Current Fixation

Sometimes life just uh.... finds a way. And this time it found a way to hit us hard, all at once! Join us as we say - not goodbye, just ta ta for now! In this episode, busy folks who need a nap, Sarah and Katie, infodump about: How 2026 has gone so awry, so fast, despite our best planning Taking a break to catch our breath for a bit We'll be back with some fun new episodes as soon as we can Love y...

Over the last year or so, we have lost some greats - Diane Keaton, Rob Reiner, Cary-Hiroyuki Tagawa, Malcolm-Jamal Warner, and many more. But for us here at Current Fixation, one passing in particular hit us the hardest. In this In Memoriam episode, Catherine O'Hara superfan Katie info dumps at you about: -Catherine O'Hara's life, legacy, and storied career  -Schitt's Creek moments that have...

We’re all a product of our families, for better or for worse. In this episode, ba-ba black sheep of the family Sarah infodumps about: Diving into their family history and the discomfort that comes with it Difficulties in finding accurate historical information  Sometimes you gotta live in a way that pisses off your ancestors Content Warning: Discussions of racism, misogyny, and incest Want to...

This week, we are introducing a new segment we are calling Spicy for a Tuesday ! Once every month or two we will have an episode that gets a little… steamier than our average content. Spicy for a Tuesday episodes will allow us the freedom to discuss more adult topics without feeling the need to censor ourselves for the general audience. And will allow you, the listener, to make an informed decisio...

Hockey is the “it girl”, the sport on the tip of everyone’s tongue. Between the current race for playoff slots, several generation-defining young players coming into their own, and we can’t forget Heated Rivalry, the world has never been so primed for a hockey explosion. In our first ever episode with a mid-recording pivot, hockey superfan Katie infodumps about: How Sarah and Katie came to underst...

Subscription this, shrinkflation that, ads upon ads upon invasion of privacy… In this re-recorded episode, angry consumer Sarah infodumps about: What exactly is enshittification? How subscription models are the absolute worst.  Ways to (sort of) save yourself from enshittified products. Want to share more about this topic? Do you have a current fixation you want to share with us? Get in the c...

Shakespeare, a name everyone knows. But can you really say we know the man? Join us on our circuitous route through 16th-century Stratford-Upon-Avon and London to modern day Hollywood and back again. In this episode, Shakespeare Club member Katie infodumps about: The true history of the life and family of William Shakespeare The origins of the play Hamlet The movie Hamnet, directed by Chloé Zhao C...

2025 was a year of big change for many people, us very much included. The highs were high and the lows were tough but we all made it through! In our final episode of the year, Sarah leads a 2025 wrap-up conversation where we discuss: Katie’s last popcorn fixation for the year. It’s a big one y’all! Our top 3 hyperfixations from 2025 as a whole Personal and podcast goals for next year. 2026 is goin...

Hey nerds, Sarah here to let you know that there will be no new episode this week! Unfortunately, the audio that was supposed to be our episode got corrupted, so we'll be back next Tuesday, same time, same place. Thanks for being awesome and patient. <3 -Sarah & Katie Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In the second to last episode of 2025, Katie and Sarah discuss the realities of living with ADHD. They explore: The realities of late in life diagnosis Varieties in the way ADHD can present in different people Neurodiversity as a superpower! Tuesday, December 16th will be our last episode of the year. We’re taking a three week hiatus  to relax, catch up on sleep and episode recording, and spe...

Leaves plus hot water equals a little cup of happiness and a delicious new hyperfixation. In this episode, noob tea blender and pro tea drinker Sarah infodumps about: The… uh… interesting legends behind tea as a beverage The surprising leaderboard of tea drinking nations around the world  Combating tea fraud with science!  Want to share more about this topic? Do you have a current fixati...

When you think about empathy, grief, or a sense of community, you think of people. Very human experiences of emotion. In this episode, marine mammal enthusiast Katie infodumps about: Toothed vs baleen whales Stories of orcas taking ecological vengeance into their own hands Discussing the concept of empathy in non-human mammals Sarah’s Note: The Bloop originated at roughly 50°S and 100°W, while Cth...

