March 22nd, 2016

Looking for a sleep podcast to fall asleep fast, reduce anxiety, and quiet an overactive mind? This relaxing episode of The Insomnia Project is designed to support insomnia relief, stress reduction, and gentle nighttime unwinding through calm, meandering conversation.
Marco Timpano welcomes guest Connie Iannello for a soothing discussion about Cuba, travel experiences, and the peaceful rhythm of swimming. From reflections on time spent near the water to the calming nature of swimming, this episode offers low-stimulation, easygoing content perfect for bedtime listening.
The conversation also drifts into personal stories, including a connection to Olympic sprinter Andre De Grasse and a memorable sports injury, adding light, human moments while maintaining a soft, relaxing tone. With unhurried pacing and gentle storytelling, this calming podcast episode helps ease racing thoughts, reduce anxiety, and create a restful environment for sleep.
Whether you’re searching for a sleep podcast for insomnia, calming background noise while you work, or a gentle way to unwind at the end of the day, The Insomnia Project offers a comforting, reliable escape.

​Cuba, Sports & Andre De Grasse
(Original airdate: Sept 11, 2016)

Marco:  Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a conversation about the mundane, the ordinary, some would even say maybe the boring. One thing that we can promise is that our conversation will be less than fascinating so that you can feel free to just drift off. Thank you for joining us. We hope you will in fact Listen and Sleep. I'm your host, Marco Timpano and we are really enjoying the ratings and the comments we're getting on itunes. So please, if you're a fan, rate us, tell us what you think on itunes or just send us an email. You can also tweet us at Listen and Sleep.


We welcome Connie Ianello to the Insomnia Project

Wow. I think I went through everything you could do, but I want to welcome our guest, Connie Llanello to the Insomnia Project. Connie, welcome.

Connie:  Thank you for having me.

Marco:  Connie and I were just enjoying some drinks on Our patio. And Niddy's like, let's record a podcast. And I said, for sure. And I had just made you a muddled drink. Tell us about the drink you're having, Connie.

Connie:  I'm having a Hendrix gin with a smashed or spanked, um. What is that there? Um, mint.

Marco:  Yes.

Connie:  And muddled, uh, cucumber.

Marco:  That's right. And we were talking.

Connie:  It's perfect.

Marco:  Oh, I'm glad you're enjoying it. And there's a little bit of soda in that, actually.

Connie:  Oh, there is.

Marco:  And um, for those of us, or for those who are listening who aren't sure what muddled is, it's where you take a. It kind of looks like a, A little bat, A wooden, wooden stick. You could use actually the um, end of a. What do you call those things that you stir cake mix with Spatula. Like a spatula. You know how they're kind of bulbous at the end? You take that and you sort of mash whatever you're going to muddle. In this case, I muddled cucumber. But for example, if you're making. Are you familiar with mojitos?

Connie:  Yes.

Marco:  If you, um, are making a mojito, you would muddle the uh, lime and the uh, mint that goes in that.

Connie:  And it's delicious. I had a lot of mojitos in Cuba.


When you go on vacation, what's the first thing you do

Marco:  Oh, so you've been to Cuba?

Connie:  Mhm.

Marco:  Tell me about what makes Cuba, Cuba unique.

Connie:  Well, that was my. I've only been once.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  Have you been to Cuba?

Marco:  I haven't, but I really want to go and I'll tell you why. What's interesting about Cuba and us being Canadians is that Canadians could travel to Cuba, whereas Americans couldn't. Now that's currently changing as they're opening, opening up, travel to Cuba. But for the longest time, Canadians would travel to Cuba and come back.

Connie:  Mhm.

Marco:  When you go on vacation, what's the first thing you do?

Connie:  I hit the beach.

Marco:  Really?

Connie:  If it's a, uh, beach, an island, I hit the beach. Well, yeah, hit the beach and make a drink and I hit the beach. And that's pretty much what I do. That's the first thing that I do after, ah, getting back to the motel.

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Connie:  I hit the beach.

Marco:  When you say hit the beach, what exactly do you mean by that?

