Your hosts are taking a little Summer Break! Our twice weekly episodes with return in the fall, and rest assured we will have many stories to tell and media to review then. In the meantime please catch up or re-listen to our 38 available episodes and let us know which are your favorites and what we should cover next! Please follow us on instagram and tiktok to see our current reads, pop culture opinions, podcast clips, and your hosts being a little silly. Thank you for reading the room with us, the club will meet again soon!!

Do you have your new lunch box picked out? How about a fresh pair of tennis shoes? They'll need to last you all year! Get in Roomies, we're going Back-to-School shopping for this nostaglic mini episode, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen look back fondly on the, unfortunately, capitalistic trend of late-summer wishlists and early-fall mall visits. We explore the history of the Back-to-School shopping phenomenon, from the early days of department stores, to the neon flecked walls of 1980's malls, and even the modern influence of social media on students' school preparation. The Back-to-School shopping season has grown exponentially in America and is more prevalent today then ever, brining in billions of dollars for businesses each year, second-only in consumer spending to the winter holidays. More interesting perhaps than the raw numbers, however, is our digressions into our own Back-to-School shopping experiences, mishaps, and triumphs. So come on Roomies, it's time for a drive down memory lane. Don't forget to remind me to grab my Kohl's Cash! 

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"Back-To-School: 5 Key Lessons for Businesses Based on Shopping Trends", US Chamber of Commerce

Why are we all so obsessed with watching trad wives? In this special Book Club deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen dig into our July pick, Yesteryear by Caro Claire Burke. Whether you read along with us this month, or have just picked up on all of the online buzz surrounding Burke's first literary release, this episode will be sure to fill you in on all the biggest talking points and thematic discussions at the heart of the novel. And with a movie deal signed by Anne Hathaway before its release, a popular podcast (Diabolical Lies) hosted by its author, and immediate comparisons between its main character and the real life trad wife behind the uber-viral Ballerina Farms, Yesteryear is a text ripe for analysis from the first page. This episode will contain spoilers, as we overview the general plot of the novel (a succesful trad wife influencer is sent back in time to the era she's been emulating) in order to investigate Burke's cast of characters, like Caleb (the man-child husband), Clementine (the parentified eldest daughter), Doug (the conservative politician), and Amelia (the mom in constant drug-induced haze). Yesteryear's relevancy packs a punch, touching on so many hotbed talking points of our current cultural zietgiest it's hard to count. Manosphere? Check. Family vlogging? Check. Religious zealoutry? Check. But the book's emotional core stays with its narrator, and perhaps anti-hero, Natalie, whose experience is inexorably tied to her womanhood. Listen along dear Roomies and ask yourself, as we did, who really are the angry women?

What does Ali Hazelwood have to do with concerts in the park? Welcome back Roomies for another Weekly READ mini episode, where hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen let you in on all they've recently read, ate, endured, and did. You're in for another ecletic media roundup, as we talk about our latest literary fixations, from Donna Tart's The Goldfinch to Khaled Hosseini's The Kite Runner, as well as our current TV temptations, like Maxton Hall, Off Campus, and Outlander. There are some lowlights, of course, such Larsen's IUD implementation, Kaylin's disappointment in The Man in the High Castle TV series, and Alexys' self induced Sysphiean task of laundry. It all balances out in the end though, as summer brings some pleasantly offline indulgences, like lying in hammocks and listening to local music with friends. So whether you want to laugh with us or cry with us, you won't want to miss this one!

What holds more transformative, coming-of-age power to a teen than the promise of summer vacation? Perhaps maybe a pair of traveling and universally flattering pants? In this deep dive, hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen research the modern day media trends and patterns associated with the setting of summer vacation. We investigate the origins of summer vacation itself, examining the social, academic, and economic roots of the now near universal public school calendar, and how ulitmately, America's growing travel culture helped to facilitate a demand for easy-to-consume literature. From trips, to tropes, and every beach in between, we explore the ways that books, movies, television, and even songs have absorbed the youthful and sometimes transcendental themes of summer. Notable mentions include everything from Dandelion Wine by Ray Bradbury to The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han, and movies like American Graffiti and Dirty Dancing. Schools out but class is still in session Roomies, so take a listen as we give a lesson on this universally nostaglic and relatable sun-soaked trend. 

