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Sarina's second thriller is now out. It's a twisty thriller with a single-mom protagonist and some deep, dark secrets. It's called Dying to Meet You and it is creepy in the best possible way. In this episode, Jennie interviews Sarina about the new book, and about the difference between writing romance and writing thrillers. You may think that's obvious, but Sarina has recently shifted into writing thrillers and she has such a nuanced understanding about what it all means. She gets into what defines a genre, how you have to honor your readers expectations, and the different ways you hold tension when telling a story. It's a masterclass in genre.Books mentioned:Dying to Meet You, Sarina BowenSarina's other thriller, The Five Year LieThe Guest List, Lucy Foley On a Quiet Street, Seraphina Nova Glass Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring an historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine. But inside, she's a mess. She knows that stalking her ex's avatar all over Portland on her phone isn't the healthiest way to heal from their breakup. But she's out of ice cream and she's sick of romcoms.Watching his every move is both fascinating and infuriating. He's dining out while she's wallowing on the couch. The last straw comes when he parks in their favorite spot on the waterfront. In a weak moment, she leashes the dog and sets off to see who else is in his car.Instead of catching her ex in a kiss, Rowan becomes the first witness to his murder—and the primary suspect.Digital books at: Amazon | Nook | Apple Books | Kobo | Google Play | AudiblePhysical books at: Bookshop.org | Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Indigo | More paperback links here!Transcript below!EPISODE 459 - TRANSCRIPTKJ Dell'AntoniaListeners who I know are also readers—have I got a summer book for you. If you haven't yet ordered Dying to Meet You, Sarina Bowen's latest thriller with just enough romance, you have to. So let me lay this out for you. Rowan Gallagher is a devoted single mother and a talented architect with a high-profile commission restoring a historic mansion for the most powerful family in Maine, but inside, she's a mess. She knows stalking her ex's avatar all over Portland on her phone isn't the healthiest way to heal from their breakup, but she's out of ice cream and she's sick of rom-coms. Watching his every move is both fascinating and infuriating. He's dining out while she's wallowing on the couch. The last straw comes when he parks in their favorite spot on the waterfront. In a weak moment, she leashes the dog and sets off to see who else is in his car. But instead of catching her ex in a kiss, Rowan becomes the first witness to his murder—and the primary suspect. But Rowan isn't the only one keeping secrets. As she digs for the truth, she discovers that the dead man was stalking her too, gathering intimate details about her job and her past. Struggling to clear her name, Rowan finds herself spiraling into the shadowy plot that killed him. Will she be the next to die? You're going to love this. I've had a sneak preview, and I think we all know that The Five Year Lie was among the very best reads and listens of last summer. Dying to Meet You is available in every format and anywhere that you buy books. And you could grab your copy—and you absolutely should—right now.Multiple SpeakersIs it recording? Now it's recording. Yay! Go ahead. This is the part where I stare blankly at the microphone. Try to remember what I'm supposed to be doing. All right, let's start over. Awkward pause. I'm going to rustle some papers. Okay. Now, one, two, three.Jennie NashHey, writers, I'm Jennie Nash, and this is the Hashtag AmWriting Podcast, the place where we talk about writing all the things—short things, long things, fiction, non-fiction, pitches, and proposals. I'm here today to talk to our own Sarina Bowen. Her newest thriller, Dying to Meet You, just came out a few weeks ago, and I've been dying to talk to Sarina about the way she's been switching back and forth between romance and thriller. This is her second thriller. The last one came out last year. That one's called The Five Year Lie. And so we're just here to talk about genre, and romance, and thriller, and how Sarina does it—this back-and-forth kind of code switching between genres. So, welcome, Sarina.Sarina BowenThank you. It's always fun to talk about genre. It's my favorite thing.Jennie NashWell, I just was really struck when I was reading. I've been reading your romances for so long, and you have so many of them, and you're so good at them, and...Sarina BowenWell, thank you.Jennie NashAnd then here we have an entirely new genre that you have entered into in a really big way. And it's not—so this is not about, how do you come up with your idea, or how did you do it? Or—I mean, all those are great questions. We love those. And I've heard you talk about those other places. But what I want to try to get at here is this idea—really, what is genre? So when you think about that, you're sitting down to start one or this other. What do you think about, like, what are the things that—genre? What does the genre mean to you?Sarina BowenWell, I talk about this a lot when I am discussing my books, which is that I don't find that—that the thriller genre and that the romance genres are all that different. Like, each one of those things makes a promise to the reader and then must deliver it by the last page. It's just that the promise is slightly different between those two things. So in a romance, the reader is promised a satisfactory romantic conclusion to the book. And in a thriller, the reader is promised that whatever mess and confusion is established on page one, that it will be rectified and solved by the end of the book—that the chaos will become at least understanding, if not order. So the thing is that the job of the novelist is kind of the same in both situations, which is, we are going to take the main character on a journey, and she is going to learn some stuff before it's over—or it's not really a novel. Now, to be fair, not every novel is constructed like that and does both of those things. Like what—what makes it feel familiar to me in both cases is that I always write an empathetic main character, and not every author of suspense does this. So there are a lot of really popular suspense novels where you're not sure who to root for, and you don't really like any of the characters. And those books can be really exciting and really well written, and there's a total—a huge audience for that. But that is not what I do in suspense space, and that doesn't make me unique. Like, there are a lot of suspense authors who also operate this way. For example, Harlan Coben and Karin Slaughter write best-selling novels of suspense where you always know who to root for from the first chapter. Like, you are given a main character who is a likable human—a flawed person—but still, like, you know, somebody to root for, and you're rooting for that person until the end of the book. So it's not like this is just my special romance author's twist on it—like, it's a thing. It's just that there are other suspense authors who don't operate under that, you know, scenario. So that's one of the reasons why, to me, like, the job feels kind of similar to writing a romance and writing a suspense the way that I do it. It's just that when I'm writing a suspense, first of all, it takes a lot longer, because a suspense reader is really there to match wits with you, and you have to deliver on—on that experience of paying a lot of attention to where the camera is swinging, and to show them some truths that will turn out to be only half-truths, and to make it a really great ride. Like, the roller coaster of a suspense novel requires more engineering than the roller coaster of a romance, and it can be a lot less linear in construction. And, you know, there are complexities that a romance does not need to—to succeed. So yeah, it's not exactly the same job. But, you know, romance requires on a different level a lot of those same narrative tricks. Like, people love to say that romances are formulaic, and I always want to cry, because if that were true, then it would be so easy. And I—I would spend less time sweating at my keyboard if a romance was formulaic, because then I would know what to do. And it's almost harder to hold the tension when the reader knows you're going to get somewhere satisfying. So, you—you know, you have to make sure that couple has some real issues to work through, and that's hard.Jennie NashYeah, we're going to come back to so many things that you're saying because...Sarina BowenOkay.Jennie NashThis is—this is great. But I want to return to something you said at the very beginning, where you were explaining this, which is the promise to the reader, and this idea of a contract that the writer and the reader enter into. When—when a reader starts a book, there's this promise, there's this expectation, there's—And you—it sounds like what I heard from you, which I just think is so interesting, is a very deep respect for the writer—I mean, for the reader's experience. And is that something that you have as a human, or, you know, like, is it—is that just—does that just come from respect for the time somebody's going to spend and that sort of thing? Or is that respect of the genre?Sarina BowenOh, it's both. I mean, of course, we were all readers before we were writers, and I know what I find frustrating and unsatisfying in a book. So I want to deliver a reader experience that aligns with my most satisfying experiences in—in each genre. And it's such a work in progress. Like, over 10 years of delivering stories, my understanding of what really matters is constantly shifting.Jennie NashOoh, can you say more?Sarina BowenYeah. So—I have the things that I like as a reader. So of course, those are going to figure in heavily. Like, I love a good secret unveiled, no matter what genre I'm reading. Like, a secret in romance that comes out and changes everything is just as satisfying as when that happens in suspense, even though it's less necessary. And each genre has its own bell curve of stakes, let's just say. Like, if you picture a bell curve of stakes—for romance, you could have on the lower end, like a rom-com, where the stakes, you know, are only as large as this couple. And in a thriller, like in an international spy thriller, the stakes could be like, the world might end, or—or a bomb might go off in the middle of Times Square, you know. So there's a bell curve of stakes. And as a—as a writer, I'm not suggesting that you can't, you know, move around on that bell curve and make it work for you. But the two genres—you know, the bell curves are in different spots, and you have to figure out where you are on that gradient of possible results, and then figure out where your stakes are coming from. And I guess what it took me a real—a really long time to learn is how much in control I am of what the reader is paying attention to, and what the reader is focused on, and that the best way to write a novel is almost always to ask yourself, what experience do I want the reader to have? And then figure that out. Like, it's almost like—if you think about roller coaster design, and there's just this really fun video on the WIRED Magazine website with an actual roller coaster designer who shows you how it's done.Jennie NashOh that's very cool. We'll get the link for that in the show notes.Sarina BowenYeah, I'll try to find it. But it makes you think about all these things you don't think about when you're getting on it. Like, your view of getting on a roller coaster is that weird little shed where you step into the car, and you know, you pull on your protective stuff, and you think to yourself, like, whoa, I hope it doesn't fail this time—ha ha ha. And then you experience it, you know. And certain parts of the ride are really predictable, like the initial climb—like, no roller coaster starts without that initial climb—and then the first drop. And, you know, parts of the experience, you—you know before you get on what's going to happen. And then other parts of it are just like, you know, a thrill a minute, like waving you around, and, oh, you didn't see that curve coming. And so, you know, looking at that thing and designing it from the outside to have that experience is something I didn't realize I had to do. Like, as a reader of genre fiction, I just experienced everything like the person getting on the roller coaster at the beginning. And it's taken me, like, a decade to realize that, you know, I have to actually view this thing—like, plan ahead. What—you know, what I want people to feel. Like, where do I want them to cry? Where are we going to laugh? Like, how can we put those two things in the same book? And you know, that—that's the job, and I really like it. But it requires a certain amount of analysis, which is why, when I meet somebody who doesn't plan their books, I'm always, like, stunned. Although, you know, it can—it can work.Jennie NashThat idea of what you want the reader to feel is why we're having this conversation. Because I actually can barely stand to read suspense or thrillers, because I get too scared. I really get into it, and I—I freak myself out, and it's been that way for a very long time. But I really wanted to read yours, because I wanted to see this shift in your professional life, and I wanted to see what all the buzz was about, because people are loving these thrillers. And I thought, oh, I surely can handle this now. But it's so hard for me because—and you do such a good job of making that scary tension so palpable, and that what you feel as the reader. And then I was thinking about why the same thing happens in Sarina's romances. I feel something. You know, you're—there's a tension that you're wanting, a resolution that you're—what—you know, wondering, will they? Will they, you know, declare their love for each other? Will they—whatever the thing is? And it just really struck me that I'm in the hands of somebody who's not manipulating that, but has engineered that form. And so it's curious to hear that you're—that's the work you feel that you do. So can you talk about how that is different from plotting the novel—that emotional engineering, if you will? Or is it?Sarina BowenNo, you're right. It is—it is? Um, so one of the things that I feel I'm pretty good at is establishing empathy early in the book. And I—uh, like I said, there are some thriller authors who write entire books without doing that—like, where you're not sure who you're supposed to like. But to me, that actually seems harder, because if you establish empathy for some characters early on, then the stakes are automatically higher.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenBecause the reader cares about that person.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenAnd I read a book a couple years ago that I thought was so good with this, and it was On a Quiet Street by Seraphina Nova Glass. And she establishes empathy with a character in the prologue, and then chapter one establishes empathy with a different one. And she has this sort of medley of voices that tells this story of something dire happening on a quiet street. And the thing is that she does later—is she really shifts your empathy around, where you care about all these people but you can't—like, because somebody is guilty. So, you know, the length of your empathy is actually going to be snipped in a couple of places, which I think is masterful. And I think it's more masterful than the thriller author who, um, doesn't care if you like anybody but is still delivering, like, big shocks. To me, that just has less emotional resonance, and I care less. But apparently, that's unique to me, because if you look at The New York Times bestseller list, it does not reflect my preference for empathy.Jennie NashSo what do you do to create that empathy? How are you doing that work in the start of the book?Sarina BowenOh, wow, I never think about this.Jennie NashI'm sure you—sure you have an answer, though.Sarina BowenNo, I—yeah. Okay, so I guess the reason that my thrillers read a little bit like my romances to you, is that I really like a female main character who is like one of us, who's just trying to get through the day. And maybe she has even a glamorous job, and she's a super successful person, but that doesn't mean she's not, like, a little bit of a mess inside—but a relatable mess. So establishing empathy early on, to me, is just like breathing. Like, you know, we might have this glamorous job, but, my God, the world is just so irritating. Or—right? Or, how did we just, you know, make ourselves sound like—like a dunderhead in front of the hot guy or whatever, you know? Like, to me, that's not hard.Jennie NashRight, right. And so you talked about engineering and complexity as a difference between the two genres, and that the thrillers require more engineering of plot, is what I imagine you're referring to. How do you go about—how does it differ? So here you're creating a character. You're creating empathy for the character. And now these genres are going to go in really different directions. What? What are the steps? Not like, how do you do it, or how do you write a novel, but sort of almost your emotional steps, like, okay, now I need to do X, or now I need to—I want them to feel Y.Sarina BowenRight. Well, one way to think about it—and this works for almost any novel that you'd ever want to write—is you have to look at the sort of landscape of this story you're going to tell, or the plot you think you're going to pull off, and you have to say, what are my "oh s**t moments"?Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenWhere do I want the reader to go, oh s**t? And if you don't know that when you start the book—like, I would find that to be a problem.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenAnd you don't have to know exactly where they're standing when this happens, or exactly what page of the book. I'm actually terrible at that. I never know how long anything is going to take. But—but you have to know what that oh s**t moment is. And then you have to sort of back—work backwards from that. Like, okay, well, if I know why that's a big problem and a big deal—like, why is it, and how am I going to set that up? So—and I also think ahead of time about the fun and games part of any book.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenLike, what is the sort of rising action of, like, the learning about it and the deepening of the problem. So I'm working on a romance right now that takes place at a wedding.Jennie NashFun!Sarina BowenAnd I... yeah, well okay, is it, though? Because one of, one the reasons I chose this setting, is that it's a hockey player. And I've written so many hockey books that take place, like, at the arena and at the office. And I'm like; we got to get out of here. Um, so we're both going to a wedding—this—we have to go to the same wedding, and work—everything's going to happen here. And I never write weddings. And then I'm into it, and I'm writing this wedding, and I look at myself and I'm like, you know why we don't write weddings? We don't like weddings very much.Jennie NashWhat don't you like about them?Sarina BowenOh, because they're all the same. I don't know. It's—to me, they feel—I guess I'm not a really reverent person. Like, ceremony isn't a big part of my life, and I don't love it. So—um, so what I was able to do in this book that makes this book something that I can identify with is that neither one of our characters is totally excited to be here, either. So there's some problems like this. There's some real family mayhem that is preventing either of these characters from being like, woo hoo, wedding! Yeah, let's have a good time! And then—yeah, so I have to bring my own experience into it. And then, of course, the ceremony itself—it turns out they're both feeling a lot of things. And, you know, there's this very lovely part right at the beginning. I'm like, okay, okay, so we got here, we can feel the feelings, but we didn't have to, like, every moment of this wedding for—to pull it off. So—um—but I looked at my, like, little scaffolding of what I wanted these characters to experience and what their "oh s**t moments" might be, and then I sort of grafted them onto the typical wedding experience and, you know, tried to find the best matches for that. And that was kind of the work of this book.Jennie NashSo the "oh s**t moment" in a romance is—what would some of those be? Like, oh, I think—I think he likes me, or, oh, I think I like him? Like, is it those ratcheting up of the emotional stakes?Sarina BowenIt's—yes. Like, oh s**t, I can't believe I have revealed myself like this. I have exposed myself like this. I have made myself vulnerable. And then—and then, as the—as the arc goes on, you're like, oh s**t, here's why I don't usually do this...Jennie NashRight.Sarina BowenHere's the reason I didn't want to make myself vulnerable and exposed—because, oh s**t, you know? Like—so you get to—you get to play with that. And hopefully, in most romances, there's a moment when, you know, it looks like it's all going to go wrong.Jennie NashRight. So what strikes me in listening to you, is that, writing about human nature—of course, because they're people and their stories—and the human nature around romance is—well, you said, I don't want to reveal myself or be vulnerable, so you want to protect your heart. And in the thrillers, it's, I want to protect my body and the bodies of the people I love. Is that—is that a fair differentiator? Like, we're trying to keep ourselves safe in some profound way in each of these genres, right?Sarina BowenRight. And we're also trying to avoid betrayal, and, like, to avoid backing the wrong horse in both genres as well.Jennie NashOoh, that's interesting, right? Let's talk about that.Sarina BowenWell—um, in a thriller, one of the best ways to craft a twist is when you get the reader to back the wrong character. And, you know, you have multiple characters, and if—even if you're going along with a relatable protagonist that the reader knows is not going to turn into a bad guy—that person still has people around them, and they're going to trust some of them and not others. And did they pick correctly? So that's the kind of betrayal that makes a good twist. But in a romance, it's the same possibilities. Like, you know, you made yourself very vulnerable to this other romantic partner. And, you know, it might not be a straight-up betrayal of, you know, oh wait, I love someone else. But it could just be a betrayal of priorities, or, you know, of courage.Jennie NashAnd at the end of each of these types of stories, the reader feels a sense of—we're back, we've talked about the bell curve—of back to safety, or—or homeostasis, or there's a relief, or it's going to be okay, and everything's okay now. So they have that in common too, right? That intense resolution of the tension.Sarina BowenRight. And then sometimes, in suspense space, you see an author pull this off in a way that all of that is done at the reader's own level, and not at the character's. Like, there's this book I love by Lucy Foley, called The Guest List, and that book is not typical, in that the work of the book is not to solve the crime in real time in the story. The work of that book is for the reader to understand what happened—like, the reader is the sleuth.Jennie NashOh.Sarina BowenBut nobody is actually sleuthing the story... at all. You know what happens, but it's to the satisfaction of you as the reader, but not the people running around in the book.Jennie NashRight, wow that sounds cool.Sarina BowenIt is very cool, but it's still true. Like, the—the work of the book is to figure out what happened, but the people on the page are not figuring out what happened. It's you having the experience that is figuring out what happened, but there's no mystery about it in the actual book. It's really—you would just have to try it.Jennie NashIs it fair to say that your second thriller—the new one, Dying to Meet You—is creepier than the first one, which is, The Five Year Lie? Do you think that's fair to say? Are people saying that? Do you feel that?Sarina BowenYeah, okay—yes, a little. But I think what's a better classification is that Dying to Meet You, sits a little more fully on the thriller shelf. It has a plot arc that is more typical of thrillers that are also on that shelf than The Five Year Lie.Jennie NashOkay, maybe that's what—maybe that's the feeling, because The Five Year Lie—there's a—there's a romance baked into it as well. Like, there is so much going on in there. So that's interesting, that you—did you consciously move in that direction, or did—was it just right for that story?Sarina BowenI think maybe both. I can't even remember now.Jennie NashYeah, yeah.Sarina BowenBut I really loved the premise of Dying to Meet You, and I wanted to play with that. And—I mean, I guess what distinguishes them from a reader standpoint, who's, like, reading the backs of both of those books, maybe, is that there is a dead body at the beginning of one of them and not the other one. So, like, it—it lands more firmly in the reader's expectations, that Dying to Meet You is more thriller-y, because you know—it says in the flap copy, like, this book starts when somebody dies.Jennie NashSo you said that it was a little harder to plan out the—to engineer a thriller and the complexities. And we all know that you are a very fast and efficient writer, so I'd be curious to hear: how much time do you set aside to get the complexities and engineering of the thriller versus the romance? What's the time demand of that?Sarina BowenI think, at least at this point, thrillers still require twice as much work in terms of, like, days.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenYeah. It's like six months instead of three.Jennie NashYeah. Wow. Wow. And is the moving back and forth from one to the other—do you—are you finding that satisfying? Are you finding it difficult? Like, what's that like? Because I know right now—well, you—you're working on a romance, and then thriller number three is coming up. So do you—how are you making those transitions?Sarina BowenWell, I think any writer would agree that the book you're not working on today is always the one that seems more appealing.Jennie NashIt's always a better book…Sarina BowenRight?!Jennie NashSuch a good book.Sarina BowenSo, of course, I'm in the finishing part, on the romance that I'm working on, which is, everybody knows, the hardest part, where you have to make all the toughest decisions. So I just cannot wait to write that thriller.Jennie NashDo you—are you—do you cheat? Are you cheating on your romance? Like, do you—do you cheat and do a little research on the new—new thriller?Sarina BowenWell, I've actually written part of that thriller already.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenI wrote part of it, and then I had to stop and finish this other one. So it's not cheating exactly. It's how I had to do my crazy schedule this year, because I had two deadlines in 2024, and they're closer together than I could execute, like, a whole book in each. But cheating is a wonderful thing to do, because when you're like, technically, I'm writing the romance this month, and almost all my time is spent on that—but when you give your brain permission to, like, not be finishing that other book, it goes in all these exciting places, and it comes up with stuff for you. So even though I'm writing a romance this month, I have made notes in my notebook for, like, four other books, some of which I might never write.Jennie NashOh, that's so funny. Well...Sarina BowenYeah.Jennie NashAnd—and are they thrillers or romance?Sarina BowenOh, just that—we're all over the place here. Like, I have made notes for... a romance in an ongoing series, that I'm not sure if I'm continuing, for an unrelated romance that I might never write, and I have, like, scribbled down plot frameworks for unrelated books in two other genres that I probably—probably will never write.Jennie NashSo it's interesting—that's an interesting habit that you're talking about. Because I often see with writers—there was an agent, and I can't remember who it is, which pains me—but they said something that was just so funny and so clever, which was a criticism of a writer who—the phrasing would be, you know, "puts everything and the kitchen sink into every book." But the way this agent framed it was, it was "no note left behind." You know, every note you have goes into the book—and that—that's not good. And you have such a restraint. It's not like, oh, here's a good idea, I'm going to shoehorn it into what I'm writing now. I'm going to shoehorn it into the thriller. I'm going to, you know, wedge it in here. You—this restraint of where an idea belongs or doesn't belong, or that it might get written or might not get written—where do you think that discernment or restraint comes from?Sarina BowenYou know, it doesn't feel like restraint when I'm in the middle of trying to finish a book. Like, every book feels like—so messy. You know, it's like, if I'm building a roller coaster, like, the parts are laying all over the field right now. Like, that's how it feels at every moment. And even for the end of this book, I have, like, written—scribbled down ideas for, like, nine different scenes, and they're not all going to make it, and they're going to have to duke it out.Jennie NashThe scenes are going to have to duke it out?Sarina BowenYes. And, like, oh, this would be cute. Oh, that would be cute. Oh, this would be cute. But you can't have them all—like, they're not—that just doesn't work. So I'm looking for the best, most efficient way to execute that emotional arc that the end of this book needs.Jennie NashYeah. yeah.Sarina BowenAnd I do—okay, fine, maybe it is restraint, because I do care about efficiency. Like, I'm not just going to write and write and write and write because I had a cute little thing that I wanted somebody to say. Because in order to put all that stuff in, I'm going to need too much, like, filler—junk.Jennie NashYeah, that is restraint, Sarina. That is totally restraint.Sarina BowenWell, honestly, I think one of my strengths—like, writers don't think about their strengths all that often, to be honest. Like, we only think about the stuff that's hard. But one of my strengths has always been that every scene is accomplishing, like, two or three things. Like, no bit of dialog is ever just in there because my brain spat it out when I was sitting at a keyboard. Like, it has to be doing something.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenSo I have to look at this little collection of cute scenes and—um—make it do something. Just yesterday, I thought, wouldn't it be funny if the rookie on the team that shows up for this new season to start—you know, after the wedding—spoke entirely in Gen Alpha slang, like my 19-year-old? So I wrote, like, a little bit of dialog where he does this in a—in the rink, and—and the—the main character of the book is like, oh, my God, I don't even know what you just said. And I'm like, oh, I'm so cute and funny. This is going to be great. And then I realized that I just didn't need a bit of discussion in the rink. So I moved that conversation to a different spot, where the heroine was also present. And, like, she jumps in and responds in Gen Alpha slang and to—like, to solve his issue. And the hero is impressed. So, you know, I just needed—it was a fun idea, but I needed it to work harder.Jennie NashYeah.Sarina BowenAnd then I found a way for it to work harder. But if I hadn't, then that bit was just going to have to be cut. It could just go somewhere else—a different book, a different day.Jennie NashThere's a scene in The Five Year Lie where the main character is on a bus—a very long bus trip with her small child—and it goes on for some time at a place in the novel where the tension is pretty high. And I read it—I read it three times, actually, because I was like, what is going on here? What's... what am I—what am I supposed to take away? Like, what? What's happening here? What's—you know, what is the work that this scene is doing? I was curious about it because it felt—the feeling really shifted for me as the reader, where it was a tension reliever for one thing. Like, the tension was really high, and so it was a sort of a chance to breathe. And then there was something that happened on the bus trip that made things much, much worse for this character, so that they're showing up in an even more vulnerable place. Like—and I started seeing the layers of what was happening on that bus trip. And that—I think that's another strength you have—is that the—you don't show your hand. The reader has to work if they want to figure out what—what are all these scenes doing? Like, because you're just in it as the reader. But it was... it was sort of beautiful. I sort of loved that scene because I saw—well, I was trying to figure it out, but I saw, oh, I see what's happening here. I know what she's doing. Like, this is cool. I don't know, you're very good at—uh, like I said, not showing your hand. It's not—you don't see the mechanism of the engineer when you're reading the books.Sarina BowenWell, thank you. That scene—I actually am. It's the first thing I wrote for that book.Jennie NashWhat?!Sarina BowenWhich is—yeah, I know.Jennie NashThat is so interesting.Sarina BowenIt comes really deep in the book. That's why Jennie is so surprised, because it's, like, near the end. But I wrote that scene in my head—which, you know, you sort of almost never do—five years before the book came out. Like, I was—I was wandering around this town nearby while my kid took a violin lesson, and I thought of that. I'm like; wouldn't it be terrifying if you were on a bus, you know? And I thought it—like, I scared myself with this idea of how vulnerable she is at that moment in time. Like you said, it's a moment of safety, and it sort of is a little bit, because, you know, nobody can get her on the bus. But at the same time, if you read the prologue, you realize that, like, it's not really a moment of safety because—and then also, then I did that thing that makes her even more vulnerable. And that's the thing that scared me. Like, I'm like, oh, that would be really bad. And then I sort of filed that away in my head until I figured out what book it fit in.Jennie NashOh yeah, it's brutal. It's a brutal moment.Sarina BowenBut then—but that actual scene, like, that is a really long bus ride, and I had to keep cutting that scene. Like, I wrote it, and I cut it down, and I cut it down, and I cut it down, because I didn't want it to drag. And it was actually really hard to get that right. But people mention that scene to me a lot, so I'm staying—and they don't say, hey, that scene lasted too long.Jennie NashNo—well, when I say it's a moment of safety, it's—what I mean is, she's gotten away from the immediate threat. So there's a—there's a chance to sort of take a little bit of a deep breath. But as it goes on and on, it—that scene—she's on all the different buses, is what I mean. She's moving toward- like, there's a lot that could be really bad. So it was great. So to wrap up, can you tell us what you want to tell us about Dying to Meet You? So to entice those who like to be—match wits with the writer and be in a tense thriller, and there's a sort of haunted house vibe to this one. Tell us. Tell us about this book.Sarina BowenYeah, so—who doesn't love a creepy old mansion? That's kind of what this book is about. But also, the dedication to this book tells, like, a lot of what I was thinking about when I wrote it. And the dedication is to my sons: "Thank you for sharing your location with me so that I could think up the terrifying plot of this book." And when there's—when my older son had got his—got an e-bike is when I first opened the—that app where I could see his location, because I wanted to make sure he got places safely, because I was really terrified. But that—the weird thing of being able to watch him in real time, like his—the blue dot move on the map—um, I thought that was, like, so existentially creepy. And I just thought—kept thinking to myself, like, what's the worst thing that could happen with this? Like, if I'm—if I find this creepy, you know, what if it really was, you know? And that's just kind of where I went from that. And it turned out to be a really good time.Jennie NashMy husband likes this app called FlightAware that tracks the airplanes. And when my children fly, he's always saying, "Oh, they're over wherever." And I'm like, nope, nope. I want none of this information. I do not wish to know where in the sky my child is hanging,Sarina BowenRight.Jennie NashI don't wish to know that.Sarina BowenYeah, I get it. I get it.Jennie NashSo, Dying to Meet You—out now. So good. Before that, The Five Year Lie. There's a third one coming that you'll be writing soon. So we get Sarina Bowen—romance, thriller, back and forth for the foreseeable future?Sarina BowenI hope so. Let's keep it going.Jennie NashAwesome. Well, thank you for chatting about genre and how you do it. It's always fun to get inside your brain. And for our listeners—until next time, keep your butt in the chair and your head in the game.Jess LaheyThe Hashtag AmWriting Podcast is produced by Andrew Perella. Our intro music, aptly titled Unemployed Monday, was written and played by Max Cohen. Andrew and Max were paid for their time and their creative output, because everyone deserves to be paid for their work. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit amwriting.substack.com/subscribe

