As if I wasn’t nervous enough! It was a big day for me as host of the Spirited Talk Podcast back in the spring of 2020. The podcast was only a few weeks old and I was still learning my job. I’d already contacted many ‘big name’ mediums who mostly either didn’t reply or just declined the offer to be a guest and share their stories.
So I was especially surprised when Minister Simone Key responded to my invite positively. For me, this was a huge leap forward and I couldn’t muck this up! For days before the recording was due, I checked equipment many times, amended my running script over and over again and became increasingly nervous before the big day.
In those early recording sessions, everything was recorded in one session. It was not for another six months before the recordings were completed over two sessions. Anyway, 11:00am came and Simone connected to Zoom on time and the recording took place. Her story was amazing and she never bothered about how long it was taking. Nothing was too much trouble for her.
At the end of the story interview, I asked whether she’d return and record a podclass with me. This was a reasonably new type of episode designed to teach over an hour. Simone was enthusiastic and suggested we record it there and then. She had already been with me for a little under three hours recording her story so I was taken aback by her suggestion.
Of course, not wanting to waste the opportunity, we went ahead and recorded an unscripted podclass. That shows her wealth of knowledge and abilities to be able to do a recording of that importance without a second thought.
The recording went fine and at the end of it, a little under five hours since she first connected with me, Simone made a declaration that knocked me sideways. She informed me that her good friend had been listening to the recording session for most of the time. Being fairly new to Zoom, I had not been aware of anyone else being connected, as I’d left the waiting room function off from the beginning.
Simone said that her friend, Lynn Cottrell, had been present for the recording. To say I was surprised would be an understatement! I knew of Lynn and her work with Spirit and of course how loved she is throughout this movement. I’d never thought for one moment I’d ever get to talk to her.
Of course, we all know that Lynn also agreed to an interview and a podclass which has since gone on to become the most popular episodes of the Spirited Talk Podcast history. It’s funny how spirit works at times!
Here is a little after-mic recording from that session.
Perhaps if you listen to the Simone Key interview again some time, you’ll appreciate the circumstances of that recording from a different perspective.
