Pop Culture That's Making Me Happy Right Now

Pop Culture That's Making Me Happy Right Now

Saturday, September 9, 2023

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I started to make a list of things that are making me happy, generally, and then I realized just how much of it was media-related. Listen, I know there's more to life than movies and TV and podcasts and books, but they're the things that tend to lift my spirits most — or at least the things that are easiest to identify sometimes.
 
Hope you can find a recommendation or two in here. And I'd love to hear some of your faves, too! 
 
Barbie
I finally saw the all-pink film phenomenon whose marketing campaign so relentlessly and cheerfully tortured us all, and it was just as delightful and decadent as expected. It was the first time I'd been to a movie theater since before the pandemic (!), and I was surprised to find myself laughing out loud surprisingly often.
 
Ugly Betty
My mom used to watch this show and was constantly recommending it to me, but for whatever reason, it never much interested me. I recently wanted something a little bit light-hearted, so I turned this on, and I was immediately in. Some of it doesn't hold up, in terms of language, terminology, and, of course, jokes, but in terms of vibe? It's timeless.
 
Who? Weekly
This is another one that's been recommended to me for a while (though more like months, not years), and I finally got around to starting it. I decided that I needed to start from the beginning... except the podcast started in 2016, which means I'm currently listening to seven-year-old gossip about D-list-and-below celebrities on 1.6 speed... and loving it.  
  
Radically Content
I used to "know" the author, Jamie Varon, back in the OG blogging days. I always admired her writing and how effortlessly cool she was. It's wild, then, to read this memoir-slash-self-help book about her own experiences and self-esteem issues and massive, intentional emotional overhaul — further proof that we never know what anyone else is really going through. 
  
The Godfather
No, I'd never seen The Godfather before. Yes, I recently watched it for the very first time, and I was surprised to discover how much I loved it. I don't know what I thought it would be like, but it was very Sopranos-esque, so of course I loved it. Young Al Pacino was so hot! I finally get it. We've started watching The Godfather II, but I needed a little intermission.  
 
The Golden Bachelor
OK, OK, this new spin on an old reality show hasn't started yet, but I'm really looking forward to watching Gerry Turner, a 71-year-old grandfather from Indiana find love a few years after losing his wife. And as always, I also look forward to listening to two of my favorite podcasts, Bachelor Party and Love to See It, recap the fun.  
 
"Plastic Hearts"
This song is a few years old, but I started listening to it after I first heard Miley Cyrus's newest song, "Used to Be Young." I love that one, too, but "Plastic Hearts" is just so damn dancy. I discovered it on an afternoon when I'd done a little day drinking at the nearby food truck park, and I just played it on repeat while I tipsily bopped around my kitchen and washed dishes.

Soooo what have you been watching/reading/listening to these days? Always taking recommendations! 

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Podcasts I Love That Recap TV Shows I Love

Podcasts I Love That Recap TV Shows I Love

Friday, April 7, 2023

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Recently I realized that a big chunk of the podcasts I listen to are TV recap-related. Like... a big chunk of them. I thought it might be fun to share which ones I love and see if you listen to any or have any recommendations, as apparently, this is one of my genres of choice. 

In many cases, I like the podcasts more than the shows themselves. Why else would I have been watching The Bachelor all of these years?! Here are my favorite TV-related podcasts. What are yours?

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10 Podcasts I'm Loving Lately (+ One That I Host)

10 Podcasts I'm Loving Lately (+ One That I Host)

Monday, June 6, 2022

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Have we talked about podcasts lately? I don't think we've talked about podcasts lately. For the most part, I listen to a lot of podcasts about The Bachelor franchise, which is what brought me to the medium in the first place. But when the show is on hiatus, I don't know what to listen to!

Plus, lately I've been trying to scale back some of my true crime pods, for the sake of my mental health. I still tune in sometimes, but aside from the two on this list, I don't typically go the true crime route as much these days. 

Here are some of the podcasts I've been loving lately. 

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5 Easy Ways I Practice Gratitude

5 Easy Ways I Practice Gratitude

Saturday, November 17, 2018

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Just before Thanksgiving, my friend Marisa invited me to be a return guest on her podcast, Get Well, Girl. The topic? Gratitude, of course!

