Friends, Fanjitas and a Fear of Over-Talking
What I'd give for a transcript of Lily Pebble's and Anna Newton's latest At Home With podcast. They came to my house in Somerset along with (my wife from a different life) Caroline Hirons and things got slightly out of hand. Not only did I somehow invent the term "smoky bullshit" whilst talking about Instagram, we managed to steer the talk around to gynaecological issues and the practicalities of having sex in the bath.
I write that as though I'm surprised, but none of this is a surprise to me. Every time the four of us get together we end up hurtling down a one-way conversational track to hell, turning the air blue and venting until we feel as though we've had a near-religious soul-cleansing experience.
And I always feel slightly uneasy after I've had my voice recorded. When it's actually happening, when I'm "in the moment", everything I say feels real and raw and completely right to me. But then the microphone clicks off and the equipment gets packed up and I start to get the cold sweats. Why did I say that thing about the woman next door? She'll know immediately I was talking about her! Why did I swear? Why do I have to overshare about bodily functions?
It's a problem, this over-sharing, over-talking thing. I haven't always been that way - I think it started when I had Angelica and didn't get out of the house much. I discovered that when I was suddenly in the company of other adults I just couldn't stop my mouth from saying things. And it hasn't improved with time, to be quite honest. I don't know whether it's a sort of nervous condition but it's especially bad when I get introduced to other mums - it's as though I need a social skills refresher course! Does anyone else have this issue?
Anyway, if you fancy listening to my house-choosing methods (don't go for a haunted one, number one tip) and would like to hear me chat about mumming, blogging and the world of social media then click the link below. If you want to hear Caroline Hirons talk straightforward sense about skincare, family life and where she sees the online world going then also click the link below. If you want to hear all of us talk about selfie angles, self-cleaning ovens and going into space then - you've guessed it! - click the link below.
If none of those things float your boat then you are clearly dead inside.
"At Home With" Podcast: Caroline Hirons & Ruth Crilly
There are many more episodes of At Home With; we recorded the very last of the second season, so do click back and listen to the others. I still have some catching up to do, but guests include editor Jo Elvin, Youtuber Patricia Bright and Clemmie Hooper, aka Mother of Daughters.
If you missed my shout-outs for the other podcasts I've done recently then here are the links again - add them to your playlist and enjoy my dulcet tones on your next commute:
As You Are with Sammi Jefcoate