Jennifer Hamilton is a prolific and ignited visual artist, musician, theology scholar, and spiritual caregiver. Her paintings take you on a colourful, embodied, and mystical journey through ritualized inspiration and sacred geometry. Jennifer is deeply connected to the spiritual seekers and artists who came before her. She derives great inspiration from ancient texts and practices, and her special muse Hilma af Klint. In addition to a Bachelor of Fine Arts, Jennifer has her diploma in fashion design and a Bachelor of Theology.

Jennifer could have been a bunch of things when she grew up, and that’s kind of what happened. But these days, she is working as a spiritual caregiver in Montreal hospitals. Her current projects seek to explore this world of spiritual care through painting and ritualized reflection.

Jennifer is also a generous fan of This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life and I think this episode was a dream come true for both of us.

This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life welcomes marvellous community builder, multi-disciplinary sound artist, and relative social butterfly Kathy Kennedy.

I met Kathy at one of the 17 Christmas parties she was invited to in 2022. Before that I knew her from when she directed the extraordinary women’s choir Choeur Maha.A conversation and a half with Kathy and I soon discovered that Kathy is as iconic as her far-reaching projects. Her magic awaits, right here on your favourite podcast platform! We even have a few hot takes from Kathy’s spectacular recordings. Listen all the way through, and check out the time stamps in the shownotes to savour the highlights!

I had my first conversation with Aloe during my two-star summer of wretched mental health.

Before that I knew Aloe from her candid and hilarious stand-up sets at queer-friendly venues across the city. If you’ve been at the same shows as Aloe, you’ll recognize her unmistakeable and uproarious laughter that reverberates the venue walls and vodka bottles. In the throes of my break-up grief (and worse), I told Aloe about one terrible week after another, the crapshoot of emotional regulation, and whether to embark on a fraught course of pharmaceuticals. As I vented, I discovered that Aloe was a conscientious, compassionate conversationalist, and I thought, when the podcast comes back to life, she needs an episode. So, here we are!

Back due to wild popularity, we have the exuberant and life-enhancing, Alexia Côté, here for yet another all-advice episode. Tune in as we tackle a fascinating round of puzzling-to-devastating listener questions from THE BEST FRIEND FADEAWAY, I WANNA LOOK CUTE ON TINDER TOO, and PLAYING SECOND FIDDLE TO HER LITTLE BROTHER.

Today my guest is the Montreal Fringe and Canadian Heartthrob Al Lafrance. I caught Al during this year’s Fringe and it was a dream come true.  Over iced tea and zero air conditioning, we reminisce about Al’s prolific Fringe and haiku career, his cringey and champion insomnia, how not sleeping and other mental health adventures help and don’t help creativity, how Al’s brain’s doing now, thrift stores, hoarding, cleaning routines, plus a 5-star listener question from How Much Tea Should I Spill, a would-be artist who’s dying to write their juicy and incriminating opus but they’re worried they’re family will sue them. And not to be missed, we wrap up with Al’s first and last singing performance of everybody’s favourite punk rock 90s hit Basket Case. Transcend the bottom of the u-shaped curve with moments of joy with Al Lafrance. If you love Al’s soothing and hilarious, spot-on rambly shows, you will love this episode.

I met Iris Bahr at the 2024 Montreal Fringe Festival where she premiered her spectacular one-woman show, “Stories From the Brink.” I laughed endlessly! Afterwards, I was super smooth and awkwardly asked Iris if she would like to be the most famous person to ever appear on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. And Iris very generously said yes. What a thrill!

Iris and I recorded outside on Avenue Duluth so you’ll get an authentic Montréal experience, complete with birds, tourists, and exciting cobblestone traffic. We talk about creative routines (or lack thereof), the pénurie de main d’oeuvre, the boundaries we didn’t inherit, the guilt we did inherit, our relationships with our mothers, that time when Iris saw her mother have a stroke over video chat, the years of caregiving that followed, Iris’s autistic brother who grew up in a group home, grief, art, humour, healing, the quandary of online dating, neurotic moments with the dust buster, plus the magical line, “I don’t have the bandwidth for that right now.” Thank you, Iris, for a dreamy episode. And dear listeners, be sure to check out the full show notes for links to Iris’s work and imminent performances!

“If you have a body, you are a dancer.”

-Lynne Adams

Lynne Adams is a vibrant and enthusiastic actor, dancer, chocoholic and certified 5Rhythms® teacher. Lynne discovered the practice of 5Rhythms® after a total hip replacement left her depressed and grappling with chronic pain. Over a decade later, Lynne shares this powerful practice with hundreds of devoted students who come to dance each week where they experience transformation through music, connection, breath, sweat, creativity, and community. Lynne believes that “the dance floor is a mirror to our lives, reawakening our potential and purpose.” She says that coming home to our bodies in a compassionate and creative way is key to healing this world, one step at a time, one dance at a time.” It was so special to have Lynne on the show! Gosh, what an episode. Instead of the half-bad ukulele segment, Lynne convinced me to participate in a first-ever improv accapella sound bath. I hope you listen all the way to the end, and I hope you love it. And remember, “If you have a body, you are a dancer.”

