Mini-Ep 425: Cheers to a Different Vibe

Summary

Forever35 Mini-Episode 425: Cheers to a Different Vibe
Release Date: January 8, 2025
Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu

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1. Introduction to the Mini-Episode

In this special mini-episode of Forever35, co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu engage directly with their listeners by sharing comments, addressing questions, and providing personal insights. This episode emphasizes a community-driven approach, allowing the hosts to connect more intimately with their audience.

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2. Personal Updates and Reflections

Elise’s Journey to Recovering Her Voice

Elise opens up about her recent battle with laryngitis, sharing her experience and the challenges of regaining her voice after a period of vocal rest.

Elise Hu [02:05]: "It was really rough... I like really pressed that I have to talk for a living. Like, this is my job."

Doree inquires about the medical advice Elise received, sparking a discussion on why doctors might be hesitant to prescribe steroids for conditions like laryngitis.

Doree Shafrir [02:59]: "Can I just like, without getting too much into like, medical stuff, can I just ask why they're so like, opposed to steroids?"

Elise explains the common medical perspective, suggesting that steroids may mask symptoms, preventing necessary vocal rest.

Elise Hu [03:03]: "I think that it masks symptoms so that you're not actually... getting the vocal rest that you need."

Back to School and Holiday Adjustments

With the new year underway, Doree and Elise discuss the return of their children to school, expressing relief and excitement about restoring normalcy at home.

Doree Shafrir [04:08]: "Henry literally ran into. He was like, I'm free. Free of my like, annoying parents."

They also tackle the topic of taking down Christmas decorations, linking it to mental health and the symbolic transition into a new year.

Doree Shafrir [08:46]: "We left our Christmas decorations up too long. But, like, of course, it's just a dumb superstition."

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3. Listener Interactions

A. Pet Insurance Insights

Listener Sarah shares valuable advice on pet insurance, emphasizing its importance for unexpected accidents and the differences in coverage based on pet activity levels.

Listener Sarah [15:58]: "You will likely still be able to get pet insurance. This would be considered an accident when it comes to pet insurance for everyone."

The hosts commend Sarah’s practical tips and reflect on their own experiences with pet care.

B. Decluttering Calendar Recommendation

Kelly from Tacoma recommends a Declutter Calendar created by Doree, praising its effectiveness in maintaining an organized home. Kelly highlights how the calendar breaks down tasks into manageable daily actions, making decluttering less overwhelming.

Listener Kelly [20:34]: "She breaks it down so that each day you do just one or two small tasks so it feels less daunting."

Doree and Elise discuss the merits of the calendar, acknowledging the challenge of navigating extensive introductory content before reaching the actionable calendar itself.

C. Hand Cream Endorsement

Sarah from Santa Cruz endorses the Nivea Hand Seam cream, sharing her personal attachment to the product and its nostalgic value linked to her family’s use of Nivea.

Listener Sarah [22:16]: "Just a little plug for dry hands. Try the Nivea theme in the tin and get some compliments this winter."

The hosts appreciate the recommendation, with Elise adding her preference for the packaging's durability compared to plastic alternatives.

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4. Product Recommendations

A. Nivea Hand Seam Cream

The conversation around hand creams continues with a focus on the Nivea Hand Seam, celebrated for its effectiveness in combating dry skin during winter months.

B. Ninja Foodi Air Fryer

A listener recommends the Ninja Foodi Air Fryer, praising its versatility and space-saving design.

Listener [28:25]: "Ninja air fryer. It’s just the two of us. So we can often fit what we need in here versus the stove."

Doree and Elise express enthusiasm for the product, noting its convenience and efficiency in the kitchen.

Elise Hu [28:27]: "The Ninja foodi. It’s digital fry, convection oven, toaster, air fryer."

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5. Book Recommendation: "Free Food for Millionaires" by Min Jin Lee

A heartfelt recommendation arrives from a listener who praises "Free Food for Millionaires", Min Jin Lee’s first novel, highlighting its vibrant portrayal of New York life and its distinction from Lee’s later work, "Pachinko."

Listener [26:47]: "Free Food for Millionaires was her first published novel. And it is so good and so different and just like, just really, really, really delightful."

Doree and Elise express their interest in adding the book to their reading lists, appreciating Lee’s versatility as an author.

