid and was rescued by a SWAT team in Brampton

3: I was adopted and was told my real mother was my sister and then I was told the truth by my grandparents when I was 12.

4:I have a real fascination with bugs but can’t stand to be near them

5: I intend to swim with sharks in the next 5 years

6: My goal is to run a marathon in 5 years & climb a mountain in 10 years

7: I have been engaged twice before

8: I dye my hair red as a sign of who I am at core. One who goes against the grain and will not submit to authority

9: My favorite time of year is fall.

10:Everytime I see a shooting star, I wish for “World peace”or for everyone on the planet to know a heartbeat of true happiness hope that would change the world

11: I hope to accomplish something great that’ll change the course of human history

12: I believe in humanity still.

13: I believe in pyshics & the paranormal: Seen too much weird shit to not believe in it

14: I recently traveled to Washington,DC on a whim to witness apart of history in the making because it would be “cool”. I live in the moment when it comes to making memories

15: I tried skateboarding to much failure but love the skater culture and the decks

16: I’ve had hot chocolate with Douh Gilmour of the Toronto Maple leafs when I was a kid

17: I have no idea on who my real father is so I see it as a chance to become more then the sum of my DNA and the ability to become whoeever I choose to be

18: I fear remarkably little and believe that fear is an enemy you choose to make stronger and so you choose to make yourself weak if you give into it

19: I have been beaten up by Neo Nazi’s so bad I was beaten I thought I cracked ribs

20: To those that have hurt & betrayed me & made fun of me, I would do anything for, including taking a bullet for because I believe that faith in humanity

21: My only regret is that I wish I had loved those who loved me even more but hope I made a positive change in their lives and wish them well in future endeavors

22: I am chippawa of Nawash, Objiway Indian and of Clan Bear

23: My tattoos symbolize the defeats in my life so that I may make those into victories and be reminded of what I can accomplish

24: I have been interrogated by the police for a crime I didn’t commit for 4-5 hours

25: I have been suspended from school over 10 times but not once for fighting for being a “Political agitator” aka troublemaker and prankster

5 February, 2009 update: I recevied this awesome thank you from the Birtdman!

Today I interview Greg Snyder, founder of Stuttering.Me, his awesomely motivating micropodcast and microblog about stuttering. We had so much fun chatting that I recorded almost a full hour and a half! There is no way I’d edit any of it out so I chopped it up into 4 bite sized pieces (a bit in honour of the micro theme to Greg’s podcast). that means February is the Canadian Greg Snyder Awareness Month here on Stuttering is Cool ;)

In part 1, we talk about telephones and cellphones (a stuttering favourite), wireless routers and stuttering, protestors, Facebook, Stuttering.Me and Twitter, sitting in the front row at comedy clubs, being spoken for and my embarrassingly s-l-o-w upkeep on some things.

My apologies for the fuzzy, static noises coming from my computer. Please also note that today’s episode contains some colourful language and double entendres.

Music played on today’s show is Hydroplaner by Podington Bear

Song used in today’s program is Filth Biz by Podington Bear.

Is the audio sounding horrible? It sounds fine in iTunes and other sound programs. Even if you click ‘download’ and listen from your computer. For some reason, this particular episode won’t play properly on the web. I spent long hours troubleshooting but can’t figure it out. Trust me, I tried all methods. Yet the browsers hate the file. Or vice versa. I don’t know. My apologies for the inconvenience.

Lots of links lately, eh? I was alerted by Stuttering.Me of a Canadian poet by the name of Jordan Scott who is a fellow stutterer. After a little poking around, I came across this CBC show about how language is processed in the Broca’s Area of the brain. It’s very interesting and you’re taken on an audio journey into the brain as we learn how, well, language is processed. The subject turns to stuttering a little after the halfway mark where we hear an interview with Jordan Scott as he talks about how it feels like to live with a stutter, its awkwardness, etc. He also offers a clever little trick to prevent you from stuttering an order.

