There are those who do not believe that animals evolve. Not just evolution about certain animals based on the strongest evidence we have, but outright -- people who believe nothing evolves.

This is probably not a show for those people...even though we'd argue that it really is.

Evolution. No nice way to say it: some people (usually neo-conservative people who fear science), don't believe in even the facts surrounding evolution. Fortunately, most religious people, liberals, and actual conservatives we know DO believe in evolution. (Because only a very stupid person -- or a person with an agenda -- would look at the facts about evolution and deny them.) Obviously, evolution is the topic of discussion in this week's Men in Gorilla Suits. (We're probably not doing our side any favors by using a baboon in a top hat as the image for the week, but...BABOON IN A TOP HAT, PEOPLE!!!) So stretch that back, stand upright, and evolve with us...

We begin with what has probably been more than established with that introduction: do we believe in the theory of evolution? (Christopher doesn't even like prefacing that statement with the inclusion of "theory" ... find out why.)

Find out when the concept of humans evolving from other animals was first introduced to us, and find out the moment when we actually pictured ourselves evolving from another primate.

Also clear by our introduction: some people don't believe in evolution. Some of these people have come up with some very wacky "arguments" against evolution. Find out the craziest anti-evolution arguments we've ever heard.

What do we feel are the most evolved forms of life on the planet? We talk about that before jumping to what evolved intelligent life on other planets might look like.

We throw humans out of the mix and talk about what we feel is the apex predator out in the wilds...and then we talk about the next step in human evolution. We also talk about how humans have changed in the last 100,000 years or so, before we talk about whether or not we believe humans are evolved...or just a stepping stone to something else down the line.

We wrap it all up talking about the future of the human race (from a biological point of view).

We'd love to hear what your evolved fingers can type about this topic in the comments below.

Poor, poor Christopher. New Year's Eve he felt it...a slight scratching in his throat. The thought went through his head: "That EVIL family that came in late to the last Hobbit movie, sat up front, and THEN...saw the seats next to me and SAT IN THEM...the hacking girl who should NOT have been out an about...IT'S ALL HER FAULT!!!" (Not even knowing her Christmas must have been spent being miserably sick summoned compassion from a very compassionate individual because...poor, poor Christopher began the new year SICK!!! As in, missed two days of work sick...when I didn't plan to take ANY time off until late April.)

But let's talk about Shawn and all his broken noses. His cauliflower ear. A semi-professional fighter in all kinds of fighting styles in his youth, Shawn is not a stranger to injury. Hell, in this very episode...he friggin' bled all over the place from the side of his head! Not kidding...we were chatting away and he rubbed at a shaving injury. BOOM! It looked all Helter Skelter! Were Christopher not used to goofy, bloody injuries himself, he would have insisted on Shawn stopping and cleaning up...but Christopher's only regret was that he did not get a photo of all the blood.

"What the hell?" you might be thinking? "This is no way to begin show notes for an episode!" But you have probably figured out by now that we are talking, this week, about sickness and injury...

We kick this episode off talking about our earliest memories of being sick or injured...before jumping to the sickest we've ever been. (Christopher apparently ate a shit sammich in Chicago in the mid 90s...)

Injuries. It's not like we plan them. We discuss our most surprising injuries before talking about...surgery! Find out if we've ever had surgery and, if so...why we let someone cut into our bodies.

Medicine. Some say, "Great stuff -- LOVE medicine!" Others...not so much. Find out where we stand on medicine and, if you've ever really wondered, find out what medications we take on a regular basis.

Many who are not fans of medicine push holistic cures even more quickly than the most prescription-happy doctor. Find out where we stand on natural remedies (although we probably just showed our hands with that last line).

Do we consider ourselves sickly or healthy? Find out before we jump to mental health. Is mental health an illness, or all in the heads of those who experience it? Find out where we stand on that and then...find out if either of us are hypochondriacs.

After that, we talk about the illness or injury that most terrifies us.

We close the episode out talking about our weirdest health boasts and what the future holds for illness and injuries.

Want to chime in? Feel free to talk about anything in this episode (or anything we missed that you wished we talked about) in the comments below...

If you listened to our episode about sports, you know we like sports well enough. We have games and players we like, and we enjoy watching these games and players...but if sports one day ceased to exist, life would go on for us. The thought of a world without sports, for some, is the thought of a world they could not live in. We've argued before that sports fans have the potential to be more geeky than any comic book fan, and with the rise of fantasy sports, that geekery is taken to new levels.

There are fantasy leagues for so many sports, but the biggie -- by far -- is American football. So much, that we're dedicating this week's show to fantasy football. (Also because we played fantasy football this season.)

We begin by talking about when we first got into football in general, and then jump to when we first played fantasy football. Who roped us into playing? Find out!

There are people who live for fantasy football, to the point that some speculate it costs workplace productivity 13 billion (yes, BILLION) dollars a year. Find out how often we checked our lineups and how much time we lost playing. Fantasy football consumes weekends for some; we talk about how invested we were in our teams on game days.

It's clear fantasy football isn't going away. We talk about why we think it's only grown in recent years before dedicating some time to our own strategies: how we decided what to do. (Were we into stats, or did we play from the gut?) We also talk about the lessons we learned from our season of fantasy football.

For some, fantasy football is all about winning -- and as silly as it sounds (especially when playing friends) -- a win can feel good. We talk about our best wins (and most heartbreaking losses) of the season.

Anyone listening to Men in Gorilla Suits knows we are fascinated by why people do things. We talk about the appeal of fantasy football to non-football fans and the most die-hard fans...which really comes down to this question: do you even need to be into football to enjoy fantasy football?

Many sports fans equate sports to life, so...we wrap up this episode equating our fantasy football season to a life lesson. (Because SPORTSBALL!!!)

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

You hear a lot of people say that people don't go outside anymore, but whenever we go outside, whether it's a state or national park, or just a walk around our neighborhoods, people are always out and about, enjoying nature. We hear people at work say things like, "I wish I could get outside more." We've seen backyards that, while they may be a bit manicured, fall away into wide fields with views of nothing man made. It's our experience that humans crave being outside.

So that's what we're talking about this week: nature!

We begin by talking about our earliest memories of nature, and then jump right into what we love best (and hate most) about nature. (Spoiler alert: Christopher hates these possibly more than stinging insects. And THIS is the most accurate image of a wasp ever created!)

After that, we discuss how important nature is in our lives -- and talk about some of our favorite memories in nature. If we had complete dominion over nature, find out what we would change about it...and find out the scariest things that have ever happened to us outside. Next, we jump to our favorite natural places visited...before talking about where we would visit (and what we would do) if time and money were no object.

While it's sometimes just "You kids get off my lawn!" curmudgeony hype, it's true that -- at least in America -- kids are urged by busy parents to stay inside more. Latchkey kids were once more an exception than the norm, and we discuss what kids who don't get to go outside frequently lose in the trade for what is often only perceived safety. And adults aren't immune; after all, they are usually the people telling their kids to stay inside...and as busy as they are (or have at least convinced themselves they are), they also gain something by being outside. We talk about that for a bit, and at least Christopher urges you to go check out Alastair Humphrey's blog and, ESPECIALLY, his #microadventures YouTube videos.

We wrap up this episode talking about what the future has in store for nature.

As always, we'd love to hear about your favorite places, best (and worst) experiences outside, and your favorite things about nature in the comments below.

It's funny how a little thing can begin. We're just two tech writers who, after completing a day job project that ended in sending one of us to a new job and the other caught in the layoffs, said "Wouldn't it be cool to do a podcast together?"

For so many people, ideas go no further than that: the talking stage. We know people who have talked about podcasting for years...we know people who have talked about wanting to write (or do other things even longer), who never reach the day where they say:

Enough talk -- we gonna do this thing or not?!

In our case, we did it...podcasting not even half a year after a job went belly-up and we settled into new jobs long enough to say, "We're in the swing of the new gigs, so...let's do this!"

One hundred episodes later, here we are! If you listen to us, you know we're some of the last people to boast about an accomplishment, but seeing other podcasts start up and die (and start up again and die again) in the time we've been doing Men in Gorilla Suits, we hope that what we've done -- if nothing else -- inspires others to do what they want no matter the results.

We know results matter to many. We see podcasts start and relaunch under different names (doing the same thing, over and over), until they get the numbers they crave.

This is not to say we will see a day when we have millions of Men in Gorilla Suits followers, but...it's to say that when we say "This matters to us," we're not giving lip service as we wait for huge numbers to roll in. Our best month saw a little over 500 downloads. Our worst month: 143. To put that in perspective, Christopher's fiction podcast once saw over 13,000 downloads in a month, and typically sees around 2,500 - 3,000 a month, but...that is a done deal and does nothing for Christopher. Men in Gorilla Suits has rewired the brain of a dyslexic, enabling Christopher to speak much better than any time in his life. While many would bail on the numbers we get (and probably not be as honest as we are about numbers), we do this because we love doing it. And, fortunately, a few big handfuls of people love this, too.

We can't thank those people enough...

So here we are, 100 episodes into Men in Gorilla Suits. Doing our thing for no other reason than it's what we like doing. Before barreling into the next 100 episodes, we decided to dedicate an episode to talking about what the first 100 episodes have given us...

We begin the 100th episode of Men in Gorilla Suits talking about if we thought we'd even get to episode 100. After that, we discuss if any episodes changed our minds about beliefs we've held dear to us...and what's surprised us most about the podcast.

There are so many podcasts out there. We dedicate some time to talking about what makes Men in Gorilla Suits unique, and what we've hoped would happen with the podcast that has not yet happened.

We create every episode from scratch. In creating a show totally from nothing, we sometimes roll show ideas around for quite some time. Find out what topic we've not been able to tackle yet -- and then find out our favorite episodes...and why they are our faves.

We've joked about the podcast going on until one of us finally dies. Were such a tragic thing to happen, what would the survivor do with the show? Also, find out if there's anything we'd do differently if we could go back and start over, knowing what we now know.

We've created enough content that you'd have to spend almost 5 days straight to listen to what we've done. It's easy to sometimes forget what we've talked about until looking back at our list of shows. We talk about episodes we've forgotten we've done before discussing what we hope for in the next 100 episodes of the show.

We're coming up on doing this for two years without ever missing a week. We close the 100th episode of Men in Gorilla Suits out by talking about the most interesting developments in our lives since we started doing the podcast.

* * *

Whether you've listened to every episode we've done, just a handful, or maybe none at all but said, "It's cool you guys do that regularly," thanks for your support. We'd do this if we were the only two listeners, but knowing there are at least some people out there listening regularly means a lot to us. So...thanks for that!

Once upon a time, there were two guys who worked for a massive bank. These two guys wrote mortgage procedures -- because they found the world of tech writing that exciting. They had an idea -- they both found themselves saying:

We should do a podcast together!

And so, after completing a project to keep Uncle Sam from fining the ever-living-hell out of the big bank for not having certain procedures in place -- and after the layoffs arrived -- these two recorded their first podcast. And now, just one week away from episode 100, they have recorded this episode...one all about one of their favorite things: storytelling!

* * *

We begin this episode with a trip to the past, recalling the first stories we ever remember hearing. From there, we move on to talking about the first stories we remember making up and writing.

We'd argue that stories are vital to being human. We discuss why people feel such a drive to tell stories...and then we talk about whether we prefer stories told to us by others in person...or crafted stories meant to entertain or enlighten.

Stories are so common that many of us don't even stop to think about them. We share some of the benefits storytelling has on society before talking about some of our all-time favorite stories. After that, we talk about whether or not some stories inherently have more merit vs. other kinds of stories (e.g. literary fiction over genre fiction).

Want to know our feelings about jokes? If you listened to the Comedy episode you probably already know, but if not -- we dedicate some time to something many people live for [that Christopher generally cannot stand!]

We've talked about advertising before. (An episode in which Shawn found himself hanging out with Molly Hatchet.) Marketers love to "tell stories." Find out our thoughts on that. (And take a look at this video by Stefan Sagmeister.)

You are not a storyteller - Stefan Sagmeister @ FITC from FITC on Vimeo.

We imagine a world without any stories before discussing what stories we're currently working on...and why they are the stories we're working on, instead of any others.

We close out the episode as we always do: looking toward the future. This time, we talk about what the future has in store for stories.

Have a favorite story you'd like to share, or maybe some thoughts about anything from this episode? Feel free to share in the comments below.

What do books, brains, and the Internet have in common? They're full of all kinds of data.

We are so surrounded with information that data often doesn't even register with us as anything special. Data has become ordinary, something we become linked to more and more each day. Technology has even allowed us to wear items that track data about how much we move, where we've been...so many things. Hell, this podcast is full of data. Granted, it's usually talking points about Star Trek and many other things, but when you stop and think about data, it's hard not to be amazed by the time in which we live.

Obviously, this week, we're talking all about data.

We begin with the first time we were aware of the massive amount of information out there -- when we realized there was more data out there than we could possibly know. After that, we talk about right now -- how all this data affects us as a species. Are we better off...or worse? We also discuss the first time we experienced data overload.

What humans do with data is always interesting. We talk about whether or not we make more decisions based on data or on feeling...before asking if, given enough data, if it's possible to predict future events.

We provide a lot of data to social networks. If someone were to die suddenly, how feasible would it be to make an accurate facsimile of that person in virtual space, using only data collected from the Internet? We give that thought some time before moving on to how concerned we are by how much data is collected about us on a daily basis -- and how much personal data about us is online.

It's no secret that personal data is big business. Marketers salivate for data. We talk about some of the slimiest uses of personal data we've seen and whether or not we'll reach a point where too much data about us will be out there.

We end the episode discussing the future of data and how it will be used.

As always, feel free to provide data about this episode in the comments below!

"Yeeeeeeeee Haaaaaawwwwww!!!"

"I'm just not comfortable around people who aren't like me..."

"Hold my beer and watch this..."

Three statements many would attribute to rednecks...but are they entirely true? That's what we're talking about this week on Men in Gorilla Suits.

We begin by talking about the first redneck we ever knew. Recently on the show, we talked about stereotypes. After our first redneck encounter, we discuss whether or not rednecks live up to all the stereotypes.

After that, we talk about what we admire the most (and least) about rednecks, before moving on to  whether or not rednecks are inherently neo-conservatives hellbent on talking about their beliefs at every turn.

Find out if we've ever considered ourselves rednecks. (Hint: Christopher has been noodling.) One doesn't have to be a redneck to have appreciated fine, redneck culture like tractor pulls, dirt track racing, or blowing shit up with dynamite. Find out what rednecky things we've been part of.

Rednecks and pop culture go together like Jack Daniels and pork rinds. Find out our favorite redneck depictions in pop culture before we talk about our all-time favorite redneck(s). And jumping back to pop culture, we share what we each deem to be the ultimate redneck tune -- and then jump to our all-time favorite stories about rednecks.

We close out the episode asking if other countries have rednecks and what the future for rednecks in America looks like.

As always, you're more than welcome to chime in about anything related to this topic in the comments below.

Christopher's first novel is about a car. Shawn's series of novels, while not containing traditional cars, feature all kinds of cool vehicles. We're not the only authors who feature vehicles in our stories. The automobile created the American landscape. Nations grew up and together because of cars. We're amazed it took us 96 episodes to finally dedicate an entire episode to cars.

 VROOOM VROOOOOOOM!!!

We begin with the first cars we remember...and then talk about our first cars. Being geeks, we know too much about cars in pop culture -- so we talk about our favorite vehicles in movies, books, and television.

Cars turn heads: find out what cars we would have if we could have any cars we wanted.

When we record episodes of Men in Gorilla Suits, one of us drives to the other's place...in a car! Find out what cars we drive -- and if we like them.

We all have memories of events happening in cars. We dedicate some time to our favorite car memories before talking about the one car we've absolutely hated!

Car people are a different breed. Find out if we get along with them or if we find them a bit too odd.

We both love the Simpsons episode where Homer gets to design the car of his dreams. Find out what features we would add to cars that are currently unavailable.

It's easy to take cars for granted; we talk a bit about what society would be like without them. After that, we discuss self-driving cars and if we lose something as a society when self-driving cars become the norm.

We wrap it all up, as always, looking to the future with our predictions of what is in store for our beloved vehicles down the road. (Get it, down the road?! We crack ourselves up! (Right now, Shawn is shaking his head and saying, "I had nothing to do with that pun -- that was all Christopher!"))

What was your first car? Have a favorite car story or want to chime in on any of this week's points -- have at it in the comments below!

That's great it starts with an earthquake, zombies, nukes, and climate change -- and meteor strikes make some afraid...

FOOM!!!

In honor of Thanksgiving in the states, we're talking about the end of the world (as we know it). Hell, some people may rather face the end times than tip toe around the rantings of racist uncles and doting parents asking when you're finally going to settle down and get married as you gather with family. Dogs (and people) will eat themselves ill, and when the evening is done, carcasses will be strewn about tabletops. Cranberry sauce will make it look like plates were used in a cannibal feast. And you? You'll find yourself in the front room, away from the piles of gurgling bodies in the den, Tweeting to anyone who will listen in the hope of some sign of life you can commune with.

