Since we both celebrated our birthdays recently, we thought it would be fun to spend today’s episode reminiscing and looking forward. We reminisce on our most memorable birthdays as kids, have a very in-depth conversation about ice cream cake, and talk about how 40th birthday parties are the year to go ALL OUT. We also talk about aging and if/how milestone birthdays spark anxiety about getting older. Also, Grace recaps her Vienna trip, Becca talks about her trip upstate, and we mourn the loss of a champagne-soaked memory card. Instagram Obsessions @rianne.meijer @p_o_p_k_n_i_t @theknitedit  Obsessions  Becca - Ayr The Pop Jeans Grace - July Checked Trunk Suitcase What we’ve read Not a Happy Family by Shari Lapena Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil by John Berendt Wild at Heart by K.A. Tucker Ghosts by Dolly Alderton October Book: A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin Sponsors: Night - use code NIGHTBOP for 20% off everything at discovernight.com Hello Fresh - go to hellofresh.com/bop14 and use code BOP14 for up to 14 free meals including free shipping! Better Help - go to betterhelp.com/badonpaper for 10% off your first month  Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Bad On Paper

All About Birthdays!

This week, we’re chatting with our friend and standup comedian, Casey Basham! We talk about how we met, how she got into standup comedy, and how she adjusted to doing comedy in the pandemic! We also dive into her comedy about fertility, how people have received it, how it has become a cathartic outlet for her, and her special INCONCEIVABLE filming on October 26! We also talk about Grace’s Vienna trip, Becca’s sweater-knitting project, and everything we’ve been reading the past week! Follow Casey @casefaceb on Instagram The Shady Shit Podcast Inconceivable on October 26 at 7 pm at the Triad Theater   Obsessions Becca - Knitting her Sweater!  Grace - Yacht Rock Revue What we’ve read Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy Little Secrets by Jennifer Hillier The Perfect Find by Tia Williams Wild at Heart by K.A. Tucker The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling October Book: A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin Sponsors: Better Help - Go to betterhelp.com/badonpaper for 10% off your first month Olive & June - Go to oliveandjune.com/bop and use code BOP for 20% off your first manicure system Everlywell - Go to everlywell.com/bop for 20% off your at-home lab test Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Casey Balsham on Infertility, Zoom Comedy, and her First Standup Set!

After our episode with Anne Helen Petersen about burnout, we realized that we also have a lot to say on the subject and wanted to do a follow-up episode about our own experiences with burnout. If you haven’t listened to our episode with Anne Helen Petersen, you can listen here. We talk about our experiences with burnout both professionally and personally, burnout guilt,and some recent realizations about “having it all”. We also talk about our personal tips to improve burnout, what we do to check in with ourselves, and how we set boundaries to prevent even more burnout! Grace also shares details from her 40th birthday bash, Becca talks about getting back into routines, and more!  Our Burnout Resources There’s a Name for the Blah You’re Feeling: It’s Called Languishing Practical Frameworks for Beating Burnout Obsessions The Americans  Dolce Vita Paily Heels Only Murders in the Building Clickbait  What we’ve read Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover Goodnight Beautiful by Aimee Molloy The Perfect Find by Tia Williams October Book: A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin Sponsors: Night - Use the code NIGHTBOP for 20% off sitewide at discovernight.com Prose - Go to prose.com/BOP for your free in-depth hair quiz and 15% off your first order ZocDoc - Zocdoc: go to zocdoc.com/bop to sign up for free and find a top-rated doctor Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Some More Personal Thoughts On Burnout

