Category: Uncategorized

Uncategorized

Wash Your Hands!

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Wash Your Hands!” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Yep. We’re throwing our opinions into the manic mix that is Covid-19 hysteria. Amidst illogical shortages of toilet paper, and (slightly less illogical) hand sanitizer everywhere you look, we’re putting our caffeinated heads together to talk (sometimes heatedly…KRIS) about the absolute insanity that has gripped our nation and the globe. Even as of this writing, major sporting events are being cancelled, stocks have nose-dived, and God forbid you try to find paper goods anywhere. So we’re just saying, “stay calm, stay logical and DO. NOT. BEND. TO. THE. MOB. FEAR. MENTALITY!” And just for the record, we’re predicting that hand lotion will be the next big thing to go scarce, because washing our hands 20 times a day while we sing the ABC or Happy Birthday song, PLUS sanitizing, is doing quite the number on our overly germ-free mitts.

Here’s our take on the whole thing, and then we’ll provide links to the sites we mention as well as clear up any of our own missteps in the discussion:

  1. Wash your hands. Duh.
  2. Fill one of your now-empty hand sanitizer bottles you carry in your purse or car with liquid soap. Toss a bottle of water in your car and boom, you’re the king and/or queen of hand cleanliness. While sanitizer is great in a pinch, it does not, CANNOT, take the place of washing your hands!
  3. Don’t shake hands with people. Don’t even fist bump. Alternatives are: elbow bump, wave, jazz hands (dear God, yes please and make sure to upload videos of such interactions to social media). And there’s always the bros “‘Sup?” head-nod or the Spock/Vulcan hand thingy that only a smattering of the population can actually achieve. (Nerdnote: do NOT attempt the Mork version, as this entails the ability to do the Spock hand salute, with the addition of inserting your V into the V of another person who also does the Spock hand thingy, and…you know what…Nanoooo Nanoooo. We’ve jumped the shark). Screw it. Bring back the ol’ bow and curtsy.
  4. Don’t hate people who have Covid-19. Don’t. Why would you. Who are these jerks sending these poor people who have the misfortune of getting sick hateful comments? Oh, yeah, the same a$$holes who buy cases of toilet paper to up-price and sell to people who can’t find any BECAUSE THE A$$HOLES BOUGHT IT ALL TO RESELL… aaaaaaaaaaaand INSANITY LOOP! If you want to be pissed at people, THAT’S a good group to start with, along with Nazis, child abusers, people who use all the washing machines in your apartment complex laundry room, coworkers who take the last cup of coffee and don’t make a fresh pot, and people named Kip and Muffy.
  5. While we’re at it, don’t hate Asian people thinking they automatically carry the virus because of their race. THAT. IS. RACIST. BULLSHIT. Stop. Stop right now.
  6. Cough and sneeze into the crook of your elbow.
  7. Don’t wear face masks unless you have symptoms. This saves the masks for people who truly need them. Better yet, if you really need to, you can wear a bandana which is washable. We also suggest whistling the theme song to “The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly” if you do. Please do this. And again, post it to social media, thank you.
  8. Don’t touch your face. HAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHAHAHAAHAHAHHAHHAHAAAA. Good luck with that, let us know how that goes BECAUSE WE CAN’T STOP TOUCHING OUR FACES.
  9. Don’t panic-purchase. Please don’t. You’re feeding the frenzy and being part of the problem if you do this. Case in point: the day after mainstream media picked up social media posts of empty store shelves in Washington state, local stores in Southern California began putting PALLETS of unopened shipments of toilet paper out. Great message. To some it may have said, “we’re ready.” To most it shouted, “WE’RE GONNA RUN OUT BUY AS MUCH AS YOU CAN RIGHT NOW BECAUSE WE DIDN’T EVEN HAVE TIME TO UNBOX THIS CRAP IN THE WAREHOUSE!” Ergo, scared consumers caving to panic-purchasing, which led to no toilet paper or hand sanitizer on shelves. All across the country. Within a couple days. See, here’s the thing. Washington state currently has the highest concentration of deaths from Covid-19 with 19 of the total 22 deaths in the United States. So, yeah, we understand the panic Washington residents felt. We do not, however, understand empty shelves in Tustin, California, which is hundreds of miles away. That, dearest friends, is the power of misinformation, mob-fear, and feeding the frenzy. Thankfully at least one Albertson’s in our area has put a limit on purchasing. Logic and cool heads must prevail or we’re going to “oh my” and “dear me” ourselves right over a damned cliff. Just buy what you need and one extra to make you feel better.
  10. Fact check what you post on social media. Also ask yourself, is it helpful or is it frenzy-fodder? If it’s factual and helpful, go ahead and post. If it’s not…you’re part of the problem.
  11. Make your own damned hand sanitizer using specific types of alcohol (at least 70% or higher alcohol content) and gel (such as aloe vera). You can temper the alcohol odor by adding your favorite essential oil. Good luck finding the ingredients though. #rollingeyes. Here’s a link to a diy hand sanitizer recipe, or if you want to go Breaking Bad on it, check out this link at the WHO’s (World Health Organization). We’re wondering if Everclear will work? Asking for a friend.
  12. Stay home if you’re sick. That whole “I’ve never missed a day of work” mentality has to go bye-bye. Sorry. It’s pretty egotistical to bring your drippy noise and raspy cough – masked with OTC meds (if you can find them that is) – to work just to maintain some arcane office record. No one is clapping for you Frank! The office doesn’t think you’re amazing Karen! They all want you to stay the hell away from them. Go to bed. Get better. Now, we get that there are some businesses who don’t give a rat’s behind if you’re sick…if you don’t show you don’t get paid. That sucks. It really does. And we’re sorry you have to work for jerks. Just try to get better, love.

