Mini-Ep 428: News You Can Use

Summary

Forever35 Podcast – Mini-Episode 428: News You Can Use

Release Date: January 29, 2025
Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu

In this engaging mini-episode of Forever35, co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu delve into a variety of topics ranging from personal updates to listener questions, all while maintaining their signature humor and self-awareness. Here's a detailed summary of the episode's key discussions and insights.

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1. Welcome and Episode Overview

The episode begins with Doree and Elise introducing the format of this mini-episode, emphasizing that it focuses on listener interactions, comments, and questions. They remind listeners that while they aim to provide helpful insights, they are not experts and encourage seeking professional advice when necessary.

Notable Quote:

Doree Shafrir [02:56]: "But please remember, we are not experts. We are podcast hosts."

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2. Personal Updates

The hosts share personal updates, offering a glimpse into their ongoing projects and experiences.

• Elise's Documentary Efforts: Elise discusses her ongoing efforts to develop a documentary focused on young individuals rebuilding after devastating fires. She expresses excitement about capturing their resilience over the next year.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [04:29]: "Working on that over the weekend... follow some of these kids or, like, tweens and teens over the period of like, nine months or a year to see what happens after the fires."

• Doree's Tennis Tournament: Doree recounts her recent participation in a tennis tournament, highlighting both her victories and close losses. She describes the serene desert setting and the satisfaction of completing a year-long commitment to tennis.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [08:01]: "It was really nice. It was really a lovely setting, like, in the desert... it was just beautiful."

• Football Fandom Decline: Both hosts discuss their dwindling interest in football, attributing it to personal changes and evolving perspectives on the sport's culture.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [07:58]: "The farther I got away, like, the farther I got from Texas, the less I was really able to pay attention and follow."

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3. Balancing News Consumption

A listener posed a question about managing the influx of news, especially with a new administration and looming elections. Doree and Elise explore strategies to stay informed without feeling overwhelmed or emotionally drained.

Recommendations:

• Selective News Sources: They suggest turning to reputable local news outlets like NPR affiliates KCRW and KPCC, as well as digital platforms like LAist and the LA Times for balanced reporting.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [11:04]: "I really think we should shout out local news because we are watching local news outlets all over the country disappear."

• Structured News Consumption: Implementing specific times for news intake can help limit exposure and maintain mental well-being.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [13:23]: "Have specific times of the day that you like check in with the news and set a certain amount of time."

• Newsletter Subscriptions: Subscribing to focused newsletters on platforms like Substack provides curated, in-depth insights without the chaos of constant updates.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [14:17]: "Newsletters are a good way to go. I have been reading one on climate from Bill McKibben and Rebecca Traister on feminist issues."

• Preserving Mental Peace: Citing comedian Roy Wood Jr., they emphasize the importance of conserving personal peace to sustain energy for long-term challenges.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [16:02]: "Conserve and preserve your peace... you'll need that energy for the longer fight ahead."

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4. Listener Questions

The hosts address various listener inquiries, offering personalized advice and product recommendations.

a. Mascara Recommendations

A listener seeks advice on switching from Ilia mascara due to a formula change. Doree and Elise provide their top picks:

• Elise’s Pick: L'Oréal Voluminous Mascara in Blackest Black – praised for its ability to separate lashes without the stickiness of waterproof formulas.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [26:13]: "L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in blackest Black... it really separates your lashes."

• Doree’s Pick: Thrive Cosmetics Mascara – highlighted for its excellent performance and longevity.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [27:00]: "I have just stuck with it because I think it's such a great mascara."

b. Free Mugging

The "Free Mugging" segment explores the playful habit of clumsily spilling drinks. Listeners share their experiences and coping mechanisms.

• Elise’s Perspective: Embraces the small victories of not spilling, finding a sense of accomplishment in seemingly minor successes.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [30:11]: "I always feel a little bit accomplished when I free mug."

• Doree’s Story: Shares a personal anecdote about a last-minute change disrupting her plans, leading to an inevitable spill.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [29:05]: "I did what I had to do. And I just have empathy for the reluctant free platers."

---

5. Listener Email: Digitizing Precious Memories

A listener from Northridge shares her experience during the 1994 earthquake and seeks recommendations for digitizing printed photos and sentimental letters.

Recommendations:

• LegacyBox: Doree recommends LegacyBox for its reliable digitization services, allowing users to convert physical media into cloud-stored digital formats.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [36:12]: "LegacyBox... send in your old home movies, your photos, and they digitize everything and it all goes into the cloud."

• Alternative Services: They mention that other companies, including Costco, offer similar digitization services, providing listeners with multiple options based on their needs.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [36:39]: "They have different levels... it's up to two items which could be 50 photos."