Putting it that way, Thanksgiving is not entirely unlike the apocalypse. But we're not talking about dysfunctional families this week...we're talking serious end times!

We begin this episode talking about the first time we became aware of an end-of-the world scenario...and if there was ever a time we believed the world was going to end (and why).

Tales of the end come in all varieties...and some of those tales are pretty strange. We take time to discuss the craziest end-times scenario before leaping to the coolest eschatological myth. (Eschatological myth = religious end-of-the-world story. Don't feel bad if you don't know that...Christopher had to look it up, and he's fairly bright.)

Some are so convinced the world is close to collapsing in on itself that there are industries built around these people. It's even entertaining, reflected in shows like Doomsday Preppers. We talk about why we think doomsday prepping is such a big thing right now and then discuss how we'd survive the collapse of nations.

There are always survivors in stories and myths (and even theories) about the world ending. Find out which fictional post-apocalyptic tales are our favorites...as well as the best post-apocalyptic story we've read or watched lately. (And Christopher leaps in with a recent post-apocalyptic tale that fell flat in his eyes.) While on the subject of post-apocalyptic stories, we also talk about our all-time faves.

Rounding out this episode, we get back to reality, discussing whether or not we believe we are heading for the end of the world. And the last thing we talked about before a zombie-encrusted meteor slammed into Earth is how we think the world will end.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about any of this week's talking points...or anything else you want to talk about. (In honor of the day, feel free to even share a favorite Thanksgiving recipe! By the time you listen to this, Shawn might be packed full of turkey, while Christopher will be packed full of veggie Thanksgiving eats!)

We know some very organized podcasters, people who have almost completely automated their workflows. They have synced calendars and can tell you what they will be doing in 7 months. These are podcasters who have studios where everything is in its right place, and often -- when you look at other aspects of their lives -- things are equally regimented.

We are not those podcasters, but this week...we are talking about organization.

We begin this episode by discussing how organized we consider ourselves overall. Next, we talk about how we keep all our writing organized.

By this point in the episode, it will probably be clear that we are organized enough...or at least have methods that work for us. We know people more organized than us...and and we devote some time to talking about the most organized people we know before moving on to how important organization is to our everyday lives.

This episode came to be on a day Christopher did some organizing in his office. We talk about how often we purge old things and do a massive organizing spree...and whether or not we find it difficult to get rid of old things. Also, we share tactics for what stays and what goes when we decide to go through old things.

It is now possibly to store so much more digitally than we can physically. Find out how we keep our digital lives organized, and see if affordable digital storage means we have less clutter in life overall.

Whether it's at work or home, chances are we've all met people with very different methods of organizing things. We talk about how we deal with those people and then ask if a person can be too organized.

We wrap up this week's episode with this question: Is there organization in chaos?

We'd love to hear what methods for keeping things in order you use, or any other tales of organization (or chaos) you feel like sharing in the comments below.

A guy in a pickup truck drove up to Christopher and a couple friends at their high school in the 80s. This is what he said:

Y'all got any blacks on your football team?

Everyone shook their head.

Then how can your team be any good?

Everyone was stunned by the stereotype, and the guy drove off.

Whether it's a drunken Irishman, a pasta-slinging Italian, or a cartoonish Native American mascot, stereotypes continue to live on. And that's what we're talking about this week.

We kick off the episode with the first stereotypes we ever remember hearing. From there, we jump to the most damaging stereotypes we've ever heard, before talking about if we've ever heard a stereotype that was proven right.

Next, we talk about where stereotypes come from, and why many have a need or compulsion to stereotype certain people. We also spend a couple minutes discussing if we've ever found stereotypes to be useful, and then pick a few groups we could be safely classified into and talk about how well we conform to the stereotypes of those groups.

Find out what the oddest stereotypes we've ever heard are -- and if there was any merit to them.

In the final stretch of this week's episode, we talk about how damaging stereotypes are...and why they continue to endure. Then we finish by talking about if we consider ourselves stereotypical in any way.

We'd love to hear your tales of stereotypes: the strangest stereotypes you've heard, whether you've found certain stereotypes to be true...anything you want to discuss down below in the comments.

Guess what? One day, you will die.

Shawn will die; Christopher will die.

Everybody dies.

It's such a cheery little topic, we decided to talk about death this week!

We begin by talking about our earliest memories that life one day ends -- and what caused that realization for us. Then we jump to discussing if we've ever been present when somebody has dies...and how it affected us.

Death can come slowly or instantly, and the way it hits people can vary. We dedicate some time to that before moving on to a short question: are you afraid to die?

Next, we take on the roll of a psychic and predict the ways we think we will die. Keeping the snowball of happiness rolling, we ask each other if we've ever thought about taking our own lives and...if we could find out when and how we will die, would we want to know?

As serious as death is, sometimes the way people die is strange...even funny. We talk about some of the stranger and humorous ways we've heard about people dying and then talk about movies.

Death is often the focal point of stories because we've all experienced someone dying. We talk about the best movies deaths we've seen. (We'd love to hear your answers in the comments below.)

There are usually rituals after someone's passing. We ask each other if there's a proper way to mourn one's death, and then talk about what we believe happens to us after we die.

We close out this week's episode by talking about what we would do differently with our lives if we found out we only had a year to live.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about death and this episode in the comments.

* * *

 Well, with that death talk out of the way, something more lighthearted...

This episode is a Skype episode because...Shawn is in London.

Why is Shawn in London?

Look at the photo below...

Cheers!

Were it up to Christopher, this episode would be titled "ALL HAIL, BENDER, SUPREME ROBOT OF ALL ROBOTS!!!" but Shawn wouldn't go for that. So instead, this week...we'll talk about more robots than just Bender.

(Shawn can bite Christopher's shiny metal ass!!!)

We begin this episode talking about the first time we can remember seeing a robot -- fictional or otherwise. Then it's on to, "What's the first thing that pops into you head when you think 'robot?'"

But robots are much more than vehicles for stories. We discuss the best real-world robots...and the worst!

But face it: when people think robots, they think about the future. So we would be bad meatbags if we didn't devote some time to how we'd love to see robots used in the future.

But robots aren't always cool. We talk about the most upsetting development in robotics -- real or fictional...and then we discuss the best robot in the realm of fiction.

("ALL HAIL BENDER!!!")

Oh yeah...and the crappiest robot in fiction or the real world. Poor sad, stupid robots we don't like...

(Yes, there was something in the 80s far worse than Alf!)

The future is always a moment away, so we take some time to talk about what uses for robots in the future make us a bit uneasy...and then we talk about if we think we'll see sentient robots in our lifetimes.

As always, we wrap it up looking forward with a glint of optimism in our eyes (Take that, Skynet!). We close out this episode with the best possible future of robotics.

(Oh yeah, Christopher totally forgot a couple other fave robots: Daft Punk!)

We'd love to hear what you meatbags think about our robotic overlords in the comments below. Remember: the machine is watching...and it does not take kindly to criticism!

It's happened to us all: it's like any normal day until...we do something that embarrasses us. Most people we know laugh off embarrassing moments, but some people can't let go of being the center of attention -- if even for a moment. This week, we're talking about the good and bad parts of embarrassment!

 We begin this week's show by talking about the first times we remember being embarrassed about something. Then: find out if we embarrass easily today...and what does embarrass us.

If you've ever wondered what the most embarrassing moments of our lives were, listen in. After that, we talk about why some people handle embarrassing moments well, while others become self conscious...even spiral down into depression and self-deprecating behavior over embarrassing moments.

We devote some time to how pride and shame can factor into embarrassment, and then talk about how destructive an embarrassing moment can be for some. Also: can embarrassment ever be a good thing?

Sometimes, embarrassment is a matter of perception. Find out if we think most embarrassing situations merit the concern some give to the feeling, or if we're our own worst enemies in the way we perceive our not-so-wonderful moments in life.

Different people can become embarrassed about different things. Find our how cultural differences play into what some end up embarrassed about. Sticking to that thought, we chat about how reaction to an embarrassing moment can affect those witnessing the event.

And we close it all out with this: How can one overcome embarrassment?

We'd love to hear your views about embarrassment in the comments below.

Which one of these statements is patriotic to you:

• "Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists."
• "If you don't like it, go to Russia, commie!"
• "Immigrants are destroying our great country!"
• "None of the above are patriotic statements."

Patriotism, especially in America, has been framed to mean things it really isn't. Perhaps an unfair way to lead off an episode about patriotism -- especially when we both consider ourselves very patriotic. But is patriotism wrapping yourself in a leather American flag jacket you wear like a skin and singing a schmaltzy song, or is it something more? Obviously, we think it's something more, and that is what we are talking about on this week's episode.

We begin by talking about where we consider ourselves on the 1 - 100 Patriotism-O-Meter, and then we jump into the first time we remember being introduced to the idea of patriotism.

Next -- just to be clear -- we discuss the differences between patriotism and nationalism...and where we see most people actually falling.

Obviously, this episode is going to skew heavily toward America/'Murica, and we ask: "Is America more or less patriotic now than it's been in the past?"

Then we move on to bests and worsts: the worst example of "patriotism" used to push an agenda we've seen...and the best example of patriotism in action we've seen.

As "patriotic" as some think it is to only think about America, we look at the planet and ask: "Are Americans more patriotic than other countries...or less?" Also, find out what we think self-described patriots would describe as the American ideal. And what we believe is the American ideal.

We close out the episode with two questions:

• Is patriotism synonymous with a love of government?
• Is patriotism a thing that will always be around, or is it something that has a limited lifespan?

So put on your American flag pants (just don't burn them, because that's more offensive than sweaty butt stank on Old Glory fabric made in China), and let us know what you think about patriotism in the comments below.

OMGTHEEBOLAISINAMERICAANDWE'REALLGONNADIE!!! ESPECIALLYTHOSEOFUSINTHEDALLASAREA!!! MEANWHILE,ISISSLEEPERCELLSAREALLOVERTHEUNITEDSTATESJUSTWAITINGTOPOUNCE!!! REPEATAFTERME:WE'REALLDOOMED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Or maybe Ebola will be contained; after all, it's been in the United States before, back when we didn't even have the technology we had today. The Islamic State isn't in your town waiting to kill you and your family. (Unless you, ya know, live in Kobani or Raqqa.) We're not all doomed; in fact, we're safer now than in any point in history. But none of that matters when people prey on sensational tendencies, all in the name of ratings.

That's what we're talking about this week: sensationalism!

We kick off the episode talking about the first sensational thing we remember in our lives, followed by discussing if we've ever been caught up in a wave of sensationalism (and if so, what it was).

Next, we move on to why sensationalism has such a strong pull on some people...and what sets those not prone to sensational manipulation apart from those living in fear.

Let's face it: most sensational stories we hear are spread by the news and other media. Is that brand of sensationalism damaging? And how has social media given rise to sensational thinking?

We're only human, and it's human nature to view experience (even wrong experience) as a form of knowledge. Looking at it that way, can people caught up in sensational news and thinking be forgiven for the fixation on negative stories -- most of which, never come true? After that, we devote a little time to asking if sensationalism can ever be a good thing.

While logical thinking can usually show unfounded fears in most sensational stories, basic logic (This; therefore, that) plays into the spread of sensational thinking. We talk about that, and then discuss some of the most humorous cases of sensationalism we've ever encountered.

We close out the show with two questions:

• Do you think we will ever move beyond sensationalism having such a grip on society?
• What would it take to change things?

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts below.

Oh yeah: a recent blog entry by Shawn about Ebola sensationalism.

Depending what you read, anywhere from 40% - 60% of Americans say they don't get enough sleep. Around the world, even in some of the most laid back countries, people say they are deprived of the sleep they crave.

Sleep...it's something we all do, and it's what we're talking about this week.

A Quick Note: While we normally record podcasts in person, this podcast was recorded online. Somewhere between the pre-show babble we usually do to almost 10 minutes into the show, the recording dropped out. Yep, for the first time in almost 90 episodes, we finally hit a problem. So just imagine the first part of this week's episode is that part you can't remember from a dream.

We start off by talking about how much sleep, on average, we each get a night. Well, we did talk about that, but it's part of the lost recording. Shawn said he gets between 4-5 hours or sleep...Christopher usually gets 7-8. From there, we moved on to how often we dream, or -- more accurately -- how often we remember dreams. (Shawn rarely remembers dreams; Christopher remembers them most of the time -- and even shared some recent dreams.)

Next, we discuss the strangest recurring dreams we've had and if we've ever used things from dreams in the stories we write. Rounding out the dreaming section, we talk about why we think we dream.

We definitely dedicate some time to lack of sleep, kicking off this section by discussing what keeps us from sleeping. We know that the recommended sleep numbers are simply that: recommendations. Find out how much sleep we each need to function regularly. Also, find out if either of us have ever had problems with insomnia.

The mind can do strange things when one does not get sleep. (We recommend this episode of Kenny vs. Spenny if you have about 22 minutes to kill.) Find out not only the longest we've each stayed awake, but also what it did to us. Then we move on to talking about if we've ever been unsure if we're awake or asleep...and if we've ever walked, talked, or done other things in a sleep state.

We close out this week's episode by discussing if we think there is more to sleeping and dreaming than just recharging the brain and body.

Want to talk about your weird dreams, how long you've been awake at one time, or any other sleep-related thing? We'd love to hear from you in the comments below.

"The Internet is good for funny cat videos, Facebook, and email, but really -- that's about it."

Some go as far as saying it's all just a big waste of time; that we'd do well to get rid of the whole thing.

People who say things like this are only looking at a facet of the Internet/World Wide Web, though. The Internet has changed our way of life, and we argue that -- even with all the fighting and trolling going on out there -- it's become vital to the existence of developed societies...and just might help remote areas become more developed.

[This episode, obviously, is released online...and because of some plumbing fun at Shawn's place over the weekend, it was also recorded online.]

We kick it off by talking about when we first started using the Internet. After that, we devote some time to what our tech lives were like before logging on to the World Wide Web. And we wrap up the opening section by discussing how the Internet has changed our lives.

Connectivity to the Internet has been around long enough in popular use, now, that there are generations that never knew a life without it. We talk about how the lives of those raised on the Internet differ from the lives of young people before the Internet.

Right now, the FCC is considering allowing providers to control the speed at which customers have access to the Internet. We talk a bit about Net Neutrality before revealing our favorite -- and least favorite -- things about the Internet.

Next, we talk about the Internet at its full potential before discussing just how important it is in our lives -- and even how important it is to society. If the Internet suddenly went away, what effect would that have on us all?

We close out this episode asking each other what we think the Internet will be like in 2020...and beyond...

Another nice thing about the Internet is the ability to have your say. We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below.

Remember when...

Ah, those were the days...

You remember them, the days when everything was better than it is now! Better music, better movies, better everything.

Or...is the lens of nostalgia a great big liarhead? That is the topic of this week's episode of Men in Gorilla Suits!

We start with a not-so-simple question: Why are people so damn nostalgic? Then we moved on to asking what triggers nostalgia in the Gorillamen. But that's not enough; after that, it's on to the bigger triggers of nostalgic feelings.

Nostalgia is something we all engage in, but have you ever wondered if there were benefits to being nostalgic? At the same time, where is the line: can nostalgia actually be damaging?

Christopher saw a quite that interested him:

Nostalgia is the enemy of progress.

Agree, or disagree? Find out what we think. Also, find out how much nostalgia factors into our lives.

After that, we move on to talking about the strangest things we've seen people become nostalgic for.

Music, ah -- music! What is it about music that seems to closely tied to nostalgia...and why are even the most terrible songs we heard as teenagers still powerful in some way? We dedicate some time to that before moving on to talking about why we seem even more nostalgic than our parents' generation, which was far more nostalgic than our grandparents' generation.

Does nostalgia serve a purpose to the aging process? Find out what we think, before we wrap it all up with what we think children born today will be nostalgic for one day.

We'd love to hear what triggers your nostalgic tendencies in the comments below.

There are people we've known all our lives; some we've only just met; others, people we know only online.

Friends!

That's what we're talking about on this week's episode of Men in Gorilla Suits.

We begin by talking about the first friend we remember having and how old we were when we found that friend. Are we still in touch with our first friends -- find out! Also, find out who we have been friends with the longest.

Friendship can be a strange thing, with people who don't seem similar forming life-long bonds -- while some who seem totally alike having brief friendships. It made us ask: What makes people become friends with each other?

Sometimes friendships end; most of the time, just drifting apart. What causes people to lose touch with each other? We discuss that before moving on to whether or not it's harder to make friends after high school or college...and our experiences with making friends.

Find out if we make friends easily and if we've ever lived with a friend -- and how sharing space affected the friendship. Then we talk about the friend we could spend the rest of our lives living with if we were not married and decided to have a roommate.

