Calm Down Dear

Another fortnight's passed and we're already at the point of only being happy about the Euros for the excuse to drink on a school night - seriously, how are people still talking about it when there's so much better about to watch? This week we delve into Season 2 of Feel Good and Becoming A God In Central Florida, plus of course the books we've been devouring (Tabitha Lasley's extraordinary Sea State and David Mitchell's riotous Utopia Avenue) along with our favourite short-form literature: stupid tweets, and we may have beaten the toenail one. Our guest this week is the serene and beautifully cerebral Lamorna Ash, author of previous BBC Radio 4 Book of the Week Dark, Salt, Clear: Life in a Cornish Fishing Town. In her honest, hilarious and heartwarming chat with Becky, they discuss what drew her to drop life as she knew it and move to Newlyn, the friendships she found there and of course, what gets her enthused on the daily. If you're a fan of writing, pasta and cult movies, you're gonna love it. And for the big one... For a while now we've been beavering away behind the scenes and we are finally delighted to announce OUR FIRST LIVE SHOW! On Wednesday 21st July you can join us at the beautiful Ocean Studios in Plymouth (or if you're further afield, online) for an evening of chat, performances, food, beers and bants. We cannot WAIT, especially given that we'll be joined for a live podcast recording by Suzy Bennett, award-winning Plymouth-based comedian you may know from support dates for Jimmy Carr and more, and the glorious also award-winning, Glastonbury and Maida Vale-playing, Mystery Jets and Robert Plant supporting Ferris & Sylvester! We know too that everyone's erring towards being stone cold broke (us too) and so the tickets are pay what you feel and in limited numbers. We can't wait to see you there!! Tickets can be found here [https://realideas.org/event/ocean-studios-live-x-calm-down-dear/] As always we'd love to hear from you at any of the following: Instagram: @calmdowndearpodcast Twitter: @calmdowndearpod Website: https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com [https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com/] Email: calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com https://www.patreon.com/calmdowndear [https://www.patreon.com/calmdowndear/posts] Our next guest: The wonderful Tom Rasmussen, LGBT trailblazer, drag queen, and the author of the brilliant forthcoming book First Comes Love (Bloomsbury). See you in two weeks! Shownotes Feel Good - https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80241545 [https://www.netflix.com/browse?jbv=80241545] On Becoming A God In Central Florida - https://www.netflix.com/search?q=on%20becoming%20a%20god&jbv=81173143 [https://www.netflix.com/search?q=on%20becoming%20a%20god&jbv=81173143] Sea State by Tabitha Lasley - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/28/sea-state-by-tabitha-lasley-review-sex-drugs-and-oil-rigs [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/jan/28/sea-state-by-tabitha-lasley-review-sex-drugs-and-oil-rigs] Utopia Avenue by David Mitchell - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/19/utopia-avenue-by-david-mitchell-review-endless-prog-rock-noodling [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/jul/19/utopia-avenue-by-david-mitchell-review-endless-prog-rock-noodling] Dark, Salt, Clear by Lamorna Ash - https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dark-salt-clear-9781526600028/ [https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/dark-salt-clear-9781526600028/] Why I Long For The Wilds of West Cornwall - https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/apr/13/why-i-long-for-the-wilds-of-west-cornwall-lamorna-ash-st-just-penwith [https://www.theguardian.com/travel/2021/apr/13/why-i-long-for-the-wilds-of-west-cornwall-lamorna-ash-st-just-penwith] Mên-an-Tol - https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/sites/men_an_tol.htm [https://www.cornwalls.co.uk/history/sites/men_an_tol.htm] Penlee Lifeboat Disaster - https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1981-penlee-lifeboat-disaster [https://rnli.org/about-us/our-history/timeline/1981-penlee-lifeboat-disaster] The Pasta Alphabet - Rachel Roddy - https://www.waterstones.com/book/an-a-z-of-pasta/rachel-roddy/9780241402504 [https://www.waterstones.com/book/an-a-z-of-pasta/rachel-roddy/9780241402504] Pasta Grannies - https://www.youtube.com/user/pastagrannies [https://www.youtube.com/user/pastagrannies] Newlyn Guardian article - https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/apr/25/its-a-betrayal-cornish-fishing-vote-turns-against-tories-over-brexit-deal [https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2021/apr/25/its-a-betrayal-cornish-fishing-vote-turns-against-tories-over-brexit-deal] Beyond Clueless - https://mubi.com/films/beyond-clueless [https://mubi.com/films/beyond-clueless] 'The Matrix' is an allegory for being transgender, according to director Lilly Wachowski - https://www.insider.com/the-matrix-trilogy-is-an-allegory-for-being-transgender-wachowski-2020-8 [https://www.insider.com/the-matrix-trilogy-is-an-allegory-for-being-transgender-wachowski-2020-8] First Comes Love by Tom Rasmussen -https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/first-comes-love-9781526626875/ [https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/first-comes-love-9781526626875/] Terri White and Emerald Fennell - https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/promising-young-woman-emerald-fennell-interview-feature/ [https://www.empireonline.com/movies/features/promising-young-woman-emerald-fennell-interview-feature/] Rule of Three - https://www.ruleofthreepod.com/ [https://www.ruleofthreepod.com/] Wet Leg - Chaise Longue - https://open.spotify.com/track/7iqAuZe5yS0suLQcFfVK39?si=7074ae1f4a6846d1 [https://open.spotify.com/track/7iqAuZe5yS0suLQcFfVK39?si=7074ae1f4a6846d1] Adam Buxton and Mark Riley - https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Esv2mmmWt4idj8SSuj9pg?si=B-kWcTc2QSiBJNUo9WpZbQ&dl_branch=1 [https://open.spotify.com/episode/3Esv2mmmWt4idj8SSuj9pg?si=B-kWcTc2QSiBJNUo9WpZbQ&dl_branch=1] I Love Dick - https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Love-Dick/dp/B086HX1J65 [https://www.amazon.co.uk/I-Love-Dick/dp/B086HX1J65] Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

It's a new fortnight, an awards show has FINALLY given Michaela Coel the love she deserves (thank you BAFTA), the internet's been mad and we love Wolf Alice. And books. And basically everything else. Did we mention we're enthusiasts? Our guest this week is someone with a similar passion for everything, the phenomenal critic, host of the BBC's Movie Show and a woman who spends more time than anyone we've ever met gallivanting (working) at the biggest film festivals in the world, the wonderful Anna Smith. Having started out as a music journalist, she became the first female editor of a UK dance magazine only to then change her specialty to film, where she became only the second woman ever to be made Chair of the Film section of the UK's Critics Circle. Saying she's accomplished seems like an understatement, but did you know she can also analyse people through their handwriting and whistle and hum in harmony? Nope, us neither. As always you'll get loads of recommendations from us, plus all the anecdotes you never really needed (potato stamps, we see you) and a very exciting event announcement... If you like what you're hearing but there's something in particular you think we should dabble in/someone you think we should speak to, please do get in touch. We'd love to hear from you! Instagram: @calmdowndearpodcast Twitter: @calmdowndearpod Website: https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com [https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com/] Email: calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com [calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com] https://www.patreon.com/calmdowndear [https://www.patreon.com/calmdowndear/posts] Shownotes Graham Linehan article - https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/27/twitter-closes-graham-linehan-account-after-trans-comment [https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2020/jun/27/twitter-closes-graham-linehan-account-after-trans-comment] Wolf Alice - Blue Weekend - https://open.spotify.com/album/1zt521PK0lam6J79DNMIJi?si=WAFIa5DNTFecxx4KGffrwQ&dl_branch=1 [https://open.spotify.com/album/1zt521PK0lam6J79DNMIJi?si=WAFIa5DNTFecxx4KGffrwQ&dl_branch=1] My Dark Vanessa - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/13/kate-elizabeth-russell-my-dark-vanessa-interview [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/13/kate-elizabeth-russell-my-dark-vanessa-interview] Toenail tweet - https://twitter.com/best_gabby/status/1398268098478850049 [https://twitter.com/best_gabby/status/1398268098478850049] Anna Smith’s website - http://annasmithjourno.com/ [http://annasmithjourno.com/] Girls on Film podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/girls-on-film/id1439182513 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/girls-on-film/id1439182513] Graphology - https://www.handwriting-graphology.com/handwriting-analysis-chart/ [https://www.handwriting-graphology.com/handwriting-analysis-chart/] Emerald Fennell and Olivia Wilde chat - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgZ64AC97g [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CzgZ64AC97g] Marika Hackman - We Slept At Last - https://open.spotify.com/album/7bGKJT7GMChX7lM3txM9Iz?si=eMkcZtV0RsmkZ83KxHpsoA&dl_branch=1 [https://open.spotify.com/album/7bGKJT7GMChX7lM3txM9Iz?si=eMkcZtV0RsmkZ83KxHpsoA&dl_branch=1] 6 Music - Loud and Proud with Ezra Furman - https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsqf [https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/m000wsqf] Roadrunner trailer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihEEjwRlghQ [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ihEEjwRlghQ] Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

It's been a beautiful couple of weeks filled with pubs, trips out of the county, books and in Sarah's case, a bout of cystitis which meant she actually had time to read them. Huzzah! Our guest this week is the winner of the Ted Hughes Award (AKA a huge deal), a person who is not only one of Britain's foremost poets but one of Becky's absolute idols, the phenomenal Hollie McNish. Her new collection 'Slug (And Other Things I've Been Told To Hate)' is a delightful, poignant and hilarious collection of prose, poetry and essays which Becky more than got into with her as well as (because what else) wanking and being told off for reading out a poem about anal sex. Oops. As well as that, we of course have tonnes of recommendations and chat for you including the brilliant Motherland, Mare of Easttown, Deborah Levy's 'The Cost of Living', Brit Bennett's 'The Vanishing Half', heading to the dump and just Billie Piper in general. Just a normal week then eh? As always, we'd love it if you could leave us a review (but only if it's nice - at least we're honest) and to hear from you at the following: Instagram: @calmdowndearpodcast Twitter: @calmdowndearpod Website:https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com [https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com/] Email:calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com [calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com] Shownotes: Billie Piper on Changes - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/billie-piper/id1465937091?i=1000512982808 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/billie-piper/id1465937091?i=1000512982808] The Cost of Living by Deborah Levy - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/06/cost-living-deborah-levy-review-feminist-manifesto-divorced-simone-beauvoir [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2018/apr/06/cost-living-deborah-levy-review-feminist-manifesto-divorced-simone-beauvoir] The Vanish Half by Brit Bennett - https://britbennett.com/the-vanishing-half [https://britbennett.com/the-vanishing-half] Motherland - https://www.netflix.com/title/81284515 [https://www.netflix.com/title/81284515] Mare of Easttown - https://www.hbo.com/mare-of-easttown [https://www.hbo.com/mare-of-easttown] A trip to the dump is one of my greatest pleasures in life - and I’m not alone - Richard Godwin - https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/may/22/trip-to-the-dump-great-pleasures-in-life-not-alone [https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2021/may/22/trip-to-the-dump-great-pleasures-in-life-not-alone] Hollie McNish - Slug - https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/hollie-mcnish/slug/9780349726342/ [https://www.hachette.co.uk/titles/hollie-mcnish/slug/9780349726342/] Caroline Bird - https://www.carolinebird.co.uk/ [https://www.carolinebird.co.uk/] Andrew McMillan - https://www.andrewmcmillanpoet.co.uk/ [https://www.andrewmcmillanpoet.co.uk/] Natalie Diaz - https://www.faber.co.uk/author/natalie-diaz/ [https://www.faber.co.uk/author/natalie-diaz/] Rachel Sirmanni - https://www.youtube.com/c/RachelSermanni/featured [https://www.youtube.com/c/RachelSermanni/featured] Wizard Hand - https://wizardhand.bandcamp.com/ [https://wizardhand.bandcamp.com/] Hollie McNish - Honestly - https://www.instagram.com/p/CN8RmlXhZT_/ [https://www.instagram.com/p/CN8RmlXhZT_/] My Dark Vanessa by Kate Elizabeth Russell - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/13/kate-elizabeth-russell-my-dark-vanessa-interview [https://www.theguardian.com/books/2020/mar/13/kate-elizabeth-russell-my-dark-vanessa-interview] Sharon Van Etten and Angel Olsen - Like I Used To - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ibj87fwRaM [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ibj87fwRaM] Excess of Everything - Grace Campbell and Scarlett Curtis podcast - https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/excess-of-everything/id1567742552 [https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/excess-of-everything/id1567742552] Self Esteem - I Do This All The Time - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtd_jlV61mA [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mtd_jlV61mA] Entertain The Elk - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gjznzViwMols6dz89qLbg [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-gjznzViwMols6dz89qLbg] Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart - https://www.douglasdstuart.com/books [https://www.douglasdstuart.com/books] And keep your peepers peeled - we have a VERY exciting announcement coming soon... Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

We've got a new look, a new county (Becky), some new meds (Sarah) and a new series especially for you! Once again the topic of the day is enthusiasm, but happily for us that covers all manner of brilliant, intriguing, and often slightly odd sins. As our first episode back falls in Mental Health Awareness week, we're delighted that our first guest is neuroscientist and science writer (and host of the British Psychological Society’s Psych Crunch podcast) Ginny Smith, answering all of our many childish questions and telling us exactly how she became such an enthusiast. We're also filling you in on the books we've been loving (forthcoming guest Isobel Wohl's phenomenal debut Cold New Climate, John Boyne's The Heart's Invisible Furies and Grace Campbell's Shame), our new favourite show, Rose Matafeo's Starstruck, and of course THAT Billie Eilish Vogue cover. How could we not? As always subscribing and telling your friends about us is a HUGE help, and we always love to hear from you too. Come say hey at the following: Instagram: @calmdowndearpodcast Twitter: @calmdowndearpod Website:https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com [https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com/] Email:calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com [calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com] Shownotes: Billie Eilish - Vogue - https://www.vogue.co.uk/news/article/billie-eilish-vogue-interview Amazing Disgrace - https://www.waterstones.com/book/9781529354003 Starstruck - https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p09djx9y/starstruck-series-1-episode-1 The Heart’s Invisible Furies - https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/33253215-the-heart-s-invisible-furies Cold New Climate - https://londonreviewbookbox.co.uk/products/cold-new-climate-by-isobel-wohl Ginny Smith - Overloaded - https://www.ginnysmithscience.com/overloaded May Britt Moser’s dress - https://www.nbcnews.com/science/science-news/neurons-inspire-nobel-laureate-may-britt-mosers-dress-n265866 Green Day - Longview - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=42BBdzzgPNM Aphantasia: A life without mental images - https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-34039054 Brain Rays - Zesty Enterprises - https://brainrays.uk/ Windows on the world: pandemic poems by Simon Armitage, Hollie McNish, Kae Tempest and more - https://www.theguardian.com/books/2021/may/08/windows-on-the-world-pandemic-poems-by-simon-armitage-hollie-mcnish-kae-tempest-and-more Barry Jenkins: ‘Maybe America has never been great’ - https://www.theguardian.com/film/2021/may/09/barry-jenkins-the-underground-railroad-interview-moonlight Little Simz and Cleo Sol - Woman - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHGf6tmnLYE The Handmaid’s Tale - Season 4 - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rg_160Be71g Crosta and Mollica - https://www.crostamollica.com/pizza/ Cheers loves! Sarah and Becky x Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.

