Pools & Dancing | Quiet Thoughts Before Bed

In this calming episode of The Insomnia Project, hosts Marco Timpano and Amanda Barker ease into a relaxed conversation about swimming pools, summer memories, and an unexpected dance story. Titled “Pools & Dancing,” this gentle episode drifts through soothing reflections that are perfect for listeners looking to unwind, relax, and maybe even fall asleep.
Amanda shares her remarkable ability to swim in almost any body of water, no matter how cold. From brisk lakes to warm ocean waters, she describes her fearless approach to swimming and the quiet thrill of slipping into the water. Marco and Amanda then reminisce about the simple pleasures of community pools and private backyard pools—the sound of water, the feeling of cool relief on a hot day, and the nostalgic calm of long summer afternoons.
Along the way, Marco shares a lighthearted story about dancing during the filming of a television show. His amusing dance-floor adventure adds a touch of humour while keeping the conversation mellow and easygoing.
As always, the hosts keep the tone slow, gentle, and pleasantly mundane, allowing the conversation to wander naturally. Whether you’re listening in bed to help with insomnia, winding down after a long day, or quietly playing the episode at work to relax your mind and reduce anxiety, The Insomnia Project offers peaceful conversation designed to help you rest. It’s become one of the top sleep podcasts and sleepcasts for listeners seeking calm, comforting audio before bed.
Let Marco and Amanda’s soothing voices, poolside nostalgia, and soft storytelling guide you toward a restful state of mind.

​Pools & Dancing

(Original airdate: July 19, 2023)
Welcome to the Insomnia Project. Sit back, relax and listen as we have a calm conversation about the mundane or things that aren't so, you know, fascinating that you can just chill, listen, relax and forget about anything else that has been swirling Inside your mind. I'm your host, Marco Timpano.

Amanda: I am nothing but mundane.

Marco:  I wouldn't say that.

Amanda: I don't know the word mundane. I always, uh, I always trip over it. I always clarify it and say, maybe not mundane, maybe it's something different. I don't know.

Marco:  You know, Amanda, this is episode 24 of season seven. Do you know what that means?

Amanda: No.

Marco:  We have two more episodes before. Episodes? I said that weird episodes before the end of this season.

Amanda: Oh, wow.

Marco:  Which, uh, we're gonna take the month of August off. Ferragosto, which is, uh, the national sort of vacation holiday in Italy, is what Amanda's referring to.

Amanda: I think I said that last year.

Marco:  I know, it's like. And uh, just so everyone knows. So we usually, we try our best to get the episodes out every Wednesday. And I was, I was trying to get last week's episode out, but you were out of town and I was filming. So it was very, it's very difficult and I didn't want to do a rushed or poor quality content wise episode, so we skipped last week's episode. I apologize to all our listeners who are. Who were expecting it. But what we're going to do is we're going to air this one today, which is Wednesday.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  Next Wednesday.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  And then we'll air the last one on the Tuesday, which is the 31st of this month. I know, Like a finale for season seven. And then come September, we'll jump the shark. I think we probably jumped the shark already. But, um, what I'm suggesting is what's funny, Amanda, A lot of people will listen to this. Not, you know, years from now. I'd be like, all those dates he's saying don't really matter.

Amanda: Right.

Marco:  But that said, we're gonna take the month of August off and then we'll come back fresh with season eight in September.

Amanda: Okay.

Marco:  All right, Amanda.

Amanda: I think. But in terms of the Patreon content. That'll continue.

Marco:  That's right, we'll continue with that.

Amanda: Because people need it in August.

Marco:  People need it. So if you, uh, are still jonesing for Insomnia project, uh, content.

Amanda: I know I am.

Marco:  Or hearing our mutual voices, then certainly check out our Patreon page. Find in our show notes, which you can get extra content.

Amanda: Uh, I have one word to say to that.

Marco:  What's that?

Amanda: Meow.

Marco:  That's right. Amanda's acting like a cat right now. And I'll let her explain why.

