Podcasts about misfit toys

In speaking with my two guests, they shared stories of the three generations of writers in the family including, Irene's mother, Wilma, followed by my guest, Irene and her son Brendan. Brendan is an award winning graphic novel/picture book author and acquiring editor at Blackstone Publishing where he also runs the TV and Film Division even made notice of having his maternal grandmothers published books on his desk. Brendan shares that he was always supported and encouraged by his family with his passion for comic books which he started writing and drawing caricatures at a young age.In time, Irene expressed "that the family was moving in a different direction and the divorce was almost inevitable." Irene continues, "I'm highly emotionally intelligent and I finally found my tribe. I found people who spoke my language." This all occurred once she went back to school for her Masters Degree in Counseling, and later on became a social worker. Brendan raves about his childhood as a latch key kid. He loved growing up in Connecticut. And now as a father, he appreciates even more what it takes for parents to raise their children. And now he's learned even more about what his mother was going through raising the four Deneen children.Both Irene and Brendan claim to be emotionally intelligent-they are very good at listening to others, which Brendan feels that "not many people listen to one another these days." Brendan has always been there for his mom as a sounding board. Irene says " Brendan was my listening post." When she needed to talk, she call Brendan.They have a special bond for sure. They respect one another.Irene Deneen Murray: Irene Deneen Murray grew up in the 50's, an era when a woman could be a nurse, teacher or secretary. She chose teacher because it pleased her mother. In truth the first half of her life was devoted to taking care of or pleasing her mother. At age 50 having raised 4 kids in a Hollywood -worthy suburb, Irene became a divorcee and learned to love being more adventurous than she had previously ever imagined. By then she was working as a social worker having recently earned a Master's Degree in Counseling. Irene loves the natural world and has been a devoted hiker and later a biker, paddler and pretty consistently a practitioner of yoga. She continues these pastimes presently sometimes to the chagrin of her children since they may picture her falling off a cliff, rolling over in her kayak or some other catastrophe. Her children and grandchildren are her greatest achievement. She is a good observer and has insight galore but is sometimes amazed at how each of her children has developed so uniquely. Brendan Deneen is the author of the novelsThe Ninth Circle andThe Chrysalis, as well as the bestselling four-volume Night Night, Groot picture book series for Marvel/Disney. He's also the author of the middle-grade graphic novelGreen Arrow: Stranded for DC Comics; the novels Morbius: Blood Ties and Guardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation:Conquest from Marvel/Titan, and Alien: Uncivil War from 20th Century Studios/Titan. His other graphic novel work includes multiple volumes of Flash Gordon, an original Island of Misfit Toys book, and the original graphic novel Scatterbrain. In addition to his writing, Brendan has been working in the publishing and film/TV industries for twenty-five years, including development jobs with Scott Rudin Productions and Miramax, as well as editorial and book-to-film jobs with St. Martin's Press and Tor Books. He currently works at Blackstone Publishing, where he's an acquiring editor in addition to running the company's film/TV division, which he created, and where he has dozens of literary projects set up at movie studios, streamers, and networks. His short stories and essays have been published by St. Martin's Press, Reader's Digest Books, 13Thirty Press, and Necro Publications.  Brendan Deneen's Written Works:NOVELS                                                                    The Ninth CircleThe ChrysalisMorbius: Blood TiesGuardians of the Galaxy: Annihilation--ConquestAlien: Uncivil WarTracer GRAPHIC NOVELSScatterbrainFlash Gordon: The Mercy WarsFlash Gordon: Invasion of the Red Sword Flash Gordon: The Vengeance of MingThe Island of Misfit Toys Green Arrow: Stranded PICTURE BOOKSNight Night, Groot First Day of Groot!Snow Day for Groot!Summer Adventure for Groot! "Should Have Listened To My Mother" is an ongoing conversation about mothers/female role models and the roles they play in our lives. Jackie's guests are open and honest and answer the question, are you who you are today because of, or in spite of, your mother and so much more. You'll be amazed at what the responses are.Gina Kunadian wrote this 5 Star review on Apple Podcast:SHLTMM TESTIMONIAL GINA KUNADIAN JUNE 18, 2024“A Heartfelt and Insightful Exploration of Maternal Love”Jackie Tantillo's “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast is a treasure and it's clear why it's a 2023 People's Choice Podcast Award Nominee. This show delves into the profound impact mother and maternal role models have on our lives through personal stories and reflections.Each episode offers a chance to learn how different individuals have been shaped by their mothers' actions and words. Jackie skillfully guides these conversations, revealing why guests with similar backgrounds have forged different paths.This podcast is a collection of timeless stories that highlight the powerful role of maternal figures in our society. Whether your mother influenced you positively or you thrived despite challenges, this show resonates deeply.I highly recommend “Should Have Listened To My Mother” Podcast for its insightful, heartfelt and enriching content.Gina Kunadian"Should Have Listened To My Mother" would not be possible without the generosity, sincerity and insight from my guests. In 2018/2019, in getting ready to launch my podcast, so many were willing to give their time and share their personal stories of their relationship with their mother, for better or worse and what they learned from that maternal relationship. Some of my guests include Nationally and Internationally recognized authors, Journalists, Columbia University Professors, Health Practitioners, Scientists, Artists, Attorneys, Baritone Singer, Pulitzer Prize Winning Journalist, Activists, Freighter Sea Captain, Film Production Manager, Professor of Writing Montclair State University, Attorney and family advocate @CUNY Law; NYC First Responder/NYC Firefighter, Child and Adult Special Needs Activist, Property Manager, Chefs, Self Help Advocates, therapists and so many more talented and insightful women and men.Jackie has worked in the broadcasting industry for over four decades. She has interviewed many fascinating people including musicians, celebrities, authors, activists, entrepreneurs, politicians and more.A big thank you goes to Ricky Soto, NYC based Graphic Designer, who created the logo for "Should Have Listened To My Mother".Check out our website for more background information: https://www.jackietantillo.com/Or more demos of what's to come at https://soundcloud.com/jackie-tantilloLink to website and show notes: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Or Find SHLTMM Website here: https://shltmm.simplecast.com/Listen wherever you find podcasts: https://www.facebook.com/ShouldHaveListenedToMyMotherhttps://www.facebook.com/jackietantilloInstagram:https://www.instagram.com/shouldhavelistenedtomymother/https://www.instagram.com/jackietantillo7/LinkedIn:https://www.linkedin.com/in/jackie-tantillo/YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/@ShouldHaveListenedToMyMother

0:00 - BRONCOS ARE HEADED BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS BABY! An old friend returned to the studio to help us celebrate. Someone we haven't seen in years.17:03 - The Broncos are the Island of Misfit Toys and trapped in Cap Hell, and yet they made the playoffs. It's incredible.34:30 - How wrong were our expectations of the Broncos this offseason? None of us had them reaching double-digit wins and making the playoffs.

What does Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer have to do with Jesus?

Joined by a group of sensational ladies (Heidi, Ellie, Theresa, Tamara) for a festive roundtable discussion on all things holiday. We discuss family traditions, foods, trees, Santa, music, movies, and more! If you need a laugh, this is the one for you! Follow Ellie on IG @onethumbel Heidi on IG @unfilteredrise_podcast, X @UnfilteredRise Theresa on IG @tsgangsters pod, X @TSGangstersPod Tamara on IG @levelplanepoem

Patrick and Logan discuss the Falcons' resurgence back atop the NFC South, preview an important matchup in Washington this weekend, and share their picks for the NFL's version of the Island of Misfit Toys.

The Island of Misfit Toys is taking over the Financial Quarterback! Josh and the studio team—his self-proclaimed band of misfits—dive into Christmas and Hanukkah spending, gift-giving, and the surprising financial lessons behind the season. With Josh leading the pack like Rudolph, they break down how to balance budgets, navigate the quirks of family traditions, and find value in what truly matters. It's a fun and spirited take on the most wonderful (and expensive) time of the year! Can't get enough of the Financial Quarterback? Click 'Subscribe' to never miss a play. Loving the playbook? Drop us a 5-star rating and share your thoughts in a review. Your feedback fuels the game plan!