As for links, here you go:

  • Kym’s snowflake underwear actually did resemble this photo of a coronavirus. Whoda thunk?
  • What’s in a name? Coronavirus aka Covid-19 aka SARS-2. What exactly is everyone talking about? This link to World Health Organization’s article on naming the virus helps clear this little conundrum up.
  • Influenza is deadlier? Looks like it, according to this CDC chart. And be sure to read this paragraph a couple times to really let it sink in: “CDC estimates that influenza has resulted in between 9 million – 45 million illnesses, between 140,000 – 810,000 hospitalizations and between 12,000 – 61,000 deaths annually since 2010.”
  • Covid-19 asymptomatic issues explained here, by the University of Minnesota Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy.
  • Interactive map. This is a great interactive map by Johns Hopkins CSSE updating the numbers of cases, recoveries and deaths worldwide. Do the math. The numbers show recovery rate is much higher than the death rate globally. EDIT 19 March 2020: We have updated the link for the map to go directly to the Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center in order to provide a safe, direct link to the source. Please be wary of sites claiming to have a link to the map as they may have possible malware attached. You can find more information about this by going to Snopes.com.
  • Mythbusters! Read this WHO article which debunks many myths currently being put out there.
  • Hotter countries spared? While President Trump recently claimed we could be seeing a drop in cases by April as weather warms up, scientists are conflicted about the apparent reality that countries with warmer climates, such as India, aren’t being hit with these types of viruses as much as regions with colder weather. Read more about this theory in this article.
  • Hoaxes! Here is the Al Jazeera article talking about the misinformation spread by mainstream news media based on social media posts.
  • Baby, It’s Not Me, It’s You. For the Washington Post article about conspiracy theories that the US is being blamed by some other countries (ahem, Chiiiiiiiiiiina??), go here.
  • Bill and Melinda’s Excellent Adventure. To found out just how much Bill and Melinda Gates actually spend to help others, check this link out.
  • Hip Cool Conspiracies. For the Rolling Stone article listing their favorite conspiracy theories and hoaxes, go here.
  • Oh, Rush. Here’s a link to the Washington Post article to back up Kris’ statement that Rush Limbaugh is trying to blow this all off as a weaponized threat to destroy Trump. Don’t come at us.
  • More fact-checking. And here’s a bonus fact-check article from The Guardian for your edification.
  • Last but not least. We couldn’t find the article Kris mentioned reading (she thought it was from the CDC) about what the Coronavirus does once you’ve got it, but here’s a National Geographic article that is very similar (and may even be the same article, now we’ve read through it). It’s to educate you. If you’re prone to overreaction, panic, or hypochondria, maybe you should skip this one. But if you’re interested in how Covid-19 affects the body, it’s an interesting read.

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Wash Your Hands!” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, 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 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured photo Pixabay on Pexels.com.

