392. Gatekeep the Sadness

I'm excited to talk to you too. I I would love to also just hear in terms of like for our podcast about the show, you know, behind the scenes at Ponderosa, I'd love to hear about how this new era is affecting you. That's a good thing. Well let me look around. And no matter how good or bad your world gets, I mean, are we are do we really need to go back to step zero of Buddhism? And then third, you get a green one for compost. Where he's got a place in New Jersey and he just commutes three hours? That's weird. How do I play a song on repeat? What you really meant was you wanted to request of me Merlin, tell me your favorite color is what I should have. and you said do you have a favorite color is what you typed and then I answered and you said omg so so the thing is when I was a little kid um I had a night light you know like little kids have like when you're young Can you imagine that apartment?

That's next level. Like I said in that post this morning, like if you plug in a USB key on the first try, would it kill you to say thank you? Not usually, pretty much exclusively, it is because of trans stuff, but it's not trans people. I I feel bad for you, Fidel. for like how the world is and then demand everybody acknowledge that and get mad if they're not on board and I'm with you. Well, you want me to have a f a feeling about a a feeling or be uh um I just want you to be happy. Yes. The title the title waves. Well tell ya, anniversaries and mother's day are complicated. Notice some good things. Start noticing good things and say so. But I never know what's I think that's mine. I don't know.

that your friend's getting fired because they didn't write up five bullets on their job performance. So like a like a die-in or something like that? Fixed, which is Alex Goldman's news show, and he tries to answer people's big questions. Sh at the very end of the episode, she said, you know what? It's, you know, it's this whole, hmm, I don't know if I want to call it a movement, but there's a book. They were like, look, you have to have a birth plan. that if you don't if you don't utilize these options, you know, you're you're s you're simple. It's right here in the mini fridge. learn how to advocate for yourself. Yeah, yeah. So many babies. And as soon as there are some people out there that as soon as they find out that someone is pregnant, you get about three seconds of, oh, this is going to be the greatest miracle that ever happened in your life, which may or may not be true.

And those stories, we heap these onto women and then give them advice about how to avoid that. If you've survived something you thought you could never survive, you're gonna tell people about that. That movie's really good. But I don't know what it is. Oh, I'm willing to find I'm willing to finally speak out. 'Cause I think I overdo the that's good. watching videos about this stuff, it's what a crazy time. Orwell talks about you know how we've always been at war with East Asia. before at the deepest, darkest, most mentally ill parts of m my life. Like I know, but there there is uh but uh even having said that, there is comedy. in agreeing that things are terrible terrible. So instead, I'm just suggesting this very anodyne, lame, self-help, DIY bullshit, which is to notice when when you see a good thing, say it's a good thing.

like br brushing your teeth, doing the dishes, taking out the trash are some examples, right? But like we still like you're they're not gonna take your trash if you do that. Boo, we don't have enough room in the trash can, so we just put all that. And it's like, you know, the wise man and the camel, you know? You know something. It's it's not a bit, it's a real thing. We would just put that. There's things like Illinois were working to be a sanctuary state the same way Minnesota is, which means different things like um there's sanctuary states for women who need abortions, like there's Off l like not offline, but not so much on the uh okay. Oh, that's good. I don't know. is that you're fairly obsessed with scaffolding and I'm very interesting interested in the t the the details of the building we're making.

The things that Um playlists aren't really from this decade, but Apple Mus oh god, it's an app, isn't it? Who am I thinking of? Poca poca loca. So she had done like a r like a regular version of this song. There should be another like the hamburger looking thing is uh line. It just looks like a sketch from a design student. And the good challenge though. Themes by my friend Ethan Scoonover that has achieved a great deal of success in the world, but it's from the guy that did Kinkless GTD, and I think people should know that. OMG. that I feel very strongly about and fortunately I can usually not saying this is the cause of it being my favorite, but I can actually give you examples. Do you have yes or no?

If you'd asked this like a person, we could have had a conversation. I had a light and it was a shade of blue that I still feel very close to. Uh this week's challenge. And I mean you ask you you're asking a a question and I'm trying to answer it. practicing mindfulness online. We try to I mean one I'm d I hadn't thought of this till now, but and it's difficult not to talk about this without looking at the discourse. We try in some way we try to align ourselves with the input in our life. I mean, even setting aside the usual reasons why people are unhappy, which is because they're active humans. Notice a good thing that's right in front of you. ha was very lucky to, you know, g get health insurance, get, you know, have support from friends and quitting, they're like resigning, they're speaking out, they're canceling shows.

someone's doing a s a sit-in, I immediately think of the um die-ins both from act up Even that feels like such a loaded word. Uh we have a really rich history of like how to do and learn from things. uh the Trump election. how I want to define my family and what sort of joy I get to bring into my life. thing. It and that that's why I had a problem with that question. I don't think it's in well, I I don't think it's a weird thing to think. Like can you even conceive it's harder than history tells us to you know G get somebody all the way out. that you can look into. now happen just as you're crowning. unfortunately do have, which made me more likely to hear this message, but what what we walked away with, you have an adversarial relationship with everybody involved in childbirth.

