Squirrel AT MY THROAT

About Squirrel AT MY THROAT

Squirrel At My Throat is based on my book by the same name. The subtitle is "Living and Dying Unconventionally in a Conventional World". My book is a memoir, primarily devoted to portraying my son's cancer experience, but I raise so many other topics in the course of the book which I feel merit much more discussion as well as examination from a wide variety of perspectives, including the importance of family, how young adults deal with cancer, the state of cancer treatment, mental health, the afterlife, cancel culture, drugs, the state of education, grief, bereaved parenting, the flaws of many societal institutions, music, raising boys, the importance of family, medical freedom, vaccination, climate change, digital currency, digital ID, transgenderism etc. etc. etc. Many of the topics that I discuss will emerge organically from the current issues of the day as well as from the content of my book. My book is available two ways: https://books.friesenpress.com/store/title/119734000137473637/Tanja-Zientara-Squirrel-At-My-Throat or https://www.amazon.ca/portal/customer-reviews/1525581252/ref=cm_cr_dp_d_show_all_top?_encoding=UTF8&ie=UTF8&reviewerType=all_reviews By the way, the opening song is titled, "Me, You and Labatt Blue", written and performed by my deceased son and his band.

Publisher

Tanja

Category

education · government · society & culture

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

6 Jul 2026

Latest episode

2 Sept 2026

Latest episodes

11 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   2 Sept 2026

   What is real courage and who are the true heroes?

2. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Part 4 of a series on public education: Sitting down to talk with a mom of five

   In this episode I sit down to chat with a lovely mother of five who has had experience with the Catholic, public and private school boards.

3. 

   2 Sept 2026

   Part 5 in my series on Public Education in Ontario: A chat with a mental health advocate

   In this episode, I talk with Jeff Blomquist, a mental health therapist, a mentor for youth as well as an advocate for the poor and disenfranchised. He adds that he is a poet and a philosopher in his spare time. My chat with Jeff is particularly timely in light of the fact that our Minister of Education has rolled out a new mental health program for schools across the province. To say that I'm cynical about their sudden concern for mental health is beyond an understatement, especially in...

4. 

   6 Aug 2026

   A chat with a mother and a private educator who ran as trustee for our public board

   In this episode, I have a chat with Claire Roberts. Claire is a mom of two kids who went through and are currently going through the public school system here in London, Ontario. Claire was a private music teacher and ran an awesome music program for children called "Clap with Claire". She has also been a volunteer in the school system and she ran for election as a schoolboard trustee because of the many concerns she has over an education system that is failing our children....

5. 

   6 Aug 2026

   The beginning of my series on public education: My son's perspective

   In this episode, I am beginning a series of conversations about our public educational system in Ontario. My first interview is with my own son, Vincent Greeson, who is now 23 years old and has much to say about his experience with many aspects of the system in the many different schools that he attended at both the Thames Valley District School Board and the London District Catholic School Board. I would love to get your feedback. Please let me know if you agree or disagree and w...

6. 

   6 Aug 2026

   Episode 2 on the Ontario Education System: A chat with an experienced teacher

   In this episode, the second in my series on the Ontario education system, I speak with Matthew Greeson, my husband, who has been a science and math teacher for the past thirty years. Matthew talks about the many positive experiences that he has had in education, but also laments the many problems within the system which might prove to be its downfall. I would love to get your feedback. Please email me at tanjazientara@protonmail.com. If you disagree with me, please tell me why.&nb...

7. 

   6 Aug 2026

   A highly insightful perspective on child loss from a bereaved mom

   In this podcast, I interviewed Traci Perott, a truly remarkable bereaved mom with an incredible story. Traci courageously talks about giving birth to quadruplets, two of whom passed away shortly after birth and two who lived on with innumerable health complications. One of her wonderful sons died at the age of seventeen after years of struggling with complications from birth. Traci lovingly describes her son as well as both the joy and pain that comes with mothering su...

8. 

   6 Aug 2026

   My first episode and first conversation with a bereaved parent

   This is my first podcast episode from back in 2023. I am having to repost everything because my employer forced me to take down my podcast back in 2024. I am now retired and will do as I please. For my first episode, I chose to interview a father, Moe, who lost his almost 17 year old son to cancer. This dad describes how his son discovers his cancer, the treatment he underwent and the horrors that both this young man and his father experience in the cance...

9. 

   18 Jul 2026

   My Retirement Speech

   I wasn't given the opportunity to retire from teaching the conventional way, so I just filmed myself making a speech, outlining both the highs and lows of my career and the educational system.

10. 

    13 Jul 2026

    A Terminal Cancer Diagnosis? Not on this mother's watch.

    In this episode, I speak with Millie Spasic, engineer, but, more importantly, a mother, who did everything in her power to fight for her then 5 year old daughter, Keira, after Millie was told in 2018 that Keira had glioblastoma, a mostly fatal brain cancer. Refusing to accept that her daughter wouldn't be around for her next birthday let alone become a grandma, Millie began a deep dive into the world of alternative cancer treatments which she credits with her daughter's anomalous ...

11. 

    6 Jul 2026

    In conversation with Larry Farquharson: Former teacher librarian and ardent critic of the Thames Vally District School Board

    In this episode, I sit down to talk with former teacher librarian at Beal Secondary School in London, Ontario. Larry Farquharson discusses the persecution he received by the media and his employer for his COVID protocol criticisms, but, even more significantly, his opposition to the removal and destruction of 10 000 books out of a collection of 17000 at the library, a dispute which lead to his removal from the classroom and, ultimately, to his retirement. However, our conversation...

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Guest appearances

Books guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.