In this episode of "Normal World," Dave Landau (joining via Neuralink through the beaver) sits in with 1/4 Black Garrett, Angela, and guest Gerard Michaels to take on Pete Buttigieg, $80B in DEI programs, and why America's airports still run on floppy disks while flights are delayed and bridges crumble. They break down Joey Swoll's Hulk Hogan costume apology, how online mobs demand fake contrition, and why you should “post and walk away.” A mischief night pumpkin-smashing story turns into a Hulk Hogan flex that helps them avoid a felony and sparks a rant about cancel culture. From there, the conversation jumps to Sydney Sweeney backlash, American Eagle's clapback, Doja Cat's trolling, Lena Dunham vs. Odell Beckham Jr., Meghan Markle's podcast cringe, and AOC's “Jenny from White Plains” image, showing how comedy is beating outrage. They skewer the “possibly white” headlines around a Cincinnati jazz festival beatdown, highlight Gen Alpha's pushback against woke conformity, and dig into why trades, family, and independence have become the new rebellion, how the debt trap kills purpose, and the cultural cost of two-income households. It all wraps up with Somalia jokes and a list of things they would rather do than picture Justin Trudeau and Katy Perry together. Sponsors Craftco- Flying Ace Forget gimmicks—Flying Ace Bourbon is bold, balanced, and built for people who still believe in doing things right. Order at https://flyingacespirits.com/ with code BLAZE for free shipping. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Think you can beat Victoria in trivia? This contestant did—and didn’t even need to get a single question right to do it. In this hilariously off-the-rails episode of You vs. Victoria on The Jubal Show, everything goes wrong in the best possible way. From awkward wrestler names to zodiac confusion and Gen Alpha slang gone sideways, this chaotic trivia match is one for the books. The ultimate trivia showdown from The Jubal Show! Think you’ve got the brains to take down Victoria? Listeners go head-to-head with her in a battle of wits, testing their knowledge on everything from pop culture to random facts. Will you come out on top, or will Victoria destroy you? Play along, laugh out loud, and see if you have what it takes to claim victory! ➡︎ Sign up to battle Victoria - https://thejubalshow.com This is just a tiny piece of The Jubal Show. You can find every podcast we have, including the full show every weekday right here…➡︎ https://thejubalshow.com/podcasts The Jubal Show is everywhere, and also these places: Website ➡︎ https://thejubalshow.com Instagram ➡︎ https://instagram.com/thejubalshow X/Twitter ➡︎ https://twitter.com/thejubalshow Tiktok ➡︎ https://www.tiktok.com/@the.jubal.show Facebook ➡︎ https://facebook.com/thejubalshow YouTube ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@JubalFresh Support the show: https://the-jubal-show.beehiiv.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A few years ago, if Sydney Sweeney had appeared in an American Eagle ad talking about her “good jeans/genes,” the uproar would have been just as deafening as it is today. By the end of the day, American Eagle would have pulled the ads. Sweeney would have been forced to issue a pandering, simpering apology. But none of that happened. Instead, Sweeney was celebrated, American Eagle's stock soared, and most importantly, the Puritanical Woke scolds have never looked more ridiculous. But most Americans aren't buying it. They're rolling their eyes at this level of hysteria and outrage over a silly jeans ad featuring a hot blonde, the kind we used to see all the time for all eternity until right now.Woke ideology has always been artificial and performative. It was never rooted in reality. It was a cosmetic fix for a ruling class that was too rich, too powerful, and too white. They needed symbols of virtue to absolve themselves of their privilege. It came at too high a cost. Their empire is collapsing all around them. You can't fool all of the people all of the time. Sooner or later, we must face reality and the truth.What is the truth? While beauty is in the eye of the beholder, there is still a standard, and there always has been. Take this woman, for instance. On what planet would she not be the beauty standard, and yet here she is pretending otherwise just to virtue signal to the fascists in the cult:What it all looks like to me is good old-fashioned bullying. What has shifted between older Gen-Z, younger Gen-Z, and Gen-Alpha is that they no longer want to look like sexless, genderless militant activists. This has always been acceptable for non-white women. It is only white women who have been shamed and scolded and told to de-center themselves. The best way to do that is to ugly themselves up and to celebrate everything but their beauty and their sex appeal, which was a way to punish them.So, you'd have movies like Barbie, where the hot blonde was front and center, but then standing behind her, like strategic Chess pieces, were the mandated intersectional, representative coalition. They thought it was giving equality, but it inadvertently read like “white supremacy.”Right about now, young women will flock to American Eagle to wear those jeans, signaling exactly the opposite message: they want to look hot, sexy, and desirable, because who wouldn't? Those jeans will make them feel like what it must have felt like to wear a leather jacket after The Wild One was released. American Eagle isn't trying to send a message so much as they are trying to sell jeans. After the Great Awokening, they pandered, like everyone else. Here are some examples of their previous branding:Now compare that to the latest Sydney Sweeney ad: Her ad cuts through the conformist, oppressive, stagnant monoculture like a hot knife slicing through birthday cake. Who wants to be associated with the screeching school marms on the Left now? Not teenagers, that's for sure. Calling everything racist has jumped the shark, as they say. It feels stale and yesterday's news. It doesn't feel modern, hip, and cool. Those protesting it are only making the jeans and Sweeney more popular.The criticisms were that the ad was “Eugenics” and “Nazi propaganda,” just because Sydney Sweeney said her genes determined her hair and eye color. But obviously she wasn't referencing either of those things because she knows what she's famous for.Sweeney is leaning into what has given her notoriety in our culture. She has what one might call a good “rack.” I can relate. That was sort of my entire life, being seen as the girl with a good “rack.” And every woman who has one also knows the “eyes up here” line. But Sweeney does it with a wink. She isn't shaming men for looking or noticing. She's showing them she's okay with it. How do you think we reached 8 billion people on the planet? The male gaze and women's desire to be gazed upon are nothing less than the forces that produced the entire human race.That alone is controversial now. But if the topic were only sexuality, that would be one thing. The really agonizing thing is the part about her being a white woman. That is, to the Woke, a mortal sin because whiteness is the original sin, the evil that lives inside of all of us who are white. This fanaticism has ravaged the confidence and identity of white men and women who seek to alter themselves not to be who and what they are out of shame. They dye their hair pink and blue. They wear septum piercings. They shave their heads. They wear drab clothing and try not even to look pretty. They find a way to be included in the LGBTQIA+ category so that they can be among the protected groups.In the most serious cases, they attempt to transition themselves out of their genders, which can and has sterilized them. The Woke support and celebrate this without even realizing how close that is to Eugenics. One million abortions a year can also be seen as a form of Eugenics, since all that really means is controlling births. This idea that white people should stop having babies or that we need to bring in more people of color to make our country less white is itself a form of Eugenics.True, the Nazis used it in an attempt to curate the master race, but Eugenics was practiced in this country up until the 1950s. Women were sterilized if they were seen as unfit mothers. Those who were not smart or had mental problems were also sterilized to purify the gene pool. There is only one movement that supports the sterilization of young people who can't consent, and it's not the Right.The Racism PanicThe idea that there were racists, racists everywhere, seeped into our culture after the election of Barack Obama. The fundamental differences between Liberals and Republicans on race were evident in a poll by the Washington Post that showed Liberals deliberately dumbing down their speech when speaking to Black and Brown people vs. Conservatives who don't. That meant the Right felt free to criticize Black people where the Left never would, unless it's Clarence Thomas.The panic began around 2012, with Obama's re-election and the rise of the Tea Party and Freedom Caucus. We were all conditioned to believe that these were “white power” groups rising up to attack and remove the first Black president. By then, Critical Race Theory was being taught in public schools, such as my daughter's. This coincided with Gen-Z getting online and finding their way into militant tribes that decided your worth by your identity. Before long, they formed an army of fanatics while most of us were not paying attention.They sold Trump as a “racist” and his supporters as the second “Confederacy,” and all of us believed it. Most people I know on the Left still believe it. You can imagine these two forces converging and what that might do to a society. It was nothing less than mass hysteria for the four years Trump was in power. The good news is that every episode of mass hysteria throughout our history is eventually punctured when the accusations become too ridiculous for the people to tolerate any longer. It was the accusation of witchcraft of the Governor's wife in Salem in 1692. It was “Have you no decency?” in the 1950s amid the Red Scare. I've been waiting for this moment for a long time. It always seemed like we were almost there, but the tyrannical mob would rise up and squeeze out their confess-as-a-witch-to-live apology, and we'd be back in it.So far, I don't see an apology from Sweeney or American Eagle, and I hope I never will. Because if they never apologize, they'll learn the only lesson corporations, institutions, and Hollywood need to learn. Let them get mad. Let them throw a fit. Eventually, they will exhaust themselves and take a nap, just like toddlers. I have the unfortunate curse of being ahead of the curve. It stems from 30 years online, and 25 of those years predicting the outcome of the Oscars. I've conditioned myself to read the signs that tell me where the consensus is headed.I have been warning the Left, the Democrats, and Hollywood for some time that the pendulum wants to swing and that if they don't see this coming, they will be left behind. Most of them didn't listen to me, but instead exiled me from our utopian diorama that denies reality to serve the elite. But the Sydney Sweeney ad and the reaction to it are proof enough that the tyrannical Woketopians have lost much of their power to force everyone into compliance. We're not all the way through the woods yet, but we're getting there. All thanks to a hot blonde and a company that could see the writing on the wall. Maybe now, we have good movies back. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit www.sashastone.com/subscribe