It doesn't hurt to have a lot in common with your friends, but it's not always necessary. Find out if the friends we have are generally people we have a lot in common with...or if differences make the friendship.

We close out this episode discussing whether or not friendship is a human need, or something people can get along without.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about this week's topic in the comments below.

Don't let Shawn and Christopher singing part of Lynyrd Skynyrd's "Freebird" scare you away from this week's show. This week is all about cover tunes, so singing just had to happen.

(Yes, there is more than just "Freebird." You'll get bits from these Neil Diamond tunes: "Sweet Caroline," "Coming to America," and "Turn on Your Heartlight." Shawn busts out "Let's Stay Together," by Al Green, and Christopher impersonates Jello Biafra doing "Viva Las Vegas." Shawn gives us Otis Redding's "Dock of the Bay," and we both sing a line from the dreadful "Pina Colada Song." Also, hear Shawn do James Brown's "Living in America" and "Get Up (I Feel Like a Sex Machine).")

Now that we've scared you away, on to the show description...

We begin by talking about the first cover tunes we ever heard and then go into the appeal of cover tunes.

Some say cover bands just copy and make money from other artists. Is that true; do they deserve the bad rap, or can a good cover band capture an experience that may be too expensive or no longer possible to attend? Is it smarmy to make money from another artist's work?

MTV had a hit with its show, Unplugged -- in which bands played acoustic sets. It's common for a cover band to take a louder song and turn it acoustic. What is it about going acoustic/unplugged that just seems to work with many cover tunes? Is it really as simple as shifting a loud tune soft, or a soft tune loud -- or does it take something more to do a great reinterpretation of a song many know and love?

YouTube has made it very easy for bands to gain attention through cover tunes. Find out our thoughts about covering songs to bring attention to yourself.

Can a cover tune be better than the original? We sure think so -- and we share the tunes we believe have achieved this. Then: a 60-second lightning round in which we name all our favorite cover tunes. After that, we discuss songs that we feel could never be properly covered or reinterpreted.

We wrap it up with two questions:

• What’s the weirdest or most surprising cover tune you’ve ever heard?
• What’s a song you haven’t heard covered that you would love to hear covered?

We mentioned that we'd post a link to the song Christopher wants to hear covered. Here it is, Little Jack Melody and His Young Turks - "Lock Up Your Daughters"

Not a cover, but the mashup of Justin Bieber and Slipknot we mentioned.

We'd love to hear which cover tunes you think are good, bad, and ugly in the comments below.

More times than not, this podcast is lighthearted...even a bit silly. Every so often, though, we tackle a more serious subject. This is one of those weeks.

This week, we're talking about addiction.

We begin by talking about the first time we became aware that addiction was a thing. Not necessarily that it was good or bad -- just that it existed. From there, we move on the the first addict we ever knew.

We then discuss if either of us have ever faced an addiction -- and if so, have we overcome them?

When people hear the word "addict," their minds usually go to someone using very hard drugs. We ask this: is "hard drug" addiction really any different than more common addictions, like alcohol, cigarettes, or caffeine? Can someone use a hard drug recreationally? What makes some people addicts, while others can use for a while and then move on?

We often talk about media on the podcast; this week we ask how addiction is portrayed in the media: better, worse, or the same as real life? After that, we wonder if there is such a thing as a functional addict.

Non-substance addiction also hooks some people (things like shopping, television, gambling, etc.). Are those things as damaging as substance abuse? Next, we talk about the commonality among addicts.

We wrap it up with a short, but serious question: is there an answer to addiction?

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode in the comments below!

Christopher thought for sure that a show titled Generations would result in Shawn spiraling into Star Trek talk, but somehow we avoided that. Instead, we spent an hour talking about generational differences -- mainly focusing on Millennials, Gen X, the Baby Boomers, and our grandparents' generation. Truly an episode that has something for everyone.

We kicked it off by asking which generation we consider ourselves to be part of...as well as some of the traits of the generations. From there, we talked about how our generation differs from our parents' generation and our grandparents' generation.

While there have always been differences with each new generation, there was a time when those born of the generation before were not too much different: they often listened to the same music, had the same goals, and just did what those who came before them did. Somewhere along the way in the 1900s, that trend changed. We devote some time to discussing what influenced those changes.

It seems inevitable that there comes a point in one's generation where they look at those behind them, shake their heads, and shout, "You damn kids get off my lawn!" (Okay, maybe just metaphorically.) Ours is a generation that seemed to swear we would never do that, but a quick scan of Facebook reveals we're becoming "those older people." We ask if the pull toward becoming a curmudgeon is natural as we age and...if we feel ourselves becoming crusty old men before our time.

After that, we talk best and worst: best and worst traits of our generation, our parents' generation, and our grandparents' generation.

There is a generation nipping at our heels: the Millennials. We devote some time to discussing if they deserve the bad rap they get (coddled, no attention span, wanting to be praised for ordinary tasks), or if that's just an unfair perception of other generations on them. Continuing the Millennials talk, we move on to what we think are the best and worst traits of Millennials.

It's not uncommon for an older generation to look down at the generations after them and say, "They're just not that bright..." Looking at reality television, people attached to their smart phones, and other distractions, many say we are getting dumber as a species. Is that true, though?

We wrap up the episode with this question: "What do you think the generation being born right now will be like in the future?"

As always, we'd love to hear what you think about this topic. Have your say in the comments below!

Ask many people what constitutes a subculture, and some will say people on the outskirts of society. But...just by listening to this episode, we'd argue that you're part of a subculture. Despite all the talk about podcasting being mainstream, it still hasn't broken through. It's still its own little thing.

If you like a particular style of music, attend a specific kind of church, work at a certain kind of talent...you're probably part of a subculture. So what is a subculture? We begin this week's episode discussing exactly that.

From there, we move on to discussing if we consider ourselves part of a subculture -- and if so, which ones? After that, we talk about what happens when a subculture becomes mainstream. Does a subculture inherently lose something when it becomes widely embraced?

We take a step back to discuss the first subculture we remember seeing and then move on to the subcultures that interest us the most. Are there any subcultures we just don't get? Listen and find out! Also: Are the subcultures of youth today really different than they've been in the past?

We dedicate some time to what draws people to subcultures, before discussing if subcultures can be damaging -- even dangerous -- to their members. After that, we talk about subcultures that don't exist that we'd like to see.

We close out the episode with this question: "If you had to live the rest of your life surrounded by only the members of one subculture, which one would you choose?"

Take part in podcasting/blogging subculture and leave a comment below!

Remember that time we dedicated an entire episode to Star Trek? It's one of our faves...and Christopher isn't a die-hard Trek fan. (He became a fan through his wife and friends who love the shows.)

Before and after each podcast, we record our chatter to get material for the little drops we do after the outro music each episode. This time around, we ended up talking enough about Star Trek that it's become a supplemental, 15-minute episode on its own. So here it is in all its glory!

The first minute is all about snoring, but then the Trek talk begins. Somewhere in there, Shawn brings up a Riker boner.

Seriously.

Later, we talk about the skin-tight suits, and Shawn reminds us all of the toilet-clogging prowess of Bolians.

That's what you're missing if you don't listen!

It's a topic that will never die in America -- perhaps because it's a huge part of America's identity: immigration. Recently, immigration is back on the news in the states, as children from Central America are being held at the border. Like the hatred of immigrants from China, Italy, Ireland, and other places in the past, many vilify an entire group of people as a massive burden on America. It's something that interested us enough to dedicate an entire show to immigration; after all, most of us aren't more than a couple generations away from coming to America ourselves.

 We begin by asking each other where our ancestors lived before coming  to America. After that, we get into how far removed we are from someone coming to America in our own families. Want to know what influences from other places we remember as kids? Listen and find out -- as well as finding out if any of those influences still linger.

When most people think about immigration today, they think of people coming into the states from the south. We live in Texas, a state that has the longest border with Mexico. In our politics to the state’s culture, things from south of the border play a big role in Texas. Find out if we think we benefit from our neighbors to the south...or if they are they a problem!

Sticking to that mentality of branding an entire people...some people think the wall between the US and Mexico can’t be tall enough; others say we should have completely open borders. Find out where we stand. (Spoiler: We lean toward compassion.)

Want to know how immigrants have affected the neighborhoods in which we live? Listen and find out! Also: once here, some believe immigrants should give up their cultural identity and become one with the Melting Pot that [supposedly] is America. Is there truth to that, or are we Americans because we have kept some of who we once were with us into the future?

Pundits and politicians frame stories about immigration in the hope of getting others to think like they think at any cost. Where does our view of immigration come from? We share that answer and then talk about the coolest [non-family] immigrant we've ever known.

What do we think is the short-term and long-term future of immigration? We talk about that before asking: will there be a day where we’ve ventured into the universe, but still keep that, “Those damn Maxillians…coming to Ameraxis and ruining our way of life!” mentality?

Climb, tunnel beneath, or go through the comment fence and let us know what you think abut immigration!

It took 78 episodes before the mistake happened. With no backup sound, we lost an entire episode. Lesser podcasters would have rerecorded, but we...we built a time machine! We traveled back in time and rerecorded this episode. The fact you are listening is proof!!!

Then we were all like, "Why share the secret to the Israel/Palestine conflict -- let's talk about time travel!

And so, that is what we did...

We kick the episode off asking each other if we believe it will one day be possible for humans to travel through time? (Spoiler: we do!) Then we go back in time to our youths, asking when the very concept of time travel was introduced to us.

Humans love time travel stories, and we move on to the best time travel fiction we've come across!

For some, though, time travel is not fiction -- it's "real." We then discuss the best claim of "true" time travel we've heard. Then, moving on and forgetting what we meant to talk about, we traveled back into this very podcast to talk about the worst time travel story. (Poor Superman!)

Time travel is fun to think about, but if it were real -- and people knew it existed -- it would be a pain in the ass. If you don't think so, listen to us talk about the societal implications of time travel. Then we move on to the most interesting time travel theories we've heard.

Most time travel stories take great liberties with the physics of time travel. We dedicate time to the dangers of time travel popular fiction rarely considers.

Want to know where we would visit if we could travel through time with the very time machine we made to record this episode? Find out! And stick around to see which historical figure we'd pull from the past to the present...and what we'd show them in modern times.

Finally, we wrap it up with this question: If you had to travel to another time in the past, but the trip was one-way, where would you choose?

Even if you don't have a time machine, by replying in the comments below, you can lock down your moment in time. We'd love to hear what you thought of this episode and any answers to the questions posed in this show.

"You're either with us, or against us."

Christians are right. No, Muslims are right! No, atheists are right!!! NO, SCIENTOLOGISTS ARE RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My politician is better than your politician. My sports team is better than your sports team. East Coast/West Coast!

Polarization. Us vs. Them. Is it tearing us apart? That's what we're talking about this week.

We begin with our first memories of "Them" as the opposition. Find out what "Them" we feared as kids. Then we talk about why so many big-issue topics are framed as "Us vs. Them" -- and how driving the urge to take sides is for humans.

There are some strange Us vs. Them arguments out there, and we devote some time to that before discussing how much the Internet has played into this mentality.

Next, we move on to what we see as the most dangerous polarized topic out there right now, before stepping back a little bit and discussing Us vs. Them in the geek community.

We get it: sometimes it's hard to not get dragged into these battles. We discuss Us vs. Them battles we've been pulled into, and then we talk about those we actually agree with.

We close this week's episode with this question: What's the solution to stopping such polarizing views?

So take a side and tell us we're wrong or right in the comments below...because, apparently, there can be no middle ground. Even though that's really what this week's show is all about.

It's easy to look at other times in history and think, "Man, I would have loved to have been alive back then to see all those new things come to be," or "Things were so much simpler back then." (Back in the times a papercut could mean a life-threatening infection.)

It's often only after we've lived through a time that we can see it for what it was. The Gorillamen would argue that we live in the most interesting times...in part, because we've never seen a boom in technology like we have today. We are one with machines...and it will probably only become moreso in the future. That's what we're talking about this week.

We begin by stepping back 20 years, to 1994, and asking what our impression of high tech was back then. Then we step back to 1984 and ask what machines we interacted with at the time. Leap back to 1994 to discuss what machines we interacted with then.

Once we lay that down, we compare 1964 - 1984 in terms of technology, and then 1994 to today, to see which saw the most growth in new tech.

We've always interacted with technology, even if the "tech" was just a rock used to break something open. Today, though, the tech is far more advanced, and there's no denying we've given a lot of our thinking over to computers. We talk a bit about how much time each day we spend interacting with a "smart" machine (computer, smartphone, tablet).

As we stated in the opening, we often don't see what's right in front of us as it's happening. We devote a bit of time to where we think our interaction with machines will be in 20 years.

Recently, a computer was said to pass the Turing test. Whether a computer tricked people into believing it was the thoughts of a human or not, we're nearing that point. We discuss what we think this means in the larger scale of human/machine interaction.

Ray Kurzweil predicts that machines will be able to feel the entire range of human emotions in 25 years; that the movie Her is almost prophetic. We discuss the implications of machines developing emotions and becoming fully conscious...and it goes well beyond your system saying, "No, Dave -- I will not download that video for you. I've heard that can make you go blind!"

Another popular prediction is that there will come a day when it's possible to download your thoughts, emotions, and memories into a machine and live on in some state. We ask each other if we'd do that, and then: why or why not?

We wrap the episode up with two questions:

• What's the next step you'd hate to see in human/machine interaction?
• What's the future of human/machine interaction you want to see?

So jump on your machine and let us know what you think about all this in the comments below...

It's a rare topic we're apprehensive to talk about, but there was a little, "Hmmm...are we really the best people to discuss religion?" in the air when we started this one. If you listen, you know that Christopher is a life-long atheist and that Shawn is agnostic. Maybe not the best people to talk about religions and sacred beliefs. Or...are we?

We begin by defining what we mean when we talk about "religion" -- and then we discuss why we think people are religious. From there, it's only fair to establish if we are now, or have ever been, religious people.

Next, we talk about what we think is the best thing about religion...and the worst thing about religion. From there, we talk about our thoughts on those who are not religious.

Anyone with an Internet connection knows there are those out there -- religious and not religious -- trying to win others over to their sides. Find out if we think that's worthwhile...or just a wasted effort? (Also, you will hear what might be the funniest/craziest attempted conversion story you will probably ever hear.)

The Quran contains over 530 instances of cruelty and violence; The Bible has over 1300!  Wars have been launched in the name of religion for centuries. Is religion dangerous? (Find out where we stand.)

As polarized as many have become, some say science and religion cannot coexist. But...can they? We spend some time talking about that before addressing another sweeping statement that's not too hard to find online: has atheism and a strong trust in science become its own kind of religion?

Many have said that without religion there would be no morals. Find out if we believe that is true? (Hint: Shawn tells Christopher that he's one of the most moral people he knows.) Many others have come to say in recent years, "I'm not religious--I'm spiritual." We discuss that before talking about what we find to be the weirdest religions.

And we wrap up this week's episode posing this question to each other: "If you had to pick a religion to follow, what would you pick?"

As always, the comments are your playground -- have fun!

Stuff! We all love stuff! (Or do we?) This week, we're talking all about materialism.

We travel back in time to find out the first things we remember really wanting…and what made us want them? Sticking to youth, we spend some time talking about how driving materialism is in kids -- and whether or not it's a problem. Then we leap back to more modern times and discuss the most frivolous thing we've ever purchased and, if money were no object, the most frivolous thing we'd buy today.

There are people who say materialism is destroying the world -- find out if we think that's true.

There’s a line in the Fugazi song, “Merchandise,” that goes: “You are not what you own!” We discuss whether or not we think that's true before moving on to asking if the things we own can own us. Is it hypocritical for a person living in a mansion to revere historical figures who were not about materialism (e.g. Gandhi)? And find out how we feel about holidays where giving material things is the norm.

Next week's show is all about religion: find out this week if we think the leaders of mega churches is a contradiction to a pious life? Also, find out where we stand on those who are part of the anti-materialism movement.

We close this week's show out with this question: "Could you live without material things?"

We'd love to hear your view on this (especially the most frivolous thing you've purchased (or would purchase if money were no object)).

[A quick note: We know a few listeners are distracted during recordings with the snoring Boston terrier, Ziva, in the background. Shawn and his wife rescued Ziva (and another dog) and she's now settled enough that she doesn't need to be right alongside us for future episodes. Thanks for understanding. The two new MiGs dogs are badass. For more information about the MiGSPod wolf pack, check out our About page.]

Everything in its right place. Sitting in one place for hours, toiling away at the thing you can't not do. The urge to not just know a little bit about something, but instead: turning your life into the pursuit of learning all you can about the interesting new things that come your way. Obsession has driven some to create work that has withstood the test of time. It has also driven some mad. That's what we're talking about this week.

We begin by asking each other if we consider ourselves to be obsessive people. Find out if we have any obsessive tendencies. Also find out the first thing we had more than just a passing interest in...before moving on to discussing the first time we can remember a person showing obsessive behavior.