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That’s Amazing! Huell Howser Archives

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “That’s Amazing! Huell Howser Archives” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today we visit the Chapman University exhibit of the archives of broadcaster Huell Howser, of “California’s Gold” PBS fame. If you don’t recall the name, you’ll probably remember the face: iconic sunglasses perched on a pleasant tan visage, cheerful smile (with perfect teeth), all solidly topped by steely (and precisely) cropped hair. There’s that linebacker build, those muscular arms and barrel chest, clad in a Polo or button-down short-sleeved shirt and a pair of chinos (or shorts). He looked like he should be playing football on a beach somewhere in Southern California. You know. HUELL HOWSER. Ok. Well, then, the voice will jolt you back to memory lane…you didn’t expect it when you saw him, but as soon as you heard his Grand Ol’ Opry Nashville roots “That’s amazing!” catchphrase, you couldn’t help be settle down for a homestyle good time as Huell presented – with all his heart and soul – his latest find somewhere in the state of California.

Kym finds Huell’s catchphrase. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.

If you grew up in the 80s and 90s in California you would have to work pretty hard to miss seeing a Huell Howser human interest piece. At one point his shows aired 6 nights a week on KCET, with over a million viewers, including overseas military via the American Forces Radio and Television Services. If you weren’t learning about the next hidden gem in “California’s Gold” you could be “Visiting…With Huell Howser,” taking a “Road Trip With Huell Howser,” learn about all the county fairs, parks, and vast coastline in “California’s Golden Fairs,” “California’s Golden Parks,” and, you guessed it, “California’s Golden Coast.” Huell may have originally hailed from Nashville, TN, and even worked in New York for CBS and CNN for awhile…but when he landed in Los Angeles, CA, in 1980, broadcast gold was made. Forever.

The world became a bit less bright, and definitely less amazing on 7 January 2013 when 67 year old Huell succumbed to the prostate cancer he’d been privately battling. After he was diagnosed with cancer, he began making arrangements to leave over 5,000 videos of raw and edited footage as well as show notes, personal papers, knickknacks, mementos, books, art and furniture to Chapman University in Orange, CA, which was finalized in 2012. He never got to see the exhibit as it is today, which he originally intended to just be a donation for digital archival purposes. He had no idea his death would lead hundreds of loyal fans searching for his much-needed goodness to traipse into the Chapman University library, disrupting students’ studies to view the lobby displays of his legacy. University top-brass took note and (thankfully) dedicated a permanent archival exhibit just one floor down in what is now known as the California’s Gold Exhibit and Huell Howser Archives.

So. That’s where we went Saturday (Leap Day!) with our trusty Tascom digital recorder. Oh… yeah. Well, Kris hasn’t learned the ins and outs of recording on the fly with the digi handheld. So, sound quality is a bit…meh, BUT! It’s real, it’s raw…just like our morning walk episode, you’ll feel like you’re right there with us as we descend the echoey stairs in search of the archive only to discover Huell’s AMAZING industrial found art…seriously. Probably the best thing we learned that day – and there were a LOT of a-ha moments – was that the man saw beauty in EVERYTHING. He took junkyard scraps and transformed them into gallery-quality art pieces and functional furniture that he kept in all his houses (yep, plural…including a Volcano Rock House).

Walking through the door of room B11, the first thing you notice is the prominent “THAT’S AMAZING!” photo of Huell greeting you. At your feet, the black floor contains a large white outline of the state of California with labels overlapping each other pinpointing name after name after name AFTER NAME of alllllll the towns Huell visited and showcased over the years.

That 70’s Huell with Porky the Pig and family. This is the segment that started the magic back in Nashville.

Along the wall is a timeline mural and in the center of the room are thick columns – all of this covered with photos and blurbs about all the wild, whimsical and wonderful characters Huell met along the way. You can see what his office looked like – right down to the hand-drawn calendar, and the homemade coffee mug used as a pen holder. And right there right in front of you is The Camera. Yep, the one Luis Fuerte used to film all the episodes of “California’s Gold.” In the Artifact Room there are displays of personal items from childhood (Boy Scouts handbook, a miniature pop gun), broadcasting gear such as his camera bag from his early days in Nashville, favorite baseball hats (the SPAM hat is the best), art and findings from his travels, a boatload of books, and even an original John Romita hand-drawn comic of Huell meeting Stan Lee.