Still reeling from their Donnie's Lab debacle, NECA is now demanding fans pay up if they expect loyalty. Plus, Funko taps into modern culture with their Domingo Pop! based on an SNL skit that no one under 40 can even explain. And, ROSS saves Christmas with their own Island of Misfit toys. A Water pistol that squirts ReAction figures! Duffman says a lot of things... It's The Reluctant Adult Podcast. Email TheReluctantAdultPodcast@gmail.com Save and get Free Shipping on in-stock items on Entertainment Earth with code TOYPOD TikTok @TheReluctantAdultPodcast Instagram @TheReluctantAdultPodcast Twitter @Reluctant_Pod Facebook Toy Sale Boat YouTube The Reluctant Adult Podcast Paul's Amazon Wishlist Bill's Amazon Wishlist

Matt Harward's story is a bit of an anomaly. In spite of finding himself in the punk rock world at a young age, Matt never got involved in the drug or alcohol scene. Married at a young age, he did his best to provide for his wife and young son. Then anxiety set in and mix that with the counter culture popularity of his band, he found himself on his way to prison. Serving a 0 to 5 sentence, he describes some of the crazy parts of prison life. Soon, he finds himself in a privileged section and is introduced to Captain Your Story, the lifestyle model I have the privileged of guiding every Monday inside CUCF in Gunnison. Matt describes the positive effect it had on himself and the guys he lived with and how it continues to guide him and his family as he has gained parole and is living a good life. Listen in as he tells his story. Sponsors & Partners The Other Side Academy (TOSA) - theothersideacademy.com My Story Matters / Captain Your Story - mystorymatters.org 00:00 - The Punk Rocker 01:33 - The Other Side Academy 01:48 - My Story Matters / Captain Your Story 03:08 - Jumping in With Both Feet 07:50 - Substance Abuse is Not His Thing 10:00 - His High School Experience 13:30 - Financial Struggles 17:00 - Having a series of Mental Breakdowns 19:00 - Spiraling into Affairs 20:15 - Losing His Community Overnight 22:40 - Confessing to the Police 28:00 - His Prison Experience 40:00 - Making the Most of His Time with Classes 46:00 - My Story Matters 57:50 - Final Piece of Advice

GGACP looks back on its 6th anniversary -- and the release of Episode #300 -- by revisiting PART TWO of a live evening of story and song from New York City's Cutting Room, featuring Mario Cantone, Marilu Henner, Richard Kind, Paul Shaffer and surprise guest performer David Yazbek (as well as special guests Susie Essman, Barbara Feldon, Tom Leopold, Jackie Martling, Jeff Ross and Alan Zweibel). Also in this episode: Gilbert and Jeff star in “CSI,” David and Paul pay tribute to Ed McMahon, Tony Curtis puts the moves on Bette Davis and Richard and Mario (finally!) debate the merits of “Mr. Magoo's Christmas Carol.” PLUS: Mason Reese! “Wait Until Dark”! The Island of Misfit Toys! The musical stylings of the Gilbert Gottfried Orchestra! And a Broadway icon drops by to join the fun! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Rob Lloyd co-stars with Cassandra Hart in Misfit Toys' The Macbeths, December 11 to 14 at the Bluestone Church Arts Space, Footscray.  Co-directed by DL Turnbull & Sharmini Kumar.  The Macbeths Tickets, Bluestone church arts and , Footscray | TryBooking Australia

We're continuing our trek through the Rankin/Bass extended universe with Jack Frost & Rudolph and the Island of Misfit Toys! Join us as we decide which special is the best and which one is "cut rate dime-store VeggieTales wannabe bullshit". Donate to PCRF at: https://www.pcrf.net/ Donate to New Disabled South at: https://www.newdisabledsouth.org/donate Timestamps: Intro - 00:00 Audience Review - 2:07 First Watch and Jack Frost - 5:53 The Worst Thing We've Ever Watched For This Podcast - 42:12 Closing Thoughts - 1:14:51 Ranking Time - 1:16:59 Follow or contact us at: the3rdonesucks.bsky.social the3rdonesucks@gmail.com https://letterboxd.com/dellismulligan Mixed and Hosted by Mark Beall and Dan Ellis. Edited by Mark Beall. Intro/Outro Music by Dan Ellis. The 3rd One Sucks is a Retrograde Orbit Radio production. Find more great shows like this at www.retrogradeorbitradio.com

Antonio Liranzo – Body Heat 7Z MAXI – 10th grade Chozin 1 – No Limit (feat. Jay Sizzle) Paul Cafcae – Lyrical Caleb Hart - EmancipationThe 351's - MOTHER ANARCHY Tom Dicillo – WaltzAlexandra King – I'd Be Lying Larusta & The Dead Dogs - Within The Valley Green ben silby - misfit Topdre Ft OGMILLIONARE - Like This Cara Knox - RondaThe Barefoot Bandit - Purple Paradise (feat. Shniece) Chai Chang - Music WarriorVanna with Me – Christmas across my mind ALI - City LightsSix Gun Sal - Walk AwayKleinbottle- Cherry BlossomSalvatore Denaro - Eri tuFans of Jimmy Century - Here Comes Christmas Michael Rainwood - I Believe In Christmas Christine Clifford – You Cant Say Giantheo - Hey TuBlindness & Light – Butterfly James Atlas - Retail TherapyRich Chambers – Cherry Cherry Chris Elslager – Battlefield ScriptureGiack Bazz – Get Together Knock For Six – I'm Better Without You SkyCall – Are You Ready Now? Babsi Cute – Tell Me I Love You Caro – c u around Zhenyok Chem Brat – Of your touch Star Blazers - The Island of Misfit Toys

Send us a textWe finally throw in the towel and accept that when draining the swamp that a whole new cast of characters will have to come in. From Tulsi Gabbard, Robert Kennedy Jr, Elon Musk to Pete Hegseth and Matt Gaetz, we want to help find the best of the best to fill all the important positions in Government. So we offer our services and our input to refill the swamp. Listen in to find out where we believe Alex Jones, Ted Nugent, Kid Rock, Sean Hannity, Tucker Carlson and everyone else would be best suited to Make America Great Again, Again Follow us at Reality Redemption on Facebook, Instagram, Threads and Tik Tok

In this episode of Life Science Success, we welcome Ani Sinha, the Vice President of Commercial Operations at Shionogi Inc. Ani brings nearly 15 years of deep commercial expertise in the pharmaceutical and biotech industries. She shares her inspiring journey from studying microbiology and biochemistry at Yale and Columbia to holding strategic leadership roles at companies like Pfizer, Bayer, and Celgene. We delve into her current role at Shionogi, exploring how she leads functions like Analytics and Insights, Market Research, and Field Operations. Ani discusses the innovative projects she's excited about and how they're contributing to Shionogi's mission. She also shares the greatest piece of leadership advice she's ever received and opens up about what inspires, concerns, and excites her in the world of life sciences. Tune in to gain valuable career insights and explore the dynamic future of pharmaceutical advancements.   00:00 Introduction to Life Science Success Podcast 00:42 Sponsor Message: D3 Digital Media Marketing 01:25 Interview with Ani Sinha Begins 02:08 Ani Sinha's Career Journey 05:18 Transition from Lab to Consulting 07:58 Skills Gained from Management Consulting 11:25 Joining Shinogi and Role in Commercial Operations 20:13 Future of Commercial Operations 22:21 Building a Team: The Land of Misfit Toys 23:02 Navigating Different Companies and Roles 24:05 The Evolving Role of Analytics and Insights 25:41 Challenges in Market Research and Operations 29:32 Addressing Trends in Biotech and Pharma 32:13 Greatest Leadership Advice Received 34:44 Inspiration and Concerns in the Pharma Industry 40:52 Final Thoughts and Farewell

Do you remember The Island of Misfit Toys from "Frosty?" I always felt like I belonged there...

On this episode of Art For Change, we examine a new interactive installation at the Fabric Workshop and Museum by Bearded Ladies Cabaret founder John Jarboe. The exhibition puts on full display "earnest, absurd queer selfhood."

Rgb and Jr are joined by the Upstate Golf Guys Mikey and Anthony to breakdown the weekend and and talk about the scramble to fill the final spot being down some of the regular guys this weekend. Shoutout to Kev and Parisi for getting by with a 1 stroke victory over Anthony and Farlito.

When I found my way to Trump's rallies in the Summer of 2020, I felt like I had crawled out of a desert searching for signs of life. No one could know my discovery. I had to keep it a secret. If anyone found me out, I would be MAGA. I would be a Trump supporter, and that would be the end of my career and most of my relationships.Despite how often I'd become the target of the fanatical mobs that rule over social media and the Left writ large, I'd knew not to cross the Trump Line. That would be the last straw. I would be shunned, I knew.Yet, every time I got that notification from Right Side Broadcasting's YouTube channel that Trump was about to take the stage, even now, four years after I first began watching them, my mood was immediately lifted.I love those people, I would always think. I didn't belong anywhere but I somehow belonged there. They still had their senses of humor well intact. They loved this country and were proud of their heritage and patriotism. They were every skin color, every gender, even gay and trans - all under the same tent, an Island of Misfit Toys - all MAGA.Once I figured out what great people they were, how their time with Trump was precious, I began to worry. What was going to happen them, I wondered. My side had all of the power. They were the Empire and they wanted nothing but the total obliteration of MAGA and especially Trump.I thought, if only they could thaw out their systematic dehumanization campaign, if I could somehow break the spell cast upon them by the media and their social media feedback loops, then they could just shrug and move on with their lives.But that isn't what happened. We summoned a hungry beast that needed to be fed. It was anger at having a political enemy, but there was more to it than that. It was a sadistic, indulgent bacchanalia of hatred that united the Left and became its main form of entertainment.Who are Jimmy Kimmel and Stephen Colbert if they aren't sucking on the bones of Trump night after night? Whatever audience now remains to watch their terrible shows or the MSNBC power lineup is there for one reason and one reason only. The beast is hungry, and the beast must be fed.I too once felt the hate within me. It connected me to my community online. It seemed like nothing else mattered all of a sudden except this rising hysteria none of us could manage. We began purging anyone accused of assault or racism. There was no due process. It was simply a matter of tossing them out of utopia.We'd be fine after that, at least for a little while. But the beast always got hungry again; sooner or later, it would return to Trump.We were winners when it was just us, Obama, and our online paradise. Now, we were holding back the inevitable pendulum swing, desperate to cling to the past, unable to relinquish our war on Trump. If only we could stop him for good and destroy him forever, things would return to normal.But they never did. For me, the hatred began to feel like toxic sludge in my veins. I couldn't take it, not for one more minute. I knew enough about history to know what we were doing was wrong. Yet, how do you convince the New York Times, MSNBC, CNN, Hollywood, and the entire Democratic Establishment that what they're engaging was not just bad for our country but dangerous?It didn't occur to me until much later, long after I escaped the bubble of the Left, that they needed to hate Trump because it was the only way they could feel something, anything.Their addiction meant they needed a stronger and stronger hit. It wasn't enough to call him a rapist or racist. It had to get all the way to dictator, all the way to a threat to end American democracy as we once knew it.Arthur C. Clarke wrote in 2001 that “newspapers of Utopia … would be terribly dull.” And that's what's happened to culture on the Left. It's boring without Trump. They kept dragging him back to their cable news shows daily, dragging him back to the headlines in the New York Times. On X, Trump humiliation was the only fun they seemed allowed to have.Trump, then, was their release valve. They were dancing with the Devil and they liked it, they liked it. It became an abusive relationship for them, with Trump's defiance keeping them engaged in the fight. The more he fought back, the more satisfying it was to see him crushed.Here is Megyn Kelly: This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sashastone.substack.com/subscribe

Sarah shares some of her favorite nightly rituals. Plus, she helps a man who feels like his brother's keeper, recommends the best places to pee near Central Park, and learns about The Luckiest Club. You can leave a voice memo for Sarah at speakpipe.com/TheSarahSilvermanPodcast. Follow Sarah Silverman @sarahkatesilverman on Instagram and @sarahksilverman on TikTok. And stay up to date with us @LemonadaMedia on X, Facebook, and Instagram. For a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this and every other Lemonada show, go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors. Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

we welcome our first guest Dreadnock Ryan from the Island of Misfit Toys.

