Send us a text

A porch story can change your life. That’s the energy Mary Ryan Brown brings as we explore how Southern culture, girlhood expectations, and the pressure of being “gifted” fuel comedy that heals. She grew up in Hattiesburg, Mississippi, steeped in cadence, gossip, and theater, and she pairs that with a literary lens that shapes jokes like short stories. From Jerry Clower to Flannery O’Connor, her references aren’t just clever—they’re the scaffolding for an hour designed to feel like a pickle shot: the burn, then the rush, and the strange relief of being seen.

We talk about the season that cracked everything open: postpartum depression. Those sleepless nights became a workshop, with specials paused and transcribed beat by beat until timing made sense again. When she finally stepped onto an open mic, preparation met chaos, and a community voice began to emerge. The Southern Mom persona didn’t appear out of nowhere; it arrived from GroupMe threads, church parking lots, monogrammed backpacks, and china patterns that signal class and comfort. It’s specific and a little dangerous—humor as a Trojan horse for cultural truth, delivered with affection and bite.

Mary Ryan ties her audacity to family legacy. Her grandmother, Dr. Frances Karnes, pioneered gifted education and modeled the courage to ask for what doesn’t exist. That spirit informs the grind: showing up, writing better, accepting that the audience owes you nothing while you owe them resonance. We trace peaks and valleys, faith and fear, New York dreams and small-town logistics, and the launch of her new tour in 2026. If you love stand-up, Southern storytelling, reinvention, authenticity, and the weird alchemy where laughter turns into courage, you’ll find a lot to savor here.

For all things Mary Ryan Brown - including her tour schedule - visit her website: https://www.maryryanbrown.com/

You can also find her on Instagram: @maryryanbrown.

Join us, subscribe for more conversations like this, and share this episode with someone who needs a nudge to take their first brave step. Your reviews help others discover the show—leave one and tell us which moment stuck with you most.

🔗 Stay connected with Pairs Well With…
Follow us on Instagram: @PairsWellWithPodcast and Watch us on YouTube: @PairsWellWith...Podcast.

Have a story or guest idea? Email us at: PairsWellWithPodcast@gmail.com

🎧 New episodes every month—subscribe, rate, and share if you enjoy the show!

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Although your hosts are attorneys, Pairs Well With… does not provide legal, medical, financial, or professional advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Always seek the advice of qualified professionals regarding any specific questions or concerns you may have.

Send us a text

The hosts, Serena and Sheila, begin this episode discussing a spark that starts with a simple shift: stop dressing for approval and start dressing for yourself. From a vintage bandana that feels like armor to a chaotic morning that ends with a mailbox carving a new line into a new car, we unpack why confidence, planning, and self-expression matter more than perfection. Holiday talk follows—less pressure on a single day, more joy across a month—plus a disarming fix for the online shopping spiral that keeps our carts full and our closets confused.

Then the hosts engage in a rich conversation with Brooks Eason, a retired lawyer turned author. They delve into his latest book, 'I Remember Everything,' which intricately weaves a story of lifelong friendship, tragedy, and adventure. Brooks shares insights into his writing process, the transition from a high-stress legal career to a fulfilling post-retirement life, and the pivotal moments that shaped his journey. The discussion also touches upon the importance of friendships and personal fulfillment outside traditional career roles. Eason highlights the joys of hosting house concerts, the creative inspirations behind his characters, and the discipline carried over from law to writing.

You’ll also get a candid look at the writing life—how to start with a gripping hook, build a middle that moves, and honor the people who make the story worth telling. If you’re navigating career shifts, craving more real connection, or ready to let style reflect the person you’ve become, this conversation has layers you’ll want to revisit.

You can find out more about Brooks Eason and buy inscribed copies of his newest book, I Remember Everything, (as well as his other books) at https://brookseason.com/

The book is also available on Amazon (with 5 star reviews): https://tinyurl.com/4c4rm9sr

If this episode hits home, follow the show, share it with a friend, and leave a quick review. Your notes help us keep the conversations honest, useful, and alive.

