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Happy To Be Here

Greta Johnsen

Happy To Be Here is a new interview podcast for the recovering perfectionist and the perpetually curious, full of conversations that make you feel right at home and allow you to learn a little bit about almost anything.

Host Greta Johnsen (formerly of Nerdette) invites you to meet journalists, chefs, authors, and all kinds of excellent humans who will delight and inspire you. Packed with recommendations for stuff to eat, read, watch, and enjoy, this show is great for helping you make sure you actually take it easy this weekend, wherever you might happen to be.

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21 episodes
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Avg 27 min
English

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#32
Thursday · 31 min
GRETAGRAM Book Club: 'Pool House,' discussed!
The September GRETAGRAM book club selection is Mary H.K. Choi’s Pool House, an exquisitely claustrophobic novel about a TV family and the mess that lies just under the surface. Host Greta Johnsen unpacks the novel with Inkoo Kang, a TV critic for The New Yorker. She brought many wonderful insights to the book, including this one: “We’re coming out of this era of increased representation of diversity in Hollywood, and that has been really nice,” Inkoo said. “But a lot of it has been really sanitized. So reading something where the motivations seem really human and the author seems so wonderfully unconcerned with how likeable the characters are was incredibly refreshing to me.” Greta and Inkoo talk about the book as a coming of age story, the themes of surveillance and identity, and, yes, that ending. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#31
September 4 · 26 min
GRETAGRAM Book Club: Mary H.K. Choi on 'Pool House'
This month's GRETAGRAM book club selection is Mary H.K. Choi's Pool House, a novel about mothers and daughters, about seeing and being seen, and about desiring and being desired. This novel isn’t necessarily soapy, but it’s definitely MESSY, and it's quite a ride. Mary has written several YA novels, but Pool House is her first book for adults. It's about Stevie, a young woman who lives in the llong shadow of her mom Moon, an aging former TV star. Their lives are deeply intertwined with Adam, who played Moon’s stepson in the TV show they were both in. When we meet this trio, they've just learned that Mac, who plated the TV dad, has died by suicide, and each of them reckons with his death in very different ways. In this spoiler-free interview, host Greta Johnsen talks with Mary about the origins of the novel, the obvious metaphor of living in a glass house, and what it's like to write a novel for "grown ups." See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#30
August 28 · 28 min
The 87% Club: Being Less Useful with Priyanka Mattoo
The 87% Club is a series of episodes that explore the case for giving less energy to things that don't matter, so we have more time to spend on things that do. This week, host Greta Johnsen talks to writer Priyanka Mattoo, the author of the wonderful essay collection How To Be Less Useful: The Joy of Inefficiency. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#29
August 21 · 24 min
The 87% Club: Nachos for Breakfast with Sweta Vikram
This week, host Greta Johnsen talks with Ayurvedic doctor, coach, and podcast host Sweta Vikram, who "helps high achievers move through burnout, grief, and overwhelm." Today’s episode is largely about perfectionism when it comes to rest. So many of us think that time off is an all-or-nothing deal -- take a long vacation, or be strung out and constantly in your email inbox. But Sweta encourages a gentle, incremental approach. Even 15 minutes of down time once or twice a day can make a big difference for your brain and body. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#28
August 14 · 34 min
The 87% Club: Effort, Efficiency, and Ease
As part of a monthlong series about doing less, host Greta Johnsen talks to a theater director and an author about attention, achievement, effort, and ease. First, Greta speaks with Michaela Goldhaber, a Bay-Area playwright, director, and dramaturg who is also involved in disability justice work through her theater company Wry Crips Disabled Women’s Theater Group. Then, she talks to Cathy Haynes, the author of The Fullness of Time: Marking the Day by Birdsong, Blooms, Shadows, and Stars. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#27
August 7 · 29 min
The 87% Club: Taking fun seriously with Veronica Roth
Host Greta Johnsen starts a month-long miniseries for the 87% club with an interview with author Veronica Roth. She’s written more than a dozen books, most notably the Divergent series.Her latest book is called Seek the Traitor’s Son (print | audio), a book that she approached very differently from her other projects. Here’s what she says about it in the acknowledgements: “I started writing this book almost six years ago with no intention of publishing it. I had it in my head that a book that made all the pleasure centers of my brain fire at once just couldn’t be a serious project. But when I told two of my friends about it, they pointed out that there was no reason that should be the case. The world is too dark, and life is too short, to spend it resisting things that bring you joy. So why not write a big, romantic, indulgent, genre-straddling story?” This conversation perfectly embodies many of the questions that define the 87 percent club -- What if work was also fun? What if I could stop caring about what other people think? How can I turn down those critical voices in my head? See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#26
