meta_pixel
Tapesearch Logo
Log in
Thanks For Asking

Self-Portrait of My Own Misery

Thanks For Asking

Feelings & Co.

Society & Culture, Personal Journals, Health & Fitness, Mental Health

4.713.4K Ratings

🗓️ 9 February 2022

⏱️ 44 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

We are all just products of the people who raise us. And they are products of those who raised them. Vanessa Zoltan knows that better than most. She is the grandchild of four Holocaust survivors, and for her, nihilism and depression kind of run in the family. Support our new independent production (and get bonus content galore!) by joining TTFA Premium. We now offer tiers as low as $4.99 / month. Sign up. Our email subscribers get first dibs on ticket sales, new merch, show announcements and more. Join our mailing list here. Did you know we’re on TikTok? Yep, it’s true. Follow Nora. You can catch up with TTFA on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook using @ttfapodcast. Nora's Instagram is @noraborealis. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

Click on a timestamp to play from that location

0:00.0

Things we don't like to share. Uncomfortable moments under the mistletoe. Uh-oh.

0:05.7

Things we do like to share. Gifts, especially if they're from Samsung.

0:09.5

Because this year, you can claim cash back and selected Samsung products,

0:13.2

with 150 pounds on a Galaxy Z Flip 4 and 50 pounds on a pair of Galaxy Buds 2 Pro.

0:18.6

Merry Christmas to them and to you. Find out more at Samsung.com.

0:23.1

Purchase before 20th December 22 from a part is a patent retailer.

0:26.7

Claim from Samsung within 60 days of purchase, Tizen's eSupply.

0:34.4

I'm Nora Mcnerney and this is terrible thanks for asking.

0:39.1

As a child, I was filled with dread. I would lay awake at sleep overs thinking about the fact that

0:44.5

everyone I loved would one day die. And now, not surprisingly, I have children who are also

0:51.8

like that. Today's guest Vanessa knows better than anyone what it means to be a sad and anxious kid.

1:00.5

I was definitely depressed. I must have been depressed my whole life, but my earliest memories

1:05.8

are age five-ish. And I was anxious and felt like an outsider all of the time, especially at school.

1:16.8

I distinctly remember the first time I ever got homework being like, oh, this is the beginning of

1:24.2

the end. Like, I'm going to do this homework assignment. And then I'll turn it in and tomorrow,

1:28.9

I'll get more homework. Like, I had a real sense of futility at the age of five. I was very excited

1:35.4

for my birthday one year. I got beautiful paper and colored pencils. And the first thing I drew

1:42.5

was like a literal self-portrait of my own misery and then got so mad at myself. I was like,

1:48.2

it's your birthday and you got a great present. Like, why can't you be happy? Like, I wrote Vanessa

1:55.7

birthday age seven and drew it and could not draw myself smiling. It felt dishonest to draw

2:04.3

myself smiling and it felt very important to like have an honest record.

2:08.9

The sadness wasn't just an internal thing that little Vanessa kept to herself.

...

Please login to see the full transcript.

Disclaimer: The podcast and artwork embedded on this page are from Feelings & Co., and are the property of its owner and not affiliated with or endorsed by Tapesearch.

Generated transcripts are the property of Feelings & Co. and are distributed freely under the Fair Use doctrine. Transcripts generated by Tapesearch are not guaranteed to be accurate.

Copyright © Tapesearch 2025.