Best Dani Rosenberg Podcasts (2025)

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#172 - What “Beaches” Gets Right About Friendship (with Professors Paul Eastwick & Eli Finkel) 48:52

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5d ago48:52

48:52

You've arrived at the best academic nerd-out ever on the movie Beaches. Find out why CC Bloom and Hillary Whitney's instant friendship chemistry, breakups and makeups, and tear-jerker ending still wrecks us (in the best way). Is there something we can still learn in 2025 about making, keeping, and losing friends from this late 80s film? Absolutely.…

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#171 - Brighten a Friend’s Day with One Simple Gesture: November Friendship Challenge 15:04

7d ago15:04

15:04

This month’s friendship challenge is all about generosity, but not the kind that empties your wallet or the type that requires a special occasion like a birthday or holiday gift. Think thoughtfulness and the joy of letting friends know you're thinking of them for no reason whatsoever. It's generosity of time and spirit merely to show friends they m…

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#170 - The Friend Who Really Sees You (with Hannah Rosenberg) 33:25

13d ago33:25

33:25

"This made me think of you." Is there anything more delightful to hear from a friend? These are the words often written between friends when someone shares one of Hannah Rosenberg's (always viral!) poems from Instagram. And the incredible Hannah Rosenberg is my guest on Dear Nina. I was so excited to meet the woman behind the words I've been sharin…

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#169 - Hosting a Salon: The Friendship Upgrade from Book Clubs (with Linda-Marie Barrett) 36:58

21d ago36:58

36:58

Want a social gathering for making new friends or deepening friendships that’s not a book club, not mahjong, not a cooking club, not pickleball—just high-level, soul-filling conversation? Enter "the salon." Linda-Marie Barrett, author of Creating a Salon: The Magic of Conversations that Matter, shows us exactly how to plan a modern salon: who to in…

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#168 - From Surface to Substance: A Journalist’s Guide to Deeper Friendships (with Jonah Kaplan) 33:41

1M ago33:41

33:41

Ever feel like your friendships are trapped in the very general "how are you?" catch-up loop? Award-winning journalist Jonah Kaplan joins me to talk about moving from small talk to something more substantive that feeds connection. Jonah has spent two decades covering difficult stories for CBS and WCCO, and he’s learned that the best conversations—o…

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#167 - Ask Your Friends (A LOT) More Questions: The October Friendship Challenge 13:37

1M ago13:37

13:37

You're probably not asking your friends enough questions. This month’s Friendship Challenge is simple but powerful: ask your friends more questions. (Way more than you think you should.) Trust me, people notice when you're not asking questions. One of my most viral TikToks from last fall was when I talked about "the friend who never asks about you.…

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#166 - Friendship Repair: How to Say I'm Sorry, Accept Apologies, and Ask for One (with Marjorie Ingall) 36:01

2M ago36:01

36:01

A good apology can save a friendship; a bad one can torch it. And yes, our friends will mess up. As will we! That's why learning to say "I'm sorry" (and why!), accept an apology, and even ask for a better apology if the one you got was "off" are all important skills in maintaining and deepening your friendships. In this episode of Dear Nina, I spok…

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#165 - The Child-Free Friend: Honest Talk About Friendship and Different Life Paths (with Dani Alpert) 28:54

2M ago28:54

28:54

Different choices, same friendships—if you’re willing to speak up. This week on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I talk with bestselling author Dani Alpert, who has always known she didn’t want children. While her five best friends all married and had kids, Dani carved out a different life. The result? Decades of navigating friendships wh…

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#164 - Making Mom Friends: Challenges and Opportunities (with Alex Reed) 38:51

2M ago38:51

38:51

New parenthood can be isolating and full of unspoken (or spoken!) pressures. But those early years are not only about the challenges. There are opportunities too! For one, being at a drastically new stage of life is a common time for making friends who are going through similar experiences. I spoke to Alex Reed, a new-ish mom (at least compared to …

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#163 - Shame and Friendship: What We Hide, What We Share (with Melissa Petro) 28:19

2M ago28:19

28:19

What happens when we carry shame into our friendships? How does it keep us apart? How does it connect us deeply to others? I spoke with author Melissa Petro, whose book, SHAME ON YOU: How to Be a Woman in the Age of Mortification, delves into the complex relationship between shame, identity, and connection. Together we explore how unacknowledged sh…