And because we’re kind of getting the hang of this interview stuff, we took advantage of being the only visitors left in the room, and asked the resident pro, John Carlo, Archivist, if we could pick his brain and man, he was a wealth of knowledge. So BONUS! You don’t have to listen to us gab for 45 minutes like we usually do. If you visit the archives, DEFINITELY see if John is available to chat you up.

So, folks, if you remember Huell fondly, we hope you enjoy this episode. Yes, we realize we did a poor imitation of Huell’s accent too many times (KRIS), but rest assured, we did it out of pure joy and love for the man, never, ever as ridicule. And of course, we unironically say, “That’s Amazing!” all throughout the episode because the archives truly are…amazing.

It’s fitting that the man who spent 30+ years highlighting little-known, quirky treasures up and down the state of California would inspire exactly the kind of place he avidly searched for and shared with the world. We can almost hear Huell walking down those stairs, stopping often with Southern-boy giddiness, asking Luis, “did you get that?” as he wanders and wonders through the three-room hidden gem showcasing his life.

If you’re local or visiting Southern California, you can’t miss a visit to Old Orange. If you want to visit the archives (Yes. Yes you do.) they are open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. You might want to call ahead just in case to be sure the archive isn’t closed for a special event. Large groups can call ahead to make arrangements with the archivist. The displays rotate some items every few months, so multiple visits are totally necessary.

Leatherby Libraries building, Chapman University, Orange, CA.

Chapman University is just north of the circle (The Plaza) on Glassell. You can park in the lower level of the parking garage off Walnut street (at the time of this writing you can get 4 hours for $3) or you can find a spot in one of the many parking lots in the area (and another new parking structure off Chapman near Ruby’s). That means you can enjoy the neighborhood as you make your way to the school. Just be very careful if you want to try your luck parking on the street. There’s some funky rules about who can park where, and if you park in the wrong place without a parking permit, the fine will set you back over $30 (uh…last time Kris checked, about 6 years ago that was the going price for not paying attention to her surroundings…so it’s likely the fines have gone up). Just watch for the signs. Leatherby Libraries (yep, not library, it’s plural) is right next to the field. To access the archives, take the stairs or the elevator to the basement (not gloomy whatsoever…true story) and you’ll find yourself face to face with that smiling photo of Huell.

When you’re finished with those archives, be sure to check out the Center for American War Letters Archives display near the entrance to the Huell Howser Archives. Each month they highlight the service of a soldier, sailor, marine or homefront warrior, displaying letters and other personal ephemera. The actual archives room has the same hours as the Huell Howser Archives, and their entrance is to the immediate left of the stairway.

To rejuvenate after you visit with Huell, Old Orange is chock full of delicious restaurants, antique stores and small shops selling art, pottery, home goods, comic books, vintage clothes, and toys. There’s even TWO Starbucks.

We urge you to visit the archives. And we urge you to watch reruns of Huell’s shows. This world needs more Huells…we need more unabashed joy in the adventure of discovery and human connection.

Today’s episode is released twice: in audio-only mp3 format AND in an image-enhanced mp4 format. Not all podcast apps support enhanced podcasts (Spotify, for instance), and we discovered if we only release an enhanced episode, it’s not that the images don’t show up, the entire episode won’t publish to that platform! So…two versions it is. If you are interested in viewing the images while listening, you can go to your app store and download Apple Podcasts, Overcast, or Pocketcast. We’re not sure if Google Play or Stitcher support enhanced shows, so let us know if you listen on those platforms and can view the photos.

As an added bonus, here’s some of the images we share on the episode today:

The anteroom of the Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
The memento cabinet housing some of Huell’s favorite gifts and mementos.
The camera used to film “California’s Gold”. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell’s tape viewing desk. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell shoveling sauerkraut. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell’s Herald’s of Peace Torch, 1996 Olympics, Los Angeles, CA. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell, Nita the Elephant, and Charlie. This was Huell’s favorite segment in all his years of broadcasting. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell got Simpsonized. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
John Romita’s personalized drawing of Huell and Stan Lee. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Huell’s 1957 copy of the Boy Scouts Handbook for Boys. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
A fine example of the industrial art Huell loved. Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.
Some of Huell’s books and mementos in the artifacts room of the Huell Howser Archives, Leatherby Libraries, Chapman University, Orange, CA.

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “That’s Amazing! Huell Howser Archives, regular and enhanced versions, on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, 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 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
All photos are courtesy Kym Wagner and Kris Core. All rights reserved.

