Terrible, Thanks For Asking

When Ashley went through puberty, she knew her body. Or at least, she felt like she knew it. As an adult, Ashley undergoes an unexpected and rapid physical change, and she struggles with accepting her new body and all that comes with it. If you love the show, consider supporting us by becoming a TTFA Premium member!  Since 2016, we’ve been making space for stories that matter. Not just sad stories, but human stories. Life stories.  Since 2022, we’ve been an independent production in a sea of big fish with big budgets…and we want to keep it this way.  Listener support helps keep us going and growing, bringing the world a show that’s free for anyone who needs it, any time.  TTFA is going on tour! This spring, we’re traveling the country to tell you terrible (and funny) stories live. We love meeting our listeners, so check out the last few stops on our spring tour.  Friday, April 28 | Columbus, OH | Lincoln Theater Saturday, April 29 | Indianapolis IN | The Toby Sunday, April 30 | Cincinnati, OH | Woodward Theater Monday, May 1 | Ann Arbor, MI | The Ark Follow TTFA online! Instagram Facebook Our website Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

There are a ton of money stories out there. Stories about people who are screwed financially through no fault of their own. People who did everything right and still cannot get a leg up. This episode is not one of those. It’s an excavation of a specific kind of debt, and a specific kind of shame. The kind that Jamie Feldman found herself in when she was 33 years old: credit card debt. Resources:  Average credit card debt in the U.S. Information on emotional spending Find Jamie on TikTok and Instagram @RealGirlProject.  If you have a story about credit card debt – or any financial struggle – reach out to us at terrible@feelingsand.co or leave us a voicemail at 612-568-4441. We might use your story in a future TTFA episode or Premium episode.  Support our *newly independent production* by joining TTFA Premium and get ad-free episodes, bonus content, and more. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. The episode transcript can be found here. Shop Our Sponsors:  Farmers Dog: Get 50% off your first box of fresh, healthy food at thefarmersdog.com/nora. Headspace: Try Headspace FREE for 30 days by going to Headspace.com/nora30day. We’re out on tour! Get your tickets to a live show near you at TTFA.org: Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2nd | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday, April 3rd | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Friday, April 28th | Columbus, OH | Lincoln Theater Saturday, April 29th | Indianapolis, IN | The Toby Sunday, April 30th | Cincinnati, OH | Woodward Theater Monday, May 1st | Ann Arbor, MI | The Ark Our social media: TTFA on Instagram TTFA on Facebook Nora on Instagram Nora on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

In April 2022, Marlin Sill’s father died from a head injury caused by a cycling accident. A few weeks later, he embarked on a months-long hike through the Western United States. Throughout last summer, Marlin sent the TTFA team voice memos of himself processing his dad’s death while he hiked. In this episode we take you on the trail with Marlin as he grieves, and also throughout the rest of the first year without his dad. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Read the episode transcript here. Shop Our Sponsors:  Rothy’s: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE Vegamour: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order Squarespace: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Our social media: TTFA on Instagram TTFA on Facebook Nora on Instagram Nora on Facebook Nora on TikTok Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

A very long time ago (like … honestly maybe a year ago now?) we asked TTFA listeners how their school’s gifted and talented programs messed them up (or didn’t). In this bonus episode, Nora listens to your voicemail, reads your email, and responds to them. Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

TTFA producer Claire McInerny experienced an extreme weather event in 2021, a result of climate change, that left her worried about the future. She started channeling her anxiety about the future of our world into another important question she was asking herself: “Should I have kids?” In this episode, Claire tries to untangle her feelings around what the world will look like in the future with her desire to have a family of her own. Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre SHOP OUR SPONSORS: ROTHY’S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE THE FARMER’S DOG:Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll get when you join us on TTFA Premium. For $7.99 a month, you can support our show AND get ad-free episodes and bonus content. Sign up today at TTFA.org/Premium. When you shop our Bookshop.org store, you support the author, independent bookstores AND our show! Shop here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