"You'll Go Down In Her Story-Part One" tells the comedic tale of stalking Lily Tomlin, a $10 Vegas hotel room, and the Island of Misfit Toys.

In this episode of The Unbroken Podcast, we sit down with Kim and Jason Dannettel, a couple whose lives took a dramatic turn after a devastating bike accident and subsequent illness. They share their powerful journey of recovery, resilience, and the unexpected discovery of CrossFit as a pivotal part of their healing process. Kim and Jason recount how their accident and illness uprooted their lives, leaving them searching for a path to regain their strength and well-being. It was through CrossFit that they found not only a way to get back on the bike but also a supportive community that empowered them to heal both physically and mentally. Their passion for CrossFit and helping others led them to start their own gym, earning the nickname "The Island of Misfit Toys" for their inclusive and supportive approach. Kim and Jason's gym became a haven for anyone with goals, no matter how big or small, offering personalized guidance and a welcoming environment. Join us as Kim and Jason Dannettel share their remarkable story of overcoming adversity, building a community, and dedicating their lives to helping others achieve their fitness and wellness goals. This episode is a testament to the strength of the human spirit and the power of community support. Tune in to hear their full story and be inspired by their unwavering determination and kindness. Sponsor: This episode is proudly sponsored by The Grill Guys. Whether you're a seasoned grill master or just starting out, The Grill Guys have all your grilling needs covered. Visit them at grillguys417.com or call 417-647-5002.

Barncasting from the Meantree Rust and Manure Generation Facility we talk about recycling catalytic converters, Iron Dukes, conflicting information on the internet, and more!FacebookInstagram

Are you ready to get down and dirty and dig into the real things that you need to be thinking about when it comes to marketing your business? If that's true, then today is your lucky day as we have none other than Jay Busselle the self proclaimed "Taco King" and marketing champion for the industry. As the Marketing Director for Equipment Zone, he is a treasure trove of great ideas, and excitement in ways to get your brand to resonate with your ideal customers. So buckle up buttercup, as we land our marketing brain on the "Island of Misfit Toys," as Jay calls it, and we'll tell marketing stories around this great digital campfire.

Blue Ballers, this one's for you. New York City FC returns this week having stolen a point from the big pink menace in Miami, featuring a first MLS goal and first MLS start for Alonso Martinez and some more-or-less remarkable performances elsewhere. Jake & Trey break down how the team stacks up against noted psychopath Luis Suarez and whether the momentum is breaking in the right direction. THEN: Maxime's maxim: more MLS! AND: The baby blues beat the baby bulls to pull into round 3 of the US Open Cup! FINALLY: a quick n' dirty preview of our return to Yankee Stadium against Atlanta. Crack open a window into your trash alley and air 'em out — you've got Blue Balls.

Is Social Security setting us up for retirement success or failure? Josh looks in to this by challenging Dave Ramsey's recent criticism of Social Security as an "epic failure." He discusses the pros and cons of taking Social Security benefits at age 62 and investing them instead. Josh emphasizes the importance of personalized financial advice and optimizing Social Security based on individual circumstances. Then, Josh brings on his production team, aka "The Island of Misfit Toys," to share their Easter and Passover traditions. For more information on Social Security benefits, check out https://maximizemysocialsecurity.com/ Can't get enough of the Financial Quarterback? Click 'Subscribe' to ensure you never miss a play. New episodes touchdown right here! And if you're loving the playbook, drop us a 5-star rating and leave a review. Your feedback drives the game!

Welcome to Day 2309 of Wisdom-Trek. Thank you for joining me. This is Guthrie Chamberlain, Your Guide to Wisdom - The Characters of Christmas-9 The Misfits of Christmas – Daily Wisdom Putnam Church Message – 12/24/2023 The Characters of Christmas – The Misfits of Christmas Last week, we looked at the dark side of Christmas Characters as we analyzed Herod, the Monster of Christmas. This week will be a short message as we look at The Misfits of Christmas. I will read part of three verses from the genealogy of Jesus from Matthew Matthew 1, on page 1496, in your Pew Bibles. 3 Judah was the father of Perez and Zerah (whose mother was Tamar). 5 Salmon was the father of Boaz (whose mother was Rahab). Boaz was the father of Obed (whose mother was Ruth). 6 David was the father of Solomon (whose mother was Bathsheba, the widow of Uriah). I want to highlight four characters from Jesus' family tree that illustrate the upside-down nature of the kingdom of God. All of them are women, which is remarkable in and of itself. Jesus's life and ministry were focused on lifting the oppressed. All are equal before God. As Galatians 3:28 tells us: There is no longer Jew or Gentile, slave or free, male and female. For you are all one in Christ Jesus. Typically, Jewish genealogies didn't mention women. They only ever listed men as the heads of their households. Women in the ancient world had little agency and virtually no voice. So, in telling the Christmas story through women like Mary, Elizabeth, and Anna (which we will study next week), Jesus tells us that His kingdom is different. And even in this small and seemingly insignificant detail of listing four women in Jesus' family tree, Matthew is communicating something powerful. It reminds me of the Christmas cartoon Rudolf the Red Nose Reindeer, where they come across the Island of Misfit Toys. You remember Charlie in the Box. What is the meaning of the Island of Misfit Toys? It is not unlike the story of Christmas. As the story goes on, this menagerie of misfit toys bands together and saves Christmas for the children of the world. The Biblical principle of the story is that no matter how atypical you are, you are valuable in God's eyes and within the church. Together, we can accomplish what seems impossible. To fully grasp these misfits in our passage today, we must understand how poorly women were regarded in the first century. A woman had no legal rights and was utterly subject to her husband's power. According to New Testament scholar Michael Green, a Jewish man “thanked God each day that he had not been created a slave, a Gentile, or a woman.” To put it bluntly, Matthew would be scandalous to put these women's names here. And these weren't just any women. Each one of them carried with them a stigma, an asterisk next to their name every time a faithful Jewish person heard their name read out loud in the temple or the synagogue.   The Forgotten Tamar is a name most Jewish people likely wanted to forget. It is an interesting story, but we will leave out most details for tonight's message. And yet here she is,/ in Genesis 38, /first as the wife of a man named...

This Week: Kevin starts things off with a tribute to long-time Fat Guys listener Christopher Lehman, who passed away last week. Next, he looks at new trailers for A Quiet Place: Day One and Despicable Me 4. Later, he reviews Lisa Frankenstein, Out of Darkness, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and The Hitchhiker’s […]

This Week: Kevin starts things off with a tribute to long-time Fat Guys listener Christopher Lehman, who passed away last week. Next, he looks at new trailers for A Quiet Place: Day One and Despicable Me 4. Later, he reviews Lisa Frankenstein, Out of Darkness, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy (2005) and The Hitchhiker’s […]

After a long and successful career as a high school coach and administrator, Mark was "sentenced" to prison by his local school board. He became the academy principal with the Central Utah Correctional Facility in Gunnison, Utah. Arriving at the "Island of Misfit Toys", he quickly realized a massive opportunity to truly help and correct inmates. He saw prison through the eyes of the inmates who are not the monsters we often think they are. They're more often than not, decent men. Your brothers, fathers, uncles and friends. During his eight-years inside he saw enrollment in the prison academy jump from 200 to nearly 1200 students and enacted, first hand, a mode of change that is more than possible in a severely broken system...if only someone at the top would listen. That someone may have just arrived. Podcast All My Friends Are Felons Email info@allmyfriendsarefelons.com Website All My Friends are Felons Book All My Friends are Felons #UtahStateCorrections #CentralUtahCorrectionalFacility #AllMyFriendsAreFelons #CrabsInABucket #FelonsAreNotMonsters #CaptainYourStory #BrianRedd #HumanizeFelons #RedemptionForFelons #Hope #ReasonToLive #WhyTheHellNot #MarkHugentobler

