No big post today, we’re just stopping by to say, “HEY! Listen to today’s episode!” We had fun recording our “have you ever?” segment while sitting on a boat in a marina. Even better though, after we recorded we took a quick ride out to the Long Beach Harbor for a water-side view of Queen Mary, our favorite haunted ship. It was truly a wonderful day out in the sun (we have the burns to keep the memory fresh) and fresh air, seeing our local destinations from a new perspective, literally. It was a much needed afternoon after being cooped up for almost 2 months. And yes, we practiced social distancing all day long.
Oh yeah! Links time. Funny how we forget, but gotta give credit to our sources:
Have you ever? We’ll bet you have done some of these things at Ice Breaker Ideas.
Well I NEVER! Oh, we’re sure you can say false to a lot of the never have I ever questions here at Conversation Starters World
Have fun using this next time you Zoom, or meet up with small groups of family or friends, wherever you live. Just stay smart, stay safe, and still try to stay home as much as possible. Most importantly, stay healthy.
Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “Never Have We Ever!” 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.
We think this episode is in need of a rating. It’s definitely “I” for Immature. Or, perhaps even “II” for Immensely Immature. You might even call this one a NSFW but, eh, you decide. Whatever today’s episode is, it definitely is not highbrow. What can we say? Not only are we the height of a fifth grader, we’re also kind of on their level when it comes to our sense of humor. Whatever you think of our silliness be ready to put your thinking cap on because today we don’t just prattle off a bunch of trivia…we invite you to play along! Grab your friends, family members (kids optional, you’ve been warned), maybe a pen and paper, or just play along while you’re driving along. We assign a point system, but hey, you’re the king or queen of your domain, so you just set your point system as you like. If you want to award yourself a pumpkin pie for every correct answer, you do you boo.
And while we don’t encourage cheating (tsk tsk), once you’ve listened to the episode, for sure come back here to click the links of the sites we pulled our questions from since we didn’t cover all the trivia:
Mianus is actually a small neighborhood that spans three towns. But Mianus is not huge even though like it sounds like it could be ginormous since, you know, three towns.
Mianus doesn’t even have a zip code. That’s how not huge Mianus is.
But Mianus does actually have an elementary school.
We won’t discuss the population of Mianus. You’ll just have to look up more facts about…you know… here.
We guess now would be a good time to say Mianus is pronounced, “My-ANN-us”.
And before anyone else sends us pictures of Uranus, here you go, we beat you to it. Thanks NASA and public domain laws!
Uranus looks like a big, blue ball. If you get that reference, you win the entire episode.
See? We are definitely NOT highbrow, scholarly, fancy schmancy podcasters. Sometimes we get as low-level potty poopoo mouth as can be. AND WE LIKE IT THAT WAY. NYAH.
Thank you for joining us as we hurtle towards our second childhood. Check out The Mugly Truth Podcast’s episode “So You Think You Know Thanksgiving“ on iTunes/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.
Greetings and happy Tuesday! Today’s episode is all about catching up over a cuppa of Kris’ Keurig coffee and Kym’s Medicine Ball elixir of life from Starbucks (10/10 recommended!). We talk celebrity podcasts, the most notorious cold case of the 20th century, how successful we were at being randomly kind, Kym tries to sing opera even though she has no voice, and in the end we try to come up with some ways to improve certain areas of our lives. Confused? Especially about Kym singing opera? Don’t be! Today’s episode is brought to you by caffeine-fueled stream of consciousness! LET’S GO!!
Today we fall prey to a wee bit of celebrity podcast listener envy. Yep. We whine just a little about how all these famous people with millions of fans start podcasting and are top of the charts within two days. Waaaah. That’s ok. WE’LL GET THERE!! Just you watch. AND listen. And subscribe, download, rate and review…
We go on to discuss our escapades from Valentine’s day and just how successful we were during Random Acts of Kindness week, even in the face of adversity. As for VD (Valentine’s Day) Kym got some sweet kicks, while Kris just waited the day out. Good news, everyone survived.
