Sorta Awesome

Just a quick programming note - the Monday episodes with Meg and Kyle are moving back to the Awesome Today feed! Search Awesome Today wherever you listen to podcasts, and you'll be able to keep up there! Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Instead of asking, “be mine, Valentine?”what if this year, you decided to be your OWN best Valentine? Meg and Rebekah think there’s no better time than now to discover how to REALLY love yourself well. They explore what the research has to say about treating yourself well, and they share some specific ideas and inspirations to help you know how to love YOU in 2022! Want to join Meg and Rebekah in the 22 Tropes in 2022 Romance Reading Challenge?! Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the reading challenge plus hundreds of hours of ad-free episodes you can binge-listen to right now. PLUS! Get full access to texting privileges with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Uncommon Goods: To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/AWESOME Everyplate: Get started with EveryPlate for just $1.79 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code awesome179 Care/Of: For 50% off your first Care/of order, go to takecareof.com and enter code “awesome50” Olipop: Receive 20% off plus f

Pop the popcorn and settle in to a comfy seat because this week, we are all about a deep dive into Disney’s Encanto! Meg invited her oldest daughter Dacey (newly 17!) to help her dissect and discuss what makes this movie so magical for people of all ages. Dacey lends her musical theory expertise while Meg draws out the big themes that are connecting with so many people. Even if you haven’t seen the movie, you don’t want to miss this conversation! We’re talking mascara and the 90s in Awesome of the Week, and our Encanto conversation starts at the 16:16 mark! Want to join Meg and Rebekah in the 22 Tropes in 2022 Romance Reading Challenge?! Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the reading challenge plus hundreds of hours of ad-free episodes you can binge-listen to right now. PLUS! Get full access to texting privileges with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Smartass & Sass: Subscribe at smartassandsass.com and use code AWESOME for 10% off your first subscription BYJU: Go to BYJUS.com

Here’s the thing, Awesomes. We could ALL use a new discovery that will actually make life easier, but none of us want to break the bank! Meg is joined by Sorta Awesome regular Julie Tepperman, and they are dishing up the scoop on the under $50 purchases that have boosted their quality of life! From hygiene to creature comforts to car gadgets and more, you don’t want to miss this list! Want to join Meg and Rebekah in the 22 Tropes in 2022 Romance Reading Challenge?! Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the reading challenge plus hundreds of hours of ad-free episodes you can binge-listen to right now. PLUS! Get full access to texting privileges with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: HelloFresh: Go to hellofresh.com/awesome16 and use code awesome16 for up to 16 free meals AND three free gifts Public Goods: Go to publicgoods.com/awesome or use code AWESOME at checkout to receive $15 off your first order Foria: Get 20% off your first order by visiting foriawellness.com/AWESOME or use

Is the longest January on record? Or is just us? This week, Meg and Kyle update on family happenings, and Meg shares her surprise over season 2 of Cheer, the book she cannot put down, and a podcast series that has delighted her. Kyle shares a recipe (sorta), and they find shared fascination in how wild Jeep people can be. Recent Awesome of the Week thread in Sorta Awesome Hangout Cheer Season 2 Olga Dies Dreaming, Xochitl Gonzales Endless Thread Meme series. Start here. Decoding the Keanu Reeves meme Wayalife on YouTube Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gather around, friends! We have all been living in a constant place of stress and enduring trauma upon trauma for almost two years. Meg and Kelly are definitely not mental health or medical experts, but they are longtime believers in examining how our personality types can unlock the tools we need to cope with the stress of life, and this week, they have some specific ideas for how each Enneagram type can take a break from ongoing stress. Want to join Meg and Rebekah in the 22 Tropes in 2022 Romance Reading Challenge?! Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the reading challenge plus hundreds of hours of ad-free episodes you can binge-listen to right now. PLUS! Get full access to texting privileges with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Grove: Go to grove.com/AWESOME and get a free gift set worth up to fifty dollars with your first order Smartass & Sass: Subscribe at smartassandsass.com and use code AWESOME for 10% off your first subscription Daily Harvest: Go to dailyharvest.com/a