In this episode of the "Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots" podcast, host Victoria Guido delves into the intersection of technology, product development, and personal passions with her guests Henry Yin, Co-Founder and CTO of Merico, and Maxim Wheatley, the company's first employee and Community Leader. They are joined by Joe Ferris, CTO of thoughtbot, as a special guest co-host. The conversation begins with a casual exchange about rock climbing, revealing that both Henry and Victoria share this hobby, which provides a unique perspective on their professional roles in software development. Throughout the podcast, Henry and Maxim discuss the journey and evolution of Merico, a company specializing in data-driven tools for developers. They explore the early stages of Merico, highlighting the challenges and surprises encountered while seeking product-market fit and the strategic pivot from focusing on open-source funding allocation to developing a comprehensive engineering metric platform. This shift in focus led to the creation of Apache DevLake, an open-source project contributed to by Merico and later donated to the Apache Software Foundation, reflecting the company's commitment to transparency and community-driven development. The episode also touches on future challenges and opportunities in the field of software engineering, particularly the integration of AI and machine learning tools in the development process. Henry and Maxim emphasize the potential of AI to enhance developer productivity and the importance of data-driven insights in improving team collaboration and software delivery performance. Joe contributes to the discussion with his own experiences and perspectives, particularly on the importance of process over individual metrics in team management. Merico (https://www.merico.dev/) Follow Merico on GitHub (https://github.com/merico-dev), Linkedin (https://www.linkedin.com/company/merico-dev/), or X (https://twitter.com/MericoDev). Apache DevLake (https://devlake.apache.org/) Follow Henry Yin on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/henry-hezheng-yin-88116a52/). Follow Maxim Wheatley on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/maximwheatley/) or X (https://twitter.com/MaximWheatley). Follow thoughtbot on X (https://twitter.com/thoughtbot) or LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/company/150727/). Become a Sponsor (https://thoughtbot.com/sponsorship) of Giant Robots! Transcript: VICTORIA: This is the Giant Robots Smashing Into Other Giant Robots podcast, where we explore the design, development, and business of great products. I'm your host, Victoria Guido. And with me today is Henry Yin, Co-Founder and CTO of Merico, and Maxim Wheatley, the first employee and Community Leader of Merico, creating data-driven developer tools for forward-thinking devs. Thank you for joining us. HENRY: Thanks for having us. MAXIM: Glad to be here, Victoria. Thank you. VICTORIA: And we also have a special guest co-host today, the CTO of thoughtbot, Joe Ferris. JOE: Hello. VICTORIA: Okay. All right. So, I met Henry and Maxim at the 7CTOs Conference in San Diego back in November. And I understand that Henry, you are also an avid rock climber. HENRY: Yes. I know you were also in Vegas during Thanksgiving. And I sort of have [inaudible 00:49] of a tradition to go to Vegas every Thanksgiving to Red Rock National Park. Yeah, I'd love to know more about how was your trip to Vegas this Thanksgiving. VICTORIA: Yes. I got to go to Vegas as well. We had a bit of rain, actually. So, we try not to climb on sandstone after the rain and ended up doing some sport climbing on limestone around the Blue Diamond Valley area; a little bit light on climbing for me, actually, but still beautiful out there. I loved being in Red Rock Canyon outside of Las Vegas. And I do find that there's just a lot of developers and engineers who have an affinity for climbing. I'm not sure what exactly that connection is. But I know, Joe, you also have a little bit of climbing and mountaineering experience, right? JOE: Yeah. I used to climb a good deal. I actually went climbing for the first time in, like, three years this past weekend, and it was truly pathetic. But you have to [laughs] start somewhere. VICTORIA: That's right. And, Henry, how long have you been climbing for? HENRY: For about five years. I like to spend my time in nature when I'm not working: hiking, climbing, skiing, scuba diving, all of the good outdoor activities. VICTORIA: That's great. And I understand you were bouldering in Vegas, right? Did you go to Kraft Boulders? HENRY: Yeah, we went to Kraft also Red Spring. It was a surprise for me. I was able to upgrade my outdoor bouldering grade to B7 this year at Red Spring and Monkey Wrench. There was always some surprises for me. When I went to Red Rock National Park last year, I met Alex Honnold there who was shooting a documentary, and he was really, really friendly. So, really enjoying every Thanksgiving trip to Vegas. VICTORIA: That's awesome. Yeah, well, congratulations on B7. That's great. It's always good to get a new grade. And I'm kind of in the same boat with Joe, where I'm just constantly restarting my climbing career. So [laughs], I haven't had a chance to push a grade like that in a little while. But that sounds like a lot of fun. HENRY: Yeah, it's really hard to be consistent on climbing when you have, like, a full-time job, and then there's so much going on in life. It's always a challenge. VICTORIA: Yeah. But a great way to like, connect with other people, and make friends, and spend time outdoors. So, I still really appreciate it, even if I'm not maybe progressing as much as I could be. That's wonderful. So, tell me, how did you and Maxim actually meet? Did you meet through climbing or the outdoors? MAXIM: We actually met through AngelList, which I really recommend to anyone who's really looking to get into startups. When Henry and I met, Merico was essentially just starting. I had this eagerness to explore something really early stage where I'd get to do all of the interesting kind of cross-functional things that come with that territory, touching on product and marketing, on fundraising, kind of being a bit of everything. And I was eager to look into something that was applying, you know, machine learning, data analytics in some really practical way. And I came across what Hezheng Henry and the team were doing in terms of just extracting useful insights from codebases. And we ended up connecting really well. And I think the previous experience I had was a good fit for the team, and the rest was history. And we've had a great time building together for the last five years. VICTORIA: Yeah. And tell me a little bit more about your background and what you've been bringing to the Merico team. MAXIM: I think, like a lot of people in startups, consider myself a member of the Island of Misfit Toys in the sense that no kind of clear-cut linear pathway through my journey but a really exciting and productive one nonetheless. So, I began studying neuroscience at Georgetown University in Washington, D.C. I was about to go to medical school and, in my high school years had explored entrepreneurship in a really basic way. I think, like many people do, finding ways to monetize my hobbies and really kind of getting infected with that bug that I could create something, make money from it, and kind of be the master of my own destiny, for lack of less cliché terms. So, not long after graduating, I started my first job that recruited me into a seed-stage venture capital, and from there, I had the opportunity to help early-stage startups, invest in them. I was managing a startup accelerator out there. From there, produced a documentary that followed those startups. Not long after all of that, I ended up co-founding a consumer electronics company where I was leading product, so doing lots of mechanical, electrical, and a bit of software engineering. And without taking too long, those were certainly kind of two of the more formative things. But one way or another, I've spent my whole career now in startups and, especially early-stage ones. It was something I was eager to do was kind of take some of the high-level abstract science that I had learned in my undergraduate and kind of apply some of those frameworks to some of the things that I do today. VICTORIA: That's super interesting. And now I'm curious about you, Henry, and your background. And what led you to get the idea for Merico? HENRY: Yeah. My professional career is actually much simpler because Merico was my first company and my first job. Before Merico, I was a PhD student at UC Berkeley studying computer science. My research was an intersection of software engineering and machine learning. And back then, we were tackling this research problem of how do we fairly measure the developer contributions in a software project? And the reason we are interested in this project has to do with the open-source funding problem. So, let's say an open-source project gets 100k donations from Google. How does the maintainers can automatically distribute all of the donations to sometimes hundreds or thousands of contributors according to their varying level of contributions? So, that was the problem we were interested in. We did research on this for about a year. We published a paper. And later on, you know, we started the company with my, you know, co-authors. And that's how the story began for Merico. VICTORIA: I really love that. And maybe you could tell me just a little bit more about what Merico is and why a company may be interested in trying out your services. HENRY: The product we're currently offering actually is a little bit different from what we set out to build. At the very beginning, we were building this platform for open-source funding problem that we can give an open-source project. We can automatically, using algorithm, measure developer contributions and automatically distribute donations to all developers. But then we encountered some technical and business challenges. So, we took out the metrics component from the previous idea and launched this new product in the engineering metric space. And this time, we focus on helping engineering leaders better understand the health of their engineering work. So, this is the Merico analytics platform that we're currently offering to software engineering teams. JOE: It's interesting. I've seen some products that try to judge the health of a codebase, but it sounds like this is more trying to judge the health of the team. MAXIM: Yeah, I think that's generally fair to say. As we've evolved, we've certainly liked to describe ourselves as, you know, I think a lot of people are familiar with observability tools, which help ultimately ascertain, like, the performance of the technology, right? Like, it's assessing, visualizing, chopping up the machine-generated data. And we thought there would be a tremendous amount of value in being, essentially, observability for the human-generated data. And I think, ultimately, what we found on our journey is that there's a tremendous amount of frustration, especially in larger teams, not in looking to use a tool like that for any kind of, like, policing type thing, right? Like, no one's looking if they're doing it right, at least looking to figure out, like, oh, who's underperforming, or who do we need to yell at? But really trying to figure out, like, where are the strengths? Like, how can we improve our processes? How can we make sure we're delivering better software more reliably, more sustainably? Like how are we balancing that trade-off between new features, upgrades and managing tech debt and bugs? We've ultimately just worked tirelessly to, hopefully, fill in those blind spots for people. And so far, I'm pleased to say that the reception has been really positive. We've, I think, tapped into a somewhat subtle but nonetheless really important pain point for a lot of teams around the world. VICTORIA: Yeah. And, Henry, you said that you started it based on some of the research that you did at UC Berkeley. I also understand you leaned on the research from the DevOps research from DORA. Can you tell me a little bit more about that and what you found insightful from the research that was out there and already existed? MAXIM: So, I think what's really funny, and it really speaks to, I think, the importance in product development of just getting out there and speaking with your potential users or actual users, and despite all of the deep, deep research we had done on the topic of understanding engineering, we really hadn't touched on DORA too much. And this is probably going back about five years now. Henry and I were taking a customer meeting with an engineering leader at Yahoo out in the Bay Area. He kind of revealed this to us basically where he's like, "Oh, you guys should really look at incorporating DORA into this thing. Like, all of the metrics, all of the analytics you're building super cool, super interesting, but DORA really has this great framework, and you guys should look into it." And in hindsight, I think we can now [chuckles], honestly, admit to ourselves, even if it maybe was a bit embarrassing at the time where both Henry and I were like, "What? What is that? Like, what's Dora?" And we ended up looking into it and since then, have really become evangelists for the framework. And I'll pass it to Henry to talk about, like, what that journey has looked like. HENRY: Thanks, Maxim. I think what's cool about DORA is in terms of using metrics, there's always this challenge called Goodhart's Law, right? So, whenever a metric becomes a target, the metric cease to be a good metric because people are going to find ways to game the metric. So, I think what's cool about DORA is that it actually offers not just one metric but four key metrics that bring balance to covering both the stability and velocity. So, when you look at DORA metrics, you can't just optimize for velocity and sacrificing your stability. But you have to look at all four metrics at the same time, and that's harder to game. So, I think that's why it's become more and more popular in the industry as the starting point for using metrics for data-driven engineering. VICTORIA: Yeah. And I like how DORA also represents it as the metrics and how they apply to where you are in the lifecycle of your product. So, I'm curious: with Merico, what kind of insights do you think engineering leaders can gain from having this data that will unlock some of their team's potential? MAXIM: So, I think one of the most foundational things before we get into any detailed metrics is I think it's more important than ever, especially given that so many of us are remote, right? Where the general processes of software engineering are generally difficult to understand, right? They're nuanced. They tend to kind of happen in relative isolation until a PR is reviewed and merged. And it can be challenging, of course, to understand what's being done, how consistently, how well, like, where are the good parts, where are the bad parts. And I think that problem gets really exasperated, especially in a remote setting where no one is necessarily in the same place. So, on a foundational level, I think we've really worked hard to solve that challenge, where just being able to see, like, how are we doing? And to that point, I think what we've found before anyone even dives too deep into all of the insights that we can deliver, I think there's a tremendous amount of appetite for anyone who's looking to get into that practice of constant improvement and figuring out how to level up the work they're doing, just setting close benchmarks, figuring out, like, okay, when we talk about more nebulous or maybe subjective terms like speed, or quality, what does good look like? What does consistent look like? Being able to just tie those things to something that really kind of unifies the vocabulary is something I always like to say, where, okay, now, even if we're not focused on a specific metric, or we don't have a really particular goal in mind that we want to assess, now we're at least starting the conversation as a team from a place where when we talk about quality, we have something that's shared between us. We understand what we're referring to. And when we're talking about speed, we can also have something consistent to talk about there. And within all of that, I think one of the most powerful things is it helps to really kind of ground the conversations around the trade-offs, right? There's always that common saying: the triangle of trade-offs is where it's, like, you can have it cheap; you can have it fast, and you can have it good, but you can only have two. And I think with DORA, with all of these different frameworks with many metrics, it helps to really solidify what those trade-offs look like. And that's, for me at least, been one of the most impactful things to watch: is our global users have really started evolving their practices with it. HENRY: Yeah. And I want to add to Maxim's answer. But before that, I just want to quickly mention how our products are structured. So, Merico actually has an open-source component and a proprietary component. So, the open-source component is called Apache DevLake. It's an open-source project we created first within Merico and later on donated to Apache Software Foundation. And now, it's one of the most popular engineering metrics tool out there. And then, on top of that, we built a SaaS offering called DevInsight Cloud, which is powered by Apache DevLake. So, with DevLake, the open-source project, you can set up your data connections, connect DevLake to all of the dev tools you're using, and then we collect data. And then we provide many different flavors of dashboards for our users. And many of those dashboards are structured, and there are different questions engineering teams might want to ask. For example, like, how fast are we responding to our customer requirement? For that question, we will look at like, metrics like change lead time, or, like, for a question, how accurate is our planning for the sprint? In that case, the dashboard will show metrics relating to the percentage of issues we can deliver for every sprint for our plan. So, that's sort of, you know, based on the questions that the team wants to answer, we provide different dashboards that help them extract insights using the data from their DevOps tools. JOE: It's really interesting you donated it to Apache. And I feel like the hybrid SaaS open-source model is really common. And I've become more and more skeptical of it over the years as companies start out open source, and then once they start getting competitors, they change the license. But by donating it to Apache, you sort of sidestep that potential trust issue. MAXIM: Yeah, you've hit the nail on the head with that one because, in many ways, for us, engaging with Apache in the way that we have was, I think, ultimately born out of the observations we had about the shortcomings of other products in the space where, for one, very practical. We realized quickly that if we wanted to offer the most complete visibility possible, it would require connections to so many different products, right? I think anyone can look at their engineering toolchain and identify perhaps 7, 9, 10 different things they're using on a day-to-day basis. Oftentimes, those aren't shared between companies, too. So, I think part one was just figuring out like, okay, how do we build a framework that makes it easy for developers to build a plugin and contribute to the project if there's something they want to incorporate that isn't already supported? And I think that was kind of part one. Part two is, I think, much more important and far more profound, which is developer trust, right? Where we saw so many different products out there that claimed to deliver these insights but really had this kind of black-box approach, right? Where data goes in, something happens, insights come out. How's it doing that? How's it weighting things? What's it calculating? What variables are incorporated? All of that is a mystery. And that really leads to developers, rightfully, not having a basis to trust what's actually being shown to them. So, for us, it was this perspective of what's the maximum amount of transparency that we could possibly offer? Well, open source is probably the best answer to that question. We made sure the entirety of the codebase is something they can take a look at, they can modify. They can dive into the underlying queries and algorithms and how everything is working to gain a total sense of trust in how is this thing working? And if I need to modify something to account for some nuanced details of how our team works, we can also do that. And to your point, you know, I think it's definitely something I would agree with that one of the worst things we see in the open-source community is that companies will be kind of open source in name only, right? Where it's really more of marketing or kind of sales thing than anything, where it's like, oh, let's tap into the good faith of open source. But really, somehow or another, through bait and switch, through partial open source, through license changes, whatever it is, we're open source in name only but really, a proprietary, closed-source product. So, for us, donating the core of DevLake to the Apache Foundation was essentially our way of really, like, putting, you know, walking the talk, right? Where no one can doubt at this point, like, oh, is this thing suddenly going to have the license changed? Is this suddenly going to go closed-source? Like, the answer to that now is a definitive no because it is now part of that ecosystem. And I think with the aspirations we've had to build something that is not just a tool but, hopefully, long-term becomes, like, foundational technology, I think that gives people confidence and faith that this is something they can really invest in. They can really plumb into their processes in a deep and meaningful way with no concerns whatsoever that something is suddenly going to change that makes all of that work, you know, something that they didn't expect. JOE: I think a lot of companies guard their source code like it's their secret sauce, but my experience has been more that it's the secret shame [laughs]. HENRY: [laughs] MAXIM: There's no doubt in my role with, especially our open-source product driving our community we've really seen the magic of what a community-driven product can be. And open source, I think, is the most kind of a true expression of a community-driven product, where we have a Slack community with nearly 1,000 developers in it now. Naturally, right? Some of those developers are in there just to ask questions and answer questions. Some are intensely involved, right? They're suggesting improvements. They're suggesting new features. They're finding ways to refine things. And it really is that, like, fantastic culture that I'm really proud that we've cultivated where best idea ships, right? If you've got a good idea, throw it into a GitHub issue or a comment. Let's see how the community responds to it. Let's see if someone wants to pick it up. Let's see if someone wants to submit a PR. If it's good, it goes into production, and then the entire community benefits. And, for me, that's something I've found endlessly exciting. HENRY: Yeah. I think Joe made a really good point on the secret sauce part because I don't think the source code is our secret sauce. There's no rocket science in DevLake. If we break it down, it's really just some