Think you can beat Victoria in trivia? This contestant did—and didn’t even need to get a single question right to do it. In this hilariously off-the-rails episode of You vs. Victoria on The Jubal Show, everything goes wrong in the best possible way. From awkward wrestler names to zodiac confusion and Gen Alpha slang gone sideways, this chaotic trivia match is one for the books. The ultimate trivia showdown from The Jubal Show! Think you’ve got the brains to take down Victoria? Listeners go head-to-head with her in a battle of wits, testing their knowledge on everything from pop culture to random facts. Will you come out on top, or will Victoria destroy you? Play along, laugh out loud, and see if you have what it takes to claim victory! ➡︎ Sign up to battle Victoria - https://thejubalshow.com This is just a tiny piece of The Jubal Show. You can find every podcast we have, including the full show every weekday right here…➡︎ https://thejubalshow.com/podcasts The Jubal Show is everywhere, and also these places: Website ➡︎ https://thejubalshow.com Instagram ➡︎ https://instagram.com/thejubalshow X/Twitter ➡︎ https://twitter.com/thejubalshow Tiktok ➡︎ https://www.tiktok.com/@the.jubal.show Facebook ➡︎ https://facebook.com/thejubalshow YouTube ➡︎ https://www.youtube.com/@JubalFresh Support the show: https://the-jubal-show.beehiiv.com/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

How do you convince a sitting president and Congress to give immunity to vaccine makers, regardless of the harm they do to people? Wait for it.... RFK Jr cares about the vaccine injured. Gen Alpha and Gen Z are finding their religion. Pete Buttigieg is trying to look presidential but sits down with NPR and sounds radical. Will he endorse Zohran Mamdani? 

In this episode of the Sunlight Tax Podcast, I had the joy of interviewing my daughter, Farrah, about her very first job and everything she's been learning about managing money. We talked about the excitement of earning her own income, the value of saving and starting a Roth IRA early, and how taxes work. We even touched on the idea of net worth.  Farrah shared some really thoughtful insights about spending wisely and why she thinks financial education is so important for kids her age (Gen Alpha). It was also fascinating to see how her perspective reflects some of the generational shifts in how we think about money.   Also mentioned in today's episode: 03:12  First Job and Earnings Insights 06:17  Understanding Roth IRA and Compound Interest 08:56  Navigating Taxes and Financial Responsibilities 11:43  Defining Net Worth and Wealth 15:36  Lessons on Spending and Saving 18:05  The Importance of Financial Education   If you enjoyed this episode, please rate, review and share it! Every review makes a difference by telling Apple or Spotify to show the Sunlight Tax podcast to new audiences. Links: My #1 Tip to Make Your Kid a Millionaire Link to pre-order my book, Taxes for Humans: Simplify Your Taxes and Change the World When You're Self-Employed. Link to pre-order my workbook, Taxes for Humans: The Workbook Get your free visual guide to tax deductions Check out my program, Money Bootcamp

On today's 7.28.25 show we talked about Graham's weekend going to see a movie in the park and his upcoming week without kids, new reports reveals how Gen Alpha kids feel about farts, Jessica Simpson had an accident on stage, tarantula mating season, Selena needs some parenting advice, JT's wife urges him to stop touring, the Tea App, the Burbank Butt Sniffer has been caught, we go through our photos from home and more!

Tényleg megéri 5 perccel hamarabb hazaérni, hogy aztán ne csinálj semmit? Mit művel az agyunkkal az, hogy az appok hatékonyságra, időspórolásra nevelnek, és mi erre a Gen Z és Gen Alpha válasza a munkaerőpiacon? Ismét egy kis dopaminügyi megfejtés.Az említett TikTok videó linkje: https://www.tiktok.com/@peteholmes/video/7308915753737129247

The Latino community in the U.S. is reshaping the future of consumer markets — yet most brands are missing key opportunities to connect authentically. Did you know Gen Z is already 1 in 5 Latino, and Gen Alpha is 1 in 4? In this episode, I sit down with Claudia Romo Edelman, CEO and Founder of the We Are All Human Foundation, to discuss the groundbreaking 2025 Hispanic Sentiment Study. Claudia shares eye-opening insights on how brands are falling short in marketing to Latino consumers and offers actionable strategies to build trust, cultural relevance, and growth. Whether you're a marketer, brand leader, or business owner, this episode reveals the most significant growth opportunity you can't afford to ignore. Get the Inclusion & Marketing Newsletter - www.inclusionandmarketing.com 2025 Hispanic Sentiment Study - https://www.hispanicstar.org/hispanic-sentiment-study We Are All Human - https://www.weareallhuman.org/ Claudia Romo Edelman - https://www.linkedin.com/in/claudiaromoedelman/

Making Faith Matter More: A Conversation with Shane SanchezWhat does it take to truly impact the next generation? In this episode, Zachary Garza sits down with Shane Sanchez—pastor, author, and strategic leader with Tenx10—to talk about the power of mentorship and discipleship in shaping young lives. From his early days playing baseball to his current work helping faith matter more to Gen Z and Gen Alpha, Shane shares his journey and what he's learned along the way.You'll hear about the mission behind 10x10, why authenticity and humility are key in mentorship, and how intentional relationships can change lives.https://www.tenx10.org/Key Topics:Why mentorship matters more than everShane's definition of mentorship: intentional relationships that develop othersUnique challenges and opportunities when mentoring Gen Z and Gen AlphaThe heart and mission of Tenx10Leading with authenticity, humility, and curiosityQuotes: "Mentorship is intentional relationship aimed at development by someone who sets an aspirational example." — Shane Sanchez "The next generation is seeking guidance and support as to how to navigate life as a whole." — Shane Sanchez#Mentorship #Discipleship #NextGeneration #Faith #Tenx10

Gen Alpha slang can seem unintelligible to adults, but linguist and TikToker Adam Aleksic argues language development in the internet age is worth legitimate study. Adam talks to Host Flora Lichtman about how algorithms and social media are changing the way we speak, and discusses his new book, Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language.Guest:Adam Aleksik is a linguist and content creator, and the author of Algospeak: How Social Media is Transforming the Future of Language.Transcripts for each episode are available within 1-3 days at sciencefriday.com. Subscribe to this podcast. Plus, to stay updated on all things science, sign up for Science Friday's newsletters.

