“How on earth do you manage to read so many books so quickly?”
“Do your kids complain about the podcast?”
“How much time do you spend on research and prep a week?”
“What is the air speed velocity of an unladen swallow?”
(And more…a LOT more.)
For the third time since we began the show in 2011 we put out a call for questions and from that delightful barrage we answered as many as possible in this episode. We talk about a variety of subjects from how we met and The History Chick origin story, to several abstract “what if…,”, details about how we organize and research each episode and give you a little peek into the list where we pick our subjects from. Below you’ll find “We’ll put this on our shownotes” items!
How do I become a podcaster? Beckett broke it down to four things: Technical Aspects, Content, Persistence, Luck. While you’re pretty much on your own with the last three, for the first one, go to Helen Zaltzman’s website and check off her five points in her Adventures in Podcasting. Do NOT let people trick you into courses about the technical aspects of podcasting–there are plenty of successful, veteran podcasters willing to help you for free via posts like Helen’s (another must read is on Jamie Jeffers of The British History Podcast–amazing advice.)
The whole quote that the title came from goes: I have an inward treasure born with me, which can keep me alive if all extraneous delights should be withheld, or offered only at a price I cannot afford to give.
Every title is a Jane Eyre quote that Anne must have memorized before she turned to fire safety manuals for reading.
Right from the get go we have to put our thinking caps on! We both agreed that this quote is about doing what you think is right but we disagreed about what it meant specifically in this episode.
Today’s snack: Susan (‘s daughter) made shortbread and Beckett made Poetical Egg Salad Sandwiches with an “E” because the recipe was only an inspiration for the final product.
But what is so headstrong as youth? directed by Sandra Goldbacher
(Or: Transitions)
Oh Anne, this school thing isn’t going to work out like you think. via IMDB
The second line of that Jane Eyre quote is ” what so blind as inexperience” and that is certainly a theme that runs through this episode. During this recap of Episode 3 of the Netflix show we talk about the parallel surprise realities that Anne experiences at school and Marilla experiences in motherhood. We also get creeped-out by Mr. Phillips, want to punch Billy Andrews, offer advice for adults viewing this show with their children and compare and contrast 13 year-old girls to their “progressive” mothers. (Dang, that sounds so sophisticated when we say it that way, doesn’t it?)
The bits and pieces we promised to put in our shownotes for this episode:
Movie written and directed by Sandra Goldbacher, The Governess (link to IMDB page for movie)
Gord Downie’s animated film, The Secret Path (with CBC Arts Live panel). (Dear Canada, Thanks for introducing me to Tragically Hip. xo, Susan)
Tragically hip, with Michael Nesmith (yeah! The Monkey’s guy!)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NiUtry0A-M8
(And you, too, can be Tragically Hip with your own History Chicks promotional t-shirt by clicking the link to our shop on the right.)
Want to follow AmyBeth McNulty (Anne) on Twitter for some really adorable behind the scenes pics and video? Bonus content is that she seems like a perfectly real and charming person. AMYBETH on the Twittah.
Mr Phillips and Snidely Whiplash: separated at birth? via imdb and wikicommons
Ahhh, Josie Pye you meanie! (via IMDB)
Netflix’s Master of None: The capelet that started an obsession
This is Chocolate Caramel from the Anne of Green Gables Cookbook. This is, also, a plate of tasty sugar and bitter disappointment.
Updates to Reading List:
(complete list to be posted on last episode’s shownotes)
Poor Marie Laveau! She’s often remembered as either a sinner or a saint… and not too often as a multi-nuanced, very real woman who held power at a time and place when powerful women were rare.
Marie never sat for a portrait, but maybe she was a gorgeous as depicted in this one by Frank Schneider (1920 based on George Catlin that’s presumed destroyed) wikicommons
Marie’s story is a tangled web of myth, truth and half-truths with a whole lotta holes. She was illiterate so any record of her comes through legal documents, a few secondary sources and, well, that’s about it. Fun! (If your idea of “fun” is trying to detangle her tale.) Even her birthday comes with a disclaimer and was only (historically speaking) discovered recently. More fun! So what do we know for sure?