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6. Embracing Repair and Sustainability

The hosts delve into the importance of repairing items instead of discarding them, using Doree’s experience with a broken fanny pack as a case study.

Doree Shafrir [25:18]: "If something of yours breaks, you should check if there's a warranty because I have this like fanny pack from Baboon to the Moon."

Elise echoes the sentiment, advocating for mending as a sustainable practice.

Elise Hu [25:25]: "We should all be doing this. We should be mending rather than throwing out, rather than discarding."

They link this discussion to their broader themes of minimalism and mindful consumption, emphasizing the benefits of maintaining and repairing belongings.

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7. Weather Updates and Safety Reminders

Addressing current events, the hosts inform listeners about the severe winter storm affecting much of America, urging everyone to stay warm and safe.

Elise Hu [30:27]: "There's like this major winter storm that blasted the Midwest and just kind of across the belt of the United States. So please stay warm."

Doree shares a personal anecdote about her sister experiencing a snow day, reinforcing the importance of community and safety during harsh weather conditions.

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8. Closing Remarks

As the episode wraps up, Doree and Elise extend their gratitude to listeners for their engagement and support, wishing everyone a happy and safe new year. They also tease upcoming content for Patreon supporters, maintaining the community-centric tone of the podcast.

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Notable Quotes

• Elise Hu [02:05]: "It was really rough... I like really pressed that I have to talk for a living. Like, this is my job."
• Doree Shafrir [08:46]: "We left our Christmas decorations up too long. But, like, of course, it's just a dumb superstition."
• Listener Sarah [15:58]: "You will likely still be able to get pet insurance. This would be considered an accident when it comes to pet insurance for everyone."
• Listener Kelly [20:34]: "She breaks it down so that each day you do just one or two small tasks so it feels less daunting."
• Listener Sarah [22:16]: "Just a little plug for dry hands. Try the Nivea theme in the tin and get some compliments this winter."
• Listener [28:25]: "Ninja air fryer. It’s just the two of us. So we can often fit what we need in here versus the stove."

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Connect with Forever35

• Website: forever35podcast.com
• Email: forever35podcastmail.com
• Instagram: @forever35podcast
• Newsletter: forever35podcast.com/newsletter
• Contact Number: 781-591-0390

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Stay tuned for more engaging discussions and community interactions in future episodes of Forever35. Happy New Year!

Transcript

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[Dory Shafrir]

Hello and welcome to Forever 35, a podcast about the things we do to take care of ourselves. I'm Dory Shafrier.

[Elise Hu]

And I'm Elise Hu. And we're just two friends who like to talk a lot about serums.

[Dory Shafrir]

And this is a mini episode where we hear from you, we share your comments and your thoughts, and we answer your questions to the best of our ability. But please do remember, we are not experts. We're podcast hosts and we always encourage you to seek support first and foremost from a medical and or mental health professional as needed.

[Elise Hu]

And this is our first mini up back. Yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

And I was, I was going to say, Elise, you have your voice back.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Is. Yeah, yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

I still hear a little rasp. But yeah, I mean, you could like barely talk, right?

[Elise Hu]

It was really rough and big thanks to my doctor who agreed to give me the steroids to try and speed things along. Typically they don't. Typically they're like, no, if you have laryngitis, you just have to suffer because. Because you just need vocal rest. Vocal rest, hot tea with honey, lemon, all those things. But I insisted, I like really pressed that I have to talk for a living. Like, this is my job. We can't move things around necessarily. There were other shows that I had to tape and she was like, well, if you really can't move things around, what I could do is prescribe a steroid.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh my God.

[Elise Hu]

But I really don't want to, you know, and so eventually.

[Dory Shafrir]

So they're so. So can I just like, without getting too much into like, medical stuff, can I just ask why they're so like, opposed to steroids?

[Elise Hu]

I think that it masks symptoms so that you're not actually.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, I see. I see.

[Elise Hu]

I suspect that's one of the things. So you're not actually getting the vocal rest that you need.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. Okay.

[Elise Hu]

I have gotten. Yeah. And I have gotten little bouts of laryngitis a few times in my life. Like every couple of years or so I've gotten this. And that's what they've said to me previously. I don't remember if that's specifically the reason, but I want to. I want to say that that might be. And then doctors out there. I know we have doctors who are listening. You might be able to weigh in and clarify. But there's that. And then also isn't there a concern, I guess this is the same thing with antibiotics, that there's a concern of like prescribing over.

