BONUS: SUE HINCENBERGS Failure as fuel to keep going
If you’ve ever had a secret dream but been too afraid of failure to dare attempt it, Sue Hincenbergs would like a word. Her debut novel—a dark, funny crime story called “The Retirement Plan”—sparked a publishing bidding war and the film adaptation is already in development. (She’s got her fingers crossed for Brad Pitt in a lead role!) Sue makes the case for staying hopeful and working hard, even in the face of failure and uncertainty. Subscribe to our newsletter aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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JEN MCNEELY What are we getting wrong when we think about change?
Super successful urban blogger Jen McNeely made a name for herself when she created the popular Toronto site “She Does the City”. But the toll that lifestyle took on her personal life became untenable and eventually led her to rehab. In sobriety, Jen has made one massive change after another, leaving her career and the city behind; rewriting her life in midlife. Jen is honest and inspiring as she explains the courage it took to lean into so much uncertainty, and the rewards that could only have come from being courageous and trusting herself to try new things.Subscribe to our newsletter aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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STEPHEN MARCHE What the hell do we do now, Canada?
If you’ve been paying even a little bit of attention to Canadian politics, you know that change and uncertainty have been dominant themes for several months now. Trump‘s tariffs and talk of annexation are fueling a lot of fear about what lies ahead. Author, journalist and cultural commentator Stephen Marche explores it all in his new podcast "Gloves Off ". But really, adapting to change and facing up to huge challenges are familiar themes for Marche, as he explains to Gill in this wide-ranging chat. From rethinking the Canadian identity to calming ourselves down about AI, Stephen Marche brings his trademark cleverness to a whole lot of unknowns. The Acast podcast "Gloves Off" is now available wherever you get your podcasts. New episodes drop each week.Subscribe to our newsletter: aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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CATHRIN BRADBURY So you’re retired… now what?
Retirement ain’t what those ‘Freedom 55’ ad campaigns promised. Bestselling author and award-winning journalist Cathrin Bradbury talks openly about her new book This Way Up and the enormous change of this under-discussed life stage: the wild, unexpected and wonderful chapter that opened up in her life when she finally stepped away from the daily grind. Cathrin shares her own reckoning with all the unknowns inherent in retirement, as she leans into the uncertainty of mapping what lies ahead.Subscribe to our newsletter: aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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BARAM & SNIECKUS No script, no guarantees, all trust.
Improvisational sketch comedy offers a master class in how to not just handle uncertainty but lean into it. Superstar improv comedians Matt Baram and Naomi Snieckus make walking the high wire of unscripted performance look easy. A couple both onstage and off, they have navigated huge life changes together, usually with laughs. When both sets of parents died, they set about processing grief—and a lot of inherited possessions— through their work. The result is Big Stuff, a critically acclaimed stage show that sold out an extended run in Toronto before touring Canada in fall 2025.In our conversation they talk openly (and hilariously) with Gill about all the possibilities that open up when you let go of how things are supposed to go, and about how learning to live with uncertainty on stage has helped them navigate the ups and downs of the rest of life.Subscribe to our newsletter: aloveaffairwiththeunknown.substack.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
About A Love Affair with the Unknown with Gill Deacon
Saying Yes to uncertainty. Finding humour, courage and community as we navigate the wild ride of modern life. This could be a love affair. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Canada - english