But then we get into the real weeds about our latest favorites on tv and in the podcast world…including The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Kris went from “meh” to “BINGED BOTH SEASONS!” in no-time flat), Kym is all about the new Dirty John filmed documentary, and we’re both interested in a new podcast from Australia called “Who the Hell is Hamish” (introduced through the Teacher’s Pet podcast out of Australia). And we mention a few of those danged, uber-popular (and TBH, really good) celebrity podcasts: Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend, The Monday Morning Podcast with Bill Burr, and SuperSoul Conversations with Oprah Winfrey. We REALLY do love them and don’t begrudge them their success. REALLY.
Unlike our coffee, we’re not bitter.
“I Am the Night”. Photo courtesy of TNT.
But wait! The discussion gets juicier! And by juicy we mean downright gruesome, so honestly if you’re not really into discussing mutilated bodies, skip ahead, because we blithely chatter along, not paying much mind to the details of our subject. Some people might not be so immune to the subject as we seem to be. Of course we are talking about true crime, and our latest obsession being the limited series “I Am The Night” starring Chris Pine.
The show chronicles the life of American author Fauna Hodel, granddaughter of the infamous and disturbed (our words) Los Angeles physician George Hodel – who is suspected by his Los Angeles Police Department homicide detective son (and author) Steve Hodel of being the Black Dahlia murderer!
Elizabeth short, forever known as the Black Dahlia, brutally murdered in 1947.
Ahem. How horrible do you have to be as a parent (and a person) to have your child grow up and write a book outlining their theory that you’re the perpetrator of the 20th century’s most notorious cold case ever?
The limited series is fantastic. If you didn’t know the truth behind it, you might not believe it was based on real life events because when we say it’s fantastic we mean in the “unfathomable” sense of the word.
Luckily there’s our new favorite podcast called “Root of Evil“, which is hosted by Fauna Hodel’s daughters Yvette and Rasha, with audio recordings of their mom and grandmother Tamar, as well as input by other members of the Hodel family, including their great-uncle Steve.
THIS PODCAST! This is the album art for the Root of Evil: The True Story of the Hodel Family and the Black Dahlia. IT IS A MUST-LISTEN! Go! Now! LISTEN!
The family members reflect on growing up behind the closed doors of Hollywood’s Sowden House (a Lloyd Wright architectural icon at the corner of Franklin and Normandie) and in the process they reveal the dark secrets and not-so-secret dastardly exploits of the family patriarch, Dr. H.
We top the episode with some pretty good ideas about things we’d like to be better at. Like being funny. (FunnIER.) And better at art. And emotional maturity. You know, typical goals. And just like that, we call it a day. Done and done. Because honestly, Kym is still REALLY sick in this episode and even though she made a valiant effort, it’s just clear as can be that all she really needed to do better was to go home and take care of her poor self.
OH and before we sign off, it’s imperative to shout out HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO SAMANTHA!!!!!!!! TODAY is Sam’s birthday and I (Kris) couldn’t be prouder of her. (I love you to the moon, the deathstar, and to infinity and beyond Sami…so proud to be your momma, and so lucky).
Check out our Grande Upside-down Catch-up Frap, No Whip! 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.
Happy Tuesday! Did you know February 17th, 2019 was National Random Acts of Kindness Day? In today’s episode we discuss how to celebrate (you don’t have to wait til next year folks) by making that little bit of extra effort to do a good deed for people you encounter in your daily routine. It can be one or one-hundred acts of unselfishness, and it can be for friends, family, coworkers, and strangers. The lovely part is that kindness is free and (almost) effortless.
Some people are naturally bright, cheerful folk, while others may need to make a conscious decision to turn up the corners of their mouth to show a smile. Obviously, if you’re a grouch, then it’s a bit more of a concerted push to get to the nice side. No matter where you are on the decency spectrum, we think everyone can agree this world needs more “random acts of kindness, and senseless acts of beauty” in it.
