Solving Everything

Kris starts by mentioning the amazing Radiolab Football https://radiolab.org/episodes/football (episode) -and is soon standing at the intersection of sewing footballs on sweaters, politics, equality in sports, and women's rights. It's a busy intersection. Dan wonders why trans-rights, though important, are a neon headline every day. Kris agrees with Martina Navratilova that Lia Thomas competing in the women's category is unfair to the other athletes. Is there a real physiological advantage as a trans-woman athlete? Do we have to choose between cis-women athletes rights and trans-women athletes rights? Should playing fields be broken down into weight and height? Popovich hired a female coach for his NBA team. Dan and Andy doubt there could be a woman or a trans-man in the NFL. Does the word woman mean different things to different generations? An Asian-American comedian doesn't want netflix to throw him a bone because it improves their optics. Questions to consider: What does a level playing field even look like?

The last part of our discussion regarding where abortion rights stand in America. Starting with....the Sports Illustrated 1992 Kathy Ireland Swimsuit Issue? Also, what can we agree on, mail order abortion, conspiracy Kris and conspiracy Dan have a case for big pharma, herbal abortions, and, btw, women can vote and own property now. Dan argues the current system ain't so bad, it's main purpose is to state how the government can't infringe on rights and freedoms. Kris says they need to be updated. Is our government like OK parenting? E pluribus unum means a couple different things. Jefferson has time to edit the bible while his lady friends raise his children, Uncle Sam is kind of like Jesus...Were the founding fathers working for the greater good? Did it work because Dems and Reps had a common enemy? Are we better people than politicians? Make some peace with your own limitations, set boundaries, try not to burn out on all the noise in the "free" world.

This episode continues our deep dive into the overturning of Roe v. Wade. We discuss Keep Sweet: Pray and Obey from Netflix, Dan assures us that we can stay calm; we're not at Handmaids Tale level in this country...and we're still pretty rational up in here. Eyes on the ball- the issue is bodily autonomy, not the question of when life begins. Where does religion and the belief that God is the ultimate authority intersect with those who believe they are their own authority? Two people make a baby. Kris has a cousin who is a cloistered nun. Dan has a family member who is happily a housewife, hard-core Catholic, and Pro-Choice. Dan encourages us to consider all ideas including the ideas we disagree with. Andy asks: Are we sure life is actually sacred? Do justices have agendas? What are laws really for? We all need a civics lesson.

In this multi-parter, we three non-experts talk our way through the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Kris shares an original essay that talks about justice, abortion, slippery slopes, people marrying pets, Madonna, and how fun sex is. We consider what is the right thing to do when there are so many options and opinions about what is right? How do you go to work and live a life while also allowing for the time management that reading news, managing plastic bags, grappling with climate change, and generally thinking about things requires? Media fatigue. Why is every news story presented at Volume 12 levels? UFO's exist, dinosaurs had a really bad day when glass rained down from the sky, maybe releasing unsupervised toddlers into the Supreme Court is a good idea. It's just the beginning folks. Tell us everything at: http://patreon.com/solvingeverything (http://patreon.com/solvingeverything)

Andy and Kris talk about their recent interview with an earth healer from Milwaukee. (Original interview found on https://open.spotify.com/episode/1zbK2UGpWRkG5NVqmHwq7m (Growing Beyond.)) Kris explains the basics of shamanic work and energy healing. Did you know you can hire someone to clear ghosts from your house? Dan, Andy, Jeremy and Kris all share their own experiences of "ghosts", whether they exist and what these mysteries might actually mean.

In this episode: The Legend Larry Bird is the king of everything because he refused to play games other than the game he was paid to play. Winning Time. Magic Johnson, Isaiah Thomas, Dennis Rodman, and the line between being authentic and being a dick. Does sports exist outside of the laws of normal life? We talk about the heartbreak of the limitations of the human body as it relates to athletic achievement. Jeremy's son is wiser than all of us and when it comes to athletic success, being coachable is key, Michelle Obama says if you work hard you can achieve what you want, Is she right?

