Here's A Thought: Recent Episodes
Jan M Flynn
A blogcast for people who overthink. I'm Jan M. Flynn, a writer who thinks way too much about all kinds of things, so I know what that's like. Sometimes you need a little break from your brain — so here's a chance to get out of your own head for a bit, by getting into mine. Short, weekly episodes give you a glimpse into what's been on my mind: thoughts about life, the universe, and the weird or wonderful things people do. Occasionally I'll share some short fiction or poetry. Think of this as recess for your mind. Join me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net, where you can leave a comment or suggestion on my blog page, and join my email list and receive a free download of my audio short story, "The Collector". Music courtesy of lesfm at pixabay.
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If you pay attention to all the slogans and memes, you should be very worried, or guilty, or ashamed, if you spend even a second in your comfort zone. Slacker! Couch potato! Taker up of valuable space on the planet!
I'm calling shenanigans. Here's what I have to say about the comfort zone.
This is the final episode of Season Three of Here's A Thought -- have a wonderful, just-comfortable-enough summer!
Intro Music by TheoJT from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
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"Second childhood" is a term with unfortunate connotations. But if you look at it a different way, it sounds kind of wonderful. Let' give it a think.
Intro Music by Jerome Chauvel from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
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When the girls need a new house because their old one's wearing out . . . attention must be paid
So let's talk about the one article of clothing for which I really, truly hate to shop. I bet I'm not the only one.
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
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The recent news that presidential candidate RFK Jr. has disclosed that doctors discovered a (dead) worm in his brain has me overthinking about . . . things that want to eat our brains.
Real things, not zombies. Turns out it's not just worms. Join me for an introduction to some of the beasties that really want to get in your head.
Sources:
https://www.vanityfair.com/news/story/rfk-jr-says-his-brain-was-partially-eaten-by-a-worm-that-crawled-inside-and-died-everything-you-need-to-know
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/us/rfk-jr-brain-health-memory-loss.html
https://www.nytimes.com/2024/05/08/well/live/brain-worm-parasites-rfk-jr.html
https://www.nytimes.com/by/dana-smith
https://www.nytimes.com/by/dani-blum
https://biosci.unl.edu/scott-gardner
https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/cysticercosis/index.html
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/infectious-diseases/cestodes-tapeworms/taenia-solium-pork-tapeworm-infection-and-cysticercosis
https://theconversation.com/finding-a-live-brain-worm-is-rare-4-ways-to-protect-yourself-from-more-common-parasites-212437
https://twitter.com/RobertKennedyJr/status/1777167553317703852
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
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In which I follow another writer's clever writing prompt -- and get in touch with my inner Princess.
Want to play along? Check out Karen Schwartz and her This or That challenges on Medium.com!
How do you feel about treating yourself, and what's your favorite (decently shareable) way to do it? Text me below -- and if you have an idea for an upcoming episode, please do share it (and let me know if I can thank you on air)!
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
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"House-proud" is how my mother's generation used to describe someone (always a woman) who was fussy and vain about how her house looked -- or, somebody whose home someone like my mother might worry was nicer than hers.
It's an old-fashioned term. But the feeling is still pervasive? Do you cringe when someone drops by unannounced and you're suddenly aware of the dust bunnies in the corners?
I have a solution. Listen and learn . . .
Starting this week, you can send a text to Here's a Thought right from the podcast app on your phone. Keep scrolling and you'll see the button. I'd love your feedback, and/or your suggestions for a topic to overthink on an upcoming episode! Let me know if it's okay to acknowledge you by name.
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Going to see the movie Civil War, the 2024 release written and directed by Alex Garland, isn't like seeing most movies. You walk out of the theater with a lot to think about -- and maybe you walk out changed.
What the experience has done for me is to help me embrace a philosophy proposed by Viktor Frankl, the 20th Century psychiatrist who survived the Holocaust and developed Logotherapy, based on the premise that a basic drive of humankind is to find meaning in life — no matter what the conditions of someone's life may be.
His most famous work is the book Man’s Search for Meaning -- published in English in 1959, an immediate best-seller and, in 1991, called by the Library of Congress one of the ten most influential books in the U.S.
If the term "tragic optimism" sounds contradictory to you, stick with me for a few minutes. You might find it as bracing, helpful -- and hopeful -- as I do.
Opening Music by Oleg Kyrylkovv from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which I witness a semiannual Idaho tradition — when sheep take over a major roadway on their way to greener pastures. It's an Idaho thing.
Want to learn more? Helpful links:
Andy Little, the “Idaho Sheep King"
Idaho sheep ranchers Frank Shirts and Henry Etcheverry
Boise's Basque Block -- where you can find funky, cozy Bar Gernika and enjoy the once-every-five-years cultural Basque cultural festival, Jaialdi
A few more fun quotations about sheep (that aren't insulting to sheep):
We’re a nation of sheep. If you go out and look up at the sky, people around you will start looking up at the sky. — Alan Abel
Ideas are easy. It’s the execution of ideas that really separates the sheep from the goats. — Sue Grafton
We are discreet sheep; we wait to see how the drove is going, and then go with the drove. — Mark Twain
The shepherd always tries to persuade the sheep that their interests and his own are the same. — Stendhal
If Someone wants a sheep, then that means that he exists. –Antoine de Saint-Exupery
Sheep sound effects courtesy Pixabay Sound
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
This week, we give thought to how much of us is really "us" — turns out it's way less than we thought. You really do contain multitudes.
Pardon a few technical glitches this week, thanks to a crabby audio system and a very tight schedule due to travel. Or just pretend I have hiccups.
Resource links:
First complete human genome sequence
"Dr. Martin Blaser on sacred cows, ear infections and the nature of science"
by Ashton Applewhite, American Museum of Natural History magazine
Archaea (they're not bacteria!)