[Dory Shafrir]

Prescribing. Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Elise Hu]

I know that they won't give you antibiotics for colds.

[Dory Shafrir]

That all makes sense. I, again, not a doctor, so was just sort of wondering.

[Elise Hu]

Yep, yep.

[Dory Shafrir]

What. What was going on? Well, my child is back at school. Are your children back at school?

[Elise Hu]

Yes. Oh, it feels great.

[Dory Shafrir]

It does. It feels very good. Henry literally ran into. He was like, I'm free. Free of my like, annoying parents. And I was like, I feel the same way.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, it's glorious. Yes. Today is a glorious day. I'm gonna get my house cleaned up and just back in order. There is that dead week, you know, between. Usually it's like Christmas and New Year's, like where nobody's at work, you know, and all the days bleed into one another. It's sort of like early Covid. You never know.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. Matt has a very gross term for this period.

[Elise Hu]

What is it?

[Dory Shafrir]

He calls it the holiday taint.

[Elise Hu]

So good. It is in between.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. It's like, it's like, it's so gross. But it's also like. Yeah, it is accurate. It's accurate. Right.

[Elise Hu]

It's the in between. And I woke up this morning to about 457 emails because everybody is emerging. We have come and come out of that liminal period and it's a little overwhelming, but also a relief to know what day it is.

[Dory Shafrir]

Totally, totally. I agree. So here we are.

[Elise Hu]

I also have to be on a schedule now because I'm like a full time doggy nurse. And so I like. Oscar needs Meds five times a day, and they're different meds administered for in different ways. Like, sometimes it's a paste, sometimes it's a pill. Sometimes, you know, it has to be mixed with liquid. And then I'm like a pharmacist.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, my God.

[Elise Hu]

So I actually really have to pay attention to time. Usually I have a pretty loose, you know, freelance schedule such that I don't know when 2pm is. And sometimes, famously, I forget to pick up my kids and. But that can't happen now because I'm on such a medication schedule.

[Dory Shafrir]

Do you have, like, a thousand, like, alarms in your phone?

[Elise Hu]

Yes, I have those. I also have Rob texting me. Rob didn't stay over here last night, so he's texting me, like, hey, don't forget the antibiotic. But separate it out from the prebiotic or the probiotic.

[Dory Shafrir]

Right.

[Elise Hu]

Because you can't have those at the same time because they'll cancel each other out. La, la, la.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, my God.

[Elise Hu]

I know. I know. It's quite a thing.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, man.

[Elise Hu]

Dora, we sort of talked about this on Monday when we first came back, but are there things that you're, like, gonna get in order now, now that Henry's back in school and we're starting a new year fresh?

[Dory Shafrir]

I mean, my life. No, just kidding.

[Elise Hu]

That's a big one.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know what I did do today for the first time in, like, two months, is I did our, like, our weekly meal plan. It had just been on the fridge from the one I did in November. It had just been, like, sitting there and like, my poor child who thrives on routine, and, like. Like, he. Like, he would periodically be like, mama, why haven't you updated the menu?

[Elise Hu]

And I was like, men.

[Dory Shafrir]

He does. He loves the menu. He loves a visual schedule. We're going to. I told Matt we. Oh, also, I was. I was driving home from picking Henry, from dropping Henry off this morning, and there was a segment on NPR about Christmas decorations and, like, when you should take them down. And they were saying that, like, traditionally, you should take down people. People would take down their Christmas decorations after the 12th day of Christmas, which I guess is today. We're recording this on January 6th. Oh, it's the 12th day. And if you. And, like, the superstition is that if you keep them up longer, it's bad luck.

[Elise Hu]

I didn't know that.

[Dory Shafrir]

I didn't either. I mean, I didn't grow up celebrating Christmas, so I feel like I have an excuse. But I just want to note that we did not take down Our Christmas tree last year until, like, May, June, like, it was crazy. I think. Like, I, I mean, this is like a bigger conversation, but I. There was just some, like, inertia brought on by depression and, you know, it was just like everything was over.

