Bad On Paper Podcast
Hosts: Becca Freeman & Olivia Muenter
Episode: January 2026 Three Things
Date: January 14, 2026
Overview
In this “Three Things” episode, Becca and Olivia share personal highs and lows, dig into their cultural obsessions, reflect on the joys (big, medium, and small) that have marked their start to the year, and swap stories about adaptations, book events, moving, and intention-setting for 2026. The tone is chatty and deeply reflective, balancing book talk, pop culture insights, and plenty of practical life musings.
Highs and Lows: The Start of 2026
[00:38-06:20]
- Becca's High: No specific high, but enjoying a calm, uneventful start to the year focused on reading, TV, and working on copy edits. Preparing for the “calm before the storm” of her upcoming move.
- Olivia's High: Took an impulsive, much-needed trip to Hatteras in the Outer Banks with friends, combining rest and work (an interview for her podcast Little Pod). The trip was personally restorative, featured perfect weather, daily dolphin sightings, and productive writing time.
- “If I’m sending emails, I would like to do it while looking at the ocean at all times. So it was perfect.” — Olivia, [02:53]
- Olivia interviewed Gigi, the beloved local bookstore owner in Hatteras, describing the experience as deeply meaningful and “full circle.”
- Lows:
- Olivia got a painful sty during the trip (“can’t recommend!”); Becca is overwhelmed by the logistical avalanche of moving after dealing with the emotional part for months. They're both focused on self-compassion and acknowledging the realities of stress at the start of a new year.
Thing 1: Becca’s Heated Rivalry Obsession
[08:02–16:32]
- Becca is “down the rabbit hole” with the fandom of the TV show Heated Rivalry. She’s engaged on social media, rewatching, and consuming interviews and content around it.
- “I have never felt this way about a show or even a piece of content before… I am a completist with this. I feel like I have seen everything.” — Becca, [08:16]
- Elements that work: Intense chemistry between the leads, standout acting, a “boy aquarium” appeal, and its unapologetic focus on romance rather than hockey authenticity.
- Faithful book adaptation: The showrunner is a genuine fan, and the adaptation treats the source material with rare care. Becca highlights the difference from other adaptations that sometimes show “snobbery” toward the romance genre.
- “It would be the dream scenario as an author to have your work adapted with this much care.” — Becca, [11:53]
- Discussion of new actors breaking out and the industry changes this buzzy show represents. Both hosts reflect on the joy of seeing “unknowns” get big breaks.
Thing 2: Olivia’s “Medium Joys” & The Dolphin Phenomenon
[16:49–24:31]
- Prompted by daily dolphin sightings, Olivia muses about “medium joys”—things rare enough to feel special, but not so rare that they dominate your life (e.g., dolphins on the beach, seeing rainbows, or moonrises).
- “A dolphin sighting is a good example. It’s rare enough that it feels special and unique… but it’s not so rare that it’s the only thing you talk about for weeks.” — Olivia, [17:26]
- Becca’s medium joys: Spotting flamingos in the wild, seeing starry skies far from city lights, the feeling of being in a brand new travel destination.
- Olivia adds new clothes that fit perfectly on first try and natural phenomena like rainbows, shooting stars, or the surprise of a moonrise over the ocean.
Thing 3: Adaptation Talk — People We Meet on Vacation
[24:37–36:58]
- Becca reviews the new People We Meet on Vacation adaptation as a superfan of Emily Henry:
- Loved travel scenes, wardrobe, and certain plot moments, but found it ultimately lacking—describing it as “a salad with too much random stuff in it.” The adaptation diverged significantly from the book and glossed over the emotional core of the story.
- “Instead of putting grapes in this salad, I wish they would have used some of that time to dive deeper into the emotional vulnerability in the book.” — Becca, [29:00]
- Disappointment that pivotal, emotional aspects were compressed or omitted, and the movie felt more like a series of events than a true emotional journey.
- Discussion on the challenges of adapting romance for movies vs. TV miniseries—the hosts wonder if limited series are better suited to deep literary adaptations. There’s industry insight into why miniseries remain a tough sell in Hollywood, despite success stories like Heated Rivalry and Normal People.
Bonus Thing: Moving Logistics — The Condiment Dilemma
[47:23–52:45]
- Becca poses the very real question: Do you move with your fridge condiments or start fresh?
- Olivia: Brought condiments when moving from Philly to NYC out of thriftiness and food waste aversion.
- Becca: Plans to edit ruthlessly, declaring “freezer bankruptcy” but will retain specialty hot sauces and toss anything expired or rarely used.