Really cool if slightly horrifying PBS video on Demodex
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
The Jonestown Massacre happened 46 years ago. But to me, it feels way too close — because one of the people who died there was a girl I went to school with. She was a quiet, shy girl, the daughter of a pastor when I knew her. For years I thought of her as a duped, innocent victim. But it turns out she was one of the leaders, and an architect of the plan to have everyone drink the poison. Is there a way to make any of this make sense?
Content warning: suicide, murder, cults, sexual abuse, child murder
Reference links:
Jonestown, basic background from Brittanica: https://www.britannica.com/event/Jonestown
Maria Katsaris, Wikipedia entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maria_Katsaris
Jonestown: The Women Behind The Massacre documentary film
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8020376/
"revolutionary suicide"
https://inthesetimes.com/article/jonestown-mass-revolutionary-suicide-socialist
"Moonies" (Unification Church)
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_Church
Scientology/Church of Scientology
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology#:~:text=Scientology%20is%20a%20set%20of,or%20a%20new%20religious%20movement.
Baghwan Shree Rajneesh
https://www.neh.gov/humanities/2018/spring/feature/rajneeshpuram-was-more-utopia-desert-it-was-mirror#:~:text=Named%20after%20the%20iconoclastic%20Indian,utopia%20in%20the%20Oregon%20desert.
Jonestown 45th anniversary article, Daily Journal:
https://www.smdailyjournal.com/news/local/45-years-later-peoples-temple-and-the-peninsula/article_3b001bee-85cc-11ee-aa8d-579b5c0b7b99.html
Alternative Considerations of Jonestown & Peoples Templehttps://jonestown.sdsu.edu/
-transcript of Charles Garry's interview with Maria Katsaris re: sexual abuse by father
https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=125494
Charles Garry, Wikipedia entry
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Garry#:~:text=Charles%20R.,during%20the%201978%20Jonestown%20t
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
A brief meditation on how my dog and I may walk the same path, yet our journeys differ. Trigger warning: contains haiku
Sound Effect from Pixabay
Haiku Music by Inner Tune from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
It's spring at last — a season that brings hope, energy, renewal — and for far too many of us the dread of swimsuit season. In this episode, I celebrate reaching the threshold of Summer Body Exemption.
Spring Sound Effect from Pixabay
Boomerang Sound Effect by Jurij from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which I describe our recent experience with what's politely called a "low-cost carrier" airline.
They aren't all this sketchy, thank God.
Opening Music by Oleg Kyrylkovv from Pixabay
Sound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Sometimes our best intentions have completely unanticipated results. Here's what happened when I signed up for a research study.
Resources for Alzheimer's and dementia:
Alzheimer's Association
Alzheimers.gov
Careforth (resources for dementia caregivers)
National Institute on Aging
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which your devoted overthinker contemplates the manner and method of her own final exit. Not being negative or nihilistic here -- just stating my preference.
I might even have stumbled on a loophole.
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Thanks to the recent Alabama Supreme Court decision that says frozen embryos in test tubes equal are human beings, yours truly has been listening to the fallout (for example, what this means for IVF treatments) and overthinking what this means.
Clearly, the GOP has a real problem with the woman question. Luckily, I have a solution.
Content advisory: political satire, mention of abortion, oblique references to Christian nationalism.
Reference links:
https://abcnews.go.com/US/indiana-reprimands-doctor-ohio-rape-victim-abortion/story?id=99612853
https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2023/12/11/1218625460/texas-woman-who-sued-state-for-abortion-travels-out-of-state-for-procedure-inste#:~:text=Hourly%20News-,Texas%20abortion%20ban%20leads%20woman%20to%20leave%20state%20for%20emergency,Texas%20to%20get%20an%20abortion.
https://www.newsweek.com/idaho-republican-representative-apologizes-womens-health-farm-animals-1773507
https://apnews.com/article/alabama-frozen-embryos-conservative-christian-views-ruling-d9b7f720b5ef865ab35205ad36061f2d
https://states.guttmacher.org/policies/?gad_source=1&gclid=Cj0KCQiA5-uuBhDzARIsAAa21T-SrxE6nlipaxKbWzVCiEGioglq_FhUfmZ2hELKUqeXanmd2g-CRJ8aAl15EALw_wcB
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seven_Mountain_Mandate
https://abc7chicago.com/abortion-ban-map-where-banned-restricted-protected/13299140/#:~:text=Idaho%20has%20one%20of%20the,state%20lines%20without%20parental%20consent.
https://abcnews.go.com/US/idaho-governor-signs-abortion-trafficking-bill-law/story?id=98399580
https://apnews.com/article/alabama-abortion-justice-department-2fbde5d85a907d266de6fd34542139e2
https://www.axios.com/2023/11/15/us-abortion-ban-republican-president-2024-trump
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
For a habitual overthinker like me, the happiest of occasions can cause a spiral. Especially when there's nothing to worry about. IYKYK, and if not, don't tell me to calm down.
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In this episode, Here's A Thought reaches a milestone that a lot of podcasts never achieve — and that is entirely thanks to listeners like you. So I'm enormously appreciative.
I'm also thinking deeply -- which is distinct, I hope, from overthinking — about the interview I did for another podcast I'm involved in, and how it was driven home to me by the recent news about Derek Chauvin — the former Minneapolis cop who was sentenced to 22 1/2 years for killing George Floyd in 2020 — being stabbed in prison.
Whatever offense a convict has committed, violence, sexual assault, and dehumanizing conditions are not supposed to be part of the punishment.
And the hard truth is that not everyone who is languishing in prison even belongs there.
It's a reality that most of us are insulated from confronting — but after my interview with Dr. Greg Hampikian, co-founder of the Idaho Innocence Project, for an episode of the Crow's Feet: Life As We Age podcast (release date January 24, 2024), I've lost my insulation.
I don't think that's a bad thing.
Here's A Thought will be taking a hiatus after this episode -- so check out any of the previous ones you may have missed and please join me in the meantime at:
Crow's Feet: Life As We Age -- on all major podcast platforms.
