This episode originally aired in August 2021, and is one of my personal favorites. Ready to bust out the air mattresses?  This episode is FULL of practical, logistical, and emotional tips for hosting people in your home. I'm sharing everything from the 4 things that keep (most) guests happy, to the mindset shifts that will keep you from being overwhelmed or resentful. Look, if there's one subject I can give many (many) words to, it's hosting houseguests. Since I moved to Los Angeles 20 years ago, I've hosted friends and family of all group sizes, from couch crashers in a tiny apartment ..read more

Are you thriving or are you just...fine? What about your friendships? Two podcasters I've listened to for YEARS are tackling a new series this summer on friendship (the topic on everyone's tongue). I was so excited to welcome Kristen Meinzer and Jolenta Greenberg from the How To Be Fine podcast (formerly By The Book) to the show to talk about their podcasting roots, their relationship as business besties, their experiment of living by the advice of self-help books, and their latest project on friendship. Listen to the How To Be Fine podcast Buy the How To Be Fine book Listen to the new By T ..read more

This is a story about growing up feeling like an outsider and finding a book that made you feel less alone. And then growing up to create an adaptation of that book for the screen, in a dream project that took years to complete. This is a story about my friend Jill Killington and her work on the tv adaptation of Stephen King's THE STAND. You don't have to like horror or Hollywood to appreciate this conversation. Jill gives us a behind-the-scenes Hollywood perspective that was new and fascinating to me even after knowing her for 20+ years and sharing a longtime love of Stephen King. I think y ..read more

Since I write and talk about friendship so much, a frequent question comes up around supporting a friend when they are going through something difficult. I think the answer on this can vary, depending on the particular hardship, but my guest today is someone who knows what friends need when their difficult life circumstance is ongoing. Jessica Patay is the founder of We Are Brave Together, a nonprofit organization that provides respite, community, and resources for mothers caring for children of any age with disabilities, unique needs, or other medical or mental health challenges. She is is ..read more

It's my birthday week! I'm turning 45. And every year around this time, I do a birthday episode looking back and looking ahead. This year's theme is about the quiet changes that happen when you're distracted, or busy, or not paying attention. Last year on my birthday I was convinced that something HUGE was going to happen in my 44th year. I thought I had an intuition about it. I journaled my heart out about what was coming for me. And then...when I approached the end of 2023 and then eventually the end of my 44th year, I was disappointed that what I thought was a premonition hadn't come true ..read more

We're halfway through 2024, which means it's time to take an inventory of the best books we've read in the last six months. My real life book club joins me for a mid-year look at the literary landscape for the second year in a row. Regular guests Yasmin Dunn and Stephanie Newman-Smith are always a delight to have on the show. Apologies to your TBR after listening to this one. It's not too late to join Stephen King Summer! Yasmin’s books: You Like it Darker by Stephen King James by Percival Everett Knife by Salman Rushdie Steph’s books: Long Island by Colm Toibin Neighbors and Other Stories ..read more

Jodi Wellman is focused on death. And she wants you to think about it more, too. Death is (clearly) not a popular topic, and something most of us avoid thinking about at all costs. But Jodi believes that knowing you have something to lose can help you live like you mean it. Her new book You Only Die Once: How To Make It To The End With No Regrets can walk you through making the most of your time on this earth. In this episode, author and speaker Jodi Wellman shares 5 ways to live like you're dying: Count your Mondays (quantifying your time can be remarkably clarifying) Diagnose the dead ..read more

Obviously friendship is a big topic around here, but one of the aspects we don't touch on much is how these important relationships have changed in modern culture. We now have hundreds of connections in our daily lives, where our ancestors probably never met that many people in their entire lifetime. Friendship writer Anna Goldfarb brings us 5 Things to think about in our modern friendships that she expounds upon in her new book Modern Friendship: How To Nurture Our Most Valued Connections. Called “the New York Times’ friendship correspondent,” Anna Goldfarb's reporting on friendships has ap ..read more

This episode is ONLY book recommendations. The original Stephen King Starter Kit episode has more of the author’s biography and why I think reading Stephen King matters. You do NOT need to listen to Part I to enjoy Part II. LISTEN TO STEPHEN KING STARTER KIT Part I In this episode I'm sharing my personal favorites, what I would recommend if you don't like scary/horror (because there are plenty to choose from!), what I recommend for teenagers, and which Stephen King books I would never recommend you start with (even though they're popular). JOIN STEPHEN KING SUMMER My favorite Stephen King ..read more

It's a question we've all asked ourselves at some point....Is everyone happier than me? A relatable thought made worse by the perfection of social media and knowledge that life could go take us on a hundred different paths. Did we choose the right one? It's also the title of Sarah Bragg's new book, where she explores this topic with essays and stories from her own life and parenthood. In this episode, Sarah gives us 4 ways to be happier online (since that's such a huge contributing factor to this question). I loved this conversation with Sarah and know I'm not the only one kept awake at nig ..read more