[Elise Hu]

Deal with it next week.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, and I do. Like, there's a sort of a different vibe in the house now, I will say. And I texted Matt. I was like, we have to take down the Christmas tree. Maybe this is why last year was so bad for us. We left our Christmas decorations up too long. But, like, of course, it's just a dumb superstition. But I do think there is something about how it was, like, reflective of our mental state that the Christmas decorations stayed up for so long because we just were like. Like, we had no motivation or.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

No reason.

[Elise Hu]

Symbolic.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, it became symbolic. So I'm like, okay, it's a new year. We're turning over a new leaf. We're both feeling a little bit more optimistic, and we got to take down those Christmas decorations.

[Elise Hu]

It's an excellent reminder. And because this is the month where they'll recycle your tree too, if you bought.

[Dory Shafrir]

We use a fake tree.

[Elise Hu]

I do, too, but I pretty. I'm pretty sure that that's. There's like all these city programs across the country where.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, they, they also.

[Elise Hu]

Go ahead.

[Dory Shafrir]

They also said on this segment that if you have a real tree, January is the time, the most common month for people to have fires in their homes because of very dry Christmas trees that they leave up for too long. So let this be your. Your. Your sign if you have a PS3, your PSA to take it down. So, yeah, so that's like where I'm. I'm at today. Like, gotta. Gotta take down the Christmas tree and the. And the ornaments and all that stuff.

[Elise Hu]

And door. Did people write and text and call as we beg them to over break?

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, they did. We. We did get quite a few messages. Thank you so much for writing in and calling in and texting in. And please continue to do that. Call or text us at 781-591-0390. You can always email us at forever35podcastmail.com and also just a reminder, we have a website, forever35podcast.com we have links there to everything we mention on the show. We are on Instagram at february35podcast. And we also have a newsletter at forever35podcast.com newsletter and we are going to take a short break and we'll be right back. My skin gets burned bone dry in the winter and I always need a little something extra to get it moisturized and keep it moisturized. That's my skin goal this winter. Stay moisturized and feeling confident in your skin starts with getting expert care. That's why we're excited to partner with Apostrophe. Whether you're dealing with acne, signs of aging, or dark spots, Apostrophe helps you get access to the right treatments for your skin. I just popped into their online platform, completed a few questions, snapped a few photos, and received prescription strength tretinoin and niacinamide that I've been using for a while now. Get access to an expert dermatology team to get customized acne and dermatology treatment for your unique skin. Apostrophe is offering a special deal for Forever 35 listeners. Get your first visit for only $5 at apostrophe.com Forever35 when you use our code Forever35, that's a savings of $15. This code is only available to Forever 35 listeners. To get started, just go to apostrophe.com Forever35 and click Get Started. Then use our code Forever35 at signup and you'll get your first Visit for only $5. Thank you apostrophe for sponsoring this episode. This show is sponsored by BetterHelp. There are fresh days ahead of us just waiting to be filled with your daily story. And in 2025, maybe you're ready for a plot twist. Or maybe there's a part of your story you've been wanting to revise. Now is as good a time as any to pick up the pen and become the author of your own life. And you can think of therapy as your editorial partner, helping you write new chapters and create the meaningful story you deserve to live with. Better help. It's entirely online, so starting is quick and easy and you don't have to deal with any of the in person nonsense like traffic parking. I mean, both those things are huge in LA or waiting rooms. You have access to a diverse network of more than 30,000 credentialed therapists with a wide range of specialties from relationships to grief to substance use and everything in between. And if one therapist isn't working out for you, you can easily switch therapists anytime at no extra cost, which, believe me, is okay and encouraged. If it's not working out, write your story with better help. Visit betterhelp.com forever35 to get 10% off your first month. That's betterhelp h e l p.com forever35 let's make a resolution to save more money in 2025. I gotta say, every year we make resolutions. Some we stick to, some we don't. I've tried to keep my desk clean and yeah, never quite make it through the year. Never quite make it through the month. But when you can make things automatic, that's how you make resolutions stick. Acorns makes it easy to start automatically saving and investing so your money has a chance to grow for you, your kids and your retirement. With just five minutes, you can set up a healthy money habit that takes others years to learn. You don't need to be an expert. Acorns will recommend a diversified portfolio that fits you and your money goals. You don't need to be rich. Acorns lets you invest with the spare money you've got right now. You can start with $5 or even just your spare change. You don't need to feel like financial wellness is impossible. Acorns gives you small, simple steps to get you and your money on track. Head to acorns.comforever35 or download the Acorns app to start saving and investing for your future today. Paid client endorsement compensation provides incentive to positively promote Acorns tier one compensation provided investing involves risk. Acorns Advisors LLC and SEC registered investment advisor. View important [e-mail] Forever35.

