Most Alive

Ever thought of filling your house with plants? How much do you know about tea? What's Swedish Fit? Is Paris really full of snobs? We're all over the map - in the most intriguing of ways - with Alain Nguyen.

What the heck is going on with the Internet? Who knows, but it was fun to talk through some of the questions with someone as sharp and funny as Abby Vlosky.

What if the world of college football was home to a unique way to see the country, meet people, and generate memorable experiences? I've never been a fan of the sport, but talking with Scott Nutty opened my eyes to new details of what seem now like obvious possibilities.

What if there were a community oriented around something you loved that was as simple as sneakers (that themselves were anything but simple)? Or vinyls? Or other collectibles? Andy Moskalik helps teach me that art doesn't have to mean centuries-old paintings in a museum, but the allure, inspiration, and connection to something bigger than ourselves are often constants. Where do you find those?

What if you could meet and communicate with people anywhere in the world, who wanted to meet you, too? You could learn each other's language and culture and compare perspectives, while also just building an actual friendship. This is exactly how I met Joued Boussetta, and here we discuss some of the simple yet alluring topics available to discover together as language-learning partners.

What if it mattered how everyday Americans play a part in crafting and implementing our nation's policies around the world? What if we could discuss this stuff pleasantly? It does and we can, and Lou Feaman shows us the way.

What if you could insert a game into any ordinary situation to bring life, laughs, and joy to those around you? Danny Stephan's done this as long as I've known him, so naturally in this day and age he's doing it with podcasts. See who guesses the most cereal-milks correctly! We cover a lot, laugh a lot, and I think show a lot about ourselves in this marathon of a chat.

And if you like this one, check out more of Danny's "Podder Fodder" episodes wherever you listen to podcasts.

What would a lifestyle based on family, community, love of nature, conservation, adventure, and providing for loved ones look like? Billy Harvey from Log Talk with Pertnear Outdoors does a marvelous job outlining this, as he shows me how much more there is to being an outdoorsman than camouflage and dead animals. Glad I had those and other stereotypes blown away.

And  check out Pertnear Outdoors at linktr.ee/pertnearoutdoors,  on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/PertnrOutdoors/, or on Instagram @pertnearoutdoors.

What if there were a cultural movement that meant the world to others but you'd never heard about it?  If you're like me, you'd have to explore it, especially if it's known by a unique conglomeration of seemingly disparate terms like "underground punk rock feminist movement." I'm so glad to have had one more previously-dark corner of the world lit up for me by Jaime Dombrowski, whose story of the camaraderie she found in this movement highlights the shared humanity I think we're all seeking.

What if it were easy? If you loved red, couldn't you paint your house red? and buy red decorations, clothes, foods? and surround yourself with others who loved red? Surely, red isn't this important to you. What is?