Chickens Are The New Kittens

This week, Beth and Chelsey are keeping it casual. Like, really casual. They’re talking about their favorite candies, playing a little rummy, getting interrupted approximately 47 times, and going off on whatever tangents their brains decide to take. No fancy editing, no carefully planned conversations, and absolutely no promises that they’ll stay on topic. It’s chaotic, it’s unfiltered, it’s just two friends hanging out and recording it. Because honestly, who cares? That’s half the fun!

We’ve been absent, and for that we apologize.

We have had weddings and tragedies, none of which were discussing in this episode.

Instead, we’re gonna cover our favorite holidays since we’re in between the holiday seasons. Why? Because why not!

Will there be random singing? Yes. Will we go off on tangents? Probably. Will some of what we say make absolutely no sense? There is a good chance. Should you listen anyway? 100%.

What’s your favorite holiday?

⚠️ CONTENT WARNING: This episode contains discussions of animal trauma, animal death/injury, and childhood trauma that some listeners may find upsetting or triggering. Please listen with care, and feel free to skip this one if those topics are difficult for you.

Tom & Jerry starts with two traumatic animal encounters: Beth’s involving a kitten, Chelsey’s involving a mouse, and both apparently earning permanent residence in our brains. But because neither of us particularly enjoys setting up camp in the darkest corners of our memories, the actual horror stories and flashbacks only take up about half the episode. Along the way, we uncover some surprisingly interesting things about our lives, our relationships with animals, the things we’re genuinely terrified of, and a few scars that are perhaps a little less healed than we thought. It gets sad, uncomfortable, revealing, and occasionally way deeper than either of us intended. Naturally, our preferred coping mechanism is to laugh at wildly inappropriate moments and keep talking until somehow we’re having fun again. Because if we laugh about the trauma, that means we’re totally fine… right? Right?!

Beth and Chelsey are putting their friendship to the ultimate test with a couples game they arguably deserve to play together more than they do with anyone they’ll ever actually be in a relationship with. They’ll have to match answers, decide who came up with the better response, and survive a few rounds of this-or-that without questioning everything they thought they knew about each other and their friendship. For once, there are no wild tangents, just snacks, ridiculous amounts of laughter, and the kind of competitive energy that comes from knowing someone way too well. Oh, and there’s screaming. Actual screaming. Why? You’ll just have to listen.

⚠️ BIG, GIANT, SERIOUSLY-WE-MEAN-IT DISCLAIMER: This episode contains explicit content, sexual discussions, adult themes, and a LOT of foul language. Headphones are strongly recommended unless you’re prepared to answer some uncomfortable follow-up questions from nearby children, coworkers, or your parents.

Beth and Chelsey are talking about books. Again. This time, they’re confessing why certain books remain tragically unfinished, the tricks and tools they use to keep themselves reading, and when, where, and how they actually manage to squeeze books into their lives. They also discuss reading habits, attention spans, and the eternal struggle between “I have too many books to read” and “Ooooh, I should buy another book.” They also cover why they have books they simply DNF (did not finish.)

Naturally, this carefully selected topic lasts approximately twelve seconds before the tangents begin. Tangent leads to tangent, which leads to another tangent, and eventually everyone has forgotten how they got there, including Beth and Chelsey. You know the drill.

We’re back! And it’s just as strange…

Would you want to know every time someone lies to you, or would you rather everyone else know when you’re lying? Would you want the real reason someone ghosted you, or are some things better left buried in the litter box? This week, Beth and Chelsey put curiosity to the test with a series of “would you rather know” scenarios, and surprisingly, they agree on a lot. But when they don’t, the feathers start to fly. From harmless curiosity to truths you can never un-know, we’re finding out whether knowledge really is power, or if sometimes curiosity really does kill the cat.

Ever wondered if “Bless your heart” is actually a blessing? This week, Beth and Chelsey dive into the wonderfully petty world of backhanded compliments, passive-aggressive one-liners, and those sneaky phrases that sound polite but definitely aren’t. They debate which ones are harmless, which ones deserve the ax, and whether they’ve ever been guilty of using a few themselves… or might start now. Naturally, the conversation takes several unexpected detours, including body hair, intestinal worms, movies, Frank the cat, and whatever else their brains decide to latch onto. It’s chaotic, relatable, and just the right amount of mean… I love that for you.

This week, Beth and Chelsey are diving into the best and worst books they’ve read lately, including the stories they couldn’t put down and the ones they wish they could unread, or finish reading. Along the way, they discuss the age-old debate, do audiobooks actually count as reading, and they’re not afraid to disagree. Between book talk, they keep Sookie happily supplied with treats while sampling an assortment of Mexican desserts from a neighborhood grocery store near their favorite taco spot. From sweet surprises to questionable bites, there are plenty of laughs, strong opinions, and cinnamon-sugar-fueled chaos. Grab a snack, pick up your current read, and join the conversation!

⚠️ Trigger Warning: This episode contains in-depth discussions of infertility, IVF, miscarriage, pregnancy loss, grief, trauma, and the emotional impact of fertility treatments. These topics may be especially difficult for anyone who has experienced infertility, pregnancy loss, or PTSD related to those experiences.

🔞 Explicit Content Warning: This episode contains adult language and frank conversations about fertility, reproduction, and sperm. Listener discretion is advised. This episode is intended for mature audiences and may not be appropriate for younger listeners.

In one of their most emotional episodes yet, Beth and Chelsey sit down to share the story Chelsey has spent years finding the strength to tell. From the beginning of her fertility journey through IVF, the highs of hope, the heartbreak of miscarriage, the difficult setbacks that followed, and the resilience it has taken to keep moving forward, this episode walks through it all. While Beth offers memories, perspective, and support along the way, Chelsey courageously takes the lead, sharing her experience in a way she never has before. Although pieces of this journey have been mentioned in previous episodes, this is the first time the full story has been told. This conversation is honest, vulnerable, heartbreaking, and, at times, surprisingly humorous, because healing rarely follows a straight line. Whether you’ve experienced infertility or pregnancy loss yourself, love someone who has, or simply want to better understand the unseen battles so many people carry, Beth and Chelsey hope this episode reminds you that no one has to walk those roads alone. Please listen with care, and give yourself permission to pause if this episode feels too close to home.

What started as a simple taste test between Beth and Chelsey quickly turned into a full-blown family snack showdown. Armed with treats from around the world, we sampled everything from surprisingly delicious to wonderfully questionable, rating each bite along the way. The temptation proved too much for Beth’s kids to resist, and before long they had pulled up chairs and joined the competition. Together, we laughed, cringed, debated, and discovered a few unexpected favorites from across the globe. After every snack had its moment in the spotlight, we crowned one ultimate champion worthy of international bragging rights. Grab a snack of your own and come along for this deliciously chaotic adventure.