Help Wanted

The hilarious Rebecca Westerkom joins Valerie and Reggie to talk about ridiculous and not-so-ridiculous things we fear: flyovers, fires, firefighters, zip lines, chips and queso, and leaving your children parentless because you both flew on a plane that ended up crashing, among other things. Plus Reggie's annoyed when her treadmill territory is threatened and Valerie has a spiritual experience at Trader Joe's and then tells everyone about it. Sponsored by Facebook's photos of you from 5 years ago (when you peaked!). 

Help Wanted talks with renaissance woman and experienced volunteer about her different volunteering experiences, picking organizations and activities that fit, questions to ask yourself before you start volunteering, avoiding compassion fatigue, and meeting men in the produce section of the grocery store. Ryan has been involved with the community for years: teaching English as a second language, building houses with Habitat for Humanity, handing out mail at a homeless shelter, reading for the blind, and more. Regina celebrates her home-a-versary, Valerie tells an incredibly long story about stealing a chair from a volunteer. Plus, a dissection of the Blue Man Group, Pepto Bismal fandom, and being done with America. This episode is sponsored by Getting Dragged Away (a not uncommon thing that happens if you live in the USA). 

Aaron Salinas joins Help Wanted to talk about complicated family dynamics, how he found out his father is gay, and how he has found acceptance around his dad's homosexuality, even while his dad hasn't yet come out to him. Plus The Cracker Barrel and Reggie and Valerie are both exhausted from binge watching Orange is the New Black. This episode is sponsored by the British pronunciation of the word "schedule." 

Tom Booker once did a commercial with Melania Trump. He knows bad times. Yet in spite of that, he's a pretty positive person. He joins Help wanted to talk about staying positive even when things suck. The comedian, theater owner, name dropper, and president of Austin also discloses his morning meditation routine, the motives behind his positive social media posts, a story of being invited to perform in a pornographic movie, and his collection of parked domains. Valerie booked a trip to Copenhagen, and Regina's going to Vegas. Sponsored by avocado tattoos. 

Bubbalicious bubble gum doesn't exist anymore and white chocolate candy is taking over the world, and Valerie blames Trump. Regina is discombobulated, down and out, but couch and 5king it. When Valerie and Regina were 16, they were sneaking out past curfew (shhhhh, don't tell their parents) but these days teenagers are saving the world. At least that's what Maddy and Eleanor, two ambitious high school students are doing. They and their friends helped Texas Senator draft legislation to make it requirement that Texas students learn about human trafficking. Human trafficking is a big problem; 313,000 people in Texas are trafficked each year, and 79,000 of them are young people every year. It's a topic that isn't talked about much in the media and Maddy and Eleanor are working to bring this topic to light. We also find out how these two young women feel about feminism. This episode is sponsored by: capers, the salty snack that's perfect to eat when you're on an actual caper. 

Help Wanted will see you next week with an episode on human trafficking. 

Help Wanted talks about toxic patterns in mother daughter relationships, famous tv moms, and giving moms a break. Plus, Valerie's pro Greg Kinnear, and Reggie doesn't know what to think of him. Reggie thinks matchy matchy Sears family photos are definitely a white person thing, and Valerie is still carrying around Tiny Pies weight and wants an emcee gig at the Buda Weiner Dog races. This episode sponsored by Clark's Middle Management Shoes.   

Comedian Jennifer Dorsey joins Help Wanted to talk about all the stupid things women apologize for and why it's so hard to apologize when you're actually wrong. Jennifer is also filled with fun facts about the Irish famine, Little Women, and the origin of margarine (rate your favorite: Parkay? Country Crock? Fleishman's?). This episode is sponsored by Twix Fix: one Twix won't solve everything but two Twix can fix anything!

