Bad On Paper Podcast: "Best of 2025"

Hosts: Becca Freeman & Olivia Muenter
Date: December 3, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode kicks off Becca and Olivia’s end-of-year wrap-up with a lively, heartfelt, and candid discussion of their “Best of 2025”—covering personal highlights, new obsessions, favorite pop culture moments, and hard-won insights. Books are notably excluded (book talk coming in a dedicated episode), and the conversation runs the gamut from deep personal growth to the year’s most memorable sandwiches. Expect warmth, vulnerability, fun recommendations, and plenty of signature banter.

Highs and Lows of the Year

(01:23 – 13:12)

Personal Highs

• Olivia: A magical Thanksgiving outing in Orlando seeing "Wicked" with her five-year-old niece:

  • “She wore her Glinda dress... brought all her dolls... it was so cute. Seeing how unbothered she is by all the things adults worry about—it was really inspiring.” (01:30)
  • Led to reflecting on the grounded confidence and freedom children often have.

• Becca: Turning in the final draft of her second book after nearly three years’ work:

  • “What a way to end the year. I’m really proud of myself... this has been really hard in many different ways.” (03:07)
  • Anticipates a well-earned rest: “I am just gonna take a breath.” (03:40)
  • Olivia on finishing a personal book: “The idea of finding the people that get it... and find something in it that makes them feel less like, ‘oh I thought I was the only one’—that’s exciting.” (04:34)

Personal Lows

• Becca: A classic “overreacting home alone” story involving a frying pan when she noticed a shadow outside her window, convinced an intruder was lurking, before realizing it was a trick of light from workers on a nearby roof.

  • “I look like an absolute nut job…and I’m like, false alarm.” (09:13)
  • “I was like, am I in one of Olivia’s thrillers?” (09:31)

• Olivia: Thanksgiving upended by a stomach bug running through Jake’s family, including the designated cook.

  • “Everyone was together…if we’re gonna get it, we’re gonna get it.” (11:09)
  • Used the time after to sleep and decorate for Christmas, leading to a recovery.
  • “When you work really hard, then you stop, you immediately get sick.” (12:10)

The “Best Of” 2025 Superlatives

1. Best Personal Win (15:54 – 18:20)

• Becca: “Having a better 2025” after a tough previous year. “Just pulling myself out of the muck and being in a better mindset...my biggest win of the year.” (16:05)
• Olivia: “I’ve felt really settled in my friendships, our house, my career...I’m very all in.” (17:11)
  • Admits feeling settled doesn’t always mean feeling secure, but it’s a milestone.

2. Best Comeback (18:20 – 23:46)

• Olivia: Building deeper confidence grounded in her actions/values, not appearance.
  • “I am having to pull myself up from the down feeling. And that is just confidence...in myself and how I look and my choices and who I am.” (18:28)
• Becca: “Income streams”—facing the reality that writing books doesn’t pay steadily, she grew her newsletter and affiliate income, reducing panic and giving her “more stability and control.” (19:47, 22:13)
  • Advances the conversation on how ‘influencer work’ is culturally diminished: “There’s a lot of misogyny in that mindset…It’s an income stream that largely benefits women and their careers.” (23:12)

3. Best Mantra (24:11 – 27:48)

• Becca: “Consistency is key”—kept her motivated on the book project and in habits.
  • “Reminding myself it’s showing up and being consistent...was something I returned to a lot this year.” (25:49)
  • Ellen Hildebrand, esteemed author, approves: “Consistency is key. This is my number one advice motto.” (24:29)
• Olivia: “Shame is not the way”—identifying shame as her most paralyzing emotion.
  • “Sometimes I think feeling bad is going to make me better...actually the more I sit in shame I do worse. So I try to remember that when I feel shame...it’s not going to help.” (26:31)

4. Best Hard Lesson

(27:48 – 35:10)