Amanda: I'm not acting like a cat. I'm acting like a one Year old who's acting like a cat.

Marco:  Amanda's licking her hand right now.

Amanda: Yeah. I'm taking a bath. Um, my nephew who turned one.

Marco:  Our nephew.

Amanda: Our nephew. It's true. Um, my apologies, Marco. I'm just so. I'm siloed with my love for him right now because we have been watching a few different videos where he learned to say meow. So it's a big hit in this neck of the woods.

Marco:  That's right. Uh, we went for a long walk and Amanda went for a swim in a pool.

Amanda: I did the community pool. You gotta really love the water to commit to that.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda: And I did.

Marco:  You had a good swim.

Amanda: The Christie Pitts pool, it's only open. It's open. I think, um, usually it's like July, Canada Day, long weekend. I think this year they opened them early because it was very hot in June. So, um, anyway, July through to Labor Day, and I think that's it. It's crazy because it's this big, huge, beautiful pool, but it's only open for two, maybe three months out of the year.

Marco:  I know last year on the hot, hot days, they extended well into the evening.

Amanda: Yeah, that's right.

Marco:  We went late when I think they were open till midnight.

Amanda: They were. That's right. Remember how fun that was?

Marco:  It was so much fun to be there with people you don't know, like late into the evening at 11 o',

Amanda: clock, hanging out in some water. It's a beautiful pool. It's actually that particular pool is three different pools. Actually four different pools. If you want to count the little wading pool.

Marco:  Of course I want to count that one.

Amanda: Um, me and this other woman who's about the same age, we had the right idea, an unspoken thing where we were doing lanes, but it's open swim, so there's, you know, you're doing lanes. And then there's four, you know, 11 year old boys that just jump in pretty much right next to you. Or a brother and sister team or there were some kids who were throwing a ball between one pool and another, so you might get caught in that crossfire. So, you know, you have to take the good with the, uh, with the floating band aids.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda: As they say.

Marco:  Sure. Um, there's an image for you listeners. We, um, also last year we did this. We had an app or something where you could rent time in other people's pools. Oh, yeah, that was, that was.

Amanda: Talk about that app. Should I name the app?

Marco:  You can, while you're looking for it.

Amanda: No, I know it. Okay, so the app is called swimply, and I had heard about it, and you can Airbnb a pool. You can rent hours in a pool.

Marco:  And what's funny is private pool. We went to go do it. It was. You had. You had rented this pool on Swim for my birthday. That's right. And our friends joined us, and it was a little bit weird at first because you're walking into someone's backyard.

Amanda: Yeah.

Marco:  And then once we got in the backyard and into the pool, it was a lot of fun. I was like, I can't believe how much fun I'm having in a stranger's beautiful pool.

Amanda: I know. We had a great time.

Marco:  So much fun. And they were so lovely that the gentleman came out at the end and said, I hope was great. We're like, we had such a great time.

Amanda: Thank you.

Marco:  It was really, really worth it.

Amanda: Yeah, M. We should do that again. I mean, there's so many great apps for renting out any aspect of life. Um, I remember.

Marco:  Is there a Shedley app for anybody?

Amanda: I remember Portlandia had one, and it was, like, people renting out, like, part of their fridge and stuff like that, which. I shouldn't even joke.

Marco:  That's a comedy series, in case anybody's Portlandia comedy series. Well, it's a series that's comedic sketch show.

Amanda: I know. It's also 10 years old, so I don't know. Yeah.

Marco:  Not all our listeners are familiar with it.

Amanda: Yeah. They might not be. And I don't know where one can actually watch it these days.

Marco:  Tell me about some of the nicest rolling your eyes. I have been rolling my eyes quite a bit.

Amanda: It's not a fun thing when the person across from you who's making a lot of noise with his feet, I might add, I get in such trouble for any little suck of air, and then all I hear is shuffle, shuffle. I don't know if. Listen. I don't think listeners can hear that, but you can.

Marco:  It's my own private ams Ace asmr.

