Thanks For Asking
Download on the App Store
  • Ranking

    21st

    on Personal Journals

  • Favorites

    6,598

    Followers

  • Typical duration

    49 min

    per episode

  • If it hooks

    45%

    finish an episode

Based on Podcast App listening data

Thanks For Asking episodes

  • War Stories

    In case you didn't know, we're still making episodes that are available exclusively on Nora's Substack!

    -

    When one of the people in a relationship is dead, the relationship becomes a bit one-sided. Your version of who that person is and was is obscured by all of your own biases, your commitment to your version of the truth, to your side of the story.

    Nora’s dad — Vietnam veteran, father of four, advertising copywriter — died seven years ago. And in this episode, the McInerny siblings reflect on who Stephen J. McInerny was … as a young boy sent to war, as a husband, and as their father. About how they love their dad, even if he wasn’t always the kind of dad they wanted.


    Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.

    See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

    Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

    1 hr 1 min
  • Independent Woman
    Grief doesn’t always mean the loss of a person. It can also mean the loss of who you used to be. The loss of the life you thought you were going to have. Gina is 43 years old. She’s single without kids. She’s a producer and world traveler (25 countries so far).
    Her independent nature — and her love of solo travel — is a major part of Gina’s identity … and it’s being challenged by an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder.
    Gina wrote a book about her pal Rafael appropriately titled, “Blowing Up” (IYKYK). You can learn more about it here. 
    Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up.
    Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.
    Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.
    48 min
  • Independent Woman

    Grief doesn’t always mean the loss of a person. It can also mean the loss of who you used to be. The loss of the life you thought you were going to have. Gina is 43 years old. She’s single without kids. She’s a producer and world traveler (25 countries so far). Her independent nature — and her love of solo travel — is a major part of Gina’s identity … and it’s being challenged by an undiagnosed autoimmune disorder.

    Gina wrote a book about her pal Rafael appropriately titled, “Blowing Up” (IYKYK). You can learn more about it here. 

    Can’t get enough TTFA? Sign up for TTFA Premium for $7.99 a month. You’ll get access to exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes, extended guest interviews and more! Visit TTFA.org/Premium to get started.

    When you shop our Bookshop.org store, you support the author, independent bookstores AND our show! Shop here. You can also purchase Nora’s books here.

    Shop for your favorite TTFA gear at TTFAmerch.com.

    Read the transcript for this episode here.

    You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.

    TTFA is public media. Which means we are supported by you. You can join us with a contribution at ttfa.org/donate.

    And check out our sponsors this week:

    • Calm: calm.com/thanks

    • BetterHelp: betterhelp.com/ttfa

    • Sakara: sakara.com/thanks

    • Olive & June: oliveandjune.com with code THANKS

    • 44 min
    • Toothless Little Wonders
      Sometimes the humans we need love and support from the most just aren’t able to give it to us. When that happens, who do you have? If you’re Adrienne, you have Luke, a giant German Shepherd.
      Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up.
      Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.
      Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.
      57 min
    • A Life Interrupted With Suleika Jaouad
      Welcome to the Terrible Reading Club, sponsored by BetterHelp Online Therapy. Think of it as our book club for truly terrible times. Haven’t read the book we’re discussing? Good news: In this reading club, that’s not a requirement.
      Today, we’re chatting with Suleika Jaouad about her memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, in which she writes about the aftermath of recovering from an illness she was not expected to survive.
      Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up.
      Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.
      Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.
      1 hr 11 min
    • A Life Interrupted with Suleika Jaouad

      Welcome to the Terrible Reading Club, sponsored by Betterhelp Online Therapy. Think of it as our book club for truly terrible times. Haven’t read the book we’re discussing? Good news: In this reading club, that’s not a requirement.

      Today, we’re chatting with Suleika Jaouad about her memoir, Between Two Kingdoms, in which she writes about the aftermath of recovering from an illness she was not expected to survive. Check out The Isolation Journals for weekly journaling prompts.

      —

      Sign up today for TTFA Premium! For $7.99 a month, you get access to exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes *and* the knowledge that you’re keeping our show afloat! Visit TTFA.org/Premium to get started.

      Want (sporadic) emails from Nora and Team TTFA? Sign up here. 

      When you shop our Bookshop.org store, you support the author, independent bookstores AND our show! Shop here. You can purchase Nora’s books here.

      Shop for your favorite TTFA gear at TTFAmerch.com.

      Read the transcript for this episode here.

      You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.

