Listen – Page 2 of 18

April 13, 2022April 12, 2022

“We need to be past toddler time.” 👶

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Are we the only ones who have been feeling like the dumpster fire of world events seems to be particularly dumpster-fire-y lately? Well … we’re feeling it, and we’re talking about it.

Specifically, we discuss how real the pull can be toward cynicism (and how we can practically help each other through moments like that), the myriad ways in which the drama-addicted media in the U.S. really needs to get their shit together in the face of rising authoritarianism (or, more realistically, how each of us can and must be mouthpieces in our own circles about what is true), how non-mask-wearers are killing the independent touring industry, and how lies create wars (this is pretty much a Timothy Snyder fan-cast at this point). We also go in-depth about our brand-new song, “Sweat and Butterflies.”

Here’s a direct link to an English translation of the Russian “Genocide Handbook,” which you should absolutely read. https://medium.com/@kravchenko_mm/what-should-russia-do-with-ukraine-translation-of-a-propaganda-article-by-a-russian-journalist-a3e92e3cb64

April 6, 2022April 5, 2022

“We can’t find the news!” 📺

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We’ve recovered from the Great (two-hour-long) Central Tacoma Power Outage of 2022 to bring you more riveting Misfit Stars discussion! Topics this week include unions (hopefully!) making a comeback, the scientific possibility that Fox News addicts’ alternate reality can be set straight (when they stop mainlining Fox propaganda), an inclusive teacher in Florida calling out the absurdity of that state’s new “Don’t Say Gay” law in a beautifully snarky letter (which may or may not be real, but we don’t care — it’s glorious), and inspiration from author E.B. White about the possibility and terror of a blank page.

To hear the first Small Dinosaurs record “Household Songs,” click here: https://smalldinosaurs.bandcamp.com/album/household-songs-2

And to read the Fox News study cited in the podcast, click here: https://osf.io/jrw26/

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

March 30, 2022March 25, 2022

“Locating yourself in reality.” 🧭

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A busy schedule required us to record this one super early this week … so if any really important things happened in the world and we aren’t talking about it here, well, we hope you’ll give us a pass. 😅

But! It’s an all-good-stuff pod this week! Including us getting deep about the new song we just released, “Be With What Is,” and the idea of radical acceptance. Come on in, the water’s warm.

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

March 23, 2022March 22, 2022

“The truth is part of hoping.” 🙏

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In between raving about spring springing in Washington, we manage to have some good non-weather-related conversation!

Topics include: a couple of unexpected wins in the effort to protect trans kids, a beautiful and emotionally intelligent mechanism of the Irish language, the relevance of truth both in anti-authoritarianism and in having hope, and how we think this year’s Best Picture Oscar nominees could be … well, better.

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

March 16, 2022March 14, 2022

“People do have values.” 🏳️‍⚧️

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We get into some good, deep stuff this week, all wrapped up neatly in roughly an hour of us on mics — which stands for microphone, and does not refer to one or more persons named Mike. Just … FYI.

Topics include: good news about California vehicle emissions standards, a brain-bending perspective on the size of the solar system, the relationship between internalized capitalism and self-worth, the great daylight savings debate, a new song about the power in admitting powerlessness, how to respond to right-wing propaganda-addled folks who (wrongly) complain that Biden is to blame for high gas prices, how anti-trans efforts are (horrifyingly) aimed at nothing short of extermination, and how the people of Ukraine are reminding all of us about our values, our humanity, and what’s worth fighting for.

Here is a good list of specific ways to help advocate for trans kids in some of the states in which they’re coming under attack, courtesy of Misfit Star Bonnie R: https://20465691.hs-sites.com/rally-against-anti-trans-legislation-a-state-by-state-guide

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

March 9, 2022March 8, 2022

“Try to be the pond.” 🐠

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“Try to be the pond.”

There’s a thread running through a few of the topics we cover this week: how fomenting unreality can turn into real harms suffered by real people in the real world. Like how Russian propaganda led directly to Putin’s war against Ukraine; like how deregulation of media in the US has allowed a mythological “patriotism” for conservative Americans to fester, which has increasingly manifested as real-world violence; and like how Republicans’ inventing an imaginary and extraordinary need for retirement funding nearly killed the Post Office. We also cover a couple of nifty new words for our vocab repertoire, and an elementary school lesson about ponds and fish that every adult needs to hear.

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

March 2, 2022March 2, 2022

“Let’s keep working our corners.” 🧶

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Hoo boy. This last week has been a long year. We’re talking all about it: 80s-kid duck-and-cover flashbacks; a supreme Supreme Court nominee; turning the perfect English phrase; the direct line between the autocrat trying to violently rebuild the Russian empire and the horrifying new anti-trans policy in Texas; and … what each of us can do about it all, in our little corners of the world.

Here’s a good list of resources for where to donate to help Ukraine:
https://snyder.substack.com/p/a-few-ways-to-help-ukrainians

And here are a few ways to help support trans kids in Texas:
https://txtranskids.org
https://txtranshealth.org
https://transtexas.org

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

February 23, 2022February 22, 2022

“A weird authoritarian co-op.” ☭

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We’re powering through the final week of our carb fast-induced brain fog, and we’re covering lots of meaty topics: U.S. women soccer players getting PAID, our immune systems going to vaccine school, how simple physics alleviates a common flying phobia, how the Russian invasion of Ukraine is relevant to the survival of democracy on Earth, and the benefit of becoming a master of pain (or is it “Master of Pain?” … sounds like a cartoon villain … or a WWE wrestler … maybe both. What’s even the difference. Can we have sugar yet?).

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

February 16, 2022February 16, 2022

“I think you just described Batman?” 🦸🏻‍♀️

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We’re gritting our teeth through sugar withdrawals to cover lots of ground — a nuclear fusion future, Jamie hogging all the gold stars, the toddler tantrum (I mean, “trucker protest”) in Ottawa, the dark side of superheroes, the debut of our new song, “Sandstorm” … and more! If you can even believe it. With no sugar!

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️

February 9, 2022February 8, 2022

“The F stands for feeling.”

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Buckle up, because this week we’re talking about: Girl Scout cookies, congressional redistricting, the history of world map orientation, no-knock warrants, the vulnerability of uncertainty and potential rejection, unsolicited advice, and some right-on-time Buddhist inspiration. Who else do you know who is willing to tackle such a wide range of topics in one episode? Yeah, that’s what we thought.

Our work relies on the ongoing small-dollar support of people who believe in what we’re doing. If that’s you, please join us: misfitstars.com/support.

Thank you so much for your support; we couldn’t do any of this without you. ❤️