Reads and Weeds: Recent Episodes
Reads and Weeds
Shelly and Claire recorded this one live at the Independent Comedy Club in Hamtramck Michigan during the Detroit Women of Comedy Festival. Thanks Brett. Thanks Erin from Love and Other Books for the recommendation. I would love to do a follow up on this one because there was soooooo much to unpack. I can't wait to hear what this read brought up for y'all.
In this episode, we are back with Ypsilanti's own Nathan Corliss with a live read through of his newest play 'The Cult of Dad'. No stranger to the podcast, playwright/actor/educator Nathan Corliss has debuted other original work on this show including a full reading of his play Three Sinners in 2021.What if Ted Mosby of How I Met your Mother was portrayed as delusional instead of a good guy trying his best? And what if instead of fate leading him to true love, it led him to inherit his dad’s cult? That’s the seed of this play, which is still a work in progress. Tune in to hear Nathan and the assembled readers work out a possible ending to this unfinished work.
Shelly is with besties Linette DeSano and Hillary Youd at the kitchen table where so much of the fun of life happens to discuss 'Human History on Drugs' by Sam Kelly. History makes a lot more sense when you understand the drugs involved-for better or worse.
I recently attended a screening of this 2025 documentary about book banning efforts and the librarians on the front lines. I love books.....obviously. I love librarians. I have a bestie who is a librarian. Libraries are nurturing communities. Go watch this documentary. Host a party. Invite friends. Hug a librarian. They are fighting for your right to learn. Book banning seems so archaic and certainly fear based......but here we are again. Let me know what you think. Also, we are of course wanting to do episodes on as many of the 850 books on the list as we can. What are your favorites?
Happy New Year. Claire and Shelly catch up on books, rant about AI and give 2025 a TALKIN TO!!! We smoked Mafia Funeral. And something about butt breathing.
Michigan comedian Nicole Melynk and I talk about her favorite book series, how art imitates life, the current comedy scene, and winter. Right after this we recorded her podcast 'What's your favorite dinosaur?' so go listen to that also.
Author, editor and now PUBLISHER of Concentrate Media Patrick Dunn, is back with me to talk about White Noise, his second mini 'graphic nightmare'. Ever had trouble sleeping because you can't calm your mind? We get it. Listen to Patrick's podcast 'EHMON' (Every Horror Movie on Netflix) and grab one of these little books athttps://graphicnightmares.art/
I talk with Steve about scripture, how we have come to understand it, and how cannabis shifts that perspective. It's a beautiful late summer day. I feel so lucky to have conversations like this and to learn with friends. Pure pleasure. I found my Bible. Shout out to our whole comedy scene.
I hope I didn't ruin Tommy's favorite book from childhood, but we had to get to the bottom of the messaging of 'Theodore Mouse Goes to Sea'. He's a cutie and has a bird friend. Cori's dogs were good the whole time.
Ken Wachsberger is back with Thumbs Up: Memoir of a Joyful Organizer, Ken’s stories of the joyful life he has built as a writer and activist. Initially motivated in the Nixon years as a pioneer of the antiwar underground press, Ken's passion for telling the stories no one else was telling shaped his next five decades. While building his family with his dear Emily and working every job from vegan caterer to writing coach, he was also building a community to advocate for improvements in his first neighborhood, supporting the court cases of abused women accused of murder, creating the first bargaining unit in Michigan for adjunct faculty, and, most recently, helping establish his temple as a sanctuary in support of immigrants. He finds himself involved with so many national events, we joked he had a Forrest Gump thing going. The book launches July 14 with a launch party at Third Mind Books in Ann Arbor at 7pm! Available at https://books2read.com/ThumbsUpMemoir.
Claire and I were so honored and excited when Heather Jay reached out with an early draft of her new book and asked us for specific feedback. Oh boy! Honest specific feedback is so hard to get when your friends love you. Haha. Heather also wrote the screenplay for the upcoming movie so we talked about process, pace, reveals, characterization, and what you learn by studying LOTS of best sellers. My equipment is still gone so YES it was recorded on an iphone in the middle of the table. Enjoy.
Lisa Green, first timer on the show(!) and Masters Degree recipient(!woohoo!)recommended this book of wonderful short stories in all different formats and it was such a great read at this moment when my mind was drifting towards way too serious. If you love the humor and weird of BoJack Horseman, you will devour these stories.
Somehow I got through decades without reading Huckleberry Finn. Thanks to Carl Merrick for suggesting it and hanging with me for the discussion. It is way too cold right now. Our country is changing rapidly and it's kinda scary. The Michigan comedy scene is thriving. AI is making customer service more and more terrible. And somehow, this book, originally published in 1884 about the adventures of a young boy floating down the Mississippi River is still absolutely relevant. Of course it has been controversial and banned over the years because it speaks so much truth and folks seem to hate that. Well all the more reason for you to go read or RE read it.
It is a strange but somehow peaceful time. We are in the 'holiday season', which is 'show season' for me. We are between the election and the inauguration. We decided to read a surprisingly silly Zingerman's SOP and revisit the piece I read for my dear friend's wedding. Jamie updates me on the news from a recent cannabis conference in Vegas. Come see me January 2nd at 50 First Jokes!!
My lovely friend Patrick Dunn wrote his first horror comic and it was just wonderful to hang out with him and talk about it. You see, he is a journalist by trade and this is a completely different set of skills, and he had been missing all the drawing he used to love to do and has re discovered that love. Of course we had great weed and snacks. We also hit on post election coping, problems specific to men with large heads, and how lucky we are with our circle of weirdo friends. Check out his podcast where he discusses every horror movie on Netflix. It's called, conveniently, 'Every Horror Movie on Netflix'.
Shelly live at Entheofest 2024 in Ann Arbor on September 22, talking books with new friends, fellow psychonauts and bookworms. Thanks to Claire Forster for helping me with the table. Thanks to MIchigan Psychedelic Society, Decriminalize Nature, Great Lakes Expungement Network, and everyone that works so hard to make this lovely day happen every year. Thanks to Soencer from Detroit Psychedelic Society, Joe, Dalton, Vlad, Whitney McDunn, Evan, and David for taking the time to record with me! Thanks for listening.
Isn't it strange that we are all trying to figure out the bodies that we live in? Where do we turn when the physical 'fixes' we are trying aren't 'fixing' the issue? Thanks to integrative health practitioner Lacey Reedy for suggesting this book and for discussing it with me. Times are strange and it can be stressful and sometimes we hold stress in our bodies. This is a great book to start learning to interpret what our bodies are telling us.
This episode was recorded live at the Independent Comedy Club in Hamtramck as part of the Detroit Women of Comedy Festival in May 2024. I was joined by Claire Forster whose 'lapsed academia' brain helped me digest alllll the vocabulary and concepts from Amanda Montell's third book. We had the friendliest most engaged audience and goodie bags with treats from MINT Cannabis and Linette Desano. It was a beautiful happy day during a truly crazy time in America.
Thanks so much to Kseniya for sharing her research with us and congrats on the awards your writing received. This topic is close to the hearts of many of our listeners and we would love to hear your experiences. I was thinking of many of you while we were recording. I appreciate this amazing thoughtful research and also would love to hear your personal stories if you are willing to share. The Federal government seems to be moving forward with rescheduling cannabis! And there is a great big Richard Scarry book! Spring is here. May the 4th be with you.
This show was recorded the day after a glorious Hash Bash weekend and I think you can hear that in my scratchy voice. We are back with fantasy author Scott Mooney to discuss the third and final book in the poisoned apple trilogy, 'The End of the Rose'. It was so good! I tore through it in a few days. Twists up until the last few pages. What will happen if the giant awakens? Where can I get a glass slipper bong? How long with Antoine be trapped in a magic mirror?! Order these books and find out.Go check out Episode 24-Pricked and Episode 43-Screaming Beauty for a refresher on the first two. We were joined by playwright/teacher Nathan Corliss, whose play Three Sinners was read for Episode 58. I don't know if I say it enough, but I just feel like the luckiest person to be surrounded by creative people willing to share themselves with me. The song we refer to(and I attempt to sing badly) is 'Deep Dark Truthful Mirror' by Elvis Costello. Also, since we all met doing improv, we want to shout out to the new Ann Arbor Improv Theater 'hear.say' ! We're proud of you!