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6. Product Recommendations ("Wrecks")

The hosts share their favorite finds from popular retail outlets, offering listeners practical suggestions for everyday needs.

• Costco Triumph: Celebrates Costco’s commitment to diversity, highlighting the company’s resistance against shareholder pressures to alter its DEIJ (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Justice) practices.

  Notable Quote:

  Elise Hu [38:09]: "Congratulations to Costco and way to stand up for the values of your company."

• Trader Joe’s Delight: Doree raves about Trader Joe’s "Tiniest Chocolate Chip Cookies," perfect as ice cream toppings or crunchy snacks.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [39:17]: "They would be an excellent as an ice cream topping. I just ate handfuls of these by themselves."

• Sam’s Club Nugget Tip: A listener shares a tip on Sam’s Club’s Southern Style Chicken Bites, likened to Chick-fil-A Nuggets, receiving high praise.

  Notable Quote:

  Doree Shafrir [39:05]: "They taste just like Chick Fil a Nuggets. 10 out of 10 would recommend."

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7. Closing Remarks

The episode concludes with a heartfelt thank you to listeners and a reminder of various ways to connect with the hosts, including calls, texts, emails, and social media platforms.

Notable Quote:

Doree Shafrir [36:12]: "We've got links there to everything we mentioned on the show."

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Conclusion

Forever35 continues to blend personal anecdotes with practical advice, fostering a sense of community among its listeners. This mini-episode effectively addresses contemporary challenges like news fatigue, offers beauty and lifestyle tips, and celebrates the importance of preserving memories, all while encouraging listeners to engage and share their experiences.

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Note: Advertisements and promotional segments for Masterclass, Bausch & Lomb, and Quince were present in the transcript but have been omitted from this summary to focus solely on the episode's content.

Transcript

[Elise Hu]

I'm feeling the need to learn something new itch that comes with every new year. And if you're feeling the same itch, then I highly recommend you check out Masterclass and the classes really make a difference. 88% of members feel that Masterclass has made a positive impact on their lives. I have recently taken the Shonda Rhimes writing class. I also did one from Aaron Sorkin because I'm trying to learn how to be a screenwriter or be a better one. And it's not just the classes themselves, it's also the materials that really help me out because I can kind of draw on them when I'm thinking about things like structure. But obviously Masterclass isn't just full of writers, it has experts on every topic imaginable. One of my go tos is the one about negotiation with the FBI negotiator Chris Voss. For just $10 a month, an annual membership with Masterclass gets you unlimited access to every instructor. Let's learn by doing this here right now, our listeners get an additional 15 off any annual [e-mail] forever35 that is 15 [e-mail] forever35 masterclass.com forever35 Our eyes.

[Dory Shafrir]

Do a lot for us, but how much attention do we really give them? Dry eye is increasingly common and can range from occasional or acute symptoms of eye dryness to to chronic dry eye. Chronic dry eye affects approximately 38 million Americans and can result in drying and damage to the surface of the eye, friction when blinking and inflammation. In fact, clinically significant inflammation is present in up to 65% of chronic dry eye cases.

[Elise Hu]

Additionally, for people who have pre existing inflammatory health issues such as autoimmune conditions, it may be a systemic issue that also impacts their eyes. So let's treat this serious business with help from the eye care experts at Bausch and Lomb, Bausch and Lom offers Zydra Lefidograph Ophthalmic Solution 5%, a prescription eye drop used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease by targeting inflammation. People experiencing chronic dry eye should talk to an eye doctor to discuss if Zydra could help.

[Dory Shafrir]

Don't use if allergic to Xijra and seek medical help if needed. Common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort, blurred vision and unusual taste sensation. Don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface before using Xiidra. Remove contact lenses and wait 15 minutes before reinserting. If you experience chronic dry eye, talk to an eye doctor to discuss prescription treatment options like Zydra and visit Zydra.com to learn more. 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 remember, we are not experts. We are podcast hosts. We always encourage you to seek support, first and foremost, from a medical and or mental health professional as needed.

[Elise Hu]

There are limits to our abilities. So many limits, at least for me. So we try to answer to the best of our ability, and then it also, like, wanes, you know, sometimes. Sometimes I feel greater capacity and sometimes I feel less.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, it's.

[Elise Hu]

But we do try our best.

[Dory Shafrir]

I mean. Elise, you have a TED Talk.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, yes. Today is TED Talk launch day. Or this week is TED Talk launch.

[Dory Shafrir]

Week is TED Talk launch day.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, but it's not out on YouTube yet. I think it comes out on YouTube next week. And so I don't have to deal with, like, YouTube commenters yet, which is great. I'm very daunted by the YouTube commenters of the world. There's actually people who comment and then con. Comment very abundantly on YouTube. So that is not something I have to worry about yet. Yes, yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

What else is going on with you?

