Terminal Vocation

Welcome to another episode of Terminal Vocation as hosts Deacon Mark and Erin kick things off by talking about a recent birthday celebration for Erin going to see a local 80's band. In the "This Just In" segment, the hosts dive into a viral hiring debate sparked by a recruiter's post about candidates bringing iced coffee into job interviews . They analyze what casual habits commu...

Welcome back to another episode of Terminal Vocation with your hosts, Deacon Mark and Erin. This week, the hosts kick off the show by catching up on their respective weeks. Deacon Mark recounts his trip to Arizona for a work conference, while Erin shares the excitement of going to a Nats game (and celebrating a great comeback win!). This Just In: The hosts talk about a recent CNN report discussing...

Updates Family Adjustments: Deacon Mark and Erin share that they are preparing their home to welcome Mark's aging uncle. Moving things from one room to another and throwing out a lot. Sentimental Belongings: Erin reflects on going through a trunk of her late father's memorabilia from his life, including finding an airmail letter detailing Kraft shipping cheese to India, as well as the orig...

This episode of Terminal Vocation , hosted by Deacon Mark and Erin, explores how habits and addictions impact romantic relationships and individual identity. Personal Updates & Celebrations In Memoriam of Penny: The hosts share the sad news of passing away of Penny, their 15-year-old dog and occasional podcast "guest." 26th Wedding Anniversary: The hosts celebrate 26 years of marriage, reminis...

In this episode of Terminal Vocation , hosts Deacon Mark and Erin discuss what it means to support friends through the sacraments, covering Matrimony, Holy Orders, and Baptism. Weekly Recap & Current Events Movie Night & In Memoriam: Deacon Mark and Erin catch up on seeing the newly released The Odyssey , comparing its modern structure to Homer's classic text, and honor the legacy, mus...

In this episode, we dive into the subtle warning signs in relationships, exploring why so many of us fall in love with someone’s potential rather than their present reality. We unpack why it’s so tempting to ignore early red flags in favor of an idealized future, and what happens when you find yourself competing with a partner’s unresolved past. We kick off catching up on our week including the ne...

In this episode of Terminal Vocation , Deacon Mark and Erin catch up on family life, back-to-school season, and the bittersweet dynamics of launching adult children into their next chapters. Reflecting on a recent news story about Ariana Grande taking a step back from her tour , they discuss how similar it can be as parents to both love your family, and sometimes need a break to recharge and renew...

Hosts Deacon Mark and Erin introduce this episode on social media trends. Weekly Catch-Up: Erin talks about sixth-grade orientation at school, while Deacon Mark details an adventurous scuba diving trip to the Florida Keys with his son. Mini Topic on Care and "Sunk Costs": Mark recounts a situation from his diving trip involving a couple on the dive boat. The story prompts a conversation...

In this episode, Deacon Mark and Erin talk about the challenges of dating as an adult child of divorce. 1. Intro & News Banter: Erin discusses a mother-daughter trip to a production of "Drunk Pirates", while Deacon Mark shares news on helping his uncle move into assisted living. This Just In: The hosts briefly discuss the birth of JD and Usha Vance's fourth child and the unique c...

Erin and Mark talk about some of their home improvement projects going on this week, including Erin's plans to repaint and Mark moving a couch in the bed of a pickup with questionable tie-down procedures. The conversation then shifts to pop culture and reports from the wedding of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce who each shared 20-minute wedding vows. Mark and Erin agree that vows are meant to be sol...

In this episode Mark and Erin give their dueling "Top 5 Rules for Dating. " But there’s a twist—neither host shared their list before recording, making for an entirely blind, hot-take-heavy conversation. Before diving into the relationship playbook, the duo catches up on their July 4th weekend and some of the historical 'goings on' in their hometown. In "This Just In" w...

Episode Summary: Coming Home & Postpartum Realities In this episode of Terminal Vocation , hosts Deacon Mark and Erin conclude their two-part mini-series. Shifting focus from pre-partum topics, they dive into the joys, anxieties, and practical realities of navigating the postpartum period and bringing a new baby home. Before diving into the main topic, Mark and Erin catch up on their week, whi...

Pregnancy is a wild nine months and in this episode we break down some of the things to consider as you prepare for the arrival of a child. How to share the news and with whom? Picking a doctor Dealing with the physical and emotional changes taking place Nesting and getting ready Delivery Some things mentioned in this episode: Study by Binghamton Univ. on Wordle strategy Article on the risks of ho...

As we conclude our series on the top 5 challenges that couples face we talk about the ways that religion and politics can become divisive within a relationship. Our most tightly held beliefs can often be something we seek to find in common with others, so how do we balance finding agreement on the big issues while still understanding that a 100% perfect match is not always possible. We also talk a...

Continuing our series on the top 5 challenges relationships face we talk about our families of origin and in-laws. How do we handle overcoming some of our 'core memories' and default settings in order to communicate better with each other? How do we distinguish between extended families who are involved vs. intruding? What to do to grow in our love for these people? We also talk about deal...

Continuing our series on the top 5 challenges in marriage, we cover the topic of sex, and the three categories of how it can be corrupted: Use/Abuse, Infidelity, and Weaponization. We also talk about waiting until marriage, NFP , and the Blue Origin Rocket explosion .

Part 2 of our series on the top 5 topics that cause challenges for couples -- this week we talk about kids. Part 1 - We discuss the "Enhanced Games" and what this kind of mentality looks like in parenting. Being an overly permissive parent who just goes along with 'what they're gonna do anyway' is a recipe for problems. Part 2 - We talk about the important things couples need...

Mark and Erin kick off a series on the top issues that couples need to align on and that can be a source of conflict. This Just In: The recent rash of commencement speakers talking about AI, and subsequently getting booed, is a good reminder of the importance of preparing well for having conversations with our kids about difficult situations for them. NPR on AI Commencement Addresses Topic: We dis...

Mark and Erin talk about: Amazon's new "Ultra" delivery service How to know when to 'go steady' How to know when you're ready to say I love You How to know when you're ready to get engaged

Mark and Erin open with a discussion about Spirit airlines shutdown and the impact of poor customer service in raising kids. Then we have a conversation about the five rules for handling fighting in relationships. Links: Spirit Airlines Article Teams of Our Lady

Mark and Erin talk about Allyson Felix's potential comeback and how that can affect a family, and then go into a discussion about how dating changes through different stages in life, but is always important as a way of coming to know each other continually. They end with a hot-take on the prom-posal trend. Links: Allyson Felix The Dating Project He's Just Not That Into You

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