Mini-Ep 430: Soft As A Baby’s Bottom

Summary

Forever35 Podcast Summary: Mini-Ep 430 – "Soft As A Baby’s Bottom"

Release Date: February 12, 2025
Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu

In this engaging and heartfelt mini-episode of Forever35, co-hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu delve into topics of friendship, sustainable living, and personal self-care, all while responding to listener voicemails with their signature humor and warmth. The episode, titled "Soft As A Baby’s Bottom," emphasizes the importance of maintaining real-life connections and offers practical advice on everyday challenges.

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1. Kickoff to Friendship Month

The episode begins with Doree and Elise celebrating Friendship Month, sharing personal anecdotes about reconnecting with friends and highlighting the significance of nurturing these relationships.

• Doree shares her upcoming birthday trip:

  "[05:09] Doree Shafrir: ...we're meeting up in Ciudad de Mexico, so. CDMX Mexico City. Very excited. I hear the food scene there is amazing."

• Elise recounts a heartfelt moment with her friend Elizabeth:

  "[13:28] Elise Hu: I had said last week that I was going to tell Elizabeth in person how much, like, I appreciated our friendship. And I did do that. I mean, a very, like, a very emotional moment. Like, tear."

The hosts emphasize the joy of real-life interactions over digital connections, underscoring the value of face-to-face friendships, especially in midlife.

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2. Upcoming Guests and Topics

Doree and Elise preview the upcoming guests for the month, including Anna Goldfarb, Kasli Killam, Raina Cohen, and Dr. Marissa Franco. They express excitement about the diverse expertise these guests will bring, particularly in the realm of platonic friendships and connections.

• Doree previews the guests:

  "[13:48] Doree Shafrir: ...they have different areas of specialty when it comes to platonic friends and connection in general."

The hosts highlight how each guest will contribute uniquely to the conversation about sustaining meaningful relationships.

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3. Sustainable Cooking Practices

A listener voicemails brings up the use of AI tools like ChatGPT for generating recipes tailored to small household needs. The discussion evolves into a broader conversation about the environmental impact of AI and digital tools.

• Listener's concern:

  "[21:26] Dory Shafrir: ...the use of this tool uses so much water and other natural resources, so I don't think people are aware of how devastating it is for the environment."

• Doree responds thoughtfully:

  "[23:52] Dory Shafrir: ...so it's hard for me to kind of like tease apart. But also, you know, it's interesting because like I was trying to, I use it to try and be sustainable and not be wasteful with my food..."

The hosts acknowledge the complexities of balancing technological convenience with environmental responsibility, encouraging listeners to make informed choices.

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4. Chocolate Chip Cookie Solutions

Multiple voicemails address the challenge of making small batches of chocolate chip cookies without wasting ingredients. Doree and Elise provide practical solutions and share their personal strategies.

• Doree's advice on freezer cookie dough:

  "[24:12] Dory Shafrir: ...freeze them on a flat tray with, like, parchment paper so it doesn't stick... just throw those lumps of chocolate chip cookie dough into a plastic bag and then bake off whenever you want."

• Elise adds her method:

  "[25:29] Elise Hu: ...I have done this with the copycat Levain chocolate chip cookie recipe."

These tips offer listeners effective ways to enjoy fresh cookies without the commitment of large batches, enhancing their kitchen efficiency.

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5. Med Spa Experiences and Self-Care

A heartfelt voicemail from a listener discusses her positive experiences at a med spa, using Botox for TMJ and considering IPL treatments for skin concerns. The hosts engage in a conversation about the accessibility and benefits of med spas compared to traditional dermatological services.

• Listener's journey:

  "[32:35] F: ...I went, got Botox. It has helped tremendously. I no longer am clenching my teeth as much..."

• Elise's appreciation:

  "[34:52] Elise Hu: ...Thank you, Elise. Such a good reminder. And Jessica Craven is a wonderful human."

