It's our 250th episode!

Summary

Everything is Fine – Episode 250: Celebrating Milestones and Navigating Life Over 40

Release Date: April 14, 2025

Hosts: Jennifer Romolini and Kim France

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1. Celebrating the 250th Episode

Timestamp: [01:36 – 03:09]

Jennifer Romolini kicks off the episode by humorously acknowledging the challenge of reaching the 250th episode milestone. Both hosts express their reluctance to create a traditional clip show, emphasizing their aversion to anything "corny." Jennifer jokes, “This is how little we have our shit together that I think it's this episode” ([02:11]), highlighting their ongoing journey of hosting without a rigid plan.

Jen Romolini: “And congratulations to you for slightly less than 250.”

Kim France: “And congratulations to you for slightly less than 250. It’s still a fuck of a lot.”

They celebrate their extensive journey, underscoring the significant number of episodes dedicated to exploring life over 40.

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2. Waking Up Early and Mental Health Struggles

Timestamp: [03:22 – 05:35]

The conversation shifts to their personal routines, particularly the challenge of waking up early. Kim shares her struggle with early mornings, stating, “it does not matter when I go to bed lately, I am up at 5” ([03:22]).

Jen elaborates on her strategy to maximize morning productivity, saying, “If you don't capitalize on that time that you're awake. If you don't capitalize on, then the whole day's fucked” ([03:58]). Both hosts discuss their best work being done in the morning but admit to occasionally struggling to start their day positively.

The discussion delves into their experiences with feeling down, with Jen mentioning, “I have been in a funk... I just felt like a cloak of lead” ([04:48]). They touch upon the overwhelming nature of current events and their impact on mental health, particularly in the shopping industry.

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3. Addressing Listener Requests and Monetization

Timestamp: [05:35 – 07:16]

Jen addresses listener requests for recommendations, revealing that comprehensive show notes are available through their Patreon page. She explains, “I have very strategically been putting show notes in the Patreon. It’s $3 a month” ([05:35]). This approach helps them manage time while providing valuable content to supporters who choose to contribute financially.

Jen Romolini: “It's a totally independent podcast. It's a $3 service. If you don't want to pay it, you can go through the transcript and see what we recommend.”

Kim agrees, acknowledging the fairness of the arrangement, “[06:59] Kim France: Fair. Fair.”

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4. Encouragement from Social Movements and Changing America

Timestamp: [07:16 – 08:10]

The hosts share their thoughts on recent social demonstrations, with Kim mentioning, “I was very encouraged by all of the hands off demonstrations” ([07:16]). They discuss the uncertainty surrounding America's future, contemplating whether the nation is undergoing a significant transformation.

Kim reflects on the persistence of American values since World War II, stating, “Since World War II, really, right. Since we really became a global power” ([08:13]). They both agree that substantial shifts are imminent, hinting at broader societal changes.

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5. Embracing Life in Los Angeles

Timestamp: [10:11 – 13:59]

Jennifer shares her newfound happiness after relocating to Los Angeles, expressing how the dense living environment suits her better than her previous suburban experience. She explains, “I just feel like this is my lane” ([10:25]), highlighting the comfort she finds in a more vibrant, diverse neighborhood despite its challenges, such as incidents like trash theft.

Kim resonates with the sentiment, appreciating the community values she observes on her walks. Jennifer describes her morning routine on her balconies, soaking in the sun and finding peace before the day begins, which significantly improves her overall mood and reduces stress.

Jen Romolini: “I have been sitting out on the one that’s on the side of the sunrise every morning, just, like, soaking in the sun a little bit...”

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6. Personal Projects: Voice Lessons and Novel Writing

Timestamp: [14:00 – 24:35]

Kim's Voice Lessons:

Kim announces her decision to take voice lessons, sharing her apprehensions and excitement:

Kim France: “I cannot sing at all. I just love to sing and I wish I did it better” ([18:42]).

She admits uncertainty about her singing abilities but remains optimistic about the experience.

Jen Romolini: “I think it’s gonna be cool. I think it’s gonna be cool. I’m happy for you.”

Jen's Novel Writing:

Jennifer bravely discusses her venture into novel writing, revealing her participation in a writing program that requires her to share 10 pages of her manuscript. Despite feeling anxious and frustrated initially, she recognizes the importance of building her novel “brick by brick.”

Jen Romolini: “This is really hard. This is hard work” ([21:08]).

Kim offers unwavering support, encouraging Jennifer to embrace the discomfort as part of the creative process.

Kim France: “You are at a level where even just your spew is really good.”

Jennifer acknowledges the challenges but remains committed to her artistic pursuit, understanding that extensive revisions will be necessary.

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7. Navigating Mental Health and Perimenopause

Timestamp: [44:36 – 45:44]

The hosts address the sensitive topic of mental health, particularly focusing on the high rates of suicide among women aged 45 to 60. They discuss the impact of perimenopause on mental well-being, with Kim attributing some of her depression to this life stage.

Kim France: “I do think now some of the depression that I had was the result of perimenopause” ([45:37]).

Jen Romolini: “Between the ages of 45 and 60, the highest rate of suicide for women are. That's the highest time for suicide for women” ([45:31]).

They emphasize the importance of being vigilant about mental health during this period, recognizing the increased vulnerability women face.

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8. Beauty Recommendations and Skin Care Tips

Timestamp: [45:57 – 50:43]

Jennifer transitions to lighter topics, sharing her latest beauty obsession with vitamin C serums, specifically highlighting VitaBrid’s C12 for sensitive skin. She details the product's unique formulation, allowing users to adjust the concentration of vitamin C.

Jen Romolini: “It's from a brand called VitaBrid. It’s the C12. I’m holding it up for you. And it does do that thing where it comes in a separate. It comes in a package of two things, a serum and a powder, and you mix them together” ([45:57]).

She also discusses the challenges and misconceptions surrounding plastic surgery, warning about potential risks like nerve damage and emphasizing informed decision-making.

Jen Romolini: “She says that people who get neck lifts have a lot of, like, nerve issues. Which I had never even thought about it.”

Kim France: “Neurotic people maybe shouldn't get plastic surgery.”

The conversation underscores the importance of understanding beauty treatments and maintaining realistic expectations.

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9. Listener Questions: 90s Nostalgia and Fashion Advice

Timestamp: [50:43 – 57:20]

The hosts engage in a lively segment answering listener-submitted questions focused on 90s nostalgia and fashion tips for mature adults.

90s Nostalgia:

• Courtney Love vs. Kathleen Hanna:

  Kim France: “I’m going with Courtney Love because I’m thinking of who was important to me in the actual 90s” ([50:57]).

  Jen Romolini: “For me, Doc Martens. Always cool or dated Fool” ([51:06]).

• Doc Martens: Always cool:

  Kim France: “I can’t come out anti Doc Martens” ([51:31]).

• Reality Bites vs. Singles:

  Jen Romolini: “I am a Reality Bites. I could watch that movie today. I could watch it 10 times in a row” ([51:58]).

• Friends vs. Seinfeld:

  Kim France: “Seinfeld” ([52:23]).

Fashion Advice:

• Silhouettes for Mature Adults:

  The hosts suggest timeless pieces like button-down shirts, well-shaped jeans, and sneakers. Jen recommends adding pockets to dresses for functionality.

