Reads and Weeds

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 at https://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/hashbashtreasurehunt Go have a blast wandering around Ann Arbor supporting Great Lakes Expungement Network.