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A garden that won’t let go, a city that won’t quite receive you, and three sisters who pull up their roots to discover what follows when you leave home. We sit with playwright Zoe Rulin to explore Dirt, a 90-minute, magic-forward play that transforms displacement, loss, and belonging into living theater. Zoe shares how moving from New York back to rural Colorado during the pandemic seeded the image of daughters planted in their mother’s garden and the haunting question: can you ever truly return?

The conversation opens the creative toolbox behind a workshop production. Zoe walks us through securing space support, crowdfunding, and building a world on a budget with designer Vincent Gunn—think clotheslines, fabric, and suggestion over spectacle. With director Tyler Christie and a game cast, rehearsals become a laboratory for dramaturgy, where character logic, pacing, and cause-and-effect get stress-tested in the room. It’s a candid look at how new plays are made: messy drafts, precise notes, and the grind of reworking act two until it sings.

We also travel through Zoe’s evolving body of work. Medusa Prays reframes a familiar myth, putting Medusa and Athena into a sharp, modern reckoning with power and mercy. Six Red Seeds slides Persephone and Hades into a contemporary impact fund, where climate, capital, and consent collide. And Zoe reveals a new full-length in progress that threads Picasso’s relationship with Marie-Thérèse Walter through the Minotaur’s shadow, interrogating art, desire, and self-mythology.

If you’ve ever wondered how a script becomes a stage event—or why certain images take root and refuse to leave—this is your front-row seat. Come for the award-winning origin story, stay for the practical writerly advice: set timers, embrace bad first drafts, and get your work into the room. Subscribe, share with a theater-loving friend, and leave a review with the moment that hit you hardest.

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A Sunday-brunch start quickly turns intense as we unpack a Pennsylvania case where police found more than 100 human skulls, torsos, and mummified remains in a home and storage unit. We trace the investigation from tips to Instagram follows, then wrestle with motive: is the oddities trade a cover for crime, a magnet for the unwell, or both? The conversation pulls in true‑crime mythmaking, Ed Gein lore, and how the internet’s back alleys make it easier to cross lines that used to feel unthinkable.

From real‑world horror we slide into Hawkins, revisiting the Stranger Things finale with fresh eyes. We celebrate the show’s secret sauce—kids who act like kids, adults who bend but don’t break, and 80s details that feel lived‑in instead of kitschy. Murray’s deadpan heroism, Hopper’s bruised heart, the Wheelers’ quiet backbone, and needle‑drops from Master of Puppets to synth‑soaked pop remind us why this story stuck. Could there be prequels or spin‑offs? Maybe. But sometimes closing the gate is the most satisfying ending of all.

We close with our most personal segment: a heartfelt, at‑home goodbye to a beloved dog, and a candid look at euthanasia and assisted dying. We talk signs of late‑stage decline, how in‑home services protect comfort and pack closure, and why compassion can be an action, not just a feeling. Then we widen the lens to policy and ethics: hospice, autonomy, dignity, and the case for giving terminal patients a humane choice when suffering overwhelms treatment.

If these topics moved you—true crime ethics, Stranger Things’ legacy, or the realities of saying goodbye—share this with a friend, leave a review, and tell us what dignity means to you. Subscribe for more thoughtful dives, and drop your take in the comments so we can feature it next time.

Hosted by: Cottman, Crawford & The Jersey Guy
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Resolutions sound great until real life shows up with candy bowls, crowded gyms, and late-night cravings. We decided to trade grand promises for small wins and a good laugh, opening the year with a candid chat about what actually sticks: removing triggers, shrinking goals, and building routines that survive a bad day. One story sets the vibe—kicking cigarettes for 30 years by ditching alcohol for a season and stacking better habits in its place—proof that environment design beats raw willpower.

We get practical about training as we age: lighter impact, smarter progression, and recovery you actually respect. Sugar takes center stage as the stealth saboteur of holidays and office life, and we share how cutting added sugar for months improved energy, inflammation, and mood without going joyless. Instead of forcing January 1 to carry all the pressure, we champion off-calendar starts and tiny daily actions. If the goal feels heavy, halve it; if you miss a day, lower the bar, not the standard. Mental health matters, too—less people-pleasing, fewer pointless fights, more boundaries and outlets that calm the mind without wrecking the week.