Raising children is not just raising children. It's planting the seeds for all kinds of relationships further down the road: personal, societal, cultural, behavioral, and environmental. And, as Jeremy points out, it lays the foundation for complex decision making later in life. Who we are to our kids when they are seeking to bond and what we prioritize affects what and who they bond to later. This episode dives into stay-at-home dads, Andrew Yang, universal basic income, warehousing kids, the biological drive to be close to your offspring, and how the economy has not caught up with the realizations that having close and healthy early bonding of one parent or family member creates a rich future for all.

Discussions about the evolution of parenting are endless, but we whittled it down to a couple hours for you. In this episode, Dan and Kris reveal their cigarette journeys which leads to a conversation about teenagers and rebellion. Andy shares an original poem about the bittersweet experience of watching your little girl grow up. We discuss how much has changed over one generation: the definitions of discipline, generosity, and what it means to be a good parent. We discuss the importance placed on seeing your kids for who they are, not who you want them to be...and how that was often a foreign concept for our own parents and grandparents. Also, when to get involved as a parent and when to stay in your own lane, when to keep adult kids at home and when to add a little glass to the nest.

The Squad discusses Superbowl LVI Halftime Show. Dr. Dre, Snoop, Mary J. Blige, 50 Cent, Eminem, and Kendrick Lamar blow our minds. Dan runs down the list of halftime shows from the beginning of time. The Three Stooges? Yes. George Burns? Yes. Music legends sharing the stage with forgettable artists? Yes. Prince blowing our minds, Nipplegate, Shakira and J.Lo in booty wars.....It's all here.

In this episode, Dan shares an essay detailing thoughts on Netflix's Maid. We jump down a wormhole into the problems with the financial cost of raising kids in the U.S. Does the cost of living necessitate a 2 income household for parents? What position does that put people who are in abusive or unhealthy partnerships? How do you rely on a system that offers help, but it isn't quite enough? What do new parents do when they don't have the help of family or a support structure?

This episode starts with a Vonnegut passage and ends with a horrific sexist yearbook catchphrase. In between you'll hear the tale of the Higgs' Farm Sale. What's it like when an 80 year old woman sets the tone for a real estate deal and insists the priorities will be what's best for the land, what's best for relations, and what's best for the wallet...in that order. What's it like to become financial advisors to and partners with our own parents? What's it like to sell something precious because it's the right thing to do? Find out in this episode.

Part 2 of a four hour conversation about individual rights, the journey of women, trans rights, how progress changes language, and whether we really need laws to function. Kris shares more of her essay. Life in Danland (only bacon and Hamms are served) means everyone is expected to function rationally, and we need to watch for governing that oversteps. Jeremy talks about his work as a social worker with people who are surviving addictions, family trauma, and the challenges of mental health struggles. In a world where some days are just about getting to a functional baseline, how can we agree on what rationality means?

Part 1 of 2. Guest host Jeremy Higgins joins Kris and Dan to discuss transgender rights, gender identity, gender definition, and the gap in generational understanding of the language around gender minorities. Kris shares an essay on the subject of trans rights, the history of gender definitions in modern culture, the importance of the socio-cultural definition of the word woman, and how JK Rowling may not be wrong. Dan shares his thoughts about not legislating sexual orientation and Jeremy shares his experiences as a social worker who works with individuals who struggle with identity, mental health, and getting to a baseline of non-crisis living.

In this episode, Kris and Andy share original short stories....Kris talks about the Bears buying Arlington International Racetrack - a horse racing track that was in her hometown- and what it was like growing up with a gambling dad who bet on horses. Dan and Andy both are preparing their family farms to be sold, examining what is valuable and why. Andy shares a story about his experiences clearing out the property. What matters, what are we holding onto, how do we usher our parents' generation into a simpler life without so much stuff while holding onto what is precious?