[Sleep Number Ad]

They say opposites attract. That's why the Sleep number Smart bed is the best bed for couples. You can each choose what's right for you whenever you like. You like a bed that feels firm but they want soft sleep number does that. You want to sleep cooler while they like to feel warm. Sleep number does that too. Why choose a sleep number Smart bed so you can choose your ideal comfort on either side. And now it's the lowest price of the season on the top selling i8 smart bed your best savings plus special financing limited time shop a sleep number store near you. See store or sleep number.com for details.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right, we are back and Elise, I want to kick things off with a voicemail if that's okay.

[Elise Hu]

Exciting.

[Listener Sarah]

Hi, this is Sarah pausing the pod like immediately following the story of the foreign body surgery of silly little Oscar. I work at an emergency hospital and I see things like this all the time. You will likely still be able to get pet insurance. This would be considered an accident when it comes to pet insurance for everyone. Look into what things are important for you and your animal. Like do you have a Like do you have a hunting dog? Like a high activity dog Then you should look for insurance that will cover like joint care and like they're called pplos, FHOs, like leg surgeries kind of. Kind of stuff. And I know that vet, especially emergency vet care is so expensive, but it is nothing compared to human vet care or human medical care. Right. So when you're talking about how expensive it is, please keep in mind how expensive human stuff is because we are at the mercy of human medical care as well. And as a gentle reminder to everyone, when a vet says, hey, we should do x rays for $800, if you have to go to the ER, it is going to be so much more. So the way to save money on ER is to do whatever you can at your regular vet. Putting that out there.

[Sleep Number Ad]

Hope that helps.

[Dory Shafrir]

Thanks.

[Elise Hu]

Bye. Such great recommendations that I have learned firsthand just last week.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, hopefully this whole saga will help list some other listener out there.

[Elise Hu]

I hope so. Yeah. I have been shopping for pet insurance. That's real. That's there. It turns out there are so many pet insurers out there. I had no idea. And really great programs and there's kind of like some startups for pet insurance that are trying to improve. Like there's this one called Wagmo that I'm really into just because their interface is very good, it seems like, and it's highly recommended. Yes, yes. But that advice about kind of like what the context of your dog's life is and what sort or cat or, you know, horse or whatever kind of thought about that. Really good.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Awesome. Thanks for the call.

[Dory Shafrir]

We should have gotten pet insurance for like injuries caused by chasing after squirrels.

[Elise Hu]

I need to get one for like cat, cat toy, foreign bodies, cat sabotage, cats. I don't know who covers that.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh my God. Okay, so this next email kind of goes along to what goes along with what we were discussing before the break. So I'll just read this. Hi y'all. I have attached a PDF of a declutter calendar. This is me, Dory, speaking. We will link to this in the show notes that I've used for years and find super helpful. I've been meaning to send this for a couple of years and think about it every time that Dory mentions how much she dislikes the clutter in her house. The calendar itself doesn't start until like page 18 or 19. There are a lot of words and introduction stuff in the beginning of the calendar that I just ignore. I also don't love the format of her website and I can't tell if she's problematic or not. I e batshit crazy or a maggot supporter, but I found her calendar to be so helpful and I get a new one when she posts it each year. I love all these, like, qualifications. Like, this person might be crazy, but great declutter calendar. Okay, moving on. I've been doing this for a good five or six years and the first year was a little tricky to get into the mindset, but things felt a little easier the second year. I found that by year three, the process was kind of ingrained in me and was much easier and quicker to tackle. I now tend to be more mindful of bringing things into my home. I edit my house more as I go from room to room, et cetera. The pile of crap still likes to settle right on our kitchen table, but it only takes me five minutes or so to be able to clear it. And the rest of my home feels much more controlled. Things get out of control and feel chaotic from time to time, but it is so much easier to tidy up now that I have a little less stuff and items have a mostly dedicated home. She breaks it down so that each day you do just one or two small tasks so it feels less daunting. I especially appreciate that she makes it a task to get stuff out of your house on the weekends. I used to declutter, but then the bag of items to donate moved to the garage for a while, then to the trunk of my car for a month or so. Now I just make it a habit to get it out of my house. Just figured I would suggest this in case no one else had let 2025 be the year that you gain control of your home. And that is from our listener, Kelly from Tacoma. And the calendar is on a website whose URL is home-storage-solutions-101.com which feels like some sort of weird, like, SEO farm.

