"Lately, I've been thinking about..."

In the Season Two finale I talk to (un)common good media founder and podcast host pauli reese about painting and in particular how it invites us to experience the divine. We get into our checkered evangelical upbringings and our complicated journeys out of them. We also talk about what it means to have private versus public experiences of engaging with the spiritual and much, much more.Content from this episode:More info about Black Bottom tribeBalikbayan box episode of 99% InvisibleOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

In this episode we talk to ux writer and Strategic Writing for UX author Torrey Podmajersky about existential dread and, in particular, the dread that comes from having the same conversation over and over and over and over...We get into how sometimes these conversations are practice and how sometimes they're ways to avoid the *real* conversation we have to have if we ever stop having this conversation over and over, the ways we try to define progress, why do some people prefer authoritarianism, and much, much, more.Recommended content from this episodeWebsiteReal Rent DuwamishMoviesRRREverything Everywhere All at OnceBooksThe Dawn of Everything by David Graeber and David Wengrow PodcastContent Strategy InsightsOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

In this episode we speak to Sheryl Cababa, Chief Design Officer at Substantial and author of the new book, Closing the Loop: Systems Thinking for Designers, about ube, the Filipino flavor that has been appropriated by American dining and all that entails. We get into how responsibility for change gets pushed down to individuals and away from corporations, how identity gets mixed up in the diaspora experience, the difficulty of framing major systemic change in a way that actually gets shit done, and much, much more. Recommended content from this episode:A Down Home Meal for These Difficult Times - book by Meron HaderoOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

In this episode we speak to Saskia Videler, Content Architect at City of Antwerp, about globalization. We discuss what it means to look at things from other cultures' points of view, how we treat refugees, the cost of the English language taking over the world, and much, much, more.Referenced in this episodeWorkshopStopping the Cycle of OppressionBookClosing the Loop by Sheryl CababaTwitterSaskia VidelerOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

Dayana Kibilds, Strategy Director at Ologie with 10+ years in enrollment strategy, talks about hidden barriers to higher education like dense language, admissions process complexity, and institutional inertia. She explores how copying elite models fails diverse communities, why demographics demand new channels, and how clearer communication and cohort supports can improve access.

In this episode we speak to Dana Rock, director of experience design at Pickle Jar Communications about awe; what experiences induce it and what it means for us going forward. We get into the notion of building a web that highlights sharing experiences over sharing opinions, how WEIRD our notions of self are, and the very nature of consciousness itself. Recommended content from this episode:BooksHow to Change Your Mind by Michael PollanSocial: Why Our Brains Are Wired to Connect by Matthew D. LiebermanWhy Buddhism Is True by Robert WrightThe User Illusion by Tor NørretrandersRebel Ideas by Matthew SyedThe WEIRDist People in the World by Joseph HenrichSpeaking and Being by Kübra GümüsayOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

In this episode we speak to content designer Amy Grace Wells about expectations. Diagnosed only a few years ago with ADHD, Amy is reconsidering the expectations she and others have of herself. We get into how our expectations form, how identity and power influence expectations, and when "should" is and isn't a useful concept. Our intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

On the first episode of our second season, we speak live in front of a studio audience to writer, artist, speaker, and content strategist Malaika Carpenter about leadership and all the different ways we can define it. We also get into Indigenous values, who gets to be defined as a leader, and...you know...slavery. Recommended content from this episode:Movies/TVHomicide: Life on the StreetOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

Content warning: This episode deals explicitly with sexual violence, especially from the 23 minute mark to the 28 minute mark and from the 54 minute mark to the end.We talk about sex with Marta Rusek, who identifies as autistic, bisexual, and passionate about ending domestic violence. How do we learn about sex? Why are we so afraid of it? What does a sex-positive world look like? And much, much more.Referenced in this episodeTwitterDr. Timaree SchmitMoviesThe Fifth ElementAuntie MameSilence of the LambsBasic InstinctOut of SightThe Last Duel13thTo Kill a MockingbirdTVEuphoriaBridgertonWhen They See UsVideoTransfigurations - Gender Outlaws in the BibleTheaterTo Kill a MockingbirdOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander

Content warning: This episode contains discussions of trauma and suicidality. Listener discretion is advised. If you or someone you know has concerns about suicide, one resource is the National Suicide Hotline which you can learn more about here: https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/In this episode we talk to designer, researcher, business owner, and mom Melissa Eggleston about trauma. How should it inform design? What is a B-Corp and how can they make it easier to for companies to behave in a way that is more trauma-informed? How do we need to attend to our own trauma before we can help others? And much, much more.Recommended content from this episode:BooksDeep Work  by Cal NewportThe Empathetic Workplace  by Katharine ManningWebsitesSolutions Journalism Network story trackerGood News NetworkBBC NewsAl JazeeraResources for Trauma-Informed UX DesignAO3 (Archive of Our Own)B Lab Global SitePodcastsBrené Brown with Dr. Shawn Ginwright on The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining OurselvesMoviesThe Breakfast ClubOur intro and outro music is "Humbug" by Crowander