We’re back with another Terrible Reading Club episode! Think of it as our book club for truly terrible times. Haven’t read the book we’re discussing? Good news: In this reading club, that’s not a requirement. Today, we’re chatting with KC Davis, author of “How to Keep House While Drowning.” KC Davis used to feel terrible about the way her home looked all the time. But does having a clean space have to be a moral issue? ______ Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. Catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre SHOP OUR SPONSORS: OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off ROTHY'S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE VEGAMOUR: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order THE FARMER'S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Team Terrible is going back on the road for the second leg of the Bad Vibes Only live show tour. Where are we going? What does a live show look like? Listen in and let Nora tell you herself! Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Nora's dad died in 2014 from pretty much all of the cancers, leaving her mom Margaret without her life partner of almost 50 years ... and leaving Nora without a dad. Does a 40-year-old married woman with four children of her own need a father figure in her life? Nora thinks so! But what does Margaret have to say about dating in your 70s? Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. Catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. SHOP OUR SPONSORS: OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off ROTHY'S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE VEGAMOUR: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order THE FARMER'S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora SQUARESPACE: Visit squarespace.com/TTFA for a free trial and use offer code TTFA to save 10% Find tickets to spring tour cities below or at TTFA.org: Friday, March 3 | Phoenix, AZ | Crescent Ballroom Saturday, March 4 | Austin, TX | Stateside at Paramount Theatre Sunday, March 5 | Atlanta, GA | Variety Playhouse Monday, March 6 | Durham, NC | Motorco Music Hall Friday, March 31 | Milwaukee, WI | Turner Hall Saturday, April 1st | St. Louis, MO | Delmar Hall Sunday, April 2 | Lawrence, KS | Liberty Hall Monday April 3 | Boulder, CO | Boulder Theatre Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Identity theft is something many of us are familiar with, but we have a specific image of what this looks like – our data being stolen online, or someone getting a hold of our social security number. But almost a third of identity theft crimes are committed by a family member. This episode tells the story of two people who experienced financial abuse at the hands of their parents. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. SHOP OUR SPONSORS: OSEA: Head to oseamalibu.com and use code TTFA for 10% off ROTHY'S: Get $20 off your first purchase at rothys.com/TERRIBLE VEGAMOUR: Visit vegamour.com/Terrible and use code Terrible to save 20% on your first order THE FARMER'S DOG: Get 50% off your first box at thefarmersdog.com/nora Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll get when you join us on TTFA Premium. For $8 a month, you can support our show AND get ad-free episodes and bonus content — including mailbag episodes like this one. Sign up today at TTFA.org/Premium. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Cheval spent her entire life trying to be a wedding dress designer (she started sewing at 7 years old and studied fashion design in college). In her mid 20’s, she got her big break when a large fashion house hired her to design a wedding dress collection named after herself. But that dream only lasted eight years. She found herself in the middle of a legal battle that would take away her collection, her job as a designer, and eventually her name.  — Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. Read the episode transcript here. Follow Cheval on Instagram @allthatglittersonthegram and check out her new shoe line at sheischeval.com. — Our social media: TTFA on Instagram TTFA on Facebook Nora on Instagram Nora on Facebook Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

One thing we know about grief is that it needs a witness. That inside every griever is a nearly uncontrollable urge to make the people around us understand what we had and what we have now. In this episode, we are all David’s witnesses. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. You can read the episode transcript here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

It’s December 28, 2022. And Nora McInerny is 40 years old.  Here’s a sneak peek of what you’ll get when you join us on TTFA Premium. For $8 a month, you can support our show AND get ad-free episodes and bonus content — including mailbag episodes like this one. Sign up today at TTFA.org/Premium. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

The happyish holiday season can be whatever the heck you want it to be, no matter what pressures you feel from family and friends and society. So, here’s to creating new traditions – and to the Terribles who shared theirs with us (and with you). Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

‘Tis the season! Our terrible holiday tradition is back, this time with more of your painful, sad, awkward holiday stories. Plus: boundary setting advice from Melissa Urban and a fiery Hanukkah story from Vanessa Zoltan. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

When Natalie Weaver stepped into the media spotlight to advocate for her 8-year-old daughter Sophia’s right to health care, she expected some pushback. She didn’t expect the flood of online hate and death threats that came her way … or for images of Sophia to end up on the wrong, hurtful, abusive side of the Internet.  — Learn more about Natalie’s work for families with medically fragile kids at Sophias-Voice.com. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our Substack subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join here. You can find the episode transcript here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

If you’ve listened to our show, at all, ever, you know that grief has been a big part of Nora’s life since 2014 when she lost her husband Aaron. Since then, she’s built this show, her writing, and much of her life around helping others navigate their own grief. Despite all this, Nora never felt like she was doing enough, until the events of 2021 forced her to slow down and re-examine her grief once again. Nora recently appeared on the podcast "A Slight Change of Plans" with Dr. Maya Shankar, where she shared for the first time the story of why 2021 was, in Nora’s words, her worst year since 2014. It’s a raw and honest conversation about long-term grief, and we knew we had to share it here. You can find "A Slight Change of Plans" on their website or wherever you get your podcasts. We're coming to your living room on December 6th with a *new* and terrible holiday show! RSVP for Happyish Holidays here. Read the episode transcript here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Death by suicide has long been a problem within the U.S. military, and not just among veterans: In 2020, suicide rates among active duty service members hit a six-year high. On August 28th, 2015, Heather’s husband Tyler became one of those statistics. Theirs is a story of friendship, of love, of family, of service and duty … and of trauma, domestic abuse and mental illness. If you’re experiencing thoughts of suicide, you can call or text 988. If you’re a victim of domestic violence and want out, you can call the National Domestic Violence hotline. You’re not alone. References:  Recommendations for Reporting on Suicide Common Factors in Military Domestic Homicides: Implications for Prevention and Intervention  Military Versus Civilian Murder-Suicide Military Suicide Rates Are at an All-Time High Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter  and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Read the transcript for this episode here. HAPPYISH HOLIDAYS, EVERYONE! Join us for a live show in-person or via livestream on December 6th. Tickets here. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Michael Allio was a fan favorite on Katie Thurston’s season of “The Bachelorette,” applauded for the vulnerability he showed as he talked about losing his wife, Laura, to cancer and raising his son James without his mom.  Losing a partner to cancer? Raising a young son on your own? Sounds familiar! Michael came across Nora’s TED Talk shortly after Laura died, and when he reached out to the podcast, we knew we had to get these two on a call together. That call became a TTFA Premium episode.  Now, if you’re a Bachelor Nation fan, you know that Michael is on the current season of “Bachelor in Paradise,” where he’s been speaking to his grief and loss and the difficulty of dating again in general … but especially on national television. We’re re-airing this episode in our main feed here today for all of you Bachelor Nation fans who want some more insight into Michael’s ~*journey*~ (yes, that’s a Bachelor joke).  If you like it, and want more bonus content like this, sign up for TTFA Premium at www.ttfa.org/premium. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices