Having friends and family come over can be great for bonding and connecting, but the stress that comes with cleaning and preparation for a gathering can be overwhelming. This week, we discuss the concept of Scruffy Hospitality mentioned by Robin Shreeves in her blog. What can you let go of in order to embrace having visitors in your home and actually enjoy them being there? Do your visitors need an immaculate house to have a good time?

In this week's episode, we discuss some of the great literary scandals and the plethora of cases involving artists whose real lives are more dramatic than their work. Do writers create drama in their lives because of their creative minds, or do people who live surrounded by drama turn to fantasy to cope? (Or both?) And why do we hold fiction to a higher standard of plausibility than real life? We would never allow characters to get away with the dumb choices real people make every day.

Recent court cases in Europe and the US have highlighted some of the issues that arise when portraying (or alluding to) real-life figures in fictional creations. When does someone's right to create original works infringe upon someone else's right to control their public image and persona? If it's fiction, is anyone open game to portrayed in any manner the artist chooses? How does that apply when the "art form" is digital porn? And where is the line drawn with biopics, docudramas, and autobiographical material?

The Golden Globes kicked off the 2019 awards season with a few surprises, a couple of snubs, and as usual, controversy. In this week's episode, we discuss the appeal (or not) of awards shows, the frontrunners in movies and television this year, the subjectiveness of the process, and Violet's predictions for the upcoming Academy Awards.

We're kicking off the new year with talk about new beginnings, resolutions (and how they don't work for at least one of us), and a renewed effort for eating and living healthier. Take a listen and find out which new lifestyle plan we are going with next month, and join us with your own health commitment!

We all know what we're supposed to feel during the holiday season. We've seen the soft focus holiday movies that all end with everyone happy and festive. But in reality, it's not always easy to sing fa-la-la and be merry. The stress and demands of the holiday season can take their toll. Join us as we search for ways to find the holly jolly this season.

The holidays shine a spotlight on some of the difficulties and joys of parenting adult children--the changing dynamics of sibling interactions, the push and pull of split households and/or in-laws, and the less exciting but perhaps more meaningful gift giving. We also discuss the need for respect from both sides as parents walk the tightrope of knowing when to back off yet still be an active parent.

Social media commenters are quick to react to anything they disagree with. Unfortunately, they don't always do their research or gather facts before forming opinions. We discuss the reactions to recent scandals in the publishing world, as well as across the board in today's society. What will the long-term effects be on the new generations coming up in this time of constant attacks from those hiding behind the anonymity of the keyboard? To prevent getting sucked into the mob mentality, we encourage the use of 3 R's--do your Research, take time to Respond instead of reacting, and always use Respect.

As Violet celebrates 50, she and Tawdra discuss the changing views on aging in today's society, and the persistent ways that women are held hostage by age. We cover the gamet, from fashion to movies to skincare and sex. Because yes, women in their 50s still have great sex! (and we write books about them!)

This episode is almost guaranteed to cause food cravings. We discuss our own Thanksgiving traditions and the differences in menus based on geographic regions, but we also talk about the season of gratefulness and the encroachment of shopping into family time.