The Only Child Diaries Podcast

Tracy Wallace
  • 5.0 (14)
  • Personal Journals
  • Updated Weekly

Not just for only children! Info, stories and life experiences for anyone who feels like they didn't get the How-To brochure on life! Host Tracy Wallace, who has been a business owner, a successful fundraiser, a stand-up comedian, a caregiver and an animal lover, shares stories from the front lines of adulting to help others in this journey called life. She does this while finding the humor in the all situations.

  1. 6d ago

    The Brochure on Sports

    Send us Fan Mail Sports are everywhere, and somehow we’re all expected to have strong opinions, favorite teams, and the stamina to watch a three-hour game on a weeknight. We’re not doing that. We’re getting honest about what it’s like to be a casual sports fan, why some games feel impossible to sit through, and how you can still enjoy the culture without forcing yourself into someone else’s version of fandom. We talk football from the perspective of someone who loves a big moment but struggles with the slow buildup, then shift to baseball and why it’s more fun once you understand the strategy behind every pitch. From there, we share the surprise sport that finally hooked us: ice hockey. Watching the Vegas Golden Knights during a Stanley Cup playoff run made everything click, even without knowing all the terms. It’s fast, dramatic, and it rewards attention in a way that feels refreshing. We also get real about the live game experience: parking, walking, food lines, bathroom lines, sun, cost, and the legendary challenge of getting out of Dodger Stadium. We touch on the World Cup energy in the Los Angeles area, the jerseys and merchandise everywhere, and how sports operate as a massive industry that can still do real good through community outreach. If you’ve ever felt “not sporty enough” to join the conversation, you’ll feel seen here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend, and if you like what you hear, leave a rating and review so more listeners can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    11 min

  2. Jun 9

    The Brochure on Catching Up with Things

    Send us Fan Mail The part nobody warns you about after a big fundraising event is the second job you inherit the next morning: follow-up. I’m coming off a major work push and trying to climb out of the backlog with unpaid silent auction items, pledge drive confusion, and the urgent need to get revenue in before the fiscal year closes. If you’ve ever stared at your to-do list and thought, “How is this still my problem ten days later,” you’ll feel seen.  I break down the real mechanics of nonprofit event planning and fundraising operations, including coordinating auction item pickup and delivery, tracking winners who haven’t paid, and managing pledges from a paddle raise. I also share what a dessert dash looks like on the ground, why it can confuse a room, and how those small live-moment choices still add up in dollars raised. When support disappears and you’re suddenly doing the legwork alone, “catching up” becomes a strategy problem, not a motivation problem.  Then I zoom out to home life, because work overload doesn’t pause your dishes, laundry, or the yard. I talk about taking three days off, trying to recover, and using a “zones” approach to chip away at chaos without needing a perfect plan. That includes the very real saga of Christmas inflatables and extension cords that sat outside long enough to get muddy and attract snails, plus the oddly satisfying win of cleaning, boxing, and storing them before summer heat hits.  If you’re navigating adulting, burnout, time management, and work-life balance, come listen and take what you need. Follow the Only Child Diaries Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share the episode with a friend who’s also trying to catch up. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    18 min

  3. Jun 2

    The Brochure on Working Too Hard

    Send us Fan Mail If you’ve ever hit the finish line of a huge work project and immediately felt your body power down, you’ll recognize this one. I’m fresh off a major nonprofit fundraising event I led at my agency, and I’m talking candidly about what it means to work hard, work too hard, and then deal with the adrenaline crash that comes after the applause fades. When you’re a perfectionist with high standards, it’s easy to believe you’re supposed to carry every outcome on your shoulders, even the parts you couldn’t control. I walk through the real behind-the-scenes pressure of fundraising event planning and nonprofit event management, from learning new auction software and managing sponsor details to building seating charts and coordinating vendors. I also share what went wrong, including a caterer showing up an hour late, and why I still felt responsible even when it technically wasn’t my fault. That tension, pride in your work mixed with relentless self-criticism, is one of the fastest paths to burnout. We also talk about something that rarely gets scheduled but always arrives: recovery. After weeks of 55 to 60 hour workweeks, long commutes, and late nights, rest isn’t a reward, it’s basic stress recovery and self-care. And because life keeps happening, I’m also staring down the backlog of car maintenance, chores, and the simple need to step outside. Plus, there’s a funny twist at the end involving a beautiful thank-you gift that disappears and a mysterious shortage of 30 rental plates. If this helped you feel less alone, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share the episode with a friend, and leave a rating and review so more people can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    18 min