Sometimes one episode isn’t enough to say all the things we want to say, so we’re BACK, BABY! In this episode, marathon bingers Sarah and Katie discuss: More weird, wacky, annoying, and funny tropes in media The absolute ridiculousness that is medical realism Important conversations about representation in media Want to share more about this topic? Do you have a current fixation you want to share...

Every culture has their own pantheon of Gods, their own creation myths, folktales shared through the centuries that play a significant part of their cultural heritage. But despite differences from country to country and continent to continent, the human desire to explain the past through fantastical means wills out. In this episode, Katie, connoisseur of all things mythological, infodumps about: T...

Join us for our very first fully collaborative, off-the-cuff episode! In this episode, witchy history enthusiasts Katie AND Sarah infodump about: The enthralling witch themed talk we attended, given by Lisa Traugott Scotland’s creation myth The true and sad story of Lilias Adie, the most famous witch in Scotland  Learn more about Lisa Traugott and her books: www.lisatraugott.com Content Warni...

Some people live life, and some people LIVE life. Renowned writer O. Henry (William Sydney Porter) was one of those people. In this episode, fellow Renaissance person Sarah infodumps about: The wild ride that was O. Henry’s life before he settled into writing Austin’s O. Henry museum and Pun Off Competition How his legacy lives on and encourages literacy CW: Alcoholism Want to change our minds abo...

If I told you your home was your first place and work was your second, what would your third place be? A cafe? A public library? Somewhere outside or inside? Join your hosts as they discuss the global significance of third spaces. Jumping between historical precedent, pandemic based shifts in the modern way we engage in community, and our dreams of amazing new spaces with third place potential. In...

Sometimes Reddit happens and you scrap an episode in the middle of research to Charlie Day yourself down a rabbit hole of historical domino effects. In this episode, Reddit-rabbitholer Sarah infodumps about: How King George III led to the hit sensation known as 50 Shades of Grey Bonus stories about other historical domino effects Troubles in podcasting paradise and the awesomeness of public librar...

Have you ever drawn a connection in your mind between a seemingly unrelated cause and effect and just knew there was more to the story than meets the eye? Join us on the journey to explore the impact of livestock anti-inflammatories on the death rituals of a specific religious group. In this week’s episode, play along as puzzle-brained Katie infodumps about: A new favorite book series, centering a...

Empty cups, miscommunications, deus ex machinas, OH MY! The media we consume is full of tropes, and for good reason. They’re memorable, easy to replicate in new stories, and familiar to viewers.   In our fifth episode, Sarah and Katie chat about: The tropes they love, hate, hate to love, and love to hate Being really annoying and/or really fun to watch movies with Why mouth noises are th...

Most people are familiar with the story of Medusa, the gorgon killed by Perseus. A stepping stone in his path toward greatness. But have you ever wondered what the story looks like from Medusa’s side? Her story, when told through the historical male lens, is frightening and sad. But in the wake of the #MeToo movement, there is a push to retell and reimagine Medusa’s story. Follow along as Mytholog...

Time travel has featured heavily in science fiction stories since the calendar read BCE. But what if science fiction became a little less… fictional? When visiting the Palace of Versailles in 1901, Charlotte Moberly and Eleanor Jourdain experienced what they believed to be a time slip, ending up in 18th Century France, days before the start of the French Revolution. In our third episode, Sarah inf...

Have a green thumb but tired of growing nothing but tomatoes, potatoes, and green beans? Get inspired by one of the many morbid pastimes popularized in the Victorian Era, curating a garden of death! In our second episode, history-fanatic Katie infodumps about: A history of Poison Gardens, from apothecary gardens to today The unassuming but deadly flowering plants you might already have in your gar...

Let’s face it, planning a wedding is stressful. Sometimes you need a break from all the budgeting and planning, and sometimes that break includes deep diving into the history of weddings and marriage.  In our inaugural episode, newlywed Sarah infodumps about: Weddings and marriage in ancient societies Interesting wedding traditions, both historical and modern Their new belief that weddings an...