11th Hour Radio

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss curtains that don’t fit, whether or not your kids’ math homework is too hard, discovering the Butthole Surfers later in life, erratic behavior from a normally dependable device, Butch’s heroic efforts to help Gramps conserve his hearing aid battery, less-than-stellar backline support at the nursing home, how Tupperware can destroy the taste of your food, limb breakage on the driveway, another epic trudge into the woods without ski wax, refined techniques for crossing a stream on skis, more confusion about snow tires, trying to find Julie in a blizzard, a nighttime sojourn in pajamas, when the mailman doesn’t come, the reliability of junk mail delivery, clogging on a parade float, letting swears fly, expanding your vintage Santa display, the ins and outs of getting Xmas photos done with pets, occupational hazards of a messy laundry room, trying to be everything to everybody, another great baby video, piping classical music into your pregnant belly

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss an imagined mothball invasion, an unidentified object, acting stupid as a life strategy, one generation of snobbery, shopping with donkeys, being jealous of your dead friend’s friends, a nuanced look at the cliché coop shopper, a much needed update on man buns, how to make cheap, healthy meals, always bumping into the same person, the stress of bagging herbs, an Italian Thanksgiving, advantages to living in obscurity, renegade lettuce, car wash for cows, treasure found in the storage hamper, cling plastic for the studio window, proving your mettle on the Appalachian Gap, making bad weather videos, the joys of sliding backwards on ice, dangerous sledding, laughing at the wrong time, the educational benefits of small mishaps, acting like an adult before you are one, faith as pragmatism, the collision of cultures at Dan & Whit’s, prohibitive pricing from the local woolen industry, a horrifying new development at Schwann’s, imagining a world of f

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss residual side effects of wearing a scarf, emotional meltdowns, hating on November, unpacking “What’s Up?” for the last time, what to think about a pair of hand-blown glass devil horns on Bow’s head, how to sit down when your Halloween costume is glued to your butt, a fond memory of when John dressed up as Chinese Take-Out, surviving the “Honk & Wave” while mixing it up with the “Park & Drive”, the misery of mothers driving kids to school, unpleasant encounters with some Republicans in trucks, cats in the gift basket, switching to a green credit card, looking for Salmon Nation, the questionable pantheon of natural products, the pros and cons of pissing people off, getting mad at someone because they’re mad at you, what to do with the unhappy client who demanded extras, a dust up with the pesticide company, when the invisible moon conjoins the hidden self, how the car is like a womb, connecting with your repressed emotions, a beautiful time

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss dry bread sandwiches, the “see-saw” effect, Lily Tomlin’s sandwich sketch, an awkward attempt to look natural, dangerous electrical outlets, the privileged and their house restorations, a new approach to watering your plants, being attacked by the misinformed, grouchy week, a good hoodwinking from the Left, when people think you’re rich, a run-in with the GPS unit, searching for Tiffany, what was inside the tractor trailer size storage space at Bolton Valley, feeling your pulse in the wrong places, nipple ring issues, a strange sound montage, using your first name to advertise yourself, whether or not Christine is playing the gender card, contorting yourself to please others, shamanic stage & space clearing, “Stay-Up Technology”, an Irish dancer’s secret, deconstructing a smirk, when AI takes over your texting, eschewing Alexa, the complexity of asking Paul for a gas cap, the acting talents of car salesmen, shedding loneliness, a suggestion f

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a sheep farmer’s preferences, mystery post-it notes, creating a to-do list hierarchy, some thoughts from the new cashier at the So Ro Market, how rubber boots interact with socks, odd things our pets lick, more on hay furniture & the fate of the leftover mulch hay, farm animals in the house, how baby gates may be related to space travel, needing to know “what’s up there”, when doctor’s probe, unasked for information about Emily’s relationship to suppositories, the art of looking put-together, a deep dive into mitten technology, the purgatory of supervising other people’s children, moonshine parties & their lasting legacy, the proximity effect of train whistles, the return of Ryan, conjecture about tiny piranha, a mother’s paranoia passed down, a clarification regarding the use of leeches in medicine, a miraculous, dream-directed rescue at sea, what to do when you feel afraid, Kendra’s recipe for anxiety reduction, mixing Halloween with Ch