Shelly is joined by Jamie Lowell and Josey Scoggin to discuss all the fun leading up to Hash Bash 2024. The Treasure Hunt is on again! Maps available now-http://Givebutter.com/hashbashtreasurehuntGo have a blast wandering around Ann Arbor supporting Great Lakes Expungement Network.
Shelly gathered with a fantastic fun group of theater vets to discuss and read scenes from Brian Cox's new childrens' play 'Stone Dragon Stew'. Thank you Brian for sharing this gem with us and thanks to Laurie Atwood, Robert Papineau, Tommy Cook, and Dinah Tutein for jumping in. Villagers of Nearhere are fed up with living under siege of the Stone Dragon, who keeps dropping rocks from the sky! Residents are forced to stay inside, wear a helmet, or suffer the consequences! Smart villager Bookseller offers up a plan: find a brave knight to defeat the Stone Dragon and restore peace to Nearhere. The only problem is nobody in the village knows any knights, so four brave villagers set out to find knights willing to fight the ferocious dragon. After the knights prove to be no help and hope seems lost, a renowned chef shows up and shares the perfect recipe for successfully dealing with the Stone Dragon.
On a sunny winter Saturday during the Traverse City Comedy Festival, Shelly got to hang out at Verts Neighborhood Dispensary and talk comedy writing with Tanner Oliver, Sam Rager, and Melanie Hearn. What a treat!
I hadn't talked with my friend Beth Dougherty for over 20 years when I asked her to do this with me. We grew up together in South Carolina. I was in the choir. She painted. We sang Heartbreak Hotel on the sidelines when we were supposed to be cheering on the Boiling Springs Bulldogs. I have wanted to work through this book for so many years and am loving it. She has lived in Germany for a while, so this conversation was just such a gift like we hadn't missed a day, like it was just 1998 when I sang at her wedding. And what a treat to have someone in my life for DECADES who sees Art and Creativity as a Spiritual Path like me. Thank you! I'm doing my pages! Talk in 12 weeks!
Last show of a true rollercoaster of a year. Jamie Lowell, Chief Operating Officer of Meds Cafe, is on to give me the scoop from MJ Biz Con. Believe it or not, even with new businesses open every day, this plant is still illegal in some places and people are still serving time for cannabis crimes. Thanks to everyone out there still fighting the good fight. Shoutouts to so many, in no particular order-Michigan Weedsters, Americans for Safe Access, Sons and Daughters United, Great Lakes Expungement Network, Michael Thompson Clemency Project, Michigan Cannabis Caucus, Josie Scoggins, Latrish Matson, Amie Carter, Leah Skylar. Also, Spotify wrapped is fun, I need help from YOU, and 50 First Jokes Ann Arbor is Tuesday, Jan 2nd! Come see us!
Thanks to Kevin Suboski for recommending this one and for being completely honest about his thoughts on the book. Did we love it? It's complicated. Do the 'insights' hold up? It seems they do! Let me know what you thought about this one.Thanks to Redemption brand Mafia Funeral strain for helping Shelly through this one.Big big love out to the cannabis activists and criminal justice reform community in Michigan who lost some very important warriors in September. We miss you Rick Thompson.
September is here and that means that we are excited about the 3rd annual Entheofest taking place on the diag at the University of Michigan on Sunday, September 17th at 1:11 pm. Entheofest is a free speech event celebrating sacred plants and fungi and facilitates creating a base of equity in this growing industry. There will be live music, speakers, and community.We will once again have a table there and are so excited to see you all again. You can check out this amazing collection of books curated by the Entheofest team and enter a drawing to win them. I KNOW! SO EXCITING. They are in my house right now and it's just delicious.Thanks to Sara for being the absolute best person to preview them with me!
McKenzie Luria, founder of Sunfish Strategic Partners, recommended this one and we had a great time talking about how doing business can be fun. Even accounting! She loves accounting and these principles helped her begin to see a better way to operate. Even in the cannabis industry! Even when the world is insane. There is a better way people! Go get a book or find your crew and learn new stuff. It is the best!
This episode was recorded live on May 20, 2023, at the Detroit Women of Comedy Festival at the Independent Comedy Club in Hamtramck. Thanks to the hilarious and mighty Melanie Hearn and her perfect dog Foxy for joining me and thanks to that wonderful mid-day audience that showed up! What a fun vibe to discuss Two-Boy Weekend. Don't let those cute book covers fool you! The Wakefield twins of Sweet Valley High are always into some risky business. Thanks to Redemption Foundation, Treetown Cannabis, Bookfield Books(bookmarks), Bloom City Club and 'This That and the Odder Thing' for gift bag treats! If you've enjoyed at least ONE episode of this show, please check out and support these organizations. www.greatlakesexpungmentnetwork.org www.redemptionfoundation.org www.lastprisonerproject.org
I am so grateful to Dr. Dan Piccolo(dear old friend and percussionist) for recommending this book and to Ross Huff(dear old friend and trumpet player) for joining us on the read. Two big ideas stuck with me from this book. One is that creating music is dependent on the tension between understanding the basics of a deep tradition AND constantly improvising to create something new. Two is the intimacy in Dyer's stories about many of America's most lauded musicians. We see Thelonius Monk, Lester Young, Charles Mingus, Ben Webster, and more not as icons but in their completely messy painful humanity, often suffering at the hands of the country that celebrates their music, dealing with real mental health issues and loss.Dan and Ross were the perfect guests and you should take my advice and go check out their music.www.danpiccolo.comwww.rosshuff.com
Hey there! You're having STRONG FEELINGS......and maybe, hopefully...... you are being mindful and trying to decide what to DO with these FEELINGS. Well, life coach Jackie Wallace and psychotherapist Elizabeth Reed want you to start writing that shit down to start dealing with it. Shannon Trudell is back.....yaaaay....and this very PRO THERAPY group is having a great time talking about this journal. If you can't afford therapy yet, order this journal and take the first small step to sorting out those thoughts. We are all here cheering you on!
Special HashBash week promo! The wonderful hardworking Josey Scoggins joins me to talk about her favorite books, the great work the Redemption Foundation is doing, and the Treasure Hunt you can join to support both Sons and Daughters United and the Great Lakes Expungement Network. Come roam around Ann Arbor with us trying goodies and sending help to people that need it.
I am so grateful that Robyn Gilleran and Sara Grogan totally get me and laughed when I mailed them this book out of nowhere the night after they first met at a comedy show. I had a feeling these two awesome moms would have a blast together and also have exactly the right commentary on this important work of literature about child-rearing in the animal kingdom. If you are a mom that sometimes takes herself too seriously OR puts pressure on herself to be perfect OR you are heading to a baby shower soon and need a gift, grab this book. You gotta laugh.
I love how Fredrik Backman creates the messiest most human humans and lets them have the most real awkward fraught sweet moments your heart can stand. I laugh/cried through 'A Man Called Ove' almost 10 years ago and laugh/cried through Anxious People too. What could be better than to chat about this with one of my favorite kindred messy humans, Emily Petersmark, the rockin singer songwriter from Michigan based band The Crane Wives. Strangers at an open house become hostages....sort of....and it isn't really scary. It's touching. It's weird and funny. And so much lived life is underneath all the mundane and then you remember the title. And all assumptions about the characters I started with were challenged and reminded me to check myself. I was beating myself up when I started this write-up because I meant to release it over a week ago. Then I remembered that this whole book is about how ridiculously difficult it is to be human. 'Don't think about that anymore now. Think about something nicer. Think about cookies.'
Thanks so much to Amber Asbury for recommending Worth the Fight and for connecting me to Matthew Simpson. Thank you Matt for sharing your experience of facing the darkness and finding the light in service. More of this, please!Visit Amber!www.nirvanacenter.com/Keep in touch with Matt!worththefightbook.orgMagic n’ Microdosing Mastermind: January 10th 2023 cohortwww.nltrans.org/mm-mastermindMicrodosing Mondays Meetup:www.meetup.com/psychedelics-and-…-personal-growth/Support Michael Thue-gofund.me/ed0af22aSupport Great Lakes Expungement Networkgreatlakesexpungementnetwork.org/Support LastPrisonerProjectwww.lastprisonerproject.org
I love dogs and I love books and I love promoting the work of friends so this was just so fun. Meet Wembly the Pug, lovingly based on first-time author David Shoup's pal of 18 years, Elvis. Elvis is gone but his adorable spirit lives on in the courageous Wembly. Shout out to Antonella Fant also for the precious illustrations. I love it so much. Hope you do too!