It’s finally time for The Magic of Found Objects Book Club! This Book felt totally different than others we’ve read recently and we’re so excited to talk about it!  The story follows Phronsie, who was conceived at Woodstock by a free-spirited hippie mother and a practical farmer father. All her life she’s been torn between the two. After trying her hand at the NYC dating scene, her childhood best friend proposes that they give up on romance and marry each other. After Phronsie agrees, she meets someone who makes a case for revisiting romance. While her stepmother argues for the safety of the engagement, her birth mother relays messages from the universe to hold out for true love, and Phronsie must look to her own heart to find the answers. In addition to talking all about the book, we also talk about Becca’s trip to Palm Beach, Grace’s birthday party prep, and the struggle of being a beginner again at something you used to be great at.  Instagram Obsessions @margaret.wright @ashnb1 Obsessions AFI’s 100 List What we’ve read The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand The Perfect Find by Tia Williams White Smoke by Tiffany D Jackson Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarity Reminders of Him by Colleen Hoover October Book: A Special Place for Women by Laura Hankin Sponsors: Better Help - go to betterhelp.com/badonpaper for 10% your first month!  Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.  

The Magic of Found Objects Book Club

This week, we got the chance to talk with Anne Helen Petersen, writer of the newsletter Culture Study, and author of Can’t Even: How Millennials Became The Burnout Generation.  We talk about how she got to where she is today, her personal definition of burnout, why millennials are more afflicted with burnout than other generations, how the pandemic sparked a new form of burnout, how social media impacts burnout, and so much more! She also shares her advice on how to tell if you’re burning out and how to avoid falling into it! In addition, Grace and Becca talk about Grace’s epic food weekend, Becca’s upcoming trip to Palm Beach, and our computer problems!  Find Anne Helen Petersen Instagram: @annehelenpetersen Twitter: @annehelen  Subscribe to her newsletter Culture Study Articles she recommends: Is everything an MLM, "In reality TV defined by renovation, the self becomes settled.” Her favorite fiction of the year: The Night Watchman by Louise Erdich Her favorite nonfiction of the year: The Season: A Social History of the Debutante by Kristen Richardson Instagram Obsession @british_fluffs Obsessions Grace: LuLaRich Becca: Challenges.app What we’ve read Harlem Shuffle by Colson Whitehead Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi & Curt Gentry White Smoke by Tiffany D Jackson Apples Never Fall by Liane Moriarty  Troubles in Paradise by Elin Hilderbrand The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand  September Book: The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson Sponsors: Night - use code NIGHTBOP for 20% off everything at discovernight.com Harper Wilde - Get 20% off at harperwilde.com/BOP  Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Anne Helen Petersen on the Ins and Outs of Burnout

This week we’re answering all your questions! We cover some quick things like apartment decor wins (and regrets), what to ask for when you get a facial, dream vacation destinations, and new book releases we’re excited about… and also discuss tackle more serious stuff like how we stay sane and happy when times are hard, how to leave a job you hate, financial security, staying organized, our favorite newsletters and more! We also dive into meatier questions like how to get over imposter syndrome at work, how to turn your side hustle to your main hustle, and how to advocate for yourself and say ‘no’ at work! We also talk about our vacation for Becca’s birthday and how we are getting back into the swing of things post-trip.

Quarterly Q&A!

This week, we chat with Aishwarya Iyer, founder of Brightland. We talk about what motivated her to start an olive oil company, her tips for finding high-quality cooking oils, and a new Brightland launch coming this fall! She also shares her advice for those starting their own brand and her tips on how to overcome imposter syndrome. We also talk about Becca’s need for a beach day, Grace’s salad with potatoes, and RomComPods making it to the Sunday Arts section of the New York Times!   Follow Aishwarya  @wearebrightland @helloaishwarya Aishwarya’s fave food startups  @Seedandmill @PeepalPeople What she’s reading Malibu Rising by Taylor Jenkins Reed Gold Diggers by Sanjena Sathian And use the discount code BadOnPaper for a discount on your order! Instagram Obsessions @blondebrokeandboughie Obsessions The Other Two La Gritona Tequila What We’re Reading: The Other Me by Sarah Zachrich Jeng In Polite Company by Gervais Hagerty The Identicals by Elin Hilderbrand September Book: The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson Sponsor: Night - Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOPNIGHT at checkout. Uncommon Goods - go to uncommmongoods.com/BOP for 15% off your next gift Olive and June - go to oliveandjune.com/BOP and use the code BOP for 20% off your first Manicure system Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Brightland Founder, Aishwarya Iyer, on Olive Oil and Imposter Syndrome