Doree and Elise commend the listener's proactive approach to self-care, reinforcing the importance of seeking solutions that enhance personal well-being.

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6. Affordable Nugget Couches for Families

A listener shares her successful find of an affordable nugget couch from Sam's Club, providing an alternative for parents seeking budget-friendly options without compromising quality.

• Listener's recommendation:

  "[35:05] Elise Hu: ...I really wanted to get a nugget couch for my son, but the price tag was a bit steep for my budget. So I got the Sam's Club brand one. It was only $150."

• Doree and Elise discuss preferences:

  "[36:37] Dory Shafrir: ...I will put a call out, though, to listeners to. If you have a good sort of futon type option..."

The conversation highlights cost-effective solutions for family-friendly furniture, catering to listeners with young children.

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7. Final Thoughts and Community Engagement

As the episode wraps up, Doree and Elise express gratitude towards their listeners for their continued support and engagement. They encourage more voicemails and interactions, fostering a sense of community and shared experiences.

• Doree's closing remark:

  "[35:03] Dory Shafrir: Yeah. Love the Sam's Club heads showing themselves."

• Elise's friendly sign-off:

  "[37:31] Elise Hu: Bye."

The episode concludes on a warm note, celebrating friendships and the collective journey of self-care and personal growth.

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Notable Quotes:

• Elise on Friendship:

  "[13:28] Elise Hu: ...I had said last week that I was going to tell Elizabeth in person how much, like, I appreciated our friendship."

• Doree on Sustainable Choices:

  "[23:52] Dory Shafrir: ...I use it to try and be sustainable and not be wasteful with my food..."

• Doree on Freezer Cookie Dough:

  "[24:12] Dory Shafrir: So what I think that you should do is Google Freezable chocolate chip cookie dough and find recipes that are well suited..."

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Conclusion

Mini-Ep 430 of Forever35 effectively blends personal stories with practical advice, all while engaging with their listener community. Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu continue to provide a relatable and insightful exploration of self-care, friendship, and everyday solutions, making this episode a valuable listen for anyone navigating the complexities of modern life with grace and humor.

Transcript

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

I also love just how much of the mental load HelloFresh takes off of me. It's not even so much the cooking, it's the coming up with the ideas of what to make for dinner. Like seriously, it takes that away. They have this one meal that is mozzarella and herb chicken with roasted carrots and this like really nice buttery couscous that is so delicious. It's so flavorful and it's also really filling and also really easy. So it like hits all of my. It hits all of my requirements.

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

Elise, I gotta tell you about a couple of the things that I've gotten recently from quints. One of them is the transit quilted small crossbody tote. I had been looking for something exactly like this to just like carry around when I need to take Henry to soccer or something and like need I need room for a water bottle, I need room for all the other accoutrements, but I don't want some massive bag. It's perfect Has a little handle, but then it also has a crossbody strap. I love a crossbod. It's just. It's the best.

[Dory Shafrir]

So cute. You showed me the link. And the best part about all Quince items is that they're priced 50 to 80% less than similar brands. By partnering directly with top factories, Quince cuts out the cost of the middleman and passes the savings on to us. And Quince only works with factories that use safe, ethical and responsible manufacturing practices in premium fabrics and finishes, like with Dory's crossbody.

[Elise Hu]

Give yourself the luxury you deserve with quint. Go to quint.com forever35 for free shipping on your order and 365 day returns. That's Q-U-I-N C E.com forever35 to get free shipping and 365 day returns. Quint.com forever35 hello and welcome to Forever35, a podcast about the things we do to take care of ourselves. I'm Dory Shafrir.

[Dory Shafrir]

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

[Elise Hu]

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're not experts or podcast hosts. We always encourage you to seek support first and foremost from a medical and or mental health professional as needed.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. Yes, indeed. I have a serum question, actually.

[Elise Hu]

Oh, my gosh. Wow.

