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Episodes

Treehuggers Unite!

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Today’s “Treehuggers Unite!” episode is on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

This entire week celebrates the magic of Earth. Yesterday, Monday 22 April, was Earth Day and this coming Friday, 26 April, is the unofficial Mugly Truth Podcast Holiday (drumroll please): ARBOR DAY!!! Can you count how many times we’ve brought up Arbor Day throughout our podcast life? Really, can you please, and then let us know because we would love to have used all those soundbytes in today’s episode. Anyway, today we talk about how much we love trees, and the physical, emotional and even spiritual benefits trees provide, including oxygen, shelter, healing cancer, shade, Jenga, and maple syrup. In no particular order.

We also (finally?) get to the actual history of Arbor Day. The very first Arbor Day took place 10 April 1872 in Nebraska, USA. J. Sterling Morton and his wife Caroline Joy French made it their mission to beautify the – well, plain – great plains region after they moved there from Michigan. They encouraged the planting of trees to help the environment as well as entice more settlers to the area. It was through Morton’s actions that Arbor Day became an official national day. Their son established the Morton Arboretum, which is still active to this day educating people about the importance of planting trees and the benefits derived from this valuable resource. One hundred years later In 1972 John Rosenow began the Arbor Day Foundation in Nebraska which is a worldwide non-profit conservation and education organization whose current goal is to plant 100 million trees in forests and communities by 2022 — the 150th anniversary of Arbor Day.

Of course there would be no Mugly Truth episode without a few pitstops and detours on the treeway (term cred to Kym), so of course we spend an inordinate amount of time discussing 70’s kids t.v. shows (BECAUSE SCARY FORESTS!) and the possibility (we’re assuming, but NOT accusing), that the creators must have dropped acid at least ONCE before finalizing the concepts. (IF that’s not the case – BUT COME ON…THE 70’s AND HAVE YOU SEEN THESE SHOWS? – we apologize profusely, please don’t sue us). To see the colorful cast of characters, hear the catchy tune, see the shot of Big Bear Lake Kym mentions, and glimpse Freddie the Flute, Witchiepoo, JIMMY, et al, from H.R. Pufnstuf, here you go. Of course, don’t be a Kris; this is NOT to be confused with JOHNNY from Sigmund and the Sea Monsters. Two totally different dudes, as their hair will attest.

We also have a very special edition of Words With Kris and Kym, which include:
• Susurration (thank you Terry Pratchett and Tiffany Aching)
• Cerulean
• Weenus (which is not an actual anatomical name, just fyi)
• Lambdoidal (Tri Lambda!!!! Srsly, for the love of gawd, click THAT link if no others.)
• Popliteal
• Hyoid
• Galley-west
You now sound incredibly smarter because of us. YOU. ARE. WELCOME!

As always we swing back around to the topic at hand. Kris extols the virtues of a few heavy hitters in the tree world: birch, elm, pine, cinnamon, yew and the lovely red stinkwood, to name a few. And although we talk about how to utilize elements of these trees for health purposes, we strongly advise 1) reading up on edible plants in your region (for North America, we recommend this Peterson guide to edible plants and this Peterson guide to medicinal plants) and 2) DON’T destroy trees in your field survival/doomsday prepper/tree lick testing process (we see you, you tree smooching Superstar)! Trees may be a renewable valuable resource, but they are still prey to the stupidity of humans who can overharvest trees in the name of fuel and medicine.

We bring’er home with a shoutout to Pete Nelson of Nelson Treehouse, the tree-whisperer host of Treehouse Master on the Animal Planet channel. He builds ahh-mazing treehouses and if anyone knows the majesty and magic of trees, it’s Pete. We love how much Pete loves trees. And yes, we can hear you shouting and pulling out your hair, spitting at us, “Arbor Day special and you bring up a bunch of people who shove spikes in trees??!??” So we lovingly suggest watching Pete once or twice before you burn us alive, AND read this to maybe feel a bit better about what he does in his design process. I’m telling you, the guy would marry a tree if he wasn’t already happily wed to Judy for 30+ years. Besides, if the Arbor Day Foundation has a 50-foot treehouse to explore, who are yo…we to judge?

Check out our “Treehuggers Unite” episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Photos courtesy of WordPress free library andPexels.com


Episodes

Let it Go

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Today’s “Let It Go” episode is on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

We riff off our That’s Purgetastic! episode talking a bit more about shedding material baggage, and then going beyond the physical purge by exploring how to let go of past hurts, unhealthy belief systems, love relationships, and expectations of what we think “should be.”

Kym shares her personal experiences of forgiveness involving her ill father. Kris reveals the painful process of having a parent afflicted with Alzheimer’s as well as how she has navigated the devastation of letting go a significant relationship. It gets a little deep for The Mugly Truth, but that’s ok.

Even though discarding a pair of too-high heels is not the same as letting go the dream of a future with someone, or the pain of a neglected childhood (oooorrrrrr, is it?? Some people are very attached to their shoes coffcoffsexinthecitycoff), the process is actually pretty much the same. It’s about being (sometimes brutally) honest with ourselves and asking how what is being held onto is serving us – is it for good or for bad (because something negative can serve us). Is it something we can let go of now or is it something we are willing to move toward letting go? How long are we willing to traverse the path to freedom? Are we ok with feeling some deep feelings, knowing at the end of the day (or year or five) It’s technically as simple as making a pros and cons list and examining the truth. Except that examining painful truths is not a simple thing. So there’s the element of courage as well. But no pressure.

As a way to help you get started on the “let it go” journey, here’s a link to the Tiny Buddha article called 40 Ways to Leg Go and Feel Less Pain (and be sure to look for that pesky breathing practice Kris couldn’t pronounce: ujayii.)

Check out our “Let It Go” episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts. Then all you need to do is 1) subscribe 2) download and 3) listen! AND!!! 4) If you enjoy what you hear, please leave a rating and a review (pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Photos courtesy of WordPress free library; butterfly photo by Anthony on Pexels.com
Episodes

Ahoy There Queen Mary!

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View of the Queen Mary from the harbor side, Long Beach Harbor, CA.
Ahoy there! Today’s episode is about Long Beach Harbor’s very own Queen Mary! Listen in on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today The Mugly Truth goes back to our roots! We get all creepy crawly with ghostly stories about our favorite Queen of the states. Of COURSE we mean the lovely luxury liner-turned-hotel: the Queen Mary in Long Beach Harbor, CA! We don’t talk ONLY about ghosts, but we definitely discuss a few of the most famous onboard hauntings. We nope-out about Room B340, and wonder if John Henry (who loves beer), little Jackie (who roams the pool area), John Peddler (crushed by door 13), and the Grumpy Growler (so named for growling at passers-by) will make themselves known to Kris and family when they stay overnight for her birthday! Kym recounts her own sleepless night and curious tapping on her door during her recent stay in the lovely Eisenhower Stateroom.

Of course Kym has more than just ghost stories to tell. She goes into the childhood vault to pull out not one but TWO celebrity interactions – in pure Kym fashion – on the same night at the Queen Mary about thirtyahemmmmaahsomffing years ago. One story has her telling off Bobby Grich (of Angel’s baseball fame) in the parking lot and later she was actually speechless during an elevator ride with 80’s hearthrob Perry King. It’s feast or famine with that woman.

We delve just a bit into the history of the ship: the legend of how she became so named, her tour of duty during World War II, and her journey back to grandeur as a luxury cruise ship after the war.

And perhaps the most important takeaway from the entire episode is probably this: if staying overnight, it’s best to bring your own coffee pot because there wasn’t one in Kym’s extra lit suite. Mmmscuseme? We believe a mutiny is in order! SOMEBODY NEEDS TO WALK THE PLANK! There ain’t no java thar! What are you THINKING Queen Mary Hotel? Coffee is LIFE, do you not understand this? BYOCP people, BYOCP.

Once you’re sufficiently recovered from this revelation, go ahead and check more information about what we cover in this episode:

  • To see/listen to the video of Bob Davis (of Planet Paranormal Investigations), talking to little Jackie , please go to his YouTube link.
  • To see what Perry King is up to, please visit his website. He’s an active guy! We love Kym’s stepdad Ted, but we wouldn’t have minded a stint with Mr. King as Mom Jackie’s beau. Wink wink.
  • For Bobby Grich information, go here.
  • For more information about tours on the Queen Mary, go here. For general information, visit the Queen Mary website, but there’s also information here.
  • To watch Buzzfeed Unsolved Mysteries, go to their YouTube channel. To watch Ryan Bergara and Shane Madej’s Queen Mary Room B340 stay (and see the toothpaste fly HORIZONTALLY off the sink – not vertically KRISSSS – video), go here. There’s also a blog highlighting the more eventful bits and pieces here.
  • The writing desk in the Eisenhower Stateroom on the Queen Mary. Photo courtesy Kym Wagner.
  • Second guestroom in the Eisenhower Stateroom on the Queen Mary. Photo courtesy Kym Wagner.
  • Peeking into the Eisenhower Stateroom on the Queen Mary. Photo courtesy Kym Wagner.
  • The seating area in the Eisenhower Stateroom on the Queen Mary. Photo courtesy Kym Wagner.

So check out Ahoy There Queen Mary! today. And while you’re at iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcasts, it’s SUPER EASY to 1) subscribe, 2) download, 3) listen aaaaaaaand 4) If you enjoy what you hear, rate and a review! (Pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Photos courtesy of WordPress free library, public domain, and Kym Wagner.
Episodes

That’s Purgetastic!

themuglytruth
Check out today’s That’s Purgetastic episode on  iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today we talk about the value of tidying up, decluttering – creating a home space that brings peace instead of pain. Yep. We’re all about Netflix’s latest phenom hit Tidying Up with Marie Kondo! And of course we relate “sparking joy” to our personal experiences when moving that forced each of us to purge a lot of stuff long overdue for the garbage bin or thrift store.

We cover some of the concepts behind Marie Kondo’s tidying method, found on her website Konmari.com, and how we’ve applied some of her organizing tips in our own homes. Kym has some life-hacks for repurposing crafting supplies, donating books, and includes a great story about finding a long-lost treasure! Kris discovered freedom during her moving process by finally letting go of some really strong sentimental items stored unused for decades. (The current stash-monsters that are spilling over in the kitchen/workspace will also be dispatched shortly. Do you hear that stash-monsters? Shredder is coming!)

And on the topic of boxes and baskets for organizing? Can we get a HALLELUJAH!?!? Yes we can. Boxes and baskets are our favorites! But if for nothing else, then at least watch the show for the pure genius of how to fold and store clothes AND how to fold that wily fitted sheet you wad up in the linen closet out of sheer frustration. Oh…and let’s just take a moment to bask in the brightness of Marie Kondo herself. She is the embodiment of “spark joy.” In all honesty, the idea behind “spark joy” is an exercise in gratitude: being grateful for and keeping what makes you joyful, and being grateful and thanking all other items for their service to your life as you move them to the “donate” pile.

We love storage organizers! Photo by Anete Lusina on Pexels.com

But the biggest takeaway? It has to be the value of coming home to a space that is safe, secure, and serene which is much more than a physical experience. Clutter can make home an anxious space. Constantly bumping into, stepping over or rifling through things to find something is annoying every single time, right? Opening that closet door shouldn’t be an exercise in cranial caution. Consider how simply oppressive clutter can actually be. You know how good it feels to get into a newly made bed with fresh, clean sheets? That’s how purging even the most clutched-to-the-bosom belongings can feel. Not EVERY thing needs to go. But letting go of “sentimental” items that aren’t doing anything more than taking space…that’s doable! Coming home to a physically clear space can create a mentally and spiritually clear opportunity to detox, decompress, and relax in. Even for the laziest of housekeepers.

And as always we take a couple detours because when you’re having great conversations over coffee among friends, there’s no such thing as a linear chat. So, yeah, somehow we also talk about The Masked Singer, how some meds can cause anxiety/panic attacks, and the importance of making sure the CBD oil you purchase is from a reputable source. It’s a fun, squiggly, pit-stop type of discussion but we somehow always make our way back onto the tidying up highway.

  • Whose yer cabinet? I AM!! Ok, that was a mom joke. Steve’s Hoosier cabinet. Pretty nifty!
  • Hoosier cabinet detail of label, straight outta Indiana!

So check out That’s Purgetastic! today. And while you’re at iTunes or wherever you listen to your podcasts, it’s SUPER EASY to 1) subscribe, 2) download, 3) listen aaaaaaaand 4) If you enjoy what you hear, rate and a review! (Pretty please?). The more subscribers and reviews we get, the more opportunities we get to grow this podcast and bring you richer content.

And don’t forget to follow us here at themuglytruth.com (click that blue WordPress Follow button on the right side of your screen) so you get notifications every time we post an episode blog! You can also follow The Mugly Truth on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

© The Mugly Truth 2019 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2019. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Photos courtesy of WordPress free library.
Uncategorized

The Mugly Truth is The EVERYPERSON’S Show!

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We’re two ladies of a certain age (ahem) living in this amazing, wacky, wild world. We are lifelong friends looking back over our shoulders at the lives that shaped us. We enjoy sharing with you the experiences that brought us here – to today; to who we are at this very moment. Hey, we’re hard-working gals with day jobs and kids. Even though we have experienced totally different life-paths, we share a really quirky sense of humor, we speak sarcasm fluently, and – let’s face it folks – infuse our stories with some pretty colorful language.