This week we welcome Becca Russo, Patti’s longtime family friend, to the show to talk about not one, but TWO of her interests—money-saving hacks and nesting (which go together quite well, honestly).

We start with a check-in and learn that Charlotte continues to set increasingly lofty running goals, based mainly on the snacks and the merch provided at those races. We hear about Becca’s wild schedule as a fitness instructor and how it suits her perfectly. And Patti shows us what real talk about how we're doing can look like.

We have a lively, delightful conversation in which we touch on a little bit of almost everything, including Becca’s artistic pursuits; exclamation points and women; manifesting and visualization (and how not to do it). We talk about some of our favorite topics, including mental health, creativity, reality tv.

Becca tells us about crowdsourcing her interests by asking family and friends what she’s obsessed with (love this strategy!). She shares her money-saving hacks, including her many side hustles and the lengths she would go for a discount. We talk about her motivations for saving a buck, which go way beyond finances. We get into the ethics of doing minor scams on big companies. And we talk about nesting, feng shui, and the joys of temporary wallpaper.

Links:
https://spacedoula.com/
https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DD71Y3JY?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_4&th=1

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

33- Can Becca Interest You In…Money-Saving Hacks AND Nesting?

Patti and Charlotte debrief on the wonderfully thoughtful watercolor painting assignment that Jaime Lynn Henderson gave them in the previous episode.

This episode begins with an extended catch-up, during which Charlotte tells us about the Halloween she dressed as Gary Oldman’s character from the Apple TV show, Slow Horses (a show Charlotte plugs every chance she gets). We dissect our tolerance for awkwardness and discover we are on opposite ends of the spectrum on this front. We talk about Patti’s upcoming trip to Disney World (for which her niece made art to give to the characters--too cute!).

At the 18:00 mark, we get into The Assignment, which was:

1. do one freestyle watercolor
2. do one watercolor of something you love
3. compare how you felt doing each
4. be very, very proud of yourself afterwards

We talk about all the parts of the assignment, from how and where we procured the supplies, to the nitty gritty of our art anxieties (you know it’s a good assignment when it shows up in our dreams).

Then we get into the actual process of painting, of the mental shifts needed to make art, of the materials and how those matter, for emotional reasons as much as anything else.

We talk about our freestyle techniques, and how it felt not to have any limits beyond the page and the materials.Then we unveil our portraits. Can you guess what beloved things we painted? (No, not our dogs. And yes, our dogs were mad at us because of it)

Did we, indeed, feel very, very proud afterwards? (Yes, of course, that was the assignment) And we wrap it up with a discussion on accessibility and the Level of Integration Score (LOIS).

The episode ends a little abruptly due to technical difficulties, but if we could have recorded more, we would have said a big THANK YOU to Jaime Lynn Henderson for her amazing homework selection and for getting us into painting!!

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

32-Drawing/Painting…the Follow Up

In this episode, Jaime Lynn Henderson tells us about the interest she has nurtured since childhood—drawing and painting. We learn how she went from being a child doodler and mega-fan of Bob Ross to reality tv contestant to having her first solo gallery show just last month.

We start the show with a check-in, during which we hear about how everybody is *really* doing. At the 8:22 mark we dig into painting and drawing, and Jaime’s artistic journey. She tells us about art school. “the cushiest, bougiest time of your life.” (Frankly, it sounds amazing and we want to go to there).

Then, Patti’s dream comes true—we find out we’re talking with a real life Bravo reality show star! Jaime was a contestant on the show Work of Art: the Next Great Artist and we hear all about it.

We learn about Daydream Diaries, Jaime’s first solo art show, which happened just last month! She gives us the behind the scenes details of how a gallery show gets set up. Paseo Arts Association [https://www.thepaaok.org/upcoming-exhibits]

Other topics we discuss include what parts of drawing are innate and what are teachable, creative processes, and where does our creativity come from?

If you’ve ever felt a pull to draw or to paint, take a listen and do the homework with us! Here it is: get some watercolors (or watercolor pens, because that’s a thing now), then do activity #1 - paint something from your own imagination; and activity #2 - set up something you love, and paint it, focusing on the shape, color, the light that hits it. Then, notice and compare how it feels to do each exercise; and finally, be very, very proud of yourself afterwards!

Links:
https://www.thepaaok.org/blog/daydream-diaries-the-paa-members-show-and-who-and-where-we-are

www.jaimelynnhendersonart.com [http://www.jaimelynnhendersonart.com/]

https://www.bravotv.com/work-of-art

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

31- Can Jaime Interest You In...Drawing/Painting?

CONTENT WARNING: We discuss the conditions and treatment of dogs in breeding situations and puppy mills. 

Dog rescuer extraordinaire Stefanie Klatt returns to the show to grade us on our homework. Ok, there’s no grading involved, but she does teach us about the legislative and systemic factors impacting animal rescue.

But first, we talk about the Puppy Bowl! We are super excited that they included senior dogs this time, and we shout out the best names (hi RuPaw and Lobster Roll).