Amanda: Okay. What were you gonna ask me? That you keep trying to ask me every time I say something and you roll your eyes. Because it's not. It's not the journey you want to go on today.

Marco:  It's true. Um, I wanted to ask. Tell me about some of the nicest pools you've been in.

Amanda: Oh, a journey of pools. Well, let's start with the Kristie Pitts pool. Uh, has a water slide on the deep. I didn't go into that deep one. That's like the diving water sliding pool. Um, I really have to commit myself to, like, water above all else at that one. It can be really.

Marco:  Your nicest pools are your favorite pools. You're starting with.

Amanda: That's the Christie Pitts one I have a great affinity for.

Marco:  Okay, fair enough.

Amanda: Fine.

Marco:  No, no, no. Please continue.

Amanda: So the pool in my hometown. We had a community pool in my hometown in New Brunswick, but I never swam in it.

Marco:  Okay.

Amanda: Um, but there was one, um, because we didn't have a pool until my mom put one in, um, when my brother was in high school. So I was off doing things, and I'd come home sporadically. But when, um, I was living there for a time, I think in my very early twenties, when I was sort of in between things and not sure what to do, I would swim once a week and in this motel's pool. And I actually love that pool. It was called the Panoramic Motel. I think it's still there, but it might be owned by another company now. But, um, it was out on the highway. And as kids, it's where we used to stay. One of the places we used to stay when we would come up to Canada, because for three years my dad worked in Canada and we lived in Massachusetts. We would spend a lot of the summer while he was working up there with him and all of that. So one of the places we'd stay was this place called the Panorama. Panorama Motel.

Marco:  I see.

Amanda: And, um, it was, like, up on a hill and it overlooked the river. It was actually quite pretty. And they had a pool, and they had pinball, um, machines too. So as kids, we love those. And, uh, you know, we try to find Canadian quarters, and we put our American quarters in there and hope that it would work. So I loved it as a kid. And then, because I loved any pool as a kid and. And then as an adult, when I was like, 22, I think, uh, 22, 23, I was living at home for a year while I was trying to figure out, you know, what my next move would be, which was eventually moving to Toronto.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda: And so I would swim in that pool every week. I would just buy a $15 pass or whatever it was and go and swim in that pool.

Marco:  What shape pool is that one?

Amanda: I think it was just a rectangular pool. Yeah. But I loved. I mean, I just loved to swim. And then my parents finally put in a really fun pool. And it had, um. It was sort of for my brother. Um, we didn't have one for years in New Brunswick, but we had one in Massachusetts. So I was a pool child for a long time. And uh, my mom argued and she was right that New Brunswick was quite cold. To have a pool, you really only get, you know, six weeks or whatever out of it. But. But um, and then if you heat it, it's a whole thing. Which we did. But anyway, um, but that, uh, one that she put in kind of as a late in the game pool had the lights that like turn from like, you know, white to blue, like to purple to green to red kind of thing. Um, so that was like a fun. You could just make them any color. But that was like a fun thing that we would do. Um, I'm trying to think of other pools.

Marco:  I can tell you one of my favorite pools.

Amanda: I will tell you one more that I love. Sure, there's a pool. I stayed, um, at the Animal Kingdom, uh, resort in Disney World as a Christmas present one year. And as a surprise, my m. My mom was like, we're gonna go stay there. And I remember swimming in that pool. And that was a spectacularly huge, beautiful pool. And I had it all to myself. It was made like a beach. It's one of those pools that's like a beach. And it was beaut. Beautiful. And I had it all to myself.

Marco:  No one was in the water?

Amanda: No, just me.

>> Speaker A: Wow.

Marco:  Was it too cold for.

Amanda: Probably, yes, it was December, but it's never too cold for me. So that's one that just jumps out of my memory. But I've swum in so many pools.

Marco:  Amanda will swim. No matter how cold it is. She'll brave the water. That's one thing I have to say about her. I won't. I'm very like. I'm like, no, it's too cold and it could be middle of July.

Amanda: Do you have a favorite pool or pools?

