Help Wanted

Creative blocks are the worst. We talk with our pal Dena, a fiction writer, about her creative process, what a creative block looks like, and how to carve a path through it. We discuss the helpfulness of writing residencies, morning pages, writing groups, and journals. Plus some of the most fun and/or ridiculous ways to procrastinate (take the LSAT; enter Goodreads contests), and poets are weird. Dena shares a sample of her work, some of which has also appeared in online journals like JMWW, The Toast, The Butter; she is also working on a novel and is an editor of Elsewhere Lit. This episode sponsored by Zinkle Face Cream, the first face cream that zaps zits and prevents wrinkles, especially formulated for skin that's having an identity crisis. If your skin is in adolescent/adult purgatory, try Zinkle!

Perhaps the best diet of all involves letting go of diet mentality altogether.Sounds scary right? Reggie read the book Intuitive Eating and gives us the skinny on how to be cool with your body no matter what it looks like, plus tips for eliminating restrictive eating, making peace with food (like signing a treaty or chanting in a sweat lodge or something?), and nutritionists. Help Wanted loves Billy Eichner; weekends are for no bras; the Food Network is everyone's favorite; and Valerie cleans her bathroom naked. This episode sponsored by BoxBox, the monthly subscription service that delivers a box full of boxes direct to your door.

Returning home from a trip can be an adjustment and it's normal to feel out of sorts. Frustration with your current life and boredom could be the cause for post-travel depression. Vacations can shake us out of our routine and prepare us to take a look at whether or not we want to make changes in our lives. If you're always returning from a trip depressed, take a look at your life and see what you can do to make it more fulfilling. Find gratitude in your travels and appreciate them for what they are: valid and important moments of your life. Also, RIP John McLaughlin, Valerie worked at an adult video store a million years ago and hates gorgonzola cheese. Reggie is a fan of scary books, gyros, and a sharp cheddar cheese. This episode sponsored by Sally Sam's Juniper Jam, the perfect gift for people you'd rather not give anything to.

Maureen Brown and her husband, Marc, tried to conceive for a couple of years before receiving help from a fertility specialist, ultimately procreating a smart and beautiful little girl. In their struggle to conceive on their own, however, they discovered they could offer something to other people struggling with the same thing. They saw a need for an at-home pregnancy syringe, a syringe specifically purposed for at-home artificial insemination. While the turkey baster method has been around for some time (probably since the Pilgrims?), there were no products on the market specifically designed for vaginal insertion, and none that imitated what a penis actually does. The couple did some research, consulted with people in the know, and ultimately designed and co-invented a pregnancy syringe, called the Mosie Baby Syringe, which is now available for anyone who wants to conceive. In fact they used it themselves to conceive their second child. For more information on this device that helps get sperm where it needs to be for the purposes of procreation, visit www.mosiebaby.com. This episode sponsored by Kerfuffles, the potato chips you'll fight over.

The heat is getting to everyone, so Help Wanted tackles complaining in this episode. Really though we just want an excuse to whine about our own pet peeves and get some annoyances about TWC off our chests (much like a breast reduction surgery). Complaining excessively could increase stress and lead to a bunch of health problems. But also, complaining constructively could alleviate stress. Circle of life! Tomato, tomahto. Regina hates the word "adulting" and "hivemind." Valerie complains about "squad goals" and queso misunderstandings. Plus, DNC convention, Valerie's trip to Bismarck and her dream of opening a vintage shop, and Regina tries intuitive eating. This episode's sponsor: Napcakes, pancake pillows to help you sleep! Brought to you by the makers of Sleepytime Turkey Turnover Nightsnacks. Stop tossing and turning with a Sleepytime Turkey Turnover. Flaky, delicious and filled with Tryptophan, Sleepytime Turkey Turnovers are a good bet for a good night's rest. Brought to you by Napcakes!

Tabby Story and Katy Troy, wellness advisors from Austin's Herb Bar join Valerie and Reggie to teach us all about herbal medicinal goods: essential oils, flower essences, stones, tinctures, and other alternative new agey therapies and how they can help us refocus our energies, bring us back to the present moment, and may be used as natural remedies for Regina's and Valerie's personal ailments. Plus good tips to balance those chakras and cleanse your crystals and stones. Sponsored by DropBoxers, a fart cloud file storage solution.

Folding or rolling? Reggie and Valerie talk best practices for suitcase packing, security line bias, and whether or not to wear compression stockings to combat long-flight deep vein thrombosis. Reggie won't use a coffee machine in a hotel room and loves Clorox wipes. Valerie loves taking a multipurpose scarf with her on a plane and offers this packing hack: just don't bring so much shit. This episode sponsored by Green Crockpot: soggy processed meals delivered straight to your door for people who don't have time to taste.

An episode all about TV! With zero Game of Thrones watchers. TV critic, writer, and comedian Erica Lies joins Help Wanted to talk about binge watching, how we watch TV these days, the shows she loves (OITNB, The Americans, Please Like Me, Brooklyn 99, all things British, among many others) and what she avoids (shows about dead girls). Plus she tells us about her grudge against the show Prison Break for taking Arrested Development's time slot, Twin Peaks' timelessness, and the correct pronunciation of rooibos (Roy Orbison?) tea. Reg lost 4 pounds and is mad that the world didn't know how great Gilmore Girls was when it originally aired. Valerie thinks Vera Formiga sounds like it would be delicious cheese grated on a plate of pasta.

With the ease of seeking information from WebMD comes additional anxiety. In the name of finding out more information about your symptoms, you could actually cause yourself to be sick with panic and anxiety. There are no win-win situations when it comes to being proactive about your health using the world wide web's symptom checkers. There are a couple of kinds of health-related anxiety: obsessively checking symptoms and avoiding dealing with issues altogether, including not watching television about medicine (good thing ER is no longer on the air). People who obsessively use the Internet to diagnose themselves and convince themselves they have a disease are called cyberchondriacs. Valerie is probably a cyberchondriac. Probably. Regina has tips for using the Internet for good when it comes to health. If you have a diagnosed medical condition you might be able to find support from other people with the same condition using Internet resources. Hernia is a stupid word, everyone has a vitamin D deficiency, and Regina used to play sand volleyball.

Resources Why WebMD might actually be bad for your health

MedHelp

Health Forum