Then we get into the homework. We talk about the licensing requirements for rescues/shelters versus breeders. We learn about why it’s important to do your research before buying a dog from a pet store or a breeder, as well as the legislative changes that would help better ensure quality of life for these animals. We also learn the number one state for puppy mills.

We discuss the stories we have around dog ownership and how some of these stories need to be questioned, for example, seeing certain pets or breeds as status symbols.

We dip our toes into the No Kill shelter debate, as well as the beef between (some) shelters and rescue orgs.

Then we talk accessibility and the LOIS scale.

And even though this is some heavy material, we still have stories about the cute buddies who are the reason for these episodes—dogs!

Links:
Highway 50 Freedom Ride - https://hwy50freedomride.org/
Colorado Pet Animal Care and Facilities Act - https://ag.colorado.gov/animal-welfare/pet-animal-care-and-facilities-act
No Kill Colorado - https://www.nokillcolorado.org/
Bailing out Benji - https://bailingoutbenji.com/
Goldie’s Act (content warning - videos on the site show neglected dogs) - https://www.goldiesact.org/
Pet Finder - https://www.petfinder.com/

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

30-Dog Rescue...The Follow Up

For the past thirteen years, Stefanie Klatt has been all about dog rescue. She’s driven up and down the state of Colorado to transport dogs, read Shakespeare aloud to a foster, and spent her weekends at adoption events. She tells us how she went from fostering her first dog, Libby, to being on the board of My Fairy Dawg Mother.

We learn about the intensity and emotional toll that this work can have, as well as the enormous rewards. We talk about the supportive dog rescue community, foster fails, and the intricacies of dog naming (everybody wants a Pancake!). Our homework doesn't involve fostering dogs, but...you never know what we'll do for extra credit.

Charlotte and Patti’s dogs, Janine and Bosco, join us for the interview (they don’t say much, but their moral support is key).

Links:
https://hwy50freedomride.org/
https://dogrescuecolorado.org/

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

29- Can Stefanie Interest You In...Dog Rescue?

In an homage to the DIY, lo-fi sound of Guided By Voices, we kick things off right in the middle of our pre-intro chitchat, say our hellos later on, and at 13:07, get to the main course—the indie rock band, GBV (as everyone in the GBV chat calls them).

Along the way, our vocal range is huge, in spite of two out of three of us having lost our voices (ironic?) earlier this winter. We talk about:

The Winter Olympics sports we would compete in if we had the skills and no fear of injury.

Brian tells us where  the U.S. stands internationally in breakdancing.

Patti and Charlotte’s assignment was to listen to the Guided By Voices albums Bee Thousand and Thick, Rich, and Delicious. They go above and beyond to find out all the juicy gossip, including band drama (don’t call it a breakup, call it a personnel change); whether Bob Pollard is a hoarder or just prolific; the enduring allure of the band.

We ask and answer questions about music and existence:
What does it mean “to rock”?
How do you (like, you specifically) listen to live music?

And finally, we talk accessibility and give our ratings for the LOIS (Likelihood of Integration Scale, 1-100).

References:

Bee Thousand: https://guidedbyvoices.bandcamp.com/album/bee-thousand
Thick, Rich, and Delicious: https://guidedbyvoices.bandcamp.com/album/thick-rich-and-delicious

Books:
Closer You Are: The Story of Guided by Voices
Mood Machine: the Rise of Spotify and the Costs of the Perfect Playlist, by Liz Pelly

Other Links:

https://people.com/who-is-rebeca-andrade-all-about-the-brazilian-gymnast-8686852

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/a-grand-unified-theory-of-cultural-stagnation/id1594471023?i=1000738432969
The Mountain Goats, The Sunset Tree: https://themountaingoats.bandcamp.com/album/the-sunset-tree-20th-anniversary-remaster
The inspiration for Charlotte’s goal for 2026: https://www.profootballnetwork.com/nba/bulls-matas-buzelis-best-player-ever-quote-28-points-summer-league/

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com

Guided by Voices...The Follow Up

In our first episode of 2026, we’re joined by Brian Seemann to talk about Guided By Voices, the indie rock band he discovered as a teenager and has followed for decades.

We start the episode by catching up on how we’re *really* doing and, as it turns out, this involves sports mascots, happy worms, and the world’s little known need for more hype people. Then we talk Friendsgiving, because we recorded this back when all the holidays were still ahead of us.

At the 13:10 mark we get into all things Guided By Voices (and to answer your question, no, it’s not a Christian band). Brian tells us about Robert Pollard, who started the band when he was an elementary school teacher in the 1980s and has kept it going (minus, like, a short breakup) ever since. We also learn about the magic of their live shows, including the scissor kicks. Oh, the scissor kicks.

Brian gives us his origin story--how he discovered the band in the ‘90s, when learning about music was vastly different from how it is now (there were no algorithms in sight). He tells us about connecting with other lovers of Guided By Voices, and the devoted fandom the band has developed over the years.