UI UX plus data pipelines. I think what's making DevLake successful is really the trust and collaboration that we're building with the open-source community. When it comes to trust, I think there are two aspects. First of all, trust on the metric accuracy, right? Because with a lot of proprietary software, you don't know how they are calculating the metrics. If people don't know how the metrics are calculated, they can't really trust it and use it. And secondly, is the trust that they can always use this software, and there's no vendor lock-in. And when it comes to collaboration, we were seeing many of our data sources and dashboards they were contributed not by our core developers but by the community. And the communities really, you know, bring in their insights and their use cases into DevLake and make DevLake, you know, more successful and more applicable to more teams in different areas of soft engineering. MID-ROLL AD: Are you an entrepreneur or start-up founder looking to gain confidence in the way forward for your idea? At thoughtbot, we know you're tight on time and investment, which is why we've created targeted 1-hour remote workshops to help you develop a concrete plan for your product's next steps. Over four interactive sessions, we work with you on research, product design sprint, critical path, and presentation prep so that you and your team are better equipped with the skills and knowledge for success. Find out how we can help you move the needle at tbot.io/entrepreneurs. VICTORIA: I understand you've taken some innovative approaches on using AI in your open-source repositories to respond to issues and questions from your developers. So, can you tell me a little bit more about that? HENRY: Absolutely. I self-identify as a builder. And one characteristic of builder is to always chase after the dream of building infinite things within the finite lifespan. So, I was always thinking about how we can be more productive, how we can, you know, get better at getting better. And so, this year, you know, AI is huge, and there are so many AI-powered tools that can help us achieve more in terms of delivering software. And then, internally, we had a hackathon, and there's one project, which is an AI-powered coding assistant coming out of it called DevChat. And we have made it public at devchat.ai. But we've been closely following, you know, what are the other AI-powered tools that can make, you know, software developers' or open-source maintainers' lives easier? And we've been observing that there are more and more open-source projects adopting AI chatbots to help them handle, you know, respond to GitHub issues. So, I recently did a case study on a pretty popular open-source project called LangChain. So, it's the hot kid right now in the AI space right now. And it's using a chatbot called Dosu to help respond to issues. I had some interesting findings from the case study. VICTORIA: In what ways was that chatbot really helpful, and in what ways did it not really work that well? HENRY: Yeah, I was thinking of how to measure the effectiveness of that chatbot. And I realized that there is a feature that's built in GitHub, which is the reaction to comment. So, how the chatbot works is whenever there is a new issue, the chatbot would basically retrieval-augmented generation pipeline and then using ORM to generate a response to the issue. And then there's people leave reactions to that comment by the chatbot, but mostly, it's thumbs up and thumbs down. So, what I did is I collect all of the issues from the LangChain repository and look at how many thumbs up and thumbs down Dosu chatbot got, you know, from all of the comments they left with the issues. So, what I found is that over across 2,600 issues that Dosu chatbot helped with, it got around 900 thumbs ups and 1,300 thumbs down. So, then it comes to how do we interpret this data, right? Because it got more thumbs down than thumbs up doesn't mean that it's actually not useful or harmful to the developers. So, to answer that question, I actually looked at some examples of thumbs-up and thumb-down comments. And what I found is the thumb down doesn't mean that the chatbot is harmful. It's mostly the developers are signaling to the open-source maintainers that your chatbot is not helping in this case, and we need human intervention. But with the thumbs up, the chatbot is actually helping a lot. There's one issue where people post a question, and the chatbot just wrote the code and then basically made a suggestion on how to resolve the issue. And the human response is, "Damn, it worked." And that was very surprising to me, and it made me consider, you know, adopting similar technology and AI-powered tools for our own open-source project. VICTORIA: That's very cool. Well, I want to go back to the beginning of Merico. And when you first got started, and you were trying to understand your customers and what they need, was there anything surprising in that early discovery process that made you change your strategy? HENRY: So, one challenge we faced when we first explored open-source funding allocation problem space is that our algorithm looks at the Git repository. But with software engineering, especially with open-source collaboration, there are so many activities that are happening outside of open-source repos on GitHub. For example, I might be an evangelist, and my day-to-day work might be, you know, engaging in community work, talking about the open-source project conference. And all of those things were not captured by our algorithm, which was only looking at the GitHub repository at the time. So, that was one of the technical challenge that we faced and led us to switch over to more of the system-driven metrics side. VICTORIA: Gotcha. Over the years, how has Merico grown? What has changed between when you first started and today? HENRY: So, one thing is the team size. When we just got started, we only have, you know, the three co-founders and Maxim. And now we have grown to a team of 70 team members, and we have a fully distributed team across multiple continents. So, that's pretty interesting dynamics to handle. And we learned a lot of how to build effective team and a cohesive team along the way. And in terms of product, DevLake now, you know, has more than 900 developers in our Slack community, and we track over 360 companies using DevLake. So, definitely, went a long way since we started the journey. And yeah, tomorrow we...actually, Maxim and I are going to host our end-of-year Apache DevLake Community Meetup and featuring Nathen Harvey, the Google's DORA team lead. Yeah, definitely made some progress since we've been working on Merico for four years. VICTORIA: Well, that's exciting. Well, say hi to Nathen for me. I helped takeover DevOps DC with some of the other organizers that he was running way back in the day, so [laughs] that's great. What challenges do you see on the horizon for Merico and DevLake? MAXIM: One of the challenges I think about a lot, and I think it's front of mind for many people, especially with software engineering, but at this point, nearly every profession, is what does AI mean for everything we're doing? What does the future look like where developers are maybe producing the majority of their code through prompt-based approaches versus code-based approaches, right? How do we start thinking about how we coherently assess that? Like, how do you maybe redefine what the value is when there's a scenario where perhaps all coders, you know, if we maybe fast forward a few years, like, what if the AI is so good that the code is essentially perfect? What does success look like then? How do you start thinking about what is a good team if everyone is shooting out 9 out of 10 PRs nearly every time because they're all using a unified framework supported by AI? So, I think that's certainly kind of one of the challenges I envision in the future. I think, really, practically, too, many startups have been contending with the macroclimate within the fundraising climates. You know, I think many of the companies out there, us included, had better conditions in 2019, 2020 to raise funds at more favorable valuations, perhaps more relaxed terms, given the climate of the public markets and, you know, monetary policy. I think that's, obviously, we're all experiencing and has tightened things up like revenue expectations or now higher kind of expectations on getting into a highly profitable place or, you know, the benchmark is set a lot higher there. So, I think it's not a challenge that's unique to us in any way at all. I think it's true for almost every company that's out there. It's now kind of thinking in a more disciplined way about how do you kind of meet the market demands without compromising on the product vision and without compromising on the roadmap and the strategies that you've put in place that are working but are maybe coming under a little bit more pressure, given kind of the new set of rules that have been laid out for all of us? VICTORIA: Yeah, that is going to be a challenge. And do you see the company and the product solving some of those challenges in a unique way? HENRY: I've been thinking about how AI can fulfill the promise of making developers 10x developer. I'm an early adopter and big fan of GitHub Copilot. I think it really helps with writing, like, the boilerplate code. But I think it's improving maybe my productivity by 20% to 30%. It's still pretty far away from 10x. So, I'm thinking how Merico's solutions can help fill the gap a little bit. In terms of Apache DevLake and its SaaS offering, I think we are helping with, like, the team collaboration and measuring, like, software delivery performance, how can the team improve as a whole. And then, recently, we had a spin-off, which is the AI-powered coding assistant DevChat. And that's sort of more on the empowering individual developers with, like, testing, refactoring these common workflows. And one big thing for us in the future is how we can combine these two components, you know, team collaboration and improvement tool, DevLake, with the individual coding assistant, DevChat, how they can be integrated together to empower developers. I think that's the big question for Merico ahead. JOE: Have you used Merico to judge the contributions of AI to a project? HENRY: [laughs] So, actually, after we pivot to engineering metrics, we focus now less on individual contribution because that sometimes can be counterproductive. Because whenever you visualize that, then people will sometimes become defensive and try to optimize for the metrics that measure individual contributions. So, we sort of...nowadays, we no longer offer that kind of metrics within DevLake, if that makes sense. MAXIM: And that kind of goes back to one of Victoria's earlier questions about, like, what surprised us in the journey. Early on, we had this very benevolent perspective, you know, I would want to kind of underline that, that we never sought to be judging individuals in a negative way. We were looking to find ways to make it useful, even to a point of finding ways...like, we explored different ways to give developers badges and different kind of accomplishment milestones, like, things to kind of signal their strengths and accomplishments. But I think what we've found in that journey is that...and I would really kind of say this strongly. I think the only way that metrics of any kind serve an organization is when they support a healthy culture. And to that end, what we found is that we always like to preach, like, it's processes, not people. It's figuring out if you're hiring correctly, if you're making smart decisions about who's on the team. I think you have to operate with a default assumption within reason that those people are doing their best work. They're trying to move the company forward. They're trying to make good decisions to better serve the customers, better serve the company and the product. With that in mind, what you're really looking to do is figure out what is happening within the underlying processes that get something from thought to production. And how do you clear the way for people? And I think that's really been a big kind of, you know, almost like a tectonic shift for our company over the years is really kind of fully transitioning to that. And I think, in some ways, DORA has represented kind of almost, like, a best practice for, like, processes over people, right? It's figuring out between quality and speed; how are you doing? Where are those trade-offs? And then, within the processes that account for those outcomes, how can you really be improving things? So, I would say, for us, that's, like, been kind of the number one thing there is figuring out, like, how do we keep doubling down on processes, not people? And how do we really make sure that we're not just telling people that we're on their side and we're taking a, you know, a very humanistic perspective on wanting to improve the lives of people but actually doing it with the product? HENRY: But putting the challenge on measuring individual contributions aside, I'm as curious as Joe about AI's role in software engineering. I expect to see more and more involvement of AI and gradually, you know, replacing low-level and medium-level and, in the future, even high-level tasks for humans so we can just focus on, like, the objective instead of the implementation. VICTORIA: I can imagine, especially if you're starting to integrate AI tools into your systems and if you're growing your company at scale, some of the ability to have a natural intuition about what's going on it really becomes a challenge, and the data that you can derive from some of these products could help you make better decisions and all different types of things. So, I'm kind of curious to hear from Joe; with your history of open-source contribution and being a part of many different development teams, what kind of information do you wish that you had to help you make decisions in your role? JOE: Yeah, that's an interesting question. I've used some tools that try to identify problem spots in the code. But it'd be interesting to see the results of tools that analyze problem spots in the process. Like, I'd like to learn more about how that works. HENRY: I'm curious; one question for Joe. What is your favorite non-AI-powered code scanning tool that you find useful for yourself or for your team? JOE: I think the most common static analysis tool I use is something to find the Git churn in a repository. Some of this probably is because I've worked mostly on projects these days with dynamic languages. So, there's kind of a limit to how much static analysis you can do of, you know, a Ruby or a Python codebase. But just by analyzing which parts of the application changed the most, help you find which parts are likely to be the buggiest and the most complex. I think every application tends to involve some central model. Like, if you're making an e-commerce site, then probably products are going to have a lot of the core logic, purchases will have a lot of the core logic. And identifying those centers of gravity just through the Git statistics has helped me find places that need to be reworked. HENRY: That's really interesting. Is it something like a hotspot analysis? And when you find a hotspot, then would you invest more resources in, like, refactoring the hotspot to make it more maintainable? JOE: Right, exactly. Like, you can use the statistics to see which files you should look at. And then, usually, when you actually go into the files, especially if you look at some of the changes to the files, it's pretty clear that it's become, you know, for example, a class has become too large, something has become too tightly coupled. HENRY: Gotcha. VICTORIA: Yeah. And so, if you could go back in time, five years ago and give yourself some advice when you first started along this journey, what advice would you give yourself? MAXIM: I'll answer the question in two ways: first for the company and then for myself personally. I think for the company, what I would say is, especially when you're in that kind of pre-product market fit space, and you're maybe struggling to figure out how to solve a challenge that really matters, I think you need to really think carefully about, like, how would you yourself be using your product? And if you're finding reasons, you wouldn't, like, really, really pay careful attention to those. And I think, for us, like, early on in our journey, we ultimately kind of found ourselves asking, we're like, okay, we're a smaller earlier stage team. Perhaps, like, small improvements in productivity or quality aren't going to necessarily move the needle. That's one of the reasons maybe we're not using this. Maybe our developers are already at bandwidth. So, it's not a question of unlocking more bandwidth or figuring out where there's kind of weak points or bottlenecks at that level, but maybe how can we dial in our own processes to let the whole team function more effectively. And I think, for us, like, the more we started thinking through that lens of, like, what's useful to us, like, what's solving a pain point for us, I think, in many ways, DevLake was born out of that exact thinking. And now DevLake is used by hundreds of companies around the world and has, you know, this near thousand developer community that supports it. And I think that's testament to the power of that. For me, personally, if I were to kind of go back five years, you know, I'm grateful to say there isn't a whole lot I would necessarily change. But I think if there's anything that I would, it would just to be consistently more brave in sharing ideas, right? I think Merico has done a great job, and it's something I'm so proud of for us as a team of really embracing new ideas and really kind of making sure, like, best idea ships, right? There isn't a title. There isn't a level of seniority that determines whether or not someone has a right to suggest something or improve something. And I think with that in mind, for me as a technical person but not a member of technical staff, so to speak, I think there was many occasions, for me personally, where I felt like, okay, maybe because of that, I shouldn't necessarily weigh in on certain things. And I think what I've found, and it's a trust-building thing as well, is, like, even if you're wrong, even if your suggestion may be misunderstands something or isn't quite on target, there's still a tremendous amount of value in just being able to share a perspective and share a recommendation and push it out there. And I think with that in mind, like, it's something I would encourage myself and encourage everybody else in a healthy company to feel comfortable to just keep sharing because, ultimately, it's an accuracy-by-volume game to a certain degree, right? Where if I come up with one idea, then I've got one swing at the bat. But if us as a collective come up with 100 ideas that we consider intelligently, we've got a much higher chance of maybe a handful of those really pushing us forward. So, for me, that would be advice I would give myself and to anybody else. HENRY: I'll follow the same structure, so I'll start by the advice in terms of company and advice to myself as an individual. So, for a company level, I think my advice would be fail fast because every company needs to go through this exploration phase trying to find their product-market fit, and then they will have to test, you know, a couple of ideas before they find the right fit for themselves, the same for us. And I wish that we actually had more in terms of structure in exploring these ideas and set deadlines, you know, set milestones for us to quickly test and filter out bad ideas and then accelerate the exploration process. So, fail fast would be my suggestion at the company level. From an individual level, I would say it's more adapting to my CTO role because when I started the company, I still had that, you know, graduate student hustle mindset. I love writing code myself. And it's okay if I spent 100% of my time writing code when the company was, you know, at five people, right? But it's not okay [chuckles] when we have, you know, a team of 40 engineers. So, I wish I had that realization earlier, and I transitioned to a real CTO role earlier, focusing more, like, on technical evangelism or building out the technical and non-technical infrastructure to help my engineering teams be successful. VICTORIA: Well, I really appreciate that. And is there anything else that you all would like to promote today? HENRY: So if you're, you know, engineering leaders who are looking to measure, you know, some metrics and adopt a more data-driven approach to improving your software delivery performance, check out Apache DevLake. It's open-source project, free to use, and it has some great dashboards, support, various data resources. And join our community. We have a pretty vibrant community on Slack. And there are a lot of developers and engineering leaders discussing how they can get more value out of data and metrics and improve software delivery performance. MAXIM: Yeah. And I think to add to that, something I think we've found consistently is there's plenty of data skeptics out there, rightfully so. I think a lot of analytics of every kind are really not very good, right? And so, I think people are rightfully frustrated or even traumatized by them. And for the data skeptics out there, I would invite them to dive into the DevLake community and pose your challenges, right? If you think this stuff doesn't make sense or you have concerns about it, come join the conversation because I think that's really where the most productive discussions end up coming from is not from people mutually high-fiving each other for a successful implementation of DORA. But the really exciting moments come from the people in the community who are challenging it and saying like, "You know what? Like, here's where I don't necessarily think something is useful or I think could be improved." And it's something that's not up to us as individuals to either bless or to deny. That's where the community gets really exciting is those discussions. So, I would say, if you're a data skeptic, come and dive in, and so long as you're respectful, challenge it. And by doing so, you'll hopefully not only help yourself but really help everybody, which is what I love about this stuff so much. JOE: I'm curious, does Merico use Merico? HENRY: Yes. We've been dogfooding ourself a lot. And a lot of the product improvement ideas actually come from our own dogfooding process. For example, there was one time that we look at a dashboard that has this issue change lead time. And then we found our issue, change lead time, you know, went up in the past few month. And then, we were trying to interpret whether that's a good thing or a bad thing because just looking at a single metric doesn't tell us the story behind the change in the metrics. So, we actually improved the dashboard to include some, you know, covariates of the metrics, some other related metrics to help explain the trend of the metric. So yeah, dogfooding is always useful in improving product. VICTORIA: That's great. Well, thank you all so much for joining. I really enjoyed our conversation. You can subscribe to the show and find notes along with a complete transcript for this episode at giantrobots.fm. If you have questions or comments, email us at hosts@giantrobots.fm. And you can find me on Twitter @victori_ousg. This podcast is brought to you by thoughtbot and produced and edited by Mandy Moore. Thanks for listening. See you next time.