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Last Minute Love

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Last Minute Love” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Pssst. Hate to break it to you…Valentine’s Day is…1…2…3 DAYS AWAY! Yep. Friday the 14th is looming. But you’re all good, right? You’ve had the perfect plans and the perfect gift and the perfect card and the perfect night all squared away for days and days for your sweet bae. Weeks even, yah? No? Ooooh, ooohhhhhhhhh. (#wincing). Yeah no yeah. Ouch, that’s a bummer. Well, never fear, for Kris and Kym (And Buzzfeed lists) have you covered with not only fun (and, admittedly weird and some not-very-romantic) last minute gifts you can order through Amazon Prime, but – failing that – we’ve got some nice ideas for how to propose. Because if you forgot Valentine’s day with your honey, proposal may be your only saving grace. (CALM DOWN. We’re not serious. Not totally.)

Wait, you’re not in a relationship right now? You’re a proud (or struggling?) member of the singleton club? WOOHOO! Kris welcomes you to the club with a big smile, hug, and hot mug of coffee. Well, we have YOU covered too! Between Good Housekeeping and Seventeen magazines, we’ve got a pretty good list of alternatives to celebrate – or ignore – this very-special-yet-overly-marketed-excuse-for-consumerism-at-its-finest day. Whatever you do, enjoy yourself to the fullest. You deserve it. We just know these things.

Photo by Giftpundits.com on Pexels.com

Before we get on to the links, we’d like to shout out to KERRIE and Kris’s dad RON and say HAPPY, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to our favorite cupid babies as they celebrate their birthdays on Valentine’s Day.

Here are the articles we cite in the episode today:

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Last Minute Love” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, 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 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of Conversation Hearts Candy by Jill Wellington on Pexels.com

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Death und Spiders

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Death und Spiders” is on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today’s blog is short. Today’s episode, eh, not so much. But today’s episode is straight from the heart. Unscripted. No lists. No websites to reference. No links to stuff into the end of this post. We recorded today’s episode in the aftermath of the helicopter crash that killed nine people, including Kobe Bryant. We recorded today’s episode the day after Kym’s father passed away. Given the option to go dark for this week, Kym said, “Nope, let’s record,” so we did. We set up in her front porch, overlooking her yard, watching squirrels, birds, and lizards as we talked. We tackled the obvious: loved ones are not guaranteed to us forever and ever. It’s easy enough to believe we’ll have a certain number of years with each other, but the reality is sometimes they leave without any notice. Tell the ones you love, “I love you”, and remind them how much you care about them being in your life. Family, friends, pets. Let them know.

We also ponder how the role we play in people’s lives does not automatically grant us respect – or love. Respect is earned. But love is too. Honestly, there are many layers of love. We love chocolate, yeah? We love weekends. We love our parents and our kids. We love our significant other. We love driving down that long stretch of highway at daybreak. We love our country. We’re told to love everyone because love is the answer and the key to all healing. Right?

Dare we say…some love is earned. Real, deep, true emotional love is so precious – not to be given away frivolously or expect to be handed to us in spite of bad circumstances or behavior. Simply put, not everyone is entitled to this precious connection. And then there’s the fact that none of us love – or grieve – the same way. We adore celebrities we have never met and struggle to find good in a person vitally entangled in our lives. Some may potently feel the loss of a superstar, yet not know exactly how to feel when a family member who has created a lifetime of chaos crosses over. The gamut of emotions in such a situation can sometimes be accompanied by guilt and confusion. “I shouldn’t feel so sad about this celebrity” or “I should feel sadder about my family member.” Nope.

There’s no right way to feel after news of death hits us. There’s possibly a sense of relief, or confusion, hurt, anger, sadness, or sometimes nothing at all in varying stages and degrees. Grief is organic and intimately personal. It takes time to process…though that “time” cannot be dictated by anyone…not even ourselves.

So we just talked. Talked about those 9 souls in the helicopter, talked about Kym’s cantankerous dad, and talked about some of our favorite podcasts. And then, just to lighten things up, Kym sent Kris into on-air spasms of shivers by recounting her most recent arachnid encounter. It’s all pretty typical, just two old friends talking about important things, and about things that aren’t so very important at all – wrapped up in a circular conversation. Such is The Mugly Truth Podcast.

Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Death und Spiders” on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, 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 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of Photo Album by Valeria Boltneva on Pexels.com

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Breathe In, Breathe Out

themuglytruth
Today’s episode “Breathe In, Breathe out” is on iTunes/Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Overcast, Libsyn, Pocket Cast, Stitcher, iHeartRadio, or anywhere you listen to podcasts.

Today we talk about the myths and benefits of meditation. You don’t have to sit cross legged, atop a peaceful, grassy knoll, detaching in transcendental bliss for hours at a time. Just a few minutes a day can bring you a connection to your true self, decrease anxiety and stress, and improve overall health. If Deepak Chopra says it’s true, we believe him.

We talk about how anyone can benefit from meditation…anyone. While meditation is commonly associated with spiritualism, Buddhism, Yoga, don’t let the stereotypes keep you from trying this truly beneficial practice. People of all faiths (or no faith at all) practice meditation. Busy, hard-working people meditate. You don’t have to wear flowy robes and loose pants (though we aren’t saying no to that, tbh) sitting in a garden with your eyes closed for hours every day to be good at meditating.

Repeat after us: Anyone. Can. Meditate.

And we believe everyone should.

The trick is making it a priority and practicing regularly. Ok…so we know it sounded too good to be true. But honestly, how difficult is 3, 5, 10 minutes a day to focus on breathing in, breathing out, breathing in, breathing out? Not really. So, yeah, it takes discipline, but not a whole bunch. And the possibilities of all the goodness that comes with meditation are pretty numerous. Like we said, if more political groups across the world had meditation, 10-minute massages, puppies and a couple warm chocolate chip cookies before meeting, we would all be existing on a better globe. Congress, call us.

Probably the best thing we can tell you, is that at chopra.com, you still have time to register for the Deepak Chopra/Oprah Winfrey 21-day meditation challenge! It starts on February 3rd, and best news of all: IT’S FREE. Kris and Kym like benefits for free. It doesn’t get better than that.

And here we are at the place where we give you more information about all the good things we talk about…drumroll…the resource list:

  • The Myths. Go ahead and Google “myths about meditation. You’ll get a LOT of articles offering TONS of writeups. But really, all we needed was Deepak Chopra’s article 7 Myths of Meditation at chopra.com.
  • The Apps. For meditation apps, check out verywellmind.com‘s article 8 Best Meditation Apps of 2020 for a starting point.
  • Our Personal Favorite App – NOT on the list above – is called Relax Melodies which can be found in Apple’s App Store (and maybe Google’s app store as well, we don’t know as we’re iPhone gals). You can also check out their website here. The basic version is free, but Kris found the premium version worth the upgrade cost.
  • Dan Harris. Dan wrote his book Ten Percent Happier outlining his path of recovery and serenity via meditation practices after suffering a full blown, on-air panic attack in June 2004. This is a good one for all the skeptics out there. Dan was HIGHLY raised-eyebrow/side-eye about the whole thing, but because he pushed through his personal misconceptions and doubts, his life is a bit more than 10% happier. Kris first learned about him after listening to the Audible audiobook version of Ten Percent Happier. Recommend: 10/10!
  • Sleep Meditations. Kym’s go-to guy on YouTube for guided sleep meditations is Jason Stephenson. Check out this playlist of his guided meditations.
  • Corpse Pose. Welp. Since Kris doesn’t practice yoga, we can’t fault her too harshly for not knowing the correct way to do the corpse pose is not face down, but lying on your back, face up. She’s a true crime fiend…not surprising she envisioned corpse pose face down. In a pool. With a knife in the back. Here’s what it really is and how to do it. Tsk Kris. Making everything about murder. All the time.
  • Haven Gastropub in Orange. Excuse us. It’s Haven Craft Kitchen+Bar. Pffft, only plebs call it a gastropub. Anyway. Expensive coffee, but they’ll let you use their bathroom if you look desperate enough.
  • Schweddy Balls. Because we HAVE to link to Ana Gasteyer and Molly Shannon’s NPR Saturday Night Live sketch with Alec Baldwin. WE HAVE TO. It’s the law.

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© The Mugly Truth 2020 and © The Mugly Truth Podcast 2020. All rights reserved.
Intro and outro music, “Clever as a Fox”  by Espresso Music through premiumbeats.com.
Featured Photo of meditating woman by Pixabay on Pexels.com