In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk canine anxiety, celebrity memoirs, and dispensaries (of grace). Also, Sarah prays for high waistlines while RJ uncovers a stroller conspiracy. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/10/dog-anti-anxiety-meds-treatment/675715/) to read Rose Horowich's "Too Many People Own Dogs" in The Atlantic. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/31/opinion/matthew-perry-loneliness-addiction.html?smid=nytcore-ios-share&referringSource=articleShare) ...
Nov 04, 2023•1 hr 8 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk oral hygiene, couples' conflicts, and the Minnesota board of pardons. Also, the gang finally explains the show's name. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2023/10/08/opinion/truth-flossing-cold-medicine.html) to Adam Mastroianni's piece on "Do I Have to Keep Flossing?" Click here (https://www.thecut.com/article/couples-fight-conflict-resolution-esther-perel.html) to read the interview with Esther Perel about the 3 Things Every Couple Fights About. Click here (ht...
Oct 23, 2023•1 hr 5 min
In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk astrology, masculinity, and minor league saints. Also, a certain Scorpio experiences the opposite of good will on a visit to Good Will. Click here (https://reductress.com/post/why-i-dont-believe-in-astrology-unless-it-reaffirms-something-i-already-thought/) to read the Reductress article "Why I Don’t Believe in Astrology Unless It Reaffirms Something I Already Thought." Click here (https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/2023/07/10/christine-emba-masculinity-new-...
Oct 02, 2023•1 hr 9 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk mission trips, mistaken restaurant orders, Indian toilets, and toxic achievement culture. Also, RJ pines for Portugal while Sarah considers turning off the radio (but doesn't). Click here (https://conference.mbird.com/) to learn more about Mbird's upcoming Minneapolis conference (9/29-30). Click here (https://mbird.com/grace-in-practice/why-i-love-short-term-mission-trips/) to read Joshua Musser Gritter's piece Why I Love Short-Term Mission Trips. Click here (ht...
Sep 18, 2023•1 hr 11 min
Back from their summer hiatus, RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk tourism, punctuality, Swiftie conferences, and the new old age. Also, RJ remembers the elephant butte while Sarah plays the food game. Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/the-weekend-essay/the-case-against-travel) to read Agnes Callard's "The Case Against Travel" in The New Yorker Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/timing-is-everything-the-ethics-of-being-late/) to read Sam Bush's post on the Ethics of Being Late Click here (h...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 8 min
In their last episode before the summer hiatus RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk tip creep, accomplished achievers, grieving comedians, and Tim Keller. Also, a Condon brings home the trophy for Best Dancer at the Middle School Dance. Click here (https://mbird.com/support/) to respond to RJ's opening appeal. Click here (https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-tipping-prompts-are-suddenly-everywhere-1c8bbd20) to read Rachel Wolfe's report on Why Tipping Prompts Are Suddenly Everywhere for the Wall Street Journal....
Jun 01, 2023•1 hr 9 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk baby name consultants, coronation invitations, and escape room birthday parties. Also, Dave finally reveals the Mockingcast's methodology while Sarah loses an appendix. Click here (https://www.vox.com/culture/23708179/unique-baby-names-2023-trends-tiktok) to read Rebecca Jennings' article about baby name consultants in Vox. Click here (https://www.theredhandfiles.com/why-are-you-going-to-kings-coronation/) to read Nick Cave's response to the coronation. Click he...
May 10, 2023•1 hr 5 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk road rage, representation, financial obsession, and extremely short sermons. Also, RJ narrowly avoids a lemon squeeze, while Sarah learns something shocking about New England Puritans. Click here (https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/tv/story/2023-04-05/beef-netflix-ali-wong-steven-yeun) to read the LA Times article about Beef. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/04/money-income-happiness-correlation/673713/) to read Michael Mechanic...
Apr 18, 2023•1 hr 13 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk subjective age, the danger of knowingness, the perils of project religion, and the hope of Holy Week. Also, RJ reveals why he's in sales, not management. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2023/04/subjective-age-how-old-you-feel-difference/673086/) to read Jennifer Senior's essay on "The Puzzling Gap Between How Old You Are and How Old You Think You Are" in The Atlantic Click here (https://psyche.co/ideas/our-big-problem-is-not-misinformati...
Apr 04, 2023•1 hr 13 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk almond moms, wellness curses, and theories of change. Also, Dave runs away from a German. Click here (https://mbird.com/shop/magazine/issue-22-sickness-health/) to order a copy of The Sickness & Health Issue of The Mockingbird. Click here (https://mbird.com/support/) to become a monthly supporter of Mockingbird (and receive a complimentary magazine subscription!). Click here (https://mbird.com/literature/the-2023-mockingbird-book-club/) for more information ...