Don and Jamie are joined by The Secret Cabal Elf to discuss The Island of Misfit Games! Just like in Rudolph the Red Nose Reindeer in which Rudolph, Hermey and Yukon Cornelius discover the Island of Misfit Toys, Don, Jamie and Elf discuss the strange, broken, or unattractive - yet fun to play - games that need to find good homes. Also, the gang is joined throughout the episode by their great friends Chaz Marler and Rodney Smith of Watch It Played, Joel Eddy of Drive Thru Games, and Dan King the Game Boy Geek to give their favorite misfits.

https://linktr.ee/permapasturesfarm Texas Boys: https://www.thetexasboys.com/ Redemption Shield: https://www.redemptionshield.com/ Food Forest in a Box: https://www.thetexasboys.com/food-forest-in-a-box Promo Code: Perma Survival Education: https://www.mountainreadiness.com/?ref=RUYSE0gacZA9W5 Scrapsteading: https://www.scrapsteading.com Our Store: https://www.permapasturesfarm.com/store-1 Hickory Ridge Soap: https://twooldcrowshomestead.com/ Get $50 Off EMP Shield: https://www.empshield.com  Promo Code: perma Harvest Right Freeze Dryer: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/1247.html Permaculture Consultations: https://www.plantingpioneers.com/services Online Pig Processing: https://sowtheland.com/online-workshops-1 Music by VanTesla: https://www.youtube.com/c/PermaPasturesFarm21 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user Chef Snow:  https://harvesteating.com/ Chef Snow:  https://foodstoragefeast.com/