  Jen Romolini: “You can go to the tailor and they will put pockets in for you” ([56:57]).

• Black Dresses with Pockets:

  Kim France: “Universal Standard makes a great black shirt dress that has pockets that I like a lot” ([56:52]).

They conclude with affirmations of embracing versatile and practical fashion choices suitable for their audience.

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10. Reflections on Media and Television

Timestamp: [31:02 – 43:24]

The hosts critique recent television shows, sharing their opinions on "White Lotus" and "Dying for Sex."

White Lotus Season Finale:

Both Jen and Kim commend the show's realistic portrayal of female friendships and its aesthetic appeal, despite mixed reviews from the audience.

Jen Romolini: “I enjoyed how the female friendships resolved. I thought it was very realistic” ([31:19]).

They express frustration with external criticisms, advocating for personal enjoyment over societal discourse.

Kim France: “This is enjoyable TV. Let’s stop quibbling here” ([35:16]).

Dying for Sex:

Jen shares her disappointment with the pilot episode, criticizing its generic dialogue and contrived format. Kim remains open to giving it another chance, acknowledging that pilots can improve.

Jen Romolini: “I was like, no. And I was really mad” ([36:06]).

They highlight the disparity between the show's talent and the execution, hoping it evolves beyond its initial shortcomings.

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11. Closing Remarks and Final Thoughts

Timestamp: [57:20 – End]

The episode wraps up with Jen reiterating the importance of supporting the podcast through ratings, reviews, and Patreon contributions. Both hosts express gratitude to their listeners and tease future content, maintaining their commitment to providing meaningful discussions for women navigating life over 40.

Jen Romolini: “If you like the show, please rate and review it across the platforms. It really helps people find the show” ([57:26]).

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• Jen Romolini: “This is how little we have our shit together that I think it's this episode.” ([02:11])

• Kim France: “I have a terrible... I have a plant in my house that I bought from this company, and their whole thing is the plant has a reservoir in the soil, and you water it once a month. It’s fucking dying.” ([25:38])

• Jen Romolini: “There's nothing about your neck is a lie. Except surgery.” ([47:43])

• Kim France: “Neurotic people maybe shouldn't get plastic surgery.” ([49:53])

• Jen Romolini: “Women who harm other women are the fucking worst.” ([41:16])

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Conclusion

In this landmark 250th episode, Jennifer Romolini and Kim France navigate a tapestry of topics ranging from personal milestones and mental health challenges to embracing life changes and offering practical beauty and fashion advice. Their candid conversations provide a relatable and supportive space for women over 40, celebrating the complexities of "Everything is Fine."

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Disclaimer: The above summary and quotes are derived from the provided transcript of the "Everything is Fine" podcast episode and are intended for informational purposes only.

Transcript

[Jen Romolini]

Hey, Kristen, how's it tracking with Carvana Value Tracker? What else? Oh, it's tracking, in fact. Value surge alert. Trucks up 2.5%, vans down 1.7, just as predicted.

[Kim France]

Mm. So we gonna.

[Jen Romolini]

I don't know. Could sell.

[Kim France]

Could hold the power to always know our car's worth.

[Jen Romolini]

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[Kristen]

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[Kim France]

Hi, and welcome to Everything Is Fine, a podcast for women over 40. We are your hosts. I'm Kim France.

[Jen Romolini]

And I'm Jen Romolini.

[Kim France]

And I just want to mention. Because we didn't mention it last week because we don't have our shit together in any way. But last week's episode was the 250th episode of Everything Is Fine.

[Jen Romolini]

This is how little we have our shit together that I think it's this episode. My counting has it as this episode, but who knows?

[Kim France]

You know, one of the reasons we didn't do something special for the 250th episode was that we couldn't figure out.

[Jen Romolini]

Which one it was that was one of them. And then also we were like, because you and I have both have such an aversion to anything that smells corny, we're just like, no, no. Like, we were like, what are we gonna do? Like a clip show? Like, Funniest moments bloopers. Like, what are we gonna do?

[Kim France]

Plus, a clip show would take entirely too much work for either one of us.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, my God, it would take forever. It would take 100 years. And then Natalie. Poor Natalie. Hi, Natalie. Natalie would be like, seriously, what the fuck, guys?

[Kim France]

Yeah, we couldn't do that to Natalie if for no other reason.

[Jen Romolini]

No, no, but congratulations. 250 episodes. Kim France, Here we are.

[Kim France]

And congratulations to you for slightly less than 250.

[Jen Romolini]

I know, I think like, yeah, maybe like 220 or something.

[Kim France]

It's still a fuck of a lot.

[Jen Romolini]

It is a fuck of a lot. It's a fuck of a lot of episodes of a show about one topic. Really.

[Kim France]

No, it's really true.

[Jen Romolini]

Fuck getting older. That's really the.

[Kim France]

Oh, speaking of getting old, I know you wake up early, but I like, it does not matter when I go to bed lately, I am up at 5.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, I know, I know. Me too. Me too. What are you. Okay, but here's the thing is you're gonna have to wake up at five because I've been doing it both ways recently. I've been doing it, like, rotting in my bed, looking at my phone, and then also doing it like taking a cold shower and going to the gym. Like if you, you have to capitalize on that time that you're awake. If you don't capitalize on, then the whole day's fucked. This is my feeling.

[Kim France]

No, and those. I agree with you 1000%. And I get my best work done in the morning anyway.

[Jen Romolini]

Yep.

[Kim France]

But I still do. Like, I give myself at least an hour in bed playing word games and being on social media before I get up and out of bed.

[Jen Romolini]

I do too. I do too. And then there's a moment where I'm like, what the fuck am I doing? What am I doing? Like, I have. I finally, I come to, you know, I'm like, this is not how I should be starting the day. Yeah, but it is, it is. It makes all the difference. It makes all the difference if you can, like, get yourself up right away and like, into something, you know, even a glass of water. I feel like the whole day is like set within that first 20 minutes.

[Kim France]

If I can get my best work done by 11 o'clock in the morning, I'm really happy.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Yeah. And some days I just can't force myself. Like yesterday, we were just talking before we got on that we've both been in a funk. Like yesterday I felt like I had like a cloak over. Like, I just felt like a cloak of lead. Like, I don't consider myself a person who suffers from depression, but every once in a while it's just like, oh, I'm fucking sad. I'm just sad. I mean, I mean, go figure. You're sad. Like the barrage of bad news the, just the nonstop news. Like we were just talking about the fact that like, we both do things kind of in shopping and like this is a bad time for people in the shopping business. It feels like, you know.

[Kim France]

Yeah, no, it definitely is. I've been thinking about it. I've been thinking about how to plan for what's coming.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, me too. Me too. 100%. 100% no. And on that note, just to get something out of the way, somebody, I've been getting asked for recommendations or specific things we talk about on the show in Facebook groups and in my DMs and everything else. And I have very strategically, because it takes time to hunt down all of the links we talk about and just write descriptions of everything. I very strategically been putting show notes in the Patreon. It's $3 a month. It's a service, it takes my time. I don't think anybody should work for free. We need to make enough money to pay our editor every month. You know, I understand that it's, you know, everybody's going through a tough time right now, but at the same time, it's a totally independent podcast. It's a $3 service. If you don't want to pay it, you can go through the transcript and see what we recommend. But if you don't want that just delivered to you in one easy package, that's where it is every month. And I, because I'm a person who wants to be liked and loved and also a workaholic, will offer that, provide that service to 50 people a day and waste use my time up. And so it's in the Patreon and that's all. That's it.

