Ah, the aughts. Full of flagpole sitters and work riots. The assassination of President McKinley and man's first powered flight.

Such times...such times...

Wait, not the early 1900s...

We all got a taste of the future in...the year 2000!

Things were much different in the year 2000...

* * *

We begin this episode (the last in our series about decades we've lived in) by talking about our best — and worst — memories from the aughts. After that, we discuss some favorite things from the time: music, movies, and television in particular.

What did we think were the big news stories about the 00s? It's pretty obvious, so we instead talk about where we were when we heard about the attack on that Tuesday morning in September, 2001. Then we discuss what we consider the technological events of the decade.

After that, we imagine we have a time machine and the power to change the world. Find out what we would do if we could go back to the aughts and make one change about the decade. Then we talk about our greatest accomplishments in the 00s.

We devote some time to the best and worst things to come out of the aughts, and then we wrap up the episode talking about the one word we’d use to describe the decade.

We know we have an audience spanning many decades; we’d love to hear your thoughts about the aughts in the comments.

We were going to write a dope intro, here, but we're too apathetic.

Meh...

Some band in the 90s said it best:

Here we are now, entertain us...

Meh...

* * *

We begin this episode by talking about our best — and worst — memories from the 90s. After that, we discuss some favorite things from the time: music, movies, and television in particular.

What did we think were the big news stories about the 90s? Find out before we discuss what we consider the technological events of the decade.

Then we imagine we have a time machine and the power to change the world. Find out what we would do if we could go back to the 90s and make one change about the decade. After that, we talk about our greatest accomplishments in the 90s.

We devote some time to the best and worst things to come out of the 90s, and then we wrap up the episode talking about the one word we’d use to describe the decade.

We know we have an audience spanning many decades; we’d love to hear your thoughts about the 90s in the comments.

Twist away the gates of steel and step into the future...by taking a walk back to the 1980s. (The last decade Gen X was ever happy!)

Burn out your retinas on all that neon!

Hear synthesizers and drum machines in your sleep.

Remember how cool hanging out at the mall was? (We wonder what happened to that guy who mastered Dragon's Lair at the mall arcade -- what is he doing today?)

Oh yeah, don't forget the shadow of complete planetary annihilation hanging over us all ("Damn, commies!")  during what many consider the happiest times America has ever seen...

We begin this episode by talking about our best -- and worst -- memories from the 80s. After that, we discuss some favorite things from the time: music, movies, and television in particular.

What did we think were the big news stories about the 80s? Find out before we discuss what we consider the technological events of the decade.

Then we imagine we have a time machine and the power to change the world. Find out what we would do if we could go back to the 80s and make one change about the decade. After that, we talk about our greatest accomplishments in the 80s.

We devote some time to the best and worst things to come out of the 80s, and then we wrap up the episode talking about the one word we'd use to describe the decade.

We know we have an audience spanning many decades; we'd love to hear your thoughts about the 80s in the comments.

Disco!

That's what many people think about (or remember) when asked to recall anything about the 70s.

Others think about long, blocky cars and gritty movies. Obviously, Nixon and Watergate drop into the minds of others. Vietnam was still going on, and soon those long, blocky cars would be in winding lines waiting for gasoline.

The 70s were an interesting time -- in a way, it was a decade that had a great affect on the decades that followed. (We were driving head-first into some big issues and didn't turn or hit the brakes; some might even say we stepped on the gas and are reaping much of what we sowed in a decade that defined America.)

We begin this episode by talking about our best -- and worst -- memories from the 70s. After that, we discuss some favorite things from the time: music, movies, and television in particular.

For many, the big news story of the 70s was the end of the Vietnam War and Nixon's impeachment following the Watergate scandal. But for us, other news stories bubbled up.

Near the end of the 70s was the beginning of a technological boom that would change the world forever. Find out what we consider the technological events of the decade.

Then we imagine we have a time machine and the power to change the world. Find out what we would do if we could go back to the 70s and make one change about the decade. (Don't worry disco fans, we would not get rid of the music...) After that, we talk about our greatest accomplishments in the 70s. (Which is kind of funny, considering Shawn was born mid-way through 1978!)

We devote some time to the best and worst things to come out of the 70s, and then we wrap up the episode talking about the one word we'd use to describe the decade.

We know we have an audience spanning many decades; we'd love to hear your thoughts about the 70s in the comments.

(We'll now return you to the funk...)