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#162 - September Friendship Challenge: Listen to Your "Bestie Brain," Not Your "Bully Brain" (with Leslie Randolph) 33:12

2M ago33:12

33:12

This month’s Dear Nina Friendship Challenge taps into the fresh-start energy of September to help you quiet the inner bully telling you you're awkward or not desired and dial up your inner bestie. I'm joined by Leslie Randolph, certified coach and TEDx speaker, who helps adults, tweens, and teens cultivate self-confidence that sticks. Leslie and I …

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5 Fun Things for Staff Kick Off 18:24

3M ago18:24

18:24

In Episode 88, we’re diving into 5 Fun Things from our annual Staff Kick-Off—a tradition that helps us reconnect, realign on our mission, and set the tone for a great season. With our big move coming up, we kept this year’s meeting intentionally lighter, knowing a more intensive training is on deck soon. 1) Staff Lunch Away from the Studio A cozy, …

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#161 - How Much Can You Expect Friends to Support Your Business, Book, or New Endeavor? (with Jackie Friedland) 32:59

3M ago32:59

32:59

What should we expect from friends when we launch a new business or creative project like a book or a new company? Bestselling author Jackie Friedland joins me to wrestle with the messy feelings of disappointment, obligation, vulnerability, and gratitude that come with asking friends for support. Jackie opens up about the rollercoaster of releasing…

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Dance Teacher Summit NYC Recap! 21:42

3M ago21:42

21:42

Episode 87 – Dance Teacher Summit Recap In this episode of Make Dance Fun, Becca and Dani share a recap from Dance Teacher Summit in New York City. Dance Teacher Summit Highlights: New York Energy: Being back in NYC was a highlight in itself—the food, style, and nonstop inspiration brought fresh energy to the experience. Connecting with Friends: Th…

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# 160 - From the Cafeteria to the Mahj Table: Friend Group Challenges from Teens to Midlife and Beyond (LIVE!) 58:37

3M ago58:37

58:37

My dream for "Dear Nina" has always been to make people feel less alone in the messy parts of friendship. Episode #160 was our first-ever LIVE show with 120 people in the room—and wow, you could feel the energy, see the heads nodding, and appreciate the camaraderie of an audience who has experienced the highs and lows of friend groups. Friend group…

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5 Fun Things with Melissa McGhee from Lineage Dance Co. 36:46

3M ago36:46

36:46

In Episode 86, we welcome back Melissa McGee from Lineage Dance in Columbus, Ohio. Melissa has had incredible growth since opening her studio just a few years ago, and she’s here to continue our 5 Fun Things series and share what she’s doing at her studio right now that you might want to try, too! 1. Back-to-Dance Merchandise Boxes Melissa noticed …

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#159 - Teaching Kindness Without Forcing Friendships: A Parenting Dilemma (with Jessica Speer) 31:30

3M ago31:30

31:30

As parents, we all want our kids to be kind, inclusive, and compassionate. But what about when your child simply isn’t interested in a friendship? How do you balance kindness with their right to choose who they spend time with? This week, I revisit one of my earliest and most-loved conversations with award-winning author Jessica Speer, whose books …

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#158 - You Need an Older or Younger Friend: August Friendship Challenge (with Liz Alterman) 23:07

3M ago23:07

23:07

The August Friendship Challenge on Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship is all about mixed-age friendships, and I’m grateful to dive into the topic with author Liz Alterman. Her latest novel, Claire Casey’s Had Enough, includes a beautiful friendship between a 46-year-old and a 78-year-old woman, which gave me the perfect reason to talk about …

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5 Fun Things As We Head to Dance Teacher Summit in NYC 20:57

4M ago20:57

20:57

We’re heading back to New York City for Dance Teacher Summit, and we couldn’t be more excited! In this episode of the Make Dance Fun Podcast, we’re sharing the top 5 things we’re looking forward to as we prepare for this incredible event. Whether you’re attending DTS this year or just dreaming of a trip to NYC, this episode will inspire you with id…

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#157: When a Community Shows Up: Childhood Cancer, Friendship, and Lifelong Ripple Effects (with Amy Blumenfeld) 23:26

