Songwriting: The Hits, The Misses, and The Awkward Moments

This One’s For the Birds…(if they’re real…)

This week on Take a Jill Pill, we’re covering Gerald the dolphin and his underwater cities, government bird drones, talking animals, dirty sodas, Gracie Abrams, and why I may officially be becoming a Bird Lady.  The episode starts with summer arriving in New Hampshire and me getting territorial over my beach walks…and somehow ends with me questioning whether pigeons are spying on us. (Have you ever SEEN a baby pigeon??) I also share my top 5 birds (yes, really), answer listener questions about social media, starseeds, and life’s surreal “wow” moments, and talk about why nature might be trying to tell us more than we realize. It’s fun, chaotic, a bit thoughtful, and definitely one of those episodes where we just keep following the rabbit trail wherever it goes. Host: Jill Pickering Follow me at:  instagram.com/jipimusic [http://instagram.com/jipimusic] instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast [http://instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast] tiktok.com/jipimusic [http://tiktok.com/jipimusic] takeajillpill.com [http://takeajillpill.com]

Public Scandals & Revenge of the Ants

This week on Take a Jill Pill, I survive a fire ant attack in Nashville, witness a chaotic e-bike accident at a preschool soccer practice, and officially declare that the ants are seeking revenge after I mocked them online. My feet may never recover. We also get into my growing fear of cruise ships, why flying suddenly feels more stressful than it used to, and the emotional devastation of Southwest changing literally everything. Then we get into something a little deeper: public scandals, viral humiliation, and why the internet loves watching people fail. After listening to Oprah’s interview with Kristin Cabot from the infamous Coldplay kiss cam moment, I started thinking a lot about empathy, internet culture, and how easy it is to forget there’s a real human behind the meme. Plus: * My Top 5 obscure holidays * Listener questions * What’s currently sitting on my kitchen table * The importance of celebrating small things As always, it’s chaotic, reflective, unhinged, and hopefully a little comforting too. Glad you’re here! Host: Jill Pickering Follow me at:  instagram.com/jipimusic [http://instagram.com/jipimusic] instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast [http://instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast] tiktok.com/jipimusic [http://tiktok.com/jipimusic] takeajillpill.com [http://takeajillpill.com]

Dear Jill…Your Questions, My Advice

Welcome to my first ever Dear Jill episode. You sent in your questions (anonymously, don’t worry), and I’m giving you my honest, off-the-cuff advice. Am I qualified? Absolutely not. But I do have thoughts…a lot of them. Before we get into that, I’m catching you up on a weekend in the New Hampshire mountains (where things get a little strange), a billboard that raised some serious questions about cremation pricing, and my strong opinions on “plogging” (why are we doing three activities at once??). Also, Effingham, NH. I mean, come on. My favorite town name. Then we get into your questions. Everything from dealing with a family member no one likes, to friendship heartbreak, to being a chronic people-pleaser, to social awkwardness, to how to tell your girlfriend she’s not a great cook (gently). I’m answering it all in real time. No overthinking, just my best shot at being helpful. For today’s Top Five, I’m sharing the top 5 pieces of advice I’ve ever received, then I answer a couple of listener questions, and wrap things up with this week’s Jill Pill, a reminder to stop riding everyone else’s emotional rollercoaster and start riding your own wave. Take what works, leave what doesn’t, and let me know if I should ever do this again. Host: Jill Pickering Follow me at:  instagram.com/jipimusic [http://instagram.com/jipimusic] instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast [http://instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast] tiktok.com/jipimusic [http://tiktok.com/jipimusic] takeajillpill.com [http://takeajillpill.com]

Faking Death, Speeding Cars, & The “Aunt” Hill I Will Die On

I may need to reevaluate my driving and my sanity, but we’re pushing through anyway. In this episode, I’m sharing a couple humbling “slow down” moments from strangers on the road, (apparently I’m the problem), along with a small but mighty personal growth win (SRG) and a few life updates, including an upcoming Trader Joe’s giveaway and my latest Love on the Spectrum obsession. Then we get into more chaos, including the pronunciation debate I cannot let go of. “Aunt” vs. “ant” is officially the hill I will die on, and yes, it involves me almost losing it in a very inappropriate moment. From there, we get into conspiracies around celebrities who may have faked their own deaths, Tupac, Elvis, Princess Diana, Michael Jackson…and what would actually drive someone to disappear and start over. I also share the top 5 celebrity deaths that shook me, why those losses hit so hard, and the strange way we grieve people we’ve never met. We wrap it up with listener questions and a Jill Pill that might be exactly what you need this week: take the risk. Host: Jill Pickering Follow me at:  instagram.com/jipimusic [http://instagram.com/jipimusic] instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast [http://instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast] tiktok.com/jipimusic [http://tiktok.com/jipimusic] takeajillpill.com [http://takeajillpill.com]

Songwriting: The Hits, The Misses, and The Awkward Moments

In this episode, I’m talking all things songwriting: the hits, the misses, and the really awkward moments in between...of which there are plenty. I share how I got started writing songs, what it actually looks like to write in Nashville, and some behind-the-scenes stories from co-writing sessions including a few that were not exactly a natural fit. It’s a lot like dating if we’re being honest! If you’ve ever wondered how songs come to life or what happens when they don’t, this one is for you. I also answer your questions about the songwriting process, performing, and creativity, break down my top 5 songs of all time, and play an unreleased song I’ve never shared before. I wrap it up with a Jill Pill that is simple but powerful: tell people what you see in them. Glad you're here for another fun episode!  Host: Jill Pickering Follow me at:  instagram.com/jipimusic [http://instagram.com/jipimusic] instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast [http://instagram.com/takeajillpillpodcast] tiktok.com/jipimusic [http://tiktok.com/jipimusic] takeajillpill.com [http://takeajillpill.com]