Ilona Talks Artemis II FOMO & Ice Planet Barbarians w/ a NASA Rocket Scientist

Summary

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House of Maher – “Ilona Talks Artemis II FOMO & Ice Planet Barbarians w/ a NASA Rocket Scientist”

Podcast: House of Maher
Host(s): Wave (with Ilona Maher, Olivia Maher, Adrianna “Dre Baby” Maher)
Guest: Aisha Bowe (NASA rocket scientist, entrepreneur)
Date: April 21, 2026

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Episode Overview

This episode brings together NASA rocket scientist and entrepreneur Aisha Bowe with the Maher sisters for a dynamic, candid conversation. Over the course of the episode, they spill the “space tea” by dissecting the human side of Artemis II, women’s representation in STEM, viral internet moments, dating as a high-achieving woman, and how space science connects to everyday life—including fantasy books like “Ice Planet Barbarians.” The tone is playful, upbeat, and full of practical as well as motivational nuggets.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Space Fears & First Impressions

• Adriana admits to being "terrified of space" ([00:58]) but is fascinated by Aisha’s spaceflight videos.
• Aisha advises:
  “The key is to look down and not up. If you look out into the darkness, it's like, oh, that's the void.” ([01:08, 19:44])
• The sisters delight in Aisha’s presence, citing her achievements spanning NASA research, tech entrepreneurship, and her flight with Blue Origin ([02:09]).

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2. Artemis II Mission FOMO & Human Moments in Space

• The Artemis II return prompts reactions of awe and national pride:

  “We literally went to the moon…came in at half the temperature of the sun and everything went perfectly.”
  —Aisha ([02:58])

• A poignantly personal story: astronaut Reed dedicated a lunar crater to his late wife while on the mission’s far side ([04:06]).

  “When they were on the far side of the moon, they dedicated a crater in memory of his wife. And I'm like, you're not crying, I'm crying. We're crying.”
  —Aisha ([04:06])

• The group reflects on the humanity in science—“Men just aren't doing that anymore… If they wanted to, they would.” ([04:57])

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3. Space Scandals and Culture

• Aisha recounts the infamous NASA intern who stole moon rocks for a romantic gesture, leading to prison—a story emblematic of the wild, unexpected subcultures in the field.

  “Science and, you know, space. Like, it's boring. I'm like, no, it's actually really interesting. We have sex. We have true crime. We have intrigue.”
  —Aisha ([06:23])

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4. Group Chat: UFOs, Female Homeowners & Matchmaking

• Discusses recent celebrity UFO sightings with skepticism:

  “If I'm an alien… I'd like to do some extraterrestrial thing. I want to show up in some dreams. I need to ET Bicycle it.”
  —Aisha ([08:02])

• Celebrates the rise in single women homeowners, but Aisha shares the reality of solo household management—including hiring “hourly husbands” for tasks ([10:01]).
• Matchmaking is considered a “team sport”—Aisha curates “baseball cards” of friends to pair with promising matches ([13:00]).

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5. Dating as High-Achieving Women

• Aisha shares her dating experience as a rocket scientist and CEO—her interests often intimidate prospective dates.

  “I'm not gonna eat you. I'm not gonna bully you… If you're intimidated, do it scared.”
  —Aisha ([15:18], [15:48])

• Hilariously, ChatGPT once autocompleted her as being married to Michael B. Jordan ([16:34]).
• Olivia and Adriana reflect on how the world still assumes successful women must be partnered with a man ([16:25]).

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6. Space Baddies & Internet Culture

• Aisha belongs to a group chat called “Space Baddies” where they share everything from space news to memes ([17:35]).
• She became a viral meme herself—smiling behind Gayle ringing a bell on TV ([18:09]).

  “If I send you this, know that I don't want to go.”
  —Aisha ([18:22])

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7. Bronze, Silver, Gold: Preferences

• Gold: 10 days in space; Silver: cocktail hour (preferably old fashioned with chocolate bitters); Bronze: untethered spacewalk (“I need security!”) ([19:11], [21:31])
• On fears:

  “I'm an aerospace engineer who doesn't like turbulence.” ([21:47])

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8. Space Movies & Representation

• Hidden Figures: “Gold.” Aisha emphasizes the importance of women’s stories in space ([23:28]).

  “Women were calculators…they literally hand checked all the trajectories.…Why are we just hearing about this now?”
  —Aisha ([24:41])

• Space Jam: Silver.
• Gravity: Bronze (“That was a horror movie to me!”) ([23:49])

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9. Women in STEM & Personal Journey

• Aisha’s story: “Less than 10” Black women have flown to space ([33:17]).
• She was previously a “C student,” discouraged from pursuing college.

  “My plan was I was gonna turn [my high school transcript] into Kleenex…Because this whole piece of paper was supposed to dictate what was possible in my life, and it didn't.”
  —Aisha ([41:34], [41:54])

• Her mantra:

  “Impossible is just a suggestion.” ([44:21])

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10. STEM, Science, and Making It Relatable

• Shares that plant biology experiments in microgravity can help both space travel and agriculture on Earth ([32:24]).
• On bridging the science gap, Aisha’s content series “Not Your Average Rocket Scientist” aims to tell these stories in engaging ways ([46:51]).

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11. Book Nook & Ice Planet Barbarians

• Aisha admits reading less now due to intense work.
• Favorite rec: Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People” (“I was super awkward growing up…it helped me develop real world skills.”) ([51:19])
• The sisters gleefully pitch her “Ice Planet Barbarians”—the viral spicy blue-alien romance (“Maybe I’d be into this spicy book.” – [52:45]).

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12. Rapid-Fire and Self-Care

• Coffee order: Oat milk vanilla latte, iced, medium sweet ([48:24]).
• Most prized possession: Her spacesuit, which she even wears to birthday parties ([48:31]).
• Dream home innovation: Bidets, heated seats, steam showers (“Why is that not the basic operating level of life?” – [54:31]).
• Best rest: European steam room with cold plunge ([55:25]).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “Impossible is just a suggestion.” —Aisha ([44:21])
• “If they wanted to, they would.” —Olivia ([04:58]) on grand gestures
• “I became the first woman in my family to buy a house without a man.” —Aisha ([10:30])
• ChatGPT’s matchmaking: “May or may not have been in a vampire movie.” ([16:53])
• “We have sex. We have true crime. We have intrigue.” —Aisha on science culture ([06:39])
• "I launched a content series called 'Not Your Average Rocket Scientist'...People are like, oh, science and space, it's boring. I'm like, no." ([06:23])
• “We have Space Baddies group chat—we talk about Artemis, makeup, clothing, and food.” ([17:39])
• “The ocean is not for me…Have you seen the things that live there?” —Aisha ([20:06])

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Important Timestamps

• [02:58] – Artemis II: Aisha’s reactions to the mission’s success
• [04:06] – Lunar crater story, personalizing space missions
• [06:23] – Not Your Average Rocket Scientist (science as true crime, romance, drama)
• [10:01] – Single female homeownership & “hourly husbands”
• [13:00] – Matchmaking strategies and modern dating
• [15:18] – Navigating dating as a woman in STEM
• [16:34] – ChatGPT’s (hilarious) assumptions
• [18:09] – Space memes & going viral
• [21:47] – Aerospace engineer afraid of turbulence
• [23:28] – Space movie ranking
• [24:41] – Women’s unseen contributions to space history
• [32:24] – Plants in space and translating research to Earth
• [33:17] – The diversity gap in space travel
• [41:54] – High school struggles and redefining success
• [44:21] – “Impossible is just a suggestion.”
• [46:51] – Origin of Aisha’s science communication content
• [48:24] – Rapid-fire questions: life, sleep, self-care
• [51:19] – Book recommendation: How to Win Friends and Influence People
• [52:45] – “Ice Planet Barbarians” pitch

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Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is genuine, breezy, and often comedic—anchored by the Maher sisters’ curiosity and camaraderie. Aisha’s candor about career barriers, her passion for accessible science, and willingness to laugh at life’s oddities make this an uplifting and motivating listen for anyone interested in science, personal growth, or fun space trivia.

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Additional Highlights

• Aisha’s favorite family crest animal: a dragon ([48:57]).
• Rituals for rest: Magnesium lotion, Dr. Teal’s pillow spray—and a wish for more sleep ([50:03]).
• Admits to loving both hot saunas and cold plunges (preferably not outdoors) ([55:24]).

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Summary Conclusion

This episode is an inspiring blend of space geekery, sisterly support, and personal storytelling. Aisha Bowe’s journey—from being told not to attend college to flying experiments into space—serves as proof that convention and expectation can (and should) be defied. The Maher sisters keep the energy high and relatable as they seamlessly blend conversations about big dreams, romance, and being women in the twenty-first century, whether on Earth, in space, or through the wild world of BookTok.