Claire is back! It is the day after the midterm elections and we are relieved that our rights were protected by Michiganders. Maryland and Missouri voted for cannabis legalization. Arkansas, North Dakota, and South Dakota rejected it. I'm trying a new recording setup and smoking tiny joints and we have a great spontaneous conversation about everything from feng shui to gun safety and try to catch up on allllll that we've been reading. She loaned me Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro several months ago, which was released in 2005 to much award buzz. I read it right away but was so disturbed by the reveal of the horror underlying this seemingly simple story of teens at a boarding school that I couldn't really talk about it until now. Keep voting so we don't end up here, please and thank you.
After some light-hearted Kanye bashing and wonky editing, I settle into a great conversation with Hyped up Live Co-Producers Tony 'TMoney' Green and Yorg Kerasiotis, along with author Jackie Wallace to discuss Jackie's new book 'Behind the Wall'. The title is alluding to alll the stories that happen BEHIND that wall of gold records you see. If you would have told me over 25 years ago that I would be hanging out with the man that laid down the bassline on Doggystyle, it would have seemed like a long shot, but here we are, hanging out in Tony's Detroit studio, having a lovely conversation over weed and snacks. Of course, it makes perfect sense that we would become friends, both being connectors and encouragers and saying yes to too many projects. Thank you YORG for THIS connection. If you love Death Row Records, you love Tony's sound. Get the book and learn the story behind the sound!
I recorded this one live at Detroit Specials Used Books store with owner Dora Badger and two cats! Animals are welcome here. In fact, a portion of all sales from both the physical and online stores goes to animal rescue organizations in Detroit. I am not a regular fantasy reader and initially struggled with Hairston's language. Thanks, Dora for shifting my perspective and making it feel so much more approachable. We had a great discussion. It is a truly tragic epic fantasy set in a richly imagined world. It fearlessly calls out the undeniable future of a system built on greed that takes natural resources for granted. Go see Dora at the store! Get involved with Detroit animal rescue!
We aren't reading a book this episode. We are reading and discussing actual legal questions posed to Nick Leydorf, Comedian at Law'. Melissa and her 6-month-old golden doodle are hosting me in the garage where Melissa rolls the fattest joints in the land. Check out Nick's new album 'Free Consultation' available Oct 14th. You can pre-order now through the link @comedianatlaw OR come party with us at The Fledge in Lansing for the release party that same night. Shout out to Om of Medicine for hosting his first headliner set in 2018!
How does the title of this book make you feel? Are you UNCOMFORTABLE? Are you CURIOUS? ANNOYED? And why? That is kinda the whole point of this book. Annie Grace is just leading you through a mindfulness exercise around this ONE topic. No judgment. No shame in the process. Just observation and questioning of potentially long-held beliefs. This questioning has been a huge part of my life. Can you relate? Thanks so much to Teresa for suggesting it and for being honest and willing to share her stories. Shout out to anyone who has turned their life around. Peace!
I couldn't believe we hadn't read any Shel Silverstein on the show yet! And now that we have, I am mad that I didn't get to hang out with him as a friend. Would this writer of children's books and country songs AND stoner poetry be my friend? OF COURSE HE WOULD HAVE! WE WOULD HAVE LAUGHED SO MUCH! First time guest and fellow 'bookfield' veteran Lester Crafton is on! He educates me on solar energy and the obvious problems in our current system. Thanks for jumping in and reading along. So fun! Learn more about solar energy at ovanova.co. Shout out to all the other door to door 'Book People' who have in the past or are still moving cannabis freedom forward.
You might already know TJ Zindle from his first band Last Conservative or more recently from shredding guitars in his sister's band Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds, BUT I'm excited to talk to him about his songwriting! Go ahead over to Bandcamp and get his NEWEST album 'Now Let Go', the follow up to 2017's 'Hold On With All Your Might'. What a great follow up name right? That's a good start. But then dive into his last couple of albums too. They rock and they feel. We talk about his creative release during the 2020 shutdown, which came in the form of prolific writing and recording in his basement using Garageband and the space granted to him by the stopping of the world. We talk about songs that make us cry and songs that should be honky tonk covers. We talk about getting better at life and never giving up on rock and roll. Shout outs to his lovely wife Flavia, Mike Zeis, Josh Mullin, and Jamie Candiloro.
It was so interesting to revisit The Great Gatsby 100 years after the time it was set in. Was Fitzgerald's snapshot of America post Spanish flu jazz age that much different from post Covid America? Are rich couples still getting away with murder? Are lovesick people still doing things for the most bizarre of reasons? Are people still partying too much on Long Island? Yes and Yes and Yes. But it is a short and completely delicious read and Fitzgerald's ability to create so many vivid characters in so few pages is still so impressive and fun. I listened to the audio version read by Jake Gyllenhall and would highly recommend that. Shout outs to Decriminalize Nature petitioners out and about at Movement in Detroit all last weekend and thanks to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan for having so much weed for the nearby states who don't. Thanks so so much to my guests-resident Gatsby obsessed expert Eleanor Hanley(first timer!), Moon Abbott(thanks for coming back!), and Paul Gordon(host of Diamond Dust-ups)for joining me!
Early in this discussion about Untamed by Glennon Doyle, Mary Dettling called it Shakubuku, which was referenced in the 1997 John Cusack movie Grosse Pointe Blank as 'a spiritual kick to the head.' It's a Buddhist term meaning roughly 'break and subdue' in which the resistance of another is broken by forceful argument. And I get it. It is a mind shifter, especially if you grew up wanting to be a 'good Christian girl', like Glennon. But to me it didn't feel forceful. It's one woman telling a story of drastic change and vulnerability that inevitably happens when you start to live a life that reflects your deepest truth. To me it feels more like another buddhist term-Shōju, which means “to lead others to the correct teaching gradually, according to their capacity and without directly refuting their religious misconceptions.” Living your truth is the ultimate honoring of KNOWING. It was so so good to have this reminder. The reminder that the 'God' that was marketed to so many of us was not the one we are coming to really truly know in the KNOWING, the one that honors the highest and most beautiful version of ourselves. And it is so honest, and funny! Thanks to Paul Gordon for joining us again and making the lovely veggie tray. Shout out to Dori Edwards for employing me and Mary almost 10 years ago so that we could meet and be friends, and to the yummy OREOZ from our local caregiver that we smoked.
You wouldn't know it by how silly we start, but this conversation with my friend Ray Reyes is about to get really heavy. His is the first story in Mike Hain's compilation of near death experiences published in 2021. It is May and outdoor cannabis farms are being planted. Thanks Island Farm for the delicious Shiraz preroll! There is throat singing in an ambulance. We disucss House Bill 5512(look it up Michiganders)and also MEETING GOD. We talk about the comfort of knowing and the need to share the wonder of the universal soul and it's power to pull us through grief. Shout out to our community of friends-Jamie Lowell, Rick Thompson-Hi Jazz Cabbage! Charmie Gholson-can't wait to see this BOOK! Motown Rage! If you want to see Ray Reyes ROCK- Rising Up Angry will be at Shovelhead Lounge in Longwood FL June 17th!
"In Native ways of knowing, human people are often referred to as 'the younger brothers of creation'. We say that humans have the least experience with how to live and thus the most to learn. We must look to our teachers among other species for guidance." I had the pleasure of talking about this book with Sarah Nunez Bida and Luna Alexander. It is art and science and history and love of all living things. It teaches us that gratitude and reciprocity are key to preserving the planet. We didn't get around to some of the popular bookclub questions about Windigo boogeymen or the Council of Pecans. We DO want to request a way to join a field trip to learn about cattails. We DO want to know our 'siblings' better. What I hope is that this will be like a conversation that you overhear while you are going about something else and it will cause you to read the book and learn to love the earth the way the earth loves us.
Oh boy! Breaking news from a midwest elementary school prompted an emergency minisode! This writer is a budding activist if I've ever heard one. Bravo. The writing is direct, on message, and passionate. Paul Gordon is back with me, lending his voice to the dramatic re enactment of this journalistic piece. He ALSO has a new podcast you should go follow on Instagram called 'Diamond Dustups-stories of baseballtercations' coming SOON to allll streaming platforms! It is Hash Bash week! We're back LIVE in the diag in Ann Arbor this Saturday and we'll be collecting sigantures to get the Decrminalize Nature initiative on the ballot in November. This episode was fueled by a Michigan grower and the Tropicana Banana and IceCream Cake Combo smoke has proved to be my motivational woonderdrug these past few nights.
