Author Joel Stein

I probably am not the first to mention this, but have you noticed the weather? I don’t mean this in a I-have-nothing-to-say-so-weather-talk-can-fill-the-gaps-way. I mean, THE WEATHER! After an unusually snow-free winter, the thermometer climbed up to 70 degrees on the East Coast over the weekend! It was delightful but freaky. Freaky the way the fires of Australia are burning ceaselessly. Freaky the way Venice was underwater this fall. Freaky that Puerto Rico is suffering from an earthquake just 2 years after a storm so severe that residents have not yet recovered what they lost. I always think about Mother Nature being so much stronger than all bullies, despots, and tyrants. It’s such a waste of time to be arguing about EVERY OTHER THING in the world when our planet is suffering so.

But since this show is about good things, I am proud to have been able to have secured today’s guest, author and hugely funny guy Joel Stein to our podcast. His new book is In Defense of Elitism, and let me get this out of the way. Joel went to Stanford. I want to say it before he does.

NOTE: If you are reading this, this is my written Blog. To LISTEN, please SUBSCRIBE to the Podcast at Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Podcasts, Spotify, iHeartRadio – or wherever you get your Podcasts. It helps get my podcast noticed. And if you’d like to rate it as well, PLEASE DO!

My 5 good things start here:

1. I’m loving the olives I buy out of a vat that are marinated in lemon juice! How do I love them? Enough that I’ve returned to Zabar’s to buy them three or four times in as many weeks. I’m noticing that lemon has become one of my very favorite flavors. Lemon vinaigrette, lemon pepper as a frequent spice I reach for so many things.

2. My wall calendar. Yes, the date is always blinking on my iphone. But I never pay attention to it there. I also use a diary to mark down my appointments, as some of you know. Some years I have kept an additional small letterpress calendar on my desk. I like looking at the days in crisp black and white. This year I’m using a Tiny Pricks Project wall calendar pinned to the bulletin board above my desk. Featuring embroideries by Diana Weymar, a former guest on this podcast, the January textile is a vintage clock over which she has embroidered “I am a very stable genius.” If you want one for yourself, you can find it at https://www.tinypricksproject.com/product/2020-tpp-calendar/

3. It started to rain in Australia last week. I’ve never been happier to see rain in my life. The bush fires which had the country ablaze may have been impeded somewhat by the rains. But so many animals were killed and hurt. Let’s be grateful for the rain. And let’s keep sending whatever we can spare to the various charities that are helping the animals, the people, the fire departments of New South Wales and Victoria, Australia. Here is a list from USA Today. https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2020/01/07/australia-fires-how-to-help-donate-victims-animals/2832145001/

4. I have tried to avoid this thing that makes my life better because I don’t know if it really does make my life better. It’s potato chips. Should I be ashamed? Embarrassed? Mortified?

5. Life changer Alert! USPS click-n-ship. I had a fairly heavy package I needed to send to Exhibit B™, but the box would have gotten seriously heavy if I walked to my post office. Not to mention the last time I was there I was sneered at by the postal worker. I found out I could pay for and print a label for my priority boxed stuff, and that it could be picked up at my house for the same price as my lugging it 5 long blocks away. No sneer! No line! No problem!