I Couldn’t Throw It Out

Have you saved treasures from your mom? Find and share them for a revealing -- and emotional -- tribute
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Here's a special Mother's Day ritual: Dig out the letters and other items that your mom gave you over the years, show them to someone, and tell the stories about her that relate to what you saved.
That's what I did two years ago. It was the most meaningful Mother's Day since my mom died.
Of course, I went a little overboard when it came to saving things. I kept all 104 cards and letters that Doris sent me since I was in high school in the early 1970s. Reading through them was like going back in history, discovering how the world, our lives and our attitudes, have changed over the decades.
And here's what made the big difference: Asking my friends and a few family members to read short excerpts out loud with me and discuss them. It gave me new perspective about my mother, and all of our mothers. 
But it didn't solve one problem. For those of us who save treasures from our mom, what should we do with them now?
For this, I needed an expert. So I interviewed my friend Susan, a psychoanalyst who has been helping parents and children for many decades. She didn't tell me to practice Swedish Death Cleaning. Instead, she shared insights about my mom that will apply to everyone who has or had a mother. Spoiler alert: It gets emotional.
I hope – after listening to the episode – you'll be inspired to share with family and friends what you've saved from your mom. If you find a special letter that you'd like me to consider sharing it in my blog, please send it to me via the Contact button on my website at throwitoutpodcast.com.
Happy Mother's Day!

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How I helped the long-haired, bare-chested model leap from the cover of romance novels to the cover of People Magazine
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 In 1993, I spent a week in L.A. and Hawaii with Fabio Lanzoni, "The King of Romance," as I wrote a People cover story, then I ghostwrote his official biography. Now, for the first time, I'm sharing my never-heard interview tapes with revelations about cheating on his one true love, losing his virginity, and the upsetting experience that led him to utter an expletive. I also share the surprising tale of Peter Paul, the brilliant promoter who supercharged Fabio's career – without revealing his previous felonies.
Listen in as Sarah Wendell, host of Smart Podcast, Trashy Books, makes sense of Fabio's past, then helps me review his later achievements, including 22 years as a pitchman for I Can't Believe It's Not Butter, his collision with a goose, and his extreme political shift.
What should I do with the stuff I saved from my time with Fabio? It takes an expert on love and romance to solve that problem.
See my treasures, and sign up for reminders about future episodes, at throwitoutpodcast.com
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More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com   
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Craving more Olympics? I Couldn't Throw It Out has staged its own world-class event:  The Treasure Toss.
In our first mini-episode, photographer and collage artist Joyce Seymore commits to the daring feat of throwing out an artwork and maybe one other possession.
This is no easy feat, considering that Joyce has spent a lifetime saving just about everything, including a huge collection of art materials, books, shells, and more.
The outcome is as tense as an Olympic snowboard half-pipe competition -- but with fewer spins through the air.
Listen wherever you get podcasts, or watch all eight minutes of this historic event at throwitoutpodcast.com
And check out Joyce's profoundly beautiful artworks at joyceseymore.com

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More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com   
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Janny Scott explains how saving things helped her grieve – and preserve her connection with journalist Joseph Lelyveld 
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When someone you love dies, the grieving process is different for each of us.  But one thing is always the same: You've got to decide what to do with the things your loved one left behind.
Janny Scott experienced this in January 2024 when Joseph Lelyveld, her partner of 19 years, died from complications of Parkinson's Disease.
Joe had been a star at the New York Times, eventually becoming executive editor (the top editorial position) and winning a Pulitzer Prize for Move Your Shadow, his 1985 book about apartheid South Africa. From his career and travels, he left behind some genuine treasures. But mostly, Janny was surrounded by everyday items that filled their apartment, especially the contents of Joe's tiny home office.
So Janny made a deliberate decision.  She'd leave Joe's office exactly as he left it, creating what Janny calls The Museum of Joe.
In this episode of I Couldn't Throw It Out, Janny – a former New York Times and L.A. Times reporter and author of A Singular Woman, the bestselling biography of Barack Obama's mother – shares what she saved and why.  
Listen in to understand how one of us – and maybe all of us – can keep a connection to people we've loved through the things we never plan to throw out.
Find out more about Joseph Lelyveld and Janny Scott at: throwitoutpodcast.com
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More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com   
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You heard how I smashed violins as kid (in a previous episode). Hear how I saved one as an adult.
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These days, we all could use a story with a happy ending, right?
Well, here's one that answers the question: What ever happened to a family heirloom I inherited from my father?
When last we spoke of my father's treasured violin (previous episode: Listen up! A Violin Lesson with Strings Attached), I was headed off – once again – to learn how to play it. Did I find a way to make music that wouldn't hurt your ears? Or did something much better happen?
To answer those questions, I have expert help from violin virtuoso Amelia Bailey – who worked in the shop that repaired my father's very old violin. She also dared to be my violin teacher.
Amelia shares with us a fascinating world that few people see:  the inner-workings of the famous New York City workshop, David Segal Violins. She walks us through the intricate and excruciatingly difficult task of restoring violins, and then solving the mystery of their origin.
How does this relate to my musical family saga? Maybe you'll understand after you hear the tape of my father playing his prized violin... at age 96. His dream was for his violin, which he valued more than any object on earth, to be played beautifully by a family member. And what happened at David Segal Violins determined if his wish could come true.
Ultimately, it all comes down to a solo violin performance that might blow your mind. It would certainly thrill my father, who may be listening in some kind of heaven. I hope it'll bring some joy to you too.
Watch the entire performance: throwitoutpodcast.com 
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More info, photos, and transcript:  throwitoutpodcast.com   
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