Content Warning: Drugs, meditation, and naked cleaning. Also, mention of mental health challenges, self-abuse, and suicidal ideation. It remains a blast of an episode!

James Paterson has been contemplating the Universe since he was four years old when he would stay up all night listening to Jean-Michel Jarred’s new age synthesizer cassette on his Fischer Price tape deck. Growing up in the 80s and 90s, he showed great promise with computers, but as a teenager, he shifted his energy to drawing in an effort to impress the ladies. Today, James’s work dances around the intersection between drawing, animation, and code. James is fascinated in the points of resonance where these disciplines collide. Grounded in quirky and truly singular drawings, James’s art takes us on an immersive and mesmerizing journey, whether through prints, animation, virtual reality, or these peculiar and life-changing 3-D shapes. I was once the proud owner of an exquisite penis-like finger scroll and I was pleased about this, though alas, the piece did not fare well in my house fire. James is an avid meditator, and integrates meditation into his creative practice, which is as deep as they come and the realest deal I’ve ever seen. This episode was a massive treat and a must-listen for anyone with a quirky, creative, and fluctuating brain. Thank you, James, for this fun fab interview!!!

Lou Laurence is a singer, songwriter, playwright, and siren. She left her home at the bottom of the ocean to become part of that world, our world, Montréal and across Canada, where she takes to the stage with her ukulele, spectacular hair and fashion sense. There she combines her musical and lyrical genius, bringing us clever and hilarious songs in her signature soulful voice. Her performances unite music, sketch comedy, and stand-up. In 2024, she produced the live game show Montreal’s Most Delicious Date, and her 60-minute solo show, Love, Sharks & Frenching: a hot date w/ Lou Laurence won Best Solo Show, Best Music Show, and was runner up for Best Show with Improv at Victoria Fringe Festival 2023. It’s a one-of-a-kind date with Lou Laurence that will have you frenching like a Montrealer. And you can see it, imminently at the 2024 Montreal Fringe Fest at Petit Campus June 7-16. We can’t wait! Don’t miss Lou’s show and don’t miss this episode!

Keith Serry is a rockstar. Actually, he’s not a rockstar. But he’s a big fan of rockstars. He hosts the singular podcast, The Volume Knob where guests tell poignant and personal stories, each one featuring a song that saved their life. Beyond his podcast, he is an acclaimed storyteller who has graced many stages from Montréal’s Confabulation to­—maybe people have heard of the TV channel PBS? Keith was on that. A show called Stories from the Stage. Keith is a lawyer by trade, which means he gets lots of things done, even though he is also a husband and father—of two children and the laziest labradoodle in Montréal. But today, we are going to talk about Keith’s imminent show, The List:  A Traumady About Probiotic Masculinity, premiering June 8 at Montreal’s 2024 Fringe Festival.

The List takes us on a hilarious and heartbreaking road trip that answers questions like, Why are men like this? Must all the role models be terrible? What’s going on? And, are men okay? Given these volatile times, these are racy topics. It got a little awkward, but I’m glad we went there. Keith Serry, thank you for this splendid episode.

Today my guest is ME, and the topic is FUNEMPLOYMENT. How to believe deeply in yourself (and your worth and your life) when you don’t have a job or all that much to do. In my own, sort-of-short existence, I have become quite seasoned in the art (and struggle) of facing the blank slate of my day—the freedom, the possibility, and the angst. How to survive spiritually and financially without the built-in affirmation of someone giving me money for my time and my skills. How to create my own structure and wins. How to avoid melting down on the sidewalk as early as 9:07 a.m.

If you’ve fallen off the job market, this episode is for you! But it’s also for anyone looking to examine their relationship with work and time. Part-time employees, freelancers, workaholics, we all have to navigate what our day looks like and the impact of our employment, or lack thereof.

Andrew Khoury is a rising star to look out for on the Montréal comedy scene. He comes to us from the hip and groovy suburbs of Nova Scotia. Since nailing his first stand-up set five going on six years ago, Andrew has channeled his anxiety into making people laugh—very hard. In the summer of 2023, he graced the Discovery Stage at Zoofest to great acclaim. Andrew is known for his fabulous legs and fashion sense, and for tackling taboo queer Arab themes with balls and hilarity. I saw Andrew live on Abby Stonehouse’s podcast and I knew I had to have him on the show. What a treat of an episode.

Maha Abdelhak Calvalcanti discovered autism while falling in love with her unique and effervescent, autistic son, Zane. It was a joy to hear her share about the vast and fascinating world that opened up when she discovered that her child was autistic. We talked about the latest in autism and disability, language and advocacy, technology and augmentative alternative communication, and the voices, gifts and wisdom of autistic people, speaking or otherwise. Maha offers wisdom of her own to our heartbroken listener My Kid Needs a Friend. And we wrap up with a charming and valiant ukulele attempt of This Game Called Life.  

