Today’s episode is a bit of a catch-up after a few days of travel and being sick — which raises the annual question: is it allergies… or is it a cold?

We also officially introduced two new personalities that seem to have emerged recently: off-season beach girl and horse girl, which honestly feel related but not identical.

We celebrated a listener’s new job through a voice note (one of my favorite kinds of updates to get), and talked about what it’s like navigating the first family vacation in a long time — including strategies people actually use to survive them. One suggestion on the table: edibles.

We also checked in on the very important local situation here in Cincinnati: the gas prices. Because at some point that becomes everyone’s personality for a week.

And we ended the morning with something unexpectedly interesting — how many words a day we actually say out loud, and why that number might matter more than we think.

In this episode:

• allergies vs. a cold (the seasonal mystery)
• the arrival of off-season equestrian girl and horse girl
• a listener’s new-job celebration via voice note
• surviving your first family vacation in a while
• Cincinnati gas price energy
• and how many words you’re speaking each day — and why it matters

This Morning, with Tiff Potter is short daily companion audio — rooted in Cincinnati, made for wherever you are.

If you want company, press play.