Keep in Touch with Anna & Kate

This episode we explore the concept of "cancel culture," what it means and how it has changed over time. We discuss the possibilities of a culture of rehabilitation and renewal and how, in some scenarios, we might benefit from an approach that instead focuses on love and forgiveness.

Ever tried connecting friends you thought might really get along and it just didn't work out? This episode we explore what it is that make some connections a success and some a miss. Whether it's timing, location, or even just the circumstances of that first meeting, we learn that there are a variety of factors contributing to making friends. 

This episode we discuss the joys and challenges of having coworkers who are also friends. Whether it's enjoying pie on Pi Day together or sharing a coffee between meetings, we agree that have friends at work can be a positive aspect of any job. 

It's almost Valentine's Day and while things might be just...fine...we wanted to remind ourselves of ways that we can check in with friends and loved ones and let them know how important they are! In this episode we do some catching up, talk about Andrew's love of marshmallow cereal, determine that treats should be delivered while wearing a unicorn costume and no gift is too over-the-top for us, even a box of exploding confetti! Happy Valentine's Day, listeners! We love you!

Greetings Listeners! Despite a long hiatus (due to pandemic life, a cross-country move, etc.), we are back and brushing up on our keeping-in-touch skills! In this episode, we check in with each other on what's new, including fun activities and gift ideas that are keeping us sane and connected with friends during stay-at-home life.Want to share your successes or struggles with staying connected? Keep in touch with us at annaandkatepodcast@gmail.com

In this episode we have a second conversation with Niiamah after two months.  We explore a variety of topics concerning conversations that are out of our comfort zones and give listeners a toolkit to draw on to be more confident and courageous going into those conversations. As always, we walk away learning so many things from Niiamah and we hope you do too!

If you listened to our "Snail Mail," episode, you know we love sending friends mail and handmade gifts. To continue the discussion of letter writing, this episode we chatted with Natalie, a lettering artist and owner of a stationary and craft shop called NatterDoodle. Natalie shares with us her story and how she started her shop and studio. We learn about some of the fun virtual classes she is teaching and her tips for sending gifts and cards to friends and family. We talk about her passion for connecting with people through her shop and her advocacy work, and re-affirm the importance of spreading positivity! Check out Natalie's work and shop at https://natterdoodle.com/

While we are definitely not performers ourselves, we love attending shows and miss the pre-pandemic days of live theater and performing arts! This episode, we chat with Kate's friend Nick about his experiences in the performing arts world from a professional standpoint. Nick shares with us his stories of the various theater and dance communities he's been a part of both in school and as a professional dancer in NY and the SF Bay Area. We also discuss ways that someone without any experience could get involved with performing arts through classes, workshops & other events. Whether it's a virtual show now or reserving tickets for future in-person events, let's keep supporting the arts and celebrating the amazing amount of talent out there!

Whether you're an avid Magic the Gathering player or just play the occasional game of Monopoly, games can be a great way to bring people together and have a lot of fun! In this episode, we check in with Kate's friend Preston about all the different possibilities for gaming, including the various styles of games and varying lengths of play. We discuss opportunities for meeting other "gamers" through work, friends of friends, meetups, game stores, etc. and try to break the stigma around the gaming community as being exclusive or unwelcoming to novice players. We all need a little joy in pandemic life, so crack open a game and play it with your COVID pod!

While Anna and I are pretty outgoing, not all of our friends are as extroverted or in need of social interaction as we are. To get some perspective on this, we decided to chat with Anna's friend Erin, a self-proclaimed introvert, about what interaction is like for her and how we can better support our more introverted friends. We remind ourselves that each person is different when it comes to friendships - some may prefer large group settings or one-on-one, some may want to meet up once a week and others every couple months. Whatever the preference is, knowing your own needs and those of your friends will definitely make for a stronger relationship!

While maybe not as easy during pandemic life, one great way to meet new people and create new friendships is through athletic groups. This episode, we talk to our friend Emily about her experiences with sports groups and particularly with the roller derby community in Portland. We talk about the ways in which shared vulnerability and learning something new together can inherently create stronger bonds. We also learn so many surprising things about derby and how they have kept those strong bonds of the community going even when they don't get to sweat on each other!

As states begin to re-open and we return to some semblance of "normal" life, we wanted to take a moment to appreciate all the amazing ways that people supported their friends, families and communities during stay-at-home life. We also wanted to share our gratitude for our listeners and for the opportunity to share thoughts and ideas about keeping in touch and staying connected. We discovered that Kate loves the word "community" - bonus points if you can count how many times it's said in this episode!

Becoming a mom can certainly change the dynamic with friendships and making new friends, so we wanted to explore the opportunities and challenges of connecting with friends after having kids. In this episode, we check in with Kate's friend Hawley, a mom of four currently living in Alabama who homeschools her kids. We talk about the ways to make friends and maintain friendships when you have multiple kids (and also when you move a lot, as she has done). We also discuss some of the opportunities for friendship and connection within the homeschool community. We reflect on the importance of keeping in touch with friends in whatever ways we have the capacity to, cutting ourselves some slack for those moments when we aren't able to give a friend the time and attention we would like.