Sherwin Tjia is Montreal’s most original and magnificent artist, writer, poet, graphic novelist, workshop leader, walk-a-holic, and quirky event planner. Since 2001, Sherwin has published nine books including the acclaimed graphic novels The Hipless Boy and Plummet, plus a trilogy of choose-your-own-adventure novels written from the perspective of a cat. Sherwin is the beloved founder of Sherwin’s Quirky Events, in which he hosts life-changing, one-of-a-kind evenings such as Strip Spelling Bee and Queer and Mixed Slow Dance.  He is also famous for his hilarious and entertaining walk reports which you can read on his Joe Catman Facebook Page. And finally, Sherwin is my creative and technical advisor and most cherished friend. I couldn’t wait to have him on the podcast!

Discover the quirky human behind the quirky events in this generous, jam-packed interview.

Daniel Allen Cox is a prolific and beloved Montreal-based author. He has written and published one novella, and four highly acclaimed novels. Daniel’s memoir-in-essays “I Felt the End Before It Came” dives into what it’s like to be raised and manipulated to reject yourself, or reject the only world you’ve ever known. Daniel grew up as a Jehovah’s Witness in the suburbs of Montreal. As he writes, “I spent eighteen years in a group that taught me to hate myself.” You cannot be queer and a Jehovah’s Witness—it’s one or the other.”

Daniel was a stellar guest, with hot and generous takes on Jehovah’s Witnesses, cults, language, ESL, writing, rejection letters, getting published, sobriety, apartment fires, LGBTQIAS+ community, creative routines, and more.

And we’re breaking the hiatus with a riveting all-advice episode, featuring the wildly adored storyteller, Alexia Côté.

“My fiancé agreed to pay for our wedding ring but now he wants out of this month’s rent.”

“I use too many pillows and my husband left the bedroom. Three months, later our marriage has totally imploded.”

“I’m a sad failed artist mom, supporting my family single-handedly. Meanwhile, my husband sits on the couch and commissions art he likes better than mine.”

Alexia and Erica can’t fix it—but we have thoughts!

Welcome back to This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. May you enjoy this all-listener question episode with Alexia.

Welcome to our final episode of 2023! Today’s guest is me, Erica J. Schmidt. I have a special update about my first date podcast project. I’m going to talk a little bit about gratitude lists. And our listener question comes from “My Guru’s a Drunk” who’s concerned about her motivational speaker mentor’s drinking problem. With the Winter Solstice on the horizon, our half-bad ukulele segment is Let It Go from Frozen. For maximum auspiciousness, be sure to sing along.

Radio and podcast star Simon Barbz hops on the pod to talk sex, love, dating, art, passion, adoption, and so much more.

Simon Barbz is a curious and wildly charismatic journalist, podcaster and producer. He is the host of Cheek to Cheek with Simon Barbz. On this coveted Montreal podcast, Simon talks to artists and public personalities about belonging and all the possibilities before us.  His warm and intimate interviews dive into the most delicious topics from landing your life’s purpose to lining up lovers for all your kinks. You can imagine Erica J. Schmidt adores every minute. She also adores Simon brand-new radio show, “Réalités LGBTQ+.” The program plays on FM 103.3 and it is the first radio show in Quebec ever to be dedicated to the LGBTQ+ community. At just 24 years old, Simon Barbz is a name to look out for. It was a thrill to have him on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life.

Mariam Khan is a delightful and invaluable addition to the Montreal comedy scene. She is known for her smooth, deadpan delivery, sassy well-played opinions, and ability to bring laughter to the daily grind of being a person. Her stand-up tells pointed truths about dating, sexism, race, and growing up with immigrant parents. Mariam regularly performs at clubs across the city and has appeared on OffJFL and Gigglefest. She is the co-host of the popular show Better Than Your Therapist and the producer and host of the show, I Don’t Belong Here. But she definitely belonged on This Is Your Strange and Beautiful Life. What a splendid episode!

For a joyful, low-drama approach to creativity, Jeff Gandell is your person. Jeff Gandell is an icon in the Montréal storytelling and performance community. He has written, directed, produced, and starred in a number of glittering fringe shows including Things Drugs Taught Me (co-created with Nisha Coleman), and The Balding, a coming-of-age-story about the race to lose your virginity before you lose your hair. For six years, Jeff ran the adored storytelling show Yarn at the Cagibi, may it rest in peace. He has offered countless storytelling workshops and has been a pivotal guide and mentor for all kinds of storytellers, including me. These days, he is channelling his creative energy into writing and singing songs. So far, he has produced two albums—Cold Chicken N Rice and this past summer, Only Human, a reappraisal of what it means to be mortal in an age of too many robots. Jeff also has one child with another one coming soon. What a thrill to have Jeff on the show.