You Want Mora?

The world is causing anxiety right now, but there are cracks in right wing fascism and reason for hope. Brenda is staying active locally, advocating to keep Olympia schools open. Doug is escaping into books and movies. Smashley is connecting the community around chess.  “ King’s Ransom ” by Janet Evanovich isn’t an example of well-written literature but the story is fun enough for a binge and crin...

Special guests Emmett and Van go over Ted Lasso Season 4 with Doug. Tig Notaro was regrettably unable to join us, but we had a good conversation. If only we could see the show as it would be in Emmett’s mind. If only they had consulted with Van to include some actual women’s futbol. So many missed opportunities! But we will all watch Season 5 and hope they get it right next time.

Sometimes you spin the globe and it lands close to home. Olympia School District is proposing school closures and it’s a hot topic around town. If only we could just print money. We sorta can but…it’s complicated. Let’s talk about that later. Right now, we have to pick our favorite pasta and appreciate Smashley’s quality Tom Hanks impression.    “ Pearl Harbor ” is stacked with stars, action, and...

We check in directly after the Great Columbia Crossing 10K in Astoria, Oregon. Link recap next episode!

Doug, Brenda, and Smashley review a couple of Tom Hanks movies in which he plays Tom Hanks-type characters. We talk a little bit about automated text readers (sometimes called “AI voice” but is it really AI or is it just advanced text to speech?).  BTW, none of these voices are AI. We are actual humans. Or are we? We are. I promise.  Doug referred to an episode of “This American Life” with two Cha...

We spend most of our time in the artgasm, celebrating Nene Royal’s victory on America’s Got Talent.  Ambre Vallet’s simple pop song “Cette Fille” just came out. It’s a nice song. Ambre Vallet - Cette Fille The classic “Nine to Five” is sorta funny movie that’s worth watching every 30 years or so: Nine to Five Trailer   Nene Fest: Interview clip with Linkin Park: "Unshatter" and performin...

Recorded in person at Smashley Studios! Brenda is back by unanimous vote amongst the podcast crew.  Nene’s got talent. You must see this video for maximum intensity. Nene Royal - Seven Nation Army. We will know tonight if she’s a millionaire (or opts for the cash up front)!  The drummer in the Nene Royal video above is from a band called The Warning. Here they are rocking out on the song Kerosene:...

We needed to call in an expert for this week to respond to the Federal Open Market Committee’s latest decision on interest rates. Brenda schools Doug and Smashley on economics and the pumpkin in pumpkin spice lattes.  Caroline Rose gives the fun music, with just a touch of chaos right where the song needs it most. The video captures the mood: Caroline Rose - Calm Nouvelle Vague transforms songs yo...

This short workweek is making us a little loopy. We want some good food and distraction from the horrors of the world out there, but recognize that we have responsibilities that go with privilege.  Whisper Doll calls themselves “the luckiest band in Brooklyn.” Lucky for us, they have an album coming out on October 2nd that promises to be full of that sweet dreampop. The song is here: Whisper Doll...

Doug and Smashley welcome back the rain with a mix of dismal science and joyful discussion about fonts, film, futbol, and fun arts.  Is there a font that bugs you to no end? Personally, I don’t mind Papyrus but it really gets under some skins. I also don’t hate Comic Sans but wow, that generates some reactions. I’m partial to Arial and Calibri. You might not find this sketch funny: Papyrus - SNL  ...

Recording on a different day makes us a little mixed up. We are all over the place! Doug and Smashley continue spinning out last week’s mystery sack and review some of the live performance we got to see over the weekend.   Looking for something to read that will make you appreciate good writing? “Dollface” by Lindy Ryan will do the trick. Dollface - Lindy Ryan Grudge read it, if you dare.  Here’s...

Seattle sportsball fans are singing the blues right now. We skip over spinning the globe this week so we can spend more time on artgasms, because we have plenty of them! Even pre-artgasms!  I’d love to see a sequel to “Kate and Leopold” in which the main character disrupts New York in the late 1800s as she adjusts to the difference after going back in time because she couldn’t find a decent guy in...

Doug and Smashley power through the summer doldrums. I think we are ready to be ready for fall. Meanwhile, we have remarkable feats of human achievement to appreciate.  For example, the composition, planning, and execution of this video is stunning: Epic Eclipse Skateboard Video . David Sedaris keeps putting out fun essays. I’ve enjoyed how his content has changed over the years, while his wry tak...

