Here's A Thought

Send us a Text Message.If you pay attention to all the slogans and memes, you should be very worried, or guilty, or ashamed, if you spend even a second in your comfort zone. Slacker! Couch potato! Taker up of valuable space on the planet!I'm calling shenanigans. Here's what I have to say about the comfort zone.This is the final episode of Season Three of Here's A Thought -- have a wonderful, just-comfortable-enough summer!Intro Music by TheoJT from PixabaySupport the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Send us a Text Message."Second childhood" is a term with unfortunate connotations. But if you look at it a different way, it sounds kind of wonderful. Let' give it a think.Intro Music by Jerome Chauvel from PixabaySupport the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Send us a Text Message.When the girls need a new house because their old one's wearing out . . . attention must be paid So let's talk about the one article of clothing for which I really, truly hate to shop. I bet I'm not the only one.Support the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Send us a Text Message.The recent news that presidential candidate RFK Jr. has disclosed that doctors discovered a (dead) worm in his brain has me overthinking about . . . things that want to eat our brains. Real things, not zombies. Turns out it's not just worms. Join me for an introduction to some of the beasties that really want to get in your head.Sources:https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/rfk-jr-says-his-brain-was-partially-eaten-by-a-worm-that-crawled-inside-and-died-everything-you-need-to-knowhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/well/live/brain-worm-parasites-rfk-jr.htmlhttps://www.nytimes.com/by/dana-smithhttps://www.nytimes.com/by/dani-blumhttps://biosci.unl.edu/scott-gardnerhttps://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cysticercosis/index.htmlhttps://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/cestodes-tapeworms/taenia-solium-pork-tapeworm-infection-and-cysticercosishttps://theconversation.com/finding-a-live-brain-worm-is-rare-4-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-more-common-parasites-212437https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1777167553317703852Support the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Send us a Text Message.In which I follow another writer's clever writing prompt -- and get in touch with my inner Princess.Want to play along? Check out Karen Schwartz  and her This or That challenges  on Medium.com!How do you feel about treating yourself, and what's your favorite (decently shareable) way to do it? Text me below -- and if you have an idea for an upcoming episode, please do share it (and let me know if I can thank you on air)! Support the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Send us a Text Message."House-proud" is how my mother's generation used to describe someone (always a woman) who was fussy and vain about how her house looked -- or, somebody whose home someone like my mother might worry was nicer than hers.It's an old-fashioned term. But the feeling is still pervasive? Do you cringe when someone drops by unannounced and you're suddenly aware of the dust bunnies in the corners?I have a solution. Listen and learn . . .Starting this week, you can send a text to Here's a Thought right from the podcast app on your phone. Keep scrolling and you'll see the button. I'd love your feedback, and/or your suggestions for a topic to overthink on an upcoming episode! Let me know if it's okay to acknowledge you by name.Sound Effect from PixabaySupport the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Going to see the movie Civil War, the 2024 release written and directed by Alex Garland, isn't like seeing most movies. You walk out of the theater with a lot to think about -- and maybe you walk out changed. What the experience has done for me is to help me embrace a philosophy proposed by Viktor Frankl, the 20th Century psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust and developed Logotherapy, based on the premise that a basic drive of humankind is to find meaning in life — no matter what the conditions of someone's life may be. His most famous work is the book Man's Search for Meaning -- published in English in 1959, an immediate best-seller and, in 1991, called by the Library of Congress one of the ten most influential books in the U.S. If the term "tragic optimism" sounds contradictory to you, stick with me for a few minutes. You might find it as bracing, helpful -- and hopeful -- as I do.Opening Music by Oleg Kyrylkovv from PixabaySupport the Show.Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which I witness a semiannual Idaho tradition — when sheep take over a major roadway on their way to greener pastures. It's an Idaho thing.Want to learn more? Helpful links:Andy Little, the “Idaho Sheep King"Idaho sheep ranchers Frank Shirts and Henry Etcheverry Boise's Basque Block -- where you can find funky, cozy Bar Gernika  and enjoy the once-every-five-years cultural Basque cultural festival, Jaialdi  A few more fun quotations about sheep (that aren't insulting to sheep):We're a nation of sheep. If you go out and look up at the sky, people around you will start looking up at the sky. — Alan AbelIdeas are easy. It's the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats. — Sue GraftonWe are discreet sheep; we wait to see how the drove is going, and then go with the drove. — Mark TwainThe shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same. — StendhalIf Someone wants a sheep, then that means that he exists. –Antoine de Saint-ExuperySheep sound effects courtesy Pixabay SoundSupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