Ok, ok, ok, I didn't save the Island of Misfit Toys - I did WATCH the claymation on Christmas eve - and in my mind I saved them all.  However, I did find the spirit of Christmas, authentic love, the perfect gift and the power of 'chosen family'.  So, I DID save the Island of Misfit Toys after all.I did not get a bebe gun for Christmas...disappointment abounds.

https://linktr.ee/permapasturesfarm Texas Boys: https://www.thetexasboys.com/ Redemption Shield: https://www.redemptionshield.com/ Food Forest in a Box: https://www.thetexasboys.com/food-forest-in-a-box Promo Code: Perma Survival Education: https://www.mountainreadiness.com/?ref=RUYSE0gacZA9W5 Scrapsteading: https://www.scrapsteading.com Our Store: https://www.permapasturesfarm.com/store-1 Hickory Ridge Soap: https://twooldcrowshomestead.com/ Get $50 Off EMP Shield: https://www.empshield.com  Promo Code: perma Harvest Right Freeze Dryer: https://affiliates.harvestright.com/1247.html Permaculture Consultations: https://www.plantingpioneers.com/services Online Pig Processing: https://sowtheland.com/online-workshops-1 Music by VanTesla: https://www.youtube.com/c/PermaPasturesFarm21 Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/user Chef Snow:  https://harvesteating.com/ Chef Snow:  https://foodstoragefeast.com/