Don’t panic, Awesomes - we aren’t going to overload your To Be Read lists (yet!). It’s just that Meg and Rebekah are SUPER enthusiastic about their shared love of reading right now, and they want to share this DEEP DIVE conversation with you about all the delightful things that make reading so much fun! From reading journals and trackers to bougie reading accessories to sharing their 2022 reading goals, they just can’t stop talking about all the ways that reading is making life so awesome right now! Want to join Meg and Rebekah in the 22 Tropes in 2022 Romance Reading Challenge?! Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the reading challenge plus hundreds of hours of ad-free episodes you can binge-listen to right now. PLUS! Get full access to texting privileges with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Uncommon Goods: To get 15% off your next gift, go to uncommongoods.com/AWESOME Everyplate: Get started with EveryPlate for just $1.79 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code

What are you into at the start of 2022? It’s Monday, and Meg and Kyle are here to talk about some things to check out including the first romance novel of the year that Meg has read, an epic rewatch for Kyle, and — of course — the Encanto soundtrack! We would love to hear what you are into at this moment, so come join us in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Don't forget to check out the Sorta Awesome store on Amazon when shopping this month! Cigarettes, whiskey, and wild wild women Burn for Me, Ilona Andrews Yellowjackets is the next LOST Musicozy Meg’s 2022 planner and journal Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Welcome to the new year, friends! In this first episode of 2022, Meg sits down with long-time Super Star Awesome Rev. Mary Lee Downey for a conversation about how we can begin this new year with compassion for ourselves and others. Mary tells the story of how she discerned the call for ministry, and how her non--profit organization The Hope Partnership was born. She also encourages us to recognize how self-compassion can help us deal with the collective trauma of nearly two years of pandemic life. Plus an AMAZING planner and many big feelings about Disney’s Encanto in Awesome of the Week! Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: BYJU: Visit byjus.com/podcast to enroll in your first four classes—aa $99 value—for just $9.99. Billie: Go to mybillie.com/awesome to get the best razor you will ever own and for fr

Isn't it SO AWESOME that the very last day of the year is on a Friday?! This week, Meg is joined by Kelly and Rebekah for their annual year-end conversation! For 2021, they take a more reflective view on the year by talking about what they've learned in the past 12 months. From silly to serious to soul care, they've all learned some things they want to share with you. PLUS they reveal their favorites to watch, to read, and to listen to before you head into 2022! Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Bombas:  Go to bombas.com/AWESOME and get 20% off your first purchase Moink: Go to Moinkbox.com/AWESOME to get FREE bacon for a year Zocdoc: Go to zocdoc.com/AWESOME and download the Zocdoc app to sign up for free and book a top-rated doctor. BetterHelp: Visit betterhelp.com/sorta and get 10% off your first m

'Twas the Monday after Christmas and all through the house, the creatures were stirring with post-Christmas chaos! Meg and Kyle are back this week with the rundown on how Christmas 2021 went down in their family. Plus Meg rounded out her reading year with two not-to-be-missed books she's so excited to tell you about, Kyle weighs in on The Witcher and The Wheel of Time, and they think back fondly on the raise-yourselves childhood shared by all of Generation X. Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Don't forget to check out the Sorta Awesome store on Amazon when shopping this month! SHOW NOTES: Pony, RJ Palacio These Silent Woods, Kimi Cunningham Grant Not me, not Hermoine, YOU TikTok love for Gen X Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

What was your favorite read this year? A novel you couldn’t put down? A collection of poetry that challenged or comforted you? A memoir you can’t stop thinking about? Join Meg and Sorta Awesome regular Katie Proctor as they relive 2021 through the books that stood out from the rest! From children’s books to non-fiction selections to romance to books worth the buzz, they bring you the best from the year, cover to cover! Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: ThirdLove: Go to thirdlove.com/AWESOME for 20% off your first purchase Best Fiends: Download Best Fiends FREE on the App Store or Google Play Headspace: Go to headspace.com/AWESOME for a free one month trial LinkedIn: Post your first job for free at linkedin.com/AWESOME SHOW NOTES: Katie’s AotW: Vanilla Bourbon Coffee Meg’s AotW: Reading journal set-ups

As you settle in to the middle of December, let us take your mind off of the hustle and bustle with some chit-chat about pop culture, life updates, and more! Meg and Kyle give the rundown on things to watch, read, and listen to, as well as sing the praises of gifted whiskey and a miraculous escape from jury duty! Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Don't forget to check out the Sorta Awesome store on Amazon when shopping this month! Sweet Bobby Sunshine Superman Gordon’s Food Service cookies Nomad Whisky Redwing Boots Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Who doesn’t love a life hack, especially one that is Awesome-approved? This week, Meg is joined by Sorta Awesome regular Julie Tepperman, and they have a TON of hacks, tips, and tricks to share with you. From mood rescue to December time boundaries to streaming all the audio books your reader heart desires, they have got so many ways to make life more awesome, and they are spilling their secrets to you! Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Billie: Go to mybillie.com/awesome to get the best razor you will ever own and for free shiping always! Bombas:  Go to bombas.com/AWESOME and get 20% off your first purchase EveryPlate: Get started with EveryPlate for just $1.79 per meal by going to EveryPlate.com and entering code awesome179 Legacy Box: Go to legacybox.com/AWESOME to take advantage of an exclusive dis