Here's a sneak peek at (& an expansion of) some of the content of our conversation - five ways I try to practice the act of gratitude. Listen to the podcast to learn more about how & why - plus a few funny stories from Thanksgivings past.

1. Naming three good things.

Sometimes at the end of the day, when Mike & I are lying in bed, I'll ask him to name three of the best things about his day. It's a nice, low-pressure way for us to reflect on the day behind us & to identify specific moments or experiences that we're thankful for.

While it's a fun exercise to do on good days, it's an especially meaningful one on bad days, when it can be difficult to see the positive. It's always there, if you take the time to look!

2. Writing in a gratitude journal

I purchased a daily gratitude journal on Amazon, & though I've unfortunately since left it in a hotel room, I'm planning to repurchase. I love the idea of practicing gratitude both first thing in the morning & last thing at night, following simple journal prompts designed to help me identify my hopes for each day & the best parts of the day behind me.

3. Saying " Thank you."

A coworker once told me that I was the only person he worked with who regularly said "thank you." How is that possible? Now, I make it a point to respond to work emails with a simple "thank-you"; it can be all too easy to neglect to do so, but it's so important.

We may not think of thank-yous as acts of gratitude, but that's exactly what they are: outward expressions of our thankfulness to & gratitude for others. Don't underestimate the power of how good you can make someone else feel just by recognizing them & appreciating them.

4. Writing snail mail.

I'm a big fan of snail-mail notes. Remember this piece I wrote for Country Living magazine? I sent thank-you notes for just about everything, from friends hosting us for dinner to gifts from my mother - but I also love writing simple snail-mail notes of hello, those old-fashioned letters to friends that are all too frequently replaced, these days, by one-off text messages.

Sending a snail-mail note says, "I am thinking about you & I care about you & I am grateful for you." Plus, what's better than getting actual mail amidst all the junk mail?!

5. Leaving positive reviews. 

Whenever I have a good experience at a store of restaurant, am on the receiving end of stellar customer service, or purchase a products I love - especially from small & locally owned businesses - I try to show my gratitude to them in the form of writing a public review. A positive rating & review on Yelp or Google can go a long way to a business that doesn't have the power of its own marketing team.

This also applies to iTunes reviews, especially for podcasts: Taking the time to leave a four- or five-star rating for a podcast you love helps boost their overall numbers & thus become more discoverable & more successful. What says gratitude like spreading the world? (Psssst, if you're feelin' it, wanna leave one for Get Well, Girl?)

Want to hear more from Marisa & me on the topic of gratitude? Give us a listen! You can download the new episode of her podcast, Get Well, Girl, on iTunes or wherever you get your podcast fix. 

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Get Well, Girl: Catch Me on This New Podcast!

Get Well, Girl: Catch Me on This New Podcast!

Friday, September 7, 2018

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As a lover of podcast, I've long wanted to be a guest on one. I got the opportunity to do so a few years ago, when my Internet friend Peter DeWolf asked me to appear on #ThePeteCast - but it was so long ago that I can't even find the episode anymore! Ah, the Internet.

My high school friend Marisa recently moved to Cleveland & launched her new podcast, Get Well, Girl, "a breakdown of all things wellness AND the shit you talk about with your girls." Marisa is pursuing a PhD in therapy, so wellness is her jam - & she also loves all thing pop culture. She has a background in radio production, so she decided to come all of her loves into one big podcast.

I was honored to be on the podcast as Marisa's first guest, appearing in episode two. The topic? Staying well & taking care of yourself during the always-stressful act of moving.

At the time of recording - in her new apartment - Marisa had lived in Cleveland for less than a week, & I, as longtime readers know, have done quiiiite a lot of moving in my life. I counted, & I think I'm moved 15 times in the last 16 years, which works out to about one move a year. Damn!

Suffice to say, it was a topic I felt qualified to talk about.

At the end, we transitioned away from the moving convo & into pop culture topics like The Bachelor franchise (my fave, duh) & our recent experience at a Taylor Swift concert, among others.

Want to give us a listen?

Download Get Well, Girl on iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you get your podcast fix. 

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9 Podcasts I'm Loving

9 Podcasts I'm Loving

Monday, June 25, 2018

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I still consider myself a person who doesn't listen to podcasts, which is ridiculous, because at this point, I listen to at least two episodes a day. Yeah, yeah, I'm a podcast person.

