Working Hard Playing Hard

In Search of an Argument

The travel tales vary from Beth spending twelve weeks in Ireland on $900 to the decadence of John and Shelly’s safari complete with manservants drawing their baths and chandeliers. Shelly draws once again upon her experiences in the world of online dating to segue into the difference between travelling within the U.S. and exploring the rest of the world. Beth picks up on this theme to emphasize the adventures and challenges of international travel and how exhilarating they can be. (For example, hitching a ride with a broom salesman late at night in Thailand). New father John expresses his view that working hard and playing hard may have a different meaning for him now. Beth seems satisfied with the balance she has achieved, but Peggy and Shelly wish they had started playing harder sooner in life. Beth talks about early retirement and her dream trip to New Zealand. We all learn the dictionary definition of the word métier and how it relates to Peggy making gelato. In this episode we also learn that Beth has listened to the podcast recently (and that Peg is very impressed by that); that Shelly’s back is ailing; that John is worried about violence; and that Peggy is critical of Jim’s interpretation of the Top of Mind segment. If you take away one lesson from this episode, dear listeners, let it be this: Do Not Show Up At Shelly’s House Dressed As a Squirrel.