Most of us have memories of the earliest stories read to us...or stories we read on our own. We often carry lessons from those stories into adulthood. Children's literature kickstarts imagination, and reminds the adults reading to children that maybe they'd do well to slow down a little and let their imaginations run wild.

This week's show is all about children's literature.

We begin by talking about the first book we remember from childhood. Was it a work of children's literature, or something else? After that, we move on to the first book we remember reading on our own. We wrap up the intro to the show listing some of our favorite children's books. (Shawn just might win, were it a competition!)

At some point, books move on from pictures and simple tales to something more complex. We discuss what transitional books affected us when we were younger.

While we rarely plug our own books on the podcast, it's not a big secret that we both write. Find out if we've ever had a desire to write children's literature.

Fantasy worlds are often used in children's literature. We discuss why we think that's so common before we talk about our favorite -- and least favorite -- things about children's literature.

Good stories feature good characters. Find out who our favorite characters are from children's literature...and whether or not either of us have bought children's literature or picture books as adults.

We close out this week's show by talking about how children's literature has affected us as adults -- and what the future of children's literature is in a digital age.

We'd love to hear what your favorite works from childhood are...chat away in the comments!

The people of Dothan, Alabama are no-good slackers! But first...

At least in the United States of 'Murica, many of us had a long weekend last weekend because of the 4th of July holiday. Oh, sure...many didn't, but if they wanted it badly enough, they'd WORK for it, 'cause that's what we do in America, right?! (Obviously, that's sarcasm...but not so obvious, since we felt the need to call that out as sarcasm...)

Anyway...last weekend was a holiday for so many, a rare time when people who work hard got a little bit of a break.

America is full of people eating at their desks and answering email at 11:00 p.m. If you work in a warehouse or factory, you probably work weekends.

Work/Life balance is askew for many, so we decided to devote an entire episode to such an important thing...

We begin by talking about the first time we heard the term "work/life balance." After that, we discuss our early years...specifically, when we were introduced to someone, how often was a job the first thing they mentioned about themselves? Find out how often that occurs now -- and, when we introduce ourselves, how soon we bring up our day jobs.

Find out how much time we work each week, sleep each week, and have time to ourselves each week. (The answer to that last one might have some CEOs wishing they could pay us for free time.)

Also, find out how fluid our work schedules are before we discuss how available we make ourselves to coworkers outside of working hours. (Christopher is a right asshole, but he does not mind. Shawn is the coworker you want.)

After that, we talk about whether or not our work/life balance is in harmony, or if it is more weighed toward work or slack. Also find out, among people we know, if their work/life balances are healthy.

We wrap it all up with the future of work and life...and how they will balance...or fly apart.

We'd love to hear your thoughts about this important topic in the comments. And...we'd love to hear how you feel about Dothan, Alabama...

(Really, we LOVE Dothan, Alabama...)

Last week was a week of change in America. The Affordable Healthcare Act stood up (again) in the Supreme Court, and marriage equality is now a thing in all 50 states. Some people are elated; others feel like the very foundation of all they know is crumbling down around them. No matter where you stand on any issue, it's pretty clear that -- given enough time -- things change. So we decided to devote this week's show to changes of all kinds...

We begin this week's episode talking about how we feel about the Supreme Court of the United States overturning the ban on same-sex marriage. (It's probably evident where we stand on this if you've listened to any of our past shows about social justice.) Some people, however, are anything but pleased that two people of the same sex now -- finally -- have the same legal protection that Shawn and Christopher have with their wives. We devote a bit of time discussing how people can change the hearts of those standing on the precipice of being buried by history.

Almost everybody has heard the saying, "The more that things change, the more they stay the same." Find out if we think that's true -- and then hear us talk about the first big change we remember in our lives. After that, we chat about the proudest change made in our lives...and the one thing we still intend to change. Also, find out what we'd change about this podcast.

While summer in Texas seems to run from Cinco de Mayo to Halloween, seasons do occur, here. We not only discuss our favorite seasons, but why they are our favorites.

Tastes change over time; we talk about some personal changes in tastes before getting back to something more serious: how to deal with advances in technology affecting human industry and population.

Were the "good ol' days" really better than things are today? How do we think the world will change in the next 50 years? And, if we could change one thing about the world, what would that be? Find out in the final part of this week's show.

And the final final question of this week's episode: if you had a time machine and could go back and make one change in our lives, find out what those changes would be...?

Hey, we hit episode 125! In honor of that, we'll get right to it: this week, we're talking about gender equality!