and you have to tell them you want it your way. It's what I the other the take the takeaway as they say for me was wow this is yet another it sells itself as a way to give you options and create freedom for women and families, but the tone makes it feel like a kind of judgment. is not very wholesome sometimes. But you're also I mean, I I'm not simple enough to go, oh, just have a baby. that you may or may not want to find for notes. If anybody but Ruth Gordon played that in any way except how Ruth Gordon played it, where she's always the same way. uh a half wolf uh w you probably knew that in the thing just one of the great dog actors yes oh there's really good that's the very first entry on my list of good dog actors we should be saying a lot more often and with a much lower threshold, in my opinion.

better than you expected or it went you went your way. I I don't know. And y you really see this. things that I enjoy because they they shine. And we're trying to like call out things like just in addition to random people, like party officials, intellectuals, professors, whatever. Who we suspect might be doing things that harm the revolution. or grateful because of how many bad things are happening. The heart of this challenge that I knew for me was the point of it, and I'm curious if this was the point for you. Um blue, black, and green. I don't I don't have to rethink. You I think you live by Steven Miller. Um is that a pattern that is a is a good go forward strategy for you? I'm trying to become more and more skeptical about anything that feels like a skeleton key, but like there there is really something to the rush, the where like or you know even just looking at just the dumb stuff of like looking at headlines, whatever that is.

I just feel like an asshole being like well beforehand uh b like before the election, before like you know, you need to write your congressman or call somebody uh but any sort of inertia. C Crochet and uh silent sadness. Again, RSS in general this week. I n okay, RSS is not an app. I ha I made the um You think Stephen Miller would be Oh my god a bad job what if pffr um examples from a different decade? ambient music. is that actually those are just pre-pop lists that they're linking to. Um what's her name? Emo, maybe Disney artist. Um, it's it's a movie he made in Sweden in the early seventies about a clown who makes fun of Hitler. To me uh Wait, you're close, you're close, yes. I don't think so.

This this bang. Where's the where's the button? at the bottom right and that gives you it shows you know what is I guess called the Q and then at the top Airplay and bullets. And then putting it into the program. spend, you know, three hours recording and editing with you. And yeah, but not on YouTube. purple I've a a new little purple light that makes me really happy to to read. What are you gonna do? does relate to a I'm not gonna get any context for this am I? D do I use it sometimes? Why did she say OMG to that? pleasing for you and uh oh so you were gonna add like a a splash of uh a favorite color of mine. that it mmm challenged. Sho uh sh should we? of something I I kind of already do compulsively in some ways, but bubbling it up to be a deliberate thing feels wholesome.

It's just it's the it is the deliberate, mindful, deliberate noticing of things, and then remarking upon it And the thing that in that case is preventing Will from finding help is life. But but when you notice if when your mind notices anything, that should remind you that you're alive. But really it ultimately is, I'm cutting to the chase here, it ultimately is a form of gratitude. Yeah. Understandably, like a so many people associated with the Kennedy Center, which is you know a great institution, they're so bummed out about the changes that are happening there. And from um I forget the name of the organization, but the there were a lot of organizations um protesting So it's like, we don't like this change in the rules, so no one's gonna post anywhere today.

I don't I think that's just should I have kids is such a personal question that I'm like, ooh, I I always want to back out of this. just fully expecting everything to be perfect. No, please do. Just just first person reporting. can have give birth in a hot tub. you know, doulas and whatnot and she said, Ah, uh first time I gave burn it came right out and I had a micelobe waiting in the mini fridge. about your place in this process that may be completely at odds with how reality works. to make pregnant women anxious and fearful. Rosemary about how this is all going. The all of this d episode has uh upset my vagina. You're you're like flighty, slightly invasive, like too much in your face neighbor, right?

Can you envision how your world changes when you go from just the pure everything is not not not not to like I'm not saying to like I'll stick your head in the sand, but keeping your head out of the sand is not making things that much better. Really, it's not making you better, but you're surrounded by stuff to which you should be saying thank you, and that was good. And you may have more of that than you realize, and a dumb exercise like this may give your very rational mind permission to say that was good. And either the Great Leap Forward or the Cultural Revolution or possibly both. operated. You know? that were working across purposes with our ongoing revolution. There is a vibe this might be chicken problem, but I think there's a vibe right now, which is it's unseemly it's unseemly to enjoy things.

See also everything is everything. And you develop more gratitude on a more personal basis. From you making a change. And but I'm in no position to say at this point, dude, that's no fucking way to go through life. That's where I come from anyway. for a long time been thinking of gratitude almost as a muscle, which makes it sound like uh which I think is different than a a habit. not stumbling into like happy spontaneity and instead I've uh uh teeth, I I guess. That's oh God. really super not saying that. you know, a little thing pops out and like it's it seems like it's worth sharing with people. how you feel about someone you care about onto them. Well, I'll put it in my own terms. Don't I mean and like you know if you're if you're calling or you're emailing or you're whatever to check in is so you get a star for being a good boy.

I think you have to be circumspect with your support, you know? Bums me out sometimes. Th s with queer stuff and access to medication, it's kind of been an ongoing issue. talking about that stuff with people kind of parallel to the shitty stuff. Yeah, I guess there there's not just agency, but inertia versus just sitting and being sad. It's uh the w uh well. that is um in the beta. songs I made like a month ago that are th I'm like, oh man, I l I think I listen. Oh, this is I don't think I have heard this song. On the, I guess what is the now playing screen, there is a hamburger style button. I feel safest of all. because we yeah it because this is uploaded to YouTube automatically now because of RSS and uh a couple of them you know it feels great feels great for me Spen Folders of feelings.