[Elise Hu]

I am still in the field a little bit, trying to make this documentary or hope to get a documentary off the ground and financed. So did a little. Working on that over the weekend. And yes, listeners, if you missed that episode because there are so many, like, really compelling people and notably young people who are having to rebuild from these fires. Some production partners and I are going to try and follow some of these kids or, like, tweens and teens over the period of like, nine months or a year to see what happens after the fires kind of in this aftermath. And you. I saw you were in one of your two weekends in the desert. How did it go? How did you. I. How did y'all do at sectionals?

[Dory Shafrir]

We did okay. We won one match, like, very decisively, and then we lost two matches in, like, very close, annoying ways. I know. Like, both matches had two. So each match was three individual matches, like, three matches of doubles, and you needed to win two of those to win the match. And in each of the other two matches, we had two matches go to tie breaks, and we only won one of those, and so we lost Both matches.

[Elise Hu]

But it sounds like you fought hard. It sounds like you fought hard, though, all the way to the tie break.

[Dory Shafrir]

So we did. We fought hard.

[Elise Hu]

It's better to lose close, I think, than just get clobbered if you're gonna lose.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Over the weekend, there was. There were the AFC and the NFC championship games, and there was one of them where it was like, 55. I can't remember who scored 55 points in a football game, which is almost, like, unheard of these days.

[Dory Shafrir]

Wow.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, it was the Eagles game. Yeah, it was the Eagles championship game. So I watched some football. Watch some football over the weekend, clearly. But not. Not carefully enough to Remember who had 55 points. Come at me. Come at me, listeners.

[Dory Shafrir]

I did not watch any football. And in fact, I only knew who was going to the super bowl because someone texted one of my group chats to be like. Because they're. One of the people is an Eagles fan, and then the other is a big Taylor Swift fan, so they've started rooting for the Chiefs. And they were like, we're. We're going against each other in the Super Bowl. And I was sort of like, what? And I didn't even know the Eagles were, like, in contention. I, like, so do not follow football, and Matt doesn't follow football. Like, we're just not a football. A football home.

[Elise Hu]

So I. I used to be very into the NFL, and it's probably because of my Texas roots. Like, so much of culture is around it. You know, this is what you do on weekends to get together with friends. It's what you do on Monday nights. And. And then the farther I got away, like, the farther I got from Texas, the less I was really able to pay attention and follow. Like, especially when I lived on the other side of the planet, like, that was when I really couldn't follow NFL anymore because of the time zone differences. Like, all the games were at the worst possible times. And then that's.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

That's when I kind of fell off.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, yes.

[Elise Hu]

But playoff season still into.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. You know, Matt used to follow the Patriots because, what. We're from Boston, and he liked Tom Brady. But then, like, kind of simultaneously with Tom Brady leaving the Patriots, like, more and more stuff started coming out about and just how, like, horrible football is. And so he was like, okay, I'm done. I'm out. Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

So that just, like, ended, and I had no real football affinity. So, of course, Henry. Henry at school, they play flag football sometimes, and he, like, loves it, and I'm like, Oh, I don't.

[Elise Hu]

But you don't want them to play, like, football play.

[Dory Shafrir]

And I get that they're only doing flag, but I feel like flag is, like, the gateway to tackle, and so I'm like, let's, like, steer you in a different direction, please. The tennis tournament was super fun. Henry and Matt came with me. Henry watched the match. Henry watched the match that I won, which was nice. Yay. And it was really nice to get away. It was also just like a fun sort of culmination of this, like, year of tennis that I've. That I embarked on.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

And. Yeah, it was just fun. It was. It was a really lovely setting, like, in the desert, like, you're playing tennis, like, surrounded by mountains, and it was just beautiful. And. Yeah. Good vibe.

[Elise Hu]

That vibe is so good. It just. Yeah, that vibe is so good out there. It really makes you feel like you're on vacation, you know, like, because it's so distinct totally from our normal daily lives. I get it that plenty of people retire to the Palm Springs area, in which case that is your life every day, but it isn't for us. And so I do enjoy getting out there. I'm glad you had a good time.

[Dory Shafrir]

Thank you. Yeah, it was really. It was really nice. And I get to go back in three days, so.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

Which is kind of nuts.

[Elise Hu]

Hope you don't miss it too much.

[Dory Shafrir]

Hope I do not miss it too much.

[Elise Hu]

All right, well, we have lots of stuff, too. Lots of texts and emails I'm excited about. We do.

[Dory Shafrir]

And we actually. We have a text that I want to address before we take a break, which is with the new administration starting and the next four years looming, how have you been balancing staying informed with not feeling enraged and emotionally drained? Since you guys are also in la, is there any news source you've found, ideally off social media, that are good sources for LA and national news that feel informative and neutral, but not too doom and gloom? I mean, I have. I have some suggestions for the second one.