While Anna and I keep in touch between Texas and San Francisco, we know that there are others out there keeping in touch from much longer distances apart. In this episode, we connect with Anna's friend Niiamah who is from the US and is currently living in Singapore. In light of current events happening in the states with respect to racial injustice, we talk about how much of our connecting right now is focused on this topic. Niiamah shares with us some of his experience of growing up black in the states, and how that experience has changed since moving to Singapore. We acknowledge that having conversations about racism is difficult, uncomfortable and messy, but it is through these types of candid, vulnerable conversations that we can learn and grow together and better support our friends and communities who need our help.

Since we're all riding the struggle bus these days, we thought it was important to check in on our mental health and explore the ways that we can take care of ourselves and others as we figure out how to navigate life during a pandemic. We talk with Anna's longtime friend Darren, a mental health counselor for university students, about the strains that stay-at-home life and the transition from "normal" has on our mental health. We remind ourselves that we are all in this together and emphasize the need for graciousness and forgiveness for ourselves and others.

In this episode we explore the challenges of living alone and creating a new individual identity when moving on from a long-term relationship, which are further intensified by the current conditions of self-isolation. We check in with Senem, a friend of Anna's from college, and learn how she is coping with living alone in NY during stay-at-home orders. We also discuss her journey of re-branding herself and exploring her family history as a part of framing her identity. We discuss ways we can support our friends during this time, especially those who are isolating alone. We also remind ourselves that, especially during these strange times, waving hello to a stranger or sending a quick note to a friend can go a long way to improving someone's day!

Thinking about taking a chance on a new experience or meeting new people? In this episode we check in with Anna's friend from high school "nerd camp," Brenda. We talk to Brenda about recently reconnecting with Anna and deciding to take a chance and go on one of Anna's group trips with a bunch of new people. We also talk about the challenges of connecting virtually, and agree on the value of expectation management when exploring new ways to meet people.

After more than a month of stay-at-home life, we check in with each other to see how things are going in our respective cities and what new activities we have been doing to keep busy. We discuss the challenges of enormous puzzles, the joys of composting and gardening at home, and Anna's awesome Recipe Exchange group. Kate drinks a fancy juice and Anna recommends Goat-to-meetings for those wanting to have a cute animal join their video conference call. We reminisce about our trip to Africa and dik-dik pics. We discuss the importance of self-care and also checking in on friends and loved ones to see how they are doing during this time.

As Stay-at-Home life continues, we are back to offer more ideas for how to stay sane and stay connected during this challenging time. We also have some follow-ups on activities from Part I that we tried with varying degrees of success (spoiler alert, Kate will not be completing the 5,000 piece puzzle), and reflect on the creativity and value of ideas coming out of this time that we hope to carry forward beyond our self-isolation.

What happens when two extroverts are stuck at home during a global pandemic? We put our heads together and try to find every possible way to stay busy and connected! Whether you are single and need a break from the quiet or have kids and need a break from the noise, we discuss activities to do in your home, virtually, or in your local neighborhood, and also ways to support your friends and local community during this time.

Continuing our discussion about hosting events, we check in with Anna's friend Beth about her monthly group dinners and brunches. Beth shares all her tips and tricks for hosting a successful dinner party or brunch - including the value of a good spreadsheet! We also talk about the joy of peanut butter and chocolate and our favorite emojis.

Planning to host a dinner party or coordinating a group outing? While not professional event planners, we do host a lot of parties and group events and wanted to share our thoughts on the art of event prep. We break down the steps for before, during and after an event - scheduling, budget, managing dietary restrictions, facilitating conversation, accounting for flaky people, late people, etc. We also talk about the role of the guest - what to bring to a party and ways to reciprocate even if you don't want to plan your own party.

Thinking about organizing a group trip or group event? Looking for ways to connect with new people in your area? In this episode, with the help of our friend Jeff, we discuss the pros and cons of various apps and websites in helping facilitate meet-ups and connecting with friends. We also talk about Jeff's special ability to nap anywhere and his great love of peanut M&Ms.

Continuing our discussion of handwritten letters and gifts for friends, we check in with Kate's friend Elea, (an architect and artist who has amazing handwriting), to hear some of her ideas for handmade gifts. From etched glass to origami to our favorite stationary, we share a ton of ideas for gifts and letter writing and remind ourselves that you don't need to wait for a big event to let someone know that you're thinking of them!

What's better than a handwritten note or a gift from a friend? In this episode, we discuss ways to stay connected with friends through sending packages and notes. We talk about Anna's awesome Favorite Things Gift Exchange and share ideas for ways to make sending cards and postcards easier. We also read some wonderful cards and letters that we've received over the years.

Welcome to our Podcast! In this episode, (also known as that time that we decided to start recording a podcast while Kate was sick with a bad cold), we talk about one of the main ways we have stayed connected over the years - group trips! We share some funny trip anecdotes and helpful tips for planning your own group trip. At the end of the episode we answer questions about ourselves to give you a better sense of who we are. Enjoy!