In breaking news, Netflix has released their viewing figures for the shows people are watching and more importantly not watching. And sadly for Holly, With Love, Meghan didn't fare so well—but was it still a success? Plus, Australia is re-learning how to deal with a political leader who is *checks notes* a woman. This week's conundrum is how much detail the people are entitled to know about her and her past. But it might just be the commentary that's problematic. And, Jessica Biel's back broke the internet. Mia, Jessie and Holly are divided on whether the new age of celeb transparency is liberating or in fact a curse? If you or someone you know is in need of support, help is available: Lifeline 13 11 14 1800RESPECT 1800 737 732 Support independent women's media What To Listen To Next: Listen to our latest episode: Every Nosy Question About Holly’s Holiday Answered Listen: The Coldplay Affair. And What The Internet Did Next. Listen: The Salt Path Scandal That Blew Up Listen: The Lies That We're Allowed To Tell Listen: The Missing Minute & The Missing Body Listen: What Is Going On With Justin Bieber? Listen: Microefficiencies & The Politics Of A Mean Group Chat Parenting Out Loud: Sleep Divorce, 'Hopeless' Dads & Goodnight To The Bedtime Story Connect your subscription to Apple Podcasts Watch Mamamia Out Loud: Mamamia Out Loud on YouTube What to read: Meghan Markle's show exposes the royal family's big mistake. A brutally honest review of Meghan Markle's new Netflix series. There's one question we're all asking since watching Adolescence. An expert just answered it. Jessica Biel's thriller The Better Sister only tells half the story. THE END BITS: Check out our merch at MamamiaOutLoud.com Mamamia studios are styled with furniture from Fenton and Fenton GET IN TOUCH: Feedback? We’re listening. Send us an email at outloud@mamamia.com.au Share your story, feedback, or dilemma! Send us a voice message. Join our Facebook group Mamamia Outlouders to talk about the show. Follow us on Instagram @mamamiaoutloud and on Tiktok @mamamiaoutloud Mamamia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the Land we have recorded this podcast on, the Gadigal people of the Eora Nation. We pay our respects to their Elders past and present, and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures.Become a Mamamia subscriber: https://www.mamamia.com.au/subscribeSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Giant Mess podcast host Neal Lynch reacts to the most searched Songs of the Summer, from chart-toppers by Eminem, Rihanna, and Drake, to TikTok-fueled viral trends like Skibidi Toilet and the rise of "brain rot." Neal takes you from classic anthems to the bizarre world of AI-generated memes, decoding Gen Alpha slang (sigma, ballerina cappuccino) and today's obsession with weird, brain-melting content. Is "brain rot" real, and is Gen Alpha trolling us all? #SongOfTheSummer #BrainRot #GenAlphaMemes #MusicTrendsFunny Stories from Giant Mess Podcast -  ⁠https://bit.ly/GiantMessFunnyStories⁠Movie Reviews from Giant Mess Podcast - https://bit.ly/GiantMessMovieReviews TV Show Reactions from Giant Mess Podcast - https://bit.ly/GiantMessTV New York Giants Fan Rants & Analysis from Giant Mess Podcast - ⁠https://bit.ly/NYGiantsYTPlaylist⁠ NY Mets Fan Rants & Analysis from Giant Mess - ⁠https://bit.ly/MetsYTPlaylist⁠ ABOUT NEAL LYNCH:Irish-Italian-American who graduated from a Catholic high school (even though I'm not Catholic), and a college known for producing doctors and lacrosse players, then became neither. Former 4th string quarterback and middle relief pitcher at a D3 school. Degrees in Film & Media Studies and Communications. Worked for Condé Nast, New York Post, SportsNet New York, and Hearst Television.Divorced dad who blogs, podcasts, writes, edits, optimizes, strategizes, and over-analyzes.  ABOUT "GIANT MESS":"Giant Mess" is a weird sports and entertainment comedy podcast hosted by a giant mess, the Real Cinch Neal Lynch. Neal covers New York Giants football, Mets baseball, movies, and TV shows, mixing in funny life stories along the way. Episodes focus on movie reviews, tv show recaps, post-game analysis, predictions, reactions, and funny stories about parenting.Subscribe to Giant Mess on YouTube: ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/GiantMessYT⁠⁠ Follow me on:* Link Tree - ⁠⁠https://linktr.ee/neallynch⁠⁠  * My Official Blog - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/neallynchBLOG⁠⁠ * Giant Mess Facebook Page - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/GiantMessFB⁠⁠    * Twitter - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/NealLynchTW⁠⁠     * Personal Instagram - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/NealLynchIG⁠⁠    * Giant Mess Instagram - ⁠⁠https://bit.ly/GiantMessInstagram⁠⁠  * Subscribe to Giant Mess on Apple Podcasts - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/GiantMessApple⁠⁠  * Subscribe to Giant Mess on Spotify - ⁠⁠http://bit.ly/GiantMessSpotify⁠⁠ 

In this episode, Mike speaks with Jordan Faker, a former youth pastor and current missionary in the Basque Country of Spain. Jordan shares lessons from his eight years in youth ministry and reflects on the realities of bivocational life—working a regular job while faithfully shepherding students. He offers practical encouragement for preachers navigating time constraints, limited resources, and the tension of dual callings.The conversation also explores the spiritual climate of post-Christian Europe, the urgent need for long-term missionaries, and how today's young people (Gen Z and Gen Alpha) are spiritually searching in unexpected ways.This episode is especially relevant for those preaching in small churches, ministering cross-culturally, or wrestling with how to balance faithfulness and sustainability in gospel work.Follow Jordan's journey:

What happens when kids grow up managing investment accounts before they even hit their teens? Generation Alpha is rewriting the rules of investing—digital-first, tech-savvy, and already shaping their financial futures.According to Mastercard’s latest report, nearly half of Gen Alpha children in the Asia-Pacific region already hold investment accounts.But are they really better investors, or just early adopters navigating uncharted waters? On Wealth Tracker, Hongbin Jeong speaks to Ben Gilbey, Senior Vice President, Digital Consumer Solutions, Asia Pacific, Mastercard, to find out more.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Send us a textHave you ever stopped to think about how different generations view the world, the church, and even the gospel? In kids ministry, we often focus on reaching the next generation—but understanding where they've come from and who's come before them is just as important. Every generation brings its own values, challenges, and perspectives to the table, and as ministry leaders, we have the opportunity—and responsibility—to bridge those gaps.Chuck Peters and Jana Magruder unpack the unique characteristics of each generation—from the Silent Generation and Baby Boomers to Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z, and Gen Alpha. Jana explores how generational traits influence ministry approaches, communication styles, and discipleship strategies while Chuck emphasizes the need for ministry leaders to adapt, fostering intergenerational connections and creating spaces where all generations can grow together in faith.Whether you're new to next gen ministry or a seasoned leader, this conversation offers practical insights and inspiration to help you lead more effectively across generations. Thanks for listening!SHOW LINKS: Kids Ministry Calling with Jana Magruder Flip the ScriptLifeway ResearchMccrindle ResearchiGen by Dr. Jean TwengeGenerations by Dr. Jean TwengeThe Anxious GenerationJoin us at ETCH NextGen Ministry Conference 2025Connect with Lifeway Next Gen Ministry

On this week's episode, I'm rejoined by Crunchyroll EVP Mitchel Berger to talk about anime's increasing popularity with those yearning for community. We reference a report on the state of anime several times; you can read it here. The long and the short of it, though, is that anime is increasingly popular with Gen Z and Gen Alpha, which will likely come as no surprise to anyone who has seen the wall of manga in their local Barnes and Noble. From theatrical rollouts in the United States and around the world to the 17-million-subscriber-strong Crunchyroll streaming service to the sold-out Anime Expo in Los Angeles earlier this month, it's an enormous segment of the market that holds a deep attachment to younger audiences. If you enjoyed this week's episode, I hope you share it with a friend!

How is the next generation redefining what it means to shop, connect, and co-create in physical spaces?Grab a pen and get ready to take some notes because Melissa Gonzalez and her firm, MG2 Advisory, have cracked the Gen-Z code through groundbreaking new research. But make no mistake, this isn't more one-size-fits all data about a large, and highly nuanced, cohort. This is granular research that unpacks the social, behavioral, and psychological forces impacting how different Gen Z personas shop. This week, we're learning how brands can leverage powerful tools that Gen Z is already wielding to level up their physical retail experiences: nostalgia, authenticity, sustainability, and co-creation. Listen now to get Melissa's data-driven blueprint for designing meaningful brand experiences. Multiplayer This, Co-Creator ThatKey takeaways:Values vs. Value Tension: 94% of Gen Z shops with values in mind (authenticity, transparency, humility, sustainability), but economics still drive final decisionsCo-Creation Imperative: Three out of four Gen Z consumers want to be collaborators in the brand journey, extending beyond product customization to store design, layout, and programmingNostalgia as Currency: Y2K and 2000s aesthetics dominate Gen Z's desire for nostalgic comfort, with apparel and fashion brands leading the charge through vintage-inspired experiences and activationsTechnology Extends Instinct: Successful retail tech either reduces friction through operational efficiency or creates deeper immersion. Anything in between feels like novelty and lacks authenticity[00:09:15] "The reason why it doesn't always win their wallet share is because economics still matter. But if there's a great desire for it... if a brand or retailer can get it right and enable it, there's a big opportunity there because they're helping consumers live those aspirational values." – Melissa[00:14:59] "Three out of four... want to be co-creators and collaborators in the brand journey. Store design, product customization... but you don't see it often in store design, I think... there's a real opportunity because you're getting validation buy in." – Melissa[00:28:30] "You have to have a team... you have to always understand the zeitgeist and how generations are evolving... because it's not a one-size-fits-all answer that's going to remain static." – Melissa[00:38:36] "What about it is going to feel more ethereal and more immersive... What are you giving people? Why are they getting out of their house? Why are they getting out of their phone? Why do they feel like they have to engage with this physical experience?" – MelissaIn-Show Mentions:New 2025 Gen Z ResearchOur Upcoming Webinar with MG2 AdvisoryThe Pop-Up Paradigm bookRetail Refined podcastMG2 AdvisoryAssociated Links:Check out Future Commerce on YouTubeCheck out Future Commerce+ for exclusive content and save on merch and printSubscribe to Insiders and The Senses to read more about what we are witnessing in the commerce worldListen to our other episodes of Future CommerceHave any questions or comments about the show? Let us know on futurecommerce.com, or reach out to us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. We love hearing from our listeners!

In this episode of Next in Media, Mike Shields interviews Dani Mariano, CEO of Razorfish, about their research into Gen Alpha, highlighting this generation's unique media consumption habits, brand maturity, and influence on household purchasing decisions, as well as Razorfish's "creator collab" program designed to meet the evolving demands of creator-centric marketing.

In this urgent and brutally honest episode, we unpack the disturbing direction Roblox is taking—and why its downfall may already be underway. From the platform's controversial decision to allow in-game dating (yes, you read that right), to a growing disconnect from the values that made it safe and fun for younger audiences, Roblox is drifting into dangerous territory.We explore how the CEO's tone-deaf stance—claiming players should date on the platform—has already led to real-world consequences, and why this shift feels less like innovation and more like negligence. This isn't just a “bad update.” It's a warning sign of a company willing to gamble with the safety of millions of kids.

Check out BeerBiceps SkillHouse's YouTube 1O1 Course - https://youtube.beerbicepsskillhouse.in/youtube-101Share your guest suggestions hereMail - connect@beerbiceps.comLink - https://forms.gle/aoMHY9EE3Cg3Tqdx9BeerBiceps SkillHouse को Social Media पर Follow करे :-YouTube : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2-Y36TqZ5MH6N1cWpmsBRQ Instagram : https://www.instagram.com/beerbiceps_skillhouseWebsite : https://beerbicepsskillhouse.inFor any other queries EMAIL: support@beerbicepsskillhouse.comIn case of any payment-related issues, kindly write to support@tagmango.comLevel Supermind - Mind Performance App को Download करिए यहाँ से

In this insightful episode of the Remarkable Retail podcast recorded live at the CommerceNext Growth Show in New York, Sarah Henry, Vice President, Head of Content, Influencer & Commerce at Walmart, discusses how one of the world's largest retailers is at the forefront of digital innovation. Sarah shares her journey from classical pianist to marketing executive, charting her unique path into eCommerce and social media leadership.The discussion dives deep into how Walmart is meeting the evolving expectations of Gen Z and Gen Alpha consumers. Sarah explains how the boundaries between brand discovery, engagement, and purchase are transforming, particularly for younger demographics who now discover products on social platforms more than in physical aisles or via traditional search engines. She shares insights into Walmart's strategic shift, including the rollout of the "Who Knew?" campaign, which highlights surprising products and services available through Walmart, ranging from exclusive Pokémon cards to stylish fashion from brands like Free Assembly.A central focus of the conversation is "Walmart Creator", the brand's in-house platform launched to streamline influencer engagement and power social commerce. Sarah explains how this platform connects tens of thousands of creators directly with Walmart's ecosystem, enabling shoppable content that seamlessly bridges inspiration and transaction.The conversation also touches on the increasing role of artificial intelligence in commerce. Sarah emphasizes the balance between technology and human creativity, asserting that Walmart's approach is "tech-led and people-powered." She discusses how AI is being used to support creators, personalize experiences, and enhance the customer journey, while remaining cautious about authenticity and scale.Sarah offers a look at attribution and measurement, acknowledging progress while recognizing room for improvement. She also shares her excitement for the future of social commerce and the continued growth of the creator economy as a legitimate career path. Throughout the episode, she underscores the importance of adaptability and real-time testing in a retail landscape that is changing by the day. About UsSteve Dennis is a strategic advisor and keynote speaker focused on growth and innovation, who has also been named one of the world's top retail influencers. He is the bestselling authro of two books: Leaders Leap: Transforming Your Company at the Speed of Disruption and Remarkable Retail: How To Win & Keep Customers in the Age of Disruption. Steve regularly shares his insights in his role as a Forbes senior retail contributor and on social media.Michael LeBlanc is the president and founder of M.E. LeBlanc & Company Inc, a senior retail advisor, keynote speaker and now, media entrepreneur. He has been on the front lines of retail industry change for his entire career. Michael has delivered keynotes, hosted fire-side discussions and participated worldwide in thought leadership panels, most recently on the main stage in Toronto at Retail Council of Canada's Retail Marketing conference with leaders from Walmart & Google. He brings 25+ years of brand/retail/marketing & eCommerce leadership experience with Levi's, Black & Decker, Hudson's Bay, CanWest Media, Pandora Jewellery, The Shopping Channel and Retail Council of Canada to his advisory, speaking and media practice.Michael produces and hosts a network of leading retail trade podcasts, including the award-winning No.1 independent retail industry podcast in America, Remarkable Retail with his partner, Dallas-based best-selling author Steve Dennis; Canada's top retail industry podcast The Voice of Retail and Canada's top food industry and one of the top Canadian-produced management independent podcasts in the country, The Food Professor with Dr. Sylvain Charlebois from Dalhousie University in Halifax.Rethink Retail has recognized Michael as one of the top global retail experts for the fourth year in a row, Thinkers 360 has named him on of the Top 50 global thought leaders in retail, RTIH has named him a top 100 global though leader in retail technology and Coresight Research has named Michael a Retail AI Influencer. If you are a BBQ fan, you can tune into Michael's cooking show, Last Request BBQ, on YouTube, Instagram, X and yes, TikTok.Michael is available for keynote presentations helping retailers, brands and retail industry insiders explaining the current state and future of the retail industry in North America and around the world.