4M ago23:26

23:26

Amy Blumenfeld was in 8th grade when she was diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma. While the medical story is remarkable on its own (including Amy becoming the first adolescent with Hodgkin lymphoma to have an autologous bone marrow transplant at Memorial Sloan Kettering in NYC), what stayed with her deeply was how her community showed up for her family…

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5 Fun Things (aka Resources) We Love! 27:54

4M ago27:54

27:54

In Episode 84 of the Make Dance Fun Podcast, we're back with another edition of our “5 Fun Things” series—this time, highlighting some of our favorite resources that we use at our studio on the regular! Here are 5 fun resources that make our studio lives easier, more creative, and more fun! Check out our blog post for links! 1. Canva Print Services…

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#156 - Four Years In: The 4 Biggest Lessons I’ve Learned About Friendship (and 4 About Podcasting Too) 18:40

4M ago18:40

18:40

It’s the four-year anniversary of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship! Whether you’ve been with me from the column that began in 2014, started with the first episode in 2021, stumbled in at episode 86, or you're new around here at #156—thank you. Thank you for caring about friendship on a deep level and for helping this podcast grow into some…

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5 FUN Things to Freshen Up Your Studio 25:51

4M ago25:51

25:51

Welcome to Episode 83 of the Make Dance Fun Podcast! It’s the middle of summer, and while we’re all squeezing in a little time off between camps and competitions, it’s also a great window to knock out a few things around the studio—and actually make them fun! We’re continuing our Five Fun Things series with this week’s topic: 5 Fun Things to Freshe…

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#155 - Thriving Solo: Making Friends and Creating Community After a Big Move (with Lisa Giordano) 28:39

4M ago28:39

28:39

After 31 years on the East Coast, Lisa Giordano decided (less than a year ago) to make a big move to Austin, Texas, with zero local contacts and a personal challenge to build a community and social life from scratch. In this upbeat conversation, Lisa tells us what really works (and what does not) when you’re starting over single in a brand-new city…

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5 FUN Things to Do with your Dancers During Intensive Week 23:10

4M ago23:10

23:10

Welcome to episode 82 of the Make Dance Fun Podcast! Today, we’re kicking off a brand-new series called Five Fun Things—a collection of episodes where we’ll share creative ways to bring more FUN into different parts of your dance season. Because, after all, our mission is to help you Make Dance Fun! In this episode, we’re focusing on five fun thing…

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#154 - Discretion vs. Gossip: How to Handle a Friend Who Overshares Your News (Letter Spotlight with Rebekah Jacobs) 28:31

4M ago28:31

28:31

Ever feel that low-level hum of annoyance when a friend casually drops your (good or bad) personal news into the conversation? I have my fantastic "Dear Nina" assistant producer, Rebekah Jacobs, with me this week to crack open a listener's anonymous letter about DISCRETION. Discretion is that gray zone between gossip and harmless chatter. Rebekah a…

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And So It Begins...The NEW Rhythm! 35:34

4M ago35:34

35:34

Welcome back to Make Dance Fun! In episode 81, we’re diving into something BIG: our brand-new dance studio space! Now that nationals are behind us, we’re shifting focus to prepping for the upcoming season—and at the top of our list is building out our brand-new studio! This week, we’re sharing more about the journey that’s been 32 years in the maki…

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#153 - July Friendship Challenge: 3 Focused Questions for a Mid-Year Reflection 15:38

5M ago15:38

15:38

Ready to see where your friendships stand halfway through 2025? In this solo episode, I (very quickly!) round up the first six monthly challenges. Then I hand you three laser-focused questions to help you reflect, assess, tweak, and strengthen your connections for the rest of the year. Answer the 3 Questions This Week! Block 15 minutes. Jot down ho…

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Behind the Curtain: The Magic of Rhythm Shows 42:37

5M ago42:37

42:37

In Episode 80, we’re diving into what happens once the show begins—from loading the truck to the final confetti blast!! If you caught Episode 79, you already heard all the behind-the-scenes prep that goes into our show season. If not, make sure to listen to that one as well! In this episode, we're covering: The week of the show: Friday truck load-o…

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#152 - When Your Child’s Friendship Issues Reopens Unresolved Wounds: Beth Segaloff 29:49