Yup, another fortnight's passed and we're as confused as everyone else about it. Turns out we have been quite busy though, with conflabs over the astonishing Promising Young Woman, Twitter writing advice, International Women's Day and the widespread response to Meghan's (and Harry's, it needs to be said) interview, chats about Ali Smith's 'Summer' and Olga Tokarczuk's 'Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead' all on the cards, plus of course, your usual dose of insanity/inanity. Our guest this week though really steals the show; you might know Laura Lexx as the brilliant comedian gracing screens on Mock The Week and Live At The Apollo, or maybe were one of the legions hooked on her madcap Twitter thread about her imaginary relationship with Jurgen Klopp - maybe you even got intrigued at the subsequent two-book deal she won off the back of that (that's right, you can get Klopp soft-porn in hard-copy now - keep it clean - while we await her debut novel). She's phenomenally intelligent and candid, and opens up about not only her journey into stand-up and her love of history, but her climate anxiety and why that led to her decision not to have biological children. We think she's glorious, and reckon you will too. Plus, you know, she can knit a mean dinosaur. As always if you could subscribe and tell your friends about us that would mean the world, as this is the FINAL episode of Season 2! We will be back with a sneaky extra special bonus ep in two weeks time though before sleeping for a thousand years and returning (in six weeks) for a bright and spangly Season 3. The more for the big return (and the incredible guests we have lined up), the better! We always love to hear from you too. Come say hey at the following: Instagram: @calmdowndearpodcast Twitter: @calmdowndearpod Website: https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com [https://www.calmdowndearpodcast.com/] Email: calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com [calmdowndearpodcast@gmail.com] Cheers loves! Sarah & Becky x Shownotes Tweet on writing - https://twitter.com/CherylStrayed/status/1368054516822675456 [https://twitter.com/CherylStrayed/status/1368054516822675456] Promising Young Woman - https://www.focusfeatures.com/promising-young-woman/ [https://www.focusfeatures.com/promising-young-woman/] The Bold Type - https://www.netflix.com/title/80176085 [https://www.netflix.com/title/80176085] Drive Your Plow Over The Bones of the Dead by Olga Tokarczuk - https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/books/drive-your-plow-over-the-bones-of-the-dead [https://fitzcarraldoeditions.com/books/drive-your-plow-over-the-bones-of-the-dead] Summer by Ali Smith - https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/285/285183/summer/9780241973370.html [https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/285/285183/summer/9780241973370.html] Laura Lexx - https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/ [https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/] The Jurgen Klopp thread - https://twitter.com/lauralexx/status/1238601779773952005?lang=en [https://twitter.com/lauralexx/status/1238601779773952005?lang=en] Microsoft Notes - https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/onenote/digital-note-taking-app [https://www.microsoft.com/en-gb/microsoft-365/onenote/digital-note-taking-app] National Treasures Podcast - https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/shows/national-treasures [https://www.lauralexx.co.uk/shows/national-treasures] Klopp Actually: (Imaginary) Life with Football's Most Sensible Heartthrob (Hardback) - https://www.waterstones.com/book/klopp-actually/laura-lexx/9781529348217?awaid=3787 [https://www.waterstones.com/book/klopp-actually/laura-lexx/9781529348217?awaid=3787] Overloaded: How Every Aspect of Your Life is Influenced by Your Brain Chemicals by Ginny Smith - https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/philosophy-psychology-social-sciences/overloaded-how-every-aspect-of-your,ginny-smith-9781472969347 [https://www.foyles.co.uk/witem/philosophy-psychology-social-sciences/overloaded-how-every-aspect-of-your,ginny-smith-9781472969347] Our GDPR privacy policy was updated on August 8, 2022. Visit acast.com/privacy [https://acast.com/privacy] for more information.