Smoke gets in your eyes…and nose, throat, and everywhere else. Let’s hunker down and try to enjoy the summer. It’s a great year for music. The stock market? Nothing smart to say there.  Doug got schooled on the fact that we don’t have true IMAX in Seattle (neither at SIFF Downtown nor the Pacific Science Center). The story: True IMAX . Don’t be fooled by LieMAX!  This song will give you an earworm...

We are now in the fading days of summer, those perfect PNW days where it’s warm enough to be outside and cool enough to sleep well. Spinning the globe lands on a horror show out there, but we can take refuge and get our batteries back to 100% thanks to artgasms and sportsballs.  This might be the song of the summer. It’s just so fun and carefree, and don’t we need that right now? At least for a li...

Doug and Smashley muddle through some tech issues and heat-induced brain fog. How have your dreams been lately? Any vivid ones you want to share, or do you agree with Larry David that talking about dreams should be constitutionally prohibited?  Wishy makes that good ol’ indie rock. They have an album coming out in October. The singles are coming through and so far, so good!  Wishy - Nature's P...

Doug and Smashley go on the road to record this week’s episode before going into the stadium to cheer on the Sounders. We had lots of “boom boom clap” in Oly to set the mood at the start of the day.  This ain’t music to get you out on the dance floor. Like the best of The Beatles (or, my favorite), it is made for focused listening. I’m still anticipating the other songs on this upcoming album: Man...

These perfect PNW summer days are made for musing on the origins of sports conspiracy theories and those roadside cherry stands.  Victoria, B.C. surprises me every time. This is an amazing interactive artcade that I think is a must see: Monkey C Interactive's ARTCADE . Whether or not you go to high tea is up to you.  The last in Richard Linklater’s “Before” trilogy is “Before Midnight.” Can Je...

Doug and Smashley get ready for the long Independence Day weekend, going over some headlines, local business news, and arts arts arts!  The Washington Center for the Performing Arts 26/27 season calendar is out and there are five shows on our agenda. Notable Tig Notaro has a brand new show. MOMOX: Botanica promises to be a wildly unique, visual stunner. Compagnie Hervé Koubi will have amazing chor...

Allez les Bleus! Doug had a few beers while watching world futbol. What follows is on the record but not necessarily canon. Blame it on the delicious Three Magnets Scherler lager.  This song has been bouncing around in my mind since I first heard it: Man/Woman/Chainsaw - Nosedive . It’s from the upcoming album Cannonball . Available on Bandcamp for pre-order with three songs to give a feel for the...

Doug and Smashley get ready for summer solstice weekend! We have emerged from a desert of music! Three songs came out in the last few days but some of my favorites: Always nice and dreamy, with the breathiness that gets me: Hazel English - Phone Booth This might not be something you listen to without headphones at work: Suki Waterhouse - When I Get Drunk (I Want You Boy) .   Music flavored music,...

Doug and Smashley prepare for gigantic soccer by talking about politics in Peru, the low mortgage rate trap conundrum, ultraprocessed foods, and running.  Olympia Blunders Season Five signups close on June 16th. Get in there! Oly Blunders Season Signup . Games start on the 18th. It’s amazingly well-coordinated.  The second single from Ambre Vallet’s album is out. It doesn’t have the infectiousness...

Doug is back in the U.S. and getting reacclimated, just in time for a birthday celebration. We finally talk about sunrises in mystery sack, skip business business, but go deep into Peruvian politics. The presidential carousel in Peru continues! Read about it in the New Yorker: https://www.newyorker.com/news/the-lede/perus-politics-are-a-disaster-but-does-it-matter   Ladytron is a little more on th...

Remote from Tbilisi, Georgia! Doug and Smashley dig into a listener submitted song to assess its Doug Musicness, dig into Georgia a few different angles, and reach into the mystery sack to find QR code menus.  This is well outside the realm of Doug Music but this band we heard about while in Georgia has cool instrumentation and is a nice groove: Mgzaverbi, feat TAHA   We didn’t discuss but will so...

Remote from Kutaisi, Georgia! This charming city is serving as Doug’s stop between Tbilisi and Batumi.  In-flight movies from Seattle to Tbilisi included “Good Fortune” and “Train Dreams.” Quite different films. “Good Fortune” is fighting the good fight, branding greed and social inequity as societal evils. I’m still waiting for the message to stick: Good Fortune Trailer “Train Dreams” is a medita...