Marco:  A pool that really comes to mind that we haven't been back to in a while. And I don't know, I don't foresee us necessarily going back. There is a pool in Orlando. We used to. Or uh, we. We do work. Yeah, we do work in Orlando once or twice a year or actually used to be quite a bit.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  And they used to put us in this hotel and it's not anything. Listen, it's just a hotel near Disney Springs. I believe it is.

Amanda: Yeah.

Marco:  So that's. That's.

Amanda: Do you want the name of the hotel?

Marco:  It doesn't matter. But yeah, sure.

Amanda: The Hilton Buena Vista.

Marco:  Disney Springs. There's a. Another Hilton Buena Vista.

Amanda: There's two.

Marco:  So.

Amanda: But the one at Disney Springs.

Marco:  So that was the Corporate hotel for the longest time.

Amanda: Yeah, I know. We were there a lot.

Marco:  We were there a lot because we would go down.

Amanda: Lucky us.

Marco:  Yeah. Very fortunate. And we, uh, would go there for three or four days. And they had this beautiful rectangular pool that had a nice deep part to it, but not too deep, but it was nice that you could go in. But they also had a lazy river.

Amanda: Yeah.

Marco:  That went around. And it was big enough that you could sit in it and do one full rotation.

Amanda: Uh-huh.

Marco:  And feel like, okay, I spent some time in the water. I enjoyed it. And you could get out or you could continue. You know, Amanda has this tendency to bring magazines or collect magazines from the plane that we might be on. Right. Wherever. And we would just grab some of those magazines and float around in the floaty river and then hop in that pool. The rectangular pool.

Amanda: That's right.

Marco:  That was always empty.

Amanda: I found we had a great time. Uh, you know, now that you say that, I remember reading Mindy Kaling's book on an inner tube in that floating river, like, in various magazines. I remember reading a Money magazine that was about Dave Ramsey. Like, I just remember. I have, like, certain memories of reading different things.

Marco:  For me, it was country living. I think your mom gave you a bunch of country.

Amanda: I brought one home. I just came back from Florida and I brought one home.

Marco:  So I was reading about country living as I circled the pool in a pool. Ah, tube. And the funny thing about that, um, lazy river is there was two areas, and if you weren't paying attention. So if you were reading and you didn't realize it, they had these, like, little spurdy waterfall things that would spurt on you. So you would.

Amanda: And you'd be deep in a book, and then suddenly it would be like a shower.

Marco:  Yeah.

Amanda: On your face.

Marco:  Yeah. That's something I remember.

Amanda: Um, well, my parents. This sounds, um, a bit bratty, for lack of a better word. But, you know, my. My parents have a pool now. They live in Florida, so it's very common to have a pool there. It's necessary with the heat, certainly. Um, if you're going to live there.

Marco:  And it's a. Not. Not a big pool, per se.

Amanda: No. But I can actually do a few laps in it, which is nice, because a lot of smaller pools, you just can't. They're just made to cool off, which is great, too. Um, but, yeah, I was just in that as of yesterday, in fact. And, um, that pool. Uh, yeah, I like it. It's sort of like a kidney shape. And, uh, I actually have some photos of me at that pool two nights ago if you want to share. I'll be happy to share that pool

Marco:  at night, but go to our Instagram and I will post Amanda in the

Amanda: pool if you think it's appropriate.

Marco:  Well, at this point I have to. So hopefully it is appropriate.

Amanda: Trying to wedge my pool photos.

Marco:  I feel like you're trying to wedge pool photos.

Amanda: Pool agenda. Um, but that one is really interesting because in the daytime it looks over a canal. So in the daytime you can look. And you're looking for gators and turtles and things like that and all the wildlife. So many. I mean, we've talked about it a lot, but they live across from a bird sanctuary.

Marco:  Right.

Amanda: And I saw sand cranes and herons and, uh, so many beautiful birds just in the last couple of days being there.

