ADHd20: Recent Episodes
Alison Kendrick and Matthew Bivins
Alison Kendrick and Matthew Bivins are nerds with ADHD talking about D&D (and anything else that crosses their minds in any given moment).
The most often-asked questions we've gotten since starting this podcast: "But what is D&D?! And how do you even play?!"
If our D&D-inspired tangents have left you feeling a little perplexed, then this is for you! Our talented pal Seth McKay stepped behind the DM Screen to lead our party of four boisterous adventurers through a fiery, funny, and very very dangerous encounter. This very special episode also features Evan Bivins and Official Lorekeeper Anna Fitzgerald.
If playing with us sounds more fun than simply watching us play, our Patreon includes monthly one-shots!
Join the chitter-chatter and tell us what you really think about the break from the norm on our open-to-all Discord!
Join us for a LONG overdue chat with our favorite designer, beatmaker and wannabe lycanthrope, Evan Bivins! We attempt an unqualified armchair diagnosis—at Evan's request, of course—and use the words "Venn Diagram" a whole bunch.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
We spend a lot of our free time in our happy-making Discord server, free and open to all! http://bit.ly/bivbrosdiscord
If you like what you see here, we have a robust Patreon Page, where your hard-earned bucks help us to make this video, and we would be very very grateful if you considered sponsoring us. Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Matt and Alison, fresh out of a session of their favorite new TTRPG, Masks: A New Generation, find all the delicious correlations between having ADHD and being a teenage superhero! And the connection might not be what you think!
Plus! Coming to terms with the masks we've longed donned so neurotypicals can't figure us out, and a little chatter about what's changing for up-and-coming generations. Spoiler alert: The kids are alright.
Our Den of Delectation, Discord: http://bit.ly/bivbrosdiscord
Our Paragon of Paradise, Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bivinsbrothers
Five minutes before they started recording this episode, Alison tossed the outline out of the window. Instead of the original topic they had chosen, she informed Matt they should have a very open and honest conversation about the goings-on in their most recent D&D session.
In an inadvertent "Part 2" of episode 10 (Free To Be You and Me), AK puts Matt's money where his mouth is…can he make the table more inclusive to everyone? Did these two friends settle the score amicably? Tune in to find out!
Our Lovely Discord: http://bit.ly/bivbrosdiscord
Our Lovelier Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/bivinsbrothers
Best practices for making neurodivergent brains feel welcome at your gaming table!
A question, from our Discord Server: How about going in-depth on things that have made y’all feel welcome to show up as your whole self at a gaming table (or conversely what will put your walls up or make it harder to engage)? What are best practices for the neurotypicals around you to make a gaming table rad for their neurospicy friends?
(Thanks to our great friend Alejandro Tey for supplying this one!)
C'mon in as we get really real about what opens us up, and what causes more (mental) gridlock than an interstate heading out of town on a holiday weekend.
The aforementioned Server, free to join! http://bit.ly/bivbrosdiscord
A phenomenal Patreon, full of love: https://www.patreon.com/bivinsbrothers
What a delightful surprise this podcast has been for us! Something we just threw together because we thought the name was funny, but in eighteen episodes we have learned so much about ADHD, D&D, and ourselves! And we want to dream up what other kinds of trouble we can get into. We're taking a very short break and will be back in the new year with Season Two, so please stay tuned.
Topics include favorite moments of this year, and Alison's dive into Worldbuilding!
While we're on "hiatus", we'll be working on our "D&D Spells" TikTok channel here: , and asking some of our ADHD&D heroes if they would like to join us for some gabbin'. But in the meantime, please come and hang out in our Discord channel, which is filled with all manner of folx, including neurodiverse brains, professional TTRPG players, comic book, music, movie, and TV show aficionados, theater geeks and more. Just like you!! Dang, you're cool.
And if you like this stuff and want to toss a few coins (to your Witchers), you can support us via our Patreon site. It's cheap and it buffs us with Bless so that we can keep making these podcasts!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
It can be tough to feel like you're always moving forward with what you most want to do, when you have ADHD. There are tons of combat encounters in life that seem to have the difficulty set too high. We don't have any answers, of course, but this week we talk about a couple of everyday "buffs" we are trying that make those encounters a little easier for us.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
In this episode, AK and Matt may have finally found the perfect intersection of ADHD and D&D: we dream up 5e Spells based on ADHD traits (or "tenets", if you're a "Rhodes Scholar"). And it's so much fun. We imagine how ADHD-themed spells "Executive Dysfunction", "Interrupt", and "Time Blindness" would work, and cannot wait until we get to cast "Object Permanence" in our next game. Coming soon to a dndbeyond.com Homebrew section near you!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and as we mentioned, we have Patreon page! It's bare-bones at this point, but your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast. And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
We step outside the comfort zone of talking about D&D, and pick up on any ADHD coding found in the late 90s classic Joss Whedon joint, Buffy the Vampire Slayer. High school nerds, hot librarians, chosen cheerleaders and demons in human form…surely there is one in the bunch with some executive dysfunction?