[Dory Shafrir]

At least you calling in. Yes, I do have a serum question in which I was like, in a real rush this past weekend because I had to be a set mom for three days in a row. And I left the house one morning after putting serum on, but not moisturizer. Like, not a lotion cream after.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

And my face felt kind of just like watery and dry, so I cut. Do you. Does lotion, like, seal the serum in any way or is it just like. I'm used to putting on something after it and it felt kind of undone?

[Elise Hu]

I think both.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay.

[Elise Hu]

I think, like, the moisturizer is, like, truly moisturizing.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, the serum is all supposed to be moisturizing.

[Elise Hu]

Well, depends what the serum is. Sometimes I'll put my serum on and I'll let it dry and then I'll forget to put moisturizer on because I'm like, I go and do something else while it dries and then I'm like, why does my skin feel dry? Yeah, so, yeah, so that's like, definitely a thing. Elise, we Kicked off Friendship Month.

[Dory Shafrir]

Happy friendship Month, my friend.

[Elise Hu]

Happy friendship Month, friend.

[Dory Shafrir]

And we actually did a real life hang. It was sort of unplanned. It was a spontaneous real life hang. Yes. And over in Dory's hood. And today, Oscar is going to wear his new Kirkland brand.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

DOG shirts.

[Elise Hu]

Did you try it on?

[Dory Shafrir]

Not yet. Not yet. I got home so late last night, and then it was super bowl time. I cannot wait. I'm going to send a photo. I'll put a photo up to the Patreon.

[Elise Hu]

Excellent. Yeah. I had bought Beau this Kirkland shirt. Essentially. Dog.

[Dory Shafrir]

It just says Kirkland all over it.

[Elise Hu]

It just says Kirkland on it. And I just bought him a large because, like, in Target brand clothing, he is a large. But I didn't, like, look at the size chart, which is my bad. And he's like 20 pounds over the upper weight limit of the LAR. So I didn't even, like, bother trying it on him. I was like, whatever. And then I told Elise she could have. But then I kept forgetting to give it to her. And then finally yesterday, we did the handoff at probably the last possible moment where it will fit Oscar, so it will fit him for, like, three days. And Elise also got to meet Henry, which was exciting.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes. Henry led us on a walk around the neighborhood and navigated. Every time we got to the end of a block, we asked him, all right, you want to go? Which way do you want to go? And sometimes he would choose left, and sometimes he would choose forward. But in a real twist, at one point, he chose U turn.

[Elise Hu]

We weren't expecting it.

[Dory Shafrir]

Neither of us. Yeah, neither of us saw that coming.

[Elise Hu]

You're like, wow. Wow, Henry. Yeah. We were driving to a birthday party, and Elise texted me to say she was going to be in my neighborhood and did I want to go on a walk later and also do the handoff. And I texted her back, and Henry was like, who was that? And I said, oh, that was. That was my friend Elise. And he's like, what did you. What are you. Like, what are you doing? And I said, well, when we get back from the birthday party, I'm gonna go on a walk with her. And he was sort of like, can. Can I come in, like, this really sweet way? And I was like, of course. Of course you can come.

[Dory Shafrir]

He's a good hang. He's. He's a fun hang.

[Elise Hu]

He's a fun hang. He's a fun hang.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Yeah. I. And I really needed to get out of that windowless soundstage. Oh, God, like, it's such a breath of fresh air just to like A, get to see my friend Dory, but B, be out in the sunshine and feel the wind.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

On your face.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Touch grass as they say.

[Elise Hu]

Total like literally grass. Yeah. Yeah. What else has been happening with you?