Links for today's episodes:
Dr. Greg Hampikian
Idaho Innocence Project
Amanda Knox
Bureau of Justice Statistics, report cited on sexual victimization in prisons
New York Times, November 27, 2023: "The Stabbing of Derek Chauvin: What We Know
Jesse Lerner-Kinglake, Just Detention International
Prison Policy Initiative
Sharia Law and punishment
Opening Sound Effect from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In this 99th episode of Here's A Thought, we think about Thanksgiving, which is happening in the U.S. this week — what it means, what it's supposed to mean, how it started, and what happens when it doesn't live up to expectations: a meditation partly in rhyming verse for your consideration and (hopefully) amusement.
ound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
I keep the journals I've written over the years — but now, as the recipient of the many private journals and diaries that my mother wrote over the course of decades, I'm rethinking whether I should hang onto mine. Or, hers.
What's the right thing to do with my mother's journals? How do I respect her memories, especially when they're at odds with mine?
Opening Music by Zakhar Valaha from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In this 97th (!) episode of Here's A Thought, I offer the lessons that horses have taught me about adolescent humans (they have a surprising amount in common), and why I write for them — adolescents, that is, not horses.
Sound Effect by UNIVERSFIELD from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Here's hoping you and yours enjoyed a lovely Halloween! This episode is going live on November 1, traditionally the Day of the Dead: so I've been overthinking about a news article I read not long ago about a very rich, very determined man who is convinced he's got a plan that will allow him to beat the Grim Reaper — forever.
Not only that, but his body — including his man parts — are going to revert to age 18 and stay that way. That is, if his algorithm works the way it's supposed to.
Most of the information and quotes in this episode are taken from a profile of Bryan Johnson written by Time correspondent Charlotte Alter:
"The Man Who Thinks He Can Live Forever", Time Magazine, September 20, 2023
Also referenced:
Nir Barzilai, M.D., Albert Einstein College of Medicine
Pinchas Cohen, M.D., Dean, Leonard Davis School of Gerontology, University of Southern California
Blueprint Protocol: BryanJohnson.com
arguably immortal jellyfish: Turritopsis dorhrniiOpening Music by Pixabay Music
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
There's a lot of thought and discussion about the three aspects of the feminine: the Maiden, the Mother, and the Crone. All three have their positive and negative aspects, but in our youth-obsessed culture, a lot of women find it very, very painful to relinquish their youthful allure — and embrace the aspect of the wise but sometimes fearsome Crone.
But which has more power, the Maiden or the Crone? If you could choose to be either, what would you be giving up?
All these are hints as to the story for this week, "Turn" — written by yours truly, and I do hope you find it . . . haunting.
Link to quoted book: The Singing Woman: Voices of the Sacred Feminineby Elizabeth S. Eiler Ph.D.
Opening and Incidental Music by Alexey Ivanov from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
For the third installment in our Halloween-ish story series — all written by yours truly — we consider the question: do devils and demons ever take a day off?
And if they do, how do they spend it?
Episode Music by SPmusic from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
It's the haunting season, which makes this a suitable time for another short, twisted tale written by yours truly — in one of my darker moods.
This one is a tale in rhyming verse. That doesn't mean it's nice, but you may find it . . . satisfying. Settle back and give a listen to "Sweet Boy" by Jan M. Flynn
Music for this episode by Alexi Action from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
To honor the fall of the year — the time when the veil between the worlds of the seen and unseen grows ever thinner with each passing, lengthening night — Here's A Thought offers a series of short, somewhat twisted stories, all written by me, that I hope you'll find suitable for the season.
This one has some adult language and, of course, deals with the supernatural — so be warned.
Opening Music by Dmitry Taras from Pixabay
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
There are some things in life that are just the thing to do, even when we don't relish the thought of doing them. Going to funerals probably ranks below even paying taxes. And in a lot of cases, if we just don't go, who's going to know?
In this episode, we consider how that's not really the point, and hopefully find some encouragement for showing up whenever we can.
Quote on Varanasi, India from Francesca Mills writing in National Geographic, April 2019:
https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/travel/2019/01/india-life-and-death-in-varanasi#:~:text=Varanasi%20is%20the%20city%20where,human%20being%20is%20entrapped%20in.
Advance Care Directive information:
https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/advance-care-planning-advance-directives-health-care
Do Not Resuscitate (DNR) Order information:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/8866-do-not-resuscitate-orders#:~:text=A%20do%2Dnot%2Dresuscitate%20(,or%20other%20serious%20medical%20condition.
Opening Music by michaelhersch from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
I've developed a strange compulsion. Maybe telling you about it will help.
And maybe, just maybe, you've got a compulsion not all different from this one. All I ask is that you don't judge me until you've heard me out . . .
For information on the Pudelpointer dog breed:
https://www.dailypaws.com/dogs-puppies/dog-breeds/pudelpointer
https://www.gundogmag.com/editorial/pudelpointer-breed-profile/175444
https://www.akc.org/dog-breeds/pudelpointer/
Intro Music by Oleg Kirilkov from Pixabay
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
With the turn of the seasons, it's time to revisit my wardrobe, which leads me to consider fashion (intimidating), and then fashion trends (mystifying), and from there, trends in general — especially popular culture trends.
What I notice is that very few of them have anything to do with me, now that I've joined a demographic that popular culture doesn't seem to register at all.
Check out what it's like to be trend-exempt — and why I'm grateful for it.
You can also check out author Sara Petersen and her new book, Momfluenced: Inside the Maddening, Picture-Perfect World of Mommy Influencer Culture, available on Amazon or (better yet) Bookshop.org — also the articles referenced on Voxand Wired.
Opening Music by Pavel Bekirov from Pixabay
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Welcome back! I've been on hiatus, and I've had some adventures to share.
My trip to Kenya was a lifelong dream. I came home with a perspective that will never be the same — and questions I didn't expect.
I invite you to spend a few minutes going on safari with me!