  4. May 26

    My Washer Is Broken And So Is Your Inbox

    Send us Fan Mail “I’m too busy” is the easiest line to say and one of the hardest to hear when you’re the one waiting on a reply. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m coming to you from a week where busy isn’t a vibe, it’s a fundraiser deadline, a mountain of details, and the reality of doing more without the administrative backup you wish you had. I talk through what “busy” looks like inside nonprofit event planning, remote work, and limited staff capacity, then I get into the part that really stings: when people disappear from your inbox and later act like silence is normal. We can all have different limits, but professional communication still matters. A 10-second message like “I can’t get to this until next week” is basic email etiquette, and it protects trust, timelines, and relationships. From there, the story gets more personal. I’m juggling caregiver stress at home, chronic health appointments, pet care that requires daily meds, and the never-ending friction of chores and broken appliances. I also circle back to something I realized after last week’s conversation, owning where I push others to get help while I’m scared to face my own cataract surgery. Then grief hits. I share news of a death that caught me off guard and the regret that comes with “I meant to call.” If you’ve been putting off reaching out to someone, let this be your nudge. Listen, share this with a friend, and subscribe, rate, and review Only Child Diaries so more people can find us. What’s one message you can send today? For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    13 min

  5. May 19

    The Brochure on Better Hearing and Bettering Yourself

    Send us Fan Mail Your pride can be louder than your problems, and sometimes it’s the real thing keeping you stuck. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m sharing a very real adulting moment from my own house: my husband’s hearing got worse, a hearing test confirmed hearing loss, and suddenly we had to face the next step. Not just the technology, but the feelings that come with it, the quiet denial, the worry about what it “means,” and the resistance that shows up as heavy sighs and stubborn silence. What happens next surprised me. I spotted a hearing aids package deal on QVC that checked the boxes people actually care about: rechargeable devices, a protection plan (important when the person wearing them tends to lose things), and a Zoom call with a technician to get the setup right. That call turned out to be the difference between “this is awkward” and “this is working.” Once he tried the hearing aids, he could finally hear the TV at my level, and before long he’s noticing sounds he hasn’t heard clearly in years. From there, I zoom out into the bigger health conversation: why do we hesitate to fix what’s fixable? Hearing loss, cataracts, knee pain, migraines, dental work, glasses, medication, surgery, preventive care, it all comes back to the same question. If there’s a solution that could make you feel 20% to 40% better, wouldn’t you want to know? Listen, then subscribe, share with a friend, and leave a review so more people can find Only Child Diaries. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    14 min

  6. May 12

    The Brochure on Gabapentin and Guilt

    Send us Fan Mail My cat isn’t “needy” in the cute way. He’s the kind of bonded that makes you rethink your whole schedule. I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m telling the story of Bubby, my not-so-cuddly rescue cat who somehow became my shadow, my routine, and yes, one of my most codependent relationships. Bubby shows up at our barn like a lot of barn cats do, half-mystery and fully scrappy, collecting names from everyone who feeds him. Over time, he picks me. Eventually, after my elderly bunny Holly passes away, my husband Bill and I bring Bubby home, and he falls hard for the indoor life: soft beds, carpets, and the predictability of a house. The twist is that even with his independent streak, he bonds so tightly that my absence can send him spiraling. Now Bubby is around 15 or 16 and dealing with real senior cat health issues, including diabetes and asthma. Add cat anxiety and separation stress, and ordinary things like going to the office, having a plumber visit, or living next to loud construction can turn into pacing, crying at the door, and even vomiting. I share what our vet recommended, including gabapentin for anxiety and why a transdermal option can be a lifesaver when your cat refuses pills, plus how I’m trying to keep our home calm and “Zen” when life doesn’t cooperate. If you’ve ever felt pet parent guilt, worried about your anxious cat, or wondered where the line is between love and codependency, you’ll see yourself here. Subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend who loves their pet like family, and leave a rating and review so more people can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    15 min