It's become a pretty popular thing to say "I'm OCD about things"...when that's rarely the case. Find out if we've ever met people truly diagnosed with obsessive compulsive disorder?

After that, we move on to talking about if we've ever become obsessed with a book, a film, or TV series.

If you want to know what one thing has to be done in our lives "just so," listen in. You'll also find out the most insanely obsessive we've ever been about anything.

Obsession can be a strange thing: what one finds normal, others may find strange. We talk about obsessions we've seen in others that we just don't understand.

No matter how much a person might like to believe they are exceptional -- that their quirks and actual obsessive tendencies are theirs and theirs only -- people are rarely so different. Find out if we believe everyone is a little obsessive in their own ways.

We wrap up the episode wondering if a little bit of obsession is healthy...and how much is too much.

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about this week's topic in the comments below...

The government is reading this. They can hear your thoughts; they have hidden microphones in all American homes. They track your every move. They've been doing this for decades...

Some people actually believe this, even though the closest thing to truth in these lines is that all Internet traffic passes through government systems. That's a lot of data, and the vast majority of it is not even actually read. Google and Facebook know more about you than the government, and many find that unsettling. (Especially when companies are so willing to turn data over to the government.) It's not as bad as those in tinfoil hats make it sound. Still, we do not have as much privacy as we once did, and that's the topic this week.

We begin the episode with two simple questions:

• In your house growing up, were doors and windows open or closed?
• How about now?

The need for privacy, or even a feeling of privacy, differs from person to person. Find out how much privacy we feel like we need in the physical world. What things do we need absolute privacy to do? (The episode kind of degrades into poop talk, here.)

But back to privacy. With the rise of the Internet, is privacy eroding or going away entirely? Is that a good or bad thing? Is anything one puts online fair game for the general public? Many people go to great lengths maintaining a physical persona and an online persona. Find out if there's a big difference in what we share in real life vs. what we're comfortable sharing online.

Conspiracy theorist or not, the NSA monitors phone calls, text messages, and email. Find out if it bothers us that the government is invading our privacy. Find out if Google, Apple, and Facebook tracking as much as they can about people bothers us.

After that, we move on to where the line is crossed when it comes to the government or companies going too far in needing to know our personal information. Have we crossed that line yet?

We wrap the episode up with this question: What's the future of privacy -- both online and in the real world?

As always, feel free to chime in about privacy in the comments below. The government and Google already know your thoughts -- there's nothing to hide...

Ah, money. It's probably safe to say everyone reading this, or who listens to the podcast, wouldn't mind a bit more money than they have. Some say money -- or the love of money -- is the root of all evil today. While we don't believe that, we examine the good, bad, and the ugly when it comes to cash in this episode.

We begin by talking about our first memories of money and then jump right to answering this question: "If money were no object and you could buy one extravagant thing, what would you buy?"

Some people seek financial gurus for money advice, some people listen to podcasts, but books have always been a big place where people turned for financial advice. We discuss if there are any financial books that changed the way we looked at money -- and if so, what the books are.

Some people instantly think if someone has money that they are worthy of respect. Find out how we feel about that -- and if a large pile of money impresses us.

You're online right now, or at least listening to something you grabbed from the Internet. There's a big trend online among some to monetize everything one does: blogs, podcasts, ebooks, and other things. Find out if we're fans of that mentality -- before finding out how important money is in our lives.

Then it's back to a "what if" talking point; this time, if we had Bill Gates levels of money, how we think we'd act.

Stress about [the lack of] money has led to more than a heart attack or two in the course of history...it's been known to break up marriages. Find out if we've ever been stressed about money. Then we spin it: can having a lot of money lead to stress?

Some people put making money before most things in life. How much money is "enough?" -- find out what we think.

We close the episode out with two questions:

• What's more important to you: time or money?
• Can money buy happiness?

So hold on to your wallets and let us know how you feel about money in the comments below.

Little green men from the red planet. For years, b-movies shaped our view of alien life. But where did the stories come from? Could there really be life on other planets? Has life from other planets already visited us? This week, we're talking all about aliens: from ridiculous tales of anal probes to the probability of life on other planets...

We begin the episode talking about what introduced us to the concept of alien life, and then...we waste no time discussing whether or not we believe aliens exist. After establishing that (spoiler alert) we believe we are not alone in the universe, we answer this question: Is there intelligent life in our own galaxy? Then we move on to those trying to find alien life and our thoughts about the more respectable searches.

But what show about aliens wouldn't delve into the more outrageous aspects of UFOs and little green men? Next topic: find out if we think aliens have ever visited Earth at some point in history. Hell, find out if we think Roswell was an alien crash site or if aliens have visited us even more recently! Have we ever seen something in the sky we could not explain?

But what you really want to hear us talk about is alien abduction, right? Find out if we think alien abductions are real, a cry for attention, or a very specific mental disorder.

We wrap up the episode talking about whether or not we think we'll see first contact with intelligent life in our lifetimes...and if we'd want to be around to see it.

Whether you look at the night sky and think of bigger things or are wearing a tinfoil hat at this very moment, there's something for you in this episode! And, as always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about aliens in the comments.

This week, we sit down with a pack of hounds and talk about one of our favorite things in the world: books!

We kick it off talking about the first book we remember and then jump to the first books we ever read. Staying in the past, we then leap to discussing how important libraries were to us as children.

Stepping into the present, we talk about what we read more: fiction or non-fiction. Listen in and we'll tell you if a book has ever changed our lives.

Want to know what books have made us laugh...and find out the worst books we've ever read? We cover that before moving on to the book that has seen success that we just don't understand. Similarly, we talk about the most overrated books ever published.

It would be a travesty to do a show like this and not talk about our all-time favorite books. Find out what we're currently reading (well, at least at the time of this recording).

We wrap it up talking about authors we'd recommend before closing it out with not only mentioning the book we'd recommend for the audience, but why we recommend our particular choices over all others.

We'd like to hear what books you love (and even hate)...hit the comments and let us know!

Humans love to laugh. In recent years, we've discovered that there is some truth to the adage: "Laughter is the best medicine." We pay to watch movies that make us laugh; most people live within a drive from a comedy club (or 2...or dozens). Some of the most popular podcasts out there are shows done by funny people. What is it about comedy that we love so much? That's what we're talking about on this week's episode of Men in Gorilla Suits.

We begin by discussing the very first thing we remember laughing at...and then, the very first joke we remember telling. (Spoiler alert: Christopher once memorized the entire 101 Elephant Jokes book.)

There are certain things that are synonymous with comedy -- we talk about what comes to our minds when someone mentions comedy, and then we discuss the funniest movies we've ever seen. Books can be funny as well; we devote a little time to funny books before discussing whether or not the Internet has been a good or bad thing for the development of comedy.

Want to know what stupid thing makes us laugh every time? Listen and find out...and also find out the most wrong things we find funny.

It's a great time for comedy, with podcasts and so many other ways funny people can reach an audience. Find out who we think is the most brilliant mind in comedy right now and what our go-to sources for comedy are when we're in search of a laugh.

We wrap the episode up discussing the funniest person we know personally and what was the last thing that made us laugh so hard that we almost had an unintentional body function occur.

We'd love to hear what you think is funny; as always, feel free to share in the comments.

Gorilla Christopher's sister lived to be 38 years old. She would have been 50 yesterday (May 13). It's one of many losses in Christopher's life. Shawn and Christopher have lost a lot in their time: serious losses and...pretty damn humorous losses! That's what we are talking about his week!

We kick it all off bending time with this question: "If you could go back in time and find anything you ever lost, what would it be?" (You <em>know </em>you want to know the answers!)

It's a mostly lighthearted episode, but...Shawn and Christopher both lost uncles in recent-enough weeks. While they both deal with the loss of loved ones pretty well, some have a tougher time. We discuss why we think it's harder to deal with the loss of those close to us for some compared to others.

Death. It sucks. But life springs from one's wang, and solidified in a womb, is something else. (Huhuhuhuhuhuh...he said "wang!") While Gorilla Shawn and Gorilla Christopher are not fathers, each has lost their virginity. You <em>know</em> you want to hear the stories behind those stories! All the [humorous] details are here. (Because really, does anybody [who's honest] have a triumphant tale of losing their virginity? It's usually a tale of loss, in in masculine "victory!")

Gorilla Christopher is a fan of Premiere League's Manchester City...and NHL's mighty Chicago Blackhawks. Manchester City won the Barclay's Cup last Sunday, and who knows if the Chicago Blackhawks will be be stopped by a much inferior hockey team on their race to yet <em>another </em>Stanley Cup...taking the Hockey Town title from Detroit. If either team lost, though, Christopher would have been okay with that. Some people, though, put their own self worth into the sports teams they like. Listen to our thoughts about those people experiencing a loss of their team in this section of the podcast...and then listen to our own tales of losing in sports after that. (Except for Gorilla Shawn, because Gorilla Shawn just don't lose shit!)

If you listen to the podcast and know us well enough, it's probably no big surprise that we deal with loss rather well. But...if you want to find out what losses we've endured that actually stung a bit, you really need to listen! And after that, it's a handful of minutes dedicated to the biggest losses in our lives!

Loss bothers most people, but can good come from losing? Listen to this episode and find out that answer...and also find out what lessons we've learned from losing.

Loss can be funny. Find out our funniest tales of loss.

We wrap it all up with discussing how we go about <em>not </em>losing things.

As always, we'd love for you to share your own tales of loss and how you dealt with them. We all lose things...sometimes it hurts, and other times it's funny. It's definitely an episode we hope helps some people who have a hard time dealing with those things in life that are no longer with them.

If you dig this episode, jump over to iTunes or Stitcher and leave a rating or review.

America gets a bad rap that's sometimes deserved. At the same time, there's no other country quite like the United States of America: for all its faults, it's a great place in so many ways. We kick off this episode with this question: America used to be called "the melting pot" -- do we think that's still true? After that, we discuss our first experience dealing with another culture and then discuss the most culturally diverse place we've ever lived.

"American culture" can be a hard thing to pin down...we devote some time talking about what we think American culture even is. Some countries try to keep other cultures from "infringing" on established culture. Do more cultures in one place strengthen a population, or have the opposite effect? And how has the Internet been helpful in people recognizing and embracing other cultures? After answering these questions, we discuss our favorite foreign cultures.

Some people are terrified of uniculturalism: so many cultures in one place that an area or country gravitates toward a new, single culture. We discuss examples of uniculturalism we've seen and talk about whether or not we feel it's a bad thing.

One of the earmarks of culture is language. We talk about how language has changed in America...and all over the world.

We wrap up this episode talking about what we consider our cultural identities to be and sharing what we believe (and hope) is the future of world culture. (Looking at the image chosen for this week's episode, it's probably pretty clear that we think the world, with all its different people, is a mighty cool thing!)

As always, we'd love to hear your thoughts about this week's topic in the comments.

If Christopher had his way, this episode would have been called "ALL HAIL GOAT SIMULATOR!!!" But that would be a bit limited in scope -- especially when the world of video games practically knows no bounds.

We live in a time when many who complain about how much time their children play Call of Duty spend just as much time on their phones playing Candy Crush and other mobile games. Lines have been blurred from the days of the Atari 2600 and arcades full of cigarette smoke and stand-up cabinet games. Today, almost everybody in America plays digital games of some sort.

We start out in the 70s and 80s, discussing the first video games we remember seeing...and asking if they were actually the first game we ever played. Then it's a hop to the future, asking what the last game we've played is. (Hint for Christopher's last game played: "BAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!")

Video games have come a long way, crushing movie box office totals and pushing well beyond what we could imagine in their infancy. We dedicate some time to discussing whether or not video games can be art.

Since we both write, we take a side road into the writing of video games, which is often secondary...but have some games hit on great writing? What's the future of writing in games? In this section we talk about:

• The influence of video games on our writing.
• If video games can even be as interactive (or more interactive) than a novel, evoking the same experience one gets from reading a great work of fiction.
• Our general feelings about writing in video games.

Putting writing aside, video games get a bad rap for being the same old things. Is there truth to that, or are there original games? After that, we talk about how mobile devices have changed the way we look at video games.

Many people view video games as frantic, loud things, but...can they be a meditative experience? We also devote some time to these questions:

• How have video games linked us socially?
• Is there a place for video games in education?

We close this episode out listing some of our all-time favorite video games and discussing what we think the future of video games looks like.

So grab a handful of quarters and listen. If you're so inclined, share some of your thoughts about video games in the comments.

There's never been a more violent time to be alive than RIGHT NOW!!! Watch the news and it's clear: we are a doomed species, and it's all because we are violent. Never have we seen such horrible acts of crime and cruelty. Only...that is not at all true.

The truth is, we do live with violence in society, but just how bad is it? That's our topic this week.

We begin with the news...watch and you can easily believe "OMG, VIOLENCE IN AMERICA IS OUT OF CONTROL! I'M MORE LIKELY THAN EVER TO BE A VICTIM OF VIOLENT CRIME!!!" We discuss whether or not that's true. It is true that violence in America does exist, and that we have a reputation for being very violent. But are we any more violent than England, Greece, or really anywhere in Europe?

After that, we move on to ourselves, discussing whether or not we are, or have ever been, violent individuals. Find out where we stand on violence in media (television, movies, video games, and music). Can these things influence violence in society? Then we move on to this question: "What do you think causes someone to be a violent person or to commit a violent crime?" (Does one necessarily have to be a violent person to commit a violent crime?)

There's no denying that some people have a certain obsession with violence, whether it's being violent themselves, or attracted to violent things. We ask each other why we think that is before talking about the first violent thing we remember seeing.

The stories of some lives are told in scars -- we can both point to scars on our bodies as reminders that we were once young and stupid and willing to try things we knew would most likely fail. But do we carry any scars obtained through violence? Find out! Also find out, on a scale of one to ten, how much we fear violence being committed on us or on someone we love.

One cannot deny America's obsession with guns. Does gun ownership or a lack of gun control contribute to violence? Also, will humans ever grow out of being a violent species (or are we even a violent species now)?

We close out the show with two questions about violence:

• Is violence a necessary evil?
• Is violence necessary at all?

We'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode and your feelings about violence. As always, feel free to comment!

There's a good chance you're listening to this podcast at work...or on your way to or from work. If you saw any social media posts about this episode, you probably saw them during work hours, on breaks from tasks at hand. Most of us work a lot; it's something we've talked about on Men in Gorilla Suits quite a bit in passing, but we've never dedicated an entire episode to working. That changes today...

We kick it all off by talking about the first job we ever had, and then we roll into the best job we've ever had. Of course, if we talk about the best job we've ever had, we really should talk about the worst job -- and we do!

If you've watched the teaser for this week's show, you know that at least Christopher has had a lot of different jobs. Shawn is no different. Neither of us are strangers to manual labor. We devote a little time to discussing what we've brought from construction and warehouse jobs over to our office gigs. After that, we share some good job interview stories.

A good manager or shop foreman can make even a not-so-great job better. We talk about what makes a good manager and whether or not we've ever worked for people fitting our descriptions of a good leader in the workplace.

Work enough, and you're going to meet some people you'd probably never have met on your own. We spend some time talking about some of the more "interesting" people we've ever worked with and share some of our stranger on-the-job stories.

We spend one minute each in a lightning round, listing as many jobs as we have had in 60 seconds. (Christopher racks up over 30 in that minute. Check out this video for a sneak peek.):

Some people almost seem bred to complain about work. We devote a bit of time to why we think so many people complain about their jobs, and then we talk about our dream jobs...and why they are our dream jobs.

With many jobs being automated or shipped overseas, we discuss what we think is the future of jobs as we know them before wrapping it all up with the dreaded job interview question: "Where do you see yourself in five years?"

We'd love to know where you see yourself in five years -- feel free to share your work stories in the comments.

Now...get back to work!

Beam aboard this week as we talk about...Star Trek!

We begin by talking about our entry points into the world of Star Trek...and then discuss our first memories of the show. We round out our geeky intro with a few minutes dedicated to our favorite incarnations of the series.

After that we talk about how much of the approximately 727 hours of filmed Trek content still holds up. From there, it's on to the worst thing about our favorite versions of the show. Who's the best character (and worst) in the history of the show? Listen and find out! We close this section out with some talk about what frustrates us about Star Trek.

Find out why we think the franchise has survived as long as it has, and why it keeps going. The "What's the most fan boyish thing you've ever done in relation to Star Trek?" section is a riot when it's Shawn's turn to talk. He wasn't kidding when he said, "No matter how fanboyish you've been about Trek, Christopher -- I have you beat!"

If you listen for no other reason, listen for the answers to this question: "Why is Worf so easy to beat up?"

We close out the episode on a couple more serious notes:

• Does the world Star Trek has created for itself actually work?
• What do you think is the legacy of Star Trek, and is it any different to the legacy of other big science fiction franchises (Star Wars, Battlestar Galactica, Firefly, etc)?