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh boy. Well, it's my birthday week coming up and I like to celebrate for a while, so I'm really excited. We're gonna go on a little birthday trip, me and my best girlfriend. Speaking of friends, my longtime bestie, Liz. Shout out to Liz, who lives in Chicago. I haven't seen her since we went to the eras tour, the first year of the eras tour. So 2023. So this is the first time we're going to get together since then. And we're meeting up in Ciudad de Mexico, so. CDMX Mexico City. Very excited. I hear the food scene there is amazing. And you know, I like to eat my face off on vacation. That's like one of my favorite activities. People love Mexico City. Like it is a very beloved world city and a lot of folks have lived there or spent a lot of time there. I have the benefit of being very good friends with Eder Peralta who is the Mexico City bureau chief for npr. And so he is going to take spend Sunday part of Sunday and then Saturday night with us. And so I think that'll be fun. And then some friends who are also going, they offered to do the. You can do a hot air balloon ride above the pyramids, my impairments, if you want. And they offered that. But then they said we don't know what your vacation vibe is because you do have to get up at like 5:30 in the morning in order to like go out of town to get on the hot air balloon.

[Elise Hu]

That's probably not your vacation vibe.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, that was an immediate. No, that was.

[Elise Hu]

You've been, you've been tortured by early wake ups this whole semester or like this whole year because of your daughter's new schedule. You're like, I am not waking up at 5:30.

[Dory Shafrir]

Nope.

[Elise Hu]

What a lovely gesture though.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, yes. So they are planning a dinner instead, which is my vibe.

[Elise Hu]

So like yes. Just yes, yes, yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

Drinks and laughter and food and merriment. Those are my vibes. Or that. Those are part of my vibe.

[Elise Hu]

So good. Yeah. I was going to offer to ask my friend who is like a real food person who was just in Mexico City if he had any wrecks, but it sounds like you're covered.

[Dory Shafrir]

And we only have so many meals that we can squeeze into three Days, Yes.

[Elise Hu]

You know, so totally.

[Dory Shafrir]

I will. I will have a to do list or to eat list after this one, I'm sure. Anyway, yeah. What about you? How are you surviving? How are you surviving these unprecedented times?

[Elise Hu]

You know, my friend Elizabeth was in town. We had such a lovely time. It was really nice to see her. It was also really nice to go to the Korean spa. I hadn't been in so long, I got scrubbed. I sat in.

[Dory Shafrir]

So you have no dead skin cells on your body anymore.

[Elise Hu]

Basically, cells don't even go looking for any because they're not there. They've been scrubbed off by a lovely woman named Grace.

[Dory Shafrir]

Grace, of course. Yes. Yeah. You're probably as soft as a baby's bottom.

[Elise Hu]

That's exactly how I describe myself. I describe myself as, like, sort of like. I sort of also felt like a newly shorn sheep, you know, not that I really know what that feels like, but I imagine it's similar. Like, you're just like. You shed. You shed so much. So. Yeah. So that was great. I had some veggie dumplings. I also got some shave ice, which was great. We. We laid in some. We went up to the roof. Like, we just, you know, we really had a time. And then we all, like, went back to our respective homes slash hotels to, like, regroup. And then we met up for dinner on Saturday night, which was really nice. And I, like, don't go out to dinner anymore. So I was like, oh, yeah. I remember when I used to, like, go out to dinner, I, like, got dressed in, like, real clothes. My friends were like, whoa. Like, literally. They were like, oh, you cleaned up nice.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

They were like, oh. And I was like, yeah. You know, I. I guess this is. It's weird for me. I just. So, yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, that sounds really great. And that you got to kick off Friendship Month. I mean, I know it was unplanned, but that you got to kick off Friendship Month with a visit from a good friend. I think it speaks to a lot of the things that we're going to hear about this month, which includes things like getting together in real life, how important it is to get in real life. FaceTime, which I'm doing with my friend Elizabeth, my friend Liz as well, and then also kind of just the consistency and intention that we have to put into our friendships, especially in midlife. So how lovely. Yeah, you're kind of living the lessons of the month.

