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PODCAST

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper

Essays about my dysfunctional family and my often fabulous gay father, coming out as a writer, depression, working 12-Step programs for recovery from disordered thinking and eating. Sometimes it"s funny, sometimes it"s sad. It"s all me. nantepper.com

society & culture personal journals

All Episodes

14:01

Guns and Gerberas: I’m in the Mood for Love, Part Two

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2026/01/11

A few months ago I published an essay titled I’m in the Mood for Love.I wrote it while struggling with the fierce anger I was feeling about the world we’re living in, the apparent future we’re facing, and the thugs who are wreaking a startling amount of havoc in our communities, in our homes. But now it’s escalating. The haters are hurting immigrants and all people of color are at grave risk, immigrant or not, because how would the ICE thugs know? They all look alike. Right? The haters are

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16:54

Generosity. It's a State of Being

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/12/31

When I was a little kid, I learned to be a caretaker. Somehow, I got the message that I existed to help others. An early lesson learned from parents who loved me in a sincere, yet transactional way. If you do this, then, we’ll do this. Cause and effect. Our address was 4 Quid Pro Quo Lane, Anytown, USA.Generosity that’s conditional is not generosity at all.When giving to others comes with no strings attached, it’s a beautiful thing. For many years, I gave to others to validate my worth, thinking

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15:53

If You’re Afraid of Butter, Use Cream

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/12/24

On this night, I’m going to tell you a story. A story about a different kind of savior. One who saved millions of American homemakers (yes, they were women) who wanted to enchant their husband’s palates with something a little more interesting than beef stew. So, they learned to cook with the best. JC, heretofore referred to as Julia Child. And what did those women learn to cook first? Boeuf Bourguignon! Beef stew. Oooh, la, la! THEN:It’s 1969, and I run into the den, where my parents are watching

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13:35

Taking A Back Seat: A Reprise

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/12/17

I chose to share this story with you for two reasons. Reason number one is I’m on vacation until the first week in January. I’ll be posting from my archive. I’ll also be telling more 4-minute stories because I want you to know about Wham! Bam! Thank You! Slam!, the new project I’ve created with my partner-in-slam, Eileen Dougharty.The second reason is I want you to know that recovery is possible. It’s available to anyone who wants it. And while this post was originally about my body shame, now it’s

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16:06

Don't Try This At Home!

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/12/10

My little 7-year-old pup, Maisy, raced ahead of me last night as I walked to my bedroom, to ready myself for sleep.She made the leap onto my freshly-made bed with ease––she’s a high jumper––and planted her butt down on what she thinks of as her side of the bed. She wouldn’t budge. All 15 pounds of her. She sat there, trembling––I think it may be an act–– and made timid, hopeful eye contact with me, her nervous brown eyes asking, “can I stay, can I sleep with you tonight?” If you haven’t figured it

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17:43

I Used To Be Different. Now I’m The Same.

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/12/03

When I was 15 years old, I did something unusual for someone my age. I took the est training. No, “est” is not a typo. It was spelled in lowercase letters with no periods. Little e, little s, little t. It stood for “Erhard Seminars Training” and was founded by Werner Erhard (aka Jack Rosenberg, Svengali-in-training). He came up with a formula, repackaged old wisdom, and gave it a new vocabulary. And, he knew how to sell. “Est” is also Latin for “it is.”It was the height of the 1970s “Me” Decade and

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17:45

Pass the Stuffing

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/26

“I’m so excited!” he says. He calls to tell me he’s baking popovers this year. He bought a special pan.Uh, oh, he bought a special pan. It’s September, and Labor Day can still be seen in the rearview mirror and my father is making plans and testing recipes for his annual Thanksgiving feast.Every September he starts making lists. Lists of recipes and the necessary ingredients––never skimping on anything––no cutting corners with this guy. Referring to the notes he made the year before at his

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41:54

LIVE! Unfixed : Uncut with Nan Tepper

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/25

Get full access to The Next Write Thing at nantepper.com/subscribe

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9:37

Let’s Play Telephone. Help Me Spread the Word––I’m...

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/19

If this project is exciting to you, please restack, so we can get the news out to as many folks as possible. Thank you!Why so much buzz? Find out here, then join me, if you dare…This week, instead of my regular essay, I’m sharing some news with those of you who might not have heard yet. The buzz has been incredible since we announced it during our LIVE reveal last Friday. Instead of writing my regular weekly essay, I needed a few minutes to catch my breath and I want to keep you in the loop. It

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28:38

Replay: Nan Tepper and Eileen Dougharty reveal...

