Open Ended

A special Halloween-themed variety extravaganza featuring listener stories of being terrified by tech and a new radio play, "The GPS".

Tape from the cutting room floor of episode #25.

This week, Cher and James welcome guest Rashid Zakat. Topics include: creating lo-fi art online, creating content for the future while being modest, and discovering how humor in art can create community. During the after-show, Rashid talks about the VSCO app and a photography book, Cher shares her love for Issa Rae, and James discovered a new app.

This week, Cher and James get physical and investigate the current state of fitness tracking. Topics include: the Chicago Marathon, the popularity of Fitbit, and guilt-driven anxiety. During the after-show, Cher triggers nostalgia with an orchestral song, and James triggers nostalgia with the background muzak of a department store.

This week's special guest Sabella Flagg talks with Cher and James about employment, albeit self-employment, unemployment, and how those transitions effect your psyche, money, and career. In the aftershow, Sabella talks about Ryan Adams, Cher discusses her recent crafting project, and James talks about his relaunch of his "CSS Black Lives Matter" campaign.

This week, Cher and James speculate the future of content blockers, how they deal with them in their own devices, and the pros and cons of monetizing content. In the after show, Cher talks about her favorite new TV show and an old film from her childhood, while James discovered a new folk band.

Cher and James sit down with Lindsay Eyth, of Eythink. They discuss her surprise Etsy shop success, her graphic design beginnings, and the transition into being her real self online and in real life.

Cher and James discuss how and when to engage in awkward, controversial conversations, both online and in real life. In the aftershow, Cher shares her love for Skylar Spence's new album, and James talks about his joy over the new iPhone.

C’ne Rohlsen-Green visits Cher and James as they discuss her early start with “analog life," her need for tangibility in her work, and her growing appreciation for digital expression. In the after-show, C’ne shares her affection for Alessa Cara, James’ talks about Long Haul Productions, and Cher talks about a podcast all about Gilmore Girls.

Cher and James discuss data, and the pros and cons of algorithms infiltrating the human experience. During the after show, Cher talks about her love for the sleep app, Pillow, while James shows excitement for the new bike GPS, SmartHalo.