[Elise Hu]

It was great. And, you know, I had said last week that I was going to tell Elizabeth in person how much, like, I appreciated Our friendship. And I did do that. I mean, a very, like, emotional moment. Like, tear. I, I got teary and yeah, it was just, it was like a great, just a great weekend.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, we want to preview some of our guests that are going to be on later this month on Monday. You heard from Anna Goldfarb already. And coming up in the coming weeks are Kasli Killam and Raina Cohen and Dr. Marissa Franco. And all of them know each other but spoke to us independently. They have different areas of specialty when it comes to platonic friends and connection in general. So, really excited to host them this month.

[Elise Hu]

I did think it was funny that all of them asked who else we were having on and we were. And when we told them, they were like, oh, yeah, okay. Yeah, it's all their friends.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, they're all, they all know each other.

[Elise Hu]

It's like, yeah, right? All their, their. They were like, yeah, you got the, you got the, you, you check the boxes, you know. Yeah. We're gonna have Anna Goldfarb back on at the end of the month to respond to your questions about friendship. And I know we've gotten a bunch of them already. We'd love to get more. So please keep them coming because, yeah, she's great and she's excited. Yeah, yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

So when we do the intro to that mini app, we get to say we're not experts, but we have one on.

[Elise Hu]

All right, well, let's take a break. Before we do that, I just want to remind everyone our voicemail number is 781-591-0390. You can also text us on that number. You can call or text us with like your regular mini app questions and then also your friendship questions or email them to us at forever35podcastmail.com Visit our website forever35podcast.com we have links there to everything we mention on the show. We are on Instagram @forever35podcast. We have our [e-mail] newsletter and you can shop our favorite products at shopmy us./forever35 and we are going to take a short break. We'll be right back.

[Dory Shafrir]

We'll be right back. Since 2017, Prose has transformed traditional hair and skincare with a made to order model that reduces waste, celebrates unique beauty over one size, fits all beauty standards and works better than off the shelf alternatives. Developed in Paris and bottled fresh in Brooklyn and la. Prose combines the know how of its world class team of in house cosmetic chemists with an algorithm that personalizes your formulas based on more than 85 unique factors. You are always changing and so is your pros. Your formulas evolve alongside you and pros will address any new concerns. Adjust your formulas with the seasons and learn from your feedback for better hair with every order. I know that Dory and I have both found that to be the case.

[Elise Hu]

Yes. So I've actually used this to great results. I used to have a leave in conditioner from Prose which I liked.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

But I was like, I think my hair is feeling a little dry. And I went into their review and refine Fine feedback tool. I told them this and they sent me a conditioner to use in the shower like a regular conditioner. And it has made a world of difference. I also have adjusted the fragrance. You know, I do like a touch of fragrance sometimes in my shampoo. Yeah. You know, I'm very picky about fragrance, so I'm always tweaking. But I love the Prose fragrances. They're. They're like the perfect hint of fragrance.

[Dory Shafrir]

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[Elise Hu]

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[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, we do.

[Elise Hu]

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[C]

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[Elise Hu]

We are back. We got a text. Elise, do you want. Do you want to take this one?

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, sure. Hi Forever35. Thank you for your solidarity and support through the pod right now. Love y'all. On a recent mini app, Elise was talking about using chat GPT to give recipes for you when you just want two cookies or to use one banana in your fridge. I have one recommendation and one request. First, I love Christina Lane's blog and IG Dessert for two. She writes small batch recipes specifically for a two person household or just a time when you don't need a whole cake. She has an education in food science and doesn't just have recipes. You know, she might even be an Angelino. I can't remember. Additionally, y'all are such good stewards and usually give sustainable recommendations. So I was surprised to hear Elise so casually use Chat GPT for something that's, that's easily googleable. The use of this tool uses so much water and other natural resources, so I don't think people are aware of how devastating it is for the environment. Something to consider. Again, thanks for all you do. Love from Atlanta. I totally understand there is so much debate about the ethics of AI right now and where it is sort of ethically in the ecosystem of tech tools that we have, especially when AI can be so resource heavy. I think that's true for bitcoin and, you know, crypto in general. Like a lot of the blockchain, it can be also very resource dependent. One thing that's really difficult to tease apart though is so many of our platforms where we do search for information now are driven by AI tools, right? So like Google, if I were to Google the same thing, Google can now rely on an AI platform to do something as a ChatGPT or another AI tool or protocol would do. So it's hard for me to kind of like tease apart. But also, you know, it's interesting because like I was trying to, I use it to try and be sustainable and not be wasteful with my food, right? Like, hey, I have this extra stuff and we want to actually use it. But then the tool to help me find the information on how to be sustainable with my food and not waste, it might be wasteful. So it is just like a very tangled web.