Actor and comedian Brittany Flurry (The Naked Feminist, Team Teamwork Productions) talks with Help Wanted about oversharing, and how we might be prone to doing it because we're more and more disconnected as a society. What's authentic and what's A LOT? Does it matter if the thing shared is sad and gloomy or entertaining? How do we discern what's enough and what's too much? Reading the room and asking yourself "is this helpful?" are a couple of ways to think about what we're sharing and when. How do we respond on social media when someone's breaking down or TMIing every post. Ultimately sharing might be caring.Plus how to buy a car and why is everyone we went to high school with selling Rodan + Fields mascara? Sponsored by Accidental Run in w/Your Ex!

Do you have a problem with gossip? It might not even be a problem. Because we like finding loopholes for trash talking, Help Wanted found research to support that gossip can be healthy for forming social bonds. Some folks even believe that Neanderthals gossiped and that fire, grooming, and hunting and gathering all provided venues for the chatty cave people of yore to comment on Becki's messy hair and Dylan's bitchy attitude. We also contemplate differences between caramel, butterscotch, and toffee. Reggie is not a fan of Paula Abdul, but loves a PayDay and a hollow chocolate Santa Claus, while Valerie's fave candy is a PB Reese's egg. This episode sponsored by Magic 8 Balls, when coin flipping isn't an option because of your poor hand-eye coordination and when eeney miney mo won't work because of its racial slurs, try the Magic 8 Ball!. 

"Wanna Netflix and ill?" is Regina's new motto. She's been feverish and remains fearful about having sepsis. Valerie had a rage attack at the Fiat dealership and later on drove 5 miles with her handbrake on because she's car illiterate. Karen Blaney joins us to talk about sustainability and the environment. We talk about unnecessary plastic wrappers and things you can do to lower your carbon footprint that you might not be thinking about. Want the skinny on composting? Karen's got it. Did you know there's a Union of Concerned Scientists? They're an earnest group with a list of 10 Personal Solutions to Global Warming. Sponsored by Room Service Sized Condiments. 

Help Wanted debuts their first live episode. Reggie and Valerie seek advice from some of Austin's funniest comics and hear their sets as well. Elizabeth Spears has opinions on Funyuns, and we learn about her roommate's dog, and Regina's favorite gas station treat: Munchos. Ali Thompson talks about dick pics and quality t-shirts. Robert Segovia is an expert on Chicago food and office etiquette and Vanessa Gonzalez shares birth control chicken nugget conspiracy theories and tells us why she's obsessed with sax solos. This episode is sponsored by DIY IUDs, Standup Comic Standup Desks, and Box Box. 

Rage attacks are on the rise, post-election. Did you know that in the 2 hours following a fit of rage, you're more likely to have a heart attack. We talk about how breathing exercises, meditation, and being around others can help us tame our inner rage and learn that the cause for being prone to rage is sometimes due to brain injuries. Reggie might have a leg infection and Valerie feels like she can't breathe, either from Austin's vile allergies or from walking pneumonia. Valerie doesn't feel malaise or laissez-faire or nicoise. Plus gorilla families, grocery budgets, cast iron skillets, ear bumps, and brussels sprouts. WARNING: This episode features a lotta gross body talk for some reason. This episode sponsored by Episodes of Nova You DVR But Never Watch, because in this political climate watching PBS documentaries on climate change is just TOO much. Resources 5 Science-Based Ways to Break the Cycle of Rage Attacks When Rage Explodes, Brain Damage May Be the Cause

Regina on a hunt for a free cupcake and shares an icky saga of her sweet doggie Annie (a small-mouthed stoic animal) being attacked by a neighborhood dog who got into Reggie's yard via a fence hole. We do a deep dive into the circumstances and a sort of People's Court ruling on who needs to pay for what. We also have tips for what you can do if your dog is attacked by another. We also have tips for what you should do if you find yourself in such an unfortunate situation as a dog attack. Valerie talks kitten socialization, almost naming her cat Joe Biden, IUDs and breastfeeding. Brussel sprouts are a delicious and trendy veggie! This episode sponsored by Bath WMDs, the bath product sold everywhere the UN won't look. 