  7. May 5

    The Brochure on Free Time, Reclaimed

    Send us Fan Mail Free time is supposed to feel like relief, so why does it so often feel like another problem to solve? I’m Tracy Wallace, and I’m talking honestly about what happens when work takes up your energy, not just your hours, and you reach the end of the day with nothing left for the life you’re trying to build. If you’ve ever wondered why you can’t “use your weekend better,” this conversation is for you. I dig into the real texture of downtime: the one full day off, the mental exhaustion that follows a packed week, and the constant tug-of-war between errands and rest. I share what I actually do when I finally have space, from getting outside for yard work and plant care to choosing low-effort recovery like binge watching and phone puzzles. I also talk about the pressure of home projects, why a simple goal like painting one room can feel huge, and how time management gets messy when appointments and household admin pile up. We also get into the gray area that so many adults live in: are pet chores, cleaning, and maintenance tasks “free time” if you don’t mind them? When does a task become self-care, and when is it just more work wearing a nicer outfit? If you’re chasing better work-life balance, healthier boundaries, and a more realistic definition of rest, you’ll leave with a calmer way to think about your time. If you enjoyed this, follow the Only Child Diaries Podcast, leave a rating and review, and share it with a friend who needs more breathing room. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    9 min

  8. Apr 28

    I Bought Halloween In April And Now My Porch Is Mad

    Send us Fan Mail Your neighborhood tells the truth, even when nobody says a word. On a simple walk around my block, I start noticing the full range of “home life on display” we all live with: the perfect place that looks untouched, the normal houses with leggy plants and brown patches, the flower bed that needs attention. Whether you’re in a single-family home, a condo, or an apartment, the patterns are weirdly universal and they say a lot about time, money, energy, and how hard adulting can be when you feel like you never got the how-to brochure.  I also talk about the house that looks abandoned, the one with the cracked driveway, the weeds, and the lights that never seem to come on. It’s the kind of place that makes neighbors invent stories, and it pushes me to think about the difference between judgment and curiosity, and what empathy looks like when you only have a few visible clues.  Then I bring it home, literally. I’m honest about my own organization struggles: a yard that’s doing pretty well, a front porch that’s doing… not so well, and the reality of keeping “my stuff” plus family things from multiple generations. Add a busy season and an upcoming event, and you get the cherry on top: I buy a new Halloween decoration in April, clean out the car to haul a giant box, and immediately face the question we all dodge, where is this going to live?  We end with something that feels grounding: taking plant cuttings to Regrow Altadena and driving through areas still recovering after the Eaton fire. If you like reflective stories about home, habits, community, and adulting with humor, subscribe to Only Child Diaries, share this with a friend, and leave a review so more listeners can find us. For the Only Child Diaries: Check us out on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/onlychilddiariespodcast/ or Instagram https://www.instagram.com/onlychilddiaries/ or Threads https://www.threads.net/@onlychilddiaries and on Bluesky  https://bsky.app/profile/onlychilddiaries.bsky.social

    18 min
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5
out of 5
14 Ratings

About

Not just for only children! Info, stories and life experiences for anyone who feels like they didn't get the How-To brochure on life! Host Tracy Wallace, who has been a business owner, a successful fundraiser, a stand-up comedian, a caregiver and an animal lover, shares stories from the front lines of adulting to help others in this journey called life. She does this while finding the humor in the all situations.

Information

  • Creator
    Tracy Wallace
  • Years Active
    2022 - 2026
  • Episodes
    198
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 The Only Child Diaries Podcast
  • Show Website
    The Only Child Diaries Podcast

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