After four weeks and four warm-up episodes, WizCate and I decided it was time to officially launch Hopelessly Unedited. So we’re marking Episode #5 — the lucky one — as our official launch episode.

This time of year is all about family and friends coming together, whether to celebrate the season or simply to be together. Family gatherings aren’t always easy, but in this episode, WizCate and I choose to focus on the moments that make this season joyful.

I share a fond family-gathering experience with a delightful French family in Paris — very different from American family gatherings, at least in my book. WizCate reads a short story she wrote about a holiday gathering in an unnamed town. You can also find the story on her Substack, "The Long Table".

Since this is our official launch, I also give a quick recap of the conversations that came up during our four-week warm-up period.

Please follow us, share your questions and feedback, and let us know what topics you’d love for us to cover. For next week’s episode, we’d love to hear about international foods you’ve eaten — especially ones that surprised you when you found out what they actually were.

We look forward to hearing from you.