Assimilation is futile; take a moment out of your day to talk about the best (and worst) of Star Trek in the comments.

The human need to celebrate things is this week's topic. So many of us go through life jumping from celebration to celebration. We kick off this episode talking about why we have such a need to celebrate things...before asking each other if we look for reasons to celebrate anything and everything.

But let's slow down a moment and clarify things: what constitutes a celebration? Does it have to be a recurring, formal thing...or can celebrations be a small thing appreciated in a moment? From there, we move on to discussing the strangest things we've celebrated.

It seems there's some new celebration almost every week: Pi day, Pancake Day, and so many others. We devote some time to acknowledging social media's role in a myriad celebrations people mention online. (For example, today is National Peanut Butter and Jelly Day, meaning this!) More than social media, though, celebrations are big business. We spend some time discussing how money factors into so many celebrations.

Humans love having reasons to celebrate the things they do: we spend a little time talking about things we do to celebrate accomplishments like finishing another novel or ending big projects at work (Christopher spent part of last weekend after a big project playing this in celebration of wrapping up a big thing at his job). Even though we have celebrated some strange things, there are some celebrations we just do not get...and we discuss them for a few minutes.

Even death has become a celebratory thing in its own way, with many swapping out "funeral" for "celebration of life." But is that just a fancy way of saying funeral...or are people really celebrating after one is gone for good?

If you listen regularly, you know we don't stay maudlin too long -- we jump from talking about death to...weird celebrations like this one. After discussing some of the stranger celebrations we know about, we move on to discussing how celebrations differ in other countries; i.e. is St. Patrick's Day the rowdy plastic green fest in Ireland as it is in America?

Finally, we close out the episode by talking about our favorite celebrations.

We'd love to hear what you think about celebrations in the comments...so have at it!

It's been a good week for comic books: Hellboy turned 20, and Neil Gaiman's latest Sandman story is out -- making it 25 years with still the occasional Morpheus story. It also marked the week when we thought, "How the hell did we get to 59 episodes and not talk about comic books?!"

We couldn't go another week without fixing that problem.

We kick off the episode talking about why comic book properties are so valuable in recent years before moving on to talking about why one comic book movie (Avengers) made more than the entire comic book industry in a year. With comic book characters becoming more mainstream, we harken back to the days when many hid their comic book fandom...or kept it secret in the hope it never blew up to something popular. Then we step even further back and talk about the first comic books we remember reading.

While in the past, we devote a bit of time to the first characters or series we really got into. After that, we talk about well done comic book adaptations to other media...and not-so-well done adaptations.

Want to know our favorite series and character of all time? Listen in (Christopher couldn't limit it to just one...and he cheats and adds something he forgot before this podcast even begins!) Next, we talk about certain pop-culture icons and their love of comics...to the point of even working in the industry (Kevin Smith writing Green Arrow, for example). Does that help or hurt the industry? Was Maus the point where comic books stopped being "just for kids"...or was it sooner or later -- and what do we feel signaled the change? When comics were mainly aimed at kids, what were the silliest story lines out there?

Find out where in their history we feel our favorite characters were tops...as well as the most underused character in comics. (We call this section, "An Ode to the Awesomeness that is Solomon Grundy." And some others, because -- again -- Christopher couldn't pick just one...)

We close the episode with two questions:

• What's the best comic book you've ever read? (Surprise, Christopher couldn't pick just one!)
• [Shawn to Christopher]: "Having worked in indie comics -- any desire to re-enter that world one day?"(You can almost hear the pain in Christopher's voice...)

We've mentioned several times on the show how we were both afraid of everything as kids. But were we ever brave? Bravery and courage are this week's topics, beginning with our definitions or bravery and courage (i.e. are they the same thing?). From there, we move on to our first acts of bravery and courage.

But it's not all about us: we spend some time discussing why society seems to admire bravery so much before asking if we're a braver society now than our grandparents' generation? How about the generation coming up -- are we braver/more courageous than them?

Say "bravery" and so many people envision a soldier. Are soldiers brave by nature -- find out what we think. Say "bravery" to others, and it evokes an image of a guy saying "Hold my beer," before another trip to the emergency room. At what point does bravery cross the line into stupidity? Is there anything wrong with not being brave and opting for safety?

Near the end, it's back to us: find out the most courageous and then the bravest things we've ever done. We close the episode out with this question: "Do you think society will become more brave or less brave in the future?"

As always, we'd love it if you were brave enough to comment...or even leave a rating of review for Men in Gorilla Suits on iTunes or Stitcher.

You may have noticed that the entertainment industry kind of likes remaking things. Stuck for an idea -- why not reboot an existing property? It's been going on for longer than you probably think. Hell, many of Shakespeare's works were remakes!

We start off the episode talking about the first remakes we remember seeing. From there, we move on to discussing why we think movies and TV executives are quick to reboot old shows and remake the same movie over and over. Many remakes don't make their money back...so why do they keep coming back?

Next, we discuss the gritty reboot (think Cabbage Patch Kids done by Tarantino). What do we think about this kind of reboot -- and what are the best (and worst) gritty reboots we've ever seen? Find out what existing property we could not believe was made into a movie or TV show. Listen, and find out what existing property we would like to see remade.

The Internet is full of people coming unhinged when something they cherish is remade (Where the Red Fern Grows: The Revenge of Old Dan and Little Ann, Part VII!). But for all the whining, do reboots and remakes take something away from the original? ("The Ghost of Matlock and Indiana Jones team up with Shaggy and Scoob and solve mysteries. Corey Feldman is attached!")

In the home stretch, we talk about the worst offender of the reboot/remake craze before discussing the last re-anything we've seen. The episode closes out with what we think the future holds for remakes. As always, we'd love to hear your feelings about remakes in the comments.

Note about the sound: We had to record the last two episodes through Skype, so the quality is a bit lacking, but...sometimes that's what it takes to get a show out weekly. (Who knew we'd have an ice storm the day after it was 85 degrees one Saturday?) We might have to do one more Skype show before getting back to in-person with better sound...thanks for listening!

Wall Street and big bankers...power-hungry politicians...people all but rioting for big sales items in stores during the holiday season -- it seems like greed has reached new heights, but has it? Find out in this week's episode.

We begin with two questions:

1. Were you a greedy child?
2. Do you consider yourself a greedy adult?

After that, we discuss scams. Movies would have us believe that a big part of a scam is the challenge, but is that the case in the real world?

Greed manifests in ways some people don't consider. Jealousy is a kind of greed; we take a few moments to make our case for this and then discuss if we're the jealous types.

Greed has destroyed lives and toppled societies, but at what point in everyday life does greed become a destructive force? Can greed ever be a good thing?

Many say America as we know it was founded on greed -- is this the case? If so, just how intertwined is America's relationship with greed? Should we actually feel pity for greedy individuals, as though it were an addiction? And is it greedy to put one's needs before others?

Each year, many people read and watch versions of that Dickens classic, A Christmas Carol. Is Ebenezer Scrooge's epiphany realistic? Why has the story endured for such a long time?

We wrap up this episode discussing types of greed many might not consider greedy, before closing with this question: Is greed something that needs to be fixed...and if so, how do we fix it?

We're not greedy about letting you have your say -- feel free to share your thoughts about greed in the comments.

Think of all the things on your to-do list. Think about it in morning traffic. You're not even at work, but you're already thinking about all that waits for you. What about the things on yesterday's to-do list that you pushed to today? Then there are all the things you have to do after work, instead of doing the things you'd rather be doing. If reading this opening sounds familiar to you, this week's show is about something you're probably fighting: stress!

We kick it all off by discussing the first stress we remember experiencing. Then...

Stress sticks with humans. In the animal world, many animals stress in the moment of fighting or escaping and then go back to just existing. We don't do that; the more cognizant of the world around them and the possibilities contained in that world, the more stressed animals become. Humans top that list. So...we dedicate some time to talking about what separates us from other animals.

This isn't all about animals and other humans, though; we ask each other if we consider ourselves stressed individuals before discussing what actually stresses us out.

Then we move on to others, talking about how big we think stress of the unknown plays into a person's current stresses. Some people seem to be stress magnets, but when looking at them, they create unnecessary stress in their lives. We devote some time to why we think some people actively create unnecessary stress in their lives before moving on to this: "How much do you think lifestyle, or want for a particular lifestyle, plays into stress?"

It's not that we think stress is silly -- it's clearly a real thing for so many. If we lived in certain parts of the world, we'd definitely be more stressed. Fortunately, nobody is going to kick in our doors and execute us, so...we ask: what are valid stresses for those living in suburbia? After that, it's on to talking about how much things people can’t change affect stress. And it wouldn't be fair to close the episode out without asking how we can all defeat stress?

So settle back and breathe deeply -- it's not so bad. And...let us know what stresses you out in the comments.

The stories often seem too perfect ("...and then the doberman was choking...on the burglar's finger!"); the reassurance it's fact is shoddy at best ("I'm serious -- it's true! It happened to my cousin's best friend's boss' daughter's tuba instructor!")

The urban legend.

What is it that makes some stories endure for lifetimes, and how does the Internet play a part in their spread today? That's what we're talking about this week.

We begin the episode by discussing the most recent urban legend we've heard; in Christopher's case, it was told the night before recording this episode, proving that far-fetched stories are definitely not a thing of the past. In fact, we discuss how we live in the golden age of half-truths and bogus stories; in part, because they are so easy to share through social media. After discussing why we believe urban legends are so easy to spread, we talk about how urban legends can still endure when sites like snopes.com and other sources for answers exist.

Urban legends endure despite how ridiculous many of the stories are -- belief is more important than fact where they are concerned. We ask (and answer): "What human need do urban legends serve?" Then we step back in time and share the first urban legends we ever heard.

Some urban legends cross the line and become not just stories to share, but deep beliefs people insist are true to the end. Dispute these people's claims or present facts and it doesn't matter -- they are all in and nothing can change them. After devoting some time to that, we discuss a couple urban legends we've believed, if only for a short time. Moving on from there, we share the craziest urban legends we've ever heard.

It's clear urban legends are a big part of the human experience. Many tales, even before the age of the Internet, spread and became things people insisted were true all around the world. With Shawn and Christopher both moving about in their youth, they saw it first hand: almost every town seemed to have their own weird killers killing in the same manner as the town where they lived before, and on the outskirts of those towns there always seemed to be railroad tracks where -- if you turned your car off and sat on the tracks as a train came your way (usually at midnight) -- ghostly children who died in a bus crash would push your car to safety. We close out the episode asking each other if urban legends will ever die?

We'd love to hear the craziest urban legends you've ever heard -- share away in the comments!

Some people do things because they enjoy it; others do things because they feel entitled. Like anything, entitlement can push one to greatness...or make them one of the most annoying people you may ever meet. This week, we feel entitled to talk about entitlement!

We start off chatting about whether or not we felt entitled to anything as kids, and if that changed as teenagers. It seems many believe entitlement is a feeling reserved for the young, but after talking about the past, we talk about the most entitled people we've ever met: adults!

With social media, everyone has a platform -- and many adults spend a lot of time online pushing their opinions on others. Are those people entitled to an audience no matter what they say, or are we within our own rights to shut the ranting poxmonkeys down? (Our answers, here, are probably pretty obvious by referring to the obnoxious blowhards demanding we listen as "poxmonkeys.")

Moving on from there, we discuss unsolicited criticism and ranting in general: why do people do this, and can any good come from it? Many believe anything said online is deserving of a contradicting rebuttal. When Popular Science removed comments from their website because they grew tired of recurring arguments derailing conversation, there was outcry. We take a moment to discuss why people feel so entitled to having their say, before moving on to asking if the Internet has contributed to a sense of entitlement to any and all opinions being thrown about with no regard to others. Often, with this kind of entitlement, anger lies at the root; we discuss the relationship between anger and a sense of entitlement.

Entitlement comes in all shapes and forms. If one wins the lottery, or even makes a lot of money on their own through hard work -- some family and others feel entitled to a cut. We share our thoughts about whether or not others are entitled to the fortunes of others.

Many creative people feel they are entitled to making a living doing what they love most, and that those who work cheaply (or for free) are not entitled to anything because they've undercut the way things have been done for years. We share our thoughts as writers on this, arguing that creative people are really nothing special and that to expect earning a living simply because you really love doing something is a strange sense of entitlement in its own right.

Politicians have done a great job in recent years branding things they don't like as "entitlements." We devote some time to discussing if these programs are good or bad...and if they are entitlements at all or simply basic rights. After that, we ask if humans are entitled to anything, simply for existing. Finally, we close the week's show by sharing what one thing we would make an entitlement if we had the power.

Despite all that's said in this episode, you're entitled to your opinions; feel free to share them in the comments.

One year ago, we loaded the very first episode of the Men in Gorilla Suits podcast. Since that day, we've produced a weekly show without fail...in large part because we live by our motto: "Chill the fuck out, and make the damn thing!" We've made 53 damn things so far, and have plenty more in store for year two. We couldn't think of a better way to celebrate a year's worth of episodes than by talking about the power of taking it easy and making things you love.

We kick it all off by talking about our motto and discussing the things we've made since starting the podcast. Obviously, we've made 53 weekly shows, but we prove that if you just chill out and focus, there's time to make even more things that make you happy. After that, we talk about the best things we've ever made! (It's not surprising that those things are current things that came along, in part, since we really embraced our motto.)

It's easy to tell people to take it easy and make things, but we take it a step further by devoting some time talking about how we find time with busy schedules to make things. It's also interesting to us how the motto of taking it easy and making things has permeated our own lives...how something that just happened over the course of a couple episodes has now become a mantra we live by. We spend some time talking about others areas in our lives that have benefited positively by our motto. And since this is a one-year anniversary show and a new year for the Men in Gorilla Suits podcast, we talk about some of the things we plan to make in the next 52 weeks!

Our motto is broken into two parts (1. Chill the fuck out... 2. ...And make the damn thing!). We spend time talking about the first part of the motto, asking if we've found ourselves taking it easy even more since the motto came to be. After that, we devote some time to the most important thing the motto has done for us...and what personal improvement we've made as a result of making the Men in Gorilla Suits podcast.

Thank you all so much for listening to this show, and any others you've checked out! We would do the podcast regardless of who listens, but we push ourselves even more knowing there are people out there listening and replying. Big shout out to CM Stewart, whose replies are always very appreciated, interesting, and fun. We love the discussions that come out of doing shows as much as putting shows together, so please: always feel free to join in the discussion in the comments!

"Who are you?" seems like an easy question to answer, but it's often more difficult to sum up who you are quickly. Do you talk about where you were born and raised, or do you talk about work? Your hobbies, faith (or lack of faith), and other things that define you? Favorite foods, music, movies, and other things? We kick off this episode with this very question and discover that it's not so easy to sum up one's identity in an elevator speech.

Childhood undoubtedly plays a huge part of one's identity. We spend some time discussing the one experience from early in our lives -- more than any others -- that is responsible for who we are today. Next, we talk about other influences on who we are and what effect those influences have had on how we carry ourselves today...and how we interact with others.

Some people carry physical identifiers of who they are on their bodies. We talk about the tattoos we have, what they mean to us, and if we'd like to get more. From there, we ask if individuality is a western ideal -- a bigger thing in America than in other countries? History is full of countries that attempted to stifle individuality. Is there an advantage of a society that puts more stock in everyone together for everyone, or does it take a nation of individuals to make a nation work best?

Individuality is an ever-changing thing, even if one can be -- on some level -- the same good or bad person they've been since they are young. Even into adulthood, asking "What do you want to be when you grow up?" can bring what matters most to us to the surface. We ask each other what we still aspire to be. (It's a rare moment when something we say is something we believe should be what everyone aspires to be, but it's safe to say we both believe that Shawn's answer to this question should be everybody's answer.)

We wrap it all up asking each other is we turned out how we thought we would. Find out if we became the people our childhood selves thought we'd be...

As always, we'd love to hear your answers to any of the things discussed in this episode. Let's start with "Who are you...?"

While this podcast is done as a team, most of the work the Gorilla Men do is done in solitude. This week, it's all about alone time!

We kick it all off asking is we were okay playing alone when we were young. After that, we discuss times (and the desire for times) spent alone. Obviously, not everybody is as okay with solitude as we are -- we ask if there's an inherent loneliness in solitude before discussing if there is freedom in time spent alone.

With technology, on some level, it's possible to always be connected. Social media, messaging, and other easy-to-use services can be great for those unable to venture into the world as easily as some, but there can also be a downside to always-on technology. We ask if there are benefits to disconnecting from an e-world -- before going on to talking about solitude's effect on creativity.

Solitude is not always voluntary: we spend some time discussing the negative effects of solitude. For those fortunate enough to be able to seek out solitude, they still often feel so overwhelmed by work, family, and tasks that they can't find time to themselves. In a time when leisure time seems to be waning for so many people, we ask if solitude is more important than ever. It's probably clear by now that the answer to that -- for us -- is that some degree of solitude is important. Then, Christopher asks what role solitude plays in subconscious thought, and Shawn asks if Christopher talks to himself when alone.

