Episode 77: Personal Q&A with Eileen Laird

This post may contain affiliate links. Click here to see what that means.

3 Comments / By /

podcast graphic with photos of host and guest

Getting to Know Me

I just had my 5 year healing diet anniversary in June, and we’re also approaching the 3 year anniversary of this podcast. Listeners have told me that while they love how information-packed my podcasts are, they would also love to know more about me personally. So, I thought it would be fun to be the guest myself today. I’ve asked my friend Joanna Frankham to be the host for this episode. To clarify, this conversation isn’t going to be about autoimmune disease at all – because we are so much more than our disease and sometimes it’s easy to forget that. If you don’t know my rheumatoid arthritis story, listen to Episode 1 where I shared my rock bottom with RA and the huge difference the paleo diet and lifestyle made in my health. Then, in Episode 48, I shared my decision to start medication as well. And in Episode 50, I actually interviewed my husband about what it’s like to be married to someone with autoimmune disease. So, I have shared personal stories on this podcast before, but today we’re going in a very different direction and talking about much more lighthearted things. So, welcome to the Eileen Hour with Jo as your host!

Listen to the Show

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Show Notes

  • Intro (0:00)
  • Meet Joanna – our Guest Host (1:27)
  • Thank You to Our Podcast Sponsor – Paleo on the Go (2:04)
    • A frozen meal delivery service, they have a large menu of items for the paleo autoimmune protocol (AIP).
    • Use the code PHOENIX for 10% off your first order.
  • Eileen as a Little Girl (4:09)
    • She was a very shy child. She went the entire year of kindergarten without speaking to her fellow students.
    • She has always had an active dream life, and unfortunately in childhood that included nightly nightmares. She finally made them go away by changing the nightmare narrative as she slept. She uses a similar technique as an adult, asking for guidance in dreams when she struggles resolving something during her waking life.
    • She’s always loved symbols.
    • The youngest in a family of four, the rebel roles were taken, so she was the “responsible one. She was often told she was an “old soul”.
  • Eileen’s Jobs Over the Years (11:26)
    • Paper route, babysitter, housekeeper, waitress, certified nurse’s aide, journalist, manager of group homes for people with developmental disabilities, counselor of runaway youth, hospice coordinator, secretary, massage therapist, blogger/writer/podcast host.
    • A lot of her jobs were in giving professions, and a life lesson was learning a healthy balance between giving and receiving.
    • It’s also been fascinating to see how society often defines us by our jobs. When she was a secretary, many people immediately assumed she was uninteresting and dumb, based on their misconceptions of people in that profession.
  • How Eileen Met Her Husband (23:21)
    • During her time as a secretary, she worked for a large company where Tom was one of the computer support professionals. Their office building bordered a lake, and she invited him to go for a walk over lunch. They walked very slowly and did 2 loops. He then invited her to go for a hike on the weekend. That date lasted 5 days. They moved in together within a month and married within the year. They’ve now been married for 20 years.
  • The Best Gift Eileen Ever Received (26:52)
    • Her first pair of jeans: green denim bell bottoms with Holly Hobbie on the bells. It was an outfit with a matching green denim vest, and a shirt embroidered with Holly Hobbie. She was in 2nd grade and would have worn that outfit every day if allowed.
  • The Best Gift Eileen Ever Gave (29:41)
    • She kept scrapbooks for her sister’s children from the time they were born until age 18. This included annual photos which she took, interviews with them at various ages, and childhood memorabilia. She gave it to each of them as their high school graduation gift, and it was a project that took 25 years to complete.
  • Eileen’s Dream Vacation (33:43)
    • Her best vacation experience was 2 months traveling New Zealand with her husband, shortly after they were married.
    • Her dream vacation for the future is swimming with humpback whales in the Dominican Republic.
  • Eileen’s Favorite Podcasts That Have Nothing to Do with Health (39:10)
  • Eileen’s Tattoos (45:06)
    • She was someone who never thought she would get a tattoo, until she learned that they could have spiritual meaning, to teach over a lifetime. Then, she chose two, drawn by Tatus by Koré:
      • A buffalo on her forearm which symbolizes prayer and abundance: being grateful for what you have before asking for more. This is Eileen’s totem animal.
      • An otter swimming around her ankle, symbolizing playfulness. This is a reminder to have fun and not take life quite so seriously.
  • Eileen’s Favorites (53:20)
  • Outro (54:20)

You May Also Be Interested In

Spreading the Word

If you like the podcast, please leave a positive review in iTunes. It would mean the world to me, and also helps others find the podcast. Here are some quick instructions using your iPhone:

  • If you are already subscribed to my podcast: (1) Click the purple podcast icon. (2) At the bottom of the screen, click Library. (3) At the top of the screen, click Shows. (4) Click the Phoenix Helix podcast image. (5) Scroll down the page, and you’ll see Ratings and Reviews. Scroll down a little bit more and click on Write a Review. This will bring up the review screen. Tap 5 stars (if you love the podcast), and then click in the title box, and it will bring up the keyboard. Enter a title and short review. (6) Click Send in the upper right corner. (7) Thank you! Positive reviews give the podcast a higher search ranking in iTunes, helping people find it and letting them know it’s a quality podcast and worth their time to listen.
  • If you haven’t subscribed to my podcast: (1) Click the purple podcast icon. (2) In the lower right corner, click the magnifying class. (3) Type Phoenix Helix in the search box. (4) Click the podcast cover in the Show list. (5) If you’d like to subscribe, click the + sign at the top of the screen. (6) To write a review, scroll down the page, and you’ll see Ratings and Reviews. Scroll down a little bit more and click on Write a Review. This will bring up the review screen. Tap 5 stars (if you love the podcast), and then click in the title box, and it will bring up the keyboard. Enter a title and short review. (7) Click Send in the upper right corner. (8) Thank you! Positive reviews give the podcast a higher search ranking in iTunes, helping people find it and letting them know it’s a quality podcast and worth their time to listen.
Do You Have My Books?

3 comments on “Episode 77: Personal Q&A with Eileen Laird”

  1. Jeanne Drennan

    It was great to get to know you more through this podcast! I have to tell you that Moonstruck is MY favorite movie too! Most people don’t even know the movie, let alone have it be their favorite. I was born in Brooklyn and raised on Long Island, before moving to NM in 1976 – Moonstruck is representative of nearly everyone in my Italian family 🙂
    Jeanne Drennan, OT/L

    Reply
      1. Jeanne Drennan

        I’m Scottish and Italian. My mom was from Edinburgh and came to America when she was 17. My dad’s side is from Sicily. Oh the stories 😉

        Reply

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Scroll to Top