[Elise Hu]

Okay. Yeah, why don't we take. Go backwards.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, take the second question first. Little news outlet called npr, perhaps familiar that I enjoy. And the local NPR affiliates, KCRW and KPCC are both great. And KPCC also has laist, which I also think is a wonderful local news outlet. And the LA Times, like, has its own issues, but is also a good source for. For local LA news.

[Elise Hu]

And I really think we should shout out local news because we are watching local news outlets all over the country disappear because of lack of funding and Bad management and business models just not working. And one way that we can show that local news matters to us is by actually reading it and consuming it and subscribing it or becoming a member. So like vote with your attention. And I know that it is really difficult to follow all of the flooding the zone with shit, as Steve Bannon called it. And they do it on purpose, right? They flood the zone with shit so that you are, you feel flooded and helpless and then they can do more nefarious or cruel things. And so it is really hard during this moment. But yeah, local is one really intentional and difference making way to direct your attention, I think.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, I agree. And then how have you been? Are you balancing formed with not feeling enraged? Emotionally drained? This is very tough because my sort of like normal daily go to's when I'm just like checking in with the news are my New York Times app and my Apple news app and the New York Times has been bleak, bleak, bleak, AF and that. Yeah, so I, I've been sort of like avoiding looking at the times.

[Elise Hu]

I turned off alerts. Yeah, I turned off alerts.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. I didn't have alerts on ever. But yeah, do not have those alerts on because those will send you spiraling. I don't do this, but I feel like one way to approach this would be to have like specific times of the day or time of the day that you like check in with the news and set a, you know, set a certain amount of time. So it's like every day at 3, I check the news for 15 minutes or something like that. Again, I have not done this, but I feel like this could be a good way to just kind of like limit your consumption while still staying saying like a little bit informed. Are there any like, Elise, do you feel like there's any good sort of like news digests that people could read? I don't read the skim, but I feel like people like the skim for this kind of stuff sometimes I think.

[Elise Hu]

I'm turning more to newsletters, you know, substack newsletters on certain topics. Yeah, because I can't handle just going to a Washington Post or a New York Times or an LA Times homepage because it is just too overwhelming. And so I get, I get one on climate from Bill McKibben who's one of like the original environmentalists in America and, and very clear eyed and clear thinking Rebecca Traister who writes a lot about feminist issues and abortion. She just started a substack newsletter as well. And so I'VE been reading that. And so for the issues that you're interested in, newsletters are a good way to go. I have also turned away from just homepages and general news. I can't. I mean, Vox, you know, and the Atlantic tend to be a little bit more context focused as a lens instead of just headlines. So maybe if you want to know, like, how. What does this mean to me? Then places like that, like more magazine style, or Vox, which is explicitly explainer journalism, those could be places to turn.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, I'd love to hear from listeners how they navigate this, because I like, I know there are some, there are some people, and I've done this occasionally too, where you're just like, I cannot consume anything. And I don't think that's the answer. But I also think that, like, being glued to the news and obsessively, you know, checking it or looking at it all the time is also not super healthy. Probably. So, like, what is that? Happy medium.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. I listened to Roy Wood Jr. The comedian, talk about this and he's like, conserve and preserve your peace. So in this time of the zone being flooded, then make decisions to preserve and conserve your peace for now, you know, because you're gonna need that energy for the longer fight ahead and also for your own sort of creative energy and your ability to be there for your loved ones and your family members. Yeah. Let us know what you're doing.

[Dory Shafrir]

And just a reminder, if you want to let us know about your news, diet or anything else, call or text us at 781-591-0390. Email us at forever35podcastmail.com and as you know, we do have a website, forever35podcast.com. We've got links there to everything we mentioned on the show. We're on Instagram Forever35 podcast. And we do have a newsletter that I will get out at some point soon. Forever 35 podcast.com newsletter and folks, we.

[Elise Hu]

Have been partnering with our friends at Bausch and Lom because dry eye is a legit problem and it's a problem that I suffer from. So it ends up being a very good partnership between us and this brand to do a special branded segment. So you're going to hear our branded segment with Bausch and Lom, followed by our regular ad break. And then we will be back with more content from you, your questions and texts that we will address after our branded segment and our break. So we will be back. And now we've got another segment brought to you by the Eye Care Experts at Bausch and Lomb and produced by Acast Creative. Did you know more than 38 million Americans are affected by chronic dry eye? If the answer is no, you're not alone. So let's talk about it. We'll play a little game dory to learn more about this condition. Are you ready?

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, I am ready. Ready.

[Elise Hu]

Okay. Question one. Which of the following factors cannot lead to chronic dry eye? I'll give you a little multiple choice.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. Okay.

