Above the Mess: Recent Episodes
Madi Van Houten & Izzy Miller
The podcast that follows us as we bounce between our interests, dive down rabbit holes, navigate our brains, and come up in wonderland!
We talk about foxes going out to dinner, renovating houses, notes, books, and finishing projects.
Useful links: * Antique Boat Museum * Canada & United States Border (video by CGP Grey) * Lost (TV Series) * Snowmageddon (2010) * Information Overload * Banking Model of Education * The Horse, The Wheel, and Language + This is the book about archaelogical evidence for where the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) language was born * Building a Second Brain + Practical steps for building a digital knowledge system * The Extended Mind + The psychology, biology, neurology, etc behind how humans do their thinking * Zettelkasten * Richard Feynman’s 12 Favorite Problems * Matter (app) * Refuse to Choose * NaNo/NaNoWriMo
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
This podcast episode will self-destruct in 5 seconds.
Useful links: * Tib Winterfield * Competent man & Robert Heinlein quote * Gravity (2013) * Loremasters–Tib’s D&D Newsletter * Sewist, Sewer, Seamstress * Refuse to Choose!: Use All of Your Interests, Passions, and Hobbies to Create the Life and Career of Your Dreams * The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos + The episode I am referring to was How to Identify Your Negative Emotions * Brené Brown * Dare to Lead: Brave Work. Tough Conversations. Whole Hearts. * Atlas of the Heart: Mapping Meaningful Connection and the Language of Human Experience* * The New Yorker on Meghan & Harry, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex * Twee (definition)
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We discuss being stressed, the vast difference between our gardens, climate & other refugees, and a little bit of Netrunner.
Useful links: * FoxTrot July 27, 2009 (Zucchini) * FoxTrot July 29, 2009 (Zucchini) * Hügelkultur * Netrunner: Midnight Sun
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We discuss being ahead of schedule, Colin Firth diving into lakes, and road trips with cats.
Note: Madi’s audio is a bit wonky this episode! Released again after some errors with our hosting, may appear in your feed twice.
Useful links: * Love Actually Lake Scene * Iron on Stabilizer Fabric * Darning Knit Fabrics
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We talk about returning to abandoned systems, garden projects, careers vs callings, and hacking into ice-protected servers.
Useful links: * How to ADHD: Wall of Awful Introduction * Etymology of Cilantro * Pesto Variations * No Trees Means No Rain * Cherokee Purple * Severance * Social Validation * Android Netrunner * René “Loup” Arcemont
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We talk about a world built for everyone, spider mites, and eating raw potatoes.
Useful links: * Supreme Court Ruling Information * How to ADHD: My Channel was a Bit Ableist When I Started * ACT: Acceptance and Commitment Therapy * A Liberated Mind by Stephen C. Hayes * The Happiness Lab with Doctor Laurie Santos: Working Your Way to Happiness * Food Forests * Queen of Screams movie * Creed eating a potato * Bringing Nature Home by Douglas W. Tallamy * Alyssum * Jacques in the Garden about alyssum
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We talk about travel, global temperature change, water rodents, and body hacking.
Useful links: * Izzy’s Packing List * Maintenance Phase: Anti-Fat Bias * Clif Builder Bars * Planet Money Makes a T-Shirt * Patagonia’s Environmental Efforts * WornWear: Patagonia’s Used Clothing Shop * This Is Love: Grandfather of the Forest * What It Takes to Bring Back the Near Mythical American Chestnut Trees * Confessions of an Information Hoarder * Climate Action Tracker * A Degree of Concern * Major climate changes inevitable and unavoidable * Climate Solutions Beyond Capitalism by Tina Landis * Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming * Project Drawdown * Beavers as a Keystone Species * Our Flag Means Death * Scientific Basis: Dopamine Fasting
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We talk about the end of the world, carbon footprints, and To Be Read lists.
Useful links: * Hyperfixation * Cracking the Cryptic * Invasive Species Legislation in the USA * Thorny Olive * Why Mint is Invasive * Japanese Honeysuckle * Southern Wax Myrtle * Planned Obsolescence * Carbon Footprint Origins * Hank Green: Fuel Efficiency * Artificially Low Speed Limits * Euclidean Zoning * Chesapeake Bay Foundation * Where Good Ideas Come From by Steven Johnson*
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We talk about Magic: The Gathering, organization object permanence, the Shakers, and more journals.
Useful links: * Magic: The Gathering * Obsidian * Pokémon * Yu-Gi-Oh * The Wandering Emperor Card * KALLAX * Brass Label Plates * Madi’s Handmade Mending Pouch * Train Tracks RPG * Loremasters Newsletter * Field Notes * The Home Edit * Marie Kondo * Shaker Boxes * The Shakers * Hancock Shaker Village * The Victorians Hosted Funerals at Home * Leuchtturm 1917
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We talk about sleep, ephemeral poetry, talking to ourselves, and the dang ducks.
Useful links: * SwitchBot * Poor Wayfaring Stranger * Zen in the Art of Writing by Ray Bradbury* * Kids on Brooms * The Wild Thornberrys * E. E. Cummings * Make Do (podcast) * Muscovy Ducks
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
We talk about pocket monsters, Queen Elizabeth and unfinished fiction.