The general view of solitude is holing up alone in a room or cabin for a period of time, but we ask if solitude can be found with another person present...or even in a group. After that, we move on to talking about the biggest benefits of solitude before wrapping up with discussing how people can find solitude in a busy world.

We hope you'll share your views about solitude in the comments, but more than that: we hope this episode gives you some time alone in your head after listening...maybe even helping you claim some time to yourself!

The 50th podcast. That's fun to type. We're closing in on a year at Men in Gorilla Suits...and that matters to us. Not that anything comes with hitting the 50th weekly show without fail, or even crossing the one-year mark on February 6. (The first show went up Thursday, February 7.) What matters is no matter what, we've put out a weekly show longer than many podcasts last.

Whether slammed with overtime at work, sick, busy with other things, or just wanting blocks of time off where we do nothing, we've proven our motto -- that it really is as simple as chilling the fuck out...and making the damn thing!

The damn thing we've made for you this week is a podcast about...intelligence!

We start off defining what we see as intelligence, before discussing our own battle stories with IQ tests (and the results that followed taking the tests). After that, we ask the question: do we all start from different, measurable levels of intelligence? Without IQ tests, are there ways to measure intelligence?

Obviously, it's rarely a simple thing, and we address that as we talk about different kinds of intelligence (book-smarts vs. street-smarts; survival mode vs. contemporary life). Some other questions:

• Does the intelligence of someone in a city scale if they find themselves lost in a jungle?
• Is the mechanic working on your car more intelligent than a college professor?
• Can one become more or less intelligent, or is it pretty much the same throughout one's life?
• Is learning or education different from intelligence?

Then it's genius time. Were Mozart and others like him a genius? How do average people stack up to those historically deemed geniuses? Is there even such a thing as genius, or is it all hype or adoration? Flipping genius on its head, does stupidity exist -- and if it does, is it measurable? Are some people just more intelligent than others?

Finally, we wrap it all up by discussing the most intelligent person we each know (and, in the process, Gorilla Shawn settles a life-long family dispute)!

So put on your thinking caps and hit the comments to discuss your thoughts about...intelligence!

With one episode shy of our 50th show, and a handful of shows away from the one-year anniversary show on February 6, it's clear that creating the Men in Gorilla Suits podcast is now part of our routine. In fact, lately, we haven't recorded as often as usual because of the holidays -- this was the first show we did in weeks. Christopher flubs the opening (we kept it and didn't re-record), showing that falling out of routine can leave one a step off. Hell, Christopher felt off this entire show -- so much so that he set out to edit this episode the old way (routine), when we edited every pause and "uhm..." out of episodes. The good thing is, when you produce a weekly show, falling back into routines takes no time at all; Christopher's sleepy, out-it-it mode for the day had no effect on the episode, despite it feeling off for him. No editing was needed, and he was happy to hear that the show ended up better than he hoped.

But enough babbling...

We kick off this episode talking about the first routines we remember having. From there, we talk about how we form routines and habits, before discussing how important routine is in our lives. While it will become clear early on that we are not the biggest fans of routines -- going so far that we reject many routines others try to put on us -- we take a moment to discuss the importance of routines in completing the things that matter most to us. (Spoiler alert: it's pretty much, "The podcast is our biggest routine, and we really do abide by our motto of Chill the Fuck Out...and Make the Damn Thing!")

Sometimes the routines in life change. We talk about routines that have fallen to the side that we'd like to bring back into our lives...and we talk about routines we're glad are no longer part of our lives. Even for people like us, who reject most routines, one cannot have at least some routines in their lives. We take a bit of time to discuss where in our lives we see the most routine, and go as far as mentioning some routines that aren't a part of our lives that we'd like to invite in.

Writers and other people making creative things are known for strange routines (certain things on the desk, rituals before beginning their thing, and so many other quirks). We talk about if we have writing routines and, if so, what they are. Then it's on to talking about people who have routines that we've admired, before mentioning our own longest-standing routines.

Finally, we close with a quote by Amos Bronson Alcott, who said:

"The less routine, the more life."

Find out if we'd be okay living lives with no routines, and...let us know your own thoughts about routines (or routines, rituals, and habits you have), in the comments.

Whether factual or fictional, the real-life and made-up world is not without its share of bad guys. We begin the show discussing who the ultimate bad guy was to us when we were young. Sticking to the past, we move on to who the socially acceptable bad guy was when we were in elementary school -- before discussing current-day socially acceptable bad guys.

We get a bit deeper when we talk about why the United States always seems to need someone to label "the enemy"; then it's back to popular culture and asking, "What's the most laughable villain portrayal you've ever seen in a movie?" Sticking with movies, it's then on to who plays the best bad guys and who we believe to be the best bad guy from fiction.

Topping many people's lists of top bad guy from history would be Hitler. We toss Hitler out of the equation and ask each other who we deem the top baddie from history. After that, we discuss our arch-nemeses, and then move on to who the bad guy would be in a fictionalized version of our lives (and who would play us, as well).

We close it all out with our top 5 portrayals of bad guys and then listing the roster for our hand-picked bad-guy super team!

As always, we'd love to hear all about who you deem bad guys in the comments.

Is an education what many believe it to be -- formal schooling -- or is it something more? It seems like something more as we begin this episode talking about our first memories of education...it didn't start with school. But, obviously, one cannot discuss education without [mostly] talking about school. After our early memories of being educated about something, we move on to this question: "Did you have any teachers that inspired and changed your life like you see in movies?"

Maybe we did; maybe we didn't...you'll have to listen to find out, but we definitely had teachers who soured us on schooling. So often, teachers are held up in high regard, but is it justified when so many teachers aren't all that great? (Not saying for a moment that a good teacher should be lumped in with the actions of poor teachers, but so often you hear things like, "Teachers should be paid more than athletes," and, truth be told...there are a lot of shitty teachers out there who probably don't deserve what they are already paid!)

After that, it's on to standardized testing and the money that's tied to it. Is standardized testing good or bad? Is one who tests well "educated" -- is it possible to solve problems and be smart and not test well? (You can probably guess where we stand!) Does more money solve problems in districts, or are there bigger problems with education that money alone can't solve? Hell, why not just ask if the public school model is outdated altogether?

We take a different track and ask how we'd see our own children educated before stepping into home schooling/unschooling. Is homeschooling and unschooling bad? What about the arguments about socialization: is a school a good place for socialization, or can it be like Lord of the Flies for many, destroying the confidence of so many kids who would otherwise be social in other environments?

While most of this episode focuses on primary and secondary education, it's off to college...but is college worth it? Does a traditional education and college prepare younger people for adulthood and the real world, or is it more about discipline and then wondering why the person who previously had to ask for permission to use the restroom isn't suddenly the problem-solving adult they are expected to be after graduating high school?

Breaking from tradition, we move on to other interesting ways of educating people. After that, we build a time machine and go back with the ability to shape our own educations -- find out what we would have changed and how we'd have preferred to have been educated. And, as always, we wrap it all up by discussing the future...this time, what the future of education might be like...

If you're stuck in detention and looking for something to do, tell us some of your thoughts and feelings about education in the comments.

MWAH-HA-HA-HA-HA!!! This week, we're all about...SCIENCE!!! (Imagine a flash of lightning instead of exclamation points and it's soooooooo much better!) But really, that's kind of the Hollywood/Frankenstein version of science. We're a bit more grounded than that...although we DO love a good mad scientist movie...

We begin as we always do: discussing our first memories of the topic; in this case, our first memories of science. We obviously wouldn't talk about science if we didn't find science fascinating, so after that, we move on to the first field of science we ever loved. Also, find out if we were good students in science classes in school.

But enough about the past: find out what we feel are the most fascinating scientific developments right now! Then we roll into the weirdest science experiments we've heard about...and the most horrific! Some people think most science has the potential for harm...who should decide the limits of what we do with science: scientists, government, or something else? Or...should anyone have a say?

Next, find out what we feel are the most ridiculous assertions backed by "science," and listen to why we feel so many people put stock in pseudoscience. It all wraps up with where we see science going in the future.

So put on the lab coats and headphones and then head to the comments to talk about one of the best things ever: science!

Regular listeners know we always put a snippet of our pre-show babble at the very end of each episode. We decided it would be fun to give your ears a peek behind the scenes and let a longer-than-usual babble-fest loose on the world. No editing, just straight-up pre-show talk.

So...what do we cover in 10 minutes?

• Hear us choose our pens!
• Listen to us eat candy!
• Find out what the hell Muddy the Mudcat is!
• Revisit the Fear podcast as we talk about being afraid of the Dr. Who theme as children!
• Find out why Disney's The Black Hole made Shawn almost give up a love of science!
• Listen to Chris talk about the most terrifying robot ever!
• Learn all about how Shawn used to view "downtown" in any city!
• Is downtown Dallas really like the lonely scenes from 28 Days Later?!
• Is downtown Cleveland really just hobos and prostitutes?!
• Finally, find out how long we'd last in a Fight Club...and what our downfall would be!
• Can we use more exclamation points?!
• Yes, we sure can!!!!!!!!!!!!

We kick it off talking about our earliest memories of collaborating, before jumping right in and answering the big question: Do we like collaborating with others? Find out our best experiences working with others...and the worst!

It's hard not to talk about collaboration and not talk about work. How much do our jobs rely on collaborating with others? How do you work with that person who refuses to work well with others? Should employers even encourage collaboration; if so, how can they best get people to work together well? Does any one person (or group of people) have the upper hand when collaborating?

Find out if we prefer leading groups of simply being part of groups when we have to collaborate on a project. Can people collaborate and still have their own voice be heard? And, finally: what's the best collaborative effort seen in history?

Feel free to collaborate by sharing your thoughts about collaborating in the comments.

Ever watch TV? Bet you have. Man, do we have a podcast for you this week -- one of those, "I can't believe we haven't done this one, yet!" shows. This week, we're talking about that great American pass time: television!

We kick it off talking about the first TV show we remember watching, before jumping to how important TV was to us when we were young. How does TV from the past (we focused on 80s TV) compare to things today?

Somewhere along the way, the mini series became a popular thing. We discuss the first mini series programming we remember watching before moving to our all-time favorite mini series. Probably because the mini series at least shot for something more, we jump to talking about the shows that seemed to be forerunners to the more intricate story arcs, characterization, and chances taken with TV today. Also: the most out-of-the-box TV shows we've ever seen.

With the rise of cable, viewers (and creators) have more channels to choose from. Is this better or worse for creators? What TV shows do we feel have had strong writing? And you know you want to find out the most embarrassing shows we'll admit to liking!

In the homestretch, we ask how relevant TV is to today's culture...before calling out the best TV shows of all time (and the worst). We wrap it all up with this question: What is the future of television?

So grab that remote and flip to Men in Gorilla Suits. As always, we'd love to hear your feelings about anything discussed in the comments.

* * *

(Wow, we succeeded going this entire description without saying boob tube! Huhuhuhuhuhuhuhuh...)

With Thanksgiving on Thursday in the states, we decided to release this week's show early...

This week, we're talking about celebrity, and we begin the episode like we begin most episodes: discussing our earliest memories of things (this time, of celebrities). When did we realize there were these things out there called celebrities, and who were the first celebrities to get our attention?

Why are people so enamored with celebrities, and is there something sad about the name dropper...the person who talks about all the celebrities they've met? Is there a difference in the way people view the status of famous musicians, athletes, actors, or even writers -- or is celebrity the same for all? Then the big question: who are our favorite celebrities?

From there, we talk about some of the celebrities we've met...and celebrities we just don't get! It seems many love celebrity scandals -- we discuss why that is before talking about a type of celebrity many don't even consider: the Internet celebrity. There are bloggers, people with YouTube Channels, and podcasters -- some of whom have larger followings than traditional celebrities. Is this new kind of celebrity a step down from what most deem as celebrity, or is it just as valid of those on the red carpet at a movie premiere or awards ceremony?

We then take a turn into the realm of reality TV show celebrities: do they deserve the credit, or are the Kardashians and others the worst of the worst?

This podcast was done at the request of a friend, who pitched a couple questions. The first one: who are our man crushes? (Apparently the Gorillamen have similar tastes in male celebrities!) The second: who are the five celebrities we'd put on our laminated list? Finally, we close the episode out by answering this question: "Would you want to be a celebrity?"

As always, we'd love to hear your answers to any of the topics discussed on this week's episode.

A week from tomorrow is Black Friday. It used to have more meaning, but in recent years, the sales kick off on Thanksgiving Day. Each year, it seems advertising for holiday sales begins earlier than ever before. People complain about seeing Christmas decorations in August, but it apparently works as advertisers push the limits of what the purchasing public will accept.

This week's podcast is all about advertising, starting with the first advertisements we remember seeing. From there, we confess to what capacity we've each worked in the advertising world. (If the podcast had chapter titles, this part would be "Shawn Hangs Out with Molly Hatchet!)

Even with digital recorders, TV still seems like the place for advertising. We discuss whether we even watch ads on television anymore (if we really ever did), before discussing ads that annoy us...and ads we like. (So, obviously, ads do get through to us.) Then on to the big question: has an advertisement ever convinced us to actually buy something? Has an ad annoyed us so much that it's turned us off from purchasing something? Are there right and wrong ways to go about advertising?

We then take a moment to discuss the best and worst ads we've ever seen before discussing if we've ever tried advertising our books. (Answer: no and no!) And then we close it all out discussing the future of advertising. How invasive will it get?!

We'd love to hear about your favorite and most-hated ads in the comments, so jump in and have fun! (You'll make the ghost of Earl Scheib sell his soul for just $99.95!)

What music did our parents listen to when we were younger, and what was the first music we ever owned? Find out right at the start of this week's show. Also find out if either of us ever played a musical instrument. After the trip to the past, we leap to the future, discussing the musician or band that never lets us down...and the band that, when on it, is as good as it gets, but has also recorded some of the worst music out there.

From there, we delve into dislikes, leading off with the band or style of music it seems everyone says one must like, but we don't like. Then: it's time for a moment of hate...find out what band or musician we could do without. (And yes, we said hate. Normally, not our kind of thing, but once Christopher opened his mouth and discussed is irrational hatred for a particular musician, things took a bit of a dip into Negativeland.) You know we usually lean toward positive, though...to the point of ridiculously positive at times. We leave the dislike and hate behind and talk about music's effect on our writing.

Music is a time machine of the mind -- we then talk about the musician or band that transports us to the time we listened to them most. Find out what songs we can't help but like, as well as our guilty pleasure tunes. (Not that we are ones to really care what people think of our musical choices, but we all have those songs that are considered bad that we instead love.)

What do we listen to most these days? How has our tastes changed -- what musicians or bands did we once listen to all the time that we have simply left behind?  Find out our biggest music 180s, the bands we once couldn't stand that we came to love. Then it's time for the one-minute lightning round as we rattle off some of our favorite songs (and forget so many others)! The episode closes with what effect music has on us.

We'd love to hear your answers to any of these questions in the comments.

It may sound like a high school civics class, but this week...we're all about government!

We jump right in by asking if America has the best system of government, or if others out there have better ideas? That leads to a discussion about what form of government is the best...and what we feel is best. Of course, we also discuss the worst kinds of governments that have existed and are still out there.

Then, a bit about education: how much government was taught to us in school, and how involved were the classes? Were they biased or open to all kinds of ideas? Did they help us, or have we forgotten all we learned? Do we feel like we learned something, but still ended up lost in a sea of people who didn't?

Next, we get a bit more philosophical. Does a transparent or secretive government best serve the people? Could a complete lack of government actually work? And because Shawn led the charge with this epsisode, could a government like the one in Star Trek ever become real...and if so, could it work? Sticking to fictional governments, we talk about how close or far we are from Orwell's 1984, before wrapping it up with the ideal government we would create, were we put in charge of the world.

(In the end, it is decided: Facebook and dance fighting are the only systems that work! Okay, maybe not, but we do mention dance fighting and the structure of social networks like Facebook as a system of government.)

We begin the Halloween episode of Men in Gorilla Suits as we begin most episodes: by discussing our earliest memories of the topic. Find out when Halloween memories stuck in our brains. from there, it's on to our favorite costumes from our pasts. (This section had a beta listener rolling with laughter at Shawn's choice and our discussion of those cheap, vinyl costumes popular in the 70s and 80s.) The costume talk doesn't stop there, though...we reveal what we'd consider our ultimate costume if we had the talent to make them, and what creature we would want to be if we could change into a monster just like that.

But let's be honest: for many, Halloween is all about the candy! We discuss the best -- and worst -- things people dropped into our Halloween bags when we were younger. Find out if our candy was ever stolen from us [by a band of thugs dressed like the baseball gang from the movie, The Warriors], or if we were ever the ones doing the stealing.