Connie:  I find the beach. The white sand, the blue water, the turquoise water, get the sun so I can just lay on the beach, let the sun hit my skin.

Marco:  Are you a strong swimmer?

Connie:  No, no, no. I kind of wade in the water and I tread water and I dunk my head. But I love the water. But, yeah, I'm not a strong swim. Are you a strong swim?

Marco:  I'm not a strong swimmer at all, actually. Amanda's a very strong swimmer. But it sounds like you're a strong swimmer. If you dunk your head and then you wade and you, um, tread water.

Connie:  Is that a strong swimmer?

Marco:  I'm stronger than me.

Connie:  Strong swimmer. Stronger than me. Doing a couple of laps and being okay, not breathless.

Marco:  Did you ever take swimming lessons?

Connie:  Yeah, I had to.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  At, uh, high school.

Marco:  Oh, in high school. Oh, you did? See, I totally hated it. I took swimming lessons, and the funny thing was I never got past what they called pollywogs. You know, when I was taking swimming lessons, they had categories, and it was like, pollywog, baby frog. Um, what was the other one like? Um, little fish or something.

Connie:  So your parents actually put you in swimming lessons?

Marco:  Yes, they did, and I. And I. One of the things I had to do to pass was I had to dive off a diving board. And I'm scared of heights, so I got to the edge of the diving board, and I just couldn't do it. Are you, uh. Have you ever dove. Have you ever. Have you ever dove off a diving board? Is that the correct.

Connie:  Yeah, um, yeah, I think that's the correct. Have you ever dove off a diving board? Yeah, that sounds right.

Marco:  And have you?

Connie:  Yeah, but I don't like it.

Marco:  Oh, you don't?

Connie:  No, I do those, like, hyperextended back arches, and I flop into the water like cannonball. I taught myself how to. I taught myself how to dive. I was one of those kids that would sit at the edge of the pool and plug their nose and then fall into the water that way. Sure did that for a little while. Then I would graduate by not, um, plugging my nose in and, uh, still sitting at the edge of the water and plucking in and then getting up and plugging in my nose and then. Yeah.

Marco:  So that.

Connie:  So graduated. Yeah, I taught myself, but the diving board never. Yeah, I would always hyperextend and flop. It's not easy. It's not easy. The diving board is not easy.

Marco:  And, you know, it's interesting because when you watch divers on the Olympics and stuff, and especially synchronized divers. Have you ever seen synchronous? It's so beautiful, but so, uh, beautiful. You know, the margin of error there is very small because one person's out of sync, and then sometimes you see them and they actually will do a flop. And I feel so bad for them because you Know, these are professionals who have trained and who can execute that. But on the day something happens. Right now, clearly, I'm no diving expert, but, you know, when you watch sports and you're like, all of a sudden, you become an armchair expert. Has that ever happened to you?

Connie:  Yeah, totally. Did you see the whole. Did you. Did you watch the Olympics?

Marco:  I watched a bit, yeah.


Andre de Grasse is the Canadian phenom at this year's Olympics

What's your favorite Olympic sport?

Connie:  I like the track.

Marco:  Okay, well, you have a special reason to like the track, don't you?

Connie:  Yeah.

Marco:  Tell us about that.

Connie:  So my daughter's brother is Andre.

Marco:  You're gonna have to be. You're gonna have to be a little bit specific, because some of our listeners are. Are not Canadian, but would know. Would know Andre de Grasse.

Connie:  Andre de Grasse is the Canadian phenom. He, um, won Bronze in the 100. He won, I think, silver in the 200 and bronze in the relay. And this is his First Olympics. He's 21, and, um, we all are in love with him. He did so well.

Marco:  He was amazing. He was kind of Canada sweetheart because it was him. Usain Bolt were like.

Connie:  Did you watch the way they were with each other? Like, Usain Bolt, did you see that caption of, uh, there was a comic thing on Facebook with Batman, um, and Robin? Did you see that?

Marco:  No, I didn't, but please tell us.