“Mom, it's not the 1900s anymore.” If you've ever heard a variation of this phrase from your daughter, you're not alone. While each generation brings its own slang, styles, and standards, the gap between “then” and “now” can either divide us—or become fertile ground for discipleship. In this episode of the Raising Godly Girls Podcast, co-hosts Rachael Culpepper and Natalie Ambrose lean into the tension many families feel across generations, offering insight, laughter, and wisdom to help you connect more deeply with your daughter.  This conversation is part of our special week on Multi-Generational Ministry, and today's episode explores how parents can resist the pull of presentism—the assumption that today's ideas are inherently better—and instead practice humility, curiosity, and Christlike love across generational lines. You'll hear stories about misunderstood YouTube trends and lively car conversations that became spiritual breakthroughs, plus practical tools for navigating those head-to-head moments with grace instead of frustration.  You'll also hear a thought-provoking Raising Godly Girls Minute from American Heritage Girls Founder & Executive Director Emeritus, Patti Garibay, reminding us that while younger and older generations may approach the world differently, unity is possible when all are rooted in the pure Gospel of Jesus. When your daughter knows she's both seen and guided, she's more likely to extend the same grace back to you—and to her generation.  If you're parenting a Gen Z or Gen Alpha girl and wondering how to build trust, foster understanding, and grow in faith together, this episode offers a refreshing, Gospel-centered perspective on what it means to bridge the generational divide in your home.  Scriptures Referenced:  Mark 12:30–31   Deuteronomy 7:9   Titus 2:1–8   Explore more resources to raise girls rooted in Christ at raisinggodlygirls.com.   To find or start an AHG Troop in your area, visit americanheritagegirls.org. 

In this episode, we sit down with Tom from the Boomer Generation and Noah from Gen Alpha. We discuss their experiences in church, from the good to the bad, and we have some laughs along the way. You should give it a listen!Resource:Sticky Faith: Fuller Youth Institute

Did you know there are now SIX generations in today's workforce? From the Silent Generation to Gen Alpha, the workplace is a melting pot of perspectives, challenges, and opportunities. In this episode of THRIVE, Gene sits down with workplace expert Adam "Smiley" Poswolsky to decode the secrets of managing multigenerational teams. Smiley shares his insights on bridging generational gaps, fostering inclusion, and why being a coach (not just a boss) is the key to success. Whether you're a seasoned leader or a Millennial stepping into management, this episode is packed with practical tips and fresh perspectives on building a thriving workplace. Find more tips and expert strategies to help you bring out the best in every generation here: https://bit.ly/4lxvVFC Have a question for upcoming episodes or a topic you want covered? Let us know: https://payx.me/thrivetopics Topics include: 00:00 – Episode preview and welcome 01:18 – Overview of the six generations in the workplace 05:45 – Challenges of hiring young talent 07:08 – Role of managers as coaches 08:14 – Evolving cultures and expectations 09:19 – Providing personal and professional growth opportunities 10:13 – Importance of listening to young workers' perspectives 11:45 – Shift in finding purpose in life vs. career 15:00 – Polyworking and its implications 18:12 – Adapting to workplace fluidity and new job models 19:45 – Opportunities from federal layoffs 21:25 – Inclusion and the importance of a belonging workplace 22:12 – Practical advice for creating an inclusive work culture 25:33 – Navigating remote work and hybrid models 28:12 – Wrap up and thank you DISCLAIMER: The information presented in this podcast, and that is further provided by the presenter, should not be considered legal or accounting advice, and should not substitute for legal, accounting, or other professional advice in which the facts and circumstances may warrant. We encourage you to consult legal counsel as it pertains to your own unique situation(s) and/or with any specific legal questions you may have.

In this episode, we sit down with Mike Goscinski from the Health and Fitness Association to explore the dynamic shifts in the fitness industry. Discover how the 2025 consumer report highlights a significant increase in fitness facility visits, with 96 million Americans contributing $59.6 billion to the US economy. Mike shares insights into the growing engagement of Gen Z and Gen Alpha, who now represent 30.8% of fitness members, viewing fitness as an essential part of their lifestyle rather than a luxury. We delve into the diverse options available for physical activity, which are driving increased participation across all demographics. Mike discusses the association's policy advocacy efforts, including the PHIT Act, which aims to redefine fitness as preventive health. Learn about the exciting opportunities on the horizon, such as the upcoming European Congress in Amsterdam, where global advocacy and industry collaboration will take center stage. Join us for an enlightening conversation on how the Health and Fitness Association is shaping the future of fitness and what it means for you.   https://goteamup.com/ https://podcastcollective.io/  https://egym.com/int 

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด https://youtu.be/vvns1ieCw58 . “Emotional Damage!” คืออะไร? ทำไมเด็กๆ Gen Alpha ที่มาเลเซียถึงรู้จักกันทุกคน? . คำนี้ดี Featuring เอพิโสดนี้สุด Exclusive! ชวนคุยภาษาอังกฤษกับ ‘Miss Qiwiie' คุณครูสาวขวัญใจเด็ก Gen Alpha จากมาเลเซียที่เป็นไวรัลระเบิด TikTok กับคลิปพูดคุยหยอกล้อกับนักเรียนประถมวัย . นอกจากความสนุกสนานแล้ว หลายคนคงไม่รู้ว่า จริงๆ แล้ววิชาที่ครูสอนนั้นคือวิชาสุดจำเป็นแห่งศตวรรษที่ 21 อย่าง “Mental Health” (สุขภาพจิต) ที่สอนให้เด็กจัดการและควบคุมอารมณ์ความรู้สึกของตัวเองได้ตั้งแต่ประถมวัย . เพราะครูเชี่ยวชาญด้านการสอนเด็กประถมและมีเทคนิคการสื่อสารกับเด็กที่มีประสิทธิภาพมากๆ แถมยังปรับใช้ได้กับผู้ใหญ่ด้วย ภายใต้ความเชื่อที่ว่า “เด็กก็คือมนุษย์ตัวจิ๋ว” ที่ไม่ได้เข้าใจยากอย่างที่คิด . อะไรทำให้ครูเป็นที่รักของเด็กๆ? เด็กๆ น่ารักทุกเวลาจริงไหม? ภาษาอังกฤษแบบชาวมาเลเป็นแบบไหน? ปัจจุบัน Miss Qiwiie ทำอะไรอยู่? . #คำนี้ดี #kndFeaturing #MsQiwiie #ShiQi #GenAlpha #สุขภาพจิตเด็ก #จิตวิทยาเด็ก

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด https://youtu.be/vvns1ieCw58 . “Emotional Damage!” คืออะไร? ทำไมเด็กๆ Gen Alpha ที่มาเลเซียถึงรู้จักกันทุกคน? . คำนี้ดี Featuring เอพิโสดนี้สุด Exclusive! ชวนคุยภาษาอังกฤษกับ ‘Miss Qiwiie' คุณครูสาวขวัญใจเด็ก Gen Alpha จากมาเลเซียที่เป็นไวรัลระเบิด TikTok กับคลิปพูดคุยหยอกล้อกับนักเรียนประถมวัย . นอกจากความสนุกสนานแล้ว หลายคนคงไม่รู้ว่า จริงๆ แล้ววิชาที่ครูสอนนั้นคือวิชาสุดจำเป็นแห่งศตวรรษที่ 21 อย่าง “Mental Health” (สุขภาพจิต) ที่สอนให้เด็กจัดการและควบคุมอารมณ์ความรู้สึกของตัวเองได้ตั้งแต่ประถมวัย . เพราะครูเชี่ยวชาญด้านการสอนเด็กประถมและมีเทคนิคการสื่อสารกับเด็กที่มีประสิทธิภาพมากๆ แถมยังปรับใช้ได้กับผู้ใหญ่ด้วย ภายใต้ความเชื่อที่ว่า “เด็กก็คือมนุษย์ตัวจิ๋ว” ที่ไม่ได้เข้าใจยากอย่างที่คิด . อะไรทำให้ครูเป็นที่รักของเด็กๆ? เด็กๆ น่ารักทุกเวลาจริงไหม? ภาษาอังกฤษแบบชาวมาเลเป็นแบบไหน? ปัจจุบัน Miss Qiwiie ทำอะไรอยู่? . #คำนี้ดี #kndFeaturing #MsQiwiie #ShiQi #GenAlpha #สุขภาพจิตเด็ก #จิตวิทยาเด็ก

In this conversation, we explore AI bias, transformative justice, and the future of technology with Dr. Avriel Epps, computational social scientist, Civic Science Postdoctoral Fellow at Cornell University's CATLab, and co-founder of AI for Abolition.What makes this conversation unique is how it begins with Avriel's recently published children's book, A Kids Book About AI Bias (Penguin Random House), designed for ages 5-9. As an accomplished researcher with a PhD from Harvard and expertise in how algorithmic systems impact identity development, Avriel has taken on the remarkable challenge of translating complex technical concepts about AI bias into accessible language for the youngest learners.Key themes we explore:- The Translation Challenge: How to distill graduate-level research on algorithmic bias into concepts a six-year-old can understand—and why kids' unfiltered responses to AI bias reveal truths adults often struggle to articulate- Critical Digital Literacy: Why building awareness of AI bias early can serve as a protective mechanism for young people who will be most vulnerable to these systems- AI for Abolition: Avriel's nonprofit work building community power around AI, including developing open-source tools like "Repair" for transformative and restorative justice practitioners- The Incentive Problem: Why the fundamental issue isn't the technology itself, but the economic structures driving AI development—and how communities might reclaim agency over systems built from their own data- Generational Perspectives: How different generations approach digital activism, from Gen Z's innovative but potentially ephemeral protest methods to what Gen Alpha might bring to technological resistanceThroughout our conversation, Avriel demonstrates how critical analysis of technology can coexist with practical hope. Her work embodies the belief that while AI currently reinforces existing inequalities, it doesn't have to—if we can change who controls its development and deployment.The conversation concludes with Avriel's ongoing research into how algorithmic systems shaped public discourse around major social and political events, and their vision for "small tech" solutions that serve communities rather than extracting from them.For anyone interested in AI ethics, youth development, or the intersection of technology and social justice, this conversation offers both rigorous analysis and genuine optimism about what's possible when we center equity in technological development.About Dr. Avriel Epps:Dr. Avriel Epps (she/they) is a computational social scientist and a Civic Science Postdoctoral Fellow at the Cornell University CATLab. She completed her Ph.D. at Harvard University in Education with a concentration in Human Development. She also holds an S.M. in Data Science from Harvard's School of Engineering and Applied Sciences and a B.A. in Communication Studies from UCLA. Previously a Ford Foundation predoctoral fellow, Avriel is currently a Fellow at The National Center on Race and Digital Justice, a Roddenberry Fellow, and a Public Voices Fellow on Technology in the Public Interest with the Op-Ed Project in partnership with the MacArthur Foundation.Avriel is also the co-founder of AI4Abolition, a community organization dedicated to increasing AI literacy in marginalized communities and building community power with and around data-driven technologies. Avriel has been invited to speak at various venues including tech giants like Google and TikTok, and for The U.S. Courts, focusing on algorithmic bias and fairness. In the Fall of 2025, she will begin her tenure as Assistant Professor of Fair and Responsible Data Science at Rutgers University.Links:- Dr. Epps' official website: https://www.avrielepps.com- AI for Abolition: https://www.ai4.org- A Kids Book About AI Bias details: https://www.avrielepps.com/book

Intro - Metz and Phil examine the job aspirations of Gen Alpha. Content (8:18) - Discussion of Part 2 of Chapter 23 of In Green's Jungles, by Gene Wolfe. This Month's Read-Along - The Stars My Destination, by Alfred Bester Check out more at alzabosoup.com.

Subscribe to Jason Jorjani's Subsack: https://jasonrezajorjani.substack.com/Dr. Jorjani returns at this pivotal moment to discuss the future of Iran, Israel, & the United States.Consider Supporting BTR by:

In this episode we sit down with two guests from Generation Alpha. We take a deep dive into what church means to them and ask questions about how we can be better Pastors and leaders to them. We hope you enjoy the conversation!

