Early 2010s Pop Culture Nostalgia

Becca Freeman (0:18)

Hi, everyone. Welcome back to Bad On Paper Podcast. I'm Becca Freeman.

Olivia Muenter (0:21)

And I'm Olivia Muenter.

Becca Freeman (0:23)

And we are taking a nostalgic dive into early 2010s pop culture, which is a topic that maybe unexpectedly ties into my new book.

Olivia Muenter (0:34)

I had such a fun time going through this outline, which you so beautifully put together.

Becca Freeman (0:39)

I could tell based on the lists that ended up in here.

Olivia Muenter (0:44)

I was just, one thing led to another. I was just in my freshman dorm room again at UF, just thinking about all of us. But anyway, we're gonna go deep.

Becca Freeman (0:52)

Well, before we get into any of that, tell me your high, because I feel like last time we chatted, you were in somewhat of an emergency situation.

Olivia Muenter (1:04)

Yeah, last time we chatted, I was stranded on an island, and now I am home. So that is definitely a high. I am very excited to be back. It's the first of October, as we record this, I feel somewhat refreshed. I feel somewhat refreshed and ready to just be home for a while.

And we had to have our floors in our kitchen, not refinished, because we already had that done a couple months ago. We had to have them done again.

So as we were gone, all of this was going on in our house. There was these like 600-pound tables being moved around, and I was just like, please let this turn out. But anyway, we got home, they turned out perfectly. I'm very happy with them. I'm sitting at my dining table right now. I don't usually record in the house. I usually record in my office outside. But it feels good. It feels like progress. It feels like we're getting somewhere. So we're moving closer to a routine of some kind.

Becca Freeman (2:00)

Are the Rons gone forever?

Olivia Muenter (2:02)

I don't think they're gone forever.

Becca Freeman (2:04)

Oh, the Rons are her contractors. I think we talked about that in Chicago, not on the podcast itself, maybe. I can't remember.

Olivia Muenter (2:12)

Yes, our contractor's name is Ron, and his son's name is Ron, and the Rons, they're always here. But they haven't been here for a while, and I don't think they will be. I think the only thing we have left, please God, please hear my cries, is that on Monday, the gas company has to come to hook up the range.

Becca Freeman (2:28)

Which they're welcome to come do that. We want a range.

Olivia Muenter (2:31)

Yes, we need it. So that's the last thing. And then I just need to be as boring as humanly possible for as many weeks as I can manage. I just want to be in my home being boring, please. That's all.

Becca Freeman (2:44)

That seems like a reasonable goal.

Olivia Muenter (2:46)

I hope I can do it. What's your high?

Becca Freeman (2:49)

Okay, so to put it into context, I need to tell you my low first.

So my low is that I've reached the point of book launch where I am so distracted. I just cannot focus on anything and I haven't been reading. And it's not that I'm too busy to read, it's that I'm too unfocused to read. So I don't feel like myself. And instead, I've been scrolling, which is not great. Although I have discovered coloring reels, people are really talented. They are doing really incredible things with coloring books.

Olivia Muenter (3:29)

Slight side note, but did you see that substack essay that was like, I was an influencer in the coziest corner of TikTok, but it was hell. No. And it was all about coloring TikTok?

Becca Freeman (3:40)

No.

Olivia Muenter (3:41)

Yeah, I believe so. I'll send it to you. I didn't actually read the whole thing, but I'll send it to you.

Becca Freeman (3:46)

Okay, I would like to see that. And then I've been watching TV that I don't even care about. Like Olivia, I watched all of the first season of Earl Meets World.

I only tangentially know who Alex Earl is. I don't know why I watched this.

Olivia Muenter (4:05)

Did you see her quote that's going viral today?

Becca Freeman (4:08)

Yes, and it makes me, I already wish I didn't watch the show, but now it makes me wish I didn't watch it even more. She said that she's never read a book, which I have to hope is an exaggeration.

Olivia Muenter (4:21)

Well, you watched the show, do you think it is?

Becca Freeman (4:23)