Connie:  Usain Bolt had, um, the mask of Batman, and, uh, Andre had the mask of, uh, Robin. And so that moment when they were smiling at each other and it's. It's like, I don't. I forget the caption, but it's a Batman and Robin. It was. It's so hilarious, and it was beautiful.

Marco:  You know what was beautiful about that moment, or about watching them run, was clearly skilled athletes, clearly people have trained, but the beautiful moment was when the run was over and the smiles they gave each other and the hugs they gave each other. Here's two competitors who also enjoy competing with each other. And you don't always see that in sports. Oftentimes there's a rivalry, in particular with track. But how much more watchable was it when there's not. When there's a camaraderie, it's so much more.

Connie:  More special or more entertaining.

Marco:  Without a doubt. Without a doubt.

Connie:  It really brought a lot of people to watch, I think, those races, because of that relationship. Well, Usain Bolt, I mean, he's amazing, of course, spectacular, but that's not that relationship. The way it developed and the media, the way they coined it. Bro. Bromance, romance.

Marco:  Sure. Now, did you Ever think that Andre would go on to become an Olympian and win medals for.

Connie:  It happened so fast. Like, we're, uh. Like we're all still in shock.

Marco:  Tell me about it.

Connie:  Well, it just happened so fast. Next thing, like, I. Andre has, um. He's been. He's been part of our family. He's come to birthday parties, of course, and he's come to Dante's communion.

Marco:  Dante being your daughter.

Connie:  Yeah, sorry, Right. Dante's, uh, my daughter. Um, and Alex, Dante's father. That's the relationship. They have the same father, of course. He basically said to me, hey, Andre is, uh. He's at ucla. He got a scholarship for running. I'm like, oh, really? This is. Started running because he started running at 17, right? And then he just was offered a scholarship to, uh, the University of California, Southern California. At 18 or 18. He was. It was like, a year after they scouted him.

Marco:  Isn't that kind of late to be running at 17? Problem? I. I would think you'd start running earlier than that.

Connie:  Well, most.

Marco:  Most people.

Connie:  People have. That's why it's, like, just blowing people out of the water, right? Because, like, who is this kid, right? He hasn't done any major events or, um, meets. And here he is at a university. University of Southern California. A scholarship, full scholarship.

Marco:  Amazing.

Connie:  And just gets progressively better and better. And, um. And I was like, Alex was telling me, letting, you know, just saying, hey, he's doing this. And, um, he just. He came. What was. He came third in World Championships, a couple, just before the Pan Am Games. And then he went to the. I'm like, what. What's going on? As it was just one after the, uh, other after the other, and we're just sitting there going, this is unbelievable.


What's it like watching someone, you know, compete at the Olympics

Marco:  Now, let me ask you this. So when you're watching a sporting event, in particular the Olympics, one roots for an Olympian that represents their nation. And I know what that feels like, because watching, whether it be the Summer Olympics or the Winter Olympics, you watch your countrymen compete and you hope that they do well. And you watch with anticipation. And when you know that they have a chance to, you watch with excitement and you cheer and you yell at the scream, and you're joyous. And that's just watching someone who's representing your country. What's it like watching someone, you know, compete?

Connie:  And that's a good question.

Marco:  Like, what was that?

Connie:  Like, I almost threw up.

Marco:  Really?

Connie:  Almost? Yeah, I puked almost a couple of times.

Marco:  Really? Just because you were.

Connie:  Yeah, I couldn't handle it. I was so Nervous.

Marco:  Right, Right.

Connie:  I was so nervous for Andre.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  Just, uh, well, during the Olympics, the 1000s, the, um, the qualifying race.

Marco:  So it was the qualifying that I did, the qualifying that got me, like, really nervous. Sure.

Connie:  Even though his times were really good and the, you know, the, the likelihood of, of him advancing, uh, to the finals just based on his time was more probable than not.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  I, you know, anything can happen. Right.

Marco:  Of course, you could lose a shoe, anything. You could slip, you could trip, you could, you know.