In this episode, we continue discussion about what binds a community together and the very precarious line to walk between maintaining privacy and building connection. Is Dan's mom right? Is the breakdown of religion and traditional family roles causing the breakdown of a moral, supportive, and collaborative society? Or is Kris' mom right? Do you move across the country when the binds of religion and extended family end up stifling personal freedom and prohibiting choices? Or is Andy's Dad right? Farmers use manual work as a love language and there is no doubt about it- every set of hands is valuable and valued. Are heinous crimes committed because of cultural disconnect and it's all our fault? Or are they natural anomalies like a 100 year flood?

This episode has adult content beyond our normal swearing and things. We discuss horrific crimes so please keep little ears away. This episode includes a short written piece from Kris then dives right into marriage, divorce, suburban neighborhoods, and gruesome true crime. Why do some people insist that misery should be accepted in marriage? Can divorce actually be a good thing now that both genders are free to own property, work, and vote? Kris shares an unbelievable, disturbing true crime tale from her neighborhood. What happens when all the bad stuff that happens "out there" actually happens right down the block? Which groups do we identify with when every group has its issues? Is the breakdown of marriage, or the committing of a crime....is it really still all about connection and being seen?

In this episode, we discuss the 2021 NBA finals. Finals highlights, players' strengths, and the glory of a superstar athlete who is a true good guy. Kris comes in fresh never having seen Giannis Antetokounmpo play before this series, and is blown away. Also impreseive: Holiday's aggressive defense and Booker's grace. Andy proposes Shaq getting stuffed by Ben Wallace is the best block of all time, Dan thinks Giannis' block in Game 4 might be the winner. Then Dan, super sports fan, breaks down the history of the Bucks.

In this episode, we talk about how pacing yourself at work is important no matter what line of work you're in. Kris dives deep into her work as a body/mind therapist. Dan claims he can't be quiet for more 90 minutes. Dan talks about the fake history of the British middle finger. Then a fun romp through 80's game shows.

This episode has us breaking down why the very essence and purity of sports is being threatened by gambling, commercialism, and the cross-contamination of athletic competitions being sold as entertainment products. Kris is against seniors wearing anal sex t-shirts. Dan loves Green Day and tells us why. (Green Day, you can send Dan Summerfest Tickets at podjectivity@gmail.com) Andy spitballs the idea of Solving Everything co-hosts streaking at a Brewers Game. And randomly, we break down circumcision and why it is something still done when not for religious reasons.

Post pandemic sports, NBA playoffs, Dwight Howard, JaVale McGee, and the latest trend to get the big guys to play bully ball. LeBron. Players getting Emmy awards for dramatic reactions to handsy guarding. Play review and litigating games. In desperation, Dan turns to hockey.

The MMA world and how money factors in. Why aren't they getting paid bigger bucks for putting their lives on the line? Cain Valasquez, Brock Lesnar, Frankie Edgar. The crazy primal coil and the glory of incredible athletes who show up in a big way. Calcio Storico is the world's most violent game. Is sports just an outlet to safely prevent us from attacking each other all the time?  

Aaron Rodgers hosts Jeopardy, Charles Woodson gives Kris his chair. Will Aaron Rodgers leave the Packers and if so, why? Also, Judge Parins, former president of the Packers and Kris' grandfather in-law, gets a shout out.

As you likely know, we spend 4, often 5 hours with those record lights lit in one evening. There is frequently music, creative sparks, and shenanigans into the wee hours of the night that don't make it onto the pod. In this episode, enjoy an improv-y after hours cut. Originally recorded in January 2021.

South Park doesn't apologize, Half Price Books rules, how do we hold artists accountable for their discrimination without canceling them all, Dr. Seuss is racist, and The Cat in the Hat is an asshole. This episode gets spontaneously musical more than once courtesy of Andrew Nath having a guitar in his hands.