This week, we looked back on our 2021 Resolutions Episode to check in about how the goals we’ve achieved, and what goals we’ve decided to save for later! Grace talks about how she’s taking the time to dive into her personal interests and investing in lasting partnerships at work, while Becca shares her RomComPods wins and how she’s keeping up with her skincare routine. We also talk about future goals we’re hoping to manifest! We also talk about our highs and lows, Grace’s documentary binge over the weekend, Becca’s upcoming vacation, weather, and wonky sleep schedules. Grace’s Documentary Watches Maiden Amy Tan: Unintended Memoir Exit Through The Gift Shop Saving Banksy What We’re Reading: Helter Skelter by Vincent Bugliosi and Curt Gentry Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab The Other Me by Sarah Zachrich Jeng In Polite Company by Gervais Hagerty The People We Keep by Allison Larkin Lizzie and Dante by Mary Bly Obsessions Freedom Moses Sandals The Chair on Netflix Modern Love September Book: The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson Sponsor: Rent the Runway - go to renttherunway.com/bop to take 40% 2 months of an 8 item plan.   Better Help -  go to betterhelp.com/badonpaper and use the code for 10% off your first month Zocdoc: go to zocdoc.com/bop to sign up for free and find a top-rated doctor Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

A Check-In on Our 2021 Goals!

This week, we finally get to talk about our August Book Club Pick, Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé! This psychological thriller is the best YA book we’ve read this year and will definitely keep you guessing (and reading!). Ace of Spades follows two senior students at an elite prep school, Devon and Chiamaka, who are getting targeted as the subject of anonymous text blasts to the whole school revealing their dark secrets.  If you have not read this book yet, we highly recommend you read it before you listen to this episode to avoid spoilers!   Teen Prep School Dramas we love All These Beautiful Strangers by Elizabeth Klehfoth They Wish They Were Us by Jessica Goodman Good Girls Lie by J.T. Ellison What We’re Reading:   The View Was Exhausting by Onjuli Datta and Mikaella Clements   Set Boundaries, Find Peace: A Guide to Reclaiming Yourself by Nedra Glover Tawwab Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson Shoulder Season by Christina Clancy    Grace’s Obsessions: Target’s Dress assortment (will link Grace’s blog post when it’s up!) The Prince on HBO Max CODA on Apple TV+ Becca’s Obsessions: J. Crew Swimsuit  Apple Watch Challenges September Book: The Magic of Found Objects by Maddie Dawson Sponsor: Prose - go to prose.com/BOP for 15% off your first order. Night -  go to discovernight.com and use the code NIGHTBOP for 20% off your purchase.  Harper Wilde - go to harperwilde.com/BOP for 20% off your first purchase.  Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Ace of Spades Book Club

This week’s episode is all about lifelong learning! While we’re not going back to school ourselves, we talk about how we try to incorporate learning into our lives through the excitement of a new hobby, online classes, and non-fiction reading and listening. We also chat about our alternate life college majors, all of Becca’s hobby love affairs, and Grace’s tendency to fall down an information rabbit hole. We also hear from YOU about what you do to be lifelong learners! We hear from listeners blogging about women in history, becoming certified yoga teachers, finding out they have a passion for science, and more!  We also catch up on what we did when Grace was in NYC and how our social batteries are LOW.   Becca Radical Candor by Kim Scott on Management Rework by David Heinemeier Hansson and Jason Fried Delivering Happiness by Tony Hsieh Let My People Go Surfing by Yvon Chouinard Save the Cat by Blake Snyder Your Screenplay Sucks by William Akers Save the Cat Writes a Book by Jessica Brody Story Genius by Lisa Cron Monkeys with Typewriters by Scarlett Thomas Bird by Bird by Anne Lamott Grace Untamed by Glennon Doyle  Daring Greatly by Brene Brown Quiet by Susan Cain Joyful by Ingrid Fettell Lee Obsessed by Emily Heyward The Third Door by Alex Banayan Some Masterclasses we love Kelly Wearstler, Robin Roberts, Bobbi Brown, Anna Wintour, Issa Rae, Shonda Rhimes, Aaron Sorkin, Judd Apatow. AFI 100 List What We’re Reading:   The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab   Instagram:   @kleekai_luna @Madewithlovebytomdaley   Obsessions: Whole Foods Mineral Waters Habit -- Daily Tracker August Book: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Sponsor: Rent The Runway - take 40% off 2-months of an 8-item plan with code BOP at renttherunway.com Olive & June - go to oliveandjune.com/BOP and use the code BOP for 20% off your first Manicure system Better Help - go to betterhelp.com/badonpaper and use the code for 10% off your first month Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Back To School With BOP: How We Strive To Be Lifelong Learners

This week we’re speaking with Nell Diamond, Founder & CEO of Hill House Home, and the brain behind the much-beloved Nap Dress! We talk about her life before founding Hill House, why she thinks the Nap Dress has such a huge fandom, and some exciting Nap Dress developments on the horizon! We also talk about our highs and lows of the week, Grace’s trip to NYC, and Becca’s questionable candy habits.    What We’re Reading: While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory The Show Girl by Nicola Harrison Instagram: @itsmetinx @somewhereiwouldliketolive Obsessions: BonBon The Peach Truck August Book: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Sponsor: Hellofresh - go to hellofresh.com/BOP12 and use the code BOP12 for 12 free meals including free shipping Night: Go to discovernight.com and get 20% off with code BOPNIGHT at checkout. Zocdoc: go to zocdoc.com/bop to sign up for free and find a top-rated doctor Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Nell Diamond Chats Nap Dress Mania, Hill House Home, and More!

We’re baaaack! This week we’re catching up on what we’ve been up to during our summer hiatus! We also break down everything we’ve been reading and watching, our Instagram faves, our new obsessions, and more! P.S. would you read Becca’s magical startup celebrity love story novel featuring magical unsupervised teens? Let us know! What We’re Reading: Olive by Emma Gannon While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory The First Day of Spring by Nancy Tucker Imposter Syndrome by Kathy Wang The Maidens by Alex Michaelides The Hunting Wives by May Cobb One by One by Ruth Ware They’ll Never Catch Us by Jessica Goodman The Girl in the Mirror by Rose Carlyle Pachinko by Min Jin Lee Red White & Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston The Third Door by Alex Banayan Obsessed by Emily Heyward Seven Days in June by Tia Williams The View Was Exhausting by Mikaella Clements and Onjuli Datta One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston What We’re Watching Gossip Girl 2.0 Virgin River  Lupin  Euphoria  Succession  The White Lotus Never Have I Ever  Instagram: @tillybuttons @tabithasewer  @tukebazaar Obsessions: Apple Watch Grace Rose Farm August Book: Ace of Spades by Faridah Àbíké-Íyímídé Sponsor: BetterHelp: Get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/badonpaper. Uncommon Goods: To get 15% off your next gift uncommongoods.com/bop Harper Wilde - Go to harperwilde.com/BOP to get 20% off your first purchase. Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

We’re Back! A giant catch up episode.

This week on the podcast we’re talking all things People We Meet on Vacation with the author, Emily Henry! For such a light, fun read the conversation gets quite serious. We talk about that feeling of discontent some thirty-somethings experience when they achieve their goals, her writing process, how real-life vacations inspired scenes in the book, and her favorite (and least favorite) romance tropes. We also talk about Amazon Prime Day Finds! Don’t forget: We are taking the month of July off but we’ll be back on August 4th! Follow Emily Henry at @emilyhenrywrites and buy People We Meet on Vacation here. Obsessions: Pebble Ice Maker Instagram: @amysmilovic What We’re Reading: The Southern Side of Paradise by Kristy Woodson Harvey Widow Basquiat: A Love Story by Jennifer Clement August Book: Will be announced SOON! Sponsor: To get 15% off your next order, go to uncommongoods.com/BOP Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

People We Meet on Vacation Book Club, with Emily Henry!