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss the term “diddly-fart”, the need for a truck, eating candy for breakfast, alternate uses for the name “Chuck”, a metaphor employing leaf blowers & leaf suckers and how they might interact, what happens when you don’t rake the yard, old trees cut down in East Barnard, the heaviness of time, a bogus theory regarding petrified wood, more conclusions about leg hair, reading meaning into the retrograde movements of planets, avoiding “the” big question, having spinach in your teeth, facial anomalies that bring a disturbing element into conversations, flubbing your last guitar chord, a surplus of trumpet parts, a review of inferior metals, protecting yourself from microwaves, giving up your wireless devices, nostalgia for radio waves, a barn party with portable heaters, playing fiddle tunes with Butch, crying at concerts, the disadvantages of having thin skin, the futility of being over-defensive, recovering from a cutting comment, reclaiming your o

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss people who have issues, calculations for surviving the fallout from blocking someone on Facebook, waiting for grownups to take charge, more evidence of a gothic ghost, stereo-typing “fortune tellers”, the ins and outs of psychic protection, making time to consider mortality, the questionable efficacy of fear evasion strategies such as cheerful singing, how long to wait for science to prove things, what might be holy about moly, the truth behind Vermont law firms, an invitation to John’s campaign kick-off party, a boy named Kiss, options for what to do when your house guest intimates he is a pyromaniac, the quirks of house-sitters, reaching the point of no-return with ripped jeans, a desperate misuse of gummy vitamins, a compassionate yet critical look at vegan extremism, the plague of bad poultry memories, an antidote for tight clothes, a town called Rupert, the oddity of row houses in rural towns, the humiliation of being silently ambushed by a

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss being at the helm, bundling up at the museum, finding warmth in the gender neutral bathroom, a mysterious kink in the gas line, blue collar nomenclature, the well-trod path to Kent’s Ledge, the disturbing presence of unidentifiable objects on Google maps, the futile efforts of Emily’s mom to cyber-stalk Bruce Springsteen, ground level surveillance, moving the eighth-graders’ lemonade stand to the Welch’s Hardware open house, keeping up with laundry when your washing machine is broken, nostalgia for doing homework in the Laundromat, the day Starwash died, the unending confusion created by panty hose, the toxic legacy of nail polish, a quirky grammatical habit, when to use “ain’t”, the deep solace of the night train, a Bernie Sanders endorsement, finding yourself in non-compliance with regulations, the search for made-in-the-USA products, a highly acclaimed rubber duck supplier, Billy Twangs #3 Rub, old lady catalogs, how waitressing relates to sup

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss the professional look, casual Friday & how it might or might not apply to sloppy dressers, cleverly avoiding disappointment by force of will, uncovering reptile-like creatures at the highest levels of government, losing electricity in an old farm house, a flower girl photo op, more repercussions from the vegan pizza, sudden onset nut allergies, the hows and whys of Benadryl, a late run to town for ginger ale, the night cashier’s generous gift of Kleenex to a total stranger, the ins and outs of powering blow driers with solar, intrinsic chaos brought on by bridesmaids, weird structural underwear, a strange product for plumping lips, why we pout, perverse products that defy common sense norms, reimagining war paint, what to do with 100 bales of mulch hay, a Pinterest craze for outdoor wedding couches, the lameness of pallet furniture, acquiring knowledge that has no use, a controversial moth ball purchase, the rise of Dupont chemicals, a plague

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a mysterious bucket of candy, an infamous pair of leather chaps, remembering the best muffin, the hazards of eating string cheese while driving, bar code warnings on food, meeting fans at the Fair, the odd fate of becoming a radio host, Theo’s baby, why guys date yoga instructors, figuring out what to wish for, made-to-order peace and harmony, hot kitchens and chicken grease, looking forward to wearing coats, the rigors of Instagram, dueling wedding venues, a proposal for colorful, designer tarps, strange, evocative clothing accessories, spelling adventures in psychopathy, reaching beyond regular narcissism, the beauty of the sycophant, feeling Johnny Cash, going against a shaman’s advice, a look at charisma as a learned or cultivated attribute, the situational aspect of confidence, how to find your authentic self, when your handwriting changes, mutable creativity, John’s amazing calligraphy, the safety & freedom of performing on a stage, pus

