What could you absolutely not live without?

In this funny, free-wheeling episode of Life in Jest podcast, cousins Selene Castrovilla and Pascale Laforest compare their wildly different lists of the everyday things they swear they can’t live without—from books, words, and storytelling to TV, cat litter, cheese doodles, and remote-start cars. Along the way, the conversation spirals (as it always does) into deeper territory: grief, independence, aging, dating later in life, and the strange ways our priorities change over time.

Selene reflects on the idea of being born in the rare Year of the Fire Horse, a Chinese zodiac combination said to produce bold, rebellious personalities—and wonders if that explains her fierce independence and refusal to play by the rules. Meanwhile Pascale confesses her unapologetic love for books and television, proving that great stories—whether on the page or screen—might actually be essential for survival.

Expect hilarious detours into:

• why food delivery drivers sometimes become accidental therapists
• the comfort of reading and storytelling
• the genius (and chaos) of Howard Stern and comedy
• the surprisingly passionate debate over the “world’s best cat litter”
• and why traveling the world—and laughing about the disasters—might be one of life’s true necessities

Part philosophical, part ridiculous, and entirely honest, this episode asks a deceptively simple question:

What do we truly need in order to live well?

Spoiler: the answers might involve books, humor, snacks, and a very good litter box.