Of course, we make room for the hangout energy: a quick tequila toast, a spirited eyebrow-trend rant, sci‑fi nostalgia from Soylent Green to Running Man, and a nod to the community that’s grown with us. We also put a beacon out for dream guests—yes, Joey Diaz, we’re ready at 2 a.m. if you are. If you’re tired of resolutions that fizzle, this is your reset: build a life that makes the right choice the easy choice and let time compound the gains.

If this resonates, follow the show, share it with a friend who needs a realistic reset, and drop your one tiny habit for 2026 in the comments. Your idea might help someone else get started.

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Think Christmas is only lights, cocoa, and cozy sweaters? We pull back the tinsel to reveal the darker folklore beating under the season: Krampus with his chains and birch rods, Belsnickel testing children in fur and grit, and La Befana gliding in on Epiphany Eve with gifts and old-world warmth. From Wales’ Mari Lwyd—yes, the singing horse skull at your door—to Iceland’s man-eating Yule Cat for those without new clothes, these winter legends carry real bite.

We connect the dots across cultures to show why the cold months invited stories that enforced community rules and soothed collective anxieties. Krampusnacht sits beside Saint Nicholas Day like shadow and light. Greek Kallikantzaroi goblins bring gremlin energy to the Twelve Days. Ukraine’s Christmas spider spins a gentler origin for tinsel, while Catalonia’s Tió de Nadal turns a log into a candy “pooper,” part absurdist joy, part ritual reward. Even Sweden’s towering Gävle Goat plays cat-and-mouse with arson and tradition, proving folklore lives as much in spectacle as in story.

Through humor and history, we ask what these myths were really for. Fear-based parenting once used monsters to shape behavior; today’s “Santa is watching” is the softened sequel. Yet modern festivals—Krampuslauf to SantaCon—still turn streets into stages where communities negotiate chaos and cheer. By embracing the spooky edges of winter, we see why Christmas was never purely safe or simple; it’s a living tapestry that holds both consequences and compassion.

Join us for a fast, funny, and thoughtful tour through the holiday’s shadowy corners, then tell us your favorite strange tradition. If you enjoy the show, subscribe, share it with a friend, and leave a review—it helps us grow, bring on more guests with our new video setup, and make even better episodes for you.

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Eight nights, rising light, and a story that refuses to fade. We dive into Hanukkah’s heart: the Maccabean fight for identity, the oil that burned beyond reason, and the menorah in the window that says we’re here without saying a word. Along the way, we unpack the biggest myth—Hanukkah isn’t “Jewish Christmas”—and show how a modest holiday grew into a meaningful cultural anchor.

We keep things grounded and personal. From childhood envy of tinsel and towering trees to the calm rhythm of blessings at sundown, we talk about gifts, lists, and why some families save the “big present” for the first night. We break down the shamash, why the light increases, and how dreidel letters encode a miracle. The food is half the joy—latkes crisped in oil, knishes that taste like memory, gelt that turns a lesson into a treat—each bite connecting back to the story.

We also explore visibility and respect: menorahs on lawns, blue and white lights, and what it means to celebrate side by side with Christmas without blending meanings. Mixed backgrounds and ancestry come up, too—how traditions adapt across generations and why public light matters for minority faiths. The result is a clear, warm guide to celebrating with intention, whether you’re lighting your first candle or teaching kids why the window glow is more than decoration.

If this conversation added a little light to your day, tap follow, hit subscribe, and share it with someone who’d love the story behind the candles. Leave a quick review to help more listeners find us, and tell us: what tradition do you most look forward to this season?

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The cameras are rolling and the tinsel is out—we just leveled up to a multicam studio and used the fresh setup to wrestle with December in all its messy glory. From last-minute outdoor lights in a cold snap to the art of turning Halloween props into holiday cheer, we share how we actually decorate, not how Instagram says we should.

Money and time get real fast when your calendar stacks Christmas next to birthdays and New Year. We swap partner gifts for a great date night, map out smarter shopping timelines, and make the case for the 26th as a stealth power move for deals and returns. There’s travel talk too: theme parks can be magical this time of year, but we’ve lived the lines and learned the hard lessons about expectations, schedules, and patience.

