Popular Christmas Traditions Origins (0:35)

Guest: Ace Collins, Author of "Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas"

For all the talk about putting “Christ” back in Christmas, you may be surprised to learn that Christ was actually a late-comer to the party. Many of our Christmas traditions have pagan origins. (Originally aired 12/12/18). 

 

Romantic Types Are Real, And It's Better That We Know (20:57)

Guest: Geoff MacDonald is a Professor of Psychology at the University of Toronto

When a relationship ends badly, it’s pretty common for the partners to swear they’ll never partner with someone like that again. But easier said than done. A study of hundreds of people, and the people they’ve been in relationships with, found we really do gravitate toward a type. So, is there every any hope for turning a new leaf in love? (Originally aired 8/6/19). 

 

Feldenkrais Method (31:03)

Guest: Marek Wyszynski, Physical Therapist and Co-Founder of the Feldenkrais Institute of New York

We humans are rough on our bodies. We pound and strain for fitness, power through discomfort and bounce to force a deeper stretch in a stiff muscle. When something is out of whack, we’ll get a deep massage that makes us wince, or have a chiropractor crack us back into alignment. The Feldenkrais Method does none of that. Its devotees include professional athletes and concert musicians and lots of regular people who experience chronic pain. If you stumbled on a class –or a video online –of people doing Feldenkrais exercises, you’re bound to be a bit stumped. All these people moving their limbs so gently and so slowly –that’s helping how exactly? (Originally aired 1/23/19). 

 

Dealing with Difficult Conversation Over the Holidays (51:14)

Guest: Emily deSchweinitz Taylor, conflict mediator, Author of Raising Mediators

You’re going to be with a lot of family and friends at holiday gatherings in the next couple of weeks. And maybe you’re dreading what will happen when your uncle brings up that politician you disagree with, or your mother-in-law starts giving you parenting advice. A lot of us are in the habit of walking away from those conversations just to keep the peace...maybe hiding out fora bit and venting on Facebook, right? But what if you didn’t walk away? What if there were a way to have that disagreement without ending in hurt feelings or broken dishes? (Originally aired 12/13/18). 

 

Boots on the Ground (1:13:40)

Guest: Elizabeth Partridge, Author, “Boots on the Ground”

Fifty-years ago, the US was deeply embroiled in the Vietnam War and protests against were roiling here at home. Teenagers today are likely to be the grandchildren of soldiers who fought in Vietnam. What do they know of the war and how it shaped the world they live in today? (Originally aired 5/16/18).