CHAPTERS:

00:00 Introduction and Family Anecdotes

00:27 Fashion and Personal Style

02:26 Morning Routines and Mishaps

03:53 Holiday Shopping and Party Plans

08:24 Flexible Holiday Celebrations

13:17 Interview with Brooks Eason

25:34 The Hook and the Middle

26:01 Outdoor Adventures and Inspirations

27:01 A Tragic Twist

29:14 Developing Characters and Personal Reflections

33:47 Transitioning from Law to Writing

47:21 Friendships and House Concerts

54:00 Reflections on Retirement and Creativity

56:32 Rapid Fire and Final Thoughts

🔗 Stay connected with Pairs Well With…
Follow us on Instagram: @PairsWellWithPodcast and Watch us on YouTube: @PairsWellWith...Podcast.

Have a story or guest idea? Email us at: PairsWellWithPodcast@gmail.com

🎧 New episodes every month—subscribe, rate, and share if you enjoy the show!

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Although your hosts are attorneys, Pairs Well With… does not provide legal, medical, financial, or professional advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Always seek the advice of qualified professionals regarding any specific questions or concerns you may have.

Send us a text

Before our full episode with Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, Serena and Sheila provide some updates on what’s been happening behind the scenes.

At 22:50, Attorney General Lynn Fitch joins our hosts and Episode 5 begins.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Mississippi Attorney General Lynn Fitch, the first woman to hold the office, to explore the purpose-driven path behind her extraordinary career. From early pivots and public-service mentorship to shaping statewide policy on women’s issues, human trafficking, and maternal assistance initiatives, General Fitch opens up about the moments that defined her leadership—and the faith that guides her through every door she walks through.

We dig into the moments that mattered: saying yes to hard assignments from Lieutenant Governor Evelyn Gandy, launching the Women in the Profession Committee and the Gandy Lecture Series, and deciding to run statewide when the odds said don’t. As State Treasurer, General Fitch turned financial literacy into a statewide movement—training 140,000 students and then bringing parents and teachers along—proving you can build capacity even when legislation lags. That same bias for action powers her approach to human trafficking: multi-agency task forces, survivor-informed care, arrests that stick, and simple tools like the Simply Report app to move tips faster than traffickers.

The conversation widens with the Mississippi Women’s Summit, where more than 600 women traded ideas, formed partnerships, and did real business—reminding us that community is an economic engine. We close with the Empowerment Project, an action plan anchored in five pillars: childcare, flexible work, child support reform, upskilling, and adoption and foster care transformation. New laws, Safe Haven Baby Boxes, and the MAMA app—Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance—turn values into infrastructure, helping mothers find jobs, food, car seats, and support in just a few taps.

If you care about practical leadership, survivor-centered justice, and building ecosystems that lift women and families, this conversation delivers playbooks you can borrow. Listen, share with a friend who needs a nudge to walk through the next door, and leave a review to help more people find stories that move them.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Mississippi Attorney General’s Office

https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/

Empowerment Project

https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/theempowermentproject/

MAMA Program (Mississippi Access to Maternal Assistance)

https://mama.ms.gov

MS Women’s Summit (Dates & Registration)

https://attorneygenerallynnfitch.com/womenssummit/

Simply Report App (Human trafficking tip reporting)

Available in the App Sto

🔗 Stay connected with Pairs Well With…
Follow us on Instagram: @PairsWellWithPodcast and Watch us on YouTube: @PairsWellWith...Podcast.

Have a story or guest idea? Email us at: PairsWellWithPodcast@gmail.com

🎧 New episodes every month—subscribe, rate, and share if you enjoy the show!

Disclaimer:
The content of this podcast is for informational and entertainment purposes only. Although your hosts are attorneys, Pairs Well With… does not provide legal, medical, financial, or professional advice. Listening to this podcast does not create an attorney-client relationship. Always seek the advice of qualified professionals regarding any specific questions or concerns you may have.