150. hear us out: sounds

hi hello hey — do you hear that? it’s the sound of wedding bells! We’re back in time for the big day, and posting exactly one month after! Coincidence?? Perhaps, but it makes for the perfect launch to part 2 of our two-part wedding extravaganza! If you missed it, you can listen to 153. the wedding diaries, part 1: decisions, decisions for all the engagement, planning, and Case’s decision-making process for all things wedding. On this final installment, we’re walking you through the surprise bachelorette party, the pre-wedding hype, and all the excitement leading up to the big day! We’re talking bridesmaid luncheons, rehearsals, rehearsal dinners, speeches (including one from Cass!), and, of course, the wedding itself. And because this is Rare with Flair, we’re also highlighting the quintessential disability-related moments that happen every day, but especially on a special occasion. From the little blind moments to the very HPS-coded wedding-day happenings, there’s plenty to unpack. So grab your tissues, settle in, and join us for the grand finale of the wedding diaries! related episodes For our episode on being bridesmaids, check out 47. here comes the bridesmaid: being in a wedding with a rare disease For our other two-part extravaganza celebrating when Cass got Anaheim, check out 127. GUIDE DOG TRAINING, part 1: meet cass’ new guide! & 128. GUIDE DOG TRAINING, part 2: come train with cass & mr. a! Cass + Case at Case’s wedding, with representation from Rupert & Scout!, 2026

hi hello hey, it’s us — Cassandra Mendez and Casey Greer Newkirk (!!!!) Wow, wow, wow. What a whirlwind it’s been since Case got married!! We couldn’t be happier here at Rare with Flair, and instead of keeping all that wedding bliss to ourselves, we’re sharing it with you in a super special two-part extravaganza! In part 1, Case walks us through the many exciting (and exhausting) decisions that went into planning her big day. We play “This or That: Wedding Edition,” where Cass asks Case about her wedding choices and the reasoning behind them. From the big decisions to the little details, Case shares what mattered most to her, including how disability shaped some of the choices that made her wedding uniquely hers. Stay tuned for part 2, where we take you along for the big day!! related episodes For our episode on being bridesmaids, check out 47. here comes the bridesmaid: being in a wedding with a rare disease For our other two-part extravaganza celebrating when Cass got Anaheim, check out 127. GUIDE DOG TRAINING, part 1: meet cass’ new guide! & 128. GUIDE DOG TRAINING, part 2: come train with cass & mr. a! For our episode on concerts, listen to 115. internet fan meetups, unicorn snot, & trying to see the jumbotron For more on photophobia, check out 94. fear of photos or light sensitivity: the photophobia episode Check out our ongoing Sensory Series! Case + Cass at Case’s wedding rehearsal, 2026

hi hello hey — do you smell that?? smells like a new episode! Welcome to the next installment of our Sensory Series, where we talk about all the things we love about our non-visual senses! Last time, we discussed our favorite sounds, so this time we’re talking about our favorite smells. Like our sounds episode, we didn’t just pick smells that are generally “good” — we also chose some that evoke specific memories, places, and joyful feelings. And speaking of joyful feelings… we’re so happy to announce that our very own Casey is getting married this weekend!! Please send your well-wishes to the happy couple (or any questions you may have!) to [email protected] or in our Instagram DMs, @rare.with.flair. As Case and her new husband enjoy their honeymoon, we’ll be taking an extra week before our next episode. Don’t worry though; we’ll be back with all the wedding recap details! Case + Cass incorporating some favorite smells into candles, 2024

hi hello hey — we’ve got some questions. And by questions, we mean ChatGPT came up with some questions for us to answer! We’ve done full episodes on some of the questions we answer, but for a little “flair” break from our recent “rare” episodes, why not talk about some very unimportant opinions? if you ever have a question for us, you can always DM us on Instagram or email us at [email protected]! related episodes For more little things that make us happy, check out 54. happy little things For pet peeves and things that get under our skin, check out 67. a how-to guide on how to annoy us Cass + Case at the NOAHCon 2026 — credit: Positive Exposure show notes If you’re interested in Cass’ new puzzle book purchase, check it out on Amazon

hi hello hey–do you hear that?? it’s a new episode! Once upon a time, we did an episode about our favorite things, which included a few favorite smells. As visually impaired women, we’re still visual people, but we also rely on our other four senses quite a bit. We thought it would be fun to create a little “Sensory Series” exploring our favorite things from each nonvisual sense (and maybe our least favorites too?). To kick things off, we’re talking all about our favorite sounds! Some are universally satisfying, while others are incredibly specific sounds tied to memories and people in our lives. From ocean waves and crackling fire to the jingle of keys and the click of high heels, we’re sharing the sounds that make us smile. Do you have favorite sounds we missed? We’d love to hear from you at [email protected]! And keep an eye out for future episodes in our Sensory Series! Case + Cass enjoying some of their favorite sounds: the beach and Disney background music! 2026 show notes Want more soothing sounds in your life? Check out this guide to turn on Background Sounds on your iPhone for free!