[Kim France]

Fair. Fair.

[Jen Romolini]

That's it. Patreon.com everythingisfine$3 a month show notes. Woo hoo. So anyway, yes, recommendations and money and tarif. Wow, it's really fucked up.

[Kim France]

It's super fucked up. I must say I was very encouraged by all of the hands off demonstrations on Saturday that I did not take part in but was encouraged by.

[Jen Romolini]

I was also encouraged by them and almost was take. I was on my way to take part in one but then the. This is so boring. The ride home from the carpool at the mall fell through with the mall hang for my kid. So I was like, all right, we're turning around, like going to do pickup at the mall. So yes, I, I screwed that one up or somebody screwed that one up for me. But yes, I too was encouraged by that. I mean, I still believe this is not the end, but something we have to endure. But also, America just might not be what America has been for the last 90 years.

[Kim France]

Longer than that, you know?

[Jen Romolini]

Well, Since World War II, really, right. Since we really became. I mean, I don't know. When were we a global power? I mean, when World War I, World War II? I don't know. But I think that, you know, I think things are going to shift.

[Kim France]

I think they are gonna shift. I mean. I mean, they have to. They have to. Yeah. It's overwhelming. And I think. I mean, I do think that that is like a. A cloud over all of us right now. But also just like here on the east coast, it has been fucking rainy and rainy and rainy. And today, finally, it's sunny. And so a friend and I are going to take a walk this afternoon, but it's fucking freezing out. It's like 40, but feels like 27 because it's so windy. But I'm going to go out there. I got to go out.

[Jen Romolini]

Weather podcast. You got to get out there. Weather podcast. You got to represent it. I know.

[Kim France]

I'm going to go out there. I'm going to go out in the cold and the wind and go for a walk with my friend because it's the. This is just. I have to have the sun on my face.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, no, you do. You do.

[Kim France]

I've been thinking about getting one of those boxes finally, after they've been suggested to me a million times as light boxes.

[Jen Romolini]

I think that that's not a bad idea. Like, why not? Why not Try. You know, when I was in Iceland, weirdly, all those years ago, whenever I was in Iceland and the days were starting to get really, really short. Like, remember I told you that, like, the sun would come up at 11, and it was, like, setting at 3 and then 2, and it was just starting because, like, their day, by the. In the depth of winter is like three days of daylight. When I would walk around the neighborhood where my rental was, everybody had those light boxes. You could see them in everybody's window. Everybody had them. So, you know that that means nothing. But it's. You know, it's something. It's. It's.

[Kim France]

No, I think they help.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, they might help. They might help.

[Kim France]

You know, it always just seems, like, too obvious a reason for me to be depressed. The weather, you know, that there's no sun. But I think sometimes it really can trigger it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I've been doing a new thing. I've been doing. Well, first off, which I haven't really talked about, I don't think on this podcast I don't think I'm going to live here forever, but I am happier in Los Angeles than I have ever been.

[Kim France]

I'm so happy to hear that. Why?

[Jen Romolini]

It's this new neighborhood I live in and I figured out what it is. It's dense living. It doesn't feel like the suburbs because at least 60, 70% of the buildings around us are apartment buildings. And even if they're not huge high rises, they have like six units in them or five units. And we live basically in an apartment development, you know. And there's something about this way of living that is just so much more comfortable for me than what I was in before, which was we were kind of living in an apartment type situation. We were in a duplex around like all multimillion dollar houses. It felt much more suburban. I just feel like this is my lane. It's so weird, like to. To just know how you're supposed to live, you know?

[Kim France]

Yeah. You know, I think that's amazing and I completely get it, you know, for as long as I'm in New York, I want to stay in this, you know, I feel like my last place. I love the apartment, but the neighborhood just got to be untenable. Yeah, but I love the neighborhood here. I like the place. I like the fact that when I walk down the street, I see people that sound so obnoxious and stupid whose values I feel like I share.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, yes. Well, I will also say there was one type of. It's so strange because I am less than a mile away from where I was, but I'm on the other side of Sunset and I'm on the bad side side of Sunset. Okay. And there's a lot of race diversity on this side. There's more race diversity. There's a lot of age diversity. So a lot of like old ladies walking in the park down the street from my house. There's class diversity in a way there wasn't on the other side because I think a lot of these units are still rent controlled. So it's all kinds of people. And there is something about that that feels. I mean, like yesterday we had like a maniac trash bandit, like going through our trash, stealing our trash cans. Like we like. Cause we're also really in the city now. Again, we're like, you know, But I. I am much more comfortable in this environment than I was before. But anyway, what I was going to say about the vitamin D is we have all these balconies in this, our townhouse, and I love all of them. We don't really have a yard anymore. We just have balconies. And I've been sitting out on the one that's on the side of the sunrise every morning, just, like, soaking in the sun a little bit and just, like, having a nice morning with, like, the trees and the birds and the neighborhood and whatever, and just, like, having that moment of calm and, you know, before the day is going to begin and I'm just going to feel stressed the fuck out.

[Kim France]

Oh, that's my Los Angeles dream.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. And I'm achieving it in what is arguably the least nice place I've ever lived in the 13 years I've been here that I am the happiest in. It's so crazy.

[Kim France]

Yeah. Go figure. You know, you figure out what's important.

[Jen Romolini]

You figure out what's right for you, and it is not what's right for everybody. You know, it's a totally different thing. So. Yeah, so that's. I've been feeling really happy in la, I have to say. I know. And maybe also part of that is that I sense that, LA is, you know, somewhat coming to an end, you know, in this next several years. But for now, yay.

[Kim France]

Yeah. Great.

[Jen Romolini]

Great. Hooray.

[Kim France]

Speaking of homes. Speaking of homes.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

I want to redecorate my entire home.

[Jen Romolini]

Ooh. Ooh, I love this for you. Come on, tell me. What. What are you gonna do? I don't know.

[Kim France]

Well, part of this fantasy also has to do with finally buying a home. Cause I haven't owned. I haven't owned a home in quite a number of years. I'm more comfortable being a renter.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, same.

[Kim France]

But I've. I just. Lately I've had. I've just craved, like, walls, the color I want them, and wallpaper and, like, you know, a big. I love this apartment so much, but it's got the tiniest little kitchen.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, that's true.

[Kim France]

You know, the tiniest little kitchen. So there really can't be more than one person added in it at a time. So I've been thinking about that and how much I would really like to, like, you know, buy a house and redecorate it. That's all.

[Jen Romolini]

I think that's super. That is really fun. And also another thing, like, changing your space, even if you do love that space, changing your space is. I mean, I just highly recommend it. I think it was a real shift in all kinds of things for me, like the purge and, like, setting things up in more functional ways for who I am now, for what the needs of this family are. I mean, I recommend.

[Kim France]

See, you just never know when a shitty thing can turn into a good thing. You were so bummed out when you thought you were gonna have to move.