[Elise Hu]

Also declutter your URL. How about that?

[Dory Shafrir]

Also, like, declutter your document. Like, she's right. Like, I did start reading this thing and I was like, there's too many words, like, just get to the calendar. I sent it to Matt and he had the same reaction. He was like, what? Like, if this is maybe she's really.

[Elise Hu]

Good at decluttering homes, but not really good at just editing text.

[Dory Shafrir]

Totally. Especially because I assume, like, a lot of people using this, like, maybe have ADHD or some sort of other neurodivergence that makes their house, like, overwhelming to to clean up. I speak from experience here and having like 20 pages to read through before you get to the actual Calendar I feel like is not super helpful, but I will be taking a look at this calendar and hopefully like using it in some way that is helpful to us. All right, we are going to listen to another voicemail. Elise Hey, I am a long time.

[Listener Sarah]

Listener from Santa Cruz and actually driving home from Christmas place where I was hanging out with my kids and I always listen to Barber35 when I was driving who are from Sacramento and Santa Cruz. I live in Sacramento now and grew up in Santa Cruz. I grew up that way a lot and I was just listening to your episode about hand creams and at least needing more hand creams in the wintertime. I also carry around tons of hand creams all the time and my favorite one that I want to put a plug in for is the tried and true Nivea hand seam. But in the little tank you can buy them on Amazon, these little 1oz pins and they're like kind of fancy because they're not in plastic, they're just in real metal. And I always get compliments on them and it's also a big scent memory for me because my mom always used to wear Nivea and her mother wore Nivea cream. So just a little plug for dry hands. Try the Nivea theme in the chin and get some compliments this winter.

[Dory Shafrir]

Thanks. Hi.

[Elise Hu]

The classic.

[Listener Sarah]

The tried and true.

[Dory Shafrir]

The classic. Sometimes the classic is a classic for a reason.

[Elise Hu]

They are. And also I love that the platform makes a difference in the way she thinks about it. Like delivery in the tin is just superior to delivery in plastic.

[Dory Shafrir]

So yes, yes, yes.

[Elise Hu]

I need to get a little tin to carry around with my Trader Joe's hand sanitizer spray that's always in my purse.

[Dory Shafrir]

Get a little tin.

[Elise Hu]

I'll add that to my always in my bag.

[Dory Shafrir]

Also, that actually like weirdly just reminded me of something that I just wanted to mention, which is this will seem unrelated but it's actually not. If something of yours breaks, you should check if there's a warranty because I have this like fanny pack from Baboon to the Moon. I don't know if you're familiar with this company, but it's this like cute like sort of. I don't know, I guess they're kind of trendy company that makes bags called Baboon to the Moon and I actually like really love this fanny pack. It's the perfect size and the zipper broke and I could like still sort of use it but like not really. Like it was always opening and I was looking around for another Fanny pack. Because I was like, oh, I guess I gotta get a new one. I was using this olu lemon one, but it was too small. And I finally just went to the Baboon to the Moon website. Maybe I just need to buy another one of this exact fanny pack. And then I was like, wait, this, like, on their product page they say, and there's a lifetime warranty. And I was like, lifetime warranty, you say? Yeah, I have. I have emailed them with pictures of the broken zipper and I will report back.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, my gosh, we should all be doing this.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

Like, we should be. We should be mending rather than throwing out, rather than discarding.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, yes, yes. So, you know, I think that this, like, this goes along with our theme in a couple of ways. One is not bringing more things into the house. The other is repairing what we already own. And then the third thing, which is how I started thinking about this fanny pack, is keeping a tin of Nivea in your fanny pack.

[Elise Hu]

Yes. Okay.