Intro Music by Alexey Ivanov from Pixabay
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While I'm taking a break to do some traveling, research, and writing, I'm revisiting an older post from the first season of Here's A Thought — and with autumn now approaching (even if it doesn't feel like it), this one seems timely. If you missed it the first time, it's new to you, and if you heard it before, it could be worth another listen.
Look for me to return in September with new episodes -- meanwhile, be well and enjoy!
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Maybe you've heard this one before, and maybe you haven't: it's a short, weird little story I wrote in response to a contest prompt. Think trains, think time travel, think Twilight Zone weirdness. Just know that this episode is a repeat of one I posted in 2022 during the first season of Here's A Thought.
I'm on hiatus for a few more weeks, doing some traveling and writing — but expect me back in September with all new stuff. Until then, be well, and enjoy!
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While I'm taking a few weeks to do some traveling and finish up some writing projects, I'm revisiting some of the Here's A Thought episodes from the first season. This one, I think, is worth a review if you've already hears it — because if you're an overthinker like I am, you're almost certainly a first-class worrier.
But the thing is, no matter what you're worried about, it's probably not the thing you should be worried about.
There's no telling what the right thing to worry about is, of course, so . . . why, exactly, do we even bother?
I'll be back in September with new stuff, so until then -- be well, and enjoy!
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While I'm taking a few weeks off to do some traveling and tackle some writing projects, I'm revisiting some episodes from the first season of Here's A Thought. This one in particular, because it's a topic that was recommended by a listener. LOVE that!
If you haven't heard it before, then it's new to you: and if you have, you may want to give it another listen.
Especially if you're a woman — because we all go through changes, but there's no change quite like the Big M.
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While I'm taking a few weeks off to finish up some writing projects and do some traveling, I'm revisiting an episode recorded during the first season of Here's A Thought. If you missed it the first time, it's a new one on you -- and if you heard it once, it just might be worth hearing again.
This one is an exploration of the exasperating way my brain has of remembering all kinds of things about the people I meet — except for their names. If I blank on yours, please don't take it personally.
I'll be back in September with all new episodes!
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While I'm taking a hiatus — working on another novel draft and doing some traveling — I'm revisiting a former episode from 2022. Given some of the recent Supreme Court rulings, this one seems especially timely. If you missed it the first time, it's a new one for you — and if not, it may just be worth another listen.
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As I waltz happily into another decade, it seems part of me doesn't look as contented as I feel. It's developed a default expression that I don't agree with, and now I'm worried the gods are wreaking vengeance upon me for the Story Lady.
Allow me to explain.
Opening music by geoffharvey from Pixabay
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Ozempic might be all over the news and the noxious term "heroin chic" may be seeping back into the culture, but body shaming is nothing new. Here's my own journey, and what it took to conquer my phobia about stepping on a scale.
Content warnings: discussion of body shaming, disordered eating, drug use, menstruation, and a brief mention of sex
If you suspect you or someone you care about is suffering from disordered eating, please know you're not alone, and there's help available. Contact the National Eating Disorders Association to find a treatment provider:
https://map.nationaleatingdisorders.org/
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Just because July 4 has come and gone, there's no reason to stop celebrating now. Need a reason? I offer my birthday, with some virtual gifts to go around. You're invited!
Opening Music by Muzaproduction from Pixabay
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With a milestone birthday and an overseas trip coming up, I'm putting some plans in place. Not the fun kind, but I think of it as a gift to my peeps who outlast me. And there are more options than you might expect . . .
Music by Nesrality from Pixabay (Beethoven - Symphony #3 Eroica - Funeral March 2nd Mov. -Remix)
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In which we revel in the advent of summer at long last — and take a look at some of the weirder ways people choose to celebrate the season.
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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With a milestone (millstone?) birthday coming up, I consider some of the more surprising signposts along the journey of aging — like, nobody told me my skin would turn bizarre colors. Who knows what other non-returnable gifts are coming my way from the Wisdom Fairy?
More about actinic purpura (if you want):
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK448130/
https://www.healthline.com/health/senile-purpura
https://www.merckmanuals.com/professional/hematology-and-oncology/bleeding-due-to-abnormal-blood-vessels/senile-purpura
Opening Music by geoffharvey from Pixabay
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An ordinary afternoon — until it wasn't. The paramedics were on the scene, and all we could do was witness it and stay out of the way.
Or is there something more?
Music by GuilhermeBernardes from Pixabay
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In which I reflect on my recent experience with teletherapy — and share some of the more useful takeaways, like the Three C's and the Window of Tolerance.
References:
https://timothykeller.com/
https://drdansiegel.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Mindsight-New-Science-Personal-Transformation/dp/1501223585/ref=asc_df_1501223585/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=652424607838&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=10004050607288769264&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9029608&hvtargid=pla-684824228369&psc=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwvdajBhBEEiwAeMh1U7meRsW-RKty1ipmKA7xed1maSc9dSt3yABaqWAaQCUyMNB-2kkkbBoCCxMQAvD_BwE
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This week, I reflect on 13 moments when my decisions ranged from questionable to I'm-lucky-to-still-be-alive. As someone smart once told me, we all have our stupid side. It's smart to remember that.
Opening Music by SergeQuadrado from Pixabay
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If you, like me, grew up with the belief that being a good person means putting everyone else's needs, feelings, and preferences ahead of your own, the whole concept of self-care is a tricky one. But if we want to live honestly and responsibly, it's an idea we need to get straight.
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With the holiday fast approaching, it's a good time to uncover the little-known history of the day we choose to honor Mom. There's more to it than you might think (including an effort by its founder to get the holiday abolished).
Opening Music by SoundGalleryByDmitryTaras from Pixabay
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In which we examine whether or not a beast out of legend has arrived in a local neighborhood. Tread carefully after dark, my friends . . .
https://worldanimalfoundation.org/animal_encyclopedia/params/category/173341/item/993754/
https://idfg.idaho.gov/species/taxa/explore?name=Vombatus+Americania&category=All&idapa=All
https://fanon.fandom.com/wiki/American_Wombat
Opening Music by geoffharvey from Pixabay
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In this episode, we return to the amazing (and often unsettling) world of AI — but this time, with a look at an exciting potential.