Food is the soft heart of the episode. We celebrate Puerto Rican favorites like pernil, arroz con gandules, coquito, and pasteles, nod to Italian classics from lasagna to the Feast of the Seven Fishes, and shine a light on Jewish comfort dishes like lokshen kugel and potato kugel. We even explore vegan swaps that keep tradition alive without leaving anyone out. Along the way, we open up about the years when the holidays felt heavy and share simple ways to guard your headspace—drive to see neighborhood lights, buy gifts on your timeline, and practice gentleness with strangers.

And then the soundtrack wars begin. Wham overplay, Mariah inevitability, Springsteen’s Santa, Trans-Siberian fireworks, novelty songs we love to hate, and a few unexpected bangers from metal to a cappella. Whether music or visuals make it feel like Christmas for you, we’ll help you curate a season that fits. Hit play, join the conversation, and tell us your ride-or-die holiday track. If this episode made you smile or sparked an idea, follow, share with a friend, and drop a review so others can find the show.

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Holiday movies aren’t just tradition—they’re seasonal therapy. We kick things off with a nod to small businesses and a quick studio upgrade, then map a watchlist that spans cozy nostalgia and laugh-out-loud chaos. From It’s A Wonderful Life to Miracle on 34th Street, we unpack why the classics still land: perspective, grace, and the quiet chain reaction of small kindnesses. That thread runs straight into Dickens’ legacy, whether you prefer the original Christmas Carol or Bill Murray’s brilliantly jagged Scrooged.

The 80s and 90s gave the genre its pop-culture backbone. We relive A Christmas Story’s perfect nostalgia, the quotable mayhem of National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, and Home Alone’s cartoon physics that somehow still feel heart-forward. Then we shift to modern staples: The Santa Clause reimagines the myth with single-dad tenderness, while Elf proves earnest joy can outshine even the grumpiest city street. Polar Express earns a debate on animation, but its train-to-belief metaphor continues to charm families who want wonder with their cocoa.

Along the way, we celebrate the cozy glow of neighborhood lights, the creative mashup of Halloween-meets-Christmas decor, and the way a good story can nudge us to return the cart, hold the door, and pay it forward. Whether you’re here to argue Die Hard’s holiday credentials or build a December movie rotation that feels just right, you’ll leave with fresh picks, deeper appreciation, and a reason to be a little kinder.

If this conversation sparked your watchlist, follow the show, share it with a friend, and drop a review with your must-watch holiday movie—we’ll feature our favorites in an upcoming episode.

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The turkey isn’t even cold yet and the group chat is already asking who’s lining up for doorbusters. We pull back the curtain on Black Friday with first-hand stories from the retail floor, from walkie-coordinated openings to the hard lessons that taught stores how to keep crowds safe. If you’ve ever wondered whether that 3 a.m. sprint is worth it, we’ve got the context, the cautionary tales, and smarter strategies that actually save money without sacrificing sleep.

We explore how the frenzy evolved: midnight openings fading, Cyber Monday swelling, and mobile checkout turning couches into checkouts. But it’s not just tech and timing. We dig into what people really want to unwrap now—smart TVs, laptops, noise-canceling headphones, robot vacuums—and when a mid-tier brand beats a hyped name. We talk toys old and new, from Tickle Me Elmo and Cabbage Patch chaos to today’s evergreen Legos and the rise of creator merch from YouTube stars that Gen Alpha treats like team colors. If you’ve felt lost in endless product pages, we help you pick with purpose.

There’s also a case for shopping small. Unique mugs crafted by local artists, limited-run prints, custom hoodies, and thoughtful pieces that carry a story—these gifts outlast the algorithm. We share tips for mixing in-store and online, using price history and alerts, and even waiting until after the holiday to catch deeper markdowns and better size selection. Along the way, you’ll hear outlet legends, crowd-control insights, and the best times to park, glide in, and skip the chaos.

Hit play, get a plan, and shop with intention. If you enjoy the show, follow, share it with a friend who still camps out for TVs, and leave a quick review to help more savvy shoppers find us. What’s your Black Friday strategy this year—lining up or logging in?

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