Forever35 Podcast

Replay - Ep 449: These Are a Few of Our Favorite Microjoys

Hosts: Doree Shafrir & Elise Hu
Date: November 26, 2025

Episode Overview

In this replayed mini-episode, hosts Doree Shafrir and Elise Hu lean into discussing “microjoys”—the small, everyday pleasures that brighten their lives and the lives of their listeners, especially during tough times. Through listener calls, honest confessions, and a deep dive into favorite products and rituals, they unpack the importance of finding joy in the mundane and the everyday. The tone is warm, funny, and refreshingly self-aware, with plenty of personal anecdotes and listener voices.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Microjoys: Listener and Host Favorites

• Listener Microjoys:
  • Reality TV as escapism (“Love Island,” Bravo shows like “Summer House” and “The Valley”)
  • The simple pleasure of a well-made iced coffee
  • Elise’s daughter Ava is obsessed with “Love Island,” leading to a rundown of its appeal and format (05:09-07:39)
  • Doree shares a heartfelt story about her late sister-in-law, whose microjoy wish was for loved ones to honor her by watching “Real Housewives”—“All I want people to do is lie in bed and watch Real Housewives in my honor.” (09:01)
• Host Microjoys:
  • Elise’s “buttery flour tortillas” from H-E-B, reminiscing about Texas and its culinary comforts (04:08)
  • The shared joy of “reality TV marathons” over literal marathons (10:05-10:20)

Community-Driven Product Recommendations

• Hair Oil Obsession:
  • Ongoing listener requests and recommendations for hair oil, especially for thick, curly hair (01:57-03:03)
  • Listener suggests Pura D'or Moroccan Argan Oil, saying it was a “game changer” and eliminated their need for keratin treatments (19:03)
  • Hosts vow to catalog all recommendations for future reference
• Sun-Protective Clothing:
  • A listener asks for “fashionable UV clothing” recommendations; Doree laments the frumpiness and expensive price tag of most sun-protection garments
  • Her go-to: loose-fitting, light-colored, natural-fiber button-downs and pants, often not technically UV-treated, but functionally sun-safe (15:46-18:38)
  • “There must be a reason why there isn’t cute UV clothing—it must be hard to make or something.” – Doree (17:00)

Practical Tips & Product Codes

• Dish Towels:
  • Geometry Brand tea/dish towels get rave listener reviews and now offer the Forever35 community a discount code (21:19-22:43)
  • Elise: “The tea towels are super, super cute. Like the patterns are super cute, and then they also make just a fine towel product.”
  • Discount code: Forever15 for 15% off at geometryhouse.com
• Tennis-Themed Clothes & Decor:
  • Bowdoin and West Elm’s tennis-themed items receive shout-outs and audience interest (13:34-15:46)

Trader Joe’s Favorite Products: Wirecutter Reactions

(23:16-30:18)

• Popular Items Endorsed:
  • Chicken Tikka Masala frozen meal
  • Gimbap
  • Rolled corn tortilla chips (“Trader Joe’s Takis”)
  • Unexpected Cheddar: “I never make a charcuterie board without unexpected cheddar.” – Elise (24:26)
• Personal Additions & Quibbles:
  • Doree praises Korean pancakes, Thai coconut pancakes, and dark chocolate almonds
  • Elise prefers Trader Joe’s mochi ice cream balls to more expensive Asian grocery offerings (27:22-27:44)
  • Both argue for the quality (and value) of Trader Joe’s vanilla ice cream and frozen Asian entrees (28:48-29:20)
• Concerns:
  • Hosts feel Wirecutter’s list was not comprehensive—missed several frozen and sweet favorites
  • “I didn’t feel like they cast an especially wide net.” – Doree (29:57)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Microjoys as Survival Mechanisms:
  • Listener: “In the dumpster fire that is the world right now, my escape is Love Island or any other Bravo TV…It’s helping me get through.” (05:09)
• On honoring loved ones:
  • Doree: “She was like, please never do…like, a cancer run or walk in my honor. All I want people to do is lie in bed and watch Real Housewives, like, in my honor.” (09:01)
• On Reality TV:
  • Elise: “The Bachelor has been going on so many years that you can’t throw a rock without accidentally hitting somebody who’s been on the Bachelor.” (08:44)
• On Function Over Fashion (sun clothing):
  • “In my opinion, there’s no like fashionable UV clothing…It’s nothing I would wear and be like, ‘I look cute in this.’” – Doree (15:46)
• On Community & Listener Input:
  • Elise: “You really make these shows.” (01:57)
• On Product Loyalty:
  • Elise: “I’m waiting for a hair oil to give us a discount code.” (22:43)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [03:03] Microjoys prompt & reality TV as a coping mechanism
• [04:08] Flour tortillas as microjoy, nostalgia for Texas
• [05:09-07:39] Listener calls in with microjoys; “Love Island” explained and discussed
• [09:01-10:20] Doree’s poignant story about her late sister-in-law, honoring her with Bravo marathons
• [13:34-15:46] Tennis-themed clothing and thoughtful gifting
• [15:46-18:38] Sun-protective clothing: practicality vs. style
• [19:03] Listener’s “game changer” hair oil recommendation
• [21:19-22:43] Dish towels, Geometry discount code discussion (Forever15)
• [23:16-30:18] Trader Joe’s favorites, Wirecutter’s picks, and host/listener rebuttals

Overall Tone

Warm, honest, and collaborative—Doree and Elise create a sense of community by prioritizing authentic listener engagement, humor, practical at-home self-care, and the recognition of small joys. Their balance of sincerity and lightheartedness makes this episode accessible and comforting for new and returning listeners alike.