What if ChatGPT — or one of its versions — can take some of the sting out of having to tell your romantic partner that it's time to call it quits? Some people are already using AI to write their wedding vows; why not use it when things just don't work out?
I sense a real opportunity here . . .
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/03/fashion/weddings/chatbot-wedding-vows-chatgpt-ai.html
Paul Simon
There Must Be Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover (YouTube)
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/02/23/technology/clarkesworld-submissions-ai-sci-fi.html#:~:text=And%20now%2C%20it%20seems%2C%20it's,chatbots.
https://www.abajournal.com/web/article/latest-version-of-chatgpt-aces-the-bar-exam-with-score-in-90th-percentile
https://www.toastwiz.com/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/chrisnoessel/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/For_sale:_baby_shoes,_never_worn
Intro Music by Ivan_Velkov from Pixabay
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This week, Here's A Thought takes a side trip into history — namely, the wild days of Gold Rush California, where some of the most renowned badasses were the people who drove stagecoaches along terrible roads in all kinds of weather, facing down bandits along the way. One of the very best of them was Charley Parkhurst — whose lifelong secret was only discovered after death.
Some sources, and for further reading:
"Overlooked No More: Charley Parkhurst, Gold Rush Legend With a Hidden Identity, New York Times, December 5, 2018
"Charley Parkhurst, Tough Lady Stage Driver," Legends of America
"Meet Charley Parkhurst, the Gold Rush's Fearless, Gender Nonconforming Stagecoach Driver" KQED, April 25, 2019
Elk Grove Historical Society
New England Historical Society
"Stagecoach Driver Charley Parkhurst Blazed Gender Non-Conforming Trails," California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, June 13, 2019
The Legacy Project
Charley Parkhurst, Wikipedia
Don Romesburg, Sonoma State University
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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In which we examine five unfortunate phrases that we may find ourselves using when speaking to those in younger generations — and why we shouldn't, if we want to have a chance at being taken seriously. Or even just heard . . .
Ohio Express, "Yummy Yummy Yummy (I Got Love in My Tummy)" 1968
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In which we consider the surprisingly common and weirdly persistent phenomenon of imposter syndrome: odds are you've experienced it too, at some point in your life. Don't fret: you're not alone — and maybe knowing that can help you stop seeing yourself as a fraud and start seeing yourself as fabulous.
References:
EM&Friends Card Studio
Imposter Syndrome Institute
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Impostor_syndrome#:~:text=Impostor%20syndrome%2C%20also%20known%20as,being%20exposed%20as%20a%20fraud.
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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In which we contemplate what happens when AI goes so far beyond what we expect . . . that we don't even know what to expect. The thing is, we may already have reached that point. There's no bottle for this genie; let's hope it's benevolent.
Sources:
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/03/12/opinion/chatbots-artificial-intelligence-future-weirdness.html?searchResultPosition=3
https://www.alignmentforum.org/posts/CoZhXrhpQxpy9xw9y/where-i-agree-and-disagree-with-eliezer
https://aiimpacts.org/2022-expert-survey-on-progress-in-ai/#Extinction_from_AI
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AI_alignment
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/I,_Robot
https://webhome.auburn.edu/~vestmon/robotics.html#:~:text=A%20robot%20may%20not%20injure,the%20First%20or%20Second%20Law.
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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At some point in our lives, we all ask God or the Universe the same question.
Here's a story that helped me understand the answer — even though that answer is another question.
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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In which we consider why we keep up the absurd ritual of changing our clocks twice a year — and what it does to us, and how we got here in the first place.
If you're feeling out of sorts this week, it's not your fault. And you're not alone.
Article links:
Here's a Horrifying Picture of What Sleep Deprivation Will Do To You," Huff Post, December 2017: https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sleep-deprivation_n_4557142
Sound Effect from Pixabay
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We don't expect to get through our whole lives in perfect physical health, without ever having to see a doctor or a pharmacist or maybe even a personal trainer.
Why do we have such trouble asking for support with our mental health? This week, I talk about reaching a place where I realize it's time for me to walk my talk.
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
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All dog stories should have happy endings. This one doesn't have the ending I'd hoped for — but maybe it will have an even better one.
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In which we consider the tired phrases, overworked buzzwords, and meaningless jargon that clogs our language like the freshwater clams that clog our lakes. It's time for a cleanout, and thanks to the eagle-eyed folks at the Lake Superior State University School of Arts and Letters, we know just how to do it!
That is, if we agree with their opinions . . . Here's the official 2023 list of the year's ten Banished Words (tongue firmly in cheek), with my thoughts on each selection. Absolutely an amazing inflection point, this year's list might actually be the GOAT — but it is what it is.
Find Lake Superior State University's Banished Words list, along with past year archives and a link to nominate words for the 2024 list at https://www.lssu.edu/traditions/banishedwords/
Sound Effect by GregorQuendel_SoundDesign from Pixabay
Sound Effect by FableCityRadio from Pixabay
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We've all had this happen: somebody says something that they mean nicely . . . but that lands on us uncomfortably. For instance, I think I recently received my first "old lady" compliment.
There is always only one way to respond. But there may be a lot to process.
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
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We all run into people who we find to be overbearing, self-involved, and who like to dominate every conversation. But what if the domineering or difficult person in your life is truly a narcissist — not just somebody who's pushy or overconfident, but who may have a personality disorder?
It's a topic that seems especially timely, and thanks to one of the show's listeners for suggesting it — and in this episode, we take a peek at what makes a narcissist a narcissist, and why it can be so challenging to deal with one.
Important disclaimer! I'm not a psychologist, licensed counselor, or therapist. If you're in a situation or a relationship that you feel is destructive or you don't feel safe, get help.