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a mixed bag, more on Twiggy’s legacy, trying to remember what you read, ridiculous & pretentious book titles, being put on the spot, the science of naming your blog, finding words to describe an instrumental, taking for granted the bedrock of your life, more on siding your club house with license plates, an irritating encounter with the L.F. Trottier and Sons box truck, an old diary discovered in Hartland, surprising 19th century descriptors for bad cat behavior, dropsy vs. consumption, the amazing story of Mel and Vickie, Zen and the art of moving wood stoves, alien implants, used stuffed animal issues, unpacking the smell of the ocean, the unique features of transfer stations in tourist towns, how to lift your spirits with irksome chores, people who will take your junk, how life is better than you think it is, Emily’s craft beer aversion/neurosis, the useless cups that go with punch bowls, the unparalleled genius of wooden Scrabble tiles, u

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss yellow computer glasses, improved visibility in the rain, too many dead cars, two years since the last washing machine repair, the lost allure of Nashville, living in peace, the loathsome first day of school, mold on backpacks, the far reaching smell of vinegar, finding the mouse in the trash, how long to wait for natural decomposition, a lesson in shame, a pre-Christmas review of “Good King Wenceslas, when twin cats are not the same, birthdays after 40, stopping death with mind over matter, twisting fear into protection, garden variety OCD compulsions, the hard way vs. the easy way, hot rock massages, being hurt & traumatized at PT, healthy skepticism regarding chiropractors who use their knees, alternatives to the scalpel, looking at a whole world in likely intellectual submission, rethinking train safety, looking for Mr. Rogers and his helpers, creating a Wikipedia page for Emily, more confusion about Mars going retrograde, ongoing issues

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a hair malfunction, the relative merits of candy corn, mysterious horehound, the unending saga of John’s steering column, salad bar dangers, cleaning the house under duress, what muffins go through, a new, hipster way to age whiskey, how to simulate the rocking motion of wagon trains, a crime wave utilizing candy bars, a whole chart on how to spell the alphabet, the umlaut controversy, feeling naïve, the decision to chew spruce gum, watching a long train, thinking ahead how to save your children, “Ice Cream & Delicious Entrees, why we eat desert last, a plethora of birthday parties, sleeping in tents in the barn, an amazing Nerf attack, late night antler carving, an encounter between Earl and the town vegan, great deals at Mary’s thrift shop, finally meeting your long time Facebook friends in person, a meeting of Jims, flooded out by beavers, in search of Reading Pond, when you don’t have a truck, how to improve the frequency of your flossing

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a mix-up with microphones, what’s not to like about camping, older men and belt positioning, paunch as power center, changing attitudes towards wearing black, what’s up with accessorizing, more on Shakespearean insults, judicious use of a codpiece, the application of trimesters to an hour, waistline stress, the joys of being a Staples Rewards card holder, losing part of your thumb, alarming lava lamp behavior, going to sleep on squeaky air mattresses, asceticism as it relates to beating futons with a broom, snipping grass for relaxation, train horn analysis, multi-faceted qualms about mushrooms, the existence of faith inside and outside of churches, rampant pedophilia amongst the priesthood, looking for a leaderless congregation, the magic of having trees in the house, the cucumbers behind certain visits to the emergency room, rubbing vegetables together, an inappropriate use of gherkins, strange spellings that defy the imagination, famous author

This special edition features “best of” moments from the first season of 11th Hour Radio (2014) in which co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss repeated sightings of the Schwan’s truck, the perils of substitute teaching math when you’ve forgotten most of it, getting satisfaction from peg boards, gratitude for algebraic letters, an unfortunate meeting of delicate craftsmanship & clumsy stage hands, realizing that it is all your fault, the futility of getting upset in front of other people, releasing frustration constructively, a trick involving potatoes, a mysterious dearth of warts, confusion about “Preparation H”, a justification for advertising that falls on deaf ears, the ins and outs of conscious uncoupling, stubble vs. leg hair, securing vino via vending machine, frou frou wine bars, how to deal with insufferable chit chat, trying to get your brother’s attention, what to do with the swearing impulse, swimming in ignorance, an argument about the color beige, the puzzle of suppressed anger, a