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Transcript

[Aisha Bow]

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[Adriana]

I'm famously like terrified of space. I watched the videos of you unbuckling. I was like. Like, there's something so spooky about space to me. And then when we were gonna have you, I was like, do I tell her I don't like space?

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like the key is to look down and not up. Right? Like if you look out into the darkness, it's like, oh, that's the void. That's scary. There's nothing that lives there. It's like death. And then you look down, you're like, oh, wow. And then that place has dolphins.

[Olivia]

Yeah. Okay.

[Adriana]

And so I'm gonna stick down here with them.

[Unknown Host]

Dolphins.

[Olivia]

Keep feet on the ground, feet. Welcome or welcome back to House of Mar A Wave original. Take off your moon boots and help yourself to whatever is in the fridge. The wifi password is Star power, all caps. You should know that we have a few house rules here.

[Adriana]

Girls are magic.

[Olivia]

Reading is hot and so are you. Make sure to like and subscribe on YouTube and check us out because we're. For some reason, Adriana and Olivia are both wearing the same pants we got

[Unknown Host]

in the car today and from different places. And we're wearing the same pants.

[Adriana]

Yeah, sorry. And Alona is also wearing a similar.

[Olivia]

I'm also in beige.

[Adriana]

Whatever you want to see. This is what we're saying you want to lay eyes on. You want to see this.

[Olivia]

Our fourth Mars scissor today has been a literal rocket scientist who traded NASA for the CEO chair and then blasted off into space. She conducted research in microgravity on plants and gathered biometrics for NASA affiliated organizations. She founded not one, but two multimillion dollar tech companies and raised the money for her se on the first all female space flight crew with blue origin, she is living proof that impossible is just a suggestion. Welcome to the family. The unstoppable Aisha Bow.

[Unknown Host]

Welcome, welcome.

[Olivia]

Wow. You've done a little bit.

[Adriana]

Yeah. You've been busy.

[Aisha Bow]

Just a little bit.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Thanks so much for being here.

[Unknown Host]

Oh, it's a joy and good timing. Artemis 2 just came back and I want to get your first takes on that to do a fomo.

[Aisha Bow]

I was just like, whoa.

[Unknown Host]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, we literally went to the moon. I mean, we slingshot around the Earth, we swung around the moon and we brought the guys back and we landed at like 20 miles an hour.

[Adriana]

Whoa.

[Aisha Bow]

It was like insane. Like, imagine coming in at half the temperature of the sun.

[Adriana]

Oh, my God.

[Aisha Bow]

And everything going perfectly. Like, I feel like we're literally watching like NASA's pro sport moment.

[Adriana]

Right, Right.

[Olivia]

Their Olympics. It is.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, it really is. If you think about the coverage, Right. We had like sunrise to sunset coverage over everything.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

It could have been the water rescue or just like, what was going on. We even got a little bit of like the bath time situation, which I'm not sure they really wanted us to see that, but I appreciated the view.

[Unknown Host]

Did you see?

[Olivia]

I didn't see.

[Adriana]

Oh, I didn't see that one. What about it?

[Aisha Bow]

Let's just say that there was a certain somebody who looked exceptionally good while doing something that I'm not sure that they wanted to broadcast, but it is totally worth a view.

[Adriana]

Wow.

[Olivia]

I've been getting a lot of tiktoks and they've been so inspirational about a moonspot named Carol or something. And I'm in bed. Like, why are we naming this spot? Who's Carol? This is so beautiful.

[Aisha Bow]

One of the astronauts, Reed, his wife passed from cancer a few years ago. Yeah. And he went to space knowing full well that this is a mission that. I mean, we haven't been to the moon like over 50 years. Right. This is kind of a high stakes situation. And he said, you know, we're doing this for humanity. And he explained that, that it's possible that he may not return and his daughters may no longer have their parents. And when they were on the far side of the moon, they dedicated a crater in memory of his wife. And I'm like, you're not crying. I'm crying. We're crying. Right? Who's cutting the onions? No, literally, it was really, really just a powerful moment. And it just goes to show, right, there's this forever memory of her. And I think it's now on the moon map. We love a Moon map.

[Olivia]

Men aren't naming craters after us.

[Adriana]

Men just aren't doing that anymore.

[Aisha Bow]

If they wanted to, they would.

[Olivia]

If they wanted to get in that ship, they would go up there.

[Adriana]

Thank you for this.

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like a new bar has been set.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Are you. Do you want to name a moon crater after me? It's actually really funny. So, like, there's this funny story called, like, you know what on the Moon. It's three letters. The first starts with an S and ends with an X. You can fill it in. And there's literally a guy who stole NASA moon moon rocks.

[Olivia]

What?

[Aisha Bow]

For his girlfriend? Yes. He was an intern. Like, don't do that when you get an internship. If you're listening. Absolutely. Not that you're not getting return letters. And the relationship didn't last. Spoiler alert. I mean, I don't think theft is a good foundation for love. But they literally stole moon rocks. He ended up doing several years, and she got community service. And there's a whole entire book about this.

[Olivia]

Oh, someone wrote a book about it?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes.

[Adriana]

They.

[Olivia]

Sorry. They stole the rocks so they could have sex on the moon.

[Aisha Bow]

Kind of. Okay, so since you asked. So what had happened was, after they got the rocks, they sprinkled them on, like, a bed sheet in a hotel. And you know what? Like, that's where the title of the book came from. It's called, you Know what on the Moon.

[Adriana]

Or it should be called get yout Moon Rocks Off.

[Unknown Host]

That's great.

[Aisha Bow]

Mm. Yeah, that should have come with, like, a sound. I don't know.

[Adriana]

Like, I just feel like that's, like, not a really fun experience for your back if you're lying. I don't know.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, for me, I, like, I launched this content series called not yout Average Rocket Scientist. And I was, like, sharing some stories because people are like, oh, science and, you know, space. Like, it's boring. I'm like, no, it's actually really interesting. We have sex. We have true crime.

[Unknown Host]

We have intrigue.

[Aisha Bow]

We have all of it. And so that was, like, one of the shorts. And my thing was, like, I'm really not sure how that's romantic. Right. Like, the last thing I want to do is be on a hotel over a bed of rocks. No, but then you're also. You're ruining priceless artifacts, which I feel is, like, a level of guilt. Like, walk of shame is one thing, but, like, when you're walking home knowing that you ruined something, that's priceless. Yeah. It's like another selfish. Ladies.

[Olivia]

If your man Brings home moon rocks for you. Say no. Say no to doing the journey on them. Okay. We want to go so much deeper into all of that, into Artemis, into your new series. First, let's go local and get into what's going on with us and online in a segment we like to call the Group Chat.

[Adriana]

This is a fun one for you. Country music star Casey Musgraves. Are you familiar she recently spotted three UFOs that followed alongside her plane for hundreds of miles? What is your take on that? Do you.

[Unknown Host]

Says she spotted.

[Adriana]

Says she spotted. Sorry, I said that really definitively.

[Unknown Host]

Do you believe this?

[Adriana]

What are your take on UFOs?

[Aisha Bow]

I'm sorry. Let me fix my face. Well. Well, sometimes when you see something that you cannot identify.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

It's called an identified unidentified flying object.

[Adriana]

Yes.

[Aisha Bow]

It could be a plane, it may be a fighter jet. Who knows? But I'm sure that they're identifiable objects.

[Adriana]

You think so? There's been other spottings, though, too. I think other people have been kind of speaking up about seeing things outside of their planes, following along them.

[Aisha Bow]

But my thing is, like, if I'm an alien, like, that's not even an interesting plot. That would be like, mid. If you're an alien, like, I would like to do some extraterrestrial thing. Like, I need to show up in some dreams. I need to ET Bicycle it. Something more exciting than being alongside someone's plane.

[Olivia]

Your UFO is definitely nicer than the Boeing.

[Unknown Host]

If you've.

[Olivia]

If you've crossed to get here, that's probably a great, you know, some equipment on there. I'd say so.

[Adriana]

I mean, I think if I was in a ufo, if I was, like, an alien, I would be alongside Casey Musgrave's plane. I'd be like, where's the new album? Personally, but I just feel like I

[Aisha Bow]

would be following Beyonce or, like, Taylor Swift. Right, right. You know, like, I want to see more, maybe exciting things.

[Adriana]

Yeah, they're big pop culture friends.

[Unknown Host]

I love how her mind went. UFOs. I'd go, it's the US government hiding something from us. Again, it is jets. It is drones. Like, that's where my mind would go. Like, I would never be like, ufo.

[Adriana]

Adriana's taking dedicated notes on her.

[Olivia]

I'm on Flight Tracker. I don't know. I'm on a Reddit thread.