This week, we give thought to how much of us is really "us" — turns out it's way less than we thought. You really do contain multitudes.Pardon a few technical glitches this week, thanks to a crabby audio system and a very tight schedule due to travel. Or just pretend I have hiccups.Resource links:First complete human genome sequence"Dr. Martin Blaser on sacred cows, ear infections and the nature of science" by Ashton Applewhite, American Museum of Natural History magazine Archaea (they're not bacteria!)Really cool if slightly horrifying PBS video on DemodexSupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

The Jonestown Massacre happened 46 years ago. But to me, it feels way too close — because one of the people who died there was a girl I went to school with.  She was a quiet, shy girl, the daughter of a pastor when I knew her. For years I thought of her as a duped, innocent victim. But it turns out she was one of the leaders, and an architect of the plan to have everyone drink the poison. Is there a way to make any of this make sense?Content warning: suicide, murder, cults, sexual abuse, child murderReference links:Jonestown, basic background from Brittanica: https://www.britannica.com/event/JonestownMaria Katsaris, Wikipedia entryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_KatsarisJonestown: The Women Behind The Massacre documentary filmhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt8020376/"revolutionary suicide"https://inthesetimes.com/article/jonestown-mass-revolutionary-suicide-socialist"Moonies" (Unification Church)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_ChurchScientology/Church of Scientologyhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology#:~:text=Scientology%20is%20a%20set%20of,or%20a%20new%20religious%20movement.Baghwan Shree Rajneeshhttps://www.neh.gov/humanities/2018/spring/feature/rajneeshpuram-was-more-utopia-desert-it-was-mirror#:~:text=Named%20after%20the%20iconoclastic%20Indian,utopia%20in%20the%20Oregon%20desert.Jonestown 45th anniversary article, Daily Journal:https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/45-years-later-peoples-temple-and-the-peninsula/article_3b001bee-85cc-11ee-aa8d-579b5c0b7b99.htmlAlternative Considerations of Jonestown & Peoples Templehttps://jonestown.sdsu.edu/-transcript of Charles Garry's interview with Maria Katsaris re: sexual abuse by fatherhttps://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=125494Charles Garry, Wikipedia entryhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Garry#:~:text=Charles%20R.,during%20the%201978%20Jonestown%20tragedy.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

A brief meditation on how my dog and I may walk the same path, yet our journeys differ. Trigger warning: contains haikuSound Effect from PixabayHaiku Music by Inner Tune from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

