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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair, “Schoolgirl”, an original short story by yours truly. It’s 1977, the summer of the infamous Model Wars between Eileen Ford and John Casablancas, the heads of the two most powerful modeling agencies in the world. Four young models just starting their careers are sent to Paris- and left to fend for themselves. It’s the story about the dark underbelly of an industry synonymous with enviable wealth and elegance, and cutthroat competition. For Lauren and her roommates Beth, Caro, and Kat, life lessons abound over a Parisian summer filled with three shedding cats, a slew of sketchy businessmen, and a surprising sense of sisterhood. The sponsor of this week’s episode is Rothys, the flat that is comfortable, stylish, and sustainable! New styles are constantly being created- and selling out. I love my Rothys and love even more that they are insanely soft, yet made from 100% recycled plastic. For free shipping and free returns and exchanges, go to rothys.com and use promo code chair. Get this deal while it lasts! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
Today on The Easy Chair, I read a spine-tingling scary story perfect for the thick of winter: “Strawberry Spring” by Stephen King. A serial killer stalks the campus of a small New England college, murdering and dismembering female co-eds. Locals dub him Springheel Jack, a spectral figure who comes in with the fog and ice melt of Strawberry Spring, the false, early thaw that comes before the most brutal of winter’s storms. Our protagonist is as horrified and mystified as any of his classmates, but he has to admit that he finds the mists and shadows of Strawberry Spring oddly alluring. Warning: don’t listen to this story by yourself, late at night. The last line of this story is considered one of the best last lines of any short story. Tune in, and find out why. Sponsors of this week’s podcast are Quip, makers of the sleekest, most effective portable electric toothbrush ever. For my listeners: get your first refill pack FREE at GETQUIP.com/EASYCHAIR. Second sponsor: Brooklinen, maker of five-star hotel quality sheets, comforters, towels, available to you to enjoy at home! For $20 off your first order and free shipping, go to Brookinen.com and be sure to use promo code CHAIR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
Today on the podcast, I read Donald Barthelme’s hilariously morbid short story “School” along with “Five Short Stories”, an unconventional collection of short shorts by Lydia Davis. Hopefully these tales and tidbits will delight and amuse you… and stay with you long after you’ve heard them. Winter is long and cold, dark and dreary, and I believe most of us need a little boost, a shot in the arm, if you will. These quirky works by two incredibly gifted writers definitely and very positively redirected me. Banish the winter blahs...tune in! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair, I read Miranda July’s brilliant, quirky short story “Roy Spivey”. It’s about an uncertain young woman who through being “a pushover” finds herself with a first-class upgrade, only to be seated next to a major heart-throb celebrity on a cross-country flight. From their casual flirtation, some very interesting things happen, and ultimately this serendipitous encounter changes her life in unexpected ways. July’s story is astonishingly unique. You’ve never heard anything quite like it- I if you’re like me, you won’t be able to get it out of your head. Tune in! This week’s episode is brought to you by Ritual, the daily vitamin for women. Think of it as the multivitamin, reinvented! Taking my Ritual vitamins is my very favorite daily habit- a healthy, easy-to-keep resolution for 2019. Start your Ritual today by going to ritual.com/EASYCHAIR today! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
Aquaponics 101 (with Hannah Hurwitz). Climate change is a true national and global crisis, and one solution to the devastating environmental impact caused by our current way of producing food is aquaponics. What is aquaponics agriculture? (I’ll give you a hint: it involves water and fish). Hannah is working for an amazing start-up, Trifecta Ecosystems, and what they aim to do is transform spaces, from blighted warehouses to wasted classroom corners, into micro-farms that can 1.) Sustainably feed people and 2.) Protect the environment. Tune in to hear Hannah talk about aquaponics- the aspirational ideas behind it, the science supporting it, and the vast potential aquaponics holds for becoming, in the words of her current initiative, a City That Feeds Itself. This week’s podcast is brought to you by Quip, makers of the best, most effective yet gentle electric toothbrush ever. Order yours today at GETQUIP.com and if you use promo code EASYCHAIR, you’ll get your first refill pack FREE! Your mouth will thank you for