We look at how abortion restrictions are shaping culture, from that recent vote in Kansas to a new interest in male vasectomies. Plus: Olivia Newton-John trivia! And those unsealed Depp-Heard docs
Cutting for Stone absolutely. A wonderfully written book. As a physician (now retired) and a tennis player (an absolute hack who lovers the sport) that book rteally resonated with me.
A "Smoke 'em" podcast just showed up, it must be time for a walk! ;-)
Road Trips!! I have many, one or two every year, mostly between Ohio and the west coast, in the past 20+ years, and it didn't take long before I was seeking the alternate routes off the Interstates, for at least part of the route. I am emphatically not anti-Interstate: many times I use the fast Interstate to bypass familiar areas so I could get to a new area where I could explore the backroads of a new region. This is a huge, vast and varied country: it's just not appreciated by flying over it versus driving through it.
Driving, Walking, Showers: -- oh my goodness, this is where that paradigm shift happens for me. If I am stuck on "something", changing to one of those three often changes it. Does this get taught, or suggested, anywhere? I don't remember it, but maybe I wasn't paying attention. But I discovered this decades ago.
A phrase early on that really resonated for me: "don't tell me what to do". OMG. Applies to covid and so, so many other things as well.
Books: it's funny to hear you talk about books one of you likes and the other hates. So for some reason that makes me more likely to just throw out a recommendation or three:
- "Glass Hotel", or really, almost anything by this author Just flat out different from almost anything else I've read.
- "A Gentleman in Moscow" or "Rules of Civility", but I must say unexpectedly I did not enjoy "The Lincoln Highway".
- "Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea". All good, but especially the final story.
There is so much more to this podcast, so listening again... Thank you for another nice walk.
Grease was the second non-cartoon movie I ever saw in theaters (Star Wars was the first). I was six years old and it put me on a spectacularly failed, childhood-long quest to have Olivia Newton-John’s hair. It was perfection even when it looked mussed up (hello Physical video!). Her cheekbones still make me want to cry. Finally I am pretty sure her waist was roughly the size of my left thigh. But the best was her smile. Even when you knew it was fake, it looked like a goddamn angel on roller skates was shining down at you. RIP Sandy you were gorg ❤️
Non-cartoon except for the TOTALLY AWESOME animated title sequence over the BEST THEME SONG EVER WRITTEN! And you're spot on about ONJ's waist and smile. Rest well, lovely lady.
Also, I watched 'Reservation Dogs' when it first came out, and thought it was great. I am excited to watch the second season. I may not be very well-versed in media, but the only other show that I can think of that shows Native people living 'normal' lives is 'Northern Exposure,' but even in that fun, quirky, out-of-the-box show, they are mostly in the background, and most of the story-lines go to the white characters.
I too share your love of driving, as long as it doesn’t involve commuting Wash DC. I love my 9-10 hour drives to my hometown in Indiana and back to Maryland, especially the West Virginia and West Maryland stretches. I love how the drive to Indiana feels like decompressing and a transition from the stressful, busier DC culture to the slower, chill, polite Mid West. A couple years ago I had to take a detour through rural Pennsylvania and Ohio that took me off the interstate and past a beautiful lake, and now I’ve made that detour part of my route home. So looking forward to my 8 hour drive next month to Asheville, NC. When I can, I like to stop along the way for a 2 or 3 mile run on an old canal or historical route.
Feel free to share more about your travel stories, Nancy.
If you are driving Maryland-Indiana, it sounds like you long ago decided that I-70/I-68/I-79 through Maryland and West Virginia was far superior to the PA turnpike and I would have to agree. I'm in Columbus so I usually end up back on I-70 but if you are headed to/from Indiana I can see exploring ways to bypass that as well.
Oh yeah I decided long ago not to travel the turnpike. $60 to save 45 minutes or so? No thank you. And I now have a favorite AirBnB I like to stay at near Tridelphia when I leave too late to drive all the way through.
If you have a chance, find a video of ON-J and John Travolta singing "The One That I Want" in the 2010's. She is so much better at singing than him, and he's visibly uncomfortable with it! But charming nonetheless.
Nancy, as someone who has visited friends in Kansas City a few times, you took me by surprise by missing that it's basically one city separated by a state line, also kinda sorta by the Missouri River. The Missouri side is definitely the larger town.
I will check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum the next time I'm there. The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum is terrific, and the Arabia Steamboat Museum is pretty cool as well.
May I humbly suggest a Road Atlas for your personal library so you can preflight some of these places for the next time you travel? ;-)
And one more random thought, prompted by the different policies enacted by different states -- maybe we need more states? We've divided states before. Food for thought...
I used to follow a movie review site that sadly closed down. The critic was gay and loved Xanadu as one of the best worst movies. He would give movies a star rating with Olivia as positive votes and Divine (in her Pink Flamingos look) as negative ones.