According to improvisedlife.com, that phrase was scribbled onto a placemat in a restaurant in Sausalito, CA, back in 1982 by journalist Anne Herbert. At that time Herbert was despairing over escalating violence in her community and elsewhere, and so turned the nightly news aphorism “random acts of violence and senseless acts of cruelty” into a revolutionary new philosophy. She started writing a column to highlight true stories of acts of kindness, encouraging people to shift their focus from cruelty to goodwill. A little over 10 years later, the nonprofit Random Acts of Kindness Foundation (RAK) was started in Denver, Colorado.
Today you can visit the RAK website for all kinds of ideas to celebrate not just one but all 365 days. Visitors to the website can download posters, certificates, tag-you’re-it cards, and other forms of inspiration for their home, school, and workplace.
Being a good human can be expressed in the simplest of acts, from smiling at a stranger to paying for someone’s coffee in the drive-thru. It can be volunteering your time to help others in need. You can drop some change in a vending machine, leave an uplifting note for a stranger on a car window, donate blankets to an animal shelter, or hold the door open for someone (10 extra karma points if you’re in a hurry). Tell the cashier at your grocery store they’re doing a great job. Better yet, tell their boss too.
Here’s something else to think about: we are HUGGERS! WE LOVE HUGGING! It’s our go-to greeting because hugging is amazing and so very awesome and we encourage people to do it more. BUT!!! (Always with the buts!) Always ask first. Not everyone likes hugs; some people may have issues with being touched so intimately. Showing concern for someone else’s boundaries and respecting them is a TOTALLY “woke” thing to do and will certainly make your new friend feel comfortable and safe with you.
Now. Don’t feel guilty if you’re NOT that ray of freaking sunshine all the time. No one is asking you to be something you’re not. And don’t forget we KNOW about what traffic does to people. Hell, even perpetual smiley people have bad days. We’re all human. And that’s the point, really. We all just need to practice (again, some more than others) pausing, breathing and shifting perspective every once in awhile. We’re just encouraging everyone (ourselves included) to give it a shot here and there, off and on. You know, try it on, wear it awhile, see how it feels. You might find it…suits you.
But yeah, yeah, but what happens if you meet – UGH – just the BIGGEST jerk in the world? And you want to yell, or physically fight even, or maybe just walk away but curse the a-hole at the top of your lungs in the privacy of your car?! What happens if…you perform the unusual act of kindness by understanding you’re all of a sudden in a 2- maybe 5- or even 10-minute life snapshot of someone you have never met, know absolutely nothing about, and are probably at their verrrry lowest point in that infinitesimal space and time? Seeing beyond the regular stress and frustration of such an encounter could be one of the nicest things you can do. For you, them, and everyone in hearing distance.
Oooof. That is a tall order. Maybe just try smiling and holding doors and leaving dollar bills for people to find for awhile and work your way up to that level of zen? Let’s recap: Start small, try often, pause, breathe, shift. You’ll likely find that tranquility comes into play much more readily than you thought possible.
But wait, there’s more: this is just the tip of the niceberg. (bwahahahahaha!!! THAT’S a good one. Wiping one laugh-induced tear from cheek).
The physical ramifications of being a good human are also a terrific reason to (gritting teeth) let that guy merge in front of you on the way home after a super long day: helpfulness releases all sorts of chemicals and hormones in our bodies that help decrease stress and blood pressure and increases other good stuff like oxytocin. D’aw. Since we’re not doctors, read this if you don’t believe us.
To bring a smile to your face, here’s a gallery of some truly wonderful acts of kindness:
Read a book for someone who is unable to do so themselves. Photo by Tookapic on Pexels.com
Leave a dollar bill in a library book. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
YES YOU ARE! Leave an uplifting note for a loved one, coworker, or a stranger. But be mindful of the message, because you know, even nice notes can be construed as creepy in some circumstances. Photo by Lisa Fotios on Pexels.com
Shhhhhh! Drop a few coins in a parking meter “if the local laws allow it”. ((((There is NOTHING to see here. I did NOT put quarters in the not-my-parking-meter))) Photo by Scott Webb on Pexels.com
We just love this photo…not sure who is being kind to whom, but it’s all sweet. Photo by Pixabay on Pexels.com
ALL THE FREAKING FEEELZ!!!!! Nobody writing this caption is crying! YOU’RE crying. If you’re getting a new family pet, please consider one from a shelter if at all possible. Fostering pets is also a great way to enjoy giving dogs, cats, and other animals a new lease on life, literally, and helping them find their forever homes. Photo by Helena Lopes on Pexels.com
This photo is from Rocky the Podcat’s first encounter with her new small hoomans. Rocky was a rescue kitteh and continues to be the best dog-cat in the world. Photo by Kristen Core.
