Refreshing Pod - Dr Maggie Leiu (AKA Space Mog)

Blast off for a chat with Dr Maggie Leiu, AKA Space Mog for a dive into Space!

Hopefully (after 2 launch's being pushed back) in April 4 humans will leave earth, on a trip back to the moon, the first since Dec 11th 1972.

Dr Maggie chats about how much she loves space, and where her interest began, and about how she was close to moving to mars & never coming back.

Maggie gives her full view (and brilliant technical expertise) about the longterm Artemis II program (ending in 2035) that will eventually put humans back on the moons surface (due to happen inside the next 2 years).

Johnny also brings up a certain Elon Musk, and how soon could humans and space tourism could soon become the norm, plus who actually owns (or could own) the moon ... will Trump try to buy it?

Oh & of course, Johnny gives Maggie a quick quiz ... but how well does Space Mog actually do??

Dr Maggie (the podcasts most educated guest to date) is one not to miss!

Follow Space Mog:

Insta: Space_Mog

WWW: maggielieu.com

YT: www.youtube.com/c/SpaceMog

For Artemis II information, visit:

https://www.nasa.gov/mission/artemis-ii/

Refreshing Pod is a magazine style podcast, giving you ideas, interviews, big name guests, and guaranteed laughs along the way, with new content every few weeks, now in it's 9th series.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Refreshing Pod - Livvy Breen (Paralympics GB)

It's the first interview of 2026!

Olivia Breen brings joy and positivity to the podcast, as her & Johnny chat all things athletics.

Starting her journey in 2012 (aged 16) competing at the London games, Olivia is a Welsh Paralympian athlete, who competes for Wales and Great Britain mainly in T38 sprint and F38 long jump events. She's going for gold again this summer at the Commonwealth Games in Scotland.

Johnny get's Livvy's take on what it's like to be a full time athlete on a daily basis, what she hopes to still achieve in her two sports, and what she wants to do when she ends her time on the track & in the sandpit. Plus of course, we look at the current Winter Olympics, and look forward to the Winter Paralympic Games beginning on March 6th.

Glasgow hosts the 2026 Commonwealth Games, with 10 sports including Athletics/Para Athletics, Swimming/Para Swimming, Artistic Gymnastics, Track Cycling/Para Track Cycling, Netball, Weightlifting/Para Powerlifting, Boxing, Judo, Bowls/Para Bowls, and 3x3 Basketball/3x3 Wheelchair Basketball.

Follow Olivia's 2026 Journey To Glasgow:

Insta: livvy_breen

WWW: https://paralympics.org.uk/athletes/olivia-breen

Livvy's medal haul ...

2020 Paralympic Games, Tokyo, Japan

T38 long jump: bronze

2012 Paralympic Games, London, United Kingdom

T35-38 4x100m: Bronze

**2023 World Para Athletics World Championships, Paris, France **

T38 Long Jump: Silver

2019 World Para Athletics World Championships, Dubai, UAE

T38 Long Jump: bronze

2017 IPC Athletics World Championships, London, UK

T38 Long Jump: Gold

2015 IPC Athletics World Championships, Doha, Qatar

T38 4x100m: Gold

2018 IPC Athletics European Championships, Berlin, Germany

T38 100m: Bronze

2016 IPC Athletics European Championships, Grosseto, Italy

T35-38 4x100m: Gold

2014 IPC Athletics European Championships, Swansea, Wales

T38 4x100m: Silver

T38 100m: Bronze

2018 Commonwealth Games, Gold Coast, Australia

T38 Long Jump: Gold

T38 100m: Bronze

**2022 Commonwealth Games, Birmingham, England (**Covid Year)

T38 100m: Gold

Refreshing Pod is a magazine style podcast, giving you ideas, interviews, big name guests, and guaranteed laughs along the way, with new content every few weeks, now in it's 9th series.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Refreshing Pod - Hogmanay (The Midnight Moment)

Refresh Christmas, and welcome in 2026 in style!

The big boss behind Hogmanay Al Thompson (Unique Assembly director) guides Johnny through the world famous 'Midnight Moment' ... in essence what happens just before 12am, as one year ends, and another begins in Scotland.

In this quick 5 minute extract, find out about the people behind the fireworks fuse, Al's memories from Hogmanay events over roughly 20 years & some vital travel information for New Years eve.

Edinburgh’s Hogmany is on now, and ends 1st Jan 2026.

Find out more, and get involved this New Year.

Online: https://edwinterfest.com/edinburgh-christmas

Insta: edhogmanay

Refreshing Pod is a magazine style podcast, giving you ideas, interviews, big name guests, and guaranteed laughs along the way, with new content every month, now in it's 9th series. Audio taken from 2022 + 2024.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.