He did a review of her early 80s music videos that were just awesomely bad in the most dated way. It sounds cruel but he said he admired her megawatt fabulousness.
Oh, interesting recommendation! I have not, and I heard really good things about it, and I've been having a real Springsteen renaissance over the past couple years. -- SH
Rest In Peace Anne and Olivia. Olivia Newton John seemed as sweet as poor Anne Heche was troubled. I like to think of them young again with their sunshine hair laughing together at THE train stop, having a nice hug, and then “all aboard”and off to…
Super late to comment. But oh. My. God. When I heard Nancy hadn't seen Grease, I actually gasped. Just a moment before Sarah did
I gotta say. Not the best plot. Great. Amazing music.
About Anne Heche. I first heard about her because pf Ellen. However. In the 90a there was an episode of This American Life, in which Ira Glass interviewed a woman who wrote about her closeted gay dad dying of AIDS. Her name was Susan Burton I think. I may be wrong. I found out a few years ago that Ann Heche is her sister. Was. Alas.
I say all this because that family has such a sad story. Because their dad died of AIDS, luckily never passing it on tp their mom. Their brother died of suicide. (Or maybe not suicide. I just know her book talked about his death)The author of the book, I found out, died of breast cancer. That let Ann and another sister. I cannot recall what happened to the other sister.
But those are very sad deaths for almost the whole family. And I am so so sorry for all the children left behind.
For novel recommendations:
-The Midnight Library, quick read, very interesting and entertaining, especially good for philosophy nerds
-Cutting for Stone, immersive, heavy at times, but worth it
Also, if you haven’t yet seen Anatomy of a Scandal on Netflix, I’d recommend it. It hits on a lot of the issues you talk about.
Thanks for the podcast, ladies! Please put more content behind a paywall...it’ll force me to pay.
JACKIE MADE US DO IT
Yes, I second The Midnight Library! Quick, fun read.
Cutting for Stone absolutely. A wonderfully written book. As a physician (now retired) and a tennis player (an absolute hack who lovers the sport) that book rteally resonated with me.
was so enjoying our post Depp-Heard world. But Hepola-Heard is BACK ON, people! 😂
I can hear the old timey sirens!
😂
A "Smoke 'em" podcast just showed up, it must be time for a walk! ;-)
Road Trips!! I have many, one or two every year, mostly between Ohio and the west coast, in the past 20+ years, and it didn't take long before I was seeking the alternate routes off the Interstates, for at least part of the route. I am emphatically not anti-Interstate: many times I use the fast Interstate to bypass familiar areas so I could get to a new area where I could explore the backroads of a new region. This is a huge, vast and varied country: it's just not appreciated by flying over it versus driving through it.
Driving, Walking, Showers: -- oh my goodness, this is where that paradigm shift happens for me. If I am stuck on "something", changing to one of those three often changes it. Does this get taught, or suggested, anywhere? I don't remember it, but maybe I wasn't paying attention. But I discovered this decades ago.
A phrase early on that really resonated for me: "don't tell me what to do". OMG. Applies to covid and so, so many other things as well.
Books: it's funny to hear you talk about books one of you likes and the other hates. So for some reason that makes me more likely to just throw out a recommendation or three:
- "Glass Hotel", or really, almost anything by this author Just flat out different from almost anything else I've read.
- "A Gentleman in Moscow" or "Rules of Civility", but I must say unexpectedly I did not enjoy "The Lincoln Highway".
- "Sooner or Later Everything Falls into the Sea". All good, but especially the final story.
There is so much more to this podcast, so listening again... Thank you for another nice walk.
I will second the mention of A Gentleman in Moscow.
And I love ELO, saw them live in 1978 Spectacular
I met Amor Towles (author of AGIM) summer 2018, at a small gathering on Martha's Vineyard at the home, if I recall, of his in-laws. He's very nice!
One of my OTHER favorite podcasts, EconTalk, has an interview with Amor Towles coming up soon (Aug 29, I think he said).
Grease was the second non-cartoon movie I ever saw in theaters (Star Wars was the first). I was six years old and it put me on a spectacularly failed, childhood-long quest to have Olivia Newton-John’s hair. It was perfection even when it looked mussed up (hello Physical video!). Her cheekbones still make me want to cry. Finally I am pretty sure her waist was roughly the size of my left thigh. But the best was her smile. Even when you knew it was fake, it looked like a goddamn angel on roller skates was shining down at you. RIP Sandy you were gorg ❤️
I have never seen hair as shiny as hers in the Bette-Cher et all video, it's like liquid sunshine
Even her bangs are perfect!
Non-cartoon except for the TOTALLY AWESOME animated title sequence over the BEST THEME SONG EVER WRITTEN! And you're spot on about ONJ's waist and smile. Rest well, lovely lady.
Nancy's never seen Grease? Oh my gosh. There's so much fashion in there! And PINK HAIR!
I just heard Nancy’s confession and I am dead! 💀🪦
Kind of can't believe I made it out the other side of the podcast alive. --SH
Gaby can you send me your email please?