• Becca: “You can’t make everyone like you”—after reading negative Reddit threads, she’s working toward thickening her skin.
  • “My first instinct was: I want to stop doing the podcast, shut down, not give any ammo...but I love doing this.” (28:41)
  • Olivia: “I was like, well I’ll just change all these things that they hate...but you can’t. There’s nothing you can do.” (30:36)
• Olivia: “It’s okay to just be...I’ve always had this feeling like I’m not worthy unless I’m improving myself, becoming thinner, making more money. I’ve had to teach myself I don’t have to be constantly seeking betterment to be valuable.” (32:54)

Pop Culture & Personal Favorites

Best New Artist Discovered (35:24 – 41:30)

• Becca: Five favorites:
  • Painter Frances Featherstone: “Obsessed with her ‘From the Perspective of the Angels’ oil paintings…these could be me in bed reading.” (36:25)
  • Illustrator Anna Kwan: “She live-sketches what she eats in restaurants. So cool.” (36:52)
  • Illustrator Sarah Martinez: “Quick sketches of women…love her color palettes.” (37:40)
  • Author Barbara Borland (“The Force of Such Beauty”): “So severely underhyped…incredible.” (38:29)
  • Balanchine ballet - “Variations on a Door and a Sigh”: “Batshit crazy…one of the most interesting things I’ve ever seen.” (39:37)
• Olivia:
  • Author Allegra Goodman: “Isola and Sam—so different, both amazing. I’m obsessed with her now.” (40:01)
  • Musician Joshua Burnside: “More into Irish folk music than ever, random yet delightful.” (40:47)

Best Sandwich of the Year (41:30 – 44:44)

• Becca: “Hillstone French Dip…don’t care about French dip but it’s so good.”
  • Runner-up: the Potbelly Tuna Sandwich, particularly at LaGuardia Airport.
    • “I wouldn’t do anything differently. I love that sandwich so much.” (42:32)
• Olivia: Fork and Whisk’s chicken salad sandwich in Chatham.
  • “It’s the perfect classic shredded chicken salad on warm focaccia…comforting and hearty but fresh.” (43:55)

Best Song of the Year (44:56 – 46:28)

• Olivia: “Baby Steps” by Olivia Dean. “A perfect song…catchy, emotional, timeless.” (44:56)
• Becca: “Moves” by Suki Waterhouse. “Not a new song, but this year it was on every playlist I made.” (45:56)

Best Movie/Show of the Year (46:30 – 48:58)

• Becca: "The Summer I Turned Pretty" Season 3 for best experience.
  • “Cultural experience…not my highest critical rating, but I enjoyed every second.” (46:33)
• Olivia: "Train Dreams" (Netflix): Sparse, beautiful, moving.
  • “Sound, score, nature shots…the highs and lows of life. Watched it twice in one week.” (47:12)

Work and Creative Wins

(51:17 – 55:07)

• Becca: Turning in her second book, after major edits and uncertainty about whether it would be publishable.
• Olivia: For “Little One,” set a goal of confidence—stepped into her identity as a full-time author, cared less about reviews or negative opinions.
  • “If this is what I want…then I should be confident, own it, and just settle into it.” (51:59)

Best Source of Inspiration (55:07 – 57:57)

• Becca: Doing “The Artist’s Way” (even partially) with a podcast, which finally gave her permission to focus on process and take away what worked.
  • “Doing something is better than nothing…permission slip I needed.” (56:37)
• Olivia: Her ever-evolving bulletin board, with notes, ideas, and positive feedback.
  • “Little note cards with book ideas are now realized...it’s a visual representation for my brain.” (57:41)

Best Writing Place (58:01 – 59:52)

• Olivia: Her home office: “The bird bath, morning light, candles…just a dream come true.” (58:01)
• Becca: Loves writing at home at her dining table—in silence.
  • “People fetishize writing at coffee shops...but that doesn’t work for me. I like to write at home in silence.” (58:50)

Best Podcast Episode (59:58 – 60:31)