Mar 16, 2023•1 hr 11 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk NBA scoring records, Manhattan treadmills, imposter phenomena, and children with addiction. Also, a cat named Esther says the Sinner's Prayer. Click here (https://kareem.substack.com/p/what-i-think-about-lebron-breaking) to read what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Thinks About LeBron James Breaking his NBA Scoring Record Click here (https://www.thecut.com/2023/02/the-fleishman-is-in-trouble-effect.html) to read Caitlin Moscatello's essay "The Fleishman Effect." Click here ...
Feb 14, 2023•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk sleepover stories, mindfulness apps, prison ministries, and dangerous cliches. Also, Sarah lipsyncs to Amy Grant while Dave avoids the noid. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2023/01/parents-saying-no-sleepovers-tiktok-controversy/672821/) to read Erika Christakis' Case for Sleepovers in The Atlantic Click here (https://www.wired.com/story/are-mental-health-apps-worth-trying/) to read the Dear Cloud column in Wired about mental health apps. C...
Jan 31, 2023•1 hr 7 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk one-downing, dry January, raging creatives, and Nigerian faith healers. Also, Sarah reveals how to get people to care, and Dave finally says what we're all thinking about RJ. Correction: around the 30 min mark, when Dave says "Johnny Walker" he meant to say "Jack Daniels." Click here (https://www.facebook.com/colbertlateshow/videos/564068128572213/) to watch the clip of Colbert speaking with Quinta Brunson Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/20...
Jan 17, 2023•1 hr 8 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk words of the year, overly honest friendships, gift giving snafus, and Rob Delaney's late son Henry. Also, RJ gets chosen while Sarah throws shade at some Swifties. Click here (https://watch.angelstudios.com/) to watch The Chosen Click here (https://www.instagram.com/kobecampbell_/) to check out Kobe Campbell's Instagram, and here to pre-order (https://amzn.to/3Yxj7nA) her book, Why Am I Like This? Click here (https://open.spotify.com/episode/7fWIgYUbfqfHRDP8c16P...
Dec 20, 2022•1 hr 13 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk sleep tracking, the therapy/gospel dichotomy, public apologies, and the Second Coming. Also, Sarah almost ruins a baby shower. **Click here (https://mbird.com/support/) to respond to the opening appeal to support Mbird **Click here (https://mbird.com/the-magazine/calling-all-insomniacs-the-sleep-issue-is-available-to-pre-order/) to read (part of) CJ's opener for the Sleep Issue of the magazine Click here (https://mbird.com/shop/magazine/issue-21-sleep/) to order...
Dec 06, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk the moneyballing of everything, the perils of oversharing, the contradictions of adult orphanhood, and the beauty/difficulty of Sunday School. Also, RJ overshares some feelings about our national pastime. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/newsletters/archive/2022/10/sabermetrics-analytics-ruined-baseball-sports-music-film/671924/) to read Derek Thompson's newsletter on what Moneyball-for-Everything Has Done to American Culture. Click here (https://www.thea...
Nov 08, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk moralized therapy, misunderstood jobs, and the underrated upsides of an altar call. Also, Sarah laments the snow crabs while RJ loses a wrestling match. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/11/opinion/therapy-america.html) to read Mychal Denzel Smith's article "Why Do People Think Going to Therapy Makes You a Good Person?". Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/20/opinion/us-mental-health-awareness.html) to read Huw Green's article "We Have Reached ...
Oct 24, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk vanishing cursive, gentle parenting, church families, and grieving rockstars. Also, RJ reveals why he doesn't like writing thank-you notes, while Sarah sings one, er, hell of a spiritual. Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/10/gen-z-handwriting-teaching-cursive-history/671246/) to read Drew Gilpin Faust's piece on how Gen Z Never Learned to Read Cursive in The Atlantic. Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/books/under-review/the-harsh-...
Sep 27, 2022•1 hr 11 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk deceased royalty, love languages, low anthropology, moralized effort, and virtuous bewilderment. Also, Sarah calls the midwife while RJ goes insane. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/05/opinion/work-labor-morality.html) to read Peter Coy's newsletter about The Moralization of Effort. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/08/27/well/family/love-languages-author.html) to read The NY Times article "The Sixth Love Language Does Not Exist" by Alisha Hari...
Sep 12, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In their first episode following the summer hiatus RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Frederick Buechner, worker productivity scores, Effective Altruism, and Afrikaner sadness. Also, Sarah's sabbatical diverts her somewhere... fabulous. Recommendations: The Brothers Zahl (https://thebrotherszahl.fireside.fm/) podcast, Soultime (https://apps.apple.com/us/app/soultime-christian-meditation/id1369059690), Radical Love (https://amzn.to/3cw8FcY) by Zachary Levi, Better Call Saul, and The Neal Morse Band (https:...