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/15

Take a look at the recording of our LIVE from this afternoon. We introduced our new project, Wham! Bam! Thank You! Slam! Check it out, and subscribe….and if you want to get brave and tell a story at one of our events, take a look at the themes, and let us know. The guidelines (in brief) are in the graphic below. The slam is for women storytellers (cis & trans) and non-binary folx. And men are most welcome to attend as audience members. Thank you Amy Gabrielle, Kimberly Warner, Irena Smith, Alisa

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17:12

Melting Pots Are Beautiful

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/12

1. THIS IS NOT A WALL, THIS IS A WELCOME. TO YOU, TO EVERY PERSON. IT IS A CALL, TODAY AND ALWAYS. TO ACCEPT DIFFERENCES, TO REJECT DIVISION. TO STAND PROUD, AND SPEAK YOUR MIND. TO FEEL SAFE, TO BE SAFE. AND SPREAD LOVE OUTSIDE AND IN. 2. THIS IS NOT A WALL TO YOU. IT IS A CALL TO ACCEPT DIFFERENCES. TO STAND PROUD. TO FEEL SAFE, AND SPREAD LOVE. 3. THIS IS A WELCOME TO EVERY PERSON, TODAY AND ALWAYS. TO REJECT DIVISION AND SPEAK YOUR MIND. TO BE SAFE OUTSIDE AND IN. I could barely keep up with the

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15:51

On the Road as the Queen of Hearts

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/11/05

I’m sitting in my car in bumper-to-bumper traffic in Midtown Manhattan, grateful for the quiet, a welcome contrast from the loud party I just left. When it was over, I got in my car at the best possible time to head home. Rush hour.As I relaxed into the relief of being freed from chit-chat with strangers––something I’m skilled at but don’t enjoy––some other feelings crept in. Stress. Anger. Impatience. At first, I didn’t notice.Driving in Manhattan is an assault on my senses, and a reminder that

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14:19

The Day I Punched the Orange Menace in the Face

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/10/29

I clomp down the stairs to the lower level of the gym. I’m angry and on the verge of tears. Mark, my trainer, is wrapping the session before mine. He looks up and sees that I’m not my usual smiling self. With a tiny nod, he lets me know he sees the state I’m in.It’s 2017, and I’m burning with rage and overwhelmed by the tsunami of sadness and depression I feel blowing in. January 2017, one week after the inauguration of the Monster-of-My-Worst-Nightmares-or-My-Wildest-Dreams-I’m-Not-Sure-Which. He’s

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13:04

The Legend of the Screaming Meme

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/10/22

Back in November when all seemed lost I started seeing a quote circulating on the socials. It was wholly attributed to Albert Camus. It offered me comfort, grounding, and hope. It’s a bit long, but worth sharing. I’m sure many of you have already seen it. It inspired me to write an essay in response. I made some progress, UNTIL I did a search to vet the quote. Cue suspenseful music. What I found was that there was only one line that could be attributed to Camus, as indicated here, in bold italics. I

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14:18

Don't Rain On My Parade

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/10/15

Silly trigger warning: I’m going to sing now. For a moment or two. Then I’ll stop, I promise.Bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum, bum!Don’t tell me not to live and sit and putter, life’s candy and the sun’s a ball of butter, don’t bring around a cloud to rain on my parade!I’d sing that song in my bedroom, over and over again to infinity. I had it down: the timing, the elocution, the patter. I’d dance. My singing? Pretty dreadful, though that hardly mattered. The notes

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19:24

Oh, Those Pearly Whites!

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/10/08

5-YEARS-OLDI’m sitting up in bed. It’s very late at night. It might even be the middle of the night when no one is supposed to be awake. At least, no little kids are supposed to be awake.But I can’t sleep, because I’m too excited and I have something important to do.I have another loose tooth. It’s about to fall out, but it’s not ready yet. And I don’t want to wait for when it is. I want it out NOW. So, I’m up, and I’m doing the thing I’ve done before. I’m helping it fall out. Because I want the

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19:29

Please, Can We Makeup?

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/10/01

We sat at a café table on the mezzanine, that overlooked the main selling floor of Macy’s Herald Square, their flagship store in NYC. I was being interviewed for a position selling cosmetics for Prescriptives, a makeup and skincare line created by Estée Lauder, the grande dame of lipstick and lotions, perfume and potions. The doyenne of the almighty dollar. She made a mint teaching women how to look their best, smell their sweetest, and nurture skin that would defy aging and positively glow. And she

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13:32

Boobs. A Brief History.

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/09/24

A boob roundup? What the heck is a boob roundup? I giggled to myself as I imagined a bunch of us in a rodeo corral, riding on horses, topless and flaunting it. We were attempting to lasso each other’s beauties to win a double-D loving cup in the shape of a bra, for having the most sensational set of knockers.Knockers? Who have I become? I’m like a teenage boy. And I'm mortified.Boobs are beautiful. But why are they beautiful? They’re globes of flesh that are attached to our chests, they vary in

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16:34

I'm in the Mood for Love

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/09/17

I have to write a love story today. My original intention for the coming week was to write about anger, to write about rage. To write about being a woman in a world that’s truly unkind to women. Brutal, in fact. To write about being a woman who’s hated solely because of my sex. Once you add in my confidence, my brains, my moral compass, my political views, my sexuality, my sense of humor, my weight, and my religion, that adds up to a whole lot of hate coming my way.Just by virtue of being the proud

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16:15

Up, Up, and Away?

The Next Write Thing: Real Life Stories by Nan Tepper ·

2025/08/27

“Wait? What? Why is my alarm going off? It’s still dark out. Did I set it wrong? ”Then, I remember. I’ve got to get up NOW because I’m flying to Los Angeles this morning. This isn’t a pleasure trip. I’m visiting my brother, who was in a motorcycle accident in June. He’s in a rehab at the beginning of a long road to recovery. It’s the first time I’m seeing him since the accident and I’m a nervous wreck. Bargaining with the goddess, Nyx, I just need to sleep for nine more minutes. I hit snooze and

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