Marco:  And I should say this, that it sounds wonderful. Wonderful and beautiful to live across from a bird sanctuary. And Amanda's describing these beautiful, majestic birds that you see. However, those birds also like to quack and squat and bark and do.

Amanda: Uh.

Marco:  Yeah, there's a couple of birds that have a lot.

Amanda: The alligators bark. They have a proper bark.

Marco:  Yes. And they'll do it very early in the morning.

Amanda: Yes.

Marco:  And they'll get you up at 5:00am yeah, they will.

Amanda: Right on your roof.

Marco:  Yeah, right on your roof. And there's. There's some peacocks that live in the area that are also kind of there.

Amanda: Is there?

Marco:  There was peacocks.

Amanda: There was peacocks at their old house in Florida. I don't know about this one. In this neighborhood, I feel like there

Marco:  was peacocks living on someone's roof. Peacocks are not.

Amanda: Yeah, but not that house.

Marco:  Okay.

Amanda: I think we're. I mean, for now, it's only a matter of time.

Marco:  Um, peacocks are an invasive species if you're not careful. Yeah.

Amanda: Apparently it's a big problem in Texas, too. Sure. There's peacocks everywh. Um, but one of the things I wanted to say was that's how it is in the daytime. But what I really love about that pool, and this is true for any pool, um, especially in Florida or anywhere sort of south, is that pool at night is spectacular. I love a pool at night where you can swim and look up at the stars.

Marco:  Oh, yes.

Amanda: And look up at the, um, palm trees. I don't normally swim in the ocean at night. Um, but who's swimming at the ocean at night? People do. I have. Yeah.

Marco:  Swimming in the ocean at night.

Amanda: I have done. Yeah. But a pool is a different story. And, ah, you know, you don't have the question mark of what fish are out, et cetera. So, um, it's a beautiful thing to be able to swim at night and look up the palm trees, hear the sound of the rustling of the palm trees in the breeze and the wind. I love that sound while I'm swimming. And then looking up and seeing the stars and the constellation is just a beautiful moment in time. And I wish everyone to have that experience, no matter where it is, because there's lots of places on this planet that you can swim in a pool at night. So, um, I know it's not the easiest thing. I know for us in the city, it's hard, um, and we don't have them. But if you can find one, get thee to a night pool because they're beautiful. And it's just one of my favorite things.

Marco:  I do want to say this. I feel like there is a pool in many rec centers or community centers and, uh, like libraries. I love the ability to access a pool by everyone.

Amanda: I agree.

Marco:  And so if you have a pool in your neighborhood, like the pool that Amanda was mentioning off the top, the Christie Pitts pool, is a pool that's been there for a while. And there's something really lovely about, uh, walking into this community center that has photos of people from the 1920s on the wall that were in the Row Club or whatnot or the swim teams of the city. And there's just something spectacular about that that I really find charming.

Amanda: Well, there's something so wonderful about having a pool that you can walk to.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda: Or take a subway tour, you know, find your way to, um, you recently

Marco:  went in a dip of a pool with friends of ours that was very empty at a community center.

Amanda: Yeah. And so, uh, what I was going to say about this pool I was in this evening. It's a war. Lots of people going through it, but it's huge enough that it doesn't feel, you know, you have to be ready to be in a pool with a lot of people. But m. There's something really lovely because it's such, um, a microcosm of this city, and we're so lucky to live in such a beautifully multicultural city.

Marco:  Sure.

Amanda: And I must have heard 10 different languages, wonderful spoken, just doing laps. And I was kind of smiling to myself thinking, like, all these kids. And it's just kids playing and parents yelling, you know, for their kids to, you know, one kid wants to go into the big pool. And, you know, families are families. That's universal. And so there's Something just really lovely about all of that coming together to just cool off and take a dip and splash around in the water. It makes you a child. Sure. When you can splash around in the water and. Yeah, that pool that we went to, um, over in the East End is an indoor pool that has a Saturday swim. It's part of a school, I think.

Marco:  Okay.