Aug 29, 2022•1 hr 12 min
In which RJ, Sarah and Dave talk insane crafts, normie churches, dying neuroscientists, the healing power of children's books and hope in a weary world. Click here (https://mbird.com/support/) to respond to the opening appeal and support The Mockingcast. Click here (https://mbird.com/shop/magazine/issue-20-success-failure/) to order a copy of The Success & Failure Issue of The Mockingbird Magazine. Click here (https://visitor.r20.constantcontact.com/manage/optin?v=001Olbj1iTXQSX3q9FkHt67FFoy...
May 17, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk library fines, viral dynamics, sad teenagers, and Easter vendettas. Also, Sarah has quite a run-in at the airport. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/31/nyregion/nyc-library-fines-books-returned.html) to read the report about returned library books in NYC. Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/law/second-dates-library-fines-and-doing-good/) to read Matt Pearson's commentary on the returned library books for Mbird. Click here (https://www.wired.com/stor...
Apr 27, 2022•1 hr 13 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk goblin modes, unproductive sabbaticals, shaming complexes, and historical miracles. Also, Sarah takes a tour of a church crypt, and RJ sees yellow (and a lot of movies). Click here (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/mar/14/slobbing-out-and-giving-up-why-are-so-many-people-going-goblin-mode) to read The Guardian's piece on Goblin Mode. Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/the-gift-of-leisure-to-a-hustling-world/) to read Peter Seversen's post for Mock...
Apr 01, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk healthy forgetfulness, vengeful superheroes, theories of enchantment, and personalized religion. Also, Dave breaks some troubling news to a bunch of children. Click here (https://conference.mbird.com/) for more details or to pre-register for our upcoming conference in New York City (April 28-30). Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/2022/03/09/opinion/pandemic-memory.html) to read the NY Times column on forgetting the pandemic. Click here (https://mbird.com/film/...
Mar 16, 2022•1 hr 10 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk cheugy parents, happy churchgoers, urgent prayers, and long defeats. Also, while Dave makes a Pink Floyd faux-pas, RJ does some stitching. Click here (https://katiecouric.com/lifestyle/katie-realizes-shes-cheugy/) to read Katie Couric's confession of cheugy-ness. Click here (https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2022/02/21/magazine/laurie-santos-interview.html) to read the NY Times Magazine's interview with Laurie Santos. Click here (https://www.theschooloflife.co...
Mar 02, 2022•1 hr 11 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk porch pirates, fading friendships, trivialized trauma, and hopeful humor. Also, God works through a robot vacuum cleaner. Click here (https://www.wired.com/story/do-good-doorbell-cams-make-good-neighbors/) to read Meghan O'Gieblyn's answer to the question "Do Good Doorbell Cams Make Good Neighbors?" in Wired Click here (https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2022/03/why-we-lose-friends-aging-happiness/621305/) to read Jennifer Senior's essay on "It's Your ...
Feb 15, 2022•1 hr 9 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk Wordle distractions, parenting silos, mental midwinters, and undeserving fairy tales. Also, Sarah recalls the glory of heads-up seven-up. Click here (https://newsletters.theatlantic.com/galaxy-brain/61eefb8bdc551a0020852bf1/too-much-information/) to read Charlie Warzel's newsletter about Wordle backlash. Click here (https://annehelen.substack.com/p/why-no-one-can-hear-parents-screaming) to read Anne Helen Petersen's newsletter on Screaming Parents. Click here (h...
Feb 01, 2022•1 hr 4 min
In which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk habit formation, performative meetings, Latin American religion, and the benefits of falling apart in church. Also, George Costanza chimes in with some tips on working less. Click here (https://mbird.com/conferences/nine-days-until-tulsa/) for more information about our Tulsa Conference (1/21-22). Click here (https://mbird.com/same-old-song/crafting-the-gospel-focused-sermon-for-lent/) for more information about the Same Old Song "Preaching During Lent" virtual ...
Jan 18, 2022•1 hr 5 min
To respond to the opening appeal and support the work of Mockingbird, please click here (https://mbird.com/support/). All gifts are tax-deductible. Our last episode of the year in which RJ, Sarah, and Dave talk mallstalgia, gift aversions, parent-child privilege gaps, and gambling addictions. Click here (https://tropicsofmeta.com/2021/11/29/mallstalgia/) to read Jason Tebbe's piece on mallstalgia for Tropics of Meta. Click here (https://mbird.com/everyday/law/i-hate-presents/) to read Sarah Hinl...
Dec 07, 2021•1 hr 11 min
In which Dave, RJ, and Sarah talk college essays, supermodel insecurities, ferocious coziness, and because-because propositions. Also, Sarah attends a Renaissance Festival and Dave visits some European comic book stores. Click here (https://hedgehogreview.com/issues/authenticity/articles/how-to-be-yourself) to read Joseph E Davis's piece on "The Studied Art of the College Application Essay" Click here (https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/emily-ratajkowski-and-the-burden-of-being-p...
Nov 15, 2021•1 hr 6 min