Edit (January 28, 2009): I’ve thought it over and realize that clever trick he mentioned (humming before giving an order) is really a secondary. We want to stay away from those!

Stutter Radio is a talk show about stuttering on BlogTalkRadio. I try to catch it but it’s on Monday nights when I’m at the gym. So I listen on the podcast feed. Anyhoo, stuttering link #18 is an episode of Stutter Radio where the host and caller talk about nutrition, the obesity problem and eating habits.

You’re probably wondering what does this has to do with stuttering. The caller is a stutterer who’s in school to become a nutritionist. This is a conversation/a show/whatever, with a stutterer in a good light. Not being the butt of any jokes and not being implied as incompetent and nervous.

Instead, link #18 offers an example of a stutterer who is confident, smart, has a bright future and is just like everyone else.

Have a listen (and subscribe or call in).

Job interviews are hard because you really don’t know what questions to anticipate and in order to give the best impression ever, you have to reply quickly. No uuuuuuhs and uuuuuums. Those two can be very difficult to us stutterers. One of my secondaries is uh-ing and um-ing and I tend to stutter or block on the very first sound of my reply.

Unfortunately, there is only so much we can do about our stutter but we can be prepared for the job interview. Never, ever wing it. Regardless if you stutter or not.

There are plenty— PLENTY— of websites all over the Internet giving advice and expert tips on how to prepare for a job interview, so what’s another one? :)

For link #17, I share this page over at About.com.  Job Interview Questions and Answers provides a check list of potential questions you’ll be asked. It goes further— how to best reply to them! The name of the game here is preparedness. Don’t memorize your answers but be prepared so that you give a fantastic impression.

As a bonus, our stuttering will help us further stand out from the other hundred applicants. So make sure they associate your stuttering with "Yes, he/she certainly has all the skills and talents necessary to fulfill the position and it’s clear his/her stuttering doesn’t get in the way of his/her performance".

As discussed in episode 32 of my podcast, Stuttering to your advantage , well, we can use our stuttering to our advantage!

Greg Snyder, co-founder of StutterTalk has a twitter account where among other things, he shares fantastic links about stuttering. Yesterday, my eye caught on this gem, Your Choices Determine Your Happiness, by Keith Harrel.

Keith is a professional speaker and a person who stutters. Thanks to a fantastic teacher and terriffic mother, Keith learned at a very early age the importance of having a positive attitude about his stuttering.

"My mother taught me then and there that attitude is a choice. When I told her I couldn’t go back to school, she listened and understood what was contributing to that negative attitude. She was able to listen to the pain that fueled my fears and humiliation. She then gave me the opportunity to choose a new attitude.

You have choice. You can accept an attitude of humiliation and fear or you can take on an attitude of action. You can be a victim or a victor. You can let life run you over or you can take it on"

I highly recommend this read and I also recommend you sign up on Twitter if you haven’t already done so and follow Greg. And me!

Episode 36

It’s hard living with a stutter. Even harder that stuttering isn’t understood. Today’s episode focuses on 2 of the many downsides of stuttering. First, I give a little bit of a rant about the perception that people who don’t stutter seem to have about people who do stutter. Despite what we tell them. In the second half, I talk about something that’s been going on stutterwise with me lately. I’m just too tired to talk. What is causing this and most importantly of all, how can I prevent it?

The first show of 2009. Happy New Year everybody! And with a new year comes new year resolutions so on today’s show, I talk a bit about what I plan do to in 2009 to improve myself. I’d also like to hear your new year resolutions, too. Continuing with the new theme, I talk about the new redesign (finally it’s up!) of this very website, stutteringiscool.com. All recorded on my way home at 3 a.m. New Years’ Day. You’d think I’d be stuttering up a storm at that hour!