[Jen Romolini]

100%. I was so bummed out. And, like, I actually got into it with my old landlord today, and we had such a fraught relationship, and I hated that relationship with her. And I hated my relationship with that house. Because of my relationship with her, even though I love that house, I always felt, like, anxious and a bit of tension around it. And, you know, right now I don't feel that. But I also feel that I could buy a house. Like the one. Like an apartment. I could buy an apartment in LA and be happy. And the nice thing about LA is if I did want to stay in la. You can buy an apartment in la.

[Kim France]

Yeah.

[Jen Romolini]

It's just that everybody wants houses.

[Kim France]

Yeah, I get that.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, I get that.

[Kim France]

If I lived in la, I'd want a house.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, that's what everybody wants. But, you know, then you have a yard. Like, do you know how much fucking work a yard is?

[Kim France]

I know, I know. Because even the yards in Brooklyn are work. And also in Brooklyn, if you have a yard, it means there have been rats in that yard.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, yeah. Oh, my God. Though I will say we have this tiny little, like, tiny little yard. It's, like, mostly gross. I was walking Charlotte out and we were, like, having argument about being late for school. And all of a sudden, we both stopped in our tracks. And in front of us at the top, like, holding onto the edge of the top of our gate, was a possum, like, staring right at us, three baby possums on her back.

[Kim France]

Oh, my God.

[Jen Romolini]

I will never get over the adorableness. I couldn't pull out a phone fast enough. I just had to, like, stop and stare. There were just these things, three tiny baby possums on this mom's back. I was like, this is the best thing that's ever happened. The Lord has given us a gift today.

[Kim France]

That's beautiful.

[Jen Romolini]

It was beautiful.

[Kim France]

That would have just completely freaked me out.

[Jen Romolini]

You know, the thing is, possums are so ugly cute. They're so. I mean, I've run into so many of them here because there's just. They're everywhere here. And there's so. There's something about them. They're so awkward. I feel like. I feel like. I feel like a kinship with a possum.

[Kim France]

You are neither ugly nor awkward.

[Jen Romolini]

Well, you know, I say that's the awkwardness for sure. Yeah. So that was. That was that was a good. A good moment, a good LA thing. I'm sorry it's been raining so much, but you're about to hit the best time to be in New York.

[Kim France]

I know. And there are. And things are blooming and that's nice. It's very nice to see things blooming.

[Jen Romolini]

I know, but, like, may 2, like, that is the nicest. That is the nicest time in New York.

[Kim France]

True.

[Jen Romolini]

It's amazing. June. Holy fuck. Yeah.

[Kim France]

Oh, hey, listen. Guess what I'm doing on Thursday. Guess what I'm doing on Thursday at 1:00.

[Jen Romolini]

What are you doing Thursday at 1:00?

[Kim France]

I'm taking a voice lesson.

[Jen Romolini]

No fucking way. You did it.

[Kim France]

I did it. I 100% did it. I followed through.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, my God. Where is it?

[Kim France]

It's gonna be on Zoom. Cause the teacher is in Philly.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. All right. That's fine. I don't think that has to be an in person thing.

[Kim France]

No, the teacher didn't seem to think so.

[Jen Romolini]

Great. How do you feel?

[Kim France]

Well, we'll see. You know, right? Because I explained it. I said to him, like, I cannot sing at all. I just love to sing and I wish I did it better.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

And he's a super nice guy, but he's like, well, let's just get on the Zoom and see how it goes. Like, I think he can tell, like, I don't know what I want and I don't know anything. And he's gonna start talking about scales and I'm just gonna zone out or I don't know.

[Jen Romolini]

Right, right, right, right.

[Kim France]

But we'll see. I'm kind of. I'm excited for it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I think it's gonna be cool. I think it's gonna be cool. I'm happy for you.

[Kim France]

What if I could, like, sing a song after that?

[Jen Romolini]

I mean, you can sing. You physically can sing a song, but maybe you won't be able to sing it, like, actually sing.

[Kim France]

Not in a way that's painful for those who are listening.

[Jen Romolini]

That's right. That's right. I did a scary thing this week. I. As part of this novel writing program I'm in, I had to share 10 pages of the novel. Yes, exactly.

[Kim France]

Oh, my God.

[Jen Romolini]

The slop shop of the novel that I'm writing. Like, that everything was in, like, the worst shape. And it's so funny because, you know, this is Beth Pickens, if anybody doesn't know. I talk about Beth Pickens all the time because I think she's amazing. And this is such, like, this very thought out like trickery. Like, she's tricking writers. I feel that very much. Like, don't edit anything. Just write every day. Just be in the manuscript. 5,000 words a month. No matter how you get there, you're just trying to add words, you know? And then she was like, oh, and this month, I'm going to pair you up with, like, a group of people. I'm going to put you together with a group of people, and you're going to have a writing group and you're all going to share pages. And I was like, what? Get the fuck out of here. Anyway, turns out that when I actually looked at it for a day, it's really sloppy, but I had enough that I could pull from different scenes. I'd written to present 10 pages to a group, and I was really sweating it, really anxious about it, really mad about it. And I already got some feedback. And, you know, it's like, this is. I'm building this brick by brick. This book's gonna take me two years to write, undoubtedly, but I'm building it brick by brick. And I have the first 10 pages of a novel written.

[Kim France]

Jen, that's amazing. Number one. Number two, you know, if you write a novel in two years, that's also amazing.

[Jen Romolini]

It's gonna take a long time. It's really scary. I don't. It's really. This is really scary to do this because there's nothing to pull from. It's just you and your fucking head. It's just like, maybe this will blah, blah, blah, you know? But I can see now how just adding words to a document for a long time, over time, you will have something.

[Kim France]

Yep. And also, I think you need to remember that when you're just spewing shit out. I really believe this about you. You're at a level where even just your spew is really good.

[Jen Romolini]

Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you. I appreciate that very much. I do think that novel writing, that fiction writing is different than anything I've ever done. I know that. But that it's also. It's going to take so many layers of revisions because it's going to take like, okay, does this character work? And is there continuity with all of these, like, things that I've never had to think about before? Like, there's going to be so many macro and micro and macro and micro edits. Like, I already can see it as an editor, what it's going to require. So I'm just like, I really want to do this. And I'm just. I'm Just gonna do it. I committed to doing it. It's gonna take a long. It's gonna take a long time. This is not a six month process for me. It might be for somebody else, but first time doing it. It's not gonna be satisfying for a long time.

[Kim France]

Okay, well, it's really good that you're giving the situation permission to be that way.

[Jen Romolini]

I am. And that's new for me. Thank you for saying that. That's new for me. Cause I really don't. I don't. I mean, I don't like to sit in discomfort either. I have, I have more tolerance for it than you do. But, you know, I try to race through the discomfort, you know?

[Kim France]

Yeah.

[Jen Romolini]

So this is just sitting. But it's okay. It's okay. And it's. It's making the rest of my life feel like all the stupid bullshit I have to do, it's making it feel a little bit better because there is, you know, there is an artistic practice in my life. Blah, blah, you know. But you know what?