[Elise Hu]

Yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

We live in. And I think that, you know, get resourced research up and figure out where your lines are as individuals and as we are all on one planet.

[Elise Hu]

Yes, I love that. Thank you. We got a couple of voicemails about chocolate chip cookies.

[D]

Oh my gosh. My very first Pause the pod moment. Ladies, I need you to know about freezer cookie dough. So Elise just mentioned sometimes she wants.

[Dory Shafrir]

Just two chocolate chip cookies.

[D]

And I totally understand that. And while doing the math for that is hard, I think the egg part of it makes that almost impossible. So what I think that you should do is Google Freezable chocolate chip cookie dough and find recipes that are well suited to preparing the entire batch and then scooping it out into little lumps or whatever and then freezing them on a flat tray with, like, parchment paper so it doesn't stick. You don't hate yourself later. But then just throw those lumps of chocolate chip cookie dough into a plastic bag and then bake off whenever you want. Hot, delicious chocolate chip cookies in small amounts. I have cookie dough in my freezer for several different types of cookies at any given time. It is a lifesaver. Anyway, thank you so much for all that you do, and Happy Wednesday.

[Elise Hu]

I do know a lot of people do this.

[Dory Shafrir]

Genius.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. I have done this with the copycat Levain chocolate chip cookie recipe.

[Dory Shafrir]

Ooh.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, you can. I. Sometimes I will also make those cookies, like, bake them all and then freeze them individually like already baked because you can throw them in the microwave. Yeah. They taste really good, like, warm. Yes. So love that.

[Dory Shafrir]

Well, Dory, my birthday is coming up. Just casually mentioning. Apropos of nothing.

[Elise Hu]

Okay, just noted. Noted.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, no reason.

[Elise Hu]

No reason. Just. Just mentioning it. Just mentioning it. All right, we got another voicemail about this very topic. Here we go.

[E]

Hi, Elise and Dor. I wanted to share some critically important information that there is a recipe on the interwebs for two chocolate chip cookies. The website is pinch of Yum. And if you Google 2 giant chocolate chip cookies, you can also half her recipe. She has like, on the website there are. You have the ability to put like half the the serving size or even double it if you wanted to make more. She has chocolate, like, full chocolate chocolate versions of these cookies. They're great. I love them for the weekdays when I just want something treat like sweet or to eat my feelings. And my husband and I can have them. I've also, like, broken them into doing four smaller ones so my kids can have them and my husband and I anyway, love, love this website. They have a lot of really good recipes and she does have some desserts like this that are smaller portions, so you're not making giant batches of things. Anyway, thank you guys for everything you do. Love you all. Have a great day. Bye.

[Elise Hu]

Okay. That is genius.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes, it's genius. I love all of these resources that y'all are sending in, so we will include them in our show notes. And I'm getting very hungry talking about this.

[Elise Hu]

I know. I'm like, do I need to go make some chocolate chip cookies? Like, literally. Oh, Henry would be so mad if I made chocolate chip cookies without him. He loves making chocolate chip cookies. So sweet. Maybe I'll wait for him.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, maybe you should. Maybe you should.