Connie:  Um, so I. Honestly, I, um. Both Dante and I, we were watching with, you know, the hands with. Over our eyes, so kind of like

Marco:  masked with your hands in front of your face.

Connie:  And I did. I, I got kind of sick the first race. I just got overly emotional. Right. It's just, uh, hoping and praying that everything worked out okay. Right. And then he did, and it was, it was so exciting, of course. Just so exciting. I'm like, unbelievable. And he's. He's pretty level headed. Well, he's still level head. Like, he's a level headed guy, eh? Like, it hasn't, um, like, made his head too big. Like, you know, he's still really humble.

Marco:  He's, he. He really has become Canada's sweetheart after the Olympics, you have to admit, you know the.

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Marco:  The whole nation just fell in love with him. And he does seem so. Yeah, he does seem so humble and lovely. Kind of like you, Connie. Humble and lovely.


You manipulated your daughter into playing basketball for one season

Um, all right, so going away from the Olympics, what sports were you or are you good at?

Connie:  I love basketball.

Marco:  Oh, really? Oh.

Connie:  Ah, yeah. Basketball, volleyball, soccer. But basketball and volleyball. I love basketball so much that I manipulated Dante. She does not like sports at all. Total. She's a dancer.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  But my heart's in sports. And so I've learned to. I accept Dante. It took me a while, sure.

Marco:  To accept the fact that she's not into sports. Sports.

Connie:  And that she's. And she can run too, but she just does not. It's not her thing. But I, um.

Marco:  Tell, um, me what?

Connie:  Manipulated her into playing basketball for one season. No, I did. I did. And I was even got. I was even Coach. I coached, uh, this girl's, uh, basketball team. She was 11, so it wasn't too long ago.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  And I had a blast. She, on the other hand, she was just doing it because I negotiated a phone. I think it was a phone. You do this. Hey, you know, as parents, we do what we can. Right.

Marco:  What did you love about coaching a, uh, basketball team?

Connie:  Oh, it was a really, really great experience, actually. It was girls, first of all. And, uh, it was a house league.

Marco:  Right.

Connie:  It was my only experience. I haven't had experience since then. So, um, I was coming in as a volunteer.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  And they needed volunteers. And I said, listen, it's been many years I haven't played basketball. I've never coached. They were desperate. And I was like, okay, I'll try.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  And the other beauty part of it is that, um. Well, what helped me to do this was. Do you know Dwight Drummond, who's the CBC anchor? Um, Dwight Drummond? No. Can I draw?

Marco:  Doesn't ring a bell.

Connie:  He's a CBC anchor.

Marco:  Well, good for him.

Connie:  Anyway, so he.

Marco:  I'm sure he's a lovely person.

Connie:  Awesome guy, you know, he's. He's an awesome man.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  So his daughter was on the team as well. And, um, he. He basically said he would help when he was available because he. Anyways, so it worked out.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  And what I loved was the energy. And it was fun. It's fun, right? It's not so much the competitive part of it. Like, the winning part is not important.

Marco:  Right.

Connie:  To me. But it's just the fun. Dribbling the ball, shooting the ball.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  Watching, um, the play out, watching the girls make a basket and beaming with happiness. Watching the girls really improved throughout the season as well. So I was watching that too. And. And me learning basically how to put kids on and balance it out and make sure everybody is happy and make sure that everyone's getting the right floor time. And it was fun.

Marco:  Would you say you got more out of it than some of the girls got out of it, who were actually

Connie:  more out of it than Dante? You guys were darn sure.

Marco:  Fair enough, Fair enough. But what a lovely memory for her as she grows up to know that she had maybe the experience. Or were you a tough coach on her?


I hope it's a lovely memory for you

Connie:  No, no, no, no. Easy, easy. But, uh, like I said, it wasn't really her thing. Like, she was okay when she was there. I just hope. I hope it's a lovely memory.

Marco:  It sounds like it, uh. It sounds like it's a lovely memory for you.


Tell me about the earliest memory you have about playing basketball

So there you go. What brought you to basketball. What. What brought, like. Tell me about the earliest memory you have about playing basketball.

