Friendshipping!

It's the last episode of the Friendshipping podcast... but YOU HAVEN'T SEEN THE LAST OF US!! Sign up for our weekly newsletter at the top of this here website to get friendship-related advice, tips, and pictures of our respective dogs. This week, we're blasting through a bunch of questions as quickly as we can. We'll cover questions related to topics such as: capitalism, wildly decadent baby showers, ADHD, biphobia, and not being a gamer. We've also got a bunch of thank-yous to force you to listen to, and we'll even go over all our best friendship advice so you'll never have to listen through our entire podcast backlog.Thank you for listening. (You're welcome for talking.)CWs: Story with death mention from 7m36s - 8m10s !!SPOILERS!! for the Loki TV series from 46m10s - 47m40s Discussion of biphobia from 44m30s - 50m50s (Also, to be extremely clear, there's no such thing as "the opposite sex." Just thought we'd put that out there.)

Class solidarity means paying your friends fairly! But sometimes, our buds would prefer a little special treatment, even if we can't reasonably give it to them. This week, we'll go over what to say when your friends demand a discount, what to go over in an Informational Email, and when you might want to perhaps consider maybe possibly updating your prices perchance.This is the penultimate episode of Friendshipping! Next week will be our last new episode. Please continue sending your questions to FriendshippingPodcast@gmail.com, or head to the Get In Touch tab at the top of FriendshippingPodcast.com. We'll be transitioning to a newsletter shortly, and we'll answer your questions there. Details soon to come!While you're here, why not check out our sponsor, Lootcrate? Use the code Friendshipping for 15% off of your subscription.CWs: Occasional sounds of Trin's dog chewing a bone-like treat in the background throughout the episode. More dog mentions: 1m31s - 1m58s 17m40s - 18m02s 26m22s - 27m59s 30m07s - 30m10s Car accident mention at 3m00s - 3m03s

After seven years, it's the beginning of the end. This is the first of the last three episodes of the Friendshipping podcast.  But good news for all you Friendshippers: this is also the beginning... of the beginning?! Soon, Friendshipping will transition into a newsletter. We'll get you the details as soon as we have them, but until then, we're going to shout in confusion over this week's question. When should you hold your ground in an argument with friends? How can one reasonably maintain peace in a group Airbnb? What chore could have possibly been worth a half hour of awkward fighting to not do it?? All this and more, on this, the third to the last episode of the Friendshipping podcast.

Our asker this week lacks one of the MANY very specific skills that society asks us all to have, and guess what? It ain't that big a deal! Tune in this week for a spirited conversation about how bad cars are. We also go over the etiquette of carpooling, some High-Quality Car Passenger moves, and the fundamentals of gas money. Once again, basic math saves the day.CWs:Trin talks about her dog from 3m40s - about 9m15s.We discuss cars almost the entire dang episode. 

If you want to know what your friends want, you'll have to either ask them, or search your memory banks in hopes you can recall what they actually asked of you in the first place. This week, we're going to be careful with how we share our expertise, we're going to be mindful of what our words can do to our friends' confidence, and we're going to grow out our bangs. Difficult tasks, surely, but we believe in you. CW for death, parent death, car accidents, hospital from after the theme song until about 3m30s. CW dog content (good dog, happy story) starting at 5m00s until 10m55s.

If there's one thing we at Friendshipping Incorporated can promise you, it's that if we read your question on the show, we will answer it to the best of our ability. Today, we give an answer that nobody wants to ever receive, and it goes a little something like this: You fucked up, buddy!! Stay tuned for topics such as pandemic weddings, friends from past lives, and centering yourself when you really shouldn't. CWs for pandemic chats and wedding talks. 

In this absolute doozy of an episode, our asker hopes to save a long-term friendship that has recently plummeted down the toilet. Unfortunately, his friend has absorbed and accepted a whole lot of questionable-to-terrible opinions from YouTube. What can a person do when their friend becomes a bad faith contrarian? We're not quite sure, but other topics include: coping mechanisms, flushing turds, and treating an unreasonable person as though they are a reasonable person.