5M ago29:49

29:49

Facing Unfinished Friendship Business When Your Child Hits Social Snags Your child’s social life can stir up every unresolved playground scar you’re still carrying. Licensed clinical social worker and EMDR therapist Beth Segaloff joins "Dear Nina" to talk about separating our past (and present) friendship baggage from our kids’ current experiences.…

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Follow The Yellow Brick Road to our Year-End Show: 7 Months of Planning! 1:04:57

5M ago1:04:57

1:04:57

In episode 79, we're taking you behind the scenes of our 7-month journey from our October Year-End Show Retreat all the way through dress rehearsal week! We’re sharing how we plan, what gets done when, and how our team brings it all together to create a magical show experience. Here’s a month-by-month breakdown of our show planning timeline: Novemb…

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#151 - Myths Around Adult Friendships: with therapist Jazzmyn Proctor 22:46

5M ago22:46

22:46

What does it mean to have a close friendship in adulthood? How important is history in a friendship? What does (realistic) quality time with a friend look like when you're no longer in school? Therapist and podcast host, Jazzmyn Proctor, joins me to bust some of the most common myths she sees in her work with clients. This conversation offers a gro…

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6 Things in 6 Months: Let’s Recap! 29:22

5M ago29:22

29:22

We’re back with Episode 78! And we’re recapping six big things that have happened over the past six months at Rhythm and Confetti on the Dance Floor — and giving you a sneak peek at what’s coming this summer. From new Camp Confettis to our biggest announcement ever (we’re moving!), this episode is packed with all the fun, chaos, and sparkle you exp…

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#150 - Join or Die: Pickleball, Potlucks, Democracy, and Your Health: Rebecca and Pete Davis 33:19

5M ago33:19

33:19

In this milestone 150th episode of Dear Nina, we’re diving deep into friendship and community with siblings and co-directors Rebecca Davis and Pete Davis, the team behind the Netflix documentary Join or Die: A film about why you should join a club and why the fate of America depends on it. Inspired by the groundbreaking work of political scientist …

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#149 - June Friendship Challenge: Ask a Friend For a Favor 11:58

6M ago11:58

11:58

Welcome to the Dear Nina Friendship Challenge for June: Ask a friend for a favor. Why? Asking a friend for a favor demonstrates trust and intimacy. It helps your friend feel closer to you merely because you asked, and this will strengthen the friendship. Unfortunately, people really struggle asking for help, even for the smallest of favors. This mo…

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#148 - Tricky Friendship Etiquette for the Modern Age with Daniel Post Senning 44:34

6M ago44:34

44:34

I sat down with fifth-generation etiquette expert Daniel Post Senning of The Emily Post Institute to explore how classic (and modern!) manners can strengthen and even rescue our adult friendships. We discussed using etiquette for group chat issues, RSVP blunders, office friendship confusion, misuse of AI, bringing up kids' cringe posts, cocktail pa…

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#147 - Share Good News With Friends and How to Receive Friends' Good News 7:43

6M ago7:43

7:43

In this short solo episode, I consider why some people hesitate to tell friends about positive events like a promotion, a published piece, or a personal milestone or achievement. Likely due to cultural conditioning, we worry it will come off as bragging. I think it's a missed opportunity to feel closer to friends when all good news is kept under wr…

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#146 - Tolerate Uncertainty & Stop the Overthinking Spiral in Your Friendships with Dr. Jackie Henry 28:08

6M ago28:08

28:08

If you’ve ever reread a text 10 times, filled in every silence with worst-case scenarios, or found yourself leaving too many hangouts with friends regretting what you said, this conversation is for you. Psychologist Dr. Jackie Henry and I discuss tools to stop overthinking your every friendship move and learn to tolerate uncertainty in your relatio…

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#145 - Rules For Supporting Your Single Friends with Meghan Keane 29:26

6M ago29:26

29:26

Meghan Keane, author of Party of One: Be Your Own Best Life Partner, says one of the top complaints single people have about their married friends is that they feel like a problem to be solved. Another is that their dating lives are the sole focus of a married friend’s attention. Meghan joins me to unpack “singlism,” the subtle (and not-so-subtle) …

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#144 - The Secret Power of Changing the Venue in Your Friendship: May Challenge 12:36

7M ago12:36

12:36

Whether you’re hoping to upgrade a casual acquaintance, breathe life into a longstanding friendship, or accommodate a friend whose season of life recently shifted, a venue swap can work magic without big declarations or heavy planning. Welcome to the Dear Nina Friendship Challenge for May: Pick a newer friend or an old friend you'd like to feel clo…

