The Bittersweet Life

Latest Episodes:

Episode 228: GHOSTS Oct 22, 2018

Show notes

Join us for a whimsical (and not so whimsical) conversation about ghosts—do you believe in them? Have you ever encountered one? Are you the type of person who automatically looks for "rational explanations" when spooky things occur? Or are you open to believing something paranormal is afoot? Where's the line between open-minded and gullible?

We also talk about the famous ghosts that supposedly haunt Rome, including Beatrice Cenci. Tiffany tells her tragic story. Also, the Colosseum—a place that saw the deaths of so many tens if not hundreds of thousands of people—many say it's bound to be the most haunted place on earth. And that leads us to another question: is it right the site of mass killing, torture, and horror go on to become tourist attractions? Katy recounts her chilling experience at the "Hanoi Hilton" in Vietnam, and considers that maybe it would have been better if it had been torn to the ground. Why do we seek to preserve places of unspeakable cruelty? It is so they will be a warning to future generations…or because we're fascinated with the macabre?

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Episode 227: WANDERLUST (with Laura Smith) Oct 15, 2018

Show notes

This week, Katy interviews debut author Laura Smith, and the two discuss the definition of wanderlust, why some people spend their lives perennially longing for new experiences, and how you can challenge the status quo for your own life.

They also examine the dark side of wanderlust—does a yearning for "other" mean you are unsatisfied with your life? When does travel become escape? When you are constantly running away, what happens to the people you leave behind?

In her debut work, The Art of Vanishing: A Memoir of Wanderlust, Smith uses the extraordinary life and mysterious disappearance of child prodigy and fellow wanderer Barbara Newhall Follett as a backdrop for her own raging wanderlust. Learn more about Laura Smith at her website.