      —

      And check out our sponsor this week: BetterHelp: betterhelp.com/ttfa

      1 hr 7 min
    • Why Are You Up?

      In case you didn't know, we're still making episodes that are available exclusively on Nora's Substack!

      -

      Sleep experts the world over seem to have countless tips and tricks for getting those eight hours of Zzzs each night. But sometimes our brains just … can’t shut down, no matter what we do. Nora recently asked you, the TTFA community, what’s been keeping you up at night these days, and you answered.


      Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.

      See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

      Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

      46 min
    • Saving Us
      If you’re sent into an anxiety spiral every time you hear the words “climate change,” you’re not alone. Everything we read these days tells us that the clock is ticking down, and there is nothing we as individuals can do about it. But we talked to climate scientist Katharine Hayhoe recently, and she told us that yeah, things are bad … but it’s not hopeless!
      Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up.
      Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.
      Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.
      57 min
    • So Beautiful and Awful
      Lynda and her daughter, Sophia, have a busy day ahead of them. First, a bike ride to train for an upcoming sprint triathlon. That evening, a dinner party. In between, a funeral to honor a friend. When Lynda wakes up in the emergency room and learns Sophia and she were in an accident during their morning ride, their busy day — and the rest of Lynda’s life — is forever changed.
      Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up.
      Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here.
      Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.
      57 min
    • So Beautiful and Awful

      Lynda and her daughter, Sophia, have a busy day ahead of them. First, a bike ride to train for an upcoming sprint triathlon. That evening, a dinner party. In between, a funeral to honor a friend. When Lynda wakes up in the emergency room and learns Sophia and she were in an accident during their morning ride, their busy day — and the rest of Lynda’s life — is forever changed.

      Can’t get enough TTFA? Sign up for TTFA Premium for $7.99 a month. You’ll get access to exclusive bonus content, ad-free episodes, extended guest interviews and more! Visit TTFA.org/Premium to get started.

      When you shop our Bookshop.org store, you support the author, independent bookstores AND our show! Shop here.

      You can purchase Nora’s books here.

      Shop for your favorite TTFA gear at TTFAmerch.com

      Read the transcript for this episode here.

      You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis.

      TTFA is public media. Which means we are supported by you. You can join us with a contribution at ttfa.org/donate.

      And check out our sponsor this week:

      • Rothy's: rothys.com/terrible

      • Purple.com: purple.com/thanks10 with code thanks10

      • Thirdlove: thirdlove.com/TERRIBLE

      • Calm: calm.com/thanks

      • 52 min

      About Thanks For Asking

      From the publisher's feed

      A call-in show from author Nora McInerny that lets real people get real honest about how they're really doing. Operators(me) are standing by to take your calls.

      Best of Thanks For Asking

      Ranked by our users in the last 21 days

      More shows like Thanks For Asking

      This American Life by This American Life

      This American Life

      90,783 Listeners

      Modern Love by The New York Times

      Modern Love

      8,826 Listeners

      Hidden Brain by Hidden Brain, Shankar Vedantam

      Hidden Brain

      43,333 Listeners

      The Moth by The Moth

      The Moth

      26,814 Listeners

      Dear Sugars by WBUR

      Dear Sugars

      5,632 Listeners

      Death, Sex & Money by Slate Podcasts

      Death, Sex & Money

      7,648 Listeners

      StoryCorps by NPR

      StoryCorps

      3,953 Listeners

      10% Happier with Dan Harris by 10% Happier

      10% Happier with Dan Harris

      12,673 Listeners

      This is Love by Vox Media Podcast Network

      This is Love

      9,354 Listeners

      Everything Happens with Kate Bowler by Everything Happens Studios

      Everything Happens with Kate Bowler

      5,105 Listeners

      Love Letters by The Boston Globe

      Love Letters

      1,318 Listeners

      Family Secrets by Family Secrets

      Family Secrets

      5,157 Listeners

      A Slight Change of Plans by Pushkin Industries

      A Slight Change of Plans

      2,039 Listeners

      We Can Do Hard Things by Treat Media and Glennon Doyle

      We Can Do Hard Things

      41,362 Listeners

      All There Is with Anderson Cooper by CNN Podcasts

      All There Is with Anderson Cooper

      10,564 Listeners

      It's Going To Be OK by Feelings & Co

      It's Going To Be OK

      419 Listeners

      The Terrible Reading Club by Feelings & Co

      The Terrible Reading Club

      31 Listeners

      TTFA Anthologies by Feelings & Co.

      TTFA Anthologies

      25 Listeners