A Cup of Tea

What comes before life or after death? There is a lot of unknown regarding one's consciousness outside of their physical body. Is there truly such a thing as a "spirit"? Co-hosts Antasia and Jared take the opportunity to divulge their thoughts on the idea of reincarnation while speculating what it would be like if it did exist. Could there be more unknowns in the universe waiting to...

What defines an "alternate reality"? Is it a different outcome of history, parallel universe, or fictional realm? Or is it a takeover of 'A Cup of Tea' by Tal? All of these are accurate interpretations of the phrase. However, in this episode co-hosts Tal and Jared stress the importance of being grounded or inspired by alternate realities while remaining present within the one we...

In this Iced Tea episode, host Jared reflects on his own ability to be self-aware and how it has evolved over time. He also offers a perspective on different aspects of self-awareness such as physical, social, and intellectual which humankind can consider. The end goal of self-awareness is to become the best person that you can possibly be while owning your flaws and mistakes that make you uniquel...

19 consecutive days of high temperatures over 110 degrees Fahrenheit (43° C) in Phoenix, AZ has sent shockwaves that stretch far beyond the boundaries of the dusty American Southwest. However, this news is only one of various storylines brought about as a result of ongoing climate change. While the whole world is suffering from the consequences of an ever-changing climate, Jared focuses on what is...

Gender-affirming care is a concept which profoundly impacts all people in society. Despite this, it's still incredibly misunderstood as Transgender and Gender-Diverse (TGD) people are in general. Tal and Jared highlight the struggles impacting people of gender identities that are not widely accepted in society. They also shed light on how the concept of gender-affirming care affects people of...

Why is "dressing to impress" the key to successful social interactions for humankind? The path to a meaningful friendship, romantic partnership, and career begins with an impactful first impression. Co-hosts Avery and Jared detail the value of dressing to impress while uncovering the psychological biases at play that negatively affect marginalized groups in society. References 21:05 - Dr...

Co-hosts Antasia and Jared play a game of Would You Rather? in the context of thought-provoking topics like disgust, morality, and humanity. For each answer they chose, regardless of whether they agreed or not, both co-hosts offered an explanation behind their reasoning. The back and forth nature of the game led to a conversation between husband and wife that was both fun and at least somewhat ins...

What factors contributed to one of the most notable superblooms in the history of the Southwestern United States? In this episode, host Jared depicts the journey of warm tropical moisture from the Hawaiian Islands which ultimately makes landfall over the Western United States. This journey has a number of literal downstream impacts both positive and negative. Will the plentiful winter rains of the...

Setting sail at sea can be an adventure that requires courage, dedication, and precision to follow through with. Luckily, host Jared is joined by special guest host Avery who is an expert at navigating the tumultuous waters of the Earth's oceans as a Naval Officer. Throughout this iced tea episode, Avery shares his experiences from his time while serving in the Navy and the two discuss the imp...

A color wheel of relationships exist in reality with two of the most prominent "shades" being monogamy and nonmonogamy. However, even in modern culture and society, monogamy casts a prominent shadow over other romantic relationship types. Tal and Jared each answer ten thought-provoking questions to shed light into their unique perspectives on intimate relationships. Regardless of how, wh...

Can love be truly unconditional? And if so, then should it be? Why or why not? As a married couple who has been together for years, co-hosts Antasia and Jared share their answers to these questions and contextualize them within the confines of their relationship built on communication and trust. Relationships, romantic or not, come in all shapes and sizes. What truly matters is protecting yourself...

It's been three years since the infamous COVID-19 lockdowns first began in the United States and much of the globe. A lot has changed since then, but the scars of the pandemic still remain. A phenomena which continues to perplex and frustrate the public and medical professionals alike is Long COVID. Jared examines this condition through various lenses in order to gain perspective on how we can...

What is a side hustle? And how does modern society create the necessary pressures and opportunities that lead to people embracing side hustles? Co-hosts Antasia and Jared explore the concept of side hustles and infer explanations of human behavior from the statistics at hand. With various niches to uncover and clear trends that define "hustle culture" as we know it, the possibilities are...

How far has Artificial Intelligence or AI come in recent years? Far enough to where now the latest and most popular chatbots as of 2023 (ChatGPT) are able to craft entire fantastical stories and build convincingly credible research papers in minutes. Listen as co-hosts Tal and Jared chat with AI while discussing the philosophical implications of this new technology and the controls necessary to pr...

Why are some employers considering a return to the office as a "return to work"? In this episode, Jared analyzes the gap between leadership and employees in some organizations when perceiving the model of work best suited for remote-capable jobs. The models of choice are in-person, remote, and hybrid which blends the first two models to a varying degree. What is the optimal path forward...

Every human being has basic needs that need to be fulfilled to survive. What should people be entitled to for simply existing on planet Earth? Without a definitive answer, co-hosts Tal and Jared think through this problem with a thought experiment mentality. They offer their unique ideas that outline how individuals everywhere could possibly have their basic needs met while empowering society to b...

How different can two individual perspectives be with a mixed bag of topics? Everyone is as unique as their own opinions after all! Find out what husband and wife co-hosts Antasia and Jared disagree about and see the world from their unique points of view for reference. Whether you agree with one of them, both of them, or neither of them, the casual banter is undoubtedly thought-provoking.

To close out 2022, co-hosts Antasia and Jared take some time out of their busy holiday season to shed light on the controversial topic of white privilege. Together they make an argument in support of the existence of white privilege that is supported by both perception and observation. It's clear at least in the United States of America that opportunities are more difficult to come by and take adv...

Knowing a little about something can't be a bad thing or cause harm, right? Actually, having only limited knowledge can be more dangerous than having no knowledge or the most knowledge relative to others. This is the foundation of what is known as the Dunning-Kruger Effect. Host Jared discusses this effect at length by putting forth evidence that could either falsify or support the existence of th...

Nathaniel and Jared go on a journey to uncover the reality of body image perception in the context of social media within the Information Age. The co-hosts demonstrate that while social media can be used as a tool to receive the necessary validation on one's own body image that it can be incredibly toxic if the individual is seeking validation to conform with a body ideal that does not fit them. T...

Jared recounts his personal journey with grief after losing his late grandfather, Bill. The experience of suddenly losing a beloved family member sent shockwaves that rippled through all aspects of his life at the time. After taking some time to reconcile the death itself, Jared and his family found the appropriate time and space to honor his grandfather while moving towards the final stage of gri...

Co-hosts Nathaniel and Jared embark on their own personal journeys interpreting both the concept of spirituality and the state of the universe at this moment. They find themselves at the crossroads of the known and the unknown. While bringing distinct points of view to the conversation, together they shed light on the possibilities that could be out there for humankind to become enlightened in our...

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a lot of upheaval in society including the swift adoption of contactless solutions to problems that were traditionally face-to-face in nature. Contactless technology has been on the rise for some time; however, the pandemic caused a shift in society psychologically that led to the beginning of a truly contactless era. When considering the intrinsic value of contact...

Since recording the Iced Tea episode "Uprooting" over a year ago, co-hosts Antasia and Jared provide an update on the growth of their family in the time between now and then with an emphasis on the newest addition to their family—a baby boy. They reflect on how they reached this milestone and discuss the exciting possibilities as a family of four to follow in both the near and distant future. ACOT...

In the midst of the North American Monsoon, Jared embarks on a narrative in which he describes his journey to fatherhood and what the role of dad has meant to him since he first became a father. With another baby on the way, he is able to put his personal growth from becoming a dad in perspective.