It's spring at last — a season that brings hope, energy, renewal — and for far too many of us the dread of swimsuit season. In this episode, I celebrate reaching the threshold of Summer Body Exemption.Spring Sound Effect from PixabayBoomerang Sound Effect by Jurij from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which I describe our recent experience with what's politely called a "low-cost carrier" airline. They aren't all this sketchy, thank God.Opening Music by Oleg Kyrylkovv from PixabaySound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Sometimes our best intentions have completely unanticipated results. Here's what happened when I signed up for a research study.Resources for Alzheimer's and dementia:Alzheimer's AssociationAlzheimers.govCareforth (resources for dementia caregivers)National Institute on AgingSupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which your devoted overthinker contemplates the manner and method of her own final exit. Not being negative or nihilistic here -- just stating my preference.I might even have stumbled on a loophole.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Thanks to the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that says frozen embryos in test tubes equal are human beings, yours truly has been listening to the fallout (for example, what this means for IVF treatments) and overthinking what this means. Clearly, the GOP has a real problem with the woman question. Luckily, I have a solution.Content advisory: political satire, mention of abortion, oblique references to Christian nationalism.Reference links:https://abcnews.go.com/US/indiana-reprimands-doctor-ohio-rape-victim-abortion/story?id=99612853https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/11/1218625460/texas-woman-who-sued-state-for-abortion-travels-out-of-state-for-procedure-inste#:~:text=Hourly%20News-,Texas%20abortion%20ban%20leads%20woman%20to%20leave%20state%20for%20emergency,Texas%20to%20get%20an%20abortion.https://www.newsweek.com/idaho-republican-representative-apologizes-womens-health-farm-animals-1773507https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-conservative-christian-views-ruling-d9b7f720b5ef865ab35205ad36061f2dhttps://states.guttmacher.org/policies/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5-uuBhDzARIsAAa21T-SrxE6nlipaxKbWzVCiEGioglq_FhUfmZ2hELKUqeXanmd2g-CRJ8aAl15EALw_wcBhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandatehttps://abc7chicago.com/abortion-ban-map-where-banned-restricted-protected/13299140/#:~:text=Idaho%20has%20one%20of%20the,state%20lines%20without%20parental%20consent.https://abcnews.go.com/US/idaho-governor-signs-abortion-trafficking-bill-law/story?id=98399580https://apnews.com/article/alabama-abortion-justice-department-2fbde5d85a907d266de6fd34542139e2https://www.axios.com/2023/11/15/us-abortion-ban-republican-president-2024-trumpSound Effect from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

For a habitual overthinker like me, the happiest of occasions can cause a spiral. Especially when there's nothing to worry about. IYKYK, and if not, don't tell me to calm down.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In this episode, Here's A Thought reaches a milestone that a lot of podcasts never achieve — and that is entirely thanks to listeners like you. So I'm enormously appreciative.I'm also thinking deeply -- which is distinct, I hope, from overthinking — about the interview I did for another podcast I'm involved in, and how it was driven home to me by the recent news about Derek Chauvin — the former Minneapolis cop who was sentenced to 22 1/2 years for killing George Floyd in 2020 — being stabbed in prison.Whatever offense a convict has committed, violence, sexual assault, and dehumanizing conditions are not supposed to be part of the punishment. And the hard truth is that not everyone who is languishing in prison even belongs there.It's a reality that most of us are insulated from confronting — but after my  interview  with Dr. Greg Hampikian, co-founder of the Idaho Innocence Project, for an episode of the Crow's Feet: Life As We Age podcast (release date January 24, 2024), I've lost my insulation. I don't think that's a bad thing. Here's A Thought will be taking a hiatus after this episode -- so check out any of the previous ones you may have missed and please join me in the meantime at:Crow's Feet: Life As We Age -- on all major podcast platforms.Links for today's episodes:Dr. Greg HampikianIdaho Innocence ProjectAmanda KnoxBureau of Justice Statistics, report cited on sexual victimization in prisonsNew York Times, November 27, 2023: "The Stabbing of Derek Chauvin: What We KnowJesse Lerner-Kinglake, Just Detention InternationalPrison Policy InitiativeSharia Law and punishmentOpening Sound Effect from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In  this 99th episode of Here's A Thought, we think about Thanksgiving, which is happening in the U.S. this week — what it means, what it's supposed to mean, how it started, and what happens when it doesn't live up to expectations: a meditation partly in rhyming verse for your consideration and (hopefully) amusement.ound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

I keep the journals I've written over the years — but now, as the recipient of the many private journals and diaries that my mother wrote over the course of decades, I'm rethinking whether I should hang onto mine. Or, hers. What's the right thing to do with my mother's journals? How do I respect her memories, especially when they're at odds with mine?Opening Music by Zakhar Valaha from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In this 97th (!) episode of Here's A Thought, I offer the lessons that horses have taught me about adolescent humans (they have a surprising amount in common), and why I write for them — adolescents, that is, not horses. Sound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from Pixabay Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Here's hoping you and yours enjoyed a lovely Halloween! This episode is going live on November 1, traditionally the Day of the Dead: so I've been overthinking about a news article I read not long ago about a very rich, very determined man who is convinced he's got a plan that will allow him to beat the Grim Reaper — forever.Not only that, but his body — including his man parts — are going to revert to age 18 and stay that way. That is, if his algorithm works the way it's supposed to.Most of the information  and quotes in this episode are taken from a profile of Bryan Johnson written by Time correspondent Charlotte Alter:"The Man Who Thinks He Can Live Forever", Time Magazine, September 20, 2023Also referenced:Nir Barzilai, M.D., Albert Einstein College of MedicinePinchas Cohen, M.D., Dean, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California Blueprint Protocol: BryanJohnson.comarguably immortal jellyfish: Turritopsis dorhrniiOpening Music by Pixabay MusicSupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

