It's the first day of November! We have five days until the election, have you voted yet??

This Buzzfeed article about the things people's grandmothers did for the first time when their husbands were out of the picture was horrifying. If ever we needed a reason to choose the bear.

The Taliban somehow get even more extreme, banning women from hearing each other's voices. Women for Women is a great organization to support if you want to do what you can for women in Afghanistan.

Germany is yet another country to face massive fertility drops and have no idea what to do about it.

Harpy was such a great title that I knew I had to interview Dr. Caroline Magennis and she did not disappoint. We talk cultural expectations, the right to be mediocre, and our thoughts on childfree women in pop culture in this wonderful conversation. Harpy: A Manifesto for Childfree Women is available as an e-book or for preorder now and I cannot recommend it enough.

Have questions or want to share your story? Email [email protected].

So much news this week!

How to Prepare for Growing Older if You Don't Have Kids- Vox

Russian legislators are calling for a childless tax- The Bell

Estate planning when you don't have kids- AFR

Anna Kendrick, childless cat lady- HuffPo

Jennifer Aniston, CCL from way back- HuffPo

Find a good new story? Email [email protected].

J. Kelly Hoey is a great friend, mentor, and inspiration of mine. She is a networking expert, her book Build Your Dream Network is a must-read, whose personal group of friends and acquaintances is so robust, diverse, and fulfilling that I had to have her on to share her wisdom. We talk about how to build a community, why asking and showing up are so important, and how tech can be an invaluable tool for keeping and building friendships.

Stevie Nicks is one of us!

What's the deal with tradwives?

The Joy of Childless Men

Pre-Order Your Cheeky Guide to the Roman Empire!

Questions? News or pop culture moment you'd like to share? Email [email protected].

Data nerds! This is our time! This week's guest is journalist Megan Leonhardt. Megan writes about economics for Barron's and she tells the stories of the economy with true humanity and compassion. You probably read her Fortune article about the new record number of single women in America- she definitely got people talking. I was so excited to connect the story of singles in America to the larger economic picture.

Enjoy the ep, follow Megan, email [email protected] with questions or to tell your single story, and don't forget to leave a review!

*Note- the sound is a little iffy in parts here but I promise it's worth powering through. You won't miss a thing.*

Have a news tip? Email [email protected]

Welcome to Choose the Bear! I am so thrilled to start this journey with you. We're launching with a lifelong favorite of mine, the Vestal Virgins, and an incredible expert, Dr. Peta Greenfield. Be sure to check out the Partial Historians podcast, watch this awesome TED Ed video on the Vestals, and if you really want to get nerdy, read Dr. Greenfield's extremely interesting dissertation on the Vestals.

Enjoy the show and send your questions and stories to [email protected]!