Here’s a video of a CBS news clip about stuttering from the CBS website. It talks about the struggles and pain of stuttering through clips of people sharing their experiences at the National Stuttering Association’s annual conference. I can relate to each and every single one of them and wish I was able to attend. there is something fantastic that always happens whenever I hear other stutterers talk about the same experiences I went through (hence, my podcast!). Note the various professions these stutterers have despite their speech.

Sorry, there’s a 15-30 second ad at the beginning and the sound is only one the left channel for some reason.

Watch CBS Videos Online

So I said, "May I ask you a question?"
She turned to me, stopped walking and said, "Okay."
So I said, "I just printed our boarding passes and I was wondering w-w-w-w-w- (that’s right, I had a block on the word "which").
As I was trying to get the word out, she said, "TALK, TALK, TALK! I DON’T HAVE TIME!"
At the same time that she was interrupting me she was backing away from me. When she was finished with her remark she turned her back to me and walked away.

I think that pretty much speaks for itself.

I answer your questions about stuttering today and I also explain my longish absence from posting an episode.

Today I have a conversation with Jeremy Fails about his ideas on conquering the telephone… and fat loss! Jeremy is a registered dietitian and fitness trainer who spends a lot of his time speaking to clients without letting his stuttering get in the way.

In the first half of this show, Jeremy shares with us his advice on how to make phone calls with no fear. In the second half, we talk a bit about boot camp training and how diet can even affect stuttering!

Links mentioned on today’s show:

• WomensFitCamp.com

I interview Ezra Butler today who gives us his tips on networking, conversation starters and using stuttering to your advantage. Don’t forget to follow me on Twitter !

0:00 Ezra Butler introduces the episode
0:05 my new intro!
0:57 introducing my interview with Ezra Butler and the topic of networking
2:26 my interview with Ezra begins with his background info, his networking events and how he lives in no timezone
5:17 benefits of networking
6:00 tips for networking around the world from Ezra’s trip to China
7:54 what does Ezra do for work?
11:40 online social media (online networking) is just like networking offline
13:00 Ezra’s stuttering history and how he got into networking (along with tips)
18:01 being authentic and learning from messing up
20:05 using your stutter as an excuse
23:44 you’re starting with a clean slate when you first meet someone
24:40 conversation tips
29:08 factors contributing Ezra’s stutter to subside
31:30 use your stutter to your advantage
38:37 round up
39:49 Stuttering is cool in Hebrew

Links mentioned:
Ezra’s Posterous

Music played:
No Pants Friday by Lee Rosevere
Fraud 015 by Mr. Suitcase

We start with a few submitted audio clips (and a challenge!) and then I talk with Omar Ha-Redeye of the Law is Cool podcast (great name!) about Bruce Lee and his take on why having presentation jitters is a benefit.

Director’s commentary

Today I talk with Michael, an undergraduate student doing a study in sociolinguistics. And of course, yours truly participated in his study.

I’m sharing his post with you because he makes an excellent point about the power of networking when looking for work, partnerships, etc. Fine tuning your search— the value of looking for work on a job board vs. going out there and networking. Ezra also talks about the various types of networking (online, events, etc.).

I recently subscribed to Ezra’s blog* and its quickly becoming one of my favourites. I really like his writing style and his articles help you improve yourself. I also like how he mixes life lessons he learned from his family. A recurring theme is his mother’s advice of “you never know”.

Though Ezra doesn’t blog about stuttering, his posts can certainly be related to coping with it. For example, I also recommend another recent posting entitled How to Successfully Pretend to be Successful. Image is everything which, in my opinion, can overcome any misconceptions about stuttering.

*technically, it isn’t a blog. It’s a Posterous account. But still. It looks like a blog, it acts like a blog. It has an rss. It’s a blog.

Porky’s stuttering never bothered me as a kid nor now because none of the other characters made fun of his stuttering. And Porky never showed that it bothered him.