[Aisha Bow]

So what's funny is, like, when you go to aerospace school, you read about all these UFO sightings, and what you realize is there are literally, like, farmers in the middle of the field in Kansas somewhere. That are encountering technology that they just do not understand. And so it's sort of like, I don't know if you've ever had to show any of your elders, like, an iPhone or, like, an iPad, and it's just like. It's just not clicking. It just doesn't work. It's kind of similar. So if you're meeting a jet and it's flying at Mach 3, it's almost easier for you to believe that it's a UFO than something that's explained.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Unknown Host]

And what is Mach 3?

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, sorry. Three times the speed of sound.

[Adriana]

Whoa. I said that like, I knew. I was like, right. Mach 3. Moving on. Number of single women homeowners hit an all time high recently surpassing 20 million. Do you own a home?

[Aisha Bow]

I do.

[Adriana]

Oh, there we go.

[Aisha Bow]

That's my base.

[Olivia]

That's.

[Adriana]

You're a part of that 20 million. That's so exciting.

[Aisha Bow]

I feel mixed.

[Adriana]

You feel mixed? Tell me why.

[Aisha Bow]

Because there's no one to share responsibility. So, like, I literally use this service, and it's called Hourly husbands.

[Adriana]

Shut up. What?

[Aisha Bow]

I love them. They have the best van. Like, they pull up to your place and it's just like, these hunky dudes with, like, tools.

[Adriana]

What?

[Aisha Bow]

You can rent them, but it's like three hours at a time. And they come in and they help you with chores and things, and totally and completely need it. All of your projects, all the projects.

[Olivia]

I love it. Was it always a goal of yours to own your own home?

[Adriana]

No.

[Aisha Bow]

I was not one of the people that ever thought that I could ever qualify. Like, I'm still surprised that I became, like, a positive, contributing member of, like, society. Like, every day I'm like, oh, I'm an adult. I need to do adult things. But I became, like, the first woman in my family to buy a house without a man. And I just felt like I want to have a forever place, really get those roots down.

[Unknown Host]

Was it a scary step to decide and then do it? To purchase a home, knowing all the responsibilities gonna come back to you, like, if the H Vac goes out.

[Aisha Bow]

So I'm a planner, and before I decided to purchase my place, I had been canvassing my mom for, like, three years. And I was like, what you really want? What you really want to do is come and move in with.

[Adriana]

I'm sorry.

[Aisha Bow]

And we could be a dynamic duo, like Batman Robin. We can make it happen. And so after living in Michigan for 40 years, I got her to move in. And then the pandemic happened. And while, like, objectively it was a horrible time. I think I made tacos every Tuesday.

[Olivia]

Mm.

[Aisha Bow]

We had margaritas on Wednesday. On Friday, we had virtual makeup lessons. And then I would just make cocktails. And we had a great time. We were going through, like, a case of champagne every single month.

[Olivia]

We actually had that as well with COVID We all went home, and it was such a scary time, and it was terrible for many people, but it was just the five of us in home. And we did, like, mom would try the new taco recipe. We would do drinks, whatever. She turned 21 in Covid, so it's interesting, like, in such negative times, trying to find that light. And we found it in that time.

[Adriana]

Case of champagne needed or not. Absolutely.

[Aisha Bow]

And she's also really handy.

[Adriana]

Oh, yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

Like, sometimes I feel bad because I cannot arrange flowers. I'm, like, horrible with, like, picking colors and decor. And my mom was like, I got you.

[Olivia]

She has an eye.

[Adriana]

And does she still live with you?

[Aisha Bow]

Unfortunately, no. She's 15 minutes away.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

So my mom actually. And I didn't intend to do this, but I'm sure he's gonna see me. And I'm grateful to have you as my bonus dad. Okay. But I ended up introducing my mom to my bonus dad.

[Adriana]

Oh, my God.

[Aisha Bow]

He was like a work colleague. And it took her to a meeting. Cause she's my passenger princess. And he wasn't listening to anything I had to say. And I was like, sir, sir, my mom is out of your league. Focus. She's never gonna be interested in you. They have been happily married now for almost two years.

[Unknown Host]

Oh, and you're the matchmaker?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. I matchmake everybody but myself.

[Unknown Host]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

I don't know how that works. So, like, I'm sorry for you, but

[Adriana]

I love that for us.

[Aisha Bow]

So anyway, I literally, like, I am pro baseball cards for friends. So I have pictures of all my cute girlfriends, and I'm like, do you like this person? Do you like this person?

[Adriana]

What's your flavor? What are we looking for?

[Aisha Bow]

There's someone for everyone. And, like, I might as well advocate for you.

[Olivia]

Right?

[Unknown Host]

And I need more people to do that.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Because I asked my friends. I've gone up to many a friend's boyfriends to be like, let me see your roster of friends. And then they'll just be like, well, him. And I'm like, be ready, please.

[Adriana]

Please be ready.

[Olivia]

Aisha's on it.

[Unknown Host]

And we need that.

[Olivia]

We need more of that.

[Aisha Bow]

Listen, it's a team sport.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, team sport.

[Adriana]

The team sport here. Well, I'll Keep you in mind too. Don't even worry. Cause we've been assembling lists of women in our life that were like, these people are so amazing. Why are they single?

[Olivia]

I'll add you to my list. You'll add two year old and nothing's happening. So far I just have a list of the most amazing women. And I'm like doing math in my head. I'm like, God, what's going on?

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Cause I got her and then I got her. I'm like that guy on the board who's like, see this person here?

[Adriana]

And then she's single too.

[Olivia]

I'll add it to my list.

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like this is an event. It needs to be like alumna's green Flag Con or something. Right? Like there's gotta be like a. Like a get together or something.

[Adriana]

Absolutely. A conference.

[Unknown Host]

Everybody bring your best photocards of your friends.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Better yet, bring the friends.

[Olivia]

Bring the friends.

[Aisha Bow]

Exactly.

[Unknown Host]

Bring the friends. I think there just needs to be more mixers. I will say I did get invited to a mixer recently. I wasn't able to go, but I was like, I love that idea. I was like, no one's throwing mixers anymore. Like this would have. I've been. I would have been a 20, like if I was born 50 years ago,

[Adriana]

you know, we crave being in person with one another. Like, that's so fun.

[Olivia]

I actually have a question. How do you. How well is it like, we're all in the single dating pool, Such a smart, beautiful woman. What's it like for you out there?

[Aisha Bow]

It's dynamic. That's a good word.

[Olivia]

Dynamic. Okay, okay, break that down.

[Adriana]

What do you mean?

[Aisha Bow]

Okay, so I have this spectrum of experiences. I feel like I'm like a 60 something year old man on paper, but I like to do like adrenaline junkie stuff.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

And so like, my interests are like space and whiskey and sports, but I'm also the most likely to jump out of a plane and be super random. And people are kind of like, mm, I don't know if I'm like really excited by you or I'm intimidated by you or I'm like kind of concerned.

[Olivia]

Scared?

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, it's kind of concerned. And so I will get the. Oh, well, you're intimidating. I'm like, well, I'm not gonna eat you. I'm not gonna bully you.

[Adriana]

Yeah, literally.

[Aisha Bow]

And I also think that there's a funny thing about women who have managed to build these incredible things for themselves. Like they're going to multiply whatever's in Your life. Right. It's like the discipline, the care. Like, I don't meet people who date me and are like, I'm worse off. No, you're not.

[Adriana]

You're better.

[Aisha Bow]

You have more discipline. You have more structure. You have support.

[Unknown Host]

And it's also, even if you are intimidated, like, do it scared. You know, that's what I was kind of lived last year by. I was like, do it scared. And, like, even. Not that they should be scared of you, but, like, if intimidated, like, still rise to the occasion.

[Adriana]

Rise to the occasion. Yeah.

[Olivia]

I love a man who's a little confident.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Just goes for it. I'm a little scared.

[Aisha Bow]

Can we just, like, speak that into existence?

[Adriana]

Like, streaming office right now?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes, please, Please.

[Adriana]

Come on, team.

[Olivia]

Come on, now. Don't. Don't be scared. Come on. It's okay.

[Adriana]

Come on in.

[Aisha Bow]

We're nice, but I'm sure you get this all the time. Like, one of the most popular Google searches for my name is who's my husband?

[Unknown Host]

Really?

[Aisha Bow]

And I'm like, stop looking on Google. Just DM me.

[Adriana]

Right, right.

[Aisha Bow]

Like, don't do the research. Just inbox me.

[Adriana]

Or people assuming that you have a husband. You know, like, oh, a woman can only be this successful because there's a man with her, too. Is it that kind of thing?

[Aisha Bow]

I had this funny interview earlier this year where somebody was asking me about my husband because ChatGPT told them that I had one. Oh. And I was like, pause. What is it? I'm like, is this a new predictive feature? I'm like, you need to figure out who it was. And guess who ChatGPT said it was.

[Unknown Host]

Who?

[Aisha Bow]

I'll give you one guess.

[Olivia]

Okay, hold on. Are they very hot?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. May or may not have been in a vampire movie.