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
We're putting a little more "d20" in this week's ADHd20, where we talk about how we would build the perfect adventuring party, both in D&D and in real life. We break down the basic tabletop RPG archetypes: magic person, fighter, thief and healer, and have fun building our perfect class combos. AK tries to argue for why Paladins are actually the most overpowered class in the game, not Druids or Bards, as Matt thinks. This one is mostly for the gamers, but for those of you that don't play "The World's Greatest Role-Playing Game", Alison has some fun for you, too: a list of 12 real life archetypes for you to choose from, including "The Party Animal", "The Caretaker", and "The Hot Mess Express"! Build your own John Hughes Movie Gang!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Friends! We need them, love them, miss them when they leave, but also have a tough time making them. But is it really harder to make lasting friends if you have ADHD? or easier? And we try to figure out what the classes of the Friends would be. Except for Ross, because he's insufferable.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
We—well, Matt—loves productivity. Thinking about it, talking about it, wasting time trying to get better at it. And while he could definitely do better about following his own advice about not constantly trying new tools and tweaking the ones he has, maybe today’s podcast might be helpful for someone looking for a possibly-ADHD friendly tool or tip?
Stuff we mentioned: otter.ai loom Firefly Meeting Recorder Obsidian CraftNotion Todoist Things Drafts Bento Make Time Karas Kustoms fountain pens
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We’re big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We’re not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we’ll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
We do a quick run-down of topics we've been meaning to touch on! Dating with ADHD, dealing damage to yourself for no great reason, and is it: "attention deficit/hyperactive _disability_"?
We mention Gabby's beautiful dice at https://www.instagram.com/maisedesigns/ and mispronounce the name of the "ADHD _Elite_" account at https://www.instagram.com/adhdelite/.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
If a bear sh*ts in the woods, will we still forget to call our friends? Welcome to our journey into object permanence and its effects on our relationships. Plus! Marco Polo, The Fiver, and other anti-procrastination magic.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
ADHd20's VERY FIRST GUEST Alejandro Tey is an incredible Game Master, actor, teaching artist, director, storyteller, self-proclaimed participatory theater addict, and lucky for us, our very good friend. You've heard us discuss Tey and the Tabletale Games crew countless times already so we figured: why not plop him in front of a mic and let him dazzle you, too?
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Yep. There is a Scottish-themed castle in Knoxville, TN. You can go stay there! We did, and tried very hard not to leave the confines of it's dungeon-like interior for four solid days, playing only D&D and eating strangely healthy snacks. Though we did sort of get to the bottom of "which Oreo is baseline?". A magical time in a magical place, a perfect birthday celebrations.
The listing for Williamswood Castle in Knoxville, TN!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Here are some things mentioned in this podcast!
- the d10 that starts at 00 and ends at 90 is called a "decader" and it was only out in 1990! https://dysonlogos.blog/2020/02/05/is-the-decader-tens-die-only-30-years-old/
- the guy that came up with the folder system Matt "hacked": Nick Milo, https://www.linkingyourthinking.com/
- other cool productivity systems that are good for ADHD: Bento, Make Time.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Flavor Text: Alison DMs her first game! Matt talks about feeling nervous about in-person gaming. The "OSR Movement" is mentioned, and Matt contends that 5e could be a little grittier. They both agree that "the sweet spot" is between levels 5 and 10.
If you understood more than 60% of the paragraph above, this episode is for you! If not, you're welcome for the Sleep Story!
We mention descryb.com, a fantastic home for all manner of fantastic descriptions!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! Bivins Brothers Creative is creating livestreams, ADHD-inspired schemes, and D&D things | Patreon
Matt loves all new things, often to a fault; Alison needs some coercing to find the things that she loves sometimes. But both of them want everyone, ADHD or no, to do their best to not fall behind on life's new things: closed minds can cause heartbreak! Matt then admits that he needs a little help from his friends sometimes to get stuff done—call it pairing, body-doubling, or anchoring, it's amazing for people with executive disfunction. But we leave the triads for playing music.
Also: why did we get into D&D, exactly?
This episode is dedicated to the life of an amazing teenaged septuagenarian, Tom LaPorte. VR is getting better and better, buddy! We promise to keep our minds open about it.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Oh! and gee-whiz, we almost forgot: we have a shiny new Patreon page! With nothing on it. And nothing to share…yet. Your hard-earned bucks help us to make this podcast, though! And we'll come up with other fun stuff! https://www.patreon.com/bivinsbrothers
Matt and Alison agree that life is not all butterflies and rainbows, and yet somehow manage a sunny-side conversation spanning funerals, pandemics, and reconciling their perceived extroversion.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
We start by talking superstitions and death. Alison admits that she's watched over 600 hours of Critical Role…in the span of 8 months. We speak to our proverbial security blankets for ADHD: things that keep us safe in crowds and from moving at half speed in difficult terrain.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
Is Matt a hipster? All signs point to "yes". Our artisanal booze swilling, calligraphy pen-using, suspenders-wearing friend (and Alison) talk the Old School Revival, having a hipster dad, TikTok and You Don't Stop. Please enjoy!
The title of this episode is also a nod to the excellent ttrpg blog, Hipsters & Dragons, found at https://hipstersanddragons.com.
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.
A new podcast begins as a new campaign should: with a Session Zero. Where Alison and Matt wonder whether a podcast about both ADHD and D&D would even work. Spoiler: we think it will!
We recorded and edited this podcast using an incredible tool called Descript. It allows us to record audio and video, sure, but then edit that audio/video using the text transcription it produces. We're big into making podcasts accessible, so this is a no-brainer for us. We're not sponsored by them, but the link you just clicked is an affiliate one.