Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) I'm not a particularly competitive person and I certainly wasn't gifted with strong hand-eye coordination—and as they say—two wrongs don't make a right. Brit, Cat, and I take to the podcast to share our mutual disdain for competitive sports, dive into our incredibly unlucky losing streaks, and give Cat a proper Chicago send-off before she embarks on her new journey abroad. We're certainly going to miss you, Cat! Catch you across the pond. ;) Get...
Sep 05, 2023•1 hr 35 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Fun fact: I once had a classmate give a 5-minute speech about how I'm actually not that big of an asshole despite being an only child — pretty cool right! Ray and I take to the podcast to bond over our "only child syndrome," debate over Drake's silly little habit of adopting new accents, and share our love/hate relationship with self-promotion in the pursuit of our individual creative endeavors. Join in! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE P...
Aug 29, 2023•58 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Ok be honest, was Twilight your sexual awakening too? I think it goes without saying that we're Team Edward, but the thing about being Team Edward is that we were obviously still hootin' & hollerin' along with everyone else in the theater during that shirtless scene in New Moon. I mean come on, we're only human! My bestie girls and I take to the podcast to dissect the myriad of ways we could become famous, discuss the unsettling CGI that bro...
Aug 22, 2023•1 hr 26 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Do you dodge teenagers like the plague? Do you cross the street to avoid crossing their path? You may have ephebiphobia or an irrational fear of teens, and let it be known that you're amongst friends. Sarah and I take to the podcast to share our mutual fear of TikTok's target demographic and bond over our experiences growing up in the catholic church before diving into life as a grief therapist and the terror of subbing for an intramural sports ...
Aug 15, 2023•1 hr 30 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Season 6 is here at long last! Let us catch you up on everything that's happened since we last spoke, from vowing never to travel with our cats again to waking up with a stranger in our bed to Lizzo getting canceled for body-shaming her backup dancers. It's been an eventful few weeks, to say the least, let's dive in. ;) Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimistic...
Aug 08, 2023•51 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) One hundred episodes in and we're feeling fine! James and I take to the podcast to celebrate with a riveting discussion about our stance on hot tubs, Chicago's breakfast spots, and the potentially life-altering decision to say goodbye to Eucerin forever, sounds fun, right? Join in! P.S. To whom it may concern, I recently discovered that I had two cavities and got my first-ever dental fillings hours prior to recording this episode — so maybe I'm ...
Jun 27, 2023•46 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If it's one thing about me, I'm not competitive, but I am a sore loser. James and I just got back from a trip to Milwaukee to celebrate a friend's birthday and we played an absolutely ridiculous amount of card games, got in a fight about whether or not to go to Summerfest, ate copious amounts of kettle corn, then, ironically won a ticket to Summerfest — life is a silly little game, isn't it? Anyway, join in! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW T...
Jun 20, 2023•53 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) The theme is rhinestones and denim, honey! Friend of the pod, returning guest, the light of my life, and fire of my loins, Grace Ferolo joins me back on the podcast to recap her recent trip out to Sin City to see the man, the myth, the legend, Bruno Mars, before we dive into the plight of the angry woman, the blessing & the curse of having a busy schedule, and the quest for love in all forms. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST I...
Jun 13, 2023•1 hr 2 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Personally, I've never had the urge to get butt naked and take my bicycle for a spin through the city streets, but who am I to yuck somebody else's yum! Join us on the podcast for a lovely little recap of James' birthday weekend and stay for my newfound favorite cure for the hiccups, James' issue with divvy-bike sanitation practices, our pitch for the drink of the summer, and more! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pess...
Jun 06, 2023•47 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) There's nothing more patriotic than celebrating Memorial Day Weekend with a Vienna hotdog and a Miller Lite at the stadium, am I right ladies? James and I take to the podcast to discuss my googling "grills for beginners" ahead of our trip to Home Depot, our mutual distaste for sandals, and more! Gear up for a taste of the American spirit, if you know what I mean, xoxo. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest...