I’ve never seen “My Favourite Duck” before so I was bowled over when I saw Porky get a little miffed at his stutter! You can see it on Youtube 2:36 mark:

What I like is Porky was only lightly miffed in a “what a pain in the arse stuttering is” sort of way that I sometimes react to my stutters. He didn’t beat himself over it or feel like a failure. Granted, there was no room in the script for it but still :)

I answer 2 callers today on the topics of stuttering more due to work pressures, speaking a different language and recommending speech therapies. I also give my report on the first Stutter Night event and announce who won my Bajo Fondo Tango Club cd contest.

Items mentioned on today’s show:

• Stuttering Steve’s chatroom Stuttering Chat
• Media Driving, Community Divas, Talking Stick, Canadian Podcast Buffet
• WordCamp Toronto
• PodCamp Toronto 2009
• Canadian Stuttering Association 2009 Convention
• Stutter Night

Music used on today’s show:

• No Pants Friday, Interlude and Do What You Can by Lee Rosevere

Director’s commentary

Even the world’s greatest speakers get nervous but we never know because they are appearing confident. So can we!

This is a great interview. We learn there is nothing wrong about being afraid and how we can overcome social anxiety.

This is another opportunity to hear how I really stutter outside of the comfort of my own recording.

One of the mysteries of stuttering that I experience is the fact that my stuttering decreases whenever I record an episode for my show. I was interviewed by Jay Moonah on my way back from PodCamp Montreal, last weekend and if you want to hear a sample of my everyday stuttering, you can hear me at the end of his show.

I recommend listening to the entire episode (and subscribing if you’re interested in media and marketing) because Jay’s podcast, Media Driving is a great show.

"Director’s commentary " of this comic is available on my blog.

Today I answer a question about how stutterers feel when people finish their words or sentences. I also read email, play some audio feedback and run into a hilarious moment while demonstrating Utterli . It’s all good :)

Sites mentioned on today’s show:

• DeysCast
• Country Music Cast
• Utterli

Episode 27

Tonight I go out of my comfort zone and attend a house party where I know very few people. And the party goers are old friends. This episode documents what this brave stutterer does…

Episode 26

Today I speak with Sarah, a high school student who disclosed her stutter to eight people in one week! You go girl! Sarah tells her story of how she disclosed and what she said. Also, we get treated to hearing her recite one of her poems and Steve (from episode 23) drops by to give us an updsate on his recent online adventures.

I give a director’s commentary on this comic on my blog. I call it "When bad things happen to good art ". My apologies for the quality of today’s comic.

Episode 25

Today I interview Michael and we talk about those pain-in-the-butt oral presentations we had/have to do in school (and work, too). Also: a contest! I explain how you can win a promo copy of the Bajaofondo Tango Club ’s new album, Mar dulce.

Joe Biden has the potential of becoming the next Vice President of the US. Although even up here in Canada people are watching this election very closely, I’m not really into politics (I do vote and I’m greatful to our vetrans for the right, I’m just tired of all the media hoopla and mud sligning).

Finding out that Joe Biden is a stutterer certainly got my attention!

Actually, Mr. Biden used to stutter as a kid and teenager. I found out about this on the Stuttering Chat mailing list where someone mentioned that Joe Biden was a keynote speaker at a National Stuttering Association convention a few years ago. in his speech, he shared his personal experiences with stuttering.

I don’t know what ‘used to’ means exactly. Maybe he hides it well or is a master at his spech tools. Or maybe he actually did outgrow his stutter (is that even possible?).  I think it’s an interesting addition to what everyone is referring this election as historic. A black man and a woman (Hillary Clinton) were racing against each other. Both a first. Now there’s a stutter (former?) in the mix :)

The media, such as NPR, the New York Times and the BBC, is already talking about Joe Biden’s stuttering. From around the web, I learned that as a stutterer, Joe, would memorize the pages of his books before reading them aloud in front of the class (that would have never, ever worked for me!). Part of his regular pratice was reciting long poems in front of the mirror.

In college, Joe Biden regularly practiced his speech with a fellow stutterer.