[Elise Hu]

All right, we got one more email about, like, news sources and things you can do, and this is actually one of the things they mention is something, Elise, that I know you've mentioned in passing. I don't know if we've ever, like, talked about it extensively, but I just want to read this. Okay. Hi, Dorian. Elise. Since January 20th, I've been navigating the stages of grief with a nonstop eye twitch. But now I'm ready to channel that energy into action. On a recent podcast, you asked for ways listeners are being proactive and focusing on small actions. So I wanted to share a couple of resources that have been invaluable to me. First off, I highly recommend 5calls.org. This platform simplifies the process of calling your congressperson. You input your location and choose from various current issues like the national abortion ban, cabinet picks, and Elon Musk's government involvement. They provide scripts adjustable to your preference and contact numbers, making the daunting task of calling surprisingly manageable, even for someone like me with anxiety. Plus, you can leave a voicemail after hours if that suits you better. I've also been sending messages through each congressperson's website and contacting my state governor and attorney general on pertinent issues. Additionally, subscribing to Jessica Craven's Chop Wood Carry Water substack has been incredibly helpful. She provides daily updates, action scripts, and practical ways to stay engaged. It's a great resource to stay informed and motivated. These small actions might seem insignificant individually, but collectively they make a difference. Let's keep pushing forward together.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, that's great. That reminds me of something. Yeah, it reminds me of something that they say about social change, which is that all social change ever really is is a bunch of individuals acting in concert with one another, like after they've hit a critical mass. Right. So there is, you know, there's always this debate about, like, how much are individuals responsible for systemic problems. But individuals can actually have an impact on changing the course of the future in solving systemic problems if we act collectively. So it is about hitting a critical mass. And then I was actually watching one of the AOC Instagram lives, which have been surprisingly vital during these last couple of weeks, and she talked about how the calls do make a difference. She listed several reasons why they're important, but one is that the people who watch a bunch of like, Fox News and have their brains cooked in right wing media call their Lawmakers consistently. Like, that is a crowd that, like, reliably calls their lawmakers. And so if you aren't calling but you have strong feelings, just be. But you know, you're busy and you don't. That's not a form of civic action.

[Elise Hu]

You do.

[Dory Shafrir]

It leaves a gaping hole on one side of the debate in which it seems as though. As though America or the populace is more rightward than it actually is, because Congress members actually use the volume of calls and the subjects that people are calling about as a way to take a temperature. It's like an unofficial anecdotal survey of what people care about. And it's completely unscientific. Right. Because just basing it on who bothers to call you, but that's how lawmakers often judge public opinion. They judge it in this unscientific anecdotal way of who's calling their offices.

[Elise Hu]

Well, especially it's squeaky wheel gets the grease, like, yes.

[Dory Shafrir]

You know, and so especially if you live in a district that's represented by a lawmaker, like a Republican lawmaker, a Republican senator who might be voting in opposition of your interests, call anyway. Like, be sure to call them, especially because you'll be able to add your voice to a chorus of folks who might show them, at least indicate to them the places where they're going to get pushback, the places where their constituents are going to be mad and in mad enough to threaten their power.

[Elise Hu]

Thank you, Elise. Such a good reminder. And Jessica Craven is a wonderful human. She's a. She's here in LA and she's very active locally as well as nationally. So highly recommend her substack.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

Okay, let's take another short break and we'll be right back.

[Dory Shafrir]

We'll be right back.

[Elise Hu]

All right, we are back, and we're gonna play one more voicemail.

[Dory Shafrir]

All right.

[F]