This one gets intense! Are we allowed to have unpopular opinions without getting canceled? Is it right to cancel people because they are tone deaf? Or liars? Or discriminatory? Where does free will and moral responsibility intersect? Heated discussion! Kris says "shut up!" for the first time on mic! What coms up: Taylor Swift, Gina Carano, Dixie Chicks, Michael Jordan, LeBron James, Tom Ashbrook, and more.

Kris' song gets played on https://crooked.com/podcast/what-time-is-the-super-bowl/ (Lovett or Leave It) and she tries to downplay it, then gets called out on not being able to take a compliment. Is not being able to take praise a Midwestern thing? On the flip side, how do terrible experiences with audiences make us more fearless about what we create? Also, Andy was a theater major! And how to fire up the pilot light of learning and keep it lit. College professors, the performance aspect of teaching. Then Dan gets laid off and redirects his life. The last 45 minutes is about handling bad news, getting dumped, how to come to peace with losing a parent, and how we accept our parents for who they are.

Episode 21. We pick up where we left off in Episode 20. Video games: destroying society and ruining our kids' brains? Or maybe just a normal part of growing up. Should we be worried that without constant stimulation, we get anxious? Self-awareness and the zones of regulation. Using the body as a tool for how how you actually feel and what you need. Dan tries Virtual Reality (spoiler alert: the shark doesn't eat him.) Also how we all lose our minds trying to get kids to do what they need to do every day. "It goes IN the sock bin, not NEXT TO the sock bin!"

This short episode aired on our sister podcast, Growing Beyond. Kris shares some solo thoughts about her work at hospice as a massage therapist. The tone is serious and the subject is death. You were warned. This episode is great validation for anyone who was denied access to a loved one due to facilities or hospitals enforcing infection control. It also covers who we have become as a society when we can go to the grocery store and get on a plane but aren't allowed to sit with loved ones' on their death bed.

In this episode after a brief Higgs/Nath basketball chat, we stroll down memory lane, exploring self-created nicknames and Vegas, where Iowa boys aim and fail to get corrupted by a car full of babes. Then we discuss the innocence of 3 channel TV in the 70's and how we first got exposure to explicit comedy. 2 Live Crew corrupts our earholes, we discover Appetite for Destruction and cassette tapes rated E, then Andy commemorates Milli Vanilli with soaring renditions of their hits. We discuss the age old question: why don't we get what our kids are into? And the classic question: are video games corrupting our kids? Then Koji Kondo, Mario theme songs, and early Nintendo and arcade games. Part 1 of 2. patreon.com/solvingeverything

In this episode, we talk about mass media, the commercialization of things we love, trusting our leaders, how the 50 U.S. states are like unruly adult children at Thanksgiving, the possible evolution of politics in America (should states secede?) and conspiracy Dan makes an appearance.

We're back from hiatus and have a lot to say. We briefly catch up on Covid-related life changes and Andy's movie career, then dive into the question of "want to" vs "have to" and how that translates into sex workers, farm life, and finding meaningful work in our modern age. In this episode you will hear an acoustic version of an original song, A Song of Iowa, written by Andy's Uncle Wallace.

During our pod hiatus, we thought it'd be fun to send out some of our favorite moments. This one is from Episode 4: coach stories from our youth. "To the whistle, Nath!" Nothing can beat a great coach. Plus, a bonus original song from Kris. Send us your ideas, comments, and thoughts here: podjectivity@gmail.com or hello@kriskadams.com

A deep dive into Mel Gibson's masterpiece. We also cover Mel's troubled worldview and prejudices, and the question of whether to abandon deeply flawed artists' work.

As Dan would say....where to begin? This episode covers the Catholic God, the divinity of physics, seeking God (is Dan a Unitarian Universalist?), forgiveness, how maybe we're all like Jesus, crossing words off of Metallica albums, an ORIGINAL SONG by Andy and played by the 3 of us, the difference between censoring thoughts and encouraging discovery, the Satanic Temple, and...more. Best episode yet IMO.