Also of interest is the speculation among my mailing list members that Barack Obama also stutters. Wouldn’t that be quite the twist? Leaders of the US (well, the rest of the free world as well, I guess) are stutterers. True, we won’t hear them stutter, but still. Baby steps, I always say.

I haven’t seen a video of Obama’s announcement but I read that he mentioned Biden’s stutter and stuttering nickname as a kid. Yup, all this puts stuttering into the lime light. I hope.

That happened in the UK when Gareth Gates, a severe stammerer (as the Brits call it) won Pop Idol. I have a friend who went to school in England during that time and he told me that whenever he revealed that he stuttered, he was an instant celebrity.

Cartoonist notes about this comic
Next comic: Franky Banky’s coffee date!

Episode 24: On today’s show I talk about another positive stuttering experience. A REALLY GOOD ONE, TOO! A whole day of stuttering openly in front of non-stutterers. And being comfortable with it. This is what happens when you begin to advertise your stutter.

• Niagara-on-the-Lake Social Media Meet Up 2008
• My photos of the event
• PodCamp Montréal
• Mark Blevis
• The Shadow and James Show
• Toastmasters for People Who Stutter
• Stuttering Chat

Now you’ve met Bilodo. Next comic: Franky Banky’s mochaccino coming right up!

Episode 23: Today I interview Steve Blessinger, cool stutterer and owner of the fantastic Stuttering Chat online chat room. We talk about how he came to be comfortable and accepting his stuttering, his experiences, Porky Pig, and how you can participate in his chat room. I hope to see you there!

Apologies for the background noises. They came from my computer during recording.

Episode 22: My stuttering comics, Plurk and how positive stuttering experiences play a key role in growing comfortable with your stutter. Remember, it’s only when you’re at ease when you begin to stutter less.

Links mentioned on today’s show:

• St-St-Stuttering is C-C-Cool comic
• Plurk
• My Plurk account

Please accept my apology

I’ve had A LOT of set backs in getting this comic up. Mostly due to the availability of a thin-tipped marker in the colours I needed.

I was eager to start posting my comics so I decided I’d upload this for the time being depite how disapponted I am with the outcome. I’ve done too many redraws that it’s starting to stifle creativity. So please excuse the über-amateur look of my comic. Once I find the perfect medium, I’ll redraw and repost it.

All because LetraSet decided to discontinue their Tria markers and replace them with, yucky, blotchy kinds.

Please accept another apology

St-St-Stuttering is C-C-Cool is about a stutterer growing into accepting his stutter. Coincidentally, the theme of my podcast! Through this comic, I also aim to show non-stuttering readers what it feels like to live with a stutter.

The last thing I want to do is offend any of my fellow stutterers so please keep in mind that I certainly do not aim to do this and I am approaching this subject with the sensitivity of a life-long stutterer. Because I am one! :)

I promise, quality of drawings will improve. I’m already done with my 2nd comic and it’s 1000 times better.

Episode 21

I talk about how I cheered up a fellow stutterer on the other side of the country thanks to the Internet, social media and the relatively low cost of computers, broadband, webcams, etc. In other words, Stuttering 2.0!

• RSS in Plain English
• Google Reader
• Netvibes
• Let’s be friends on Twitter, Plurk and Facebook!

On today’s episode, I participate in a study that will help stutterers!

Here it is!

The interview of me, Mark Blevis and Melinda Mason on CBC Radio One’s Sounds Like Canada. Mark produces Just One More Book with his wife, Andrea while Melinda produces My Marilyn, a podcast devoted to the legendary Marilyn Monroe.

Click this beautiful link to listen to the interview.

Episode 19 – Today I play the first audio comment from a female listener! I offer some advice to high schoolers (I hope it’s good!) and I also talk about how nervous I was during the radio interview I had very recently.