[Kim France]

When there's an artistic practice in your life and in times in my life when I've been writing more than I am. Cause I write some now, but not all the time. It's really nice when you have an artistic practice. When you have a piece you're working on, or a painting you're working on or whatever, it lives in your head even when you're not with it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, yes, that's exactly. You are precisely correct. Because it lives with me. This book is already living with me all the time. And things are just starting to, like, come, like, almost like it's a magnet. And I'm just. Everything's getting drawn into this book, like, and into my notes. And it's, it's, it's happening. But, you know, I. I didn't ever realize how hard. I mean, I think I knew because I never even tried it. But this is, this is hard. This is hard work. I give a lot of credit to people who can think. It's. Because it's almost like the waitressing of writing. Because you have to think on so many levels all the time. It's multitasking, constant. It's not like one clear. You know, what would this person think? Oh, well, I said that three pages ago. I can't fuck that up. You know, it's.

[Kim France]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, I'm so proud of you. How awesome.

[Jen Romolini]

Thank you. Thank you. I'm just trying something new out. I don't know. We'll see.

[Kim France]

No, well, that's you know that that's the motivation behind the voice lessons, other than just to sing better, is just to try a new thing. Learn a new thing.

[Jen Romolini]

Exactly. Learn a good new thing. And maybe a thing that you could be good at, too, you know, Like. Like, maybe you could be good at it, and that would be satisfying. Like, I can't start gardening. I know that. I don't have, like, a baseline. I don't think I have the patience. Like, I wish that I could have a garden, but, like, I don't think that I have that in me. You know how you kind of just know.

[Kim France]

I know. I feel the same way. Because we have a patch of grass out in Sag harbor, and every year I'm like, we should cover that up so that the deer don't get to it. And I should just learn how to garden some herbs or something.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. And then, like, you see the herbs, and they all die.

[Kim France]

They all die. I have a terrible. I mean, I have a plant in my house that I bought from this company, and their whole thing is the plant has a reservoir in the soil, and you water it. You water it once a month. It's fucking dying.

[Jen Romolini]

No, it's fucking dying.

[Kim France]

And I figured maybe why it's dying is because I'm lame. But maybe also why it's dying is because New York City apartments are so dry in the winter.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. No, look, they take a lot. The plants take a lot of work. And, like, I just spent time with our friend Christina Mueller. I guess I could say her full name. She was in town, and she is so, like, she is like, magic with plants. She loves them. She understands them. Her entire front garden of her house is just, like, all different kinds of wild flowers that work. They're like companion flowers, and they work together. Like, I can't do that shit. That is. I can't do it.

[Kim France]

Well, you could do that shit.

[Jen Romolini]

I guess you could. I guess I don't want to put the energy. That is not that. Maybe that doesn't light me up. The amount of energy it would take. Maybe it doesn't light me up.

[Kim France]

Yeah. I also feel like there's a real time delay with gardening, you know, like, you've gotta be content to, like, you know, bury your seeds and wait months for anything to happen.

[Jen Romolini]

You also have to be good at following directions.

[Kim France]

Yeah, that's the same thing with baking. That's why I don't think I can bake.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, my God. I am like, that show. Nailed it. I, like, I could crush on that show where they're all terrible bakers and they make the most disgusting look. Because there's always a moment in the instructions of baking where I'm like, do you really have to do that?

[Kim France]

Yeah. Really?

[Jen Romolini]

Turns out you do.

[Kim France]

No, baking is like science.

[Jen Romolini]

No, baking is like science. And gardening is too somewhat. You know, it's like, I don't know, like the root rot, like, I know, deadheading.

[Kim France]

I don't know.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh God. It's like pruning. I just, I. It's so, so much. It's. I mean we have like seven plants in this house that I'm grateful have stayed alive for a couple of years.

[Kim France]

Well, that's not nothing.

[Jen Romolini]

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[Josie Santee]

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[Jen Romolini]

And we're back. Okay, here we go. Things that don't suck, right? Isn't it, Thomas?

[Kim France]

Okay. Things that don't suck.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, there you go.

[Kim France]

One of Paul's suttons is gonna make us an actual Things that Don't Suck song.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, my God. Please, please. That would be amazing.

[Kim France]

Okay, the first thing I think that didn't suck, and this may be controversial, the season finale of White Lotus.

[Jen Romolini]

I thought it didn't suck too. I thought it didn't suck. I thought that that show was exactly what it was the whole time. And I enjoyed it. I enjoyed. People were like. I also found the discourse around it so fucking annoying. Like, this show is misogynist. They only eat fruit. There was like so many fucking things that. So many takes that I was like, shut the fuck up on the takes. I actually liked the way the female friendships resolved. I thought it was very realistic how that whole thing went.

[Kim France]

It was very realistic. And all the more realistic for the fact that they had all just unloaded on each other.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

And everybody keeps saying that's what made it unrealistic. But have you had a female friend in your life? Have you been part of a threesome of people?

[Jen Romolini]

100%. And have you, like, have you actually had a confrontation ever with someone you love that's like really painful and you say all the worst things and then you're like, oh, but I love you and it doesn't even matter.

[Kim France]

Yeah, no, yeah, of course.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I don't know. People are really complaining about it. I thought it was good.

[Kim France]

I thought it was good too. I was, you know, I had the Only thing I successfully predicted was that more than one person would die.

[Jen Romolini]

I did not successfully. The only thing I. Success. Oh, spoiler alerts, everyone. If you haven't watched this, tune out for the next, like, 15 seconds. But I had successfully predicted that the guy was his father. The guy was Goggin's father. That was, like, an easy one. I mean, it was a little too pat, you know, like. But it's like, what level of television are we expecting here? Like, this is a trifle.

[Kim France]

Yeah, yeah.

[Jen Romolini]

You know, exactly. It's always my thing. It's the same thing with the Sex and the City. Like, the people are always like, this is not what it used to be. And it's like, yes, it is.

[Kim France]

It's exactly what you used to say.

[Jen Romolini]

It's exactly as frivolous as it ever was. And this show is exact. This show is not. White Lotus is not succession.

[Kim France]

No, White Lotus is not succession. I mean, in a way, the least interesting thing about it is who dies?

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, I think so. I mean, also, I think this is aesthetic television. I think, like, half of the enjoyment, 70% of the enjoyment is the aesthetic of this show.

[Kim France]

Yep, I agree.

[Jen Romolini]

And like, Parker Posey or Jennifer Coolidge's expressions, you know, I really hope this.

[Kim France]

I really hope this jump starts Parker Posey's career.

[Jen Romolini]

I do, too.

[Kim France]

A little. She really deserves it. She's so good.

[Jen Romolini]

I do, too. I do, too. I thought she was so good. Amy Lou Wood, really just adore her. Could not get enough of her. I mean, what an amazing, amazing cast. Like, and what an interesting and vile. And, like, also just the imagery. Like, there's so many things I'm never going to forget from this season of television. Like, how often do you. Can you say that about a show?

[Kim France]

No, you can say it almost never.

[Jen Romolini]

The brothers, like, Jesus fucking Christmas.

[Kim France]

No. And the father at the very end. Yes, the father at the very end. Like, in the end, the father and Saxon seem like the two that stand a chance of actually achieving some kind.

[Jen Romolini]

Of enlightenment and redemption.

[Kim France]

Yeah, and redemption.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, Yeah, I agree. I agree. I agree. And the daughter and the. And of course, Parker Posey.