This week on the podcast we’re chatting with one of our favorite authors, Elin Hilderbrand! We talk about the origin story of her first book, how she found her way to Nantucket, what book was the hardest to write, and how she feels about being called the “queen of beach reads.”  We also talk about our really great weeks, Becca’s pilot scriptwriting process, and our excitement for the Summer 2021 TV Lineup! Find Elin Hilderbrand on Instagram at @elinhilderbrand  Obsessions: Starstruck on HBO Max Hacks on HBO Max Jill Hooper Instagram: @rosematafeo  @mounserstudio What We’re Reading: The Blue Bistro by Elin Hilderbrand The Push by Ashley Audrain Less by Andrew Sean Greer Elin’s Top 3 Elin Hilderbrand Books The Blue Bistro Summerland The Perfect Couple Elin’s Top 3 Beach Reads The Vacationers by Emma Straub The Plot by Jean Hanff Korelitz Musical Chairs by Amy Poeppel Elin’s Restaurant Recommendations  The Sandbar Galley Beach June Book: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Sponsor: Night - 20% off discovernight.com with the code BOPNIGHT Betterhelp - Get 10% off your first month by visiting betterhelp.com/badonpaper  Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Elin Hilderbrand Chats Beach Reads, Nantucket Eats, and More

It’s been a minute since we’ve done a shopping episode so today we wanted to give you a big shopping update. This week’s episode is all about the clothes, skincare, beauty products (and more!) we’ve been buying lately. We also catch up on life, reading, and a recent TV fave. Where we’ve been shopping Fashion   Farm Rio   Hill House Home Nap Dresses La Ligne  Castaner Espadrilles Madewell shorts Mister Zimi Gorman  Tanya Taylor Swimsuits Bleu Rod Beattie One Piece Lulu’s Sandals  Skincare Beauty Pie (Uber Youth Complexion Ampoules, Genius Lift Elixer) All things Supergoop! Biossance (Rose Oil, Body Cream, Night Serum)  Sobel Skin Bio Hyaluronic Cream  Weleda body butter Makeup Rare Beauty Cream Blush Wander Beauty Mascara Charlotte Tilbury Flawless Filter Chantecaille (Faux Clis Longest Lash Mascara, Eyeshadows) Benefit The POREfessional: Super Setter Spray Misc See all Grace’s Apartment Buys in her ‘CHS Rental’ Highlights! Jonathan Adler Beach Towels  Obsessions: Hacks on HBO Max The Hatch Restore What We’re Reading: The Matchmaker by Elin Hilderbrand  The Herd by Andrea Bartz Pretty Little Wife by Darby Kane The Girls Are All So Nice Here by Laurie Elizabeth Flynn Looker by Laura Sims June Book: People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry Sponsor: Rent the Runway - use the code to get 40% off 2 months of an 8 or 16 item plan with code BOP at renttherunway.com. Hellofresh - go to hellofresh.com/BOP12 and use the code BOP12 for 12 free meals including free shipping. Harper Wilde - Go to harperwilde.com/BOP to get 20% off your first purchase. Join our Facebook group for amazing book recs & more! Like and subscribe to RomComPods. Available wherever you listen to podcasts. Visit Grace’s blog, The Stripe. New posts daily! Follow us on Instagram @badonpaperpodcast. Follow Grace on Instagram @graceatwood and Becca @beccamfreeman.

Summer Shopping Favorites!

Your new internet besties give you a weekly dose of books, banter, and folks you should be following. Join 30-something reading enthusiasts and real-life best friends Grace Atwood and Becca Freeman every month for a book club featuring a read they promise you won’t be able to put down. In between, they’re joined by guests for conversations on careers, dating, fashion, and more.

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Bad On Paper

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