Shara Morris formerly produced the podcast “Make Me Smart with Kai and Molly.”
What was your first job?
My first paid job was working as a cashier and bar back at Taco Milagro in Houston, Texas. I love that the name of the restaurant means miracle taco in Spanish — because tacos ARE miracles. RIP, Taco Milagro.
Fill in the blank: Money can’t buy you happiness, but it can buy you ______.
Some peace of mind.
What is something that everyone should own, no matter how much it costs?
So many: an external battery charger, a pen and a hair tie. Also … a fun fact about yourself. You never know when an ice breaker's gonna happen.
What’s something that you thought you knew but later found out you were wrong about?
Growing up I had these frameworks in my head of who I was — for example, in college I used to say that I didn't cook. I said it because it was something my parents would say and it was easy to define myself in those terms. I was also probably uncomfortable moving around a kitchen. As I got older, however, I began asking myself why I said that when I really hadn't done much cooking at all. So I started cooking my own dinners … and it turned out that I loved it! It's so creative, meditative and fulfilling. So while I find some self-identifiers can be helpful in understanding who you are, they can also be limiting and need to be periodically re-evaluated.
What’s the favorite item in your workspace and why?
I have a postcard of Laika, the Soviet space dog, who was one of the first animals in space, in my cube. If you know me, you know I love dogs so there's that. I also got it at the Museum of Jurassic Technology in Los Angeles, which is one of my favorite spots in LA. It's a local gem and if you haven't been, go!