When I first started listening, I shared a few podcasts I loved at the time (many of which I still listen to). Since then, I've also told you about the crime podcasts I love & the Bachelor-related podcasts I love. Now, it seems like it's about time to share with you a few of the basics I'm enjoying right now.

1. Part-Time Genius

I listen to this How Stuff Works podcast very infrequently, but when I do, I always learn something now - or, like, a dozen new things. It asks the really important questions, like, "Is the Earth really Running Out of Sand, Dirt and Bacon?" & "Will Coffee Make Me Live Longer?" (titles of actual episodes). They also do "9 facts" episodes, where they share random information on everyday topics like ice cream, robots, & accountants.

2. Scrubbing In

This podcast sort of pisses me off, but it's still entertaining most of the time. Former Bachelor contestant Becca Tilley hosts this (very) loosely Grey's Anatomy-themed podcast on topics related to dating, single life, pop culture, & more. I have very different worldviews than Becca & her cohost, Christians with conservative (& occasionally misogynistic) views - but they're kind & open-minded enough that I keep coming back for more, even when I can't relate to them.

3. Invisibilia

This NPR podcast is "about the invisible forces that control human behavior - ideas, beliefs, assumptions and emotions" - which is not nearly as heavy or intense or above-your-head as it seems. Topics include, for example, categories, things we don't say, emotions - the intangible things that define us presented in a way that feels relatable, compelling, & even life-changing. Years after my first listen, I still think about the "fear" episode at least once a week.

4. Lo-Down Living

Laura, a.k.a. Lo, is a Cleveland blogger & health educator who's all about body positivity, minimalism, & all things wellness-related. Most episodes of her podcasts are under half an hour long, so they're a quick & easy listen, addressing topics like self-love, online transparency, overcoming negativity... you get the gist. Basically, if it's related to self-care & personal health & wellness, Lo is talking about it.

5. Girl Be Free

This podcast is a part of the Be Free Project, run by the charismatic & insightful Siobhan Sudberry, who says her goal is to "help women get unstuck." It's just one of the many resources Siobhan offers - some free, others paid - to encourage women to lead authentic, joyful lives. She shares pep talks, tips, & resources "that will inspire and push you to take action in your life." Episodes include "9 Types of Friends to Have in Your Girl Squad," "Let's Talk about Purpose," & "3 Ways to Put You First Without Feeling Guilty."

6. Mouthing Off

Former Bachelor contestant (& villain!) Olivia Caridi takes to the mic to interview friends, fellow Bachelor folks, & anyone she damn well pleases, talking about life & pop culture & social issues & whatever, basically. I was moved by her story of how the show so negatively impacted her mental health, & I think she seems like a lot of fun - not to mention surprisingly insightful. I feel like this podcast is her redemption story, & it seems like she deserves it.

7. Professional Book Nerds

Cleveland blogger & Overdrive.com employee Jill Grunenwald co-hosts this book-centric podcast that features author interviews (including some really beloved writers, like Ruth Ware, Meg Cabot, & Brandy Colbert) & previews of soon-to-be-published books. This is where I'm now getting, like, 60% of my to-read suggestions - as though I needed to add more to my already-long list!

8. The Human Hour

This new podcast is just one episode in, hosted by two life coaches, Cleveland's Katie Kurtz & her friend Christine Barnes, based in New Jersey. They describe themselves as "perfectly imperfect," talking about living a life they love & encouraging listeners to find ways to do the same & to embrace honesty & transparency along the way. So far, it's a little touchy-feely for me, but I really like Katie & her local Soul Connect events, so I'm going to stick with it & see where it goes.

9. My Favorite Murder

I know, I know, I've mentioned this podcast a million times, but I would be remiss if I didn't mention it again, as it's truly my favorite podcast of all podcasts. I have listened to every episode, & I joined the Fan Cult. I can't help it.

What podcasts do you listen to? That is to say: What other podcasts should I be listening to? 

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"The Bachelorette" Is Back! Tune Into These Podcasts About It

"The Bachelorette" Is Back! Tune Into These Podcasts About It

Monday, May 28, 2018

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Now that I've officially admitted to this blog that I'm a big fan of the Bachelor franchise, I might as well go all in, right? Becca Kufrin's season of The Bachelorette begins tonight, & while I won't be able to tune in from Costa Rica, I'm still really jazzed about the new season - mostly because it provides new fodder for a few of my favorite podcasts.

Yes, I listen to Bachelor podcasts - even during the off-season. They're more fun, though, when the shows are airing. Now that I'm fully immersed in Bachelor Nation & Bachelor culture, I'm looking forward to a full season of both the show and the hilarious & surprisingly insightful podcast recaps that accompany it.

Here to Make Friends

Is a feminist Bachelor podcast possible? Absolutely - just ask Emma Gray & Claire Fallon, hosts of the weekly recap podcast that doesn't shy away from difficult issues & feminist takes. In fact, at the end of each podcast episode, they rank the recent episode of The Bachelor(ette)'s "Feminism Fails" on a scale of "Not cool, bro," to "Feminism is dead." But you'll find no feminist killjoys here. These ladies are just as funny & entertaining as they are smart, & they get some great interviews from Bachelor Nation.

2 Black Girls, 1 Rose

I discovered this podcast after Arie's season ended, but I was so enamored of it that I went back & listened anyway. Self-described as "two black-ass girls invade the whitest show on Earth," hosts Natasha & Justine engage in good-natured & truly hysterical ribbing of the show's contestants - & though they clearly loathed last season's lead, they never go more negative than is hilarious, which I appreciate. This podcast has me laughing out loud at points, & I can't wait to see how they tackle Becca's season.

Bachelor Party

I consider this to be the quintessential Bachelor(ette) podcast, though it's admittedly not my first listen of the week. Host Juliet Litman is the ultimate Bachelor Nation fangirl, & she usually scores the best interviews - like her crush, Ben Higgins, notable douchebag Nick Viall, & folks who've worked on the show. Even Chris Harrison! I wish Juliet would be a little more critical - or at least more critique-focused - but there's something endearing about her unabashed love & unwillingness to say anything even slightly negative about the franchise.

The Ben & Ashley I. Almost Famous Podcast 

Apparently this podcast exists during the Bachelor(ette)'s off-season, but I'm only in it for the good stuff - recaps & behind-the-scenes insight from these two show alums. If you've previously been annoyed with Ashley "Crying Girl" Iaconetti in previous iterations of Bachelor shows, fear not; she's way more tolerable - & even surprisingly insightful - on this show, & her friendship with former Bachelor Ben Higgins makes it all the more enjoyable a listen.

Will You Accept This Podcast? 

I'm new to this podcast, as in, I only started listening after Arie's season ended, but I'm excited to have found it so I can listen to it the whole way through Becca's season. Hosts Leslie & Lara are sisters, so this podcast feels very much like you're sitting in on a low-key brunch conversation. It's not the funniest, the most insightful, or the most feminist of the bunch, & to my knowledge, they don't bring on guest stars, but given that most of my real-life friends aren't Bachelor fans, I like the idea of just listening to a regular old chat between friends about the show.

Are you a Bachelor fan? Do you listen to any guilty pleasure podcasts? Please tell me I'm not alone in this! 

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The Happy List: Do You Have One?

The Happy List: Do You Have One?

Wednesday, May 9, 2018

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While listening to a recent episode of the Girl Be Free podcast all about putting your needs first, I was struck by the simple suggestion of creating a go-to list of things that make you (me) happy. I've done it before, like when I was using Moorea Seal's 52 Lists for Happiness, but it's been a long while.

Spring is a season of renewal & joy, & it seems like exactly the right time to document all the things that make me happy - just so I can look back at it on days when I'm feeling stuck or down. Here goes:

1. Reading a good book
2. Having a clean, relaxing apartment
3. Watching medical & crime dramas
4. Exploring my city & the areas around it
5. Reading magazines - the old-fashioned paper kind
6. Looking at my wedding photos
7. Petting/cuddling with my cats
8. Traveling & planning my upcoming travel
9. Seeing flowers in bloom
10. Drinking an iced coffee made just the way I like it
11. Being out in nature (but not around spiders)
12. Healthy, inexpensive meals from my favorite restaurants, like Corner 11 & Boaz Cafe 
13. Taking a midday nap
14. Meeting friends for weekday trivia
15. Taking a long, unhurried shower 
16. Cleaning (if I'm in the mood for it)
17. Snuggling up under a bunch of covers
18. Reading in an Epsom salt bath 
19. Going to the Cleveland Flea & other local events
20. Listening to early-2000s emo music
21. Going to the theater
22. Getting in a good laugh
23. Going out with friends on the weekends
24. Going on date nights with Mike
25. Writing blog posts
26. Spending time with my mom
27. Listening to a good podcast
28. Going to bars to watch Cavs games
29. Working on the patio at my favorite coffee shop
30. Going to my favorite vacay spots in PA & SC
31. People-watching in busy places
32. Going to the movies or out to eat alone
33. Watching new episodes of my favorite shows
34. Catching a quick happy hour with a friend
35. Spending time with my super-wacky family
36. Making other people laugh
37. Writing snail mail to friends
38. Visiting my hometown
39. Taking spontaneous road trips
40. Finding a good deal 
41. Putting together care packages for others
42. Talking to strangers (usually)
43. Wandering aimlessly around Target or Kohl's
44. Reading in Lincoln Park
45. Reminiscing/getting nostalgic with friends
46. Wearing a brand-new outfit or article of clothing
47. Sleeping in on the weekends
48. Petting other people's dogs
49. Getting subscription boxes in the mail
50. Spending time in airports (but not for delays!)

Tell me: What's on your happy list? 

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7 Ways to Combat the "Rudeness Epidemic"

7 Ways to Combat the "Rudeness Epidemic"

Monday, April 23, 2018

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There's an ongoing problem in my neighborhood, where parking is at a premium: People keep parking in front of other people's driveways. In some cases, their cars hang over the driveway juuuust a little bit; in the most egregious cases, they block the driveway entirely.

A few weeks ago, I pulled into a small spot of curb between two neighbors' driveways. I wasn't sure if my car would fit, so I put it in park & got out to see if I needed to adjust or park elsewhere. As I started to get out of my car, my neighbor started gesturing wildly at me.

"Come on!" he shouted. "My neighbor is 80 years old! He's gotta be able to get out of his driveway!"

"I was just seeing if my car fit!" I yelled back, incensed. "I'm your other neighbor! I'm not going to park here if I don't fit! Give me a minute to figure it out!"

I was so mad at this guy. I've called to have multiple cars towed for blocking my own driveway; I'm not going to block someone else's! My neighbor couldn't have known that, or my intentions to readjust if I didn't fit into the spot, but I was so peeved about being shouted at that it impacted my whole day - & the way I feel about him when I see him out & about now.

I was reminded of this story when I listened to a recent episode of the podcast Part-Time Genius titled "Are We in the Middle of a Rudeness Epidemic?"

Danny Wallace, author of F You Very Much, came on the podcast to discuss how being on the receiving end of rudeness impacts us on a psychological level that influences our physical actions. For example, doctors who experienced rudeness the morning of their shift were less likely to aptly treat their patients that day. Crazy, right?!

Rudeness occupies such space in our brains that it can truly distract & upset us.

So, is there anything we can do about it?

Fortunately, the same studies found that just as rudeness can negatively impact us, so can politeness positively impact us. Perhaps the solution to combating rudeness, then, is, quite simply, to practice kindness.

With that in mind, here are a few of my go-to ways to better someone's day.

1. Be thankful. 

It's that simple. Say "thank you" to individuals who help you, including the bus driver, the usher at a sporting events, the barista who makes your latte, & the coworker who responds to your email quickly & helpfully. Literally, just saying "thank you" can brighten someone's entire disposition.

2. Mail kindness. 

Send a handwritten note to a friend - or even a care package, if you want to go big! Visit Pretty by Post for snail mail ideas of Greetabl to send easy care packages entirely online (& click that referral link for 15% off).

3. Smile at somebody. 

When I was 11, I made my first visit to NYC, & a friend, who was a native New Yorker, chastised me: "Did you just smile at a stranger?!" she panicked. Why, yes. Yes, I did. "Never smile at a stranger in New York City!" I'm 33 now, & this lesson has stuck with me - but I continue to do the opposite

4. Be patient. 

As Ferris Bueller once said, "The world moves pretty fast," & sometimes our default is to be annoyed with slowness. Instead of rolling your eyes when a line is taking forever or assuming the worst about the person who went out of turn at a stop sign, take a breath, give a smile or a wave, & let it go. Are you really in such a hurry that you can't be a decent person to someone else?