[Kim France]

No, I know. I love that. I love when the daughter came back and she was like, the food wasn't organic.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. And the bed was really uncomfortable.

[Kim France]

That surprised me. I was happy with that. And that totally surprised me.

[Jen Romolini]

Me, too. It was surprising. And, you know, it had enough. It does enough. And I love that Mike White, like, people are complaining to. To about Mike White about the show not having a plot and he's basically like, fuck off. He's just like, fuck off. Like, don't. Don't join. Don't join this party if you don't like the food I'm serving. You know, I love that too. I'm like, good for you, Mike White, because this is. You know what? This is enjoyable tv. Like, let's stop. Let's stop quibbling here.

[Kim France]

I agree. I agree.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Okay, on that note, things that don't suck, which I know you're thinking the same. The studio.

[Kim France]

Yes, I like the studio.

[Jen Romolini]

The studio. New show with Seth Rogen. And wait, who else is in it? Why can't I remember anybody else's names? All my favorite people.

[Kim France]

Catherine O'Hara.

[Jen Romolini]

No. Oh, Kathleen, right? Catherine O'Hara. Kathryn Hahn. Amazing. It's so good. I think it's so good.

[Kim France]

It's really good. It's very funny. And I always like Seth Rogen.

[Jen Romolini]

He's so funny in this. He's so funny. And Ike. Whatever his name is also like, it's funny. It's sharp. I think it's well written. I'm really enjoying it. I think that's. I'm very excited to have that as a new show to follow.

[Kim France]

Yeah. Yeah, I really liked it too.

[Jen Romolini]

Did you watch the pilot of Dying for Sex?

[Kim France]

Not yet. Not good.

[Jen Romolini]

I just. I mean, look, pilots are hard, so I'm going to give it another shot. But I was like, no. And I was really mad. It was one of those shows where I watched it and I was like, no. And felt really bad because I wanted.

[Kim France]

To be like, yes, I know. It's the worst when that happens.

[Jen Romolini]

Just really kind of generic dialogue, obvious. Like, kind of a waste of a lot of talent. I felt like I found some of the formatting really contrived. I found, you know, like, there's like a voiceover situation. I think that I just was like, what is going on here? Like, maybe it's just the pilot, but I was. The pilot, for me was not promising it might get better.

[Kim France]

Hmm.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

Often pilots aren't the best pilots.

[Jen Romolini]

They have to explain so much. And, you know, they're also usually notes to death, I think, you know? So, you know, who knows? Who knows? Let's see. But I wasn't. I wasn't. I actually turned it off.

[Kim France]

Wow.

[Jen Romolini]

In the middle, which I never do. But I was like, I don't want to. This is making me too bummed out.

[Kim France]

I get it.

[Jen Romolini]

And not because the subject matter. I'm down for the death and the sex, but it's the. It Was making me bummed out because I was like, these people are all really talented, and this work is not worthy of them.

[Kim France]

Oh, that's disappointing.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. But you might like it. I mean, who knows? Like, we've disagreed on things like this before. Maybe you'll be like, yay.

[Kim France]

Maybe.

[Jen Romolini]

Maybe.

[Kim France]

Okay. Another thing that doesn't suck, that would be Thai massage.

[Jen Romolini]

Ooh.

[Kim France]

Thai massage. Which was popped into my head because I had one of them when I was in Mexico on vacation. It's a massage, and you're clothed when you do it. And you're laying on a mat on the floor. You're comfortably clothed. You're wearing sweats or something.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

And the masseuse comes in and basically uses their body to stretch your body.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Yes. I've never.

[Kim France]

And it's like.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes.

[Kim France]

It's like having yoga done to you.

[Jen Romolini]

That's amazing.

[Kim France]

It's the most amazing massage. I am like. I am. I am a who, between being a Jap. Sorry. Being a princess when I was young and being an editor when I was older, has had all the massages a person could possibly want in their entire life. I don't give a fucking shit if I never have another massage. But these Thai massages are so good.

[Jen Romolini]

Look, I haven't had a Thai massage, but I've seen. I mean, I, too. Because I was the church chill out editor of TimeOut New York, I have had all flavor of massage, and many of them, I'm like, that's painful. Why would I ever do that to myself again? But maybe I should try the Thai massage.

[Kim France]

I'm telling you, I find it so invigorating.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. All right. And they're actually. I think there are places here you can get them pretty cheap.

[Kim France]

I'm sure there are places you can get them here where they're, like, authentically Thai massages.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. But not, you know, $250.

[Kim France]

Yeah. Cause they're not a cheap service. Cause it takes a while.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Yes. Okay. I got one. The book, Careless People. The Facebook book. It is.

[Kim France]

Is it worth reading? Cause I'm really intrigued.

[Jen Romolini]

It's so fucking good. It's so fucking good. Like, it's good because it's also. I mean, look. And obviously, this is way up my alley. It's a story about, like, overwork and, like, toxic workplaces and, you know, trying to have it all. But it's also so juicy. She names. I don't know how she did it. I mean, I know they didn't release. They didn't even talk about the book. Until, like, a week before it was being released. And, like, now she can't do. There's, like, some court order. She can't do any book events. You know, like, Facebook has got her tight in litigation, but she names all the names. It's just all real people. And what's so satisfying about it is, I suspect, expected that Sheryl Sandberg was just, like, the asshole of fucking assholes. I imagined she was the worst person. When Lean in dropped on my desk, like, years ago, I was like, this is bullshit. More like, lean over. Fuck you. And to have that validated. She is so terrible. She is such a bitchy, like, worse than any editor we ever. But. But similar in vibe to, like, an Anna Wintour.

[Kim France]

Worse than any editor, any publisher. Fair enough, right? Because she always reminded me of. I just mouthed the name to Jen so I wouldn't say it out loud. They seem to have the same vibe. Like, perky and, you know, a team player and, you know, is so cool and manages to be a mom and a, you know, executive at the same time. And that person just turned out to be one of the foulest people I'd ever met. So this. It doesn't surprise me, and it slightly delights me.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, women. Women who are. Women who harm other women are the fucking worst. But she is so spoiled, so entitled. Like, she's, like, trying to get, like, the. The prime Minister of Japan, like, whatever, the president of Japan, to hold up her book, and she's screaming that she can't get that to happen. And, like, she wants her parents to come on this state visit because they want to meet the leader of Japan. And, like, she's. She's screaming at the. This is just. I've gotten up to this, like, Japan trip. She's screaming at the. The like, poor Japanese makeup artist because she didn't do her makeup the way she wanted to. And this woman, the author, like, comes upon the hotel room, and the girl is just outside of the. Her. Her hotel room crying, like, just a monster. But then she makes up there was, like, some plane crash and she really wants to boost Facebook's numbers. And she makes up a story that she was on. She was almost on this flight that crashed. She makes up a story so that her Facebook post is more dramatic, like, she was never going to be on this flight. And it's just so vile. She. So fucking vile. And just out there, like, telling women to try to achieve this impossible dream, like, because the dream is only made possible because she's fucking rich.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

Unbelievable. Unbelievable.

[Kim France]

Where is she. Today.