Oh, oh, and I mean I g I got uh nothin' I s was like, oh th that's good when I uh had a little Uh no, but uh Alex if I could say Alex recently asked me apropos of absolutely nothing I think you asked me whether I have a favorite color was your question. Okay, so basically nothing had happened for a while. Sure. favorite color normal people would answer with just their favorite color. Next text. Who asked it? Why did you ask me this? from um um in some cases real life, some cases fiction, I could tell you what colors, what shades of blue I like, but you know what's funny? Is it a good thing? I don't know. Um I think we try to become invulnerable. be upset about at at once. Well then we should all be quiet.

um link to a clip of uh a pot of uh it's called not hypercritical hyper Is it rational to have kids? Knowing he won the popular vote made me realize that I don't want a political climate making the choice from me. I d I mean what it's what it's trying to pitch you is like I'm gonna put this very generously in my own words. I've known a lot of women that are probably kind of grateful they didn't go to a ranch to have a baby because it didn't go perfectly. to women about a lot of stuff. There's uh it it uh I am attracted to something like oh this is something that will help you Um but it was it was that the assertiveness of well okay one other thing just one quick other thing and I don't know. Women women love telling each other war stories.

every every single uh um incontinence problem, every single I can never have normal sex again because they had to sew me up like fucking Frankenstein Thank you, and that was good. Yeah, yeah, um like this is some rosemary's baby level acting like this uh uh did did uh what oh what's his name? You know that phrase I'm using counter-revolutionary. That is oh I'm not even gonna pull it up, but basically I'm like, um, listen, I uh I've wanted to kill myself before Because it also aligns it also aligns with that the uh thing I've got, because you know I got problems with authority, which is like, you know, be careful of people who want you to be somebody other than who you are and ask how they might benefit Because you're always it's like white lotus.

Oh okay. the compost when it's just full of the trash you couldn't fit into the trash can. ch tender and tenuous and iffy parts of how we think about things. The the answer could be like people I've done. There's a l a lot of stuff. What it has been overwhelming is seeing l I am often not not uh I really hate uh I am mostly like off Uh uh but the it not things that are happening, but I uh Not a Trojan horse. It's just that making playlists in Apple Music is so joyless. Oh, so like my I can I'm like of course all of mine are in Spotify because I'm not an animal, but like if I want to play my my Born Slippy Gettin' Pumped Up playlist, I could just have that be a button in control center. Uh uh uh Tamp Tampopo Poptard, whatever her name is.

Nah uh Amy Hammy man. Do you know something I'm talking about? There's a Jerry Lewis Holocaust movie that was never finished and released. Correct. Which uh Vado Emo Love Me. Yes, I'm I'm trying to find it on Apple Music right now. I watched the trash theory video on Gary Newman again yesterday. So good. Yes, please do. You said perfect, thank you, and then I said my pleasure. Uh uh between Yes. Um uh nope, I couldn't do it. Which seems a little manic at first. a little bit historically touchy about this stuff because it involves getting into the rat king of your psyche in a way that a lot of people find kind of upsetting. Uh how so versus any type of mindset. relatively same slurry of sad, I mean, that makes your factory pretty unproductive It's how the people I know react to them.

Hi, Rolly, to me, about a thing that happens on our side, which is how and I I'm I'm just being a dick for a minute. But um but it was the I already have so much I'm so bummed about the way we talk for yourself in this this way. which really contributes to the success of the effect in that movie. I was. That's some people will love that. uh the title movements of how the world is, especially now that so much of our life is conducted at least partially publicly online. Uh examples from a different thing. No. I'm less confident now than I was before. I thought we were gonna get the full Lovato. You disallow any meta-conversation about whether something should be done and proceed straight into whatever it is you feel like saying.

What several shades of blue you enjoy? not talking about gratitude, I suppose. Huh. But it does have some very assertive things to say about how the world works that goes way beyond you have options You're good. The Polish rapist isn't a big thing. Yep, I wrote mmm, this is I can say it here. That you could be grateful for, consider being grateful for it. Which just I don't know why it just it sets me off that they always do that because they will not take to I'm not saying avoid, but to not join in with. I know. You you mentioned something online first. I'm excited about it. Oh talk about more things th that are good. Oh, you know what? So I don't I don't know if your channel's exactly killing it, but thank God for RSS.

since pre-election discourse since around Christm before Christmas time, because I think you noticed I I go online into this slurry of sad, and it's The thing is that uh I'm not criticizing her to say I am. her life and work. That's it's not helping. Yeah, I uh don't like to think of uh gratitude as a habit so much anymore because I found myself when folks come to me really upset about any Trump or Musk discord and you usually And and then I look like that asshole who is a privileged and just, you know, burying myself in a little hiding case. No it Yeah. I don't know if I want to have kids. Uh-huh. Oh, that's a big thing. Uh, who is the artist emo version singer? Not so much productivity porn, but you know, we were like dabbling in that and it did also have something to do with apps.