Amanda: So it was like the school's pool, but they open it up to the public on weekends all year long. And uh, yeah, I went with friends of ours, they, they started going on Saturdays and it was so empty.

Marco:  Do you know, one time I had to, I had to be a teacher for pool. For a uh, pool class.

Amanda: Oh really?

Marco:  In high school.

Amanda: Oh.

Marco:  So I whole class.

Amanda: You, you don't swim. This is very interesting to me.

Marco:  I don't think I've ever told you this story. So listeners, um, years ago I was an emergency supply, ah, teacher or a substitute teacher.

Amanda: What's the difference between a substitute teacher and an emergency? Like when all else fails.

Marco:  Yes.

Amanda: So call Mr. Tympano.

Marco:  That's a really good question. So there's a local school near us, it's a beautiful old school called, um, called. What's it called? The one on Bathurst there?

Amanda: Uh, Regal Road.

Marco:  No, the one about the big one.

Amanda: Yeah, you always point to it.

Marco:  Yeah, it's a beautiful school. I used to teach there.

Amanda: I don't know. Collegiate. Bathurst, Collegiate.

Marco:  It'll come to me.

Amanda: Okay.

Marco:  Anyways.

Amanda: Humber.

Marco:  I don't know. Um, anyway, so what happened was years ago my friend's like, we should get on the emergency supply teaching list. And I was like, what is that? And they were like, okay, so what happens is you get yourself on a list and you don't have a teaching degree, but if they can't get a teacher, you're their last hope. And because you have a degree in, you know, a general bachelor of arts from a university or whatever, whatever it was you needed.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  We had. And so we put our name on the list. And the funny thing was at that time how it worked was they would call one person, one regular teacher to fill in the next one. They'd call a regular teacher and if they couldn't get someone, they would go to the emergency supply phone numbers. And the problem was they hadn't removed a lot of names of teachers that had retired or who are no longer with us. And so they would hit numbers.

Amanda: No longer with us. My goodness.

Marco:  Yeah. So what would happen is it would often deter, it would often just jump to the emergency supply chain.

Amanda: 10 down on the list. The backup at the back, I think

Marco:  it was like three or four down. So I would get calls to go to this really big school, which I can't think of the name of it. I drive by it, um, so many times in the day. And, uh, I want to say York Memorial, and it's so not York Memorial, but.

Amanda: But tell me where it is again. It's on Bathurst.

Marco:  Bathurst and Harbord. And we drive by it.

Amanda: Oh, that's cool.

Marco:  Every day, every. Like, I don't think there's a day that I haven't been driving past it. I taught there, and I can't think of the name of it. So they would call you, and you wouldn't know what class you were going to be teaching until you got there. And because it's a technical school and a large school, they have very interesting classes. So sometimes I'd go in there and I'd teach English. Sometimes I teach algebra. Sometimes I teach

Amanda: algebra.

Marco:  Algebra. Sometimes I teach.

Amanda: Did you teach algebra?

Marco:  Drafting? Sometimes I.

Amanda: How?

Marco:  I teach, um, cosmetology. Sometimes, yes. They had a cosmos. They had a cosmetology course. Wait, it gets better. They had aerodynamics. So they had one class which had a plane in it. There was a plane suspended. And they would teach you, the students, how to do plane mechanics.

Amanda: What did you do?

Marco:  So. Hang on, I'll get there.

Amanda: I thought we were talking about pools today. This took a turn.

Marco:  Auto mechanics class. Right. So I would. I would go to these. I would show up and they'd say, you're. You're in Auto Mechanics 101. And 2 times it happened to me that they were like, you're in the pool? And I'm like, what? So they have a pool, a really beautiful pool in this old school.

Amanda: Interesting.

Marco:  And they had swimming classes or pool classes for their students. And I would have to go there as the teacher, thankfully, because, as Amanda said, I'm not a good swimmer. They have a pool person who stays with the pool, who is the instructor that goes in the water with them. So there was no. No fear. And I just stood there, took attendance, and watched them learn how to swim.

Amanda: Right. Okay.