- Both agree: coffee and “first-day” essentials are crucial, as is a strategic “open first” box.
Book Events: Anticipation and Reflections
[38:53–46:57]
- Olivia shares excitement (and nerves) ahead of her upcoming book tour, with Becca set to join her for an event at The Strand in New York.
- Both swap stories about their favorite author events—strong conversation partners, behind-the-scenes anecdotes, and the thrill of connecting with beloved writers in real life make these events memorable.
- Discussion on inscribing books, Sharpie color preferences, and the joys/anxieties of event Q&As.
Intention-Setting & Mood Boards for 2026
[52:49–63:49]
- Both hosts discuss their annual vision boards/mood boards:
- Becca’s: Centered on trusting her ability, confidence, and gratitude. Features writing, books, dinner parties, travel—a collage of aspirations and reminders to appreciate how far she’s come.
- “Confidence comes from trusting your ability, not knowing everything.” — Becca, [53:38]
- Olivia’s: Includes images of writing and reading, nature scenes, quiet moments, and a reminder to prioritize presence and simplicity. She notes the importance of creative follow-through for her confidence.
- “Just the fact of having an idea and seeing it through is so rewarding and makes me feel so confident and fulfilled and strong and like myself.” — Olivia, [58:37]
- Becca’s: Centered on trusting her ability, confidence, and gratitude. Features writing, books, dinner parties, travel—a collage of aspirations and reminders to appreciate how far she’s come.
- Both reflect deeply on when they feel most confident, the impact of public life on self-esteem, and hopes for greater authenticity and less anxiety in the decade ahead.
- Discussion of “word of the year”—neither host is fully committed, though “joyful”, “gratitude”, and even the “dolphin” emerge as candidate themes.
Short Obsessions & Book Recommendations
[65:54–76:18]
Obsessions:
- Olivia: Sumo oranges—“the best fruit in the entire world.”
- Becca: Luxe rib long sleeve T-shirts from Everlane—perfect winter basics.
Recent Reads:
- Olivia: Habits of the Sea by Shea Ernshaw. A moody, magical realist romance with a time-bending island and atmospheric Atlantic vibes. Wished it were darker, but recommends for fans of romantic drama.
- Becca:
- The Heir Apparent by Rebecca Armitage (Reese’s Book Club pick): A deeper-than-expected royal novel, with fashion, romance, and thoughtful takes on power and tabloid culture. “I think this book got the wrong cover. The cover feels so juvenile, but the book has a lot of depth.” [70:55]
- Last Night in Brooklyn by Sochil Gonzalez: “Very fun, very much about gentrification, friendship, and Brooklyn in 2007… enjoyed this a tremendous amount.” [73:33]
- Their January book club pick is Best Offer Wins by Marisa Cascino: A “real estate thriller” with pacey, unique plotting (great for anyone trying to jumpstart their reading habit).
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
- Dolphins as omens, and the symbolism of joy:
- “I'm going to choose to see it as a good omen.” — Olivia, [17:11]
- On the joy of creative completion:
- “Doing what you say you’re going to do… makes me feel more confident than any other thing has felt.” — Olivia, [58:43]
- On book adaptation snobbery:
- “There is a snobbery around certainly the book genre of romance, but then also around the romantic comedy genre in TV and film.” — Becca, [13:17]
- On new beginnings and self-trust:
- “Remember when you wanted what you currently have, which feels very important.” — Becca, [54:27]
- On the importance of Q&A at book events:
- “I kind of wish it was just all audience Q&A because I just—I love that part as an attendee so much.” — Olivia, [44:09]
- On packing strategies while moving:
- “Somebody on a newsletter had a comment where they suggested packing a box that was specifically ‘Open this first’ with toilet paper, with sheets, with paper towels…” — Becca, [51:56]
- On intention-setting:
- “There’s one quote that says, ‘This year I’m going to be a joyful little maniac about creating a life I love. That’s all I know.’” — Becca, [54:05]
Timestamps for Key Segments
- Highs and lows: [00:38–06:20]
- Heated Rivalry fandom & adaptation talk: [08:02–16:32]
- Medium Joys & dolphins: [16:49–24:31]
- Movie adaptations & miniseries debate: [24:37–36:58]
- Book event stories: [38:53–46:57]
- Moving & condiments dilemma: [47:23–52:45]
- Vision boards & word of the year: [52:49–63:49]
- Obsession & book recs: [65:54–76:18]
For Further Discussion & Engagement:
- Join the podcast’s Facebook and BFF (Geneva) groups; connect on Instagram; preorder Olivia’s Little One and join the live event at The Strand in February.