In this week's thrilling installment of Friendshipping, we're discussing pre-grets: The regret-like feelings that plague a person before anything bad has even happened yet. We'll also cover making tough choices, kicking your own ass, and  starting up The Ex Wive's Club.

Friendship and Food are two of our favorite F words. But sometimes the etiquette of dining with pals can be a bit tricky! This week we'll discuss screwing up, doing better, and cringing quietly to yourself every night as you go over your Personal Mistakes: Greatest Hits album in your mind. (Heads up: we talk about religion and food a lot in this episode.)

A new, interesting, and difficult thing has occurred: this week’s asker is going through a life transition and experiencing bittersweet nostalgia. Today you will hear about cherishing memories whilst you make new ones, enjoying all of the lives and identities you will inhabit, and the infamous hole in the bathroom ceiling of Trin’s first apartment.

A group of friends is fracturing, and now there are far too many group chats for this week’s asker to keep up with. Let’s take a deep dive into the impermanence of friend groups, the importance of stated boundaries, and defaulting to the lowest level of contact. In other news: Trin has a new robot, Jenn takes her own advice, and everyone is a dork for Star Wars.

I'm fixated on one friend who doesn't seem as invested as I am. In fact, I find myself obsessing about our level of communication. I feel caught in this loop of waiting to be talked to, and sending messages that don't always get replies. How can I get unstuck? Here's an episode about investing in YOURSELF. Also introducing Susan, Trin's new Texas neighbor. Content warnings for discussion of COVID and therapy.

I broke up with my ex, but we're amicable, and still living together. My friends don't get our situation. How can I make them understand it's all good? Here's an episode about how to talk to your friends about your break ups, or how to not talk about them, if that's your preference. And don't miss our new segment, Jenn's Material Possession of the Week! CWs: divorce, brief mention of COVID-19.

So I... didn't really keep in touch with my friends. For the last year. Much at all. Are they going to pissed at me when I reach out? In this week's episode, we discuss the astounding fact that we can start seeing people again, and what that might mean! A special thank you to Jamie Sanchez for guesting as our expert extrovert: https://jamiesanchez.com/ CW for discussion of COVID-19.

A friend from work recently moved into the area. She's lonely, and she's latching onto me. What can I do to help her NOT rely on me for social interaction?

How can I politely exclude a friend from a group hangout without harming our individual relationship?

One of my friends is just way too sensitive lately. I like to joke a lot, and she feels like everything I say is aimed toward her. How do I tell her in a nice way, not everything is about her?

I'm leaving a toxic roommate situation that has left me deeply wounded and hurting. How do I communicate my needs to my next roomie as clearly as possible?

I like to keep my social life and work life separate, but my coworkers are overwhelming me with their friendship. How can I politely convince them to leave me alone?

A rad teen listener asks: My friend keeps dumping her emotions on me. How can I help her get the care she needs?

Dear Friendshipping: my book club sucks these days.

Extroverts in the pandemic. Much like dark matter, our calculations suggest that they must exist, but we've had no hard evidence or firsthand accounts... UNTIL NOW. Our asker wants to know if she should just give up and move on from her less-active friendships. What's a socially starved extrovert to do? This week we also discuss writing exercises, Trin's scalp, and how deeply angry we are about the question we're going to answer next week.

Tale as old as balls: All of your friends really love doing ONE THING together, and it's the ONE THING that you simply do not want to do. Today's asker is tired of playing the often stressful online game "Among Us." Sounds like it's time again for stating some needs and boundaries! We'll also cover alligator attacks, Mario Kart, and the interesting fact that all children's screams sound the exactly same, whether they're having fun or being chased by a lion.

No matter how cool you may be (and we're pretty sure you're super cool), every human being in history has experienced rejection. This week, our asker wonders if it's worth reaching back out to a group of friends who removed her from their ongoing DnD game, but does not consider that she herself may have done something wrong. Interesting!