Marco:  And in the cosmetology class, sometimes I would. I would be given a syllabus of what I had to teach that day or. And sometimes it was just like, work on your own. And then I would take attendance and we would just kind of like, hang out kind of thing. But most of the time.

Amanda: What did you teach in cosmetology? I feel like you're Bearing the lead on this.

Marco:  Well, the interesting thing is my mother is a hairdresser. Was a hairdresser for all my life. So as a child I was always in a salon. So I taught how. French braid.

Amanda: Really?

Marco:  No, I didn't. I didn't teach out of French braid. But I can't remember. It was so many years ago. But it was a pretty simple class. I think what happened was what was left for me was for them to review their notes and then I had questions for them.

Amanda: I mean, usually when we got a supply teacher, which is what I remember calling them, um, uh, they would just sit with a folder and say, do this work. That's all I really remember.

Marco:  Sometimes I'd get really great, great, um, instructions and I love actually teaching.

Amanda: Would you leave them notes saying thanks for the great instructions?

Marco:  No, I never would.

Amanda: Would you leave them a tip?

Marco:  No, I wouldn't. I wouldn't. But I will say this.

Amanda: We're talking a lot about tipping the last week.

Marco:  So this all comes. Speaking of teaching is I am going to be teaching a course at a local college.

Amanda: Is that happening?

Marco:  Yeah. Oh, didn't I tell you?

Amanda: No, I didn't know if it was for sure.

Marco:  Oh, yeah, it's for sure.

Amanda: They've a lot of we haven't been together friends. So we've. I got in 2am last night.

Marco:  If you check my Instagram page, you'll see I put it on there recently and it was also on my LinkedIn. But I'll be teaching a course, uh, at George Brown College on how to podcast a podcasting in September. September 19th.

Amanda: Okay.

Marco:  To the. To November 30th.

Amanda: Okay, that's good to know.

Marco:  And it's virtual so anyone can take the class. But I was really excited about it

Amanda: because can we travel while you're teaching?

Marco:  So, yeah, because it's virtual. The gentleman who's in charge, the dean, asked me if I wanted it to be virtual or for me to show up. And I said I think virtual is going to work best because I know that we're traveling.

Amanda: It's also an audio medium.

Marco:  Right, Right. So I'm excited to be teaching at a college, one, uh, that I went to for continuing education. Both of us went.

Amanda: We did.

Marco:  And it was quite a.

Amanda: The student becomes the teacher.

Marco:  I know that is exciting and I really like that. I really like George Brown because they, they offer great continuing education, uh, classes.

Amanda: What night is your class going to be or what day?

Marco:  Thursdays. Thursdays from 6:15 to 9.

Amanda: Okay, good. Good to know.

Marco:  Yeah. So I'M really happy about that.

Amanda: That is exciting.

Marco:  And I'm filming this really, really lovely series.

Amanda: You are.

Marco:  And I'll tell you all more about it when I can, but it's gonna be four episodes and it's really delightful and I love being on set and can I just tell one story, Amanda, about.

Amanda: Yes, please.

Marco:  We're going a little over, but we're giving a little bonus kind of time.

Amanda: We are. Um, which I think we owe the people.

Marco:  Yes.

Amanda: Um, I will say that I like,

Marco:  you see, the people versus our listeners.

Amanda: The people. Not a lot of actors are working right now due to various strikes. Sure. So you're one of the only actors in North America on a set shooting a series right now. It's pretty exciting.

Marco:  That's when I get. When no one else works. So Amanda knows this about me. And I like to dance. I like dancing. I'm a decent dancer. Would you say it's one of the

Amanda: things I love the most about you and pairs dancing?

Marco:  Yeah. Pairs dancing?

Amanda: Yeah, like old timey, like Paris dancing

Marco:  versus dancing by myself.

Amanda: Well, like, grinding on a dance floor is not really what I would consider you doing.

Marco:  I could grind on a dance floor like the best of them.

Amanda: You probably could.

Marco:  Oh, my goodness.

