Join the Dolly 4 Sue bandmates—Aaron, Kirsten, and Leslie—for a festive episode exploring multiple advent calendars in anticipation of the holiday season. This unscripted conversation features three Generation X musicians tackling a unique collection of countdown calendars, including murder mysteries, dad jokes, Baileys Irish Cream samplers, artisan cheeses, and hot sauces from Aldi.

The hosts dive into solving "The Poisoned Pudding" and "Murder Under the Mistletoe" mysteries while taste-testing bruschetta cheese, white chocolate Bailey's, and jalapeño hot sauce. Between solving crimes and sampling flavors, they discuss disappointing Halloween candy quality (particularly Reese's and Kit Kats), share hilarious stories about cooking with hot peppers, and discover that Amazon's dad joke calendar might be the worst purchase ever.

This episode perfectly captures the authentic, humorous conversations midlife music enthusiasts crave—balancing family responsibilities, nostalgic memories, and the simple pleasure of trying new things with friends. Whether you're a classic rock fan, podcast listener seeking genuine dialogue about midlife experiences, or simply someone who enjoys murder mysteries and food tastings, this episode delivers laughs, insights, and a reminder that growing older doesn't mean growing boring. The bruschetta cheese earns unanimous praise as the evening's winner, while the dad jokes get universally panned.

• Try Aldi's specialty advent calendars: The hosts discovered impressive finds at Aldi, including artisan cheese calendars, Baileys samplers, and hot sauce collections—proving budget-friendly doesn't mean low quality
• Research candy quality before bulk buying: Rising cacao prices have led manufacturers to add fillers and reduce quality, making pre-purchase research valuable for holiday shopping

• Murder mysteries require literal thinking: The hosts learned that over-analyzing clues and looking for red herrings can lead you astray—sometimes the obvious answer is correct
• Shared experiences amplify enjoyment: Even mediocre products (bad jokes, mild hot sauce) become entertaining when experienced with friends

• Use protective gear when handling hot peppers: The oils from peppers remain on skin long after washing and can cause serious discomfort hours later—always wear gloves when chopping

Resources Mentioned:

• Clues Club on Etsy: Murder mystery advent calendar (downloadable PDF)
• Berman's Flamin' Holidays Hot Sauce Advent Calendar (from Aldi)
• Connelly's Irish Cream 12-day sampler (from Aldi)
• Winter Wonderland Cheese Advent Calendar (from Aldi)
• Dad Jokes Advent Calendar from Amazon ($10 - not recommended)

Shopping Tips:

• Aldi's seasonal aisle offers unique advent calendars at reasonable prices
• Wegmans carries framboise (raspberry liqueur)
• World Market previously carried quality advent calendars (though locations are closing)

"Nothing says 'living your best midlife' quite like solving fake murders over Bailey's while your dog threatens to eat the evidence cheese."

00:00 Introduction to the Advent Calendar Series

06:46 Exploring Advent Calendars: A Variety of Themes

13:55 Tasting and Reviewing Advent Calendar Treats

17:44 Murder Mystery Advent Calendar: The Poisoned Pudding

30:59 Solving the Mystery: Who is the Killer?

38:17 Hot Sauce Tasting Begins

43:47 Murder Mystery Setup

54:40 Solving the Murder Mystery

01:13:39 Final Thoughts and Reflections

In this Halloween-themed episode of The Setlist of Life podcast, the Dolly 4 Sue bandmates—Leslie, Aaron, Christine, and Kirsten—dive into nostalgic conversations about childhood TV shows, Irish matchmaking festivals, and holiday planning. The group explores memories of classic programs like Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, Zoom, and The Electric Company, while debating the merits of regional PBS shows like The Magic Garden. The conversation takes a whimsical turn as they discuss sending Christine to Ireland's Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival, complete with plans for a documentary-style filming crew. As Halloween approaches, the bandmates share pumpkin carving adventures, costume plans, and their ambitious scheme to tackle multiple advent calendars leading up to Christmas, including a murder mystery game. This unscripted episode captures the essence of midlife friendships—balancing family responsibilities, celebrating nostalgia, and finding humor in everyday chaos. With authentic banter about forgotten birthdays, swimming with otters, and the challenge of remembering children's birthdays, the podcast resonates with Generation X listeners juggling careers, education, and family life. The episode exemplifies the show's appeal: genuine conversations among friends who don't take themselves too seriously while navigating the complexities of being musicians, parents, and lifelong music enthusiasts.