This special edition features “best of” moments from the first season of 11th Hour Radio (2013-14) in which co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a surplus of spittle, how laziness led to the creation of the show, the influence of third graders on adult vocabulary, a mix-up concerning the Statue of Liberty, whether or not bees have organs, a failed attempt to imagine time travel, guerilla word shortening, “Bossy Johnson” syndrome, drooling as a weapon, tickling as torture, using your sisters as subjects for cruel experiments, things to do with buckets, ropes and pulleys, lonely children who befriend trees, the awful truth about being in a hurry at the grocery store, living with purpose, feeling more attractive sans mirrors, the world in a hundred years, Emily’s bizarre alternative to beat boxing, being the only one in your family who doesn’t play an instrument, blowing on your fingernails, more on mammals giving birth, more on Jen giving birth, going elbow deep in placenta, the cross-dressing farmer

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss the merits of various head sizes, how to be blond but not that kind of blond, a very odd coincidence created by two couples named “Ryan and Kim”, a lunar eclipse and letting go of old belief systems, eschewing Chinese astrology, what Grandma’s fortune cookie said, attacks on Grampy in the nursing home, looking for a pristine mansion to rent by the day, another unexpected technical glitch at the RCR studios, how an unfortunate power surge led to a bouncy house deflation, what to do with old magazines, impulse shopping at Twin City Typewriter, writing a book on index cards, alternative nomenclature for the outside of your elbow, wasting a perfectly good fire, more on pushy tourists arriving at closing time, enthusiastic nose pickers, a Reluctant Dragon event, a case of digital dementia, simplifying the ascension process, things that sisters text to each other, the art of casually mentioning celebrities, a white bread guy called Paul, the scars of T

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss guys, predawn lawn mowing, “ghetto paddock”, the impact of poorly thought-out signs, a mistaken dead horse, changes at Uncle Welch’s, the many defects of miniature equines, coveting Mert Vesper’s collie, a lingering Lassie fascination, a brief analysis of Little Timmy’s problems, preventing cat throw-up with butter, Emily’s ongoing disdain for people who watch smarty pants artsy films, wanting to have another child, crawling to the bottom, some thoughts on the name Debby, an imagined scenario in which a rotund train conductor makes unwanted contact with Kristina, pre-guest housework inertia, the questionable technology of sponge mops, confusion about myriad cleaning apparatus, guilt associated with destroying spider webs, issues with the word “gubernatorial”, forgetting your shoes, the biggest problem in the whole world, sub-categories of gossip, the best use of confidantes, keeping your finger on the pulse, naturally distressed jeans, an update

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss a disturbing hat, confusion over a magpie named Penguin, winning the draftiest house lottery, how John prepared for an energy audit, a successful dumpster diving episode, the ongoing saga of too many broken lamps, dealing with wedding trash, refuse as metaphor, finding ancient skis, a very problematic dog show outcome, an argument about pie, keeping your soap in a jar, hiding your poetry, listener ideas for sub-titling the show, the unfortunate intersection of museum tours and personal gas, the disappointments of space coverage, the hows and whys of alien fetish, pinpointing your solar eclipse identity, setting spiritual goals, when chairs are too hard, managing the urge to google, salmon vs. shamans, the history of coat hangers, the possibility of indigenous Catholics, the role wasps play in the formation of figs, music as pest control, density and deafness as it relates to the human race, a special oracle app, how French feels in your mouth, co

In this episode co-hosts Kristina Stykos and Emily Howe discuss what a sincere thank you might sound like, how physiology can precipitate a waning interest in headstands, what it means to be limber, a failed trip to town, stripped bolts & over-tightened lug nuts, how your spouse’s denial can cause car damage, another unconventional use for the butt end of an axe, childish longing for a limp, a crutch or a cast, passing up an invitation to live for free in Puerto Rico, water immersion therapy, more on the flight attendant/stewardess controversy, the truth about chocolate bars & summer, what to do with a husband hoarder, imagining new out-buildings to deal with clutter, the stress of screaming at your children, behind the scenes as John arrives two and a half hours late to a three hour long party, when your mere presence morphs into an imposition, celebrities who claim to be “too busy”, planning for a dog chapel, the ins and outs of starting your own pet cemetery, when poop is too large, catching up wit