Valerie and Reggie got the "male's perspective on dating" at a cougar-y workshop facilitated by a Suze Orman-esque Rock Rose ex-therapist, current charlatan. It made Regina discouraged and Valerie temporarily into Bumble. Former public access star and all-around delight Arcie Cola joins Help Wanted to tell us what tarot is and what it isn't. Arcie is a self-taught tarot card reader who first learned while hosting a live, call-in show. Today she does readings for Austin.com. We talk DIY tarot cards and she gives Reggie and Valerie readings. Arcie also dabbles in conspiracy theories, and helps us figure out what happened to that Malaysian plane. The episode sponsored by Anxies, a new line of leggings to wear when you're feeling anxious. 

Reggie's leg is healing nicely since her fall into a hole. Valerie is taking a memoir writing class and everyone needs a new tub. We talk with Susan Schorn, a Karate double black belt, writer (Smile at Strangers), and self-defense instructor, about activism, communicating with assertion, nonviolent protest, and how she uses the martial arts to channel anger. Plus tips for dealing with street harassment and effective resistance. This episode sponsored by Breakroom Food, for when you'd rather eat a chocolate Santa wrapped in foil than question your life's choices, and from City of Exhausting t-shirts, tees with love hate relationship with the city of Austin. 

Help Wanted talks with comedic performer and all-around fun person Amanda Smith about the law of attraction and Abraham Hicks, aka, Esther Hicks, a guru type who taps into source energy that we can all also tap into if we want to manifest our dreams. Amanda shares a story about going to a hippie retreat in California introduced her to positive thinking, which ultimately ledd her to make a move to Austin, and an eerie thing that happened after her move. Plus oh my! Reggie fell into a hole, (kind of, just her leg), saw bone, and had to celebrate President's Day in the ER, instead of buying a mattress. Valerie can't count in Spanish past 12, or actually 11 if she's being truthful. This episode sponsored by DIY IUDs; you can make an IUD out of plenty of household items: old receipts, a chopstick from Panda Express, or a wad of old twist ties from that drawer in your kitchen with the batteries and melted gum. 

Turns out Valerie's hubcap bandit from last week wasn't actually a thing. Reggie can't figure out her world since rearranging her bedroom and she may or may not have had an attempted break-in. We turn to bad habits often to help us deal with stress. Overeating, overcouching, overworking, over everything. BBQ potato chops and tears are Regina's way of coping. But we can have more fulfilling lives if we build good habits and change the bad ones. We have tips for how to make good habits stick (don't focus on changing everything in one fell swoop you'll fail). Plus, many interruptions from Valerie's new kitten who has many names and you can still buy Tang. Who knew? Sponsored by Lash Catastrophe, the lash lengthening serum sold on Facebook by women you went to high school with.

Valerie and Reggie talk with licensed therapist, Elizabeth Dossman LPC-S, about shopping for a therapist. We discuss questions to ask the therapists you're looking at working with, awkward first sessions, different types of practitioners, what therapists are really writing in their notes, how to "break up" with a therapist, how can get services even if you don't have money, equine and art therapy, and much more. You can find out more about Elizabeth Dossman and her approach at www.elizabethdossman.com. Plus Regina shares her weird apartment therapist story, and Valerie reveals she has a hubcap bandit. This episode sponsored by Flatbreads, a tasteless menu item for when you want to make pizza great again, but it actually already is.

Writer and funeral director Sarah Wambold makes her second visit to Help Wanted to discuss political activism. Sarah shares her experiences getting involved as a college student with marijuana legalization and how post-election her activist tendencies have increased times a million. She gives insight on protests, social media, canvassing and phone calls. Plus some tips on how to be an activist if you're an introvert or don't have a lot of energy.  Reggie and Valerie both want someone to teach them how to shoot weapons to prepare for the impending apocalypse. Sarah advises going out without your phone. And also, Valerie went to LA for ice cream, amazing pancakes, beaches and to witness a homeless guy humping the sidewalk. Plus AirBnB hidden cameras and Costco broccoli soup. This episode sponsored by Sharpies, the number one writing utensil for the resistance.