Two interviews I did on the second night during the boat cruise at the Podcasters Across Borders convention in Kingston. The first is with Mark Blevis of too many podcasts to mention ;) And the second is with Tommy Vallier, the king of new media in Kingston ;)

It’s a joint series of shows for both Stuttering is Cool and SpudCast, my other podcast. Today is the first day of PAB. I talk about a coffee date gone wrong and interview a new friend.

Podcasters Across Borders – My Flickr photos

Yonderman

Just a quick note to say my interview on CBC Radio One’s Sounds Like Canada has been moved to Monday!

You can listen to CBC Radio One online at cbc.ca/radio

To my utter horror… I lost my phone number! If I receive no calls to it within 30 days, someone else gets it :( See why you should send in audio? :) The new number is 1-206-984-3922. Ignore my message about SpudCast. There are other ways to send in audio if you don’t want to pay for a long distance telephone call. All the information is on the right==>

Also, I will be interviewed on CBC Radio One! This Friday Monday at 10:00 a.m. (eastern time/Toronto/New York) I’ll be intervieweed along with 2 fantastic podcasters, Mark Blevis and Melinda Mason. The show is called Sounds Like Canada and it’s a great one to check out. How do I feel? Am I nervous about stuttering on the radio? Find out on today’s episode 15b!

You can listen to CBC Radio One online at cbc.ca/radio

New fun features are coming to Stuttering is Cool which I talk about on today’s show. I also mention ever-so briefly Skype. A great tool for stutterers? If you use Skype, add me and let’s ch-ch-chat! My username on Skype is birba0 (that’s a zero at the end).

I’m really tired on today’s show. So tired that I identify it as show #16 instead of 15. But who’s counting, right? With lack of sleep comes lack of fluency. Or so I thought.

Links mentioned on today’s show:

Stuttering Is Cool Facebook group

How To Podcast tutorial

Podcasters Across Borders

2008 National Stuttering Association Annual Conference

We take a trip in my car on my way out as I go off topic today and give you my suggestions for some other podcasts to listen to. After all, stuttering isn’t everything ;)

In order of mention:

• For the Sake of the Song provides the music played on today’s show
• YonderCast
• Atomic Suburbia
• All Axis Radio
• On The Log
• Headphones Required
• Betty in the Sky with a Suitcase
• The Amazing Adventures of Doctor Floyd
• The CatFish Show
• The Canadian Podcast Buffet and Podcasters Across Borders
• Just One More Book
• The Daily Breakfast
• StutterTalk
• Stutter Radio
• Canadian Immigrant Song
• New Turkish Beat
• Boxcars711 old Time Radio Podcast

Continuing the conversation from my previous episode, today’s show feature’s listener comments about job interviews. I also have an announcement to make regarding a new feature of my website and I ask you what you would like in a cartoon character who stutters.

At the end of the show, I play a snippet of a song from 1922 called You Tell Her I Stutter by Billy Jones and Ernest Hare.

I share my advice on staying confident and relaxed in job interviews despite my stutter. Part 2 of this topic is dependent on audio feedback from you. I want to hear your stories. Your tips. Your advice. So enough about me, I want to know what you think.

You have 3 very easy ways to leave audio which are found on the right navbar of stutteringiscool.com. Plus, I also mention it on my show.

You think you know someone and then BAM! they inform you that they, too, stutter. And here I thought I was the only one. Go figure. Today’s show is a little pow-wow chat with a friend who I just recently found out is also a cool person who stutters (that bubbling sound you hear in the background is their fish tank).

Also, is stuttering a handicap/disability? And another radio show all about stuttering. Send in your audio comments by calling +1-206-202-0463.

• Holland by Cique
• Record scratch sound by jswonger
• bubble sound effects by tedthetrumpet
• Stutter Radio

Continuing the topic of using your stutter to your advantage, today’s show features a chat with 2 fellow members of the toastmasters group for people who stutter that I attend. One member talks about how a girl liked his stutter and while the other explains there is truly no reason to get bent out of shape over stuttering in the first place.