May 30, 2023•45 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Barefoot-boy summer is upon us, the sun is shining, and for better or for worse, the toes are OUT. Kyle and I take to the podcast to reminisce on our first swear words (or cuss words for you Texans), share our favorite phone games, and swap foot fetish stories, join us if you dare. ;) Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLOW SAMANTHA Instagram...
May 23, 2023•1 hr 47 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) When was the last time you had a hand cramp? Well, I got one writing the notes for this episode, so it must be good! James and I take to the podcast to discuss the odd marketing tactics of a quirky local establishment here in Logan Square called the Friendship Chinese Restaurant before diving into my unhealthy obsession with Facebook Marketplace and my stance on Doctor's offices without fish tanks. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST...
May 16, 2023•52 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) If it's one thing about me, it's that I love a personality quiz. Categorize me, put me in a box, slap a label on me, I don't mind! I just got back from my all-company summit in which I found out that I'm a "collaborator" within the Predictive Index. I actually felt like I learned a lot about myself — and all after answering two measly questions, imagine! Anyway, join us on the podcast to learn how many times I pick up my phone a day, hear James ...
May 09, 2023•52 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Rich people ruin everything but also like — gimme some, you know? Money absolutely does buy happiness and whoever says otherwise is lying to your literal face and should not be trusted, got it? Anyway, join us for a heated debate about the importance of adding to your savings account, and stay for a riveting conversation about voodoo dolls & ouija boards, closeted nerds, men in heels, and more, xx. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE POD...
Apr 25, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Today the Kedzie Kids™ take to the pod to tackle an important question — 'Drive Your Tractor to School Day' — urban myth or rural fact? Join us for a riveting conversation about middle school bullies, ripped pants, and life on the dairy farm — and stay for a charming little anecdote about the time that I almost threw up when it was my turn to milk the cow during a school field trip. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pes...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 8 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) At this time, I'd like to give a shoutout to British Airways via American Airlines for reconnecting me with Abby Mackinnon on the way to the most magical place on earth — London, of course! I can genuinely say that I'm so incredibly happy our departing flight got moved up a full 3 hours and that our connection was moved all way from JFK to CLT because had that not been the case, I wouldn't have seen the girl in her Yankee's cap fighting for her ...
Apr 11, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Not to brag, but I recently had a Tweet go viral (upwards of 2+ likes) about how vacation is really just about bopping around for drinks and snacks., and honestly? I stand by that. James and I just got back from London, the literal trip of a lifetime, so naturally I wrote up a pros and cons list for the recap. Let's dive in, shall we? Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Websi...
Apr 04, 2023•47 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) It's me, hi, I'm the problem, it's me! James and I decided to take a ten year anniversary trip across the pond and I may or may not have gotten us an Airbnb as close to my old dorm as humanly possible — we're reliving the glory days, baby! Goals for the trip include convincing at least one person that I'm British and maintaining a healthy gut microbiome throughout our stay, wish us luck, xx. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instag...
Mar 28, 2023•34 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) I sold my car and bought a Pitchfork ticket — spring has sprung and love is in the air! Spring is an incredibly intoxicating season, isn't it? Especially when you live in a winter hellscape like we do here in the midwest, but as they say, you have to experience the lows to appreciate the highs, am I right ladies? Join us for a conversation about attempting to sell your car online, cleaning out your childhood home, finding love in a hopeless plac...
Mar 21, 2023•40 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) This one is for my IBS girlies! This is probably the first time we've openly discussed excrement on the pod, and frankly, it may also be the last! But in the wise words of Tarō Gomi — everyone poops. So, with that said, join us for a liberating conversation about bodily fluids, new friends, light-up shoes, and more! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbe...
Mar 14, 2023•2 hr 3 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Anne Hathaway is in her bag and where are you? We, as a society, owe Anne and all of the try-hard girlies and cringey queens a sincere apology. Allow women to be cringe! It’s their god-given right. So all of that is to say, if you’re team Anne, join us for a conversation about following celebrities on social media, cutting your bangs right before leaving the house, and so much more! You know you want to, xx. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW T...