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#143 - The Law of Rejection in Friendships with Harlan Cohen 41:36

7M ago41:36

41:36

In this powerful episode of Dear Nina, I am joined by bestselling author Harlan Cohen to explore the truth about rejection, risk, and the myths we carry into adulthood about what friendship “should” look like. We dive into the Law of Rejection—a concept that can radically shift how you approach your relationships. Whether you're 18 or 88, accepting…

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#142 - Friendship, Phones, and The Problem of Distraction: Katherine Martinko 28:29

7M ago28:29

28:29

What happens to our friendships when our phones are always within reach for us to "quickly check something" or "quickly answer a text?" It’s time to be honest about how available we are to everyone else while spending time with friends and how these distractions are harming our friendships. (I include myself in "we!") Is anyone else experiencing sm…

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#141 - The White Lotus Friendship Trio: Lessons for Your Real-Life Friendships: Rebekah Jacobs 40:11

7M ago40:11

40:11

It's a very special episode of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship dedicated to the much-discussed and debated friendship triangle in White Lotus Season 3 created by Mike White. The friendship trio of Jaclyn, Kate, and Laurie has captivated TV viewers for the last two months. Similarly, Rebekah Jacobs (Dear Nina's assistant producer) and I ha…

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#140 - Celebrating Friends' Birthdays and Your Own Birthday: April Challenge 14:43

7M ago14:43

14:43

The Dear Nina Friendship Challenge for April is about the sometimes tricky topic of friends' birthdays. The challenge itself is simple and the easiest so far in 2025. I'm encouraging listeners to actively seek out friends' birthdays so you don't have to rely on social media to know the date. Of course the next step is to acknowledge friends on thei…

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#139 - How to Start a Podcast: An introduction 32:30

8M ago32:30

32:30

Welcome to Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship. I'm your host, Nina Badzin. I've been writing about friendship for over 10 years and podcasting about it for almost four. This episode on how to start a podcast might not be for you. So, send it to your friend who has been thinking about starting a podcast! I break down the process, explaining e…

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#138 - The Neighborhood Village and How Community is Different From Friendship: Seth D. Kaplan 34:27

8M ago34:27

34:27

Your neighborhood community might be the most overlooked place for social connection. However, it’s essential to understand the difference between community relationships and friendships. They are not the same! I’m joined by Seth D. Kaplan, author of FRAGILE NEIGHBORHOODS: Repairing American Society One Zip Code at a Time, to discuss the importance…

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#137 - Find Your Walking Friends (encore with Leslie Hooton) 23:19

8M ago23:19

23:19

Many of us enjoy walking with friends for the mental and physical benefits (or could consider starting with the Dear Nina 2025 friendship challenge). However, the power of walking with friends is EXTRA inspiring in today’s episode. Leslie Hooton had to learn to walk multiple times throughout her life because of a stroke she had when she was born an…

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#136 - Your Three to Five Closest Friends (Letter Spotlight) with Rebekah Jacobs 27:59

8M ago27:59

27:59

What if you have lots of friends, but nobody feels like your special confidante or the person who would have your back no matter what? The newest letter spotlight episode comes from a listener who signed off as "Too Many Fish in the Sea." She feels lucky to have cultivated a wide community and plenty of friends, but she doesn't feel like she has su…

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#135 - March Challenge: Hyperlocal Friendship 19:02

9M ago19:02

19:02

There are local friends and there are “HYPERLOCAL” friends. This month in the Dear Nina community, we’re focusing on hyperlocal friendships—developing new ones and maintaining the ones you already have in your life. I introduce the March friendship challenge in this episode, which of course you can start any day of ANY MONTH. The challenge this mon…

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#134 - Fandom and the Potential for Friendship: with SC Perot 37:47

9M ago37:47

37:47

MAKING FRIENDS IN A FANDOM COMMUNITY Fandom, especially very enthusiastic fandom, can provide community, belonging, and friendship. In episode #134 of Dear Nina: Conversations About Friendship, I'm joined by Vanderbilt professor, lawyer, author, and joy enthusiast, SC Perot, who shares her story of rediscovering joy after a devastating divorce, hig…