Welcome to a special series within the Practical Change for MidLife Lesbians podcast:
Unraveling Ezra — a journey into the life, legacy, and contradictions of my great-great-great grandfather, Ezra Baker Jr. MD.

This arc is a departure from my usual content, but sometimes, life pulls you in an unexpected direction. This is one of those times.

In this first episode, I share how a dramatic quote from a dusty 19th-century history book led me to a quiet cemetery plot near my home—and how that small contradiction launched a full-blown research quest across U.S. history, family folklore, political scandals, and personal reckoning.

Ezra Baker Jr. was a doctor, land speculator, a merchant, an entrepreneur, a postmaster, political appointee… Definitely an opportunist, and possibly a traitor. He was also definitely not as forgotten as people would like to believe—and not nearly as ruined as the record claims.

Along the way, I’m asking questions about legacy, masculinity, white privilege, reinvention, and the stories we choose to pass down.

• Quote from the Combined History of Edwards, Lawrence and Wabash Counties, Illinois (1883)

• Ezra’s burial site at The Woodlands Cemetery in Philadelphia

• Family narratives (and myths) from the Minerd.com Haupt-Baker page

Do you know anything about the Bakers of Wabash County, Il? Do you love researching local history, 19th-century politics, or tracing lost archives? I’d love to hear from you. The story is much more interesting in the context of the times.

Contact me at: claire@clairebakerok.com

And of course -- If you want coaching, head over to PracticalChangeCoaching.com for more info.

If you enjoy this series or want more of this kind of storytelling, the best way to support it is to share it with a friend—or leave a review wherever you listen to podcasts.

#UnravelingEzra #FamilyHistory #QueerHistorian #MidLifeMystery #LegacyAndLoss #EzraBakerJr #WabashCounty #HistoricalScandal #CemeteryStories #HiddenHistory #PracticalChange #LesbianPodcaster #WomenWhoResearch #GraveyardStories #GenealogyNerd

In this inspiring and deeply personal episode, I sit down with Allison Landry to explore the transformative power of self-compassion. Allison and certified counselor Megan Welwood are offering a free 8-week online Mindful Self-Compassion (MSC) course starting February 3, 2025.

In our discussion, we dive into:

• What self-compassion is—and what it isn’t.
• Unique challenges faced by the LGBTQIA+ community and how self-compassion can help.
• Allison’s own journey toward embracing self-compassion.
• Practical strategies you can start using today to be kinder to yourself.

About the Free Course:
Participants will learn empirically supported techniques from the Mindful Self Compassion program focusing on mindfulness, common humanity, and self-kindness. This program is a fantastic opportunity to develop tools that promote emotional resilience and greater self-acceptance.

How to Sign Up:
Email meganallymsc@gmail.com to secure your spot in this life-changing course!

Tune in for a conversation full of warmth, insight, and actionable advice for midlife lesbians—and anyone looking to make practical changes to nurture themselves.

Welcome to Season 2! Unvarnished and short, it's a new dawn for Claire and Practical Change for Midlife Lesbians, but same great insights for those of us lesbians who are working on making changes we want. Visit Practical Change Coaching for more.

Did you make some resolutions or set some goals way back in January? At the midpoint of the year, it's a great time to take stock. How’s it going? Claire gives an update and offers suggestions for leaning into your values and getting past barriers to help you keep moving forward.

In addition, for the months of July & August 2023, Claire is giving away coaching and a free downloadable resource, PRACTICAL CHANGE WITH DESIGN THINKING - LESBIAN EDITION. Book your free session and get your free ebooklet.

You are also invited to join the private Facebook group “A Group of Our Own.” And you can follow Claire and Practical Change Coaching on these social media platforms:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

And at www.practicalchangecoaching.com

Episode 30: Should I stay or should I go now? Sunk Cost Fallacy and Loss Aversion: Why do we tend to stay with something maybe longer than we should? How do we decide if it really *is* time to go? Doesn't the fact that I've already devoted a lot of time, money and energy to something mean that it's worth staying? What does it say about me if I decide to change direction? Live from the back yard, this episode explains sunk cost fallacy, loss aversion, and gives some steps you can take to sort out whether to stay or go.

Last Call! If you are a midlife lesbian, you need a shirt to proclaim it! Visit midlifelesbianmerch.com and get your garb in time for Pride.

You are invited to join the private Facebook group “A Group of Our Own.” And you can follow Claire and Practical Change Coaching on these social media platforms:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

And at www.practicalchangecoaching.com

Episode 29: Interview with award winning writer and influencer Shakira Sison, columnist for Rappler. Shakira shares what it’s like to immigrate from the Philippines as a lesbian and how that experience shaped how she sees creating change in her life today.

Check out her writing at https://shakirasison.com/ and www.rappler.com/author/shakira-sison/

And here we are at our first in-person meeting!

If you are a midlife lesbian, you need a shirt to proclaim it! Visit midlifelesbianmerch.com and get your garb in time for Pride. You are also invited to join the private Facebook group “A Group of Our Own.” And you can follow Claire and Practical Change Coaching on these social media platforms:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

And at www.practicalchangecoaching.com

Episode 28: Part 2 of the interview with actor, writer and director Alexandra Tydings, who is best known for her recurring role as Aphrodite in the TV serieses Xena, Warrior Princess and Hercules, The Legendary Journeys. Alex shared what it was really like being the scantily clad goddess of love on Hercules and Xena, being an out queer woman while on a show rife with lesbian subtext, her love for acting, and how she has reinvented herself and her career  of 2. 

If you are a midlife lesbian, you need a shirt to proclaim it! Visit midlifelesbianmerch.com and get your garb in time for Pride. You are also invited to join the private Facebook group “A Group of Our Own.” And you can follow Claire and Practical Change Coaching on these social media platforms:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

And at www.practicalchangecoaching.com

Episode 27: An interview with actor, writer and director Alexandra Tydings, who is best known for her recurring role as Aphrodite in the TV serieses Xena, Warrior Princess and Hercules, The Legendary Journeys. For her “pandemic project,” Alex became a certified intimacy coordinator and has come full circle from lived experiences in her first roles on Showtime’s Red Shoe Diaries to now supporting actors and filmmakers get steamy yet safe sex scenes. This is part 1 of 2. 

If you are a midlife lesbian, you are invited to join the private Facebook group “A Group of Our Own.” And you can follow Claire and Practical Change Coaching on these social media platforms:

TikTok

Instagram

Facebook

YouTube

And at www.practicalchangecoaching.com