I'm back with the second half of the delicious interview with Erin Zindle-multi instrumentalist front woman of the Ragbirds and confessed pure songwriter at heart. In this half we explore writing from a place of pain, how badass her band is,(shout out to Loren Kranz on drums, Shannon Wade on bass, and TJ Zindle on guitar), and writing as a self fulfilling prophecy. We talk about how the process shifts when writing with different collaborators-shout out Alex Holycross from Native Howl. We quote lyrics in unison again because we are cool like that. Go to festivals this summer and see Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds. I'll be there dancing around, so grateful. Contact her about songwriting lessons. Support her at patreon.com\theragbirds.
Well this was just wonderful. In this episode I sit down with my lovely longtime friend Erin Zindle to talk about songwriting. Erin is the multi instrumentalist frontwoman of the band the Ragbirds. I have loved her music for so long because it speaks right to me, makes me want to dance, makes me want to pray, sometimes to cry. Erin also teaches private songwriting lessons and taught for years at Interlochen. The songs we reference in the episode include Good, Believe It, Enemy, Medicine, Brave New Beat, Adoration, Book of Matches, New Story, and Curious. There are so many more that I love! We talked so long I made it two episodes. I just joined https://www.patreon.com/theragbirds and you should too! Also Erin Zindle and the Ragbirds are back on tour after tooooo long and are fired up so make sure to catch them soon!
Oh wow! There was drama on the school snow hill and this kid got to the bottom of it. I want to read more stories written by kids. Please send me more! This gem really got me. So fun! Happy last day of February! I don't know who needs to hear this, but stop taking yourself so seriously.
Before there were reality shows where gay friends were dramatically overwrought, there was Oscar Wilde's Dorian Gray. We think he might have invented the genre. Thanks to Moon Abbott for the recommendation and to Paul and Moon Abbott for being the first parent/child combo team on Reads and Weeds. If you enjoy a witty 19th century upper class comedy tinged with a super dark lesson in the perils of excessive vanity, this book is for YOU! The songs I mention/sing not so perfectly during the episode are 'Older and Taller' by Regina Spektor and 'Forever Young' by Alphaville. Go smoke something and read the book and listen to the songs and let me know what you think. Cheers!
It was high time for me to catch up with my former improv class buddy Kate Britt. She enthusiastically recommended Fifth Business, the first in the Deptford Trilogy. And she knows stuff because she is a LIBRARIAN. I didn't realize how bad I had been missing smart witty IN PERSON conversation during these cold ass wintery lingering pandemic days and it was just so much fun. The 't nana' I refer to a couple of times during the episode is the 'Tropicana Banana' strain that was grown by an awesome caregiver in Michigan. Yum. How had I not heard about Robertson Davies until now?! I love the fictional village of Deptford and it's inhabitants and the circumstances that affect their whole lives as seen through the eyes of Dunstan Ramsay. It was just what I needed. I felt like I was sitting beside an awkward wonderful storyteller learning about how he came to be the man he is. If you are looking for a novel to just sweep you up and carry you along on these cold days, go get it. I've already started the second one!
It was a 'show must go on' day, and thanks to the lovely recommendation from and company of Cynthia Shelby Lane, it was fun and engaging. If you are looking for a very easy to read and reference guide on how cannabis is being used to treat many well known conditions from insomnia to epilepsy to ptsd, this is the book. If you are looking to start exploring the plant medicine of cannabis for the first time, also a great place to start. Also, Cynthia is amazing and still trying to be an astronaut and this is a big huge year for her unstoppable dream. AND we will both be at 50 First Jokes at the ARK in Ann Arbor Jan 6, 2022! Come see us!
We are smack in between Thanksgiving and Christmas and nothing captures that feeling for me quite like Mad Magazine. I had missed it so! Since I was teeny, I felt like they got me. They 'got' the 'funny'. I knew it before I even understood the word 'satire'. I was so excited to find this special edition in a grocery store and realize the humor holds up so well to this day. Still so smart and daring and silly and not afraid to call out the absurdity in America during this time. And the discovery that they never took ad money, well that just warms my lil ole heart. Thanks Paul Gordon for geeking out with me on memory lane.
I have loved this book for so long. Every few years when I re read it, it is usually because I am hoping it will inspire me. It always does. I feel like Stephen King is hanging out with me telling life stories and talking shop. It is, of course, TELEPATHY! (If you know you know.) I hadn't read lots of his work but that doesn't matter. He is the teacher that wants you to use your tools, write what you know, and tell the truth. If you like to write, want to write, or were writing but are now stuck, go get this book. Message me and let me know how it made you feel. I got to talk about it with Ellie Snyder, Michigan comedian on the rise who is currently shopping her first finished novel around and working on a second. She has been living the lessons and it was great to have someone who had as many favorite parts as I do. Sigh. Thank you Stephen.
I bet some of you saw that title and had a gut reaction to the idea of reading affirmations. Maybe you have rewired your brain and changed your life for the better. Maybe you think they are absolute bullshit. Maybe you feel like using affirmations is just lying to yourself. I'm ALL FOR IT. One day while taping some dance videos for World Dance Workout with Sandy and Nikki, we were having major technical difficulties. We all started our slap happy affirmations. 'I am great at audio tech! I'm never sore! I love social media!' But for real though, we have all seen some miracles. Manifestation. Let's talk about it.
Shelly hangs with Myc again to dive into the mind of William Leonard Pickard. Myc calls him an ENIGMA-defined as 'a person or thing that is mysterious, puzzling, or difficult to understand'. I would have to agree. In the middle of reading this epic memoir that is at times magical realism and often an historical reference, I heard him speak at the inaugural Enthoefest. He was the most present soft spoken world traveling master chemist recently released from a life prison sentence psychonaut that I have ever met. His journey takes him out of prison to the monastery to Harvard to the sometimes dark and terrible and sometimes healing and beautiful drug behavior and policy that effects it all over the world and back to the largest LSD production lab bust in history. Well, it isn't boring. Also, reading someone's story through their own beautifully elevated consciousness and understanding is just so lovely.
Shelly hangs with Roberta King to talk about Budding Prospects-A Pastoral-by T.C. Boyle. HOLY COW if you have been in the cannabis industry for awhile or ever worked at a grow you have to read this. It is too funny and real. Of course it starts with a charismatic money guy showing up at his friends place talking about big money to be made-And ends with......a very crowded and hot apartment. HA! HA! So much schadenfreude! Much has changed in the world of weed since it was originally published in 1984 but the characters and challenges are so familiar and hilarious. T. C. Boyle knows how to paint the messy messy stuff beautifully. We also talk about upcoming caregiver rallies in Michigan and fun cannabis events Roberta is producing.
While listening to the audio version of this magical book which is set on a farm in Mexico during the pandemic 100 years ago, I was working on a farm in Michigan and living through a pandemic in 2021. (AND, AND it originally came out in 2015 but it SEEMS like she MUST HAVE KNOWN that another pandemic was coming, you know.) Anyway I highly recommend experiencing it that way if you can. Medicate and listen to it in a hammock or working in your garden! There is a mysterious wise boy who communicates with bees and knows the future. There is a woman who nurses 3 generations of a family and outlives them all. There is the family that is doing their best with surprises and suffering. There is a dark terrible villain who felt cheated. There is sugar cane giving way to orange trees and old ways giving way to new. This is the magic of reading. This isn't my story but it IS my story. Thanks Amanda and Angie for hanging with me on this one, and for eating the oranges and honey and for smoking all the things. It was so lovely.
We love the podcast 'My Favorite Murder' with Karen and Georgia. Somehow two friends talking about true crime and being their daring authentic selves has inspired a giant 'Murderino' community that is supportive, honest, humble, bold, and knows when it needs therapy and we are HERE FOR IT. We love this book and want you to read it. Shelly and Angie(Bone Jackies) are joined by Paul Gordon(who recommended the book and edited this episode), Allyson Bobbitt(You Made Me Watch podcast) and Lauren Bridges(who inspired me to be a murderino many years ago).