There's a lot of thought and discussion about the three aspects of the feminine: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. All three have their positive and negative aspects, but in our youth-obsessed culture, a lot of women find it very, very painful to relinquish their youthful allure — and embrace the aspect of the wise but sometimes fearsome Crone.But which has more power, the Maiden or the Crone? If you could choose to be either, what would you be giving up?All these are hints as to the story for this week, "Turn" — written by yours truly, and I do hope you find it . . . haunting.Link to quoted book: The Singing Woman: Voices of the Sacred Feminine   by Elizabeth S. Eiler Ph.D. Opening and Incidental Music by Alexey Ivanov from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

For the third installment in our Halloween-ish story series — all written by yours truly — we consider the question: do devils and demons ever take a day off? And if they do, how do they spend it?Episode Music by SPmusic from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

It's the haunting season, which makes this a suitable time for another short, twisted tale written by yours truly — in one of my darker moods. This one is a tale in rhyming verse. That doesn't mean it's nice, but you may find it . . . satisfying.  Settle back and give a listen to "Sweet Boy" by Jan M. FlynnMusic for this episode by Alexi Action from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

To honor the fall of the year — the time when the veil between the worlds of the seen and unseen grows ever thinner with each passing, lengthening night — Here's A Thought offers a series of short, somewhat twisted stories, all written by me, that I hope you'll find suitable for the season.This one has some adult language and, of course, deals with the supernatural — so be warned.Opening  Music by Dmitry Taras from PixabaySound Effect from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

There are some things in life that are just the thing to do, even when we don't relish the thought of doing them. Going to funerals probably ranks below even paying taxes. And in a lot of cases, if we just don't go, who's going to know?In this episode, we consider how that's not really the point, and hopefully find some encouragement for showing up whenever we can.Quote on Varanasi, India from Francesca Mills writing in National Geographic, April 2019:  https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2019/01/india-life-and-death-in-varanasi#:~:text=Varanasi%20is%20the%20city%20where,human%20being%20is%20entrapped%20in.Advance Care Directive information: https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning-advance-directives-health-careDo Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order information:https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8866-do-not-resuscitate-orders#:~:text=A%20do%2Dnot%2Dresuscitate%20(,or%20other%20serious%20medical%20condition.Opening Music by michaelhersch from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

 I've developed a strange compulsion. Maybe telling you about it will help. And maybe, just maybe, you've got a compulsion not all different from this one.  All I ask is that you don't judge me until you've heard me out . . .For information on the Pudelpointer dog breed: https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-breeds/pudelpointerhttps://www.gundogmag.com/editorial/pudelpointer-breed-profile/175444https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pudelpointer/Intro Music by Oleg Kirilkov from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

With the turn of the seasons, it's time to revisit my wardrobe, which leads me to consider fashion (intimidating), and then fashion trends (mystifying), and from there, trends in general — especially popular culture trends.What I notice is that very few of them have anything to do with me, now that I've joined a demographic that popular culture doesn't seem to register at all. Check out what it's like to be trend-exempt — and why I'm grateful for it.You can also check out author Sara Petersen and her new book, Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture, available on Amazon or (better yet) Bookshop.org — also the articles referenced on Vox and Wired. Opening Music by Pavel Bekirov from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Welcome back! I've been on hiatus, and I've had some adventures to share.My trip to Kenya was a lifelong dream. I came home with a perspective that will never be the same — and questions I didn't expect.I invite you to spend a few minutes going on safari with me!Intro Music by Alexey Ivanov from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

