EIL: Everything I've Learned

Mark Armstrong•eil.show

Society & Culture

Lessons, mistakes, and other turning points. Hosted by Longreads founder Mark Armstrong.

Last refreshed: July 14th, 2025 at 11:37 PM ⓘ

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Episodes

Everything Michael Hobbes Learned About Podcasting

Michael Hobbes ( @RottenInDenmark ) is a journalist and co-creator of the hit podcasts Maintenance Phase —which he co-hosts with Aubrey Gordon —and You’re Wrong About , which he co-hosted with Sarah Marshall before leaving last year. “Now, when anyone can go on Wikipedia and get a general timeline of events of what happened—that's not the hard part, putting things in chronological order. I want someone who's done a deep dive, and knows a lot more about a subject than I do, but is also able to te...

Mar 24, 2022•37 min•Season 1Ep. 7

Dr. Kathleen Smith on Bowen Theory and Understanding Anxiety

Dr. Kathleen Smith is the author of Everything Isn’t Terrible: Conquer Your Insecurities, Interrupt Your Anxiety, and Finally Calm Down . I first discovered Dr. Smith's work through her must-read newsletter —she's an expert in Bowen Family Systems Theory , which looks at anxiety through the lens of our relationships. We don’t exist in isolation—we're constantly reacting to others around us, in our families and relationships, at work, and on social media. This was a fun conversation, so thanks ag...

Dec 22, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 6

Eric Michael Garcia on What It Means to Be #ActuallyAutistic

Eric Michael Garcia is an autistic journalist whose new book is We’re Not Broken: Changing the Autism Conversation . Garcia is the senior Washington correspondent for The Independent , following editorial roles at the Washington Post and The Hill . He’s also been a correspondent for National Journal , MarketWatch , and Roll Call , and has written for The Daily Beast , The New Republic , and Salon.com . As a child, he was diagnosed with Asperger’s Syndrome, which is now diagnosed under the broade...

Oct 06, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 5

Leah Sottile on Rethinking Your Mission in Journalism

"Everyone in every part of the world was having a conversation with themselves: Who am I? What am I doing? Why am I doing it? And I definitely was having that question a lot with journalism." Leah Sottile is a journalist whose work you'll remember from Bundyville, the Longreads podcast that ran for two seasons and explored domestic extremism in the United States. She also hosted the podcast Two Minutes Past Nine, produced with BBC Radio Four, which looked at the legacy of the Oklahoma city bombi...

Sep 15, 2021•51 min•Season 1Ep. 4

Dawnie Walton's Musical Journey from Media Exec to Debut Novelist

Dawnie Walton is the author of The Final Revival of Opal & Nev . It's her debut novel, and it's a story that came to her at a pivotal moment in her life, inspiring her to make the leap from journalist and media executive to author. The novel tells the story of a fictional rock duo, Opal Jewel and Nev Charles, who shoot to fame in 1970s New York City. Walton is a MacDowell fellow, a Tin House scholar, and a graduate of the Iowa Writer's Workshop. Edited by Ashur Rayis Music by Mark Armstrong ...

Mar 30, 2021•37 min•Season 1Ep. 3

Maria Bustillos on Building an Unbreakable Media Company

Maria Bustillos is a writer and journalist whose work I’ve been following for many years — I first read her essays in The Awl, and she’s gone on to write for many other publications including The New Yorker, CJR, and Longreads. In 2016 she took on another assignment: covering the trial of Hulk Hogan vs. Gawker. Hogan’s victory, the revelation that the lawsuit was secretly funded by billionaire VC Peter Thiel, and the shuttering of Gawker sent Bustillos on a mission: Is it possible to create a bi...

Mar 01, 2021•32 min•Season 1Ep. 2

Naz Riahi on Pursuing Your Dream During a Pandemic

I first discovered Naz Riahi’s work through her essays at Longreads , about growing up in Iran and moving to the United States. In 2020, with her consulting work on hold due to COVID-19, she decided to pursue her dream by writing and directing a short film. “Sincerely, Erik” is a beautiful love letter to New York City, about a bookseller seeking connection with his customers while his store was closed. The film was chosen as a Staff Pick at Vimeo and was a winner at its Best of the Year Awards. ...

Jan 26, 2021•40 min•Season 1Ep. 1

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