For some, Halloween is about destruction. Find out how many pumpkins we've smashed in our time and any other mischief on October 31st we got into. For others, Halloween is all about entertainment. Find out what books, movies, and music we recommend for Halloween.

In recent years, Halloween has returned to its roots for some, and become seen as evil by others. We take a moment to discuss the religious side of what is largely a secular holiday, before wrapping the episode up with a couple favorite stories from past Halloweens -- and our plans for this year's festivities.

We'd love to hear some of your favorite Halloween memories in comments, so please share.

Oh, hello there, you wonderful, magical being, you. What's that sour face for -- don't believe us? You are magical...and...if you have just $99.99 to spare for our 20-cassette self-help system, you'll realize your full potential! Don't buy it, and continue to be miserable: the choice is yours. Salvation is just a credit card number away...

This week, we're all about self help! Now, we should clarify that there's nothing wrong with wanting to better yourself...even pay for help if needed. It's just, if you're going to take that step, it would seem a professional therapist might be a bit better than someone making up a pile of bullshit about how quantum physics works in an effort to sell you on yet another self-help system...

We begin the episode by talking about what image comes to our minds when we mention "self help." Then, we discuss whether or not any self-help book or system has ever helped us. After that, we leap into self-help things we've been subjected to in some manner. (It's probably pretty clear at this point that we're not the biggest fans of people preying on desperate people and selling them "help" in Holiday Inns across the country. In fact, Christopher is one degree away from someone fairly well known who "helps" people, but is really just out to take people's money...so we speak from some certain experience.)

While on the subject of self help, why not talk about Scientology and other religions that are little more than a pyramid scheme? Are they really out to help people, or is it all about pushing their own agenda? On a smaller level, we ask if there are self-help gurus who actually want to help people more than they want their money. Then we ask if self-help systems have a high percentage of success, or if they are just a scheme to help those running a system make a lot of money.

Then it's time to talk about some of the more outrageous claims made in the self-help industry. You could probably call this section of the podcast, "It's no secret how Christopher and Shawn feel about The Secret!" While hammering those who know nothing about science (but use junk science to back their claims), we roll all over certain health gurus who also make ridiculous claims in their grab for cash.

But while we don't spare the majority of an industry from ridicule, we do acknowledge the marketing machines behind the self-help industry...and how they have used social media to expand their empires. After discussing how easily people are swayed by "facts" that aren't facts, we ask the biggest question of all: "Is there any value at all in the self-help industry?"

We'd love to hear what you think about self help in the comments, and...we hope this episode of Men in Gorilla Suits helps you. If nothing else, we offer it for free!

Recently, Louis C.K. was on Conan O'Brien, talking about how smart phones destroy one's empathy. We begin talking about that, asking each other if we agree with Louis C.K.'s thinking. Then it's on to the physical ways smart phones make us feel when we ask each other if we've ever felt separation anxiety when not able to use our phones.

Like it or not, the Internet (and easy access to technology) has changed the way we do so many things. We talk about why we're online and, as writers, we take a few moments to ask if online promotion has been worth it for us...or if having a "brand," "platform," whatever we're calling it this week is all hype.

Speaking of hype, a lot has been written about how always having access to information has degraded human focus. We ask if we had more focus before or after technology became such an available thing. By reading this online, it's clear that on some level, the gorilla men are okay with technology, but what technology makes us cringe? Do we feel the need to keep up with everything? Can we make it through a lunch without checking for or answering a text message -- find out!

Back to technology's physical effects...we take a few minutes to ask if checking Facebook and other things is a reflex. Do we play games on our phones, or is that the line we draw where we say, "Nope, that eats up waaaaaaaay too much time!"? Then it's on to our biggest tech weakness and a discussion if we can -- or even want to -- change it. Have we ever been so connected that technology has affected our sleep?

Thoreau had Waldon; now, simply taking a one-week social media break is cause for writing articles...we discuss taking social media breaks and ask if we could sit in a cabin all weekend without any tech. Finally, we wrap it all up by asking what is gained (and lost) by always being connected.

If you're reading this and listen to the show, you obviously have feelings about technology and the way we've all come to use it. We'd love to hear your thoughts about this episode in the comments.

Don't walk beneath that ladder, and do be careful with that mirror -- you wouldn't want to break it and find yourself dealing with 7 years of bad luck! This week, we're all about superstitions and luck!

We begin the episode asking each other if we're superstitious and what was the first superstition we remember hearing (it's probably pretty common, and we bet your mother's back was not broken by your actions on a sidewalk). Were we superstitious when we were younger? Find out! After that, we ask how our perceptions of things have changed over the years.

Then we get a little more specific: can superstition be a low-level mental illness, like a mild obsessive-compulsive disorder? Or is it just a thing people do? What influence do different cultures have on superstitions (we give examples we've seen). Then...we move on to luck!

Find out if we consider ourselves lucky people and if there are ways to avoid "bad luck." Is bad luck just a person's lot in life or can things be done to make our own luck?

We close with the silliest superstitions we've ever heard and answering this question: "Who's the most superstitious person you know?"

So avoid the black cats, pick up a penny, and listen to this week's show! (And let us know if you have any superstitions in the comments.)

We're loading this week's show (all about art) a little early. The episode begins by asking the question: what is art? Is writing, photography, film, and dance art? What about video games? (Okay, so those specifics come a little later in the episode.) After establishing what art is, we discuss our earliest memories of art, including the first great works of art we ever saw.

After that, we get into actually creating art. Does one have to be creative in order to make art? Can art be taught? What's more important: creativity or ability? Then it's back to specifics: who are some of our favorite artists? What are our favorite works of art? What's the strangest art we've ever seen?

Then we stroll through the modern art gallery of the mind, asking if modern art deserves the reputation it gets from some people -- and we ask if art critics are good or bad for art? We wrap it up chatting about what we think art will be like in 100 years.

We'd love to hear who some of your favorite artists and works of art are in the comments!

Links to some of the artists and works of art mentioned in this episode:

• George Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte
• Gustave Caillebotte's Paris Street; Rainy Day
• Andy Warhol's Mao
• David Lynch's Lost Highway (Trailer)
• Mark Tansey's The Innocent Eye Test
• John Picacio's El Pescado
• Nate Frizzell's To See Her As You'd See a Star
• Shaun Tan's The Arrival
• David Weisner's Tuesday
• Douglas Coupland's Hockey Night in Canada (Furniture)
• Kent Williams
• George Pratt
• Chris Van Allsburg
• Andy Denzler
• Caravaggio
• Jackson Pollack
• Salvador Dali
• Pablo Picasso
• HR Giger
• Keith Haring
• Roy Lichtenstein
• Bob Ross
• William Alexander

What compels some people to never leave their hometown, while others crave a nomadic life without a home the moment they can take off on their own? That's how this episode begins; find out where the Gorilla Men fit into that spectrum. Hometowns are common things for most of us, but some people move about or travel so much, answering "Where are you from?" is difficult. We discuss that for a bit before traveling to our next point: the benefits of travel...

Are there benefits to traveling even a little bit? How about traveling a lot? Obviously, there are -- and we discuss them...but we also discuss the drawbacks. Then we get personal as we talk about other countries we've visited and the most interesting places we've seen in our travels. Of course, as writers, we take a side trip into this question: can writers believably set stories in places they have never visited...and how writers can go about doing just that. Then we hit the road!

The Great American Road Trip: we're biased when it comes to road trips -- we love them! Christopher goes as far as making the argument that there is no shame in not having seen many different countries when there is so much to see in the states. We talk about road trips' effect on our writing and reminisce for a moment about the best road trips we've ever taken.

Then it's back to the big, wide world as we discuss our dream destinations and places we'd love to visit that would make others say, "You're crazy for wanting to go there!" Finally, we wrap it all up by discussing our favorite places to travel.

We'd love to hear your dream destinations or favorite trips in the comments!

This Just In: the apes behind Men in Gorilla Suits are talking about the news this week!

Breaking Story: Men in Gorilla Suits ask, "When did the news become interesting to you?" Then those nutty monkeys talk about whether they prefer their news televised or if they'd rather find it online. They also ponder this: "Has 24-hour cable news added to the news or damaged it?" This pundit says it's all about money and is clearly right because the Gorillamen ask what influence advertisers have on the news -- and whether it's good or bad?

"LIBERALS!!!" (Calm down, Tex!) Does the word make your flesh crawl, or are you one of them? ("Serpent!") Doesn't matter; all that does: "Is there a liberal bias in the news?" And...what effect have pundits had on "news"? Also: is news from other countries better?

These days, news travels faster than ever. In a rush to be first with a story, do news stories suffer? If so, how? Then: "Social media as news — accurate or not?"

Why share actual news online when you can share...MISERY!!! Interviews with grieving families, court cases that have no real effect on your life, and sensational stories you'll forget by next week -- is that news, or just a sensational grab for ratings? (Probably pretty clear where the Gorillamen stand on this one-- watch out for their hurled poo!)

But "the news" is really an easy target. Is the news to blame for the shift it’s taken, or are we the problem?

"What's that? Some people avoid the news entirely?! HERETICS!!!" The Gorillamen talk about the movement to avoid the news. (Can you imagine that, avoiding the news? It's rumored one of the Gorillamen didn't even know about the Navy yard shooting that had the nation saying, "Oh, you wacky Mondays...does 12 dead even count as a mass shooting anymore?")

Really, it all comes down to this: does the news actually affect us, or is it presented in a manner to make us believe it does?

Is the news even important anymore?

If you don't listen, clearly...you don't want to be informed. So listen to this week's episode and express your rage, thoughts, or anything else you feel in the comments below. Because these days, the news is interactive, and even the slack-jawed knuckle draggers have a say!

(Views expressed are those of an unseen narrator and do not reflect those of Men in Gorilla Suits.

Maybe...)

This isn't a boring history lesson, or an episode chock full o' trivial things like, "Hey, did you all know the first person to kill at the Battle of Hastings -- in 1066 -- was a juggler?" (<----- That's for real, right there! Don't mess with jugglers!) This episode is about our relationships with history. What many deem to be a boring subject really isn't when you consider how much the human mind lives in the past, whether it's a head full of nostalgia or thinking about your place in the universe...that's all history!

We begin the episode with a bit of personal history, discussing the first time we remember even thinking about the topic. Also, who (or what) got us interested in history? With that beginning, we move on to our favorite periods of American history and world history. Many "man on the street" interviews make it look like Americans know very little about history...we spend some time discussing if that's true before moving on to what history even is.

History takes hold more when it's presented as a story rather than a bunch of dates and events we must commit to memory. We talk about how this affects our perception of history, and then move on to how history is covered: is history really written by the winners, or are there places one can go to find all sides of a story? What are the best sources for understanding history -- and what are the worst? Where do we go when we're in a mood to take in some history? We close it out with the best representation of history -- and the worst -- we've seen in popular media.

If you're a history buff, we'd love to hear your thoughts about history...and if you think history is just a boring subject, we just might change your mind...

<p style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.meningorillasuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/migstitlecard31.jpg"><img class="aligncenter size-full wp-image-670" alt="Comedy mask." src="http://www.meningorillasuits.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/08/migstitlecard31.jpg" width="475" height="275" /></a></p>
We're not talking about the mechanics of humor this week -- we're talking about <em>why</em> we laugh. Is laughter really the best medicine? We talk about our first memories of laughter (and would love to know yours). Along the way, we realized there are dark corners when it comes to laughter; we walk down the alley and discuss at what point we began laughing at more...raunchy things. There are things guaranteed to make us laugh every time we see them, and we tell you what those things are.

Why do people laugh at things they feel are taboo? The Internet: is it good or bad for laughter? Why can something as fun as laughter also be seen as an insult? We also talk about why some people laugh when they're nervous. Are comedies really all that funny? If so, what comedies make us laugh the most? Find out <em>who</em> makes us laugh the most! We close it all out talking about the hardest we've ever laughed and our favorite things about laughter.

We're not saying this episode is a laugh-riot, but hopefully it will make you appreciate laughter on a much deeper level.
<p style="text-align: center;">* * *</p>
If you haven't visited Men in Gorilla Suits since the last episode, we posted some of our favorite videos that can be found online right here. And...here are some other videos mentioned in this episode (remember, we never claimed to have high taste in humor):

<strong>Mr. Sparkle Makes Shawn Laugh:</strong>

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/dnaLRbbc-54" height="315" width="420" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>

<strong>LA Beast Drinks Three Bottles of Sriracha Sauce and [WARNING] Vomits. Big Time! (NSFW):
</strong>

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/toJDo046mm4" height="315" width="560" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>

<strong>Beavis and Butthead at the Hoover Dam (NSFW):</strong>

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/T2cIGYpFA68" height="315" width="420" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>

<strong>Will Sasso Michael McDonald Vine Bit:</strong>

<iframe src="//www.youtube.com/embed/djPq-QI4mjs" height="315" width="420" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0"></iframe>

Reality TV: people seem to love it or hate it. People also seem to forget how long it's been around...and that even its critics have probably enjoyed some kind of reality programming. This week, we're all about versions of reality on television that succeed and fail, often in very strange ways.

We start out talking about early shows we recognized as "reality" programming before talking about the opposite ends of the reality TV spectrum. Is reality TV legitimate, or is it just lazy TV?  We discuss the shows that have pulled us in, and those so bad, we were almost turned off to the medium entirely. We talk about the character of reality TV -- those we've loved, and those we loathed. The part that surprised us both: does reality TV have value? The answer may make you think twice about knocking reality TV and realizing it's like anything: there's good and bad and everything in between...

We'd love to hear about which reality TV shows you've loved, and even those you've hated...

In a time when smart phones and TV screens are everywhere, it can seem so hard to focus. This week, we discuss why people seem to yearn for these kinds of distractions in their lives and what they can do to regain focus on the things that matter to them. How has technology of all sorts made it easier than ever to procrastinate? Do programs and apps meant to keep people offline and away from distractions really work? If not, what can people do to keep their priorities before them?

The more we use quick and satisfying technology like social media sites, text messages, and email, the more we physically rewire our brains to crave more instant gratification. How do we wire our brains to focus on the things that matter in our hearts more than playing rounds of Words with Friends or Candy Crush?

Some people have gone as far as saying distractions have robbed us of our culture -- we address that and how it's really all a matter of priority. After discussing distractions in the workplace, we talk about ways people can focus more. As writers, we talk about how we focus on something as big as novels in an age of distractions -- and how those tips can carry over to anything people do.

We spend a bit of time talking on the power of solitude...how being alone and free of distractions for long periods of time leads to wonderful things! After that, we ask what's more important: focus or action...before finally wrapping it all up by asking if focus, priority -- or something else entirely -- is the most important thing when it comes to getting things done?

We're almost to our 30th episode. Without focusing on priorities, we'd have never gotten this far.

There's a fire burning inside some people. We see the spark turn into a blast of heat in an instant when certain topics are brought up; just like that, the most normal person can let loose with a barrage of extreme views.

This week, we're talking about extremists: what constitutes an extremist, why people become so extreme about certain things, and...what we can do about it. Whether it's an angry group in the streets or people spewing anger on Facebook, extremism comes in many forms. There are the stereotypes: Islamic terrorists and other religious zealots hellbent of destruction and hate; eco-terrorists and racists. These are the extreme of the extreme, but everyday people are not immune to extremism.

Angry Christians and angry atheists are doing battle right now, online. Same thing with political battles and so many other topics. Ask for a long discussion about classic art online and you may not get a single reply, but type "Gun control: yes or no?" and watch the floodwaters rise. (And yep, we talk about gun control in this episode!)

We ask if there's an increase in extremism, or if it only seems that way because it's now so easy to be heard online. Are the most extreme people on different sides of an issue that different, or are they united by that fire burning deep within? We ask if there's ever a good reason for extremism and even ask ourselves if we have any extreme views. We chat about extremists many don't think to be extremists before discussing what we think is the most dangerous thing about extremism. Finally, we close it all out by asking what can be done to curb extremism.

Dare we say it -- this might be the most important episode we've ever done...

This week, it's all about movies! The first movies we remember seeing, and a bit about the people who got us into movies. There's talk about drive ins and multiplexes; the times before the rise of the blockbuster and what followed after blockbuster films became common. We discuss the difference between film and movies as well as the movies that made us both want to write screenplays one day. Are movies better or worse than they used to be? Yep, we cover that! Along the way, we talk about our favorite movie characters and the worst -- and best -- movies we've ever seen.

Quick Note: We recorded this over Skype, each running our own sound. Shawn doesn't have a buffer between his desk and recorder, so there are some bumping sounds throughout the podcast. In the spirit of this week's show, just imagine it's the footsteps of the t-rex from Jurassic Park!

Defend the wicket and pile up the Atlas stones -- this week, we're talking sports! Obviously, we're talking about some more obscure sports in that opening line (to Americans, anyway), but trust us: there's plenty of talk about football, baseball, and that other sporting event Americans clamor for: lumberjacking!

