This week’s guest — comedian Janine Brito — comes to you direct from Los Angeles via New York via San Francisco via Alabama with a bunch of other exotic locales in between. Along the way: Icelandic grandmothers, British schools, SNL obsessions and a couple of pretty remarkable early-life curveballs.

Episode 142 welcomes “Skepchick” Rebecca Watson, who reminds us that every time it rains, it rains pennies from heaven. And speaking of heaven, turns out there may not be one. A look at atheism and secular humanism with a sprinkling of Christianity is supplemented with plenty of R.E.M. and the scientific discovery that humans have two different stomachs! You heard it here first!

It’s comedian Cameron Esposito (Put Your Hands Together) and SHE! IS! GREAT! There’s nothing like a story about a medical semi-crisis in a foreign country where you don’t speak the language to get the old podcast blood flowing. But it doesn’t stop there… because who doesn’t love talking to their parents about sex? NOTE: the prior two references are NOT RELATED.

Things get groovy with the luminous Seychelle Gabriel (The Legend of Korra) with rhapsodic waxing on the brilliant Jimi Hendrix, song-and-dance numbers featuring high school teens and Toto classics, and Korra fans, don’t worry… some chatting about Korrasami.

Janet falls into the lull of the hypnotic Amber Benson (The Witches of Echo Park) yet somehow also manages to talk faster than she maybe ever has. This may be an episode where even more conversations are begun and never finished than usual, and that’s really saying a lot. AND, you have the chance to win a signed book from Amber! Now go win it!

This is an episode that can only be described as second to nun. [insert 100 groans here] But really! It’s the amazing and wonderful Maureen Johnson (The Name of the Star) and talk of metaphorical time traveling via one strict Catholic high school (shhhh… don’t tell anyone she was a Protestant!). Advisory: This episode may be habit-forming. “Habit" forming. Get it? Nuns? Habits? [slams door in own face]

Following the old adage “Write what you know,” episode 137’s guest could have her very own One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest! Janet welcomes author (and woodworker!) Marci Crestani (Halfway to Dead) for a deep-dive into expanding your social horizons, whether empathy is a blessing or a curse, and of course, whether paintings can be “evil."

If you’ve been worried that there hasn’t been quite enough talk about being a teenage goth lately, worry not! Sarah Burns (Enlightened) brings her A game with just the right amount of Skinny Puppy and Bauhuas. Plus a brand-new MASH question submitted by a listener finds much success!

What do you get when you cross a Renaissance Faire with Disney World, add a dose of psychopathy,  and throw a few wigs and fake nails and a bedazzled sweater or two? Why, you get Episode 135 of the JV Club with Jamie Denbo (The Heat), of course! Meet the Beverly to Jessica Chaffin’s (ep 143) Ronna. Spoiler: She’s a dream!

SPOILER ALERT! You are cleared to listen to this episode if you are A. All caught up with the Serial podcast or B. Totally not interested in the Serial podcast. If B, Jessica Chaffin (Ronna and Beverly) and Janet apologize for talking so much about it. But not to worry- they also discuss several other disturbing events. SECOND SPOILER ALERT: Jessica Chaffin is terrific.