Marie was born around the beginning of the 1800s in New Orleans, Louisiana to a free woman of color, Marguerite D’Arcantel. The “father” line was blank but it’s presumed to be Charles Laveaux. (You caught that “x” didn’t you? Charles used it, Marie is usually referred to without it. See? What a tangled web.)
This is NOT the house that Marie lived in on St. Ann’s Street–it’s gone– but a random, lovely cottage all fancied up, in the French Quarter
Marie lived in New Orleans her entire life, married as a teenager to Jacques Paris who disappeared from the narrative within just a few years. She entered a common law relationship with *deep breath* Louis-Christophe Dominic Dumesnil de Glapion and had between 5 and 15 children. She worked as a hairdresser, was a practicing Catholic and also a practicing Voodoo Queen.
Marie’s home church…right?! St. Louis Cathedral
She had a very philanthropic heart, was deeply tied to her community, led many public and private Voodoo services, made a nice living selling gris-gris and used her spiritual gifts to help people of all colors and social levels.
Gris-Gris, Charles Gadolfo (art just classes up the joint, doesn’t it?) wikicommons
She died on June 15,1881. Although, quite mysteriously, it seemed as if she didn’t. Marie II (more than likely her daughter but not enough evidence to claim it as truth) took over Marie, Senior’s gig–rituals, clients and all, only the heart of Marie 2.0 wasn’t the same and the activities became a bit more…let’s go with “naughty.”
Wow, Chicks, that doesn’t look like enough solid intel for a full show.
We talk about cool stuff like the possible cultural appropriation of Marie’s style (forced on her) with Dolley Madison’s (a choice.) We also talk about how much we love Dolley.
Hahaha…have you not met us? We compare the myths and legends of not only Marie but Voodoo in general; we talk about life of women of color at that ever-changing (and not for the better) time in US history, and the unusual history of New Orleans (and gush, Susan knows what it means to miss New Orleans.)
Marie’s legend grew fast and hard after her death and the voodoo religion was turned into a tourist attracting industry. You guys! New Orleans has a lot of beauty and history (and not all of that is beautiful)–you should visit Marie’s tomb, but that’s just a short jaunt in a city FULL of long jaunts.
Marie’s tomb and why we can’t have nice things. Keep your grimy hands off of it!
Time Travel with The History Chicks
If you aren’t with Susan on Anti-Website Music, maybe giving this ditty a play while you scroll around might be fun. Maybe.
Books!
Carolyn Long, this is the favorite of both of usAnd we both liked this one a great deal, Ina Fandrich (the woman who discovered the baptismal certificate)Martha WardThe book Beckett recommended to learn more about the differences and histories.The “recipe” book we quoted at the beginning of the show, The life and works of Marie Laveau by Raul CanizaresFiction– Witches Abroad by Terry Pratchett- part of the Discworld Series. Also proof that Susan has begun it, and the Android Rosemary font that she prefers and makes Beckett’s eye twitch.
Travel!
We aren’t travel guides, but there is so much more to do in New Orleans than focus on the touristy voodoo, but you’ll probably want to do some type of tour since you now a bit about Marie and her times.
Highly recommended cemetery and French Quarter walking tours (and the name! Right?) Two Chicks Tours (recommended guides, Grey Sweeney Perkins or George “Loki” Williams specifically but all are good) and also the tour group, Friends of the Cabildo.
For some more information about early 19th century medicine, check out the Melnick Medical Museum
You may want to turn off your speakers, but there is a plethora of intel on here: French Creoles dot com
This is a good write up about how Ina Fandrich discovered what is now accepted as the birthdate of Marie. It will also give you a bit of insight into exactly how much work goes into the biographies that we devour in no time! How birth certificate was discovered
We didn’t talk about this but you might find some really great information about preservation and architecture of New Orleans at Preserving New Orleans.
Movies!
Only two that are even remotely related that we would suggest, although you might keep your eye out for the 2017 release (still being filmed as we post) called, Laveau. You can follow the production on the IMDB page.
With Bette Davis set during Marie’s era“Nope. Nope. Nope, nope nope.” Susan