Useful links: * Pokemon: Legends * Pokemon: HeartGold * Nintendo DS Lite * Super Mario 3D All Stars * Super Mario Galaxy * Pokemon: The Origin of Species * The Name of the Wind by Patrick Rothfuss * A Song of Ice and Fire by George R. R. Martin * Three Bin Composting * Olympia (font) * Pangrams * Archive Binders
Where to find Above the Mess: Follow us on Twitter!
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
And we’re back! We talk about bullet journals, Mancala, books, card games, and other fun rabbit holes.
Useful links: * Things * Bullet Journal * The Bullet Journal Method * William Hannah + A5 journal + Archive Set * Recipe binder * Filofax planner * Sticker printer * Madi’s Filofax * Madi’s Printed Book! * Oware * Mancala * Izzy’s Mancala Board! * Pedagogy of the Oppressed * How to Read a Book * Light from Uncommon Stars * The Martian * Townscaper * I Love Hue * Gumstick Cards * Bullsh*t (card game) * War (card game) * Duck Soup (card game) * Spit (card game) * Lens (etymology) * The History of English * Bruce Almighty
Where to find Above the Mess: Follow us on Twitter!
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Izzy’s Website
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Hey y’all, Above the Mess is going to be taking a break with the new year! We hope you had wonderful holiday seasons–talk to you soon!
Izzy, Rose, and Madi talk about brake orientation on bikes, the purchasing of spaceships and–most importantly–themes.
Useful links: * The Bullet Journal Method - Ryder Carroll * Madi’s Discbound Journal * GoCube * Themes * CGP Grey * Myke Hurley * Cortex * Your Theme - CGP Grey (Youtube)
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Izzy, Madi, and Rose discuss priorities, idea debt, and whether cats should be allowed in personal museums.
Useful links: * Cortex: State of the Apps 2022 * Dungeons and Dragons * Atomic Habits * Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs * Madi’s Project Wall * ERG Theory * Avoidant Behavior * How I Got Out of Idea Debt - John Sexton * Jay Miller * Conduit * GTD: Getting Things Done * Zettelkasten Note Taking * Refuse to Choose * More articles about idea debt + Kill Your Old Ideas So You Can Be More Creative + Steelcurve: Idea Debt + You Probably Have Idea Debt and How to Cure It
Where to find Above the Mess: Follow us on Twitter!
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Izzy, Rose, and Madi talk about the culture of small businesses, how we think about time, and what time affects in our daily lives.
Useful links: * Kym: Irrational Notes * TM on Twitter * Bark Busters * Alex * Theme System * Cortex * The 12 Week Year* * CGP Grey * Story Points * Nested Folders Episode 54: Closing a Chapter * Nested Folders Episode 55: Starting a New Chapter * Biphasic Sleep * Kyle: Quadrant 9 * “Why can’t we sleep?” Glad You Asked S2-E7 + This YouTube video is where Izzy learned about the sleep maps, which were drawn up by the CDC.
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Rose, Izzy, and Madi update each other on their ongoing projects, go through some feedback, and talk about how to be creative or productive for ourselves when work drains us.
Useful links: * Transloader * Izzy’s Knowledge Dashboard * Kathy Campbell: wonderful, amazing unicorn & friend + Conduit: one of Kathy’s podcasts wherein she and Jay Miller talk about productivity and feelings * Hungarian Mushroom Soup
+ The recipe Izzy used, though she substituted modern vegan alternatives for the dairy
- Netflix: Disable Auto-Play Previews
- Netflix: Next Episode
- Farmhouse Vernacular
- Happy Color
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Madi, Izzy, and Rose discuss the interconnectedness of seemingly unrelated ideas, the chain of guilt hanging around all of our necks, and what it means to be a master.
Useful links: * Twelve Threads - Vihart * Spoon Theory + We don’t mention it in the episode, but our friend Grey sent us this tweet about another metaphor for the Spoon Theory that may work better for your brain. * Our friend Kym writes short and sweet book reviews and has a podcast with another dear friend, Skyler!
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Rosemary’s Website
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Madi, Izzy and Rose talk about one project each they are focusing on right now, and how it will be beneficial.
Useful links: * Digital Minimalism by Cal Newport* * Spoon Theory * Tom Scott’s video on the UK Plug * Maker, Manager, Consumer (David Sparks) * CleanFox * Unibox * FeedBin
Where to find Above the Mess: Follow us on Twitter!
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Rosemary’s Website
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Madi, Izzy, and Rose talk about their active projects and productivity philosophies, then take a left turn into societal issues, all in the first episode.
Rosemary Orchard: * Rosemary’s Website * Rose also hosts Automators, Nested Folders, and iOS Today.
Izzy Miller: * Izzy’s Website * Austin Food Not Bombs * Izzy’s Sunfish
Madi: * Madi’s website * Jinx & Belle
Productivity Philosophies: * Getting Things Done by David Allen * OmniFocus: The to-do app built for pros + And the book Rosemary co-wrote about it–a new edition is coming soon: Build Your OmniFocus Workflow * Taskheat: The personal task manager for determined people. * Drafts: Where Text Starts * how we spend our days - vlogbrothers * 1% Philosophy aka Marginal Gains Philosophy * The One Thing by Gary Keller & Jay Papasan * Refuse to Choose by Barbara Sher * How to Be Everything by Emilie Wapnick * The Renaissance Soul by Margaret Lobenstine*
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Links marked with an asterisk(*) are affiliate links through Bookshop.org, an online bookseller that supports your local bookstores!
Find out more about our upcoming podcast!
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Madi Van Houten
Izzy Miller
Rosemary Orchard