Rita Mattia thanks a few folks ... and bids farewell to her listeners (for now, at least) with a tale about the ancestors who first came to these shores from the Campania region of Italy. The story is from her book, "Trying Stuff," available f

Deus and that Machina

Oct 21st, 2021 10m 10s

Greek tragedy? Or comedy? You decide! Rita Mattia's tale of motherhood, lawlessness, and what may or may not have been a B+ average takes place in the early 1970s in Baltimore, Maryland.

Sewing and Flying

Oct 14th, 2021 7m 50s

In her far-too-brief heyday during the 1940s, Rita Mattia's mother Teeny was one heck of a seamstress. During those same years in New Jersey, Teeny's daughter Rita emerged as a doll surgeon and troublemaker.

The Camping Trip

Oct 7th, 2021 12m 17s

Camping was never one of Rita Mattia's favorite activities. But stories of camping in Maryland in the 1950s and then in the 1970s combine to make an amusing story.

The Cellar Garden

Sep 30th, 2021 9m 12s

Rita Mattia's great grandfather Petrino B. Mattia was an extraordinary artist. But not all of his paintings were on canvas or paper. This story of her Italian-American family in mid-century New Jersey includes some good eating and good music as

Twenty-Six Places

Sep 23rd, 2021 15m 9s

A sort of mini-autobiography, taking Rita Mattia and her listeners on brief visits to all the places she has lived ... and why on earth she chose them.

Big City Shopper

Sep 16th, 2021 12m 23s

In the mid 1960s, Rita Mattia was a tiny person working in a huge city (Manhattan, NYC) in which she could not quite afford to shop. This did not stop her from trying.

Ice Pops and Wheelchairs

Sep 9th, 2021 10m 56s

Rita Mattia ponders what we do and do not remember or know about the past ... and which loved ones we might have asked about those things while we still could.

Labor Day

Sep 6th, 2021 13m

A timely story about the early days of labor unions in the United States — and particularly in Northern New Jersey in the 20thcentury. Rita Mattia’s father was deeply committed ... and far more shrewd than she usually gave him credit for being

Weasels And Winning

Sep 2nd, 2021 6m 27s

A tale of tails ... and of married life in an elegant antebellum home in Richmond, Virginia. This story appears in Rita Mattia’s book, “Trying Stuff.” Copies are available from her publisher, www.marinermedia.com

Whining About Wine

Aug 26th, 2021 10m 36s

Are there things you once enjoyed that are now lost to you? Perhaps forever? Rita Mattia explores how these transitions can serve to enrich, not deplete us.

In My Living Room

Aug 19th, 2021 18m 9s

Rita Mattia shares her home in Virginia — and the treasures within — with her listeners, bringing to life the incredible artistry of her family and her friends.

Where's Asia?

Aug 12th, 2021 12m 32s

Losing her advertising copywriter job in Virginia nearly takes Rita Mattia around the world to find fame and fortune. Nearly. But. Not quite.

The Windows

Aug 5th, 2021 11m 51s

What podcast created by an Italian-American girl growing up in New Jersey in the 1940s and 1950s would be complete without a few run-ins with the Roman Catholic Church ... and a place called Our Lady Queen of Peace High School? Rita Mattia assu

Fifty Freaking Years

Aug 2nd, 2021 5m 45s

This very, very short bonus episode came about after an advertising business associate/friend from long, long ago had some very nice things to say about Rita Mattia. It felt really, really good.

The Ball

Jul 29th, 2021 9m 4s

A laughable misunderstanding of the reason for an overnight trip to Pennsylvania leaves Rita Mattia both confused and amused... and out of yet another short-lived 1960s relationship. A mild expletive is spoken by a character in the story.

Terremoto!

Jul 22nd, 2021 8m 27s

In the 1870s, Rita Mattia’s great grandfather arrived in the United States from Southern Italy and then figured out that New Jersey might be more hospitable than New York city. In the early 21st century, Rita and her son went to explore the cou

Audition Dinner

Jul 15th, 2021 10m 25s

Will her dinner guests prove to be her future in-laws? Is that really Stonewall Jackson looking in the window? It's the 1970s, and Rita Mattia and her son are settling into life in Richmond, Virginia. Explosively so.

Halloween

Jul 8th, 2021 12m 21s

Though not exactly in season ... Rita Mattia muses on Halloweens past, including a terrified toddler and Rita's gift for creating clever last-minute costume designs. One of those get-ups was spectacularly, regrettably insensitive.

Blurting And Blurbing

Jul 1st, 2021 18m 45s

Is a tendency to say – and perhaps write — exactly what pops into her mind a valuable asset? Or is it a liability? In this story from Rita Mattia's life in Richmond in the 1980s, it proves to be both.

Let There Be Snails

Jun 29th, 2021 13m 10s

This is another so-called "bonus" episode —included in the podcast but not aired on a regular day. In this story, Rita Mattia recalls the preparation of elaborate meals using recipes and techniques passed down from the Campania region of Italy,

It's Alive!

Jun 24th, 2021 13m 8s

The early days of television — and television advertising — spring to life in a story about mid 20thcentury in-home entertainment. And, of course, Rita Mattia’s family in Northern New Jersey figures prominently.

The Real Baby Bed

Jun 17th, 2021 10m 6s

Rita Mattia and her son migrate south from Baltimore, Maryland to Richmond, Virginia and encounter some interesting characters in a laundromat. This poignant story appears in her book, “Trying Stuff.” Copies are available from her publisher, w

Naming Things

Jun 10th, 2021 10m 15s

How do products you see advertised get their names? How does charity knitting figure into a story about that? Rita Mattia weaves it all together in this story about advertising, needlework, gender, and cats.

My Trip To Saturn and Back

Jun 6th, 2021 12m 11s

Where did Rita Mattia really journey? Was time travel involved? What about fried catfish? In this "bonus" episode, she remembers successful and not-so-successful attempts at becoming a screenwriter.