• Becca & Olivia: Their interview with E. Jean Carroll.
  • “So inspiring…she had fight left in her, which was surprising and heartening.” (59:58)

Miscellaneous Bests

(60:34 – 68:22)

• Best New Skill/Hobby:
  • Becca: Watercolor painting. “Can’t shut up about it...my crush is watercolor.” (60:41)
  • Olivia: Getting (even more) into movies, especially seeing them in theaters.
• Best First (New Experience):
  • Becca: Stepping into a new friend group on a trip—and enjoying herself.
  • Olivia: Teaching a writing workshop to high schoolers; hosting her own retreat.
• Best Purchase:
  • Olivia: Shiseido “Illuminating Micro Spot Serum” from TJ Maxx—luxury skincare at a discount.
  • Becca: Weighted eye mask (“It actually stays in place!”), but also her watercolor kit.
• Best Outfit:
  • Becca: Bright teal vacation dress; brown suede miniskirt with academia vibes.
  • Olivia: All-red color-blocked outfit: “I really like wearing red, and it was a happy outfit.” (68:16)

End-of-Year Obsessions, Reading & More

(71:01 – 78:38)

• Becca’s Obsession: The “Avoidance Advent” calendar (Inspired by Margaret at "Bad Art Every Day" substack): Tackling one lingering task a day before the new year.

  • “I think this is genius...I might not do mocktails but I'm making my list.” (71:01)

• Olivia’s Obsession: “Pluribus” (Apple TV+), a darkly funny, dystopian series from Vince Gilligan.

  • “It’s everything I love…suspenseful, emotional, dystopian, and funny.” (73:10)
  • Both hosts are watching—theorizing about the show’s mysteries.

• Becca’s Recent Reads:

  • Between Two Kings by Lindsey Straub—“Basilisk porn, but genuinely good. The author’s next is a prequel.” (75:12)
  • I Wrote This for Attention by Lucas Gage (audiobook)— candid, wild youth memoir, less about Hollywood than expected.

• Olivia’s Recent Reads:

  • Rec by Kathryn Newman (sequel to Sandwich)—“So cozy, perfect for the season, with beautiful family dynamics and food writing.” (76:51)

Notable Quotes & Moments

• Becca, on growing income streams:
  “Developing these income streams has...allowed me to say, these are work. It’s not only when I’m typing words into my novel that I’m working.” (22:13)

• Olivia, on shame:
  “Shame is not the way. Sometimes I think this feeling will help me be better...but it doesn’t. I create less.” (26:31)

• Becca, on public criticism:
  “What sucks is I love doing the podcast, I love the community we’ve built...the lesson I need to take is not to diminish myself but to fucking get over it.” (28:41)

• Olivia, on self-worth:
  “I have always had this feeling like I am not worthy unless I am improving myself...I’ve had to teach myself again and again that’s not true.” (32:54)

• Becca, on favorite sandwich:
  “I don’t even care about a French dip. Why is it so good?” (42:03)

• Olivia, on settling in as an author:
  “This is what I want—if that’s the case, I should be confident, own it, and just work on settling into it.” (51:59)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:23 – Highs and lows kickoff
• 15:27 – Start of “Best Of” superlatives
• 35:24 – Best new artist(s)
• 41:30 – Best sandwich discussion
• 51:17 – Work/writing wins
• 55:07 – Inspiration and favorite places to write
• 59:58 – Best podcast episode
• 60:34 – Miscellaneous bests (hobbies, firsts, purchases, outfits)
• 71:01 – Obsessions and hacks
• 75:12 – Recent reads

Final Notes

Look out for their upcoming “Best Books of the Year” episode—and if you want your book pick featured, send them a voicemail or email as requested in the episode.

Connect with the hosts:

• Becca: Instagram | Substack
• Olivia: Instagram | Substack | Pre-order Little One (Feb)

This episode is a fun, full-hearted snapshot of two women reflecting on their growth, challenges, favorite things, and friendship at the close of another year.