[Unknown Host]

Michael B. Jordan.

[Aisha Bow]

And I was like, chat, chat. I mean, I'm not even upset about this Chat. Like, I'm okay with this suggestion, but can we just make this real life chat matchmaking?

[Olivia]

They looked at who you did deserve.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

And they paired you who. Who we could create. And they did it.

[Adriana]

Oh, my gosh. Hopefully, you're like, that's a rumor. I'm not gonna confirm nor deny.

[Olivia]

You're like, you know what?

[Unknown Host]

Hell, yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah.

[Adriana]

Yeah. That is my husband.

[Aisha Bow]

This is just chat GPT's wish list for me.

[Adriana]

I love that GPT is manifesting already for us. Good for you guys. I love it. Do you have a group chat that you're a part of?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes.

[Adriana]

Yeah. What is it? Is it fun? Is it other scientists? Like, what?

[Aisha Bow]

Okay. So we have a Space Baddies.

[Unknown Host]

That's such a cool name.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. And in the Space Baddies group chat, we talk about a number of things, which is obviously, Artemis was a big, big thing. And then we also talk about, like, makeup and clothing and food, because food is, like, a really huge thing.

[Olivia]

Do you guys share memes? Do you share, like, space memes?

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Adriana]

Yes.

[Unknown Host]

Are you making them, or did they find you?

[Aisha Bow]

Well, okay. I accidentally became a viral one last year.

[Olivia]

Did you?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. I don't know if you saw Gayle ringing the bell and then me behind her looking just like. So smiling and bright and happy, and her expression was maybe less excited.

[Adriana]

Right, right.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. That meme was like, if I send you this, know that I don't want to go.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Olivia]

You just send me that to your friends now.

[Adriana]

Yeah, Right.

[Unknown Host]

That's kind of beautiful to have a meme about yourself and that.

[Olivia]

You can use a positive meme. Yeah, very positive.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, I never aspired to be a viral meme, but, like, I'll take that one.

[Adriana]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Unknown Host]

Right out of everything that could have happened. That's.

[Adriana]

Yeah. All right, well, I think we've. We spin over into our tea time section. Aisha, we have so many questions for you, but we want to start off today's tea time with a couple of rounds of Bronze, silver, gold, which means we're going to give you three things, and you're going to, you know, put them on the podium at Bronze, silver, gold for you. Okay, let's do it. So the first one, going to outer space for 10 days, going for an untethered spacewalk, or going to a little cocktail bar for happy hour, which is your gold, silver, and bronze.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay. 10 days, gold.

[Adriana]

Really?

[Olivia]

Oh, going to space for 10 days.

[Aisha Bow]

Sorry. Yes.

[Olivia]

Keep going.

[Aisha Bow]

We live and we dream about these things.

[Olivia]

Yeah. So we on that side of the room.

[Adriana]

We this side.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, I would love to.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

Cannot wait to go again. Sign me up.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Olivia]

Ha.

[Adriana]

I'm famously, like, terrified of space. Like, I watched the videos of you unbuckling.

[Olivia]

I was like.

[Adriana]

Like, there's something so spooky about space to me that, like. And then when we were gonna have you, I was like, do I tell her I don't like space? I don't really.

[Aisha Bow]

It's okay.

[Olivia]

She walks out.

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like the key is to look down and not up. Right. Like, if you look out into the darkness, it's like, oh, that's the void. That's scary. There's nothing that lives there. It's like, Death. And then you look down, you're like, oh, wow. And then that place is dolphins. Yeah.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Olivia]

And so that's why I'm gonna stick

[Adriana]

down here with them. Dolphins.

[Olivia]

I can't see on the ground.

[Adriana]

On the ground. I think I'd rather explore the ocean, but I hear that's.

[Aisha Bow]

That's scarier. Is there anything below bronze? Like, ocean is not ocean for you is below bronze. Have you seen the things that live there?

[Olivia]

That's participation trophy.

[Adriana]

Right, Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Like the ocean. I can't.

[Adriana]

I mean, do you think that. Is that rumor true? That was like, oh, NASA was originally started to explore the ocean, but then they saw what was down there, and they're like, fuck that. We're gonna go out.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. Now you're tempt. Okay. So NASA is actually the second name for the agency.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

The first was the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics. And we've got two facilities that still have the NACA crests, which were in hidden figures. Which is an awesome movie.

[Olivia]

Mm.

[Aisha Bow]

The second iteration of the name came when we decided that we were gonna pursue spaceflight. I'm sorry. Just, like, automatically go into, like, nerd mode. And that's where we got the S, because we added space.

[Adriana]

Cool.

[Aisha Bow]

But the ocean was, like, one of those things where it's important to understand how to work in the ocean to go to space. Space. So if, you know, the astronauts train in the neutral buoyancy lab, and they actually have giant sections of the International Space Station there because water kind of approximates a space medium.

[Adriana]

Yeah, yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

But in summary, the animals down there scare me. I am a scuba diver. However, I don't like to go too deep. Okay. All right, so add that to my dating baseball card.

[Adriana]

Oh, okay. Will do.

[Aisha Bow]

Can dive, but not too deep. Dives, but not too deep.

[Unknown Host]

Dives, but not too deep.

[Adriana]

So you've got gold for 10 days in space.

[Unknown Host]

Yes.

[Adriana]

So now is it gonna be going for an untethered spacewalk or going for a little cocktail bar at happy hour as your silver and brawn?

[Aisha Bow]

Okay. Silver is the cocktail.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

Preferably an old fashioned.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

Love a chocolate bitters moment.

[Unknown Host]

Ooh.

[Aisha Bow]

The untethered spacewalk would be the third.

[Adriana]

Why is that?

[Aisha Bow]

I need security.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

I need to be tethered to something.

[Adriana]

Okay. To me, going to space as a whole is untethered.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, but I'm an aerospace engineer who doesn't like turbulence.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Really?

[Olivia]

You get in a plane and you're

[Aisha Bow]

like, I don't like it. I don't like it. Crazy. I mean, isn't that crazy. Like you can fall 200,000ft but not enjoy a couple bumps, Right?

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

I should feel like a rubber duck and some bath water, but I just. I don't like it.

[Unknown Host]

I do think it's human, though, to be like, just a natural reaction.

[Aisha Bow]

Or maybe I need control. I don't know. I just. I don't like not knowing what's going on in the cockpit.

[Unknown Host]

You know when you're coming back from a run feeling amazing? Then you pull your sunglasses off your head and they take a few strands of hair with them.

[Aisha Bow]

Ugh.

[Adriana]

Do you know how long it took to grow the Marmain Time to meet

[Unknown Host]

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[Adriana]

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[Unknown Host]

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[Adriana]

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[Unknown Host]

And they're rated five stars by over 300,000 people. Because when something actually works, women tell their friends about it.

[Adriana]

Plus, every pair is backed by lost and broken protection. Leave them at the beach, drop them in a parking lot, sit on them in your car, they'll replace them. Very clutch.

[Unknown Host]

And you're in luck. We've teamed up with Shady Rays to bring you an exclusive offer.

[Adriana]

Head to shadyrays.com and use code HOM for 40% off two or more polarized sunglasses. Try for yourself The Shades, rated 5 stars by over 300,000 people. Run with confidence.

[Unknown Host]

Well, since you mentioned Hidden Figures, our next one for bronze, silver, gold. Rank these movies. Gravity, Hidden Figures, Space Jam.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay. Hidden Figures is gonna be gold.

[Adriana]

Yes. Every time. Love that movie.

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like Space Jam is a silver because it's iconic. Whether you thought it was bad or you thought it was good, you've watched it multiple times. It's just not going anywhere.

[Adriana]

No, it's iconic.

[Aisha Bow]

And then gravity is.

[Unknown Host]

Sorry, gravity?

[Adriana]

Yeah, Gravity is bronze. No, I agree. That was a horror movie to me.

[Aisha Bow]

I'm like, please don't drag me for that. No,

[Adriana]

I'm on your side.

[Olivia]

Do you have a favorite space movie?

[Aisha Bow]

I definitely cried watching Hidden Figures.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

So that is most definitely a favorite. But my variety of tastes is, like, ranging. Right? Like, I do. Like you guys, remember, like spaceship cowboys.

[Adriana]

No.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay.

[Unknown Host]

I'm so sorry.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

I was like a Spaceship Starship is

[Olivia]

a cowboys one time in motion gravity space odyssey 2000. What's the movie?

[Aisha Bow]

Space Odyssey.

[Olivia]

I watched that did not know what's happening. That was a deep one.

[Unknown Host]

I think I liked Hidden Figures so much because it was about people on Earth, right. You know, like I wasn't watching them in space and I was like, is he strapped on Mars? You know, like, I wasn't dealing with that.

[Adriana]

I was like.