This Christmas, we will journey through a sermon series entitled: The Island of Misfit Toys: How God Used the Broken, Unqualified, and Unlikely In the Lineage of Jesus. We are imperfect people called to worship a perfect God who was able to make a way for salvation even when His people had faltered and sin.God can use each of us in spite of our imperfection, as His purposes for us supercede our qualifications and abilities. What He can do with our "Yes," is far more than we can think or imagine.PRAYERText FATHOM to 97000 if you would like a member of our prayer team to pray with or for you.NEXT STEPSAre you ready to learn more about what it means to walk with Christ, get baptized, or get connected within the church body? Click here to complete our digital connect card: https://fathom.churchcenter.com/people/forms/31883GOT QUESTIONS?Learn more about Fathom Church at http://fathom.church/ or email us at info@fathom.churchWE'RE HERE FOR YOU!If you are looking for more encouragement and biblical teaching throughout the week, we hope you'll follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or download the Churchcenter app: https://churchcenter.com/setupMORE WAYS TO LISTEN:Fathom Beyond Sunday Podcast - Takes the Sunday sermon a bit further in conversation and application - listen in on an engaging chat between leaders at Fathom discussing faith, life, and how we can carry the truth of the word taught on Sunday into our week Monday through Saturday.Fathom Family Podcast - Real talk on how to build a Godly marriage that is in it for the long haul while leading your kids toward their God-given potential and purpose in Christ.See all the ways to listen here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/

It appears that Krampus is now the spirit that has cancelled Christmas – a whole new kind of way to look at the cancel culture, protecting the snowflakes from melting into a puddle of water because of the slightest microaggression or the gift of what they see as an insensitive misfit toy. Tonight on Ground Zero, Clyde Lewis talks about KRAMPUS AND THE ISLAND OF MISFIT TOYS.Originally Broadcast On 12/23/20This show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/4878838/advertisement

Just in time for Christmas, Emmy-winning writer (and co-host of The Flop House) Dan McCoy joins us to unwrap a trio of Donald Duck and Uncle Scrooge stories by the late, great Carl Barks!  In “Only a Poor Old Man,” Uncle Scrooge's first full-length adventure, everyone's favorite spats-wearing billionaire fights to protect his fortune from the Beagle Boys in a rollicking heist tale! In “Luck of the North,” Donald drags his nephews to rescue his insufferable cousin Gladstone Gander in a madcap, Tintin-esque adventure.  And in “A Christmas for Shacktown,” Donald, Daisy and the boys try to raise money to give the denizens of Duckburg's poverty-stricken neighborhood a memorable Christmas celebration. Can Donald and company prevail against industrious thieves, a polar bear and a bottomless pit? And can these tales safely find their way to that Island of Misfit Toys known as ... The Comics Canon? In This Episode: ·         There's a lot to admire about the Beagle Boys ·         Isaac Asimov's iCarly ·         Kevin shares an embarrassing story ·         Pogo by Walt Kelly ·         I Must Be Dreaming by Roz Chast ·         Eat the Rich by Sarah Gailey and Pius Bak ·         Iron Man # 215-216 Join us in two weeks as we pause to take a look back before plunging ahead into 2024! Until then:Impress your friends with our Comics Canon merchandise! Rate us on Apple Podcasts! Send us an email! Hit us up on Facebook or the platform formerly known as Twitter! And as always, thanks for listening!

Tim Foot concludes the series "Island of Misfit Toys" with a focus on one of the most controversial women in Jesus' geneology.https://lbcc.org

In the Christmas classic Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer, Rudolph discovers there is an island for misfit toys that no one loves called the Island of Misfit Toys. In this series we will explore the beauty of God's plan historically and presently to love and redeem broken, misfit people and include them in the building of His kingdom.PRAYERText FATHOM to 97000 if you would like a member of our prayer team to pray with or for you.NEXT STEPSAre you ready to learn more about what it means to walk with Christ, get baptized, or get connected within the church body? Click here to complete our digital connect card: https://fathom.churchcenter.com/people/forms/31883GOT QUESTIONS?Learn more about Fathom Church at http://fathom.church/ or email us at info@fathom.churchWE'RE HERE FOR YOU!If you are looking for more encouragement and biblical teaching throughout the week, we hope you'll follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, or download the Churchcenter app: https://churchcenter.com/setupMORE WAYS TO LISTEN:Fathom Beyond Sunday Podcast - Takes the Sunday sermon a bit further in conversation and application - listen in on an engaging chat between leaders at Fathom discussing faith, life, and how we can carry the truth of the word taught on Sunday into our week Monday through Saturday.Fathom Family Podcast - Real talk on how to build a Godly marriage that is in it for the long haul while leading your kids toward their God-given potential and purpose in Christ.See all the ways to listen here: http://fathom.church/category/listen/

Ever wondered what happens to those eerie toys that seem to be imbued with a life of their own? Well, enter the world of peculiar playthings with Sara and Brian, the duo who've lovingly taken on the task of Unsettling Toy Removal and Rehoming. We'll give you a peek into their captivating collection, sharing hair-raising tales of toys with bizarre backstories and unusual characteristics. Hold your breath as we reveal the strangest toy they've ever received, and marvel at their tales of reassigning these bizarre treasures to new homes.Our conversation takes a serious turn as we emphasize our commitment to the ethical treatment of these misjudged toys, ensuring they find loving homes instead of ending up neglected. With Sarah and Brian as your guides, you're bound to gain a fresh perspective on what it means to be a misfit toy in a world that often overlooks the unconventional.This week we shared the podcast Shook!Visit our website! Find us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Patreon, & more! If you have any true crime, paranormal, or witchy stories you'd like to share with us & possibly have them read (out loud) on an episode, email us at pnwhauntsandhomicides@gmail.com or use this link. There are so many ways that you can support the show: BuyMeACoffee, Apple Podcasts, or by leaving a rating & review on Apple Podcasts.Keywords: Paranormal Toys, Peculiar Playthings, Distinctive Service, Bizarre Treasures, Investigators, Paranormal Enthusiasts, Ethical Treatment, Misjudged Toys, Empathy, Compassion, Vintage, Spectral Dolls, Artisan Dolls, Quirky Creations, YouTube Channel, Spine-tingling Adventure, Haunted Dolls, Unique DollsThis show is part of the Spreaker Prime Network, if you are interested in advertising on this podcast, contact us at https://www.spreaker.com/show/5955451/advertisement

Message by Matt Hessel.https://lbcc.org

Matt Hessel kicks off a new series for the Christmas season. https://lbcc.org

Host - Jon HansenReporter - Jake WittichBerlin Nightclub, which closed Nov. 19 after 40 years in business, was home to generations of LGBTQ+ people and others who wanted an alternative to the existing bars. Read the story HERE

I'm talking with Tom McCoy on this week's episode of The River Rambler. We get to the important stuff right away talking about bourbon, and then move on to lighter subjects such as strawberry picking, dog & horse training, getting into fly fishing, learing spey, in river facial piercings, the fly fishing Caddy Shack, fishing with the Isle of Misfit Toys, and so much more.

If you're a runner who loves shoes, you're probably familiar with Mike Ko, known to his over 150,000 followers as Kofuzi. He describes himself as a non-elite runner who reviews shoes, but he does much more than that. The Kofuzi Run Club, which he launched at the start of the pandemic, is a five-days-a-week live stream on YouTube and a community that has transcended the virtual world. For complete show notes and links, visit our website at runningforreal.com/episode363.   Thank you to Precision Fuel & Hydration, Allbirds, and Becoming a Sustainable Runner for sponsoring this episode.    Precision Fuel & Hydration helps athletes crush their fueling and hydration so they can perform at their best. Tina used their electrolytes and fuel when she finished first female and third overall at the Bryce Canyon 50 Miler. You can use their free Fuel & Hydration planner to understand how much carb, fluid, and sodium you need for your key runs.  If you have more questions, Precision offers free video consultations. Their Athlete Support crew will answer your race nutrition questions and act as a sounding board for your fueling strategy. No hard-sell, just an experienced and friendly human who knows the science and is full of practical advice on how to nail your race nutrition. You can book a call here. Once you know what you need to run your best, you can go here to get 15% off their range of multi-strength electrolytes and fuel.   Allbirds looks at everything through a sustainability lens; it's at the core of who they are as a company and the products they create. Their performance running shoe, the Tree Flyer, is lightweight, super springy, and wildly comfortable, and they're Tina's go-to running shoes.  The Tree Dasher is not only a running shoe, it's perfect for daily wear. You might also want to check out the Plant Pacers, made from plant leather. Use this link, and you'll get a free pair of socks! Just add them to your order, and when you use this link, it will take off the price at the end.   Are you a runner? Do you care about the planet you run on? Would you like to use running to change the world for the better? Becoming a Sustainable Runner will show you how. Becoming a Sustainable Runner, by Tina Muir and Zoë Rom, is a practical guide for runners of all abilities and backgrounds who want to take meaningful action to protect our planet through their love of the sport. It's available through most major booksellers. Go here to learn more!    Thanks for listening! If you haven't already, be sure to subscribe wherever you're listening to this podcast. And if you enjoy Running for Real, please leave us a review! Keep up with what's going on at Running for Real by signing up for our weekly newsletter on our website. Follow Tina on Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter. You'll find Running for Real on Instagram too! Want to be a member of the Running for Real community? Join #Running4Real Superstars on Facebook!  Subscribe to our YouTube channel for additional content, including our RED-S: Realize. Reflect. Recover series of 50+ videos. Thank you for your support - we appreciate each and every one of you!