What happens when a simple poem reaches 100 million listens and touches people all over the world?

This week Nicola and Di chat with poet and writer James McCrae. James is the author of the viral poem Instructions Before Visiting Earth, which has now reached over 100 million people, and he kindly opens the episode by reading it to us live. It's a beautiful, grounding way to start a conversation that stayed with us long after we stopped recording.

We talk to James about where the poem came from and he shares the line that moves him most, about how nothing in life is truly ours to keep, and why that simple, humbling truth is something we spend our whole lives trying to avoid.

James opens up about creativity as a form of self-care, something he beautifully describes as "spiritual hygiene," and tells us about the open mic nights and writing workshops he hosts in Austin. We also talk about intuition, somatic writing, and why James believes stepping back from our logical minds opens us up to something far wiser than we give ourselves credit for.

We loved hearing James's thoughts on why he believes we're here to experience the full spectrum of life rather than clinging only to the good. His reflections on endings being bridges to new beginnings, drawn from his own experience of being fired multiple times before finding his path as a writer, left us both a little teary and so inspired.

We had the most beautiful, soul-filling conversation with James. His wisdom and warmth are a gift. We hope you love this episode as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow James on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/wordsarevibrations/

Join the Waitlist to Buy James’ Book Instructions Before Visiting Earth here - https://www.jamesmccrae.com/instructions-before-visiting-earth

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ 

Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

What happens when a simple poem reaches 100 million listens and touches people all over the world?
This week Nicola and Di chat with poet and writer James McCrae. James is the author of the viral poem&nbsp;Instructions Before Visiting Earth, which has now reached over 100 million people, and he kindly opens the episode by reading it to us live. It's a beautiful, grounding way to start a conversation that stayed with us long after we stopped recording.
We talk to James about where the poem came from and he shares the line that moves him most, about how nothing in life is truly ours to keep, and why that simple, humbling truth is something we spend our whole lives trying to avoid.
James opens up about creativity as a form of self-care, something he beautifully describes as "spiritual hygiene," and tells us about the open mic nights and writing workshops he hosts in Austin. We also talk about intuition, somatic writing, and why James believes stepping back from our logical minds opens us up to something far wiser than we give ourselves credit for.
We loved hearing James's thoughts on why he believes we're here to experience the full spectrum of life rather than clinging only to the good. His reflections on endings being bridges to new beginnings, drawn from his own experience of being fired multiple times before finding his path as a writer, left us both a little teary and so inspired.
We had the most beautiful, soul-filling conversation with James. His wisdom and warmth are a gift. We hope you love this episode as much as we did!
This episode is proudly supported by <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Montgomery Investment Management</a>, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or <a href="mailto:investor@montinvest.com">investor@montinvest.com</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/wordsarevibrations/">Follow James on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/wordsarevibrations/</a>
<a href="https://www.jamesmccrae.com/instructions-before-visiting-earth">Join the Waitlist to Buy James&rsquo; Book Instructions Before Visiting Earth here - https://www.jamesmccrae.com/instructions-before-visiting-earth</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/">Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/">Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts">Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts</a>

Di Edwards and Nicola Dale have been best friends for close to four decades & they actually share a ‘back fence’ in Sydney! 
They share a love of life, a passion for people, and have discovered a simple conversation over the back fence, can change a life and give a sense of belonging . 

“We’re not neuroscientists, psychologists, doctors or monks - we just love people - and know with age comes wisdom."

Di Edwards and Nicola Dale have been best friends for close to four decades &amp; they actually share a ‘back fence’ in Sydney!  They share a love of life, a passion for people, and have discovered a simple conversation over the back fence, can change a life and give a sense of belonging . 
“We’re not neuroscientists, psychologists, doctors or monks - we just love people - and know with age comes wisdom."

Over the Back Fence

Over the back fence is a podcast by two incredible women in their 50’s and 60’s - for women.

Di and Nicola have an infectious energy that is bound to light you up. It’s a podcast which values community, connection and lifting each other up. 

Here, Di and Nicola will delve in to the highs and lows they’ve experienced in life… From starting a family, experiencing marriage breakdowns, to embracing new beginnings. They’ll discuss the lessons they’re still learning, and interview people with inspiring stories to tell. 

Di and Nicola will invite guests on OTBF from all over the globe. From close friends, entrepreneurs, comedians, councillors to motivators and life coaches - to unlock their wisdom and have a laugh along the way.