Mar 07, 2023•1 hr 7 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Life hack: Lock a stranger out of their own home in order to force them into a life-long friendship! That's how Evan and I became besties and the rest is literally history. Tune in for the deets on our friendship origin story and stay for a lovely little conversation about our mutual love of thrifting, our shared struggle to find our respective TikTok personas, the delicate art of feng shui, and more, xx. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE ...
Feb 28, 2023•1 hr 10 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Welcome to the hangover episode where Sophia and I discuss the politics of bar-time karaoke and share our go-to hangover prevention methods before embracing our hangxiety and freaking out over our impending Saturn return. Pop some Advil and come along for the ride if you’re feeling brave, xoxo. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.com FOLLOW SAMANTHA...
Feb 21, 2023•58 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Have you heard about the guy who traded a paperclip for a house? Well how about this for news — Jake and I are both renters in Chicago, and although we may not have a house like Paperclip Guy, we do have beautiful relationships with our maintenance workers and we don’t have to shovel snow like the freaks with mortgages. Join us for a conversation about holidays, home decor, concussions, and more! Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST I...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 1 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) We’re back, we paid off our couch, and we’re onto season 5! Join us as we recap our break and catch you up to speed on all of the adult things we’ve been doing recently, including but not limited to making the active choice to spend less time on our phones, opening a new line of credit, going to a friend’s wedding, and inviting strangers over to our house for a sit-down dinner. Incredible things can be accomplished at twenty-six! Get silly with ...
Feb 07, 2023•35 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Happy (almost) Festivus! Are you familiar with the holiday? Originally coined by Frank Costanza of Seinfeld, Festivus is a holiday based around the airing of grievances, a practice I’m quite comfortable with myself. Are you familiar with the TikTok trend, “the ick challenge?” Think of Festivus as the original ick challenge and join us as James and I air our grievances or share our icks with one another as we round out season 4 of Pessimistic at ...
Dec 20, 2022•32 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Did you survive your work holiday party? We made it out alive, but not without taking a few Ls (literally) along the way. To sum it all up, I left my credit card at a bar after making the conscious decision to open a tab (classic) and James swapped jackets with one of my coworkers and lost his wallet in the process. So, naturally, the next morning was spent traipsing around Madison in search of clues—but all's well that ends well, as they say! G...
Dec 13, 2022•38 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) We’ve been back and forth between Chicago and Madison quite a bit recently. We went home for Thanksgiving, brought the cats, Misho went down the laundry shoot, James shot a deer—it’s been eventful, to say the least! Anyway, we're heading back to Madtown this weekend for my work holiday party, wish us luck, xoxo. Get silly with us on social: FOLLOW THE PODCAST Instagram: @pessimisticatbest Facebook: @pessimisticatbest Website: pessimisticatbest.c...
Dec 06, 2022•32 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Have you heard of the Camino de Santiago? It’s a popular pilgrimage through the north of Spain and my dad just finished his trek. He took the “French Way,” which is roughly the same length as the journey across the state of Wisconsin. Now that you have that perspective, does that make it more or less cool? For me, it’s tough to say, but I can confirm that I would not want to spend 45 days walking across the great badger state. Anyway, my dad’s b...
Nov 29, 2022•1 hr 7 min
Send us a love letter (or hate mail, your choice!) Coworkers by day, Daycatcher groupies by night—we’re just a couple of girls slaying the social media game before pounding a respectable amount of Twisted Teas™ at a basement show and if that’s not your vibe, we don’t want it, sister. Ginny was my first hire at work and now she’s stuck with me forever! Join us for a conversation about surprises, long-distance moves, Ginny’s first snowfall as a Wisconsinite, and more! Get silly with us on social: ...
Nov 22, 2022•1 hr 5 min