[Jen Romolini]

I don't know where she is. I don't know where she is. And, like, look, her husband did die, and that is sad. Like, I will give her that. That is a sad thing that happened to her. That was a tragedy. It does not make up for the horror, the terrorizing of employees and also having people work, like, 17 hours a day, and that's just expected, like, gross. Fucking gross.

[Kim France]

No, it really is gross. It really is. Well, I am looking forward to reading that. That's my next book now.

[Jen Romolini]

It's really good. She's really good, and she's really, like. The author is really earnest and lovable, and she's from New Zealand, and so there's also, like, this, like. Oh, but I thought this was just the way it was in America.

[Kim France]

Oh, no. Oh, God.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. It's really worth reading. I'm really enjoying it. What else? What else is on your list?

[Kim France]

My list was pretty short this week, I have to say. I did reconnect with my friend Penelope yesterday, and that was super, super nice. She's somebody I worked with at my very first job in New York, and she has the coolest job in the world.

[Jen Romolini]

What's her job?

[Kim France]

She works on the New York Times obituary desk.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. That is my dream job. That is amazing. That is an amazing job. Wow.

[Kim France]

Yeah. And she was talking about. She was talking about what it was like during COVID because during COVID they did all those obits for ordinary people, too. And she was just talking about how much more painful it was to work on those obits because, you know, usually she's writing obits of people who've led long and rich lives.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. That must have been really hard.

[Kim France]

Harrowing. But then she also told me I didn't know a writer I used to edit died.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, no. It's the death podcast.

[Kim France]

I know. It just keeps happening. It's the death podcast. But unlike all the deaths that I seem to be noticing right now among people in my cohort, it. It looks like it was suicide.

[Jen Romolini]

Y. Oh, yeah. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry to everybody.

[Kim France]

Oh, it just really threw me. It really threw me. You know, it just. I. I had. Because I had heard about. I'd been updated on him a few years before, and I don't know. I don't know why I'm bringing that. I'm bringing everything down by sharing.

[Jen Romolini]

No, it's all right. I brought everything down by talking about Sheryl Sandberg so passionately. It's okay. It was. It was a light Airy podcast before that. And then I got mad. No. Do you know. Do you know that between I think it's the ages of 45 and 60, the highest rate of suicide for women are. That's the highest time for suicide for women.

[Kim France]

That's. That's. That's upsetting.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I mean, it makes sense. It's really messed up. Time to be in our heads and bodies.

[Kim France]

Yeah. And also, like, I do think now some of the depression that I had was the result of perimenopause.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, 100%. 100%.

[Kim France]

When depression comes, you have to be on top of it, you know, because the temptation is just to think. I've always felt this way. It's never been any different.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Yeah. And let it get away. Well, I'm gonna bring things up with some beauty recommendations. Just real light and fluffy. So I have been testing different vitamin C serums. I don't know if I brought up this one on the podcast, but I'm newly obsessed with this vitamin C serum that is for sensitive skin. So I think anybody could try it. It's from a brand called VitaBrid. It's the C12. I'm holding it up for you. And it does do that thing where it comes in a separate. It comes in a package of two things, a serum and a powder, and you mix them together so you also have the opportunity to mix as much vitamin C into the serum as you want. So if your skin is sensitive and you're having a hard time with vitamin C, tolerating vitamin C, this is a really good one. And I will say I've been using differin and vitamin C every single morning. And I think my skin, the clarity of my skin, it's like, starting to look like it is a filter on it.

[Kim France]

Your skin looks great.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, my skin is like that, but it's that. And I think it's. It's specifically. It's. It's using those two. It's using, like, a low. A low. A gentle retinoid every day and vitamin C every twice a day. So that's my big. That's my big recommendation. No, my skin's looking really good. I mean, you can't. The thing is, there's just so many lies about necks. Everything's a lie. Everything about your neck is a lie. Except surgery. But I was talking to this esthetician, like, in the dermatologist's office. I was getting some treatment a couple weeks ago, and she was saying that people who get neck lifts have a lot of, like, nerve issues. Which I had never even thought about it. Nerve damage.

[Kim France]

Well, that's a good reason not to get a neck job.

[Jen Romolini]

I know that. Well, that's what I'm saying. Yeah. I mean, she was, like, telling me this, like, conspiratorially, you know, she was like. Because right now, what's going on? Because. Because everybody is an influencer. I don't know if this is interesting or not, but everybody's an influencer. Right. So the information you're getting on social media platforms is so skewed because the plastic surgeons are telling everyone like, Botox is. Nobody should be getting Botox. There's so much they're talking about the risks of Botox. Right. And the risks of filler. That's what the guy. The people who cut are doing, and the people who don't cut are pushing, you know, things that don't necessarily do very much. Like these, you know, all of these lasers and everything else. Like, they do some, but they're never going to do what the cuts do. So it's very hard to get accurate information. So sometimes when I'm in these offices, not with, like, the doctor themselves I like, but with, like, a lower person, I'm like, tell me everything. Tell me all the secrets. And what they say is that the scarring from these surgeries is often so much worse than you think it's going to be. The recovery is so much worse than you think it's going to be. A lot of the clients who come in are dissatisfied with the results, and now you're just in it. But this new thing that I had not even thought about was nerve damage. And so you just. You can't really feel in those parts of your face, like, forever.

[Kim France]

That would be a little disconcerting.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. And you would kind of be like, oh, I did this to myself.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

You know, like, oh, fucking bummer that I did this to myself. Not. No judgment to anybody who ever did it. But I often think of Alexandra Adair's memoir about her mother who got a nose job, you know, in this really fucked up way. She got a nose job. And with Alex's, like, pay from a child acting job. Right. Okay. Like, it was all fucked up. But for years afterwards, she would always be like, does my nose looks weird? I think I can't breathe. Oh, my God. Is it. Is it? I should have never done this. Like, neurotic people maybe shouldn't get plastic surgery.

[Kim France]

No, neurotic people for sure shouldn't.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

And neurotic people are the fan base for plastic surgery.

[Jen Romolini]

Totally, totally. Totally. My algorithm only serves me now. Like plastic surgeons. Plastic surgery and dermatology. Like, it's just so. I am. Ask me anything. But I do think that without the, you know, the sag. The sag. The sag aside, you can really do some things to condition your skin with, like, you know, medical grain skin care. That's my. That's my good thing.

[Kim France]

That's a good thing. Oh, I did. See, I didn't know we were still on good things when I talked about the. The guy I knew killing himself.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, well, we hadn't changed. We hadn't changed out yet, but now we are. Now we're shifting. Should we answer some listener questions?

[Kim France]

Yes, let's.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay, here we go. Couple of listener questions. Here we go. Kim. France 90s nostalgia. This or that. You ready?

[Kim France]

I am.

[Jen Romolini]

Courtney Love or Kathleen. Hannah.

[Kim France]

I'm going with Courtney Love because I'm thinking of who was important to me in the actual 90s, and Courtney Love was more important to me than Kathleen. Hannah.

[Jen Romolini]

Kathleen. Hannah. For me, Doc Martens. Always cool or dated Fool. I love this person who does these for us.

[Kim France]

Thank you for these for rhyming. It's especially great.

[Jen Romolini]

Exactly.

[Kim France]

I would say. I'm going to say always cool. I do think that the stitching can look a little dated. The yellow stitching. That's on it.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah.

