Hi, I'm Willow Belden, the host of Out There.

As you probably already know, this is a show that explores big questions through intimate stories in the great outdoors.

And as you probably also know, this isn't a day we would normally release an episode.

But we have some exciting news, and I wanted to let you in on it.

Starting in January, we're going to be producing the show twice a month instead of just once a

month.

I'm super excited about that and I'm also really excited about some of the stories we have coming up.

For example, we have a piece about what happens when you realize that you don't actually

want the thing you've always thought you wanted.

And I remember like actually wearing makeup to my voice lesson one time

and my professor making some comment about like,

that's how you need to look all the time.

And like, just like that kind of shit, the idea that other people do care what you do

and you're doing it wrong.

So what do you do when you come to that kind of realization?

Our next episode takes a look at that.

And then there's another piece which looks at whether it's actually a good idea to live

in the place you love most.

As we watch the buildings and lights go by, the writer asks about my life these days.

All of his questions boil down to, why are you still here?

But to even have this conversation while in New York is nearly impossible.

The city's all-consumingness seems to crush or negate whatever feelings I have when elsewhere.

...