A zany — there is no better word for it — ad biz adventure in Kentucky, involving a baseball bat, elevator rides, tap dancing, spectacular river views and Rita’s gift for getting into trouble.  This story was first told in Rita Mattia’s book, “Trying Stuff.”

A conversation with my very good friend Matt Paxton compelled me to create this "bonus" podcast episode. It's a tad strident ...a few moments are a bit raw ...  and I was hesitant to publish it. But, please know: whatever your gender, your color, your age or your faith may be ... if this story is yours too, I care. 

A delicate and challenging situation turns hilarious — and borderline off-color— for Mattia, on a wintertime visit to a doctor.

Mattia traces her family back to early 17th century Italy, through immigration to the United States and into St. Lucy’s Church in Newark, New Jersey. St. Gerardo Majella — the Roman Catholic saint who is the patron saint of mothers — plays a major role.

About Mattia’s foiled attempts to keep a journal. Mosquitos, weeds, and a musical toilet make for a challenging life ... and a very brief record of life with her son in a large home in Northern Virginia.

Rita Mattia somehow jams everything she owns into her little 1965 roadster and leaves New York and New Jersey for an uncertain future. The journey proves to be both surprising and instructive. 

A poignant and sometimes magical tale about life among recent and not-so-recent immigrants, in Rita Mattia’s mid-century New Jersey neighborhood. This story was first told in Rita Mattia’s book, “Trying Stuff.”

A bittersweet tale about Mattia’s recovery from life-threatening injuries ... and the importance of being white while a driving under the influence.  WARNING:  A mild-but-vulgar word is used several times, in context.

An exploration of hair styles and hair treatments, from the 1940s to the present, including Rita Mattia’s struggles with home perms, home dye jobs, and the joys of blondeness.

A blizzard in Richmond, Virginia finds Mattia knitting in a room with a three-legged chihuahua, an angry laborer, a manic manager and various other colorful characters.  In fact, one of those characters causes Mattia to say the word “bleep” dozens upon dozens of times.