Connie:  I had a schoolyard right across the street. My parents didn't have money, so we. They weren't able to put us into swim lessons or. Not to say that your parents had money, because I.

Marco:  Listen, I didn't get past poly walks, so whether they had money or not, they didn't have to spend much money.

Connie:  There wasn't any of that. Right. It was when I, um, was young, it was parks and Recreation that were part of the schoolyard. And, um, so you had these leaders that would, in the summer come with, uh, basketballs and volleyballs, and they would organize, uh, games. And I think I was like, in grade six, I just started playing basketball and then volleyball and became good at it and became, um, better. And I would. I just played always. I just. I think I was natural. A natural at it. So I liked it.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  Because I was. I had the basic skill.

Marco:  And you're tall. You're not a short woman.

Connie:  No, I think I'm. Yeah, I'm a little. I'm, um, five. I'm almost five, eight. Is that considered tall?

Marco:  Well, it's certainly not short. Niddy's like, I don't know, 5:2 or something. 5:3. I almost got it. She just gave me. Either she was giving me three fingers or she was showing me she was five three. But. So anyways, yeah, so I had the

Connie:  height, I guess a bit of the height and the determination. And I, uh. I love sport. I think that was my. My way of it gave me. It helped develop my confidence.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  It really did.

Marco:  Okay.

Connie:  I think. Yeah. I had just put it in my head. I'm, um.


What is it about sports that helps one with their confidence

Marco:  What is it about sports that helps one with their confidence? Because a lot of people who are into sports find that they. They develop confidence through it. What was that for you?

Connie:  I think that I'm talking team sports.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  Right. Yeah. So when you're in a team sport, you learn, like, looking. Looking back and definitely you. You develop relationships.

Marco:  Sure.

Connie:  With your team members. Um, and you learn to play or you learn to negotiate and compromise within the team and build trust within the team. But you also. I think for me, I was. I mastered some skills and it gave me the confidence. I felt strong, I felt capable, and I had fun.

Marco:  Right.

Connie:  So I think all. I think just, uh, the progression of getting stronger and getting better skilled helped with confidence.

Marco:  Of course.

Connie:  Right. I think that was it. Pretty much. Yeah. Yeah. Love, love, love basketball.

Marco:  See, it's interesting. I love volleyball.

Connie:  Yeah. I Was gonna ask you, but Connie,

Marco:  I can't play volleyball. And you know why? Because I'm a hand model.

Connie:  You're what?

Marco:  I'm a hand model. Did you know that? I'm a hand model. It's such a hand model. Yeah, yeah, a hand model. It's one of the funny things. It's one of the funny things that. Wow. M. Yeah, we'll often joke about. Of course you can.

Connie:  So you got lovely hands.

Marco:  I know. Isn't it funny? Of course you can. So Connie's hands are a bit sweaty though. No, it's all good. So I'm a hand model and because of that I can't play volleyball because it's very easy to break fingers when you play ball. Did you break. She's holding up her pinky. Tell me about that.

Connie:  I'm holding up my pinky.

Marco:  I can see it has a little bit of a bump.

Connie:  Bump in the middle because I broke it about three times.

Marco:  It's not a very pretty pinky, I have to say. You broke it three times?

Connie:  I'm not a hen one.

Marco:  No, I clearly, clearly I can. I can see that those are basketball playing hands. So tell me about your. Your pinky.

Connie:  So I would. Yeah, like a few times, same injury. The ball landing straight on the pinky. Right. Directly on.

Marco:  Right.

Connie:  And it. And it broke the finger. The pinky. And I would tape the fingers and continue playing. And the pinky. So easy to break. The fingers are so easy to break. So it's a wise thing, Marco, that you didn't, uh, play.

Marco:  I know. So. So now I can't play a sport that I love. Or I can, but then I lose possible work through injury. So it's kind of this like, um, you know, double edged sword what to do.

Connie:  I love it.


Do you model your feet too? It's interesting that you should ask that

Do you model your feet too?