Hi, forever 35 wonderful people. I wanted to call in from Haverhill Map and let you know about a new experience. Well, new for me, not really revelatory for other people, but I recently went to a med spa to get Botox for my tmj. I was obviously very nervous because I'm just not the type of person to do things like that. But my headaches were bad, and I constantly felt myself clenching and grinding my teeth throughout the day for, you know, just no reason. And despite therapy and meds, I still was struggling. So I went, got Botox. It has helped tremendously. I no longer am clenching my teeth as much. It didn't completely eliminate it, but it's definitely, I would say, like 80% better. And obviously nothing's going to be 100%. But the other thing is, while I was there, I have some blood vessels underneath my eye and on my nose, and while they're not like terrible, they've always bothered me. So I see a doctor there and he recommended ipl and I'm going to do that in a couple of weeks. And it's really just been the first time that a doctor has, like, I've gone in for a skin issue. I've had acne and rosacea my whole life and I've been like, hey, this thing bothers me. And they're like, yeah, I can fix that. And, you know, it's not a super invasive procedure and it's not going to be something that's going to leave me looking like a burn victim. So it was just really nice and have someone, you know, be honest and upfront. I mean, I know this is not something that's accessible from a monetary perspective, but, you know, if you have kind of those minor things that kind of bother you, it might be worth kind of looking into a med spa versus going trying to wait six months to go in to see a dermatologist. And I've seen a lot of dermatologists in my life, so just wanted to throw that out there as a suggestion. And I'm sure it's been mentioned on the POD before, but I wanted to kind of revisit that. And I love you guys. I love the pod. You are a bright spot in my day every time I listen to you and I greatly appreciate that. Thank you.

[Elise Hu]

Bye.

[Dory Shafrir]

Oh, yay.

[Elise Hu]

Thank you.

[Dory Shafrir]

Great tip.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah, Great tip. Love a wreck like that. Thank you so much. All right, we are going to wrap things up with a Sam's Club wreck.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah. Now they're coming in.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah. Love the Sam's Club heads showing themselves.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yes.

[Elise Hu]

All right, this listener writes, I really wanted to get a nugget couch for my son, but the price tag was a bit steep for my budget. So I got the Sam's Club brand one. I can't remember the name of it, but it was only $150. And it's holding up really well to my almost two year old son who loves to crash on it and throw the triangle pillows. So just thought I'd send that out there to anyone who has small or slightly larger children and wants to purchase the nugget. But the nugget is a little out of reach. Thanks. I think Costco also has a nugget dupe And I think there's also now dupes on Amazon.

[Dory Shafrir]

But even the dupe sounds expensive. 100.

[Elise Hu]

I know. The dupe actually does sound kind of expensive. The nugget itself is $200.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. Okay.

[Elise Hu]

So, yeah, you're saving a hundred dollars.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, yeah.

[Elise Hu]

It's funny because, you know, during COVID nuggets were, like, in super high demand, and you had to, like, they basically were, like, doing drops, and it was, like, crazy. So it's funny to just go on their website and see that, like, you can just buy a nugget now.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah, Yeah. I want to put one. I want to put one in the Hue hideaway in the back house, but my kids have kind of outgrown it, except for Luna. They've kind of grown.

[Elise Hu]

Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

Sort of play structure or play couch.

[Elise Hu]

I. Yeah.

[Dory Shafrir]

I will put a call out, though, to listeners to. If you have a good sort of futon type option, because I have an area of the hideaway that's really kind of a sitting area, but I would also like it to be an extra bed if necessary.

[Elise Hu]

I find the nugget oddly comfortable to sleep on, but only if you are a firm mattress person.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay. Okay.

[Elise Hu]

Like, I love a firm mattress, and the nugget is basically just like, a firm foam mattress. But if you're someone who likes to, like, sink into your plush mattress, it's not going to be the right. The right one.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay, okay. This is helpful. Helpful.

[Elise Hu]

All right, good. Well, thanks, everyone. Thank you, Elise. Great to chat, and we will talk to you all very soon.

[Dory Shafrir]

Happy friendship month.

[Elise Hu]

Bye. All right, I'm gonna let you in on a secret, Elise.

[Dory Shafrir]

Okay.

[Elise Hu]

I kind of always thought I could be a really great spy.

[Dory Shafrir]

I could see this.

[Elise Hu]

I'm just saying, like. Like a. Like a Jennifer Garner and alias type spy.

[Dory Shafrir]

Yeah.

[Elise Hu]

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[G]

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