Amanda: Why don't we grind?

Marco:  Well, let's grind on the dance floor.

Amanda: Uh, we have, we've, we've done more anyway. But you're, you're really good at actual, like, couples dancing.

Marco:  Yes. Yes. Yeah, I enjoy dancing. I'm also a good, you know, I can freestyle. Freestyle dancer.

Amanda: Sure. We have, we have freestyled. It's true. But we do more pairs.

Marco:  It's true. I like that you said yes. We have grinded on the dance floor and then just left it at that

Amanda: and didn't explain Miami. I think we did, uh, we did

Marco:  it in a show too. We grinded on dance floor.

Amanda: Yeah. Okay. Okay. Grinded. Ground.

Marco:  Ground. We ground on the dance floor. Okay. So. But anyways, this, this let me bring it back to where I was going. So in this particular, uh, series, there's, uh, a portion of it where I'm gonna be Bollywood dancing with a bunch of people in a Bollywood dancing class. But my character is not a good dancer. And so I have, I provide some comedic, some comedic beats. So before we get on camera, while we're in the green room, I'm telling the other actors, I'm like, I really, I really enjoy dancing and I'm a pretty decent dancer. And I said to them, I've never done Bollywood dancing, but I'm so Excited to do Bollywood dancing. Because I've always wanted to do Bollywood dancing. So I'm really, I'm really stoked to do this.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  And to learn the Bollywood dancing moves.

Amanda: Yeah.

Marco:  So. But once again, I'm not supposed to be able to do the Bollywood dancing. I'm supposed to make mistakes. And, you know, they all try to help me to learn how to do it. So we go and I'm like, great, I know what I'm gonna do for the funny beats. And we do it and the director yells, cut. And she comes up to me and she goes, you're very funny. But even though you're doing the moves wrong, I can tell that you're a good dancer because you're dancing to the beat and you're, you're really, you're really working it. Like you're really showing that you know how to dance. I need you to be less skilled and less able to do moves.

Amanda: Uh-huh.

Marco:  So I do a lot of dance acting, Amanda, to make myself look like acting. Acting to make myself look like not a great actor.

Amanda: Right.

Marco:  And I'm very excited for you to see it.

Amanda: I can't wait to see it. Uh, what a great dancer, you mean?

Marco:  Yeah, yeah. Just to see me acting. And, uh, I really enjoyed it. I really. I would love to take a Bollywood dancing class and do some Bollywood dancing.

Amanda: You and I could. Maybe we do.

Marco:  We should. I would love to do that. It's just the thing I know about Bollywood dancing is that it requires a lot of stamina.

Amanda: Okay.

Marco:  A lot of energy.

Amanda: Okay.

Marco:  And a lot of, um, fluid, uh, and flexible movements.

Amanda: Okay. He's moving, as he says.

Marco:  Yeah. I'm doing one of the moves that, that I saw them do and people of the world. And it's such a joyous, wonderful thing to watch. And it really is a wonderful form of dancing. So I can't wait to do more of it.

Amanda: I will tell everybody more about the series as it.

Marco:  It in season eight. Season eight? Yeah. Season that comes up. Sorry, I feel like I cut you off.

Amanda: Season eight. Oh, I thought you meant of the series. I'm like, no, that'd be great if it got a season.

Marco:  Oh, I hope so, but.

Amanda: Mhm.

Marco:  This is season seven. And then we're going to go away for August and then in season eight, I'm sure I'll be able to tell the stories.

Amanda: Will, will keep you updated as the story develops.

Marco:  Yes, indeed. Well, Amanda, that's. Listen, that's the end of this episode. If there's anything else you want to say that's pool related.

Amanda: Oh, gosh. So many pools, so little time.

Marco:  It's true.

Amanda: I love them all. I've loved them all. I could talk about pools forever, but to all the pools you swim m at night if you can. Friends, that's what I'll leave you with.

Marco:  Okay, fair enough. And I'll just say, everyone into the pool. And until next time, we hope you were able to listen and sleep. Um.