Forever35, Episode 359: The Joy of Writing and Ginger Juice with Jade Chang

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Guest: Jade Chang (author of "A Time to Be Alive" and "The Wangs vs. the World")
Release Date: September 15, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode of Forever35 centers on self-care, friendships, creativity, and the delightfully low-key rituals that keep us grounded, featuring author Jade Chang. Doree and Elise are joined by Jade to discuss her new novel "A Time to Be Alive," the peculiar joys of gut health, the revival of her savory oatmeal obsession, and the complexities of comparison in adult friendships. The conversation blends practical, humorous self-care insights with a deep dive into writing, ambition, and navigating envy without shame.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Everyday Self-Care Practices

[14:40]

• Jade shares her straightforward and restorative self-care ritual: after coming home, she immediately lies down, often after removing most of her clothes, for even just a few minutes.

  • "My greatest self-care practice is every time I come home, I just lie down...I could do it for like three minutes and I feel restored...Highly recommend." — Jade Chang [14:40]

• Elise relates, revealing her love of working from bed and normalizing non-traditional “resting” workspaces.

  • "I usually work from bed and so I take my zoom meetings from bed.... Respect. Respect." — Elise Hu [15:32]

2. Gut Health & Food Intuition

[16:07]

• Jade expands on her gut health advocacy: recognizing how her digestive system influences her wellbeing, she avoids dairy, low-quality bread, and particularly beans (which “her gut does not like”). She emphasizes paying close attention to how specific foods feel in your own body, rather than following dietary trends.
  • "I really think that the way our digestion is going at any moment in our lives determines how we feel about everything in them, really." — Jade Chang [16:33]
  • "The ultimate decider should be how our guts feel." — Jade Chang [18:32]

3. The Magic of Savory Oatmeal (Porridge Discourse)

[18:36]

• Doree remembers Jade's once dream of opening a savory oatmeal cafe. Jade lights up, describing two favorite recipes:
  • Tomato Oatmeal: Oats, grape tomatoes, olive oil, salt, fried egg, optional greens, and chili crisp or sriracha.
  • Asian Oatmeal: Oats with sardines (in oil!), greens, eggs dropped straight in, finished with sesame oil, soy sauce, and chili crisp.
  • "Nothing makes me feel more alive than just...Yes." — Jade Chang [45:04]

4. The Inspiration Behind "A Time to Be Alive"

[22:01]

• Jade describes protagonist Lola as a composite of her communities, people navigating the tension between self-actualization and contributing meaningfully to the world.

  • "Every story you write is about you but it's also about everyone you've ever met...a world of friends that I've been in." — Jade Chang [22:21]

• The novel’s narrative gambit: Lola stumbles into becoming a self-help “guru,” allowing Jade to explore the making of modern gurus from the inside out—drawing inspiration from attending both TED and Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday, and real-life acquaintances who became “gurus” via viral moments.

  • "I was really interested in writing it from inside the rise [of a guru]." — Jade Chang [23:59]

5. The Art and Reality of Comparison Among Friends

[31:10]

• Elise notes a key theme: comparison, competition, and envy—especially among friends in creative fields.

  • Jade admits she hasn't personally faced much long-lasting jealousy in friendships. She normalizes minor flares of envy, seeing them as natural but cautions against repression:
    • "Anything that you try to deny festers." — Jade Chang [33:20]

• Doree and Elise share that getting older and more self-focused has softened their competitive edges, with Elise redefining career "success" as maximizing flexibility, not chasing status.

  • "My definition of success is so like anti-success...To me, success is like ultimate flexibility." — Elise Hu [35:49]

6. Writing, Creativity, and The Adaptation Game

[39:00]

• Elise asks Jade about creative projects beyond novels—TV work and essay writing. Jade’s honest: she's not good at short stories, finds TV development unpredictable but rewarding, and appreciates the skills gained even from projects that don’t make it to air.
  • "I got to take a paid masterclass...in kind of learning how to write something." — Jade Chang (on TV adaptation) [40:22]

7. Uplifting Reading: Finding Light Amidst Darkness

[41:53]

• Doree confesses she’s drawn to books that offer “lovely warm feelings,” not despair—something Jade consciously aims for in her work.
  • "I don’t want to write a book…I'm not interested in total escapism. I’m interested in something that reckons with reality… but also ultimately hopeful." — Jade Chang [42:42]

8. Intergenerational Remedies: The Power of Ginger Juice

[43:31]

• Elise prompts Jade about Taiwanese-American family health traditions. Jade shares her parents’ gospel of gut health, most notably her use of raw ginger juice (aided by a ginger press from Temu!). She extols the energizing magic of it, reporting a noticeable vitality boost.
  • "Nothing makes me feel more alive than just…[drinking ginger juice]." — Jade Chang [45:04]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• "It took me so long to write a book that I don’t think anyone could be that jealous of me because I’m so slow. Most people felt like, thank god she finally finished. Good for her." — Jade Chang [34:37]
• "Everyone wants to have written a book, but no one wants to actually, like, write the book." — Doree Shafrir (quoting Roxane Gay) [38:09]
• "If you try to deny the jealousy…that is ultimately going to be counterproductive." — Doree Shafrir [37:07]

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [14:15] — Jade joins; shares self-care (lying down after coming home)
• [16:07] — Gut health philosophy; impact of digestion on well-being
• [18:36] — Jade’s savory oatmeal obsession and favorite recipes
• [22:01] — Inspiration for "A Time to Be Alive" and protagonist Lola
• [23:59] — The making of a guru: TED and Oprah compared
• [31:10] — Adult friendship, comparison, and handling jealousy
• [34:37] — Navigating envy and creative careers as writers
• [39:00] — Life in TV writing; "The Wangs Versus the World" adaptation
• [41:53] — Why Jade writes hopeful books
• [43:31] — Family food remedies and her ginger juice ritual

Closing: Hosts' Intentions and Takeaways

[45:51+]

• Doree and Elise share weekly intentions: incremental decluttering and job searching (Doree), incorporating more strength training (Elise). Both emphasize sustainable, small steps as more effective than grand, overwhelming goals.

Tone & Style

• Warm, self-aware, and humorous
• Blurring the line between friendly catch-up and earnest (yet down-to-earth) advice
• Non-judgmental and self-deprecating, especially regarding success, competition, and self-care quirks

Summary for New Listeners

If you missed the episode, you'll walk away with practical, original self-care ideas (lie down more, trust your gut—literally, eat more ginger), honest talk about comparison and creativity, and a peek into how even “gurus” are winging it. Jade Chang’s wisdom and warmth shine, and Forever35 remains a haven for real talk about getting older, a little wiser, and a lot more accepting of yourself—and your ginger consumption.