[Aisha Bow]

And honestly, I think that's why it resonated so powerfully. And it's got some really good takeaways, especially for this AI generation. So you have these women, because women were calculators, right. They literally hand checked all the trajectories. Computers were introduced and what did they say? We're going to learn how to program the computers and we're going to check the computers. They were not scared. And then you come out of that and you hear some of the most wonderful missions that were perfectly executed were calculated by these women. And it's like, why are we just hearing about this now?

[Adriana]

Yeah, right.

[Unknown Host]

I think that reminds me, bringing it back to Artemis too is just how beautifully competent everything was and everyone was, you know, I think especially in today's day and age where it feels like nothing is going right for a mission of that magnitude, for it to everything to be perfectly calculated. And as you said, they landed at 20 miles per hour, like, and knowing where they. I was just. I love to see it of people who know their craft and they're experts and they do it.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, for the super drama. Feels like. So you're entering the Earth on this ballistic trajectory. You have a two degree window. You're going 25,000 miles an hour. You are half as hot as the sun. You survive and you land in San Diego, which is picturesque and beautiful. Beautiful place at 20 miles an hour. It's absolutely incredible. But to your point, like, I mean, Christina is absolutely amazing. You are a rock star and you're able to unplug a toilet while you're in orbit like that. It's wild. And it was also international. Right. It was just a really perfect example of what I hope to see more from humanity.

[Olivia]

Can you explain to me, I heard they took fuel up and then they didn't take fuel down. I don't know, I was just. I heard that. What does that mean? What was it called?

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, so you expended along the way. So as you get up there, you don't need as much. Right. Because now you're using gravity, we're using physics. I Mean, we basically gain speed by literally slinging ourselves around the Earth a couple times, and then, boom, you head towards the moon, and then, woof, you come back. And so really, when you're coming back, it's really about bleeding speed. It's kind of like when an airplane lands and you hear all that. No. Well, the airplane is just trying to slow itself down. They have thermal protection shielding to do that, and they're doing it at 25,000 miles an hour.

[Unknown Host]

Wow.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, if you're not ready to go in space after this, like, I don't know.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Unknown Host]

That's what I've been saying.

[Olivia]

I've been on a drop tower.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes.

[Olivia]

Is that kind of like that? But just, like, for hours.

[Aisha Bow]

So I love this. Like, I really want to, like, take this out of here into real life. But, like, we've got to do, like, a fighter jet flight or there's so many, like, cool things, like, I could just totally see you doing. Have you gone skydiving before?

[Unknown Host]

No, I don't let her.

[Adriana]

If she's in the next Top Gun movie, she'll do the G Force stuff. Maybe.

[Olivia]

Have you done the G Force?

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, yeah, yeah. I trained at six G's.

[Olivia]

Oh, my God. This is your whole. Is that where you just, like, contorting?

[Aisha Bow]

I have the videos of me giggling.

[Olivia]

Send them to me later.

[Aisha Bow]

Again, I mean, it's like, not the best way to. To use your air when you're at six times the force of gravity, but I loved it.

[Olivia]

You were just so fun. You just loved that feeling of just. I don't know what it would be. Pressure, you're hard in your throat.

[Adriana]

Did you have to go through any kind of athletic preparations to do that, or you just kind of did it?

[Aisha Bow]

I work out.

[Adriana]

Okay. Period.

[Olivia]

She works out.

[Adriana]

She works out.

[Aisha Bow]

So a lot of people don't know, but I used to be a gymnast.

[Adriana]

Cool.

[Aisha Bow]

And so I competed when I was younger. And then as I got older, I became, like, an amateur bodybuilder. But, like, do not go look for those photos. Awkward. And so from there, I never wanted to run a marathon, but I liked to lift. And so when we trained for the mission, there were 900 days between when I committed to the flight and when I flew. And so everything from skydives to acrobatics to centrifuges, you name it, I did it. Even hypoxia chambers. Right? Like, where they deliberately suck the oxygen out and just see what you do when you're on the verge of passing out.

[Unknown Host]

This does not seem Like, a fun time for me. But you are filled with so much joy talking about it.

[Adriana]

Yeah, you literally are shining.

[Aisha Bow]

Listen, I'm a great date, right? Like, let's have a drink. And let me tell you about the time I almost passed out.

[Adriana]

I'm very proud of you. Let's go. What's something that people don't realize the NASA team probably went through to make the Artemis mission so successful?

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, there's so many things. I mean, Artemis is 2, meaning that the first mission was executed, it was autonomous, and we have a plan to put humans back on the moon by 2028. And so they're doing a lot of long term planning. But can you imagine being in close quarters with people for 10 days and then coming out and like, hoping that you never had to leave?

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, there's a lot of stuff that goes on, from psych evaluations to just ensuring that they have hot sauce.

[Adriana]

Important.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. We sent multiple types of hot sauce up there.

[Unknown Host]

What kinds?

[Adriana]

That's huge for Adriana.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay, so.

[Adriana]

And Cholula.

[Aisha Bow]

I actually. It was Cholula was there. Franks, Tabasco and Frank's Franks.

[Olivia]

She's going, you've changed your mind.

[Adriana]

She's going, get her up there.

[Aisha Bow]

Well, so microgravity actually dims your sense of taste. And so spicy's good.

[Olivia]

You are a rocket scientist, which is when people were like, I feel like back in the day you'd be a kid and be like, I want to be a rocket scientist. Explain to us a little bit, I guess. Even for me. I'll say. I thought that was so cool. What does that even really mean?

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, it's so funny. So, like, I'll be on dates and like, what do you do? And I'm like, I'm a rocket scientist. And like, they almost always laugh.

[Olivia]

Right?

[Aisha Bow]

And I'm just like, google me, I'll wait.

[Adriana]

But the punchline of a Selena. Celine Dion song. No, of a Shania Twain song.

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, really?

[Adriana]

Also, you're a rocket science.

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, yeah, right. Best thing about being a woman. Yeah.

[Adriana]

Oh, you don't impress me much.

[Aisha Bow]

You don't impress me much.

[Adriana]

Oh, so you're a rocket scientist. You're like, yeah, I am.

[Aisha Bow]

So my focus is really on aircraft and on spacecraft. So when I started out, I worked on something called flight trajectory optimization, which is just a fancy way of looking at the path that aircraft fly in. The national airspace System. We want to make sure that you get there fast, we want to make sure that you get there safe, and we want to save some Fuel when we can, so we don't impact the environment as much. I then went into nanosatellites, and so my master's is focused on satellites that are like the size of a shoebox. Back then, no one really thought that they would become anything. And now we have entire constellations of these satellites that do real things. And then outside of that, everything from rocket launch coordination and approval. Like, I literally have a rocket on my desk this morning that I have to take a look at and make sure the trajectory is safe. It's all of ensuring that rockets can make it to orbit efficiently, that the payloads or the satellites or whatever's in there that is going up is healthy and kind of just watching things explode in a controlled manner.

[Adriana]

Do you have a favorite project that you've worked on?

[Aisha Bow]

I have so many, like, it's kind of hard to pick. So one of my favorite projects was early on where we were looking at what bacteria do on orbit. And one of the reasons why we're interested in this is that when you get in microgravity, things mutate and they become harder to kill. Well, this is really important because if you introduce an antifungal in microgravity and you can kill something, you can do it here on Earth. And so a lot of space is used to develop next generation vaccines or antibiotics so that we can make life here better. My experiment for my flight was an astrobio experiment because we are going to need to learn how to grow plants in space. I love it. It's like plants in space, right? It sounds like a movie.

[Adriana]

Why are we gonna need to do that? What do you mean?

[Aisha Bow]

So that we can eat.

[Adriana]

What's wrong with down here?

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, okay. We have to get you up there. We're just gonna like slow walk this up, right? We're just like baby steps. Baby steps. But it's really important not only for space. There's a lot of places here on Earth where maybe you don't have the right soil, the right conditions. And if you can grow plants in space, then that means you can grow food here on Earth. Cool. And so there's just a lot of translations between what we do up there and what needs to happen down here.

[Olivia]

And those. That research that you did was a year ago on your own flight up to space. And I heard that you funded that yourself. Funded yourself getting on there yourself.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, I raised the money to fly to space.

[Olivia]

Just a couple. Just a lemonade stand, I assume.

[Unknown Host]

A couple dollars.

[Aisha Bow]

Just a few.

[Adriana]

Yeah, a few.

[Aisha Bow]

Just a few.

[Adriana]

Sale here.

[Olivia]

There.

[Aisha Bow]

Exactly Just a few coins in the. I mean, wow. In the history of space, like, we've flown about 100 women. Less than 10 are African American women. And I just thought that that was ridiculous. And it was always like, working in an agency that I loved, but feeling like there's a dream that I was not likely to be able to achieve. And I wanted to demonstrate that if you are competent, you can meet the moment. And so I raised the money to fly. And in doing so, I actually did research that was important to me. And so as a private person, it's hard to work with universities and institutions to do big projects, but we were able to not only fly the experiment, I actually published research on my experiments afterwards.