[Elise Hu]

A, increased digital device use, B, hormonal changes, C, underlying inflammation of the eyes or D, not wearing sunglasses indoors, which can't lead to dry eye.

[Dory Shafrir]

Is it increased digital device use?

[Elise Hu]

Can't be that. Because we know.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, we know.

[Elise Hu]

We know that leads to dry eyes.

[Dory Shafrir]

Right. And hormonal changes. While we know. We, you know, we know that that leads to chronic dry eye. Underlying inflammation of the eyes. Yes, we know that too. Okay. So it must be not wearing sunglasses indoors.

[Elise Hu]

That's right.

[Dory Shafrir]

Got it.

[Elise Hu]

I know. That was. I know that was a tricky one.

[Dory Shafrir]

It was a tricky one. I was like. Is this a trick question?

[Elise Hu]

Chronic dry eye is increasingly common. It can be influenced by several factors, including increased screen time, age, environment, or even the medications we're taking. However, inflammation can often be at the root of your symptoms. And for those experiencing chronic dry eye, Bausch and Lom offers Zydra lifidograph ophthalmic solution, 5%, a prescription eye drop used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease by targeting inflammation. I only have two more questions for you. Question two is a true or false. So this will be quick.

[Dory Shafrir]

True or false?

[Elise Hu]

Chronic dry eye can result in drying and damage to the surface of the eye, friction when blinking, and inflammation.

[Dory Shafrir]

I mean, based on, like, everything we've been talking about, this has to be true. Correct?

[Elise Hu]

Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

[Dory Shafrir]

Few. Okay.

[Elise Hu]

In fact, clinically significant inflammation is present in up to 65% of chronic dry eye cases. Additionally, for people who have pre existing inflammatory health issues, such as autoimmune conditions, it may be a systemic problem that also impacts their eyes. All right, one more question for you. Door. Final question.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay, I'm ready.

[Elise Hu]

Here we go. When you start experiencing dry eye symptoms over and over, you should, A, ignore it and continue to suffer like Elise.

[Dory Shafrir]

That seems wrong.

[Elise Hu]

B, turn to the Internet and Google your symptoms, Dr. Google.

[Dory Shafrir]

Probably not.

[Elise Hu]

C, talk to an eye care professional to discuss if prescription treatment options like Zydra could help. Ooh, none of the above.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay, I'm gonna. I'm gonna have to go with C.

[Elise Hu]

You got it right again correct. Phew. If you are experiencing dry eye symptoms over and over, talk to an eye doctor to discuss prescription treatment options like Zydra and visit Zydra.com to learn more.

[Dory Shafrir]

This segment is brought to you by the eye care experts at Bausch and Lom and produced by Acast Creative. Zydra treats the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease. Don't use if allergic to xiidra and seek medical help if needed. Common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort, blurred vision and unusual taste sensation. Don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface before using Xiidra. Remove contact lenses and wait 15 minutes before reinserting. For additional safety information and full prescribing information, visit Zydra.com you're encouraged to report negative side effects of prescription drugs to the FDA, visit www.fda.gov medwatch or call 1-800-FDA-1088. With a new year comes a new opportunity to reimagine ourselves and maybe more importantly, our wardrobe. This year I'm resolving to refresh my look with quality pieces and stay on budget. And I can. Thanks to Quince. I truly think everyone needs Quince's cozy Mongolian cashmere sweaters. They start at $50. $50. And there's no better workout motivation than some new activewear. Their moisture wicking bras and leggings are designed to move with you during your workout. I have their leggings. They are great as advertised. I can wear them for my workouts. I can wear them just hanging around. They're perfect. I'm also in love with their 100% organic cotton cropped cable crew sweater. It's the perfect weight for Los Angeles. And I just placed another order for their Comfort Stretch High Rise or Lax Straight jeans. Realize that's a lot of adjectives for some jeans, but they look very nice. And the Transit quilted small crossbody tote, which I'm hoping will be my perfect like Take Henry to Soccer bag. So stay tuned. But however you choose to refresh your look this year, all Quince pieces are priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. And they're able to do that by partnering directly with top factories, cutting out the cost of the middleman and passing the savings on to you. And they only work with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices. And of course they use premium fabrics and finishes for that luxury feel in every piece. Upgrade your closet this year without the upgraded price tag. Go to quince.com revver35 for 365 day returns plus free shipping on your order. That's Q-U-I-N-C-E.com forever35 to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quince.com forever35 our eyes do a lot for us, but how much attention do we really give them? Dry eye is increasingly common and can range from occasional or acute symptoms of eye dryness to chronic dry eye. Chronic dry eye affects approximately 38 million Americans and can result in drying and damage to the surface of the eye, friction when blinking and inflammation. In fact, clinically significant inflammation is present in up to 65% of chronic dry eye cases.