National Domestic Violence Hotline: call 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7223) or text START to 88788
National Teen Dating Abuse Hotline: call 1-866-331-9474 or log into loveisrespect.org (interactive website)
Sources for this episode:
Believing Me: Healing From Narcissistic Abuse and Complex Trauma by Ingrid Clayton
"Breaking Up With a Narcissist: How to Do It & What to Expect" by Perpetua Neo, DClinPsy https://www.talkspace.com/mental-health/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/types/
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/signs-you-were-raised-by-narcissists
https://www.mindbodygreen.com/articles/14-signs-of-narcissism
https://www.talkspace.com/mental-health/conditions/narcissistic-personality-disorder/types/
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/9742-narcissistic-personality-disorder
https://medium.com/practical-growth/safeguarding-yourself-from-narcissistic-rage-f93c64de2869
https://reachoutrecovery.com/10-ways-narcissists-take-control/
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/in-it-together/202111/who-is-most-vulnerable-narcissists#:~:text=It%20is%20the%20person%20who,share%20and%20how%20they%20differ.
https://www.wellandgood.com/vulnerable-narcissist/
https://www.healthline.com/health/mental-health/am-i-dating-a-narcissist#no-long-term-friends
https://www.webmd.com/mental-health/narcissism-symptoms-signs#:~:text=Not%20every%20narcissist%20has%20Narcissistic,end%20of%20the%20narcissistic%20spectrum.
https://www.appliedbehavioranalysisprograms.com/lists/five-signs-narcissism/
Incidental Music for this episode by
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This is the blogcast for people who overthink, hosted and produced by a veteran overthinker. And since overthinking is closely related to worry, we spend this week's episode delving into the overwhelming likelihood that, whatever you're worried about at the moment, it's not what you should be worried about. For example, asteroids on a collisions course with Earth . . .
Source links:
Don't Look Up, 2021 film: netflix.com/title/81252357
https://www.jpl.nasa.gov/news/nasa-system-predicts-small-asteroid-to-pass-close-by-earth-this-week
https://www.nytimes.com/2023/01/26/science/astronomy-asteroids-2023bu.html
https://www.npr.org/2023/01/26/1151667749/asteroid-coming-close-earth#:~:text=NASA%2FJPL%2DCaltech-,Asteroid%202023%20BU%20will%20streak%20about%202%2C200%20miles%20above%20the,moon's%20path%20is%20in%20gray.&text=There%20was%20no%20reason%20to,harmlessly%20Thursday%20night%2C%20NASA%20says.
https://cneos.jpl.nasa.gov/scout/#/
https://scienceandtechnology.jpl.nasa.gov/people/d_farnocchia
https://www.npr.org/2022/09/26/1124340144/nasa-dart-shove-asteroid-first-test-planetary-defense
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In this episode, I announce the publication of two of my real-life dog stories in the newest collection from Chicken Soup for the Soul: Lessons Learned From My Dog — and how this came about, the dogs my stories memorialize, and why I have to bake 100 homemade dog cookies.
Source links:
https://www.chickensoup.com/
https://www.amazon.com/Chicken-Soup-Soul-Lessons-Friendship-ebook/dp/B0B3YQ4QNZ/ref=sr_1_1?crid=14AJJIS1YG5ZY&keywords=chicken+soup+for+the+soul+lessons+learned+from+my+dog&qid=1674492029&sprefix=chicken+soup+for+the+soul+lessons+learned+from+my+dog%2Caps%2C164&sr=8-1
https://www.americanhumane.org/
https://www.boisestatepublicradio.org/show/idaho-matters
https://www.rdbooks.org/
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Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In this week's episode of Here's A Thought, we consider the remarks of a freshman member of Idaho's House of Representatives — who, in introducing himself to the Agriculture Affairs committee, really stepped in a big stinking cow pie.
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
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Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Sources:
https://www.newsweek.com/idaho-republican-representative-apologizes-womens-health-farm-animals-1773507
https://www.idahostatejournal.com/news/local/idaho-lawmaker-deeply-sorry-for-comment-comparing-cows-and-womens-health/article_257b37b0-92ff-11ed-9406-5fabfc0409a7.html
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/watch-rep-jack-nelson-of-idaho-compares-women-to-cows/vi-AA16isg8?li=BBnb7Kz
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-11633355/Idaho-legislator-sparks-fury-comparing-women-COWS-female-healthcare-discussion.html
https://twitter.com/IdahoDems/status/1613582343775883264
https://www.postregister.com/news/government/idaho-lawmaker-deeply-sorry-for-comment-comparing-cows-and-womens-health/article_d2109744-902f-5964-abdf-190fc06cc810.html
https://www.politico.com/news/2023/01/05/idaho-supreme-court-abortion-ban-00076704#:~:text=of%20the%20mother.%E2%80%9D-,Under%20the%20Idaho%20ruling%2C%20abortion%20will%20remain%20prohibited%20in%20most,cases%20of%20rape%20and%20incest.
https://blog.idahoreports.idahoptv.org/2022/11/10/vote-count-reporting-error-shows-mistaken-result-for-district-26-house-seat-b/
https://www.healthline.com/health/breastfeeding/breast-milk-cheese#is-this-really-a-thing
https://www.npr.org/2021/05/01/992761507/idaho-governor-signs-bill-to-ban-critical-race-theory-in-schools
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
When something comes along that rattles your foundations and makes you question your place in the scheme of things — it's not a comfortable place to be. In this episode, we check out the perspective — humbling, yet comforting — offered by a long-ago bed of marigolds. Why make life harder than it has to be?
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Quote by Stephen King in On WritingQuote from Neil Gaiman in Masterclass
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Additional music by Musictown from Pixabay
Sound Effect from Pixabay
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we consider the whole notion of setting goals — or resolutions — as we begin another year. As we'll see, sometimes it's a double-edged sword. What might happen if we plan a little less and trust ourselves a little more?
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Thanks for listening!
