Five points of gratitude equal a glass more than half full!

It’s been a busy year for me, both personally and as a content creator. Though you may not know it from the scant number of podcast episodes I produced. Indeed, the podcast now competes for my time with the  research I conduct for my book. Add onto that the wonderful days I get to spend with our 7 month old grandson, now that we’re back in Minnesota. It’s all good, so no complaints from me!

So reminding myself, out loud, about the good things in my life takes the place of my non-existent journal. 

5 Points

1. The last 8 years of strides in social understanding. In 2015-16, I remember  having to slow down and explain representation in the context of media.  Fast forward to 2022 and I tweet “let’s call it what it is and isn’t.  It’s not under-represented, it’s systemically excluded.”     

2. Pandemic-timed tech boost. Libsyn (the podcast distribution host) and Zoom make it easier for mere mortals to produce high quality, accessible episodes.     

3. Catherine Yang, our outgoing audio genius who arrived at Advanced TV Herstory 4 years ago having just graduated from Northwestern University’s Radio,  TV and Film program. Catherine is off to pursue similar creative  endeavors, and leaves her prints on this podcast, in the forms of  consistently high-quality sound, eye-popping graphics for our YouTube  channel and our Witches are Back! Classic Charmed and 2018 Feminism episode, which she hosted and produced.     

4. The  never-ending questions that come to mind as I re-watch episodes and entire series. I see little new TV in part because I will watch 6 hours of the TV miniseries Scarlett simply because I’m intrigued by Esther Rolle’s appearance.     

5. You  – the community of TV Herstorians and cosmic TV buffs. Earlier this  month I had lunch with Susan, Sharon and Melissa, podcasters of The 80s TV Ladies.  It’s always a pleasure to talk TV, from obscure to popular. I enjoy exchanging emails with listeners and past guests and learn something new from each and every one.