Wow y'all. We just got to hang out with music biographer Jake Brown and Freddy Powers' widow Catherine Powers to talk about 'Spree of '83-The Life and Times of Freddy Powers.' I had never known about Freddy before and felt like I was riding on a tour bus with a country music legend and he was cracking me up. His story is sometimes in his own words, sometimes in Merle's, or Willie's, or Catherine's. It is rowdy music history. It is about lifelong friendship. It is about musicianship. It is comedic timing. It is a sweet romantic love story. It is about facing the terrible path of Parkinson's disease and deciding to live a fun life anyway. I felt like I made a friend and now am mourning his passage. AND because he wrote #1 hits, of course it comes with a soundtrack. Just wonderful. I hear there is a movie in the works and I can't wait. We are so grateful to Catherine and Jake. It was an honor! And a blast!
Shelly and Myc O Phile are so so excited to talk about his Top 5 Favorite Psychedelic and Spirituality books. It was a real tough choice but if you have been wondering where to start learning on this subject, these should keep you busy for AWHILE. What is manna from heaven? Do you know the Stoned Ape theory? What are those little mushroom things in cave paintings? What is ergotism? What really happened in the sacred ceremonies that continued for thousands of years? Curious people. Explorers. GET. INTO. THESE.
Shelly sits down with JRR Tokkin to talk about his debut novel, The Adventures of the Great Neblinski, a New and Improved Hope. Based on characters he cultivated with friends playing D&D decades ago, this fantasy follows the journey of a G'nome that is over 1000 years old who smokes weed and has monster friends and casts spells and it is all kinds of fun. There is a bird on Tokkin's shoulder the whole time we are talking about everything from how he became the most famous antler carver in Canada to how he came to raise dire wolves. If you love epic fantasy like Lord of the Rings AND ridiculousness like Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy, you'll enjoy this book.
Shelly hangs with Tawna Dabney-long time friend, kid's dance and preschool teacher, and goshdarn ray of light. In the before times, she led a regular kid's story time at Black Rail Coffee in Hoboken and misses the kiddos terribly. She reads 'Hey Lil One' and 'Superheros are Everywhere!' We are super silly and it has nothing to do with weed. We have been squealy theater geeks for EVAH. Now I wanna have kid's story hours at provisioning centers. Who is open to this? You can WATCH Tawna read on our Reads and Weeds youtube page! Also-please check out www.lastprisonerproject.org and www.mifreedomcoalition.com Get involved!
Happy Hash Bash 2021. Shelly is with Jamie Lowell(and puppies Sherman and Zeta) to discuss Graham Hancock's America Before. What happens to our brains when we imagine that the history of our species might be way different than we have been believing for so long. I know it's a lot. Smoke some weed and open your mind. Any maybe get some notebooks and a book of maps. We had a great food spread! Paul Gordon joins us at the end! We talked about how far freeing cannabis has come and how far we have to go. Let me know where you are listening from and what you are reading. www.micannabisfreedomcoalition.org www.lastprisonerproject.org
This is the worldwide live debut reading of an original play by our regular guest Nathan Corliss! Yes something great coming out of quarantine. He assembled an amazing cast and one of them couldn't make it so I got to read along too.
CAST: Sarah-Vicki Morgan Carol-Shelly Smith James-Will Jones III April-Abby Rudnicki Bobby-Robby Griswold
It's so good. It's funny. It's current. It's sad. It's real. Great dialogue. There is a even a weed smoking scene. There are gardening references. There is a huge reveal at the end that I wish I had remembered before I played Carol. I would have made her more convicted and certain......but it was still such an honor to be in this cast who created so much emotion and chemistry even over Zoom. We dedicate this show to Tori Tomalia, a leader in our improv community who died from cancer a few days before this reading. She brought theater to kids and grownups in this area for the last many years and we are so grateful to have known her. She opened Pointless Brewery and Improv Theater In Ann Arbor with her husband Jason and built a wonderful community. We are all hurting and miss her. Nathan worked there. It felt so good to be together today creating theater and remembering why it is important.
Shelly is back with Angie Mae! We missed each other. This was recorded on Biden's inauguration day and we needed to talk about ANYTHING else. Happy to report no one has stormed the castle since then. Let's call it a win. If you've ever wanted the basics of Buddhism and have been intimidated by giant texts, this is your start. If you are looking for simple habits to calm your ass down during these crazy times, read this today. We also talk about weed food and other regular food A LOT, so if you want recipes for Biscuit Pot Pie or Brownie Waffle Sundaes, hit me up.
Welp! we just couldn't stop talking about the Mama's Baby, Daddy's Murder. I SO WANT IT to be a TV Series shot in Detroit. It would be so damn fun. Get on this bandwagon with me so Heather Jay can sell a 5 season show. SHORTY! SHORTY! SHORTY! www.shortybooks.com
Woo hoo! Shelly and Claire are back with author Heather Jay Harris(see Episode 47)to discuss Mama's Baby, Daddy's Murder, the second book in her series. I AM LOVING THESE. Well thought out human characters, comedy, a crime to solve, a huge twist, a baby on the way, and it is all based in Detroit. Do yourself a favor right now and go to www.shortybooks.com and buy the first two ebooks and tear through them this week. They are so so fun and you are going to love her writing style and you will love getting to know all the characters so just get on board. They are fast easy reads and I can't wait for the next one!
On Jan 2, 2020 Shelly and Paul Gordon(mushroom farmer)took a field trip to the magical Lynx Run Wilderness Retreat in Big Rapids Michigan. We got stuck in the driveway immediately but it was worth it because the nerding out on all things mushrooms was non stop. Our lovely host, artist/forager Rob Vanderzee shoved the car out with his jeep so we could get right to a lovely walk in the forest and a great meal of black eyed peas, collard greens, and cornbread. We were so lucky to have Myc O'Phile(human mushroom encyclopedia)with us too! If you are a forager, YOU GET IT. If not, there is SO MUCH FUN STUFF TO LEARN about fungi! Eugenia Bone shares her journey from just wanting cheaper morels to becoming a full on MYCOPHILE. If you've never explored the magical world of mushrooms, this is where you start! I also made, well STOLE from Myc O Phile a great mushroom themed playlist. Enjoy! Join the mushroom people. Their is way more fungi in the world than people so it just makes strategic sense.
Shelly sits down with arguably the biggest 'lamb'(lamb=Mariah fan) of all time, Ghia Parow, to discuss The Meaning of Mariah Carey. It is HER story told HER way. There is drama and overcoming and lots of straight HUSTLE. It is Holiday/Election season 2020, so maybe the weirdest December of all time, but 'All I Want for Christmas is You' is #1 for the 26th December in a row. RESPECT! Shelly learns what 'balayage ombre' means. We smoke some Stage 5 Clinger. We sing a little Mariah, of course. I recommend the audiobook because the queen herself reads it to ya and she is a sassy little hoot. Check it out. You know you need to turn off the news for a minute. AND...oh my this made me feel like a stoner when I listened back......ummmm......OF COURSE I KNOW the 'Ms.Wiggins' line was Tim CONWAY, not 'Conroy', omg the shame. Forgive me. Great clip though. Go look at that one too.
Shelly sits down with former radio pro Paul Gordon to discuss his favorite book 'The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams. They ponder the most likely eternal constant of the universe, the importance of silliness, prototype robots, and the high probability of the improbable. Stage 5 Clinger was smoked. Highly recommend! Great snacks! #junksmack!(You've all felt it.) Check out the dope Guide related playlist on Spotify by searching Reads and Weeds, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy Playlist.
In 1983, Francine Pascal unleashed one of the most ruthless villains in modern literature, Jessica Wakefield-high school student, hot twin sister to Elizabeth and total narcissistic sociopath. In this episode, Shelly is joined by Kaeli and Shay to discuss 'Double Love' the first(of 181 total!) book in the Sweet Valley High Series where Jessica makes her debut. We try to smoke a whole 'dipstick' which is like weed wrapped in weed dipped in weed.....a 'parfait' of sorts. We act out scenes-Jessica is HIGH DRAMA. We were thankful that we did not grow up with these chicks. We pondered how a 'tuxedo shirt' could ever be so powerful. The TV show made from this series is so bad it is good and thankfully episodes are only 10 minutes long for some reason so check that out too. Did you grow up with these? Tell me about it!