You're listening to Burnt Toast!We are Virginia Sole-Smith and Corinne Fay, and it's time for your July Indulgence Gospel!And… it's our 200th episode! To celebrate, we're making today's Indulgence Gospel free to everyone and offering a flash sale — 20% off to celebrate 200 episodes! Grab this deal here.This newsletter contains affiliate links, which means if you buy something we suggest, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. We only ever recommend things we love and use ourselves! One Good ThingNow that it's summer, ice cream is a daily state of being here and I've been using my East Fork ice cream bowls constantly (they are also the perfect size for cherries and for many of your favorite snacks). If you are also an East Fork disciple, heads up that their annual Seconds Sale starts today! This is where they sell pots that are slightly imperfect but still 100 percent functional and food safe for 30-40% off. And yes, there are a lot of cute ice cream bowls. PS. You can always listen to our episodes right here in your email, where you'll also receive full transcripts (edited and condensed for clarity). But please also follow us in Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, and/or Pocket Casts!Episode 200 TranscriptCorinne200! Can you believe it?VirginiaI can and I cannot. It's one of those things where I feel like we've always been making the podcast, but also 200 feels like so many.CorinneI went back through, to look at some old episodes. And I was like, you know, I kind of remember all of them. I was like, surely there are some I have forgotten. But yeah, kind of not.VirginiaWhen I was looking back at the old episodes, it was like visiting old friends. I was like, I know you guys. We're cool.CorinneIf you write into us with a question and we answer it, it really sticks with us!VirginiaWe continue to think about you. And would like updates, honestly. We don't always get them, so putting that out there. We'd like to know.CorinneTo celebrate, we have a special two part episode for you. We're picking favorite moments from the archives to revisit, to see if our feelings and opinions have changed.VirginiaAlright, I decided to look back at our many excellent guest conversations and pull out some favorites. First up, I thought I'd look back at our work ultra-processed foods since it is such an annoyingly evergreen topic. We did a great pair of episodes with Laura Thomas, PhD, who writes “Can I Have Another Snack?” which ran in July 2023. Here is a little excerpt from the first conversation.VirginiaIt feels like it's important to say very clearly that processed is not synonymous with has no nutrition, and that actually processing foods is a good thing to do in order to eat, right?LauraYeah, well, all forms of cooking are a process, right?So unless you like want to go down some raw vegan path, you can't really avoid processing your food to some extent.Now, advocates of NOVA, I think, would say that's a bit of a red herring, because what we're actually talking about is this additional level of processing, this ultra processing sort of phenomenon.But even within that category, I think there are merits to processing–even Ultra processing–our foods. One of the things that happens when we process food is we extend the shelf life of it, and that means that we are wasting less food overall, which I think we would all agree is probably a helpful thing.But industrial food processing, it reduces foodborne pathogens. It reduces microbes that would spoil food and make things like oils turn rancid faster. It also significantly cuts down on the time and labor that it requires to cook a meal. And I think that's for me as a parent, and I know for you as well, like, that's huge.VirginiaIt's really everything, honestly. For me personally. Nothing should be everything for everybody, but limiting the amount of time I spend cooking dinner is the thing that enables me to eat dinner with my family at night.LauraBut it's not just like super privileged white women that have a lot of you know nutrition knowledge, right, that benefit from ultra processed foods. I'm also thinking about kids with feeding disorders that would struggle to get all the nutrition that they need without processed foods. I'm thinking about elderly or disabled people who can maintain a level of independence because they can quickly cook some pasta and throw an ultra processed jar of pasta sauce on that and have a nourishing meal. I'm thinking about pregnant people who otherwise might not be able to stomach eating because of morning sickness and nausea, which we know lasts forever, not just morning, right?So there are so many groups of people that benefit from ultra processed foods, and they just seem to be missing entirely from the conversation around these foods.VirginiaSo often there's this pressure of like, we have to just get poor people cooking more and get them cooking more. And it's like, okay, but if you live in a shelter, you don't have a kitchen. If you are crashing on a couch with family member, you know, in a house with lots of different people, and it's not easy for you to get time in the kitchen. There's so many different scenarios where cooking is not a practical solution, and having greater shelf stability is very important.LauraBut it also says a lot about where we place our values, right? And who is making decisions about where we cook our values? Because it's not everyone's value system to spend more time cooking from scratch and buying fresh ingredients and spending more time in the kitchen.VirginiaI picked this clip because I think Laura is summing up so many important pieces of this conversation that I just continue to see nowhere in the mainstream media discourse around ultra-processed foods. Like the fact that they are useful and convenient. And convenience is not a moral failing. I don't know where we decided food should be inconvenient to be valuable and healthy? But it seems like that's a thing that we believe.CorinneI know Maintenance Phase just did an ultra processed food episode. I listened to that.VirginiaOh, it's excellent. CorinneAnd both they and you and Laura got into the way that “processed” is just such a moving target. It means so many different things.VirginiaIt means literally anything.CorinneAnd also nothing.VirginiaYes, when I say this is missing from the discourse, I don't mean Maintenance Phase, who I think we're very much in conversation with. As Mike and Aubrey kept discussing on their episode—I think Laura says some of this, too—depending whose classification system you go by, honey is ultra-processed or it's not ultra-processed. Foods are moving categories all the time.And as Aubrey said: Really what it comes down to is they're categorizing foods so that the ones that “people who make less money than you buy” are bad. And I was like, yep, there it is. This is really classism and racism and all the other isms to say let's demonize these foods that people rely on. Which is not to say we shouldn't improve the overall quality of food in the food system! But doing it through this policing of consumer habits just will never not make me furious.CorinneReally feels like this hasn't gotten better since the episode aired two years ago? VirginiaIf anything, I think it has intensified. I think RFK and MAHA has really put this one in their crosshairs, and it's just getting worse and worse. It's really maddening, because we're just not having any of the real conversations we need to have about how to improve food quality in this country or anywhere.CorinneWhat a bummer. All right, let's listen to this next quote, which is about jeans.VirginiaOh, jeans.VirginiaSo the backstory is on recent Indulgence Gospels, we have talked about how Corinne converted me to the universal standard straight leg jeans, and I do really like them. But earlier today, I had to be in photos, and we had a plan. The three of us had a plan that I was going to wear those jeans, and at the last minute, I texted Dacy. I didn't even text Corinne because I knew she'd yell at me. I texted Dacy, and I was like, I can't do it. I'm in my skinny jeans for the photos. And, yeah, it was like, do I look too sloppy? Are these, like, saggy in a weird way that I have no control over?And I feel like for something like having your picture taken, like, wear the pants, you're not going to feel like you're only thinking about your pants. You know what I mean?CorinneOkay, so I wanted to revisit some of your feelings about jeans. You may recall that we used to open like every podcast episode by chatting about pants!VirginiaWe did. We haven't done that!CorinneWe kind of fell off pants chat, and I don't know why.VirginiaBring back pants chat! CorinneBut I do feel like since we started doing the podcast, your feelings about jeans have evolved? True or false?VirginiaThey have evolved. They definitely have. I mean, I still own a pair of emotional support skinny jeans. The same pair I mention in that episode. CorinneWhen is the last time you wore them?VirginiaI actually have not worn them very much at all. I did wear them two weeks ago under a shirt dress because it turned out to be colder than I thought. And I was like, “Oh, it's not a bare leg dress day.” So I put on skinny jeans under it, but I haven't worn them for any other reason in a really long time.And I will say: I'm wearing my Gap straight leg jeans the most, the baggier fit ones the most. So I do think I've evolved to embrace a more relaxed fit of jean, which does make it much easier to get jeans to fit your body.I still think the primary finding of Jean Science was correct, that jeans are designed terribly, that fashion in general is terrible at fitting people's bodies, but particularly when it comes to fitting pants onto fat people. They're really bad at it. And so I think all the jeans are bad.But I will say if you can embrace a wider leg or a more relaxed fit, you will have more options.CorinneYeah, I think that's true.VirginiaI still cannot solve for the factor of, if you wear a more relaxed fit, they will still stretch out when you wear them, and they will be falling off you by the second day, if not later in the first day. And nobody has solved this.CorinneI think someone did solve it, and it's belts.VirginiaThat is not a solution that is available to me, personally. I don't like belts. I guess I should try belts? I don't know about belts. Okay, that's a whole other thing.CorinneThis is kind of neither here nor there, but I just read this post from Em Seely-Katz who writes Esque, and I think they were actually writing about something else, raw hem jeans. But they were saying that men's jeans, the zipper goes all the way from the bottom of the crotch up to the top. Why don't women's jeans do that?VirginiaWait, men's jeans have a different zipper?CorinneLike, the zipper on women's jeans is shorter. It doesn't go all the way down.VirginiaIs it because they don't want men to pee on their pants?CorinneWell, I think it's so you can open them up more to get your… whatever but, but I think women's jeans should also have that option for access.VirginiaI just really have to pause on how uncomfortable Corinne was saying penis right there. She was like… whatever you've got down there.CorinneI think I was going to say dick and then I was like, is that inappropriate?VirginiaWhatever, we swear all the time. Anyway, the zipper is longer so that men can deal with their junk.CorinneI think women should have the option of being able to deal with their junk as well.VirginiaAgreed, agreed. Pro longer zipper.CorinneAlso, I feel like it would be easier to to get jeans on if they opened up more at the top.VirginiaNow that you've put this very important issue on my radar, I'm ready to adopt it as a primary cause.CorinneOkay, thank you.VirginiaWe will have a petition for everyone to sign shortly. You are a diehard jeans person. You always look great in jeans. You're inspiring on the topic.CorinneThis year I have adopted drawstring jeans, which feels like it's barely jeans.VirginiaBut also sounds like a life hack.CorinneYeah, it's very comfortable.VirginiaI love drawstring. In the summer, I wear a lot of drawstring. I don't wear a lot of drawstring in the winter.CorinneDrawstring would probably solve your stretching out after a couple wears problem, similar to a belt.VirginiaIt would be like a belt, but not a belt, so it wouldn't trigger my belt concerns.I think my other struggle with jeans—that is maybe not really even about jeans—is that since I have broken up mostly with dark skinny jeans, there is sometimes a category of outfit I am trying to achieve where I'm trying to be dressed up, but not too dressed up. And I feel like the dark skinny jean really filled that need. Does that make sense?Like, you want to look like kind of polished because you're going to your kid's chorus concert or out to dinner with friends, but it's not like all the way to a dress level? That might feel like too much. I feel like the dark skinny jean really threaded this needle.This stems from having been in my 20s in the early 2000s and being trained in the School of the Going Out Top. The going out top and dark jeans was a uniform. And I think I'm still like, “So what replaces the dark jeans and the going out top?” And then I realized, like… anything? That's me trying to dress like it's 2003 and it's not.But that is one place I still struggle, because I don't feel like the lighter, more relaxed denim can can do that same category?CorinneHmm, what about darker, wide leg jeans? Is that not a thing?VirginiaMaybe I just haven't found a pair I really like that are darker. That's a good thought.CorinneOr maybe with wide leg jeans, you need a slightly fancier top, I don't know.VirginiaI think a lot of our dependency on the skinny jean was just because we'd really learned the outfit formulas for it. And I do feel like sometimes when I gravitate back towards it, it's because I'm feeling at sea with how to put an outfit together without them.CorinneThis is not about jeans, but I'm really into these Old Navy shorts I have that have stripes down the side. They're sweat shorts. And they're so comfortable. But then sometimes when I'm going out, I am like, wait, what do I put on the top so that it doesn't look like I'm just in sweats?VirginiaI just came here in pajamas. Yeah, don't you feel like that's a struggle with shorts and tank tops in general in the summer? And I feel like more of a struggle for fat folks?CorinneMaybe.VirginiaIt's harder to look like you got dressed or something, right?CorinneLike, how do I look like I'm not just wearing a t-shirt and jeans?Lately, I've been experimenting with the answer to that being socks. Right now I'm wearing—am I about to try and show you my socks? Nope.I'm wearing chartreuse socks, kind of like a chartreuse dress sock. I'll send you a pic after. But I feel like that with the tank top and shorts kind of makes it look more outfit-y.@selfiefayStay for the pitbull cameo #ootd VirginiaYou should know my 11 year old is doing the same thing this summer.CorinneOh, that's cool.VirginiaThere are a lot of brightly colored socks with regular shorts and t-shirts. Also, she has a lot of animal print socks. So you're blessed by Gen Alpha or whatever she is.CorinneAmazing.VirginiaGood job.All right. Well, for the final clip, I went back to another favorite guest conversation. To be clear, I love all of our guest conversations. But this was one that was just like one of my favorite ever. It was with Martinus Evans, who is the author of Slow AF Run Club: The Ultimate Guide for Anyone Who Wants to Run. Martinus also runs the Slow AF Run Club, which is a running community for folks to run in the bodies they have. He is so hilarious and delightful. This episode ran in June 2023 so here's the clip.MartinusSo what that looks like is like letting them know that obstacles and rising up in the face of adversity is a good thing. Because for a lot of people, they think it's a bad thing. Like, oh, I face adversity. I'm slow.Or, here's the thing I always get, is that I started running, and then I got a little tired, and I started walking, and I felt absolutely horrible that I had to walk. And then me come in and say, Well, what was wrong with that? Did you start running again? Yeah, I did. Well, fuck like, let's celebrate that then? It's that thing of letting people know that it's okay to bumble and stumble and figure this thing out because you're doing something with your body that you have not been A. celebrated to do, right? But B. You're kind of stifled, like being a plus size person, like you may have even been stifled with movement, because you haven't had the liberty to actually explore the things that your body might be able to do. You got to explore and figure all this stuff out.So, like, that's where providing psychological safety is letting them know that it's okay. It's almost like, imagine a kid who's like, riding a bike for the first time. They ride the bike, you let it go, they lose their balance, they fall, they scrape their knee. They're going to cry. They're going to be like, Oh, I don't want to ride this bike anymore. It's horrible. I don't want to do this. Don't make me do this. But as a good parent or as a good coach, you're going to like, okay, let's cry it out. You done crying? Okay, now let's get your ass back on that bike. The same thing is true with physical activity. All right. You did it. You got a side stitch? Okay, cool. Let's figure this out. Oh, you got shin splints. Okay, cool, yeah, let's figure this out. Oh, oh, you got delay, onset, muscle soreness? Great. Let's figure this out. But guess what? Yeah, that's going to continue to move.That's the approach that I take. Like we're all going to fall off, and somewhere around us being grown start to be embedded in us, like doing something and then like failing or like not getting it right on the first time is a bad thing. I think it's school.VirginiaI think school is a lot of it, yeah. I'm thinking, like, when a baby's learning to walk, they fall a million times, and people aren't like you should stop trying to walk. You know what I mean?MartinusImagine that like walking a baby trying to walk. And I said, screw you baby! Like you suck you're not. Damn you for trying to walk.VirginiaYeah, you are a fat baby who can't walk. And yet we have this narrative that then kicks in of somehow, if I have to stop to walk during my run, that's like a moral failing. Like walking and running are morally equivalent activities, right? Like if you're walking, some of it, if you're running, some of that, as you said, like the pace of your running, if you are slow, that is still running. There's no need to be attaching all these values to it.But it does seem like the culture of running at large is so built on that paradigm, and you are really challenging an entire paradigm here.MartinusYes, I am. Here's why. If you're not an elite athlete who's like their life depends on winning prize money and like going to the Olympics, all of us are then paying for a participation medal to participate in a parade.CorinneI love this. He's really delightful.VirginiaHe's so good. And the reframing of running marathons as participating in a parade will just make me happy forever. It's so correct.I mean, obviously we stand by everything Martinus said. There's not really a lot more to say. So I thought we could also talk a little bit about how working on the podcast has changed each of our relationship with exercise. Because I think we've done a lot of good fitness content over the last 200 episodes, and I personally feel like I'm in a better place with exercise than I was when I started this project.CorinneHmm, that's awesome. Well, I think I started lifting around the same time that I started doing the podcast.VirginiaThere was an early episode where you were, like, “I'm using a broomstick.”CorinneOh, that's right! I was doing Couch to Barbell!VirginiaAnd look at you now, power lifter.CorinneI mean, one thing that is interesting about maybe starting any exercise, or maybe specifically powerlifting, is I think, in the first like year that you do it, you get better fast. Like, really consistently, almost every time you go to the gym, you're lifting more weight. And that is so rewarding. And probably a little addictive.Now that I have been doing it for two and a half years, I'm not getting better every time. Sometimes I can't lift weights that I have previously lifted for various reasons. Even if I'm maxing out, sometimes not hitting my previous maxes. I think it can be hard to figure out what am I doing? I took a little bit break last summer. I went to visit family, and I decided to just not go to the gym.VirginiaI remember, that seems good. I feel like it was good you took that break.CorinneYeah, it was good. And it sucked getting back. So yeah, I'm still figuring it out.VirginiaI guess that's the tricky thing about any sport where there's progress attached to it, which power lifting is still a sport organized around progress.CorinneI mean, there are different ways you can measure progress, too. Like how many reps, versus just straight up how much weight.VirginiaBut it's still measuring progress. It's still expecting there to be progress, which is both exciting, and I think progress can be very motivating. And what do you do then when you're in a period with it where it's not really about progress? How do you find value in that relationship? That's a tricky question.CorinneOr when the progress is just much smaller.VirginiaAnd can you still feel good about that?. Or do you start feeling like what's the point? I think for me, it's so funny that I love this conversation with Martinus so much, because I am just never going to be a runner again. Running was such a bad relationship that I'm so glad to be done with.I think for me, so much of finding joy and exercise is about not having progress goals of any kind. Like just having different activities I like doing for their own sake, and kind of rotating. Like, I like weight lifting. It was exciting when I went up to larger weight, heavier weights. At some point I hope to go up to heavier weights again.But I'm not tracking it. I'm like, these still seem hard. I don't know, it seems fine.Then the other stuff I do, like walking the dog and gardening, are really not things you would be like, wow, I weeded two more flower beds this week. It's not progress.But I do feel good that I, in various flavors, work out much more consistently than I have at other points in my life. Because it's more built into my lifestyle. And, I think talking to people like Martinus, Anna Maltby, obviously Lauren Leavell, Jessie Diaz-Herrera and all the folks who've come on and talked to us about different approaches to fitness have just really helped me claim it for myself in a way that I really was struggling to do. So that's been cool.CorinneYeah, that is cool. That's inspiring.ButterCorinneWell, this was fun to look back on some favorite episodes! Should we do butter?VirginiaI just came up with my Butter while I was eating lunch. And it is what I ate for lunch. And it is Sushi Salad. I invented this today. I had some leftover sushi, but it wasn't quite enough to be lunch by itself. So I chopped up the spicy tuna roll, with the rice and everything, chopped it up into little chunks, and I put it over a bed of greens with some some chopped bell peppers, some red onion, and then I kind of made up a fake spicy mayonnaise Asian-ish salad dressing. I'm not saying this is culturally authentic in any way. I need to underscore that a lot. But it was such a good lunch. So Sushi Salad is my Butter.And in general, I've been a big fan of leftovers plus salad as a lunch formula. A lot of leftovers lend themselves well to being a chopped ingredient in a good salad, and then it's like a new take. If you're someone who gets sick of leftovers, it's a whole new experience.CorinneI'm also going to do a food.VirginiaGreat. We love food Butter.CorinneI had some friends over for dinner earlier this week, and I made this Smitten Kitchen recipe, she calls it garlic lime steak and noodle salad.VirginiaOh, sold.CorinneIt's a really good hot weather meal, because it's rice vermicelli that you basically dunk in hot water for a few minutes and can serve cold or room temp. Then you chop up cucumbers and tomatoes and green beans, and then you make a marinade that also doubles as a dressing that has fish sauce, sugar, stuff like that, and and grill some steak and put that on top.VirginiaOh my gosh, I'm making this this week. I love this kind of recipe. Also, a great salad. Don't sleep on main course salads.CorinneYes, I had the leftovers as a salad yesterday. So good.Well, coming up next week, we're going to visit another bunch of favorite moments. Including: Feelings about aging, heterosexual marriage and what happens when your partner is on a diet.VirginiaThat episode WILL be paywalled, just like all our other Indulgence Gospels, so you should become a paid subscriber so you don't miss it! Here's that sale link again. The Burnt Toast Podcast is produced and hosted by Virginia Sole-Smith (follow me on Instagram) and Corinne Fay, who runs @SellTradePlus, and Big Undies—subscribe for 20% off!The Burnt Toast logo is by Deanna Lowe.Our theme music is by Farideh.Tommy Harron is our audio engineer.Thanks for listening and for supporting anti-diet, body liberation journalism! This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit virginiasolesmith.substack.com/subscribe