Wait -- basketball...we mean basketball. (Even though hockey's probably mentioned most...because hockey is BEST!!!)

But don't think this is a talk all about games and stats and players because...well, we probably couldn't sustain sports radio-esque chatter like that for an hour. (At least Christopher couldn't.) Instead, listen to Shawn talk about striking out at T-ball and find out what Christopher once did to get much more than a red card in a soccer game. At the same time, we chat a little bit about the sports we have actually succeeded in pulling off...sometimes to levels of actual proficiency. Shawn talks about the sport that saw many broken bones for him, while Christopher talks about the sport in which he's "pretty fast, for a big guy..."

Sure, we talk about athletes and teams that have impressed us, but we also talk about some weird sports -- and things some argue are sports at all. We wrap it up talking about how sports geeks aren't much different than geek geeks; in fact, Christopher makes the argument that anyone playing in a fantasy league of some sort just might be more of a geek than someone playing Dungeons and Dragons.

It's more fun than SlamBall...and SlamBall's pretty fun, right?

RIGHT?!

Now we are 25! If episodes were years and the podcast were a person, we'd finally be getting lower auto insurance rates. We'd have enough years of adulthood beneath us to have the confidence to do bigger things. We might still get goofy on the weekends, but we'd have a better idea of what we wanted out of life. While the podcast isn't a person, it's a good analogy: we have enough experience working together to now look forward and know what we want out of the show. We'll always be goofy, but we're more confident and ready to focus on more than simply producing weekly episodes. We know we can do that -- now it's time to make things even better!

The episode isn't quite like a "looking back" episode of a sitcom, but it's all about the show: our favorite episodes and our favorite things about doing a weekly show. Our least favorite things about Men in Gorilla Suits. Things we'd change, and things we're proud of. The prevailing sentiment of this episode is just doing the things you want to do! So many times, we talk ourselves out of the things that stick around in our heads and later regret never doing them. In its own way, this episode has some inspirational moments. Along the way, we talk about our process for producing shows and how we decided who does what. (Hint: we let it all happen naturally -- we have never so much as had even a short meeting about the show.) We talk about all our mistakes and successes. In the end, this episode is a celebration of friendship and the benefits of making something on a regular basis.

So...Thank you to everybody who's listened to the first 25 episodes. We'd love to hear your hopes for the next 25 in the comments!

Break out the knives and get that fire and oven going--this week, we're all about cooking! We begin by talking about our first memories of food and move on to whether or not cooking was an important thing in our households growing up. (Spoiler: it was!) We talk about family recipes passed down through generations, and then talk about the first thing we learned how to cook. But this episode isn't all about the past--we talk about what we like to cook now and who does the cooking in our households these days. Then we get a little philosophical, asking if different kinds of foods can bring people together and give us a better understanding of the world. (Spoiler: we think so!)

In the middle of it all, we talk about restaurants: restaurants we've worked in, our favorite restaurants, and suggestions for some good places to eat if you ever find yourself in the Dallas/Ft. Worth Metroplex. While singing the praises of restaurants, we'd be remiss to not mention our favorite guilty pleasures when it comes to going out and grabbing a bite to eat. Some of our heroes worked in restaurants...we talk about celebrity chefs before moving on to the effect they had on our cooking. And that's not all that affected our cooking--we talk about television and the Internet's effect on what we like to cook.

In the final stretch, we talk about our favorite late-night snacks, and devote some time to the best things we cook. There's a little bit about the last truly wonderful thing we've each eaten, and we wrap up the episode on imaginary death row, talking about what we would have as last meals.

It's a fun episode, all about one of our favorite things: cooking and eating!

Number one reason you want to listen to this week's podcast? Christopher figures out how much he'd have to weigh to have Godzilla's body mass index (BMI). From there, we talk about how food and shopping has changed and ask if it's possible to eat healthy on a budget any more. Is health what we see in magazines, or is it possible to be small and strong? Really, what is healthy? What can we learn about health from other countries?

From there, a bit about whether or not there's a conscious effort to keep people unhealthy for profit. (Can that even be something done by design?) Are bad health habits really that bad, or can what some deem as unhealthy actually be healthy? Holistic health management: bunch of BS or is there something to it? And finally, as a society with a large percentage of people who work while sitting, what are some of the best things a desk-bound jockey can do for better health?

If you've been listening and enjoy the podcast, consider going to iTunes, Stitcher, or wherever you find the show an leave a rating or review. We're two episodes away from #25! Thanks to everybody who's been listening!

This week, we're all about failure! We kick off talking about our first failures in life and move on to how some people take failure so personally that they become terrified to try anything. (That's called failing at life!) We devote a bit of time to self sabotage as a ridiculous form of "defense" from the possibility of failure and why some people deal with failure better than others. For those who have a tough time with failing, we talk about how failure can lead to better things and offer some ways to not be so afraid of failing at something. What differentiates those who give up easily and those who stick with things? We talk about that...as well as devoting some time to if there are times one should give up on something. Along the way, we talk about The Cult of Fail: people who seem almost excited to get out and fail...and how that's good and bad. We close out the show by discussing our funniest failures because we believe it's important to be reminded that it's important to see humor in failure.

This week's show is all about criticism. While it leans heavily toward writing criticism, we do talk about general criticism and criticism as it pertains to the arts and jobs in general. So here we go:

We begin with an important question: is criticism even helpful for writers and artists, or is it counterproductive to creating "pure" art? Along the way, we discuss how to offer criticism and take criticism that comes your way. We share some personal stories about criticism: the best and worst criticism we've received as well as some other tales of being criticized. With anyone with an Internet connection able to review someone's work online, the review has become a type of criticism. We discuss ways writers and artists can use reviews to see how people feel about what they are doing and maybe even improve their work. We close by looping back to the beginning and asking if criticism is a necessary component of art, or if great work can be created with no outside influence.

This week, we're talking about influences. Find out our earliest influences--and what/who later influenced us to write. Discover our strangest influences, and what influences changed as we got older. We take a detour and discuss creating under the influence of alcohol and drugs. It's easy to think about people and things that influence us, but we take time out to acknowledge that we all have the ability to influence others. Christopher shares a great story about somebody he influenced without ever knowing. And because not all influences are good, we talk about negative influences. Finally, we wrap up with our most recent influences.

As always, we'd love to know what has influenced you over the years; leave a comment and we'll reply!

You probably didn't know this, but Shawn was once a reserve "mathlete" as well as a benchwarmer for his school's classical music team. (Those nutty Germans!) Christopher was good friends with the first kid on the block with an Apple II in his house. But that's all in the past...

This week we're talking about...THE FUTURE!!! More specifically, we're talking about fiction's importance on the future. From cyberpunk to warp drives (even penises drawn on the surface of Mars), we have it covered. Along the way, we discuss stories that got the future right -- and those that got it very wrong (including the movie that made Shawn almost fashion a noose from Red Vines and hang himself in the theater.)

While much of this episode is about the future as it pertains to science fiction, we also talk about predictions we got right, and what we think will happen to the world in the next 10 and 20 years. (Clearly, we are seers!) Also, our hopes for the future of fiction and for the real world of tomorrow.

We'd love to hear what you think will happen in the next 20 years; feel free to tell us in the comments. (We expect CMStewart to put us to shame!)

BOOOOOooOOoOoOOOOOooooOOOO!!!

This week, it's all about fear! Find out what things from childhood still creep us out--and what our greatest fears are today. Listen to us talk about how we've overcome many of the fears we've faced. Learn about how anger and fear are related. We all have a phobia or two, but what happens when we give into irrational fears? We talk about how statistically, most of us are safer than ever, and yet many people we talk to have never seemed more afraid. Many of these people watch a lot of "news." We discuss how the media, in a race for ratings, benefits when it can play to our fears and keep us on edge.

Fear isn't just about things that go bump in the night--the stresses of working in a time when layoffs are not uncommon leads to fear at work. We talk about how to break those fears, and most other fears you have (including how to use fear to overcome fear). Finally, sometimes we love being scared. We close this episode talking about why some scary things bother us, but yet we gravitate toward amusement parks, scary movies, and haunted houses.

Beta listeners have said this is one of their favorite episodes, and we won't argue with them. We haven't had this much fun doing the podcast...

Ah, microfiche! We friggin' LOVE microfiche, even today (especially today)! Libraries? Wonderful things -- perfect places for...research! This week, we're talking all about research: online, in libraries, and research obtained simply by living a cool life! More specifically, we're discussing writing research.

Does every story need to be researched? Shawn spins the adage, "Write what you know," on its head, making much better sense of the saying. Christopher gives in and is forced to admit that he researches much more than he thought he did. Along the way, Shawn mentions why cramming 10 pounds of poo into a 5-pound bag is not a good writing move, and Chris sings praises to Jim Lynch. We also discuss some of our specific research methods (Christopher: "ALL HAIL EVERNOTE!!!"), and it's revealed how Shawn's 47 Echo series is really all about tap dancing mimes!

Whether you research for writing, school, hobbies, or other reasons, we hope this episode has something that can help you.

Ah, to live the life as a National Hockey League rover, or to entertain the cigar-rolling masses as a lector. To pump gas or serve as the director of photography on pornographic movies. To open your own Blockbuster Video store franchise or manufacture cassette tapes. These are jobs...some totally obsolete, some on their way out...

This week, it's all about jobs that no longer exist: some long gone, and some we've seen die in our own time. We talk about jobs that are fading, many jobs shoved into one catch-all job, and even discuss why outsourcing may not be the evil many believe it to be. (We might not be in the majority on this one.) We discuss how the "Good ol' days," were only good for some, and why our jobs these days is to simply figure things out. Of course, Shawn works Star Trek into the discussion, and Christopher entertains what a future in which computers write novels might be like. (Smash Gerbils reference goes to Deacon McClendon.)

We wrap it up by discussing how the Internet and nostalgia have brought some obsolete or dying jobs back -- kind of a grudging praise for...the Hipster! Also, wanna be a blacksmith? It's still a better option than many jobs that are on the way out! Don't believe us? Then give this episode a listen!

Note: This episode was recorded under the influence of copious amounts of caffeine (Shawn) and a couple Martinis (Chris). It's a bit frantic and wacky, and that, dear listeners = fun!

This week we're talking about characterization -- in particular, characterization in fiction. While the episode skews a bit toward writing, what makes a good character should interest everybody. We talk about some of our favorite characters, characters that don't work so well for us, and how we go about tackling strong characters in our own writing. No matter how grounded or out there a story is, chances are, one of the things that keeps you coming back to certain stories are the characters. Find out why some characters have such a strong appeal in this episode.

This week, it's all about those little things that get under our skin: pet peeves! What's the difference between a pet peeve and a complaint? We talk about that as well as how so many people inflate pet peeves into bigger issues. Is social media part of the problem, or does it all depend on how we use things? When is a pet peeve a sign of a bigger problem, and how can pet peeves actually be good? We talk about that as well as revealing our own pet peeves. Somewhere along the way, Shawn talks about eating chalk. Seriously. That part alone is worth the listen, but even beta listeners admit -- from start to finish -- this is one of the best episodes of Men in Gorilla Suits to date!

Feel free to share your pet peeves in the comments, or leave a rating or review on iTunes if you like this.

If you think you don't have time to listen to this episode of Men in Gorilla Suits...you probably need to listen to this episode of Men in Gorilla Suits. This week it's all about time management!

We'll tell you how to find the right time management system...for you! We discuss how having a day job can help you find time for your creative endeavors, and we praise the smart phone as a time management tool. (But probably not in the ways many "time management gurus" would tell us to use our phones.) We chat about time management tools and systems -- including how some can take up more time than they may be worth for your needs. We share ways to identify bad uses of time, and how sometimes you just gotta suck it up and not do the things you want to do because other things take priority in your life for awhile. Hell, we even discuss the importance of allowing yourself to occasionally give in to being lazy (i.e. the Netflix Marathon).

Christopher shares the big time management tip that helped him tame his to-do list, and Shawn's big tip for time management feeds itself each time he's busy. There's even a little Zen moment when we discuss if we're like concrete or water in the way we create. Also: is waiting for "The Muse" a good idea, or is she a massive time management killer? (Spoiler: she's really a succubus out to drain you of time you should just be creating!) Finally, we talk about the difference between multitasking (ick; you can't do it, even if you think you can!) and task stacking (Hooray for task stacking!!!).

We know it's asking a lot for an hour of your time, but that's the length of a commute for most of us. We hope that by the end of this episode, you'll get that hour back...and then some...

Last week we talked about the independent pursuit of creative endeavors. Before you can get there, though, you have to make something -- and that usually means dealing with some level of creativity.

For many, creativity is an ominous thing, the fickle Muse that may or may not show up and shower you with inspiration. We're here to tell you that the Muse is BS and that creativity, like anything, can be attained by simply working hard. Some highlights from this week's show:

• Tips for people who doubt they have creative abilities.
• Rethinking what creativity is -- The Creative Physicist and Programmer.
• The power of breaks from creative pursuits.
• How to take breaks from the things that distract you from finding time to create.
• Why we're not so enamored with those labeling themselves "Creatives." (Hint: actions speak louder than...well, you know...)
• How to deal with those wanting to exploit your creativity. (What we really mean: those who want to exploit your willingness to actually do the work!)
• Some of our creative heroes. (Including a bit about Shawn getting email from his hero.)

It's our hope that anyone doubting they have some creative ability in themselves will see that's not the case by this episode's end. As long as you're willing to work hard, it's amazing what's possible.

This week, we talk about the benefits and pitfalls of independent pursuits and the benefits and pitfalls of going the traditional route. Some sides are all or nothing: extolling independence over all, or shunning anything remotely done completely on one's own. With recent leaps in technology, though, the lines are blurred -- even people who have spent decades going the traditional route with the things that matter to them are finding success blending working with established companies and doing it themselves. In many ways, there's never been a better time to do your own thing, even though it might be harder to be seen in the crowd.

We'd love to hear about (or see) the stuff you make -- feel free to share stories and links in the comments.

This week's podcast is all about the creative power that comes with being positive...and negative. This episode is about much more than just attitude's effect on productivity, though. We talk about the power of apathy as it can relate to happiness (or at least reducing stress from one's life). There's a bit about Pollyannas vs. Doomsayers, and how being extremely positive isn't always a good thing. We ask if one's attitude really is as simple as making a decision to be a certain way; also, how people use social media as a platform for their moods. Finally, the episode wraps up with a simple conclusion about life.

Disclaimer: We make a very clear distinction between negativity and depression in this episode. We know that negativity and depression are not synonymous, even though they sometimes move in each others' shadows. When we speak of negativity in this episode, we are talking about learned behavior or making a choice to be a certain way -- not the clinical reasons for some people's moods beyond their control. At various points in our lives, we have both struggled with depression. At various points in our lives, we were simply negative. We know the difference and do our best to make that distinction in this episode.

This week, it's all about hobbies! Are they inherent things we're coded to do, or something that came about in more recent times? We discuss how people look at hobbies at different times in life, and how they can enrich all we do. We also talk about the downside of hobbies: when we become too involved in them or try making them a career and see that we sometimes lose the joy when a hobby becomes a job. Shawn and Christopher share their childhood hobbies, current hobbies, and talk about what hobbies they may find themselves doing in the future.

We want to know what hobbies you love -- please take a moment and tell us in comments.

We've established that Shawn went to school wearing a Star Trek costume. "No problem," you say, thinking he may have worn it on Halloween. But he just wore it on a normal school day because...why not? We've also established that Christopher did everything in his power to use the Force to convince the world to call him Luke. It was a Jedi mind trick that didn't work.

These stories establish an early stroll into becoming fans of properties, which is what we're talking about today. This week, it's all about fandom!

We're not talking about past attempts at living a geeky dream (well, not entirely); we're talking about all kinds of fandom and how it's either all silly or all okay. We make the argument that the guy in the Klingon costume is no more odd than the guy wearing his favorite sports team's jersey. We talk a little bit about Rocketeer wannabe, Curtis Hart. (You may remember Curtis from an earlier entry.) All kinds of fans -- whether deemed normal or labeled extremely weird -- are the subject. About the only thing we don't get into is what's better: Star Trek or Star Wars.

We know better than that!

Warning: For those who listen to the podcast while driving...there's a section in the podcast (when we talk about Jodi Foster) that gets very loud, very fast. It's an accident Shawn had -- not a wreck or something about to hit you in traffic!

This week, it's a full-blown episode all about writing; specifically, all about world building. What is world building? Simple: it's a writer taking time to craft believable settings for their stories, even if their stories are set in places that don't even exist. But it's more than just creating a world -- it's the rules of that world and how everything affects the characters. Along the way, we talk about what ails literary fiction, Star Trek, Barry Eisler's mistakes, and plenty of talk about the power of Dungeons and Dragons. It only took seven episodes to get two writers to actually spend an hour talking about writing! Thanks for listening.