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which, now that the Christmas chaos is behind us, we consider the unique charms while the world slows down until New Year's. Take a breath, relax, and settle in. This week only comes around once every twelve months.
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Thanks for listening!
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which I conduct an interview with Chatbot GPT, the new publicly accessible artificial general intelligence from OpenAI. The responses are everything from bland to alarming — and they sound almost human. Almost, sometimes, better than human. It's a new world, my friend. Have we just created a tool so powerful that it might end up using us?
Thanks to my digital guest, Chatbot GPT, made possible by OpenAI
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Thanks for listening!
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Season 2, Episode 2: In which we talk about a change every woman — or every person assigned a factory-equipped female body — is bound to go through if they live long enough.
That's right, we're going to talk about The Change. The Big M. Menopause. It's high time to do some overthinking about a topic that isn't talked about enough. Grab a cool drink and let's dive in.
For some interesting perspectives, you might want to check out the online magazine TheMidlife.com: Menopause is Hot. No, they're not a sponsor, I'm not their endorser, and they don't even know I'm mentioning them. I just think they're a good resource to have.
Do you have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Thanks for listening!
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which Here's A Thought returns to reveal the theme for Season 2. But first, in view of the holiday season hurtling towards us, we consider our attempts to control the most uncontrollable aspect of our lives: time itself.
Have an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Do you have comments to share or an idea for an upcoming episode? Need something overthought? I'd love to hear from you!
Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Or, contact me on my website at www.JanMFlynn.net
Or, DM me on Twitter: @JanMFlynnAuthor
Theme music courtesy of Pixabay Music
This is the blog cast for people who overthink — but what do we mean by overthinking anyway? Let's give that some thought, while we celebrate Here's A Thought reaching its 48th episode — and the end of its first season!
Help us take the next season in a new direction! Email me your comments and suggestions for what you'd like me to overhink in an upcoming episode — at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
You won't wind up on a list (if you want to do that, go to my website and sign up for my email list at JanMFlynn.net) and I will never sell or share your address, I promise.
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There's lots to overthink right now: climate crises, democracy in upheaval, contentious elections coming up — so it strikes me as odd that one of the things that has people all worked up these days is bathrooms. That is, who gets to occupy them, and when.
In the light of everything else going on, it seems like an odd thing to fret over. What if it's not so much about having to share the facilities, or take turns using them, with mixed genders — as much as it's about having good restroom manners? In this episode, I share my response to an anonymous coworker whose sanitation habits definitely needed improvement.
Please share your comments with me and especially any suggestions you have for what you'd like me to overthink on an upcoming episode! Email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com and I'll respond personally ASAP — no lists, no sharing or selling your address, promise!
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
Incidental music by Nullhertz from Pixabay
In which — well, in which there are two topics:
1. I'd love to hear from you — your thoughts, your over-thoughts, your comments, and ALSO your suggestions for whatever you'd like me to overthink in an upcoming episode. Just email me at HeresAThought8@gmail.com — I'll never sell or share your email address, promise!
- If I run into you, especially if it's somewhere I don't usually run into you, I will absolutely remember you — just, maybe, not your name. I'm terrible with names, always have been, and it's embarrassing. But thanks to neuroscientist, author and blogger Dean Burnett, I've learned that brain science is on my side here.
Check out his book, Idiot Brain: What Your Head is Really Up To, or its excerpt he published in 2016 in New York magazine's The Cut. It's very reassuring, if names escape you too at times.
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we consider how much energy we use up trying to control things we can't. That's not because we're bad or foolish — it's because we're human. But maybe we could be a lot happier and more content if we learned how and when to lose control.
Marcus Aurelius and Audrey Hepburn might agree.
Leave me a comment, suggest what you'd like me to overthink on another episode, or just say hi at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which I stumble upon Encore.org and discover their exciting and hopeful mission — to bridge divides and bring the generations together to help heal the world and make it better. It's called cogeneration, and it's a very good thing. Join me as I take a peek.
Also mentioned: the new podcast from Crow's Feet: Life As We Age — check it out!
Leave me a comment, suggest what you'd like me to overthink on another episode, or just say hi at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we consider how our jobs — those things we do to pay the bills but that also do so much to fill our days and even define us — can be a source of fulfillment or a miserable slog. What makes them that way? Often, it's not about the things we think, like how impressive the job title is or even the size of the paycheck.
Leave me a comment, suggest what you'd like me to overthink on another episode, or just say hi at HeresAThought8@gmail.com
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we explore how we constantly describe our lives as crazy, and why — what if we weren't? What would happen if we all chilled out at once and became perfectly content? The impact on capital-M market would be unthinkable. Let's not even go there. Instead, let's examine just how crazy we need to be to keep the whole thing going, and how we can stay that way.
In which, with another election cycle bearing down on us, we consider the difference — if there is one — between being "political" and being responsible Americans. As citizens, what obligations do we have? Does it have to be a pain in the butt, or can we find some satisfaction in using our voices?
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which our faithful, wise, and highly pragmatic dog Molly takes us through an experience in which we are forced to come to grips with the fact that she's not going to be with us forever — or even for much longer, given that she's nearly fifteen. That doesn't worry Molly one bit. We're the ones who need some help with it, so she's showing us the way.
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we consider the common observation that people who own dogs tend to resemble their pets — or maybe it's the other way around. Either way, you can't really blame the dog.
Music by Pixabay Music.
In which I consider rules of clear writing — and the challenges of applying them to communicate hard things.
Also, the truth of Albert Einstein's observation that life has more imagination than we do.
Background music by Pixabay Music
In which a recent Twitter thread from Bill Gates announcing his newest gift to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation gets me thinking — about our current Gilded Age, its billionaires, and the rest of us here in the shrinking middle class.
All opinions expressed are entirely my own. Information sources include:
- Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation website
- Tristan Bove article in Fortune magazine, July 13, 2022
- Quote from Bill Gates in benzinga.com re: moving off the list of world's richest people
- Warren Buffett quote on how much to "leave the children."