[Elise Hu]

Additionally, for people who have pre existing inflammatory health issues such as autoimmune conditions, it may be a systemic issue that also impacts their eyes. So let's treat this serious business with help from the eye care experts at Bausch and Lomb, Bausch and Lom offers Xydra lifidograph ophthalmic solution solution 5%, a prescription eye drop used to treat the signs and symptoms of dry eye disease by targeting inflammation. People experiencing chronic dry eye should talk to an eye doctor to discuss if Zydra could help.

[Dory Shafrir]

Don't use if allergic to Xijra and seek medical help if needed. Common side effects include eye irritation, discomfort, blurred vision and unusual taste sensation. Don't touch container tip to your eye or any surface before using Xijra. Remove contact lenses and wait 15 minutes before reinserting. If you experience chronic dry eye, talk to an eye doctor to discuss prescription treatment options like Zydra and visit Zydra.com to learn more. Hey everyone, I'm Michelle Norris, here to welcome you to your Mama's kitchen. Every Tuesday we bring you new stories from the childhood kitchens of fun guests like Stephen Colbert, John Legend, Ina Garten, Big Frida, Roy Wood.

[Elise Hu]

So many more people.

[Dory Shafrir]

I'll talk to guests who are artists, actors, chefs, musicians and more about how the food and the culinary traditions of their youth shaped their lives in interesting and sometimes surprising ways. It's delicious. Make sure to listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio or wherever you get your podcasts. All right, we are back with a kind of like OG forever 35 question which I love. We got a text that said hi, I need a mascara wreck. Also, how has it been over a year since I've written in? Look, I don't know but you should write in more. Anyway, I was a die hard Ilia fan but I swear they changed the formula. What's the best These days. Well, I want to preface this by saying that I've never been a die hard fan of the Ilia mascara, so.

[Elise Hu]

So you're not going to suggest something that is like the Ilia mascara?

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Did you have a suggestion, Elise?

[Elise Hu]

I have been so loyal to the L'Oreal voluminous in blackest Black for basically my whole adult life. I discovered it from a makeup artist that worked with me who said, like, this is her favorite drugstore product. You know, like all her. The rest of her kit was good. You know, really expensive things that you can't get at drugstores. But then she had L'Oreal Voluminous Mascara in black is black. And not the waterproof kind, just the regular kind because the waterproof can be too sticky and get gunky. But the non waterproof kind really separates your lashes. And apparently, you know, L'Oreal and Lancome, they share a manufacturing facility. So it's also the Lancome mascara.

[Dory Shafrir]

Right? Yeah. Just depending on who brands, Lancome is obviously more expensive if you are open to a tubing mascara, which not everyone is. I love the Thrive cosmetics mascara I started using when they advertise, they briefly advertise on the show, and so they sent us some. And I have just like stuck with it because I think it's such a great mascara. So that would be my wreck.

[Elise Hu]

Okay. Yeah, so there's a few wrecks for.

[Dory Shafrir]

You, few recs for you. All right, we're moving on to the free mugging portion of the pod.

[Elise Hu]

Free mugging is back in our conversation because I discovered the other day. Yes, it's back. And clearly we have some listeners that listen all the way through to the end of our episodes. Because at the end of one of our recent episodes, I shared the news that I discovered Rob is a proud free mugger. And it's making me completely reassess him. Like, I don't know. Will this relationship last?

[Dory Shafrir]

Wow.

[Elise Hu]

Don't know. Don't know. But he's very proud. He's very proud of it. And then that has then prompted some of you to write in dory, do you want to do the text? And then we. Looks like we have a voicemail too.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. All right. As an aggressive free mugger with adhd, one reason why the spills don't matter is because, one, the coffee is generally never piping hot. Two, the mug is generally never full to the brim. And three, I am the type of person who can and will and has spilled coffee slash matcha latte, all over myself from a Starbucks to go container. Yes, the one with the itty bitty hole for drinking Viva la free mug. So I guess what this person is saying is that, like, even if there is a lid on their coffee cup, they're gonna spill it anyway. So, like, why bother?

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Which is interesting because, like, if you have. I'm just saying if you have like a travel coffee mug, you can like, lock, like, you can close it. So that, that little thing is. No.

[Elise Hu]

Right.

[Dory Shafrir]

But I digress. I'm gonna share something personal about this, but first I'm gonna play voicemail because we actually also got a voicemail about free mugging.

