Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice

In this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice, Patricia and Nicole ask, "How do you know something is finished? How do you know you're done?" They talk about what is next for the EEDA podcast and newsletter, the ways that each will evolve, and why you should stay tuned to both.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the email list at theinfophile.com Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Email List

• Our merch shop is open!

• Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life by Megan Hellerer

• EEDA Pod Book Squad: Winning Friends & Influencing People

• Optimistic Hoarder

• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone

• The Year's Best Sports Writing 2025 edited by Hanif Abdurraqib

• Planet Money: A Guide to the Economic Forces That Shape Your Life by Alex Mayyasi and the Hosts of NPR's Planet Money

• On Witness and Respair: Essays by Jesmyn Ward

• Bromantasy by Máire Roche (out 5/26)

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

In this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice, hosts Patricia and Nicole cover more practical communication skills, focusing on how to choose the right environment and timing for difficult conversations. We also share some book recommendations, including an inspiring new release.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Here's a 10% discount to get Brick and start your journey of digital health!

• All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More by Zachary Rubin MD

• ATK Cherry Streusel Bars Recipe (no login required for the next 30 days)

• Moss'd in Space by Rebecca Thorne (out June 30th)

• Body Electric: The Hidden Health Costs of the Digital Age and New Science to Reclaim Your Well-Being by Manoush Zomorodi

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

In this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice, Patricia and Nicole recap a birthday trip to New York City where they saw multiple shows, including a standout production of Cats: The Jellicle Ball — a reimagining of the classic musical set in the world of ballroom culture. The main topic explores the communication skill of distinguishing between something being objectively bad versus simply not being to your taste, touching on linguistic relativity and how the language we use shapes our perceptions of others.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Wikipedia: Linguistic Relativity

• The Blood Countess: Murder, Betrayal, and the Making of a Monster by Shelley Puhak

• This Is How You Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone

• Seasons of Glass and Iron: Stories by Amal El-Mohtar

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

Patricia and Nicole are off this week so here is an encore of an earlier episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice on finding a therapist. We cover what therapy is, why someone might seek it out, and the very real barriers — including cost, privilege, cultural stigma, and systemic biases — that make accessing mental health care difficult for many people. We walk through practical steps for finding a therapist and point listeners to further EEDA resources with additional directories, templates, and tips.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode here https://eedapod.com/how-to-find-a-therapist-especially-if-youre-queer-or-bipoc/ and the official transcript here: https://eedapod.com/encore-how-to-find-a-therapist/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

In this first goals check-in episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice, hosts Patricia and Nicole reflect on a busy first three months of 2026 that left most of their annual goals barely touched. They walk through individual progress updates with candid admissions about what has worked and what has gotten in the way.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

In this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice, Patricia and Nicole discuss strategies for managing personal overwhelm. The episode also includes library accessibility updates, and the not infrequent segment talking about recent books they've read.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• EEDA Pod: Library Love Letter Part One

• EEDA Pod: Library Love Letter Part Two

• Directional Living: A Transformational Guide to Fulfillment in Work and Life by Megan Hellerer

• The Keeper of Magical Things by Julie Leong

• Finna by Nino Cipri

• Defekt by Nino Cipri

• Meditations for Mortals: Four Weeks to Embrace Your Limitations and Make Time for What Counts by Oliver Burkeman

• Scarlet Morning by ND Stevenson

• Nimona by ND Stevenson

• Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

This episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice focuses on the concept of building a "container" for creative activities—a ritual framework to spark creativity and cultivate focus. Patricia and Nicole share personal examples and discuss how this approach can be applied to various activities, from art projects to difficult tasks like doing taxes.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Jen Zink's GoFundMe

• EEDA Newsletter Vol 7, Issue 4: How to Build a Container for Special Times

• The Shortest History of the Dinosaurs: The 230-Million-Year Story of Their Reign and Their World by Riley Black

• All About Allergies: Everything You Need to Know About Asthma, Food Allergies, Hay Fever, and More by Zachary Rubin, MD

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

This episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement and Dubious Advice features hosts Patricia and Nicole discussing their adventures at the Oakland Museum of California White Elephant Sale where they scored vintage treasures. The main topic explores the concept of intentional choice as a tool for combating overwhelm and burnout. The episode wraps up with book recommendations!

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Jen Zink's GoFundMe

• Oakland Museum of California White Elephant Sale

• The Book of Blood and Roses by Annie Summerlee

• I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings by Maya Angelou

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

On this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice, Patricia and Nicole discuss maintaining connections with friends through simple, manageable get-togethers, sharing examples of low-key hangouts like morning neighborhood walks, planner sessions over coffee, & quick pizza-and-cake visits.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Jen Zink's GoFundMe

• Oakland Museum of California White Elephant Sale

• EEDA Pod: There's No Such Thing as 5-Star Cereal

• Bound for the Promised Land: Harriet Tubman, Portrait of an American Hero by Kate Clifford Larson

• The Art of Gathering: How We Meet and Why It Matters by Priya Parker

• Having People Over: A Modern Guide to Planning, Throwing, and Attending Every Type of Party by Chelsea Fagan

• Good Things: Recipes and Rituals to Share with People You Love: A Cookbook by Samin Nosrat

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink

Happy New Year! In this episode of Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice, Patricia and Nicole review their 2025 goals and set intentions for 2026. They reflect on successes while acknowledging they didn't accomplish everything, and that's okay! They also announce the 2026 goal check-in for Patreon subscribers.

Mentioned on the show:

• EEDA Pod Website

• Bookshop Affiliate Storefront (links below are affiliate)

• All the books mentioned on this show are on this shelf

• Become a patron! Patreon.com/eedapod

• Subscribe to the ongoing Enthusiastic Encouragement & Dubious Advice Newsletter

• Our merch shop is open!

• Jen Zink's GoFundMe

• Optimistic Hoarder

• Patricia on The Storygraph

• Nicole on The Storygraph

Find the full show notes with all the books mentioned in this episode and official transcript on our website: https://eedapod.com/

Follow the show on Instagram & find us on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

Sound editing by Jen Zink