- Gobankingrates.com: Median U.S. household retirement savings, citing survey from ConsumerAffairs and study by Government Accountability Office
- Politifact : Elizabeth Warren tweet, ""The top 0.1 percent ... own about the same wealth as 90 percent of America."
- Time.com, "The Top 1% of Americans Have Taken $50 Trillion From the Bottom 90% — And That's Made the U.S. Less Secure"; Sept. 14, 2020, Nick Hanauer and David M. Rolf
- Time.com, "The Economy is Great. The Middle Class is Mad"; April 28, 2022, Alana Samuels and Belinda Luscombe
- epi.org, Economic Policy Institute: "CEO Compensation Has Grown 940% since 1978"
- bmj.com, "Diseases of Despair Have Soared Over Past Decade in U.S."
Background music: Pixabay Music
In which I take up the challenge to compose a story featuring a character who wakes up on a train, with no idea how they got there, no ticket, and no idea where the train is headed. And it's not slowing down . . .
Sound effects courtesy of Pixabay Music
Background music courtesy of Pixabay Music
In which we consider one of the more awkward aspects of social media. Yes, it lets you reconnect with friends you thought you'd lost touch with — but what happens when you realize you should have let that touch remain lost?
In which we explore the dilemma of a writer whose family refuses to supply the conflict and drama that makes for good storytelling.
In which we examine the existential weirdness of a long layover in Airport World. Sometimes the most interesting part of travel happens when you're not going anywhere.
In which I learn the wisdom behind the phrase, "Listen to your body" — the hard way.
Warning: some strong language
In which we examine the most recent and arguably most ridiculous reason to be on opposite sides. Could we please stop handing the haters more gasoline to pour on their fires of controversy?
In which we consider the challenges and rewards of forgiveness — how it can take a long time, and it doesn't usually happen all at once.
In which we wrestle with a question that, for some of us, takes far too long to answer. Content advisory: themes of social justice and racism.
In which we acknowledge that we are perfectly aware that exercise is the best thing we can do to stay healthy as we age — but that doesn't mean we feel like doing it. Having stumbled upon a sure-fire method to motivate me to get moving, I offer it to you.
In which we consider the befuddling aspects of short-term memory, as well as encouraging evidence that forgetfulness is not necessarily linked with aging. There are tricks and techniques to help with memory — mine involves the cat.
In which I tell the story of meeting Husband Two long before I met Husband One — and how it took us all years to figure out our relationship. Especially after Husband One died. It's a love story, but it's complicated.
In which we consider one of the characteristics all humans share, whether we want to admit it or not: stupidity. It's not as negative as it sounds — if we can just acknowledge it, our lack of smarts in certain situations can make us kinder, better people.
In which we consider the history, purpose, and sometimes awkward nature of a holiday we're all supposed to embrace with open arms.
In which I parse a recent New York Timespanel discussion among men whom I'd expect to disagree with on almost everything — and make some surprising discoveries.
In which we consider whether it's possible — or even appropriate — to find joy in life when the world is in such a tragic mess.
Does our happiness matter? Does it do anybody else any good? Join me in some overthinking about that.
Just in time for spring and summer: in which I give helpful tips on the one method I've found that's guaranteed to curb your appetite and melt those pounds away — along with your health and sanity.
Content warning: discussion of dieting and distorted body image.
In which we consider ordinarily hygiene-obsessed Americans' strange reluctance to adopt a personal cleansing routine considered crucial in other parts of the world.
To find out more about the product described in this episode, the Aquaus 360, visit Rinseworks.com
The producers of this show received no payment or incentives for this product mention.
In which we consider, when life hands us something we wish we could change but cannot, the crucial distinction between resignation and acceptance.
In which I consider the troubling topic of ageism. Don't assume it's only an issue for old people: ageism is the one bias that attacks a population we'll all be a part of — if we're lucky.
In which, in recognition of Women's History Month, I relate an episode from my own history as a young woman in the days long before the #MeToo movement. Be warned: there are a few unbleeped words and phrases you may find objectionable.
In this blogcast for people who overthink, we return from a six-week hiatus to find that there's plenty to overthink about. From Putin's vicious invasion of Ukraine to Idaho liquor stores to an invention that could change women's lives, there's a lot to catch up on.
In which, during this last week of 2021, we consider the uni-directional nature of time — and how frustrating that can be. Wouldn't it be great if we could revisit past moments and fix them?
Following this episode, Here's A Thought will be on brief hiatus — but we'll be back in mid February with more distraction for your overworked brain!
If the news on the Omicron variant is putting a damper on the plans you had for a Christmas that was supposed to make up for last year's — here are some suggestions for keeping your sparkle going.
In which we reconsider the messages contained in one of the strange tales from the Brothers Grimm.
In which acquiring a new assistive device leads me to consider the possibilities of taking it further.
In which decorating for the holidays brings up thoughts of Christmases past — and a lot of vacuuming.
In which I consider the effects of keeping a dedicated gratitude journal on my bedside table. Spoiler alert: it has not made me any richer or more famous, but perhaps less petty.
In which my morning routine leads to a moment of gratitude for our signature human mouth parts.
In which I ponder the growing evidence that psychedelics — which I've always been afraid of — could offer relief and peace when confronting mortality and loss.
In which we celebrate the haunting season with a rather creepy short story. Ever regretted anything you did as a kid?
Got stuff? In which I offer, based on recent experience, five simple steps to contain your worldly possessions and relocate them without losing too much of your mind.
In which the ash tree outside my office window has something to offer about acceptance.
Are you, like me, are uncomfortable in tight spaces? Or do you tend toward anxiety like I do? Here's a brief story about the good that can result when you turn the power of your own mind in your favor.
In which I take on a writing challenge that proves daunting, until someone comes up with a different challenge that gets me unstuck. What do wombats have to do with unicycles, karma, or the kitchen sink? Listen and learn.