Landline

The Line Is Going Quiet

This is the final episode of Landline. Not because the questions ran out.Not because the conversations stopped mattering.But because this particular season of listening is complete. When I started this project, I didn’t know what would happen if I picked up the phone and let strangers speak into the dark. I only knew that silence had stopped being helpful, and that something honest might live on the other side of a dial tone. Over the past year, Landline became a place for confessions, jokes, grief, boredom, hope, relapse, restraint, longing, and the occasional absolutely unhinged voicemail. It became proof that people are still willing to say real things if you give them a little space and a little time. Some of you called.Some of you listened quietly.Some of you never touched the phone but stayed anyway. All of that counted. This final episode is not a “best of” in the polished sense. It’s more like the feeling at the end of a long conversation when no one wants to hang up, but you know it’s time. We talk about the holidays, about favorite moments, about what stays and what doesn’t. We let the room settle. After December 31, Landline will be archived. The episodes will remain, but the line itself will stop ringing. There will be no new calls, no new recordings, no next episode waiting around the corner. And that’s okay. Not everything meaningful is meant to run forever. Some things exist to prove something to you, then gently step aside. Thank you for trusting this strange little experiment. Thank you for your voices, your patience, your curiosity, and your willingness to sit with uncomfortable pauses. Thank you for letting this be what it was, not what it was supposed to be. For now, the receiver goes back on the hook. With gratitude,Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe [https://thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

New Episode Drop! Landline Episode 25

Featuring Claire, a rogue estrogen patch, and one absolutely enormous turkey cutout We tried a new set up this week. Of course we did. We try a new set up every week, which is probably why the algorithm looks at Landline and thinks, “I’m sorry, who are these people and why are they in a different hostage situation every episode.” In case anyone was worried, the Band-Aid on my arm is covering my estrogen patch. Is it working. Mostly. Did it fall off again. Yes. Did I tape it down with a child’s waterproof bandage because I’m an adult woman hanging on by a thread. Also yes. This week’s episode covers: * Thanksgiving chaos * Whether little kids dressing up as pilgrims and Indians is sweet or deeply offensive * Childhood crafts that should have been red flags * What prayer actually is * Why gratitude is harder than it sounds * The spiritual equivalent of glue-bean candle holders * Plus, a brief detour into whether Christopher Columbus was at Thanksgiving (he was not) But the heart of the episode is this: What does it mean to pray, and why does it feel complicated. I asked listeners what prayer means to them. Some people said they love it. Some said they hate it because of what it “used to mean.” Some were raised on fear-based prayer. Some had no idea where to start. Claire and I talk through our own practices, missteps, and the surprising simplicity of gratitude when life is at its weirdest. And in the spirit of Thanksgiving, we talk about what it means to give thanks as adults who have been through a pile of life already. Bodies falling apart. Recoveries. Careers that swing between “thriving” and “hair on a biscuit.” Holidays that feel tender, funny, or just plain confusing. Landline is almost at the finish line We have one episode left this year. Depending how life shakes out, this may be the end of Landline for now. A beautiful, unhinged, heart-forward little season that went from a real studio to my living room floor with a tripod that hates me. If you want Season 2, here is the deal: We need to hit:• 10K YouTube subscribers• 500 Substack followers If you have ever enjoyed this show, this is the moment to help keep it alive.👉 Tap “follow” here on Substack It takes two seconds and it legitimately matters. Thank you for listening, calling, writing, praying, disagreeing, and showing up for this show.We love you. See you for the Christmas finale. And someone please remind me to fix my lighting situation. Twice. Maybe three times. Inga Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe [https://thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

The Tiger King, Pranks & the Worst Halloween Ever

A week late, full of glitches, and somehow… perfect. We thought no one called for the Halloween episode.Turns out, everyone just called later. Because we respect your chaos as much as we love your loyalty, we rolled the calls anyway. It’s a week late, full of glitches, and somehow… perfect. This one’s a gem: we cover everything from The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown to stolen porch pumpkins, golf-cart concussions, and one listener’s emotional support costume. There’s mild existentialism, unexpected tenderness, and a brief debate about the morality of stealing decorative gourds. Somehow, amid all the noise, we landed on something true: Halloween used to be about imagination. Now it’s mostly about managing expectations—and that might be okay. 🚨 Season 2 depends on you.🎥 Need: 10K YouTube subscribers🗞 Need: 500 Substack followersFollow, subscribe, share. Every click keeps Landline alive. 💬 Next episode: Thanksgiving Traditions + When Was the Last Time You Prayed?☎️ Leave a voicemail → (615) 212-5437🎧 Watch or listen on YouTube. Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe [https://thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Landline Episode 23: It's Halloween! Get Into It.

When did Halloween stop being fun? In this week’s episode of Landline, Claire and I trade childhood Halloween stories, bad costume choices, and our first real brushes with fear. Both cinematic and emotional. From It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown to The Shining, we try to figure out when the most magical night of the year turned into Trunk-or-Treat in a church parking lot. In This Episode: * Why It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown is the perfect film * The trauma of scary movies (Scream vs The Shining) * The infamous “REDRUM” tattoo that ruined Thanksgiving * DIY costume disasters (Rock, Paper, Scissors edition) * How our generation accidentally killed Halloween Featuring: Madge the dog, a lot of chaos, and two women who still believe the sky in Charlie Brown is what fall should look like. Listen or Watch the Full Episode * 👉 Watch [https://www.youtube.com/@thelandlineshow/videos] on YouTube * 👉 Subscribe [https://www.youtube.com/@thelandlineshow] on YouTube * 👉 Subscribe [http://landlineshow.substack.com] to Landline on Substack Call In for Next Month’s Show: * Next episode: Thanksgiving Traditions That Should (or Should Not) Be Retired * Call (615) 212-5437 and leave a message or post a comment below Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe [https://thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]

Ep 22: The Dumbest Thing I Ever Believed

This week’s episode is about the dumbest thing you ever believed… until it wasn’t. From jeggings to ghost-breathing past cemeteries, we get into it. Claire’s back from Africa. I’m down to 40mg of Prozac. We both saw wild animals. It’s summer, we’re sweaty, and for some reason we decided this was the right time to talk about depression, despair, and cigarettes. At first, it’s fun and light: * I thought my dad played drums for Bruce Springsteen. * Claire believed her dog wouldn’t get fleas. * We both inhaled ghosts. Then we spiral into deeper territory (as one does) about what it means to stay alive when your brain tells you not to. We talk about old saints, addiction, hopelessness, and the difference between clinical depression and the dark night of the soul. It's heavy. But also funny? You'll see. If you’ve ever believed something dumb (e.g. like Sex and the City was a documentary, or that quitting smoking would be easy) this one’s for you. And if you’re feeling stuck or sad, know this: You’re not alone. But you do have to breathe. Even past a cemetery. xo,Inga P.S. No episode this week. Public Access has kicked us out (for now). No episode next week because I’m getting married. See you all August 13th. P.P.S. Call in next show! We love hearing your voice. Leave a message anytime at (615) 212-5437. Get full access to Landline: The Essays at thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe [https://thelandlineshow.substack.com/subscribe?utm_medium=podcast&utm_campaign=CTA_4]