Over the back fence is a podcast by two incredible women in their 50’s and 60’s - for women.
Di and Nicola have an infectious energy that is bound to light you up. It’s a podcast which values community, connection and lifting each other up. 
Here, Di and Nicola will delve in to the highs and lows they’ve experienced in life… From starting a family, experiencing marriage breakdowns, to embracing new beginnings. They’ll discuss the lessons they’re still learning, and interview people with inspiring stories to tell. 
Di and Nicola will invite guests on OTBF from all over the globe. From close friends, entrepreneurs, comedians, councillors to motivators and life coaches - to unlock their wisdom and have a laugh along the way.

James McCrae: ‘Instructions Before Visiting Earth’ - The Viral Poet on Love, Living & Letting Go

This week Nicola and Di are back with Over The Money Fence with Roger Montgomery.  

This series aims to help you take control of your finances with clarity and confidence. Roger is the Founder and Chairman ofMontgomery Investment Management, has over 30 years’ investing experience and is a highly respected financial commentator featuring on various ABC programs, as well as his popular column in The Australian newspaper. He is also the author of best-selling investment guidebook Value.able.  

In this episode, Roger takes us through the fallout from the federal budget and explains why, despite being sold as a win for young Australians, the changes to negative gearing have actually made it harder for first home buyers to get into the market. 

We talk about the recent headlines around private credit and the Bathla collapse, and Roger explains why not all private credit funds are created equal. He walks us through what sets certain private credit funds apart, what to look out for and when this might be an appropriate investment option. We also get his take on the AI boom, including why he remains sceptical that the eye-watering valuations of AI companies will translate into real profits.

Roger also breaks down the ripple effect of falling house prices on consumer spending and jobs, and shares some 3 simple pieces of timeless advice for anyone starting out financially.

As always, we loved having this conversation with Roger in the studio. He always makes us feel more calm and confident about our financial decisions. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.

Tune into past episodes of Over the Money Fence with Roger here - https://omny.fm/shows/over-the-back-fence/playlists/over-the-money-fence

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com 

Find out more about Montgomery Investment Management here - https://montinvest.com 

Find out more about Montgomery private credit funds here -    https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit 

Read Roger’s Whitepaper on private credit funds here -    https://rogermontgomery.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Whitepaper-_-cutting-through-the-noise-why-australian-private-credit-stands-apart.pdf

Learn more about Roger and read his articles here - https://rogermontgomery.com 

Buy Roger's book Value.able here - https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/ 

Follow Roger on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/ 

Follow Roger’s YouTube channel here  - https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomery

Follow Roger on X here - https://x.com/rjmontgomery 

Follow Roger on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/

Follow Roger on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/ 

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ 

Follow Nicola and Di on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts 

This week Nicola and Di are back with Over The Money Fence with Roger Montgomery. &nbsp;
This series aims to help you take control of your finances with clarity and confidence. Roger is the Founder and Chairman of <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Montgomery Investment Management</a>, has over 30 years&rsquo; investing experience and is a highly respected financial commentator featuring on various ABC programs, as well as his popular column in The Australian newspaper. He is also the author of best-selling investment guidebook <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/value.able">Value.able</a>. &nbsp;
In this episode, Roger takes us through the fallout from the federal budget and explains why, despite being sold as a win for young Australians, the changes to negative gearing have actually made it harder for first home buyers to get into the market.&nbsp;
We talk about the recent headlines around private credit and the Bathla collapse, and Roger explains why not all private credit funds are created equal. He walks us through what sets certain private credit funds apart, what to look out for and when this might be an appropriate investment option. We also get his take on the AI boom, including why he remains sceptical that the eye-watering valuations of AI companies will translate into real profits.
Roger also breaks down the ripple effect of falling house prices on consumer spending and jobs, and shares some 3 simple pieces of timeless advice for anyone starting out financially.
As always, we loved having this conversation with Roger in the studio. He always makes us feel more calm and confident about our financial decisions. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we did.
Tune into past episodes of Over the Money Fence with Roger here -&nbsp;<a href="https://omny.fm/shows/over-the-back-fence/playlists/over-the-money-fence">https://omny.fm/shows/over-the-back-fence/playlists/over-the-money-fence</a>
This episode is proudly supported by <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Montgomery Investment Management</a>, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com&nbsp;
<a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Find out more about Montgomery Investment Management here - </a><a href="https://montinvest.com/">https://montinvest.com</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit?utm_source=Over_the_Money_Fence&amp;utm_medium=podcast&amp;utm_campaign=Private_Credit_2025_int&amp;utm_content=Over_the_Money_Fence_Podcast_show_notes">Find out more about Montgomery private credit funds here -    </a><a href="https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit">https://www.montinvest.com/privatecredit</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://rogermontgomery.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Whitepaper-_-cutting-through-the-noise-why-australian-private-credit-stands-apart.pdf">Read Roger&rsquo;s Whitepaper on private credit funds here -&nbsp; &nbsp; https://rogermontgomery.com/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Whitepaper-_-cutting-through-the-noise-why-australian-private-credit-stands-apart.pdf</a>
<a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/rmotbf">Learn more about Roger and read his articles here - https://rogermontgomery.com</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/value.able">Buy Roger's book Value.able here - </a><a href="https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/">https://rogermontgomery.com/valueable-book/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/?hl=en">Follow Roger on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/rogerjmontgomery/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomery">Follow Roger&rsquo;s YouTube channel here  - https://www.youtube.com/user/rogerjmontgomery</a> <a href="https://x.com/rjmontgomery">Follow Roger on X here - https://x.com/rjmontgomery</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/">Follow Roger on Facebook here - https://www.facebook.com/montgomeryroger/</a> <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/">Follow Roger on LinkedIn here - https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogermontgomery/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/">Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts">Follow Nicola and Di on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts</a>&nbsp;

Over The Money Fence: What’s Changed for Your Money? Markets, Private Credit & the Budget

This week Nicola and Di chat with Sally Mackinnon, one of Australia's best-known personal stylists and author of Styled: How to Dress as Your Most Stylish Self. Sally has spent over 20 years helping women find their style, and this conversation was full of the practical, honest wisdom she's become known for.

In this episode, we chat to Sally about her approach to shopping smarter, including her rule of only buying pieces that fit your real, everyday life (not your holiday fantasy life), and the classic "80/20" wardrobe trap most of us fall into. She also shares her refreshingly rules-free philosophy on personal style, and an empowering approach that focuses on dressing for how an outfit makes you feel.

We talk about decluttering a full wardrobe, why alterations are one of the most underrated style tools out there, and the genius Sudoku packing method that Sally uses for travelling light without the stress. 

Sally leaves us with beautiful advice on trusting your gut when it comes to getting dressed and why clothing is such a powerful tool for expressing your personality. 

We had such a great time with Sally. She's warm, wise and easy to talk to and we loved all of the practical tips she shared with us. We hope you love this episode as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow Sally on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/styledbysally/

Buy Sally’s book Styled here - https://www.penguin.com.au/books/styled-9781761349201

Find out more about Sally’s styling work here - https://www.styledbysally.com.au/personal-styling-melbourne/

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ 

Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

 

This week Nicola and Di chat with Sally Mackinnon, one of Australia's best-known personal stylists and author of<a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/styled-9781761349201"> Styled: How to Dress as Your Most Stylish Self</a>. Sally has spent over 20 years helping women find their style, and this conversation was full of the practical, honest wisdom she's become known for.
In this episode, we chat to Sally about her approach to shopping smarter, including her rule of only buying pieces that fit your real, everyday life (not your holiday fantasy life), and the classic "80/20" wardrobe trap most of us fall into. She also shares her refreshingly rules-free philosophy on personal style, and an empowering approach that focuses on dressing for how an outfit makes you feel.
We talk about decluttering a full wardrobe, why alterations are one of the most underrated style tools out there, and the genius Sudoku packing method that Sally uses for travelling light without the stress.&nbsp;
Sally leaves us with beautiful advice on trusting your gut when it comes to getting dressed and why clothing is such a powerful tool for expressing your personality.&nbsp;
We had such a great time with Sally. She's warm, wise and easy to talk to and we loved all of the practical tips she shared with us. We hope you love this episode as much as we did!
This episode is proudly supported by <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Montgomery Investment Management</a>, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or <a href="mailto:investor@montinvest.com">investor@montinvest.com</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/styledbysally/">Follow Sally on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/styledbysally/</a>
<a href="https://www.penguin.com.au/books/styled-9781761349201">Buy Sally&rsquo;s book Styled here - https://www.penguin.com.au/books/styled-9781761349201</a>
<a href="https://www.styledbysally.com.au/personal-styling-melbourne/">Find out more about Sally&rsquo;s styling work here - https://www.styledbysally.com.au/personal-styling-melbourne/</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/">Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/">Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts">Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts</a>
&nbsp;

Sally Mackinnon: Style, Confidence & The 80/20 That Changes How You F

This week Nicola and Di chat with the talented PJ Lane, son of the legendary Don Lane. PJ is a performer, former professional basketballer, actor, and now the man bringing his father's iconic showmanship back to the stage with his tribute show, I Love Your Faces: The Don Lane Story. 

In this episode, we chat to PJ about growing up with Don Lane as "the sports broadcaster and basketball coach" rather than the TV legend most of Australia remembers. We hear about his years playing basketball on scholarship in the US and professionally in Greece, the unexpected pull towards music that eventually won out and he shares some brilliant stories along the way.

We also talk candidly about Don's Alzheimer's diagnosis, the toll it took on the whole family, and PJ's important work as an ambassador for the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), raising awareness and funds for dementia research. It's a topic so many of our listeners will relate to, and PJ speaks about it with real heart and honesty.

Finally, we talk about PJ’s new show, the family connection at its heart, the old-school Vegas variety feel he's recreating on stage, and he even sings for us live in the studio - you’ll have to tune in to hear it. 

We had a great time with PJ and we hope you love this episode as much as we did!

This episode is proudly supported by Montgomery Investment Management, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or investor@montinvest.com

Follow PJ on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/pjlaneonline/

Buy Tickets to PJ’s show I Love Your Faces here - https://www.iloveyourfaces.com/tour-dates-tickets-1

Find out more about the work of CHeBA here - https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba

Read more about Wipeout Dementia here - https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba/support-us/wipeout-dementia

Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/ 

Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/

Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts

This week Nicola and Di chat with the talented PJ Lane, son of the legendary Don Lane. PJ is a performer, former professional basketballer, actor, and now the man bringing his father's iconic showmanship back to the stage with his tribute show,<a href="https://www.iloveyourfaces.com/tour-dates-tickets-1"> I Love Your Faces: The Don Lane Story</a>.&nbsp;
In this episode, we chat to PJ about growing up with Don Lane as "the sports broadcaster and basketball coach" rather than the TV legend most of Australia remembers. We hear about his years playing basketball on scholarship in the US and professionally in Greece, the unexpected pull towards music that eventually won out and he shares some brilliant stories along the way.
We also talk candidly about Don's Alzheimer's diagnosis, the toll it took on the whole family, and PJ's important work as an ambassador for the Centre for Healthy Brain Ageing (CHeBA), raising awareness and funds for dementia research. It's a topic so many of our listeners will relate to, and PJ speaks about it with real heart and honesty.
Finally, we talk about PJ&rsquo;s new show, the family connection at its heart, the old-school Vegas variety feel he's recreating on stage, and he even sings for us live in the studio - you&rsquo;ll have to tune in to hear it.&nbsp;
We had a great time with PJ and we hope you love this episode as much as we did!
This episode is proudly supported by <a href="https://investwith.montinvest.com/otbf">Montgomery Investment Management</a>, trusted experts helping you build and protect your financial future. For further information, please contact David Buckland, Chief Executive Officer or Rhodri Taylor, Account Manager on (02) 8046 5000 or <a href="mailto:investor@montinvest.com">investor@montinvest.com</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/pjlaneonline/">Follow PJ on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/pjlaneonline/</a>
<a href="https://www.iloveyourfaces.com/tour-dates-tickets-1">Buy Tickets to PJ&rsquo;s show I Love Your Faces here - https://www.iloveyourfaces.com/tour-dates-tickets-1</a>
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba">Find out more about the work of CHeBA here - https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba</a>
<a href="https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba/support-us/wipeout-dementia">Read more about Wipeout Dementia here - https://www.unsw.edu.au/cheba/support-us/wipeout-dementia</a>
<a href="https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/">Follow Nicola and Di on IG here - https://www.instagram.com/overthebackfencepodcast/&nbsp;</a>
<a href="https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/">Find out more about the next OTBF trip to Bhutan in October 2027 - https://www.travelmanagers.com.au/ptm/michellenicholas/explore/travel-itineraries/</a>
<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts">Watch Over The Back Fence on YouTube here - https://www.youtube.com/@Overthebackfencepodcast/podcasts</a>

James McCrae: ‘Instructions Before Visiting Earth’ - The Viral Poet on Love, Living & Letting Go

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