it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week, on Mightier Than the Sword, Steph and I talk about New Year’s resolutions…and why, this year, we’ve decided against them. We are taking a different approach to 2019- a fresh start, for sure, but without the pitfalls and self-recriminations that often come with setting (and all too often, breaking) resolutions. Tune in to hear our takes on the pros and cons of the annual resolution tradition. We have some original ideas on how to make the New Year more of an opportunity than a challenge. As always, any questions, comments, and insights- let me and Steph know at [email protected]. This week’s podcast is brought to you by Brooklinen, the folks who make getting into bed at night my favorite part of the day. I love the simple luxury of my Brooklinen sheets and comforter! You can get $20 off your first order and free shipping by going to Brooklinen.com, promo code CHAIR. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair, I read the first chapter of my YA novel under consideration (working title, Sisterhood of the Porcelain God). Sophie is 18, a senior in high school, and her life should be poised for takeoff, but the eating disorder that has turned her life upside down since she was 13 makes forward momentum all but impossible. Publicly, she seems to be making progress, but privately, she is still locked in a fight for her life. This is the beginning of a difficult but important story. 30 million people suffer from eating disorders in the United States, and every 62 minutes, someone dies as a direct result of an eating disorder. Sisterhood is about Sophie’s journey. The road to recovery is marked by daily struggles for survival, and the people you meet along the way. Tune in! Let me know if you like what you’ve heard so far at [email protected]. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
A progressive scary/funny story by the entire Hurwitz clan.
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The Easy Chair
This week’s episode: Gift Giving, on Mightier Than the Sword! Co-host Steph and I give each other gifts that are unconstrained by budget or actual attainability. The expression “it’s the thought that counts” is what this exercise in generosity is all about. In addition to our mutual gift exchange, we talk about our favorite holiday movie and T.V. specials. Along the way I impressively quote the ghost of Jacob Marley and Steph beautifully reminds us that the rancor of current politics and pervasiveness of consumerism should not distract us from what the holiday season is all about: light, love, warmth, family, friends, and gratitude. It’s an episode that will have you genuinely embracing the spirit of the season. Any questions, comments, suggestions- please write us at [email protected]. We want to hear from you. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair: Part Two of Seasonal Work, by Laura Lippman. This is the continuation and conclusion of Lippman’s poignant/painful short story told by Kyle, the 14 year-old stepdaughter of Gary, a con artist. The plan is in motion. The family has relocated to Baltimore, and the scam has begun. The kind social worker who comes back to check on Kyle and her siblings turns out to be something quite different. Who’s been playing who? It’s a surprising turn of events in this light and mostly dark holiday tale. The end of the story is a shocker, and you’re going to want to tune in what happens. This is a holiday story unlike any story you’ve heard before. This weeke’s episode is brought to you by Rothy’s flats, the perfect shoes for women and girls! I love my Rothy’s. They’re comfortable, stylish, and sustainable ( incredibly, they are made from recycled plastic bottles, but they are comfy as any show you're ever worn). Go to Rothys.com and enter promo code chair for free shipping, and no minimum. I guarantee you’re gonna love your Rothy’s, just like I do. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair: Part One of an anti-holiday holiday short story: "Seasonal Work" by Laura Lippman. Grifter Gary and his four kids- three biological, one his step-daughter- take part in an annual holiday scam that’s working so far. Take off for a new city at Christmastime. Pretend the gifts you pretended to buy got stolen from your minivan. Local news coverage and a trusting public take care of the rest. Gary’s stepdaughter, narrator of the story, is a willing accomplice. Or is she? Tune in to hear me read this quirky, honest, unexpectedly resilient tale... to be continued next week. Today's episode is brought to you by Brooklinen. I just got my new Brooklinen comforter and slept like a baby for the first time since I was a baby! Brooklinen has some great gift ideas for this holiday season. If you go to brooklinen.com and use promo code chair, you’ll get $20 off your first order, plus free shipping. Go on, make yourself or someone you love blissfully happy! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week's episode: “Give the Lady What She Wants”, a winsome, heartbreaking short story by Leslie Pietrzyk. It’s longer than my typical Easy Chair offerings, but trust me, you will love this tale. Set in Chicago in 1982, the narrator is dress shopping with her college roommate, Jess, and Jess’s mother, and since she is the same size as Jess’s younger sister, Linda (a no-show because “shopping is bourgeois”) she is recruited/volunteers to try on dresses in Linda’s stead. Entitled Jess and her mom have a love of shopping that crosses the line into unhealthy obsession, and their day spent combing through every dress in an entire department store spirals into something darker. What is thought and what is said, what is heard and what is overheard, breaks hours spent in close quarters into fragments that expose our vulnerability and our loneliness. Tune in to this beautiful story. This week’s episode is brought to you by Brooklinen, maker of the world’s most comfortable sheets, comforters, towels and more, and Rothy, maker of the world’s most comfortable, stylish and sustainable flats for women and girls. My listeners can go to Brooklinen.com and use promo code chair to get $20 off your first order and free shipping! They also hightail it to Rothys.com and use promo code chair for free shipping (with no minimum!) Great products that make great holiday gifts. Tell 'em I sent you. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
Today on The Easy Chair: Sit back and listen to “Sissy” a charming short story by author/playwright Kathy Anderson. It’s about the reunion of two sisters in their 70s. One, the narrator, is a failed actress living in California, the other, a successful investor from a “hoity-toity” New York City suburb. Add to the mix a derelict floating restaurant, a bored boatman, and a secret burning desire to swim with stingrays. It’s a crazy quilt of a tale about mortality, history, and sisterly connection, but take my word for it: everything comes together perfectly. There is nothing I adore more than a story that causes you to laugh out loud at one passage and cry at another. That’s the poignant balancing act that “Sissy” pulls off. Tune in! “Sissy” provides the perfect timeout before launching into the busy holiday season. This week’s sponsor is Brooklinen! I love my Brooklinen sheets, comforter and duvet cover, which give me a 5 star hotel luxury sheet experience at home. For my listeners, get $20 off your first order and free shipping by going to Brooklinen.com and entering promo code chair at checkout. You’re welcome! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
Today’s episode: It’s time to head back to Mightier Than the Sword with co-host Stephanie Spaulding! This week, we are talking GRATITUDE. After all, it’s Thanksgiving, and family, friends, and being grateful is what it’s all about. Steph and I share our current Thanksgiving plans (both of them unconventional) and we revisit our pasts, with memories both sweet and challenging, relative to the Thanksgiving holiday. I tell the story about a Thanksgiving that's been a secret...up to now. Tune in. It's the perfect side dish, whether you're having a traditional bird or a Tofurkey. Steph and I would love nothing more than to have you share the holiday with us. And as always, any questions, comments, or suggestions can be sent our way at [email protected]. We want to hear from you! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
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The Easy Chair
This week on The Easy Chair, my guest is daughter Hannah, just back from a solo adventure to Southeast Asia. She has some cool tales to tell about her three weeks in Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Nepal. For anyone considering a trip to that part of the world, she offers her take, and some useful tips. There were a few unplanned events (such as getting hit by a motorcycle) during which her characteristically cool head had to prevail, but expansive landscapes and unique people and two waterfall sightings made every challenge worth it. Check out hannahhurwitz.com, to see the incredibly vibrant photos on her travel blog. I am thrilled Hannah had the guts to make this trip, and even more thrilled that’s she’s back home and on the podcast to talk about it. Tune in! I have two sponsors this week: https://www.brooklinen.com/ bringing you the best, most luxurious sheets, comforters, and towels ever, and https://www.rothys.com, bringing you the most comfortable, stylish, and sustainable flats ever! At Brooklinen, get 20% off your first order and free shipping by entering promo code chair at checkout. At Rothy’s, you’ll get free shipping with no minimum purchase when you enter promo code chair at checkout. For a great night's sleep and happy feet, you’ll want to take advantage of these great offers. You’re welcome! See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
