Unbridled emotion, soul-connected dance, and strobe lights as sex toys—Amy and Tommy don’t miss any of it in their discussion of Chapter 10 in Miranda July’s All Fours. Amy calls it the “love chapter” and perhaps it is, sprinkled with the tension of fraught desire and the finitude of time.

A strange irony exists in the very best moments both in love and in sex: the deep desire to stay right there in that very feeling forever which is both an act of relishing the present while actively craving that very existence in perpetuity. Whether shouting love into a void or drawing up blueprints for a well-placed hut, it’s another attempt to catch smoke.

But there’s also the split second moments that can blow up a world. Amy & Tommy tackle both in this juicy episode!

Read along or just enjoy the ride! Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday wherever you get your podcasts. To join in the discussion, subscribe to our Substack here! Next week: Chapter 11!

Original Music:

Song: If I Remember It Right

Artist: Rick Real and The Warmth

Album: FM Perspective

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Anatomy of the Abdomen

The only thing I can find on Graham Kemp

Tommy's former G2 boss waxes poetic about the early days of Silicon Valley

The Guayabera

"Same Time Next Year" starring Alan Alda and Ellen Burstyn

Breitenbush

The Wendy Award by Walter Scott

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

When our character learns that Davey’s first sexual encounters were orchestrated by his mother with his mother’s very experienced friend, she is, understandably, flabbergasted. But the thought that emerges later has morphed into something of a motto or a mantra for Amy and Tommy. Miranda July writes, “An overly skilled lover was kind of icky—desire should make you clumsy.” Indeed. Clumsy indeed.

In Amy & Tommy’s romp through Chapter 9 of All Fours, they question the linearity of sex, wonder about clogged fourth chakras (shouldn’t it be clogged sacral chakras? Someone help!) and consider the irony of a particular kind of confluence: what happens when the things you hate about someone become the very things that catapult you into love?

Read along or just enjoy the ride! Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday wherever you get your podcasts. BIG NEWS: To join in the discussion, subscribe to our Substack here! Next week: Chapter 10!

Original Music

Song: Some People Do Have to Live Like a Refugee Because They Are..

Artist: Muistardeaux Collective

Album: KTWE

Sink Sandwich Records

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

"What Cuba taught me about Flirting and Sensuality" an essay by Namita Kulkarni

Mi Moto Fidel: Motorcycling Through Castro's Cuba by Christopher P. Baker

Miranda July dancing on Instagram

Miranda July interviews Rihanna (Arkanda?) for the New York Times

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

"He reached across the table and touched the back of his hand to the back of mine..." and so begins the erotically charged emotional affair between our main character and Davey. As readers, Amy and Tommy are pulled into the weightless madness that comes the realization that our feelings are mirrored by the object of our desire. As a long-time married couple, they examine this hilarious and sexy chapter from a healthy distance before the topic touches a little closer to the bone.

They go off piste a bit to pan Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn, then discuss the the All Fours narrator's use of time and touch on the never-ending guilt of motherhood. Later, they stumble headfirst into uncharted territory. Yep, unscripted disclosures of heretofore secret emotional affairs. It's raw, it's juicy. You're gonna love it!

Original Music

Song: Average Height

Artist: Rick Real and the Warmth

Album: USA #1

Sink Sandwich Records

References in this chapter:

All Fours by Miranda July (in paperback!)

Babygirl, directed by Halina Reijn

Ester Perel in conversation with Miranda July

Tyrone Hayes TedX Talk

Tommy's documentary on the Christian Wrestling Federation

Read along or just enjoy the ride! Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday wherever you get your podcasts. BIG NEWS: To join in the discussion, subscribe to our Substack here! Next week: Chapter 9!

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

In Chapter 7 of Miranda July’s All Fours, our character wrestles with two realities: her sudden and unhinged desire for Davey's body AND her grim awareness of her aging self. Amy & Tommy use this chapter as a framework to discuss the surprise of primal desire, inner voices, and the intersection of life and art. They also realize that solo orgasms are like cookies.

Read along or just enjoy the discussion! Subscribe to the podcast so you won’t miss any of the episodes. We also just set up a Work From Bed Friday Substack where you can actually JOIN the discussion! Next week: Chapter 8

Original Music:

Song: Sam and Lucy

Artist: Ian and The Deep Sheets

Album: Ball Simon

Sink Sandwich Records

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Sister Corita Kent

Fountain (Duchamp)

Not Everyone Has an Inner Voice Streaming through their Head

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

In Chapter 6 of Miranda July’s All Fours, our character enters a world of mirrors in which the women of Monrovia and beyond reflect the different seasons of her life. Amy & Tommy can’t stop analyzing the relatively minor character of Helen—wise woman, pleasure seeker, housekeeper.