[Olivia]

Cool.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, it's trailblazing. I feel like if I can decide to go to space after being somebody who I didn't even think I was gonna go to college, then what example am I setting for the next generation? Right. I hope it's a good one.

[Unknown Host]

You really made those 10 minutes count. Yeah. You know, with this incredible research, there

[Aisha Bow]

were 900 days that went into those minutes, and every single one of them was mapped. I mean, it's really difficult to get access to space. It didn't exist anymore. I mean, to kind of frame it. I went to space on a rocket that didn't exist when I worked at NASA. That's crazy. And then for me to be able to do it and bring not only science, but I actually had the personal American flag of the third man to walk on the moon in my bag. That's not something you just get because you're on a joyride. That's something that you get because you deserve it and it means something.

[Unknown Host]

And what was the application process like to get that seat?

[Aisha Bow]

So it was really interesting. So I got a call one day, and so the flag is owned by Nancy Conrad. Nancy's the wife of Pete Conrad, who's the third man to walk on the moon. And I don't know if you guys believe in, like, fate or kismet or if like your, like, faith, but I met Nancy my first week of work at NASA. And she's so. She's like this larger than life figure that's maybe like five feet tall. And I just have had her as a mentor. And so she calls me up one day and she's like, hey, there's a mission that's happening. I don't know what year, I don't know what, when, but I think it would be a shame if you weren't part of it. And so I sort of, I sent this email and it was like an application video where I was like, hi, my name is Aisha. I've worked in NASA, I've created education companies, I've done all these things and I really would like to be part of this. And I'm gonna set about working with brands and organizations to make it happen.

[Olivia]

And though we are very different in what you and I do in careers, one thing that myself, I'm a rugby player. But when I go out on the pitch, I put on lipstick, I put on makeup, I put on mascara. Cause it's never taken away. And you as well. It's never taken away from who I am as an athlete. You going on this mission as well, put on makeup and did yourself up for it. Talk about that and why you chose to do that.

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, not only did I put it on, I trained in it.

[Adriana]

Oh, really?

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, it was really important for me to have non smudging long wear. Yeah, right. I literally had fenty glow between the girls because I was like, I don't have like, my pockets need to look flat and if we land, I need to make sure I got some time to go pro and gloss up.

[Olivia]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

But in it's so I meet so many young girls, Right. Like middle school, who are like, well, I don't want to do that because that's not a feminine field. And I feel like makeup just accentuates what's already there. Like if you're already bold and confident, like, it doesn't take anything away. And I really wanted to be able to represent all of who I was in this moment that, you know, I feel like if you loved it, you watched it once and if you hated it, you watched it thrice.

[Adriana]

And I wanna know what it's like being in space because to me, I feel like that would be such an emotional moment for you. But you were like getting outta. You got work to do in your 10 minutes.

[Aisha Bow]

It's not likely that something could go wrong, but if it does, you want to be locked in.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Because there are all of these things. Right. We've got indicators. There's training and, you know, to the earlier point, I had spent three years thinking about how I was going to spend this time and I was going to be damned if I messed up my science.

[Adriana]

Right.

[Olivia]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

And so I've got my zero G plan, I'm focused. I don't think I really got to process until after we were on the ground and there's like a microphone in my face and it's like, say something prolific. And I'm like, okay, makeup looks good. Science is done.

[Adriana]

Mm.

[Aisha Bow]

Let me, like, carry it forward. I mean, I think there's always an element of everything where the true story kind of gets left for after. And you just hope that someone cares to talk about it in a way that does justice to the moment.

[Olivia]

What would you name your own space shuttle?

[Aisha Bow]

I feel like it has to be easy to say, but also very punchy. I like Escape velocity.

[Adriana]

What does that mean?

[Olivia]

Does that mean yes? Yes, of course.

[Adriana]

No.

[Olivia]

You literally no. In the car in this morning, she was like, wait, wait.

[Adriana]

By the way, escape philosophy.

[Olivia]

I meant to say this. What did you. Keep going. Sorry.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay. And then there's like little kind of punchy fun things. So, like, my family is from the Bahamas. We've got a number of islands that would sound great on any type of a craft, whether it's a boat or a spaceship. My call sign was Exuma.

[Adriana]

Oh, yeah?

[Olivia]

What's the background of that?

[Aisha Bow]

My grandfather was born there 93 years ago.

[Olivia]

Oh, cool. Wow.

[Aisha Bow]

And so I wanted him to hear me say where he was born. On air.

[Olivia]

Oh, that's awesome.

[Adriana]

That's really cool.

[Aisha Bow]

But it also looks really good when it's like on the side of anything. Cause it's got like a nice X. It's like E X, U, M A. It kind of words.

[Adriana]

Sounds space.

[Aisha Bow]

Like, yeah, right. Like, where's that? Where are you going? Well, out of space.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah. So you had a stable job at NASA, but you left it to start your own company. What inspired you to do that? What gave you the confidence to take on that risk?

[Aisha Bow]

Sorry, I'm just laughing because my mom was like, not a fan.

[Unknown Host]

She was like, you got a 401k over there.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, talk about a non starter. The whole concept. She's like, so let me get this straight. You have two degrees in aerospace engineering. You're going to leave your government job and you're gonna decide to start a business, and you have no investors, no nothing. And I was like, I feel like sometimes you can't tell people your dreams. You have to show them. And you need to understand, like, I am bigger than this job. She was like, you're working for NASA. How big could you be?

[Adriana]

Right?

[Aisha Bow]

Well, you're gonna have to wait and see. But there was just something in me where I felt like, as much as I love the agency and I love the mission and like, maybe one day I'll get the chance to go back. There was just so much that I wanted to do that was not in my job description. And so I needed to create a way to do it.

[Adriana]

And so what should we preferring? Rocket scientist or CEO?

[Aisha Bow]

It depends on the day, period. It does. Cause, like, there's some days where I'm out and we're just doing really fun things.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

And it could be a rocket, static, fire. I could be looking at a new technology. Like, I just get to have the most amazing real life field trips. And then there are days where I'm like, you know, kind of in the office and I'm in stretchy pants, and I love it. And it's great.

[Unknown Host]

You can't have one without the other.

[Aisha Bow]

It's balance. Balance. Well, it's the illusion of balance, I guess. I'm not sure that balance really exists. I feel like you kind of have to. Everything requires a little bit of give. I never quite get it right, but at least I have the option.

[Adriana]

And was there a moment where you felt like you were really making a difference?

[Aisha Bow]

Wow. Yes. There have been some really incredible moments. I mean, my favorite is so when we flew last year. I literally flew on a rocket engine that a girl I had mentored since she was 13 helped build. So people are like, how do you know you're safe? I'm like, I saw Claire this morning.

[Olivia]

I've been helping her this whole time.

[Aisha Bow]

Exactly. We good to go? She's gotten promoted. She's engaged. She's getting married in September. And I'm like, I'm gonna probably fall apart at that wedding. I absolutely love her, but I get to go out on a fairly frequent basis and see now kids that I've either mentored or inspired, they're in college, they're paying it forward. And I love that.

[Olivia]

My producer told me this. Were you supposedly a C student?

[Aisha Bow]

I would like to call this chapter of my life skipping school and doing hood rat things with my friends.

[Olivia]

Okay.

[Adriana]

And you had to.

[Aisha Bow]

I chose to.

[Unknown Host]

Well, it got you to where you are.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, exactly. Yes. Yes. Okay. No regrets. Definitely do not look back on that time and, like, wish I was better. So I literally have my high school transcript printed out at my house. And, like, my plan was I was gonna turn it into Kleenex so people could, like, boo hoo into it when they come over because it's so.

[Olivia]

That's extra. You should do that. Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

Because this whole piece of paper was supposed to dictate what was possible in my life, and it didn't. I got a 2.3. 1 3. Like, the 13 is just disrespectful. Because once you're like in 2.3, like, you don't need the 1 3. You don't. I was in a math class that I could not describe as being very challenging. And I had met my high school guidance counselor for a guidance session and she was just like, I don't think college is for you. I don't think that you should think about a four year degree. How about you study a trade? I have nothing against trades. Trades are amazing. But she was very much like, I don't think you should even apply. And I'm really happy that she did that. I mean, I love the high school, but I kind of gently shade them. I'm like, look at what I did, look at what I did, look at what I did. And here's a cardboard cutout of me so the kids can walk past me when they go to school every day. There's one there.

[Adriana]

Good for you.

[Aisha Bow]

There's literally one there.

[Adriana]

Good for you.

[Aisha Bow]

Cause it's just like we ask so much of people before they know who they are. I don't get that. Like, really, you're gonna tell a 14 year old that because they're not disciplined, they're not gonna be great in life? Like, that makes no sense.