hi hello hey, we’re making our canes accessories now. We’ve done many an episode about mobility tools, but it’s been two years since we last talked canes, when Case got her all-pink cane and Cass got a No-Jab cane. We’re back—and thanks to our friends at Ambutech, we’re here to debut canes for all seasons, including matching beautiful, bedazzled canes and a cane setup specifically made for the outdoorsy! Besides showing off our new additions, we take our canes for a stroll down memory lane to review the many canes of our lives, from our very first canes to the cane tips that have definitely seen better days. Thanks again to Ambutech for our new canes! If you’re interested in a bespoke cane of your own, email them at [email protected] and tell them Rare with Flair sent you! Cass in Copenhagen with her no-jab cane and Case pretty in pink as Glinda for the NOAH Con with her new bedazzled pink cane, 2026 show notes Cass’ No-Jab cane with the red leather grip Case’s graphite cane — you can select a grip color like pink and tape colors for some added flair Want to recreate Cass’ hiking cane? Here’s what you’ll need: Adult Fiberglass cane — you can select the tape colors for each section (Cass picked green) Standard marshmallow tip (non-rolling) Support cane tip — this slips over the standard marshmallow tip Flip up ice spike attachment — for extra grip in the ground

who could’ve predicted we’d still be hi, hello-ing, and hey-ing 6 years later?! Wow, podience! We can’t believe this is our SIXTH podaversary. 2020 seems like a lifetime ago, and we had to take a beat to think about everything that’s changed since then. Since recording in our parents’ houses during a global pandemic, we’ve each made a myriad of changes, both large and small, all while keeping the pod a constant in our evolving lives. While “things change” isn’t exactly breaking news, we wanted to take a moment to honor where we started and where we are now. Of course, we also wanted to take a moment to thank all our listeners. From the OGs to new fans who binge the entire show to casual listeners in between, we would just be FaceTiming into the void without you. Thank you to anyone who’s ever emailed us or approached us at a conference to tell us you enjoy the show. If we’ve ever made you feel less alone as someone with a disability, or if you’ve learned something new from us, we feel like we’ve accomplished what we’d hoped. Thank you for six lovely years of storytelling, laughter, and growth. We truly couldn’t have done it without you! related episodes If you’d like to take a stroll down memory lane, start with our very first episode, or check out our five other podaversary episodes in the Podaversary category. Especially check out last year’s podaversary episode, where we revisited some of our opinions on disability-related topics and discovered that, shockingly, we’ve changed our minds about a few things. For some of the early episodes we mention in this one, check out our early style episode to see just how much we’ve changed (and to date ourselves a little), along with our early music episode. Six years later, we’re still here, and apparently we still have things to say. Here’s to many more! Case + Cass caught in true form at the HPS conference, 2026

hi hello hey, we lost our voices but filled our hearts We’re back from the 2026 albinism conference in Columbus, Ohio, and somehow managed to fit a week’s worth of memories into just three short days. Join us as we recap volunteering at the HPS Network booth, speaking on panels, rehearsing and performing with the Person with Albinism (PWA) Choir, trying adaptive sports, dominating (or attempting to dominate) trivia night, and catching up with friends from all over the country. We also share all the behind-the-scenes details from the most magical Wicked-themed bridal shower that Cass secretly planned for Case at the sweetest little French café. 💚🩷 Whether you’ve attended an albinism conference before or are just curious what it’s like, come relive one unforgettable weekend with us filled with community, laughter, meaningful conversations, and a whole lot of joy. related episodes For past NOAH conference episodes, check out 98. rolling out the red carpet for the albinism conference (2024 con) 50. squinting in orlando: albinism conference recap (2022 con) Cass references our recent episode on visual processing: 137. sorry, my brain was buffering For all other conference episodes, listen to our Conference recap category! Cass, Case, + Anaheim at the NOAH Conference in Columbus, Ohio, 2026

hi hello hey — the old Rare with Flair can’t come to the phone right now. why? because they’re busy ranking Taylor Swift albums. After an unexpected little summer hiatus, we’re finally back behind the microphones and so excited to kick off the second half of the season with an episode we’ve somehow never done before. We’re ranking every Taylor Swift album in a full-blown tier list. From debut to Showgirl, we’re sharing our hottest takes, defending our rankings, and proving that even our “lowest” tier still isn’t all that low. If you’ve been around for a while, you might remember last year’s episode all about attending live events as blind concertgoers. We talk about our Eras Tour experiences there, so consider this episode the perfect companion piece—this time, we’re leaving the stadium behind and focusing on the music itself. If you’re a Swiftie like us or just curious to see which albums made our S tier, we hope you’ll listen along… and maybe yell at us just a little. 😉 Cass + Case at The Eras Tour, 2024/2023

hi hello hey — apparently our eyeballs demande Back in 2022, we dedicated an entire episode to our experiences with glasses and contacts, and while our diagnoses haven’t changed, our relationships with corrective lenses definitely have. So naturally, it was time for a sequel. This week, Case shares her journey from trying progressives to fully embracing bifocals (granny-core, but make it functional), while Cass talks about wearing tinted contacts more often to help with photophobia and why they work so well for her and shares potentially the least glamorous contacts story ever told. We also swap stories about the strange realities of “corrected” vision, including the irony that our prescriptions can reduce eye strain and help us distinguish more detail… while still not letting us recognize faces from across the room.