In the middle of a global pandemic(maybe) and full on croptober weed farm harvest(absolutely), Shelly is joined by 3 super sweet comedians, John F. O Donnell-long time friend and former reporter for satirical news show Redacted Tonight with Lee Camp and current host of the 'Take Your Pills Psychopath' podcast, Mike Bobbitt and Alex Bozinovic(AKA Lil' Dickie Ricketts and Thomas Luge, hosts of T.R.U.T.H. podcast) to talk about John's totally unsolicited but completely necessary tutorial 'How to Break Your Corporate Propaganda Echo Chamber Rusty Cage and Run'. Read the title again and just accept that you need it. Go to jfodnews.com to see the tutorial and take the deep dive into the obsessively researched and carefully curated articles and videos that he hopes will shed light and hope during this time of constant misinformation.
LET'S CELEBRATE Y'ALL!!! It's our 50th episode! What better way to celebrate than hanging with author Tiffany 'T Barb' Barber and Cannabis Chef Gigi eating Gigi's ridiculously gorgeous medicated(holding on to my chair for dear life by the end of the show)salad. Follow Gigi! Hire her for private dinners. She wants to teach you how to cook! You will love her. And maybe stalk her for 6 months like I did. Follow T Barb! the comedian, author, radio host, hot dog stand running HUSTLAH, all around diva having a blast generally killin it. We had way too much fun talking about her memoir of growing up in Detroit and sharing stories about how we all want to move on and move up but still really 'wanna do some hoodrat shit'. Thanks sooooo much ladies for hanging in there to make it work and thanks to YOU for listening and commenting and being in this with me. This show is dedicated to T Barb's sister MARY :)!
Between 2011-2017 there was this tiny lovely theater in a carriage house in Ann Arbor, called Carriage House Theater, appropriately. The directors were always on the lookout for scripts that would work in this tiny setting. Nina Shengold's HOMESTEADERS was a perfect fit and the production enjoyed an extended run. In this episode, that exact cast reunited and Shelly got to be the only audience member and do a private talk back session! Such a surprising read! So much is revealed about the brothers who head out to Alaska in the late seventies, and it feels so relevant now. We also came up with a decent pie delivery business plan right at the end.
Bonus Track! Erik originally recommended this book and wasn't able to join us on the recording day. We have a great conversation about his personal journeys with Ayahuasca ceremonies, the importance of honoring the plant and integration, and holding space.
Shelly joins with Jim Salame, Julie Barron, and Matt Pancone from the Michigan Psychedelic Society to discuss The Fellowship of the River, A Medical Doctor's Exploration into Traditional Amazonian Plant Medicine, by Dr.Joseph Tafur. Beginning with the story of his own healing journey, he weaves the worlds of science and shamanism together to share how ancient plant medicine, specifically Ayahuasca, can heal the underlying emotional and spiritual 'dis ease' that manifests as chronic illnesses including migraines, Crohn's disease, psoraisis, PTSD, and depression. The personal stories of pasajeros in ceremony is a mind opening hopeful look at a different way to heal. We are left with the knowledge that our earth is full of magical healing plants that we need to engage with and understand.
Shelly and Claire have a fabulous virtual hang with Heather Jay Harris to talk about her book Maybe Shorty Should Be a Detective, which we loooooooved! Heather is a comic and writer native to Detroit and if you are from Detroit you will feel like you KNOW alllll these amazing characters and even if you aren't you will laugh out loud. If you like whodunits, great characters with real relationships, female protagonists, and cliffhangers, you gotta get this book. I can't wait for us to read the next one Mama's Baby, Daddy's Murder, which JUST became available!
Shelly is joined by the inimitable Cynthia Shelby Lane to talk about Packing for Mars-The Curious Science of Life in the Void by Mary Roach. I have loved Roach's books for so long and can't think of a better person to geek out about it with on this show than Cynthia. She has applied to be an astronaut MANY times and keeps the dream alive WHILE serving the cannabis industry as an MD, researcher, and advocate AND she brought me SNOOP DOG WINE and it was TASTY. We had a blast(off).....see what I did there. Colin McDougal(C-Murder) was there patiently playing Rocket Man over and over for my stoney ass. Thanks man.
Shelly hangs with author Joshua Joseph Valdez to discuss his book Earth Life Big Brain Project:2033. Valdez wasn't TRYING to predict the future when he started writing this over 10 years ago but now that it is only 13 years away it feels pretty possible/likely that he has. He just had alllll kinds of ideas and time on his hands and is really smart and he wrote and wrote and wrote. But I desperately want this book to be a Sci-Fi miniseries even if it is just for the party scenes and snow globe room. There are no page numbers, but there IS a mind blowing amount of scientific theory, and live readings from Burning Man, and an establishment called the Velvet Pelvis that 'helps you get over your ex' with questionable methods. We are joined by his now fellow Burners Tom Mansell(check out 'Slumberland' podcast)and Ashley Strange(check out @reflectedfire on insta) to discuss this totally entertaining fast paced ride of a book. Get it. Read it slow so you don't miss anything. It blew my mind. We also made a sweet Spotify playlist for this one.
Shelly sits down with Mike Fate, Kayla Teresa(thepathlesstraveledhp), Justin Hatchett(TopShelforDie), and Colin Macdougal(MichiganPsychedelicSociety) to talk about lyrics from Mike's newest album BLOOM. Yay we are finally talking about LYRICS!!!! So good! AND we are back at CRB studio(with LOTS of partitions and masks, etc to protect us)which feels great. This album is a lovely groove with heavy emotion. Meditate to it. Trip to it. We also talk about the music biz, working with DJBJ 3525, creative prompts, the etiquette of snacks, and all sorts of fun things. We acted up and now we are all grounded, and so are the cops. Also Happy 10th Anniversary to OM of Medicine in Ann Arbor!
Shelly hangs with Nicole P'Simer, Nathan Corliss, and Scott Mooney to talk about Scott's new novel 'Screaming Beauty' the 2nd in the Poisoned Apple series. If you haven't yet, read 'Pricked' too! (the first book in the series and also the discussion of Reads and Weeds Episode 24). It is a totally entertaining new adult fantasy novel that you will not be able to put down. I realllllly want these to be movies! The world he has created is so fun. We also talk about snacks, plastic and Knot Plastic, cats named after Star Trek characters and the fact that Nathan's dad was Nicole's teacher in high school. Lots of super nerdy easter eggs and inside jokes for writers and thesbians through the book. Keep writing Scott! That ending was cruel-Ha! Ready for the next one.
Shelly and Kris are joined by Pastor and 6th grade English teacher Alan Ruff from Boiling Springs, SC(whoa it has been over 20 years!) to talk about a couple of his short stories, old school Boiling Springs things, the state of affairs of cannabis in SC(progress.....buuuuut needs improvement/LOTS of room for growth), and which graphic novels his students are loving. I was so surprised when Alan randomly reached out to me about hanging out on the show. So good to talk with him about what he has been up to for the last 2 decades(shout out to Tanya and the fam!) and talk about the great sayings we learned from our grandmothers. I'll post the stories on the FB page so you can check them out!
Shelly is joined by Kris, Kristen Hartnagel(new reader!) and Jilleien Franquelli Rippey(producer/host of Conversations with Mary Jane podcast) to talk about the creepy weird Six Swans fairy tale. LOTS of assumptions and unanswered questions here. Ha! How did the family react when the king brought home a random naked girl who doesn't talk that he found in a tree? Were the swan brothers stealing stuff the whole day except for the 15 minutes that they were people? Will Shelly ever leave Kristen's lakehouse? Tune in to find out. Also, find out more about the amazing organization simplesacrifice.com that Jilleien runs that has been feeding the homeless in Baltimore for years. And thanks to Christina Gradillas for the intro!
Shelly and Kris discuss Hemingway's first novel with the intention of bashing it. However, after a deeper dive, we become forgiving about everything and decide that he was in fact the voice of a lost generation and really we just don't like boring drunk people conversations. The not so clear info about Jake's injury being made clearer would have REALLY helped but I get it. It was an era of talking around things. We also talk about quarantine hair and the symbolism of a psychedelic elephant on a ball and the fact that I have way too many jars.
This week we are 4 women talking about Miriam Toews' award winning novel Women Talking, and there is MUCH to talk about. Shelly is joined by FIRST TIME GUEST! @staceysimpsonduke(improv friend, co pastor of the First Baptist Church of Ann Arbor)and also Lauren and Claire(good friends and damn good writers themselves). Based on true events-see 'Ghost Rapes of Bolivia', this novel often reads like a greek tragedy. It can be triggering. Be warned. We discuss the nature of forgiveness, the difference between being 'ignorant' and 'uneducated', how suffering at any level fills the space allowed, making decisions in the middle of trauma and rage, and of course there is some ranting about the patriarchy. READ THIS BOOK. It is calling out to you with the resiliency of the human spirit and the power of women talking. Also, check out Stacy Simpson Duke's writing at seeingthesacred.com and earthchicknits.com.