[Adriana]

Literally trying to put you in a box.

[Aisha Bow]

I don't know any women who fit in boxes.

[Olivia]

No.

[Adriana]

I hope your cardboard cutout is like standing on a box too, in your high school.

[Unknown Host]

Some extra inches.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Olivia]

Wow, that's a great takeaway. And I think that it so was interesting to me. Even in high school, you have to know what you want to do. You have to know exactly what your career is gonna be for the rest of your life. And in college, when you're, you know, 17 years old, you're just partying, having fun. You should be figuring it out there. But you're kind of a testament to things can change. I've had friends who've studied one thing in college. Completely different now. And it's not a failure. We're young, we're figuring it out. I'm still figuring out in many ways, and I think what we're told when we're younger, whether it's ability, body, it's just so not true.

[Aisha Bow]

And they were watching people rewrite the limitations all the time. Right? Like women are having twins at 50, for heaven's sakes.

[Olivia]

Whoa.

[Aisha Bow]

Shout out to whoever did that.

[Olivia]

Shout out.

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. But even with careers, it's constantly like someone's telling you that you can't do something, you shouldn't do something, or you can't do something and then you go and you do it. And so I really just decided to devote my life to having no limitations. Like, I have this mantra like impossible is just a suggestion.

[Olivia]

Write that down. She's a big quote person. She'll write that down later in her journal. She has a page.

[Adriana]

She opens up a page of quotes.

[Olivia]

What is the quote you've been saying to us?

[Adriana]

It's the riskiest. Time to play it safe. That's my big one right now.

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, no, I love it.

[Adriana]

It's just time to play it safe.

[Aisha Bow]

And well behaved women really make history.

[Adriana]

Heck, and fate dances with those already on the floor. She's got them.

[Olivia]

She loves them.

[Adriana]

Okay, I can go bar from bar right now.

[Olivia]

I got him.

[Adriana]

They're up.

[Aisha Bow]

Anyway, I just feel like this would be like a really good drinking game though.

[Adriana]

Yeah, right?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes.

[Olivia]

Respect all, fear none.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Unknown Host]

I already feel like I said mine from last year of do it scared. Do it scared.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Olivia]

Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.

[Adriana]

Ship and harbor is safe, but that's not what ships are built for.

[Olivia]

Okay, one more for us.

[Adriana]

One more.

[Olivia]

Come on, one more. Oh, no.

[Aisha Bow]

Now I just did the thing where I blanked.

[Unknown Host]

I will say one I love. Maybe it's not like a quote, but. But it's growing up is becoming who you are at 16. But loving her this time.

[Olivia]

And I loved that.

[Unknown Host]

Cause I remember when I was 16, I was so sure of myself, but I also kind of hated myself. And then I felt like for a few years there I kind of lost that. And then I've kind of come back to it a little bit and I'm like, she's great and I'm great.

[Aisha Bow]

Do you feel like 16 year old you is like screaming now?

[Adriana]

Oh my gosh, mine's obsessed with me. Yeah, she thinks I have the.

[Aisha Bow]

Oh yeah.

[Adriana]

And I don't believe it.

[Aisha Bow]

I wish I could just like teleport back and be like, like, listen, it's getting so good. You're gonna love it. You're gonna love it. Exactly. Just hang in there.

[Olivia]

Play the long game. Play the long game.

[Adriana]

Play in the long game. Yeah, I do. I think that's such a beautiful way to not like heal your past self too, but like to hang out with her and do her justice. As I will go to an event or I'll do something and I'll travel to this place and I'll be like, 16 year old me would be freaking out right now. She would never like 12 year old me. 16 year old me, 21 year old me, like two years ago me. I love that.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean like, not to be petty, but please. My community college forever held a special place in my heart because they made my face. 40 something Foot billboards on the side of the highway.

[Olivia]

Wow.

[Aisha Bow]

Now I love that. But here's the best part. My ex boyfriend from college had to drive past a picture of my face every day on the way to work for months.

[Unknown Host]

That's great.

[Adriana]

That is poetic.

[Olivia]

I love that.

[Aisha Bow]

And I'm like, little me would be just like over the moon right now.

[Adriana]

Oh, that's good. Somebody should write that into a book. I love that a lot.

[Olivia]

And I do want to ask.

[Adriana]

Cause you mentioned it briefly, but you have your content series where you're making like stem, like fun. It's always fun. But what was the kind of inspiration for starting this?

[Aisha Bow]

Well, if one more person asks me if the world's flat, I'm gonna scream, right?

[Olivia]

It's not.

[Unknown Host]

No, I'm just.

[Adriana]

You have a teammate that's convinced.

[Olivia]

She jokingly thinks that.

[Adriana]

But like, people joke about what they mean.

[Olivia]

Okay, maybe. But no, I don't think so.

[Aisha Bow]

I'm just gonna like, I'm gonna send you a video that you can share. Just kind of show some of them.

[Olivia]

I think you're joking. Right?

[Unknown Host]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Spam some round Earth footage for ya. Perfect. But I realized that there's like a disconnect between the things that I know about space and science and things that everybody else knows about space and science. And so I wanted to find a way to make it accessible because there are just some things that are incredible. Like there are these jellyfish that are basically immortal and do not die, and we need them for facials. There's a lightning bolt that went over 500 miles. Like it was like the distance between D.C. and Boston. And we only saw it because of space.

[Olivia]

Whoa.

[Aisha Bow]

There are literally trees that bleed. And the ancient Roman gladiators used to use them over the wounds to heal faster. They were antimicrobial. But back then they didn't know that. They just knew that they needed the SAP.

[Adriana]

Have we taken that to space to check out?

[Aisha Bow]

No, we have it. Like, we have it here.

[Adriana]

Okay, cool.

[Aisha Bow]

We have it on Earth so far,

[Adriana]

just the antifungal up there. Yes. So no more jock itch. Cool.

[Olivia]

Thank God. Okay, Aisha, we're gonna play a game called Try hard in rugby. My space. That's my space.

[Aisha Bow]

No pun intended.

[Olivia]

When we score, it's called a try. So for this you're gonna have to try Hard to answer these questions as fast as possible or as slow as possible. Also, we just wanna hear from you. So first up, go to coffee, order

[Aisha Bow]

oat milk, vanilla latte, iced, medium sweet.

[Olivia]

Ooh.

[Adriana]

Okay. What's something in your house that's really special to you?

[Aisha Bow]

My spacesuit.

[Adriana]

Love it.

[Olivia]

Should have worn it here today, but.

[Adriana]

Which she said she just wore to a four year old's birthday party. And they were all like, wow, this looks so real.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, they were in their spacesuits. I was in my spacesuit. It just worked. It just worked.

[Unknown Host]

It's going crazy on their Instagram in 20 years.

[Olivia]

Oh, my God.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Adriana]

Other birthday parties, I was saying have like Elsa and the K pop demon hunters, but you were. No, we have an actual. We have an actual. Someone has been to space here.

[Unknown Host]

What would be on your family crest?

[Aisha Bow]

A dragon.

[Adriana]

Oh, why?

[Unknown Host]

Quick with that.

[Aisha Bow]

Yeah, you have to have a dragon.

[Adriana]

Got it.

[Aisha Bow]

Preferably claws.

[Adriana]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

Probably big wings. This really intimidating looking dragon.

[Adriana]

Do you like fantasy? Like Game of Thrones and stuff like that? Or you just like dragons?

[Aisha Bow]

Maybe she tries, but I always like a dragon or a phoenix has always kind of been like my spirit animal. And so when people ask me like, what's your animal? I'm like, real or mythical? Because it's just.

[Olivia]

They're like, I real. But I don't know.

[Adriana]

I don't know. You're like a centaur, maybe.

[Unknown Host]

See, I never thought about taking it like a mythical route.

[Olivia]

I might.

[Unknown Host]

Might need to find a mythical creature there.

[Aisha Bow]

Works for me every time you go for.

[Olivia]

I'd say like a troll. Like under the bridge, riddle, singing, like harpy.

[Adriana]

I don't know.

[Olivia]

Who are the ones that have like the goat legs?

[Adriana]

Minotaur.

[Unknown Host]

No, no.

[Olivia]

Anyway, don't even say it. Are you a good sleeper?

[Adriana]

No.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay.

[Adriana]

Really?

[Olivia]

Cause you're doing too much. You're thinking. You're doing equations up there, aren't you?

[Aisha Bow]

Exactly.

[Olivia]

I knew it.

[Adriana]

I'm crunching numbers.

[Aisha Bow]

Listen, I have a whole sleep routine. I've got like the magnesium lotion. I got the Dr. Teals pillow spray. I try to, you know, meditate. Calm the mind. I have the worst time getting my mind to stop, really. So I just don't sleep well.