5. Pay it forward. 

Let someone cut you in line at the grocery store when you have a full cart & they only have two items. Leave a slightly bigger-than-usual tip for your harried server. Let that mom with two wild kiddos go ahead of you at Starbucks.

6. Leave a nice comment on social media. 

Don't just hit that "like" button & move along. Take the time to tell someone they're inspiring you, or that you love their smile, or that you're sending them good vibes on a bad day. In a world full of trolls, be the opposite.

7. Share a positive review. 

You'd be surprised how far a positive review can go, especially for service workers. Write a five-star Yelp review, rave on TripAdvisor about the concierge who made your trip that much better, or take it a step further & even report good service to a manager.

These are all so basic, I know - but if you take the time to really prioritize kindness, you'll find that it is pretty basic. Tell me: What acts of kindness am I missing? And when's the last time rudeness really riled you up? 

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You Know You're a Little Bit Too Into "The Bachelor" When...

You Know You're a Little Bit Too Into "The Bachelor" When...

Wednesday, February 21, 2018

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I'm very defensive of but also very upfront about the fact that I watch a lot of bad TV. I blame this primarily on working from home, where I'm left to do my work in a silent, coworkerless home. I want background noise, so I turn on the TV (or, in most cases, Hulu on my iPad) - but I have to work, so I can't actually watch anything. I've got to turn on something I can listen to without having to follow closely. When I had cable, the Disney Channel was perfect for this.

One bad TV show I actually watch, though, is The Bachelor - &, actually, all Bachelor-adjacent shows. I also watch The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise, and, now, Bachelor Winter Games (much to my husband's disgust & amusement). For awhile, I didn't have an actual TV hookup, but I love waking up on Tuesdays knowing that a new episode awaited me on Hulu - & yes, I religiously avoided Twitter the night before.

This season, unarguably one of The Bachelor's worst, is somehow the season I've gotten the most into. Want proof? Fine, fine. You know you're a little bit too into The Bachelor when...

1. You follow the contestants on Instagram. 

This goes first because it's the thing on this list I've been doing the longest - though admittedly, I've started following a lot more past & present contestants this season. I follow Rachel Lindsay, Nick Viall, Carly Waddell, Sarah Herron, Becca Tilley, Sharleen Joynt, Taylor Nolan, & Andi Dorfman, & from this season, I've added on Seinne Fleming, Bekah Martinez, Kendall Long, Marikh Mathias, & Bibiana Julian... whew. OK, this is an embarrassing start, huh? And no, I have not purchased tummy tea or those hair gummies, thankyouverymuch.

2. You hook up your TV just to watch live. 

When we moved into our new apartment last May, I didn't bother hooking up our TV. We don't watch much in-the-moment TV, anyway, aside from Game of Thrones, so why bother? I was comfortable watching everything, even my beloved Grey's Anatomy, the next day on Hulu - until The Bachelor came back on. Suddenly I needed to watch it as it aired - & so on January 1st, just before the season premiere, I moved a spare TV into my office & set it up & cheered aloud when it worked & allowed me to tune into "Januarie" in real-time.
 

3. Your talk to your boss about The Bachelor. 

My Tuesday afternoon check-ins with my supervisor, Jill, eventually get around to focusing on work - but first, we recap The Bachelor. Jill is in her early 50s, so I never would've expected her to be a fan, but her love of it has really elevated our work friendship to the next level, boss or not.

4. You join a fantasy pool. 

One of my best friends, Christina, lives in Cleveland, TN, where she & her friends get together every Monday to drink wine & watch The Bachelor. They even created a Bachelor fantasy pool on ABC's website, where they've each taken guesses about which contestant will win the final rose (& Arie's heart, I guess). Though the game is strictly limited to their in-person attendees, Christina petitioned to add me to the group as a long-distance member because I have no one to watch with in person. I joined a couple weeks late, so I'm far behind & losing, but hey, I'm in a fantasy pool for a reality TV show.
 