July 31 · 32 min
GRETAGRAM book club: 'Canon,' discussed!
The July GRETAGRAM book club selection is Paige Lewis' Canon, a nonbinary hero's journey that has all the elements of an epic: Good Guys vs. Bad Guys, a fickle god, and, of course, a talking whale! Host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Molly McGhee, the author of Jonathan Abernathy You Are Kind. They discuss structure, narrative presence, earnestness, and the futility of glory. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#25
July 24 · 31 min
Burden or Delight: A billionaire wedding, ranch-mania, and a really long movie
Host Greta Johnsen talks with City Cast Chicago host Jacoby Cochran and Margaret Willison, the newest member of the Culture Study newsletter and podcast team. They play the extremely low-stakes game Burden or Delight with three of the biggest pop culture touchstones of the summer: The World Cup, Taylor Swift’s wedding, and Christopher Nolan’s newest blockbuster, The Odyssey. (Did Margaret make a quiz based on her rigorous examination of every possible photo of confirmed attendees? YES. Yes she did.) See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#24
July 17 · 33 min
The end is nigh, and that could be a really good thing!
Host Greta Johnsen talks with Sarah Wilson about her new book, I Eat the Stars: How to Live Fully and Beautifully in a Collapsing World. As the title suggests, Sarah's book explores the idea of sysrem collapse, a metacrisis we're already experiencing through climate crises, political upheaval, cultural isolationism, and fossil fuel consumption. This book isn't necessarily easy to read -- after all, it presents a pretty grim future for our current way of life. But Sarah also points out that many of the systems that are currently collapsing have been oppressing us from the beginning. And to that end, this book is an invitation to consider what to prioritize as humanity moves forward. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#23
July 10 · 21 min
Remembering an extremely literate Jack Russell Terrier
Today’s episode is about public television, classic literature, and an extremely charismatic Jack Russell Terrier. Yes, we are talking about Wishbone, the iconic children’s PBS show that aired from 1995 to 1998. It was about Wishbone the dog, who imagined himself as the star of many canonical texts such as The Odyssey, Romeo and Juliet, Oliver Twist, and Cyrano de Bergerac. The shoe aired for 50 episodes, and won 5 Daytime Emmys. There’s a new documentary out about the show -- it’s called What’s the Story, Wishbone?. Host Greta Johnsen talks to two of the documentary’s producers, who also worked on the original show -- Betty Buckley, who also produced Wishbone, and Larry Brantley, who played the voice of Wishbone himself. As the documentary explores, the show wasn’t easy to make. The adaptations were ambitious, the production schedule was intense, and nothing like it had really been made before. But at the same time, there’s a tangible sense of curiosity and joy. And of course, a charming dog in pantaloons is always a delight. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#22
July 3 · 33 min
GRETAGRAM book club: Paige Lewis on 'Canon'
Host Greta Johnsen talks to author and poet Paige Lewis. Their novel Canon is the GRETAGRAM book club selection for July. Canon is difficult to describe -- it pays homage to many classic epics and is deeply rooted in the Bible, But it’s also extremely irreverent, funny, and weird. Ultimately, it’s a nonbinary hero’s journey with Good Guys and Bad Guys and a wonderful talking whale. Greta and Paige talk about OCD, the nature of evil, the sensationalism of violence, and FUN ANIMAL FACTS! There are three ways you can participate in book club: Listen to this spoiler-free conversation with Paige, then read the book, then sit back and relax! Do the first two things above, but leave Greta a voicemail with your thoughts by Monday, July 27! Just record yourself on your smartphone and email the tile to greta m johnsen at gmail dot com. Listen to the podcast, read the book, and come to the Zoom discussion on Sunday, August 2 at noon Central Time! Email Greta for the link. UPCOMING BOOK CLUB BOOKS: August: Land, Maggie O’Farrell (out now) September: Pool House, Mary H.K. Choi (out now) October: Exit Party, Emily St. John Mandel (out Sept. 14) November: Ply, Hernan Diaz (out Sept. 29) December: The True Confessions of First Lady Freeman, Deesha Philyaw (out Sept. 29) SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#21
June 26 · 39 min
GRETAGRAM book club: 'Dear Monica Lewinsky,' discussed!
The June GRETAGRAM book club selection is Julia Langbeing’s Dear Monica Lewinsky, a novel that explores sainthood, desire, the legacy of Monica Lewinsky, and the history of horny nuns. Host Greta Johnsen discusses the book with Gwen Kirby, the author of the wonderful short story collection Shit Cassandra Saw. Together, we unpack what makes this book SO GOOD, from tone to topic to setting to structure. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#20
June 5 · 22 min
GRETAGRAM book club: Julia Langbein on 'Dear Monica Lewinsky'