Shelly is joined by former Zingerman's colleagues Lynn Fiorentino(legendary all around Zingernaut) and Ji Hye Kim(proprietor of the super yummy Miss Kim restaurant in Ann Arbor).The name Pachinko refers to the Japanese pinball type gambling game that is pervasive in Japan but THIS BOOK is an deep, human saga of 5 generations of a Korean family surviving in Japan. Lee's book is so rich and moving, and we discuss traditional Korean roles, suffering, how small decisions change everything, and how Lee's perfect pacing and attention to humanity of even the smallest characters makes this book so wonderful. Also, Lynn let me borrow the sewing machine that I have made around 200 masks on, and I am so grateful.
First solo venture here. First Facebook live. This was the first week during quarantine that I let the weight of everything get to me. I lost some audio from a previous show and beat myself up for it. I was staying up later and sleeping later. Bleh. BUT! I became aware of Fiona Apple's new album Fetch the Bolt Cutters. She creates at such a high level and listening to her made me get up off the floor just to create on the lowest rung. I missed everyone too much. I wrote a love poem to you all and read it. I did it in a small thinking funk to kick start myself into a better realm. Here's hoping it works.
We have this Women's Circle, a group of women connected through the cannabis industry that supports each other. We were going to have a big ole gathering with weed and food to talk about this book. Eliot Cowan writes about his long journey to understanding the mystery of how plant spirits heal. It was affirming to us to hear the stories of the healers. We couldn't hold the gathering of course but four of us met on Zoom, new reader Brandi Alexander!!! and loved the book. The wonderful and wise Merri Walters from Great Lakes Sacred Essences of Ann Arbor joined us, who is like a walking talking version of the book. Now is the time for everyone to read this and to remember how we are alllll connected. The karmic balance of the world needs our attention, outside and inside of our bodies. This should be required reading right now to get our minds ready for a shift towards looking at healing in a 'whole new'-OLD-way. I've been embracing this mystery and trying to get to know the plants around me much better. Thank you plants.
Shelly is joined by her remote 'quaranteam' Kris(in Boulder)and Lauren(in Indiana) to talk with the Wilde Award winning author(Clutter-Best New Script 2017) Brian Cox!(right down the street from me) about his short story The Surrogate Initiative. This story about an AI psychologist and the first court case using AI jury selection was selected for Best American Mysteries of 2020! First of all, we loved it! Our discussion covered everything from how those awards don't REALLY matter to The Outrageous Okona Star Trek Episode(S2/E4)(the one where Data tries stand up comedy)to the Sisyphean task of cleaning the streets of Ypsilanti. We talk about the writer we are versus the writer we want to be. We form a writing club with a spreadsheet and everything because Brian is helpful and Lauren is a boss. I am so grateful for this right now, even though Zoom sound quality can bite me. Sorry Zoom, I love you. Don't leave me.
Shelly is joined by Claire Forster and Jeff Miller(NEW READER!)through ZOOM while in isolation to read delicious poetry during the coronavirus pandemic. March 29, 2020. We talk about anxiety, the uncertain new normal, and gratitude. We read lots of poetry, including Mary Oliver, Rudy Francisco, Ada Limon, John Donne, Jim Harrison, and some of Claire's own wonderful work. The show(and connecting with friends) must go on. What can I say.....thank God for the poets for helping me feel the feelings.
Wow. The day we recorded this episode, March 8, 2020, was a beautiful sunny 60 degrees in southeast Michigan. Shelly was with Nathan, Laura, Mat, Jim and Jen at Fundamental Sound Co and we had a wonderful time reading The Whale by Samuel D. Hunter. The cast read scenes between Charlie, an obese man confined to his home who teaches online writing classes, and the very few people that he interacts with in real life. They did a great job. I was sincerely moved by their performances and hope you will be too. Later on that day, THOUSANDS of us gathered for a Bernie rally in downtown Ann Arbor. Ana, my co producer, got to play her music and open for Bernie. No one was scared. We went back to Fundamental Sound Co later for a beautiful house concert and no one was scared. We danced and hugged and toasted. That's why this one will always be special. Stay safe out there.
If you grew up in America during the late 70's or early 80's you will KNOW the world that is created in this week's read: The Electrician. Shelly is joined by Colleen Kennedy from Pott Farms and Jeff Muir, the co-author of this "bloated auto-bio novel" (ref: Cloud Atlas). Let's dive into The Electrician! This is being released on St.Patrick's Day 2020, which is fitting since the subtitle is, "From Altar Boy to Addict: Growing Up Irish Catholic in Blue-Collar Boston." It is a post-Vietnam, Irish Catholic coming of age story set in Beantown -- and features a bounty of drinking stories (but don't worry, it has a very hopeful ending). In our real lives, though, bars and restaurants are shut down now due to the Coronavirus, so Michiganders cannot gather and drink and scream like we are wont to on this day. some are handling it better than others. So join us during your self-quarantine as we talk innocence lost, addiction, honoring the working class through action figures, and the sexy, fast-paced world of small-town city council meetings. Oh, and dig the punk and funk-influenced playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLeSQkXOtezvpF5raJ8OGBikMzklVKcptv
Claire and Shannon are back with Shelly and Nicole P'Simer-NEWWWW REEEEEADER!!!!!!and we love all over The Stars and the Blackness Between Them by Junauda Petrus . What a groovy heavy honest sweet sad story about love and friendship and justice. We learn the wonderful acronym C.H.U.R.C.H. Come Here You Rebel Come Here. This book also led us to the wondernasty.com website. Beautifully written characters. I want to know them, especially Queenie! I think we would be sisters. The author provides a built in soundtrack. Listen to it. Trust me. We also give advice on who to call about terrible potholes. It's Colin, btw.
Kris is back! and Jewlee!(NEW TO THE CREW-YAY) with Shelly to discuss the first book in the Neapolitan series by Elena Ferrante. Long time coming to get this scheduled and worth it because of the honest gritty truth and beauty of this one. We love Elena. We want to smoke with her and ask a million questions. And what better way to discuss this story of two girls becoming lifelong friends that share hardships and fears and a love of learning and have dreams of writing than with lifelong friends who share a love of learning and writing. Listen to the Max Richter music from the HBO series made from this book! So lovely. Also Kris wrote a kick ass essay about this one. Check it out in our blog.
Shelly is joined by several members of the former cast of so called '2 hour Hot Girl Hamlet' for a superbowl preparty like you've never seen. Callie, Heather, and Beth along with Nathan and Jim read all about the troubled Danish prince. If you loved Game of Thrones AND you loved The Lion King......you'll LOVE Hamlet. Castles and murder and ghosts and love and people going crazy. We learn about limerence. We use a clip from the tv show 'Sex Education', which is also awesome.
Shelly and Claire(Claire is back!) have a blast discussing 'I'm Judging You' which encourages us to be better people, one side eye at a time. Author Luvvie Ajayi pulls no punches taking on everything from washing your bra to white supremacy and it is SO FUN. She makes up words, and we love that. We learned the phrase 'Island Peen Syndrome'. She loves Jesus and makes me realize I need way more Nigerian friends. "Oh, people. We're the Worst."
Shelly, Jeff Muir, Colin, and Mark and Susan Sweetman, discuss Kyle Cease' "The Illusion Of Money-How Chasing Money is Stopping You From Living". How do you free yourself from the thoughts about money that control you so that you can live a more truly abundant life. We eat Colleen's yummy full spectrum brownies. THIS BOOK! I love this shit. I'm all about attracting that high vibration life y'all. If you have a toxic relationship with your thoughts about money or abundance-read this soooooooon.
Shelly hangs with (part of) the 2010 cast of Dog Sees God in our first script reading! So fun. Imagine if the Peanuts characters are real teenagers with real problems. It is dark and funny. We spontaneously made up some mantras. We sang badly together. We threw another random C-List celeb under the bus for no reason. It was lovely.