ALL THE LOVE!! That is one happy, comfy, chill kitten. Recap: FIRST DAY AT FOREVER HOME. It’s like it was meant to be or something. Photo by Kristen Core.
Pets give so much and expect so little in return so Small Hooman let her win this round of arm wrestling, because adorable kitten. Photo by Kristen Core.
Check out our Random Acts of Kindness 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.
Kris’ beloved Sirius Black, the “goodest boy that ever was.” Rest in peace dear boy, and thank you for your love, companionship, and protection. And for that EPIC day you pulled up stake, raced across camp, and jumped in the lake leash, stake and all to get ducks. Photo by Kristen Core.
D’awwwwww LOVE!!! Isn’t it…lovely? And here we are smack in the middle of the loveliest week of the year. Saint Valentine’s Day is right around the corner. Can you feel the energy? The warm, soft fuzzies? The excitement of a gorgeous bouquet of flowers, maybe a box of nummy bon bons, and the anticipation of an ahhhh-maZING dinner and maybe some “dessert” (know what we mean wink nudge???). Isn’t this beautiful day the perfect way to show your special love just how important they are to you and you cannot wait to snuggle up on them with all the giddiness that comes with those butterflies you still feel for him/her like you’re a danged teenager all over again?
OR maybe you’d rather tromp through a dank meadow of mildewed crabgrass with a handful of dead, black daisies and hurl them at the first person who offers you even a stick of gum let alone a Godiva nut-chew. Maybe you want to break that heart-shaped box into a million pieces like yours has been SO many times!!) Maybe you’re just waiting for 11:59 p.m. on February 14th to turn…the…hell…over! MAYBE – yeah JUST MAYBE!! – you think SAD old Single Awareness Day can go eff itself and Valentine’s Day – aka VD muahahahahahaha! – should be banned!
Yes!
YES!
YESDOIT!
Ok Kris. Settle down.
Regardless of how you feel about it all, today’s episode will offer up some fun facts about this day of feels. Did you know, for instance, its bloody and somewhat violent origins? (And extra points for a correct guess on which civilized empire started it all.) Who the very first Valentine was? Do you know in which plays Shakespeare mentions St. Valentine’s Day? Any idea why your favorite conversation heart candies are scarce in 2019?
And there are BIG numbers surrounding this one day of the year (it isn’t even a season for crying out loud!). We’re talking Billions (with a capital B) of dollars spent on sweets, flowers (mostly roses), dinners, jewelry, and lingerie. Millions of pounds of chocolate are produced, as are billions of those cute itty bitty heart chalk candies (let us remind you: except for this year – GAH!) which we adore almost as much as candy corn (and by we, we mean us).
Kym and Kris have some ideas about what you can do to save some bucks if you choose to celebrate, and encourage those who are not in a relationship right now to be completely and 100% a-okay with that.
(((((It’s just ONE measly single day a year! We can get through this!)))))
The episode wraps up with some pretty sweet stories about love. Because even though Kris sounds like a jaded cynic, she really does have a big lumpy heart full of hope. *sigh*
For more information on the podcast called Sweaty and Pissed (10/10!!), find them on iTunes or wherever you listen to podcasts, and visit their website here. For the NPR and BBC articles about the origins of Valentines, please go here and here. And for the Groovy Candies stats, go here. And finally, for the Good Housekeeping article about über-romantic stories across the world, go here and be sure to take a tissue.
Check out our Saint Valentine’s Day 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.
themuglytruth.com 