While I'm taking a break to do some traveling, research, and writing, I'm revisiting an older post from the first season of Here's A Thought — and with autumn now approaching (even if it doesn't feel like it), this one seems timely. If you missed it the first time, it's new to you, and if you heard it before, it could be worth another listen.Look for me to return in September with new episodes -- meanwhile, be well and enjoy!Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Maybe you've heard this one before, and maybe you haven't: it's a short, weird little story I wrote in response to a contest prompt. Think trains, think time travel, think Twilight Zone weirdness. Just know that this episode is a repeat of one I posted in 2022 during the first season of Here's A Thought.I'm on hiatus for a few more weeks, doing some traveling and writing — but expect me back in September with all new stuff. Until then, be well, and enjoy!Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

While I'm taking a few weeks to do some traveling and finish up some writing projects, I'm revisiting some of the Here's A Thought episodes from the first season. This one, I think, is worth a review if you've already hears it — because if you're an overthinker like I am, you're almost certainly a first-class worrier. But the thing is, no matter what you're worried about, it's probably not the thing you should be worried about. There's no telling what the right thing to worry about is, of course, so . . . why, exactly, do we even bother?I'll be back in September with new stuff, so until then -- be well, and enjoy!Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

While I'm taking a few weeks off to do some traveling and tackle some writing projects, I'm revisiting some episodes from the first season of Here's A Thought. This one in particular, because it's a topic that was recommended by a listener. LOVE that!If you haven't heard it before, then it's new to you: and if you have, you may want to give it another listen. Especially if you're a woman — because we all go through changes, but there's no change quite like the Big M.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

While I'm taking a few weeks off to finish up some writing projects and do some traveling, I'm revisiting an episode recorded during the first season of Here's A Thought. If you missed it the first time, it's a new one on you -- and if you heard it once, it just might be worth hearing again.This one is an exploration of the exasperating way my brain has of remembering all kinds of things about the people I meet — except for their names. If I blank on yours, please don't take it personally.I'll be back in September with all new episodes!Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

While I'm taking a hiatus — working on another novel draft and doing some traveling — I'm revisiting a former episode from 2022. Given some of the recent Supreme Court rulings, this one seems especially timely. If you missed it the first time, it's a new one for you — and if not, it may just be worth another listen.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

As I waltz happily into another decade, it seems part of me doesn't look as contented as I feel. It's developed a default expression that I don't agree with, and now I'm worried the gods are wreaking vengeance upon me for the Story Lady. Allow me to explain.Opening music  by geoffharvey from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Ozempic might be all over the news and the noxious term "heroin chic" may be seeping back into the culture, but body shaming is nothing new. Here's my own journey, and what it took to conquer my phobia about stepping on a scale.Content warnings: discussion of body shaming, disordered eating, drug use, menstruation, and a brief mention of sexIf you suspect you or someone you care about is suffering from disordered eating, please know you're not alone, and there's help available. Contact the National Eating Disorders Association to find a treatment provider:https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

Just because July 4 has come and gone, there's no reason to stop celebrating now. Need a reason? I offer my birthday, with some virtual gifts to go around. You're invited!Opening Music by Muzaproduction from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

With a milestone birthday and an overseas trip coming up, I'm putting some plans in place. Not the fun kind, but I think of it as a gift to my peeps who outlast me. And there are more options than you might expect . . .Music by Nesrality from Pixabay (Beethoven - Symphony #3 Eroica - Funeral March 2nd Mov. -Remix)Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which we revel in the advent of summer at long last — and take a look at some of the weirder ways people choose to celebrate the season. Sound Effect from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

With a milestone (millstone?) birthday coming up, I consider some of the more surprising signposts along the journey of aging — like, nobody told me my skin would turn bizarre colors. Who knows what other non-returnable gifts are coming my way from the Wisdom Fairy?More about actinic purpura (if you want):https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448130/https://www.healthline.com/health/senile-purpurahttps://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/bleeding-due-to-abnormal-blood-vessels/senile-purpuraOpening Music by geoffharvey from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