We were so excited to talk about this book AGAIN. It was a do over and there is just so much to discuss here we could do 2 more whole shows about it. Shelly, Jamie Lowell, Julie Barron, and Ana Gomulka thought we knew a lot about the history of cannabis and we learned soooo much more from this book. It is a well researched look at the legal, social, medical, political and artistic battles around the plant for the last few hundred years. I wish it was taught in high schools around our country. I can't imagine reading this and not being inspired to become an activist if you aren't already.
Author/Improvisor/super cooooool Scott Mooney is LIVE with us for a REDO of a show we did earlier in the year that didn't get saved somehow. Nathan, Libby and Chris join Shelly to discuss this 'New Adult Fantasy' and yes we talk about why that category exists. I brought a delicious brunch. It was a ridiculously beautiful day for late December in Michigan. For some reason we kept bringing up Ryan Seacrest. Loved this book and can't wait for the next one coming out in 2020!
Shelly decides to have a show even though the whole initial cast cancelled. Lisa Semerad shows up! Shelly finds Kristin Wagle and her puppy, Neptune, at the coffee shop and they join in too and the show is saved! They read excerpts from 'Whose Boat is this Boat?', 'The Encyclopedia of American Cooking', the Bible AND Shelly's notebook all while Neptune springs around with jingle bells on (that she picked out herself) licking our faces. Party.
Shelly, Shannon, and Colin hang out with the author of 'So People Say You're an Asshole' and have a blast. We might be the assholes. We have all dated and/or worked with assholes. Also I believe this was my first time hearing the phrase 'velvet brick' and I love it. AND-there is a new show coming out starring Edie Falco called 'Tommy' and this book is in the trailer! Woot. Reading this and using cannabis will likely help your relationships!!
Shelly has the pleasure of a one on one interview with the author of 'Beercans on the Side of the Road, the story of Henry the Hitchhiker.' Is Ken Wachsberger Henry? What is a 'puke in'? What made Henry hate Houston so much? Is Ken now living Henry's dream life? How did smoking weed change the course of Henry(Ken's) life? Did any of us make it home alive in the blizzard after taping this show? Why on this of all days did I not bring pie to the studio? Listen in for the answers to all these questions and MOOOOOOORE!!!!
Shelly and Kris are joined by Jamie Lowell and Shannon Halley to discuss Graham Hancock's 'Fingerprints of the Gods', mind blowing research rich dive that questions what we THINK we know about Ancient Civilizations and ourselves.
Shelly has the privilege of discussing the book 'Glimpse' one on one with the author Shannon Halley, who also happens to be a Reads and Weeds regular! Shannon reads excerpts and talks about the writing process and her writing buddy and self publishing and the power of doing things for your own damn reasons. Also I read a couple of silly tiny stories that I wrote for a novelty store. And she even chose great songs for this episode!
Shelly, Claire, Kris, and Shannon discuss Rebecca Solnit's truly hopeful book for activists in the trenches. In it, she hopes to inspire the radicals of today who find themselves hopeless by reminding us of the historical victories already won, and makes it personal by telling the every day individual stories that add up to significant shifts over time.
Shelly, Kris, Claire and Kelsey discuss Lily King's beautiful book Euphoria- Lily King’s nationally bestselling breakout novel of three young, gifted anthropologists of the ‘30’s caught in a passionate love triangle that threatens their bonds, their careers, and, ultimately, their lives. Inspired by events in the life of revolutionary anthropologist Margaret Mead, Euphoria is "dazzling ... suspenseful ... brilliant...an exhilarating novel.”—Boston Globe We also manage to talk about real estate, polyamory, and sing a little bit of 'We are the World'. We loved this book so much it almost made us angry.....in a good way.
Shelly, Kris, and Jesse talk about Musicking by Christopher Smalls. We play music. We talk about the symphony and the notes on the page and the community that is created in the space where music exists. We write a song begging for sponsors. We talk about our favorite concerts. Jesse plays the keytar and the melodica.
Shelly, Angie, and Amanda(first timer!) discuss The Mars Room by Rachel Kushner. The justice system is not fair, not that we didn't know that already. A very human story. We learned about women in prison. We showed each other tattoos on the break!
Shelly, Shannon, Claire, and Lisa discuss the amazing Dare to Lead by Brene Brown. We love her. We want to live by her words. Lisa Conine being on makes us feel smarter. NOT that Claire and Shannon and I aren't super smart. WE ARE. But Lisa classes the joint up. She's the real deal fighting the good fight. Also, we killed it with song choices on this one.
Shelly, Claire and Libbie discuss Children of Blood and Bone by Tomi Adeyemi. We loved it. Read it. The historic first Hash Bash since legalization happened so YAY. We talked about ASMR-which is weird...but I had mints in my mouth so we got into it. It was awesome. Libbie hadn't even read the book and it didn't even matter, in case you were wondering.
Shelly, Angie, and Shannon have a ridiculously good time re hashing the warm and real hilarity of David Sedaris 'Calypso'. If you love him, you know how awesome it is. If not, read it and listen along.
Shelly, Kris, Shannon, and Angie talk about this fabulous memoir about the imimitable Fannie Davis and her 30 reign as a Detroit numbers queen. Intro/outro music Beachwood 4-5789 by the Marvelettes
Shelly, Kris, and Shannon talk about the short story by Wells Tower. What a great name, right?!?1 It's a great short story written in the SECOND PERSON(don't panic)about a boy becoming a man and how that looks in this one weird day in his life.
Shelly, Kris, Claire and Kara discuss Michael Pollan's book 'How to Change Your Mind' about the science of psychedelics. He covers the history of psychedelic research and intertwines it with his own personal experiences. We were moved and inspired. It is the time for a book like this. We were so grateful and affirmed by what he learned about how brilliantly he presents it. Intro/Outro music is Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds by the Beatles.
Shelly, Martin, and Claire discuss Percival Everett's book 'I Am Not Sidney Poitier'. The book follows the life of Not Sidney Poitier, a young man with a fascinating life.......that may or may NOT be based on the characters that Sidney Poitier has played. You buy into the absurd immediately and if you hold on you'll learn lessons about race in America and fame. Funny. Riveting. Intro/Outro Music is Otis Redding 'The Glory of Love'.
It's Halloween. Shelly, Kris, Claire, and Lisa discuss Flannery O'Connor's dark short story 'A Good Man is Hard to Find'. Terrible things happen to a family on a very short road trip. I'm dressed like Tina Belcher from Bob's Burgers to lighten the mood but MAN this is a dark story. Intro/Outro Music is Surfjan Stevens' A Good Man is Hard to Find'.
Shelly, Kris and Lisa discuss the April Ayers Lawson short story. Michigan voted to legalize cannabis! Intentionally unnamed group of friends relate the trauma they are all going through. They are bound together, finding each other as their most vulnerable selves. The intro/outro song is 'Us' by Regina Spektor.
Shelly, Kris, and Marty discuss George Saunders' short story Tenth of December. Saunders was influenced by Raymond Carver, who wrote the last story we read. The narrative follows a young boy playing outside and an elderly dying man and how their paths cross. Saunders style of intentionally confusing the reader pulls us in. It is brilliant. I didn't see any of it coming.
Shelly, Kris, and Lauren discuss Jack London's classic 'The Call of the Wild'. It had been over a decade at least since I last read it. We all saw it so differently, which is is why book clubs are awesome. Man and beast and nature. The thin line between the civil and the savage. An era of American history. Buck going home. My experience altered by a recent profound experience of my own. Music at the top 'Hungry Like the Wolf' by Duran Duran AND wolf howling sounds!
Shelly, Marty and Kris discuss Raymond Carver's 'What We Talk About When We Talk About Love'. On the previous episode. Kris informed us the that the title of Rob Bell's book was co opted from this well known short story. We are in agreement that it is a 'gut punch'. Much like the topic of God, when we talk about love, often the truth is that no one is talking about the same thing. Intro/Outro song-Loving You Is Easy Cause You're Beautiful by Minnie Ripperton(what an awesome name!)
Our first episode! I love reading, talking with my friends, and smoking weed. In our first episode I, along with Lauren, Kris, and Kristin, discuss Rob Bell's book What We Talk About When We Talk About God. Having recently read this one for my church book club, I wanted to hear how different it would be to discuss it with a non church crew. It was as fun and interesting as I thought it would be. We also figured out some technical difficulties with Todd. The music is Theo Katzman's 'I Feel Love'. Look him up! Both he and Rob Bell have been Michiganders at some point.(recently listened back to this and realized I called the station CBR instead of CRB-duhr!)