Episodes
Yay, you made it to the end (and a HUGE thank you for listening!) This is Part 3 of our 3-part ADHD Is Awesome bonus series. This podcast series is inspired by our new book ADHD Is Awesome which comes out April 30, 2024. In this series, we plan to answer three big questions: 1) What does ADHD look like, 2) How do you best partner with someone who has ADHD, and 3) What do you do with your ADHD to (mostly) thrive. This week, we have Dr. Norrine Russell join us to talk about tips and tricks on...
Published 04/25/24
Hi friends, Penn here. As some of you know, I am obsessed with all things sci-fi. This traces way back to my childhood during the Star Wars and Star Trek days that sparked a lifelong fascination for all things space. It’s the main reason that I always wanted to be an astronaut. Fast forward to today, you can see that life took me in a wildly different direction. (Plus I have terrible vertigo so I would have made a horrible astronaut.) Dashed childhood dreams aside, the impact these movies and...
Published 04/23/24
Published 04/23/24
Welcome back! This is Part 2 of our 3-part ADHD Is Awesome bonus series! This podcast series is inspired by our new book ADHD Is Awesome which comes out April 30, 2024. In this series, we plan to answer three big questions: 1) What does ADHD look like, 2) How do you best partner with someone who has ADHD, and 3) What do you do with your ADHD to (mostly) thrive. This week, we have Dr. Emily King join us to talk about how we can best partner with a child or student with ADHD. We also have my...
Published 04/18/24
I love discovering new things about people through great conversation. But lately I’ve been thinking about how to avoid the pitfalls of asking a question that might make the other person feel uncomfortable or awkward. One of the reasons for that self-reflection is the fact that we have a junior in high school and previously, if I met up with one of her friends, I'd ask, “Where are you thinking about going to college?”  I had no idea how much stress just that simple question creates. (I wrote...
Published 04/16/24
Welcome to our 3-part ADHD Is Awesome bonus series! This podcast series is inspired by our new book ADHD Is Awesome which comes out April 30, 2024. In this series, we plan to answer three big questions: 1) what does ADHD look like, 2) how do you best partner with someone who has ADHD, and 3) what do you do with your ADHD to (mostly) thrive. This week, we have Dr. Marcy Caldwell join us who had a big hand in helping research for the book. We also have our producer, Ann Marie Taepke, gives...
Published 04/11/24
Most of you that have followed us for a while know I’m an anxious person. You know one thing that bizarrely doesn’t scare me? Artificial intelligence taking over the world. There's a lot of hills I'm gonna die on. But if there's a zombie apocalypse triggered by AI? Take me first, alien overlords. Penn is extremely worried about artificial intelligence and what could happen if it gets in the wrong hands. So we invited Dr. Helen Crompton, a professor at Old Dominion University and the Executive...
Published 04/09/24
If you had a button to get rid of your ADHD or someone else’s, would you press it? The perception society has around Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder is pretty negative. You would find it hard to believe there are benefits to something that has three unfavorable words as part of its name. I would rename ADHD in a heartbeat if I could. In our book, ADHD Is Awesome, we talk about alternate names we would use or others have come up with. But no matter what we were to rename ADHD, we need...
Published 04/02/24
I heard of schadenfreude for the first time while sitting in the audience of the hilariously wonderful Broadway show Avenue Q. It means pleasure derived by someone from another person's misfortune. But if schadenfreude is taking pleasure in someone’s misfortune, can you take pleasure in someone’s joy? Enter freudenfreude. On this week’s podcast, we had Dr. Catherine Chambliss teach us how to practice more freudenfreude. Dr. Chambliss shared some of the benefits of freudenfreude and easy...
Published 03/26/24
I have a solid marriage, a great one actually, but most nights I look over to my husband, who falls blissfully asleep as soon as his head hits the pillow, and I’m filled with RAGE. How does he fall asleep so quickly?!? How does his body let him STAY asleep?! Apparently, sleep disruption like I am experiencing is one of the many (many) symptoms of perimenopause. But sometimes, I feel like it’s something *I* have done wrong, something *I* must be doing right. As if it’s all in my head.  I’m...
Published 03/19/24
Penn here! This week, we recorded a live podcast at SXSW in Austin, Texas about how to (mostly) thrive with ADHD. We talk about how the world wasn’t built for ADHD and what systems I’ve put in place to make life more manageable. My hope is that we can find more understanding for those of us with different, but wonderful brains. If you have ADHD, how would you change your school or workplace to be more ADHD friendly? Big thanks to everyone who attended, we are so excited to get our new book...
Published 03/12/24
Recently, we had the privilege of going on family vacation in the Caribbean and one of the activities we planned was snorkeling. He was particularly excited about seeing the “nerf shark.” (Yes, he said nerf shark instead of nurse shark.) Penn is very smart. He’s one of those annoying people who took the SAT and got an amazing score the first time. So, I cannot tell you how happy it made me that he thought a nurse shark was called a nerf shark. Easily my top moment on vacation.  This story led...
Published 03/05/24
We have very fun (but weird) jobs where we have to always be producing something. Small business owners know that you have to hustle in order to make a living. Your success (or failure) is a direct correlation of your work. And it’s a lot of pressure. This week on our podcast, we interviewed Celeste Headlee, author of Do Nothing: How To Break Away From Overworking, Overdoing, and Underliving. I have to admit some of her advice about slowing down did not seem like it could work for small...