ON EPISODE 71 of the Joey Show comedian Joey Avery discusses a troubling trend of people becoming obsessed with AI and having mental breakdowns. BUT IT'S NOT ALL BAD. Old people are going to night clubs, the boys are getting their get back on ladies night and we fix male loneliness. Plus, ZOHRAAAN MAMDANI, a Maya Rudolph story, how to be happy in the digital age, Gen Z can't handle the office, and predicting Gen Alpha's slang. SEE JOEY LIVE: www.joeyavery.com/live MERCH: https://joeyavery.itemorder.com/shop/home/  

Sponsorships aren't just about slapping your logo on something anymore. If you want to make an impact, you need to think bigger, bolder—and know when to step into the driver's seat.That's the appeal of F1 sponsorships, where precision meets pageantry, and brand integration is as strategic as the race itself. In this episode, we tap into that high-speed energy with the help of our special guest, Ondar Tarlow, marketing consultant for action sports. Together, we explore what B2B marketers can learn from global sponsorships, smart storytelling, and knowing when to go all in—and when to walk away.About our guest, Ondar TarlowOndar Tarlow has over 20 years of experience in marketing and branding. He's known for engaging audiences through data-driven insights and witty, creative storytelling to achieve results. He has been leveraging AI to boost campaign performance results by 5x with propensity models and cutting production time by 75% using Generative AI tools like ChatGPT and Adobe Firefly, all while upholding IP standards.As Chief Marketing Officer at Kinecta Federal Credit Union and Pacific Premier Bank, he spearheaded award-winning campaigns that resulted in over $1.7 billion in product volume and tens of thousands of new customers. These successes earned him industry recognition, including Diamond Awards for brand awareness and a Top 100 Marketer award.Currently, Ondar serves as a marketing consultant for motorsports, financial, and lifestyle brands, partnering with organizations like Fast Lane Drive. His passion for motorsports, including attending 11 Formula 1 races worldwide, inspires his focus on high-performance teamwork and precision. Ondar's sponsorship expertise - demonstrated through collaborations with the LA Chargers, LA Galaxy, Anaheim Ducks, Luft 10 (Porsche), and BeachLife Music Festival - highlights his ability to connect brands with their ideal target audiences. Ondar holds a BA in Psychology from California State University, Northridge, and has earned digital marketing certifications from UCLA and trained with the American Red Cross in Crisis Communications and Media Relations. Ondar is also dedicated to community development, serving on the board of Junior Achievement, which provides youth with financial education and career readiness tools.What B2B Companies Can Learn From F1 Sponsorships:Don't just show up—integrate. It's not enough to slap your logo on something and call it a day. True brand partnerships go deeper. “Really any company that can afford it, can get a logo. But when you're doing a true brand integration like Oracle has done with Red Bull, that's really where things can pay off.” The ROI comes from relevance, not just visibility. Think about how your product can become part of the story.No plan, no payoff. As Ondar puts it: “Plan, plan. plan. And then data, data, and data.” B2B marketers must tie sponsorships to broader company strategy from the very beginning. That means aligning with your CEO and CFO, knowing what problem you're trying to solve, and figuring out how to measure impact—before you sign the dotted line.Go niche to go big. F1's PacSun collaboration proves you don't have to outspend Rolex to make an impact. You just need the right story. “They really thought about it... and what they've been able to create is an interest in F1 from this demographic.” By focusing on Gen Alpha and teenage girls, PacSun built a new fanbase and drove fashion sales—without buying trackside banners. In B2B, the same principle applies: niche audiences, well-served, can generate outsized returns.Quotes*“You have to test. There's going to be periods of time where you're gonna do something new, and you can't be afraid to fail…When you're finding out something that's working, then you need to double down and you need to take the risks. You need to take those risks and move forward with them. Things that aren't working, don't marry yourself to them. Figure out what you need to tweak and then continue to test. Marketing is not an exact science.”*“ Plan, plan, plan, and then data, data, and data. So first off, the plan is you have to make sure you're aware of what the strategy is of the company that you're with. And if you're a CMO, you're obviously responsible for the marketing strategy, and you should have a seat at the table as part of developing the strategy as far as the company, in a whole. So that's first off, and then understanding exactly what the challenge is, and then how are you going to be able to come up with a solution based on the decisions that you're making based on brand integration. And then from there is what data can you capture and how can you utilize that data so that you can drive metrics and those reporting metrics to show exactly what the benefit is of the partnership is that you're involved with.”*“ Brands can really leverage [figuring] out what the storyline is. To get the human aspect to it. And I think that that is a great opportunity for brands to look at is that if they're gonna invest in a driver or they're gonna invest in a team is what personalities are making up that team there.”Time Stamps[0:55] Meet Ondar Tarlow, marketing consultant for action sports. [01:07] Why F1 Sponsorships?[02:59] Ondar's Background[04:50] The Rise of F1 in the US[06:34] Understanding F1 Sponsorships[11:28] ROI on F1 Sponsorships[15:03] Drive to Survive: Impact on F1[18:08] Anatomy of an F1 Sponsorship Deal[24:47] The High Stakes of F1 Sponsorships[28:25] The Appeal of F1 Events[29:32] Strategic Brand Integration in F1 Sponsorships[36:34] The Importance of Planning and Data in Sponsorships[40:53] Leveraging F1 Storylines for Brand Success[45:06] Final Thoughts and TakeawaysLinksConnect with Ondar on LinkedInAbout Remarkable!Remarkable! is created by the team at Caspian Studios, the premier B2B Podcast-as-a-Service company. Caspian creates both nonfiction and fiction series for B2B companies. If you want a fiction series check out our new offering - The Business Thriller - Hollywood style storytelling for B2B. Learn more at CaspianStudios.com. In today's episode, you heard from Ian Faison (CEO of Caspian Studios) and Meredith Gooderham (Head of Production). Remarkable was produced this week by Jess Avellino, mixed by Scott Goodrich, and our theme song is “Solomon” by FALAK. Create something remarkable. Rise above the noise.

Today on Big Business we are joined by Tanja Filipovska, a powerhouse Aussie entrepreneur who turned a $7,000 gamble into a $30M global brand. From being down to her last dollars to now selling 10 pairs of socks every minute, her journey is filled with wild wins, unexpected setbacks and colourful lessons in resilience. Dominating the Gen Alpha market, MADMIA has truly taken a generation (and their parents) by storm. Partnering with brands such as Disney, Barbie and Harry Potter, MADMIA is a cultural phenomonon that shows no signs of slowing down. LINKS Follow Britt on: Instagram - @brittney_saunders Instagram - @bigbusiness_podcast TikTok - @brittney_saunders YouTube - Brittney Saunders - Fayt The Label Check out FAYT The Label HERE. Purchase my book "Just Getting Started" HERE Follow Tanja & MADMIA on: Instagram - @delalady Instagram - @madmiaofficial CREDITSHost: Brittney Saunders. Senior Producer: Xander CrossManaging Producer: Elle Beattie Find more great podcasts like this at novapodcasts.com.au and follow Nova Podcast's Instagram @novapodcastsofficialSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

In this jam-packed episode of Wise_N_Nerdy, Charles and Joe are joined by the one and only The Dadbod Veteran, bringing his signature humor, wisdom, and life experience to the mic. Kicking things off with the Question of the Week, the trio answers: “If you could travel anywhere in the world, where would it be?” From the cityscapes of Greece to the rolling hills of Scotland and the neon-lit streets of Tokyo, the conversation takes listeners on a globe-trotting adventure fueled by wonder and nostalgia.Next up, the dice decide it's time for “What Are You Nerding Out About?” and the nerd flags fly high. The Dadbod Veteran shares a major personal milestone—his excitement and relief at finally getting hip surgery after five long years of discomfort. Joe gets fired up about rewatching Rogue One after finishing Andor Season 2, and beams with pride over teaching one of his kids how to edit their first YouTube Short. Charles can't stop gushing about the Borderlands board game, bringing the loot-loving chaos of the video game to the tabletop.The dice roll again and land on “How Do I...?”, where the crew dives into how to best handle interactions with fans and listeners. The Dadbod Veteran, Joe, and Charles share their thoughts on staying humble, leading with kindness, and remembering that every connection matters.Next comes a hilarious onslaught of Bad Dad Jokes, featuring some pun-packed gold from The Dadbod Veteran, Joe, and Discord favorite Devocite. Brace yourself for groans, eye-rolls, and uncontrollable laughter.The show keeps rolling with the “Parliament of Papas” segment, where the dads dive deep into generational perspectives. Rather than griping about “kids these days,” they explore the positives and strengths of each generation—Boomers to Gen Alpha—and how we can all learn from one another.Finally, the episode closes with “Daddy, Tell Me A Story,” where the hosts recall unforgettable moments performing in front of live audiences. From teasing their kids in the crowd to launching T-shirts into the audience with pinpoint precision, it's a segment full of heart, humor, and a love for making memories.No matter what generation you're from or where you're headed, this episode is a celebration of connection, laughter, and learning. Find your FAMdom right here.Learn more about The Dadbod Veteran over at https://linktr.ee/thedadbodveteranWise_N_Nerdy: Where Fatherhood Meets Fandom.

connor pugs tells a Storytime about the cringiest gen alpha kid in existence... (STORYTIME)

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด youtu.be/285kZMuzJcU . ‘กาย-ฮารุ' คุยอังกฤษ เลี้ยงลูกยังไงให้เก่งภาษา กล้าใช้ชีวิต .