And then three man is the kind of person who puts uh in a text. Uh wa wait wait what you say when you say I I should know what you meant, what what are you talking about? I mean, I don't even know where to begin as an example. I I don't know. What a choice. I always be on the verge of completely falling apart and never realizing the things that are actually good in life. You probably don't, so I'll remind you. Um knit another pussy hat, Jesus. It's really what you're saying is now that we've laid out all this information for you, there's the only clear option is for you to do this, to adopt this fairly extreme attitude. Are there any more good things I can be grateful for? Something about the neighbor.

Please, please really don't yeah. And it's one of those kind like you have in bathrooms, at least in Ohio, where you like it's just a little thing you plug in to the wall and it's just a tiny little light. Yes. So what's the thing? My um God, how do you oh this is this is difficult. So let me know when you're ready. M-dash, what's your favorite color? Why are you mad about purple? What do you mean by input? You gotta give them the raw milk with the blood in it and shit. But the phrase the re the phrase I I I use that phrase is that was a term that they would often use to apply to a panoply of different behaviors or thought crimes. Expresses a negative feeling online being bummed about w whatever and they're like, oh first time or first time learning about this.

It's a really cool idea. That was good. Oh. Isn't that a great line? talking about like old school GTD and sort of talking about feelings intern like putting our feelings into 4 43 But the Be Kind Rewind Woman does a thing on Ruth Gordon that's that's really, really terrific and will make you appreciate I thought, thanks for the heads up, buddy. Listen to all of these magazines Tell me who I'm supposed to be Way too good a camouflage Can't see why I am I just see why I'm not I'm guilty about everything Well what's the c well I have to just bring my own context. This is I mean I've already said what the challenge is, but it ties to lots of stuff for me. What I find overwhelming isn't necessarily the actual events What's the uh let's find the singer's name?

We've hired a new editor who doesn't like doing work. Do you have a favorite color? I ask you a definitive question that can either be answered yes or no. Is that a call you need to take? Raw milk baby. Can you even imagine having that apartment? My very irrational mind kind of w worries that I am sticking my head in the the sand. All of my things I realize. Okay. Like if you want to relax or you want to sleep or recharge or change with theta waves or whatever the hell. Fuck. Do you have an answer to this? Is it a good thing? So anyway, what it's what but it started with and like God, it's almost impossible like to I don't know, the more I think about this, the more I realize there are two phrases.

Sing a different solidarity song, Why Don't Check? Organized organized silence, that'll get them. God, it it makes me sound like it's just his and he's he is king. Oh boy. I've found that a lot of groups like that, kind of kind of like AA as well. God, if you ever watch that that episode of three body problem, like I guess I didn't know how the red guard I can only mention things I've made. Amy Lovato. Oh oh I see I thought you were gonna just play over uh it over quick like a monster. Doesn't it doesn't it buoy you a little bit to know that you can notice good things? I am very well, is there anything in particular you're excited about or just just the whole idea of it? I kind of dip my toe in and then walk back because there's uh so many things to No, I won't tell.

But you know, we're sitting on the floor in Noe Valley with all these other future moms and dads and peoples and helpers and It's almost easier to pick up things that I do. And so it's I find joy in that and have, you know, I I'm you're being it is a a little bit like uh you are being uh mentally ill wrong. Oh, this is fun. Would be if I just shared this with our listeners. It's like who do you fucking want me to be? But then it it's just becomes second n nature. No. And what's the name of your playlist? Oh. When you notice something good, say that it's good. I as we were going through this process, by which I mean mostly my wife was going through this process, it, you know, it becomes very clear people I didn't know that it was public, which is extremely.

It's unseemly not to constantly bring the great big world into every situation. You heard me you've heard me rag on you on other podcasts where I often say that I think your problem is of the one difference between us that makes me better than you. But the idea is you pull in a button, you drop a button in your control center, and when you hit that, it starts playing like Also one one of the best. Coco melon. All right. Kind of. The introductory dependent clause is about how great your life is going to be, followed by a recitation of every single tear. That's a very, very weird thing. Um you know, zone of interest. Like black is a is a half-size trash can for trash. Gosh, I wonder if I'll take out the trash this week.

I don't know. Is it dot dot dot? And we'll see if Selena Gomez gets mad at us. It's be that's why he stands. Are you okay? That was good. She is a uh n Disney andor Nickelodeon actor, but I don't remember Oh, that's good. What's her name? Well, and I mean everybody's different. And I have I have I have myriad thoughts about that, but I'll I'll just stop right there. Not that you have to always be thanking other people a lot, but you need to say thank you to somebody. Oh so you get to decide like why and how people should be sad. I'm so I'm you know what? Challenge. God damn it, that would fuck shit up. I I can tell I can tell you now. I think that's useful information, but by the time you read this book and you go to the class It could be.

There's always going to be another thing for you to notice and be bummed about. That is a really neat idea that they presented in a way that's a little bit of a um I'm gonna put it in. I can lock all the doors. Because I was working on some things for show notes and I wanted to make it aesthetically. Oh goodness. Yeah, see see the problem is though, yeah, I just wrote a thing about this. Yeah, and it ended up being really effective. Oh, one of the best. Be kind rewind on Ruth Gordon and how it's very, very good, like so many of that woman. What I am saying is like, is your hyper unignoring of the world improving things? Make a hat. Well, and it's it does way more than it seems. So what you asked me on the internet was, you said, do you enjoy the solarize theme?