It’s the first Friday of the month, which means it’s time for a new book to read! This month’s selection is Julia Langbein’s phenomenal novel Dear Monica Lewinsky, and Julia is today's guest on the show. The book is about Jean, whose life was derailed the summer after her sophomore year in college. When she travels to France to study medieval religious history, she meets a charismatic professor and decides to pursue an affair with him. The repercussions of that choice echo through her life, and she’s still haunted as an adult. When she realizes her summer abroad was the same summer the Monica Lewinsky story broke in the United States, Jean prays to Monica, asking for forgiveness. That’s when a vision of Monica Lewinsky appears to Jean, and she’s able to relive her summer in France. When Tom Perrotta blurbed Julia’s first novel American Mermaid, he said, “It probably shouldn’t work, but it succeeds brilliantly, thanks to Julia Langbein’s tonal control and wicked sense of humor,” and the same can be said for Dear Monica Lewinsky. This book may be hard to describe, but it’s a joy to read, and it’s also a searing examination of female desire and the prices we pay to pursue it. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#19
May 29 · 24 min
GRETAGRAM book club: 'Whidbey,' discussed!
It’s the last Friday of May, which means it’s time to discuss T Kira Madden’s novel Whidbey! Host Greta Johnsen talks to self-professed T Kira stan Kristen Arnett, the author of several novels. (Her most recent book, Stop Me If You’ve Heard This One, is especially wonderful!) They unpack what makes this complex novel so readable: nuanced themes, compelling characters, tangible sense of place, and propulsive plot. TRIGGER WARNING: This book deals with themes of child sexual abuse, which we discuss. SPOILER ALERT: This episode includes spoilers for the book. If you haven’y read it yet a nd you don’t want to know what happens, listen to the spoiler-free author interview here. For more information on the GRETAGRAM book club, sign up for Greta's newsletter, GRETAGRAM! SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#18
May 22 · 32 min
9 books to read this summer
Host Greta Johnsen talks to two of her favorite readers -- MJ Franklin, an editor at the New York Times Book Review and host of The Book Review Book Club podcast, and Traci Thomas, who hosts the wonderfully bookish podcast The Stacks. Even though the three of them have WILDLY different reading tastes, they also have an abundance of respect for each other, so these conversations are always a treat. Here’s a list of each of their recommendations: Greta’s picks: The Children, Melissa Albert (June 2) Land, Maggie O’Farrell (June 2) Etna, Paul Yoon August 4 Traci’s picks: Crossroads: A Memoir in Baseball and Life, Dusty Baker (June 9) The Great Wherever, Shannon Sanders (July 7) Seasons of Fury: Four Families and the Rise of Islamophobia in America, Rozina Ali (August 25) MJ’s picks: Country People, Daniel Mason (July 7) Fixer Chao, Han Ong (July 14) The Mortons, Justine Larbalestier and Scott Westerfeld (July 21) SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#17
May 15 · 10 min
Swoony songs for summer
WXPN morning host and assistant music director Kristen Kurtis offers host Greta Johnsen three songs to enjoy this summer, and they are all BOPS: Zinadeplhia, “River” Parlor Greens, “Eat Your Greens” Allison Russell, “Cold April” ft. Kara Jackson, Denitia, and Explore! Pop Choir SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#16
May 8 · 22 min
Swedish Death Cleaning 101
Host Greta Johnsen talks with profesisonal organizer Kelly Brask about how Swedish death cleaning can help you live better by getting rid of the things that no longer fit int your life and keeping the things that are useful and joyul for you. She also offers hints for how to organize your space and encourages you to embrace cleanliness while avoiding perfectionism. See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#15
May 1 · 30 min
GRETAGRAM book club: T Kira Madden on 'Whidbey'
Host Greta Johnsen talks with T Kira Madden, whose novel Whidbey is the GRETAGRAM Book Club selection for May. (TW: Child sexual abuse.) Whidbey is told from the points of view of three women who are all connected to Calvin, a sexual precator: Mary Beth, his mother, and Birdie and Linzie, who victims who approach their trauma in very different ways. T Kira talks about the book’s enticing opening scene, the ways that victimhood can be exploited, and whether she considers writing fiction to be cathartic. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Tile art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#14
April 24 · 25 min
Chocolate for breakfast with Roxana Jullapat
Host Greta Johnsen talks with Roxana Jullapat, head baker and co-owner at the Los Angeles restaurant Friends & Family. Her new cookbook is Morning Baker: Recipes and Rituals for Breakfast and Beyond. In 2019, she wrote Mother Grains: Recipes for the Grain Revolution, a thorough compendium of heritage grains and everything they have to offer. Roxana says the new cookbook is just as devoted to whole grains, but it’s a little more joyful. “There’s a lot more spontaneity,” she said. “It truly is a reflection of what we make at Friends & Family, and what it means to be a grain head.” SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.
#13
April 17 · 24 min
The 'Margo's Got Money Troubles' TV show is very good, and Rufi Thorpe agrees
Host Greta Johnsen talks to author Rufi Thrope, whose novel Margo’s Got Money Troubles was just adapted into a series on Apple TV+. The show’s cast is stacked -- it stars Elle Fanning as Margo, a young woman who becomes pregnant after an affair with her college professor. She decides to keep the baby, much to the chagrin of her own single mom Shyanne, played by Michelle Pfeiffer. Margo’s absentee former pro wrestler dad, Jinx, is played by Nick Offerman. Rufi and Greta talk about the magic of seeing a novel in a whole new dimension, what Rufi is working on next, and the utter absurdity of living with the cuddly monster known as the Bull Terrier. SHOW CREDITS Creator and host: Greta Johnsen Senior Producer: Ben Goldberg Composers: Ross Bellenoit and Jeremy Thal Show art: Mac Maclean See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.

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