Marco:  It's so interesting that you should ask that, Connie, because I once spoke to a, um, uh, a body parts agent. So someone who looks at different body parts for, um, to represent for print work or for film or for television. And so I met with these agents and they were, they saw my hands and they're like, take off your shoes and your socks. And I was like, what? And they're like, just take off your shoes and your socks. We need to see your feet. So a little bit weird, let's say, right? And they looked at my feet and they're like, okay, you can put your shoes back on. And they're like nine out of ten times. If you have nice hands, you have nice feet.

Connie:  Uh, oh, that's Interesting.

Marco:  But you would think that I was a professional. Professional foot volleyball player because my toes are all twisted, uh, and. And all over the place. I'm wearing shoes right now, so you can see. I'll show you. I'll show you.

Marco:  I'll show you after.

Marco:  But, um, no. So I don't have great feet. But they say people who have nice hands will also have nice feet. Feet, and I don't. So there you go.

Connie:  So, theory. Well, yeah, I guess my. My feet look pretty much like my hands, I would say.

Marco:  Well, your pinky's not. Your. Your pinky on your toe is not broken.

Connie:  Smashed my toe at your cottage.

Marco:  Oh, no.

Connie:  Last weekend on what? So you have a mat. Um, a, ah, shoe mat. Sorry, A shoe mat that's located right behind the couch. M. I don't know if you know the gray shoe, two mat.

Marco:  Yes.

Connie:  So Taurus master toe. And then. So she moved it to the, um, the. In front of your back door.

Marco:  Right?

Connie:  And then I smashed my toe and I, like, totally smashed. And then he moved it again. And then tarte. We smashed her toes. It was just.

Marco:  It's a toe smashing mat is what I am.

Connie:  Yeah. Anyways, so.

Marco:  So there you go. There you go.


When you get to an island, the first thing you do is the beach

Well, listen, Connie, I just want to ask you a couple more things. And what I wanted to ask you from the start of the show is when you get to the beach. Oh, sorry. When you get to an island, the first thing you do is the beach. Let me ask you this. What's the last thing you do before you leave that island or that piece of paradise?

Connie:  What is the last thing I do?

Marco:  Because we opened with. What's the first thing? Uh, before we leave, I need to know what's the last thing I do

Connie:  make beach time again. It's water. It's because I love being by the water. So I. I make sure I have beach time, and then it depends on the time that we leave. But usually it's beach time and then more beach. Get ready.

Marco:  I bet you'd be a great water polo player. Have you ever played water polo?

Connie:  No, Never.

Marco:  Because if you like basketball and you like, uh, volleyball, that's it. In the water. You need to do that. I'm sure there's some recreational, uh, water pole. And then, you know what, your daughter can come and coach you. Wouldn't that be a nice full circle moment?

Connie:  Yeah.


Connie and I were also talking motorcycles. We both have our motorcycle license

Marco:  Connie and I were also talking motorcycles. We're both. We both have our motorcycle license.

Connie:  Yeah.

Marco:  Yeah, but you have a proper motorcycle.

Connie:  I had. I just sold.

Marco:  Oh, you sold it?

Connie:  I just sold my bike. I'm going to get a new bike. Yeah, I just sold it in June.

Marco:  And what bike are you looking? What?

Connie:  You know, I like the classic bikes, the Nortons, which is not, um, not attainable. Okay, the Nortons, but the classic Honda. Hondas, you know, the, the late 70s, early 80s style with the long seat and the, um, well, the different tank look. But just a very simple bike. Right. I like Harley's, but I had one and they're fine. They're good. The motor, this. It sounds. I. Sounds fantastic. But I'm ready for something much more maneuverable for the city.

Marco:  Right.

Connie:  Harleys are not that easy to, uh, maneuver. They're great for highway, but not for bouncing around in the city like your Vespa.

Marco:  There you go. You and I have to ride together one day, so.

Connie:  Cool.

Marco:  Well, on that note, I'm gonna thank you, Connie, for being a part of the Insomnia project. And as always, we're produced by Drumcast Productions and today we're recording in Toronto, Canada, um,

Connie:  Sa.