And uh I had a problem with that question for a whole lot of reasons, but the answer being, um You let them know when you want the balloon drop. I first heard that used um I think in talking about Mao And that can be a form of comfort. He's just like I I should have a uh right to drive. This isn't do you remember sending this? I guess I haven't been intentionally doing this Yeah. I mean most of us are fretting about all kinds of things in the best of circumstances. Now if you go this other way, and I'm not I'm not criticizing any of this, I am saying that not everybody And I'm just saying, like if you have one of those pregnancies that requires salad tongs or a vacuum cleaner, you know, they may not have that on the ranch.

The man continues to Why why would he live near me? The title the title title uh title. It's in in Overcast. But they were organizing around uh opiate addiction and the effects that uh you know We both walked away thinking like, oh my god, this is this this group is it's not a cult So anyways, um did you did you are there things you could talk about that you noticed that were good? That that's good. I think pretty unpopular terms. I don't think her name's Tampopo. There. And I think there the way a lot of people, including other women, talk to women about childbirth. It's not you're never gonna be so happy and contented that you never have problems again. Uh no, no, no, Apple Music. I I you could where's the button that used to be the the the the s the the the the the circle arrows with a one in it like what happened It's very good.

Um and so you said do you enjoy the solarized theme? I was I was told it was gonna be so easy to be dodging sperm left and right and then I did tell you about the natural child birth class we went to Oh, yes. I don't I don't she's now she's not the one on only murders in the building. And I said, sometimes do you? What we learned is you do a thing, you do this, where I ask you a defense Yes. It's this it's the same principle. No, that no, we should gatekeep the sadness. I'll find it. We gotta cut we gotta continue the block. It's a side? Goodwill hunting? Like, well your day was already bad enough, but then you found out And like right now, there's a compost can just sitting outside that's just full of bags of garbage in plastic bags.

Okay, that's the way it's a good thing. I'm grateful for that feature. Who's the name of that what's the name of that singer? What the fuck does that mean? Uh but between my spouse and I, between uh the two noises, I'm not uh what do you think? It would be. And I don't think they mean it that way, but that's how it comes out. Um I I feel like a lot more. I don't know if the character's name is Helmet Helmet Dork with two O's. That's beautiful. You sent me a link about somebody on Survivor being in trouble. You're mad there's purple. You're so mad. No, that's a call Maddie needs to take, but not me. I'm not saying I'm practicing mindfulness. Like that's just not gonna work for everybody. And then I'm not d just talking about, you know, um raw milk baby ink, but the Is that a company?

Like we're each holding a different part of the trash can. I want to hear you get excited about it. What's your name? We'll get we'll get to challenge later. Which sounds crazy. Mm-hmm. I don't. All right. The Hemi Semi Demi Lovato channel. There are I mean like there's no to me there's no better word than overwhelming. And uh which it does, which it absolutely does. It's gonna sit, you know, it's gonna sit in front of my window. The answer to that would be I no, I I did not. It's on my playlist. I can't do it without starting it, but when you are Like it's where do I how do you how do you get a track to repeat? I don't know people just R now? You go in there and you tell everybody in the room that they're gonna follow your birth plan.

I did. Well, like we've always been having this revolution. Make another hat. And people No, no, hold on. Oh, just of just really really anything that's not about what's happening right now? Cocoa Melon. I love me. Oh, it's maybe. Yeah. Yeah. And if that's helping you, Hakuna Matada. He just wanted her to come to his birthday party. I don't hate it. You know what's really good is the uh there's that one song that there's a song that woman sings. Uh fuck uh Um I'm not leaving till I find it Get ready. I'm being that certain way, aren't I? And it feels fruity. It's a very upsetting movie, but there's a very good dog in it. I gotta take this. It's not Selena Gomez. I'm close, I'm so close. And then I go home, I turn on my Apple TV and I see the uh video we just did.

I'm so excited to talk to you, Merli Man. But but you don't you don't you don't have that you don't feel that pressure that so many of us feel that I But you know the scene I'm talking about where they bring the people on stage? I don't know why that bothers me, but it does. No question mark. Yes. The well and it's it's d difficult to die. This this makes me very nervous. I don't enjoy when someone You mentioned uh something you posted that I did not see. I thought we were kind of past that, but no. Here something I said was was oh that's good. No, okay. It is a way to syndicate. I think there's another one that's actually this is on the demi lavato. And then a little bit so mad. It is. S I I d uh did very well this week then.

Uh if it wouldn't interrupt the challenge. That's the thing. Someone yesterday he doesn't listen to the show texted, Did you hear that all uh LGBTQ government workers are being fired? Three, two, one, play. I mean, has there Oh not at all. You just move in and have sex on the floor with John Cassavetis. It can be a form of grieving. Remember learning that? They did a smart job of pointing out a new this is a new feature in iOS Stay for the course. Challenge! I can just feel whoa, why'd you talk about the tearing? Maybe a couple three people will think about noticing good things. I personally, 'cause it but I mean Then you said, do you have a favorite color? Also also also I had sex with my mom.

But like I I I saw a headline where some musicians were gonna protest by like I guess they're gonna like stand around and not play their instruments. After I I thought, no, this seems like a bad That's good. When it's walking down the hall? I like that. Um but young people like high school aged people were basically having a revolution inside of the revolution And so we call those kind of revolutionaries. I like it. That's a movie about ramen. Oof. Oh. Come on. Um I I think there's a difference between uh checking on someone and how someone is feeling versus projecting I don't hate it. So cute. It's the only way to live in cars. Because of exactly what we've been talking about. Yeah. I uh when I hear um that something like that i i is happening, like People squat in fields and do it all the time.

So what what do you want exactly? Of like, well, I don't I don't I don't I don't in my case like I don't do this for a reason. Hey, you know what, everybody? There's that singer, uh, you know, I only love me when I blah blah blah and they do the emo version. We're just gonna listen to a little bit because Daddy's busy. That's okay, because then three days later, on Monday Like, it takes a pretty long time for a guy who thinks he doesn't need help to find some help. Oh, oh do you ever see that Portlandia? No, no. But it's that's good. Um I know there are two there's Selena Gomez and the That's that's beautiful. It sounds Pollyanna. Because the more you do it, the more you do it. That's that's very good.

It becomes a kind of crowd impulse. Oh you're so close. Good luck. That was that was a little bit of a derail. Ooh. You don't say. I think that's a I think it's sweet sometimes, but if it's something that then has to lead into like a whole thing, I mean personally I thought the hats would get at least better. Um, have you ever heard the email version of this? No. Nope, that's mine. I mean it blots out so much of the whole world just processing how much shittiness is happening at once. Thank you. The not the humor part, the comity. Well but how does that get into the, you know, psyche stuff? I'm but what I'm absolutely not saying. And they love telling each other horror stories. And like I said, it becomes almost like a game where you go, wow.

Do you remember when you learned that Gary has roommates and lives in New Jersey and he actually commutes three hours every day? What's your name? I think it might be. I said I especially enjoy several shades of blue. No, I'm not I'm not criticizing and yet, you know, it is there's something f slightly Noticing good things and saying that was good. I've been sad and doing nothing about this for twenty-five years. I I I have a playlist uh called I Love Me. Listen to a podcast about the Jerry Lewis Holocaust movie today. I don't know if this is like a remix or a re-recording, but so Pretty good. And I think that might be part of why I like it sounds very f Freudian, I guess, but Hey, it's a new era.

Hm. But it was over text. I know I exactly. Oh, you love you love apps. Right. Oh. I know I've said this a million times, but I told you I sometimes have a favorite color. And we read the book. You know. It's just that if you're telling that to somebody who's already a little bit Yeah. Who's the singer? Let's go find my uh I'll find it. That's not Demi Lovato? That I level sabotage. Oh, interesting. Is I'm sure people will think this is stupid. Cause sometimes that input is really awful stuff. Hmm. And in some ways it becomes, if you're not careful, it becomes a way to Okay. And there's something in the wisdom thing where I was talking about this similar thing for gratitude. It can feel fruity to make a point of saying so.

And if you go to a farm in Montana to have a baby, when they strictly believe medical intervention is rarely necessary. I think you forgot. It's called The Day the Clown Cried, and it's about a clown- I've heard about this since the 90s. Does this relate to your light? So I No, no, I mean hard to No, I am I am criticizing because Like somebody else got a nicer room than you. Oh, oh. It's uh Do you listen to the episodes when they come out? God damn it, Apple Music. Hey everybody, how's it going? And instead of answering yes or no, you just start talking about something. That is a good thing. One of the best. And I I think it's difficult to talk about that to strangers. This is Dubai Friday, a weekly challenge podcast with Alex Cox and Merlin Mann.

Or there's been a thing where uh, you know, uh the Twitter's doing a thing, so I've changed my background to black and I'm not gonna post and I I I am um We all deal with grief in different ways. Um it's hard to explain it's kind of a heavyweight-ish uh podcast, you know what I mean? Stand in my truth. And uh now more now more than ever. We will always be having this revolution. Like, we all know the recycling's a lie, or we should It's a good feature though. Her name is um Peppa Pig. I'm not on the beta. Yeah. Mm-hmm. How do you want me to be? Uh she had a drug problem for a while. So he gets thrown into Auschwitz. Yes. Have you been on the internet at any point in the last ten years? Um she's like, When Trump won, it's almost as if It sounds counter-revolutionary.

Be careful not to give other people homework. Like that's something I think. She might have been a Disney singer. Yeah. I was trying to remember what the challenge was this week. I mean, d do we need to really have that many examples of why people are pretty unhappy right now? You've sent me a list I haven't looked at it yet. I mean, there's a there's a a feeling in the air sometimes that's very difficult Which is not to say that things are kinda getting worse right now, but because I I've been annoying HTML and Python. I feel like I do. That's called it's called I Love Me. Pretty good, pretty good, right? We sent each other links about because it's been a big couple weeks for Survivor. You said do you have a favorite color?

Yes, but I don't try I okay. I have a voice, but I'm not gonna use it. I mean, there are not that many people who go into that process. But there's this uh I think a thing that Mattel was very interested in But when he's walking down the hall, you're like, oh my god, this dog, he thinks he's people. I didn't know I did not. The oh, that's good was um just Uh okay. So this is all gonna stay in. You know that song? You think that you'll put that is your is your list called I Love Me? I think there's a version that's an actual video where things move also with people in it, but I'm not sure. That was probably it. So that was Monday. How are you? Nope, that's that's Maddie's. It's how he is. I made you a necklace with herbs.

But she makes this great point about Rosemary's Baby. Well, yeah, it it it feels almost easier now to pick out RSS is also is also not a thought. That's not a sense. I'm not I'm not saying that, but it's And it's the idea that what we're doing here is an ongoing revolution. Unlike my neighbors at the office who just their understanding of trash is very, very it's it's very malformed and very unwholesome. But I'm grateful that I'm grateful that there's trash service. Why? It wasn't you knew that you were typing text over text. We try to not have novel feelings. Um just to make sense. Yeah, but but then it's like you must advocate And yeah, those can be considered options. I'm not saying that at all.

This is one of my uh own self-centered posts Blue is a giant ass can for quote unquote recycling. That was good. It's cis people being sad for me. All right. Solarized is a series of Is that weird? So that revolution, again now there's a reason, you know, 1984, you know, when um Like how should I wait, so what what's you know what dude? No, no, Steven Miller's a a tra a trash boy. No world apps. Welcome to Do by Friday to Weekly Challenge podcast with Alex Cox and Merlin Man. Now I've given myself work. Merlin, may you tell me your favorite color. Like all you have to go in because here's the thing. It was just it was just that like it presented itself as options, which is great. I thought. I watched something recently about um oh you know what it was?

However long it takes you've done it enough that it goes from being a thing you th You can drop a button in your control center that will play any Apple playlist that you make. Oh my god, the app. Well, I mean, I don't know. Until the night of uh the Trump I'm not having a judgment, I'm having a reaction. You're building a habit of noticing these things. Mm-hmm. Oh no. What I'm saying is even if you continue to carry around that that load all the time of agreeing that that the revolution requires that I always And I am not saying that Good feature. And then a little bit later, not immediately, but just a little bit later, you said purple. Okay, so I was supposed to understand that what when you said do you have a favorite color Like the personal reaction to them.

Oh god. Because why? They see it as, man, uh I guess somebody takes out trash and it gets taken care of, but like I was having a conversation with a friend about Oh, oh, oh But it's very overwhelming right now. Oh my god, just the way it looks. And like you don't deserve to be happy or relaxed. I uh I like scaffolding. Have you got seeing the new thing where you can make a button for playing ambient music? You are You knew what I was asking. And I said, uh sure. Uh the challenge this week was wait for it. Oh that's right. I think her name's Ina May writes this book and it's about, you know Once you start noticing good things, you start noticing more good things. I am happy. You know, um I had this experience and it turned out blah, which is, you know, a form of understandable bragging I'm willing to break my silence.

Oh man. What's my challenge to you is let's have one episode where you don't mention something that's a recent thing from online. Things that aren't in this. What's the song? I do love apps. Oh go keep going. Whatever light that is. So once again though, that ends up just being another thing where a woman can fail because we told her the rules are this. It's all this stuff happening sucks. Like they would start knitting better. Did they ch oh god, did they change it again? Uh He's very sorry. So this was a silly question. And those two phrases are It can be a form of coping. Hey, that was good. We'll talk about other things, but I'm gonna keep looking for it because I can't rest until I find this.

Okay and then there should be shuffle and then repeat. The 44th folder is love. And sometimes really I'm just trying to do a level set of saying Yeah yes something readable and so there's there's some there's several blue we should talk about something after show. But but yeah, I I uh the the the impetus for the challenge sh comes from my own experience. It's what he's learned. And if your response to that input coming in is to always process it into this I'm not saying it's full-on like meta meditation. Oh, thank you. We have three cans. Th there are a few uh YouTube videos I had to edit. Or And a woman asked, Is should I have kids? Hey, if you're gonna have a baby, there are options out there, especially for delivery.

Oh talk about easy tax. There is community. Exactly. Um uh uh uh ooh, interesting. These songs always make oh God, sorry. Now we're gonna see how I can if I can really stretch out as an editor by stealing this. There's a very funny Portlandia sketch. And again, I'm not talking about Bayana Ferrari. It's it feels much more not even proactive, but um It's not Selena Gomez. And then do you know what you know what your response was to that? That woman, I think she's a person now. She she reminds me uh of uh the dog which is Okay. This is really wholesome. That's so funny. But you know, I think we try to align ourselves with the feelings or the How often our response to a terrible thing is organized silence I'm just saying that like there is a compulsion amongst people Did you know I tracked dog actors?

It's not Selena Gomez. And then what he does is he he helps amuse the children before they go into the you know Yeah. The word we don't use. And you're gonna get eaten up by this machine. Oh boy, they'll tell you about the tearing. To succeed with this revolution, we have to have an ongoing process of rooting out the people. Will you will you be happy if I'm sadder? Well, that's counter-revolutionary. And does the personal admonition to never again feel joy There we go, yes I think I'm sending this to you. And there was I won't create work for you, but in the notes there will be a little When something went Noticing things you're grateful for and saying thank you, thank you. Yeah, yeah. But here's the here's the but here's the part.

Helmet Dork. Well that was a thing. Like, do we really need to go, you know, reset to one on this and go like, hey? But uh Well one thing is you said, do you enjoy the solarized theme You said, Do you enjoy the solarize theme? I'm interested in the state. And for and then Mao was like, yeah, I'm into it. And I think With them, you know, we each design our own bespoke folk demons. Sorry. She's call the cops. Cancelled director uh uh uh Rumble Plants. Like that's The lipstick. I am not grateful for that My that's good about feeling what would have I'm thinking about how I should say And again, there's there's nothing in any of this that says like you have to ignore the world. And w one thing that uh my uh That was really good.

I took a photo and it says zero views. Well I had a problem with this challenge, but we'll get to that. And like if you wanna have heaven knows I'm miserable. Yes. Blue. Well because I'm like this is this is starting like I've really I'm I'm Is that why you asked me what my favorite color is? Even through the third act, she's still the same person. And that you know but they they don't see it that way. You're being sad wrong. What's her name? My light? No what what is what the hell does that mean? It's a new era. That's somebody else. But what's the alternative? Do you remember what we learned last week in the after show? That's Maddie's. They're That'll show it. No, I don't think it's a terrible Stand in this dog dirt.

What are you mad about? And I said, sometimes. Yes and Yes. You think you thinking differently about stuff? I know it's difficult for me, but sometimes You seem happy It's just uh I just I open it up, it's it's just so exhausting. You're it's counterrevolutionary. And it's just What's her name? Is that what it's called? Uh uh Well and and that's why I feel like uh uh It might be that they want to have an easy pattern, you know, that anybody could do. Like, is it my favorite theme? Excuse me? What did I miss? I I'm probably In my nomenclature, which I think is probably fairly fruity by most people's lights, I'll never forget her saying that she had a micelobe There's a thing called the Red Guard.

Would it kill you to say that was good? Um and I I'm a black belt when I'm beating up on myself. Were you aware of that? It can be a form because venting is something that we all need to do. It's an option to the it's an option to I guess the way only way to say the poisons that are being fed to so many Well it's it's difficult not I think she's using her name. Think about how different that movie would be. Um Just to just he like Gary? And it feels counter-revolutionary to let yourself Um several about raw milk. It was a beacon rewind. Um there's so much yeah. Who's the singer woman? Wait, Selena Gomez. Who's the who's the singer? No. Sometimes it looks like uh like a light from like a gatehouse, like an old-timey light.

I'm just I'm happy for all of it. Do you know that song? Peppa Peppa Pig. You knew what I was asking. I'm not having a judgment, I'm I think if you're a woman if you're a woman who said right now you should definitely be silent. Words sound like other words. Apparently Brandon Hans is in a motorcycle gang. I do this because it's a thing I do. Um I mean one of any reason. Tell me when you're ready. Okay, here we go. Nothing wrong with that. Also people on buses, I think, often feel like they can just come up and touch your tummy for good luck. Dork. I know the bit. That's another l fun little treat. So you disallow any oh It's it's difficult and ex exactly how you wrote it. This medical industry and this this this cuts this cuts into some beliefs I Yeah.

This is um purportedly produced by uh one Travis Barker. It Yeah, I forgot it's the new era. Um these songs always make me uh happy. Well, I guess we're gonna keep recording. I said do you? Yeah. You say that I am on very online and very on the internet. That's a really powerful feeling. But then by the time you're done with that meeting, it starts to feel like, oh, like The part that's a shameful thing for me to say is the way people are responding to it. And I'm like, oh no This is what those Hollywood fat cats don't tell you. I think it's it might be Dutch. Well and it's fun because this I'd heard this version before I heard the regular version. Um Those aren't apps. This might could this turn a place on it I'm I'm talking about Like sure, you you make a habit of, I don't know, br rushing your Selena Gomez, is that the actor?

I have to check. Yeah. I know the bit. You didn't ask that. Don't get me started. When someone says uh do you have a f Do you? Actually, Merlin, may you tell me Having a mickel up And the woman conducting this class, I'm And I think And you know what you said? I'm noticing it and I'm saying it. Yes. And this is God this all reading in That's fucking so interesting to me When you notice something What did I miss? That's cool that you know the difference. I don't know. Will that help you? And it's the idea that when you I I really guess Because I think this has a lot of overlap with gratitude in some ways. How are you It's the dumbest thing in the world, but No, um They they don't see it that way.

Can I check? What are you mad about? There's so much stuff I want to say about the most I don't have hamburgers. That's why I find it overwhelming, because a lot of Go after all these people. It's unseemly to not I don't speak Dutch. But um I said, uh, sure. It was a weird way to I just hated that feeling though of like Thank you, um the Polish guy. I should have known. And you said OMG. This week's challenge Meaning in this political climate Enough said. Have you noticed? That was a good thing You could just You said We we look at that What was it about? I mean like we should get right to the challenge, obviously, but I've got quotes It's overwhelming. It looks like I have several blue colors I'm Uh that's good.

I'm like, Well that's not exact Alex here in my car. That's a protest. You wanna get right into it? Wait for it. That's good. raw transcript