[Adriana]

Do you journal before bed?

[Aisha Bow]

I should do it more. If I did it, I'd have like 16 books now.

[Unknown Host]

Yeah, but I don't.

[Olivia]

Just the writings of a woman.

[Unknown Host]

Let's head on into the book nook. This is the part of the show where we discuss what's happening all Things Books. We are huge readers around here. Are you a big reader?

[Aisha Bow]

I used to be.

[Unknown Host]

What happened?

[Adriana]

Too many numbers.

[Aisha Bow]

You know, it's like now that I've been doing work, I'm reading a lot of things that are not exciting. Right. It's like I'm reading the news or I'm reading a contract. I just want to read a book.

[Adriana]

Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

But I love books.

[Adriana]

Well, when you were reading, what, what did you gravitate towards? What did you read most?

[Aisha Bow]

I'm really like a fantasy sort of. I like. I like to get lost.

[Unknown Host]

Right.

[Aisha Bow]

Like, I read the entire Southern vampire mysteries, which eventually became True Blood, like Phantom Tollbooth, like those types of books.

[Unknown Host]

You're among friends here.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay.

[Unknown Host]

We read a lot of fantasy for you.

[Adriana]

That's so fun.

[Unknown Host]

Out of all the books that you read, like, if someone asks you for a recommendation, what do you give?

[Aisha Bow]

Oh, I give. Kind of a boring one, but it's necessary. So. I love Dale Carnegie's how to win friends and influence people. I was super awkward growing up and I mean, okay. So when I decided that I was gonna contribute and, like, go to school and become an engineer, I realized that I didn't really know how to talk to people. And so the book helped me develop real world skills. And so I advocate for it.

[Olivia]

And if I can recommend a fantasy book to you as a spacewoman yourself, there's a beautiful series. It's called say what I think you're

[Adriana]

about to say to her right now along with you.

[Olivia]

Have you heard of this series called Ice Planet Barbarians? Have you heard of this?

[Aisha Bow]

But I need to.

[Olivia]

It's a great series.

[Aisha Bow]

Wait, tell me about this.

[Olivia]

Okay, here's what happens.

[Unknown Host]

I need you to lower your expectations.

[Adriana]

Here's what happens.

[Olivia]

Lower. Girls are taken from Earth by these bad aliens and the shit malfunctions. So they drop them off on this ice planet. Okay, stay with her. It turns out on this ice planet there's hot blue aliens.

[Adriana]

Walk with her.

[Olivia]

Think of the aliens from Avatar.

[Adriana]

And there's not enough females on their planet. And now, oh, my God.

[Olivia]

Females have died from a mysterious disease.

[Adriana]

And now here's all.

[Olivia]

And they are these American. This series was very popular.

[Adriana]

It went.

[Olivia]

I actually don't want you to read it. I'm scared now. It's a very popular series. Booktok was going crazy for it.

[Adriana]

And just like, it's spicy. Like a spicy book kind of.

[Aisha Bow]

I mean, I might be into this spicy book.

[Olivia]

I've got a. I don't know, actually

[Unknown Host]

another one.

[Olivia]

Yeah, I mean, so, but just if you wanted space or something like that,

[Adriana]

I feel like that's the equivalent of you reading a sports. Like a sports. Spicy sports book. You can't read those.

[Olivia]

Yes.

[Adriana]

Doesn't work for you. So I don't know if this will work. Maybe check it out.

[Aisha Bow]

Well, listen, let me get the first book, and then we can. We can circle back.

[Olivia]

Okay, perfect, perfect.

[Adriana]

And you're gonna be like, I thought of my. Hear me out. Now that you are part of the family, you've gotta help out around the house. So you're gonna do some chores. You're gonna be given a corresponding challenge to whichever you choose. Okay.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay.

[Adriana]

So laundry, dishes, vacuuming, or sweeping.

[Aisha Bow]

Laundry, Laundry.

[Adriana]

Laundry. Laundry, Laundry. Share the last person you searched on Instagram.

[Aisha Bow]

So there's an influencer called Moji Style. Okay. I am in the middle of trying to renovate the bathrooms in my house, and I am, like, addicted to people who seem to make this. They're, like, renovating three or four bathrooms. It feels like a week. And so I was looking at Amazon bathroom finds and then kind of the luxury bathroom finds, and I'm actually planning on, like, installing a bunch of stuff this weekend.

[Olivia]

What kind of stuff?

[Adriana]

What do you mean? Like, new sinks.

[Olivia]

How many shower heads are we talking?

[Aisha Bow]

Okay, so three, and we're putting in bidets. Okay.

[Adriana]

That's luxury.

[Unknown Host]

Are you getting a heated seat?

[Aisha Bow]

Yes. I want to walk in and have the seat greet me when I enter into the bathroom. I do not know why. This is not a thing. Everywhere here.

[Olivia]

Our mom got a bidet. Every time that woman sits on that toilet now, she says something about the heated seats.

[Adriana]

She's like, oh, it's just so great.

[Olivia]

She loves it. She loves it. Yeah.

[Adriana]

She bought, like, three more, and she put all the rest of them. Like, every other toilet in our house, too, is. It's a heated seated now, but I

[Aisha Bow]

feel like once you have that and a steam shower. Yeah. You're like, why is this not like, basic operating level of life? Like, I need to put that in my master bathroom in my place.

[Adriana]

What is a steam shower? Is that outside of my.

[Aisha Bow]

It's like a mix between a shower and a steam room.

[Adriana]

Oh, yes.

[Aisha Bow]

Okay.

[Unknown Host]

Would you use it to clean yourself or just enjoy?

[Aisha Bow]

I'm gonna say D all the above. Like, I'm okay. I'm a sucker for, like, a steam sauna situation. So like, two to three times a week, especially with, like, all the makeup and yada, yada, yada, I love to just lay in the sauna or the Steam room. It's part of my routine, and it also actually helps me calm my mind.

[Olivia]

Yeah.

[Aisha Bow]

But I want to do that at home. Right. I want to be able to not have to go so far and preferably do that and then go right to sleep. And so I need to upgrade my life.

[Adriana]

Are you a cold plunger?

[Aisha Bow]

I love a cold plunge.

[Olivia]

You love a cold plunge?

[Aisha Bow]

I love a cold plunge, but I like a cold plunge in the middle of. So I was in Europe. Cause I feel like all the really kind of cool stuff, like, with this is in Europe. I'm like, I'm waiting for someone to inbox me and be like, you're wrong. But there was a steam room that had a cold plunge in the middle of the steam room.

[Olivia]

Whoa.

[Aisha Bow]

And it was the best.

[Olivia]

I could see that more. I could see it.

[Adriana]

That makes sense.

[Aisha Bow]

And it was the best sleep. So, like, I would just be in there getting my temperature up, and then boom, right in the middle. And then I was like, okay, it's time for nap time.

[Olivia]

Nap, nap, nap. Go sweep it out.

[Aisha Bow]

Exactly. But I don't like those outdoor cold plunges.

[Olivia]

No.

[Aisha Bow]

We see people, like, in bikinis in their backyard. I'm like, I'm good on that.

[Olivia]

Like, chopping the ice off of it. I'm like, nah, I don't see that.

[Aisha Bow]

I'm good with that.

[Olivia]

I love a sauna. I sauna often. I think it is the one place, too, where you can, like, you don't want to bring your phone in because it'll hurt. So you have to just be there. Present. Present also with your discomfort. That's very tough for me. And then I dip in this. The cold plunge. Then I go right back into saddle.

[Aisha Bow]

Do you go all the way in or just, like, up to the shoulders?

[Olivia]

Depending on. I try to go all the way in, but sometimes I'll even just go here.

[Adriana]

I'm a truther on socks. In the cold plunge. It's like. It's just. It's a Wait.

[Aisha Bow]

You're putting socks on? Yeah. You're wearing socks, and you're wearing socks

[Adriana]

into the cold plunge.

[Unknown Host]

I think it's like placebo.

[Adriana]

It's a placebo, but it makes you feel like your toes aren't hurting as much.

[Aisha Bow]

Huh.

[Adriana]

Works for me. Me tricks my brain.

[Aisha Bow]

Learn something new every day.

[Adriana]

Write that down, everyone. Well, thank you so much for coming over, everyone. Please follow Aisha bow on IG at Aisha bow. That's B O W E. And if a man comes to you and says, you want to get freaky on his moon rocks.

[Unknown Host]

Red flag say no. Okay, thanks so much for coming over to the House of Mar O Wave Original.

[Olivia]

Be sure to watch, subscribe on YouTube and listen wherever you get your podcast.

[Adriana]

Plus follow the show on social media

[Olivia]

HouseOfMar for clips and behind the scenes content.

[Adriana]

Thank you so much for being here.

[Olivia]

I'm real rocket scientist, Real rocket scientist. She's been a space they're real.