Music used: Holland by Cique

I’m back with episode number 9… number 9… number 9…

Today we learn from a listener how we can use stuttering to our advantage when meeting women. I am not a love expert, however, I give you my take on the 3 things women find the most attractive in a man.

My apologies for the sound quality.

PWS Toastmasters Facebook group

Music used: Holland by Cique

Well hello there! Golly, it’s been a while since I’ve posted  my last episode. Too long in fact. Now it’s spring !(here in the northern hemisphere).  Anyhoo, here’s a quick piece of audio until I record and post episode 9 later in the week. Remember, you still have time to send in your audio.

I shovel the snow again as I play a few audio comments sent in by listeners from warmer climates (there’s a tiny bit o’ buzzin’). Then I play a 15-minute (more or less) audio clip of me in a Q & A panel about social networking.

Links mentioned:
PodCamp Toronto

Music: Holland by Cique

Livhealthy.tv

Music: I disagree (UK Dance Mix) by KCentric

Today I talk about confidence accompanied by some personal stories and audio comments. Stuttering isn’t caused by lack of confidence.

I also say something profound like: “When you think ‘I can do this I can do this’, there is a chance you’ll end up doing what you’re doing”. You see, I meant to say you’ll end up accomplishing what you hope to do with flying colours. Anyhoo, I hope you will still enjoy the show.

Music for intro, as always, Holland by Cique

On today’s show: a listener gets the prize for furthest listener, another has a broken ankle (ouch!) and I talk about my Toastmasters group. And man, am I having a bad stuttering day!

Music played on today’s show:

• Holland by Cique
• Felix and Krazy’s Night Out (ft. duckett) by duckett

On today’s show… I play my first audio comment! And I talk about Gerald McBoing Boing cartoons. I noticed I say A LOT of ums and “you knows” and uhs. Another new year’s resolution for me.

Music played on today’s show:

• Holland by Cique
• Le Club des Coeurs Brises by purplehood

It’s December 30th and as I sit by the fire, I’m thinking of the year that has gone by and the year that will arrive very soon. What are your new year’s resolutions?

Call +1-206-202-0463 or record a sound file and email it to coolstutter *at* gmail *dot* com.

Many thanks to my good friends who agreed to record themselves for my intro!

Music played:

• Holland by Cique

Finally… a real winter!

I don’t have plans to post a new show every day however, I couldn’t resist. Toronto got a wollop of a snowstorm today– a mere 20 cm but enough to give the media a chance to blow is completely out of proportion and sensationalize it as a major event. As usual. I wish they’d just go off the air on slow news days. Toronto has been getting pretty wimpy winters the past 2 decades so the media jumps all over it.

Anyhoo, no stuttering in this one– this is an impromptu soundseeing show for any listeners living in snow-free, permanently warm areas. I actually recorded myself shovelling the driveway! This recording is when I was shovelling for the 2nd time in 2 hours. It’s also edited down from 1.5 hours.

I’ll be shovelling again for the 3rd time right after I post. I kind of enjoy shovelling the driveway. A lot better than cutting the grass (too much noise and exhaust fumes in my face).

Let me set the scene: large snowflakes, wind blowing in my face, A LOT of snow. Maybe past the top of my boots. You can hear the crunch crunch of the snow as I walk over it and the shovel scraping along the driveway. Atone point, you’ll hear the sound of a truck starting. It makes it easier to clear the snow from underneath vehicles.

Pardon the low volume of my voice. The microphone was dangling from the pocket of my winter coat. It also sounds like there’s a strong wind but it’s only because I didn’t shield the mic. My apologies.

It would have been better if I was able to shoot video. Instead, I took a photo from my upstairs window. This is by no means a major amount of snow. No matter what the media says.

There are other areas of Canada (with far, far less pollution) that gets triple, maybe quadrouple the amount. How I envy them.

Music played: Holland by Cique