5. You start listening to recap podcasts. 

That's right, I've escalated my Bachelor love to a disturbing new level by adding a second medium to the mix - podcasting. At the recommendation of friends & fellow bloggers, I've started looking forward to my weekly listening of Here to Make Friends & Bachelor Party. Despite my general dislike (on TV, at least) of former Bachelor contestant Ashley Iaconetti, I've even started listening to Almost Famous, her podcast with Winter Games co-star Ben Higgins.

6. You sent this card to someone.

For Valentine's Day, I made this Bachelor-themed card for my aforementioned friend, Christina, using Postable. I couldn't resist! (Use code MRPF5WB8 for $5 of credit on this fun, easy card-sending site. Not sponsored, I just use it a lot.)

There you have, five signs that I've become a bonafide crazy person when it comes to the Bachelor franchise. Are you a Bachelor fan? What's your guilty pleasure TV show? 

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Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: There's Nothing Quite Like a Live Podcast Show!

Stay Sexy and Don't Get Murdered: There's Nothing Quite Like a Live Podcast Show!

Friday, February 9, 2018

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I still don't consider myself a podcast person, which is a little bit ridiculous because I listen to a lot of podcasts. The organization I work for also produces two podcasts (check out On the Other Hand & Stories We Tell, if you're interested!), so... yeah, I spend a lot of time thinking about, listening to, & even promoting podcasts.

Though Serial was my gateway podcast, my longtime favorite is My Favorite Murder. A few months ago, my friend Lilly & I made the drive to Detroit to see the show live & in person, assuming Los Angeles-based hosts Georgia Hardstark & Karen Kilgariff would never make it to the likes of the CLE. Shortly after that show, they announced a new tour schedule - which included a Cleveland date!

Lilly & I grabbed tickets within an hour of them going on sale, but unfortunately, the best seats were still pretty far back - though much, much better than our Detroit seats, which were in the nosebleeds! We snagged four tickets, inviting our friends Christina & Mary to join us, & on Friday, Feb. 2nd, we set out on our live podcast adventure night.

If you're not familiar with My Favorite Murder, here's the gist: It's a comedy podcast about murder. 

Yeah, yeah, that sounds weird & disrespectful & macabre, & maybe it is, but it's also pretty brilliant. MFM has made it socially acceptable to admit that you're obsessed with true crime, that you're a Nervous Nellie who reads about the worst cases in human history because, you know, you're terrified of the world. It's a coping mechanism, OK? Karen & Georgia are hilarious & chatty & relatable, so although they're talking about the dregs of humanity, they're also a lot of fun to listen to.

They've amassed a cult following. Listeners refer to themselves as "murderinos" & are active in a murdery Facebook group & revel in a bunch of weird inside jokes from the show (if hundreds of thousands of listeners qualify as "inside"). Their live shows sell out quickly, & tickets resell for hundreds of dollars above face value. Attendees often create their own shirts, signs, & even MFM-related crafts, which they sometimes even share with Karen & Georgia.

My friends dressed normally for the show, but I took to Zazzle to create the "It's never a mannequin" sweatshirt you see above. We didn't pay for the VIP package to meet the hosts, so one really saw my masterpiece aside from us - but hey, it was fun! Local bakery Brewnuts sent these special (& undoubtedly delicious) donuts backstage:

Great, right?

The Detroit show was only about an hour long, cut & dry, but the Cleveland show... oh, the Cleveland show. Karen started off by telling a story took more than an hour in itself, the story of Ed Edwards, a little-known serial killer from the Akron area who is suspected of being behind a number of famous murders - including the Zodiac killings. Crazy, right? After listening to his story, I added a book about him to my to-read list: It's Me: Edward Wayne Edwards, the Serial Killer You Never Heard Of. Georgia followed up with the Kirtland cult killings, another one I'd never heard about.

As Karen & Georgia said at the start of the show, Cleveland - & Ohio on the whole - seems to be a freaking gold mine of murder stories. That's of course not a good thing, don't get me wrong - but they sure did have a lot of material to choose from!