We begin by talking about how old we were when we first realized that men and women were treated differently. After that, we move on to the event that made us think, "This imbalance in equality just isn't right." Next, we talk about why women generally make less than men at work.

We don't cut ourselves slack in this episode -- find out if either of us have ever made what could be deemed a sexist statement (and what those statements were). The flip-side of that: find out what feminist statements we've made. (Hell, Christopher once wrote this.)

We devote some time to whether or not anyone's ever given us grief for our stances on gender equality before discussing the most enlightened -- and unenlightened -- people we know when it comes to gender issues.

We wrap up the episode as we often do: talking about the future of the week's topic. In this case, we close with what we believe will be the solution to gender equality.

We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments.

In honor of this episode, when Shawn went to Christopher's place to record, the gate at the apartment complex where Christopher lives was closed.

Shawn could not get in... (The horror!!!)

He faced...a boundary...that lasted all of a moment when another vehicle came in, opened the gate, and Shawn followed them in...where he then parked in Christopher's spot under a carport.

That spot belongs to Christopher and his wife. Anyone not supposed to be parking there can be towed at their command...although Christopher and his wife have never exerted that power.

Boundaries are strange things. Some people require a 10-foot invisible bubble of personal space, while others are fine packed together tightly with strangers. Some people hide who they are deep down inside, while others are open to the point of some finding those people uncomfortable. (If you listen to this podcast, we're guessing you're fine with open people because we will talk about anything...even devoting an hour, once, to talking about poo.) Some people think it's money well spent to build a wall between America and Mexico, while others (i.e. not racist douchenozzles) can think of a bazillion better uses for that much money.

This week, we're all about boundaries...

We begin by talking about the first boundary in life we each remember, and then...we drop a [philosophy] bomb on y'all by talking about what seems more limiting to us: physical or mental boundaries. (While Christopher often writes these show notes in third person, he has never used "y'all" in an entry. That he knows of. After almost 125 episodes -- and some aging -- it all gets hazy...)

Personal space. Barring those with dragon breath, we discuss whether or not we have problems with people getting all up in our personal space. Next, we leap to how important boundaries are in our lives...and also: how important national boundaries are to us. (i.e. how utterly fucking stupid is the proposed wall with Mexico? Which probably gives away our answer...and might stir up the bile of some neo-cons, which -- let's be honest -- is not difficult at all. Shit, they are really more sensitive and easily offended as extreme liberals...which is really saying something. But we [Christopher] digress...)

Then we get all techie...and talk about digital rights management, software keycodes, and boundaries like that. Then...we talk not only about boundaries we are comfortable breaking, but we also share our favorite trespassing stories (where you learn that Shawn was a good boy in that regard, and Christopher really was a little shit-monkey! Like a bonafide bolt-cutter trespasser...)

Find out what we feel is the worst breach of a boundary, and then find out what boundary we would eradicate from the world if we had the power. (Another bit leaning more toward the philosophical, rather than some stupid, physical thing in the world.)

But let's pretend we're in Colorado and totally toasty and talking about space and time...which is funny, 'cause even if a life like this were legal, neither Christopher or Shawn would partake in the herb...even though we are all for legalization.

Anyway...assuming we colonize other planets, how will boundaries factor in to human development in space?

And then we close it out with this question: as we move forward as a species, do you think boundaries will become more or less important...or the same as it ever was? (Same as it ever was... Same as it ever was...)

ANYWAY...feel free to break down that boundary of the Internet and have your say in the comments. And, as always, thanks for taking time out of all you could have done with this hour of your life and listening to us instead of myriad other things. We really do appreciate it.

As you read this sentence, you're getting older. Now you're even older than when you started reading this entry. You can step away and turn your head, hoping to not be reminded that you are aging, but time marches on.

Forward...

Always...

This week, we're talking about aging!

We begin by talking about the first time we realized that childhood was temporary -- that one day we would become adults. But aging is not all bad...we discuss the first time we were aware of our bodies aging in positive ways. After that, though, we talk about some negative things we're felt or experienced as we've aged. We also talk about age-related problems we've noticed...and age-related problems that scare us.

Hundreds of years ago, we'd probably be dead by now. We devote some time to the positive and negative effects of longer lifespans in modern times -- and then talk about how old we want to live to be.

We also chat about some benefits of getting older and whether we consider ourselves old, middle aged, young, or something else entirely.

We wrap up this episode on the front lawn (chasing off those damn kids!) to discuss whether or not we are, indeed, getting "too old for this shit!"

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about aging in the comments.