The end of the year brings many good things, including Spotify's annual year in review of the music you loved. But what if your kids absolutely wreck your Wrapped? That's part of what Meg and Kyle discuss in this episode, along with sharing some recommendations for shows to watch, a fun book to read, and a fierce debate over reading via audio! Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Finlay Donovan is Killing It! by Elle Casimano Bourbons mentioned: Four Roses Woodford Reserve Bulleit Bourbon Don't forget to check out the Sorta Awesome store on Amazon when shopping this month! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Is it just us, or does it seem like the holidays get harder every year? This week, Meg and Kelly are here to share some ways their families are bringing the AWESOME back to the holiday season! Whether it’s discovering fun new traditions or celebrating with ancient rhythms, they have lots of encouragement that you can re-imagine the way you do holidays, and it might make this season merrier than ever. Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: Billie: Go to mybillie.com/awesome to get the best razor you will ever own and for free shiping always! First Leaf: For six bottles of wine at $29.95 and free shipping, go to tryfirstleaf.com/awesome Better Help: Get 10% off your first month at betterhelp.com/SORTA SHOW NOTES: Kelly’s AotW: Kelly’s Apple Pie Oatmeal recipe Meg’s AotW: Jones Road: Bobbi Kit (or just chec

So much is happening this week on the heels of Thanksgiving including the beginning of Hanukkah and the Advent season! Today, Meg and Kyle decompress and discuss joys and pains as November comes to a close, and they reflect on how sometimes you've got to lose something to find something better. They share a few more gift ideas, and Kyle is wrong about the liturgical calendar! Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Boss Bluetooth speaker Glass-top moka pot Rayban Havana Moccasin-style slippers Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s the big turkey feast week here in the United States, and we are more than happy to keep you company while you drive, cook, or go for a long walk to escape all the family TOGETHERNESS! Meg and Kyle have some thoughts on what you could watch, read, listen to, and find delightful in lifestyle in the week ahead. From Netflix rom-coms to Adele’s 30 to a possible snore-stopper and an introduction to Kum & Go, they’ve got all kinds of silliness to keep you distracted (and maybe inspired?). Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! First Frost, Sarah Addison Allen Lovely War, Julie Berry Adele 30 Frndly Kum & Go TikTok guy Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com

Buckle up and hang on tight, Awesomes! Meg and Rebekah have another round of confessions to share with you, and these are by far the most cringey, most earbud-worthy ones yet! From misheard song lyrics to feminine product mishaps, you’ll never look at these two the same way again! Wanna get in on that texting fun with Meg and the Sorta Awesome team? Come join the Super Star Awesomes and get the texting perk along with bonus episodes, ad-free episodes, a Super Stars-only Facebook group, and more! THANK YOU TO OUR SPONSORS: ThirdLove: Go to thirdlove.com/AWESOME for 20% off your first purchase Best Fiends: Download Best Fiends FREE on the App Store or Google Play Headspace: Go to headspace.com/AWESOME for a free one month trial LinkedIn: Post your job for free at linkedin.com/AWESOME SHOW NOTES: Rebekah’s AotW: Caren Hand Treatment Meg’s AotW: Taylor Swift Red (Taylor's Version) Taylor Swift: All Too Well film version Garden Spells, First Frost: Sarah Addison Allen Harry's cover of Juice You can find Meg on Fac

It's Monday and we are back with a brand new Monday convo! This week, Meg and Kyle discuss the buzz around Yellowstone, flashback to 90s television with Seinfeld and The Sopranos, rave about the new release from Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, and talk about gifts for men for this holiday season! Join them and the Awesome Nation in our online communities to tell us what you are into right now: on Instagram or in the Sorta Awesome Hangout and Awesome Today groups! Wholehearted Faith Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats The Future Fallen Angel podcast Let's Go To Court podcast Masterclass Fresh Clean tees Wee Beastie RayBan sunglasses Bose speaker Portable battery Cortez / Superstar / Campus Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.com