Sources:

"100 Summer, Vacation, and Beach Movies", IMDb

"Agrarian Roots? Think Again. Debunking the Myth of Summer Vacation's Origins", PBS

"A Brief History Of: Summer Vacation", TIME

"Summer Vacations Are a 19th-Century Invention of the Rich", Literary Hub

"The Invention of Summer Reading and the Birth of the Beach Read", Los Angeles Public Library

What's worse Roomies, a person who never orders popcorn at the movie theater or a person who always leaves their phone ringer on? In this mini episode hosts (and admitted movie theater lovers) Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen talk movie theater etiquette, including everything from movie snack culture to seating needs, or even the overall importance of getting out and seeing films in person in the first place. We begin with why we, as a society, frequent movies and why we, personally, feel it's so often worth it to watch films in theaters, while also acknowledging the astronomical and ever-growing cost of what should be a much more accessible pastime. We break down our do's- reclining seats, nutritional yeast, smuggling candy and drinks in- and don'ts- poor snack counter service, loud food packaging, heckling and live reacting like you're in your own living room. Additionally, we provide a few movie going horror stories of our own from the last year, begging the question, where has everyone's movie manners gone? Grab your popcorn (buttered please!) and crack a contraband soda can (as quiet as you can) for this chatty ep! You can feel free to laugh along with us, because while distracting others may be out, shared emotion and entertainment is definetly still in.

Does intensely researching different types of CGI qualify us as women in STEM? In this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen investigate the evolution of Computer Generated Imagery in films and television, from its highs (Pirates of the Carribean) to its lows (Polar Express). After defining CGI as a specific application of computer graphics for creating or improving images, we then establish some key usages of the technology in cinema, such as making or enhancing characters, adding effects, or materializing fantastical sets. We chart the rise of CGI in film, all the way from 1973's Westworld to 1999's The Matrix and modern works like HBO's House of the Dragon and Netflix's Stranger Things. Along the way we explore the different types of CGI, like Mo-Cap versus Computer Animation versus Virtual Cinematography, and how the expansion of technology has pushed and stretched the bounds of what's possible with computer imagery. Importantly, we also play the artist's adovocate, wondering what the over-reliance of CGI means for practical effects, stage crafts, stunt work, costuming, and make up, all of which are classic hallmarks of movie magic that cinema would be at a loss without. Our digressions reveal, as they often do Roomies, that this topic needs to be handled with a dollop of nuance- CGI may now be overused in movies, making the viewer sick of the uncanny or cheesy moments where it goes wrong, but that doesn't mean it can't still have its own place among the many arts that come together in a well-made film. We find that when CGI is thoughtfully combined with human intention and design, a la the mix of practical puppetry and CGI enhancements in Project Hail Mary, we can touch the audience's imagination in meaningful ways. We promise you this episode is no fantasy, it's built from the ground up, so grab your popcorn, take a listen, and form your own opinion!

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Can being perceived in the simple act of eating soup signal gayness? In this summer-ripened edition of our Weekly READs hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen recount what they’ve read, endured, ate, and done recently. From books on Scottish warlords to TikTok trends and Netflix reality dating disasters, we’ve kept ourselves busy with all manner of entertainment. We’ve also savored the warm weather with gardening endeavors, a Tacos & Tequila themed party, and zucchini centric dishes. Lowlights include the end-of-school-year mayhem, the dangers of doing your Hot Girl Walk™️ dehydrated, and the purgatory of waiting, then not being ready, for your Libby holds. Books mentioned include a Tessa Dare bodice ripper, How the Garcia Girls Lost Their Accent, and The Kite Runner. Listen and make your bets Roomies, will Alexys purchase a sewing machine after just one class? And how often will she even use it this summer? We’ll bet this episode is no thrift flip, it’s a certified keeper. 

What even is the difference between a parody, a satire, and a spoof? In this deep dive hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen attempt to dissect and define the hallmarks of these comedic movie sub genres (even if we wind up using them interchangeably in the end anyways). From classics that were Oscar nominated and laugh packed, like Young Frankenstein and Blazing Saddles, to nostalgic decade-spanning franchises like Scream and American Pie, we chart the history of movies made specifically to poke fun at other genres, or society in general. We highlight some of the big names in the giggles and gags business, such as Mel Brooks and ZAZ. Additionally, we analyze the broader trends in the production of parody movies, like the recent dip in film studios’ willingness to produce original spoofs, despite consistent audience turnout. One thing seems clear though, spoofs are an important part of the pop culture ecosystem, and when well made they are extremely self aware, while remaining entertaining (despite the dark times). Listen and have a well-deserved laugh Roomies! You’re guaranteed to leave with lots of inspiration for your next movie night. 

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The warm summer air is buzzing, the moon is shining, and the fire is roaring - could there be a more perfect time for a spooky story? In this special seasonal mini episode hosts Alexys, Kaylin, and Larsen entertain each other, and our dear Roomies, with perfectly mysterious, murderous, and mystical stories (campfire sold seperately). First, we investigate the ancient origins of the "campfire story" and reflect on the sociological reasons why early humans might've been drawn to telling tall tales, specifically at night and around the fire, and why we might still lean into those oral storytelling traditions today. We then summarize the traits of campfire classics, like the inclusion of supernatural elements or lack of moral messaging, and where this specific sub-genre intersects with larger bodies of work, like urban legends or scary stories in general. Finally, we do our best camp counselor impersonations, regaling you with some of our favorite iterations of this timeless trend. For the most ambient experience possible induce a sugar high with marshmallows, go outside (ignore the tickle of bug bites), turn off the lights, and listen like a little kid again. 

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