[Dory Shafrir]

I was like, oh, that would be interesting. Yeah. I was like, oh, that would fit in my fanny pack that is broken currently. So that's how we got there. All right, we are going to take another short break and we will be right back.

[Elise Hu]

We'll be right back.

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[Dory Shafrir]

All right, we have returned and we got a text that someone just wrote in. Hi, Dori, thank you so much for recommending Free Food for Millionaires. A while back I loved it. Free Food for Millionaires, if people don't remember, is a book by Min Jin Lee, who wrote Pachinko, which is definitely the novel that she is much better known for. But I think Free Food for Millionaires was her first published novel. And it is so good and so different and just like, just really, really, really delightful. It came out in 2007. Like, it feels like it's truly from like a different time. It takes place in New York. It's like got it sort of got like bright lights, big city vibes. Like, it's just so good. I kind of want to. Like, when I got the. When we got this text, I was Like, I kind of want to just reread this.

[Elise Hu]

Like, I definitely want to read it. It's on my tbr. It's on my TBR because of you. Because we talked about it during a pop culture episode, I think last year.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

I love pachinko. So. And I know this is totally different, but you know, Min Jin Lee as an author is worth following. So I'm really excited.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, that's the thing too is like, I love an author who can write two like amazing books that are completely different. It's just like, it's so cool.

[Elise Hu]

Like depth and breadth and range.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. I'm like, oh, your brain, that's amazing. Okay, moving on. We had asked, a listener had written in with a recommendation of an air fryer. Ninja air fryer.

[Elise Hu]

The Ninja air fryer.

[Dory Shafrir]

I was like, great. And then we were like, wait, there's like 20 ninja air fryers. Like, which one is it? And this person kindly responded and said, it's the Ninja foodie. And that is foodie F O O D I. And they say it's just the two of us. So we can often fit what we need in here versus the stove. And not having to wait for an entire overnight to preheat has been a game changer too. Oh, okay. Yes, it is. It's a. It's a toaster. It looks like a toaster oven.

[Elise Hu]

Uh huh. But it's digital fry, convection oven, toaster, air fryer. You can flip it away for storage. It has XL capacity and a stainless steel finish, all for under $200.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. I gotta say, the flip away for storage is pretty cool. I'm looking at the picture of it and I'm like, wow, this is some kitchen appliance technology that I did not know, that I did not know existed, that I feel like could change my life.

[Elise Hu]

I'm just saying you're probably more likely to clean underneath it because it flips.

[Dory Shafrir]

Away a thousand percent because you don't.

[Elise Hu]

Have to lift it up. Love, right?

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. Okay, Ninja, we would be happy to.

[Elise Hu]

Do personal endorsement for you. If you're looking for a podcast to.

[Dory Shafrir]

Sponsor Ninja, do you want to sponsor us and send us foodies? Also, in the Amazon reviews, someone has like a. A very nice looking pizza that they made.

[Elise Hu]

Okay, I'm gonna read the next text because it's related.

[Dory Shafrir]

Great.

[Elise Hu]

First, I can also attest to using the air fryer multiple times a day. It's that great of an appliance.

[Dory Shafrir]

Amazing.

[Elise Hu]

Second, this is a caller who has called in previously or written in previously and says, after hearing my f the east coast rant read on the pod, I realized it sounded a bit harsh. Maybe Georgia and Florida have great weather this time of year, so I'll narrow my rant to f the Northeast coast in December. I very much despise harsh winter weather. Enjoy your holidays. And speaking of harsh winter weather, it is freezing across most of America this week.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

There's like this major winter storm that blasted the Midwest and just kind of across the belt of the United States. So please stay warm. Stay.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. My sister, who now lives in Washington, D.C. posted they heard her girls have a snow day today. She posted a picture of them, like, all bundled up outside in the snow. So I hope everyone is staying safe and warm.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

And yeah. Yeah. I don't even want to tell people what the weather's like in LA today. So I won't.

[Elise Hu]

Right.

[Dory Shafrir]

I'm just gonna go about my business.

[Elise Hu]

Okay.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right. Thanks, everyone, for listening. We so appreciate you. Happy New Year. And if you're on the, if you're a Patreon supporter, we will talk to you again on Friday with our first of the year casual chat. And if not, we'll talk to you next week.

[Elise Hu]

Okay? Until next time.

[Dory Shafrir]

Bye.