In this episode of the Programming Lions podcast, investor and expert Chad Blackburn joins us to simplify complex financial topics related to blockchain, bitcoin, and fiat currency for Gen Alpha kids. Chad shares his personal finance upbringing, concerns about national debt, and insights on alternatives like Bitcoin versus traditional financial systems. The discussion delves into the nature of fiat money, the implications of national debt, and preparing for financial challenges. With relatable analogies and practical advice, Chad emphasizes the importance of financial literacy and encourages kids to understand and secure their financial future through responsible saving and investing. Tune in to learn about Bitcoin mining, digital assets, and the potential impact of these technologies on the future economy.LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chadblackburn/TIMELINE00:00 Intro00:32 Meet Chad01:15 Journey into Bitcoin04:50 National Debt07:10 Fiat Money15:12 Origins of Bitcoin20:27 Bitcoin Mining20:42 Role of Miners21:31 Energy and Economics24:45 Decentralization25:10 Bitcoin vs. Traditional Systems27:54 Communism and Centralized Banking28:45 Meme coins and Crypto Equities31:23 NFTs and Digital Assets33:38 Bitcoin as Freedom Tech36:21 Practical Advice39:09 Final Thoughts

In this week's roundup of the latest news in online speech, content moderation and internet regulation, Ben is joined by guest host Bridget Todd, a technology and culture writer, speaker and trainer and host of two great podcasts, There are No Girls on the Internet and IRL: Online Life is Real Life. Together, they cover:AI Models And Parents Don't Understand ‘Let Him Cook' (404 Media)Trial reveals flaws in tech intended to enforce Australian social media ban for under-16s (The Guardian)Inside /r/SGExams: Meet the young volunteers behind 1 of S'pore's largest online forums for students (Straits Times)The people who clean up your TikTok feed are starting to fight back (Rest of World)Man with real-life girlfriend and child proposes to AI chatbot after programming it to flirt: ‘I think this is actual love (New York Post)This episode is brought to you with financial support from the Future of Online Trust & Safety Fund. Ctrl-Alt-Speech is a weekly podcast from Techdirt and Everything in Moderation. Send us your feedback at podcast@ctrlaltspeech.com and sponsorship enquiries to sponsorship@ctrlaltspeech.com. Thanks for listening.

ชมวิดีโอ EP นี้ใน YouTube เพื่อประสบการณ์การรับชมที่ดีที่สุด https://youtu.be/285kZMuzJcU . ‘กาย-ฮารุ' คุยอังกฤษ เลี้ยงลูกยังไงให้เก่งภาษา กล้าใช้ชีวิต .

Jennifer Holloran, President and CEO of the American Bible Society, is an avid lover of Scripture and an expert in strategic leadership, operational excellence, and innovation. Jennifer was raised in a Christian home with lots of exposure to the Word, but it was in college that she learned to approach Scripture as a source of grace instead of condemnation. Jennifer's career took an unexpected turn after college when God led her to combine her professional skills and love for the Scriptures at Wycliffe Bible Translators. She spent over twenty years there, starting as a typist and eventually becoming Chief Operating Officer before taking over as CEO of the American Bible Society.   The American Bible Society has a rich history dating back to 1816, and is involved in nearly every aspect of Bible work, from translation to global distribution to engagement and advocacy. Jennifer has an amazing perspective on the power of God's Word, how it is moving in the world today, and how the Church can help people everywhere be transformed as they get more engaged with the Scriptures.   Major Topics Include: Jennifer's faith and career journey How she fell in love with Scripture Her surprise introduction to Bible translation through Wycliffe Leadership principles in unexpected Bible stories How God prepared her for work at American Bible Society An overview of American Bible Society's 209 year history Helping people engage in the Scriptures  ABS's framework of access, engagement, and advocacy Various aspects of Scripture access Their “end-to-end” process—a multimodal approach to Bible access and engagement The story and heart behind the ABS Trauma Healing Institute  Helping people overcome barriers to Scripture Finding solutions to inspire younger generations to engage with Scripture AI as a tool for Bible engagement How to move from Bible engagement to advocacy Creativity in Bible distribution in hard-to-reach places Effectiveness of a collective impact alliance in reaching Bible distribution goals QUOTES TO REMEMBER “It wasn't long after I finished college that God brought me to Wycliffe Bible Translators, and that opened up a whole world of understanding Scripture in a completely new way.” “I found that the more that I began to dig into Scripture, the more there was to discover.” “We want to move people from that place of just having access to the Bible and have them step into engagement, and that starts with curiosity.” “Today, we at the American Bible Society still get to be involved in translation and distribution, but we're looking at the whole Scripture engagement journey and how we can come alongside the Church to support the ministry of helping people to take the next step with Scripture.” “We need to understand where Gen Z and Gen Alpha are coming from and what speaks to them as unique groups with unique values, preferences, and barriers that might keep them from Scripture. Then we can work together with the Church to help co-create solutions to reach that generation.” “There's something amazing about having the Bible as a foundation that we can come together and have conversation around and learn from one another across faith traditions.” “Our vision is ‘God's Word transforming all people.' That's what I want to see happening, and I think the more we can get the Church engaged and we can work together on this, I believe that it's possible.” LINKS FROM THE SHOW Julie Wilson, President of Women Doing Well (see our past interview here) American Bible Society Wycliffe Bible Translators (see our interview with CEO John Chesnut) The Digital Bible Library Audio Video Translation Tool Jesus Film Project (see our interview with Executive Director Josh Newell) LUMO Project Films Faith Comes by Hearing (see our interview with VP Morgan Jackson) Talking Bibles International Trauma Healing Institute IllumiNations Bible Translation Alliance (see our interview with Todd Peterson or John Chesnut) ETEN Innovation Lab The Finish Line Community Facebook Group The Finish Line Community LinkedIn Group BIBLE REFERENCES FROM THE SHOW Matthew 13:1-23 | Parable of the Sower WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU! If you have a thought about something you heard, or a story to share, please reach out! You can find us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn. You can also contact us directly from our contact page. If you want to engage with the Finish Line Community, check out our groups on Facebookand LinkedIn.

You've seen Read Choi's viral videos—over 10M on TikTok and Instagram—calling out the Devil, breaking down suffering, and making us laugh through it all. But behind the boldness is a story he's never told—until now.For the first time, Read reveals the abuse he survived as a child—including nights spent sleeping on the street as punishment—and how pain shaped his faith, humor, and message.He also shares the wild moment God told him to adopt a schizophrenic homeless woman—and the backlash that followed.This episode is raw, honest, and full of hope. Read is redefining what faith looks like in the digital age—and paving the way for a new kind of witness.Read's website: https://readchoi.comRead's IG: https://instagram.com/readchoiRead's TikTok: https://tiktok.com/@readchoiNEW: Join our exclusive Rose Report community! https://lilaroseshow.supercast.com - We'll have BTS footage, ad-free episodes, monthly AMA, and early access to our upcoming guests.A big thanks to our partner, EWTN, the world's leading Catholic network! Discover news, entertainment and more at https://www.ewtn.com/ Check out our Sponsors:-Seven Weeks Coffee: https://www.sevenweekscoffee.com Buy your pro-life coffee with code LILA and get up to 25% off!-Good Ranchers: https://go.goodranchers.com/lila Purchase your American Meat Delivered subscription today and get a free add-on of beef, chicken, or salmon! Use code LILA for $40 off! -Cozy Earth: Better Sleep, Brighter Days - Get the highest quality sleep essentials for 40% OFF at https://cozyearth.com/lila!00:00:00 - Intro00:05:58 - UC Berkley and Writing00:09:45 - Seven Weeks Coffee00:10:27 - Did you have faith growing up?00:11:39 - Homelessness00:17:59 Have you talked to your parents about this?00:20:32 - Good Ranchers00:21:47 - How did you come to faith?00:30:37 - CozyEarth00:31:35 - Darkness and Comedy00:34:16 - Helping the homeless woman00:40:17 - Angelic encounters00:46:56 - When did you decide to start TikTok?00:50:02 - How do you decide what to create?00:54:02 - Watching Read's TikToks01:00:55 - Current Christian content community:01:04:06 - What to say or not to say online?01:05:56 - What things does Lila keep private?01:08:45 - Advice for young women on internet01:12:32 - Future of content and media01:15:52 - Gen Alpha

“But if you think about it, like if all 360,000 of these, like, law firms, not lawyers, law firms had their own brand out there, who's gonna rise to the top? The ones who are producing content that provides value, and then the ones who are producing content that has some good production value, and are the ones who are producing content that has some good entertainment value. ‘Cause I think that's the third leg. Because right now, just producing content is enough, but there's going to come a point where people have to be entertaining as well, where it's not going to be consumed.” – Dennis MeadorThis episode is the second half of my conversation with founder and CEO of The Legal Podcasting Network Dennis Meador, as we discuss Dennis's start in podcasting, his tips for putting together a helpful and accessible video for clients, and how AI is blurring the video/audio divide.As always, if you have questions for my guest, you're welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes. If you have questions for me, visit audiobrandingpodcast.com, where you'll find a lot of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter will let you know when the new podcasts are available, along with other interesting bits of audio-related news. And if you're getting some value from listening, the best ways to show your support are to share this podcast with a friend and leave an honest review. Both those things really help, and I'd love to feature your review on future podcasts. You can leave one either in written or in voice format from the podcast's main page. I would so appreciate that. (0:00:00) - Podcast Marketing and Communication StrategyThe second half of our conversation starts as Dennis shares his approach to winning older clients over to social-media marketing, and the challenge our online-first world can pose. “They'll say, ‘Yeah, if I can get them in front of me, I'll convert them 80% of the time,'" he recounts. “The problem is that 80% of the time, they check out your website and never do anything further.” He talks about short-form content and informational videos, and how they can help brands get a foot in the door when it comes to making an impression on clients. “When people search these very specific questions, now,” he explains, “all of a sudden, this attorney, especially with video and YouTube being owned by Google, their videos start to pop up, their podcast starts to pop up, their FAQ page starts to pop up.”(0:14:19) - Future of Podcasting and BrandingDennis and I talk about how remote networking and online spaces have changed the way we make a first impression, and his approach to keeping brands engaged with their clients. “We send a lot of videos in my company,” he explains, “I'll have somebody say to me, like, ‘Oh, this client's ghosted us, blah, blah, blah, blah. They're not returning calls.' I'm like, did you send [a video]? They probably forgot you're a real person.” He shares his thoughts about Gen Z, and now Gen Alpha, and how their lifelong experience with social media will impact the future of branding. “Fifteen years ago or ten years ago,” he recalls, “the number one thing kids wanted to be when they grew up was doctors and lawyers. Do you know what the number one thing is now for kids junior-high and below? Influencers.”(0:17:34) - AI and Creativity in MarketingOur conversation concludes with a firsthand account of how AI is helping Dennis reinvent and expand his approach to podcast development. “I'm hoping that when we produce this [next] podcast,” he says, “we actually produce it as a cartoon, that when we produce this podcast, we actually produce it as a cartoon, and...

Bill Thompson discusses his exceptional arts non-profit Young Storytellers and the new report, Growing Pains, which centers around the concerns and tastes of Gen Alpha. 

Trevor Noah's Born a Crime is trending, and for good reason. I'm seeing the evidence everywhere. This spring, as I ran our curriculum book choice tournament across the high school levels and hundreds of teachers weighed in, I watched it soar to the finals in BOTH the 9th/10th category and the 11th/12th category. Then, as summer began and I opened up this new podcast series, "Plan My Lesson" (which starts today, right now), I immediately received three separate requests for Born a Crime lessons. Naturally, with this book soaring in popularity but new to the scene, there isn't that much out there being shared yet. One teacher was searching for ways to get students connecting the text to the 5 key themes of the I.B. curriculum (identities, experiences, human ingenuity, social organization, and sharing the planet). Another teacher was planning to use it as an anchor for a memoir class, and still another wanted to help students identity rhetorical devices inside while also developing their question-asking skills and connecting key moments in the text with argument claims. Is it possible to fulfill all these needs with one lesson? I think so. What we want is an in-depth lesson on a section of Trevor Noah's Born a Crime, with a focus on connecting its big ideas to big ideas in our world today and in students' own lives, exploring text passages carefully along the way for writer's craft moves and theme development. And of course, we want it to be engaging. And fit neatly in one class period. So today, in the first of our summer "Plan My Lesson" series of podcasts, let's dive into planning an engaging, goal-fulfilling lesson for Trevor Noah's Born a Crime. Whether or not you're teaching this book, you'll find lots of ideas for lesson planning here. After we walk through the lesson itself, we'll be talking about helpful takeaways from designing THIS lesson that you can apply to designing ANY lesson, so be sure to stay tuned to the end. I'll also be telling you how to grab all the curriculum for this lesson totally free. So let's dive in! Grab all the materials for today's lesson free here: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/bornacrimelesson  Go Further:  Explore alllll the Episodes of The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast. Launch your choice reading program with all my favorite tools and recs, and grab the free toolkit. Join our community, Creative High School English, on Facebook. Come hang out on Instagram.  Enjoying the podcast? Please consider sharing it with a friend, snagging a screenshot to share on the ‘gram, or tapping those ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to help others discover the show. Thank you!  Camp Creative : Your Shiny New Short Story Toolbox is coming June 23-27. In this fun and free 5 day summer workshop, you'll… ⭐ Learn about 5 fabulous short story options from me (plus SO MANY others from the thousands of other teachers at camp!) ⭐ Walk through 5 creative out-of-their-seats and/or outside-the-box short story lessons (bye bye, comprehension questions) ⭐ Take away 5 classroom-ready curriculum kits for next year (hello, major time-savers!) Each day's materials are designed to take just 10 minutes to peruse, and they come straight to your email so you can join us day by day or, if you're busy (or still teaching), catch up later. Sign up here: https://sparkcreativity.kartra.com/page/CC2025  

TikTok and viral star Mr. Philip Lindsay gives Jenna and Willie a lesson in Gen Alpha lingo in another edition of 'What the Kids Are Saying.' Also, Andrew Rannells and Nick Kroll join to talk about their new movie 'I Don't Understand You' and play a fun game. Plus, Bryce Dallas Howard stops by to catch up and discuss the new action-comedy she's starring in, 'Deep Cover.' And, style expert Paige DeSorbo shares a few fashion trends to elevate your outfits for the summer.

#338: Tall Darren's Porno Company job update; Skeery apologizes for his bad advice for side sleepers; Brody had to take a 15 inch needle to fix his bum knee; Skeery's girlfriend thinks he doesn't love her because of a ridiculous rule; Brody can't find chocolate sprinkles; Skeery inadvertently made a friend look bad and made another feel like crap all in one text message; the professor who gave a graduation speech in Gen Alpha language...what the hell is he even saying?See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.