[Elise Hu]

Okay. Hey, this is the caller from Santa Cruz. Okay, hot take on free mugging. I think part being a free mugger myself, I think part of the value of free mugging is when you do it and you don't spill something, you accomplish something that day. It's like that little bit of making you feel good about yourself. Like, you're like skiing, like, you're going down a mountain and you could crash at any time and run into a tree and be hurt, but you're not. You're cruising down that mountain and you look good doing it. And people are looking over and they're like, wow, that woman is driving with hot tea in her hand and look at her go. She's still wearing a cool outfit and it doesn't have tea all over it. I always feel a little bit accomplished when I free mug, and maybe that's why I do it. Have I spilled in my car? Absolutely. But the days that I don't, I feel really cool.

[Dory Shafrir]

Have I spilled in my car? Absolutely. I love this. It's like this little free song of accomplishment when you don't.

[Elise Hu]

It's worth it for the win. It's worth it for the win. I get that. Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

So funny. That's really funny. I totally get this. And like, look, I'm all for finding, like, little dopamine hits where we can get them. So I respect this. I respect the honesty also, I gotta say. Okay, so here is my own story, which is over the weekend, I had this, like, finely crafted timing for Sunday where I was going to play a tennis match, I was going to run back to my Airbnb or drive back to my Airbnb, shower, change, and get back to the venue in time to see the second match of the. Of the day on Sunday that I wasn't playing in, and then drive home after that because I was like, I don't want to drive home in My, like, sweaty. I don't want to be sitting in my sweaty tennis clothes for like four hours and then drive home for two more hours. And I'd like arranged with the Airbnb that I could get late checkout and blah, blah, blah. And then because there was rain in the forecast, they. They decided like last minute to move the second match from 2:30 to 1:30. And we were all sitting there, like, having lunch from the little, like, snack bar. I had gotten a turkey club where I. I subbed the. I subbed avocado for bacon because as listeners probably know, I don't eat bacon. And I had taken like a few bites of the sandwich, and then I was like, oh, no, I gotta go. So I, like, grabbed the sandwich, which is on like a paper plat plate, run to my car. I'm like, I guess I'm eating the sandwich in the car.

[Elise Hu]

So no lid?

[Dory Shafrir]

No lid. The sandwich sort of fell apart. And, you know, it wasn't ideal, but it was, you know, I did what I had to do. And I, I just, I have empathy for the reluctant free platers, I guess, is what I'm saying.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. So do you feel like this has changed you now? You're more willing to take these. These risks?

[Dory Shafrir]

No, absolutely not. Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

I feel like I'm so much more okay with free plating than I am with free bowling or free mugging. I don't know what that's about. Huh. Why?

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, that's interesting.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Why is it more okay with me that it's a solid food on a plate than like something goopy in a bowl or liquid in a mug? Huh. Because I free plate all the time, you know. But then I'm so judgy about free mugging. Fascinating. All right, we'll dive into that another time.

[Dory Shafrir]

Do you want to take this next one?

[Elise Hu]

Sure. I wanted to throw in an opinion about the holiday and Christmas decoration piece. Specifically. I'd argue you can leave all your decor up until 40 days after Christmas. Ideal candlemas, and that's the Christmas as that's the Christmas season. Oh, I. E. Candlemas as that's the Christmas season. So we can give ourselves a break. Also, we need the cheer of lights and ornaments into the long days of. Of winter and not when it's still fall. I think the post Halloween holiday decorating is absurd. And when Elise mentioned having to manage multiple rounds of pills for the dog, I want to put in a plug for the iPhone health app where they have a very nifty interface to track multiple medications and their Dosages to go with each at multiple times a day. It'll prompt you via notification and you can mark off taken or skipped. I used to use reminders for that, but this is far superior. Oh, I didn't know the iPhone health app did that. And now I will try it. Well, first of all, Oscar is out of his multiple medication regimen. Thank the sweet Lord. So I don't have, you know, a test subject right now, but next time, Now I will know. Now I will know. Thank you.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. Wow. I love. I love these life hacks. I love these tips. All right, Elise, let's take another little break and we will be right back.

[Elise Hu]

We'll be right back.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. We have returned and we have a an email. Elise, would you mind reading this?

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Thanks as always for your shows. I look forward to them every week with all the talk about what to bring with you in case of an evacuation. I was thinking about printed photos. I have so many albums of them. I'm wondering if anyone can recommend a service to digitize my printed photos. Also, I have saved letters and cards that are sentimental to me. Does anyone save these digitally? Thanks for any advice or recommendations, Dory, by the way, I lived in Northridge during the 1994 earthquake and that was a wild ride. Our family and home were okay. Unfortunately, my high school was damaged and we couldn't return to it, so the students were relocated to seminary down the road. I went to a Catholic high school at the time, which explains the seminary. Jen. Okay, do we have any recommendations? I feel like I am advertised via Instagram and maybe tick tock some of these services that will digitize. Okay, but so surely there are better ones than others.