We talk about music as art versus music as background sound. We talk about the process of creation and what makes a work of art resonate with an audience. Fair warning, we also rag on the band Sublime a lot. Then Brian gives us our homework. Luckily for us, it involves listening to music and no scissor kicks.

References:

https://www.gbvdb.com/home.asp

Logo design by Marielle Martin

Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video

BlueSky: @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social

Instagram: @canweinterestyouin

Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com

Website: canweinterestyouin.com

27- Can Brian Interest You In...Guided By Voices?

It's the end of 2025! Charlotte and Patti recap the past year of the podcast (a retrospective, if you will). We talk about what we learned about ourselves one year into starting a podcast as friends and podcasting amateurs.

We each give our top picks for the following categories:

Most memorable episode
Most surprising episode
Interest that challenged us the most
Interest we adopted into our own lives
Episode we’ve gotten the most feedback on

Along the way, we discuss podcast therapy, Woke Santa, how this podcast is changing lives (mostly ours). What are we looking forward to for 2026? What big plans do we have for the podcast?
Plus, Charlotte updates us on the Turkey Trek and eggnog chugging, and Patti updates us on her children’s volleyball coaching career.

We'd love to hear your answers to the above questions and whether you've started any of these interests. We want to hear about it!

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com

26- Can We Interest You In...A 2025 Recap?

Javier Delgado joins us for the follow-up to our episode on celebrity gossip. We do a check-in, on how we’re *really* feeling. Then (at the 6:23 mark), we talk about our homework, which was to look at a ton of celebrity gossip (of course), and imagine how a publicist would spin it a few decades ago. We go waaay beyond the scope of the homework and cover a wide range of celebrity gossip-related topics, and celebrities (including Ariana Grande, Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Tom Sandoval, Lisa Barlow, Grocery Store Joe, and more!).

We talk about gossip in the age of social media, and how it’s changed what it means to be a celebrity today, as well as the role of the paparazzi. We discuss the most interesting gossip headlines we’ve seen recently, including where politics and celebrity gossip collide—the Epstein emails. This leads to a discussion on sexual abuse scandals, and how exposure of these issues (in the form of gossip, for example) can positively impact other survivors.  

We revisit the Blake Lively/Justin Baldoni situation and Javier gives us the updates, including the recently released video clips. If you love The Real Housewives, we’ve got lots of talk about the best Housewives and all their drama. We discuss reality tv’s renaissance, including the evolution of The Bachelor franchise. Javier and Patti introduce Charlotte to the tv show, The Traitors, on Peacock. Then we talk about a bunch of the Bravo shows, and make plans to go to BravoCon, in Las Vegas.

Accessibility of celebrity gossip is up next, and we bring back the LOIS - Level of Integration Score (1-100). And finally, we learn which celebrity is rocking out to Hilary Duff’s new song in prison.

Logo design: Marielle Martin
Song: Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video BlueSky: ⁠@canweinterestyouin.bsky.social⁠
Instagram: ⁠@canweinterestyouin⁠
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: CanWeInterestYouIn.com

25- Celebrity Gossip...The Follow Up

In this episode, we get the inside scoop on celebrity gossip from Javier Delgado, former social media content creator to the stars, as well as longtime celebrity gossip connoisseur. He tells us about his love of entertainment news, and how it’s evolved over the years.

We start the episode with some catchup, including learning how Javier and Patti know each other, and about the film Patti and friends made about Javier (which should definitely have a cult following). We learn about what working in the entertainment industry has to do with social work (more than you think!).

Then we get into celebrity gossip through the decades:
The ’90s - Golden Age of Who Wore It Best? People and US Weekly. Publicists spinning, always.
The 2000s - The dawn of blogs, websites, and scrutinizing celebrities. (Bonus: Which tiny celebrity did Charlotte dress as for Halloween?)
The 2010s and beyond - How social media has changed celebrity gossip. Even the word celebrity started to take on a new meaning with the age of reality stars.

Then Javier tells us what it’s like to post on Instagram for celebrity accounts. We talk ALL ABOUT the Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni drama: the accusations, the feuds, and the receipts!

And we get some very fun homework!

Logo design by Marielle Martin
Song Upbeat Drums with Stomps and Claps by music_for_video
BlueSky @canweinterestyouin.bsky.social
Instagram: @canweinterestyouin
Email us your interests! CanWeInterestYouIn@gmail.com
Website: canweinterestyouin.com [http://canweinterestyouin.com/]

24- Can Javier Interest You In...Celebrity Gossip?

A podcast where friends Charlotte and Patti invite people to share all about their weird and wild obsessions, or perfectly normal hobbies that have been taken just a little too far. 

We want to dabble in your curious interests!

Plus, a 2025 bonus—we hear indulging your interests is good for democracy!

This is why we should engage in activities that are of interest to us, our friends, our families. Insofar as we take pride in these activities, and come to know others who do so as well, we are creating civil society. – Vaclav Havel, “The Power of the Powerless”

CanWeInterestYouIn...?

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