You bet! Just DM’d you on Instagram. Not sure why I didn’t just put it here 😅
Got it!
Also, I watched 'Reservation Dogs' when it first came out, and thought it was great. I am excited to watch the second season. I may not be very well-versed in media, but the only other show that I can think of that shows Native people living 'normal' lives is 'Northern Exposure,' but even in that fun, quirky, out-of-the-box show, they are mostly in the background, and most of the story-lines go to the white characters.
Tafv’s dad had a recurring role on Northern Exposure!
Wow! Which character? I have watched that show so many times, I'll know who it is!
I loved "Northern Exposure" at the time, in part because I'd recently moved from Seattle but also because of the great soundtrack.
Oh that doc about Woodstock 99… Flea naked the whole set kind of sums it up ..
It's really brought back A LOT. It's like I'd blocked out that whole era. -- SH
I too share your love of driving, as long as it doesn’t involve commuting Wash DC. I love my 9-10 hour drives to my hometown in Indiana and back to Maryland, especially the West Virginia and West Maryland stretches. I love how the drive to Indiana feels like decompressing and a transition from the stressful, busier DC culture to the slower, chill, polite Mid West. A couple years ago I had to take a detour through rural Pennsylvania and Ohio that took me off the interstate and past a beautiful lake, and now I’ve made that detour part of my route home. So looking forward to my 8 hour drive next month to Asheville, NC. When I can, I like to stop along the way for a 2 or 3 mile run on an old canal or historical route.
Feel free to share more about your travel stories, Nancy.
Have so much fun in Asheville!! One of my favorite places to visit.
If you are driving Maryland-Indiana, it sounds like you long ago decided that I-70/I-68/I-79 through Maryland and West Virginia was far superior to the PA turnpike and I would have to agree. I'm in Columbus so I usually end up back on I-70 but if you are headed to/from Indiana I can see exploring ways to bypass that as well.
Oh yeah I decided long ago not to travel the turnpike. $60 to save 45 minutes or so? No thank you. And I now have a favorite AirBnB I like to stay at near Tridelphia when I leave too late to drive all the way through.
If you have a chance, find a video of ON-J and John Travolta singing "The One That I Want" in the 2010's. She is so much better at singing than him, and he's visibly uncomfortable with it! But charming nonetheless.
Nancy, as someone who has visited friends in Kansas City a few times, you took me by surprise by missing that it's basically one city separated by a state line, also kinda sorta by the Missouri River. The Missouri side is definitely the larger town.
I will check out the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum the next time I'm there. The Nelson-Atkins Art Museum is terrific, and the Arabia Steamboat Museum is pretty cool as well.
May I humbly suggest a Road Atlas for your personal library so you can preflight some of these places for the next time you travel? ;-)
And one more random thought, prompted by the different policies enacted by different states -- maybe we need more states? We've divided states before. Food for thought...
I used to follow a movie review site that sadly closed down. The critic was gay and loved Xanadu as one of the best worst movies. He would give movies a star rating with Olivia as positive votes and Divine (in her Pink Flamingos look) as negative ones.
He did a review of her early 80s music videos that were just awesomely bad in the most dated way. It sounds cruel but he said he admired her megawatt fabulousness.
I’m looking for a great novel also but I’m staring at my bookshelf … have you read Springsteens bio? It’s immersive family drama and so much more.
Oh, interesting recommendation! I have not, and I heard really good things about it, and I've been having a real Springsteen renaissance over the past couple years. -- SH
Sarah, I highly, highly recommend these two novels: "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell, and "Summer Lightning", by PG Wodehouse.
ANYTHING by Wpdehpuse. Love.
I am finally getting my ass to read Crime and Punishment. I am the worst. But it is so so good.
Room was really really good
Rest In Peace Anne and Olivia. Olivia Newton John seemed as sweet as poor Anne Heche was troubled. I like to think of them young again with their sunshine hair laughing together at THE train stop, having a nice hug, and then “all aboard”and off to…
Super late to comment. But oh. My. God. When I heard Nancy hadn't seen Grease, I actually gasped. Just a moment before Sarah did
I gotta say. Not the best plot. Great. Amazing music.
About Anne Heche. I first heard about her because pf Ellen. However. In the 90a there was an episode of This American Life, in which Ira Glass interviewed a woman who wrote about her closeted gay dad dying of AIDS. Her name was Susan Burton I think. I may be wrong. I found out a few years ago that Ann Heche is her sister. Was. Alas.
I say all this because that family has such a sad story. Because their dad died of AIDS, luckily never passing it on tp their mom. Their brother died of suicide. (Or maybe not suicide. I just know her book talked about his death)The author of the book, I found out, died of breast cancer. That let Ann and another sister. I cannot recall what happened to the other sister.
But those are very sad deaths for almost the whole family. And I am so so sorry for all the children left behind.