[Dory Shafrir]

There's an advertiser who has not advertised on the show for quite some time, but perhaps they will come back at some point. And it looks like their code is still working. I just checked it and it is for legacy box where you send in like your old home movies, your photos, and they digitize everything and it all goes into the cloud and then they send your stuff back.

[Elise Hu]

Yay.

[Dory Shafrir]

And people really like it. It looks like they have like different levels. So they have one where it's up to two items, then up to 10 items, up to 20 items, up to 40 items, and one item is one reel, one tape, or a pack of 25 photos. So it looks like for the starter kit you would get get up to two items which could be 50 photos. Okay. Okay. I have. You know what? I have actually been thinking about this a lot because of the fires Here in la.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, a lot of people lost all of their physical possessions, all of their physical media, all of, like, all of their artwork, like, all the stuff. And yeah, the. The thought of being like without that stuff would be really hard. And so I've just been thinking about, like, digitizing it all for sure, and it has felt quite daunting. I just mentioned Legacy Box because I'm familiar with it because they advertise on the show. There's other companies that do this, I think. I think even Costco does it. So that could also be something to look into. So, Elise, we recently heard from someone who was like, hey, you guys recommend Costco and Trader Joe's stuff all the time. What about Sam's Club?

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, I was like, what about Sam's Club?

[Dory Shafrir]

I haven't. Haven't been to a Sam's Club. Oh, also, remember how I was like, there's no beat. Like, I remember BJ's Wholesale Club. I drove past one on my way home from the desert. There's one somewhere east of Los angeles off the 10.

[Elise Hu]

So if anyone, like, you're gonna become a member, though.

[Dory Shafrir]

I don't think so. It's a little bit far. Also, I just want to note, I drove home mostly in the dark in the pouring rain, which. Don't recommend. Don't recommend. Was not great alone. So, yeah, not. Not the best. Okay. So someone wrote in and said, hey, ladies. Hot Sam's Club tip the members mark Southern style chicken bites taste just like Chick fil a Nuggets. 10 out of 10 would recommend.

[Elise Hu]

Wow, that's a hard breading formula to get right. Because I think there's a lot of recipes like try and make your nuggets like the Chick Fil a nuggets, and it never quite works out. So.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, totally.

[Elise Hu]

How about that Sam's Club?

[Dory Shafrir]

I mean, it's like, inspiring me to like, like, seek out Sam's Club. I mean, not really. It's not like I have some like, big thing for chick Chick Fil a nuggets, but my kids do though, so that.

[Elise Hu]

That would be a real clutch item to have in my house.

[Dory Shafrir]

Maybe you need to seek out Sam's Club. I'm just saying. All right, do we have any Costco or Trader Joe's wrecks this week?

[Elise Hu]

Well, just I'd like to shout out and recognize Costco generally because there was. Was a kind of political effort, I think, at the executive level or at the shareholder level to try and get Costco to review its DEIJ practices and Costco was like, no, we're not going to get rid of our DEIJ practices. And then 90% of shareholders also backed that. Backed the company and saying, like, no, of course the diversity of our company is very important to our company. And so they were able to kind of of beat back this rebellion from these activist shareholders or an activist private capital group. I can't remember. So congratulations to Costco and way to stand up for the values of your company, the values of inclusiveness and diversity in a time where a lot of companies are sort of like, revisiting them because they're trying to be. Now there's this anti woke movement, but Costco's like, no, man. Our. Our employees matter to us and our employees. Diversity is actually what makes this company so strong. So just shout out to Costco generally. And then my Trader Joe's wreck for this week is the tiniest chocolate chip cookies. It's a bag that's labeled. It's. They come in a bag, not a box. And they're called tiniest chocolate chip cookies. And they are the size of like, like super large sprinkles, basically, or chocolate chips, you know, and so they're not big. They are actually quite tiny. And they would be an excellent as an ice cream topping. But I just ate handfuls of these by themselves. So very crunchy. I like a nice crunchy Elise.

[Dory Shafrir]

Elise texted a photo of these to me as I was literally pulling into a Trader Joe's How. This past weekend in the desert to, like, pick up something for lunch. And I was like, you know what? Why don't I just get these? And I. I couldn't find them. So I showed it. She. She had texted me a picture, so I showed the picture to one of the employees and he's like, oh, yeah, they're over here. So I bought some. I didn't tell you this. I bought some. What'd you think? I liked them. I. I didn't. I didn't love them, but I liked them.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

I did take your advice and I offered them to my son as an ice cream topping.

[Elise Hu]

Ooh.

[Dory Shafrir]

And he liked. He enjoyed that. He liked that.

[Elise Hu]

Okay, I'm gonna try that. I'm gonna try that next.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Yeah. So that was. That was good.

[Elise Hu]

Awesome.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right, everybody, thanks so much and we will talk to you soon.

[Elise Hu]

All right, until next time.

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

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