Ketchup
Kate Bowler is an author, podcaster and professor at Duke University, and Nora’s dear friend. And the thing that helps her remember it’s going to be okay is … ketchup.
You can find Kate’s podcast, Everything Happens with Kate Bowler, wherever you listen to podcasts. Her most recent book, The Lives We Actually Have: 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days, is available wherever you get books. You can find information on Kate’s newsletter and other books on her website.
Want to hear more from Kate? Listen to “Life After Certainty,” an interview with Nora about Kate’s academic work and cancer diagnosis, on our sister show, Terrible, Thanks for Asking.
“It’s Going To Be OK” is a daily podcast from Feelings and Co. Each morning, we bring you a short story, essay, or interview about one thing that makes us (or our guests) feel like it might not all be so bad – even if some things are.
Share your OK thing at 612.568.4441 or by emailing IGTBO@feelingsand.co.
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The IGTBO team is Nora McInerny, Jordan Turgeon, Megan Palmer, Claire McInerny, Marcel Malekebu and Eugene Kidd.
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Transcripts may not appear in their final version and are subject to change.
INTRO MUSIC
I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s Going to Be Okay.
But I don’t want you to listen to this podcast and just take my word for it.
Kate Bowler: Hello, I'm Kate Bowler, and I'm friends with Nora McInerny, who I love and who braids my hair and touches my sweaty hands like they're not an abomination to nature and to God.
Kate Bowler is the host of the podcast Everything Happens with Kate Bowler. She is the author of several wonderful books. And she is also a professor at Duke University. I have indeed braided her hair. I’ve held her sweaty hands. And they are not an abomination to nature and to God. They aren’t even as sweaty as mine.
Kate Bowler: So I just wanted to mention one thing that makes me feel like it's going to be okay. And it's taste test parties.
I started throwing taste test parties. Well, like probably a week after I was diagnosed with stage four cancer? It somehow felt like the most natural thing in the world to say, yes, this devastating thing has happened in my life, but did we ever really settle the question of which ketchup is better? I'm from the middle of Canada and we've got like bonus on bonus ketchups. We have like a local grocery store ketchups. We've got Safeway, classic. But yeah, by the end of the week, I had gathered about 12 different ketchups and lined them up so my sobbing family and friends could, could just sample that buffet.
But the truth is, it's the most fun and maybe also was somehow related to the fact that I have a family that hoards ketchup. Like if I go into my dad's car, in like -40, middle of Canada winter. I can open up any small like crevice in the car, the little tiny thing by the door, the sunglasses pop down holder, that center console, and there will be ketchups. Ketchups from 6 to 8 different fast food restaurants, as if in the apocalypse, the primary concern… like and just keeping in mind that every Canadian winter car is outfitted with like, uh, reflective vests, a shovel, flares. But my dad would add ketchup.
So maybe deep down, I just always know that when the apocalypse comes, the only really thing that's going to make you feel better is the great randomness of being super, super picky about one tiny, dumb thing. So, yeah, taste tests. I have held, I don’t know, maybe a dozen different taste test parties? Usually before or after something really stressful. It's not just like fries, pizza. I've gone, fake beers that aren't beers. Sweet, sour chicken. Breads. But the best one was the 30 different kinds of Diet Coke that I tried. And in all things, I just think um, yeah, strong opinions, loosely held. And when your world is terrible, sometimes all you want to do is yell about something that doesn't truly matter until that very moment.
So yeah, taste test parties. I highly recommend them. Also from personal experience… half a dozen ketchups is not going to hurt either.
Half a dozen ketchups is not going to hurt, either.
That was Kate Bowler. Her most recent book The Lives We Actually Have, 100 Blessings for Imperfect Days, is available wherever you get books, and we will also link it in the show notes.
OUTRO MUSIC
I’m Nora McInerny, and it’s going to be okay. The IT is subjective and subject to change. It will be different on this podcast every day, and we do want to hear yours. You can send us a voice memo (or an email! I can read an email) at IGTBO @ feelings and dot co. Or call us at 612.568.4441.
IGTBO is a production of Feelings & co, an independent production company. You can support our work by sharing this episode, rating and reviewing wherever you get your podcasts. Our team is Megan Palmer, Claire McInerny, Jordan Turgeoon, Marcel Malekebu, Eugene Kidd and Larissa Witcher.
Our theme music is by Secret Audio.