People Pleaser with Austin Archer

Recently I decided it would be a good idea to get down in the muck and fight fire with fire with some of my political rivals online. Admittedly I love the high that comes from over-indulging in my anger and frustration and just telling people I disagree with how I really feel. But I learned something, or rather re-contextualized a lesson I'm constantly learning over and over. The reason "They go high, we go low" is a good philosophy isn't because it helps us win some contested moral high ground. It's actually much simpler and less grandiose than that. It's a method for staying personally sane, healthy, and happy in a world of many insane, unhealthy, and unhappy realities. 

Mix/master general Chris Bjornn and I do a director's commentary of sorts on the entire album start to finish delving into the lyrics, production, and overall process. Be sure to listen to Beautiful Things before listening to this episode! Now streaming everywhere! 

It's college football season... in 2020. Which means, like everything else, it's a profoundly weird and abnormal time to be watching games and getting excited about the season. And if you're a fan of the PAC-12 or my team, the University of Utah Utes then... well... you're not really watching any games at all because there aren't any. So in lieu of actual football my Dad and I are gonna break down what it is we like about the sport, delve into our memories about it, and also talk about the things we think could possibly be improved. 

An exploration of fairy tales and the magic that exists in our world. Plus a premier reading of a brand new fairy tale. An allegory about mental illness, and overcoming the dark spell of depression and self doubt.

Deconstructing cause and effect in a hope to determine where our compassion is best utilized. 

Another solo jam from Austin. This time he's talking about the proliferation of propaganda. Particularly a deep dive on David Ayer's film End of Watch, and why movies like this can be detrimental to the conversations around real life incidents of police violence like the recent shooting of Jacob Blake.

It's the most popular social app in the world, home to dance trends, and all things gen z, and it's also the fastest growing platform for indie artists and content creators to become discovered. But it also might be American public enemy number one according to the Trump administration. Popular TikTokker London Laz is driving his #tiktokfamous Tesla into the blanket fort to talk TikTok, and to make a case for why we shouldn't be banning it, and why TikTok may be the best app of it's kind we've yet to come up with.

Independent business owner, yoga and meditation instructor, filmmaker, and former professional dancer Mel Mah stops by the actual blanket fort (no Zoom this week) to have a socially distanced chat about living a life full of abundance. How learning to recognize the abundance that already exists in one's life, can lead to increased abundance and over-all satisfaction with what is. We are getting spiritual and healthy and pumping all the good vibes, so get with it. 

As COVID-19 infection rates continue to surge across America, a justifiably alarmed workforce of teachers and school workers are doing all they can to ensure the safety of their students, their families, and themselves. 

Dave Mortensen has been leading a recent online campaign seeking accountability from a very successful community theatre in Sandy, Utah. A theatre who has a long history of under-paying staff and artists while making a killing at the top. We're going to closely examine the current concerns surrounding this company as a means to discuss the larger issue of artist exploitation, and why artists and dream chasers are particularly susceptible to mistreatment in the workplace.