1. Embrace spontaneous adventure planning: Consider unconventional travel experiences like Ireland's Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival—sometimes the best adventures come from saying "yes" without overthinking logistics.
2. Create structured fun with friends: Plan multi-week activities like advent calendar parties that give you something to look forward to during busy holiday seasons.

1. Nostalgia connects generations: Childhood TV shows and cultural touchstones serve as bridges between friends, revealing how regional differences and shared experiences shape our identities.
2. Authenticity over perfection: Whether carving pumpkins freehand or navigating life's challenges, letting things unfold naturally often produces better results than rigid planning.

1. Document life's adventures: The group's plan to film Christine's matchmaking journey demonstrates how capturing experiences can transform personal stories into shared memories and entertainment.

Resources & Links Mentioned:

• Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival (Ireland, September)
• Various advent calendar options for holiday planning
• Buck naked vs. butt naked language video
• Time travel visualization video (11-minute watch)

Upcoming Plans:

• Mid-November: Start of advent calendar series (6 weeks before Christmas)
• December 13th: Christine's graduation celebration
• December 18th: Final advent calendar reveal episode

Products/Activities Discussed:

• Murder mystery advent calendars
• Tasting advent calendars (whiskey mentioned)
• Swimming with otters experience in Ohio
• Pumpkin carving techniques

"Somewhere between forgetting your kid's birthday and planning a documentary at an Irish matchmaking festival, you realize adulting is just freestyle pumpkin carving with higher stakes."

Join Leslie, Aaron, and Kirsten for an unscripted journey through life's quirky mysteries and nostalgia-filled moments. This episode explores fascinating scientific phenomena that Generation X grew up with but never questioned—from the mysterious white dog poop of the 1970s to why airplane mode actually matters.

The hosts dive deep into cultural mysteries like the true meaning of "mind your P's and Q's," debate whether crabs are evolution's pinnacle species, and share Pennsylvania Dutch food traditions that defined their childhoods. With humor and curiosity, they tackle everything from mahjong societies to hermit crabs (spoiler: they're actually closer to lobsters), Dick Van Dyke's impressive longevity, and the nostalgia of TV Guide planning.

This authentic conversation captures midlife experiences with warmth and wit, touching on family dynamics, travel mishaps (including a disappointing Penn State game), and the endless curiosity that keeps life interesting. Perfect for music enthusiasts, parents navigating midlife, and anyone who remembers when dogs left white poop in the yard and you had to plan your entire week around the TV Guide. No script, no agenda—just three bandmates sharing laughs, science facts, and the wisdom that comes from asking "why?" about everything.

• Practice Digital Courtesy: Put your phone on airplane mode during flights—not to prevent crashes, but to avoid disrupting cell service for people on the ground
• Embrace Curiosity: Write down random questions that pop into your head during downtime, then research them later to keep learning and stay mentally engaged

• Nostalgia as Connection: Shared childhood memories (white dog poop, TV Guide planning, Reader's Digest in bathrooms) create powerful bonds across generations and remind us how much daily life has transformed
• The Value of "Useless" Knowledge: Deep-diving into random topics like crab evolution or the origins of idioms keeps the mind active and provides unexpected conversation starters

• Balance Competitive Energy: Recognize when hobbies (like sports fandom) are becoming unhealthy obsessions—maturity means learning to care without letting outcomes ruin your week

Resources & References Mentioned:

• Mrs. T's pierogies (frozen brand recommendation)
• National Sausage Pizza Day (October 11)
• National Pierogi Day

Cultural Foods Discussed:

• Pennsylvania Dutch/Polish foods: pierogies, halupki (stuffed cabbage), halushki (cabbage and noodles), shoe fly pie
• Scandinavian foods: Kringle, Lefse, Cringela
• Regional traditions: ribbon candy, relish trays with olives and beets

Fun Facts Verified:

• Dick Van Dyke is 99 years old (turns 100 on December 13)
• Julie Andrews is 90 years old (turned 90 on October 1)
• Hermit crabs are more closely related to lobsters than crabs

"White dog poop disappeared, TV Guide died, and we're still here wondering why hermit crabs aren't actually crabs—adulthood is just unanswered childhood questions with better Google skills."