And then there are secrets—which ones do we keep and which ones do we divulge? Are the transgressions of our past selves titillating or better kept under wraps? Also, a 20-year-old photo of “hot Amy” goes viral.

Read along or just enjoy the discussion! Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday so you won’t miss any of the episodes. Next week: Chapter 7!

*Tommy’s claim that 50 or even 75% of male actors on the big screen have had jawline surgery cannot be confirmed. By anyone. Anywhere.

Original Music:

Song: Dirty Old Towne

Artist: Rick Real and The Warmth

Album: USA #1

Sink Sandwich Records

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Looksmaxxing

FYPod episode that discusses looksmaxxing

Stasia’s Style School

Water, Water: Poems by Billy Collins

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

Is the universe just a big wonky pinball machine? As our character keeps the ball in motion without making much forward progress toward her destination, Amy & Tommy discuss a magical land called Monrovia, interactions with strangers, and the Piña Colada song, to which Amy gets the concept right, but bungles the lyrics and details.

In Chapter 5 of Miranda July’s All Fours, the action of the road trip is interspersed with our character’s deep thoughts. Likewise, Amy & Tommy jump from reflecting on parenting, restlessness, and eye contact with strangers to sharing their longstanding anniversary tradition of revealing personal secrets to one another.

Read along or just enjoy the discussion! Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday so you won’t miss any of the episodes. Next week: Chapter 6!

Original Music:

Song: Honey Don't Don't Stay

Artist: Ian and The Deep Sheets

Album: Ball Simon

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Miranda July, artist

Trader Joe’s Headquarters

The Princess Switch (set in Belgravia and Montenaro)

A Christmas Prince (set in Aldovia)

“Those who don’t believe in magic never find it.” —Roald Dahl

Escape (The Piña Colada Song)

Ventana in Big Sur

Appellation Wine Transport

The Viscount

The OPL

Arthur Murray

Next National Day of Action

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

Our character prepares to leave on her cross country road trip, checking off a list of mundane tasks, including marching into her husband's room wearing nothing but high heels. Which begs the question: why is intimacy with our partner sometimes so hard? Even when once you get going you find yourself "sex's biggest fan??"

Amy & Tommy dive into Chapter 4 of Miranda July's All Fours to find themselves busted—their "before times" selves exposed in the narrative. Also, the relative safety of flying over driving. Maybe it's all related?

Read the chapter or just enjoy the discussion. Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday so you won’t miss any of the episodes. Next week: Chapter 5!

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Poppy's Crab Shack

Magnificent Sex

Original Music

Song: Mother Machete

Artist: Muistardeaux Collective

Album: KTWE

Sink Sandwich Records

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.

In Chapter 3 of Miranda July’s All Fours, our character sips clandestine strawberry milkshakes with her bestie before sneaking back into her house like a thief. This episode is about secrets and disclosure, fantasy and reality, mind-rooted and body-rooted fucks—so many binaries! Where do you find yourself?

Amy & Tommy find themselves embarking on a spicy discussion featuring childhood favorite food treats, fantasies, connection, foreplay, and Portland Firefighters—surprisingly, the bleep button was only needed twice!

Read along or just enjoy the discussion. Subscribe to Work From Bed Friday so you won’t miss any of the episodes. Next week: Chapter 4!

References in this episode:

All Fours by Miranda July

Portland Fire & Rescue

Morning Ceramics

Amy's poem, Married Sex

News Sources

Associated Press: Balanced and rigorous reporting of facts

The Bulwark: Smart and thorough news stories and analysis by center-right voices critical of Trump

Letters From an American: History professor Heather Cox Richardson chronicles current events through the lens of history and focuses on the health of American democracy.

Chop Wood, Carry Water: Jessica Craven sends out this daily newsletter of simple actions you can take to preserve our democracy. She also provides news of recent wins!

Original Music

Song: I Feel for Uncle Sam

Artist: Rick Real and The Warmth

Album: I Feel for Uncle Sam - Single

Sink Sandwich Records

Send us a text

Don't miss the good stuff! Click here to get on the list for our monthly newsletter (or subscribe directly on Substack) which includes book reviews, date night ideas, and more juicy tidbits from the bed and beyond!

Work From Bed Friday is a podcast hosted by Amy Hoffmann and Tommy Borden, a committed couple of 30+ years. Funny, spicy, and insightful, they discuss marriage, sex, and connection through the lens of contemporary books and media. Every Friday. From bed.