At the end of each show, Karen & Georgia pull a murderino onstage to tell a "hometown murder" story, something local. I had both hands raised in an attempt to tell the story of a super-crazy killing that happened in my hometown when I was a teenager, but those faraway tickets came back to bite me; I was too far back to be chosen. The girl they picked, Carly, talked about the murder of Diane Stroud, a local mother found dead in her garage; her husband, a former police officer, was charged with her death. (To Carly's credit, she didn't name names. I just Googled it later to learn more.)

By the end of the night, the show had run nearly two hours long. It was a great night - but next time MFM makes it to the CLE, you'd better believe I'm getting those close-up seats so I can try to tell my own hometown story!

Are you a murderino? Have you ever been to a live taping of a podcast? 

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My 7 Favorite Podcasts for Fellow True Crime Lovers

My 7 Favorite Podcasts for Fellow True Crime Lovers

Monday, September 11, 2017

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It took me awhile to get into podcasts, but now that I've got the bug, I've got the bug. Granted, I still don't listen to a ton of them, & there's only one I look forward to every week, but I've recently binged a few that I thought were worth sharing. Awhile back, I wrote about my favorite overall podcasts at the time, but I've since listened to a bunch more - all true crime-related.

Just a note: I do not recommend listen to true crime podcasts while you're also reading true crime books. I was reading James Renner's True Crime Addict at the same time I started listening to the Accused podcast - & I started having a really hard time keeping the stories straight!

Without further ado, here are my favorite true crime podcasts. Have one to add to the list? Let me know so I can start binging it, too.

1. Serial

Look, I don't really need to go into Serial here, do I? I've already written an entire post about it. Suffice it to say that Serial was the podcast that got me hooked on podcasts, although like everyone else, I couldn't get into season two. Still, I'm hopeful that season three will bring me back.

2. My Favorite Murder

This is my favorite murder... podcast, that is. With new episodes every Thursday & new mini-episodes most Tuesdays, I get a twice-a-week fix that still doesn't feel like enough. Hosts Karen Kilgariff & Georgia Hardstark are hilarious, real, & not pretending to be big-time journalists or investigators - just your average, anxiety-ridden American women who have become obsessed with true crime as a means of survival. I'm going to see it live in Detroit later this month!

3. True Crime Garage

If Karen & Georgia are too off-topic chatty for you (a common MFM complaint), then True Crime Garage is your dude-led alternative. Nick & the Captain tackle a new case each week, sometimes extending in-depth cases by a couple of episodes. They're more committed to the details of each case, & to their credit, stay on-topic while remaining interesting, conversational, & occasionally funny, too. As a bonus, they recommend a beer at the beginning of the show & a book at the end of it.

4. Accused

This one-season podcast is a special project of the Cincinnati Enquirer investigating the murder of Miami University grad Elizabeth Andes, 22, who was found strangled & stabbed in her Oxford, OH, apartment. Though her boyfriend was tried for the crime (once in criminal court & once in a civil suit), he was acquitted both times - & police don't seem to be pursuing any other leads, though Enquirer journalist Amber Hunt uncovered plenty of them.

5. Someone Knows Something

It took me just three days to blow through both seasons of Canadian journalist David Ridgen's search into two unsolved disappearances. Season 1 delves into the 1972 disappearance of 5-year-old Adrien McNaughton, who was on a fishing trip with his father; Season 2 is about the disappearance of Sheryl Sheppard, 28, who disappeared in 1998 just says after her engagement was broadcast on live TV. A project of CBC Radio, this podcast features some of the best Canadian accents you ever did hear.

6. Criminal

In each episode of this podcast, all varying lengths (which I like - something for every situation!), former journalist Phoebe Judge tells the story of some crime or an element of one, but not always the "If it bleeds, it leads" kind; they're always a little bit offbeat, interesting, unique. The first episode, for example, is about death by... owl. Writes New York Magazine, Criminal "understands crime as something sociological, historical, even anthropological."

7. Up & Vanished

What happened to Tara Grinstead? The high school teacher & local beauty queen from Ocilla, GA, disappeared without a trace in October of 2005. Without a shred of evidence, her disappearance became the largest case file in Georgia's history, which meant that documentarian Payne Lindsey had a lot to go through when he started this podcast. Crazy twist: Just as the podcast was about to end, the killer was caught, & the podcast continued in real-time, delving into his background & covering the grand jury trial.

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