Dan loves OUaTiH so much it almost hurts. We celebrate the movie and everything about it. Kris finally forgives Brad Pitt for cheating on Jen. Then deep dive into Eddie Murphy, Adam Sandler, Jack Black, Steve Martin and artistic integrity. Andy loves Steve Martin so much it almost hurts. If you could make a million dollars for you and your friends creating a piece of shit movie in Hawaii, would you do it?

In this episode: prom; teenage male and female brains, bodies and sex drives; bullies; date rape; progressive education and what an ideal school looks like.

Olympics catch up, Larry Bird and driven athletes, Gene Hackman kicks ass in every movie he's in (Superman! Unforgiven! Royal Tenenbaums!) and how we all need a pandemic coach.

Hoosiers is the greatest and Gene Hackman is good in everything and at everything. Also, Indiana, Bobby Knight and more coach philosophy.

Our first Zoom pod! Andy and Kris break down summer Olympics sports with some hilarious surprises (check out the graphic at olympic.org/modern-pentathalon). Dan joins in to talk more about Olympics, whether mermaids are hot, and about how Hail Satan's not what you think. Kris And Dan dig into the entitlement of America, binge-able streaming shows and how kids love carbs.

Mark and Andy nerd out on Star Wars, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica. Metallica gets snubbed and Jethro Tull finally gets a Grammy after waiting for years on one leg for the privilege. Find Mark Croft at https://www.markcroftmusic.com/ (https://www.markcroftmusic.com/) and https://www.facebook.com/MarkCroftMusicPage/ (https://www.facebook.com/MarkCroftMusicPage/)

Dan, Andy and Kris talk to local musician Mark Croft on how to make a living as a performer, what the music industry looks like now, how he got started, the connection with fans, and why he chose "Bird of Paradise" blue to paint his bedroom. Also check out the Mark Croft Bonus Episode where we all nerd out about Star Wars, Firefly, and Mark eats way too many pistachios. Find Mark at https://www.facebook.com/MarkCroftMusicPage/ (https://www.facebook.com/MarkCroftMusicPage/) and https://www.markcroftmusic.com/ (https://www.markcroftmusic.com/)

What do Free Solo rock climber Alex Honnold, Laird Hamilton, Michael Jordan, Ali, and Ken Miles have in common? An unfathomable, unwaivering drive. Also on this episode: the human butt, Diva Cups, Indy 500, horse racing, Kris hates sad endings, and Dan encourages Alex to get a pet.

The LeBron/China thing. How South Park gets everything right. Are sports less fun to watch now that everything is commercialized? Does every game lose its purity by becoming more sterilized? Michael Jordan plays baseball and college sports become a means to an end. Andy and Dan heart Popovich.

Episode 4. Big Mind meditation, victim mentality and the value of therapy. Abandoning Catholicism: Can we even remember the 10 Commandments? Is sports a new form of religion? Inspiring sports quotes and speeches that give us goosebumps. The impact of a great coach who, in one moment, can change a life.

What happens when a gang of budding musicians hop onto the back of a hay wagon, pulled by a tractor for a tour across small towns in Iowa? Inspiration, meaningful connection, and an honest look at the rural Midwest.

Episode 2. Dave Chappelle, the brutality of life in the public eye, Michael and Michael, union strikes, teaching kids morality without the threat of religious consequences, breaking from rigid traditions, finding truth, Rush Limbaugh, the real patriotism, and more.

Meet Kris Adams, Dan Higgs, and Andrew Nath as they spend 30 minutes introducing the "why" behind Solving Everything before diving right into the first episode. Dig an original short story, why Raiders of the Lost Ark and Die Hard mattered to middle school kids growing up in the 80's, and get inspired simply by knowing you're never late to the party and dreams don't have deadlines.