[Kim France]

But. But I. I can't come out anti Doc Martens.

[Jen Romolini]

No, they're not for me anymore. Just because of my own style evolution. They're not for me, but maybe they were never really for me. So I. But I think they're always cool. I think you're right. Okay, Singles or Reality Bites?

[Kim France]

Reality Bites.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, I am a Reality Bites. I could watch that movie today. I could watch it 10 times in a row. I love that. I love that movie. It's a good movie, actually.

[Kim France]

I think it weirdly took place in Houston.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, wow. I didn't know that. That was a foundational. That was like a very formative movie for me. Like, it came out at a time when it was very formative for me, especially like the. And I reference it all the time. Like The Ethan Hawkeye vs. Ben Stiller of it all.

[Kim France]

Yeah.

[Jen Romolini]

Friends or Seinfeld?

[Kim France]

Seinfeld.

[Jen Romolini]

I wanna say Seinfeld because that's obviously the better choice, but I was really into Friends. Okay. Choker or nose ring?

[Kim France]

Choker.

[Jen Romolini]

Choker. Me too. I'm too much of a wuss for a nose ring.

[Kim France]

Me too.

[Jen Romolini]

Revival swing dancing or hippie?

[Kim France]

That's hard.

[Jen Romolini]

I mean, is it Though. Swing dancing. Come on.

[Kim France]

I know. Okay. Hippie.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay, you could say swing dancing. I mean, I saw the appeal of that. It was never gonna be for me. That was a type of girl that I couldn't be. I could be a hippie, but I couldn't be a swing dancer.

[Kim France]

Okay, if I look at it that way, then definitely hippie.

[Jen Romolini]

Okay. Babydoll dresses or slip dresses?

[Kim France]

I wore both.

[Jen Romolini]

Me too. I wore both. But if I was looking at it now, I would say slip dresses.

[Kim France]

Well, I would argue that babydoll dresses were a little more 80s, late 80s, early 90s.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes, I think you're right. I think you're right. Slip dresses are definitely squarely 90s coffee shop. And we're talking 90s coffee shop or.

[Kim France]

Record store if I'm honest. Coffee shop.

[Jen Romolini]

Same. I wish to be a manic pixie dream girl in a record store, but that was not me. I'm a coffee shop. Especially when you could smoke in coffee shops.

[Kim France]

Yes.

[Jen Romolini]

Oh, Was there anything better?

[Kim France]

Not really.

[Jen Romolini]

Not really. At the time, I mean, there was a lot of bad acoustic guitar, but, you know, you forgive things. Okay. Kim, you mentioned that you have a uniform. Can you please elaborate?

[Kim France]

Pretty much every day I'm wearing a button down shirt or a popover or something that looks like a cross between a peasant shirt and a popover. Jeans or chinos, sneakers. And then I have like, my uniform is like what I wear on my body. Like on the first layer. And then like my outerwear. I have lots of colored outerwear. Like, I'm wearing this blue coat today that I really like. That tends to be my uniform.

[Jen Romolini]

I think that that is a bulletproof uniform. I have to say I'm moving more toward it. Like, I. I can see that I'm picking up more and more button downs. I'm picking up more and more kinds of jeans. Just like basic jeans and, you know, sneakers, Vans.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

Sand. Like, it's just. It feels like it's kind of timeless in a way, you know?

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

I think you got it. Okay, can you suggest any silhouettes that work for mature adults? Like the skinny jeans, ankle boots, and oversized sweater of the past, but not like the crop top and big jeans look popular. I think we just answered this with the youth now. Trousers, chunky shoes, cardigans, et cetera.

[Kim France]

I mean, a button down, a good button down conceals many flaws.

[Jen Romolini]

I agree, I agree. A really well shaped button down and not the ones that like, narrow in, you know, those weird ones. No, no, no.

[Kim France]

Like a slight and ever so slightly a Line, shape and a button down just ever so slightly.

[Jen Romolini]

Yes. Like a boyfriend button down.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

I'm really starting to embrace that as well. Okay. From personal experience, best hotel to stay in Philly with kids.

[Kim France]

Well. Oh, you're the one who stays in Philly with kids. Yeah.

[Jen Romolini]

I mean, I guess, but you stay in Philly more than I do. I. To be honest, I've never stayed in Philly with kids in a hotel. I've always stayed in Airbnbs with my kid, only because I hate. Now it's a little better. But I used to hate a hotel room with my kid. I wanted two rooms so that they could sleep in one and I could be awake in another. I don't. I always felt like there was a kind of level of jail if you were in a hotel room altogether with a kid.

[Kim France]

Yep.

[Jen Romolini]

So I. I don't really have an answer to that, but I've stayed in. God, where did I even stay last time I was there? That was good.

[Kim France]

I forget you liked the Hyatt centric, I believe.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah, I thought that was pretty good. I thought that was pretty good. And then I stayed in another thing. I like to stay by Rittenhouse Square. I don't know if that helps anyone. That's my favorite place to stay in Philly.

[Kim France]

Yeah. That's where we stay now.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. Okay. There's a lot of requests for a fashion episode that everyone wants a fashion episode. Maybe we should do that. And then favorite black dresses with pockets. Do you have any, Kim?

[Kim France]

Universal Standard makes a great black shirt dress that has pockets that I like a lot.

[Jen Romolini]

Yeah. I don't have any answers to this, but I will say I have put pockets into dresses. Like, I've put, like, I've gotten 100% cotton dresses from H and M that didn't have pockets, and that was, like, their one flaw. And you can go to the tailor and they will. They will put pockets in for you. It might add a tiny bit of bulk, but depending on the shape of the dress, it often doesn't matter. And then you have pockets.

[Kim France]

Amazing.

[Jen Romolini]

That's it. That's what we got. Thanks for listening to Everything is Fine. We're your hosts. I'm Jen Romolini.

[Kim France]

And I'm Kim France.

[Jen Romolini]

If you like the show, please rate and review it across the platforms. It really helps people find the show. It makes a difference to our download numbers. If you want to support the production of the show like I talked about before, you can join our [e-mail] everythingisfine It's $3 a month. That's where the show notes are and it's what allows us to pay our editor. If you want to find Kim and more style and fashion advice from Kim, you can find Kim france.substack.com you can find me at jenromalini.substack.com you can Find us both on a robust and private Facebook group. We are also if podcast on Instagram. The show is mixed and edited by Wonderful we love you Natalie Rivera. Every week you fix us up and we'll be back next week. Hey Kristen, how's it tracking with Carvana Value Tracker? What else? Oh, it's tracking, in fact. Value surge alert. Trucks up 2.5%, vans down 1.7, just as predicted.

[Kim France]

So we gonna I don't know.

[Jen Romolini]

Could sell, could hold the power to.

[Kim France]

Always know our car's worth.

[Jen Romolini]

Exhilarating, isn't it? Tracking Always know your car's worth with Carvana Value Tracker. Nordstrom brings you the season's most wanted brands, Skims, Mango Free People and Princess polly, all under $100. From trending Sneakers to beauty must haves, we've curated the styles you'll wear on repeat this spring. Free shipping, free returns and in store pickup make it easier than ever. Shop now in stores [e-mail] everyone has.

[Kristen]

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