An ordinary afternoon — until it wasn't. The paramedics were on the scene, and all we could do was witness it and stay out of the way.Or is there something more?Music by GuilhermeBernardes from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which I reflect on my recent experience with teletherapy — and share some of the more useful takeaways, like the Three C's and the Window of Tolerance.References:https://timothykeller.com/https://drdansiegel.com/https://www.amazon.com/Mindsight-New-Science-Personal-Transformation/dp/1501223585/ref=asc_df_1501223585/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=652424607838&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10004050607288769264&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029608&hvtargid=pla-684824228369&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvdajBhBEEiwAeMh1U7meRsW-RKty1ipmKA7xed1maSc9dSt3yABaqWAaQCUyMNB-2kkkbBoCCxMQAvD_BwESupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

This week, I reflect on 13 moments when my decisions ranged from questionable to I'm-lucky-to-still-be-alive. As someone smart once told me, we all have our stupid side. It's smart to remember that.Opening Music by SergeQuadrado from PixabaySupport the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

If you, like me, grew up with the belief that being a good person means putting everyone else's needs, feelings, and preferences ahead of your own, the whole concept of self-care is a tricky one. But if we want to live honestly and responsibly, it's an idea we need to get straight.Support the showDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

With the holiday fast approaching, it's a good time to uncover the little-known history of the day we choose to honor Mom. There's more to it than you might think (including an effort by its founder to get the holiday abolished).Opening Music by SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras from PixabayDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which we examine whether or not a beast out of legend has arrived in a local neighborhood. Tread carefully after dark, my friends . . .https://worldanimalfoundation.org/animal_encyclopedia/params/category/173341/item/993754/https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/explore?name=Vombatus+Americania&category=All&idapa=Allhttps://fanon.fandom.com/wiki/American_WombatOpening Music by geoffharvey from PixabayDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In this episode, we return to the amazing (and often unsettling) world of AI — but this time, with a look at an exciting potential. What if ChatGPT — or one of its versions — can take some of the sting out of having to tell your romantic partner that it's time to call it quits?  Some people are already using AI to write their wedding vows; why not use it when  things just don't work out?I sense a real opportunity here . . .Sources:https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/fashion/weddings/chatbot-wedding-vows-chatgpt-ai.htmlPaul SimonThere Must Be Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover (YouTube)https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/technology/clarkesworld-submissions-ai-sci-fi.html#:~:text=And%20now%2C%20it%20seems%2C%20it's,chatbots.https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/latest-version-of-chatgpt-aces-the-bar-exam-with-score-in-90th-percentilehttps://www.toastwiz.com/https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisnoessel/https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_wornIntro Music by Ivan_Velkov from PixabayDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

This week, Here's A Thought takes a side trip into history — namely, the wild days of Gold Rush California, where some of the most renowned badasses were the people who drove stagecoaches along terrible roads in all kinds of weather, facing down bandits along the way. One of the very best of them was Charley Parkhurst — whose lifelong secret was only discovered after death.Some sources, and for further reading:"Overlooked No More: Charley Parkhurst, Gold Rush Legend With a Hidden Identity, New York Times, December 5, 2018"Charley Parkhurst, Tough Lady Stage Driver," Legends of America"Meet Charley Parkhurst, the Gold Rush's Fearless, Gender Nonconforming Stagecoach Driver" KQED, April 25, 2019Elk Grove Historical SocietyNew England Historical Society"Stagecoach Driver Charley Parkhurst Blazed Gender Non-Conforming Trails," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, June 13, 2019The Legacy ProjectCharley Parkhurst, WikipediaDon Romesburg, Sonoma State UniversitySound Effect from PixabayDo you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music

In which we examine five unfortunate phrases that we may find ourselves using when speaking to those in younger generations — and why we shouldn't, if we want to have a chance at being taken seriously. Or even just heard . . .Ohio Express, "Yummy Yummy Yummy (I Got Love in My Tummy)" 1968Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.comOr, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.netOr, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthorTheme music courtesy of Pixabay Music