Today’s asker brings extremely relatable content: How can I be in touch with my friends, without actually expending the energy to have a conversation? We’ll discuss leaving “love packets” for your pals, the benefits of living underground, and how impressive it is any time you can give even a small amount of time to someone you love.

I haven't heard from my friend in a long time. Like: a lonnnng time. Are we still friends? This week, we discuss how equally valid all of the following options are: giving up, giving up for now but then trying again later, or trying now and giving up later.

How do I maintain friendships if I have a very, very limited social battery? This week we discuss how to keep yourself charged while still putting in the work and being a supportive, loving friend. Content warnings for discussion of diagnosis, brief mentions of depression, PTSD.

My roommate films the whole damn apartment when he’s on Discord. Is it normal to have Good-Smelling Room Spray in your bathroom? Cohabitation in the Age of COVID is tricky, but we’ve got special guest co-host Billie Bullock to help sort us out!

We found the only people on Earth who are consistently, meticulously getting ready for Zoom calls, and they are driving this week’s asker a little bonkers. Let us discuss this rare species and how to handle it when your friends look so perfect that it’s starting to give you feelings.

Alone time: a precious commodity in these trying times. How can I ask for and receive alone time when I'm stuck inside an apartment with two other adults 24 hours a day? This week, we'll discuss creating conditions that work for you and your housemates, just locking the freakin bedroom door already, and Trin's "two-hour long" Jimmy Eat World Greatest Hits Playlist (which in reality clocks in at 2 hours 57 minutes).

"My neighbors in having parties, not wearing masks in our apartment common spaces, and in no way following pandemic protocol. What can I do?" We've got some ideas to kick around. One involves laminating! Also, Jenn has a realization, and Trin takes a bathroom break. Content warnings for COVID; brief mentions of death and aging.

A listener wants to know how to best support her friends right now, even as she is feeling bad herself. This one's about managing the rage, ADHD coping mechanisms, and what you can do for yourself between therapy sessions.

"I’m staying home because COVID, but my friends are not. What can I do?" This week, everyone we know is staying home and not breathing on anyone, including the wonderful person who asked today’s question.

My friends are stressed. Can I tell them to take a break from the news cycle? Our answer is yes, no, maybe, and sometimes! Here's an episode about absorbing the world's crap like a Bounty paper towel.

This week: we're here, we're very tired, and we're discussing envy between friends. What if you and your friend want the exact same darn thing, but your friend is coming by it much more easily than you are? Also: Jenn speaks on behalf of the humble apple, and Trin puts their foot down for perhaps the very first time.

We're back, we're online, and we're not entirely sure if we remember how to talk to people. Let's find out! This week, an asker wonders: When should I switch therapists? How do I know if this therapist is The One? We're here to give you our hottest therapy tips, appreciate one another, and read from our upcoming book. Content warnings: The first nine minutes revolve around coping with existential dread, loss, and social distancing.

What is the right thing to do? What should you do when you tried to do the right thing, but ended up doing the wrong thing? We hope you’re in the mood for a good, deep cringe! After Animal Crossing and plants banter, we detail some choice moments when we really screwed the heck up, and how we made amends and recovered in the aftermath. CWs In banter (first 14 min): Humorous/cartoon skeleton, death, fake murder mentions. After banter: Racism, social mistakes discussion. Trump admin mention. 9m20s: Humorous 9/11 mention. 34m50s: Mention of Trump’s history of sexual assault. Dismissal of social injury, pussy hat discussion.