Published 02/27/24
I am pretty sure I didn’t do “gentle parenting” with my kids. To be clear, Penn and I don’t really have to discipline our children. They are wonderful kids and on their way to be amazing adults. But when they were toddlers having a tantrum, I can’t say that I was gentle. But should I be? Is it too late to change my parenting? Enter our dear friend, Dr. Hope Seidel, a parenting coach and pediatrician. When I posed this question to Dr. Hope, she responded: “Why do you think you need to change,...
Published 02/20/24
There was a time when we’d have a reservation at a cozy restaurant to celebrate Valentine’s Day. Things are different now, but not “bad” different. I don’t love my husband any less. In fact, there’s no way I could love him more, but we are not in our date night era. So this week, our producer Ann Marie Taepke (she also plays our Midwest Neighbor in videos) joins us! When you've been together for a long time, it's hard to find new things to talk about. Ann Marie brought us 10 wacky questions...
Published 02/13/24
Last week, we put out a fun video about Taylor Swift and the Super Bowl. It went viral and for the most part people loved it. But some of the comments got us talking enough to feel like we needed to do a podcast on it. Over the past couple months, Taylor Swift has received criticism for supporting her boyfriend Travis Kelce in his career. Some of the recent claims about her are misogynistic and awful. Would anyone say these things if an internationally famous male musician was supporting his...
Published 02/06/24
This week, we had you join us to play our new game What The Flock? (Thanks for being DTF... which is down to flock, of course.) We also have Peter Denbigh, CEO of Skyler Imagination, join us before we play to give a behind-the-scenes look at what it takes to launch a game. We had so much fun making this game, and we cannot wait for you to play it! You can order it from Skyler Imagination or Amazon, and a couple of signed copies are still available: https://skyimagine.com/wtf/ Join Our...
Published 01/30/24
*This podcast talks about weight loss and issues surrounding body image* I love the sentiment around body positivity today. Models of all sizes cover magazines, and performers in larger bodies headline tours. But I don't know if I will ever get there. I grew up in the 90s where being thin was socially rewarded. It wasn't until I met Penn that I realized how you look doesn't have an impact on how you're loved or what you are capable of accomplishing. I talk more about this in a recent blog...
Published 01/23/24
Boundaries have been a buzzword for a while, but what they really? (And are we even doing them right?) Today we welcome Dr. Abby Medcalf onto the show to talk to us about how boundaries keep people in rather than keep them out. She gives us advice and examples on healthy boundaries, how to keep them, and why you shouldn't justify them. Learn more about Dr. Abby Medcalf and her book Boundaries Made Easy here: https://abbymedcalf.com/ Have a question for us? Call 323-364-3929 or email us at...
Published 01/16/24
This year I am trying to worry less, and it’s a hard resolution to measure. But I have a theory about needing to do less of something: Adding more. If I try to do more, will I have time to worry? I wrote a blog post last week that kicked off this topic in our weekly podcast. Penn and I talk through what we want more of in 2024 (which Penn is super on board with for the sole reason that it rhymes. Thank goodness I didn’t think of this in 2025.) I asked a bunch of you want you wanted more of in...
Published 01/09/24
My motto lately has been: "That sounds like a January problem." So when it came to the last podcast of the year, I decided to make it a problem for our lovely team: Ann Marie Taepke and Sam Allen. Hear the 4 of us discuss the best moments from the podcast this year, what Penn & I have learned about each other, and some behind-the-scenes fun. (Should we have Sam and Ann Marie on again?) Have a great holiday break, we are taking two weeks off and will be back on January 9th. See you in...
Published 12/19/23
I don’t buy lottery tickets. Not because I have moral opposition, but because I know I’ll never get this lucky ever again. Ten years ago, we won the internet lottery. We posted a video we titled, “XMAS JAMMIES” and it went viral. To be clear, we didn’t intend for millions of people to watch that video. It changed our lives forever (it's even how you're listening to this podcast now!) This week we talk about the lessons we've learned over the last 10 years. I wish I had better words to express...
Published 12/12/23
I have to admit, I roll my eyes when people tell me to slow down and enjoy things. When I first heard the phrase ‘Calm Christmas’ my mind heard the word lazy. There are so many obligations and traditions that are expected of us this time of year, how can you possibly slow down? This week we talked to Beth Kempton, author of Calm Christmas and a Happy New Year: A Little Book of Festive Joy, to help inspire calm in us this season. Calm can mean different things to different people. Beth...
Published 12/05/23
Have you ever gotten a gift so bad that it's hilarious? This week we needed a laugh so we asked you for your worst gift stories. You did not disappoint. (Also, did you hear cheese or Jesus? Let us know PLEASE!) Have a question for us? Call 323-364-3929 or email us at [email protected]. Play Our Game Shop Our Merch Grab Our Book Join Our Newsletter Kim and Penn are online content creators known for their award-winning videos, including original music, song parodies, and comedy...
Published 11/28/23
Penn and I are no strangers to sports. We both enjoy playing recreationally, watching matches, and our kids are competitive too. There’s so much to admire about professional athletes. But what can we learn from them? This week we have world-renowned sports psychologist, Dr. Nicole Detling, on the podcast to talk about how to get our heads into a winning mindset. Dr. Nicole has consulted athletes for 25 years, including Olympic and Paralympic medalists, world champions, professional athletes...
Published 11/21/23