The first asker is caught between two friends going through a sudden divorce, oh no! The second asker isn't freaking out about COVID, and can't understand why everyone else seems to feel differently. Hm!! Most importantly, we want to know: Why do all men go through a phase of hitting each other in the testicles? Aaaa!!! CWs: - Discussion of testicles and kicking them, first ten minutes of the show. - Discussion of divorce, death throughout show. - Big death mention at 27m20s, big climate change mention at 37m00s. - Poop mention, eating poop mention 27m20s

Sometimes, you just need a little more. We’re here to help you figure out how to effectively ask for it. How can I get my friends to talk freely about their guilty pleasures? What can I do to encourage my buds to initiate more conversations and online hangouts? In personal news, Jenn has started Animal Crossing, and Trin waxes poetic about her Wonder Woman emotions. Content Warnings: - Food mentions around 7m00s, 7m50s, and 18m18s. - COVID-heavy second question. - Occasional joking references to porn starting at 14m08s. - Death mention 19m43s.

First up: “I was out on leave and I’m worried my coworkers are resentful that I’ve been gone. What can I do to feel less terrible about this?” Then, “I feel closer to my coworkers through this pandemic trauma. Is this why hazing works?” Around Friendshipping Headquarters, Jenn just started playing Animal Crossing, and Trin can’t stop screaming. Big week all around for everyone. Production note: Trin is wrong; Spanish Flu was not our most recent pandemic. But she is correct that we did not have The Internet back then. CWs: Discussions of COVID and hazing

Today on this here podcast, it’s all about being polite on our favorite utopia simulator, Animal Crossing. What’s the tea on Blood? Do you leave a tip for big gains on the Stonk Market? Why is my friend sitting motionless on a log? Whew! Now that we got that out of our collective system, we’ll be back on Thursday with your regular friendship programming.

“My friend mailed me $50. She’s the worst, right?” This week, Jenn wonders if there’s a gas leak, Trin deeply mispronounces “Oregon,” and neither of us can quite wrap our brains around an asker who feels grievously wronged by a sorta disappointing wedding gift, I guess. Thank goodness, the second question is about Animal Crossing (but is applicable to the other social tech that we now rely on for human interaction). CWs: Queerphobia, and money are discussed at length. COVID mentions.

Is it okay to like having time off from work? Jenn and Trin tell you the hard truth about enjoying your life. We also get down with house envy, the box full of personal shame that lives in everyone’s home, and empathizing with your bored house cat on a level you never thought possible. CWs: Discussion ADD/ADHD spectrum. Brief, sudden masturbation mention when we read the first question.

Mary Tyler Moore, the real one*, wants to know how to deal with the guilt of her shelter-in-place privilege in relation to her friend Ethel, who has it much harder as the single caretaker of four kids and one adult nurse. This week we once again validate an asker and everything they are doing. Plus: How to gracefully exit a group video call when everyone knows you don’t have anything better to do, and Tom Nook is an oligarch who must be deposed, his monopolies disbanded, and his assets redistributed to the people. *real in the existential sense CWs: Humorous, metaphorical mentions of blood. Discussion of COVID. Poop mentions, Casual death mentions. Trin goes on an anti-capitalist rant again.

How can we fight off the terrible dark feelings of pessimism? And what can I do when my friends set up wayyy too many group video calls? I don’t have anything else to do, and they know it, so I feel like I have to go to all of them. Help! This episode once again starts with a Pop Culture Corner, with some mentions of cinematic violence. Are you all into that segment? Should we keep doing it? Let us know! CW: COVID discussion throughout, discussion of the fall of civilization/human extinction Send your questions to FriendshippingPodcast@gmail.com.

My friend doesn’t believe in science. Can this friendship be saved? This week, we discuss the value of doctors, social distancing, and saying your weird thoughts out loud sometimes so someone else can correct you. General CW for realistic but hopeful COVID19 discussion, existential dread.

How should I check on my friends while we're social distancing? Is asking "how are you?" a silly question right now? We're all in this alone together! Content warnings for discussion of COVID-19.

My friend sends me extremely long text messages. Paragraphs and paragraphs. All the time. Can I clue her in that this is a little much for me? This one's got advice, a little bit of Love is Blind, a little bit of politics, some quotes from literature, everything you could ever want. CW: at 3:00 min, hyperbolic cancer mention; discussion of politics; brief mention of COVID-19.